Utah Pride Center releases response to the community, promises better. To reopen with limited hours Oct. 24

After QSaltLake Magazine publisher Michael Aaron’s news commentary on the Utah Pride Center‘s public relations failings through its recent staff dismissals and announcement of temporary closure, the organization responded with a statement on their social media:

In the last year, Utah Pride Center has been misaligned with our community-centric mission and lacking in focus and accountability. All of this led to inexcusable mismanagement of UPC’s programs — and this year’s Pride Festival not reflecting what our greater LGBTQIA+ community wanted or expected. These mistakes were unacceptable and unsustainable. However, we are committed to doing better.

With organizational adjustments, layoffs and furloughs, upcoming leadership announcements, and a more focused board of directors, we promise significant change. Our new leadership pledges to be open, honest, and accountable to our community, stakeholders, and donors in ways that have been lacking for far too long.

Specifically, we aim to put to rest rumors and speculation while charting a path to much more open, equitable, and effective programming that is affordable and inclusive. We pledge radical transparency in our financial matters, increased funding oversight, and to adhere to nonprofit best practices, ethics, and accountability.

In August, our Board of Directors dismissed the Co-CEO responsible for 2023 Pride. UPC relied on interim leadership while outside candidates were sought to lead and rebuild our work.

In September, we paused programming while we continued to gather information and ideas from our community, staff, donors, and board.

In late September, the newly reorganized board made the painful but necessary decision to significantly reduce staff. This decision was made after careful consideration, recognizing that like all organizations, including nonprofits, we cannot sustain a large staff without a clear strategic vision. We have also brought in a new, experienced nonprofit executive to work with a leaner and more agile team to get UPC back on track, with an official announcement coming soon. We plan to reopen in October for limited programming, with a new strategic plan and vision set to be unveiled in November.

For now, we are committed to thoroughly and deliberately refocusing the Utah Pride Center, with a renewed focus on the promise that Utah Pride — the Parade and Festival — continues in 2024 and beyond. We are additionally committed to listening, rebuilding goodwill, and re-establishing programs that are responsive to the diversity of community needs.

With humility, we ask for patience and understanding from our entire community as we work to refine and refocus our work. We eagerly anticipate engaging with the public, partner organizations, and the media to outline our path forward. We are committed to correcting past mistakes and delivering on our mission for everyone in our greater LGBTQIA+ community.

Center leaders announced to program managers that the Center will open for limited hours starting October 24.

UPC IS RE-OPENING Oct. 24th!

The Utah Pride Center is currently operating with an incredibly small team and incredibly limited resources. We are also deep in the strategic planning process and working tirelessly to find a solid path forward for the center and the people we serve.

That being said, we also know how vital your programs are to the community. From HIV testing to Free Legal Advice to Health Insurance to Support Groups — you have played an important role in our mission to provide Utah’s LGBTQ+ community with space, resources, and community.

Keeping those things in mind, we are planning to re-open for LIMITED hours beginning Tuesday, October 24th. We will be open 4pm-8pm Tuesday thru Thursday. We understand that some of your programs may have been happening on other days or at different times. But at least for the foreseeable future, this is what we have the capacity for.

There are a few things we’d prefer to keep the same if possible:

SLCo HIV Testing, 1st Wednesday of each month 4:30–6pm

Rainbow Law, 2nd Wednesday of each month 6–7:30pm

Gay Men’s Support Group, Tuesdays 6:30–8pm

The Pastor is In... 1st and 3rd Tuesdays 6–8pm

Pride Center leaders have promised a face-to-face interview with the publisher in early November to discuss their plans and introduced the new executive director.