Archive for the ‘New York’ Category

One of the best opportunities for a marriage vote in the NY state Senate is Westchester County legislator Mike Kaplowitz. Meeting with Mike Kaplowitz at an event in Westchester recently, I got to hear directly from him how deep his commitment is to marriage equality and fairness for all.

On a summer Sunday evening, dozens of Long Islanders shared food, drink and a great view of the Long Island Sound at the North Shore home of Nassau County legislator Jon Cooper.

On June 28, 2010, a New York State Supreme Court jury convicted Keith Phoenix of committing two hate crimes for beating José Sucuzhanay to death and attacking the decedent’s brother, Romel, in Brooklyn’s Bushwick neighborhood after mistaking the Ecuadorian immigrants as a gay couple. Yesterday, Judge Patricia M. Di Mango determined that Pheonix and his accomplice, Hakim Scott, will serve a minimum prison term of just over three decades for the 2008 murder of José and the attempted assault on his brother Romel. While Phoenix was convicted of a hate crime, Scott was not.

The following post comes from HRC Field Intern Maggie Campbell

New York Senate District 58 is buzzing with support for state senate candidate Tim Kennedy, who was recently endorsed by the Human Rights Campaign. Kennedy is a strong progressive candidate who promises to bring the voice of Western New York’s LGBT community back to Albany and cast his vote for marriage equality!

Three of the six votes needed to pass marriage in the New York Senate could come from the New York City borough of Queens. On my most recent trip to the Big Apple, I travelled to Bayside and met with Tony Avella and his state senate campaign team. Just returning from knocking on doors, Tim talked passionately about his campaign to reform Albany, including passing marriage equality.

Regina Calcaterra, Democratic New York state Senate candidate from eastern Suffolk County on Long Island, was recently endorsed by the Human Rights Campaign New York PAC in her bid to unseat an incumbent who voted against the marriage equality bill last year.

Erie County legislator Tim Kennedy of Buffalo is running for New York State Senate and is endorsed by the Human Rights Campaign New York PAC. Tim, a strong supporter of marriage equality, is running in the September 14th primary against a Democrat who voted to stop the marriage equality bill last year.

Today the HRC New York PAC announced the endorsement of nine candidates for the New York State Senate in its first round of endorsements. These challengers and incumbents are all supporters of marriage equality and their election will put New York on a path to fairness and equality for same-sex couples in the state.

Equal marriage is within our grasp in New York and these candidates are the key to that victory. Fair-minded New Yorkers were crushed at the marriage defeat last year and now is the time to put that anger into action and elect these courageous leaders.

Yesterday, a New York State Supreme Court jury convicted Keith Phoenix of committing two hate crimes for beating José Sucuzhanay to death and attacking the decedent’s brother, Romel, in Brooklyn’s Bushwick neighborhood after mistaking the Ecuadorian immigrants as a gay couple.

Last Thursday, HRC’s Jarrod Chlapowski and Servicemembers United’s Alex Nicholson were honored by Stonewall Democrats of NYC.

It was great to be on-hand, not only to help honor two Army Veterans who are working to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, but to also be with friends, many of whom I had not seen in twenty years.