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Hundreds attend Dupont Circle vigil for Colorado shooting victims

Clergy members join activists in denouncing ant-LGBTQ violence

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Hundreds showed up Monday night to remember Club Q victims. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Several hundred people turned out for a candlelight vigil in Dupont Circle Monday night to honor the five who died and at least 25 wounded in the mass shooting at an LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado Springs, Colo., this past Saturday night.

Among those who participated in the vigil were eight ministers and two elders from local LGBTQ supportive churches.

The event took place shortly after Colorado authorities released the names of the five patrons of the Club Q nightclub who police said were shot to death by lone gunman suspect Anderson Lee Aldrich, 22, who was subdued by other patrons before police arrived on the scene and placed him under arrest.

ā€œWeā€™re going to take the time to heal, to process, to honor those victims, members of our own community,ā€ said Larry Miller, news anchor for D.C.ā€™s WUSA 9 TV, who served as moderator at the vigil.

ā€œIt will be tough,ā€ Miller said in opening the event. ā€œBut weā€™ll do it together. If you need to cry this is an opportunity to do that,ā€ he said. ā€œIf you need to pray, youā€™ll have that opportunity as well.ā€  

The vigil was organized jointly by D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowserā€™s Office of LGBTQ Affairs; Capital Pride Alliance, the group that organizes D.C.ā€™s LGBTQ Pride events; the Center for Black Equity, which organizes D.C.ā€™s Black Pride events; the D.C. Center for the LGBT Community; and the Pride Fund to End Gun Violence.

ā€œToday we are standing in solidarity with our queer family in Colorado Springs in the aftermath of a tragic and deadly shooting at Club Q,ā€ Japer Bowles, director of the Mayorā€™s Office of LGBTQ Affairs, told the gathering.

ā€œHowever, gun violence and anti-LGBTQ hate will not stomp out our life,ā€ Bowles said. ā€œAnd even though we are mourning today and tomorrow and through the holidays where seats around the dinner table will be empty due to gun violence and anti-trans and anti-LGBTQ rhetoric, our love and our strength as a community will prevail.ā€

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Kenya Hutton, deputy director of the Center for Black Equity, which organizes D.C.ā€™s Black Pride events, told those attending the Dupont Circle vigil he worries that a shooting incident like the one in Colorado Springs could happen anywhere, including in D.C.

ā€œIā€™m tired of having to say the names of those weā€™ve lost for no reason,ā€ he said. ā€œWe have legislators pushing all these anti-LGBTQ bills,ā€ Hutton said. ā€œWe canā€™t sit by silently and let this continue.ā€ 

Among the clergy members who spoke was Rev. Adalphie Johnson, Senior Pastor of the Community Church of Washington, D.C.

ā€œI come here this evening with a heavy heart,ā€ she said. ā€œA heavy heart because we are still living in a world where folks need to understand what it means to love, what it means to allow people to be free, what it means to allow people to live their authentic self.ā€

Others who spoke included Mike Silverstein, a member of the Dupont Circle Advisory Neighborhood Commission; Ryan Bos, executive director of Capital Pride Alliance; Ashley Smith, president of the Capital Pride Alliance Board of Directors and a member of the Human Rights Campaign board; Alexis Elizabeth Rodriguez, director of D.C.ā€™s Latinx Pride organization; and D.C. artist and poet Reggie Rich.

Other clergy members who participated in the vigil included Rev. Aaron Wade, founder and Pastor Emeritus of the Community Church of Washington, D.C.; Rev. Amanda Hendler-Voss, Senior Minister at First Congressional United church of Christ; Rev. Dr. Arthur Cribbs Jr., Senior Pastor of Little River United Church of Christ; Rev. Dr. Sidney Fowler of United Church of Christ; and Rev. Kenneth King, Pastor serving New Hope Baptist Church and Plymouth Congressional United Church of Christ.

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)
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District of Columbia

D.C. mayorĀ honors 10th anniversary of Team Rayceen Productions

LGBTQ entertainment, advocacy organization praised for ā€˜vital workā€™

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Rayceen Pendarvis co-founded Team Rayceen Productions. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser today issued an official proclamation declaring Monday, March 18, 2024, as Team Rayceen Day in honor of the local LGBTQ entertainment and advocacy organization Team Rayceen Productions named after its co-founder Rayceen Pendarvis.

ā€œWhereas Rayceen, along with Team Rayceen Productions co-founder, Zar, have spent 10 years advocating for the Black LGBTQI+ community using various forms including in-person events, social media, and YouTube,ā€ the proclamation states.

The proclamation adds that through its YouTube Channel, Team Rayceen Productions created a platform for ā€œBlack LGBTQIA+ individuals to discuss various topics including spotlighting nonprofit organizations and small businesses, voter registration and participation, the state of LGBTQIA+ rights and resources in D.C, gender equality and equity, and the amplification of opportunities to bring the community together.ā€

It also praises Team Rayceen Productions for its partnership with the Mayorā€™s Office of LGBTQ Affairs in helping to produce ā€œexciting events like the District of Pride talent showcase held each June and the iconic 17th Street High Heel Race celebrated in October.ā€

ā€œWhereas I thank Team Rayceen Productions for its vital and necessary work and am #DCProud to wish you all the best as you continue to support Black LGBTQIA+ residents across all 8 Wards,ā€ the proclamation continues.

ā€œNow, therefore, I, the Mayor of Washington, D.C., do hereby proclaim March 18, 2024, as TEAM RAYCEEN DAY in Washington, D.C. and do commit this observance to all Washingtonians,ā€ it concludes.

ā€œWe thank Mayor Bowser for this special proclamation, which highlights where it all began, with the Black LGBTQIA+ community of Washington, D.C,ā€ Team Rayceen Productions says in a statement. ā€œStarting with The Ask Rayceen Show, Reel Affirmation, and events with D.C. Public Library to Art All Night, Silver Pride by Whitman-Walker, and events with the Mayorā€™s Office of LGBTQ Affairs, we are #dcproud of what we have accomplished in the Nationā€™s Capital,ā€ the statement says. 

“For TEAM RAYCEEN DAY, we thank the diverse group of individuals who have made everything we have done possible by volunteering their time and talents over the past decade ā€“ as online co-hosts, event staff, performers, DJs, photographers, and more,ā€ says the statement.

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District of Columbia

GLSEN to ā€˜Rise Upā€™ in support of LGBTQ youth

Fundraiser planned for March 14 in D.C.

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GLSENā€™s Rise Up will be held Thursday. (Photo courtesy GLSEN)

The LGBTQ youth advocacy organization GLSEN is hosting its annual Rise Up fundraiser in D.C. this Thursday. 

The organization has worked for more than 30 years to support students and educators to ensure that educational spaces are safe for LGBTQ people. 

ā€œGLSEN really believes that every student should have the right to a safe and affirming  education,ā€ said Michael Chavez, director of events and experiences for GLSEN.

The Human Rights Campaign reported in May 2023 that more than 500 anti-LGBTQ were introduced in state legislatures.

In addition, 15 laws were enacted banning gender affirming care for transgender youth.

ā€œOur stance at GLSEN is we know that education is the bedrock of democracy,ā€ said Chavez. 

He continued to explain that in order to protect education, GLSENā€™s supporters need to get out and vote. 

ā€œMaking sure everyone is aware of how critical this year is and the importance of getting out the vote, not just on the national level,ā€ said Chavez. ā€œExtremely local areas like their school boards and participating in what’s happening in their own communities is really important,ā€ he said. 

Chavez admitted that this task can feel overwhelming, but that prioritizing the safety of education for LGBTQ students is an ever guiding light. 

This is why, he said, GLSEN is excited to bring Rise Up to D.C.

The event will be hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Jonathan Capehart. GLSEN will also honor Rocƭo InclƔn with the Trailblazer for Justice Award.

ā€œWe want to highlight our allies who are doing the work in legislative worlds. Our policy makers, our champions,ā€ said Chavez. 

This event comes just weeks after non-binary student, Nex Benedict, died after being beaten by three older students. Their family believes that Benedict had been targeted and bullied for identifying as non-binary. 

Chavez said it is important ā€œnow more than everā€ to rise up in support of LGBTQ youth. 

Rise Up will be held at the Hotel Washington with aĀ  cocktail reception and awards program at 6 p.m. If supporters cannot attend the event, there are multiple ways to take action available on the GLSEN website.Ā 

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District of Columbia

Judge releases Ruby Corado seven days after arrest

Former Casa Ruby director charged with fraud, money laundering

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Ruby Corado is scheduled to be released Wednesday at 9 a.m.

A federal judge on Tuesday ordered the release of Ruby Corado, founder and former executive director of Casa Ruby, into the custody of her niece in Rockville, Md., after agreeing with arguments by Coradoā€™s defense attorney that she is not at high risk of fleeing to El Salvador.

The decision by U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Robin M. Meriweather to order Coradoā€™s release at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, March 13, came seven days after the FBI arrested Corado shortly after she returned to the U.S. from El Salvador. She has been charged with bank fraud, wire fraud and money laundering, among other charges, related to allegations that she embezzled at least $150,000 from Casa Ruby that the LGBTQ community services group had obtained from federal COVID-19 relief programs.

Corado had been held in jail since the time of her arrest on March 5. She appeared before Meriweather last Friday, March 8, for a detention hearing in which the judge said she was not ready to rule on whether Corado should continue to be held until the time of her trial or released.

Meriweather scheduled a second detention hearing on Tuesday, March 12, to give Coradoā€™s defense attorney more time to submit a release proposal, which was expected to call for Corado to be released into the custody of a family member that would include conditions assuring that Corado would not be a flight risk.

The niece to whom Corado will be released, Jessica Dieguez, told the court Corado would be staying at her and her husbandā€™s home in Rockville. After being called by the judge to the witness stand to testify, Dieguez said she would do her best to ensure that Corado complies with the terms of her release, which the judge said consists of home detention. The release terms require that while she awaits her trial, Corado must remain at Dieguezā€™s home except for court appearances or medical related visits to a health care facility.

ā€œDefendant is to be released on 3/13/2024 to a 3rd party custodian,ā€ the court docket for the Corado case states.Ā ā€œDefendant and custodian sworn to conditions of release,ā€ it states. The judge said Corado will be placed on GPS monitoring and will not have access to her passport.

 The docket shows Coradoā€™s next court appearance for a status hearing is scheduled for April 12 at 1 p.m. before another judge, Magistrate Judge Zia M. Faruqui.

ā€œThe government has failed to set forth sufficient facts to find that Ms. Corado is a serious risk of flight,ā€ Federal Public Defender Service attorney Diane Shrewsbury stated in an amended motion in support of Coradoā€™s pretrial release. ā€œMs. Corado asks the court to find that there are conditions that will reasonably ensure her appearance and ensure the safety of the community and to release her under those conditions,ā€ Shrewsbury stated in her court memorandum.

Meriweatherā€™s decision came after prosecutors with the Office of the U.S. Attorney for D.C. called on the judge to order Corado held in custody until the time of her trial on grounds that she would be a flight risk. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Borchert, the lead prosecutor in the case, stated in oral arguments on March 8 and in a 12-page Memorandum in Support of Pretrial Detention, which he later updated, that Corado poses ā€œa unique and serious flight risk.ā€

Among other things, he said Corado fled to El Salvador in 2022 shortly before Casa Ruby shut down its operations, after news media reports surfaced that Corado was under investigation for financial improprieties at Casa Ruby that led to its shutdown. He also pointed to a criminal complaint and arrest affidavit charging Corado with Bank Fraud, Wire Fraud, Laundering of Monetary Instruments, and Failure to File Report of Foreign Bank Account ā€“ all related to allegations that she embezzled funds from Casa Ruby that came from at least two federal COVID pandemic relief programs.

ā€œWithout question, the offenses described in the complaint are serious and carry substantial penalties,ā€ Borchert states in his memo in support of pretrial detention. ā€œThe amount of federal money stolen by the defendant ā€“ at least $150,000 ā€“ and deposited into her personal bank accounts in El Salvador is both substantial and troubling, particularly given that these funds were intended for the benefit of District youth in need of housing and other services,ā€ he said, referring to Casa Rubyā€™s longstanding programs in support of LGBTQ youth.

Shrewsbury argued that a preponderance of factors shows that Corado would not be a flight risk. The attorney disclosed that Corado returned to the U.S. from El Salvador in February 2024 to remain in the D.C. area permanently after having lived in the D.C. area for 35 years. She said Corado went to El Salvador in 2022 to start an international arm of Casa Ruby and did not go there to flee from law enforcement.

ā€œShe was prepared to resume her life in the United States when she returned in February,ā€ Shrewsbury states in her court memo. ā€œAt the time of her arrest, Ms. Corado did not have a return ticket to go back to El Salvador,ā€ she said. ā€œShe was in the process of securing a new job in the United States. Additionally, Ms. Corado has significant family and friends in the D.C. area, including her sisters, her father, her sister-in-law and numerous friends,ā€ the pre-trial release memo continues.

ā€œShe is married to a U.S. citizen, who grew up in the D.C. area and continues to have family here,ā€ the memo says. ā€œIn approximately 2007, Ms. Corado received legal permanent resident statusā€ in the U.S., it says, further confirming her intention of remaining in the U.S. Shrewsbury said at the time of her arrest, Coradoā€™s passport from El Salvador was confiscated, further ensuring that she would not flee to another country if released.

The attorney also argued that Coradoā€™s status as a transgender woman placed her in danger of possible sexual assault at the D.C. Jail, where she was placed in protective custody in the male housing section of the jail.

Shrewsburyā€™s motion and memo calling for Coradoā€™s release, first filed in court on March 8, used the male pronouns ofĀ ā€œhe,ā€ ā€œhimā€ andĀ ā€œhisā€ in four separate pages of the memo to identify Corado. Court records show that on Monday, March 11, one day before the follow-up detention hearing, Shrewsbury filed a second amended version of the memorandum that changed the misgendered pronouns to female pronouns.

After the court hearing on Tuesday, Shrewsbury told the Washington Blade the misgendered pronouns were typographic mistakes as she wrote her motion late at night. She said she was sorry about the mistake, which she said was quickly corrected with the updated document.

Corado, who was escorted into court at both hearings wearing an orange prison jump suit, did not speak at the hearings.

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