Archives of the Mayor's Press Office

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: June 24, 1997

Release #377-97

Contact: Colleen Roche (212) 788-2958


MAYOR GIULIANI PROCLAIMS JUNE LESBIAN AND GAY PRIDE AND HISTORY MONTH

Thanks City AIDS Coordinator Ronald Johnson for His Service as He Joins the Gay Men's Health Crisis

Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani this evening honored the Coalition of Lesbian and Gay City Employees at the annual Out in Government Reception in City Hall and issued a proclamation declaring the month of June as Lesbian and Gay Pride and History Month. Coalition Co-Chairs Stanley Shor and Susan Halatyn accepted the proclamation from the Mayor which commemorates the 28th anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion.

Joining the Mayor at the ceremony were Department of Transportation Commissioner Christopher Lynn and Commissioner of Homeless Services Gordon Campbell.

"Today we welcome all of New York City to celebrate the history of our gay and lesbian communities, a history as rich in diversity as the City itself," Mayor Giuliani said. "Advocates for the lesbian and gay community have worked to heighten awareness and understanding throughout the City. Since its founding in 1992, the Coalition of Lesbian and Gay City Employees has become an important part of that diverse history, providing an intelligent voice and a strong support system for the men and women whose achievements help to make the City what it is today."

The Mayor also thanked Citywide Coordinator of AIDS Policy Ronald Johnson for his years of valuable services to the City of New York. Johnson is leaving City services to join the Gay Men's Health Crisis, the largest gay service organization in the nation, as Managing Director in Charge of Public Policy, Community Relations and Communications.

"This evening I want to thank Ronald Johnson, Citywide Coordinator for AIDS Policy, for his tremendous service to the City and as a fighter against ignorance and apathy," Mayor Giuliani said. "Ron will be leaving the City to focus on national AIDS policy with the Gay Men's Health Crisis, but we will not forget his unparalleled dedication to education and early intervention that has led the City to a new era of hope."

"Under his leadership, the Division of AIDS Services restructured and re-focused its energies, adapting to the changing needs of people living with the epidemic," Mayor Giuliani added. "Now, thanks to Ron, New York City is proud to be a national leader in the education, treatment, advocacy and counseling. Ron's work has left the City well equipped to meet new challenges. Although we will miss Ron, at G.M.H.C., his unmatched energy, knowledge and dedication will remain at the vital center of this historic fight."

"I thank Mayor Giuliani for giving me the opportunity to serve in his Administration and to contribute to strengthening and expanding the City's response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic," Ron Johnson said. "The magnitude and complexity of the epidemic here in New York City exceeds that of any other city in the country. I am very proud of the City government's commitment to the fight against AIDS and how that commitment has grown over the past three years. Under the leadership of Mayor Giuliani and his Administration, City government, in partnership with community based program providers, has expanded greatly in the continuum of care for people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS."

"I look forward to continuing my personal efforts in the fight against AIDS in my new role at the Gay Men's Health Crisis (G.M.H.C.)," Johnson continued. "With the recent advances in the medical treatment of HIV infection, new challenges have emerged that demand the attention of all of us. I thank Mayor Giuliani for his personal support, and that of his Administration, in ensuring our City's commitment to providing education, treatment and care to all New Yorkers living with and affected by HIV/AIDS."

During the time that Ronald Johnson served as the Citywide Coordinator the availability of supportive housing to people with AIDS increased with the inception of the City's first AIDS Housing Plan. The HIV Planning Council also harnessed and channeled federal Ryan White money to previously neglected communities. In 1996, New York City became the first City in the nation to document a decline in the number of AIDS related deaths; there was a record 30 percent drop from 1995.

In conjunction with his work as Citywide Coordinator, Johnson served as Chair of the HIV Health and Human Service Planning Council, which sets the priorities for the use of federal funds under the Ryan White C.A.R.E. Act. Prior this position, he was the Executive Director of the Minority Task Force on AIDS, located in New York City.

The Coalition of Lesbian and Gay City Employees, founded in 1992, is aimed at heightening the visibility and understanding of gay and lesbian issues, addressing the needs and priorities of lesbian and gay employees and providing social and professional networking opportunities. The Coalition seeks to ensure equal treatment and Civil rights for its members. It is open to all current and former employees of the City of New York in all areas of government, including elected and appointed officials and retirees from City service.

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