Advocacy groups have joined the relief efforts in Venezuela after two back-to-back earthquakes devastated large swaths of the country on June 24.

The magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes caused widespread damage in Caracas, the Venezuelan capital, and elsewhere in the country.

Officials in the South American country say the earthquakes killed more than 4,500 people and left more than 16,000 others injured. La Guaira state on Venezuela’s Caribbean coast in which the country’s main international airport is located is one of the hardest hit areas.

Yonatan Matheus, a Venezuelan LGBTQ rights activist who currently lives in the U.S., was born and raised in La Guaira.

He wrote on his website that relatives and close friends who still live in the state have lost their homes. Matheus in his post that the Washington Blade published on Monday also said the earthquakes killed two gay men he knew.

“Their names reminded me that behind every statistic lie stories, personal bonds, and life plans,” he wrote. “They also made me think of all those people whose lives and deaths are unlikely to make headlines — especially those who lived on the margins for years, with little visibility and without full recognition of their dignity.”

“They reminded me that emergencies never affect everyone equally,” added Matheus. “Those already facing greater vulnerability often bear an even heavier burden during the recovery process.”

The earthquakes struck less than six months after American forces seized then-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, at their home in Caracas during an overnight operation.

Maduro and Flores on Jan. 5 pleaded not guilty to federal drug charges in New York. The Venezuelan National Assembly the day before swore in Delcy Rodríguez, who was Maduro’s vice president, as the country’s acting president.

Hugo Chávez died in 2013, and Maduro succeeded him as Venezuela’s president. Subsequent economic and political crises prompted millions of Venezuelans to leave the country.

Rodríguez has faced criticism over the Venezuelan government’s response to the earthquakes.

AIDS Healthcare Foundation Latin America Bureau Chief Patricia Campos in a message she sent to Michael Weinstein, the group’s president, on June 29 described the government’s response as “uncoordinated, poor, and delayed, influenced by political interests.”

“The number of fatalities continues to rise, and many shelters have been set up in public spaces to help those in need,” said Campos. “Hospitals and morgues are working tirelessly beyond their capacity, demonstrating the community’s resilience. Fortunately, international rescue teams have arrived, offering much-needed assistance to recover those still trapped in the debris.”

AHF has clinics in Cúcuta, a Colombian city that is a few miles from the country’s border with Venezuela, and elsewhere in Colombia.

Campos told Weinstein that AHF Colombia “has been communicating with” more than half of the 1,080 “of our patients in care who live in Venezuela.” Campos also noted AHF relief supplies arrived in Venezuela with the 11/13 Foundation, another NGO, and they had been distributed.

New York-based AID FOR AIDS International, an HIV/AIDS service organization that works in Venezuela, has launched an earthquake relief fund.

The Venezuela Earthquake Emergency Relief Fund has thus far raised $55,893.39. It hopes to raise $250,000.

“All donations will go directly to our network of local partners on the ground in Venezuela, who are working to assess the most urgent needs and provide emergency support to affected communities — including but not limited to medicines, food, water, and shelter,” says AID FOR AIDS International.

The group adds “the scale of destruction is the greatest challenge.”

“La Guaira has been catastrophically damaged, and Caracas continues to deteriorate — with looting, businesses closing due to insecurity, widespread power outages, and hospitals overwhelmed with injured patients but critically lacking supplies,” it says. “Reaching affected communities quickly and safely is not easy under these conditions.”

“Our challenge is immediacy,” added AID FOR AIDS International, which is working with its colleagues in Venezuela and students at the country’s Universidad Central de Venezuela who are part of the relief efforts. “Through the strategic partnerships we have already established with trusted organizations on the ground in Venezuela, we are positioned to mobilize resources directly and efficiently, ensuring that every dollar reaches the families in the affected areas.”

Other groups, such as Venezolanos en Barranquilla, which is based in the Colombian city of Barranquilla, have also joined the relief effort.

Barranquilla Vice President Juan Carlos Viloria in an interview with the Washington Post accused the Venezuelan government of “systematic negligence” by restricting “access to the most affected zones.” Venezolanos en Barranquilla nevertheless continues to work with the Catholic Church and other NGOs to mobilize rescue workers and to facilitate the distribution of food, water, generators, and other items in La Guaira and Caracas.

“Despite this situation, we are continuing to do everything for our people,” Viloria told the Blade last week.

Pride in Rehoboth Beach is kicking off this week on Friday, July 17, with events happening throughout the weekend.

“Rehoboth Beach Pride is more than a festival — it is a vital space for community, healing, and connection,” said David Mariner, director of Sussex Pride, which organizes many of the events.

The weekend will begin with the Grand Opening & Community Preview from 1-4 p.m. on Friday, July 17, celebrating the opening of Novus Medical Services and the new Sussex Pride Community Center. 

This will be followed by an Interfaith Pride Service at 6 p.m. at the Metropolitan Community Church Rehoboth to gather for healing and the affirmation of queer spirituality with Rev. Carla Christopher, chair of Sussex Pride Faith.

Members of the community are then invited to head over to join the Rehoboth Beach Bears at the Pines to have dinner, mingle, and give back to local initiatives. 

End the first night of Pride in Rehoboth at Diego’s Bar & Nightclub with music by DJ Joey P from 9 p.m.-1 a.m.

Rehoboth Beach Pride Festival will take place on Saturday, July 18, 2026, from 9 a.m.- 3 p.m. inside the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center. A full list of events is available at rehobothbeachpride.org.

Roxy Overbrooke will host on the main stage as live performances take place throughout the day, featuring music from DJ MK and Tribe 9 Entertainment.  

The festival will include educational workshops, community meetups, and a raffle dedicated to raising funds for unhoused LGBTQ+ youth across Delaware. 

Feature workshops include panels discussing topics such as unhoused LGBTQ+ youth in Delaware, the needs of trans and non-binary youth, as well as the increase in HIV and syphilis diagnoses amid federal budget cuts, in a panel moderated by Blade Editor Kevin Naff. 

Saturday night will also feature an evening comedy and entertainment show at the Convention Center presented by the Gay Women of Rehoboth. Performers will include comedians Suzanne Westenhoefer and Karen Mills as well as musician Kristen Merlin. Tickets are available at gaywomenofrehoboth.org. 

The Rehoboth Beach Pride Ride will take place at 10 a.m. on Sunday, July 19, hosted by the Dykes on Bikes Rehoboth Beach Women’s Motorcycle Club, starting at Lefty’s.

Goolee’s Drag Brunch will also take place on Sunday from 12-2 p.m at Goolee’s Grille. This is a family-friendly event hosted by Regina Cox and Ruby, featuring Aurora Sterling, Michelle Leigh Sterling, Scarlet St. Cartier, and Joanna Blue. Tickets can be purchased online. 

Pride in Rehoboth will conclude at 2 p.m. with the official Rehoboth Beach Pride Closing Party at Aqua Bar & Grill, celebrating the venue’s landmark 20th anniversary with DJ Biff until 7 p.m.

Due to an influx of visitors for the summer season, those coming from out-of-town are encouraged to use the Park & Ride.

When longtime Maryland state Del. Bonnie Cullison (D-Montgomery County) announced she would retire, Christa Tichy immediately saw an opportunity.

The queer Democrat advanced from the June primary and will appear on the November ballot, hoping to succeed one of Maryland’s first openly LGBTQ legislators and preserve LGBTQ representation in Annapolis.

“But when Bonnie made that announcement, I knew right away that that’s what I was supposed to do,” Tichy told the Washington Blade during a recent interview. She always felt connected to Cullison’s background, which she said is very similar to her own.

Some of these shared traits include a background in teaching and a strong connection to Leisure World of Maryland. Cullison has inspired her in the past and feels motivated to take her place. She had always hoped to be her successor.

Besides their shared background, she also understands how important it is under the Trump-Vance administration to advocate for LGBTQ rights, as Cullison had in the past.

“I think there’s a lot of fears with the present administration of losing certain rights. And you know, Bonnie was a big advocate for marriage equality. I want to continue that, and you know, make sure that legislation that protects that is in place,” Tichy said.

Beyond specific policy priorities, Tichy said preserving LGBTQ representation in the General Assembly was equally important.

“I mean, of all the candidates that ran, I was the only female. […] I thought we needed that voice. We could not just let that voice be forgotten,” Tichy said.

Tichy said she believes serving in the Maryland General Assembly is where she can have the greatest impact on the issues she cares most about; including education, labor, and working families.

“I knew that this was my passion, and I felt this is where I could be most effective on a state level when it came to education, labor, for working with families,” Tichy said.

Throughout the campaign, Tichy said one unexpected source of enthusiasm came from her personal life. She and her now-wife, Jodie Bekman, were married during the campaign, and constituents closely followed their journey.

“A lot of my constituents knew that I was engaged in getting married, and they met my now wife, and our marriage was like part of the campaign,” Tichy said. “So, like our ring, the date, […], Jodie would come along with me just about at every event, so people got to know her and couldn’t help but like her.”

She believes that openness helped voters connect with her campaign on a personal level.

“I think there was an energy and an excitement to seeing two people that much in love that actually could win. I think that all contributed to it,” Tichy said.

Tichy also credited support from other LGBTQ elected officials, including state Del. Kris Fair (D-Frederick County), who chairs Maryland’s LGBTQ+ Caucus, and Montgomery County Councilmember Evan Glass. She said Fair was among the first elected officials to publicly endorse her campaign.

She also praised the volunteers who helped propel her through the primary election, from canvassing neighborhoods to enduring rainy weather on Election Day.

“When I think of how they stood out […] in the rain on election day with raincoats and umbrellas pouring down, holding walk cards that were like just folding over. They were so wet and damp. That’s the type of dedication that we had,” Tichy said.

Outside of politics, Tichy has built a career breaking barriers in the skilled trades. She became Maryland’s first female licensed Master Electrician and now teaches electrical trade courses, helping students prepare for careers in the field.

She said many of her students come from underserved communities and that helping them find stable careers has reinforced her commitment to workforce development.

A lot of her policies focus on workforce development and encouraging more women to join career trades. 

Her experiences in the electrical trade also shaped many of her policy priorities. Tichy said she has advocated for better workplace conditions, including properly fitting equipment for women and paid time off for workers who were often reluctant to take leave.

Working in a male-dominated profession, she said, was not always easy.

“I remember how many times I wanted to say, ‘I’m going to give up. I’m not going to do this. It’s too hard,’ and I always thought — I’m a mom. I have, you know, four boys now, but they needed me, and I was all they had, right?” Tichy said.

Looking ahead to November, Tichy said she hopes to continue the success of her campaign thus far and to keep reaching out to her community for support.

“Our diversity is our greatest strength, and by working together, there is no challenge we cannot overcome,” she said in a statement after winning the Democratic primary.

Other LGBTQ candidates also advanced to the general election, which can be found here.