The Pride Center is seeking nominations for the 2011 Annual Awards to be given out at the Awards Gala on October 14, 2011. Do you know someone in the Capital District who does outstanding work for the LGBT community? If so, please review the award categories and submit your nomination today! The nomination deadline is July 6, 2011.

To nominate an individual, business or organization, please download and complete the Nomination Form found here and return it to the Pride Center Board of Directors:

Pride Center Board of Directors
332 Hudson Ave
Albany, New York 12210

Fax: (518) 462-2101

Email: nyates@capitalpridecenter.org

Awards will be selected at the discretion of the Pride Center Board of Directors. The Pride Center reserves the right to limit the number of awards and may not give awards in every category. Final selections will be made by the Pride Center Board of Directors.

Today, love won out! Marriage equality comes to New York.

Marriage Victory Celebration

Come Celebrate @ the Pride Center, Saturday June 25 at 5pm

Come toast the victory! Join friends and family as we celebrate @ the Pride Center of the Capital Region, 332 Hudson Ave in Albany at 5pm!

Empowering Our Community

Proud sponsors include Bombers Burrito Bar, Barefoot Wine, Bettie’s Cakes and Waterworks Pub.

We need your support down at the Capitol. Please come to the Senate any time you are free today and this evening to show your support for Marriage Equality. We don’t know exactly what to expect, but we DO know that our presence there is significant. Time is running out, and we need to keep the pressure on to get the vote to the floor.

Please join us whenever you get off work, or have free time today. Together, we will make sure that all New Yorkers will soon be able to marry the person they love!!

In Solidarity,

Nora Yates

From our advocacy partners at Empire State Pride Agenda

As you may have heard, the New York Senate has not yet voted on the marriage bill. There are still a number of issues to be resolved in Albany, which means the Legislature will be staying beyond today, the scheduled end of regular session. This is not unusual, and I remain encouraged about our progress and heartened that there continues to be respectful and productive dialogue around the issue among our elected officials. After a whirlwind day at the Capitol, following a historic week bringing record-breaking, bipartisan support for marriage in the State Senate, we’re still very much in play.

We hope you can join us in Albany today, Tuesday June 21, for a Rally for Love and Marriage to highlight the positive resolve of our community. We’ll be meeting in West Capitol Park at 12:00 noon to gather peacefully and express the need for marriage equality.

Whether or not you can join us in person, also please call your senator’s office right now. Our simple click-to-call tool couldn’t be easier, and you’ll know that you did the single most effective thing for marriage that you can: make your voice heard.

Knowing that the debate for loving, committed couples’ ability to marry would go into this week, we kicked into high gear this past weekend. We turned out major faith support for events across the state on Sunday demonstrating the broad and deep religious support for marriage, and undercutting false claims that marriage is any kind of threat to anti-LGBT clergy. Along with our partners in New Yorkers United for Marriage we staged successful events in Buffalo, Hudson, Sayville, Mt. Kisco, Poughkeepsie, Rochester, Staten Island and Troy, garnering significant press attention in each region.

I was very moved at how quickly our faith leaders jumped at the opportunity to help us out at a moment’s notice, and I know it’s testament to the years of hard work building bridges through our Pride in the Pulpit program. Many faith leaders also came to the Capitol this morning to stand with us and added respectful voices of faith to counter those of the vocal and sometimes hostile opposition.

Now’s the time to keep the pressure on like never before. Join us on Tuesday at 12 noon outside the Capitol in Albany and please call your senator. These calls remain absolutely crucial to our success. We can’t let our State Senate have any excuse not to carry out the will of the people – the will of the 58% of New Yorkers who want marriage in the Empire State for all loving, committed couples. We are hopeful that victory will be ours and this chapter of our movement will be over before long, and we are doing everything possible to make it happen. But we’re not there yet.

With commitment,

Ross D. Levi
Executive Director
Empire State Pride Agenda

As we recover from the largest Capital Pride in our history, we will be updating you on all the success and numbers shortly. In the meantime, we hope you’ve called your State Senator and voiced your support for marriage equality, as our families are just DAYS away from full protections under the law.

The Pride Center extends our greatest thanks to all the volunteers who helped make Capital Pride the success that it was- you are all truly amazing!!!

More to come….

Capital Pride 2011 celebrates around the region and culminates THIS WEEKEND with the Capital Pride Parade and Festival Sunday June 12!

Join in the celebrations as we celebrate Capital Pride 2011! There’s still so much happening this week and weekend! And of course this Sunday, the largest Pride in Upstate New York takes place, featuring Billboard chart-topping headliner Ce Ce Peniston!!

For all the details on these great events, visit http://www.capitalpridecenter.org/capital-pride.cfm

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8TH

Cabaret Dinner Theater: The Irish Mist, 285 Second St, Troy–7pm
Wine and Cheese Tour: ROCKS, 77 Central Ave; Waterworks Pub, 76 Central Ave; Oh Bar, 304 Lark St, Albany–5pm
WMHT Exclusive Broadcast: “Out in America”: Your local PBS Channel–9pm

THURSDAY, JUNE 9TH

LGBT Educator Appreciation Reception: Midtown Tap and Tea Room, 287 New Scotland Ave, Albany–6pm
Lovely Ladies Night: ROCKS, 77 Central Ave, Albany–8pm
Therapy Thursday: Waterworks Pub, 76 Central Ave, Albany–11pm

FRIDAY, JUNE 10TH

Saratoga Pride Cocktails: Tiznow, 84 Henry St, Saratoga Springs–6pm
A-Prom (The Alternative Youth Prom): Campus Center Ball Room, SUNY, Albany–7pm
Film: “Tying the Knot”: First Unitarian Society of Schenectady, 1221 Wendall Ave, Schenectady–7:30pm
Lesboa: Capital Pride’s Official All-Girls Party, Fuze Box, 12 Central Ave–8pm
Land HO!: Oh Bar, 304 Lark St, Albany–10pm
Pre-Cruise Party: ROCKS, 77 Central Ave, Albany–8pm
The $5 Party Bus: ROCKS, 77 Central Ave, Albany–10:45pm
The Big Gay Cruise: State and Front Streets, Troy–11:30pm

SATURDAY, JUNE 11TH

Walgreen’s Run for Pride 5k: Washington Park, Albany–8am
Pride Family Fun Day/Coasters for a Cause: Six Flags Great Escape, Lake George–All Day
SING OUT LOUISE V: Waterworks Pub, 76 Central Ave, Albany–9pm
Shontelle Live @ Waterworks: Waterworks Pub, 76 Central Ave, Albany–11pm

SUNDAY, JUNE 12TH

Capital Pride Parade: Washington Park, Albany–noon
Capital Pride Festival featuring CeCe Peniston and Shontelle: Washington Park, Albany–immediately following the parade
Pride Closing Parties: Waterworks, ROCKS, Oh Bar, 2011 Sober After-party at the Pride Center- 5-8pm

With nearly 200 people in attendance, special guest New York State Senator Neil Breslin and the Pride Center’s Queer Youth Chorus helped the Pride Center kick-off Capital Pride 2011 with the annual barbecue at the Pride Center of the Capital Region on Thursday. Immediately following, many made their way to Oh Bar for kick-off Karaoke with A-man and Juan. Friday morning, 10 local college bound seniors were honored as recipients of the Joshua Dunning Powell Scholarship. Last night, ROCKS was packed for their annual Orange Party.  All signs indicate that Capital Pride 2011 is in full swing.

There are still a host of events this weekend, so get out and enjoy the beautiful weather, and show your pride.

Saturday, June 4

gayalbanyonline.com Pride Tea Dance – Taste, 30 S. Pearl Street, Albany; 4pm – 8pm – $15

Join GayAlbanyOnline.com on the roofdeck of Taste Restaurant for our second annual Capital Pride Tea Dance! Great music, great food, great friends and amazing views of the Capital Plaza and the Hudson River. This is a Pride Center Fundraiser and tickets may be purchased by contacting gayalbanyonline.com, facebook.com/gayalbany or at Taste Restaurant at 518-694-3322

Sunday, June 5

Pride Mini Golf – Fun Plex, 589 Columbia Turnpike, East Greenbush; 11am – 3pm – $15

A yearly favorite, this year, Pride Mini-Golf moves to the FunPlex in East Greenbush. Your admission fee gets you a round of minigolf, tickets to two other attractions (Go-carts! Batting Cages! More!) and a free small Lickity Splits Ice Cream Cone. A perfect way to spend a summer day!

Vintage Pride Lunch - FUUSA – 405 Washington Avenue, Albany; 1pm – 3pm – Free

Join the Pride Center of the Capital Region’s Vintage Pride program for LGBT adults 55 and older for a free lunch and special presentation featuring one gay senior’s story about his landmark efforts for marriage recognition in New York State. Please RSVP to Dana LePage at dlepage@capitalpridecenter.org or cal 518-462-6138

Pride Tea Dance – ROCKS – 77 Central Avenue, Albany; 4pm – 7pm – Suggested Donation

Come join us at ROCKS for a Back-Deck BBQ featuring Happy Hour drink prices. We will have a DJ spinning all your favorite songs (and requests) to keep you rocking on the dance floor! There is no cover charge to come join the party, but donations will be accepted to help raise money for the Pride Center. There will be a 50/50 raffle and giveaways throughout the day!

Based on a Totally True Story – A Staged Reading – James L. Meader Little Theater, Russell Sage College, Troy; 7pm – $5 Suggested Donation

“Based on a Totally True Story” is Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa’s lightning fast gay romantic comedy for the iPhone generation. For playwright and comic book writer Ethan Keane (Ian LaChance), adapting the play he wrote into a movie starring Nicole Kidman should be the best thing that’s ever happened to him. So why is everything else in his life (his parents, his boyfriend) falling apart around him? Aaron Holbritter directs this hilarious and surprisingly touching fully-staged play reading. Cosponsored by the Theater Institute at Sage. (All proceeds benefit the Pride Center of the Capital Region.)

Be sure to check out the complete Capital Pride 2011 schedule of events HERE and don;t forget the Parade and Festival featuring CeCe Peniston and Shontelle in Washington Park one week from Sunday. See you there!!!

Yesterday in front of Albany City Hall, Mayor Jerry Jennings, Police Chief Steven Krokoff, City Council President Pro-tempore Richard Conti, members of the Pride Center Board and staff, and members of the LGBT Community gathered for the annual raising of the Pride flag.  Be sure to check out YNN’s coverage of the event HERE.

Today, the fun really begins. The Capital Pride Kick-Off BBQ will be at the Pride Center beginning at 5pm. There will be great food and fun, with special guest NYS Senator Neil Breslin and a performance by the Pride Center’s own Queer Youth Chorus!

Following the BBQ, head on over to Oh Bar for one of the best nights of Karaoke all year! Team A-man, with Juan at the controls, will be keeping things fun and lively with great contests while Oh Bar will have lots of terrific drink specials!

And in between, make time for a bit of reflection at the Interfaith Pride Celebration at the First United Universalist Society of Albany at 405 Washington Ave, Albany beginning at 7pm.
Advocates for Welcoming Congregations will help to launch Pride Week with its annual Interfaith Pride Celebration under the theme Journeys of Faith: Everyone’s Story is Sacred. Wellknown local storytellers Joe Doolittle and Christie Keegan will share personal stories of faith and connection to our LGBT community. And musical guests the Albany Gay Men’s Chorus will add to the joy of the occasion. A dessert reception will follow the program. For further information, contact Rev. Tony Green, 928-7069

The fun and excitement of Capital Pride is just beginning. Check back for further updates and a closer look at more upcoming events. In the meantime, HAPPY PRIDE!