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Some S.V.A. "Stonewall Symposium" Panelists [Photo by Jeremiah Newton] is the attention-getting headline that the STONEWALL Veterans' Association ("S.V.A.") asks at the top of the S.V.A.'s annual "Stonewall Symposium" flyers. These popular S.V.A. symposiums are unique opportunities for the community to personally meet and greet actual veterans of the 1969 Stonewall Rebellion -- which ignited the entire Gay Rights Movement. We have a panel of several Stonewall Vetz on stage, all members of the S.V.A., who individually relate their own "Stonewall" experiences for about several minutes each. Then, we have a very interesting and always unique questions and answers session. The S.V.A. also have more Stonewall Vetz seated in the "reserved" front row. The symposium event is hosted by a different prominent Gay celebrity each year. Last year, 1996, it was moderated by "Stonewall" author, Martin S. Duberman, who thoroughly enjoyed it. Martin publicly stated to Williamson Henderson that he was so inspired by the S.V.A. symposium as to maybe do a sequel to his book "Stonewall"! Pictured above (l-2-r) are: Jim "The Rat" Fouratt (a very shady subject of the "Stonewall" book); S.V.A. Vice-President and symposium organizer Williamson Henderson, who was also the Stonewall vet consultant on the movie "Stonewall", based on Martin Duberman's book "Stonewall"; Sylvia Rae Rivera, also a subject of the book "Stonewall" and a member of the S.V.A. Executive Committee; and Randy Wicker, an interview cameo in the movie "Stonewall" giving a "Stonewall Testimonial" (as arranged for him by Williamson) and also an S.V.A. Executive Committeee member. The event was held at the New York City Gay Community Services Center at 212 West 13 Street in Manhattan on Friday evening, June 20, 1997. "King" Stormé DeLarverie was also a Stonewall vet panelist as well as being S.V.A.'s Ambassador and Chief-of-Security. The S.V.A. historically charged the same admission that the original Stonewall Club charged 27 years earlier on weekends, that is, $3. The S.V.A. allowed P.W.A.'s and indigent Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender ("GLBT") people in for free -- something that the mafia-operated Stonewall Club would never have done, regardless of the person's status. The full-house audience was enthralled; many asked for autographs of some of the Stonewall Vetz and many took photographs.
Judge Karen Burstein with some Stonewall Veterans Panelists [Photo by Dario Modon] In addition to prior years 1994, 1995 and 1996, after this 1997 event, the S.V.A. continued and consistenty held the "Stonewall Symposiums" in each of the following years: 1998 (at the Stonewall Club), 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * "Stonewall Symposium XXXIV" (2003) Update: The next scheduled S.V.A. "Stonewall Symposium XXXIV", celebrating the 34th anniversary of the breaking-down-doors (not literally) 1969 Stonewall Rebellion, is: Friday, June 20, 2003. It will be the "same time, same place" at the G.L.B.T. Community Center at 212 West 13 Street off Seventh Avenue in Manhattan, New York, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. There will be a diverse, half-dozen Stonewall Vetz panelists plus many more in the front row. We will have our always interesting and lively "Questions and Answers Session" from the audience and the media. The S.V.A.'s current President, Jeremiah Newton, will be the S.V.A. representative co-moderator (as he was in 1995 and 1997). The special celebrity Gay person moderator has not yet been revealed. The S.V.A. allows cameras at our event. It is an event to photograph. It's no longer the mostly "closet case" 1970s when most Gays ran at the sight of a camera. The S.V.A. will have the symposium videographed. You may also bring food and beverages. Several previous Stonewall Veteran panelists of the S.V.A. over the years are no longer living such as Ivana Valentin (1998) and Sylvia Rivera (2002). Mark the "Stonewall Symposium" date on your calendar or in your datebook!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * In 2004, the S.V.A. held its annual "Stonewall Symposium" at New York University later in the year on October 5th in collaboration with the N.Y.U. Gay Student Union. Jeremiah Newton made the arrangements for the event directly with the N.Y.U. student group. Williamson Henderson arranged for the guest modeartor, Tim Nieman, a lively candidate for the New York Senate. The Stonewall panelist trio (the students only wanted three) included SVA-ers Williamson, President; Bill Salzman, General Secretary and former principal of the first Gay high school in New York; and Jeremiah, S.V.A. President Emeritus. Plus, our "student", S.V.A. Assistant Andre Christie coordinated the distribution of S.V.A. literature and did the photography. In the past, the S.V.A. always and wisely handled its own publicity, advertising and promotion for all of its symposiums and other events. This was gonna be "easier" for us. Unfortunately, this time, the totally unprofessional and inexperienced N.Y.U. Gay Student Union (mis-)handled the alleged publicity and supposed promotion. The turn-out was undisputedly and sadly dismal. They could not even get one professor (many of whom are Gay) in the entire university to attend -- and barely a baker's dozen of N.Y.U. students. For the first time ever, there was no press coverage. They never even sent a thank-you note to their special guest participants, the veterans of the Stonewall Rebellion as represented exclusively by the STONEWALL Veterans'.Association. We were reminded of 1969! Do not leave the business of the Stonewall Era and the Stonewall Rebellion -- and, in reality, the Gay community -- and its legacy to others! |
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