Dig the cool new design for DC Brau’s Pride Pils cans and the even cooler causes it promotes

DC Brau and The Washington Blade recently announced this year’s winner of the third annual Pride Pils Can Design competition — local DC artist Maggie Dougherty. Her vibrant and inspiring label depicting notable LGBTQ Activist and prominent Stonewall figure Marsha P. Johnson, best known for her tireless work on behalf of the homeless and transgender communities in New York City, will appear on approximately 28,000 cans of specially-packaged Brau Pils this summer in the National Capital region and other select markets throughout the northeast.

“Maggie’s design cuts to the core of what this project has always been about for us, celebrating the beauty, love and diversity of the LGBTQ community here in D.C .and beyond,” said Brandon Skall, CEO and cofounder of DC Brau. “We are thrilled the public vote jibed with what we feel is the perfect way to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Stonewall and the golden birthday of our partners at The Washington Blade.”

Maggie Dougherty is a designer, photographer and storyteller based in Washington, D.C. From 9 to 5, she works for Pact, an international development non-profit. On a freelance basis, she designs, photographs and writes for a range of clients including local restaurants. A former Peace Corps volunteer, she has lived and worked in countries around the world, including The Gambia, Afghanistan, South Sudan and Liberia. She’s a fan of underdogs, people who hustle and biking her way around D.C.

“This design celebrates the progress that’s been made since Stonewall while remembering how much more work needs to be done,” said Maggie. “The flowers on the label are for those blooms that Marsha was known to wear in her hair, as well as 27 pansies representing the 27 trans deaths that took place in 2018 and early 2019.” Sadly, that number has already grown.

The specially-branded Pride Pils cans will be available in the DMV and select markets starting in late May to coincide with the start of Capital PRIDE. All proceeds from the sale of the 1,200 cases that will be released will go to benefit SMYAL to empower LGBTQ youth and The Blade Foundation that funds enterprise journalism projects focused on LGBTQ and other underrepresented communities and to create scholarships for LGBTQ journalists around the world. Over the last two years, the Pride Pils project has raised more than $23,750 for the two charities. Pretty awesome.