Queens Courier: Dromm Leads ‘St. Pat’s For All’ Parade

From The Queens Courier: By Camille Bautista

Shamrocks and green streamers blew in the wind alongside rainbow flags, as Queens celebrated its 11th annual St. Pat’s For All Parade & Fair in Sunnyside and Woodside.

Gays, lesbians, Latinos, Tibetans, Native Americans, Haitians, and many more diverse organizations came out on Sunday March 7 and joined Queens’ Irish community to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in an all-inclusive parade. Created in 2000 as an alternative to the Fifth Avenue ceremonies, which do not allow gays to participate, this parade welcomes all with the theme of “cherishing all children of the nation equally.”

“Our St Pat’s For All 2010 is a generous coming together of businesses, communities and musicians who for a few hours turn the streets of Sunnyside and Woodside into an ‘Ireland of the welcomes,’” said Brendan Fay, co-founder and co-chair of the parade. “Hospitality is at the heart of this inclusive St. Patrick’s celebration, which welcomes the diverse immigrant communities of Queens, as well as gay contingents.”

he ceremonies opened with Native American and Catholic prayers. The grand marshal, Councilmember Daniel Dromm, was joined by political and community leaders draped in Irish flags and beads, including Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Councilmember Jimmy Van Bramer, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, Council Speaker Christine Quinn, and Comptroller John Liu.

From 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., participants marched from 43rd Street along Skillman Avenue to 61st Street and Woodside Avenue, carrying banners, playing bagpipes, beating conga drums and dancing in cultural costumes. The number of participants doubled from last year, according to Fay. Among the organizations were Dignity USA, a group for gay, lesbian, and transgender Catholics, the Keltic Dreams Irish Dancers – a group of black, Latino and South Asian students from P.S. 59 in the Bronx, and the San Simon Bolivian dance group.

“It’s something different and new, something exciting to get involved in,” said Denise Jones, Social Director of the South Queens Boys and Girls Club, an organization that has been marching in the parade for the past three years. “The kids really enjoy it and we’ve made it a part of us, something that we do every year.”

Mexican organizations also showed their support, as they honor Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Irishmen who helped Mexico fight against U.S. invasion in the 1800s.

“We like to march in this parade every year because it is fun and something good to be a part of,” said Patricia Hernandez, president of the Comite Civico Mexicano and creator of the first Mexican Day Parade in Manhattan.

Though faced with a few protestors in the sea of green spectators, many felt and considered this celebration a stepping stone in progress towards an all-embracing future.

“We’ve always been angry that the parade in the city has not allowed gay people to march openly,” said Sherry Rogers, secretary of the Brooklyn-Queens Chapter of the National Organization for Women. “This is everything that we stand for, a parade that is open to everybody where people are able to express themselves.”

NY1: Dromm Stresses Unity at St. Pat's For All Parade

From NY1: By CeFaan Kim

Sunday was the perfect day for the 11th annual St. Patrick’s For All Parade.

"You get to celebrate and there's music and everything. And you get to jump around and stuff!" said one parade-goer.

Whether New Yorkers came for the dancing or for the music, the St. Patrick’s For All Parade offered something different, as it was specifically created to include the gay community.

"Members from the LGBT Irish community were excluded from other St. Patrick's celebrations, in fact in all the other boroughs,” said parade co-founder Brendan Fay.

And what would a parade be without politicians? Christine Quinn, is the city's first openly-gay council speaker. She's also proud of her Irish heritage.

"Real Irish folks want to celebrate and embrace diversity,” she said.

"It is an inclusive parade and I for one believe that parades should be open to everyone,” added Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

"My family landed here in Sunnyside 150 years ago and in those days there were signs that said 'Irish need not apply,'” said Councilman Daniel Dromm, a co-founder of the parade. “Unfortunately today we have this fight within our own community."

Not everyone agrees with message of the parade's organizers. A handful of protestors did turn out to voice their opposition.

The parade is always held weeks before the bigger Manhattan St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which will be marching up Fifth Avenue on March 17th.

Irish Echo: Dromm, Lanning, to lead Queens parade

From Irish Echo: By Irish Echo Staff

Recently elected New York City Council member Daniel Dromm, and community organizer Mary Lanning, are grand marshals for the annual Inclusive St. Patrick's Parade in Queens this Sunday, March 7. Mayor Michael Bloomberg and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn are also expected to march.

The parade, also known as the "St Pat's For All" parade, begins at 43rd Street and Skillman Ave. in Sunnyside and ends at 61st St. in Woodside.

"Our St. Pat's for All 2010 is a generous coming together of businesses, communities and musicians who for a few hours turn the streets of Sunnyside and Woodside into an Ireland of the welcomes," said parade organizer Brendan Fay.

Dromm, he said "is the New York City Council's only openly gay Spanish-speaking Irish American."

New groups in this year's parade include members of the Chilean community who will use the event to raise awareness of their country's recent earthquake and tsunami tragedies. Also in focus will be Irish patriot Roger Casement for his humanitarian work in Africa and South America.

Queens Gazette: Dromm Addresses Community Board 3

From Western Queens Gazette: by Thomas Cogan

Community Board 3’s first meeting of 2010 at the board’s usual meeting place, I.S. 227, the Louis Armstrong School in Corona, three politicians introduced themselves and talked. A spokesman for a local ambulance service sought letters of approval for a plan that would expand its territory. There was a new election of board officers. Near the end of the meeting, there was word of a proposal to build an elementary school, while the MTA proposal to eliminate free transit fare for students was not appreciated.

City Councilmember Daniel Dromm was the first politician to the front of the room. New to political office, he first defeated incumbent Helen Sears in a primary race for nomination to the City Council’s 25th district seat then won the November election, where, he acknowledged, his share of the vote was 75 percent. Just after being inaugurated, he was named head of the council Immigration Committee.

Dromm has a 25-year background teaching in city schools and spoke first of educational matters. He noted that the local problem of overcrowded classrooms would be allayed considerably if an arrangement could be effected for public school students to fill 700 seats at the now closed Blessed Sacrament elementary school at 34-20 94th St. “It would be like getting a new school,” he said. He praised the Renaissance Charter School, a K-12 school that has operated at 35-59 81st St. for nearly a decade. Turning to another critical area, he deplored the healthcare situation since the recent closing of three Queens hospitals, saying the closings have had a particularly severe impact on Elmhurst Medical Center, where people in need of treatment often must wait nine or 10 hours just to be admitted. He said that several primary care centers are needed locally, and added that he and Congressmember Joseph Crowley have been trying to gain funds from the federal stimulus package, which might be used toward getting some of those centers.

He said that day laborers, widely seen as a great problem in the vicinity of Roosevelt Avenue, should instead be seen as those “least amongst us” that he learned about in his Catholic youth. Allowing that they have caused some problems, he said that they need community centers to address their situation of being unattached to just about anything. He praised the closing from time to time of 78th Street to make it a play street for children, hailing Board 3 Member Ed Westley for his part in bringing it about. Considering the number of local restaurants, he said that Jackson Heights should stage something like Atlantic Antic in Brooklyn’s Atlantic Avenue neighborhoods. He concluded by saying: “The strength of our community is the diversity of our community.”

Queens Chronicle: Dromm Gets Top Committee Assignments

From Queens Chronicle: By Michael Lanza

City Council Member Daniel Dromm was elected to serve as Chair of the Immigration Committee. Dromm will also serve on these committees: Education; Cultural Affairs, Libraries, and International Intergroup Relations; Juvenile Justice; Parks; and Veterans.