| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Date: Monday, June 18, 2001 |
Release # 217-01 |
| Contact: | Sunny Mindel / Lynn Rasic | (212) 788-2958 |
City Hall Ceremony Salutes Lesbian and Gay Pride and History Month
Deputy Mayor for Community Development and Business Services Rudy Washington, on behalf of Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, today honored the Coalition of Lesbian and Gay City Employees by declaring June 18th Out in Government Day in a City Hall ceremony commemorating Lesbian and Gay Pride and History Month. The Coalition of Gay and Lesbian employees was founded in 1992 and is open to all current and former employees of the City of New York in all areas of City government, including elected officials and retirees from city service.
Accepting the proclamation were Judy Ramos, Co-Chair of Out in Government and an employee of the Department of Transportation, and David Warren, a Board Member of Firefighters Lesbian and Gay and a civilian employee of the New York City Fire Department. The Deputy Mayor also presented Certificates of Recognition to Beverly Copeland, Assistant Commissioner of Policy and Development at DCAS, and Lt. Don Jirak, President of the Gay Officers Action League (GOAL) and a member of the New York City Police Department. Christopher Lynn, Executive Director of the Mayor's Task Force for the Board of Elections, served as Master of Ceremonies for the event.
"The Giuliani Administration has consistently recognized the contributions of gays and lesbians to New York City," Deputy Mayor Washington said. "As part of the Administration's overall policy of supporting gay and lesbian rights, the Mayor signed into law the landmark domestic partnership legislation in 1998 - a measure that extended long-awaited protections to gay and lesbian couples."
"I want to thank the organizers of the Coalition of Lesbian and Gay City Employees for providing an important forum to raise gay and lesbian issues. Since its founding in 1992, the Coalition has been a staunch defender of the rights of gay and lesbian municipal employees," Deputy Mayor Washington continued.
June is Lesbian
and Gay Pride and History Month in New York City. This year marks the
32nd anniversary of the Stonewall riots in Greenwich Village; the 15th anniversary
of the groundbreaking citywide lesbian and gay rights law prohibiting discrimination
in housing, employment, and public accommodations; and the 3rd anniversary
of the domestic partnership legislation which provides full benefits to the
partners of gay and lesbian employees in New York City.
www.nyc.gov