LaGuardia Community College Celebrates Pride Month 2024

LONG ISLAND CITY, NY (May 22, 2024) — Each year, LaGuardia Community College/CUNY marks Pride Month with numerous activities and shows of unity for the LGBTQIA+ community and its many allies. These include events hosted both on the LaGuardia campus and at CUNY campuses throughout Queens. In addition, LaGuardia faculty, staff and students are encouraged to march with the CUNY LGBTQIA+ Consortium at the three major Pride Parades in New York City—Queens Pride, Brooklyn Pride, and NYC Pride—supported by the New York City Council LGBTQIA Caucus and the Office of the Mayor, with support from the LaGuardia and Wagner Archives and LGBTQIAA+ Programs at Queens College.

2024 Pride Month events include the following—mark your calendars and register today!

Family Pride Student Panel Discussion (Wednesday, May 22, 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., via Zoom)
A virtual student panel discussion designed to help family members of individuals identifying at LGBTQIA+ learn how to support their loved ones. At this event, part of the Student-Parent Initiative, student panelists shared experiences and insights, in order to foster affirmation and empowerment. Information about support resources was provided. Organized by Dr. Koun Eum, a professor of psychology (Social Sciences) in partnership with The Women’s Center and LGBTQIA Safe Zone Hub. Click here to register.

CUNY Queens Lavender Graduation (Friday, May 24, 1 p.m. – 3 p.m., York College)
The annual graduation celebration for LGBTQIA+ undergraduate and graduate students and their allies at CUNY Law School, LaGuardia Community College, Queens College, Queensborough Community College, York College was hosted at York College on Friday, May 24. During the Lavender Graduation, graduates are presented with certificates and lavender honor cords. The event was made possible due to generous support from the CUNY LGBTQIA+ Consortium, New York City Council, and Vishnick McGovern Milizo, Attorneys at Law. Click here to register.

Rights and Reactions: Lesbian & Gay Rights on Trial (Thursday, May 30, 6 p.m., Haworth Showroom, 125 Park Avenue – enter on 42^nd St., Manhattan)
In March 1986, the New York City Council passed a law which made sexual discrimination an offense. It took fourteen years of debate before this decree was finally made law. Rights and Reactions: Lesbian & Gay Rights on Trial portrays the supporters and the opponents of Intro 2, popularly known as “The Gay Rights Bill,” during the final days preceding the decision on this bill. A viewing of the documentary, made by Phil Zwickler and Jane Lippman, will be followed by a discussion with Stephen Petrus, Director of Public History Programs at the LaGuardia and Wagner Archives, and gay activist Andy Humm. Former City Council Member Daniel Dromm will provide introductory remarks. This discussion is part of the Reimagining Justice Film Festival, co-organized by LaGuardia and Wagner Archives and the American Institute of Architects (AIA) New York. This event is also part of a series of public programs organized in conjunction with the forthcoming release of the digital exhibit The Battle for Intro.2 by LaGuardia and Wagner Archives. It is co-organized by AIA and LaGuardia and Wagner Archives. Click here to reserve tickets, which are free with RSVP.

Queens Pride (Sunday, June 2, 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Jackson Heights, Queens)
March with the CUNY LGBTQIA+ Consortium at this annual parade down 37th Avenue (from 89^th Street to 75^th Street) in Jackson Heights, Queens. An afternoon street festival in the neighborhood (on 37^th Road) follows the parade, featuring live music, DJs, drag performances, local vendors and more. Participants will receive a commemorative Queens Pride t-shirt designed by Fine Arts students Alexandra Rivera, Neha Dhew, and Jino Dority. They worked with faculty advisors: Liena Vayzman (Humanities) and Sarada Rauch, New Media Technology Program Co-Director. Richie Fievre consulted on the project. RSVP for Queens Pride: tinyurl.com/Pride2024Queens

Queer Book Talk with John Manuel Arias (Monday, June 3, 3:30 p.m. – 5 p.m., E-500)
John Manuel Arias is a queer, Costa Rican American poet and writer, and the author of Where There Was Fire, a lush and atmospheric novel about three generations of a Costa Rican family wrestling with a deadly secret. He will speak with students and guests about creating a writing career and about writing magical realism. The event is being provided by Casa de las Américas at LaGuardia. No RSVP is required.

Pride Blood Drive (Wednesday, June 5, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Poolside Café or E-111)
LaGuardia’s Health Services is hosting a blood drive with the New York Blood Center. Click here to make an appointment to donate.

Pride on the Greenway (Wednesday, June 5, 12 p.m. – 4 p.m., LaGuardia Greenway)
The LaGuardia LGBTQIA+ community members and all allies are invited to a Pride celebration on the LaGuardia Greenway, which is located on a block of 29th Street, stretching from Skillman Avenue to 47th Avenue, next to the LaGuardia campus. The event is open to LaGuardia students, faculty, staff, and the New York City community. The event will feature refreshments, karaoke, performances, a fashion show, tie-dying (first 50 participants get a free white shirt, or bring your own!), a photobooth, button making, trivia, games, and more! Learn about community resources for sexual assault awareness, condoms and pregnancy tests, HIV/AIDS testing, and gender affirming name changes. The event is being organized by the LaGuardia Community College President’s Office, Casa de las Américas, the Queer and Fierce (Queer AF) Student Club, and the LaGuardia and Wagner Archives. No RSVP is required.

Fever Dream: A Return Performance Ritual (Wednesday, June 5, 7 p.m. – 9 p.m., LaGuardia Performing Arts Center)
The LaGuardia Performing Arts Center will host Fever Dream, a live shared communal experience of a long-form lip-sync. Audience members will witness Scout Davis, a non-binary queer creator of live communal performance works, attempt to transcend as they return back home, this time for good. This piece is a re-mount of the 2020-2021 internationally touring solo work, which premiered in this iteration at The Sibiu International Theater Festival. The piece was originally developed at Carnegie Mellon University and with support from Kaimera Productions. Click here to reserve tickets, which are free with RSVP.

Jamie and Shaaba Spill the Tea in “The T in LGBT” (Thursday, June 6, 7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m., C-103)
YouTube star Jamie Raines will discuss and answers questions about his new book, The T in LGBT: Everything You Need to Know About Being Trans, which describes his trans experience. He documented his journey transitioning from female to male in a photo series compiled of selfies that were snapped every day over the course of three years. The book explores gender identity and allyship. Jamie will be joined in conversation by his wife Shaaba Lotun-Raines. The event will feature special NYC guest Jackson Bird, an American vlogger, speaker, LGBTQ advocate, and author of the 2020 memoir Sorted: Growing Up, Coming Out, and Finding My Place (A Transgender Memoir). The event is organized by LaGuardia’s The Women’s Center and LGBTQIA Safe Zone Hub, in partnership with the Astoria Bookstore. Click here to purchase tickets: $5 general admission or $35 general admission + 1 copy of The T in LGBT.

CUNY Pridefest at Queens College (Friday, June 7, 12 p.m. – 4 p.m., The Quad at Queens College, 65-30 Kissena Boulevard Queens, NY 11367)
CUNY students, faculty, and staff from all 25 schools are invited to celebrate their PRIDE in-person at Queens College. The Pride Festival, in its seventh year, is open to the public and will include: drag numbers, band performances, vogue dancers, games, and more on the main stage. a celebratory march. Attendees are encouraged to wear your college swag, bring flags, wave banners, and make noise! Drag numbers, band performances, vogue dancers, games, and more on the main stage. Other highlights will include a DJ, dancing, face painting, a stilt walker, photo ops, arts and crafts, and more fun activities. There will be FREE giveaways of CUNY Pridefest t-shirts, commemorative PRIDE flags, and additional giveaways. At an expo area, attendees can meet organizations serving the LGBTQIA+ community. Join the fun on June 9th and show PRIDE… CUNY style! A CUNY ID or valid government-issued ID is required to enter the Queens College campus. CUNY Pridefest is made possible through the generous support of the CUNY LGBTQIA+ Consortium in partnership with the New York City Council, Queens College, LaGuardia Community College, and Vishnick, McGovern Milizio, Attorneys at Law. RSVP for CUNY Pridefest: tinyurl.com/CUNYpridefest2024

Brooklyn Pride (Saturday, June 8, 6:30 p.m. – 10 p.m., Brooklyn)
Join the CUNY LGBTQIA+ Consortium in marching together and celebrating Pride at this exciting annual evening march in Brooklyn. RSVP for Brooklyn Pride: tinyurl.com/Pride2024Brooklyn

The Battle for Intro. 2: The New York City Gay Rights Bill 1971–1986, A pioneering piece of civil rights legislation for the New York’s gay and lesbian community. (Thursday, June 20, 6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Roosevelt House at Hunter College, 47-19 E. 65^th St., Manhattan)
Initially proposed in 1971, the Gay Rights Bill in New York City was the first of its kind in the nation, meant to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in housing, employment, and public accommodations. After fifteen years of grassroots activism and strident opposition, the bill, known as local law Intro. 2, passed in City Council in 1986 by a vote of 21 to 14, making New York the 51^st city in the country to pass such a measure. This event will revisit the heated debates about gay and lesbian rights during the mayoralties of John Lindsay, Abraham Beame, and Ed Koch. Panelists will discuss the roles of advocates like the Gay Activists Alliance and opponents including the Catholic Church, the Police Department, and the Fire Department.

The Battle for Intro. 2 will be moderated by Dr. Stephen Petrus, Curator of the Digital Exhibit on the 1986 Gay Rights Bill and historian with the LaGuardia and Wagner Archives. Panelists will include political activist Allen Roskoff, former City Council Member Eldon Clingan, who introduced the bill in 1971, Katy Taylor, Director of the New York City Commission on Human Rights Lesbian and Gay Discrimination Project,1985, and Charles Brack, Investigator, New York City Commission on Human Rights Lesbian and Gay Discrimination Project, 1985. This event is made possible by the generous funding from the New York City Council LGBTQIA Caucus and the Office of the Mayor, with support from the LaGuardia and Wagner Archives and LGBTQIAA+ Programs at Queens College. It is also part of a series of public programs organized in conjunction with the release of the digital exhibit The Battle for Intro.2 by LaGuardia and Wagner Archives. Click here to reserve tickets, which are free with RSVP.

NYC Pride (Sunday, June 30, 1:30 p.m. – 7 p.m., Manhattan)
Join the fiercest group of students, faculty and staff, and the people who love them, at this year’s NYC Pride March. The CUNY float featuring DJ Unico will lead the way! The CUNY Pride Dancers will dazzle the crowds. Bring your Pride and your schools’ banners. CUNY will provide t-shirts and commemorative CUNY Pride flags! RSVP for NYC Pride: tinyurl.com/CUNY2024Manhattan

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LaGuardia Community College (LAGCC), a Hispanic-Serving Institution, located in Long Island City, Queens offers more than 50 degrees and certificates, and more than 65 continuing education programs to educate New Yorkers seeking new skills and careers. As an institution of the City University of New York (CUNY), the College reflects the legacy of our namesake, Fiorello H. LaGuardia, the former NYC mayor beloved for his advocacy of underserved populations. Since 1971, LaGuardia’s academic programs and support services have advanced the socioeconomic mobility of students while providing them with access to a high quality, affordable college education.

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Campus Resources

Lavender LaGuardia, a volunteer list of LGBTQIA faculty and staff at LaGuardia Community College. The group aims to promote an inclusive and affirming climate for our students by expanding their knowledge of an access to LGBTQIA role models and mentors across campus. A primary focus is advocating for the needs or concerns of our LGBTQIA student population.
LaGuardia’s The Women’s Center and LGBTQIA Safe Zone Hub (Contacts: Deema Bayrakdar, Nathan Tosh)
The Queer and Fierce Student Club (Contact: Nathan Tosh)
The LaGuardia and Wagner Archives/CUNY LGBTQIA+ Consortium (Contacts: Allie Brashears, Soraya Ciego-Lemur)
The LaGuardia Performing Arts Center (Contact: Handan Ozbilgin)
LaGuardia Health Services (Contacts: Luz Ruyol, Kevin Tenorio)
The Wellness Center (Contacts: Frank LaTerra-Bellino, Desiree Rodriguez)