Just out., August 19, 2011, Page 30, Image 30

ÄL-30
profile
AUGUST 19, 2011
WWW.JUSTOUT.COM
Pride In Stride
A Q&A with Pride Northwest president Debra Porta
BY AARON SPENCER
Porta: Meaning, for example, if both days
had been even remotely close [in weather] to
Sunday, it would have been a very profitable,
so to speak, festival.
JO: How much money was raised at Port­
land Pride 2011?
Porta: We are still figuring that out because
not all of the payments have come in.
JO: If you had to give Pride Northwest an
overall grade, in terms of how the organiza­
tion did its job, what would it be?
Porta: That’s a really subjective answer be­
cause the things that I grade us on, particularly
because of the program I’m in right now, are
very different than someone from the com­
munity and how they’re going to grade us or
even how some of the other board members
will grade us because I’m aware of the nuts
and bolts that a nonprofit organization oper­
ates under. So when I look at it from that
perspective, we have a lot of work to do, and
we are moving in that direction. This is some­
thing that has always been an issue for Pride
In many regards, Portland’s Pride this year
2 “ I think we actually do a good festi-
was considered successful. The nonprofit
is
| val. Are there always logistical issues
Pride Northwest organizes and executes the
annual festival and parade. Just Out sat with
^ that we’re working out, figuring out,
Debra Porta, president of Pride Northwest,
to talk about the event and the nonprofit.
all of that sort of stuff? Always. An
Porta has been on the Pride Northwest
event that large, it’s always going to
board since 2006 and is pursuing a master’s
degree in public administration with a spe­
be there.”
cialization in nonprofit management at
-DEBRA PORTA, PRESIDENT, PRIDE NW
Portland State University.
For a complete transcript of the interview,
look at strategically—we did have significant
including Porta’s thoughts on this year’s com­
rain affecting the festival on one day. Last year
munity stage and promotional efforts, and
it was Sunday; this year it was Saturday [June
changes to both the festival and the organiza­ connect with organizations, groups that we 18]. And it makes a big difference. It makes a
tion, visit blogout.justout.com.
have been working with for a couple of years, big difference in who comes through the door,
but we sort of amped it up this year and tried how long they stay there, what kind of revenue
Just Out: How do you think Pride went to bring in elements to the festival that would comes through the gate, which is a significant
this year?
build the excitement, something to look for­ part of our budget. So that one we’re still
Porta: I think overall there are certain ward to: the lighting of the bridge, the addi­ crunching the numbers [on], seeing exactly
things about the festival that went really well. tion of the dance party, things like that.
how it played out. It was definitely not a fi­
The visibility was really high this year. People
For the second year in a row—and this is nancially gangbusters festival.
were really excited. We worked really hard to always an issue, something that we have to
JO: What do you mean?
uj
SÌ:
“Peacock ‘ProductioDS, foe.
W
&
baDéfît F op the iludpte *M Ecfw^pJs
. ‘ O'
*
L >---- «
\vv\ \ \ .(
l
i
v
( V l . ) U ’V U)V
i
:C'V 'IVITV m ‘.¡’ ox r ) | ■
in,nuX ,.V
■if
\
i\}C
L
[ iifc*
>(. \
)W