SARASOTA – A Suncoast man is crediting his on-going activism for the LGBTQ+ community to his late husband.
“Greg Jung was not only my best friend, he was my husband, said VP of Project Pride SRQ, Christopher Covelli.
When New York native, Christopher Covelli, is not serving as the Executive Chef of the Realm restaurant group, Sage, and Bijou Garden Café, he is advocating for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community across the Suncoast and beyond through his work at Equality Florida and Project Pride SRQ.
“Most importantly to educate people on the LGBTQ community, through local businesses and personal relationships, so we’re not this big activist group, we’re here to bring the community together,” said Covelli.
Covelli credits the start of his activism work, to his late husband, Greg Jung who advocated for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community in Missouri, serving as founder of the LGBTQ caucus at the Missouri Education Association
“Most recently he was just awarded, the first year the Greg Jung legacy award, he was the first recipient so it was named after him, so everybody that gets it gets to know that he was a movement of the LGBTQ caucus at the NEA and he brought that hunger here,” said Covelli.
That hunger is what motivated Covelli to continue his work throughout the Suncoast.
“He taught me a lot, so when you see me fighting out there doing anything for the LGBTQ+ community, he’s part of it, he taught me a lot, I am forever grateful,” said Covelli.
After, Greg passed away in October 2020 to COVID Covelli decided take a year off to mourn the loss.
“I felt a surge of energy that I needed to get back in there because there was a bigger fight coming, and I wasn’t wrong, here we are,” said Covelli.
Covelli, alongside Equality Florida and Project Pride SRQ have rallied against anti-LGBTQ legislation, mourned and honored those who have passed, and celebrated the LGBTQ+ community through countless events. Besides honoring his husband, Covelli continues to work tirelessly to help the younger LGBTQ+ generation who are fighting their own battles.
“I no longer walk afraid in the streets because of the people before me who set the stage and protected me, in those bars, at stonewall, at local offices where a young man could go in and talk about being gay and not being afraid in New York City, that was tough, they were there for me and now it’s my turn,” said Covelli.
SNN will continue to bring you stories of Pride on the Suncoast throughout this week in honor of Pride Month, stay tuned!!
