Arts & Entertainment
Listen: Madonna samples Emma González’s gun control speech on ballad ‘I Rise’
This is the second single from ‘Madame X’
Madonna has released “I Rise,” the second single from her upcoming album ‘Madame X.”
The start of the song samples Parkland shooting survivor Emma González’s pro gun control speech.
[They say] us kids don’t know what we’re talking about, that we’re too young to understand how the government works. We call BS,” González says.
Madonna explained the inspiration behind the song in a statement saying, “I wrote ‘I Rise’ as a way of giving a voice to all marginalized people who feel they don’t have the opportunity to speak their mind. This year is the 50th anniversary of Pride and I hope this song encourages all individuals to be who they are, to speak their minds and to love themselves.”
“Madame X” will be released on June 14.
Listen below.
The Capital Pride Alliance presented the 2026 Capital Pride Honors at “The Audacity Brunch: In Full Fuchsia” at the Four Seasons Hotel Washington, D.C. on Sunday, June 7.
(Washington Blade photos by Landon Shackelford)
Out & About
Congressional Cemetery hosts Gays & Graves
Daylong Pride celebration blends history, remembrance, art and community
Historic Congressional Cemetery will host the second annual “Gays & Graves: A Big Gay Festival” on Sunday, June 14 at 11 a.m.
The event will feature pioneering activist Randy Wicker, the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, and new public art installations and programs celebrating LGBTQ+ history. Gays & Graves is an official partner event of Capital Pride 2026.
This event is a daylong Pride celebration blending history, remembrance, art and community. Visitors can shop from LGBTQ+ and allied artists and makers, experience performances and interactive installations, and engage with programs exploring LGBTQ+ history and lived experience.
For more details, visit the cemetery’s website.
Baltimore Pride is underway, taking place from June 8-14.
The Pride Parade will be on Saturday, June 13 at 12 p.m. at Charles Street & North Avenue, followed by the Pride Block Party at 1 p.m. at Druid Hill Park. And then the Pride Festival will be held on Sunday, June 14 at 12 p.m. at Druid Hill Park.
There will be an array of additional events including: a fashion show, a “Suits and Sneakers” reception and a 5k race, among many other events.
For more details, visit Baltimore Pride’s website.
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