Last week the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation laid off 11 employees, or nearly a quarter of its entire staff, reports The Advocate.
GLAAD, which just announced the nominees for its 2012 Media Awards, is hardly the first nonprofit to feel the pinch of the depressed economy. But interim director Mike Thompson (right) says the pink slips also had to do with the company’s controversial statements last summer involving a now-cancelled AT&T/T-Mobile merger—the immediate fallout from which was the resignation of former head Jarrett Barrios.
“It’s no secret that GLAAD experienced some real challenges in 2011,” Thompson said in a statement to The Advocate. “While the changes that took place subsequent to last summer’s tumult were in many ways healthy for the organization, the reality is that the experience had financial impacts for the organization. Our restructuring is reflective of that.”
The staff cuts won’t affect GLAAD’s hunt for a new permanent president, communications director Rich Ferraro told Metro Weekly. Ferraro says the search committee is “in the process of reviewing and interviewing candidates to find the best person to serve the organization.”
Correction: In a previous version of this story, Mike Thompson’s name was misstated. We regret the error
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Photos: GLAAD
Brandon H
Good. Maybe they will restructure into something other than an irrelevant corporate lap dog.
RomanHans
Somewhere in New York eleven twinks are crying into their lattés.
Isaac C
@RomanHans: GLAAD is based in Los Angeles.
Will
They layoff the staffers but are still dropping a load of money at Sundance on cocktail parties and a “Queer Filmakers Lounge”
Nice priorities GLAAD
Isaac C
@Will: The point of non-profits is to have parties and other such events that bring in donors. That is how they can actually afford to stay a functioning organization and pay the employees they do have. Their main goal is raising money and awareness.