Merle Smith, first Black graduate of Coast Guard Academy, dies of COVID complications
Merle Smith Jr., the first Black cadet to graduate from the Coast Guard Academy, has died of complications from Parkinson's disease and COVID-19. He was 76. Smith commanded patrol boats in Vietnam, taught law classes at the academy in New London and retired with the rank of commander.
Queer and Catholic: Finding a place in the church
Christopher Browner is a practicing Catholic who also identifies as queer. He never questions his faith but sometimes struggles with its rules.
Connecticut to give $3,200 bond to every child born into poverty
Children who are born into low-income families will be given a trust fund which will deposit $3,200 into a savings account until the child turns 18.
‘I’m gay’: Carl Nassib becomes 1st active NFL player to come out
Las Vegas Raiders’ Defensive End Carl Nassib revealed he’s gay in a social media post and said he wants to prevent suicides among LGBTQ youth.
Transgender weightlifter selected to compete at Tokyo Olympics
Weightlifter Laurel Hubbard from New Zealand will be the first transgender athlete to ever compete at an Olympic Games.
Juneteenth, ‘a day of profound weight and power,’ marked across the US
While Juneteenth’s recognition at a time of racial reckoning is appreciated by many, some say more is still needed to be done to change policies that are disadvantageous to Black Americans.
'We were in shock': Florida couple fined for displaying small gay pride flag
A Florida couple was fined by a homeowner's association for displaying a small gay pride flag in the front yard of their home.
Juneteenth: What its path to federal holiday status looked like
Even though it’s been celebrated for 156 years and recognized in some form in 47 states and the District of Columbia, Juneteenth did not become a federal holiday until this week.
Remembrance and hope at Juneteenth commemorations across the region
Events are being held around the region to mark Juneteenth, a holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States.
Juneteenth: New federal holiday pressures US companies to give day off
The declaration of Juneteenth as a federal holiday is putting the pressure on more U.S. companies to give their employees the day off, accelerating a movement that took off last year in response to the racial justice protests that swept the country.
16 years in the making, Southampton African-American museum opens
More than a decade in the making, the Southampton African-American museum will open its doors this weekend.
NYC to rename 16 park spaces in honor of Black New Yorkers
Honorees include civil rights leaders, pioneers in the LGBTQ+ community, novelists, playwrights, abolitionists and more.
Connecticut poised to legalize recreational marijuana use
The legislation makes it legal for you to possess and use cannabis beginning July 1 if you are 21 or older. You'll be allowed to have up to 1½ ounces on your person and another 5 ounces in your home or vehicle. Retail sales of cannabis in the state are not expected to begin until spring 2022 at the earliest.
Biden signs bill making Juneteenth a federal holiday
Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers brought the news of freedom to enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas — two months after the Confederacy had surrendered.
Breonna Taylor memorial vandalized days after dedication
A reward was being offered for information about two people, seen on a motorbike, who vandalized a Breonna Taylor mural less than a week after its official dedication.
Juneteenth set to become federal holiday after House OKs bill
The House passed a bill Wednesday that would make Juneteenth, or June 19th, a federal holiday.
New York's gay bars are still vital, especially post-COVID, owners say | Pride and Pandemic
The gay bar of the past was much different than the one we think of today where every inch is covered in rainbow flags. So many have played and continue to play a vital role in the city.
Bill making Juneteenth a federal holiday passes Senate
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, who introduced the Juneteenth bill along with Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, praised the passage of the legislation on his Twitter account, writing, “Happy that my bill to recognize Juneteenth as a national holiday just passed the Senate.”
'Rainbow Washing:' A disturbing trend of using rainbow symbols when practices are not LGBT friendly
It’s not uncommon to see the symbol of Pride – a rainbow flag or the colors of the rainbow – prominently displayed. And some critics say that’s creating another problem.
Loving Day 2021: Couples celebrate legalization of interracial marriage
In 1967, the U.S. made interracial marriages legal, a moment that continues to be celebrated 54 years later.