Note: Video and a slideshow of the rally are available below.

2,500 citizens of Western Queens, including Broadway and television stars and government officials, peacefully rallied this Sunday at 6:00pm in Athens Park in Astoria, NY to support of Governor Paterson’s Marriage Equality Bill. The rally featured music by Broadway performers and stories from elected officials and members of the community who want equality.

Jeremiah Frei-Pearson, one of the leaders of Western Queens for Marriage Equality (WQfME), said “We’re proud that thousands of people from Western Queens stood up for civil rights. Most of my neighbors and I believe marriage is a human right that should be available to all New Yorkers, regardless of sexual orientation. Queens is the most diverse place in America; this diversity is our strength and today we showed that a majority of Western Queens, like a majority of New Yorkers, believe that our LGBT brothers and sisters should have the same rights as the rest of us.”
Brendan Fay, rally speaker and a founder of the Civil Marriage Trail Project, noted the unique situation with marriage in New York, said, “New York does not ban same-sex marriage like most states do. Thousands of couples have legally married elsewhere; including my husband Tom (Moulton) and I, and we are recognized as married in New York for virtually all purposes, public and private. New York’s same-sex couples can now travel by metro to Connecticut get married, and be recognized as such in NY State. Opposing Governor Paterson’s Marriage Equality bill simply results in the loss of business dollars to New York at a time when our fragile economy needs that $210 million-a-year that marriage equality would bring, as City Comptroller Thompson documented this week. Above all not allowing same-sex civil marriages, however, prevents those too frail or disabled or poor to travel across state lines. We can do better in New York and we will starting this June! Its time to pass the bill in Albany and open our marriage bureaus to same sex couples.”

Teacher and labor leader Daniel Dromm highlighted the support of the UFT. Stanley Rygor (83) of Astoria spoke of his late son Robert a leader in New York’s gay community. Mr. Rygor pleaded for immediate passage of the bill. Couple Lauren Marcowicz, Caroline Peacock and their infant daughter inspired the crowd. Fr. Louis Braxton spoke of his work with homeless youth and the recent meeting with local State Senator Onorato.

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

Elected officials in attendance included Councilmember Eric Gioia and District leaders Costa Constantinides and Danny Dromm. Representatives of Congresswoman Caroline Maloney, Assemblymember Michael Gianaris, Councilmember John Liu and Councilmember David Weprin also appeared. Performers at the rally included: Karla Mosley (Emmy-nominated actress on Guiding Light and Hi-5), David Kennedy (All My Children), Jose Llanna (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Flower Drum Song, Rent, The King and I), the Broadway Boys (Spelling Bee, Mamma Mia, Good Vibrations, Mary Poppins and Jersey Boys), Kenny Lockwood and Candy Samples.

Other speakers included: Ron Zacchi, Executive Director of Marriage Equality New York; Donna Lieberman, President of the New York Civil Liberties Union; Father Louis Braxton who runs Carmen’s Place; Lauren Marcowicz, Caroline Peacock and their daughter; Luis Andrade and his mother; Brendan Fay and Tom Moulton, community leaders and a local married couple; Stanley Rygor; Brian Beard, President of Long Island City Alliance; Costa Constantinides, President of Queens County Young Democrats; Danny Dromm of the Teacher’s Union; Kristen Plylar-Moore of Western Queens for Marriage Equality; Dirk McCall, a local LGBT leader; Jeremiah Frei-Pearson and Karla Mosley, a local couple; and Chap Day and Michael Mallon, partners and leaders of Out Astoria.

Last Updated on Wednesday, 17 June 2009 08:18

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Brendan Fay
Western Queens for Marriage Equality
brendan@stpatsforall.com
917-402-3134

Jeremiah Frei-Pearson
Western Queens for Marriage Equality
and Marriage Equality New York
Jeremiah@meny.us
718-666-7693