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Communities of color in DC embrace Pride Month with fervor

AAPI, Latino groups schedule slate of events

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(Washington Blade photo by Clint Steib)

Pride Month is in full force, and naturally, many communities around D.C. have inhabited the spirit of jubilation as they laud the existence of queerness and how far the LGBTQ community has progressed. More importantly, communities of color are gathering to celebrate not only their queerness, but also its intersection with ethnic and racial identity.

As a precursor to the month, the Center for Black Equity hosted the DC Black Pride which included events like the Unity Ball, a celebration of the infamous ballroom scene within the Black queer community. The event was hosted virtually and featured legendary ballroom fixtures like Icon Jack Mizrahi Gucci of FX’s ā€œPoseā€ and Legendary Twiggy Pucci Garcon, among many other notable figures. 

As the month progresses, Latinos and Asian American and Pacific Islanders have curated a slate of events that will salute their communities and also reflect on the importance of visibility and acceptance. 

AAPI community events

AQUA DC will be hosting a virtual art show with API Pride in conjunction with various queer AAPI organizations including: AQUA DC, the Mayor’s Office on Asian Pacific Islander Affairs, Capital Pride, Korean Queer Trans DC (KQT DC), the Asian Pacific Islander Queer Society (APIQS), Khush DC and the National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP DC).

The art show will take place from June to October and will highlight and support the work of local queer and transgender AAPI artists.

In addition, AQUA DC will also relaunch their monthly happy hour ā€œAPI QT Time ” at Uproar, a queer Asian and women-owned business, on June 18 at 5 p.m.

Latino community events

Nancy CaƱas, president of the Latinx History Project, says, ā€œIn 2020, the Latinx History Project celebrated 20 years of collecting our stories, educating the public about our LGBTQIA+ Latinx culture and accomplishments, and planning DC Latinx Pride. This year we’re celebrating 15 years — quinceaƱera!ā€

The organization’s roster of events includes ā€œLa PlĆ”tica,ā€ a virtual event on June 15 where people will gather to discuss topics and issues of relevance within the Latino community. The Royal Court Announcement will take place on June 22, and ā€œLa Dragaā€ will take place virtually on June 29.

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Maryland

A Baltimore theater educator lost jobs at Johns Hopkins and the Kennedy Center

Tavish Forsyth concluded they could not work for Trump

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Tavish Forsyth, a queer artist and educator, posted a nude video on YouTube in protest of the Trump administration’s takeover of the Kennedy Center earlier this year. (Photo by Jessica Gallagher for the Baltimore Banner)

BY WESLEY CASE | Tavish Forsyth had come to a conclusion: They could not work for President Donald Trump.

So the 32-year-old Baltimore resident stripped down, turned on their camera, and lit their career on fire.

ā€œF—— Donald Trump and f—— the Kennedy Center,ā€ a naked Forsyth, an associate artistic lead at the Washington National Opera’s Opera Institute, which is run by the Kennedy Center, said in a video that went viral. The board of the nation’s leading cultural institution had elected Trump just weeks prior as its chairman after he gutted the board of members appointed by his predecessor, President Joe Biden.

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

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District of Columbia

Little Gay Pub to host April 25 celebration of life for Patrick Shaw

School teacher, D.C. resident praised for ā€˜warmth, humor, kindness’

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Patrick Shaw (Photo via GoFundMe)

Co-workers and friends will hold a celebration of life for highly acclaimed schoolteacher and D.C. resident Patrick Shaw beginning at 5:30 p.m. Friday, April 25 at The Little Gay Pub 1100 P St., N.W.

Little Gay Pub co-owner and Shaw’s friend, Dusty Martinez, said Shaw passed away unexpectedly on April 19 from a heart related ailment at the age of 60.

ā€œPatrick touched so many lives with his warmth, humor, kindness, and unmistakable spark,ā€ Martinez said. ā€œHe was a truly special soul – funny, vibrant, sassy, and full of life and we are heartbroken by his loss.ā€

In an Instagram posting, Shaw’s colleagues said Shaw was a second-grade special education teacher at the J.F. Cook campus of D.C.’s Mundo Verde Bilingual Public Charter School.

ā€œPatrick brought warmth, joy, and deep commitment to Mundo Verde,ā€ his colleagues said in their posting. ā€œHis daily Broadway sing-alongs, vibrant outfits, and genuine love for his students filled our community with energy and laughter.ā€

The posted message adds, ā€œPatrick was more than a teacher; he was a light in our school, inspiring us all to show up with heart, humor, and kindness every day. His spirit will be deeply missed.ā€

The Washington Blade is preparing a full obituary on Patrick Shaw to be published soon. 

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District of Columbia

D.C. police seek help in identifying suspect in anti-gay threats case

Victim threatened with assault, called ā€˜faggot’ as he left Capitals game

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D.C. police are seeking help from the public in identifying a male suspect whose image was captured by a video surveillance camera.

D.C. police are seeking help from the public in identifying a male suspect whose image was captured by a video surveillance camera after he allegedly shouted anti-gay slurs and threatened to assault a man at 6th and H Streets, N.W. on March 20 at about 9:54 p.m.

A police report says the victim told police the incident took place shortly after he exited the nearby Capital One Arena where he had attended a Washington Capitals hockey game.

The police report says the incident began when the victim saw the suspect yell a racist slur at a person behind the victim and started to berate a valet operator.

ā€œSuspect 1 then turned his attention to Victim 1 and called him a ā€˜faggot’ among other homophobic slurs,ā€ the report says. It says the victim then used his phone to record the suspect, prompting the suspect to walk away before returning and ā€œsnatchingā€ the phone from the victim’s hand.

ā€œSuspect 1 walked several feet as Victim 1 followed, requesting his phone back,ā€ the report continues. ā€œSuspect 1 stopped and turned to Victim 1 and while yelling other obscenities exclaimed ā€˜if you keep recording, I’m going to kick your ass.ā€™ā€ The report concludes by saying the victim was able to recover his phone.

It lists the incident as a ā€œThreats To Do Bodily Harmā€ offense that is a suspected hate crime.

ā€œAnyone who can identify this suspect or has knowledge of this incident should take no action but call police at 202-727-9099, or text your tip to the Department’s TEXT TIP LINE at 50411,ā€ according to a separate police statement released April 23.

The statement says police currently offer an award of up to $1,000 to anyone who can provide information that leads to an arrest and indictment of the person or persons responsible for a crime committed in D.C.

D.C. police spokesperson Tom Lynch said the case has been under investigation since the incident occurred on March 20. He said the video image of the suspect, most likely obtained from a security camera from a nearby business, was released to the public as soon as it was obtained and processed through the investigation.

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