Latest news with #ColumbusPrideMarch
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Stonewall Columbus Pride March by the numbers: See the 2025 turnout
The 2025 Stonewall Columbus Pride March had fewer marchers than in 2024, but more volunteers, according to Stonewall Columbus Executive Director Densil Porteous. More than 18,000 people marched in the June 14 parade, around 2,000 people fewer than in 2024. At the same time, over 500 people volunteered for the event, around 100 more than did in 2024. All told, over 650,000 people attended the weekend's Pride events, resulting in a $7.6 million economic impact for local businesses, Columbus and Franklin County, Porteous said in a June 16 press release. "This weekend offered more than a festival—it was a statement. A mass declaration that LGBTQ+ lives matter, that we will not stay silent, and that in joy we find our collective strength," Porteous said in the release. Porteous said certain companies backing out as sponsors this year contributed to the drop in marchers, but many of the volunteers were employees of companies that had chosen not to march. Several companies, including Anheuser-Busch, Lowe's, Nissan, and Walmart, backed out of supporting Stonewall Columbus' 2025 pride celebrations amid a national backlash to diversity, equity and inclusion policies (DEI). Retreats from businesses cost Stonewall Columbus around $125,000 in lost donations, about a fifth of its expected costs for Pride Month celebrations. Donations from the Columbus community and other partners filled the financial gap left by the companies, Porteous previously told The Dispatch. The corporate retreat from supporting Pride events comes as the Trump administration has threatened companies that have DEI practices with investigations and prosecutions. DEI practices in the federal government were ended on day one of Trump's second term via an executive order, USA TODAY reported. More: Pride fills streets of Columbus as No Kings rallies draw thousands across Ohio, nationwide Breaking and Trending News Reporter Nathan Hart can be reached at NHart@ and at @NathanRHart on X and at on Bluesky. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Pride March: How many people showed up in 2025?
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Columbus City Schools quietly dissolves its Equity Department
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Despite still appearing on its website, Columbus City Schools has shuttered its Equity Department. According to Columbus City Schools chief of staff and interim communications director Mike De Fabbo, the district no longer has an Equity Department. Although the webpage and staffing is still listed under CCS' departments online, De Fabbo said the website is being updated and the services the Equity Department offered have been folded into a new team. 'Our attendance, climate and culture, restorative practices and social emotional learning work is now part of our Whole Child Supports team aligned to our board guardrail to prioritize a whole child focus,' De Fabbo said. Why South-Western City Schools parents are considering leaving the district The Whole Child Supports Department works to improve students' social, physical, cognitive and emotional development by facilitating collaborations between public health and education. It is one of four Board of Education guardrails, or strategic operational actions the superintendent must guide the district by. The Department of Equity was created in 2020 and grew from a one-person department to a team of people working to create culturally responsive and inclusive classrooms. The department was led by Yolanda Stewart, a former CCS Educator of the Year with more than 20 years of experience in education. Stewart received her Ph.D. from Ohio State University in 2015 in educational policy and leadership, and joined the district in 2001. According to district appropriations data, the district spent $144,550 a month on the Office of Equity, which still received funding in May. The Whole Child Supports team does not have its own fund, but student support services, special education and accountability services have combined funds and receive around $7.5 million. On April 17, Superintendent Angela Chapman and school board spokesperson Jennifer Adair jointly said the district would comply with a federal mandate to affirm the district's compliance with Title VI by not engaging in 'illegal DEI practices.' At the time, Chapman and the Board of Education affirmed their compliance but said they were not making changes, as 'illegal DEI' was not defined. Where in Columbus you're most likely to get pulled over for speeding 'At Columbus City Schools, we remain deeply committed to creating a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment for all students, families, teachers and staff,' Chapman and Adair wrote. CCS still intends to participate in the Columbus Pride March on June 14, according to its website. The district has reaffirmed its commitment to transgender and gender variant students and the LGBTQ+ community publicly. Most recently, the district affirmed this after it reverted all students' names to their birth names, which parents said 'outed' several students, including some with legal name changes. See previous coverage of this decision in the video player above. NBC4 asked what would happen to the Equity Department's employees but did not receive a response. Although the Equity page says the department grew to a group of people, only Stewart was still listed as of publication. Stewart's LinkedIn indicates she still works at CCS, but only lists her current and past positions as 'educator' or 'strategist' with no details about a possible change in role. School board documents and meeting agendas also did not indicate a change for Stewart, and did not exhibit a shuttering of the Equity Department, according to detailed searches of board documents from 2025. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
