QNE_p011

QC06062013

10 The Queens Courier • june 6, 2013 for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com Queens welcomes LGBTQ pride parade BY ANGY ALTAMIRANO aaltamirano@queenscourier.com Colorful flags and smiling faces were filled with pride as they took to the streets in Jackson Heights to celebrate the borough’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) community. On June 2, elected officials, supporters and members of the LGBTQ community from throughout the city gathered for the 21st Queens Pride Parade and Multicultural Festival hosted by the Queens Lesbian and Gay Pride Committee. “In light of the recent hate crimes, we are sending a clear message that we are never going back in the closet and we have a lot to celebrate,” said Councilmember Daniel Dromm, who helped found the parade in 1993. Dromm was joined by fellow openly gay colleagues Councilmember Jimmy Van Bramer and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn. Van Bramer was the first elected official in the borough to get married after New York legalized same-sex marriage. “It was really supported by the community,” said Dromm. “Parents brought their kids, and on all sides of the parade route people were clapping and cheering.” The parade, which kicked off at 85th Street and 37th Avenue, is the second-largest LGBTQ pride celebration in New York. The grand marshals for this year’s parade included openly gay pro boxer Orlando Cruz and PRYDE, the LGBTQ Justice Project of Make the Road NY. The festival, which drew protesters decades ago, now brings thousands of onlookers who shout positive reactions and showed their full support. “People are waving, there is a happy atmosphere going down 37th Avenue,” said Anne Quashen, president of the Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) Queens Chapter. “You don’t feel any animosity or any hatred, you feel a community coming together.” Participants marching in the parade ranged from cheerleaders with Cheer New York to four-legged supporters who marched and waved their tails alongside the bright rainbow flags. “This is my first time at the parade and it’s such a unique experience,” said Nestor Rojas, 24, of Jackson Heights. “It’s really great to see so many people get together and just accept one another.” To see more photos from the Queens Pride Parade, visit queenscourier.com/galleries. THE COURIER/Photos by Angy Altamirano Elected officials, supporters and members of the LGBTQ community gathered for the 21st Queens Pride Parade last Sunday. Community seeks to fight anti-gay crime BY ANGY ALTAMIRANO aaltamirano@queenscourier.com A string of hate crimes toward openly gay people throughout the city have left members and supporters of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) community disturbed and looking for answers. “We had hoped that it had quieted down,” said Anne Quashen, president of the Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) Queens Chapter. “It seems that the snake has raised its ugly head again.” On May 18, Mark Carson was fatally shot by a man who let out anti-gay remarks toward Carson and his friend as they walked in Greenwich Village in Manhattan. Just a week later, a gay couple was verbally attacked and punched by two men as they walked in SoHo. “We need a lot more discussions in the schools about why it’s wrong to attack people for any reason, especially if they are part of the LGBT community,” said openly gay Councilmember Daniel Dromm. Both Quashen and Dromm believe it is important to educate children at an early age and also inform the community on why such crimes are not acceptable. “People that are in the LGBT community are all part of the same big family,” said Quashen. “They are part of the same community and we have to take care of one another.” In response to the series of hate crimes, Council Speaker Christine Quinn and the City Council’s LGBT Caucus announced they will be hosting free self-defense training across the city. “These classes will empower men and women who might otherwise feel helpless at times when our city is experiencing an increase in attacks against our LGBT brothers and sisters,” said Councilmember Jimmy Van Bramer. “No one should be persecuted or attacked for who they are or who they are perceived to be. The first class, led by the Center for Anti-Violence Prevention, will take place on June 8 at the LGBT Center in Manhattan. Additional classes in Queens will be announced in the upcoming weeks. To reserve a space, you can call 212-788-5613 or email events@ council.ny.gov.


QC06062013
To see the actual publication please follow the link above