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Washington AIDS Partnership to close at end of 2023

After 35 years, officials say ‘celebratory close’ comes after mission accomplished

By LOU CHIBBARO JR. | lchibbaro@washblade.com

The D.C.-based Washington AIDS Partnership, which describes itself as a philanthropic and advocacy organization that has provided more than $35 million in funding since its founding in 1988 to local organizations providing AIDS-related programs and services, has announced it will end its operations at the end of this year.

“After much thoughtful consideration, the Washington AIDS Partnership (WAP) is planning an intentional and celebratory close at the end of 2023 after 35 years of service to the D.C. community,” a statement released by the group says.

CHANNING WICKHAM is WAP’s longtime executive director.

Channing Wickham, the organization’s longtime executive director, said he and the WAP’s board and staff strongly believe it has accomplished its mission of playing a key role in helping D.C. and surrounding communities become a national leader and role model in the support and care for people with HIV/AIDS and in the lowering the new HIV infections.

“One of the most important things to say and to be very clear about is that HIV is not over,” Wickham told the Washington Blade. “And we’re by no means saying that it is,” he said. “It’s just that our part in this is coming to a close.”

Wickham noted that through its funding, advocacy, and support work, Washington AIDS Partnership helped put in place local programs, including major improvements in the late 1990s and early 2000s of the D.C. Department of Health’s HIV/AIDS office, which evolved into the current HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, STD, and Tuberculosis Administration (HAHSTA).

He points out that WAP, through its funding and support programs, also helped nurture and grow local organizations that currently provide the services that will carry on WAP’s mission. Among them, he notes, are organizations that provide HIV/AIDS services for the LGBTQ community, including Whitman-Walker Health, Us Helping Us, and HIPS. One of WAP’s projects involved training young people through the federally funded AmeriCorps program, Wickham said. At one-point WAP had 12 AmeriCorps members who “worked on the front lines” of HIV/AIDS programs, including as volunteer staff members to local AIDS organizations, according to Wickham.

“Since about 2005, we have been the largest HIV private funder in the region,” he said. “But we were much more. We also were a public policy organization.

We were a youth development organization,” he said, through the AmeriCorps program.

“WAP has provided over $35 million in funding to local organizations that focus programming and resources on the communities most affected by the epidemic,” the WAP statement says. “These grants have supported projects that significantly changed the landscape of HIV treatment and prevention in the District,” the statement says.

Megan Davies, Whitman-Walker Health’s Chief Program Officer, said Whitman-Walker has been the recipient of many WAP grants over the past 30 years in support of Whitman-Walker’s AIDS programs, including AIDS prevention efforts.

“Additionally, we have been a Washington AIDS Partnership AmeriCorps site for over 15 years, and it has been an honor working with such incredible individuals,” Davies said. “These young people brought so much energy and innovation to Whitman-Walker Health,” she said. And while there is still much to be done, Davies added, Channing Wickham and WAP “have helped D.C.’s rates of HIV incidence improve dramatically.”

In its early years and through the early 2000s, WAP has been credited with creating a new and highly effective way to provide funding for local, community-based HIV/AIDS organizations. As Wickham describes it, WAP,

among other things, became a philanthropic foundation that helped other far larger foundations and individual donors, including private-sector companies, decide how to support efforts to effectively address the HIV epidemic.

Several of the nation’s most prominent philanthropic foundations, including the Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation and the Gannett Foundation, donated millions of dollars directly to Washington AIDS Partnership and entrusted WAP to decide on the big donors’ behalf which local community groups should receive those funds through WAP grants.

“What we had was people at the table making these grant decisions,” Wickham said. “We had foundation representatives who entrusted us with their money. But we also had community leaders,” said Wickham. “We also had people living with HIV. So, we had the experts.”

Added Wickham, “We created a mechanism where together community and philanthropy and people with HIV were all together in a room and could talk through proposals and make the right decisions on where that money should go. We created a place where there was expertise that did not exist in individual foundations.”

Through that process over the years, according to Wickham, many of the individual foundations developed their own expertise on how to select and support local organizations doing HIV/AIDS work. And that, among other things, is part of the reason why WAP feels it has accomplished its work and can close its operations.

“It’s not insignificant to have the Partnership go,” Wickham told the Blade. “But, again, sometimes you have to know when it’s time to say we have succeeded, that we have accomplished our mission.”

Wickham is also quick to dispel rumors that have surfaced that one of the reasons WAP is closing is that he was retiring as executive director. He said he has no plans to retire after WAP closes at the end of the year, noting that he has plans to continue to be active in local and national causes.

“So, I’m not the story here,” he said. “The story is philanthropy came together in 1988 and over 35 years changed the course of the epidemic in our region. And at the right time, we decided that this philanthropic effort should sunset. I think that’s really the message,” Wickham points out.

“And I think that nonprofits should not go on forever, that once you accomplish your mission, then it’s time to say goodbye,” he said.

Biden to keynote HRC National Dinner

President Joe Biden will give the keynote address and first lady Jill Biden will deliver remarks during the Human Rights Campaign National Dinner on Saturday at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in D.C. In a press release, HRC President Kelley Robinson said, “We are incredibly excited and humbled to welcome President Biden and the first lady to our National Dinner.”

“The Biden administration has been exceptional advocates and change-makers for LGBTQ+ people

across this country and the world,” she said. “Despite the truly monumental steps the Biden administration have made for LGBTQ+ equality, like lifting the blanket ban on gay and bisexual men donating blood, enforcing nondiscrimination laws to protect LGBTQ+ people, and signing the Respect for Marriage Act into law, our community is living in a state of emergency — full stop.”

Robinson added, “It is up to all of us to combat this hate and show anti-LGBTQ+ extremists the growing

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power of our community.”

Biden has attended the dinner four times, delivering the keynote twice when vice president during the Obama-Biden administration. Vice President Kamala Harris headlined last year’s dinner, warning the audience that “the very existence of LGBTQ+ people is under assault.”

Months later, HRC would issue a state of emergency for LGBTQ Americans.

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Retired Smithsonian official John Benton dies at 72 Longtime Arlington resident was supporter of D.C. Gay Men’s Chorus

By LOU CHIBBARO JR. | lchibbaro@washblade.com

John F. Benton, an Arlington, Va., resident who worked for 45 years in the management, administration, and operations of nonprofit organizations and government agencies, including the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum, died Sept. 19 at the Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington after a short illness.

JOHN F. BENTON He was 72.

According to David Briggs, his partner of 45 years and husband for the past 10 years, Benton combined his distinguished career in Washington with a love for his friends and family and his many and varied interests, including the arts, music, and classic cars.

“Perhaps you knew John as the debonair driver who piloted his imposing, prize-winning 1971 Pontiac Bonneville convertible through the streets of Rehoboth Beach and environs,” Briggs wrote in a tribute to his husband published in the Washington Post.

Briggs said Benton was born in Hopewell, Va., and graduated from Dinwiddie High School in Dinwiddie County, Va. He graduated with honors from the University of Richmond’s Robins School of Business with a degree in business administration and economics.

“After holding increasingly senior positions in public service in Washington, D.C., he found what he would later describe as his ‘dream job’ – working for the Smithsonian Insti-

tution,” Briggs wrote in his tribute.

“In 2001, after a short detail to the Office of the Director, he became Associate Director for Management and Public Programs at the National Air and Space Museum,” Briggs states in his tribute. “For 12 years, John performed so admirably that, shortly after he retired in 2013, the Smithsonian asked him to return to active duty in high-level positions four times, including as Deputy Undersecretary for Finance and Administration for the Institution,” according to Briggs.

Briggs told the Washington Blade Benton played an early role in the renovation and redevelopment of the Air and Space Museum, which continues at this time, and he served as Interim Deputy Director at the National Zoological Park in Northwest D.C. The Arlington Community Foundation, where Briggs said Benton provided volunteer support, states on its website that prior to joining the Smithsonian Benton held positions with the U.S. Department of Treasury, the Department of Human Services, with Virginia’s state government, as well as in the private sector. It says following his 2018 official retirement, Benton devoted his time to “service on local nonprofit boards, arts and cultural institutions, and his alma mater.”

Briggs said that in addition to his involvement with the Arlington Community Foundation, Benton “devoted himself to furthering the work” of the Science Museum of Virginia, the Arlington Free Clinic, the Signature Theatre, the Arlington Commission for the Arts, and the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, “as well as many more community and arts organizations.”

As if all this were not enough, Briggs said Benton enjoyed “both listening to and making choral and organ music” and

loved to sing. He became involved with singing groups that traveled to England, Australia, and New Zealand, Briggs said.

“John connected with people, whether over a dinner table, over a board table, or over a cold drink in a theater lobby,” Briggs wrote in his tribute to his husband. “Once he made a connection, he kept you in mind and in his life, helping to connect you with others,” Briggs wrote.

“With family and friends alike, those connections remained strong across distances and years,” Briggs continues. “John treasured his many friends, celebrating their lives generously and with style.”

Benton is survived by his husband, David Briggs; his uncle Terry Turner of Dinwiddie, Va.; his niece, Vickie Bright, of Enid, Okla; Brigg’s sister, Elaine Briggs, of Bentonville, Ark; Brigg’s brother, Corey Briggs, of Quincy, Mass; and many cousins, friends, former colleagues, and community members in Arlington and the metro D.C. area.

Services celebrating Benton’s life were scheduled to be held on Oct. 28 at 2 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Washington, D.C., at 1328 16th St., N.W; and on Nov. 11, 2023, at 2 p.m. at River Road (Baptist) Church at 8000 River Rd. in Richmond, Va. Benton said his husband’s ashes will be interred in River Road Church’s columbarium.

Contributions in lieu of flowers in John Benton’s memory can be made to the Benton-Briggs Endowed Fund for the Arts of the Fund for Arlington Arts at the Arlington Community Foundation, according to Briggs. Briggs said he and Benton created the Fund for Arlington Arts “to support and advance the welfare and missions of the nonprofit arts in Arlington.” Donations may be made by mail or through the foundation’s website at www.aricf.org.

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Philly police seek suspect in gay journalist’s murder

Comings & Goings

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 Gregg A. Kelley on his new position as a senior consultant with Focus Fundraising, LLC. Focus Fundraising provides expertise in fundraising messaging and case development, prospect research, board development, and event management. On accepting the position he said, “I am excited to work with organizations that are making an important difference in our society. We all benefit when everyone in our community has the same opportunities that many of us have experienced.”

Kelley is an experienced fundraising and communications professional. He has spent more than 25 years in the D.C. nonprofit sector focusing on civil rights and marginalized communities. He has extensive experience with all components of the fundraising profession including major gifts, special events, annual funds, foundation, and government grants, planned giving and board development.

Most recently, he was part of the management team at the Washington Lawyers’

GREGG A. KELLEY

Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs as Director of Development and Communications. Prior to that, Kelley was the Director of Development for the Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia.

Kelley is actively involved with the Association of Fundraising Professionals and served as AFP D.C.’s president during its 50th anniversary. He has presented at many fundraising conferences and education programs. He served on the Resource Development Committee of the D.C. Access to Justice Commission and participated in the inaugural LGBT advisory board at Hillwood Museum. He served on the board of Miriam’s House, a housing program for women with HIV. PETER ROSENSTEIN

Lieutenant Hamilton Marshmond of the Philadelphia Police Department’s Homicide Unit told reporters on Oct. 6 that an arrest warrant has been issued for a 19-year-old man he said detectives believe was responsible for the shooting death of a gay journalist earlier in the week.

Marshmond stated that police are searching for South Philadelphia resident Robert Davis, who was an acquaintance of 39-year-old Josh Kruger, who was found lying in the street outside his Point Breeze home on Oct. 2 suffering from seven gunshot wounds. Responding officers rushed Kruger to a nearby hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

Marshmond told reporters Kruger had been trying to help Davis, who was facing various troubles including homelessness.

“He was just trying to help him get through life,” Marshmond said.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reported Marshmond told reporters the motive for the killing remains under investigation, and it’s unclear how Davis got into Kruger’s home, which showed no signs of forced entry. He said video of Davis near the area at the time of the shooting,

and tips from Kruger’s friends and family about their earlier interactions led investigators to him.

Davis’ last known address was on the 1600 block of South Ringgold Street, police said, just a few blocks from Kruger’s home on the 2300 block of Watkins Street.

Marshmond said Davis was known to police and had been arrested before, but declined to elaborate on officers’ earlier interactions with him. Court records show that Davis was arrested in August and charged with criminal trespassing and mischief, but the District Attorney’s Office withdrew the charges at a preliminary hearing the following month.

He warned that Davis “is considered armed and dangerous,” and that anyone who sees him should not approach him but instead call 911. Those who have information that could lead police to him are asked to call (215) 686-TIPS (8477).

There is a $20,000 reward for information that results in his apprehension and arrest.

A celebration of life and tribute to Kruger has been scheduled for the afternoon of Oct. 29 at William Way LGBT Community Center.

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NHL bans ‘Pride Tape’ for 2023-2024 season

The National Hockey League has banned the use of “Pride Tape” across all 32 teams in the league. This comes a week after ESPN reported the league clarified in a memo, sent out to all team franchises, regarding “special initiatives” teams could participate in including LGBTQ “Pride Nights.”

The news was first reported by Outsports.

ESPN’s Ryan Clark reported that one section of the memo stated: “Players shall not be put in the position of having to demonstrate (or where they may be appearing to demonstrate) personal support for any special initiatives. A factor that may be considered in this regard includes, for example, whether a player (or players) is required to be in close proximity to any groups or individuals visibly or otherwise clearly associated with such special initiative(s).”

In June, the NHL’s Board of Governors agreed that players will no longer wear special rainbow-colored Pridethemed jerseys during warm-ups next season.

The specially designed jerseys will continue to be manufactured and sold, and players will still have the option to autograph or even model them. The autographed Pride jerseys are typically auctioned off to raise money for LGBTQ charities in each team’s hometown.

But from now on, no pro hockey player will be wearing those rainbow jerseys during warm-ups.

The change was prompted by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman’s recommendation, which he signaled was coming in a March interview with CTV News: “This is one issue where players for a variety of reasons may not feel com-

A Washington Capitals player uses ‘Pride Tape’ during warmups at Hockey is for Everyone night in D.C. (Washington Capitals YouTube screenshot)

fortable wearing the uniform as a form of endorsement,” said Bettman.

A total of seven NHL players, out of 1,123, decided to skip pregame warmups on Pride Nights when their teammates wore the special rainbow-themed jerseys before games, starting with Ivan Provorov, as the Los Angeles Blade reported in January.

At that time, the Russian defenseman played for the Philadelphia Flyers, and claimed a religious exemption based on his Russian Orthodox faith. Provorov’s decision was defended by coach John Tortorella.

He was followed by James Reimer, a goaltender for the San Jose Sharks, and Canadian brothers Eric and Marc Staal of the Florida Panthers, who also cited their religious

beliefs for not participating. Canada is home to the vast majority of NHL players, followed by American, Swedish and Russian athletes.

Bettman’s recommendation was criticized by many players — including two-time Stanley Cup Tampa Bay Lightning’s Steven Stamkos who told reporters at the time: ”It was 98 percent or 99 percent of other players that wore the jersey and enjoyed wearing it and were proud wearing it, whatever jersey it was, whether it was the Pride, the military night, the cancer nights.

In its story, categorizing the NHL banning “Pride Tape,” as the league creating its own “Don’t Say Gay” policy, Outsports noted that the action taken is, as far as Outsports is aware, “the most stifling, anti-LGBTQ policy any pro sports league in North America has ever issued.”

The message the NHL is sending: Hockey is not for everyone.

The use of “Pride Tape” was promulgated by NHL and NHLPA in an effort to eradicate homophobia under the NHL’s Hockey Is For Everyone banner, and has been a program that has proven to be widely performative under the supervision of NHL Executive Vice President Kim Davis.

One person noted on background to Arun Srinivasan, a contributing writer for Yahoo Sports Canada, that use of “Pride Tape” is a small but important act of solidarity with LGBTQ communities, allowing NHL players to show their support in a visible way on the ice.

The NHL, the NHLPA and their partner, You Can Play, have yet to comment.

DAWN ENNIS

HRC PAC endorses Biden-Harris reelection bid

The Human Rights Campaign PAC endorsed President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’ bid for reelection in a statement Tuesday morning.

The group, America’s largest advocacy organization for LGBTQ people, noted the “wave of harmful and discriminatory legislation — some of which was engineered and championed by extremist GOP candidates running for president and their allies — and the concurrent spike in anti-transgender rhetoric and violence.”

For these reasons, HRC issued a state of emergency for LGBTQ Americans this past spring.

The group’s president, Kelley Robinson, cited “their steadfast and unyielding support of LGBTQ+ Americans” and noted their allyship comes at “a time when the forces

of hatred seek to divide us by race, place and identity” so “the choice in this election is clear.”

“In its first term, the Biden-Harris administration has worked closely with HRC and other advocates to secure so many historic, landmark victories for LGBTQ+ Americans — from protecting our right to marry who we love and challenging discriminatory laws seeking to deny healthcare to transgender youth, to strengthening policies that prevent discrimination in foster care, and affirming the identities of all Americans — including nonbinary people who previously could not secure a passport with appropriate gender markers,” Robinson said.

HRC noted the Biden-Harris administration’s “executive actions and rulemakings in a host of areas including fed-

eral employment protections for LGBTQ+ people, military service protections for transgender people, expanding mental health resources for LGBTQ+ youth, ensuring enforcement of LGBTQ+ students’ rights under Title IX, restoring nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ+ people in healthcare, and ending discrimination against gay and bisexual blood donors, among many others.”

By contrast, GOP candidates include “some of the most notorious anti-LGBTQ+ extremists” like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, HRC wrote.

The president and first lady Jill Biden will deliver remarks during HRC’s annual National Dinner on Saturday at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in D.C. CHRISTOPHER KANE

Navy officer given award for actions during Club Q shooting

U.S. Navy Information Systems Technician Petty Officer Second Class Thomas James was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal last week for his actions taken as one of the three persons who tackled and then disarmed the shooter in the LGBTQ Club Q nightclub mass shooting in Colorado Springs last November.

According to Colorado Springs Police Chief Adrian Vasquez at a press conference last year, James, U.S. Army veteran Rich Fierro and a transgender woman all joined in the courageous takedown, disarming the 22-year-old suspect and holding him until the arrival by responding Colorado Springs police officers.

James had grabbed the barrel of the weapon and restrained the gunman until the police arrived and took the assailant into custody, a Navy press release said.

He suffered a gunshot wound in his abdomen and burned his hands as a result of his actions. Still, he offered his seat in an ambulance to another injured person.

“I simply wanted to save the family I found,” James, originally from West Virginia, said in a statement in November 2022. “If I had my way, I would shield everyone I could from the nonsensical acts of hate in the world, but I am only one person.”

The shooter walked into Club Q late on Nov. 19, 2022, with multiple firearms and is accused of killing five people. At least 18 others were injured.

The Navy and Marine Corps Medal is the highest noncombat award for heroism and typically is awarded to those who put their own life in jeopardy.

BRODY LEVESQUE

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Information Systems Technician Second Class THOMAS JAMES, right, receives the Navy and Marine Corps Medal from Rear Adm. SCOTT ROBERTSON on Oct. 5.

(Photo by Joshua Armstrong/Defense Department)

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Justice Dep’t files new 23-count indictment against Santos

Congressman’s ex-campaign treasurer pled guilty last week

By BRODY LEVESQUE

United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Breon Peace announced Tuesday that a new 23-count superseding indictment was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, charging Republican New York Congressman George Santos with additional criminal counts in the ongoing cases against him.

Last May, Santos was indicted on 13 criminal counts of fraud, money laundering, theft of public funds and making false statements.

This week’s announcement follows the Justice Department’s announcement last week of a guilty plea from the Long Island-based ex-campaign treasurer for Santos, Nancy Marks, who was a top financial official on Santos’s congressional campaign.

Marks pleaded guilty last Thursday to one count of conspiracy to commit offenses against the U.S., which included wire fraud, falsifying records, and identity theft, according to court documents.

In pleading guilty to the criminal information, Marks admitted that she and the then candidate had added nonexistent donations from his friends and family in order to falsely inflate his campaign’s fundraising totals to qualify for help from the Republican National Committee.

“Marks did so for the purpose of making the Campaign Committee appear more financially sound than it was,” according to the court documents.

Marks admitted in those same court documents to falsely attesting that Santos had made a $500,000 loan to his campaign when he had not done so, in order to make his campaign seem more financially successful than it was.

In the announcement by the U.S. attorney, Santos was hit with with one count of conspiracy to commit offenses against the U.S., two counts of wire fraud, two counts of making materially false statements to the Federal Election Commission, two counts of falsifying records submitted to obstruct the FEC, two counts of aggravated identity theft, and one count of access device fraud, in addition to the seven counts of wire fraud, three counts of money laundering, one count of theft of public funds, and two counts of making materially false statements to the U.S. House of Representatives that were charged in the original indictment.

He is due back in federal court in Central Islip, N.Y. on Oct. 23.

“As alleged, Santos is charged with stealing people’s identities and making charges on his own donors’ credit cards without their authorization, lying to the FEC and, by extension, the public about the financial state of his campaign. Santos falsely inflated the campaign’s reported receipts with non-existent loans and contributions that were either fabricated or stolen” stated Peace. “This office will relentlessly pursue criminal charges against anyone who uses the electoral process as an opportunity to defraud the public and our government institutions.”

“Santos allegedly led multiple additional fraudulent criminal schemes, lying to the American public in the process. The FBI is committed to upholding the laws of

our electoral process. Anyone who attempts to violate the law as part of a political campaign will face punishment in the criminal justice system,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Smith.

“The defendant — a Congressman — allegedly stole the identities of family members and used the credit card information of political contributors to fraudulently inflate his campaign coffers,” stated Donnelly. “We thank our partners in the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI as we work together to root out public corruption on Long Island.”

As alleged in the superseding indictment, Santos, who was elected to Congress last November and sworn in as the U.S. representative for New York’s 3rd Congressional District on Jan. 7, 2023, engaged in two fraudulent schemes, in addition to the multiple fraudulent schemes alleged in the original indictment.

During the 2022 election cycle, Santos was a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in New York’s 3rd Congressional District. Nancy Marks, who pleaded guilty on Oct. 5, 2023 to related conduct, was the treasurer for his principal congressional campaign committee, Devolder-Santos for Congress.

During this election cycle, Santos and Marks conspired with one another to devise and execute a fraudulent scheme to obtain money for the campaign by submitting materially false reports to the FEC on behalf of the campaign, in which they inflated the campaign’s fundraising numbers for the purpose of misleading the FEC, a national party committee, and the public.

Specifically, the purpose of the scheme was to ensure that Santos and his campaign qualified for a program administered by the national party committee, pursuant to which the national party committee would provide financial and logistical support to Santos’ campaign. To qualify for the program, Santos had to demonstrate, among other things, that his congressional campaign had raised at least $250,000 from third-party contributors in a single quarter.

To create the public appearance that his campaign had met that financial benchmark and was otherwise financially viable, Santos and Marks agreed to falsely report to the FEC that at least 10 family members of Santos and Marks had made significant financial contributions to the campaign, when Santos and Marks both knew that these individuals had neither made the reported contributions nor given authorization for their personal information to be included in such false public reports.

In addition, understanding that the national party committee relied on FEC fundraising data to evaluate candidates’ qualification for the program, Santos and Marks agreed to falsely report to the FEC that Santos had loaned the campaign significant sums of money, when, in fact, Santos had not made the reported loans and, at the time the loans were reported, did not have the funds necessary to make such loans. These false reported loans included a $500,000 loan, when Santos had less than $8,000 in his personal and business bank accounts.

Through the execution of this scheme, Santos and Marks ensured that Santos met the necessary financial

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Gay Rep. GEORGE ANTHONY DEVOLDER SANTOS (R-N.Y.) (Photo courtesy Office of Rep. George Santos/Facebook)

benchmarks to qualify for the program administered by the national party committee. As a result of qualifying for the program, the congressional campaign received financial support.

In addition, between approximately December 2021 and August 2022, Santos devised and executed a fraudulent scheme to steal the personal identity and financial information of contributors to his campaign. He then charged contributors’ credit cards repeatedly, without their authorization. Because of these unauthorized transactions, funds were transferred to Santos’ campaign, to the campaigns of other candidates for elected office, and to his own bank account.

To conceal the true source of these funds and to circumvent campaign contribution limits, Santos falsely represented that some of the campaign contributions were made by other persons, such as his relatives or associates, rather than the true cardholders. Santos did not have authorization to use their names in this way.

For example, in December 2021, one contributor (the “contributor”) texted Santos and others to make a contribution to his campaign, providing billing information for two credit cards. In the days after he received the billing information, Santos used the credit card information to make numerous contributions to his campaign and affiliated political committees in amounts exceeding applicable contribution limits, without the contributor’s knowledge or authorization.

To mask the true source of these contributions and thereby circumvent the applicable campaign contribution limits, Santos falsely identified the contributor for one of the charges as one of his relatives.

In the following months, Santos repeatedly charged the contributor’s credit card without the contributor’s knowledge or authorization, attempting to make at least $44,800 in charges and repeatedly concealing the true source of funds by falsely listing the source of funds as Santos himself, his relatives and other contributors.

On one occasion, Santos charged $12,000 to the contributor’s credit card, ultimately transferring the vast majority of that money into his personal bank account.

The charges in the superseding indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section, the Long Island Criminal Division, and the Justice Department Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section.

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LGBTQ groups rally to support Israelis during war

LGBTQ rights groups in Israel have rallied to support to those who have been impacted by their country’s war against Hamas that began Saturday.

Hila Peer, chair of the Aguda, the Association for LGBTQ Equality in Israel, on Monday said her organization and other Israeli LGBTQ rights groups have launched an “operation to take in people” who have been evacuated from communities in southern Israel that are near the Gaza Strip. The Aguda has also encouraged anyone to reach out if they want to donate food or equipment to members of the Israel Defense Forces or offer “a listening ear.”

Members of Ma’avarim, an Israeli transgender rights group, cook meals for Israel Defense Forces members in Tel Aviv.

(Photo courtesy of Ma’avarim’s Facebook page)

“We are here for each other,” reads a post to the Aguda’s Facebook page. “Let’s not go through this alone.”

“We’re keeping safe, trying to do everything we can to help our friends in reserves right now and people in active service,” Peer told the Washington Blade.

Hoshen, an advocacy group that works in secular Is-

raeli schools, on its website also encouraged its members to donate food and equipment and host evacuees from southern Israel. Hoshen, like the Aguda, has also pledged to help Israelis who the war has directly impacted.

“Our role as a community is to stand together, hand in hand and heart to heart, to help, assist, support and encourage them,” said Hoshen.

Maya Arbel, executive director of Ma’avarim, a transgender rights group, on Tuesday said she and her colleagues are cooking meals for IDF soldiers and collecting donations. “[During] these times, it’s crucial for the transgender community in Israel to be part of Israeli society and contribute to civic efforts, fostering a sense of unity with the hope and goal of coming together and improving our situation during this crisis,” Arbel told the Blade.

Arbel said Ma’avarim is also working to ensure trans people continue to have access to health care and other basic needs during the war.

“The transgender community in emergency situations are especially vulnerable, as not every space is accommodating to transgender identities, and those who rely on medical resources may be marginalized due to the emergency situation,” said Arbel. “These days of chaos emphasize the importance of preparedness and knowhow for aid and calmness.”

A Wider Bridge — a U.S.-based organization that seeks to build “a movement of LGBTQ people and allies with a strong interest in and commitment to supporting Israel and its LGBTQ communities” — is accepting donations on its website that it will send to Israeli advocacy groups.

Hamas, which the U.S. and Israel have designated a terrorist organization, on Saturday launched a surprise attack against communities in southern Israel from Gaza.

The Israeli government has said more than 1,200 people have been killed, including at least 260 people who

Hamas militants murdered at an all-night music festival in a kibbutz near the border between Israel and Gaza.

The Israeli government also says more than 3,000 people have been injured in the country since the war began and Hamas militants kidnapped at least 150 others.

Hamas rockets have reached Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Ben Gurion Airport and other locations in central and southern Israel. The AP reports IDF forces and Hezbollah, another militant group, have exchanged fire across the Israeli-Lebanese border.

The Palestinian Health Ministry on its website says Israeli airstrikes in Gaza have killed 1,055 people and injured 5,184 others. The Israeli government has cut electricity and water to the territory and has stopped food and fuel shipments.

“As a community, we stand with the people of Israel and condemn those who choose terror and torture over peace,” said Congregation Bet Mishpachah, an LGBTQ synagogue in D.C., on Tuesday in a statement sent to the Blade. “For many, Israel not only represents the homeland of the Jewish people, but also stands out as a beacon of freedom, hope and acceptance for LGBTQ+ Jews and non-Jews alike in the Middle East and around the world.”

Rabbi Jake Singer-Beilin joined D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and Eliav Benjamin, the deputy chief of mission for the Israeli Embassy in Washington, among thousands of others, at a prayer vigil that took place at Adas Israel Congregation in Northwest D.C. on Tuesday.

“We recognize the necessity for the people and State of Israel’s right to defend themselves against groups who wish to take away those freedoms and seek the total annihilation of the Jewish people,” said Bet Mishpachah in its statement. “Our hearts mourn the loss of innocent lives in Gaza as well.”

Continues at washingtonblade.com.

MICHAEL K. LAVERS

Gay Israeli man’s friends killed during music festival massacre

A man whose boyfriend is an officer in the Israel Defense Forces said Hamas militants killed several of his friends who were attending a music festival in southern Israel on Saturday.

“I don’t know just one … I can’t even count right now,” Shmuel Hugi told the Washington Blade on Tuesday during a WhatsApp interview from his home in Tel Aviv.

Hugi, 29, spoke with the Blade three days after Hamas, which the U.S. and Israel have designated a terrorist organization, launched a surprise attack against communities in southern Israel from the Gaza Strip.

He said upwards of 3,000 people were at the all-night Tribe of Nova music festival that was taking place near Re’im, a kibbutz that is three miles from the border between Israel and Gaza, when the attack began on Saturday at around 6:30 a.m. local time (11 p.m. ET on Friday.)

Israeli officials say Hamas militants killed at least 260 people at the festival. They kidnapped what the Associated Press has reported as “a still undetermined number” of others and brought them back to Gaza.

Hugi said he received an invitation to attend the festival.

“My friends went there, some of them,” he told the Blade. “I just heard the stories from the families and the

SHMUEL HUGI (right) with his boyfriend DENNIS, who is a member of the Israel Defense Forces.

(Photo via Shmuel Hugi’s Instagram)

survivors,” added Hugi. “They are terrifying.”

Hugi said he does not know anyone who the militants kidnapped and brought into Gaza. Many of his friends, however, have relatives who remain missing.

“They’re assuming they’re over there (in Gaza) because of no signs of life or contact or what happened,” said

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Hugi.

Hugi and his boyfriend, Dennis, met a year ago. They live together in Tel Aviv.

“From the moment I saw him I knew he was going to be my husband,” Hugi told the Blade.

Dennis, 25, was on a weekend leave from IDF earlier this month when he and Hugi attended a “Pride festival party” for the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. Upwards of 20,000 people attended the event that Israeli DJ Offer Nissim headlined.

The party coincided with Dennis and Hugi’s birthdays, which are Oct. 2 and Oct. 3 respectively.

Hugi said the IDF was about to transfer his boyfriend to another assignment that would have allowed him to remain at home more often. Hugi told the Blade the commander who was going to replace him has been killed.

“Now we don’t know how he’s going to continue and how it’s going to affect our relationship and our plans for the future, but this is the smallest problem now,” he said.

Two of Hugi’s brothers are also in the IDF and have been deployed.

“I can’t say it’s easy,” said Hugi. “It’s not.”

Continues at washingtonblade.com.

MICHAEL K. LAVERS

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Gay Prince Eddy, Kind, Caring, Un�it to Murder 20 Million

(Part 6 in a series)

ETHAN FELSON

is the executive director of A Wider Bridge, an organization that builds a strong relationship between the LGBTQ communities in North America and Israel.

Amid unspeakable violence, silence isn’t an option Hamas militants launch surprise attack on Israel killing hundreds

Most mornings, we wake from our dreams. But on Oct. 7, Israelis and all who support them awoke to a nightmare. Hamas, the terror group that rules the Gaza Strip, viciously attacked Israel by land, sea, and air, on the Sabbath and a Jewish holiday. Hundreds of Israelis have been murdered, thousands more are injured, and many others have been taken hostage. This horrifying act of violence is personal to all Israelis, and to many other Americans, including me.

The very real issues that have caused division recently seem distant today — and even trivial — while our friends in Israel are locked in safe rooms, listening to sirens blaring and rockets exploding overhead.

Hamas’s attack was brutal, calculated and designed to inflict the maximum physical harm to the maximum number of innocent civilians. There is devastating emotional harm to ordinary Israelis. Hamas murdered elderly people in the street. They pulled families from their homes, including young children, and are keeping them hostage. They paraded young people and the elderly, dead and alive, through the streets of Gaza. The echoes of the past are deafening.

Dear friends of ours are in deep trauma right now. Funerals are happening. The injured are suffering. We are all distraught with worry about those who have been abducted. Their pictures fill our social media feeds.

Please hear the pain that our friends and family are experiencing. And do something.

Many of us have condemned atrocities in Ukraine, Sudan, Myanmar, Iran and elsewhere. We have taken action, lobbied and posted our opinions online. While this may feel like just another hopeless horror in the world, please don’t be silent now. This is not a “both sides” situation.

Whatever the grievances of Israel’s Palestinian neighbors, this is an unprovoked act of war that will cause boundless suffering and devastation to everyone involved. There is no calculation by which this terror brings us any closer to peace or justice.

Sadly, this type of escalation and violence isn’t new. Since its founding, Israel has never known a day without threats to its very existence.

I know that many around the world look at Israel as a powerful player. Those who know Israelis well, and I hope every reader has had the opportunity to know some Israelis, recognize a different calculus. Israelis may be grateful for military strength, but they’ve always known that very powerful forces are aligned against it. Israelis feel that keenly right now. And those who connect with Israel, who have visited, or have friends and family there feel that now as well.

Your voice matters — on social media, in articles and op-eds and in your everyday conversations. Many people who are close to Israel feel isolated and unsafe, including in the LGBTQ community.

I can just imagine the pain that college students must be feeling on campuses where their connection to Israel is used against them. The country they love, and perhaps loved ones who live there, are under attack. Will they feel safe to share their pain without inviting harm from others? Can they come to queer spaces to find support? I am thinking in particular about what happened recently at Rice University. The leading LGBTQ group there decided to boycott the school’s leading Jewish group. Rice PRIDE falsely branded Hillel International as hostile to Palestinians — and singled out the main Jewish group on campus, Rice Hillel, for a boycott. In effect, Rice PRIDE was acting out a version of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, using LGBTQ Jewish students as a proxy to demonstrate opposition to the Israeli government.

This discriminatory act, like many others on other campuses and across parts of the LGBTQ community, leaves LGBTQ Jews feeling they have to choose between their LGBTQ and their Jewish identities — especially since national identity and connection to Israel is so deeply woven into how many Jews experience our faith. Imagine the isolation they feel on that campus, having once had a close partnership between the Pride and Hillel groups. Now imagine this against the rising tide of anti-Semitism and LGBTQ phobia in our broader society.

It’s a daunting situation for these students, made even more acute and devastating after this latest outbreak of violence in Israel.

Imagine instead how those same students and other LGBTQ Jews might feel knowing that there are LGBTQ people who stand with them?

Much of what happens around the world can feel out of our control, and it’s easy to feel like our actions can’t possibly make a difference. Now is the time to put one foot in front of the other and take action on the things we can change. Standing in solidarity with LGBTQ Jews is one concrete action we all can take together.

May the coming days bring peace, justice, and understanding to Israel, the region, and all of us around the world as we deal with this violent and dangerous moment.

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CHARLES FRANCIS is author of ‘Archive Activism: Memoir of a ‘Uniquely Nasty’ Journey’ (UNT Press, 2023).

JEFF TRAMMELL is a former Rector of The College of William & Mary and served as chair of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund.

Saving democracy for LGBTQ America

Our community is under a full-blown authoritarian populist assault

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There is an existential question confronting millions of LGBTQ Americans: How can we help ensure that America’s democracy, the source of our past and future progress, continues? Will our democracy survive the decade’s end? The absolute key to all LGBTQ progress since the 1950s has been our ability to work through our democratic system, sometimes two steps forward and one step backward, but always working toward full equality in a functioning democracy.

Where authoritarian governments exist, from countries like Russia, Hungary, Poland, Turkey and Qatar to heavily gerrymandered, one-party state legislatures like Tennessee and Texas, our community is under a full-blown authoritarian populist assault. International death penalties and whippings run down the same line to American verbal assault: “pedos,” “groomers,” “don’t indoctrinate our children.” It is clear that our community’s basic rights are dependent upon governments that embody pluralism and grassroots democracy. As part of the larger movement to save democracy, we cannot afford to let ourselves be divided internally. The initialism “LGBTQIA+” can fragment queer identities, sometimes baffling even ourselves. Divided LGBTQ citizens make such easy bait for populist assaults.

The Big Bang of LGBTQ political participation in America’s democracy happened with the first homosexual magazine of ideas, ONE. Launched in Los Angeles by members of the original Mattachine Society, ONE was not “beefcake” or porn. In 1954, the Los Angeles Post Office, pressured by FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, seized the issues of ONE, declaring it obscene and un-mailable. ONE fought back with the only weapon it had, a historic cover story, “You Can’t Print It!” written by ONE’s legal counsel Eric Julber. Julber successfully argued for the Supreme Court to ignore Hoover’s wishes by ruling in ONE’s favor on First Amendment grounds (ONE, Inc. v Olesen, 1958). No longer “obscene” merely because it was a gay publication, ONE was free to use the U.S. mail like any other publication, paving the way for the first lesbian national publication, the Daughters of Bilitis’ “The Ladder.” Eric Julber, decades later at age 90, told the new Mattachine Society, “In those days, access to the mail was vital; no mail, no speech! I knew this was a vital civil liberties issue.” Julber knew at that moment LGBTQ Americans were free to engage the American democracy. All it took was breaking out of the brown wrappers and into the mail.

Every victory, most recently with the bipartisan passage of the Respect for Marriage Act and the Biden administration’s reaffirming non-discrimination against transgender military service members, is a direct result of speech, years of peaceful assembly and organizing in a liberal democracy.

If America’s democracy were to collapse in a constitutional crisis of the kind we narrowly escaped by attempted coup on Jan. 6, imagine how LGBTQ Americans would fare with American authoritarians who admire Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban? A hero to Christian nationalists who consider Budapest a new intellectual capital of religious liberty, Orban thundered at the 2022 CPAC meeting in Dallas, “Leave our children alone!” Don’t be afraid to call your enemies by name! The war is a culture war!” Sucking up to Texans he shouted, “We don’t need more genders; we need more Rangers.” Orban received a standing ovation. Polish President Andrzej Duda, an American ally, recently claimed, “LGBTQ ideology is more destructive than Communism.” The dark absurdity of this populist appeal demeans the millions of Poles deported to labor and concentration camps in the Soviet Union. A recent study by the Williams Institute establishes a strong association between democracy indicators and LGBTQ acceptance. In Poland, the study reports, there are now “LGBT ideology free zones” created by nearly one hundred local governments.”

This year, more anti-LGBTQ bills have been introduced than anytime in American history, mostly by Republican state legislators from districts gerrymandered to prevent competitive elections. It seems whenever democracy is curtailed, we lose. We know our natural predators are populist autocrats and their enabling courts. They stalk queer citizens for their political sport. It is so simple for populist campaigns to chum the waters by “otherizing” us into an Enemy of the People. Without America’s democracy and our tradition of pluralism, LGBTQ Americans — engaged, equal and empowered — are done.

For LGBTQ Americans, history shows we have found our strength and endurance in democracy. Democracy is how we got here. We must put aside all of our various issues, worthy organizational goals and shades of identity to prioritize something larger than ourselves, our precious American democracy.

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PETER ROSENSTEIN

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

Slava Ukraini: Glory to the heroes of Ukraine A reminder that this is also our war

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2 2 • WA SHIN GTO N BLADE.COM • OCTOBER 13 , 2 0 2 3 • V I E WP O I NT

It should be clear to any rational thinking person, the war in Ukraine is also our war. It is simple; the Ukrainian war defending against Putin’s aggression, is one the United States must support.

If Ukraine loses, and Putin is allowed to take over their country, the United States and Europe will regret not having done more to support Ukraine.

Putin would be emboldened to move into another country, perhaps Poland. After all, if he sees the United States, and other countries, curtailing their support for Ukraine, Putin will see his dream of rebuilding the Soviet Union as something that is possible.

If Russia attacks a NATO country, the United States is required to do more than supply weapons and humanitarian aid. We will be sending our men and women in uniform to fight.

Section 5 of the NATO Alliance, commits us to defending any partner that is attacked. So, Americans must stop listening to irrational thinking, suggesting the war in Ukraine is not our war. It is, and we must do our part to ensure Ukraine wins.

What many, including some of the morons in Congress, miss about the funding they are being asked to approve for Ukraine, is much of that money is being spent here at home, in their own districts. Money is going to American companies, working hard to restock our military with weapons and ammunition we are sending to Ukraine. We are creating jobs and wealth for our own people, while the Ukrainian military, those heroes, are putting their lives on the line on the battlefield. Why would any member of Congress from Alabama or Iowa not vote for money for Ukraine? It is their constituents who have jobs building the missiles and munitions we are sending to fight this war. Plants in many states are working overtime on resupply, and Americans are making money to support their families and help their local economies.

I am from the Vietnam War generation. I demonstrated against the war but was willing to fight if drafted. When my draft number was called, I went down to my draft board ready to go to basic training, but was sent home classified 1Y for medical reasons. I want every young man and woman of the age to fight, and their parents, to think about whether they would rather have the heroes in Ukraine on the battlefield, or take the chance if we don’t support them and Putin wins, our kids could all be called to serve on the front lines themselves.

It is clear, as the richest nation in the world, the United States can afford to support Ukraine in this war. If MAGA Republicans like Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), and Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), among others, got get their heads out of their asses, they would understand this is a question of defending our national security, and members of Congress have no greater responsibility to their constituents than that. They claim we can’t afford it. Let’s be clear, MAGA Republicans are not alone in wanting to reduce our national debt, now at $33 trillion. MAGA Republicans, now nearly the entire Republican Party, want to cut programs for children, seniors, education, and healthcare. At the same time, they reduced taxes on the wealthy under Trump, which by the end of this year will have cost the treasury $2 trillion. In comparison the $75 billion we have given Ukraine since the start of the war, pales.

Democrats also want to cut the deficit, just do it differently. They want to raise taxes on the rich and corporations, and create new jobs that build the economy, erasing the debt that way.

Democrats don’t want to play games with our national security. They understand we can and must continue to support Ukraine. It may be wise to have Democrats consider supporting a new Speaker of the House if one is nominated who commits to bringing a Ukraine funding bill to the floor.

In the long run this is just another issue Republicans are wrong on. Democrats understand we can cut the deficit, fund Ukraine, and at the same time work toward keeping our commitment to women, and the LGBTQ community, for full equality. We can end structural racism, and finally be a nation that grants civil rights to all people. This is not a pipe dream. It can be our reality if we elect a congress and president who believe in these things, and are willing to do the hard work to make them reality. Sadly today, only Democrats are willing to do all this, and we must elect them.

At Barrie School, everyone belongs!

A sense of belonging is crucial to our students’ day-to-day happiness, satisfaction, and mental and physical health. We build this understanding into our curriculum and into ongoing efforts to make sure every member of the Barrie community feels they belong.

Come see for yourself!

Ask about our Millenium Scholarship and Fall Expeditions for Grades 6-12!

Admission Open House Saturday, October 21

3 Mos - Grade 5 | 9:00 – 10:15am Grades 6-12 | 11:00 – 12:15pm

Learn more and RSVP:

barrie.org/admission Following Open House, please join us from 1 to 4 pm at our Fall Festival.

Free Admission!

3 Months to Grade 12

barrie.org

13500 Layhill Road • Silver Spring, MD \ Bus Transportation & Extended Day Available \ admission@barrie.org • 301.576.2800

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Reel Affirmations celebrates 30 years of queer filmmaking ‘Not only have we survived … we thrived’

By KAELA ROEDER regard to LGBTQ rights, is a meaningful symbol.

Reel Affirmations, the District’s international LGBTQ film “It’s important to see positive affirming life stories from festival, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. For all over the globe,” Bush said.

Kimberley Bush, the occasion represents a triumph.

André Hereford, programming chair of Reel Affirma“Not only have we survived the incredibly substantial tions, agreed with that sentiment. The festival taking place funding challenges, we thrived,” Bush, the executive direcin the District also speaks to the queer-friendliness of the tor of the D.C. LGBTQ+ Community Center and director city, he said. of arts and cultural programming, said in an interview with “We have this space to freely tell our core stories and the Washington Blade. “We’re still standing there proudly. show them to people,” said Hereford, who’s been involved We’re standing prominently.” with Reel Affirmations since 2015. “It’s a celebration.”

Hosted by the Center, the festival will feature more than 50 films from 22 countries, running from Oct. 20-22.

There’s something for everyone Screenings will be held at the Eaton Hotel and virtually for those who cannot attend the festival in person. There will Reel Affirmations received an influx of submissions this be D.C. premieres of several documentaries, shorts, and year — about 230. This gave Hereford and the programfeature films. ming team a “luxury of choice.”

There will also be retrospective screenings of past festiIt’s hard for Hereford to choose which screening he’s val favorites, like the 1996 coming-of-age comedy-drama, most excited about. But he’s looking forward to bringing “Beautiful Thing,” and John Cameron Mitchell’s groundback past films to give people the opportunity to see a breaking 2006 film “Shortbus.” classic queer film on their list, he said.

General admission tickets begin at $15 for live screen“These films represent quality and, in some sense, gay ings and $10 for virtual screenings. There will also be history,” Hereford said.

Q&As with filmmakers after several of the live showings.

He’s also looking forward to showcasing several D.C. premieres, including “Kenyatta: Do Not Wait Your Turn” — The early years a documentary following Pennsylvania state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, who ran for Senate in 2022. Kenyatta was the first Reel Affirmations began back in 1991 and was hosted by openly LGBTQ person of color to be elected to the Pennthe nonprofit One in Ten, a D.C. LGBTQ arts organization. sylvania General Assembly in 2018.

The festival went dark in 2013 and 2014 but was revived “It’s a fantastic political documentary,” Hereford said. when the D.C. LGBTQ+ Community Center picked up the “It’s really exceptional in terms of the insight into what it program in 2015. Bush spearheaded the resurgence of takes to really run a campaign.”

Reel Affirmations at the center.

Tim Harris, director of the film, said he’s honored the Bush has been involved with the festival for decades. documentary will be featured at Reel Affirmations, espeShe got involved with One in Ten in 1996 and held many cially because it’s an LGBTQ-specific film festival. roles, including as a film programmer and film traffic co“The way that the queer community has embraced the ordinator at the beginning of her time there. Later, she film and responded to the film is so meaningful,” Harris served as the film festival director, the director of marketsaid. “And I think they’re the audience that needs to see ing and held a position on the board of directors. this right now. Especially Black gay men, I think, are really “I have a deep, deep history with the film festival and a seeing themselves in Malcolm’s story. He’s inspiring peodeep, deep love,” she said. ple.”

When the festival started, queer representation in movOther documentaries include “Out of Uganda,” which ies was especially scarce in the mainstream films screening follows the experience of young LGBTQ Ugandans who in theaters. It was incredibly important to Bush to be a part are fighting to survive against oppression, discrimination of an effort to boost and celebrate LGBTQ visibility in film. and violence. “Coming Around,” directed by Sandra ItäinBut when she went to meetings for the festival, there was en, shows the life of a queer Muslim woman from Brooklyn still a gap. grappling with the intersections of her faith, identity, and “I didn’t really see a face that looked like mine, the face the choice to come out to her devout mother. of a Black woman,” Bush said.

There are also several feature film screenings over the So she fought for more representation in the festival for three-day festival. “All the Colors of the World Are Between marginalized and underrepresented LGBTQ people. She Black and White” by Nigerian director Babatunde Apalaunched an African-American and women’s film screenlowo spotlights navigating queer relationships in spaces ing series, for example. where homosexuality is taboo. The much-anticipated film “I knew I wanted to see reflections of my race and gen“Our Son,” directed by Bill Oliver and starring Billy Porter der,” Bush said, “and I knew that our community wanted and Luke Evans, will make its D.C. debut following its prethat as well.” miere at the Tribeca Film Festival this past summer.

A crucial gathering place Reel Affirmations will also showcase several shorts including “Safe Word,” which features two men navigating Given D.C.’s large LGBTQ population, it is important to their Dom-sub relationship. The short premiered at the have safe spaces like Reel Affirmations, Bush said. Being in GALA Hispanic Theatre in November 2022, and D.C.a space with fellow LGBTQ film lovers and meeting queer based director Christopher Cunetto said he’s looking filmmakers is incredibly affirming, and makes people feel forward to the full circle moment of screening the film at less alone. another D.C. film festival nearly a year later.

And the fact the festival takes place in the nation’s cap“We’re just really excited to be coming home,” Cunetto ital as several states introduce anti-LGBTQ laws, and as said. several countries abroad grapple with political distress in 2 4 • WA SHIN GTO N BLADE.COM • OCTOBER 13 , 2 0 2 3

“Kenyatta - Do Not Wait Your Turn”

“Out Of Uganda”

LUKE EVANS and BILLY PORTER in “Our Son”

Looking forward

Reel Affirmations has survived funding challenges and changes in host organizations. It used to be a 10-day festival, which Bush hopes to revive one day.

The D.C. LGBTQ+ Community Center is in the process of moving into a larger space, where Bush would like to bring the festival in future years. She also wants to bring back monthly screenings, known as Reel Affirmations XTRA, once the center relocates.

“Venue space rental expense here in D.C. is exorbitant and cost prohibitive,” Bush said.

This is a bigger problem for several arts and film organizations, Bush said. It squashes the ability for artists to showcase their work, she said.

Many film festivals have shuttered permanently due to funding challenges, but even after going dark for a couple of years, Reel Affirmations is still standing. And Bush is proud of that.

“I’m very, very proud to have been part of the movement to keep our cinematic LGBTQ-wide stories visible, and out there, and accessible,” Bush said.

To register for screenings and to learn more about the festival, visit reelaffirmations2023.eventive.org/welcome.

#FABULOUS #FUNNY #HEARTWARMING #MUSIC #CABARET

NOVEMBER 4, 2023 2PM (ASL), 5PM & 8PM KEEGAN THEATRE, 1742 CHURCH ST NW TICKETS AND INFO AT GMCW.ORG ASL TICKETS AND GROUPS OF 10 OR MORE, CALL 202-293-1548

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Friday, October 13

CALENDAR |

“Center Aging: Friday Tea Time” will be at 2 p.m. on Zoom. This event is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. For more information, contact adam@thedccenter.org.

Women in their Twenties and Thirties will be at 8 p.m. on Zoom. This is a social discussion group for queer women in the Washington, D.C. area. For more information, join WiTT’s closed Facebook group.

Saturday, October 14 Universal Pride Meeting will be at 1 p.m. on Zoom. This group seeks to support, educate, empower, and create change for people with disabilities. For more details, email group’s facilitator andyarias09@gmail.com.

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Brunch” at 11 a.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant.

Guests are encouraged to come enjoy brunch with other LGBTQ+ folk.. Admission is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

By TINASHE CHINGARANDE

Thursday, October 19

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

Virtual Yoga Class with Jesse Z. will be at 12 p.m. online. This is a weekly class focusing on yoga, breath work, and meditation. Guests are encouraged to RSVP on the DC Center’s website, providing your name, email address, and zip code, along with any questions you may have. A link to the event will be sent at 6 p.m. the day before.

OUT & ABOUT Chasten Buttigieg headed to Delaware for book talk

Sunday, October 15 “Washington DC LGBTQ+ Wedding Expo” will be at 12:30 p.m. at Country Club at Woodmore. Guests will have the opportunity to plan their special day in the company of local LGBTQ welcoming wedding businesses and couples also in the midst of planning their weddings. Admission is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Go Gay DC will host “Drag Show for Charity” at 8 p.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. Tips to the drag performers this evening will benefit worthy charities that have been vetted by the Imperial Court of Washington DC. Admission is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Chasten Buttigieg will visit the Lewes Public Library for a book talk and signing on Saturday, Oct. 21 at 6 p.m.

The event is co-sponsored by the library, CAMP Rehoboth, and Browseabout Books.

Buttigieg’s memoir, “I Have Something to Tell You,” was recently adapted for young adults and is about growing up gay in a small Midwestern town.

It includes new stories and resources for readers, parents, and teachers.

Registration for the event is required and can be done on Lewes Public Library’s website.

Monday, October 16 Genderqueer DC will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a support group for people who identify outside of the gender binary whether you’re bigender, agender, genderfluid, or just know that you’re not 100% cis. For more details, visit www.genderqueerdc.org or Facebook.

Center Aging Monday Coffee and Conversation will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. LGBT Older Adults — and friends — are invited to enjoy friendly conversations and to discuss any issues you might be dealing with. For more information, visit the Center Aging’s Facebook or Twitter.

Tuesday, October 17 BiRoundtable Discussion will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This event is an opportunity for people to gather in order to discuss issues related to bisexuality or as bi individuals in a private setting. For more details, visit Facebook or Meetup.

Wednesday, October 18 Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email centercareers@thedccenter.org or visit www.thedccenter.org/careers.

“Watercolor Painting with Laya Monarez” will be at 1 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This event is an afternoon of painting watercolors and lunch. In the painting class, guests will learn about watercolor techniques, be given a demonstration, and allowed to create your own watercolor pieces. To RSVP, visit the DC Center’s website.

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CHASTEN BUTTIGIEG, husband of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, will discuss his book in Lewes, Del.

DC History Center welcomes families for a fun day The DC History Center will host a hands-on experience with historic collections and exhibitions on Saturday, Oct. 14 at 10 a.m. at Carnegie Library

in Mount Vernon Square.

Attendees will begin the day on the second floor of the library where they can listen in on pop-up talks in “The Big Picture,” check out the Kiplinger Research Library and get crafty in the Memorial Hall with protest buttons and collages. At 1:30 p.m., there will be a workshop with local poets Sami Miranda and Kenneth Carroll in the First Floor Forum.

For more information, visit the DC History Center’s website.

LEFT PAGE

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THEATER

Studio Theatre marks foray into foreign language with ‘Espejos: Clean’ Engaging play features ambitious hotel staffer and needy guest

By PATRICK FOLLIARD With its huge plastic pyramids and floating bars, Cancún is worlds away from the real Mexico.

In Christine Quintana’s “Espejos: Clean,” currently at Studio Theatre, the lives of two very disparate but somehow similar women are thrown up for comparison in a compassionate and compelling way.

There’s Adriana (Legna Cedillo), a no-nonsense hotel martinet doing her thing. Eight years earlier she drove six hours from her hometown to work in the splashy coastal resort and never looked back. Over time, she’s risen through various positions, eventually climbing to supervisor of more than 30 cleaners and 400 rooms.

Part of Adriana’s secret to success is adhering to a strict set of rules that include keeping her distance from needy hotel guests and never letting her hair down, literally and figuratively. When Sarah, a messy Canadian, checks in for her younger sister’s destination wedding, she seeks connection with those around her. Consequently, Adriana – by no fault of her own – violates one of her own commands, prompting her neatly arranged life to go slightly awry.

In ways, Quintana’s plot reads like a possible arc of three or four episodes of TV’s “White Lotus.” A spoiled woman seeks platonic friendship from a hardworking employee with no time to cater to a lonely guest but must remain polite nonetheless. It gives the feeling of a familiar but not easy situation.

At first, the play unfolds rather straightforwardly, but increasingly the women’s rocky pasts are revealed. While cocktailing poolside, Sarah slowly divulges the details of her misery. She’s known to drink too much, occasionally black out, and at home she sometimes misses a week of work when she needs to disappear. There are times when the food delivery guy is the only person she sees.

Quintana delves deeply below the narrative’s seemingly simple surface. There’s a back story that explains how Sarah’s boozy behavior belies a sadness that pervades her entire family. Adriana’s story involving a dark relationship with her father is similarly complex. A sudden storm and impromptu staff party causing Sarah to insert herself into Adriana’s private life complicates matters further. Scenes follow, real and imagined, gracefully directed by Elena Araoz.

There are some illusory quick fixes. But it’s not that easy.

Both are damaged. The realities of their situations aren’t so tidily resolved.

A persuasive two-hander, each actor plays one character yet the work leaves you with the feeling that you’ve met an entire cast of characters. It’s some feat; a real tribute to writing and performance.

LAUREN KARAMAN (Sarah) and LEGNA CEDILLO (Adriana) (Photo by Margot Schulman)

The design team is subtly stellar. Designer Luis Garcia projects words and images, a mixture of tropical and plain, onto Raul Abrego’s stylishly spare set. Christopher Vergara costumes the women in a convincing selection of contemporary beach cover ups, uniforms, maid of honor gowns, and mourning attire.

With “Espejos: Clean” Studio Theatre successfully makes its first foray into foreign language with simultaneous translations (English to Spanish and Spanish to English) projected on a large center panel and two smaller screens on either side of the stage. The characters’ different cultures are cen-

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tral to the piece, so each sharing a story in her own language is essential. (As part of her job, Adriana is conversant in English so occasionally they’re linguistically on the same page.)

Both talented actors who work skillfully alone and together are making their Studio Theatre debuts. Their bios boast mostly New York experience. Karaman who’s wonderful as Sarah, was one of the first series regular curvy models on TV’s “Project Runway.”

“Espejos” from the title translates as “mirrors.” Each woman is taking a look. Where that takes them remains to be seen.

EDMUND BURKE SCHOOL GRADES 6-12 | FOUNDED IN 1968

Curious, creative thinkers Ethical, active citizens Open House Dates: October 21, 2023 December 9, 2023 burkeschool.org/learn

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DINING

World Central Kitchen debuts its first cookbook Inspired by relief team travels after disasters to ‘nourish body and soul’

By EVAN CAPLAN Building on its decade-plus effort to provide meals and comfort in the face of crises, World Central Kitchen is now serving D.C. a new one-two culinary punch.

On Sept. 12, hometown luminary chef Jose Andres’s World Central Kitchen (WCK) launched its first cookbook, “Feeding Humanity, Feeding Hope.” And this week, on the heels of the launch, WCK is hosting the Feeding Hope series, a run of community events around the city.

The book is inspired by where the WCK Relief Team has cooked following disasters and other crises to “nourish body and soul,” as it states on the cover page.

Yet this cookbook is not just recipes and glossy photos.

Alongside ingredients and oven time, the book shares stories and accounts from chefs, volunteers, and communities around the globe. Its organization is as unique as WCK itself. Instead of recipe chapters sorted into difficulty or breakfast vs. desserts, each chapter reflects a WCK value. The “Urgency” chapter, for example, focuses on food that can be eaten on the go, like a Lebanese flatbread encountered in Beirut in 2020. In “Hope,” there are homey soups and stews like sancocho, the first dish WCK served in Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, and the episode that transformed WCK into the relief organization that it is today. Other chapters include Empathy (braises and long cooks), Community (dishes for sharing), and Joy (desserts and drinks).

“This book speaks to the soul of World Central Kitchen — it’s about the very best of people, what our team experiences so often in some of the worst moments,” says Linda Roth, chief communications officer of WCK. The book brings together “the two most important aspects of our work — food and the incredible people preparing it,” she says.

Since WCK was founded in 2010 and began disaster relief work in 2017, the team had pondered how to share stories of community and food to people around the world and in their own kitchens. “Our goal is to inspire people

to join in our belief that acting with empathy, hope, community, joy — all chapters in the book — can help change the world,” Roth says. Among her favorite stories, each of which was carefully chosen to reflect WCK’s work, is paska, from Ukraine. It’s an Easter bread, found in the “Joy” chapter, submitted by the WCK’s Ukraine country director. Now that WCK is more than two years in serving the Ukrainian people, it’s a bread that’s “something to celebrate,” Roth says. Various other chefs offered their own recipes, and the book was written by a large WCK team, including Sam

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Chapple-Sokol, Samantha Higgins, and Elyssa Kaplan.

The book also has a significant D.C. connection – after all, WCK has its HQ in this city. And because of that location, WCK has played a role in emergency responses right here in the DMV, like its makeshift kitchen in Nats Park during the early COVID-19 pandemic responses in 2020, plus efforts welcoming Afghan refugees.

Mollie Moore, WCK’s Culinary Manager, East Coast, has her pot pie recipe in the book, which she adapted to scale during the WCK Nats Park takeover. “It warms my heart that years later, we’re once again in a place where people can prepare this dish to share with family and friends.”

It’s also right here in D.C. where WCK begins a celebration of its reach off the page with its Feeding Hope event series. First, there are a series of three intimate dinners on Oct. 11, 12, and 13 featuring WCK chefs. The dinners feature a menu from former WCK response locations.

Big-name participating chefs include Matt Adler, Marcelle Afram, and Amy Brandwein, and others.

Closing out the week is the Feeding Hope Festival at Dock5 on Oct. 15 for a tasting event with 15 vendors, cooking demos, a photo booth, and lawn games. WCK notes that the Feeding Hope series may become an annual event.

After three years of COVID response, “we wanted to create a space to come together for moments of joy. We really felt that now was the moment for WCK to put some joy in the world,” says Roth.

Jose Andres himself kicked off the cookbook tour at Sixth & I Synagogue on Oct. 1. The book tour heads to Philadelphia, Chicago, Puerto Rico, and other cities.

Roth says, “We like to say that community is our superpower, and we are so excited to create space for people to engage with our work in many different ways.”

It’s about the power of food to bring people together, Roth notes. The cookbook, its stories, and these events speak to World Central Kitchen’s evolving mission.

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FILM

‘Dicks: The Musical’ is as trashy as you think Film sets out to be gloriously stupid and achieves that goal deliciously

By JOHN PAUL KING are both proud alumni – have crafted a conceit and a script so committed to stylized If you think “Dicks: The Musical” is a tasteless title, just be thankful they didn’t stick artifice, so centered in a “meta” perspective which drives home the absurdity of saniwith the original name. tized “niceties” in the face of sheer human depravity, that it cannot possibly be taken Of course, if you think the title is in poor taste, you likely won’t think much of the seriously. In other words, anyone driven to outrage by the messaging it pushes under film itself, in limited release since Oct. 6 and expanding wide on Oct. 20. Directed by guise of irony can only be stymied by the obvious fact of its gleefully-embraced stucomedy icon Larry Charles (who rose to prominence writing for “Seinfeld” and “Curb pidity.

Your Enthusiasm” before helming buzzy hit movies like “Borat,“ Religulous,” and the For the record, using words like “stupidity” in reviewing a movie should normalcontroversial “The Dictator”) and adapted from their original stage production by its ly be avoided, since it ultimately says more about the reviewer than the film itself. stars, Aaron Jackson and Josh Sharp, it’s the kind of movie that seems to put extra For a film like this one, however, it gets straight to the point and does not imply any effort into making sure no line is left uncrossed. negative judgment; “Dicks: The Jackson and Sharp – who, Musical” sets out to be gloriousaside from a general similarity of ly, giddily stupid, and it achieves build and stature, look nothing that goal in delicious spades. From alike – respectively play identithe first, it attempts no disguise; cal separated-at-birth twins Trevits leads are obviously gay men or and Craig, two hyper-driven playing toxic straight male steand self-absorbed aggressively reotypes, its irony-steeped central heterosexual businessmen (the theme of “family” is clearly intend“dicks” of the title) who meet and ed to turn conventional ideas of become very fond of each other that construct on their ear, and the when hired at the same company. deeply dysfunctional personalities It doesn’t take long for them to of its pathologically un-self-aware figure out their true relationship – characters leave no doubt about twin siblings raised separately by its ambition toward tongue-indivorced parents (Megan Mullally cheek social commentary. Indeed, and Nathan Lane) – and decide to it seems to consider the points it “Parent Trap” their mom and dad makes so obvious as to be moot, into reuniting, but unfortunately, and largely focuses instead on both parents possess some desimply providing a good, old-fashcidedly not normal personality ioned, seriously filthy time. traits. The inexplicably wheelMuch of what makes it work – if chair-bound mom has a seemit does, which, once again, is coningly tentative grasp not only on tingent on how sympatico one is to objective reality but on her own the whole idea of it – is the sheer vagina, and the flamboyantly gay talent of the performers. Jackson dad has a secret obsession with a and Sharp, both of whom make pair of grotesque-but-oddly-adorJOSHUA SHARP and AARON JACKSON flank BOWEN YANG as God in ‘Dicks: The Musical.’ their big screen debuts as leading able caged mutants he keeps in men, manage to capture that delihis home and refers to as his “sewcate balance between self-conscious caricature and endearingly goofy sincerity that er boys” – which present more challenges to their scheme than originally anticipated. keeps us from hating them from the start, something they no doubt perfected through It’s all very over-the-top, played purely for laughs with full awareness of its own lack countless performances of their stage piece – which, just to answer the question we of substance or subtlety; there is nothing in it that could be described as believable, at begged in our opening line, was originally titled “Fucking Identical Twins.” Even more least in any straightforward sense, and even our cursory synopsis above likely reveals valuable are the chops brought into the mix by Lane and Mullally, whose background the deeply imbedded queerness in both its storyline and its intent. Either of these facin outrageous theatrical performance and finely wrought screen characterization turn tors would likely alienate a significant chunk of potential audience, and both together what might otherwise be nonsensical clowns into human-ish figures with whom one must surely eliminate the appeal for all but the most deviant of viewers. It’s utterly might empathize. In an unlikely but inspired film debut, rapper Megan Thee Stallion ridiculous, appallingly dysfunctional, and shamelessly perverted, all at the same time, steals all her scenes as a boss lady who has learned to “out-alpha the alpha,” and and when it draws to a close, it offers up an unrepentantly transgressive finale presidrounding things out is the always-game Yang’s saucily sex-and-sin-positive version of ed over by none other than a very gay God Himself (Bowen Yang), who has served as the Almighty Himself. narrator to the whole twisted tale from the beginning. Spoiler alert: it involves even Also offering major support in the “pro” column are the contributions of costume deeper socio-sexual taboos than homosexuality. designer Valerie Klarich, a delightful blend of the garish and the subtle, and the cineBy now, most of our savviest readers will have easily deduced that “Dicks: The Mumatography by Michelle Lawler, which evokes the stylistic flourishes of both old-Holsical” is an intentional exercise in “camp” – and not just the kind that lampoons stodgy lywood glam and bargain-basement grunge; the surprisingly catchy and devilishly cultural tropes but the kind that does so in such a deliberately exaggerated style as to clever song score, composed by be a lampoon of the lampoon itself. That’s a thin line to walk; as a general rule, trying Karl Saint Lucy and Marius de Vries to the lyrics by Jackson and Sharp; and, of too hard to be campy all but ensures that the joke will end up getting lost in its own course, director Charles’ sharp countercultural sensibilities help bring out the meat of obviousness.

Jackson and Sharp’s script while asserting his own iconoclastic voice in the process.

Whether or not that’s true of “Dicks” will depend on individual thresholds of “taste” Of course, if the overtly raunchy humor that permeates “Dicks” is not to your “taste,” (there’s that word again) more than any supposed ideal of how such things “should” then none of that will keep you from finding it tiresome. If, however, you’re a fan of the be handled in a Hollywood movie, but what’s certain is that it takes its self-proclaimed unapologetic “filth” propagated in the films of John Waters, the straight-panic-spoofaspiration (in publicity materials) to become a “future midnight movie classic” much ing sci-fi sensibilities of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” or the arch satire of shows more seriously than it takes any of the ostensibly “shocking” outrages within its conlike “Strangers With Candy” – all cited as influences by the movie’s creators – you might tent. Jackson and Sharp – who first created the project as a 30-minute comedy sketch just think it’s the best thing you’ve seen in a long time. for the Upright Citizen’s Brigade, the popular improv comedy troupe of which they 3 2 • WA SHIN GTO N BLADE.COM • OCTOBER 13 , 2 0 2 3

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BOOKS

Amy Schneider’s book short on ‘Jeopardy’ insights New memoir addresses transition and life with fame

By KATHI WOLFE Who hasn’t dreamed of being on “Jeopardy!”?

Amy Schneider, the most successful woman to compete on “Jeopardy!,” as well as the only out trans person to compete in, and win, the show’s prestigious Tournament of Champions, has lived this dream. She won more than $1 million after winning 40 games on “Jeopardy!”, before competing in the Tournament of Champions.

Schneider’s memoir “In the Form of a Question” will fascinate fans wanting to know what Schneider is like off of TV, delight snark aficionados and disappoint “Jeopardy!” lovers jonesing for dish on the show.

Schneider, born in 1979, dreamed, growing up in Dayton, Ohio, as she watched “Jeopardy!” with her parents, of being on the show.

Schneider was raised in a Catholic household where knowledge was valued, her parents loved her, and sexuality was submerged in guilt and secrecy.

Schneider didn’t know she was trans as a child. She only knew she liked hanging with girls, wasn’t happy when her voice changed, and thought boys were crude and gross. She felt other boys felt the same way.

Being proud of yourself wasn’t encouraged. “Pride is one of the worst sins in Catholicism,” Schneider writes, “and the largely German Catholic community I was part of defined ‘pride broadly … The mere fact of being talented in some field raised suspicions,” she adds.

Thankfully, Schneider’s folks valued learning. But other kids resented her for being smart. She’d do less homework so her

grades would suffer. When she was asked how she knew so much, “It always sounded to me like a potential attack,” Schneider writes, “to be deflected however I could in the moment.”

She was asked the same question when she was on “Jeopardy!” “I still didn’t have a satisfactory answer,” Schneider writes.

On “Jeopardy!,” Schneider presented as personable and almost squeaky-clean. In, “In the Form of a Question,” she illuminates this image.

This makes for fun, sometimes, poignant, reading. Frequently, our heroes emerge as one-dimensional stick figures in their memoirs. No mess, no insecurity, no annoying traits or confusion.

Refreshingly, “In the Form of a Question,” isn’t a “first this happened, then this happened” memoir. It’s structured in the form of easily digested series of essays on everything on what it’s like for her to live with attention deficit disorder (ADD) to why she, an atheist, does Tarot readings to her love for the animated TV show “Daria.”

She writes about her experience using drugs. To Schneider, “getting high” gives her new perspectives, she writes, “to better understand my own.”

Kudos, to Schneider for writing about the absurdity of Nancy Reagan-era “Just Say No” anti-drug campaigns.

Schneider isn’t a mental health expert. Recreational drugs and social drinking are fun. Yet, I wish Schneider had written more (other than a snarky footnote noting the “downsides” to drug use) about the issue of addiction in the queer community.

Schneider’s memoir is entertaining. She’s delightfully can-

did: she loves the term “tranny” and likes being famous. She and her wife, Genevieve, who live in Oakland, Calif., with their cats, enjoy the free things (like marvelous toasters) that her fame brings them.

But, at times, Schneider’s snark nearly ‘In the Form of a Question’ morphs into cruelty.

By Amy Schneider One day, in Portland, a c.2023, Avid Reader Press | $28 | 272 pages woman gave Schneider some “fairy rocks.” It’s the thought that counts, Schneider knew. “But all I could think was ‘I am not flying home with a bunch of rocks,’” Schneider writes.

Schneider is annoyed when a fan says that their father, who had cancer, enjoyed watching her on “Jeopardy!”

You sympathize with Schneider. But only to a point. Her fans have supported her fame. They’ll read her book.

Thankfully, Schneider’s too self-aware not to know this.

“What did I have to complain about,” she writes.

You’ll get to know a lot about Schneider in her memoir — from her life as a theater kid to what transitioning was like for her. If you’re cool about not learning that much about “Jeopardy!,” “In the Form of a Question” will be a fab read.

UPCOMING PERFORMANCES MALPASO DANCE COMPANY Friday, Oct. 20 at 8 p.m.

Expressive contemporary dance from Cuba

METROPOLITAN JAZZ ORCHESTRA WITH CHRISTIAN McBRIDE

WORLD PREMIERE

SILKROAD ENSEMBLE WITH RHIANNON GIDDENS American Railroad Sunday, Nov. 5 at 7 p.m.

A musical map of the Transcontinental Railroad

Jim Carroll, artistic director Saturday, Oct. 28 at 8 p.m.

The eight-time GRAMMY Award-winning jazz bassist

KEYBOARD CONVERSATIONS® WITH JEFFREY SIEGEL Power and Passion of Beethoven Sunday, Oct. 29 at 7 p.m.

THE CENTER FOR THE ARTS ADVANTAGE Low Ticket Prices Convenient Location Flexible Ticket Exchanges Free Parking Available

“An unusual gift for commentary as well as extraordinary pianism” Los Angeles Times

TICKETS: RHIANNON GIDDENS

3 4 • WA SHIN GTO N BLADE.COM • OCTOBER 13 , 2 0 2 3

CHRISTIAN McBRIDE

CFA.GMU.EDU

703-993-2787

Located on the Fairfax Campus of George Mason University

Songwriter City With Lee Thomas Miller and Wendell Mobley Saturday, Oct. 21, 7 p.m.

Grammy and Country Music Award nominees Lee Thomas Miller and Wendell Mobley have written hits for Rascal Flatts, Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw, Garth Brooks, Kenny Rogers and more. Join us for an evening of music and stories.

aldentheatre.org 1234 Ingleside Ave., McLean, Va. 22101 703-790-0123, TTY: 711

ALL AGES O CTO B E R 1 3 , 2 0 2 3 • WA S H I N GTO N B L A D E.CO M • 3 5

REAL ESTATE

Let’s talk suburbs

Reduced traffic, spacious yards attracting more teleworkers

By VALERIE M. BLAKE

Some of us are city dwellers and wouldn’t have it any other way. We enjoy proximity to restaurants, theaters, museums, and even work. We often pay higher prices for homes to take advantage of mass transit or walkability.

Some large corporations want to turn back the clock to pre-COVID days where everyone went into an office five days a week. Some allow a hybrid schedule of working a few days at the office and working from home for the rest of the week. A few allow you to work from home routinely.

Understandably, commercial real estate has taken a big hit. Rush hour traffic, however, is not the logjam that it once was and sometimes you can even find a place to park in Dupont Circle.

Working from home has a lot of advantages, not the least of which is choosing where to live. As long as you have a computer and an Internet connection, you can be anywhere in the world and still respond to the boss or join a video conference. With this in mind, it may be time to check out suburbia.

Moving to the suburbs offers a myriad of benefits that cater to various aspects of life, making it an attractive choice for many individuals and families. Suburban areas are often quieter and less crowded than urban centers, providing a peaceful environment that reduces stress and promotes relaxation and well being.

With yards and gardens, you can find a closer connection with nature. You might also have access to better amenities, since suburban areas are well equipped with schools, hospitals, parks, recreation spaces, and shopping centers.

Financial considerations also play a crucial role in the decision to move to the suburbs. Housing costs are generally lower than in D.C., except in close-in areas such as Arlington and the City of Alexandria in Virginia and Bethesda/Chevy Chase in Maryland.

The suburbs can promote a sense of belonging. Residents often engage in neighborhood activities, social events, and community initiatives. This can be particularly beneficial for families, providing a supportive network for adults and children alike, and better work-life balance.

Ample green spaces and recreational facilities encourage outdoor activities and a healthier lifestyle. Trading in the bars for Little League sports, book clubs, and backyard barbecues can present new opportunities that a city dweller can’t find or doesn’t need.

Moving to the suburbs can also contribute to environmental sustainability, since many new subdivisions are designed with a focus on green initiatives, incorporating LEED-certified, energy-efficient buildings and green spaces that enhance air quality and promote

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The suburbs offer many benefits, including yards and less traffic than the city.

ecological balance, making a positive impact on the planet for future generations.

There are so many areas to enjoy outside the city, so I took a look around the Beltway to find the greatest number of available homes priced at less than $1 million and what amenities and attractions you could expect to find there.

If you lean toward Montgomery County, Silver Spring is an affordable option. There are currently 154 homes listed for under $1M there, including condominiums from as low as $120,000.

The downtown area provides shopping and dining choices, as well as a first-run movie theater. You can also see classic and foreign films at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center, plan a picnic at Wheaton Regional Park, or visit one of the nearby pools and aquatic centers run by the county recreation department.

Upper Marlboro is a popular Prince George’s County town that currently offers 160 homes, including a move-in ready 3-bedroom, 2.5-bath townhouse for $330,000.

There are three golf courses located there, plus another 10 in other parts of the county. Take riding lessons at one of five equestrian centers. Visit the Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary, meander down one of the trails at Watkins Regional Park or take the kids to Old Maryland Farm.

The portion of Alexandria in Fairfax County has the highest number of homes listed at 156, but I’m partial to Falls Church. With 58 available homes and an easy commute to D.C., you can enjoy historic trails, several brewing companies, the local farmers market, the Cherry Hill Farmhouse Museum, and Cherry Hill Park campground.

I may consider moving to the suburbs in retirement. My last home will likely be a highrise condominium with a “solid gold dog” fee (translation: a condo fee so high that a solid gold dog brings you your daily mail).

I’m hoping that will give me the best of both worlds: a quasi-urban environment convenient to D.C. with scenic views, shopping centers, trees, and permission to install an EV charger.

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.

CAMP REHOBOTH

2023

JOIN US!

SUNDAY OCTOBER 15 11 AM-4 PM On the 2nd block of Baltimore Avenue Rehoboth Beach, DE

Artisans! Crafts! Drag performers! Live music!

Food! And more!

For questions/inquiries contact: blockparty@camprehoboth.com

O CTO B E R 1 3 , 2 0 2 3 • WA S H I N GTO N B L A D E.CO M • 3 7

PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY

MASSAGE

REFRESH YOURSELF Massage for active adults. Private studio near Rosslyn.

Fri-Mon, 12-8. text 301-704-1158 or visit www.mymassagebygary.com

POLITICAL SUPPORT

LGBTQ+ ATTACKS ARE WORSE THAN EVER!!

FIGHT BACK!

Donate a dollar or more to my campaign. I am John Clayton, an LGBTQ+ candidate, running for county supervisor in Iowa. Please join others to make our voices heard.

Thank you!

www.claytonjc.com

Paid for by Climate Crisis Committee for Clayton

CLEANING

FERNANDO’S CLEANING Residential & Commercial Cleaning, Reasonable Rates, Free Estimates, Routine, 1-Time, Move-In/ Move-Out 202-234-7050 or 202-486-6183

HANDYMAN

BRITISH REMODELING

Local licensed company with over 25 years of experience.

Specializing in bathrooms, kitchens & all interior/exterior repairs.

Drywall, paint, electrical, wallpaper, roofing & siding.

Trevor 703-303-8699 LEGAL SERVICES

ADOPTION, DONOR, SURROGACY legal services. Catelyn represents LGBTQ clients in DC, MD & VA interested in adoption or ART matters.

MODERN FAMILY FORMATION Law Offices, Slattery Law, LLC.

240-245-7765

Catelyn@ModernFamilyFormation.com

LIMOUSINES KASPER’S LIVERY SERVICE Since 1987. Gay & Veteran Owner/ Operator.

Lincoln Continental Sedan!

Proper DC License & Livery Insured.

www.KasperLivery.com

202-554-2471 MOVERS

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THE WASHINGTON BLADE PUBLISHES COUNSELING

COUNSELING FOR LGBTQ

HOUSING SHARE & PERSONAL ADS ARE FREE*!

*First 25 words in print are free.

Email your text and contact information to:

classifieds@washblade.com Anything over 25 words is $1. each additional word.

People Individual/couple counseling with a volunteer peer counselor. GMCC, serving our community since 1973.

202-580-8661 gaymenscounseling.org No fees, donation requested.

Use Blade advertisers & tell ‘em,

“I saw your ad in the Blade!”

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DE REAL ESTATE / FOR SALE

DC LEGAL NOTICES

including probate, small estates and foreign estates. Public notices are required to be published in newspapers of general circulation because these venues (now both print and online) reach the largest number of people in the community, while offering an easily archivable and verifiable outlet to make sure the notice was published when and how it was intended.

Further, newspapers display notices in the context of other news and information that people in the community read. Newspapers and their associated websites are the appropriate forums for notices that affect citizens and the general public. Ask the court to publish yours here!

REHOBOTH BEACH HOUSE Located in the prestigious Rehoboth Beach Yacht & Country Club. An elevator to three stories with four bedrooms all with full baths and surround sound.

Master on first floor. Geothermal heat and A/C. Privacy fence with hot tub. Two car garage. Irrigation system. Walking distance to town of Rehoboth and the beach. Enjoy the great restaurants and the fun nightlife.

Email: mfreebery1234@gmail. com for more information!

Michael Freebery Phone: 302-888-1111 Price: $1,599,000.

Thanks for reading the Washington Blade!

MEN FOR MEN

ACTIVITY COMPANION

GWM 60, semi-retired artist, DC resident, seeks Gay male friend for activities, hanging out, companionship, maybe more. I enjoy movies, exploring the city and nature, conversation, dining out, volunteering, photography, art galleries, movies... I’m super down-to-earth, easy going, compassionate, loyal.

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PLACE YOUR AD ONLINE AT

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