By Madina Toure
Around 50,000 Queens residents, politicians and community and advocacy groups throughout the city marched in the 23rd annual Queens Pride Parade in Jackson Heights Sunday.
This year’s theme was “PRIDE – STRENGTH – UNITY.” The parade—the city’s second largest Pride celebration—ran along 37th Avenue from 89th to 75th Streets.
The Queens Pride Festival, which featured vendors and food as well as informative business, community and social-group booths, was held on 75th Street and 37th Road. Queens Pride, the parade and festival organizer, and Club Evolution provided entertainment.
Multi-platinum recording artist CeCe Peniston was the headline performer.
Queens Pride Parade founder City Councilman Daniel Dromm (D-Jackson Heights), an Irish-American gay man, was a prominent marcher. The Irish population recently voted in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage in the country.
“Happy Pride, everybody!” Dromm shouted as he walked the parade route.
The parade’s grand marshals were Mayor Bill de Blasio, the first mayor to have the role, and Apicha Community Health Center staff members.
De Blasio honored Julio Rivera, a gay man stabbed to death in Jackson Heights in 1990, and praised the capping of rents for low-income people with HIV and AIDS.
“We will not stand in this city for anyone who would harm our brothers and sisters in the LGBT community,” de Blasio said before the crowd.
U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said the parade symbolizes the unity of the borough.
“Queens is a borough where everyone comes together, works hard and lives together well,” Schumer said.
City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, City Councilwoman Julissa Ferreras (D-East Elmhurst) and City Councilman Jimmy van Bramer (D-Sunnyside) also marched.
Parade participants included the Staten Island LGBT Center, Community Board 3, Out Rockaway, gay bar Tempo Libero, Front Runners New York, Queens Pride House, Make the Road New York, Queens Pride Lions Club and Tarab NYC.
Tom O’Rourke, a member-at-large of Queens Pride, said the parade had a record turnout.
“We feel very united today: gay, straight, lesbian, transgender, queer folk,” O’Rourke said.
John Nagel, director of the Queens Center for Gay Seniors, said older LGBT adults are becoming more open.
“We love how we have marched with over 33 LGBT adults today and we’re really proud of that, given that we originally started with four people marching,” Nagel said.
Jamie Farnam, a member-at-large of the board of directors of Brooklyn Pride, Queens Pride’s sister organization, commended the parade.
“This is an amazingly diverse crowd and everybody’s just stopped by and said hello,” Farnam said.
Melissa Vaughan, 21, a member of the AIDS Center of Queens County, appreciated the parade’s diversity.
“I love people,” Vaughan said. “I like to see different people.”
Reach reporter Madina Toure by e-mail at mtour
