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Domi to chair Balkans Observatory Initiative

Published

2 years ago

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Tanya Domi (Photo by Harold Levine)

The Comings & Goings column is about sharing the professional successes of our community. We want to recognize those landing new jobs, new clients for their business, joining boards of organizations and other achievements. Please share your successes with us at: [email protected].

Congratulations to Tanya Domi hired by New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy to chair the Balkans Observatory Initiative. Domi said, “I am delighted to have been hired by New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy to chair the Balkans Observatory Initiative. This is a critical moment in the geopolitics of the Balkan region, which presents possibilities to support democratic efforts underway there that deserve the support of the international community. I am also thrilled to join my colleagues in Sarajevo at the Strategic Analysis Initiative, a new think tank that seeks to address security questions and challenges not only in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but in the broader Balkans region. I look forward to contributing to the work of this new, vital institute.” 

Domi is a scholar and international affairs and human rights campaign strategist. She is a Media Skills Trainer & Consultant as well as a writer/journalist. Domi is a fellow at the Center for the Study of the Holocaust, Genocide, and Crimes Against Humanity, with the Ralph Bunche Institute for International Studies, the Graduate Center, CUNY, and Alliance for Peacebuilding. She hosts “The Peace: We Build It!” a podcast for the Alliance. 

Previously, she worked as an adjunct lecturer for Contemporary Global LGBTQ Human Rights with the Hunter College, Roosevelt Public Policy Institute. She was Harriman Institute Faculty Fellow at the Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs. Among other positions she has held, since 2013 Domi is an Asylum Consultant for LGBTI persons from the Balkans seeking asylum in the United States.

Domi has won many awards and has many publications to her name. She has been a guest lecturer at Columbia, Duke, Harvard, New York University, and the U.S. Army War College, among others institutions.

Congratulations also to Robert Conner on his award as Media Relations Titan, from PR News. It is awarded to communicators who have worked tirelessly to build strong relationships with journalists and influencers through all channels, including social networks, or succeeded at repositioning a brand through media outreach. 

 “I am honored to be named to the PR News, People of the Year list, as a Media Relations Titan,” Conner said. “My work as the media relations manager of Scott Circle Communications allows me to advise national organizations on how to effectively communicate about timely issues such as health care access, pending legislation, and cutting-edge research. This past year, I paid particular attention to the issues affecting the LGBTQ community during Pride month. I was able to offer expert commentary through interviews in Forbes and Psychology Today, and I published LGBTQ communication guidelines through bylines in PR News and PR Daily. I remain passionate about the power of the media to elevate the voices of historically marginalized communities and to inspire changes in law and public policy.”

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Virginia

Walkinshaw wins Democratic primary in Va. 11th Congressional District

Special election winner will succeed Gerry Connolly

Published

4 hours ago

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July 1, 2025

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James Walkinshaw(Photo public domain)

On Saturday, Fairfax County Supervisor James Walkinshaw won the Democratic primary for the special election that will determine who will represent Virginia’s 11th Congressional District.

The special election is being held following the death of the late Congressman Gerry Connolly, who represented the district from 2008 until 2024, when he announced his retirement, and subsequently passed away from cancer in May.

Walkinshaw is not unknown to Virginia’s 11th District — he has served on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors since 2020 and had served as Connolly’s chief of staff from 2009 to 2019. Before he passed away, Connolly had endorsed Walkinshaw to take his place, claiming that choosing Walkinshaw to be his chief of staff was “one of the best decisions I ever made.”

The Democratic nominee has run his campaign on mitigating Trump’s “dangerous” agenda of dismantling the federal bureaucracy, which in the district is a major issue as many of the district’s residents are federal employees and contractors.

“I’m honored and humbled to have earned the Democratic nomination for the district I’ve spent my career serving,” Walkinshaw said on X. “This victory was powered by neighbors, volunteers, and supporters who believe in protecting our democracy, defending our freedoms, and delivering for working families.”

In addition to protecting federal workers, Walkinshaw has a long list of progressive priorities — some of which include creating affordable housing, reducing gun violence, expanding immigrant protections, and “advancing equality for all” by adding sexual orientation and gender identity to the Fair Housing Act.

Various democratic PACs contributed more than $2 million to Walkinshaw’s ad campaigns, much of which touted his connection to Connolly.

Walkinshaw will face Republican Stewart Whitson in the special election in September, where he is the likely favorite to win.

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Maryland

LGBTQ suicide prevention hotline option is going away. Here’s where else to go in Md.

Changes will take effect July 17

Published

8 hours ago

on

July 1, 2025

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(Bigstock photo by Mihailo K)

By ANNA RUBENSTEIN | The national suicide prevention hotline will no longer offer specialized support to LGBTQ people, starting July 17, the Trump administration announced last week.

Dialing the hotline at 988 will still be available for crisis support. But callers will no longer be able to reach specific LGBTQ services by pressing Option 3. The change worries advocates because their data shows the LGBTQ community has a disproportionally high suicide rate.

Even after the option ends, here’s how to receive tailored support if you’re in Maryland.

The rest of this article can be found on the Baltimore Banner’s website.

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Maryland

Silver Spring holds annual Pride In The Plaza

‘Today means inclusion. It means to build resilience’

Published

1 day ago

on

June 30, 2025

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A scene from Pride in the Plaza in Silver Spring, Md. on Sunday. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Silver Spring’s annual Pride in the Plaza event took place on Sunday to celebrate the LGBTQ community and emphasize inclusion and resilience.

“Today means inclusion. It means to build resilience, love,” Robyn Woods, program and outreach director for Live In Your Truth, which organized the event, said. “I mean, just being surrounded by the community and so many great entrepreneurs, business owners, and just being a part of this whole rainbow coalition that we call the LGBTQIA to be about.”

With the event being her first time organizing for Live In Your Truth, Woods said she felt emotional to see the support and love at the event.

“Some people (are) bringing out their children, their babies, their grandparents,” Woods said. “It’s a lot more allies here than anything else. That type of support to me means so much more than just support from my community; just outside support, inside support, so much support around it, so much love. Everyone’s smiling outside, helping each other.” 

Attendees of the event were able to head over to the Family Fun Zone, an air-conditioned Pride Cool Down Lounge, or watch live drag performances in the main stage area. 

Along with entertainment and a shaved-ice stand, rows of information tables stood along the plaza, including FreeState Justice, the Washington Spirit, Trans Maryland, Moco Pride Center, and the Heartwood Program, an organization that offers support, therapy, education, and resources to the LGBTQ community. 

“I want people to know about our services, and I love what we have to offer,” Jessica Simon, psychotherapist for Heartwood Program’s Gender Wellness Clinic, said. “I (also) want to be part of a celebration with the community, and so it feels good to be here with other people who have something they want to give to the community.”

She added that within today’s political climate, to which she called an “antidote to shame,” it’s important to be celebrating Pride. 

“There’s a lot of demonization of LGBTQI people,” Siena Iacuvazzi, facilitator for Maryland Trans Unity, said. “(Pride) is part of the healing process.” 

Iacuvazzi said she was taught to be ashamed of who she was growing up, but being a part of a community helped her flourish in the future. 

“I was taught how to hate myself. I was taught that I was an abomination to God,” she said. “But being a community is like understanding that there are people who have experienced the same thing, and they’re flourishing. They’re flourishing because they’re willing to stand up for themselves as human beings and discover themselves and understand what’s true for themselves.”

She added that Pride allows for a mutual understanding to take place. 

“It’s more of a sense of belonging … and just taking that home and understanding you’re not alone,” Iacuvazzi said. “We’re each taking our own journey — we’re not putting that on each other. It’s just walking away with a sense of belonging and humanity.”

Similar to Iacuvazzi, Woods said she hopes attendees’ biggest takeaways would be family, fun, resilience, and pride. 

“Being proud of yourself, being happy for who you are, and representation and how much it matters,” she continued. “And I think all these young people that are walking around here get to see versions of themselves, but older. They get to see so many different lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual people that are successful, that are showing love, that care, and it’s not how we’re portrayed in the media. It’s lovely to see it out here. (It’s) like we’re one big old, happy family.”

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