No family members were present, but a close cousin from Israel, Tommy Wieder, sent a written statement read by Michael Schweinsburg. He talked about Wieder’s acceptance of all people, and his love of New York.
“I’m not sure you could find anybody who knew New York as well and as intimately as Harry,” Tommy Wieder wrote.
“Harry’s short stature was no excuse for him being struck down. The pedestrian always has the right of way,” said activist Alexander Wood.
Speakers included playwright Craig Lucas, and Ann Northrop, co-host of the weekly national cable show “Gay USA.” Friends included Betty Adelson, Arthur Zelman, Rocky Chin and many others.“I loved Harry but I was not his boyfriend,” said Marvin Wasserman, executive director of the Brooklyn Center for Independence of the Disabled. “He was my little brother. An obnoxious little brother.”
Carol Polcovar called Wieder her teacher, and his car a “friend trap.” She recalled her last adventure with Wieder in search of a Uigur suit advertised as one of the top 100 suits in New York.“He was like life itself. Erratic, messy, demanding. What a damn lesson,” she said.
Ellen Nuzzi talked about how Wieder helped her see the parallels between rights for people with disabilities and gay rights.“Harry also got me involved with gay rights even though I’m not gay,” she said. “I became impassioned that gay people need the same rights as disabled people need.”
City Councilmember Rosie Mendez hosted the event with Lady Clover Honey of the Fresh Fruit LGBT performance group that Wieder was part of.
There were performances by Rome Neal, a singer with the Nuyorican Poets Café’s All Out Jazz show, Kitty Lunn of Infinity Dance Theater, singer Ana Iza Otis and poet Rafaela (Ronni) Bilini, who performed “Harry in a Hurry” with live music.
This article was published in the August issue of Able News.
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