Empire State Pride Agenda

|caption = The Empire State Pride Agenda logo

|caption = The Empire State Pride Agenda logo

|map = Map of USA NY.svg

|map = Map of USA NY.svg

|msize = 225px

|map_size = 225px

|mcaption = [[United States|U.S.]] State of [[New York (state)|New York]]

|map_caption = [[United States|U.S.]] State of [[New York (state)|New York]]

|area_served=[[New York (state)|New York]]

|region_served=[[New York (state)|New York]]

|mission =

|mission =

|type =

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|tax_id =

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|revenue =

|revenue =

|location = [[New York City]], [[New York (state)|New York]]

|location = [[New York City]], [[New York (state)|New York]]

|founded_date = [[1990 in LGBT rights|1990]]

|founded = [[1990 in LGBT rights|1990]]

|dissolved = {{end date and age|2015|12|13}}

|dissolved = {{end date and age|2015|12|13}}

|key_people = Nathan M. Schaefer, [[executive director]]

|key_people = Nathan M. Schaefer, [[executive director]]

|num_employees =

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|homepage =

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}}

}}

The '''Empire State Pride Agenda''' ('''ESPA''') was a statewide political advocacy organization in [[New York (state)|New York]] that advocated for [[lesbian]], [[gay]], [[bisexual]], and [[transgender]] ([[LGBTQ]]) rights, including [[same-sex marriage]]. ESPA has since disbanded after an [[executive order]] was passed by Governor [[Andrew Cuomo]] which protects the rights of transgender citizens as long as future governors uphold the law.{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/13/nyregion/empire-state-pride-agenda-to-disband-citing-fulfillment-of-its-mission.html | title=Empire State Pride Agenda to Disband, Citing Fulfillment of Its Mission | work=The New York Times | date=2015-12-12 | access-date=2015-01-16 | author=McKinley, Jesse}} ESPA was founded in 1990 through the merger of the New York State Gay and Lesbian Lobby and the Friends and Advocates for Individual Rights.Hellman, Ronald E. and Jack Drescher, Handbook of LGBT Issues in Community Mental Health, Volume 8, Issues 3–4 of Journal of Gay & Lesbian Psychotherapy, Psychology Press, 2005, {{ISBN|0-7890-2310-5}}, {{ISBN|978-0-7890-2310-0}}, pages 6–7."Transitions", page 19, ''The Advocate'', April 2, 1996. ESPA was considered the leading gay political organization in the State of New York before it disbanded.Buchanan, Angela Marie and Bay Buchanan, The extreme makeover of Hillary (Rodham) Clinton, Regnery Publishing, 2007, {{ISBN|1-59698-507-0}}, {{ISBN|978-1-59698-507-0}}, page 145-6. As of 2005, ESPA was the largest statewide lesbian and gay political advocacy and civil rights organization in the United States.Greg Hernandez, "Growing the Grass Roots", page 35-7, ''The Advocate'', July 19, 2005.

The '''Empire State Pride Agenda''' ('''ESPA''') was a statewide political advocacy organization in [[New York (state)|New York]] that advocated for [[lesbian]], [[gay]], [[bisexual]], and [[transgender]] ([[LGBTQ]]) rights, including [[same-sex marriage]]. ESPA has since disbanded after an [[executive order]] was passed by Governor [[Andrew Cuomo]] which protects the rights of transgender citizens as long as future governors uphold the law.{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/13/nyregion/empire-state-pride-agenda-to-disband-citing-fulfillment-of-its-mission.html | title=Empire State Pride Agenda to Disband, Citing Fulfillment of Its Mission | work=The New York Times | date=2015-12-12 | access-date=2015-01-16 | author=McKinley, Jesse}} ESPA was founded in 1990 through the merger of the New York State Gay and Lesbian Lobby and the Friends and Advocates for Individual Rights.Hellman, Ronald E. and Jack Drescher, Handbook of LGBT Issues in Community Mental Health, Volume 8, Issues 3–4 of Journal of Gay & Lesbian Psychotherapy, Psychology Press, 2005, {{ISBN|0-7890-2310-5}}, {{ISBN|978-0-7890-2310-0}}, pages 6–7."Transitions", page 19, ''The Advocate'', April 2, 1996. ESPA was considered the leading gay political organization in the State of New York before it disbanded.Buchanan, Angela Marie and Bay Buchanan, The extreme makeover of Hillary (Rodham) Clinton, Regnery Publishing, 2007, {{ISBN|1-59698-507-0}}, {{ISBN|978-1-59698-507-0}}, page 145-6. As of 2005, ESPA was the largest statewide lesbian and gay political advocacy and civil rights organization in the United States.Greg Hernandez, "Growing the Grass Roots", page 35-7, ''The Advocate'', July 19, 2005.

On December 2, 2009, ESPA-supported same-sex marriage legislation failed in the New York State Senate by a vote of 24–38.{{cite web|url=http://www.ny1.com/content/news_beats/politics/108803/survey |title=POLITICS – All Boroughs |publisher=NY1 |access-date=2014-01-15 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150211022653/http://www.ny1.com/content/news_beats/politics/108803/survey |archive-date=2015-02-11 }}

On December 2, 2009, ESPA-supported same-sex marriage legislation failed in the New York State Senate by a vote of 24–38.{{cite web|url=http://www.ny1.com/content/news_beats/politics/108803/survey |title=POLITICS – All Boroughs |publisher=NY1 |access-date=2014-01-15 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150211022653/http://www.ny1.com/content/news_beats/politics/108803/survey |archive-date=2015-02-11 }}

On May 14, 2010, a ''[[New York Times]]'' blog{{cite web |url=http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/05/14/gay-rights-group-to-choose-a-new-leader/#more-173369 |title=Gay Rights Group to Choose a New Leader |last=Peters |first=Jeremy W |website=The New York Times |date=May 14, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100517023114/http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/05/14/gay-rights-group-to-choose-a-new-leader/ |archive-date=May 17, 2010 |access-date=March 28, 2021}} reported that ESPA was "poised to select" [[Brian Ellner]] as its next executive director. It was later reported that Ellner's past affiliation with [[Michael Bloomberg]] had been criticized by some ESPA supporters; for whatever reason, he withdrew his name from consideration,{{cite web |url=http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/02/former-bloomberg-aide-to-go-after-opponents-of-gay-marriage/ |title=Former Bloomberg Aide to Take On Opponents of Gay Marriage |first=Michael |last=Barbaro |date=July 2, 2010 |website=The New York Times |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100703183453/http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/02/former-bloomberg-aide-to-go-after-opponents-of-gay-marriage/ |archive-date=July 3, 2010 |access-date=March 28, 2021}} and on the 22nd ESPA instead announced appointing Ross D. Levi, an attorney, to the position. Levi had been a legislative assistant at the [[New York State Legislature]] starting in 1997 and part of ESPA's [[Albany, New York|Albany]] staff since before 2000, and since 2006 had held its title as Director of Public Policy & Education.{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/07/nyregion/new-yorks-marriage-battle-won-gay-rights-group-fires-its-director.html |title=Gay Rights Group Fires Chief, Central in Marriage Fight |first=Kate |last=Taylor |website=The New York Times |date=March 6, 2012 |access-date=March 28, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111225107/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/07/nyregion/new-yorks-marriage-battle-won-gay-rights-group-fires-its-director.html |archive-date=November 11, 2020}}{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWpYaGVGAVc |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/SWpYaGVGAVc |archive-date=2021-12-15 |url-status=live|title=Ross Levi at Empire State Pride Agenda 2010 Fall Dinner |date=October 16, 2010 |publisher=Prideagender |website=YouTube |access-date=March 28, 2021}}{{cbignore}}

On May 14, 2010, a ''[[New York Times]]'' blog{{cite web |url=http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/05/14/gay-rights-group-to-choose-a-new-leader/#more-173369 |title=Gay Rights Group to Choose a New Leader |last=Peters |first=Jeremy W |website=The New York Times |date=May 14, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100517023114/http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/05/14/gay-rights-group-to-choose-a-new-leader/ |archive-date=May 17, 2010 |access-date=March 28, 2021}} reported that ESPA was "poised to select" [[Brian Ellner]] as its next executive director. It was later reported that Ellner's past affiliation with [[Michael Bloomberg]] had been criticized by some ESPA supporters; for whatever reason, he withdrew his name from consideration,{{cite web |url=http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/02/former-bloomberg-aide-to-go-after-opponents-of-gay-marriage/ |title=Former Bloomberg Aide to Take On Opponents of Gay Marriage |first=Michael |last=Barbaro |date=July 2, 2010 |website=The New York Times |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100703183453/http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/02/former-bloomberg-aide-to-go-after-opponents-of-gay-marriage/ |archive-date=July 3, 2010 |access-date=March 28, 2021}} and on the 22nd ESPA instead announced appointing Ross D. Levi, an attorney, to the position. Levi had been a legislative assistant at the [[New York State Legislature]] starting in 1997 and part of ESPA's [[Albany, New York|Albany]] staff since before 2000, and since 2006 had held its title as Director of Public Policy & Education.{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/07/nyregion/new-yorks-marriage-battle-won-gay-rights-group-fires-its-director.html |title=Gay Rights Group Fires Chief, Central in Marriage Fight |first=Kate |last=Taylor |website=The New York Times |date=March 6, 2012 |access-date=March 28, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111225107/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/07/nyregion/new-yorks-marriage-battle-won-gay-rights-group-fires-its-director.html |archive-date=November 11, 2020}}{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWpYaGVGAVc |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/SWpYaGVGAVc |archive-date=2021-12-15 |url-status=live|title=Ross Levi at Empire State Pride Agenda 2010 Fall Dinner |date=October 16, 2010 |publisher=Prideagender |website=YouTube |access-date=March 28, 2021}}{{cbignore}}

On July 2, another reporter reported (on the same NYT blog) Ellner's appointment to head the "Campaign for New York Marriage", financed by [[Human Rights Campaign]].

On July 2, another reporter reported (on the same NYT blog) Ellner's appointment to head the "Campaign for New York Marriage", financed by [[Human Rights Campaign]].