Pride is about ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT

Throughout history, marginalized communities have come together to create their own economies. By living and working together in gayborhoods like The Castro, West Hollywood, and Greenwich Village, LGBTQIA+ communities preserve safety, build cultural norms, and foster economic empowerment for themselves.

As we gain social inclusion, many gayborhoods have become more integrated or disappeared. However, economic empowerment is a tenant we cannot forget.

When we say economic empowerment, we mean Compensate Performers, Select Aligned Vendors, and Offer Sliding Scale Vendor Fees.

Compensate Performers

Entertainers, including drag performers and musicians, are professionals.

Though some people perform as a hobby or side gig, for many it is a vital source of income.

Performing requires travel time, transportation, practicing, equipment, and supplies. Performing requires unique talent and skill, otherwise anyone would do it!

Every performer should be compensated fairly. Ensure you have a standard booking fee to mitigate disparities based on gender, race, or other factors.

While some performers may be willing to take on a free gig, this often comes from economic privilege or a personal connection to an event, which can set an unfair precedent for other performers.

To ensure you can provide compensation for all performers, set a budget and, if needed, funded raise throughout the year. This requires significant time and expertise, especially for volunteer coordinators. Consider partnering with other event planners to combine resources.

While financial compensation is expected, some performers may be open to goods or services they regularly utilize as part of their payment. For example, is a CPA willing to offer pro bono tax prep? Can an auto shop offer an oil change? Can a dry cleaner offer costume cleaning? Drink tickets are not suitable compensation, especially for sober performers. Respect that most performers will expect cash and plan accordingly.

Lastly, ensure performers have contracts to ensure expectations are agreed upon. The contract should include compensation guidance for event cancellations, sickness, or injury. Same-day cancellations should pay the full contract amount.

Selected Aligned Vendors

Sometimes the lowest price isn’t the best price.

Consider the identities and values who you contract with for logistics, event production, and catering. This ensures that you are spending your event budget with vendors who respect the queer community and are not using their revenue against us. (Which is also something to consider for sponsors, but that is for another blog post)

While queer performers often get the spotlight, there are many LGBTQIA+ and allied business owners who can support your event. Some states and cities have Supplier Diversity Offices that can help you identify vendors.

Offer Sliding Scale Vendor Fees

Corporations, nonprofits, and independent artisans have different budgets.

If your event has opportunities for vendors, ensure that independent artists and small businesses can afford to participate alongside major corporations. Consider an equitable sliding scale, not just for the size of a vendor spot, but also the size of the business itself, such as number of employees or operating budget.

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