Local
Comings & Goings
Lazar re-elected to Democratic State Committee
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].
John E. Lazar
Congratulations to John E. Lazar for his reelection as Ward 2 Committeeman to the D.C. Democratic State Committee. Lazar’s full-time career is as a non-profit executive who has a demonstrated ability in planning and implementing programs that align employee development and productivity with organizational goals. He is currently director of development for the National Community Reinvestment Coalition.
Prior to that John has worked for a wide variety of organizations, including Global Impact, The American Cancer Society and the Los Angeles Mayor’s Office. He is also a pastor having worked for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, N.Y. He attended the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception and earned his bachelor’s from Saint John’s University and his master’s from Brooklyn College.
Congratulations also to Michael Rogers and his business partner John Byrne, owners of RawStory Media. They recently announced the acquisition of two new websites — AlterNet.org, a pioneer in progressive online journalism, and The New Civil Rights Movement a website focused on politics, civil liberties and the LGBT community.
Rogers spent 15 years as a fundraiser for LGBT organizations, including Harvey Milk High School, the National LGBTQ Task Force and Greenpeace. In 2004, he started a news website focused on the exposure of anti-gay politicians living in the closet. His work was featured in the documentary “Outrage.” In 2008, he founded Netroots Connect. Byrne’s experience includes founding a newspaper at Oberlin College and then doing a stint as an intern at the Boston Globe. He launched RawStory in 2004. Byrne founded Prevention 305, an organization promoting the use of HIV prevention drugs that assists clients in Miami-Dade with a focus on at-risk youth of color and transgender women.
Michael Rogers and John Byrne (Photo of Rogers by Pooja Mehta; photo of Byrne by Ricardo Salazar)
Congratulations also to Lamont Akins, named interim director of the D.C. Mayor’s Office of Community Affairs. Akins joined the Bowser administration in January 2015. He manages and provides guidance to the 10 constituent engagement offices reporting to him helping them to implement the Mayor’s Fresh Start vision for constituent engagement and outreach in all eight Wards of the District.
Prior to joining the Bowser administration, he served as director of constituent service for Council member Anita Bonds. He has also served as a program manager in the D.C. Department of Employment Services. Before joining D.C. government he worked in Housing and Community Development for AARP, Fairfax County and the Dallas Housing Authority.
Akins has served two terms as an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner for ANC 4D01 in the Brightwood Park neighborhood. He earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, and has a master’s degree in community development from Delta State University.
Lamont Atkins
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.
Blade welcomes fall intern
PHOTOS: Miss Gay Old Bay
SUNFESTIVAL takes center stage as Rehoboth Beach closes out summer
Anne Arundel schools now need parent permission to call trans students by preferred names
Shooting outside gay bar in Ariz. leaves three dead
San Francisco, long a queer safe haven, remains competitive for homebuyers
Calendar: August 28-September 3
‘Teenage Sex and Death’ has never been more entertaining
Actor Tim Curry dies at 80
