District of Columbia
Final push to raise funds, fill D.C. hotels as WorldPride nears
‘We would have liked to see the city fully sold out at this point’

A final push to raise money and fill D.C. hotel rooms is underway with WorldPride 2025 just over a month away.
The Capital Pride Alliance, the D.C.-based group that’s organizing WorldPride 2025 in the nation’s capital that’s scheduled to take place May 17-June 8 launched what it says is one of several fundraising campaigns in a full-page ad in the Washington Post on April 1.
With a large headline declaring, “Hate Is No Joke,” a message in the ad states, “Decades of progress in human rights are under coordinated, systematic attack. Today it’s focused on gender, sexual orientation, and race. But what’s next?”
The message then states, “Take Action. Take a stand. Donate now at WorldPrideDC.org/give.”
That site says its goal is to raise $2 million. As of April 14, the site says $12,041 had been raised from 69 donors.
In response to a request by the Washington Blade for comment on what prompted this particular fundraising campaign, Capital Pride Alliance released a statement saying the campaign was part of its ongoing effort to promote WorldPride and its multiple events.
“The Hate Is No Joke campaign is one of multiple fundraising campaigns that have been planned around the lead-up to WorldPride 2025,” the statement says. “Similar to CPA’s annual Giving Tuesday campaign and the current Taste of Pride citywide initiative, this campaign is intended to raise awareness for and funds to support WorldPride.”
The statement says the “Hate Is No Joke” campaign is being led by the local event planning company Linder Global Events, which D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser retained to work with Capital Pride Alliance in organizing WorldPride 2025.
Capital Pride Alliance Executive Director Ryan Bos told the Blade last month that CPA had set up a budget of between $15 million and $20 million for WorldPride 2025, with much of the funding coming from corporate donors. At the request of Mayor Bowser, the D.C. Council approved $5 million in city funding for WorldPride.
“And like we do every year for an organization like ours, which is event based, we do our best every year to come under budget,” Bos said in referring to the city’s annual Capital Pride celebration and events. “So, we are doing our best to save whenever we can and to ensure that we have a safe and successful WorldPride,” he said.
In its statement responding to the Blade’s inquiry about the Hate Is No Joke fundraising campaign, Capital Pride Alliance said it has learned through the international LGBTQ advocacy organization InterPride, which plays a role in organizing WorldPride events, that visitors from at least 20 countries were expected to come to D.C. for WorldPride 2025.
Among those countries were Canada, Mexico, and several others from Europe, Asia, and Africa, including Uganda and Zimbabwe, as well as India, Spain, Italy, United Kingdom, China, and Thailand.
Elliott Ferguson, president and CEO of Destination D.C., an organization that promotes tourism, visitation, and events in D.C., including events like WorldPride, said he is seeing signs that hotel reservations are increasing from visitors planning to come to D.C. for WorldPride. But he said he cannot predict whether as many as 2 million or more visitors will come as WorldPride organizers had predicted earlier this year.
At Capital Pride Alliance’s suggestion, Ferguson spoke with the Blade to address the question of whether the controversial statements and policies of President Donald Trump on world trade issues and tariffs involving longtime U.S. allies like Canada and Mexico as well as the Trump administration’s hostile policies targeting the transgender community would prompt people, especially those from foreign countries, to choose not to come to D.C. for WorldPride.
“I’m not sure,” Ferguson told the Blade in an interview. “You know, I think that’s the gray area in terms of how many people will come,” he said.
“But reservations are being made. We’re seeing more of an uptick,” he told the Blade. “And we remain optimistic as WorldPride organizers and Capital Pride organizers are really focusing on the celebration of the community that’s happening in the city,” he said.
Ferguson said he and Destination D.C. were joining WorldPride organizers in putting out the message that if people disagree with the Trump administration’s policies on LGBTQ-related issues or any other issues, they should turn out for WorldPride to protest those policies.
Capital Pride officials have pointed out that among the many events planned for WorldPride is a national LGBTQ rights march on Washington that will begin at the Lincoln Memorial and travel to the U.S. Capitol.
“There’s a lot of consternation and concern about a lot of issues that have been brought to our attention by a lot of international travelers, including those that were looking at coming for WorldPride,” Ferguson said.
“What we’ve said to them is, you know, coming to WorldPride from a global perspective focusing on freedom of speech and First Amendment rights here in the U.S. is a huge part of why you should be here,” he added.
“So, as we talk to hotels, we would have liked to see the city fully sold out at this point,” he said. “But we are seeing momentum in terms of reservations being made and people coming to Washington.”
District of Columbia
Little Gay Pub to host April 25 celebration of life for Patrick Shaw
School teacher, D.C. resident praised for ‘warmth, humor, kindness’

Co-workers and friends will hold a celebration of life for highly acclaimed schoolteacher and D.C. resident Patrick Shaw beginning at 5:30 p.m. Friday, April 25 at The Little Gay Pub 1100 P St., N.W.
Little Gay Pub co-owner and Shaw’s friend, Dusty Martinez, said Shaw passed away unexpectedly on April 19 from a heart related ailment at the age of 60.
“Patrick touched so many lives with his warmth, humor, kindness, and unmistakable spark,” Martinez said. “He was a truly special soul – funny, vibrant, sassy, and full of life and we are heartbroken by his loss.”
In an Instagram posting, Shaw’s colleagues said Shaw was a second-grade special education teacher at the J.F. Cook campus of D.C.’s Mundo Verde Bilingual Public Charter School.
“Patrick brought warmth, joy, and deep commitment to Mundo Verde,” his colleagues said in their posting. “His daily Broadway sing-alongs, vibrant outfits, and genuine love for his students filled our community with energy and laughter.”
The posted message adds, “Patrick was more than a teacher; he was a light in our school, inspiring us all to show up with heart, humor, and kindness every day. His spirit will be deeply missed.”
The Washington Blade is preparing a full obituary on Patrick Shaw to be published soon.
District of Columbia
D.C. police seek help in identifying suspect in anti-gay threats case
Victim threatened with assault, called ‘faggot’ as he left Capitals game

D.C. police are seeking help from the public in identifying a male suspect whose image was captured by a video surveillance camera after he allegedly shouted anti-gay slurs and threatened to assault a man at 6th and H Streets, N.W. on March 20 at about 9:54 p.m.
A police report says the victim told police the incident took place shortly after he exited the nearby Capital One Arena where he had attended a Washington Capitals hockey game.
The police report says the incident began when the victim saw the suspect yell a racist slur at a person behind the victim and started to berate a valet operator.
“Suspect 1 then turned his attention to Victim 1 and called him a ‘faggot’ among other homophobic slurs,” the report says. It says the victim then used his phone to record the suspect, prompting the suspect to walk away before returning and “snatching” the phone from the victim’s hand.
“Suspect 1 walked several feet as Victim 1 followed, requesting his phone back,” the report continues. “Suspect 1 stopped and turned to Victim 1 and while yelling other obscenities exclaimed ‘if you keep recording, I’m going to kick your ass.’” The report concludes by saying the victim was able to recover his phone.
It lists the incident as a “Threats To Do Bodily Harm” offense that is a suspected hate crime.
“Anyone who can identify this suspect or has knowledge of this incident should take no action but call police at 202-727-9099, or text your tip to the Department’s TEXT TIP LINE at 50411,” according to a separate police statement released April 23.
The statement says police currently offer an award of up to $1,000 to anyone who can provide information that leads to an arrest and indictment of the person or persons responsible for a crime committed in D.C.
D.C. police spokesperson Tom Lynch said the case has been under investigation since the incident occurred on March 20. He said the video image of the suspect, most likely obtained from a security camera from a nearby business, was released to the public as soon as it was obtained and processed through the investigation.
District of Columbia
Wanda Alston Foundation names new executive director
Longtime LGBTQ rights advocate Cesar Toledo to succeed June Crenshaw

The Wanda Alston Foundation, the D.C.-based organization that has provided housing and support services for homeless LGBTQ youth since its founding in 2008, announced it has appointed longtime LGBTQ rights advocate Cesar Toledo as its new executive director.
In an April 22 statement, the organization said that as part of a planned leadership transition launched in November 2024, Toledo will succeed June Crenshaw, who Alston Foundation officials and LGBTQ community activists say has led the organization with distinction in her role as executive director for the past nine years.
In a statement released last November, the foundation announced Crenshaw was stepping down from her role as executive director after deciding to “to step into her next chapter.”
“June’s leadership has been truly transformative,” said Alston Foundation Board Chair Darrin Glymph in the group’s April 22 statement. “We are immensely grateful for her dedication and equally excited for the energy and experience that Cesar brings to lead us into this next chapter,” Glymph said.
“A seasoned LGBTQ+ advocate, Cesar brings over a decade of experience leading national campaigns, shaping public policy, and building inclusive communities,” the statement released by the group says. “Most recently, he served as the National LGBTQ+ Engagement Director for the Harris for President Campaign and has built a career focused on advancing equality and equitable education,” it says.
Biographical information about Toledo shows that immediately prior to working for the Harris For President Campaign, he served since April 2023 as deputy director for Democrats for Education Reform DC (DFER DC), a political group that helps to elect candidates for public office committed to quality education for all students, including minorities, people of color and LGBTQ youth.
Before joining DFER DC, Toledo served as political director for the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, where he assisted in electing out LGBTQ candidates to all levels of public office across the U.S.
“I’m really excited about joining the Wanda Alston Foundation,” Toledo told the Washington Blade. “After a decade of working at the intersection of politics and policy and advancing political candidates and equitable education here in D.C., I wanted to shift my career to direct services to the most vulnerable folks in the LGBTQ+ family and our homeless youth,” he said.
Among other things, he said he would push for increasing the Alston Foundation’s visibility and mainlining its services for LGBTQ youth at a time when the national political climate has become less supportive.
A statement on its website says the Alston Foundation was founded in 2008 “in memory of Wanda Alston, a fierce LGBTQ+ activist, national advocate, and government official who was admired by District residents.”
The statement adds, “The foundation opened the first housing program in the nation’s capital in 2008 providing pre-independent transitional living and life-saving support services to LGBTQ+ youth.”
In a separate statement, the Alston Foundation announced it would hold a “thank you” celebration of appreciation for June Crenshaw from 6-8 p.m. on May 20 at Crush Dance Bar located at 2007 14th Street, N.W. in D.C.
“Let’s come together to celebrate her dedication and commitment for everything she has done for the LGBTQIA homeless youth population,” the statement says.
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