Dromm, Queens Center, Village People Cowboy Randy Jones Celebrate 25th Anniversary of Queens Pride

By Basidia M. Drammeh
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This week Council Member Dromm hosted a special celebration in recognition of the 25th anniversary of the Queens LGBT Pride Parade and Festival at Queens Center Mall.  Sponsored by Queens Center, the event featured a reception and performances by Randy Jones, the original Village People cowboy, and International Dancer Zaman, a trained Kathak, Orissi, Bollywood, Bhangra and Chutney dancer.

At the event, Dromm recognized API Rainbow Parents of PFLAG NYC, Caribbean Equality Project and NQAPIA (National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance), three organizations that have contributed greatly to the LGBT rights movement over the past several years.
“It was a pleasure celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Queens LGBT Pride Parade alongside a host of activists, performers and community supporters,” said Council Member Daniel Dromm (D-Jackson Heights, Elmhurst), founder of the parade.  “For 25 years, this parade has opened the hearts and minds of Queens residents and has helped make the historic gains the LGBT community has seen possible.  I thank Queens Center, Randy Jones, International Dancer Zaman, our honorees and all those in attendance for their contributions to this event and our movement at large.”
“Queens Center was proud to be the venue for Council Member Dromm’s event to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the first Queens Pride Parade and Festival,” said John Scaturro, Senior Manager for Queens Center.  “Hosting the celebration in one of the most public spaces in the borough was testament to the progress we have all made in our community and what makes us at Queens Center Mall so pleased to be part of the Queens fabric. Partnering with civic leaders like Council Member Dromm is part our corporate mission to actively participate in our local community.”
Background:
Dromm, who in 1992 courageously came out as an openly gay public school teacher is the paradeʼs founder and a former Co-chair of Queens Pride. Originally conceived 25 years ago as a response to the homophobic attacks on the Queens lesbian and gay communities by then-School Board 24 President Mary Cummins, the parade has become a wonderful mixture of party and politics welcomed by the local community. The Queens celebration is the first in a series of very special events that kick off a month of Pride activities citywide.

 PHOTO CAPTION: NYC Council Member Daniel Dromm (back row, third from left), NQAPIA Executive Director Glenn Magpantay, API Rainbow Parents of PFLAG NYC Founder Clara Yoon, Caribbean Equality Project Executive Director Mohamed Q. Amin (left to right, holding awards) and other LGBT activists celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Queens LGBT Pride Parade and Festival at Queens Center Mall.

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