Wanda Renita Alston was born in Newport News, Va., on April 7, 1959. She was the 10th of 11 children born to Arabelle and the late William D. Alston. After graduating from a high school in Newport News, she left home.
Subsequently, Alston joined the U.S. Air Force and earned a bachelor's degree in mass communications at Norfolk State University, in Norfolk, Va. More recently, she earned a master's degree in business administration from Southeastern University, in D.C.
Alston, who was a member of Unity Church of Washington, D.C., on Capitol Hill, is survived by her partner and fiancé, Stacey Long; her mother, Arabelle; four brothers, William, Milbert, Jesse, and Charles; two sisters, Marva and Orelia; and numerous nieces, nephews and other relatives. She was predeceased by her father, a sister, Valerie, and three brothers, Bruce, Milton and Willard.
Officially, Alston's political career began in 1992, when a friend, D.C. resident Marquita Sykes, introduced her to the National Organization for Women. At NOW, from 1992 to 1996, Alston worked as then-President Patricia Ireland's executive assistant and as a special projects director. Her first major project at NOW involved helping organize its 1992 March for Women's Lives. Alston also helped NOW organize other national marches on Washington and while there served as the staff liaison to Rev. Jesse Jackson's National Rainbow Coalition.
She left NOW in 1996 to explore other career options, including a stint at the Human Rights Campaign, and held several positions in the D.C. government before becoming special assistant to the mayor for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender affairs in November 2001.Mayor Anthony A. Williams named Alston his special assistant for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Affairs in 2001. In September 2004, Williams turned her post into a Cabinet-level position, saying he wanted to raise the profile of the office. Recently, Alston had been focusing on preparations for the mayor's first gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender summit, scheduled for April 30.
Friends described Alston as an active force in the local Democratic Party and on D.C. statehood and feminist issues. They said she played a key role in bringing together a diverse group of people into a gay political culture that some said had not always been broadly representative.
Alston, 45, was fatally stabbed in her home on Wednesday, March 16, and police have charged one of her neighbors with the crime.
-- Many thanks to "May Your Light Shine Forever" for sponsoring this memorial.--
Subsequently, Alston joined the U.S. Air Force and earned a bachelor's degree in mass communications at Norfolk State University, in Norfolk, Va. More recently, she earned a master's degree in business administration from Southeastern University, in D.C.
Alston, who was a member of Unity Church of Washington, D.C., on Capitol Hill, is survived by her partner and fiancé, Stacey Long; her mother, Arabelle; four brothers, William, Milbert, Jesse, and Charles; two sisters, Marva and Orelia; and numerous nieces, nephews and other relatives. She was predeceased by her father, a sister, Valerie, and three brothers, Bruce, Milton and Willard.
Officially, Alston's political career began in 1992, when a friend, D.C. resident Marquita Sykes, introduced her to the National Organization for Women. At NOW, from 1992 to 1996, Alston worked as then-President Patricia Ireland's executive assistant and as a special projects director. Her first major project at NOW involved helping organize its 1992 March for Women's Lives. Alston also helped NOW organize other national marches on Washington and while there served as the staff liaison to Rev. Jesse Jackson's National Rainbow Coalition.
She left NOW in 1996 to explore other career options, including a stint at the Human Rights Campaign, and held several positions in the D.C. government before becoming special assistant to the mayor for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender affairs in November 2001.Mayor Anthony A. Williams named Alston his special assistant for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Affairs in 2001. In September 2004, Williams turned her post into a Cabinet-level position, saying he wanted to raise the profile of the office. Recently, Alston had been focusing on preparations for the mayor's first gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender summit, scheduled for April 30.
Friends described Alston as an active force in the local Democratic Party and on D.C. statehood and feminist issues. They said she played a key role in bringing together a diverse group of people into a gay political culture that some said had not always been broadly representative.
Alston, 45, was fatally stabbed in her home on Wednesday, March 16, and police have charged one of her neighbors with the crime.
-- Many thanks to "May Your Light Shine Forever" for sponsoring this memorial.--
Wanda Renita Alston was born in Newport News, Va., on April 7, 1959. She was the 10th of 11 children born to Arabelle and the late William D. Alston. After graduating from a high school in Newport News, she left home.
Subsequently, Alston joined the U.S. Air Force and earned a bachelor's degree in mass communications at Norfolk State University, in Norfolk, Va. More recently, she earned a master's degree in business administration from Southeastern University, in D.C.
Alston, who was a member of Unity Church of Washington, D.C., on Capitol Hill, is survived by her partner and fiancé, Stacey Long; her mother, Arabelle; four brothers, William, Milbert, Jesse, and Charles; two sisters, Marva and Orelia; and numerous nieces, nephews and other relatives. She was predeceased by her father, a sister, Valerie, and three brothers, Bruce, Milton and Willard.
Officially, Alston's political career began in 1992, when a friend, D.C. resident Marquita Sykes, introduced her to the National Organization for Women. At NOW, from 1992 to 1996, Alston worked as then-President Patricia Ireland's executive assistant and as a special projects director. Her first major project at NOW involved helping organize its 1992 March for Women's Lives. Alston also helped NOW organize other national marches on Washington and while there served as the staff liaison to Rev. Jesse Jackson's National Rainbow Coalition.
She left NOW in 1996 to explore other career options, including a stint at the Human Rights Campaign, and held several positions in the D.C. government before becoming special assistant to the mayor for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender affairs in November 2001.Mayor Anthony A. Williams named Alston his special assistant for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Affairs in 2001. In September 2004, Williams turned her post into a Cabinet-level position, saying he wanted to raise the profile of the office. Recently, Alston had been focusing on preparations for the mayor's first gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender summit, scheduled for April 30.
Friends described Alston as an active force in the local Democratic Party and on D.C. statehood and feminist issues. They said she played a key role in bringing together a diverse group of people into a gay political culture that some said had not always been broadly representative.
Alston, 45, was fatally stabbed in her home on Wednesday, March 16, and police have charged one of her neighbors with the crime.
-- Many thanks to "May Your Light Shine Forever" for sponsoring this memorial.--
Subsequently, Alston joined the U.S. Air Force and earned a bachelor's degree in mass communications at Norfolk State University, in Norfolk, Va. More recently, she earned a master's degree in business administration from Southeastern University, in D.C.
Alston, who was a member of Unity Church of Washington, D.C., on Capitol Hill, is survived by her partner and fiancé, Stacey Long; her mother, Arabelle; four brothers, William, Milbert, Jesse, and Charles; two sisters, Marva and Orelia; and numerous nieces, nephews and other relatives. She was predeceased by her father, a sister, Valerie, and three brothers, Bruce, Milton and Willard.
Officially, Alston's political career began in 1992, when a friend, D.C. resident Marquita Sykes, introduced her to the National Organization for Women. At NOW, from 1992 to 1996, Alston worked as then-President Patricia Ireland's executive assistant and as a special projects director. Her first major project at NOW involved helping organize its 1992 March for Women's Lives. Alston also helped NOW organize other national marches on Washington and while there served as the staff liaison to Rev. Jesse Jackson's National Rainbow Coalition.
She left NOW in 1996 to explore other career options, including a stint at the Human Rights Campaign, and held several positions in the D.C. government before becoming special assistant to the mayor for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender affairs in November 2001.Mayor Anthony A. Williams named Alston his special assistant for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Affairs in 2001. In September 2004, Williams turned her post into a Cabinet-level position, saying he wanted to raise the profile of the office. Recently, Alston had been focusing on preparations for the mayor's first gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender summit, scheduled for April 30.
Friends described Alston as an active force in the local Democratic Party and on D.C. statehood and feminist issues. They said she played a key role in bringing together a diverse group of people into a gay political culture that some said had not always been broadly representative.
Alston, 45, was fatally stabbed in her home on Wednesday, March 16, and police have charged one of her neighbors with the crime.
-- Many thanks to "May Your Light Shine Forever" for sponsoring this memorial.--
