No one exemplifies the revolutionary values of Pride Foundation quite like Brian M. Day, the creator of our very first scholarship fund in 1993.
An activist, computer engineer, and business owner—Brian shaped the local Seattle movement for LGBTQ+ and racial justice, and created space for other Black gay men in the Northwest to lead in for-profit and nonprofit sectors alike. He was a founding member of Seattle ACT UP and actively fought to advance justice for people of color, LGBTQ+ people, and people living in poverty.
Brian’s impact on our communities has reverberated even after his passing in 1990 at the age of 30. As part of the legacy he wanted to leave, Brian established his particular scholarship fund to ensure that other gay men of color could pursue their educational dreams.
Brian’s radical generosity and long-term vision sparked Pride Foundation’s Scholarship Program, through which we now host 63 funds and have awarded $6,453,277 to 2,136 students.
Originally printed in Pride Foundation’s 2019-2020 Gratitude Report