Our Mission

Since 2020, Boston Theater Company has remained committed to creating an inclusive athletic space that celebrates participants of all abilities and identities by hosting Road of Rainbows, Boston’s annual Pride 5k. We understand that the largest barriers standing in the way of participation in athletic events are athletic accessibility, gender accessibility, and economic accessibility. It is our mission to break down these barriers and create a welcoming space for participants of all identities and abilities to participate in the joy of movement. 

How We Work to Dismantle These Barriers

Athletic Accessibility

Organized athletic events are often hostile to differently-abled participants, excluding a significant portion of the queer community that either cannot run, or prefer not to run. Road of Rainbows is committed to creating a safe space for participants of all abilities to engage in the joy of movement in a queer-affirming community. We encourage our participants to engage in the form of movement that best serves them, whether that is walking or running. We also welcome participants with mobility aids to participate in Road of Rainbows. 

In the Road of Rainbows community we feel it is most important to recognize the joy of participating in movement as an affirming group instead of timed rankings. As such, we do not give awards for the fastest times. Instead, we recognize the best costumes worn during the race!  When signing up for Road of Rainbows, participants are offered the option to choose between a timed and untimed race. Timed participants will receive a bib with a timing chip, and will be sent their time information after the event. Untimed participants will receive a bib without a timing chip, and will not receive time information after the event. 

While Road of Rainbows is officially a 5k, it is not necessary for participants to complete the entire distance in order to receive a medal. Our 5k course consists of three laps around Boston Common, and on each lap participants pass by the finish line and have the option to conclude their race. Every participant in the race, whether they complete half of a lap or all three laps, earns a medal and a celebration of their achievement. 

The 5k and post-race festival are both ASL interpreted and ADA accessible. Participants with mobility inquiries are welcome to reach out to our team with any questions through Instagram @roadofrainbows or via email at assistant@bostontheater.org. 

Gender Accessibility  

The world of running has historically existed exclusively within binary gender identity: races often require registering as either a male or female participant, which actively excludes members of the queer community, or forces potential participants to forfeit their identity in order to participate. At Road of Rainbows, we want to change that.

Road of Rainbows does not have gendered categories for participants. Instead, we encourage all participants to show up and share in the event as their authentic self. We welcome and celebrate all gender and sexual identities at our event. This is a safe space for non-binary and transgender runners to express their identities through the joy of movement. 

Economic Accessibility

Participation in organized athletic events is often rendered inaccessible to many people, particularly in LGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities, due to the associated financial commitment. Here at Road of Rainbows, we are committed to making the event financially accessible by utilizing a pay-what-you-can entry system. Low-cost and free entries are available to any participant experiencing financial hardship. 

In order to make subsidized entries available to every participant in need, Road of Rainbows relies on a few different financial avenues. At the community level, we offer an option for individuals to donate an entry to a participant in need. Each donated entry is distributed by Road of Rainbows to a participant that has requested free entry to the event. As Road of Rainbows is produced by Boston Theater Company, as 501(c)(3) non-profit, we also accept tax-deductible donations directly to the organization. 

In order to subsidize the larger costs of the event, Road of Rainbows does accept sponsorships from large organizations. On average it costs about $75,000 to produce the entire Road of Rainbows event, and that price tag includes: insurance, timing equipment, participant medals and bibs, stage and sound rentals, and compensating all of our artists and staff fairly. Taking on sponsorships allows us to significantly offset the cost of hosting the event, and ensures that we can keep that financial burden off of the shoulders of our community. We do our best to exclusively work with sponsors whose actions align with our own, and who are not perpetuating acts of violence against our community and communities around the world.

Road of Rainbows and Boston Theater Company work hard to ensure that all funds raised by and for Road of Rainbows, whether it comes from community members or sponsors, stays within the queer community. All funds raised go towards the cost of producing the event, including our post-race festival. If any funds are left over after the race, they are put towards Boston Theater Company’s Queer Voices Festival, a submission-based showcase of 10-minute plays written and performed by local LGBTQ+ playwrights, as well as towards Boston Theater Company’s theater education programs. Though all staff at Boston Theater Company and Road of Rainbows are employed on a part-time basis, we still work tirelessly to provide our community with safe and affirming spaces for athletic and artistic expression.

 We understand that the queer community in Boston has experienced a difficult history of pinkwashing in Pride, as well as a lack of financial transparency by community organizations. Boston Theater Company and Road of Rainbows are committed to complete financial transparency, and encourage our community members to take a look at our finances and event sponsors, and contact us with any questions. As an organization, we are always learning and growing, and we welcome community dialogue to help us in that process.

Boston Theater Company is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, and as such our tax returns are publicly available. Road of Rainbows is a Pride 5k and performing arts festival produced by Boston Theater Company. You can find more information about our finances by following this link, or by searching Boston Theater Company in the Tax Exempt Organization Search available through the IRS. 

Financial Statement

• Never-Turn-Away-Student Policy: In our Education Program, we have adopted a never-turn-away student policy. We are dedicated to accommodating all interested students, regardless of their financial situation.

• Athletic Programming: Our athletic programs follow a pay-what-you-can model, including opportunities for free participation. We recognize that everyone should have the chance to engage in athletics and experience the physical, mental, and social benefits they offer.

• Artistic Programming: We believe that art should be accessible to all. To ensure inclusivity, all our artistic programs offer a free ticket option, allowing all individuals to experience the transformative power of the arts.

Land Acknowledgement

Boston Theater Company acknowledges that we operate on the occupied homeland of the Massachusett people. We’d like to begin by acknowledging the Massachusett Tribe from whom the Colony, Province and Commonwealth of Massachusetts have taken their name. We’d like to pay respect to the ancestral bloodline of the Massachusett Tribe and their descendants who still inhabit the land to this day. We honor and respect the many native peoples who are connected to this land, past, present and future, including the Nipmuc and Wampanoag peoples. We also know that land acknowledgment is only one small part of supporting Indigenous communities. We hope our land acknowledgment statement will inspire others to stand with us in solidarity with Native nations.