Join us for an evening with Diana Rodriguez, founder of Pride Live, and Ken Lustbader of NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project. We'll learn about Diana's career in activism and fundraising, from her work with not-for-profits like the Clinton Foundation all the way to the founding of Pride Live. She'll share the story of how the organization became involved with the Stonewall National Monument and what led to the partnership to create the First LGBTQ+ focused Visitor Center in the US National Park System. Ken will add to the story from his involvement as a historian for the project, and how he helps bring context and fact to the project. He will walk us through the history of the Stonewall building, detailing the lead up to the night of the rebellion in 1969 and the aftermath that created the Gay Liberation movement in New York, the first gay Pride March, and the history of the space since then.
The evening’s event will include the following components:
6:00pm-6:30pm ET :: Arrival, Check-In and Networking (in-person only)
6:30pm-7:30pm ET :: Panel Discussion, including questions and answers
Join Us In-Person or Virtually
Interested in joining? Please register to attend either in-person at Gensler’s Manhattan office or virtually via Zoom Webinar. The in-person registration closes one day before the event.
Meet Our Speakers
Diana Rodriguez
Founder, Pride Live
As founder of Pride Live, Diana's activism has lifted queer visibility to new heights. She has transformed Stonewall Day into an event that carries powerful messages of affirmation to LGBTQ+ people all over the globe. She embodies the spirit of Stonewall with her passion for advancing equality and to reach the most marginalized LGBTQ+ people with love and acceptance and her events have raised funds for organizations that would have otherwise been left behind. From advocating for underrepresented LGBTQ+ non-profit organizations, to supporting the efforts leading up to the declaration of Stonewall National Monument, Diana's work has been transformational for the LGBTQ+ community.
Ken Lustbader
Co-Founder & Co-Director, NYC LGBT Historic Sites
Ken has dedicated his career to documenting and preserving some of the most profound moments of history. While today he is the co-founder and co-director of the NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project, an organization responsible for documenting and memorializing LGBT place-based history throughout New York City, this passion can be traced back as early as his award-winning graduate thesis when he authored, "Landscape of Liberation: Preserving Lesbian and Gay History in Greenwich Village." Today, more than 30 years later, he is considered a national leader in issues related to LGBT history, documentation, and preservation.
Meet Our Moderator
Kristen Pecci
Senior Associate, Team Leader, WB Engineers+Consultants
Kristen is currently leading the MEP design team for the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center project. She brings a passion around collaboration and problem solving to every challenge which she tackles, even across her diverse background that spans the worlds of theater, construction, and design. She delivers excellence on each of her current commitments, which including being a team leader at WB where she oversees a multi-disciplinary team of MEP design engineers; as a Board Member for Building Out Alliance; and as a Girl Scout leader and softball coach for her eight year old daughter.
Thank You To Our Host
A special shout out and thank you to our event hosts, Gensler, for opening your doors to welcome Build Out Alliance.
