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It’s official: Mizeur announces run for Md. governor

Democrat would become country’s first openly gay state executive

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Heather Mizeur, gay news, Washington Blade, Maryland House of Delegates, Baltimore Pride Parade
Heather Mizeur, gay news, Washington Blade, Maryland House of Delegates, Baltimore Pride Parade

Maryland state Del. Heather Mizeur (D-Montgomery Co.) (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Maryland state Del. Heather Mizeur (D-Montgomery County) has formally announced her 2014 gubernatorial campaign.

ā€œIā€™m running for governor because I love this state and I see limitless possibilities on what we can accomplish together,ā€ she told the Washington Blade in an interview before she officially declared her candidacy in an e-mail to supporters. Mizeur cited economic development, protecting the stateā€™s environment and improving the quality of Marylandā€™s public schools and health care system as among her top campaign issues. ā€œThere are great challenges facing us and also incredible opportunities.ā€

Mizeur, 40, has represented the 20th House District that includes Takoma Park and Silver Spring in the General Assembly since 2006.

The former Democratic National Committee member worked on now Secretary of State John Kerryā€™s 2004 presidential campaign. Mizeur in 2008 endorsed President Obamaā€™s election campaign after her consideration of him or then-New York Sen. Hillary Clinton received national attention.

Mizeur would make history as Marylandā€™s first female governor and the countryā€™s first openly LGBT governor if voters elect her in 2014.

ā€œDiversity is enormously important,ā€ she told the Blade. ā€œNot simply to have a gay governor, but to have a governor who can represent the voices of people in communities that have not always had a voice in the process.ā€

Mizeur added her approach to governing the state and her vision for Maryland is ā€œabout bringing people together and making everyone a stakeholder and creating solutions to the issuesā€ it faces.

Brown, Gansler have fundraising advantage

Mizeur will face off against Lieutenant Gov. Anthony Brown, who last month unveiled Howard County Executive Ken Ulman as his running mate. Attorney General Doug Gansler is expected to officially declare his candidacy to succeed Gov. Martin Oā€™Malley in 2014 later this year, while Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger is also considered a potential candidate.

Harford County Executive David Craig, state Del. Ron George (R-Anne Arundel County,) 2012 U.S. Senate candidate Brian Vaeth and Frederick County Board of Commissioners President Blaine Young have also officially declared their candidacy on the Republican side.

Craig on Tuesday unveiled state Del. Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio (R-Talbot County) as his running mate.

Former Republican National Committee Chair Michael Steele, who was Marylandā€™s lieutenant governor from 2003-2007, said last month during an interview with MSNBCā€™s Chuck Todd he is ā€œlooking atā€ entering the race. Former 2010 congressional candidate Charles Lollar is among the other Republicans who are rumored to be considering their own gubernatorial bids.

EMILYā€™s List and the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund are expected to back Mizeurā€™s campaign, but campaign finance reports indicate both Brown and Gansler have a significant fundraising advantage.

Mizeur reported in a campaign finance report she filed in January that she raised $244,089.40 between Jan. 12, 2012, and January 9 of this year. Brown said he raised $1,247,811.80 in cash and in-kind donations during the same period, while Gansler netted $1,236,284.96.

Mizeur declined to disclose to the Blade the amount of money she has raised since the last campaign finance report she filed in January.

She again stressed she feels she is the best person to succeed Oā€™Malley in Annapolis in 2014.

ā€œIā€™m not going to go into office playing it safe for four years so that I can assure myself of re-election,ā€ Mizeur said. ā€œThe bold, aggressive, visionary ideas that Iā€™m laying out in the course of the campaign is the action agenda for my term as governor.ā€

Mizeur defends role she played to advance marriage bill

Rev. Delman Coates of Mt. Ennon Baptist Church in Prince George’s County and other LGBT rights advocates have applauded Mizeur for the role she played in the passage of Marylandā€™s same-sex marriage referendum last November in spite of Marylanders for Marriage Equality Campaign Manager Josh Levinā€™s suggestion that she could have done more to support the effort.

Mizeur pointed out to the Blade during an exclusive interview last fall during which she announced she was considering a run for governor that she took part in fundraising events and testified in support of the bill. The Montgomery County Democrat, who married her wife, Deborah Mizeur, during a 2005 ceremony along the Chesapeake Bay and again in California before voters in 2008 approved Proposition 8 that banned gay nuptials in the state, also gave an emotional speech on the floor of the House of Delegates before it passed the same-sex marriage bill in 2012.

Mizeur also noted she and the other seven openly gay Maryland lawmakers remained focused on the same-sex marriage effort throughout the 2012 legislative session.

ā€œEach of us was working hard in our own way,ā€ Mizeur told the Blade last fall. ā€œMy entire public schedule was Question 6-related for months.ā€

Mizeur said she also worked ā€œvery closelyā€ with Gender Rights Maryland Executive Director Dana Beyer earlier this year to advance a bill that would have banned anti-transgender discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodation.

The Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee in March narrowly struck down the measure.

Mizeur pointed to both the same-sex marriage and trans rights bills as examples of her ā€œability to work with my colleaguesā€ to ā€œpush through some pretty big efforts.ā€

ā€œI will continue to build on those relationships in order to get other priority issues pushed through the General Assembly,ā€ she said

Beyer, who supports Mizeur, on Tuesday described the Montgomery County Democrat as ā€œa force to be reckoned with.ā€

ā€œHistory can be made,ā€ Beyer told the Blade. ā€œIdentity politics aside, Heather does her job really well.ā€

While not explicitly endorsing Mizeurā€™s campaign, Equality Maryland PAC Chair Tim Williams welcomed her candidacy and other out Marylanders who have decided to seek office in 2014.

ā€œThe presence of at least one openly gay candidate in the governor’s race, as well as the many LGBT individuals and allies who are running for other state and local offices, is an indication of how far we have come as a state and a nation,” Williams said in a statement to the Blade.

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District of Columbia

Two D.C. LGBTQ rights advocates stepping down from jobs

Crenshaw leaving Alston Foundation; Czapary departs mayorā€™s office

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June Crenshaw announced sheā€™s leaving the Wanda Alston Foundation. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

Longtime D.C. LGBTQ rights advocate June Crenshaw announced she is stepping down from her position for the past nine years as executive director of the Wanda Alston Foundation, the local organization that provides housing and support services for homeless LGBTQ youth.

Around the same time, fellow LGBTQ rights advocate Salah Czapary announced he is stepping down from his position for the past two years as director of the D.C. Mayorā€™s Office of Nightlife and Culture.

Meanwhile, a third longtime local LGBTQ rights advocate, David Meadows, was unanimously confirmed on Nov. 1 by the D.C. Council for an appointment by Mayor Muriel Bowser as a member of the cityā€™s Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Board, which is responsible for administering, enforcing, and adjudicating the cityā€™s alcoholic beverage and medical marijuana laws.

Neither Crenshaw nor Czapary disclosed in announcing their departure from their jobs what their future career plans are, and the two didnā€™t immediately respond to a question from the Washington Blade asking about career plans going forward.

Crenshaw currently serves as co-chair of the committee organizing D.C. World Pride 2025, the international LGBTQ Pride celebration expected to draw a million or more visitors to the city for a wide range of World Pride events in late May and early June 2025.

ā€œAfter over nine years of unwavering dedication and visionary leadership, our beloved Executive Director, June Crenshaw, has decided to step into her next chapter,ā€ a statement released by the Wanda Alston Foundation board of directors says. ā€œWhile we will miss Juneā€™s daily presence, we are grateful that she will stay on through the transition to ensure a warm, seamless handover as we actively search for our next executive director,ā€ the statement says.

It adds, ā€œHer unwavering commitment to our mission, clients, and team has helped build a foundation of compassion, resilience, and excellence. This transition reflects her readiness to explore new paths and her belief in the bright future of the Wanda Alston Foundation.ā€

In his own statement, Czapary said he appreciated the opportunity his job gave him to serve the city and its residents and visitors.

ā€œOctober marked my last month in the Mayorā€™s Office and Iā€™m grateful to Mayor Bowser for giving me the opportunity to serve as the Districtā€™s Nightlife and Cultural Director, supporting our hospitality sector ā€“ the sector that makes the city a great place to live and visit,ā€ he said.

ā€œIā€™m proud of positioning the office as a responsive entry point for industry and residents to interact with government,ā€ he said in his statement. ā€œThe role deepened my understanding and love for D.C. in ways I couldnā€™t have imagined two years ago.ā€

Czapary added, ā€œAs for me, Iā€™m excited about whatā€™s next.ā€ But he gave no indication of his future career plans.

In the past 20 years or longer D.C. mayors have appointed an LGBTQ member of what used to be called the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board or ABC Board before its role was expanded to include marijuana regulations. It currently still uses the name ABC Board to denote Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Board.

LGBTQ rights advocates have called for at least one LGBTQ member of the board to provide representation for the important role that gay bars and other LGBTQĀ  establishments licensed to sell or serve liquor have historically played in the community.

The boardā€™s previous gay member, Edward Grandis, left the board earlier this year. In a statement released at the time of his confirmation by the Council, the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration, which works with the ABC Board on liquor and cannabis related regulations, issued a statement introducing Meadows as its new board member.

ā€œMr. Meadows is a long-time Ward 8 LGBTQIA+ community advocate with 30 years of extensive experience serving in leadership roles in District government and civic organizations,ā€ the statement says. ā€œMost recently, Mr. Meadows ran day-to-day operations in the Office of At-Large Councilmember Anita Bonds as her Chief of Staff and Senior Adviser,ā€ the statement continues.

It says Meadows previously has served as executive director of the D.C. Democratic Party and notes he began his career in the hospitality industry, including serving as events manager for the D.C.-based National Democratic Club. His appointment on the ABC Board is for a four-year term.

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Maryland

VIDEO: Salisbury University students attack gay man

Suspects recorded homophobic assault; video posted to TikTok

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(Editorā€™s note: The accompanying video contains graphic violence and homophobic slurs. Viewer discretion is advised.)

The assault of a gay man by a group of Salisbury University students in Maryland has drawn national media attention since last week. 

So far, 12 men ages 18-21 have been arrested in the brutal attack. The students allegedly lured the man to an apartment because of his ā€œsexual preferences,ā€ according to local police. 

The victim, a male in his 40s, allegedly propositioned someone on Grindr who claimed to be 16 years old, an attorney for one of the suspects told the Baltimore Banner. The age of consent in Maryland is 16. 

Once the victim arrived at the apartment, a group of more than 12 suspects emerged from the bedrooms and attacked, punching, kicking, and spitting on the victim while using anti-gay slurs.

The Washington Blade obtained video of the attack apparently recorded by one of the suspects that was posted to TikTok and circulated among students at Salisbury University. In the video, the victim can be seen being struck from behind while seated in a chair, then repeatedly punched as he tries to flee. The Blade is not identifying the victim and not posting the full video in which the manā€™s face is clearly visible.

The suspects are charged with first-degree assault, false imprisonment, reckless endangerment, and hate crimes. The suspects are: Cameron Guy, 18, of Baltimore; Jacob Howard, 19, of Elkridge; Eric Sinclair, 21, of Mount Airy; Patrick Gutierrez, 19, of Salisbury; Dylan Pietuszka, 20, of Friendship; Zachary Leinemann, 18, of Crofton; Ryder Baker, 20, of Olney; Bennan Aird, 18, of Milton, Del.; Riley Brister, 20, of Davidsonville; Cruz Cespedes, 19, of Jarrettsville; Dylan Earp, 20, of Gambrills; and Elijah Johnson, 19, of Crofton.

The Banner reported that all 12 students have been suspended along with the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, to which some of the suspects belonged.

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District of Columbia

D.C. to conduct first-of-its-kind LGBTQ veteransā€™ survey

Forum on trans, gender diverse service members set for Nov. 15

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From left, Mayor's office of LGBTQ Affairs Director Japer Bowles, Department of Defense official Shawn Skelly, Mayor's Office of Veterans Affairs Director Charlotte Woodward, Crush Dance Bar co-owner Stephen Rutgers, Mayor's Office of Veterans Affairs official Pip Baitinger, and drag performer MacKayla Starr attend the 'Voices of Courage: Reclaiming the Legacy of LGBTQIA+ Inclusion in the Military' event at Crush Dance Bar on Sept. 20. (Photo courtesy of the Mayor's Office of Veterans Affairs)

As Veterans Day is celebrated in D.C. and across the nation, Mayor Muriel Bowserā€™s Office of Veterans Affairs announced it has recently drawn up an LGBTQIA+ veteransā€™ survey that it will begin distributing in the next few months.

ā€œThis attempt to survey the LGBTQIA+ veterans population in D.C. will be the first of its kind,ā€ according to Pip Baitinger, who serves as LGBTQIA+ Veterans Outreach and Relation Specialist in the Mayorā€™s Office of Veterans Affairs.

ā€œBarriers have existed in surveying this population due to issues of trust and neglect of the community by institutions in the past,ā€ Baitinger told the Washington Blade. ā€œHowever, this survey will attempt to accurately represent the number of LGBTQIA+ veterans in D.C. and better understand their needs,ā€ she said.

Baitinger pointed out that in addition to working on the survey, the Mayorā€™s Office of Veterans Affairs is hosting a special forum on Nov. 15 called Empowering Voices: Health and Wellness for Transgender and Gender Diverse Veterans.

The forum, which will be held from 1-3:30 p.m. at the D.C. Veterans Administration Medical Center at 50 Irving St., N.W., will include discussion, workshops, and provide resources on topics such as gender affirming care and support from experts, a flyer announcing the event says.

The D.C. LGBTQ veterans survey and the Nov. 15 forum follow a Sept. 20 LGBTQ veterans event hosted jointly by the Mayorā€™s Office of Veterans Affairs and the Mayorā€™s Office of LGBTQ Affairs called ā€œVoices of Courage: Reclaiming the Legacy of LGBTQIA+ Inclusion in the Military.ā€

The event, which was held at the D.C. LGBTQ Crush Dance Bar, was not open to the press because organizers wanted to ensure that LGBTQ veterans could discuss issues that may be sensitive or private that could impact their ability to obtain certain veteransā€™ benefits.

Baitinger provided the Blade with a summary of the issues discussed and raised at the event and identified some of those who spoke at the event. Among them was U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel And Readiness Shawn G. Skelly, who is the highest-ranking transgender official in the Department of Defense. 

Others participating in the event, Baitinger said, were U.S. Air Force member MaKayla Starr, who performed in drag; Charlette Woodward, an official with the Mayorā€™s Office of Veterans Affairs; Japer Bowles, director of the Mayorā€™s Office of LGBTQ Affairs; and Baitinger herself.

The mayorā€™s office noted at the time that the event was scheduled to take place on the 13th anniversary of the repeal of the ā€˜Donā€™t Ask, Donā€™t Tellā€™ law that banned LGBTQ people from serving openly in the U.S. military. Mayor Bowser issued an official mayoral proclamation declaring the day LGBTQIA+ Veterans Day in the District of Columbia.

ā€œDiscussions during the event included the need for greater LGBTQIA+ representation in the military and the progress that has thus far been achieved,ā€ Baitinger said. 

ā€œOne of the primary areas of concern is that of transgender and nonbinary veterans and service members, who are in vitalĀ need of gender affirming care and resources, such as hormones, surgeries, and just general affirming care from doctors who will use correct pronouns during routine doctor visits,ā€ Baitinger said in describing the issues discussed at the Sept. 20 event.

She said an additional issue deemed important at the event was ongoing efforts to upgrade the discharges of LGBTQ veterans, many of whom received so-called ā€œundesirableā€ discharges under the ā€˜Donā€™t Ask, Donā€™t Tellā€™ law before it was repealed. President Joe Biden earlier this year issued a presidential pardon that enabled veterans discharged under the ā€˜Donā€™t Ask, Donā€™t Tellā€™ law to apply for an upgrade of their discharge to the status of honorable discharge.

A list of resources for LGBTQ veterans offered by the Mayorā€™s Office of Veterans Affairs can be accessed at the departmentā€™s website.

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