In October 2018 USAP was formed with the primary purpose to engage in activities to promote the public education and awareness of the personal rights and civil liberties of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and gender nonconforming individuals. USAP membership is composed of US-based pride organizations that are joint members of InterPride. All US-based member organizations that joined InterPride after December 1, 2018 are automatically members of USAP. Because of the Joint Membership Agreement with InterPride, effective July 1, 2019 membership fees paid to InterPride will be allocated with 50% to InterPride and 50% to USAP.
When USAP was formed, an incorporating set of officers were elected to form the organization, to oversee the successful filing of organizational paperwork with the IRS, and to conduct the official election after the organizational paperwork was accepted by the IRS. The first two steps have now been completed, so we are now calling for nominations for individuals from member pride organizations to either be nominated or to nominate themselves to serve as an officer of USAP.
The United States Association of Prides is pleased to announce our Board of Directors
Board of Directors
Co-President, male, trans, nonbinary identified
I’m running for co-president. I’m looking forward with promise to establishing an unified network of Pride organizers in the United States. I’m exhausted and a bit disgusted with an overly bureaucratic, slow to change environment and culture that’s shifting its focus away from the grassroots work of organizing Pride events. I support an international association of Pride organizers that delivers value to membership and values each member equally, regardless of country of origin.
We deserve better. My platform seeks to empower Pride organizations, focus on education and networking opportunities, elevate the voice of individual, local, and regional Prides, increase sharing of information, and return the focus from a global organized association to a state and national vision, give small Pride organizations a platform so their voice can be heard, provide reciprocal membership within existing Pride networks, reduce organizational regulations, restore a belief in and value of United States Pride organizations, and to create a governing structure that is efficient and more impactful for members.
The United States is home to some of the largest Pride organizations in the world as well as a high percentage of small, developing, financially struggling organizations. We all seek a more accepting, and equal environment to live our most authentic life. Hate crimes against LGBTQ+ individuals are increasing at alarming rates. Our schools are among the worst for teaching LGBTQ history. Furthermore, an anti-LGBTQ+ administration is crippling the equality environment and is eliminating protections for our LGBTQ+ family. The Pride movement needs our commitment more than ever before to help one another and raise awareness of the profound diversity and equal love found in our homes across the United States of America.
Three decades ago, our fellow Pride organizations in San Francisco, San Diego, Boston, New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles gathered in a Boston community center and founded the InterPride organization. The founding purpose was to share information and mentor others.
I pledge to you to fight for and ask all member organizations to recommit to the original promise of the Pride organizers that gathered in Boston in 1982. I ask you join me in the mission and with a belief in the value of sharing information and the importance of mentor others. I fully support activities to promote the public education and awareness of the personal rights and civil liberties of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and gender nonconforming individuals.
Co-President, female identified
My name is Marsha H. Levine, and I am seeking to run for Co-President of the United States Association of Prides.
A bit about myself: In 1980, I volunteered for the Boston Lesbian/Gay Pride Committee and haven’t stopped serving the Pride movement since, including when I moved to the Bay Area in 1985 and joined the San Francisco LGBT Pride Parade & Celebration Committee. That’s almost 40 years of consistent dedication to Pride as a Board member, staff, contractor, or a volunteer in various areas.
In 1982, I founded InterPride, then known as the National Association of Lesbian/Gay Pride Coordinators, now the International Association of LGBT Pride Coordinators — currently almost 350 global members strong. Following that accomplishment, and after a few years of gathering California Pride coordinators at annual conferences, when I was President of San Francisco Pride in 1990, the California Association of Prides, Inc. (CAPI) was co-founded by myself and a few other leaders. Today it is known as the Consolidated Association of Prides, Inc. and includes members from InterPride’s Regions 1, 2, and 3, making it the largest regional association in the United States.
I’ve served as Vice President for InterPride, CAPI, and San Francisco Pride (and other roles), whose duties include assisting the (Co-)President(s) or standing in for them, serving as a liaison to the community, representing the corporation publicly, connecting with members and nonmembers (locally as well as the current 6 U.S. regions), chairing various subcommittees in those organizations (as designated in the bylaws or by desire), and participating as a subcommittee member, too (Governance, Restructuring, Scholarship, Fund Development, Methods & Standards, Personnel, Nominating Committee).
Goals and philosophies: As an officer of the United States Association of Prides, I would bring leadership and experience to this foundling organization, helping it build a strong foundation and grow into a valuable resource for Pride organizations big and small, urban and rural. My commitment is to strive for diversity, equality, and liberation in all ways.
More of an organizer working behind the scenes, I am equally comfortable being a visible ambassador. A strong believer that, for example, through mentoring and collaboration we grow stronger and better together, these are among the goals I will encourage for myself and USAP.
Please join me as we take this step forward in what promises to be an exciting step forward in the new ride movement! Thank you, Marsha H. Levine
Secretary
I am interested in serving as Secretary for United States Association of Prides. I have selected Secretary because I have already coordinated the formation of our bylaws, submitted the corporate documents for us to form as an organization and the processing of our 501c3 IRS application. Continuing as Secretary will allow me to see the process through to the final formation of the Association. This role will also be aided by serving on the InterPride Board, as a member of both boards I will be in a position to bridge both organizations during this formation process. I also selected the secretary position because it is the shorter two year
position, this will allow me to help with the formation and then pass the position on for another person to become involved.
Serving as secretary will also allow me the opportunity to provide input into the first conference for USAP. As USAP plans its first conference, we will need to take a close look at the best time to hold the conference so that it is not held too close to InterPride, our existing regional conferences and when most of our Prides take place. This will need to be a careful balancing act to schedule the conference when there will be the fewest conflicts and when it will allow for the greatest participation from our member prides. My conference planning experience will also help to offer a program that will also serve the needs of the attendees and our member prides.
I began my involvement with the pride movement in 2004 when I first volunteered for a ‘shift’ at Motor City Pride. That four-hour shift lead to my serving various roles, and now as the chairperson of the Motor City Pride. With my event planning and advocacy experience, we have been able to grow MCP from an afternoon street fair attracting 10,000 people into a regional weekend festival that attracts over 55,000 participants each year.
In additional to Motor City Pride, I served eight years on the board for Equality Michigan: Michigan’s statewide LGBTQ advocacy organization. At a national level, I have been a member of the National LGBT Task Force Creating Change Conference’s Management Team.
I am employed as Executive Director of three career and technical student organizations: DECA, SkillsUSA and FCCLA, which annually provides leadership and career development conferences for over 14,000 Michigan high school students.
Treasurer
I have been involved in the Pride movement since 1995. I started as a volunteer with Atlanta Pride 24 years ago. During that time I was a volunteer, then on staff – holding the position of Assistant Director. I resigned in December of 2007 and came back as a volunteer and have been on the board since then.
2005 – 2012 – InterPride Board of Directors
2005 – 2007 – served as VP – US Female Identified for 2 years
2007 – 2011 - Served as Female Co-President – 4 years
2011 – 2012 – Served as Treasurer – 1 year
I am treasurer for the Parent Teacher Organization at my son’s high school (final year) and Treasurer for my neighborhood pool – also final year. In my working life I am the Director of Administration and one of my main jobs is accounting/bookkeeping. I have been employed with Childkind for 13 years.
Personal – I believe in the importance and value of Pride. I feel that Pride continues to have relevance in our world. It would be an honor to serve as Treasurer for the United States Association of Prides.