REMINDER: THURSDAY, MARCH 20 - RAIN OR SHINE!
CANDLELIGHT VIGIL TO BE HELD MARCH 20 AT KINGSTON HIGHIN MEMORY OF GAY STUDENT SLAIN AT CALIFORNIA SCHOOL LGBTQ COMMUNITY AND ALLIES UNITE TO DENOUNCE HATE CRIME
KINGSTON, NEW YORK (March 10) – A memorial candlelight vigil for slain gay California middle school student Lawrence King will be held Thursday, March 20, in front of Kingston High School, from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m.
On February 12 of this year, King, 15, was shot in the head by a classmate in an Oxnard, California classroom, simply because he was gay. King died two days later, on Valentine's Day. The hate crime has attracted national attention and condemnation from such media figures as Anderson Cooper and Ellen DeGeneres.
The event is expected to draw scores of people from the area, as well as members of prominent human rights and educational organizations. The vigil is co-sponsored by the Hudson Valley LGBTQ Community Center and the Hudson Valley chapter of GLSEN (The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network).
"The murder of Lawrence King is an American tragedy that cannot be allowed to go unnoticed," said Ginny Apuzzo, president of the Center. "Every student has the right to be safe at school. This vigil is intended to honor the memory of a courageous young man who was killed simply for being himself, and to call attention to the deadly results of looking the other way when homophobia makes itself known in our schools."
The evening program will include addresses by representatives of the Center, GLSEN and the Kingston High School Gay-Straight Alliance, as well as the Rev. Ralph Merante, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Kingston. Among the still-growing list of organizations that have joined to support the vigil are PFLAG (Parents, Friends, and Family of Lesbians and Gays) of Kingston, YWCA of Ulster County, the Ulster County Mental Health Association, and Planned Parenthood of the Mid-Hudson Valley.
Calendar Listing: Candlelight Vigil for Lawrence King, in front of Kingston High School, March 20, 6:30-7:45 p.m. Sponsored by the Hudson Valley LGBTQ Community Center and GLSEN Hudson Valley. For more information visit www.lgbtqcenter.org
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2 comments:
I stopped by the Kingston High School at 7pm to discover noone there. I later found friends still at the LGBTQ Center on Wall St and found they were chilled to the bone by 7pm so they scooted back uptown to recover indoors for the ceremony.
It was still worth the effort and such an important statement for the community.
For more points of interest in and around Kingston check out: kingstonprogressive.blogspot.com
Did anyone get pictures? Was there any press there for the event?
I didnt see anything on the Freeman since Friday.
Anyone on Channel 23 mention it?
The center should start a blog.
Dr JAM...thank you for managing this blog for the DemWomen.
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