Jonathan Lucas Elected Board Chair of Hudson Pride Connections Center
Jonathan Lucas Elected Board Chair of Hudson Pride Connections Center
Hudson County’s LGBT Center Positioned for Growth
JERSEY CITY – Hudson Pride Connections Center announced today that Jonathan Lucas has been elected to chair the organization’s Board of Directors, succeeding Liz Edman. Lucas has served the organization for almost three years, both as a board member and as Interim Executive Director from October 2011 to August 2012.
Edman’s relationship to Hudson Pride extends back to its founding in 1993. She has stepped down from the board to attend to several important changes in her life, including a significantly increased role at her church, All Saints Episcopal in Hoboken, where she has recently been named Associate Rector.
“It has been an honor to serve the LGBT community through Hudson Pride,” said Edman. “We have been planning this transition for months, and the time is now. Jonathan is a proven and capable leader who has terrific ideas for growing the board, developing our fundraising, and strengthening the Center.”
With Edman as board chair, Hudson Pride solidified its leadership of the annual LGBT Pride festival at Exchange Place and conducted a national search that led to the hiring of W. Jeffrey Campbell as Executive Director last fall.
Lucas said, “Liz has played a major role in preparing Hudson Pride for significant growth. We will miss her presence, but will always be appreciative for her many years of service and contributions. We wish her the very best.”
Hudson Pride is a home and voice for the diverse LGBTQ community and our allies that advocates for our physical, mental, social and political well-being. We create safe and vibrant spaces to gather and celebrate our lives.
Over the Rainbow – Hudson Pride Has New Executive Director
From Hudson Reporter – Jersey City Magazine
Friday, April 5, 2013
Back in the day, gay people found one another through a kind of underground GPS. Word would get around that there was a party at a private home, and when you arrived, the place would be packed. It was fun, but times have changed.
A robust marriage-equality movement has brought same-sex marriage to nine states and the District of Columbia. Though our sister states in the Tri-State area—Connecticut and New York—have legalized same-sex marriage, our own state lags behind.
That puts the focus on New Jersey—and Hudson County’s gay community in particular—which is right across the river from New York’s. On October 31, 2011, Nancy Caamaño, executive director, Hudson Pride Connections Center, stepped down. She had served the organization—at 32 Jones St. in Journal Square—in various capacities since 2006. At that time, Board Treasurer Jonathan Lucas stepped in as interim executive director.
Enter W. Jeffrey Campbell, who came all the way from Houston to take the helm of the center, which serves the needs of the LGBT community in Hudson County. How did Campbell end up in Hudson County? His partner was working in higher education in New Jersey, so it made sense for Campbell to become a “trailing spouse.”
See full story here: Hudson Reporter – PEOPLE POWER JCM Over the Rainbow Hudson Pride has a new executive director
Jersey City Gay Group Quizzes Mayor on Running Mate
From The Jersey Journal via NJ.com
March 19, 2013
Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy was peppered with questions about a running mate’s belief system last week at a campaign stop intended to attract lesbian and gay votes.
The Rev. Mario Gonzalez is running to be councilman in the Heights on Healy’s ticket. Gonzalez is a minister in the Assemblies of God Church, which among other teachings preaches that homosexuality is a sin and a choice that can be treated.
The Assemblies of God church also calls abortion “evil” and dubs feminism “an organized platform to degrade, bash, and hate men.”
Several people raised questions about Gonzalez’s beliefs last Tuesday at a meeting hosted by members of the city’s LGBT community at the Hudson Pride Connections Center on Jones Street.
‘Here’s to Life’ Exhibit Celebrates Perseverance in Face of HIV/AIDS for World AIDS Day
From Jersey City Independent
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
“When I was younger, HIV and AIDS were viewed as a death sentence. Now, most people don’t see it that way anymore.”
32 Jones Gallery Curator Ricardo Osmondo Francis says that the Hudson Pride art center’s upcoming exhibit, “Here’s to Life,” is a poetic celebration of perseverance, not a “morbid or depressing” look at the conditions.
In time for World AIDS Day, Dec. 1, “Here’s to Life” will feature works by several local artists including Francis himself, who has acrylic and mixed-media collage pieces in the show.
Hudson Pride Connections Center Welcoming New Executive Director, W. Jeffrey Campbell
From Jersey City Independent
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
After months of searching, the Hudson Pride Connections Center has finally found someone to take the reins of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community center.
W. Jeffrey Campbell, a 46-year-old pastor and LGBTQ activist who recently relocated to Milltown in Middlesex County from Houston, will be the center’s new executive director as it moves into 2013, its 20th year of serving Hudson County.
Jersey City’s LGBT population celebrates at 12th Annual Hudson Pride Festival
From NJ.com/The Jersey Journal
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Hundreds came out to Exchange Place in Jersey City this afternoon to celebrate the city’s LGBT community at the 12th Annual Hudson Pride Festival.
The event featured food, vendors, and live entertainment, which included drag queens Harmonica Sunbeam and Lady Miranda emceeing the event, as well as performances by artists from all-girl rock group the Aster Pheonyx Project and R&B singer Damien Crawford.
Aug. 18 Hudson Pride in Jersey City Is on, Without Parade
From Edge on the Net
Sunday, August 12, 2012
On August 18, New Jersey’s gay community will gather at the waterfront in Jersey City for Hudson Pride. Despite the disbanding of the group that formerly organized the event, Hudson Pride Connections Center stepped in to make sure the annual festival would still be held at Exchange Place, although without the traditional parade.
PRIDE 365, The Hudson County, NJ LGBT Festival
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 9, 3012 |
Contact: Jonathan Lucas jonathanlucas@hudsonpride.org 201.963.4779, extension 112 |
PRIDE 365, THE HUDSON COUNTY, NJ LGBT FESTIVAL, SATURDAY AUGUST 18, 2012
JERSEY CITY, NJ – The 12th Annual Hudson County LGBT Pride Festival will take place from noon to 7 p.m. on Saturday, August 18 2012 at Exchange Place Plaza in Jersey City, NJ.
The Hudson Pride Festival is organized by Hudson Pride Connections Center. Jonathan Lucas, interim Executive Director of Hudson Pride Connections Center, said, “The 2012 festival theme is ‘PRIDE 365.’ The theme highlights the Hudson County LGBT community’s commitment to show our pride every day of the year. And at Hudson Pride, it also points up our commitment to serving our community all year long.”
This year’s celebration will focus on highlighting the diversity and contributions of the LGBT community & allies through vendors, presentations and performances at the Exchange Place Festival. There will be no parade from City Hall. Hosting this year’s festival are the wildly popular and renowned illusionists Harmonica Sunbeam and Lady Marisa with music by DJ Frank Lamboy.
In addition to the festival, Hudson County and Jersey City will be honoring LGBT Pride by raising rainbow flags at the Brennan Courthouse on Monday, August 13th at 5:30pm; and at City Hall on Wednesday, August 15th at 3:30pm.
These events are open to the public. There is a $5 suggested donation for the August 18th Pride Festival.
For more information and to see a complete listing of entertainers, vendors and events go to www.hudsonpride.org .
Hudson Pride Connections Center, a 501c3 community benefit organization founded in 1993, exists to bridge the gap in services and respond to the unmet needs of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, & transgender community, as well as HIV positive people of any orientation or identity, through supportive social services, prevention, outreach, advocacy and trainings for other service providers, to educate, empower, and unite all of our communities. For more information, visit: www.hudsonpride.org.
LGBT Prom a Safe Haven
From The New York View
Thursday, July 12, 2012
“MAN/kind” – A Group Exhibition
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE JULY 5, 2012 |
Contact: Jonathan Lucas jonathanlucas@hudsonpride.org 201.963.4779, extension 112 |
Hudson Pride Connections Center presents “MAN/kind”,
a group exhibition exploring the meaning of masculinity through art
JERSEY CITY – The Hudson Pride Connections Center will be presenting ”MAN/kind” in partnership with local mixed media artist and curator Ricardo Osmondo Francis from July 18, 2012 through August 31, 2012. “MAN/kind” features the works of several male artists who explore, redefine, and challenge the standard social definitions of masculinity. Throughout the ages, individuals within society have placed a premium on masculinity; therefore making it complicated for those of the “male” sex to live up to what is typically expected of them. Artists in this exhibit include: Jermaine D. Clark (photography), David Antonio Cruz (video), Ricardo Osmondo Francis (painting), Edwin Gonzalez-Ojeda (painting), Shaun El C. Leonardo (drawing and installation), Ricardo Louis (photography), Ivan Monforte (photography), Levan Mindiashivilli (painting), Cristian Tonhaiser (photography), and Mark Vinsun (painting). These artists investigate this complex subject matter in a variety of intriguing ways while expressing what masculinity means to them individually.
“MAN/kind” will run until Friday August 31, 2012 at the Hudson Pride Connection Center. Gallery hours are Tuesday – Friday from 11 AM – 6 PM. For more information about this exhibit you may visit www.hudsonpride.org and/or contact Ricardo Francis at 917-279-5576 of rfrancis9876@gmail.com.
“This exhibit is another step in the Hudson Pride Center’s overall plan to provide greater support and cultural services to the residents of Jersey City and Hudson County. We are very excited to be partnering with Ricardo Francis and the other local artists to raise awareness about the vast talent in our community,” said Jonathan Lucas, Interim Executive Director of the Hudson Pride Connections Center.
Opening reception with the artists on Wednesday, July 18 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the Hudson Pride Connections Center, 32 Jones Street, Jersey City, NJ 07306. 201-963-4779 is free to the public.
Please refer to Hudson Pride Connections Center Website www.hudsonpride.org for updates.
Hudson Pride Connections Center, a 501c3 nonprofit community benefit organization founded in 1993 exists to bridge the gap in services and respond to the unmet needs of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, & transgender community, as well as HIV positive people of any orientation / identity. Hudson Pride provides supportive social, prevention, outreach, advocacy services and development trainings for other service providers to educate, empower, and unite all of our communities.###
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