Last summer, as the COVID-19 pandemic tightened its grip on businesses across the United States, causing the permanent shutdowns of around 200,000+, Showtime partnered with the Human Rights Campaign on “Queer to Stay: An LGBTQ + Business Preservation Initiative ”. The effort provided a lifeline for 10 struggling businesses that serve the community with a focus on businesses that were owned or served to empower LGBTQ people of color, women, and the transgender community.
To coincide with Pride Month in June, Showtime and HRC are teaming up again for the second annual ‘Queer to Stay’, but this year the program expands to help 20 businesses while also offering a crowdfunding feature. to consumers to support the initiative until the end. of 2021. Showtime Marketing Director Michael Engleman said: “Since the start of the pandemic, it’s been remarkable how different communities have come together to support each other in times of crisis. In addition to the larger number of winners this year, it was natural for us to expand the initiative to incorporate a crowdfunding aspect, allowing friends and neighbors to support these essential LGBTQ + spaces.
HRC President Alphonso David added: “There is evidence that the LGBTQ community is disproportionately affected in almost every facet of society, which compounds the importance of preserving and celebrating LGBTQ spaces. “
Eligible businesses can apply to queertostay.org until July 31. 2020 recipients included New York Alibi Lounge (New York), Amplio Fitness (Rocky River, Ohio), Blush & Blu (Denver), Dean (Charlotte, NC), El Rio (San Francisco), Freed Bodyworks (Washington, DC), Herz (Mobile, Alabama), My Sister’s Room (Atlanta), Pearl Bar (Houston) and Salon Benders (Long Beach).
This story first appeared in the June 2 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.
