 SDWNY annouces our endorsement of community activist Joe Mascia. An elected Comissioner on the Board of the Municipal Housing Authority for the city, Joe Mascia has long been a friend to progressive politics. An ally SDWNY member, Joe Mascia has supported and worked alongside the Stonewall Democrats, for years, on campaigns for good, progressive, pro-equality Democrats. The race for the Erie County Legislature’s new, reapportioned and downdized District 1 is an interesting election. SDWNY interviewed all three candidates running (as Democrats, although there is only one endorsed Democratic candidate), including Legislature Chariwoman Barbara Miller-Williams and the Democratic candidate Tim Hogues. While all three candidates supported some issues important to the LGBTQ community such as employment non-discrimination and anti-bullying efforts for our children, only Joe Mascia is publicly supporting each and every one of the rights and issues important to the LGBTQ community. SDWNY strongly encourages a vote for Joe Mascia, our friend and all who will work with us and for us once elected to the Erie County Legislature. 1 Comment  Erie County Executive: Mark Poloncarz Erie County Clerk: Maria Whyte Jamestown City Council: Councilmember Gregory Rabb Erie County Legislature, District 11: Lynn Marinelli Erie County Legislature, District 4: Jeremy Zellner Erie County Legislature, District 1: Joseph Mascia City of Buffalo Common Council, Niagara District: Councilmember David Rivera City of Buffalo Common Council, Delaware District: Councilmember Michael LoCurto City of Buffalo Common Council, Fillmore District: Councilmember David Franczyk Take Action: Support GENDA in NYS! 10/17/2011
 Now is an exciting time for LGBTQ civil rights in New York State. With the passage of Dignity for All Students last year, and Marriage Equality only this past summer, the future for the Gender Expression-Non Discrimination Bill in NYS is bright. Here in Western New York, SDWNY and our great community of advocates have been actively lobbying all our state senators—and having an open dialog regarding the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination. As part of our lobbying, we have been running our GENDA letter campaign, focusing on the State Senate. If you have been one of the many who have signed one of our different form letters or taken the time to write a handwritten note to your legislators, we thank you. If you have not, or are willing to go the extra step and gather more signatures and notes for equality, we encourage you to download the letters below, print them out, gather signatures and send them into your State Senator. However, SDWNY is ready and able to help with mailing, and we encourage you to contact us (by email or calling 716-541-5557) should you wish us to come pick up your letters and notes and mail them to our Senators. All information collected on this letter project is stored in an individual database. Each Senator receives a letter, and the database will only be used when it is know the legislation is coming to a vote in the Senate. You may receive an email and/or a phone call, letting you know a vote is coming and asking you to put a phone call into your Senator’s office asking him or her to support this legislation. If your Senator is Sen. Kennedy, please thank him for championing the GENDA bill. If your senator is Sen. Mark Grisanti, please thank him for his heroic support of Marriage Equality and ask he come out to support transgender civil rights for all New Yorkers, as well. 
 Please join us for our 2011 Candidate Reception, featuring our great pro-equality candidates Mark Poloncarz for County Executive and Maria Whyte for County Clerk. This year, we will be introducing our SDWNY Leadership Awards, and featuring them at the event. Join the Stonewall Democrats and our LGBTQ and ally community at Betty's as we celebrate the year we have had, and the victories we will have in November! Donation/Sponsorship Levels: $20/person & $25/Couple | $35/ Ally Sponsorship | $50 / Advocate Sponsorship Betty's 370 Virginia St Buffalo, NY 14201 5:3o PM - 7:30 PM Comments This is your new blog post. Click here and start typing, or drag in elements from the top bar.  This Tuesday, September 13th is the Democratic Primary in New York State SDWNY’s 2011 Endorsed Candidates for the Democratic Primary & Special Election NYS Assembly District 144: Sean Ryan SDWNY is proud to support Sean Ryan for the 144th Assembly District. An ally SDWNY member, Sean Ryan has made his career working as a housing advocate and progressive Democratic activist. In the Assembly, Sean will support equality for all LGBTQ New Yorkers, working to pass transgender civil rights and protect marriage rights. The special election is being held to fill former Assemblymember Sam Hoyt’s seat, and is being held the same day as the primary. City of Buffalo Common Council, Fillmore District Councilmember David Franczyk We are proud to support Council President Franczyk for reelection. An ally in the passage of the city domestic partnership legislation, David Franczyk has been a friend to the LGBTQ community, and has pledged to be an advocate for our civil rights issues of gender non-discrimination and full marriage equality. Of note, Franczyk’s challenger is extremely anti-equality, publishing hateful articles on the LGBTQ civil rights in area papers, which you may view on our website. City of Buffalo Common Council, North District Ken Phillips In the North District primary, Stonewall Democrats encourage a vote for Ken Phillips. An involved community activist and businessman, Ken Phillips brings a fresh, people-centered change to his district. A supporter of equality, Ken Phillips will be a representative for LGBTQ people in the City of Buffalo, working to improve the quality of life for us all. Endorsed General Election Candidates (With no Democratic Primary Opponents) Erie County Executive: Mark Poloncarz Erie County Clerk: Maria Whyte City of Jamestown City Council: Greg Rabb City of Buffalo Common Council, Niagara District: David Rivera City of Buffalo Common Council, Delaware District: Michael LoCurto  SDWNY is proud to support Sean Ryan for the 144th Assembly District Special Election. An ally SDWNY member, Sean Ryan has made his career working as a housing advocate and progressive Democratic activist. In the Assembly, Sean will support eqaulity for all LGBTQ New Yorkers, working to pass transgender civil rightsz and protect marriage equality. "We are extremely proud to support Sean Ryan in the 144th Assembly District," said president Bryan Ball. "Sean Ryan has been a great ally to the LGBTQ community in Democratic activism, and will be a proudly independent voice in Albany, where he will work to support and pass the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination bill." The special election is being held to fill former Assemblymember Sam Hoyt's seat, and is being held the same day as the primary.  We are proud to support Buffalo City Council President David Franczyk for reelection. An ally in the passage of the city domestic partnership legislation, David Franczyk has been a friend to the LGBTQ community, and has pledged to be an advocate for our civil rights issues of gender non-discrimination and full marriage equality. Of note, Franczyk's only challenger in the primary is an anti-LGBTQ candidate, who has published hateful articles in area publications, which you may read here.  In the North District primary, Stonewall Democrats encourage a vote for Ken Phillips. An involved community activist and businessman, Ken Phillips brings a fresh, people-centered change to his district. A supporter of equality, Ken Phillips will be a representative for LGBTQ people in the City of Buffalo, working to improve the quality of life for us all. Mark Poloncarz for Erie County Executive 08/30/2011
 SDWNY is very excited to announce our endorsement of Mark Poloncarz for Erie County Executive. As Erie County Comptroller, Mark Poloncarz has not only shown his uncanny ability to be our independent taxpayer watchdog, but he has proven to be an incredible ally for the LGBTQ community in local government. “A solid progressive, Mark Poloncarz is simply put Erie County’s bright future,” said Bryan Ball, SDWNY President. “Mark’s support of civil rights has been firm, which is all the more important in a race such as this, against Erie County Executive Chris Collins.” County Executive Collins failed last year to sign into approval Legislator Maria Whyte’s resolution to amend the county’s Equal Employment Opportunity Policy to include LGBTQ people. The County Executive cited the fact that protections based on gender identity and expression were included in the resolution as his reason for not approving the resolution. Again as in past years for Erie County Comptroller, SDWNY is proud to support Mark Poloncarz because he is the right person for the job. Our current Erie County Executive has failed to enact civil rights laws and protections, fought to cut necessary government services such as our libraries and built an atrocious record on Erie County’s vibrant arts community, by decimating funding for our local arts economy. Mark Poloncarz is the person to correct each of these failures on Collins’ behalf. Mark Poloncarz will be a voice for all Erie County citizens—who will fight for government to protect and serve all our communities, whether we be LGBTQ, African-American, Hispanic, urban, suburban or any one person or community. Mark Poloncarz knows how to efficiently run government, and deliver the services our government provides in the best way for us all. SDWNY is proud to support him, and looks forward to his election as our next Erie County Executive. Photo: wnyprogress.org Maria Whyte for Erie County Clerk 08/30/2011
 With enormous pride, Stonewall Democrats of Western New York announces our endorsement of Maria Whyte for Erie County Clerk. As an Erie County Legislator, Maria Whyte has been one of the most productive, constant and outspoken advocates the LGBTQ community has in WNY government. As County Legislator, Maria Whyte has literally been at the front lines of the fight for civil rights, the working class, urban life and the improvement of government for all. Throughout her career in public service, Maria Whyte has delivered nothing but the most stellar services for all peoples in the communities she serves. In 2010, it was Maria Whyte who authored and fought for a LGBTQ-inclusive Equal Opportunity Employment policy, which was unanimously passed by the legislature. County Executive Collins refused to sign the resolution into the policy, failing to protect Erie County residents and taxpayers—failing at that which Maria Whyte has always exceled. “Maria Whyte has tirelessly fought for the people, for our civil rights and against what is wrong,” said SDWNY President Bryan Ball. “She will be a stellar County Clerk, who will use her skills and expertise to help bring people and their government closer—and more usefully—together. Stonewall is proud to support Maria Whyte. We look forward to the campaign ahead, and working together with Maria to elect one of our best advocates and friends as County Clerk.” |  Stonewall Democrats of Western New
York is the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and queer Democratic voice in western New York. Our mission is to advocate for the LGBTQ community within the WNY area government and the Democratic Party. Meeting Information We meet the fourth Tuesday of each month at: El Museo Gallery 91 Allen Street Buffalo, NY 14202-1320 at 7PM News Archives
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