The Board of Directors of Supporting and Mentoring Youth Advocates and Leaders (SMYAL), an organization dedicated to working with and empowering LGBTQ youth, announced early Thursday morning that it has named Sultan Shakir as its new executive director.
Shakir, a community organizer who most recently served as the youth and campus engagement program director at the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s top LGBT rights organization. He also previously served regional field director for HRC, the campaign manager for Marylanders for Marriage Equality during the legislative push to pass Maryland’s marriage equality law, and the political director during the organization’s successful attempt to defend the law at the ballot box in November 2012. Shakir was chosen following a search led by SMYAL board member and former board chair Betsy Pursell and conducted by Washington-based search firm LeaderFit.
“Sultan Shakir is the right leader for SMYAL at an exciting time of change,” Mike Schwartz, chair of the SMYAL Board of Directors, said in a statement. “With our focus on providing LGBTQ young people with the skills and resources they need to be dynamic leaders of our movement and communities, Sultan has the talent and passion to guide that mission. He has roots deep in the community and professional abilities that will support the strong SMYAL staff and volunteers.”
“In Sultan, SMYAL has found a leader ready for the challenge of building on our already strong foundation,” Schwartz continued. “His strong community organization background demonstrates two fundamental skills that will be critical in his success: assessing the needs of our community’s LGBTQ youth, and harnessing the power of the broad community to support those needs.”
In a statement, Shakir noted that organization is ripe for significant new support from a broader swath of the D.C. community. He also thanked the organization’s donors and encouraged them to continue providing financial support.
“I believe in the SMYAL mission, and I believe reaching new and diverse supporters in the region will be crucial to SMYAL’s success,” Shakir said. “The young people who participate in SMYAL activities and leadership development deserve our investment and care. …And we will seek additional support from partners in education, in religious communities and among LBGT professionals in D.C. who know first-hand how SMYAL can make the lives of our youth better. Many of us in the LGBTQ community grew up without the benefit of an organization like SMYAl, and we know life can be better for young people, with the kind of support SMYAL is known for offering.”
Shakir will replace departing executive director Andrew Barnett, who announced in March that he would be leaving to pursue a doctorate in clinical psychology at The George Washington University.
“Andrew Barnett leaves SMYAL recognized among the LGBTQ and donor communities as a great way to invest in our young people,” Schwartz said in a statement. “LGBTQ young people in our area have safer, healthier and brighter lives because of Andrew Barnett.”
Shakir said the Washington area’s reputation for transience should not be a detriment in gaining new supporters.
“Particularly in a city like D.C., there are so many people who are incredibly passionate about LGBT issues and politics,” Shakir said. “There are many ways to touch people’s lives in our professional work. That work may be in politics at the national level, or about changing policies back in your home state. But SMYAL is right here. Whether you’re from the D.C. area or you’re here just a short time, there’s nothing more fulfilling than engaging where you are today. The opportunity to support the next generation is right here and now.”
Rabbits, as well as other animals -- peacocks, hamsters, and cats -- dominate her work, which is typified by a vast range of emotions, from aggressive to melancholic to serene.
"I'm always going for some kind of loud sort of expression," she says. "My illustrations tend to be very suggestive or very erotic or very cute. It's always about some kind of sensual pleasure or dramatic pain."
A librarian by trade -- she currently works at the National Institute of Medicine -- Soltian nonetheless treats her art as a full-time vocation. Her online store, which describes her as a "crafter of indulgences," sells various items based on her works, including pendants, keychains, and even life-sized pillowcases featuring popular comic book characters, such as Nightwing, with whom she admits to being somewhat obsessed.
Masked attackers in Israel are reportedly using Grindr to lure and entrap members of the LGBTQ community to severely harm them.
According to reports, the assailants are creating fake profiles on the popular dating app and arranging meetings in remote locations in the city of Haifa.
The victims are then ambushed and reportedly stabbed with sharp weapons. A few assailants have attempted to carry out lynchings.
The Aguda, an LGBTQ task force, documented at least ten such incidents in recent months, reports the Jerusalem Post.
But some victims have chosen not to report the attacks, making it more difficult for police to track down and arrest offenders.
A page touting Golden Girls actress Bea Arthur's military service during World War II was reportedly scrubbed from the U.S. Department of Defense website as part of the Trump administration's overzealous efforts to purge anything related to diversity or LGBTQ identity.
Last week, X user @swiftillery noted that the article on Arthur -- first published in October 2021 -- had been removed from the Defense Department website.
According to The Advocate, the Internet Archive documented a "404 -- Page Not Found" message at the URL where the article had been housed.
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