Carmel Tavadia Memorial Award Information


Carmel Tavadia was a fighter for what she believed in. She was the mother of two sons. One of her sons is gay. He came out to his mom when he was just 17. She was totally uninformed about the gay community and homosexually except for what Catholic Church dogma taught. She decided to learn ~ and learn she did. She knew and loved her gay son and wanted to support him.

She found PFLAG and got involved. Within a short time, she came into the leadership of the Queens chapter as its president. She became a spokesperson for gay rights. Carmel found it difficult to reconcile church teaching with what she knew her son to be. As long as her failing health and strength would allow, she continued to be a voice for education and advocacy for her son and all of our children.

The Carmel Tavadia Award recognizes outstanding work and support of true family values by an individual or organization.



Previous Recipients

1997 Amy and Dick Ashworth
1998 Selma and Mark Mones
1999 Anne J. Quashen
2000 Brendan Fay and Ellen Duncan
2001 Annette and Tony Pumo
2002 Naomi and Hil Kressner
2003 Michael Cohen, NY State Assemblyman
2004 Phyllis Steinberg and Audrey Gallagher
2005 Hon. Melinda Katz, New York City Councilwoman, 29th District.
2006 No awardee selected
2007 José R. Peralta, NYS Assemblyman 39th, Queens Assembly District
2008 Laura Cadorette, of the Queens Lesbian and Gay Pride Committee 
2009 Gary A. Maffei
2010 Andrew Ronan 
2011 Kathleen and Stanley Rygor
2012 Hank Krumholz  
2013 Will Harrell 
2014 Hon. Toby Stavisky
2015 David Kilmnick
2016 Out Rockaway
2017 Abby Maisonave
2018 Gloria_Valentin 
2019 Bibiana Parecki
2020 Liz de Jesus
2021 Hernan Poza



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Last updated 7/22/2023 by LDN