The Board also consists of 5-17 additional board members. The organization enlists an entire volunteer Board of Directors, including an Executive Board composed of a President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer.
The annual program began in the mid-late 1990s and continues today, with over $10,000 awarded in 2012. The scholarship also provides for those who identify as members of the LGBTQS community who have demonstrated a lack of support to attend an institute of higher education. The Indy Pride Scholarship Program was established as a way for Indy Pride to reward future and current students attending an accredited Indiana-based university or college who are making significant contributions to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, and Straight Ally (LGBTQS) community through their academic pursuits. Indy Pride grants funds to many local non-profit organizations, including Gregory Powers Direct Emergency Financial Assistance Fund, Indiana Youth Group (IYG), Step-Up Inc., The Damien Center, and others. The organization produces events and fundraisers, including through the Indy Pride Bag Ladies, which enables them to make significant monetary contributions to the Indiana LGBT Community. The all-volunteer organization puts on several yearly events, including Indy Pride Festival, Indianapolis LGBT Film Festival, Laugh OUT Loud, Hoosier 250 Tricycle Race, and Circle City Volleyball Tournament. To educate the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender & straight (GLBTS) Communities about GLBT history, of the issues which affect it and of the resources which are available to members within the community. This year, the majority of Indy Pride's events during the month of June will remain virtual including Pride Festival.According to the organization's by-laws, the purpose of Indy Pride is:
WRTV has reached out to IMPD but has not received a response. That uniform means something different to different members and segments of our community." "We never said officers aren't welcome at our events, all we asked is that officers who want to attend and are a member of the community, or not a member of the community, don't wear uniforms to our events. He and others are concerned that Indy Pride is excluding parts of the LGBTQ+ communityĪlexander, however, wants to be clear: Officers who want to be involved with pride are welcome, but only out of uniform. In an email to WRTV, along with posts on his social media, he said he's the person in the picture wearing the shirt that caused them to remove the picture. Joseph Blevins, however, is speaking out against Indy Pride and their decision to remove the picture. "What we saw last year, specifically, seeing some of the harassment and violence that took place in protests here in Indianapolis, specifically against the BIPOC community and trans community, that in of itself was a reason to a draw a line in the sand," Alexander added. Last Summer, the organization made the decision to cut ties with IMPD after video of the rough arrests of two women during downtown protests began circulating online. "This barrier between this institution and this population of people has been happening since the 60s," Tanner Alexander, Indy Pride President, said.
However, the origin of Pride can be traced back to 1969 in New York City to the Stonewall Riots where gay and trans people fought back against police harassment. Now, when most people think of Pride, what comes to mind is happy people from all backgrounds marching proudly through the streets. There's a long history between the LGBTQ+ community and law enforcement. Now, they're receiving backlash from those who were against and were okay with the picture. After removing it, Indy Pride apologized saying in part " this photo hurt members of our community that are actively fighting against police brutality." The photo included a man wearing a shirt that prominently displayed Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.
However, the organization is facing some backlash after posting and then removing a picture from their Facebook page. INDIANAPOLIS - Indy Pride is getting ready for this year's celebration in June, which is also Pride Month.