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Organization for American States backs anti-discrimination resolution

Advocates applaud inclusion of LGBT-specific language

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Wilson CastaƱera, Colombia, Caribe Afirmativo, gay news, Washington Blade
Wilson CastaƱera, Colombia, Caribe Afirmativo, gay news, Washington Blade

Wilson CastaƱeda of the Colombian LBGT advocacy group Caribe Afirmativo. attended the OAS meeting in Guatemala. (Washington Blade photo by Michael K. Lavers)

The Organization of American States on June 5 adopted an anti-discrimination resolution that includes sexual orientation and gender identity and expression.

ā€œEvery human being is equal under the law and has the right to equal protection against all forms of discrimination and intolerance in whatever aspect of public or private life,ā€ it reads.

The resolution the OAS adopted during its annual meeting that took place in Antigua, Guatemala, also said member countries have an obligation to prevent ā€œall acts and demonstrations of discrimination and intolerance.ā€ These include hate and bias-motivated violence and using the Internet and other media to incite ā€œhate, discrimination and intoleranceā€ against marginalized groups.

OAS delegates approved a second resolution that calls upon the organization’s 35 member countries to promote and protect the human rights of those living with or affected by HIV/AIDS. They also approved a third resolution that urged nations to stop discrimination based on race.

Anti-LGBT discrimination and especially violence remain serious problems in the hemisphere in spite of recent advances on same-sex marriage and other issues in countries that include Brazil and Uruguay.

A report that Colombia Diversa, a Colombian LGBT rights group, released last month indicates 58 of the reported 280 LGBT Colombians who were murdered between 2011-2012 were killed because of their sexual orientation or gender identity and expression. A separate report from the Latin American and Caribbean Network of Transgender Women (REDLACTRANS) notes 61 transgender women in Colombia have been reported murdered between 2005-2011.

The Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All-Sexuals and Gays (J-FLAG) said at least 30 gay men have been murdered in the Caribbean country between 1997 and 2004.

The U.S. State Department has spoken out against anti-LGBT violence in Jamaica and other countries that include Honduras and PerĆŗ.

The Jamaica Supreme Court later this month is scheduled to hear the first domestic challenge to the island’s anti-sodomy law. The Belize Supreme Court last month heard a case that gay advocate Caleb Orozco filed against the former British colony’s statute that criminalizes consensual same-sex sexual acts between adults.

Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados are among the nine other English-speaking Caribbean countries in which anti-sodomy laws remain on the books.

Wilson CastaƱeda Castro, director of Caribe Afirmativo, a Colombian LGBT advocacy group that works in cities along the country’s Caribbean coast, attended the OAS meeting in Guatemala.

He told the Washington Blade earlier this week his group welcomes the anti-discrimination resolutions.

ā€œThis has been a triumph for the region’s LGBT and Afro-descendent movement,ā€ CastaƱeda said.

Jaime Parada Hoyl, who became the first openly gay political candidate elected in Chile last October when he won a seat on the municipal council in a wealthy enclave in Santiago, the country’s capital, described the resolutions to the Blade as ā€œhistoric.ā€

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District of Columbia

Adams Morgan queer bar broken into and vandalized

Sinners and Saints targeted Thursday night

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Homophobic vandalism left in Sinners and Saints following the break in. (Photo courtesy of Sinners and Saints' Instagram page)

On Thursday night, Sinners and Saints, a popular queer bar in Adams Morgan and the only QTBIPOC (queer, trans, Black, Indigenous and people of color) bar in D.C., was broken into and vandalized with homophobic slurs, according to a recent Instagram post from the establishment.

The iron gate and glass door of Sinners and Saints smashed. (Photo from Sinners and Saints’s Instagram page)

ā€œLast night, our bar — the only QTBIPOC bar in DC — was broken into and hate-crimed during DC Black Pride, a time meant for celebration, resilience, and joy — and on the eve of WorldPride 2025. We are heartbroken, but we are not broken,ā€ the post read.

The statement was accompanied by a slideshow showing the damage: the front iron gate door and its glass counterpart shattered, glass strewn across the floor, and the word ā€œFAGGOTā€ scrawled in black ink on the wall.

ā€œThis space exists to protect and celebrate queer and trans BIPOC communities, and this attack only strengthens our resolve,ā€ the post continued. ā€œWe will NOT be silenced. We will NOT be intimidated. We will NOT back down.ā€

ā€œTo those who tried to harm us: hate fuels our defiance. To our community: we see you, we love you, and we will continue fighting for you. Sinners and Saints is resistance. We will rebuild. We will STAY OPEN. And we will keep our doors — and hearts — wide open for all who need refuge.ā€

They ended the message with a call to action: ā€œStand with us. Share this. Show up. We keep us safe.ā€

ā€œWhat happened was truly disheartening, but we won’t be silenced,ā€ co-owner Fazeel Ashraf told the Washington Blade. ā€œQTBIPOC spaces are so important in this current political climate. I’d love to do a phone interview with one of my fellow partners.ā€

Despite the heartbreak surrounding the break-in and what Ashraf described as ā€œa hate crime,ā€ the LGBTQ community quickly rallied in the comments, offering support and assistance.

ā€œPlease let us know how we can help!ā€ wrote Nik Battaglia. ā€œI’m a handy queer with handy queer friends — I can fix shit, paint shit, and am happy to stand guard outside.ā€

Even national figures chimed in.

“RuPaul’s Drag Race” star Laganja Estranja commented, ā€œIncredible response! I believe in you. Sending so much love and strength.ā€

The Blade reached out to the Metropolitan Police Department regarding the break-in but has not received a response.

To view the damage, and some of the LGBTQ community’s supportive statements, visit the Sinners and Saints’s Instagram page.

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Comings & Goings

Freedman-Gurspan takes role in Mass. governor’s administration

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Raffi Freedman-Gurspan

The Comings & Goings column is about sharing the professional successes of our community. We want to recognize those landing new jobs, new clients for their business, joining boards of organizations and other achievements. Please share your successes with us at [email protected].Ā 

The Comings & Goings column also invites LGBTQ college students to share their successes with us. If you have been elected to a student government position, gotten an exciting internship, or are graduating and beginning your career with a great job, let us know so we can share your success.Ā 

Congratulations to Raffi Freedman-Gurspan on being appointed Associate Director, Federal Funding & Infrastructure Office, at the Massachusetts Executive Office for Administration & Finance. Freedman-Gurspan will be returning to her hometown of Boston and joining Gov. Maura Healey’s Administration. Freedman-Gurspan served in both the Obama and Biden administrations as well as worked in LGBTQ and redistricting advocacy during her 11 years in D.C. 

Freedman-Gurspan was the first openly transgender person on the White House staff when she worked for President Obama. She most recently served at the U.S. Department of Transportation in former Secretary Pete Buttigieg’s office, as Deputy Director of Public Engagement. Previously she worked with the National Redistricting Action Fund/The All On The Line Campaign, as Deputy States Director.  She worked for the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) as Director of External Relations. In the Obama White House, she worked in the Office of Public Engagement, as Senior Associate Director. She was the White House Liaison to the LGBTQ community responsible for management of all public inquiries on matters regarding LGBTQ people, including recommending public responses to senior leadership, assisting in drafting administration talking points, and coordinating stakeholder engagement with the White House offices.  She worked with the White House, Presidential Personnel Office (PPO), as Outreach and Recruitment Director.  

Prior to that she was on the staff of Commonwealth of Massachusetts, House of Representatives Office of State Rep. Carl Sciortino, as legislative director, and worked for the City of Somerville, Health Department, Office of Commissions, Somerville, Mass., as LGBTQ Liaison.  

Freedman-Gurspan served on the United States Holocaust Memorial Council, the Presidentially Appointed Council; and as a member, and Board Member, Boston University, College of Arts and Sciences, Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies Program.

She earned her bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Norwegian, concentration in Nordic Studies, from St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minn.  

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District of Columbia

Murdered Israeli embassy officials were supporters of D.C.’s LGBTQ synagogue

Bet Mishpachah calls fatal shooting outside Capital Jewish Museum ā€˜devastating’

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Bet Mishpachah members march at the Second National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights, Oct. 11, 1987. (Photo courtesy of Lillian and Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum Collection. Gift of Bet Mishpachah with thanks to Joel Wind & Al Munzer)

The two Israeli embassy officials who were shot to death outside D.C.’s Capital Jewish Museum Wednesday evening, May 21, were strong supporters of Bet Mishpachah, D.C.’s LGBTQ supportive synagogue, according to a statement it released.

ā€œWe are especially devastated by the loss of our dear colleague and friend of Bet Mishpachah, Sarah Milgram, and her soon to be fiancĆ©, Yaron Lischinsky,ā€ the LGBTQ synagogue said in a May 22 statement.

ā€œSarah was the liaison between Bet MishpachahĀ  and the Israeli Embassy, working closely with our staff and clergy,ā€ the statement says. ā€œHer warmth, professionalism, and deep commitment to building bridges within the Jewish community made her not only a trusted partner but a beloved part of our extended congregational family,ā€ according to the statement.

A statement also released on May 22 by the office of the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia says Chicago resident Elias Rodriguez, 30, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder along with other weapons related charges in connection with the shooting deaths of Milgram and Lischinsky.Ā 

Officials with the D.C. police and the FBI, which has joined D.C. police in continuing to investigate the case, have said Rodriquez arrived in D.C. from Chicago one day prior to the shooting and appears to have targeted an event taking place at the Capital Jewish Museum for violence at the time it was hosting an event called ā€œYoung Diplomats Reception,ā€ in which Israeli Embassy officials were in attendance.

Police and FBI officials have said Rodriguez allegedly shot Milgrim and Lischinsky after they left the Capital Jewish Museum at the conclusion of the event. The museum is located at 575 3rd Street, N.W.

ā€œSurveillance footage reportedly shows Rodriquez walking past the victims before turning and firing multiple rounds,ā€ the U.S. Attorney’s statement says. ā€œAfter the victims fell, he allegedly continued firing at close range, including as one attempted to crawl away,ā€ it says, adding, ā€œInvestigators recovered a 9 mm handgun and 21 spent shell casings at the scene.ā€

Police have said Rodriguez walked into the Capital Jewish Museum after the shooting and was detained by security guards until D.C. police arrived. Witnesses said he began to shout, ā€œfree, free Palestineā€ before police took him into custody.Ā 

ā€œMake no mistake, this attack was targeted, antisemitic violence,ā€ said Steven Jenson, an FBI assistant director working on the investigation. ā€œThe FBI will continue to pursue all leads and use all available resources to investigate this heinous murder,ā€ he said in the statement. 

The fatal shooting took place five days after the Capital Jewish Museum opened a special exhibition called ā€œLGBT Jews in the Federal City” on May 16. ā€œThis landmark exhibition explores a turbulent century of celebrations, activism, and change in the nation’s capital by D.C.’s LGBTQ+ Jewish community,ā€ the museum said in a statement announcing the exhibition.

Photos and documents related to Bet Mishpachah make up a prominent part of the exhibition.

During a May 22 press conference organized by the U.S. Attorney for D.C., Jeanine Pirro, to provide an update on the investigation into the two murders, Pirro and FBI official Jensen referred to the two murders as a hate crime and terrorist act. 

In response to a question from the Washington Blade asking if investigators were looking into whether the LGBTQ exhibition at the Capital Jewish Museum might have played some role in Gonzales’s motive for targeting the museum, Pirro responded to the question.

ā€œSo, we are looking into absolutely everything,ā€ she said. ā€œThere is so much information we’re looking at. And I must tell you, coming from New York, I’ve never seen the cooperation and coordination that I’m seeing here. It was immediate. It was instant. It was coordinated. And my hat’s off to this area. We’re going to clean it up, thank you,ā€ she said in ending the press conference.

Josh Maxey, Bet Mishpachah’s executive director, said he and Israeli Embassy official Milgram became friends during their two-and-a-half-year interaction working on joint events between the embassy and Bet Mishpachah.

ā€œThis became a wonderful two and a half years journey of putting events together, of hosting events together, doing different programs for the community,ā€ Maxey told the Blade. Among the activities the two worked on, he said, was the embassy’s annual LGBTQ Pride event.

Maxie said his own grieving over the death of Milgram and her boyfriend Lischinsky was heightened by the fact that he spoke with her by phone on the day of the shooting shortly before she arrived at the Jewish Museum over plans about this year’s LGBTQ Pride events.

ā€œSarah really championed us to be included in Israeli events,ā€ Maxey said. ā€œAnd so, I am just devastated that this true embodiment of an ally was so viciously and violently taken away from us.ā€

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