Arts & Entertainment
Black AIDS Institute to honor Laverne Cox
other inductees include Taraji P. Henson and Vanessa Williams
(Screenshot via YouTube)
Laverne Cox will be honored by the Black AIDS Institute during its 16th annual Heroes in the Struggle Presentation & Reception on Sept. 16 in Los Angeles.
Cox will be inducted into the Heroes in the Struggle Hall of Fame exhibit along with Vanessa Williams, Alfre Woodard, Gina Belafonte, Gina Brown and D.C. native Taraji P. Henson. Since 2002, the exhibit has added HIV/AIDS allies, public figures and people living with HIV/AIDS to its collection.
The 2017 ceremony theme will be “Black Men Honoring Black Women.” Ledisi will perform a musical tribute. Board member Jussie Smollett will host the festivities.
“At the age of fifteen, I began working with the Black AIDS Institute and I am proud to be a member of the Board of Directors,” Smollett said in a statement. “Although it is not spoken about like it used to, the AIDS epidemic is not over, especially in Black communities. I am humbled to pay tribute to these remarkable women in our community.”
The Capital Pride Alliance presented the 2026 Capital Pride Honors at “The Audacity Brunch: In Full Fuchsia” at the Four Seasons Hotel Washington, D.C. on Sunday, June 7.
(Washington Blade photos by Landon Shackelford)
Out & About
Congressional Cemetery hosts Gays & Graves
Daylong Pride celebration blends history, remembrance, art and community
Historic Congressional Cemetery will host the second annual “Gays & Graves: A Big Gay Festival” on Sunday, June 14 at 11 a.m.
The event will feature pioneering activist Randy Wicker, the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, and new public art installations and programs celebrating LGBTQ+ history. Gays & Graves is an official partner event of Capital Pride 2026.
This event is a daylong Pride celebration blending history, remembrance, art and community. Visitors can shop from LGBTQ+ and allied artists and makers, experience performances and interactive installations, and engage with programs exploring LGBTQ+ history and lived experience.
For more details, visit the cemetery’s website.
Baltimore Pride is underway, taking place from June 8-14.
The Pride Parade will be on Saturday, June 13 at 12 p.m. at Charles Street & North Avenue, followed by the Pride Block Party at 1 p.m. at Druid Hill Park. And then the Pride Festival will be held on Sunday, June 14 at 12 p.m. at Druid Hill Park.
There will be an array of additional events including: a fashion show, a “Suits and Sneakers” reception and a 5k race, among many other events.
For more details, visit Baltimore Pride’s website.
PHOTOS: The Audacity Brunch
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Congressional Cemetery hosts Gays & Graves
Baltimore Pride is here
Calendar: June 12-18
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