Local
More than 100 attend D.C. vigil for Texas lesbian couple
HRC President Chad Griffin among those who spoke in Dupont Circle
Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin speaks at Dupont Circle vigil (Blade photo by Blake Bergen)
More than 100 people gathered in Dupont Circle on Friday for a vigil in honor of a lesbian couple that was shot last week in a Texas park.
“Last Friday night, a week ago tonight, as many prepared for LGBT Pride celebrations around the country, 19-year-old Mollie Olgin was taking her girlfriend of five months, 18-year-old Kristene Chapa, to a movie,” said Jamie McGonnigal, who co-organized the gathering with Jay Carmona. “They had some extra time on their hands, so they stopped by a local park [in Portland, Texas.]”
Chapa and Olgin were found in the park the next morning—Olgin was pronounced dead at the scene, while Chapa remains in intensive care with a shotgun wound to her head. Authorities continue to investigate.
While it remains unclear whether the women’s sexual orientation was a factor, those who spoke at the vigil said the shooting underscores the violence and discrimination that LGBT people continue to face.
“We can’t stand around and take this any longer,” said the Rev. Avinash Macquarie of the United Fellowship Church. “Mollie Judith Olgin did not deserve to die because she loved Mary Christine Chapa. Mary Christine Chapa should not be in the hospital fighting for her life because she loved Mollie Judith Olgin. No one should ever be judged because of their attractionality. We must begin to fight this ugly creature called discrimination. We must fight with our voices as we tell the world we are not going to continue to let gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people be killed.”
Andrew Barnett, director of the Sexual Minority Youth Action League, and Gays and Lesbians Opposing Violence Chair A.J. Singleterry made similar points.
“The fact that it’s this hot and there’s still this many people here is an indication of how sick to death we are of losing our young people,” added Maya Rupert, federal policy director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights. “We owe you a better world to become adults in than the one that we have right now. There is work that is being done. We are doing things to make things better, but you matter. I want to echo that point. You matter.”
The Dupont Circle vigil was one of more than 25 in honor of the couple that took place across the country.
The D.C. gathering also took place three days after Alvonica Jackson, Ali Jackson and Desmond Campbell allegedly stabbed a 16-year-old boy near the Howard Theatre in what police have described as an anti-gay hate crime. The D.C. Council earlier on Friday held a hearing on hate crimes and the Metropolitan Police Department’s response to them. Alvin Bethea, who read a letter on behalf of the mother of Deoni Jones, a transgender woman who was stabbed to death at a Northeast bus stop in February, was among those who testified.
“It’s important that we all come together as a community and reject violence against all people, against all human beings,” said Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin. “Texas is a long ways away, but we’re in our nation’s capital and so all of you being here today sends that message and says to those in Texas who are investigating that the world is watching—that the world is watching to ensure that the investigation is handled properly and thoroughly handled by the local authorities that are there investigating.”
Meanwhile, police in Portland, Texas this week said that an eyewitness has come forward in the shooting, according to ABC news. Police contend there is not yet enough evidence to classify the shooting as a hate crime, but thanks to the eyewitness account, they say they are now seeking a white male with dark hair around 5’8” and about 140 pounds, in his 20s.
Rehoboth Beach
Rehoboth Summer Kickoff Party set for May 15 with Ashley Biden
The Washington Blade’s 19th annual Summer Kickoff Party is scheduled for Friday, May 15 in Rehoboth Beach, Del.
Ashley Biden, daughter of President Joe Biden, has joined the list of speakers, the Blade announced. She will accept an award on behalf of her brother Beau Biden for his LGBTQ advocacy work as Delaware attorney general. (Her appearance was rescheduled from last year.)
The event, to be held this year at Diego’s (37298 Rehoboth Ave. Ext.) from 5-7 p.m., is a fundraiser for the Blade Foundation’s Steve Elkins Memorial Fellowship in Journalism, which funds a summer position reporting on LGBTQ news in Delaware. This year’s recipient will be introduced at the event.
The event will also feature remarks from state Rep. Claire Snyder-Hall. New CAMP Rehoboth Executive Director Dr. Robin Brennan and Blade editor Kevin Naff will also speak. The event is generously sponsored by Realtor Justin Noble, The Avenue Inn & Spa, and Diego’s.
A suggested donation of $25 is partially tax deductible and includes a drink ticket and light appetizers. Tickets are available in advance at bladefoundation.org/rehoboth or at the door.
District of Columbia
Curve magazine honors Washington Blade publisher
Lynne Brown named to 2026 Power List
Washington Blade Publisher Lynne Brown has been named to the 2026 Curve Power List celebrating LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary individuals in North America who are blazing trails in their chosen fields.
“From sports and entertainment icons to corporate leaders and lawmakers, these individuals are breaking barriers, challenging norms, and shaping the future,” Curve Foundation/Curve magazine said in announcing this year’s list, which includes ABC newscaster Robin Roberts, comedian/actress Hannah Einbinder, and singer/actress Renee Rapp, among others.
Brown has worked for the Washington Blade for nearly 40 years. She was named publisher in 2007 before becoming a co-owner in 2010.
“I am honored to be recognized by Curve magazine during Lesbian Visibility Week,” Brown said. “Receiving this Curve honor is twofold. I was an early subscriber to Curve. I enjoy the product and know its history. Its journalism, layout and humorous features have inspired me.
“As an owner/publisher, receiving recognition from a similar source acknowledges my work and efforts, with a sincerity I truly appreciate. Franco Stevens, the publisher of Curve, is a business person of duration, experience, and purpose. The fact that they are in the media business, and honoring me and my publication makes it a tiny bit sweeter.”
Nominations for the Curve Power List come from the community: peers, mentors, fans, and employers.
Curve explained the significance of the list in its announcement: “An annual, publicly nominated list of impactful LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary changemakers is crucial in current times to counter discrimination, legislative rollbacks, hostility, and the invisibility of queer women within mainstream and marginal spaces and endeavors. Such a list also fosters encouragement and solidarity, and elevates voices and achievements—from high-profile roles to under appreciated areas of life.”
Rehoboth Beach
Auction of Rehoboth’s Blue Moon canceled
Details on sale of iconic bar, restaurant not disclosed
The Blue Moon in Rehoboth Beach, Del., has been an iconic presence in the local LGBTQ community for four decades but its status remains murky after a sheriff’s auction of the property was abruptly called off on Tuesday.
The property was listed for sale in December. At that time, owner Tim Ragan told the Blade that he is committed to preserving its legacy as a gay-friendly space.
“We had no idea the interest this would create,” Ragan said in December. “I guess I was a little naive about that.”
Ragan explained that he and longtime partner Randy Haney were separating the real estate from the business. The two buildings associated with the sale were listed by Carrie Lingo at 35 Baltimore Ave., and include an apartment, the front restaurant (6,600 square feet with three floors and a basement), and a secondary building (roughly 1,800 square feet on two floors). They were listed for $4.5 million.
The bar and restaurant business is being sold separately; the price was not publicly disclosed.
But then, earlier this year, the Blue Moon real estate listing turned up on the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office auction site. The auction was slated for Tuesday, April 21 but hours before the sale, the listing changed to “active under contract” indicating that a buyer has been found but the sale is not yet final. As of Wednesday morning, the listing has been removed from the sheriff’s auction site.
Ragan didn’t respond to Blade inquiries about the auction. Back in December, he told the Blade, “It’s time to look for the next people who can continue the history of the Moon and cultivate the next chapter,” noting that he turns 70 this year. “We’re not panicked; we separated the building from the business. Some buyers can’t afford both.”
The identity of the buyer was not disclosed, nor was the sale price.
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