1 2 letter from the directors

Dear community members, sponsors, donors and friends,

A little over two years ago, a group of committed volunteers — some who had worked with local Pride events for years — banded together to re-establish Charlotte Pride. We came out of a tumultuous time of uncertainty, with no resources, the fnancial support of only one sponsor and a mere eight months before we were expected to present the frst Pride parade in our hometown in nearly 20 years.

We had begun that year as a renewed and refreshed organization with a small personal loan from one of our board members to open a post offce box and bank account. We met in volunteers’ living rooms and dining rooms and held board meetings in coffee shops, restaurants and, yes, bars. Despite the challenges lying ahead, we put our minds and efforts to ensuring that the annual Charlotte Pride Festival and Parade would survive the walls and hurdles in our path.

We’ve successfully met that goal, and today we can report that we are growing and stronger than ever before. The Charlotte Pride you know today is a testament to our volunteers’, sponsors’, donors’ and community’s trust and confdence in our organization’s ability to shepherd community resources and support in ways that serve to always beneft the community, which lies at the heart of Charlotte Pride’s mission — to celebrate and empower the Queen City’s LGBTQ community.

Community is always at the forefront of our organization’s mind, whether it’s providing space at our annual festival and parade for that person who gets to experience their very frst Pride event or assisting other community members and organizations in promoting their events or making them stronger.

You might have once heard an old cliche, that “Pride is just an annual party.” As an organization, we’ve worked diligently to expand our community partnerships, embrace collaborative programs, support other non-proft groups and present community-centered activities throughout the year. We frmly believe that Pride isn’t a one- or two-day event. Pride is a state of mind and being — always focused on celebrating and empowering the very special people who make Charlotte’s LGBTQ community unique.

We’re proud to present to you our frst-ever annual report, being published just in time to celebrate the ffteenth annual Charlotte Pride Festival and third annual Parade. We hope our report lets you learn more about what we’ve done over the past two years, featuring highlights, accomplishments and successes from 2013 and 2014. It also gives you a glimpse into our current work and where we see Charlotte Pride heading in the future.

Together — community members, donors, sponsors, vendors, volunteers — we’ve made Charlotte Pride a signifcant, positive force for empowerment and celebration in the Queen City. Thank you for your continued support. We look forward to seeing where we’ll go together in the years ahead.

With Pride,

Richard Grimstad, Co-Director Craig Hopkins, Co-Director

3 at a glance: 2013 A renewed Charlotte Pride Marking a commitment to future growth and stability, January 2013 saw the re-establishment of an independent Charlotte Pride after seven years of partnership with the LGBT Community Center of Charlotte. In February 2013, volunteers with Charlotte Pride successfully fled for and, in May, received re-instatement of its 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status from the IRS. The move allowed Charlotte Pride to focus on its future growth, stability and sustainability, while providing our organization’s sponsors, donors, festival vendors, parade participants and community members with increased transparency and engagement. Charlotte Pride, which began that year with no funding, quickly gained the confdence of a longtime sponsor, began planning for the city’s frst Pride parade in nearly 20 years and presented the largest, most successful annual Pride festival and parade at the time on Aug. 24 and 25, 2013. Community engagement & momentum With the re-establishment of Charlotte Pride, organizers were able to build upon increased community momentum as it ramped up more determined community engagement and outreach efforts. 2013 saw a signifcant increase in the number of community events, socials, fundraisers and special activities leading up to the festival and parade in August, including:

• Two fundraisers at The Scorpio • Charlotte’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade • Meet and greet with celebrity comedian Fortune Feimster at Cathode Azure • A Night in the Village Stonewall celebration at The Bar at 316 • Annual Charlotte Pride Splash Day at U.S. National Whitewater Center •‘80s Brunch and Car Wash at The Bar at 316 • Inaugural Canine Couture dog fashion show and pet services vendor fair at Triple C Brewing Company

These community events allowed Charlotte Pride to reach out to potential sponsors, vendors, community volunteers and donors throughout the year, increasing the organization’s capacity to present its largest-ever festival and frst-ever locally produced parade. Charlotte Pride Week The momentum Charlotte Pride experienced during the frst half of 2013 carried through to the week before the annual festival and parade. 2013 saw a signifcant increase in the number of community events held during the annual Charlotte Pride Week, further increasing engagement with sponsors, vendors and volunteers, and providing community members multiple opportunities to interact with Charlotte Pride and a host of community organizations and businesses presenting events and activities throughout the Queen City. Pride Week, which begins the Friday one week before each year’s festival and parade, has proven to be an opportune time for Charlotte Pride and other organizations to present events, taking advantage of increased marketing and community focus on LGBTQ organizations and causes. 2013 festival highlights Charlotte Pride’s festival was held in Uptown Charlotte, Aug. 24-25, 2013, and attended by more than 80,000 visitors over the two days, a 78 percent increase over attendance numbers in 2012. The event included nationally-recognized and diverse entertainment. Recording artists Mya, Big Freedia and Judith Hill topped out the slate of performers this year, which also included a wide variety of local and regional musicians and bands and drag performance artists from RuPaul’s Drag Race (presented by The Scorpio) on the Wells Fargo Stage. The festival included the largest-ever number of vendors in an expanded and improved PNC Bank Festival Zone which included a centralized food court and an expanded Time Warner Cable VIP Lounge.

For the frst time, Charlotte Pride expanded its event branding opportunities, with fve presenting sponsors receiving naming rights to the main stage (Wells Fargo), VIP area (Time Warner Cable) entertainment and performers (The Scorpio), festival zone (PNC Bank) and parade (Bank of America). 2013 parade highlights Also in 2013, Charlotte Pride reintroduced a Pride parade to the Queen City, with a commitment to make the parade an annual event. The Bank of America Charlotte Pride Parade, hosted Aug. 25, 2013, marked the frst time an LGBTQ Pride parade had been held in Charlotte since NC Pride’s visit to the Queen City in 1994. Nearly two decades later, Tryon St. was flled with rainbows again as 80 parade entries — including four foats, marching contingents, festively decorated cars, motorcycles and more — made their way down Charlotte’s main street.

The parade also welcomed then-Mayor Patsy Kinsey, who rode at the front. Kinsey became the frst Charlotte mayor to participate in a Pride Parade and also issued an offcial proclamation marking the weekend “Charlotte Pride Weekend.”

4 2014 financials Good Stewards Charlotte Pride engaged the services of a local CPA frm to perform an independent audit of the 2014 fnancial statements. The audit returned an unqualifed opinion, signifying that the fnancial statements of Charlotte Pride gave a true and fair view of the organization’s fnancial position in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. Charlotte Pride has developed processes, policies and procedures in a commitment to transparency and fscal and fnancial responsibility. Our board’s utmost objective is to remain good stewards of community resources. An overview of our 2014 fnancials is below. Additionally, you can view our audit and currently available Forms 990 at charlottepride.org/about/docs/.

Revenues Contributions, Grants, and Other Income $ 99,024 Program Service Revenues 287,169 386,193

Expenses Program Service Expenses Festival $253,108 Parade 10,475 Fundraising Expenses 5,200 General and Administrative Expenses 14,871 283,654

Net Assets Unrestricted $ 41,712 Unrestricted - Board Appropriated 2015 Seed Funding 21,000 Emergency Reserve 85,033 Collaborative Programming Reserve 15,975 Operations Reserve 14,075 Offce Upft and Rent Reserve 24,000 Temporarily Restricted 2,500 204,295

A Special Thank You to Our Catalysts... Two supporters of Charlotte Pride deserve special thanks for their continued trust and confdence in our organization.

In 2013, days after being re-established as an independent organization, Charlotte Pride received early fnancial support from The Scorpio, a longtime presenting sponsor of local Pride events and activities. The Scorpio’s initial support provided Charlotte Pride the resources to fle its non-proft reinstatement with the IRS and take other important organizational steps. Their later commitment as a presenting sponsor that year continued their long tradition of support for this organization’s annual festival and parade.

Weeks later in 2013, the Charlotte Lesbian & Gay Fund became Charlotte Pride’s frst signifcant donor and supporter, granting the organization much-needed operational funding for both the festival and parade. Without the Fund’s support, activities in 2013 would not have been possible.

The Charlotte Pride board and its volunteers wish to send a special note of gratitude to The Scorpio and to the Charlotte Lesbian & Gay Fund for their early and continued support of our work.

5 2014 charlotte pride festival and parade A landmark year of growth Charlotte Pride’s annual festival and parade saw its largest, most successful year in 2014. Held again in Uptown Charlotte at the PNC Bank Festival Zone along Tryon St., the event attracted more than 100,000 visitors over the course of the two-day festival. Of those an estimated 65,000 unique individuals spread their visit out over the two days, taking in entertainment, shopping and networking with local non-profts at the festival and watching the parade on Sunday. Attendance increased an astonishing 733 percent from 2010, when 12,000 attended a one-day festival at the NC Music Factory.

Vendors, Parade and Entertainment Increased attendance complemented a rise in participation from vendors and parade entries. At the festival, vendor participation rose from 100 in 2013 to 154 in 2014. At the Bank of America Charlotte Pride Parade, more than 100 entries, including 22 foats, represented an increase over the previous year’s 80 entries and four foats. 2014 also saw the event’s grandest entertainment yet, with headlining performances by LeAnn Rimes, Sevyn Streeter and Bianca Del Rio, presented by The Scorpio on the Wells Fargo Stage. Other performers included a variety of pop, hip hop and dance artists, including appearances by drag performers from RuPaul’s Drag Race. Additionally, the Time Warner Cable VIP Lounge saw an expansion and increased attendance.

Community Outreach The lead up to the 2014 festival and parade was accentuated with a variety of community events and activities, including: • Miss Charlotte Pride Pageant at The Scorpio • Brunch and Wash at The Bar at 316 • To Russia With Love at Cathode Azure • Canine Couture Triple C Brewing Company •BEAR-B-QUE at The Woodshed • Charlotte Pride Splash Day at U.S. National Whitewater Center Additionally, Pride Week saw an historic increase in the number of events hosted, including a frst-ever Charlotte Pride Youth Dance, co-hosted by Charlotte Pride, Time Out Youth, Charlotte Black Gay Pride and Campus Pride. Charlotte Pride also hosted our annual Pride Interfaith Service at Caldwell Memorial Presbyterian Church.

Media, Marketing and Social Media Interaction Our media and marketing efforts allowed us to reach an ever-growing community of LGBTQ people in and around the Queen City. Expanding our media and marketing efforts, Charlotte Pride advertised for the frst time outside of the Charlotte metro market, specifcally targeting North Carolina’s Triad area and Atlanta.

For the second year in a row, Charlotte Pride also advertised its festival and parade via TV advertisement. From July 16 through Aug. 15, 858 airings of our 30-second commercial reached a diverse audience across several channels on local TV. Other advertising included a mix of paid and sponsored media coverage on TV (WBTV), radio (Kiss 95.1 FM) and print (Charlotte Observer, Creative Loafng, QNotes, the GA Voice, Triad City Beat).

An analysis by staff at the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority of all media coverage across TV, print and online channels (excluding TV commercials) found a total print circulation reach of 269,083, broadcast viewership of 125,861 and total impressions of nearly 4.4 million. Our outreach and interaction via social media allowed us to reach a growing number of community members. On Facebook, our fans increased to over 14,000, a 28 percent increase over the prior year and a total post reach of nearly 467,000, Aug. 15-17, 2014, an increase of more than 60 percent over the prior year. the festival’s and parade’s growth and expansion... 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 12,000 27,000 45,000 80,000 100,000 percent growth over prior year: 125% 67% 78% 25%

6 Photo Credit: Matt Comer

Increased civic partnerships & economic impact 2014 was also the frst year Charlotte Pride undertook increased collaboration and partnership with the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA), which sponsored several media and marketing efforts for the festival and parade. At the end of the year, Charlotte Pride and the CRVA compiled the frst-ever economic impact study of out-of-town visitors to the festival and parade.

CRVA found the total economic impact from out-of-town visitors was $7.75 million, including $2.49 million of additional labor income, with a total of 76.63 jobs supported by visitor spending.

Among the study’s other key fndings: • Of the more than 10,500 out-of-town visitors, nearly 81 percent stayed overnight in Charlotte, with 68 percent of those visitors staying at local hotels. • More than 77 percent of festival attendees also attended the parade. • The average visitor spent more than $460 per person while visiting the city. • The average length of stay of overnight visitors was 1.7 nights and included 3.4 people. • The largest amount of spending was lodging, followed by food, beverage and retail. • More than 62 percent of attendees spent their dollars shopping, with more than 61 percent spending dollars on local dining.

Increasing diversity In addition to a frst-ever economic impact study, Charlotte Pride also compiled its own visitor survey, showing that the annual festival and parade is reaching a growing diversity of the city’s LGBTQ and straight ally communities. Organizers estimate that ffty-three percent of attendees identifed as female, 45 percent identifed as male and two percent as transgender. An estimated 16 percent of attendees identifed as straight, 10 percent identifed as bisexual, 33 percent as lesbian and 41 percent as gay. Nearly 20 percent of attendees were people of color.

Community support Charlotte Pride was able to extend the benefts of its festival and parade to a growing number of community non-profts in 2014. A total of $30,000 in discounted, subsidized or complimentary booth spaces, tents, tables, chairs, parade entries and other services were offered to local non-profts who might not have otherwise been able to attend the festival or parade. These discounted, subsidized or complimentary services allowed smaller non-profts access to the festival’s and parade’s attendees, thereby increasing their outreach to community and strengthening awareness of their programs and activities.

7 awards and recognition Champions of Pride & Grand Marshals Charlotte Pride’s board and volunteers believe strongly in our mission. From our annual festival and parade to events and collaborations throughout the year, we seek always to celebrate and empower those in our community. In 2013, Charlotte Pride established its inaugural Champions of Pride Awards, honoring LGBTQ and ally community members making positive contributions to the community. Our awards, presented at each year’s festival and parade, is our way of recognizing those community members who are living out Charlotte Pride’s mission in their daily lives, working to celebrate what makes our local community special and empower those who are giving of themselves to make for a better, stronger community for all. Learn more about the awards and see archives honoring each year’s award recipients at charlottepride.org/champions/. Photo Credit: Jennifer Hogan

2013 Inaugural Champions of Pride 2014 Champions of Pride Harvey Milk Award — Janice Covington Harvey Milk Award — Tonda Taylor Outstanding Ally Award — Beverly & Bill McIntyre Outstanding Ally Award — The Rev. Dr. Nancy Kraft Young Catalyst Award — Juan Carlos Ramos Young Catalyst Award — Andraya Williams

Additionally, each year Charlotte Pride chooses local community leaders, trailblazers and legends to lead us in the annual parade. We’re humbled to be able to honor those who have helped to shape Charlotte into the affrming, inclusive community fought for by so many for so many years.

2013 Grand Marshalls 2014 Grand Marshalls Bishop Tonyia Rawls Charlotte City Councilmember LaWana Mayfeld Wesley Mancini Charlotte City Councilmember Patsy Kinsey

Community Recognition Charlotte Pride’s growth and successes haven’t gone unnoticed. Local civic leaders and local publications have recognized our organization’s work for several years, including: • Then-Mayor Patsy Kinsey was the frst Charlotte mayor to proclaim “Charlotte Pride Weekend” for our event in 2013, followed by Mayor Dan Clodfelter in 2014. • For two years in a row, 2013-2014, the Charlotte Pride Festival and Parade was named “Best Annual Event in Charlotte” by QNotes’ annual QList-Best of LGBT Charlotte. • In 2013, Creative Loafng recognized Takeover Friday, a Charlotte Pride Week event. Readers also named festival and parade “Best Annual Event.” In 2014, Creative Loafng named the festival and parade “Best Annual Party.” • Going into 2015, the recognitions continue, with Charlotte Magazine naming the festival and parade the city’s “Best Event/Festival” in its annual Best of the Best Awards and saying the event is “becoming a familiar part of life in center city.” The magazine’s editors cited 2014’s phenomenal attendance growth, the festival’s iconic vendors and participation by elected offcials in the parade.

8 What they’re saying...

CRVA says the festival now qualifes as one of Charlotte’s “city signatures” and is being promoted as such. “We recognize what a draw this is for our community, especially with it being one of the largest organized pride events on the East Coast,” said Laura Hill White of CRVA, noting that the event brings in a lot of out-of- town visitors. — Charlotte Observer, Aug. 13, 2014

Organizers have conservatively estimated that this year’s crowd will be the same as last year’s 80,000. “I wouldn’t be surprised if it draws double the crowd it had last year,” said Jennifer Gaisbauer of the Charlotte Gay and Lesbian Fund, which gave money in 2013 to help re-establish the festival. “It’s a time in society when things are changing fast, and organizers of Charlotte’s festival are capitalizing on that,” she said. “They moved it uptown (in 2011), putting it where all mainstream parades are. It was no longer hidden.” — Charlotte Observer, Aug. 13, 2014

“My family’s been so supportive every step of the way. That made it so easy for me to come out,” he said. “It’s great to see parents openly confessing their love for their kids.” — Weston McNeely, 17, of Matthews commenting on a PFLAG parade foat to the Charlotte Observer, Aug. 18, 2014.

“The Charlotte Pride Festival & Parade is a signature event for the city that drives tens of thousands of visitors here, infusing millions of dollars into our local economy that continues to pay dividends for years to come.” — Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority Executive Offce Tom Murray commenting on the growth of Charlotte Pride and the release of results from its frst-ever economic impact study.

9 Accomplishments in 2014

Emergency Fund Increased used to compose his mural, a depiction of a local community member Since 2013, one of Charlotte Pride’s continued goals has been to increase chosen by social media contest, atop a rainbow background. Learn more the organization’s future sustainability. One of the primary objectives about the Face of Pride mural and contest online at charlottepride.org/ in achieving the larger goal has been establishing, maintaining and faceofpride/ and get introduced to our continuing collaborative programs growing an emergency reserve fund. After the festival and parade in in 2015 on page 11. 2013, Charlotte Pride was able to fully fund an initial $50,000 emergency reserve fund, increasing in 2014 to $85,000. The reserve ensures that New Office Lease Signed the organization will be able to cover festival and parade expenses in Charlotte Pride signed the lease on its frst full-time offce, approximately the event of an emergency or other unforeseen circumstances without 2,000 square feet of meeting, conference and activity space, at Holy suffering a catastrophic loss. Charlotte Pride’s due diligence in the creation Trinity Lutheran Church. This full-time offce offers Charlotte Pride of this fund and in the safeguarding of community funding and resources, volunteers a secure space in which to hold regular planning sessions, all done in less than one year of becoming an independent organization, store important organization documents and collaborate within the marks the frst time local Pride activities have had this assurance. organization among our various committees and in the community with other organizations whose activities we support or with which we partner. Collaborative Programs Fund At the time of our re-establishment as an independent organization, Charlotte Pride also created an ongoing collaborative programs fund in addition to our emergency reserve. Charlotte Pride annually allocates a portion of its excess revenues to this fund so that we have resources available to develop lasting relationships with other community organizations and to create and develop additional programming outside of the festival and parade that celebrates and empowers the community. One of Charlotte Pride’s frst collaborative programs was undertaken with the assistance of the Arts & Science Council, funding local LGBTQ artist Edwin Gil’s “Face of Pride” contest and mural. At the festival, Gil collected thousands of fngerprints on multi-colored glass tiles which he later Photo Credit: Carl Miller

January June 19 - Charlotte Pride participates in Charlotte presenting and winning Charlotte Pride’s bid Charlotte Pride hosts annual board retreat. 19 - The Charlotte Pride Executive Committee Black Gay Pride’s annual Pride Expo. to host the Prides of the Southeast annual unanimously passes a resolution to honor 19 - Charlotte Pride hosts its frst BEAR-B-QUE conference in April 2015. February the the 45th anniversary of the Stonewall in partnership with the Woodshed Lounge, 26 - Charlotte Pride board members 14 - Charlotte Pride hosts its awareness event Riots. Carolina Barbecue Co. and Pinnacle Vodka. participate in the frst of a new series “To Russia With Love” at Cathode Azure, 21 - Charlotte Pride participates in Salisbury 28 - Charlotte Pride launches its Face of of conversations on the local LGBTQ with sponsor SKYY Vodka. Pride. Pride contest to fnd the model for artist community’s present and future growth and 19 - Charlotte Pride board member Gary 25 - For the frst time, Charlotte Pride is Edwin Gil’s large-scale “Face of Pride” needs. Carpenter competes in the “Dragging with featured on the front cover and an inside mural, supported in part by the Arts & 27 - Charlotte Pride, with support from the Stars” competition. spread in the Charlotte Regional Visitors Science Council. the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, 22 - Charlotte Pride attends the annual Authority’s seasonal magazine, “Charlotte completes its frst-ever economic impact Human Rights Campaign Carolina Gala. Happenings.” August study measuring the spending power of out- 27 - Charlotte Pride crowns Kassandra Hylton 3 - Charlotte Pride hosts its annual Brunch & of-town visitors to the annual event. March its new Miss Charlotte Pride for 2014 at a Wash at The Bar at 316. 6-9 - Charlotte Pride attends 2014 Prides of pageant competition held at The Scorpio. 8-15 - Charlotte Pride hosted its annual Pride November the Southeast Conference in Atlanta. Week. 18 - Charlotte Pride hosts its 2014 Sponsor July 16-17 - The Charlotte Pride Festival and Appreciation Reception at the Levine April 2 - Charlotte Pride relaunches a fully Parade is held, attracting a landmark Museum of the New South and unveils Edwin 27 - Community Picnic and Potluck at Park revamped website with an eye toward ease 100,000 visitors over the course of the two- Gil’s completed “Face of Pride” mural. Road Park with sponsors Food Lion, PepsiCo of use for mobile visitors and connecting day, weekend event. and Farm Fresh Market. community members to key services and December activities. October 16 - Charlotte Pride signs lease on its frst May 12 - Charlotte Pride hosts its annual Pride 22-26 - POSE directors, board members offce space. 31 - Charlotte Pride hosts its second annual Splash Day at the U.S. National Whitewater and volunteers attended the annual world 23 - Charlotte Pride’s partnership with the Canine Couture event. Center. convention for InterPride, successfully GayCharlotte Film Festival begins.

10 growing into the future

Growing into 2015, Charlotte Pride has set objectives to strengthen not only our existing activities, like the festival and parade, but to also expand on other projects and programs. These new programs and partnerships will ensure Charlotte Pride is living out its mission in a sustainable way throughout the year.

Trans Pride, a collaboration with Genderlines Early in 2015, Charlotte Pride began a collaboration with Genderlines, a local transgender support group. The new project, Trans Pride, seeks to provide expanded support for transgender members of the community, opportunities for social networking, awareness and education events for the broader community and leadership development initiatives to beneft current and up-and-coming transgender leaders in community organizations, activities and efforts. The project is supported by a 2015 grant from the Charlotte Lesbian & Gay Fund. GayCharlotte Film Festival 2015 also marks the frst joint flm festival presented by Charlotte Pride and the GayCharlotte Film Festival, formerly a program of the LGBT Community Center of Charlotte. The flm festival sought Charlotte Pride’s support as a fscal sponsor after the closure of the community center. Charlotte Pride offered additional support in the form of fnancial management, fundraising, media and marketing activities and community outreach. Prides of the Southeast Conference Charlotte Pride successfully hosted the regional Prides of the Southeast (POSE) Conference in April 2015, with 60 attendees from across the Southeast. Twenty InterPride members attended the conference, of which only one was not from the southeastern region. Attendees included several from the Carolinas: Charleston Pride, Charlotte Black Gay Pride, Pride Winston-Salem, Salisbury Pride and South Carolina Black Pride. In 2014, representatives from Charlotte Pride attended InterPride’s worldwide annual meeting in Pittsburgh. There, the organization presented — and won — its bid to host the regional POSE conference. Hosting the conference is the frst of several steps enabling a group to bid for the annual worldwide meeting, a future goal for Charlotte Pride. We have indicated to InterPride our intent to bid for the 2017 Northeast Regional Prides and Prides of the Southeast (NERP-POSE) Joint Conference. Charlotte Pride office With our move into new offce space, Charlotte Pride plans on expanding and creating new community collaborations. The new offce provides space for organizations who need meeting and activity space, but also provides opportunities for Charlotte Pride to interact with, support and assist other community groups in their goals and objectives. Since the offce’s opening to community use in April 2015, several organizations have already taken advantage of meeting space, including One Voice Chorus, the LGBT Democrats of Mecklenburg County and the Mecklenburg LGBT Political Action Committee. Additionally, Charlotte Pride has hosted two social mixers for Trans Pride and the Charlotte Pride Band, together attracting more than 100 community members for an evening of social networking and community building. LGBTQ Arts and Culture Charlotte Pride has for several years partnered with local Photo Credit: Matt Comer LGBTQ arts and cultural groups to feature their gifts and talents at the annual festival and parade. Our commitment has expanded to include visual arts, like that of openly gay artist Edwin Gil, whose “Face of Pride” mural, funded in part by a grant from the Arts & Science Council, is now on permanent display at our offce. Other pieces from Gil will adorn our offce walls, and Charlotte Pride looks forward to further successful partnerships with LGBTQ artists in the Queen City.

11 2014 Charlotte pride sponsors and partners 2014 Charlotte Pride Sponsors & Partners

Presenting Sponsors: Wells Fargo, Time Warner Cable, The Scorpio, PNC Bank, Bank of America Leadership Sponsors: Pinnacle Vodka, McDonald’s, Coca Cola Visibility Sponsors: Bud Light Equality Sponsors: West Elm, Human Rights Campaign, Charlotte’s Got A Lot, Charlotte Lesbian & Gay Fund, Carolina Volkswagen, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina, Barefoot Wine & Bubbly, 2 Gingers Irish Whiskey Empowerment Sponsors: Your Custom Catering, Rex-Goliath, Renaissance Charlotte SouthPark Hotel and Marriott Charlotte SouthPark, Pepsico, Novant Health, Gilead, Food Lion, Charlotte Business Guild, Cathode Azure, Campus Pride Creativity Partners: Walgreens, Travelers, The Bar at 316, Silverfy, Omni Hotels & Resorts Charlotte, NoDa Brewing Company, Microsoft, Metlife, Merry Maids, L4 Lounge, Ingersoll Rand, Folicle, Faith in America, Equality North Carolina, Duke Energy, Charlotte Atheists and Agnostics, Carolina Barbecue Co., Aon Hewitt, AARP Media Partners: WCCB Charlotte, WBTV, Triad City Beat, Kiss 95.1 FM, Gayborhood, The GA Voice, Creative Loafng

Individual Donors: Rosalyn Allison-Jacobs, Marc Alexander, Curtis Andree, Peter Brooks, Barbara Bryant, John Bubba, Daniel Burgerac, Gary Carpenter, Janice Covington, John Crowell, Gil Croy, Lariza Cruz, Miranda Davis, Jamie Engel, Edwin Farthing, Donna Fischer, Virginia Fitt, The Greife Family, Richard Grimstad, Jamie Hildreth, Jonathan Hill, Craig Hopkins, Ryan Kingston, Paul Kelly, Douglas Lowe, Rob Marcy, Kyle McIntyre, James Miller, Tim Monteith, Tara Moser, Mark Muzzio, Tanwa Onabanjo-Edge, Patrick Paige, Shelly Schoenfeld, Lewis Seelig, Gene Sloan, Jim Thompson, Biljana Vuckovich, James Walsh, Dave Webb, Frank Welch, Anonymous, Anonymous, Anonymous, Anonymous, Amazon Smile, The Beer Growler, One World Dragon Boat, Outsource Graphix, and all the many other generous individuals who donated at events throughout the year.

Donate to charlotte pride You can support Charlotte Pride and our mission by donating today. Help us continue to expand upon our original and collaborative programs, projects and services throughout the year — events which serve to continually celebrate and empower our community. Your individual gift ensures that programs like Trans Pride, the GayCharlotte Film Festival and other events creating awareness, building education and supporting the community continue to have a strong and viable place in Charlotte. Donate today at charlottepride.org/donate/. Financial information about this organization and a copy of its license are available from the State Soliciation Licensing Branch at 919-807-2214 or 888-830-4989 for North Carolina residents.

2014 Board of Directors Connect with Charlotte Pride Richard Grimstad, Craig Hopkins, Tara Moser, Marshall Varner, Dave Webb, Gary Carpenter, Ryan Kingston, Jonathan Hill, Douglas Lowe, Stay up to date with all of Charlotte Pride’s Matt Comer, Paul Kelly, Patrick Paige, Jeff Sampson, Marc Alexander programs, projects and activities by following us online and on our social media platforms. 2014 Board of Advisors Rosalyn Allison-Jacobs, Chris McCleod, Nina Lipton charlottepride.org

2014 Committee Volunteers facebook.com/cltpride Jamie Hildreth, Thom Hall, Jerry Reed, Kimberly Brent, Stephanie Dula, Robert Ervine, Riley Murray, Billy Reasor, Kyle Snipe, Che Shearin, twitter.com/cltpride Natasha Griffn, Donna Fischer, Brian Griffth, Neil MacAulay, Richard Moss, Mark Muzzio instagram.com/cltpride

Charlotte Pride extends a special thank you and note of Sign up for our email mail newsletter for the most gratitude to the staff and congregation of Caldwell Memorial Presbyterian Church for their hospitality in hosting our up-to-date news and announcements: organization’s meetings and other events in 2014. eepurl.com/uTeBb

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