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Glymph to chair Alston Foundation board

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Darrin Glymph, gay news, Washington Blade

Darrin Glymph (Photo courtesy of Glymph)

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].

Congratulations to Darrin Glymph who has been named the chair of the board of directors at the Wanda Alston Foundation (WAF). Glymph succeeds Chris Hartmann, who remains a member of the board. The Wanda Alston Foundation is dedicated to ensuring that LGBTQ youth have access to services that improve their overall quality of life through advocacy and programming. The WAF advocates for increased resources for youth while providing programs including: housing, life skills training, linkages to other social services, and capacity building assistance for other community allies.

 The Wanda Alston Foundation opened its doors in 2008 as the only housing program in Washington, D.C., solely dedicated to offering pre-independent transitional living and support services to homeless or at-risk LGBTQ youth ages 16 to 24 in all eight wards. Thanks to the Foundation’s donors and benefactors, scores of youths have passed through its doors before going on to find permanent housing.

Wanda Alston Foundation Executive Director June Crenshaw said, “Darrin is a mover and a shaker with a deep passion for LGBTQ homeless youth and the work of the Wanda Alston Foundation. We are excited to welcome him to the board. We know his vision, his phenomenal energy and his expertise in so many areas will be extremely valuable as the Wanda Alston Foundation continues to grow and expand both our organization and the work we do.”

A friend and associate of the late Wanda Alston, for whom the foundation is named, Glymph worked with her when she served as Mayor Anthony Williams’ Special Assistant for LGBT Affairs to build public support for a transitional housing residence for LGBTQ homeless youth.

Glymph said, “I am very proud to join the board and lead the important efforts of the Wanda Alston Foundation. Wanda always thought about our community and what she could do to help – to change it – to make it better, especially for our LGBTQ youth. I am honored to be a part of her legacy and continuing her work.”

Glymph has been active in the LGBT community for many years lending his legal expertise and leadership to a myriad of issues concerning the community.  He has served as an officer of the Gertrude Stein Democratic Club and has been honored by DC Black Pride. Glymph is partner and head of the Public Finance team in the D.C. office of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP. He is a member of the District of Columbia and Virginia Bars and attended Williams College and Tulane University School of Law. For more information on the WAF and how you can help, go to wandaalstonfoundation.org.

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Photos

PHOTOS: Pride on the Pier

Blade’s WorldPride celebration ends with fireworks show

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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)
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Virginia

Hashmi to face Reid in Va. LG race

State senator won Democratic primary on Tuesday

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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.

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Baltimore

More than 15K people attend Baltimore Trans Pride

Baltimore Safe Haven organized annual event

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(Bigstock photo)

More than 15,000 people attended Baltimore Safe Haven’s annual Trans Pride on Saturday.

“Last year we had maybe 2,500, and the year before that, we had 5,000,” Renee Lau, administrative assistant for special projects coordinator for Baltimore Safe Haven, said. “In today’s political climate, it’s absolutely amazing.”

Lau said allies and other groups “went into hiding” for about a month or two after President Donald Trump’s inauguration, but then all at once, different organizations started to reach out. 

“The community has really come together to support us,” Lau said. “It was a fun, exciting day.” 

Baltimore Safe Haven Executive Director Iya Dammons in a press release said the “historic turnout” showed the transgender community’s strength, as well as their unity to fight for justice and equality for all LGBTQ people.

At the event, attendees were seen waving flags and shouting “Trans Lives Matter,” showing their support for the community. 

On Friday, before Trans Pride, Baltimore Safe Haven opened their new building to the public, gathering notable attendees like the Baltimore City Council President Zeke Cohan, Council Member Antonio Glover, and representatives from the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation.

“(It) was historic in itself because … we’re the only direct service providers for people in the LGBT community,” Lau said.

Providing housing for 18- to 24-year-olds, Lau said the new building also serves as a community hub and has office spaces for workers. 

With only a few hiccups of arguments between attendees and fixing street blockades during Trans Pride, Lau said the event showed what the community can do. 

“It was amazing that so many people came out and had that much fun. We were all giddy by Sunday morning,” Lau said. “(It gave) Safe Haven exposure and continuity. We are not just an LGBT organization, we are an organization that supports the entire community.”

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