Local
Comings & Goings
Abolafia takes position at American Bar Association
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].
Congratulations to Paavali A. Hannikainen on the publication of his paper, “Extensive Healthy Donor Age/Gender Adjustments and Propensity Score Matching Reveal Physiology of Multiple Sclerosis Through Immunophenotyping,” in Frontiers in Neurology, his first as lead author.
Hannikainen is in his first year of medical school at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. Before entering medical school he was a post baccalaureate intramural research trainee at the National Institutes of Health, where he conducted research at the Neuroimmunological Diseases Section as part of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases under the lead of Bibiana Bielekova, MD. During his college years he did a number of internships including as a third-year research assistant at the University of Melbourne, Department of Medicine, Melbourne, Australia and was a summer research intern at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
During his time at Emory University Hannikainen was on the crew team and served on the crew team’s board, helping to organize the team’s day-to-day operations. During his time in D.C., he joined Stonewall Kickball and as fundraising chair of his 35-person kickball team successfully raised more than $1,300 for TransLAW, a non-profit providing legal services for transgender people.
Hannikainen earned his bachelor’s degree in neuroscience and behavioral biology with a minor in Global Health, Culture, & Society from Emory University in Atlanta. He was an Undergraduate Honors Research Student at Emory University, Department of Neurosurgery, where he successfully completed and defended an honors thesis to establish a virally induced immunocompetent rat model of glioblastoma at the lab of Nicholas Boulis, MD.
Congratulations also to Luis Abolafia on his new position as senior program manager with the American Bar Association, Rule of Law Initiative. Upon accepting the position Abolafia said, “After eight wonderful years at the LGBTQ Victory Institute I accepted a position at the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative overseeing programs in the Caribbean, Central America, and Mexico. While I am sad to leave such an amazing organization as the Victory Institute that allowed me to combine two of my passions, political participation and LGBTQ equality, I am excited for this new challenge.”
Abolafia served as the director of international programs for the LGBTQ Victory Institute where he developed, implemented, and monitored several projects focused on democracy and governance for LGBTQ people in Latin America, Southern Africa, the Balkans, and South Asia. He has also served as a social investment consultant to Grindr LLC in D.C., helping to develop a social investment assessment in Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico for the company to positively impact the LGBTQ population in those countries. Prior to that he was a program manager with Asociación Candelita in Madrid, and a political party organizer for Equo – Spanish Green Party in Madrid. He has worked for Fundación Triángulo as an advocacy and human rights consultant, and authored a joint shadow report for the U.N. Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, in collaboration with 24 other NGOs.
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.
Gay D.C. police lieutenant arrested on child porn charges
Demonstrators disrupt OMB director hearing over PEPFAR
HIV/AIDS group NMAC is ‘destabilized’ and in financial crisis: sources
Madonna announces release date for new album
Senegalese court issues first conviction under new anti-LGBTQ law
An effort to increase the number of psychiatrists of color
Comings & Goings
Trump budget targets ‘gender extremism’
Minimal version of ‘Streetcar Named Desire’ heading to Dupont Underground
