Trans people lost to drug overdose remembered at D.C. tribute About 50 people turned out on Saturday, March 18, at D.C.’s Metropolitan Community Church for a Citywide Memorial Celebration of Life for at least seven local transgender people who lost their lives from a drug overdose within the past two months. “We lifted up the lives EARLINE BUDD organized of those who recently and last weekend’s memorial. (Blade file photo by Michael Key) before passed amongst the transgender community,” said longtime D.C. transgender advocate Earline Budd, the lead organizer of the event. he goal was to send a clear message to D.C. officials that we will not sit by silently while members of the
LGBTQ community are dying as a result of the OVERDOSE epidemic here in D.C. and around the country,” Budd said in a Facebook post. Budd told the Washington Blade this week that she and others involved in organizing the memorial celebration are planning a series of conversations with city officials and B community stakeholders to push for strengthening the city’s overdose prevention and response programs targeting LGBTQ people at risk for a drug overdose. Among those participating in the March 18 celebration of life event were Rev. Elder Akosua McCray of Unity Fellowship Church of D.C.; Rev. D. Amina B. Butts of New Hope Baptist United Church of Christ of D.C.; and Rev. Cathy Alexander of D.C.’s Metropolitan Community Church. Among those who spoke at the event was Tyler Edge, the associate director of D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s Office of B ffairs. The trans people who recently lost their lives to a drug
overdose and whose names were listed in the program book handed out at the memorial tribute include Diva Chole Mason, Kenneth Isaac “Candy,” Terri Holland, Lourica Potts, Cee Cee Creek, Tyneisha Phillips, and Danielle inkney. Budd said among the plans by her and community supporters to address the overdose problem faced by some in the LGBTQ community include arranging for a more targeted approach to distribute and make accessible the lifesaving medication Narcan, which reverses an opioid overdose if administered quickly through a nasal spray device. She said the plan also calls for pushing for a wider distribution of test kits for determining whether the deadly substance fentanyl, the cause of most drug overdose deaths, is present in recreational drugs such as cocaine, MDMA, and crystal meth. “That’s what our goal is, and we may end up saving some lives, Budd said. LOU CHIBBARO JR.
D.C. government to hold ‘LGBTQIA+ Emergency Training’ event D.C. ayor uriel Bowser s ffice of B ffairs and the city’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management gency are inviting all B I non-profit leaders, management and event production staff to attend a firstof-its-kind LGBTQ community Emergency Preparedness Event scheduled for April 5. he event, officially called an B I Emergency Preparedness Training, will be held at the headquarters of the D.C. Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency at 1015 Half St., S.E. on-profit partners will receive a special briefing on potential crime trends and threats,” an announcement of the event issued by the mayor s office says. he reparedness Training will teach partners how to assess behavioral threats, manage risk factors such as warning signs of violence,” the announcement continues. “Partners will also hear more information about how to apply for non-profit security grant programs to support physical security enhancements,” according to the an-
nouncement. aper Bowles, director of the ayor s ffice of B Affairs, sent an email invitation on Tuesday, March 21, to various LGBTQ community leaders to attend the event. In his email message Bowles told of why an emergency preparedness training may be needed. “We are a strong and diverse LGBTQIA+ community, even though we are increasingly under threat of violence for being who we are, for loving who we love, and for creating spaces for our community to do the same,” Bowles wrote. “I commend you all; we must continue to support each other and share resources!” The training session announced by Bowles and the mayor s office was scheduled to take place about four months after D.C. police announced they were stepping up police patrols around LGBTQ events and establishments, including gay bars, following the Nov. 19 shooting incident at a Colorado Springs gay nightclub called Club Q. -year-old lone gunman later identified as nderson
Md. Senate approves trans rights bill The Maryland Senate on Monday approved a bill that would re uire the state s edicaid program to cover gender-affirming treatment for transgender people. Senate Bill 460 or the Trans Health Equity Act passed by a - vote margin. “Requiring, beginning on Jan. 1, 2023, the Maryland Medical Assistance Program to provide gender-affirming treatment in a nondiscriminatory manner re uiring that the gender-affirming treatment be assessed according to nondiscriminatory criteria that are consistent with current clinical standards; prohibiting the issuance of an adverse benefit determination related to gender-affirming treatment unless a certain experienced health care provider has reviewed and confirmed the appropriateness of the determination etc, reads a summary of the bill. The Maryland House of Delegates on Saturday passed a similar measure. FROM STAFF REPORTS
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ee ldrich is charged with firing a ri e inside the club, killing five people, and in uring at least others. ne of the patrons of the club is credited with tackling Anderson and grabbing the barrel of the ri e and removing it from ldrich s grip as horrified patrons attempted to ee from the club. The incident, which prosecutors have listed as a hate crime, raised concern among LGBTQ clubs across the country and prompted some, including nightlife businesses in D.C., both gay and straight, to arrange for security and active shooter training sessions for their managers and employees. “Nightlife hospitality establishments understand the importance of being constantly vigilant about, and prepared for, any and all incidents that could occur whenever people are gathered,” said Mark Lee, the former coordinator of the D.C. Nightlife Council, a group representing bars, restaurants, nightclubs, and entertainment establishments. LOU CHIBBARO JR.
Former Log Cabin leader named to Va. LGBTQ advisory board Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin has named former Log Cabin Republicans Executive Director R. Clarke Cooper to the Virginia LGBTQ+ Advisory Board. “Proud to accept appointment from Gov. Glenn Youngkin to serve on the Virginia LGBTQ+ Advisory Board,” wrote Cooper in a post on his LinkedIn page. “Every citizen of the commonwealth has God given inalienable R. CLARKE COOPER rights, envoys individual liberty and is charged with indi(Blade file photo by Michael Key) vidual responsibility.” “May Virginians judge our neighbors on the content of their character, not by their sexual orientation,” he added. Youngkin announced Cooper’s appointment on March 10. Cooper, an rmy eserve officer who served in the Ira War, as og Cabin epublicans e ecutive director from . He was Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs from 2019-2021. Cooper is currently a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council. FROM STAFF REPORTS