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| Fri, 03-18-2005 - 6:59pm |
Lesbian leader found stabbed at home
PlanetOut Network
Thursday, March 17, 2005 / 04:52 PM
SUMMARY: Wanda Alston -- activist and Washington, D.C., liaison to the LGBT community -- was stabbed to death in her home on Wednesday, according to city officials.
The Washington, D.C., mayor's liaison to the LGBT community, Wanda Alston, was stabbed to death in her home on Wednesday, according to city officials.
Alston, 46, was a longtime advocate for women's rights and LGBT rights, and her death shocked city officials and political activists around the country.
The Washington Post reported that Alston stayed home from work on Wednesday to handle some personal matters. Her assistant tried unsuccessfully to contact her during the day and then alerted Alston's partner, who reportedly drove to the home and found the body.
Police told the Post that they have no evidence yet that would indicate the killing is a hate crime. Alston's car was missing as of Thursday morning, and police are asking the public to help by providing tips or possible clues on possible suspects.
The police department is offering a $25,000 reward for help in securing an arrest and conviction in the case. On Thursday afternoon, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force added a pledge of $10,000 to the reward.
"Wanda Alston's contributions to the people of this city were beyond measure," Mayor Anthony A. Williams said in a statement. "She was a passionate, energetic woman who often spoke for those who were not able to speak for themselves and who cared for those who could not care for themselves. She was someone to admire; she was someone to learn from; and she was someone we loved. This is a huge loss for me personally, but beyond that, this is a huge loss for our city. My heart is broken."
"Wanda's reach went far beyond Washington," said Joe Solmonese, the new president of the Human Rights Campaign. "She left her mark on the nation. Wanda exemplified the spirit of activism that awakens the masses and ultimately wins equality. While she has been tragically taken from the community, her spirit will never die."
"Wanda was the activist, the fighter, the strong black woman, the vocal lesbian, and so many other things. And yet she was still Wanda, my friend," said Keith Boykin, president of the National Black Justice Coalition, in a written tribute to Alston.
Alston's role in the mayor's administration was raised to the cabinet level last year, after she had served as a special assistant to the mayor since 2001. She founded her own consulting firm in 1997 that focused on political fundraising and community relations for nonprofit groups. As a former assistant to Patricia Ireland during her tenure as president of the National Organization for Women (NOW), Alston helped organize four national marches on Washington and one in San Francisco.
Her life exemplified one simple precept: To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world," Mayor Williams said.

*Sigh~
((((Hugs))))
C >^. A .
Laurie
co-cl of Lesbian Life Message Board
Email- didoangst@comcast.net
http://messageboards.ivillage.com/iv-bhlesbianlif/
http://homepage.mac.com/lauriedav/PhotoAlbum1.html
*prays*
(((hugs to her family)))
No words... Just sadness...
~Ginny~ <-- Click to send me email
I was channel surfing last night and heard about this. Very sad.
:( bug