The Pittsburgh Pride Group, a consortium of local organizations that produce the annual Pride celebration, has dealt with challenges before, but the run-up to the 2026 event has been one for the books.
As recently as April, the organization faced a $150,000 budget shortfall due to a dramatic reduction in corporate sponsorships. Past sponsors such as Tito’s Handmade Vodka and Walmart did not respond to requests to participate this year, according to group member Sam Wasserman.
“The local Walmart employees tried to do everything they could, but HQ blocked it fully,” Wasserman said. He believes it’s a reaction to the federal government’s rejection of DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) policies…