Ashley... I don't care. Were you or Ryan on CasaRuby board too? You're governing Capital Pride like you were.  Capital Pride Board President threatenms Tom in an email  Toms response to Capital Pride   Capital Pride Alliance accepted monies intended for the HIV/AIDS community Capital Pride who this year refused me media credentials (I am a credentialed member of several media outlets) due to my publicly denounmcing Capital Pride from taking funds intended for the HIV/AIDS Community to the sum of $43,000 in 2016,2017, 2018, 2019 - 2018,2019 taking the largest allocation from The Cherry Fund that the organization gave out - this when Capital Pride does not provide one single HIV/AIDS service. I was on assignment for The Advocate Magazine when they declined all credentials to cover any of Pride for The Advocate Magazine.  Above is my inital inquiry to Ashely and Ryan about my credentials being declined.  Above Ashley's only response to me. He claims they don't take money from The Cherry Fund. When infact they do.  Supporting documentation The above is taken from the Cherry Fund website at the time and date stamped within the screenshot  Grants as reported on The Cherry Fund's taxes2016 taxes
2017 Cherry Taxes
2018 Cherry Taxes
2019 Cherry Taxes
Further evidence from the Cherry Website:
I explain my concerns of what the Cherry Fund was doing and ask that in their best interest they conduct an investigation - remember this was before knowing the Cherry Fund had recieved so much money over the years because the Cherry Fund had refused to complete its taxes.
The following email is from Ryan finally reached out to the Cherry Fund to inquire about my alligations - still not knowing at this point the very organization I'm askling to investigate was the one who recieved money from the Cherry Fund. When Ryan reports that the Cherry Fund just submitted years worth of taxes (note he never asked them for them so I could have them or for us to review) He says I had a precieved lack of transparency - can't be precieved when he admits they just filed them.
Capital Pride Board of Directors:I am so profoundly disappointed in the leadership of this organization to do whatever they could to block my media credentials from being issued. Capital Pride Alliance receives public funding that is used to host this event, this personal feelings hurt vendetta against me violates so many things about this organization. There is no question that CPA Alliance accepted over $43,000 from 2016-2019. Funny how CPA didn’t want to do anything about my concerns about The Cherry Fund not filing their taxes for years - CPA had been taking The Cherry Fund's largest contributions and taking it from the struggling local HIV/AIDS organizations, a cause for which The Cherry Fund was founded and for which its know only to support (expect with the addition to mental health after the passing of one of its volunteers) I have requested several times to meet with the board. I wonder if any of you knew this was happening. I see no reason frankly that CPA should be taking any monies from The Cherry Fund. Did you accept any from 2020, 2021? Simply ask what I gain for objecting about anything either organizations has done... I have not, nor will make, nor ever request money from either entity so sticking my head out and objecting is that of my genuine concern for those fighting with HIV/AIDS. Given CPA's lack of attention to it over the years - (do you know had you reached out to Dr. Fauci and done some sort of HIV/AIDS programming tied in with Covid virtually how awesome that would have been? I suggested it - even offered to reach out to him - How so many of us living with HIV/AIDS have been concerned about our own lives with covid wondering so many things and how it affected us - just having an opportunity to even do a Q&A for those living with HIV to ask him questions or even just have him speak about it for people scared to learn about) That’s what an organization that cares about the community can do - it would have cost nothing and people would have listened - yet CPA did nothing didn't even say anything about WAD. This shows a pattern Now to decline my credentials - someone who has proven himself someone that cares very much about CPA from first moving here.... Because I have voiced my concern - a valid concern. I had considered protesting yesterday and today with a bull horn walking up and down a public street voicing these concerns, but I didn't ohhh I wanted to trust me. Instead I'm here writing you all asking to be heard, to be taken seriously, to be valued for all the work I have done the last five festivals, I know many of you, I know you because I have seen you, like you have seen me - not sliding down the water slide during HOT HOT Pride Days but bc you saw me working for you - for free, because you saw me at Town with a camera in my hand, you saw me at each parade on my Segway capturing the beautiful things that CPA does - I provided you perspectives from high up never seen before, my time lapse videos from what became a river on the stage in 2016 to the eye from a lamppost where I drove a cherrypicker for the first time (after a quick lesson from Mike) You know me because you know I care Mary - the year Peter refused me to be back stage - you helped get me back on Bottom line is that I've done a lot like you, all of us have I know this however someone invested so much should be able to be heard should be able to express concerns - do you not think I have done this privately first? Many many times. I'm not going to stay quiet that’s not how good change happens. I'm thankful to the people who have come up to me the last few days to also express their concerns about the leadership of CPA. These are also volunteers some who have stopped volunteering for CPA some who have simply attended and expressed concern about things I've said. Ashley has tried to explain why money has transferred from The Cherry Fund to CPA - frankly there’s no reason for it. If Capital Pride really cares about HIV/AIDS they would have supported my 7,8 years of concern for the Cherry Fund's lack of transparency yet instead they continued to support and endorse their events - events that no one has any clue to how much was raised and how much was actually donated back into our community who provide actual services to the HIV/AIDS community and to the mental health community. Just look what happened this year Cherry Fund over sold the Howard they had to cancel events and from everything I have heard no refunds have been given. We've heard nothing about their internal investigation (goodness sakes there are only 3 board members - the very three that have been on for many many years - which is also a problem - it prevents internal oversight. So again, I ask what have I done wrong - so wrong to refuse my credentials - everything I claim is backed up in black and white its just that no one is noticing until I started to speak out but when I do no wants to hear it they all just want to have a good time at a circuit party and continue to be 'popular' and hang with the popular kids - well that’s ok I'll stick with it because when I ask myself "is it the right thing to do", it remains yes. I was in the crowd that day snapping pictures of history, the day Bernie took that moment of silence ask us by the President I was there capturing your history during the protest which was successful in obtaining positive change I was there capturing CPA history when leadership was handling the frightening moments after what was thought to have been gun shots. In the future, decades from now, people won't know about this note, what they will have is five years of images to recall the great history I was able to capture for generations of people to reflect on, like we do of the days when we had to fight for the things we have a right for (and hopefully will keep) today. For those who know me - know that I mean well, I may always look like I'm running around that’s because I am, I don't want to miss any moment I could capture for someone else to live decades from now but nothing I have done or said has been done with ill intent its done to be heard, sometimes I had to do things different times to be heard but today I come to you to be heard by only the ones who can make change and to assure the right things are being done. Its now in your hands. Thank you for listening and I still hope I'll be invited by the board to heard. I leave you with an image that sums everything up. The best part of each pride for me was the sunset concert, it was really the only time I could capture volunteers having fun being themselves and not having to 'work' it was really the time I got to enjoy everyone else’s enjoyment knowing the time and energy they invested has produced such success. It is about the volunteers who make Capital Pride successful it is the volunteers that give so many an safe space and opportunity to feel they can be their true unique self. It is the volunteers that make up such an awesome organization called Capital Pride Alliance - lets not forget nor take them for granted. Thank you to the many this past weekend and over the years who have volunteered and to the many who have let me capture them playing such an important role in making DC Pride happen. Tom Additional Thoughts outside of my letter to the board: For The Record: I have called for the termination of Ryan Bos's from Capital Pride for accepting funding he knows is reserved for local HIV/AIDS Service organizations. He knows better. I've also called for the resignation of Board President Ashley Smith, for knowing funding was being accepted by The Cherry Fund, for not following through on his promised investigation of the Cherry Fund and for his decision for denying a credentialed member of the media his rights to cover DC Pride because that member of the media (me) spoke critically of him using his first amendment rights. I standby these calls and encourage the Capital Pride Alliance board to bring new blood and a fresh outlook. Capital Pride should become a national voice for the LGBT community, they need to become an advocate for the HIV/AIDS community again. I have requested a meeting with the board I hope that happens, I also am completly open to any feedback, discussion, with any of the Capital Pride Boad of Directors, its leadership team, volunteers or onlookers. I stand complely behind anything I say and providfe supporting documentation to support such claims. Ashley needs to step back from being in front of the camera and do his primary job as most board members and board Presidents do - fundraise. Let those volunteers less seen who do the work do the interviews. I love Capital Pride. I love the work the volunteers do - thank you to them. I don't like the often stuck up stick to our own click of groopies mentality that has become of the Capital Pride Alliance team. It reminds me of the NAPWA Board of Trustees who besides other things had a lot to do it the organizations demise. Tom
 NO Dance Party Or Pride Festival should forget the many of our sisters and brothers who have been infected, who have died or who have been affected by the HIV/AIDS The Cherry Fun and Capital Pride Alliance have done just that. That is NOT OK. We Must SpeakOut & Fight Back against this type of behavior especially within out own community. "Yes, this amount is confirmed for 2019. Each year, the Cherry Fund helps the Capital Pride Alliance by producing an event during the |
| $43,980 taken from service based organizations yet refuses to request Cherry Fund for transparency. | $43,980 taken from service based organizations yet had to apologize that efforts with regards to WORLD AIDS Day fell short |
No problem taking from the HIV/AID service based organizations but can't ask that organization who gave you that money for transparency?
| Capital Pride Alliance since when have you become an organization who provided service-based anything not to mention having any goal of anything around HIV/AIDS, You don't provide mental health services as well as (this would be a loooooong stretch as I don't think you do anything focused with) groups who work with LGBT youth and their allies. | Cherry Fund Mission: The sole purpose of the Fund is to raise monies for service-based non-profit organizations serving the LGBT community of Washington and beyond. Organizations whose primarily goal is to stop the spread of HIV infection & AIDS by prevention, treatment, and education, organizations that provide mental health services as well as groups who work with LGBT youth and their allies. |
Capital Pride Vision & Mission Statement
| The Capital Pride Alliance, through its stewardship of diverse programming and events, specifically year-round LGBTQ+ Pride festivities centered in Washington, DC and the National Capital Region, serves to celebrate, educate, support, and inspire our multi-faceted communities in order to grow and preserve our history and protect our rights for current and future generations. | Our MissionThe Capital Pride Alliance, through its stewardship of diverse programming and events, specifically year-round LGBTQ+ Pride festivities centered in Washington, DC and the National Capital Region, serves to celebrate, educate, support, and inspire our multi-faceted communities in order to grow and preserve our history and protect our rights for current and future generations. |
Tom's Thoughts...
I have two gripes yup. Two gripes about organizations that represent those living with HIV/AIDS like raising money or taking money inteneded for local HIV/AIDS organizations and who they said they care about the gay -HIV positive community member will use them to raise money for them yet either give it away or accept it and do nothing with it for that community
WONDER WHY I ASK FOR TRANSPARENCY
WONDER WHY I ASK FOR TRANSPARENCY
I wish the fund; The Cherry Fund is most successful year ever. I want to see the organization raise as much money as it can to give back to the DMV Area. Cherry Funds have always been intended to support the local HIV/AIDS community and later local mental health CBO's. Ashley Smith you are typically face front with your face before cameras and speaking on behalf of Capital Pride Alliance, usually a task reserved for an organizations staff, so the right people get attention, Board Members typically remain in the background they raise money, provide oversight and support its leadership they don't normally make media appearances you leave those for those within the organization doing to work - so they are put in the spotlight. Ashley you've avoided handling my concerns about The Cherry Fund, years have gone by where you and Ryan continue to give their leadership credibility - approval. You both know The Cherry Fund has not been able to release tax returns because for years at a time they don't do them. If they don't do their taxes then they can't be seen if they can't be seen then they can't be held accountable from public scrutiny, When I approached CPA to ask them to be the leader within the LGBT Community and step up and approach The Cherry Board about the lack of transparency you assured me an investigation. You did nothing and now I know why. CPA accepted the Cherry Fund's largest single donation in 2019 of $12,175 Why? Capital Pride offers not one HIV/AIDS care service. So, should one ask if CPA is in bed with Capital Pride? Is this why you conducted no investigation? Is this why Capital Pride dismissed a person living with HIV's concern about financial transparency because for years you have been accepting monies truly intended to for someone else to benefit CP's budget. There are no questions The Cherry Fund leaves years of taxes go by then hastily files returns filled with errors, yet you continue to advertise, promote and standby them without asking any questions - why are the same characters still in charge of that organization after nearly 10years? why you haven’t asked for a financial audit they have never done one. As a stake holder in the fight against HIV/AIDS since those who your work touches also go to help those who utilize service-related HIV/AIDS organizations why are you accepting any money from Cherry and why are you not concerned about transparency when transparency is not provided. You have done no HIV/AIDS programming you overlooked World AIDS Day two years ago why? because you were too busy trying to ask people infected or affected by HIV/AIDS to give you money.
Did you hear either of these organizations reach out to the most vulnerable during the height of the covid epidemic and ask if anyone need anything? Many living with HIV/AIDS were scared to do anything
Now For supporting documentation:
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