D.C.’s Rainbow History Project is inviting members of the local LGBTQ community and its supporters to participate in a reenactment of what it calls the historic 1965 first gay rights protest outside the White House.

The event is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. Thursday, April 17 on the sidewalk in front of the White House.

In a statement, Rainbow History Project says the 1965 protest was organized by local gay rights pioneers Frank Kameny and Lilli Vincenz on behalf of the Mattachine Society of Washington, one of D.C.’s first gay rights groups that Kameny co-founded in the early 1960s.

“Led by Dr. Kameny and Dr. Vincenz, picketers demanded action on the Mattachine Society’s four major issues: the exclusion of homosexuals from Federal employment; the punitive policies of the U.S. Military; blanket denial of security clearances to gay people; and government refusal to meet with the LGBTQ community,” the statement says.  

The statement referred to the titles of Kameny and Vincenz in connection with their academic doctorate degrees  

“Although Dr. Kameny died in 2011, and Dr. Vincenz in 2023, Rainbow History Project and its all-volunteer corps will picket in their honor and demonstrate there is a new generation of young activists ready to take up their signs and their fight for equal rights for all LGBTQ people,” the statement says.

Among those expected to participate in the April 17 White House reenactment picketing is longtime D.C. LGBTQ rights advocate Paul Kuntzler, who is the last known survivor of the 1965 White House gay rights protest. Kuntzler was expected to carry a picket sign similar to the one he carried in 1965.

In its research on the 1965 gay White House protest, Rainbow History Project learned of a letter that Kameny sent to then President Lyndon B. Johnson outlining the demands of the White House protesters.

“We ask, Mr. President, for what all American citizens – singly and collectively – have the right to ask,” the Kameny letter states. “That our problems be given fair, unbiased consideration…consideration in which we, ourselves, are allowed to participate actively and are invited to do so.”

The RHP statement says the group “will carry replicas of the original protest signs and hand out literature explaining the picket to passersby and tourists.”   

A final push to raise money and fill D.C. hotel rooms is underway with WorldPride 2025 just over a month away.

The Capital Pride Alliance, the D.C.-based group that’s organizing WorldPride 2025 in the nation’s capital that’s scheduled to take place May 17-June 8 launched what it says is one of several fundraising campaigns in a full-page ad in the Washington Post on April 1.

With a large headline declaring, “Hate Is No Joke,” a message in the ad states, “Decades of progress in human rights are under coordinated, systematic attack. Today it’s focused on gender, sexual orientation, and race. But what’s next?”

The message then states, “Take Action. Take a stand. Donate now at WorldPrideDC.org/give.”

That site says its goal is to raise $2 million. As of April 14, the site says $12,041 had been raised from 69 donors.

In response to a request by the Washington Blade for comment on what prompted this particular fundraising campaign, Capital Pride Alliance released a statement saying the campaign was part of its ongoing effort to promote WorldPride and its multiple events.

“The Hate Is No Joke campaign is one of multiple fundraising campaigns that have been planned around the lead-up to WorldPride 2025,” the statement says. “Similar to CPA’s annual Giving Tuesday campaign and the current Taste of Pride citywide initiative, this campaign is intended to raise awareness for and funds to support WorldPride.”

The statement says the “Hate Is No Joke” campaign is being led by the local event planning company Linder Global Events, which D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser retained to work with Capital Pride Alliance in organizing WorldPride 2025.

Capital Pride Alliance Executive Director Ryan Bos told the Blade last month that CPA had set up a budget of between $15 million and $20 million for WorldPride 2025, with much of the funding coming from corporate donors. At the request of Mayor Bowser, the D.C. Council approved $5 million in city funding for WorldPride.

“And like we do every year for an organization like ours, which is event based, we do our best every year to come under budget,” Bos said in referring to the city’s annual Capital Pride celebration and events. “So, we are doing our best to save whenever we can and to ensure that we have a safe and successful WorldPride,” he said.

In its statement responding to the Blade’s inquiry about the Hate Is No Joke fundraising campaign, Capital Pride Alliance said it has learned through the international LGBTQ advocacy organization InterPride, which plays a role in organizing WorldPride events, that visitors from at least 20 countries were expected to come to D.C. for WorldPride 2025.

Among those countries were Canada, Mexico, and several others from Europe, Asia, and Africa, including Uganda and Zimbabwe, as well as India, Spain, Italy, United Kingdom, China, and Thailand.

Elliott Ferguson, president and CEO of Destination D.C., an organization that promotes tourism, visitation, and events in D.C., including events like WorldPride, said he is seeing signs that hotel reservations are increasing from visitors planning to come to D.C. for WorldPride. But he said he cannot predict whether as many as 2 million or more visitors will come as WorldPride organizers had predicted earlier this year.

At Capital Pride Alliance’s suggestion, Ferguson spoke with the Blade to address the question of whether the controversial statements and policies of President Donald Trump on world trade issues and tariffs involving longtime U.S. allies like Canada and Mexico as well as the Trump administration’s hostile policies targeting the transgender community would prompt people, especially those from foreign countries, to choose not to come to D.C. for WorldPride.

“I’m not sure,” Ferguson told the Blade in an interview. “You know, I think that’s the gray area in terms of how many people will come,” he said.

“But reservations are being made. We’re seeing more of an uptick,” he told the Blade. “And we remain optimistic as WorldPride organizers and Capital Pride organizers are really focusing on the celebration of the community that’s happening in the city,” he said.

Ferguson said he and Destination D.C. were joining WorldPride organizers in putting out the message that if people disagree with the Trump administration’s policies on LGBTQ-related issues or any other issues, they should turn out for WorldPride to protest those policies.

Capital Pride officials have pointed out that among the many events planned for WorldPride is a national LGBTQ rights march on Washington that will begin at the Lincoln Memorial and travel to the U.S. Capitol.

“There’s a lot of consternation and concern about a lot of issues that have been brought to our attention by a lot of international travelers, including those that were looking at coming for WorldPride,” Ferguson said.

“What we’ve said to them is, you know, coming to WorldPride from a global perspective focusing on freedom of speech and First Amendment rights here in the U.S. is a huge part of why you should be here,” he added. 

“So, as we talk to hotels, we would have liked to see the city fully sold out at this point,” he said. “But we are seeing momentum in terms of reservations being made and people coming to Washington.” 

Washington’s queer community will have the opportunity to party with a purpose this weekend as Cherry Weekend returns to raise money for LGBTQ organizations in D.C.

Cherry Weekend is an annual celebration of parties, DJs, and drag that gives the LGBTQ community a chance to let their hair down, dance, drink and be merry-while supporting some of the city’s most vulnerable queer residents through the Cherry Fund.

This year’s Cherry Weekend runs April 11-13, with four parties, eight DJs and one iconic drag performance from Detox, a former “RuPaul’s Drag Race” contestant, all in support of the Cherry Fund.

Founded in 1996 by local LGBTQ residents, the Cherry Fund raises money to make Washington a safer and more inclusive place for LGBTQ people to live, grow and thrive. Cherry Weekend is the nonprofit’s flagship fundraising event, supporting LGBTQ community members living with HIV and those struggling with mental health challenges.

The Cherry Fund has donated to a wide range of D.C.-based organizations over the years. This year, proceeds will support the DC LGBTQ+ Community Center, and the ReelAbilities Film Festival of Greater Washington, which promotes “awareness and appreciation of the lives, stories and artistic expressions of people with disabilities.”

As the longest-running 501(c)(3) nonprofit circuit party organization in the U.S., the Cherry Fund has a reputation to uphold-and in 2025, it’s doing so with four “CHERRY ELEMENT”-themed dance parties across the city.

The weekend kicks off at 11 p.m. Friday with the “AIR” party at DC9 Nightclub (1940 9th St., N.W.) in Shaw. DJs Orel Sabag (Israel) and Jake Maxwell (U.S.) will spin music to “elevate your spirit and unite your soul in a celebration of the CHERRY element.”

Saturday night brings the main event: The “FIRE” party at Betty in Brentwood (1235 W St., N.E.), featuring Detox, along with DJs Tezrah (U.S.) and Las Bibas from Vizcaya (Brazil). From 10 p.m. to 4 a.m., “scorching beats” and a fiery atmosphere will heat up the dance floor.

After the smoke clears, Flash Nightclub in Shaw (645 Florida Ave., N.W.) will host the “EARTH” after-party from 4-8 a.m. Sunday, with DJs Calagna (U.S.) and Ed Wood (Puerto Rico) providing the soundtrack.

The weekend wraps Sunday night with the “WATER” party at Bunker (2001 14th St., N.W.), where DJs Chord (U.S.) and Jesus Montanez (Mexico) will play “cool, flowing beats” from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Tickets and a full schedule are available at CherryDC.com. To learn more about the Cherry Fund, visit CherryFund.org.