Maryland
Gay candidate wins election as mayor of Forest Heights, Md.
Troy Barrington Lilly to be sworn in on June 21
Troy Barrington Lilly, a gay member of the Council of the Town of Forest Heights, Md., who became acting mayor on May 1 after the previous mayor resigned, won a special election on June 20 as the town’s mayor.
Sherletta Hawkins, the Forest Heights Town Clerk, told the Washington Blade there were a total of 147 votes cast in the special election. She said Lilly received 138 votes and the only other candidate, Remia Hamilton, received nine votes.
Forest Heights is located in Prince George’s County along the Potomac River next to the National Harbor, with part of the town bordering Southeast D.C.
Lilly had been serving as a Ward 1 Council member since October 2021 and was named by fellow Council members as president of the Council earlier this year. Under town election rules, Lilly, in his role as Council president, became acting mayor on May 1 when the town’s previous mayor, Calvin Washington, resigned, according to Hawkins.
Lilly was scheduled to be sworn in as mayor at a Town Hall ceremony at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, June 21.
His LinkedIn page says Lilly has worked as a professional photographer for the past 13 years. A write-up on his background on the Forest Heights website says in recent years he has served as a U.S. Department of Defense contractor doing photography work “covering engagements between senior U.S. military officials and foreign dignitaries.”
Lilly’s LinkedIn page says he currently works as a software engineering associate for a consulting firm that does contract work with federal government agencies.
At the time he announced his candidacy in the special election for mayor, Lilly released a statement expressing his ideas and plans if elected mayor.
“For the past two years, I’ve crafted legislation and built relationships for residents as a Councilmember and Council president,” he said. He added that if elected mayor he would pursue a five-point plan that includes upgrading infrastructure, digital transformation, youth and community engagement, beautification, economic development, and planning for the future.
Lilly joins the ranks of at least four other openly gay or lesbian mayors in Maryland towns. They include Jeffrey Slavin of Somerset, located just outside D.C.; Stacy Link of Sykesville; Mona Becker of Westminster; and Nathan Brown of Brunswick.
Maryland
What Anne Arundel County school board candidates think about book bans
State lawmakers passed Freedom to Read Act in April
BY ROYALE BONDS | Parents’ efforts to restrict content available to students in school libraries has become a contentious issue in Maryland. Conservative parent groups, such as Moms for Liberty, have been working to get books they believe are inappropriate removed from libraries in Carroll and Howard counties, sparking protests, new policies, and even a state law.
The Freedom to Read Act, passed in April, sets standards that books cannot be removed from public and school libraries due to an author’s background. Library staff that uphold the standard are protected under this act. The law, however, does not prohibit removing books deemed “sexually explicit,” the stated reason local Moms for Liberty chapters challenged school library books.
The rest of this article can be read on the Baltimore Banner website.
Maryland
Christian Siriano to serve as grand marshal of Annapolis Pride Parade
Fashion designer is an Annapolis native
BY JOHN-JOHN WILLIAMS IV | He’s conquered fashion week. His designs have slayed the red carpet during award season. And now Christian Siriano is coming home.
The Annapolis native will serve as grand marshal and keynote speaker June 1 for the annual Annapolis Pride Parade and Festival, which is a major coup as the event enters its fourth year.
The rest of this article can be read on the Baltimore Banner’s website.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore on Thursday signed a bill that seeks to combat efforts to ban books from state libraries.
House Bill 785, also known as the Freedom to Read Act, would establish a state policy “that local school systems operate their school library media programs consistent with certain standards; requiring each local school system to develop a policy and procedures to review objections to materials in a school library media program; prohibiting a county board of education from dismissing, demoting, suspending, disciplining, reassigning, transferring, or otherwise retaliating against certain school library media program personnel for performing their job duties consistent with certain standards.”
Moore on Thursday also signed House Bill 1386, which GLSEN notes will “develop guidelines for an anti-bias training program for school employees.”
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