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Best of Gay D.C. 2020

Celebrating our resilience in a year like no other

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The 19th annual Washington Blade Best Of awards arrive amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic that has shuttered so many of our perennial winners in this competition. Theater productions, cinemas, popular fundraising events remain shuttered; bars and restaurants operate at reduced capacity and struggle to remain afloat. COVID has upended our world in unprecedented ways. Just a year ago, the Blade was preparing to celebrate its 50th anniversary with a gala party. Now such events are just a distant memory in the age of social distancing.

But amid the loss and heartbreak, there emerge stories of hope, heroism, and resilience. First responders, doctors, nurses and even grocery store clerks have stepped up and become heroes in 2020. Business owners got creative, moving to virtual operations, creating new products (face masks, hand sanitizer), and taking their business outside (restaurants, bars). Drag queens performed on Zoom and fitness instructors did the same. We adapted. The LGBTQ community has been through a pandemic before.

So here we celebrate the best of our LGBTQ community in Washington. We reduced our usual 100 categories to 40 given all the COVID closures and restrictions on nightlife and arts & entertainment events. About 4,000 nominations and 25,000 votes were cast in 40 categories for the 19th annual Best of awards. The Bladeā€™s Stephen Rutgers coordinated the process. The photographers are credited throughout. This yearā€™s contributing writers are Philip Van Slooten, Joey DiGuglielmo, and Kevin Naff. There will be no Best Of party this year, of course, but we will celebrate all the winners and nominees virtually in an online presentation at our website. We look forward to a raucous in-person celebration in 2021.

LOCAL HERO: RYAN MADDOCK

RUNNER UP: RUBY CORADO

Ryan Maddock, gay news, Washington Blade
Ryan Maddock (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

In his first clinical role at Childrenā€™s National Hospital, Ryan Maddock worked with kids with chronic kidney disease. In his current role in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, heā€™s discussed organ donation with parents whose children are at deathā€™s door.

So when Maddock saw his friend Paul Johnson, whom he met in 2011 through Stonewall Kickball, struggling with kidney disease, he wanted to help.

Johnson, whom Maddock says often looked ā€œawful and sick,ā€ initially didnā€™t think Maddock was serious, but Maddock persisted.

He says giving the ā€œgift of lifeā€ was not a hard decision.

ā€œI understood the process,ā€ Maddock, a 39-year-old gay Eckington resident, says. ā€œI believe in it with all my being and heart.ā€

Johnson doesnā€™t have Maddockā€™s kidney but his willingness to donate enabled Johnson to find a donor whom doctors thought would be a better match. A positive cross match between Maddock and Johnson meant Johnsonā€™s body was more likely to reject Maddockā€™s kidney, so a pairing program was entered at Medstar Georgetown and transplant coordinators worked to find the best donor/recipient for each pair. Maddock doesnā€™t know who ended up with his kidney but he hopes to someday.

Without Maddockā€™s willingness do donate, it could have been years before Johnson would have been able to find a match, Maddock says.

ā€œAt first he thought I was crazy and not serious. After we were both through the evaluation process we understood each other and have a trust and love for each other,ā€ Maddock says. ā€œHe tells me all the time how thankful he is, but I am truly grateful to be able to give him this life off of dialysis.ā€

The surgeries happened July 14 at Medstar Georgetown. Maddock has five laparoscopic scars and one longer scar (two-and-a-half inches) on his abdomen. He says it was not traumatic and he has no after effects. His only limitation because of the donation is he cannot take certain types of anti-inflammatory drugs like Ibuprofin.

Although they donā€™t hang out as before because of the pandemic, Maddock says he and Johnson talk regularly and are both doing well. Maddock is back to work.

ā€œI donā€™t have anyone else in my family with kidney disease and I knew that Paulā€™s life on dialysis was awful and he deserved a second chance at life off of dialysis,ā€ Maddock says. JD

Paul Johnson and Ryan Maddock

BEST DRAG QUEEN: DESIREE DIK

RUNNER UP: BOMBALICIOUS EKLAVER

Desiree Dik (Photo by Katherine Gaines/AmbientEye Photography)

Desire Dik says when the pandemic first hit she was ā€œfreaking out like every other drag performerā€ about the loss of performance and income opportunity.

ā€œBut after I shook it off, Red Bear still wanted to do virtual drag bingo and Extravaganza so we kept doing those ā€” safely, of course,ā€ Dik says.

With her ā€œday jobā€ in teaching on hold, Dik was inspired by seeing drag performers around the country take their art online so she did the same. For now, Desiree Dikā€™s Oddbalel and Slash Run are virtual. She got in touch with Oddball vets and have kept it going.

For her tenacity, Dik has been named this yearā€™s Best of Gay D.C. Best Drag Queen, a title previously held by legends such as Baā€™Naka, Bombalicious Eklaver and Destiny B. Childs.

Sheā€™s working now on a Halloween show. Extravaganza is on hiatus for now but in its place is ā€œDrag-liveryā€ where drag queens pack takeout food for delivery. They go to homes and put on mini-drag shows while patrons eat their takeout.

George Marius was born in Falls Church, Va., but sent to Peru at 6 months old to be raised by his sister. He lived there until age 10, went back to live with parents in Falls Church and was kicked out at age 16 for being gay.

He got into drag on his 17th birthday at Freddieā€™s Beach Bar and said it just ā€œmade sense because I was a gay theater kid.ā€ He tried it again a year later at a Town competition and was hooked.

ā€œItā€™s been very crazy but at the end of the day, drag is what I love to do and see in others,ā€ Dik says. ā€œIt just brings me joy.ā€ JD

BEST DRAG KING: MAJIC DYKE

RUNNER UP: JACKSON B NITE

Majic Dyke (Photo via Facebook)

Majic Dyke, a Nairobi native who came to the U.S. with their family at age 10, says a lifetime of confusion about their gender identity clicked into focus in 2017 when they started performing as a drag king and got ā€œfully integratedā€ with the LGBT scene in Washington.

ā€œThis is when things truly fell into place in my life,ā€ Majic wrote in a blog post on uniteuk1.com. ā€œI finally had the vocabulary that affirmed what I had always felt, and I finally had people around me that loved and accepted me in all my forms.ā€

Majic identifies as non-binary and pansexual and says all pronouns are OK.
Other monikers they favor are ā€œgenderqueer,ā€ ā€œdrag king,ā€ ā€œgo-go dancer,ā€ ā€œyour friendly neighborhood gay boiā€ and ā€œ#beardsandtitties.ā€

In a Facebook post during the nomination process, Majic campaigned openly for the award and said they were ā€œhappy as fuck to be nominated alongside my sibs.ā€

Look for Majic on social media to find out more about performances. JD

BEST TRANSGENDER PERFORMER: INDIA LARELLE HOUSTON

RUNNER UP: DYLAN DICKHERSON

India Larelle Houston (Photo courtesy of Houston)

India Larelle Houston has been performing since 2005, which is her full-time work.

ā€œI got into the art form because I had a love for the performing arts and I found a way to express myself through drag,ā€ Houston says.

Sheā€™s a cast member at Chanellieā€™s Drag Brunch on Saturdays and a cast member at Perryā€™s on Sundays. She also performs at Red Bear Brewing Company and other venues in Washington and beyond.

Like everyone, sheā€™s been ā€œgreatly affectedā€ by COVID-19 as both her drag brunches are on hiatus until Washington moves into phase three reopening. Several other venues have either closed or are not offering live entertainment. By now, her Sunday brunch is happening virtually. She had savings, which has helped stay afloat.

Houston did not campaign for this award but says, ā€œIt feels absolutely wonderful to be loved and appreciated for what I do.ā€

ā€œIt is a great honor to be chosen Best of Gay D.C.,ā€ she says. ā€œThe gods must have had a plan for me.ā€ JD

BEST VIRTUAL A&E EVENT: PRIDE IN THE CITY, CAPITAL PRIDE

EDITOR’S CHOICE: TIE: Shaw’s Tavern Virtual Drag Bingo! & Desiree Dikā€™s: Oddball Virus

A scene from ‘Pride in the City.’ (Screen capture via YouTube)

Pride in the City is a new web series that will introduce online viewers to some of Capital Pride staffā€™s ā€œfavorite people and placesā€ in Washington.

ā€œFrom bars and restaurants to cultural treasures and small businesses to local heroes who make our community proud,ā€ Ryan Bos, Capital Pride executive director, said in an e-mail. ā€œAlong the way weā€™ll offer insider perspectives and the opportunity for viewers to participate in a variety of ways.ā€

Two have been held so far: #stillweentertain on June 28 and #stillwelaugh on Aug. 9 and are available for viewing on YouTube. A third installment will be announced after the Out Brigade (a Pride motorcade through the District) on Oct. 10. One is planned before yearā€™s end.

Find out more at capitalpride.org/pride-in-the-city. JD

BEST OUTDOOR DRINKING: TRADE

EDITORS’ CHOICE: DACHA BEER GARDEN

Trade (Washington Blade photo by Daniel Truitt)

Trade (1410 14th St., N.W.) opened in 2015 and quickly established itself as one of the cityā€™s most popular newer gay bars.

Like everyone else, the Trade team has had a long, slow haul back to some semblance of normalcy after moving to takeout only on March 15 (digital content was created by local performance artists), opening for limited outdoor service on May 29 and limited indoor service on June 22. Although some job descriptions ā€œevolvedā€ due to COVID, no staff was laid off, says Aaron Riggins, marketing and programming manager (he also bartends and manages shifts).

Because of capacity restrictions, business is not what it was pre-pandemic but its outdoor space has been in high demand. Reservations are recommended but walk-up tables are sometimes available.

Titoā€™s and Soda is the most popular drink. On tap, Bud Light and Stella are the most popular. Town is owned by John Guggenmos, Ed Bailey and Chachi Boyle, the team behind the now-closed Town Danceboutique.

In 2018, Trade won Best ABSOLUT Happy Hour and Best Neighborhood Bar in 2017.

Trade is popular, Riggins says, because itā€™s ā€œall about family.ā€

ā€œIt’s humbling how supportive and loyal our patrons, staff and performance artists have been,ā€ he says. ā€œThe health and well-being of our family is very important to us and we are taking the social distancing measures very seriously. We are also incredibly lucky to have an immensely talented creative family that has been helping us produce digital content while we can’t have onsite entertainment. Look out for more of the efforts as we get closer to Halloween.ā€ JD

Trade

1410 14th St. N.W.

tradebardc.com

BEST CARRYOUT: DUPLEX DINER

EDITORS’ CHOICE: LE DIPLOMATE

Duplex Diner (Washington Blade photo by Michael K. Lavers)

Early on in the pandemic when dining inside was unheard of, Duplex Diner (2004 18th St., N.W.) got creative with takeout and curbside service.

Resident drag queen Goldie Grigio worked the window and customers paid online in advance.

The diner is known for its no-nonsense menu that features everything from broccolIni salad, meatloaf, reuben and chicken tenders to tasty cocktails like the Famous Lemon Squeeze.

Owners Mark Hunker and Jeff McCracken had been regulars there since the late ā€˜90s and took over the Adams Morgan favorite in 2015.

Manager Kelly Laczko, whoā€™s been at the diner for eight years, keeps things running smoothly.

ā€œThings have been surprisingly good,ā€ Laczko said in a Blade interview earlier this year. ā€œWeā€™ve had so much love from the community and people have been amazing. Weā€™ve gotten a lot of support so far. We are very lucky.ā€ JD

Duplex Diner

2004 18th St., N.W.

duplexdiner.com

BEST COFFEESHOP: THREEFIFTY BAKERY AND COFFEE BAR

EDITORS’ CHOICE: COFFY CAFE

(Photo via Facebook)

Business is almost back to pre-COVID levels at gay-owned ThreeFifty Bakery but owner Jimmy Hopper and his partner Michael Graham are concerned about the coming winter months.

ā€œThings have been challenging during COVID,ā€ Graham says. ā€œHowever, we worked early to develop the safest possible customer experience by utilizing the patio space for single customer ordering. We have also been extremely fortunate to have the full support of the neighborhood. ā€¦ We are concerned about the fall and winter months with indoor spacing limitations.ā€

Three Fifty, which opened in 2014, has 14 employees and says its customer base is about 30 percent LGBTQ. The most popular drink is a caramel latte and the most popular pastry is a tie between the quiche and apple zucchini bread.

ā€œIt feels really great to win this honor and we are so proud to be an LGBT-owned business and to have the continued support from the neighborhood, LGBT community and the District,ā€ Graham says.

Three Fifty also won Best LGBT-owned Business in the Blade poll in 2017. This win is monumental ā€” Three Fifty dethrones Compass Coffee, which had four consecutive wins in this category through 2019.

ThreeFifty Bakery and Coffee Bar

1926 17th St. N.W.

BEST COVID QUARANTINE PROMOTION OR EVENT: GAY MENā€™S CHORUS OF WASHINGTON, DC ā€œSUMMER SOIREEā€ WITH LESLIE JORDAN

EDITOR’S CHOICE: TAGGā€™S QUEERANTINECON

Leslie Jordan, gay news, Washington Blade
Leslie Jordan (Photo courtesy Jordan)

The Gay Menā€™s Chorus of Washington wasnā€™t able to have its annual Spring Affair this year because of COVID, so instead, organizers held a Summer Soiree Aug. 15, which went off without any glitches or technical issues, had 679 registered attendees and raised about $125,000 for the organization and now wins this Blade readersā€™ poll award. Not bad!

The Chorus performed virtually and performed bits; Leslie Jordan was the celebrity guest.

The Chorusā€™s next event is ā€œLosing My Mind: a Celebration of Sondheim,ā€ a virtual cabaret on Oct. 17 at 7 p.m. This yearā€™s holiday show is also online.

The Chorus and its ensembles are rehearsing entirely via Zoom. JD

BEST RESTAURANT: LOGAN TAVERN

EDITORS’ CHOICE: INN AT LITTLE WASHINGTON

Logan Tavern (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Perhaps in these uncertain times, we donā€™t want something fancy and boundary pushing. Logan Tavernā€™s win here and its unpretentious charm ā€” upscale but never snooty ā€” seems to suit our 2020 sensibilities.

Logan Tavern is owned and operated by EatWell DC and combines friendly prices with a hip, laid-back atmosphere. Logan is a great go-to place for delicious, un-fussy food. Itā€™s a place where you recognize the ingredients, the flavors and the dishes you are being served. The drinks are affordable and the service is excellent with friendly and accommodating staff. 

Itā€™s mostly hearty American fare. Dinner entrees like boneless southern fried chicken, crispy skin-on rockfish, crab-stuffed chile relleno and lemon ricotta gnocchi are popular staples.

Logan won Best Bloody Mary in these awards in 2018 and Best Date Restaurant in 2012. (JD)

Logan Tavern

1423 P St., N.W.

logantavern.com

BEST LOCAL WEBSITE/BLOG: BRIGHTEST YOUNG THINGS

EDITORS’ CHOICE: FEED THE MALIK

(Photo by Ike Hayman; courtesy Brightest Young Things)

Brightest Young Things was hit ā€œincredibly hardā€ by COVID-19, says co-founder Svetlana Legetic, a straight ally. It required ā€œa complete re-do of how we do things and earn our living,ā€ she says.

ā€œThere was absolutely no plan B such as relying on investors or fairy godparents,ā€ she says.

BYT bills itself as an editorial and event platform for Washington, New York and Chicago. As the world has shifted to virtual events, at least for large gatherings, BYT has pivoted offering content such as ā€œTips for Sober October,ā€ ā€œLet Our Very Own Prya Konings Be Your World Vegetarian Day Sage,ā€ ā€œItā€™s OK You Are Not OKā€ and more at brightestyoungthings.com.

ā€œObviously there are no physical events or festivals, but we have seen our online engagement rise exponentially and the virtual projects we have worked on whether independently or with partners like Smithsonian ā€¦ confirmed to us that the community needs that positive, quality content because it makes them feel connected to each other, even when apart, and we can’t underestimate the value of that,ā€ Legetic says.

Pre-COVID there were 12 full-time staffers; there are now four and a team of freelance contributors. While not exclusively queer, BYT was conceived as being LGBT-inclusive from its inception. JD

brightestyoungthings.com

BEST SALON/SPA: LOGAN 14

EDITORS’ CHOICE: VSL HAIR DESIGN

Logan 14th (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Temperatures are taken for anyone who comes in the building, payments are totally cashless, work stations have been spread out and sanitation continues at a high level. These are just some of the changes that have allowed Logan 14 Aveda Salon & Spa to stay open amid the pandemic.

ā€œWhat hasnā€™t changed is what we do,ā€ says Katie Rose, general manager, who has been at the salon, which has 41 staffers, for five years. ā€œWe service our guests and make people look and feel better about themselves.ā€

The salon was closed from March 16-June 10 and upon reopening offered free services to health care workers nominated by customers and staff.

Rose says business is not up to pre-pandemic levels and a few staff members were laid off but she says slowly things are getting busier. She says their customers, about 75 percent of whom are LGBT she guesses, have ā€œbeen amazing.ā€

ā€œItā€™s been heartwarming to see the outpouring of love from our guests and how glad they are to come back in,ā€ Rose says.

This is Logan 14ā€™s fifth consecutive win in this category, which Rose says ā€œmeans the world to us.ā€ JD

Logan 14 Aveda Salon & Spa

1314 14th St., N.W.

logan14salonspa.com

BEST LOCAL TV/RADIO PERSONALITY: CHUCK BELL & WENDY RIEGER, NBC 4 (TIE)

RUNNER-UP: LARRY MILLER, WUSA9

Chuck Bell and Wendy Rieger (Washington Blade photo of Bell by Jonathan Ellis; Blade photo of Rieger by Michael Key)

Good oleā€™ Chuck Bell, meteorologist at NBC4 since October 2004. He was runner-up last year (and also in 2015, 2016 and 2018). He also won this award in 2014 and 2012.

ā€œItā€™s very flattering,ā€ he said of a previous win. ā€œIā€™m pleasantly surprised that people are taking note.ā€

Heā€™s joined this year by his NBC4 colleague Wendy Rieger, the 2015 winner.

Rieger stumbled upon broadcast journalism when she was a college drop-out looking to make money as an actress. She found a job reading the news on camera in Norfolk, Va., and fell in love with the business.

Bell is gay; Rieger is an ally. JD

BEST ABSOLUT TO-GO COCKTAILS: NELLIE’S SPORTS BAR

EDITORS’ CHOICE: Annie’s Paramount Steakhouse

Nellie’s Sports Bar (Washington Blade photo by Daniel Truitt)

Nellieā€™s huge outdoor rooftop space has poised it well to survive COVID and this D.C. institution soldiers on.

ā€œThings are good,ā€ says owner Doug Schantz. ā€œWeā€™re missing the old normal like everybody else but things are better than expected.ā€

Nellieā€™s is following all the D.C. restrictions under phase 2 reopening and is following all the usual guidelines but has moved its ā€œstreeteryā€ seating to its rooftop. A bus stop on U Street and limited space on 9th meant the rooftop was its best option. The two open areas and eight huge windows that allow ample air circulation have allowed the popular gay sports bar to stay busy and follow guidelines.

But itā€™s still a struggle. Schantz says 50 percent capacity figures were estimated by standing patrons so with seating, itā€™s more like 20 percent to remain compliant, but that, of course, is the new normal. There are currently 15 on staff, down from 40 pre-COVID.

To-go cocktails ā€” illegal pre-COVID ā€” have proven enormously popular. Pouches are decorated with two labels ā€” one says, ā€œDrink your juice, Shelbyā€ and features flavors; the other is a parody of the Campbellā€™s soup can but says Nellieā€™s Soup instead. Other cocktails, wine or beer can be purchased in 14 oz. recyclable cups with lids. One food item (a cookie, tater tots, whatever) must be purchased with each to go alcoholic beverage. All the cups, lids and straws are recyclable.

Schantz says his clientele has stayed faithful and many come weekly. Weekend drag brunches are on hiatus. The huge site, which opened in 2007, has 37 TVs so itā€™s a great place to watch the debates, Schantz says.

Nellieā€™s is a perennial favorite in the Best of Gay D.C. Awards. It usually wins something every year. Last year it won Best Drag Show for its brunch, in 2018 it won Best Margarita and in 2016 it won Hottest Bar Staff. JD

Nellie’s Sports Bar

900 U St., N.W.

nelliessportsbar.com

BEST OUTDOOR DINING: ANNIEā€™S PARAMOUNT STEAKHOUSE

EDITORS’ CHOICE: RED BEAR BREWING CO.

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Annieā€™s Paramount Steakhouse, a Washington institution since 1948, is now open for both dine-in and carry out and thanks to its outdoor patio, it has won Best Outdoor Dining, a new category for this yearā€™s Best of Gay D.C. Awards.

In early 2019, Annieā€™s received the James Beard Foundationā€™s Americaā€™s Classic Award, which honors restaurants with ā€œtimeless appealā€ and that serve ā€œquality food that reflects the character of their communities.ā€ Annieā€™s was only the third D.C. restaurant to earn that distinction.

George Katinas and his family opened Paramount Steakhouse in 1948. Katinas hired his sister Anne ā€œAnnieā€ Katinas Kaylor, to work the bar. Her popularity led to the restaurant changing its name to Annieā€™s Paramount Steakhouse. She died in 2013.

In the early years of these awards, Anneā€™s was a perennial favorite winning Best Overall Restaurant (2001, 2002), Tried & True (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006), Best Late Night (2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2012), Best Brunch (2005) and Best Steakhouse (2007, 2008). Kaylor was named Local Hero Female in 2001.

The menu is hearty American food with an array of burgers, sandwiches, soups and salads available for lunch. House specials like ā€œBull in the Panā€ (sirloin tips), basil-pine nut pesto pasta and pot roast are staples of the dinner menu. JD

Annie’s Paramount Steakhouse

1609 17th St., N.W.

anniesparamountdc.com

BEST STRAIGHT ALLY: PAMALA STANLEY

RUNNER-UP: REP. ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ

It was a busy year for singer Pamala Stanley, the ā€˜80s disco star who has enjoyed a long and wildly popular residency in Rehoboth Beach, Del. In January, she announced plans to move her show from the Blue Moon to The Pines. Then the pandemic hit. Immediately, Stanley pivoted, staging virtual shows from home. Then she took the show to The Pines stage with a virtual audience of hundreds watching from the safety of home while Stanley danced and sang her heart out, taking requests online. She used the shows as fundraisers for Beebe Medical Foundation. Owners of The Pines announced Stanleyā€™s first concert on April 26 was so successful that she would perform a virtual tea dance to benefit Beebe every Saturday until The Pines was allowed to reopen.

At that first benefit, Stanley dedicated one of her biggest hits, ā€œComing Out of Hiding,ā€ to all her fans who were getting restless after weeks in quarantine: ā€œThis is for everybody,ā€ she said, ā€œbecause we have been in hiding for way too long, donā€™t you agree?ā€

The four-week virtual fundraisers with Stanley, Mona Lotts, and Michael Solonski brought in $19,000 for Beebe Medical Foundation to help cover expenses incurred because of the pandemic.

Stanley has since resumed regular shows at The Pines, Thursday-Sunday nights while observing social distancing protocols in the large Pines venue. JD

Pamala Stanley (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

BEST PRO ATHLETE: NATASHA CLOUD, WASHINGTON MYSTICS

RUNNER-UP: SEAN DOOLITTLE, WASHINGTON NATIONALS

Natasha Cloud (Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE; courtesy Washington Mystics)

Last year, Washington Mystics guard Natasha Cloud helped her team win its first WNBA championship. Sheā€™s also a vocal and public supporter for causes she believes in like ending gun violence and supporting the Black Lives Matter Movement.

ā€œJuneteenth is a day of celebration,ā€ Cloud said during a Wizards and Mystics peaceful protest against racial injustice and police brutality. ā€œItā€™s a day of liberation. Itā€™s a day that we were finally freed from our bondage. We couldnā€™t think of a better day than today to come out here and come together, collectively and unified in solidarity with one another for a greater cause.ā€

Though Cloud announced in June that she would sit out the 2020 season due to her concerns about systemic racism and the ongoing pandemic, voters recognized her excellence both on and off the court with a ā€œBest Pro Athleteā€ award. PVS

In 2014, Bishop Allyson Abrams resigned as pastor of a small Detroit church after announcing that she had married her wife in Iowa. One year later, a Supreme Court ruling would legalize same-sex marriage in the U.S., but at the time she may have felt like she was risking everything to be with the woman she loved. She set up her ministry in the D.C. area and has remained a symbol of strength and courage ever since.

ā€œPeople say itā€™s amazing to hear a pastor say that God loves us the way we are,ā€ Abrams told the Blade back in 2014. ā€œIā€™m always going to make sure God knows them.ā€

This year Allysonā€™s community supported her with a ā€œBest Clergyā€ award. PVS

BEST D.C. PUBLIC OFFICIAL: MAYOR MURIEL BOWSER

RUNNER-UP: U.S. REP. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON (D-D.C.)

budget cuts, gay news, Washington Blade
Mayor Muriel Bowser (Photo by Lorie Shaull via Flickr)

In 2017, Mayor Bowser wore a bright yellow dress and a big smile while accepting her award for ā€œBest D.C. Public Officialā€ at the Bladeā€™s Best of Gay D.C. awards. Times have changed, particularly this year, marking her fifth in office.

Bowser assumed office as mayor in 2015 after previously representing Ward 4 on the D.C. City Council since 2007. A native of the region, she is the Districtā€™s second female mayor.

This year, Bowser helmed the District through a deadly pandemic, its devastating economic fall out and desperate calls for racial justice. A long-time supporter of D.C.ā€™s LGBTQ community, Bowser tweeted on June 15 in response to the Supreme Courtā€™s landmark ruling protecting LGBTQ employees against workplace discrimination, ā€œThereā€™s more work to be done, but today we celebrate equality. Happy pride & keep fighting.ā€

Today her smile represents the Districtā€™s resilience and her bright yellow paint sent a message of solidarity seen around the world. PVS

BEST NON-PROFIT: SMYAL

EDITORSā€™ CHOICE: CENTER FOR BLACK EQUITY

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

SMYAL has been working with LGBTQ youth for more than 35 years and its empowered leaders have been staffing tables and community organizing at events across the city.

This non-profit, now known for its after-school programs, youth counseling services, and educational and training programs for youth service providers working in schools, shelters, government agencies and hospitals, began in 1984 by local professionals and activists.

According to its website, SMYAL started with a conference organized to address urgent youth issues after an LGBTQ-identifying youth was hospitalized. Today SMYAL is a leader in providing support services and advocacy to youth in need of affirming care.

During an especially hard year for LGBTQ youth who often look to Pride as a means to connect with others and themselves, the community recognized SMYAL as the yearā€™s ā€œBest Non-profitā€ for its efforts to maintain a sense of connection for our youth. PVS

MOST COMMITTED ACTIVIST: SULTAN SHAKIR

RUNNER-UP: RAYCEEN PENDARVIS

fall LGBT virtual events, Washington Blade
Sultan Shakir (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

Since taking the helm of SMYAL in 2014, Executive Director Sultan Shakir has been a tireless staple on social and traditional media outlets advocating for LGBTQ youth. However, during this summer of social unrest, Shakir used his platform to call for systemic change.

ā€œSMYAL condemns the excessive use of force employed by the police towards peaceful protesters in Washington, D.C. and across the country, and we stand with the Black Lives Matter movement,ā€ he wrote in a statement tweeted June 9 by SMYAL. ā€œOur hope is that by doubling down on our mission to empower young people, we will help create a society where Black people donā€™t have to ask for solidarity just to stay alive, a society in which our lives matter.ā€

Shakirā€™s dedication was celebrated by the community this year with Gay D.C.ā€™s ā€œMost Committed Activistā€ recognition for 2020. PVS

BEST CLERGY: BISHOP ALLYSON ABRAMS

RUNNER-UP: REV. DWAYNE JOHNSON

Bishop Allyson Abrams (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

BEST LGBTQ SOCIAL GROUP: IMPERIAL COURT OF WASHINGTON, D.C.

EDITORSā€™ CHOICE: IMPULSE DC

Imperial Court of Washington (Washington Blade photo by Vladyslav Rekhovskyy)

In June, ā€œQueen of the Capital,ā€ an independent documentary film about D.C. drag artist Daniel Haysā€™ quest as Muffy Blake Stephyns to be voted Empress of the Imperial Court of Washington in 2014, premiered at the Newseum and began the festival circuit.

Today the Imperial Court of Washington D.C., is one of many LGBTQ-affirming social groups across the country and in 2011 it joined the International Imperial Court System, which began in San Francisco in 1965.

This year, the community honored the Imperial Court of Washington D.C. with a ā€œBest LGBTQ Social Groupā€ award. PVS

Imperial Court of Washington D.C.

P.O. Box 2616

Washington, DC 20013

imperialcourtdc.org

BEST LOCAL TV/RADIO STATION: HOT 99.5

EDITORSā€™ CHOICE: WTOP 103.5

HOT 99.5 at the Capital Pride Festival (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

This top D.C. radio station not only keeps the District current on the latest hits, its Facebook page covers the gamut from celebrity break ups, weddings and pregnancies to strangely interesting stories of Instagram influencers caught using fake private jets as sets for photo shoots.

During a time when everyone needed to just shut out the world and go 2015 again, Hot 99.5 earned another top spot from voters as the ā€œBest Local TV/Radio Station.ā€ PVS

BEST BUSINESSPERSON: BRYAN VAN DEN OEVER, RED BEAR BREWING

RUNNER-UP: EBONE BELL, TAGG MAGAZINE

Holiday Bear Bust, gay news, Washington Blade
(Photo courtesy RBB)

Back in April, when pandemic lockdowns and unemployment levels were at their worst, Red Bear Brewingā€™s Bryan Van Den Oever told the Blade, ā€œWeā€™ll see what happens when the dust settles. Weā€™ll fight like hell until then.ā€

Throughout the crisis, Red Bear and other popular local LGBTQ businesses like Pitchers, A League of Her Own, JR.ā€™s, Green Lantern and others continued to fight to be a vital connection to their staff and the community, both virtually and now on a limited in-person basis.

This year the community showed its appreciation for a continued dedication to beer, music and drag with a ā€œBest Businesspersonā€ award to Van Den Oever and the rest of Red Bearā€™s feisty, tenacious team for not just surviving the pandemic, but innovating and thriving, inspiring the rest of the small business community in the process. PVS

Red Bear Brewing Company

209 M St., N.E.

redbear.beer

BEST LGBTQ-OWNED BUSINESS: TRADE & NUMBER NINE

EDITORSā€™ CHOICE: BITE THE FRUIT

Number Nine (Photo by Daniel Truitt)

D.C.ā€™s popular LGBTQ-friendly night spots are an important part of the community, so TRADE tweeted on Sept. 24, ā€œWinter is comingā€¦and weā€™ll be readyā€ followed by a promise to provide heaters and socially distanced comfort amid an ongoing pandemic crisis.

TRADE opened for business in 2015 and at the time co-owner John Guggenmos, also co-owner of Number Nine, planned for a new bar that included a dance floor and live DJs. Five years later TRADE, like other small businesses devastated by the pandemic, relies heavily on the community to keep its doors open.

Similarly, Number Nine updated its website to thank the community for its support during the pandemic. ā€œWe wouldnā€™t be able to get through this without the support of our amazing patrons and staff. So, thank you.ā€ PVS

TRADE

1410 14th St., N.W.

Tradebardc.com

NUMBER NINE

1435 P. St., N.W.

numberninedc.com

BEST VIRTUAL FITNESS CLASSES: VIDA

EDITORSā€™ CHOICE: JASON LONG FITNESS

VIDA Virtual (Photo courtesy of VIDA)

Vida is no stranger to winning this category, and staying afloat while innovating during the pandemic brought unforeseen challenges to this popular, perennial winner. They rose to that challenge, taking their award-winning fitness classes online and continuing to deliver results for clients. JD

Multiple D.C. locations

vidafitness.com

BEST MEDICAL PROVIDER: DR. ROBYN ZEIGER

EDITORSā€™ CHOICE: WHITMAN-WALKER HEALTH

Dr. Robyn Zeiger (Photo by Red Leash Photography)

Dr. Robyn Zeiger has won this award several times for her work as a licensed clinical professional counselor.

ā€œYou walk into a therapistā€™s office and you know they are also LGBT so you donā€™t have to explain anything,ā€ she told the Blade upon winning this award in 2017. You donā€™t have to teach them. You can just be yourself and you donā€™t have to justify anything.ā€

In addition to counseling, Zeiger has worked as an adjunct senior lecturer at University of Maryland. JD

Dr. Robyn Zeiger

drrobynzeiger.com

BEST VETERINARIAN: FRIENDSHIP HOSPITAL FOR ANIMALS

EDITORSā€™ CHOICE: DISTRICT VETERINARY HOSPITAL

Friendship Animal Hospital

4105 Brandywine St., N.W.

BEST REAL ESTATE AGENT: MICHAEL MOORE, COMPASS

RUNNER-UP: STACEY WILLIAMS-ZEIGER, ZEIGER REALTY

Michael Moore (Photo courtesy Moore)

Michael Moore won this category last year. Moore credits his success to consistent customer service, telling the Blade last year: ā€œMy career began with first-time homebuyers. In time, first-time buyers become sellers and they buy another house and they tell their friends. Now my business is almost entirely referrals and repeats.

ā€œIā€™m a huge proponent of staging and doing what it takes to project the property in its best light,ā€ he says. ā€œI try to create a situation that when a prospective buyer walks in the door, they love it, and think to themselves ā€˜wonā€™t my friends be jealous when they see me living here.ā€™ā€ JD

Michael Moore

Compass

1313 14th St., N.W.

compass.com

BEST REAL ESTATE GROUP: JENN SMIRA TEAM, COMPASS

RUNNER-UP: MARIN HAGEN & SYLVIA BERGSTROM, COLDWELL BANKER

Jenn Smira (Photo courtesy of Compass)

As one of the top five agent groups in all of D.C., The Jenn Smira Team brings more than 50 years of combined real estate experience to each transaction. Smira and her team have cultivated a loyal network of previous clients and referrals as they empower buyers and sellers to achieve their goals. A one-stop shop for all your real estate needs, Smiraā€™s team offers an impressive range of in-house expertise ā€” from marketing and PR, to staging and listing guidance. Smira is a previous board member of the District of Columbia Association of Realtors (DCAR), DCAR Public Policy Committee, and currently on the board of DC WISE. JD

Jenn Smira Team

Compass

1313 14th St., N.W.

compass.com

BEST LAWYER: AVA BENACH

RUNNER-UP: AMY NELSON

Ava Benach (Photo courtesy of Benach)

Ava Benach works as an immigration lawyer and is the founder and coach of DC Girls Baseball. She has written op-eds for the Blade, including a piece on the need to overcome baseballā€™s sexist and homophobic traditions. Sheā€™s not just a skilled professional, but an outspoken advocate for LGBTQ equality. JD

Benach Collopy LLP

4530 Wisconsin Ave., N.W.

Rehoboth Beach

BEST REHOBOTH DRAG QUEEN: ROXY OVERBROOKE

RUNNER-UP: MONA LOTTS

Charles Bounds, gay news, Washington Blade
Charles Bounds as Roxy Overbrooke. (Photo courtesy of Bounds)

It has been a triumphant year for Roxy Overbrooke (aka Charles Bounds). Bounds had a particularly nasty time with COVID-19, contracting the disease in March. He was sick for about a month and was hospitalized in the Rehoboth area for 15 days, an experience he calls ā€œintense, scary and life changing.ā€

ā€œWith that said, though, everyone at Beebe Healthcare was amazing,ā€ he told the Blade earlier this year. ā€œIā€™m feeling much better now.ā€ Bounds grew up going to Rehoboth with family and loved it for its beaches and moved there full time about 10 years ago.

Bounds entered a competition 12 years ago and ā€œcaught the bug,ā€ for drag. Now itā€™s his full-time work. Bounds performs as Roxy Overbrooke at the Blue Moon (35 Baltimore Ave., Rehoboth Beach, Del.), hosting bingo, karaoke, a drag show and celebrity impersonation shows. (Check bluemoonrehoboth.com for updated event schedules.) Fully recovered from COVID, Bounds continued to wow socially distanced crowds all summer with his booming voice and, of course, glittering gowns. A beautiful person inside and out, Bounds is a fighter and Roxy is a star performer.

BEST REHOBOTH OUTDOOR DINING: PURPLE PARROT

EDITORSā€™ CHOICE: AQUA

Delaware, Rehoboth Beach coronavirus, gay news, Washington Blade
Purple Parrot (Photo by John Bator)

The gay-owned Purple Parrot is a Rehoboth institution and when the pandemic hit, the bar/restaurant was well positioned for outdoor service with its popular Biergarten out back and sidewalk seating in front. It hasnā€™t been easy, but the indefatigable staff ā€” especially Chandler and Jamie ā€” maintained socially distant protocols all summer, keeping locals and tourists alike safe, fed, and happy.

Purple Parrot

134 Rehoboth Ave.

Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971

BEST REHOBOTH BARTENDER: HOLLY LANE

RUNNER-UP: JAMIE ROMANO

Holly Lane (Washington Blade photo by Daniel Truitt)

This is Holly Laneā€™s third win as Best Rehoboth Bartender, taking the prize in 2014 and 2017. Normally behind the bar at Cafe Azafran with her trademark headset belting out tunes while making drinks, Lane went on hiatus for much of the year due to COVID closures. But Azafran ā€” and Lane ā€” are back, though not to full capacity, of course. Things are different, but Laneā€™s infectious kindness and bartending and singing skills keep her loyal customers coming back, no matter what.

BEST REHOBOTH LIVE SHOW: CLIMAX WITH MAGNOLIA APPLEBOTTOM AT BLUE MOON

EDITORSā€™ CHOICE: PAMALA STANLEY AT THE PINES

Magnolia Applebottom (Washington Blade file photo)

The multi-talented Magnolia Applebottom brings her sharp wit and singing skills to the Blue Moon stage for the popular Climax show. Last yearā€™s Best Rehoboth Drag Queen winner, Magnolia wins this new category this year amid a town full of live entertainment competition.

BEST REHOBOTH COFFEESHOP: RISE UP

EDITORSā€™ CHOICE: COFFEE MILL

Rise Up in Rehoboth is the 10th location in this regional chain, which operates in Annapolis, Cambridge, and Edgewater, among others. The cafe is located at the roundabout just as you enter town. You canā€™t miss the black-and-white building. Rise Up offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Thereā€™s even a full bar, a gorgeous live edge wood bar sits to the right of the coffee station. The 502 Bar and Rise Up offer outdoor seating and are pet friendly, a perfect option in these socially distanced times.

BEST REHOBOTH RESTAURANT: BLUE MOON

EDITORSā€™ CHOICE: AZZURRO ITALIAN OVEN & BAR

Blue Moon (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The Blue Moon has won this award so many times that itā€™s hard to count. The iconic Moon persevered through COVID, offering its flawless, high-end menu for takeout during the spring and reopening this summer with socially distanced tables inside. A COVID silver lining this summer: You could order the full menu on the bar side while being entertained by talented NYC pianist Nate Buccieri.

BEST REHOBOTH REAL ESTATE AGENT: LEE ANN WILKINSON

RUNNER-UP: JASON ABELA

Lee Ann Wilkinson (Washington Blade photo by Daniel Truitt)

This is Lee Ann Wilkinsonā€™s third consecutive win in this category. The Lee Ann Wilkinson Group has ranked #1 in real estate sales in Sussex County, Del., for more than 20 years and ranks #3 nationally for the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices real estate network. In addition, she is a regular contributor to the Blade. Our readers know her through her informed articles on real estate trends at the Delaware beaches.

16698 Kings Hwy A.

Lewes, Del.

leeanngroup.com

BEST REHOBOTH BUSINESS: DIEGOā€™S

EDITORSā€™ CHOICE: BLUE MOON

Joe Ciarlante-Zuber, gay news, Washington Blade
Darryl Ciarlante-Zuber and Joe Ciarlante-Zuber (Washington Blade photo by Daniel Truitt)

It was a rough year for Joe Ciarlante-Zuber (right) and his husband and business partner Darryl Ciarlante-Zuber. Darryl contracted COVID-19 and spent 54 days in the hospital, 34 of those in the ICU. The two own the popular Diegoā€™s, which has a large outdoor patio space. They converted it into a beach-themed bar, complete with truckloads of sand. Joe worked hard all season, ensuring customers stayed six feet apart and taking everyoneā€™s temperature at the door. The dedication paid off, as Diegoā€™s resumed as a busy fixture on the summer scene. Darrylā€™s recovery and Joeā€™s perseverance proved an inspiration to the entire community.

BEST REHOBOTH FITNESS INSTRUCTOR: ELI LYNN

RUNNER UP: TANNER HOLT

Eli Lynn (Photo courtesy of Lynn)

Eli Lynn is owner and head trainer at Elite Lifestyle Initiatives and trains clients in the comfort of their homes. Lynn, whoā€™s straight, specializes in functioning training, strength and conditioning training and balance training.

As for his approach to new clients, he says, ā€œFirst, I ask them what their goals are and if they have any previous injuries or surgeries. After one session you can tell what they need to work on and what needs to improve.ā€

Lynn says COVID has forced him to train some clients through FaceTime, but the pandemic has also helped his business grow, ā€œbecause no one wants to work out at a gym so me coming to their house and training them in their own home, everyone feels safer to work out that way.ā€

As for his advice for those who have gained weight during COVID: ā€œI tell them that everyone is in the same spot as them and what matters the most is youā€™re here and starting to work out. Everyone has different ways of dealing with COVID and you already took a huge step forward by hiring me and helping you get back in shape.ā€

Eli Lynn

elitrained.com

@elitelifestyleinitiatives

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Author of new book empowers Black ā€˜fatā€™ femme voices

After suicidal thoughts, attacks from far right, a roadmap to happiness

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(Book cover image via Amazon)

In 2017, Jon Paul was suicidal. In nearly every place Paul encountered, there were signs that consistently reminded the transgender community that their presence in America by the far right is unwelcomed.

Former President Donald Trump’s anti-trans rhetoric is “partly” responsible for Paul’s suicidal contemplation. 

“I’m driving out of work, and I’m seeing all of these Trump flags that are telling me that I could potentially lose my life over just being me and wanting to be who I am,” Paul said. “So, were they explicitly the issue? No, but did they add to it? I highly would say yes.”

During Trump’s time as president, he often disapproved of those who identified as transgender in America; the former president imposed a ban on transgender individuals who wanted to join the U.S. military.

“If the world keeps telling me that I don’t have a reason for me to be here and the world is going to keep shaming me for being here. Then why live?” Paul added. 

The rhetoric hasn’t slowed and has been a messaging tool Trump uses to galvanize his base by saying that Democrats like Vice President Kamala Harris “want to do transgender operations on illegal aliens that are in prison.” Trump made that claim at the presidential debate against Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris.  

Not only do Trump’s actions hurt Paul, but they also affect 17-year-old Jacie MichelleĆ©, a transgender person at Friendly Senior High School.

“When former President Donald J. Trump speaks on transgender [individuals] in a negative light, it saddens my heart and makes me wonder what he thinks his personal gain is from making these comments will be,” MichelleĆ© said.

“When these comments are made toward trans immigrants or the transgender community, it baffles me because it shows me that the times are changing and not for the better,” MichelleĆ© added. 

The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation responded to Trump’s rhetoric that opposes the transgender community and how it affects democracy through programming at its Annual Legislative ConferenceĀ in Washington.

“Our agendas are not set by what other groups are saying we should or shouldn’t do. It is set by our communities and what we know the needs and the most pressing needs are for the Black community, and we know that our global LGBTQAI+ communities have needs; they are a part of our community,” said Nicole Austin-Hillery, president and CEO of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation.

One pressing need is suicide prevention, which theĀ National Institute of HealthĀ deems necessary, as 82% of transgender individuals have reported having suicidal thoughts, while 40% have attempted suicide. This research applies to individuals like Paul, who reported contemplating suicide.

But instead of choosing to self-harm, Paul metĀ Latrice Royale, a fourth-season contestant on ā€œRuPaul’s Drag Race,ā€ who was awarded the title of Miss Congeniality while on the show. Paul said that meeting brought meaning when there was barely any left.

“It was like I met them at a time where I really, truly, not only needed to see them, but I needed to be able to actively know ‘girl’ you can live and you can have a really a good life, right? And Latrice was that for me,” Paul said.

Though Trump is representative of a lot of movements that are clashing with society, theĀ Democratic PartyĀ is actively pushing back against anti-transgender movements and says there is ā€œstill much work to be done.ā€

Not only did Royale model success for Paul, but they also share the same appearance. Paul proudly identifies as “fat” and uses this descriptor as a political vehicle to empower others in the book “Black Fat Femme, Revealing the Power of Visibly Queer Voices in the Media and Learning to Love Yourself.”

“My book, my work as a Black, fat femme, is inherently political. I say this at the very front of my book,” Paul said. “All three of those monikers are all three things in this world that the world hates and is working overtime to get rid of.”

“They’re trying to kill me as a Black person; they’re trying to get rid of me as a fat person. They are trying to get rid of me as a queer person,” Paul added.

Besides Paul’s political statements, the book’s mission is to give those without resources a blueprint to make it across the finish line.

“I want them to look at all the stories that I share in this and be able to say, ‘wow,’ not only do I see myself, but now I have a roadmap and how I can navigate all of these things that life throws at me that I never had, and I think that’s why I was so passionate about selling and writing the book,” Paul said.

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Jussie Smollett asserts innocence while promoting new film

ā€˜I know what happened and soon you all will tooā€™

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Jussie Smollettā€™s case remains on appeal. His new film is out later this month. (Photo by Starfrenzy/Bigstock)

Jussie Smollett, the actor and musician who was convicted of lying to the police about being the victim of a homophobic and racist hate crime that he staged in 2019, attended a screening of his latest film ā€œThe Lost Hollidayā€ in a packed auditorium of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library on Aug. 28. 

In an interview with the Washington Blade that took place before the screening, he continued to assert his innocence and responded to concerns within the LGBTQ community that his case has discouraged real victims from reporting hate crimes.Ā 

The former ā€œEmpireā€ star wrote, produced, and directed ā€œThe Lost Holliday,ā€ his second feature film to direct following 2021ā€™s ā€œB-Boy Blues.ā€ Produced through Smollettā€™s company, SuperMassive Movies, he stars in the film alongside Vivica A. Fox, who also served as a producer and attended the library screening with other cast members.

In the film, Smollett plays Jason Holliday, a man grappling with the sudden death of his husband Damien (Jabari Redd). Things are complicated when Damienā€™s estranged mother, Cassandra Marshall (Fox), arrives in Los Angeles from Detroit for the funeral, unaware of Damienā€™s marriage to Jason or of their adopted daughter. Initially, Jason and Cassandra clash ā€” Cassandraā€™s subtle homophobia and Jasonā€™s lingering resentment over her treatment of Damien fuel their tension ā€“ā€“ but they begin to bond as they navigate their grief together. 

Smollett, Fox, Redd, and Brittany S. Hall, who plays Jasonā€™s sister Cheyenne, discussed the film in an interview with the Washington Blade. Highlighting the wide representation of queer identities in the film and among the cast, they stressed that the story is fundamentally about family and love.

ā€œWhat we really want people to get from this movie is love,ā€ Smollett said. ā€œIt’s beneficial for people to see other people that are not like themselves, living the life that they can identify with. Because somehow, what it does is that it opens up the world a little bit.ā€

Smollett drew from personal experiences with familial estrangement and grief during the making of the film, which delves into themes of parenthood, reconciliation, and the complexities of family relationships.

ā€œI grew up with a father who was not necessarily the most accepting of gay people, and I grew up with a mother who was rather the opposite. I had a safe space in my home to go to, but I also had a not-so-safe space in my home, which was my father,ā€ he said.

ā€œThe moment that he actually heard the words that his son was gay, as disconnected and estranged as we were, he instantly changed. He called me, after not speaking to him for years, and apologized for how difficult it must have been all of those years of me growing up. And then a couple years later, he passed away.ā€

Smollett began working on ā€œThe Lost Hollidayā€ eight years ago, with Fox in mind for the role of Cassandra from the outset. He said that he had started collaborating on the project with one of the biggest producers in Hollywood when ā€œā€˜2019ā€™ happened.ā€

In January 2019, Smollett told Chicago police that he had been physically attacked in a homophobic and racist hate crime. He initially received an outpouring of support, in particular from the LGBTQ and Black communities. However, police soon charged him with filing a false police report, alleging that he had staged the attack. 

After prosecutors controversially dismissed the initial charges in exchange for community service and the forfeiture of his $10,000 bond, Smollett was recharged with the same offenses in 2020. Meanwhile, his character in ā€œEmpireā€ was written out of the show. 

In 2021, a Cook County jury found him guilty on five of the six charges of disorderly conduct for lying to police, and he was sentenced to 150 days in jail and 30 months of probation, along with a $120,000 restitution payment to the city of Chicago for the overtime costs incurred by police investigating his initial hate crime claim.

LGBTQ people are nine times more likely than non-LGBTQ people to be victims of violent hate crimes, according to a study by the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law. Upon Smollettā€™s conviction, some in the LGBTQ community felt that the case would discredit victims of hate crimes and make it more difficult to report future such crimes. 

Smollett seemed to acknowledge these concerns, but denied that he staged the attack. 

ā€œI know what happened and soon you all will too,ā€ he told the Blade. ā€œIf someone reported a crime and it wasnā€™t the truth, that would actually make it more difficult [to report future crimes], but I didnā€™t. Any belief that they have about the person that Iā€™ve been played out to be, sure, but that person is not me, never has been,ā€ he said. ā€œSo I stand with my community. I love my community and I protect and defend my community until Iā€™m bloody in my fist.ā€ 

ā€œAnd for all the people who, in fact, have been assaulted or attacked and then have been lied upon and made it to seem like they made it up, I’m sorry that you have to constantly prove your trauma, and I wish that it wasn’t that way, and I completely identify with you,ā€ he added.

An Illinois Appellate Court upheld his guilty verdict last year, but Smollett has since appealed to the Illinois Supreme Court, which in March agreed to hear the case. He has served six days in jail so far, as his sentence has been put on hold pending the results of his appeals. 

The screening at the MLK Jr. Library concluded with a conversation between Smollett, Fox, and David J. Johns, CEO and executive director of the National Black Justice Coalition. Smollett discussed his current mindset and his plans for the future, revealing he is working on a third movie and will be releasing new music soon. 

ā€œIā€™m in a space where life is being kind,ā€ he said. 

ā€œThe Lost Hollidayā€ recently secured a distribution deal for a limited release with AMC Theatres and will be out in theaters on Sept. 27. 

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DIK Bar cements its status as LGBTQ institution, prepares to expand

Dupont Cantina coming soon to the former Malbec space

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Michael Askarinam and his brother Tony opened Dupont Italian Kitchen nearly 40 years ago. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Two immigrant brothers who could not return home, Michael and Tony Askarinam, turned instead to making a community space of their own. Nearly 40 years after debuting their casual, gay-friendly restaurant, the (straight) owners of Dupont Italian Kitchen are expanding, reinforcing their status as a center of gay life on 17th Street. By early fall, they plan to debut a casual Mexican restaurant, complete with a spacious patio, tons of tacos, and big margarita energy that will please outdoor diners and karaoke singers upstairs alike.

DIK Bar, as it is affectionately known, still serves fan-favorite lasagna and eggplant parmesan, though no longer for a cool $4.25 from its opening menu. Michael, who moved to the U.S. from Iran to study in 1974, graduated in 1980 ā€“ less than a year after the Iranian revolution. Part of a Jewish family, he felt unsafe going back to his homeland with the new regime, and has never returned. Instead, he and his brother, who also fled, opened a restaurant that still sits on the same corner as the day it opened. Though he is not Italian, Michael had plenty of relevant experience: He had worked in Italian restaurants during summers while studying, and another brother owned the now-closed restaurant Spaghetti Garden (where Pitchers stands today). The menu, he admits, pulled heavily from his family influence.

Dupont Italian Kitchen (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Opening on 17th Street in the mid-ā€˜80s, the brothers knew the community vibe. Annieā€™s, just a block away, was already well known as an LGBTQ-friendly institution. At the time, he says, the street was a bit grittier ā€” not the well-manicured lane it is today. Still, they decidedĀ to open a restaurant and Italian Kitchen was born. His brother at Spaghetti Garden suggested adding ā€œDupontā€ in front to help ground the location, and DIK came into being. ā€œAt the beginning I admit I was a little uncomfortable with the name, having young kids. But it grew on me,ā€ he says. Leaning in, heā€™s embraced the name.

A few years later, the restaurant expanded vertically: taking over the apartments upstairs to turn it into a bar; a new chef came in who introduced DIK Barā€™s popular brunch. But he and his brother never really relinquished the cozy space that he had envisioned. Each pushing 80 years old, they come in nearly daily: cooking, bartending, even washing dishes.

DIK has evolved, but only slightly. Eggplant and chicken parm, lasagna, pizza, pasta, and a $1 garden salad: the opening menu from the ā€˜80s reads like a genuine old-school Italian joint. Today, you will still find classic gems, though now they are nestled alongside Brussels sprouts and arugula salads.

As longtime patrons know, the restaurant is more than the sum of its pasta parts. ā€œItā€™s an atmosphere where everybody is welcome. I got that from my mother,ā€ he added, noting that she had experienced discrimination as part of the Jewish minority in Iran. Given this background, it was logical for them to build a space where ā€œyou have a place to be who you are and feel comfortable.ā€

In 2020, as the restaurantā€™s lease was expiring, he had the opportunity to buy the building, which included adjacent Argentine restaurant Malbec. ā€œThe landlord let us know that they felt we deserve to own the building after being here for so long,ā€ says Michael.

It was a blessing; to him, it meant the sustainability of Dupont Italian Kitchen. Earlier this year, when Malbecā€™s lease expired, they decided against finding another tenant and instead they would make it their own. The two eateries already shared one storage basement, where the Malbec kitchen was located. Saving costs by sharing procurement, staff, and utilities (as well as liquor), they took the leap. ā€œPlus, we can be our own great tenant,ā€ he said with a smile.

The new Dupont Cantina is coming soon. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The refurbishment thus far has included a new HVAC system and a new bar. The new restaurant allows them access to a more spacious kitchen that can cook up sizzling Mexican favorites with speed and in volume. Customers at upstairs DIK Bar have always requested more bar-style finger food, he says, and tacos are better suited to a drinking atmosphere than fettuccine alfredo or creamy Cajun sausage pasta. Mexican food is also well suited to the patio. He also has a family tie to Mexico: relatives own Johnny Pistolas in Adams Morgan. The rest of the menu is being developed, including shareable small plates and ā€œMexican pizza.ā€ Drinks will feature tequila, mezcal, and margaritas; and there is a happy hour in the works. ā€œIā€™m hoping this expansion can help cement our future,ā€ he says.

The opening timeline is early fall.

Looking back on almost 40 years and looking forward with the expansion, he mused that the restaurant still maintains its authenticity and its central role in LGBTQ life in D.C. ā€œIā€™m really proud of the fact that it caters to this community. We are an institution, we want to continue to be part of this place.ā€

Michael Askarinam at DIK Bar. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)
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