District of Columbia
Logan Circle memorial for Fajardo, Pierce draws large crowd
Friends speak at candlelight gathering for beloved community leaders
About 300 people turned out in D.C.’s Logan Circle on Thursday night for a candlelight gathering of remembrance for gay longtime District residents Jocko Fajardo and Tarik Pierce, who were widely admired for their support of LGBTQ community causes.
The two men earlier this month died unexpectedly within eight days of each other, both at the age of 45, prompting their wide circle of friends to reach out to each other for support and to reflect on the two men’s lives.
Fajardo, a skilled chef, florist, event planner and dedicated supporter of community organizations and charities, died at his Dupont Circle residence on Friday, July 14, of unknown causes.
Pierce served for the past 13 years as a manager at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and was a beloved figure in D.C. LGBTQ sports organizations and nightlife venues. He died on July 6 at his residence in the Columbia Heights neighborhood, also of unknown causes.
About a dozen people spoke at the Logan Circle gathering, and the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington sang several songs in honor of the two men’s lives.
“We’re here to have some good memories of two of our great friends,” David Perruzza, owner of the D.C. gay bars Pitchers and A League of Her Own and a friend of both Fajardo and Pierce, told the memorial gathering in opening remarks.
“They were great people,” Perruzza said. “And we all know they were great people. But I just want to say one thing. If somebody was sitting alone in a bar and either Jocko or Tarik came up to you and said hello, they immediately let you into their circle of friends,” Perruzza told the crowd.
“I think as a community, now that we’ve lost these two great giants, it’s up to us to step up and do that for other people,” he said. “I think we all need to work on being better like these two individuals were, and let’s just be a great community and follow their memory by doing everything they would do.”
Like other speakers who followed him, Perruzza urged people in the community to volunteer their time with community organizations.
Others who spoke included Ashley Smith, who chairs the board of the Capital Pride Alliance, the group that organizes D.C.’s LGBTQ Pride events; Annie Lyon, an official with the D.C.-based LGBTQ youth advocacy organization SMYAL; and two members of the Gay Men’s Chorus.
People who knew Fajardo have said he was a longtime supporter of SMYAL and the Gay Men’s Chorus as well as other local LGBTQ organizations.
Pierce was known for his participation in and support for local LGBTQ sports organizations, including the Stonewall Kickball, Darts, and Dodgeball leagues. He was also a dedicated volunteer for Capital Pride, according to friends.
Also speaking at the remembrance gathering was Japer Bowles, director of the D.C. Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs.
“On behalf of Mayor Bowser and the city, this is such a loss, and we offer our deepest condolences to the community and to you,” Bowles told the gathering.
“And I think the most important thing here to leave with today is the friendship that they created and how they worked with the community,” Bowles said.
“And also, the next point is you don’t know when our time is up,” he said. “So, take care of your friends. It really means a lot.”
Rev. Thomas Wieczorek, who serves as bishop for D.C.’s St. Mary National Catholic Community, which is not affiliated with the Catholic Church, said he was friends with both Fajardo and Pierce and like so many others he was deeply saddened over their passing.
“I have known both for years since I moved to D.C. and was always so impressed by the talents each of them shared with others in the community, whether it be fundraising, organizing, decorating, or simply smiling,” Wieczorek said.
“Both of these friends made an impact in what is a relatively short time with all of us,” he said. “I think nearly every social media comment noted Tarik’s smile and Jocko’s love for beauty,” he told the gathering.
“From the seeds both of these friends planted, let our memories produce a heavenly garden reflecting their joy, love, and time they gave others. Their essence will live on in us.”
Smith of Capital Pride Alliance said plans for a formal memorial service for each of the two men would be announced soon.
District of Columbia
Gay D.C. police lieutenant arrested on child porn charges
Matthew Mahl once served as head of LGBT Liaison Unit
D.C. police announced on April 14 that they have placed one of their lieutenants, Matthew Mahl, on administrative leave and revoked his police powers after receiving information that he was arrested in Maryland one day earlier.
Although the initial D.C. police announcement doesn’t disclose the reason for the arrest it refers to a statement by the Harford County, Md. Sheriff’s Office that discloses Mahl has been charged with sexual solicitation of a minor and child porn solicitation.
“On Tuesday, the Harford County Sheriff’s Office contacted MPD’s Internal Affairs Division shortly after arresting Lieutenant Matthew Mahl,” the D.C. police statement says.
“The allegations in this case are extremely disturbing, and in direct contrast to the values of the Metropolitan Police Department,” the statement continues. “MPD’s Internal Affairs Division will investigate violations of MPD policy once the criminal investigation concludes,” it says.
“MPD is not involved in the criminal investigation and was not aware of the investigation until yesterday,” the statement adds.
Mahl served as acting supervisor of the MPD’s then Gay & Lesbian Liaison Unit in 2013 when he held the rank of sergeant. D.C. police officials placed him on administrative leave and suspended his police powers that same year while investigating an undisclosed allegation.
A source familiar with the investigation said Mahl was cleared of any wrongdoing a short time later and resumed his police duties. Around the time he was promoted to lieutenant several years later Mahl took on the role as chairman of the D.C. Police Union, becoming the first known openly gay officer to hold that position.
NBC 4 reports that Mahl, 47, has served on the police force for 23 years and most recently was assigned to the department’s Special Operations Division.
Records related to Mahl’s arrest filed in Harford County District Court, show Sheriff’s Department investigators state in charging documents that he allegedly committed the offenses of Sexual Solicitation of a Minor and Child Porn Solicitation on Monday, April 13, one day before he was arrested on April 14.
The court records show he was held without bond during his first appearance in court on April 14. A decision on whether he would be released while awaiting trial or continue to be held without bond was scheduled to be determined during an April 15 bond hearing. The outcome of that hearing could not be immediately determined.
District of Columbia
D.C. bar, LGBTQ+ Community Center to mark Lesbian Visibility Week
‘Ahead of the Curve’ documentary screening, ‘Queeroke’ among events
2026 Lesbian Visibility Week North America will take place from April 20-26.
This year marks the third annual Lesbian Visibility Week, run by the Curve Foundation. A host of events take place from April 20-26.
This year’s theme is Health and Wellness. For the Curve Foundation, the term “lesbian” serves as an umbrella term for a host of identities, including lesbians, bisexual and transgender women, and anyone else connected to the lesbian community.
The week kicks off with a flag-raising ceremony on April 19. It will take place in New York, but will be livestreamed for the public.
“Queeroke” is one of the events being held around the country. It will take place at various participating bars on April 23.
As You Are, an LGBTQ bar in Capitol Hill, is one of eight locations across the U.S. participating. Their event is free and 21+.
On April 24, the D.C. LGBTQ+ Community Center will hold a screening of “Ahead of the Curve,” a documentary about the founder of Curve, Franco Stevens. The event is free with an RSVP.
April 25, is Queer Women in Sports Day. And on April 26, several monuments in New York will be illuminated.
Virtual events ranging from health to sports will be made available to the public. Details will be released closer to the start of Lesbian Visibility Week. Featured events can be found on the official website.
Some ways for individuals to get involved are to use #LVW26 and tag the official Lesbian Visibility Week account on social media posts. People are encouraged to display their lesbian flags, and businesses can hand out pins and decorate. They can also reach out to local lawmakers to encourage them to issue an official Lesbian Visibility Week.
District of Columbia
Whitman-Walker Health to present ‘Pro Bono Excellence’ award to law firm
Health center set to celebrate 40th anniversary of legal services program
Whitman-Walker Health, the D.C.-based community healthcare center that specializes in HIV/AIDS and LGBTQ-related health services, announced it will present its annual Dale Edwin Sanders Award for Pro Bono Excellence to the international law firm McDermott Will & Schulte at a May 6 ceremony.
“This year’s award is especially significant as it coincides with the 40th anniversary of Whitman-Walker Health’s Legal Services Program, marking it as the nation’s longest running medical-legal partnership,” a statement released by Whitman-Walker says.
“As a national leader in public health, Whitman-Walker celebrates our partnership with McDermott to strengthen the health center and to enable Whitman-Walker to reach more medical and legal clients,” the statement adds.
“McDermott’s firm-wide commitment to Whitman-Walker’s medical-legal partnership demonstrates a shared vision to serve those most in need,” Amy Nelson, Whitman-Walker’s director of Legal Services, says in the statement. “Our work protects individuals and families who face discrimination and hostility as they navigate increasingly complex administrative systems,” Nelson said.
“Pro bono legal services – like that of McDermott Will & Schulte – find solutions for people who have no place else to turn in the face of financial and health threats,” she added.
“Our partnership with Whitman-Walker Health is a treasured commitment to serving our neighbors and communities,” Steven Schnelle, one of the law firm’s partners said in the statement. “We are deeply moved by Whitman-Walker’s unwavering dedication to inclusion, respect, and equitable access to health care and social services,” he said.
The statement notes that the award for Pro Bono Excellence honors the legacy of the late gay attorney Dale Edwin Sanders. It says Sanders’s pro bono legal work for Whitman-Walker clients “shaped HIV/AIDS law for more than four decades by securing key victories on behalf of individuals whose employment and patient rights were violated.”
It says the Whitman-Walker Legal Services program began during the early years of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s at a time when people with AIDS faced widespread discrimination and often needed legal assistance. According to the statement, the program evolved over the years and expanded to advocate for transgender people and immigrants.
Whitman-Walker spokesperson Lisa Amore said the presentation of the Dale Edwin Sanders Pro Bono Excellency Award will be held at the May 6 fundraising benefit for Whitman-Walker’s Legal Services Program. She said the event will take place at the offices of the DC law firm Baker McKenzie and ticket availability can be accessed here: https://www.whitman-walker.org/gtem-2026/
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