Empire Pride Agenda to conclude major operations in 2016; cites priorities achieved


from Empire Pride Agenda


In a press release dated Dec. 12, 2015, Empire Pride Agenda made this announcement: "After 25 years of groundbreaking advocacy and service to New York's LGBT community resulting in over 100 state legislative and policy victories, The Empire State Pride Agenda, New York's statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, will conclude major operations in 2016. In the coming months, the Pride Agenda will identify aspects of its policy work to transition to partner LGBT organizations. The organization will maintain its Political Action Committee (PAC) in order to play a continuing role in electoral politics." The complete press release can be seen at www.prideagenda.org


Dear Friends,

I want to share some important news with you. After 25 years of groundbreaking advocacy and service to New York's LGBT community, the Empire State Pride Agenda will conclude major operations in 2016.  In the coming months, the Pride Agenda will identify aspects of its policy work to transition to partner LGBT organizations. We will also maintain our Political Action Committee (PAC) in order to play a continuing role in electoral politics.

This announcement follows unanimous votes by our Boards of Directors earlier today and it comes on the heels of securing our top remaining priority – protecting transgender New Yorkers from discrimination – in the form of new regulations announced in partnership with Governor Andrew M. Cuomo.

The Pride Agenda has been central to over 100 legislative and policy victories for New York's LGBT community, including adding sexual orientation protections to the state's nondiscrimination laws, protecting LGBT youth from bullying in schools, and winning marriage equality.  And its work will continue in 2016 to buttress all our victories, gain additional ground for our community and partner with collaborative LGBT organizations to ensure that the next steps for the organization will be strategic, responsible and completed in a manner that honors and celebrates our legacy.

This message marks the beginning of a new chapter in our journey rather than the epilogue. And we will continue to communicate with you over the course of this transition. But for now, we would like to thank our donors and funders, whose support we will continue to depend on so that we may conclude our operations in an orderly manner that honors all of the tremendous progress we have achieved.

Together In Pride,

Nathan Schaefer

Executive Director