Infotrue Educational Experiences by Rick Landman

Now Available for NYC Schools:

Rick Landman is now available for his Anti-Bullying and Civil Rights Program for Middle-High Public Schools and College Students

Ricky in 1959Rick performing his show
Rick Landman in 1959 and while performing at a college class.

Growing up gay in segregated NYC
in the 1950-60's

"Exploring NYC Civil Rights History through Personal Stories By a Gay Jewish Baby Boomer who started coming out when homosexuality was a mental illness and criminal act"

This Program explores Social Justice through the eyes and life of a gay son of two Holocaust Survivors who grew up in NYC when segregation was still the law of the land. It has been performed in a College theater setting, and as a class lecture in colleges, High Schools, Synagogues, Churches, etc.

This is a series of stories of someone who grew up in New York shortly after the end of World War II, as a son of two German Jewish Refugee Holocaust Survivors, and becomes active in the LGBT Movement in the 1970's, and even becomes a German citizen in 2007. Through these eyes the audience sees how segregation and discrimination was prevalent during the post War World era in New York City.

GLF in HOP 2013
Rick with other members of the GLF at the Heritage of Pride March, NYC, in 2013

Topics Covered

  • Coming Out in my Hebrew School class in 1965
  • NYC segregated public school system after Brown v. Board of Education
  • Starting the Gay Liberation Front in my college in 1970
  • Career Barriers
  • Early LGBT lawsuits and organizations
  • Early Marches for LGBT Rights
  • Being a civil rights pro bono lawyer

    • Gay Rights Now
    Photo of the intersection of 7th Avenue and Christopher Street in Greenwich Village
    during the political push to get a "Gay Rights Bill" passed in NYC in the 1980's.

    AUDIENCE RESPONSES

    The presentation is a multi-media show with slides and graphics reinforcing the stories. The first show was conceived at Marymount Manhattan College in 2014. The following quotes were from that production.

    "I just want to thank Rick Landman for having the courage to debut his show in my Arts and Social Justice course at Marymount. I also want thank you so much for allowing my students to collaborate with you & join you on this beautiful journey of storytelling. What a wonderful exercise in combining art, social justice, aad storytelling. Gracias!" Daphnie Sicre, Instructor.

    Sample of Comments from the students:
    I walked away excited to go tell someone else about what I had just experienced. I was absolutely fascinated by Rick's story, humored by his impressions, and inspired by his preservation and good spirit. There are so many aspects to Rick that make him amazing; that I could make a list that goes on and on and on. I am amazed that someone can know that much about their family history, about their religion, about events throughout history, and about themselves. Rick truly knows himself and can define his identity, which I think is something many people struggle with- is knowing who they are.

    I really loved the premise for all of it and I really got a strong sense of his passion for it and I think its a really important issue and history that people really need to be aware of. I left with a lot of new information I hadn't had before! He has such an inspirational story and has done so much for the LGBTQ community as well as the Jewish community.


    SAMPLE OF SOME PAST SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

    Hebrew Tabernacle


    Sunday, January 22, 2012
    TOPIC: "RECONCILING THE PAST: Why a gay Jewish Boy and Son of a Dachau Survivor became a German Citizen"
    Located at the Spring Valley Holocaust Museum & Study Center
    Spring Valley Holocaust Museum and Study Center


    Thursday, March 24, 2011
    Baruch College TOPIC: BARUCH COLLEGE---"For the Bible Tells Me So: A Contemporary Perspective on Sacred Texts and Homosexuality In Islam, Judaism, and Christianity "
    Part of an ongoing discussion spearheaded by the Baruch College "Dare to Engage" Task Force, Baruch College continues the "Dare to Engage" conversation focused on LGBT safety and inclusion on its campus with a frank discussion on religious acceptance and prohibition.

    Richard Landman, long term member of the Congregation of Beth Simchat Torah; Jamiel Terry, LGBT activist and son of anti-abortion activist Randall Terry, Wolfman Productions; Faisal Alam, founder of the Al-Fatiha foundation; Boyanna Grubeshich, the Israel Fellow in Baruch College Hillel; Samer Araey, Chaplain at Baruch College; Kevin Ng, member of Baruch G.L.A.S.S.; Daniel A. Seda, graduate student at School of Public Affairs, Baruch College.


    Sunday, July 26, 2009
    TOPIC: "The Rise and Fall of the LGBT Rights Movement from 1897-1945"
    At 1 pm. - At the Museum of Jewish Heritage in Battery Park City for CBST members as part of tour to see what was happening to the "homosexual community" during the Nazi Era.

    Saturday, June 7, 2008
    TOPIC: "Persecution of the Homosexual Community during the Nazi era--- a historical look through a personal family lens."
    At 2 pm. - At the New York City Public Library - International Resource Center
    Flushing Library, 41-17 Main Street, 3rd Floor, Flushing NY 11355
    Near the Number 7 subway line to the Flushing stop.

    Wednesday, November 7, 2007
    Topic:"Kristallnacht- Holocaust Memorial Program"
    at the Bronfman Center for Jewish Living 7 East 10th Street, 2nd floor FROM 7-8 p.m.

    In co-sponsorship with:
    The Bronfman Center for Jewish Living at NYU
    The Deutsches Haus at NYU
    The Henry and Lucy Moses Center for Students with Disabilities
    NYU Office of LGBT Student Services
    Congregation Beth Simchat Torah

    In Commemoration of the 69th Anniversary of Kristallnacht, NYU will be conducting an inclusive candle lighting ceremony to memorialize the six million Jews, and all of the other victims of the Nazi era, including the disabled, homosexual, Gypsy communities, Jehovah Witnesses, and others including anti-Hitler Germans who were killed for protecting Jews and for anti-Nazi activities.

    In addition, Rick Landman, a gay son and grandson of two Jewish men who were arrested and interned in Dachau on the day after Kristallnacht will make a presentation. Rick will not only relate the 24 hour history of how Kristallnacht affected his father's life, but will also explain why he decided to reinstate German Citizenship to become a dual citizen. He is now a gay, Jewish, American son of Holocaust Survivors who is also a German citizen. The program will end with a question and answer period.

    Thursday, May 25, 2006
    Topic: PARAGRAPH 175 -The Movie and a Presentation Afterwards
    At 7:00 pm - At the Jewish Center of Jackson Heights
    37-06 77th Street, Jackson Heights, NY
    Sponsored by the Holocaust Resource Center and Archives, Queensborough Community College.

    ABOUT THE SPEAKER
    • Rick Landman, Esq., a Native New Yorker, has been an AICP Certified Planner for over 30 years, and an Attorney Emeritus who has volunteered in the NYC Housing Court as a pro bono attorney for over 1,000 hours since 2007.

    • Rick has 3 Masters Degrees (M.C.R.P. in City and Regional Planning, Ed.M. in Curriculum Development, M.S. in Civil (Socio) Engineering) and a J.D. in law (cum laude). He was admitted to the New York Bar in 1988.

    • He has a Permanent Certificate to Teach Social Studies for Grades 7-12 in New York State.

    • He also has dual citizenship between the USA and Germany. He is the son of two Jewish Holocaust Survivors, and is active in several Second Generation programs.

    • He was the Lead Attorney at LeGaL's Walk-In Clinic at the LGBT Community Center for 6 years.

    • He started coming out in 1965 at the age of 12 in his Hebrew School class when he asked if two men could get married; and later that year when he old his summer camp counselor that he had a crush on Wayne.

    • He was the founder of the Gay Liberation Front - GLF at SUNY at Buffalo in 1970, and marched in the First Pride Parade in June 1970. It was actually a GLF Demonstration commemorating the first Stonewall Anniversary.

    • He also helped to organize the First March on Albany for Gay Rights on March 15, 1971.

    • He was later elected the NY Representative to plan the First March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights on October 14, 1979.

    • He has been a long time member of CBST (Congregation Beit Simchat Torah) and co-chair of the International Association of Lesbian and Gay Children of Holocaust Survivors.

    • He was an early member of GLID (Gay and Lesbian Independent Democrats) and served on their Executive Committee, was also a member of CLGR (Coalition for Lesbian and Gay Rights) and worked on the Diversity Taskforce which assisted in drafting the first NYC Domestic Partnership Bill.

    • He was an adjunct Professor of Planning at NYU's Wagner School and taught their Land Use law class from 2003 - 2009. His class is a required core class for the Urban Planning Masters students. Since 2010 he is an adjunct professor at New York Law School, also teaching a land use law class.

    • He was the Executive Director of Real Estate Development for the City of New York for 5 years and was the Director of Real Estate Development at NYU for 19 years.

    • Rick was the chair of several committees of Community Board #1 Manhattan, including the chair of the Planning & Community Infrastructure Committee, the Tribeca Committee and chaired what is now called the Landmarks Committee when Tribeca was first designated in 1992.

    • He moved into a Lower Manhattan converted apartment in the 1970's, that is approximately 1,000 feet from the World Trade Center.

    • He is a licensed NYC Sightseeing Tour Guide. License No.: 1281818 exp. 3/31/18.
    ADDITIONAL LGBT (GAY) HISTORY TOPICS
    LGBT HISTORY

  • The weekend of the Stonewall Rebellion - June 1969.
  • The Fight for the NY "Gay Rights" Bill and Marriage Equality.
  • America's pre-Stonewall Movement including the Mattachine Society and Daughters of Bilitis from after World War II until Stonewall.
  • The legal fight in New Jersey to have homosexuals congregate in bars.
  • Know Your Rights- A Discussion of the current state of laws and how we got here; including when even mentioning the words gay or lesbian were illegal words for incorporating a non-profit organization.
  • The End of Sodomy Laws in America.
  • Biblical History from Adam and St(eve) through David and Jonathan focusing on the capital punishments.
  • Burning of witches and queers.
  • The Rise and Fall of Sodomy Laws from Napoleon to Bismarck to Magnus Hirschfeld to WWII and then the Mattachine Society and Radicalesbians, etc.

    THE PERSONAL LIFE OF RICK LANDMAN

  • Coming out in 1965 at the age of 13 in Hebrew School
  • What is was like when being openly gay meant you were a criminal or mentally ill and how this had an impact on your career.
  • The forming of student gay associations or Marches across the country in the early 1970's
  • Being fag-bashed for starting a Gay Liberation group at U.B.
  • What was it like living in the 1970's in the sex charged West Village
  • The creation of the LGBT Community Center on West 13th Street and other LGBT NYC groups
  • The Rise and Fall of Sex in the West Village

    SPECIAL TALKS THAT GROUPS HAVE ASKED FOR:

  • What happened to Germany's homosexual community during the Nazi era
  • The impact and history of HIV/AIDS on the West Village (St. Vincent's Hospital, Bailey House)and surviving the onslaught of the epidemic.
  • [FOR APA URBAN PLANNERS AND NYC PLANNING STUDENTS] How Adult Sex Establishments actually helped to create NYC neighborhoods and the impact of Zoning laws on their creation and on the closing of many sex-related institutions.
  • [FOR LAWYERS AND LAW STUDENTS] Why NY's LGBT incorporated non-profits couldn't use Lesbian and Gay in their incorporated titles, ie. Lambda Legal Defense Fund, or Bar Association for Human Rights of Greater New York, and how lawyers furthered the LGBT Civil Rights Movement.
  • [For High School programs] A more detailed talk can be provided as to what it was like startig to come out at the age of 13 in the 1960's.

    LGBT GERMAN HISTORY

  • The Rise and Fall of the LGBT Rights Movement in Germany 1897-1945

    LGBT JEWISH HISTORY

  • Coming out as a gay son Holocaust Survivors
  • The history of the world's largest LGBT Synagogue
  • The story of the Other Victims Marker at the Sheepshead Bay Holocaust Memorial Park
  • The story of a Holocaust surviving Torah coming to America's largest LGBT Synagogue and then going back to Germany.
  • Jewish leaders in NYC's LGBT History.

    • gaygermanjewish

    clickClick Here for More Information about a week long Diversity Program at the University of Minnesota at Duluth.

    SAMPLE OF PREVIOUS VIDEOS

    gay pride

    Rick Landman spoke at the United Nations Briefing on Holocaust and LGBT Rights on January 29, 2015.
    United Nations Briefing on Holocaust and LGBT Rights

    The following clip is from the Congregation Beit Simchat Torah's Kristallnacht Shabbat service in 2017:




    A short award winning documentary made by high school juniors:
    Jesse Berliner-Sachs, Sophie Whisnant, Meredith Criner, and Elizabeth Pasquerello.
    Won first place in district National History Day Competition 2014.

    Featuring:
    Jeff Dupre, Mia Ettinger, Ray Hill, Jim Hubbard, Richard Landman, Gretta Schiller, and Marc Stein.

    You can read more about the First March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights and their project by Clicking here


    A short award winning documentary made by Natasha Pagel-Aprill,
    about Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld, featuring Rick Landman and Robert Beachy.




    Rick Landman was asked to participate
    in the OUTLOUD PIONEER program
    Outloud logo


    Photo from 2013 Heritage of Pride March with fellow GLF members.
    Rick Landman is in the light blue T-shirt on the right in the photo in front of the Stonewall.

    Rick Landman speaks at various college and other settings about what it was like coming out so young in 1965 and what it was like being openly gay back then. He also uses his first hand knowledge to discuss the growth of the American LGBT Rights Movement.
    Washington College LGBT Field Trip
    David Carter, author of the book "Stonewall", conducted a LGBT Field Trip for students from Washington College. Rick Landman spoke along with other early LGBT activists.

    Humanity in Action - Lecture

    Humanity in Action - Walking Tour

    Humanity in Action - Lecture
    Rick spoke at Humanity in Action while giving a Walking Tour on the topic of his life and the LGBT Movement.

    Rick Landman spoke at various synagogues for LGBT Pride Shabbat, telling the congregation what it was like coming out in 1965 and being proud of being both gay and Jewish.
    Bay Ridge Jewish Center Thank You Card

    Other videos can be found by clicking here

    Rockbar Stand up