News
Comcast NBCUniversal Partners with News is Out and Word In Black to Launch Fellowship Program that Highlights Black and LGBTQ+ Issues
Digital Equity Local Voices Lab Fellows to be Placed at 16 Local Publications to Receive Training and Create Content
News is Out, a queer media collaborative of six of the nation’s legendary LGBTQ+ publications, and Word In Black, a collaborative of ten of the nation’s legendary Black publishers, are joining Comcast NBCUniversal for a groundbreaking initiative: The Digital Equity Local Voices Lab. Through Project UP, Comcast’s $1 billion commitment to advance digital equity and economic opportunities, the company is donating more than $1 million to launch this first-of-its-kind Lab that supports coverage of Black and LGBTQ+- topics in the media and supports emerging journalists with a passion for reporting on issues of importance to these communities.
Together, the three organizations will work to shed light on issues within marginalized communities across 16 news publications with the training and resources needed to tell these stories through media and technology and celebrate the work being done by Black and LGBTQ+ leaders in their communities.
“Word In Black is looking forward to working with our colleagues at News is Out and Comcast NBCUniversal on this groundbreaking fellowship program,” said Chris Bennett, publisher of the Seattle Medium and member of the Word In Black collaboration. “Uplifting the voices of journalists and publishers who are dedicated to covering Black and LGBTQ+ stories is vital to the future of inclusive media.”
Specifically, the Lab will elevate Black and LGBTQ+ perspectives through content creation and content sharing with NBCUniversal and NBCU Academy during a year-long fellowship program that places 16 fellows at the 16 participating news organizations.
Fellows will be part of a cohort that receives best practices and learnings from journalists and media professionals at News is Out, Word In Black, and NBCUniversal. They will also report on stories of Black and LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs and creatives in their communities, share training and resources on using technology more in their daily lives, report on policy related to access to technology and connectivity, and share the work being done to advance digital equity.
“As a Black queer woman, I know the impact of empowering and elevating Black and LGBTQ+ voices,” said Eboné F. Bell, publisher of Tagg Magazine. “This project gives us an opportunity to instill a great amount of knowledge and experience in fellows who can help amplify the voice of these communities in the media industry.”
The Local Media Foundation (LMF) will manage the fellowship and Lab and facilitate content creation to reach diverse audiences between the 16 publishers and Comcast NBCUniversal. Word In Black and News is Out are collaboratives that were launched by LMF.
“Comcast is proud to launch this important initiative with the Local Media Foundation, News is Out, and Word In Black to empower a new generation of journalists and media professionals ” said Anzio Williams, SVP of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at NBCUniversal Local. “Ensuring that the stories and perspectives of underrepresentedcommunities are featured in the media by dedicated, trained and resourced journalists is at the heart of Project UP’s and NBCU Academy’s mission. We look forward to seeing these journalists grow in their career and influence.”
Applications are open to anyone with a passion for covering communities of color and/or LGBTQ+ issues. To learn more and apply, visit this link.
The 16 participating publications are:
- AFRO News (Baltimore): Founded in 1892,AFRO provides readers with good news about the Black community not otherwise found. The AFRO and its talented team of journalists have won numerous awards, including NNPA newspaper of the year in 2022, and was named the Nation’s # 1 African American Newspaper by Essence-Nielsen Consumer Survey.
- The Atlanta Voice(Atlanta):The Atlanta Voice has been serving the metropolitan Atlanta community for more than 58 years. Birthed out of the Civil Rights movement as a trusted, authentic, fact and community driven media outlet for Black Atlanta. The publication’s motto is “A People Without A Voice Cannot be Heard”.
- Bay Area Reporter (San Francisco): Launched in 1971, this weekly newspaper is one of the oldest and a pioneer in LGBTQ+ media.
- Dallas Voice (Dallas): The premier media source for LGBTQ Texas, publishing every Friday since 1984.
- Dallas Weekly (Dallas): Since 1954, Dallas Weekly has been at the epicenter of all things African American in north Texas, one of the country’s fastest-growing regions.
- Houston Defender (Houston): Since 1930, the Houston Defender Network has been “Raising Black Voices” as we Educate, Entertain and Empower the Greater Houston Black Community.
- Michigan Chronicle (Detroit) The Michigan Chronicle is a news, information, and events company that covers the interests of the African American community. Leaders and readers in metropolitan Detroit look to the Michigan Chronicle to stay informed about issues that impact their lives.
- New York Amsterdam News (New York City): Started more than a century ago, with a $10 investment, New York Amsterdam News has gone on to become one of the most important Black newspapers in the country and today remains one of the most influential Black-owned and -operated media businesses in the nation, if not the world.
- Philadelphia Gay News (Philadelphia): The largest and oldest publication targeting the LGBTQ+ community, started in 1976.
- The Sacramento Observer (Sacramento): Established in 1962, The Sacramento Observer has been one of the most decorated publications in the history of the Black Press.
- Seattle Medium (Seattle): Founded on January 15, 1970, The Seattle Medium is the flagship publication of Tiloben Publishing Co., Inc. – the largest minority-owned and operated communications company in the Pacific Northwest, serving the Seattle, Tacoma and Portland Markets – and is the primary source of news that residents of Seattle read to stay informed regarding issues and events that affect and enhance the quality of life in African American community.
- The St. Louis American (St. Louis):Since 1928, The St. Louis American newspaper remains Black-owned and has emergedas the leading, most trusted voice of the area’s African American community.
- Tagg Magazine (National): This award-winning and Black queer, woman-owned publication, founded in 2012, is committed to uplifting the voices of all LGBTQ+ women across the country. Tagg was created to serve “everything lesbian, queer, and under the rainbow.”
- Washington Blade (Washington, D.C.): This weekly publication is the oldest LGBTQ+ newspaper in the U.S. It was launched in 1969.
- The Washington Informer (Washington, D.C.): Founded the paper in 1964, this weekly, women-owned media company serves as the link to the African American community in the D.C. metropolitan area.
- Windy City Times (Chicago): Founded in 1985, this legacy LGBTQ+ newspaper and website covers Chicago and its suburbs.
District of Columbia
How Pepper the courthouse dog helps victims of abuse
Reshaping how the legal system balances compassion with procedure
Deborah Kelly’s blind husband, Alton, was dragged for blocks to his death by a hit-and-run driver who had already plowed into her on Alabama Ave., S.E., in June 2024.
But her trauma had only just begun. It took 10 months before the driver, Kenneth Trice, Jr., was arrested, and another six months before he was sentenced to just six months behind bars.
As she heaved and sobbed in the courtroom in November, Kelly had a steady four-legged presence by her side: Pepper the Courthouse Dog, as the black Labrador retriever is known in D.C. Superior Court.
Abby Stavitsky, a former federal prosecutor who now serves as a victims’ advocate, is the owner and handler of nine-year-old Pepper. She says that one of the things that has made Pepper such a great asset in the court in the past six years is the emotional support and comfort she provides to victims.
“She absorbs all of the feelings and the emotions around her, but she’s very good at handling it,” Stavitsky said.
Pepper and Stavitsky started working in Magistrate Judge Mary Grace Rook’s courtroom — and now works in Magistrate Judge Janet Albert’s — to provide support for youth who suffer trauma, especially young survivors of commercial sexual exploitation.
These specially trained dogs offer emotional support to trauma victims of all ages. Courthouse dogs can reduce victims’ and witnesses’ anxiety and stress, making it easier for them to provide clear statements in the courtroom, according to a 2019 report in the Criminal Justice Review.
“Having something to pet and interact with is a distraction that results in victims being calmer when testifying in court,” says Stavitsky. “This gives them an extra level of comfort.”
What brought Stavitsky and Pepper together
Stavitsky, who spent 25 years as an assistant U.S attorney, handled a lot of victim-based crimes, mostly domestic violence and sex offenses. She was also a dog lover, and once she learned about courthouse dogs and their use, she was inspired.
In 2019, Pepper was given to Stavitsky by a Massachusetts-based organization, NEADS, formerly known as the National Education for Assistance Dog Services. Although Pepper was originally trained to be a service dog, evaluators determined her character was best suited for a courthouse dog.
Pepper now works regularly in various treatment court cases involving juveniles, many of whom have experienced trauma or are involved in the child welfare system. She also sits with victims while they are testifying in a trial.
“She loves people, especially children,” Stavitsky said. “She loves that interaction.”
Courthouse dogs have a long history
In courthouses across the U.S. specially trained “facility dogs” are becoming an important part of how the justice system supports vulnerable victims and witnesses.
Since the late 1980s, these dogs were used to help trauma survivors and anxious children during testimonies and interviews. The first dog to make an appearance in a courtroom was Sheba, a German shepherd who assisted child sexual abuse victims in the Queens (N.Y.) District Attorney’s Office. Courthouse dogs help them communicate more clearly, especially in these settings that make them anxious and stressed.
Unlike service dogs, courthouse facility dogs are professionally trained through accredited assistance dog organizations and work daily alongside prosecutors, victim advocates, and forensic interviewers. For example, courthouse dogs can have more social interaction, unlike service dogs.
Courthouse dogs’ growing use has prompted state laws and professional guidelines to recognize the dogs as a trauma-informed tool that helps victims participate in the justice process without compromising courtroom fairness.
As more jurisdictions adopt these programs, courthouse dogs are reshaping how the legal system balances compassion with procedure, ensuring that victims’ voices can be heard in environments that might otherwise silence them.
Pepper makes it easy to see why.
“I really love people, especially kids, and can provide emotional support and comfort during all stages of the court process,” reads the business card Stavitsky hands out with Pepper’s picture. “I’m calm, quiet and can stay in place for several hours.”
(This article was written by a student in the journalism program at Bard High School Early College DC. This work is part of a partnership between the Washington Blade Foundation and Youthcast Media Group, funded through the FY26 Community Development Grant from the Office of D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser.)
Rehoboth Beach
Women’s FEST returns to Rehoboth Beach next week
Golf tournament, mini-concerts, meetups planned for silver anniversary festival
Women’s+ FEST 2026 will begin on Thursday, April 9 at CAMP Rehoboth Community Center.
The festival will celebrate a remarkable milestone in 2026: its silver anniversary. For 25 years, Women’s+ FEST has brought fun and entertainment for all those on the spectrum of the feminine spirit. There will be a variety of events including a golf tournament, mini-concerts and happy hour meetups.
For more information, visit Camp Rehoboth’s website.
Belarus
Belarusian lawmakers approve bill to crackdown on LGBTQ rights
Country’s president known as ‘Europe’s last dictator’
Lawmakers in Belarus on Thursday approved a bill that would allow the government to crack down on LGBTQ advocacy.
The Associated Press notes the bill would punish anyone found guilty of “propaganda of homosexual relations, gender change, refusal to have children, and pedophilia” with fines, community labor, and 15 days in jail.
The House of Representatives, the lower house of the Belarusian National Assembly, last month approved the bill. The Council of the Republic, which is the parliament’s upper chamber, passed it on Thursday.
President Alexander Lukashenko is expected to sign it.
Belarus borders Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Lukashenko — known as “Europe’s last dictator” is a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Kazakhstan is among the countries that have enacted Russian-style anti-LGBTQ propaganda laws in recent years.
Vika Biran, a Belarusian LGBTQ activist, is among those arrested during anti-Lukashenko protests that took place in 2020 after he declared victory in the country’s presidential election.
How Pepper the courthouse dog helps victims of abuse
Women’s FEST returns to Rehoboth Beach next week
Belarusian lawmakers approve bill to crackdown on LGBTQ rights
Calendar: April 3-9
How new barriers to health care coverage are hitting D.C.
‘Out for McDuffie’ event held at D.C. gay bar
Thousands attend ‘No Kings’ protests in D.C.
Ghanaian president welcomed to Philadelphia amid backlash over anti-LGBTQ bill
PHOTOS: ‘No Kings’ rally and march
