Local
Gay Afro-Latino man running for Md. House of Delegates
Ashanti Martinez hopes to represent District 22 in Annapolis
A Maryland House of Delegates candidate who hopes to become the first openly gay Afro-Latino man to represent Prince George’s County in the chamber says his priority is working families.
“I’m in this race because I believe that we deserve a working class champion for working class families in Annapolis,” says Ashanti Martinez. “Industry has their people, big businesses have their people, but working families haven’t had someone in their corner in Annapolis in a very intentional way.”
Martinez is running to represent District 22 in Annapolis.
State Del. Gabriel Acevero (D-Montgomery County) in 2018 became the first openly gay Afro-Latino man elected to the Maryland General Assembly.
“I think [during the] pandemic we’ve really seen the need for a responsive government that [will] build out a safety net, hold all of us together, and [be] something that we don’t currently have for workers here in Maryland,” says Martinez.
He wants to “be in the ring for round two of COVID-19” fight for individuals in the working class and families of which he’s a part, and most importantly, fight for himself.
Education, criminal justice reform among Martinez’s priorities
Martinez’s campaign hinges on six main issues: Education, transportation, infrastructure, healthcare, criminal justice reform and the environment.
He plans to expand the school meals program in Prince George’s County Public Schools; create green transport initiatives that make transportation easily accessible and affordable; and craft a senior-friendly healthcare system that reduces the cost of prescription drugs, hearing aids and dental services, among myriad other initiatives, if elected.
His strategy is to connect with the seven different municipalities in District 22 and communicate with mayors, council members and other various stakeholders to better understand the shortcomings in their jurisdictions and devise solutions that will funnel resources into the district.
“One of the biggest jobs a state delegate has is [to] make sure that local governments, whether county or municipal level, have the resources necessary to deliver services to [their] residents. So I know I’ll be able to do that going to Annapolis because I already understand the terrain a little bit better than most,” says Martinez.
While it’s premature now to forecast the course of legislation after his possible election, Martinez is certain that his paramount duty will undoubtedly be to “bring back the bacon” through the yearly budget process.
Martinez won’t ‘make drama out of my drama’
As someone who is entering an overly polarized American political landscape, Martinez is aware that he may have to battle the ever-present ruckus that persists in politics. He is, however, also steadfast at ensuring that this doesn’t cloud his responsibility to his constituency.
“I actively have to remind myself not to make drama out of my drama,” says Martinez. “I think you get so much more done when you take yourself out of a situation, analyze it from that 30,000 feet conversation [standpoint], criticize yourself and realize that intent and impact are two separate things.”
Martinez further emphasized that he strives to lead by example and understands that although he may not be the best, he can always improve on his faults. Additionally, he recognizes that it is impossible to dictate people’s reactions, and this has given him the clarity that he can’t “make mountains out of molehills.”
“I really try to power through things and understand the root causes of issues so that we can communicate through it because a lot of times things are just communication breakdowns, or just miscommunications on a large scale,” says Martinez.
Howard University alum hopes to tap into HBCUs legacy
Martinez this year will be the first LGBTQ candidate to run to represent Prince George’s County in the House of Delegates.
He is certain that while he is a “first,” he does not want to be the last. As an alum of Howard University, one of the nation’s leading historically Black colleges and universities, his modus operandi will include tapping into the legacy of HBCUs: Creating spaces and opportunities for Black people in all American institutions.
“Once I’m in and [help] get other people in, I think [we’ll be able to] help break down some of the hurdles [associated] with the navigating government,” says Martinez. “I think because I’ve been doing this for such a long time, a lot of the players already have a relationship with me and they know my style. I’m not big on tribalism; I’m really about service and people, and getting results.”
Martinez is also attune to the reality that being a first also comes with the pressure of high expectations.
Given the backdrop of the pandemic and the country’s sudden racial awakening, his work will be even more crucial to his community during a time where immediate change is non-negotiable.
“I have high expectations for myself [and] understand the realities of the world. I chose to be in politics, and that means I chose to be a leader in this space,” says Martinez. “There are certain responsibilities that come with the territory, and so from an early age I [knew] that if I wanted to be in this space … I had to seek understanding and clearance on issues instead of just trying to regurgitate my feelings.”
Martinez adds it’s about having the maturity to understand that leadership isn’t selfish and that there are much grander issues than why people react or respond a certain way. He says having a firm support system to help navigate and build upon that maturity is important.
Martinez is ultimately confident that he will be a success because of his vertebrae of family and friends, who he intentionally pencils onto his calendar for dinner in efforts to ensure that his demanding work life does not ravage his personal life.
Virginia
DOJ seeks to join lawsuit against Loudoun County over trans student in locker room
Three male high school students suspended after complaining about classmate
The Justice Department has asked to join a federal lawsuit against Loudoun County Public Schools over the way it handled the case of three male high school students who complained about a transgender student in a boys’ locker room.
The Washington Blade earlier this year reported Loudoun County public schools suspended the three boys and launched a Title IX investigation into whether they sexually harassed the student after they said they felt uncomfortable with their classmate in the locker room at Stone Bridge High School in Ashburn.
The parents of two of the boys filed a lawsuit against Loudoun County public schools in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia in Alexandria. The Richmond-based Founding Freedoms Law Center and America First Legal, which White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller co-founded, represent them.
The Justice Department in a Dec. 8 press release announced that “it filed legal action against the Loudoun County (Va.) School Board (Loudoun County) for its denial of equal protection based on religion.”
“The suit alleges that Loudoun County applied Policy 8040, which requires students and faculty to accept and promote gender ideology, to two Christian, male students in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution,” reads the press release.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division in the press release said “students do not shed their First Amendment rights at the schoolhouse gate.”
“Loudoun County’s decision to advance and promote gender ideology tramples on the rights of religious students who cannot embrace ideas that deny biological reality,” said Dhillon.
Outgoing Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin and outgoing Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares in May announced an investigation into the case.
The Virginia Department of Education in 2023 announced the new guidelines for trans and nonbinary students for which Youngkin asked. Equality Virginia and other advocacy groups claim they, among other things, forcibly out trans and nonbinary students.
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights in February launched an investigation into whether Loudoun County and four other Northern Virginia school districts’ policies in support of trans and nonbinary students violate Title IX and President Donald Trump’s executive order that prohibits federally funded educational institutions from promoting “gender ideology.”
District of Columbia
Capital Pride announces change in date for 2026 D.C. Pride parade and festival
Events related to U.S. 250th anniversary and Trump birthday cited as reasons for change
The Capital Pride Alliance, the D.C. based group that organizes the city’s annual LGBTQ Pride events, has announced it is changing the dates for the 2026 Capital Pride Parade and Festival from the second weekend in June to the third weekend.
“For over a decade, Capital Pride has taken place during the second weekend in June, but in 2026, we are shifting our dates in response to the city’s capacity due to major events and preparations for the 250th anniversary of the United States,” according to a Dec. 9 statement released by Capital Pride Alliance.
The statement says the parade will take place on Saturday, June 20, 2026, with the festival and related concert taking place on June 21.
“This change ensures our community can gather safely and without unnecessary barriers,” the statement says. “By moving the celebration, we are protecting our space and preserving Pride as a powerful act of visibility, solidarity, and resistance,” it says.
Ryan Bos, the Capital Pride Alliance CEO and President, told the Washington Blade the change in dates came after the group conferred with D.C. government officials regarding plans for a number of events in the city on the second weekend in June. Among them, he noted, is a planned White House celebration of President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday and other events related to the U.S. 250th anniversary, which are expected to take place from early June through Independence Day on July 4.
The White House has announced plans for a large June 14, 2026 celebration on the White House south lawn of Trump’s 80th birthday that will include a large-scale Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event involving boxing and wrestling competition.
Bos said the Capital Pride Parade will take place along the same route it has in the past number of years, starting at 14th and T Streets, N.W. and traveling along 14th Street to Pennsylvania Ave., where it will end. He said the festival set for the following day will also take place at its usual location on Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., between 2nd Street near the U.S. Capitol, to around 7th Street, N.W.
“Our Pride events thrive because of the passion and support of the community,” Capital Pride Board Chair Anna Jinkerson said in the statement. “In 2026, your involvement is more important than ever,” she said.
District of Columbia
Three women elected leaders of Capital Pride Alliance board
Restructured body includes chair rather than president as top leader
The Capital Pride Alliance, the D.C.-based group that organizes the city’s annual LGBTQ Pride events, announced it has restructured its board of directors and elected for the first time three women to serve as leaders of the board’s Executive Committee.
“Congratulations to our newly elected Executive Officers, making history as Capital Pride Alliance’s first all-women Board leadership,” the group said in a statement.
“As we head into 2026 with a bold new leadership structure, we’re proud to welcome Anna Jinkerson as Board Chair, Kim Baker as Board Treasurer, and Taylor Lianne Chandler as Board Secretary,” the statement says.
In a separate statement released on Nov. 20, Capital Pride Alliance says the restructured Board now includes the top leadership posts of Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary, replacing the previous structure of President and Vice President as the top board leaders.
It says an additional update to the leadership structure includes a change in title for longtime Capital Pride official Ryan Bos from executive director to chief executive officer and president.
According to the statement, June Crenshaw, who served as acting deputy director during the time the group organized WorldPride 2025 in D.C., will now continue in that role as permanent deputy director.
The statement provides background information on the three newly elected women Board leaders.
• Anna Jinkerson (chair), who joined the Capital Pride Alliance board in 2022, previously served as the group’s vice president for operations and acting president. “A seasoned non-profit executive, she currently serves as Assistant to the President and CEO and Chief of Staff at Living Cities, a national member collaborative of leading philanthropic foundations and financial institutions committed to closing income and wealth gaps in the United States and building an economy that works for everyone.”
• Kim Baker (treasurer) is a “biracial Filipino American and queer leader,” a “retired, disabled U.S. Army veteran with more than 20 years of service and extensive experience in finance, security, and risk management.” She has served on the Capital Pride Board since 2018, “bringing a proven track record of steady, principled leadership and unwavering dedication to the LGBTQ+ community.”
• Taylor Lianne Chandler (Secretary) is a former sign language interpreter and crisis management consultant. She “takes office as the first intersex and trans-identifying member of the Executive Committee.” She joined the Capital Pride Board in 2019 and previously served as executive producer from 2016 to 2018.
Bos told the Washington Blade in a Dec. 2 interview that the Capital Pride board currently has 12 members, and is in the process of interviewing additional potential board members.
“In January we will be announcing in another likely press release the full board,” Bos said. “We are finishing the interview process of new board members this month,” he said. “And they will take office to join the board in January.”
Bos said the organization’s rules set a cap of 25 total board members, but the board, which elects its members, has not yet decided how many additional members it will select and a full 25-member board is not required.
The Nov. 20 Capital Pride statement says the new board executive members will succeed the organization’s previous leadership team, which included Ashley Smith, who served as president for eight years before he resigned earlier this year; Anthony Musa, who served for seven years as vice president of board engagement; Natalie Thompson, who served eight years on the executive committee; and Vince Micone, who served for eight years as vice president of operations.
“I am grateful for the leadership, dedication, and commitment shown by our former executive officers — Ashley, Natalie, Anthony, and Vince — who have been instrumental in CPA’s growth and the exceptional success of WorldPride 2025,” Bos said in the statement.
“I look forward to collaborating with Anna in her new role, as well as Kim and Taylor in theirs, as we take on the important work ahead, prepare for Capital Pride 2026, and expand our platform and voice through Pride365,” Bos said.
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