Stonewall Columbus Executive Director Densil Porteous announced he is leaving the nonprofit to accept a national leadership position with one of the nation's largest LGBTQ+ civil rights organizations.
Porteous announced his departure Sunday at the Stonewall Columbus Pride Brunch and in a press release Monday. Porteous' new position is with the Human Rights Campaign, one of the nation's largest political lobbying groups that advocates for the LGBTQ+ community.
Porteous' tenure ends on July 1 after the conclusion of LGBTQ+ Pride Month. He's served as Stonewall Columbus' executive director since 2020 when he took over at the time as interim director.
"Stonewall Columbus has never been about any one person," Porteous said in a statement. "It is the result of thousands of community members, volunteers, staff, board members, donors, sponsors, and advocates who have chosen, year after year, to invest in a vision of a more visible, inclusive, and connected community. It has been the honor of my professional life to serve alongside them."
Stonewall Columbus was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in the Short North Arts District at its community center on North High Street. The group organizes events during Pride Month and year round, including the annual Stonewall Columbus Pride Festival and March.
This year, the march is scheduled for Saturday, June 20. The organization says the event is the largest single-day Pride Month celebration in the Midwest.
The press release said the nonprofit's Board of Trustees has initiated a transition process and will share additional information regarding interim leadership and a search process in the coming weeks.
