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Comings & Goings
Enríquez takes role at Victory Institute
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].
Brad Davis (Photo courtesy of Davis)
Congratulations to Brad Davis chosen to head the new division of Acorn Paper. Acorn Paper Products Company is one of the largest independent, family-owned paper and packaging companies in the Western United States. This new division, Acorn Paper Cannabis Packaging (APCP), will focus on meeting the paper, packaging, janitorial/sanitation and custom promotional needs of the cannabis industry. David Weissberg, CEO of Acorn, said, “We recognize the tremendous opportunity that the cannabis industry presents to our company. This will be a $70B industry in just a few years, and Brad Davis is the perfectly positioned executive to lead our initiatives in the space.” Upon accepting the position Brad said, “I am proud to represent one of the largest privately held packaging companies on the West Coast. With their long history of success and vertical focus in areas from agriculture to wine, addressing the needs of the entire cannabis supply chain is a natural addition to the Acorn family.”
Davis is a senior sales, marketing and business development executive. He has a record leveraging innovation to drive revenue and market share growth. His background includes several C-suite corporate sales executive posts at major digital media organizations including Disney, AOL and Comcast. He is a recognized “lifestyle brand expert” in fashion, parties & events, and was recently recognized by Angeleno Magazine as one of Los Angeles’ “Modern Men.”
Congratulations also to Mario Enríquez who began his new position as domestic programs manager with the LGBTQ Victory Institute. In this position he will help deliver top-notch training and executive development programming to openly LGBTQ public leaders and future leaders. Victory’s suite of programs is aimed at growing the skills and leadership capacity of participants from college-aged to mid-career public servants. He will lead the Victory Congressional Internship (VCI) and Victory Congressional Fellowship (VCF) programs and manage recruitment and selection process for VCI and VCF and work with the director of domestic programs. In addition he will serve as deputy director in the planning and execution of the International LGBTQ Leadership Conference, which brings together 500+ LGBTQ officials and other policy makers
Prior to joining Victory Institute, Enríquez worked as a summer program coordinator with the George Washington University–Cisneros Hispanic Leadership Institute. Before that he was with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) as a Higher Education Graduate Fellow. He worked as a Youth Leadership Associate with the National Council of La Raza (NCLR).
Mario Enríquez (Photo courtesy of Enríquez)
Congratulations also to Kimberley Bush, named interim executive director of the DC Center. The DC Center’s mission is to educate, empower, celebrate, and connect the LGBT communities.
Bush came back to The Center a year ago after serving as executive director of the DC Shorts Film Festival, to serve as director of arts and cultural programs. Prior to that she had been at The Center as program director of Reel Affirmations. Bush said, “I am excited to have this new opportunity to serve the LGBTQ community in D.C. and to use my knowledge and experience to promote all the programs of The Center.”
Prior to coming to The Center, she worked for the Del Ray Artisans Art Gallery and had been a board member and then executive director of One in Ten when it ran the Reel Affirmations Film Festival.
Kimberley Bush (Photo courtesy of the D.C. Center)
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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