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Local community mourns death of ‘committed advocate’

Smallwood called ‘pioneer’ in giving back

Published

15 years ago

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Local LGBT community members are in mourning after the passing of a D.C. activist who was known as a “committed advocate” for those in need.

Charlotte Smallwood (photo courtest Courtney Williams)

Charlotte Smallwood, 73 and a local lesbian activist, died Monday after a battle with brain cancer.

Following her retirement from the federal government, Smallwood was known for her activism in the LGBT community. One of four founding members of the D.C.-based Transgender Health Empowerment in 1995, Smallwood was also editor-in-chief of FEMAIL Monthly Newsletter and later co-editor of Community Life Newsletter.

Earline Budd, a treatment and healing specialist for Transgender Health Empowerment, recalled Smallwood as a steadfast ally to the transgender community and “just a pioneer in her own way in terms of giving back.”

“She was just a committed advocate, someone who gave herself to not just LGBT community, but to other communities,” she said. “I kind of equate Charlotte to a Mother Teresa in terms of how she extended herself.”

Budd said other duties to which Smallwood devoted herself were involvement with the Mautner Project, a lesbian health organization, and Women in the Life, a local lesbians of color organization. Budd said Smallwood was a standing member with Transgender Health Empowerment until her death.

Courtney Williams, a D.C. resident, also had fond memories of Smallwood and said she was committed to the concerns of women and LGBT people as they aged.

“Basically, when people go out to party and as they get older people tend  to forgot about them — Charlotte kept them out at the forefront,” Williams said. “She was involved in her neighborhood as senior citizens were concerned. She really helped them out and tried to find them resources.”

Williams said Smallwood was also “very involved” in D.C. Black Pride in the very beginnings of the annual events in 1991.

Smallwood also contributed to the Human Rights Campaign. Donna Payne, HRC’s associate director of diversity, said Smallwood volunteered for the organization’s national dinner for the past four years.

“Annually, she would help do work no one wants to do — stuffing the gift bags and setting up items for the auction,” Payne said. “She would stay in the back so things would get done.”

Payne said she knew Smallwood from the community meetings with the D.C. mayor’s office liaison and dances for the black women’s circuit in the district.

“She was always fun to be with because she didn’t mind being out,” Payne said. “It’s hard to find black LGBT seniors that are willing to be out.”

At her early years at HRC, Payne said Smallwood would often take her aside and encourage her “to stay focused on our rights because it was expected of her and the elder black LGBT community.”

Vicki Harris, a lesbian D.C. resident, said Smallwood was “always there for everybody,” especially those in need of assistance.

“Whatever you needed, you could call Charlotte,” she said. “She was just that type of person. It was just hilarious that whatever you needed for her, she had it in her. She had our back every last day of the month.”

Harris, who ran a lesbian women’s strippers event for the Edge/Wet Nightclub when it was in existence, recalled with humor how Smallwood had a job as a dressing room attendant to keep an eye on the belongings of women as they performed.

“When I first asked her if she would do the job, she was like, ‘Ehhh,’” Harris said. “So, we’re standing in the dressing room — and one of the girls had just come out of the shower and they were naked — and she looked at me and said, ‘I’ll take the job!’”

A funeral service for Smallwood will is scheduled for Monday at the Moiunt Pleasant Baptist Church at 215 Rhode Island Ave., NW. The viewing is set to take place at 10 am and services with begin at 11 am. A repast will be provided at the church following the burial.

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Virginia

Walkinshaw wins Democratic primary in Va. 11th Congressional District

Special election winner will succeed Gerry Connolly

Published

13 hours ago

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July 1, 2025

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James Walkinshaw(Photo public domain)

On Saturday, Fairfax County Supervisor James Walkinshaw won the Democratic primary for the special election that will determine who will represent Virginia’s 11th Congressional District.

The special election is being held following the death of the late Congressman Gerry Connolly, who represented the district from 2008 until 2024, when he announced his retirement, and subsequently passed away from cancer in May.

Walkinshaw is not unknown to Virginia’s 11th District — he has served on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors since 2020 and had served as Connolly’s chief of staff from 2009 to 2019. Before he passed away, Connolly had endorsed Walkinshaw to take his place, claiming that choosing Walkinshaw to be his chief of staff was “one of the best decisions I ever made.”

The Democratic nominee has run his campaign on mitigating Trump’s “dangerous” agenda of dismantling the federal bureaucracy, which in the district is a major issue as many of the district’s residents are federal employees and contractors.

“I’m honored and humbled to have earned the Democratic nomination for the district I’ve spent my career serving,” Walkinshaw said on X. “This victory was powered by neighbors, volunteers, and supporters who believe in protecting our democracy, defending our freedoms, and delivering for working families.”

In addition to protecting federal workers, Walkinshaw has a long list of progressive priorities — some of which include creating affordable housing, reducing gun violence, expanding immigrant protections, and “advancing equality for all” by adding sexual orientation and gender identity to the Fair Housing Act.

Various democratic PACs contributed more than $2 million to Walkinshaw’s ad campaigns, much of which touted his connection to Connolly.

Walkinshaw will face Republican Stewart Whitson in the special election in September, where he is the likely favorite to win.

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Maryland

LGBTQ suicide prevention hotline option is going away. Here’s where else to go in Md.

Changes will take effect July 17

Published

17 hours ago

on

July 1, 2025

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(Bigstock photo by Mihailo K)

By ANNA RUBENSTEIN | The national suicide prevention hotline will no longer offer specialized support to LGBTQ people, starting July 17, the Trump administration announced last week.

Dialing the hotline at 988 will still be available for crisis support. But callers will no longer be able to reach specific LGBTQ services by pressing Option 3. The change worries advocates because their data shows the LGBTQ community has a disproportionally high suicide rate.

Even after the option ends, here’s how to receive tailored support if you’re in Maryland.

The rest of this article can be found on the Baltimore Banner’s website.

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Maryland

Silver Spring holds annual Pride In The Plaza

‘Today means inclusion. It means to build resilience’

Published

2 days ago

on

June 30, 2025

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A scene from Pride in the Plaza in Silver Spring, Md. on Sunday. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Silver Spring’s annual Pride in the Plaza event took place on Sunday to celebrate the LGBTQ community and emphasize inclusion and resilience.

“Today means inclusion. It means to build resilience, love,” Robyn Woods, program and outreach director for Live In Your Truth, which organized the event, said. “I mean, just being surrounded by the community and so many great entrepreneurs, business owners, and just being a part of this whole rainbow coalition that we call the LGBTQIA to be about.”

With the event being her first time organizing for Live In Your Truth, Woods said she felt emotional to see the support and love at the event.

“Some people (are) bringing out their children, their babies, their grandparents,” Woods said. “It’s a lot more allies here than anything else. That type of support to me means so much more than just support from my community; just outside support, inside support, so much support around it, so much love. Everyone’s smiling outside, helping each other.” 

Attendees of the event were able to head over to the Family Fun Zone, an air-conditioned Pride Cool Down Lounge, or watch live drag performances in the main stage area. 

Along with entertainment and a shaved-ice stand, rows of information tables stood along the plaza, including FreeState Justice, the Washington Spirit, Trans Maryland, Moco Pride Center, and the Heartwood Program, an organization that offers support, therapy, education, and resources to the LGBTQ community. 

“I want people to know about our services, and I love what we have to offer,” Jessica Simon, psychotherapist for Heartwood Program’s Gender Wellness Clinic, said. “I (also) want to be part of a celebration with the community, and so it feels good to be here with other people who have something they want to give to the community.”

She added that within today’s political climate, to which she called an “antidote to shame,” it’s important to be celebrating Pride. 

“There’s a lot of demonization of LGBTQI people,” Siena Iacuvazzi, facilitator for Maryland Trans Unity, said. “(Pride) is part of the healing process.” 

Iacuvazzi said she was taught to be ashamed of who she was growing up, but being a part of a community helped her flourish in the future. 

“I was taught how to hate myself. I was taught that I was an abomination to God,” she said. “But being a community is like understanding that there are people who have experienced the same thing, and they’re flourishing. They’re flourishing because they’re willing to stand up for themselves as human beings and discover themselves and understand what’s true for themselves.”

She added that Pride allows for a mutual understanding to take place. 

“It’s more of a sense of belonging … and just taking that home and understanding you’re not alone,” Iacuvazzi said. “We’re each taking our own journey — we’re not putting that on each other. It’s just walking away with a sense of belonging and humanity.”

Similar to Iacuvazzi, Woods said she hopes attendees’ biggest takeaways would be family, fun, resilience, and pride. 

“Being proud of yourself, being happy for who you are, and representation and how much it matters,” she continued. “And I think all these young people that are walking around here get to see versions of themselves, but older. They get to see so many different lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual people that are successful, that are showing love, that care, and it’s not how we’re portrayed in the media. It’s lovely to see it out here. (It’s) like we’re one big old, happy family.”

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