The San Diego Pride board unexpectedly announced on Transgender Day of Remembrance that longtime Executive Director Fernando Lopez was no longer with Pride, effective Monday, Nov. 20. No reason was given about this swift departure or under what circumstances it occurred.
Part of the board’s statement read, “To ensure organizational continuity and stability, the board will maintain general oversight of the organization while supporting the existing leadership team in place and moving swiftly through the Executive Director search and selection process. The Board of Directors has full confidence in the staff leadership, and we believe they are well-equipped to guide us through this transitional period.”
The board told people with concerns, including volunteers and staff who found out about the leadership change in an email on Nov. 20, to contact board co-chairs Melissa Malone-Montgomery and Noah Lomax. The announcement included a promise to hold a town hall with volunteers and community partners at a later date so they can be a part of the leadership search.
In a Nov. 30 communication, Lomax announced that Jen LaBarbera and Sarafino Scapicchio would serve as interim co-executive directors.
The SD Pride board has had a chaotic year, with four co-chairs resigning. Lomax and Malone-Montgomery did not take the helm until Mama’s Kitchen’s well-respected former CEO Alberto Cortes and veteran leader Joanna Sansoterra both resigned as co-chairs and from the board entirely in mid-October.
Community members have called out the lack of respect shown by the board to Lopez in its public communications. Max Disposti, who leads the North County LGBTQ Resource Center, said in a Facebook post that this transactional goodbye did a disservice to Lopez as well as whoever the board selects to take on the role.
In their own Facebook post, Lopez said “I’m so incredibly grateful to have had the privilege of serving San Diego Pride’s mission for nearly 13 years. I couldn’t be more proud of all we’ve accomplished together! I’m also excited for what’s next in my journey.”
Dozens of local LGBTQ+ people thanked Lopez for their service and shared that Lopez served as an inspiration for the whole community. Leaders issued statements of support, including past Pride Executive Director and current City Councilman Stephan Whitburn as well as past board members such as Susan Jester and Nicole Murray Ramirez.
In an interview in October, Board member emeritus Doug Moore, who led Pride for several years in the ‘80s, declared that Lopez would go down as one of the three best Pride Executive Directors in San Diego history. He explained that all three of those leaders “lived and breathed Pride,” making it their whole lives.
During their tenure at Pride, Lopez advocated continually for LGBTQ+ youth, expanding youth programs year round and fiercely campaigning against school bullying. As a Jewish, Latine non-binary person, Lopez also pushed for inclusion at Pride, including elevating artists of color in the Pride festival. The budget tripled under their leadership alongside a growing year-round staff.
This post has been updated to include information on the interim leadership at SD Pride.
