PRIDE NYC (LGBT)
“While we have come a long way since the Stonewall riots in 1969, we still have a lot of work to do. Too often, the issue of LGBT rights is exploited by those seeking to divide us. But at its core, this issue is about who we are as Americans. It’s about whether this nation is going to live up to its founding promise of equality by treating all its citizens with dignity and respect.” — Senator Barack Obama
Welcome to Obama Pride NYC, New York City’s Obama LGBT Grassroots Organization.
Bookmark this page and join our mailing list for the latest local opportunities to help elect Senator Barack Obama President!
-
Obama Pride NYC on Facebook
Official NY Obama LGBT Volunteer and Activist Network on MYBO
Out & Proud for Obama
Barack on LGBT Issues (PDF)
McCain on LGBT Issues
PLEASE JOIN US AT ONE OF OUR UPCOMING OBAMA PRIDE NYC EVENTS BELOW
You can also find more Obama events in NY here
OUR TEAM
Tanene Allison
Tanene works as the Media Campaign Coordinator at the National Campaign to Restore Civil Rights. Previously she worked at MTV, coordinating their political coverage. Tanene was a Point Foundation scholar at Harvard’s Kennedy School, where she wrote her thesis on media messaging in the marriage equality constitutional amendment debates, and earned her BA at San Francisco State University. From age 19 to 22, Tanene held public office in San Francisco, a position she left to accept a fellowship in MA to prepare the state’s legislature for the pending Marriage Equality decision. Tanene has been a public speaker for ten years, speaking on her policy work and her work in the streets, organizing on issues of equality - housing, health care, foster care, education, racial justice. She also regularly publishes political essays and poetry.
Daniel Dromm
Daniel Dromm is an educator, community organizer, union leader, and political activist. His experience and dedication to the community has led to Dromm being overwhelming elected Democratic District Leader in the 39th Assembly District, Part A (Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, Corona and Woodside in Queens) in 2002 and re-elected in 2004, 2006 and 2008. Since 1984, Dromm has instructed and inspired thousands of students at PS 199Q in Queens. In 2006, Dromm was chosen as Outstanding Teacher of the Year by his school’s principal. In 1992, Dromm courageously came out as an openly gay teacher. The story became front-page news in daily newspapers throughout the city. The ensuing battle tested Dromm’s resolve as a fighter who is unafraid to take on the powers that be. Deeply committed to civil rights and social justice, Dromm has established himself a fighter against prejudice, discrimination and violence. A delegate to the 2000 Democratic National Convention, and a former board member of the JFK Democratic Club in Jackson Heights, Dromm has tried hard to promote the ideals and values of the Democratic Party throughout Queens. He co-founded the Lesbian and Gay Democratic Club of Queens. Dromm also founded the New Visions Democratic Club.
Chris French
Chris created and runs Ski Bums (www.ski-bums.org), a club of 500 LGBT skiers and snowboarders, based in NYC. As a volunteer with several HIV / AIDS organizations, he pioneered a safer sex campaign through Callen-Lorde / HIV Forum, and is one of the city’s top annual fund-raisers for AIDS Walk New York. He also created an alumni network for NYC-based graduates of the University of Michigan. He’s originally from Illinois, and currently lives in Astoria.
David Gross
David started working as a volunteer in political campaigns @ the age of 12 and was the first Democrat in his family. Political Science B.A. from Dickinson College, M.F.A. from Pratt in Brooklyn. Like Evan, he was an activist in ACT UP (1989-1994), helping manage fundraising/merchandise. He practices yoga regularly, and is very committed to helping our community achieve the rights we need and deserve. He has lived in Manhattan for the past 20 years, and works in catering.
Jason Haas
Jason Haas has volunteered for political campaigns and served in the LGBT civil rights movement for over 10 years. As an LGBT advocate and public speaker, Jason has instructed students and administrators on creating schools that are safer for and more inclusive of LGBT students. Jason has volunteered with the Obama campaign since April 2007, highlights during this time include serving as a leader for the LGBT coordination in NYC, organizing the Washington Square Rally, and leading outreach volunteers in CA, WI, NH and PA. Other campaigns for which Jason has volunteered include the U.S. Senate races of Edward Kennedy and Hillary Clinton, the Presidential races of Al Gore, Howard Dean and John Kerry, and several more state-level races in Massachusetts where he grew up. Jason graduated from Hamilton College with a B.A. in Government and Communication in December 2007 and he is currently a communications coordinator at the Empire State Pride Agenda in New York City.
Terrance D. Knox
I have worked 15 years with grassroots organizations seeking recognition and equality for the LGBT community in my home state of Kansas as well as my current home, New York City. I am currently the co-President of the Lambda Independent Democrats of Brooklyn, Brooklyn’s largest gay organization. I live in Fort Greene Brooklyn with my partner of 6 years, Michael Mckenzie.
Steven Latasa-Nicks
Steven Latasa-Nicks is a partner and co-founder of TPG Insights, LLC, a services firm focused on innovative consulting techniques that drive sustainable business growth through customer retention. Steven serves as a member of Barack Obama’s national LGBT policy committee, the national LGBT leadership team, and is an elected official in New York City, serving on the Democratic County Committee. Steven is a former Governor for HRC and is an At-large delegate for New York State. He has had the honor of guest-lecturing at Harvard Business School, and has written for both BusinessWeek and Inc.com. Steven is fluent in English and French and holds a Masters of International Business and a B.A. from Pepperdine University.
Laura Morrison
Laura Morrison is chief of staff to openly-gay, HIV+ New York State Senator Tom Duane. She serves on the board of Treatment Action Group, an independent AIDS research and policy think tank, is a former board member of Empire State Pride Agenda, and a past president of Gay and Lesbian Independent Democrats.
Gary Parker
Gary Parker, M.S.W., is currently Director of Government and Community Affairs for New York University. He was Co-President of the Lambda Independent Democrats, Brooklyn’s LGBT political club from 2003-2007. Gary is also the founder of Greater Voices, a city-wide coalition of LGBT progressive political clubs. With Greater Voices he organized forums with New York Senator Charles Schumer, Governor Eliot Spitzer, and all of the 2005 Democratic Mayoral Candidates. Most recently he organized and moderated a successful meeting between the Greater Voices Coalition and Senator Hillary Clinton. It was the first time Senator Clinton had met with the City’s LGBT Democratic community leaders and elected officials. Gary was the recipient of the 2005 Brooklyn Advocacy Award from the Brooklyn AIDS Task Force, named Grand Marshal of the 2006 Brooklyn Gay Pride Parade, and honored by New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and Councilmember Rosie Mendez for his community organizing at a City Hall Ceremony attended by Mayor Bloomberg. In June 2007, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz honored Gary for his commitment to the LGBT community during a ceremony at Brooklyn Borough Hall.
Doug Robinson
My life partner of 25+ years and our two wonderful adopted boys live in upper Manhattan in New York City. Both my partner and I are very active in our community. I am very proud to say that I was the first openly gay African-American elected official in New York City in 1996 for the NYC Community School Board. In June 2004, my term ended after serving 8 years. In 2004, Michael and I joined 4 other lesbian and gay couples in a lawsuit that sued the City of New York for the right to marriage. One year later, our case won in New York City. The City of New York appealed the case. The case was eventually merged with other statewide litigants and heard by the New York State of Appeals Court. Unfortunately, we did not win this case. The court’s decision was laced with homophobic opinions. We are now waiting for the New York State Legislature to take the matter up. CLICK HERE to read about this important case and the role which Michael and I played. My interest over the years is quite broad. In recent years, I have focused my attention on neighborhood activities such as revitalizing our local park and addressing needed government services in the community. My many years of activist work have come in handy in addressing the many layers of government red tape and helping to organize a community response. I’m sure that it should not come as a surprise that I enjoy political and social activism discussions so feel free to drop me a line at: doug@dougrobinson.info
Richard Salatiello
Richard’s research internship at the Democratic National Committee led to a position on the DNC staff (1986-89) managing the finance data system. After grad school, he was a fundraising consultant in Manhattan. From 1997 until 2007, Richard managed professional development programs for two philanthropic associations in DC — first, the Council on Foundations, and then CASE. During that time, he also volunteered for numerous local and national organizations based in DC, including Food & Friends (delivering meals to homebound persons with HIV/AIDS), Whitman-Walker Clinic, the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force, and various Get-Out-the-Vote efforts for the Democratic Party. Richard moved to Harlem in August 2007 and is pleased to be back home in the city.
Melissa Sklarz
Melissa became the first transgender person elected to office in New York in 1999 when she was elected Judicial Delegate from the 66th Assembly District. In 2004, Melissa became the first transgender person from New York to be part of the state delegation at the Democratic National Convention, by being appointed to the Credentials Committee. She has also been appointed to the Rules Committee for the 2008 Convention. Melissa currently serves on the executive board of the National Stonewall Democrats and has served 6 years on the Executive Board of Gay and Lesbian Independent Democrats (GLID) in Manhattan and served 5 years on Community Board #2 in Greenwich Village. She also serves as Director of the New York Trans Rights Organization (NYTRO). In 2005, Melissa appeared in a featured role in the film TRANSAMERICA.
Dan Wilson
Dan is currently the Co-President of Lambda Independent Democrats and has a long history of fighting for LGBT civil rights. A native of Southern California, in 1986 he worked to defeat Proposition 64, a California ballot initiative that would have quarantined people with HIV. He served as editor of several gay publications and while working in Washington, D.C., was a founding member of the Lesbian and Gay Congressional Staff Association. He has worked as a spokesperson for the Congressional Black Caucus, the NAACP and the LGBT Community Center in New York City. Dan worked for a number of elected officials, including former Rep. Kweisi Mfume and former Manhattan Borough President C. Virginia Fields. In 2004 he served as the Western Pennsylvania press secretary for the Kerry-Edwards ticket.