Local
Church’s rental of E Street Cinema prompts boycott talk
Bishop Jackson led fight against D.C. marriage law
Bishop Harry Jackson (DC Agenda photo by Michael Key)
A Maryland-based church whose pastor is leading efforts to overturn D.C.’s same-sex marriage law is holding Sunday morning services at the E Street Cinema in downtown Washington, prompting some activists to call for a boycott of the theater.
In a little-noticed development, Hope Christian Church of Beltsville, Md., recently began holding weekly worship services at the theater at 8:30 a.m. A church employee told DC Agenda on Tuesday that its pastor, Bishop Harry Jackson, leads the weekly services at the theater, which is located at 11th and E streets, N.W.
The church’s web site says that it holds at least three additional Sunday morning services at its main facility on Ammendale Road in Beltsville.
Landmark Theaters, owners of E Street Cinema, told DC Agenda that it could not “refuse service” to the church and was obligated in this instance to rent space to Hope Christian Church.
“Landmark Theatres rents our auditoriums out to many different types of organizations and we do not have the right to refuse service to anyone based on their religious beliefs,” an unidentified spokesperson wrote Monday in an e-mail to DC Agenda.
Timothy Daniels, a gay D.C. resident, has called the statement unacceptable and created a Facebook group promoting the boycott of E Street Cinema.
In past years, E Street Cinema has served as one of the venues for Reel Affirmations, D.C.’s annual LGBT film festival. It remains known as a showcase for LGBT films and documentaries.
“Hope Christian Church is headed by Bishop Harry Jackson, a vehemently vocal opponent of the D.C. LGBT community,” Daniels says in his Facebook message.
Jackson has repeatedly attempted to overturn the same-sex marriage law that the D.C. City Council passed and Mayor Adrian Fenty signed. His attempts have been unsuccessful, and the marriage law is scheduled to take effect March 3, when Congress completes its review of the statute.
The city’s Board of Elections & Ethics has ruled three times that Jackson’s request for a ballot measure to put the law to voters cannot be held because, if approved, it would violate the D.C. Human Rights Act. The board’s decisions have been upheld by at least three D.C. Superior Court judges that have turned down Jackson’s appeals of the board’s rulings.
“[Jackson] continues to spread lies and falsehoods about gay marriage rights in the District,” Daniels says in his Facebook message. “We urge all of you that live in D.C. who regularly attend movies at E Street Cinema to cease patronizing their business, and instead [move to] contacting Landmark Theatres and expressing your strong disappointment at this blatant hypocrisy.”
But Rick Rosendall, vice president of the Gay & Lesbian Activists Alliance, said it would be a mistake to boycott or penalize E Street Cinema for renting space to Jackson’s church. He noted that he and other activists would likely speak out against a boycott.
“The E Street Cinema is a public accommodation and cannot discriminate on the basis of religion,” Rosendall said. “The same Human Rights Act that protects us protects Bishop Jackson and his followers.”
He said the strategy employed by GLAA and a coalition of other LGBT groups to oppose Jackson through legal and political channels has succeeded.
“We and our allies have consistently defeated Bishop Jackson in the polls, in the D.C. Council, at the Board of Elections & Ethics, in Superior Court, and most recently in the Court of Appeals,” he said. “That doesn’t justify complacency, but it should give us pause before yielding to an impulse to return intolerance for intolerance.”
Daniels said about 200 people have joined his Facebook group calling for a boycott of the theater and the group would discuss whether to go ahead with a boycott or take other measures, such as a letter-writing campaign urging Landmark Theatres to find a way to stop renting space to Jackson’s church.
“In my opinion, there comes a point where you can only get slapped in the face so many times before you slap back,” he said.
District of Columbia
Campaign launched to elect more LGBTQ candidates to ANC seats
Capital Stonewall Democrats behind Queering ANCs effort
The Capital Stonewall Democrats, D.C.’s largest local LGBTQ political group, announced on July 7 it has launched a campaign to help elect large numbers of LGBTQ candidates to the city’s Advisory Neighborhood Commissions.
The D.C. local government is believed to be unique among U.S. cities in currently having 46 Advisory Neighborhood Commissions consisting of 345 single-member districts in neighborhoods throughout the city in which unpaid Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners are elected for two-year terms.
The commissions are charged with considering a wide range of policies and programs impacting their neighborhoods, including traffic, parking, recreation, street improvements, liquor licenses, zoning, economic development, police protection, sanitation and trash collection, and D.C.’s annual budget, according to the ANC website.
Although the ANCs do not have authority to set or reject policies or proposals, such as applications for liquor licenses, city agencies are required to give “great weight” to ANC recommendations, according to the law creating the ANCs.
Kent Boese, a gay former ANC commissioner, currently serves as executive director of the D.C. Office of ANCs.
“We are launching the most ambitious hyperlocal LGBTQ+ candidate pipeline initiative in the country,” said Stevie McCarty, the Capital Stonewall Democrats president, in a July 7 statement that announced the Queering ANCs campaign.
“As an ANC member, I know firsthand how these seats shape our neighborhoods, from housing and public safety to sanitation,” McCarty says in the statement. “I’m proud to lead this effort to ensure more LGBTQ+ Washingtonians see themselves as leaders in their communities,” he said.
The ANC Rainbow Caucus, which was created by LGBTQ ANC members, shows on its website that there are currently 38 caucus members consisting of elected LGBTQ ANC commissioners serving in the current 2025-2026 two-year term.
The website shows there are LGBTQ commissioners who are caucus members in each of the city’s eight wards, with six in Ward 1, eight in Ward 2, one in Ward 3, six in Ward 4, five in Ward 5, three in Ward 6, eight in Ward 7, and one in Ward 8.
The Washington Blade couldn’t immediately determine how many of them will be running for re-election in D.C.’s general election in November. But McCarty said Capital Stonewall Democrats hopes to recruit many more LGBTQ candidates to run for ANC seats.
The D.C. Board of Elections website shows the deadline for filing 25 required petition signatures to be placed on the ballot is Aug. 5.
A Queering ANCs website launched this week by Capital Stonewall Democrats provides details on how to run for an ANC seat and offers help for those interested in running.
“Think of someone in your building, neighborhood, friend group, community organization, or professional network who cares deeply about D.C. and would make a strong leader,” McCarty says in his statement. “Send them QueeringANCs.org and personally ask them to consider running,” he said.
The website can be accessed at QueeringANCs.org.
Baltimore
Ron Singer, owner of popular Mount Vernon gay bar Leon’s, dies
66-year-old’s funeral to take place Friday
By CAYLA HARRIS | Ron Singer, the owner of Baltimore’s popular gay bar Leon’s Backroom, died Tuesday, the venue announced in a social media post. He was 66.
“For more than 20 years, Ron made Leon’s a place so many people were proud to call home,” the post reads. “He will be deeply missed.”
The Mount Vernon bar, typically open from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. daily, is still open Thursday, but doors will close at midnight so staff can attend his funeral Friday morning. Services are scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. at Sol Levinson’s Chapel.
The rest of this article can be read on the Baltimore Banner’s website.
District of Columbia
Mary’s House founder, CEO retires
Dr. Imani Woody played leading role in opening DC’s first home for LGBTQ seniors
The board of directors for Mary’s House for Older Adults, DC’s first official home dedicated to providing affordable housing for LGBTQ seniors, announced on July 7 that its founding president and CEO, Dr. Imani Woody, has retired.
Woody, who holds a PhD in Human Services, is credited with playing a leading role over many years in arranging both city and private funding needed to construct and operate the Mary’s House three-story building located at 401 Anacostia Road, S.E., in the city’s Fort Dupont neighborhood.
The house, which opened in March 2025, with a grand opening ceremony held in May 2025, includes 15 single-occupancy residential units and more than 5,000 square feet of shared communal living space.
“It is with profound gratitude and hearts full of celebration that the board of directors of Mary’s House for Older Adults, DC (MHFOA) announces the retirement of our visionary founder, Dr. Imani Woody, from her role as president and CEO,” the Mary’s House board says in a statement.
“Dr. Woody’s journey with Mary’s House began with her vision and a kitchen table gathering of women with a bold, urgent, and loving vision: to create safe, affirming, affordable housing for LGBTQ/SGL older adults in Washington, DC,” the statement says.
It adds, “What started as a dream has grown into DC’s first affordable LGBTQ+/SGL affirming communal living space for adults 60 and over, a 15-room community residence at 401 Anacostia Road in Southeast Washington.”
The statement says Woody will continue to serve on Mary’s House board.
“The board will be sharing information about the leadership transition process in the coming weeks,” the statement continues. “We are committed to honoring Dr. Woody’s legacy by ensuring Mary’s House continues to thrive and grow in faithful service to LGBTQ/SGL elders experiencing housing insecurity and isolation.”
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