Kerri Colby, Bunker Partner for Whitman-Walker Fundraiser
The Drag Race star and popular D.C. gay nightclub are partnering with Whitman-Walker to help it recoup lost federal funding.
Bunker is partnering with RuPaul’s Drag Race star Kerri Colby and Whitman-Walker Health, the federally-qualified community health center that specializes in HIV prevention and treatment and LGBTQ-competent health care, as part of an ongoing fundraiser.
The fundraiser is currently running online through Whitman-Walker’s donation portal and is seeking to assist the community health center in maintaining some of its key services.
This year, Whitman-Walker is facing a 40% cut in federal research funding under the current Republican administration, which has been canceling grants dedicated to studying LGBTQ health care, as part of a larger crackdown on LGBTQ visibility and a desire to eliminate funding for so-called “DEI” (diversity, equity, and inclusion) initiatives.
That significant reduction in funding is likely to impact programs relating to HIV prevention, gender-affirming care for transgender individuals, and mental health services.
Already, Whitman-Walker has lost seven research awards, impacting Whitman-Walker’s work on HIV and cancer treatments and its efforts to reduce healthcare disparities impacting historically marginalized populations.
“These budget cuts couldn’t come at a worse time,” Ted Miller, the interim executive director of the Whitman-Walker Foundation, said in a statement. “LGBTQ+ people, especially Black trans women and LGBTQ+ women of color, already face major barriers to care. This fundraiser helps sustain services and raises awareness when it’s needed most.”
Proceeds from the fundraiser, which runs through May 23, will support Whitman-Walker’s efforts to provide primary health care, HIV-specific care, mental health counseling, and gender-affirming care to LGBTQ patients.
In addition to the online donation portal, Bunker will host “Club Kerri,” an event featuring performances by Colby, the club’s headliner act, on Friday, May 23. Cover is $20, with 50% of door sales going directly to Whitman-Walker Health. Tickets are also available in advance online.
“Club Kerri” will begin at 10 p.m. with a DJ set and performances by local drag queen Cake Pop, followed by a DJ set and performances by Colby, currently a cast member on Season 10 of RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars. Colby will also donate a portion of the proceeds from her T-shirt sales to Whitman-Walker.
“Bunker was built to be more than a nightclub — it’s a space where our community can feel safe, celebrated, and supported,” owner Zach Renovátes said in a statement. “Partnering with Whitman-Walker and collaborating with someone as iconic as Kerri Colby is our way of giving back to the community that makes D.C. so powerful and resilient.”
For more information or updates on the fundraiser and “Club Kerri” event, follow Bunker on Instagram at @bunkerclubdc, Whitman-Walker Health at @whitmanwalker, and Colby at @kerricolby.
To learn more about Whitman-Walker Health’s services, visit www.whitman-walker.org.
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