Local
How D.C. is celebrating Pride this month
Mix of in-person and virtual events to replace traditional parade and festival
One of the main events set for D.C.’s 2021 LGBTQ Pride month will be a caravan of cars decorated with colorful Pride signs and displays to be led by an official Pridemobile trolley that will travel throughout the city on June 12, according to D.C.’s Capital Pride Alliance.
In a statement on its website, Capital Pride Alliance says the parade of vehicles, called the Colorful Pridemobile Parade, will drive past houses and businesses in different parts of the city that will also be decorated with Pride-themed displays as part of the group’s month-long Paint the Town Colorful With Pride project.
The parade and the decorated buildings, the locations of which are displayed on a map on the Capital Pride website, are among at least 14 or more Pride events scheduled for June in D.C., some of which are in-person while others are virtual. Six of the events, including the parade and Paint the Town Colorful With Pride, are official Capital Pride Alliance events.
The Washington Blade, which, in partnership with Dupont Underground, is hosting an exhibition celebrating the tradition of drag performances in D.C. and other places highlighting the history and influence of drag. The exhibition, which includes photos and video footage and a drag brunch as well as drag performances, will take place June 4 through June 27 each Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
The official opening of the drag exhibition will take place Friday, June 4 at 4 p.m.
Capital Price Alliance Executive Director Ryan Bos said D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s May 10 announcement that the city will be lifting all restrictions on large events such as parades and street festivals came too late for Capital Pride to put together a large Pride parade and street festival for June. He said Capital Pride is considering whether a parade and festival could be held in October.
This year marks the second year in a row in which the D.C. Pride Parade and festival had to be cancelled due to the COVID epidemic. The two events in past years have attracted more than 250,000 participants.
Bos and other Pride organizers say they were hopeful that the spirit and enthusiasm of Pride will be captured and carried out through this month’s events, especially the Pridemobile Parade and Paint the Town Colorful building displays.
“This unique mobile parade will feature the official Pridemobile trolly, followed by a colorful array of automobiles decorated by registered organizations and businesses, all on display for enthusiastic onlookers to enjoy,” a statement on the Capital Pride website says.
“The Pridemobile Parade route will be shared with the general public prior to the event and will pass through some of the city’s most lively areas for optimum visibility, including Dupont and Logan Circles, and iconic landmarks such as the Capitol Building,” the statement says.
The statement adds that Capital Pride Alliance has been urging members of the local LGBTQ community and its allies to be creative in displaying Pride decorations on their homes and businesses.
“Whether you’re a resident, business, or organization, we invite you to decorate your most public-facing spaces, such as building fronts, patios, balconies, and yards, to show your Pride!” the statement says. “Make it as colorful as you can!”
Capital Pride has called on community members and businesses to try to have their homes or other buildings decorated by June 1, but the decorations need to be completed by June 12, the day of the Pridemobile Parade, the Capital Pride website says. Capital Pride is inviting the public to visit the decorated homes and businesses any time during the month of June.
Capital Pride is charging a fee of $100 to enter a vehicle in the parade. The group says the proceeds from the fee will be used to support local LGBTQ organizations.
Bos said D.C. police will not be escorting the parade and organizers expect it will end up becoming “several mini caravans” when participating vehicles have to stop at traffic lights and become separated from the participating vehicles ahead of them.
Following is a list of the June Pride events announced by the Capital Pride Alliance and other organizations. Further details of official Capital Pride events can be found at capitalpride.org/celebration.
June 1
Paint the Town Colorful. The official start of the month-long display of Pride themed decorations on houses, yards, and businesses throughout the city. The location of the displays submitted to Capital Pride so far is on the Capital Pride website.
Pride Talks: We are Colorful. A YouTube live discussion among LGBTQ leaders reflecting their “personal LGBTQ+ journey of Pride” and what makes the LGBTQ community colorful. Speakers will include Alexis Blackmon, director of public affairs for Casa Ruby; Reggie Greer, White House senior adviser on LGBTQ+ Affairs; Tiffany Royster, Capital Pride Alliance Parade chair and performing artist; and Mary Paradise, past board member of Capital Pride Alliance.
June 4 – June 27
Washington Blade Pride Month Celebration of Drag. A month-long exhibition at the Dupont Underground, the former trolley car station located under Dupont Circle, that showcases a mix of photographs and video footage honoring the roots of drag in America and D.C.’s drag scene. The exhibition as well as drag performances and a Sunday brunch will take place each Friday, Saturday, and Sunday during the month of June. Details available at washingtonblade.com/royals.
June 6
Queen City Kings Drag presents Flame: Rising from the Ashes of COVID
A virtual event featuring 16 drag performers, including drag kings, scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. It’s organized by Queen City Kings Drag, an LGBTQ drag performance group and can be accessed via the group’s website.
June 11
The Capital Pride Honors. An in-person event to be held at the Compass Coffee Factory in D.C.’s Ivy City neighborhood at 1401 Okie St., N.E., in which the Capital Pride Alliance will present its annual honors recognizing “outstanding individuals, leaders, and activists” in the D.C. area who have furthered the causes of the LGBTQ+ community.
June 12
Drag Family Story Time. A virtual Pride event organized by the D.C. Public Library featuring local drag performers Domingo, Arma Dura, and Katie Magician who will read children’s stories to “celebrate Pride as a family,” a statement on the library’s website says. It is scheduled to be broadcast on the public library system’s YouTube channel at 11 a.m.
Washington Blade Describe-a-thon. A virtual D.C. Public Library Pride event from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. to discuss the library’s ongoing project of digitizing all past issues of the Washington Blade to its digital collections.
Colorful Pridemobile Parade. The Capital Pride Alliance’s caravan of Pride decorated cars led by its Pridemobile trolley will travel across D.C. to pass by homes and businesses also decorated with Pride displays. The starting time and route of the parade were to be posted the week of June 6 on the Capital Pride website.
June 13
Taste of Pride Brunch. Capital Pride Alliance has organized “an exclusive group of beloved local restaurants that have made a commitment to support Pride and local LGBTQ+ charities” to host special Pride month brunches. Special food items, Pride drink specials, and entertainment will be offered at some of the venues, the locations and names of which Capital Pride will publish on its website.
June 14
Rainbow Warriors: A Century of LGBTQ+ Womxn Activists. A virtual event the details of which were expected to be posted on the Capital Pride website.
June 15
Still We Gather! Center Faith embraces this year’s Capital Pride Theme, “Still We!” A Zoom interfaith service set to begin at 7 p.m. organized by local LGBTQ and LGBTQ supportive faith groups, including Metropolitan Community Church of D.C., Faith Temple, Bet Mishpachah, Unity Fellowship D.C., Westminster Presbyterian Church, and All Souls Unitarian Church.
June 17
Chamber Connect – MOXY DC-Play on Pride. A professional networking meeting with a focus on LGBTQ Pride themes to be held 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Moxy Washington, D.C. Hotel at 1011 K St., N.W.
June 24
Teen Pride Lounge. A virtual gathering of LGBTQ teens, including some from Prince George’s County, Md., on YouTube and Discord will feature a discussion with LGBTQ+ authors Leah Johnson and Tom Ryan as well as special community guests. Johnson and Ryan have published works of interest to young people.
June 30
Still We Lead – A Community and Professional Development Experience. A virtual seminar organized by Capital Pride Alliance on the topic, “A Forgotten Generation.” The session will discuss ways in which LGBTQ people and their allies can “support and foster an intersectional and social justice movement.”
Virginia
Youngkin vetoes bill that would have expanded Va. bullying definition
Bisexual state Del. Joshua Cole introduced House Bill 536
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Friday vetoed a bill that would have added sexual orientation, gender identity and expression to the state’s definition of bullying.
Lawmakers earlier this year approved House Bill 536, which bisexual state Del. Joshua Cole (D-Fredericksburg) introduced.
“While I agree with the general purpose of the legislation, regrettably, the General Assembly did not approve my amendments,” said Youngkin in a statement. “Those recommendations would have expanded the definition of bullying to encompass all possible motives.”
“School administrators must work to prevent bullying and support our students’ mental health through a healthy learning environment, but the narrow definition provided in the legislation could be interpreted to exclude groups not included in the Virginia Human Rights Act, such as bullying victims raised with traditional values or those who are in foster care,” added the Republican.
Rehoboth Beach
Selling Rehoboth: Lee Ann Wilkinson wins prestigious real estate award
Longtime agent on beach prices, her LGBTQ allyship, and more
Longtime Delaware real estate leader Lee Ann Wilkinson of Berkshire Hathaway recently celebrated a major industry award after being named No. 1 in total sales volume for the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Network. Wilkinson, a Blade contributor, centers much of her work in the coastal communities of Lewes and Rehoboth Beach. We caught up with her to discuss her long career in real estate, her LGBTQ allyship, and more.
Washington Blade: I learned your parents were in real estate, and you began working with them early on in your career. Did you initially intend to follow in their footsteps?
Lee Ann Wilkinson: Not really. I majored in art. When I got out of college I couldn’t really find a job. So, my parents said, “You need to come work for us.”
Blade: I understand that as an art history major turned writer. Speaking of that: I know you have written some pieces for the Blade, about real estate trends, and the like. How do you pick your topics for these articles?
Wilkinson: People always want to know about real estate. Whether buying a first home, second home, a home to invest or retire in. It amazes even me how much interest there is. And it’s not just people looking to buy a $7 million home on beachfront property. It’s people looking to get something in budget for their family.
Blade: I know you have a lot of work in Rehoboth, the Delaware Valley’s historically gay beachside community. Was there ever a time you were NOT selling property to – I guess it was fair to say 40 years ago – mostly gay men?
Wilkinson: Ha, I grew up coming down for the summer until my family moved here full-time from Norristown, outside of Philly. We had businesses and family in Rehoboth. I think Rehoboth has always been gay-friendly. We never thought about it. My grandfather had a house in Rehoboth before I was born. The gay population was always welcome.
Blade: Do you have a connection to the LGBTQ community beyond real estate?
Wilkinson: Absolutely. One of my closest friends is a guy I went to college with at the University of Delaware, Joey. You know, Joey was maybe my first gay friend. In fact, we all went to the Easter Sunrise Service on the beach in Rehoboth. We have gay family members, so I have never thought that much about it being anything different.
Blade: I know you recently won a prestigious award with Berkshire Hathaway and were surprised to come in first place. Why?
Wilkinson: For the past 20 years or so we have been in the top 10. We started doing these national things with Berkshire Hathaway. To get in the top 10 was amazing to me especially going up against states like Florida, New Jersey, not to mention San Francisco or Bay Area agents. I just never thought we’d get to the number one spot. My only issue is — where to go now?
Blade: Where do you make your primary residence? Is that Lewes? Do you see the president on occasion?
Wilkinson: I haven’t seen him at the beach. But he’s on the bike trail a lot. He pops up having breakfast. He goes to Mass at St. Edmond’s in Rehoboth on Saturday evening. But I’m often too busy with work on weekends to catch sight of him.
Blade: Having been in the industry 40 years, how do you find ways to get excited about your work?
Wilkinson: I really am passionate about it. I really love a challenge. That’s part of the appeal for this job. I always like matching people with things. I really liked getting people the right bathing suits years ago. Selling, it’s just something I’m good at. I would get customers walking outta’ the store with three or four bathing suits when they only wanted one.
Blade: Are you considering retiring in the next few years? Or will you always be associated with the industry on some level. Maybe as a mentor or silent partner?
Wilkinson: Oh, no, I’ll always be involved. Three of my four daughters work for me. I am not retiring anytime soon. And if I did, they would be here to continue it on, and I am sure I’d weigh in.
Blade: So, this is very much a family legacy?
Wilkinson: Yeah. My parents are 87 and 91 now. Some 20 years ago mom predicted we’d see an increase in prices, people moving here, etc. I don’t know how she predicted it but mom is right.
Blade: Any current trends you’re noticing?
Wilkinson: This cycle of people moving here, and prices increasing, and all the building happening. People think the prices are going to come down, but I don’t see that happening.
Blade: Tell me about that. Are the new building ventures changing the faces of Rehoboth and Lewes? After not visiting the Jersey Shore for over a decade I’ve been going the past few summers to my cousin’s place in Cape May. It’s a trailer on a nicely maintained campground and it’s what she can afford. And, there’s so much building happening there.
Wilkinson: Right? It’s about finding a second home you can afford. And, in terms of building projects, the good thing about Rehoboth and Lewes is they are strict on what you can and can’t build downtown. They aren’t going to tear down homes to build multi-family condos, not yet anyway. In Spring Lake, you are seeing townhomes. So, building is happening and we have some condos, but it’s great to not see “overbuilding” happening in these historically smaller cities.
To learn more about Ms. Wilkinson, or property in Sussex County, DE be sure to look for articles she publishes in the Blade and visit the Lee Ann Wilkinson Group website.
Local
Blum named director of new LGBTQ program at Carr Center
Program to expand research, training on safeguarding human rights
The Comings & Goings column is about sharing the professional successes of our community. We want to recognize those landing new jobs, new clients for their business, joining boards of organizations and other achievements. Please share your successes with us at: [email protected].
Congratulations to Diego Garcia Blum on his new position as director, Global LGBTQI+ Human Rights Program, at the Harvard, Carr Center for Human Rights Policy. This new program will expand research and training on safeguarding the human rights of LGBTQI+ people worldwide. It will address the escalating crisis of violence and discrimination against LGBTQI+ individuals globally. The vision is to establish the Carr Center as a key international nexus for LGBTQI+ human rights policy, training, ideas, and dialogue
“The heart of this program is empowering and supporting the brave LGBTQI+ activists working in challenging and often perilous environments,” Garcia Blum said. “Through our training and high-impact research, we aim to supercharge their efforts.”
Prior to this, he has had a varied and impressive career. Recently he served as a Social Change Fellow at Harvard’s Center for Public Leadership. He worked with the Human Rights Campaign, serving on its Board of Governors. Prior to that, he worked as a nuclear engineer at Orano, a French company. It is described as a global leader in nuclear fuel cycle products and services, from mining to dismantling, conversion, enrichment, recycling, logistics and engineering. He has won many awards for his work and education. The Innovation CORE award at Orano; The Dean Joseph Weil Leadership Award, University of Florida; Most Outstanding Master in Public Policy Student – Ellen Raphael Award, Harvard Kennedy School.
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