East of the River Magazine – May 2021 by Capital Community News

MAY 2021

E AST OF THE R IVER M AGAZINE M AY 2021 NEXT ISSUE: JUNE 5

NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS

IN EVERY ISSUE

Pandemic Strands Defendants in DC Jail: Extended Pretrial Detention Upheld Despite Powerful Dissent by Gavrielle Jacobovitz

Five New Restaurants Set to Open at Skyland: Additions to Create New Food Destination by Elizabeth O’Gorek

Our River: The Anacostia – Remaking Kingman And Heritage Islands Creating Special Places To Enjoy Nature

04 42 43 28

Luis Peralta Del Valle: Ambassador of Peace, Hope and Love by Phil Hutinet

Meet Your Neighbor: Dr. William Hawkins, Deacon and Mathematician by Anthony D. Diallo

Quality Trust: Support for Parents of Children with Disabilities by Sarah Payne

Changing Hands

by Bill Matuszeski

Get Help With DCRA: Contractor Rating System System Joins Permit Wizard to Help Residents Make Project Decisions by Elizabeth O’Gorek Bulletin Board by Kathleen Donner

Darren Be Scheming

Notebook

by Kathleen Donner

ON THE COVER: Chuck Baby. by artist Luis Peralta Del Vlle.

by Darren Thompson

See profile on page 28. Image courtesy of the artist.

Capital Community News, Inc. Publisher of: Capital Community News, Inc. PO Box 15477, Washington, DC 20003 202.543.8300 www.capitalcommunitynews.com www.hillrag.com

by Don Denton

KIDS & FAMILY 34

EAST WASHINGTON LIFE

What’s on Washington The Crossword The Classifieds

MIDCITY

F A G O N

GUIDE TO CAPITOL HILL

FAGON

EDUCATION

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Melissa Ashabranner • melissa.ashabranner@gmail.com MANAGING EDITOR: Andrew Lightman • andrew@hillrag.com PUBLISHER: Jean-Keith Fagon • fagon@hillrag.com Copyright © 2021 by Capital Community News. All Rights Reserved.

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

E ast

of the

R iver M agazine

M ay 2021

WHAT’S ON W A S H I N G T O N STC’S BLINDNESS Shakespeare Theatre Company has opened the doors of Sidney Harman Hall for the first time in over a year for the Donmar Warehouse’s sound and light installation Blindness, just extended through June 13. In a unique experience where the audience is onstage, but actors are not, socially distanced patrons wear binaural headphones plunging them into the dystopic world of Blindness. This dark-room play, based on Nobel Prize writer José Saramago’s novel, unearths how a pandemic of blindness causes chaos, fear, and social unrest. Performances are 7 p.m., Tuesday to Friday; 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays; and another at noon on Wednesdays. $49. shakespearetheatre.org. Blindness, a sound and light installation. Photo: Helen Maybanks

BIKE TO WORK DAY The Washington, DC region’s 20th Anniversary Bike to Work Day is Friday, May 21. Join other participants at pit stops in DC, Maryland and Virginia for this free event for a healthy and safe way to start your day. Even if you’re working from home in May, get exercise by biking to a T-shirt Pickup Point and then back home to work for the day. The first 15,000 who register and arrive at a pit stop by bike will receive a free T-shirt. Staggered hours and a strict COVID policy will be in place. Registration is open at biketoworkmetrodc.org. Photo: Courtesy of Bike to Work Day

HONEST TO GOD Honest to God is an online series presented by the Washington National Cathedral featuring wisdom leaders, theologians and others offering spiritual conversation for uncertain times. On Tuesday, May 11, 7 p.m., chef and humanitarian José Andrés joins Dean Randy Hollerith and Canon Missioner Leonard Hamlin for a conversation about leadership, inspiration, and public service. Andrés, founder of World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit devoted to providing meals in the wake of natural disasters, shares the stories behind his humanitarian efforts to eliminate poverty and feed the hungry. Free; donations accepted. This and prior conversations are available at cathedral.org/outreach-programs/honesttogod. Chef and humanitarian José Andrés. Photo: Scott Suchman

“NECESSARY SACRIFICES” RADIO PLAY Ford’s Theatre has announced an audio drama adaptation of Richard Hellesen’s Necessary Sacrifices, featuring Washington actors Craig Wallace as Frederick Douglass and Paul Morella as Abraham Lincoln. Commissioned by Ford’s Theatre, Necessary Sacrifices explores the two documented encounters between Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln during a period of national crisis. During the summers of 1863 and 1864, Douglass challenges Lincoln to use his power as president to bring truth to America’s founding ideal that “all men are created equal.” The radio play is available to the public through May 30 on fords.org. Necessary Sacrifices at Ford’s Theatre. Photo: Courtesy of Ford’s Theatre

E a s t o f t h e R i v er D C N e w s . c o m

E ast

of the

R iver M agazine

M ay 2021

WHAT’S ON WASHINGTON

VAN GOGH: THE IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE Tickets are going fast for Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience. It is a 360º digital art exhibition, July through December 2021, that invites you to step into the universe of the Dutch genius, Vincent van Gogh. The experience illuminates and transforms a unique physical space into a fully immersive exhibit, where Van Gogh’s work takes over the walls, through cutting-edge 360-degree digital projections, and unique VR experiences. Visitors are immersed directly into the paintings themselves and become the eyes of Van Gogh. This 60-75 minute, family-friendly, COVID-safe experience is appropriate for all ages. Venue to be announced. $19.90 to $36. Catch a glimpse at youtube.com/watch?v=dZkQSjZYsgc. vangoghexpo.com.

USBG VEGETABLE AND FLOWER GROWING The US Botanic Garden has announced a calendar of spring programs to be offered online through May. While the Garden is currently closed due to COVID-19, it continues to offer educational programming online to connect people and plants. Highlights from the upcoming programs include many sessions celebrating spring through horticulture and gardening: tips for preparing and growing a cutting garden in urban spaces, how to successfully start seeds; vegetable gardening questions will be answered live in a Kitchen Garden program with a USBG gardener, and then learn about adaptive gardening strategies for all ages and abilities. The Garden celebrated Earth Day with a special program of tips and best practices for spring container gardening. Many programs are free and many are available at usbg.gov afterwards. USBG offers tips for preparing and growing a cutting garden in urban spaces. Photo: Courtesy of the US Botanic Garden

CAPITAL BOOK FESTS On Thursdays, May 20, June 17, July 15, Aug. 19, Sept. 16 and Oct. 21; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., downtown DC’s outdoor, pop-up bookstore reappears on Wilson Plaza, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Shop thousands of gently used books, CDs and DVDs, all on sale for $6 or less. Books are provided by Carpe Librum, a local used bookstore benefitting nonprofit Turning the Page (turningthepage.org). The Capital Book Fest is cancelled in the case of inclement weather. These book sales feature protocols for proper distancing and hygiene (face coverings required and hand sanitation stations onsite) and limited capacities, if needed. downtowndc.org.

E a s t o f t h e R i v er D C N e w s . c o m

JUSTICE IS BEAUTY: THE NATIONAL BUILDING MUSEUM REOPENS Justice is Beauty: The Work of MASS Design Group showcases a nonprofit architecture firm whose work focuses on public health, personal well-being, and human dignity. Over its first decade, MASS Design Group has paved the way in designing health structures that manage disease outbreaks such as tuberculosis, cholera, and Ebola. Other innovative projects include schools, prison design alternatives, food-conservation labs, urban space designs, and memorials to commemorate civil injustices. Justice is Beauty is on display through September 2022. The National Building Museum, 401 F St. NW (use Fifth Street and G Street entrances), is open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. $10 for adults; $7 for kids, student with ID and seniors 60+. Order online. The nbm.org. Great Hall of the National Building Museum. Photo: Courtesy of the National Building Museum/Elman Studio

E ast

of the

R iver M agazine

M ay 2021

neighborhood news

Pandemic Strands Defendants in DC Jail

Extended Pretrial Detention Upheld Despite Powerful Dissent

hen Tom was released by the DC Superior Court from DC Jail in December 2020, the twenty-seven-year-old man had been held for over seven months, pretrial and unindicted. Tom (a pseudonym) had been charged by the DC Superior Court with assault with a dangerous weapon and unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction. While incarcerated, he was separated from his young son. After being jailed for over half a year, prosecutors decided not to prosecute him, dismissing his case. Given the year-long jury trial suspension in the District, Tom’s extended detention is not unique. On April 21, 2021, there were 719 DC Superior Court pretrial defendants being held in DC Jail. Normally, for people held under most charges, the US Attorney’s Office of DC (USAO-DC) is required to indict, or formally charge, defendants within ninety days, per DC Code. Defendants must be brought to trial within one hundred days or released. However, in late March 2020, the Court paused this deadline, under the authority of a statute which allows for the suspension of time deadlines due to emergencies or natural disasters. In January 2021, the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia (PDS) represented approximately 52 clients who were being held in DC Jail under the statute that includes this trial-clock, according to Janet Mitchell, special counsel to the director. The average number of days they had been held was 272, said Mitchell. Of the 110 PDS clients detained pretrial under a statute reserved for those facing serious charges such as murder, the average number of days detained was 462. “And the numbers—both of clients and of the days [of ] the average length of detention—have only grown since then,” said Mitchell. “You have people that are waiting, they have not 08

E a s t o f t h e R i v er D C N e w s . c o m

by Gavrielle Jacobovitz

been legally found guilty yet, so they are awaiting their trial, their day in court. They are innocent until proven guilty as is their legal right,” said Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen (D). Allen chairs the Council’s Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety. Lawmakers disagree on whether the pause of the trial clock is statutorily authorized or constitutional. From March 2020 to January 2021, the number of pretrial detainees in DC Jail grew 57 percent, Capital Community

News previously reported in its first article in a series on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the DC system of justice. This third article in the series, which is funded by SpotlightDC.org and supported by DC Witness, examines the recent ruling on the appeal against the tolling of the trial clock. In March 2021, the DC Court of Appeals ruled on the question of extended pretrial detention during the pandemic. A majority found that detaining two defendants, who had appealed their detention past one hundred days without trial, did not violate DC Code or the Constitution under the current emergency circumstances. The view was not unanimous. “Many” of those detained pretrial “will eventually be acquitted, have their charges dropped, or plead to charges carrying sentences that are less than the time they have already served pretrial,” wrote Hon. Judge Corinne Beckwith in her dissent.

Pausing the Clock

In its most recent order, published on March 30, 2021, the DC Superior Court extended “the period during which deadlines are suspended, tolled, and extended for all statutory and rules‐based time limits” in DC Code and Court rules until at least May 20. The original order was issued by then Chief Judge Robert Morin in late March 2020 with authority from the Joint Committee on Judicial Administration, soon after DC announced its first presumptive case of Covid-19. Due to public health precautions, jury trials were suspended in the city until April 5, 2021, when they resumed on a limited basis. Specifically, per the Court’s site, a maximum of one case will be scheduled for trial per day and two trials can be held per week. Bench trials, or those in front of a judge, resumed in December.

E ast

of the

R iver M agazine

M ay 2021

neighborhood news

However, the lengthy pause in trials due to Covid-19 has created a backlog of unresolved cases. Jury trials are the “bread and butter of the court system,” said Attorney Paul Zukerberg. “That is what drives the system along,” he added, either because cases are tried before a jury or the impending jury creates a “firm deadline” which “encourages people to resolve the case.” “While PDS appreciates the challenges the Superior Court faces in resuming jury trials that are safe for all participants and that meet constitutional requirements, the large numbers of PDS clients who are being held indefinitely at the jail pending resolution of their cases is staggering,” said Mitchell, who is a former PDS trial chief, a few days before trials’ constrained resumption. Under DC’s progressive pretrial supervisory system, 92 percent of all Superior Court defendants were released pretrial in 2020. For those charged with felonies, however, the number drops to 76 percent, and 24 percent are detained. “That is not a small number,” said Megan Stevenson, an economist and criminal justice scholar and an Associate Professor of Law at the University of Virginia School of Law, given the presumption of innocence and the cost of incarceration on defendants. Stevenson and Sandra Mayson, assistant professor of law at the University of Georgia School of Law, released a paper in February that quantified, per the paper’s abstract, “[h]ow dangerous must a person be to justify the state in locking her up for the greater good?” “It’s hard to quantify the harm of being uprooted from one’s life, one’s family and job and neighborhood and home and being held in a jail facility,” explained Mayson. However, this study attempts to “get a grip on how that harm compares” to the potential harm of a person committing a serious crime while released. “The results suggest that even short periods of incarceration impose grave harms, such that a person must pose an extremely high risk of serious crime in order for detention to be justified,” they concluded in the paper. Pretrial detention, especially during Covid-19, can impact defendants significantly. Anthony Petty, who was detained in DC Jail for the last few months of a 30-year sentence, described to CCN the potential consequences of pretrial detention, which he said include loss of employment and difficulty for incarcerated peoples’ families. Petty, a mentor with the Young Men Emerging program, witnessed the impact of detention, including the mental toll of the medical stay-in-place. Petty serves on the advisory board of organization Neighbors for Justice. Additionally, as CCN previously reported, attorneys raised concerns that the Court’s detention of defendants for an indeterminate amount of time could increase pressure on defendants to accept a plea deal rather than wait for a trial. Notably, however, according to Mayson, DC is the “vanguard in terms of rational regulation of pretrial detention and release.” Most jurisdictions, unlike DC, rely on cash bail sys10

E a s t o f t h e R i v er D C N e w s . c o m

tems to determine who is held pretrial. The tolling of indictment and trial deadlines poses both constitutional and statutory issues, argued defense attorneys who filed appeals against their clients’ detention past 100 days. One such consolidated case was adjudicated recently.

The Appeal

On Dec. 15, 2020, attorneys and judges convened for oral arguments streaming live to dozens of viewers for a consolidated case of two pending pretrial detention appeals. They met, on behalf of two defendants who were detained pretrial in DC Jail for longer than one hundred days, to consider whether the DC Superior Court’s pause of the trial clock met statutory and constitutional requirements. The Superior Court had denied both defendants’ motions for release. Their lawyers appealed, arguing that the Court’s decision to “toll” the trial clock violated DC Code and the US Constitution’s Due Process clause. The first defendant, represented in the appeal by PDS attorney Mikel-Meredith Weidman, had not yet been indicted in December but has been since, formally charged with sex abuse while armed. The second defendant, represented by Attorney Carrie Weletz, was indicted on 45 counts in March 2020 including possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, kidnapping while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon and burglary while armed. The USAO-DC did not respond to a request for a comment on the appeal. It previously declined to comment on the pending case. In an opinion published on March 11, the DC Court of Appeals ruled in a two-to-one decision that the DC Superior Court had the authority to detain the two defendants beyond 100 days.

The Ruling

The pandemic had “severely disrupted” operations in the Superior Court, wrote Court of Appeals Hon. Judge Stephen Glickman, a President Bill Clinton appointee, for the majority. The other judge siding with the majority ruling, Hon. Senior Judge Frank Nebeker, was originally appointed to the Court by President Richard Nixon. Courts are authorized to pause deadlines during emergencies and natural disasters under a DC Code provision passed by Congress in 2011, he cited. The opinion also noted that the emergency tolling statute allows for the pausing of any deadline and disagrees with the defense’s categorization of the 100-day limitation as not a time deadline, defined as “the latest time by which something must be done.” Additionally, extensions of deadlines are permitted in increments with “good cause,” Glickman argued. Glickman addressed constitutional arguments by citing a previous case. The emergency tolling is not indefinite, as it will end when the emergency does, he wrote. It

is “reasonably foreseeable that trials will resume in the Superior Court in the not-too-distant future,” noted Glickman, weeks before they did, for felony 2 cases previously set for trial where defendants were detained under the statute that includes the trial-clock. Glickman also cited the facts of the cases at hand and the rationale for holding the defendants. The DC Court’s decision to pause pretrial detention clocks is not unique. A blanket pause on formal or informal speedy trial mechanisms due to Covid-19 has been nearly universal in the US, according to Jenny Carroll, Professor of Law at the University of Alabama School of Law. “There’s been pretty robust litigation around this,” Carroll said. The DC Court of Appeal’s ruling was “consistent with opinions we’ve seen out of other state level appellate courts” in which defendants challenged their non-finite pretrial detention due to Covid-19, Carroll stated. Still, Carroll pointed out pretrial detention imposes significant costs on defendants, their families, and their communities, as well as victims and the court system writ large. The three-judge panel was not unanimous in their ruling. In her dissent, Judge Corinne Beckwith raised the consequences of her colleagues’ ruling.

The Dissent

The defendants’ detention was “unlawful,” concluded Judge Beckwith, a President Barack Obama appointee. Neither statute in question “clearly authorizes their continued incarceration pending trial,” she argued. “The law’s drafters, some or all, may well have deemed it sensible to toll any and all discovery, indictment, trial, and briefing deadlines while having no intention of authorizing further pretrial detention of people who are presumed innocent,” wrote Beckwith, noting that “many” of them will be acquitted, have charges dropped, or plead to charges with shorter sentences than they have already served. “Each additional day of pretrial incarceration, however, could mean the difference between a job and no job, or absence from the birth of one’s child, or the risk of being physically assaulted or contracting a deadly virus,” Beckwith wrote. Noting that one defendant had been held for around 500 days and the other for 300 days, Beckwith pointed out that prosecutors had not filed for the 20-day extensions for good cause allowed by the statute. Nor did the other statute, allowing for suspension of time deadlines, “expressly authorize such detention,” she stated. The majority’s logic of applying a “breadth and generality” to the emergency tolling statute, Beckwith cautioned, could lead to the extension of time limits “for any number of significant intrusions on liberty.” For instance, it could be applied to post-conviction sex offender registrations, family court’s jurisdiction, or prison sentences. The majority opinion called this argument a “mini-

DCHFA, Your Homeownership Resource in the District. DC Open Doors DC Open Doors is your key to homeownership in the city. This program offers competitive interest rates and lower mortgage insurance costs on first trust homebuyer or a D.C. resident , be purchasing a home in the District of Columbia. HPAP provides interest free deferred loans for down serves as a co-administrator of this DC Department of Housing and Community Development’s (DHCD) first-time home buyer program.

years or older who have fallen behind on insurance and tax payments as a result of their reverse mortgage. Qualified District homeowners can receive up to

DC4ME provides mortgage assistance with optional down payment assistance to D.C. government employees. DC4ME is offered to current full-time District government employees, including employees of District government-based instrumentalities, independent agencies, D.C. Public Charter Schools, and organizations, provided the applicant/borrower's employer falls under the oversight of the Council of the District of Columbia. COVID-19 DC MAP COVID-19 provides financial assistance to those affected by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Qualified borrowers can receive a loan of up to $5,000 per month to put toward their mortgage for up to six months. HomeSaver HomeSaver is a foreclosure prevention program that assists unemployed and underemployed homeowners who may have fallen behind on their mortgage payments. The program offers lump sum or ongoing monthly assistance with a maximum assistance of $60,000 per household. The deadline to apply for HomeSaver is May 14, 2021.

Visit www.DCHFA.org how to apply to any of DCHFA’s homeownership programs. 815 FLORIDA AVENUE, NW, WASHINGTON, DC 20001 • 202.777.1600 • WWW.DCHFA.ORG E AST

OF THE

R IVER M AGAZINE

M AY 2021

parade of horribles,” examples which do “not involve deadlines involved in court proceedings.” Additionally, Beckwith noted that the two defendants do not qualify for a trial under current plans for the resumption of jury trials, based on their charges. There are also due process concerns, Beckwith stated in agreement with the defense. Beckwith agreed with the majority that the constitutional test “hinges on the indefinite nature of the detention,” but she disagreed that her colleague’s interpretation of the statutes hadn’t “effected indefinite detentions.” “For an ever-increasing number of people in the D.C. Jail awaiting trials, there is only uncertainty,” Beckwith wrote.

In The Meantime

In the nearly eight months that Tom was held in DC Jail after he was arrested and before his case was dismissed, the twenty-seven-year-old man never himself appeared before a judge, he said. Before the pandemic, even if Tom’s charges were dismissed months after his initial arrest, with the charges he faced, he likely would not have been held for so long. The USAO-DC did not respond to a request for a comment on Tom’s case. DC Jail “was on lockdown” because of Covid-19, Tom said. Since the start of April 2020, the DC Jail has had a medical stay-in-place, limiting its residents to one hour a day for leaving their cell. On April 30, 2021, the jail tweaked the policy, allowing residents to exit their cells for two hours per day. For a large part of the lockdown, residents were not allowed outdoors. “We barely could get on the phone, barely take a shower,” Tom stated. In March 2020, the PDS and the ACLU of DC sued the DC Department of Corrections on behalf of residents of DC Jail, challenging conditions in the facility due to Covid-19, in the US District Court for DC. In a June 2020 preliminary injunction, the Court ordered the jail to improve detainees’ access to medical resources, enforce social distancing, and more. However, this January, the Court found the jail hadn’t properly complied with that order. 12

E a s t o f t h e R i v er D C N e w s . c o m

The medical stay-in-place policy was implemented to follow “the science that was recommended by the CDC and DC Health” and the preliminary injunction, said DOC Director Quincy Booth in an interview. That is, the policy was calculated in order to facilitate social distancing. DC Jail provides tablets for its residents, he also added, which has provided its residents with opportunities for certain activities that previously would have had to take place outside of the cell. Regarding the suit, Booth said that DOC works with its partners as part of “an ecosystem of actors” and they “continue to do the things that have been outlined in the preliminary injunction.” “Our number one goal is the safety and security of the individuals that are in our care,” said Booth. “[...]What I follow is guidance by [Director of DC Health] Dr. [LaQuandra] Nesbitt and her team, the CDC, as well as what’s in the preliminary injunction,” Booth added. “Such punishing conditions raise serious concerns about [detained defendants’] physical and mental health, both in the short-term and over the long-term,” said Jade Chong-Smith, a criminal defense lawyer at KaiserDillon PLLC and board member at DC Justice Lab. This is not only a health issue, but also a racial justice issue, she added. Booth disagreed with the view that DOC’s Covid-19 measures are punitive. According to a statement from DOC, residents receive physical and mental health services. As of April 23, 262 residents of DOC facilities have tested positive for Covid-19. According to Mayson, “there is a gaping open question of federal constitutional law, which is: what constraints does the US Constitution place on pretrial detention?” Neither defendant in the appeal has filed an appeal en banc, meaning the case would be heard by all of the judges in the Court of Appeals, according to court dockets. Patrice Sulton, founder and executive director of DC Justice Lab, predicts motions for release based on statutory or constitutional grounds due to defendants being held past one hundred days will still be filed, though she clarified her prediction is not legal advice. This is due to the fact that changes in circum-

SIGN UP FOR YOUR FREE SMALL BUSINESS WORKSHOP TODAY For existing and aspiring District businesses - the Small Business Resource Center is here for you!

stances, including time passing and the pandemic, could alter a judge’s analysis. Moreover, while criminal jury trials resumed on April 5, 2021 on a limited basis, the backlog that was created by the pandemic will take time to address. “There’s simply no way even once we resume jury trials that we’re going to be able to start the clock running and try a year’s worth of cases within the hundred day time period,” said the Superior Court’s Criminal Division Presiding Judge Juliet McKenna in early December, before jury trials had resumed. To safely and competently make their way through the backlog of cases in the Court, McKenna predicted that even once jury trials resumed the timelines would remain suspended for some time. At the moment, they remain paused through at least May 20. The resumption of jury trials at the start of April “was done in close consultation with public health experts and reviewed by the DC Department of Health, which authorized the court to proceed with a limited number of jury trials,” said McKenna in a statement. McKenna further added that a Court survey found 97 percent of people who reported for jury duty felt “very safe” in the courthouse. “It’s not a light switch,” said Councilmember Allen. “It’s not like we’re going to be able to just eliminate that backlog overnight.” In the meantime, detained defendants will await movement in their case amid these delays while incarcerated. DC Witness, a non-profit dedicated to creating transparency in the District’s justice system, is providing data on criminal cases for this project. For more information, visit www.dcwitness.org. This article was supported by a grant from Spotlight DC: Capitol City Fund for Investigative Journalism. Spotlight DC encourages the submission for proposals by independent journalists. For more information, visit www.spotlightdc.org. Gavrielle Jacobovitz is a graduate of Columbia University and a freelance reporter at Capital Community News. She has previously interned with HuffPost Politics and NBC Owned TV Stations ◆

WEBINAR: FRANCHISE YOUR BUSINESS: A PROVEN STRATEGY FOR GROWTH & SUCCESS Monday, May 3, 2021 10:00 am Register: dcrasbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events/51604

WEBINAR: DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE, SECURITIES AND BANKING “COFFEE & CAPITAL” AT DCRA Tuesday, May 4, 2021 10:00 am Register: dcrasbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events/51844

WEBINAR: ALL THINGS NON-PROFIT Thursday, May 13, 2021 10:00 am Register: dcrasbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events/51836

WEBINAR: DCRA AT YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD LIBRARY - LEARN THE PROCESS OF STARTING A BUSINESS Tuesday, May 18, 2021 5:00 pm Register: dcrasbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events/51850

WEBINAR: LEARN HOW TO BECOME A CERTIFIED BUSINESS ENTERPRISE (CBE)

WEBINAR: MARSHALL HEIGHTS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION

Wednesday, May 5, 2021 10:00 am Register: dcrasbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events/52845

Wednesday, May 19, 2021 6:00 pm Register: dcrasbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events/53613

WEBINAR: HOW TO OBTAIN YOUR MADE IN DC CERTIFICATION

SBRC ONE-ON-ONE CALL SESSION: STEPS TO OBTAINING A BUSINESS LICENSE

Thursday, May 6, 2021 10:00 am Register: dcrasbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events/51922

Monday - Friday By appointment between 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Register: dcrasbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events

WEBINAR: FOUNDATIONS FOR A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS: MODULE 2, THE BUSINESS MODEL CANVAS

SBRC ONE-ON-ONE CALL SESSION: “TALK BUSINESS AFTER HOURS”

Wednesday, May 12, 2021 10:00 am Register: dcrasbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events/51922

Monday and Wednesday By appointment between 4:00pm - 6:00pm Register: dcrasbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events

Small Business Resource Center (202) 442-4538 | dcra@dc.gov

G E T YO U R B E A N S DELIVERED

660 Pennsylvania Ave SE 1718 14th St. NW Union Market www.peregrineespresso.com E AST

Order With Joe’s Coffee App

JOE.COFFEE

OF THE

R IVER M AGAZINE

M AY 2021

neighborhood news

Five New Restaurants Set to Open at Skyland Additions to Create New Food Destination by Elizabeth O’Gorek

n March, developers Rappaport and WC Smith announced the signing of leases for five new restaurants at Skyland Town Center (2219 Town Center Dr.). The establishments, most of them locally based, will bring new and diverse dining options ranging from Mediterranean and South American flavors to standbys like pizza and chicken sandwiches to the neighborhoods surrounding the 18.5-acre, mixed-

use development in the city’s Ward 7. Skyland Town Center is located at the intersection of Alabama Avenue, Naylor Road and Good Hope Road SE. The project has persevered through many challenges. Legal entanglements over property acquisitions, as well as a sudden decision from Walmart in 2016 to back out of opening a Skyland store, set construction years behind schedule.

But once completed, Skyland will be the site of more than 450 homes, a grocery store, a medical office building and up to 156,000 square feet of retail, including the five new restaurants. “I know it’s taking time, but what we’re seeing at Skyland is a development that matches the vision of the Ward 7 community —a site with new housing, a grocery store, good amenities, and jobs and opportunity for DC residents,” said Mayor Muriel Bowser. “I look forward to the continued groundbreakings, and I look forward to all the ribbon cuttings even more.” District officials, including Ward 7 Councilmember Vincent C. Gray (D) have been working for years to get more retailers to open on the east side of the Anacostia River. Skyland is seen by many as a crucial piece of those efforts.

Mix of Retail, Residences

Customers enter the new CVS, open at Skyland Town Center (2219 Town Center Dr.). Photo: E.O’Gorek/CCN

E a s t o f t h e R i v er D C N e w s . c o m

In addition to the five new eatery openings, the Crest at Skyland Town Center, a 290,000 square foot residential property, will begin leasing and welcoming residents this spring. The building will include 263 homes and amenities such as a fitness center, courtyard pool and grills. The units are a mix of studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments. Of the 263 units, 53 are set-aside for those earning up to 80 percent of Median Family Income (MFI) and 26 are designated as workforce units (80 to 120 percent MFI). “Today’s announcement of the additional amenities coming to the Skyland Town Center is the result of decades of hard labor,” said Councilmember Vincent Gray in a March 24 release. “I am pleased to have relentlessly worked during my time as

SAVE % 50 OR MORE ON

YOUR

ENERGY BILLS WITH

GRID!

NO-COST SOLAR SYSTEM & Installation for families with limited and fixed income

Call Today to Get Started!

202.602.0191 E AST

OF THE

R IVER M AGAZINE

M AY 2021

FRANKTUTORING

Need SAT Help? One-on-One Local Tutoring Service Nicolas Frank, an experienced tutor, near-perfect scorer, and UCLA student will help your child improve and meet their goals.

Nico Will: Teach your student strategies to fully understand exam questions and SAT logic Analyze and target your students weaknesses to efficiently increase their score Provide ample practice material, indepth questionanalysis, and useful tips

Rates start at $60 hour

Additional subjects offered grades 5-12: Math

English

Calculus

Spanish

Algebra

History

Physics

Chemistry

Rates start at $35 hour

www.franktutoring.com ALL or TEXT (202)-417-5240 I nico.frank8@gmail.co CALL or TEXT (202)-480-2985 I nico.frank8@gmail.com

YOUR DAILY ONLINE NEWS SOURCE

WARDS 7 & 8

EAST OFTHE RIVER DCNEWS .COM 16

EASTOFTHERIVERDCNEWS.COM

mayor and with the current administration to bring a solid anchor to Skyland after Walmart reneged and withdrew its commitment.” Gray has introduced legislation to subsidize new grocery stores in Wards 7 and 8, targeting nine development sites, including Skyland, for retail and fullservice grocery stores. “As such, what could have stayed a dream deferred is now not just a beacon of hope, but valuable proof of real progress through collective effort,” Gray said. “Now, the grocery stores, sit-down restaurants and amenities needs of deserving Ward 7 families and neighbors are starting to be met.” WC Smith Chairman and CEO Chris Smith said that the signing of the restaurants at Skyland is a harbinger of change for the area. “For too long, Wards 7 and 8 were overlooked when restauranteurs looked to open new locations,” he said. “With the signing of these new businesses at Skyland Town Center, these neighborhoods are beginning to move from food deserts to food destinations.” Nearby residents said they were cautiously optimistic. “I think it will change the neighborhood to where there won’t be too much crime up here; the po[lice] will stay up here,” said Tony, 52, who said he has “been around” the neighborhood for 15 years. “It’s uplifting to the neighborhood, but it’s also: ‘can the people in the neighborhood afford the city? —because housing is high in the city right now,’” he said. Tony said that the businesses and nearby residents would have to work hand-in-hand to keep the community strong.

Tenant List Grows

The new restaurants join CVS, Skyland Nails and Spa, and Like That Barber, a neighborhood institution that has been serving families in Wards 7 and 8 for 30 years. Also opening later this year at Skyland is Chase Bank. Lidl Grocery and Starbucks will open in 2022. Coming to Skyland Town Center are: • Roaming Rooster – Skyland will be this popular fried chicken

sandwich eatery’s fourth location in Washington. The Black-owned business started in 2015 as a food truck operating in the District; the family parlayed its loyal following into a brick-and-mortar operation in 2018, since then opening DC locations in Tenleytown, U Street, and Woodridge. • &pizza – Skyland will be the tenth site in Washington for this pizzeria, which first opened on H Street NE in 2012 and now has 25 locations across the DMV • Mezeh – This Mediterranean-influenced eatery will open its second location in DC at Skyland. Founders Saleh Mohamadi, Steve Walker, and Tai Chiao opened their first Mezeh in 2013 in Annapolis; the business now has 24 locations. • Maizal – Skyland will be the first stand-alone and sit-down location in DC for this South American street food concept. The restaurant, founded in 2018 by Dario Arana-Rojas, started as a counterservice eatery in the L’Enfant Plaza food court. • Tropical Smoothie Café – will be the third DC location of the national fast-casual, healthy lifestyle café that boasts 850 locations in 44 states. Roamin’ Rooster is expected to open in fall 2021. The other restaurants are slated to open in late spring and early summer 2022. WC Smith said that additional retailers and restaurants will be named in the coming months. Learn more about DC-based multidisciplinary real estate firm WC Smith, which has been providing integrated real estate services to the Washington metropolitan area since 1968, by visiting www.wcsmith.com Rappaport is an owner, developer and provider of leasing, tenant representation, property management, marketing and development services. For more information, visit www.rappaportco.com ◆

E ast

of the

R iver M agazine

M ay 2021

neighborhood news

Our River: The Anacostia Remaking Kingman And Heritage Islands Creating Special Places To Enjoy Nature

any of you already know about Heritage and Kingman Islands, located in the Anacostia alongside and above the RFK Stadium and readily accessible to folks living on both sides of our River. What you may not know is that there are major efforts underway to make them very special places to learn about and help restore the natural assets of these islands. The process to make that happen has been in the hands of a series of experts under contract for a few years already, and it is now opening up to include the public. If you are not already involved, this article may make you convinced you need to be, which would be great! The focus of these efforts is quite unique for an area located in the midst of a major city. The idea is to restore and manage the islands to create a natural system of land and water, plants and wildlife, and seasonal and natural change, and to use it to teach nature

by Bill Matuszeski

to students and the general public. Beyond that, the hope is to be able to rally the public to protect it, support it and to act within and around the islands as a guest, causing no harm but learning a great deal. Essentially, the goal would be to teach nature, to learn what needs to be done to protect and conserve it, and to provide a series of formal and informal activities in what becomes an outdoor classroom. The challenge is to accomplish this without adding so many structures and facilities that they undercut that very goal of restoring nature’s dominance. This all began four years ago, when Mayor Bowser provided funds to the Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) to issue contracts to experts to study how the Islands might become an urban ecology center of some type, with everything from wilderness designations in some areas to new structures for learning. As DOEE Director Tommy Wells puts it, “You really have a natural habitat that is indigenous to

Kingman Island Boatramp Site. Photo: Bill Matuszeski

Map of Kingman and Heritage Islands. Photo: DC Department of Energy and Environment

E a s t o f t h e R i v er D C N e w s . c o m

the neighborhood growing up with hardly any disturbance at all. People appreciate the greener City emerging from the Mayor’s efforts and investments.” Nearly $5 million was allocated to the effort to figure out how to make the islands safe, accessible, and a place for learning. A feasibility study was developed, areas were identified for conservation and critical wildlife, and talks and trips were set up with members of the community. As this went on, four themes began to emerge to focus the efforts: 1. ecological restoration – keep what nature is there and build on it; 2. access and safety -- for the public to be comfortably surrounded by nature;

WIDE SHOE OUTLET Men’s and Women’s sizes up to 15 EE Savings in store and online

simplywide.com Brands: Naturalizer • Soft Spots • Ros Hommerson • Propet Walking • Cradles • Easy Street

ered areas, trails, boat ramps, art exhibits etc. -- can be added before the underlying purpose of public access to the islands – to learn about and experience nature – is damaged. There is no simple answer, but the committee of experts hired by DOEE has presented some innovative options such as structures of natural materials with light roofs that open on the sides. Many of these issues were scheduled to be discussed at a series of three 6:30 pm virtual public meetings. The first has passed – an April 28 session on ecological restoration and boating, although the notes from the meeting may be available on the website listed below. On May 12 there will be a public meeting on programming and environmental education. And on May 26 the focus will be on inclusive access and safety. Of course, not all these issues will be settled and there will always be a need for change and adjustment. The key is to focus Heritage Island Trail. Photo: Bill Matuszeski. Photo: Bill Matuszeski all the decisions on creating and maintaining the underlying goals 3. programs and activities – public walkways, – to restore and support nature and to teach both camps, classrooms, jobs; and young and old how it can be safe and accessible, 4. environment and education – places to gathfriendly and educational. er, learn and help nature. If you want to keep abreast of the process of A virtual Kingman Community Envisioning coming up with the final plan for the future of Meeting to go over these and other issues and to Kingman and Heritage Islands, as well as upcomidentify areas where the public felt the need for ing public events and document review opportumore focus was held on March 2, with over 165 parnities, you can check this address for questions/ ticipants. Feedback was very positive with a numcomments: DOEE.Kingmanisland@dc.gov; or the ber of issues flagged for further study or greater emwebsite: Kingmanisland.org. phasis. Among these were: There is no end to the issues. But now there is 1. Access and safety improvements, including a framework for making decisions, and it is an inpedestrian bridges, seawall and loose concrete novative and challenging framework to restore and removal and parking for the boating dock acprotect nature on the Islands while providing uncess off Benning Road; limited public access to enjoy and learn and par2. Removing non-native invasive species includticipate in the restoration and protection. Worth ing poison ivy; the eff ort! 3. Improving connections with communities on both sides of the River; Building and maintaining structures; Using paths – bicycles? dogs? Places for art classes and art displays; Consideration for climate change and rise of water levels. Many of these subjects raise a common issue, which is the degree that support facilities – cov-

4. 5. 6. 7.

Bill Matuszeski is a member of the Mayor’s Leadership Council for a Cleaner Anacostia River, and the retired Director of the Chesapeake Bay Program. He also serves on the board of Friends of the National Arboretum and on Citizen Advisory Committees for the Chesapeake and the Anacostia. ◆

10 off

All Sales

Limited Time simplywide.com

Lots & Lots

All Day Comfort

Wide Width Shoes

4279 Branch Avenue Marlow Heights, MD 20748

301-702 1401

ADVERTISE WITHR! EAST OF THE RIVE Call Kira Means at 202.400.3503 Or email: kira@hillrag.com

SAVE 50% OR MORE ON

YOUR

ENERGY BILLS WITH

GRID!

NO-COST SOLAR SYSTEM & Installation for families with limited and fixed income

Call Today to Get Started!

202.602.0191

E AST

OF THE

R IVER M AGAZINE

M AY 2021

neighborhood news

Get Help With DCRA Contractor Rating System System Joins Permit Wizard to Help Residents Make Project Decisions

etting work done on your home or business can be an anxious road to travel. How can you be sure the contractor is dependable? How much experience do they have navigating the District’s inspection and permitting systems? The Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) is well aware of those concerns. “DCRA frequently hears the real life nightmares of District residents, often senior citizens, who pay for renovations and repairs, but don’t receive the work for which they have paid,” said a spokesperson. “Unfortunately, the options for recourse after the fact are sometimes limited, and always a headache.” Enter the DCRA Contractor Rating System, which arms residents with information so they can hire contractors who possess a proven track record of proper licensing, construction and inspections. While ratings from customers are available on platforms such as Yelp, Angie’s List and Google, DCRA says their Contractor Rating System is both different from and complementary to those systems. “As a licensing and enforcement agency, we are in a unique position to objectively provide public information regarding a building professional’s actual performance, both on a single project and overall,” the agency writes. “DCRA does not provide recommendations, but empowers you, the customer, with information so that you can make a betterinformed decision.” The information in the DCRA rating system can be paired 20

E a s t o f t h e R i v er D C N e w s . c o m

by Elizabeth O’Gorek

Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) Director Ernest Chrappah demonstrates the Contractor Rating System at the March 9 launch event. Courtesy: DCRA

with customer reviews from other sites to help prospective clients make better choices based on their needs. Ratings are based on DCRA’s past experience with professionals, taking into account quality of plans at intake, caliber at review and the pass/fail rate for inspections. Projects are categorized, and professionals given percentile scores, with different weights assigned to categories for differing professionals. Each star is worth 20 percent, meaning a 4.5 star rating indicates a 80-89 percent score. Some contractors won’t be found in the system. In order to be listed, they must be licensed in the District and have worked on a project in the past three years. They may also be listed under a different name; for instance, an architect may be listed as part of a firm. The system was launched March 9. It will expand in phases, to facilitate improvements and feedback. It started out with architects and interior designers, general contractors and home improvement contractors. Phase two will include electricians, plumbers, gasfitters as well as professionals in sprinkler systems, refrigeration and air-conditioning. The final phase will add permit expediters and professional engineers. When fully launched, there will be 4,731 professionals in the Contractor Rating System. If you know which contractor you are interested in, you can use the system to see how seamlessly a project was guided through planning and inspection. However, you can also use the system to find a professional for your project.

SAVE! SAVE! SAVE! Re

bat

10% OFF

Ava U ilab l

$25 OFF

LIST PRICE ON ANY EQUIPMENT INSTALLATIONS *Exp.05/31/2021

Any Service Call *Exp.05/31/2021

18 Month, 0% Interest Financing

Select the type of business professional you are looking for, and then sort them by either their name, overall score or star rating. Selecting their name gives you a list of recent projects and their overall scores. Check out the Contractor Rating System for yourself at https://govservices.dcra.dc.gov/contractorratingsystem.

6 Permitting Tips

Perhaps you want to get a read on what kind of permits and documentation are required for your project. Most new residential and commercial construction require a building permit as well as building plans during submission. The building plans must be designed to the current building code and local design criteria. A site plan may also be necessary based on the land disturbance activity of the property construction. If you are starting a project and want help determining what kind of permits will be required, use the new DCRA Permit Wizard (https://dcra. dc.gov/permitwizard). Customers are guided through a series of questions, and the Permit Wizard will identify the permits needed for the entire project – customers no longer have to know permit types in advance. It also identifies any additional required documentation and anticipated inspections. Here are six things that everybody should be aware of before coming to DCRA for any type of permit: 1. Many permits for small home improvements can be obtained online through the DCRA Permit Wizard. 2. Any time construction work involves occupying the public space (sidewalk, public street and alley), you must get a public space permit from the DC Department of Transportation (DDOT) (https://ddot.dc.gov/) before a DCRA permit can be issued. 3. Any construction that takes place beyond the authorized construction hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. requires an After-Hours permit

(https://dcra.dc.gov/afterhourspermit) that must be approved by DCRA. 4. Anyone can check any property restrictions on an address prior to applying for a permit by using the SCOUT program from the DCRA website (https://scout. dcra.dc.gov/login). The Online Resources page (https://dcra. dc.gov/service/view-online-resources) also gives District residents information about permits issued, illegal construction, violations, inspections and vacant building data. 5. Anyone can check eRecords (https://dcra.dc.gov/erecords) for construction permit documents involving structural support or an adjoining property (land, building or structure) requiring Neighbor Notification (https://dcra.dc.gov/neighborhood-notification-program). 6. Scout allows residents the option to track their permit applications by providing the Application ID or property address. You can also see how other government agencies are involved in permitting process by using the DCRA Agency Dashboard at https://eservices.dcra.dc.gov/DCRAAgencyDashboard/index. This will allow you to see how each agency and the customer contributes to the timeline for issuing a permit. The Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) issues business licenses and building permits; conducts inspections; enforces building, housing, and safety codes and regulates land use and development. Questions? Use the live chat feature on the website, call (202) 4424400 Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or email dcra@dc.gov. To learn more about DCRA, visit the website at DCRA.dc.gov. ◆

FAST SERVICE FAST INSTALLATION

Serving Washington DC Since 2001 • Residential & Light Commercial • Roof Top Package Units • Highly Experienced Technicians • Low Prices • Free Estimates On Replacements • Convenient Financing • Licensed, Bonded & Insured

Specializing in:

Equipment: Change outs & Complete Ductwork Systems + High Velocity Systems WE SERVICE & INSTALL ALL MAKES & MODELS

202-333-1310

www.polarbearairconditioning.com All Credit Cards Accepted

E AST

OF THE

R IVER M AGAZINE

M AY 2021

neighborhood news / bulletin board

scription program, featuring fruits and veggies from their market farmers. Families who rely on SNAP and WIC are able to purchase Market Share bags at a 75% discount. Read more at freshfarm.org/market-share.

egan Singleton

Photo: Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens/M

k Volunteer at Kenilworth Par, volu of park nteer at Kenilworth Park for a morning

On Saturday, May 22, 9 a.m. to noon and val, litter collection, flower bed weeding stewardship including invasive plant remo open is ion strat Regi s. pond ow shall in lve working trail maintenance. Some activities invo reason, ed for this event due to COVID. For this limit is e Spac ls. idua indiv and to groups cer100% are you if y ask that you only register there will be no walk-up registration. The ding inclu lies supp and tools ide all necessary tain you will be in attendance. They prov e. rrows, trash bags, trash pickers and mor elba whe s, rake els, shov ers, gloves, boots, wad and es, cloth of le, snack, hat, string bag, a change They recommend you bring a water bott at kenaqis at 1550 Anacostia Ave. NE. Register ens sunscreen. Kenilworth Aquatic Gard gardens.org/calendar.

Wards 7 and 8 Walk-Up Vaccination Sites for 65+

DC residents who are 65 and older are now able to get vaccinated without an appointment at walk-up sites across DC. Each site, which will administer either the two-dose Pfizer vaccine or the two-dose Moderna vaccine, will be able to accommodate up to 30 walk-ins each day. The Ward 7 site is Kenilworth Recreation Center, 4321 Ord St. NE; Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The three sites in Ward 8 are Bald Eagle Recreation Center, 100 Joliet St. SE, Wednesday and Thursday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Entertainment & Sports Arena, 1100 Oak St. SE, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Fort Stanton Recreation Center, 1812 Erie St. SE, Monday to Thursday, 2 to 7 p.m. vaccinate.dc.gov.

East of the River FRESHFARM Markets

Cesar Chavez Market, 700 Parkside Pl. NE, Saturdays, June 5 to Nov. 20, 9 a.m to noon; Kenilwork Rec Center Market, 4321 Ord. St, NE, Saturdays, June 5 to Nov. 20, 9 a.m. to noon; Minnesota Avenue Market, 3921 Minnesota Ave. NE, Thursdays, June 3 to Nov. 18, 1 to 3 p.m. All FRESHFARM markets accept SNAP/EBT, WIC and Senior FMNP checks. The FRESH Match program provides a dollar-for-dollar match on all federal benefits spent at market, helping shoppers take home more fresh and nutritious produce and local foods. The Market Share is FRESHFARM’s weekly local food sub22

EASTOFTHERIVERDCNEWS.COM

At-Home Vaccinations Now Available

DC Health has announced that residents who are unable to leave home to get vaccinated should call 1-855-363-0333 to make an appointment for an at-home vaccination.

#Moments of Resilience

As the world grapples with Covid-19, communities are marching in the streets to express their displeasure and frustration at our country’s inability to deal with our racial inequalities. What started as protests against the killing of George Floyd at the hands of the Minneapolis police has quickly grown to represent the continued senseless killing of African Americans. As the list grows, so does the call for justice and equality for all people. No matter how big or small the gesture, the Anacostia Community Museum wants to hear stories of how communities are supporting each other on a day-to-day basis. Whether it’s the teacher who created a virtual story time, the man who sheltered protestors in his house overnight, or the people that are cleaning up vandalism in their neighborhood; each is a moment of resilience. Read the stories from all over the country at anacostia.si.edu/collection/moments-resilience.

“Breaking Ground” at Honfleur Gallery

Breaking Ground explores humanity’s connection to nature. Using a gallery-wide immersive installation of loblolly pine needles, Stephanie Garon’s environmental artworks emphasize the fragility of nature through ecologically motivated interventions. Her environmental artwork has been exhibited internationally in London, Columbia, and South Korea, as well as across the United States. Breaking Ground is at Honfleur Gallery, 1241 Good Hope Rd. SE, through May 22. honfleurgallery.com.

“Sunday Afternoon” at the Anacostia Arts Center

Desirae Lee’s Sunday Afternoon is a two-year-long video diary presented as an ongoing collage. Inspired by Jamel Shabazz’s “The Last Sunday in June”, this Howard University MFA candidate’s style pulls from what she’s learned in her film and doc-

umentary work on campus. Similar to Shabazz’s head-on and spontaneous approach to photography, her archived videos are a way to create a time capsule of herself and her generation. The collage factor brings a nostalgic and aged feeling to the modern videos. Twelve looped videos play simultaneously and at different lengths and speeds. Sunday Afternoon is at the Anacostia Arts Center, 1231 Good Hope Rd. SE, through May 21. Fb.me/ e1CIG8Cndr.

Carpe Librum Used Book Sale

On Saturdays, May 15 and June 19, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., join Carpe Librum in the southern block of Canal Park, 200 M St. SE, for a pop-up, socially distant nonprofit used book sale. Browse through thousands of books all under $6 in a safe, outdoor setting. Crowd size limited to 50 at any time. These book sales are weather dependent. capitolriverfront.org/canal-park.

Farmers Market Opens at RFK Campus

The Festival Grounds at RFK Campus hosts a Farmer’s Market on Thursdays and Saturdays through mid-December, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. eventsdc.com/venue/festival-grounds-rfk-campus.

Capitol Riverfront Drive-in Movies

Through May 28, join the Capitol Riverfront BID for a Friday night drive-in movie at The Stacks in Buzzard Point, 101 V St. SW, featuring popular films inspired by all your post-pandemic goals including travelling, concerts, house parties, Met Galas, and more! Each movie is a fun, contact-free experience for all ages and will have space for 100 vehicles set at an appropriate social distance. Movie-goers can secure their spot at a cost of $20 per car, per movie. All funds will be donated to local charities. Here’s the remaining lineup: May 14, Remember the Titans (PG) benefiting Unity Health Care; May 22, Booksmart (R) benefiting Living Classrooms; and May 28, Bridesmaids (R) benefiting Capitol Area Food Bank. Attendees must be registered with

“High quality design and preservation framing are our top priorities” Serving Capitol Hill since 1984 Custom designed mats • Wide selection • Work done on premises 513 11TH ST. SE (EASTERN MARKET METRO)

202.544.7577 www.newmangallery.com ROTAT I N G E X H I B I TS O F LO C A L A RT I S TS

Now Available ONLINE @

in the Whole Foods Section The best corn you’ve ever had 100% ALL NATURAL!

NO added sugar, additives, coloring or preservatives

Available at I N T H E F R OZ E N V E G G I E S S E C T I O N

More info andrecipes recipes at: at: larrysweetcorn.com larrysweetcorn.com More info and E AST

OF THE

R IVER M AGAZINE

M AY 2021

neighborhood news / bulletin board

lery, and Smithsonian American Art Museum and its Renwick Gallery) and Friday, May 21 (National Museum of American History, National Museum of the American Indian, and the National Zoo). All locations will reopen with added health and safety measures due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Visitors will need to reserve free, timed-entry passes for all locations. All other Smithsonian museums will remain temporarily closed to the public. Updates and information about the museums open to the public are available at si.edu/visit.

NGA West Building Reopens

The National Gallery of Arts West Building will reopen on Friday, May 14. Daily hours will be 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and capacity will be limited to allow for social distancing. Free, timed-passes are required. Passes will be released each Monday at 10 a.m. for the following week, starting Monday, May 10. All previous health and safety guidelines and measures will remain in place, including requirements for masks, social distancing, and credit and debit card payments as well as enhanced cleanings. Visitors will only enter through the Sixth Street entrance, but all exits will be open. nga.gov.

, Jr. ” mural at the corner of Martin Luther King On April 7, the “It’s A Chuck Brown - Baby Busiia cost Ana the by ed host was y mon The cere Avenue and U Street SE was unveiled. o—murals to celebrate the launch of Art To GoG ners part and rict Dist t men rove ness Imp scene. anic mus o GoG al artist and legends of the created via a partnership with a DC visu Anacostia BID acostiabid.org. Photo: Courtesy of the

an Eventbrite ticket to enter this event. No tickets will be sold onsite. eventbrite. com/e/capitol-riverfront-spring-drive-inmovie-series-tickets-150100812571.

East of the River Small Business Week

Get-your-business-online training on May 17, 6 p.m. Learn how to develop a website, manage social media, email marketing and online advertising. bit.ly/ward7training.

New Ward 7 Circulator Route Proposed

A new proposed route has been selected for the return of DC Circulator service to Ward 7. The new 14.56-mile route, which will launch in 2023, will provide a unique east/west connection between Wards 6 and 7, supplementing the existing WMATA Route 97 service, which only operates during peak hours. The route will serve Deanwood, Benning Road, Stadium Armory, and Union Station Metrorail stations. The route was selected as part of the DC Circulator Transit Development Plan, which guides 24

EASTOFTHERIVERDCNEWS.COM

the future growth of the DC Circulator system and is updated every three years. For more information about the DC Circulator, to learn more about providing feedback, and to get assistance in other languages, visit dccirculator.com.

ACM Outdoor Exhibition on DC Food Justice Issues

A popular wellness maxim is “you are what you eat.” Yet across the nation and region, a staggering number of people struggle to find their next meal despite an overabundance of food—a reality that has only worsened with the COVID-19 pandemic. The Anacostia Community Museum’s powerful new outdoors exhibition “Food for the People: Eating and Activism in Greater Washington” on view through Sept. 17, 2022, asks people to confront this reality by meaningfully considering where their food comes from: who produces, processes and prepares it; who has access to it; and what impact it has on the public’s collective health. Presented on the museum plaza at 1901 Fort Pl. SE, the exhibition will be joined by an indoor exhibition when the museum reopens its building. anacostia.si.edu.

Over 500 DPR Summer Jobs Available

DPR is hiring for over 500 positions across various divisions that are responsible for delivering summer fun to all 8 wards. Interested in becoming a lifeguard, camp counselor, food monitor or program facilitator? Visit dpr.dc.gov/page/dpr-summer-employment.

Museums and the National Zoo Reopen

The Smithsonian will reopen eight of its facilities to the public in May, starting with the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, Wednesday, May 5. Additional museums and the National Zoo will open Friday, May 14 (National Museum of African American History and Culture, National Portrait Gal-

The outdoor “Food for the People: Eating and Activism in Greater Washington” exhibition at the Anacostia Community Museum.

DC Shorts Free Film Festival

DC Shorts presents over 375 films from the past ten years for your viewing pleasure. Sort through the genres or years they were programmed and click to watch. All films may be watched full-screen--and many are in HD. More films are added all the time, so check back often. archive.dcshorts.com.

The Business of the Arts Development Series

The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities’ Business of the Arts Professional Development Series provides knowledge and skills related to fundraising and development, marketing and public relations, legal concerns and entrepreneurship. Free workshops and seminars are led by accomplished professionals and subject matter experts. Register for future workshops and listen-in to past workshops at dcarts. dc.gov/page/business-arts.

Rent and Utility Assistance for DC Residents

DC has launched a program to provide financial assistance to DC residents struggling to make rent and utility payments due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the Stronger Together by Assisting You (STAY DC) program, renters and housing providers can apply for grant funding to cover past and future rental payments in addition to utilities like water, gas, and electricity. To qualify, you must be a renter or housing provider in the District who is at risk, or has a tenant at risk, of not paying rent or utilities on a residential dwelling. An applicant’s total 2020 annual household income may not exceed designated levels according to household size. For example, a family of four must make less than $82,300. Eligible households may receive up to 12 months of assistance going back to April 1, 2020, and three months of assistance for future payments at a time for a total of 18 months of assistance. Applicants can call the STAY DC Call Center at 833-4-STAYDC for support throughout the application process, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Submit applications at stay.dc.gov.

Amnesty for Outstanding Tickets

From June 1 to Sept. 30, 2021, there will be a four-month amnesty program to give DC and non-DC drivers the opportunity to pay outstanding tickets. During this time, the penalties drivers incurred on tickets will be waived. Eligi-

ble tickets are parking, photo enforcement (including speed, red-light and stopsign cameras) and minor moving violations issued by law enforcement. At the end of the amnesty period, all penalties will be added back on all tickets. ticketamnesty.dc.gov.

Public Art Request for Applications

The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities is soliciting applications from qualified individual artists or organizations for its Fiscal Year 2022 Public Art Building Communities Free eWaste Recycling Ev ents in DC Grant Program. MultiDC residents, small busine sses and non-profits can rec ple awards may be made ycle electronics without cos waste recycling events throug t at ehout 2021. Upcoming eve under this RFA. Award nts are May 15, Seventh Str Monroe Street, NE; May 22, eet and I Street NW (east of Mount amounts vary. The proVernon Triangle Farmer’s June 5, 41st Street between Market); Alabama Avenue and Fort gram supports individDupont Street SE. All e-w cling events are held rain or ast e recyshi ne fro m 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Cover ual artists and organicludes desktop and laptop ed electronic equipment incom pu ter s, tab lets, E-readers, small-scale zations in their effort ital music players that are bat servers, portable digtery powered, computer mo to design, fabricate and nitors, mice, keyboards, com speakers, desktop printers, puter tele vis ions, VCRs, DVD players, install new temporary cable and satellite receivers DVRs, signal converter box , es, and gam ing consoles used with TV or permanent works of and acceptable items can be s. A complete list of events fou nd at rlg am ericas.com/DCecycling. public art that connect artists (and their artwork) with communities. Submission deadline is July 16. For more ness owners and nonprofit leaders consider how to keep workers information and to submit an application, visand customers alike safe. Many DC-area organizations have already it dcarts.dc.gov/page/public-art-building-compublicly declared that only vaccinated persons will be permitted to munities. enter business premises, while others are carefully weighing their options. Is this legal for businesses to do? Are there exceptions they Emergency Medication must recognize? If all customers and clients must be vaccinated, is to Stop HIV it reasonable to expect that all workers also must be vaccinated? On DC Health has launched the District’s Post-ExWednesday, May 12, noon to 1 p.m., dive into these questions and posure Prophylaxis (PEP) Hotline, a new remore in the DC Bar Pro Bono Center’s webinar with Nathan A. Adsource for people who may have been exposed ams from Holland & Knight. Register at probono.center/vaccinatto HIV. PEP is emergency medication taken to ed-customers-webinar. ◆ prevent HIV and has to be started within 72 hours of possible exposure. The DC PEP Hotline is open 24/7 and can be reached by calling 202-299-3737. GetPEPDC.org.

Preference for Vaccinated Customers?

As businesses and nonprofits of all types reopen and more people are vaccinated, busi-

E AST

OF THE

R IVER M AGAZINE

M AY 2021

east washington life

Darren Be Scheming

Finding Employment by Darren Thompson

id you know that the IRS has extended the deadline to file from April 15th to May 17th? This is great news for those of us who, like myself, still feel like it is March 2020 and we haven’t yet woken up from the longest collective dream in history. Just consider this your reminder to file those taxes. “Darren, I’ve been trying to find a job since before the pandemmy, just so I can pay taxes, but I ain’t got no skills.” Say less fam, I can relate, many would say I also have no skills. What you need is a piece of paper that says you have skills. If you’re a young person with the powers of the innanet, I would suggest looking into the myriad of training programs available… literally a Google search away. YearUp, America’s Promise Program (through Montgomery College in MD), or a Union Apprenticeship (Electricians, Carpenters, Steamfitters… it’s a lot of them, get in and come do this kitchen work for me). Most of them have a formal application process, are free for unemployed/underemployed, and some pay you to attend plus provide job placement assistance. I’m sure there are more than these, but these are the ones where I personally know someone who has taken advantage of the program, gotten a job, and now go to Miami/Atlanta/Las Vegas/Puerto Rico every 3-4 months, because again, these are young people programs and for some reason, that’s where young people with money go. “But Darren, I’m a bit older than that, my Google machine hates me, and I too need some new skills” … if anybody in the world feel you…

E a s t o f t h e R i v er D C N e w s . c o m

I feel you, my dawg. For my more seasoned schemers, Covid messed up a lot of high-quality schemes, which you should definitely be on the lookout for when the world opens. Kipp-DC’s free Coding Bootcamp (preference on Ward 7/8 adults), Community College Preparatory Academy’s Microsoft Office and HVAC courses in Ward 8. The only current skills scheme is UDC’s Workforce Development classes which are completely free to DC residents. ( https://www.udc.edu/cc/workforcedevelopment/ ) They offer five “pathways” for you to get certified. We all pay taxes, so use our money to get your money, so they can take less of my money. Please and thank you. “But Darren, I have a job and a nice resume, but I want that golden ticket…. I want the Federal Government.” Well, well, well…we have an expert level scheme on our hands. This is what I’m here for, bay bee. I’m a Fed, but I’m a Disabled Veteran, turned lawyer, who came in on the Presidential Management Fellowship (Shoutout to the PMF Class of 2013…may we never forget our struggles). If you aren’t eligible for a Pathways program (because college was forever ago) or you’re a Veteran who submits his SF-15 but are still having difficulties referred…. allow me to tell you about a little scheme called “Schedule A Hiring.” This is a direct hiring authority provided to government agencies to encourage hiring of those with disabilities. Don’t be too sure that you don’t have a federal disability. Maybe you don’t have (checks list) “60. Partial or complete paralysis” or “91. Bipolar dis-

order…or major depression,” but you may have something just as serious, like (checks list again) “81. Anxiety”, “84. Diabetes”, “86. Asthma”, or my personal favorite “06. A disability or serious health condition, but it is not listed on this form.” Search “OPM Form 256” and if it applies, get your money. Apply for a job through USAJobs, then send this form, filled out and signed by a doctor to the HR contact listed on USAJobs. This will allow your resume to go directly to the hiring manager. Remember you are qualified to do the job and are under no obligation to ever disclose medical information. (Full disclosure: Your direct manager will eventually find out, because Schedule A hires are under a two-year probation, not the standard one year probation). Stay scheming, my friends. Note 1: Some of these schemes might feel illegal, but if followed according to the steps listed, they are not. Always consult with appropriate legal council if there is any concern. Note 2: Schemes are not scams. I am not trying to make money off you. In fact, I’m legit trying to save you money, maybe, if you ain’t scared. If you see me out in these streets, I will always accept an order of Crispy Chicken Basil from Thai Orchid. Darren Thompson is a lifelong border hopper of Ward 7 and PG County, MD. His highest academic achievement to date is winning the Kimball Elementary School 1993 Spelling Bee and he’s been chasing that high ever since. You can watch his comedic pursuits with The Cookout Collective Presents: “Enigma” and Washington Improv Theater’s “Hold Up, Book Club” on YouTube and FBLive. u

E ast

of the

R iver M agazine

M ay 2021

east washington life

Luis Peralta Del Valle Ambassador of Peace, Hope and Love

by Phil Hutinet

hen DC Mayor Muriel Bowser visited Beijing in 2016, she presented Mayor Guo Jinlong with a work of art as a token of peace and renewed friendship between Beijing and its Sister City of Washington, DC. Titled “Geared Up Panda,” the life-sized statue of a panda, the symbol of China, was painted by DC’s Luis Peralta Del Valle, a well-known muralist and portraitist who lives in Anacostia. Del Valle depicted the statue of the panda as a mechanical figure with its insides partially showing, exposing mechanical gears like the ones found in a watch. This machinery symbolizes the complex relationship between Washington and Beijing. While Del Valle’s success as a mid-career artist is evidenced by the number of works which now reside in prominent collections on three continents, the artist’s life began rather precariously. As a child, the artist fled violence in his homeland only to find more of it in his adopted city of Washington, DC.

The Journey

At the age of five, Del Valle’s family made the painful decision to leave their home, friends and extended family, including Del Valle’s beloved grandmother, in Nicaragua. It was 1985 and the contra war raged mercilessly, ensnaring civilians in its bloody conflict. We Are One, artist Luis Del Valle.

John Lewis, Good Trouble

E a s t o f t h e R i v er D C N e w s . c o m

Searching for a better life for their children, his parents temporarily relocated to Honduras but found that conditions there did not offer them much hope. After a three month journey by bus from Central America to Texas, the family then spent five weeks in a refugee camp in Houston. Shortly thereafter, they moved to Washington, DC and settled at 1315 Park Road NW in Columbia Heights. While Del Valle and his family escaped a civil war in Nicaragua, they arrived in DC just as the crack epidemic and crime wave swept through the city. Del Valle recalls stepping over drug-addicts passed out in his apartment building as a child. As he grew into adolescence, many of his peers succumbed to the temptation of selling drugs for quick cash. Fierce battles for turf ensued and many of his classmates went to jail or lost their lives during the 1990s drug wars. During this time, Del Valle turned to that which he loved most—drawing. He had created art for as long as he could remember. Around the age of 13, he developed a knack for street art and, over the next

three years, he began to explore the medium in DC and its suburbs.

From Graffiti to his First Commission

As he developed his skills as a graffiti artist, Del Valle looked to the old masters to perfect his work. Specifically, he looked at the portraiture of Renaissance painters like Rubens and Michelangelo. As he explains it, “If you master portraiture, everything else will follow.” He also found guidance in Picasso’s realism and, in contrast, Salvador Dali’s surrealist compositions. He also understood that, by studying the processes established by great painters, “You can transfer these techniques to graffiti and to other works.” Del Valle’s big break came at age 16 when he received a commission to paint a mural for a local business, offering him a more lawful way for producing large-scale work. This turning point led him to consider the possibility of making art for a living.

WE TREAT YOUR PETS LIKE FAMILY!

Chuck Baby. All images courtesy the artist.

Del Valle also credits his High School art teacher Teresa Ghiglino’s belief in his talent for helping him launch his career in art. In the 11th grade, Del Valle was selected to take part in a prestigious corporate art education program at the Corcoran School of Art. There, he would meet artist Judy Byron who became another one of his mentors and a key figure in furthering the development of his practice. After graduating from Bell Multicultural High School in Columbia Heights, he continued taking classes at the Corcoran. “It is very important for artists to have mentors, says Del Valle. “Mentors taught me the business of art and how to price my work.” Another one of Del Valle’s mentors was the late Michael Platt, an artist who influenced Del Valle and an entire generation of artists. It’s now Del Valle’s turn to reach out to the next generation of burgeoning artists. He currently teaches at George Washington University’s ArtReach program at THEARC as well as at the Latin American Youth Center. “With younger artists, I try to explain to them how beautiful and difficult it is to be an artist.” But he seeks to dispel the “starving artist” myth and to teach his students that “you can actually make a living as an artist.”

The Artist as Curator

When dropping off his sister at Archbishop Carroll High School every morning, Del Valle couldn’t help but notice many of the beautiful statues that adorned the grounds of the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center in Brookland. Intrigued, he decided to enter the center and he was awestruck by the art collection within. He asked if there were any job openings in the art department. Initially, he was offered the chance to volunteer but it quickly became a paid one-day per week position,

leading to more part-time hours. Eventually, Del Valle worked his way up the ranks to become Manager of Visitor Services which allowed him to co-curate many of the center’s exhibitions alongside Brother Joseph Britt. During his time at the cultural center, he curated extraordinary collections of artifacts and artworks from all over the world and worked with leading experts in numerous fields. Circling back to Del Valle’s admiration of the Renaissance Masters, during his time at the center, he had access to Michelangelo’s wooden model of Saint Peters Basilica Dome which was installed by a group of Italian curators and preparers at the center for an exhibition. Another highlight of his time at the cultural center was his production of a group exhibition titled “Love Hope and Art”. The exhibition included work by Del Valle and many of top local artists with whom he had developed a relationship over the years.

ANIMAL CLINIC OF ANACOSTIA Candace A. Ashley, DVM

Serving the East of the River community for over 40 years! 2210 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave, SE

202.889.8900 I doctorashleydvm.com

“Good Trouble” as Subject Matter

Del Valle is as comfortable painting well known historical figures as he is everyday people from his community. Deeply committed to social justice, his work centers on portraits of people who have fought against oppression and whose actions have made them role models. His subjects include leaders like Martin Luther King, Caesar Chavez and Nelson Mandela, people whom John Lewis would say caused “good trouble” in their lifetimes. His public art can be viewed in historic Anacostia with the recent completion of the “We Are Anacostia” and Chuck Brown murals. Among the many murals he is currently completing, of note, are ones of journalist Ida B. Wells and explorer Matthew Henson, two little known pioneers in Black American history whose biographies are finally coming to light. Through a fully developed style of figurative painting and visual storytelling, Del Valle offers us a message of hope and peace by looking to the great men and women of the past as examples for what is possible for humanity’s future. For more information about Luis Peralta Del Valle and his work visit: www.lovehopeart.com Phil Hutinet is the publisher of East City Art, DC’s alternative art source. For more information visit www.eastcityart.com. ◆

KOHOUTEK TOASTMASTERS ONLINE! Improve your communication and leadership skills, while we enjoy some much-needed social connection.

Meetings are the 1st and 3rd Monday’s of the month (holidays tbd) • 7-8:00 PM http://611.toastmastersclubs.org For more info contact: Harold Blackford vppr-611@toastmastersclubs.org

E AST

OF THE

R IVER M AGAZINE

M AY 2021

east washington life

Meet Your Neighbor

Dr. William Hawkins, Deacon and Mathematician

constant presence at two Catholic churches East of the River and a fervent mathematician, Deacon William Anthony Hawkins, Jr. is a respected and positive fixture in his Penn Branch neighborhood that he has lived since 1983. Deacon Hawkins serves as the Ordinary Minister on Saturday afternoons at St. Francis Xavier Church in Ward 7 as well as Sunday mornings at Saint Teresa of Avila Church in Ward 8. The Ordinary Minister, like the priest, regularly disseminates the Eucharist to the congregation. The deacon is a tithing member of both parishes. “Normally at Saint Francis I expect to just read the Gospel whereas at Saint Teresa I will also preach. Monsignor (Raymond G. East, the pastor) lets me basically have free reign at Saint Teresa. I am scheduled to preach the first Saturday in May at Saint Francis. When I preach the Gospel, I have everything written out. In the Catholic Church, the job of the preacher is to break open the Word,” said Deacon Hawkins who has occasionally performed baptisms, marriages and even funerals with permission from a church’s priest beforehand.

Native Washingtonian

Hawkins is an easygoing person who is especially passionate about three things in life—his love for God, family and a particular fondness for studying and teaching mathematics. “I’ve loved math my whole life and I later developed a life-long love for teaching. I enjoyed being around young people and I liked teaching. Put them together and that’s what drove my love for teaching,” said Hawkins, 73, who retired from the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) faculty in 2015 after being an educator and math promoter for 45 years. The only child of Amanda L. (Bowman) Hawkins and William Anthony Hawkins, Sr., he was a member of the first 8th Grade graduating class in 1960 at the Holy Redeemer Catholic School. He attended high school at the popular Archbishop Carroll High School before enrolling as a math major at Merrimack College which is close to Boston. Hawkins stayed for a year before returning to the District, enrolling at Howard University and earning his Bachelor of Science in mathematics. 30

E a s t o f t h e R i v er D C N e w s . c o m

by Anthony D. Diallo Dr. and Deacon William Hawkins

A Love of Numbers

Hawkins began his teaching career at Francis L. Cardozo Senior High School in northwest DC. A couple of years later, after earning a master’s degree in physics at Howard, he went to the University of Michigan to get

his second master’s degree in the field of mathematics. Upon his return to the nation’s capital in latter part of 1970, Hawkins attempted to teach at the high school again but found his path blocked largely because of the bureaucracy of the school system. Luckily, he learned of an opportunity to become a professor at the local Federal City College which is today known as UDC. He spent four successful years at the college until he decided to take a formal leave of absence and return to the University of Michigan for a doctorate degree which he acquired in four years. “I had some challenges but didn’t face too much adversity (as a mathematician) that I couldn’t handle because I got my bachelor’s degree and first masters at Howard, a historically black college, and then taught at Federal City, a historically black college,” said the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity member who headed the department in the mid 1980’s. Around 1985 Dr. Hawkins was invited to become a member of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA). He left UDC for another spell to recruit young, minority students to the field of mathematics. MAA is a professional society that focuses on mathematics at the undergraduate level. Members represent university, college and high school educators; graduate and undergraduate students; pure and applied mathematicians; computer scientists; statisticians and many other math enthusiasts in academia, government, business and other related industries.

A Spiritual Calling

William and Audrey Hawkins

During the first 19 years of his life Hawkins was a devout Roman Catholic. He received four of the seven sacraments—Baptism, Confession, Holy Communion and Confirmation. He primarily attended Catholic. That devotion basically stopped for Hawkins as he enjoyed young adulthood as an undergraduate studying math and becoming interested in the Civil Rights Movement. His priorities shifted from attending weekly mass to other life pursuits. During this period, Hawkins met the love of his life, Audrey Wheeler, whom he married in 1972. She was the younger sister of one of his students at Federal College who had invited him to an after-hours event. Approximately one-third of the students that Hawkins taught at Federal College were older than him. The couple celebrated their 48th anniversary

last November. They are the proud parents of three adult children (Ayanna, Osei and Okera) and six grandchildren. “I don’t know the secret to a successful marriage. But my parents only separated when my mom died in 1988. They got married in 1945 and loved each other. They were excellent role models. I was always taught, perhaps as a Catholic, that marriage was for the long haul. I got lucky and consider it a blessing to have found the perfect spouse and fit for me. She’s always been loving and supportive. I wouldn’t have achieved half of my success without her. Every married deacon candidate must get official approval from his wife before the man can become a deacon. Audrey gave her approval.” A sort of religious epiphany occurred with Dr. Hawkins around his 38th birthday. His father had suffered a stroke around that time; his children were attending St. Francis Xavier Academy and he felt it was time for him to reconnect with the church. Not only did Dr. Hawkins begin attending weekly mass again, but he also joined the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) ministry at St. Francis Xavier Church and with the blessing of the then pastor, Rev. David Bava, and a dedicated nun, Sr. Maria Raphaela, got inspired to become an ordained deacon. It took five years to complete the

process at the pastoral center in Hyattsville, where the Archdiocese of Washington has its headquarters, but the math educator became Deacon Hawkins in 2004. He was ordained with approximately 20 other men, two of whom later decided to join the priesthood and one, Roy Edward Campbell , who moved up the ranks and currently serves the church as an auxiliary bishop. “He has always been sincere and was anxious to join the Knights of Columbus when I invited him to become a member. Deacon Hawkins is a stand-up guy and a family man,” said Henry T. Hinnant, Jr., a long-time parishioner of St. Teresa of Avila and current treasurer of the Knights of Columbus’ Bishop Patrick J. Byrne Council #3877. Family, like the church and math, remains vital to the deacon and especially now during this pandemic when relationships have been known to become strained. “The biggest challenge of being a deacon is learning to put other people first. The same can be said about being a successful husband or father. Family dynamics can be challenging. COVID-19 may make families appreciate each other more. It has forced families to be apart and we know that absence makes the heart grow fonder. Everybody now really sees the value of family.” ◆ E AST

OF THE

R IVER M AGAZINE

M AY 2021

east washington life

Quality Trust

Support for Parents of Children with Disabilities

honda White, mother of four, says her youngest daughter has a beautiful smile and spirit and is a social butterfly who keeps all of the people around her laughing, especially her siblings. She has rhythmic ability, enjoys music and playing instruments and is a dancing machine. White described her as a great problem solver who knows what she wants. She was also diagnosed with a rare syndrome: Cornelia de Lange Syndrome (CdLS), a developmental disorder that can include growth delays and intellectual disability. Today White is the Family and Community Engagement Coordinator and Program Coordinator of Family Ties of DC (FTDC), a program of Quality Trust for Individuals With Disabilities, which matches DC parents with other parents for connection, support and information. “Over these sixteen years, I would not have been able to support my family without the knowledge and support of other parents who shared the ups and downs of their lives to support and advocate for

Fern and Marti Clark. Photo: Andrew Lightman

E a s t o f t h e R i v er D C N e w s . c o m

by Sarah Payne

their families,” White said. “I understand personally and professionally the power of parents of children with disabilities is what makes us such a great resource of support and advocacy.” She remembers how much she needed support and help in learning how to parent with a different perspective. “I always believe that as a parent, it doesn’t matter if it’s a child with or without disabilities, they all need support,” White said, “They just need all different forms and levels, and types of support.” In DC, it can be challenging for parents of children with disabilities to gain access to appropriate community services for their children, said White. White got involved with Quality Trust after struggling to find these resources herself after receiving her daughter’s diagnosis.

Bridging the Gap

Quality Trust for Individuals With Disabilities (4301 Connecticut Ave. NW, Unit 310) is an organization that offers support

Marti Clark. Photo: Andrew Lightman

and advocacy for individuals with disabilities of all ages in the District. The organization has a distinct focus on working with families and on looking for creative ways to bridge the gap between differences and make the most of each individual’s abilities. The work is really centered on the children and young people whose interests are being served. Tina Campanella has been the CEO of Quality Trust for 18 years. She has been interested in this advocacy work since she started babysitting for children with disabilities as a teenager. One of the children in particular stands out in her memory to this day. “It really just sort of became clear to me that his challenge in life was that the world around him expected him to understand and conform to the world as they saw it,” Campanella recalled. “In my mind, we should have spent a lot more time trying to understand how he saw the world,

why he didn’t conform and use our skills as people who could understand both worlds to bridge and help make it easier for him to get from where he was to where everybody else wanted him to be.” Campanella said what makes Quality Trust special is its commitment to assisting all individuals in the community by providing a wealth of knowledge and resources that help young people bridge those worlds. “One of the biggest challenges that I’ve seen with families in the community is that they try and get help, but everywhere they turn people are saying, “We don’t do exactly that,’” Campanella said. “Quality Trust is that place where you can come to, where we have some expertise, so we can help shortcut the family’s learning curve by helping them understand some of the ways in which the system works.”

The Benefit of Experience

Fern Clark is a parent and an advocate who became involved with Quality Trust

as a way to help support parents and share knowledge. Her daughter is heavily involved with community organizations and activities, from Special Olympics bowling to cheerleading, dance and basketball as well as the Edlavitch Jewish Community Center of DC and Art Works at Next Level Academy in the District. Clark said her experience as an advocate and as a parent of a child with Down syndrome has helped her to help other parents navigate the various agency and institutional systems. She currently serves as a Family Ties of DC support parent working with families across the District. In that role she does advocacy work for people with disabilities and shares knowledge and experience with parents. “There are lots of things that you want for your child or adult with disabilities, lots of things and experiences you would like them to have,” Clark said, remembering the first days of her search for assistance. “You don’t really know that system and understand the procedures in the process to get the help and the services that they need.” “That’s where we come in as caregivers —we have managed and maneuvered the system.” You can learn more about Quality Trust and their services by visiting their website at QualityTrust.org. Join us at one of the information sessions about the Family Ties of DC, DC is a “new” parent to parent program in the Nation’s Capital to connect parents who have a child(ren) with a disability will be matched with a parent of a child with a disability who has been on their parenting journey for intentional emotional and informational support. Sarah Payne is a History and Neuroscience student at The University of Michigan interning with HillRag. She writes for and serves as an assistant news editor for Michigan’s student newspaper, The Michigan Daily. You can reach her at sarahp@hillrag.com. u

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. 700,000 NEIGHBORHOOD PRICE 2474 Baldwin Cres NE BR HILL CREST 3401 Massachusetts Ave SE 722,500 FEE SIMPLE 1651 1/2 38th St SE 2508 36th Pl SE ANACOSTIA 2517 Branch Ave SE 1446 W St SE 775,000 4 2202 16th St SE 1726 R St SE 2514 Palmer Pl SE 1343 Dexter Ter SE 1619 R St SE 1818 Minnesota Ave SE 1343 Talbert Ter SE

605,000 532,500 445,000 415,000 350,000 330,000 285,000

BARRY FARMS 2813 Pomeroy Rd SE 2809 Pomeroy Rd SE

300,000 300,000

CAPITOL HILL EAST 344 14th St SE 1310 Watkins Aly SE

925,000 610,000

CARVER LANGSTON 1928 Bennett Pl NE

650,000

CONGRESS HEIGHTS 845 Barnaby St SE 401 Newcomb St SE 3605 Brothers Pl SE 1222 Congress St SE 880 Yuma St SE 4617 6th St SE 443 Oakwood St SE 3214 5th St SE

520,000 500,000 467,650 448,000 444,900 426,000 395,000 340,000

3 3 4 2 2 2 2

699,000 640,000 632,500

HILL EAST 1647 C St NE 124 17th St NE 1408 G St SE 406 Kentucky Ave SE 1617 Potomac Ave SE

1,000,000 1,000,000 950,000 911,000 695,000

IVY CITY 3 3 3 1

1943 Capitol Ave NE

KINGMAN PARK 1835 E St NE 431 20th St NE

3 2 3 3 4 4 2 3

713,500 525,000

LILY PONDS 3321 Dix St NE

450,000

438,000

MARSHALL HEIGHTS 122 53rd St SE 4906 D St SE 4908 D St SE 5300 E St SE 5216 B St SE 4903 Ayers Pl SE 5503 Central Ave SE 5303 Central Ave SE 5515 Central Ave SE

575,000 540,000 535,000 523,000 515,000 360,000 343,236 270,000 230,000

NAVY YARD DEANWOOD 4108 Hayes St NE 4509 Eads St NE 529 42nd St NE 4407 Foote St NE 307 57th St NE 4800 Eads St NE 204 56th Pl NE 4600 Brooks St NE 4650 Hayes St NE 4226 Gault Pl NE 711 49th Pl NE 4608 Jay St NE 53 46th St NE 5344 Central Ave SE 46 58th St SE 4612 Hayes St NE 820 55th St NE 4206 Grant St NE 807 51st St NE 4922 Just St NE

632,000 575,000 530,000 515,000 514,999 507,000 501,000 475,000 465,000 450,000 437,750 430,000 410,000 400,000 380,000 360,000 360,000 285,000 281,000 170,000

FORT DUPONT PARK 4328 Alabama Ave SE 530,000 4557 C St SE 525,000 4461 B St SE 505,000 1233 44th Pl SE 500,000 701 Adrian St SE 450,000 3400 C St SE 425,000 4350 H St SE 400,000 FORT LINCOLN

6 5 4 3 3 3 4 2 3 3 4 2 3 3 2 3 3 2 2 2 5 4 3 3 4 3 3

911 Potomac Ave SE

740,000

OLD CITY #1 604 Tennessee Ave NE 826 12th St NE 1629 Rosedale St NE 542 23rd Pl NE 737 18th St NE 319 15th St NE 766 13th St SE 540 13th St NE 1828 SE Massachusetts Ave SE

940,000 851,000 750,000 740,000 735,737 725,000 675,000 655,000 605,000

4 5 3 3 3 4 4 2 3 2 3

CAPITOL HILL EAST 254 15th St SE #5 1434 Potomac Ave SE #2 1391 Pennsylvania Ave SE #260 1519 K St SE #101 1516 K St SE #4A

761,259 604,000 475,000 465,000 425,000

CAPITOL RIVERFRONT 1211 Van St SE #TH-1A 1211 Van St SE #TH-1D 1211 Van St SE #TH-1C 1211 Van St SE #TH-1G 1211 Van St SE #TH-1H 1211 Van St SE #407 1211 Van St SE #413 1211 Van St SE #912

794,900 789,900 789,900 744,900 739,900 549,900 545,900 443,900

CONGRESS HEIGHTS

2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1

3 2

210-212 Oakwood St SE #110 3872 9th St SE #201 3425 5th St SE #44 22 Galveston Pl SW #C

DEANWOOD

4 4 4 4 4 3 2 3 2

FAIRFAX VILLAGE

IVY CITY

3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 4

320 61st St NE #201

2010 Fort Davis St SE #101 2008 Fort Davis St SE #202

290,000 210,000 180,000

HILL EAST 1391 Pennsylvania Ave SE #267 1391 Pennsylvania Ave SE #325 1512 K St SE #2 1524 Independence Ave SE #101 2 17th St SE #205 1909 Capitol Ave NE #2 1909 Capitol Ave NE #1

562,500 520,000 460,000 455,000 332,600 765,000 700,000

KINGMAN PARK 1620 E St NE #2 1519 Constitution Ave NE #101

399,900 379,900

MARSHALL HEIGHTS 5045 Call Pl SE #103

123,000

OLD CITY #1 900 11th St SE #409 1433 K St SE #PH302 642 15th St NE #1 2013 E St NE #1 900 11th St SE #202 1391 Pennsylvania Ave SE #313

RANDLE HEIGHTS

199,000 160,000 133,000 115,000

2 2 1 2 1

726,000 699,000 675,000 570,000 502,000 416,000

1805 18th St SE 580,000 4 1942 Good Hope Rd SE 565,000 3 1831 S St SE 555,000 3 1611 25th St SE 555,000 6 1738-1740 Gainesville St SE 525,000 4 2702 Stanton Rd SE 460,000 4 RANDLE HEIGHTS 2252 S St SE 432,600 4 1723 28th Pl SE #B 352,500 2640 Stanton Rd SE 420,000 3 1713 28th Pl SE #A 293,000 3219 Stanton Rd SE 415,000 3 2841 Gainesville St SE #103 134,000 2033 R St SE 410,743 3 1907 Good Hope Rd SE #301 109,000 u

1 2 1 3 3 3 2 2 2 1 2 1 3 3 2 1 1 2 3 2 2 1 1 3 2 2 1

CONDOMINIUM ANACOSTIA 2351 16th St SE #103

185,000

E ast

of the

R iver M agazine

M ay 2021

kids & family

by Kathleen Donner

Smithsonian Summer Adventures Offer Learning Experiences for Kids

Smithsonian Associates presents Smithsonian Summer Virtual Adventures, a series of week-long learning experiences introducing the world of the Smithsonian to children in kindergarten through eleventh grade. Over 50 live, interactive adventures will be held Monday, June 21, through Friday, Aug. 27. Kids can explore Smithsonian collections and themes during these specially designed sessions—live, facilitated activities with peers take place online along with additional challenges and projects to continue offline. Prices for weeklong Smithsonian Summer Adventures are $110 to $245 with discounts for members. Online registration has begun. smithsonianassociates.org/camp.

Ford’s Theatre Oratory Students Release “Stand Up, Be Heard: The Podcast”

Ford’s Theatre has announced that seven high school classrooms in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia and Montana are developing a series of student podcasts for release on fords.org as part of their work with the Ford’s Theatre Oratory program. The initial projects for Stand Up, Be Heard: The Podcast include a three-episode series from each classroom. The first podcast episodes are now available for free streaming at fords.org.

Cameron Run Park is Open

Cameron Run Regional Park, 4001 Eisenhower Ave. in Alexandria is open for the

season. Spend a summer afternoon splashing and sliding at Great Waves Waterpark. Test your swing in the slowpitch and fastpitch batting cages. Book one of their picnic shelters for a family or community picnic or bring your friends for 18 holes of challenging miniature golf. Through June 23, hours are Monday to Thursday, 4 to 8 p.m.; Friday, 4 to 9 p.m.; weekends and holidays, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. https://www.novaparks.com/parks/ cameron-run-regional-park

Saturday Morning Live! At The National

The Saturday Morning Live! At The National program is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year and has delighted children for years with performances designed to engage and inspire the young mind. Virtual performances by nationally known educators and artists encourage children to look outside their communities and discover a world of wonder. New episodes premiere every other Saturday at 9:30 a.m. on Facebook Premiere. This free programming is best suited for children four to ten, but siblings and friends of other ages are always welcome to join the fun. thenationaldc.com.

Candlelight Open Air: Songs from Magical Movie Soundtracks

Tuesdays in June at 6:30 and 9 p.m., you can enjoy an intimate ambience in a venue bathed in candlelight; a talented, local string quartet performing your favorite songs from magical movie soundtracks; a stunning openair experience at St. Francis Hall; and a safe, comfortable and socially-distanced event. Hear music from Fro34

E a s t o f t h e R i v er D C N e w s . c o m

zen, The Lion King, Toy Story, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Beauty and The Beast, Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, Pinocchio, The Jungle Book, Mary Poppins, Tarzan, and Jungle Book. These performances are for age ten and older. $55. St. Francis Hall, 1340 Quincy St. NE. feverup.com.

DCJCC Pathways to Parenthood

On Tuesday, May 25, 7 to 9 p.m., join a virtual informal discussion about different paths to family building. The panel will include a fertility doctor, representatives from an adoption agency and the DC foster care system, a lawyer who facilitates egg donor and gestational carrier agreements, and parents who have built families in a variety of ways. The program will consist of brief formal presentations from each of the panelists followed by lots of time in breakout rooms for more intimate conversations and questions. LGBTQ and straight, couples and single parents, Jewish and non-Jewish are all warmly welcomed. Come prepared to ask questions, get support, and connect with other people on the path to parenthood. edcjcc.org.

Live Music at Occoquan

Music on Mill is a free summer concert series featuring family-friendly entertainment. Concerts are held one Saturday evening a month at River Mill Park, 458 Mill St. and run from 7 to 9 pm. Guests are invited to bring a blanket or lawn chairs and enjoy live entertainment as well as stunning views of the Occoquan River. Here’s the summer schedule: May 15, Mystery Machine (Rock); June 19, Mon-

CHOOSE EXCELLENCE

Choose Paul Public Charter School. Limited seats available for the 2021-2022 school year. Act now - apply today! Paul sets scholars on the path to and through college by offering top-ranked programs and activities that ignite the passions of all students.

WHY CHOOSE PAUL? • Performing, visual, and culinary arts programs • Study abroad opportunities • Title-holding, citywide Varsity sports teams with alumni in the NCAA • Diverse activities like astronomy, robotics, and drumline Join the Paul legacy and add Paul PCS to your My School DC post-lottery application today:

myschooldc.org/postlotto

Public Transportation Green Line and Yellow Line 62, 70, 74, 76, 80, K2, K6, E4 Enroll in our highly-rated, Tier 1 leadership academy. Visit paulcharter.org.

5800 8th Street NW Washington, DC | (202) 291-7499 E AST

OF THE

R IVER M AGAZINE

M AY 2021

E a s t o f t h e R i v er D C N e w s . c o m

allo (Indie); July 17, Collective (Covers); August 6, Cheley Tackett (Americana); August 21, Up All Night (Pop). Free. occoquanva.gov/summer-concert-series.

GBF Children’s Village

Throughout the month of May, in the virtual Gaithersburg Book Festival Children’s Village, you will find a literary sea of activities, workshops and performances. They are designed to engage and stimulate your child’s book curiosity and interest in reading and writing. The festival kicks off on Saturday, May 1, and programming will run on both weekdays and weekends through May 28. Visit gaithersburgbookfestival.org regularly and subscribe to their e-newsletter for program schedule updates.

DC Sail Youth Programs

DC Sail’s goal is to allow DC kids to interact with and experience the waterways that surround their city. Through Kids Set Sail and the High School Racing Program, DC Sail is able to provide fun and educational sailing programs to area children. Each of their youth programs follows the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) curriculum and use the exciting sport of sailing to develop self-respect and sportsmanship, foster teamwork, as well as cultivate sailing skills and an appreciation for maritime-related activities. Read more at dcsail.org/youth.

Kids’ Giveaways at Nat’s Park in May

On Saturday, May 1 and Wednesday, May 5, the giveaway is a Daniel Hudson World Series Bobblehead; on Tuesday, May 11, a World Series Tote; on Sunday, May 23, a Nationals Kids Screech Travel Pillow. mlb.com/nationals.

Games for Young Scientists

Did you know that scientists get to solve puzzles every day? Science and research involve finding solutions from the clues given. Help young scientists stay engaged in different topics like health and the environment with these fun, educational games from the National Institutes of Health. Games include brainteasers, puz-

TAE KWON DO WE HAVE RESTARTED! 10’ SOCIAL DISTANCING. FULLY MASKED. SPOTS AVAILABLE ON THE WAITING LIST.

6TH & EYE ST., NE. - PARKING • MASTERGUTMAN@GMAIL.COM

E ast

of the

R iver M agazine

M ay 2021

Photo: Jaclyn Nash for the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

NMAAHC Weekly Kids’ Programs

Inspired by its children’s book “A Is for All the Things You Are: A Joyful ABC Book”, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture recently launched a new activity booklet series designed for infants, toddlers and early learners. The Joyful ABC Activity Booklet series provides caregivers and educators with guides to support children’s positive identity development while also growing their language and literacy skills. Through July, four additional booklets will be made available for free download the first Monday of every month. Activity booklets for letters A–I are currently available to download for free on nmaahc.si.edu/learn/early-childhood/joyful-abc-activity-books. In addition, the new interactive activity booklet series will be explored every Friday at 11 a.m., through July during the museum’s free weekly children’s art program, Joyful Fridays. Designed for children ages four to eight, Joyful Fridays’ museum educators will discuss featured museum objects and lead an art project celebrating black joy, history and culture. Read more and register at nmaahc. si.edu/events/upcoming. Past programs can be found on video.ibm.com/channel/zCPF4U3hFPc.

zles, riddles and songs. kids.niehs.nih. gov/games/index.htm.

photos/tradingcardsnpsyahoocom/collections/72157629789961004/.

Civil War to Civil Rights Trading Cards

DPR Summer Camp Registration is Open

The National Park Service is offering more than 500 trading cards to mark the 150th anniversary of the Civil War and the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. These trading cards reveal more about the role that Frederick Douglass and his comrades played in helping to end slavery and expand civil rights. There are five available at the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site, 1900 Anacostia Dr. SE: Frederick Douglass, Blanche K. Bruce, The North Star, Wendell Phillips, and The Planter. When the site reopens, ask a ranger about the cards. Visit flickr.com/ 38

E a s t o f t h e R i v er D C N e w s . c o m

DC residents can now sign up for DPRs traditional summer camps, modified to include social distancing and safety guidelines. Sessions are June 28 to July 9; July 12 to 23; July 26 to Aug. 6; and Aug. 9 to 20. dprsummercamp.com.

Story Time Writing

On Saturdays, May 15 and June 19, at 10 a.m., Anacostia Playhouse’s young artists will have an opportunity to interact with Melissa Victor, the creator of “Stoopkid Stories” a children’s story podcast. During these exciting sessions they will share

DC Prep campuses now accepting applications for the 21-22 school year in ward 5, 7 & 8. We’re the highest performing public charter schools serving PK3 – 8th grade.

Call 202-780-5126 for more information or visit:

dcprep.org

E AST

OF THE

R IVER M AGAZINE

M AY 2021

EARLY CARE AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM Ages 6 weeks to 12 Years Old Monday - Friday | 6:30 AM - 6:00 PM

OUR PROGRAM OFFERS • Developmentally Appropriate Programs • Toilet Training • Certified Educators • Education Field Trips • Income-Based Tuition • Summer Camp

ideas to create short stories or a play that will be performed by them. This is an opportunity for young artists to use their imaginations by exploring themebased subjects or current events to develop their own new work. This series is recommended for kids eight to fourteen. $15 per session. anacostiaplayhouse.org.

Talking About Race, Love & Truth

On Thursday, May 13, 5 p.m., bestselling children’s authors Renée Watson and Adam Gidwitz, with editors and publishers Wade Hudson and Cheryl Willis Hudson, will take questions from listeners. Live Q&A. Advanced registration is required at loc. zoomgov.com/webinar/register/ WN_5VpiRn2zRfCXR7khnE58uw.

Know Any Teen Activists?

LOCATIONS: MINNESOTA 4021 Minnesota Ave., NE 202.397.1170 ANTIOCH 1105 50th St., NE 202.397.8754 GOOD HOPE ROAD 2503 Good Hope Rd., SE 202.582.0323

EASTOFTHERIVERDCNEWS.COM

10 Seconds, written by Miriam Gonzales and directed by LeeAnét Noble, explores a world where deeply rooted biases and misperceptions easily take hold. Life can often feel unnerving--and can change for better or worse in the blink of an eye depending on how we see each other. Ray and Jimi are Washington, DC high school students who navigate their young adult worlds and what it means to be young Black men in the city. Ray tells the story of a day-and “ten seconds” inside that day--that he and Jimi will never forget, sharing not only their perspectives, but also the views of the police they encounter. Through audience engagement and interactive moments, the film provides opportunities for reflection and discussion. By “stopping time” the audience is asked to imagine what might happen if everyone makes the effort to pause, listen to one another, question our assumptions, and consider the possibilities for change. Interested in a viewing for your school community? Contact Rakeem Lawrence at rlawrence@ imaginationstage.org or 301-280-1645.

Students Opposing Slavery (SOS) is an initiative of President Lincoln’s Cottage. A cornerstone of the SOS program is the week-long Students Opposing Slavery International Summit, which President Lincoln’s Cottage first launched in 2013. At the Summit, dozens of teenagers from around the world come together to gain resources and training to takeaction against human trafficking in their own communities. Started in 2012 by four teenagers who believed that they had a responsibility to do what they could to end slavery in their time, SOS has continued to flourish. Today, SOS is a growing network of young abolitionists from around Washington, DC, the nation, and the world who are working together to end slavery. The 2021 (virtual) Summit will take place June 27 to July 2. Applications from high school sophomores to college seniors are due Monday, May 10. This an opportunity for students who are looking for community service hours or volunteer opportunities this summer, or any blossoming activists looking to make a difference. Read more at lincolncottage.org/learn/students-opposing-slavery.

Pilot Pals

www.commresh.com

Imagination Stage’s Theatre for Change Debuts 10 Seconds

Pilot Pals is an educational, interactive application for ages four to six. It introduces early learners to basic concepts about weather, gears, airplane parts and rockets through self-guided exploration of four animated activities based on the Barron Hilton Pioneers

of Flight Gallery at the Air and Space Museum. pioneersofflight.si.edu/content/pilot-pals.

DCSAA Issues Spring Sports Guidance

The District of Columbia State Athletic Association, in consultation with DC Health, has developed guidance so that low-risk high school sports can commence training and competition. A Public Health Emergency remains in place through May 20. This means that moderate- and high-risk sports such as football, wrestling, basketball, lacrosse and soccer may participate in conditioning and skill development but are prohibited from practicing and competing. Sports that are considered low-risk include baseball, cross-country, golf, softball, tennis and track and field. DCSAA has developed specific guidance for these sports to follow, including recommended mask wearing, social distancing and sanitizing. To learn more, visit dcsaasports.org. ◆

Artist: Jay Coleman

Coleman is pictured in studio with a working model for ‘Communessity,’ a completed work now outside Barry Farms Recreation Center. Photo: Elizabeth O’Gorek

IT'S WHAT WE DO. Capital Community News, Inc.

DC’s

#1 Community News Provider

Monthly in Print, Daily Online

eastoftheriverdcnews.com Wards 7 & 8

hillrag.com Ward 6

midcitydcnews.com Wards 1, 2, 4, & 5

INTERESTED IN ADVERTISING? CONTACT YOUR SALES REP TODAY!

202.543.8300

CAROLINA x12 | KIRA x16 | ANDREW x19 | MARIANA x20

E AST

OF THE

R IVER M AGAZINE

M AY 2021

www.themecrosswords.com • www.mylesmellorconcepts.com

XWORD “I can’t figure it out” by Myles Mellor Across:

1. Arid region 7. Japanese massage 14. Horse relatives 19. Times to remember 20. Popular woman Indy car driver 21. Milan opera house, with “La” 22. In no way logical 25. Having taken food 26. Cries of regret 27. ___meter (measures distance travelled) 28. Not the usual spelling: Abbr. 29. Rap doctor 30. Phone no. add-on 32. Realities 34. Banded stone 39. Football gains, abbr. 41. Bright circle? 44. Good works ad 45. Wind instrument player 46. Part of a giggle 48. “___ fair in love and war” 50. Truck, in a way 52. Med school subj. 53. Isn’t adding up 58. Put to the test 59. Cod relations 60. Circulars to clients 62. Writer Hunter 63. Geom. point 64. Midback muscle, for short 65. Cavity treater’s deg. 66. Tanning lotion letters 69. Mideast capital 71. Remained in place 74. Plaintive cry 76. Detach 78. Blvds. 79. Hupmobile contemporary 81. When repeated, a dance 83. An entree, when prime 85. Poop 86. Bank box 90. Patronize, as a restaurant 91. Type of boat that tows

94. Bit of baloney 96. A ___ aardvark 98. Common Amer. paper size 99. They have mtgs. in schools 100. Approves 101. Domain of the lowest noble rank 103. Internet addresses 106. Geologic period 108. Mauna ___ 111. Artillery burst 112. Female fowl 114. Aegean island 116. ‘80s prime-time alien 118. Apt rhyme for ‘’pursue’’ 120. Go astray 121. CPO’s group 123. Baseball Hall-of-Famer Combs 125. Meaningless response 131. Capital of Vietnam 132. Everywhere 133. Banner 134. George Bernard and others 135. They hold your horses 136. Kitchen appliances

Down:

1. Tailored, in a way 2. Honey maker locale 3. Got more exciting 4. Dull pain 5. Wine region 6. Tempe campus, for short 7. Nimble 8. Cries of surprise 9. Van or san followers 10. Sir Lancelot’s battle garb 11. Busy 12. Gets cracking 13. Ukraine, for short 14. In a muddle 15. Egyptian beetle 16. Palindromic airline 17. Band with the album “All Over the World”

Look for this months answers at labyrinthgameshop.com 18. ___ Pedro 23. UK museum 24. Campers, for short 31. Marvel superheroes 32. Converses 33. Lacks, briefly 35. Territory of India 36. “If it ___ broke ...” 37. Russian leader before 1917 38. British painter, William 40. Singer Easton 42. Parents, usually 43. Creamy salad 45. Additional sound blended into a recording 47. Symbol on Superman’s chest 49. Convince 51. Worn 53. Crane 54. Sanctions

55. Blast maker 56. Ore deposit 57. Jazzy James 59. Towel embroidery 61. Taxpayer ID 63. At a great price 66. Casino machines, briefly 67. Not-quite-mature insects 68. People movers 70. Some Harvard grads: Abbr. 72. Kind of adapter 73. Old world ‘you’ 75. Melodic 77. Birthplace of Solidarity 80. “What ___?” 82. For one 84. BBC rival 87. Spectral 88. Usually 89. Picture type--with shot

We have games and puzzles for everyone!

OFFERING ECO-FRIENDLY LOCAL DELIVERY IN DC! SAME DAY $11 I NEXT DAY $9

645 Pennsylvania Ave SE (Steps from Eastern Market Metro)

EASTOFTHERIVERDCNEWS.COM

• Educational, board • Jigsaw puzzles and party games • Brainteasers • LEGO and other • Marble mazes building toys • Corporate gifts • Chess & other strategy game • Much, much more Tuesday - Friday – 11am to 7pm Saturday & Sunday – 10am to 6pm

202-544-1059 • labyrinthgameshop.com

90. Startled cry 91. Keep ___ on (watch) 92. Insurance company for military personnel and their families 93. Lass 95. London or Manhattan locale 97. Fall month 102. “Calm down!” 104. Spanish dish 105. Piercing in tone 107. Movie 109. Aphid eater 110. Contend 112. ‘The Gold Bug’ writer 113. Grain disease 115. Legume family shrub 117. Kinds of plants 119. Elevator inventor 121. Global taxi middleman 122. Some cameras, for short 124. PGA part 125. Sounds of hesitation 126. “Nope” 127. Actress Balin 128. Note 129. Ending with rest or fest 130. Aviation prefix

AIR & HEATING

ELECTRICIAN

To place a classified in East of the River, please call Carolina at Capital Community News, Inc. 202.543.3503 or email Carolina@hillrag.com

PAINTING

CLEANING SERVICES HAIR SALON P D EL E H NT A W

Look Fabulous

PLUMBING

Just Say I Need A Plumber®

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

UNISEX HAIR SALON

Men’s Haircut - 15 Locs/Twist Specials - $50 Weaves Sewn - $100 $

1ST TIME CUSTOMER ONLY

Nail Technician on Site MANICURES • PEDICURES • FULL SET

DC P

FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED • “50 YEARS EXPERIENCE”

Flat Roof Specialists Modified Bitumen • Skylights • Shingles • Slate •

Kenny

L U M M E R

’

I C E N S E

#707

WE STOP LEAKS! • Tiles • Chimneys • Gutters • Waterproofing • Roof Certifications

We Do Everything!

BOYD CONSTRUCTION INC. LIC. BONDED. INS

•

10% OFF WITH THIS AD

202.425.1614 Licensed & Insured | All Work Managed & Inspected by Owners

FLAT ROOF SPECIALIST • Roof Repairs • Roof Coatings • Rubber • Metal • Slate

Chimney Repairs Roof Coatings • Gutters & Downspouts • Preventive Maintenance • Metal Roofs •

WWW.GANDGHOMEIMPROVEMENTS.NET

ROOFING

Contact CARO at 202.400.3503 & carolina@hillrag.com

AWARDED BEST WASHINGTON, DC CONTRACTOR OF 2012 BY ANGIE’S LIST

•

Licensed Bonded Insured

202-251-1479

202.581.1700 | 2203 Minsesotta Ave. SE / lookfabulousunisexhairsalon

G G ROOFING

Dial A Plumber, LLC®

75 years in service

BBB

Member

202-223-ROOF (7663)

East of the River Magazine – May 2021

Articles inside

Luis Peralta Del Valle: Ambassador of Peace, Hope and Love by Phil Hutinet

Quality Trust: Support for Parents of Children with Disabilities by Sarah Payne

Bulletin Board by Kathleen Donner

Meet Your Neighbor: Dr. William Hawkins, Deacon and Mathematician by Anthony D. Diallo

Get Help With DCRA: Contractor Rating System System Joins Permit Wizard to Help Residents Make Project Decisions by Elizabeth O’Gorek

Five New Restaurants Set to Open at Skyland: Additions to Create New Food Destination