Local
Gray names new GLBT Affairs head
Stein Club’s Richardson lands job
Mayor Vincent Gray and new Office of GLBT Affairs director Jeffrey Richardson (Blade photo by Michael Key)
D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray today named the president of the Gertrude Stein Democratic Club, Jeffrey Richardson, as his new director of the mayor’s Office of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Affairs.
At a news conference at the mayor’s office Friday morning, Gray called Richardson “a respected and credible voice for the GLBT community,” and noted that he played a key role in efforts, which Gray supported, to help pass the city’s same-sex marriage law.
“The District of Columbia has one of the largest and most diverse GLBT communities in the nation,” Gray said. “And in the spirit of one city, Mr. Richardson will lead collaborative efforts with these constituents, the community at-large, and the government.”
The City Council created the Office of GLBT Affairs through legislation signed by former Mayor Anthony Williams. The legislation established the office’s director as a cabinet-level position.
Richardson replaces Christopher Dyer, who served as director of the GLBT Affairs Office under Mayor Adrian Fenty.
The Stein Club is the city’s largest LGBT political organization. It endorsed Gray for mayor over Fenty last August following a club candidates’ forum in which Gray and Fenty talked about their plans for addressing LGBT issues.
Gray was asked at Friday’s news conference if he plans to meet from time to time with Richardson in light of the disclosure by Dyer in an interview with the Blade earlier this month that he never had a face-to-face, sit-down meeting with Fenty. Dyer said he communicated often with Fenty through a “chain of command” comprised of high-level mayoral assistants.
“I have spent a lot of time with the GLBT community in the city and have lots of folks I work closely with, lots of friends,” Gray said. “And Jeff is one of those people…So I don’t think there’s any question that I will spend a lot of time with Jeff. We know each other. We have a great relationship. And I want to be a part of helping to support his efforts.”
At the same news conference, Gray announced the appointment of two other high-level city officials – Victor Hoskins as Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development and Phillip Lattimore III as director of the Office of Risk Management.
Richardson currently serves as director of national programs for the Center for Progressive Leadership, where he manages programs aimed at developing progressive leaders to work in national politics, policy-making, and advocacy roles, according to information released by the mayor’s office.
Richardson previously served as a program officer with the D.C. Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation, where he managed the awarding of grants to help fund anti-truancy, drop-out prevention, and family related initiatives.
He received a master’s degree in social work from Howard University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
“The District is gaining a true public servant and the Stein Club is excited about Jeffrey’s ability to ensure that LGBT residents have a voice at the highest levels of city government,” said a statement released by the club.
“As a social worker, non-profit professional, and community activist, Jeffrey has experience working with all segments of the District’s population,” the club statement says. “His experience will enable him to bring diverse groups together and to effectively advocate for all constituencies within the LGBT community.”
“Jeff Richardson will make a great director of the mayor’s Office of LGBT Affairs,” said gay Democratic activist and Stein Club member Peter Rosenstein. “His knowledge of D.C. and our issues, and the trust that Mayor Gray has in him, will allow him to work with the diverse segments of the LGBT community and make progress on the issues we care about.”
Rick Rosendall, vice president of the Gay & Lesbian Activists Alliance, characterized as “good news” Richardson’s appointment to the GLBT Affairs post.
“He has been a pleasure to work with in his capacity as president of the Gertrude Stein Democratic club, during which he was an excellent coalition partner in our community’s final push for civil marriage equality,” Rosendall said. “He continued a commendable trend among recent Stein Club presidents of amicable cooperation with GLAA on a range of LGBT issues.”
Virginia
Black transgender woman murdered in Va.
Shyyell Diamond Sanchez-McCray killed in Petersburg on March 13
A Black transgender woman was murdered in Petersburg, Va., on March 13.
Shyyell Diamond Sanchez-McCray, who was also known as Mable, was a drag queen who won the Miss Mayflower EOY pageant in 2015. Reports also indicate she was a well-known community activist in Virginia and in North Carolina.
Local media reports indicate police officers found Sanchez-McCray, 42, shot to death inside a home in Petersburg. These initial media reports also misgendered her.
“My heart is shattered and heavy with grief at the news of Shyyell Diamond Sanchez-McCray’s murder — the first trans life stolen from us this year,” said Victoria Kirby York, director of public policy and programs for the National Black Justice Coalition, in a statement.
Kirby York in her statement also criticized the media coverage of Sanchez-McCray’s murder.
“The early reports of Shyyell’s death stripped her of her identity by misgendering her, a deeply damaging and persistent failure by law enforcement and media that haunts these cases again and again,” she said. “Misgendering doesn’t just erase a person’s truth — it can derail justice entirely, or worse, bury a case in silence as investigators chase the wrong identity, the wrong face, the wrong name.”
Authorities have not made any arrests.
The Petersburg Bureau of Police has asked anyone with information about Sanchez-McCray’s murder to call Petersburg-Dinwiddie Crime Solvers at 804-861-1212.
District of Columbia
Trans Day of Visibility events planned
Rally on the National Mall scheduled for Saturday
The Christopher Street Project has a number of events planned for the 2026 Trans Day of Visibility, including a rally on the Mall and an “Empowerment Ball” at the Eaton Hotel. Plenaries, panel discussions and meetings with members of Congress are scheduled in the three days of programming.
Announced speakers include N.H. state Rep. Alice Wade; Commissioner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago Precious Brady-Davis; activist and performer Miss Peppermint (“RuPaul’s Drag Race”); Lexington, Ky. Councilwoman Emma Curtis; Rabbi Abby Stein; D.C. activist and host Rayceen Pendarvis; Air Force Master Sgt. Logan Ireland; among other leaders, advocates and performers.
Conference programming on Thursday and Friday includes an educational forum and a Capitol Hill policy education day. Registration for the two-day conference has closed.
The “Trans Day of Visibility PAC Reception” is scheduled for Thursday, March 26 from 7:30-9 p.m. at As You Are (500 8th St., S.E.). Special guests include Rep. Dina Titus (D-Nevada) and Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.). Tickets are available at christopherstreetproject.org starting at $25.
The National Council of Jewish Women and the Christopher Street Project host a “Trans Day of Visibility Shabbat” on Friday, March 27 from 7-8 p.m. at Sixth & I (600 I St., N.W.). The service is to be led by Rabbi Jenna Shaw and Rabbi Abby Stein.
The “Now You See Me: Trans Empowerment Social & Ball” is scheduled for Friday, March 27 from 6-11 p.m. at the Eaton Hotel (1201 K. St., N.W.). The trans-themed drag ball is hosted by the Marsha P. Johnson Institute with support from the D.C. Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ+ Affairs, the Capital Ballroom Council, the Christopher Street Project, the Center for Black Equity, Generation for Common Good, and Parenting is Political. RSVP online at christopherstreetproject.org.
The National Transgender Day of Visibility Rally is scheduled for Saturday, March 28 on the National Mall at 11 a.m. The rally will include speakers and performances. Following the rally, attendees are encouraged to participate in the “No Kings” rally being held at Anacostia Park.
Virginia
Virginia General Assembly’s 2026 legislative session ends
Voters in November will consider repealing marriage amendment
The Virginia General Assembly’s 2026 legislative session ended on March 14.
Lawmakers have yet to approve a budget, but they did pass a resolution that paves the way for a referendum on whether to repeal the state’s constitutional amendment that defines marriage as between a man and a woman. Lawmakers also advanced House Bill 60, which would protect PrEP users from insurance discrimination.
Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger has until April 13 to decide to pass, amend, or veto legislation before it goes back to the House of Delegates on April 22.
Spanberger on Feb. 6 signed the bill that sets the stage for the marriage amendment referendum. Voters will consider whether to “remove the ban on same-sex marriage; (ii) affirm that two adults may marry regardless of sex, gender, or race; and (iii) require all legally valid marriages to be treated equally under the law?”
Equality Virginia has been working during this legislative cycle to urge lawmakers to allocate funding towards LGBTQ rights. The budget would expand funding for schools, competency training for the 988 suicide hotline, and funding to provide gender affirming care to LGBTQ youth.
“As the budget moves through conference and the Reconvene Session approaches on April 22, Equality Virginia remains focused on ensuring our victories this session translate into durable protections,” Equality Virginia Executive Director Narissa Rahaman told the Washington Blade in a statement. “Progress on marriage equality, nondiscrimination protections, and HIV care funding was essential, but Virginia must do more.”
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