Sep 12, 2008  |  By: LOU CHIBBARO JR  | COMMENTS     

The Gertrude Stein Democratic Club, the city’s largest gay political group, celebrated its 32nd anniversary Sept. 3 at the Woman’s National Democratic Club in Dupont Circle by honoring people and organizations that have contributed to gay rights causes.

Among the groups honored at the event were the U.S. House of Representatives’ recently created Equality Caucus, which advocates on behalf of gay and transgender issues.

Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) and Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) accepted the club’s Richard Rausch Equality Award on behalf of the caucus and its co-chairs, openly gay Reps. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), who were unable to attend the event.

“We’re very happy to have this caucus,” Nadler told people at the event.

Others honored were City Council member Phil Mendelson (D-At-Large) for his work to help pass sweeping domestic partnership legislation; D.C. Department of Parks & Recreation Director Clark Ray, one of Mayor Adrian Fenty’s openly gay appointees, who is credited with advocating for gay and transgender issues within the city government; and Washington Blade publisher Lynne Brown.

Darrin Glymph, a Stein vice president, presented Brown with the club’s Justice Award, citing Brown’s more than 20 years of leadership positions at the Blade and her involvement with a wide range of other gay groups, including PEN, the city’s gay chamber of commerce, and the Mautner Project, which provides services for lesbians with cancer.

Stein officials also gave a Justice Award to Us Helping Us, a local AIDS service organization that targets black gay men for HIV prevention and treatment services. Us Helping Us Director Ron Simmons, who has been credited with expanding the group’s outreach efforts, accepted the award on the organization’s behalf.

Stein Club President Mario Acosta-Velez noted the club is organizing volunteers to work on the campaign of Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama.