The founding group included film scholar Vito Russo ; Gregory Kolovakos , then on the staff of the NYS Arts Council and who later became the first executive director ; Darryl Yates Rist ; Allen Barnett ; and Jewelle Gomez , the organization 's first treasurer .
They were Vito Russo , Gregory Kolovakos , Darryl Rist , Allen Barnett and Jewelle Gomez .