Arts & Entertainment
Washington Blade, Dupont Underground spotlight D.C. LGBTQ Changemakers with new exhibit
‘The Ground We Stand On’ highlights 25 queer pioneers during Pride month
The Washington Blade and Dupont Underground present “The Ground We Stand On: Past and Present DC LGBTQ Changemakers,” a new exhibit that highlights D.C. LGBTQ pioneers.
The exhibit, featuring 25 changemakers will be on view beginning Friday, June 2, through Sunday, June 25.
The inspiring exhibition will showcase the remarkable journeys of both past and present changemakers who have left an indelible mark on the tapestry of Washington, D.C. The exhibit underscores the enduring legacy of these remarkable individuals, serving as an inspiration for present and future generations.
The exhibition opens on June 2 at 5 p.m., where all the living honorees will be present for the opening reception, followed by Drag Underground starting at 8:30 p.m., featuring some of the best Drag Queens in DC such as Shi-Queeta Lee, Cake Pop, Jane Saw, and Destiny B Childs.
“By shining a light on their remarkable contributions, this exhibition aims to empower and encourage the continuous evolution of the D.C. LGBTQ+ community and its influence that transcends boundaries,” said Stephen Rutgers, director of Sales and Marketing for the Washington Blade.
“We are thrilled to highlight so many living changemakers who will visit us for opening night, and to honor the memories and work of those changemakers who are no longer with us,” said Ana Harvey, Dupont Underground CEO.
For more information about Dupont Underground, visit www.dupontunderground.org.
This year’s exhibition will feature the following changemakers:
Adalphie Johnson
Ba’Naka (Dustin Michael Schaad, posthumous)
David Catania
DJ’s: Ed Bailey, DJ MIM, DJ Sedrick, DJ Suspence, DJ Honey, DJ Rosie, DJ Chord, DJ Jay Jay
Earl Fowlkes
Earline Budd
Frank Kameny (posthumous)
GiGi Holliday
Jose Gutierrez
Jamil Fletcher
Ebone Bell
Lou Chibbaro Jr.
Mary Bowman (posthumous)
June Crenshaw
Lee Levingston Perine
Rayceen Pendarvis
Shiqueeta Lee
Wanda Alston (Posthumous)
Kimberley Bush
Martin Espinoza
Brent Minor
Regie Cabico
Robert York
Tony Nelson
Venus Thrash (Posthumous)
Celebrity News
Madonna announces release date for new album
‘Confessions II’ marks return to the dance floor
Pop icon Madonna on Wednesday announced that her 15th studio album will be released on July 3.
Titled “Confessions II,” the new album is a sequel to 2005’s “Confessions on a Dance Floor,” an Abba and disco-infused hit.
The new album reunites Madonna with producer Stuart Price, who also helmed the original “Confessions” album. It’s her first album of new material since 2019’s “Madame X.”
“We must dance, celebrate, and pray with our bodies,” Madonna said in a press release. “These are things that we’ve been doing for thousands of years — they really are spiritual practices. After all, the dance floor is a ritualistic space. It’s a place where you connect — with your wounds, with your fragility. To rave is an art. It’s about pushing your limits and connecting to a community of like-minded people,” continued the statement. “Sound, light, and vibration reshape our perceptions. Pulling us into a trance-like state. The repetition of the bass, we don’t just hear it but we feel it. Altering our consciousness and dissolving ego and time.”
Denali (@denalifoxx) of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” performed at Pitchers DC on April 9 for the Thirst Trap Thursday drag show. Other performers included Cake Pop!, Brooke N Hymen, Stacy Monique-Max and Silver Ware Sidora.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
Arts & Entertainment
In an act of artistic defiance, Baltimore Center Stage stays focused on DEI
‘Maybe it’s a triple-down’
By LESLIE GRAY STREETER | I’m always tickled when people complain about artists “going political.” The inherent nature of art, of creation and free expression, is political. This becomes obvious when entire governments try to threaten it out of existence, like in 2025, when the brand-new presidential administration demanded organizations halt so-called diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programming or risk federal funding.
Baltimore Center Stage’s response? A resounding and hearty “Nah.” A year later, they’re still doubling down on diversity.
“Maybe it’s a triple-down,” said Ken-Matt Martin, the theater’s producing director, chuckling.
The rest of this article can be found on the Baltimore Banner’s website.
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Minimal version of ‘Streetcar Named Desire’ heading to Dupont Underground
