Muriel Elizabeth Bowser (born August 2, 1972) is an American politician serving as the eighth Mayor of the District of Columbia since 2015. A member of the Democratic Party, she previously represented Ward 4 as a member of the Council of the District of Columbia from 2007 to 2015. She is the second female Mayor of the District of Columbia after Sharon Pratt, and the first woman to be reelected to that position.
D.C. government to hold ‘LGBTQIA+ Emergency Training’ event
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs and the city’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency are inviting “all LGBTQIA+ non-profit leaders, management and event production staff” to attend a first-of-its-kind LGBTQ community Emergency Preparedness Event scheduled for April 5.
The event, officially called an LGBTQIA+ Emergency Preparedness Training, will be held at the headquarters of the D.C. Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency at 1015 Half St., S.E. “Non-profit partners will receive a special briefing on potential crime trends and threats,” an announcement of the event issued by the mayor’s office says. “The Preparedness Training will teach partners how to assess behavioral threats, manage risk factors such as warning signs of violence,” the announcement continues. “Partners will also hear more information about how to apply for non-profit security grant programs to support physical security enhancements,” according to the announcement.
Japer Bowles, director of the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs, sent an email invitation on Tuesday, March 21, to various LGBTQ community leaders to attend the event.
In his email message Bowles told of why an emergency preparedness training may be needed. “We are a strong and diverse LGBTQIA+ community, even though we are increasingly under threat of violence for being who we are, for loving who we love, and for creating spaces for our community to do the same,” Bowles wrote. “I commend you all; we must continue to support each other and share resources!” The training session announced by Bowles and the mayor’s office was scheduled to take place about four months after D.C.
