6 Sue Cowell Collection

Sue Cowell Collection

 

Sue Cowell was a mover and shaker.  Her curriculum vitae reads as a

Who’s Who in Rochester.  Beginning as a nurse practitioner at U of R she

worked to open the first AIDS Clinic at St. Mary’s, founded AIDs Rochester,

served on  the Rochester Area Task Force On AIDS.  She was a political

activist who organized and ran Tim Mains’ first and subsequent campaigns,

worked on Louise Slaughter’s Campaign, was a delegate to the 1996 and 2000

Democratic conventions, founding member of ESPA in Upstate NY, and served

as president of the Gay Alliance Board and as Executive Director.

 

 

            About Sue Cowell

Sue was born in Queens, NY and grew up in nearby Hicksville, NY.  After receiving

a B.S. degree in Psychology (graduating Cum Laude) at SUNY New Paltz in 1974

and an M.S. in Nursing at Pace University in 1977, she moved to Rochester to

accept a position with the Health Services Division of the University of Rochester.

 

Her involvement in and contributions to the Rochester LGBTQ Community over the

past 38 years, along with her many awards, include:

 

COMMUNITY HEALTH CARE

• Nurse Practitioner, U of R Health Services, 1977-1988
  • Coordinator of Health Education, 1980-1983
  • Manager, River Campus Unit, 1983-1987
  • Chief, Health Education Unit, 1987-1988
• Co-coordinator of and participant in the Feminist Blood Drive, 1978
• AIDS Coordinator, Monroe County Health Department, 1988-1998
• Nurse Practitioner, Planned Parenthood of Rochester, 1991-1998
• Served on the Women in Jail Committee, 1994-1998
• Nurse Educator, Rochester STD/HIV Prevention Training Center, 1995-1998

 

HIV/AIDS

• Together with Dr. Tom Rush, co-founded the AIDS Screening Clinic at the

University of Rochester, 1982

• Co-authored the first printed material about AIDS published in Rochester entitled

“Guidelines for SAFER SEX: The Risk of AIDS and Other Sexually Transmitted

Diseases Can Be Reduced,” published by the American Red Cross, 1982

• Co-founded the Rochester Area Task Force on AIDS in 1983 and served as a

Member for 15 years.

• Co-founded AIDS Rochester in 1983 and served as first board president.
• Founding board member of MOCHA (Men of Color Health Awareness), 1998
• Helped organize the GAGV Lesbian and Gay Health Network, 1988
• Attended the White House Conference on HIV and AIDS, 1995.

 

COMMUNITY SERVICE

• Gay Alliance of the Genesee Valley
  • Board Co-President, 1979-1980, 1985-1986
  • Board President, 2007-2008
  • Executive Director, 2009-2012
  • Collaborated in the creation of the Political Caucus of the Gay Alliance
• Empty Closet
  • Staff Writer, Distribution Manager and Calendar Manager, 1978-1980
  • Editor, March-June, 1985
  • Community Reporter and Writer, 1978-2013

 

 

 

 

 

 

LOCAL, STATE AND NATIONAL POLITICS

• Co-coordinator of the Rally For Rights, sponsored by the Rochester Gay Task Force,

which was held in Rochester on September 23, 1978 in response to Anita Bryant’s

appearance the same day at the Dome Arena.

• As co-president of the Gay Alliance of the Genesee Valley, appeared on the Rochester

television program AM Rochester on June 30, 1980 in conjunction with an episode

of the Phil Donohue Show that dealt with two gay men who wanted to attend their

senior prom as a couple.

• Democratic Party District Leader and Committee Member, 1985-1990
• Delegate to the Democratic National Convention, 1996 and 2000
• Campaign Manager
  • Tim Mains, Rochester City Council, 1985
  • Mike Fernandez, Rochester City School District, 1989
  • Susan John, New York State Assembly, 1990
• Campaign Staff Member
  • Louse Slaughter, U.S. House of Representatives, 1986
  • Louse Slaughter Re-Election, 2012
• Campaign Volunteer
  • Tom Frey, Monroe County Executive, 1987
  • Bob Duffy, Rochester Mayor, 2005
  • Matt Haag and Carolee Conklin, Rochester City Council, 2009 and 2013
• Empire State Pride Agenda
  • Board Member, 1991-1998
  • Co-Chair, 1993-1998
  • Volunteer, 1998-2008

 

ROCHESTER BUSINESS AND LGBTQ ARTS

• Founding member of the Rochester Womyn’s Community Chorus, 1978
• Co-founded and operated Ace Mailing Services, 1998-2008
• Co-founded Rising Productions,1980

 

• Produced and brought to Rochester, Binghamton, Buffalo and Syracuse

performances by Lucie Blue Tremblay, Wallflower Order Dance Collective,

Mary Watkins, Therese Edell, Teresa Trull, Meg Christian, Robin Tyler,

Nancy Vogel, Barbara Higbie and JEB.

• Produced plays by women playwrights, including A late Snow by

Jane Chambers, Save Me A Place at Forest lawn by Lorees Yerby,

The Great Nebula In Orion by Lanford Wilson and A Voice of My Own

by Elinor Jones.

• Produced 1980 Womansong and Celebration, a day-long performing

arts event to commemorate the birthday of Eleanor Roosevelt, 1980

 

• Co-founded Rising Art which provided exhibition space for local women artists, 1981
• Co-produced the Lesbian Variety Fashion Show to raise money to fight world

hunger, 1985

• Co-produced documentary film The Riverview: A Lesbian Place for the Rochester

Lesbian and Gay Film & Video Festival, 1994

• Co-produced documentary film Christa McAuliffe: Reach For The Stars, 2006

 

 

 

AWARDS FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE WORK

 

• GAGV Vickie Cup community service award, 1980
• American College Health Association distinguished service award, 1986.
• Recognition Award for her role in the establishment of AIDS Rochester, 1989
• Rochester Area Task Force on AIDS certificate of appreciation, 1994.
• Rochester Lesbian and Gay Political Caucus exemplary service award, 1994.
• Distinguished Service Award for 15 years of service to the Rochester Area Task Force

on AIDS, 1998

• Empire State Pride Agenda Glen Joseph Pacheco Volunteer Award for her service as

retiring co-chair of the ESPA Board of Directors, 1998

• University of Rochester/Monroe County Health Department STD/HIV Collaboration

Award in recognition of 10 years of vision, leadership and commitment, 1998

• Monroe County Health Department award in appreciation of 10 years of service, 1999
• City of Rochester Proclamation from Mayor Bill Johnson in recognition of Sue’s

dedication to the community, 1999

• Heart of MOCHA Award, 2002
• ESPA Community Service Award, 2006
• City of Rochester Proclamation from Mayor Bob Duffy in recognition of Sue’s

accomplishments and achievements, 2006

• Embrace Life Award from Doing the Positive Thing for her work in raising awareness

of HIV/AIDS, 2013