Washington Blade, Volume 53, Issue 42, October 21, 2022

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Celebrating our city, including Local Hero Kimberley Bush,

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VOLUME 53 ISSUE 42 ADDRESS PO Box 53352 Washington DC 20009 PHONE 202-747-2077 E-MAIL news@washblade.com INTERNET washingtonblade.com PUBLISHED BY Brown Naff Pitts Omnimedia, Inc. PUBLISHER LYNNE J. BROWN lbrown@washblade.com ext. 8075 EDITORIAL EDITOR KEVIN NAFF knaff@washblade.com ext. 8088 SR. NEWS REPORTER LOU CHIBBARO JR. lchibbaro@washblade.com ext. 8079 NEWS REPORTER CHRIS JOHNSON cjohnson@washblade.com ext. 8083 REPORTER & INTERNATIONAL NEWS EDITOR MICHAEL K. LAVERS mlavers@washblade.com POP CULTURE REPORTER JOHN PAUL KING PHOTO EDITOR MICHAEL KEY mkey@washblade.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS TINASHE CHINGARANDE, DUNIA ORELLANA, REPORTAR SIN MIEDO, PARKER PURIFOY, PETER ROSENSTEIN, MARK LEE, LATEEFAH WILLIAMS, KATE CLINTON, KATHI WOLFE, ERNESTO VALLE, YARIEL VALDÉS GONZÁLEZ, LYNARE ROBBINS, PHILIP VAN SLOOTEN, KATLEGO K. KOLANYANE-KESUPILE, KAELA ROEDER, TREMENDA NOTA, ALBERTO J. VALENTÍN, MAYKEL GONZÁLEZ VIVERO, ORGULLO LGBT. CO, ESTEBAN GUZMAN CREATIVE DESIGN/PRODUCTION AZERCREATIVE.COM SALES & ADMINISTRATION DIRECTOR OF SALES & MARKETING STEPHEN RUTGERS srutgers@washblade.com ext. 8077 SR. ACCT. EXECUTIVE BRIAN PITTS bpitts@washblade.com ext. 8089 ACCT. EXECUTIVE JOE HICKLING jhickling@washblade.com ext. 8094 CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING/ADMINISTRATION PHILLIP G. ROCKSTROH prockstroh@washblade.com ext. 8092 NATIONAL ADVERTISING RIVENDELL MEDIA 212-242-6863; sales@rivendellmedia.com For distribution, contact Lynne Brown ext. 8075. Distributed by MediaPoint, LLC

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All material in the Washington Blade is protected by federal copyright law and may not be reproduced without the written consent of the Washington Blade. The sexual orientation of advertisers, photographers, writers and cartoonists published herein is neither inferred nor implied. The appearance of names or pictorial representation does not necessarily indicate the sexual orientation of that person or persons. Although the Washington Blade is supported by many fine advertisers, we cannot accept responsibility for claims made by advertisers. Unsolicited editorial material is accepted by the Washington Blade, but the paper cannot take responsibility for its return. The editors reserve the right to accept, reject or edit any submission. A single copy of the Washington Blade is available from authorized distribution points, to any individual within a 50-mile radius of Washington, D.C. Multiple copies are available from the Washington Blade office only. Call for rates. If you are unable to get to a convenient free distribution point, you may receive a 52-week mailed subscription for $195 per year or $5.00 per single issue.

Checks or credit card orders can be sent to Phil Rockstroh at prockstroh@ washblade.com. Postmaster: Send address changes to the Washington Blade, PO BOX 53352 Washington, DC 20009. The Washington Blade is published weekly, on Friday, by Brown Naff Pitts Omnimedia, Inc. Individual Subscriptions are $195 per year for 52 issues (only $3.75 per issue mailed to you USPS). Rates for businesses/institutions are $450 per year. Periodical postage paid at Washington, D.C., and additional mailing offices. Editorial positions of the Washington Blade are expressed in editorials and in editors’ notes as determined by the paper’s editors. Other opinions are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Washington Blade or its staff. To submit a letter or commentary: Letters should be fewer than 400 words; commentaries should be fewer than 750 words. Submissions may be edited for content and length, and must include a name, address and phone number for verification. Send submissions by e-mail to knaff@washblade.com.

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Blade names new White House reporter Chris Kane takes over duties Nov. 7 FROM STAFF REPORTS

The Washington Blade this week announced it has hired a new White House reporter, following the resignation of longtime staffer Chris Johnson.

Christopher Kane, an experienced CHRIS KANE is the Blade’s new White House reporter.

Capitol Hill reporter who has freelanced for the Washington Blade and Los Angeles Blade since 2018, was named the new White House reporter.

“We thank Chris Johnson for his nearly 15 years of service in the White ouse briefing room, said Blade editor evin Naff. “And we’re thrilled to announce our new staff member,

Chris ane, who will ably fill those shoes and ta e our important coverage to the ne t level.

In addition to covering the White House and attending the press briefings, the Blade reporter has served in the president’s pool rotation and as the Blade’s representative to the White House Correspondents’ Association. The Blade is the only LGBTQ media outlet in those roles.

“Our coverage of presidential administrations — friendly and otherwise — is a critical and unique tool in holding our elected officials accountable to their B constituents, Naff added.

Kane expressed enthusiasm for his new role.

“It is an honor and a privilege to represent the Washington Blade in this role covering the White House and Congress, ane said. I loo forward to serving our readers with hard-hitting, responsible, and impactful stories about what’s happening here in Washington and beyond.

Kane graduated from the University of North Carolina,

Asheville, with a degree in communications. He has worked as a reporter for Modern Healthcare covering the Hill and issues of health equity and at Acuris covering the Justice Department and FTC. As a Blade freelancer for four years, Kane covered national elections and policy issues related to immigration, education, housing, and criminal justice.

He starts his new position on Nov. 7.

Comings & Goings

stowed in recognition of design excellence for environments in public living and environments in retail space. TOBE DesignGroup won in each category for the interior design of Towson Town Place Apartments/ Hirschfeld Properties, and Cookies Maywood/Cookies Creative, a global cannabis reTODD HOWARD EZRIN tailer. Ezrin was joined at the event by two of his staff, Bailey Ewing and Moira Ruth, designer, and intern respectively.

On accepting the awards, Ezrin said, “I am beyond pleased to be recognized by peers around the country for two of our

projects. The recognition is even sweeter given the fact that this is the first time I ve ever submitted a pro ect for an award.

Ezrin founded the group in 2011 and it is based in North Bethesda. They manage and design new construction and renovation projects ranging in size from 1,500-20,000 square feet and with budgets from $25,000 to $3,000,000. Prior to that he was with imball ffice in D.C., and before that was with WDG Interior Architecture. He was with Hartman Design Group, Inc., Rockville, for nine years as a designer/project Manager.

E rin was listed in ortfolio op Designers, ome Design Magazine, 2022; and featured in an issue of Local Living, The Washington Post. He’s a board member of VisArts and was board president of Transformations of Montgomery County, 2018-2021.

Ezrin honored at ASID Awards gala

By PETER ROSENSTEIN

The Comings & Goings column is about sharing the professional successes of our community. We want to recognize those landing new jobs, new clients for their business, joining boards of organizations and other achievements. Please share your successes with us at: comingsandgoings@washblade.com.

Congratulations to Todd Howard Ezrin, ASID, NCIDQ, LEED AP for his TOBE DesignGroup garnering two honors at the annual ASID Washington Metro Chapter’s Design Excellence Awards Gala in September. The awards were be-

CHRIS KANE chats with Vice President KAMALA HARRIS at a recent reception.

Newly processed DNA evidence surfaces in 1987 D.C. lesbian murder Police seek help from public in identifying male suspect in killings of two women

By LOU CHIBBARO JR. | lchibbaro@washblade.com

Using updated DNA testing technology, D.C. police lab technicians recently developed a full D profile of an unidentified male suspect from tissue samples ta en from the scene of the May 1987 murder of a lesbian whose body was found in the Capitol Hill apartment of her girlfriend.

Police said the victim, Greta Denise Rainey, 35, had been raped and strangled.

Channel 4 News reporter Paul Wagner, who broke the news about the D findings in a story broadcast last wee , reported that D.C. police confirmed that the D samples obtained from the scene of Rainey’s murder matched those obtained at the scene of the October 1985 murder of another woman in an apartment on the same oor in the same building where ainey was murdered at rd St., S.E. The second victim, Florence Eyssalenne, 23, was also raped and strangled, police said at the time her body was found in her apartment.

Wagner of Channel 4 News reported that the samples were obtained with a swab that was part of a rape kit used to investigate the two murders. But for unknown reasons police never tested the samples for DNA until just recently, possibly because DNA testing techniques were less advanced at the time of the two murders.

The Washington Blade reported in an Aug. 28, 1987, story that D.C. police initially arrested Rainey’s girlfriend, Roxanne Johnson, 32, on a charge of second-degree murder

for Rainey’s death two days after Rainey’s body was found in Johnson’s apartment on May 13, 1987.

The Blade story reported that four months later, prosecutors with the ffice of the .S. ttorney for D.C. dropped the murder charge against Johnson without disclosing a reason for doing so. Johnson at the time contacted the Blade to say the charge was dropped because I didn t do it. She said her arrest on what she called a false charge had a devastating impact on her life.

Among other things she said her landlord pressured her into moving out of her apartment on grounds that her presence was alarming the other tenants.

D.C. police at the time declined to disclose what, if any, evidence they had to charge Johnson with the murder of the person Johnson called her lover. Johnson told the Blade she left her apartment to go to work and had no idea how someone gained access to the apartment to commit the murder. Police sources have said there were no signs of a forced entry into either of the two apartments where Rainey and Eyssalenne were murdered.

The Blade’s attempts this week to locate Johnson for comment were unsuccessful.

Wagner reported in his Channel 4 News broadcast that D.C. police now believe the same unidentified male suspect killed both women and was familiar with the building or the neighborhood.

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“Essentially, the identity of this person is still unknown to us, however, we can say the individual is a male, D.C. police homicide division Capt. Kevin Kentish told Channel 4 News.

We believe him to be of frican merican descent, entish said in an interview with the TV news station.

Everything is on the table, he continued. ight now, detectives are still doing the legwork, hoping to get more leads, he said. opefully, somebody calls in and gives us a lead that we can examine, but we’re also going the genealogy route and that may take a little longer, so we don’t want to put all our eggs in that one bas et.

Kentish was referring to home genealogy kits widely used by people seeking to learn more about their ancestry. The kits require people using them to send a saliva sample to the company that sells the kits. After performing DNA related tests on the saliva sample, the company sends the results back to the consumer who purchases the kits.

It’s been reported that law enforcement agencies, including the BI, routinely obtain D profiles from some of these companies and that the profiles are ept in a D data bank used in criminal investigations.

D.C. police are offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the murders of Gretta Rainey and Florence Eyssalenne. Anyone with information about one or both of the two cases is asked to contact police at 202-727-9099.

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Independent at large D.C. Council candidates endorse Race considered only contest on ballot with uncertain outcome

B

rights at forum

By LOU CHIBBARO JR. | lchibbaro@washblade.com

Capital Stonewall Democrats President JATARIOUS FRAZIER

our of the five independent candidates running in the ov. election for two at-large D.C. Council seats e pressed strong support for B rights at a virtual candidates forum Monday night, Oct. , sponsored by

the Capital Stonewall Democrats. he D.C. B Democratic group limited the forum to the five independent candidates running against a Democrat, epublican, and a Statehood reen arty candidate for two at large seats, one of which must go to a non ma ority party candidate under D.C.’s election law. he four independents who participated were incumbent D.C. Council member Elissa Silverman I t arge , attorney arim D. arshall, businessman red ill, and former corporate manager and small business advocate Graham McLaughlin. he fifth independent running, incumbent D.C. Council member enyan cDuffie I Ward , was unable to attend due to a scheduling con ict, according to Capital Stonewall Democrats President Jatarious Frazier. ra ier noted that the Stonewall Dems group has endorsed

the other at-large incumbent Council member, Anita Bonds, a Democrat. e said the group decided against endorsing a second at-large candidate on grounds that the other candidate would be running against the groups Democratic endorsee.

But ra ier said Capital Stonewall Democrats decided to organi e the forum to help its members and other B voters decide whom to support for the second at large Council seat that cannot go to a Democrat.

Both Bonds and cDuffie have longstanding records of support on B related issues. With all the at large candidates having e pressed support on B issues, local activists have said LGBTQ voters will likely select the two candidates they vote for based on non-LGBTQ issues.

The remaining two of the eight at-large Council candidates on the ballot are epublican iuseppe iosi, who marched in D.C.s Capital ride arade in une, and Statehood reen arty candidate David Schwart man, who has e pressed support for LGBTQ rights.

The two co-moderators of the forum, Rebecca Bauer, a member of the board of the D.C. Center for the LGBT Community, and Larry Miller, WUSA 9 TV anchor and morning show host, as ed the candidates uestions on a wide range of both LGBTQ and non-LGBTQ issues. ongtime D.C. political observers point out that with the city’s overwhelmingly Democratic electorate, the Democratic candidate running for mayor – incumbent Mayor Muriel Bowser and incumbent Council Chair hil endelson D t arge ,

along with the Democrats running for Council seats in Wards 1, 3, 5, and 6 are all considered odds-on favorites to win. Among them is gay Ward 5 Democratic candidate Zachary Parker, who is considered the strong front-runner in the Ward 5 race.

It s ust the at large race, where only one Democrat is allowed to run, in which the outcome is uncertain, observers have said. mong the independent candidates appearing at the Capital Stonewall Dems forum on Monday, which was broadcast over Zoom and which Frazier said will be available for viewing online, McLaughlin was the only one who claimed to have wor ed directly with B organi ations and B people in his role as an advocate for homeless youth.

In a nation where percent of homeless youth are B , and that number is pretty high into ones s as well, I opened my home to a member of that community who was homeless,” c aughlin told the forum. I have partnered and wal ed with individuals who are of color and who are in the LGBTQ community to be able to help launch businesses, he said, adding that he has collaborated with the revor ro ect, a national organi ation that provides suicide prevention and crisis intervention services for B young people.

Silverman, Marshall, and Hill each told of their own efforts to improve the services that city agencies provide for B youth and seniors. isit washingtonblade.com for a Blade transcript of the opening remar s of each of the four who participated in the Capital Stonewall Democrats forum.

Longtime LGBTQ advocate Kathleen DeBold dies Served as transformative leader of FROM STAFF REPORTS

Kathleen Joan DeBold, celebrated D.C. LGBTQ activist, died suddenly on Oct. 9, 2022 in Ocean City, Md. at age 66, according to an obituary released by family and friends. She was born on Nov. 16, 1955 in Brooklyn, N.Y., to Francis Charles and Joan Marie DeBold. During childhood, her family moved to Maryland.

DeBold graduated with a degree in agriculture and life sciences from the University of Maryland College Park in 1977.

She worked for the Entomological Society of America and was the first female apiary inspector in the state of aryland, according to the statement. er international political commitments inspired her to oin the eace Corps in , where she was stationed in the Central frican epublic C for three years to teach bee eeping. She then returned to C with fricare as an e tension and training specialist for four more years.

While living in frica, she became uent in Sango language of C and rench, and she edited B C Bulletin picole de la epubli ue Centr fricaine, a ournal for bee eepers. eturning to the nited States in , DeBold began her work as an LGBTQ activist. She worked at the Gay and Lesbian ictory und, an organi ation dedicated to electing openly B candidates to political office she served as deputy and political director and wor ed on the campaign for .S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, among others. While at the Gay and Lesbian ictory und, she wrote the boo ut for ffice Campaigning in the Gay Nineties.”

In 1999, she was named executive director of the Mautner ro ect, an organi ation for lesbians with cancer. er leadership at autner was transformative she increased the si e and in uence of the organi ation, bringing attention to the issues of lesbians with cancer and health care access for lesbians. hrough her vision, autner operated as both a vibrant service organization in Washington, D.C., and a national and international leader on lesbian health issues. While at Mautner,

autner ro ect

DeBold edited, with Victoria Brownworth, the book “Coming ut of Cancer Writings from the esbian Cancer Epidemic.

DeBold worked at Mautner through 2007.

She served as the interim director of Servicemembers Legal Defense und, an organi ation that supported military service members e periencing discrimination and wor ed to overturn “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” She also served as administrator for the Lambda Literary Awards during the 2010s.

In addition to working for lesbian and gay movement organizations, DeBold was a dedicated volunteer. Starting in 1990 and for the next three decades, she was a regular book reviewer for ambda Boo eview and other literary publications. She wrote boo ac et copy for aiad ress, which later became Bella Boo s. She served as a udge for the Barbara Deming emorial und in , awarding , in grants among several authors. In all her wor , she brought passion, humor, and oy.

DeBold loved pu les, o es, and puns. She created Wordgaymes, an B themed crossword pu le that appeared in numerous lesbian and gay newspapers across the country. She also created B cartoons that appeared in numerous publications. She regularly competed in the Style Invitational, sponsored by the Washington ost, earning many mentions, losses, and other accolades.

DeBold was beloved in LGBTQ communities and received many honors. The Washington Blade recognized her as “Most Committed Female Activist” in 2001 and a “Local Hero” in 2005. Women’s eNews named her as one of 21 Leaders of the st Century in . In , the ainbow istory ro ect celebrated her as a Community ioneer. In accepting that award, she paid tribute to her partner Barbara here is nothing in those plus years that I have accomplished alone. I am terribly shy and introverted, which is not the best foundation on which to construct an activist life. But the wor is so important

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KATHLEEN JOAN DEBOLD died Oct. 9.

(Blade file photo)

and the need for change so great that I ve ust had to cowgirl up.

In 2019, to honor her Irish heritage she became a dual Irish/ American citizen. In 2020, she was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to study Irish at aeltacht College in Ireland unfortunately, the C ID pandemic prevented this study.

DeBold was an avid gardener. She loved reading especially Irish history and poetry , coo ing, ba ing, playing guitar, and singing. And her cat, Buffy.

She is survived by her longtime companion of years legal wife of nine years Barbara ohnson of Burtonsville, d. her sister Bonnie DeBold Scott ann of or , a. her brother Daniel DeBold ldona of lney, d. sister in law and brother in law udith and bram eele of ulas i, a. sister in law my ohnson of ulas i, a. nieces and nephews Erin, Sean, Blair, evin, atthew, homas, ustin, ommy, and ristina and grandnieces and nephews lyssa, , and nthony. She will also be remembered with love and affection by a large community of family, friends, and people whose lives were changed by her work.

Donations in her memory may be made to Tree-Mendous aryland https www.shopdnr.com tree mendousmarylandgiftoftrees.asp or Sinister Wisdom http www.sinisterwisdom.org .

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CAMP Rehoboth kicks off search for new executive director Strategic planning process underway

By LOU CHIBBARO JR. | lchibbaro@washblade.com

CAMP Rehoboth, the Rehoboth Beach LGBTQ community services center, was scheduled to officially announce on Monday, Oct. 17, that it is seeking bids from executive search firms to retain such a firm to help the group conduct a national search for a new executive director, according to Wesley Combs, president of the CAMP Rehoboth Board of Directors.

Combs told the Washington Blade the announcement see ing a search firm, nown as an or e uest for Proposal to undertake the search process, comes about a month after CAMP Rehoboth retained nationally acclaimed strategic planning consultant Michela Perrone of eorgetown niversity to help the nonprofit group update its strategic plan for providing services and support for a diverse and growing LGBTQ community in Rehoboth and surrounding areas.

Perrone, a faculty member at Georgetown University’s Center for ublic and onprofit eadership, has provided support for strategic planning and other services for many nonprofit organi ations through her consulting firm ssociates, including for B nonprofits.

The need for a new CAMP Rehoboth executive director surfaced this past May when then executive director David Mariner resigned to start a new Delaware LGBTQ advocacy group called Sussex Pride. The CAMP Rehoboth board a short time later named Lisa Evans, a longtime administrator at nonprofit organi ations in Baltimore, as CAMP Rehoboth’s interim executive director.

Combs has said Evans was appointed to serve as the group’s acting manager in an “advisory role” as soon as the board learned of Mariner’s plans to leave the organization. After conducting a search for an interim director, the board selected Evans from a group of four finalist candidates as the best fit for that role, Combs said.

Now, according to Combs, CAMP Rehoboth is beginning the process for the first phase of its strategic plan development and its search for a new executive director.

He said after considerable deliberation, the board decided it would be important to retain a strategic planning e pert and begin the first phase of the strategic planning process at this time.

He said the board was hopeful that a national search

D.C.’s Whitman-Walker Health is inviting “thousands” of D.C.-area residents and visitors to participate in its annual Walk to End HIV scheduled to take place at 9 a.m.

Saturday, Oct. 22, at the Gateway D.C. Pavilion in Southeast Washington as well as in other locations.

“Held for the past 36 years, the Walk to End HIV is Whitman-Walker’s signature fundraiser that calls on thousands to strap up their shoes and walk or run to support Whitman-Walker Health’s mission of providing dependable, high-quality, comprehensive and accessible health care to those living with or affected by HIV/ AIDS,” a statement by the organi-

firm can be retained within the ne t days and the nationwide search for a new executive director would begin at that time. he first phase of the strategic plan development, which began at the time Perrone was retained last month, includes data collection and community engagement, including community surveys and focus groups, Combs said.

He said the strategic planning process will then be put on hold until the new executive director is hired and ta es office for a short time to become acclimated with CAMP Rehoboth’s operations. It is the board’s belief that the new executive director should take part in the second phase of the development of the updated strategic plan, Combs said.

“We’re not going to begin the work to determine what the priorities of CAMP will be until the new executive director has been hired,” said Combs. “So, it’s a two-phase strategy – start, gap, start,” he said. ur hope is we will have identified a candidate by mid-January and that person can hopefully be on board

by March 1, 2023,” Combs said in referring to the hiring process for the new executive director. “That’s our hope.”

Combs noted that CAMP Rehoboth, which was co-founded in 1991 by LGBTQ rights advocates Steve Elkins and his then partner and subsequent husband Murray Archibald, has grown tremendously over the years and has developed and updated strategic plans during those years.

El ins, a beloved figure in ehoboth for many years, served as CAMP Rehoboth’s executive director until he passed away in 2018.

Combs said plans began to update the strategic plan shortly after David Mariner began as executive director in 2019 and continued through early 2020. But with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the sweeping restrictions it brought about for all public spaces later that year, CAMP Rehoboth under Mariner’s leadership had to dramatically “pivot” to a virtual operation, Combs said.

Nearly all its in-person operations and programs had to be suspended or switched to online operations.

All of that meant the strategic planning process had to

WESLEY COMBS is president of the CAMP Rehoboth Board of Directors. (Blade photo by Daniel Truitt)

be put on hold, Combs said. And while it resumed earlier this year, Mariner’s decision to resign prompted the board to reassess how to move forward with the strategic planning process.

“The thought was, we have a lot of the work that was done,” Combs said. “But it was four years ago, three years actually, when the outreach to the community was done,” he said. “We had focus groups, we had surveys done. So, some of that information may still be relevant. But some of it obviously needs to be revisited because the demographics of Delaware and our community have changed in that three-year period.”

Added Combs, “Plus, Rehoboth and the surrounding area has become a much bigger retirement community for a lot of LGBTQ people…We want to make sure we understand what the needs are of the various stakeholder groups that CAMP Rehoboth serves,” he said. “And that also includes the increased visibility of transgender people in lower Delaware. And, the increased visibility of LGBTQ youth who are coming out,” Combs told the Blade.

“So, the plan is designed to ensure that we understand who the demographics of this community are, what support they need, and what role will CAMP play in helping to address them, he said. Every nonprofit does this every three to five years.

D.C. Walk to End HIV set for Oct. 22

Whitman-Walker Health’s annual Walk to End HIV arrives this weekend. (Blade photo by Michael Key)

zation’s website says.

Organizers each year ask participants who decide to walk or join the simultaneous 5 kilometer Run to End HIV to enlist friends, family members, and co-workers to pledge a donation in their name to the Whitman-Walker Foundation, which helps to fund Whitman-Walker’s HIV/AIDS programs and services.

“You can also choose to complete the race wherever you would like,” the Whitman-Walker statement says. “You can walk, run, use a treadmill,” it says. “We encourage you to get out with your employees and/or family and walk or run on October 22 at Gateway DC Pavilion to help us

fight I , the statement continues.

“We’ll have some wonderful race-day surprises for you to enjoy,” it says. “Share your pictures and more on social media with #walktoendhiv.”

Gateway DC Pavilion is a recently opened city park with various amenities located at 2700 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., S.E. The statement says donors can contribute online or send a check made payable to Whitman-Walker Foundation. It suggests that the walker or runner’s name be placed on the check’s memo line and the check sent to Whitman-Walker Health, 1377 R St., N.W., Suite 200, Washington, D.C. 20009.

“In a city where two percent of adults are known to have HIV, many more are infected but don’t know their status, and young people ages 13 to 24 represent nearly 20% of new HIV diagnoses,” according to the statement, “the Walk to End HIV plays a vital role in Whitman-Walker’s mission to end the HIV epidemic in the District of Columbia.”

LOU CHIBBARO JR.

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Odessa Kelly looks to make history in Tennessee House race Would be first out Blac woman to serve in Congress

By BRANDIE BLAND

Odessa Kelly is the archetype of a grassroots community advocate turned politician. er long, wavy locs frame the kind of smile that will lend you a cup of sugar or invite you to an impromptu backyard barbecue just because. Kelly speaks like someone who has been in the trenches, can relate to all our struggles, and is authentically rooting for our successes. native of ashville, Kelly grew up on the ODESSA KELLY is running for east side of the city in Tennessee’s redrawn seventh congressional district. a poor working class (Photo by Shance Ware) neighborhood riddled by poverty and gun violence. n active and creative child, elly played mateur thletic nion bas etball and used her Barbie dolls as hostages in her imaginative .I. oe schemes.

Even though I m from the hood and we weren t rich by any means, I had a very blessed childhood, elly said. I grew up in a house with both of my parents and had a very solid foundation.” fter graduating from Stratford igh School now Stratford S E agnet School , elly attended ennessee State niversity, where she earned a bachelor s degree in business administration, and later, Cumberland niversity, where she earned a master s degree in public service.

Kelly is running against a Trump ally, incumbent Rep. ar reen , for ennessee s redrawn seventh congressional district, a formerly Democratic-majority district ruptured by Republican-led gerrymandering that echoes the South’s history of political turmoil.

If elected, Kelly would make history on multiple fronts — she would be the first out Blac woman elected to represent ennessee, the first out Blac lesbian to serve in the .S. ouse and the si th openly gay woman to serve in Congress. ormer ep. Barbara ordan was revealed to be in a same se domestic partnership in her obituary. nd elly is ready to ma e history along with her state next month, as long as all eligible Tennesseans get out and vote. showed us that ennessee is not a red state, it s a non voting state, elly told the Blade in an interview.

Kelly credits the Justice Democrats for being unrelenting supporters of her campaign.

Surprisingly, Kelly was unaware of the history she would ma e as the first openly gay Blac woman to be elected in Tennessee.

It didn t hit me until after I decided to run and I was literally reading the prospectus that was put together for me,” Kelly said. or more than a decade, elly wor ed in the ashville Department of Parks and Recreation as the leader of the apier Community Center and e ecutive director of Stand p ashville.

In , when elly learned the city awarded a million bond to billionaire John Ingram for the construction of eodis ar , a stadium for the city s new ma or league soccer team ashville SC, Stand p ashville got to wor securing a community benefits agreement CB with Ingram.

The unprecedented agreement secured affordable

Supreme Court to hear case of anti Oral arguments slated for Dec. 5

B

housing, a . an hour minimum wage for all stadium wor ers, affordable childcare and wor force development. hat CB was our pride and oy, elly said.

But elly recalls her proudest moment as the time she overheard a group of teenagers she was wor ing with at apier Community Center discuss how they don t have to worry about what will happen to them after graduation because they have the community benefits agreement. ou preach some of these things so much the ids ust roll their eyes because they hear it , but at that point, I new every bit of stress was worth it, elly said. elly s love for her city and community didn t stop with Stand p ashville. ow, elly channels that same energy and hard work into her campaign to stand up for Tennessee in Washington. elly is a self proclaimed Blue Dog Democrat whose platform includes edicare for all and the reen ew Deal, which focuses on combating climate change by moving away from fossil fuels and creating millions of high-paying jobs. he reen ew Deal is me thin ing about pathways out of poverty, elly said.

Outside of the political arena, Kelly is a mother of two and a foodie who enjoys gaming, sports, and listening to music. unning for public office can be frenetic, but when Kelly needs to refocus and take a deep breath, she turns on her go to song, ee ill s men.

I m from the South so I li e soulful rap and anything that has a good beat,” Kelly said.

When as ed about her plans if she doesn t win her election, Kelly said she is still considering all options.

I m gonna need a minute to ma e a decision about what I do ne t. ll I want to do is try to win this race, elly said. nd I hope I m showing up well and spea ing to the urgencies of the majority of you out there.”

web designer

By BRODY LEVESQUE

The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday announced that it will hear oral arguments on Dec. 5 in the case of a Colorado based web designer, Creative C v. Elenis, who sued to challenge state’s anti-discrimination law as she was refusing to work on websites for same-sex couples. ast fall, the lliance Defending reedom, labeled by the Southern overty aw Center as a hate group, in representing orie Smith, as ed the high court on an appeal from the .S. Court of ppeals for the th Circuit to review the case.

Smith claimed in court filings that the Colorado law violated Smith’s freedom of speech and freedom of religious expression, citing that it would force her to design wedding websites for same se couples which violated her Christian” beliefs.

In its ruling, the th Circuit panel said Colorado had a compelling interest in protecting the dignity interests of members of marginalized groups through its law.

The justices in January had declined to take up the case, but for the fall term they decided to revisit the earlier decision and agreed to take the case up.

In Creative v. Elenis, the court will return to the issue of whether or not providers of custom made goods can refuse service to B customers on irst mendment grounds. ennifer i er, acting chief legal officer of ambda e-

(Photo courtesy Supreme Court)

gal, said in an interview with the Washington Blade, it s not too much to say an immeasurably huge amount is at stake” for B people depending on the outcome of the case. his contrived idea that ma ing custom goods, or offering a custom service, somehow tacitly conveys an endorsement of the person — if that were to be accepted, that would be a profound change in the law, i er said. nd the sta es are very high because there are no practical, obvious, principled ways to limit that kind of an exception, and if the law isn’t clear in this regard, then the people who are at risk of

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e periencing discrimination have no security, no effective protection by having nondiscrimination laws, because at any moment, as one makes their way through the commercial marketplace, you don’t know whether a particular business person is going to refuse to serve you.

With a conservative ma ority on the court that has recently scrapped the super precedent that guaranteed the right to abortion, supporters of B rights may thin the outcome of the case is all but lost, especially amid widespread fears same-sex marriage would be next on the chopping block. i er, ac nowledging the call to action issued by B groups in the aftermath of the Dobbs decision, conceded the current Supreme Court issuing the ruling in this case is a terrifying prospect, but cautioned the issue isn t so much the makeup of the court but whether or not justices will continue down the path of abolishing case law.

I thin the uestion that we re facing with respect to all of the cases or at least many of the cases that are in front of the court right now, is whether this court is going to continue on this radical sort of wrec ing ball to the edifice of settled law and seemingly a goal of setting up whole new structures of what our basic legal principles are going to be. re we going to have another term of that i er said. nd if so, that’s terrifying.”

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Taliban kill 22-year-old gay man

A 22- year-old aspiring gay medical student was tortured and illed by aliban fighters two months ago after being stopped at a chec point in the fghanistan s capital city of abul. in ews first reported the death of amed Sabou ri, who was detained and then tortured with the video ev idence of his illing sent to his family members in ugust. ccording to a source who spo e via elegram with the Washington Blade on riday, Sabouri had been detained at one of the hundreds of aliban chec points in abul used by the terrorist group to enforce adherence to Islam ic Sharia law and religious rules instituted after it too con trol of the country in ugust .

he source added that it was reasonable to speculate that there had been content on Sabouri s cell phone that served as the ustification for aliban fighters to detain him, which led to his torture and death. he aliban have often used the contents of sei ed cell phones to trac down other B people they see to persecute, imprison and torture. any in the fghan B community have ta en measures to disguise their e istence in country so as to not attract the aliban s attention. Several hundred B fghans have also ed to neighboring a istan to escape persecution.

BRODY LEVESQUE

HAMED SABOURI was a medical student in Afghanistan.

Slova ia vigil held after two illed in gay bar shooting

vigil held riday evening in the Slova ian capital city to honor the two victims illed and a third who was bad ly wounded in a shooting outside of the epl re bar, a popular B establishment in the old city, was also attended by the nation s president and the European ar liament s vice president. rgani ed by the Iniciat va Ina os , an B , there were more than an estimated , people, ac cording to officials. he murders shoo the tight nit Slo va ian B community and its allies.

Slova ia is a fairly conservative European nion mem ber country where same se marriage is not legal. spo esperson for the ol cia Slovens e republi y, the country s national police force, said that his agency has classified the shootings as premeditated murder, mo tivated by hatred of a se ual minority. ura ra ci , , the radicali ed son of a prominent member of the far right e tremist last party, had left so cial media posts filled with anti Semitic and anti B messages including a so called manifesto that the gun man had posted prior to the rampage. ra ci , who had an online history of hate filled rhetoric had posted a picture of himself outside the epl re bar this past ugust along with other writings and posts that led ol cia Slovens e republi y investigators to conclude

Bi

that the crime was planned. ccording to media reports, the gunman was out side of the bar for nearly an hour before opening fire at around p.m. local time on ct. . Investigators said multiple rounds were fired but did not disclose the num ber or the weapon used. olice say he was found dead from a self in icted gunshot wound.

During the vigil for the shooting victims, Slova resi dent u ana Caputova told the crowd, I m sorry that our society was not able to protect your loved ones, adding, ou belong here, you are valuable for our society.

BBC Europe reported that European arliament ice resident ichal Simec a was also at riday s event.

Simec a e pressed his determination to have the Euro pean legislature discuss the murders during a session ne t wee . o e press our sympathy, but also to call on the Slova authorities to ta e clear steps to put an end to the lan guage of hatred towards B I people, he said.

In addition to political leadership at riday evening s vigil, Elena artin o ov , the president of the ssocia tion of arents and riends of B I people, spo e e pressing her grief and anger towards the environment in the country that fostered far right hate.

In a aceboo post published by o ice IDE, she

told the crowd I m going through a lot of pain. Since I heard about this tragedy, I m in spirit with the parents of the murdered children. hey were adults, but they were mainly children, grandchildren, cousins, friends, colleagues who will be greatly missed and the wound and pain the survivors will feel will never heal. any tragedies affect us in life, some of them cannot be prevented. es to some of them. nd this is e actly the one that could have been prevented. ong term and intensively spreading and inciting hatred towards B people in our public space. It is hatred that blinds people, prevents them from thin ing sober.

Certain people are responsible for this tragedy. hey are the ones who are intensively and increasingly incit ing and spreading hatred towards the B I community. hey are all over the place. In the ational Council of Slo va ia, in government, among many church representa tives, in e tremist groups, among disinformation spread ers and those who do not have credible information, or when they have it, they do not understand them or do not want to understand. I hope this tragedy will not leave the public indifferent. We must act, we must act now. We will not be uiet. We are not going to be intimidated.

BRODY LEVESQUE

nly ans creator sentenced to ail in Singapore

year old bise ual man who is the most recogni able adult content creator on nly ans in Singapore was sen tenced to spend three wee s in ail and ordered to pay a fine of , over his nly ans account by a local court. itus ow was found to have violated Singapore s ob scenity laws and defying a court order to stay off his account while local law enforcement investigated. he Straits imes, a Singaporean media outlet, reported that ow is the first nly ans creator to have been prosecuted in the city state, which remain largely conservative on issues such as B issues, abortion, casual se , and prostitution.

In ugust, Singapore rime inister ee sien oong an nounced his country would decriminali e consensual same se se ual relations. rivate se ual behavior between consenting adults does not raise any law and order issue. here is no ustification to prosecute people for it nor to ma e it a crime, said ee. his will bring the law into line with current social mo res and I hope provide some relief to gay Singaporeans. owever, sale and production of pornographic materials is illegal, although watching porn is not against the law. n ly ans and other adult content available via online sites are

TITUS LOW

(Photos courtesy Low’s Instagram)

restricted by state censors. he case against the nly ans creator was initiated in December after a man filed a complaint with Singa porean police in which he stated he had found an obscene video of ow performing a se act on the cell phone of the complainant s year old niece. s part of his bail and release ow was ordered to stay off

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his account and not post further new content. In anuary of this year on his Instagram and i o accounts ow posted a video where he pointed out that his videos were meant for his adult fans.

We only create content for people who are our age and wish to have content they want to see. nd all this is on the basis of everything is consensual, ow had said.

So we don t force you to watch our content, we don t force you to pay, it s not open for public consumption, and if I don t impede on your life and your lifestyle, to the per son who reported me, why are you impeding in mine he added. irpal Singh, his defense lawyer, argued that although proof of being years old was re uired to access and pay for viewing nly ans accounts, creators have little control over material being lea ed or re circulated without their nowledge and that is not something they re able to con trol. Singh added that it is impossible to prevent content on the platform from permeating social media, such as when a paying subscriber records an nly ans video with an e ternal device.

BRODY LEVESQUE

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TJ WILLIAMS-HAUGER is associate pastor of Children and Young Adults and community outreach at Lake Street Church in Evanston, Ill.

Aunt Lilia Johnson’s buttermilk pie fed a voting rights movement ow could I miss the significance of my family’s grassroots organizing?

As a child, I didn’t care about social justice. The struggle for fairness, equality and love was never a part of my radar. I was young and enjoyed being young, hanging out, listening to music and going to the mall and church because that’s what we children did.

Social issues were for adults; those issues kept my parents and the rest of their team busy. But they took their calling seriously. They nurtured people, exercised their ministry, registered people to vote and actively participated in religious and civilian activities in Black communities. They attended funerals, weddings and community events, making their presence known.

I grew up in Youngstown, Ohio, where the current population, according to the census, is about 58,686 residents. My parents, family, friends, and enemies alike were all within that small community. I was aware of my family’s commitment to voting registration and watched my Aunt Florence Blackshear, my mother’s sister-in-law, staff the voting polls during every voting cycle at East High School. I remember my mother’s best friend of 40 years, Lelia Pickett Johnson; I knew “Aunt Lilia,” as I called her, had been navigating the systemic racism of her home state of Alabama since 1918. In her day, mortality records were highest among African Americans.

One day I visited Aunt Lilia while she was making a buttermilk pie. I can almost hear the mixer going and the pie shell being patted into place in round tin pans. My Aunt Florence brought Church’s fried chicken over. What I didn’t realize at the time was that this was more than just food. It was the catalyst for gathering and organizing. They were working in the spirit of resistance and organizing for their community. I want to look back and wonder, how could I have missed the purpose of social justice? But I had no idea about the importance of voting rights.

Currently, voter suppression is now at the core of those Ohioans creating barriers to voting for Black Americans. Ohio House Bill 294 is dubbed a Trojan Horse by many that threatens to limit access to voting booths, impose voter IDs on those voting, and cancel early voting.

There are laws like this that are popping up in 49 states. Voting rights should always speak to our collective moral values. And taking away voting rights speaks of our lack of values and moral compass. Proverbs 14:34 says that “righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” And in a speech given on May 15, 1957, Rev. Martin Luther King indicted both the Democratic Party and the Republican Party when he declared that the right to vote is one of moral duty. ur country s values are tied together with voting rights as well as the fight to ta e away those rights. he Supreme Court gutting the Voting Rights Act triggers memories of a time when African Americans were faced with violence, harassment, intimidation, and death. Many risked it all so that all would have the right to vote. he election was the first documented proof of our democracy s fragility. he insurrection and rise of Donald rump show us that conservative ideology s undercurrent of white supremacy amplified the dormant fascism within the system. That fascism is created from white fear, anger, theology and in pews of white evangelical churches.

But white supremacy is more insidious than we know. In his article “White Christian America Needs a Moral Awakening” in Atlantic magazine, author Robert Jones wrote, “White Christian churches have not just been complicit in failing to address racism: rather, as the dominant cultural power in the U.S. they have been responsible for constructing and attaining and sustaining a project to protect white supremacy.” hat day at unt ilia s dining room table five women got together to prepare a wor ing lunch and dinner. heir goal was to feed a multitude of guests who were members of the Mahoney Valley NAACP. They were supporting social justice during a time when there was no social media or cell phones. They spread the work that was needed in their community via the power of the pulpit, telephone, yers and word of mouth so that they could do their part in changing the landscape for fairness and equity.

But it was so much more than that. That dining room table also held the knowledge and spirit of the ancestors behind the veil in 2022. They called us to remember who and whose we are. They also call out to our white allies to act: silence and compliance breed complicity. The dishes at Aunt Lilia went beyond chicken, buttermilk pie, and fried greens. They were dishes of justice and lived prophetic action. And above them all was the Apostle Paul’s “great cloud of witnesses”: ancestors who suffered in the scorching hot fields of slavery, ancestors who were bent, but not bro en, under im Crow, ancestors who struggled for air to breathe in the hulls of slave ships that had conditions not even suitable for animals. heir sacrifice and survival should encourage us to brea the hold of white supremacy every time we cast a vote, register others to vote, and take others to vote, as well as give money to candidates and organizations like the NAACP. Food isn’t ust about nourishment it is a pathway to action, and with the right mindset, it can be the first step toward changing the world.

(This Article is dedicated to five badass women: my mother Evangelist Idella Cora Thomas; mother sister-in-law Aunt Florence Blackshear; Lelia Pickett Johnson; Lelia Buttermilk pie baked with love, eggs and a agenda; and Phyllis Liggens.)

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CHRIS JOHNSON is the former White ouse reporter for the Washington Blade.

y fantastic years at the Blade — hard to summarize e ecting on a front row seat to the B movement s historic firsts

oo ing bac at the nearly years I ve wor ed at the Washington Blade, I find it difficult to summari e my time here in a single essay because the state of play has changed so dramatically for B people within that period for the better.

When I first started in anuary , same se marriage was only legal in assachusetts and the idea of advancing that nationwide seemed li e a pie in the s y aspiration.

With the public not nearly as supportive as today and continuous losses on the issue at the ballot bo , it was a struggle simply to convince Democratic politicians and candidates to support the cause. eanwhile, openly gay service members were unable to serve in the military and were being e pelled on a regular basis than s to Don t s , Don t ell. he idea transgender people could serve would be a non starter.

But the situation would soon change. I came to the Blade at the right time to see massive achievements and had the wonderful gift of a front row seat to witness them. othing li e these milestones had ever occurred before in the course of merican history. or e ample, after covering the saga on the legislative path to repeal Don t s , Don t ell, I was able to go to the ceremony to see resident bama sign the measure into law. ctivists, service members and high profile political figures ali e were in attendance and witnessed bama penning his name to the measure before he concluded, his is done. he ruling for same se marriage was probably the pinnacle of those milestones.

I was at the Supreme Court when it issued its decision in favor of marriage e uality and was able to witness the celebration, then had the privilege of sitting front row in the White ouse ose arden as bama declared ustice has arrived li e a thunderbolt. s a ournalist covering these milestones, I also had the privilege of interviewing high profile figures in the movement and merican politics, in addition to being the one to brea news on developments in these causes. y tenure is also mar ed by the way I advanced my role as news reporter at the Blade to new heights, ma ing the publication highly visible and engaged at the highest levels of government as a White ouse reporter. During the bama years, my constant in uiries during the White ouse nagging the press secretary on bama s evolution on same se marriage gained nationwide attention. I had the respect of the White ouse press corps, which than s to my wor allowed the Blade to ta e part in the pool rotation a first for an B publication , and the White ouse press staff, which facilitated bama calling on me for a uestion during his final news conference another first for an B outlet .

I was so entrenched in the White ouse press corps that I was able to continue that wor through the rump years, being able to as resident rump uestions on multiple occasions and even getting him to ma e news on B issues. ost recently, during the Biden administration, the White ouse Correspondents ssociation awarded the Blade with a designated seat than s to my contributions.

But the time has come when I feel the need to advance my ournalism in a new direction. I believe I should give someone else the opportunity to ta e the reins and represent the nation s oldest B newspaper in the White ouse briefing room. I hope that person can ta e advantage of the platform that has granted me so many great e periences. ere s my secret I came out as gay relatively late, either age or , then too a ob wor ing for the Blade ust a few months afterward. It was a uite a leap going within that short period of time from being closeted to being basically as out as one can be as a reporter with an B newspaper. I feel li e I never really had the e perience of being regular, gay Chris and I loo forward to e ploring and en oying that.

So than s to everyone at the Blade for giving me these wonderful opportunities, from evin aff for all the leeway as editor he s given me to pursue new endeavors, to ynne Brown for providing stability as publisher and Brian itts for heading our sales to ensure there s money in the ban to ma e it all happen. It was a team effort, and the wor by ichael avers as international editor, ichael ey as photo editor and ou Chibbaro r. as veteran reporter was essential.

So now I pass the baton. I m not leaving ournalism and my ne t pro ect may be underway by the time this essay is published. here s no way, however, I would forget the historic milestones I saw or being able to take the Blade to new heights, which are memories I cherish and now I won t be able to replicate elsewhere.

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PETER ROSENSTEIN

is a longtime LGBTQ rights and Democratic Party activist. He writes regularly for the Blade.

What to do about immigration Allow migrants to work while they await their day in court

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We have a problem in the United States at our southern border, which we have to deal with. The way to do it is not by shipping unknowing migrants by bus to New York and D.C. or by plane to Martha’s Vineyard as the governor of Florida did as a political stunt. Yes, these are political stunts by the Texas and Arizona governors as well.

Dropping people off in front of the vice president’s house with nothing but a bag of their belongings is inhumane. Unfortunately, this stunt may be working for Republicans in the mid-term elections to avoid dealing with the issue in any real way. But it is a tragic way to treat these migrants.

The reality is this is a national issue and it is one the federal government, currently the Biden administration, must deal with. Clearly it is not Biden’s fault we are where we are today. But he is stuck with the situation and must deal with it and demand Congress do its job. If it is the federal government’s policy to allow illegal immigrants, including those claiming asylum, to remain in the country, then the federal government must pay the cost of helping them find places to stay while they await their day in court.

One way to deal with this is to allow these migrants to work legally while they wait for their day in court, which we know could take years. In fact, we should insist they work. In this way they can earn money to pay for housing, food, etc., while they await their court dates. Current unemployment in the United States is at 3.5%, which many consider full employment. We know just by walking around there are help wanted signs everywhere for every kind of job. The entire hospitality industry is desperately looking for employees. These migrants should be issued work permits and told they must apply for jobs in the city in which they settle. This is also a great way for the government to keep track of where they are and ensure they are contacted when it is time for their court appearance.

We are a nation of immigrants, which is a great thing. My parents came here to escape the Nazis; my father from Hamburg, Germany, and my mother from Vienna, Austria. They made a life here for themselves and for my sister and myself. We should give these new migrants, who are desperate to come to our country, the same chance.

If we do, then our country benefits. gain, we should re uire them to wor , and allow them to do so legally, to support themselves and their families. We can make available and ask them to register for English classes in the cities in which they settle to make getting work easier. We need to allow their children to attend public school and provide healthcare if the job they get doesn’t do that.

Now I have heard the false claims that, “if we let them work, they will be taking our jobs.” Well, who are the people now in the country who actually want to work who can t find wor We need to and can help them also and clearly there are obs to be had. Cities like Washington, D.C., and so many others, offer free job training for a host of different kinds of jobs. So we do need to respond to those saying that by making it clear that allowing migrants to work will not take a job from anyone already here who really wants to work. o do all this will re uire money, and it cannot fall to the southern border states, New York City, D.C., or Martha’s Vineyard to fund this. Nor should we ask any other state into which the migrants eventually move to cover all the costs. This must be a recognized federal responsibility and it will cost billions. Congress must act to appropriate the funds to do this.

5 We have not been able to pass any immigration reform in years. I urge Democrats to take a rational position and push for a safe way for immigration to take place and for those who come here as ing for asylum to be treated humanely and also re uired to do their part while they are here in the United States.

If we can continue to spend billions helping the rainian people fight for their de mocracy, which I fully support, we should be able to appropriate the billions needed to develop a rational system to work on the immigration issue in our own country.

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Best DC

f

B

ur st annual celebration of city life

FROM STAFF REPORTS It was a big year for local businesses as we finally put COVID restrictions behind us and returned to a new normal that included a fully restored Pride celebration.

With events li e theater and popular fundraisers bac to in person operations, it s an e citing year to assemble Best Of. ore than , nominations and , votes were cast in more than categories for the st annual Best f awards. he Blade s Stephen utgers coordinated the process. ichael ey served as photo editor for the pro ect and shot the cover. his year s contributing writers are atric olliard, inashe Chingarande, ar er urifoy, ou Chibbaro r., Evan Caplan, ichael . avers, and ev in aff. Congratulations to all of the nominees, finalists, and winners. han you to our sponsors BS , E C , Eaton DC, and he Washington egional ransplant Community.

Local Hero: Kimberley Bush

In her eight years in leadership positions at the D.C. Center for the B Community, including her appoint ment in ebruary of this year as its e ecutive director, imberley Bush has witnessed first hand the full diversity of D.C. s B community.

Before being named Interim E ecutive Director of the D.C. Center in ctober , Bush served as the Cen ter s Director of rts Cultural rograms. he Center pro grams she headed in that position, which she continues to oversee in her e ecutive director s post, provide a vivid account of her involvement and interaction with the many B people who got to now and admire her. mong other duties, she has played a lead role in these D.C. Center programs eel ffirmation DC s Inter national B ilm estival and onthly ilm Series the Center rts allery rty ueers DC s B Indoor rt ar et utwrite DC s B iterary estival and DC ueer heater heatre estival.

In her role as Director of rts Cultural rograms, imberley has demonstrated a sense of innovation and ambition in the pro ects she has ta en on, the D.C. Cen ter s Board of Directors said in a statement at the time it named Bush as Interim E ecutive Director. he eel ffirmations program, which imberly had been involved with for more than years, has been ran ed in the top three B film festivals in the coun try, the statement says. hough a ew or native, im berley has lived in the D.C. area for thirty years and has become an accomplished leader in the community.

Before switching careers to her leadership roles with eel ffirmations and the D.C. Center, Bush says she wor ed for more than years as a property manage ment e ecutive and ealtor as well as a ceramic artist.

In addition to the D.C. Center s rts Culture rograms, Bush currently oversees programs related to health and wellness, social and peer support, and advocacy and community building. She also oversees the Center s ac commodation of numerous local B groups ranging from political to social, B seniors, families, and peo ple with disabilities, which have used the D.C. Center s offices at th St., .W. as their meeting place.

When the full force of the C ID pandemic hit the city

KIMBERLEY BUSH (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

in Bush played a lead role, along with the D.C. Cen ter s staff and board, in arranging for the programs and the community meetings it hosted to switch from in per son events to virtual events.

I am e tremely proud to be able to continue to guide our small yet mighty team at the DC Center for the B Community through these e traordinarily challenging times into brighter chapters of our lives, as we provide safe and peaceful space as well as the much needed sup port, indness, outreach, care, celebration and affirmation to our B I S community, Bush told the Blade.

Bush s ne t challenge will involve overseeing the D.C. Center s move to a new location. he city s eeves Cen ter municipal building, where the Center rents its office space, is scheduled to be demolished to ma e way for a new city sponsored development pro ect, re uiring all its occupants to vacate the building at a yet undisclosed time.

I, our team and board of directors firmly believe our new home is in a location that is accessible to our community, she said. I cannot state ust yet where the new location will be nor when the move will occur but as soon as we can share that e citing news with the community, believe me, we will

EATING & DRINKING Best LGBTQ Bar: Number Nine

1435 P St., N.W. numberninedc.com Runner-up: As You Are Bar Nested in the heart of ogan Circle in orthwest D.C., this bar is a bi level ueer space that offers in ventive cocktails. The second level also has a video bar outfitted with multiple TVs so guests can watch their favorite shows, teams, movies, special events, and music videos.

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Best Bartender: Dusty Martinez, Trade

Editor’s Choice: Jo McDaniel, As You Are Bar Dusty Martinez has proven that he s a fan favorite in the city (winning this category for the second year in a row) when it comes to making mouth-watering drinks that eep guests coming bac for more. In fact, he s (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key) so good at what he does that he was nominated for this award four previous times and won in and . s he s said in the past, he always tries to have fun with Best of B D.C. nytime the bar is nominated for something, I try to ma e some funny videos and images to add to my feed, he said when he won last year. “I really try to make light of it. It s both an honor and delight to even be nominated.

Best Neighborhood Bar: Red Bear Brewing

209 M St., N.E. redbear.beer Editor’s Choice: Dirty Goose ed Bear Brewing is no stranger to this list, returning as the winner of this category for the second year in a row.

This gay-owned venue in the District hosts several types of events including drag shows, trivia, and (Washington Blade photo by Zach Brien) stand up performances.

But at the heart of what it does is brewing in-house beers and serving classic bar food in the heart of NoMa. While guests chow down on a satisfyingly greasy burger, they can sip on one of the bar s creatively named drin s efe Don t reach, toBE fest, or all, Dar and utty, to name a few.

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Best Of LGBTQ DC 2022 continued Best LGBTQ-Owned Business: KNEAD Hospitality + Design

Editor’s Choice: (Photo by Connor Studios) Urban Adventures (Vida Fitness, Bang Salon, Penthouse Pool Club) D.C.-based KNEAD Hospitality + Design founders and co-owners (and partners for more than 20 years) Jason Berry and Michael Reginbogin envisioned big plans for their rapidly expanding business. KNEAD owns, operates, and designed its own restaurants over a varying range of concepts and cuisines.

Berry and Reginbogin have pulled off more than 10 restaurant openings, from fine dining to fast casual, e ican to French.

“It is such an honor to win,” Berry and Reginbogin said.

“We are a born and bred Washington, D.C. company and have been working diligently to share excellent dining experiences throughout the area. This award recognizes the dedication we have to D.C.” Some of their celebrated restaurants include Mi Vida, Succotash, and Gatsby.

“As an LGBTQ+ owned-and-operated restaurant group, it’s important that we actively raise awareness toward diversity and inclusion. We proudly support the LGBTQ+ community through sponsorships, donations and participating in events during Pride month each year that continue to create awareness. It is opportunities like this we’re we can use our platform to create awareness and ma e a difference in our own communities.

Most LGBT-Friendly Workplace: EatWell DC

Editor’s Choice: Whitman-Walker Health EatWell, a locally owned and operated restaurant group, has planted its ag firmly in the ogan Circle area for more than two decades.

EatWell DC operates five restaurants rillfish in the West (Photo courtesy Eatwell) End; Logan Tavern, Commissary, and The Pig in Logan Circle, and The Charles in La Plata, Md. According to its website, “We care about people, our staff, our guests, and our planet and truly believe business can coexist comfortably, safely and proactively.”

EatWell owns its own farm in La Plata, to bring local produce into its restaurants.

Logan Tavern won Best Restaurant in 2020 and 2021.

Logan Tavern also won Best Bloody Mary in 2018 and Best Date Restaurant in 2012.

Best Coffee Shop: Compass Coffee Multiple locations Compasscoffee.com Editor’s Choice: Tatte Bakery & Café

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Founded in 2014 by two Marines, Michael Haft and Harrison Suarez, Compass Coffee has 15 brick and mortar cafés in the Washington area, plus one roasting facility in Ivy City. Compass Coffee can be found in many local restaurants and grocery stores across the mid-Atlantic.

The company aims to source its coffee as ethically as possible.

“While the roaster is no stranger to this award—Compass had five consecutive wins in this category through 2022—the Compass Team is incredibly honored to win this year,” says Compass VP Max Deem.

Best Restaurant: Crazy Aunt Helen’s

713 8th St., S.E. crazyaunthelens.com Editor’s Choice: Mi Vida Owner Shane Mayson’s vibrant restaurant Crazy Aunt Helen’s debuted last July on Barracks Row, just a few days (Washington Blade after Pride conphoto by Michael Key) cluded.

“We are thrilled to have been nominated in the 3 categories! We’ve only been open for a little more than a year, and to be receiving this attention makes us feel like we are on the right path,” says Mayson.

“We have begun making donations to LGBTQIA organizations and have hosted happy hours for our community organizations. We hope as we grow, we are able to do even more.”

The food is solidly American, with Mayson’s creative twists. Appetizers include items like fried green tomatoes, and entrees include chicken fried steak smothered in chicken sausage gravy. Yet many of the dishes are also vegan and vegetarian, too.

“We serve American comfort food that we hope will make everyone feel like they’ve been given a big hug,” says Mayson. We have put together a vibrant showcase of mostly local entertainment with monthly “headliners” just to whet your whistle.” Events include shows, book readings, a ladies’ tea dance, play readings, bingo, and more.

Best Brunch: Duplex Diner

2004 18th St., N.W. duplexdiner.com Editor’s Choice: Perry’s Drag Brunch Duplex Diner opened (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key) its doors in 1998, as a safe and fun space for the LGBTQ community, perhaps best known for its lemon squeezes.

The longstanding, much-loved neighborhood spot snatched up the highly competitive Best Brunch spot this year. Drag queens, fundraisers, and team events all help to bring a fun energy to Duplex brunch, which it serves on Saturdays and Sundays.

“Duplex Diner is so honored to be nominated in this category, especially as brunches are the staff’s favorite shifts,” says General Manager Kelly Laczko. “We have worked hard to develop brunch and feel it has a great vibe.”

Duple serves brunch faves from chic en and waf es to Benedicts and omelets. Mimosas go for a mere $5, and espresso martinis have found their way onto the menu, too.

Laczko is one of the co-chairs of the SMYAL Brunch, and ensures that Duplex has a close relationship with SMYAL as well as other local LGBTQ organizations.

“The ‘Queer Cheers’ is a place to come by yourself or with a group of friends to grab a bite for brunch or dinner.

We would be nowhere without the love and support of our regulars and are so happy to serve as a neighborhood space that is inclusive of all,” says Laczko.

Best Outdoor Dining: Annie’s Paramount Steakhouse

1609 17th St., N.W. anniesparamountdc.com Editor’s Choice: Shaw’s Tavern Taking the prize for the third year in a row, a Washington pillar Annie’s Paramount Steakhouse offers a variety of hearty American dishes including burgers and salads for lunch, savory omelets and benedicts (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key) for brunch and classic stea s for dinner.

According to owner Paul Katinas in an earlier interview with the Blade, “Annie’s became home, and was there when there weren’t too many other opportunities or places to go. During a time when the LGBTQ community was struggling to find places where they were accepted, the restaurant was always a welcoming and loving environment.”

Katinas’s daughter Georgia added that, “Annie’s is honored to be nominated by the Blade and supported by the community. We absolutely love hearing that our space brings joy to people.”

As for the Streatery that they constructed during the pandemic, “Our Streatery has been wonderful for business, a great way to keep more people employed and we believe has brought tremendous value to 17th Street. We do our best to keep our space beautiful and exciting and truly believe in the Streatery program” Annie’s will turn 75 in 2023, with a host of special events and offerings throughout the coming year.

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Best Outdoor Drinking: Uproar 639 Florida Ave., N.W. uproarlounge.com Editor’s Choice: Pitchers

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Nominated as Best Neighborhood Bar in 2021, Uproar won best outdoor drinking spot for its high-energy, thirdoor rooftop. erhaps best nown for its Beer Bust every Sunday afternoon, it also hosts drag shows, karaoke, gaymers events, international nights, and much more. nli e many other D.C. B bars, proar also serves an e tensive menu of bar food, from mo arella stic s to sliders to wings and offers many of those snac s on the rooftop on Sundays.

Best LGBTQ-Friendly Bar: Dacha Beer Garden 79 Potomac Ave., S.E. (Navy Yard) and 1600 7th St., N.W. (Shaw) dachadc.com Editor’s Choice: Wundergarten

continued Best Burger: Slash Run

201 Upshur St., N.W. Editor’s Choice: Duke’s Grocery he divey Slash un, located in et worth, promotes three things: beer, burgers, and roc n roll. a ing home the award for Best Burger, the bar opened in .

It already has some burger accolades, vot ed 2nd Best Burger in the city by Washington (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key) City aper . he bar allows diners to choose one of five protein options and nine styles, from the tto s Shrun en ead orean BB , por rinds, avo cado, pineapple relish to the I ll ave What She s aving sunny side up egg, shaved fried Brussels sprouts fin ished with Siracha aioli and served on pret el bun . he bar also has 15 draft beers, 100 whiskeys, and an impressive list of live shows, parties, and neighborhood events.

Best Ice Cream/Gelato: Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams

1925 14th St., N.W. jenis.com Editor’s Choice: Ice Cream Jubilee eni s Splendid Ice Creams is devoted to ma ing better ice creams and bringing people together, according to its website. ac aged in In stagram worthy colorful cups, eni s ice creams have a uni uely smooth te ture and buttercream body” that allow one to savor the sweetness of avors li e birthday ca e (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key) and fruit crumble.

Best Pizza: Andy’s Pizza

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

resh off its win from last year, gay owned Dacha has won this award yet again. Dacha has two locations Shaw and avy ard offering a variety of erman, Belgian, and merican craft beers, among its many offerings. Dacha previously won Best utdoor Drin ing in and and Best Straight Bar for five consecutive years until . he outdoor beer garden is a favorite for its all weather atmosphere, pet friendliness, and ginormous pret els. n Sept. , , Dacha Beer arden opened as a small beer truc with a ma eshift bar, a few picnic tables, and port a potties in a small vacant lot on th Street .W. he owners opened a caf and loft in the ad acent build ing, on which they commissioned a now Instagram wor thy three story painting of i aylor. he bar has e pand ed from a short list of erman beers to include coc tails, alcohol free drin s, sangria, and cider.

2016 9th St., N.W. eatandyspizza.com Editor’s Choice: Timber Pizza ndy s i a serves up pi a straight from the long and storied New or tradition. eatur ing stone dec ovens, long-fermented dough, Wisconsin mo arella, California tomatoes, and a s illed pi aiolo, this (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key) neighborhood pi eria brings ew or to D.C. while serving classic combinations. ndy s now boasts si spots across the area, including one spot in Shaw across from club and mere feet from popular bars Dirty oose and i i. he pi eria serves pi a by the slice in favorite options li e pepperoni and white sauce, but the whole pies come

in a range of avors with both classic and modern op tions, including a vegan pie with plant based cheese.

I am a local, born and bred in the D , says ndy Brown, owner and head pi aiolo. he D.C. community is a melting pot of the global stage, and winning an award as a local always feels li e a victory for our local commu nity. We were thrilled to even be considered, and over the moon to win!” s to why ndy s i a ma es a great winner, he con cluded that, here aren t a lot of restaurants you would visit at am and for lunch

Best Local Winery: Montifalco Vineyard 1800 Fray Rd., Ruckersville, Va. montifalcovineyard.com Editor’s Choice: City Winery

(Photo courtesy Montifalco Vineyard)

It s official. D oenophiles love ontifalco ineyard. he delightful family farm winery in uc ersville, a., a small town not far from Charlottesville in the beautiful onticello merican iticultural rea of irginia, has again come out on top as fan favorite among Blade read ers.

Still owned and operated by sommelier and winemaker ustin alco, ontifalco ineyard derives inspiration from traditional family farm wineries of the rench countryside.

With its friendly, unpretentious atmosphere, alco s vine yard remains committed to high standards ontifalco adheres to the fusion of ld World tradition and ew World taste and avor, creating small batch bouti ue wines with distinct personality. nd yes, well behaved, leashed pooches continue to be welcome.

Best ABSOLUT Happy Hour: Kiki

915 U St., N.W. dcwannahaveakiki.com Editor’s Choice: Larry’s Lounge i i, an B bar located in Shaw, is fast approaching its one-year anniversary. his spot offers a safe space for B individ uals by hosting drag shows and availing its dance oor to anyone who wants to (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key) shimmy, do the splits, and com pletely lose themselves to music. i i offers four different bar areas a beer garden, a sports themed bar, lounge areas, and a dance oor.

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Best Local Brewery: Red Bear Brewing Company

DC

209 M St., N.E. redbear.beer Editor’s Choice: DC Brau

continued ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Best Drag Queen: Cake Pop! Runner-up: Vagenesis

Best Transgender Performer: Sophia Carrero

Runner-up: Whitney Gucci Goo picture of this atin American bombshell shows her clad in a figure hugging, beaded red cut-out dress, with a ower pinned to her blonde curly hair that cascades down her back. In essence, she’s all about gilded glamour and jaw-dropping beauty. Carrero captured the hearts of many when she won Miss Gay Maryland America in 1999, the preliminary competition to Miss Gay America. She was also crowned iss ippo in .

(Photo courtesy of Sophia Carrero)

Best Drag Show (tie): Desiree Dik’s: Oddball AND Freddie’s Follies

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

One win isn’t enough for Red Bear, it had to return for more accolades. This fan favorite and LGBTQ-friendly bar also cares about the environment. Red Bear is currently working toward a “Pending B Corporation Status,” which will become fully Certified after one year of operations, according to its website. his certificate is awarded to a business that has met the highest standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and legal accountability. Additionally, the bar creates its own furniture from reclaimed wood.

Best Local Distillery: Republic Restoratives Distillery 1369 New York Ave., N.E. republicrestoratives.com Editor’s Choice: Cotton & Reed

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

This year’s most glittery award goes to this queen whose Instagram bio reads, “A party without cake is just a meeting.” Like other legendary drag queens whose performances have riveted audiences and inspired young children to be confident in their identity, Ca e op e ists to celebrate Black queer bodies. Whether she’s wearing her hair in towering afro puffs or ginger-colored tightly-coiled curls, the Regent University, a Christian college, graduate proves to the world that “[the] conversion therapy didn’t work,” according to her Instagram.

Best Drag King: Molasses Runner-up: Rico Pico

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

This women-owned, community-led and District-made distillery offers top notch spirits. The company “[celebrates] an outspoken and disruptive attitude towards the production of quality American spirits,” according to its website. Some of the spirits it offers include the Borough Bourbon, a five year old high rye bourbon boldly finished in year old rmagnac cas s. his year round whiskey has hints of dried fruits, worn leather, and rich candied nuts.

(Photo courtesy Gratituity Included)

While some drag queens prance around the stage in s y high stilettos while lip syncing to popular s tunes

by Diana oss and Whitney ouston, Desiree Dik’s Oddball treated guests to blood, comedy, grossness, queer art, and in their own words ust plain odd fun his summer event, hosted by restaurant Slash Run, featured D.C.’s finest performers including Bratworst, i atch and Dvita au emme.

Freddie’s Follies also provided guests with weekly drag entertainment from D.C.’s top drag queens. After riveting shows of back-breaking dancing and comedy, guests are then welcomed to the center stage to showcase their karaoke-singing skills. For the ultimate drag fan, Freddie’s Follies is where one should be on a Saturday.

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

King Molasses is an avid impersonator of Canadian superstar Alannah Myles, who dominated the charts in the early s. hey are also a co producer for alfn alf, D.C.’s newest bi-weekly drag king show, and chief hooligan at B S EES, an event series that attracts the city s rock ‘n’ roll fans. For Molasses, drag is about having fun with masculine identities while providing astute political commentary about them. “[Drag performance] is that swag you get in the shower that nobody sees,” they said in a o interview in une.

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

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Best Museum: Smithsonian American Art Museum

8th and G Streets, N.W. Americanart.si.edu Editor’s Choice: National Gallery of Art Housed in the old atent ffice Building since , the Smithsonian merican rt useum S boasts a sprawling permanent collection of merican wor s from the colonial period to today including photography, modern fol and self taught art, frican merican art, atino art, and video games as well as a changing roster of featured e hibitions.

(Photo by Courtney Rothbard: courtsy SAAM) What s more, S shares the historic building with the e ually wonderful ational ortrait allery. Both museums have access to the ogod Courtyard, a soaring, covered space where museumgoers can grab lunch from the Courtyard Caf or simply wor on their laptops. he uiet is occasionally interrupted by welcomed scheduled events and live entertainment.

Best Theater: GALA Hispanic Theatre 3333 14th St., N.W. Galatheatre.org Editor’s Choice: Studio Theatre

continued

Best Theater Production: “There’s Always the Hudson”

Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company 641 D St., N.W. Woollymammoth.net Editor’s Choice: “Six,” National Theatre In ay and une, Woolly ammoth heatre presented a compelling production of here s lways the udson, playwright actor aola aro s audacious and unapologetically healing new wor in which actors didn t (Photo by Teresa Castracane cower and audiences courtesy Woolly Mammoth) were compelled to e perience a little discomfort along with the entertainment. aro and out actor ustin Wea s played best friends ola and short for oussaint who met in a se ual abuse survivors support group three years previously. t some point, the pair made a pact that if things failed to improve, they d ill themselves. When ola says today s the day to die, they agree to first settle scores with some of those who ve hurt them. he night is about them ta ing ew or City by storm and confronting their wounds head on.

In an interview with the Blade, Wea s wisely commented, ealing can be messy.

Best Live Music in DC: 9:30 Club 815 V St., N.W. 930.com Runner-Up: The Anthem

(Photo by Farrah Skeiky)

(Photo by Ryan Muir)

elmed by its dynamic co founders, husband and wife team ugo edrano and ebecca eed edrano, ispanic heatre has been promoting and sharing atino arts and cultures with a diverse audience since . ocated in the former balcony space of the historic ivoli heatre in Columbia eights, creates wor that spea s to communities today drawing from both e citing new wor s and the classic Spanish canon. he company also strives to serve the community by providing free education programs for multicultural youth, bringing bilingual theater to children, and ma ing theater in Spanish accessible to thousands of youths from low income families yearly.

es, D.C. s legendary club has been selected Best ive usic in D.C. once again. o surprise there. In recent years it s been named one of the best live music venues in merica by olling Stone, and dubbed enue of the Decade by the widely read enues ow.

Everyone in the area who sees live music has multiple memories of the place. Some of us remember seeing the Waitresses sing in the club s old Street, .W. location. hat night what seemed a small invasion of rats scared audience members witless.

Since opening in , the club has hosted everyone from the sychedelic urs to the B s to ony Bennett. riginally billed as the first non disco niteclub to open in downtown D.C. in thirteen years, a concept that s wor ed at the club s original location in a then blighted part of town, and since at its bigger, arguably better and vermin free space on Street.

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Best Live Music Outside-the-District: Wolf Trap

1645 Trap Road Vienna, Va. wolftrap.org Editor’s Choice: The Fillmore Silver Spring Set on verdant acres of national par land near ienna, a., Wolf rap s three performance venues offer something for everyone the cavernous ilene Center hosts the summer music festival the Barns at Wolf rap, provide a more intimate year round e perience and the Children s heatre in the Woods is ideal for ids in nicer weather.

Wolf rap s mission is to present and create e cellent and innovative performing arts programs for the enrichment, education, and en oyment of diverse audiences and participants. Wolf rap reliably provides top notch musical talent in a gracious setting.

Best LGBTQ Social Group: Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington

gmcw.org Editor’s Choice: Impulse Group DC veritable D.C. institution, the ay en s Chorus of Washington CW is beloved by its members and audiences ali e. he chorus gives members an opportunity to gloriously e press a love of music while honing their talents, as well as do good wor s for the B community. It s also a place where longtime friendships and romances are forged. n ct. , CW presents the much anticipated udy, a cabaret celebrating the music of who else udy arland. ourteen select soloists from the Chorus will share stories as they sing their favorite udy tunes.

Songs include ver the ainbow, he rolley Song, Come ain or Come Shine, he an hat ot way, and appy Days are ere gain.

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

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Best LGBTQ Event: Pride Run 5K dcfrontrunners.org Editor’s Choice: Nationals Night Out

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Looking for a healthful, fat-free way to kick off the Pride season? Why not try the DC Front Runners Pride Run 5K? isted as an official event of ride, the race ta es place on Friday of Pride weekend, starting and ending at historic Congressional Cemetery not far from the grave of ir orce tech Sgt. eonard atlovich. e s the B hero who came out to his commanding officer in the 1970s, and when he was discharged, famously sued for reinstatement. roceeds from the race help to raise money for worthy B causes li e S and the Blade Foundation. he run is followed by a inish ine arty, featuring beer for race participants, a live D , entertainment, and awards for the race s top performers.

Best Regional Pride: Annapolis Pride Annapolispride.org Editor’s Choice: Baltimore Pride

Runner-up: Preston Mitchum As a longtime event moderator, emcee, entertainer, and B rights advocate, ayceen endarvis became a well-known and admired figure in D.C. s B community as host of he s ayceen Show, a live monthly variety program that had a 10( a h to Blade photo hael e ) year run from through .

In addition to live music and other performances, segments of the show included panel discussions, interviews on B related topics, comedy, and games. endarvis has also served as an elected D.C. dvisory eighborhood Commissioner and hosted multiple fundraisers, ride celebrations, arts festivals, talent showcases, fashion shows, and other events, including the eel ffirmations International B ilm estival in D.C. In une of , the D.C. Council voted unanimously to approve a resolution recogni ing endarvis accomplishments as a community leader and advocate for causes that have made D.C. a better city. hat same year, ayor uriel Bowser issued an official mayoral proclamation declaring Sept. as a day to recogni e the contributions of endarvis and the long running he s ayceen Show.”

Mayor Muriel Bowser

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Save the date the third nnapolis ride arade and estival is slated for une , .

With long established ride events in Baltimore and D.C., you might not thin nnapolis needed one of its own. But a small group of B fol s thought otherwise. hey as ed, why not bring ride to aryland s historic capital so charmingly situated on the Chesapea e So, the group of spirited locals moved ahead and nnapolis ride was founded in the spring of . Initially unsure how their endeavor would be received, the all volunteer group was thrilled to see the enthusiastic support from the B and ally communities, resulting in a well attended parade down West Street feeding into the eople s ar where attendees found camaraderie, vendors, entertainment, fun. nd now it s already become a tradition.

Runner-up: D.C. Council member Robert White Since serving as a member of the D.C. Council and since the time she won election as mayor in , uriel Bowser has emerged as one of the strongest supporters of ( a h to Blade photo hael e ) the B community among all the city s previous mayors, according to many of her B supporters.

With the city having adopted legislation safeguarding B people from discrimination before she became mayor, activists have praised Bowser for ma ing sure her administration enforces the anti-discrimination laws and policies to protect B people and other minorities.

B people have oined others in the city in praising Bowser for her role in leading the city through the C ID pandemic During more pleasant times, Bowser has appeared at many B events during her tenure as mayor, including ride events. In a development that may have been a first for a D.C. mayor, Bowser arranged for her ffice of B ffairs to become the lead organi er of one of the city s largest B events, the th Street drag ueen igh eel ace that ta es place each year in ctober at alloween time. he mayor has appeared in person on a

stage to give the official signal to start the race, for which several thousand people turn out each year to watch.

Best Medical Provider: Whitman-Walker Health

th t e p o et e a B a le Since its founding as the ay en s D Clinic in , Whitman Wal er ealth has been providing comprehensive healthcare services for the B community in the ( a h to Blade photo hael e ) D.C. area through numerous public health crises, including the I IDS epidemic and the current C ID and mon eypo pandemics. statement on its website e plains why members of the B community consider Whitman Wal er a highly regarded institution in the community. hrough multiple locations throughout D.C., we provide stigma free care to anyone who wal s through our doors, the statement says. We are proud and honored to be a place where the gay, lesbian, bise ual, transgender and ueer communities, as well as those living with or affected by I feel supported, welcomed and respected.

In addition to medical services, Whitman Wal er provides dental and behavioral care as well as legal services at its three locations and at a soon to opened new facility at the redeveloping St. Eli abeth s ospital Campus in Southeast D.C.

Best House of Worship: Metropolitan Community Church of Washington, D.C.

d e t d to ho e o d ted ethod t h h he etropolitan Co m m u n i t y Church of Washington, D.C., known as MCC-DC, was founded in 1970 ( a h to Blade photo hael e ) and officially chartered the following year by the niversal ellowship of etropolitan Community Churches, a national federation of B supportive Christian churches founded by the ev. roy Perry of Los Angeles.

CC DC grew steadily in its first decade and continued to grow in the s as it responded to the IDS epidemic. It partnered with the then Whitman Wal er Clinic, the ational Institutes of ealth, CC Baltimore, and eorgetown niversity ospital to host one of the first IDS forums in the nation in . he forum was held at the irst Congregational Church in downtown D.C., where CC DC held its worship services for nine years before it purchased its first ministry center at St., .W. and a short time later built its current church and ministry center at idge St., .W., which opened its doors in December .

In addition to its many diverse ministries, Bible study classes, and its highly regarded church choir, MCC-DC has opened its new church to B supportive events, including forums where candidates running for local public office have appeared before pac ed audiences.

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Best Of LGBTQ DC 2022 continued Best Local Day Trip: Easton

Editor’s Choice: Annapolis If you’ve driven past Easton 1,000 times on your way to Rehoboth or other spots on Delmarva and never stopped, then you’re missing out. Next time you need a convenient getaway close to D.C., plan a trip to Easton, (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key) Md., with its quaint B&Bs, shops, galleries, and a plethora of high-end restaurants. Stay at the gay-owned Hummingbird Inn (14 N. Aurora St.) with its sumptuous brea fast feast. Shop for uni ue, hard to find books at Vintage Books & Fine Art (4 N. Washington St., vintagebooksmd.com); artwork at Studio B Art Gallery (studiobartgallery.com); or clothing at Marc Randall boutique (3 E. Dover St., marc-randall.com). Dining options are plentiful; among the best are Scossa (8 N. Washington St.), owned by Chef Giancarlo Tondin who was born in Italy and began his career at Harry’s Bar in Venice; Out of the Fire (22 Goldsborough St.), a farm-to-table bistro; and The Wardroom (108 N. Washington St., thewardroom.com).

Best Hotel: Eaton DC

1201 K St., N.W. Eatonworkshop.com Editor’s Choice: The Line D.C.

Best Local Businessperson: Bryan Van Den Oever

Red Bear Brewing Co. 209 M St., N.E. redbear.beer Runner-up: Ed Bailey, Trade & Number Nine In February, Bryan Van Den Oever told the Blade that the pandemic hit the service industry hard but that “the brewery is my dream.” A Seattle native, Van Den Oever opened Red Bear in 2019 with two friends, Simon Bee and (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key) Cameron Raspet. The trio told the Blade at the time that they wanted to turn D.C.’s LGBTQ community onto beer, offering creative avors and a playful environment.

“The gays are not exclusively about spirits,” Van Den Oever says. “In fact, I think they aren’t exclusive to anything.”

Red Bear and its owners are host to dozens of events each month, including trivia, comedy, and drag events.

The show offerings include the wildly popular “Slay Them Drag Competition” hosted once a month from August to January with a grand prize of $500.

Throughout the pandemic, Van Den Oever said the brewery continued to host virtual events to support the city’s queer performers.

“We’re so grateful for the love and solidarity,” he said of the community support during the pandemic.

(Photo courtesy Mystics)

Best Local Professional Sports Team: Washington Mystics

1100 Oak Drive, S.E. mystics.wnba.com/ Editor’s Choice: Washington Nationals The Washington Mystics is D.C.’s women’s basketball team and it competes in the Women’s National Basketball Association as a member club of the league’s eastern conference. Led by general manager and head coach Mike Thibault, assistant general manager Maria Giovannetti and associate coach Eric Thibault, this team shows that D.C.’s women’s basketball teams are strong national contenders within the sport. The team is currently third in the conference with 22 wins and 14 losses.

The team recently announced a string of LGBTQ history month events and partnerships with The Rainbow History Project and As You Are Bar.

Best Amateur Sports League: DC Gay Flag Football d o Editor’s Choice: Stonewall Kickball

Best Clergy (tie): Fr. Thomas Wieczorek and Rev. Ashley Goff

(Photo courtesy Eaton)

Eaton DC is more than a place to sleep on K Street.

The boutique hotel that fancies itself a cultural hub has proven to be just that.

Eaton DC, Eaton Wor shop s agship hotel in downtown D.C., offers onsite wellness treatments like yoga and meditation gatherings, as well as a multi-instrumental sound bath experience every Thursday night. The hotel is also currently hosting “The Gender Within,” an exploration of gender identity and orientation featuring works by 20+ local LGBTQ+ artists and co-curated by the Blade and Dupont Underground.

With its blac bric edifice with a mid century inspired interior, Eaton DC offers a cool look to accompany its innovative concept, which it describes as providing a place “for kindred spirits, locals, and travelers alike, to convene, collaborate, and create. Hospitality is a means for community, creativity, and culture.”

stmarysnccna.com/our-clergy ashley-goff.com/ Father Thomas Wieczorek moved to D.C. from Ionia, Mich., in 2005 and has since held positions including newspaper re(Photo courtesy Wieczorek) porter, police officer, fire chief, director of public safety, and city manager. He is now an owner and partner of a consulting firm that assists cities and counties with public safety issues. In addition to serving as a clergymember at St. Mary’s National Catholic Church, Wieczorek has also been a vice chairperson of Capital Pride and established the (Photo courtesy Goff) Barry Smythers Fund in memory of his partner who died in 2016. The fund targets suicide prevention and mental health issues.

Reverend Ashley Goff is the pastor at the Arlington Presbyterian Church. According to her website, she graduated from Union Theological Seminary in New York City where she developed her passion for liturgy. Goff is also a liturgy writer, penning multiple pieces to direct religious services.

“I write to hear myself. I write to build my own resiliency and witness to the Ways of God. I write to keep my voice from being reluctant to social change,” Goff wrote on her website.

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The DC Gay Flag Football League began in the mid90s and then grew over the years to its current lineup of 20 teams with approximately 270 players from around the region. The league hosts a summer tournament each year in ehoboth Beach and also funds five travel teams to compete in tournaments around the country. Earlier this year, the league sent teams to the national Pride Bowl in Chicago where one team—the DC Commanders—went on to win their championship game against the Austin Capitals. i i aspare founded the league s first women s travel team, the DC Senators, in 2014 and told the Blade she is very excited about the growth of the league.

“I am incredibly competitive and the DCGFFL leagues and travel tournaments allow me to scratch that itch,” Kasparek says. “I am going to enjoy all of it – the friendships, the seasons, the tournaments, the moments – until I can’t e that muscle anymore.

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Best Real Estate Agent: Justin Noble

TTR Sotheby’s 1515 14th St., N.W. ttrsir.com/eng Runner-up: Stacey Williams-Zeiger, Zeiger Realty Justin Noble is a real estate agent with TTR Sotheby’s and has nearly a decade of experience in the field. ccording to the company’s website, Noble was born into a real estate centric family and spent much of his childhood reading architecture and design maga ines. oble has also been a contributor to the Blade for the past year, writing real estate columns such as lternative ways to deal with high interest rates” and “Tips for preparing your home for fall. ( hoto e h pe) If you have read my previous columns I hope you have then you will now I am a huge fan of sass and more importantly, controlling your controllables oble wrote in one column.

Best Real Estate Group: Jenn Smira Team, Compass

1313 14th St., N.W. jennsmira.com Runner-up: Asgari Moore Group, Compass

Best Pet Business or Veterinarian: District Dogs

continued Best Lawyer: Lawrence Jacobs

mcmillanmetro.com Runner-Up: Amy Nelson awrence acobs is with cillan etro, .C. and practices in multiple areas, including estate planning for same se couples.

I ve been the trusted adviser to more than same se couples loo ing to protect their partners or spouses and their families with documents such as wills, trusts, powers of attorney, partnership agreements and pre nuptial agreements, he says in a statement on his site.

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Best Fitness or Workout Spot: VIDA Fitness

1517 15th St., N.W. dafit e o Editor’s Choice: Barry’s Bootcamp his is ID s fourth consecutive win in this category and th win in the category overall. he company has si locations Street St., .W. , ogan Circle th St., .W. , he ards th St. S.E. ( a h to Blade photo hael e ) , Ballston Wilson Blvd., rlington, a. , allery lace St., .W. and City ista St., .W. . he chain is gay owned by David on Storch and the locations fre uently hold B centered events, such as the ride ool arty. embership pac ages run between per month and include access to all locations, virtual classes, indoor and outdoor classes, discounts at ura Spa and Bang Salon and more.

Best Alternative Transportation: Alto ridealto.com Runner-Up: Capital Bikeshare

2323 Sherman Ave., N.W. districtdogs.com Editor’s Choice: City Dogs District Dogs started as a dog wal ing business in by owner acob Hensley and has since grown into one of the best pet care businesses in the district with four full-care facilities and one training facility. nother facility at ( hoto o te t t o ) National Landing in Virginia will open in in ma on s development. District Dogs offers daycare, overnight boarding, grooming, and training classes. he company also hosts a number of community events such as bootcamps, pride parties and happy hours.

Best Salon/Spa: Logan 14

1314 14th St., N.W. Logan14salonspa.com Editor’s Choice: The Burrow his is veda s seventh consecutive win in this category and according to the company, about percent of their clientele are B .

The salon of( a h to Blade photo hael e ) fers cuts, coloring, extensions, hair styling, and an array of spa options including massages, boto , and laser hair removal. eneral anager atie ose told the Blade last year that the salon has almost fully bounced bac from the pandemic but that C ID has forever changed the business.

We service our guests and ma e people loo and feel better about themselves, she said.

Best Adult Store: Bite the Fruit

1723 Connecticut Ave., ( e o d oo ) Runner-Up: Lotus Blooms ( hoto

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he enn Smira team is a Compass real estate team offering a full suite of services, including mar eting, staging, negotiations, and listings management. he team is composed of ealtors and three supporting staff members. enn Smira founder of the team was previously on the board of DC Women In Solidarity for Empowerment, a nonprofit that raises money for local organi ations serving women and children. he group also gives bac to the D.C. community through direct contributions to local elementary schools and nonprofit organi ations focused on assisting homeless individuals. In , one of the group s ealtors Elvin erlo raised more than , for cancer research through ayma ers for ope.

Best Car Dealership: BMW of Fairfax 8427 Lee Highway Fairfax, Va. bmwoffairfax.com Runner-Up: DARCARS

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Billed as the world s first employee driver rideshare, lto offers an elevated e perience with lu ury vehicles, professional drivers, and music controlled by the passenger.

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hael e )

Make your next move with the Chris Beagle Group A new direction in Real Estate. Whether you are buying, selling, or investing in Southern Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, or DC, trust the experts on our team to make it happen!

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The Chris Beagle Group Mobile: 215.262.6209 | Office: 302.273.4998 chrisbeaglegroup.com | @chrisbeaglegroup

Chris Beagle Group is a team of real estate licensees affiliated with Compass RE a licensed real estate broker and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. 18335 Coastal Highway, Suite 102, Lewes, DE 19958.

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Best Of LGBTQ DC 2022 continued Best Local Website/Blog: District Fray Magazine

districtfray.com.

Editor’s Choice: DCist District Fray is a monthly print and digital magazine that describes itself as “a vibrant source of lifestyle and entertainment news to Washingtonians.” “ T h e magazine has translated media, social (Photo courtesy DC Fray) sports, and events to make DC Fray’s ‘Make Fun Possible’ mantra into a tangible ethos that locals can rely on to stay in the know about what to do in and around the city through the lens of inclusive, eclectic and objective content,” District Fray says on its website. District ray aga ine s elevated editorial allows readers to experience the city through the voices of its talented writers and local interviewees.”

“Our goal is to highlight the voices in the District who are eeping their fingers on the pulse and champion the diverse communities who ma e our city vibrant and unique,” said District Fray Editor-in-Chief Monica Alford.

“We are proud to support D.C.’s LGBTQ+ community through the lens of inclusive, eclectic and objective content.”

District Media is on social media at @districtfray.

porter, I’ve covered elections, inaugurations and even insurrections. I’ve gone live from dozens of protests and rallies. I’ve traveled to hurricanes and mass shootings, and I’ve met people at their lowest and their highest.”

“And the older I get, the more I’ve come to learn that the ‘best’ reporters are those who share their authentic selves,” added Koslof. “I’m a proud gay man, who’s been married to my best friend since 2019 (Justin Noble — Best Realtor.) I hope that my openness can inspire future generations to be their true selves as well.”

new and unique ways to provide platforms to highlight the community’s visibility until we were able to bring back a full-scale Pride celebration this past June. We appreciate everyone’s willingness to reUnite to show that we still have Pride.”

Best Home Furnishings: Miss Pixie’s

1626 14th St., N.W. misspixies.com Editor’s Choice: Hamilton’s Sofa Gallery This 14th Street institution once again makes this year’s list.

Best Tattoo Parlor: Dapper Dog Tattoo 75 Maryland Ave. Annapolis, Md. Editor’s Choice: Tattoo Paradise

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Best Private School: Barrie School 13500 Layhill Rd. Silver Spring, Md. barrie.org Editor’s Choice: Maret School

(Photo courtesy Dapper Dog Tattoo)

Editor’s Choice: SMYAL

Evan Koslof, WUSA9

Runner-up: Chuck Bell, NBC4

(Photo by Laura Metzler Photography)

Evan Koslof has been a reporter with WUSA 9 since 2016.

His bio notes an interview with a 10-yearold nonbinary child from Bowie, Md., and the Nationals 2019 World Series victory are among the many stories he has covered.

Koslof, who has won six Emmy Awards, also notes he met his husband, Realtor Justin Noble, at the beach in Delaware in 2015.

“Being a reporter in the nation’s capital is a dream come true,” Koslof said. “As a re-

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The Capital Pride Alliance offers a variety of programs and events that celebrate the LGBTQ community in the DMV throughout the year. The ‘reUNITED’ Capital Pride Parade brought hundreds of thousands of people to the streets of D.C. for the first time in two years.

“We thank the community for its long-term support, especially over the last few years as we had to navigate the constraints imposed by the pandemic,” said the Capital Pride Alliance. “Being unable to hold large gatherings for two years was a challenge that required us to create

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(Photo courtesy of Barrie School)

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ROBYN S. ZEIGER, Ph.D. Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor

Thank you LGBTQ Community of DC, MD and VA for your support over the past 40 years!

301-445-7333 www.drrobynzeiger.com drrobynzeiger@aol.com

WINNER

WINNER

Licensed in DC, Maryland, Virginia and Delaware.

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Best Of LGBTQ DC 2022 continued REHOBOTH BEACH Best Rehoboth Drag Queen: Magnolia Applebottom Runner-Up: Kristina Kelly

Best Rehoboth Bartender: Georgiy Yanchenko, Purple Parrot

134 Rehoboth Ave. Rehoboth Beach, Del. ppgrill.com Runner-Up: Evelyn Orta “Fluffy,” Freddie’s Everyone in town knows Georgiy, the friendly, outgoing face behind the bar at the Purple Parrot Biergarten. e s a first time nominee and winner in this category. No matter how crazy busy the bar gets on a summer holiday weekend, Georgiy handles it all with a smile and skilled service.

This is one of the most competitive categories, so hats off to Georgiy as this is not an easy award to win.

(Photo courtesy Georgiy Yanchenko)

Best Rehoboth-Area Live Show: Drag Brunch at the Pines

(Washington Blade photo by Michael K. Lavers)

Magnolia Applebottom is a repeat winner in this category and it’s easy to understand why: She’s simply everywhere, from Rehoboth to Milton to Salisbury performing for packed crowds at happy hours, Pride events, and charity functions. In addition to her towering stature, entertaining standup, and fabulous fashion sense, Magnolia sings live.

No visit to Rehoboth is complete without a stop at her show at Diego’s.

Best Rehoboth Outdoor Dining: Purple Parrot

134 Rehoboth Ave. Rehoboth Beach, Del. ppgrill.com Editor’s Choice: Aqua Rehoboth suffers from a relative dearth of outdoor dining spots, something the locals have complained about for years. One bright spot remains the Purple Parrot Biergarten on Wilmington Avenue (you can also access it from the main entrance to the Parrot on Rehoboth Avenue). The food is consistently good with regular specials like prime rib nights and German-themed dinners. But the best part of eating here is arguably the festive atmosphere complete with upbeat music, the friendliest bartenders in town, and a lush, green roof over the bar. Say hi to Chandler, who has been voted Best Rehoboth Bartender multiple times, and to the current titleholder, first time winner Georgiy Yanchenko.

56 Baltimore Ave. Rehoboth Beach, Del. thepinesrb.com Editor’s Choice: Magnolia Applebottom at Diego’s Local legends Mona Lotts and Kristina Kelly headline the uproarious drag brunch at the Pines on Sundays from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

As the website warns: “Mature comedy not for the faint at heart.” Bear that in mind as things get rather racy early in the day. Tickets are $15 and there’s a delicious brunch buffet offered at $25.

(Blade photo by Daniel Truitt)

Best Rehoboth Coffeeshop: The Coffee Mill

127 Rehoboth Ave B Rehoboth Beach, Del. coffeemillrehoboth.com Editor’s Choice: Rise Up The gay-owned Coffee Mill is a go-to spot for many Rehoboth locals, offering a staggering array of freshly ground coffees along with pastries and other breakfast treats.

The outdoor patio becomes quite the scene in summer and don’t forget to check out owner Mel’s photography on display inside.

(Photo courtesy courtesy Coffee Mill)

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

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Best Rehoboth Restaurant: Blue Moon 35 Baltimore Ave. Rehoboth Beach, Del. bluemoonrehoboth.com Editor’s Choice: The Pines

Best Rehoboth Real Estate Agent: Lee Ann Wilkinson 16698 Kings Hwy A. Lewes, Del. leeanngroup.com Runner-Up: Chris Beagle

(Washington Blade photo by Daniel Truitt)

The venerable Blue Moon may not be the crowded bar of old, but it lives on with a top notch fine dining restaurant on one side of the building and a cabaret event space on the other that features rotating performers. he restaurant has won this award so many times that we ve lost count. It s a co y spot, perfect for a romantic dinner, fun night out with friends, or Sunday brunch. he beloved asting uesday offers a pri fi e menu featuring three courses each with wine for ust .

(Washington Blade photo by Daniel Truitt)

his is ee nn Wil inson s fifth consecutive win in this category. he ee nn Wil in son roup has ran ed in real estate sales in Susse County, Del., for more than years. She even finds time to contribute insights on the local mar et to the Blade.

Best Rehoboth Business: Diego’s Bar & Nightclub

37298 Rehoboth Ave. Rehoboth Beach, Del. Diegosbarnightclub.com Editor’s Choice: Freddie’s Beach Bar

oe Ciarlante uber and his husband and business partner Darryl Ciarlan te uber continue to draw crowds for their e uberant happy hour specials, drag entertainment, and late night dance parties. he venue has a long history of hosting ehoboth s only real dance parties and it s gratifying to see the tradition continue post pandemic. his is Diego s second consecutive win in this category.

(Washington Blade photo by Daniel Truitt)

Thank you to our 2022 Sponsors

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United, We Can Achieve More, and We Do. As the #2 team at Compass DMV and the top 5 team in the Greater Washington Area, our team has redefined the process of buying and selling in DC, with results that speak for themselves.

T H A N K YO U F O R C H O O S I N G T H E J E N N S M I RA T E A M, B E S T R E A L E S TAT E T E A M I N T H E D M V

Always Authentic, Always Proud.

Let’s Move Forward, Together.

At the Jenn Smira Team, we are driven to perform for our clients. We believe in thoughtful, meaningful, full-service real estate — not only to get the best result, but the best experience along the way.

We’d love to help design real estate solutions that suit your goals. To get our real estate expertise on your side today, reach out at jennsmira.com.

Thank you again DC!

J S M I R A @ J E N N S M I R A .C O M | 202.280.2060

Jenn Smira

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT R E A LT O R ® D C / M D / V A

J S M I R A @ J E N N S M I R A .C O M 202.280.2060

Jenn Smira Team For the latest listings and team updates, find us on Instagram! @ J E N N S M I R AT E A M

Compass is a licensed real estate brokerage that abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is not guaranteed. All measurements and square footages are approximate. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Compass is licensed as Compass Real Estate in DC and as Compass in Virginia and Maryland. 1313 14th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005 | 202.386.6330

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M-F 8am-7pm Sat 8:30am-6pm Sun 10am-5pm

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CALENDAR

By TINASHE CHINGARANDE

Friday, October 21 Center Aging Friday Tea Time will be at p.m. on oom. his is a social hour for older B adults. uests are en couraged to bring a beverage of choice. or more details, email supportdes thedccenter.org.

Hallo-Queen Scream will be at p.m. at anish Brewery. his costume party is a guaranteed raucous night with a full drag show, costume contests, live band, and more. ic ets start at and can be purchased on Eventbrite.

Saturday, October 22 Virtual Yoga Class with Charles M. will be at p.m. online. his is a free wee ly class focusing on yoga, breath wor , and meditation. uests are encouraged to S on the DC Cen ter s website, providing their name, email address, and ip code, along with any uestions they may have. he lin to the class will be sent out at p.m. the day before the event.

Black Lesbian Support Group will be at p.m. at the DC Center for the B Community. his is a peer led support group devoted to the oys and challenges of being a Blac esbian. or more details, email supportdes thedccenter. org.

Sunday, October 23 Club Renaissance DC will be at p.m. at rivilege DC ightclub. his event will be part II of this party that plays Be yonce s hit songs from the past years. ic ets are and can be purchased on Eventbrite.

GoGay DC will host B Coffee Conversation at p.m. at s ou re. his event is for those loo ing to ma e more friends in the B community and trying to meet some new faces after two years of the pandemic. his event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Monday, October 24 Center Aging Monday Coffee and Conversation will be at a.m. on oom.

B lder dults and friends are in vited to en oy friendly conversations and to discuss any issues you might be dealing with. or more information, visit the Center ging s aceboo or witter.

Not Another Drag Show will be at p.m. at Dupont Italian itchen. ogan Stone will host there will also be a rotating cast of local D performers. his event is free and more de tails are available on Eventbrite.

Tuesday, October 25

The 17th Street High Heel Race returns Oct. 25.

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Wednesday, October 26 Job Club will be at p.m. on oom. his is a wee ly ob support program to help ob entrants and see ers, including the long term unemployed, improve self confidence, motiva tion, resilience and productivity for effective ob searches and networ ing allowing participants to move away from being merely applicants toward being candidates. or more in formation, email centercareers thedccenter.org or visit www. thedccenter.org careers.

Asexual and Aromantic Group will be at p.m. on oom. his is a space where people who are uestioning this aspect of their identity or those who identify as ase ual and or aro mantic can come together, share stories and e periences, and discuss various topics. or more information, email support des thedccenter.org.

Thursday, October 27 The DC Center’s Food Pantry Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the B Community. o be fair with who is receiving bo es, the program is moving to a lottery system. eople will be informed on Wednesday at p.m. if they are pic ed to receive a produce bo . o proof of residency or in come is re uired. or more information, email supportdes thedccenter.org or call .

DC Anti-Violence Project Open Meeting will be at p.m. on oom. he primary mission of the DC nti iolence ro ect is to reduce violence against B individuals through com munity outreach, education, and monitoring cases to ensure that the rights and dignity of B victims are respected and protected. or more information, visit aceboo and witter.

Genderqueer DC will be at p.m. at the DC Center for the B Community. his is a support group on oom for those who identify outside of the gender binary, whether you re bigender, agender, gender uid, or ust aren t cis. or more details, email supportdes thedccenter.org.

Showtime at Legacy will be at p.m. at egacy DC. uests will get to en oy live music from the artist of the month accom panied by the egacy ouse Band, followed by the annual ouse am where anyone can step to the mic. ic ets are and can be purchased on Eventbrite.

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OUT & ABOUT 35th annual High Heel Race set for Oct. 25 he ayor s ffice for B ffairs will host the th annual th Street igh eel ace on uesday, ct. at p.m. at th Street, .W. egistration for the event will open at p.m. his event is a celebration of the diversity of D.C. s B community where thousands of costumed spectators cheer on costumed drag ueens, drag ings and community members as they race down th Street. his D.C. tra dition will also feature drag entertainment, a parade with ayor uriel Bowser, and much more. or more details, visit the event s aceboo page.

Basquiat’s early works he oward niversity allery of rt opened ur riend ean on onday ct. featuring the artwor of ean ichel Bas uiat. he e hib it will close on onday, ct. . he e hibit is sponsored by ennessy and hurgood arshall College und in collabo ration with Broo lyn based he Bishop allery and roup Blac , the largest collective of Blac owned media. he e hibit will also be accompanied by pri vate tours, tal s with curators and collectors, and special immersive e periences. or more information, visit the gallery s web site.

EXPECT MORE

Whether you are looking for a vibrant and spirited Independent Living lifestyle, an enriching Assisted Living and Memory Support neighborhood, or the peace of mind and security that comes with a Life Plan Community, Ingleside will exceed your expectations. Discover a rich and diverse community made up of interesting friends and neighbors, living an active and engaging lifestyle.

EXPECT MORE AT INGLESIDE.

INGLESIDE AT ROCK CREEK

202-999-4496 // www.ircdc.org

INGLESIDE AT KING FARM

240-414-8523 // www.ikfmd.org Not-for-profit, CARF-accredited, SAGECare-certified, life plan communities.

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FILM

Harry Styles walks queer tightrope in gloomy ‘My Policeman’ Elegant film undermined by emotionally detached visual tropes

By JOHN PAUL KING Harry Styles seems to be everywhere these days.

The former One Direction member turned solo artist not only dropped a critically-acclaimed, chart-topping album earlier this year, he turned up last month on movie screens as the leading man in “Don’t Worry Darling” – not to mention becoming a major focus of celebrity gossip on our social DAVID DAWSON and HARRY STYLES in ‘My Policeman.’ media feeds over the various controversies concerning the latter’s troubled production and press tour.

Now, just a few weeks later, Styles is back on the big screen again, this time in the title role of y oliceman, the ma on produced adaptation of Bethan oberts novel about an intertwined relationship between a policeman, a schoolteacher, and a museum curator and the reckoning it exacts from their lives three decades later.

It s a less high profile pro ect than his last one though perhaps ust as controversial in some circles) but nevertheless likely to garner at least an equal amount of attention thanks to his superstar presence – especially since it gives his fans a fresh opportunity to speculate about his sexual orientation by placing him in the center of a very queer romantic triangle.

Directed by ichael randage from a screenplay by on yswaner, the film s non linear e ploration of that triangle begins when aging couple arion and om ina c ee and inus oach ta e their former friend atric upert Everett into their home for care after he suffers a debilitating stroke.

His arrival dredges up decades-old memories of the trio’s shared past – when a young, closeted, and con icted om Styles courted and married a young and na ve arion Emma Cor rin while carrying on a secret affair with a young and deeply smitten atric David Dawson

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in the repressively homophobic ondon of the s and revives all the repressed emotions that go along with them.

As the premise for a tale of star-crossed love, it’s not exactly new territory. In an era when the need for more positive and empowering B narratives grows more pressing every time Marjorie Taylor-Greene opens her mouth to belittle Pete Buttigieg and his family, tales of old school repression and the devil’s bargain of living safely in the closet feel more and more tired something which undoubtedly factored into the mi ed response the film elicited from audi ences and critics after its debut after the Toronto International Film Festival a few weeks ago.

The movie’s approach to the material doesn’t help. Under the guidance of Grandage, a veteran of the theatre scene whose emphasis on the tragic beauty of it all sets a dreary mood from which the story can never uite brea free, the film leans heavily into an artsy approach, full of stylistically elegant but emotionally detached visual tropes and heavy-handed symbolism — the primal turbulence of a J.M.W. Turner painting as a metaphor for the tempestuous impulses of burgeoning queer sexuality being only one of the most obvious examples — that tends to distance us from the human authenticity of the situation rather than illuminate it for us. i ewise, the screenplay s pu le bo approach, in which the details of what s E go ing on between these protagonists become a mystery to be solved, puts more focus on the details of their triangle than on its consequences. As anyone who’s ever been forced to live a secret double life for the sake of social acceptance can surely attest, that’s a clear-cut case of missing the forest for the trees.

Still, “My Policeman” manages, despite its presentation and pretensions, to highlight a subtle truth that is often overlooked in stories about the closet; it has to do with the trickle-down effect of societal homophobia, the long-term impact of stigma and secrecy not only on queer people but on those with whom their lives become entangled, and while the movie may not match the zeitgeist of the moment, it tells a necessary story.

As much as we may wish the suppression of queerness to be a thing of the past, it remains a tragic reality for many in a world where the denial of B e uality and acceptance con tinues to wield its insidious in uence.

The presence of multiple openly queer actors among the cast plays an important role in driving home this point.

Dawson, a lesser nown actor outside of the , delivers a heart rending performance as the younger Patrick, single-handedly preventing the movie from becoming lip-service to ueer representation, and veteran Everett, a ueer elder already ensconced as an icon for ta ing on groundbrea ing B roles, offers up some of the movie s most memorable and affecting moments as the elder version of the same character Corrin, an openly ueer and non binary performer lauded for their portrayal of rincess Diana in he Crown, infuses their role as the straight female caught in the middle of an inevitably doomed arrangement with the nuance gained from lived e perience to get to the true depths of their character s ourney.

That, inevitably, brings us back to Harry Styles. It’s impossible to separate his role here — as a closeted gay man prevented by cultural expectation from embracing his truth and the fulfillment of living it without reservation from his history of seemingly calculated vagueness about his own se ual identity.

It’s an issue which becomes especially pertinent in light of the pop icon’s participation in several e plicit if not uite graphic se scenes, which will surely bring renewed accusations of “queer-baiting” from those who believe unequivocal representation trumps his insistence on living a life unencumbered by labels. erhaps in uenced by this viewpoint, many critics have harshly branded his performance as mannered and opaque, an enigmatic pose that undercuts both his character’s authenticity and the movie’s assertion of the toxic effects of self-obfuscation.

We respectfully disagree. s a portrait of someone who perceives himself not inaccurately to be trapped on a high wire, Styles’ close-to-the-chest portrayal is dead-on. In a movie wrapped in old-school restraint, the ambiguity of his emotional truth is more honest than any self-revelatory baring-ofsoul could ever be in capturing the in-the-moment experience of trying to build a life between the acceptable and the forbidden; the breakthrough moments are left to the capable Roach, when the older version of om is finally forced to come to terms with the choices he has made. his may leave us longing for a more definitively ueer om in those scenes of his younger life, but it’s an artistic choice that’s arguably truer to the style — and the message — of “My Policeman” than any sentimental pandering to romantic fantasy could ever be. Beyond all that, Styles’ undeniable charisma cements the notion that his character would be such an irresistible force in the lives of his two paramours. Without it, the movie simply wouldn’t work.

In the long run, none of that may matter when it comes to uestions of whether arry Styles evasiveness about his sexual identity is a genuine expression of self or an effort to play to both sides of the fence. It might not even be enough to rescue the film from its own self imposed heaviness – but it might be just enough to make ‘My Policeman’ worth your attention.

6925 Blair Road, NW Washington, D.C. 20012 takomawellness.com-202.465.4260-@takomawellness

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AUTOS

Charged up about electric vehicles

Bolt EUV, BMW iX xDrive 50 offer climate-friendly style

By JOE PHILLIPS For me, electric vehicles are like superheroes. They nix tailpipe emissions. They combat climate change. And they come with scads of slick gadgets.

Today’s cutting-edge EV designs also look, well, electrifying. And you can’t beat the adrenaline rush, the ability to dash lickety-split down the road—even when tapping the accelerator ever so slightly.

I recently drove two EVs that gave me a real charge. And who knows, they just may help save the planet.

CHEVROLET BOLT EUV $29,000 MPGe: 125 city/104 highway Driving range: 247 miles 0 to 60 mph: 6.8 seconds Shazam! As with that comic-book superhero, lightning has struck the compact Chevy Bolt EV hatchback. The result: CHEVROLET BOLT EUV the all-new Bolt EUV—aka Electric Utility Vehicle—a compact SUV that’s six inches longer than the hatchback. Sure, the six-year-old Bolt EV was nicely updated last year, but the surprise addition of the larger EUV brings much-needed legroom for rear-seat passengers. Both Bolts sport the same offbeat design, full of comely creases and large windows for an airy interior. And there are notable amenities, including LED headlights, heated exterior mirrors, remote start and remote keyless entry.

But the EUV comes with so many extras, especially in the Premier trim level: Bose stereo, onboard navigation system, panoramic sunroof, illuminated charging port and more. This is also the first Chevy with Super Cruise, an advanced hands-free-driving system for automatic braking, steering and acceleration. The cabin features a 10.2-inch infotainment screen, 8-inch digital display, smartphone integration and flat-bottom steering wheel with integrated audio controls and such.

While I prefer traditional gearshift levers versus the gear-selector buttons in the Bolt, more automakers are opting for such gearshift buttons, toggles or knobs because they take up less space. Battery range is listed at 247 miles, but I fared closer to 270 miles.

You get only four miles of charge per hour using a standard 120-volt outlet, but a fullcharge from a 240-volt outlet takes just seven hours, which is decent. Along with the eight-year/100,000-mile battery warranty, roadside assistance is five years/60,000 miles.

Overall, both Bolts—whether hatchback or EUV—are stylish and affordable. But expect the new Bolt EUV to ferry around those superheroes in your life a bit more comfortably.

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BMW iX xDRIVE 50 $85,000 MPGe: 86 city/87 highway Driving range: 315 miles 0 to 60 mph: 4.2 seconds Beware the magical powers of a BMW iX xDrive 50, the automaker’s first all-electric SUV. This rousing ride boasts BMW iX xDRIVE 50 the speed of The Flash, the tenacity of Thor and the savvy of Storm. In other words, what’s not to like? Sure, this all-new BMW costs three times as much as a Chevy Bolt EUV. But the iX scoots down the road a lot faster, tackles twisties with confidence and brakes like a true race car.

Size-wise, the iX is akin to a midsize BMW X5 SUV, with comfortable seating for five passengers and beaucoup storage space. Here the comparisons end. With sci-fi styling, the iX is more futuristic than anything BMW has tried before. Take the signature kidney-shaped grille, which has been bent and stretched as if from another dimension.

Cameras, radar gizmos and other sensors are hidden in the grille, which is covered by a polyurethane coating that gives it the power to heal itself—or basically erase—any minor scratches or dings. I mean, like, wow.

Frameless windows and the flush exterior door handles add to the aerodynamic ambience. As for the interior, this is what I imagine cockpits in luxury space shuttles will look like someday. There’s a funky hexagonal steering wheel, a center console that seems to float between the front seats, and buttons instead of handles to open the doors from the inside. Hovering atop the dashboard is an elongated digital monitor, stretched to fit the 14.9-inch infotainment display and 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster.

The seat-adjustment controls, infotainment control knob and other switchgear can be ordered in crystal glass. And many materials in the iX are recycled, including carpets and floor mats made from used fishing nets and other items. Also of note: When flying down the highway, the cabin is one of the quietest available, beating even Bentley and Rolls-Royce. For 2023, a high-performance iX M60 model arrives with even more power and pizzazz. Another super vehicle we can look forward to on the road.

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COMING IN 2023

Specials, Events, Swag & More!

Join the Annie’s Email list to stay in touch -

A NNIES @A NNIES P ARAMOUNT DC. COM We are honored to receive the Blade Best Of Award BEST OUTDOOR DINING 2022 O CTO B E R 2 1 , 2 0 2 2 • WA S H I N GTO N B L A D E.CO M • 6 5

THIRS-TEA with Rosé

‘RuPaul’ alum performs at Wanda Alston Foundation fundraiser (Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

The Stonewall Kickball team Mounties held a fundraiser tea dance, ‘THIRS-TEA,” at Zebbie’s Garden on Saturday, Oct. 15.

Featured drag performers included Druex Sidora, Cake Pop and season 13 “RuPaul’s Drag Race” contestant The Rosé. Music was provided by DJ Alex Love. The event raised money for the Wanda Alston Foundation.

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BACK IN PERSON SATURDAY OCTOBER 22, 2022 NEW LOCATION: JOIN ON US ON THE CAMPUS OF ST. ELIZABETHS AT DC GATEWAY PAVILION REGISTER ONLINE AT WALKTOENDHIV.ORG

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LEFT PAGE

527 N Boardwalk #208, Rehoboth Beach, DE MLS #: DESU2030290

PERFECT BEACH GETAWAY!

Don’t miss this 2 bedroom, 2 bath condo directly on Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk!

Featuring an open floor plan, multiple balconies, and ocean views. Your summer home OR rent it out! Walk to all the Rehoboth Beach attractions and the beach!

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PRICE REDUCTION

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53 Glade Circle E., Rehoboth Beach, DE MLS: DESU2027128

COASTAL LIVING PERFECTION!

Welcome home to this gorgeous, stylish 4 bedroom, 3 bath home in the rarely available, highly desirable community - The Glade! Enjoy the serene setting of lush greenery and neighborhood privacy, just a bike ride away to the dining, shopping, surf and fun of Lewes and Rehoboth Beaches.

115 Kings Highway, Lewes, DE

37658 Exeter Drive, Rehoboth Beach, DE

MLS #: DESU2024748

MLS: DESU2030098

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This 5 bedroom, 4.5 bath home in the heart of downtown Lewes is just steps away from all the shops, restaurants, and the beach. Features include crown molding, ceiling medallions, wainscoting, double hung windows, breathtaking chandeliers, gourmet kitchen, koi pond and fountain, and finished basement with bar!

BEACH LIFE IS YOURS!

from this fantastically located & beautifully kept 3 level 4 bedroom townhouse in the amenity abundant community of Grande at Canal Pointe!

Situated just outside Rehoboth Beach City Limits, be the envy of all Route 1 summer commuters by being only a short bike ride or drive away from the beach & boardwalk!

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5 best things to get for your home in the coming year

Consider a lowcost renovation like painting; it’s o e o the fi e best things you can do to your home this year.

rom painting a room to adding an electric car charging station

By VALERIE M. BLAKE

Today, I offer my congratulations to all the people and businesses that make up the Washington Blade’s Best of LGBTQ DC winners and am following up by recommending my five best things to get for your home during the coming year.

1. AN ASSUMABLE MORTGAGE Whether you re buying your first home or a new one, as your agent to search for one with an assumable loan previously granted by the ederal ousing dministration or eteran s dministration . ou may be able to assume an e isting loan with an interest rate closer to than the offered by many lenders today. n loan can be assumed by anyone who ualifies for it and a loan can be assumed by a veteran or active duty military member who can e change his or her ben efits for those of the seller. or a non military person to assume a loan, however, the military owner must give up all or part of their purchase benefits.

In both instances, you assume the loan from the financial institution that is currently servicing the loan and you must ma e up the difference in funds between the e isting loan balance and the price you are paying for the home. Consult your loan officer for more information.

4. UPDATED HOMEOWNERS’ INSURANCE Since property values have risen dramatically and you may have ta en on the reno vations suggested above or more, you may find yourself underinsured if you have not reviewed your insurance policy lately and a catastrophe stri es. ou may also have ac uired specific items for which you should add insurance riders, such as ewelry, art, or electronics. small, e tra fee might be all you need to pay to cov er replacing the more e pensive items you love, if they are stolen or damaged. a e sure your deductible still suits your financial situation. If you can afford a de ductible of , , your annual cost for insurance will be lower, but if you re short on emergency cash, paying a premium for a deductible may be more in line with your budget.

5. ELECTRIC CAR CHARGING STATION

2. A LOW-COST RENOVATION If there is no new home on your immediate hori on, consider renovating the one you have. ome improvements need not be massive or ridiculously e pensive, but what home can t benefit from a bit of refreshing Start with the basics of cleaning and organi ing. s you organi e, you may come across areas in your home that could benefit from a more efficient closet design, a fold down table to sort laundry, or built in shelving and drawers. enovating a bathroom might be as simple as changing the vanity and lighting. If you can no longer live with those s tiles in pin or green, hire a porcelain spray compa ny to turn them white, rather than ripping them out and installing new ones.

Ine pensive items for itchen upgrades include a new faucet, cabinet handles, and a peel and stic do it yourself bac splash. ther rooms may benefit from fresh paint and a feature wall using wainscoting, thin bric or stone veneers, or a bold, colorful wallpaper.

3. ENERGY EFFICIENT SYSTEMS AND APPLIANCES he In ation eduction ct I , not to be confused with an Individual etirement ccount or the Irish epublican rmy contains a variety of ta credits for increasing your home s energy efficiency. here may be income restrictions and deadlines to be aware of, so be sure to chec with your ta professional before ma ing ma or purchases.

In line with the ct and in planning any home renovations, consider installing solar panels on your roof or an electric heat pump for heat, air conditioning, and hot water. ou ll also find credits for upgrading your electrical panel, adding insulation to your attic, and replacing your old gas range, coo top, or oven with a new electric version.

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I m starting to see this item re uested by more buyers in our area. Even if you don t currently have an electric car or hybrid, this is an e cellent pre sale addition for your garage or secure par ing area in the bac yard of your rowhouse. unding for electric vehicle chargers is addressed in the I , but it comes in the form of a business ta credit. lthough some condominiums have installed charging stations, it remains to be seen whether an individual building will meet the median income limits and poverty rate percentages to ualify to ta e advantage of credits authori ed under the ct to install more.

It s difficult to stop at only five items, but whether you are buying, selling, or ust en oy ing your home, eep your finances manageable, your investment protected, and your home in a manner that fits your lifestyle and brings you comfort.

VALERIE M. BLAKE

is a licensed Associate Broker in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia with RLAH Real Estate / @properties. Call or text her at 202-246-8602, email her via DCHomeQuest.com, or follow her on Facebook at TheRealst8ofAffairs.

~ Offering You the Very Best in Luxury Living Across the City ~ Foggy Bottom | Embassy Row | Woodley Park | Petworth| Hillcrest

Peter M. Crawford, Realtor

METROPOLITAN LUXURY

Peter M. Crawford, REALTOR ~ (202) 210-2889 ~ Peter.Crawford@LNF.com

Ask Me About My New Listings, Our Private Exclusives, and What’s Coming Soon!

www.longandfoster.com/PeterCrawford 20 Chevy Chase Circle NW | Washington, DC 20015 | (202) 966-1400

Giving Back to Our Community!

I am a proud supporter of our vibrant arts and LGBTQ+ community! For each completed transaction, I will make a substantial donation to the Washington Opera Society, The Hillwood Estate, the Trevor Project, Food & Friends, or other similar non-profit community organization.

YOU’RE INVITED! ~ October 28, 2022 ~ Embassy of Egypt The Washington Opera Society is excited to present a curated mix of operetta and opera offerings from around the world: lush Viennese operetta, energetic French operetta, entertaining Zarzuela, and rare Arabic opera. Even a few hits from the operatic repertoire!

• For the French and German repertoire, we will host two emerging stars: Alexandra Razskazoff, 2022 Metropolitan Opera Competition winner and Anna Kelly, 2022 Metropolitan Opera Competition semifinalist.

• Gustavo Ahualli and Israel Lozano will reprise the Zarzuela repertoire ~ a recent Kennedy Center triumph • And for the first time in its history, WOS will present an excerpt of Arabic opera, performed by Egyptian-American soprano, Fairouz Foty.

• Maestro Julien Benichou will lead the WOS orchestra!

• Performance will be followed by a dessert reception.

Tickets from $125 on EventBrite.com ~ Use QR Code! ~ Email or Text Peter Crawford for a Special $25 Discount Code

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www.rehobeach.com

www.rehobeach.com State Broker of Record is located at 7 N 1st St, Rehoboth Beach, DE, 19971 | Office Phone 302.450.1007

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PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY

MASSAGE KICK BACK & RELAX

with a refreshing massage. Private studio near Courthouse in Arlington, Sun - Wed, 12-9

Gary @ 301-704-1158, mymassagebygary.com

COUNSELING COUNSELING FOR LGBTQ

People Individual/couple counseling with a volunteer peer counselor. MCC, serving our community since 1 3.

202-580-8661.

gaymenscounseling.org.

o fees, donation re uested.

Place your classified ad now: washingtonblade.com/classifieds in print & online! PERSONAL & HOUSING SHARE ads are FREE! (1st 25 words or less) additional words $1.00.

BULLETIN BOARD

LEGAL SERVICES

ACADEMY OF HOPE

ADOPTION, DONOR, SURROGACY

Adult Public Charter School

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

R BRA The Academy of Hope Adult ublic Charter School located in Washington, DC re uests proposals for rebranding.

Proposals are due October 31st, 2022. ou can find the detailed re uest for proposal submission information at

https://aohdc.org/jobs/

BUSINESS FOR SALE!

CORY RUSSO DOG GROOMING

Come to Beautiful Palm Beach, Florida and groom nice dogs in clients homes! In Business 25 years, it’s time for me to retire!

Very low overhead, ust your car, fuel, and auto insurance. Be the owner and employee so you can interact with the owner and dogs easily, I have a 25 pound weight limit. 561 21 -3110

nascarqueen9@gmail.com

legal services. Jennifer represents BT clients in C, M VA interested in adoption or ART matters.

240-863- 2441,

JFairfax@Jenniferfairfax.com.

LIMOUSINES KASPER’S LIVERY SERVICE

Since 1 8 .

Gay & Veteran Owner/Operator.

Lincoln Continental Sedan! Proper DC License & Livery Insured.

www.KasperLivery.com.

202-554-2471

Use Blade Advertisers!

And tell them,“I saw your ad in

The Blade!”

CLEANING

HANDYMAN

FOR RENT / DC

MEN 4 MEN

FERNANDO’S CLEANING

BRITISH REMODELING

LOGAN CIRCLE 2 BR, 2 BA

202-234-7050 / 202-486-6183

Local licensed company with over 25 years of experience. Specializing in bathrooms, kitchens & all interior/exterior repairs. Drywall, paint, electrical & wallpaper.

WELL HUNG ITALIAN SUB 3 y/o well hung submissive Italian male & looking to practice deep throating & bottom skills. 6ft tall & DTF. Blkcoksonlyplz@yahoo.com

Residential & Commercial Cleaning, Reasonable Rates, Free Estimates, Routine, 1-Time, Move-In/Move-Out

HANDYMAN

Trevor 703-303-8699 MOVERS

PROFESSIONAL

MOVING & STORAGE

Let Our Movers Do The Heavy Lifting. Mention the Blade for 5% OFF of our regular rates.

Call today 202.734.3080.

www.aroundtownmovers.com

Townhouse Style Duplex with Private ntrance, new hardwood floors, light fixtures, fresh paint. atural light in the LR & BR. BR access to private patio & common garden park. Pet friendly, W/D in Unit, Utils. Included. Superb location at Logan Park. 1245 13th St W, 10 . 3500/mth. .

Call Tsegaye Tadesse 202-276-8871 Fairfax Realty Elite

CLASSIFIED ADS ARE EASY!

Register at WashingtonBlade.com/classifieds, then log in place your ad There are 2 boxes to place different words online (almost unlimited) vs. in print.

For assistance email: classifieds@washblade.com.

7 4 • WA SHIN GTO N BLADE.COM • OCTOBER 21 , 2 0 2 2 • C LA S S I F I E D S

WHITE MALE, 6’ 3”, 200 lbs,

hung. S , short, stocky, white yuppie, professional, athletic, hung, submissive looking for pleasurable evenings. Calls only after pm.

2 0- 5 -12 2.

BODYWORK

THE MAGIC TOUCH Swedish, Massage or Deep Tissue. Appts. ow Rates, 2 / , n-Calls.

202-486-6183

One of a kind. Now two.

More apartments. More fun.

More Remy.

Ultra-equipped, finely appointed, meticulously kept apartment homes available now in Lanham, Maryland’s new Harkins District. More apartments and a doubling of amenities coming early next year! +

Studio, one- and two-bedroom apartment homes, featuring open floor plans

+

Gourmet kitchens, including quartz countertops and stainless steel appliances

+

Hardwood-inspired flooring and spa-inspired baths

+

Washer and dryer in each apartment

+

TWO Resort-style saltwater pools with cabanas

+

TWO Rooftop bars with lounge seating

+

TWO Clubrooms with billiards

+

TWO Conference and co-working spaces

+

TWO Fitness centers

+

Pet-friendly and pet-free living options

+

Garage parking available for all residents

+

1.5 blocks to New Carrollton Metro and Amtrak

+

Monthly social resident events

Visit TheRemyApts.com or call 301.637.8065 to schedule your tour!

7730 Harkins Rd | Lanham, MD 20706 | TheRemyApts.com | 301.637.8065

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The Friendly, Affordable Alternative to DC!

7 6 • WASHINGTONBLADE.COM • OCTOBER 21 , 2 0 2 2

O CTO B E R 2 1 , 2 0 2 2 • WA S H I N GTO N B L A D E.CO M • 7 7

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AN OPTICAL GALLERIA www.eyesandart.net

Easton | Centreville | Ocean City

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