2024 LGBTQ+ Power Players

The Very Reverend Patrick Malloy is dean, CEO and chief cleric of the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame and previously worked as a parish priest, a university professor, and a seminary dean. Father Malloy led the committee that crafted the Episcopal Church’s rite for blessing same-sex unions which now joins the Book of Common Prayer’s marriage liturgy as a rite for all couples.

If you could give your younger self advice, what would it be?
I was never in denial about being gay. I knew who I was, and so did my rabidly homophobic father, so I paid the price. Those were the days when people were just beginning to speak openly about sexuality of any kind, so I suffered in silence. I wish I could tell my younger self: Trust the people who love you. They will take care of you if you let them.

Is there an LGBTQ+ icon or member of the community that you look up to?
I recently read The Deviant’s War: The Homosexual vs. the United States of America. Frank Kameny is the book’s hero. He died in 2011 after spending his entire life fighting for the rights of LGBTQ+ people, especially civil servants. He was publicly gay when few were, and it meant that he was unemployable, living in near poverty. Still, he did not relent. I doubt that I would have liked him, but I greatly admire him.

What can New York policymakers do to support members of the LGBTQ+ community?
I often tell my partner that I am delighted and amazed at how easy it is to be gay here. LGBTQ+ people are integrated in a way unthinkable in most of the country, especially as policymakers elsewhere are fighting against LGBTQ+ folks. Queer kids from those places flock to NYC for refuge, but they often can’t find it. Our policymakers must make their health, safety, and preparation for adulthood a priority.

Is there anything you are working on that you wish more people knew about?
We at the Cathedral recognized after Dobbs that LGBTQ+ people were in the crosshairs, both figuratively and literally. We had always acknowledged June as Pride month, but last year we filled the month with programming in support of LGBTQ+ rights. This year, our offerings will be even more numerous and rich: theology, liturgy, visual arts, music, and parties. I wish people knew that Christianity is more than what an anti-LGBTQ+ evangelical fringe says it is.

Patrick McGovern is the CEO of Callen-Lorde Community Health Center, which in 2023 provided 20,000 LGBTQ+ patients with comprehensive, judgment-free care regardless of their ability to pay. McGovern is a seasoned executive having served as chief operations and strategy officer at Amida Care, an organization he helped found as CEO at Harlem United Community AIDS Center. Most recently, McGovern was VP of government affairs at Gilead, where his vision was to promote HIV testing nationwide.

If you could give your younger self advice, what would it be?
Lighten up. Find ways to balance meaning and joy. People and organizations are resilient. Not everything has to be figured out and resolved today. Trust.

Is there an LGBTQ+ icon or member of the community that you look up to?
Dominique Jackson for her groundbreaking work on POSE but even more importantly for her dedication to LQBTQ+ serving organizations. Dominique generously supports the communities’ Gala events with her presence, inspiring words and sense of fun. Dominique’s authenticity inspires and challenges us to live our fullest and most authentic selves. 

What can New York policymakers do to support members of the LGBTQ+ community?
We have heroes in our legislatures and executive branches who recognize that our battles are not yet won. For instance, the HIV epidemic is not yet over and won’t be until there is equal access to testing, treatment, prevention and ultimately a cure. The right to marry was a tremendous victory but equality is not yet won when legislatures across the country enact anti-LQBTQ+ legislation. Our public policy heroes must keep up the fight.

Is there anything you are working on that you wish more people knew about?
At Callen-Lorde we are excited about breakthrough medications for the treatment and prevention of HIV. Several hundred patients receive injections that provide complete HIV treatment or protection from infection for up to two months. Demand is high and there are administrative challenges. We are working to prepare for when the duration of treatment or protection may extend to up to six months. Demand for these game changers will be high and we will meet it.

Brent Miller established P&G’s global LGBTQ+ brand-building practice and has spearheaded groundbreaking business practices, campaigns, and programs that demonstrate the power of authentically connecting brands to the LGBTQ+ community. Miller created “Can’t Cancel Pride”, an annual recognition of people and organizations advancing LGBTQ+ equality, which has raised more than $17 million for LGBTQ+ organizations since 2020. Miller is also an award-winning producer of films that provide visibility into the history of the LGBTQ+ community.

If you could give your younger self advice, what would it be?
Find your passion and use it as your superpower. For years, I let others’ definition of success define my own. Once I found my passion and was able to use my voice to connect others, it brought a great fulfillment. That has been a life changer. You never know when and how you will discover it, but when you do, embrace it. It will change your life and have an extraordinary impact on others.

Is there an LGBTQ+ icon or member of the community that you look up to?
My heroes have always been musicians – Elton John, Michael Stipe, Brandi Carlile – whose work helped me discover new worlds and inspires me. Music connects us as a community and tells of our struggle and captures our joy. It’s propelled me forward during the most challenging times. I find great inspiration in a new generation of queer artists – Jake Wesley Rogers, Allison Russell and Orville Peck – who follow in that amazing tradition.

Frankie Miranda is the first openly gay president and CEO of Hispanic Federation (HF). He has played a key role in expanding HF’s member network while also establishing critical programs that empower hundreds of thousands of Latinos. Frankie sits on the external Comcast Corporate DEI Advisory Council and is a trustee of Fundación Banco Popular. He holds a B.A. in political science from the University of Puerto Rico and an M.A. in performance studies from NYU.

As CEO of Rising Ground since 2009, Alan Mucatel has more than doubled the size of the human services nonprofit and tripled its budget. Rising Ground offers 101 programs at 138 sites for New York children, adults, and families. In 2023, Rising Ground acquired services from Sheltering Arms bringing the organization’s budget to $187 million with 2,000 staff. Alan is also vice-chair, Downstate of the Council of Family and Child Caring Agencies (COFCCA).

If you could give your younger self advice, what would it be?
Worrying intensely about what others think of you is often unnecessarily limiting. 

Is there an LGBTQ+ icon or member of the community that you look up to?
I look up to all community members who have and continue to advance a fairer, more supportive and inclusive world in and outside of the LGBTQ+ community.

What can New York policymakers do to support members of the LGBTQ+ community?
In so many ways we are fortunate to live in New York City, particularly as we witness backslides in rights and security for members of the LGBTQ+ community in many parts of our country.  While there is much we can do here in our state at this juncture, I hope our policymakers can both lead by example and constructively influence their national colleagues.

Is there anything you are working on that you wish more people knew about?
Rising Ground’s direct work with, and support of, youth and adults who identify as LGBTQ+ is extensive including our work with runaway and homeless youth, children and families who are impacted by the child welfare and juvenile justice systems, and survivors of intimate partner violence. I hope to spread the message about our capacity to assist community members by providing safe spaces and giving every person supported the ability to be their authentic self.

Paul has 40 years in both nonprofits and LGBTQ+ activism currently serving as founding executive director of Stonewall Community Development Corporation. Before that, as director of cultural policy for NYC Council Member Alan Gerson, Paul organized the hard-hit cultural community in Lower Manhattan after the 9/11 attacks to demand funding for small to mid-sized arts organizations.  The community-generated plan, Campuses & Corridors, served as a blueprint for capital and programmatic investments to restore the sector. ​

If you could give your younger self advice, what would it be?
Don’t start a nonprofit without a few deep pockets on board

Is there an LGBTQ+ icon or member of the community that you look up to?
I worked with Harvey Milk’s successful campaign to stop the Briggs Initiative in California. He was the most authentic leader I have ever met. Willing to be a leader and make decisions, he was truly humble and devoted to American democracy.

What can New York policymakers do to support members of the LGBTQ+ community?
Push for robust data collection on sexual orientation by requiring government agencies to afford the opportunity for clients to self-identify at points of service. Without actual reliable data on who and how many we are, there is no true policy or funding imperative.

Is there anything you are working on that you wish more people knew about?
The Stonewall Bridge is a community-based plan that will provide workforce development and equity-building training for LGBTQIA millennials, expert competent home care for LGBTQIA older adults, and a mechanism for folks to leave their homes to a portfolio of properties held and operated in perpetual affordability for the LGBTQIA older adult community.

Andrew S. Dolkart is a professor of historic preservation at Columbia University and a co-founder and co-director of the NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project founded with two colleagues in 2015 to recognize sites in New York City of significance to queer history and culture. He also writes extensively about the architecture and development of New York, including award-winning books about row houses, tenements, and New York City neighborhoods.

If you could give your younger self advice, what would it be?
Don’t be so shy! Be out there, meeting people, talking to people, and learning from everyone.

Is there an LGBTQ+ icon or member of the community that you look up to?
Historian George Chauncey whose extraordinary book, “Gay New York,” provides a base for all explorations of gay male life in New York City.

What can New York policymakers do to support members of the LGBTQ+ community?
Promote an interest in the history of queer life and queer communities in New York City so that all LGBTQ people can be proud of their heritage and so that these important stories are understood and celebrated by all New Yorkers.

Is there anything you are working on that you wish more people knew about?
The NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project has been very successful, but more New Yorkers need to be aware of this resource, both for the information that it provides and so that they can nominate sites that they know about for inclusion in the project.

Ken Lustbader is a co-founder and co-director of the NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project, an award-winning cultural heritage initiative and educational resource documenting LGBTQ place-based history. For over 30 years, he has been a leader in issues related to LGBTQ history and historic preservation. He previously served as a program officer at the J.M. Kaplan Fund and consultant to numerous organizations. Ken holds a B.A. from Vassar and an M.S. in historic preservation from Columbia.

If you could give your younger self advice, what would it be?
I would advise him to come out of the closet earlier and take advantage of college by exploring classes and experiences without concern for a direct career path. This exposure would be beneficial in learning how to think and connect with others while opening up new ideas for work and employment opportunities.

Is there an LGBTQ+ icon or member of the community that you look up to?
I look up to all individuals who lived their lives, whether publicly or privately, true to themselves. I’m especially drawn to those activists from the early 20th century to the pre-Stonewall period who pushed for change while risking the loss of family, friends, employment, and religious affiliations, often under the threat of violence.

What can New York policymakers do to support members of the LGBTQ+ community?
I think it’s important for all policymakers to learn about LGBTQ history and understand how the community has made significant contributions to New York City and American culture. Knowing this history will help all policymakers understand the trajectory of LGBTQ rights and how the community shaped American history, culture, and policy.

Is there anything you are working on that you wish more people knew about?
When looking at NYC’s buildings, streetscapes, and landscapes, I want all New Yorkers to know that LGBTQ site-based history is all around them in every borough. We’ve documented almost 400 historic sites from the 17th century to the year 2000 with more to come. I hope that these sites provide a tangible connection to the historic past with the intangible benefits of pride and identity.

Jay Shockley was senior historian at the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission (1979-2015) where he wrote over 100 reports covering all aspects of the City’s architectural and cultural history. In 1993, he helped pioneer the concept of LGBT place-based history by incorporating it into Commission reports. He co-authored the first-ever LGBT nomination for Stonewall – National Register of Historic Places (1999) and National Historic Landmark (2000). In 2015, he co-founded the NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project.

If you could give your younger self advice, what would it be?
Be more confident

Is there an LGBTQ+ icon or member of the community that you look up to?
Walt Whitman

What can New York policymakers do to support members of the LGBTQ+ community?
Protect our hard fought-for rights

Is there anything you are working on that you wish more people knew about?
The fantastic research that our project team has been doing