On Friday, June 3 a group
of local elected officials, community leaders and statewide activists gathered in the Bronx for a press conference to express their support for marriage equality. The conference was led by openly gay District Leader Kenny Agosto, who serves as a board member for the Bronx Rainbow Independent Democratic Association (BRIDA) and the Bronx Community Pride Center, which organized the event. Speakers included State Senators Jose Serrano, Gustavo Rivera and Jeff Klein, Assemblymember Jose Rivera, City Council member Annabel Palma, Erica Diaz (the openly gay granddaughter of State Sen. Ruben Diaz) and Pride Agenda Executive Director Ross Levi, among others. In stating his support, Ross said “The Empire State Pride Agenda is proud to stand with the leaders and people of the Bronx because we know they understand and celebrate family, fairness and diversity.”On Saturday, June 4 around 300 guests gathered in Germantown, NY for A Hudson Valley Engagement, celebrating 20 years of the Pride Agenda. The party took place at the home of Hermes Mallea and Carey Maloney and you can click here to see the photos.
Sunday, June 5 was the 19th annual Queens Pride Parade, which took place on 37th Avenue in Jackson Heights. Pride Agenda staff and volunteers walked in the parade, along with City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, Council Member Daniel Dromm and State Senators Tom Duane, Tony Avella and Mike Gianaris. A video of the parade can be seen here.
Also on June 5, the Pride Agenda held a marriage equality and family panel at the Congressional Church of Huntington on Long Island. Consisting of three same-sex married couples, the panel discussed the importance of marriage equality to congregants following services. After the panel, members were encouraged to write letters to their state senators as part of the Family Photo Album: Picture Equality campaign, urging them to allow same-sex couples to marry.
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