District of Columbia
Black LGBTQ lawmakers, activists protest outside Nigerian embassy
Release of those arrested at same-sex wedding among demands

Black LGBTQ lawmakers from D.C. and Maryland joined activists in front of the Nigerian Embassy in Northwest Washington on Tuesday to condemn last month’s arrest of more than 200 people at a same-sex wedding in the country’s Delta state.
Police officers on Aug. 28 stormed a hotel in Ekpan, a town that is roughly 250 miles south-southeast of Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital and largest city, where the wedding was taking place. Authorities “paraded” dozens of those who were arrested in front of journalists who were at a police station.
“What we saw with the recent arrest and detention is not just a violation of people’s rights with this unjust arrest, but the parading of LGBTQIA+ folks before the media as if Nigerian law enforcement officials have actually accomplished some sort of a public safety measure,” said Maryland state Del. Gabriel Acevero (D-Montgomery County), who is the first openly gay man of Afro-Latino descent elected to the Maryland General Assembly. “Let’s be clear: LGBTQIA+ folks, queer Nigerians are not a threat to Nigerian identity or national security, but Boko Haram is.”
Boko Haram is an Islamic extreme group that has killed tens of thousands of people in northeastern Nigeria since it launched a violent insurgency in 2009.
National Black Justice Coalition Public Policy and Programs Director Victoria Kirby York noted she is of Nigerian descent and said she has “not gone to Nigeria because I am frightened as a Black openly lesbian person that I may find myself detained.”
“We are here today to demand that Nigeria releases these detainees and drop the charges,” said York.
Nigeria is among the countries in which consensual same-sex sexual relations remain criminalized. Homosexuality remains punishable by death in areas of the country that are under Sharia law.
Then-President Goodluck Jonathan in 2014 signed the Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Act that, among other things, punishes those who enter into a same-sex marriage with up to 14 years in prison and bans membership in an LGBTQ advocacy group.
Police in Delta state in November 2015 arrested 21 men who allegedly engaged in same-sex sexual activity. Authorities in the city of Ikorodu in July 2017 arrested 42 men who were attending an HIV awareness event.
“We are here today because we have heavy hearts addressing a pressing issue that demands our immediate attention,” said Maryland state Del. Ashanti Martinez, who is also Afro-Latino and the first openly gay man to represent Prince George’s County in the House of Delegates. “Nigeria, a nation with immense potential and cultural richness is currently taking a stance to contradicts the principles of equality and human rights.”
“We’re here to protest Nigeria’s anti LGBTQ policy, and urge for change,” added the Prince George’s County Democrat. “We’re here to demand that Nigeria release all the detainees and drop all the charges because in a world that is increasingly recognizing the importance of diversity and inclusion, Nigeria discriminatory laws against the LGBT community remain a stain on his reputation. These laws not only perpetuate prejudice, but also infringe upon the fundamental human rights of countless individuals.”
Prince George’s County Council member Krystal Oriadha, who is bisexual, noted her father was born in Kenya.
She dismissed the idea that homosexuality is a Western concept.
“The notion is that this is a white American imperialistic viewpoint and values that are trying to be imposed on these cultures is not true,” said Oriadha. “That notion alone ignores the existence, the mere existence of their own people in their own communities.”

Zachary Parker, who is the first Black gay man elected to the D.C. City Council, in his remarks noted Nigeria is one of many countries in which anti-LGBTQ crackdowns are taking place. The Ward 5 council member also highlighted discrimination and violence based on gender identity and sexual orientation also remain problems in D.C. and across the U.S.
“We know, sadly, is that we’re today protesting Nigeria; but we can also protest Pakistan, we can go protest Jamaica and Haiti and a host of other countries around the globe where Black queer people are being prosecuted or being killed,” said Parker. “Even here in our own country, where Black trans people are being hunted on our streets, or have gone missing without even a notice, where there are bans on books, there are bans and our oppressive policies against our bodies, even here in the nation’s capital where we have work to do.”
District of Columbia
Pepco, Exelon announce $2.7 million in funding for four minority-owned businesses
āItās good business sense to bring more people to the tableā

Pepco and Exelon announced a $2.7 million investment in four minority-owned businesses on Friday.
āTodayās been a long time coming,ā said Pepco Vice President of Governmental and External Affairs Valencia McClure.
Pepcoās parent company, Exelon, launched the Racial Equity Capital Fund (RECF) in 2022 to expand capital access to diverse businesses. This latest $2.7 million investment is just a portion of RECFās $36 million in funding.
At the announcement, D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser spoke about the other ways Pepco and Exelon have āput their money where their mouth isā through their partnership with the D.C. Infrastructure Academy. She reported that all 22 of the residents that graduated from the program last week have a job offer from Pepco.
āWe know that is not just a job, but a career,ā she said to the crowdās applause. āWe know that working together, we can invest in D.C. residents, provide opportunity, and ensure that our D.C. businesses are a part of D.C.ās growing prosperity.ā
The four minority businesses that received funding were Gemini Energy Solutions, Public Sector Solutions Group, CJR Development Partners, and Escalate.
āItās good business sense to bring more people to the table,ā said fund recipient Nicole Cober, CJR Developmentās Principle Managing Partner.
Gemini Energy Solutions, which is Black owned, received $1 million, the most of the four companies. Its mission is to equitably scale energy efficiency to marginalized communities. For the founder and CEO Anthony Kinslow II, this investment means that he is able to get paid and advance the work of his organization.
āWe are now able to accelerate the work in our software and technology development,ā he said. āWhat we were going to do in two years, we are now going to do in six months.ā
For Escalate, a workforce development platform focused on frontline worker retention, the funding means that it will be able to double the pay for frontline workers.
Public Sector Solutions Group CEO Darryl Wiggins emphasized that this investment was not just ācharityā work, but mission-driven work.
āThe principle and the intent is greater than the money we receive,ā he said. Public Sector Solutions is Black owned.
Public Sector Solutions Group received a $600,000 debt investment; CJR Development, a minority and woman-owned small business, received a $600,000 debt investment; and Escalate, a majority Black and woman-owned company, received a $500,000 equity investment.
Exelon launched the RECF in partnership with RockCreek, one of the world’s largest diverse-owned global investment firms, in 2022. The RECF expands capital access to diverse businesses so they can create more jobs, grow their companies and reinvest in their neighborhoods and communities, according to a statement from Exelon.
New RECF applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Interested businesses may apply online or contact RockCreek at [email protected] for more information.

District of Columbia
AIDS Healthcare Foundation celebrates opening of new D.C. healthcare center
Ribbon-cutting marks launch of state-of-the-art facility on Capitol Hill

The AIDS Healthcare Foundation, the world’s largest HIV/AIDS healthcare organization with its headquarters in Los Angeles, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sept. 27 to mark the official opening of its Capitol Hill Healthcare Center.
The new center, which AHF describes as a state-of-the-art facility for the holistic care and treatment of people with HIV as well as a site for HIV prevention and primary care services, is located at 650 Pennsylvania Ave., S.E. a half block away from the Eastern Market Metro station.
A statement released by AHF says the Capitol Hill Healthcare Center will continue AHFās ongoing delivery of ācutting-edge medical care and services to patients regardless of insurance status or ability to pay.ā The statement adds, āThe site also features a full-service AHF Pharmacy and will host Wellness Center services on Saturdays to offer STI testing and treatment.ā
The statement was referring to the testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections. The D.C. Department of Health has said the highest number of STIs in the city have been reported for men who have sex with men.
Mike McVicker, AHFās Regional Director for its D.C., Maryland, and Virginia facilities, said the Capitol Hill center began taking patients in October of 2021 as AHF transferred its operations from its facility on Benning Road, N.E. about two miles from the Capitol Hill site. McVicker said the Benning Road site has now been closed.
AHFās second D.C. medical center is located downtown at 2141 K St., N.W. AHF operates three other extended D.C.-area health care centers in Falls Church, Va., Temple Hills, Md. and Baltimore.
āOur Capitol Hill Healthcare Center has no waiting room, so patients immediately are escorted to treatment rooms and serviced from a centrally located provider workstation,ā McVicker said. āThe goal is to maximize efficiency using this patient-centered model to improve health outcomes and increase retention in care.ā
McVicker told the Blade the AHF Capitol Hill center is currently serving 585 patients and has a staff of 10, including Dr. Conor Grey, who serves as medical director. He said a separate team of five staffers operates the Saturday walk-in center that provides STI services as well as services related to the HIV prevention medication known as PrEP.
āIām very excited to be a part of this team,ā Dr. Grey said at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, which was held in a courtyard outside the Capitol Hill office building where the AHF center is located. About 50 people, including D.C. government officials, attended the event.
āThis is a beautiful thing to celebrate,ā Grey said. āSo, Iām very happy to enjoy the day with all of you, and looking forward to a bright, productive future working together and fighting a common enemy that has unfortunately been with us.ā
Others who spoke at the event included Tom Myers, AHFās Chief of Public Affairs and General Counsel; Toni Flemming, Supervisory Public Health Analyst and Field Operations Manager for the D.C. Department of Healthās HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, STD, and Tuberculosis Administration (HAHSTA), and Dr. Christie Olejeme, Public Health Analyst for HAHSTAās Care and Treatment Division.
Also speaking at the event was Japer Bowles, director of D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowserās Office of LGBTQ Affairs.
Bowles called the AHF Capitol Hill center āanother pivotal resourceā for the LGBTQ community as well as for the city.
āWe know, as has been previously stated, a low-barrier HIV prevention support is pivotal to the mayorās mission of eliminating HIV infections in the District of Columbia and the region,ā Bowles told the gathering.
āSo, Iām very excited to see more services specifically provided to those in the Southeast and Northeast quadrants of our District,ā he said, referring to the AHF Capitol Hill center. āThis is a great moment for our community, but also for D.C. as a whole.ā
In its statement released this week announcing the official opening of the Capitol Hill Center AHF notes that currently, 11,904 D.C. residents, or 1.8 percent of the population, are living with HIV. It points out that HIV disproportionately impacts Black residents, who make up about 44 percent of the population but comprise nearly three-quarters of the cityās HIV cases.
AHF official Myers said the Capitol Hill center will join its other D.C.-area facilities in addressing the issue of racial disparities related to HIV.
āOur treatment model helps eliminate barriers for those already in care, those who may not know their HIV status, and those living with HIV who may not currently be in care,ā he said.
AHF says in its statement that it currently operates more than 900 healthcare centers around the world in 45 countries including 17 U.S. states. It has more than 1.7 million people in care, according to the statement. Founded in 1987, the organization has also taken on the role of public advocacy for federal and local government programs in the U.S. to address the HIV/AIDS epidemic, including efforts to lower the costs of HIV drugs.
During its work in the late 1980s and early 1990s AHF emerged as a strong advocate for addressing the special needs of gay and bisexual men who were hit hardest by HIV/AIDS at the start of the epidemic.
District of Columbia
Georgetown University hosts panel on transgender, nonbinary issues
Lawmakers from Mont., Okla. among panelists

A panel on transgender and nonbinary issues took place at Georgetown University on Tuesday.
The panel included Montana state Rep. Zooey Zephyr and her fiancƩe, journalist Erin Reed, who are both trans, and nonbinary Oklahoma state Rep. Mauree Turner. Charlotte Clymer was also on the panel that Amanda Phillips, a nonbinary Georgetown professor, moderated.
The panel began with a discussion about anti-trans laws that have been enacted across the country.
Reed said the Alliance Defending Freedom and the American Principles Project developed a strategy in response to North Carolina’s now repealed law that banned trans people from using public restrooms consistent with their gender identity.
They focused on states that are more ābusiness-friendly and therefore harder to boycott, and started with sports. Reed said bans on gender-segregated sports put an āasterisk on [trans] identityā that made further attacks possible.
Clymer spoke on attitudes towards trans policies.
She referenced a survey that asked Americans if they supported nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ individuals. Around 75 percent of respondents, including almost half of Republicans, said yes. Clymer said the next question that asked if such protections exist concerns her.
Roughly half of respondents said yes.
While there are two U.S. Supreme Court rulings ā Obergefell and Bostock ā that extended marriage rights to same-sex couples and employment protections to LGBTQ people respectively, Clymer noted there are no federal protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Turner and Zephyr spoke about being censured for defending trans rights.
Oklahoma lawmakers in March censured Turner after they refused to turn into the authorities a trans person who had allegedly assaulted a state trooper.
Turner said in Oklahoma, where there is no public debate, and politicians are openly anti-trans, residents are fighting against an āapatheticā and āheinousā legislature. On the topic of activism, they said being a ātruth teller,ā and saying āabsolutely notā is āwhat got [them] censured.ā
Zephyrās censure was in April after she criticized a bill to restrict gender-affirming health care in Montana. The protests that followed stemmed from trans issues, but Zepher said they were about much more.
āThe protests […] were about recognizing that when you silence a legislator, you take away representation from their constituents,” she said. “That fight became a larger fight about democracy.āĀ

The panelists talked about mental health and addressing it.
Turner said that being the representation they needed keeps them going.
āI didnāt think I was going to make it through middle school,ā they said. āRepresentation matters for so many people […] if you can aid in being that representation, being that force that helps somebody else keep going, that is one of the most powerful experiences.ā
The panel agreed that finding community is important to mental health.
āSometimes our best activism is finding our community,ā Reed said.
The panel also spoke about queer joy and strength.
āQueer joy is the thing they canāt take away,ā Zephyr said.
Reed talked about photos of activists who were organizing before the Stonewall riots in 1969; they were smiling and enjoying their community.
āThe queer story is a story of not just surviving in the margins but thriving in the margins,ā Reed said.
Turner added ātrans lives arenāt just lives worth fighting for, they are lives worth living.ā
A self-described “journalist” who didn’t identify himself or his outlet asked the panel, “What is a woman?” Clymer turned the question back to him, and he said it “comes down to genetics.”
Clymer began to explain that chromosomes donāt always define sex. The audience member began to argue and ignored an event organizer who was asking him to leave. Security promptly escorted him out.
Reed continued Clymerās point that even biological sex is difficult to define.
āLast year, 15 different state legislators tried to define sex, did you know that none of them managed to do so in a way that was scientifically correct?ā
The panelists also offered advice to allies.
Clymer said treading about trans issues and being informed about them is a great start.
āYouāve got to step up,ā she said.
Turner said allyship goes beyond relationships, and into the realm of being uncomfortable.
āAllyship is synonymous with action and moving forward,ā they said.
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