Tampa Pride announced a “one-year hiatus” Sept. 19 in a letter addressed to and detailing the termination of President Carrie West.
The announcement was shared via social media and signed by the Tampa Pride board. The nonprofit’s governing body, in recent years, has declined to verify its makeup to Watermark Out News.
The letter was dated Aug. 1 and noted West’s “employment contract” would conclude Aug. 31. Notably, West launched a bid for Tampa City Council in that timeframe but did not advance in the Sept. 9 special election.
“The current political and economic climate, including challenges with corporate sponsorships, reductions in county, state and federal grant funding, and the discontinuation of DEI programs under Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, has made it increasingly difficult for our organization to sustain ongoing operations for 2026,” Tampa Pride’s letter reads.
“Due to these challenges, the Board has made the difficult decision to implement a one-year hiatus of the annual Tampa Pride Festival and Diversity Parade and all the affiliated Tampa Pride events,” it continues. “We recognize the festival and parade’s significant financial contribution to local businesses and its vital role to our LGBTQIA+ community. However, this pause is necessary for the organization to regroup, reassess our long-term strategy, and identify additional avenues of funding to secure the future stability of Tampa Pride events.”
The board noted that West’s contributions to Tampa Pride “over the past 12 years have been deeply valued,” thanking him for his “commitment and contributions throughout [his] tenure as a remarkably devoted community individual and leader.”
Tampa Pride welcomed thousands to Ybor for its 11th event in February, a celebration that followed mounting calls for a change in leadership.
Multiple outlets including Watermark Out News reported in 2023 that former Tampa Pride board members and supporters were seeking more transparency regarding operations. They cited the cancellation of Tampa Pride’s short-lived Pride on the River and board turnover among their chief concerns.
West, who co-founded the current iteration of Tampa Pride, addressed some of their concerns ahead of the celebration’s 10-year mark. Regarding a change in leadership, he told Watermark Out News he was “all for getting on the Tampa Pride team. But it is work!”
Read Tampa Pride’s full letter on Facebook.
Watermark Out News has reached out to Tampa Pride and West for additional comment. It will update this story should it be received.
