Local

MoCo Pride Center to launch

Organizers hope to begin with a party in the fall of 2017

Published

8 years ago

August 2, 2017

Steve Charing

MoCo Pride Center, gay news, Washington Blade

Rev. Jill McCrory (Photo courtesy of Twinbrook Baptist Church)

A little over a year ago the Montgomery County Police Department wanted to host a community meeting with the LGBTQ community. “They reached out to the faith community – pastors of and advocates in welcoming and affirming churches,” says Rev. Jill McCrory, pastor of Twinbrook Baptist Church in Rockville, Md. “We reached out and got the word out.”

At the meeting, the participants discovered that these were the same people they all knew. But they were unable to gather the greater LGBTQ community because there was no means of communicating other through contacting welcoming and affirming congregations and advocacy groups. They also realized that there was confusion over where services could be found, what was available, and there seemed to be a need for information.

The faith leaders and advocates who were at that first community meeting came together and started planning the MoCo Pride Center. Rev. McCrory headed up the effort due in part to her doctorate program at Wesley Seminary whereby approving the Center was her doctorate project.

“Visionaries have been meeting for a year developing governance, identity and brand, and looking for members of the first Board of Directors for the organization,” McCrory explains.

“Focus groups have told us that there is a lot of need on the part of the community and that people are most interested in social gatherings, support groups, health care resources and recommendations, business recommendations, and a physical space in which to gather.”

They held a social in Germantown in May and this past Saturday in Silver Spring. The Center was a part of this year’s Rockville Pride celebration and plans to hold a county celebration next year.

“We are hoping to officially launch with a large launch party in late fall 2017,” says McCrory.

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Photos

PHOTOS: WorldPride Street Festival and Closing Concert

Doechii, Khalid among performers

Published

2 hours ago

June 11, 2025

Michael Key

Doechii performs at the WorldPride Closing Concert on Sunday, June 8. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

WorldPride 2025 concluded with the WorldPride Street Festival and Closing Concert held along Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. on Sunday, June 8. Performers on the main stage included Doechii, Khalid, Courtney Act, Parker Matthews, 2AM Ricky, Suzie Toot, MkX and Brooke Eden.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

Baltimore

Baltimore Trans Pride to take place Saturday

Baltimore Safe Haven hosts annual event

Published

5 hours ago

June 11, 2025

Daniela White

Baltimore Trans Pride in 2022. Baltimore Safe Haven's annual event will take place on Saturday. (Washington Blade photo by Linus Berggren)

Celebrating the transgender community, Baltimore Safe Haven, an organization committed to empowering LGBTQ individuals in Baltimore City, plans to host their fourth annual Baltimore Trans Pride on Saturday.

Instead of the usual parade and march, this year’s Trans Pride will be a block party on Charles Street and between 21st and 22nd Streets. The event will start at 1 p.m. with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and last until 10 p.m.

Community members can go on guided tours, enjoy refreshments by local vendors, listen to presenters, and watch performances by special guests.

Sukihana, the event’s headliner, plans to take to the stage to entertain the crowd, along with a variety of local performers, according to Melissa Deveraux, Baltimore Safe Haven’s executive assistant to Executive Director Iya Dammons.

“Some (are) prominently known, some (are) just making a name for themselves,” Deveraux said. Iya is always making sure that community talent is showcased at all of our functions.”

In company with Pride on Saturday, Baltimore Safe Haven will be opening its new building on Friday from 1-4 p.m.

“That is sort of going to be the prelude to pride,” Lau said. “Thanks to Sen. Mary Washington and the Weinberg Foundation, we were able to purchase the building outright, and it’s going to be a community hub of administrative buildings and 12-bedroom apartments.”

Renee Lau, administrative assistant for special projects coordinator for Baltimore Safe Haven, said the planning process for Baltimore Trans Pride began in January, and putting it all together was a collaboration of multiple city agencies and organizations.

“Safe Haven is an LGBT community organization, but we service the entire community, and that’s the message we try to spread,” Lau said. “We’re not just here for the LGBT community. We’re here to spread goodwill and offer harm reduction and housing to the entire community.”

Lau said the organization’s biggest goal for the event is to gain exposure.

“(We want) to let and let people know who we are and what our community is about,” she said. “Right now, because of what’s happening in DC, there’s a lot of bad untruths going on, and the total thing is bringing out the truth.”

Deveraux said having a place of inclusivity, acceptance, and togetherness is important in today’s political climate and the current administration.

“This event will have people seeing the strength and resilience of the transgender community, showing that no matter what we are going through, we still show up,” Deveraux said. “We are here, we will not be erased.”