PFLAG Queens Chapter
Parents, Families and Friends
of Lesbians and Gays
14th Annual Morty Manford Awardee
Dirk McCall, the President of the Stonewall Democratic Club of NYC, is a transplanted Southerner living in NYC
for over 15 years. Raised in a military family, Dirk grew up on Army bases throughout the South, though his
family hails from Central Tennessee and North Georgia. A 13 year resident of Astoria, in Western Queens, Dirk
was one of the Grand Marshalls for the 2005 Queens Pride Parade. A Board member of the Powhatan Democratic Club,
Dirk is also active with Astoria Kiwanis and a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Astoria. Dirk founded and
lead the LGBT Caucus of New York State Young Democrats, co-founded Out Astoria, a social organization for the
LGBT community in Astoria ( www.outastoria.com) and co-founded Drinking Liberally Steps Out, the monthly LGBT
drinking/networking social.
Professionally, Dirk serves as the Director of External Affairs for QSAC (Quality Services for the Autism Community),
the largest autism services agency in NYC. Dirk works to promote awareness of autism and advocates for increased
funding for the vital services needed by people with autism. Previously Dirk served for four years as the Chief
of Staff to NYC Council Member Alan Jay Gerson (District 1 – Lower Manhattan, including Ground Zero). Dirk was
one of the leaders in the fight to secure an additional 1.3 million for services for homeless LGBT Youth from
the New York City Council, served as the point person inside the Council for DASA (Dignity in All Schools Act),
which was introduced by his boss, Council Member Gerson, and helped spearhead the passage of a resolution calling
for the repeal of the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Policy.
Dirk has worked as a lobbyist for two firms, Capalino + Company and KZA (Kathy Zamechansky and Associates), where
he worked in the areas of nightlife, real estate development and health care, and where he honed his political
fundraising skills. He also worked for three years as the LGBT liaison and Community Affairs staff for Manhattan
Borough President C. Virginia Fields.
2nd Annual Brenda Howard Memorial Awardee
Tom Limoncelli is a 37 year old bi activist and organizer in New
Jersey. Raised and educated in New Jersey, Tom started his activism as
a student at Drew University (1987-1991) and went on to co-found the
organization now known as BiZone in 1991. He worked within the gay and
lesbian community to pass the New Jersey "gay rights" bill in 1991 and
was vice-president then president of the New Jersey Lesbian and Gay
Coalition (1994-1996).
He worked with Brenda Howard to keep alive the
notion to have a march on the United Nations to remember the 25th
Anniversary of Stonewall (1994). He was active with BiNet/USA from
1992 until 2000, including 4 years as inluding 4 years as Regional
Organizer where he co-founded the Tri-State Bisexual Conference. He
co-chaired or advised the conference in 1996, 1997, 1999, and 2000.
The conference is now the yearly Transcending Boundaries conference.
Now Tom considers himself semi-retired from activism, though he
coordinates Internet-based activism for NJLGC and teaches leadership
and time-management skills at conferences.
Outside of activism, Tom
has authored two books about computer system administration. Tom lives
in New Jersey and commutes every day to his job at Google's NYC
office.
Some of the workshops he teaches at conferences like Transcending Boundaries (TBC)
include "Time Management for Busy Activists", "Harnessing the power of your organization's website:
What non-technical activists should know!", and "Facilitating Groups Like a Superhero!".
This year's TBC was co-sponsored by PFLAG.
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 10/22/06 by LDN