The LGBTQIA+ community and allies joined Queens Borough President Donovan Richards to celebrate Queens’ vibrant and diverse LGBTQIA+ community at the Helen Marshall Cultural Center at Queens Borough Hall on June 13.
Emcees of the Pride Month celebration were Deputy Borough President Ebony Young and Jonathan Imperial, senior advisor to the Deputy Borough President and LGBTQIA+ liaison, who compared the festivities to the Oscars but “with more sparkle, more flair and better speeches.”
Gotham Cheer, Hassan, AKA The Bearded Beauty of NYC, David Sincere Dance and DJ Nett, Darylin LaFontaine and New York City’s beloved drum line band, Fogo Azul, entertained the crowd with dazzling performances.
Queens Borough Hall has been celebrating Queens Pride for over 21 years, and Richards was thrilled to keep the tradition alive.
“We’re going to do it every year as long as I’m here,” Richards promised the crowd.
Richards shared that roundtable discussions with leaders from the LGBTQ+ community in May resulted in different strategies to ensure gay and queer individuals were “seen and heard.”
“One of the things I’m proud to announce tonight: we will be hosting the first LGBTQ+ job fair right here at Queens Borough Hall in the coming months to help connect the community with much-needed employment opportunities and resources,” Richards shared.
With LGBTQIA+ rights under attack, Richards assured the crowd that the World’s Borough was a safe refuge for everyone.
“Everyone is welcomed with open arms here, and we stand united against hate and bigotry,” Richards emphasized. “I also understand that allyship is crucial in this fight. Together, we can be heroes and break down the walls of hate and bigotry.”
The event also paid tribute to the legacy of Cecilia Gentili, a transgender and sex workers’ rights advocate, who unexpectedly passed away from a suspected overdose of fentanyl-laced heroin on Feb. 6 at the age of 52. Richards declared every third Thursday in June Cecilia Gentili Day.
Richards met Gentili after he was elected Borough President in 2020, and Gentili came on board to serve as an advisor on Richards’ transition committee.
“Because of her, I’m better; this office is better, stronger,” said Richards, praising Gentili’s tireless work for LGBTQ+ rights, her commitment to social justice, and unwavering support for marginalized voices.
The inaugural Cecilia Gentili Community Champion Award went to the Caribbean Equality Project for its dedication and advocacy to the Trans community.
Mohamed Q. Amin, founder and executive director of the Caribbean Equality Project, said that Gentili left a blueprint for how to protect LGBTQ+ immigrants, sex workers and the Latin X community.
“Every single time you mention Cecilia Gentili’s name, you invest in LGBTQ immigrants, you invest in sex work, protecting sex workers, you invest in trans people,” Amin said. “Every single time you mention her name, you do her work to create sustainability for our community. From housing to jobs to safety, these are all part of Cecilia’s legacy.”
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz stressed the importance of building a relationship between the LGBTQIA+ community and law enforcement.
“I really wanted to come by tonight and just make sure that the first time any of you see law enforcement is not in the courtroom,” said Katz.
Katz promised that her office would go after anyone who posed a threat to the LGBTQIA+ community.
“Someone goes after the community because they’re LGBT or because they’re trans, we’re going to prosecute,” Katz said.
Several Queens LGBTQIA+ community leaders and organizations, including Roxanne Raquel Cajigas, Jim Burke, Brian Martinez, LGBTQ+ Youth Services at Queens Community House and Love Wins Food Pantry NYC, were honored for their work and activism.
Brian Martinez, owner of Fresco’s Cantina in Astoria and co-founder of Astoria Pride, which also catered the event, was honored for creating a welcoming space for the LGBTQIA+ community in Astoria.
Martinez grew up in the Bronx but traded his Yankees hat for a Mets hat when he moved to Queens.
“Queens is a truly remarkable place not only for its diversity and food, but also for its inclusion. Since day one, I was welcomed and embraced,” Martinez said.
LGBTQ+ Youth Services at Queens Community House was honored for providing education, training and outreach services for LGBTQIA+ Youth. Love Wins Food Pantry NYC was honored for combating food insecurity in low-income communities across New York City.
Jim Burke, co-founder of the 34th Avenue Open Streets Coalition, was honored for his volunteer work running the largest and longest open street in New York City.
“We co-founded in May of 2020. And we’ve been out every day since,” Burke told QNS. “We have kids programming. We teach English. We teach you how to register for school. We help you apply for asylum. We also teach you how to hula hoop and bike ride. Practice English with you. We do all sorts of things.”
Burke was concerned about the attacks on gay rights around the country. Burke has been a gay rights activist since his teenage years in the early 90s and recalled that an older friend told him that the “pendulum swings back and forth.”
“What’s happening around the country, the pendulum is swinging in the wrong direction,” Burke said. “People are frightened, people are scared. So it’s really important that we do these pride events. It’s important to celebrate each other, be a role model and try to be out there loud and proud when we can.”
