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Black voters on support for white mayoral hopefuls

For some in D.C., appeal of Evans, Wells transcends race

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Tommy Wells, Jack Evans, District of Columbia, white, gay news, Washington Blade
Tommy Wells, Jack Evans, District of Columbia, white, gay news, Washington Blade

The cityā€™s two white Democratic mayoral candidates, Tommy Wells and Jack Evans, are drawing diverse support. (Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

D.C. political races are often divided by race. Even when all of the viable candidates are African American, support for a particular candidate still is usually easily discernable by race and geography. This year, we will probably have the closest Democratic mayoral primary since home rule. It is also the first year that we have white mayoral candidates who have a reasonable chance to be elected mayor.

Based on history, conventional wisdom suggests that most African Americans will support one of the African-American candidates. However, there are some black District residents who are strongly supporting white mayoral candidates in the Democratic primary. It may surprise some folks that the African Americans who are unabashedly supporting Tommy Wells or Jack Evans, the two white Democratic candidates, are quite diverse in background. Once you start discussing Wellsā€™ and Evansā€™ campaigns with their African-American supporters, you realize that they are a hard group to generalize.

Dominic Sanders, 23, is a senior social work major at Millersville University and he defies every stereotype of a Tommy Wells supporter. He is an African American, native Washingtonian from humble beginnings, who grew up in several Ward 6 neighborhoods in Southeast and Southwest Washington. This May, he will become the first person in his family to graduate from college.

Sanders met Wells through late D.C. activist Jan Eichhorn when he was six. He kept asking Eichhorn, who organized a local mentoring and tutoring program, for a mentor and eventually she introduced him to Wells and they have been friends ever since.

ā€œTommy exposed me to a lot,ā€ Sanders said. ā€œHe took me on an airplane for the first time at 12. It was my first time out of D.C. He took me to a cabin in Minnesota with his family. He also sent me to basketball and baseball camps out of my community. He showed me that there is stuff bigger than where I live.ā€

While Sandersā€™ support of Wells has a lot to do with the bond they developed over the years while Wells mentored him, he clearly believes that Wells is the right choice politically. When discussing Wellsā€™ politics, he mentioned Wellsā€™ minimum wage challenge this past December, where Wells purchased groceries and traveled on a minimum wage salary of $8.25 per hour for one week to show how difficult it is to live in D.C. on minimum wage.

ā€œI donā€™t think thereā€™s another candidate who will go as far as him to prove his point,ā€ Sanders said. ā€œHeā€™s always willing to push the envelope and do things the average person wouldnā€™t do. Heā€™s the first white guy I saw who would come to pick me up in the hood, wait 20 or 30 minutes in a car, and not think about it.ā€

ā€œI look at his whole track record. When I first met him he was an ANC commissioner, then he got on the school board, then the City Council, and now heā€™s running for mayor. Thatā€™s my motivation that you can always do more than what you do.Ā  You watch the stuff he does for people. I know Iā€™m not the only person he helped out and mentored. He took me to play basketball with the kids in the youth detention center in Northeast and there were no cameras around, we would just go. Heā€™s that down to earth and that grounded.ā€

Jacques Point Du Jour, 27, is also an African-American native Washingtonian. He lives in Ward 6, works as an assistant at a legal consulting firm and supports Jack Evans for mayor. He was introduced to Evans by one of his friends and he believes that Evansā€™ ā€œhistory has been nothing but amazing. He played a vital part in revitalizing 14th Street. I remember 14th Street 20 years ago and I see what it is now.ā€

Point Du Jour said he did not consider race when deciding to back Evans. ā€œItā€™s 2014 and it shouldnā€™t be about race,ā€ he said. ā€œRace tends to get in the way of the greater role.ā€Ā  He hasnā€™t experienced any backlash from his friends for supporting a white mayoral candidate. Many of his friends arenā€™t even paying attention to the election. ā€œPeople in their mid or late 20s donā€™t think supporting a mayoral candidate is relevant,ā€ he said, ā€œbut I think itā€™s extremely important.ā€

Point Du Jour, who described his political leanings as ā€œDemocratic toward the liberal end of the spectrum,ā€ said Evansā€™ pro-business reputation does not bother him at all. ā€œIf you donā€™t have business connections, how would you create jobs and bring in more prosperity.ā€

He thinks that Evans can serve the entire city. ā€œI heard him talk about meeting with communities in Ward 8 and how itā€™s important for them to take part in the prosperity.ā€

Maceo Thomas, 42, a property manager from Ward 7, is a Wells supporter. Thomas said he supports Wells because ā€œthere is a real issue around integrity in our government. Itā€™s not confined to D.C., but we have a big problem in D.C. I watched Tommy from afar and watched him get punished in the Council for doing whatā€™s right.ā€

ā€œPeople are rushing to get into Ward 6, into the Capitol Hill area, because of the schools and the amenities,ā€ Thomas said. ā€œTommy was in a leadership position to help the community get those things. Those are the same things we want in ward 7 and east of the river.ā€

When asked about any resistance that he has faced in supporting a white mayoral candidate, Thomas acknowledged that when he ā€œwent door knocking with Tommy near the Minnesota Avenue Metro, some folks responded that [Wells] is white.ā€ However, Thomas said that after people started ā€œtalking to Tommy for a little bit, they were shaking their head and following along in the conversation.ā€

Thomas said he did not consider race when he decided to support Wells. ā€œBlack people are much smarter than people give us credit for,ā€ he said. He added that people are wrong ā€œif they think we wouldnā€™t vote for Tommy Wells because heā€™s white.ā€ Thomas attributes Wellsā€™ limited support outside of Ward 6 to there not being ā€œa lot of media around Council members, so people donā€™t know who he is. As more people examine who he is, I think they will give him a chance.ā€

While I personally have limited my mayoral choices to three candidates ā€” one of the candidates featured here, along with two of the leading African-American candidates ā€” I would be disingenuous if I did not acknowledge that race, or more so the ability to appeal to all races, is at least part of my consideration. I would never vote for anyone who I donā€™t believe is qualified to run the city well, but it is also important to me that all Washingtonians feel that they are a valued part of the city. Candidates of any race can do that, but it is imperative for the next mayor to have that quality.

Lateefah Williamsā€™ biweekly column, ā€˜Life in the Intersection,ā€™ focuses on the intersection of race, gender and sexual orientation. She is a D.C.-based political and LGBT activist. Reach her atĀ [email protected]Ā or follow her on TwitterĀ @lateefahwms.

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DC To Host 1st National TDOV Gala on Easter Sunday

Trans USA National Pageantry and the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) will host the 1st AnnualĀ BlossomĀ Gala at Hook Hall.

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The first International Trans Day of Visibility (TDOV) celebration was held 15 years ago, with the goal of addressing the major concern that the only well-known trans-centered day was the Transgender Day of Remembrance, which mourned the murders of transgender people but did not acknowledge and celebrate living members of the transgender community. On March 31, Trans USA National Pageantry and the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) will host the 1st AnnualĀ BlossomĀ Gala at Hook Hall, which will serve as the culminating event of their TDOV programming in Washington, DC.Ā 

Dylan Drobish (also known as Dylan B. Dickherson White), National Director at Trans USA, offered the following:Ā ā€œIt is our hope that Blossom will serve as a reminder not just of the battle we face every day but also of the beauty, excellence, intellect, and resilience of transgender Americans. We believe that this event is especially important given the increased backlash and violence against our community in the last few years alone, with nearly 500 anti-trans bills under consideration across 41 states as of March. However, Blossomā€”and TDOV itselfā€”is a celebration held in defiance of the idea that trans lives are only worthy of headlines once they have ended.ā€

Preceded by an impactful, inspiring rally at the national mall (11:00 AM to 3:00 PM) featuring Angelica Ross of Pose and AHSBlossom is a fundraising initiative that blends keynote speakers, a Q&A panel discussion with national leaders in the movement for transgender equality, and the artistry of drag with CHERRY BOMB–an all-trans drag showcase headlined by trans icon, activist, and Drag Race pioneer Monica Beverly Hillz. This pivotal event will also serve as the official public launch of the TRANSform the Vote initiative, which aims to inspire transgender people and allies to make their voices heard at the ballot box.

But make no mistake. Blossom is a celebration, and the event organizers have pulled out all the stops to ensure that ticket prices remain accessible without sacrificing the magic of a true gala experience. For truly gram-worthy ā€œpink carpetā€ photos, all attendees are invited to “dress to impress” with their interpretation of a timely theme that celebrates the beauty of coming into one’s own as a visible member of the trans, non-binary, and gender non-conforming community.  

The event comes at a pivotal time for both the community and the organizations seeking to protect it: This summer, NCTE will officially merge with Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund (TLDEF) to create Advocates for Trans Equality, doubling their ability to lead the next chapter of the transgender rights movement. This November, Trans USA will welcome over 80 representatives from across the country to their national competition, which will for the first time also feature a national conference and exposition solely focused on the trans and non-binary community. While monumental, these 2024 events come with unprecedented challenges, as many major corporations and grant programs refuse to provide funding related to ā€œcontroversial social or political issuesā€, especially in an election year. 

Despite these challenges, celebratory events like Blossom are, unsurprisingly, now more important than ever, with trans lives having been politicized to such a polarizing extent. Drobish, a former Mr. Trans USA himself offered the following: 

ā€œā€˜Narrative identityā€™ refers to the idea that our identities are formed from the internal stories we tell about ourselves (and our interpretation of them). Organizations like Trans USA and NCTE are here to help rewrite the narrative that gets passed down to the next generation of trans and non-binary folks. My message to anyone involved with Trans USA or the movement in general has always been that you are the author of your storyā€”the story that gives your life meaning and purposeā€”and you get to choose how itā€™s told. Are you the hero or the victim? Are you the agent or the object? Are you the one telling your story, or is someone else doing all the talking? Itā€™s 2024, and itā€™s time to take the pen back. Because true visibility isnā€™t about being seen; itā€™s about making others feel seen. Seen enough to BLOSSOM.ā€ 

Tickets for the Blossom gala start at just $15, but VIP guests ($100) will receive access to a premium open bar fromĀ 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM, light hors d’oeuvres, and prime seating, in addition to the 20-entertainer showcase with a Drag Race headliner! While doors open at 4:30 PM for the event, advance purchase online is strongly recommended by the organizers, as only a limited number of these VIP tickets are available.

-Dylan Drobish (National Director, Trans USA National Pageantry; Mr. Trans USA 2022, Mr. Freddieā€™s 2019

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Attacking Jews is latest Trump outrage

Anyone who supports equality and peace must vote for Biden

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(Washington Blade file photo by Christopher Kane)

Calling out the Jewish community in the United States as Trump did, is both dumb, and anti-Semitic. The Jewish community has been a Democratic constituency for many years, and attacking them wonā€™t get them to vote for him.

It is a difficult time for many Jews in the world today. I being one of them. I am a strong supporter of Israel, but support Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who believes there will never be peace in the Middle East as long as Netanyahu and his government are in control. Israel cannot keep annexing West Bank land, which should be part of a Palestinian state if we can get to a two-state solution. In fact, they must draw back the settlements now there. At the same time, like Schumer, I believe both Netanyahu and Hamas have to go. Being anti-Netanyahu is not being anti-Israel, just as being anti-Trump is not being anti-United States, or wanting Hamas to go, is not being anti-Palestinian. 

Attacking Jews is just one more outrageous thing coming out of Trumpā€™s mouth. He is a notorious sexist, racist, homophobic, pig. He is an old man who canā€™t control his mouth and continues to spout nonsense. His apparently limited brain power is tied up in disgusting views of the world and individuals. He mocks those with disabilities like he did to a New York Times reporter, and mocks President Biden for his stutter. There was a recent column in the Washington Post reminding people Trumpā€™s father had Alzheimerā€™s. I think we may be seeing the disease manifest itself in Trump. 

I have written this election is between two older men. I myself am older, and understand one often forgets a name, a date, or an event. Having just written a memoir, which I hope will be published in May, in its preface I say ā€œthese are dates and events as I remember them.ā€ But as neuroscientist Charan Ranganath recently wrote in the Washington Post, that in no way limits how a person can understand complex issues, or in my case work as a consultant and research and write weekly columns. For a president, especially one who is older, it is important for us to know who is surrounding him or her. I am definitely more secure knowing those who will be around and advising President Biden, versus those around Trump. No one person alone, whatever their age, can handle all the issues facing a president.

Whether you are a Jew supporting Israel, a Muslim supporting the Palestinian people, or someone like me supporting both, you are better off with President Biden. If you support the Palestinian people having their freedom, then Trump must strike fear in your heart, after all, he is the one who moved the American embassy to Jerusalem. 

The idea of electing a man convicted of fraud in his business dealings, found liable for sexually mistreating a woman, and who faces another 88 criminal counts, is ludicrous. It actually says as much about the people who would vote for him, as it does about Trump. A man who brags about taking away the right of women to control their own body, and healthcare, doesnā€™t deserve the vote of any woman. A man who opposes equal rights, affirmative action, and saw good people on both sides in Charlottesville, doesnā€™t deserve the vote of any Black American. A man who opposes any forgiveness of student loans, denies climate change, opposes making community college free, doesnā€™t deserve the vote of any young person. 

It amazes me when people compare how things were four years ago to today, and say they were better then. A time you couldnā€™t find toilet paper on grocery shelves, 1,000 people a day were dying of COVID, the Dow Jones was at 19,000 and today itā€™s at 39,000. The country was hemorrhaging jobs and in the last three years 13 million have been created. Wages are higher and unemployment lower. 

Of course, as President Biden says, we need to do more. He is doing it, Trump didnā€™t. Trump gave a $2 trillion tax cut to the wealthy, increasing the national debt. He pledges to do it again. Biden passed a massive infrastructure bill, now creating thousands of jobs building and repairing bridges and roads, in every state. He passed the Chips and Science Act, recently announcing new chip factories in four states, creating thousands of new construction and manufacturing jobs. Those factories will change the U.S. from an importing country, to a producing one. That is some of the real change Biden has brought about. 

Trump talks big, but never produced; Biden is producing for the American people, and will continue to do so.

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

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Letter-to-the-Editor

Banning the Rainbow Flag: the latest act of GOP madness

Prohibition included in government spending bill the president signed

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The Progress Pride flag flies in front of the U.S. Embassy in Berlin on July 22, 2022. (Washington Blade photo by Michael K. Lavers)

The Republican agenda is an obvious one:Ā Distract from real issues by assaulting the most vulnerable. That’s why they have focused their hatred on the LGBTQ+ community. After years of legislating book bans, curriculum censorship, bathroom restrictions and withholding medically needed gender therapy, their latest act is signature Republican cruelty: For a crucial trillion-dollar budget that would prevent a government shutdown, the GOP slipped in a measure to ban the display of Rainbow Flags at U.S. embassies all over the world.

This is not an act of mere symbolism. In too many countries, being queer is punishable by imprisonment or death. Measures like this give a green light to violence and homophobia both at home and abroad. It places more LGBTQ+ people at tangible risk. It is an outrageous abuse of the political process.

This cynical political maneuver is typical of the GOP, the Party of Destruction. But equally egregious is that President Biden and Democrats approved the budget, knowing the poison pill line item that had already been added.

Now, President Biden vows to repeal the embassy flag ban measure. We will hold him to his vow. Will he expend the political capital necessary to make the repeal happens? We must remember that he and the Congress capitulated to a small group of GOP manipulators and, in this instance, saw the global LGBTQ+ community as expendable.

The Democratic Party positions itself as an ally to the LGBTQ+ community. They must hold their ground. They must represent and defend all of us. Otherwise, an emboldened GOP, led by Trump, will only escalate their merciless attacks on our vulnerable communities.”

Charles Beal is president of the Gilbert Baker Foundation and the Save the Rainbow Flag Campaign.

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