TAMPA, Fla. — Community organizations in Tampa held a rally and march Saturday in Ybor City to celebrate Pride after the city's annual Tampa Pride parade was canceled due to a lack of funding and sponsorships.
People's Pride Coalition and other organizations hosted the event, bringing together dozens of community members who walked in unity along the streets of Ybor City.
WATCH: Tampa community rallies and marches for Pride after annual parade canceled over funding shortfall
V Garcia, a member of People's Pride Coalition, said the event was about proving the community doesn't need corporate backing to celebrate.
"We wanted to show that we could have a Pride without corporate sponsorships, that we do not need corporations in order to celebrate our queerness and to be out and proud," Garcia said.
Tampa Pride typically hosts its annual parade every March. This year, organizers said they were unable to secure the necessary funding or sponsorships to hold the event.
For many in the community, the cancellation was a disappointment — but also a rallying point.
Iyad Eltifi, a member of Students for Democratic Society, said the cancellation hit hard.
"I just, I think it's just really, really sad," Eltifi said.
Briana Beebee, also a member of Students for Democratic Society, said the cancellation only strengthened the community's resolve.
"Definitely disappointing that Tampa Pride was canceled, but we're not losing hope. We're using it to band together even stronger," Beebee said.
The march drew attention from St. Patrick's Day revelers in Tampa on Saturday as well. Demonstrators said they felt the moment called for visibility, describing the current climate as more hostile than ever and pointing to concerns about immigration and foreign policy.
"I think it's important to disrupt the norms and be like, 'hey look at this,'" Beebee said.
Members of Students for Democratic Society — a group started by University of South Florida students but not affiliated with the university — said they are frustrated with Gov. Ron DeSantis and policies they say target the LGBTQ+ community, including bathroom restrictions for transgender people and limits on changing gender markers on state IDs.
"It's very appalling and it deserves some kind of organized resistance," Eltifi said.
For those who marched, the day was about both advocacy and celebration.
"I'm here to take a stand as a queer person that wants to be in Florida because I have hope for Florida. We have to fight for Florida," Beebee said.
Eltifi said Pride, at its core, is personal.
"I think pride means being prideful about who you are," Eltifi said.
Beebee said the meaning runs even deeper.
"It means joy and acceptance and love and freedom, liberation for all," Beebee said.
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