Local
Comings & Goings
Frisch elected to Fairfax County School Board
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].
The Comings & Goings column also invites LGBTQ+ college students to share their successes with us. If you have been elected to a student government position, gotten an exciting internship, or are graduating and beginning your career with a great job, let us know so we can share your success.
Congratulations to Karl Frisch who has been elected to the Fairfax County School Board from the Providence District. Frisch is the first openly LGBTQ+ person elected to local office in Fairfax County. Upon his election, he said “I’m excited about the work ahead and grateful that voters responded favorably to my message of making sure every student has the tools they need to succeed no matter who they are, where they are from, or how much money their parents make.” A former small business owner, Frisch helped clients like the National Education Association, Rock the Vote, several technology companies, and others refine their public relations and marketing strategies to more effectively break through the cluttered national media environment.
He serves as executive director Allied Progress. Founded in 2015, Allied Progress is a watchdog organization that stands up for consumers by holding policymakers and predatory financial institutions accountable. Allied Progress is a project of Accountable. US, a nonpartisan watchdog group committed to making sure public officials are advancing policies in the public interest across a wide range of issues. Previously, he was communications director at Media Matters for America. Frisch is a member of the campaign board at the LGBTQ Victory Fund and Institute. He is an avid traveler and photographer. He lives next door to Mosby Woods Elementary School with his partner Evan, a product of Fairfax County Public Schools and a teacher in the system for nearly 15 years. He attended El Camino College in California.
Congratulations also to Hassan Syed Naveed, the new deputy executive director for The Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes (OPHC) at the New York City Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice. Mayor Bill de Blasio launched the OPHC in summer 2019. Embedded in the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice, OPHC will take a holistic approach to preventing hate crimes, developing and coordinating community-driven prevention strategies to address biases fueling such crimes, and fostering healing for victims and their communities. The new office will coordinate city efforts to prevent and respond to hate crimes through an interagency committee, which includes the City Commission on Human Rights, Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit, Department of Education, Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence, Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, ThriveNYC, and Department of Youth and Community Development.
Previously, Naveed served as director of outreach for the New York City Department of Investigation’s Office of Inspector General with the NYPD. Prior to working for New York City, he worked as an associate with McKinney & Associates Public Relations Firm. His clients included civil rights organizations, human rights groups and philanthropists.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of California, Santa Barbara and his master’s in public administration, policy and management from New York University, Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. He served as chair of the D.C. Anti-Violence Project and is a board member of Casa Ruby. Naveed was also awarded the “Engendered Spirit Award” from D.C.’s Capital Pride Alliance in 2014, recognizing his advocacy efforts for transgender people.
District of Columbia
Gay D.C. police lieutenant arrested on child porn charges
Matthew Mahl once served as head of LGBT Liaison Unit
D.C. police announced on April 14 that they have placed one of their lieutenants, Matthew Mahl, on administrative leave and revoked his police powers after receiving information that he was arrested in Maryland one day earlier.
Although the initial D.C. police announcement doesn’t disclose the reason for the arrest it refers to a statement by the Harford County, Md. Sheriff’s Office that discloses Mahl has been charged with sexual solicitation of a minor and child porn solicitation.
“On Tuesday, the Harford County Sheriff’s Office contacted MPD’s Internal Affairs Division shortly after arresting Lieutenant Matthew Mahl,” the D.C. police statement says.
“The allegations in this case are extremely disturbing, and in direct contrast to the values of the Metropolitan Police Department,” the statement continues. “MPD’s Internal Affairs Division will investigate violations of MPD policy once the criminal investigation concludes,” it says.
“MPD is not involved in the criminal investigation and was not aware of the investigation until yesterday,” the statement adds.
Mahl served as acting supervisor of the MPD’s then Gay & Lesbian Liaison Unit in 2013 when he held the rank of sergeant. D.C. police officials placed him on administrative leave and suspended his police powers that same year while investigating an undisclosed allegation.
A source familiar with the investigation said Mahl was cleared of any wrongdoing a short time later and resumed his police duties. Around the time he was promoted to lieutenant several years later Mahl took on the role as chairman of the D.C. Police Union, becoming the first known openly gay officer to hold that position.
NBC 4 reports that Mahl, 47, has served on the police force for 23 years and most recently was assigned to the department’s Special Operations Division.
Records related to Mahl’s arrest filed in Harford County District Court, show Sheriff’s Department investigators state in charging documents that he allegedly committed the offenses of Sexual Solicitation of a Minor and Child Porn Solicitation on Monday, April 13, one day before he was arrested on April 14.
The court records show he was held without bond during his first appearance in court on April 14. A decision on whether he would be released while awaiting trial or continue to be held without bond was scheduled to be determined during an April 15 bond hearing. The outcome of that hearing could not be immediately determined.
Maryland
Evan Glass is leaning on his record. Is that enough for Montgomery County’s top job?
Gay county executive candidate pushing for equitable pay, safer streets, and cleaner environment
By TALIA RICHMAN | During a meet-and-greet at Poolesville Memorial United Methodist Church, Evan Glass got his loudest applause of the night with a plan he acknowledged was decidedly unsexy.
“Day one, I’ll hire a director of permitting services,” the county executive candidate said.
Doing so, he added, is a step toward easing the regulatory burdens that can stifle small businesses in Montgomery County.
The only problem? At least one of his fiercest competitors is making a similar pledge.
The rest of this article can be read on the Baltimore Banner’s website.
District of Columbia
D.C. bar, LGBTQ+ Community Center to mark Lesbian Visibility Week
‘Ahead of the Curve’ documentary screening, ‘Queeroke’ among events
2026 Lesbian Visibility Week North America will take place from April 20-26.
This year marks the third annual Lesbian Visibility Week, run by the Curve Foundation. A host of events take place from April 20-26.
This year’s theme is Health and Wellness. For the Curve Foundation, the term “lesbian” serves as an umbrella term for a host of identities, including lesbians, bisexual and transgender women, and anyone else connected to the lesbian community.
The week kicks off with a flag-raising ceremony on April 19. It will take place in New York, but will be livestreamed for the public.
“Queeroke” is one of the events being held around the country. It will take place at various participating bars on April 23.
As You Are, an LGBTQ bar in Capitol Hill, is one of eight locations across the U.S. participating. Their event is free and 21+.
On April 24, the D.C. LGBTQ+ Community Center will hold a screening of “Ahead of the Curve,” a documentary about the founder of Curve, Franco Stevens. The event is free with an RSVP.
April 25, is Queer Women in Sports Day. And on April 26, several monuments in New York will be illuminated.
Virtual events ranging from health to sports will be made available to the public. Details will be released closer to the start of Lesbian Visibility Week. Featured events can be found on the official website.
Some ways for individuals to get involved are to use #LVW26 and tag the official Lesbian Visibility Week account on social media posts. People are encouraged to display their lesbian flags, and businesses can hand out pins and decorate. They can also reach out to local lawmakers to encourage them to issue an official Lesbian Visibility Week.
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Comings & Goings
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