National
Trevor Project responds to reports of staff dissension, union busting
Non-profit disputes accusations of drop in service quality
The Trevor Project, a non-profit that works to end suicide among LGBTQ youth, responded to a recent Washington Blade report alleging widespread staff dissension, union busting, and other challenges, acknowledging it needs to improve the working environment for its crisis counselors, but disputing many of the other allegations made by nearly a dozen current and former senior employees.
The Blade story, published on Aug. 10, further alleges long wait times for distressed callers and some former staffers said the organization grew too quickly, resulting in a drop in service quality.
“A lot of us were joking that it was the most corporatized nonprofit that anyone has ever worked for,” said a former mid-level employee who spoke on condition of anonymity. “It was very money driven, very growth, growth, growth.”
But a former Trevor official responded, saying that the growth enabled Trevor to help more youth in crisis and that significant changes were made to improve service. Trevor declined to make senior leadership available for interviews for the Aug. 10 story nor would sources speak with attribution for this story.
Specifically, a Trevor spokesperson said the organization made the following changes:
- Shifting Clinical Operations’ focus to prioritize quality, sustainability, and impact instead of growth;
- Transforming the staffing model across lifeline and digital crisis services to address overnight understaffing, inaccurate workforce planning, and unrealistic goals;
- Increasing pay and wellness benefits for Clinical Operations staff.
The changes have resulted in a decrease in abandonment rates across services, the spokesperson said, noting the organization has the highest level of accreditation from the American Association of Suicidology.
Staff concerns led to the Friends of Trevor United union to begin organizing in early 2022. Gloria Middleton, president of the Communications Workers of America Local 1180, under which Friends of Trevor is organized, said Trevor opposed the union. While union organizers were in talks with Trevor, the organization began laying off workers. The union condemned that, calling it “union busting,” and said that Trevor intentionally gave the union very little time to respond.
The Trevor spokesperson disputes this, saying the union didn’t form until 2023.
“We voluntarily recognized the union in approximately six weeks,” the spokesperson said. “… We communicated to staff immediately to acknowledge the recognition request and said that we respect employees’ right to unionize; when Trevor recognized the union, we communicated to staff again that we were pleased to share that information.”
Crisis counselor Rae Kaplan told the Blade she was fired by Trevor for reacting with emojis during an all-staff meeting, another accusation that Trevor disputes.
The Trevor spokesperson said Kaplan was a contractor at Insight Global, not a staff member, therefore, Insight Global informed Rae of the separation.
“Nobody’s role was reduced, nor would be, for using Google Meet reactions or emojis,” the Trevor source said.
Trevor’s CEO and co-founder Peggy Rajski is a straight, white cisgender woman and sources told the Blade that the C-suite is almost entirely white and cisgender.
“I think there needs to be a permanent CEO who is LGBTQ+,” said Preston Mitchum, who served as a director of advocacy and government affairs at Trevor before he quit in February. “And in my opinion, one who is a person of color, or at least someone who actively understands intersectional framework and how to have these culturally important clinical conversations of competence and responsibility to specific communities.”
But Trevor claims it prizes diversity among its executive team and that the team is composed of “experienced leaders, including: eight women (seven who are cisgender, one who is transgender); four men (three who are cisgender, one who is transgender); in addition, seven are BIPOC.” Additionally, in the last few years, Trevor has created the organization’s first affinity groups: Black@Trevor, Trans@Trevor, AAPI@Trevor, Latinx@Trevor, and Disability@Trevor, the source noted.
Trevor also takes issue with allegations that it had lax policies governing staff spending. One source told the Blade, “there were no policies around spending,” while another insisted that the organization did not even have a per diem policy in place for employee travel.
“Like any organization, we have policies and approval processes around expenses such as travel, meals, business spending, etc., as well as annual budgeting,” the Trevor source said, adding that the per diem policy is spelled out in an employee handbook.
National
Lou Chibbaro Jr. documentary wins award from NLGJA
‘Lou’s Legacy’ produced by D.C.’s Mattachine Society
“Lou’s Legacy: a Reporter’s Life at the Washington Blade,” a documentary produced by The Mattachine Society of Washington, D.C., will receive an Excellence in Journalism Award from NLGJA, the Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists.
The film premiered on WETA PBS in D.C. and Maryland Public Television (MPT) in June of 2025. The documentary’s Emmy-nominated director and producer Patrick Sammon will accept the award for Excellence in Local Television on Sept. 11 at NLGJA’s National Convention in San Francisco.
“Lou’s Legacy” was produced in association with the Mattachine Society of Washington, D.C., a non-profit LGBTQ history society dedicated to conducting original archival research. Aside from Sammon, the NLGJA is recognizing other members of the film’s production team including Producer Julianne Donofrio, Editor Amir Jaffer, Executive Producer Charles Francis, and Executive Producer Pate Felts.
“Lou’s Legacy” tells the story of two D.C. icons — legendary Washington Blade reporter Lou Chibbaro Jr. and beloved drag performer Donnell Robinson, known to generations of Washington audiences as “Ella Fitzgerald.” Through Lou’s nearly five-decade career at the Blade and Ella’s return to the stage after a three-year hiatus following COVID, the 29-minute documentary explores the history of Washington’s LGBTQ community and today’s rising backlash against LGBTQ rights, including laws targeting drag performers.
“All students of journalism can learn a lot from the story of Lou Chibbaro, Jr. Lou has chronicled nearly five decades of LGBTQ+ life and the community’s struggle for equality in Washington, D.C. Lou’s work and the role of the queer press has been essential in covering stories the mainstream media would often ignore or erase,” said Ryan Levi, president of the D.C. chapter of the NLGJA.
“We are thrilled to receive this award from the NLGJA,” said the film’s director Patrick Sammon. “Lou Chibbaro’s nearly five decade career at the Washington Blade demonstrates the essential role LGBTQ journalism plays in telling our community’s stories and documenting its history. This recognition from journalists who follow in Lou’s footsteps is particularly meaningful to me and the rest of our production team.”
Arizona
Shooting outside gay bar in Ariz. leaves three dead
Tucson police investigating double murder-suicide as a hate crime
Three people were fatally shot outside a gay bar in Tucson, Ariz., early Monday morning, about a mile from the city’s nightlife district.
Police have said the shooting, which took place in the parking lot of Venture-N bar at 1239 N. 6th Ave., was likely a hate crime and a double murder-suicide following a verbal altercation.
The suspect, Ousman Ceesay, allegedly shot Vincent Anthony Siqueiros and Cameron Davis Capara while they were outside the club around 12:30 a.m. Monday.
Reports show Capara and Siqueiros were pronounced dead at the scene. Ceesay died after being taken to a local hospital with gunshot wounds.
Police have also said that Ceesay was carrying a list of LGBTQ businesses at the time of the shooting.
Arizona Public Media has said police are investigating the case as a hate crime because the suspect was carrying a note containing the names of multiple LGBTQ-associated businesses.
“I am deeply saddened that another senseless loss of life has happened in our community,” Tucson Police Chief Monica Prieto said in a statement. “Bias-based crimes are especially heinous and have no place in our community.”
According to Prieto, there is no imminent threat to the community, and the Tucson Police Department is working to provide extra protection to various LGBTQ businesses across town.
Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva, who represents the area, issued a statement condemning the act of violence, which appears to have been at least in part motivated by homophobia.
“I am disgusted and deeply saddened to learn of a targeted act of hate and the cold-blooded murder of two members of our LGBTQIA+ community, Vincent Siqueiros and Cameron Capara, at the Venture-N bar in Tucson last night. This horrific attack is a painful reminder that even in welcoming communities like Tucson, hate and violence against the LGBTQIA+ community still exist.”
“When that hate is combined with easy access to firearms, the consequences can be deadly. I am sick and tired of Congress refusing to lift a finger to protect our communities while, every day, dozens of people are shot and killed across the country. It does not have to be this way. The House of Representatives is returning to session this week, and our first action should be passing common-sense gun safety reforms that we know can save lives.”
Other federal lawmakers also condemned the shooting.
The Congressional Equality Caucus, which is made up of federal legislators advancing LGBTQ interests, issued a statement after news broke.
“Our hearts are with the friends and loved ones of the victims of this devastating attack outside a Tucson gay bar and with the Tucson LGBTQI+ community,” it said on X. “No one should fear violence because of who they are — and we’re going to continue fighting to build a world where no one does.”
The Human Rights Campaign, the largest LGBTQ organization in the country, released a statement following the shooting.
“We are heartbroken by the loss of Vincent Anthony Siqueiros and Cameron Davis Capara and our hearts are with their families, loved ones, and the entire Tucson LGBTQ+ community. Once again, we are reminded that gun violence robs people of their lives, destroys families, and devastates communities.”
A candlelight vigil honoring the victims is planned for Sept. 2 at 6:30 p.m. at Catalina Park in North Tucson.
Congress
HRC president campaigns for Chris Pappas in NH
Gay congressman running to succeed retiring U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen
Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson on Sunday campaigned for U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas (D-N.H.) in New Hampshire.
Robinson traveled to Manchester, the state’s largest city, nine days before the Sept. 8 primary that will determine who will vie for retiring U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.)’s seat.
We’re hitting the pavement across New Hampshire to fight for a freer, fairer future for everyone.
Glad to have Human Rights Campaign President @KelleyJRobinson join us for a canvass launch in Manchester today. pic.twitter.com/XWCEaQxy4o
— Chris Pappas (@ChrisPappasNH) August 30, 2026
Former U.S. Sen. John E. Sununu, who represented New Hampshire in the U.S. Senate from 2003-2009, will face off against former U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, who represented Massachusetts in the U.S. Senate from 2010-2013, in the Republican primary.
Karishma Manzur is among the Democrats challenging Pappas.
A poll the University of New Hampshire Survey Center released on Aug. 26 shows Sununu is ahead of Brown. The same survey shows Pappas ahead of Manzur and his other Democratic challengers.
The UNH Survey Center poll shows Sununu ahead of Pappas by a 45-43 percent margin if they were to face off in the general election. The margin of error is +/-2.1 percent.
Pappas would become the first openly gay man elected to the U.S. Senate if he were to win in November.
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