East of the River Magazine by Capital Community News

EAST OF THE RIVER MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2010 | CAPITALCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM

NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS 08 ............Go See Do 10 ............East of the River Calendar 16 ............The Bulletin Board 20 ............Job One For Mayor Gray • by Ed Lazere and Jenny Reed 22 ............Mistakes That Leaders Make • by Charles E. Wilson 24 ............ACC Annual Luncheon Cruise 2010 • by Phil Pannel 26 ............Volunteer Toast: Under the Stars • by Juanita Gray 28 ............Historic Woodland Cemetery • by John Muller 30 ............Deanwood Against Trash • by Sylvia Brown

EAST WASHINGTON LIFE 32 ............Word Shout Song • by Michelle Phipps-Evans 34 ............Living Local: I am in Love with Yes! • by Veronica O. Davis

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36 ............The Jazz Project • by Jean-Keith Fagon

KIDS & FAMILY 37 ............Kids and Family Notebook • by Kathleen Donner 40 ............A New Beginning for our Students • by Lisa Raymond and David Domenci

42 ............Rainbow Child Development Center • by Jeremy Cullimore

HOMES & GARDENS 43 ............Changing Hands • compiled by Don Denton 44 ............The Classifieds 46 ............The Nose • by Anonymous

32 ON THE COVER: The Cultivators, 2000, Samuel L. Dunson, Jr., Oil on canvas

Opening October 15, 2010 at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, “The Kinsey Collection: Shared Treasures of Bernard and Shirley Kinsey – Where Art and History Intersect” chronicles 400 years of the African American experience. Presented by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture.

November 26th-27th Fri-Sat December 4th, 11th & 18th Saturdays December 23rd – Thursday 10 AM to 8 PM Holiday Cards Black Angel Tree Toppers African Artifacts, Fabric & Clothes Unique Home Decor Collectible Dolls Books & Calendars Children’s Toys Designer Clothes, Shoes, & Hats Fine Art & Crafts Bath & Beauty Leather Goods Loc Adornments Gold, Silver & Diamond Jewelry Negro League Collectibles Black Memorabilia

General Admission: A Smile! Shiloh Family Life Center • 1510-9th Street NW, Wash. DC 20001 (9th & P Streets) • 202.610.4188 Ample Parking, Metro Accesible (Mt. Vernon, Greenline)

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HILL RAG MIDCITY DC EAST OF THE RIVER FAGON COMMUNITY GUIDES

Capital Community News, Inc. 224 7th Street, SE, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20003 202.543.8300 • www.capitalcommunitynews.com EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Melissa Ashabranner melissaashabranner@hillrag.com EDITORIAL STAFF HOMES & GARDENS

MANAGING EDITOR: Andrew Lightman andrew@hillrag.com CFO & ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Maria Carolina Lopez carolina@hillrag.com KIDS & FAMILY EDITOR: Susan Braun Johnson schools@hillrag.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Mary-Frances Daly maryfrances@hillrag.com

Rindy O’Brien - Hill Gardener • rindyob@mac.com Derek Thomas • derek@thomaslandscapes.com Judith Capen • judith.capen@architravepc.com

NEWS & NEIGHBORHOOD REPORTS

ART: Jim Magner • jjmagner@aol.com DINING: Celeste McCall • celeste@hillrag.com LITERATURE: Karen Lyon • klyon@folger.edu MOVIES: Mike Canning • mjcanning@verizon.net MUSIC: Stephen Monroe • samonroe2004@yahoo.com THEATER: Brad Hathaway • brad@potomacstages.com TRAVEL: Maggie Hall • whitby@aol.com THE WINE GUYS: Jon Genderson • jon@cellar.com

WARD 1: Mark Johnson • ward1@hillrag.com WARD 2: Amanda Abrams • ward2@hillrag.com WARD 4: Tanya Snyder • ward4@hillrag.com ANC6A: Tanya Snyder • tanya.c.snyder@gmail.com ANC6B: Kyle Johnson • kylejoh@gmail.com ANC6C: Kyle Johnson • kylejoh@gmail.com ANC6D: Roberta Weiner • rweiner_us@yahoo.com WARD 7: Virginia Spatz • ward7@hillrag.com WARD 8: Virginia Spatz • ward8@hillrag.com BARRACKS ROW: 202-544-3188 H STREET LIFE: Elise Bernard • inked78@hotmail.com THE NOSE: thenose@hillrag.com

CALENDAR & BULLETIN BOARD

PRODUCTION/GRAPHIC DESIGN

HILL RAG, DC NORTH & EAST OF THE RIVER: Hill Rag & East of the River Calendar Editor: Kathleen Donner BULLETIN BOARD EDITOR: Mary-Frances Daly calendar@hillrag.com, bulletinboard@hillrag.com

LEAD DESIGNER: Jason Nickens 202.543.8300 X17 • jason@hillrag.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Jason Yen 202.543.8300 X21 • jay@hillrag.com

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ADVERTISING & SALES

Monica Cavanaugh • monica.cavanaugh@gmail.com Michelle Evans • invisiblecolours@yahoo.com Mary-Frances Daly • maryfrances@hillrag.com Celeste McCall • celeste@hillrag.com Heather Schoell • hschoell@verizon.net Tanya Synder • tanya.c.snyder@gmail.com Virginia Avniel Spatz • virginia@hillrag.com Peter Waldron • peter@hillrag.com Paul D. Shinkman - pdshinkman@gmail.com Melanie Sunukjian - melsunuk@gmail.com Shannon Holloway - holloway.shannon@gmail.com

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE: Deborah Bandzerewicz 202.543.8300 X13 • deb@hillrag.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE: Kira Means 202.543.8300 X16 • kira@hillrag.com CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING: Maria Carolina Lopez 202.543.8300 X12 • carolina@hillrag.com

BEAUTY, HEALTH & FITNESS

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Patricia Cinelli • fitmiss44@aol.com Ronda Bresnick Hauss, LCSW • www.quietwaterscenter.com quiet_waters_center@yahoo.com Peter Sherer • Peter@expmatters.com

WEB MASTER: Jason Nickens 202.543.8300 X17 • webmaster@hillrag.com

ARTS, DINING & ENTERTAINMENT

Fall is the Best Time to Paint Exteriors

20% off any Exterior Paint Job

KIDS & FAMILY Mary-Frances Daily • kidsnotebook@hillrag.com Susan Johnson • schools@hillrag.com

SOCIETY & EVENTS

DISTRIBUTION DISTRIBUTION MANAGER: Andrew Lightman DISTRIBUTORS: David Sledgister and Southwest Distribution DISTRIBUTION INFORMATION: distribution@hillrag.com

DEADLINES & CONTACTS ADVERTISING: sales@hillrag.com DISPLAY ADS: 15th of each month CLASSIFIED ADS: 10th of each month EDITORIAL: 15th of each month; submissions@hillrag.com BULLETIN BOARD & CALENDAR: 15th of each month; calendar@hillrag.com, bulletinboard@hillrag.com

Mickey Thompson • socialsightings@aol.com We welcome suggestions for stories. Send queries to andrew@hillrag.com. We are also interested in your views on community issues which are published in the Last Word. Please limit your comments to 250 words. Letters may be edited for space. Please include your name, address and phone number. Send Last Word submissions to lastword@hillrag.com. For employment opportunities email jobs@hillrag.com.

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| OCTOBER 2010

GO.SEE.DO. “Up Where We Belong: Native Musicians in Popular Culture” Native people have been active in contemporary music for nearly a century. Many Native artists have had successful and influential careers in almost every form of popular music. “Up Where We Belong” tells their stories and histories and provides visitors the opportunity to hear music and discover artists with whom these exceptional musicians collaborated. Visitors will also learn of the musical greats who inspired these artists, as well as the growing number of contemporary performers who follow in their path. Free. Daily (except Christmas) through Jan. 2, 10:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m. National Museum of the American Indian, Third St. and Independence Ave. SW. 1-800-242-6624. www.americanindian.si.edu

Hilloween at Eastern Market This Capitol Hill tradition happens this year on Friday, October 29, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Eastern Market on Seventh Street, SE. There will be hay rides, moon bounces, carousel rides, toys, balloons, candy and a chance to win a $150 gift certificate toward a class at Capitol Hill Arts Workshop. This much-anticipated, free Halloween event is sponsored by the Von Schlegel Realty Team and Tunnicliff’s Tavern. If you would like to volunteer, call Mike Holt at 202-355-5158.

“Gain the World, Lose Your Soul” at Honfleur Gallery A solo exhibition of paintings by DC artist Billy Colbert, Gain the World, Lose Your Soul, is at Anacostia’s Honfleur Gallery through Oct. 22. Edgy and controversial subject matter threads its way thematically through the work. From a close-up shot of a breast augmentation surgery to images sourced from blaxploitation films, the artist isn’t afraid to confront the culture of greed and manipulation he sees as blatant in modern American life. According to Colbert, this new body of paintings are “snapshots from America’s popular and unpopular culture... showcas[ing] a subtle tension that is a footnote to the American way of life that has left many fighting the future and mad at the past.” Using images appropriated from an increasingly graphics-based visual culture, Colbert references illustrative style from vintage pulp-fiction, advertising, and Hollywood film posters. Honfleur Gallery is a contemporary art space located in the Historic Anacostia. 1227 Good Hope Rd. 202-5368994. SE. www.honfleurgallery.com

18th Century Market Fair at Claude Moore Colonial Farm Notice is herewith given that a Market and Fair shall be held on the third full weekend of the month of October of this year, at the grounds so set aside and designated near the Claude Moore Colonial Farm at Turkey Run below the Little Falls of the Potowmack on the Georgetown Pike in McLean Virginia. Entertainment includes demonstrations in the art of fencing, Gypsy fortune teller, a militia march, music by Mr. Packard and Ms. Dubinsky, a puppet show, Signora Bella the Slack Rope Walker, Turkey Run Players Theatrical Troupe, craftsmen, demonstrations. $5 for adults, $2.50 for kids and seniors. October 16 and 17, 11:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. Claude Moore Colonial Farm, 6310 Georgetown Pike, McLean, Virginia. 703-442-7557. www.1771.org

Drag Queen High Heel Race Always fun, always outrageous and always held on the Tuesday before Halloween, this annual event features elaborately costumed drag queens racing down 17th Street NW from R to Church Street. It attracts large crowds to cheer them on, so don’t expect to park in the area. The race begins at 9:00 p.m., but come early because the real fun begins before the race. An informal block party follows. Tuesday, October 26. CAPITALCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM ★ 9

CALENDAR

Serious Practice at Southeast Tennis and Learning CenterSoutheast

Tennis and Learning Center Open daily; Monday through Saturday, 9:00 AM-9:00 PM; Sunday, 9:00 AM-6:00 PM. Four indoor courts. Six outdoor courts. Summer hourly fees at $6 to $10 for adults. Kids 17 and under play for free. 701 Mississippi Ave. SE. 202-645-6242. www.dpr.dc.gov/dpr HALLOWEEN BOO at the ZOO. Oct. 22, 23 and 24 (rain or shine), 5:30-8:30 PM. Children and adults travel through the zoo, trick or treat in the animal houses collecting candy from costumed volunteers and walk long haunted trails. $15. National Zoo, 3001 Connecticut Ave. NW. 202-633-4470. www.fonz.org Air and Scare at Air and Space. Oct. 23, 2:00-8:00 PM. Enjoy classic science fiction TV shows featuring air and space themes and creepy curator comments; spooky simulator rides; a scary Mars Yard; haunted arts and crafts; and chilling stories. Steven F. Udvar Hazy Center, National Air and Space Museum (Chantilly, VA near Dulles International Airport). Free but parking is $15. www.nasm.si.edu Hilloween at Eastern Market. Oct. 29, 5:30-7:30 PM. . There will be hay rides, moon bounces, carousel rides, toys, balloons, candy and a chance to win a $150 gift certificate toward a class at Capitol Hill Arts Workshop. Free. Eastern Market on Seventh Street, SE. Fall Frolic at Glen Echo. Oct. 30, 1:00-4:00 PM. Pumpkin painting, decorating trick-or-treat bags, a costume parade through the Park, and trick-or-treating at the park’s galleries and theaters. 7300 MacArthur Blvd, Glen Echo, MD Free. 301634-2222. www.glenechopark.org A PeterBug Affair Halloween on the Hill. Oct. 30, 8:00 PM1:00 AM. Light refreshments. Cash bar. $150 for best costume. Eastern Market North Hall, 225 Seventh St. SE. $15. 202-6894549. Day of the Dead Festival. Oct. 30, noon-5:00 PM; Oct. 31, 10:30 AM-4:30 PM. National Museum of the American Indian.

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Come to learn about this Latin American holiday tradition, create art, enjoy music and dance performances, and meet the artists. Free. Fourth St. and Independence Ave. SW. 202-6336980. www.americanindian.si.edu East Capitol Street at Halloween. Oct. 31, 5 :00 PM-whenever. Everyone will be out! See skeletons, caskets, spiders, spider webs, ghosts, jack-o-lanterns, witches and everything else typically associated with Halloween. East Capitol Street between Third and 11th sts. pumpkinpatchesandmore.org. Great website for finding pumpkin patches in Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. Also find hay rides, pony rides, corn mazes and more.

AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD Ward 7 Town Hall Meeting. Tuesday, Oct. 12, 6:30-8:30 PM. Sousa Middle School. Meeting hosted by Democratic Mayoral Candidate Vince Gray with Ward 7 Councilmember Yvette Alexander and At-Large Councilmembers David Catania, Phil Mendelson, Michael Brown and Kwame Brown. 3650 Ely Pl. SE. 202-682-4729. www.buildonecity.org Ward 8 Town Hall Meeting. Thursday, Oct. 21, 7:00-9:00 PM. Matthews Memorial Baptist Church. Meeting hosted by Democratic Mayoral Candidate Vince Gray with Ward 8 Councilmember Marion Barry and At-Large Councilmembers David Catania, Phil Mendelson, Michael Brown and Kwame Brown. 2616 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave. SE. 202-682-4729. www.buildonecity.org At Home East of the River. Oct. 9, 11:00 AM. Anacostia Community Museum. A special discussion and book signing of Washington at Home, with writers Jim Byers (East Washington Heights), Kia Chapman (Deanwood), Dianne Dale (Barry Farm), Joe Lapp (Kenilworth), and Gail Lowe (Congress Heights),

| OCTOBER 2010

sheds light on the special character of east-of- the-river communities. Kathy Smith, editor, and Jane Levey, director of heritage programs for Cultural Tourism DC, offer background on the book project. Free. 1901 Fort Pl. SE. 202-633-4820. anacostia. si.edu Celebrate New Life at The Rock Christian Church. Every Saturday, 3:00-6:00 PM. If you have hurts, habits or hangups! This is the place to come to. Help is here. Free. 1300 Good Hope Rd. SE. Call Dwain Lynch 301-523-0381 with questions. Church office, 240-770-5041. Big Chair Chess Club. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 4:0010:00 PM; Saturdays, noon-9:00 PM. “To teach the un-teachable, reach the un-reachable, and always think before you move” is the core mission of the Big Chair Chess Club, Inc. at the Deanwood Branch located in the nation’s capital. The organization teaches chess to inner-city children and adults, not only as a board game, but also as an application to life skills, such as improving one’s concentration and self-discipline. $30 a year for adults, $10 for kids. 4322 Sheriff Rd. NE. 202-3961780. www.bigchairchessclub.org Ward 7 Parent and Family Resource Center Family Book Club. Every Wednesday, 6:00 PM. Enjoy the evening reading with your child, meeting other families, and strengthening your child’s reading skills. Free books and snacks. For new and struggling readers, ages 6 and under. 5601 East Capital St. SE. For more information, call Marketta Wiley at 202-724-7568. Separate and Unequaled: Black Baseball in the District of Columbia. Open daily, 10:00 AM-5:00 PM. Exhibition about segregated baseball from from Reconstruction to the second half of the 20th century. Anacostia Community Museum. Free. 1901 Fort Pl. SE. 202-633-4820. anacostia.si.edu

CAPITALCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM ★ 11

CALENDAR Big Chair Breakfast Bunch. Saturday, Oct. 9, 10:00 AM-noon. Big Chair Coffee n’ Grill (upstairs). All are welcome to attend and discuss what’s happening East of the River. 2122 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE. 202-525-4287. 4K Walk Against Domestic Violence. Oct. 10, 9:00 AM registration; 10:00 AM, walk. $10, adults; $6, ages 13-21; kids, free. THEARC, 1901 Mississippi Ave. SE. 202-561-6616 or beasurvivortoday@aol.com Experience Carnival, Dance the Samba! Oct. 10, 2:00-4:00 PM. Anacostia Community Museum. Zezeh Brazil is a dance troupe dedicated to bringing the great beauty, diversity and vibrancy of Brazilian culture to the United States. Program offerings will include dance history, workshop, and performance. The audience will have the opportunity to join the dancers and experience the energy and flavor of Brazilian carnival. Free. 1901 Fort Pl. SE. 202-633-4820. anacostia.si.edu Weave with the Master. Oct. 12-15, 10:00 AM-5:00 PM. Anacostia Community Museum. Join master basket maker Mary Jackson in an enjoyable four-day workshop and create your own coiled sweetgrass basket. Daily lunch is included. $175. 1901 Fort Pl. SE. For more information, call 202-633-4844. anacostia. si.edu “The Long Awaited Return-The Beginning.” Oct. 17, 2:00 PM. Anacostia Community Museum. Part 1 of a three-part dramatic performance and original presentation by David Vandy explores traditional community life in Sierra Leone. The story of this important practice in Mende culture is told through traditional African dancing with masks and music. Part 2 takes place on November 14, 2010, with Part 3 on January 9, 2011. Free. 1901 Fort Pl. SE. 202-633-4820. anacostia.si.edu Perspectives on East of the River. Oct. 19, 7:00 PM. Anacostia Community Museum. In recognition of the first printing of the ACM publication East of the River: Continuity and Change, this program provides an overview of various topics in social history, community activism, and future visions in the east-ofthe-river communities with presentations by authors of several of the essays in the publication. A reception follows. Free. 1901 Fort Pl. SE. 202-633-4820. anacostia.si.edu Friends of the Deanwood Library Meeting. Wednesday, Oct. 20, 7:00 PM. Come and help support the new library. 1350 49th. St. NE. 202-698-1175. Family First! Oct. 23, 10:30 AM. Anacostia Community Museum. Start now to investigate, interpret, and record your family’s history. Historian Maria Goodwin shows you where to look, what should be included in your search, and creative ways to use what you have found. Bring in examples of what you have accomplished to date and share ideas and personal history with the group. Free. 1901 Fort Pl. SE. 202-633-4820. anacostia.si.edu

culture. His illustrated discussion will include the meaning behind the word “Geechie.” Free. 1901 Fort Pl. SE. 202-633-4820. anacostia. si.edu Looking Back: Black Baseball in the Washington, DC Area. Oct 28, 7:00 PM. Dwayne Sims, founder of the Negro League Legends Hall of Fame, brings clips from Ken Burns’s soon-to-be-aired “The Tenth Inning,” a film that features, among other material, information about local black teams. Sims also displays collectibles that speak to the history of black achievement. Free. 1901 Fort Pl. SE. For information and reservations, call 202.633.4844. anacostia.si.edu Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens. Open daily, 7:00 AM-4:00 PM. Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens is about 700 acres and is part of Anacostia Park. The park includes the gardens, Kenilworth Marsh, ball fields and recreational facilities. It is the only National Park Service site devoted to the propagation and display of aquatic plants. Free.1550 Anacostia Ave. NE. 202-426-6905. www.nps.gov/kepa Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum. Open daily, 10:00 AM-5:00 PM. As the Smithsonian Institution’s museum of African American history and culture, the museum explores American history, social and creative expression from an African American perspective. Free. 1901 Fort Place, SE. 202-633-4820 anacostia.si.edu A Self-Reliant People: Greater Deanwood Heritage Trail. Discover, or see with new eyes, this traditionally African American enclave in Far Northeast when you follow “A Self-Reliant People: Greater Deanwood Heritage Trail.” Fifteen poster-sized street signs combine storytelling with historic photographs and maps to transport you back to the days before Deanwood was Deanwood. To pick up the trail go to Nannie Helen Burroughs Ave. and Division Ave. NE. Walk one block south to Foote Street, at the edge of Marvin Gaye Park. The 90-minute, self-guided tour will bring you along Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue, up 49th St. and along Sheriff Rd. back to Minnesota Ave. and the Metro station. Walk the trail at your own pace and take time to enjoy this small town in the city. Don’t forget to pick up a free trail guide from businesses along the way. 202661-7581. www.culturaltourismdc.org Anacostia Neighborhood Library. Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 9:30 AM5:30 PM. Tuesday and Thursday, 1:00-9:00 PM. Closed Sundays. The new 22,000 square foot library has more than 40,000 books, areas for children, teens and adults, Mac computers for teens, 32 computers for the public, community meeting rooms and more. 1800 Good Hope Rd. SE. 202-715-7707. dclibrary.org/anacostia Anacostia Neighborhood Library Book Club. Thursdays, 6:30 PM. Anacostia Neighborhood Library. Book club just now forming. 1800 Good Hope Rd. SE. 202-715-7707. dclibrary. org/anacostia

Don’t Call Me Geechie! Oct. 26, 10:30 AM. Anacostia Community Museum. Ricardo Williams, born and raised in the Gullah region of South Carolina, remembers a special life that retained many aspects of traditional African

Deanwood Neighborhood Library. Monday and Wednesday, 1:00-9:00 PM. Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 9:30 AM-5:30 PM. Sat. 9:00 AM-5:00 PM. Closed Sundays. 1350 49th. St. NE. 202-698-1175. dclibrary.org/deanwood

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Deanwood Adult Book Club. First Monday of every month, 7:00 PM Engage in thought-provoking conversations and share your interests. 1350 49th. St. NE. 202-698-1175. dclibrary. org/deanwood Francis A. Gregory Interim Library. Monday and Wednesday, 1:00-9:00 PM. Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 9:30 AM-5:30 PM. Saturday, 9:00 AM-5:30 PM. Closed Sundays. 2100 36th Pl. SE. 202-698-6373. dclibrary.org/francis Washington Highlands Interim Library. Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 9:30 AM-5:30 PM. Tuesday and Thursday, 1:00-9:00 PM. Closed Sundays. 4037 S. Capitol St. SW. 202-243-1184. dclibrary.org/washingtonhighlands Aquatic Resources Education Center of DC. Open weekdays, 9:00 AM-4:00 PM (summer hours). Sitting on the banks of the Anacostia River in Anacostia Park, the Aquatic Resources Education Center is an ideal place to study aquatic ecosystems, water quality, and local fish and fisheries. The Center features live species exhibits, interactive displays, and an indoor pond for handling live animals. Free. Anacostia Park, 2700 Anacostia Dr. SE. (202) 535-2260

FALL FESTIVALS AND EVENTS River Front Fest. Oct. 9, 11:00 AM-7:00 PM. Capitol Riverfront @ Water St. SE (adjacent to Yards Park). Kids’ Funzone, 16 bands, break dancing, arts and crafts, food. $15. Children 12 and under, free. 202-413-0956. www.riverfrontfest.com Columbus Day Wreath-laying at Union Station. Oct. 11, 11:00 AM (musical prelude,10:45 AM). Columbus Circle at the large fountain in front of Union Station. 40 Massachusetts Ave. NE. 202-619-7222. Kidney Disease Screening. Oct. 16, 9:00 AM. RFK Stadium, lot 8. Get screened at no cost for kidney disease at the DaVita Kidney Awareness Run|Walk. Event features live entertainment, refreshments, Kid Zone, and Kidney Health Expo. www.kidneyawarenesstime.org Arena Stage Homecoming Grand Opening Celebration. Oct. 23, 11:30 AM-6:00 PM. The festivities will include performances and activities in seven venues including the Fichandler Stage, Kreeger Theater and Arlene and Robert Kogod Cradle, as well as an outdoor stage. Various theatrical performances and children’s activities will occupy one of the rehearsal halls, the lobbies and the classroom. General admission tickets are free, but are required to enter events in theater spaces. 1101 Sixth St. SW. www.arenastage.org The Inaugural USA Science & Engineering Expo. Oct. 23-24, 10:00 AM-5:30 PM. More than 1500 fun, hands-on activities and over 75 stage shows. Free. The Daily Show’s Rally to Restore Sanity. Oct. 30, on the National Mall. Check details online as event gets closer. www.keepfearalive.com

MUSIC “Take Five” (free jazz at the American Art Museum). Third Thursday of each month. 5:00-7:00 PM. Smithsonian American Art Museum, (Great Hall on the 3rd floor), Eighth and F sts. NW. 202-633-1000. www.AmericanArt.si.edu Music at Epiphany. Tuesdays, 12:10-1:00 PM Church of the Epiphany. The music is generally classical in this church known for its great acoustics. On the third Tuesday of each month, the music performed is from another culture or style--you may hear a steel drum band or a sitar. Free. A free-will donation ($5 suggested) will be taken to help support the artists. 1317 G St. NW. 202-347-2635. www. epiphanydc.org Malcolm X Dancers and Drummers at Meridian Hill Park. Every Sunday (if the weather is 60 degrees or above and the sun is shining), 3:00 PM-sunset. Drummers and dancers from all walks of life and from every level of drumming abilities, other musicians of all varieties, and spectators of all nationalities and ages come together to create a wonderful, Africaoriented expression of creative energies. Free. Malcolm X Park (Meridian Hill Park), 16th and Euclid sts. NW. 202-368-8677. Carillon and Peel Bell Recitals. Carillon Recitals on Saturdays, 12:30-1:15 PM. Peel Bell Rehearsals on Tuesdays. 7:30-8:30 PM. Peel bells ring every Sunday at approximately 12:30 PM after the 11:00 AM service. Washington National Cathedral. Manufactured by the John Bellfoundry of Loughborough, England, the smallest bell weighs 17 pounds; the largest 12 tons. The carillon is played via a keyboard and pedals, situated high in the cathedral’s central tower (150 feet above the nave floor) and directly amid the bells. The carillon recital and peel bells are best heard from the Bishop’s Garden. Look for signs as you enter the cathedral grounds. 202-537-6200. www. nationalcathedral.org Eastern Market Music. Sundays through Oct. 10, 10:30 AM and 1 PM. Patio outside Port City Java, Seventh Street and North Carolina Avenue SE. Oct. 3, 10:30 AM, Runakuna, 1:00 PM, The Capitol Hillbillies; Oct. 10, 10:30 AM, The Lovejoy Group, 1:00 PM, Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen. Free. www.capitolhillcommunityfoundation.org Jazz Night (and fishfry) in Southwest. Fridays, 6-9 PM. Westminster Presbyterian Church. Local musicians perform, and the Southwest Catering Company provides a fish fry 5:30-8:30 PM. $5/general; free/children under 16. Modestly priced food. 400 I St. SW. 202-484-7700, www.westminsterdc.org/jazz. htm. Blue Monday Blues. Mondays, 6-9 PM. Westminster Presbyterian Church. Local musicians perform, and the Southwest Catering Company provides a fish fry from 5:30-8:30 PM. $5/general; free/children under 16. Modestly priced food. 400 I St. SW. 202-484-7700. www.westminsterdc.org/blues.htm.

COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS Our mission is to help homeless, at-risk individuals and families return to self-sufficiency and independent living, through a range of residential and social services.

In 2009 the Coalition served

• 550 individuals and families daily. • 344 individuals and families were placed into permanent housing • 194 adults were placed in jobs • 41 families with children were prevented from becoming homeless

Rebuilding lives and strengthening communities Please support us by donating through the 1234 Massachusetts Ave., NW Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) # 83436 Suite C-1015, Washington, DC 20005 or United Way #8194 Main Office: (202) 347-8870 / Fax: (202) 347-7279 Open Monday-Friday 9am to 5pm

For more details on our program and services, please visit our website at www.dccfh.org. CAPITALCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM ★ 13

Kennedy Center Millennium Stage. Daily (including all holidays), 6:00 PM. The Kennedy Center Grand Foyer. “Performing Arts for Everyone” at the Millennium Stage was instituted to introduce the Kennedy Center to wider audiences by offering free performances, 365 days a year. Free. 202-444-1324 or 202-467-4600. www.kennedy-center.org Magical, Mystical, Musical Machine: Noon Pipe Organ Recital Series. Fridays in Oct., 12:15-1:00 PM. ...pipe-organ-only focus, a burst of renewed energy, and a fun and interactive approach which will open your eyes to the amazing world of the pipe organ. Free. National City Christian Church, 5 Thomas Circle. 202-232-0323. www.nationalcitycc.org The Music of West Africa. Oct 24, 2:00 PM. Anacostia Community Museum. Brother Ah and the Sound Awareness Ensemble lead a workshop that provides a compelling introduction to the rhythms of traditional Africa. The audience can participate in the drum circle. Free. 1901 Fort Pl. SE. 202-633-4820. anacostia.si.edu

Public Programs at the Anacostia Community Museum Oct. 9 At Home East of the River, 11 a.m. A special discussion and book signing of Washington at Home sheds light on the special character of east-of- the-river communities. Oct. 10 Rhythm Café: Dance the Samba!, 2 p.m. The Zezeh Brazil dance troupe is performing teaching the history of samba in Brazil as well as its roots in Afro-Brazilian culture and life. Oct. 12-15 Weave with the Master, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. This 4-day workshop has been postponed. New date -TBA. Oct. 17 Rhythm Café: The Long Awaited Return—The Beginning, 2 p.m. Part 1 of a three-part dramatic performance and original presentation by David Vandy explores traditional community life in Sierra Leone. Part 2 takes place on November 14, 2010, with Part 3 on January 9, 2011. Oct. 19 Perspectives on East of the River, 7 p.m. In recognition of the printing of the ACM publication East of the River: Continuity and Change, this program provides an overview of various topics in social history, community activism, and future visions in the east-of-the-river communities with presentations by authors of the essays in the publication. A reception follows the forum. Oct. 22 FREE REGISTRATION DEADLINE, Nov. 12 & 13 Symposium: Connecting the Worlds of the African Diaspora: The Living Legacy of Lorenzo Dow Turner. Panel of contemporary historians, linguists and anthropologists discuss the ways Turner’s work inspired their research. Event includes a reception. For info and registration, call 202.633.4832 or email Alcione Amos at amosal@si.edu. Oct. 23 Family First!, 10:30 a.m. Historian Maria Goodwin shows you how to research your family history – where to look, what to search for, and creative ways to use what you have found. Oct. 24 The Music of West Africa, 2 p.m. Brother Ah and the Sound Awareness Ensemble lead a workshop that provides a compelling introduction to the rhythms of traditional Africa. Oct. 26 Don’t Call Me Geechie!, 10:30 a.m. Ricardo Williams, from the Gullah region of South Carolina, discusses the meaning behind “Geechie” and recalls a life retaining aspects of traditional African culture. Oct. 28 Looking Back: Black Baseball in the Washington, D.C., Area, 7 p.m. Program features clips from Ken Burns’s film,“The Tenth Inning,” which includes information about local black teams and black baseball collectibles. Oct. 30 Go-Go Music from West Africa to Washington, D.C. Plus a Tribute to Little Benny, 1 p.m. The authors of The Beat! Go-Go Music from Washington, DC discuss this music phenomenon. Nov. 3 The Talking Drum, 10:30 a.m. Joseph Ngwa, master drummer from Cameroon, Africa, demonstrates how the talking drum transmits messages and meaning through various sounds. Nov. 6 Meet Author Eloise Greenfield, 12:30 p.m. This award winning children’s author discusses several of her books including Paul Roberson and her career. Book sale and signing follow discussion. Nov. 6 Metro Mambo: Mambo Memory, 2-4 p.m. Filmmaker Mimi Machado-Luces discusses the preservation of Latin music legacies on film. Dance party with Verny Varela y su Orquesta follows. Reservations required, call 202.633.4844 1901 Fort Pl. SE, Open 10am-5pm daily except Dec. 25. 202.633.4820 anacostia.si.edu. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

14 ★ EAST OF THE RIVER MAGAZINE

| OCTOBER 2010

The Beat: Go-Go Music from West Africa to Washington, DC. Oct. 30, 1:00 PM. Anacostia Community Museum. Did you know that the beat that makes Go-Go music go is kin to the beats that were developed in parts of Africa many years ago? Charles Stephenson and Kip Lornell, co-authors of The Beat! Go-Go Music from Washington, DC, lead a discussion and demonstration on the emergence of Go-Go music in Washington, D.C. Other guests are Shuaib Mitchell, the director of Straight Up Go-Go; choreographer/ dancer Melvin Deal; and musicians Thirtytwo of the Northeast Groovers and Go-Go Mickey of Rare Essence. This program is dedicated to the memory of Little Benny, a legend and a driving force in Go-Go. Books and DVDs are available for purchase. Free. 1901 Fort Pl. SE. 202-633-4820. anacostia.si.edu

MARKETS Farmer’s Market at United Medical Center. Every Tuesday and Saturday through Oct. Tuesdays, 3:00-7:00 PM. Saturdays, 9:00 AM3:00 PM. Stands offer a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables from local farmers, free samples, and new recipes using fresh produce. In addition, features fresh herbs and live plants, teas, oils, potpourri, and honey. 1301 Southern Ave. SE. 202-574-7121. Eastern Market. Daily except Mondays and important holidays. Weekdays, 7:00 AM-7:00 PM; Saturdays, 7:00 AM-6:00 PM; Sundays, 9:00 AM-5:00 PM. Flea market and arts and crafts market open Saturdays and Sundays, 9:00 AM-6:00 PM. On weekends the market area comes alive with farmers bringing in fresh produce, craft and flower vendors, artists, a flea market and street musicians. 200 block of 7th St. SE. 202-544-0083. www. easternmarketdc.com H Street Farmers’ Market. Saturdays, 9 AMnoon, through Nov. 20. Parking lot in the 600 block of H Street. The market is a producers-only outdoor market offering fruit, vegetables, meats, baked goods, cheese, flowers and more. www.freshfarmmarket.org Capitol Riverfront Farmers’ Market. Thursdays through Nov., 3:00-7:00 PM. New Jersey Avenue and M St. SE, (adjacent to the

Navy Yard Metro, New Jersey Avenue exit). Farm-fresh produce, baked goods and more. www.capitolriverfront.org/calendar/do/riverfron-farmers-market Friends in the Market “Funky Flea Market” with a DJ. Saturdays and Sundays, 8:00 AM-5:00 PM. New and used clothing, tools, furniture, jewelry, plants, soaps, art, CD’s, videos and electronics. 6th St. NE (north of Florida Ave. beside DC Farmers Market). 202399-6040. Maine Avenue Fish Market. Open 365 days a year. 7:00 AM-9:00 PM. 1100 Maine Ave. SW. 202-484-2722.

SPECIAL BARGAINS Specially Priced Kennedy Center Tickets. Full-time students (grade school through graduate school), persons with permanent disabilities, seniors (65 and older), enlisted military personnel, and persons on fixed low incomes are able to purchase tickets to many Kennedy Center performances at a 50% discount. You must come in person to the Kennedy Center Box Office. Each eligible person may purchase one SPT ticket per performance, subject to availability. 202-467-4600. www.kennedy-center.org/ tickets/spts TICKETPLACE (half-price theater tickets). Wednesday through Friday, 11:00 AM-6:00 PM; Saturday, 10:00 AM-5:00 PM; Sunday, noon-4:00 PM. 407 Seventh St. NW. The Washington area’s only authorized 1/2 price ticket outlet. www.ticketplace.org National Museum of Women in the Arts. First Sunday of each month, noon-5:00 PM. This museum is the only museum in the world dedicated exclusively to recognizing the contributions of women artists. Free. (regular admission, $10). 1250 New York Ave. NW. 202-783-5000. www.nmwa.org Learn to Swim in DC. Basic lessons are $10 for DC residents. More advanced classes are $30 for a 4 week session (2 lessons a week). For more information, 202-724-4495. www. dpr.dc.gov Arena Stage $15 tickets for 30-and-under. Designated for patrons ages 30 and under. $15 tickets go on sale beginning on Monday for the following week of performances (Tuesday through Sunday) until all available $15 tickets sell out. 1101 Sixth St. SW. 202554-9066. www.arenastage.org

SPORTS, DANCE, FITNESS Army Ten-Miler. Oct. 24, Ceremony, 7:40 AM; wheelchairs,7:50 AM; foot race, 8:00 AM. Information for spectators and course map. www.armytenmiler.com Marine Corps Marathon. Oct. 31, First wave, 8:15 AM; second wave, 8:45 AM; Wheelchairs, 8:42 AM. Information for spectators and course map, www.marinemarathon.com Yoga & Meditation Mindfulness Classes. Every Wednesday, 5:30-6:30 PM. Prevention Works! Stretch, strengthen, and let go of stress by joining this weekly mindfulness class that combines yoga, meditation, and breathing exercises. After a few yoga stretches that can help sooth aches

and tension, we calm and center through meditation. Breathing exercises can also help us pause, energize, cope, and relax. These classes are open to anyone who wants respectfully to join in. No special clothing is required, but you will be asked to take your shoes off during class. Free. 2501 Benning Rd. NE. 202-588-5580. www.prevention works.org Fort Dupont Ice Arena Public Skating. Fridays in Oct., noon-1:50 pm; Saturdays in Sept. 11:15 AM-12:15 PM. $5, adults. $4, children and seniors. Skate rental, $3. 3779 Ely Place, SE. 202-584-5007. www.fdia.org African Dance Class. Every Monday, 7:158:30 PM. For adults. No prior experience necessary. Walk-ins welcome. THEARC. $10. 1901 Mississippi Ave. SE. 202-889-5901. www.thearcdc.org Yoga Class. Every Saturday, 10:00-11:15 AM. For adults. No prior experience necessary. Walk-ins welcome. THEARC. $10. 1901 Mississippi Ave. SE. 202-889-5901. www. thearcdc.org Roller Skating at Anacostia Park. Skate any time. This is a covered, outdoor skating pavilion. Free. From Penn. Ave., just before the bridge, south on Fairlawn Ave. and right onto Nicholson and then into the park. 202472-3873. Free public tennis courts in Wards 7 and 8. Fort Davis Community Center, 1400 41st St. SE; Hillcrest Recreation Center, 3100 Denver St. SE; Kenilworth-Parkside Recreation Center, 4300 Anacostia Ave. NE; Randle Highlands Tennis Courts, 31st St. and Pennsylvania Ave. SE; Anacostia Park, 1900 Anacostia Dr. SE; Bald Eagle Recreation Center, Martin Luther King, Jr Ave. and Joliet St. SW; Congress Heights Recreation Center, Alabama Ave. and Randle Pl.SE; Fort Stanton Community Center, 1812 Erie St. SE. All courts are open daily, dawn to dusk. Some are lighted for extended evening play. Courts are available on a first-come, first-served basis for one-hour intervals; extended use of tennis courts requires a permit. Proper shoes and attire is required. 202-671-0314. www.dpr. dc.gov/dpr Tidal Basin 3K Monthly Run. Third Wednesday of each month, noon. This run is free and informal. West Potomac Park (meet on Ohio Drive at West Basin Drive, near the Tourmobile. stand). 703-505-3567. www. dcroadrunners.org Ferebee Hope (indoor) Aquatic Facility. Open weekdays, 3:00-8:00 PM. Closed weekends. Free for DC residents (have ID). 3999 Eighth St. SE. 202-645-3916. www.dpr. dc.gov/dpr East Potomac (outdoor heated) Pool. Open daily except Wednesdays through Oct. 17; weekdays, 4:00-8:00 PM; Saturdays and Sundays, noon-6:00 PM. Free for DC residents (have ID). 972 Ohio Dr. SW. 202-727-6523. www.dpr.dc.gov/dpr East Potomac Driving Range. Open daily except Christmas, 5:30 AM to 9:30 PM. Tuesdays open 10:00 AM to 9:30 PM. The East Potomac Driving Range features 50 covered and 50 uncovered stalls for year-round golf practice. $6 for 51 balls. East Potomac Golf Course, 972 Ohio Dr. SW. 202-554-7660. www.golfdc.com

Langston Driving Range. Open every day except Christmas, sun-up to sun-down. Driving range, 18 hole course, snack bar, pro shop and offers golf lessons. 45 balls, $4.75. 180 balls, $14.25. $2, golf club rental. 26th and Benning Rd. NE. 202-397-8638 www. golfdc.com

PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ward 8 Farmer’s Market HEALTHY FOOD, HEALTHY COMMUNITY Fresh produce from local farmers, plants, art, food-preparation workshops, children activities, nutrition, give-always, music and more...

Councilmember Alexander’s Constituent Services Office. Open weekdays, 10:00 AM-6:00 PM. 2524 Penn. Ave. SE. 202-5811560. Councilmember Barry’s Constituent Services Office. Open weekdays, 9:00 AM-5:00 PM. 2100 MLK Ave, SE, #307. 202-6982185. Anacostia Coordinating Council Meeting. Last Tuesday. Noon-2:00 PM. Anacostia Museum, 1901 Fort St. SE. For further details, contact Philip Pannell, 202-889-4900. Historical Anacostia Block Association. Second Thursday of every month. 7:00-9:00 PM. UPO-Anacostia Service Center, 1649 Good Hope Rd. SE. For further details, contact Charles Wilson, 202-834-0600. Anacostia High School School Improvement Team Meeting. Fourth Tuesday. 6:00 PM. Anacostia High, 16th and R sts. SE.

SIX GREAT WAYS TO MEET PEOPLE Phillips after 5. First Thursday, 5:00-8:30 PM. The Phillips Collection, 1600 21st St. NW. Gallery talks. Live jazz. Museum shop. Food. Socializing in the Galleries. Cash Bar. Admission is the price of the current exhibition. 202-387-2151. www.phillipscollection. org

EBT, Snap Cards, WIC CVC & Senior Coupons accepted

We have 2 Days and a New Location! Saturdays.......................................9:00 am to 2:00 pm Tuesdays ........................................3:00 pm to 7:00 pm

@ United Medical Center Front parking lot - 1310 Southern Ave. SE Ward8FM@gmail.com www.Ward8FarmersMarket.com

Community Child Development Center

First Wednesday Jazz @ The Historical Society. First Wednesday, 6:00-9:00 PM. The Historical Society of Washington, DC, 801 K St. NW. Described as a “motivational mixer” featuring jazz, R&B and neo soul. $10 cover. Food and spirits are extra. 202-383-1850. www.historydc.org Volunteering Made Easy by One Brick. One Brick brings volunteers together to support other nonprofit organizations by adopting an innovative twist to the volunteer experience: they create a friendly and social atmosphere around volunteering, and after each volunteer event, invite volunteers to gather at a local restaurant or cafe where they can get to know one another in a relaxed social setting. www.onebrick.org Evenings at the TM. Thursday, Oct 28, 6:00 PM (doors open at 5:30 PM). The Textile Museum. Drawing on her museum research and fieldwork, Lotus Stack, Curator Emerita of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, considers the aesthetic and the cultural implications of the protective edgings that are so pervasive in this textile tradition. $25. Advance registration is required. 2320 S St. NW. 202-667-0441, ext. 64 to register. www. textilemuseum.org. ●

“A Child’s World for Learning”

Open Year round 6:30am to 6:00pm Ages 2 to 4 plus School age Developmentally Appropriate Programs Toilet Training • Certified Educators Hot Balanced Meals • Educational Field Trips Tuition Based on Income Two Locations 4021 Minnesota Ave NE Washington DC 20019

1105 50th St., NE Washington DC 20019

202-397-1170

202-397-8754 CAPITALCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM ★

BULLETIN BOARD “Instantaneous?” at Gallery at Vivid Solutions

Nationals Host Youth Baseball Academy Fundraising Event Prior to the start of their game against the Philadelphia Phillies, the Washington Nationals and representatives from the Washington Nationals Dream Foundation and the Lerner family hosted a fundraising event for the Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy Monday evening at National Park. The Youth Baseball Academy, in partnership with the District government, will operate as a year-round youth development program committed to teaching the fundamentals of baseball while providing after-school educational programs for children in the District. D.C. Council Chairman Vincent Gray and D.C. Councilmember Harry Thomas Jr. were among those in attendance at the event, which featured a variety of speakers including Nationals President Stan Kasten and Jimmie Lee Solomon, Executive Vice President of Major League Baseball. For more information on the Washington Nationals Dream Foundation, visit www.nationals.com/dream.

Holiday Gala & Inaugural Silent Auction--Save the Date On Thursday, Dec. 2, the East River Family Strengthening Collaborative (ERFSC) will be celebrating 14 years of empowering families, youth and communities by hosting a Holiday Gala & Inaugural Silent Auction at Newton White Mansion in Mitchellville, MD. ERFSC, a community action, 501(c)(3) nonproﬁt organization, provides critical services to Ward 7 residents whose lives are impacted by various socio-economic issues on a daily basis. All of the funds raised at this event will be used to support ERFSC’s work in our community. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor of this

16 ★ EAST OF THE RIVER MAGAZINE

event, email haynesfrnklyn@aol.com or call Ms. Rosie Parke at 202-3977300, ext 104. www.erfsc.org.

“Gain the World, Lose Your Soul” at Honfleur Gallery A solo exhibition of paintings by DC artist Billy Colbert, Gain the World, Lose Your Soul, is at Anacostia’s Honﬂeur Gallery through Oct. 22. Edgy and controversial subject matter threads its way thematically through the work. From a close-up shot of a breast augmentation surgery to images sourced from blaxploitation ﬁlms, the artist isn’t afraid to confront the culture of greed and manipulation he sees as blatant in modern American life. According to Colbert, this new | OCTOBER 2010

body of paintings are “snapshots from America’s popular and unpopular culture... showcas[ing] a subtle tension that is a footnote to the American way of life that has left many fighting the future and mad at the past.” Using images appropriated from an increasingly graphics-based visual culture, Colbert references illustrative style from vintage pulp-fiction, advertising, and hollywood film posters. Honfleur Gallery is a contemporary art space located in the Historic Anacostia. Opened in 2007, it maintains a rigorous schedule of exhibitions and programming that focuses on cutting edge exhibitions by living artists from the USA and abroad. 1227 Good Hope Rd. 202-536-8994. SE. www. honfleurgallery.com.

This exhibition of two photography projects by Rachael Beamer and Lindsay Talley runs through Oct. 22. Rachel Beamer’s project “Three seasons: The sprint and the still” is a hybrid of film-based and digital photographic processes. Her project consists of Fuji emulsion lifts that have been scanned, enlarged and printed as certified Epson Digigraphie prints. The final Digigraphie prints create a softened focus that corresponds with the themes of memory and reflection that are at the core of the project. Beamer is a 2010 Young Artist grant recipient from the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities. After a rather nomadic existence, Lindsay Talley, recently returned to her roots in Washington, DC. Her on-going project was shot digitally, printed and enlarged to slightly larger than standard Polaroid size. Each image is then displayed on an individual hand-crafted shelf. These are intimate moments, inviting the viewer into a story by way of rich textures and feelings of nostalgia. 2208 Martin Luther King Ave. SE. 202-758-0339. www. vividsolutionsdc.com

Community Broadband Summit Last February, Bryan Sivak, DC Chief Technology Oﬃcer, hosted over a hundred area leaders at DC’s First Community Broadband Summit—a city-wide gathering to address the District’s digital divide. The second summit will be held Oct. 27, from 8:30 AM-1:00 PM at Deanwood Community Center and Library, 1350 49th St. NE. www.octo.dc.gov

Free HIV Testing at DMV Penn Branch Office Starting Oct. 4, trained staff from Family and Medical Counseling Services, one of the District’s leading providers of HIV medical care, testing and prevention services, will offer DMV customers the oral rapid test during business hours Tuesday through Saturday. The tests and delivery of test results, will be conducted in a confidential space at the office during the customers’ visit for DMV services. Persons who choose to take the test will receive a money order. Family

and Medical Counseling Services will make sure that any person who tests positive gets an appointment for a full medical evaluation. The conﬁdential results will only be disclosed to the person who was tested.

Cesar Chavez PCS Receives Promise Neighborhood Grant The Cesar Chavez Public Policy Charter High School is one of 21 nonproﬁt organizations and institutions of higher education nationally to receive a Promise Neighborhood planning grant. With the one-year grants, the recipients will create plans to provide cradle-to-career services that improve the educational achievement and healthy development of children. The planning grants of up to $500,000, in which Cesar Chavez will receive the full amount, will support the work in a diverse set of communities in major metropolitan areas, small and medium-size cities, rural areas, and one Indian reservation. The President has requested $210 million in his ﬁscal 2011 budget, including $200 million to support implementation of Promise Neighborhood projects and $10 million for planning grants for new communities. 202-398-2230. www. chavezschools.org

the United Medical Center (UMC), 1301 Southern Ave. SE in Ward 8. The ER is owned and operated by Children’s National Medical Center (CNMC). The new facility will be the first specialized pediatric emergency department located east of the Anacostia River, providing world-class care to the children of Wards 7 and 8. The new ER will serve an anticipated 20,000 children per year. Previously, critically ill children brought to UMC had to be stabilized and then transported to the CNMC campus in on Michigan Avenue, NW. Now children from Wards 7 and 8 will receive immediate emergency pediatric care. The 10,800-square-foot department will also offer 24/7 availability and access to UMC’s state-of-the-art MRI, radiology, wound care, and angioplasty facilities. Funding for the center came from a partnership between the District and United Medical Center, as part of a $51 million District government initiative to enhance primary and emergency care in underserved neighborhoods. The CNMC Emergency Department recommends that parents bring in their children if they exhibit high fever, burns/scalding, blows to the head, difficulty breathing, possible broken bones, dehydration, severe vomiting, or deep cuts.

Second Annual AARP-DC Food Drive Some of the most vulnerable residents in our community will go to bed hungry, and you can do something to help change that. AARPDC is inviting you to participate in their food drive on Oct. 22. You can volunteer by donating food or by collecting donated food at these supermarkets: Giant, 4303 Connecticut Ave. NW; Giant, 1050 Brentwood Rd. NE, Giant, 1535 Alabama Ave. SE; Giant, 1414 O St. NW; Giant, 1345 Park Rd. NW, Safeway, 1747 Columbia Rd. NW; Safeway, 6500 Piney Branch Rd. NW; Safeway, 322 40th St. NE; Safeway, 401 M St. SW. Volunteer shifts are 8:30 AM-noon, noon-3:00 PM and 3:00-6:00 PM. For this and other opportunities to volunteer, email cpage@aarp.org or call 202-434-7703.

Children’s Emergency Room Opens in Ward 8 A new, state-of-the-art children’s emergency room (ER) has opened at

Ward 8 Farmers Market Now has Meat The Ward 8 Farmers Market welcomes Garden Path Farm, a family-owned Amish purveyor of pastureraised meats, including chicken, lamb and beef. The Kaufmann family only oﬀers humanely-treated grass-fed beef with no antibiotics or hormones. And because they’re Amish, they don’t use equipment or pesticides to manage their cattle, sheep, or poultry—just fences to control the animals on pasture. Garden Path will be at the market every Saturday, until Nov. 20. They will not be at the Tuesday markets. Saturdays 9:00 AM-2:00 PM. United Medical Center, 1310 Southern Ave. SE. www.ward8farmersmarket.com

MuralsDC Completes Second Deanwood Site

istrict residents 18 and older with disabilities in need of transportation are getting assistance from the DC Office on Aging (DCOA) and Aging and Disability Resource Center(ADRC) thru the new Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Outreach Project (TPDOP). The project’s focus is to raise awareness of the accessibility to available, long-term transportation services for persons with disabilities living in the District. Eligible residents seeking transportation for medical appointments, business appointments Clarence Brown, Ph.D. and personal business and more can call the Executive Director ADRC at 202-724-5626 and receive referrals District of Columbia Office on Aging for transportation services including but not limited to Call and Ride, WEHTS and Metro Access. “Seniors and District residents with disabilities need convenient access to safe and reliable transportation just like everyone else,” said Dr. Clarence Brown, Executive Director of DC Office on Aging. “The TPDOP seeks to increase this level of access by connecting existing transportation providers to residents in need.” The ADRC is a single point of entry resource and referral program within the DCOA. Its mission is to assist the District’s elderly, persons with disabilities and their families in maximizing independence and improving quality of life by linking people with Terracita A. Powell, Ph.D. Manager Aging and Disability a range of quality services. “ In addition to Resource Center (ADRC) transportation referrals, the ADRC offers a District of Columbia Office on Aging host of services including caregiver support, hospital and nursing home discharge assistance and long-term care planning and employment training, states Dr. Terracita Powell, Manager of the Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC). The DC Office on Aging develops and carries out a comprehensive and coordinated system of health, education, employment, and social services for the District’s elderly population, who are 60 years of age and older. It is structured to carry out advocacy, leadership, management, program, and fiscal responsibilities. On the program level, the Office on Aging oversees the operation of two on-site programs, the Information and Assistance Center and the Senior Employment and Training Program. In addition, it contracts for and monitors the operation of a District-owned, privately operated nursing home. It also funds a Senior Service Network comprising of 20 community-based, nonprofit organizations that provide direct services to the District’s elderly citizens. For more information on transportation referrals, contact the ADRC by calling 202-724-5626 or TTY: 202-724-8925 and online at www.adrcdc.org.

The second MuralsDC project in Deanwood is complete! See it at the A&S Grocery at Sheriﬀ Road and 48th St. NE. St. Juan Pineda was CAPITALCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM ★

NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS “Tea… with Mrs. B to Benefit THEARC”

Eat Shop Live Anacostia On Friday, Sept. 10, over 28 Anacostia businesses, restaurants, shops, and community organizations came together to participate in the “Big Reveal” event in Historic Anacostia for the unveiling of Eat Shop Live Anacostia. Eat Shop Live Anacostia (ESLA) is an ongoing neighborhood empowerment campaign created by reSPIN Public Relations, produced by the ARCH Development Corporation through a grant from the DC Department of Housing and Community Development. ESLA is composed of several parts: A website, t-shirts, reusable bags, postcards, window decals, incentive key tag to receive discounts from participating merchants and special events. www.eatshopliveanacostia.com

lead artist.

OPC’s Wards 6, 7, and 8 Energy Efficiency Expo “In-A-Box” On Saturday, Oct. 9, 10:00 AM2:00 PM, at Matthews Memorial Baptist Church, the Oﬃce of the People’s Counse is sponsoring an energy expo with panel discussions on solar panels and geothermal installation; solar coops; beneﬁts of a professional energy audit, grants and other available programs; hands-on energy demonstrations, etc. Free. 2616 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave. SE. 202727-3071. www.opc-dc.gov

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THEARC (Town Hall Education Arts Recreation Campus), a combined cultural and social service campus will host their fundraising event “Tea … with Mrs. B to Beneﬁt THEARC” on Oct. 17, 2:00-4:00 PM, at the Four Seasons Hotel in Georgetown. Honorary host Norah O’Donnell, Chief Washington Correspondent for MSNBC and contributing correspondent for NBC’s “TODAY” will headline the event. Featuring Mad Hatter Tea Party themed activities for children ages 3-12, the Sunday afternoon tea will feature music, games, reading and art activities for children and a silent auction for adults. All proceeds from the high tea will beneﬁt the Town Hall Education Arts Recreation Campus in Southeast Washington. Tickets are currently still available. For more information, contact Janet Stone at jstone@thearcdc. org or call 202-889-5901.

Prevention Works!

The mission of PreventionWorks! is to curb the spread of HIV and other blood-borne diseases among injecting and other drug users, their sexual partners, and their children. PreventionWorks! is a nonprofit organization with a harm reduction philosophy. They are the oldest and largest syringe exchange program in Washington, DC. Their services are delivered by our mobile outreach unit at 17 different locations, 6 days per week and by appointment through arranged delivery on Fridays. They also provide services five days per week at their Neighborhood Harm Reduction Center. They provide sterile injection equipment, harm reduction supplies, safe disposal of used supplies, HIV testing (with results in 20 minutes), drug treatment referrals,

| OCTOBER 2010

wound care and safer sex kits, food, education, trainings, support groups and HIV case management/treatment adherence. They currently need donations of bottled water; blank DVD’s; intact, originally packaged syringes, needles, gloves (latex or nitrile), individually wrapped packets of alcohol wipes, band-aids, individually wrapped gauze, and packets of antibiotic ointment; in-kind photocopying of educational materials; a vehicle to transport clients to and from appointments; cash. 2501 Benning Rd. NE. 202-588-5580. www. preventionworks.org

Renaissance Adult Day Health Center Are you a senior citizen or do you have an important senior citizen in your life? The Renaissance Adult Day Health Center offers wellness services including a doctor, nurse and social worker on staff, free massages, manicures, beautician and haircuts, field trips, games, clubs, and great people!. Hot breakfast and lunch are served daily. They pick their clients up and take them home, free of charge. The center is open from 8:00 AM-4:00 PM, Monday through Friday. The program is free for those with unrestricted Medicaid and will not affect any other Medicaid benefits. 5214 Foote St. NE. 202-388-1432. renaissanceadhc.com

Free Wireless Internet Access on National Mall The DC government has installed 220 free Wi-Fi hotspots on the National Mall. The DC government installed the hotspots along with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Smithsonian Institution. The private company Cisco donated the network hardware, and Level 3 donated the Internet services.

Black Restaurant Group Announces Fundraising Initiative to raise $200,000 to Support Juvenile Diabetes Black Restaurant Group has announced a fundraising initiative at all four of their popular neighborhood restaurants, Black Market Bistro, BlackSalt, Black’s Bar & Kitchen, and Addie’s. A series of fundraising

events has been planned as well as other promotions such as happy hour oﬀerings, drink and wine specials and featured menu items. They have set a goal to raise $200,000 to build a new state of the art kitchen that is part of a $5 million expansion at Children’s National Medical Center to support children with diabetes. www.blackrestaurantgroup.com

DDOT Soliciting Feedback on Parking Pilot Programs The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is inviting the public to participate in a survey about the ﬁve parking pilot programs currently underway across the city. DDOT will use the survey results to help evaluate the various vendors and payment methods they oﬀer, including pay-by-phone, pay-by-space and pay-by-license plate parking. The survey is online at www. surveymonkey.com/DDOTparkingsurvey. The public can also provide feedback on any of the parking pilots by sending an email to Tierney.Viteri@ dc.gov or by calling 202-673-6813.

Forum on Domestic Violence A community forum on domestic violence will be held on Thursday, Oct. 28, 6:30–8:00 PM at Tyler Public School, 1001 G St. SE. Its aims are to educate victims of abuse about locally available legal and social services, explain how physical and emotional abuse destroys victims’ self esteem, and provide attendees with an opportunity to meet with legal experts and social service representatives. Speakers include Valerie Collins, Director, US Court Services and Oﬀender Supervision Agency; Retired Superior Court Judge E. Queen; and Attorney Clarissa Edwards. It is sponsored by Sasha Bruce Youtthwork, the Law Oﬃces of C. Thomas Chartered and Olekanma A. Ekekwe, and the South Washington/West of the River Family Strengthening Collaborative.

High Risk Pool Enrollment Opens for DC Residents The District of Columbia’s Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF) announces the availability of the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) through the US Department of Health and Human Services

(DHHS). The program provides affordable health insurance for District residents unable to purchase health coverage in the commercial marketplace because of a pre-existing medical condition. Information on the application process and monthly premium rates for DC can be found at www.pciplan.com. Residents that have questions about health insurance can get answers from the Districts Health Care Ombudsman at 1-877-685-6391.

After School Volunteers Needed Higher Achievement is a fouryear, year-round academic enrichment program that extends learning opportunities for middle school youth, guaranteeing underserved students equal access to success in both school and life. Our organization’s mission is to develop academic skills, behaviors, and attitudes in underserved middle school youth to improve their grades, test scores, attendance, and opportunities. Higher Achievement will be offering two volunteer positions for this upcoming school year: (1) teach a small group of fifth or sixth graders in a core academic subject and (2) work with a group of 5th-8th graders to help them complete homework after school. Volunteer opportunities are available at six different locations in the DC Metro area— Capitol Hill, Brightwood/Petworth, Adams Morgan, Benning Road, Anacostia, and Alexandria, VA. www.higherachievement.org/volunteer

Free Foreclosure Prevention Clinics Housing Counseling Services, a local non-proﬁt 501 (c)(3) agency established in 1972 and approved by the department of Housing and Urban Development, now oﬀers free Foreclosure Prevention Clinics to help homeowners in the DC metropolitan area in danger of losing their homes. Clients will receive valuable information and individual counseling to help them identify their realistic options for avoiding foreclosure and to avoid “foreclosure rescue scams.” Wednesdays, October 6, 13 and 20, noon; and Oct. 27, 7:00 PM. Housing Counseling Services, 2410 17th St. NW. 202-667-7712. ● CAPITALCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM ★ 19

NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS The Numbers

Job One for Mayor Gray Getting DC Residents Back to Work By Ed Lazere and Jenny Reed “Mayor Gray, I need a job.” DC’s presumptive mayor is likely to hear this a lot from DC residents over the next four years. There’s no doubt education reform was a key issue in this year’s mayoral campaign, but a strong case could be made that unemployment was equally important, maybe more so. In the end, Michelle Rhee was largely a wash — with as many residents turned off by her as there were people excited by her. That left jobs as a key defining issue. Gray frequently cited Ward 8’s 28 percent unemployment rate — and he called DC resident’s lack of jobs “a ticking time bomb” — while Mayor Fenty struggled to sound sympathetic or offer proposals. Gray’s win in the Democratic primary was more than just anger with Fenty. It was a collective plea from DC residents desperate to get back to work. This means that Gray will be judged four years from now on his ability to turn the unemployment numbers around. So will Kwame Brown, the likely new Council Chair, who has focused on jobs as a Council member. The challenges are great. Some 30,000 jobless DC residents are looking for work. Even before the downturn, many residents were struggling to succeed in the city’s highly competitive job market. The employment rate for black adults, for example, had fallen to the second lowest level in 30 years. Gray will have to chart his own path. He cannot afford to build up the middle class by expand-

20 ★ EAST OF THE RIVER MAGAZINE

ing DC government employment a la Marion Barry. He doesn’t want to take the Fenty approach of a massive summer jobs program either, which wouldn’t really address DC’s unemployment problem, anyway. Instead, he will need to help DC residents get jobs in sectors of the economy that are growing and that oﬀer living-wage career options. That will require a new, vigorous, emphasis on education and training. Equally important, it will require DC government to engage employers to hire DC residents— through a mix of cajoling and support — in ways it has not in the past. This is a challenge worth taking. Our research shows that getting residents into jobs paying $12 to $15 an hour could do a lot to lift families out of poverty. That’s an achievable goal.

DC’s Enduring Jobs Problem – It’s Not Just the Recession The phrase that “DC is recession-proof ” should be retired. Unemployment doubled in the city from 2008 to 2010, reaching 12 percent in January, the highest level on record. The good news is that the DC economy has started to rebound, and jobs are being created again. Yet there is no guarantee that DC residents will see much beneﬁt, for two reasons. *Only a small fraction of jobs in DC go to DC residents. About 30 percent of jobs in the District

| OCTOBER 2010

are held by DC residents. The results have been worse over the last year, with only about a quarter of jobs created in the city in the last year going to DC residents. *Employment conditions for many were bad even when the economy was good. Last year, just 48 percent of residents with a high school diploma, but no post-secondary education, were working, the lowest level in 30 years. Meanwhile, the employment rate for DC residents with a college degree has held steady at around 80 percent. The gentriﬁcation visible through many DC neighborhoods isn’t just about retail and housing prices. It’s also about jobs. DC residents without college degrees are increasingly ﬁnding themselves left out of the DC economy.

The First Step to Increasing Employment: Education and Training The new Mayor and Council will have to address the mismatch between the skills of DC residents and the demands of jobs in the city if they want to make a dent in unemployment in Ward 8 and other struggling neighborhoods. *Community College: It’s amazing that DC didn’t even think of having a community college until recently. While Fairfax, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties have long understood the vital role community colleges play, the Community College of DC is still in its infancy. The next four years will be critical in determining whether it will become a meaningful resource for DC residents looking for training and basic education *Literacy: Up to one-fifth of DC’s adults have trouble with tasks like finding an intersection on a map, filling out an application, or adding up the total on a receipt. Programs that teach literacy and numeracy in the context of occupational training seem to be most successful. * Welfare to Work: One-third of DC families with children participate in DC’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program (TANF). Unfortunately, most TANF parents get just basic job readiness services and are pushed to find jobs as quickly as they can. Not surprisingly, many end up in jobs that are not the right fit and that leave them still in poverty – with most paying an average of $9 an hour.

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The Second Step to Increasing Employment: Connecting DC Residents to Jobs Expanding opportunities for residents to enhance their skills is important, but it is not enough. Employers may be willing to hire DC residents but have no incentive to seek them out. The Mayor and Council must use their clout to create such pressure. Some residents, particularly ex-offenders, will be overlooked unless they have an advocate to explain why they are worth hiring. Residents with limited job experience often have limited “soft skills,” such as understanding the importance of showing up on time every day and taking criticism from supervisors well. In other words, the District needs to play the role of coach and matchmaker. In his campaign, Gray talked about enforcing DC’s “First Source” law, which requires businesses doing work with the city to hire DC residents for a majority of jobs. Holding businesses to this standard is important, but so are city efforts to make sure there are pools of job-ready residents for employers to find easily. That will make it harder for businesses to throw up their hands and say they cannot find qualified DC residents, which is what happens now.

What a Diﬀerence a Job Makes Unemployment is linked with poverty, of course. When people lose jobs, or cannot ﬁnd a job, they lose their ability to provide for

themselves and their family. Tackling DC’s unemployment problem also would help tackle DC’s poverty problem. Lifting DC families out of poverty through jobs may sound like wishful thinking, but it is not. A full-time job at $15 an hour would be enough to lift four out of ﬁve low-income DC residents and their families above 150 percent of poverty, according to a soon-to-be-released report from the DC Fiscal Policy Institute. That’s a realistic goal. Secretaries and administrative assistants, cooks, landscapers, security guards, and receptionists are just some of the jobs that pay around $15 an hour in DC. And DC’s living wage — the wage paid to those working on projects subsidized by the DC government — is $12.10 an hour.

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A Vision of a City that Works The recession may have thrust DC’s unemployment problem into the spotlight, but employment opportunities for many DC residents have been dwindling for some time now. Creating top-notch workforce development programs and connecting residents to jobs that pay decent wages will be Gray’s biggest challenge. But it also has the potential to be one of the most beneficial to the District. Lazere and Reed are staff of the DC Fiscal Policy Institute (www.dcfpi.org), which conducts research on tax and budget issues that affect lowand moderate-income DC residents. ●

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CAPITALCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM ★ 21

CHARLES’ CORNER/ The Man from Anacostia

Mistakes That Leaders Make How a Mayor Can Steadily Move a City Forward, but Still Lose the Election by Charles E. Wilson

ow that primary election season is behind us, I have taken the time to reﬂect on the outcome on how a Mayor can steadily move a City forward, but still lose the election. Here are my top four points.

This is My City Too As a leader, there are times when you are passionate about your solutions for the toughest problems. You rush in with that solution and then when someone questions your approach, you take it personal. You can either go it alone or incorporate what others have to say throughout the process. The later may take extra meetings, conversations, etc. but it is more rewarding because the people feel a part of the process. It is hard to disagree that the District school system needs to be improved and that we need to take an aggressive approach. However, there is power in listening to other solutions to meeting the same goal. Mayor Adrian Fenty has been criticized for not doing this; the perception was that he was doing it his way and we would thank him later. I think he would still have a job had he taken a closer listen for more ideas before moving forward. After all, this is our City too.

Have someone in your corner who will tell you No. A good friend of mine told me that people naturally gravitate toward the applause in life. As a leader, we all like to be told how wonderful we are and what a great

22 ★ EAST OF THE RIVER MAGAZINE

| OCTOBER 2010

job we are doing. But it is also necessary to have a person who will be honest with you and tell you the truth. As your fame begins to rise and you’re in the moment, it becomes more diﬃcult to determine who this person is because your judgment becomes clouded. Most likely, this person is someone who came into your life BEFORE your rise to fame and is NOT on your payroll. It was disconcerting to read in the papers how Mayor Fenty was not interested in listening to his advisors who suggested he take polls early in the process. He relied on others who clearly were on the District’s payroll on how to run a re-election campaign.

Don’t try to Conquer the World in One Day As a leader, many times we think residents expect to hear from us our grandiose plans on how to save the world and accomplish lofty goals, when instead they just want us to fix the problems in their backyards. The Mayor made fixing the school system his top priority. That is awesome, but in reality it is going to take many more years to see the result of this effort. It was interesting that it did not seem folks got excited when the Mayor would talk about the overall school improvements and more libraries. Instead, they want to see evidence on how their individual communities were improved.

Share the Perks Early in his term, the Mayor felt the need to hold on to base-

ball tickets as a way to punish City Council members who stalled his agenda. Bad move! As every leader rises through the ranks, you will be exposed to perks that come with the position. It’s always great to share those perks with those you serve. It gives them the impression that you are not forgetting people. Otherwise you become, in their minds, a dictator and selﬁsh. We all can learn a powerful lesson from the outcome of this election. I will use this as I rally to expand the boundaries of the Anacostia historic district through my organization the Historic Anacostia block Association. In closing, to all current and future leaders, share your responsibility to make change with your constituents, have someone you trust beside you who is in charge of constructive criticism. Remember people resist change even if it for the best so try not to conquer the world in one day. It is better to give than to receive so share the perks that come along with your leadership position and your supporters will likely reciprocate. Charles E. Wilson is a neighborhood activist in Historic Anacostia in Ward 8. He is running for Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner in Single Member District 8A04. He can be reached at charleswilsonhu@ gmail.com. ●

CAPITALCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM ★ 23

NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS

A Spectacular Event

ACC Annual Luncheon Cruise 2010 by Phil Pannell

or 16 consecutive years the Anacostia Coordinating Council (ACC) has celebrated its anniversaries by hosting a networking luncheon cruise on the Anacostia River, which is one of the stellar annual events sponsored by an east of the Anacostia River organization. On September 25th ACC marked its 27th year by hosting a sellout crowd aboard the Nina’s Dandy. On a beautiful fall day, Melvin Deal, the founder and Executive Director of the African Heritage Dancers and Drummers, spiritually launched the cruise with an African libation and a performance of his youth drummers. This year’s celebration was made extra special with the participation of the presumptive Mayor-elect Vincent Gray, an ACC board member since 1996 and regular attendee of the annual boat ride. In addition to his City Council colleagues David Catania and Marion Barry, other current and former public elected officials included Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, Shadow Senator Michael D. Brown, DC Youth Mayor Markus Batchelor, Sandy Allen, Vincent Orange and several Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners. ACC Chairman Arrington Dixon presented the Anacostia Community Museum with a $2500 contribution and native Anacostian Curtis L. Ehtherly, Jr., Vice-President of Mid-Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Company with the ACC Chair’s award. Philip Pannell, coordinator of the event presented United Planning Organization’s Shirley Price with the ACC Executive Director’s award. This year’s Master of Ceremonies was Nate Bennett-Fleming, ACC’s representative on the DC Voting Rights Coalition. It always has an intergenerational flavor with the attendance of students from Anacostia, Ballou and Thurgood Marshall Academy high schools. As always, “infotainment” was the order of the day as the attendees enjoyed a scrumptious and plentiful lunch, were given information about community organizations and projects, socialized on the outdoor deck and took to the dance floor to work off the lunch. Mark your calendars for

September 24, 2011, if you want to go “rolling on the river” with ACC next year. The boat ride is ACC’s only fundraiser to underwrite its community activities and projects. Founded in 1983, the ACC is a non-proﬁt consortium of individuals and organizations involved with the revitalization of Anacostia and its adjacent neighborhoods by engaging in information gathering and sharing, networking, advocacy, outreaching and organizing. It meets monthly (except for August and December) on the last Tuesdays, noon to 2 p.m., at the Anacostia Community Museum. For information contact 202-889-4900, acc01@aol.com and www.anacostiacc. org. ACC’s Combined Federal Campaign number is 48486. ●

CAPITALCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM ★ 25

NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS

Volunteer Toast: Under the Stars Let’s go on a journey… by Juanita Gray

n Saturday, September 18th, in the heart of Washington, DC; east of the river, up Morris Road, passing the Anacostia Smithsonian and at the very top of the hill, you could find a hidden treasure -The Anacostia Art Gallery & Boutique. Looking from afar, you could see the sun was setting, creating the perfect atmosphere for what was to come. On approach, camera lights flashed, red carpet was laid, beautiful hostesses greeted you, laughter and amazing music vibrated through the air luring you to the party of the year which was held in appreciation to all of the volunteers and hard workers for this year’s victory in the primary elections. Juanita ‘Busy Bee’ Britton, who hosted the party, celebrated the victory of the primaries with two live bands, two DJs, delicious catered food, open bar and a dance floor congratulating all who came to enjoy all of what has been accomplished thus far. “So often we forget about those individuals who do the most work by getting the word out, working long hours and doing it all for no pay. I wanted to show my personal appreciation by allowing the community to come to an event where they could get all glammed up and celebrate.” By the community, she means about 300 plus people. There were people everywhere; in the back yard, in the gallery, onstage, out front, inside, on the side…it was a big party. Regardless of the capacity, food, drinks and music; the importance of the event was to have community and give thanks and appreciation to one another for a job well done; so everyone, raise your glasses…a toast to you. See you on November 2nd. ● Photos: Victor Holt, www.victorholtphotos.com

26 ★ EAST OF THE RIVER MAGAZINE

| OCTOBER 2010

CAPITALCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM ★ 27

NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS

Historic Woodlawn Cemetery Coming to Life

by John Muller “Woodlawn Cemetery, the latest to be adapted as a burying ground, is located three miles east of the city limits, on the Benning road. On the highest planes directly in the center of Woodlawn, are still the breastworks of Fort Sedgwick, from which that section of the country was carefully watched when Jubal Early was making his raid on Washington.”

CLOCKWISE from Left 1. Volunteers gather in front of the headstone of Blanche K. Bruce, the second African American elected to the United States Senate and the first to serve a full term. 2. Surgeon and physician John Francis, for which Francis Junior High is named, is buried at Woodlawn. 3. On September 11th, more than 70 volunteers with Greater DC Cares and the Woodlawn Cemetery Perpetual Care Association cleaned up debris and cut grass and overgrowth.

The Morning Times; Sunday, October 4, 1896, page 12 Walking eastward on Benning Road one could easily pass Woodlawn Cemetery, thinking it is just another large rolling hill amongst the many hills that dominate the topographical character of East Washington. The twenty-two and a half acre cemetery, a ﬁve minute walk from the Benning Road metro station, is the ﬁnal resting place for more than 36,000 individuals. “Freedom is not free. Somebody has to do the dirty work,” said Tyrone F. General, President of the Woodlawn Cemetery Perpetual Care Association (WCPCA), on September 11 as more than 70 volunteers, in col-

laboration with Greater DC Cares, spent the morning clearing debris and cutting grass and overgrowth. General, a combat veteran with the United States Marine Corps, lost his mother in 2005 and began researching his family history. He discovered his grandmother, Kora General, who passed when he was one year old, was buried at Wood-

28 ★ EAST OF THE RIVER MAGAZINE

| OCTOBER 2010

lawn. This prompted General to take an active role in the cemetery. “Without funding, it’s hard to restore some level of respectability. We need to ﬁnd several revenue streams for regular maintenance. At 23 full grass cuttings a year, that runs $110 to 120,000. We need someone to notice this place,” says General, who is passionate about working with mem-

bers of the community, government, and private organizations to “utilize the cemetery as an outdoor museum for youth.” The history of Woodlawn, which opened on May 13, 1895, originates with Graceland, an integrated cemetery founded in 1872, at the intersection of Benning Road and H Street, NE. Faced with the pending

The entrance to the cemetery.

urbanization of the area, officials with Graceland decided to re-locate the cemetery to a more rural area which is where Woodlawn presently sits at 4611 Benning Road SE. Six thousand initial internments at Woodlawn, from 1895 to 1898, were re-internments from Graceland and other cemeteries. Subsequent internments at Woodlawn include Blanche K. Bruce, the second African American elected to the United States Senate and the first to serve a full term. Bruce represented Mississippi as a member of the Republican Party from 1875 to 1881. Following his Senate term, Bruce served two terms as Register of the Treasury with his signature appearing on US Currency. Other notable persons buried at Woodlawn are Howard University Law School President and US Congressman (R-VA) John Mercer Langston, surgeon and physician John Francis for which Francis Junior High is named, the first African American to address the US House while in session John Willis Menard, along with other noted civic and local church leaders. “We’re going to keep plugging away. We’d like to see the cemetery rehabilitated to the utmost,” says Marie G. Ward, an octogenarian who has been a charter member of the WCPCA since 1972. Ward plans to be buried in her family plot at Woodlawn. Her grandmother was buried in Woodland in 1928 and her mother in 1952. In honor of the prominence of many of the interred, Woodlawn was placed on the DC Inventory of Historic Sites in 1991 and on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.

Performance Woodlawn

Highlight

Young Playwrights Theatre (YPT), working closely with organizations east of the Anacostia River, has taken the lead in introducing DC youth and the larger community to the history of Woodlawn through the performing arts. “In 2004, my wife and I moved east of the river. The backyard to our house on Texas Avenue SE provides a great view of the cemetery. I’d wanted to do something about the cemetery for years,” says David Snider, Executive Director of YPT. Earlier this year, Snider approached General and the WCPCA about a partnership to bring more attention to the cemetery. The collaboration has brought in the Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum, Maya Angelou Public Charter School, and Life Pieces to Masterpieces amongst others to aid in researching and producing a original play about Woodlawn Cemetery, to be shared in staged readings in the spring. On February 7, 2011 at 7 p.m. the Gala Hispanic Theatre on 14th Street, NW will host a full reading of play. The play will then tour within DC Public Schools for two weeks and be performed at the National Geographic Museum on the evening of February 17 in celebration of Black History Month. Mr. General can be reached at papageneral@comcast.net / (301) 613-6002. The WCPCA is actively recruiting new members with talent and energy. For more information about Woodlawn Cemetery go to www.woodlawndc.org and Young Playwrights Theater www. youngplaywrightstheater.org ●

In Search of Citizen Journalists Capital Community News is searching for writers to serve report on community news for East of the River Newspaper. Writers are expected to adhere to AP Style and take their own photographs. Please submit writing samples and clips to Andrew Lightman, Managing editor@andrew@hillrag.com

CAPITALCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM ★

NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS

Anti-litter Push Reaches District Neighborhoods Deanwood Builds Traction Against Trash by Sylvia Brown

What do four states and the District of Columbia have in common? A complex system of rivers, creeks and tributaries - woven throughout D.C., Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia – make up the Potomac Watershed. All of these bodies of water flow into the Potomac River and, ultimately, into the water we drink, bath in and in which we play. Sadly, the vast amount of litter peppering our shoreline combined with trash, including things like grass clippings, cigarette butts, and car fluids, tossed down storm drains, has severely compromised the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers. Becky Horner, Regional Anti-Litter Campaign Coordinator with the Alice Ferguson Foundation, points out, “The most recent regional Potomac River Watershed Cleanup, for example, removed 503,800 pounds of trash from the water and shoreline. Of those regional cleanup sites 75 percent of them were in Washington, DC.” To reduce the amount of trash in the Potomac and Anacostia Watersheds and create a sustainable water source for not only Washington, DC but the entire region, it is critically important to bring the message of “clean land, safe water, healthy lives” to the neighborhood level. For this reason, the community of Deanwood has been designated as the first pilot neighborhood for the Trash Free Community campaign, a multi-state, multi-jurisdictional campaign aimed at increasing public awareness about the environmental effects of trash and making the Potomac Watershed trash free by 2013. The Trash Free Deanwood pilot is an initiative of the Alice Ferguson Foundation, the District Department of the Environment,

30 ★ EAST OF THE RIVER MAGAZINE

CLOCKWISE from Top: 1. Trash Free Deanwood pilot boundaries 2. Dorothy Dinkins, Board Member Deanwood Heights Main Streets, Willie Ross, ANC7D-03 Commissioner, and Dennis Chestnut, Executive Director, Groundwork Anacostia River discuss partnerships to reduce trash with a Maryland City Councilwoman at the fifth annual Trash Summit hosted by the Alice Ferguson Foundation. 3. Residents in 1000 block of 48th Pl NE clear trash in a vacant lot as part of the launch for the Trash Free Deanwood project. 4. Morris Redd, IDEA PCS Community Liaison, and Javier Barker, President Eastland Gardens Flower Club, participate in the Trash Summit Enforcement Roundtable with the region’s law enforcement professionals.

| OCTOBER 2010

Groundwork Anacostia DC, and Sierra Club. The strategies developed in Deanwood will be used as a model to replicate in other communities throughout the Potomac and Anacostia River Watersheds. Residents and stakeholders launched the Deanwood pilot with a block clean-up where they also signed the Trash Free pledge, dedicating themselves to holding each other and the community responsible for reducing and eliminating trash. According to resident, Darlene Williams, “We all must take personal responsibility to meet the goals of having a clean neighborhood and restoring the Anacostia River.” Throughout October and November Trash Free Deanwood Community Organizer Sylvia C. Brown will be collaborating with residents and stakeholders to host community workshops and initiate long-term solutions to littering and trash reduction. Brown, who is also an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner, notes that trash, including illegal dumping and littering, is an environmental justice issue. “Trash is a scourge on our neighborhood contributing to blight, restraining our economic growth, and limiting our connection to green spaces and bodies of water like the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers and the Chesapeake Bay that are just a few minutes away.” To get involved in the Trash Free Deanwood pilot and to learn how you can support anti-littering and trash reduction throughout the District, contact Trash Free Deanwood Community Organizer Sylvia C. Brown at 202-518-7415, http://www.fergusonfoundation.org, or brown.sylvia2@ gmail.com. ●

They helped you, now it’s YOUR TURN to help them! Walk for a Homeless Veteran at the Fannie Mae Help the Homeless Walkathon Saturday, November 20th, 2010 To Register to walk visit: www.helpthehomelessdc.org Register Under Access Housing, Inc(DC) Code DC002 For more information on how you can assist please call

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CAPITALCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM ★ 31

EAST WASHINGTON LIFE

Word Shout Song African-American Linguist Connects the Diaspora Through Language by Michelle Phipps-Evans

“L

anguage is the steed that carries one into a far country.” This Arab proverb peeps into the continuum of language as it’s carried through the world, especially the African Diaspora. It is illustrative of the Lorenzo Dow Turner exhibit at the Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum in southeast DC. “Word, Shout, Song: Lorenzo Dow Turner Connecting Communities through Language” traces the life of Professor Lorenzo Dow Turner (1890-1972), and his contribution to American linguistics. The exhibit, on view until March 27, 2011, highlights his lifelong quest to bring knowledge of Africa to America, his journey through the African Diaspora, and the importance of his work decades later. Through language, Turner, the first AfricanAmerican linguist, has linked communities in Africa to the New World. Curated by Alcione Amos, this is the first exhibit based mainly on one of Anacostia’s special collections. It features three stories: scholarship, success against the odds, a quest to crack a linguistic code and discoveries spanning continents. Turner’s work showed that African descendants, despite slavery, retained and passed on their cultural identity through words, music and story, no matter where they lived. His research focused on the Gullah/ Geechee in South Carolina and Georgia, whose speech was dismissed as bad English. His research confirmed, though, that the Gullah spoke a creole language, and still possessed parts of the language and culture of their captive ancestors. Turner’s linguistic explorations led to Bahia, Brazil, where he confirmed this continuum. According to Amos, the above quote

32 ★ EAST OF THE RIVER MAGAZINE

“fits what the exhibit is about,” and this is the key element the 63-year-old independent scholar wanted to portray. “I wanted people to see that slavery didn’t destroy elements of Africa,” she said. “The slaves could keep their language. You can’t take language out of the memory. Elements of it are still alive even now in the United States. They keep it alive.” Amos, originally from Brazil, is retired from the World Bank after 27 years. “Word” took about two years to complete. “Part of that was research,” she explained. “I went to New York and Chicago, and I had to make sense of the work as it was complicated. It’s a lot of work to be put on paper.” She visited the community where Turner did research. Visiting the Gullah on St. Helena Island was the “most interesting part” of her research, she said. “I couldn’t understand a word they said,” she recounted. “It was like another language. It was exciting to me and I began to think how it was for Prof. Turner; I could imagine how difficult it was for him,” with limited recording devices. “It just shows how outstanding his work was, even for today.” She connected Portuguese, Gullah and English words to their African origins, based on Turner’s work. The Gullah are African Americans in the Low Country region of South Carolina and Georgia, which includes the coastal plain and Sea Islands. According to the official Gullah/ Geechee website, boundaries run from Jacksonville, NC, to Jacksonville, Fl. They boast

| OCTOBER 2010

TOP: Doing the Ring Shout in Georgia, ca. 1930s Members of the Gullah community express their spirituality through the “ring shout” during a service at a local “praise house.” Photo: Lorenzo Dow Turner Papers, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution BOTTOM: Lorenzo Dow Turner, 1917. Taken the year Turner graduated from Harvard University with a master’s degree. Photo: Lorenzo Dow Turner Papers, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution

they’re the “living link to Africa on this side of the Middle Passage.” The Gullah and the language are called Geechee, which some scholars see linked to the Ogeechee River, near Savannah, Ga. Gullah are known for preserving their African linguistic and cultural heritage more than any other African-American community in the United States. They speak an English-based creole containing African loanwords and influences in grammar and structure. According to research, following is an example of the 19th Century Gullah language: Dem yent yeddy wuh oonuh say. “They did not hear what you said.” According to some researchers, the phonetics, and the phrasing are duplicative of West Indian rhythms, e.g. Jamaican Patois, a hybrid of African, European and native languages. Before Turner’s work, scholars viewed Gullah as a hodgepodge of mispronounced words that uneducated blacks developed to copy slaveowners’ European speech. But Turner’s study gave detailed evidence of African influences in Gullah and academics soon reversed course. After Turner’s book, Africanisms in the Gullah Dialect, was published 1949, scholars began frequenting the region to study African influences in Gullah language and culture. Curator Amos said when given the opportunity

TOP to BOTTOM: Lorenzo Dow Turner taping informants in Africa - In Africa, Turner set up his recording machine wherever he could. Lorenzo Dow Turner Papers, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution Mãe Menininha (front center) and her Candomblé priestesses at the Ilé Axé Yá Masse temple, Salvador, Bahia, 1940-41. Mãe Menininha, who was a highly respected Candomblé leader in Bahia, was one of Turner’s main informants. Courtesy Lorenzo Dow Turner Papers, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution

to do “Word,” she chose a chronological order. She showed the influence of Turner’s father in helping shape his views, especially academic excellence. His father studied at Howard University—a fourth-generation freed man—and was forced to flee the area after an altercation with a white man. The younger Turner was born 1890 in North Carolina. A gifted student and athlete, he earned an English degree at Howard before receiving his master’s from Harvard in 1917. He attended the University of Chicago, and became one of the first 40 African Americans to obtain a doctorate; and the first African-American professor to be appointed in 1946 to a teaching position outside a black college. He built his career at several black colleges, including his alma mater where as a student he became interested in languages. A summer stint teaching at South Carolina State University is where he heard, and was captivated by the Gullah. Convinced the pattern was not illiterate English, but instead a distinct language incorporating words and structure from African languages, Turner focused his interest into a lifelong project. He studied many African languages, including Arabic, to make linkages to Gullah vocabulary. The exhibit recounts his travels to South Carolina and Georgia and London, Paris and Africa to record and compare the speech of hundreds of informants. A linguistic achievement occurred when he determined that the “ring shout,” a Gullah religious dance, was inherited from enslaved Muslims—the name “shout” derived from the Arabic word Sha’wt, which dealt with ritual circling around the Kaaba in Mecca. His early Georgia recordings are invaluable to reasearchers even today. In 1990, based on Turner’s recordings, three scholars discovered that a passeddown funeral song connected the Mende people of Sierra Leone to their American descendants in Georgia. In the exhibit is an African American singing the Mende song—learned from her mother—to African women in Sierra Leone. Separated by the Middle Passage, 200 years later, the song made the round-trip from Africa to the New World and back. Another section focuses on Bahia where more Africans were brought as captives, with the same languages influencing the Gullah. African survivals were in the Afro-Brazilian religion Candomblé. When interviewees recognized words in the Sea Island recordings, Turner saw language connecting the African Diaspora. “I thought it was very cool,” said Ward 7 resident Antonio James, who visited recently with two young daughters. “I’m interested in history, and I liked learning about this language connection between Africa and America.” One of his daughters mentioned being afraid of the statue featuring the vestment of a Candomblé initiate—Omolu, the Orisha of sickness and smallpox. Other highlights include a Bilali diary from a Muslim slave, Turner’s recording device and typewriter, recordings of Gullah songs and rare photographs of interviewees, and audio and written comparisons of words from languages spoken in the Americas and

For the past several years, the East of the River Steelband has performed at the Gullah Festival in South Carolina around Memorial Day. 2011 will mark the 25th anniversary and the band is expected to perform. For more information on the 2011 Gullah Festival trip, contact Dr. Gladys W. Bray at 202584-6035 or e-mail eorstlbnd@aol.com.

Africa. Another section on the Black Seminole recounts the history of fugitive slaves from Georgia and South Carolina, whose descendants are in Florida, Mexico and Texas, and who speak an ancient Gullah. This is curator Amos’ expertise.

The Museum’s Upcoming Events Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Place, SE, which houses this display, opened in southeast D.C. in 1967. Like other exhibits, there are several sessions related to the topic. Anacostia hosted a lecture on the Gullah Islamic Connection with Amir Muhammad, co-founder of America’s Islamic Heritage Museum; Gullah tales by actor Dylan Pritchett; a ﬁlm, Family Across the Sea on Turner and the connection between the Gullah and Sierra Leone; and Gullah jewelry and art. To mark its 43rd anniversary, the museum used the theme, “Word, Shout, Song,” for its Sept. 15, celebration. The keynote speaker was Marquetta L. Goodwine (“Queen Quet,”), chieftess of the Gullah/Geechee Nation, a native of St. Helena Island, and an expert commissioner for South Carolina for the Gullah/Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor, one of 40 congressionally designated National Heritage Areas. Upcoming is a symposium, “Connecting the Words of the African Diaspora: The Living Legacy of Lorenzo Dow Turner,” on Nov. 12 and 13, that’s integral to the exhibit. It presents how the pioneering linguist’s work inspired the research of diverse scholars in recovering connections among various Diaspora communities. Historians, linguists and anthropologists continue to build on the foundation of Turner’s research. Keynote is Emory S. Campbell, chair of Gullah/ Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor Commission, who will discuss Gullah, 60 years after Turner’s book. Amos will discuss the exhibit and the Gullah connections on the Black Seminoles. She’ll be joined by Herb Frazier, a journalist; Dr. Thomas Klein, linguistics professor at the Georgia Southern University; Dr. Livio Sansone, anthropology professor at the Federal University of Bahia, Brazil; and Kelvin A Yelvington, anthropology professor at the University of South Florida. For more information on the museum, call 202633-4820 or (202) 633-5285 (TTY); for tours, call 202-633-4844. Website: anacostia.si.edu. For more information on the symposium in November, contact Alcione M. Amos, AmosAl@si.edu or 202-633-4832. ●

CAPITALCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM ★ 33

EAST WASHINGTON LIFE

CLOCKWISE 1. Veronica O. Davis excited to find Unsweetened Almond Milk. 2. Michele Prout tests the blue corn tortilla chips. 3. YES employee stocking the shelves.

Living Local, Viva Local

I am in Love article & photos by Veronica O. Davis

rowing up I loved all things Charlie Brown. I watched Charlie Brown and the Great Pumpkin during Halloween, the Charlie Brown Christmas Special, and of course the Valentine’s Day Special. I remember my mom taking me to the play “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown.” There is a monologue where Peppermint Patty says “You know what I don’t understand, Chuck? I don’t understand love. Explain love to me, Chuck. You can’t explain love.” Peppermint Patty is right; you can’t explain love. Love comes at you when you least expect it. I recently fell in love. YES! Organic Market opened earlier this month at 2323 Pennsylvania Ave SE in the Fairlawn neighborhood of Ward 8.There was much anticipation when the “Coming Soon” sign went up in November. While I was excited that we were getting an organic grocery

store, I will admit I had my doubts that I was ever going to shop there. I came up with all types of excuses such as it was going to be too cumbersome to get to YES! from the East by car, it is not going to be as nice as the YES! in Capitol Hill, it’s going to be too expensive, and on and on. How did I allow these thoughts to creep into my mind? Despite my doubts, I figured I had to at the very least go one time. Getting to YES! from the East was not as difficult as I had imagined in my head. I took Massachusetts Ave, SE to get to Minnesota Ave, SE. Then made a right from Minnesota down the alley next to the Car Wash. A right on Prout and like magic I was in the parking garage where there is FREE parking. The trip was significantly shorter and easier than my Sunday excursions to the Trader Joes in Alexandria, Virginia. I walked into the store and was amazed by the layout, cleanliness

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| OCTOBER 2010

and orderliness of the inside. I grabbed my cart and began walking the aisles. First stop was fresh produce. The locally grown gala apples were some of the sweetest I’ve eaten in a while. The grapes were so sweet and crunchy that during my second visit I had to buy two bags. I got really excited when I saw they have my brand of almond milk. I can’t tell you how hard it is to find unsweetened almond milk. The price was comparable to what I was paying at my old grocery store. The frozen section had plenty of prepared meals, which are perfect for me given my busy schedule. It’s hard for me to cook regularly. The meals provide me with an option to eat a nutritious meal without breaking the bank or spending hours in the kitchen. At this point in my journey through the aisles, I was ‘in like’ with YES!, but then, I went up the ramp in the back and I saw a vision of love. There is a wall of coffee beans. To call myself a coffee connoisseur would be an understatement. Words cannot express my feelings towards coffee. Standing in YES! before my very eyes were coffee beans

from all over the world. Right then I knew YES! would be the only grocery store for me. One of the added bonuses of shopping at YES! is bumping into my neighbors. If you haven’t made your inaugural trip, I highly recommend it. YES! Organic Market is located at 2323 Pennsylvania Ave SE. Free 30 minute parking is available in the underground parking lot located oﬀ Prout St SE. Veronica O. Davis is a resident of Ward 7 and manages the blog, Life in the Village (http://fairfaxvillage.blogspot.com). ●

Anacostia: The Web Series Popular DC-based series begins second season by John Muller

ince launching “Anacostia: The Web Series,” writer, producer, director, and cast member Anthony Anderson, a native of SE Washington, has seen his show’s popularity take off with unexpected industry recognition. Premiering in July 2009, “Anacostia: The Web Series.” is now entering its second season with a growing local and national audience. “The concept of Anacostia started originally as a short film, or that was my intention, but the more I wrote, the more I was intrigued by the characters I was creating and it quickly grew into a really long script. As I was reading it I thought why not make this into a multiepisode series? That way I could use more of the actors in the area in various roles and luckily it was the right time for web serials and the show took off very quickly,” says Anderson. Anderson, who works for the Federal Aviation Administration, funded the first season out of his own pocket after approaching the city for help but receiving none. For the second season, Anderson has put together local sponsors within the Anacostia community such as Duane Guatier of Arch Development Corporation, Darrin Davis of Anacostia River Realty, and Stan Voudrie of Four Points LLC to cover some of the production costs. As the show continues to grow, Anderson is optimistic about receiving support from the DC Commission on Arts and Humanities and other organizations in the city that support artistic endeavors. Tamieka Chavis, director of a youth performing arts program in Rockville, Maryland, portrays the central figure of Mia Stephenson whose husband is killed in Season 1. “After reading for the character I wondered if Anthony was applying my real life. The way he described the character was a lot like me. It has been a good character for me to sink my teeth into,” says Chavis who has been

offered contracts from other film makers after they noticed her on “Anacostia.” She says that people stop her in the street to speculate on who they think might have killed her husband. People have been so moved they have run up to her and hugged her in public, not being able to separate her from the character she portrays on the show. “The audience can really relate,” says Chavis. Most episodes are filmed in one day by one camera man. Anderson says it can take him as little as hour to write an episode if he is on a roll, but last year’s season finale took him three days as he took great care to ensure a suspenseful ending. Episodes have included scenes shots on Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, the Honfleur Gallery on Good Hope Road, and the Savoy Condominiums on Oakwood Street SE in the Congress Heights neighborhood. The show has received industry recognition and will be one of twenty web shows featured at the Mid-Atlantic Black Film Festival in Norfolk, Virginia in early October. The Independent Soap Opera Awards has honored the show with an award for “Best Acting Ensemble in a Web Series.” The Los Angeles Web Festival awards has also recognized the show, and the DCTV Viewer Choice Awards nominated the show for Best Entertainment Program. Last year the show, which averages 3,000 views for each online episode, was noticed by some employees at DCTV who got in touch with Anderson about possibly putting the web series on broadcast TV. Anderson agreed and the relationship has helped the series reach the more than 300,000 city residents who have DCTV. “DCTV approached us after the initial airing of episode one and asked if they could acquire the show. It’s a great support to have them in our corner. We’ve been introduced to a whole different audience as well as having our supporters become aware of DCTV,” says Anderson. “Anacostia” airs on DCTV Comcast 95, RCN 10 and Verizon Fios 10 & 11 Thursdays and Saturdays at 10:30pm. You can see episodes of ANACOSTIA: The Web Series at http://anacostia-thewebseries.com ● CAPITALCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM ★ 35

A critic’s choice of new CDs. Check them out online to choose the ones that speak to you. A Lover,” “Sisyphus” and “The Titles.” Appearing on the album Ms. Winstone are Klaus Gesing (bass clarinet, soprano sax) and Glauco Venier (piano).

Let’s Touch The Sky ••• Fourplay, Heads Up

Mirror •••• Charles Lloyd, ECM A seminal jazz album that offers some stellar performances from a quintessential musician at his ﬁnest with impeccable timing and colorful interpretations. Featured artists appearing with Mr. Lloyd (sax) include Jason Moran (piano), Reuben Rogers (double-bass), and Eric Harland (drums). Highlights “I Fall In Love Easily,”“Desolation Sound,” “Caroline,” “Mirror,” “Monk’s Mood,” and “Ruby, My Dear.”

And If ••• Anat Fort Trio, ECM Peaceful, reﬂective and meditative best describes this album that anchors around the piano along with the timeless sounds of the drum and doublebass. Performers include Anat Fort (piano), Gary Wang (double-bass) and Roland Schneider (drums). Highlights are “And If,” “Minnesota,” “Paul Motion 1 & 2” and “Something ‘bout Camels.”

Stories Yet to Tell ••• Norma Winstone, ECM This album is a dancer’s dream for some dramatic interpretative dance movements along the storyline of faith and redemption. Norma Winstone’s voice is one that is both narrative and beguiling with subtle invocations of life’s drama, most notable with “Cradle Song (Hoy Nazan)” and “Just Sometimes.” Other standouts include “Like

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A smooth jazz album that oﬀers a relaxing and enjoyable collection of songs like “More Than A Dream,” “Pineapple Getaway,” “I’ll Still Be Lovin’ You,” “Love TKO,” and “You’re My Thrill.”

Trinary Motion/Live In Europe ••• Mike Mainieri/Marnix Bustra Quartet, NYC Records This double CD oﬀers a retrospective and somewhat idyllic music on some delightful live performances beginning with “Three years, three months, three weeks, three days,” “The Secret Lake,” “Kanada,” “It’s Done,” and “Lost In Little Spain.” Performers include Mike Mainieri (vibraphone), Marnix Busstra (guitars, bouzouki), Eric van der Westen (double bass) and Pieter Bast (drums).

Healing Within ••• Lori Williams, Paciﬁc Coast Jazz Vocalist Lori Williams has a fabulously rich jazz voice and on her latest album you can hear much of it on both new and old standards like “Healing Within” (Blue In Green, “How Can I Begin Again,” “I Can’t Make You Love Me,” and “Amazing Grace.” Ms. Williams is well supported by some ﬁne performances from Tracey Cutler (sax), Antonio Parker (sax), Derrick Gardner (trumpet), William Knowles (piano), Jimmy “Junebug” Jackson (drums) and Michael Bowie (bass).

Pushing The Envelope ••• Gerald Albright, Heads Up Let’s get one thing clear: good music is one of life’s best rewards for many of | OCTOBER 2010

us. Saxophonist Gerald Albright agrees, and after 23 years of performance recently summed up his latest album by declaring that “people all around the world need music.” To which we all shouted: “Please bring it on!” From the soulful “Capetown Strut,” “Embrace The Spirit,” to “From The Soul,” the man just sweetens your heart with pure unadulterated honey until you want to jump with ecstasy to that jubilant “Get On The Floor” and the funky “What Would James Do?” featuring Fred Wesley. On a more somber note the album also features a very humane and underlying appeal for help in a tribute to Haiti with “The Road To Peace.”

Batavia ••• David Becker, DBT Music All of the compositions on this album are written by David Becker (guitar) as a tribute to the ill-fated events and experiences of his mother’s family in Indonesia and Holland during WWII. According to Mr. Becker, his entire mother’s family, including a younger brother and stepfather spent fours in a concentration camp in Indonesia while her father, older brother and sister were under siege in Holland. This is not dark music but more like healing music for the forgotten souls and a message of hope and forgiveness for those that are still alive. Highlights include “Batavia Reprise,” “In Search Of His Father,” “Li,” “A Long Night In Cairo,” and “Train To Bandung.” Other musicians include Bruce Becker (drums), and bassists Bolle Diekmann, Ravi Knypstra and Alexis Sklarevski.

Déjà vu ••• George Duke, Heads Up The reading from the picture of George Duke on this latest album is one of accomplishments and satisfaction. The eyes look out at you as if the man is standing on another planet and savoring the joy of aying “Please come join me and I’ll take you to places you have always longed for.” The majesty of

the man and his music is almost sacred if not downright religious. This is music for everyone and you’re going enjoy such lavish standouts like “A Melody,” “Bring Me Joy,” Oh Really?” and the hot sensational “You Touch My Brain” and “6 O’Clock Revisited.”

The Glory of Love ••• Rob Keiter, Sketchin Records This album showcased Rob Keiter’s suave, sophisticated, and silky smooth voice on a collection of classic love songs. Although “The Glory of Love” is distinctly jazz — contemporary, swing and straight-ahead — Mr. Keiter and producers Amber and Rob Whitlock culled material with jazz, pop, R&B and even theatrical roots. He recorded jazzy versions of eleven songs written by Rodgers & Hammerstein, Neil Sedaka, John Lennon & Paul McCartney, and a pair of songs each by Hal David & Burt Bacharach and Stevie Wonder. The Whitlock’s penned an original song, “Grateful For A Pleasant Trip,” specifically for Mr. Keiter. Backing the crooner in the studio was a fine cast of musicians including Grammy winner Randy Brecker (trumpet), Rob Whitlock (piano), Pat Kelley (guitar), Trey Henry (bass), Cliff Almond (drums), Amber Whitlock (vocals) and a horn section consisting of Wayne Bergeron (trumpet and flugelhorn), Andy Martin (trombone) and John Rekevics (saxes and flutes). Highlights include “Laughter in the Rain,” “What The World Needs Now,” “Looking For Another Pure Love,” “For No One” and “What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life.” All CDs and DVDS reviewed in this article are heard through Bowers & Wilkens 802D Speakers and ASW 4000 subwoofer, and Rotel Preamp 1070, amplifier 1092 and CD player 1072. CDs are available for purchase through amazon.com For more information about this column, please email your questions to fagon@hillrag.com. ●

KIDS & FAMILY

Notebook Be a Junior Ranger at the Frederick Douglass House On Wednesdays after school until 4:30 PM, kids are invited to the Frederick Douglass National Historical Site for arts and crafts, tours, civil war reenactments and general fun in an historical setting. This experience is appropriate for older elementary school children and middle school children. It’s free and walk-ins are welcome. 1411 W St. SE. 202-426-5960. nps.gov/frdo Career Day at the Anacostia Community Museum On Oct. 21, 10:00 AM-2:30 PM, students can come to the Anacostia Community Museum to learn about some of the exciting and rewarding careers in museums. The afternoon session of Career Day includes an exciting ﬁeld trip to a Smithsonian facility. Free lunch, bus transportation, and educational resources will be provided to the middle school or high school group that reserves this tour. Reservations are required by October 8; call 202-633-4844.

Northeast Performing Arts Group Dance Classes Northeast Performing Arts Group oﬀers dance classes for kids ages 3-18 at aﬀordable prices. They specialize in ballet technique, modern, jazz, hiphop and liturgical dance. For more information, contact Mr. Carrington Lassiter, 202-388-1274 or nepag1@ aol.com. 3431 Benning Rd. NE Fall 2010 ArtReach Classes. Oct. 18-Dec.10. For ages 12-18; Mondays, 4:30-6:00 PM or Tuesdays, 3:30-5:00 PM. For ages 8-12; Wednesdays, 4:005:30 PM or Thursdays, 3:30-5:00 PM. Register online at www.THEARCdc.

org. Registrations forms available at the front desk at THEARC. The Corcoran ArtReach Studio, 1901 Mississippi Ave. SE. Contact ArtReach at artreach@corcoran.org if you have any questions. 202-889-5901. www.THEARCdc.org

The First Tee (free golf lessons for kids) The First Tee provides young people of all backgrounds an opportunity to develop life-enhancing values such as conﬁdence, perseverance and judgment through golf and character education. Ages 8 through 18. Lessons are weekdays 3:30-5:30 PM. Langston Golf Course and Driving Range, 26th and Benning Rd. NE. 202-388-4141. www.theﬁrsttee.org

Hispanic Heritage Family Day at Air and Space. On Saturday, Oct. 16, 10:00 AM3:00 PM. National Air and Space Museum, National Mall building. To commemorate Argentina’s bicentennial, the National Air and Space Museum is showcasing Argentinians who have made signiﬁcant contributions to aviation and space exploration. Free. 202-633-1000. www.nasm.si.edu

October Storytelling Sessions at Historic Mount Vernon Children enter a world of fantasy and fables when costumed interpreters weave three tales together during Mount Vernon’s storytelling session, “Once Upon a Time at Mount Vernon,” held every Saturday and Sunday at 2:00 PM and 3:00 PM. Storytelling sessions will take place in the Hands-On History Room in the Donald W. Reynolds Education Center. “Washington Comes Home to Mount Vernon” is the theme for October’s storytelling sessions. During the 20-minute session, children learn Aesop’s fables and listen to stories about George Washington’s life! The storytelling program is recommended for children ages three to eight. Parental supervision is required. “Once Upon at Time at Mount Vernon” is included in regular Estate admission: adults, $15; youth ages 6-11, $7; and children under 5 are admitted free. 703-780-2000. www.mountvernon.org

Student Matinee of Henry VIII There will be a student matinee of Henry VIII at the Folger Shakespeare Library on October 28, 11:30

AM. Tickets can be booked through the Box Oﬃce 202-547-7077. www. folger.edu/education

“The Best Gift of All” Holiday Matinee for Kids The United States Air Force Band’s holiday concert at the DAR Constitution Hall is always one of the hottest tickets in town. The theme of this year’s show is “The Best Gift of All.” It will feature three groups from the Band--the Concert Band, Singing Sergeants and Ceremonial Brass-as well as several guest performers including ballet dancers, Santa and Mrs. Claus and the Grinch! The program will highlight a variety of selections that are sure to get you in the holiday spirit! The Matinee for Kids is Friday, Dec. 3, 10:30 AM. The maximum number of reservations has been received for this concert. If you’d like to be wait listed, email holidaykids@afncr.af.mil. Be sure to include how many seats you want. www.usafband.af.mil

World Animal Day at National Geographic On Saturday, Oct. 16. 10:00 AM3:00 PM, enjoy this family-friendly CAPITALCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM ★ 37

KIDS & FAMILY celebration of the animal world, including art workshops, photo safaris, storytelling, Mama Mirabelle and Toot & Puddle ﬁlm screenings-and more! Visit two lively Museum exhibitions, Geckos: From Tails to Toepads and Wild Music: Songs and Sounds of Life. Co-presented with National Geographic Museum and National Geographic Kids Entertainment in recognition of World Animal Day. Free but Geckos exhibit is $4. 202-857-7700. www.nglive.org

ternational Horse Show will take place Oct. 2631 at Verizon Center in Washington, DC. 202525-3679. www.wihs.org

Blessing of the Animals Introduces New Cathedral Cat, “Carmina”

On Thursday Oct. 28, 6:00 PM, the Washington International Horse Show Barn Night oﬀers an exciting evening for riders, their barn mates, friends, and families to celebrate equestrian sport and pay tribute to those that excel at all levels of hunter-jumper competition. On Saturday, Oct. 30, 10:00 AM-2:00 PM, as Olympians and their horses get ready for the President’s Cup Grand Prix and junior riders practice in the schooling ring to compete at the Washington International Horse Show (WIHS), a team will be erecting a tent on F Street outside the Hotel Monaco for WIHS Kids’ Day. This free, family-friendly event will oﬀer kids an opportunity to ride and meet ponies and learn about equestrian sport! WIHS Kids’ Day will host free pony rides, a grooming station, a chance to meet Bubbles, a miniature horse, a book nook, arts and crafts as well as photo opportunities with Dr. Bear from Children’s National Medical Center, Klinger-the Caisson horse, Pinkie-Pie from “My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic” on The Hub, and Major, the WIHS mascot. The 52nd Annual Washington In-

Washington National Cathedral’s 2010 Blessing of the Animals will officially welcome Carmina, the new Cathedral cat adopted by the Cathedral Choral Society from the Washington Humane Society (WHS). The event marks the seven hundred thirty-fourth anniversary Fox 5 Morning Show covers Cheetah Girls author visit to Paul PCS of the death of Saint FranDeborah Gregory, author of the Cheetah Girls Series, made an appearance at Paul cis of Assisi, patron saint Public Charter School in Northwest DC to speak with students about her latest book, of animals and the enviCatwalk. Deborah Gregory is a well-known author with a background in the fashion ronment, whose feast day industry. Many of books focus on promoting young women’s self-esteem through mathe Cathedral celebrates jor fashion trends. Paul Public Charter School is a middle school serving grades 6-9. with its Blessing of the With its focused academic program with an emphasis in literacy, Paul PCS regularly Animals service on Sunhosts book talks. www.paulcharter.org day, Oct. 3, at 2:30 PM, on the Cathedral’s west steps. to the U.S. Botanic Garden for plant- ing back to the local community. This All pets and their caretakers are invited to attend. Carmina takes related fun. Sign up for a one-month after-school program focuses on acathe place of Catherine of Tarragon, session and attend four different pro- demic enrichment, life skills, characthe much-beloved Cathedral cat who grams. Each Wednesday session will ter development, community service has retired in her old age to a home in have varied activities that may include and entrepreneurial skills. Graduates North Carolina. WHS rescued Car- a story, art activity, or walk in the gar- have gone on to finish high school, mina and her litter of week-old kittens den. Children must be accompanied by graduate college and create their own from a deserted parking lot in South- an adult. Participating children must be business. Taught by Dance Place’s east DC. All of Carmina’s kittens have 3 years of age. Oct. 6, 13, 20 and 27, dedicated youth leadership staff, colfound adoptive homes as well. 202- 10:30-11:30 AM. Free but pre-regis- lege students and Dance Place in537-5548. www.cathedral.org or www. tration required. Conservatory Class- terns. For youth ages 7-13. 202-2691600. www.danceplace.org room. 202-225-1116. www.usbg.gov warl.org Wild Beasts and Creatures. SatFamily Fun Saturdays at the DAR, Third Saturday of Every Month (Sept. urday, Oct. 30, 10:30 AM-noon. Great Websites for Kids through June), 10:00 AM-noon. Event Journey to the wild and discover Shakespeare; folger.edu/Content/ features hands-on activities for the fierce lions, serpents, and beasts on Teach-and-Learn/Shakespeare-forwhole family, such as crafts and games, this gallery safari. Let the bronze Kids and a short tour of the museum. Chil- sculptures of Antoine-Louis Barye US House of Representatives; kids. dren should be seven years old and be your guide along the way as you clerk.house.gov older. $5. Daughters of the American learn about animal fables from culAmerica’s Story for America’s LiRevolution Museum, 1776 D St. NW tures around the world. Continue the brary; americaslibrary.gov (entrance is on D St. between 17th and adventure in our art studio and create National Zoo; nationalzoo.si.edu/ 18th sts.). Reservations are requested your own wild creature out of clay. Audiences/kids but drop-ins are welcomed. 202-879- Workshops are limited to children National Gallery of Art; nga.gov/ ages 8-12 and their adult compan3240. www.dar.org/museum kids ions. Space is limited and advance Newseum; newseum.org/fun-andis required. $15. CorcoEnergizers’ Boys and Girls Club at registration games ran Gallery of Art. 202-639-1700. “Sprouts” for Preschoolers at the Bo- Dance Place www.corcoran.org tanic Garden Since 1995, the Dance Place EnBring your preschooler (ages 3-5) ergizers have been learning and giv-

38 ★ EAST OF THE RIVER MAGAZINE

| OCTOBER 2010

Washington National Opera Family Look-In What happens when four kids end up lost in an opera house? They discover the wonders of lights, scenery, costumes, music, and more! This behind-the-scenes introduction to the magical world of opera is perfect for children ages 6-12 and their families. Saturday, Oct 16, 2:00 PM. $10. Kennedy Center Opera House. 202-295-2400. www.dc-opera.org

Barn Night and Kids’ Day at Washington International Horse Show

Teen Volunteer Program at the National Zoo Teen Volunteers can participate in programs that primarily run in the summer, but limited opportunities are also available throughout the year. Many teens ﬁnd they can fulﬁll their school’s requirement for student service learning hours while having fun at the Zoo. Minimum age, depending on the program, is 13 years old. 3001 Connecticut Ave. NW. 202633-3052. nationalzoo.si.edu

Carousel on the Mall Operates Daily In October, 11:00 AM-5:00 PM (weather permitting and based on staﬀ availability). $2.50/ ride. 1100 Jeﬀerson Dr. SW (on the National Mall, near the “castle”). www.si.edu

Storytelling at the American Indian Museum

The Truland Corporation is offering FREE night school courses in electrical engineering at IDEA Public Charter School! •

A Native staff member reads books by or about Native Americans. “Hok-noth-da?” means “Did you hear?” in the Shawnee language. For ages 5-9. Mondays through Fridays, 1:00 PM; Saturdays and Sundays, 11:30 AM. Free, walk-in. Seating is firstcome, first-served. American Indian Museum, Resource Center, third level. On the Mall at Third St. and Independence Ave. SW. 800-242-6624. www.americanindian.si.edu

• •

Orientation for the class was Sept. 18, but it’s not too late! For more information, please contact Joron Hawley at jhawley@truland.com.

Get the IDEA!

Kids’ Corner Fall Fair, Saturday, October 16 Oct. 16, 10:00 AM-3:00 PM, is a fun-ﬁlled day of pumpkin carving, international food, hay rides, face painting, music, dancing and more! The event raises money to support the Kids’ Corner music program. Purchase an all-inclusive fall fair bracelet from the Kids’ Corner Front Oﬃce or at the event ($25). Tickets may also be purchased for food and individual activities. Rose Mitchell Park, 23rd and sts. NW. www. kidscornerdcc.wordpress.com ●

Classes held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6 pm – 9 pm! Learn about a career that can potentially pay up to $100,000 a year. Learn how to fix electrical problems around your house.

Integrated Design and Electronics Academy Public Charter School Military Academy 1027 45th St, NE Washington DC 20019 202.399.4750 • www.ideapcs.org Metro Subway Orange Line in the historic Deanwood Community

APRIL RUBIN, MD Obstetrics • Gynecology Adolescent Gynecology • Infertility Menopause Counseling

636 A Street, NE • 202-547-4604 Blue Cross • Blue Shield Provider

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202-543-5290 CAPITALCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM ★ 39

KIDS & FAMILY

A New Beginning for our Most At-Risk Students What We Can Do to Help Make Their Transition Successful article by Lisa Raymond | photos by David Domenici

Maya Angelou Academy student working in math class.

few weeks ago, I visited what many would consider a model school. Class sizes are between nine and twelve students, each student is visibly engaged, the adultto-student ratio is about 1:8 and lessons are based on rigorous standards and focused on each student’s individual learning needs. The building is inviting and beautifully designed. Unlike most other schools, all 6070 students are young men, ages 13-17. But its most unique characteristic is that each class has two security staﬀ members.

The Maya Angelou Academy is the school at the New Beginnings Youth Development Center – a secure facility in Laurel, Maryland for youths who have been committed to DC’s Department of Youth and Rehabilitation Services (DYRS). Most are considered serious and chronic oﬀenders and they stay at New Beginnings for a six to twelve month program. During this time they receive, in addition to intensive classroom learning and support, wraparound services such as mental and physical health care. The focus is on behavior modiﬁcation and

40 ★ EAST OF THE RIVER MAGAZINE

| OCTOBER 2010

“reintegration.” But while it seems clear that these students are receiving a quality education during their stay, it is also clear that there are not adequate services and programs to help them continue their success when they leave. Our city must take a birth to adulthood approach to education. This is our only hope of improving the outcomes for our most at-risk residents. And we’re on the right path: Programs like pre-K have been proven to reduce the number of young adults who commit crimes, and DCPS and public char-

ter schools seem to have gotten the message that we need to make education meaningful to students in order to keep them in school. But for those who end up in the criminal justice system, it is our responsibility to give them the education and other supports that they need to try and change their lives. Most of the young men who end up at Maya Angelou Academy have had negative experiences with education; many have skipped school or dropped out because personal struggles prevented their academic success. School principal and Maya Angelou founder Dave Domenici sees an opportunity to provide these students with something that most of them haven’t had: High expectations; a safe, nurturing environment; the support of numerous adults who help students reach their academic and career potential and an academic program tailored to meet each student’s need and maximize his ability to earn transferrable credits. This approach is getting results, as demonstrated by the fact that students gain one to 1.5 years of growth during their six to twelve month stay, and they are earning credits at a faster rate than they ever have in their lives. But what happens when they leave? A 15-year old who begins at Maya Angelou a few years behind academically has a good chance to be successful when he returns to school in his community. But one who enters reading at the third grade level and leaves at the fifth grade level has made tremendous progress, but is far from being ready for tenth grade. Dropping him into a traditional DCPS or public charter high school without significant support isn’t likely to result in success, which is defined as not only staying out of trouble, but becoming self-sufficient. This may mean earning a high school degree or GED and completing career and technical education, but it could also include the opportunity and support to obtain a two- or four-year college degree. While DYRS, with

Art is part of the program at Maya Angelou Academy.

the help of Maya Angelou, provides some transition services for these young men, it is not nearly enough. And the existing middle and high school programs in DC may be a poor ﬁt for them, even with adequate assistance. Some programs, including Youth Build, the Luke C. Moore Academy and the three other Maya Angelou middle and high schools, serve students who have been unsuccessful in traditional school environments. But we need more that address the needs of not only our most at-risk students, but those in danger of dropping out or becoming entangled in the juvenile justice system. I have known many students who felt that, because of their advanced age and lack of credits, obtaining a GED would be their best option. But quality GED preparation programs in DC are hard to identify and hold accountable.

We need innovative programs that provide a range of educational supports to middle and high school students, and that can be ﬂexible enough to meet their needs, including on-line learning, intensive tutoring and guidance, GED preparation and career and technical training. We can build these programs within existing DCPS or public charter schools, and we should also seek higher education partners, such as the new Community College of DC (CCDC) to help prepare our most at-risk young people for success in careers and in life. Until we recognize that many of our students need something diﬀerent – and we provide it for them – the gains that they make at places like Maya Angelou will be lost. Lisa Raymond is the DC State Board of Education Member for Ward 6, a DCPS parent and education consultant. ●

CAPITALCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM ★

Rainbow Child Development Center A dedicated staff creates an educational childcare center by Jeremy Cullimore

W Prepare Your Son for College An All Male Education Works. Septima Clark Public Charter School for Boys Enroll Now Preschool to 4th Grade • College Preparatory Education • Enrichment Activities • Small Class Size • Hands on Learning • Leadership Activities • Afterschool Program

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42 ★ EAST OF THE RIVER MAGAZINE

| OCTOBER 2010

hen the Rainbow Child Development Center opened their doors to the District in March 2007 Crystal Hammond and her dedicated staff began their mission to provide neighbors and the community with a safe and holistic childcare center. Rainbow CDC’s guiding principle is to provide more than a simple place for kids to play with blocks. They want the center to be a place for children to learn valuable school readiness skills and to be a place for them to develop self-esteem. The center uses a “Creative Curriculum” that Hammond says, “teaches kids motor skills and core knowledge to best prepare them for preschool.” To help achieve the center’s goals Hammond surrounded herself with veterans of early childhood education. Diane McCaskill, the center’s Director, and teachers like Erika Plight and Gloria Warner, bring over four decades of experience in the field; over 40 years of knowledge in how to best prepare the children for what comes next. The staff has created a childcare center where parents are involved. With parent-teacher conferences, parent support groups and a volunteer advisory committee, Rainbow CDC seeks to create the best environment possible for its kids. As you can tell, Rainbow CDC is more than just a place to drop off the kids. Rainbow CDC has established itself not only as a reputable childcare center, it has succeeded as a business too. Whether a restaurant

or retail, higher demand, more customers and business expansion is a good thing. Hammond opened the center on her own, though she needed a partner when it came time to grow. She contacted the DC Early Care and Education Administration and was referred to the Washington Area Community Investment Fund (WACIF) who provided the center with a mini-grant through its CareBuilders Program. With the support of WACIF, Rainbow CDC was able to continue to thrive as a business. Some of the centers impressive numbers: 11 more infant slots, 8 more spaces for toddlers, 4 new full-time employees, 1 new part-time employee, and 9 employees retained. They were also able to install an on-site playground. Now Hammond is once again thinking of expanding – this time into an entirely new center. Rainbow Child Development Center 2 will be located on D St. NE and will open in 4 months. It will bring with it 30 new slots of safe and reliable childcare for the community – something Rainbow CDC seems to have a knack for. Hammond says that “parents love that many kids start out with us as infants and stay with our center until they’re ready for preschool.” She continues, “We’re close-knit and it’s comfortable. Everyone knows everyone.” Furthermore, did we mention that the center received a 2008 Immunization Excellence Award? The DC Department of Health honored Rainbow Child Development Center for achieving a 100% immunization rate. Yet another success. Rainbow Child Development Center is located at 505 57th Street NE, Washington, DC 20019. For more information, contact Crystal Hammond at 202-396-4112. Jeremy Cullimore is Project Manager for WACIF. Call 202-529-5505 or visit www.wacif.org for more information. ●

HOMES & GARDENS Changing hands is a list of most residential sales in the District of Columbia from the previous month. A feature of every issue, this list, based on the MRIS, is provided courtesy of Don Denton, manager of the Coldwell Banker office on Capitol Hill. The list includes address, sales price and number of bedrooms.

Neighborhood

Close Price

FEE SIMPLE ANACOSTIA 2231 MOUNT VIEW PL SE 1132 CHICAGO ST SE 2262 MOUNT VIEW PL SE

$124,900 $85,000 $74,900

4 3 4

$285,000

$255,000 $240,000 $239,000 $211,900 $200,000

4 5 5 3 3

$305,000 $275,000 $274,999

3 4 4

$218,000 $209,000 $65,000

2 2 3

$280,000 $247,200

2 3

$278,000 $210,000 $200,000 $160,000

5 3 3 2

$201,900 $155,000 $35,500

3 3 3

CHILLUM 5612 KANSAS AVE NW

CONGRESS HEIGHTS 3351 MARTIN LUTHER KING JR AVE SE 3818 1ST ST SE 3820 1ST ST SE 750 UPSAL ST SE 1109 WAHLER PL SE

DEANWOOD 5541 JAY ST NE 5359 HAYES ST NE 5357 GAY ST NE

FORT DUPONT PARK 4302 D ST SE 1500 41ST ST SE 4303 GORMAN TER SE

HILL CREST 3660 CAMDEN ST SE 3661 ALABAMA AVE SE

MARSHALL HEIGHTS 5329 DRAKE PL SE 4956 ASTOR PL SE 236 54TH ST SE 5452 C ST SE

RANDLE HEIGHTS 2818 BRUCE PL SE 2409 18TH ST SE 2315 ALTAMONT PL SE #103

on THE

Hill

CONDO CONGRESS HEIGHTS 3221 8TH ST SE #15 3211 8TH ST SE #12

$95,000 $38,000

2 2

$43,500

$52,000

$29,000

2 ●

FORT DUPONT PARK 3937 S ST SE #A-7

HILL CREST 2046 FORT DAVIS ST SE #201

RANDLE HEIGHTS 1907 GOOD HOPE RD SE #309

Sharon L. Bernier PhD, CNS, BC

Psychotherapy 236 Massachusetts Ave., NE Washington, D.C. 202-546-5311

CAPITALCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM ★ 43

CLASSIFIEDS CLASSIFIEDS CLASSIFIEDS To place a classified in East of the River, please call Carolina at Capital Community News, Inc. 202.543.8300 x12 or email Carolina@hillrag.com

AIR CONDITIONING

ELECTRICIAN

HEALTH & FITNESS

THE HILL’S ELECTRICIAN www.wilcox-electric.com

METROPOLITAN FITNESS & SAFETY ACADEMY

202-546-1010

@ 2201 SHANNON PLACE, SE • WDC 20020

CONTRACTORS

AIR CONDITIONING

Over 20 years of Experience

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CLEANING SERVICES STANDARD CLEANING SERVICE INC. Commercial & Residential

P R O F E S S I O N A L & A M AT E U R BOXING LESSONS

Residential & Commercial Residential & Commercial

• Bathroom & Kitchen Remodeling • Hardwood Floors, Ceramic/Vinyl Tile • Demolition & Light Hauling • Drywall, Plastering & Painting • Waterproofing/Concrete Work • Roof Repair/New Roof • Carpet Cleaning

New Work • Rewiring • Repairs • Interior/Exterior Lighting

Awarded the Super Service Award from Angie's List in 2007, 2008, and 2009. Stephen D. Wilcox Master Electrician References Available Licensed - Insured - Bonded

Ana Julia Viera 703.719.9850 • 703.447.9254 Days

HANDYMAN

For all Your Home Improvement Needs

* Senior Discount Available * Discount for Church Members

(202) 889-5711

MOVING & HAULING COMPANY • Bulk Trash • Appliances • Basement Furniture • Yard Cleanup • Weekly Trash Pickups • Evictions • Demolition • Local or Long Distance • Residential or Commercial MD DC VA • 24 Hour Same Day Service “No job too small or big”

202.396.0105 license # 1948

Free Estimates • Bonded & Insured References Upon Request

GRAPHIC DESIGN

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• ALL TYPES OF EXERCISE MACHINES Lat pull, ab crunch, back & shoulder press, etc. • DIET COUNSELING & NUTRITION

• • • •

44 ★ EAST OF THE RIVER MAGAZINE

brochure design advertisements website design branding design

• • • •

corporate identity signage design illustration portraits

Jason Nickens (c) 202.321.0793 (w) www.jasonnickens.com (e) artist@jasonnickens.com

| OCTOBER 2010

• • • • •

Painting & Drywall Remodeling Woodwork Roofing Landscapes: Installation & Maintenance

301-512-9454

Call Miguel Flores for your fee estimate Licensed • Bonded • Insured

www.maf-enterprises.com

Johnston & Johnston Roofing

PLUMBING WAIT NO MORE PLUMBING 24 Hour Service

“Try a new coating vs. a roof replacement.” • FLAT ROOF SPECIALIST • WATERPROOFING • BASEMENT LEAKS • ALUMINUM ASPHALT COATING • SLATE REPAIRS • SHINGLE REPAIRS

Master Plumbers No Job Too small

Darrell White 202-575-1885 202-812-7115

DC License #1164

Just Say I Need A Plumber®

• CHIMNEY REPAIR • BRICK POINTING • GUTTER REPAIR/GUTTER REPLACEMENT • INQUIRE ABOUT OUR SPECIALS • FREE ESTIMATES

FREE MAINTENANCE! Licensed • Bonded • Insured Family owned & operated 40 Years Experience

202-607-4038

www.JohnstonandJohnstonRoofing.com

Dial A Plumber, LLC®

202 271 4377

• Licensed Gas Fitter • Water Heater • Boiler Work • Serving DC • References John • Drain Service • Furness Repair & Replacement

Licensed Bonded Insured

Kenny

202-251-1479 DC P

L U M M E R

’

WELDING

I C E N S E

#707

WHS PLUMBING & HEATING Superior Service and Quick Response

We are Repiping & Drain Cleaning Specialists · Competitive On The Spot Pricing · Same Day, Nights, Weekends & Emergency Service · Licensed Plumbers and Gasfitters · Underground Domestic Water and Sewer Line Leak Detection · Underground Pipe Locator

Hill Family Owned & Operated Call William at

(202) 255-9231 20 years of experience Licensed, Bonded and Insured LSDBE Certified

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ROOFING

Alex Williams Seamless Gutters • Box Gutters • Gutter Guards • Gutter Repairs • Gutter Cleaning • Flat Roof Repairs • Water Proofing Free Estimates

(202) 256 6981 (301) 858 6990 Licensed • Bonded • Insured

Keith Roofing EXPERT WORKMANSHIP

REASONABLE PRICES!

OFFICE ASSISTANT

Residential/Commercial • Over 40 years in Business Chimney Repairs • Storm & Wind Damage Repair

ISAAC HOLDEN Roofing, Gutters & Painting

• New or Re-Roofing • Tear-Off & Replacement • Flat Roof Specialist • Copper, Tin, Sheet Metal & Rolled • Seamless & Flat Roofs • Re-Sealing • Tar, Asphalt, Gravel, Hot Coats • Modified Bitumen • Ask about our gutter specials Insurance Claims • Free Estimates • 24Hr. Service

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Home based hauling business seeking administrative support. Full or Part Time. Salary + Commission. 202561-0498.

JOB OPPORTUNI TY CBE SUBCONTRACTORS NEEDED Bids due by 11/30/2010 Manna, Inc. is seeking CBE subcontractors for the construction of new 2-family houses in the Ivy City neighborhood. Trades being considered are: Concrete & Masonry, Plumbing, Fire Sprinklers, HVAC, Electrical, Roofing, and Interior finishes (drywall & painting, ceramic tile, carpet). Plans & specifications are available to view for bidding purposes at the Manna offices. Bid requirements: CBE certificate, DC license, Liability & Worker’s Compensation Insurance, Davis Bacon Certified weekly payroll reports, Section 3 compliance, First Source Agreement compliance for contracts over $100,000. Bids due November 30, 2010. Please contact Charlene Tibbs (ph. 202-832-1845 X 202) Monday thru Friday between 9 AM & 4 PM to reserve a viewing time for the plans & specs for bidding purposes

EAST OF THE RIVER CLASSIFIED RATES LINE CLASSIFIEDS: $25 for the first 15 words; 25 cents for each additional word

Flat • Rubber • Slate • Metal • Tiles & Shingles • Vinyl and Aluminum Siding • Skylights • Gutters & Downspouts • Chimneys • Waterproofing

We Do it All! 202.637.8808 Serving DC Since 1927 Licensed, Bonded & Insured

BBB

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BOX CLASSIFIEDS: $25 per column inch, two inch minimum; $25 each additional inch; 3 month minimum Multiple paper discounts available. Paid in advance and billed quarterly FREE CATEGORIES: Lost and Found, Items to Give Away, Club Meeting Notices E-mail your ad with credit card information to carolina@hillrag.com or call 202.543.8300 x12.

CAPITALCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM ★ 45

THE NOSE

by Anonymous

incent “The Undertaker” Gray has triumphed. The thirty somethings (Peter “Consigliere” Nickles excluded) who run the Blackberry administration are suddenly not so smug. Had they spent less time staring into the tiny screens of their portable devices, reading the prognostications of the suburbanite editors of WaPo, and more time talking to DC citizens, this upset might have proven less of a revelation. That being said, the party’s far from over. A general election looms this November. And, Dear Readers, as you may recall from our September column, The Nose is running for Mayor. Unfortunately, The Undertaker, now holding a series of public forums as a sort of victory lap, has been unwilling to engage The Nose in that most sanguinary of The District’s political rituals, the public debate. So, let us imitate Elmo and put on our Imagination Hats,

the Undertaker in front of a mostly octogenarian audience, who have no doubt heard it all before. A reporter from WBTM serves as the moderator, prodding his two poor victims with insightful audience queries: WBTM: The District faces an estimated $175 million budget short-fall in ﬁscal year 2011. What do you intend to do about it? The Undertaker: Right now I am looking at the expenditure side. Once that avenue has been exhausted, we will have to consider revenue enhancements. In the meantime, I support an immediate hiring and promotion freeze. I also oppose nickel-and-diming residents with outrageous hourly parking rates and punitive municipal service fees.

Deep in the wilds of far far Deanwood, in a sweaty, ill-lit church basement, The Nose sits across from

The Nose: As someday it may happen that a victim must be found. I’ve got a little list. I’ve got a little list. The Nose pulls out what looks like an endless roll of scribbled paper that mistakenly rolls oﬀ the dais. Of District employees who might well be not around—who never will be missed! * There’s the pestilential policy wonks who create bar graphs— All agency heads who have ﬂabby hands and irritating laughs. * All teachers who are low in DCCAS and give their students a pat. * All DMV workers who in taking a photo, take one of you like that—And all regulators

46 ★ EAST OF THE RIVER MAGAZINE

| OCTOBER 2010

It’s incredible where you can go, In your imagination, Raise taxes on the wealthy, Without a Evans-Catania altercation, Ask your favorite pals, To join your new administration, There’s even a balanced budget, Waiting for you, Wheee! Placed your hat on your head on ﬁrmly? I knew you could.

who on denying fence permits insist. They’d none of ‘em be missed— they’d none of ‘em be missed! WBTM: Will you keep Michelle A. Rhee as Chancellor of the DC Public Schools? The Undertaker: I will make all personnel decisions after I am elected Mayor in November.

between those who are unemployed, and those who love dogs and enjoy working out. This is patently ridiculous. Many unemployed people are dog lovers. Moreover, when one is jobless, one has lots of time to enjoy the local rec center. The unemployed also need bicycle lanes; they can’t afford to pay for gas. And, why single out the unemployed and the dog people anyway? What about the “kid people?” Want to save some money? Modernize a few less schools.

The Nose: Oﬀ with her head! WBTM: What do you say to those who criticize the city as expending too many resources on public amenities like dog parks and rec centers, while ignoring the problem of unemployment? The Undertaker: Job training focused on high-demand ﬁelds, development of industry partnerships using leveraged resources, re-invigoration of the Workforce Investment Council (WIC), and improved coordination among the Community College, University of the District of Columbia (UDC), District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS), public charter schools, the Hospitality High School, vocational education, the labor community and the Department of Employment Services (DOES) are a priority and must produce results.* The Nose: Work is overrated. I would much rather sit at home eating bonbons and watching Council hearings on Channel 13. That being said, the problem is that the question assumes that the city is divided up

WBTM: Each of you may make a 30-second closing statement. The Undertaker: I grew up in this city. I have spent my whole career trying to make it better. I intend to work hard for the residents of the District of Columbia as Mayor to make this One City. The Nose: If I am elected, in the famous words of that paradigm of politicians, Herbert Hoover, I promise “a chicken in every pot and a car in every garage.” Don’t have a garage? We will put the unemployed to work building you one. Vegetarian? Well, then we really can’t help you. The Nose acknowledges that it is unlikely that his campaign for public oﬃce will ultimately prove successful. But imagine for a minute how much more entertaining public discourse would be if The Nose were writing the lines. * This statement was cribbed directly from campaign website for Vincent “The Undertaker” Gray. ◆

FREE

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UNIVERSITY LEGAL SERVICES OfďŹ ces at Marshall Heights CDC 3939 Benning Road, NE | Washington DC 20019 202.396.1201x 131 | www.uls-dc.org

WACIF

Washington Area Community Investment Fund, Inc. The Washington Area Community Investment Fund (WACIF) helps small business owners succeed

FREE Small Business Seminars and Technical Assistance Finding Your Business a Home Thursday, October 21 6:30-8:30pm

Small Business Taxes Tuesday, October 26 6:30-8:30pm

3939 Benning Rd. NE Washington, DC 20019

For more information or to RSVP please call WACIF at 529-5505 or visit www.wacif.org Interpretation services and accommodations for persons with disabilities are available. Contact WACIF one week prior to event for any special assistance needs. Support for WACIFâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s programs and services is provided by: DC Department of Housing and Economic Development; DC Department of Small and Local Business Development; Neighborhood Investment Fund, Government of the District of Columbia, OfďŹ ce of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development; Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development; U.S. Small Business Administration; The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; American Bank; M&T Bank; TD Bank; The Wachovia Wells Fargo Foundation; D.C. Pro Bono Bar Program; and other corporate and individual donors and investors.