District of Columbia
Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs honors Earline Budd
Transgender activist received Toast to LGBTQIA+ Elder award
Longtime D.C. transgender rights advocate and community activist Earline Budd was honored on Wednesday as the first recipient of an annual Toast to LGBTQIA+ Elder award initiated by Mayor Muriel Bowserās Office of LGBTQ Affairs.
About 50 people, including D.C. Councilmember Zachary Parker (D-Ward 5), attended a ceremony hosted by the mayorās office to honor Budd on her selection for the recognition. The event was held at the Atlas Performing Arts Center at 1333 H St., N.E.
āThe Toast to LGBTQIA+ Elders is a way for the Mayorās Office of LGBTQ Affairs and greater community to give thanks and recognition to those who paved the way for many of us in the LGBTQIA+ community today,ā said Japer Bowles, director of the Mayorās LGBTQ Affairs Office, in a statement.
Bowles said he and the mayorās office were honored to have selected Budd for the first annual Toast award.
āWe thank Ms. Budd for her 35+ years of outstanding and extraordinary dedication to the most vulnerable of our communities through support and harm reduction services,ā Bowles said in the statement. āKnown as THE Advocate, Ms. Budd has been steadfast in community outreach, an accomplishment of immense significance, especially to our LGBTIA+ youth.ā
Buddās selection as the first Toast to LGBTQIA+ Elder recipient came one month after she was honored in a ceremony unveiling a large wall mural painting of Budd in an alley next to the Atlas Performing Arts Center, making her the first trans person to be portrayed in D.C.ās citywide wall mural program.
Among those attending Tuesdayās elder recognition event was local artist Shani Shih, who designed and painted the Budd wall mural.
Also attending was Sean Cuddihy, a member of the staff of D.C. Councilmember Robert White (D-At-Large), who presented Budd with a resolution introduced by White and passed unanimously by the Council called the Earline Budd Recognition Resolution.
The resolution, among other things, credits Budd for dedicating ādecades of her life to advocacy for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and other gender and sexual minority (LGBTQ) communities in the District of Columbia, especially those struggling with substance abuse, mental health challenges, homelessness, and HIV/AIDS.ā
It also mentions Buddās role as founder and executive director of the D.C. group Empowering the Transgender Community and her work as Re-entry Program Manager for the D.C. organization HIPS, which provides support and services for sex workers and those impacted by drug use.
Parker became the first openly gay member of the D.C. Council since 2015 when he took office in January. He presented another Council resolution at the Wednesday Toast to Budd event recognizing the life of trans woman Jasmine Star Parker, who was found murdered on a street in Northeast D.C. on Dec. 7.
Parker presented the Jasmine Star Parker Memorial Recognition Resolution of 2023 to members of Parkerās family, including her mother and sister, who attended the Wednesday event. Parker credited Buddās efforts to draw attention to the Jasmine Parker murder, including Buddās role in organizing a vigil honoring Jasmine Parker, with prompting him to introduce the Jasmine Parker resolution.
āThe Council of the District of Columbia honors Jasmine Star Parkerās memory, joins with those privileged to have known her in mourning her untimely death and condemns all forms of hate and violence directed towards members of the LGBTQ+ community, particularly Black trans women,ā the resolution states.
In his remarks at the Wednesday event, Parker said his current role as the cityās only Black openly gay council member was made possible by people like Earlene Budd.
āBefore there was ever a Zachary Parker there was an Earline Budd,ā he told the gathering. āThank you for serving as a personal inspiration for me and countless other youth and individuals across the District,ā Parker said. āOn behalf of more than 90,000 residents of Ward 5 and every LGBTQIA+ person in the District, thank you.ā
Among the others who spoke at the event about the important role Budd has played in helping to secure LGBTQ rights were D.C. event host and longtime LGBTQ advocate Rayceen Pendarvis, who served as host at the Tuesday event; and longtime local trans rights advocate Jeri Hughes.
āIām so honored to have the privilege to host this wonderful event as we honor a living legend,ā Pendarvis told the gathering. āNot many people in their lifetime can say that they know a living legend,ā Pendarvis said, pointing to Budd. āI am honored to call you a friend, sister, and colleague.ā
Hughes said she and Budd have been friends for at least 17 years and have worked together on numerous projects related to human rights.
āEarline Budd has always been defined in my eyes as a woman of service,ā Hughes said. āSheās one of the most selfless human beings that Iāve ever known. She spends most of her days thinking of ways to care for others and help others.ā
Budd, who spoke at the conclusion of the event, recited the names of the many community activists and government officials she has interacted with in her years of community organizing and advocacy and praised them for their help in her endeavors. She expressed strong gratitude and called for recognition of Shih for her painting of the Budd wall mural.
āLet me say with an honor to God, it is not by any means a false profit that I find myself here, because God knew before that this day would come,ā Budd said. āI didnāt know it, that it would come, Iām here to say Iāve been to so many places. And I tell people that if this were my last day, and I mean this from the bottom of my heart, I have lived a good life.ā
District of Columbia
D.C. Council member proposes change for Mayorās Office of LGBTQ Affairs
Parker also seeks increased funding for LGBTQ programs in FY 2025 budget
D.C. Council member Zachary Parker (D-Ward 5), the Councilās only LGBTQ member, has asked his fellow Council members to support a proposal to change the Mayorās Office of LGBTQ Affairs to become a āstand-alone entity outside the Executive Office of the Mayor to allow for greater transparency and accountability that reflects its evolution over the years.ā
In an April 30 letter to each of his 12 fellow Council members, Parker said he plans to introduce an amendment to the cityās Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Support Act to make this change for the LGBTQ Affairs Office.
His letter also calls for adding to the cityās FY 2025 budget two specific funding proposals that local LGBTQ activists submitted to D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser that the mayor did not include in her budget proposal submitted to the Council. One calls for $1.5 million to fund the completion of the build out and renovation for the D.C. Center for the LGBTQ Communityās new building in the cityās Shaw neighborhood and $300,000 in subsequent years to support the LGBTQ Centerās operations.
Parkerās second budget proposal calls for what he said was about $450,000 to fund 20 additional dedicated LGBTQ housing vouchers as part of the cityās existing program to provide emergency housing support for LGBTQ residents and other residents facing homelessness.
āThe Office of LGBTQ+ Affairs currently manages about 90 vouchers across various programs and needs,ā Parker said in his letter to fellow Council members. āAdding an additional 20 vouchers will cost roughly $450,000,ā he wrote, adding that dedicated vouchers “play a crucial role in ensuring LGBTQ+ residents of the District can navigate the complex process of securing housing placements.ā
In her proposed FY ā25 budget, Bowser calls for a 7.6 percent increase in funding for the Office of LGBTQ Affairs, which amounts to an increase of $132,000, bringing the officeās total funding to $1.7 million.
āTo be clear, I support the strong work and current leadership of the Office of LGBTQ+ Affairs,ā Parker says in his letter to fellow Council members. āThis push for change is in recognition of the officeās notable achievements and the significant demands being placed on it, which require a greater level of accountability.ā
Parker told the Blade in an April 30 telephone interview that he believes Japer Bowles, the current director of the Office of L|GBTQ Affairs is doing an excellent job in operating the office, but he believes the office would be able to do more for the LGBTQ community under the change he is proposing.
āMaking it a stand-alone office versus it being clustered within the Community Affairs division of the mayorās office, it will get more attention,ā Parker told the Blade. āThe leadership will have greater flexibility to advocate for the interest of LGBTQ residents, And we will be able to conduct greater oversight of the office,ā he said, referring to the Councilās oversight process.
Parker noted that other community constituent offices in the mayorās office, including the Office of Latino Affairs and the Office of Veterans Affairs are stand-alone offices that he hopes to bring about for the LGBTQ Affairs Office. He said Council member Brianne Nadeau, who chairs the Council committee that has oversight for the LGBTQ Affairs Office, has expressed support for his proposal.
Also expressing support for Parkerās proposal to make the LGBTQ Affairs Office a stand-alone office is the D.C. Advisory Neighborhood Commission Rainbow Caucus. Vincent Slatt, the caucusās chairperson, submitted testimony last week before the D.C. Council Committee on Public Works and Operations, which is chaired by Nadeau, calling for making the LGBTQ Affairs Office a stand-alone office outside the Executive Office of the Mayor.
Slatt also stated in his testimony that the office has a āchronic staffing shortageā and recommended that at least three additional staff members be assigned to the office.
Daniel Gleick, the mayorās press secretary, told the Blade the mayorās office is reviewing Parkerās budget proposals, including the proposed change for the Office of LGBTQ Affairs.
But in testimony at a May 1, D.C. Council budget hearing before the Councilās Committee on Executive Administration and Labor, Lindsey Parker, Mayor Bowserās Chief of Staff, appeared to express skepticism over making the LGBTQ Affairs office a stand-alone office. Lindsey Parker expressed her thoughts on the proposed change when asked about it by Councilmember Anita Bonds (D-At-Large), who chairs the committee that held the hearing.
āI would proffer that it doesnāt matter whether the agency is within the EOM [Executive Office of the Mayor] or not,ā Lindsey Parker told Bonds. āThey will still be reporting up into one would argue the most important agency in the D.C. government, which is the one that supports the mayor,ā Lindsey Parker said. āSo, itās the closest to the mayor that you can get,ā she said āSo, you could pull it out and have a different budget chapter. I actually think thatās confusing and convoluted.ā
Lindsey Parker added, āThe Mayorās Office of LGBTQ Affairs, with their six FTEs right now, if they were a stand-alone function they wouldnāt have all the non-personnel services in order to operate. They need to be under sort of the shop of the EOM in order to get those resources.āĀ
By FETs Lindsey Parker was referring to the term Full Time Equivalent employees. Ā
District of Columbia
As You Are bar closes temporarily, citing problems with building
Shutdown comes two months after fundraising appeal brought in $170,000
As You Are, the LGBTQ cafĆ© and bar located in the Barracks Row section of Capitol Hill near the Eastern Market Metro station, has announced on its Instagram page that problems associated with its building at 500 8th St., S.E., forced it to ātemporarilyā close on April 8.
āAs you may be aware, As You Areās location in Eastern Market has been closed since April 8, when we began to have concerns about the physical condition of the building,ā the Instagram message states. āWe worked quickly to alert our landlord, and they have assessed the building with their engineers,ā the message says.
āWe understand that certain repairs need to be made to ensure the safety of our staff, patrons, and community,ā the message concludes.
In one of two more recent videos posted on Instagram on April 17 and 26, As You Are co-owners Jo McDaniel and Rachel Pike said they did not have any update on when they can reopen. āThe engineers and contractors have all come into the space, and weāre just waiting on a plan and a timeline from our landlord,ā McDaniel said in the video.
Pike mentioned in one of the videos that As You Are has a Venmo app set up, and said they appreciate the support they have been receiving from the community. McDaniel added, āWeāre really interested in supporting our team through this, as this is an unexpected loss of income for all of us.ā
McDaniel didnāt immediately respond to a request from the Washington Blade for a further update on where things stand with the building repair project and the specific nature of the problems with the building. An earlier message posted on the As You Are website said, āHeavy rain damaged the back wall of our building, and we are closed to assess and repair.ā
The message added, āRegular updates and ways to support can be found on our Instagram page @asyouaredc.ā
The April 8 shutdown came a little over two months after As You Are issued a GoFundMe appeal on Feb. 5 seeking emergency financial support to prevent it from closing in February due to a $150,000 debt. In a display of strong community support, its $150,000 fundraising goal was reached in less than a week. By the following week, the GoFundMe appeal had pulled in more than $170,000 from more than 3,000 individual donations.
Many of the donors left messages on the GoFundMe page for As You Are expressing their strong support for the bar and cafƩ, saying it served as a uniquely supportive space for all members of the LGBTQ community.
In the GoFundMe message, McDaniel and Pike said their goal in opening their business in March 2022 was to offer community center type programming beyond just a bar and cafƩ.
āAYA is a cafĆ©, bar and dance floor that hosts diverse programming nearly every night of the week, including social sport leagues, Queer youth socials, weekly karaoke, book clubs, open mics, Queer author events, dance parties, and much more,ā the two said in their message.
The buildingās owner and the As You Are landlord, Rueben Bajaj, who is the principal operator of the Bethesda, Md., based real estate firm White Star Investments, couldnāt immediately be reached for comment. The Washington Post reported that he contributed $500 to the As You Are GoFundMe appeal, saying, āI personally want to see As You Are succeed.ā
District of Columbia
Weekend brings two shootings in U Street, Dupont Circle areas
Man dies after incident at Desperados
A man was shot to death shortly after 1 a.m. on Saturday, April 27, inside the Desperados Burgers & Bar at 1342 U St., N.W., which is located on the same block a short distance away from the LGBTQ nightclub Bunker D.C. and around the corner less than a block away from the recently opened LGBTQ bar Crush on 14th Street, N.W.
The incident prompted Bunker to post on its Facebook page a message saying its security team quickly ushered patrons standing outside to enter the club and as a precautionary measure prevented patrons from leaving until it was deemed safe to do so.
A D.C. police statement identifies the shooting victim as Kenneth Goins, 43, of Salisbury, Md. The statement says officers on patrol in the 1300 block of U Street, N.W. heard gunshots at about 1:12 a.m. and immediately arrived at Desperados to investigate the incident.
āOfficers located a man inside with multiple gunshot wounds,ā the statement says. āDespite all life saving efforts, the victim was pronounced dead on the scene,ā it says. Neither the statement nor a police incident report pertaining to the shooting provides a description of the person who committed the shooting nor discloses whether any of the customers inside the restaurant and bar witnessed the shooting.
The statement says the police Homicide Branch is investigating the shooting and urges anyone with knowledge of the incident to call police at 202-272-9099. Like all homicide cases, it says the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department offers a reward of up to $25,000 to anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for a homicide committed in the District.
āThere was a shooting incident on U ST. N.W., just 4 doors down from BUNKER,ā the Bunker Facebook post says. āOur security team promptly responded, ensuring the safety of everyone by ushering them inside for cover,ā it says. āCurrently, the courageous police officers are outside, handling the situation and working diligently to maintain a secure environment for our guests,ā the message continues.
āAs a responsible establishment, we strongly prioritize your safety, and as a precautionary measure, we will not permit anyone to exit the building until we deem it safe to do so,ā the posting says. āRest assured, we, as the owners, take this matter very seriously, and your safety remains our highest priority.ā
The U Street shooting at Desperados Burgers & Bar took place a little over two hours after six people were shot and wounded outside the Decades nightclub at 1219 Connecticut Ave., N.W. near Dupont Circle and near several gay bars on P Street and 17th Street in the Dupont Circle area. Police said none of those who were shot suffered life-threatening injuries
A separate police statement says with the help of several witnesses, police identified and arrested Rennwel Mantock, 29, of Hyattsville, Md., in connection with the shooting on charges of Assault with Intent to Kill, Possession of Unregistered Ammunition, and Possession of an Unregistered Firearm. The statement says a gun belonging to Mantock was recovered on the scene. Court records show a judge has ordered him to be held without bond until a May 7 preliminary hearing.
āThe detectivesā investigation determined Mantock opened fire after employees removed him from a nightclub following a dispute,ā according to the statement.
A police arrest affidavit filed in D.C. Superior Court says Mantock told police at the time he was apprehended on the scene that he was dancing with a woman at the club when a security guard ordered him to leave and then āgrabbed him by the neck and punched him in the face right before dragging him down the steps.ā The Decades club states on its website that it has several floors with multiple bars.
According to the arrest affidavit, Mantock told police that one of the security officials punched him in the face again and threw him to the ground after dragging him out the door. It says Mantock āstated that he then pulled out his gun and started shootingā because āhe was very upset about the security punching him in the face,ā adding that he ābegan firing at the Decadesā security.ā
The affidavit says five of the six people shot were Decades employees.
Gay former Dupont Circle Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Mike Silverstein, who lives near where the shooting took place, said Decades is not known as a place that LGBTQ people patronize but said the surrounding neighborhood is home to many LGBTQ residents and draws many LGBTQ visitors.
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