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.

The event, which was organized by the local LGBTQ event planning organization Team Rayceen Productions, was held in a conference room in the building at 899 North Capitol St., N.E., where D.C. Mayor Muriel Bower’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs is located.

Much of the discussion at the event focused on topics related to the organizers’ subtitle for the town hall event, “Protest, Liberation & Pride: Preparing for An Uncertain Future.”

Among the six panelists led by Team Rayceen leader Rayceen Pendarvis who led the discussion at the event was Japer Bowles, director of the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs, which arranged for the meeting location.

The other panelists included June Crenshaw, deputy director of  D.C.’s Capital Pride Alliance, which played the lead role in organizing WorldPride 2025 in D.C.; Cesar Toledo, executive director of the Wanda Alston Foundation, which provides housing services for homeless LGBTQ youth in D.C.; Heidi Ellis, director of the D.C. LGBTQ Budget Coalition; and Patrick Algyer, executive director of Equality Chamber, a group  that represents local LGBTQ-owned and supportive businesses.
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“Last night we channeled the spirit of many trailblazers and movement leaders who came before us,” Toledo told the Blade in providing his thoughts on the town hall event. “It served as a reminder that by working together, we can overcome today’s challenges,” he said, adding, “Organizing is how we confront today’s attacks, economic uncertainty, and rising queer youth homelessness.”

Read more in the Washington Blade here.

Testimony on Overcrowding Conditions at DYRS

Dear Councilmember Parker and Members of the Council,

My name is Cesar Toledo, and I am the Executive Director of the Wanda Alston Foundation, one of a few queer-led organizations in DC that provides gender-affirming housing and support services to LGBTQ+ youth. 

I’m here to raise concerns about the overcrowding conditions at DYRS.

In July of this year, NBC4 reported that a trans girl placed in a male unit suffered a broken jaw after being attacked by a group of youth. That same investigation revealed that 51 kids reported injuries from assault - one of the highest ever recorded.

This crisis highlights a system in need of urgent reform. As a housing provider for young queer people, I want to spotlight the deep connection between incarceration and LGBTQ+ youth. 

• The Williams Institute found that more than 54% of incarcerated LGBTQ youth reported experiencing four or more adverse childhood experiences, including various forms of abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction. In contrast, 6% of non-LGBTQ youth in public schools reported the same. 

• A study by American University College of Law found that LGBTQ+ youth represent 20% of all youth in the juvenile justice system, despite representing only 5-7% of the US youth population. Also, LGBTQ+ youth are three times more likely to have been removed from their home by social workers compared to straight youth. 

It’s clear that queer youth, especially those of color, are disproportionately funneled into the prison-to-pipeline. 

Identity-based rejection and marginalization set off a cascade of risks, including school disengagement, homelessness and unsafe survival behaviors. We know that these disparities stem largely from family rejection and a lack of acceptance at home because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. To survive, LGBTQ+ youth are often forced to rely on survival strategies that place them at risk for contact with law enforcement and further victimization.

At the Foundation, about 1 out of 4 of the youth we currently support and house have a background with the criminal justice system and face unique challenges in rebuilding their lives in stable housing. As youth re-enter our community and attempt to find safe housing, we must expand culturally competent transitional housing programs that offer safety, support, stability, and a real path out of the prison pipeline.  

Testimony In Support of Ms. Rachel Pierre

October 9, 2025

Good afternoon, Councilmember Frumin and members of the DC Council. My name is Cesar Toledo, and I was recently appointed Executive Director of the Wanda Alston Foundation, one of a few queer-led organizations in DC that provides gender-affirming housing and support services to LGBTQ+ youth.

I’m here today in support of the confirmation of Ms. Rachel Pierre as the Director of the Department of Human Services (DHS). Ms. Pierre has a notable two-decade career across the non-profit and government sectors, leading critical social services for vulnerable members of our community. Throughout my short tenure at the Wanda Alston Foundation, the Acting Director and her team at DHS have been exceptional partners in our efforts to house and support homeless LGBTQ+ youth.

As DHS acknowledges, LGBTQ+ youth homelessness increased this year compared to last year’s Point in Time count, and they understand the challenges these young people face. I look forward to working hand-in-hand with DHS under Ms. Pierre’s leadership to ensure that every young person has access to safe, affirming housing and the resources they need to thrive.

With her steady leadership, shared values, and proven commitment to equity, I am confident that Ms. Pierre will continue to move our city in a positive direction. I respectfully urge the Council to confirm her appointment.

Thank you for your time and consideration!

Cesar Toledo
Executive Director
Wanda Alston Foundation

Testimony On Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ+ Affairs

Cesar Toledo
Testifying before Public Works and Operations Budget Oversight Hearing

Good afternoon, Councilmember Brianne Nadeau and members of the DC Council,

My name is Cesar Toledo, newly appointed Executive Director of the Wanda Alston Foundation, one of a few queer-led organizations in DC that provides gender-affirming housing and support services to LGBTQ+ youth. I’m here today to express my deepest gratitude and appreciation for the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ+ Affairs and ask for your continued support.

The Foundation was founded in 2008 to honor the life and legacy of Wanda Renita Alston, a fierce LGBTQ+ activist, feminist, and organizer. Wanda dedicated her life to fighting for justice, never backing down. Thanks to her leadership, the LGBTQ+ community secured greater representation on DC’s local governing boards and launched the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ+ Affairs. 

When the office was created under Mayor Williams, the mission and objectives of the office were to:

• Serve as liaison between the Mayor, government agencies, City Council, and the LGBT community

• Identify areas of need for the LGBT community

• Advise the Mayor on policy issues affecting the LGBT community and the District government

• Collect and disseminate research on the impact of public policies and legislation affecting the LGBT community and make recommendations to the Mayor regarding these policy and legislative issues

Two decades later, the office has lived up to the values it was established to uphold. The community has greatly benefited from this office’s services and leadership in the community. 

Today, it serves as the:

• Largest LGBTQ+ focused grantmaker solely focused on the District 

• Serves as the central hub for support and resources to the community. 

Just this weekend, WorldPride was hosted in DC, where we witnessed an unprecedented turnout, generated more than half a billion dollars in economic impact, had a historic increase in metro ridership, and hosted hundreds of events. As the gayest city in the world, the queer community is a powerful economic engine. 

DC has long served as a beacon of hope across the country, providing refuge for those facing anti-LGBTQ attacks. It’s because of this office and the critical resources it provides that organizations like the Wanda Alston Foundation can offer life-saving support to the community. 

Thank you for your time and allyship. 

Cesar Toledo 
Executive Director
Wanda Alston Foundation 

Cesar Toledo Testifies for LGBTQ+ Youth

DHS Budget Oversight Hearing

Today, Cesar Toledo, the Executive Director for the Wanda Alston Foundation, testified before the Committee on Human Services. His statement can be read below.

Good afternoon, Councilmember Frumin and members of the DC Council. My name is Cesar Toledo, and I was recently appointed Executive Director of the Wanda Alston Foundation, one of a few queer-led organizations in DC that provides gender-affirming housing and support services to LGBTQ+ youth. 

Since 2008, the Foundation has provided housing, support services, and pathways to economic mobility to over a hundred LGBTQ+ youth. As the rise of attacks on our LGBTQ+ youth rages across the country, DC has long served as a beacon of safety, and that legacy must be preserved.  

The facts are stark. According to the District’s most recent Point-in-Time snapshot, 40% of youth experiencing homelessness identify as LGBTQ+. A national survey found that more than 2 out of 5 trans people in DC have experienced homelessness at some point in their lives. Lastly, at the Foundation, 99% of the youth we have served are Black or Latino.

Thanks to the support of Mayor Bowser, DC Council, the community, DHS and the Community Partnership, we operate 20 beds that are never empty. However, like many nonprofit organizations in this space, we face significant challenges. Staffing mandates and bureaucratic invoicing processes create barriers to funding. These hurdles are painfully difficult for LGBTQ+ nonprofits like ours, which are being targeted by the federal government and face declining corporate support. 

Councilmember Frumin and members of the Council, I’d love to sit down with your staff to share more about these operational hurdles and explore potential solutions. 

As you continue to debate the FY2026 Budget and Spending Plan, I strongly urge you to preserve funding for transitional youth housing and ensure that homeless LGBTQ+ youth have access to the life-saving, specialized care and support that the Wanda Alston Foundation provides.

Any cuts to this sector could result in a clinical disaster.

Thank you.
Cesar Toledo 
Executive Director
Wanda Alston Foundation