East of the River Magazine June 2015 by Capital Community News

June 2015

FOR EXISTING & ASPIRING DISTRICT BUSINESSES SmartStart Program Integrated Licensing and Money Smart for Small Business Program Date: Monday, June 15, 2015 Time: 9:00 am – 11:00 am Location: 1100 4th Street SW 2nd Floor (E-268) Washington, D.C. 20024 To Register: http://goo.gl/Trg5qE

A Comprehensive Guide for Small Business Planning Date: Tuesday, June 16, 2015 Time: 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm Location: 1100 4th Street SW 4th Floor (E-4302) Washington, D.C. 20024 To Register: http://goo.gl/w752Vq

Navigating Government Contracting with DCPTAC

The Regulatory Process of Starting a Business

Date: Thursday, June 18, 2015 Time: 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm Location: 1100 4th Street SW 4th Floor (E-4302) Washington, D.C. 20024 To Register: http://goo.gl/e7TYv9

Date: Monday, June 22, 2015 Time: 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm Location: Takoma Park Library, 416 Cedar Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20024 To Register: http://goo.gl/OwXrsJ

How to Open a Small Business by Navigating through DCRA’s Regulatory Process Date: Wednesday, June 17, 2015 Time: 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm Location: 1100 4th Street SW 2nd Floor (E-200) Washington, D.C. 20024 To Register: http://goo.gl/kTdwBD

SBRC’s Navigating through Business Licensing and Corporations Process Date: Monday through Thursday Time: By Appointment between 10:00 am to 2:00 pm Location: 1100 4th Street SW 2nd Floor (E-268) Washington, D.C. 20024 To Register: http://bizdc.ecenterdirect.com

For further information : Jacqueline Noisette (202) 442-8170 jacqueline.noisette@dc.gov Claudia Herrera (202) 442-8055 claudia.herrera@dc.gov Joy Douglas (202) 442-8690 joy.douglas@dc.gov East of the River Magazine June 2015

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East of the River Magazine June 2015

Summer and the city: Local Tourism Guide

In the Good Old Summertime by Kathleen Donner

neighborhood news

11 In Every Issue East of the River Calendar

The Crossword

The Classified

The Bulletin Board

Charnice A. Milton 1987-2015

The Community Remembers Charnice Milton

The District Beat

The War for Ward 8 Continues

The Numbers

Our River: The Anacostia

Marthaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Table Expanding to Ward 8

A Look into Life: Ed Potillo

by Andrew Lightman

by Jonetta Rose Barras

by Ed Lazere

by Bill Matuszeski

by Charnice A. Milton

by Christina Sturdivant

EAST WASHINGTON LIFE

E on DC

The Message and this Messenger

New Therapy Business in the Arts Center

LGBTQ Youth Make Musical Debut

Telling Our Stories, Preserving Culture

Jazz Avenues

by Ethelbert Miller

by Jacalyn Ward

by Candace Y.A. Montague

by Christina Sturdivant

by Jonetta Rose Barras

by Steve Monroe

REAL ESTATE

ON THE COVER: Skyrush at Hersheypark. Story on page 11. O n l in e Da ily, P rin te d Mon th ly

Changing Hands compiled by Don Denton

KIDS & FAMILY

Kids & Family Notebook by Kathleen Donner

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F A G O N

MIDCITY MID

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GUIDE TO CAPITOL HILL

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East of the River Magazine June 2015

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SS U M M E R

C I TYY

andthe

a local summer

tourism guide

ummer is a perfect time to renew your acquaintance with the city--the monuments at night, the Mall museums, the patriotic “high” of a military band concert at the Capitol, an afternoon ball game at Nat’s Park, July 4th fireworks, a jog through Rock Creek Park, a picnic on the river. In summer, we eat outdoors, shop the farmers markets and catch a cricket match at West Potomac Park. It’s all here. Summer is also the time to consider getting your nose pierced, a tattoo on your butt, and make a resolution to walk more (not January 1 like everyone thinks). We seem to want a new experience, a new thrill, a new love or to find a new talent. So before we all have to get serious again in the fall, here are some suggestions on how to enjoy the classics and have an adventure during the next three months. Don’t waste them! (We have supplied you with a check-off list at the end of this article. Cut it out and plaster it to your refrigerator door. It will be a daily reminder to have a great DC summer.)

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In the Good Old Summertime by Kathleen Donner

Listen to the music

A big part of a DC summer has always been the outdoor military band concerts in town and around the area. Weekday nights at 8 p.m., hear exquisite live music on the steps of the Capitol (west side). In addition, Navy Memorial “Concerts on the Avenue” are on Tuesdays, through Sept. 1, 7:30 p.m., at 701 Pennsylvania Ave. NW and the Air Force Band plays every Friday night at 8 p.m. at the Air Force Memorial in Arlington. These concerts are casual and welcoming. Feel free to bring a blanket, your leashed dog, kids and out-of-town guests. While locals are used to the sight of the sun setting over the Washington Monument, it invariably knocks visitors out. The DC Jazz Festival, June 10-16, is everywhere-The Phillips Collection, the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage, UDC, THEARC, Tudor Place Historic House, The Atlas Performing Arts Center, Bohemian Caverns, the Japan Information and Cultural Center, Hecht Warehouse, The Hamilton Live, National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden; the Francis A. Gregory Neighborhood Library, Tryst, The Yards Park, the Anacostia Arts Center, Twins Jazz, Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, We Act Radio, Sixth & I Historic Synagogue, Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital and the Dorothy L. Heights Benning Neighborhood Library. We can’t keep up so we suggest you

US Navy Band performs at the Navy Memorial

EastoftheRiverDCNews.com

consult their online schedule. Some of it’s paid and some of it’s free. dcjazzfest.org On Sunday, June 14, 7:30 p.m, there is a sing-along of the Mozart Requiem under the baton of Cathedral Choral Society music director J. Reilly Lewis at the National Cathedral. Singers of all abilities are invited to join in. This sing-along is perfect for singers and singers at heart. Bring your own score or borrow one of theirs. You’re invited to experience the joy of choral singing in a grand setting. Tickets and score rental are $10.

Set sail

French tall ship L’Hermione

Known for their learn-to-sail programs, DC Sail is DC’s only community sailing program. It offers beginning, intermediate lessons, social sailings, refresher courses and youth sailing. It’s a great way to get out on the water,

support river health and your own personal healthy life style. dcsail.org This summer, you can explore an exact replica of the ship that brought the Marquis de Lafayette to George Washington with news of full French aid in 1780, helping turn the tide of the American Revolution. French tall ship Hermione will sail 3,819 miles across the Atlantic to commemorate Lafayette’s historic voyage before docking in Alexandria. On June 10, 11 and 12, there will be free, sailor-guided tours of Hermione including historic shipbuilding demonstrations, costumed characters and a traveling exhibition that tells the story of L’Hermione, its reconstruction, and Lafayette’s role in the American Revolution. visitalexandriava.com We’ve all seen DC Ducks on the streets hauling tourists around. Did you know that these odd-looking vehicles have a celebrated past? The DUKW’s were an essential part of the World War II Allied war effort. They were used to bring supplies to the soldiers in places where the enemy assumed that because there was no seaport, there was no means to make an effective landing. Today, the DUKW’s have been restored to their original condition and guests can take a 90 minute ride and see our monuments and museums before heading to the Potomac for a river cruise. Tickets are $39; $29 for kids 0-12. There is a substantial online discount. DC Residents, and those who live within a 50 mile radius of the District, can ride for free with one full-fare adult paying guest. It’s called their Hometown Pass. dcducks.com

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Learn to dance

Dance Place, in the Brookland neighborhood, offers adult classes in African dance, Jazz, Salsa, Afro-Cuban, modern dance and hip-hop dance. You can drop-in any class, at any time, for $15 ($10 weekdays). And there’s a discount for 55+. You can also get a ClassPass at considerable savings. Dance Place is at 3225 8th St. NE. danceplace.org Glen Echo Park, Glen Echo, MD, offers a dizzying array of ballroom dancing, swing, tango, salsa, Irish, belly and blues in their famous Spanish Ballroom. They even do Contra dancing (nothing to do with Daniel Ortega). Instead think Stroll or Virginia Reel where you’re facing your partner in a long line--hence “Contra.” Whether it’s a hot Latin dance like the Salsa or a precise, structured dance like Irish stepping, the instructors are professional, all are welcome and you don’t need to drag along a partner. It’s for grown-ups so they’re generally looking for a minimum age of 17. glenechopark.org

Learn to relax

Stand Up Paddleboard Yoga (SUP Yoga) class can get you off the mat and onto the water for an outdoor yoga experience. Get all the known benefits of yoga-- greater flexibility and mental clarity, increased vitality and wellbeing--with the added bonus of practicing asana (yoga poses) in nature on the board. Holding poses on the paddle board encourages greater muscle activation through the constant isometric contractions needed to stabilize on the water. Classes are Thursdays, 6:30-8 p.m.; Saturdays, 4:30-6 p.m. and Sundays, 9:30-11 a.m., all summer long, and are held in Potomac, MD at a location called Widewater off the C&O Canal. outdooryogadc.com Drop-ins are welcome at Meditation in Capitol Hill, Mondays, 7:30-8:30 p.m. at the Hill Center. The meditations known as Lamrim are the basis for the teachings and guided meditations this season. The emphasis for this particular collection of Buddhist teachings was on practicality. By engaging in these meditations, we can deepen our insights and make our daily experiences meaningful. We can use these

A SUP Yoga Class on the C&O Canal seems to attract a lot of attention! Photo: Ted Usdin

teachings to form a consistent meditation practice which allows us to remain calm and happy throughout our life. $12 per class ($6 seniors/ students/unemployed). Read more at meditationdc.org/capitol-hill. Tai Chi Classes at Lincoln Park on Saturdays, weather permitting, 8-10 a.m. (8-9 a.m. class forms and practice and 9-10 a.m. push hands practice). The class meets at the corner of 11th and East Capitol St. SE. and all levels are welcome. Regular class is $50 a month; $300 for a half year. Regular class includes outdoor Saturday class and one intensive onehour small group class per month at the teacher’s house. Before you take the plunge, you might want to join the Tai Chi yahoo group. Visit capitolhilltaichi.com for more details.

Plan a picnic

African Dance Class at Dance Place. Photo: Enoch Chan 2014.

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We all know people who will grab a folding chair, their lunch, a good book and wander onto public space and play the country squire. It’s one of the pleasures of city living. Especially good for this sort of activity are Lincoln Park, the Capitol Grounds (west side), grass on the National Mall, Yards Park, Meridian Park, and Fort Dupont Park. For a special experience, picnic in the garden behind Heurich House Museum anytime between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays. Enter the garden from Sunderland Place, east end (Sunderland Place is one block long and behind the museum). You’ll see a sign. There’s only one table but there are lots of benches and a nice lawn. They ask that you take your trash with you. The museum itself is at 1307 New Hampshire Ave. NW. in the Dupont Circle neighborhood. Every third Thursday from 6:30 to 8:30 pm,

the Heurich House Museum partners with a local craft brewery for house tours and beer tastings. Guided tours through Heurich’s Victorian mansion will discuss his brewery and the region’s rich brewing history. Guests must be 21 or older. heurichhouse.org Any bike or auto trip north or south on GW Parkway, will offer numerous picnic opportunities. It’s just a question of being able to pull over. We like Great Falls. It’s a terrific destination especially after a rain storm. And there’s plenty of parking. Fees are $5 per non-commercial vehicle for the car and its passengers. People who walkin or bike in (not in a car) are $3. These fees are good for 3 days. nps.gov/grfa

Try a new look

Fashion Trucks on U are the latest trend in fashion merchandising. Think “food trucks” but with a mix of designer scarfs, dresses, belts, hats and shoes instead of hot dogs, kebabs and tacos. Fashion trucks have interesting names--The Strut Truck, The Board Truck, Pichardo Mobile Boutique, The G Truck and Curbside Fashion Truck to name a few. Fashion Trucks on U has taken over the space where U Street Flea used to be-across from Nellie’s Sports Bar at 912 U St. NW. They operate on Sundays, noon-5 p.m. On weekends, the vendor’s area around Eastern Market is laden with jewelers’ stalls and all manner of scarf, hat and dress peddlers. The merchandise is often exotic and interestingly designed. It’s a way to jazz up your look for not a lot of money. Most only take cash. If you don’t mind pawing through racks of clothes, you mighty try Frugalista resale shop in Mount Pleasant. People who do well there are

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Skyrush at Hersheypark

the ones who can stop in regularly and have a bit of time to browse. Frugalista is at 3069 Mount Pleasant St. NW. Also, for bargains, visit the store’s dcfrugalista. com. It’s a amazing website that offers vintage and gently used designer bags, belts, sweaters, shoes and boots for sale online.

Find an amusement park

Six Flags (the former Wild World) in Upper Marlboro is the closest of the area’s big amusement parks. There are 10 roller coasters in the park with the opening this summer of the Bourbon Street Fireball. Some of the roller coaster names are Apocalypse, BATWING Coaster and Mind Eraser--you get the point. There are also tons of rides for small kids and water rides. Prices are $59.99, general admission and $39.99 for guests under 48”. Kids 2 and under are free. sixflags.com It’s a little over two hours to Hersheypark in Hershey, PA. Hersheypark also has, in addition to roller coasters and kids rides, a large variety of water rides including a wave pool, wave rider, surge, riptide, pipeline, a boardwalk. All rides are rated by height. One thing you won’t find anymore is a tour of the chocolate factory. The factory is gone. The chocolate experience there now is just an elaborate retail store. Oneday admission prices are $61.95 and $38.95 for guests 3-8. Kids two and under are free. There are some senior discounts. Go in the direction of Baltimore, 695 toward Towson, 83 north to Harrisburg and then 322 to Hershey. hersheypark.com All of these amusement parks offer early season deals, bring-a-friend deals, family specials, after 4 p.m. specials, single day admission, multiple day admission and online ticket purchase discounts. You’ll need to go to their websites and figure it all out.

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Find a beach

The Beach is coming to the National Building Museum on July 4th. Spanning the Museum’s Great Hall, the BEACH, created in partnership with Snarkitecture, will cover 10,000 square feet and include an “ocean” of nearly one million recyclable translucent plastic balls. Monochromatic beach chairs and umbrellas will sprinkle the 50-foot wide “shoreline,” and the “ocean” will culminate in a mirrored wall that creates a seemingly infinite reflected expanse. You’re welcome to “swim” in the ocean, or spend an afternoon at the “shore’s” edge reading a good book, play beach-related games such as paddleball, grab a refreshing drink at the snack bar, or dangle your feet in the ocean off the pier. The Museum is also planning a snack concession to be operated through a partnership with Union Kitchen, a D.C.based food incubator. Purchase tickets starting June 20. The National Building Museum is at 401 F St. NW. 202-272-2448. nbm.org P Street Beach at 23rd St & P Sts. NW still gets mixed reviews in Yelp but for many it’s a great place to sun bathe, read a book and generally hang out. It’s officially part of Rock Creek Park and it really is a beach--a better one when there’s been some rain--and it’s close. If you’re interested in getting out of town, the Town of North Beach on the Chesapeake Bay is a quick trip and a fine destination. It’s about 45 minutes and a world away. For those who long for small town America, it’s all here-- movies on the beach, name-the-boat contests. There are concerts on the beach on June 13, July 11, and Aug. 8 and a Dragon Boat Festival on June 20. Before heading out, have a look at the town website at ci.northbeach.md.us and you’ll understand. Off the beltway, take Route 4 and then Route 260 to Chesapeake Beach and North Beach.

The BEACH is at the National Building Museum, July 4-through the end of summer. Image: Courtesy of the National Building Museum

Enjoy the fruits of summer

Hall’s Green Farm, 506 Crain Highway, Upper Marlboro, MD, is a close-by pick-your-own farm that is open M day-Saturday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. (closed Sundays). The farm is located on Southeast Crain Highway, also known as 301, between Queen Anne Road and Trade Zone Avenue. Crops available for picking are cabbage, green beans, beets, tomatoes, yellow squash, bell peppers, okra, corn and potatoes. Fall vegetables include turnips, collards, rape, mustard greens and pumpkins. Call in advance to see what you can pick at 301-249-7669 or just take your chances. Sales are cash only and picking is weather permitting. Find more pick-your-own farms, listed by state and then country at pickyourown.org. It’s not summer without crabs. The St. Mary’s County Crab Festival is on Saturday, June 13 in Leonardtown, MD, about one hour, 15 minutes directly south--take Pennsylvania Ave. SE over the bridge, a right on Branch Ave. and Route 5 all the way to Leonardtown. Watch for signs. When you get there, you can enjoy steamed crabs, crab soup, crab cakes--also live music, kids’ activities, an antique car show, crafts. All proceeds benefit the Leonardtown Lions Club.

Find deals for teens

Visitors 18 and younger are always free at the Phillips Collection. Teens will see paintings by Renoir and Rothko, Bonnard and O’Keeffe, van Gogh and Diebenkorn among the many impressionist and modern works that fill the museum. The blog (blog.phillipscollection.org) may give young people some idea of the gallery and the way it operates. 1600 21st St. NW, a short walk from the Dupont Circle Metro. Parking is tricky. Here’s a remarkable alternative to a movie and burg-

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Roam the fairgrounds and festivals

The Smithsonian Folklife Festival on the Mall (between 3rd and 4th Sts.) is between June 24-28 and July 1-5. Festival hours are 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m., with special events taking place most evenings beginning at 7 p.m. This year the focus is Peru. Visitors to the festival will experience Peruvian culture through cooking and craft demonstrations, music and dance performances, moderated discussions, ritual and celebratory processions. Federal Center is Guildenstern (Adam Wesley Brown, left) and Rosencrantz (Romell Witherspoon, right) try to assist their childhood friend Hamlet (Biko Eisen-Martin) the closest Metro. festival.si.edu in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead. On stage at Folger Theatre, The Prince George’s County Fair, through June 21. Photo: Teresa Wood the oldest running fair in Maryland, began in 1842 as a friendly gathering for er date. If you’re age 30 years or under you can pay your local farmers to showcase their produce and livestock age at Arena Stage! Tickets go on sale eight weeks before and have a little fun. Though it started out as mostly livethe performance date, and patrons may purchase tickets stock and field crops, eventually it came to include comby phone or in person. Pay-Your-Age tickets are limited petitions for the best jams, jellies, canned goods, pies, to four per household. Arena is easy to get to, parking breads, cookies, clothing, quilts, and handicrafts. Rides is not bad and, as a date, it’s as impressive as hell. The and carnival games of chance. The PG fair really marks 2015-2016 season has been posted. the end of summer, Sept. 10-13--the weather’s still warm Summer is the time for families to visit Newseum. and the kids are already back at school. Time to enjoy the From July 1 through Sept. 7, it’s free for kids 18 and harvest! It’s just off the beltway at Route US 301, 14900 younger with a paying adult. This summer’s blockbuster Pennsylvania Ave., Upper Marlboro, MD. countyfair.org Reporting Vietnam at Newseum is on exhibition through We’re sure the horses are terrified but the annual Sept. 12. Vietnam was America’s first televised war. This pony round-up at Chincoteague is necessary to keep the exhibit explores the dramatic stories of how journalists wild herd on the island healthy. The round-up is July 25 brought news about the war to a divided nation through and 26; the beach walk is July 27; the pony swim and powerful photos and news footage, evocative music, 90 walk to the carnival grounds is July 29; the auction is July compelling artifacts, and historic newspapers. 555 Penn30; and on July 31, the adult ponies will make the return sylvania Ave. NW. 888-639-7386. newseum.org swim to Assateague Island where they live in the wild. 2015 is 90th year of the pony round-up, swim and sell-off. The foal sellThe Prince George’s off prices range from about $1,300-$2,700. County Fair is Sept. 10-13 The beauty of this event is to see the ponies up close. The drive there is a little over three hours. chincoteague.com

Join the theater crowd

Summer presents an excellent opportunity to participate in the coming fall season as a volunteer usher, office help, production help, promotion help or any other kind of help they need. And you’d be surprised at how much work goes into the production of a play. We’re going to refer you to theatreindc.com for some idea of what’s around and listings of theater companies. Wade in and you’ll find a whole

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DC SUMMER CHECK LIST Add your own and try to do half of them. Have a wonderful summer. ___ Dine Al fresco ___ Exercise Al fresco ___ Listen to music Al fresco ___ Watch a movie Al fresco ___ Discover a talent ___ Learn to dance (anything counts) ___ Leave your comfort zone ___ Become a sports fan (any sport) ___ Visit a private art gallery ___ Re-visit the memorials at night ___ Re-visit any Mall museum you haven’t been to in over 5 years ___ Find a new favorite out-of-own spot ___ Picnic outdoors ___ Enjoy DC swimming pools ___ Help out a new theater company ___ Spend a day at Newseum

new world of production activity, arty friends and people who actually need you. A few productions are in town this summer. Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead is at the Folger through June 21. Stoppard’s feast of wordplay and wit thrusts two of Shakespeare’s most incidental characters into the limelight. Courtiers and close compatriots, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern find themselves in Elsinore with the dubious task of identifying what afflicts their childhood friend Hamlet. Folger Shakespeare Theater is at 201 E. Capitol St. SE. folger.edu Be on the look-out for the Shakespeare Theater Free-For-All later this summer. This year’s production is “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and it will be playing Sept. 1-13 at the Sidney Harman Hall, 610 F St. NW. shakespearetheatre.org For 18 days every July, the annual Capital Fringe Festival creates a city filled with non-stop theatre, dance, music, visual art, and everything in-between. Audiences enjoy nonstop, creative cultural experiences and artists develop their artistic visions in total freedom without any curatorial barriers from bringing that work to adventurous audiences. The impact is enormous as art takes over neighborhoods, animating the spaces of our city-from traditional theaters to corner bars and vacant storefronts. Art will be everywhere this July 9-26. capitalfringe. org. The Capital Fringe year-round headquarters is now at 1358 Florida Ave. NE. It is a destination for conversation, art, community and an on-site bar.

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. lōk(ə)l |

Hyperlocal connotes information oriented around a well defined community with its primary focus directed toward the concerns of its residents

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Daily online. Monthly in print.

East of the River Magazine June 2015

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offering stunning views of for standard coach seating. wmsr.com Massanutten Mountain followed by a 30-foot rappel. Participants receive Many of people reading this article can walk to Nat’s Park. individual safety and For others, it’s a short Metro or Circulator ride. (Fair warnbraking training and are ing: You will get a ticket if you park illegally near the park accompanied by two cerand that ticket will probably be $100.) Major League Basetified eco-trained guides ball games take up an entire evening or afternoon by the who handle all gear and time you get there, watch the game, and get home. But a transfers. Participants are Washington National’s home game is a communal expewell-secured at all times rience, the crowd has a lot of energy and game-day grandwhen off the ground. Alstand seating is always available. Two nights to look out for low three hours for the are July 3 and Aug. 7 when there are post game fireworks. experience. $89. BentonGo Nat’s. washington.nationals.mlb.com ville is about 85 miles diWhile there’s no tailgating at a Nat’s game, there rectly west and a little definitely is at DC United soccer games. The crowd beyond Front Royal. zipis an international mix, more emotional and fun. The thepark.com fans bring enthusiasm into RFK with chanting, giant For vicarious thrills flag waving and drum beating. There’s plenty of parkand closer to home is the ing around the stadium and, of course, Metro is right Indiana Jones and the there. dcunited.com Virginia Canopy Tours, in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Bentonville, VA, enable visitors Adventure of ArchaeoloThe Citi Open Tennis Tournament at the William to tour the park by zipline. gy Exhibition at NationH.G. Fitzgerald Tennis Center in Rock Creek Park, Aug, al Geographic Museum 1-9, will feature some of the best men tennis players in through Jan. 3, 2016. An original audio greeting recordthe world. Single session tickets are on sale now. Visit DC’s outdoor pools, indoor aquatic centers and spray ed by Harrison Ford invites you to embark on a quest citiopentennis.com. You may also want to subscribe to parks are free for DC residents (have photo ID), spread to uncover the true origins of archaeological mysteries their online newsletter for updates. throughout the city, and an easy pop-in for a quick dip, featuring an exclusive collection of original Indy props, They’re looking for about 500 volunteers. You can a lane work-out or just the same experience you had as models, concept art and costumes from all the films. The pick the job you want to do such as usher, tournament a child running through a sprinkler. Every outdoor pool National Geographic Museum is at 1145 17th St. NW. office work, airport greeter, ball person, will call, check is open six days a week from June 20 through the Labor 202-857-7588. ationalgeographic.com in, etc. Visit citiopentennis.com and click VOLUNDay weekend with the exception of the Ft. Dupont pool Cumberland is just over two hours away in westTEERS. ◆ which is closed for the season. The indoor aquatic centers ern Maryland. The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad are all open but may have their mid-day hours changed makes the trip to accommodate camp groups. Otherwise just enjoy the worthwhile. The splash and play of one of DC’s great assets. dpr.dc.gov round trip excurTwo nights to look out for are July 3 and Aug. 7 when Great Waves at Cameron Run is one of the area’s sion, originating there are post game fireworks. Go Nat’s. Photo: Courtesy of the Washington Nationals best waterparks. Located just off the beltway at 4001 Eisenfrom downtown hower Ave., Alexandria, Great Waves features 20 acres of Cumberland, is a pools and waterslides. It’s open from Memorial Day weekmix of mountain end through Labor Day, and is considered one of the prescenery and transmier waterparks in Northern Virginia. There are also lap portation history. lanes, a bathhouse, snack bar and raft rental. Nearby are It’s an entertainminiature golf, batting cages, picnic shelters and a lake. ing and educaEntrance fees range from $3.95 to $15 depending on the tional experience day, holiday or not, height of the individual, age of the for riders of all individual and time you enter. greatwaveswaterpark.com ages and interests with interpretive history and lively Main Street DisExplore Shenandoah Valley hardwood forests in a thrilltricts at both ends ing new way--zipping through treetops with Virginia of the trip. PricCanopy Tours. The tour offers a fresh adventure coveres are $35, adults; ing the environment, culture, history and wildlife. The $18, 12 and under grand finale is an exhilarating 1,000-plus foot-long zip

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Cool off in a pool

Seek an adventure

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DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA HOUSING AUTHORITYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S

5TH ANNUAL BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT & LIFE SKILLS EVENT

June 26 and 27, 2015 Trinity Washington University, 125 Michigan Ave. NE, Washington, DC 20017 From 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on both days Players must be ages 8 to 16. For more information call DCHA at (202) 535-1000 and ask for Noelee Wishart or Stephanie Alger

Online registration is available for eligible families at www.dchousing.org/basketball East of the River Magazine June 2015

SafeWay barbeQue battle June 27, 11 AM-9 PM; and June 28, 11 AM-7:30 PM. Pennsylvania Ave. NW, between 9th and 14th. $12 a day, $20 for two day pass. bbqindc.com Courtesy of Safeway Barbecue Battle

An American Celebration at Mount Vernon. July 4, 8 AM-5 PM. Mount Vernon salutes the first commander in chief with a dazzling display of made-for-daytime fireworks. Visitors will be treated to spectacular smoke fireworks in patriotic colors fired over the Potomac River. The event also includes an inspirational naturalization ceremony for 100 new citizens, military reenactments, a special wreathlaying ceremony, free birthday cake for all (while supplies last), and a visit from the “first” first couple, “General and Mrs. Washington.” An American Celebration at Mount Vernon is included in admission. 703-780-2000. mountvernon.org July 4th Fireworks and National Symphony Orchestra Concert. July 4, 8 PM. US Capitol west lawn. Fireworks at about 9:15 PM. No one will be allowed on the Capitol west lawn until 3 PM. Come early with a picnic and a blanket to the grounds of the Capitol for the National Symphony Orchestra Annual Independence Day Concert. The fireworks can be seen from all over the mall, from many rooftops and from across the river. There will be security checkpoints and alcohol may be confiscated. The fireworks and concert go on except in the case of extremely bad weather. The best source for up-to-the-minute information is local TV and radio stations. Free. nso.org Annual Independence Day Organ Recital at the National Cathedral. July 4, 11 AM. Free. 2025378980. nationalcathedral.org

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Air Force Memorial Independence Day Celebration. July 4, 8 PM (fireworks over Washington Monument follow). Air Force Memorial at One Air Force Memorial Drive in Arlington, VA. (14th St. Bridge into Virginia, merge onto Washington Blvd. and then Columbia Pike in the direction of the Navy Annex. Then follow signs and crowds.) Contemporary and patriotic tunes and spectacular views of the nighttime Washington, DC skyline. Free. airforcememorial.org

SPECIAL EVENTS Celebration of Pride in the Nation’s Capital. Through June 24. Pride Parade is on June 13, 4:30-7:30 PM, in the Dupont and Logan Circle neighborhoods. Pride Festival is on June 14, noon-7 PM on Pennsylvania Ave. NW, between 3rd and 7th. capitalpride.org Scholarfest at Library of Congress. June 11, 9 AM-4:30 PM. Seventy top scholars participate in rapid-fire dialogues, panels and scholarly conversations on a series of thought-provoking topics beginning at the Thomas Jefferson Building. For a complete schedule, visit loc.gov/ loc/kluge/news/scholarfest-2015.html. loc.gov Truckeroo Food Trucks. Fridays, June 12, July 10, Aug. 21 and Sept. 11, 11 AM-11 PM. Eating events at the corner of Half St. and M St. SE, near Nat’s Park. Truckeroodc.com Smithsonian Folklife Festival. June 24-28 and July 1-5. Festival hours are 11 AM-5:30 PM, with special

events taking place most evenings beginning at 7 PM. Theme this year is PERÚ Pachamama. On the National Mall between 3rd and 4th, just north of the National Museum of the American Indian. festival.si.edu Art Walk in the Park at Glen Echo. July 3, Aug. 7, and Sept, 4, 6-8 PM. Glen Echo invites the public to visit all the Park’s resident visual arts studios in one evening in order to learn about their programs, meet resident artists and instructors, view artists at work in their studios, purchase unique artwork and gifts, and enjoy the beauty of the park. Glen Echo Park, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo, MD. 301634-2222. glenechopark.org

OUTDOOR SUMMER MUSIC AND MOVIES

July 4th National Symphony Orchestra Concert Full Dress Rehearsal. July 3, 7:30 PM. US Capitol west lawn. There will be a much smaller crowd at the concert rehearsal. Attendees will be allowed on the Capitol grounds starting at 3 PM. They will go through security and alcohol may be confiscated. Free. nso.org

National Archives Celebrates the Fourth of July. July 4. Band performance, 8:30–9:45 AM; Ceremony, 10-11 AM; Family activities, 11 AM-4 PM. The celebration will include patriotic music, a dramatic reading of the Declaration by historical reenactors, and exciting free family activities and entertainment for all ages. Free. Constitution Ave. and 7th St. NW. 202357-5400. archives.gov

JUN

calendar

INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATIONS

Navy Memorial Concerts on the Avenue. Tuesdays, through Sept. 1, 7:30 PM. 701 Pennsylvania Ave. NE. navyband.navy.mil Air Force Band Concerts at the Air Force Memorial. Fridays in summer, 8 PM. Air Force Memorial at One Air Force Memorial Drive in Arlington, VA. (14th St. Bridge into Virginia, merge onto Washington Blvd. and then Columbia Pike in the direction of the Navy Annex. Then follow signs.) Expect a pleasing mix of contemporary and patriotic tunes and spectacular views of the nighttime Washington, DC skyline. airforcememorial.org

Military Band Concerts at the Capitol. Weeknights throughout summer, 8 PM. West side of the Capitol. There’s plenty of parking near the Botanic Garden.

Golden Cinema in Farragut Park. June 5, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy; June 12, The Social Network; June 19 Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade;

June 26, Hook; July 10, Nine to Five; July 17, Miss Congeniality; July 24, Italian Job; July 31, The Wedding Planner. 7:30 PM at Farragut Park Connecticut Ave. and K St. NW. goldentriangledc.com Union Market Drive-In Movies. Fridays in June, 8 PM. Gates open at 6 PM, close at 7:45 PM. Free. Cars are $10. Union Market Parking Lot, 13905 5th St. NE. Get car tickets at unionmarketdc.com. American Root Music Concert Series at the Botanic Garden. June 11 and 25, July 9 and 23; 5-7 PM. June 11, Clarence “The Blues Man” Turner, Blues; June 25, Zydeco Crayz, Louisiana Roots Music; July 9, Big Daddy Love, Appalachian Rock; July 23, Moonshine Society, American Blues. Concerts are outside but go inside in bad weather. usbg.gov The Fat and Greasy Citizens Brigade Presents A Midsummer Night’s Dream. June 11, 12, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, and 27, 8 PM (doors open at 7 PM) at Grace Episcopal Church in Georgetown, 1041 Wisconsin Ave. NW. Audience members will be able to lay out blankets, pack a picnic and enjoy a free performance out under the stars. In case of inclement weather, the show will be performed indoors. fgcitizens.org

Military Band Concerts at National Harbor. June 13 and 20; July 11 and 25; Aug. 1, 8, 15 and 22; Sept. 12; 7:00-8:00 PM. nationalharbor.com

JUN

Hot 5 @ Hill Center: (outdoor) Jazz on a Summer’s Eve. June 14, Fred Foss; July 19, Rochelle Rice; Aug. 16, Sine Qua Non; Sept. 20, Nasar Abadey; 5 PM. Free concerts on the Hill Center grounds. Performances are preceeded by a short Q&A with the artists. Sponsored by Stella Artois. Hill Center, 921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. hillcenterdc.org Glen Echo Park Free Summer Concerts. 7:30 PM. June 18, Clarence “The Blues Man” Turner; June 25, David Sager’s Pie in the Sky Jazz Band; July 2, Flutes on the Brink; July 9, QuinTango; July 16, Lilt; July 23, Only Lonesome; July 31, Seth Kibel Quartet; Aug. 6, Trio Caliente, Aug. 13, Terraplane; Aug. 20, Quiles & Cloud; and Aug. 27, US Air Force Strings. Bumper Car Pavilion at Glen Echo Park, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo, MD. glenechopark.org NoMa Summer Screen. Wednesdays, through Aug. 19. Free outdoor film series featuring music, giveaways, food trucks, picnicking and great movies. NoMa Summer Screen at Storey Park Lot, 1005 First St. NE, which will be temporarily transformed for 2015 into a mural-filled urban park. Here’s the remaining lineup: June 3-Center Stage; June 10-Bride & Prejudice; June

East of the River Magazine June 2015

CALENDAR Drum Corps and the US Army Drill Team will perform an hourlong sunset military Pageant. Over 100 Old Guard soldiers dressed in period uniforms will provide a glimpse of Army history from colonial times to the soldier of the future. The Twilight Tattoo will be performed on Summerall Field from through June, and on Whipple Field, July through August. twilight.mdw.army.mil Marine Barracks Row Evening Parades. Fridays through Aug. 28, 8:45-10 PM. Performance features music and precision marching, the Evening Parade features “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band, “The Commandant’s Own” The United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps, the Marine Corps Color Guard, the Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon, Ceremonial Marchers, and LCpl. Chesty XIII, the official mascot of Marine Barracks Washington. Reservations suggested. barracks.marines.mil

“What to the Slave is the 4th of July?” July 4, 11 AM-noon. On July 5, 1852 Frederick Douglass climbed onto a stage in Rochester, NY and into the history books. His audience that day came to hear just another 4th of July speech. What they got was as brilliant indictment of slavery and of those who would not lift a hand to attack “the accursed system” as the country had ever seen. On July 4th hear the speech ring out from the steps of Frederick Douglass’s own home in Washington, DC. Frederick Douglass National Historic Site, 1411 W St. SE, (corner of 15th and W). nps.gov/frdo Frederick Douglass. Photo: Courtesy of Frederick Douglass National Historic Site

17-Flashdance; June 24-Strictly Ballroom; July 1-Grease; July 8-Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo; July 15-Singing in the Rain; July 22-Save the Last Dance-July 29-Moulin Rouge; Aug. 5-Stomp the Yard; and Aug. 12-Footloose. Movies start at dark and are screened with subtitles. Coolers, children and friendly (leashed) dogs are welcome. They encourage moviegoers to bring chairs, blankets, Frisbees, and picnic coolers to connect with friends and neighbors starting at 7 PM. nomabid.org Jazz in the Garden Concerts at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden. Fridays through Aug. 28, 5-8:30 PM. June 5, Robert Jospé featuring Butch Taylor (drums and keyboards); June 12, DC Jazz Festival presents George V. Johnson, Jr. (jazz vocals); June 19, Deanna Bogart (“bluesion,” blues fusion); June 26, Marty Nau (saxophone); July 3, Speakers of the House (old school funk, boogaloo, and rock); July 10, Hendrik Meurkens (vibes and harmonica); July 17, Lao Tizer (keyboards); July 24, Sin Miedo (salsa); July 31, Incendio (acoustic guitar); Aug. 7, Miles Stiebel (jazz violin); Aug. 14, Origem (Brazilian jazz); Aug. 21, Seth Kibel (clarinet); Aug. 28, Afro Bop Alliance (Latin jazz). Concerts may be cancelled due to excessive heat or inclement weather. For up-to-date information, visit nga.gov/ jazz or call 202-289-3360. Marine Barracks Sunset Parades at Iwo Jima Memorial. Tuesdays, through Aug. 11, 7-8 PM (Aug. 4 and 11 begin 30 minutes earlier). Lawn seating. Bring blankets and chairs. No public parking available at the Memorial grounds on Parade evenings. Guests may park at the Arlington National Cemetery Visitors’ Center for a small fee. Marine Barracks provides a free shuttle bus service from the visitors center to and from the memorial grounds. barracks.marines.mil 2015 Twilight Tattoo at Fort Myer. Wednesdays (except July 1), through Aug. 19 , 7 PM with preceremony pageantry starting at 6:45 PM. Members of the 3rd US Infantry (The Old Guard), the US Army Band “Pershings Own,” Fife and

EastoftheRiverDCNews.com

Yard’s Park Friday Night Concert Series. Fridays, through Sept 11, 6:30-8:30 PM. Come to Yards Park to relax and enjoy the river view, fantastic bands, food and beverage, and a large variety of great restaurants within a 5-minute walk from the park. Family-friendly lyrics and grassy open space make this an enjoyable event for adults and kids alike. The Yards Park, 355 Water St. SE. yardspark.org

AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD Rush Baker at Honfleur Gallery. Through June 26. Honfleur Gallery, 1241 Good Hope Rd. SE. 202-3658392. honfleurgallery.com 3 Millimeters Greg Kahn Exhibition at Vivid Solutions Gallery. Through June 26. Vivid Solutions Gallery is at 1231 Good Hope Rd. SE. 202-365-8392. vividsolutionsgallery.com How the Civil War Changed Washington Exhibition. Through Nov. 15. This exhibition examines the social and spatial impact of the Civil War on Washington, DC and the resulting dramatic changes in social mores, and in the size and ethnic composition of the city’s population. Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Pl. SE. 202-633-4820. anacostia.si.edu Hand of Freedom: The Life and Legacy of the Plummer Family. Through Dec. 27. This exhibit looks at the life and legacy of the Plummer family in Prince Georges County, MD in the 19th century. Adam Francis Plummer (1819 - December 13, 1905), enslaved on George Calvert’s Riversdale plantation, began to keep a diary in 1841 and maintained it for over sixty years. Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Pl. SE. 202-633-4820. anacostia.si.edu Bridging the Americas: Community and Belonging from Panama to Washington, DC. Open indefinitely. Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Pl. SE. 202-633-4820. anacostia.si.edu Movies at Anacostia Community Museum. June 9, 11 AM-1 PM, Whoopi Goldberg Presents Moms Mabley (2014; 72 min) close captioned; June 14, 2-4 PM, Let the Church Say Amen (2002; 87 min) close captiooned; June 17, 11 AM-1 PM, Alice Walker, Beauty in Truth (2013; 87 min) close captioned; June 27, 2-4 PM, Looking for Langston (1989; 60 min). Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Pl. SE. anacostia.si.edu

Occupied Territories at Anacostia Playhouse. June 10-July 5. Highly physical, Occupied Territories tears away easy boundaries to question how bodies, minds, and souls are vast territories altered by the relentless history of War. Anacostia Playhouse, 2020 Shannon Pl. SE. Tickets may be purchased at anacostiaplayhouse.com. Lonnie Bee LIVE at THEARC. June 12, 7-8:30 PM. A night of laughter, motivation, and love. $40. THEARC, 1901 Mississippi Ave. SE. 202-889-5901. thearcdc.org EAST RIVER JAZZFest. EAST RIVER JAZZFest in partnership with the DC Jazz Festival, will present Strayhorn-Inspired, a series of mixed genre (Swing, Be-Bop, Afro-Cuban/Latin, Caribbean, Hip-Hop, Straight-Ahead & Blues) interpretations of composer William Thomas “Billy” Strayhorn’s music. Here’s the schedule. June 12, 1-3:30 PM, Strayhorn for Seniors at Francis A. Gregory Neighborhood Library; June 13, 10 AM-1 PM, Strayhorn Jazz Brunch at Anacostia Art Center; June 13, 2-4 PM, Strayhorn from a Hip-Hop Perspective at Francis A. Gregory Neighborhood Library; June 13, 8-11 PM, Blues-StrayhornBlues at UnionTown Bar and Grill; June 14, 10-11 AM, Sunday Morning Strayhorn Duet at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens; June 14, 1-3:30 PM, Strayhorn, Caribbean Interpretations at Honfleur Gallery; June 14, 1-6 PM, Strayhorn Historical Collage Pop-Up on We Act Radio and 4-7: PM, Strayhorn Inspired Afro-Cuban Jazz on We Act Radio; June 16, 1-1:30 PM, Strayhorn for Seniors at Dorothy I. Height Benning Neighborhood Library. eastriverjazz.net Reflections on a Legacy with Reverend Jerome Fowler. June 13, 2-4 PM. Fowler is a descendant of the Plummer family, and was a key contributor to the museum’s current exhibition Hand of Freedom: The Life and Legacy of the Plummer Family. Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Pl. SE. 202-6334820. anacostia.si.edu DC Black Theatre Festival presents: Letters From Zora: In Her Own Words. June 19 and 20, 8 PM. Letters From Zora: In Her Own Words is a one-woman show that delves into noted author Zora Neale Hurston’s controversial views on segregation, integration and social justice. $28.50. THEARC, 1901 Mississippi Ave. SE. 202-889-5901. thearcdc.org

SPORTS AND FITNESS Washington Nationals Baseball. June 6, 7, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24, 25 and July 3, 4, and 5. washington. nationals.mlb.com Washington Mystics Basketball. June 6, 12, 19, 23 and 28. Verizon Center. nba.com/mystics DC United. June 21, 5 PM vs. New England. RFK Stadium. dcunited.com East of the River Outdoor Public Pools. Anacostia Pool--1800 Anacostia Dr. SE. 202-724-1441; Barry Farms Pool--1230 Sumner Rd. SE 202-645-5040; Benning Park Pool--Southern Ave. and Fable St. SE. 202645-5044; Douglass Pool--Frederick Douglass Ct. and Stanton Ter. SE. 202-645-5045; Fort Stanton Pool--1800 Erie St. SE. 202-678-1798; Kelly Miller Pool--4900 Brooks St. NE. 202-724-5056; Oxon Run Pool--Fourth St. and Mississippi Ave. SE. 202-645-

C h a r n i C e M i lt o n 1987 to 2015

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East of the River Magazine June 2015

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Free public tennis courts in Wards 7 and 8. Fort Davis Community Center, 1400 41st St. SE; Hillcrest Recreation Center, 3100 Denver St. SE; KenilworthParkside 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. 2026710314. dpr.dc.gov Barry Farm (indoor) pool. Open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 6:30 AM-8 PM; and Saturdays and Sundays from 9 AM-5 PM. Free for DC residents. 1230 Sumner Rd. SE. 202-730-0572. dpr.dc.gov Deanwood (indoor) Pool. Mon-Fri 6:30 AM-8 PM; Sat-Sun, 9 AM-5 PM. Free for DC residents. 1350 49th St. NE. 202-671-3078. dpr.dc.gov Ferebee Hope (indoor) Pool. Open weekdays, 10 AM-6 PM. Closed weekends. Free for DC residents. 3999 8th St. SE. 202-6453916. dpr.dc.gov

MARKETS Market SW “night market”. June 26, July 24, Aug. 28, Sept. 25 and Oct. 23, 4-9 PM. Bills itself as “an evening of arts, food, flea & fun, live music.” Market is at 4th and M Sts. SW. marketswdc.com Eastern Market. Daily except Mondays and important holidays. Weekdays, 7 AM-7 PM; Saturdays, 7 AM-5 PM; Sundays, 9 AM-5 PM. Flea market and arts and crafts market open Saturdays and Sundays, 9 AM-6 PM. Eastern Market is Washington’s last continually operated “old world” market. 200 block of 7th St. SE. 202-698-5253. easternmarketdc.com H Street NE Farmers Market. Saturdays, through Dec. 19, 9 AM-noon. Located at H St. and 13th St. NE. EBT/Food Stamps can be redeemed at the information table. All EBT customers and WIC/Senior coupon customers will receive “Double Dollar” coupons to match their EBT dollars or WIC/ Senior coupons redeemed up to $10. freshfarmmarket.org Dupont Circle Farmers Market. Sundays (rain or shine), year round, 10 AM-1 PM. 20th St. and Mass. Ave. NW, 1500 block of 20th St. NW (between Mass. Ave. and Q St.

in the adjacent parking lot of PNC Bank). 202-362-8889. freshfarmmarket.org Branch Avenue Pawn Parking Lot Flea Market. Saturdays, year-round (weather permitting). Set up after 10 AM. 3128 Branch Ave., Temple Hills, MD Union Market. Tuesday-Friday, 11 AM-8 PM; Saturday-Sunday, 8 AM-8 PM. Union Market is an artisanal, curated, year round food market featuring over 40 local vendors. 1309 5th St. NE. 301-652-7400. unionmarketdc.com Georgetown Flea Market. Sundays year around (except in the case of very inclement weather), 8 AM-4 PM. 1819 35th St. NW. georgetownfleamarket.com Maine Avenue Fish Market. Open 365 days a year. 7 AM-9 PM. 1100 Maine Ave. SW. 202-484-2722. Fashion Trucks on U. Sundays, noon-5 PM. Fashion Trucks oﬀer a mix of crafts, clothes, accessories and jewelry at the former home of the Sunday U St Flea in the parking lot, next to Nellie’s Sports Bar at 912 U St. NW. ustreetflea.com

CIVIC LIFE National Archives Hosts Conference on Declaration of Independence. June 23, 9:15 AM-4:15 PM. National Archives will host a free conference on the Declaration of Independence titled “Punctuating Happiness,” in the William G. McGowan Theater of the National Archives. The conference is free and open to the public, and advance registration is required at phdc2015.eventbrite.com. archives.gov DC Statehood and Representative Democracy Discussion. June 25, 7 PM. A distinguished panel of experts will discuss the current state of the representative democracy, focusing on the unique status of the District of Columbia along with other voting rights issues. Moderated by Lenny Steinhorn, of American University, panelists include former DC Mayor Anthony Williams; former Member of Congress Jim Walsh (R-NY) ; and others. National Archives, 700 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. archives.gov Councilmember Alexander’s Constituent Services Oﬃce. Open weekdays, 10 AM-6 PM. 2524 Penn. Ave. SE. 202-581-1560. Congresswoman Norton’s SE District Ofﬁce. Open weekdays, 9 AM-6 PM. 2041 MLK Ave. SE, #238. 202-678-8900. norton. house.gov Eastland Gardens Civic Association Meeting. Third Tuesday, 6:30-8 PM at Kenilworth Elementary School Auditorium, 1300 44th St. NE. Contact Javier Barker, j58barker@yahoo.com or 202-450-3155.

Anacostia Coordinating Council Meeting. Last Tuesday, noon-2 PM. Anacostia Museum, 1901 Fort St. SE. For further details, contact Philip Pannell, 202-889-4900. Capitol View Civic Association Meeting. Third Monday, 6:30 PM. Hughes Memorial United Methodist, 25 53rd St. NE. capitolviewcivicassoc.org Historical Anacostia Block Association. Second Thursday, 7-9 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 PM. Anacostia High School, 16th and R sts. SE. Fairlawn Citizens Association. Third Tuesday, 7 PM. Ora L. Glover Community Room at the Anacostia Public Library, 1800 Good Hope Rd. SE.

ANC MONTHLY MEETINGS ANC 7B. Third Thursday, 7 PM. Ryland Epworth United Methodist Church, 3200 S St. SE (Branch Ave and S St. SE). 202-584-3400. anc7b@pressroom.com. anc7b@earthlink.net ANC 7C. Second Thursday, 7 PM. Sargent Memorial Presbyterian Church, 5109 Nannie Helen Burroughs Ave. NE. 202-398-5100. anc7c@verizon.net ANC 7D. Second Tuesday, 6:30 PM. Sixth District Police Station, 100 42nd St. NE. 202-398-5258. 7D06@anc.dc.gov

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East of the River Magazine June 2015

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animal health fairS in WarDS 7 anD 8 The Ward 7 Animal Health Fair is on Saturday June 13, 9-11:30 a.m. at Triangle Park Croffut Pl. SE. The Ward 8 Animal Health Fair is on Saturday June 13, 1:30-4 p.m. at Bald Eagle Recreation Center, 100 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SW. Dogs must be secured on a leash and cats must be secured in a carrier box. All pets must be brought to the clinic by a responsible adult. Dogs over the age of four months old are required by law to be vaccinated against rabies and distemper. Cats are required to be vaccinated against rabies only. The law requires that all dogs are registered and wear their tags on their collars. Dog license is $15 for a spayed or neutered dog and $50 for an unspayed or unneutered dog. Internet access may be available at the event for those who have not registered for the license ahead of time. If available, bring previous vaccination history. There is a maximum of 4 pets per owner. For more information, contact the DC Department of Health Animal Services Program at 202-535-2323. Owners and pets are welcome at the annual DC Animal Health Fairs. Photo: Courtesy of the DC Department of Health Animal Services Program

arCaDia mobile marKetS in WarDS 7 anD 8 Arcadia’s Mobile Markets are farm-stands-on-wheels that distribute local, sustainably produced food to underserved communities. Their mission is to improve access to healthy, affordable food regardless of location or income. The Markets does this by operating regularly scheduled stops in lowincome, food-insecure communities; offering high quality, locally grown, sustainably produced farm products at affordable prices; accepting all forms of payment, including food assistance benefits; doubling the purchasing power of food assistance benefits through a “Bonus Bucks” program; and providing educational resources for how to prepare the market’s offerings in nutritious, cost-effective, delicious, and easy ways. arcadiafood.org In Ward 7, Washington Seniors Wellness Center, 3001 Alabama Ave. SE, on Thursdays, 11 a.m.-1.p.m.; Smothers Elementary, 4400 Brooks St. NE, on Fridays, 2-5 p.m.; Riv-

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erside Healthy Living Center, 601 Division Ave. NE, on Mondays, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.; Deanwood Recreation Center, 4800 Minnesota Ave. NE, on Fridays, 10 a.m.-noon. In Ward 8, Hendley Elementary, 425 Chesapeake St. SE, on Thursdays, 3-6 p.m.; Children’s WIC Clinic at THEARC, 1901 Mississippi Ave. SE, on Wednesdays, noon-2 p.m.; Barry Farm Recreation Center, 1230 Sumner Rd. SE, on Fridays, 2-5 p.m.

volunteer anD Community Day of Celebration at KenilWorth ParK On Saturday, June 27, join other neighbours for the Kenilworth Park annual day of volunteer and community service and celebration event. Work will be from 9 a.m.-noon, followed by a familyfriendly celebration from noon-2 p.m. including food (for volunteers only), music, park tours, scavenger hunts and face painting. RSVP recommended for volunteering only at tina@friendsofkenilworthgardens. org. SSL credits can be earned. Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens is at 1550 Anacostia Ave. NE. friendsofkenilworthgardens.org

Call to artiStS: reQueSt for QualifiCationS for urban farm environmental PubliC art ProJeCt in WarD 7 The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (DCCAH) in partnership with the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) and the Urban Waters Federal Partnership (UWFP) is seeking qualifications from artists or artist teams for a public art project that will result in an environmentally-focused sculpture in a new urban farm to be created in the Washington, DC neighborhood of Capitol View in Ward 7.

Home Improvement Store • Energy & Water • Interior Design • Landscape Design

Because Your Family Deserves a Stunning and Healthy Home 4080A Howard Ave. Kensington, Maryland

(Off Connecticut Ave.)

www.amicusgreen.com | info@amicusgreen.com | 301.571.8590 East of the River Magazine June 2015

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Up to five artists/artist teams will be selected for a short-list phase. Semifinalists will receive a $1,000 to $2,000 stipend to be used for design proposal and travel. The total project budget for the public art is $120,000. The winning artist/team will collaborate with DCCAH, UDC, UWFP and a project team comprised of District of Columbia Building Industry Association (DCBIA) members who will provide site design and build out. Submission deadline is June 10, 2015, 5 p.m. EST. This RFQ is open to all professional artists/artist teams over the age of 18 located in the United States. Applicants with previous work experience in creating environmentally focused public art are preferable. To obtain a copy of the prospectus and application, visit dcarts.dc.gov. For questions, contact Elizabeth Carriger, Public Art Coordinator, elizabeth. carriger@dc.gov, 202-724-5613 or Tonya Jordan, Public Art Manager, tonya.jordan@dc.gov, 202-724-5613.

artiSt StuDio tour to DC On Saturday, June 13, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., catch the Anacostia Community Museum shuttle for this popular monthly program and visit community artists in their homes and studios. Artists visited will be Cheryl Hurd (quilter, fiber artist), and Anne Marie Bouie (mixed media). Included in this trip is a visit to the National Arboretum’s Chinese Pavillion. A $10 non-refundable pre-registration transportation fee is required to attend this program. Register and pay online at anacostia.si.edu.

KenilWorth ParK Water lily & lotuS Cultural feStival volunteerS Sought Volunteers are sought to work at the annual Kenilworth Park Water Lily & Lotus Cultural Festival on Saturday, July 11, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Those interested should contact contact Tina O’Connell at tina@friendsofkenilworthgardens.org.

helP reStore ShePherD ParKWay Volunteer from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturdays, June 13 and July 18. Shepherd Parkway’s 205 acres are home to two Civil War forts, two bald eagle nests, and some of the oldest forests in DC. Help the community remove trash and invasive species from this important but neglected natural area in Ward 8. Meet at the picnic tables near the corner of Martin Luther King and Malcolm X Aves. SE. Gloves, bags, and light refreshments will be provided. Wear boots and clothes that can get dirty. For more information, contact Nathan Harrington at nbharrington@yahoo.com or 301758-5892. Visit shepherdparkway.blogspot.com

martha’S table announCeS SeConD loCation in WarD 8 Martha’s Table has announced plans for a new center east of the Anacostia River in Ward 8. The center is set to open by 2018. The project will be funded through a $20 million campaign, and builds upon the organization’s existing roots in Anacostia. The new Martha’s Table center, to be located in the Hillsdale neighborhood, will include a full range of child, youth and family-focused programming, housed alongside an additional 10,000-square foot companion building to be used by Community of Hope and other nonprofits to ensure other critical family programming. The expansion to Ward 8 has been building since 2011, when Martha’s Table began the rollout of its free pop-up healthy grocery markets in elementary schools of Wards 7 and 8, followed by a second Martha’s Outfitters household goods and clothing shop in Ward 8. To learn more, visit MarthasTable.com.

PaDDle nightS on the anaCoStia Thursdays, through Sept. 24, 5-7:30 p.m., discover the Anacostia by joining the Anacostia Watershed Society in the free Paddle Nights on the Anacostia Program. AWS provides the canoes, life jackets, paddles and safety lesson: everything needed to have a great paddling experience. The events are

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Photo: Frank Murphy Photography

Actor, activist and philanthropist Danny Glover will be awarded the John R. Kinard Leadership in Community Service Award at the June 12th Summer Soirée benefit for the Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum. The affair promises to be a fun 70’s and 80’s throwback party with themed food, trivia, music, dancing and a silent auction. Era-attire encouraged. For details, email ACMinfo@si.edu or call 202-633-4875.

first-come first-served, so come early for a better chance of getting out on the water. Paddle Nights leave from different locations--June 11, July 30, Aug. 27 and Sept. 10, Paddle Nights leave from Kenilworth Park, 4000 Deane St. SE. June 25, July 16, Aug. 13, Sept. 3 and 24, Paddle Nights leave from Ballpark Boathouse, Diamond Teague Park, First and Potomac Ave. SE. June 18, July 9, Aug. 6 and Sept. 17, Paddle Nights leave from Bladensburg Waterfront Park, 4601 Annapolis Rd., Bladensburg, MD. July 2 and 23 and Aug. 20, Paddle Nights leave from the Anacostia Community Boathouse, 1900 M St. SE. Please regis-

ter for this event at anacostiaws.org. Registration does not guarantee a canoe, but does guarantee a warning if the event is cancelled.

DhCD iSSueS SoliCitation for offerS for halley terraCe in WarD 8 The DC Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), through its Property Acquisition and Disposition Division (PADD), has released a Solicitation for Offer (SFO) for the development of three District-

owned properties in Ward 8 on Halley Terrace, SE. This solicitation is in support of “March Madness,” an event launched by Mayor Muriel Bowser last month in an effort to create greater economic development in the District, produce more affordable housing and provide residents more pathways to the middle class. Through the SFO process, DHCD is seeking public offers to build development projects that promote vibrant, diverse and inclusive neighborhoods. The Halley Terrace properties include two semi-detached two story brick four unit apartment buildings with basements and one semidetached two story brick five unit condo building; all buildings have a large area in the rear that could accommodate parking. The goal is to transform the development sites into multi-family. When completed, Halley Terrace, a 10,000 square foot housing development, is anticipated to produce 13 total units and will include a 20-percent affordable housing commitment. The deadline for submitting proposal applications is 4 p.m. EST on Thursday, Aug. 27. This SFO can be found at dhcd.dc.gov.

Fort Dupont Ice Arena Re-opens Fort Dupont Ice Arena is scheduled to re-open for summer on July 11.

Climate Photography Contest Climate change already affects the District: more extreme storms, hotter summers, increased flooding. But people across the District are making changes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prepare the community for a changing climate (like installing rain barrels or rain gardens to reduce flooding, planting trees to cool city, biking or walking to reduce carbon emissions). To better illustrate the problems and solutions related to climate change, Sustainable DC is sponsoring a climate photography contest. To be eligible for one of four prizes, submit up to five photographs that describe climate change in DC—either as a result or a solution. Include a caption explaining how the image connects to the broader theme of climate change in the District. Submit by July 9. Four prizes will be awarded. Get details at sustainabledc.org.

Fire Hydrants are for Firefighting The District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department and DC Water urge residents to beat the heat without tampering with fire hydrants. Unauthorized hydrant use can hamper firefighting, damage the water system and cause injury. It can also flood streets, creating traffic dangers. And it can lower the water pressure for everyone on the block.

Residents and visitors in the District can keep cool by staying in shade or air conditioning and drinking plenty of water. When the temperature or heat index reaches 95, residents are encouraged to take extra precautions against the heat. If they do not live in an air-conditioned building, they may take refuge at a District swimming pool, cooling center, recreation facility, senior center or other air-conditioned building. More information, and locations, can be found at dc.gov or by calling 311.

Free Commercial Leasing Webinar for Small Business The DC Bar Pro Bono Program, in partnership with the DC Women’s Business Center and the law firm of Venable, is sponsoring a free webinar for small businesses on June 10, noon-1 p.m. For many small businesses, an office lease represents one of its largest financial commitments. With so much at stake, it is imperative for businesses to have an in-depth understanding of the main business terms of a lease, as well as of the special lease issues faced by small businesses. In this webinar, they will examine essential lease considerations for small business tenants, including: How operating expense escalation clauses work; Strategies that will allow a small business tenant flexibility when its space needs change, such as subletting, assignment and full or partial termination options, and why standard lease assignment clauses may not address the needs of the business; “Green” buildings, and whether a tenant can require a landlord to maintain a “green” building during the lease term; and Tips for the negotiation of a comprehensive and favorable lease term sheet. To register, visit attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/291683209314338050. For any questions, contact Lauren Paley at lpaley@dcbar.org.

New Online Preservation Resource, “Saving Our Stuff,” Now Available The Library of Congress announces a new online resource, “Saving Our Stuff,” to help members of the public preserve their personal and shared collections of papers, books, photographs and other materials. The site, loc. gov/preservation/outreach/workshops/public/PW2015/index.html, provides information on handling, storage and technology considerations. The Library’s Preservation Directorate created the resource in celebration of Preservation Week 2015 (Apr. 26-May 1). In addition to the web page, the Library is featuring a short-term display, “Saving Our Stuff,” in the North Gallery of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. SE. The display is free and open to the public 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday-Saturday, until

Monday, June 22. Like the online resource, the Jefferson Building display focuses on three topics: handling, safe storage and digital preservation. loc.gov

“District Innovation Zones” and New Arts Mapping Tool Announced Mayor Bowser and the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities have announced two new resources to support local artists and grow the District’s creative economy. The “District Innovation Zones” (DIZ) is a unique program developed by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities and the Office of Planning to temporarily activate locales to test new ideas, conceptual art projects, and technologies. DCCAH Innovate DC grant will be awarded to individuals and institutions that enhance the public realm by encouraging people to connect with each other in ways that are innovative, creative and ultimately enhance the public experience in District neighborhoods. Mayor Bowser also launched the District’s Comprehensive Environmental Survey of Arts Resources (CESAR), a new geospatial web-based mapping tool that will provide both the agency and the public a comprehensive view of arts and cultural resources in the District, which will serve to inform future arts funding and investment opportunities by DCCAH. For more information on the District Innovation Zones and CESAR, visit dcarts.dc.gov.

DC Streetcar Kicks Off Rush Hour Safety Campaign DDOT has kicked off a special rush hour safety campaign at key locations along the H Street/Benning Road corridor. The campaign targets pedestrians, motorists and cyclists with “share the road” safety messages as DC Streetcar continues simulated service and prepares for passenger service later this year.

Getaround’s Launch into the DC Market Getaround, the leading peer-to-peer car sharing community, has announced its expansion to Washington DC, the company’s first East Coast market. Getaround’s expansion to DC follows the company’s recent shift to an entirely on-demand car sharing experience--eliminating the need for owners and renters to meet in person in order to hand-off keys for each reservation. Each car is powered by the company’s one-of-a-kind hardware technology, the Getaround Connect. This technology combines GPS, Bluetooth LE and keyless remote technology to provide a safe and seamless car sharing experience. Getaround is the only car sharing company that allows DC residents to rent anything from a Prius to a Tesla with the touch of their phone, while empowering car owners to earn hundreds of dollars each month off of their underutilized vehicles. Sign up is free and insurance is included in every trip. getaround.com

DDOT Introduces the RideDC Trip Planner DDOT announces the new RideDC Trip Planner, a mobile application to help the District’s residents and visitors navigate the city. The RideDC Trip Planner—which is currently available for free for iOS and Android smartphones—features a trip planner, real-time rail and bus arrivals and departures, and a map that shows transit options near users’ current locations. The app’s “Plan a Trip” feature allows users to chart a course between two destinations using a variety of transit options, including the DC Circulator, Metrorail, Metrobus, Capital Bikeshare and several car-sharing services. It also contains real-time location information from DC Circulator vehicles and shows “next transit” options for DC Circulator, Metrorail and Metrobus in a table format featuring route destinations and arrival times. To download the RideDC Trip Planner, visit iTunes or the Google Play. u

East of the River Magazine June 2015

neighborhood news

“W

e used to go to Port City Java to sit and talk,” recalled mother Francine Milton. “I happened to be going past one day, and I noticed the Capital Community News (CCN) office nearby. I told Charnice about it and she decided to visit,” she continued. “The next day I was surprised when she told me that she was going to be a reporter for CCN.” I remember that day in early August of 2012. A well-dressed young woman knocked on the door of my office, resume in hand, and asked if she could become a writer for our two community newspapers, The Hill Rag and East of the River. For the next three years I served as Charnice’s mentor, watching her grow from a cub reporter into a thoughtful journalist who authored over a hundred stories. On May 27, 2015, Charnice was returning home from her monthly assignment covering a meeting of the Eastern Market Community Advisory Committee on Capitol Hill. While she was changing buses on the 2700 block of Good Hope Rd. SE, shots rang out. A gunman on a dirt bike had fired at a group of bike riders. Charnice was fatally wounded in the crossfire. Early the next morning my cell phone rang. A homicide detective informed me of Charnice’s death, and asked if any of the stories she had done for our newspapers had put her in harm’s way. Charnice’s stories had not earned her a bullet. Rather, they had won her the respect and gratitude of the residents of Wards 6, 7, and 8. In subsequent days I received a stream of emails and dozens of phone calls from people touched by her reporting and saddened by her murder. These readers saw their own struggles and lives unfold in her careful narratives. Each one she touched treasured her words.

A Faithful Daughter of The District Charnice Milton was born at George Washington University Hospital on June 19, 1987. A resident of Benning Heights in Ward 7, she went to Simon and Anne Beers elementary schools. She attended St. Thomas the Moor middle school and then went on to Bishop McNamara High School. It was during these years that Charnice joined the faith community of Living Word Church in Ward 8. “You just one day don’t turn into a woman of faith” said S. Patrice Sheppard, executive pastor of the Living Word Church. “It is something that is built into you over a lifetime. Charnice came to Living Word Church as a young lady, when she was going to St. Thomas the Moor. I watched her go from an elementary school student, to a high school student, to a college student.” “Charnice was consistent in her relationship with the Lord; and she exemplified that every day. She was committed. She was dedicated. And she is certainly

EastoftheRiverDCNews.com

Charnice Milton 1987-2015 the community reporter by Andrew Lightman

an example of godly living for young people today,” Sheppard continued. Pastor Sheppard was struck by Charnice’s “singing, her smile, her faithfulness, her commitment to whatever she put her hand to.” Said mother Francine, “Charnice would stutter as she spoke, but not as she sang.” “Wow, she had a powerful voice,” agreed her father, Ken McClenton. Graduating from Bishop McNamara in 2005, Charnice won a full scholarship to study communications at Ball State University in Muncie, Ind. After graduation in 2009 she returned to her Benning Heights home. A year and half later she matriculated at S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. Charlie Miller was among the first professors Charnice encountered at Newhouse. On the opening day of class Miller asked his students where they would like to be in ten years. “Some said The New York Times, some said Esquire or Rolling Stone,” Miller recalled. “Charnice said she wanted to be writing stories that mattered in the community where she grew up. She spent the next year at Newhouse working toward that goal. That’s how she was: honest, humble, caring and driven,” stated Miller in an interview for Syracuse.com. With her master’s degree in hand, Charnice returned to the District in 2011 to pursue her dream of a career in community journalism.

Making Reporting a Vocation “It shocked me when she came home and told me she was going to work for CCN. She was so shy. Part of the shyness came from the fact that she did stutter. She was fearful that people would not accept her and take her seriously,” recalled her father. For her first story, in the September 2012 issue of East of the River, I assigned Charnice an update on the oft-delayed Skyland Town Center. As is my practice with new reporters, I returned her work with suggested revisions. She was taken aback by the suggestions. Charnice “had got to the point where she wanted to quit. Just on that first article,” recalled her mother. Her father told her, “You’re going to do this.” Charnice reviewed the corrections and sent in her article, which was approved. For the next three and a half years I assigned Charnice stories related to transportation, public meetings, art openings, development, nonprofit organizations, personal profiles, and many other subjects. She developed into a reliable reporter who filed thoughtful, well-sourced stories on deadline. “Charnice worked with absolute and complete integrity. She never manipulated anyone that she interviewed,” declared Pastor Sheppard. “She never gave a slanted perspective. She always talked to that person and respected that person so that she gained their confidence and trust. Those are characteristics that are born out of walking with the Lord.” Charnice connected with her subjects. “I first had the pleasure of both meeting and being interviewed by Charnice several years ago ... In each and every encounter with Charnice I always found her to be professional, friendly, and extremely knowledgeable of the community that she covered as well as resided in,” said Wanda D. Lockridge, chairwoman and executive director of the William O. Lockridge Community Foundation. Covering the activities of Capitol Hill’s Advisory Neighborhood Commissions was among Charnice’s regular beats. “Charnice was a good reporter, obsessed with accuracy, and worked hard to improve our community” wrote

the members of ANC 6C in their statement on her death. “It was not unusual to receive emails from Charnice with a time stamp well after business hours. Charnice was always cheerful, and her smiling face in the first row during our ANC meetings will be greatly missed.” Her reporting was remarked on by members of the community. “People would stop by, saying she did a story about me or my cause,” recalled her mother, “and how excited they were about the article when it came out. How she did such a great job and they would call her back to thank her.”

A Voice Silenced But Not Forgotten As Charnice’s poise and skills as a reporter developed, I began dispatching her to represent the newspapers at public functions such as the annual Anacostia boat ride. I also kept her schedule filled with assignments. Charnice authored six articles in June’s Hill Rag. She was scheduled to provide another two for East of the River. No longer requiring extensive revisions, Charnice had realized her potential. I have had the opportunity to mentor many reporters, a number of whom have gone on to positions with major news organizations. None of them possessed Charnice’s tenacity, work ethic, and grit. I fully expected to soon be writing references for her as she moved on to write for a major news organization. Said her mother, “It was so ironic ... She passed away right across from where she did that story on Walmart where she walked around and she talked to people.” The bullet that silenced Charnice not only ended the life of an innocent, it deprived the communities of Wards 6, 7, and 8 of a dedicated chronicler. Can we afford to let Charnice Milton’s memory “go gentle into that good night?” “No!” As a community we must rage, rage against the dying of Charnice’s light. u

East of the River Magazine June 2015

neighborhood news

The Community Remembers Charnice Milton A Great Loss to Ward 7 I am saddened by the news of the untimely passing of Charnice A. Milton. This is a great loss to Ward 7 as Charnice was not only a resident, but was actively involved with her community through her work as a journalist. Charnice grew up in the Fairfax Village neighborhood and most recently lived in the Ft. Davis community. She attended Anne Beers Elementary and went on to accomplish many goals in her 27 years. Despite some challenges, Charnice received a full scholarship to attend Ball State University. She also received her Master’s from Syracuse University. She was an extraordinary young woman who had a passion for issues that affected not only Ward 7, but every community that lies East of the Anacostia River. Her work as a reporter for the East of the River newspaper was stellar. Regularly covering community meetings, she touched the lives of many as she become familiar with many ANC commissioners, civic association leaders and residents. My prayers are with her mother, Francis Milton and her entire family. Charnice will be greatly missed. Ward 7 Councilmember Yvette Alexander

Charnice Will Be Missed On behalf of the Board of Directors of the William O. Lockridge Community Foundation (WOLCF), I want to extend our deepest sympathies on the sudden and tragic passing of Ms. Charnice Milton. I first had the pleasure of both meeting and being interviewed by Charnice several years ago. She first interviewed me in 2013 in conjunction with the Foundation’s annual Dancing with the Scholars fundraiser, which she also attended. Charnice also interviewed me in 2014 in relation to a program she covered entitled “Impact Day” at Hart Middle School, where the WOLCF partnered with Deloitte and offered students the opportunity to develop school apps to address

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bullying, homework and school lunch experiences. In each and every encounter with Charnice, I always found her to be professional, friendly and extremely knowledgeable of the community that she covered as well as resided in. Charnice will be missed. Please know that you are in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. Wanda D. Lockridge, Chairwoman and Executive Director

ANC 6B Resolution on Charnice Milton’s Murder Whereas Charnice Milton was a life-long Washingtonian who graduated from Bishop McNamara High School, Ball State University, and Syracuse University. Whereas Charnice Milton was a writer for Capital Community News, the publisher of Hill Rag and in this capacity, frequently wrote articles about matters before 6B Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners. Whereas Charnice Milton also wrote articles about daily life on Capitol Hill ranging from tree box maintenance, the Southeast Boulevard project, to the Anacostia River. Whereas Charnice Milton’s stories were well written and provided Capitol Hill residents with critical information regarding local agency decisions. Whereas Charnice Milton died tragically on May 27, 2015 after attending an Eastern Market Community Advisory Committee (EMCAC) meeting. Whereas Charnice Milton’s last story about the EMCAC meeting, published on May 30, 2015, three days after her death, reminds all Capitol Hill residents about her dedication to our neighborhood and the residents who live here. Therefore be it resolved that Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners representing ANC6B express their condolences to the family of Charnice Milton upon her untimely death. Further, be it resolved that ANC6B Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners will invoke a

moment of silence at the June 9, 2015 meeting in memory of Charnice Milton. Ms. Milton was a writer, leader, and role-model whose successes will be long remembered. Attest: Jennifer Samolyk, ANC6B01Commissioner; Diane Hoskins, ANC6B02 Commissioner; James Loots, ANC6B03 Commissioner; Kirsten Oldenburg, ANC6B04 Commissioner; Steve Hagedorn, ANC6B05 Commissioner; Nick Burger, ANC6B06 Commissioner; Daniel Chao, ANC6B07 Commissioner; Chander Jayaraman, ANC6B08 Commissioner; Brian Flahaven, ANC6B09 Commissioner; Denise Krepp, ANC6B10 Commissioner

A Good, Accurate, Hardworking Reporter ANC6C lost a good friend in the passing of Charnice Milton. Charnice had reported on ANC6C meetings for several years and covered several of our projects. We understand one of her last contributions is due to be published in the Hill Rag’s June edition regarding Councilmember Charles Allen’s meeting in May about the effort to make Maryland Avenue safer. Charnice was a good reporter, obsessed with accuracy, and worked hard to improve our community -- it was not unusual to receive emails from Charnice with a timestamp well after business hours. Charnice was always cheerful, and her smiling face in the first row during our ANC meetings will greatly missed. Our community is better for her efforts, and reduced by her passing. Thanks, Charnice, for your friendship and service. ANC 6C

Human Life Is Fragile I wanted to extend my sympathies to the Capital Community News, a friend of the Hillcrest community, on the loss of its East of the River report-

er Charnice Milton who was gunned down near Good Hope Road. This tragedy underscores the fragility of life and we extend our heartfelt sympathies to her family. Michelle Phipps-Evans and Boyle Stuckey Co-presidents, Hillcrest Community Civic Association

On The Loss of a Colleague Last Wednesday, May 27, from 7 to 9:10 PM, Charnice Milton, sat in the center of the front row, facing me and other members of the Eastern Market Community Advisory Committee (EMCAC) as she normally did on the last Wednesday of the month, her recorder on the table, directly in front of me, preparing her report for the Hill Rag. A half hour later, she was shot and killed, on the way to her home in Benning Heights. Charnice was a talented reporter who always had a smile for the people at an EMCAC meeting, both before and after she focused on her note pad to prepare her report of the meeting. I am responsible for preparing the minutes of the EMCAC meeting, but before I would finalize them, I would read Charnice’s column in the Hill Rag because she would always report the important highlights of the meeting, whereas I would be focusing on reporting the details. I will miss her as a colleague and the Eastern Market Community will miss her as a person who did so much to not only report, but also publicize, the Market and its activities. Monte Edwards, EMCAC Secretary

Bright, Dedicated and Interested Charnice attended the ANC 6A meeting in May for Hill Rag. I had never met her before, but we sat at the same table, and talked a bit before (and during) the meeting. Even from those few minutes, it was very apparent how bright, interested and dedicated she was to her profession as a journalist. She gave me her card (I had given her some background on a few of the issues, since she hadn’t ‘covered’ ANC6A meetings before) and said that she expected to attend meetings for the next few months. Her card has a whole new, and devastatingly sad, meaning now.

have had to report. We at the museum join with her family, CCN, the rest of the East of the River community and the entire District in mourning our collective loss of the brilliant light which was Charnice. We all pray that those who took her young life will be apprehended soon. Charnice Milton was much appreciated and we offer our most sincere condolences to her family. Camille Giraud Akeju

Detailed And Thoughtful We are devastated by the news of Charnice’s death – it was truly my privilege to work with her over the past few weeks on her story about the Martha’s Table expansion. You brought Charnice into my life, and for that, I’ll always be grateful. She was one of the most detail-oriented and thoughtful reporters I’ve worked with in my career, and the community focus she brought to your publications will be sorely missed. Sara Neumann, Assistant Vice President C.Fox Communications

A Portrait in Courage We came to know Charnice personally during her coverage of a controversial development on our street (1511 A St. NE.) Through our numerous conversations I developed so much respect for her. Charnice’s reporting was always fair and thorough. I’m a journalist myself so she and I often laughed when she interviewed me because I was so used to being in her shoes -- asking the questions rather than answering them. She was

able to make me less uncomfortable on the other side of things. Well before the tragic events of this week my wife and I saw her as a true definition of courage. The obstacles she overcame were remarkable. Charnice chose a profession which required her to purposefully shrug off her impediment, something most people would use as an excuse to avoid following their dreams. For that she will always remain an inspiration to those of us who were lucky enough to have met her. Fortunately the opportunity you gave her at the Hill Rag allows us to read and re-read her work as a reminder of what she was able to accomplish in her short life. She was a wonderful person, a dedicated reporter and will always remain such a vital part of our community. We wish you, her family, and your colleagues peace during this very difficult time. Todd & Jen Sperry, 1500 Block of A St. NE

Aspiring Journalists Mourn On behalf of the RICHARD WRIGHT PCS JOURNALISM AND MEDIA ARTS COMMUNITY, I extend heartfelt condolences on the loss of Ms. Milton. Our aspiring journalists will be thinking of her later today and will plan a moment of silence for her. Alisha Roberts, Operations Manager, Richard Wright PCS

Dana Wyckoff, ANC 6A

A Community of Admirers Charnice’s death is a tragedy. She was such a caring and involved person who was making our community better. She leaves behind a community of admirers. Please pass my and my neighbors’ condolences to her family. Brian Alcorn

Mourning Charnice It was shock and horror that we, at Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum, learned of the senseless murder of Capital Community News reporter Charnice Milton. Charnice’s beat included museums and she wrote many insightful reviews about most of the Anacostia Community Museum’s exhibitions as well as covered many of our programs for the East of the River (EOR) and Hill Rag newspapers since she joined CCN. Our public affairs specialist, Marcia Baird Burris, gave Charnice a ride to her home following her most recent visit to cover museum’s media open house a few months ago on our current Civil War exhibitions. Charnice’s article reviewing “How the Civil War Changed Washington” was, us usual, sensitive and wonderful with its particular emphasis on the Barry Farm material in the exhibition and it ran in the next issue of the East of the River newspaper. Charnice was relentess about using her considerable gifts and talents to make sure that the voices her community were reported. Tragically, it is the news of her untimely demise that peers in the media, locally and nationally,

East of the River Magazine June 2015

neighborhood news / the district beat

Is a Mayoral-Council Slugfest in the Future? the district beat by Jonetta Rose Barras

hen Mayor Muriel Bowser made an appearance last month on Fox News Sunday as its “Power Player,” host Chris Wallace didn’t mention that the DC Council had failed to approve important parts of her 2016 budget proposal. There was no reference to her spat with newly elected Attorney General Karl Racine that kicked up a hornets’ nest of citizens complaints against what some saw as a “power grab.” There also wasn’t any talk about the solid wall of resistance in the legislature to jail health care contract for Corizon, which Bowser championed. Despite those defeats in these early days of her administration, some people speculate that the arrival on the council of two Bowser acolytes—Ward 8’s LaRuby May (D-Ward 8) and Brandon Todd (D-Ward 4)—will make the mayor a force to be reckoned with. “She does have the cards stacked in her favor,” admits Daniel del Pielago, a community organizer with the nonprofit organization Empower DC. It may be too soon to cast the council as Chihuahua and Bowser as Bulldog, say many political observers and activists, including del Pielago. No one should discount the political skills of Chairman Phil Mendelson (D); and May’s and Todd’s abilities shouldn’t be over-estimated, they point out. Further, the 2016 election season, expected to kick off in the fall, is sure to be an important wildcard in relationships and coalitions forged in the corridors of the Wilson Building. “Any mayor would want to have sure votes. But I don’t know if [May and Todd] have the political chops to build a coalition,” says Melik Abdul, a Ward 8 activist. “That’s two votes and there are 11 others. I don’t think [the council] will roll over,” said Logan Wiley, a Ward 7 resident and former DC government budget analyst. “It’s easy to under-estimate Phil,” said Ken Cummings, a political observer and former Washington City Paper Loose Lips columnist. “[But] he’s always the first or second top vote-getter.” In the past three election cycles, Mendelson has had only token opposition. In the 2014 General Election, for example, he received 77.85 percent of the vote--138,066 votes--in his citywide chairman’s race. Bowser received 54.5 percent or 96,666 votes in the mayoral challenge. Those results indicate that separately each brings a potent cache. That could exacerbate any potential conflict, resulting in a relationship that could mimic the one between Mayor Adrian M. Fenty and Chairman Vincent C. Gray. Between 2007 and 2010, there were times when business stalled as the two fought over everything from the lottery contract to the composition of the University of the District of Columbia Board of Trustees. There won’t be automatic approval of Bowser’s policies and programs, says Jack Evans (D-Ward 2. “Nobody rubber stamped Tony Williams. Nobody rubber stamped Adrian. The council is not even going to rubber stamp the chairman.”

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Interestingly during final budget negotiations, it appeared that Evans, except for the mayor’s tax proposals, supported Bowser. He led the opposition to cuts proposed by Mendelson to the McMillan, Walter Reed and St. Elizabeth capital budgets. Each spending reduction was minor when compared with the project’s total budget. Perhaps the greatest concern among some people is that any conflict between the mayor and council could expose racial fault-lines that, heretofore, have been dormant. Bowser’s perceived allies on the council include Yvette Alexander (D-Ward 7), Anita Bonds (D-At Large), Vincent Orange (DAt Large), May, Todd and Evans. Except for the latter, what do they have in common, asks Abdul. “There is going to be a racial component to it.

The Budget Tussle That black white divide spoke, sotto voce, during the fight over the Corizon health care contract, when most of the African American council members voted to approve it. Weeks later, during the debate over Bowser’s $5 million expansion of the summer youth jobs programs to include young adults ages 22 to 24, Orange accused Mendelson and others of being insensitive to the plight of poor people. The council chairman was unfazed by the coded race-speak. He has strong support among African-American voters. In last year’s Democratic Primary, for example, he received 76.52 percent of the 11,542 votes cast in Ward 5 in the chairman’s race where he faced a black opponent. Legislators subsequently approved Bowser’s summer job program but not before Mendelson made clear that the mayor had violated the law when she pushed ahead with expanding the age of its recipients before seeking the council’s authorization. That was his clear signal that he might not be so unforgiving of Bowser’s afterthe-fact-Fenty-esque tactics. “She’s Fenty 2.0 in the sense of consolidating power,” continues del Pielago. “It’s very problematic.”

Days after the approval of the summer jobs legislation, council members seemed less amenable to Bowser’s 2016 budget proposal. Mendelson rejected her structural changes, forcing a budget realignment of the Office of the Secretary and the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Public Safety. He also led the opposition to her efforts to reduce the term appointments of several key managers including the chief procurement officer. Meanwhile, council Chairman Pro Tempore Kenyan McDuffie (D-Ward 5) put the kibosh on the expansion of police body cameras after a swarm of advocates, including the city’s own Office of Open Government and the ACLU, raised concerns about the mayor’s and Chief Cathy Lanier’s decision to prevent disclosure of the video footage. At-large member David Grosso (I), chairman of the Committee on Education, proposed new criteria for determining the order for modernizing public schools, which could handicap Bowser if she runs for reelection. Public education has a strong advocacy base, particularly among voters in Ward 2 and Ward 3; Bowser could not have won the Democratic Primary without the support of those communities. Grosso also restored money the mayor had cut from the DC Public Library. Perhaps seeing the handwriting on the wall, Bowser sent a letter on May 11, 2015 amending her 2015 and 2016 budget requests. She said the “errata letter” corrected mistakes that had appeared in printed budget documents. It also restored funding for key items, which she said had been made possible by pulling some money associated with the Southwest wharf development project and because charter school enrollment was down from projections. That was Bowser “realizing she made a political mistake. That was an ‘oops’ budget change,” says one top-level government official. ”The council also took apart her innovation fund. Basically they took away her cookie jar.” Bowser’s move may have been too late. Council committees had already held weeks of pub-

lic hearings. Their mark-up of the budget had begun. Through those processes an attentive public already had a hint of how the legislature would alter the mayor’s proposals. “She had an opportunity to have consensus budget,” says Cummings. Despite changes by the council, some of which Bowser fought vehemently, Bowser won a lot of what she wanted in her first budget submission as the city’s chief executive. But in politics, sometimes, what you lose can become as important as what you win.

Beyond Dollars and Centers Quite frankly, the budget battle is a temporary thing, played out in two months of a 12-month year. Disagreements often arise between the executive and legislative branches around program priorities and policy implementation. Both the mayor and the council agree that the DC General family homeless shelter should be shuttered, for example. But how that happens, where people are sent, and how much money is spent remain points of contention. What’s more, the current committee assignments suggest that the person in the legislature at the locus of those tensions could be the chair. Mendelson’s Committee of the Whole doesn’t just hold sway over the budget, it also oversees large swaths of territory critical to Bowser. The Office of the City Administrator, the Deputy Mayor for Economic Development, human services, the interagency council for the homeless, and the office of contracting and procurement all lie within the chairman’s domain. While all council members are part of the Committee of the Whole, the vol-

ume of work usually divides the group until its time to move legislation before the full council for approval. Then, if the mayor and chairman disagree, a seven vote majority becomes critical. “Phil is completely transactional,” explains one high level government official, who requested anonymity. “He keeps his cards close to his vest. “[But] the mayor is cut-throat and tough as nails—unflinchingly tough,” adds the official. Still, most observers expect Mendelson to have the upper-hand, believing, as Cummings does that the mayor “will have a tough time holding together a coalition.” That task is further complicated by the fact that many of the mayor’s allies are up for re-election. Alexander, Orange and Evans are expected to run for four more years. May and Todd, who won the recent special election, earned the right to complete the unexpired term vacated by Marion Barry’s death in Ward 8 and Bowser’s ascension to the mayoral suite in Ward 4. That means they, too, will have to run for reelection. Party primaries are scheduled for June 2016. Bowser flexed her muscle during the special election. She helped her acolytes to raise large sums of money and personally appeared at campaign events. As mayor, she can pass out goodies to allies. But will that be enough? Bowser “may want to reign over things, like the queen, but I don’t see her having the juice,” says Wiley. Mendelson “may not be as good as John Wilson but he knows how it’s done, and has the chutzpah to keep it together.” Jonetta Rose Barras is a Washington, DC-based freelance writer. She blogs at www.jonettarosebarras.com u

East of the River Magazine June 2015

neighborhood news

The War for Ward 8 Continues

LaRuby May

by Jonetta Rose Barras

ard 8 DC Councilmember LaRuby May (D), only one week into her tenure as a new legislator, jumped into discussions about the city’s nearly $13 billion fiscal 2016 budget, raising concerns about the insufficiency of transportation spending. She pushed for more money to improve roads and alleys in her community as well as the creation of additional Circulator bus routes. “Tell me what to tell my constituents when they go to the R.I.S.E [Demonstration] Center and find the door locked,” May said, pushing Chairman Phil Mendelson (D), who has been on the council since 1998, about his decision to pull $1 million from the St. Elizabeths redevelopment project. “What do you want me to tell them, Mr. Mendelson?” Funding for the redevelopment of that campus totals more than $70 million. The idea of stripping away $1 million, while not finalized, would do no damage, Mendelson argued during the session. He told members he was searching for another source to ensure funding for the University of the District of Columbia’s plant improvements. Mendelson seemed unfazed by the threat of angry Ward 8 residents, however. This may reflect his strong foothold in east of the Anacostia River community. In the 2014 Democratic Primary, Mendelson received 87.4 percent of the 10,257 votes in Ward 8, roughly 6,000 more votes than May. May’s aggressive tone during the council session contrasted significantly with that of her counterpart from Ward 4, Brandon Todd. Todd challenged a proposal to reduce in spending to the Walter Reed development project, but pledged to “work with my colleagues and the chairman” to help restore the funds. Ultimately, the reduction in the budget did not affect R.I.S.E. During a subsequent interview, May made no apologies for her approach. “There was no one being aggressive at the budget table for Ward 8, with the exception of the mayor. I wanted to protect what the mayor had committed to the residents of Ward 8.”

The Ward 8 Election, A Nail-biter Both Todd and May are popularly perceived as acolytes of Mayor Muriel Bowser. However, while Todd handily won his seat during the April 28th Special Election, May’s victory was a nail-biter. She beat out Trayon White by only 72 votes, according to the DC Board of Elections. May won 10 of the 17 precincts in Ward 8. A deeper look, however, reveals just how tight her margin was. In precinct 123, May had 103 votes to White’s 101. Then in Precinct 134, she had 141 votes while he pulled in 139. “It was awesome that Trayon almost got it,” says Daniel del Pielago, a community organizer with the nonprofit Empower DC. If May wants to hold her council seat for a full term, she will have to run again in the Democratic Primary scheduled for June 2016. Will White be there?

White vs. May: Round Two A former member of the DC State Board of Education, White considers Barry his mentor. He is by all accounts a solid grassroots organizer with a sub-

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stantial following in the Ward 8. “I think we did extremely well, considering the amount of money we raised and the level of competition. We raised our profile,” states White, who is still assessing his options. “A lot people went to the May camp because they were getting government contracts or were promised jobs,” continues White. He believes the race was his to lose, because he had “the pulse of the community. I think I should have done more,” he states looking back. White resigned from his job at the DC Department of Parks and Recreation for five months in order to run in the Special Elections. “I have to look at that impact on my family,” states White. He has been meeting with his campaign team, evaluating how much money he could raise next time around. “I am getting a lot of phone calls from people who want to support me and who are telling me to run,” White states. Most people see Trayon as the victor and Bowser as the loser. The Mayor strongly campaigned on May’s behalf, attending community events and standing on the street holding posters. Bowser also turned over her own campaign donor lists. As a result, May raked in more than $270,000 in contributions. White collected less than $20,000 for his campaign. DC Attorney General Karl Racine endorsed him toward to the end of the campaign. However, Racine did not hit the trail with the same zeal as Bowser. May doesn’t seem concerned about the upcoming dynamics. “I’m going to let no one outwork me. I’ve set an aggressive agenda for the council,” she continues. “I’m going to make sure I am engaging and involving residents of Ward 8. “I am prayerful residents of Ward 8 will rehire me for the job,” she adds. Another rematch between May and White, according to veteran political activist Phillip Pannell, could lead to a “whole year of non-strop confrontational battles.” It could be reminiscent of those days when William Lockridge and his supporters fought against those of then-council member Wilhelmina Rolark, Pannell believes. “It pervaded everything—from contracts to the Ward 8 Dems.”

“I don’t think it’s good for the ward,” says Pannell. Pannell is dismayed by the low turnout in the special election. “We have to use this to talk about election reform.” Only 14.07 percent of Ward 8 registered voters cast votes. The city should consider permitting voting by mail to facilitate greater involvement in the democratic process, Pannell believes. “We should have a meaningful discussion about public financing of elections. And since 75 percent of the people didn’t vote for either [May or White], we need to talk about instant run-off voting,” says Pannell. Those ideas are good. But isn’t an energized, tough political campaign also a good thing for Ward 8?

MAY’S COMPLICATED ROAD Ward 8 ambitions and aspirations suffered, in many instances, under the powerful personality of Marion Barry, a former mayor and recently deceased councilmember. His death could ultimately allow for more diverse and stronger political voice, although both May and White have connections to him. May was a former director of Barry’s Office of Constituent Services. He helped her land the position of chairperson of the DC Housing Authority’s Board of Commissioners. She also is the director of Vision of Victory Community Development Corporation, which operates an early childhood development center. May also help found the College Preparatory Academy, a charter school located in Ward 8. The latter two associations may present potential conflicts for her since each has either received or is receiving District government funds. In other words, May is a government contractor, which could add new meaning to the concept of “pay to play.” May told East of the River newspaper that the government grant that the childhood center re-

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Bring the whole family! ceived in the past was “minimal.” But that “eligible residents” receive childcare vouchers. “Those vouchers belong to the parents who make the decision about where to send their children.” “Vision of Victory is one of the few places that accept vouchers, unlike some west of the river,” she continues, adding that her organization is “not going to be lobbying the District of Columbia .” As for the development work by the corporation, May says that she and the chairman of her board “had a conversation and both of us are clear that even if there is a possibility of a project, we were not going to pursue that possibility, even if that means the organization has to go on pause.” Councilmembers are required to file annual reports with the DC Board of Ethics and Government Accountability (BEGA). But Darrin Sobin, the agency director, says that May and Todd were neither elected officials nor candidates in 2014 and thus are not required to submit such a document. However, he says he expects to schedule the standard twohour ethics training with the two newest legislators. But, says Sobin, all councilmembers are required to follow the conflict of interest protocol, which requires public disclosure in a statement that is presented to the council chairman. A statement of recusal is then read during the appropriate legislative session and the council member then abstains from voting on the matter. May says she has not consulted with the BEGA about possible conflicts based on her organizations’ receipt directly or indirectly of District government funds. She says she’s anticipating the training. “But I want to be clear: I don’t have any reasons to do anything unethical or illegal as a councilmember.”

in The Mean TiMe Despite the hard fought election and his indecision about next year, White says he will support May, at least for now. “I have the best interests of residents at heart. We have to make sure we get what we need to have a livable-walkable community.” Sandra Seegars, another losing candidate, says she and others have pledged themselves to help May. But that assistance could be short term. “Just because people win a position doesn’t mean they know the duties,” states Seegars. “I don’t want [May] for four years. I don’t think she can come up to par,” continues Seegars, an advisory neighborhood commissioner, adding she also doesn’t think White is the right person for the job either. “There is going to be a lot of advocacy, a lot of pushing LaRuby, which will be good for her,” says political activist Melik Abdul. “But she is limited in what she can actually do.” May along with her other freshmen cohorts on the council will not be assigned a committee chair-

manship by Mendelson, who has made this his policy. Both May and Ward 4’s Todd will also face reelection in the coming June 2016 primary. Lacking a chair deprives them of a perch to pontificate. Furthermore, the council will go into summer recess in July, not returning until after Labor Day. May will have to find her moments, as she did during the budget, to elevate herself in the eyes of the public. That dance could be dangerous, since she likely will rely, at least in part, on her close relationship with the mayor. For example, Bowser staged a press conference at the R.I.S.E. Center the day before the council took its budget vote. The mayor used the occasion to assert that the legislature’s action would close the center. Interestingly, there was no discussion at the R.I.S.E. event about the mayor’s decision to cut modernization funds to Orr Elementary School. This omission broke one of Bowser’s few specific campaign promises. “That was so callous,” says del Pielago, the education organizer for Empower DC who works consistently with parents east of the Anacostia River. The council, following guidance of at-large member David Grosso, chairman of the Committee on Education, moved Orr up the list for modernization. During the budget discussions, May embraced that change without mentioning Bowser’s reduction proposal. Still, May says she isn’t carrying the mayor’s water. “I see myself as water carrier for the residents of Ward 8. They elected me and my goal is to serve them.” Nevertheless, May has to be careful about her association with Bowser, says Loose Lips Ken Cummings. May must demonstrate “independence or she’s going to end up like Eydie [Whittington].” The current Ward 8 political dynamics are not much different than they were back in 1994. At that time, Barry had won his fourth term as mayor, vacating his Ward 8 council seat before the term had expired. Whittington, a friend of Barry and his wife Cora, was hoisted as the heir apparent. She ran and won that special election by one vote. The losing candidate was Sandra Allen, another Barry protégé who had kept his political machine alive while he was in federal prison. Allen challenged those 1995 special election results, but did not prevail. She came back the following year in 1996 to run against Whittington for the full four-year term. Despite support from Barry, Whittington was defeated in the September Primary. Interestingly, Allen and Whittington were two of the three co-chairmen of May’s campaign. Does that mean she has an edge on ensuring history won’t be repeating itself in 2016?

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Jonetta Rose Barras is a Washington, DC-based freelance writer, she blogs at www.jonettarosebarras.com u

East of the River Magazine June 2015

neighborhood news / the numbers

If the Jobs Just Aren’t There, We Should Create Them by Ed Lazere

n an ideal world, everyone who wanted a job would find one, and it would pay enough to make ends meet – and maybe even enough for a child’s piano lessons and to take an occasional weekend trip to the beach. There was a time in the U.S., after World War II, when unemployment was low and wages were growing across the board-the closest thing we’ve had to broad prosperity. But that ended 40 years ago, and now income inequality is accepted as a given. In DC, troubling economic trends are just below the surface of what appears to be a strong economy. One of three residents with a high school diploma is under-employed – out of work or working fewer hours than they want. Unemployment for those without a college degree is still nearly twice as high as before the last recession, and the disparity between the bestpaying and lowest paying jobs is at 35-year high. If the DC economy is failing to create jobs, maybe it’s time for DC’s leaders to pick up the slack. One of the city’s most popular programs – the Summer Youth Employment Program – creates 14,000 jobs each year for youth. So why not a program that provides short-term jobs for 14,000 adults? It’s an idea that has been around since FDR’s Works Progress Administration, one also used as recently as the last recession, when federal stimulus funds put millions to work. Job creation can provide a leg up to people who have trouble finding work. It can support neighborhood development from the ground up, as residents in DC’s poorest neighborhoods have more money to spend. Creating more jobs for parents can strengthen and stabilize families in ways that help children do better in school. By helping the hardest to employ, job creation programs can have other positive effects, such as reducing recidivism for residents returning from prison. The District has some jobs programs for adults, but they serve about 1,000 residents, far smaller than the scale of the Summer Youth Employment Program. The benefits of job creation are clear, but

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lots of steps need to be taken to get it right. In particular, the District should scale up programs slowly, so they are well managed and that workers get the most from them. And the city should work to make sure a transitional publicly funded job is the first step in a career path, with connections to literacy and job training services.

How Subsidized Jobs Programs Work Subsidized jobs programs are important for several reasons. They provide jobs and income to residents who otherwise may have few options, such as in a recession when unemployment is high, or for groups that routinely struggle to find jobs, such as returning citizens. They offer a chance for work experience, networking, and skills development in a supportive environment, which ideally helps lead to permanent, unsubsidized employment. Publicly funded jobs also are important because they carry the dignity that comes with a job. And workers in subsidized jobs often meet impor-

tant community needs, such as keeping neighborhoods clean or engaging in outreach on important public health initiatives. The District can think about job creation in two ways. One kind of program would give work experience to long-term unemployed residents, with the goal of providing income, job exposure, and coaching on how to succeed in the workplace. The second approach would be to identify important community needs that can be met through jobs that can be performed by residents without advanced educations or skills. The District already has some of both types: • Project Empowerment – provides up to six months of paid employment with a private company, government agency or non-profit. About 800 people go through it each year. Workers go a threeweek orientation and then are placed in a job, with visits every few weeks from program staff to resolve any workplace problems. • Clean teams: DC provides funding to hire residents to clean up commercial corridors, employing about 100 people. • Community Health Workers: A DC government grant trains workers to engage in outreach in medically vulnerable communities, to engage in health education and ensure that residents are connected to health care. These programs, while helpful, pale in size with the Summer Youth Employment Program, DC’s largest employment program by far.

Job Creation Programs Have Many Benefits Programs that put people to work do many good things, starting with the fact that offer the dignity of work and put money in someone’s pocket. But there are many other advantages. • Temporary jobs programs increase the chance that someone will be working

when the subsidized job ends. A recent program for long-term unemployed adults in Florida, for example, found that participants earned $2,500 more in the year after the program ended than other unemployed residents who did not participate.

eracy help, and only a small number are referred to training programs. If workers complete a short-term public jobs program and fail to transition to an unsubsidized job, they should be good candidates for job training.

• Jobs programs increase consumer spending, particularly in poorer neighborhoods. The best way to spur economic development is to make sure residents have money to spend in their community. DC leaders want to promote retail and restaurant development across the city, but that cannot happen if people in the community don’t have any money to spend.

• Provide sufficient coaching on the job: People who have been out of the labor market a while often struggle with issues like timeliness or coping with workplace conflict. These are things that employers do not want to deal with. So instead, the District’s jobs program should provide counseling to help transitioning workers develop these “soft skills”

• When programs put residents from prison into jobs they otherwise would not have, the likelihood of recidivism goes down. A New York City employment program for former prisoners, for example, reduced rates of recidivism, with the greatest effects occurring when participants started the program shortly after leaving prison.

• Avoid displacing other workers: Job creation programs won’t do much good if they just take the place of jobs currently held by DC residents. So as much as possible, short-term jobs should be designed to do new things or to help businesses expand. For example, when a resident is placed with a private company, it should be asked to commit to hiring participants if they do a good job.

• When families with young children have more income, research shows that their children do better in school, are more likely to graduate from high school, and are more likely to work as adults.

Fitting Job Creation into a System of Education and Training Transitional jobs programs can play an important part of a broader system to help residents get or keep jobs. Some things to consider: • Connect with training and education: Once someone is in a subsidized jobs program, it may be easier to identify gaps in their education and training. Yet only a small number of participants in DC’s Project Empowerment receive lit-

While DC’s leaders should do all they can to help the city’s economy grow and create more jobs, that alone will not be enough. Many residents will continue struggle to get a foothold in the city’s economy. A smart approach to short-term jobs will offer job experience and much-needed income to residents eager to get ahead, and will strengthen DC neighborhoods left behind in the city’s recovery. Lazere is executive director of the DC Fiscal Policy Institute (www.dcfpi.org). DCFPI promotes budget and policy solutions to reduce poverty and inequality in the District of Columbia, and to increase the opportunity for residents to build a better future. u

East of the River Magazine June 2015

neighborhood news / Our River

Along the Marvin Gaye Trail

Watts Branch

A Walk “Down By The Riverside” our river: the anacostia article and photos by Bill Matuszeski

‘T

was a beautiful day early in May, when folks gathered on a Saturday morning at the Marvin Gaye Recreation Center at 62nd and Banks NE near the Capitol Heights Metro. After some enthusiastic stretching, the group started out on a “Community Health Walk” down Watts Branch to the Anacostia River, three miles away. Washington Parks for People, the Institute for Public Health Innovation and other partners had joined with neighbors and community leaders to celebrate 14 years of community health and the transformation of the stream, as well as the renewed park and trail now named after Gaye that follow it to the Anacostia. The theme was how parks can help make

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lives healthier and more enjoyable, as well as provide jobs. Leading the way was Steve Coleman, Executive Director of Washington Parks for People, who said that Marvin Gaye Park had become no less than “an international model of what is possible when our community comes together to revitalize our green spaces as engines for jobs, health and recreation.” The restored stream, park and trail have also become regional draws; later in the month another group, this time from the Capitol Hill Village, hiked the trail and went on to the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens. And the Hill Rag included it as one of the six best winter walks in the entire Anacostia watershed a few months ago. Part of the draw is the history that has occurred along the stream. Marvin Gaye himself grew up in the East Capitol Dwellings housing near the Recreation Center, and it is said he would escape his cruel father by coming down by the stream and creating the tunes that eventually made him the first Motown composer and singer to use environmental themes. As we walked along, we were asked to place orange and red flags, orange for those things we saw as good and red for the bad things we en-

countered. We explained to others each flag we put in place. A number of ideas about health and the park were presented along the way, starting with “nature is the best medicine.” This is about the health benefits of exercise and sports, and about how the creation of the new park and trail were part of a community healing process and environmental justice. We stopped at a small amphitheater built near the new Woodson High School to see how something as simple as a stage can teach us how to grow in self-reliance and break the cycles of addiction that often start young. Next stop was the Riverside Healthy Living Center, a community fresh food market that was originally the nightclub where Marvin Gaye first

Talking Trees along the Health Walk

performed. This is a place for classes, cooking and selling food grown in all the surrounding community and youth gardens. It is also the offices and training center for the DC Green Corps, which has graduated nearly 200 young people for green jobs. The entire urban agriculture complex includes this Center, the Marvin Gaye Community Greening Center and Urban Farm across Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue, and the Lederer Youth Garden, the largest in DC. The Urban Farm produced six thousand pounds of food in 2014, and is going year-round in 2015, with a goal of twelve thousand pounds. The themes are green jobs, fresh food and fresh ideas. Refreshments were provided, including a fresh vegetable salsa prepared on-site by Chef Tyrome Henson of the UDC Cooperative Extension Service. Further downstream is the Martin Luther King, Jr. Nature Sanctuary, near the site of a speech King gave during the civil rights March on Washington. It is also where the stream returns to daylight after a two-block long passage under Burroughs Avenue. Two other historic sites in this area are the National Training School for Women and Girls founded by Nan-

Chef Tyrome Henson and his Salsa

nie Helen Burroughs, and the remnants of the Suburban Gardens Amusement Park, which served blacks when Glen Echo was segregated. Both are featured on well-placed historic signboards along the trail. All along our trek we encountered locals out for a walk or enjoying the day sitting in the park or with their children or grandchildren in the playgrounds. No signs of “needle parks” here. Like anywhere else where there are people, there is a sense of security. At one point we met a gentleman friend of an sponsor who came out of his yard along the trail to tell us of moving there as a seven-year-old in 1941 and of the changes he has seen. Still any problems? He points to a storm sewer outlet along the trail with definite signs of sewage leaks, a supposition confirmed downstream where the sheen shows on the main stem of Watts Branch after the gully joins it. DCWater still has some work to do. On the final leg of the journey we pass under the Metro and train tracks and the Freeway at Minnesota Avenue and enter Kenilworth Park for a hike to the Anacostia. Here the stream is deep in tangled forest and the landscape is unkempt. There is no trail, but you can hike along the road in the Park, which is actually an old municipal solid waste dump covered over with playing fields and still subject to a clean-up efforts in coming years. The new Anacostia Riverfront Trail is being constructed well inland of the River; after passing through the Park, it cuts back to the River near the Aquatic Garden and proceeds north to the Bladensburg Marina. When open in less than a year, it will close the final gap in the trail from the marina south to Benning Road. At the end of the hike we are asked to “imagine our future” by writing on large note boards the things we would like most to see. For me,

it is a stream that is safe for kids to play in, a goal that will require substantial efforts by DCWater and the DC Department of the Environment to assure that the storm sewers are clear of sewage and only carrying clean runoff from the land. It will be a few years before we can expect to see that. But the lessons have been well stated and examples have been many and interesting. Strong parks do help make strong communities and better health for all. As the Australians say, “Feel Blue? Touch Green!” Bill Matuszeski writes monthly about the Anacostia River. He is the retired Director of the Chesapeake Bay Program, current Chair of the Citizens Advisory Committee on the Anacostia River and a member of the Mayor’s Leadership Council for a Cleaner Anacostia River u

East of the River Magazine June 2015

neighborhood news

Martha’s Table Expanding to Ward 8 by Charnice A. Milton

ong-time Ward 8 resident Elaine Mooney knows all about Martha’s Table. “When my kids were small, back in the 80s, they used to have a daycare there,” she explained. “During that time I was in the shelter ... They would have the kids come in while the parents went out and looked for jobs or other things like that.” When Mooney found a job, the organization gave her a referral to shop at their thrift shop, Martha’s Outfitters, for professional clothes. “They’ve been helping people for so many years,” she said. “It really is a good program.” Located along the 14th Street corridor since its inception in 1979, Martha’s Table plans to open a new location in the Hillsdale area in 2018.

The announCeMenT During a reception on May 9 celebrating Martha’s Table’s 35th anniversary, President and CEO Patty Stonesifer announced the upcoming expansion. “In recent years we’ve focused on the delivery and accessibility of healthy food and quality clothing for families in Wards 7 and 8,” she said in press statement. “This new center offers an opportunity to stand with families and individuals in a more meaningful way – by sharing a range of resources that support individuals to earn, learn and lead as they progress through life.” The nonprofit will embark on a $20 million campaign to fund the project. The Horning Family Fund (HFF) contributed $10 million and land located between Stanton, Pomeroy, and Elvans roads. “We are delighted to offer this gift of financial support and land to Martha’s Table, which

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A rendering of the upcoming Martha’s Table at Stanton Square. On May 4 Martha’s Table President and CEO Patty Stonesifer announced that the nonprofit is partnering with the Horning Brothers and the Horning Family Fund to open a new location in the Hillsdale area. Photo: Martha’s Table

will allow it to expand its presence in Ward 8 and bring its critical Healthy Start, Healthy Eating, and Healthy Connections programs to The Commons at Stanton Square,” said HFF co-founder Joe Horning in a press statement. “We are thrilled to partner with Martha’s Table to create a new place where families may celebrate and care for their children.”

a PresenCe in Ward 8 While the headquarters of Martha’s Table will remain at 14th Street, the organization has been a presence east of the Anacostia River since 2011, when it launched Martha’s Markets, pop-up grocery markets, at eight DC public schools including Hendley (Ward 8) and Smothers and Thomas Neval (both Ward 7). The nonprofit also launched Martha’s Outfitters, its community thrift store, in Anacostia in 2013. Timothy Jones, director of Healthy Connections, said that one of the reasons for expansion is to better serve residents east of the Anacostia River. “At this point we’re doing exploratory learning. We want to expand in a way that is respectful to the community.” He explained that “40 percent of families we serve live in Wards 7 and 8 … they’re traveling across the bridge to see us. This move allows us to be more effective and stronger.” Joan Woods, Martha’s Table’s director of development, agreed. “The more we can do, and we already have a footprint here, it will only increase as we expand to more schools with our Joyful Food Markets and proceed to build a second center near Elvans and Stanton Roads.”

housing In addition to the new Martha’s Table location, the project will also feature 125 affordable-rent, one-to-three bedroom apartments and 42 market-rate, three-bedroom town homes. Amenities will include a playground, fitness center, and a partnership with Community of Hope, which will provide medical services. “We partnered with Martha’s Table over a year ago with the idea

of bringing their programming to Hillsdale,” explained David Roodberg, CEO and president of Horning Brothers. “Our goal is to bring quality mixed-income housing to the area.” They hope to break ground by 2016. Currently the project is under the planned unit development (PUD) process, a public review procedure in which the Zoning Commission reviews new development applications. Roodberg expects that their initial hearing will be scheduled for July, with another, which will be open to the public, scheduled for December. In the meantime the development team met with ANC 8B on March 17 to discuss their plans. “The plan was to engage early so that we can make the ANC a part of the process,” Roodberg explained. “It worked out well and I hope we can continue to have this conversation.”

residenT-aPProved Today Mooney is a grandmother who shops at Martha’s Market whenever it stops at their school, Hendley Elementary. “I think it’s a good idea,” she said of Martha’s Table’s expansion. “It’ll be more for the parents and the kids participating and giving parents something to do.” Another frequent Martha’s Market visitor, Yolanda Williams, agreed. “I would love it,” she said. “It helps with the children ... as well as single parents. It helps us grow better with food and teaching kids how to eat better and appreciate more of the better things in life.” Martha’s Table is located at 2114 14th St. NW, Washington, DC 20009. For more information call 202-328-6608 or visit info@ marthastable.org. u

A Look into Life: Ed Potillo by Christina Sturdivant

A Second Home About twice a week, Ed Potillo visits the Starbucks on Pennsylvania Ave. and 3rd St. SE. He’s not a Capitol Hill staffer, but it’s the closest of the coffee franchise’s locations to his office at the National Alliance of Black School Educators (NABSE) where he’s been employed since 2004. “This Starbucks has been here ever since. I came in here when it was the old setup – I loved it,” says Potillo as he sips a vanilla iced coffee, no sugar or cream needed. “I got to know folks who work here and we’ve become friends.” As NABSE’s conference and membership director, he finds that early fall is his busiest time of the year, when he prepares for the organization’s annual conference that attracts nearly 6,000 attendees and 300 vendors over four days of educational workshops, presentations, and exhibitions. So in October he’s likely in the coffee shop during its very first brew, preparing for the day with a good book. “I’m a reader. I get through about a book a week. There’s a chair in the far corner,” he says, angling toward a spot in the upper level of the two-story building. “I’ll sit right there and get caught up in a book before I go to a 7 o’clock meeting.” Sometimes he reads two books at a time. “I’m just finishing Shirley Chisholm’s ‘Unbought and Unbossed’ and John Grisham’s ‘Sycamore Row,’” he says.

In the Ward His entire collection of novels can be found stacked in crates in his twobedroom condo in Ward 7’s Fairfax Village. When he’s home, Potillo loves to entertain guests. He cooks chicken and rice, indicative of his Cuban heritage, as well as sweet chili wings, turkey chili, roasts, ribs, and homemade baked goods. But as a man of service, he’s hardly ever home. In April 2015 he was re-elected chair of the Ward 7 Democrats, a position he’s held since 2011. In this capacity he’s addressed issues facing residents who have long been overlooked by the city when distributing vital community resources. Prior to becoming chair of the Ward 7 Democrats he served as programs chair for four years. During this time he assisted with the annual Lorraine H. Whitlock Scholarship & Recognition Dinner and winter coat drive, and he also focused on increasing voter turnout and cultivating strong leaders in the ward. “When you’re putting together programs every month, you really get to see the challenges that exist in the ward and also the amazing things that are happening in the ward from individuals,” he says. Climbing the ranks to chair provided an opportunity to make a broader impact. While facilitating the organization’s monthly meetings, he’s been able to engage concerned citizens on topics such as gun control, crime and punishment, education, healthcare disparities, and public safety.

Dedicated to Service Outside of the ward he’s been involved with numerous organizations including Push Literacy Action Now, the Transition Housing Corporation,

Photo: Christina Sturdivant

Us Helping Us, People Into Living, and Damien Ministries, among others. In August 2014 he was elected vice-chairman of the DC Democratic State Committee. Volunteerism came early to Potillo, who grew up in a Catholic household in Ward 4’s Brightwood community. “As a teenager I was volunteering with the Nativity Teen Club, and we spent hours at DC Village which [served] homeless families,” he says. “We were volunteering because we knew it was the right thing to do and we liked it. And you saw that people are just people. Sometimes they are dealt really bad hands, but they’re just people and I just really want to serve.” After graduating from St. John’s College High School he attended the University of Scranton where he became involved in politics, campaigning for local and national candidates. He finished with an undergraduate degree in international studies and business.

For nearly two decades, friends like Greg Teasley have witnessed Potillo’s maturation. “There was a natural kinship and bond between us because of his interest politically and working in the community,” observes Teasley. “I’ve seen him grow exponentially from a person that just sat back and followed to the extraordinary leader that he has become.” Teasley, who became politically engaged at age 14 in Detroit, came to DC to work as director of modernization for the Department of Public and Assisted Housing, the precursor agency to the DC Housing Authority. He then worked for the Department of Human Services and in the commercial real estate industry. As an elder and mentor to Potillo, he finds his respect mutually reciprocated. “He continuously amazes me and impresses me. He’s just a very solid person and I like that,” says Teasley, “There’s nothing shallow about him, nothing fake, nothing fictitious, he is what you see.” u East of the River Magazine June 2015

East washington life / E on DC

The Vanishing Days of Our Fathers by Ethelbert Miller

hile my father was alive I never had a conversation of any length with him. Our love was maintained by my fetching the newspaper for him so he could check the television schedule. Watching television was my father’s major form of relaxation. It was often those westerns like Bonanza, Gunsmoke and Maverick that found us in bed together. We never watched a baseball game. Our television compromise was watching the Ed Sullivan Show. I think my father made the trip from New York to Washington only five times to visit me. The first time was 1972, when I graduated from Howard University. I recall my father being more concerned with the heat of the sun than my scholastic achievement. Yet I knew everything was made possible by the money he made to pay for my education. My father worked almost his entire life for the U.S. postal service. He had one of those “good” jobs where one expected a decent pension and simple respect at the end of one’s labor journey for all the days and years worked.

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Today that respect no longer seems to be given to the American worker. It is difficult being an African American father in the 21st Century. The media circulates the message that we are missing, like the lyrics of a song no one can remember. Is it “Lift Every Voice and Sing?” My father was always in the next room, sleeping or mumbling to himself. At the kitchen table his head was often bowed as he silently ate his food. I never talked to my father while I had meat or potatoes in my mouth. I never questioned if there was going to be a next meal. There are some things you simply expect to be there the next day; near the top of the list is air and gravity. My father never provided me with rules on how to be a good father. Every June I pass the rack of cards in CVS and wonder who the Father’s Day cards are for. I have two children. When my father was alive I would buy a card for him which he would never read. I would print my name in it and first show it to my mom. Maybe my Father disliked mail because he handled nothing but envelopes his entire life. At times I

thought his love for me was as small as a stamp. I know better these days. Love has many definitions, we just struggle to use it properly in a sentence. I never told my father that I loved him. It was only in those Hallmark cards that I could find the courage to print a four-lettered word. There is a strange silence that can engulf the men in a family. The silence between brothers as well as fathers and sons can be deafening. When I wrote my first memoir, Fathering Words: The Making of an African American Writer, I tried to recall every memory I had of my father. I found there were few, so I went about the business of “inventing” a man who would be as heroic as any character in the center of a Greek myth. I wanted to create the ideal African American father in much the same way Ron Karenga slipped us candles and called it Kwanzaa. Last month, my father would have been 100 year old. He is buried in a cemetery near Yonkers, outside Harlem and the Bronx. My father was born in Panama and came to America when he was a little boy. I believe he was a man who lived his entire life in exile. My father was a man who worked hard to build a home while understanding the loneliness built into the walls. My father was a man from Panama with a canal running through his heart. Today, I have nothing but oceans of love for him. E. Ethelbert Miller is a literary activist. His Collected Poems (edited by Kirsten Porter) will be published next spring by Willow Books. Mr. Miller was recently inducted into the Washington D.C. Hall of Fame. u

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The Message and the Messenger in Ward 8 by Jacalyn Ward

his is a conversation I had with several constituents in 2012. The message and the messenger was a term used by one of them when I would call and ask them to come out and vote in the various elections. One of them would always tell me, “I am looking for a new message and messenger.” I ran into three of the ladies at Councilmember Barry’s funeral. One of them said, “This is sad ending to a fantastic career, but it is also a chance for a new leader with ideas who can carry the ward well into the 21st century.” As the period of mourning came to an end, the candidates announced their intention to run for the seat. I called my buddies and asked the question, “Is the message and the messenger among this group? To a person, the answer was no. Many of the candidates were retreads. They had run against Barry in the past and had a total of ten percent. The new ones were coming out of the gate well. Here was the breakdown on the new crop. Trayon White: His basic issue is to save young black men; however there is nothing in his platform that matters to the 85% of the total ward population. Initially he did not address issues such as health care, housing not only for public housing residents, but for residents who because of their income, struggle every day to keep housing over their head and clothes and food on the table. It must be noted that Trayon subsequently issued written and video positions on these topics. LaRuby May: People had no idea who she was, her background and her political philosophy. All they knew about her was her infamous

associations. During the campaign Ms. May explained who she is and how her environment growing up in Florida and her work in this ward shaped her political philosophy and her dreams and hopes for the ward. Shelia Bunn: She was thought of as a political insider. The group felt that Christopher Barry was being shoved down their throat by the media, who waxed nostalgic of having another Barry in the Council. One Sunday morning I received a call from my friend asking to meet for lunch. I asked where she was and she said at church where the minister was preaching from the pulpit that he had talked to God and God was going to give this candidate the victory. So it is with this knowledge that we attended a few debates, but my friends did not see any candidates worth voting for. A week before the election my friends and I met for lunch on 14th Street. After sitting through all debates, reading the literature sent through the mail, have you changed your mind, we asked each other. All three ladies looked at me and said the message is absent and the messenger was not present. Election night at 11:30 p.m. I received a call. “Well God’s candidate did not win and came in the bottom half of the pack. God did not pay too much attention to the election.” It was Monday May 5, 2015. I walked to the subway very perplexed because the candidates and the election failed to generate enough interest. Approximately 4% voted which means that there was nothing in the candidates’ platforms to encourage the residents to vote. Frustrated,

I asked the question I wanted to ask for so long. What is the message and who is the messenger? The answer was very simple. The candidate would be believable when he or she states, “I want to work with the residents to create a ward where issues such as healthcare, childcare, and affordable housing matter, and to work to keep property taxes low. The residents want good schools for their children. Many of the women said they are tired of the charter versus public debate because funding comes from the same source. The residents want the messenger to advocate for better services for the ward. In preparing to email this letter I asked a male colleague of mine to read it and give me his opinion. He stated that the candidates failed to win the key decision maker in the family. I asked him who in his family has that position; he said his grandmother. He stated that at family functions as long as he could remember she would tell the family who to support politically. Many of them have surpassed her academically and economically, but the family still listens to Grandma. She now influences three generations. Finally, the sad fact is they knew many of the track records of the candidates before they ran. They had made up their minds about each and every individual. You cannot run from your reputation. If you have done work in the past and it has been lacking, being a candidate does not change that. Psychologists will tell you that people’s perceptions about an individual will change over time. They don’t. So City Paper and the Washington Post, the reason for the low turnout is as a ward we could not identify the message and the messenger. See you in 2016. u

East of the River Magazine June 2015

East washington life

Rachel Davis-Stewart introduces physical therapy into the Anacostia Arts Center. Photo: StereoVision Photography

New Therapy Business in the Arts Center by Candace Y.A. Montague

he Anacostia Arts Center is fast becoming the hotspot for a number of things east of the river. Visual art. Theater. Couture. Food. Fitness. Now they are adding therapy to the list. Better Backs Athletic and Physical Therapy has just opened its doors in Gallery E to bring one more service to the wellness side. Rachel Davis-Stewart, a nationally certified trainer and massage therapist, brought the business to the Arts Center last month and is ready for appointments or walk-ins.

Opening Rachel Davis-Stewart, owner of Better Backs, has worked for over a decade as a physical education teacher in DC public and charter schools. She has also spent many years as an athletic trainer. She had a vision of opening a therapy business that would use her training in a client-centered way. She wanted it to be convenient, affordable, and most of all healing. “You can take exercise across the spectrum. Whether it’s rehabilitation or recreation,

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exercise can fit the bill for so many things. So my services are more specialized than just your basic massage,” she says. After losing her bid on a potential space in Maryland, she heard of the Anacostia Arts Center from a parent of one of her students, and after her first visit, she was sold. “The space and the price were great. Much more than I expected.” Kate Taylor-Davis, director of the Anacostia Arts Center, said she was thrilled to have Better Backs come aboard. “It increases the diversity of things you get when you’re visiting. And they are incorporating art in their space, which is great.”

Customer-Minded Service The cost for a one hour session at a Capital Hill

salon ranges between $75 and $90. They often do not include therapy with equipment or education about self-care. Better Backs incorporates more physical therapy in their services for a smaller price tag. One 20-minute session is $25. Sessions can also be 30 or 60 minutes. The sessions are fully clothed and can include exercises for muscle relaxation and strengthening. Davis-Stewart says her service is client centered not therapist minded. “We take you through whatever exercise you need for pain relief and increase in mobility. One-on-one on the table and with the equipment. That’s something you probably can’t do at home – have someone watch you do the exercises to ensure you’re doing them correctly,” she explains.

As the District sees an increase in its senior population, there is a growing need for services that cater to health needs for the elderly. Arthritis, chronic disease, and injuries that have never healed properly require professional attention that will keep seniors moving strong. Davis-Stewart says that seniors are more than welcome in Better Backs to keep them active with less pain. “Seniors benefit tremendously. We don’t want to create any barriers to exercise or wellness. They can work out in a closed, intimate space with a trained professional. I know that seniors have chronic issues and just issues that come with aging. They don’t need a prescription for that. Just come in.” Therapy will include moist heat, trigger point therapy, and soft tissue mobilization exercises to help clients stay limber.

Business Matters Davis-Stewart says that she needed help in launching her new venture, though she bootstrapped her startup business and accumulated therapy equipment over the years. She also attended courses at a small business development center in Maryland. She in-

tends to take more courses on business at the Anacostia Small Business Development Center. “I needed help with my business planning. I learned about being realistic when it comes to the numbers, what I need to make a profit, and so on. Also I learned about how much you need to break even and pricing my services. It was a real eye opener.” From finding a space to obtaining business licenses to hiring other professionals to work with, Davis-Stewart has learned many lessons in entrepreneurship. The greatest lesson, however, was the art of preparation. “The biggest thing it takes to start a business is patience and resources. You can have all the ideas in the world but if you don’t have the bank account or credit you won’t make it. It’s not easy and it’s definitely not cheap,” she declares. “But seeing your vision come into fruition is definitely worth it.” For more information about Better Backs Athletic and Physical Therapy visit www.betterbackstherapy.com. Candace Y.A. Montague is the health reporter for Capital Community News. u

District Of Columbia Housing Authority Request for Proposals (RFP) for Voice Over Internet Protocol (Voip) Project RFP NO. - 0020-2015 THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA HOUSING AUTHORITY (“DCHA”) is seeking to solicit sealed bids from qualified telephone service companies to replace the DCHA’s current private Branch Exchange (PBX) telephone system. The exact nature and extent of the services will be conducted as detailed within the above mentioned solicitation. REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL DOCUMENTS will be available at the District of Columbia Housing Authority Procurement Office, 1133 North Capitol Street, N.E., Suite 300, Office of Administrative Services, Washington, D.C. 20002-7599 (Issuing Office); between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, beginning Tuesday, May 26, 2015. SEALED PROPOSALS ARE DUE: Wednesday, July 1, 2015 @ 11:00 a.m. at the Issuing Office identified above. Please contact Lolita Washington, Contract Specialist at 202-535-1212 for additional information.

East of the River Magazine June 2015

East washington life

LGBTQ Youth Make Musical Debut by Christina Sturdivant

lmost a dozen youth from the DC metro area made their harmonious debut, May 4 and 5, at the Lincoln Theater as founding members of the GenOUT Chorus. United by their interest in music, these nine young people also share the commonality of identifying as either lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer. (LGBTQ). The chorus, which is also open to “allies” of the LGBTQ community, grew out of the GenOUT youth outreach program, where representatives from the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington (GMCW) meet with gay/straight alliances at local middle and high schools. “The purpose of our visit is not really to perform, but rather to talk with students about issues that are important to them like bullying, the coming out process, finding a community, and supporting those who are struggling,” says Paul Heins, assistant conductor of the GMCW. During a 2014 school visit GMCW Artistic Director Thea Kano was asked if the group had a youth chorus. “The question sparked an idea in Thea’s mind,” says Heins, “and she responded, ‘Not yet.’” While the organization’s budget was already set, Kano along with GMCW’s executive director Chase Maggiano recognized the need for a choral

ensemble for LGBTQ youth in DC and worked to bypass the financial hurdles. “They put together the resources needed for a rehearsal space and supplies to realize the vision,” recalls Heins. “Over the course of the fall, we contacted schools to let them know of this new initiative, recruited students to participate, found a rehearsal space, decided on a repertoire, and began rehearsing in January [2015].”

Come to Have Fun Breanna Walton, a sophomore at Edmund Burke School, a private college preparatory school in the Van Ness neighborhood of Northwest, saw an ad for the choir in The Hill Rag. “There was no audition required and you also didn’t have to have any previous singing experience. You just came to have fun,” she explains. “So I filled out an application and within about a week they emailed

me back with rehearsal times.” Walton’s love for music is driven more from content than rhythm. “I like looking through different messages in songs that the songwriter would like to portray, and I really enjoy seeing what the song is really about,” she says. During her monthly GenOUT Chorus rehearsals, she has the chance to do just that. “We try to have the discussions generated from the music that we’re making,” says Heins. “So it might be a particular piece that we’re singing, and at the end of the rehearsal we might take apart the poetry of the piece that we’re learning and discuss its meaning or its potential meaning for our audiences, or how a meaning might be construed based on an LGBTQ identity.” Walton’s favorite song to rehearse is “Beautiful” by Christina Aguilera. Heins cites “Beautiful City” from the musical “Godspell” as one with much meaning.

A Sense of Reassurance

GenOUT Chorus on stage at the Lincoln Theater. Photo: Julie Lowe

EastoftheRiverDCNews.com

As with GenOUT school visits, students in the chorus also benefit from learning the experiences of members from the GMCW. “I think sometimes they just lack the confidence of knowing that the course that they’re heading in is the right one, and we might be able to share an experience from our own background that is similar, and by doing so we’re validating their own course of action,” says Heins, who came out to his friends and family at the age of 21, after being tired of satisfying others’ expectations of him. Growing up in Beltsville, Md., and northeastern Ohio, Heins had no group like GenOUT. If there had been, maybe he’d come out sooner. “I think maybe I might have had a more positive growing up experience including dating, socializing, which are always awkward for young people, but I think they’re especially awkward when you don’t know how to even find a date or what to do on a date. I think that would have been a more positive experience.” Walton, who came out during her freshman year, has a head start on navigating her identity while still young. When she told her friends and

GenOUT Chorus members surrounding a young fan. Photo: Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington

family, they were very supportive. “A lot of them said they still see me the same regardless and I’m no different than I was before I came out,” she says.

lgBtQ politiCS Being the only student from Edmund Burke in the chorus has allowed Walton an opportunity to dissect the politics of being LGBTQ in schools across the area, a frequent topic discussed among members. “A lot of the schools are semiinclusive, not necessarily fully inclusive,” she says. “I think a lot of schools focus on heteronormatives, especially in health classes. My school fortunately covers both heteronormative things and homosexual things.” But there is always room for improvement, and constantly modifying education is important. Administrators should “not be afraid to talk about these things,” she continues. While members of the chorus have created bonds among themselves, a sur-

prising kinship has emerged among their parents, says Heins. “As they come to listen to a rehearsal or pick their kids up at the end of a rehearsal, they have connected, shared stories with each other and formed friendships. I think that has been a really wonderful thing for them to do, the kind of community-building that we intend to do with the kids.” With a growing wait list the chorus is set to double its size by the fall 2015 school year. “It’s our desire to have as many kids participate as possible,” declares Heins, “We would love to have all of the wards represented in DC. We would like to have every community in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties represented, and in northern Virginia as well. We are starting small because that’s the way these sorts of things start, but as word spreads and people realize what a valuable experience this is for LGBTQ youth, I’m hoping that more kids from around the area will join.” u

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East washington life / Review

Telling Our Stories, Preserving Culture flying home: seven stories of the secret city by david nicholson by Jonetta Rose Barras

avid Nicholson’s “Flying Home “features cinematic storytelling, rich in lyrical, descriptive language and filled with authentic African- American characters. This debut fiction collection by a former editor of The Washington Post Book World Washington and founder of Black Film Review magazine, reminds us of people and African-American communities we may have forgotten as the old die and neighborhoods become more racially and economically diversified. But his powerful stories do not smother us in a nostalgic rendition of all things black. Rather they take us to parts of present day Washington, DC, behind the monuments, the museums and the enclave of federal office buildings. We travel past commercial corridors like U St. NW and H St. NE made popular by journalists who refuse to travel to the city’s bountiful and beautiful interior. A native Washingtonian, Nicholson doesn’t place readers in any specific neighborhood, except Chevy Chase, which is predominantly white. His African- American characters refer to “the street” and “the avenue,” although a student of the city’s history and geography would probably assume the latter might be Rhode Island Ave. But the landmarks— Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, and the Howard Theater, for example—and the book’s cover leave little doubt the stories whisper about the lives of folks in the nation’s capital who are not often discussed, except perhaps when sociologists seek to conjure pathologies. “Living on the street’s like walking into the Sylvan after the picture’s started,” the narrator of “Getting On the Good Foot,” says. “Neville knows he’ll never really understand what he’s watching because he missed all the important stuff.” The recently arrived to the District of Columbia may have missed much of its development but Nicholson clues them into the good, the remarkable and the extraordinary in the ordinary. He portrays tough boys, like Big Boy Bullock and

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his crew, who are mostly harmless but with whom young Neville and Wilson do not wish to tangle. Nicholson takes readers inside the barbershop, a cultural center, where black males—and some females-- have gathered for more years than I have been on this earth. The barbershop men in “A Few Good Men,” including proprietor Lamarr Jenkins, womanizer Speed, and Hubble tell tall and tender tales. Lloyd Carver, for example, loved a woman so deep and hard, she sent him to the poorhouse and an early grave. As the men close out an evening of cutting heads, shaving faces, and sharing stories, it’s the one relayed by Hubble that leaves everyone in the shop puzzled, and this reader saddened. We are allowed to eavesdrop on the quiet evening conversations of maturing black women without men; they counsel each other not to become victims. There are couples, like Daisy and Odis Renfro; he tries to teach his son the definition of manhood, only to be treated to his own refresher course. The husbands and wives, married for years, are still learning each other, the depth of their commitment, and the strength of their love to each other, which gets them through the turbulence of life as working class people. In “Seasons,” Nicholson exposes us to the renewal of love and admiration between Tyson and his wife Garnet, who works for a white family in Chevy Chase. A former pitcher with the Dixie Dukes of Washington, DC – a Negro baseball team that mimics the Washington Homestead Grays--Tyson has been telling a story about striking out Babe Ruth. Did it happen as he spun the tale to Jesse, the son of Garnet’s employer? The answer comes when the young boy shows up at Tyson and Garnet’s front door late one night. In the title story “Flying Home,” Shepherd takes his teen daughter Jessica back to his old neighborhood. He wants her to have a sense of where he came from, and, thus, her own history. But the typical teen moodiness clashes with his good intentions. In the end, she concludes with tearful sadness what he has yet to fully realize. It

is an episode that could have been taken from the lives of many blacks who left their neighborhoods, searching for the larger American dream. While their names may have been different, I know the people in Nicholson’s book. I have met them in Deanwood, in Bellevue, in Bloomingdale, in Petworth and other parts of the District of Columbia. Truth be told, I knew them in my native New Orleans, La. The Bells, the Barbarans, the Thomas’ and Jacksons lived within a half mile radius of my grandparents home on Mexico Street. Like the folks in DC, they were ordinary people struggling with the challenges of life but their wisdom, invincible spirit and resilience earned my respect and admiration. There is much to praise about Nicholson’s book. Each story is told with almost perfect pacing. The language is chosen with precision. The cadence of each character’s dialogue is authentic, reminding us of the way so many of our friends and neighbors speak. And each narrative opens wide the African-American culture and communal history with care and unabashed affection. The only slight jolt in the collection is the appearance of Jimi Hendrix. But maybe that’s just me. Constance McLaughlin Green wrote back in the late 1960s, a book that captured an aspect of Washington behind closed doors. “The Secret City: A History of Race Relations in the Nation’s Capital” was a groundbreaking work of nonfiction. While Nicholson hasn’t written an overt race book, he provides a contrasting view of black and white neighborhoods and a glimpse inside their relationship, mostly as employee and employer. But never do the black characters trade their dignity and integrity. Nicholson’s “Flying Home” is a welcome addition to the canon of African-American literary fiction. Folks interested in knowing the real Washington, DC—the one that continues to exist, despite tales of its demise, may want to pick up a copy of this wonderful collection. Flying Home is being released June 2, 2015. Pre-orders are being taken by amazon.com u

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East washington life / jazz avenues

Jazz Avenues by Steve Monroe

DC Jazz Festival Sparkles East of the River The DC Jazz Festival is presenting its 11th year of jamming sounds all over the city, June 10-16, with many topnotch performances featured in the East of the River JAZZFest “festival within a festival.” East of the River Jazz guru Vernard Gray has devoted the last several years to growing jazz audiences, especially east of the Anacostia River, and has been presenting performances since early this year celebrating the centennial of the birth of Billy Strayhorn, a formidable pianist and legendary songwriter and purveyor of music who was also a cohort of Duke Ellington’s. During the DC Jazz Festival, East of the River JAZZFest performances include the Janelle Gill Ensemble: Exploring Strayhorn, June 12, at the Francis A. Gregory Library; the Strayhorn Jazz Brunch with Karen Lovejoy and The Lovejoy Group, June 13, at the Anacostia Arts Center; Christylez Bacon: Strayhorn from a Hip-Hop Perspective, June 13, at the Francis A. Gregory Library; Reginald Cyntje Ensemble: Strayhorn, Caribbean Interpretations, June 14, at the Honfleur Gallery; and other events. See www.eastriverjazz.net for more information. Other DC Jazz Festival highlights include the kickoff Jazz ‘n’ Families Fun Days, June 6-7, at the Phillips Collection, and then a potpourri including The Bad Plus Joshua Redman, John Scofield Uberjam Band, Jack DeJohnnette, Paquito D’Rivera, and others at The Hamilton Live downtown; Common, Esperanza Spalding, and others at the DC JazzFest at The Yards; Thundercat, Nicole Mitchell, and more at the CapitalBop Jazz Loft Series, and many other top artists in the Jazz ‘n’ the Hoods venues. See www.dcjazzfest.org for complete information.

Congrats to JJA Award Winner Warren Wolf! Bravo! Baltimore’s multi-talented vibraphonist, pianist, and drummer Warren Wolf has been named the Jazz Journalists Association 2015 Mallets Instrumentalist of the Year. You can catch Wolf with Gary Thomas and The Young Lions in CapitalBop’s Trio of Trios show, June 11, at the Hecht Warehouse (see www.capitalbop.com) and June 12 with the Howard Franklin Sextet at Westminster Presbyterian Church. And see www.warrenwolfmusic.com for more on the award winner.

Todd Marcus’ “Blues for Tahrir” Rising musician and composer and bandleader Todd Marcus of Baltimore, though steeped in jazz primarily, says of his Egyptian heritage, first illustrated on his 2012 “Inheritance” album, “As a musician, I found that I really liked the epic compositions and arrangements of Middle Eastern classical music, which tend to have a lot of different movements that take you on a journey.” Marcus explores more of his nexus of jazz and Middle Eastern music on his latest recording, “Blues for Tahrir.” The HiPNOTIC Records disc features Marcus on bass clarinet and percussion, with fine work from Gregory Tardy, tenor saxophone, Alex Norris, trumpet, Xavier Davis, piano, and Jeff Reed, bass, among others.

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From the opening “Many Moons” intro pieces through “Reflections,” “Protest,” and particularly the incisive and vibrant “Alien,” Marcus melodically achieves his goal of a suite echoing the anguish, frustration, and hope for the future that Egypt has experienced in its Arab Spring upheavals the last several years. And the works, most composed by Marcus, add to his growing stature as an artist and visionary force in the music world. See www.toddmarcusjazz.com for more information. June Highlights: … Jazz Meets HipHop/The W.E.S. Group, June 9, THEARC … JAZZForum Muneer Nasser-UpWrite Bass: The Musical Life and Legacy of Jamil Nasser, June 9, University of the District of Columbia … Brad Linde, June 11, Atlas Performing Arts Center … Roberta Gambarini/Cyrus Chestnut, June 11-14, Blues Alley … Janelle Gill Ensemble, June 12, Francis A. Gregory Library … Michael Thomas Quintet, June 12-13, Twins Jazz … Greg Hatza’s Organ Blues Band: Blues – Strayhorn – Blues, June 13, Uniontown Bar and Grill … Herman Burney/Reginald Cyntje: Sunday Morning Strayhorn, June 14, Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens … Marty Nau, June 14, Twins Jazz … The Cookers, June 14, Sixth & I Historic Synagogue … AfroHORN, June 14, Bo-

hemian Caverns … Nicolas Payton Trio, June 13-14, Bohemian Caverns …Iva Jean Ambush/Jazz Abuscade: Billy Strayhorn and Lena Horne/They’re Together Again, June 15, Benning Road Library … Bruce Swaim Quartet, June 15, Blues Alley … Bohemian Caverns Jazz Orchestra/Oliver Lake, June 15, Bohemian Caverns … JAZZAlive in the Hood: Bruce Williams with Allyn Johnson and the UDC JAZZtet, June 15, University of the District of Columbia Amphitheatre … Christie Dashiell, June 16, Bohemian Caverns …Terence Blanchard E-Collective, June 16-21, Blues Alley … Gregory Porter, June 17, Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club … Todd Marcus Quartet, June 21, Eubie Blake Cultural Center/Baltimore … Lenny Marcus Trio, June 23, Twins Jazz … Mark Meadows, June 26-27, Twins Jazz … June Birthdays: Josephine Baker, Dakota Staton 3; Oliver Nelson, Anthony Braxton 4; Monty Alexander 5; Jimmie Lunceford, Grant Green 6; Tal Farlow, Tina Brooks 7; Kenny Barron 9; Chick Corea, Geri Allen 12; Jaki Byard, Erroll Garner 15; Lucky Thompson 16; Eric Dolphy 20; Jamil Nasser 21, Milt Hinton 23; Reggie Workman 26; Andrew Hill 30. Steve Monroe, a Washington, DC, writer, can be reached at steve@ jazzavenues.com and followed at www.twitter.com/jazzavenues. u

Our queen of song Sharon Clark appears during the DC Jazz Festival, June 12, at The Yards Park in Southeast, and is a regular on Saturday nights at LaPorta’s Restaurant in Alexandria, Va.

CHANGING HANDS 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.

East River JazzFest 2015 JUNE 12TH - JUNE 15TH FREE CONCERTS at neighborhood locations: Swing | Hip-Hop | Daytime Jazz for Seniors Caribbean | Afro-Cuban/Latin | Be-Bop PAID CONCERT $5 in advance online Blues at Uniontown Bar & Grill For details on all concerts visit: www.eastriverjazz.net

Neighborhood

Close Price BR

FEE SIMPLE ANACOSTIA FORT DUPONT PARK 1675 W ST SE 1614 16TH ST SE 2110 16TH ST SE

$365,000 $290,000 $125,000

3 3 4

4568 C ST SE 4227 FORT DUPONT TER SE 4329 F ST SE

$335,000 $315,000 $189,900

CHILLUM HILL CREST 6436 2ND PL NW

$550,000

CONGRESS HEIGHTS 3211 5TH ST SE 503 OAKWOOD ST SE 3717 HORNER PL SE 628 MILWAUKEE PL SE 879 BARNABY ST SE 4024 2ND ST SW 662 BRANDYWINE ST SE 838 YUMA ST SE 622 SOUTHERN AVE SE 4402 MARTIN LUTHER KING JR AVE SW 442 ORANGE ST SE

$380,000 $290,000 $285,000 $283,000 $281,505 $280,000 $260,000 $255,000 $242,500 $185,297 $142,500

3 5 3 4 3 3 3 4 3 2 2 3

3810 CARPENTER ST SE 2709 MINNESOTA AVE SE 2716 MINNESOTA AVE SE 2942 M ST SE 3249 O ST SE

$470,000 $280,500 $269,000 $259,000 $215,000

MARSHALL HEIGHTS 126 53RD ST SE 4807 B ST SE 5129 ASTOR PL SE 4809 BASS PL SE

$310,000 $250,500 $159,900 $155,000

4 3 2 4 3 3 2 3 3 2 2 2

RANDLE HEIGHTS

2806 BRUCE PL SE $297,000 3 3044 30TH ST SE $235,000 3 DEANWOOD 2802 BRUCE PL SE $185,000 3 824 48TH PL NE $399,000 7 3455 24TH ST SE $115,000 2 926 48TH PL NE $370,000 6 2026 SAVANNAH PL SE $113,050 3 4519 FOOTE ST NE $360,000 3 5371 HAYES ST NE $359,900 4 CONDO 210 58TH ST NE $343,000 3 4508 LEE ST NE $299,500 3 CHILLUM 5609 FOOTE ST NE $275,000 5 33 KENNEDY ST NW #101 $158,500 1 811 46TH ST NE $260,000 3 5912 EADS ST NE $250,000 3 HILL CREST 4605 HUNT PL NE $215,000 3 2103 SUITLAND TER SE #202 $44,189 2 5322 AMES ST NE $210,000 3 918 46TH ST NE $160,000 4 MARSHALL HEIGHTS 920 44TH ST NE $140,000 3 5037 CALL PL SE #302 $57,774 2 220 35TH ST NE $139,000 2 5106 F ST SE #9 $57,000 2 1115 50TH ST NE $90,000 3 u

East of the River Magazine June 2015

KIDS & FAMILY / NOTEBOOK

notebook by Kathleen Donner

ers, book sellers, literacy stakeholders and independent artists of the African Diaspora with a clear goal of placing a book in the hand of every child. Very family-friendly, there will be a Children’s Pavillion, rollerskating, basketball and literacy-focused activities. Attendees can expect live performances, engaging workshops including a cooking demonstration for children by celebrity chef, Chef Daniel W. Thomas, poetry readings, theatrical skits, films, and, of course, book readings, signings, swaps, sales and give-a-ways. Go to juneteenthbookfestival.com for more information.

Weekend Movies at Deanwood Through Sept. 5, every Saturday and Sunday at 3 p.m., there are free movies for kids, ages 6-12, at Deanwood Library, 1350 49th St. NE. 202-6981175. dclibrary.org/deanwood

Civil War Tours to Treasure at Anacostia Community Museum

Hoop Dreams Basketball Tournament and Life Skills Event The DC Housing Authority will hold its 5th Annual Basketball Tournament and Life Skills Event on June 26-27 at Trinity Washington University, 125 Michigan Ave. NE. The tournament opens on Friday, June 26, with a pep rally at 9 a.m. What started five years ago as an event just for children of families participating in DCHA’s Housing Choice Voucher Program has expanded. The Basketball Tournament and Life Skills Event now includes children of all families DCHA serves and last year had more than 150 boys and girls in the competition. The event inspires child atletesh by reinforcing team building skills through sportsmanship, providing educational opportunities, and offering life skills workshops. Online registration is available for eligible families at dchousing.org/basketball. Courtesy of DC Housing Authority

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On Sundays, June 7 and 28; July 5; Aug. 1, 16 and 23; 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., families get a personal docent-led tour of the exhibition How the Civil War Changed Washington and participate in a self-guided treasure hunt activity. Kids receive a free museum token for finishing the hunt. Each Tours to Treasure program lasts approximately 90 minutes; recommended for families and children (6 years and up). Call 202-633-4844 to register. Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Pl. SE. anacostia.si.edu

Family Genealogy Workshop at the Anacostia Community Museum On Saturday, July 18, 2-4 p.m., Hollis Gentry, genealogist at the National Museum of African American Art, History and Culture will lead participants in the process of taking descendant information and constructing a genealogy map of their family tree. Space for this workshop is limited to 45 participants so register early. There is a $10 non-refundable pre-registration materials fee. Visit anacostia.si.edu and click on the sign up tab at the top on the right side and pay the $10 pre-registration fee. Credit or debit card required.

Eleanor Holmes Norton Juneteenth Book Festival (every child walks away with a book) The Eleanor Holmes Norton Juneteenth Book Festival, on Saturday, June 20, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., at Anacostia Park, is a cultural book festival providing platform and dialogue with publishers, writ-

Skatemobile in Wards 7 and 8 This summer the Skatemobile travels throughout the District during the months of June-September allowing kids to experience the mobile roller rink close to home. The vehicle comes equipped with a sound system and carries over 100 sets of skates. The Skatemobile is at Oxon Run Park, 13th and Mississippi Ave. SE, on Monday, June 22, 6-9:30 p m.; the Fort Davis Recreation Center, 1400 41st Street SE on Saturday, June 27, 5-9 p.m.; 616 Pomeroy Road SE on Tuesday, June 30, 6-9 p.m. dpr.dc.gov

Father’s Day 8K and Kid’s Kilometer The 6th annual Father’s Day 8K will be run on a flat and fast out-and-back course along the C&O Canal Towpath. The first 300 participants will be provided a technical race shirt, and awards will be given out at the postrace celebration to the top 3 M/F overall, the top M/F in each 10-year age group, and the top Father-Son and Father-Daughter teams. Race is on Sunday, June 21, 6:30 p.m. $40 to register ($5 for kids’ run). fathersday8k.com

Newseum Summer Fun Deal for Kids The Newseum offers everything from the Berlin Wall and Pulitzer Prize-winning photos to interactive games. This summer, there’s one more great reason to visit--kids get in free! July 1 through Labor Day, the Newseum waives admission for visitors age 18 and younger. Up to four kids visit for free with each paid adult or senior admission. Adult (ages 19-64) admission is $22.95 plus

tax and senior admission is $18.95 plus tax. Newseum is at 555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. newseum.org

Somerset Prep DC Charter School 3301 Wheeler Road, SE • Washington, DC 20032

DC puBliC liBRaRy’S SummeR ReaDing FoR kiDS: win pRizeS FoR ReaDing This year’s Summer Reading theme is Every Hero Has a Story. Visit dclibrary.org/kidsummerreading for details on how kids can read, win, explore and get two free tickets to catch a Washington Nationals baseball game.

SHowtime tueSDayS at tHeaRC tHeateR Showtime Tuesdays at THEARC, for ages 4-7, are July 7-Aug. 18, 9:3011:30 a.m. This event provides a free movie and companion literary activity to kids, ages 4-7. The “ I CAN” Technical Theater interns will read stories and provide word challenges at the start of each production to encourage literacy through performance arts. Doors open at 9:30 a.m. Program begins at 10 a.m. Showtime Tuesdays at THEARC, for ages 10-17, are July 7-Aug. 18, 1:30-3:30 p.m. Here’s the schedule: July 7, Guardians of the Galaxy; July 14, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; July 21, Night at The Museum: Secret Tomb; July 28, Into The Woods; Aug. 4, Maleficent; and Aug.18, Pitch Perfect. THEARC is at 1901 Mississippi Ave. SE. 202-8895901. thearcdc.org

CRaFtS & ColoRing at FRanCiS a. gRegoRy liBRaRy Sunday afternoons, at 2 p.m., are for crafts and coloring at Francis Gregory library. Come in and make something to take home--craft, sketch, color, draw or paint. Children ages 4-12 and younger and their caregivers are welcome, and all supplies are provided. Francis A. Gregory Neighborhood Library, 3660 Alabama Ave. SE. 202698-6373. dclibrary.org/francis

DpR movie nigHt in tHe Community The DPR Movie Night program travels throughout the District during the summer months. Movies are family-oriented. Movie Night in the Community at Hillcrest Recreation Center, 3100 Denver St. SE, is on Tuesday, June 16,

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East of the River Magazine June 2015

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KiDs & faMilY / notEBooK

CHilDRen’S national HealtH SyStem “BRinging it all togetHeR Day” HealtH FaiR The Children’s National Health System’s 13th Annual Health Fair is on Friday, June 19, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Children’s Health Center at Good Hope Road, 2501 Good Hope Rd. SE. Vendors include: DC EMSC, WIC program, The Children’s Law Center’s Healthy Together, DDOT, IMPACT DC, and Healthy Start Healthy Families. Free admission and giveaways. For more information contact Elva Anderson, Ph.D. at 202-476-6944 or eanderso@cnmc.org. Children’s National Health System’s Health Fair is on Friday, June 19, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Children’s Health Center at Good Hope Road, 2501 Good Hope Rd. SE.

8:30-11 p.m. and at the Fort Davis Community Center, 1400 41st St. SE, is on Friday, June 19, 8:30-11 p.m. dpr.dc.gov

APPLICATIONS BEING ACCEPTED FOR THE 2015-2016 SCHOOL YEAR Pre-K to 3rd grade

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For the 2016-2017 school year Bridges PCS will be in our new location: 100 Gallatin St. NE, Washington, DC 20011.

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EastoftheRiverDCNews.com

Fun witH FloweRS youtH pHotogRapHy woRkSHop at tHe BotaniC gaRDen On Saturday, July 18, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. or 2-4 p.m., come to the USBG to explore the wonders of photographing flowers while learning the basics of photography. Over the course of 2 hours, students ages of 10-13 will learn how to use photography skills in nature as an artistic tool, sharing the joy of nature through the lens of a camera. This workshop will be offered twice; the second workshop is a repeat of the first. Each workshop will only be open to 10 participants. Adults should be onsite for the duration of the workshop and are encouraged to take part with their children. No outside materials are necessary. Each participant will be given (to use and then return) their own camera with instruction on basic use, followed by a demonstration of the basic composition of the camera itself. Each participant will produce a print as well as a piece of artwork (vine/root sculpture) similar to that of Romeo and Juliet by renowned artist Steve Tobin, currently on display at the USBG. The workshop is free and pre-

registration is required. Visit usbg.gov.

SHawnee: living in BotH woRlDS (Family) FeStival at ameRiCan inDian muSeum On Friday, June 12 and Saturday, June 13, 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., join the Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma, the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma and the Shawnee Tribe to learn more about the culture, history and contemporary lives of these tribal entities through dance performances, artist demonstrations, music, hands-on activities for families and more. The National Museum of the American Indian on the National Mall between the Smithsonian’s National Air & Space Museum and the US Capitol Building. nmai.si.edu

liBRaRy oF CongReSS kiCkS oFF SummeR eSSay ConteSt FoR RiSing 5tH anD 6tH gRaDeRS The Library of Congress has launched its annual summer essay contest, in conjunction with area public libraries, to encourage rising 5th- and 6th-grade students to reflect on books that have made an impact on their lives. The “A Book That Shaped Me” Summer Writing Contest is

administered as part of summer reading programs at public libraries in Washington, DC, Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Prizes will be awarded and top winners will be invited to present their essays at the National Book Festival, Saturday, Sept. 5 at the Washington Convention Center. Essays, focused on a single book, should be one page in length and must be submitted with an entry form, in person, at a participating public library. The deadline for entries is Friday, July 10. Submission forms are available at the Library of Congress Young Readers Center in Room G-29 of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. SE, or at participating public library locations. The list of participating libraries is at loc.gov/bookfest/ kids-teachers/booksthatshape.

Capital pRiDe QueeR & now youtH DanCe On Saturday, June 13, 6-10 p.m., come party at the only youth-exclusive event over Capital Pride weekend–the Queer & Now dance is at National City Christian Church, 5 Thomas Cir. NW. There will be free dancing and food. smyal.org

“SatuRDay moRning at tHe national” FRee peRFoRmanCeS FoR CHilDRen On Saturdays at 9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. there are free live performances for children in the National Theatre Helen Hayes Gallery. Tickets are required and distributed first come, first seated. Tickets are distributed 1/2 hour prior to performance. One ticket per person in line. The National Theatre is at 1321 Pennsylvania Ave., NW. 202-783-3372. Here’s the summer line-up: June 6, The Three Not So Little Pigs by the Blue Sky Puppet Theatre, Inc.; June 13, Magician Brian Curry; June 27, Curtis Blues-Delta Blues; July 11, Andres Salguero, ¡Uno, Dos, Tres, con Andres!; July 18, Bright Star-Aesop’s Fables; July 25, Katherine Lyons: Transformations Imagination; Aug. 1, Rainbow Puppets: Pirate Party. Read more at thenationaldc.org.

FeStival oF youtH CHoiRS at national CatHeDRal The 20th Annual YouthCUE Nation’s Capital Festival Grand Con-

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East of the River Magazine June 2015

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KIDS & FAMILY / NOTEBOOK cert takes place at on Friday, June 26, 7:30 p.m., at the Washington National Cathedral. The concert features a combined choir of 200 youth from 10 individual choirs, spanning five states and five Christian denominations, accompanied by members of the National Symphony Orchestra. Free admission. Information about YouthCUE can be found at youthcue.org.

The BFG (The Big Friendly Giant) at the National Theatre The BFG is the world’s only friendly giant. He operates in the strictest of secrecy to bring good dreams to the human world, while his nasty counterparts steal and have the despicable habit of eating children. Upon meeting little orphan Sophie through her window, he whisks her away to his home in Giant Country. Together they embark on an adventure to Buckingham Palace to get help from the Queen and save the children from the other giants! July 14-25. Best for ages 5, up. The National Theatre is at 1321 Pennsylvania Ave., NW. 202-7833372. thenationaldc.org

Kids Run the Bases at Nat’s Park Kids ages 4-12 can run the bases after select Nationals games. Kids Run the Bases begins immediately following the game, weather permitting. Remaining dates are: June 21; July 5 and 19; Aug. 9, 23, and 30; Sept. 6, 20 and 27. An adult must accompany runners to the field. One adult per child on the field. Starting at first base, kids will be directed to run around the bases as the adults continue along the warning track and meet the runners near home plate. Once the game has ended, it takes the grounds crew approximately 20 minutes to prepare the field. Kids and parents/guardians can begin lining up at the end of the 7th inning, however fans that would like to stay and watch the entire game will still be able to line up once the game has ended. Participants must exit the ballpark through the Right Field Gate. The line forms outside of the park on the sidewalk along First St. washington.nationals.mlb.com

Smithsonian Sleepovers at the American History Museum Solve a Smithsonian mystery of historic proportions! The devious diva

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Miss Rose has stolen six valuable objects from the National Museum of American History—and participants need to discover what’s missing before evening’s end. The participants have the opportunity to become a detective, roam through the museum’s galleries and use their cunning and skills to collect guiding clues. Along the way, take part in some great games, experiments, and craft projects—and even become a presidential candidate. After the crime is solved, kids can roll out their sleeping bags and sleep soundly knowing that they’ve protected some of America’s treasures—and had plenty of fun. Sleepover dates are Saturdays, July 18 and Aug. 1; and Fridays, Aug. 7, 14 and 28. Call 202-633-3030 (M-F, 9-5) to order tickets. smithsoniansleepovers. org/american-history

The Puppet Company at Glen Echo The elegance of 17th-century France, combine elaborate costumes of the Comédie-Française and Offenbach’s “Gaiety Parisian” to adorn the tale of the cinder girl who captures the heart of the handsome prince. “Cinderella” runs through June 21. $10. Appropriate for K-grade 6. Running time is 45 minutes. When Snow White meets seven vertically challenged bachelors, she discovers that everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses, and that friendship and teamwork make any challenge smaller. Based on the Grimm fairytale, this production takes the Puppet Co.’s usual sideways view of the popular story, giving it timeliness and humor for adults as well as kids. “Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs” runs June 25-Aug. 9. $10. Appropriate for preK-grade 4. Running time is 40 minutes. The Puppet Company, a Center for Exploration of the Puppet Arts, is at Glen Echo Park, 7300 Mac Arthur Blvd., Glen Echo, MD. 301-634-6380. thepuppetco.org

Marine Corps Marathon Kids Run Registration Open Marine Corps Marathon Kids Run registration has opened. The Kids Run is on Saturday, Oct. 24 and will be held in the Pentagon North parking lot. Nearly 3,600 children ages 5-12 will participate in the one-mile just-for-fun event. All participants receive a T-shirt, medal and snacks at the finish line. Register at marinemarathon.com. u

Crossword Author: Myles Mellor • www.themecrosswords.com • www.mylesmellorconcepts.com

Inside Measurements by Myles Mellor and Sally York Across:

1. Charge for 16-Across 5. Lollygags 10. Brown inks 16. See 1-Across 19. Mideast hot spot 20. Old pay-to-graze arrangement 21. Capital on the Missouri 22. Wood sorrel 23. Standing firm 27. “Green ___” 28. Medieval stringed instruments 29. Turn back 30. Caesar’s meal starters? 32. French romance 33. Asian shrines 34. Expands, in a way 35. Deep cavity 36. Doha’s land 37. Litmus reddeners 38. Raiding grp. 39. Kesey’s vehicle 40. Former P.M. of Ireland 44. White House nickname 45. Doctrine 47. Share 49. Metal in rocks 50. Brightly colored fliers 56. Realizes 57. Emulate Demosthenes 58. Ends 59. Specious reasoner 62. Lifework 63. ___ checkers 64. Zoroastrian texts 65. Beau 66. Where the action is 67. Annual Denver-area event 73. Popular cooking spray 74. Rakes 75. Take over, in a way 76. 1969 Peace Prize grp. 77. Pix 80. Photo ___ (media events) 81. Red Cross supply 82. Diamond stat 84. Derby prize

86. Brothers’ keeper? 89. Medieval helmet 90. Former kingdom of western Africa 93. Orchestra group 94. Scribe 95. Comparatively cockamamie 96. Gas additive 97. Middle Eastern tree 98. Community events 104. Start and end of the Three Musketeers’ motto 105. More unctuous 106. Hawk’s home 107. Chitchat 108. Abbr. next to a telephone number 109. Fishing gear 110. Sugar source 111. With skill

Down:

1. Wreath material 2. “You ___” (Lionel Richie hit) 3. Churchill’s “so few,” abbr. 4. Matched 5. Property owners 6. A de Mille 7. Turns sharply 8. N.Y. minutes? 9. “___ Weather” 10. Phlegm 11. Kind of down 12. Gamepieces 13. It makes one hot 14. Turkey’s highest peak 15. African republic 16. Funnel-shaped 17. Capital of Ghana 18. Thai money 24. Some hospital procedures 25. Bronx jeers 26. Key material 30. Michael Moore film title 31. Departure 32. Endure 33. Cheap jewelry 34. Homeless child 35. Shills for, e.g.

Look for this months answers at labyrinthgameshop.com 36. Estimate 38. Weather map area 39. Montana city 41. Bing, bang or boom 42. Algonquian people 43. 1946 Literature Nobelist 45. Barbary pirate 46. Like jasmine or garbage 47. Curve, in mathematics 48. Most crafty 51. Put into service again 52. ___ Hill 53. Scottish slopes 54. Gridiron move 55. Island west of Maui 59. Pitches a tent

60. Winged 61. 1965 march site 62. Volumes 63. Inched 65. Defeats, informally 66. Underway 68. Mawkish 69. Palm trees 70. Fancy home 71. Kind of wrench 72. Popular TV series 78. Projecting part 79. By hook or by crook 82. Marriage announcement 83. Former capital of Kazakhstan 85. European republic

86. Can’t stand 87. Division of Cameroon 88. Crone, in olden times 89. Letter getter 90. Iraqi money 91. Anoint 92. Salutes 93. Different 94. Danger 96. Lake near Niagara Falls 97. Stringed instrument 99. Getting on in years 100. Nay’s opposite 101. Chem class 102. Building annex 103. What’s up?

Night Out!

For more info and to register go to www.labyrinthdc.eventbrite.com 645 Pennsylvania Ave SE

202.544.1059

East of the River Magazine June 2015

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East of the River Magazine June 2015