Category: News

(Tuesday, November 21, 2023) The county’s powerhouse LGBTQIA+ advocacy organization welcomed four new members to its board of directors today and announced the formation of the first-ever advisory committee. 

New members include Valerie Anias of Arnold; Jayne Walters of Annapolis; David Jones of Glen Burnie and Jessica Parsell of Annapolis. Each will serve a three year term on the board. 

Annapolis Pride Advisory Committee members include: Delegate Dana Jones; Dr. Tonii Gedin, health officer for Anne Arundel County;  Leo Restaurant owner Hilarey Leonard; Head of School at Indian Creek Booth Kyle; USAF veteran and IT security specialist Brie Krutzfeldt; business owner Lawrie Hollingsworth; environmental educator and consultant Josh Falk; past board member Jenny Llamas; Senior Advisor to the City of Annapolis Mayor Will Rowel; PFLAG volunteer and past Annapolis Pride Parade Grand Marshal Molly Estabrook; First Presbyterian Church Rector Mihee Kim-Kort; Annapolis Police Department Sgt, Amy Miguez; Anne Arundel County Police Department Cpl. Katelynn Stanley; mental health provider Smith Broadwell and former board members Leslie Anderson and Eric Lund. The Annapolis Pride Advisory Committee is designed to ensure topical input from a diverse group of stakeholders who will  provide advice and recommendations to the board. To learn more about the advisory committee visit https://www.annapolispride.org/directors-committee/

“Annapolis Pride is thrilled to welcome four talented, driven and passionate new members to its board who bring experience in education, law, finance and the arts,” said Annapolis Pride Board Chair Joe Toolan. “We are also grateful to the professionals on our newly formed advisory board who will provide expertise on a variety of issues expanding the reach of Annapolis Pride in the broader community. 

New members include: 

Valerie Anias (she/her)

Val joins Annapolis Pride as a board member and member of the Governance Committee and Advocacy & Communications Committee.  She is the founder and owner of A Team Family Law, LLC, a local family focused law firm in Annapolis, Maryland.  In her practice, Val is passionate about assisting underrepresented individuals and advocates for her clients irrespective of their gender, race, sexual orientation, and family status.  Val is a resident of Anne Arundel County and lives with her wife, kids, and dogs!

Jessica Parsell (she/her)

Jessica graduated from Towson University with her bachelor’s in theater arts and obtained her master’s degree in special education in 2021. She is in her eighth year of teaching performing arts at The Harbour School in Annapolis. She revels in helping her students gain confidence and empowerment through theater. Jessica is very passionate about utilizing the arts as a way to uplift, educate, and empower communities. She was a founding member of The Oven Theater Company in Baltimore, MD, a theater company for social change. Jessica lives in Annapolis with her wife, Megan, and their three dogs. When she isn’t busy working on a show, she enjoys nature and spending time with friends and family. She looks forward to working with Annapolis Pride to help advance its mission and find ways to merge her love of community, the arts, and outreach.

Jayne Walters (she/her)

Jayne Walters is a former board member and the director of education for Indy Pride and was the first openly transgender manager in the history of Indianapolis Public Library. Having worked in libraries for over 14 years, she now works for the Anne Arundel County Public Library, and her writing has been featured in Library Journal and Children & Libraries. She has spoken on LGBTQ+ issues for libraries, companies, and on the news, and is a contributing author in the book Trans and Gender Diverse Voices in Libraries (2023). Her passions include LGBTQIA+ representation in juvenile literature; making sure libraries are accessible and equitable for the community and making them a safe and welcoming environment for all. 

David E. Jones (he/him)

David is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with more than 25 years of professional experience. However, what defines him most is his enthusiasm for life, finding the fun in every situation, and making those around him laugh.  He joins the board with a passion for continuing the momentum and growth of the Annapolis Pride Parade and creating more visibility throughout all areas of Anne Arundel County for the LGBTQ+ community, especially youth. David grew up in a small town on Maryland’s Eastern Shore and has lived in northern Anne Arundel County since 1999. He graduated from the University of Delaware and has served as the chief financial officer of the Maryland Workers’ Compensation Commission in Baltimore since 2008.  In addition, David serves as transportation manager for The Hollywood Christmas Parade in Los Angeles, overseeing all celebrity transportation for the annual parade.

Four individuals are also leaving the board as their terms end or to pursue other interests including Anne Gotimer and Chris Broadwell and founding members Eric Lund and Leslie Anderson. Last year’s student member Jaden Farris is now a full-term member. This year’s executive committee of the board include: chair Joe Toolan, vice chair Katie Connolly, secretary Jaden Farris and treasurer Dennis McGowan Other members of the executive committee include Sarah Sample, events committee chair, Christine Feldmann, communications and advocacy committee chair and Mastin Fowler, chair of governance committee.

To get to know the full board and advisory committee, visit https://www.annapolispride.org/directors-committee/. Annapolis Pride’s VISION is A safe, equitable, and anti-racist community where people of all identities thrive, and will achieve that through its MISSION to advocate for, empower, and celebrate our LGBTQ+ community in Anne Arundel County to live fully and authentically.

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First-Ever Student Member Joins Organization

(Thursday, October 5, 2022) The county’s powerhouse LGBTQIA+ advocacy organization welcomed six new members to its board of directors today including, for the first-time, a student member.

New members include Mastin T. Fowler of Annapolis; Dennis McGowan of Annapolis; Roberta Pardo of Severna Park; Sarah Sample of Annapolis; Josh Seefried of Crownsville and South River High School senior Jaden Farris of Crownsville. Four individuals are also leaving the board as their terms end including founder Jeremy Browning, Jasmin Carey, Jenny Llamas and Izzy Shycoff. Member Brandon Bratcher has also resigned from the board.

“Annapolis Pride is thrilled to welcome six talented, driven and passionate members to its board who bring experience in finance, advocacy, event planning, arts and development,” said Annapolis Pride Board Chair Joe Toolan.

New members include:

Mastin T. Fowler (he/him)

Mastin joins Annapolis Pride as a board member and vice-chair of the governance committee. He manages a department of legal professionals from the D.C. office of an

international law firm based in New York City, where he has spent most of his days (and some nights) since 2014.

Dennis McGowan (he/him) 

Dennis is committed to bringing more visibility to the LGBTQ+ community. As Vice President of Professional Practice at the Center for Audit Quality, McGowan currently leads a team of audit executives to advance technical and policy-oriented projects to identify, develop, and seek consensus on issues affecting the public company auditing profession. He will serve as the vice chair of the organization’s internal affairs committee.

Jaden Farris (he/him)

Jaden has the distinction of serving as the first student member of the board but is no stranger to advocacy. In June 2021, Jaden, among other leaders in the LGBTQ+ Community successfully lobbied the Anne Arundel County Board of Education in passing the Safe and Inclusive Environments for LGBTQ+ Students. In February 2022, Jaden successfully passed an LGBTQ+ Studies Course for Anne Arundel County Public School’s students – for which he developed.

Roberta Pardo (she/her)

A native of Brazil with dual citizenship, accomplished artist Roberta Pardo has lived in Maryland since 2000. Her great passion is street art for its connection between art and environment. For nearly 10 years, she has been a strong and effective advocate for diversity, human rights, education, and women’s empowerment. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Arts Council of Anne Arundel County, Maryland Commission for Women, and Indian Creek School. She will serve on the organization’s development committee.

Sarah Sample (she/her)

Sarah will take over as chair of the events committee leading the wildly successful Annapolis Pride Parade and Festival. She has 10 years of experience in entertainment venue finance, booking, and marketing, having spent 7 years at Live Nation Entertainment and 3 with Rams Head Group. Sarah left Live Nation in 2019 to work in local government. She is currently an associate policy director for the MD. Assoc. of Counties, a non-partisan, non-profit that represents the needs of local government to the Maryland General Assembly.

c (he/him)

Josh Seefried is an Air Force veteran and co-founder of OutServe-SLDN, the association of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender members of the U.S. Military. A graduate from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 2009, Josh was formerly known by his pseudonym JD Smith during his campaign to end the discrimination against lesbians, gays and bisexuals serving openly in the United States military. Josh is currently the external lead for strategic communications of the Office of IT and chairs the LGBTQ+ sub-group at Veteran Affairs.

While Annapolis Pride’s founder Jeremy Browning is leaving the board he will continue to work with the community serving as the state’s first administrative director for the newly formed LGBTQ Affairs Commission.

“Annapolis Pride would not be the organization it is today without Jeremy’s vision and direction over the last four years. We are incredibly grateful for her leadership and look forward to a continued partnership of working together,” Toolan said.

The new board members will join returning members of the board, pictured below. To get to know the full board, visit https://www.annapolispride.org/directors-committee/

Annapolis Pride’s VISION is A safe, equitable, and anti-racist community where people of all identities thrive, and will achieve that through it’s MISSION to advocate for, empower, and celebrate our LGBTQ+ community in Anne Arundel County to live fully and authentically.

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ANNAPOLIS, MD (Thursday, April 21, 2022) – Annapolis Pride – the local non-profit organization that is creating a friendly, inclusive, and vibrant community where all people can thrive – is seeking four new board members.

The active board, made up of fifteen volunteers representing a diversity of backgrounds and experiences, works to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, engage local residents, businesses, and groups to unite in welcoming and embracing diversity in Annapolis. Founded in 2018, Annapolis Pride has compiled an impressive record of accomplishments on behalf of the LQBTQ+ community in Annapolis and Anne Arundel County.

We are seeking new individuals who will help us build our capacity to do more in the community and expand our impact through advocacy and community engagement,” said Board Chair Joe Toolan.

Applications and nominations are sought for four board positions which will begin in October 2022. Board members serve three-year terms and may be reappointed for an additional three-year term. Annapolis Pride is committed to building a multicultural and anti-racist organization whose board is representative of the communities we serve. As such, Toolan said, we strongly encourage applications from transgender, Black, Brown, and Indigenous people.

Each board member is expected to serve on at least one committee and to attend monthly board meetings, which are held online with the goal of returning to in-person meetings in the Annapolis area as it becomes safe to do so. A summary of board member expectations and qualifications can be found on the organization’s website.

For the upcoming term, the board is seeking volunteers to lead the following committees: advocacy, fundraising/development, and parade and festival. We’re also looking for volunteers for the 2022 Annapolis Pride Parade and Festival on June 4. Learn more about the event and the organization at AnnapolisPride.org.

If you are interested in serving, or would like to nominate someone to serve, please complete the expression of interest form found online.

Applications and nominations will be reviewed beginning in mid-May, and interviews will be conducted in mid-June. New members will be recommended to the Board for approval in Aug. 2022. The term will begin on Oct. 1, 2022 and end on Sept. 30, 2025.

For More Information Contact:

Joe Toolan
Annapolis Pride, Inc.
Email: Jo*@************de.org
Phone: 443-713-9026 (mobile)

ANNAPOLIS, MD (April 19, 2022) – For the first time, a non-binary option will be available for runner registration at the Annapolis 10 Mile Run. The 10-mile foot race, scheduled to be held on Sunday, August 28, at Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, is organized by the Annapolis Striders, Inc., an all volunteer, nonprofit and one of the largest running clubs in Maryland. Established in 1978, the striders promote physical fitness and mental well-being through distance running.

The Annapolis 10 Mile Run is excited to be one of the first races in the country to fully include nonbinary runners,” said co-race director Rose Dziedzic. “We strive to be a race where all runners are included to challenge themselves on the best course in Annapolis.”

A few other races have begun to offer the option around the county and in November 2021, Zackary Harris became the first ever non-binary division winner in the New York City marathon’s 50- year history. Division regulations require that there be a minimum number of registrants in the category in order for the results to be official in the runners’ stats and so Annapolis Striders is working with Annapolis Pride to help promote the event.

Annapolis Pride is thrilled that the Annapolis Striders have added a non-binary option on their registration form, said Joe Toolan, board chair of Annapolis Pride. “Representation is so important for our non-binary and gender nonconforming family, and with an event as large as the 10 mile run, this option finally allows members of our community to register and feel seen, but representation does not stop there. Our hope is that this is a step in the right direction for the physical and mental wellbeing of non-binary and gender non-conforming runners, not only here in Annapolis, but for the running community as a whole.”

With its beautiful run through historic Annapolis and over the Severn River, the race has been listed as one of the top ten 10-mile races in the country by Runner’s World Magazine. The event draws between 3,500-4,000 athletes, about half of those travel from outside Maryland to come specifically for the event. The race has been selected as the RRCA Maryland 10 Mile Championship twice (2016, 2018) and the RRCA Eastern Region 10 Mile Championship twice (2017, 2020)

You may register online at the Annapolis Striders website at www.annapolisstriders.org.

For More Information Contact:

Rose Dziedzic, Annapolis Striders
Email: ro**@***************rs.org
Phone: 314-805-1057 (mobile)

The LGBTQ community wants to be normal, not controversial.

That’s what community members and library staff told the Anne Arundel County Library board of trustees in Thursday’s meeting.

Although this year’s 16 mainly LGBTQ centered programs are already being planned, the board heard a second round of public comment and pushed back a decision on program policy once again at the Edgewater Community Library.

The programs were deemed “possibly controversial” by libraries CEO Skip Auld, in accordance with a policy that said novel programs need to be reviewed and approved by the board.

But there’s still confusion over whether the board should be required to vote on programming. During an intense meeting last month, the board voted to allow library staff to begin planning the programs CEO Skip Auld presented in February after they couldn’t decide whether they should vote on programs or not.

Auld sent an amendment to board policy last month that would take away the board’s right to vote on controversial programs. He was not present at Thursday’s meeting, but a draft of a completely rewritten policy was introduced.

Auld’s new proposal eliminates programs being considered novel and controversial in order to be brought to and voted on by the board.
Instead, all events would be put into a programming outreach and promotion system, which board members can view. If a program “merits their special attention,” the CEO would notify the board by email at least a week before the next meeting.

The board tabled a first read of the new policy until next month’s meeting.

Libraries spokeswoman Christine Feldmann said this policy would be the first time the board would be privy to all programming details and that notification of certain programs would be required ahead of a meeting.

“The question is, what happens then?” she asked after the meeting. “I think that’s where a lot of the confusion lies. Are they approving programs or not?”

The programs previously in question are mostly planned for June, which aligns with LGBTQ Pride Month, and include a gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender film festival, more Drag Queen Storytimes, teen book talks with Annapolis Pride, a lunch-and-learn program with a transgender woman, an LGBTQ teen leadership program, rainbow storytimes for Pride Month in June and antlers Human Library program with human “books.”

The library system will also participate in the Annapolis City Pride Parade, partner with student gay/straight alliances in schools and sponsor presentations by Planned Parenthood on public health.

This is the first time in the library’s known history that the board has paid for advertising for a meeting, spokeswoman Christine Feldmann said. Advertising for the meeting ran in The Capital on Wednesday and Thursday, in addition to posts on social media and the library system’s website.

The result was 15 public LGBTQ community members, sexuality teachers and library staff calling for the programs to go forward without being deemed controversial, highlighting high rates of bullying, depression and suicide for LGBTQ youth.

Unlike last month’s meeting with a majority of public commenters opposed to the program, no one spoke in opposition. One person spoke on an unrelated issue.

Anne Arundel County police names first LGBTQ+ liaison
Public comments occurred at the same time a handful of anti-LBGTQ protesters demonstrated at Towson University, with hundreds of counter-protestors surrounding them waving rainbow flags.

While a few people at last month’s meeting said they opposed the programs for religious reasons, a few of Thursday’s commenters said they were representing religious communities that encouraged the programs.

Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis minister Leika Lewis-Cornwell had to stop herself from crying as she asked the board to support the LGBTQ community.

Debi Jason, a queer Riviera Beach woman, said she teaches sexuality education to middle schoolers at her church and knows children in the LGBTQ community who are using public libraries.

“I want you to understand there are religious people who are perfectly accepting and welcoming and inclusive. If anyone comes up to you and says this is anti-God or anti-religion, we are not,” she said. “We’re here in Anne Arundel County. We’ve always been here in Anne Arundel County, and I think we should have our experiences reflected in the programs in this county.”

Members of the LGBTQ community also shared stories of public libraries being their place of hope.

Eric Lund, of Eastport, said he doesn’t feel controversial anymore as a gay man, but he used to. When his brother and husband’s father had trouble accepting him, Lund said they used library books to find a different point of view.

“I wonder now if some of those books might be considered controversial, even though they were stepping stones in our family healing,” Lund said.

“The LGBT community is not controversial… if you feel acknowledging their presence is controversial than I suggest you take some time to listen to some stories and hear some ideas that might just help the controversy go away.”
Nancy McDonald, a gay woman from Annapolis, said she felt safe in her public library while growing up in “a hopeless situation.” She went to the library to look for books on being gay. There were no books of the kind back then, she said, and the librarians didn’t even know of any.

“In many ways, the library was my refuge, and yet when I needed it the most it couldn’t give me that,” McDonald said. “The programs here can show our children in Anne Arundel County what it’s like to be LGBT, to educate them, to inform them and to maybe give them a little bit of hope.”

Annapolis Pride leader Jeremy Browning said he was bullied in school and outcast for being gay, which led to him suffering from depression and contemplating suicide.

“When LGBTQ programs are treated differently and referred to as ‘controversial’ or ‘novel,’ it only continues to marginalize a community that still faces harassment, discrimination, and health disparities,” Browning said. “We are not controversial, we are not novelties, and we are not scary.”

Del. Heather Bagnall said she watched her LGBTQ colleagues in the theater community suffer from being outcast by their communities and families.

“For children, their default is love. Hate is a learned experience. A child that comes and hears a story from Drag Queen Storytime, all they’re seeing is a fairy princess reading them a story,” the Arnold Democrat said. “I hope we can embrace the reality that children are inherently accepting. We just have to teach them that’s OK.”

In steamy, rainy conditions Tuesday afternoon, a cluster of rainbows made its way through Annapolis.

The city’s first official pride celebration— a walk from City Hall to the Loews Annapolis Hotel— started with a seventh-grader….

Click here for the story of the first 12 year old to lead Annapolis Pride

FOX45 NEWS: Annapolis police gets LGBTQ liaison

by Bryna Zumer

Wednesday, September 26th 2018

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WBFF) – Annapolis Police Department is becoming the latest law enforcement agency to create an LGBTQ liaison.

The new position was largely driven by the creation of Annapolis Pride, according to a press release.

Sgt. Amy Miguez, who has been serving as the agency’s spokesperson, will now be the police department’s first liaison on lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender/queer issues, according to a press release.

The liaison will work with other police divisions to educate community stakeholders about LGBTQ issues and will focus on specific needs of the LGBTQ community and their allied communities.

Police departments in Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and the City of Rockville are among those with a similar liaison.

For more information, contact Sgt. Amy Miguez at 410-268-9000 ext. 7261 or am*****@*******is.gov.

CAPITAL GAZETTE: Annapolis police announce new LGBTQ liaison

by Danielle Ohl
September 26, 2018
The Annapolis police department announced Sgt. Amy Miguez as its first LGBTQ liaison Wednesday.

Miguez will help the department better reach the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer) community, which is adversely affected by hate crimes.

“If having a liaison helps anyone realize you are valid, you’re real, you’re out there and people are going to try to help you,” the position will be worth it, Miguez said.

Miguez is straight, but has experience working at a community level because of her position as public information officer. She expressed interest in creating the position after talking with her friend and Annapolis Pride founder Jeremy Browning.

Browning pointed to the Human Rights Campaign’s municipal equality index, where Annapolis scored a 12 out of 22 in equitable law enforcement because it did not have an LGBTQ liaison.

Miguez will work with the department to help victims better report hate crimes and to educate her fellow officers on the needs of LGBTQ community members.

For instance, police officers might not know to ask the victim of a crime for their preferred pronouns when filing a police report. Miguez will also serve as a point person for members of the LGBTQ community.

“Nationwide it’s been an issue to have people come forward to report crime in those communities because of historic prejudice and things lik that,” she said. “We have people coming in and out of the community … and we certainly want them to know Annapolis is a place where we’re concerned for everyone’s safety, it doesn’t matter what orientation is.”

Miguez will continue to serve as the department public information officer on top of her duties as LGBTQ liaison.