We’re so excited to share the big news!
We’re Moving!
Check out all the details about our new location in our press release and watch this space for more details to come!
This amazing next chapter in our LGBTQ+ community members lives needs your support!
Please click here and donate what you can to help support the creation of our new space!
Click here to read our press release
Rendition/Photo Credit: Hickok Cole, our architects on this project
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Marlena Chertock, Malik Thompson, OutWrite Co-Chairs
outwritedc@gmail.com
OutWrite DC is welcoming a new Chairperson on board, local poet Emily Holland. After 2 years of service, Marlena Chertock and Malik Thompson are stepping down as Co-Chairs after the 2022 festival. They are thrilled to be passing the baton to Emily.
“As a queer writer who largely came-of-age here in DC, I am immensely excited to be the next Chairperson of OutWrite,” says Emily. “Under the expert guidance of Marlena and Malik, and also of Chair Emeritus dave ring, OutWrite has thrived as a literary festival created by — and for — the trans/queer community.”
“Malik and Marlena had the daunting task of adapting the festival during the ongoing pandemic, and their leadership was instrumental in not only shifting to an accessible virtual festival, but also championing Black writers, Indigenous writers, writers of color, and disabled writers. I have forged so many nurturing connections at past OutWrite festivals and hope to use my time as Chairperson to support trans/queer writers in the same way.”
“We are extremely excited to pass the torch to Emily!” said Marlena Chertock and Malik Thompson, the current Co-Chairs of OutWrite. “Our tenure has been a huge learning experience and it would not have been possible without the support of Kimberley Bush, Executive Director of the DC Center, dave ring, OutWrite’s chair prior to our tenure, Justin Johns, DC Center Office Administrator, Tahirah A. G., editor of our 2021 journal, as well as our Volunteer Coordinators Derrick Brown, Jacob Budenz, and John Copenhaver.”
“We chose Emily to take up the mantle of Chair because of her impressive, years-long commitment to D.C.’s LGBTQ+ literary community. We are excited to experience the future of OutWrite with Emily at the wheel,” Marlena and Malik said.
Mark your calendars for this year’s festival, which will be held August 5-7, 2022. Currently, all events are virtual; we will release more information on whether any events will be held in person or hybrid as soon as possible. Please visit outwritedc.org for more information.
More about the new Chairperson of OutWrite
Emily Holland (she/they) is a genderqueer lesbian writer living in Washington, D.C. She received her MFA from American University, where she won the Myra Sklarew Award for outstanding thesis and was the Editor-In-Chief of FOLIO. Their poems have appeared or are forthcoming in publications including Shenandoah, Black Warrior Review, Nat. Brut, DIALOGIST, Homology Lit, and Wussy. Her chapbook Lineage was published by dancing girl press in 2019. Their work has been supported by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities and Sundress Academy for the Arts. Currently, she is the Editor of Poet Lore, America’s oldest poetry magazine published by The Writer’s Center.
About OutWrite
OutWrite is a celebration of LGBTQ literature, held annually the first weekend in August in Washington, D.C. The 2021 festival will be August 6-8, 2021. For more information, visit: thedccenter.org/outwrite.
About the DC Center
The DC Center for the LGBT Community educates, empowers, celebrates, and connects the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities. To fulfill our mission, we focus on four core areas: health and wellness, arts & culture, social & support services, and advocacy and community building. We envision communities where LGBT people feel healthy, safe, and affirmed.
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As we reopen, the DC Center is doing our best to meet the needs of our community while creating a safe environment for our staff, volunteers, and visitors. Please see below some of the information available about our space, our meetings, and other questions. We will update this information as necessary as the situation changes or we understand better what information people are looking for.
What are The DC Center’s hours of operation?
Are support groups/meetings meeting in-person, virtually or hybrid?
Based on surveys and conversations with peer group facilitators and participants and abiding by social distancing guidelines, we are offering a hybrid (physical with webstation for Zoom) option for some while a completely virtual option for others, at each groups’ discretion. The information is available on the event sign-up for each group (easily found via: thedccenter.org/calendar
Which groups/meetings, and when, are offering a hybrid (in-person with webstation) meeting option? (This list subject to change as groups choose to return to the DC Center’s offices)
Fridays: Tea Time from 2 – 4 pm.
2nd Tuesday: Coming Out Group from 7 to 8:30pm.
2nd & 4th Wednesdays: Job Club from 6 – 7 pm.
3rd Saturdays: KhushDC from 1:30 to 2:30pm.
4th Saturdays: Black Lesbian Peer Support Group from 11 am – 1 pm
Which groups/meetings, and when, are offering a virtual (Zoom) only meeting option?
Any groups not listed above are meeting virtually.
Can I just walk-in to participate in a hybrid support group/meeting?
Currently, the Center is unable to accommodate walk-ups for peer support groups. Registration in advance will be required for peer support group meetings. Information in this regard will be circulated among peer support group leaders and participants as well as be listed on the Center’s website.
Are therapy meetings still being offered at the Center?
At this time all mental health therapy groups and sessions are remaining virtual via HIPAA compliant Zoom due to the continuing rates of COVID-19. A hybrid model of virtual and in person therapy services will be re-evaluated once the pandemic conditions permit safe in-person meeting.
When is the Center expected to open back up and what are some of the processes?
Now that the Center is reopening again, what kind of opportunities are available for those in the community who would like to get involved?
What will be the mitigation efforts to reopen the Center back safely?
Are masks required at the Center?
Per CDC guidelines all staff/participants (2yrs or older) physically at the building are required to always wear masks to stop the spreading of COVID-19.
What will happen if either staff or participants test positive for COVID-19?
Will social distancing be enforced at the Center?
The maximum number of people in the DC Center at one time has been adjusted to a maximum of 25 to 30 to accommodate enough space for social distancing.
What kind of sanitation procedures will be implemented to prevent the spread of the COVID-19?
If I am unwilling or unable to comply with mask mandates, will I be turned away from the Center?
To enter the DC Center, you will be asked to wear a mask. If someone is unwilling or unable to wear a mask and/or mentions health issues, assistance will be provided to them outside the DC Center in the Atrium to the best of our staff’s ability. We ask that everyone consider that many people come through the DC Center on a regular basis, so it’s important to make sure everyone is protecting the community by doing what we can.
If rates of COVID continue to rise in DC will the Center remain open?
Federal and local guidelines will be closely monitored and adhered to, up to and including closing the Center due to an increase in COVID cases in the DC area to ensure the safety of our employees and constituents.
Job Type
Associate (Preferred)
Spanish (Preferred)
The qualified individual will be responsible for the following:
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $22.00 – $25.00 per hour
Benefits:
Schedule:
COVID-19 considerations:
At this time our team is working remotely. We are developing our re-opening plan. it will adhere to any and all government and CDC guidelines.
Education:
Experience:
Language:
Work Location:
Work Remotely:
Happy Presidents Day from the team at the DC Center.
On this day we look forward to seeing all the promises that the Biden Administration has made, come to fruition. We believe Mr Biden is an ally to our community, in 2012, in the midst of what many expected to be a tough reelection campaign for the Obama White House, Biden surprised the political world during an appearance on “Meet the Press” by becoming the first national leader to publicly support same-sex marriage as president the Joe Biden administration issued an executive order that is aimed at preventing discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation and prohibiting workplace discrimination in the federal government, he also signed an order reversing a Trump-era Pentagon policy that largely barred transgender individuals from serving in the military. President Joe Biden has tapped Pennsylvania Health Secretary Rachel Levine to be his assistant secretary of health, leaving her poised to become the first openly transgender federal official to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
Are you a trauma-informed, licensed mental health clinician interested in remote work for an established community organization in Washington DC serving the LGBTQ+ community? Are you available 10 hours per week? The DC Center for the LGBT Community is hiring!
The DC Anti-Violence Project of the DC Center for the LGBT Community is seeking a licensed clinician (LICSW/LPC/LGSW) with interest and experience in working with LGBTQ+ survivors of trauma, violence, and abuse. Exceptional interpersonal, ethical and client care skills are required. Fluency in both Spanish and English, and/or expertise in transgender and gender non-binary clinical issues are a plus. Familiarity with MyClients+ or other EHR systems also a plus. Experience in providing telecounseling via Zoom HIPAA-compliant video platform is desired.
Contract Therapist Position:
The DC Center for the LGBT Community has a mission of educating, empowering, celebrating, and connecting the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community of Washington, DC. Licensed therapists (LICSW, LGSW, LPC) help to achieve this mission by providing trauma-informed mental health support services to survivors of violence, crime, and trauma. These services are available free-of-charge to our community members due to grant funding from the Office of Victim Services and Justice Grants (OVSJG). The trauma-informed licensed Contract Therapist is a part-time (10 hours per week, $40/hour) position in the DC Center’s Anti-Violence Project, with funding at minimum through March 31, 2021 and potential continued funding through 2022. Currently, the work is remote. If the pandemic conditions shift toward reliable public safety, work may resume in-person at The DC Center’s location in Northwest Washington, DC. Limited street parking is accessible. The U St Metro is one block from the center. Agency does not pay for parking. There is limited funding available for weekly clinical supervision if desired. The position may be extended upon receipt of additional funding and could expand to a full-time opportunity. The person who fills this position is also responsible for keeping notes in the MyClients+ EHR system. The Contract Therapist will report to the full-time licensed Therapist/Advocate. Schedule is flexible. Stable internet and a remote working environment which protects confidentiality is essential.
Special Skills:
The Therapist/Advocate must have the appropriate licensure to practice in DC (LGSW, LICSW, LPC) and have at least 2 years’ experience working as a clinician with a diverse client population. They must also have a demonstrated ability to work with LGBTQ+ adults, to work well in a team, to problem solve and communicate at all levels verbally as well as in writing. Must be self-motivated, ethical, and ideally be knowledgeable with key stakeholders in the larger victim-serving network of Washington, DC. Bilingual capabilities in Spanish and English is desired. Expertise in transgender and gender non-binary clinical issues is a plus.
Functions and Duties:
Please send resume and cover letter to kimberley@thedccenter.org.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Marlena Chertock, Malik Thompson, OutWrite Co-Chairs
outwritedc@gmail.com
Local poets Marlena Chertock and Malik Thompson have been announced as the new Co-Chairs of OutWrite. After 5 years of service, culminating in the 2020 festival being nominated for the 35th Annual Mayor’s Arts Award, writer and editor dave ring is stepping down as Chair of the festival. We thank him for his many years and support of OutWrite.
Malik and Marlena look forward to continuing OutWrite’s mission of cultivating inclusive literary programming that reflects and uplifts trans/queer literary communities. Both poets come to this work after being engaged in literary community — including festivals, conferences, poetry readings, open mic series, and writing workshops — at both the local and national level for years. OutWrite is delighted to have them at the helm, looking towards 2021 with the intention of centering BIPOC writers, Indigenous writers, and disabled writers.
OutWrite has extended the submission deadline for 2020’s two special edition festival journals: Ten Year Retrospective and We Got This: Black Writers on Imagination, Joy and Liberation. The new deadline is November 30. View submission guidelines here.
Mark your calendars for next year’s festival, which will be August 6-8, 2021. Due to this uncertain time, we will be planning OutWrite 2021 with the assumption that it will be virtual. We will release updates as the situation develops. Please visit outwritedc.org for more information and submit your ideas for panels and readings!
More about the Co-Chairs of OutWrite
Marlena Chertock has two books of poetry, Crumb-sized: Poems (Unnamed Press) and On that one-way trip to Mars (Bottlecap Press). She uses her skeletal dysplasia as a bridge to scientific writing. She is queer, disabled, and a 2020 Pushcart Prize nominee. Marlena serves as Co-Chair of OutWrite, Washington, D.C.’s annual LGBTQ literary festival, and on the Board of Split This Rock, a nonprofit that cultivates poetry that bears witness to injustice and provokes social change. Her poetry and prose has appeared in AWP’s The Writer’s Notebook, Breath & Shadow, The Deaf Poets Society, Lambda Literary Review, Little Patuxent Review, Neon Hemlock Press, Noble/Gas Quarterly, Paper Darts, Paranoid Tree, Plants & Poetry, Rogue Agent, Unheard Poetry, Washington Independent Review of Books, WMN Zine, Wordgathering, and more. Find her at marlenachertock.com and @mchertock.
Malik Thompson is a Black queer man proud to be from D.C. A bookseller, anime fanatic, and workshop facilitator. Malik has worked with Split This Rock, The University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Moonlit DC as a workshop facilitator. He also organized the Poets In Protest poetry series at the Black queer owned bookstore Loyalty Bookstores. Malik’s work can be found inside of Split This Rock’s Poetry Database as well as the mixed media journal Voicemail Poems. You can find Malik’s thoughts on literature via his Instagram account @negroliterati.
About OutWrite
OutWrite is a celebration of LGBTQ literature, held annually the first weekend in August in Washington, D.C. The 2021 festival will be August 6-8, 2021. For more information, visit: thedccenter.org/outwrite.
About the DC Center
The DC Center for the LGBT Community educates, empowers, celebrates, and connects the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities. To fulfill our mission, we focus on four core areas: health and wellness, arts & culture, social & support services, and advocacy and community building. We envision communities where LGBT people feel healthy, safe, and affirmed.
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The DC Center for the LGBT Community is hiring! We are looking for a full-time social worker/therapist. Bilingual in Spanish, a plus. See below for details.
Social Worker/Therapist Position:
The DC Center for the LGBT Community has a mission of educating, empowering, celebrating, and connecting the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community of Washington, DC. The Social Worker/Therapist helps to achieve this mission by providing mental health support services to survivors of violence, crime, and trauma. These services are available free-of-charge to our community members due to grant funding from the Office of Victim Services and Justice Grants (OVSJG). The Social Worker/Therapist will see clients individually and in group settings, as well as in a couples/collateral therapy capacity, if requested. The person who fills this position is also responsible for assisting on other related projects, such as quarterly reporting and management of the OVSJG grant, outreach and education in the LGBTQ community, and assisting the mission, vision, and values of The DC Anti-Violence Project (DC AVP). The Social Worker/Therapist will report to the Executive Director.
Special Skills:
The Social Worker/Therapist must have the appropriate licensure to practice in DC (LGSW or LICSW) and have at least 2 years’ experience working as a clinician with a diverse client population. They must also have a demonstrated ability to work with LGBTQ+ adults, to work well in a team, to problem solve and communicate at all levels verbally as well as in writing. Must be self-motivated and be able to build and maintain relationships, both with colleagues and with key stakeholders in the larger victim-serving network of Washington, DC. The ideal candidate will have prior nonprofit/grant management experience and is well adept at multitasking in a fast-paced environment. Bilingual capabilities are not required but strongly preferred.
Functions and Duties
Social Worker/Therapist: Responsibilities:
Please click here to apply
With a new year comes Board elections! At our January 6th Board Meeting, we voted to re-elect a couple of our long time Board members, and we approved a new slate of officers.
The full list of Board of Directors and officers is listed below:
Chair – Rehana Mohammed
Vice Chair – Jonathan Gilad
Communications Chair- Rebecca Bauer
Treasurer – Tiera Craig
Development Chair – Nick Harrison
Secretary – Andrew Zapfel
Directors: Natalie Bucklin, Michael Fowler, Dr. Pat Hawkins, Lance Macon, Luke Scuitto
Our team is excited about the year ahead as we look forward to welcoming a new Executive Director, bringing on a couple of new staff members (we’re hiring now!), and continuing to enhance our programming for the LGBTQ+ community. “I’m very excited to work alongside this diverse group of leaders to build on the successes of the last 15 years and set a bold path for the future with our new Executive Director,” Board Chair Rehana Mohammed commented.
If you’re interested in getting involved in the Development or Finance committees, or would like more information about becoming a member of the Board of DIrectors, please reach out to Rehana@thedccenter.org.
