LGBT Network Claims Leadership of Queens Pride
Non-profi t takes over borough’s annual festivities; Dromm to lead advisory council
BY MATT TRACY
The LGBT Network, a
non-profi t organization
in Queens and Long Island,
has assumed leadership
of the annual Queens Pride
festivities under a new name: “The
New Queens Pride.”
The LGBT Network, which has
community centers perched in
Long Island and Queens, issued
an announcement on January 11
explaining that it would be spearheading
Queens Pride festivities
beginning this year to commemorate
the 30th anniversary of Pride
in the borough. The organization
rolled out a new Community Advisory
Council chaired by former
Queens Councilmember Daniel
Dromm, who co-founded Queens
Pride in 1992.
“We are beyond excited and
proud to be working with Danny
and the many community leaders
and advocates to bring pride back
to the largest borough in NYC and
the most diverse urban area in the
entire world” LGBT Network CEO
David Kilmnick said in a written
statement.
The new organizers are planning
an in-person Pride event in Jackson
Heights on June 5, which they
say will be “the largest celebration
in the 30-year history of Queens
Pride.” It is unclear, however, how
the pandemic will look fi ve months
from now.
The LGBT Network has opened
registration for those who would
like to participate in the march, reserve
booths at the festival, secure
sponsorships, or volunteer.
Queens Pride festivities have
been scaled down since the emergence
of the coronavirus pandemic.
After a very large turnout for the
Queens Pride March in 2019, the
2020 event was held virtually and
the pandemic continued to hamper
events into 2021 as COVID-19
cases ticked up yet again last summer.
A member of the existing Queens
Pride organization told Gay City
News that they are excited about
the future and the continuance of
Vibrant colors were on full display at the last in-person Queens Pride March in 2019.
the annual parade. In a written
statement, Dromm also stressed
the importance of keeping the annual
event alive.
“The Queens Pride Parade and
Festival is integral to all other LGBTQ+
organizing in the borough. It
must continue,” Dromm said. “As
Queens Pride’s founder, I am proud
to work with the LGBT Network
and David Kilmnick to bring back
Pride bigger and better than ever
before. The last two years without
Queens Pride have been diffi cult
but the future looks bright.”
When asked to elaborate on
the reasoning behind the change
in leadership, Kilmnick echoed
Dromm’s point about the importance
of securing the future of
Queens Pride.
“A diverse representation of LGBTQ
leaders and activists, including
former board members and the
founder of the prior Queens Pride
organization, have come together
to ensure the 30th Anniversary of
Queens Pride takes place,” Kilmnick
told Gay City News.
The organization that led
Queens Pride until this point had
a board complete with two cochairs,
a treasurer, secretary, and
member-at-large. Only one of those
members — treasurer Bill Meehan
— is listed as a member of the new
15-member Community Advisory
Council on the LGBT Network’s
website.
DONNA ACETO
The other members of the
Community Advisory Council
are Queens Borough President
Donovan Richards, State Assemblymember
Catalina Cruz, Councilmembers
PRIDE
Shekar Krishnan and
Lynn Schulman, Lesbian and
Gay Democratic Club of Queens
president Michael Mallon, District
Leader Melissa Sklarz, Friend’s
Tavern owners Eddie Valentin and
Casimiro Villa, Caribbean Equality
Project Executive Director Mohamed
Q. Amin, AIDS Center of
Queens County executive director
Rosemary Lopez, former Queens
Pride co-chair Andrew Ronan, activist
Brendan Fay, and Richard
Lieberman, who is the director of
the LaGuardia and Wagner Archives
at CUNY/LGCC.
“The voices of the Community
Advisory Council will truly refl ect
that the New Queens Pride refl ects
the world’s most diverse borough
that it embodies, and that the celebration
is elevated for a community
that has waited nearly three
years for it to take place,” Kilmnick
added.
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