News
Obama appointees speak at ‘Not the White House Pride reception’
Jarrett urges LGBT people to ‘be a citizen’

Valerie Jarrett urged LGBT people to “be a citizen” at the Not the White House Pride reception. (Screenshot via Facebook)
President Trump may have declined to sign a Pride proclamation or host a White House Pride reception, but that didn’t stop former members of the Obama administration from celebrating the occasion.
Hosted by Obama White House LGBT liaisons Gautam Raghavan and Aditi Hardikar, the celebration — dubbed “Not the White House Pride Reception” in homage to Samantha Bee’s competing event with the White House Correspondents’ Dinner — took place Saturday at the Brixton in D.C.
Among the speakers was the first openly gay Army secretary Eric Fanning, who recalled meeting Edie Windsor, the octogenarian plaintiff in the lawsuit that overturned the Defense of Marriage Act, to remind attendees the Trump administration is temporary.
“I saw Edie literally two days after the election,” Fanning said, “and she — I’m paraphrasing a little bit — points up at me and says, ‘Get over it.’ She said, ‘I started voting in 1947.’ She goes, ‘We made progress and we got knocked back a little bit, but we keep fighting and we will be back.'”
Also speaking was Valerie Jarrett, senior adviser to former President Obama who oversaw LGBT issues for the entire eight years of the Obama administration, who said she’s “feeling a little nostalgic over the past five months as you can imagine.”
Recalling pro-LGBT moments of the Obama administration — like “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal, winning marriage equality nationwide, and the final White House Pride reception — Jarrett said the most important thing now for members of the LGBT community is to “be a citizen.”
“We cannot only focus on our issues,” Jarrett said. “We have to be our sister’s keeper. We have to be our brother’s keeper. All of our brothers, all of our sisters, and we have to sweep up and use our voice and use our effort, and this balcony is a beautiful sight. We’re going to take the feeling from this balcony and we’re going to go out in the streets of this great District of Columbia, where we are going to remind everybody what it means to be an American.”
Other speakers included Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality; lesbian comedian Kate Clinton; and Precious Brady-Davis, activist and organizer. Stephanie Rice, musician and contestant on NBC’s “The Voice,” performed afterward.
The celebration took place on the same day as the D.C. Pride Parade and days after former FBI Director James Comey testified before Congress that he believed Trump urged him to discontinue the investigation into Michael Flynn — a move that potentially constitutes obstruction of justice.
Asked by the Blade during the event if the Trump administration was what she expected, Jarrett replied, “Frankly, It was hard to know what to expect.”
“I think one of the reasons why I wanted to be here today was to say Pride month is not just about celebrating the enormous progress that we’ve made, but it’s also about recognizing we still have a lot of hard work to go, and it’s no time to let up, and we have to be as committed as ever to bending that arc of the moral universe,” Jarrett added.
Jarrett cautioned “clearly, we could lose ground” and the only way to ensure progress is preserved would be solidarity with the progressive movement.
“The only way we’re not going to lose ground is if we build a big, inclusive tent and we help everybody understand why equality for the LGBTQ community is equality for us all,” Jarrett said.
Hungary
New Hungarian prime minister takes office
Péter Magyar’s party defeated anti-LGBTQ Viktor Orbán last month
Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar took office on Saturday.
Magyar’s center-right Tisza party on April 12 defeated then-Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz-KDNP coalition. Vice President JD Vance less than a week before the election traveled to Budapest, the Hungarian capital, and urged Hungarians to support Orbán.
Orbán had been in office since 2010. He and his government faced widespread criticism over its anti-LGBTQ crackdown.
The European Commission in 2022 sued Hungary, which is a member of the EU, over the country’s anti-LGBTQ propaganda law. The European Union’s top court, the EU Court of Justice, on April 21 struck down the statute.
The EU while Orbán was office withheld upwards of €35 billion ($41.26) in funds to Hungary in response to concerns over corruption, rule of law, and other issues.
Hungarian lawmakers in March 2025 passed a bill that banned Pride events and allowed authorities to use facial recognition technology to identify those who participate in them. MPs later amended the Hungarian constitution to ban public LGBTQ events.
Upwards of 100,000 people last June defied the ban and marched in Budapest’s annual Pride parade.
“Congratulations to [Péter Magyar] on becoming prime minister of Hungary,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on X.
“This Europe Day, our hearts are in Budapest,” she added. “The hope and promise of renewal is a powerful signal in these challenging times.”
“We have important work ahead of us,” noted von der Leyen. “For Hungary and for Europe, we are moving forward together.”
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Congratulations to Congresswoman Sarah McBride (D-Del.) on being honored with this year’s Stonewall Award from Whitman-Walker Health. Amy Nelson, senior director of Legal Services, said, “Congresswoman Sarah McBride is working to make healthcare accessible to all, and this award recognizes her support of healthcare as a human right. Our legal program supports families facing unprecedented challenges to stay healthy and safe – families that Congresswoman McBride champions with a deep understanding of the issues they face and the legislative expertise of how to support them.”
McBride, in a press release, said, “I am honored to accept this year’s Stonewall Award from Whitman-Walker Health — an organization that has spent 40 years doing vital work to ensure every person can access the dignity of care. In the wealthiest and most developed nation on earth, the ability to receive care should not be a matter of luck—it should be the law of the land. I am proud to be recognized as a partner in this work and to support Whitman-Walker Health in their mission to build a healthier society for all.”
Congratulations also to Wes Drummond who will join Clear Space Theatre Company in Rehoboth Beach, Del., as its third artistic director. Managing Director Joe Gfaller said, “This is an exciting moment of growth for Clear Space as we welcome Wes to join our remarkable team. I am confident he will be an excellent partner as we work with our entire staff, board, and committed team of volunteers, to ensure Clear Space can achieve its full potential in pursuit of our mission to unite and enrich our community through every production on stage, and every arts-based learning program we offer throughout our community.”
On accepting the position Drummond said, “I’m honored to join Clear Space Theatre Company as artistic director, and beyond excited for what we’re about to create together. Clear Space has established itself as a vital and vibrant part of the cultural life of coastal Delaware, and I feel incredibly fortunate to step into this next chapter alongside such a passionate and dedicated team. Rehoboth Beach is a place defined by creativity and community, and I look forward to listening, learning, and building meaningful relationships across the region in the months ahead. My vision is to help Clear Space continue to grow as a bold, forward-thinking, cultural force, that champions fearless storytelling.”

Drummond served in leadership roles at Duluth Playhouse in Duluth, Minn., from 2021 to 2026, including four years as executive director followed by one year as executive producing artistic director, guiding the organization through a period of significant transformation and stability in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a director, he has worked extensively in New York City, Chicago, and at regional theaters across the country, directing both musical theater and plays with a focus on storytelling that bridges classical works with contemporary perspectives. He has collaborated with leading figures in the industry, including Tony Award-winning director Matthew Warchus, and Tony-nominated director Michael Greif. He is an associate member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.
Wes earned his MFA in directing, Penn State University, where he studied under Tony-nominated director, Susan H. Schulman.
Virginia
Va. Supreme Court invalidates Democrat-backed redistricting plan
Voters narrowly approved new congressional districts last month
The Virginia Supreme Court on Friday struck down a Democrat-backed redistricting plan that voters approved last month.
Ten of 11 of Virginia’s congressional districts favor Democrats in the plan that passed by a 51-48 vote margin in last month’s referendum.
The Human Rights Campaign PAC is among the groups that support it. The court by a 4-3 majority invalidated the referendum results.
