Edward Kahmann says facing tragedy changed how he sees life and personal safety. As a child, he witnessed his apartment catch fire in 1997. In 2013, he was at PacSun in Westfield Garden State Plaza during an active-shooter incident. No one was injured, and the experience pushed him toward advocacy and community work. He now supports Staten Island’s LGBTQ+ community through volunteerism, fundraising, and civic roles. Kahmann says visibility matters every day, not just during June.
