Celebrating Pride Month in CapNY: 3 Leaders Who Make it Happen

Updated: July 2025

Pride Month is recognized around the world, to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community. It takes place every June, in honor of the historic June 1969 Stonewall Uprising, which helped kickstart the Gay Rights Movement. It’s a month not just to celebrate, but to remember, to honor, to raise awareness, and to support.


Each June, there are dozens of Pride events across CapNY to celebrate and support our LGBTQIA+ communities thanks to area organizations that include:

  • OutHudson: Nonprofit organization serving the LGBTQIA+ community of Columbia County
  • The Pride Center of the Capital Region: Nonprofit organization based in Albany; hosts annual Capital Pride Parade through downtown Albany and Festival in Washington Park, which features food, vendors, live music and performances like Pussycat Dolls’ Carmit Bachar and iHeartRadio Music Award Nominee JORDY.
  • Cafe Euphoria: Trans and Gender Nonconforming worker-owned cafe, coworking space, and curated thrifted clothing store in Troy, hosts an array of pride focused events including open mics, dance nights, drag show brunches, and LGBTQ budgeting workshops. They also serve as food vendors at Pride events like Capital Pride Parade and Festival and Say it Loud! Black and Latin@ Gay Pride.
  • In Our Own Voices Inc.: Organization based in Albany that serves the needs of LGBTQIA+ POC
  • Easton Mountain Retreat Center: Located in Greenwich, NY, Easton Mountain is a community retreat center and sanctuary created by gay men. They provide workshops, programs, and events to celebrate, heal, transform, and integrate body, mind, and spirit.

None of the Pride celebrations would have happened without dedicated individuals who helped bring them together. We spoke with three individuals who helped make events like these happen, and continue to support the LGBTQIA+ community throughout the year. 

  • Nathaniel Gray, Executive Director at the Pride Center for the Capital Region

Nathaniel Gray grew up in southern Ohio and moved to NYC at 19. Gray moved to CapNY in 2019, and recently purchased a home in the hamlet of Glenmont, where he enjoys the newfound space and garden, to escape from the day.

Why is Pride month special to you?

As a month, it is really a placeholder for our Civil Rights movement. June is Pride month because of the Stonewall Riots in late June of 1969. The first pride “parade” was a freedom march for “gay liberation.” The month of June is a lasting reminder, and encouragement, that there is still work to be done for true equity in society.

How are you involved in Pride across CapNY?

The Pride Center of the Capital Region hosts the largest Pride event north of New York City, and each year it grows. This year’s event, held on June 12th, drew crowds larger than previous years when we know our numbers were around 30,000 people. These folks come and celebrate themselves and the people they love, one of the most important things we can do in the LGBTQ+ community. The Pride Center also helped organize an historic number of Pride Flag Raisings in the Capital Region this year, with plans on even more next year. 

Why are you passionate about what you do?

I started getting bullied for being effeminate in 2nd grade; I was 7-years-old the first time someone called me a fa**ot. The most recent time? Four weeks ago. This is my life, and I’m not going to rest in my work, nor is the Pride Center, until this region is safe and affirming for everyone. The person who shouted that word at me last month probably doesn’t know that there are many in my community that would hear something like that, and potentially end their life. This is not acceptable in 2022 to me, nor should it be to anyone. When I got my Master’s degree in Social Work in New York City, my professional focus was on LGBTQ+ homeless youth. Something about working with kids who risked everything to come out and be authentically themselves, only to become homeless and experience untold abuse, sexual assault, trafficking, and other horrible things, fundamentally changes me. It was a curtain I could not “unlook” behind. Once I knew about their experiences, and that it is all born from hate and ignorance, I also knew I had to do something about it. 

  • Osun Zotique, OutHudson Executive Director

Osun Zotique moved to CapNY in 2015, and lives in Hudson. Zotique is the Executive Director of OutHudson, and recently ran for office in the Congressional Primary to represent New York’s 19th District, making them the first openly transgender non-binary individual to run for federal elected office. 

Why is Pride month special to you?

Pride Month is special to me because I realize that it’s something we still actually really need. We really need that continuous work of individual and community self acceptance. In spite of any advances that we have made, which we certainly have seen basic civil and human rights for our gender identity and sexual orientation, that process of self-acceptance is ongoing, and it’s a lifelong and evolving journey for every human being on this planet. Actually, whether they identify as LGBTQIA+ or not, the fact of the matter is that we all have something to learn about our humanity vis-a-vis our gender and sexuality. 

How are you involved in Pride across CapNY?

I took over the directorship of OutHudson and brought back the parade and festivities after the pandemic. I also recently ran for elected office in the United States Congress. NY’s 17th congressional district, and was the first transgender, non-binary person to do so. And it’s been a very exciting journey and a very privileged platform to try to speak to everything that’s going on for all of us who are living, working and potentially struggling to make ends meet at this community and state, both LGBTQIA+ and also our straight allies. 

Why are you passionate about what you do?

I’m passionate about doing what I do because I actually moved to the state of New York when I was 18, and the environment where I grew up was not particularly accepting. So for me, it’s really important to help continue creating the environment that I would like to be part of and a space where queer ingenuity and creativity can flourish. Both my own, but also the folks around me and my neighbors and friends and the people who we support.

  • Atsushi Akera, Co-founder of Cafe Euphoria and Board of Directors at the Pride Center of the Capital Region

Atsushi Akera grew up in East Lansing, Michigan, and moved to the Capital Region in 1999, when she was hired as a professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Akera has been a professor at RPI in the field of science and technology studies for the last 23 years, and is retiring this month. She lives in Troy and is the co-founder and General Manager of Cafe Euphoria, as well as a board member at the Pride Center of the Capital Region. 

Why is Pride month special to you?

That’s a big question, given Roe V Wade, and everything that’s happened. I’m on the board of directors of the Pride Center for the Capital Region. Many of us are afraid that once the conservatives get that kind of momentum, they’re going to go after other things, including gay marriage. And so it’s a time for the community to band together. Pride Month is so important because it brings the entire community together. I think segments of our community have felt that they’ve won the victories that needed to be won, and had gotten to the point where activism and change wasn’t very high on their agenda. And so this year’s Pride events have been so important in reestablishing the notion that we still have a really important role to play in giving support to those who are otherwise oppressed and discriminated against in our society. 

How are you involved in Pride across CapNY?

I’m on the board of the Pride Center of the Capital Region, and I oftentimes volunteer for the Pride events with the Pride Center, as well as serve as an ally and supporter for the Say it Loud! Black and Latino Pride event. But the ways in which I was involved this year, was more focused on the launching of Cafe Euphoria. So as a consequence, most of my new duties had to do with the cafe. We had a presence at the Pride events, taking part as a food vendor, selling vegan, vegetarian and pescatarian fare. Cafe Euphoria also had eight different events of our own throughout the month. 

Why are you passionate about what you do?

Because it’s necessary. It’s so necessary. Going into the pandemic, mental health rates were in excess of 50% among the transgender community. Suicide rates were one of the highest. Gender remains one of the strongest constructs in our society, along with race, so there’s all kinds of problems that many members of our community face. There are many people who are supportive, but job loss remains a major issue within our community. And that’s why Cafe Euphoria is built around creating jobs for, and a safe space for transgender and gender nonconforming individuals. We are very much a trans visibility project. We created a business model very specifically on the idea that there are people out there who want to support us, and are willing to pay slightly above market rate for food, and then those resources turn into real assets for the trans and gender nonconforming folks who work here.

So it goes a step beyond just a safe space, it creates jobs. And then beyond a restaurant and creating jobs, we have a curated thrift, we have event space, a co-working space, and we have a lounge, as well as two private offices. We have a curated thrift so that if you’re transgender, and you’re totally scared of going to Target to shop in the women’s section for the first time, you can instead come here, to a space where you know that everybody’s going to be supportive of whatever choices you make.

  • Written by: Victoria Diana

Arts on the Move: CapNY Creative Transplants

Updated: July 2025

The myth of Upstate New York being a place where art and culture is lacking is officially over.

In the last couple of years, not only have our own residents paved the way for arts to take the forefront, but the recent influx of urban creatives have helped the growth of arts communities.
  • An Uptick in Relocations

Over the course of the last year Upstate New York has seen an uptick in relocations. According to the The Daily Gazette, Albany County alone has seen a near 2,000 increase in requests for relocation services from NYC transplants. The pandemic allowed for our urban neighbors to rethink their relationship to their surroundings and to community.

The end result being New Yorkers exploring those renewed relationships in Hudson, Saratoga, the Adirondacks, Albany, and Troy. Along with their rediscoveries they’ve brought their love for studio art, film, writing, and nature. Below, you’ll meet four creatives in our community who have a newfound love for CapNY.

  • Sam Jones

Meet outrageously funny and quick-witted Brooklynite Sam Jones. Self described as someone who has always climbed through windows to open doors, Sam is a creative who has had to work from the ground up for her career. While she currently works as a Creative Director at Viacom, Sam has made a name for herself as a comedy writer and actor. Sam’s comedy is defined by cutting satire aimed on societal expectations of women; her first viral moment being spoof commercials for feminine products.

Desiring a change of pace after the pandemic, Sam has found a new home in Greene County. “When the pandemic hit our friends moved up here and we were like ‘How the f— are you going to live up here all winter long?!’ But then we kept visiting and we were like ‘Maybe they have the right idea, I like this life!’ After a while I had a vision to buy a quaint house that I can afford, that’s less than my f–ing rent and here I am and it’s one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life.” Sam loves the connection to nature that Greene County provides. Lush and full of beautiful scenery, the Catskills offer an atmosphere unlike any other.

The CapNY Community

One thing that surprised Sam is the hub of creatives residing in CapNY. “It truly is surprising how many fellow creatives moved up here! Every week there’s a get-together at someone’s house. There are so many creatives who’ve moved to Colonie, Albany, Chatham. I was nervous, but there are all these creative people here to have conversations with. These conversations are creative and innovative.” 

The slower pace of the Catskills also provides Sam, and other creative transplants, with a chance to connect to themselves. “We’re so disconnected in NYC. We don’t pay attention to nature. The pace is slower here, I think it lets us all take a pause. I think the pandemic forced us, especially me, to slow down and be like what is my purpose here? I love that I get to be more centered and quiet.” And it’s that very quiet that allowed Sam to think of her next evolution. While comedy will always be a natural talent and calling card, Sam has taken the time to expand on other genres of writing, including screenplays, a memoir, and eventually performance art. She wants to find a way to fund the funny in her new reality.

It’s for this reason she feels as if she was called here to engage in her next phase of life. 
If you want to follow Sam’s journey, check out her website at https://www.therealsamjones.com/.

  • Oscar Bográn

“In the constitution, the Adirondacks were declared to be forever wild. When I saw the Adirondacks at a young age I knew that I would have to make my way back here one day.” Enchanted with our forests due in part to his passionate expansive nature, Oscar Bográn has always had the heart of a creative.

Hailing from Honduras by way of Brooklyn, Oscar Bográn of Bográn Productions located in Schenectady. He is a sculptor, performance, conceptual and visual artist who has studied and taught at Tufts School of the Museum of Fine Arts, and has worked for the Schenectady City School District. 

ust as Oscar knew that he was destined to be in this region, he’s always known that art was essential to his life. “I grew up in Bushwick in the ‘80s. I came in, didn’t speak English and I saw graffiti art for the very first time at seven years old.” He lived right next to a train and used to watch the older kids climb and spray the trains. This is when he knew he wanted to be an artist. Oscar has honed his skills to include multiple forms of art – writing, rapping, and studio art – his passion knowing no bounds.

An Artist Community in Schenectady

Partial winner of a Schenectady downtown grant, Oscar is now focused on bringing all forms of art to CapNY. “I was inspired by an artist based in Chicago who turned some abandoned houses and buildings into literal art installations. I thought to myself how great it would be if we had actual spaces artists in this area could use. So, I applied for grants for years and years and then after getting a mentor-supporter, received a $300,000 grant to create my own version of it.” 

When complete, Oscar will run an art house site called Alchemy Urban Playground. It will host all artists but primarily Black and brown artists and entrepreneurs in the area. As creatives in this space we should always be looking for a diversity of perspective. Oscar is doing just that. You can keep an eye out for the Alchemy Urban Playground sometime next year.

  • Gabe Ling

Meet Gabe Ling, a Junior Narrative Designer at Vicarious Visions game development company. If you’re familiar with Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater series or Guitar Hero you’re familiar with their work. As a game writer, Gabe builds the narrative and dialogue for various games with a team of individuals. Though writing is a solo pursuit traditionally, Gabe enjoys the collaboration it requires, as well as the delicate balance writing for games needs.

“When you’re writing for the screen there’s a big emphasis on what is not said and what is left implied by the absence of dialogue. In games, you can’t have that, you have to load the dialogue with important information. Gamers typically skip through cutscenes and narrative content. So you have to find a way to pace out key information like character traits or quest lore in a way that is immediately clear and digestible for the player.” A difficult feat indeed, but an essential part of building story and gameplay.

A Stereotype Overturned

Coming to us from New Jersey by way of Seattle, Gabe didn’t know what to initially think about Troy. “I wasn’t really hyped to go back to the east coast if I’m being honest. I was looking on Glassdoor for my job and everyone was kind of dour about the area, talking about how Albany is barren and there’s nothing here. But now that I’ve been here for 9 months and I love the area. It’s full of life and people have much more personality here than given credit for. I’ve done some exploring since I’ve been vaccinated and I’m pleasantly surprised.” I could not have said it better! There is a rich tapestry of people here and CapNY doesn’t get enough shine.

For Gabe, his vehicle to finding community was Pride Month in CapNY. “There were so many pride events. I met so many of my friends and got to see more of the city. Something that really struck me about this area is that even though the queer presence here is small, everyone knows everyone. The atmosphere of the community here feels intimate and warm in that way. There is a lot of overlap in the queer and creative community.” The intimacy that smaller regions such as Albany, Schenectady and Troy provide is unmatched. Being in close proximity with one another can afford opportunities such as these to build stronger connections, as Gabe has found.

Ultimately for Gabe a move to CapNY has become a move for growth in his creative pursuits and a chance to reconnect with others in his community intentionally.

  • Amy Hausmann

Coming to us from Brooklyn is Amy Hausmann, the new Director of the Olana State Historic Site. The Olana site is an earthwork created by 19th century artist Fredric Church that sits on a high point in Columbia County. The artist contoured the land over a period of 40 years to create a near cinematic experience of Columbia County, from which the Hudson River, the Catskill mountains, and the Taconic Range can be seen.

With over 20 years of curating experience specifically with the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) and the New York Transit museum, Amy was a natural fit for Director. “I am a curator. My whole career has been in the arts. I’ve worked for non-profit organizations and eventually worked for NYS in the MTA Arts and Design which produces all the public art for the subway system. It was amazing to bring different music, graphic arts, and poetry into the everyday life of 8.5 million people.”

Like so many long distance commuters, Amy loved working in the city while being able to enjoy her second home in a rural area, but the commute wore on her. “It got a bit old. I really fell in love with all the green here. I loved being up in the mountains and being around the trees, and the river, and the open sky. Every morning I would drive with my husband across the Rip Van Winkle bridge and I would see Olana glittering on the hill as I was getting ready to get on the train for work. I would say to myself, ‘Gosh I really would love to find something to be up here full time.’” That she did! NYS Parks had an opening at the Olana site and the rest was history.  

Abundant with Arts & Culture

One thing Amy would like the world to know is that this region is abundant with arts and culture. “I like to think of the idea that this region is full of art, culture, and really rich history. We’re all working together, symbiotically, to encourage people to be here and participate in all that this region has to offer. Olana is a great part of this as well as so many small and bigger businesses, great art institutions, cultural institutions, and artists who help to make a gorgeous mosaic that always existed in the city, live here as well.” 

If you’d like to learn more about the Olana Historic site and meet Amy, check out the website and book a tour! You can learn more about visiting Olana with kids here!

  • Written by: Arielle Steele

5 CapNY Queer-Owned Creative Businesses

Updated: July 2025

Meet five of the Capital Region’s most passionate and exciting creative businesses, run by Makers, Designers, Writers, Performers, and Culinary Connoisseurs. Each is bringing personal — and inclusive — perspectives to the creative economy in Upstate New York.
  • Bold Strokes Books

Humans seek stories to make sense of the world, which is why representation in media matters so much. Since 2005, Bold Strokes Books in Cambridge, NY, has been publishing fiction centered around LGBTQ+ themes and characters. Their goal: to push print culture toward diversity and inclusion.

Bold Strokes Books was founded by award-winning lesbian romance novelist (and former surgeon!) Len Barot. After publishing her first book in 2001, Barot said, I began to look at how publishing worked. It became apparent to me very quickly that LGBTQ+ fiction is needed.”

Previously, LGBTQ+ media was an underground art form. The vast majority of the publishing industry’s gatekeepers did not represent and barely acknowledged LGBTQ+ readers and writers. Therefore, queer-themed books were dismissed as ‘taboo’ and not commercially viable.

Happily, Barot’s vision is now an expectation-exceeding reality. Bold Strokes Books is a modern continuation of “queer bookstore culture.” It provides the global LGBTQ+ community with relatable material, safe (online) meeting space, and information about health and social services.

Not surprisingly, the pandemic was no match for Barot’s energy. Despite the challenges, Bold Strokes Books launched a new YouTube channel, virtual events, and live, online readings and discussions.  So, while society continues to prove unpredictable, Barot never loses sight of her purpose.  “We are here to reach members of the community who are looking for visions of their lives.” Her motto: Serve. More. People.

  • Trojan Womyn Productions

Have you ever enjoyed a fajita while a drag queen serenades you from a stage? Cried with laughter between shots of tequila when a drag comedienne heckles you with a raucous, bawdy joke? Luckily for lovers of performance art, such a sensational show exists in the Capital Region.

Troy-based theatre company Trojan Womyn Productions is an artist-led troupe of the area’s most talented drag queens, dancers, and performers.  Their well-rounded cast includes Acrylic Facade, Daniella Diamonte, Demona Blackheart LaTease, Anita Dickinson, and a rotation of fabulous guests. From Burlesque to Broadway, this crew does it all, while always staying true to their values.  

In the Beginning…

Trojan Womyn began when co-director Marisa Ledesma-Henry learned her drag queen friends were often earning less than $10 per night, despite long hours of prep and massive out-of-pocket spending. Marisa contacted Susan to discuss the need for financial and community support for drag queens in the Capital Region. Trojan Womyn Productions was in development soon after.  According to Marisa, “It was time to bring this art form out of the bars.”

In the past three years, Trojan Womyn Productions has been providing fair wages, and scouting for venues where the queens can best entertain.  

  • Jacob Alejandro

At the end of 2020, a year of uncertainty, instability, and chaos, two coffee lovers took a risk. With over 15 years of experience, a love of craft, and a lot of dollars, Alejandro and Jacob Griffin-Diaz invested in a charming shop on tree-lined River Street in downtown Troy. 

Jacob Alejandro is a specialty coffee shop that shares the personalities, values, and expertise of both owners. The Griffin-Diaz pair are coffee innovators and educators. “We want to share coffee with people.” Alejandro says. 

The Griffin-Diaz duo were students of the industry long before becoming owners. Jacob studied at The Culinary Institute of America, Alejandro worked at numerous shops and cafes in Guatemala, his original home.  Each were experts before they met at a coffee shop in Westchester, NY. The Griffin-Diaz team always had their own cafe in the back of their mind.  When the right place came along in the neighborhood they love, they went all in.  

Specialty coffee experts like Alejandro devote their lives (and time and energy!) to studying and curating the coffee experience. All the shop’s coffee beans are sourced from ethical, sustainable, fair-wage farms.  All syrups and milk alternatives are handmade by Alejandro, a true innovator. (See for yourself: try the Strawberry Milk Cold Brew, or a Rosemary Infused Blackberry Latte).

A Destination Built on Makers

“We want to create a coffee destination.” Alejandro explains.  “You shouldn’t have to go to New York City to get a coffee education.”

“We also want this to be a safe space for LGBTQ+” says Alejandro.  “A safe space for everyone.”  There will be plenty of space this summer when Jacob Alejandro opens a patio in Franklin Alley and extends business hours.  Downtown Troy summer is going to be sweet!

Alejandro and Jacob designed the shop to be an inviting, urban haven for coffee culture, but that’s not all.  The team plans to use Troy’s central location to further define The Capital Region’s creative culture by attracting travelers.

  • KASURI

It is common for the average shopper to enter a high-end store and feel out of place or the pressure to buy a “Pretty Woman” moment.  Many of us avoid luxury shops for this reason.  “I’m just looking” feels different when all the price tags have commas.  

These literal and figurative barriers — and this type of exclusion — are exactly the things that KASURI creative director Jonathan Osofsky won’t allow.  

“I believe in collapsing the boundaries between art and everyday life.”

Jonathan Osofsky and Layla Kalin, the executive talent behind KASURI, run the brand’s boutique in Hudson, NY.  The shop holds a carefully curated collection of contemporary apparel, designed by artists who challenge and ignore fashion norms.   

The Style: Expressive, Fearless, Experimental, Innovative, Out of Bounds. 

The Experience: Engaging, Immersive, Intimate, Socially Conscious.  

KASURI combines these aspects to provide an incomparable service in an unlikely place.  “We bring a form of cultural production to a place that it would not normally exist.”

Jonathan, a Hudson Valley native, knows well the demand for eccentric design in a small Upstate city.  Growing up, he had limited access to the avant garde, so he pursued magazines and media to quell his craving for contemporary design.  Seven years ago, he created KASURI to fill this niche.  Now, KASURI is the type of discovery zone Jonathan would have frequented as a youth.

“The fact that young kids today in Hudson can walk in and see, touch, try on, and learn about all these visionary designers, in an environment that is open, and welcoming, and queer, that doesn’t exclude people, this feels very special, even radical to me.”

Fighting the Norms and Providing a Place

Although fashion is often defined as “self-expression”, American fashion culture implicitly promotes uniformity — ‘the model-type”, dress codes, categorical trends, etc. It’s portraying a manufactured ideal.  In the years before meaningful social progression, self expression in  LGBTQ+ and other anti-norm cultures could result in jail time or violence, forcing vibrant creativity out of society’s view and to the underground.  

Now, KASURI is moving the culture by redefining, or un-defining, the word “fashion” and discarding all of the rules.  

Upcoming KASURI projects include a renovated e-commerce marketplace, the 2nd Annual Fundraiser for Black Lives, and expanding capacity so they can display the work of more artists.  And of course, as always,  dismantling and rebuilding what fashion means to society. 

“Hopefully, we will obliterate some of the hierarchies of who is seen and not seen, who is validated by the system, and who operates outside it.”

  • Village Common

The emotional connection between senses and art is profound.  Songs can bring back memories.  Scents can take you to places from your past. Village Common owners Blake Hays and Benjamin Lebel utilize this phenomenon when designing and hand-crafted candles from their studio in Catskill, NY.  Each candle comes with a poem written by Blake, and an image that captures the scent’s essence.  Each candle tells a story.

Blake and Benjamin had success in creative fields before moving to Catskill from New York City in 2016.  They recognized the demand for quality, accessible home goods in Upstate New York, so they brought the Village Common brand to Hudson.  The brand has been around since 1968, when Benjamin’s grandmother ran an antique shop with the same name.  Blake and Benjamin’s modern redesign keeps the Village Common tradition of high quality and incorporates their value of travel, home, the earth, and artistry.  

All Village Common candles are 100% plant-based, infused with pure essential oils, hand poured in New York, and sustainability packaged.  The scents are inspired by the land we share, what connects all of us, our “Common Ground”.  

The Value of Hand Made

Expert crafters, aka “makers”, hold a very unique, respected, time-honored position in the creative production economy.  Their impact began centuries ago, when everything was made by hand. Value lies in product, practice, and specialized knowledge.  Small batch makers have more control over inputs and ingredients, and are able to easily tailor the product to the consumer’s wants and needs.  Makers are often members of the community they serve, so they have a special connection to the people and can learn the effects of their product first-hand.  A crafter’s proximity to a neighborhood shows in the material, the symbolism, the colors, the feel. In turn, this attracts buyers who love their home, or want to be reminded of it.  

Village Common uses the simplicity of candles to highlight complex issues.  This summer’s sold out Artist Collection featured hand painted designs by local artists, and all proceeds went to organizations that support the movement toward social equity for LGBTQ+ and BIPOC.  This collection shows how makers can truly capture culture and preserve a moment in time.

The five businesses featured today are an intregal part of the wealth and breadth of the Upstate Creative Economy.  Their stories inspire, connect, and make apparent the talent and artistry the Capital Region is so proud to share.  

  • Written by: Brennan Austin Peters

Jay Zhang Photography: CapNY LGBTQIA+ Entrepreneur

jay zhang

Updated: July 2025

Jay Zhang is committed to both outstanding visual representation, as well as community care. As a self identified queer person of color, Jay’s photography celebrates a wide spectrum of people and couples.

And, his investment and love of the Capital Region is evident throughout his work.

  • Love is Love: Inclusive Wedding Photography

Jay’s engagement and wedding photography cleverly infuses each client’s personality into the documentation of their big day. Just one glance at the “Wedding Blogs” portion of his website shows how he celebrates each couples’ unique chemistry. My favorite examples show elated partners snuggling amidst a backdrop of sun dappled mountain ranges, or blanketed in surrealist fog on the Brooklyn Bridge. Wide smiled nieces affix glistening jewelry onto their auntie’s ready neck; husbands fasten each other’s ties while sharing in an excited kiss. Stop what you’re doing, and take a look at his amazing work!

  • Community Representation And Healing

Jay is also drawn to local events and projects with a favorable community impact. He has worked for a number of local organizations, including My Brother’s Keeper, Alliance for Positive Health and GLSEN,  Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network.

Since 2007, he has documented and celebrated National Coming Out Day (NCOD) through his photos. His 2014 NCOD work, “Color Splash,” features queer community members in animated layered images, their bodies and faces awash in rainbow paint, along with their words of wisdom to fellow queers. His 2015 iteration, “Light The Way,” includes portraits of locals holding sparklers, their faces framed by the text, “You don’t have to come out, but you don’t have to be in the dark alone.”

Jay’s projects celebrate people who embrace being “quirky, weird and full of interesting personality traits.” He believes “everyone is multifaceted, it just depends on how much you want to present.” LGBTQIA+, BIPOC and people of all body types are welcome in front of his camera. “I love the community,” he said, “and I want to provide for it.”

  • Motivated Living in the Capital Region

Originally from Ridgewood, Queens, Jay arrived in the Capital Region to study architecture at RPI in Troy. School prepared him with strong design skills, which later helped him become a professional photographer. He was first drawn to photography as a financially sustainable career. And, he also enjoyed its potential to show and support people, environments and situations. He draws much inspiration from CapNY’s rich creative ecosystem of fellow artists.

Community based projects, including public statement artwork and grassroots outreach initiatives, have contributed to his ongoing inspiration and experimentation. “There’s a lot of fight here,” he shares. “And a lot of energy for people to do things and participate.”  CapNY’s relatively small size and central location also provide opportunity for professional and casual travel. Jay’s leadership extends into local athletics as well. He proudly participates in the city’s LGBTQIA+ soccer organization, Albany Empire Soccer Club, as both player and board member.

  • Entrepreneurial Advice and Future Visions

As an entrepreneur, Jay encourages others to “keep going, because the hardest part is hitting that wall of doubt.” As for his company’s future plans, Jay sees himself continuing with wedding and event work. He remains especially committed to taking on queer couples as clients. Jay’s passion for nurturing a culture of mutual queer creative support is undeniable. “I can offer a rewarding experience (and) other queer entrepreneurs want to do the same,” he says. “We’re in a similar mindset. We want to build each other up and create community while also offering services for the community.” Jay’s sincere and purposeful application of both skill and talent are a shining example of the creatives who call CapNY their home.

  • Written by: Rio Riera Arbogast

LGBTQIA Resources: 6 Organizations Across CapNY

If you’re queer and considering moving to the Capital Region or just recently started living here, chances are you have encountered the familiar stats and info blurbs below on the inclusivity of this place…

Regional LGBTQIA Resources

On our list there are only one or two groups that are specifically built as LGBTQIA resources. Yet more service providers are creating space for the LGBTQ+ community. CapNY reached out to some of the Albany residents who are actually working at these organizations.

The Big Picture
  • Based on data from the 2000 Census, Albany ranks 66% above the national average for people who self-identify as gay or lesbian.  
  • Human Rights Campaign gave Albany a perfect score on its 2017 Municipal Equality Index. The index takes into account non-discrimination laws, hate crimes, pro-equality legislation and a number of other pro-LGBTQ+ indicators.
  • The Pride Center of the Capital Region is the oldest continuously operating LGBTQ center in the country. Based in Albany, the Pride Center has been meeting the diverse needs of the LGBTQ community since 1970. 
  • The Pride Center of the Capital Region hosts the Capital Pride Festival, one of the largest celebrations of pride in Upstate New York every June. 

Yet, numbers don’t paint a complete picture of the queer community in Albany. You might identify as gay, lesbian, bi, trans, gender nonconforming, pan, non-binary, intersex, ace, or are in the ‘Still figuring it out’, ‘It’s complicated’ or ‘No labels’ camps. The following LGBTQIA resources are ones you might turn to as queer individual.

HIV/AIDS Support and Other LGBTQ+ Centered Health Services

We see organizations are working to become more inclusive towards an increasingly diverse population of potential clients. A couple organizations specifically serve the unique needs of LGBTQ+ clients. And many more service providers have carved out space for the LGBTQ+ community. They focus beyond HIV/AIDS support, to include access to PrEP and other health screenings .

728 Madison Avenue – Suite 100, Albany, NY 12208
(518) 449-7119
info@albanydamiencenter.org

Founded in 1988, the Damien Center is offers resources designed to improve health, reduce stress and increase the quality of life. Damien Center is a supportive space for individuals and families living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. Membership-based, they provide programs and services, free-of-charge, in a welcoming and culturally diverse environment. Their programs include housing for those with HIV who survived chronic homelessness. They provide pathways and guidance for employment, meals and nutrition assistance, pharmacy services, and even support with pet care. 88% of the Damien Center’s budget goes to its programs, overwhelmingly for people living below the poverty line.  

Multiple Offices in Albany, Glens Falls, Hudson, Plattsburgh, and Schenectady 

The Alliance for Positive Health provides a continuum of direct services to people living with HIV/AIDS and their family members. They offer care management to people with other chronic illnesses who are enrolled in Medicaid. Prevention programs offer effective, innovative solutions that make a significant impact on reducing new HIV infections. They connect clients to culturally competent LGBTQ+ friendly health services and resources. Among the care offerings is free and confidential HIV/STI/Hep C testing, PrEP assistance, and help accessing hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Staff advocates for your health needs with your providers. They also have an active Facebook page.

Known for its array of free to low-cost health services, Planned Parenthoods have the culturally competent markers of multiple gender identity options. The gender affirming staff know to ask your pronouns. They are more than comfortable listing every kind of partner and sex option under the sun. It doesn’t feel like you’re having to come out to your nurse or doctor. ‘Partner’ is an emergency contact option on their intake forms. Plus, gay or straight, they’re always happy to offer that to-go bag of condoms (and sometimes finger condoms!). Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood covers Albany, Troy, and Hudson. Planned Parenthood of Greater New York covers Saratoga Springs, Schenectady and beyond. Some centers will have specific days or hours to reserved for teens seeking services.

32 Hudson Avenue, Albany, NY 12210
(518) 462-6138
info@capitalpridecenter.org

The Pride Center of the Capital Region is a legacy institution that organizes the yearly Capital Pride event. The weeklong celebration in June features everything from Alt Prom to BBQ’s to a 5K run. The event culminates with a Pride Parade & Pride Festival that always falls on the 2nd Sunday in June. Price Center offers a number of programs including support groups for every age bracket. They have a load of professional trainings and educational programs for health providers, K-12 schools, colleges, businesses, organizations, and government agencies in their 10-county service area. The express purpose is to improve services for LGBTQ individuals and community through education and professional development training.

Saratoga Pride is an affiliate of the Pride Center of the Capital Region. The network of LGBTQ community members and allies are dedicated to fostering connections among Saratoga area LGBTQ community members and visitors. Their efforts improve the visibility of the LGBTQ community in Saratoga and the surrounding region. They recognize local businesses and organizations that welcome the LGBTQ community. Increasing awareness of LGBTQ-owned and inclusive businesses and services in the region is central to their mission. Check out their community directory for anything from LGBTQ+ friendly faith communities to hairdressers and bars. Communicate with Saratoga Pride by contact form, or through email at saratogapride@aol.com. Subscribe for notices of their events or find out what’s going on via their Facebook page.

Many organizations, nonprofits, groups, and service providers are based right in the state capital. However, there are plenty of other community-based LGBTQIA resources. OutHudson is one of them – a volunteer-led non-profit organization operating since 2016. Their mission is to improve the quality of life and advance the visibility of LGBTQ people in Columbia County. They organize the annual OutHudson Pride Festival, which includes about 12 events during Father’s Day Weekend.

 

Throughout the year, OutHudson organizes various social and educational LGBTQ events in Columbia County. This includes movie screenings, intergenerational programming, potlucks, discussion groups, youth/teen support groups and events, drag brunches, cabaret shows, author/poetry readings, Drag Queen Story Time, community town halls, boat cruises, educational workshops, family days at Chaseholm Farm, HIV/AIDS programming, and LGBTQ tourism events. OutHudson also sponsors an annual scholarship award for local high school seniors. Join their Facebook page or reach out via email at outhudson@hotmail.com. 

  • Written by: Mia Nilo

Mia Nilo is an overeducated, self-identified hustler hell bent on undermining the status quo through overly opinionated think pieces and reviews written from the perspective of a queer, woman of color Millennial. Attended Oxford about as long as Gatsby did and has settled for an Upstate New York life despite her Southern California heart. When not writing, hiking, or wine tasting, you can find her at book club or a local protest. Read more of her work on  www.miagnilo.com/blog. You can also find her cooking or latest scrabble game on her Insta @mia_bitesoflife and see what’s currently making her laugh the hardest on her Twitter @bitesize_rant. 

Voices from Albany’s Queer Movement: Caring and Inclusive

If you’re a queer person thinking of moving to Albany, listening to voices from Albany’s queer movement provides perspective. There’s only so much you can learn from internet research.

In order to get some insights, I spoke with four Albany queer community advocates. Each of them – whether connecting with queer youth, making inclusive health policy reform, or through direct services, like emergency housing – have been doing great queer ground work. Here are some of their answers to my questions about where Albany’s queer movement stands and opportunities for growth.

In this article, we’ll hear from Christina Romeo of GLSEN for Upstate New York, Courtney D’Allaird of UAlbany’s Gender and Sexuality Resource Center (GSRC), Jonathan Meagher-Zaya formerly of the Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region, and Tandra R. LaGrone of In Our Own Voices, Inc.

What is your perspective on queer community in Albany?

Christina Romeo: “The queer community in Albany is spread out. People are in their own silos.  For someone new coming here, it’s worth putting in the effort to find the Facebook groups (try Courtney D’Alliard’s Queer Exchange FB Group). Find open mic nights and meetups and sports groups. Do your research. 

People in Albany care. They want things to be better. I found community with other advocates who just happen to be queer themselves or are extremely queer-inclusive.”

The Queer Community is Incredibly Diverse

Jonathan Meagher-Zayas: “The queer community is incredibly diverse and wants a lot of different things, so it ends up being disconnected. Something positive that’s happened because of that is people fighting to make existing spaces more inclusive, instead of creating queer enclaves. For example, St. Ann Institute now has a shelter dedicated to LGBTQ Homeless Youth.

A Job That Pays Me to do LGBTQ+ Work is Radical

Courtney D’Allaird: “People got comfortable. The LGBTQ+ community in Albany does not have to have a collective consciousness. Because this is a blue state and we are afforded legal protections and have a lot of access and resources, we get comfortable. We can just go live our lives in the suburbs. And in some ways it is radical to just live. Owning my home now is huge as someone who was kicked out for being queer and was homeless as a child. Having a job that pays me to do LGBTQ+ work and live my life comfortably is radical. 

Photo: https://lgbtualbany.ordpress.com/lgbt-campus-life/

Tandra LaGrone: “Assimilation sometimes has a different context [than merely trying to fit in]. Sometimes it’s about a human right. We have a right to live safely. We have a right to be part of and live freely in society. I look at Black and Latinx Pride as community intervention. It’s about staking our place in society.

Soon enough, society will evolve beyond just the surface standards of what’s acceptable and move beyond what we’ve been socialized to believe.”

“We can’t change the color of our skin. Why are Black men still disproportionately suffering from HIV/AIDS? Why are Black lesbian or Black trans women dying or the last to get health services? When I asked people in 2012 if marriage equality was a priority for them, it wasn’t. Feeling isolated. Feeling stigmatized. Not being treated fairly. That’s what they were concerned about.

Who has power [in Albany]? It’s white men. We need accountability for institutions of good ‘ole boys that keep getting perpetuated, including gay white men. If they’re unwilling to give up privilege, we won’t get substantive change.”

How do you envision the future of Albany’s queer movement and the community in CapNY?

Romeo: “I have a lot of hope. There can be a shift in culture. Younger folks, not just students, but Millennials who are professionals, need to lead the changes making non-profits more sustainable, rather than just accumulating power. There needs to be more intentional outreach within our community to uplift the voices of those who are the most marginalized and vulnerable, our trans community, gender non-conforming, and people of color. Let’s legitimize and create spaces for younger generations to be radical. It’s not enough to assimilate. We aren’t just asking for tolerance anymore. We want to recognize that queer voices matter. Our lives matter. We need to let all constituents have a voice. Embrace our differences. Be willing to be vulnerable and authentic.”

Oh Bar, Albany

A Central Vision for the LGBTQ+ Community

Water Works Pub, Albany

D’Allaird: “I would love to see the queer community come together and be more visible in Albany. There hasn’t really been a leader with a central vision who would speak to us in the LGBTQ+ community and not just those who fit the box, like marriage or families. What about queer people who can’t assimilate, like trans identifying people or people of color, or aren’t as interested in relationships or surrogacy? There needs to be greater access to the most marginalized groups. Nonprofits and other organizations, including UAlbany, will be part of that drive for substantive change.”

Younger and More Diverse Leadership

Meagher-Zayas: “We need to realize how all these different issues are intersectional. We need to look at it through an equity lens. There’s a NY Transgender Advocacy Group based in NYC, but here in Upstate New York, a lot of institutional-level momentum stopped at marriage equality.  

Orgs need to evolve, become more sustainable, with younger and more diverse leadership. There are more people now talking about racial justice and equity. The state won’t change unless forced. Private industry won’t change unless it’s profitable. So I see nonprofits as leading that change, recognized as being open for transitions to better representation in leadership, investing in BIPOC leaders.”

LaGrone: “I see so much compassion and empathy, bright and talented individuals who are fearless. My only wish is for them to know their history and do their homework. I believe they will fight for true liberation because if the most marginalized among us achieve liberation, we all do.”

Black and Latino Gay Pride 2014: One of Jonathan’s first local pride events at In Our Own Voices’ Black and Latino Gay Pride Event 2014 with the OG RuPaul’s Drag Race Winner Bebe Zahara Benet! Jenning’s Landing, Albany.
Link Project’s Intergenerational Mixer: Folx at the Link Project’s Intergenerational Mixer to connect different generations of queer individuals at City Beer Hall, Albany

Are you looking to build an independent life for yourself in Albany, become an activist there, or just casually engage with local folx? These voices may help you get to know the kinds of people within Albany’s queer movement who would welcome you, if you reached out and called.

  • Written by: Mia Nilo

Mia Nilo is an overeducated, self-identified hustler hell bent on undermining the status quo through overly opinionated think pieces and reviews written from the perspective of a queer, woman of color Millennial. Attended Oxford about as long as Gatsby did and has settled for an Upstate New York life despite her Southern California heart. When not writing, hiking, or wine tasting, you can find her at book club or a local protest. Read more of her work on  www.miagnilo.com/blog. You can also find her cooking or latest scrabble game on her Insta @mia_bitesoflife and see what’s currently making her laugh the hardest on her Twitter @bitesize_rant.