Out & About
Pepco, Blade sponsoring LGBTQ ERG networking event
Oct. 26 program features Commerce Dept. official

Pepco and the Washington Blade announced plans for a jointly sponsored networking event for D.C.-area LGBTQ Employee Resource Groups to be held Thursday, Oct. 26, 6-8 p.m. at the Pepco Edison Place Gallery (702 8th St., N.W.).
The free event will offer a chance for local corporate ERG members to socialize and collaborate around the mission of creating safe and equitable workplaces. Federal government LGBTQ employee groups have also been invited to participate.
āThis event allows visibility and partnership among other ERG leads and organizations,ā said LaToya Harris, senior administrator of fleet operations for Pepco. āNetworking is a great way to exchange and align initiatives with peers. This event creates a platform for Pepco to share a space with other ERG members from the DC Metro area. We can always learn, teach, and expand through partnership with others.ā
In addition to networking opportunities, the event will feature keynote remarks from Jonathan Lovitz, senior adviser and director of public affairs at the U.S. Economic Development Administration in the U.S. Department of Commerce.
āAt a time when some LGBTQ corporate allies have come under attack, itās important to stand together and reaffirm our commitment to fostering affirming workplaces,ā said Blade Editor Kevin Naff. āWe are grateful to Pepco for organizing the event and to all of our guests for supporting this first-of-its-kind effort.ā
āI believe a robust LGBTQ+ ERG is important at Pepco because it demonstrates a real commitment of allyship and testament of true belonging for all employees,ā added Miller Harris. āIt is one thing to allow an ERG to exist but it is when a company truly supports a full-bodied program that LGBTQ+ employees can experience full safety and support. Being fully āoutā within the workplace can prove scary to some of us. We need an ERG presence that is more than talk. Strong allies within our leadership really sends a positive message.ā
Members of local ERGs are welcome to attend Thursdayās event. To RSVP, email [email protected].

Friday, April 11
āCenter Aging Friday Tea Timeā will be at 2 p.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more details, email [email protected].
Women in their Twenties and Thirties will be at 8 p.m. on Zoom. This is a social discussion group for queer women in the Washington, D.C. area and a great way to make new friends and meet other queer women in a fun and friendly setting. For more details, join the groupās closed Facebook group.
Go Gay DC will host āLGBTQ+ Community Happy Hourā at 7 p.m. at Crush. This event is ideal for making new friends, professional networking, idea-sharing, and community building. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Saturday, April 12
Go Gay DC will host āLGBTQ+ Community Brunchā at 11 a.m. at Freddieās Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ community, including allies, together for delicious food and conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
āSpark Sapphic Socialā will be at 8 p.m. at Spark Social House. This weekly sapphic social is an opportunity to mix and mingle with other sapphics in D.C.ās newest LGBTQ bar. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Sunday, April 13
Firearm Safety & Protection Training for Queer Black Folks will be at 9 a.m. in Washington, D.C. Whether youāre seeking to obtain your Handgun Qualification License (HQL) or a Concealed Carry Permit, this training will provide you with the education, hands-on experience, and confidence needed to protect yourself and your community responsibly. More details are available on Eventbrite.
Monday, April 14
āCenter Aging Monday Coffee & Conversationā will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more details, email [email protected].
Genderqueer DC will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a support group for people who identify outside of the gender binary, whether youāre bigender, agender, genderfluid, or just know that youāre not 100% cis. For more information, visit genderqueerdc.org or Facebook.
Tuesday, April 15
Center Bi+ Roundtable will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This event is an opportunity for people to gather in order to discuss issues related to bisexuality or as bi individuals in a private setting. Visit Facebook or Meetup for more information.
DC Pride Poets will host āPride Poetry Workshop: Poetry in Translation, led by Saundra Rose Maleyā at 6:30 p.m. at Arts Club of Washington. Participants will look at ghazals by Urdu master poet Ghalib, translated by a range of American poets into English. There will be discussions about how and why translations vary, and how reading poems in translation can affect a writerās own poetry. For more details, visit Eventbrite.
Wednesday, April 16
Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking ā allowing participants to move away from being merely āapplicantsā toward being ācandidates.ā For more information, email [email protected] or visit thedccenter.org/careers.
Thursday, April 17
Poly Group Discussion will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is an inclusive, welcoming, virtual safer space to talk about all things polyamorous. The rapturous, the confused, the pure YIKES, we want to hear them all. For more details, email [email protected].
Lit Lovers: Book Club for Seniors will be at 2:00p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. The book selection for April is āDancer from the Danceā by Andrew Holleran. There will be light refreshments. For more details, visit the DC Centerās website.
The DC Centerās Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. To be more fair with who is receiving boxes, the program is moving to a lottery system. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5:00 pm if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email [email protected] or call 202-682-2245.
Virtual Yoga with Charles M. will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a free weekly class focusing on yoga, breathwork, and meditation. For more details, visit the DC Center for the LGBT Communityās website.
Out & About
Celebrate queer pageantry at drag brunch
Babychank Rooftop Bar and Lounge hosts lively gathering

Miss Capital Pride 2024 will host āDC Drag Brunchā on Saturday, April 19 at 12 p.m. at Babychank Rooftop Bar and Lounge.Ā
Organizers promise a lively gathering full of joy, laughter, and connection. Indulge in delicious food and drinks while enjoying performances and entertainment. Tickets cost $27 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.Ā

The annual Womenās+ Fest in Rehoboth Beach is happening this weekend and features a packed schedule of events, including headliners Be Steadwell and Gwen La Roka. Friday kicks off with a pickleball tournament, a golf outing, and sound therapy. An art exhibition will be held at CAMP Rehoboth all day. Local icon Fay Jacobs speaks at 3:30 p.m. Friday at the Atlantic Sands Hotel about her writing and memoir. The evening concludes with comedian Gwen La Roka and a performance by Be Steadwell at the convention center.
On Saturday at 9:30 a.m., Major General Tammy Smith is in conversation with Col. Margarethe Cammermeyer (Ret.). Cammermeyer is the highest-ranking officer to challenge the militaryās anti-gay regulation in federal court. The day wraps with a dance party at the convention center from 7-11 p.m.
There are many more events throughout the weekend. Visit camprehoboth.org for details.
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