The Wanda Alston Basis, the D.C.-based group that has offered housing and help companies for homeless LGBTQ youth since its founding in 2008, introduced it has appointed longtime LGBTQ rights advocate Cesar Toledo as its new govt director.
In an April 22 assertion, the group mentioned that as a part of a deliberate management transition launched in November 2024, Toledo will succeed June Crenshaw, who Alston Basis officers and LGBTQ group activists say has led the group with distinction in her position as govt director for the previous 9 years.
In an announcement launched final November, the inspiration introduced Crenshaw was stepping down from her position as govt director after deciding to “to step into her subsequent chapter.”
“June’s management has been actually transformative,” mentioned Alston Basis Board Chair Darrin Glymph within the group’s April 22 assertion. “We’re immensely grateful for her dedication and equally excited for the power and expertise that Cesar brings to steer us into this subsequent chapter,” Glymph mentioned.
“A seasoned LGBTQ+ advocate, Cesar brings over a decade of expertise main nationwide campaigns, shaping public coverage, and constructing inclusive communities,” the assertion launched by the group says. “Most not too long ago, he served because the Nationwide LGBTQ+ Engagement Director for the Harris for President Marketing campaign and has constructed a profession centered on advancing equality and equitable schooling,” it says.
Biographical details about Toledo reveals that instantly previous to working for the Harris For President Marketing campaign, he served since April 2023 as deputy director for Democrats for Training Reform DC (DFER DC), a political group that helps to elect candidates for public workplace dedicated to high quality schooling for all college students, together with minorities, folks of coloration and LGBTQ youth.
Earlier than becoming a member of DFER DC, Toledo served as political director for the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, the place he assisted in electing out LGBTQ candidates to all ranges of public workplace throughout the U.S.
“I’m actually enthusiastic about becoming a member of the Wanda Alston Basis,” Toledo instructed the Washington Blade. “After a decade of working on the intersection of politics and coverage and advancing political candidates and equitable schooling right here in D.C., I needed to shift my profession to direct companies to essentially the most susceptible people within the LGBTQ+ household and our homeless youth,” he mentioned.
Amongst different issues, he mentioned he would push for rising the Alston Basis’s visibility and mainlining its companies for LGBTQ youth at a time when the nationwide political local weather has change into much less supportive.
A press release on its web site says the Alston Basis was based in 2008 “in reminiscence of Wanda Alston, a fierce LGBTQ+ activist, nationwide advocate, and authorities official who was admired by District residents.”
The assertion provides, “The muse opened the primary housing program within the nation’s capital in 2008 offering pre-independent transitional residing and life-saving help companies to LGBTQ+ youth.”
In a separate assertion, the Alston Basis introduced it might maintain a “thanks” celebration of appreciation for June Crenshaw from 6-8 p.m. on Could 20 at Crush Dance Bar situated at 2007 14th Avenue, N.W. in D.C.
“Let’s come collectively to have fun her dedication and dedication for all the pieces she has performed for the LGBTQIA homeless youth inhabitants,” the assertion says.
