Sarah Toce
This June, Procter & Gamble (P&G) and iHeartMedia invite people everywhere to join “Can’t Cancel Pride,” a virtual relief benefit for the LGBTQ+ community, featuring performances and appearances from the most influential voices in the community as well as the biggest names in culture and entertainment. Stars include Bebe Rexha, Brothers Osborne, Busy Phillips, Demi Lovato, Gus Kenworthy, Hayley Kiyoko, Jennifer Hudson, JoJo Siwa, Lil Nas X, Marshmello, MJ Rodriguez, Nina West, P!NK, Ricky Martin, Regard, Troye Sivan, Tate McRae. The benefit concert will be hosted by iHeartMedia on-air personality Elvis Duran and diamond-selling singer-songwriter Bebe Rexha, who will also perform her new single “Sacrifice.”
The second annual event will demonstrate that nothing can cancel the heart of Pride and the spirit that the LGBTQ+ equality movement embodies while focusing on the issues that continue to impact the LGBTQ+ community in 2021, including the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 has not only led to the disruption of many national Pride events, but has also had a damaging effect on fund-raising efforts LGBTQ+ organizations rely on to survive. The LGBTQ+ community continues to face loss of livelihoods, lack of access to critical life-affirming healthcare, increased domestic violence and social isolation as many of the organizations they count on for these services continue to struggle for support during the pandemic.
With support from brands including P&G, Allē by Allergan Aesthetics, Dawn, General Motors, The Art of Shaving and GilletteLabs, Bounty, Charmin, Jared, Puffs, Downy, Tide, OLAY, and Tito’s Handmade Vodka, the one-hour benefit special produced by iHeartMedia and P&G, will stream on June 4 at 9 p.m. on iHeartRadio’s TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram TV pages, iHeartRadio’s PrideRadio.com and Revry, as well as broadcast on iHeartMedia radio stations nationwide and on the iHeartRadio App. The event will be available on demand via iHeartRadio’s TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram TV pages, iHeartRadio’s PrideRadio.com and Revry throughout Pride Month until June 30.
“Can’t Cancel Pride is about creating visibility for the LGBTQ+ community and showing them they are not alone,” said Marc Pritchard, Chief Brand Officer, P&G. “The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic remains heightened for LGBTQ+ people, who continue to face issues driven by persistent bias, intolerance and inequality. We want to use our voice to help bring much needed resources, support, acts of good and love to this remarkable and resilient community.”
“Can’t Cancel Pride” will once again partner with Greater Cincinnati Foundation to administer and distribute financial support raised by the event to LGBTQ+ organizations with a track record of positive impact and support of the LGBTQ+ community including GLAAD, SAGE, The Trevor Project, the National Black Justice Coalition, CenterLink, and OutRight Action International. In 2020, “Can’t Cancel Pride” raised over $4 million to benefit the LGBTQ+ communities most impacted by COVID-19. This year’s event has a goal to raise even more in 2021, as the pandemic continues to have a damaging effect on the fundraising efforts that LGBTQ+ organizations rely on to survive.
“As the country is returning back to normal and we are slowly starting to gather again, LGBTQ+ communities around the world are still feeling the devastating effects of COVID-19,” said Gayle Troberman, Chief Marketing Officer for iHeartMedia. “We look forward to once again celebrating the incredible voices and allies of the LGBTQ+ community with an amazing night of music that will honor Pride and the communities’ fight for equal rights, all while benefitting six remarkable nonprofits that make an everyday positive impact.”
The event will kick off a month-long Pride celebration throughout June. iHeartMedia radio stations will air spots encouraging listeners to watch the event on demand, share their special Pride moments on social media using the hashtag #CantCancelPride, and support the participating nonprofits by visiting cantcancelpride.com or texting “RAINBOW” to 56512.
Funds raised in 2020 provided critical resources for the six nonprofit partners. The event helped CenterLink provide microgrants to 190+ LGBTQ+ community centers and organizations; supported The Trevor Project’s lifeline, chat, and text crisis services, which served more than 14,000 crisis contacts from LGBTQ+ young people in June 2020 alone; aided SAGE in forging connections and reducing isolation for LGBT elders during this pandemic; and contributed to the National Black Justice Coalition’s federal public policy work and Youth And Young Adult Action Council; proceeds benefitted LGBTQ+ individuals around the world through OutRight Action International’s COVID-19 Global LGBTIQ Emergency Fund. In addition, “Can’t Cancel Pride” also supported GLAAD’s Spirit Day, the world’s largest LGBTQ+ anti-bullying campaign; and so much more.
Additional proud partners of “Can’t Cancel Pride” include Pantene, Pampers, Stop & Shop, GIANT, Giant, Hannaford, Secret, Crest, Harris Teeter, and Winn Dixie, with more to be announced.
Executive Producers for “Can’t Cancel Pride” are John Sykes, Tom Poleman, Bart Peters, Gayle Troberman and Elvis Duran of iHeartMedia; Casey Patterson for Casey Patterson Entertainment; James Sunderland, Chris Wagner for White Label Productions; and Can’t Cancel Pride Co-Founder Brent Miller of P&G. Brittany Mehmedovic serves as Co-Executive Producer for Casey Patterson Entertainment.
