OUR BOARD CHAIR ALETTERFROM
HelloCommunity,
Wow.Let’snamewhat2025hasfeltlike formanyofussofar:Hopeless.Hard. Healing.Helpful.Heroic.
2025hasbeenanemotionalrollercoaster awhirlwindofthebestandworst experiences,allpackedintojustoverhalf ayear.Butthere’sonefeelingthat continuestorisetothetopforme:joy.Not justhappiness—joy.Thatmoreprofound, soul-fillingemotionthatshowsupevenin thehardestoftimes.
AndwheredoIfeelthatjoymost?Right here,inourTroyLGBTQIA+community.At events.Atcasualmeetups.Ineveryday moments,walkingdownthestreet.Iseeit inhowpeopleshowupforthemselves,for eachother,andsomethingbiggerthan allofus.
AsCollarCityPrideentersits secondyear,we’reembracing growth,stayinghumbleinthe learningprocess,andexpressing deepgratitudetoeveryonewho hassupportedus,especiallyas wenavigatethechallengesof beinganeworganizationina citywhoseleadershiphasn’t alwaysbeenwelcoming.
First,amassivethankyoutothe DowntownTroybusinesseswho’ve stoodwithusfromthebeginning.We don’tyethaveaphysicalspaceto callourown,andyoursupport—your willingnesstoopenyourdoorsand hearts hasmadeitpossibleforusto hostevents,shareinformation,and buildcommunitysolidarity.
Next,totheelectedofficialsintheCity ofTroyandRensselaerCountywho showedupforusthisyear,thankyou. Youhelpedusfaceourbiggest challengeyet navigatingour relationshipwiththeCityofTroy Mayoraladministration.Weare especiallygratefultoInOurOwn VoicesandthePrideCenterofthe CapitalRegionforstandingin solidaritywithusduringthedifficult butnecessarydecisiontomoveour festivaloutsidethecity.
Aftermonthsofattempted collaboration—culminatinginan unproductiveApril1stmeeting it becameclearthatapartnershipwith thecityadministrationwasn’tpossible atthistime.Thisdecisionwasnot madelightly,norwasitmadealone. TheCollarCityPrideBoardvoted unanimouslytoremoveitselffromCity ofTroy–basedPrideevents.
Lookingahead,CollarCityPrideisdreamingboldly.AswecelebrateoursecondPride Festival(October4th!)andcompleteoursecondyear,we’reworkingtoward intentional,inclusivequeereventsheldinqueer-owned,queer-led,andtrulysafe spaces.We’recenteringsobriety,harmreduction,andtheongoingneedtocarveout spaceforthosewho’vehistoricallybeenleftbehind.
We’recontinuingourNARCANtrainingsandhaveexpandedoureffortstoinclude advocacytrainingin2025.And—perhapsourmostexcitinggoal—we’reaimingto openourfirstbrick-and-mortarlocationbymid-2026!
ThisPrideseason notjustamonth,butaseason weinviteyoutogodeeper.To recognizeoursharedhumanityaswellasourdifferences.Toexaminewho’sbeenleft outofthemovementinthepast particularlyourBIPOCandtranssiblings andto makesurewedon’trepeatthosepatterns.Communityistheonlywaywemakeit throughwhatliesahead.
Wemustbehonestaboutwherewe’vefallenshort.Andwemustcommit,everyday,to buildingsomethingbetter-rootednotjustinequality,butinequity.
InSolidarity, MeagonNolasco They/Them
CollarCityPrideFounder
BOARD OF DIRECTORS COLLARCITYPRIDE
MeagonNolasco(They/Them)
ThefounderofCollarCityPride,andformerOutreachandAdvocacyCoordinatorat ThePrideCenteroftheCapitalRegion,Meagonspendstheirdaysnowrockingitat theNYSSenatewhilechasingtheirdreamsinLGBTQ+policy.Jugglingtheirrolesasa plantwhisperer,bigsis,guitarhero,andfearlessLGBTQ+warrior,Meagonhas devotedtheirlifetotheserviceoftheircommunity.Theirmission?Fromsubstance useservicestomentalhealtheducationandpolicybattles,Meagonisaforcetobe reckonedwith!
AiliseSchendorf(She/Her)
Ailiseisamarketingprofessionalbytradespecializingindigitalplatformsand contentproduction Outsideofwork,youcanfindherpickinguptrashthroughher workwithCollarCityCleanUp,playingshuffleboardinFranklinAlleySocialClub'srec league,ortakingpotteryclassesattheCapitalRegionCenterfortheArts Ailiseis excitedtojointheboardandjointheteamresponsibleformakingTroyand RensselaerCountyProud!
ValerieJones(She/They)
Valerieworksintheaccountingfieldandhashadalifelongdesiretogivebacktothe localcommunity.AftertakingaCCPsponsorednaloxonetrainingandvolunteeringat thefirstCollarCityPrideFestival,theywereexcitedforanopportunitytotakeona moreactiveroleinhelpingtheorganizationtogrowevenmorein2025.Hobbies includeknitting,reading,andwatching(mostly)horrormovies.
SarahSheppeck(Fae/They/She)
SarahSheppeckisagraduateofUC Riverside’sPalmDesertLow-ResidencyMFA programinCreativeWritingandWritingforthePerformingArts SheearnedherBA fromtheUniversityofRochesterandherMaster’sinSecondaryEducationfromthe UniversityofNevada,LasVegas BornandraisedintheCapitalRegionwithstintsin LasVegas,LosAngeles,andthewoodsofnorthernMaine,sheisnowinTroywithher wifeandtheirassemblageofrescuepets
BOARD OF DIRECTORS COLLARCITYPRIDE
RolandHoffmann(He/Him)
Rolandisalicensedclinicalsocialworkerwithabackgroundinpsychotherapyand forensicsocialworkandhasextensiveknowledgeinaddictionandsubstanceuse disorders HisfamilymovedtotheCapitolregionin2021andaredelightedtobea partofthecommunity RolandisundeniablyexcitedtolendhisstrengthstoCollar CityPridebecauseoftheirprimaryfocusoninitiativestoimprovethewell-beingof LGBTQIA2+folks
EmSpalti(They/Her)
EmSpaltiisagenderqueerdelightbasedinNYC TheyjoinedtheCollarCityPride boardin2024.Professionally,they'reanindependentresearcherandevaluatorfor mission-drivenorganizations. Unprofessionally,EmplaysD&D,createstextileart,and goesonwalkswithherdog,Watson.
SusanPreiss(She/Her)
SusanPreissistheHouseLightingDirectorforEmpireLiveinAlbany,NY.Inadditionto herworkwithCollarCityPride,SusanvolunteersasaneventcoordinatorwithMt.Ida PreservationHallinTroy.She,alongwithWilliamMcChappellandNevilleHenry, producedragshows,dragtheaterandrevuesasTrojanWomynProductions.
AubreyCurran(She/Her)
AubreyCurranjoinedtheCollarCityPrideboardin2025 Shehasworkedinthefinancial industryfortwelveyearsbutiscurrentlypursuingherbachelor’sdegreeinPoliticalScience. SheenjoysvolunteeringforUpperHudsonPlannedParenthoodandlocalfoodpantries.Aubrey isalsoaphotographerwhoenjoystraveling,hiking,skiing,swimming,andallthingscreative. Youcanalwaysfindheratagooddragshow,outonherpaddleboard,readinginthegrass,or lovingonherdogandtwocats
SCHEDULE FESTIVAL
3:00PMFESTIVALOPENS
4:00PM-4:30PM
ENTERTAINERS 2024
COLLAR CITY PRIDE ABOUT
OURMISSION
CollarCityPrideisanorganizationledbyLGBTQIA2+folksprovidingcare,community,and trainingaroundsubstance-useservicesspecifictothequeercommunity.AtCollarCity Pride,wefosteravibrantandinclusiveRensselaerCountythatcelebratesdiversity, promotesacceptance,andempowersLGBTQIA2+folks.
Throughadvocacy,education,andtraining,westrivetocreateasafeandsupportive environmentwherewecanliveauthenticallyandthrive.Inthelongterm,weaspireto openRensselaerCounty'sfirstinpatientsubstanceusetreatmentcentergeared specificallytowardstransgender,gendernon-conforming,andnon-binaryindividuals.
WearecommittedtoofferingLGBTQ+affirming,peer-basedharmreductionservices,a yearlypridefestivalinTroy,andorganizingeventsthatpromoteconnectionand celebrationwithinourcommunity.
OURVISION
CCPenvisionsaworldwhereLGBTQIA2+folkshaveaccessible,affirming,andappropriate substanceusecare.Throughouradvocacyefforts,educationalinitiatives,and collaborativepartnerships,westrivetobuildaworldwhereLGBTQ+individualsandthose impactedbyaddictioncanthriveinaffirmingenvironments,accessqualitycareand supportservices,andcontributetoamoreinclusiveandequitablesociety.
OURVALUES
A LOCAL HERO HONORING
HONORINGFOUNDINGMEMBEROF COLLARCITYPRIDE
MARISALEDESMAHENRY
InJanuary2025,CollarCityPridelostoneofitsown,alongwiththeentireCapitalRegion community,intheformofMarisaLedesma-Henry.IfyouknewMarisa,andchancesare thatifyouwerepartoftheLGBTQIA+community,burlesque,ordragcommunity,youdid, youknewthattheylovedeveryonewiththesameintensity,hatedbulliestohercore,and alwaysmadesuretheunderdogshadaplacetocallhome
MarisawasafoundingmemberofCollarCityPrideandTrojanWomynProductions,and wasactiveintheburlesqueanddragscene,amemberoftheEmpireSistersofPerpetual Indulgence,andthecommunity’sfavoriteauntie.
Wemissyoudearfriend,andknowyouarewatchingoverus
2024 YEARINREVIEW
2024 YEARINREVIEW
OF HARM REDUCTION THEIMPORTANCE
Inthelastfivemonths,CollarCityPridehasheldtwopublicandoneprivate naloxonetrainings,teachingover30communitymembershowtoadminister naloxone,usedrugtestingstrips,andhelpanotherwhomaybeexperiencingan overdose.
Harmreduction,orharmminimization,referstoarangeofintentionalpractices andpublichealthpoliciesdesignedtolessenthenegativesocialand/orphysical consequencesassociatedwithvarioushumanbehaviors.
Whenwethinkofsubstanceuseandharmreduction,wethinkofproviding naloxone/NARCANtoallthosewhouseit,alongwithcleansuppliesforuseand trainingonusingdrugtestingstrips.
Harmreductionisn’tjustamodulewefollowwhenitcomestosubstanceuse.In theLGBTQ+community,harmreductionisfoundinotherareasofourlivessuchas adequateSTD/HIVtesting,accesstosafersexsupplies,andtheabilitytoaccess medicationssuchasPrEP.
Harmreductionasamodelforcarecanallowfolksthesafetytheyneedandthe autonomytheywanttomaketheirowndecisions.Researchtellsusthaton average,moreindividualsfindtheirwayintosobrietywhengivenanempathetic, harm-reductiveapproachversusthetraditionalclinical,abstinence-onlymodels.
Ifyouorsomeoneyouknow/love/careaboutarestrugglingwithsubstanceuseor couldbenefitfromharmreductionsuppliesofanykind,pleasegetintouchwith theAllianceforPositiveHealthtosetupapickupordeliveryoflifesavingharm reductionsupplies.
PEER SUPPORT GROUP RAINBOWRECOVERY
WhileCollarCityPridehashostedamultitudeofLGBTQIA+ events,ourcoremissionistoserveLGBTQIA+individualswho strugglewithsubstancesorareinrecoveryandlookingfor community.Weareoverjoyedtoannouncethebeginningofour RainbowRecoverysupportgroup!Within-personandvirtual options,allthoseonthejourneytorecoveryorwhoneed communityastheyfindrecoveryarewelcometoattend.This groupisforindividuals18+.GroupsmeetinpersonattheTroy LibraryMainBranch(100SecondSt.)onthe1stThursdayofthe month.
Virtuallyonthe3rdThursdayofthemonth.Email (info@collarcitypride.org)orDMforvirtualinformation. Wearealsolookingforgroupfacilitators!EmailorDMusfor moreinformationifyouareinterested.
CASE MANAGEMENT RAINBOWBRIDGING
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