2021 NYS LGBTQI Virtual Advocacy Day
Tuesday, April 6, 2021

Breaking Down Barriers for LGBTQI New Yorkers

The NYS LGBTQI Virtual Advocacy Day is your chance to virtually meet 300+ LGBTQI individuals and allies from around the state and collectively advocate for policies that will lead to a more equitable state for all LGBTQI (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, and Intersex) New Yorkers.

What We Are Fighting For

The NYS LGBTQI Virtual Advocacy Day will include panels, workshops, elected official visits, and coalition building. In addition, there will be pre-programming and educational events throughout the month of March.  As we build on the historic wins that occurred over the last few months, we will strategically move our equality platform ahead and discuss strategies to continue to improve the lives of LGBTQI New Yorkers.

You can find a full list of LGBTQI bills here.

What to Expect

Advocacy Day is an exciting time to meet LGBTQI activists from around the state to advocate for policies that will lead to a more equitable New York for all LGBTQI New Yorkers. This one-day advocacy day, along with it's pre-programming, will include panels, workshops, elected official visits, and coalition building.

As we build on the historic wins that occurred in January, we will strategically move our equality platform ahead and discuss strategies to continue to improve the lives of LGBTQI New Yorkers.

All programming will be done virtual. See below for the full schedule:

 

Language Access in English and Spanish

This year, we will be providing simultaneous interpretation in English/Spanish for all Advocacy Day panels, both those prior and those on the day. 

Acceso lingüístico en inglés y español
Este año, ofreceremos interpretación simultánea en inglés/español para todos los paneles del Día de la Abogacía, tanto los previos como los del día.
 
 

Schedule 

10:00AM-11:00AM
Opening Remarks & Elected Official Guests 

Moderator: Amanda Babine (She/Her), Tanya Asapana-Johnson Walker (She/Her & They/Them), & Cathy Marino-Thomas (She/Her): Equality New York
Special Guests:
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (She/Her)
Lt. Governor Kathy Hochul (She/Her)
State Senator Brad Hoylman (He/Him)
Assemblymember Harry Bronson (He/Him)
Assemblymember Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas (She/Her)
Assemblymember Richard Gottfried (He/Him)

Join Here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89707941358

11:00AM-12:00PM
LGBTQIA & Sex Work: Intersectionality, Bodily Autonomy & Criminalization
This panel will explore the intersecting issues related to queer identity, bodily autonomy and sexual labor. Panelists will discuss the significance of passage of Walking While Trans bill, decriminalization v. Nordic model, and general issues related to LGBTQIA sex workers and allies. 

Moderator: Mateo Guerrero (He/Him & They/Them) Make the Road NY
J. Leigh Oshiro-Brantly (They/Them) New York Transgender Advocacy Group
Melissa Broudo (She/Her) SOAR Institute & Decriminalize Sex Work 
Tanya Asapana-Johnson Walker (She/Her & They/Them) Equality NY
Kathy Garcia (She/Her) Make the Road NY

Join Here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81112627304

12:00PM-1:00PM
Elected Official Visits 
Join a group of 8-10 other activists who will be assigned to an elected official. Each group will be tasked with  sharing the policy priorities to elected officials and ask for their support/co-sponsorship of priorities. 

Must Pre-Register (Deadline Thursday, April 1, 2021): https://bit.ly/3rguoqt

1:00PM-2:00PM
Lunch Panel with New Elected Officials 
Newly elected officials will spend the lunch hour introducing themselves and get a chance to get to know a new elected official and learn about their support of the LGBTQI community.  

Moderator: Cathy Marino-Thomas (She/Her) Co-Chair Equality New York
Special Guests:
State Senator Michelle Hinchey (She/Her)
Senator Elijah Reichlin-Melnick (He/Him)

Join Here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82162087959

2:00PM-3:00PM
LGBTQ Housing, Shelter and Social Services in times of COVID-19 
This panel will discuss the intersection of LGBTQI identity and its impact on navigating the housing and social service systems in New York.  Panelists will discuss how COVID-19 has impacted the Queer and Trans community in receiving services along with reviewing a package of bills that can help better serve the community during this time. 

Moderator: Samuel Nemir Olivares Bonilla (They/Them) Lambda Legal 
Ceyenne Doroshow (She/Her) G.L.I.T.S
Paul Nagle (He/Him) Stonewall Community Development Corp
Bryan Ellicott (He/Him & They/Them) Princess Janae Place
Melissa Sklarz (She/Her) SAGE
NYC Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants

Join Here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86583823474

3:00PM-4:00PM 
Youth Advocacy and Organizing in 2021 
This workshop will bring together LGBTQI youth to discuss what the 2021 policy priorities mean to them and their peers. Panelists will discuss different organizing strategies, how youth can get more involved in policy, and opportunities available for youth to develop their organizing skills. 

Moderator: Angelo Domingo (He/Him) NYCLU Student Ambassadors Program
Kai Ali (She/Her) Leader, NYCLU Teen Activist Project
Aiden Jay Kaplan (He/Him & They/Them) Pride For Youth
Anthony Vidals (He/Him) YVote
Aryn Bucci-Mooney (He/Him) GLSEN & Planned Parenthood

Join Here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86110624761

4:00PM-5:00PM
Closing Remarks & Next Steps
Moderator: Tanya Asapansa-Johnson Walker  (She/Her) Co-Chair Equality New York
State Senator Samra Brouk (She/Her)
Assemblymember Daniel O'Donnell (He/Him)

Join Here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88428538007

Pre-Programming 

We will hold pre-panels to provide an understanding of each of the priority bills prior to advocacy day. These panels will give participants a better understanding of the bills themselves and prepare them to meet with legislators and discuss the importance of the legislation in relation to the LGBTQI community.  Each pre-panel will be comprised of people directly impacted, activists and policy champions.

Storytelling 101 & How to use Social Media for Action
Thursday, March 25, 2021 from 7:00PM-8:30PM

Moderator: Christina Romeo (She/Her & They/Them) GLSEN Upstate New York

Join Here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81341356928

Gender Identity, Respect, Dignity, and Safety Act
Monday, March 29, 2021 from 7:00PM-8:30PM

Moderator: Juli Grey-Owens (She/Her) Gender Equality New York
Grace DeTrevarah (She/Her) The Osborne Association 
Mik Kinkead (He/Him) The Legal Aid Society
Kimberly Mckenzie (She/Her) Sylvia Rivera Law Project

Join Here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82422147932

Comprehensive Sex Ed  
Tuesday, March 30, 2021 from 7:00PM-8:30PM

Moderator: Allie Bohm (She/Her)  NYCLU
Gracie Gebel (She/Her & They/Them) NYCLU Student Ambassador
Aliyah Ansari (She/Her) Teen Health Strategist
Ken Kidd (He/Him) LGBTQI Activist
Jay Walker (He/Him) Rise & Resist, Gays Against Guns, & the Reclaim Pride Coalition 

Join Here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88420391990

Decriminalizing Sex Work Bill/Stop Violence in the Sex Trades Act (SVSTA) Legislative 
Wednesday, March 31, 2021 from 7:00PM-8:30PM

Moderator: Jared Trujillo (He/Him) NYCLU
Jennifer Orellana (She/Her) Make the Road NY
TS Candii (She/Her) Black Trans Nation
Ceyenne Doroshow (She/Her) G.L.I.T.S

Join Here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89983875951

Student Suicide Prevention Act 
Thursday, April 1, 2021 from 7:00PM-8:30PM

Moderator: Nicholas Tamborra, LHMC  (He/Him) LGBTQI Activist  
Missy Stolfi (She/Her) American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
Dr. Kia Darling-Hammond (She/Her) National Black Justice Coalition 
Max Micallef (They/He/She) GLSEN Lower Hudson Valley
Angelo Domingo (He/Him) NYCLU Student Ambassador
Sam Brinton (They/Them) The Trevor Project
Marti Cummings (They/Them) LGBTQI Activist

Join Here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85020161619

Sponsors

Equality New York is committed to building a community of power for Transgender, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Queer, and Intersex New Yorkers. Advocacy Day in Albany is a community effort and brings together organizations from across the state to work together for all LGBTQI New Yorkers.



Platinum Level

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Gold Level

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Silver Level

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Bronze Level

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Coalition Partners

Association of Legal Aid Attorneys
Brooklyn Legal Services
Beyond Bold And Brave/Black Lesbian Conferences
Blur Communications
Brooklyn Community Pride Center
Callen-Lorde Community Health Center
CK LIFE (COMMUNITY KINSHIP LIFE)
Dutchess County Pride Center
Equality New York
Gays Against Guns
Gender Equality New York
GLSEN (NYCR-GLSEN)
GLSEN Hudson Valley
Hetrick-Martin Institute
Hudson Valley LGBTQ Community Center
Independent Democrats of Brooklyn
Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club
Lambda Independent Democrats of Brooklyn
Latino Commission on AIDS
Lesbian and Gay Democratic Club of Queens
LGBT Bar of Greater New York
LGBTQ+ Caucus New York Capital Region
Make the Road NY
MORE caucus in the United Federation of Teachers (UFT)
New York City Anti-Violence Project
New York Civil Liberties Union
NYSUT
Pride Center of Staten Island
Princess Janae Place
Queeramisu
Queerocracy
SAGE
Stonewall Democrats of NYC
Stonewall Democratic Club of Western New York
Translatinx Network
The Ackerman Institute for the Family, Gender & Family Project
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center
The LOFT
The Pride Center of the Capital Region
The Trevor Project
TLDEF
Trans Educator Network
VOCAL - NY

These are the principles that guide our work together:

  • We acknowledge the LGBTQI communities of New York are diverse in many ways and there is no single agenda that can entirely represent all LGBTQI New Yorkers;

  • We aim to have a thoughtfully diverse, equitable and inclusionary coalition  that works to implement mechanisms by which those who choose to be involved can gain access and inform our decisions and priorities;

  • Achieving full protections for our trans communities is a high priority in a state where most other legal protections are provided;

  • The challenges of the LGBTQI community are at the intersection of multiple identities: racism, classism, sexism, economic issues and many more are central to supporting LGBTQI people;

  • We  support each others organizations and efforts, recognizing  partnerships are valuable, as we work towards building a powerful voice for LGBTQI people and organizations throughout the state;

  • New York is a large state with different lived experiences in different areas of the state. An LGBTQI state coalition must represent all of these areas, being intentional not to over-represent the New York City region.

We are New Yorkers for Equality & Justice for all LGBTQI people.