Obituary
Former PFLAG president Paulette Goodman dies at 88
Beloved LGBTQ community ally grew up in Nazi occupied Paris

Paulette Goodman, a nationally recognized advocate for LGBTQ people and their families in her role as president of the national group Parents, Friends and Families of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) from 1988 to 1992 and her earlier role as the lead founder of PFLAG’s Metro DC chapter in 1983, died Aug. 15 of natural causes at her residence at the Riderwood retirement community in Silver Spring, Md. She was 88.
In an Aug. 16 statement, the national PFLAG group said Goodman was born into a Jewish family and grew up in Nazi occupied Paris until the family moved to the United States in 1949. People who knew Goodman have said her experience growing up in an atmosphere of potential danger to her and her family helped shape her response when her daughter came out to her as a lesbian in 1981.
Goodman first became involved with PFLAG in 1981 and helped to found the PFLAG Metro D.C. chapter in 1983, serving as its first president.
During her tenure with the local PFLAG group Goodman counseled families of LGBT people, answered calls on the PFLAG helpline, and led a campaign to display PFLAG ads on D.C. area Metro buses, according to the National PFLAG group.
She later appeared on radio and TV news programs and was the subject of stories in local newspapers, including the Washington Blade, which reported on her efforts to lobby the Maryland General Assembly and the U.S. Congress in support of LGBTQ equality. She also helped to start other PFLAG chapters in Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia.
In its statement on Goodman’s passing, the national PFLAG group points to a 2019 interview that Goodman gave to The Atlantic magazine in which she told how her own upbringing in Nazi occupied France shaped her response to her daughter, Cynthia Goodman’s, coming out.
“When I found out about my gay child, I realized it was the same situation,” The Atlantic quoted her as saying. “You’re guarded about who you are, because you don’t know who’s going to be supportive…I didn’t want my child to go through what I went through – being in the closet is stifling.”
The PFLAG statement says, “It was her understanding, passion, and success with PFLAG Metro D.C…that led PFLAGers to vote her in as president of the national organization.”
The statement notes that in her role as national PFLAG president, Goodman drew national attention to the issues facing LGBTQ people and their families when she wrote to then first lady Barbara Bush to tell of her experience as a parent to a gay child during the peak of the AIDS epidemic. In her letter, she asked Bush to “speak kind words to some 24 million gay Americans and their families, to help heal the wounds and to keep these families in loving relationships.”
In a development that created a stir in Republican political circles and the White House, Bush responded with her own letter, which stated, “I firmly believe that we cannot tolerate discrimination against any individuals or groups in our country. Such treatment brings with it pain and perpetuates intolerance.”
According to the PFLAG statement, Bush’s letter, which was inadvertently given to the Associated Press, caused a “political maelstrom” but was possibly the first gay-positive comment to come from the White House during the administration of President George H.W. Bush.
In her later years, the PFLAG statement says, Paulette Goodman retired but continued her advocacy work by, among other things, starting the first-ever chapter of PFLAG at her retirement home at Riderwood in Silver Spring along with a fellow PFLAG member.
In 2013, Goodman received recognition of her work with PFLAG from officials in Montgomery County, Md., where she lived, and from then Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley. She received numerous other honors of recognition from organizations that include the Human Rights Campaign, the Association of Gay and Lesbian Psychiatrists, the Greater New York Bar Association for Human Rights, and the LGBTQ Catholic group Dignity Washington.
“Paulette Goodman showed the world what it means to be a loving PFLAG parent and ally,” said PFLAG National Executive Director Brian K. Bond. “PFLAGers everywhere can look to her as a role model, for once she went through her experience with her own child and got the support she needed, she used that experience to educate others and then advocate for the wellbeing and equality of all LGBTQ+ people,” Bond said.
“She was the embodiment of what we tell PFLAG members,” said Bond. “Once you no longer need PFLAG, PFLAG needs you,” he said. “PFLAG needed – and was so lucky to have – Paulette Goodman. Our hearts are with her family and all who knew and loved her.”
Goodman was predeceased by her husband, Leo Goodman. She is survived by her daughter Cynthia Goodman and son Claude Goodman and his wife Toni Goodman; her grandson Max Goodhart and his wife Laurel Goodhart; her granddaughter Hannah Goodman; her niece Sue Einhorn; and her longtime friends Millie Spector, Tom Bull, David Feltman, and Peter Froehlich.
No immediate plans were announced for a memorial tribute or funeral arrangements.
Obituary
Longtime D.C. librarian, LGBTQ rights advocate Turner Freeman dies at 64
‘Voracious reader’ pushed for inclusive programming at DCPL

Sheldon ‘Turner’ Freeman, a gay librarian who worked for 39 years at the D.C. Public Library system and is credited with initiating a Black History Month film series and LGBTQ inclusive programming at the library system, died Dec. 23, at his home in Steelton, Pa. He was 64.
The D.C.-based LGBTQ advocacy and event planning group Team Rayceen Productions, which has held events at D.C.’s main Martin Luther King Library branch with support from Freeman, said the cause of death was a heart attack.
A write-up prepared by Freeman’s family members and published by Major H. Windfield Funeral Home in Steelton, says Freeman’s passing came just over a year after he retired from his position as librarian in November 2023 and moved back to his hometown of Steelton.
“Turner was known as a brilliant, proud Black man, who loved life and lived it to the fullest,” the write-up says. “He was a voracious reader and a music aficionado,” the write-up continues, adding that his other passions included dancing, Black history, collecting Black art, books, music and movies, “and watching his Eagles, Lakers and the Ohio State Buckeyes.”
It says he was a 1978 graduate of Steelton-Highspire High School and earned his bachelor’s degree in communications from Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania. He earned his master’s degree in Library Science from the University of the District of Columbia, according to the write-up.
A statement from the D.C. Public Library system to Team Rayceen Productions says Turner’s title at the time of his retirement was Adult Services Librarian.
“As an avid film buff, Turner was one of the first staff members of DCPL’s audiovisual department in the 1980s, now a city-wide collection of DVDs and other media as well as a plethora of online streaming resources,” the statement says.
“His weekly movie screenings have been running for more than two decades and are a beloved staple of MLK Library programming that has carried on past his retirement,” according to the statement. “His Black History Month film series is a particularly beloved annual event.”
The statement adds that Freeman’s voice was frequently heard on the MLK Library’s public address system and he “literally became ‘the voice’ of MLK Library’s 50th anniversary celebration, recording audio narration for library programming and citywide promotions.”
The Team Rayceen Productions statement says Freeman was a co-founder of a group called Book Reading Uplifts His Spirit, known as BRUHS, which focused on issues of interest to Black gay and bisexual men. Some of the group’s events, which were held at the MLK Library, included talks by authors, film screenings, and reading of plays.
The statement notes that in 2021, Freeman moderated an online Facebook discussion with James Earl Hardy, the author of the B-Boy Blues book series, a collection of six novels that tell the stories of Black gay men. It also points out that Freeman was on the committee that organized D.C.’s first Black Pride celebration.
A statement sent by D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser to the Freeman family expresses her condolences over his passing and points to his numerous accomplishments as a librarian and community advocate.
“He was a caring friend and colleague whose impactful legacy, vibrancy, and kindness leaves behind an indelible mark on the hearts of many,” the mayor says in her message. “Turner was a role model, mentor, sports fan, and unwavering confidant, but above all there was no role more precious to him than that of a family man,” Bowser wrote.
“Turner’s love for his family was unparalleled, and his presence brought immense joy to his loved ones and to all those who knew him.”
A celebration of life for Freeman was held Jan. 4, at the Chapel of the Major H. Winfield Funeral Home in Steelton, Pa.
The funeral home write-up says Freeman was predeceased by his parents, Bucky and Cookie Freeman, and is survived by his son, Freeman Dane Swan; his sisters Stephanie Freeman, Stacey Freeman-McKamey, and Sage Freeman; and many loving aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and friends.
Obituary
Honoring the life and legacy of Coya White Hat-Artichoker
Life-long advocate for Indigenous, two-spirit rights died on Dec. 4

Born and raised on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, Coya was a proud enrolled member of the Sicangu Lakota Oyate or Rosebud Sioux Tribe. From the age of 15, she dedicated her life to advocating for Indigenous and Two Spirit rights, becoming a fierce organizer and a visionary leader in movements for justice. As a founding member of the First Nations Two Spirit Collective, Coya worked tirelessly to uplift Two Spirit youth, support Indigenous reproductive justice, and connect these communities to philanthropic spaces to drive transformative change.
Coya’s advocacy for Indigenous reproductive justice was rooted in a deep understanding of its inseparability from the fight for Indigenous sovereignty. She saw this work as part of a 500-year history of resistance to colonization, weaving together the rights to access abortion, raise children in safe and sustainable environments, steward healthy lands and waters, practice Indigenous cultures, speak ancestral languages, and govern sovereign communities. Recently she served as a board member for SisterSong and the American LGBTQ+ Museum. Coya was a fierce leader who brought dedication and brilliance, impacting gender and reproductive justice efforts around the world.
In 2020, Coya’s visionary leadership brought the world’s first fund dedicated to Indigenous reproductive justice, Building the Fire Fund, into existence. Guided by an Indigenous Advisory Council of women and Two Spirit leaders from across Turtle Island, the fund represents a powerful testament to Coya’s dedication and collaborative spirit. Coya co-authored “Tired of Dancing to Their Song: An Assessment of the Indigenous Women’s Reproductive Justice Funding Landscape” with Zachary Packineau. This seminal report provides a critical roadmap for philanthropy to support and grow the emerging field of Indigenous reproductive justice.
In 2023, Coya brought Building the Fire Fund to Solidaire Network, where we are honored to walk alongside the Advisory Council in advancing this vital work. Coya’s passion, wisdom, and dedication will continue to guide and inspire all of us who were privileged to know her and work beside her.
To honor Coya’s legacy and her vision for the Indigenous reproductive justice movement, we invite you to contribute to the Building the Fire Fund. Your support ensures that her transformative work will continue, lighting the way for generations to come.
Coya White Hat-Artichoker’s life was a powerful testament to resilience, love, and unwavering commitment to justice. While her presence will be deeply missed, her legacy will endure as a beacon of hope and strength for all who carry her vision forward.
Obituary
Washington lawyer Carolee Byrley dies at age 60
An active member of the local Gay Recovery Community

Carolee Byrley passed away unexpectedly on Oct. 30, 2024, in her home in Washington, D.C. She was 60.
She died from complications of Type One diabetes.
She was born on Sept. 2, 1964, in Ft. Walton Beach, Fla., to Paul L. Byrley and Judith I. Byrley.
She graduated in 1982 from Winter Park High School in Winter Park, Fla., and from college at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Fla. She later earned a law degree from Georgetown University Law School in Washington, D.C.
Byrley practiced law in Washington specializing in contracts and mergers.
Byrley was predeceased by her father as well as by Eileen Garner, her loving life partner of 38 years. She is survived by her mother, Judith Ireland, stepfather, Jerrold Nussbaum, brother, John Byrley, sister-in-law, Lena Byrley, brother, Jason Byrley, brother-in-law, Ben Byrley, and nephews, Jack and Alex Byrley.
Byrley was an active member of the Gay Recovery Community in Washington where she sponsored many people over the years. She recently received recognition for 40 years of sobriety and was living proof of the slogan, “Keep what you have by giving it away.” Her generosity and authenticity shown through in all she did. There was not a bone in her body that was fake. And, as one of her friends described her, she was “the kindest person I have ever met.”
Byrley was deeply committed to her dogs through the years and to the care and protection of rescue dogs everywhere.
A celebration of Byrley’s life will be held on Dec. 7 at 3 p.m. at Friends of Washington, 2111 Decatur Place, Washington, D.C., where friends encourage those who knew her to share memories of her life. There will be a reception at Friends following the memorial.
In lieu of flowers, please give a donation to your local dog rescue organization, in her name.
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