Description

🌈✨ Passing the sash. Making a splash. Honoring a Pride leader. ✨🌈 Patchogue Pride is proud to announce Kerry Thomas (he/him) as the 2026 Grand Marshal for the Patchogue Pride Parade! Kerry is a Licensed Social Worker and the Executive Director of Thursday’s Child, a Patchogue-based nonprofit serving the LGBTQ+ community and advancing health equity. Through his leadership, and in partnership with AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Thursday’s Child has expanded vital services for transgender and non-binary people across our community. For years, Kerry has been a powerful advocate for LGBTQ+ health, visibility, and access. He has served as Co-Chair of the Nassau-Suffolk HIV Health Services Planning Council, volunteered with the Northwell LGBTQ+ Transgender Program’s Client Advisory Board, spoken at Transgender Day of Remembrance events, and presented at the Center for Transgender Care Health Conference. Kerry came out as transgender and began his medical transition as a teenager more than 20 years ago, at a time when resources and support were incredibly limited. That lived experience continues to fuel his commitment to creating safer, healthier, and more affirming spaces for others. And because apparently changing lives wasn’t enough for his schedule, Kerry also does yard work for his grandparents, plays sports, competes in Team Trans ice hockey tournaments, coaches with Trans Boxing Collective, and casually bikes 113 miles from Babylon to Montauk. No big deal. 🚴‍♂️🏳️‍⚧️ Join us at Sash & Splash at Blue Point Brewpub as we celebrate Kerry, pass the sash, and honor the people helping lead Patchogue Pride forward. 💙 Congratulations, Kerry. Your courage, service, and heart make our community stronger. #PatchoguePride #GrandMarshal #SashAndSplash #BluePointBrewpub #ThursdayChild #TransVisibility #LGBTQCommunity #PrideWithPurpose #PatchogueNY