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Comings & Goings
Robinson named to Lambda board; Maggiano to Washington Chorus
The ‘Comings & Goings’ column chronicles important life changes of Blade readers.
The Comings and 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].
Bishop Gene Robinson has been elected to the board of directors of Lambda Legal. Robinson became the first openly gay bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire in 2003, a major step forward for the LGBT community. Robinson is a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress in D.C.
Lambda Legal is the nation’s first legal organization dedicated to achieving full equality for LGBT people.
Retired Bishop V. Gene Robinson (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)
Congratulations also go to Chase Maggiano, who was named the new executive director of The Washington Chorus (TWC). He will begin work with TWC in July. He is currently executive director of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, D.C.
At the Washington Chorus, Maggiano will succeed Dianne Peterson who is retiring from at the end of the 2015-2016 season after serving as the Chorus’ executive director for more than 30 years. She is the longest-serving chief administrator of a major American chorus. Speaking on behalf of the Board of Trustees of the Chorus, Board Chair Chris Denby said, “TWC is thrilled to welcome Chase to the Executive Director role. Although he has very big shoes to fill, Chase will bring tremendous leadership skills, energy, and passion to the organization. The entire Board joins me in welcoming him warmly to The Washington Chorus family.”
“I am honored to be joining The Washington Chorus family and energized to return to my classical roots,” Maggiano said. “TWC’s reputation for presenting challenging and new repertoire is a prized asset within the bountiful choral scene in Washington. I hope to honor and build on the legacy of my friend and mentor, Dianne, whose 30 years of dedication have brought TWC to national and international acclaim. As we celebrate Julian Wachner’s final season with TWC, we are well poised to find the next great maestro/a for Washington.”
Maggiano will be missed at the GMCW where he expanded the inclusivity of the mission and programming, created the first LGBTQ and allied youth chorus in Washington, and forged relationships with local and international presenters, including an historic concert tour of Cuba. Prior to joining GMCW, he served in arts education and fundraising roles at the Washington Performing Arts. Growing up locally as a classically trained violinist, Maggiano has combined his lifelong dedication to music and entrepreneurial spirit to ensure that more art happens in Washington. He remains an avid violinist and shares his perspective on the business of art at chasingtheart.com.
Chase Maggiano (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)
Joseph DeSanto Jones, M.Ed., has been named director of strategic initiatives at NASPA-Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. NASPA’s mission is to be the principal source of leadership, scholarship, professional development, and advocacy for student affairs. As director, he will work with executive management and volunteer leaders to pursue and achieve tactical objectives of the NASPA strategic plan.
Jones has previously served NASPA as director of member engagement and community programs, where he directed various educational programs, and supported NASPA Regions, Knowledge Communities, and volunteer leaders. He is a graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park where he earned his bachelor’s in communication studies and a master’s in college student personnel.
Joseph DeSanto Jones (Photo courtesy Jones)
District of Columbia
Norton reintroduces bill to ban discrimination against LGBTQ jurors in D.C. Superior Court
Congresswoman notes Congress controls local court system
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.
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)
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.
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