Washington,DC - The Imperial Court of Washington, DC takes their inaugural bows, as they host The Inaugural Gala: A Salute to the Past, Present and Future, Saturday, September 17 at 7:00 PM, at the Four Points By Sheraton Hotel, located at 1201 K St NW, in downtown DC. The weekend will host dignitaries from Imperial Court Chapters, which are located in 68 other cities through the US, Canada and Mexico and are honored to host, the Queen Mother of the Americas, Nicole Murray Ramirez, as she makes her first state visit to the District of Columbia.

Nicole Murray Ramirez, a City Commissioner in San Diego and currently serving a four year term on the board of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, leads the International Imperial Court System, which is recognized as the second largest GLBT organization. Nicole will be in town to recognize the newest chapter of the Imperial Court System with the introduction of the Imperial Court of Washington, DC and name their first local Head of State. She will also honor such local legends as Mame Dennis, one of the pioneering members and current leader of the Academy of Washington, DC, which is known as one of the oldest and most enduring organizations in the nation to provide support for female impersonators and Dr. Frank Kameny, who has been called one of the most significant figures in the American Gay Rights movement.

The Imperial Court of Washington, DC (ICWDC) began in 2010 and soon submitted an application to be accepted as a Chapter of the Imperial Court System. That application was approved and the local group was given their Court Charter in a formal ceremony in Hamilton, ON, Canada on August, 6, 2011. The ICWDC's mission is to raise funds for organizations, including but not limited to those supporting just the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender community: HIV/AIDS services organizations, social service organizations and youth enrichment programs. They seek to provide a safe, social environment for people with the same interests as those of the membership and to create and promote positive community awareness of the ideals of the International Court System. The ICWDC is a 501c3 organization affiliated with the DC Center.