a&e features
New role for Candace Gingrich
Long-time HRC vet moves on to cannabis
Noted LGBTQ leader Candace Gingrich, who spent 23 years working for the Human Rights Campaign, has a new gig. The long-time advocate was named vice president and head of business development for Revolution Florida, a cannabis operator that’s the sister company of Illinois-based Revolution Enterprises.
Working with the Human Rights Campaign, Gingrich traveled throughout the U.S. discussing the importance of coming out, mobilizing the next generation of activists and promoting LGBTQ equity, including health care. Gingrich saw first-hand the barriers LGBTQ people face to medical treatment, including with cannabis.
For that reason, Gingrich — half-sibling of Newt, with whom they’re cordial — will also serve as the company’s LGBTQ ambassador. In Gingrich’s role, organization leaders have plans to establish LGBTQ-focused medical cannabis treatment centers and increase economic opportunities for LGBTQ people.
Gingrich, who is married to Illinois state Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D) — the lead House sponsor of a landmark marijuana legalization measure signed into law this summer, won’t be involved in any financial or voting interest in any Illinois-based business license that might be issued to Revolution under the new law for two years. Additionally, Gingrich’s business development work will only be focused on non-Illinois markets.
Gingrich recently chatted with the Blade about the position and plans for the future.
WASHINGTON BLADE: What made you interested in this position?
CANDACE GINGRICH: It was a number of things. One was looking at Revolution as as an entity itself and their reputation as a company that not only cares about the bottom line, but cares about the people that are involved — really focusing on social justice, social equity and providing the best science to make the best product for medical cannabis patients. Here is a company that is doing a lot of things well. Plus, I had an opportunity to kind of mesh that with my queer activism, because in a lot of the conversation, we talk about the failed war on drugs and we talk about the importance of bringing black and brown people into the industry to be part of it and to be engaged. But a lot of times, we weren’t talking about queer people, which has also been a historically marginalized community. With Florida, it’s a purely medical market. All of the dispensaries are a medical cannabis market. And with HRC, I’ve learned how often queer people have issues interfacing with the health care community and oftentimes they have to work with health care providers that are not culturally competent and are not fully aware of the particular needs of LGBTQ patients. This was a way to kind of combine those two things to be part of a company that’s bringing a first-class product to market for patients and also finding a way so that we can bring LGBTQ people into it, as patients and also as a part of the company as well.
BLADE: You talked about a barrier of medical treatment being understanding needs. Are there other barriers as well?
GINGRICH: Well, there’s still stigma in using cannabis, even when it is medically called for. I see some parallels to the LGBTQ movement in that there still remains a lot of ignorance and a lot of misconception and stereotypes about cannabis use that we need to kind of get beyond and do the educating on. The studies show that cannabis is a health care product that can vastly improve peoples’ lives, but there’s still those stereotypes of that dude on the corner selling you a dime bag. We need to get beyond the stigma and help people view cannabis as a medical treatment.
BLADE: As part of this role, you’re going to help establish LGBTQ-focused medical treatment centers. What are your plans there?
GINGRICH: We’re still figuring that out. Florida is one of our newest markets and we have a vertically integrated license, and we are building a great center—the place where the plants will all be grown and then a processing center where they can be processed. And then we have a license for 35 dispensaries throughout the state of Florida, doing a couple at a time and we will build from there. One of the ideas that we had was why not create a couple of the dispensaries as LGBTQ-focused and LGBTQ forward. That’s to provide not only a welcoming place for queer people to go, but an informing place. We really want to bring in queer people, we want to bring in people of color, we want to bring in veterans. Because we’re going to have a need for staff at the dispensaries, we’re going to have a need for people to work in the growth center, to work in the processing, to do transportation. I see it as not only queer people as patients, but also as a way to provide job opportunities for people that sometimes still face barriers to employment.
BLADE: What are some of your others main responsibilities?
GINGRICH: With every place that we want to put a dispensary, we have local stakeholders that we need to develop relationships with and we’re building relationships with. There’s still municipalities that are still relying on stereotypes and the misconceptions about what it means to have a medical dispensary. So part of it is getting to know them and building partnership. It’s Revolution working with local government, working with the regulators, and making sure that we are good corporate partners. I also see building relationships with the community in general. One of the things that Revolution does in Illinois is really partners with the community. There is an MS walk that we were a cosponsor of. There was a letter writing effort for cancer patients where the community came together, created care packages for people in the community who were going through cancer. That’s the kind of thing that drew me to Revolution — it is about doing good business, but it’s also about doing good, period.
BLADE: What’s the future look like for Revolution?
GINGRICH: Just that Florida is one of the newest markets and we’re looking to expand around the country. We’ve got a growth site in Arkansas. We are going to be opening a medical dispensary in Maryland. Looking at what we’re going to do in Florida over the next six months to a year, I’m hopeful that the LGBTQ-focused-facing work will help us create a template so no matter what state Revolution is in, we’re able to engage those communities and replicate it.
BLADE: You’ve said in other interviews, you and Newt are cordial and don’t see each other often. Is that still how you would characterize your relationship?
GINGRICH: We are cordial and we see each other from time to time.
BLADE: Is cannabis a Republican vs. Democrat issue?
GINGRICH: It’s non-partisan. Two-thirds of Americans now support legalizing cannabis. Anyone running for office who ignores a strong majority of their potential constituents by opposing cannabis legalization is not likely to be successful. Especially with medical cannabis, this is about what’s in the best interests of the public.
BLADE: What else are you excited about in your life?
GINGRICH: I’m excited to be living in Chicago and being here full-time with my family. We have a 5-month-old Mastiff puppy named Jack who is ridiculously fun. And I’m always excited about the Chicago Cubs.
a&e features
Memorial for groundbreaking bisexual activist set for May 2
Loraine Hutchins remembered as a ‘force of nature’
The Montgomery County Pride Center will host a celebration honoring the life and legacy of Loraine Hutchins, Ph.D., on May 2. People are invited to attend the onsite memorial or a livestream event. The on-site event will begin at 10 a.m. with a meet-and-greet mixer before moving into a memorial service around the theme “Loraine a Force of Nature!” at 11 a.m., a panel talk at 12 p.m., break out sessions for artists, academics, and activists to build on her legacy at 1 p.m. and a closing reception at 2 p.m.
Attendees are encouraged to register for the on-site memorial gathering or the livestreamed memorial. The goal of this event is also to collect stories and memories of Loraine. Attendees and others can share their stories at padlet.com.
An obituary for Hutchins was published in the Bladelast Nov. 24, where people can learn more about her activism in the bisexual community. A private service for friends and family was held in December but this memorial service is open to all.
Alongside her groundbreaking work organizing for U.S. bisexual rights and liberation including co-editing “Bi Any Other Name: BIsexual People Speak Out” (1991), she also integrated faith into her sexual education and advocacy work. Her 2001 doctoral dissertation, “Erotic Rites: A Cultural Analysis of Contemporary U.S. Sacred Sexuality Traditions and Trends,” offered a pointed queer and feminist analysis to sex-neutral and sex-positive spiritual traditions in the United States. Her thesis was also groundbreaking in exploring the intersections between sex workers and those in caregiving professionals, including spiritual ones.
In an oral history interview conducted by Michelle Mueller back in August 2023, Hutchins described herself as a “priestess without a congregation.” While she has occasionally had a sense of community and feels part of a group of loving people, she admitted that “I don’t feel like we have the shape or the purpose that we need.”
“I’ve often experienced being the Cassandra in the room, the Cassandra in the community. Somebody who’s kind of way out there ahead, thinking through the strategic action points that my community hasn’t gotten to yet, and getting a lot of resistance and hostile responses from people who are frightened by dissent and conflict and not ready for the changes we have to make to survive,” she said.
“For somebody who’s bisexual in an out political way and who’s been a spokesperson for the polyamory movement in an out political way, it’s very exposing. And it’s very important to me to be able to try to explain and help other people understand the connection between spirituality and sexuality,” she explained citing how even as a graduate student she was “exploring how to feel erotic and spiritual, and not feel them in conflict with each other in my own spiritual contemplative life and my own sensual body awareness of being alive in the world.”
“Every religion has a sense of sacred sexuality. It’s just they put a lot of boundaries and regulations on it, and if we have a spiritual practice that is totally affirming of women’s priesthood and of gay people, queer people’s ability to minister to everyone and to be ministered to be everyone, what does that do to the gender of God, or our understanding of how we practice our spirituality and our sexuality in community and privately?”
“There’s no easy answer,” she concludes, and she continued to grapple with these questions throughout her life, co-editing another seminal text, “Sexuality, Religion and the Sacred: Bisexual, Pansexual, and Polysexual Perspectives,” published in 2012. Her work blending spiritual and queer liberation remains groundbreaking to this day.
Rev. Eric Eldritch, a local community organizer and ordained Pagan minister with Circle Sanctuary who has worked for decades with the DC Center’s Center Faith to organize the Pride Interfaith Service, is eager to highlight this element of her legacy at the memorial service next month.
a&e features
Queery: Meet artist, performer John Levengood
Modern creative talks nightlife, coming out, and his personal queer heroes
John Levengood (he/him) describes himself as a modern creative with a wide‑ranging toolkit. He blends music, technology, civic duty, and a sharp sense of wit into a cohesive artistic identity. Known primarily as a recording artist and performer, he’s also a self‑taught music producer and software engineer who embodies a generation of creators who build their own lanes rather than wait for one to appear.
Levengood, 32, who is single and identifies as gay and queer, is best known as a recording artist who has performed at Pride festivals across the country, including the main stages of World Pride DC, Central Arkansas Pride, and Charlotte Pride.
“Locally in the DMV, I’m known for turning heads at nightlife venues with my eye-catching sense of style. When I go out, I don’t try to blend in. I hope I inspire people to be themselves and have the courage to stand out,” he says.
He’s also known for hosting karaoke at Freddie’s Beach Bar in Arlington, Va., on Thursday nights. “I like to create a space where people feel comfortable expressing themselves, building community, and showcasing their talents.”
He also creates social media content from my performances and do interviews at LGBTQ+ bars and theatres in the DMV. Follow the Arlington resident @johnlevengood.
How long have you been out and who was the hardest person to tell?
I have been fully out of the closet since 2019. My parents were the hardest people to tell because my family has always been my rock and at the time I couldn’t imagine a world without them. Their reactions were extremely positive and supportive so I had nothing to fear all along.
I remember sitting on the couch with my mom, dad, and sister in our hotel room in New Orleans during our winter vacation and being so nervous to tell them. After I finally mustered up the nerve and made the proclamation, I realized my dad had already fallen asleep on the couch. My mom promised to tell him when he woke up.
Who’s your LGBTQ hero?
My LGBTQ heroes are Harvey Milk for paving the way for gays in politics and Elton John for being a pioneer for the fabulous and authentic. My local heroes in the DMV are Howard Hicks, manager of Green Lantern, and Tony Rivenbark, manager of Freddie’s Beach Bar. Both of them are essential to creating spaces where I’ve felt welcome and safe since moving to the DMV.
What’s Washington’s best nightspot, past or present?
Trade tops the list for me because of the dance floor and outdoor space. It’s so nice to get a break from the music every once and a while to be able to have a conversation.
We live in challenging times. How do you cope?
I’m still figuring this out. What is working right now is writing music and spending time with family and friends. I’ve also been spending less time on social media going to the gym at least three times a week.
What streaming show are you binging?
After “Traitors” Season 4 ended, I was in a bit of a show hole, but “Stumble” has me in a laughing loop right now. The writing is so witty.
What do you wish you’d known at 18?
At 18, I wish I would have known how liberating it is to come out of the closet. It would have been nice to know some winning lottery numbers as well.
What are your friends messaging about in your most recent group chat?
We are planning our next trip to New York City. If you can believe it, I visited NYC for the first time in 2025 for Pride and I’ve been back every quarter since. Growing up in the country, I was subconsciously primed to be scared of the city. But my mind has been blown. I can’t wait to go back.
Why Washington?
It’s the closest metropolitan area to my family, but not too close. I love the museums, the diversity, the history, and the proximity to the beach and mountains. It’s also nice to live in a city with public transportation.
Aging RFK Stadium has come down, but the RFK grounds are still getting lit up. Welcome back to the stage Project GLOW, D.C.’s homegrown electronic festival, on May 30-31. Back for its fifth year on these musically inclined acres, Project GLOW returns with an even more diverse lineup, and one that continues to celebrate LGBTQ antecedents, attendees, and acts.
Project GLOW 2026 headliners include house and techno star Mau P, progressive house legend Eric Prydz, hard-techno favorite Sara Landry, and bass acts Excision b2b Sullivan King, among the lineup of trance, bass, house, techno, dubstep, and others for the fifth anniversary year.
President & CEO Pete Kalamoutsos — born and raised in D.C. — founded Club GLOW in 1999. In 2020, GLOW entered into a partnership with global entertainment company Insomniac Events to produce live events like Project GLOW, which kicked off in 2022.
As in past years, Project GLOW not only makes space, but is intentionally inclusive of the LGBTQ community, one of its most dedicated fan bases. The festival’s LGBTQ-focused Secret Garden stage blooms again — a more intimate dance area that stands on the strength of DJs and musicians who draw from the LGBTQ community. D.C.’s LGBTQ nightlife mastermind Ed Bailey is the creative mind behind Secret Garden again. He joined Project GLOW in 2023.
“Kalamoustos says that “he’s proud of his partnership with Ed Bailey, along with Capital Pride and [nightlife producer] Jake Resnikow. It’s amazing to collaborate with Bailey at the Secret Garden stage, especially after the curated lineup we worked on at Pride last year.”
The Secret Garden will be a bit different from other stages: Eternal (“At the Eternal stage, time stands still. Lose yourself in the dance of past, present, and future, surrendering to the eternal rhythm of the universe”) and Pulse (“Feel the rhythm of the beat pulse through your veins as the heartbeat of the crowd synchronizes into one. Here, every moment vibrates with life as it guides you through a new dimension of euphoria”). The Secret Garden stage is in the round, surrounded by 16 shipping containers. The containers play canvas to muralists from around the world, who are coming in to paint them in a vibrant garden-style vibe. “We gave this stage some extra love with this layout,” K says, “ we finally cracked the code.”
K says that this will be the biggest lineup yet for the Secret Garden, featuring Nicole Moudaber b2b Chasewest, Riordan b2b Bullet Tooth, Ranger Trucco, Cassian, Eli & Fur, Cosmic Gate and Hayla. The stage is also the largest yet, featuring an expanded dance floor and 360-degree viewing.
Across all stages, K says that his goal for the fifth anniversary is “More art and fan interactive experience, more like a festival, strive to be like a Tomorrowland, as budget grows to add more experience.” Last year’s Project GLOW alone drew 40,000 attendees over two days.
K, however, was not satisfied with one festival this spring. GLOW recently announced a “pop-up” one-day event. Teaming up with Black Book Records, GLOW is set to throw a first-of-its-kind dance-music takeover of Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., headlined by electronic music star Chris Lake. Set for April 18, this euphoric block party will feature bass and vibes blocks from the White House. Organizers expect as many as 10,000 fans to attend. Beyond music, there will be food, activations, and plenty of other activities taking place around 6th St and Pennsylvania Ave NW – a location familiar to many in the LGBTQ community, as this sits squarely inside the blocks of the Capital Pride party that takes place in DC every June.
Over the past two decades, Club GLOW has produced thousands of events, from club nights to large-scale festivals including Project GLOW, Moonrise Festival, and more. Club GLOW also operates Echostage.
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