Food co-ops donate over $25K to Twin Cities Pride after event parted way with Target

Target sponsored the event for 18 years, but the organization cut ties after the retailer scaled back its DEI efforts.

The Minnesota Star Tribune
February 4, 2025 at 10:24PM
A group of Twin Cities food cooperatives are giving more than $25,000 to support Twin Cities Pride after the organization decided to part ways with Target as a sponsor. (Jerry Holt/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Six Twin Cities food co-ops are donating $28,700 to Twin Cities Pride’s safety fund, helping to close a remaining gap left by the end of the festival’s longstanding partnership with Target.

The donation follows Minneapolis-based Target’s decision last month to scale back its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, which led Twin Cities Pride to cancel its sponsorship agreement with the retailer after 18 years.

The six food cooperatives — Eastside, Wedge, Seward, Valley Natural, Lakewinds and Mississippi Market — said in a joint statement shared on Instagram: “As community-owned cooperative grocers, we’ve always been spaces where every member of our vibrant neighborhoods can find a sense of belonging, friendship, safety, and of course, delicious local food!”

They confirmed to the Minnesota Star Tribune that they will donate the money.

Andi Otto, executive director of Twin Cities Pride, said the funding will go toward independent security along the parade route. He also plans to partner with Sequeerity, a Minneapolis-based de-escalation team.

Otto said Pride appreciates that the co-ops are not big organizations and the fact they banded together for the donation “was enough to bring me to tears.”

The Twin Cities has long been considered the epicenter of the co-op movement, with a deep-rooted history in cooperative ownership and community-driven business models. While the number of co-ops has fluctuated over the years, their core values — member ownership, community investment, sustainability and education — remain unchanged.

Those values, co-op leaders say, are what motivated them to support Pride, a weeklong celebration at the end of June including a parade and a festival.

“To our queer friends — we see you, we love you, and we celebrate you every day,“ the co-ops’ Instagram post read. ”You are always welcome at all our co-ops, and we are proud to be your allies all around the Twin Cities.”

The security is important, as Pride is anticipating a larger turnout than in previous years because of comments made by President Donald Trump and changes put in place by his administration.

“This year more than ever, the community needs to come together and feel celebrated,” Otto said. “I look forward to Pride every year, but this year’s a little different, and I’m excited for it.”

about the writer

about the writer

Carson Hartzog

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Carson Hartzog is a business reporter for the Star Tribune.

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