Next Up: Wednesday, February 12, 7 PM
The Capital Pride Alliance, in partnership with Team Rayceen Productions and the 50th Anniversary subcommittee of World Pride 2025, presents “An Evening with LGBTQ+ Heroes”.
The Capital Pride Alliance is celebrating 50 years of pride in our nation’s capital. As part of that celebration, we want to highlight some of the organizers in our community who have received an honor from our organization. Please join us for a monthly virtual live event featuring some of these honorees who will share their history and thoughts on what pride means.
This event will be held in-person on Wednesday, February 12th at 7pm at The Human Rights Campaign. Doors will open at 6:45pm. If you are not able to attend in-person, there is also a virtual option.
Executive Director
PHL Diversity
A Division of the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau
About Sheila Alexander-Reid
Sheila Alexander-Reid is the Executive director of PHL Diversity, a key business development division of the PHLCVB. With decades of leadership experience in diversity, equity and inclusion, and a champion for marginalized communities, Alexander-Reid oversees PHL Diversity’s efforts to promote Philadelphia as an inclusive, welcoming destination for meetings and conventions.
Prior to that, Alexander-Reid served as senior vice president, business development at BiasSync, a firm that helps organizations more effectively assess and manage unconscious bias in the work environment.
In 2015, Alexander-Reid was appointed by Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser as executive director of the Mayor’s Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning Affairs. She advised the Mayor on the implementation of discrimination protections and diversity and inclusion policies that supported D.C.’s LGBTQ residents. Alexander-Reid was instrumental in the city’s successful fight for marriage equality, and she also served on a policy committee advising the Biden-Harris campaign.
Shelia is the founder of two agencies of which she remains active, Branding4Change, a boutique branding and training agency focused on DEI, and Women in the Life Association, a social justice non-profit organization that creates safe spaces and social gatherings for lesbians of color as well as of the Inside Out Radio Show on WPFW, a Pacifica station. The weekly program provides information, representation, and entertainment from the LGBTQIA+ perspective. It airs every Tuesday from 2–3 PM EST on 89.3 FM in the DC area. This show is the only FM LGBTQIA+ show on the east coast and one of only a handful in the country. It’s been on the air for over 15 years.
She also spent 32 years with the Washington City Paper where she served as director of strategic engagement and development manager focusing on sales and marketing. Alexander-Reid holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Spelman College, a historically Black college. She lives with her wife, Aishah Shahidah Simmons, a documentary filmmaker, writer and Philadelphia native.
* Photo Credit: Zhee Chatmon Photography
Director
Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ+ Affairs
About Japer Bowles
Japer Bowles proudly serves and advocates for the LGBTQIA+ community and allies as the Director of the Mayor’s Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning Affairs, in the Mayor Muriel E. Bowser administration. With a background as a former elected official and accomplished public affairs professional, Japer leads a dedicated team to serve the nation’s largest LGBTQIA+ community, per capita and over 300 LGBTQIA+ programs and organizations.
Since Japer’s appointment, the office has become the largest LGBTQIA+ community affairs agency in the nation–tripling its budget, doubling its staff, and serving over 25,000 residents annually through the grants program. MOLGBTQA is also the largest local LGBTQIA+ dedicated funding organization in the DC region, administering more than $6,500,000 annually.
Before joining the Bowser Administration, Japer co-founded and led the DC LGBTQ+ Budget Coalition, securing over $10,000,000 in investments for the community, including the Trans workforce initiative, LGBTQIA+ low-barrier shelter, and the LGBTQIA+ Community Center. In the private sector at Stateside, he served as a Legislative Manager, providing counsel to Fortune 500 companies and the US Military on state legislative processes.
Japer’s public service journey began in the Missouri General Assembly, where he served as the Legislative Assistant for the Chairman of the Special Committee on Urban Issues. His commitment to community service includes re-election as Commissioner of Advisory Neighborhood Commission 1C07, founding the ANC Rainbow Caucus, and holding positions in the DC Democratic State Committee. Beyond his professional life, Japer enjoys baking and cooking with his husband, Nick, and spending quality time with their two cats.
Co-Founder Youth Pride Day &
Wanda Alston Foundation
About Christopher Dyer
Christopher Dyer is a DC based LGBT and community activist who served as the Director of the Office of LBGTQ Affairs, for the DC Government from 2007-2010. In this position, he was responsible for recommending and implementing policy changes to improve the lives of LGBT residents in the District of Columbia and represent the Mayor to the LGBT community. One of the highlights of this service was helping find funding for the Wanda Alston House which was the first transitional housing program for LGBT Youth.
Dyer currently serves as the Community Engagement Manager for the DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) where he is the primary liaison for all ANC commissioners, civic associations and parent organizations as well as the manager of all park partner programs for the agency. Prior to joining DPR, Dyer implemented and managed the Private Security Camera Rebate Program for DC Government. Dyer was also recently re-elected to his 4th term (2nd non-consecutive) as an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner.
Prior to joining the DC Government, Chris worked for a variety of non-profit organizations including the American Lung Association, the American Bar Association, the Association of American Colleges and Universities and the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing.
Dyer is the co-founder of Wanda Alston Foundations and the Youth Pride Alliance which sponsors Youth Pride Day. An avid fan of his beloved Washington Capitals, karaoke and global travel, Dyer is currently co-chairing the 50th Anniversary committee of World Pride and lives with his beloved husband in DC.
Chief Executive Officer
Rockwood Leadership Institute
About Rev Darlene M. Nipper
Rev Darlene M. Nipper is the Chief Executive Officer of the Rockwood Leadership Institute. With over 25 years of leadership and advocacy experience, Darlene joined Rockwood in 2012 as a member of the training team. She previously served as deputy executive director of the National LGBTQ Task Force, executive director of the BET Foundation, chief operating officer at NAMI and founder of its Multicultural and International Policy Center, and director of LGBT affairs in the Executive Office of the Mayor of D.C. Darlene, a native Washingtonian, is also an ordained interfaith minister, practices mindfulness meditation, deep presence, and living joy.
Human Rights Activist
About Philip Pannell
Phil Pannell is a veteran LGBTQ and DC rights advocate as well as passionate advocate for DC residents who live east of the river. Among the many highlights of his career Phil was in Greenwich Village the night of the Stonewall Rebellion. In 1976, he testified before the DC Council for the legalization of same-sex marriage. Phil was arrested in demonstrations dealing with AIDS, DC sodomy law repeal and advocating for an LGBT speaker at the 30th anniversary of the March on Washington (1983). Phil was the first Gay Black man appointed to the DC Human Rights Commission. He also served as the LGBT liasison for Mayor Anthony Williams.
Phil received first Man of the Year award from DC Black Pride and has been honored by Capital Pride, Gay and Lesbian Activist Alliance, Gertrude Stein Democratic Club, and the DC Coalition of Black Gays, Lesbians, Bisexual and Transgenders.
Founder & Managing Director
We the People Community Health Worker Corps & Coalition
About Jeffrey Richardson
Jeffrey Richardson is a licensed social worker practicing in Washington, DC and Maryland. Jeffrey currently serves as the Managing Director of Damien Ministries and is the Founder of We The People Community Health Worker Corps and Coalition. Jeffrey served as Director of the District of Columbia Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs from 2011 to 2013 during the Mayoral term of former Mayor Vincent C. Gray. Following his time as Director of The Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs, Jeffrey served as the first Chief Service Officer of the District of Columbia in the role of Executive Director of Serve DC The Mayor’s Office on Volunteerism and District of Columbia Commission for National and Community Service. Jeffrey is a graduate of The Howard University School of Social Work and The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as well as an AmeriCorps alum and a 2010 New Leaders Council Fellow.
Stewardship Manager
UNCF
About Sterling Washington
Sterling Washington is currently a Stewardship Manager at UNCF, where he has worked since 2021. Sterling holds a B.A. in political science from The George Washington University and a B.Mus. in music history from Howard University. From 1997 – 1999, he was a presidential appointee in the Clinton White House, serving first as a Special Assistant in the Office of Administration. Following his appointment, Sterling worked for the U.S. Department of Labor for several years and then as Special Projects Coordinator at Us Helping Us, People into Living, Inc. He was the Resource and Grants Development Manager for the Center for Black Equity (CBE) for 4 ½ years before being appointed to the Cabinet of DC Mayor Vincent Gray, where he served as Director of the Mayor’s Office of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Affairs from 2013-2015. After his appointment ended, Sterling was Head of Client Success at IOREX Global Company.
Since his student days at GWU, Sterling has been active in the LGBTQIA+ movement. At GWU, he was a member of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Alliance (LGBA). While enrolled at Howard University, Sterling co-founded the Bisexual, Lesbian, and Gay Organization of Students at Howard (BLAGOSAH) and served as Co-Facilitator and president. Sterling is a former Vice President of the DC Coalition of Black LGBT Men and Women (DCC), and former board member of both DC Black Pride and Transgender Health Empowerment. He also served on Mayor Anthony Williams’ LGBT Advisory Committee from 2002-2003. For his work on behalf of the LGBTQIA community, Sterling has received numerous awards.
In addition to his LGBTQIA+ activism, Sterling has been engaged in other facets of the community. He is affiliated with the A.K. Rice Institute for the Study of Social Systems, having attended several leadership and diversity conferences and served on staff as an administrator for one. He was also a Board Member for the Rockville-based Victorian Lyric Opera Company from 2022-2024. A classically-trained singer, Sterling is the tenor soloist/section leader at National City Christian Church in Washington, DC.
Empress of Pride and Goddess of DC
Community Liaison for Team Rayceen Productions
About Rayceen Pendarvis
Rayceen Pendarvis is an event host, interviewer, moderator, speaker, wedding officiant, community advocate, and lifelong Washingtonian. This includes hosting and co-hosting events by Team Rayceen Productions (including The Ask Rayceen Show, a monthly community gathering and variety program which ran for ten years, including at the HRC Equality Center from March 2017 to March 2020). As an inspirational speaker, disseminator of information, frequent host of LGBTQ events, and a tireless advocate for the community, Rayceen has earned the monikers High Priestess of Love, Queen of the Shameless Plug, Empress of Pride, and Goddess of DC. Online, Rayceen can be found on social media and as a co-host and panelist on the Team Rayceen YouTube channel. For more information, please visit Rayceen.com.
Doctor of Clinical Psychology and Practitioner
About Ashley Elliott, Psy. D.
Ashley Elliott, Psy.D. (also affectionately known as Dr. Vivid) is a Doctor of Clinical Psychology in Washington, DC. She is passionate about serving those who identify as Black, Indigenous, Persons of Color, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Dr. Elliott works as a clinician in private practice, a writer, a plant medicine educator, and a mental health/DEI consultant to create more culturally inclusive spaces. To create more inclusive media spaces, Dr. Elliott collaborates with gamers, developers, social media users/influencers, and individuals in Web3 and the Metaverse to ensure platforms promote diversity and mental health awareness.
The Capital Pride Alliance, through its stewardship of diverse programming and events, specifically year-round LGBTQ+ Pride festivities centered in Washington, DC and the National Capital Region, serves to celebrate, educate, support, and inspire our multi-faceted communities in order to grow and preserve our history and protect our rights for current and future generations. Learn More