Local
D.C. LGBTQ Harris-Walz group seeks volunteers for phone bank
A local group of volunteers organized by gay D.C. State Board of Education member Allister Chang is working with the Kamala Harris presidential campaign to operate a twice-weekly phone bank through which LGBTQ volunteers call voters in swing states to urge them to turn out to vote and to vote for Harris and Tim Walz.
Called Out For Harris-Walz DC, the group’s volunteers assemble each Wednesday between 6-8 p.m. at the Woman’s National Democratic Club at 1526 New Hampshire Ave., N.W., and each Saturday from 2-4 p.m. at the Human Rights Campaign headquarters at 1640 Rhode Island Ave., N.W. where the phone bank operation takes place.
Chang, who is running unopposed for re-election this year for his Ward 2 school board seat, said he and others who helped him organize the Out for Harris-Walz DC phone bank effort did so because they want to do all they can to help the Harris-Walz ticket win in what election experts say is a race too close to call against GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump.
With D.C.’s three electoral votes certain to go to Harris with D.C.’s overwhelmingly Democratic electorate, Chang said he and his fellow volunteers want to help the Harris-Walz campaign win in the key battleground or swing states that are expected to decide the winner on Nov. 5.
“One of the things I’m most proud of is that the vast majority of people who are joining this, including myself, are first-time volunteers for a national campaign,” Chang said. “And I think that’s also representative of the responsibility we feel at this time to do something to make a difference,” he said, especially since the outcome of the presidential election is expected to have a major impact on the LGBTQ community.
Chang told the Washington Blade that about 15 volunteers turned out on Oct. 2 at the Woman’s National Democratic Club for the launching of the Out for Harris-Walz DC phone banking. He said about 15 turned out on Saturday, Oct. 5, for the kickoff of the group’s phone banking at the HRC building.
Through a social media promotional campaign, Chang said about 50 LGBTQ volunteers turned out to do the phone banking this past Saturday, Oct. 12, at the HRC location. Amazingly, he said 261 people have signed up through an online site to do the phone banking this Wednesday, Oct. 16, at the Woman’s National Democratic Club.
According to Chang, the Harris campaign and the Democratic National Committee have provided a high-tech platform using the online site called Mobilize to give instructions on how to make the phone calls though the volunteers’ own cell phones and through use of their own laptops, which volunteers are asked to bring with them.
Although volunteers use their own phones, the calls go through a campaign connection that uses a different phone number, not the caller’s number, Chang said. He said volunteers are also given a script to read to voters they call before engaging in a dialogue with the voters.
“They’re not necessarily Democrats,” Chang said of the voters that he and other volunteers have been calling. “All of us have spoken to a bunch of folks who are undecided, who are Trump supporters as well as supporters of Harris-Walz,” he said. “And the opportunity for us is to really engage.”
Chang noted that Out for Harris-Walz DC is being supported by the D.C. gay bars Number 9, JR’s, and Crush, among other things, by their hosting gatherings for the volunteers. He said Number 9 is offering a complimentary drink for the volunteers after they finish their phone banking on Saturdays at the HRC building.
Out for Harris-Walz DC is urging LGBTQ community members to turn out to volunteer for the phone banking in the remaining total of six days on Wednesdays and Saturdays before the Nov. 5 election through these signup links: events.democrats.org/event/704929/ and events.democrats.org/event/714458.
Rehoboth Beach
Rehoboth Summer Kickoff Party set for May 15 with Ashley Biden
The Washington Blade’s 19th annual Summer Kickoff Party is scheduled for Friday, May 15 in Rehoboth Beach, Del.
Ashley Biden, daughter of President Joe Biden, has joined the list of speakers, the Blade announced. She will accept an award on behalf of her brother Beau Biden for his LGBTQ advocacy work as Delaware attorney general. (Her appearance was rescheduled from last year.)
The event, to be held this year at Diego’s (37298 Rehoboth Ave. Ext.) from 5-7 p.m., is a fundraiser for the Blade Foundation’s Steve Elkins Memorial Fellowship in Journalism, which funds a summer position reporting on LGBTQ news in Delaware. This year’s recipient will be introduced at the event.
The event will also feature remarks from state Rep. Claire Snyder-Hall. New CAMP Rehoboth Executive Director Dr. Robin Brennan and Blade editor Kevin Naff will also speak. The event is generously sponsored by Realtor Justin Noble, The Avenue Inn & Spa, and Diego’s.
A suggested donation of $25 is partially tax deductible and includes a drink ticket and light appetizers. Tickets are available in advance at bladefoundation.org/rehoboth or at the door.
District of Columbia
Curve magazine honors Washington Blade publisher
Lynne Brown named to 2026 Power List
Washington Blade Publisher Lynne Brown has been named to the 2026 Curve Power List celebrating LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary individuals in North America who are blazing trails in their chosen fields.
“From sports and entertainment icons to corporate leaders and lawmakers, these individuals are breaking barriers, challenging norms, and shaping the future,” Curve Foundation/Curve magazine said in announcing this year’s list, which includes ABC newscaster Robin Roberts, comedian/actress Hannah Einbinder, and singer/actress Renee Rapp, among others.
Brown has worked for the Washington Blade for nearly 40 years. She was named publisher in 2007 before becoming a co-owner in 2010.
“I am honored to be recognized by Curve magazine during Lesbian Visibility Week,” Brown said. “Receiving this Curve honor is twofold. I was an early subscriber to Curve. I enjoy the product and know its history. Its journalism, layout and humorous features have inspired me.
“As an owner/publisher, receiving recognition from a similar source acknowledges my work and efforts, with a sincerity I truly appreciate. Franco Stevens, the publisher of Curve, is a business person of duration, experience, and purpose. The fact that they are in the media business, and honoring me and my publication makes it a tiny bit sweeter.”
Nominations for the Curve Power List come from the community: peers, mentors, fans, and employers.
Curve explained the significance of the list in its announcement: “An annual, publicly nominated list of impactful LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary changemakers is crucial in current times to counter discrimination, legislative rollbacks, hostility, and the invisibility of queer women within mainstream and marginal spaces and endeavors. Such a list also fosters encouragement and solidarity, and elevates voices and achievements—from high-profile roles to under appreciated areas of life.”
Rehoboth Beach
Auction of Rehoboth’s Blue Moon canceled
Details on sale of iconic bar, restaurant not disclosed
The Blue Moon in Rehoboth Beach, Del., has been an iconic presence in the local LGBTQ community for four decades but its status remains murky after a sheriff’s auction of the property was abruptly called off on Tuesday.
The property was listed for sale in December. At that time, owner Tim Ragan told the Blade that he is committed to preserving its legacy as a gay-friendly space.
“We had no idea the interest this would create,” Ragan said in December. “I guess I was a little naive about that.”
Ragan explained that he and longtime partner Randy Haney were separating the real estate from the business. The two buildings associated with the sale were listed by Carrie Lingo at 35 Baltimore Ave., and include an apartment, the front restaurant (6,600 square feet with three floors and a basement), and a secondary building (roughly 1,800 square feet on two floors). They were listed for $4.5 million.
The bar and restaurant business is being sold separately; the price was not publicly disclosed.
But then, earlier this year, the Blue Moon real estate listing turned up on the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office auction site. The auction was slated for Tuesday, April 21 but hours before the sale, the listing changed to “active under contract” indicating that a buyer has been found but the sale is not yet final. As of Wednesday morning, the listing has been removed from the sheriff’s auction site.
Ragan didn’t respond to Blade inquiries about the auction. Back in December, he told the Blade, “It’s time to look for the next people who can continue the history of the Moon and cultivate the next chapter,” noting that he turns 70 this year. “We’re not panicked; we separated the building from the business. Some buyers can’t afford both.”
The identity of the buyer was not disclosed, nor was the sale price.
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