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Comings & Goings
Wojahn takes leadership role at National League of Cities
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 Patrick Wojahn, mayor of College Park, for being selected for the 2022 Mayor’s Institute of City Design (MICD), Just City Fellowship. He has also been appointed vice chair of the National League of Cities (NLC) Race, Equity, and Leadership (REAL) program. The Just City Mayoral Fellowship is a joint program of the MICD and the Just City Lab at the Harvard Graduate School of Design.
“I am looking forward to working with my fellow mayors to explore how we can address injustices in our communities and pursue policies and practices that achieve greater racial equity,” Wojahn said. “College Park has recognized in order to ensure we serve all of our diverse residents well, we need to aggressively pursue racial equity and do what we can to make up for the failures in our past. These programs will help ensure we will continue to grow stronger through our diversity and ensure all of our residents are welcome and find a home in College Park.”
The National League of Cities (NLC) REAL program was established in the wake of the 2014 unrest in Ferguson, Missouri. NLC President, Mayor Vince Williams of Union City, Georgia said, “I am proud to have Mayor Wojahn help lead NLC’s REAL Council. Together with a team of local leaders from around the country, we will work to solve the most pressing challenges facing our communities and help fulfill the promise of our America’s cities, towns and villages.”
Wojahn has been mayor of College Park since 2015. He is also director of government relations with the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. Prior to that he was a Public Policy Analyst with the National Disability Rights Network and worked as a staff attorney with University Legal Services in Washington, D.C. He has served as a Member At Large, Board of Directors, National League of Cities. He was a founder and board member of Equality Maryland and Equality Maryland Foundation.
Wojahn earned his bachelor’s degree in International Relations, German and Russian, University of Wisconsin, Madison; and his juris doctor from Georgetown University Law Center.
Congratulations also to Will Ed Green who announced as of July 1 he will serve with the people of Silver Spring United Methodist Church as their lead pastor. Green came to Foundry United Methodist Church in Dupont as an Associate Pastor and Director for Connecting Ministries in 2016. Since 2018, he has served as Associate Pastor & Director of Discipleship. He has been responsible for the United Methodist Annual DC Pride Witness, as well as Foundry’s Christian Education, Spiritual Formation, Small Group, Fellowship Group ministries, and worship ministries and creative worship design.
Green’s last Sunday at Foundry will be on June 12 when Foundry will celebrate Pride as a part of its worship celebration. He said, “I’m grateful for the last six years of partnership and co-ministry with the people of Foundry and the Dupont Circle neighborhood, and I look forward to carrying the strong legacy of LGBTQIA justice and inclusion with me into my new context. I’m excited to join the people of Silver Spring United Methodist Church whose commitments to justice, equity and inclusion is a beacon of hope for the Silver Spring community and beyond.”
Prior to coming to Foundry, Green was associate pastor of First United Methodist Church of Arlington Heights, Ill.; and pastor of Granville Avenue United Methodist Church.
Green earned his bachelor’s degree in Religion from Hendrix College in Conway, Ark.; and his master’s of divinity from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, in Evanston, Ill.
District of Columbia
Gay D.C. police lieutenant arrested on child porn charges
Matthew Mahl once served as head of LGBT Liaison Unit
D.C. police announced on April 14 that they have placed one of their lieutenants, Matthew Mahl, on administrative leave and revoked his police powers after receiving information that he was arrested in Maryland one day earlier.
Although the initial D.C. police announcement doesn’t disclose the reason for the arrest it refers to a statement by the Harford County, Md. Sheriff’s Office that discloses Mahl has been charged with sexual solicitation of a minor and child porn solicitation.
“On Tuesday, the Harford County Sheriff’s Office contacted MPD’s Internal Affairs Division shortly after arresting Lieutenant Matthew Mahl,” the D.C. police statement says.
“The allegations in this case are extremely disturbing, and in direct contrast to the values of the Metropolitan Police Department,” the statement continues. “MPD’s Internal Affairs Division will investigate violations of MPD policy once the criminal investigation concludes,” it says.
“MPD is not involved in the criminal investigation and was not aware of the investigation until yesterday,” the statement adds.
Mahl served as acting supervisor of the MPD’s then Gay & Lesbian Liaison Unit in 2013 when he held the rank of sergeant. D.C. police officials placed him on administrative leave and suspended his police powers that same year while investigating an undisclosed allegation.
A source familiar with the investigation said Mahl was cleared of any wrongdoing a short time later and resumed his police duties. Around the time he was promoted to lieutenant several years later Mahl took on the role as chairman of the D.C. Police Union, becoming the first known openly gay officer to hold that position.
NBC 4 reports that Mahl, 47, has served on the police force for 23 years and most recently was assigned to the department’s Special Operations Division.
Records related to Mahl’s arrest filed in Harford County District Court, show Sheriff’s Department investigators state in charging documents that he allegedly committed the offenses of Sexual Solicitation of a Minor and Child Porn Solicitation on Monday, April 13, one day before he was arrested on April 14.
The court records show he was held without bond during his first appearance in court on April 14. A decision on whether he would be released while awaiting trial or continue to be held without bond was scheduled to be determined during an April 15 bond hearing. The outcome of that hearing could not be immediately determined.
Maryland
Evan Glass is leaning on his record. Is that enough for Montgomery County’s top job?
Gay county executive candidate pushing for equitable pay, safer streets, and cleaner environment
By TALIA RICHMAN | During a meet-and-greet at Poolesville Memorial United Methodist Church, Evan Glass got his loudest applause of the night with a plan he acknowledged was decidedly unsexy.
“Day one, I’ll hire a director of permitting services,” the county executive candidate said.
Doing so, he added, is a step toward easing the regulatory burdens that can stifle small businesses in Montgomery County.
The only problem? At least one of his fiercest competitors is making a similar pledge.
The rest of this article can be read on the Baltimore Banner’s website.
District of Columbia
D.C. bar, LGBTQ+ Community Center to mark Lesbian Visibility Week
‘Ahead of the Curve’ documentary screening, ‘Queeroke’ among events
2026 Lesbian Visibility Week North America will take place from April 20-26.
This year marks the third annual Lesbian Visibility Week, run by the Curve Foundation. A host of events take place from April 20-26.
This year’s theme is Health and Wellness. For the Curve Foundation, the term “lesbian” serves as an umbrella term for a host of identities, including lesbians, bisexual and transgender women, and anyone else connected to the lesbian community.
The week kicks off with a flag-raising ceremony on April 19. It will take place in New York, but will be livestreamed for the public.
“Queeroke” is one of the events being held around the country. It will take place at various participating bars on April 23.
As You Are, an LGBTQ bar in Capitol Hill, is one of eight locations across the U.S. participating. Their event is free and 21+.
On April 24, the D.C. LGBTQ+ Community Center will hold a screening of “Ahead of the Curve,” a documentary about the founder of Curve, Franco Stevens. The event is free with an RSVP.
April 25, is Queer Women in Sports Day. And on April 26, several monuments in New York will be illuminated.
Virtual events ranging from health to sports will be made available to the public. Details will be released closer to the start of Lesbian Visibility Week. Featured events can be found on the official website.
Some ways for individuals to get involved are to use #LVW26 and tag the official Lesbian Visibility Week account on social media posts. People are encouraged to display their lesbian flags, and businesses can hand out pins and decorate. They can also reach out to local lawmakers to encourage them to issue an official Lesbian Visibility Week.
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