Local
Janice Moncier dies at 68
Award-winning activist, longtime D.C. resident
Janice L. ‘Jan’ Moncier
Janice L. “Jan” Moncier, a certified financial planner and longtime resident and neighborhood activist on Capitol Hill, died July 16 at the Washington Home and Community Hospices following a lengthy battle with breast cancer. She was 68.
According to information released by her partner of 33 years, Ann Norwood, the couple lived in D.C. since 1988, when they bought a Capitol Hill townhouse near Stanton Park that became their home.
“Jan’s interest in historic preservation led to a basement full of hardware, skylights, and door frames that she used to authentically restore elements of their 100-year-old Victorian row house,” according to a write-up prepared by Norwood.
“A dedicated neighborhood activist, Jan participated in neighborhood cleanups and ‘orange hat’ crime watches and advocated for years for the recent repaving of the alley behind their home,” the write-up says.
It says Moncier was born and raised in Tennessee on a small tobacco and dairy farm. She became an active member of the 4-H Club during her childhood years, pursuing many civic activities such as health, leadership and recreation projects.
She became a recognized athlete both in high school and at Wheaton College in Illinois, where she was inducted into its Hall of Fame for athletic achievement. She received a master’s degree in physical education at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.
The write-up released by Norwood says Moncier went on to teach high school at U.S. Department of Defense schools in Iceland and Germany. Norwood said her partner later became a stockbroker for the E.F. Hutton Company in San Francisco. Norwood said that’s where the two met in 1981 while Norwood was completing her psychiatric residency with the U.S. Army at Letterman Army Medical Center.
The couple next moved to the Fort Hood, Texas, area where Moncier became a certified financial planner. The two moved to Washington in 1988.
In 1996, when she was first diagnosed with breast cancer, Moncier received support services from the Mautner Project, a D.C.-area lesbian health organization. The following year, after completing treatment, she became a Mautner volunteer and was recognized for her service to the group in 1999 by receiving its direct services award.
She retired from her job with the ICMA-RC retirement planning company for public-sector employees in 2008 for health reasons after her cancer returned, Norwood said.
“Jan was known for her extreme generosity, love of gardening, travel and women’s basketball; and her devotion to finding a good deal on Craigslist,” Norwood said in her write-up.
Moncier was predeceased by her parents, Mark and Bonnie Wilhoit Moncier; her sister, Sherry Rockstad; and her brother, David Moncier. She is survived by Norwood, her spouse; her brother-in-law Phil Rockstad; sister-in-law Margaret Moncier; her nephew Jonathan Moncier; and several aunts, uncles and cousins.
A memorial service is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 9, at 1 p.m. at the Hill Center on Capitol Hill at 921 Pennsylvania Ave., S.E. in D.C. The family asks that memorial contributions be made to a favorite charity in lieu of flowers.
Maryland
Md. Commission on LGBTQIA+ Affairs released updated student recommendations
LGBTQ students report higher rates of bullying, suicide
The Maryland Commission on LGBTQIA+ Affairs has released updated recommendations on how the state’s schools can support LGBTQ students.
The updated 16-page document outlines eight “actionable recommendations” for Maryland schools, supplemented with data and links to additional resources. The recommendations are:
- Developing and passing a uniform statewide and comprehensive policy aimed at protecting “transgender, nonbinary, and gender expansive students” against discrimination. The recommendation lists minimum requirements for the policy to address: name, pronoun usage, and restroom access.
- Requiring all educators to receive training about the specific needs of LGBTQ students, by trained facilitators. The training’s “core competencies” include instruction on terminology, data, and support for students.
- Implementing LGBTQ-inclusive curricula and preventing book bans. The report highlights a “comprehensive sexual education curriculum” as specifically important in the overall education curriculum. It also states the curriculum will “provide all students with life-saving information about how to protect themselves and others in sexual and romantic situations.”
- Establishing Gender Sexuality Alliances “at all schools and in all grade levels.” This recommendation includes measures on how to adequately establish effective GSAs, such as campaign advertising, and official state resources that outline how to establish and maintain a GSA.
- Providing resources to students’ family members and supporters. This recommendation proposes partnering with local education agencies to provide “culturally responsive, LGBTQIA+ affirming family engagement initiatives.”
- Collecting statewide data on LGBTQ youth. The data on Maryland’s LGBTQ youth population is sparse and non-exhaustive, and this recommendation seeks to collect information to inform policy and programming across the state for LGBTQ youth.
- Hiring a full-time team at the Maryland Department of Education that focuses on LGBTQ student achievement. These employees would have specific duties that include “advising on local and state, and federal policy” as well as developing the LGBTQ curriculum, and organizing the data and family resources.
- Promoting and ensuring awareness of the 2024 guidelines to support LGBTQ students.
The commission has 21 members, with elections every year, and open volunteer positions. It was created in 2021 and amended in 2023 to add more members.
The Governor’s Office of Communication says the commission’s goal is “to serve LGBTQIA+ Marylanders by galvanizing community voices, researching and addressing challenges, and advocating for policies to advance equity and inclusion.”
The commission is tasked with coming up with yearly recommendations. This year’s aim “to ensure that every child can learn in a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment.”
The Human Rights Campaign’s most recent report on LGBTQ youth revealed that 46.1 percent of LGBTQ youth felt unsafe in some school settings. Those numbers are higher for transgender students, with 54.9 percent of them saying they feel unsafe in school.
Maryland’s High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey reveals a disparity in mental health issues and concerns among students who identify as LGBTQ, compared to those who are heterosexual. LGBTQ students report higher rates of bullying, feelings of hopelessness, and suicidal thoughts. Nearly 36 percent of LGBTQ students report they have a suicide plan, and 26.7 percent of respondents say they have attempted to die by suicide.
The commission’s recommendations seek to combat the mental health crisis among the state’s LGBTQ students. They are also a call for local and state governments to work towards implementing them.
Virginia
Va. lawmakers consider partial restoration of Ryan White funds
State Department of Health in 2025 cut $20 million from Part B program
The Virginia General Assembly is considering the partial restoration of HIV funding that the state’s Department of Health cut last year.
The Department of Health in 2025 cut $20 million — or 67 percent of total funding — from the Ryan White Part B program.
The funding cuts started with the Trump-Vance administration passing budget cuts to federal HIV screening and protection programs. Rebate issues between the Virginia Department of Health and the company that provides HIV medications began.
Advocates say the funding cuts have disproportionately impacted lower-income people.
The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, a federal program started in 1990, provides medical services, public education, and essential services. Part B offers 21 services, seven of which remained funded after the budget cuts.
Equality Virginia notes “in 2025, a 67 percent reduction severely destabilized HIV services across the commonwealth.”
Virginia lawmakers have approved two bills — House Bill 30 and Senate Bill 30 — that would partially restore the funding. The Ryan White cuts remain a concern among community members.
Both chambers of the General Assembly must review their proposed changes before lawmakers can adopt the bills.
“While these amendments aren’t a full restoration of what community-based organizations lost, this marks a critical step toward stabilizing care for thousands of Virginians living with HIV,” said Equality Virginia Executive Director Narissa Rahaman. “Equality Virginia plans to continue their contact with lawmakers and delegates through the conference and up until the passing of the budget.”
“We appreciate lawmakers from both sides of the aisle who recognized the urgency of this moment and will work to ensure funding remains in the final version signed by the governor,” added Rahaman.
District of Columbia
D.C. Black Pride theme, performers announced at ‘Speakeasy’
Durand Bernarr to headline 2026 programming
The Center for Black Equity held its 2026 DC Black Pride Theme Reveal event at Union Stage on Monday. The evening, a “Speakeasy Happy Hour,” was hosted by Anthony Oakes and featured performances by Lolita Leopard and Keith Angelo. The Center for Black Equity organizes DC Black Pride.
Kenya Hutton, Center for Black Equity president and CEO, spoke following the performances by Leopard and Angelo. Hutton announced this year’s theme for DC Black Pride: “New Black Renaissance.”
Performers for 2026 DC Black Pride were announced to be Bang Garcon, Be Steadwell, Jay Columbus, Bennu Byrd, Rue Pratt and Akeem Woods.
Singer-songwriter Durand Bernarr was announced as the headliner for the 2026 festivities. Bernerr gave brief remarks through a video played on the screen at the stage.
DC Black Pride is scheduled for May 22-25. For more information on DC Black Pride, visit dcblackpride.org.
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