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Comings & Goings
Rebranding for LUNA+EISENLA
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Congratulations to Brad Luna and Kristofer Eisenla on the rebranding of their firm as LUNA+EISENLA. Founded in 2012, the firm has been the agency of record providing strategic communications and media counsel on several historic advancements in both the public and private sectors, including: change in the U.S. Tax Code creating the standard home office deduction; repeal of the military’s transgender service member ban; announcement of a cure for “bubble boy disease,” and the personal identity of the first person ever cured of HIV/AIDS; representation of three plaintiffs in the Supreme Court’s historic Obergefell v. Hodges marriage equality ruling; and thought leadership development of world-renowned doctors and researchers, including a member of the World Health Organization’s vaccine composition team for COVID, influenza, and other infectious diseases.
With the rebranding they have added three individuals to round out LUNA+EISENLA’s full suite of strategic communications and media services. Elizabeth Curwen as director of content will work on strategic content development across platforms to better engage targeted audiences, research, and analytics to inform audience targeting strategies, digital analytics to optimize client’s communications campaigns for greater impact and real-time feedback reports on media outreach engagements. Sean Todd as creative director will be responsible for creative visual content solutions including branding, digital marketing, print design and audio/video production. Riah Gonzales King as director of digital strategies will provide services designed to harness the power of technology to develop digital advertising, e-commerce platforms, SEO optimization, and website and app creation.
The two founders of the firm have extensive backgrounds in policy, communications, and public relations. They both have extensive experience providing communications and media relations counsel to a wide range of government, campaign, non-profit and corporate institutions. They have worked on presidential and senatorial campaigns, and for members of Congress and America’s top CEOs.
Prior to founding LUNA+EISENLA, Eisenla was a vice president at Widmeyer Communications and before that was Deputy Chief of Staff and Communications Director, Representative Diana DeGette (D-Colo.). He graduated from California State University, Stanislaus, with a degree in politics and economics, and has advanced degrees from the London School of Economics and Political Science; and The George Washington University. He has been awarded the Bronze Anvil by the Public Relations Society of America.
Prior to joining with Eisenla to found LUNA+EISENLA, Luna was director of Communications for the Human Rights Campaign. Before that he was press secretary to Rep. Brad Carson (D-Okla.). He has guest lectured on political communications, message development and public policy at George Washington University and American University. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Tulsa and attended The George Washington University’s Graduate School of Political Management.
A gay man was murdered in Petersburg, Va., on March 13.
Shyyell Diamond Sanchez-McCray, who was also known as Saamel and Mable, was a drag queen who won the Miss Mayflower EOY pageant in 2015. Reports also indicate Sanchez-McCray, 42, was a well-known community activist in Virginia and in North Carolina.
Local media reports indicate police officers found Sanchez-McCray shot to death inside a home in Petersburg.
Sanchez-McCray’s brother, Jamal Mitchell Diamond, in a public statement the Washington Blade received from Equality Virginia and GLAAD, said Sanchez-McCray was not transgender as initial reports indicated.
“Our family has always embraced the fullness of who he was. He used the names Saamel, Shyyell, and Mable interchangeably, and we honor all of them. There is no division within our family regarding how he is being represented — only a shared commitment to preserving his truth with love and respect,” said Diamond.
“He was also deeply committed to community work through Nationz Foundation, where he worked and completed multiple state-certified programs to support marginalized communities,” added Diamond. “That work meant a great deal to him.”
Authorities have not made any arrests.
The Petersburg Bureau of Police has asked anyone with information about Sanchez-McCray’s murder to call Petersburg-Dinwiddie Crime Solvers at 804-861-1212.
District of Columbia
Trans Day of Visibility events planned
Rally on the National Mall scheduled for Saturday
The Christopher Street Project has a number of events planned for the 2026 Trans Day of Visibility, including a rally on the Mall and an “Empowerment Ball” at the Eaton Hotel. Plenaries, panel discussions and meetings with members of Congress are scheduled in the three days of programming.
Announced speakers include N.H. state Rep. Alice Wade; Commissioner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago Precious Brady-Davis; activist and performer Miss Peppermint (“RuPaul’s Drag Race”); Lexington, Ky. Councilwoman Emma Curtis; Rabbi Abby Stein; D.C. activist and host Rayceen Pendarvis; Air Force Master Sgt. Logan Ireland; among other leaders, advocates and performers.
Conference programming on Thursday and Friday includes an educational forum and a Capitol Hill policy education day. Registration for the two-day conference has closed.
The “Trans Day of Visibility PAC Reception” is scheduled for Thursday, March 26 from 7:30-9 p.m. at As You Are (500 8th St., S.E.). Special guests include Rep. Dina Titus (D-Nevada) and Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.). Tickets are available at christopherstreetproject.org starting at $25.
The National Council of Jewish Women and the Christopher Street Project host a “Trans Day of Visibility Shabbat” on Friday, March 27 from 7-8 p.m. at Sixth & I (600 I St., N.W.). The service is to be led by Rabbi Jenna Shaw and Rabbi Abby Stein.
The “Now You See Me: Trans Empowerment Social & Ball” is scheduled for Friday, March 27 from 6-11 p.m. at the Eaton Hotel (1201 K. St., N.W.). The trans-themed drag ball is hosted by the Marsha P. Johnson Institute with support from the D.C. Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ+ Affairs, the Capital Ballroom Council, the Christopher Street Project, the Center for Black Equity, Generation for Common Good, and Parenting is Political. RSVP online at christopherstreetproject.org.
The National Transgender Day of Visibility Rally is scheduled for Saturday, March 28 on the National Mall at 11 a.m. The rally will include speakers and performances. Following the rally, attendees are encouraged to participate in the “No Kings” rally being held at Anacostia Park.
Virginia
Virginia General Assembly’s 2026 legislative session ends
Voters in November will consider repealing marriage amendment
The Virginia General Assembly’s 2026 legislative session ended on March 14.
Lawmakers have yet to approve a budget, but they did pass a resolution that paves the way for a referendum on whether to repeal the state’s constitutional amendment that defines marriage as between a man and a woman. Lawmakers also advanced House Bill 60, which would protect PrEP users from insurance discrimination.
Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger has until April 13 to decide to pass, amend, or veto legislation before it goes back to the House of Delegates on April 22.
Spanberger on Feb. 6 signed the bill that sets the stage for the marriage amendment referendum. Voters will consider whether to “remove the ban on same-sex marriage; (ii) affirm that two adults may marry regardless of sex, gender, or race; and (iii) require all legally valid marriages to be treated equally under the law?”
Equality Virginia has been working during this legislative cycle to urge lawmakers to allocate funding towards LGBTQ rights. The budget would expand funding for schools, competency training for the 988 suicide hotline, and funding to provide gender affirming care to LGBTQ youth.
“As the budget moves through conference and the Reconvene Session approaches on April 22, Equality Virginia remains focused on ensuring our victories this session translate into durable protections,” Equality Virginia Executive Director Narissa Rahaman told the Washington Blade in a statement. “Progress on marriage equality, nondiscrimination protections, and HIV care funding was essential, but Virginia must do more.”
Markwayne Mullin confirmed as next DHS secretary
Gay man murdered in Va.
Trans Day of Visibility events planned
Virginia General Assembly’s 2026 legislative session ends
Polish court rules country must recognize same-sex marriages from EU states
Queer American in Israel discusses Iran war’s impact
‘How We Survived’ panel set for March 25
Calendar: March 21-26
Small is beautiful: subcompact SUVs
