Empire State Pride Agenda
Encyclopedia
The Empire State Pride Agenda (ESPA) is a statewide political advocacy organization in New York
that advocates for lesbian
, gay
, bisexual, and transgender
(LGBT
) rights, including same-sex marriage
. ESPA was founded in 1990 through the merger of the New York State Gay and Lesbian Lobby and the Friends and Advocates for Individual Rights. ESPA is considered the leading gay political organization in the State of New York. As of 2005, ESPA was the largest statewide lesbian and gay political advocacy and civil rights organization in the United States.
ESPA played a leading role in the late 1980s and early 1990s, along with groups representing other minorities, in surveying and consulting on a new districting process for the City Council of New York City; according to some, these efforts resulted in the most diverse City Council since the 1930s. Dick Dadey served as first executive director from 1991-1997.
ESPA has been the driving force in negotiating New York City's comprehensive domestic partnership
law, passing a statewide hate crime
s law, repealing a 150-year old consensual sodomy
statute, and enacting local non-discrimination laws and policies in Buffalo, Ithaca, Nassau County, and Westchester County. Each year, ESPA outlines legislative, electoral and organizing priorities for the state.
, produced a full-page advertisement in the New York Times to counteract the "religious right
" portrayal of us as "a scary specter"; more than 1,000 gay and lesbian New Yorkers came out about their non-heterosexuality.
In 1994, ESPA joined a network of liberal and progressive groups to counteract the "right-wing" Christian Right
's "stealth strategy" to getting people elected to local school boards by "hiding their opposition to critical thinking, bilingual programs, multicultural education, and ultimately to public schooling itself". In 1996, ESPA joined the Freedom to Marry Coalition (Marriage Project). In 1997, ESPA helped educate advocates on how to push for hate-crimes legislation.
In 1998, ESPA launched "Pride in the Pulpit," a program to combat the use of religion to advance anti-LGBT amendments and legislation; in 2005, more than 450 non-LGBT religious leaders participated.
In 1999, ESPA Co-Chair Jeff Soref was named a part of Out magazine's "Out 100" for his work with ESPA and his efforts to push for a rule change to provide gays and lesbians more representation at the 2000 convention of the Democratic National Committee
. In the early 2000s, ESPA, together with a local Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network
, convened the Dignity for All Students Coalition, bringing fifty community groups together to work on anti-bullying and anti-discrimination legislation.
ESPA was a strong advocate for a 2000 hate crimes law that provided enhanced criminal penalties for crimes motivated by hatred on the basis of sexual orientation.
In 2001 and 2002, ESPA worked to ensure that same-sex partners of September 11 attack victims received equal financial assistance, as many same-sex partners of those who perished in the attacks were initially denied any compensation. In October 2002, Governor George Pataki decreed that same-sex partners as well as unmarried partners of survivors would receive benefits equal to married partners, and on a national level, Senator Hillary Clinton called for coverage for those affected by the Pennsylvania and Washington D.C. attacks. Three bills that passed in 2002—each of which was advocated by ESPA—provided various benefits and protections to the surviving same-sex partners of individuals who perished in the September 11 attacks.
In December 2001, ESPA executive director Matthew Foreman
was recognized by U.S. Representative Jerrold Nadler
for his work with ESPA since 1997. Foreman served as executive director of ESPA from 1997 to 2003, when he departed to become executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
. In 2002, the New York State legislature passed Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act
(SONDA) with ESPA being the "major lobbying muscle". SONDA was criticized for not covering transgendered individuals, but observers felt that the inclusion of gender identity as a protected category would make it impossible to pass the bill (which had first been introduced in 1971). In April 2004 Alan Van Capelle was named as the new executive director. SONDA was passed in December 2002, not covering transgender people but "laying the foundation for winning full equality" according to Foreman. In October 2003, Carmen Vázquez
, formerly of LGBT Community Center of NYC, was appointed deputy executive director of ESPA.
In June 2004, the annual Equality at Work awards honoring companies and individuals that work to create an "inclusive workspace that respects, welcomes and supports LGBT professionals" were launched. The 2005 recipients were American Express
, The Village Voice
, Michael Fishman, president of 32BJ SEIU, and James Berg, president of the Realty Advisory Board on Labor Relations. The 2006 recipients were Merrill Lynch
, Kodak, and Kym Ward Gaffney at Price Waterhouse Coopers.
ESPA helped pass an August 2004 law guaranteeing same-sex partners hospital visitation rights identical to those enjoyed by spouses and next-of-kin when caring for loved ones in hospitals and other facilities.
In October 2004, ESPA held its 13th Annual Fall Dinner with keynote speaker San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom
; the Fall Dinner benefited the Empire State Pride Agenda Foundation, which is the non-partisan, 501(c)(3) research, education and advocacy arm of the organization. The ESPA Foundation, in partnership with the New York State Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Health and Human Services Network, "developed and utilized education, advocacy and community organizing strategies to overcome the barriers of political and cultural opposition, inadequate knowledge about the health care needs of the community, and heterocentric models of healthcare" to obtain governmental health and wellness funds targeted for LGBT health needs. The effort resulted in $10.7 million in state funding for non-HIV
/AIDS
LGBT service needs, including primary care, preventative health needs, crime victim assistance, and support services for the state and for youth, seniors and people of color.
In 2005, ESPA helped to pass legislation providing same-sex partners the same authority as spouses when making decisions regarding the burial of a deceased partner.
In October 2005, ESPA joined the Lambda Legal Defense Fund
and a coalition of anti-censorship groups to oppose a new zoning law that would shut down an estimated 149 adult-oriented bookstores, theaters and clubs including all of the businesses on Christopher Street.
In 2007, same-sex marriage legislation passed the New York State Assembly by a vote of 85-61. ESPA has been a leading supporter of same-sex marriage legislation in New York.
In 2008, the ESPA-supported Gender Expression Nondiscrimination Act passed the New York State Assembly for the first time.
On December 2, 2009, ESPA-supported same-sex marriage legislation failed in the New York State Senate by a vote of 24-38.
On April 20, 2011, ESPA was merged with Marriage Equality New York as well as the New York State chapters of Freedom to Marry
and the Human Rights Campaign
to form New Yorkers United for Marriage
.
ESPA was regarded as the driving force behind a failed December 2009 Senate vote on same-sex marriage legislation. In late 2010, Governor David Paterson
was asked what would have to occur in order for same-sex marriage to be legalized in New York
. Paterson responded, "Get rid of the lobbyists," and added that same-sex marriage
lobbyists had “literally forced” a Senate vote prematurely in December 2009.
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
that advocates for lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
, gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
, bisexual, and transgender
Transgender
Transgender is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from culturally conventional gender roles....
(LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
) rights, including same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
. ESPA was founded in 1990 through the merger of the New York State Gay and Lesbian Lobby and the Friends and Advocates for Individual Rights. ESPA is considered the leading gay political organization in the State of New York. As of 2005, ESPA was the largest statewide lesbian and gay political advocacy and civil rights organization in the United States.
ESPA played a leading role in the late 1980s and early 1990s, along with groups representing other minorities, in surveying and consulting on a new districting process for the City Council of New York City; according to some, these efforts resulted in the most diverse City Council since the 1930s. Dick Dadey served as first executive director from 1991-1997.
ESPA has been the driving force in negotiating New York City's comprehensive domestic partnership
Domestic partnership
A domestic partnership is a legal or personal relationship between two individuals who live together and share a common domestic life but are neither joined by marriage nor a civil union...
law, passing a statewide hate crime
Hate crime
In crime and law, hate crimes occur when a perpetrator targets a victim because of his or her perceived membership in a certain social group, usually defined by racial group, religion, sexual orientation, disability, class, ethnicity, nationality, age, gender, gender identity, social status or...
s law, repealing a 150-year old consensual sodomy
Sodomy
Sodomy is an anal or other copulation-like act, especially between male persons or between a man and animal, and one who practices sodomy is a "sodomite"...
statute, and enacting local non-discrimination laws and policies in Buffalo, Ithaca, Nassau County, and Westchester County. Each year, ESPA outlines legislative, electoral and organizing priorities for the state.
History
In June 1994, ESPA, along with the New York City chapter of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against DefamationGay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation is a non-governmental media monitoring organization which promotes the image of LGBT people in the media...
, produced a full-page advertisement in the New York Times to counteract the "religious right
Religious right
The term religious right may refer to religiously motivated right wing movements such as:*Christian right*Hindu nationalism *Islamism*Jewish right*Theravada...
" portrayal of us as "a scary specter"; more than 1,000 gay and lesbian New Yorkers came out about their non-heterosexuality.
In 1994, ESPA joined a network of liberal and progressive groups to counteract the "right-wing" Christian Right
Christian right
Christian right is a term used predominantly in the United States to describe "right-wing" Christian political groups that are characterized by their strong support of socially conservative policies...
's "stealth strategy" to getting people elected to local school boards by "hiding their opposition to critical thinking, bilingual programs, multicultural education, and ultimately to public schooling itself". In 1996, ESPA joined the Freedom to Marry Coalition (Marriage Project). In 1997, ESPA helped educate advocates on how to push for hate-crimes legislation.
In 1998, ESPA launched "Pride in the Pulpit," a program to combat the use of religion to advance anti-LGBT amendments and legislation; in 2005, more than 450 non-LGBT religious leaders participated.
In 1999, ESPA Co-Chair Jeff Soref was named a part of Out magazine's "Out 100" for his work with ESPA and his efforts to push for a rule change to provide gays and lesbians more representation at the 2000 convention of the Democratic National Committee
Democratic National Committee
The Democratic National Committee is the principal organization governing the United States Democratic Party on a day to day basis. While it is responsible for overseeing the process of writing a platform every four years, the DNC's central focus is on campaign and political activity in support...
. In the early 2000s, ESPA, together with a local Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network
Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network
The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network is an organization in the United States that seeks to end discrimination, harassment, and bullying based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression in K-12 schools. GLSEN is headquartered in New York City and the District of Columbia...
, convened the Dignity for All Students Coalition, bringing fifty community groups together to work on anti-bullying and anti-discrimination legislation.
ESPA was a strong advocate for a 2000 hate crimes law that provided enhanced criminal penalties for crimes motivated by hatred on the basis of sexual orientation.
In 2001 and 2002, ESPA worked to ensure that same-sex partners of September 11 attack victims received equal financial assistance, as many same-sex partners of those who perished in the attacks were initially denied any compensation. In October 2002, Governor George Pataki decreed that same-sex partners as well as unmarried partners of survivors would receive benefits equal to married partners, and on a national level, Senator Hillary Clinton called for coverage for those affected by the Pennsylvania and Washington D.C. attacks. Three bills that passed in 2002—each of which was advocated by ESPA—provided various benefits and protections to the surviving same-sex partners of individuals who perished in the September 11 attacks.
In December 2001, ESPA executive director Matthew Foreman
Matthew Foreman
Matthew Dean Foreman is a set theorist at University of California, Irvine. He has made contributions in widely varying areas of set theory, including descriptive set theory, forcing, and infinitary combinatorics....
was recognized by U.S. Representative Jerrold Nadler
Jerrold Nadler
Jerrold Lewis "Jerry" Nadler is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1992. He is a member of the Democratic Party.The district includes the west side of Manhattan from the Upper West Side down to Battery Park, including the site where the World Trade Center stood...
for his work with ESPA since 1997. Foreman served as executive director of ESPA from 1997 to 2003, when he departed to become executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force builds the political power of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community from the ground up. The Task Force is the country’s premier social justice organization fighting to improve the lives of LGBT people, and working to create positive, lasting...
. In 2002, the New York State legislature passed Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act
Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act
The Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act is a New York law which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. First introduced in the 1970s, SONDA was brought repeatedly to a vote in the state legislature until it was finally passed in 2002.The championing of SONDA led to the...
(SONDA) with ESPA being the "major lobbying muscle". SONDA was criticized for not covering transgendered individuals, but observers felt that the inclusion of gender identity as a protected category would make it impossible to pass the bill (which had first been introduced in 1971). In April 2004 Alan Van Capelle was named as the new executive director. SONDA was passed in December 2002, not covering transgender people but "laying the foundation for winning full equality" according to Foreman. In October 2003, Carmen Vázquez
Carmen Vázquez
Carmen Vázquez is an activist, writer and community intellectual. Currently, she is the Coordinator of the LGBT Health & Human Services Unit for the NYS AIDS Institute. She is the former Deputy Executive Director of the Empire State Pride Agenda...
, formerly of LGBT Community Center of NYC, was appointed deputy executive director of ESPA.
In June 2004, the annual Equality at Work awards honoring companies and individuals that work to create an "inclusive workspace that respects, welcomes and supports LGBT professionals" were launched. The 2005 recipients were American Express
American Express
American Express Company or AmEx, is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered in Three World Financial Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States. Founded in 1850, it is one of the 30 components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The company is best...
, The Village Voice
The Village Voice
The Village Voice is a free weekly newspaper and news and features website in New York City that features investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts and music coverage, and events listings for New York City...
, Michael Fishman, president of 32BJ SEIU, and James Berg, president of the Realty Advisory Board on Labor Relations. The 2006 recipients were Merrill Lynch
Merrill Lynch
Merrill Lynch is the wealth management division of Bank of America. With over 15,000 financial advisors and $2.2 trillion in client assets it is the world's largest brokerage. Formerly known as Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc., prior to 2009 the firm was publicly owned and traded on the New York...
, Kodak, and Kym Ward Gaffney at Price Waterhouse Coopers.
ESPA helped pass an August 2004 law guaranteeing same-sex partners hospital visitation rights identical to those enjoyed by spouses and next-of-kin when caring for loved ones in hospitals and other facilities.
In October 2004, ESPA held its 13th Annual Fall Dinner with keynote speaker San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom
Gavin Newsom
Gavin Christopher Newsom is an American politician who is the 49th and current Lieutenant Governor of California. Previously, he was the 42nd Mayor of San Francisco, and was elected in 2003 to succeed Willie Brown, becoming San Francisco's youngest mayor in 100 years. Newsom was re-elected in 2007...
; the Fall Dinner benefited the Empire State Pride Agenda Foundation, which is the non-partisan, 501(c)(3) research, education and advocacy arm of the organization. The ESPA Foundation, in partnership with the New York State Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Health and Human Services Network, "developed and utilized education, advocacy and community organizing strategies to overcome the barriers of political and cultural opposition, inadequate knowledge about the health care needs of the community, and heterocentric models of healthcare" to obtain governmental health and wellness funds targeted for LGBT health needs. The effort resulted in $10.7 million in state funding for non-HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
/AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
LGBT service needs, including primary care, preventative health needs, crime victim assistance, and support services for the state and for youth, seniors and people of color.
In 2005, ESPA helped to pass legislation providing same-sex partners the same authority as spouses when making decisions regarding the burial of a deceased partner.
In October 2005, ESPA joined the Lambda Legal Defense Fund
Lambda Legal
Lambda Legal is an American civil rights organization that focuses on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender communities as well as people living with HIV/AIDS through impact litigation, education, and public policy work.Lambda's founder William J. Thom, Esq...
and a coalition of anti-censorship groups to oppose a new zoning law that would shut down an estimated 149 adult-oriented bookstores, theaters and clubs including all of the businesses on Christopher Street.
In 2007, same-sex marriage legislation passed the New York State Assembly by a vote of 85-61. ESPA has been a leading supporter of same-sex marriage legislation in New York.
In 2008, the ESPA-supported Gender Expression Nondiscrimination Act passed the New York State Assembly for the first time.
On December 2, 2009, ESPA-supported same-sex marriage legislation failed in the New York State Senate by a vote of 24-38.
On April 20, 2011, ESPA was merged with Marriage Equality New York as well as the New York State chapters of Freedom to Marry
Freedom to Marry
Freedom to Marry is a non-profit organization leading the campaign for same-sex marriages to be recognized nationwide in the United States of America...
and the Human Rights Campaign
Human Rights Campaign
The Human Rights Campaign is the United States' largest LGBT advocacy group and lobbying organization; according to the HRC, it has more than one million members and supporters...
to form New Yorkers United for Marriage
New Yorkers United for Marriage
New Yorkers United for Marriage is an LGBT rights umbrella group in the US State of New York, formed on April 20, 2011 in order to coordinate and organize the push for the legalization of same-sex marriage within the state...
.
Same-Sex Marriage Lobbying
At the ESPA Fall Dinner held on October 22, 2009, then-Executive Director Alan Van Capelle publicly expressed great frustration that state senators supported by the group—some of whom Van Capelle mentioned by name—had not yet passed legislation on same-sex marriage. At a “couldn’t-be-higher stakes” November 2010 meeting with Governor David Paterson and other elected officials who supported the same-sex marriage bill, Senate Democratic Leader John Sampson and Senator Jeff Klein “did not mince words in letting Van Capelle know they were upset by” his critical comments at the Fall Dinner.ESPA was regarded as the driving force behind a failed December 2009 Senate vote on same-sex marriage legislation. In late 2010, Governor David Paterson
David Paterson
David Alexander Paterson is an American politician who served as the 55th Governor of New York, from 2008 to 2010. During his tenure he was the first governor of New York of African American heritage and also the second legally blind governor of any U.S. state after Bob C. Riley, who was Acting...
was asked what would have to occur in order for same-sex marriage to be legalized in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Paterson responded, "Get rid of the lobbyists," and added that same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
lobbyists had “literally forced” a Senate vote prematurely in December 2009.