Immigration Equality Mourns the Passing of Henry Van Ameringen, Honors His Philanthropy on Behalf of the LGBTQ Movement

New York, NY (June 14, 2020) — Statement from Aaron C. Morris, Immigration Equality’s Executive Director:

“Henry van Ameringen’s life is a beautiful one to celebrate. He was one of the most influential philanthropic forces in the LGBTQ community. Even when the movement was still burgeoning, and there was sometimes heavy stigma attached to the cause, he made large public gifts to LGBTQ rights groups. He never did so out of a sense of ego, but rather because he was proud to be a member of our community. His example encouraged other donors to come out of the closet too and to give generously. Mr. van Ameringen supported Immigration Equality’s work for years, and empathized with every story we told him about the people we serve. Because of him, we have been leading the fight for LGBTQ immigrants and refugees, saving thousands of lives in the process. We mourn the loss of Mr. van Ameringen at the same time that we honor his remarkable dedication to justice and to equality. Our deepest sympathies are with his husband and their family.”