Atlanta Pride festival accused of racial bias

Southern Voice - March 17, 2006
By Eric Ervin
Leader apologizes for rejecting black magazine's sponsorship offer

Stung by fierce criticism from a national black gay magazine and its supporters, the Atlanta Pride Committee this week reversed its decision to refuse the publication's offer to sponsor the festival through free advertising. But the founder of the magazine is now refusing the new sponsorship offer, which he deems "disingenuous" and proof that reaching out to gay African-Americans is "obviously not a priority" for Pride.

"Right now, it's offensive to me to even come back and say you can be a sponsor," said Dwight Powell, publisher and editor-in-chief of Clik, a monthly magazine for black gay men that cites a circulation of 54,000. It is distributed nationwide and available at bookstores and other outlets in most major cities.

"There may be a lot of people who might be offended if we now become sponsors," Powell said.

Atlanta Pride Executive Director Donna Narducci said she attempted to make amends with Powell this week, but it is his decision to not be a sponsor.

"He has made it clear that he doesn't want to be a sponsor, and until he changes his mind then Clik will not be a sponsor," Narducci said, denying allegations of racism.

"It appears that he's very hurt. That's his decision at this point," Narducci added.

Denial based on race?

Powell, who launched Clik in Houston nearly seven years ago, submitted a proposal to Atlanta Pride on Feb. 24 to sponsor the June 23-25 event. He said he offered the organization $9,500 worth of free advertising, including one free full-page color ad for the months of April and May, a two-page color spread in June and banners on Clik's website for April, May and June.

Pride denied the proposal without any explanation, Powell said. In an interview, he stopped short of saying it was turned down because he's black, but said he couldn't think of any other reason.

"I would hate to think that that [race] is the reason," Powell said. "I'm just surprised that [Narducci] did it without any explanation."

But Powell was not as reluctant to cite race in a mass e-mail he sent March 15 explaining why he was saying "thanks but no thanks" to Pride's new sponsorship offer.

Pride officials and other Atlanta leaders, "both black and white," need to address diversity issues "immediately to bring about an Atlanta where overt racism isn't alive and well," Powell wrote.

Narducci said Powell's sponsorship request was not denied based on race.

"That couldn't be further from the truth," Narducci said. "It's unfortunate that that messaging has gotten out to the public."

Narducci said she rejected similar sponsorship offers from the Internet domain Out in America and Just Living magazine, and it was only because Powell's proposal would not bring revenue to Pride that it was originally denied.

"It's three months before the event; I'm looking for sponsorships that can bring money in to this organization," she said.

"I don't think it'll be fair for him to find out by reading the paper," Narducci said.

Powell rejected Narducci's initial recommendation that Clik instead become a vendor and purchase a booth in Pride's market area, an offer he said he considered offensive.

The sponsorship deal would have benefited both parties by allowing Pride officials to reach what he believes is their untapped demographic of black gays, while at the same time providing his magazine more national exposure, Powell said.

'Failure to see greater good'

Realizing the intrinsic value of reaching black gay men, Narducci said she reversed her decision and wanted Clik as a sponsor.

"Mr. Powell, I sincerely apologize for the hurt caused to you and others by my failure to see the greater good that could have been gained by partnering with Clik," Narducci said in a March 14 e-mail. "I admit to making a mistake and wish to remedy my mistake."

Narducci noted in the e-mail that Atlanta Pride has been a financial supporter of Atlanta's Black Gay Pride festival, held over Labor Day weekend, and the scholarship fund set up by Zami, an Atlanta-based group for black lesbians. She also said the organization has partnered with In The Life Atlanta, sponsors of Black Gay Pride, and Unity Fellowship, a black gay congregation.

In the Life Atlanta spokesperson Zandra Conway said she has not encountered racism from Narducci. "Donna and I have talked before about doing things, that's why I'm sort of confused as to the racial issues," Conway said. "She is not like that."

A representative of Zami could not be reached for comment by press time.

Sparking dialogue

Over the last week, the series of public e-mail exchanges between Powell and Narducci drew attention to the controversy and prompted numerous responses to both leaders.

On March 13, Powell sent out a mass e-mail to media outlets about what happened and posted it on Clik's website, where it sparked a slew of e-mail comments from readers.

"Folks wonder why it's become necessary for most cities to start their own Black Gay Prides," Powell said in the e-mail. "When looking at their home web page (new.atlantapride.org), little is left to the imagination as to why this publication that serves people of color was refused."

Still, Conway and Narducci said they hope the situation will spark dialogue between the city's black and white gay populations.

"I feel I have been part of a 'teachable moment' that perhaps can be the catalyst for continued dialogue in our community," Narducci said her March 14 e-mail. "I will personally see that that takes place here in Atlanta with my hometown community."

But Powell said he doesn't understand why Narducci failed to see the benefits in the beginning. He feels he was brushed off from the start, and claims his initial e-mails and phone calls were ignored, starting when he first contacted Atlanta Pride in January.

"I have no way of verifying that," Narducci said.

Powell said he believes Narducci reversed her decision only because of negative feedback from the public.

"Donna Narducci and the Atlanta Pride Committee were made to look into the mirror and evaluate their practices that have gone unchallenged and un-critiqued for far too long," he said in a March 15 e-mail.

"My goal right now is to correct the problem so it doesn't happen again. It's not an Atlanta thing, it's happening all over the world," Powell said. Southern Voice is a media sponsor of the Atlanta Pride festival.