Mickey Heller may have been raised in the Marble Hill Projects and Co-op City in the Bronx, but it has been in Brooklyn
where he has made his indelible mark — actually, more than a few marks.
Among his many contributions to Brooklyn’s LGBTQ community and its civic life generally, Mickey is proudest of his work
with Brooklyn Pride, the group that stages the borough’s annual Pride Festival and its truly awesome Twilight Parade.
He got his start with Brooklyn Pride (brooklynpride.org) in 2007 and 2008 driving the fl oat that carried the irrepressible
borough president at that time, Marty Markowitz, who in that post and earlier as a state senator had contributed enormously
to the launch and growth of the annual Pride celebration.
In 2009, Mickey volunteered to help out with the 5k run through Prospect Park on the morning of the Pride festivities and
with the evening parade. By 2010, he had become the parade coordinator, a role he has maintained ever since.
Beyond the heavy lifting involved in coordinating the parade, Mickey has also served as co-chair or chair of the overall
Pride Weekend every year since 2013.
Just as Brooklyn Pride has transformed the face and visibility of the borough’s LGBTQ community over the past several
decades, the Brooklyn Community Pride Center represents a profound commitment to serving its needs, particularly among
portions of the community where services and opportunities are most pressing and have for too long been overlooked.
Mickey is proud to have been a founding board member of the Pride Center.
Among Mickey’s other civic contributions to Brooklyn is his role on the board of the Piper Theatre Company (pipertheatre.
org), which, founded 20 years ago, produces innovative and dynamic productions by and for the borough’s young people.
The company’s offerings have been challenging, including two pieces by Stephen Sondheim — “Into the Woods” and
“Sweeney Todd” — as well as Charles Busch’s “Psycho Beach Party,” “Priscilla Queen of the Desert: The Musical,” “Peter
Pan,” and the world premiere of Ryan Michele Healey and Alec Jason Knox’s “Hatch.”
Mickey, however, might be most visible — if least recognized — as the “offi cial” Santa Claus for the past seven years for
the Park Slope Fifth Avenue Business Improvement District’s Christmas celebration.
Mickey is a graduate of the city’s High School of Music & Art, Hunter College, and Brooklyn Law School. He has practiced
law for almost 30 years, and for the past seven years has served as an administrative law judge in the New York State
Court System.
28 Gay City News Impact Awards 2020
HONOREE
MICKEY HELLER
CO-CHAIR, BROOKLYN PRIDE
/(brooklynpride.org
