Records Show Years of Warning Signs Before Tucson Pride Shut Down

The end of Tucson Pride marks the collapse of one of Southern Arizona’s most visible LGBTQ+ institutions — and public records suggest it did not happen overnight. Tax filings and interviews point to years of financial losses, governance problems and missed reporting requirements that ultimately left the organization without nonprofit standing or community confidence.

For some in the community, the decision felt sudden. For others, it confirmed long-standing concerns about the organization’s leadership and finances that public records suggest had been building for years.

When the announcement dropped, longtime drag performer and former board member Tempest DuJour — best known for her appearance on RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 7 — said she was initially saddened by the news.

“But I am not surprised at all by this announcement,” she said.

DuJour said she served on the Tucson Pride board several years ago and stepped away after what she described as persistent governance and financial problems. In an interview with LOOKOUT, she said the organization’s collapse reflects years of instability rather than a sudden crisis.

Those concerns are reflected in the organization’s tax filings.

A review of federal records shows signs of financial and operational strain well before Tucson Pride’s decision to dissolve, including repeated losses, community concerns and lapses in required reporting.

The Tucson Lesbian & Gay Alliance — the organization’s legal name — has not filed a federal tax return since 2020. Under IRS rules, nonprofits that fail to file for three consecutive years automatically lose their tax-exempt status, a penalty Tucson Pride incurred in 2024, according to IRS records.

That loss left the organization without official nonprofit standing as it postponed its 2025 festival and later canceled it entirely.

Earlier filings point to ongoing management and financial challenges. In 2017, Tucson Pride disclosed an “excess benefit transaction,” an IRS designation used when a nonprofit reports that an officer, director or other insider received a financial benefit that did not comply with IRS rules. The filing does not identify who was involved or how the issue was resolved.

"I am not surprised at all by this announcement."
-Tempest DuJour
Former Tucson Pride Boardmember

In 2018, the organization reported a loss of more than $27,000 after expenses outpaced revenue. The following year, it reported its highest revenue on record — more than $170,000 — but still did not end 2019 in the black. Nearly all of that revenue went toward producing the Pride festival, tax records show.

IRS filings from 2019 and 2020 also show Tucson Pride loaned money to its president and later reported partially recovering the funds while taking a loss, without explaining the circumstances.

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LOOKOUTJoseph Darius Jaafari (he/him)

DuJour said those disclosures mirror what she witnessed during her time on the board, describing an organization that struggled to maintain stability even as it continued to stage large-scale public events.

Despite her criticism, she said she does not believe all volunteers or board members acted in bad faith. Still, she said the decision to dissolve the organization rather than open it to new leadership felt troubling, particularly given Pride’s role in the community.

To her, the closure signals retreat at a moment when visibility remains critical.

“I think there is most certainly still a need for Pride,” DuJour said. “You don’t just quit.”

She said Pride has historically served as one of the few public spaces where LGBTQ+ people could feel affirmed and safe — and that walking away entirely sends the wrong message.

In a statement posted to Facebook, Tucson Pride said the decision “was not made lightly.”

April Gendill, a Tucson resident and president of Tucson Pink Pistols, said the closure highlights broader challenges facing LGBTQ+ organizations. She said the loss of visible institutions sends a damaging signal at a time when many LGBTQ+ people already feel isolated.

“The queer community has been largely abandoned at this point,” Gendill said. “We have no resources.”

As businesses and grantmakers pull back, she said, the burden increasingly falls on the community itself.

The issue is not unique to Tucson. Last year, Phoenix Pride announced six-figure revenue losses, citing declining sponsorships and ticket sales. Community members online also raised concerns about leadership decisions and board governance. Similar distrust surfaced in 2024 in Flagstaff, where Pride in the Pines faced backlash after inviting former-first lady Dr. Jill Biden to speak and later removing pro-Palestinian protesters from the event.

“The community is going to have to come together and support the organizations they want to see survive,” Gendill said.