Greetings from a Pride Agenda Intern

Post by Ruth Michael Lindner

I remember standing among a crowd of happy, smiling faces at my first Pride Parade in 2006. The air buzzed with excitement as the masses of people, free to express themselves and who they loved, moved around. It was a beautiful day, not only because the sun was shining but because I felt so wholly at peace with who I am. I've been lucky, growing up around Albany, spending five years in New Paltz and then moving to New York City. I've also been lucky to have a family who never judged me or questioned whom I love.

I know this is not the case for everyone and this knowledge is part of the reason I wanted to intern with the Empire State Pride Agenda. The work they do to protect and honor the rights of all New Yorkers is magnificent. I think especially of marriage equality in New York. I'm surprised I didn't injure myself jumping off the couch with excitement when I heard the news. I tend to lose my major motor skills when something so profoundly moving occurs. I joke that my partner is "the rock to my roll" because she keeps me grounded and stable. Simply being comfortable enough to say, "my partner," and having protection from discrimination is something few could have fathomed a half a century ago.

Great strides have been made, but there are still a host of issues on the table. Those who know me say that I am a worrier, and while there are moments where the trail seems steep, I know that the LGBT community is strong enough to fight an uphill battle. My mother likes to remind me that in the "big picture" and the "grand scheme of things," changes are happening quickly. And they are. The fight for equality requires a myriad of different people, of varying ages, with different tactics for making change. I see so much beauty in the variety of people sharing this earth. Much like the memories of my first Pride Parade, the collage of people is colorful and vibrant, as it should be.

Working with the Pride Agenda has been an overwhelmingly positive experience. I've met people who work all over New York State for this cause, and I am looking forward to the upcoming Pride Agenda events. I know that whatever my future holds, fighting for the equality of the LGBT community will be a part of that.

Ross Levi as Grand Marshall of Hudson Pride

On Saturday our own Ross Levi served as the Grand Marshall for the Hudson Pride Parade. Check out this great article in local newspaper The Daily Mail: “To me, pride is more than a party — it needs to be a commitment.” Read more >

Photo: David Lee/Hudson-Catskill Newspapers

Pride Agenda at Long Island Pride

This past Sunday, the 19th annual Long Island Pride Parade took place in Huntington. This year’s theme was “Proud, Strong, United,” and hundreds of people representing dozens of LGBT organizations, places of worship and clubs marched along Main Street. The parade was followed by a festival in Heckscher Park, where the Pride Agenda and 14 volunteers handed out hundreds of placards and collected close to 1,000 letters in support of marriage equality and GENDA.

Pride Agenda staff and volunteers.

Pride Agenda Board Director Juli Owens (with sign) and friends.

Pride Agenda volunteer Kendra Clark looks at letters collected in support of marriag equality and GENDA.

Pride Agenda at Capital Pride

This past weekend the Pride Agenda was at Capital Pride, where we handed out placards and flyers during the march and collected nearly 250 letters in support of GENDA and marriage equality after, as well as passing out information on how to get involved and signing up nearly 150 new volunteers for our Capital District Impact team.
(Photos courtesy of Sheryl Koennecke)

Pride Agenda marches in Queens Pride

This past weekend, the Pride Agenda and dozens of our supporters marched in the Queens Pride parade down 37th Avenue in Jackson Heights. Here are some pictures from the march.

The Pride Agenda's OffSprung group.

Spectators along the parade route hold our placards.

Advocates in Action - Buffalo

Transgender Rights Advocates of Western NY, including Buffalo activist Patti Jones (far left), are preparing a great GENDA float for the Buffalo Pride Parade taking place this Sunday, 6/7. The float has a giant GENDA rainbow and at the end is a pot of gold labeled "Transgender Rights."

If you live in Buffalo, you can march in the parade with the Pride Agenda - meet at 11 AM at the Belmont Shelter Corporation at 1195 Main Street & Dodge, and RSVP with Western New York Program Organizer Todd Plank at tplank@prideagenda.org or 585-271-2420 today.

We'll also be marching in Queens Pride this Sunday, 6/7 - join us at the corner of 37th Avenue and 89th Street in Queens at 11:30 AM. RSVP with Program Organizer Matt Brunner at mbrunner@prideagenda.org or 212-627-0305 x116 today.

Finally, if you'll be at Black & Latino Gay Pride on Saturday, 6/6, stop by the Pride Agenda table at the Health & Wellness Expo at the Albany Riverfront Park at the Corning Reserve from noon to 5 PM.

We hope we'll see you at one of our Pride events soon!

Pride Agenda at Rochester Pride and Low Tea in the Pines

This past weekend was a busy one for the Pride Agenda, with our organization both marching in Rochester Pride and sponsoring Low Tea in Fire Island Pines. At Rochester Pride, a group of Pride Agenda marchers along with our Field Organizer Todd Plank got huge cheers from the crowd, showing how much our work is appreciated by the Rochester community.

The theme of the parade was “Happily Ever After” and the grand marshals were Pat Martinez and Lisa Golden, in honor of the progress that New York State's recent recognition of gay marriages legally performed in other states and countries has made toward giving same-sex couples an equal opportunity to marry their partners. Many organizations participating in the parade picked up on the wedding theme, including the Rochester chapter of Pride at Work, which created a great float featuring some of the 1,324 “wedding gifts,” or rights and responsibilities granted by the state of New York to legally married couples.

On Fire Island, OffSprung! sponsored Low Tea at the Blue Whale, one of the Pines’ nightly events. OffSprung! volunteers staffed a table in the harbor all day to spread word about how to get involved. Pride Agenda flags were flying in the harbor as people made their way to Low Tea, where they sampled Blue Britneys, a special blue version of a favorite Pines cocktail designed just for the Pride Agenda.

Thanks to everyone who attended this weekend and made both Rochester Pride and Low Tea such great events!

LGBT Pride in Queens

On Sunday, June 1, Pride Agenda staff and supporters took to the streets of Jackson Heights for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride in Queens. Our group marched down 37th Avenue with Assemblymember (and this year’s Queens Pride Parade Grand Marshal) Jose Peralta, City Council Member David Yassky, and City Council Member John Liu.

The Queens Pride Parade offered an occasion to show our appreciation for Gov. Paterson and his committment to equal rights for all New Yorkers.

Members of Pride Agenda's Offsprung! group joined the march.

Supporters held placards that raised awareness for the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA) and the Dignity for All Student Act prohibiting bullying against youth in our public schools.

Thanks to everyone who joined the Pride Agenda at the LGBT Pride Parade in Queens!