Honor Cardoms for Youth Service

Senate Resolution No. 201 BY: Senator BRESLIN HONORING Michael Cardom and Dr. Robert Cardom upon the occasion of their designation as recipients of the Paul Postiglione Youth Service Award by the Pride Center of the Capital Region WHEREAS, This Legislative Body recognizes the profound impact of those exemplary individuals within the great State of New York who proactively work for the enfranchisement of minority communities, and the importance of such work for the benefit of all citizens of this State, and indeed, all citizens of the Nation; and WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to honor Michael Cardom and Dr. Robert Cardom upon the occasion of their designation as recipients of the Paul Postiglione Youth Service Award by the Pride Center of the Capital Region to be celebrated at its Annual Awards Gala on Friday, October 19, 2018, at the Albany Capital Center, Albany, New York; and WHEREAS, This auspicious event benefits the Pride Center of the Capital Region and celebrates the important contributions of individuals who work hard to empower the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) community; Michael Cardom and Dr. Robert Cardom are two such individuals; and WHEREAS, Michael Cardom and Dr. Robert Cardom are receiving the Paul Postiglione Youth Service Award for their work with youth, especially in the LGBTQ community; and WHEREAS, Robert, who is from the foothills of the northwest Georgia mountains and Michael, who is from Lexington, Kentucky, met while Robert was working on his PhD in Lexington; the couple married in August of

2013; and WHEREAS, Still, they had to wait until the Supreme Court struck down state-level marriage discrimination in July of 2016, before their marriage was recognized in the Commonwealth of Kentucky; and WHEREAS, Their desire to maintain safe, supportive spaces for LGBTQ youth comes from a lack of such spaces in their own experience as gay teens in the South; and WHEREAS, Michael and Robert have been co-facilitators of the Schenectady LGBTQ Youth Group since they moved to the Capital Region in August of 2017; they were also involved in an LGBTQ youth group in Lexington, where they facilitated group meetings, and helped to plan and chaperone dances and trips; and WHEREAS, Our society is greatly benefited by the purposeful efforts of individuals who unite for the cause of improving the quality of life for others, and who proactively work toward the goal of dignity for all; and WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that those who enhance the well-being and vitality of their community and have shown a long and sustained commitment to excellence certainly have earned the recognition and applause of all the citizens of this great Empire State; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to honor Michael Cardom and Dr. Robert Cardom upon the occasion of their designation as recipients of the Paul Postiglione Youth Service Award by the Pride Center of the Capital Region; and be it further RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to Michael Cardom and Dr. Robert Cardom.