Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) and Jim Obergefell will join national LGBTQ organizations and activists, and speak at 12 p.m. in front of the Supreme Court on May 21 to celebrate the 100th birthday of Frank Kameny, one of the founders of the modern LGBTQ civil rights movement. 

City Council members Erik Bottcher (New York City), Rue Landau (Philadelphia), and Zachary Parker (Washington, D.C.) will also speak.

During the demonstration on what would have been Kameny’s 100th birthday, activists will hold 100 candles in front of the Supreme Court. Sen. Tammy Baldwin and Obergefell are serving as national honorary co-chairs of the celebration. 

The national event honors Kameny and pushes back on those who would try to render the LGBTQ community invisible, deny their history, and subvert their equality; and celebrates the 10th anniversary of Obergefell v. Hodges, the 2015 Supreme Court marriage equality decision. 

“Frank Kameny was a strategic activist. He used picketing, politics, the courts, media, and pressure on the federal and municipal governments to fight for equality,” said Malcolm Lazin, National Chair, Kameny 100. “On the 10th anniversary of marriage equality, we’re honored to have as keynote speakers Jim Obergefell and Congressman Ritchie Torres, co-chair, Congressional Equality Caucus.” 

Collaborating national organizations include Advocates for Transgender Equality, The American LGBTQ+ Museum, Equality Forum, GLAAD, HRC, Lambda Legal, LGBT History Month, LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, PFLAG, SAGE, and the Washington Blade. 

 To learn more, visit kameny100.org.

Latinx Pride kicks off on May 16 with a packed schedule of vibrant, community-centered events celebrating queer Latinx identity through art, movement, history, and joy. From dance performances and spiritual gatherings to film screenings and late-night parties, this year’s programming invites LGBTQ Latinx folks and allies to connect, heal, and celebrate across Washington, D.C.

On May 16 and 17 at 7:30 p.m., Latinx Pride begins with Amor, Dolor y Sabor—a dance event that is part of the Latinx Movement Festival. An all-queer Latinx cast of color will dance across genre boundaries, from contemporary to ballet folklórico, to highlight the unique Latinx queer identity. The event is at Dance Loft on 14th (4618 14th St., N.W.), with tickets still available.
On May 18 at 11 a.m., La Sanación 1: Indigenous Welcome invites LGBTQ Latinx people to connect with their ancestral roots by joining a guided spiritual practice and learning activity. The location of this event is TBD, but will be made public on the Latinx Pride website closer to the event.

On May 22, there will be a Latinx Professionals Networking Mixer at Kiki (915 U St NW) at 6 p.m., followed immediately after by the Latinx Pride Kickoff Reception at 8 p.m. Tickets are required for both events.

La Sanación 2: Movement in Nature will take place on May 24 on the Potomac River, starting at the Key Bridge Boathouse (3500 Water St NW). The community is invited to “Take a breath, grab a paddle, and join us on the water for a healing day of kayaking and connection.” Tickets are available now.

From 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, May 25, Latinx Pride is hosting La Fe: Celebrating Faith and Resilience at the Metropolitan Community Church of Washington (474 Ridge St NW). An RSVP is requested.

Thursday, May 29 is La Fiesta: The Official Latinx Pride Party at Bunker (2001 14th St NW), where everyone is invited to dance the night away to Latin hits! The party starts at 9 p.m., with tickets required.

Noche de Jotería: A Queer Latine Variety Show will take place on Friday, May 30 at Theater Alliance (340 Maple Dr SW) for a night of “dance, drag, and jotería!” The show begins at 8 p.m., and tickets are required.

In a special collaboration with DC Public Library and Loyalty Bookstore, the Los Bookis podcast will host a live recording at MLK Library (901 G St NW) at 4 p.m. The podcast episode, “Alligators, Mermen, and Latine Queer Bookworms, Oh My!” will feature authors Venessa Vida Kelley and Edgar Gomez for an afternoon of Latinx literature. RSVP is requested.

On May 31, after the WorldPride kickoff event—Shakira’s Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran concert at Nationals Park (1500 South Capitol St SE)—everyone is invited to dance the night away at AI Warehouse – Union Market (530 Penn St NE) at 10 p.m. Tickets are required to attend.

La Sanación 3: Wellness and Relaxation will be held on June 1 in Dupont Circle at 9 a.m. and invites the Latinx LGBTQ community to “stretch, dance, and relax with us outdoors in Dupont Circle” amid a busy Pride season.

Later in the evening on June 1, the DC Latinx LGBTQ History Tour will start at 2 p.m. at Adams Morgan Plaza (1800 Columbia Rd NW). Everyone is invited to learn about DC’s Latinx LGBTQ history: “hear the stories, visit the places, and honor the people who paved the way.” An RSVP is requested.

At 6 p.m. on June 2, Latinx femmes, mascs, nonbinary folks, and cis women are invited to the Chicas & Femmes Mixer to “connect, celebrate, and just be free to love.” The location is TBD, but tickets are available now.

On Wednesday, June 4, masculine members of the Latinx LGBTQ community are invited to “Suéltate” at the Papi Chulo Mixer at District Eagle (1357B U St NW). Dance to Spanish hits in Washington’s only kink bar. Tickets are not needed, but are available.

On June 5, the queer Latinx community is invited to dance away any stress at El Mozo: Yes To All. The event’s location is TBD but will start at 10 p.m., with tickets still available.
On Friday, June 6, the Latinx Film Festival will start at 4 p.m. at The Festival Center (1640 Columbia Rd NW). “Three films, one night, and a celebration of cultura, comunidad, and pride.” Tickets are required.

Libre Soy Night Party will be held on June 6 at Bunker (2001 14th St., N.W.) to “Dance like you’re free—because you are.” Tickets are available now.

On Friday, June 13, Jotería: Our Untold Stories will begin at 8 p.m. at the Kogod Theatre at Arena Stage (1101 6th St., S.W.). Join queer Latinx performers as they show what it means to be “brown, queer, and unapologetic.” Tickets are still available.

Latinx Pride will conclude with La Plática: Lessons from Our Histories on June 19 at The Festival Center (1640 Columbia Rd., N.W.). There, the community is invited to learn how their queer Latinx identity can “guide us in resisting hate and building power, together.” Tickets are required.

For tickets and to RSVP to any of the events above, visit: https://www.latinxhistoryproject.org/pride

A buzz of anticipation filled Cafritz Hall on Wednesday evening. Though a few seats remained empty, the atmosphere suggested a pop star might be moments from taking the stage. But the spotlight wasn’t reserved for a chart-topping performer—it was focused on a different kind of icon.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), stepped forward to receive the Harvey Milk Chesed Award—an honor recognizing compassion, courage, and a lifetime of public service.

The Harvey Milk Chesed Award was established by Bet Mishpachah in 1998 in honor of civil rights leader Harvey Milk. Milk, a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and one of the first openly gay elected officials in the United States, was assassinated in 1978 following his public advocacy for LGBTQ rights. Bet Mishpachah gives out the award annually to an individual who has made “outstanding contributions to the LGBTQ+ and Jewish communities that exemplify the virtue of chesed, or ‘lovingkindness.’”

The program began promptly at 7 p.m. at Bet Mishpachah, Washington’s LGBTQ egalitarian synagogue, and featured a diverse lineup of speakers, including rabbis, physicians, professors, synagogue members, and past recipients of the Harvey Milk Chesed Award. While each speaker highlighted different facets of Dr. Fauci’s career – from his leadership during public health crises to his engagement with Jewish and LGBTQ communities- a unifying theme emerged: his unwavering commitment to doing what’s right, even in the face of political opposition, including from presidents.

Fauci, who was director of the NIAID from 1984 to 2022, was at the forefront of understanding and combating some of the deadliest diseases known to humanity, including tuberculosis, Zika, and HIV/AIDS. As the HIV/AIDS epidemic escalated and frustration with federal inaction mounted, Fauci took an unconventional step for a high-ranking public health official: He began engaging directly with the activists demanding change. That simple act of listening, he later explained, shaped his understanding of what patients truly needed — even when it meant defying the prevailing wisdom of the medical establishment.

“I developed long-term friendships with the activists,” Fauci said in a 2023 interview with PBS’ American Masters. “We were sort of like soldiers in the same war.”

This spirit of solidarity echoed throughout the night’s speakers, beginning with Barry Friedman, who delivered welcoming remarks to the crowd. Friedman began his introduction with a Hebrew phrase that, at first glance, might not seem to align with a man devoted to the rigor of medical science. But as he explained, it was a phrase Fauci exemplified.

“Lo tukhal l’hitaleim,” Friedman read from his notes, explaining that this message was hailed in his youth as the “11th commandment” by his mother. “You must not remain indifferent,” he translated.

Fauci, Friedman explained, remained steadfast in the principles of medicine while also showing deep compassion for those living with HIV and AIDS. He advocated for changes to drug trial protocols—convincing researchers to allow patients to “parallel track” experimental treatments, even when doing so went against past medical norms. This shift helped extend lives and alleviate symptoms in those most affected by the disease.

As the night continued, speaker after speaker reflected on the extraordinary achievements Fauci helped bring about—not just through scientific breakthroughs, but by listening to the people who were so often ignored. Fauci credited activists like Larry Kramer for ensuring the needs of HIV/AIDS patients could not be overlooked.

One of those speakers, Jeff Levi, an emeritus professor at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University, former deputy director of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy, and a close friend of Fauci, led a panel discussion where the two expanded on stories from Fauci’s 2024 bestselling book “On Call: A Doctor’s Journey in Public Service.” During the panel, Fauci reflected on how his Jesuit Catholic upbringing helped shape a moral compass that transcended religious, cultural, and political boundaries in his public health work, and how he was able to navigate such a difficult time in medical history.

While it’s nearly impossible to calculate how many lives Fauci has helped save, the numbers point to an extraordinary legacy. Millions of LGBTQ people owe their survival in part to his efforts to understand how HIV spread, how it progressed, and how its symptoms could be mitigated. In addition, more than 25 million people worldwide- mostly in sub-Saharan Africa- have benefited from PEPFAR, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, which Fauci played a key role in creating.

Following the panel, Fauci took questions from the audience, reflecting on both his legacy and the enduring power of public advocacy.

“The gay community wasn’t afraid to speak up in the 1980s,” he told one audience member, who asked about the parallels between HIV/AIDS and the COVID-19 pandemic, and what people could do now to offset some of the… less than factual ‘information’ being presented as truth from the Trump administration. “And we can’t be afraid to speak up now.”

When asked what message he hopes young LGBTQ doctors will take from his life’s work, Fauci paused, then offered a heartfelt answer. “I don’t want to sound too melodramatic, but we need to love each other.”

As the crowd filtered out of the hall and only a handful of Fauci admirers lingered in line for a signed book, the Blade caught up with the evening’s honoree. Asked how it felt to receive the Harvey Milk Chesed Award, Fauci’s response was characteristically humble.

“It was a terrific honor to be given an award by this community,” he said with a warm smile—an understated close to an evening that celebrated a lifetime of extraordinary impact.