Local
Comings & Goings
Viet Tran appointed as senior advisor to OPM Director
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The Comings & Goings column is about sharing the professional successes of our community. We want to recognize those landing new jobs, new clients for their business, joining boards of organizations and other achievements. Please share your successes with us at: [email protected].
Congratulations to Viet Tran on his appointment as Deputy Director for the Office of Communications, at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Tran serves as a senior adviser to the OPM Director and senior agency leadership on communications messaging, execution, and strategies. In addition, he oversees the press team and interagency coordination related to the Office of Communications team. He previously served as press secretary for OPM.
Prior to that he was a senior communications consultant to organizations, nonprofits, and state agencies, including the National Asian Pacific American Womenās Forum, the California Department of Public Health, and American Civil Liberties Union California Action. Tran served as a press secretary, and on-record spokesperson, for the Human Rights Campaign.Ā
Congratulations also to Paul Williams elected president of the Citizens Association of Georgetown (CAG).
“I am happy to bring my expertise in historic preservation, and non-profit management, to the CAG,ā Williams said after his election. āI have enjoyed getting to know its board and the community members as a fairly new superintendent in residence at the Oak Hill Cemetery in Georgetown.”
Williams has an educational background in historic preservation, with degrees from Roger Williams and Cornell.Ā He created the U Street Historic District and the walking trail there.Ā Williams is the author of 24 history books, headed Dupont Main Streets, and Congressional Cemetery for 10 years, before becoming the 14th superintendent at Oak Hill in October 2021. He lives there with his writer and journalist husband Greg Alexander, and two cats.Ā Ā
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Congratulations also to the newly elected board members of the Rainbow History Project (RHP) who include: Delaney Resweber, Ashley Bamfo as treasurer; Justin Weitz acting board secretary; Glenn C. Reimer starting his third one-year term as board chair. In addition, Frankie Witzenburg was promoted to deputy director of archiving.
District of Columbia
D.C. man fatally stabbed by partner was convicted twice for domestic violence
Ted Anthony Brown faces second-degree murder charge
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Prosecutors with the Office of the U.S. Attorney for D.C. disclosed in court filings that Tommy Hudson, 58, the gay man who was stabbed to death by his domestic partner on May 26, had a criminal record of eight arrests and convictions between 1987 and 2018, including two domestic violence assault convictions in which the partner charged with killing him was the victim.
Ted Anthony Brown, 54, who court records show had a longtime romantic relationship with Hudson, was charged on May 29 with second-degree murder while armed for allegedly fatally stabbing Hudson inside Brownās apartment at 517 Harvard St., N.W., following an argument He is being held in jail without bond while awaiting trial.
Charging documents filed in D.C. Superior Court show that at the time of his arrest, Brown waived his Miranda rights to remain silent and confessed to having stabbed Hudson, saying he did so after Hudson punched him in the face while the two were arguing.
āBrown reported that he and the decedent have been involved in a romantic relationship for a significant period and that he was very jealous of the decedentās possible infidelities,ā an affidavit by police in support of his arrest states. āSuspect 1 [Brown] reported to detectives that he believed the decedent punching him to the face did not justify Suspect 1 stabbing the decedent, which ultimately killed him,ā the affidavit says.
Court records show that prosecutors with the Office of the U.S. Attorney on May 31 sent a letter to Brownās defense attorney, Todd Baldwin, disclosing Hudsonās prior arrests and convictions as part of a required discovery process in which prosecutors must disclose information relevant to a criminal case to the defense, even if the information may be harmful to the prosecutorsā case at trial.
The prosecutorsā letter, sent by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Galloway, says Hudsonās prior convictions include a 2018 charge of violating a Temporary Protection Order requiring he stay away from someone he was accused of threatening with domestic violence; a 2015 charge of domestic violence related simple assault against his partner Brown; and a 2014 domestic violence related simple assault and unlawful entry charge also involving Brown.
The letter says Hudson was also convicted of a 2012 charge of Bail Reform Act violation; a 2010 charge of possession of cocaine; a 2002 charge of cruelty to an animal; a 2001 charge of felony āescape;ā a 2000 charge of second-degree theft; a 1997 charge of violation of the Bail Reform Act; and a 1987 charge of criminal ācontempt.ā
Court records, meanwhile, show that on June 17 D.C. Superior Court Judge Anthony Epstein approved a motion by the defense calling for defendant Brown to undergo a mental health competency screening to determine whether he is competent to stand trial. Prosecutors did not oppose the motion. The judge scheduled a āMental Observationā hearing for Brown on July 11 to review and assess the findings of the competency screening.
Court records also show that prosecutors agreed to keep a plea bargain offer they made earlier open until the findings of the mental health exam become known.
Maryland
Bethesda church hosts transgender, nonbinary photo exhibit
Photographer Gwen Andersen showcases community members of all ages, backgrounds
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Amid the spate of anti-transgender legislation, the bullying of trans students and lack of gender-affirming care for young people across the country, photographer Gwen Andersen’s photo exhibit seeks to portray the trans and nonbinary community in a positive light.
Andersen’s āBecoming Ourselvesā exhibit that documents trans and nonbinary people will be on display at the Bethesda United Church of Christ (10010 Fernwood Road) this summer.
Andersen spearheaded the exhibit along with the Rev. Dr. Jill McCrory from Bethesda UCC. The church paid for the project with a donation it received from Stevie Neal, a trans woman who passed away and left part of her estate to Bethesda UCC.
McCrory herself has been a pillar in the LGBTQ community for decades, including while pastor at Twinbrook Baptist Church. The congregation dispersed more than $1 million to various ministries and LGBTQ organizations, founded the MoCo Pride Center, and married a same-sex couple on the rainbow stage of Capital Pride in 2010.
Bethesda UCC has also marked the Transgender Day of Remembrance, and hosted a renaming ceremony for a trans baptized member.
āI happen to have access to a wonderful transgender womanās (Stevie) donation that she left me to do something for the transgender community,ā said McCrory over a Zoom interview. āAndersen came to Rev. McCrory in November of 2023 with the idea. āGwen knew Stevie. I thought this would be perfect because this is something that would benefit the transgender community.ā
āWIthout Stevie, this surely would not have happened. And I say that with great confidence,ā Andersen said in a Zoom interview.
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āBecoming Ourselvesā debuted at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Rockville in March.
The exhibit features photos of trans and nonbinary people from across the country that Andersen and a number of other photographers took.
The photos feature people from all ages ā from preteens to elders from all walks of life that include teachers, community leaders, and athletes. Andersen’s exhibit also showcases people who are proudly showing their top surgery scars. It also shows trans and nonbinary people in a variety of ways, from enjoying music, playing sports, and working.
The exhibit most importantly shows them being happy.
Andersonās exhibit has two main goals: Give a space for trans and nonbinary people to see others in their community in a positive way, and to shift the narrative on how people see trans and nonbinary people.
āIt was an emotional issue that won hearts and minds.ā said Andersen in reference to the LGBTQ movement to legalize same-sex marriage. āI believe we will reduce the hostility against transgender people by winning hearts and minds.”
“One of the most effective messages is to protect trans kids,” she added. “Right now the hostility has not just gone against adults, it has gone against children, and children are being harassed, beaten up, and killing themselves. In much the same way as gays and lesbians were killing ourselves 30 years ago. I think what will be effective is tugging on hearts and minds and reclaiming the narrative from hate and fear, to love.ā
Andersen wants to eventually get a more permanent location for the exhibit rather than bringing it to different venues. But until then, she plans to bring it to other churches that are interested in hosting it.
Anyone interested in supporting Andersen’s exhibit can log onto the “Becoming Ourselves” website, or directly help any of the photographers whose work is showcased. Andersen has directed folks to support photographer Liam Woods, whose online name is Analogue Papi.
Virginia
Rainbow crosswalks, street murals installed in Alexandria, Arlington
Street painting received support from government officials
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With approval by local government officials, rainbow-colored crosswalks were installed this month on a street in Virginiaās Old Town Alexandria and what officials are calling rainbow street murals were painted on a street in the Crystal City section of nearby Arlington, Va., in time for this yearās Pride celebrations.
Kirk McPike, a gay member of the Alexandria City Council, said the Council gave unanimous approval for the installation of two bright rainbow-colored crosswalks at the intersection of King and Royal streets at Old Townās Market Square āright there in front of City Hall.ā
McPike said he first proposed the rainbow crossings in June 2023, and with support from the Council, the cityās Human Rights Commission brought the proposal to him as the gay member of the Council, and he introduced it. He said the Council approved it last November. According to McPike, the crosswalks were officially dedicated with a ribbon cutting ceremony on June 1 during Alexandriaās annual Pride festival in Old Town.
āAnd this year, we had one of our Pride wrapped Dash buses drive through the ribbon to snap the ribbon and officially open the new Pride crosswalks,ā he told the Washington Blade.
In Arlingtonās Crystal City neighborhood, rainbow stripes were painted on June 12 and 13 on South 23rd Street at the intersections of Eads Street and Fern Street. The Fern Street intersection is located steps away from Freddieās Beach Bar and Restaurant, which is Arlingtonās only gay bar. Freddie Lutz, owner of Freddieās, was among the community leaders who advocated for the rainbow crosswalks.
Kellen MacBeth, president of the LGBTQ group Equality Arlington, said the Arlington Department of Environmental Services, which oversees street and roadway issues, gave approval of the installation of the two rainbow stripes as āstreet muralsā rather than crosswalks, even though they are located next to or parallel to the crosswalks. He said for reasons he is unsure of, the Environmental Services Department didnāt want the crosswalks themselves to be painted with rainbow stripes.
āIf you compare what Alexandria did and what Arlington did, Alexandria has the full crosswalk painted in rainbow,ā he said. āWhereas Arlington did the rainbow stripes on either side of the crosswalk,ā MacBeth told the Washington Blade. āFor whatever reason, the county said they werenāt able to do the full rainbow crosswalk this year. And weāre hoping to have the full rainbow crosswalks for next year.ā
Kathryn OāBrien, a spokesperson for the Environmental Services Department, told the Blade that painting crosswalks in rainbow strips āis not allowableā under the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways (MUTCD), which she said defines national standards for traffic signs, road markings, and other road related issues that Arlington adheres to.
MacBeth praised the National Landing Business Improvement District, an organization that promotes community-based businesses in the area known as National Landing, which includes the Pentagon City, Crystal City and Potomac Yard neighborhoods, with supporting the rainbow street mural project, among other things, by paying for the street installations.
āLocated at key intersections along S. Fern Street and S. Eads Street, these installations are the first of their kind in Arlington, designed to show solidarity and support for the LGBTQIA+ community,ā the organization, known as National Landing BID, said in a statement. āBeyond their aesthetic appeal, they foster a sense of community pride and inclusivity, transforming National Landing into a vibrant and welcoming neighborhood,ā the statement says. āTheir presence encourages dialogue, celebration, and reflection, making them integral to the cultural fabric of our community.ā
The installation of the rainbow crosswalks in Alexandria and the rainbow street murals in Arlington came about seven years after D.C. first installed two full rainbow-colored crosswalks on 17th Street, N.W. near Dupont Circle in 2017 near the gay bar JR.ās and the LGBTQ supportive restaurant Annieās Paramount Steakhouse. Additional rainbow crosswalks were installed in that section of 17th Street in subsequent years.
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