District of Columbia
New D.C. police chief pledges ‘fair and equal treatment’ for LGBTQ community
Says role as ordained minister won’t impact efforts to provide services for everyone
Acting D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith, whose nomination to become permanent chief is pending before the D.C. Council, said she is committed to providing “fair and equal treatment” for all the city’s diverse communities, including the LGBTQ community, in her role as the city’s chief law enforcement officer.
In an Aug. 9 interview with the Washington Blade, Smith responded to questions raised by some in the LGBTQ community about whether due to her background as an ordained minister she may have biased views toward LGBTQ people based on her religious beliefs.
“Thank you for that question, and I certainly welcome any questions that members of any community may have with respect to my faith,” Smith told the Blade. “What I will tell you is I’ve been in law enforcement for 25 years. And I’ve always and will continue to provide fair and equal treatment to anyone who is subjected to any kind of threat or crime,” Smith said.
“And since we’re specifically speaking about the LGBTQ community, that translates to the LGBTQ community as well,” she said. “And my faith has nothing to do with me treating anyone differently,” she added.
“I served when I came into the Metropolitan Police Department as the Chief Equity Officer,” she said. “And my role was certainly about fair and equitable treatment for every employee of the Metropolitan Police Department,” said Smith. “And for me, that transfers to the members of our community – our businesses, our visitors, our tourists here in the District of Columbia.”
Asked whether that policy would apply to members of the LGBTQ community as well, Smith replied: “Absolutely. Listen, we have many members from the LGBTQ community here in MPD, including a transgender sworn member currently up to the rank of a lieutenant.”
Smith added, “We also have LGBTQ members in the reserve and volunteer corps supporting many functions in the department, including support of the LGBTQ Liaison Unit. We have a nationally recognized LGBTQ Liaison Unit.”
According to Smith, that unit, listed on the MPD website as the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Liaison Unit (LGBTLU), provides services to crime victims, outreach to community meetings, and “training and support to the rest of the department as well as the community.”
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser on July 17 nominated Smith to become the city’s next police chief. At the time her nomination was announced Smith was serving as an assistant chief. A short time later, the mayor named her acting chief while her nomination was pending before the D.C. Council, which is expected to approve the nomination when the Council returns from its summer recess.
If her nomination is approved by the Council, Smith would make history by becoming the first African-American woman to serve as the permanent D.C. police chief since the department was founded in 1861.
Smith joined the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department in May 2022 after having served as Chief of Police for the United States Park Police in the nation’s capital. Her more than 20 years of service with the Park Police included assignments at Park Police offices in New York, Atlanta, and San Francisco.
Among the topics the Blade raised with Smith during her interview was concern raised by some LGBTQ activists and other community activists that the shortfall of police officers that the department is currently facing has prevented the department from replacing members of the community liaison units, including the LGBT Liaison Unit, when members of those units retire or take other jobs.
Smith said she is committed to retaining the liaison units and doing all she can to keep them fully staffed.
“While we have no officers who have been reassigned away from those units, we do realize that attrition takes a toll on any area of the organization,” she told the Blade. “And what I want you to know is the Special Liaison Branch, which includes the teams servicing the LGBTQ plus community as well as our immigrant, our interfaith, deaf and hard of hearing communities – they play an important role in servicing and connecting with our diverse community,” Smith said.
“And this is especially true now as D.C. prepares to host World Pride in 2025,” she said, referring to D.C. having been selected to host the 2025 international LGBTQ Pride event, which draws hundreds of thousands of visitors from throughout the world.
“And so, what I have done as an initial step within the last couple of weeks is that I’ve approved four vacancies to be filled in the Special Liaison Branch,” Smith said. “And two of those vacancies will be for our LGBTQ unit.”
The Blade also asked Smith how she plans to address the issue of hate crimes at a time when D.C. police crime statistics show that over the past 10 years, the largest number of reported hate crimes in the city are those that have targeted LGBTQ people as victims.
“What I can say is in the department, we certainly have strong policies and training to make sure members can recognize hate crimes,” Smith said. “And officers have to report whether there are any indicators of a possible hate crime whenever they’re investigating or engaged in a case,” she added. “We have a multidisciplinary team that works together on reported hate crimes.”
The Blade asked Smith for her thoughts on calls by some community activists, including LGBTQ activists, for the decriminalization of prostitution involving consenting adults and for the police to de-prioritize making prostitution-related arrests for consenting adults.
“Well, I think our position today and our position has always been that we continue to enforce the laws of the District of Columbia,” she said, adding that in the past several years D.C. police have focused more on targeting sex worker customers or “Johns” in making prostitution-related arrests.
Smith said she was not familiar with the specifics of the D.C. police investigation into the unexplained death of D.C. gay resident Ernest Terrell Newkirk, 55, whose body was found May 28 on a Southeast D.C. street several hours after he attended an LGBTQ Black Pride dance party at a Capitol Hill gay bar. His partner of 21 years, Roger Turpin, said Newkirk’s wallet, phone, jewelry, and car were all missing at the time he was found.
Turpin has expressed concern that the detective initially assigned to the case declined to look for fingerprints on Newkirk’s car that was found two days later and was not interested in tracking down calls made by someone on Newkirk’s phone shortly after his body was found.
D.C. Police have said they have ruled out a homicide in the case because there were no signs of injuries on Newkirk’s body, but the cause of death has yet to be determined due to delays in chemical toxicology tests by the Office of the D.C. Chief Medical Examiner. A police spokesperson said the case remains under investigation.
Turpin said a new detective was assigned to the case and he is hopeful that police would aggressively investigate the case.
“What I can do is see if I can obtain some additional information from our investigators on this side,” Smith told the Blade. She said she knows from personal observation that MPD detectives “work very aggressively” on the cases to which they are assigned.
Asked if she has any message for the LGBTQ community in her role as Acting Chief of Police and in anticipation of her confirmation as permanent chief, Smith had this to say:
“Well, I can say personally the LGBTQ plus community will see me. They will see me out and about,” she added. “They will probably see me in spaces and places that they’re probably not familiar with seeing me in,” she said.
“And I plan to be very supportive. And if there’s anything that I can do to be of support to the LGBTQ community just as I would any other community, I would add, don’t hesitate to reach out,” she said. “If there’s anything I can learn new about various communities or different communities I’m open to that as well.”
A transcript of the full interview follows:
Acting D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith
Interview with Lou Chibbaro Jr.
August 9, 2023
Washington Blade: People in the LGBTQ community who are familiar with your record with the D.C. police and the U.S. Park Service have had good things to say about you. But some in the LGBTQ community may be interested in knowing whether your role as an ordained minister might have some impact on how you address LGBTQ-related issues. Historically, some clergy have not been supportive of LGBTQ people and even have opposed legislation to protect the rights of LGBTQ people. Might you have a message for those who may be curious about your role as a police chief and a clergy person?
Pamela Smith: So, what I can say, and thank you for the question. And I certainly welcome any questions that members of any community may have with respect to my faith. What I will tell you is I’ve been in law enforcement for 25 years. And I’ve always and will continue to provide fair and equal treatment to anyone who is subjected to any kind of threat or crime.
And I will always ensure that I provide fair and equal treatment to the members of the Metropolitan Police Department and the residents and the citizens that are visiting the District of Columbia. And my faith has nothing to do with me treating anyone differently. I served when I came into the Metropolitan Police Department as the Chief Equity Officer. And my role was certainly about fair and equitable treatment for every employee of the Metropolitan Police Department.
And for me that transfers to the members of our community – our businesses, our visitors, our tourists here in the District of Columbia.
Blade: Can we assume that would apply to members of the LGBTQ community as well?
Smith: Absolutely. Listen, we have many members from the LGBTQ community here in MPD, including a transgender sworn member currently up to the rank of a lieutenant. We also have LGBTQ members in the reserve and volunteer corps supporting many functions in the department, including support of the LGBTQ Liaison Unit. We have a nationally recognized LGBTQ Liaison Unit. They serve our community. They provide services to victims, regular outreach to meetings. And they provide training and support to the rest of the department as well as the community.
So, I state that I support and will always provide fair and equal treatment to all people. And since we’re specifically speaking about the LGBTQ community, that translates to the LGBTQ community as well.
Blade: Regarding your mention of the LGBTQ Liaison Unit, we have heard that due to the shortage of police officers on the force, the number of officers assigned to the liaison units, including the LGBTQ Liaison Unit, have declined, in some cases due to attrition. Can you comment on whether there is a problem in keeping the liaison units sufficiently staffed?
Smith: I don’t think there is a problem in keeping up the liaison units. I think we have to be honest and talk about the fact that we have low staffing numbers across the department. Certainly, we have many challenges as we make decisions on how we reposition some of our employees. And we will continue to do that throughout the years.
While we have no officers who have been reassigned away from those units, we do realize that attrition takes a toll on any area of the organization. And what I want you to know is the Special Liaison Branch, which includes the team servicing the LGBTQ+ community as well as our immigrant, our interfaith, deaf and hard of hearing communities – they play an important role in servicing and connecting with our diverse community.
And this is especially true now as D.C. prepares to host World Pride in 2025. And so, what I have done as an initial step within the last couple of weeks is that I’ve approved four vacancies to be filled in the Special Liaison Branch. And two of those vacancies will be for our LGBTQ unit.
Blade: The last we had heard was there were just three officers assigned to the LGBT Liaison Unit as of earlier this year.
Smith: Well, it’s important to me. I think I said to you as I think about enhancing numbers in some of our positions as we gain new employees across the police department, I recognize the importance of our Special Liaison Branch and the members of the team that provide a service to our community. It’s certainly important to me that we not only fill vacancies in other areas across the workforce, but I am also committed to doing the same thing with our Special Liaison Branch to include our LGBT community liaison unit.
Blade: Concerning the issue of hate crimes, the MPD data over the past 10 years shows that the largest number of reported hate crimes in D.C. are those that target members of the LGBTQ community. Is there anything you can say about the department’s efforts to address hate crimes?
Smith: What I can say is in the department, we certainly have strong policies and training to make sure members can recognize potential hate crimes, for all crimes. And officers have to report whether there are any indicators of a possible hate crime whenever they’re investigating or engaged in a case. We have a multidisciplinary team that works together on reported hate crimes.
And that also includes the Special Liaison Branch, which shares information from the community with the team and information on investigations within the community. As appropriate, we have a Criminal Investigation Division, which investigates all hate crimes. And then we have intelligence. And what we do with intelligence is that we share information that the department becomes aware of with the other two branches, such as our Criminal Investigation Division and our Special Liaison Branch.
We also coordinate with our federal partners, including the prosecutors, the FBI, the U.S. Park Police, as well as other law enforcement agencies across the District of Columbia. We also have great relationships with our colleges and universities – our college campuses, rather, to ensure that information is shared and any available resources that we might have, or they might have, that we can leverage those resources.
And I’m sure, as you know, it’s difficult sometimes for the police to address hate and bias in the community, which is why we partner with people and entities that can mean stronger messages such as with Rev. [Thomas] Bowen, the director of the Mayor’s Office of Religious Affairs, and other faith leaders. We focus on preventing crime generally by responding to investigate hate crimes that happen and working with the community.
So, similarly like domestic violence or sexual assaults, we are concerned and making sure we encourage reporting of these types of events to ensure that we can drive these numbers down.
Blade: We have observed that in a number of cases the U.S. Attorney’s office drops the designation of a hate crime that D.C. police have sent to them after an arrest is made. Officials with the U.S. Attorney’s office have said sometimes there is insufficient evidence for them to obtain a conviction by a jury on a hate crimes case. Is MPD doing all it can to make sure the evidence for hate crimes cases is sufficient?
Smith: Absolutely. And I think that goes to what I said earlier, just making sure we continue to train our employees, our officers, our members to recognize potential hate crimes and making sure we’re providing the U.S. Attorneyi’s office with the appropriate evidence and documentation that’s needed to prosecute these cases.
Blade: Some in the LGBTQ community have joined advocates for sex workers in asking whether D.C. police should be devoting their resources, at a time when violent crime is rising, to arresting sex workers, including transgender women who sometimes are forced to engage in survival sex work because they can’t find other employment. We hear that arrests of transgender sex workers have occurred in recent years in an area along Eastern Avenue near the Maryland line, but that MPD may be changing its policy this year by not making as many of those arrests when the parties involved are consenting adults. What can you say about that?
Smith: Well, I would definitely never say that we’re not focused on all aspects of crimes throughout the District of Columbia and that the officers are less concerned and there’s less of an interest in making sure we are addressing all crimes. In the department, we work very closely with many of our community partners such as HIPS to try and address community concerns. And to make sure that individuals engaged in survival sex work have other options.
At MPD we have made five arrests this year, all of which were of Johns, not sex workers. I think we conducted an operation within our Sixth District. And that includes one of the areas that you spoke about, Eastern Avenue… We’ve made like five arrests this year. And what I will say is between the years of 2018 and 2023, as late as August 6, which is a couple of days ago, we’ve arrested over 2,150 Johns related to prostitution.
Blade: Again, some in the LGBTQ community as well as in the community at large there has been talk of decriminalizing sex work only between consenting adults and deemphasizing arrests involving consenting adults. No one is condoning the sex trafficking of minors. Does that put MPD in a difficult position since you’ve said you must enforce the law?
Smith: Well, I think our position today and our position has always been that we continue to enforce the laws of the District of Columbia.
Blade: On another matter, the partner of a D.C. gay man whose body was found on a street in Southeast D.C. — on 46th Place, S.E. — the day after he attended an LGBTQ Black Pride event at a bar on Capitol Hill over Memorial Day weekend has raised concerns that police are not sufficiently investigating this case. The partner says the man’s wallet, phone, and car were all missing before the car was found a few days later in another location. He says the detective at the time was not interested in looking for fingerprints inside the car when it was found or in tracking down phone calls made on the partner’s phone in an incident, he thinks, was a carjacking. Paris Lewbel, the MPD spokesperson, has said the case is still under investigation. Is this something you are aware of and which you might comment on?
Smith: Well, I am not familiar with the particulars of this case or investigation. But, in spaces where I’m not familiar with it and also if it’s still under investigation based as Paris has shared with you, that would be my position as well. What I can do is see if I can obtain some additional information from our investigators on this side.
What I will say and will say this outwardly is that our detectives work very aggressively. I’ve seen them since I’ve been here – I’ve been with the Metropolitan Police Department now for almost 16 months. And I have seen them workday in and day out. As a matter of fact, I’m often concerned about their emotional well-being because they are always in the office, always working.
They take these cases very personally. And I know they would do their due diligence if there was any foul play or anything that may have been associated with this case or any particular case. I’ve seen them really work hard. And I don’t think in this particular case it would be any different.
Blade: The partner did tell us yesterday that another detective contacted him. He thinks it might have been after the Washington Blade story ran on this case. He said the detective told him they are continuing to work on the case.
Smith: Excellent – that’s good to hear.
Blade: Is there anything else you may wish to say that the LGBTQ community might want to know regarding your plans for the MPD?
Smith: Well, I can say personally the LGBTQ+ community will see me. They will see me out and about. They will probably see me in spaces and places that they’re probably not familiar with seeing me in. And I plan to be very supportive. And if there’s anything that I can do to be of support to the LGBTQ community just as I would with any other community, I would add don’t hesitate to reach out. If there’s anything I can learn new about various communities or different communities I’m open to that as well.
Blade: Thank you very much, chief, for this interview.
District of Columbia
Aparna Raj expected to become second LGBTQ member of D.C. Council
Winner of primary would also be first Asian American to serve on body
Ward 1 D.C. Council candidate Aparna Raj, who describes herself on her campaign website as a “renter, union member and queer woman of color,” emerged as the winner in the city’s June 16 Democratic primary.
She won in a five-candidate race with 52 percent of the vote in the fourth round of the vote count under the city’s newly implemented ranked choice voting system.
In a ward with an overwhelming majority of voters registered as Democrats, Raj, who identifies as bisexual, is expected to win in the November general election to become the Council’s second LGBTQ member.
She is running against two lesser-known candidates – Republican Jett James Jasper and Statehood Green Party candidate Jude Crannitch.
Her victory would mark the first time since 2015 that the Council has had two LGBTQ members. At 32, she would also become the Council’s youngest member and its first Asian-American member. She was born and raised in West Chester, Pa., in a family that came to the U.S. from India.
The current gay D.C. Council member, Zachary Parker (D-Ward 5), won the June 16 Democratic primary against two lesser-known opponents with 77.5 percent of the vote and is expected to easily win re-election in the November general election.
Gay healthcare leader Jim Graham, who for many years served as executive director of D.C.’s Whitman-Walker Clinic, served as the Ward 1 Council member from 1999 to January 2015. Graham lost his re-election bid in 2014 to incumbent D.C. Council member Brianne Nadeau (D-Ward 1), who chose not to run for re-election this year. Graham passed away in June 2017.
Gay attorney David Catania served on the Council from 1997, when he won in a special election as a Republican, until 2015 after becoming an independent and giving up his Council seat to run for mayor in 2014. He lost his mayoral bid to incumbent D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser.
Raj, who also identifies as a democratic socialist, is among D.C. Democratic mayoral candidate Janeese Lewis George and Democratic At-Large D.C. Council candidate Oye Owolewa who are also democratic socialists and who won in the primary and are expected to win in November.
Political observers have said their primary victories and expected victories in the general election indicate many D.C. voters are seeking candidates with a perceived liberal, leftist perspective to address concerns, among other things, over the high cost of living, especially housing and rental costs.
Like nearly all candidates running for public office in D.C., those identifying as democratic socialists, especially Raj, have expressed strong support on LGBTQ issues.
Raj currently serves as communications manager for a progressive policy advocacy organization called Local Progress, which represents local elected officials throughout the country “fighting for racial and economic justice,” according to its website.
In an interview with the Washington Blade, Raj said she believes many LGBTQ D.C. residents are facing the same economic hardships as non-LGBTQ residents, and she plans to address those issues if elected.
“You know, we see it in D.C., in New York, in Philly, in Colorado, that it is getting very difficult for people to live and afford necessities like hosing and childcare,” she told the Blade. “And over the past two years, where it felt like establishment Democrats on a national level were unwilling to stand with immigrants or queer and trans people, democratic socialists have been constantly fighting for everybody – for immigrants, for people of color, for queer and trans people, for women, for people who need abortions – things like that,” she said.
“I think that D.C. has done a really important and good job of trying to protect LGBTQ+ residents across D.C. in the face of the Trump administration,” Raj added.
“But I think especially with the Supreme Court decision around trans people and with just always the ongoing threat that the Trump administration could start bearing down on, like transgender affirming care and things like that, the next Council is going to have a really important task behind it to make sure that we’re trying to protect queer and trans people across D.C. as much as possible – including by making sure the Office of Human Rights has the support that they need,” she said.
Raj said the economic policies she plans to push for will help small businesses, including LGBTQ-owned businesses such as bars.
“I support making sure that workers have the stability that they need with dignified wages and with benefits,” she said. “And at the same time finding ways to cut costs for small businesses – whether exploring commercial rent stabilization, pushing back on costs of utilities, helping raise revenue by bringing back Streeteries and things like that,” she said.
The following interview has been edited for length. For the full interview, visit washingtonblade.com.
BLADE: As you may know, the LGBTQ Victory Fund, which endorsed you and gay candidate Miguel Deramo in the June 16 primary, issued a statement after the primary saying they are pleased that you will likely become the first female LGBTQ member of the D.C. Council. But with that as a backdrop, are you aware of any other news media outlet aside from the Washington Blade that have identified you as an LGBTQ candidate as you self-identify on your campaign website as a queer woman of color? We are not aware of any other media reports on your LGBT identity.
RAJ: I think – I can’t list them off – but I think other publications have included the fact that I’m bi and I consider myself queer and their outreach about it.
BLADE: With that as a backdrop, where do you see things stand now going forward to the next D.C. Council session that you are expected to be on, where do you see things stand for LGBTQ residents of Ward 1 as well as citywide?
RAJ: I think that D.C. has done a really important and good job of trying to protect LGBTQ+ residents across D.C. in the face of the Trump administration. But I think especially with the recent Supreme Court decision around trans people and with just always the ongoing threat that the Trump administration could start bearing down on, like transgender affirming care and things like that, the next Council is going to have a really important task behind it to make sure that we’re trying to protect queer and trans people across D.C as much as possible – including by making sure the Office of Human Rights has the support that they need.
Trying to invest in and supporting housing vouchers, especially for LGBTQ+ youth, who are often more faced with homelessness than other youth. And that we are supporting schools and health clinics to make sure that LGBTQ+ students and patients are able to feel safe in good institutions.
BLADE: To go back to the D.C. primary election, a single Republican candidate named Jett Jasper ran unopposed for the Ward 1 Council seat. Do you know anything about him?
RAJ: Yeah, Jett and I have been in a debate back in March with all of the Democratic primary candidates … and he and I went around a little bit. So, I’ve met him.
BLADE: One of the interesting outcomes of the June 16 D.C. Democratic primary is the victories of candidates who like you and mayoral candidate Janeese Lewis George — and at least two others — identify as democratic socialists. What message do you see that as providing the city?
RAJ: I think it is an important message that I think people see democratic socialist candidates as the candidates who will fight for them in the face of a cost-of-living crisis that is driving people out of D.C. and in the face of the Trump administration that’s threatening our community.
BLADE: What response do you have to those, including some in the business community, who have said the policies proposed by democratic socialist candidates would hurt the city’s economy and create budget problems that can harm a lot of people, including the LGBTQ community?
RAJ: I would say that the economic crisis that we’re seeing right now is a result of a combination of conservative, neoliberal economic policies at the local level and of the fascists in office at the federal level. You know, we are in tough economic times, not because of democratic socialism but because of rigid capitalism right now.
And I think we learned from the ‘80s and Reagan that trickle-down economics doesn’t work. And so, when people are suffering, when people are getting laid off, when people are getting health care funding cut, what we need to do at the local level is invest in people and make sure that our recovery is centered on making sure that people have housing, making sure that people have health care, making sure people have food assistance, instead of just giving money to the top and hoping that it tickles down.
BLADE: The city’s chief financial officer has said the city may be facing a significant budget deficit in the next fiscal year possibly because of congressional action in cutting the city’s budget. What are your thoughts on that?
RAJ: I think there are all these options ahead of us. I think what this past year has shown us is that D.C. needs to have a much more proactive relationship on the Hill. And especially next year we will likely be coming into a Democratic Congress. We need to be advocating for ourselves in building those relationships with Congress members, with senators. I think we took a very localized approach prior to the Trump administration.
And that put us on the defense with a lot of the budget cuts and things they were bringing to us. And now is the time when we need to proactively advocate for D.C. and advocate for eventually statehood so that we have totally the economy that we need. And in the meantime, there are a number of revenue raisers available to us that we have not been exploring. They are mainly trying to implement a business activity tax that would affect specifically large businesses that don’t pay franchise tax in D.C.
They are exploring a capital gains tax. Trying to put or institute a wealth tax, trying to put in a tax like in New York where people who have secondary residences here would be taxed on those secondary residences. And so, we have options available to us. And I think it’s a matter of if we have the political will or whether our Council is willing to explore those in the next year or two.
BLADE: One issue raised by the local LGBTQ group GLAA D.C. is whether candidates for the D.C. Council would support decriminalizing sex work among consenting adults. Did you address that in their candidate questionnaire?
RAJ: Yes, I do support decriminalizing sex work. I think there are a number of reasons. Sex work disproportionately impacts transgender women, especially trans women of color. And it leads to health and safety issues when we criminalize sex work. People can’t seek the healthcare that they need. People can’t report violence that they are facing. And so, I support decriminalizing sex work as part of a crime reduction in a way to allow people to be able to keep themselves safe.
BLADE: Regarding economic issues and local businesses, we now have at least 20 gay or LGBTQ bars or nightclubs in the city. Some have said they would be negatively impacted by the so-called tip wage issue that could require them to pay a full minimum wage. What are your thoughts on that?
RAJ: My perspective is like – Ward 1 has like seven or eight LGBTQ businesses and also there are also so many small businesses in general that I want to make sure that we support. And we can both support small businesses and workers at the same time. I support making sure that workers have the stability that they need with dignified wages and with benefits. And at the same time finding ways to cut costs for small businesses – whether exploring commercial rent stabilization, pushing back on costs of utilities, helping raise revenue by bringing back Streeteries and things like that.
BLADE: One of the Ward 1 LGBTQ business owners, David Perruzza, owner of the LGBTQ bars Pitchers and A League of Her Own, has said he has been negatively impacted by high rents.
RAJ: Yeah, exactly. So, I think rent is one of the biggest costs that small businesses face. And within D.C. there are a lot of vacant store fronts, and commercial rent stabilization is a very new idea. And landlords look at it differently. But I think it is a way we should look at supporting small businesses.
BLADE: Do you have any thoughts on how our new mayor should address and continue the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs, which has been in place now for 20 years? The new mayor will have to decide whether to retain or appoint a new director of that office.
RAJ: I can’t speak to those specific decisions. But I’m really excited to work with our incoming mayor, because she has been a really strong advocate for the LGBTQ+ community over the years. And I trust that she will maintain and support the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs. I would also like to see the continued support of the expansion of a lot of the programs of that office. and especially supporting organizations and supporting a possible LGBTQ fund for services and organizations in D.C.
BLADE: Will the budget issue play a role in that?
RAJ: Yeah – but I think especially right now in the political moment we’re in with the Trump administration, to just make sure we’re celebrating the trans and queer communities and maintaining or expanding programs at that office will really be important.
BLADE: Do you have any thoughts on the criticism Mayor Bowser has received from some local activists who say she has not spoken out strongly enough against the Trump administration’s attempts to curtail D.C. home rule while her supporters argue that she has helped to discourage Trump from taking further action to curtail D.C. home rule?
RAJ: From my perspective in Ward 1, I have seen nearly a year of my neighbors getting disappeared and living in terror. And I don’t believe that that is worth any sort of hypothetical threat of what Trump might do in our trying to protect home rule. I understand wanting to be strategic. But our responsibility as elected officials is to stand up for our communities whenever they are under threat.
BLADE: Are the individuals you are referring to who disappeared and who are under threat immigrants?
RAJ: Yes.
BLADE: Is there anything else you might want to say regarding your constituents in Ward 1, particularly the LGBTQ constituents?
RAJ: I’ll just add maybe one last note. We talk about the affordability crisis and that again bears down on the queer and trans community especially. A lot of people are struggling with housing costs and utilities. A lot of queer and trans people specifically are more likely to live in poverty and not make enough in wages. And so, we are trying to tackle the cost-of-living crisis that I think impacts the LGBTQ+ community as well.
District of Columbia
Campaign launched to elect more LGBTQ candidates to ANC seats
Capital Stonewall Democrats behind Queering ANCs effort
The Capital Stonewall Democrats, D.C.’s largest local LGBTQ political group, announced on July 7 it has launched a campaign to help elect large numbers of LGBTQ candidates to the city’s Advisory Neighborhood Commissions.
The D.C. local government is believed to be unique among U.S. cities in currently having 46 Advisory Neighborhood Commissions consisting of 345 single-member districts in neighborhoods throughout the city in which unpaid Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners are elected for two-year terms.
The commissions are charged with considering a wide range of policies and programs impacting their neighborhoods, including traffic, parking, recreation, street improvements, liquor licenses, zoning, economic development, police protection, sanitation and trash collection, and D.C.’s annual budget, according to the ANC website.
Although the ANCs do not have authority to set or reject policies or proposals, such as applications for liquor licenses, city agencies are required to give “great weight” to ANC recommendations, according to the law creating the ANCs.
Kent Boese, a gay former ANC commissioner, currently serves as executive director of the D.C. Office of ANCs.
“We are launching the most ambitious hyperlocal LGBTQ+ candidate pipeline initiative in the country,” said Stevie McCarty, the Capital Stonewall Democrats president, in a July 7 statement that announced the Queering ANCs campaign.
“As an ANC member, I know firsthand how these seats shape our neighborhoods, from housing and public safety to sanitation,” McCarty says in the statement. “I’m proud to lead this effort to ensure more LGBTQ+ Washingtonians see themselves as leaders in their communities,” he said.
The ANC Rainbow Caucus, which was created by LGBTQ ANC members, shows on its website that there are currently 38 caucus members consisting of elected LGBTQ ANC commissioners serving in the current 2025-2026 two-year term.
The website shows there are LGBTQ commissioners who are caucus members in each of the city’s eight wards, with six in Ward 1, eight in Ward 2, one in Ward 3, six in Ward 4, five in Ward 5, three in Ward 6, eight in Ward 7, and one in Ward 8.
The Washington Blade couldn’t immediately determine how many of them will be running for re-election in D.C.’s general election in November. But McCarty said Capital Stonewall Democrats hopes to recruit many more LGBTQ candidates to run for ANC seats.
The D.C. Board of Elections website shows the deadline for filing 25 required petition signatures to be placed on the ballot is Aug. 5.
A Queering ANCs website launched this week by Capital Stonewall Democrats provides details on how to run for an ANC seat and offers help for those interested in running.
“Think of someone in your building, neighborhood, friend group, community organization, or professional network who cares deeply about D.C. and would make a strong leader,” McCarty says in his statement. “Send them QueeringANCs.org and personally ask them to consider running,” he said.
The website can be accessed at QueeringANCs.org.
District of Columbia
Mary’s House founder, CEO retires
Dr. Imani Woody played leading role in opening DC’s first home for LGBTQ seniors
The board of directors for Mary’s House for Older Adults, DC’s first official home dedicated to providing affordable housing for LGBTQ seniors, announced on July 7 that its founding president and CEO, Dr. Imani Woody, has retired.
Woody, who holds a PhD in Human Services, is credited with playing a leading role over many years in arranging both city and private funding needed to construct and operate the Mary’s House three-story building located at 401 Anacostia Road, S.E., in the city’s Fort Dupont neighborhood.
The house, which opened in March 2025, with a grand opening ceremony held in May 2025, includes 15 single-occupancy residential units and more than 5,000 square feet of shared communal living space.
“It is with profound gratitude and hearts full of celebration that the board of directors of Mary’s House for Older Adults, DC (MHFOA) announces the retirement of our visionary founder, Dr. Imani Woody, from her role as president and CEO,” the Mary’s House board says in a statement.
“Dr. Woody’s journey with Mary’s House began with her vision and a kitchen table gathering of women with a bold, urgent, and loving vision: to create safe, affirming, affordable housing for LGBTQ/SGL older adults in Washington, DC,” the statement says.
It adds, “What started as a dream has grown into DC’s first affordable LGBTQ+/SGL affirming communal living space for adults 60 and over, a 15-room community residence at 401 Anacostia Road in Southeast Washington.”
The statement says Woody will continue to serve on Mary’s House board.
“The board will be sharing information about the leadership transition process in the coming weeks,” the statement continues. “We are committed to honoring Dr. Woody’s legacy by ensuring Mary’s House continues to thrive and grow in faithful service to LGBTQ/SGL elders experiencing housing insecurity and isolation.”
Mexico’s first openly gay mayor killed
Democrats are trying to disqualify trans candidates. Here’s how
Political drama in Angie Craig’s Minn. Senate race heats up
Suzanne Goode wants efficient spending, better infrastructure for Rehoboth
Aparna Raj expected to become second LGBTQ member of D.C. Council
Ron Singer, owner of popular Mount Vernon gay bar Leon’s, dies
Gay Fla. Democrat Elijah Manley sees opportunity in Trump’s second term
Calendar: July 10-16
Gay librarian to discuss new novel at Green Lantern
