The mission of Milwaukee Pride, Inc is: a) to educate both the general community and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, & Transgender (LGBT) communities about needs, issues and various aspects of the LGBT culture; b) to provide a forum to celebrate the history and accomplishments of LGBT people; c) to create an environment for networking and outreach for services and community opportunities for LGBT people and their families and friends; and d) any other activities exclusively for charitable, educational, and research purposes, including, for such purposes, the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code.
Milwaukee Pride, Inc. may be the city’s newest LGBTQ organization, but we proudly carry forward a rich, three-decade legacy of community service.
Our organization has its roots in the Milwaukee Lesbian/Gay Pride Committee, which formed in 1987 to host the city’s very first pride picnic, and in PrideFest Inc., who fostered the growth and development of that picnic into a three-day lakefront festival attracting over 30,000 annual visitors.
Over the years, the enduring commitment of unpaid volunteers - at every level of the organization - have contributed to the lasting success of PrideFest Milwaukee.
Recognizing the needs of Milwaukee’s LGBTQ community are continuous and year-round, the PrideFest Milwaukee Board of Directors voted in 2015 to dissolve the 501(c)4 organization, reorganize under new articles of incorporation and seek 501(c)3 approval. This created Wisconsin’s newest LGBTQ non-profit organization, committed to education, celebration, networking and outreach for our community.
While we will forever host our annual PrideFest celebration, Milwaukee Pride Inc. is taking aim at new and exciting goals, as we work together to build a better, brighter future for LGBTQ Milwaukee.
