Connect with us

Local

Gray names new Health director

Puerto Rico native Dr. Joxel Garica to succeed gay director of city’s Department Of Health, Dr. Saul Levin, now CEO of American Psychiatric Association

Published

on

Department of Health, Dr. Joxel Garcia, Mayor Vincent Gray, Gay News, Washington Blade
Department of Health, Dr. Joxel Garcia, Mayor Vincent Gray, Gay News, Washington Blade

D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray on July 17 nominated Dr. Joxel Garcia as the new director of the city’s Department of Health. (Photo public domain)

D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray on July 17 nominated Dr. Joxel Garcia, a native of Puerto Rico who served as Assistant Secretary for Health under President George W. Bush, as the new director of the city’s Department of Health.

If confirmed by the City Council, as expected, Garcia would replace Dr. Saul Levin, who’s gay and who served as DOH interim director for the past year and a half. Levin, a psychiatrist, recently left DOH to become CEO and medical director of the American Psychiatric Association.

“Dr. Garcia has extensive experience in multiple aspects of our health system, including service at the state, federal and international levels,” Gray said in a statement. “In addition, his familiarity with our city and our region and his extensive resume working in multicultural settings means he will be a natural fit to help move the District’s public health efforts forward.”

Prior to becoming assistant secretary of health, Garcia served as a four-star admiral in the U.S. Public Health Service, served as U.S. representative to the World Health Organization and deputy director of WHO’s Pan American Health Organization. He also served as commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Public Health and as president and Dean of the Ponce School of Medicine in Puerto Rico.

Garcia’s record of addressing HIV/AIDS and LGBT-related health issues couldn’t immediately be obtained. But Don Blanchon, executive director of D.C.’s Whitman-Walker Health, which specializes in LGBT health services, expressed strong support for Garcia’s nomination.

“We welcome Dr. Garcia to the Department of Health,” Blanchon told the Blade. “His wealth of experience in public health will be a tremendous asset to the city as it addresses numerous health issues, including HIV/AIDS and the need for quality care for the LGBT community. We look forward to working with Dr. Garcia on these issues.”

Advertisement
FUND LGBTQ JOURNALISM
SIGN UP FOR E-BLAST

District of Columbia

Norton reintroduces bill to ban discrimination against LGBTQ jurors in D.C. Superior Court

Congresswoman notes Congress controls local court system

Published

on

D.C. Congressional Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

D.C. Congressional Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) on Friday, June 20, reintroduced her bill to ban discrimination against LGBTQ D.C. residents in the process for selecting people to serve as jurors in D.C. Superior Court.

“The bill would clarify that D.C. residents may not be excluded or disqualified from jury service in the local D.C. trial court, the D.C. Superior Court, based on sexual orientation or gender identity,” Norton said in a statement.

“Specifically, this bill would clarify that the term ‘sex,’ which is a protected class under the nondiscrimination law that applies to jurors in the D.C. Superior Court includes sexual orientation and gender identity,” Norton said.

She points out in her statement that under the D.C. Home Rule Act approved by Congress that created D.C.’s local government, including an elected mayor and City Council, the federal government retained control over the local court system.

“Therefore, until D.C. is given authority to amend Title 11 of the D.C. Code, which one of my bills would do, an act of Congress is required to clarify that LGBTQ+ jurors in the D.C. Superior Court are protected from discrimination,” according to her statement.

A spokesperson for Norton couldn’t immediately be reached to determine whether Norton is aware of specific instances where residents were denied jury service because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.  

Online records of congressional action on Norton’s juror nondiscrimination bill show she had introduced it in 2019, 2021, and 2023, when it died in committee each year, except for the 117th Congress in 2022, when it was approved by a committee but died in the full House.

“During Pride month we are reminded of the many contributions of the LGBTQ+ community,” Norton said in her June 20 statement. “Nobody, including D.C. jurors, should be discriminated against based on their sexual orientation or gender identity, and D.C. juries should not be deprived of the service of LGBTQ residents,” she added.

Continue Reading

Photos

PHOTOS: Pride on the Pier

Blade’s WorldPride celebration ends with fireworks show

Published

on

The Washington Blade's Pride on the Pier. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The Washington Blade’s second day of Pride on the Pier at The Wharf DC ended with a fireworks show on Saturday, June 7. The fireworks show was presented by the Leonard-Litz LGBTQ Foundation.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

The Washington Blade’s Pride on the Pier (Photo by Cedric Craig for Wild Side Media)
Continue Reading

Virginia

Hashmi to face Reid in Va. LG race

State senator won Democratic primary on Tuesday

Published

on

Ghazala Hashmi (Screen capture via One Vote At A Time/YouTube)

State Sen. Ghazala Hashmi (D-Chesterfield) will face John Reid in the race to become Virginia’s next lieutenant governor. 

Hashmi won the Democratic primary with 27.49 percent of the vote. She defeated former Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, state Sen. Aaron Rouse (D-Virginia Beach), Babur Lateef, Victor Salgado and Alexander Bastani.

“Tonight, Virginians made history,” said Hashmi in a statement. “We didn’t just win a primary, we sent a clear message that we won’t be bullied, broken, or dragged backward by the chaos in Washington.”

Reid, a gay conservative talk show host, in April won the Republican nomination to succeed Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, who is running to succeed Gov. Glenn Youngkin. 

The incumbent governor days after Reid secured the nomination called for him to withdraw his candidacy amid reports that a social media account with his username included “pornographic content.” Reid, who would become the first openly gay person elected to statewide office in Virginia if he wins in November, has strongly denied the reports.

Former state Del. Jay Jones defeated Henrico County Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor in Democratic attorney general primary. Jones will face Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares in November.

Youngkin cannot run for a second, consecutive term.

Former Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger will face off against Earle-Sears in November. The winner will make history as the first woman elected governor in the state’s history.

Continue Reading

Popular