Photo Credit: Jenna MandersThe Pride Agenda held GENDA Advocacy Day in Albany on May 11, 2010. Participants from key senate districts across New York State represented Western New York, Long Island, the Capital District and the North Country. Everyone traveled to the Capital (some starting out very early in the morning) for the opportunity to meet with their senators and urge them to support the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA).
Additionally, our GENDA campaign partner organization, Housing Works, brought a van of close to 20 advocates from NYC. While over 60 advocates attended crucial legislative meetings, there was also an important opportunity for activists to mix, mingle, and share strategies and best practices around our efforts to bring this bill to the floor of the New York State Senate. These committed transgender rights advocates represented a wide spectrum of communities, including long-time transgender activists, family members, faith leaders, union members and newly active constituents—lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and ally. The Pride Agenda would like to sincerely thank all of the activists and individuals who took time out of their lives, took time off from work, and travelled long hours and many miles to do the important work of meeting with their legislators in Albany.
The information that came out of the legislative meetings was positive and helpful and adds to the momentum to bring the bill to the floor before the end of session in June 2010.
GENDA Advocacy Day served as an important step in the campaign to win civil rights for New York’s transgender citizens. Of course, there’s still much work to be done to pass GENDA into law. To get involved in these next steps, please contact Transgender Rights Program Organizer Ejay Carter at (518) 472-3330 ext 306 or ecarter@prideagenda.org or sign up to receive our action alerts to stay informed on the Pride Agenda’s work and our upcoming opportunities to get involved!
