Above is my inital inquiry to Ashely and Ryan about my credentials being declined.

Above Ashley's only response to me.  He claims they don't take money from The Cherry Fund. When infact they do.

The above is taken from the Cherry Fund website at the time and date stamped within the screenshot

2016 taxes

​I am so profoundly disappointed in the leadership of this organization to do whatever they could to block my media credentials from being issued. Capital Pride Alliance receives public funding that is used to host this event, this personal feelings hurt vendetta against me violates so many things about this organization. There is no question that CPA Alliance accepted over $43,000 from 2016-2019. Funny how CPA didn’t want to do anything about my concerns about The Cherry Fund not filing their taxes for years - CPA had been taking The Cherry Fund's largest contributions and taking it from the struggling local HIV/AIDS organizations, a cause for which The Cherry Fund was founded and for which its know only to support (expect with the addition to mental health after the passing of one of its volunteers) I have requested several times to meet with the board. I wonder if any of you knew this was happening. I see no reason frankly that CPA should be taking any monies from The Cherry Fund. Did you accept any from 2020, 2021? Simply ask what I gain for objecting about anything either organizations has done... I have not, nor will make, nor ever request money from either entity so sticking my head out and objecting is that of my genuine concern for those fighting with HIV/AIDS. Given CPA's lack of attention to it over the years - (do you know had you reached out to Dr. Fauci and done some sort of HIV/AIDS programming tied in with Covid virtually how awesome that would have been? I suggested it - even offered to reach out to him - How so many of us living with HIV/AIDS have been concerned about our own lives with covid wondering so many things and how it affected us - just having an opportunity to even do a Q&A for those living with HIV to ask him questions or even just have him speak about it for people scared to learn about) That’s what an organization that cares about the community can do - it would have cost nothing and people would have listened - yet CPA did nothing didn't even say anything about WAD. This shows a pattern

Now to decline my credentials - someone who has proven himself someone that cares very much about CPA from first moving here.... Because I have voiced my concern - a valid concern. I had considered protesting yesterday and today with a bull horn walking up and down a public street voicing these concerns, but I didn't ohhh I wanted to trust me. Instead I'm here writing you all asking to be heard, to be taken seriously, to be valued for all the work I have done the last five festivals, I know many of you, I know you because I have seen you, like you have seen me - not sliding down the water slide during HOT HOT Pride Days but bc you saw me working for you - for free, because you saw me at Town with a camera in my hand, you saw me at each parade on my Segway capturing the beautiful things that CPA does - I provided you perspectives from high up never seen before, my time lapse videos from what became a river on the stage in 2016 to the eye from a lamppost where I drove a cherrypicker for the first time (after a quick lesson from Mike) You know me because you know I care Mary - the year Peter refused me to be back stage - you helped get me back on Bottom line is that I've done a lot like you, all of us have I know this however someone invested so much should be able to be heard should be able to express concerns - do you not think I have done this privately first? Many many times. I'm not going to stay quiet that’s not how good change happens.

I'm thankful to the people who have come up to me the last few days to also express their concerns about the leadership of CPA. These are also volunteers some who have stopped volunteering for CPA some who have simply attended and expressed concern about things I've said. Ashley has tried to explain why money has transferred from The Cherry Fund to CPA - frankly there’s no reason for it. If Capital Pride really cares about HIV/AIDS they would have supported my 7,8 years of concern for the Cherry Fund's lack of transparency yet instead they continued to support and endorse their events - events that no one has any clue to how much was raised and how much was actually donated back into our community who provide actual services to the HIV/AIDS community and to the mental health community. Just look what happened this year Cherry Fund over sold the Howard they had to cancel events and from everything I have heard no refunds have been given. We've heard nothing about their internal investigation (goodness sakes there are only 3 board members - the very three that have been on for many many years - which is also a problem - it prevents internal oversight. So again, I ask what have I done wrong - so wrong to refuse my credentials - everything I claim is backed up in black and white its just that no one is noticing until I started to speak out but when I do no wants to hear it they all just want to have a good time at a circuit party and continue to be 'popular' and hang with the popular kids - well that’s ok I'll stick with it because when I ask myself "is it the right thing to do", it remains yes.

​I was in the crowd that day snapping pictures of history, the day Bernie took that moment of silence ask us by the President I was there capturing your history during the protest which was successful in obtaining positive change I was there capturing CPA history when leadership was handling the frightening moments after what was thought to have been gun shots. In the future, decades from now, people won't know about this note, what they will have is five years of images to recall the great history I was able to capture for generations of people to reflect on, like we do of the days when we had to fight for the things we have a right for (and hopefully will keep) today.

​For those who know me - know that I mean well, I may always look like I'm running around that’s because I am, I don't want to miss any moment I could capture for someone else to live decades from now but nothing I have done or said has been done with ill intent its done to be heard, sometimes I had to do things different times to be heard but today I come to you to be heard by only the ones who can make change and to assure the right things are being done. Its now in your hands. Thank you for listening and I still hope I'll be invited by the board to heard. I leave you with an image that sums everything up. The best part of each pride for me was the sunset concert, it was really the only time I could capture volunteers having fun being themselves and not having to 'work' it was really the time I got to enjoy everyone else’s enjoyment knowing the time and energy they invested has produced such success. It is about the volunteers who make Capital Pride successful it is the volunteers that give so many an safe space and opportunity to feel they can be their true unique self. It is the volunteers that make up such an awesome organization called Capital Pride Alliance - lets not forget nor take them for granted. Thank you to the many this past weekend and over the years who have volunteered and to the many who have let me capture them playing such an important role in making DC Pride happen. Tom