"We Will Not Be Silent" Community Rally in Jackson Heights

iNYC was a co-sponsor of the We Will Not Be Silent Community Rally in Jackson Heights. Our very own Michael Mallon attended the event. There were many other community organizations and organizers. There were about 200 people including politicians showing support and showing solidarity denouncing the acts of violence faced by the trans community in New York City.

Want to read more about the Transgendered Episcopal movement? Why not check out TransEpiscopal!

Here are a few pictures from the Rally. If you click on the images, they will enlarge.

Michael Mallon, Father Louis Braxton, Jr (Carmen's Place) Brendan Fay (Civil Marriage Trail Project), Melissa Sklarz (SDNYC), Jeremiah Frei-Pearson (WQfME, LICA), Jennifer Gamper (Carmen's Place), Marisa Ragonesa (Generation Q)and other organizers

Mark Elyaqim Mosheh Adam (OUT Astoria), Gary Paul Gilbert (LGDCQ), Sebastain Maguire (QLGPC), Robert Pinter (Stop the False Arrests Campaign), & Michael Mallon (QLGPC, SDNYC, iNYC, & OUT Astoria)

Deirde Feerick (City Council Candidate) and Brendan Fay (founder of Civil Marriage Trail Project)

Michael Mallon and Erik Bottcher from the New York City Council

Rally for Marriage Equality Event

The Rally for Marriage Equality in Astoria was amazing. The NYC Parks estimated the attendance at 2500 people! Several Episcopalians were guest speakers including Father Louis Braxton, Jr (Carmen's Place), Lauren Marcewicz & Caroline Peacock (St. Luke in the Fields), and Chap Day & Michael Mallon (St. Luke in the Fields, iNYC, and OUT Astoria). There were also many politicians and community organizers. iNYC is a constitutent member of Western Queens for Marriage Equality (WQfME), and was a co-sponsor of this Rally. The NYS Senate is scheduled to vote on Marriage Equality this session, but the Senator from Astoria (George Onorato) says he will not vote in favor of Marriage Equality, despite his district having a large number of LGBT citizens and overwhelming support for Marriage Equality.

Here are some pictures.

2500 people in support of marriage equality

Lauren Marcewicz and Caroline Peacock (St. Luke in the Fields), and their daughter are residents of Astoria asking for marriage equality of their senator, George Onorato.

That's a lot of people

Father Louis Braxton, Jr (Carmen's Place) has been an outspoken LGBT cleric from the Episcopal Church in the Astoria area. Carmen's Place is an LGBT youth homeless shelter in Astoria. Last year several of the youth were attacked on the street, and Father Braxton stepped in to help them and was hit with a garbage can by the perpatrators.

Michael Mallon and Chap Day, both members of the iNYC Steering Committee live in Astoria and are members of OUT Astoria, an LGBT social network.

Rally for Marriage Equality

Details:
Sunday, May 31, 2009 (6:00pm - 8:00pm)
Athens Park in Astoria (take the N/W train to 30th Avenue)
30th Avenue & 30th Street
Astoria, NY

Come show your support for equality, meet up with fellow Queens citizens, enjoy music from Broadway stars, and hear from government officials and members of our community who support marriage equality. Performers at the rally have appeared in: Rent, Mamma Mia, Jersey Boys, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Flower Drum Song, The King and I, Spelling Bee, Good Vibrations, and Mary Poppins, and on the television shows Guiding Light and Hi-5.

State Senator George Onorato (D), who represents much of Western Queens, currently publically opposes marriage equality but this rally in support of equality has a chance to help change his mind. Queens Senators Huntley (D), Addabbo (D) Padavan (R) also currently oppose marriage equality. We need to change their minds.

This rally is sponsored by Western Queens for Marriage Equality. Western Queens for Marriage Equality is a coalition of groups including: Democracy for New York City, Long Island City Alliance, New York State Young Democrats, Queens County Young Democrats, the Jewish Alliance for Change, IntegrityNYC, Marriage Equality New York, Broadway Impact, Civil Rights Front, the New York Civil Liberties Union, Civil Marriage Trail Project, West Queens Greens, OUT Astoria, Astorians United Against Hate Crimes, Astorians United for Peace and Justice, and NewYorkEquality.com

Western Queens for Marriage Equality is a coalition group that believes marriage is a human right that should be available to all New Yorkers, regardless of sexual orientation. In the words of Mildred Loving, the woman whose courage made interracial marriage legal throughout America, marriage is about "the love, the commitment, the fairness, and the family that so many people, black or white, young or old, gay or straight seek in life. [We] support the freedom to marry for all."

RSVP Here

Western Queens for Marriage Equality

The Steering Committee of IntegrityNYC has decided to co-sponsor Western Queens for Marriage Equality. WQfME is a coalition of several organizations working for the promotion of Marriage Equality especially in the 12th Senate District where their representative, Senator George Onorato has openly said he will vote against Marriage Equality. The organizers reached out to IntegrityNYC, and we couldn't say no to helping in this effort. A rally is being planned for the end of May, and several Episcopalians will be participating in it.