By Kerry Gallagher
SUNY Broome is bursting with pride following a colorful celebration of love and liberty in New York City on Sunday, June 29, 2025. Our own President Hawkins stood strong in support of LGBTQ+ rights atop the SUNY float in the 55th annual Pride March, alongside Chancellor John B. King, Jr. and colleagues from across the system.
SUNY’s presence was loud and proud, traveling through the streets of Manhattan with marching band in tow, wearing neon pink, black and yellow shirts and waving rainbow flags as tens of thousands of spectators looked on. For Dr. Tony D. Hawkins, participating in such a vibrant and public demonstration of gay rights would have been unimaginable decades ago, as a young adult still struggling to find the courage to confirm to the world what he’d always known about himself.
“I always knew, but I didn’t come out until age 30,” Dr. Hawkins shared. “The 1990s were a time period where people were hiding. It was already a tremendous challenge to come out as a gay man, but coming out as a gay, Black man was even more difficult.”
During Pride 2025, the SUNY system vowed to stand firmer than ever in support of its LGBTQ+ stakeholders and their rights to live, learn, and love without fear. It was a deeply personal, full-circle moment for Dr. Hawkins, remembering that it was his own college president who inspired him to live authentically more than 20 years ago.
“At Montgomery College, our President was a Black woman and a true trailblazer, and she empowered me to live honestly. She showed me I could lead successfully, using all of the positive virtues of the gay and lesbian community,” Dr. Hawkins shared. “In 2012, she and other notable individuals publicly came out through a photographic exhibition called “Portraits of Life: LGBT Stories of Being”. It was an incredibly courageous movement to humanize and celebrate members of ‘the community’ who had positively impacted Montgomery County.”
More than 20 years later, Dr. Hawkins is, too, leading an institution that’s using photography as a medium to express its commitment to diversity and inclusion. Campus photographer and videographer Matt Ebbers was elated at the opportunity to document SUNY Broome’s representation at NYC Pride.
“I lost count of how many spectators excitedly yelled “SUNY!” or the name of their SUNY alma mater from the sidelines as we passed,” Ebbers described. “It reinforced the impact this system has on New Yorkers, and made me extraordinarily proud to be part of that mission.”
“At SUNY, we have worked tirelessly to ensure that all students are welcomed and are part of an inclusive and respectful environment when they come to any of our 64 campuses,” Chancellor King said. “We know that diversity is our strength, that love is love, and that everyone deserves to live as their true selves.”
Dr. Hawkins described the event as “deeply personal” and “the perfect illustration of the Broome vision”. His hope is that those loud and proud cheers from NYC Pride will be heard from campus, with a special message for our college community – most especially, our students:
“You are seen, supported, and safe at SUNY Broome.”
Enjoy photos from NYC Pride on SUNY Broome’s Flickr page!
Submitted by: MarCom
Tags: Pride Month
