The New York City Pride March has announced its four Grand Marshals.
NYC Pride announced today its four Grand Marshals scheduled to lead the 48th NYC Pride March on Sunday, June 25, 2017. The American Civil Liberties Union, Brooke Guinan, Krishna Stone, and Geng Le will lead this year’s critical demonstration of LGBT Pride and protest.
â— The American Civil Liberties Union has been the United States’ uncompromising defender of individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution for nearly 100 years. The ACLU brought its first LGBT rights case in 1936, brought the first case seeking the freedom to marry for same-sex couples in 1970, litigated the Supreme Court cases that took down the Defense of Marriage Act that won marriage equality nationwide, and represented transgender student Gavin Grimm before the Supreme Court.
â— Brooke Guinan is a 29-year-old trans woman; an advocate, civil servant, firefighter, and native New Yorker. Guinan has been honored by the New York City Comptroller’s office, the Public Advocate’s office, the Metropolitan Community Church of New York, and the FDNY for her service to the LGBTQ community.
â— Krishna Stone is the Director of Community Relations at Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC). She originally connected with GMHC in 1986 as a walker in the first annual AIDS Walk New York and became a staff member in 1993. In 2014, Stone received an award from the NYC Health Department for outstanding dedication to combating the spread of HIV.
â— Geng Le is a leader in the burgeoning movement for LGBT equality in the People’s Republic of China. Geng set up one of the earliest gay social websites in China—Danlan.org in 2002. In 2012, he created Blued—a gay men social networking app after quitting his job working as a policeman for 16 years. On World AIDS Day 2016, Geng donated 1 million RMB to China AIDS Fund to support Chinese non-governmental organizations for HIV prevention.
“In the social and political turmoil brought by the current Administration, the ACLU, Brooke, Krishna, and Geng represent the components of what will ultimately be a successful resistance movement,” said Julian Sanjivan, NYC Pride March Director. “Our 2017 Grand Marshals are a snapshot of the numerous organizations, individuals, and philanthropists that will lead us through this unprecedented time in our nation.”
The 48th NYC Pride March will kick off at noon on June 25, at 5th Avenue and 36th Street in Manhattan. The route proceeds through Midtown on 5th Avenue and ends at Christopher and Greenwich Streets.
NYC Pride’s 2017 theme, “We Are Proud,” speaks to the LGBT community’s unwavering ability to rise and be proud, even while under attack by a hostile political environment.
Registration for the 2017 NYC Pride March is open until May 16, 2017 at www.nycpride.org. For complete biographies and photos of this year’s Grand Marshals, visit: http://bit.ly/2o3tb8I.