The county manager’s LGBTQIA+ Advisory Committee is ready to move beyond the planning stage and start impacting policy decisions.
“We have a really good base” to build on, committee chair Samantha Perez said at the organization’s first meeting of 2026.
The committee was set up in late 2024, but it has mostly been conducting background work since then. That could change, but only if panel members step up their efforts, one local advocate said.
“This committee has a lot of promise,” said Kellen Macbeth, president of Equality Arlington. “It requires effort, a lot of time and effort.”
The meeting, held Jan. 27, included a brainstorming session for a planned letter to County Manager Mark Schwartz, laying out the group’s priorities for the coming year.
“This area is a pretty positive place to be for LGBT folks, but that is not a given. It takes work,” Perez said.
Macbeth voiced concern that the county’s fiscal challenges could mean reduced funding for human-rights efforts and other initiatives. He urged committee members to make their voices heard.
“To make our needs and concerns a priority takes a lot of pushing,” Macbeth said.
Another committee member, Laura Tinter, said 2026 should be a year to “improve the visibility of LGBT folks in Arlington” and “continuing to amplify” their contributions and needs.
Perez acknowledged that 2025, the committee’s first full year, was spent largely getting ramped up organizationally rather than playing a significant role in community discussions.
“We learned, we helped where we could,” she said.
A 2026 committee work plan is currently under development and will guide efforts over the coming year.
“We’ll keep the brainstorming coming,” Perez said. “This is a very good team. We’ll figure it out.”
The Jan. 27 meeting also included an update on the county government’s plans for Pride Month in June.
Last year, the local government picked up some slack when the annual Arlington Pride celebration saw a decline in sponsorships. County officials also welcomed visitors to WorldPride DC 2025, held for three weeks in May and June 2025.
Cynthia Liccese-Torres, the race and equity programs manager for the county government, said budget concerns could impact resources for local Pride Month activities.
“We do have some plans in the works, but it’s a bit smaller scale than what people got accustomed to last year,” she said.
