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Gay candidates call for restoring LGBTQ representation on D.C. Council

Ward 1 and 5 contenders join two gay rivals in backing programs for queer youth

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Gay former D.C. police officer Salah Czapary is running in the city’s June 21 Democratic primary for the Ward 1 D.C. Council seat. (Screen capture via YouTube)

Gay former D.C. police officer Salah Czapary, who’s running in the city’s June 21 Democratic primary for the Ward 1 D.C. Council seat, and gay D.C. school board member Zachary Parker, who’s running in the primary for the Ward 5 Council seat, told viewers of a virtual May 4 LGBTQ candidates forum that they hope to bring back direct LGBTQ representation on the Council.

Czapary was among the three Democratic Ward 1 Council candidates, including incumbent Council member Brianne Nadeau and fellow challenger Sabel Harris, who participated in one of two forums Wednesday night organized by Capital Stonewall Democrats, the city’s largest local LGBTQ political group.

Parker was one of four of the seven candidates running in the hotly contested Ward 5 Council race that participated in the second of the two forms held by Stonewall on Wednesday evening. The others who participated were Gordon Fletcher, Faith Gibson Hubbard, and Vincent Orange, a former Ward 5 and at-large D.C. Council member.

The Ward 5 candidates who didn’t participate were Kathy Henderson, Art Lloyd, and Gary Johnson. Capital Stonewall Democrats didn’t provide a reason for their absence.

Similar to their fellow candidates, Czapary and Parker pledged to address the needs of all of the diverse residents of their respective wards, especially those they referred to as underserved and underrepresented.

“Despite D.C. being a city with the highest count of LGBTQ individuals per capita than any other city, we currently don’t have representation on the Council,” Parker said at the Ward 5 forum. “And I’m hoping my candidacy this cycle changes that.”

Czapary said if elected he would aggressively address issues of concern to all Ward 1 residents, especially LBTQ residents, with a special outreach to the trans community.

“Washington, D.C. has a thriving LGBTQ community,” he said. “But far too many of our LGBTQ residents are not able to access healthcare, housing or employment,” he added. “I promise to be a tireless, present and accessible and available Council member, an advocate for our community and all communities.”

Nadeau, the Ward 1 incumbent running for her third term on the Council, pointed to her longstanding record of support for LGBTQ issues. Although she didn’t say so directly, she acknowledged that she began her first term in office in January 2015 after defeating then openly gay Ward 1 Council member Jim Graham in the 2014 Democratic primary.

“When I first became a Council member, I knew that I was taking over a very special role in the community,” she told the Stonewall Democrats forum. “Not only because I was succeeding an openly gay Council member but also because of the depth and breadth of the involvement of our LGBTQ community in Ward 1.”

Added Nadeau, “I take that responsibility very seriously. And as a result, since day one walking in the door I knew that I could be an ally and work on the issues our LGBTQ community faces.”

Graham, who won election to the Council in 1998 after years of AIDS related service work as executive director of the Whitman-Walker Clinic, became the subject of criticism for ethics related issues after the Council voted to reprimand him in 2014 for allegedly pushing for a developer to win a city lottery contract. Graham denied he did anything illegal and said his aim was to bring development to Ward 1.

The fallout related to what critics, including the Washington Post editorial board, called an ethics “scandal” has been credited with leading to Graham’s defeat by Nadeau, who won the 2014 primary by a margin of 59 percent to 41 percent for Graham.

Harris, a Ward 1 ANC commissioner representing the 14th and U Street, N.W. area, also pledged to be a strong LGBTQ ally, saying she is running for the Council seat, among other things, “to help uplift those who have been forgotten.”

Ashley Smith, president of D.C.’s Capital Pride Alliance who served as moderator of both the Ward 1 and Ward 5 forums, asked the candidates a series of questions on topics both LGBTQ specific and political in nature, including whether the candidates support expanding the size of the D.C. Council and how they would address income disparity among all city residents.

The LGBTQ related topics included how the city should address problems faced by LGBTQ seniors, which city agencies can best partner with LGBTQ service organizations, how best to address growing instances of violence faced by transgender women of color, whether the city’s public school system should remain under the full control of the mayor, and how best to address a growing problem of homeless LGBTQ youth.

Each of the candidates participating in the forums for both Ward 1 and 5 responded to the questions by expressing strong support for the LGBTQ community and outlining plans to address problems faced by LGBTQ people.

During his closing statement in the Ward 5 forum, Orange, who said the chairman of his own campaign is gay, became the only candidate at the forum to criticize a fellow candidate when he implied that Parker failed to adequately address problems faced by LGBTQ youth during his years on the D.C. State Board of Education.

“I heard Mr. Parker say I’m openly gay and I’m espousing to help,” Orange said. “But he’s been an elected official for almost four years and all the things we’ve talked about tonight, he could have helped those young kids,” said Orange. “But so just because becoming openly gay a couple of months ago seems to be a matter of convenience,” Orange said in referring to Parker’s public announcement earlier this year that he’s gay.

Parker, who along with Czapary, has been endorsed by the LGBTQ Victory Fund, the national group that provides financial support for out LGBTQ candidates for public office, did not respond to Orange by name when he delivered his own closing remarks. But he may have been referring to Orange when he said, “And it’s worth noting that violence comes in many forms, and we’ve seen that here tonight.”

Added Parker, “What is at stake in this race is how we’re going to move forward as a ward and as a community. And it’s not just about vision, although I’ve provided that,” he said. “It’s not just about community connection, and I have that. But it’s also about a Council member that’s going to lead us ethically and honorably at all times.”

Parker was likely referring to Orange’s decision to resign from his at-large seat on the D.C. Council in August 2016 in the midst of an ethics controversy, shortly after he lost his re-election bid in the Democratic primary to Robert White and just under five months before his term on the Council was to end in January 2017. The controversy surfaced over Orange’s decision to accept a job as president of the D.C. Chamber of Commerce while still a sitting member of the Council.

His Council colleagues expressed strong objections to his holding the two positions, saying it presented a conflict of interest.

A video recording of the Capital Stonewall Democrats Ward 1 and Ward 5 candidate forums can be accessed here.

A Washington Blade transcript of the opening statements of the candidates that participating in Capital Stonewall Democrats Wards 1 & 5 forums can be viewed below:

Ward 1 Candidates – Opening Statements

Salah Czapary

Thank you. Good evening and thank you for having me. My name is Salah Czapary and I’m a candidate to represent Ward 1 on the D.C. Council. I’m a proud gay man. And while D.C. is ranked as one of the most accepting states for general acceptance of our community, the work of advancing LGBTQ rights is not over. The rights we enjoy are fragile and must be reinforced. We’re seeing even this week with the draft opinion from the Supreme Court indicating a vote to overturn Roe v. Wade.

We all know someone who came to D.C. because their family rejected them, their community rejected them. We are seeing more and more assaults on LGBTQ rights across the nation. And it is imperative that D.C. remain a safe haven for the community. To do that we have to make intentional long term stable housing for LGBTQ youth and in particular trans youth that is connected with case management and mental health services. We know that LGBTQ youth are much more likely to become unhoused and in need of needing those services.

The increasing use of PrEP has helped lower the HIV infection rate in our city. But knowledge about PrEP and access to medication remains uneven. Too many people do not know that PrEP is effective or even that it exists. Moreover, many lack the means to afford monthly prescriptions. Black LGBTQ+ individuals are also disproportionately infected with HIV and less likely to have access to PrEP and adequate healthcare. When elected, I will work to bridge the gap and ensure all of our LGBTQ+ populations have access to preventative medication. I’ll fight to raise awareness about HIV prevention and ensure affordable access to lifesaving medications.

As we work to reduce infections, we must also address the long-term effects of HIV. Many LGBTQ people infected during the 1980s and 1990s AIDS crisis live with debilitating illness. And I will ensure that we invest in medical and mental health care for all surviving with HIV.
Finally, LGBTQ+ seniors helped build the community we now enjoy. And yes, there is still more work to do. But we have to ensure that D.C. is senior friendly and provides programming and support to a population that worked so hard to make our city uniquely D.C. Thank you.

Brianne Nadeau

Thank you so much. I am Brianne Nadeau. I am the Ward 1 Council member. And I’m so happy to be here with you tonight. When I first became a Council member in 2014, I knew that I was taking over a very special role in the community. Not only because I was succeeding an openly gay Council member but also because of the depth and breadth of the involvement of our LGBTQ community in Ward 1.

Not limited to the location of the D.C. Center or so many nonprofits here in the ward like Us Helping Us to serve our LGBTQ community. I take that responsibility very seriously. And as a result, since day one walking in the door I knew that I could be an ally and work on the issues our LGBTQ community faces. Whether that is the deep work that I have done with our youth, especially our youth experiencing homelessness, the work I have done to help expand healthcare options, or the workforce development program.

Those have all been hand and hand with leaders who have come to me and said this is the path that we want to chart. Will you be there with us? I’m really proud of that work. As Council member, I’ve also kept my promises to prioritize affordable housing, education, public safety, and constituent services. There are more than 1,200 units of affordable housing in the pipeline here in the ward. Improving our schools. Ensuring that we have millions of dollars each year in all modes of public safety from police on to the highest and best prevention programs that do exist in this country.

And our team here in Ward 1 has [inaudible] more than 8,000 constituent services cases since I took office nearly eight years ago. I’m incredibly proud of this work. I’m not sure if the time is up. So, I’m just going to stop and not go accidentally over. I know we’re having trouble with the timer here. But I look forward to delving more into these issues as we go.

Sabel Harris

Thank you so much for having me, Capital Stonewall Dems. I’m Sabel Harris. I’m a community builder, organizer and advocate. And I’m currently serving as ANC for the 14th and U area. I’m grateful to be here tonight because a close family member of mine whose privacy I want to respect came out to our family. They were met with denial with the reality of their life, that it was just a phase, and it would pass. I know what that is like and what it’s like to be overlooked, cast aside and discounted.

And I think a lot of us in this room know that too. I’m running for Ward 1 Council member to help uplift those who would have been forgotten. We don’t just need a Council member to write checks or the big policies. We need a Council member who will show up in times of joy and in times of crisis. That is my promise to you. As Council member, I will be there to celebrate, to mourn, and to be the person you can call when you need help. I will be the person who not only adds the right policy but has the right follow through. My platform consists of schools, sustainability service and safety. And I’m looking forward to tonight’s discussion on how we can create a community that works for us all. Thank you.

Ward 5 Candidates – Opening Statements

Faith Gibson Hubbard

Good evening. My name is Faith Gibson Hubbard. And I’m really thrilled to be here with you this evening. I am running to be the next Ward 5 Council member because I believe in the power of community. Community and creating a visible belonging have been a big factor for me in all of my work and throughout my life. And we know that is something extremely important for the quality of life in our city and particularly right here in our ward.

I’ve been so fortunate in the course of my life that I’ve been able to learn from so many of my colleagues, friends and loved ones who are part of the LGBTQ community and to share about the daily issues and discrimination and offer great beauty and opportunity that there is in the community. And I’m thankful for that opportunity and for the love that I have received.

The breadth of challenges that we face as a city requires a Council member who has demonstrated a commitment to thoughtful and consistent and collaborative and representative leadership, and someone who is skilled and experienced in being able to solve problems. And I would submit to you that I am that person. You may not have heard my name over the last twelve years because I’ve been busy doing the work behind the scenes building relationships and advocating for each and every one in our communities.

And while I have had great opportunities to work both inside and outside of government, I was so thankful for the last two work opportunities that I had that had me cross paths with Sheila Alexander Reid. I served as executive director, the first executive director of [inaudible] D.C. and the director of the Mayor’s Office of Community Affairs while working closely with the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs and had an opportunity to learn so much.

So, we need someone who is concerned about creating a community and belonging and making sure we are able to see the reflections of ourselves and someone who is going to work hard. I am that person, who is looking to build communities in the beautiful city that we all deserve so that my children and all of us can grow up in a city where we all feel a wonderful sense of belonging. So, I look forward to the opportunity to talk more with you this evening.

Vincent Orange

Good evening, Capital Stonewall Democrats. My name is Vincent Orange. I’m an attorney and certified public accountant, a former two-term Ward 5 Council member, a two-term at-large Council member and also served as a Democratic National Committeeman in the Obama administration. And I’ve had the opportunity to be endorsed by the Gertrude Stein Democratic Club on a couple of occasions. Having worked with the amazing Jim Graham, together we established on a permanent basis the Office of LGBTQ. I also championed the legislation that enacted legislation to prevent discrimination against transgender individuals in the workplace.

I had the honor to actually conduct a same-sex marriage in the Wilson Building in 2015 for two nurses, Bradley Jason [inaudible] and Sam [inaudible]. Also, as a Democratic National Committeeman supported same-sex marriage. And while with Pepco, early in my career, I was able to get benefits for domestic partnerships. I was very pleased to have represented Ward 5 in the past in 1999 and 2007 where we jump started economic development for the city, school modernization and recreation centers renovation.

I am really honored to be with you this evening. Folks can get more information on my campaign on OrangeWard5.com. And I ask for your vote and support. I’m number seven on the ballot. Running for Ward 5 with number seven on the ballot. And I’d love to have your vote and support. Thank you so much for having me.

Zachary Parker

Good evening, everyone. I am Zachary Parker. I am the current Ward 5 representative to the State Board of Education. In fact, I’m just coming from a State Board meeting. I’m also the past president of the State Board and currently stand as the highest elected openly gay official in the District of Columbia, which I’m really proud of.

I come to this space because Ward 5 is gearing up for new leadership and we need a Ward 5 Council member that’s going to advance the issues that matter most to all Ward 5 residents – public safety and housing, that’s going to lead our community ethically and honorably. But that’s also going to give voice to communities that have long been underserved and underrepresented.

Despite D.C. being a city with the highest count of LGBTQ individuals per capita than any other city, we currently don’t have representation on the Council. And I am hoping that my candidacy this cycle changes that. Because there is much more that we need to do to house especially our youth that are constantly needing support in terms of housing but that are also struggling within our schools.

My vision is pretty simple. It is to build healthy communities for all Ward 5 neighbors so that all our basic needs are met. And that is not a simple or empty slogan. But it is around how can we co-create a vision around what every neighbor, every community deserves in Ward 5 regardless of their zip code. And work via the Council to make sure we funnel resources and supports to those communities. I’m proud to come here endorsed by a number of organizations, including the Victory Fund. And again, I’m looking forward to a spirited and thoughtful discussion that centers the needs of our LGBTQ community. And I just want to again thank you for hosting the discussion tonight.

Gordon Fletcher

Thank you so much for having me. And I just want to say thank you to the Capital Stonewall Democratic association for having me here. My name is Gordon Fletcher. And I’m running to be the first immigrant to become a Council member. So, while I’m not a member of the LGBTQ community, I am a member of a marginalized community. And I want to make sure I represent all individuals within Ward 5.

I come to you as a three-term ANC commissioner in the North Michigan Park community where I’ve lived in D.C. for over twenty years, but within Ward 5 for a little over ten. My wife Brittany is a therapist, and she served the community as well. I’ve worked with every level of government, from federal to congressional to local. So, I understand how to deal with legislation and deal with policy. I also deal with budgets. I’m also an educator. I teach at American University. I teach criminal justice and public policy.

As a commissioner, I’m proud to say I helped stop the opening of a liquor store. And just overall within Ward 5, my key issue as the next Ward 5 Council member is safety. And we also have to make sure we’re protecting all communities, marginalized communities, communities that recognize and identify themselves as members of the LGBTQ community. I understand that within that community there is unnecessary undue discrimination, harassment, and violence. The community has played such an integral role in the District of Columbia from socioeconomic and cultural development.

And we have to make sure we are advancing every possible measure for all communities, including the LGBTQ community. I understand that some of the major issues are centered around housing, access to living wages, and employment. And those are the issues I want to advocate for as the next Ward 5 Council member. And I look forward to a great discussion this evening. And I’m just glad to be here.

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Laverne Cox, Reneé Rapp, Deacon Maccubbin named WorldPride grand marshals

Three LGBTQ icons to lead parade

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Deacon Maccubbin attends the 2024 Capital Pride Parade. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

WorldPride organizers announced Thursday that actress and trans activist Laverne Cox, powerhouse performer Reneé Rapp, and LGBTQ trailblazer Deacon Maccubbin will serve as grand marshals for this year’s WorldPride parade.

The Capital Pride Alliance, which is organizing WorldPride 2025 in Washington, D.C., revealed the honorees in a press release, noting that each has made a unique contribution to the fabric of the LGBTQ community.

Laverne Cox (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

Cox made history in 2014 as the first openly transgender person nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in an acting category for her role in Netflix’s “Orange Is the New Black.” She went on to win a Daytime Emmy in 2015 for her documentary “Laverne Cox Presents: The T Word,” which followed seven young trans people as they navigated coming out.

Rapp, a singer and actress who identifies as a lesbian, rose to prominence as Regina George in the Broadway musical “Mean Girls.” She reprised the role in the 2024 film adaptation and also stars in Max’s “The Sex Lives of College Girls,” portraying a character coming to terms with her sexuality. Rapp has released an EP, “Everything to Everyone,” and an album, “Snow Angel.” She announced her sophomore album, “Bite Me,” on May 21 and is slated to perform at the WorldPride Music Festival at the RFK Festival Grounds.

Deacon Maccubbin, widely regarded as a cornerstone of Washington’s LGBTQ+ history, helped organize D.C.’s first Gay Pride Party in 1975. The event took place outside Lambda Rising, one of the first LGBTQ bookstores in the nation, which Maccubbin founded. For his decades of advocacy and activism, he is often referred to as “the patriarch of D.C. Pride.”

“I am so honored to serve as one of the grand marshals for WorldPride this year. This has been one of the most difficult times in recent history for queer and trans people globally,” Cox said. “But in the face of all the rhetorical, legislative and physical attacks, we continue to have the courage to embrace who we truly are, to celebrate our beauty, resilience and bravery as a community. We refuse to allow fear to keep us from ourselves and each other. We remain out loud and proud.”

“Pride is everything. It is protection, it is visibility, it is intersectional. But most importantly, it is a celebration of existence and protest,” Rapp said.

The three will march down 14th Street for the WorldPride Parade in Washington on June 7.

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LGBTQ leaders celebrate Frank Kameny’s 100th birthday at Supreme Court

Advocates march, deliver speeches to remember activist’s many contributions

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Jim Obergefell speaks outside of the United States Supreme Court on Wednesday, May 21. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

More than 100 people joined the leaders of a dozen prominent national LGBTQ rights organizations on May 21 to celebrate the 100th birthday of iconic D.C. gay rights pioneer Frank Kameny on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court building in the nation’s capital.

Kameny, who passed away on Oct. 11, 2011, on National Coming Out Day, has been hailed as one of the founding leaders of the modern LGBTQ rights movement.

Among other things, he became the first openly gay man to file an appeal about gay rights to the U.S. Supreme Court, which was among the reasons organizers of his birthday celebration chose to hold it at the Supreme Court.  

“Today is the 100th birthday of Frank Kameny, the founder of the LGBTQ civil rights movement,” said Malcolm Lazin, who served as national chair of the committee that organized the Kameny 100th birthday event. Frank is one of the nation’s most consequential civil rights leaders,” Lazin told the gathering in opening remarks.

“We are in front of the Supreme Court because Frank believed in the Constitution’s promise of equality for all Americans,” he said. “He based his liberation strategy against systemic homophobia on that promise.”

More than 100 people turned out for a celebration of Frank Kameny’s 100th birthday on Wednesday. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Participants in the event, many of whom were young LGBTQ activists from New York City, carried 100 candles to commemorate Kameny’s birthday.

They were joined by the national LGBTQ organization leaders who formed a ceremonial picket line carrying replicas of the  “homosexual rights” signs used in the 1965 historic first gay protest outside the White House organized by Kameny and his supporters from the Mattachine Society of Washington, a gay rights group that Kameny helped to form.

Among speakers at the event was Jim Obergefell, the lead plaintiff in the same-sex marriage lawsuit that resulted in the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide. Obergefell noted that the Kameny birthday celebration marks the 10th anniversary of the high court’s marriage decision and recalls for him Kameny’s role as a strong supporter of legalizing same-sex marriage.

Obergefell and U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), the Senate’s first openly lesbian member, served as national honorary co-chairs of the Kameny 100th birthday celebration.  

Ross Murray, a vice president of GLAAD, told how Kameny used an effective strategy to fight homophobia both for the public and to many in the LGBTQ community who experienced internalized homophobia due to societal pressure.

“So, using the model of ‘Black is Beautiful,’ Frank turned perceptions upside down when he coined ‘Gay is Good,’” Murray said. “And he carried that on a picket sign in 1970 at the first New York Pride Parade.”

Washington Blade editor Kevin Naff told the gathering that the early 1960s era newsletter of the Mattachine Society of Washington, that Kameny helped to start, evolved into the early version of the Washington Blade in 1969.

“Frank recognized the importance of community building and engagement by having a reliable community news source,” Naff said. “We are honored to join in the 100th birthday tribute to one of our founders, Frank Kameny.”

Kevin Naff, editor of the Washington Blade, speaks outside of the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday, May 21. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Japer Bowles, director of D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs, said the mayor’s office is proud that the city hosted Kameny’s 100th birthday celebration. Bowles announced that Bowser issued an official mayoral proclamation declaring May 21, 2025, Frank Kameny Centennial Day.

In her proclamation Bowser recites many of Kameny’s accomplishments in advancing LGBTQ rights in D.C. and across the nation and concludes by stating she  commends “this observance to all Washingtonians with a reminder to always remember, as Frank Kameny often said, ‘Gay is Good.’”

Others who spoke included Keith Joseph of the LGBTQ group Equality Forum, Ben Garcia of the American LGBTQ+ Museum, Saul Levin of the American Psychiatric Association, Kevin Jennings of LGBTQ attorneys’ group Lambda Legal, Elliot Imse of the LGBTQ Victory Institute, Jay Brown of the Human Rights Campaign, Philadelphia City Council member Rue Landau, D.C. Capital Pride Alliance and WorldPride organizer June Crenshaw, Anya Marino of Advocates for Transgender Rights, Sultan Shakir of PFLAG, and Aaron Tax of SAGE. 

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.), who is gay, was scheduled to speak at the event but had to cancel due to a House committee vote scheduled around the same time, Lazin told the Blade. Rep. Mark Takano, who’s gay, spoke at a lunch after the event to the LGBTQ leaders and praised Kameny’s many contributions to the LGBTQ movement.

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Blade’s Lou Chibbaro subject of new film premiering May 29

‘Lou’s Legacy’ looks back at 50-year career

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‘Lou’s Legacy’ premieres next week in D.C.

Longtime Washington Blade reporter Lou Chibbaro Jr. is the subject of a new documentary film premiering on May 29 in D.C.

The world premiere of the film by Emmy-nominated director Patrick Sammon will take place at the Martin Luther King Jr. Library auditorium in D.C. on May 29 at 6:30 p.m.  

“Lou’s Legacy: A Reporter’s Life at the Washington Blade”(29 minutes) tells the story of D.C.’s tumultuous and inspiring LGBTQ history through the lens of veteran reporter Lou Chibbaro’s reporting during nearly five decades at the Blade. The film features renowned D.C. drag performer Donnell Robinson who has been entertaining Washington’s LGBTQ community since 1975 as “Ella Fitzgerald.” Chibbaro and Robinson reflect on their careers and discuss the rising backlash against the LGBTQ community, including laws targeting drag performers.

As a reporter, Chibbaro made a point of focusing on the people and issues that were regularly ignored or distorted by mainstream outlets: the HIV/AIDS epidemic, hate crimes, and the fight for LGBTQ civil rights.

“Lou and Donnell are cornerstones of D.C.’s LGBTQ community,” said Sammon, the film’s director and producer. “I have great respect for both of them and hope this film celebrates in some small way their contribution to our city. It’s especially appropriate to premiere this documentary during WorldPride as people from all over the world gather in D.C. to celebrate our community and find inspiration to continue fighting for LGBTQ equality.” 

Sammon and his production team were given unprecedented access to more than 300 archival boxes of meticulously kept reporter’s files, documents, and audio tapes that Chibbaro saved and donated to George Washington University’s Gelman Special Collections Library. In addition, the Washington Blade granted Sammon access to its photo archive of compelling and emotional images, most of which have not been seen for decades.

Charles Francis, president of Mattachine Society said, “The Mattachine Society is so proud to have played a role in making this film happen, especially in this time of total erasure and efforts across the country to rewrite our history. With our work and support, Lou was able to preserve, donate, and help curate his thousands of pages of papers at George Washington University. That history cannot be erased. This film tells the story.”

Pate Felts, co-founder of the Mattachine Society, said, ”Lou’s archive, including more than 300 cartons of reporter’s files, holds thousands of stories of the men and women who suffered and fought for LGBTQ dignity and equality, at great professional and personal cost. Patrick’s film focuses on some of the most powerful ones to help educate all of us, especially younger generations, about the dues paid, the courage displayed and the hope that we all carry forward today.” 

A panel discussion will follow the premiere screening of “Lou’s Legacy.” Aside from Chibbaro, Robinson, and Sammon, the conversation will feature Bladepublisher and co-owner Lynne Brown. D.C. journalist Rebekah Robinson will moderate the conversation.

“Lou’s Legacy: A Reporter’s Life at the Washington Blade” will broadcast in late June on MPT and WETA, the region’s leading PBS stations. The WETA broadcasts are set for Saturday, June 21 at 8 p.m. and Monday, June 23 at 9:30 p.m. The film will also stream on PBS.org starting June 21. 

“Lou has had a front-row seat to 50 years of historic events; from covering the trial of Matthew Shepard’s murderers to observing the inauguration of President Obama from the Capitol Steps, Lou has seen it all,” said Blade editor Kevin Naff who has worked with Chibbaro for more than 20 years. “The film captures Lou’s dedication and tenacity and reminds us how far we’ve come as a community.”

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