GMHC Salutes NYS Senator Tom Duane

AIDS Walk New York 2011 GMHC commends State Senator Tom Duane for his 14 years of service in the NYS Senate, and his seven years of service in the NYC Council.  With his announcement that he will not seek re-election, GMHC will lose our powerful advocate and voice for the LGBT community and for people living with HIV/AIDS.  Senator Duane was the first openly gay man elected to the NYS Senate and the NYC Council, and the first openly HIV-positive person to serve in both bodies.     "Tom's courage and passion have resulted in societal transformation over the last 21 years," said Marjorie Hill, PhD, CEO of GMHC.  "His determination and hard work allowed him to achieve remarkable results, including securing the passage of marriage equality in New York State.  His voice has always been one that spoke up for fairness and to ensure equitable treatment of people living with HIV/AIDS and will be greatly missed in the Senate." Duane's leadership also led to a historic 2010 law that expanded HIV testing and now requires all medical providers to offer an HIV test to their patients.  Both of GMHC's locations are in Senator Duane's District which runs from the Upper West Side of Manhattan down to the Village, and includes Stuyvesant Town and much of the East Village.  "Tom has been a wonderful friend to GMHC and a personal hero.  We extend our gratitude for Tom's outstanding work for people affected with HIV/AIDS and leadership in the LGBT community. We also extend our best wishes for his next projects starting in 2013. He will continue to serve NYC well," added Hill.    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Photo by Adam Fredericks includes (from left to right): Assembly Member Richard Gottfried, Congressman Charles Rangel, CEO Marjorie Hill, PhD, Senator Tom Duane, Mondo Guerra, Jack Mackenroth, AWNY Founder, Craig Miller