Partnership Values

Seattle Out & Proud Foundation, better known as “Seattle Pride,” was born out of the need to ensure visibility, recognition, and survival for our community. From its earliest days, Pride has been more than a celebration, it has been a fight for equity and our right to exist. LGBTQIA2S+ people are essential to the fabric of this country. We are in your neighborhoods, schools, government agencies, and businesses, and we will not be erased. Despite the efforts of some to weaponize and commodify our identities, we remain committed to ensuring that our partnerships reflect the true needs and values of our community.

To uphold this commitment, we are implementing a more rigorous review process for any organization seeking to partner with Seattle Pride or become a sponsor. We will also reassess all current partnerships to ensure they are value-aligned. Through this new vetting process, we are taking a deeper look at organizations’ political donations and lobbying activities, LGBTQIA2S+ policies, ties to the weapons industry, labor and supply chain ethics, involvement in immigration and carceral systems, and overall public impact. While we acknowledge that no process is ever perfect, we know that this is a necessary step forward.

Seattle Pride is more than just events. Over the years, we have supported grassroots initiatives, youth programs, artists, and community-driven efforts, ensuring that the resources needed to thrive are available to our people. This will not change. Our work extends beyond Pride Month and into year-round programs that uplift and support our LGBTQIA2S+ and BIPOC communities. 

We also recognize that true progress cannot be achieved alone. We are committed to transparency and accountability, ensuring that our actions speak louder than words. This initiative is part of our continued evolution as we stay true to the roots of Pride – not just as a celebration but as a protest and a movement for change. We hope this will inspire partners to reflect on their role in supporting marginalized communities in tangible, lasting ways.

To our community, we hear you. We are working to build a stronger partnership process, one that reflects the needs of those most impacted. We know that past frameworks, like the reliance on HRC’s rating, have not captured the complexity of issues affecting LGBTQIA2S+ and BIPOC communities, especially those at the intersections of multiple marginalized identities. We are developing a more comprehensive system to assess and approve partnerships while ensuring there are clear pathways for community feedback and for concerns to be heard and addressed. This is an ongoing process, and we invite you to provide input along the way. 

If you are part of an Employee Resource Group that is being dissolved due to DEI rollbacks, or if you are working in a space that has rolled back its affirmation of DEI, know that you are not alone. Your participation in Pride is not defined by your company. Join us as an individual, march with a community group, or volunteer. You have the power to drive change from within, and we are here to support you.

To our current and future partners, this is the moment where true allyship matters. To leaders within companies who want to meet this moment, reach out to learn how to support our efforts and community. The attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion are meant to divide and weaken our movement. We need partners who actively create safer, more equitable spaces within their organizations and our communities all year long, during Pride month and every month. We are going to need all of us.

To the organizations that have reaffirmed their commitment to DEI and the true value of community, we see you. We hope you continue to be the agents of change that drive meaningful progress in this world.

To all of our community, friends, family, and allies, we thank you for your support in this journey. 

With love and gratitude,

Seattle Pride

If you would like to learn more about our partnership process or have feedback, please contact feedback@seattlepride.org.