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Damon C. Miller dies at 71

Retired from Navy Reserve as commander

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Damon Craddock Miller, gay news, Washington Blade

Damon C. Miller

Damon Craddock Miller died Feb. 10 of prostate cancer at George Washington University Hospital, according to his close friend Richard Mumford. He was 71 and died of prostate cancer.

Miller was born on Jan. 26, 1947 in Summit, N.J., attended elementary school in Oakville, Ontario, and graduated as valedictorian from the Bolles School in Jacksonville, Fla.

He graduated from Princeton University in 1968 with an A.B. cum laude in politics and completed Naval Officer Candidate School in Newport, R.I., the same year. Miller served on active duty until 1972 on the USS Northampton and USS Hawkins. He retired from the Naval Reserve in 1991 with the rank of Commander, U.S. Navy Reserve.

Miller graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1975 with honors. He had a 32-year career as a maritime lawyer, first with Rawle and Henderson in Philadelphia from 1975-1984, then with the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, from which he retired as Senior Admiralty Counsel in 2007.

An arts lover his whole life, Miller sang with the Mendelssohn Club in Philadelphia, where he performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra under Eugene Ormandy and Riccardo Muti, and with the Oratorio Society of Washington, performing with the National Symphony Orchestra under Mstislav Rostropovich. He also sang in two choirs at Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church in Bethesda, Md.

Miller, who was gay, was active in the Chrysalis Arts and Culture Group of Washington, a gay men’s organization that visits museums, historic homes and other attractions. He hiked frequently with Adventuring, an LGBT outdoors group, and regularly led their hikes at the National Arboretum, Great Falls and Rock Creek Park. In retirement, he volunteered as a teacher of English as a second language in Bethesda. He loved to travel, both nationally and internationally, and kept track of the states he had visited, reaching 49 when he went to Alaska several summers ago; only Hawaii eluded his quest for a complete tally.

Miller is survived by his brother, Richard W. Miller, and sister-in-law, Rosalia G-H. Miller, of Washington; and his best friend and companion, Richard Mumford of Alexandria, Va., along with a niece, nephew, grandniece and grandnephew. Memorial gifts may be made to the Damon C. Miller Fund at the Greater Washington Community Foundation and to ZERO — the End of Prostate Cancer (zerocancer.org). A memorial service was held Feb. 18.

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PHOTOS: Pride on the Pier

Blade’s WorldPride celebration ends with fireworks show

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The Washington Blade's Pride on the Pier. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The Washington Blade’s second day of Pride on the Pier at The Wharf DC ended with a fireworks show on Saturday, June 7. The fireworks show was presented by the Leonard-Litz LGBTQ Foundation.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

The Washington Blade’s Pride on the Pier (Photo by Cedric Craig for Wild Side Media)
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Virginia

Hashmi to face Reid in Va. LG race

State senator won Democratic primary on Tuesday

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Ghazala Hashmi (Screen capture via One Vote At A Time/YouTube)

State Sen. Ghazala Hashmi (D-Chesterfield) will face John Reid in the race to become Virginia’s next lieutenant governor. 

Hashmi won the Democratic primary with 27.49 percent of the vote. She defeated former Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, state Sen. Aaron Rouse (D-Virginia Beach), Babur Lateef, Victor Salgado and Alexander Bastani.

“Tonight, Virginians made history,” said Hashmi in a statement. “We didn’t just win a primary, we sent a clear message that we won’t be bullied, broken, or dragged backward by the chaos in Washington.”

Reid, a gay conservative talk show host, in April won the Republican nomination to succeed Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, who is running to succeed Gov. Glenn Youngkin. 

The incumbent governor days after Reid secured the nomination called for him to withdraw his candidacy amid reports that a social media account with his username included “pornographic content.” Reid, who would become the first openly gay person elected to statewide office in Virginia if he wins in November, has strongly denied the reports.

Former state Del. Jay Jones defeated Henrico County Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor in Democratic attorney general primary. Jones will face Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares in November.

Youngkin cannot run for a second, consecutive term.

Former Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger will face off against Earle-Sears in November. The winner will make history as the first woman elected governor in the state’s history.

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Baltimore

More than 15K people attend Baltimore Trans Pride

Baltimore Safe Haven organized annual event

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(Bigstock photo)

More than 15,000 people attended Baltimore Safe Haven’s annual Trans Pride on Saturday.

“Last year we had maybe 2,500, and the year before that, we had 5,000,” Renee Lau, administrative assistant for special projects coordinator for Baltimore Safe Haven, said. “In today’s political climate, it’s absolutely amazing.”

Lau said allies and other groups “went into hiding” for about a month or two after President Donald Trump’s inauguration, but then all at once, different organizations started to reach out. 

“The community has really come together to support us,” Lau said. “It was a fun, exciting day.” 

Baltimore Safe Haven Executive Director Iya Dammons in a press release said the “historic turnout” showed the transgender community’s strength, as well as their unity to fight for justice and equality for all LGBTQ people.

At the event, attendees were seen waving flags and shouting “Trans Lives Matter,” showing their support for the community. 

On Friday, before Trans Pride, Baltimore Safe Haven opened their new building to the public, gathering notable attendees like the Baltimore City Council President Zeke Cohan, Council Member Antonio Glover, and representatives from the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation.

“(It) was historic in itself because … we’re the only direct service providers for people in the LGBT community,” Lau said.

Providing housing for 18- to 24-year-olds, Lau said the new building also serves as a community hub and has office spaces for workers. 

With only a few hiccups of arguments between attendees and fixing street blockades during Trans Pride, Lau said the event showed what the community can do. 

“It was amazing that so many people came out and had that much fun. We were all giddy by Sunday morning,” Lau said. “(It gave) Safe Haven exposure and continuity. We are not just an LGBT organization, we are an organization that supports the entire community.”

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