Local
Comings & Goings
Amaro joins Resource Media; Kendall to Fulcrum
The ‘Comings & Goings’ column chronicles important life changes of Blade readers.
The Comings & Goings column is about sharing the professional successes of our community. We want to recognize those landing new jobs, an internship if you are in college, new clients for your business, joining boards of organizations and other achievements. Please share your successes with us at [email protected].
Jorge Amaro (Photo courtesy of Amaro)
Congratulations to Jorge Amaro who recently joined Resource Media, a non-profit communications firm as Senior Program Director. As a non-profit, Resource Media sees its clients dealing in what they call “a noisy world out there, and being heard is only half the battle; the other half is changing hearts and minds.” Resource Media offers communications services to do both.
Most recently, Amaro worked as the Media and Public Relations Director at the National LGBTQ Task Force, where he spearheaded media outreach around the organization’s rebranding and on issues such as marriage equality, transgender rights, gun violence, racial justice, reproductive rights, Census data collection and more.
A seasoned communications professional, he has worked with numerous advocacy organizations on raising awareness on issues affecting the environment, women, low-income communities, Latinos and LGBTQ people. Jorge has appeared on CNN, Univision, and Telemundo. He has written editorial pieces for the Los Angeles Times, Dallas Morning News, Huffington Post, among others. He has also served on the boards of xQsí (Porque Sí) Magazine and the Latino Equality Alliance.
In 2012, he was named as one of the “Top Gay Latino Activists Who Have Broken Boundaries” by Huffington Post. In 2016, he made the Honor 41 list, an annual award that recognizes community leaders for their significant contributions to the LGBTQ Latino community. He graduated from Georgetown University in D.C.
Congratulations also to Ray Bracken who was recently promoted to Director of Events at LRG Inc. Bracken is now responsible for managing the logistics for all meetings and conferences ranging from 50-700 attendees. He is currently working on getting his CMP certification. In addition in his spare time he runs his own company called Planner of Things, which specializes in weddings and other social engagements. He uses his experience in catering to bring any event to fruition focusing on alleviating as much stress from the client as possible.
Bracken’s background includes being an Assistant Account Executive for Occasions caterers and working for the Shakespeare Theater Company where his titles included Special Events Manager where he managed the theater’s annual gala and executive assistant to the Artistic and Managing Director where he worked with the inimitable Michael Kahn. Ray graduated with a bachelor’s in psychology with a minor in communication studies from James Madison University.
Ray Bracken (Photo courtesy of Bracken)
Finally, congratulations also to Richard Kendall who recently joined Fulcrum Properties Group as a Transaction Manager for the team’s offices in D.C., Arlington, and Tysons in Virginia. Fulcrum is a nationally awarded team associated with Keller Williams Capital Properties and Keller Williams Realty.
Kendall is responsible for the coordination and successful execution of client contracts, from ratification through settlement. Prior to joining Fulcrum, Richard spent 20 years as the administrator for other top-producing teams and brokers in D.C., where he managed both transactions and listings. Prior to that he sold real estate and is licensed in D.C., Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia.
Kendall and his partner Robert designed and custom-built their Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired dream home on the Potomac River near Shepherdstown, W.Va. When in town they live in Takoma Park.
Richard Kendall (Photo courtesy Kendall)
A gay man was murdered in Petersburg, Va., on March 13.
Shyyell Diamond Sanchez-McCray, who was also known as Saamel and Mable, was a drag queen who won the Miss Mayflower EOY pageant in 2015. Reports also indicate Sanchez-McCray, 42, was a well-known community activist in Virginia and in North Carolina.
Local media reports indicate police officers found Sanchez-McCray shot to death inside a home in Petersburg.
Sanchez-McCray’s brother, Jamal Mitchell Diamond, in a public statement the Washington Blade received from Equality Virginia and GLAAD, said Sanchez-McCray was not transgender as initial reports indicated.
“Our family has always embraced the fullness of who he was. He used the names Saamel, Shyyell, and Mable interchangeably, and we honor all of them. There is no division within our family regarding how he is being represented — only a shared commitment to preserving his truth with love and respect,” said Diamond.
“He was also deeply committed to community work through Nationz Foundation, where he worked and completed multiple state-certified programs to support marginalized communities,” added Diamond. “That work meant a great deal to him.”
Authorities have not made any arrests.
The Petersburg Bureau of Police has asked anyone with information about Sanchez-McCray’s murder to call Petersburg-Dinwiddie Crime Solvers at 804-861-1212.
District of Columbia
Trans Day of Visibility events planned
Rally on the National Mall scheduled for Saturday
The Christopher Street Project has a number of events planned for the 2026 Trans Day of Visibility, including a rally on the Mall and an “Empowerment Ball” at the Eaton Hotel. Plenaries, panel discussions and meetings with members of Congress are scheduled in the three days of programming.
Announced speakers include N.H. state Rep. Alice Wade; Commissioner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago Precious Brady-Davis; activist and performer Miss Peppermint (“RuPaul’s Drag Race”); Lexington, Ky. Councilwoman Emma Curtis; Rabbi Abby Stein; D.C. activist and host Rayceen Pendarvis; Air Force Master Sgt. Logan Ireland; among other leaders, advocates and performers.
Conference programming on Thursday and Friday includes an educational forum and a Capitol Hill policy education day. Registration for the two-day conference has closed.
The “Trans Day of Visibility PAC Reception” is scheduled for Thursday, March 26 from 7:30-9 p.m. at As You Are (500 8th St., S.E.). Special guests include Rep. Dina Titus (D-Nevada) and Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.). Tickets are available at christopherstreetproject.org starting at $25.
The National Council of Jewish Women and the Christopher Street Project host a “Trans Day of Visibility Shabbat” on Friday, March 27 from 7-8 p.m. at Sixth & I (600 I St., N.W.). The service is to be led by Rabbi Jenna Shaw and Rabbi Abby Stein.
The “Now You See Me: Trans Empowerment Social & Ball” is scheduled for Friday, March 27 from 6-11 p.m. at the Eaton Hotel (1201 K. St., N.W.). The trans-themed drag ball is hosted by the Marsha P. Johnson Institute with support from the D.C. Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ+ Affairs, the Capital Ballroom Council, the Christopher Street Project, the Center for Black Equity, Generation for Common Good, and Parenting is Political. RSVP online at christopherstreetproject.org.
The National Transgender Day of Visibility Rally is scheduled for Saturday, March 28 on the National Mall at 11 a.m. The rally will include speakers and performances. Following the rally, attendees are encouraged to participate in the “No Kings” rally being held at Anacostia Park.
Virginia
Virginia General Assembly’s 2026 legislative session ends
Voters in November will consider repealing marriage amendment
The Virginia General Assembly’s 2026 legislative session ended on March 14.
Lawmakers have yet to approve a budget, but they did pass a resolution that paves the way for a referendum on whether to repeal the state’s constitutional amendment that defines marriage as between a man and a woman. Lawmakers also advanced House Bill 60, which would protect PrEP users from insurance discrimination.
Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger has until April 13 to decide to pass, amend, or veto legislation before it goes back to the House of Delegates on April 22.
Spanberger on Feb. 6 signed the bill that sets the stage for the marriage amendment referendum. Voters will consider whether to “remove the ban on same-sex marriage; (ii) affirm that two adults may marry regardless of sex, gender, or race; and (iii) require all legally valid marriages to be treated equally under the law?”
Equality Virginia has been working during this legislative cycle to urge lawmakers to allocate funding towards LGBTQ rights. The budget would expand funding for schools, competency training for the 988 suicide hotline, and funding to provide gender affirming care to LGBTQ youth.
“As the budget moves through conference and the Reconvene Session approaches on April 22, Equality Virginia remains focused on ensuring our victories this session translate into durable protections,” Equality Virginia Executive Director Narissa Rahaman told the Washington Blade in a statement. “Progress on marriage equality, nondiscrimination protections, and HIV care funding was essential, but Virginia must do more.”
Gay man murdered in Va.
Trans Day of Visibility events planned
Virginia General Assembly’s 2026 legislative session ends
Polish court rules country must recognize same-sex marriages from EU states
