Local
Comings & Goings
Byard joins Gill Foundation board
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, new clients for their business, joining boards of organizations and other achievements. Please share your successes with us at [email protected].
Eliza Byard
Congratulations to Eliza Byard who has joined the Gill Foundation board. The Gill Foundation is one of the nation’s leading funders of efforts to secure full equality for LGBT people. The foundation makes tax-deductible grants to nonprofit organizations that advance equality by doing research, educating people, developing public policy recommendations, and working within the legal system.
“Our board members are essential to driving the foundation’s work to advance and protect LGBT equality in the United States, and Eliza brings incomparable experience, leadership, and strategic vision to the team,” said founder Tim Gill.
Byard has served as executive director of GLSEN, where she designed and executed strategic initiatives that have transformed K-12 education in the United States to respond to the unique challenges and needs of LGBTQ+ youth. GLSEN’s work has contributed to a significant decrease in anti-LGBTQ+ harassment and violence in schools, and the organization’s advocacy and legislative strategies have achieved bipartisan support around the urgency and importance of bullying prevention and LGBTQ+ issues in education. Under her leadership, GLSEN was honored by President Obama as a “Champion of Change.”
Byard is an expert on education, youth development, and LGBTQ+ issues. She has appeared in a broad range of digital, print, and broadcast outlets, including The Washington Post, the New York Times, POLITICO, Education Week, Newsweek, and a host of other radio and TV outlets. She has served on numerous boards and commissions for LGBTQ+ youth and educational equity and is currently a Trustee of the America’s Promise Alliance. She has taught U.S. History and American Studies at both Columbia and Barnard.
Congratulations also to Matt Nosanchuk who has joined Quadrant Strategies as a vice president. Quadrant Strategies is a research-driven consultancy that works with Fortune 500 and other leading companies. Its specialty is helping clients facing significant challenges to their reputation or brand, or full-blown crises. Quadrant conducts market research to create a strategy and tactics for dealing with the short-term challenges and then determining what a client’s story should be for the long term.
Nosanchuk has extensive experience working in senior policy and communications roles in the Obama and Clinton administrations, on Capitol Hill, and at high-profile NGOs. He served in several senior roles in the Obama administration: at the White House as Director of Outreach for the National Security Council, and as President Obama’s liaison to the American Jewish community; and in senior positions at the Departments of State, Justice, and Homeland Security. Earlier in his career, he served in the Clinton administration as the point person at the Department of Justice on a range of significant policy and legislative priorities. He has worked on Capitol Hill as U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson’s counsel, and as Special Minority Counsel on the House Judiciary Committee. For his work to further LGBT rights, he received the American Bar Association’s Stonewall Award and the Attorney General’s Distinguished Service Award.
Matt Nosanchuk
District of Columbia
Blade welcomes fall intern
Alexis McLean is student at University of North Florida
The Washington Blade this week welcomed Alexis McLean as its fall intern.
Alexis is studying political science at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, Fla. She is interning with the Blade as part of a continued partnership with the Washington Center.
“I am looking forward to spending my time in the fall with the Washington Blade, as this is a new experience for me,” said Alexis. “I have not experienced any journalist jobs in the past so this would be my first time, and I am excited to better my writing and communications skills with this internship.”
Alexis’s internship with the Blade ends in early December.
Rehoboth Beach
SUNFESTIVAL takes center stage as Rehoboth Beach closes out summer
Labor Day Weekend bustling with events, including David Archuleta performance
Labor Day Weekend marks the unofficial end of summer in Rehoboth Beach, but there will be no shortage of LGBTQ events, with CAMP Rehoboth’s annual SUNFESTIVAL taking over town this weekend.
Thursday (9/3)
Get your Labor Day Weekend started early Thursday night with happy hour from 5-7 p.m. at Diego’s Bar & Nightclub, followed by Naughtee Bingo hosted by Magnolia Applebottom at 8:30 p.m.
After bingo, the party continues with Dancing at Diego’s from 9 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.
Aqua Bar & Grill will also kick off its Labor Day Weekend festivities Thursday with a DJ spinning from 9 p.m.-1 a.m.
Friday (9/4)
The weekend ramps up Friday night at Aqua, where DJ Matt Bailer will keep the dance floor moving from 9 p.m.-1 a.m.
Over at Diego’s, DJ Steve Sidewalk will then take over Diego’s for Freedom Friday from 9 p.m.-1:30 a.m.
Saturday (9/5)
The main event of the weekend arrives Saturday with the opening night of CAMP Rehoboth’s SUNFESTIVAL.
Billed as the ultimate party to close out the summer, SUNFESTIVAL has become one of Rehoboth’s signature Labor Day Weekend events. The annual celebration sells out each year, with proceeds benefiting CAMP Rehoboth.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with refreshments available at the cash bar while attendees are invited to socialize and find their seats.
Saturday night will feature local singer Ashley Williams as the opening performer, followed by headliner David Archuleta. The event will also feature a live auction.
Back across town Saturday, Aqua will continue its Labor Day Weekend DJ lineup from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Diego’s will also have plenty happening, with ‘Splash Party’ hosted by Magnolia Applebottom at 5 p.m., followed by a Saturday Dance Party with Brett Oosterhaus from 9 p.m.- 1:30 a.m.
The Blue Moon hosts its popular Legends Show at 9 p.m. It’s an all-live singing show by the Blue Moon cast of celebrity impersonators.
Etienne Pilon has taken Rehoboth by storm this summer. Check out the talented singer/pianist at The Pines from 7-10 p.m.
Sunday (9/6)
Sunday’s SUNFESTIVAL event will shift the focus to the dance floor, with globally renowned DJs Robbie Leslie and James Anthony scheduled to perform. Doors open at 7 p.m., with dancing continuing until 1 a.m.
On Sunday, Aqua will throw its annual White Party, with DJs spinning from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Guests are encouraged to dress in white for the holiday weekend celebration.
Diego’s will host its Sunday High T-Dance with Pamala Stanley at 5 p.m. Later that evening, DJ Tannr will be spinning at 9 p.m.
John Flynn is on the piano from 6-8 p.m. at the Blue Moon.
Monday (9/7)
The final day of Labor Day Weekend brings one last chance to hit the dance floor before summer officially winds down.
Aqua will close out its five-day Labor Day Weekend celebration with DJ Biff from 3-7 p.m.
Maryland
Anne Arundel schools now need parent permission to call trans students by preferred names
Conservative groups challenged system’s policy
By JESSICA CALEFATI | Anne Arundel County Public Schools staff cannot use transgender students’ preferred names if their parents oppose it, according to an internal document reviewed by the Banner, a change that comes after conservative groups challenged the school system’s approach to gender identity.
Teachers union president Kristina Korona told members in an Aug. 20 email that the new guidance undermines district policy on acceptance and inclusivity and “will begin harming affected students immediately.”
Previously, the district didn’t require parental permission to use a high school student’s chosen name and pronouns corresponding to their gender identity, the internal document says. Now it does. The change comes as parents challenge the suburban school system’s gender identity policy and regulation in court and the Trump-Vance administration threatens the district’s funding.
The rest of this article can be found on the Baltimore Banner’s website.
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