Edward Summers is out as Pridelines’ executive director.
South Florida’s LGBTQ and nonprofit communities are in shock after an announcement was posted online from the organization’s board of directors on Tuesday, stating: “The Board of Directors has made the decision to part ways with Dr. Edward Summers in his role as Executive Director of Pridelines.”
Summers, however, has a different take on his separation.
“I resigned from my role at Pridelines to pursue my legal education, a lifelong goal that I am proud to now be stepping into,” he said. “Over my year and a half at Pridelines, we accomplished meaningful and lasting progress for LGBTQ+ youth and communities. I remain proud of that work.”
But he has since retained legal counsel, who has been in contact with OutSFL.
A check of Pridelines’ website on Monday found no traces of Summers, and their staff page suggested that there are multiple people in charge. By Tuesday evening, the entire staff page was down.
OutSFL learned of the news Monday and reached out to Summers and the board. One person told OutSFL they were made aware of the change last week. Meanwhile, last week, Summers also began posting about going to law school.
SunBiz, Florida’s business tracking website, still shows Summers as the Registered Agent. Veronica Barrios-Garcia is listed as Board Chair.
“As we’ve now publicly communicated, Dr. Summers is no longer with the organization,” she told OutSFL. “It is our policy to not comment on personnel decisions such as these. Pridelines is, and continues to be, ready to serve the South Florida LGBTQ community. We have no further comment on this.”
The board’s statement also adds: “It’s important to remember: Pridelines has never been about one individual.”
They also say programs and services won’t be impacted.
Summers was also a founding member of The Joy Ride, a fundraising event produced by Fab Adventures and created after the SMART Ride ended. Summers’ position on that board is not directly impacted by his separation from Pridelines. The nonprofit was one of five Florida HIV service organizations to bring it to fruition, but they are separate entities.
When asked if Summers would remain on the board of Fab Adventures, he said: “I would defer that question to Fab Adventures/The Joy Ride, which is an amazing organization supporting 5 critical organizations in Florida.”
Short Tenure
The board hired Summers in October 2023. He worked to get Pridelines back in Miami. He helped secure a $2.4 million grant from The Homeless Trust to develop what Pridelines’s website describes as “Project SAFE House at Rainbow Road, offering safe, supportive living spaces along with essential services like mental health counseling, educational resources, and job training.”
The website says it’s “Coming Soon,” but offers no specific date.
As mentioned above, he was an integral part of the launch of The Joy Ride.
A big controversy erupted last summer leading up to Pridelines’ Masquerade Ball. Longtime drag icon Lady Bunny received their National Icon Award. However, Bunny had been giving hot takes on social media against Vice President Harris’ campaign.
Summers and Pridelines stood by their decision, with Summers saying, “While Lady Bunny will be honored at our event for her previous advocacy work for our community, it is important to emphasize that her presence does not reflect an endorsement of her personal views or statements.”
Bunny appeared and while she avoided politics, she went after Tiffany Fantasia, a local drag legend. Fantasia left in tears and posted a long video explaining what happened.
Summers went on to issue multiple apologies, while saying the event raised more than $100,000.
