Washington Blade, Volume 53, Issue 29, July 22, 2022

MONKEYPOX ON THE RISE (Photo courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Join us July 25 for a town hall event and get your questions answered, PAGE 10

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Financial crisis prompts employees to close Casa Ruby Faced eviction from buildings due to unpaid rent; staff unpaid

By LOU CHIBBARO JR. | lchibbaro@washblade.com

Casa Ruby, the D.C. LGBTQ community services center that provided transitional housing services for homeless LGBTQ youth and adults and support for LGBTQ immigrants, has shut down all of its programs after it lost most of its city funding, one of its few remaining employees told the Washington Blade.

Tania Cordova, a Casa Ruby official who has coordinated the group’s LGBTQ immigrant services program, said a failure to pay the rent for Casa Ruby’s offices and rental homes for its transitional housing program made it impossible for the remaining staff of about 10 employees to continue any of the group’s programs.

The Casa Ruby shutdown this week took place nine months after Ruby Corado, the group’s founder and longtime executive director, resigned last October. She announced her resignation less than a week after the D.C. Department of Human Services disclosed it would not renew an annual Casa Ruby grant of what was said to be $850,000 to operate a low-barrier shelter for LGBTQ people.

RUBY CORADO resigned as head of Casa Ruby last year.

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

At the time of her resignation, Corado said Casa Ruby’s then Government Affairs Director Alexis Blackmon would assume the position of interim executive director while a search took place for a permanent director. But Blackmon resigned from the interim position a short time later and Casa Ruby announced that Jackie Franco, one of its managers, would serve as interim leader for the group with the title of Chief of Staff.

According to Cordova and others familiar with Casa Ruby, who spoke on condition of not being identified, Corado retained full control of Casa Ruby’s finances and made all key decisions despite her claim to have resigned. Cordova and other Casa Ruby staffers have also pointed out that Corado since the time of her announced resignation has spent most of her time in El Salvador operating, among other things, a Casa Ruby she opened in the capital city of San Salvador.

Corado told the Blade in an interview in May that the Casa Ruby board approved the creation of the Casa Ruby in El Salvador. Among its objectives, Corado said, was to provide services for LGBTQ Salvadorans so that they would not be forced to immigrate to the U.S. Neither Corado nor Franco could immediately be reached this week for comment on the claim by the Casa Ruby staff that they had shut down the D.C. Casa Ruby’s opera-

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tions.

One source familiar with the D.C. Casa Ruby said there were only about 10 staff members left as of June of this year. Cordova said that as of earlier this year, the entire Casa Ruby Board of Directors had resigned, raising the question of whether Casa Ruby could legally operate without a board.

The Washington Post reported this week that Casa Ruby employed as many as 100 people as of 2020, eight years after Corado founded the group in 2012.

In its 2020 IRS 990 finance report, which all nonprofit organizations are required to file each year, Casa Ruby reported its total revenue for the year was $4,161,905, with most of the funds coming from D.C. government grants. The 2020 report, the latest one the IRS has released, also shows that Corado’s salary and total compensation for that year was $260,416.

Casa Ruby sources said the group filed a request for an extension of the deadline for filing 2021 IRS 990 report because Corado had not provided the needed financial information. The sources said that while the D.C. government has withheld several hundred thousand dollars in grants for Casa Ruby in the past year or two due to “noncompliance” with the terms of the grants, Casa Ruby has continued to receive funds from private donors. And the staff has not been informed by Corado, according to the sources, on how the private donor funds have been used.

In her interview with the Blade in May, Corado said she believes the Department of Human Services, which has provided much of Casa Ruby’s D.C. government funding, as well as the mayor’s office, was retaliating against her for her outspoken criticism of the city’s handling of programs for the homeless and other programs.

The Department of Human Services has not responded to repeated requests by the Blade for its specific reasons for determining that Casa Ruby was not in compliance with the DHS grants, which prompted DHS to cut off its funds for those grants.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, in response to a question from the Blade, reacted to the news on Monday.

“I’m sad about it,” Bowser said. “And a lot of people here know Ruby and know the organization and especially know that organization when it was doing work that nobody else was doing. So, I’m very sad about it. But I also know when we give hundreds of thousands and millions of dollars and vendors aren’t being paid and employees aren’t being paid, you’ve got a problem. You’ve got a problem. So, none of us can turn our back on it. We have to fix the problem.

“So, I’m sad about it because that was an organization that has done the work. We have to figure out what happened and fix it.”

The Menkiti Group, the company that owns the building at 7325 Georgia Ave., N.W., which Casa Ruby used as its headquarters and for the low barrier shelter, claims in a Landlord Tenant Court filing that Casa Ruby owes the company over $1 million in unpaid rent and late fees, among other expenses. Corado told the Blade last year that she withheld some of the rent in a dispute over what she said was the owner’s failure to maintain the building that led to multiple violations in the city’s fire and building code.

A spokesperson for the company told the Blade last year that Corado agreed to a lease that holds the tenant responsible for all needed repairs for the building. Casa Ruby has since moved out of that building.

The landlord for two smaller buildings in the Dupont Circle area in which Casa Ruby rented space have also filed eviction notices for failure to pay the rent.

Cordova said that the Union Temple Baptist Church, which rented four small townhouses to Casa Ruby where Cordova helped to operate the group’s LGBTQ immigrant services program, filed for eviction in court over failure by Casa Ruby to pay the rent. The church owns the buildings. Cordova said the immigrant occupants of the buildings as well as she, who lived in one of them, were forced to move out.

“Everything is closed,” Cordova said. “Nobody is going there to get services because there is nobody to provide the services,” she said. “We don’t have an office, we don’t have office supplies, we don’t have an internet. How are we going to provide services?”

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Trump backed-Cox wins Md. GOP gubernatorial primary Mizeur to face Harris in 1st Congressional District

By MICHAEL K. LAVERS | mlavers@washblade.com

State Del. Dan Cox (R-Frederick County) on Tuesday defeated former Labor and Commerce Secretary Kelly Schulz in the Maryland Republican gubernatorial primary.

Cox, an anti-LGBTQ member of the Maryland House of Delegates who former President Donald Trump has endorsed, defeated Schulz, who Republican Gov. Larry Hogan backed, by a 56.2-40.3 percent margin.

Unofficial election results that include early voting and Election Day ballots indicate Wes Moore, former Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Pérez and Comptroller Peter Franchot are ahead in the Democratic gubernatorial primary. A state law does not allow the Maryland State Board of Elections to begin counting mail-in ballots until 10 a.m. on Thursday. (Visit washingtonblade.com for updates.)

Congressman Anthony Brown on Tuesday defeated former Maryland first lady Katie Curran O’Malley in the Democratic primary for attorney general by a 59.6-40.4 percent margin. Brown will face former Anne Arundel County Council member Michael Peroutka in the general election.

“A heartfelt thank you to Maryland voters for putting their faith in me,” said Brown in a statement his campaign released early Wednesday. “Our campaign’s message has resonated with voters and tonight’s results prove it. An attorney general can either be a champion for progress or a defender of the status quo. I’m running for attorney general to dismantle barriers because the status quo isn’t working for Marylanders.”

State Del. Brooke Lierman (D-Baltimore City) will face off against Republican Harford County Executive Barry Glassman in the race to succeed Franchot as state comptroller.

Democratic U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen on Tuesday easily won his primary, and is expected to win re-election in November.

Heather Mizeur easily defeated David Harden in the

Democratic primary in Maryland’s 1st Congressional District that includes all of the state’s Eastern Shore. Mizeur, who was a member of the House of Delegates from 20072015, would be Maryland’s first openly lesbian member of Congress if she defeats Republican Congressman Andy Harris in November.

Former Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Glenn Ivey defeated former Congresswoman Donna Edwards by a 51.2-35.2 percent margin in the race to succeed Brown in the 4th Congressional District. Ivey will face off against Republican Jeff Warner in the general election.

Anti-LGBTQ state Del. Neil Parrott (R-Washington County) won the Republican primary in the 6th Congressional District. The Washington County Republican will face off against Democratic Congressman David Trone in November.

“In his time in Annapolis, the main thing Neil Parrott has accomplished is building a reputation for ineffectiveness,” said Trone on Wednesday in an email to supporters. “He’s been named one of the least effective legislators in our state. Rather than getting results for his constituents, he’s focused on advocating for hate-filled policies — like requiring people with HIV to get tattoos, taking away rights from same-sex couples and more.”

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, who represents the 5th Congressional District, easily defeated his primary challenger. Congressmen Jamie Raskin, Kweisi Mfume, John Sarbanes and Dutch Ruppersberger also won their respective Democratic primaries on Tuesday.

“I am honored to have been selected by (Maryland’s 5th Congressional District) to be their nominee for Congress in the general election this November,” tweeted Hoyer on Wednesday. “As congressman I will continue working hard to bring resources and opportunities back to our district.”

State Del. Gabriel Acevero (D-Montgomery County),

From left, state Del. DAN COX (R-Frederick County) and Democrat WES MOORE.

(Screen capture of Cox via WUSA9; screen capture of Moore via WBAL TV 11 Baltimore)

who is the House of Delegates’ first openly gay Afro-Latino member, is currently second among the four Democrats who are running in Legislative District 39. State Del. Lisa Belcastro (D-Baltimore County) is third among the three Democrats running in Legislative District 11B. State Del. Luke Clippinger (D-Baltimore City) is second among the six Democratic primary candidates in Legislative District 46. State Del. Bonnie Cullison (D-Montgomery County) is currently second among four Democrats who are running in Legislative District 19.

State Del. Anne Kaiser (D-Montgomery County) is currently first among the five Democrats who are running in Legislative District 14.

Kris Fair is first among the seven Democratic primary candidates in Legislative District 3, while Joseph Vogel is currently third among the four candidates in his race in Legislative District 17. Ashanti Martinez is fourth among the six Democratic primary candidates in Legislative District 3.

The top three candidates in each race will advance to the general election.

State Sen. Mary Washington (D-Baltimore City) on Tuesday was unopposed in Legislative District 43.

Mayor surveys LGBTQ businesses to assess community’s ‘economic health’ City seeks to understand how queer employees interact with the District

By PHILIP VAN SLOOTEN

The Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs and the Equality Chamber of Commerce are currently conducting a survey of LGBTQ businesses and employees to assess the “economic health” of the district’s LGBTQ community.

“Recognizing that the LGBTQ+ community thrives when we have access to come together,” the mayor’s office said in the survey announcement. “[Our office] also seeks to study the state of LGBTQ+ community businesses’ ability to host gatherings and events.”

The announcement defines the LGBTQ business community as those both owned by members of the community and those owned by “allies” whose businesses serve community members in the District.

The study also seeks to understand how LGBTQ employees interact economically with the District.

“Where do you physically work? Where do you virtually cowork? In a coffee shop? In a restaurant? Do you feel safe and comfortable in those spaces?” Equality Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Morgan Jameson asked the Washington Blade. “Because if you’re not waking up and going to sleep feeling safe in your own community, it limits your opportunities to become a leader in your company or become an entrepreneur.”

Jameson, who teleworks from Virginia but is still a part of D.C.’s business economy, said while these exact questions may not be on the survey, they were a guide for understanding what modern resources the Chamber needs to either

provide or advocate for.

According to census data released in 2021, the pandemic had a harder impact on the LGBTQ community with more LGBTQ adults reporting experiencing food and economic insecurity than non-LGBTQ adults. Paying for household expenses was difficult for 36.5% of LGBTQ adults compared to 26.1% of non-LGBTQ adults, according to last year’s data.

In addition, members of the community may have lost safe gathering places to simply be themselves even while teleworking outside of home.

The mayor’s office also conducted listening sessions with community members to gain more insights about how D.C.’s businesses currently serve as spaces for an already economically and socially vulnerable population.

“Does the city need an ordinance to say all businesses need a gender neutral restroom?” Jameson asked. “What else can be done based on the survey results to support the most marginalized among us, those who are women, transgender or people of color?”

The Equality Chamber of Commerce was one of many community organizations the mayor’s office reached out to during the survey’s early stages.

Jameson said the mayor’s office approached the ECC around April or May seeking their input in reviewing survey questions and in promoting the survey to their members. The survey went live in June and Jameson said more than 100 responses have been received as of July 14. It continues un-

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til the end of July. But Jameson hopes the end of the survey is only the beginning of the conversation.

“What actions can be taken based on the survey results?”

Mayor MURIEL BOWSER’s Jameson asked. “ administration is conducting a survey of LGBTQ businesses What policies should and employees through the end we be advocating for of July. (Blade photo by Michael Key) through our partners in the mayor’s office or with other community organizations such as Capital Pride?

These are conversations I hope the Chamber will be a part of.”

He emphasized that future actions will be driven in part by the needs and opportunities presented in the data. The findings should also give all groups an indicator as to how to keep the metro area LGBTQ ecosystem healthy and thriving.

“When businesses are healthy and employees feel safe, they promote the economy,” Jameson said. “This is meant to support and uplift that [goal].”

To learn more about the District of Pride survey, or other networking and educational opportunities for area LGBTQ businesses, contact the Equality Chamber of Commerce DC via eccdc.biz or follow them on social media.

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Gay men make up 82% of D.C. monkeypox cases Mayor calls on at-risk residents to apply for vaccinations

By LOU CHIBBARO JR. | lchibbaro@washblade.com

D.C. Department of Health Director Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt told reporters at a Monday press conference that as of Sunday, July 17, there were 122 reported cases of monkeypox in the District of Columbia and that 82 percent of those cases involved individuals who identify as gay.

Nesbitt joined D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser at the press conference to provide an update on the city’s response to the monkeypox outbreak. They each urged city residents to visit a newly released Department of Health website at PreventMonkeypox.dc.gov to obtain the latest information about the viral illness and whether they may be eligible for the vaccine that can prevent people from becoming infected.

“It is important to note, it is extremely important to note that while the majority of the cases during this outbreak are occurring in individuals who identify as members of the LGBTQ+ community, this is not a disease of the LGBTQ+ community,” Nesbitt said.

“Anyone can contract monkeypox, and it is important that we do not create a stigma at this time and that we encourage individuals to be on the lookout for symptoms,” she told the news conference.

Based on monkeypox case numbers reported nationwide by the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, D.C.’s 122 cases represent the highest number of monkeypox cases per capita compared to any of the 50 states.

“We do have 122 cases as of yesterday,” Nesbitt said at the press conference. “The average age or the median age, rather, is 32. And the age range is 18 to 64,” she said. “The majority of cases are occurring in individuals who are 30 to 34 years old. Sixty-three [percent] of the cases are occurring in individuals who identify as white,” she continued.

“Ninety-six percent of the cases are occurring in individuals who identify as males,” Nesbitt said. “And 82 percent are occurring in individuals who identify as gay.”

In response to a question from the Blade, Department of Health spokesperson Kimberly Henderson said on Tuesday that Nesbitt was referring specifically to individuals who

self-identified and self-reported their sexual orientation as “gay” when Nesbitt stated that 82 percent of the D.C. monkeypox cases were among people who identified as gay.

A joint statement released on Monday by the mayor’s office and the DOH says monkeypox is a potentially serious but rarely fatal viral illness “that can be transmitted from person to person through direct contact with the infectious rash, scabs, or body fluids.” The statement says the virus is often spread during “intimate physical contact between people, including sex, kissing, and hugging.” It says it also can be spread when a person touches fabrics, such as bedding, or towels used by a person with monkeypox.

“The initial symptoms of monkeypox often include flulike symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle aches, and swollen lymph nodes followed by a rash and lesion on the skin,” the statement says. “The rash can look like pimples or blisters that appear on the face, inside the mouth, and on other parts of the body, like the hands, feet, chest, genitals, or anus,” according to the statement.

Monday’s press conference took place on the sidewalk outside the headquarters building on 14th Street, N.W. of Whitman-Walker Health, the LGBTQ supportive heath care clinic that is among the community-based organizations partnering with the city to address the monkeypox outbreak.

Mayor Bowser said that as of Monday, about 2,600 people in the city had been vaccinated with their first dose of the two-dose vaccine regimen. She urged residents to go to the newly created website to determine how best to apply for an appointment for the vaccine if they believe they could be at risk for monkeypox.

“We are especially working with reaching out to members of the LGBTQ+ community, specifically to gay and bisexual men, because those are the communities most affected by the virus at this moment,” Bowser said. “But we also want the public to understand that this is not something that can only affect the LGBTQ+ community,” she said.

Dr. Sarah Henn, Whitman-Walker’s Chief Health Officer,

MONKEYPOX TOWN HALL

July 25, 7-9 p.m.

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MAYOR BOWSER said about 2,600 people in the city had been vaccinated with their first dose of the two-dose vaccine regimen for monkeypox.

(Washington Blade photo by Parker Purifoy)

told the Blade that Whitman-Walker began taking steps to test and treat its patients and others for monkeypox as soon as the first case in the U.S. was diagnosed in Massachusetts earlier this year. When asked if the LGBTQ supportive health clinic has had monkeypox patients, Henn said, “Oh yes, we’ve had quite a few.”

The statement released by the mayor’s office and the DOH says the city has so far received 8,300 doses of the monkeypox vaccine and has administered approximately 2,600 doses.

It says that currently, to be eligible for the vaccine in D.C., a person must be a D.C. resident, 18 years of age or older, and fall into one of these categories: • Gay, bisexual, or other men who have sex with men and have had multiple (more than one) or any anonymous sexual partners in the last 24 days.

• Transgender women or nonbinary persons assigned male at birth who have sex with men.

• Sex workers (of any sexual orientation or gender).

• Staff (of any sexual orientation or gender) at establishments where sexual activity occurs such as bathhouses, saunas, or sex clubs.

CDC on monkeypox: ‘We anticipate an increase in cases’

By CHRIS JOHNSON

Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, warned last week the spread of monkeypox, an outbreak that has occurred primarily among gay and bisexual men, would increase in the coming weeks.

“Now as we closely monitor cases, I would like you all to understand that we anticipate an increase in cases in the coming weeks,” Walensky said in a conference call with top Biden administration health officials and reporters.

The increase, Walensky said, is due to three factors: 1) The CDC streamlining its reporting process to allow states to report new cases more quickly and accurately; 2) With more cases in the United States, an increase in the resulting exposure of these cases in the coming weeks; and 3) A significant increase in the number of people seeking laboratory tests and the number of specimens being submitted for testing.

Monkeypox cases in the United States, Walensky said, have reached 1,470 reported cases documented across 44 jurisdictions as of July 14.

Younger gay and bisexual men are primarily affected: The median age is 36 with a range of 18 to 76 years of age, and the vast majority of cases happen among those who

identify as men who have sex with men based on demographic information local health departments provided to CDC, Walensky said.

The Biden administration on the same day Walensky disclosed the new data announced an order for another 2.5 million doses of Bavarian Nordic’s JYNNEOS vaccine to respond to the current monkeypox outbreak.

The vaccines, however, won’t arrive soon: According to the Department of Health & Human Services, they’re coming in 2023 as part of the plan for the U.S. government’s available supply of vaccine to reach 7 million by mid-2023, which would be several months after the outbreak has begun.

The Biden administration has been faulted for moving too slowly in responding to monkeypox in criticism reminiscent of inaction during the coronavirus and HIV/AIDS epidemics, including being too slow to distribute vaccines and make testing available. Monkeypox is transmitted by skin-to-skin contact, unlike the other two diseases, and isn’t fatal.

Walensky during the call acknowledged “the demand for vaccines from jurisdictions is higher than our current available supply,” but pushed back on other criticisms as

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“points of confusion where we’ve been hearing from the public, our partners and media.” The availability of tests, for example, is and has been meeting capacity, Walensky said.

Also during the call health officials announced efforts to work on delivery of 786,000 doses currently located in Denmark, which they said will be available pending FDA clearance by the end of July. The inability of the Biden administration to move the vaccines from Europe in a timely fashion has been a source of criticism of the FDA. Peter Marks, director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation & Research at the FDA, pushed back on that criticism in response to a question from the Washington Blade, insisting the FDA had taken a timely approach to obtaining those vaccines.

“First of all … quite contrary to missing a chance for approval, FDA actively reached out using contacts with the Biomedical Advanced Research & Development Authority to actually move up the submission that was necessary and all of the other events that were necessary to get those doses to be able to be used from what was originally going to be this fall,” Marks said. “And we did that actually, pretty shortly after we realized there was a monkeypox outbreak.”

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House passes bill to protect same-sex marriage Lawmakers advance measure in bipartisan vote

The U.S. House approved on Tuesday with significant bipartisan support the Respect for Marriage Act, which would codify marriage rights for same-sex couples amid fears those rights are at risk in the aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade.

Lawmakers approved the measure, introduced by Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), by a 267-157 vote, with 47 Republicans joining the unanimous Democratic caucus in supporting the legislation.

Rep. Mondaire Jones (D-N.Y.), a Black lawmaker who is one of nine openly gay or lesbian members of Congress, was among those who spoke on the House floor ahead of the vote and said the vote on the measure was “personal” for him.

“I still remember where I was on June 24, 2011 — the day the New York State Legislature passed marriage equality,” Jones said. “I was living with friends in New York City, but I was still closeted, and I was so afraid still that someone might find out the truth about my being gay. So, instead, I closed the door to my room and cried tears of joy by my lonesome. Finally, my home state of New York had recognized me as a full human being. Affirmed all of those scary, yet beautiful, feelings that I had bottled up inside for decades – wondering, hoping, one day the world would change.”

A key motivation for advancing the Respect for Marriage Act was the concurring opinion to the Dobbs decision written by U.S. Associate Justice Clarence Thomas. In it, he spelled out his inclination to revisit landmark decisions from the U.S. Supreme Court, including the Obergefell decision for same-sex marriage as well as the 2003 ruling striking down state sodomy laws in Lawrence v. Texas and the 1965 decision striking down state bans on contraception in Griswold v. Connecticut.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) drew on Thomas’s concurrence in her remarks on the House floor in favor of the Respect for Marriage Act, saying it was evidence of a greater plot from the Republican Party to undermine

By CHRIS JOHNSON | cjohnson@washblade.com

‘We must act now to defend same-sex and interracial marriage,’ said House Speaker NANCY PELOSI.

the right for same-sex couples to marry.

“We must act now to defend same-sex and interracial marriage from the bigotry and extremism in the wake of the Dobbs decision,” Pelosi said. “With marriage rights now squarely in Republican crossfires, Democrats are ferociously fighting back. With a landmark Respect for Marriage Act, we ensure that marriage equality remains the law of the land now and for generations to come.”

The Respect for Marriage Act wouldn’t keep same-sex marriage the law of the land if the Supreme Court were to strike down Obergefell per se, but rather repeal from the books the Defense of Marriage Act, which the Supreme Court struck down in 2013, and require states to recognize same-sex marriages performed elsewhere. There would be constitutional issues if Congress required states to accommodate same-sex couples in their marriage laws, which have been under the jurisdiction of the states.

A number of Republicans broke ranks with their caucus to vote in favor of the legislation. Log Cabin Republicans, which has taken a mixed approach to LGBTQ issues in recent years, was among the organizations encouraging

lawmakers to vote in favor of the bill.

Republican leadership in the U.S. House didn’t whip the vote — one way or the other — ahead of the floor vote for the Respect for Marriage Act, two Republican insiders told the Washington Blade.

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-Calif.), one of the 47 Republicans who voted in favor of the Respect for Marriage Act, told top Republicans in their caucus meeting that morning they wouldn’t whip the vote on the bill.

“I always have and always will support the right of any American to marry,” Mace said in a statement. “This vote is no different. I believe any two people, regardless of the color of their skin or gender or orientation or otherwise, should be free to enter into marriage together. If gay couples want to be as happily or miserably married as straight couples, more power to them.”

But the majority held the vote with some declaring on the House floor the Respect for Marriage would impede on states’ rights.

Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) was among those on the House floor decrying the Democratic leadership for forcing a vote on the Respect for Marriage Act. “We’re going to make a decision here about the recognition of marriages across state lines, where there are differences of opinion, still to this day, about how one defines marriage,” Roy said. “In the name of full faith and credit…Republicans will be voting on this floor today on the question of whether the federal government should tell Texas what marriage is they have to recognize, irrespective of what the court has said. That is a vote. That is a choice.”

The Respect for Marriage Act now heads to the U.S. Senate, where it will face an uphill battle in a chamber that requires 60 votes to end a filibuster and advance to a vote on legislation. The Blade has placed a request in with the office of Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) seeking comment on when he’d schedule a floor vote on the bill.

Jill Biden addresses LGBTQ donors at Equality PAC fundraiser

First lady JILL BIDEN

First lady Jill Biden expressed solidarity with members of the LGBTQ community Monday at a D.C.-based fundraiser hosted by the Equality PAC, urging action amid fears same-sex marriage is under threat in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade.

“Right now we’re fighting the battles we thought we had already won,” Jill Biden said. “And we don’t need to guess where the extremists are going next because they’ve already told us in the Dobbs decision.”

The Equality PAC is a congressional political action committee led by the openly gay and lesbian members of the U.S. House. Among the notables seen in attendance who spoke at the fundraiser were Reps. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) and David Cicilline (D-R.I.), who cochair the caucus. The event was held at the Long View Gallery.

“Progress isn’t a line,” Jill Biden said. “It sometimes feels like an ocean, pushing forward and pulling back.

But with time and persistence, the shore of injustice does wear away.”

Jill Biden touted President Biden’s actions on behalf

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of the LGBTQ community, pointing out he signed an executive order against anti-LGBT discrimination, ended the transgender military ban, and appointed LGBTQ federal officials. She also mentioned an executive order President Biden signed in June, which included new prohibitions on widely discredited conversion therapy.

The first lady closed the event urging action and expressing solidarity, although she momentarily tripped over the LGBTQ acronym.

“I want you to know that I will be there beside you every step of the way. It won’t be easy,” she said. “The legacy of the LGD – the LGBTQI community is a hope that has never been crushed.”

Takano also spoke at the event and said Equality PAC raised a total of $217,000 at the event and more than $10.8 million this cycle, envisioning wins for Democrats on Election Day despite expectations of Republican gains.

“We are going to keep our majority and I dare say we’re going to expand it,” Takano said.

CHRIS JOHNSON

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Exclusive: Fallon Fox responds to BBC attack on her

Trans former Mixed Martial Arts fighter Fallon Fox, who has not competed in the octagon since retiring in 2014 due to knee injuries, has some fighting words for the BBC and The Daily Mail after a June radio interview about transgender athletes.

For weeks, British media outlets have been bashing Fox, the first out trans MMA fighter and a resident of Los Angeles, calling her a “biological male” who boasted “about the physical harm committed against their political opponents.”

Fox tells the Los Angeles Blade she stands by her words and vows to never talk to the BBC again. The retired “Queen of Swords” also defended her decision to trash talk about trans exclusionary radical feminists, known as TERFs. “It’s part of MMA culture to talk smack about opponents. You see it all the time,” a fact borne out by the millions of views of YouTube videos featuring smack-talking MMA fighters. “Only when I do it people take issue with it.”

On June 20, Fox was interviewed by telephone for a BBC radio show alongside former swimmer Karen Pickering of the U.K. The day before, Pickering was among those at a FINA conference voting to ban trans women

Former MMA fighter FALLON FOX (Photo courtesy Fox)

who had experienced male puberty from competing with cisgender athletes, as the Los Angeles Blade reported.

But it’s what happened after the radio program ended that’s sparked controversy.

The very next day, a British anti-trans athlete organization called Fair Play For Women shared a screengrab of a

2020 tweet by Fox, asking the BBC what it was thinking in booking her on its show.

The BBC formally apologized to the trans inclusion opponents group last week in a letter reported by The Telegraph.

According to the report by the British newspaper, a representative of the BBC Complaints Unit said it was “unaware of previous comments made by Fallon Fox” and if it was, “we would have conducted the interview differently.” The rep added, “We have discussed your concerns with the team responsible and we’d like to apologize for this oversight.”

In response, Dr. Nicola Williams, director of Fair Play For Women, told The Telegraph: “If you knew that Fallon Fox was a trans fighter, you’d also know what Fallon Fox had said. It’s either that the woke producers didn’t do the basics with research, or they didn’t care. This apology means nothing unless they also issue an on-air clarification—they must do due diligence on this topic by bringing on true experts, not just trans people for the sake of it.”

The BBC has not responded to our request for a response to the group’s demand as of press time.

DAWN ENNIS

Biden bolsters efforts to win release of American detainees

President Joe Biden on Tuesday signed an executive order that will bolster his administration’s efforts to secure the release of Americans who are detained or being held hostage abroad.

The executive order, which is based on the 2020 Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act, a retired FBI agent who Iranian authorities arrested in 2007, reinforces what a press release describes as “the administration’s tool kit in key ways.”

• Reinforces the U.S. government’s efforts to support families of Americans wrongfully detained or held hostage overseas; • Authorizes agencies to impose costs and consequences, including financial sanctions, on those who are involved, directly or indirectly, in hostage-taking or wrongful detentions to support expanded and ongoing interagency efforts; • Directs relevant parts of the U.S. government to bolster their engagement and sharing of relevant information, including intelligence information, consistent with the protection of sources and methods, with families regarding their loved ones’ status and U.S. Government efforts to secure their release or return, as appropriate; and • Charges experts across the interagency to develop options and strategies to deter future hostage-taking and wrongful detentions.

“It reaffirms the fundamental commitment of the president of the administration to bring home those Americans held hostage (and) wrongfully detained abroad,” said senior administration on Monday during a conference call with reporters.

Another senior administration official added the executive order “reinforces U.S. government efforts to support the families of Americans wrongfully detained or held hostage overseas by directing parts of the federal government to bolster their engagement with such families and their sharing of relevant information, including

intelligence information, with families regarding their loved one’s status, and the government’s efforts to secure their release or their return.”

“This EO (executive order) reflects the administration’s commitment not just to the issues generally, but to the families in particular and it has been informed by the government’s regular engagements with them and other stakeholders who have and continue to undertake important constructive advocacy efforts on behalf of their loved ones,” they said. “President Biden and those across the administration will now draw on this EO to advance our efforts and we hope to do so in an active conversation with family members and outside stakeholders.”

The executive order also creates a “D” indicator in the State Department’s travel advisories that notes the countries in which American citizens are at risk for “wrongful detention.” Burma, China, Iran, North Korea, Russia and Venezuela are the first six countries named.

“We’re committed to provide us citizens with comprehensive safety and security information about foreign countries so they can make informed travel decisions before they before they head overseas,” said another senior administration official during Monday’s conference call. “The United States opposes wrongful detention and the practice of using individuals as political bargaining chips everywhere. These practices we know represent a threat to the safety of all US citizens traveling and living abroad.”

Biden signed the executive order against the backdrop of WNBA star Brittney Griner’s continued detention in Russia.

Officials at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport in February detained Griner — a Phoenix Mercury center and two-time Olympic gold medalist who is a lesbian and married to her wife, Cherelle Griner, — after customs inspectors allegedly found hashish oil in her luggage.

The State Department has determined that Russia

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President JOE BIDEN (Screenshot via C-SPAN)

“wrongfully detained” her.

Griner’s trial, which began on July 1, continues, even though she has pleaded guilty to charges that she smuggled drugs into the country. The White House is under increased pressure from Griner’s wife and family, teammates and LGBTQ activists to secure her release.

A senior administration official on Monday’s call did not directly respond to a question about how the executive order will help secure Griner’s release.

“There are a number of ways in which it would affect cases like that case in the wrongful detainee category,” said the official. “The executive order directs those across the executive branch to share consistent accurate information with the families of those who are deemed wrongfully detained, to ensure that they receive support and assistance throughout the ordeal, and to work with parts of our government to try to impose costs on those responsible.”

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Md. man charged with targeting gays for assault in Meridian Hill Park Federal indictment says attacker posed as police officer

A 48-year-old man who has lived in recent years in Oxon Hill, Md. and Norfolk, Va., was arrested in Norfolk on July 14 for allegedly assaulting five men he believed to be gay by spraying them in the face with pepper spray between 2018 and 2021 in D.C.’s Meridian Hill Park, which is also known as Malcolm X Park.

Five men were allegedly assaulted in Meridian Hill Park from 2018-202. (Photo by Michael Thomas Pruden)

The arrest of Michael Thomas Pruden came two weeks after federal prosecutors unsealed a grand jury indictment handed down on June 29 charging Pruden with five counts of assault on federal land, one count of impersonating a federal officer, and a hate crime sentencing enhancement alleging that he assaulted four of the men because of their perceived sexual orientation.

“After nightfall, Meridian Hill Park was informally known in the Washington, D.C. community to be a meeting location for men seeking to engage in consensual sexual encounters with other men,” the indictment by the U.S. District Court for D.C. grand jury states. “This practice is

By LOU CHIBBARO JR. | lchibbaro@washblade.com

colloquially known as ‘cruising,’” the indictment says.

“Michael Thomas Pruden frequented Meridian Hill Park after nightfall and on multiple occasions, including those described below, assaulted men in Meridian Hill Park by approaching them with a flashlight, giving police-style commands, and spraying them with a chemical irritant,” the indictment states.

The D.C. federal grand jury handed down its indictment against Pruden 11 months after a U.S. District Court trial jury in Alexandria, Va., found him not guilty of a charge of assault with a dangerous weapon for allegedly pepper spraying and striking in the head with a large tree branch a man on Daingerfield Island in Alexandria, which is also known as a gay cruising site.

Federal court records in Virginia show that the Daingerfield Island assault took place on March 21, 2021, five days before the D.C. grand jury indictment says Pruden allegedly assaulted the fifth victim in the Meridian Hill Park attacks on March 26, 2021.

The Virginia court records show that Pruden was arrested for the Daingerfield Island assault on May 7, 2021, about two months after the assault took place. The trial court jury acquitted him in that case on Aug. 11, 2021, the court records show. The online court records do not provide information about the witness testimony and arguments by prosecutors and the defense attorney that may have prompted the jury to acquit Pruden in that case.

A July 14 statement released by the U.S. Department of Justice announcing the indictment against Pruden for the Meridian Hill Park assaults says the U.S. Park Police and the FBI’s Washington Field Office conducted the investigation for the case. The statement notes that Meridian Hill Park is one of several federal parks located in D.C. that are under the jurisdiction of U.S. Park Police.

Neither the indictment nor the DOJ statement mentions that U.S. Park police for years have been arresting gay men in Meridian Hill Park on misdemeanor sex-relat-

ed charges. The most recent known series of sex-related arrests in Meridian Hill Park took place in 2019, when at least 14 of the arrests took place.

An attorney representing one of the arrested men told the Blade that undercover plain-clothes Park Police officers were posing as men cruising for sex and appeared to be enticing the men into masturbating or prompting them to touch the officer, thinking they were interacting with a willing sex partner but engaging in action resulted in their arrest.

LGBTQ activists familiar with this type of arrest have said that while they don’t condone public sex in places like Meridian Hill Park, most of the alleged sexual activity takes place at night in hidden places such as behind thick underbrush where the general public would not observe such activity.

The Blade couldn’t immediately determine whether additional sex-related arrests have taken place in Meridian Hill Park since 2019.

“Pruden faces a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years for each assault count and a three-year statutory maximum sentence for impersonating a federal officer,” the Justice Department statement says. It says the hate crimes sentencing enhancement handed down by the grand jury increases the possible sentence for the assault counts.

“Before spraying the men, Pruden pretended to be a Park Police officer, shined a flashlight in the victims’ faces and gave the victims police-style directives,” the DOJ statement says. It points out that the indictment charges Pruden with assaulting four of the five victims because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation.

WUSA 9 TV and the Daily Mail have reported that Pruden is a former elementary school teacher in Maryland, but the two news outlets did not say how they obtained that information or where in Maryland Pruden worked as a teacher.

Fauci to retire by end of first Biden term Dr. Anthony Fauci announced during an interview Monday that his five decades as arguably America’s bestknown public health official will come to an end by or before the conclusion of President Joe Biden’s first term in office, Jan. 20, 2025.

Biden’s chief medical advisor and director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Fauci’s government service began with the emergence of HIS/ AIDS just before he took the helm of NIAID in 1984, where he has served now under a total of seven different presidential administrations.

Though he encountered some criticism from activist groups like ACT UP over what they perceived as his (and the government’s) anemic response to the AIDS crisis as gay men were dying in droves, the physician and scientist would later earn their admiration and respect for his career-long dedication to finding cures.

Today, Fauci is best known for being the public face of the American government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a position where he was often caught in the political headwinds, clashing with the Trump administration and Congressional Republicans who often sought to

By CHRISTOPHER KANE

Dr. ANTHONY FAUCI plans to retire in 2025.

(Photo by Adam Schultz/White House)

undermine him.

Responding to news of Fauci’s plans to retire, Equality California Managing Director of External Affairs Samuel Garrett-Pate told the Los Angeles Blade by phone Monday that “From the AIDS crisis to COVID-19 to the

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monkeypox outbreak we’re experiencing, Dr. Fauci has dedicated his life to improving health and wellbeing of all Americans, especially the LGBTQ+ community.”

“What’s really notable about his leadership in times of crisis,” Garrett-Pate said, “is his willingness to acknowledge when our public health agencies have fallen short of their mission and continuously working to improve.”

Fauci, who is 81, vowed last year that attacks from Republican lawmakers would not force him into an early retirement, adding that when it’s time to step down, he expects to find a publisher for a memoir he’s been writing.

In addition to his work during the early days of HIV/ AIDS — some of which was chronicled in Fauci’s extensive interview published in 2007 by the Edward M. Kennedy Institute — a memoir would likely cover the ways in which Fauci was drawn into political battles over measures designed to curb the spread of COVID-19 and step up vaccination rates.

Highlights from the decades in between AIDS and COVID-19 are worthy fodder for a memoir, too, as Fauci was battling other viruses during this time such as SARS, the Swine Flu, MERS, Ebola and Zika.

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Gay-owned pharmacy survived pandemic by serving without judgment ‘To be competitive, you have to think out of the box’

By PHILIP VAN SLOOTEN

LGBTQ seniors visiting a community pharmacy in Northern California and anxious about getting the “jab” are often soothed by Allie, a 15-year-old Australian Cattle Dog mix who works there alongside her dads.

“We’re all like a big family,” said Dr. Clint Hopkins, a pharmacist and co-owner of Pucci’s Pharmacy in Sacramento with his husband, Joel Hockman. “We want to ensure that our staff and patients remain safe and healthy. Patients can feel that in our culture and that makes it a more welcoming place for them.”

Though he admits some people stop by “just to pet the dog,” that’s fine by him, too.

Hopkins and Hockman wear many hats besides CEO and COO of their independently owned pharmacy, and often it means working long hours to manage dozens of employees and hundreds of regular customers requiring expensive and specialized medications, such as HIV treatments and antipsychotic medications, but they said it’s worth it to keep from turning anyone away.

“We’ve had people from everywhere that were denied medication from someone somewhere,” Hopkins explained. “We literally don’t judge them. And we ‘untrain’ any of those things in our staff that they may have learned – any societal construct or something their family may have taught them. It’s not our job in any way to pass any judgment on anyone.”

Hockman agreed, adding: “Medication is a necessity and not an option for people to stay safe.”

This founding belief in serving everyone without judgment is what helped their small business grow during the height of the pandemic, even as the economy was collapsing into a recession in 2020.

Even as other businesses shuttered from the strain of lockdowns and lost business, Pucci’s Pharmacy expanded the delivery service it previously offered as well as its contactless and curbside services. They also worked with the Sacramento County Public Health vaccine distribution program.

As a result they tripled their business, resulting in an expansion to a larger space in 2021.

“In order to be competitive, you have to think out of the box,” Hockman explained. “What are the customers’ expectations? How are they expecting to receive your products or services during a pandemic? For our business, people were going to be more reluctant to come into the store. At the pandemic’s height, we were also limited by who could physically come into the store.”

So, the pair adjusted their business during the crisis to meet the changing safety needs of their community. This was in part because they knew the important role the pharmacy played in their community, particularly for those who are more vulnerable.

Pucci’s Pharmacy has been a Sacramento fixture for almost 90 years, since brothers Peter and Dino first set up shop in 1930. Their former employee, Tom Nelson, bought the pharmacy with his wife, Linda, in 1979.

When the AIDS epidemic swept the region and eventually the world in the 1980s, Nelson provided critical medications and affirming care at a time when some pharmacies were still denying both to HIV patients.

Hopkins and Hockman bought Pucci’s in 2016 and continue its welcoming legacy.

Today, research shows LGBTQ seniors are particularly medically and economically vulnerable due to a history of discrimination, and they, like seniors in general, increasingly rely on local pharmacies to meet their healthcare needs.

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These vulnerabilities were exacerbated by the pressures of the pandemic, and may have contributed to Pucci’s rapid expansion.

The unemployment rate for those 65 and over more than quadrupled between March and April 2020, during the height of the lockdowns and the economic downturn, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Even before the pandemic, 94% of seniors were covered

by Medicare, and SAGE, the LGBTQ seniors advocacy organization, states many LGBTQ older people in particular “struggled with poverty.”

SAGE found LGBTQ seniors were twice as likely to be single and live alone, and were four times less likely to have children. The Center for American Progress also reported LGBTQ seniors were more likely to rely on federal benefits such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicaid, subsidized housing assistance, and unemployment insurance.

Aaron Tax, director of advocacy at SAGE, told the Blade his organization witnessed many LGBTQ seniors relying on groups serving aging populations “to deliver life-saving help” as “financial resources dried up and the safety net was stretched thin.”

But at the height of the crisis, SAGE often delivered critical services unfunded and without reimbursement, such as SAGEConnect, which was launched to connect socially isolated LGBTQ older people across the country.

“LGBT organizations cannot do this work alone,” Tax said.

A Canadian study found pharmacies, in particular, to be “perfectly positioned” to work with elderly patients, their doctors, and their caregivers to best manage their care.

According to the report, pharmacists as “medication experts” often monitor prescriptions from multiple doctors and inform the patient about what each is supposed to do as well as what side effects and interactions to watch out for. They can also simplify a treatment plan for “maintaining a quality of life” for senior patients.

“Lowering stress for anyone is critical,” Hockman said regarding changes they instituted during the pandemic.

“Stress increases the possibility for illness to set in,” he explained. “Everything we deliver to the customer reduces that stress level as much as possible. Like offering curb services so people don’t have to go into the store if they aren’t comfortable.”

While Tax stated it was important for LGBTQ seniors to feel welcome in all businesses, it was important for those providing healthcare services. Otherwise, LGBTQ seniors might delay or even avoid seeking the critical care they need.

According to the Williams Institute, LGBTQ older adults avoid or delay healthcare fearing discrimination. Data from their 2016 study also found a legacy of barriers to housing, employment and social programs continue to put LGBTQ

(Editor’s note: This is the third in a multi-part summer series of stories taking a closer look at how a group of diverse LGBTQ entrepreneurs survived and thrived during the pandemic. The series is sponsored by the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce. All installments in the series are available at our website.)

Dr. CLINT HOPKINS, a pharmacist and co-owner of Pucci’s Pharmacy in Sacramento with his husband, JOEL HOCKMAN. (Photo courtesy the couple)

seniors, particularly those who also identify as people of color, at greater risk.

“If businesses pay a little bit more attention to LGBTQ older people,” Tax explained, “they can help LGBTQ older people overcome the history of stigma and discrimination that they have faced.”

The National LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce points out this can be good for the economy as well.

The group’s 2017 economic report stated LGBTQ consumers spend $917 billion every year on goods and services, which is part of the $1.7 trillion LGBTQ-owned businesses like Pucci’s Pharmacy contribute to the U.S. economy annually.

Hopkins and Hockman advised college-aged LGBTQ community members who were considering starting their own business to serve everyone, meet client expectations, and to not be afraid to show their support for the LGBTQ community in their advertising.

“I’ve had patients that aren’t LGBTQ but come to us because their family member is, and we support the community,” said Hopkins, who also served as the president of their local LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce during the pandemic shutdowns. “So, let people know you’re supportive and out there.”

Although the couple enjoys their down time cycling or relaxing over dinner and wine with family and friends, they stressed they don’t have as much free time as they would like to mentor students.

But they agreed they would make time for an enterprising “go-getter” who offers to intern with them by saying, “Here are the things I have learned through my education or experience, and here are some things I can do to help you.”

“We make local decisions and make a greater impact on our community,” Hopkins said. “We take a very strong interest in the lives of our team members. We look out for one another.”

They both welcomed the chance to see their business family continue to grow.

“And it does feel like a family environment,” Hopkins said.

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Black queer business owner shares joys, challenges, and the power of fragrance Evolution Aura’s founder says ‘believe in yourself and make it happen’

By PHILIP VAN SLOOTEN

“Have you tried Prestige yet?” asks the luxury candle retailer Evolution Aura on its Instagram page, which features a gently flickering candle beside its elegant gold and black box. Both items rest prominently in the window corner of an apartment that promises to be rustic, chic, and relaxing.

The laid-back image with throw-back charm reveals much about this North Carolina company and its Black queer owner, Adrian Hill, the single father of a 12-year-old straight-A student and a self-described “fragrance connoisseur.”

Before starting his company initially as an e-business in 2017, he was in the fragrance department of a Nordstrom’s in Charlotte, a frequent haunt, after friends hipped him to Diptyque.

“The people there were good employees,” Hill said, adding they shared his passion for high-end fragrances. “A woman there told me to give Diptyque a try and to give my own line a try as well.”

Always one to “champion each moment,” Hill started Evolution Aura, which sells consciously sustainable products such as hand-crafted, soy-based candles while donating 20 percent of its annual profit to local charities.

“Ultimately, the line was developed for the community,” Hill told the Blade. “We wanted to be a beacon of life in the luxury space for everyone to enjoy. A kid who doesn’t have a bed may see a bed as a luxury. It’s all relative to the person, and we want them to experience luxury in their own way and to the fullest.”

But starting a Black-owned business comes with historic cHillenges, such as having limited access to capital.

A 2018 Small Business Credit Survey found large banks approved about 60 percent of loans for white small business owners, but only 50 percent for Latinx owners and 29 percent for Black small business owners, meaning only a third to a half of Black and brown applicants were approved compared to two-thirds of white applicants.

“I didn’t get any financing when I started the brand,” Hill said. “Financing is the number one obstacle we face as Black small business owners. But I had a slew of people around me who believed in me. I took my mission before people who said ‘I believe in it.’ Those people light a different flame in you, so failure is no longer an option.”

The problem of unequal lending practices persisted during the pandemic, according to a 2020 report by the Brookings Institute, as the Paycheck Protection Program in particular relied on mainstream financial institutions to deliver loans to small businesses.

Larger banks tended to favor existing customers, leaving Black-owned businesses like Evolution Aura to turn to what Hill called “alternative networks” to help them survive.

“I’m very grateful for any help I received,” Hill said. “If it wasn’t for my community and investor support, we would not have survived the pandemic.”

Being an e-business initially may have also helped Evolution Aura, as his luxury candles most likely helped many escape the pressures of unexpected lockdowns. Despite the odds, in 2021 Hill was able to open his first brick-and-mortar store in Charlotte’s upscale SouthPark Mall.

Both the Washington Post and Cision PR Newswire reported earlier this year that the number of Black-owned businesses increased by almost 40 percent during the pandemic while there was a slight drop in the number of white and Asian-owned businesses.

However, only 2.3 percent of businesses are Black owned even though 14 percent of the U.S. population identifies as Black.

In addition, Hill experiences unique cHillenges as a Black business owner who also identifies as an openly gay man.

“I wouldn’t necessarily say I had a coming out experience,” Hill said. “I was more of the effeminate one who helped change diapers and cooked and cleaned. Over time I just evolved into who I really am.”

But this evolution often adds a layer of economic cHillenge for the Black queer community.

According to Williams Institute data from 2021, Black LGBTQ adults experience greater economic insecurity than the larger Black population, with 56 percent of Black LGBTQ households qualifying as low income compared to 49 percent of Black non-LGBTQ households.

The study also found Black LGBTQ adults were more likely to be unemployed and to have a household income of less than $24,000 than Black non-LGBTQ adults.

Dr. Bianca Wilson, a senior scholar of public policy and one of the Williams Institute researchers for the study, told the Blade Black LGBTQ people in general fared worse than their non-LGBTQ counterparts in terms of mental health, income, and food insecurity.

“These differences are the largest among Black LGBT women,” she added.

2 0 • WA SHIN GTO N BLADE.COM • JULY 22, 202 2

(Editor’s note: This is the fourth in a multi-part summer series of stories taking a closer look at how a group of diverse LGBTQ entrepreneurs survived and thrived during the pandemic. The series is sponsored by the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce. All installments in the series are available at our website.)

The Movement Advancement Project reported these cHillenges were partly due to a history of unsafe schools, hiring bias, and on-the-job barriers to presenting authentically in the workplace. As a result, “LGBT people of color are some of the most disadvantaged workers in the United States – and face extraordinarily high rates of unemployment and poverty.”

However, despite the bleak data, Hill is amazingly upbeat and points to the successes of both him and his son despite their cHillenges. He considers community support as a blessing not only for his business, but for him as a survivor of sexual trauma and as a single parent.

“Fortunately for me, I have always had a very strong village of family and friends,” Hill said. “From the time I adopted my son, everyone rallied around and championed his undertaking. Even without a partner, there hasn’t been a moment I haven’t felt supported.”

Hill explained how it was important for him to express to his son and others that while things can start out rough, to keep focused on the “next chapters of your life” and maintain your journey.

Hill’s advice to future LGBTQ business owners, especially those of color, is to do their research and find support, including from organizations like the National LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce.

“The NGLCC has been monumental to my growth,” Hill said. “I definitely would say the minority business chamber of commerce, the Carolina Chamber of Commerce and the NGLCC all rallied behind me during the pandemic crisis to support my brand.”

This year, Evolution Aura celebrates its fifth anniversary, and Hill points out that small businesses like his are critical to the economy’s recovery. He stated they should be Evolution Aura sells sustainable products like handsupported because they are best crafted, soy-based candles. (Photo courtesy Evolution Aura) positioned to employ and support the local communities they are a part of.

“We are the ones that take care of our community,” Hill said. “And we hire from within our communities. Dollars spent here will go further in that effort.”

But most importantly, Hill points out that the sky’s the limit for LGBTQ youth, and they should let who they are shine as brightly as the candles he sells.

“Being LGBTQ should be empowering,” he encouraged. “Who you are is going to shine – and for every person that won’t support you, 10 people will. It’s just about believing in yourself and jumping out there and making it happen.”

ANN BONHAM, Ph.D., is Executive Associate Dean and Professor Emeritus, UC Davis School of Medicine and former Chief Scientific Officer, Association of American Medical Colleges. Reach her at annb99331@gmail.com.

LISA WISE is CEO of Flock DC and co-founder of BirdWatch.

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First Roe, then LGBTQ rights?

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The Supreme Court’s shocking decision to overturn Roe v. Wade is a full-frontal assault on the reproductive rights and the autonomy of people who can become pregnant.

It’s a jarring reminder of how a judicial decision based on a set of personal beliefs of the majority of justices can separate us into people with rights and those without rights. The opinion written by Justice Alito could not be clearer: “It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people’s elected representatives.” This reference to the “people’s elected representatives,” is a nod to states’ rights.

His words sound alarmingly familiar to similar words used by the Supreme Court in the Dred Scott decision in 1857. Based on the beliefs held by the majority of the justices, in that case, that court decided that the federal Congress should have no power to legislate in the territories, effectively relegating to states and territories the decision on whether or not to own slaves. So, here we go again, under the guise of affirming the independence of states, the majority on this court, has overturned a nearly half-century-old federal right to abortion, and relegated it to the choice of individual states. Since the opinion was rendered, conversations among unnerved women are reverberating across the country about remembering the time when abortions were illegal — the days of botched abortions, hidden trips to abortion providers, and the coat hangers. The angst is spreading beyond the issues around abortion care.

There are also reverberations of anxious conversations among LGBTQ people, recalling when they had no right to marry and pondering the potential rolling back of modest gains in civil rights.

Let’s not be lulled by Justice Alito’s other words: “nothing in this opinion should be understood to cast doubt on precedents that do not concern abortion” or by the court’s reliance on the logic of the protection of LGBTQ rights under the Equal Protection clause in the Constitution. We have already witnessed opinions based on dogma rather than logic. Nor should we ignore the words of Justice Thomas, declaring that with this landmark ruling the court should also reconsider other due process precedents, including the rights to contraception, same-sex sexual intimacy, and same-sex marriage.

This opinion by the highest court in the United States buttressed by the urgings of Justice Thomas implicitly invites states to target LGBTQ + communities, already under attack in some states. In the short wake of the opinion, Alabama has cited the abortion ruling in an attempt to ban gender-affirming care for transgender youth.

This is a foreshadowing of other state governments to escalate attacks on LGBTQ groups. It is not lost on LGBTQ communities that the threats will not come only from state legislatures of conservative states but also their state supreme courts, and now ultimately the Supreme Court.

The effects, both overt and tacit, of the Supreme Court’s opinion are already beginning to sweep across conservative states, where attacks have already escalated in recent years on multiple fronts: book bans based on LGBTQ references, campaign rhetoric in state and national elections; and let’s not forget the Florida “Don’t Say Gay” law.

Just as reproductive rights were shattered in one sweeping decision, so might the hard-fought rights of LGBTQ communities by a majority of the Supreme Court determined to put their ideological stamp on the country.

Now is the time for us to engage and show support for the LGBTQ community.

Whether one identifies as part of community or is an ally we must learn, understand, and ask questions on how rulings will impact our communities and our futures. Become an advocate for change, speak and show support for protecting LGBTQ rights and for maintaining inclusive programs and resources for all. Join health advisory committees, marches, and campaigns to help positively influence decisions and outcomes. On the policy level, federal, state, and local policymakers should work to address gaps, remove restrictions, and break down barriers in the policy landscape.

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Democrats should stop attacking Biden and target GOP instead Republicans are to blame for lack of progress

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Democrats need to stop attacking Biden and each other and only target Republicans — at least until after the mid-term elections. Unfortunately, Democrats tend to eat their own and we are seeing this over and over.

Joe Biden is our president even if I don’t agree with everything he is doing.

But Democrats attacking him over and over makes no sense at all. We need to stop answering pollsters’ questions with, “We don’t like the direction of the country.” Democrats must understand when they say that they are attacking themselves. Democrats control the White House and Congress so they are responsible for the direction of the country in voters’ eyes. It’s time to only attack Republicans and show how they are responsible for stopping any progress.

Politics and government are complicated, I appreciate that. It seems we have stopped teaching young people how government works. I recently read a New York Times story on how young people are unhappy with the old people running the country. The way to change that is to vote and get involved from an early age to make a difference. I would love the chance to sit and chat with Denange Sanchez, a 20-year-old college student from Palm Bay, Fla., who is quoted in the column. I have tremendous respect for her having voted in the last election. I am curious what she will do now to make the change she wants. What are her thoughts about Val Demings who is running as a Democrat for the Senate in Florida against Marco Rubio? Demings is older but does she agree with her platform? If not, who would she rather support?

Another source in the column I would enjoy talking with is Tate Sutter, 21.

According to the column, “Sutter feels that disconnect. A native of Auburn, Calif., studying at Middlebury College in Vermont, Mr. Sutter recounted watching Fourth of July fireworks and cringing as another fire season begins and aggressive federal action to combat global warming is stalled in Congress. Sure enough, he said, he could see a brush fire kicking up in the hills to the south.

Climate plays a big role for me in my politics, he said, expressing dismay that Democrats don’t talk more about it. It’s very frustrating.” Sutter added, “he understood the limits of Mr. Biden’s powers with an evenly divided Senate.

But he also said he understands the power of the presidency, and did not see Mr. Biden wielding it effectively.” While I understand his sentiment it would be interesting to ask Sutter what he will do in the mid-term elections. He sounds like a really sharp young man.

I am older and set in my life, fortunately having all I need to live out my life comfortably. But I am aware I am one of the very lucky ones. I grew up in a generation where we could do better than our parents. Mine were refugees from Hitler. My father never made more than $15,000 a year and I made nearly as much in my first job as a teacher being a member of the union. I was a political junkie working in the local Democratic club feeling the same urgency to see younger people as leaders. Friends and I began what we called the Heights Young Democrats working to elect a younger congressman in our district. I grew up when JFK was elected president. We went from the oldest president — at the time Dwight Eisenhower — to the youngest, JFK. It was exciting. But we worked at it recognizing it wasn’t easy.

There are many amazing young people out there today. It might be time for the early Baby Boomers to step aside. For the younger ones to work with Generation X, millennials and the earliest of Generation Z who are now of voting age. Maybe that could move us forward to new leaders and ideas. But none of that will happen if younger generations don’t get involved in community service and politics. They need to make their voices heard and, in a democracy, a way to do that is to vote. But it’s important to vote with an understanding of how our government works. Understanding the founding fathers, (yes there should have been mothers as well), set up a government requiring compromise to get things done. Often frustrating, but necessary. So again, it would be great to sit with Tate Sutter and Denange Sanchez, hear what they have to say, and then support them as they move forward to becoming our future leaders.

There’s more than one big, progressive New York city, and we’ve got the LGBTQ+ community to prove it.

In fact, they call Buffalo “The City of Good Neighbors,” because love and inclusivity are a big part of who we are. Check out LGBTQBuffalo.com, or, better still, come visit. You’ll see what we mean.

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Reproductive rights are intersectional Trans men, nonbinary people are also suffering

Roe v. Wade was overturned by the Supreme Court on June 24. Six conservative justices chose to remove a person’s right to an abortion. The decision uprooted much of America and caused women to feel like their bodies were an unsafe place to live in. Regulation of women’s bodies by a conservative cohort of mostly white men is wrong.

Recently, the Biden administration issued an executive order that will reverse the fateful Supreme Court decision so that women may still have access to abortion services. I hope these efforts succeed.

Despite the potential reversal, it needs to be made clear that abortion, and all reproductive rights, are an intersectional issue. Countless Instagram posts, memes, captions, and news articles are talking about how women will suffer. Women will most definitely suffer from a reversal of Roe v. Wade, but transgender men and other nonbinary people will suffer too.

Transgender men are fully capable of having pregnancies. It is imperative that people remember our right to an abortion as well. Many transgender men either forego going on testosterone therapy for a while to have a baby or choose to become pregnant before starting hormone therapy. This is fine and a perfectly normal process to opt into.

Transgender men also deserve legal and affordable access to Plan B pills, just like all women should. Much of our body still works in the same way that a biological A D V E R T female’s I S I N G would, P R O Odespite F doses of testosterone.

ISSUE DATE: 22-07-08 SALES REPRESENTATIVE: BRIAN PITTS bpitts@washblade.com Tangentially, trans men also partake in the medical conversation about contraceptives and other medicines that prevent STI infection. Trans men who choose to REVIEW AD FOR COPY AND DESIGN ACCURACY. Revisions must be submitted within 24 hours of the date of proof. Proof will be considered final and will be submitted for publication if revision is not submitted within 24 hours of the date of proof. Revisions have sex with men need affordable access to condoms and birth control. will not be accepted after 12:01 pm wednesday, the week of publication.Brown naff pitts omnimedia llc (dba the washington blade) is not responsible for the content and/or design of your ad. Advertiser is responsible for any legal liability arising out of or relating to the advertisement, and/or any material to which users can link through the advertisement. Advertiser represents that They also need safe and affordable access to PrEP, which prevents HIV transmisits advertisement will not violate any criminal laws or any rgihts of third parties, including, but not limited to, such violations as IONS infringement or misapporpriation of any copyright, patent, trademark, trade secret, music, image, or other proprietary or propety sion.

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All sorts of people — women and others — are threatened by the Supreme Court right now. The conservative cohort of justices sitting in D.C. is simply ruining America’s future.

The treatment for ectopic pregnancies and septic uteruses is an abortion. People have already been dying because they can’t access these safe and legal abortions.

The cruelty being inflicted on these bodies is unrivaled.

But it’s time we include all sorts of genders in the conversation on abortion.

2 4 • WA SHIN GTO N BLADE.COM • JULY 22, 2022 • V I E WP O I NT

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Daisy Edgar-Jones knows why ‘the Crawdads sing’

Actress on process, perfecting a southern accent, and her queer following Daisy Edgar-Jones is an actor whose career is blossoming like her namesake.

In recent years, she seems to be everywhere. LGBTQ viewers may recognize Edgar-Jones from her role as Delia Rawson in the recently canceled queer HBO series “Gentleman Jack.” She also played memorable parts in a pair of popular Hulu series, “Normal People” and “Under the Banner of Heaven.” Earlier this year, Edgar-Jones was seen as Noa in the black comedy/horror flick “Fresh” alongside Sebastian Stan.

With her new movie, “Where the Crawdads Sing” (Sony/Columbia), she officially becomes a lead actress. Based on Delia Owens’ popular book club title of the same name, the movie spans a considerable period of time, part murder mystery, part courtroom drama. She was kind enough to answer a few questions for the Blade.

By GREGG SHAPIRO

a swimmer or do you prefer to be on dry land?

EDGAR-JONES: I like swimming, I do.

I grew up swimming a lot. If I’m ever on holidays, I like it to be by the sea or by a nice pool.

BLADE: Kya is also a gifted artist, and it is the thing that brings her great joy. Do you draw or paint?

EDGAR-JONES: I always doodle. I’m an avid doodler. I do love to draw and paint. I loved it at school. I wouldn’t say I was anywhere near as skilled as Kya. But I do love drawing if I get the chance to do it.

BLADE: Kya was born and raised in North Carolina. What can you tell me about your process when it comes to doing a southern accent or an American accent in general?

EDGAR-JONES: It’s obviously quite DAISY EDGAR-JONES as Kya Clark. different from mine. I’ve been lucky that BLADE: Daisy, had you read Delia OwI’ve spent a lot of time working on various ens’s novel “Where the Crawdads Sing” accents for different parts for a few years now, so I feel like I’m developed an ear for, I before signing on to play Kya? guess, the difference in tone and vowel sounds [laughs]. When it came to this, it was DAISY EDGAR-JONES: I read it during my audition process, as I was auditioning for really important to get it right, of course. Kya has a very lyrical, gentle voice, which I think the part. So, the two went hand in hand. that North Carolina kind of sound really helped me to access. I worked with a brilliant accent coach who helped me out and I just listened and listened.

BLADE: What was it about the character of Kya that appealed to you as an actress?

EDGAR-JONES: There was so much about her that appealed to me. I think the fact BLADE: While I was watching “Where the Crawdads Sing” I thought about how Kya that she is a very complicated woman. She’s a mixture of things. She’s gentle and she’s could easily be a character from the LGBTQ community because she is considered an curious. She’s strong and she’s resilient. She felt like a real person. I love real character outsider, is shunned and ridiculed, and experiences physical and emotional harm. Do studies and it felt like a character I haven’t had a chance to delve into. It felt different you also see the parallels? from anyone I’ve played before. Her resilience was one that I really admired. So, I really EDGAR-JONES: I certainly do. I think that aspect of being an outsider is there, and wanted to spend some time with her. this film does a really good job of showing how important it is to be kind to everyone. I think this film celebrates the goodness you can give to each other if you choose to be BLADE: While Kya is in jail, accused of killing the character Chase, she is visited by a kind. Yes, I definitely see the parallels. cat in her cell. Are you a cat person or do you prefer dogs?

EDGAR-JONES: I like both! I think I like the fact that dogs unconditionally love you.

BLADE: Do you have an awareness of an LGBTQ following for your acting career?

While a cat’s love can feel a bit conditional. I do think both are very cute. Probably, if I EDGAR-JONES: I tend to stay off social media and am honestly not really aware of had to choose, it would be dogs. who follows me, but I do really hope the projects I’ve worked on resonate with everyone.

BLADE: I’m a dog person, so I’m glad you said that.

BLADE: Are there any upcoming acting projects that you’d like to mention?

EDGAR-JONES: [Laughs] EDGAR-JONES: None that I can talk of quite yet. But there are a few things that are coming up next year, so I’m really excited.

BLADE: Kya lives on the marsh and spends a lot of time on and in the water. Are you

2 8 • WA SHIN GTO N BLADE.COM • JULY 22, 202 2

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Friday, July 22

Center Aging Monthly Luncheon will be at 12 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community’s Reeves Atrium located on 2000 14th St., NW. Guests can RSVP for this event on the DC Center’s website. For more details email adamheller@thedccenter.org.

Trans Support Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. The Trans Support Group is intended to provide emotionally and physically safe space for trans* people and those who may be questioning their gender identity/expression to join together in community and learn from one another. For more information, email supportdesk@thedccenter.org.

Saturday, July 23 Virtual Yoga Class with Jesse Z will be at 12 p.m. online. This is a free weekly class focusing on yoga, breath work, and meditation. You can RSVP for this event on the DC Center’s website.

Black Lesbian Support Group will be at 12 p.m. in-person at the DC Center for the LGBT Community and online on Zoom. This is a peer-led support group devoted to the joys and challenges of being a Black lesbian. For more details, email supportdesk@thedccenter.org.

Sunday, July 24 LGBTQ+ Coffee and Conversation will be at 12 p.m. at As You Are. This event is for those trying to meet some new faces and make friends in the LGBTQ community after two years of the pandemic. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

“Sunday Vibes! LGBTQ+ Inclusive Outdoor Event!” will be at 2 p.m. at Dirty Habit. DJs Eletrox and Jai Syncere will be bringing that Top 40, Afrobeats, reggaeton, house remixes, throwbacks and more. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Monday, July 25 Center Aging Coffee Drop-In will be at 10 a.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community and online on Zoom.

LGBT Older Adults — and friends — are invited to enjoy friendly conversations and to discuss any issues you might be dealing with. For more information, visit the Center Aging’s Facebook or Twitter.

Not Another Drag Show will be at 8 p.m. at Dupont Italian Kitchen. Logan Stone will host the event along with a rotating cast of other DMV performers. Tickets are free and can be accessed on Eventbrite.

Tuesday, July 26 Genderqueer DC will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a support group for people who identify outside of the gender binary— whether you’re bigender, agender, genderfluid, or just know that you’re not 100% cis. For more details, please send an email to supportdesk@thedccenter.org.

Middle Grades Queer Book Club will be at 5:30 p.m. at 410 7th St., S.E. This event, hosted by SMYAL, calls on all daydreamers, fantasy lovers, fiction adventurers, and comic extraordinaires. The first 10 people to register for each session will get a free copy of the book. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Wednesday, July 27 Job Club will be at 6 p.m. in-person at the DC Center for the LGBT Community and online on Zoom. The Job Club is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants.”

Asexual and Aromantic Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a space where people who are questioning this aspect of their identity or those who identify as asexual and/or aromantic can come together, share stories and experiences, and discuss various topics. Email supportdesk@thedccenter.org for more information.

Thursday, July 28 The DC Center’s Food Pantry Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. To be fair with who is receiving boxes, the program is moving to a lottery system. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5 p.m. if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email supportdesk@thedccenter.org or call 202-682-2245.

DC Anti-Violence Project Open Meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. The primary mission of the DC Anti-Violence Project is to reduce violence against LGBT individuals (and those perceived as LGBT) through community outreach, education, and monitoring cases to ensure that the rights and dignity of LGBT victims are respected and protected.

For more information, visit Facebook and Twitter.

3 0 • WA SHIN GTO N BLADE.COM • JULY 22, 202 2

DC Health and the Washington Blade will host a town hall to discuss monkeypox on Monday, July 25 at 7 p.m. at Eaton DC.

OUT & ABOUT Blade, DC Health to host town hall on monkeypox DC Health and the Washington Blade will host a town hall to discuss monkeypox on Monday, July 25 at 7 p.m. at Eaton DC. Local medical and health officials will answer the audience’s questions regarding the uptick in monkeypox cases in the area, implications for public health and what this means for D.C. residents.

Featured panelists include N. Adam Brown, MD MBA, emergency physician, founder and principal, ABIG Health; Clover Barnes, Senior Deputy Director of HAHSTA; Amanda Cary, Sexual Health Manager at Whitman-Walker Health; and Alsean Bryant, pharmacist at AIDS Healthcare Foundation.

For more information and to RSVP, visit washingtonblade. com/townhall.

100 Black artists to celebrate dance in the DMV More than 100 Black performing dance and drum artists will gather to celebrate “Dance in the DMV” in a five-day festival beginning on Sunday, July 24 at various locations throughout the DMV including the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts.

The week of festivities will include dance performances, discussions, panels, workshops and master classes.

The festival will conclude with a host of events including “Culture Caucus Summer Festival: Carol Foster” on Saturday, July 30 at 2 p.m. at the Kennedy Center. At this event, Kennedy Center Culture Caucus member Carol Foster will present an arts market, movement class, panel discussion, cabaret and Millennium Stage performances, and more at the REACH. For more information about the week, visit Dance in the DMV’s official website.

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‘The Playhouse’ a triumphant return to live performance Tony Cisek helps make playwright’s story shine

By PATRICK FOLLIARD Ordinarily set designer Tony Cisek is charged with making a playwright’s story shine. His latest project was a little different.

As an integral player in Folger Theatre’s return to live performance, Cisek directed the creation of The Playhouse, the National Building Museum’s current Summer Block Party installation and the stage for performances of an abbreviated 90-minute intermission-less version of Shakespeare’s magical comedy “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

The project comes from a moment of synergy where the University of South Carolina’s idea for a pop-up theater met the Folger’s need for a venue while the Folger Shakespeare Library undergoes major renovations, mostly involving public space and its closed, marble exterior, he explains. And the National Building Museum, looking for vital summer programming, was happy to join the partnership.

After pandemic-related postponements and delays, Cisek took the helm, inheriting both a set designed by University of South Carolina’s Jim Hunter, cleverly made to pack up on two tractor trailers and move from stop to stop with Washington as its first stop, and exhibitions including a life-sized immersive installation based on Joanna Robson’s book “A Knavish Lad,” which is a part of the Folger Shakespeare Library collection “I’d never worked where the central aesthetic is not mine,” says the out designer. “This has been more about pragmatics and logistics, and the art part really took a backseat. But that’s OK. I go in wanting every show to succeed and you never at the beginning know what that’s going to take but you do it.”

Confronted with an admittedly challenging and slightly unfamiliar project, the four-time Helen Hayes Award winner with almost 30 years’ experience in set design, soldiered forward. Building a theater in the museum’s soaring atrium with its forest of mindboggling immense Corinthian columns presented possibilities and problems. His immediate tasks were how to sit Hunter’s set in the space, how to surround it, how to seat the audience, and what the audience’s journey would be from the moment they walk in the building.

Quickly, Cisek and team realized the work at hand was mostly about infrastructure.

There was no infrastructure for hanging lights. In fact, there were no lights. They needed speakers and cables too. Everything had to be brought in and rented for 10-12 weeks at no small expense.

Fortunately, he has a long history working with lighting designers: “I like to put my nose in other designers’ business. What elements are going to make this moment shine? I’m not interested in staying my little silo. That’s not a formula for a successful production. My reward is that the audience finds enjoyment, is moved and provoked.

Otherwise, why bother?”

Originally from Queens, New York, Cisek first came to Washington to study pre-med at Georgetown University. But increasingly, he became interested in theater, and eventually went on to study scenic design at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.

After receiving his master’s in 1994, he planned to stay on in Manhattan but an onslaught of job offers brought him back to D.C. where he’s worked consistently ever since.

Creating a realistic set doesn’t particularly interest him unless it’s specifically called for by the playwright or director. He adds, “Strict naturalism is better achieved by film.

On stage, it leaves little room for the audience’s imagination. And when there are naturalistic elements in the design, I like to leave air for the audience to fill in. Stories can

3 2 • WA SHIN GTO N BLADE.COM • JULY 22, 202 2

TONY CISEK

(Photo courtesy Folger Theatre)

‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’

Through Aug. 28 Folger Theatre at the National Building Museum 401 F St., N.W. | $20-$85 | Events.folger.edu be helped by a naturalist environment, but I move away from naturalism and try to find something poetic, or evocative, or some way to address the larger arc of the story.”

Having lived and worked in the DMV for most of his life, it’s no surprise he’s picked up some tips from the locals. For his current project, he’s utilized the idea of a zone transition, which is how Zelda Fichlander, who founded Arena Stage, referred to the journey of her audience in the original Arena – 20 feet of dim, low-ceilinged space in which in theory you left your world behind and cleansed your mind for what you were about to see.

With The Playhouse, Cisek has created a sort of tunnel through which you progress before emerging to a staggering view of the stage and columns. See it if you can.

J ULY 2 2 , 2 0 2 2 • WA S H I N GTO N B L A D E.CO M • 3 3

Double dose of D.C. dining deals

Black Restaurant Week, RAMW Summer Restaurant Week return

By EVAN CAPLAN

D.C. is about to receive a double dose of dining destination deals over the next several weeks: Black Restaurant Week (July 18-31) and RAMW Summer Restaurant Week (August 15-21).

Black Restaurant Week

RAMW Summer Restaurant Week

Founded in 2016, Black Restaurant Week is holding its third annual celebration of AfThe semi-annual Summer Restaurant Week, run by the Restaurant Association Metrican-American, African, and Caribbean cuisine in the D.C. and Baltimore region July 18ropolitan Washington (RAMW), will take place Monday, Aug. 15, through Sunday, Aug. 31. During Black Restaurant Week, participating venues create their own promotions, 21. The area’s signature summer dining promotion invites diners to experience regional rather than being constrained to a specific meal or prix-fixe menu. restaurants in a variety of ways.

For this iteration, BRW is partnering with the National Urban League Conference, and Participating restaurants will offer on-site multi-course brunch and lunch menus for has extended the promotion from 10 days to 14. BRW, according to its founders, was de$25 per person, and multi-course dinner menus for $40 or $55 per person. Many restauveloped to shine a light on rants will also offer cocktail minority businesses – aiding pairings. them in building community Returning again this sumawareness to increase their mer is the “RW-To-Go” dinbottom line. The mission: ner meals, available at two celebrate African-Ameriprice points: $70 or $100 can, African, and Caribbean for two people and $140 or influences in the culinary $200 for four people so that industry, educating consumthose uncomfortable with ers on the abundance of culindoor dining can take the tural cuisines. meal home.

More than 100 restaurants “Diners across the region are participating in the area. can look forward to what will A short, non-comprehenbe a delicious promotion sive list includes 2 Southern celebrating the season’s Belles, All Set Restaurant summer flavors with menus & Bar, Austin Grill, Cloudy at great price points,” says Donut, England Eatery, Kathy E. Hollinger, president FishScale, Melange, Money and CEO of RAMW. “We Muscle BBQ, and Negril the have the return of the popJamaican Eatery. ular RW cocktail, wine, and As part of the campaign, mocktail pairings, as well BRW hosts events to better as RW-To-Go dinner meals bring together the dining for diners who may want community. The promotion a great night out or picnic begins with a Kickoff Mixer outdoors. This promotion is at The Delevate on July 19; designed to give the most other events include a hapoptions for patrons as they py hour, an open mic night, dine their way around our and a date night, all at differgreat region.”

DEREK ROBINSON, FALAYN FERRELL and WARREN LUCKETT ent participating venues.

Restaurants stretching (Photo by Unique James) Black Restaurant Week from Alexandria to Friendhas supported more than ship Heights to Woodley 2,000 restaurants, bars, bakeries, caterers, food trucks, and other culinary establishPark are participating. ments across the country since the organization’s founding.

A number of 2022 RAMMY Awards Finalists are participating in the promotional dinKristal Williams, co-owner of Fishscale, says, “Black Restaurant Week provides an oping week including Annabelle, Baan Siam, Blend 111, Bindaas Cleveland Park & Foggy portunity to discover and celebrate Black-owned restaurants and Black chef-owned esBottom, Bresca, China Chilcano, Convivial, Cranes, Dauphine’s, La Bise, La Cote D’Or tablishments.”

Cafe, Mintwood Place, Modena, Nama, Slate Wine Bar, Rasika, Rasika West End, and Ferrell, one of the BRW co-founders, notes that, “during our Black Restaurant Week Sababa. The 2022 RAMMY Awards will take place on July 31. campaigns, we see an average of 15% to 20% increase in sales for participants, which New participating restaurants include Annabelle, Dolce Vita, Dovetail Bar & Restauhelps tremendously as businesses are in a continual recovery status from the pandemic rant at the Viceroy, and Il Piatto. and as we are in an inflation season.”

Longtime participant Alan Popovsky, co-founder and principal of PRG Hospitality (LinShe continued that, “Black Restaurant Week has an immediate financial impact with coln Restaurant, Teddy & the Bully Bar), says that “for our downtown locations, Restauparticipants. The goal is to invest dollars back to the business. With our nonprofit orgarant Week provides an opportunity to make new guest relationships and fortify our exnization, Feed the Soul Foundation, we have been able to provide $52,000 in financial isting ones. It’s essential in our industry today.” support to Washington, D.C. and Baltimore-based, minority-owned culinary businessA full list of participants and more information can be found at ramw.org/restauranes.” tweek.

A full list of participants and more information can be found at blackrestaurantweeks. com.

3 4 • WA SHIN GTO N BLADE.COM • JULY 22, 202 2

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Porter makes directorial splash with ‘Anything’s Possible’ An exploration of two shy kids feeling their way through first love

By JOHN PAUL KING Hollywood has given us so many queer teen romances over the last few years that it’s easy to forget a not-so-distant past when LGBTQ people had to grow up watching movies that only showed the pangs of first love through a heteronormative filter, and relate to the experience as best they could via the pretty straight kids enacting it on the screen. It was a takewhat-you-can-get situation that left a lot of people feeling left out, isolated, and unseen.

That, among other things, is what makes “Anything’s Possible,” premiering globally July 22 on Prime Video, a benchmark in the still-evolving queer teen romance genre – because while many members of the LGBTQ community may now feel represented by movies like “Love, Simon” or “Booksmart,” there’s still a large gap when it comes to love stories about teens who are trans. Directed by Billy Porter, in his feature film debut behind the lens, this buzzy new movie goes a long way toward filling that gap; and for good measure, it raises the bar for the genre itself.

The script, written by trans screenwriter Ximena García Lecuona (another feature film first-timer), is a Gen Z tale of first love between two teens entering their senior year at a Philadelphia high school: Kelsa (Eva Reign), a trans overachiever who plans to focus her confidence and determination on getting into a college as far away as possible, and Khal (Abubakr Ali), a sensitive “nice guy” with artistic leanings who has different ideas for his future than the high-intensity career track his Muslim parents have planned for him. Partnered for an art class assignment, these two seeming opposites have an instant spark, and despite obstacles in their social circles (this is high school after all), they eventually give in to their attraction. Almost immediately their newfound love is being put to the test, as they are forced to navigate the pitfalls of staying together through all the drama their “couplehood” has created in their lives – just like any other pair of teenagers in love.

Lecuona’s script, inspired by a real-life Reddit thread involving a boy who asked advice on how to tell a trans girl that he liked her, is a cut above the usual amusing-but-forgettable teen rom-com for a lot of reasons; while it embraces and reinvents the familiar tropes of its genre, it doesn’t hesitate to go deeper.

Like the ‘80s John Hughes films to which it has already been compared, the movie allows space for a little goofy teen comedy while taking seriously the more complex and adult problems in its characters’ lives, and its savvy teenage perspective allows it to both celebrate and lampoon the absurdities of modern culture with razor sharp accuracy. Most significantly, it highlights and transcends trans issues in a story asserting that gender, biological or otherwise, has nothing to do with being in love. Kelsa’s trans identity may play a part in the blowback she and Khal experience from the crowd at school, but it’s irrelevant when they are alone together – except when it comes to the delicately handled treatment of negotiating physical sexuality, a topic that few other films have managed with as much sensitivity.

All of this comes to life with pitch-perfect finesse under the guidance of Porter, whose bold and stylish

3 6 • WA SHIN GTO N BLADE.COM • JULY 22, 202 2

directorial style and determination to “lift up” queer experience within the public imagination is evident in every choice he makes – from the unapologetic soapboxing he allows himself to the behavioral modeling he drives home without making it feel forced. He has the attitude and vision to mine the story’s most essen-

students. In its efforts to uplift and inspire, the film’s idealized vision sometimes feels like it might be as inaccessible to many teen viewers as those straight Hollywood love stories did to our queer elders.

Still, even in this seemingly idyllic setting, the cruelty and ugliness of high school life intrudes, and trans-

EVA REIGN and ABUKABR ALI star in ‘Anything’s Possible.’

(Photo courtesy Orion Pictures)

tial points and bring them out, and the showmanship to keep us interested and entertained all the way. He embellishes the film with his personal touch – even to the point of showcasing the Philadelphia locations with the obvious love of a hometown boy – and delivers a work that exhibits the same loud, proud, and loving dedication to shared humanity so abundantly clear in his performances on the stage and in front of the camera.

It would be unfair not to also credit the film’s cast for making “Anything’s Possible” shine. Reign and Ali have a natural ease and chemistry together, and the intelligence and understanding they bring to their characters is the glue that holds the movie together.

Courtnee Cox and Kelly Lamor Wilson give likeable, memorable turns as Kelsa’s two BFFs, and Renée Elise Goldberry brings Broadway star power to the role of her fiercely protective mother.

Likewise, the efforts of Porter and Justin Tranter as music producers for the film should not be discounted; the infectious, lush, and dreamy pop music soundscape in which they bathe the film goes a long way toward creating its appeal – and “Anything’s Possible” has plenty of that, even for curmudgeonly adults.

There are moments, admittedly, when the movie’s insistence on aspirational self-determinism threatens to overpower its delicate reverence for the freeing power of love. After all, Kelsa and Khal are exceptional teens, attractive, smart, and more self-aware than most of their peers; their families are supportive and emotionally available, and the school they attend would be a dream come true for most American

phobia is just one of many ugly human traits that lurks beneath the surface – reminding us that such things are always there to hold us back. If we can’t quite believe in the movie’s too-good-to-be-true world, perhaps it’s because we recognize just how much we still must conquer to achieve it. In any case, this movie is far too wise to merely promote an agenda, and it ultimately rises beyond its sociopolitical messaging with its recognition that our individual realities are governed by the personal, not the political.

The romance between Kelsa and Khal moves us not because one of them is trans, but because it exists beyond such restrictive constructs. In a world of labels, each of them longs to be seen as something more; they rankle at being defined by their surface traits and long to be appreciated for the more nuanced qualities underneath. Their tentative steps toward a relationship are the awkward explorations of two shy kids feeling their way through first love, not savvy negotiations in a culture war, and it’s a testament to the authenticity that comes from letting queer people tell their own stories that what we take away from this one has more to do with the happiness that comes from living beyond boundaries than it does with the empowerment that comes from breaking them.

It’s that state of mind that resonates throughout “Anything’s Possible,” because most of the young people in the movie – and, perhaps, watching it – already live in a world where many of the boundaries that limit our humanity have already become meaningless.

If they can stay there, maybe their future is brighter than we think.

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Calhoun and O’Hara give us hope that art will still be a life force New memoir ‘Also a Poet’ will inspire readers

By KATHI WOLFE Families. Especially if your parents are acclaimed writers and artists, they can get under your skin. They love you, but sometimes withhold praise and suck the air out of the room.

You wonder if you’ll end up as a second-string imitation of your famous folks.

That was what growing up was like for writer Ada Calhoun, author of the new memoir “Also a Poet: Frank O’Hara, My Father and Me.” “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way,” Tolstoy wrote in “Anna Karenina.”

If you’re queer, you know not only how right Tolstoy was, but that family tension makes for riveting reading.

Calhoun, a lifelong New Yorker who grew up in the East Village, doesn’t disappoint.

Her parents are creative and talented. Her mother Brooke Alderson started out performing stand-up comedy in lesbian bars. Later, she was an actress whose most well-known roles were in “Urban Cowboy” and “Family Ties.”

Her father Peter Schjeldahl, born in 1942, is a poet and The New Yorker art critic.

Schjeldahl is far from a pompous gasbag. As The New York Times book critic Molly Young said recently, in his book “Hot, Cold, Heavy, 100 Art Writings 1988-2018,” Schjeldahl received, perhaps, the most awesome blurb ever. “Bruce is no longer the Boss; Schjeldahl is!” Steve Martin said of the volume.

Not surprisingly, Calhoun didn’t have a typical childhood.

Gay writer Christopher Isherwood, author of “The Berlin Stories,” was among those who Calhoun’s parents hung out with.

“One of the most agreeable children imaginable,” Isherwood said of Calhoun when she was a child, “neither sulky nor sly nor pushy nor ugly, with a charming trustful smile for all of us.”

Most of us as kids see “The Nutcracker” with an aunt or grandma. Calhoun saw the holiday classic with a “dreamboat” poet. An artist posing topless so other painters could paint her wasn’t shocking to the young Calhoun.

While Calhoun’s Mom makes several memorable appearances, “Also a Poet” is focused on Calhoun’s relationship with her father.

Relationships between daughters and fathers can be difficult. But they’re often more fraught when the dad is a renowned writer. Especially when Calhoun, born in 1976, was growing up.

Then (thankfully, to a lesser extent, now) if you were a male writer, life in your household centered around you. You didn’t help with housework or pay much attention to your spouse and kids.

Though Calhoun was raised in the sophisticated East Village, life with her father fit this pattern. One day, Schjeldahl let her go alone, with no directions, at age eight on a bus to a friend’s birthday party.

When she was young, Calhoun wanted to escape the Village literary life. “My typical answer was farmer because that was the most tangible, least cosmopolitan option I could think of,” Calhoun writes, when as a kid, people asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up.

But Calhoun couldn’t evade the clutches of the writing bug. From early on, she wanted to get away from her father’s shadow. So her work could be judged on its own merit. She changed her last name from Schjeldahl to her middle name Calhoun.

Despite their difficulties, one thing bonded Calhoun with her dad: their love of Frank O’Hara, the openly queer poet

and Museum of Modern Art curator, who died at 40 in a Jeep accident on Fire Island in 1966.

In the 1970s, Schjeldahl, who like so many poets, writers and artists then and now, idolized O’Hara, tried to write a biography of the beloved poet. But O’Hara’s sister and executor Mau‘Also a Poet: Frank O’Hara, reen Granville-Smith deMy Father, and Me’ railed his attempt to write

By Ada Calhoun the bio. c.2022, Grove Press | $27 | 259 pages But all wasn’t lost. Decades later, Calhoun discovered the tapes of the people (from Larry Rivers to Willem de Kooning) who Schjeldalhl had interviewed for the project in the basement of her parents’ building.

In a magnificent Rubik’s Cube of literary history and memory, Calhoun weaves a tale of family and of making art.

The memoir will inspire you to read O’Hara. O’Hara wrote funny and moving poems out of the pop culture and sadness of his time (from the “The Day Lady Died” on the death of Billie Holiday to the hilarious “Poem” – with the line “Lana Turner has collapsed!” to “Personal Poem” about Miles Davis being beaten by cops).

“His life force was on the page,” Grace Cavalieri, Maryland’s poet laureate and the producer/host of the radio show “The Poet and the Poem, said of O’Hara in an email to the Blade.

In this “Don’t Say Gay” era, Calhoun and O’Hara give us hope that art will still be a life force.

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Making the most of the housing market Tips for buyers and sellers

By JEFF HAMMERBERG

After being on fire for be able to help guide you the last couple of years, the toward a variety of homes housing market across the that are within your budget, United States is finally startand truly fit your needs and ing to cool down. Various desires. reports over the course of recent weeks have shown ADVICE FOR that record price growth SELLERS and sales activity are fiPrice your home comnally starting to taper off. petitively: As a seller, it is The long-range outlook important to realize that throughout the end of 2022 as the market begins to and into 2023 is that the cool down slightly, you will housing market will continwant to keep your home ue to cool down, at least priced competitively. It can slightly, from its current be tempting to ask for as state. much as possible and hope It’s not entirely unexthat you’ll receive it, but you pected – after all, exponenmay risk leaving your home tial growth can’t continue on the market too long beforever. Even so, any shift cause it is priced too high, in current conditions can which can make some buybe slightly unsettling, and ers wary. Consulting with whether you’re a buyer or an agent who knows your a seller, it can bring peace community well and can of mind to feel prepared help you price your home and know how best to react competitively. Doing so can when the market changes make a significant differto maximize the chances ence between a quick and of reaching your real estate The market is cooling off — exponential growth can’t continue forever. successful selling experigoals. ence and a stressful one.

So the question is: How do you prepare and maximize your potential? Let’s take a look Don’t forget curb appeal: Not all homes need major renovations, nor can all sellers at a few tips together. afford them, and that’s okay. A little bit of hard work and sweat goes a long way. Clean

TIPS FOR BUYERS

Be budget conscious: As a buyer, it is always a wise decision to decide on your budget and stick with it. Particularly with interest rates on the rise and home prices still generally higher than ever before, although trending downward slightly, it is easy to get carried away and decide to exceed the budget you planned on. Particularly over the last couple of years, scarcity in the market has led buyers to feel a sense of urgency about buying a home immediately, exceeding their budget, or paying over asking price. As the market begins to cool down, buyers should realize that they have some breathing room and that the right home will come along and is worth waiting for.

Finalize your finances: Be certain you have your financing secured and preapproved prior to making an offer. While not mandatory, this step can certainly give buyers an advantage in any market. Really think through your wants and desires in a house and what you can afford, and then seek a preapproval. Getting preapproved allows you to show a seller that you will be able to follow through with the deal if they accept your offer, and that offers peace of mind and assurance that many sellers find appealing.

Find an agent you trust: The importance of this step cannot be overstated. An agent who knows and loves the community that you’re interested in will be familiar with the market there. They will be able to advise you as to the trends in the area and whether the offer you are making is competitive, but not over and above what you should be spending on a particular home, particularly as the market calms down. They will also

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up, declutter, and try to present your house in the best possible light. Presentation is important and can be a deciding factor in getting that offer that you truly want.

Choose the right agent: In any real estate transaction, finding the right agent can make all the difference. Especially as markets begin to shift, cool off, and change, you will need an agent on your side who can help you price your home competitively, market it effectively, and generally work with you to achieve your real estate goals.

Ultimately the good news is that whether a buyer or a seller, and whether a hot market or one that is cooling down slightly, achieving your real estate dreams is possible and well within your reach.

(At www.GayRealEstate.com, it’s our mission and our passion to connect LGBTQ buyers and sellers across the country with talented, and experienced LGBTQ-friendly realtors who know and love their communities. We know that having the right agent can make all the difference in the real estate process – and we believe you deserve the very best. If we can help you with any of your real estate needs, we’re ready to connect with you today and get started.)

JEFF HAMMERBERG

is founding CEO of Hammerberg & Associates, Inc. Reach him at 303-378-5526 or jeffhammerberg@gmail.com.

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