Equality New York (EQNY) is a statewide advocacy organization working to advance equality and justice for LGBTQI New Yorkers and their families.
Equality NY Fund is a non-profit statewide organization that organizes and educates LGBTQI people, their allies, and their community and political leaders.
Equality NY PAC is a political action committee dedicated to supporting candidates for public office in New York State who are committed to the civil rights and needs of the LGBTQI community.
EQNY emerged from ongoing conversations among advocates from the varied communities in our diverse movement and our shared recognition that LGBTQI New Yorkers need a statewide political voice, trusted convener and community organizer, and leader to support policy for our communities. As New Yorkers, we are proud of the progress we have made in this state for LGBTQI people and our families. But we also know that it has taken a lot of work to get here, there is still more work to be done, and we must remain vigilant against those who would try to chip away at the rights we have already secured.
We hope that EQNY, EQNY PAC, and EQNY Fund can be a forum in which to turn conversations into action, spur political change, and bring more people together in a diverse, inclusive, and respectful dialogue about our movement.
We invite you to be part of this conversation. To borrow a phrase, we are stronger together.

EQNY is a proud member of Equality Federation, working with state advocacy organization across the country to pursue justice and equality for LGBTQI people.
Our Mission
EQNY builds a social and political voice for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, and Instersex communities of New York State. We work with leaders from all around New York in an intentionally collaborative, inclusive, diverse, and respectful way.
We aim to advance LGBTQI protective policy, convene and organize LGBTQI leaders, people, and organizations, and elect candidates who support the various needs of our diverse community throughout the state. The EQNY PAC endorses candidates and makes financial contributions to candidates who are worthy of our community’s support.
Equality New York is founded on the following principles
Why we need Equality New York
New York prides itself on leading the country in support for LGBTQI people. But each and every right and protection gained has been the result of hard work over prolonged campaigns.
As with all communities, legal and lived equality are not equivalent, and so these “wins” have varying degrees of effects on the daily lives of New Yorkers depending on personal and familial status, geographic location, race, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, and so on. Finally, no movement for civil and social equality and equity has been left unchallenged; many of our opponents strive to turn back the clock.
For all of these reasons, New York’s LGBTQI communities deserve an efficient and effective statewide voice to:
- Consistently build good relationships with government and hold our elected officials accountable
- Provide a watchdog function to ensure our rights continue to expand and stay protected
- Enable LGBTQI people to come together to address issues, concerns, and challenges with greater strength
- Impact elections to ensure the greatest number of pro-LGBTQI politicians hold office throughout the state
Advisory Council
Bryan Ball
President, Stonewall Democrats of WNY
Gabriel Blau
Co-Founder
Kristen Browde
Jason Cianciotto, MPA
Sean Coleman
Founder and Executive Director of Destination Tomorrow
Michael Czaczkes, MPA
Michael Donnelly
Carol Ebersole
Human Rights Campaign, WNY Coordinator
Brian K. Esser, Esq.
Clifton Garmon
Senior Policy Analyst, VOCAL-NY
Darra Gordon
COO, Hetrick-Martin Institute
Honorable Matt Haag
Member, Rochester City Council; Associate Vice-President of Clinical, Research and Academic development at the University of Rochester Medical Center
Desma Holcomb
Emily M. Jones
Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum
Senior Rabbi of Congregation Beit Simchat Torah
Bruce Kogan
former President Stonewall Democrats of Western New York
Cole Ledford
Michael J. Mallon
Luis F. Mancheno
Clinical Teaching Fellow, Kathryn O. Greenberg Immigration Justice Clinic at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law
Cathy Marino-Thomas
Emeritus Board President – Marriage Equality USA
Matthew McMorrow
PAC Treasurer, Co-Founder
Ari Moore
Julian J. Moore
Mitch Nowakowski
Vice President of Polical Action, Stonewall Democrats of WNY
Adrian Ogle
Eunic Ortiz
Kaylan Pedine
Greg Rabb
President of the Jamestown City Council in Chautauqua County
Jimmy Rivera
Board Member, Stonewall Democrats of New York City
Seth M. Rosen
Allen Roskoff
President, Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club
Christopher Sardella
Robin Scott
Frank Selvaggi
Daniel Shad
Bill Shea
Dylan J. Stein
Jeffrey S. Trachtman
Partner, Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP
Alan Van Capelle
Ari Ezra Waldman
Mel Wymore
Executive Director of TransPAC
Patrick Yacco