In the first June of the second Trump administration, Pride and Juneteenth events around the country face budget shortfalls as corporate sponsorships dwindle amid rollbacks of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

Nashville is no exception. Organizers of Music City Freedom Fest, Juneteenth615 and Nashville Pride now confront staging their celebrations in uncertain times with the added struggle of tighter budgets.

Decreasing DEI

Juneteenth commemorates not the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, but the arrival of that much-delayed news in Galveston, Texas. Though June 19 has been celebrated informally since the late 1800s, community events have grown through the years, even more after President Joe Biden signed into law the establishment of the date as a national holiday in 2021.

In Nashville, a number of Juneteenth events have become tradition.

Music City Freedom Fest takes place in Hadley Park. The festival is now in its sixth year, and it is the toughest year yet financially, according to co-founder Julius Jackson. During this year’s efforts to secure funding, sponsors have explicitly cited DEI challenges as the reason for fewer sponsorship dollars.

“I’ve actually been hearing that from a couple of the companies,” Jackson said. “I won’t say who they are, but I actually have heard that their budget was decreased and almost taken completely away with those types of things.”

Conversations with sponsors have shifted from how their support can aid the community to how exposure at the festival can benefit businesses.

“It probably has to be more of selling to them as a marketing opportunity,” Jackson said. “So, that is pretty much going to probably be our direction for at least for this administration, right?”

Despite the added financial pressures, Jackson sees a way through.

“We just have to be diligent in making sure our budget is where it needs to be, where we’re not totally reliant on outside giving that really doesn’t want to give anyway,” Jackson said. “I don’t expect anyone who doesn’t want to to help. … I don’t want them to contribute if it’s not something they truly want to do.”

‘Still did what they could do’

Juneteenth615 has been celebrated annually since 2018. This year’s festivities include fireworks, vendors and historical reenactments at Fort Negley.

Even with reduced dollars, relationships with sponsors remain strong, according to event organizer Willie Sims, better known as “Big Fella.”

“All of our people came back,” he said. “Some of them weren’t able to do as much as they had done in the past, or wanted to do this year due to the budget cuts and all of this stuff, right? But they still did what they could do.”

Representatives working directly with  organizers have seemed disappointed about reduced giving from their companies.

“It’s coming from the top down, you know?” Sims said. “I could tell they were kind of upset and sad, like, ‘Oh man … we had such a good time last year.’”

With an even bigger crowd expected this year, Juneteenth615 will cost more to coordinate. Organizers will not charge admission, but will put a stronger emphasis on giving for attendees.

“If you get some knowledge, if you feel this is good, put a dollar on it,” Sims said. “Yeah, send a dollar, send $2 and $5, whatever. I think that’ll get us over the hump.”

Funding shifts

In a letter on Nashville Pride’s website dated June 3, the organization’s board of directors is frank about the need for support after losing several longtime sponsors: “These step-backs have left us with a significant budget gap to fill — at a time when our visibility, safety, and celebration matter more than ever. … In a year marked by retreat, your support isn’t just meaningful — it’s vital.”

Since Nashville’s first Pride celebration in 1988, resilience has been a requirement.

“Every year the festival and parade look a little different,” Nashville Pride board member Brady Ruffin said. “Every year there’s some kind of new obstacle or challenge that we face.”

Some of the funding for Nashville Pride comes through ticketed events. While attending the parade is free of charge, access to the full festival, which begins June 27, is ticketed at $10 a day. And this year, Kim Petras headlines a concert with general admission tickets priced at $39. The organization is also leaning into grassroots and individual giving. 

Many smaller businesses remain supportive. Though they lack the financial resources of national corporations, their monetary contributions add up. They tend to also contribute significant amounts of time and energy, said Stephanie Mahnke, executive director of Tennessee Pride Chamber. 

All that said, this year’s biggest challenge is a 30 percent drop in corporate sponsorship statewide, which has trickled down to Pride festivals, according to Mahnke.

Some larger corporations that do continue to contribute have shifted their approach.

“What’s fascinating is a lot of them will reach out to us and say, ‘Hey, we’re still going to give you money. Just take our logo off of everything, take our name off of everything. We won’t be attending your events, but here’s money,’” Mahnke said. “So there’s still that support there, but it’s clear it’s very political.” 

Moving forward

Amidst these setbacks, Nashville organizers continue to look to the future with apprehension, but also hope.

Big Fella sees Juneteenth’s message as more important than ever.

“It’s just straight up freedom,” he said. “It’s a celebration of moving in the right direction as a country and as a people. And if we can’t celebrate moving in the right direction, we gonna end up in the wrong direction.”

For his part, Ruffin also focused on the resources Nashville Pride has to work with, and not what might be lacking. He cited the returning and new sponsors that are making this year’s festival possible, whether they choose to associate their name with it or not.

“Pride belongs, and has always belonged, to the people,” Ruffin said. “At the end of the day, Pride is not powered by logos.”