By Marsha H. Levine–
After many years of events run by Pride organizers in a major metropolitan city, a smaller, neighboring city only separated by a bridge and a bay is inspired to do their own locally flavored festival. Several years later, I stepped into the Parade Manager role to assist them with their first Parade, sharing my skills to help make it successful.
The two organizations do not see each other as competitors; as a matter of fact, the elder organization has offered support in a variety of ways, to help get them started and continue to grow.
It doesn’t matter if some of the larger event’s board members and staff participate in the production, even serving on their board of directors, too, or as volunteers/contractors—sharing expertise comes naturally, organically. It’s also natural they would welcome the participation by several sponsors, community groups, and local businesses.
Quickly, the younger organization becomes another major event in the immediate area that both share, and they are looking forward to their 15th anniversary next year.
This is the vision I had when I created the organization now known as InterPride, and the vision I shared when Sue Doster and Ron deHarte approached me about starting the United States Association of Prides.
This is the stewardship I imagined the more established Prides would embody through mentorship with younger or start-up Prides. This is the dream, that kinship would generate inspiration and exponentially increase the Pride movement.
And it has done all of that; InterPride started with less than 50 Pride organizations existing nationwide 42 years ago. Now, there are more than 400 internationally. USA Prides started strong with a well-established base and is poised to grow stronger.
The example that began this short commentary could accurately describe any number of collaborative Pride organizations in metropolitan areas across the country and the world. But it is a real story—that of San Francisco Pride and Oakland Pride. I’ve been honored to serve the former for the last 39 years (and still going), advising Oakland Pride along the way. And, with great honor, I recently accepted the invitation to join the Oakland Pride Board of Directors.
It is proven that we all grow together when we work together.
There are more examples beyond my experience in San Francisco and Oakland. Multiple Prides in a single locale working in collaborative and symbiotic ways is becoming more common.
Some have split purposes: One might highlight a parade, while the other organizes a festival. Perhaps political advocacy is showcased in one, hosting a compendium that educates about social (in)justice and actions that can be taken, contrasting with another’s extravaganza focus on the arts and culture.
This is part of what makes membership in USA Prides—and, by extension, InterPride—so valuable. Here, collaboration, unity, and networking are valued, connecting you with peer organizations in your own region, across the country, and the world. Mentorship, either informally or more formally, occurs between smaller groups and larger groups. Opportunities for sharing lessons learned and best practices come through district meetings, the national conference, or in more personal outreaches and volunteer exchanges, as Pride organizers visit each other and shadow leaders in other cities.
I’ve often said the biggest value of a collaborative Pride movement is our ability to learn from and support each other. Amazing things happen when you stop competing and start working to complete the circle—linking with each other and creating a chain of love.
Marsha H. Levine is a Founder and past Co-President of InterPride. She is the immediate past Co-President of USA Prides, a longtime board member and staffer for San Francisco Pride, and a past board member and President of the Boston Lesbian/Gay Pride Committee. She currently serves on the board of Oakland Pride and as Co-Chair of InterPride’s Governance Committee.
Oakland Pride
Published on September 5, 2025
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