1 00:00:01,639 --> 00:00:05,360 Speaker 1: Welcome to Get Connected with Nina del Rio, a weekly 2 00:00:05,480 --> 00:00:09,440 Speaker 1: conversation about fitness, health and happenings in our community on 3 00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:12,799 Speaker 1: one oh six point seven Light FM. 4 00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:17,160 Speaker 2: Thanks for listening to Get Connected. NYC Pride, the organization 5 00:00:17,280 --> 00:00:19,680 Speaker 2: most notable for producing the New York City Pride March 6 00:00:19,680 --> 00:00:23,040 Speaker 2: in June, has a new executive director and for our 7 00:00:23,120 --> 00:00:26,720 Speaker 2: final Get Connected of twenty twenty five, we meet Mlynd 8 00:00:26,760 --> 00:00:29,240 Speaker 2: and look forward to what's in store for Pride twenty 9 00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:33,519 Speaker 2: twenty six in New York. Thank you for being here, Mlind, Thanks. 10 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:35,360 Speaker 3: So much for having me and New York City Pride. 11 00:00:35,400 --> 00:00:36,320 Speaker 3: It's such an honor. 12 00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:41,240 Speaker 2: The website is Nycpride dot org. For those that may 13 00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:44,000 Speaker 2: have never been to New York City Pride or unfamiliar 14 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:47,280 Speaker 2: with the organization, just let's talk about what the organization 15 00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:49,320 Speaker 2: does and what's the work of NYC Pride. 16 00:00:50,640 --> 00:00:53,640 Speaker 3: NYC Pride is a five o' one C three nonprofit 17 00:00:53,760 --> 00:00:59,680 Speaker 3: that produces the official lgbtqiaplus Pride events in New York City. 18 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:03,760 Speaker 3: We were founded in nineteen eighty four, evolving from the 19 00:01:03,840 --> 00:01:08,000 Speaker 3: Christopher Street Liberation Day Committee that organized the very first 20 00:01:08,040 --> 00:01:12,000 Speaker 3: New York City Pride March. Almost fifty seven years ago 21 00:01:12,480 --> 00:01:17,640 Speaker 3: in nineteen seventy. That March in nineteen seventy launched a 22 00:01:17,880 --> 00:01:21,479 Speaker 3: global movement of Pride marches around the US and around 23 00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:24,720 Speaker 3: the world. New York City Pride is the largest in 24 00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:27,200 Speaker 3: the US, with more than two and a half million 25 00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:30,759 Speaker 3: spectators and participants. We're a small team of only nine 26 00:01:30,760 --> 00:01:34,600 Speaker 3: full time staff members, and our work is to create 27 00:01:35,160 --> 00:01:38,600 Speaker 3: safe spaces year round and celebrate our community and our allies, 28 00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:41,240 Speaker 3: which is needed now more than ever because of the 29 00:01:41,240 --> 00:01:42,160 Speaker 3: political climate. 30 00:01:42,959 --> 00:01:44,800 Speaker 2: How do you come to this role? Talk a little 31 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:47,360 Speaker 2: bit about yourself and your story to get here. 32 00:01:48,120 --> 00:01:48,440 Speaker 1: Yeah. 33 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:51,360 Speaker 3: So, I've been a nonprofit for twenty four years, mostly 34 00:01:51,400 --> 00:01:56,280 Speaker 3: in direct social services, helping sustain programs and services and 35 00:01:56,320 --> 00:02:01,120 Speaker 3: fundraising for those previous organizations. The areas that I've worked 36 00:02:01,120 --> 00:02:06,080 Speaker 3: in include providing free treatment for substance use disorders for 37 00:02:06,600 --> 00:02:10,919 Speaker 3: LGBTQ plus patients who couldn't afford treatment, housing for domestic 38 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:17,280 Speaker 3: violence survivors and homeless families, providing free legal counsel for 39 00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:23,720 Speaker 3: LGBTQ plus asylum seekers, HIVA healthcare, and rare illnesses. I 40 00:02:23,800 --> 00:02:26,400 Speaker 3: just joined New York City Pride team as the executive 41 00:02:26,440 --> 00:02:30,400 Speaker 3: director last month, and my role, essentially is just to 42 00:02:30,600 --> 00:02:34,880 Speaker 3: ensure that New York City Pride will continue and thrive 43 00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:38,959 Speaker 3: for many more years to come for the younger queer 44 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:42,079 Speaker 3: generation who should experience pride, who's never done it before. 45 00:02:42,720 --> 00:02:46,480 Speaker 2: This is a huge organization and a big role. You know, 46 00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:48,960 Speaker 2: what is it about pride when you think about growing up? 47 00:02:48,960 --> 00:02:50,520 Speaker 2: What do those events mean to you? 48 00:02:51,320 --> 00:02:56,160 Speaker 3: Oh? Well, I will never forget participating in my very 49 00:02:56,200 --> 00:02:59,799 Speaker 3: first Pride and this was much later in life to 50 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:02,880 Speaker 3: thousand and one, summer of two thousand and one here 51 00:03:02,919 --> 00:03:05,600 Speaker 3: in New York City, and I will never ever forget 52 00:03:05,919 --> 00:03:09,639 Speaker 3: how that made me feel. It made me become more 53 00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:13,919 Speaker 3: of my authentic self, to be more confident, and that 54 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:18,160 Speaker 3: essentially has basically paved the way for me to be 55 00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:21,720 Speaker 3: confident and be okay in my career and my love 56 00:03:21,800 --> 00:03:24,160 Speaker 3: life and my relationships with my family after I had 57 00:03:24,240 --> 00:03:28,600 Speaker 3: learned to accept myself. And that only came out after 58 00:03:28,639 --> 00:03:31,560 Speaker 3: I attended my very first New York City probably when 59 00:03:31,600 --> 00:03:33,720 Speaker 3: I saw a two and a half milliate three million 60 00:03:33,760 --> 00:03:36,720 Speaker 3: people there who were just like me, and also our 61 00:03:36,760 --> 00:03:39,040 Speaker 3: allies as well. Let's not forget our allies who are 62 00:03:39,040 --> 00:03:42,960 Speaker 3: also there to support queer people, younger queer people like myself. 63 00:03:43,480 --> 00:03:46,520 Speaker 2: You're also the first Asian American to helm this group. 64 00:03:46,560 --> 00:03:47,520 Speaker 2: What does that mean to you? 65 00:03:50,040 --> 00:03:54,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, no pressure at all. I mean, you know, I 66 00:03:54,480 --> 00:03:58,240 Speaker 3: didn't choose to be Asian, I didn't choose to be queer. 67 00:03:59,320 --> 00:04:06,360 Speaker 3: And I think that the representation is very important, especially 68 00:04:06,480 --> 00:04:12,000 Speaker 3: in the Asian American communities where being out and being 69 00:04:12,440 --> 00:04:16,240 Speaker 3: gay or lesbian or trans is usually not accepted as 70 00:04:16,360 --> 00:04:21,440 Speaker 3: accepting as in all other cultures. There's lots of pressures 71 00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:27,320 Speaker 3: to being AAPI. So I'm very fortunate to have family 72 00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:31,560 Speaker 3: that were accepting of me and you know, wanted me 73 00:04:31,680 --> 00:04:38,640 Speaker 3: to go the more traditional route of academics and medicine 74 00:04:38,800 --> 00:04:42,719 Speaker 3: and law, and I got into nonprofit twenty four years ago. 75 00:04:43,400 --> 00:04:46,440 Speaker 3: My first salary twenty four years ago was twenty eight 76 00:04:46,440 --> 00:04:48,400 Speaker 3: thousand dollars a year, and I thought that was a lot, 77 00:04:50,839 --> 00:04:53,600 Speaker 3: and they didn't really understand why it got into nonprofit. 78 00:04:53,680 --> 00:04:57,919 Speaker 3: So they understand now that I am probably one of 79 00:04:57,920 --> 00:05:03,080 Speaker 3: the happiest and least dramatic people with my family, so 80 00:05:03,279 --> 00:05:04,680 Speaker 3: they are very supportive. 81 00:05:05,080 --> 00:05:08,279 Speaker 2: We're speaking with m lynd, the new executive director of 82 00:05:08,520 --> 00:05:11,920 Speaker 2: NYC Pride. The organization does a lot of work, including 83 00:05:11,960 --> 00:05:15,920 Speaker 2: putting together the Big Pride March in June. Nycpride dot 84 00:05:16,040 --> 00:05:18,000 Speaker 2: org for more details. We're going to talk about what's 85 00:05:18,040 --> 00:05:20,320 Speaker 2: coming up this year. You're listening to get connected on 86 00:05:20,320 --> 00:05:22,640 Speaker 2: one of six point seven light a FM. But what 87 00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:24,760 Speaker 2: does NYC Pride do throughout the year. 88 00:05:26,760 --> 00:05:29,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, so we actually have quite a few things happening 89 00:05:29,560 --> 00:05:33,200 Speaker 3: throughout the year other than June as well. So our 90 00:05:33,240 --> 00:05:36,839 Speaker 3: main party is just to create safe spaces for the community, 91 00:05:36,920 --> 00:05:40,800 Speaker 3: especially the younger queer community, to unite, to celebrate and 92 00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:44,679 Speaker 3: build camaraderie amongst each other. Each month, we actually have hosts. 93 00:05:44,880 --> 00:05:48,640 Speaker 3: We host meetups at our office that has tailored programming. 94 00:05:49,200 --> 00:05:51,240 Speaker 3: If it's not held at our office, it's usually at 95 00:05:51,240 --> 00:05:54,600 Speaker 3: another place nearby in the West Village. We bring our 96 00:05:54,680 --> 00:05:57,880 Speaker 3: partners together as well. Twice a year. It's for our 97 00:05:57,920 --> 00:06:00,919 Speaker 3: corporate Summer as we call it. That's where we actually 98 00:06:00,960 --> 00:06:05,320 Speaker 3: share insights on how to promote LGBTQ plus inclusion in 99 00:06:05,360 --> 00:06:09,840 Speaker 3: the workplace. We also host family movie nights with our 100 00:06:10,240 --> 00:06:14,120 Speaker 3: queer families and Chosen Families, and we have other smaller 101 00:06:14,160 --> 00:06:17,599 Speaker 3: events around the city to just stay engaged with other 102 00:06:18,320 --> 00:06:23,760 Speaker 3: local LGBTQ nonprofits to fundraise to secure volunteers. We'll be 103 00:06:23,839 --> 00:06:26,960 Speaker 3: launching a book club and an art event in twenty 104 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:32,520 Speaker 3: twenty six. We also help uplift smaller Pride organizations that 105 00:06:32,640 --> 00:06:35,719 Speaker 3: might be struggling, and then once a year we also 106 00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:41,520 Speaker 3: convene with other Pride organizations around the country. In February, 107 00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:43,280 Speaker 3: it's coming up in Milwaukee. 108 00:06:43,680 --> 00:06:46,680 Speaker 2: Why is that year round engagement in so many different areas. 109 00:06:46,680 --> 00:06:47,600 Speaker 2: Why is that important? 110 00:06:48,240 --> 00:06:50,960 Speaker 3: Well, it's important because our community just really needs that 111 00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:55,120 Speaker 3: support all year long, not just in June. There's lots 112 00:06:55,120 --> 00:06:58,840 Speaker 3: of other local organizations that do direct services that we 113 00:06:58,920 --> 00:07:02,880 Speaker 3: actually prefer a lot of our constituents too. It's a 114 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:06,880 Speaker 3: priority for us not to not only keep our community 115 00:07:06,920 --> 00:07:10,080 Speaker 3: engaged throughout the year, but also we have a lot 116 00:07:10,080 --> 00:07:12,800 Speaker 3: of corporate partners and nonprofit partners that also need to 117 00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:14,960 Speaker 3: come together to figure out how it is that we 118 00:07:15,040 --> 00:07:19,080 Speaker 3: will engage around We're creating opportunities for them to build 119 00:07:19,120 --> 00:07:25,040 Speaker 3: their networks, to strengthen their resources, and really we need 120 00:07:25,080 --> 00:07:28,240 Speaker 3: to come together for their queer employees and the broader 121 00:07:28,280 --> 00:07:29,480 Speaker 3: queer community as well. 122 00:07:29,960 --> 00:07:32,160 Speaker 2: Since you mentioned that, and you alluded to it earlier, 123 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:34,720 Speaker 2: twenty twenty five was a really challenging year for so 124 00:07:34,800 --> 00:07:37,960 Speaker 2: many nonprofits and why see Pride like others serving the 125 00:07:38,080 --> 00:07:44,640 Speaker 2: LGBTQIA plus community, faced significant declines in corporate donation and sponsorship. 126 00:07:44,680 --> 00:07:48,360 Speaker 2: There were widespread attacks on DEI. How are you regrouping? 127 00:07:48,600 --> 00:07:52,480 Speaker 2: What does twenty twenty six look like? What's the strategy for. 128 00:07:52,440 --> 00:07:55,880 Speaker 3: Twenty twenty six. We definitely will be doing more advocacy 129 00:07:55,920 --> 00:08:01,080 Speaker 3: and activism efforts. We'll be going out there the companies 130 00:08:01,120 --> 00:08:04,040 Speaker 3: to other CBOs and Ashley talk about why New York 131 00:08:04,040 --> 00:08:07,920 Speaker 3: City Pride is important almost LGBTQ one on one per 132 00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:12,160 Speaker 3: se and why some organizations and even some companies should 133 00:08:12,200 --> 00:08:13,840 Speaker 3: still participate in pride. 134 00:08:14,480 --> 00:08:16,640 Speaker 2: Do you feel like the wind has changed a little bit? 135 00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:18,320 Speaker 2: What's the temperature out there so far? 136 00:08:19,400 --> 00:08:23,280 Speaker 3: Not at all. It's actually just gotten worse. I mean, 137 00:08:23,600 --> 00:08:26,360 Speaker 3: may have heard in the last couple of days. And 138 00:08:26,840 --> 00:08:29,440 Speaker 3: that's unfortunate, you know. And that's why I feel like 139 00:08:29,480 --> 00:08:32,800 Speaker 3: New York City Pride is important because it feels like 140 00:08:33,160 --> 00:08:36,480 Speaker 3: this is the Stonewall uprising all over again in nineteen 141 00:08:36,559 --> 00:08:40,400 Speaker 3: sixty nine, which is why Pride needs to continue and 142 00:08:40,559 --> 00:08:42,760 Speaker 3: continue to thrive. Can you imagine if there were no 143 00:08:42,840 --> 00:08:46,160 Speaker 3: more in New York City Pride and the younger me. 144 00:08:46,360 --> 00:08:50,280 Speaker 3: The younger queer people who are still out there who 145 00:08:50,280 --> 00:08:53,640 Speaker 3: have never experienced New York City Pride before should experience 146 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:56,840 Speaker 3: it's life changing when they experienced their first New York 147 00:08:56,920 --> 00:09:01,440 Speaker 3: City pride. So that's why we have to continue the 148 00:09:01,480 --> 00:09:09,040 Speaker 3: fight for equality, for equity, for visibility, for care, for protection. 149 00:09:09,640 --> 00:09:13,480 Speaker 3: Right now, more than ever, it feels like the country 150 00:09:13,480 --> 00:09:16,680 Speaker 3: has gone backwards, which is why New York City Pride 151 00:09:16,760 --> 00:09:18,599 Speaker 3: is so important to the New York City and the 152 00:09:18,640 --> 00:09:22,240 Speaker 3: whole entire world. Everyone's looking towards us for answers, and. 153 00:09:22,240 --> 00:09:24,320 Speaker 2: So what do you foresee for twenty twenty six? 154 00:09:24,400 --> 00:09:28,520 Speaker 3: Then, as some prides around the country have already pulled 155 00:09:28,520 --> 00:09:32,360 Speaker 3: the plugs on their pride, sadly, we will not let 156 00:09:32,440 --> 00:09:34,439 Speaker 3: that happen to New York City. And I think that 157 00:09:34,520 --> 00:09:38,000 Speaker 3: this is going to work. We will be successful if 158 00:09:38,160 --> 00:09:41,120 Speaker 3: the community of New York City and the tri State 159 00:09:41,280 --> 00:09:44,760 Speaker 3: actually come behind us to support New York City Pride. 160 00:09:45,600 --> 00:09:48,960 Speaker 3: I think that if New York City of Pride is 161 00:09:49,000 --> 00:09:53,360 Speaker 3: to grow, is to remain, we will need to gain 162 00:09:53,440 --> 00:09:58,000 Speaker 3: the individual support of our neighbors, our friends, or allies, 163 00:09:58,360 --> 00:10:00,920 Speaker 3: and they can easily do so by going online at 164 00:10:01,040 --> 00:10:03,520 Speaker 3: n We see pridect work to make a donation. They 165 00:10:03,520 --> 00:10:06,800 Speaker 3: can also determine how their companies can participate in the 166 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:09,240 Speaker 3: march by either being a sponsor or just being in 167 00:10:09,280 --> 00:10:13,439 Speaker 3: the march itself. There's also Pride fests that happened simultaneously 168 00:10:13,480 --> 00:10:17,520 Speaker 3: that that draws in three hundred thousand spectators. And also 169 00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:21,520 Speaker 3: we need volunteers. Like New York City Pride can't happen 170 00:10:21,600 --> 00:10:24,720 Speaker 3: without over one thousand volunteers, So we're trying to sign 171 00:10:24,800 --> 00:10:27,320 Speaker 3: up and register one thousand volunteers by June. 172 00:10:27,559 --> 00:10:31,160 Speaker 2: This is a huge event where community really makes the difference. 173 00:10:31,640 --> 00:10:34,400 Speaker 2: What kind of work would volunteers be doing and what 174 00:10:34,760 --> 00:10:36,880 Speaker 2: When can they start putting their hands up to join in? 175 00:10:37,920 --> 00:10:40,880 Speaker 3: Yeah, so they can actually register now, because we also 176 00:10:40,960 --> 00:10:44,880 Speaker 3: need volunteers year round as well throughout our smaller events 177 00:10:45,480 --> 00:10:49,520 Speaker 3: other than June. But for June, we need help with logistics. 178 00:10:49,559 --> 00:10:53,320 Speaker 3: We need help with organizing some of our supplies and 179 00:10:53,360 --> 00:10:56,840 Speaker 3: our materials during June. We need marshals along the routes 180 00:10:56,880 --> 00:11:01,600 Speaker 3: of the march. We definitely need assistance during press conferences 181 00:11:02,360 --> 00:11:05,920 Speaker 3: with some of our Grand marshals. Lots of assembling and 182 00:11:05,960 --> 00:11:15,320 Speaker 3: disassembling deliveries of equipments such as barricades, food, water, you know, 183 00:11:15,440 --> 00:11:19,000 Speaker 3: being that there are over a thousand volunteers, they also 184 00:11:19,040 --> 00:11:23,000 Speaker 3: need to be fed and hydrated us well, just because 185 00:11:23,040 --> 00:11:24,480 Speaker 3: June is such like a warm month. 186 00:11:25,320 --> 00:11:27,719 Speaker 2: So you've worked in nonprofits for a long time, but 187 00:11:27,800 --> 00:11:31,719 Speaker 2: this is a series of colossal events. Can you talk 188 00:11:31,760 --> 00:11:34,880 Speaker 2: about what goes on behind the scenes to put everything together. 189 00:11:37,080 --> 00:11:39,760 Speaker 3: Yeah, So as soon as Pride is over in June, 190 00:11:40,679 --> 00:11:42,719 Speaker 3: the next day we do it all over again. And 191 00:11:43,679 --> 00:11:47,960 Speaker 3: how we do that is basically trying to ensure that 192 00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:50,880 Speaker 3: one do we have the funding. It costs two point 193 00:11:50,960 --> 00:11:53,839 Speaker 3: seven million dollars to put this on every year, and 194 00:11:54,320 --> 00:11:56,360 Speaker 3: we don't get a penny of that from city or 195 00:11:56,400 --> 00:12:00,320 Speaker 3: state agencies. However, you know, we just recently did a 196 00:12:00,400 --> 00:12:04,080 Speaker 3: study with the Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Converse of 197 00:12:04,160 --> 00:12:07,960 Speaker 3: New York and found that through the study, almost one 198 00:12:08,040 --> 00:12:11,000 Speaker 3: hundred and sixty nine million dollars gets injected into the 199 00:12:11,040 --> 00:12:14,000 Speaker 3: New York City economy that week. We don't get a 200 00:12:14,040 --> 00:12:18,640 Speaker 3: penny of that. So that's why we start July first, 201 00:12:18,760 --> 00:12:20,719 Speaker 3: you know, the very next day after Pride is all 202 00:12:20,720 --> 00:12:23,040 Speaker 3: over again, just to make sure that we have the funding. 203 00:12:23,120 --> 00:12:27,120 Speaker 3: So we start renewing our sponsorship we start planning and 204 00:12:27,160 --> 00:12:30,840 Speaker 3: how we can always improve and make everything better more efficiently. 205 00:12:31,400 --> 00:12:33,880 Speaker 3: We've been told as we're working with department agencies of 206 00:12:33,960 --> 00:12:36,640 Speaker 3: New York that we are their favorite because we have 207 00:12:36,800 --> 00:12:40,000 Speaker 3: it together, we're the cleanest, We're in and out on time. 208 00:12:40,760 --> 00:12:43,840 Speaker 3: So we do love the and appreciate the partnership with 209 00:12:43,880 --> 00:12:45,000 Speaker 3: our city. 210 00:12:45,559 --> 00:12:49,880 Speaker 2: As we discussed before, people working in DEI and in 211 00:12:49,920 --> 00:12:55,160 Speaker 2: the LGBTQIA sectors, they have faced a lot of resistance 212 00:12:55,200 --> 00:12:57,760 Speaker 2: and headwinds in the last year or so. And you're 213 00:12:57,800 --> 00:13:03,400 Speaker 2: already working so hard. But do people seem galvanized motivated? 214 00:13:03,480 --> 00:13:04,280 Speaker 2: What is the mood? 215 00:13:05,280 --> 00:13:08,000 Speaker 3: You know? This administration obviously just wants us to give 216 00:13:08,080 --> 00:13:11,280 Speaker 3: up and drop dead and turn over, but we won't 217 00:13:11,320 --> 00:13:16,720 Speaker 3: do that. I think that it has definitely energized folks. 218 00:13:16,800 --> 00:13:19,640 Speaker 3: As you may have seen with the fifty to fifty 219 00:13:19,840 --> 00:13:26,480 Speaker 3: one movement, there is definitely fire under us to hit 220 00:13:26,520 --> 00:13:31,680 Speaker 3: the streets, to call our senators, our representatives, to do 221 00:13:31,840 --> 00:13:35,280 Speaker 3: email campaigns, as sign petitions, to really get out there 222 00:13:35,320 --> 00:13:38,400 Speaker 3: and protest some more. And we will continue doing it. 223 00:13:38,480 --> 00:13:40,959 Speaker 3: And I think that is just what has been uplifting 224 00:13:41,080 --> 00:13:43,880 Speaker 3: in that For instance, just to give you an example, 225 00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:49,320 Speaker 3: when the DEI when the administration said, you know, corporations, 226 00:13:49,400 --> 00:13:53,520 Speaker 3: you don't have to support DEI initiatives anymore. That negatively 227 00:13:53,840 --> 00:13:56,520 Speaker 3: impacted New York City Pride this past year, where we 228 00:13:56,600 --> 00:14:00,640 Speaker 3: saw almost a dip of nearly eight hundred thousand dollars 229 00:14:00,640 --> 00:14:04,600 Speaker 3: in funding, which is unfortunate. And it was because of 230 00:14:04,920 --> 00:14:06,880 Speaker 3: the people of New York City that actually came to 231 00:14:06,920 --> 00:14:09,080 Speaker 3: our side to help make up some of that loss. 232 00:14:09,520 --> 00:14:13,280 Speaker 3: And I think that's going forward. Because we haven't been 233 00:14:14,000 --> 00:14:17,160 Speaker 3: diversifying our revenue as much as we should have. We've 234 00:14:17,160 --> 00:14:21,040 Speaker 3: been heavily relying on corporate support. We didn't see this 235 00:14:21,200 --> 00:14:23,640 Speaker 3: coming at all. So they see the people of the 236 00:14:23,680 --> 00:14:27,200 Speaker 3: City of New York who helped fill that funny gap. 237 00:14:27,240 --> 00:14:30,640 Speaker 3: We were able to continue on this year twenty twenty 238 00:14:30,680 --> 00:14:31,800 Speaker 3: six because of them. 239 00:14:32,160 --> 00:14:35,120 Speaker 2: So Pride twenty twenty six, what do you foresee? What 240 00:14:35,160 --> 00:14:36,560 Speaker 2: are your hopes this year? 241 00:14:37,440 --> 00:14:39,960 Speaker 3: Well, I mean it's going to be the fifty seventh year. 242 00:14:40,240 --> 00:14:43,600 Speaker 3: We're already working up towards the sixtieth anniversary, can you 243 00:14:43,640 --> 00:14:45,520 Speaker 3: believe it in a few years, So that's going to 244 00:14:45,520 --> 00:14:50,000 Speaker 3: be a huge celebration for sure. My hope is just 245 00:14:50,040 --> 00:14:52,400 Speaker 3: that the people of New York will still continue to 246 00:14:52,440 --> 00:14:57,520 Speaker 3: stand by this iconic march just because it's so incredible. 247 00:14:57,600 --> 00:14:59,600 Speaker 3: Can you imagine New York City without a New York 248 00:14:59,600 --> 00:15:04,560 Speaker 3: City March. It's it's more for the younger generation, you know, 249 00:15:05,240 --> 00:15:08,920 Speaker 3: and the allies. The spending power of the queer community 250 00:15:09,080 --> 00:15:11,360 Speaker 3: is huge. As I just mentioned, one hundred and sixty 251 00:15:11,400 --> 00:15:15,200 Speaker 3: nine million dollars gets injected into the economy during the 252 00:15:15,240 --> 00:15:19,000 Speaker 3: week of Pride alone. So I think the new mayor 253 00:15:19,040 --> 00:15:22,720 Speaker 3: coming in, we think that his administration will be a 254 00:15:22,760 --> 00:15:29,080 Speaker 3: great ally. We hope to strengthen partnerships with local NGOs 255 00:15:29,120 --> 00:15:31,960 Speaker 3: and CBOs as well, so that we can continue and 256 00:15:32,040 --> 00:15:36,640 Speaker 3: strengthen the advocacy efforts and the activism. And I just 257 00:15:36,840 --> 00:15:40,080 Speaker 3: hope that Pride will continue for many more years to come, 258 00:15:40,360 --> 00:15:42,120 Speaker 3: regardless of the headwinds that are ahead. 259 00:15:42,720 --> 00:15:46,880 Speaker 2: Emlynd, congratulations on your new job as the executive director 260 00:15:46,920 --> 00:15:48,880 Speaker 2: of NYC Pride. You can find out more about the 261 00:15:48,960 --> 00:15:52,040 Speaker 2: organization at Nycpride dot org. Thank you for being on to 262 00:15:52,080 --> 00:15:52,720 Speaker 2: get connected. 263 00:15:53,240 --> 00:15:55,480 Speaker 3: Thank you so much. Happy holidays. 264 00:15:56,520 --> 00:15:59,520 Speaker 1: This has been get connected with Nina del Rio on 265 00:15:59,520 --> 00:16:02,280 Speaker 1: one of XO point seven Light FM. The views and 266 00:16:02,360 --> 00:16:05,040 Speaker 1: opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views 267 00:16:05,040 --> 00:16:07,120 Speaker 1: of the station. If you missed any part of our 268 00:16:07,160 --> 00:16:09,520 Speaker 1: show or want to share it, visit our website for 269 00:16:09,680 --> 00:16:13,800 Speaker 1: downloads and podcasts at one O six seven lightfm dot com. 270 00:16:13,920 --> 00:16:14,720 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening.