Ron Gonzalez, Gay Health Activist, Dies in Continental Crash

Ron Gonzalez, director of New Brunswick Tomorrow, a youth services program in New Brunswick, N.J., was flying into Buffalo to visit relatives on Continental flight 3407 that crashed in Clarence Center, New York last week. As a Buffalo resident, he had worked for AIDS Community Services as executive director of Alianza Latina and had also served as a community educator. All 50 passengers on the plane died and investigators are trying to determine what caused the crash.

Outcome Buffalo writes:

“Gonzalez, an openly gay man, worked to educate gay youth and young adults about health and safe-sex both through his work at Aids Community services and in collaborative programs at Gay and Lesbian Youth Services of Western New York.

Gonzalez was a National Urban Fellow at The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in Princeton prior to his move to New Brunswick.

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The Star-Ledger of New Jersey has reports that “Gonzalez was on his way to visit family in Buffalo”, according to Jeffrey Vega, president of New Brunswick Tomorrow.

Gonzalez was born and raised in New York City

The youth services program, which provides services to city schools, such as mental health counseling for students and their families, case management, youth employment, tutoring, and New Brunswick High School’s Parent Infant Care Center, is part of New Brunswick Tomorrow, a private, non-profit organization.

“He wasn’t somebody who had an ego. It wasn’t about him, It was all about the children,” said Vega. “He was dedicated to helping kids and families that were disadvantaged.”

Vega said Gonzalez worked long hours, and moved three blocks from New Brunswick High School, where his office was, just to be closer. “