Earlier this year when the Pride parade and festival were canceled, and Tucson Pride announced it was permanently closing, many in the community anticipated a void. This June, the Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation (SAAF) is filling that gap — and turning concern into action — with a monthlong slate of events, screenings, fundraisers and outreach designed to “keep Pride alive.”
SAAF, southern Arizona’s only community-based HIV/AIDS prevention, care and support organization for nearly 30 years, announced a calendar running May 29–June 30 that mixes celebration with service.
“Now more than ever, Pride is about more than celebration — it’s about survival,” said SAAF CEO Carlos A. Hernández in the group’s release. Hernández framed the month as both a celebration of the LGBTQ+ community’s resilience and an urgent response to the threats the community currently faces. He said SAAF exists “to stand in that gap,” providing prevention, care and support…