The Advocate: Out & Counted Report Feature
D.C. became a haven for LGBTQ+ people. Many young adults can no longer afford it. New research finds widespread housing insecurity, economic strain, and loneliness among queer and trans young adults in the nation’s capital.
Queer Love Public Awareness Campaign Launched
Today, the Wanda Alston Foundation and local partners launched the Queer Love Shouldn’t Hurt campaign, a public awareness initiative leading up to LGBTQ+ Domestic Violence Awareness Day, May 28.
DC Councilmember honored by Wanda Alston Foundation
DC At-Large Councilmember Doni Crawford honored by the Wanda Alston Foundation’s Legacy Reception.
Sold-out crowd turns out for 10th annual Caps Pride night
The Wanda Alston Foundation joined the Washington Capitals, Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation, and Giant for the 10th Consecutive Pride Night.
LGBT+ Counseling Collaborative Host Fundraiser
The Wanda Alston Foundation joined the LGBT+ Counseling Collaborative & Her Diner on DC News Now to highlight the LGBT+ Counseling Collaborative’s Two-Year Anniversary fundraiser.
The Rise of Unhoused LGBTQ+ Youth
With youth LGBTQ+ homelessness rising, the Wanda Alston Foundation prepares to meet the demand.
The Good Provider Feature
Metro Weekly profiled Cesar Toledo, the 33-year-old executive director bringing new energy and focus to the Wanda Alston Foundation, D.C.’s housing program for LGBTQ youth experiencing homelessness.
Strong turnout for D.C. LGBTQ Town Hall
Representatives of more than a dozen local and national LGBTQ advocacy organizations were among the 83 people who turned out for an Oct. 21 Town Hall Discussion for D.C.’s LGBTQ Community.
Cesar Toledo Named to Out Magazine’s Out100 List
The Wanda Alston Foundation is proud to announce that its Executive Director, Cesar Toledo, has been named to Out Magazine’s prestigious Out100 list, an annual celebration of the nation’s most influential and pioneering LGBTQ+ leaders across entertainment, politics, activism, sports, and beyond.
LGBTQ homelessness on the rise
Based on the Point-In-Time data, year after year, LGBTQ+ youth are devastatingly overrepresented among all youth experiencing homelessness. While the overall decrease in the number of homeless people in D.C. is promising, there has been about a five-point increase among our homeless LGBTQ+ young people – meaning more than one in three homeless youth today identify as LGBTQ+.
Meet the job training groups fighting for better economic mobility in D.C.
Employment is getting harder to come by in D.C.
In fact, as of August, D.C.’s unemployment rate is at 6.0% –– the highest in the country. Its unemployment rate increased by 0.7% from August 2024.
Wanda Alston Foundation begins culinary program
D.C.’s Wanda Alston Foundation, which provides housing and support services for homeless LGBTQ youth, on Aug. 11 officially launched a culinary program aimed at training LGBTQ youth with cooking skills for future employment.
Trump to take control of MPD, deploy National Guard
Cesar Toledo reacts to the unprecedented move to wrest control of DC's Metropolitan Police Department and the dispatching of 800 National Guard troops.
‘A death sentence’: DC reaction
For the past three years, anyone dialing the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline was offered the option to “Press 3,” and be connected to counselors trained to work with LGBTQ+ youth and adults under 25.
As of July 17, that option will no longer be available.
Preps under way for WorldPride
The foundation, which provides housing to homeless LGBTQ+ youth, has launched a campaign called Slay and Sauté in an effort to raise $15,000 to replace funds from a federal grant that was frozen earlier this year.
The money will be used to buy healthy cooking appliances and provide cooking lessons for the young people they house.