'I walked up to the front desk and addressed a handsome young police officer with my request.
Kip Dollar, one of the founding members of the commission, recalled how rare it was for organizations to use 'gay and lesbian' in official names at the time – as when he went to the Austin Police Department for a street closure permit. In the end, money raised from advance ticket sales at $2 a pop covered the cost of insurance – clearing the first of several hurdles for the city's original Pride. With only $100 to its name, the newly formed Austin Lesbian and Gay Pride Commission had just enough to open a bank account and had already spent $5 on printing checks.
When the city of Austin required liability insurance to host a gay event in a public park for 2,000 people, the hefty price tag almost crippled Pride before it began. Dedicated to Beth Westbrook, Ceci Gratias, Tesía Samara, Lauryn Paige Fuller, Steve Thomas, Lisa Davis, and all those we've lost along the way.
