Twin Cities Pride won't be hurting for funds this year, despite telling corporate partner Target they were not welcome in any festival activities this year.
The group was able to raise $50,000 through a donation link on their web page. That amount covers what Target usually donates for the pride festival.
This past week, Target officials announced they were ending the company's diversity programs, right around the time the Trump Administration called for the elimination of DEI programs in the federal government. That move prompted Pride organizers to cut ties with Target as a sponsor.
"I'm deeply, deeply saddened by this action, and I was shocked," Otto told WCCO's Adam Carter on Monday about Target's decision to end DEI programs. "Twin Cities Pride is here to serve our community, and when our community is asking us to ensure that we step up and make sure that we're doing the right things and protecting our community, we need to listen."
The retailer said the changes to its “Belonging at the Bullseye” strategy would include ending a program it established to help Black employees build meaningful careers, improve the experience of Black shoppers and to promote Black-owned businesses following the police killing of George Floyd in 2020.
For their part, Target says they were planning on ending their DEI initiatives before Trump signed his executive order to end such programs at the federal level. The company said Friday that it also would conclude the diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, goals it previously set in three-year cycles.
The Twin Cities Pride Festival is Minnesota’s second largest festival and the largest free Pride festival in the country. This year's festivities will be June 28th and 29th.