Gerry Mac Fund
Donation protected
Friends-
On August 28, 2015, our friend Gerry McIntyre had an appointment at a Homeland Security office in NYC to repair his immigration status. Instead, on his arrival he was handcuffed, taken into custody and incarcerated for nearly 3 months in a federal immigration holding facility. He was treated like a dangerous criminal- often handcuffed and shackled, and always scared. Upon his release, he was ordered to wear an ankle bracelet and comply with regular check-ins with a parole officer and because of all of this, he lost his apartment and his job. The entire ordeal left him demoralized and dehumanized— and it’s far from over. He is now battling deportation to Grenada- a place that he hasn’t been since he was 4 years old, and in which he has no family members or any kind of support system.
Gerry has been a vital part of the New York theatre community since 1984. He has taught children’s theatre and mentored countless young performers, many of whom have gone on to successful Broadway careers, including Lindsey Mendez, Megan Austin Lesche, Sara Andreas, Nikka Lanzarone, Reed Carney and Meagan Campbell. After Hurricane Katrina, Gerry worked with kids in New Orleans to help them rebuild their lives. He has been a friend to everyone who has ever needed one in the theatrical world. Everybody knows and loves Gerry Mac!
Now- he needs OUR help.
As we previously stated, if Gerry is sent back to Grenada he would literally know no one and have no support. Additionally, as most of you have probably guessed at this point in your friendship with Gerry- he’s gay!! We hope you aren’t shocked. The serious point of this, however, is that homosexuality in Grenada is punishable by up to a 10 year jail sentence. You read that right. If you’re gay in Grenada, they can lock you up for 10 years. So to sum up, if Gerry were to wind up there, he would arrive knowing no one, having nowhere to go and facing a jail sentence every day just for being who he is.
That’s the bad news.
The good news is that a lot of good folks have worked really hard to get his case taken on by a high powered law firm, Wildes and Weinberg, that specializes in immigration. Some of their clients have included Melania Trump and, in the 1970’s, John Lennon, when Richard Nixon and the FBI were determined to have him deported. This firm won his case. They’re the real deal.
So- this is where you come in…
The legal fees will amount to $30,000. This includes Gerry’s representation in court for the deportation trial (currently scheduled for September 2017) and all fees incurred in preparation for the trial. We’re asking you, his friends, for help. This can’t happen without it. Please contribute whatever you can towards Gerry’s legal fees. If you know Gerry Mac, you know this: New York City is a better place with The Mayor Of Broadway in it. Let’s work to keep him here!!
Our hope is to raise the funds needed by:
February 14, 2017.
Thank you!
On August 28, 2015, our friend Gerry McIntyre had an appointment at a Homeland Security office in NYC to repair his immigration status. Instead, on his arrival he was handcuffed, taken into custody and incarcerated for nearly 3 months in a federal immigration holding facility. He was treated like a dangerous criminal- often handcuffed and shackled, and always scared. Upon his release, he was ordered to wear an ankle bracelet and comply with regular check-ins with a parole officer and because of all of this, he lost his apartment and his job. The entire ordeal left him demoralized and dehumanized— and it’s far from over. He is now battling deportation to Grenada- a place that he hasn’t been since he was 4 years old, and in which he has no family members or any kind of support system.
Gerry has been a vital part of the New York theatre community since 1984. He has taught children’s theatre and mentored countless young performers, many of whom have gone on to successful Broadway careers, including Lindsey Mendez, Megan Austin Lesche, Sara Andreas, Nikka Lanzarone, Reed Carney and Meagan Campbell. After Hurricane Katrina, Gerry worked with kids in New Orleans to help them rebuild their lives. He has been a friend to everyone who has ever needed one in the theatrical world. Everybody knows and loves Gerry Mac!
Now- he needs OUR help.
As we previously stated, if Gerry is sent back to Grenada he would literally know no one and have no support. Additionally, as most of you have probably guessed at this point in your friendship with Gerry- he’s gay!! We hope you aren’t shocked. The serious point of this, however, is that homosexuality in Grenada is punishable by up to a 10 year jail sentence. You read that right. If you’re gay in Grenada, they can lock you up for 10 years. So to sum up, if Gerry were to wind up there, he would arrive knowing no one, having nowhere to go and facing a jail sentence every day just for being who he is.
That’s the bad news.
The good news is that a lot of good folks have worked really hard to get his case taken on by a high powered law firm, Wildes and Weinberg, that specializes in immigration. Some of their clients have included Melania Trump and, in the 1970’s, John Lennon, when Richard Nixon and the FBI were determined to have him deported. This firm won his case. They’re the real deal.
So- this is where you come in…
The legal fees will amount to $30,000. This includes Gerry’s representation in court for the deportation trial (currently scheduled for September 2017) and all fees incurred in preparation for the trial. We’re asking you, his friends, for help. This can’t happen without it. Please contribute whatever you can towards Gerry’s legal fees. If you know Gerry Mac, you know this: New York City is a better place with The Mayor Of Broadway in it. Let’s work to keep him here!!
Our hope is to raise the funds needed by:
February 14, 2017.
Thank you!
Organizer
Jacinta Saporito
Organizer
Phillipsburg, NJ