(WASHINGTON, DC) – Mayor Vincent C. Gray today announced that he has tapped longtime gay-rights activist Sterling Washington to become the new Director of the Mayor’s Office of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Affairs. Washington replaces Jeffrey Richardson, who left the GLBT Affairs role to become Executive Director of Serve DC – The Mayor’s Office on Volunteerism.
A DC native, Washington comes to the office with a long history of service and activism within the local and national LGBT community. As a student, he co-founded the Bisexual, Lesbian and Gay Organization of Students at Howard University (BLAGOSAH), now known as CASCADE. Washington also served as a presidential appointee in the Clinton White House, serving as both a Special Assistant to the Office of Administration and the Coordinator of the Information Technology Management Team. Most recently, he was the Resource and Grant Development Manager at the Center for Black Equity, formerly the International Federation of Black Prides.
“Sterling Washington is well-acquainted with a broad swath of the District’s LGBT community, and I expect him to be a natural fit for this important role,” Mayor Gray said. “I’m proud that DC is a national and international leader in protecting our residents’ rights regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, and Sterling is eminently qualified to continue the excellent work that Jeffrey Richardson has done in ensuring we continue to be a city that values safety and equality for all.”
Washington holds a degree in political science from The George Washington University and a music degree from Howard University. A Ward 4 resident, he served on Mayor Anthony Williams’ LGBT Advisory Committee from 2002-2003 and is actively involved in multiple civic and political organizations in the District.