a&e features
‘When We Rise’ chronicles gay history
Screenwriter Dustin Lance Black aimed for ‘honesty’
A scene from ‘When We Rise,’ a new miniseries that dramatizes the lives of key players in the early years of LGBT rights. (Photo by Erike Schroter; courtesy ABC)
Starting Feb. 27, ABC will begin airing “When We Rise,” a seven-part, eight-hour miniseries about the history of the gay rights movement, written and created by prominent gay filmmaker, Dustin Lance Black.
“I started working on this about four years ago, and never would have guessed it would land in times like these where unfortunately, it feels so necessary,” Black says. “I would give anything in the world for it to feel less necessary.”
“When We Rise” deals with some of the most influential people in the movement and the big button topics of family rejection, landlord discrimination, gay bashing, police harassment, legislative defeats and AIDS.
“History speaks for itself in a way. What we tried to do was be authentic and honest about that history. I’m really diligent about getting my stories to be as truthful as possible,” Black says. “Granted it covers 45 years in eight hours, so obviously I have to telescope the timeline and combine some characters. But if you can be honest to history, it will always shine a light for you. Civil rights has really always been on a pendulum and our job is to keep it in the right direction as much as possible.”
Part of that honesty is being authentic to the times and not shying away from derogatory terms that have been used throughout the years, which is why viewers should prepare themselves for some of the ugliness that the LGBT community has faced.
“ABC really stepped up because you’re not supposed to be able to use some of these disparaging words on the air anymore,” Black says. “Words like ‘faggot’ or ‘dyke,’ if we don’t use these words, it’s not truthful. That’s not the experience gay people are having today, much less in the ’70s. I did use ‘Roots’ as an example and they heard me and fought for me to be able to use these words, which makes the experience more real and visceral.”
“When We Rise” introduces viewers to Cleve Jones, a Quaker activist who escapes his repressive life in Phoenix and finds refuge in San Francisco and the peace movement; Roma Guy, an early feminist leader in San Francisco; and Ken Jones, an African-American Navy man who is reassigned from Vietnam to San Francisco to spearhead a new military desegregation program.
Other prominent figures along the way include political activist Sally Gearhart; AIDS activist Bobbi Campbell; Dr. Marcus Conant, a pioneer in AIDS treatment; Pat Norman, the first openly gay employee of the San Francisco Health Department; and Del Martin, who co-founded the first lesbian organization in the country.
Black admits that narrowing the characters and stories he wanted to tell was a pretty big undertaking, which is why he spent the entire first year doing research. He focused on characters who’d been activists their entire lives and who are still alive. Subsequently, the late Frank Kameny, who was a longtime Washington resident, is not mentioned in the series.
“It’s about time that LGBT people can have their stories told, and it could be funny, it could be dramatic, it could be political and show people survive and thrive,” he says. “We’ve lost so many of our forefathers because of AIDS, so that narrowed it down. I wanted these activists to be connected to other social movements and show that the best of us fight for our brothers and sisters in other social justice movements as well. The secret is not just winning rights, but maintaining them.”
An all-star casts takes part in the series including Mary-Louise Parker as Roma Guy, Guy Pearce as Cleve Jones, Rachel Griffiths as Roma’s wife Diane, Whoopi Goldberg as Pat Norman and Rosie O’Donnell as Del Martin.
“I had the great fortune of getting this cast. It’s the honor of my life personally to have the opportunity to bring our stories to life and to create a popularized history that we’ve been robbed of,” Black says. “I think when actors read scripts like these, they know the importance of addressing a real need in society. Whoopi called me and said she wanted to play Pat because she knew her. Rosie told me how much the words of Del meant to her as a young person and wanted to play her. You quickly understand how personal this is to all these actors and you would be a fool to say no to this emotion. This isn’t a major feature film and they all said yes.”
The project was mostly completed by the time the results of the presidential election were revealed in November, so Black didn’t make any major changes to the series, even though he knew that Donald Trump and Mike Pence are no friends of the LGBT community.
“I like to pack a punch and say what I need regardless, so I don’t think it needed to be any stronger,” Black says. “I was already concerned that we were losing our connection with our brothers and sisters in other social movements — we were making great strides and weren’t moving forward with our arms locked with them. That’s stated strongly in the series. It’s why I titled the series ‘When We Rise’ and why the biggest word is ‘We’ because it’s about how we all need to push back against the backlash and how we need to do that together.”
One thing that Black changed since Trump took office was his plan for an epilogue at the end of the series, which as of 10 days before the miniseries airdate, had yet to be written.
“I’m waiting because a lot could happen in the next two weeks and it feels like we are making news every single day,” he says. “That’s the one thing that will change a bit and it may be written close to when it airs.”
The important thing for Black is that the message is heard and the miniseries isn’t easily dismissed.
“I think a young generation coming up is going to see this show and wonder if it ever could have been that bad or that difficult. I did many things through the series to hammer home that yes, these things really did happen,” he says. “Part of that is not pulling punches — showing loud and clear that you’re not going to only face opposition from those that discriminate against you, but you’re going to face even more opposition from people who are your heroes in the movement and you have to work with.”
Mary-Louise Parker as Roma Guy in ‘When We Rise.’ (Photo by Phil Bray courtesy ABC)
Black included archival footage on occasion to remind viewers that these moments are real and the struggle is real and this generation was faced with epic confrontations and they rose to the occasion and fought back and won.
He believes that even those who voted for Trump and have mixed feelings about all of this will get a lot out of the series.
“I very much wrote ‘Milk,’ which is what most gay people know me from, for myself. The gay kid living in the conservative time and what could I have seen that would have given me hope. That was a story told in a way that would have,” he says. “When I was writing ‘When We Rise” I was thinking of my conservative, half Mormon, half Southern Baptist military family spread out through Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana. I love them to death and am often more comfortable with them at a barbecue than I am at a beach party on the coast.”
He understands that most of them probably voted for Trump and have conflicting views about many of the issues that are important to him, so he thought about what they had in common.
“I know what we disagree on; I wanted to find our common language. If you go to the dinner table and bring up politics, science or the Constitution, no one is going to listen. If you want to engage, you need to tell a story, and it’s even better if it’s an emotional story, and better yet, a story about your family,” Black says. “LGBT people love to tell stories of family; they are part of our coming-out stories — the families we lost, the new ones we built to survive. LGBT people and my dear family both speak the same language of family fluently and I built the show centered around that.”
Black’s hope is that by focusing on the language and shining a little light on the issues, that maybe the movie helps to bridge America’s ideological gap.
“I did not write this to be a battle cry or for half of America, I wrote it for the entire country,” he says. “I’m holding my breath to get that phone call from a Texas cousin or aunt, telling me, ‘I watched your show and it was pretty good.’ That is my mark of success.”
Dustin Lance Black, creator and executive producer of ‘When We Rise.’ (Photo by Image Group L.A.; courtesy ABC)
a&e features
Queery: Meet artist, performer John Levengood
Modern creative talks nightlife, coming out, and his personal queer heroes
John Levengood (he/him) describes himself as a modern creative with a wide‑ranging toolkit. He blends music, technology, civic duty, and a sharp sense of wit into a cohesive artistic identity. Known primarily as a recording artist and performer, he’s also a self‑taught music producer and software engineer who embodies a generation of creators who build their own lanes rather than wait for one to appear.
Levengood, 32, who is single and identifies as gay and queer, is best known as a recording artist who has performed at Pride festivals across the country, including the main stages of World Pride DC, Central Arkansas Pride, and Charlotte Pride.
“Locally in the DMV, I’m known for turning heads at nightlife venues with my eye-catching sense of style. When I go out, I don’t try to blend in. I hope I inspire people to be themselves and have the courage to stand out,” he says.
He’s also known for hosting karaoke at Freddie’s Beach Bar in Arlington, Va., on Thursday nights. “I like to create a space where people feel comfortable expressing themselves, building community, and showcasing their talents.”
He also creates social media content from my performances and do interviews at LGBTQ+ bars and theatres in the DMV. Follow the Arlington resident @johnlevengood.
How long have you been out and who was the hardest person to tell?
I have been fully out of the closet since 2019. My parents were the hardest people to tell because my family has always been my rock and at the time I couldn’t imagine a world without them. Their reactions were extremely positive and supportive so I had nothing to fear all along.
I remember sitting on the couch with my mom, dad, and sister in our hotel room in New Orleans during our winter vacation and being so nervous to tell them. After I finally mustered up the nerve and made the proclamation, I realized my dad had already fallen asleep on the couch. My mom promised to tell him when he woke up.
Who’s your LGBTQ hero?
My LGBTQ heroes are Harvey Milk for paving the way for gays in politics and Elton John for being a pioneer for the fabulous and authentic. My local heroes in the DMV are Howard Hicks, manager of Green Lantern, and Tony Rivenbark, manager of Freddie’s Beach Bar. Both of them are essential to creating spaces where I’ve felt welcome and safe since moving to the DMV.
What’s Washington’s best nightspot, past or present?
Trade tops the list for me because of the dance floor and outdoor space. It’s so nice to get a break from the music every once and a while to be able to have a conversation.
We live in challenging times. How do you cope?
I’m still figuring this out. What is working right now is writing music and spending time with family and friends. I’ve also been spending less time on social media going to the gym at least three times a week.
What streaming show are you binging?
After “Traitors” Season 4 ended, I was in a bit of a show hole, but “Stumble” has me in a laughing loop right now. The writing is so witty.
What do you wish you’d known at 18?
At 18, I wish I would have known how liberating it is to come out of the closet. It would have been nice to know some winning lottery numbers as well.
What are your friends messaging about in your most recent group chat?
We are planning our next trip to New York City. If you can believe it, I visited NYC for the first time in 2025 for Pride and I’ve been back every quarter since. Growing up in the country, I was subconsciously primed to be scared of the city. But my mind has been blown. I can’t wait to go back.
Why Washington?
It’s the closest metropolitan area to my family, but not too close. I love the museums, the diversity, the history, and the proximity to the beach and mountains. It’s also nice to live in a city with public transportation.
Aging RFK Stadium has come down, but the RFK grounds are still getting lit up. Welcome back to the stage Project GLOW, D.C.’s homegrown electronic festival, on May 30-31. Back for its fifth year on these musically inclined acres, Project GLOW returns with an even more diverse lineup, and one that continues to celebrate LGBTQ antecedents, attendees, and acts.
Project GLOW 2026 headliners include house and techno star Mau P, progressive house legend Eric Prydz, hard-techno favorite Sara Landry, and bass acts Excision b2b Sullivan King, among the lineup of trance, bass, house, techno, dubstep, and others for the fifth anniversary year.
President & CEO Pete Kalamoutsos — born and raised in D.C. — founded Club GLOW in 1999. In 2020, GLOW entered into a partnership with global entertainment company Insomniac Events to produce live events like Project GLOW, which kicked off in 2022.
As in past years, Project GLOW not only makes space, but is intentionally inclusive of the LGBTQ community, one of its most dedicated fan bases. The festival’s LGBTQ-focused Secret Garden stage blooms again — a more intimate dance area that stands on the strength of DJs and musicians who draw from the LGBTQ community. D.C.’s LGBTQ nightlife mastermind Ed Bailey is the creative mind behind Secret Garden again. He joined Project GLOW in 2023.
“Kalamoustos says that “he’s proud of his partnership with Ed Bailey, along with Capital Pride and [nightlife producer] Jake Resnikow. It’s amazing to collaborate with Bailey at the Secret Garden stage, especially after the curated lineup we worked on at Pride last year.”
The Secret Garden will be a bit different from other stages: Eternal (“At the Eternal stage, time stands still. Lose yourself in the dance of past, present, and future, surrendering to the eternal rhythm of the universe”) and Pulse (“Feel the rhythm of the beat pulse through your veins as the heartbeat of the crowd synchronizes into one. Here, every moment vibrates with life as it guides you through a new dimension of euphoria”). The Secret Garden stage is in the round, surrounded by 16 shipping containers. The containers play canvas to muralists from around the world, who are coming in to paint them in a vibrant garden-style vibe. “We gave this stage some extra love with this layout,” K says, “ we finally cracked the code.”
K says that this will be the biggest lineup yet for the Secret Garden, featuring Nicole Moudaber b2b Chasewest, Riordan b2b Bullet Tooth, Ranger Trucco, Cassian, Eli & Fur, Cosmic Gate and Hayla. The stage is also the largest yet, featuring an expanded dance floor and 360-degree viewing.
Across all stages, K says that his goal for the fifth anniversary is “More art and fan interactive experience, more like a festival, strive to be like a Tomorrowland, as budget grows to add more experience.” Last year’s Project GLOW alone drew 40,000 attendees over two days.
K, however, was not satisfied with one festival this spring. GLOW recently announced a “pop-up” one-day event. Teaming up with Black Book Records, GLOW is set to throw a first-of-its-kind dance-music takeover of Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., headlined by electronic music star Chris Lake. Set for April 18, this euphoric block party will feature bass and vibes blocks from the White House. Organizers expect as many as 10,000 fans to attend. Beyond music, there will be food, activations, and plenty of other activities taking place around 6th St and Pennsylvania Ave NW – a location familiar to many in the LGBTQ community, as this sits squarely inside the blocks of the Capital Pride party that takes place in DC every June.
Over the past two decades, Club GLOW has produced thousands of events, from club nights to large-scale festivals including Project GLOW, Moonrise Festival, and more. Club GLOW also operates Echostage.
a&e features
New book celebrates 1970s dance music icons
‘A Night at the Disco’ features interviews with Donna Summer, Debbie Harry, more
If you’re a fan of 1970s-era dance music, don’t miss the irresistible new book by Christian John Wikane and Alice Harris, “A Night at the Disco,” which revisits more than 90 interviews conducted with some of the biggest names in pop culture.
“A Night at the Disco” (ACC Art Books) was published on March 24, and distributed by Simon & Schuster. It celebrates more than 100 artists who sparked a phenomenon in dance music from 1970-1979 and features excerpts from interviews with everyone from Donna Summer to Debbie Harry.
Lost City Books (2467 18th St., N.W.) will welcome author Christian John Wikane for a book signing and conversation about “A Night at the Disco” on Thursday, April 16 at 6 p.m. Details at lostcitybookstore.com. Bird in Hand Coffee & Books in Baltimore (11 E. 33rd St.) )will also host a Q&A with the author on Wednesday, April 15 at 6 p.m. Details at theivybookshop.com.
Below is an excerpt from “A Night at the Disco.”
“I’ll let in anyone who looks like they’ll make things fun.” Steve Rubell is guiding a New York Times reporter through Studio 54 as resident DJ Richie Kaczor dazzles the crowd with records by CHIC, Odyssey, and T-Connection. “Disco, that’s where the happy people go,” The Trammps sing as dancers spin and twirl underneath tubes of flashing lights. Seven months since Rubell and co-owner Ian Schrager opened Studio 54 in April 1977, it’s welcomed untold numbers of “happy people” … at least those lucky enough to pass through the doors.
“We were part of the chosen few,” says André De Shields, who immortalized the title role in The Wiz on Broadway at the time. “We could show up at Studio 54 and the doorman at the velvet stanchion would look over everyone and point to us from The Wiz to come in, that kind of thing.” As the lead vocalist in the GRAMMY-nominated Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band, whose debut modernized big band sophistication for the discothèques, Cory Daye had carte blanche in the club. “The energy was like a New Year’s Eve party every night,” she says. “I would go up to the mezzanine and watch the mechanical light pillars go up and down, metallic confetti falling from the ceiling, the spoon and the moon. I was so fascinated and enamored by it.
“When a certain song came on, the people would just rush to the dance floor. There was no contact dancing — the hustle was pretty much on its way out — but it was just an amazing experience to see all the cultures together. It was a fusion of cultures, which described my life and my band, so I was right at home there.”
“Studio 54 was the place,” adds Linda Clifford. “Crazy parties. If you could think it, you would see it. It was like a circus. Just an amazing place to be. I worked 54 so many times. It was like a second home to me. The people there treated me so well. The crowd always seemed to enjoy my show. I always had a good time with them. That was the most important thing: making sure that they had fun.”
Well before Studio 54 opened, disco had become a business juggernaut. “A four billion dollar market and still growing,” Billboard announced in February 1977, with dance music offering more variety than ever. “There is no longer a single, readily identifiable disco beat, but a kaleidoscope of sounds that are melodic and danceable,” Tom Moulton told the magazine. In the clubs, records by veteran artists like Stevie Wonder and the Bee Gees were mixed in with a range of new acts like Grace Jones, Boney M., and The Ritchie Family, while everyone from ABBA to Marvin Gaye scored number one pop hits with songs that had club-centric storylines.
Beyond the charts, disco itself remained as idiosyncratic as ever, especially on several productions by Laurin Rinder and W. Michael Lewis, whose studio creations, El Coco (“Let’s Get It Together,” “Cocomotion”) and Le Pamplemousse (“Le Spank”), joined their own “Lust” from Seven Deadly Sins (1977) among the most tantalizing releases on AVI Records. Rinder & Lewis also produced acts for the newly hatched Butterfly Records in Los Angeles, where Saint Tropez (“On a Rien à Perdre”) and Tuxedo Junction (“Moonlight Serenade”) reflected the duo’s high gloss sound, spanning everything from European sophistication to a more literal translation of the ’40s sensibilities popularized by Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band.
12-inch singles had also grown as the preferred format to approximate the club music experience at home. Nearly a year after Atlantic Records introduced its series of promotional 12-inch singles for DJs, New York-based Salsoul Records released the industry’s first commercially available 12-inch single, “Ten Percent” by Double Exposure, in May 1976. A year later, T.K. Records was the first label to certify a gold record for a 12-inch single when Peter Brown’s “Do You Wanna Get Funky With Me” tallied one million sales.— Christian John Wikane
(From “A Night at the Disco” by Alice Harris & Christian John Wikane. Published by ACC Art Books.)
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Australia lifts additional restrictions on LGBTQ blood donors
Top EU court strikes down Hungary’s anti-LGBTQ propaganda law
Tennessee’s Charlie Kirk Act is harmful
Victory Fund brunch draws top LGBTQ officials, 2028 hopeful Andy Beshear
Inside the lonely world of MAGA gay men
Charlie Kirk Act advances in Tenn.
LGBTQ Catholic groups slam Trump over pope criticism
Grindr to host first-ever White House Correspondents’ Dinner party
Calendar: April 17-23
