PFLAG Queens Chapter
Parents, Families and Friends
of Lesbians and Gays





22nd Annual Morty Manford Awardee


Fred Anguera Fred Anguera has been an active volunteer since he was a teenager for organizations including Body Positive, GMHC AIDS Walk and United Cerebral Palsy. His work fighting for equal marriage rights began in 2007 with an all-volunteer grassroots organization called Marriage Equality New York (or MENY). With his knowledge of film production and editing, he began filming the rallies and protests he attended and interviewed other activists to gather information for public service announcements he put together for MENY. Fred quickly became a community organizer for his district in Astoria (district 12), rallying members of the community and organizing meetings in the district and in Albany.

In addition to his efforts with MENY, Fred’s volunteer work was extended to a more localized organization in 2009 when Western Queens For Marriage Equality (or WQFME) formed in response to district 12’s State Senator George Onorato’s refusal to support his heavily populated LGBTQ district on the issue. Fred volunteered for rallies, canvassing, petitioning and protests… all of which did not budge the Senator’s “no” vote in 2009. However, becoming a board member for MENY’s Political Action Committee (or MENY PAC) during that same year, the PAC was able to fundraise for supportive Senators not only in Queens and across New York State.

In May 2011, while tensions were running high before the imminent marriage equality vote, Fred and MENY’s Executive Director Ron Zacchi set out on a month-long tour across New York State. Fred and Ron walked over 200 miles and biked about 400 miles rallying in communities along the way, phone banking with other districts and getting a lot of press for the cause, especially in upstate and western New York.

After the marriage equality vote passed in June 2011, Fred took a rest from volunteering and got married himself.

Shortly thereafter, he began editing together the marriage equality footage he compiled over the years into a feature length educational documentary called History In The Making: The Marriage Equality New York Archives 2007-2014. In 2014 Fred held private screenings to fundraise for the national organization that MENY merged into called Marriage Equality USA (or MEUSA). MEUSA has successfully continued the national push for marriage equality.

As of 2015, Fred is still using the film for education and fundraising and is submitting to various film festivals in hopes of educating a wider audience on the importance of marriage equality and the democratic process. Fred is honored to receive the prestigious Morty Manford Award.



18th Annual Carmel Tavadia Memorial Awardee


photo of Toby Stavisky

Toby Ann Stavisky, the first woman from Queens elected to the State Senate and the first woman to Chair the Committee on Higher Education, is a native New Yorker. She graduated from the Bronx High School of Science, and Syracuse University, which she attended on an academic scholarship. Mrs. Stavisky taught Social Studies in the New York City high schools and served as District Manager for the census.

Senator Stavisky has been honored by many organizations including the Queens Interagency Council on the Aging, the New York Humane Society, The New York Branch of the NAACP, Flushing Chinese Business Association and the Lesbian Gay Democratic Club of Queens.

From 2003 to 2008, Senator Stavisky served as Assistant Minority Whip. In 2009-10 she was Chairwoman of the Committee on Higher Education. Currently she holds a leadership position in the Senate as Assistant Democratic Leader and Ranking Member on the Senate's Committee on Higher Education.

The former Toby Ann Goldhaar was married to Dr. Leonard Stavisky, a university professor, who served in the New York State Assembly and New York State Senate until his death in June of 1999. She has one son, Evan, who is married to Kristen Zebrowski.

Senator Toby Ann Stavisky was first elected to the Senate on November 2, 1999, and has subsequently been re-elected eight times. The Senator resides in Forest Hills..




10th Annual Brenda Howard Memorial Awardee


photo of BHMA Winner Estraven brings her more than 34 years experience as a clinical therapist to members of the LGBT community on a daily basis where she focuses particularly on the bi and trans populations , which tend to remain underserved segments of the LGBT community. A graduate of Fordham University, Estraven is a frequent speaker and guest lecturer to graduate students, professional organizations and health professionals on bisexual issues including suicide intervention and prevention.

Currently a Board Member Emeritus of BiNet USA , Estraven is also an affiliate of the New York Area Bisexual Network, the founder and curator the Bi History Project on Facebook and an active author and editorial watchdog combating biphobia and particularly the misconceptions existing about bisexual Mixed Orientation Marriages in the media.

In 2006 Estaven founded a bisexual discussion and meeting group at Westchester's The LOFT LGBT community center and continues to facilitate the weekly group. In 2010 Estraven was honored by being asked to attend President Obama 's Pride Reception at the White House.

Estraven's community awareness and activism stretches back to 1967 when she first marched, in protest, on the Pentagon. In spite of her many accomplishments Estraven is perhaps best known within the bi community as a combination of ongoing thought leader and someone willing to roll up her sleeves and help others bring their projects to life, as she has done recently consulting on major bisexual publications .

Estraven currently practices therapy and resides in Westchester County with her husband.





Other Information

We also have an ad journal and YOUR AD DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
For more information regarding our celebration ad journal, see our ad journal webpage at http://www.pflag-queens.org/journal.html



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Last updated 1/18/15 by LDN