District of Columbia
‘The Fabric of Freedom’ selected as theme for D.C. World Pride 2025
200 turn out for Capital Pride ‘reveal’ celebration and fundraiser

The Capital Pride Alliance, the group that organizes most of D.C.’s LGBTQ Pride events and that is organizing World Pride 2025 in D.C., announced at its annual Pride Reveal celebration on Thursday, Nov. 14, that the theme for World Pride 2025 would be “The Fabric of Freedom.”
More than 200 LGBTQ community members and allies who attended the Reveal event cheered loudly when The Fabric of Freedom theme was announced and displayed on a large video screen. The event was held at the Hamilton Hotel’s Schuyler ballroom in downtown D.C.
“We knew we wanted the core of our theme to be wrapped around freedom,” Capital Pride Alliance Executive Director Ryan Bos said in explaining how the theme was selected about two months ago by the Capital Pride board and World Pride organizers.
“That resonated with us because it represents so many different things,” he told the Washington Blade. “Our community is multilayered, intersectional. We all make up the fabric. We are the fabric of freedom as well,” he said. “So, we just felt that with where we’re at in the world today, really representing the Fabric of Freedom is important to us because we have to continually work on it and we are all part of it,” Bos said.
Bos and Ashley Smith, president of the Capital Pride Alliance board, told those attending the Reveal event that the event this year was also a celebration of the life of the late Bernie Delia, the longtime Capital Pride Alliance leader and former co-chair of the World Pride 2025 organizing committee, who died unexpectedly June 21 of this year at the age of 68.
The two said Capital Pride Alliance has set up a special Bernie Delia fund to raise money for Capital Pride and World Pride events and urged those attending the Reveal event to contribute to the fund.
Smith also served as an auctioneer at the event for a fundraising auction for World Pride that raised more than $10,000 from purchases through bidding made by those attending the event. Smith said the items auctioned, which included a Caribbean cruise, were all donated by LGBTQ supportive businesses, most of which are World Pride corporate sponsors.
Although the name of President-Elect Donald Trump was not mentioned by any of the speakers at the Reveal event, some of the speakers, including Bos, made clear references to the outcome of the Nov. 5 election and the impact it has had on members of the LGBTQ community.
“I know a lot of us have had a lot of emotions over the past week and a half,” Bos told the gathering. “And that is valid,” he said. “Some are angry. Some are sad. Some are confused. Some are disillusioned,” Bos said. “But let’s know you are here in this room tonight because we’re going to fight. We are going to ensure that no matter what, our community is going to be visible,” he said as the audience cheered loudly.
“It’s going to be hard,” Bos continued. “And we’re going to allow ourselves to have joy. And some of what is happening is going to give us joy.”
Theresa Belpulsi, senior vice president for tourism and visitor services for Destination D.C., an organization that promotes tourism and business-related conventions in D.C. and that is working with Capital Pride Alliance to support World Pride, told the Blade that the outcome of the presidential and congressional elections has so far not had a negative impact on World Pride.
Among other things, interest by potential visitors in coming to D.C. next year for World Pride, which is scheduled to take place May 17-June 8 is growing, Belpulsi said.
“People are very excited about coming to D.C.,” she told the Blade. “We’re looking at anywhere from two and three million coming in over World Pride over the course of those three weekends that will be generating over $780 million of economic impact.”
Bos said plans are moving ahead on schedule for the multiple events set to take place as part of World Pride 2025 in D.C. Among them, he said, are a Pride parade and a National LGBTQ March on Washington, a human rights conference, a sports festival, a Welcome Concert at Washington Nationals Stadium, a street festival and concert, a Tapestry of Pride event at the Kennedy Center, and a dance party at RFK Stadium, among other events.
A full list of the World Pride 2025 events can be accessed at worldpridedc.org.
District of Columbia
Little Gay Pub to host April 25 celebration of life for Patrick Shaw
School teacher, D.C. resident praised for ‘warmth, humor, kindness’

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.
“Patrick touched so many lives with his warmth, humor, kindness, and unmistakable spark,” Martinez said. “He was a truly special soul – funny, vibrant, sassy, and full of life and we are heartbroken by his loss.”
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.
“Patrick brought warmth, joy, and deep commitment to Mundo Verde,” his colleagues said in their posting. “His daily Broadway sing-alongs, vibrant outfits, and genuine love for his students filled our community with energy and laughter.”
The posted message adds, “Patrick 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.”
The Washington Blade is preparing a full obituary on Patrick Shaw to be published soon.
District of Columbia
D.C. police seek help in identifying suspect in anti-gay threats case
Victim threatened with assault, called ‘faggot’ as he left Capitals game

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.
“Suspect 1 then turned his attention to Victim 1 and called him a ‘faggot’ among other homophobic slurs,” the report says. It says the victim then used his phone to record the suspect, prompting the suspect to walk away before returning and “snatching” the phone from the victim’s hand.
“Suspect 1 walked several feet as Victim 1 followed, requesting his phone back,” the report continues. “Suspect 1 stopped and turned to Victim 1 and while yelling other obscenities exclaimed ‘if you keep recording, I’m going to kick your ass.’” The report concludes by saying the victim was able to recover his phone.
It lists the incident as a “Threats To Do Bodily Harm” offense that is a suspected hate crime.
“Anyone 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,” 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.
District of Columbia
Wanda Alston Foundation names new executive director
Longtime LGBTQ rights advocate Cesar Toledo to succeed June Crenshaw

The Wanda Alston Foundation, the D.C.-based organization that has provided housing and support services for homeless LGBTQ youth since its founding in 2008, announced it has appointed longtime LGBTQ rights advocate Cesar Toledo as its new executive director.
In an April 22 statement, the organization said that as part of a planned leadership transition launched in November 2024, Toledo will succeed June Crenshaw, who Alston Foundation officials and LGBTQ community activists say has led the organization with distinction in her role as executive director for the past nine years.
In a statement released last November, the foundation announced Crenshaw was stepping down from her role as executive director after deciding to “to step into her next chapter.”
“June’s leadership has been truly transformative,” said Alston Foundation Board Chair Darrin Glymph in the group’s April 22 statement. “We are immensely grateful for her dedication and equally excited for the energy and experience that Cesar brings to lead us into this next chapter,” Glymph said.
“A seasoned LGBTQ+ advocate, Cesar brings over a decade of experience leading national campaigns, shaping public policy, and building inclusive communities,” the statement released by the group says. “Most recently, he served as the National LGBTQ+ Engagement Director for the Harris for President Campaign and has built a career focused on advancing equality and equitable education,” it says.
Biographical information about Toledo shows that immediately prior to working for the Harris For President Campaign, he served since April 2023 as deputy director for Democrats for Education Reform DC (DFER DC), a political group that helps to elect candidates for public office committed to quality education for all students, including minorities, people of color and LGBTQ youth.
Before joining DFER DC, Toledo served as political director for the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, where he assisted in electing out LGBTQ candidates to all levels of public office across the U.S.
“I’m really excited about joining the Wanda Alston Foundation,” Toledo told the Washington Blade. “After a decade of working at the intersection of politics and policy and advancing political candidates and equitable education here in D.C., I wanted to shift my career to direct services to the most vulnerable folks in the LGBTQ+ family and our homeless youth,” he said.
Among other things, he said he would push for increasing the Alston Foundation’s visibility and mainlining its services for LGBTQ youth at a time when the national political climate has become less supportive.
A statement on its website says the Alston Foundation was founded in 2008 “in memory of Wanda Alston, a fierce LGBTQ+ activist, national advocate, and government official who was admired by District residents.”
The statement adds, “The foundation opened the first housing program in the nation’s capital in 2008 providing pre-independent transitional living and life-saving support services to LGBTQ+ youth.”
In a separate statement, the Alston Foundation announced it would hold a “thank you” celebration of appreciation for June Crenshaw from 6-8 p.m. on May 20 at Crush Dance Bar located at 2007 14th Street, N.W. in D.C.
“Let’s come together to celebrate her dedication and commitment for everything she has done for the LGBTQIA homeless youth population,” the statement says.
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