East of the River Magazine – February 2023

36

by

42 Meet Your Neighbor –Meet

EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Melissa Ashabranner • melissa.ashabranner@gmail.com

MANAGING EDITOR: Andrew Lightman • andrew@hillrag.com

PUBLISHER: Jean-Keith Fagon • fagon@hillrag.com

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

& Dining P PRING

KING LEAR AT SHAKESPEARE

Caught in a carousel of memory, the head of a dysfunctional royal family grapples with power-hungry children and the threat of losing the empire he created. Real and imagined worlds coalesce, creating a political and personal horror that threatens to swallow the mind of the monarch. The incomparable Patrick Page returns to STC as the once-revered king caught in an emotional hurricane ravaging his home, head, and heart. $35 to $130. King Lear is at Shakespeare’s Klein Theatre from Feb. 23 extended to April 2. shakespearetheatre.org.

WHAT’S ON WASHINGTON

IMPORTANT CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL EVENTS

The National Cherry Blossom Festival commemorates the 1912 gift of 3,000 cherry trees from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo to the city of Washington, DC, and celebrates the enduring friendship between the people of the United States and Japan. Here are the main events this year, so far: March 25, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Blossom Kite Festival on the Washington Monument Grounds; April 8, 1 to 9 p.m., Petalpalooza (music festival) with fireworks at Capitol Riverfront at the Yards; April 15, 10 a.m. to noon, Cherry Blossom Parade on Constitution Avenue NW. Peak bloom? So far, no one knows. Get Cherry Blossom email alerts at nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/join-email-list/.

ONE WITH ETERNITY: YAYOI KUSAMA AT THE HIRSHHORN

Extended through spring, One with Eternity showcases the Hirshhorn’s permanent collection of works by Kusama, including two of her Infinity Mirror Rooms—her first and one of her most recent—that create a dazzling sensation of never-ending space. These transcendent rooms are exhibited alongside an early painting; sculptures, including Pumpkin (2016) and Flowers—Overcoat (1964); and photographs of the artist. This exhibition honors Kusama’s distinctive vision of self-obliteration by exploring its development across media while also underscoring the Museum’s mission: to present the most exciting art and ideas of our time. Free, timed-passes are required to experience One with Eternity: Yayoi Kusama in the Hirshhorn Collection. hirshhorn.si.edu.

“SEVEN METHODS OF KILLING KYLIE JENNER” AT WOOLLY

When Forbes Magazine declares Kylie Jenner a “self-made” billionaire, Cleo takes to Twitter to call out white women who co-opt and profit from Black culture. Soon online discourse spills into reality, blurring the tenuous lines between internet personas and who we are IRL. On the internet, actions don’t always speak louder than words. Tickets start at $29 and paywhat-you-will tickets are available for each performance. Seven Methods of Killing Kylie Jenner is at Woolly Mammoth, 641 D St. NW, from Feb. 4 to 26. woollymammoth.net.

Patrick Page as King Lear.

Photo: Patric Shaw

& Dining

THIS IS BRITAIN: PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE 1970S AND 1980S AT THE NGA

Britain experienced profound changes in the 1970s and 1980s, when it was racked by deindustrialization, urban uprisings, the controversial policies of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and the Troubles in Northern Ireland. Photography became a central form of creative expression during this period, supported and disseminated through galleries, artists’ collectives, magazines, and government funding. This Is Britain brings together the work of a generation of photographers who were commenting on the deep unrest of these pivotal decades. At the National Gallery of Art, West Building, through June 11. nga.gov.

2023 ATLAS INTERSECTIONS FESTIVAL

The Atlas INTERSECTIONS Festival, Feb. 18 to March 26, is a performing arts festival that presents excellent art that inspires a connected community, engages artists and audiences alike, and creates a vibrant neighborhood, city, and world. The Festival presents artists that look to explore the ideas and issues of our time through their work. The Atlas Performing Arts Center is at 1333 H St. NE. Find the complete schedule of dance, music, stories and theater at atlasarts.org.

LES MISERABLES AT THE KC

In 1986, the Kennedy Center hosted the pre-Broadway run of what has become one of the world’s most popular musicals. Now, they are bringing her home. Set against the backdrop of 19th century France, Les Misérables tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice, and redemption—a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit. The score includes the songs “I Dreamed a Dream,” “On My Own,” “Bring Him Home,” “One Day More,” “Master of the House” and many more. This epic and uplifting story has become one of the most celebrated musicals in theatrical history. Les Miserables is at the Kennedy Center Opera House from April 11 to 29. $45 to $199. Kennedy-center.org.

“ANYANG: CHINA’S ANCIENT CITY OF KINGS”

The National Museum of Asian Art is presenting “Anyang: China’s Ancient City of Kings,” the first major exhibition in the United States dedicated to Anyang, the capital of ancient China’s Shang dynasty (occupied ca. 1250 B.C.–ca. 1050 B.C.), the source of China’s earliest surviving written records, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the birthplace of Chinese archaeology. Composed of objects exclusively from the museum’s collection, “Anyang” is on view in the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery from Feb. 25 to April 28, 2024. The exhibit brings together more than 200 artifacts—including jade ornaments, ceremonial weapons, ritual bronze vessels, bells and chariot fittings—to examine the Shang state and artistic achievements of those who lived in its capital some 3,000 years ago. 1050 Independence Ave. SW, is open daily, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. asia.si.edu.

Martin Parr, New Brighton, Merseyside from the series The Last Resort, 1984. chromogenic print (10 1/2 x 13 in.) National Gallery of Art, Washington, Alfred H. Moses and Fern M. Schad Fund © Martin Parr, Courtesy Rocket Gallery

Ritual wine containers (you) with masks (taotie), dragons, birds, and owls, middle Anyang period, ca. 1150-1200 BCE, bronze, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment. Photo: Courtesy of the National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution

Capital Tap and District Tap perform “Note on Note” on Sunday, March 5 at 4 p.m.

Photo: Stephanie Vadala

Photo: Johan Persson

& Dining

TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND AT THE WARNER

Tedeschi Trucks Band is a Grammy Award-winning 12-piece rock and soul powerhouse that holds a well-deserved reputation as one of the best live acts touring today. From sold-out multi-night residencies across America to barnstorming tours through Europe and Japan to their flagship Wheels of Soul annual summer tour, the band’s shows are an eagerly anticipated highlight of the live music calendar. Tedeschi Trucks Band performs at the Warner Theater, 13th and E streets. NW, at 8 p.m. (doors at 7 p.m.), on Feb. 16, 17 and 18 and March 2, 3 and 4. livenation.com.

LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO AT THE BARNS AT WOLF TRAP

“POUR, TEAR, CARVE” AT THE PHILLIPS

“Pour, Tear, Carve” explores the role methods and materials can play in evoking personal memories, conveying time and place, and stimulating the senses. Presenting 65 works from the permanent collection–spanning paintings, sculptures, photographs, drawings, prints, textiles, and mixed media, and including some works on view for the first time–this exhibition considers how artists have utilized historic and contemporary art materials to act as conduits of meaning. “Pour, Tear, Carve” is at The Phillips Collection, 1600 21st St. NW, from March 18 to May 14. The Phillips is open daily except Monday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Adult admission is $16; 18 and under, free. phillipscollection.org.

Dindga McCannon, Charlie Parker and Some of the Amazing Musicians He Influenced, Painting from 1983, mixed media quilt from 2010, 54 x 44 in., The Phillips Collection, Director’s Discretionary Fund, 2022

JOHN AKOMFRAH: FIVE MURMURATIONS AT THE MUSEUM OF AFRICAN ART

Internationally renowned artist and filmmaker John Akomfrah addresses the global COVID-19 pandemic, murder of George Floyd, and worldwide protests in support of Black Lives Matter in this visual essay of our times. Drawing upon an extensive archive of images that mix iconic works of art with scenes shot and gathered in the globally fraught 18-month period between 2019 and 2021, Five Murmurations considers Akomfrah’s insights into post-colonialism, diasporic experience, and memory. Five Murmurations opens at the Smithsonian Museum of African Art on April 20. Africa.si.edu.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo, one of South Africa’s premier vocal-harmony groups has warmed the hearts of audiences worldwide with their rich, uplifting vocal harmonies, signature dance moves, and charming onstage banter for over 50 years. They’re at the Barns at Wolf Trap, 1635 Trap Rd., Vienna, VA on Tuesday, March 21 and Wednesday, March 22, 8 p.m. (doors at 6:30 p.m.). $42 to $47. wolftrap.org.

A.W. MELLON LECTURES IN THE FINE ARTS AT THE NGA

Stephen D. Houston, Dupee Family Professor of Social Science at Brown University, will give the 72nd annual National Gallery of Art’s A. W. Mellon Lectures in the Fine Arts this spring. Houston’s lecture series, entitled Vital Signs: The Visual Cultures of Maya Writing, will take place in the East Building Auditorium on Sundays from April 16 through May 21, at 2 p.m. Over six lectures, Houston will explore Maya writing (“glyphs”) of ancient Mexico and Central America, uncovering the essence of a system of script and picture that never quite split apart yet never quite fused. Recent decipherments of glyphs enable us to probe how language intersected with visual experience, who devised these innovations, by what means, and for what reasons. (Visit nga.gov/press/mellon-lectures for further details.) nga.gov.

Photo: David McClister

Stephen D. Houston of Brown University will deliver the 72nd A. W. Mellon Lectures in the Fine Arts at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, in spring 2023.

Photo: Courtesy of Stephen D. Houston

• Is your business too small for a full-time accounting department but too large to handle your monthly accounting needs efficiently?

• Do you spend countless hours balancing your books, invoicing, and following up on collecting payments?

• Do you need help managing payroll with an evolving team?

• Do you need help with QuickBooks?

• Are your accounting systems streamlined and efficient?

• Would your strategic planning be enhanced with the input and unique perspective of a Chief Financial Officer (CFO)?

• Are you a company owner or CEO looking for a part time CFO or Controller?

& Dining

M3 ROCK FESTIVAL AT THE MERRIWEATHER POST PAVILION

M3 Rock Festival turns 14 this year. The internationally renowned festival of hard rock and heavy metal is ready to celebrate that school’s out for the summer with a full weekend of performances on Merriweather Post Pavilion’s legendary main stage, May 6 and 7. This year’s festival, kicks off with performances from Styx, Extreme, Winger, Slaughter, Lita Ford, Quiet Riot, local favs Child’s Play and more. Sunday, May 7, features Warrant, Great White, Loudness, Steven Adler (of Guns N’ Roses), FireHouse, Riley’s L.A. Guns, Vixen, and Mike Tramp (of White Lion), with everyone’s favorite hometown heroes KIX closing out the weekend. Tickets start at $75 (lawn seating). m3rockfest.com.

Saturday night square dance.

JO KOY AT THE CAPITOL ONE ARENA

As one of today’s premiere stand-up comics, Jo Koy (real name, Joseph Glenn Herbert) has come a long way from his modest beginnings performing at a Las Vegas coffee house. The comedian, who pulls inspiration from his family, specifically his son, sells-out arenas and theaters around the world. Saturday, March 11, 7 p.m. Tickets are $43.50 to $390. Jokoy.com.

BALTIMORE OLD TIME MUSIC FESTIVAL

On March 10 and 11, Creative Alliance convenes some of the brightest old-time musicians, singers, and dancers in the country to celebrate where this music exists today. Join host artists Ken and Brad Kolodner on Friday as they welcome a lineup of musicians for two days of brilliant musicianship, shimmering vocal harmonies, and hot flatfoot dance. Saturday is packed with handson workshops from many of their headline performers, jamming, intimate performances in the Marquee Lounge, afternoon concerts in the theater and a wild square dance to close out the festival on Saturday night. The Baltimore Old Time Music Festival is at the Patterson Theater in the Highlandtown neighborhood of Baltimore. Kids 12 and under, free. Weekend pass, $90; Friday night, $33; Saturday day-pass, $25 for 13 to 18, $65 for adults; Saturday night dance and evening concert, $20. baltimoreoldtimefest.com.

CHIARINA CHAMBER PLAYERS AT ST. MARK’S

With the new year brings four opportunities to hear Chiarina Chamber Players, widely considered to be one of the most compelling chamber programs in town. On Sundays at 7:30 p.m.—On Feb. 5, experience the solo concerto up close, with a chamber version of Chopin’s Piano Concerto in F minor, a reconstructed “Haydn” concerto for double bass, and a new work by Anna Clyne. On March 12, this musical power couple— the Schumanns—and their close friend Brahms composed some of the most enduring music in the German Romantic tradition. With Nurit Bar-Josef, Abel Pereira, and Chiarina artistic directors. On April 16, with the collective power of two pianos side by side, pianists Efi Hackmey and Adrienne Kim perform Messiaen and Mozart. On May 21, composers whose voices are singular--Gabriel Fauré’s beloved Piano Quartet in C minor meets music for piano and strings by Rebecca Clarke, Carlos Simon, and Reinaldo Moya. $25; 18 and under, free. Concerts are at St. Mark’s, 301 A St. SE. chiarina.org.

Jo Koy. Photo: Mike Miller Photography

BEER, BOURBON AND BBQ FESTIVAL

Tickets are on sale now for the 16th annual Beer, Bourbon and BBQ Festival at the Cow Palace on the Maryland State Fairgrounds on Friday, March 24, 6 to 10 p.m. and Saturday, March 25, noon to 6 p.m. They’re featuring two great days of beer sippin’, bourbon tastin’, music listenin’, cigar smokin’, and barbecue eatin’ (their words, not ours). Your admission buys you a glass so you can enjoy an all-you-care-to-taste sampling of beer and bourbon. Food options are a la carte. Admission is $39 to $179. The Cow Palace on the Maryland State Fairgrounds is at 2200 York Rd., Lutherville-Timonium, MD. timonium.beerandbourbon.com.

IN-PERSON DC ENVIRONMENTAL FILM FESTIVAL RETURNS

DCEFF has been the premier showcase of environmental films since 1993. Each March, they bring the world’s largest green film festival to massive in-person audiences. Since 2020, they have focused on extending their reach beyond DC to the entire world with their virtual festivals and ever-growing Watch Now catalog. From March 16 to 26, they are returning to venues across the DC Metro for in-person screenings and events—in addition to continuing to offer virtual programming for international audiences. To celebrate Earth Day, from April 18 to 23, the DCEFF also offers a virtual schedule of encores that were only available on screen in-person. dceff.org.

SYNETIC’S “BEAUTY AND THE BEAST”

Take a page from the book of fairy tales this spring with the return of Synetic Theater’s Beauty and the Beast, first premiered in 2014. However, this is no ordinary fairy tale. Synetic’s adaptation of this storybook classic draws on the darkness and sensuality of Villeneuve’s original French novel. Told through Synetic’s unique stage effects, expressionistic design, puppetry and movement, Beauty and the Beast is a sparkling and inspiring Gothic romance full of wonder, mystery and redemption. $35 to $65. PLEASE NOTE: This production of Beauty and the Beast contains fantasy violence and may be scary to younger children. This is not the Disney musical (no talking teacups). Parental guidance is advised. “Beauty and the Beast” is on stage at Synetic Theater, 1800 S. Bell St., Arlington, from March 3 to April 2. Synetictheater.org.

OUR WORK UNFINISHED: HAILSTORK & OBAMA AT NATIONAL CATHEDRAL

American composer Adolphus Hailstork is one of the most important composers working today. In Done Made My Vow he calls upon words from President Barack Obama’s early speeches to share his perspective as an African American with his students. On Sunday, May 14, 4 p.m., at the Washington National Cathedral, 3101 Wisconsin Ave, NW, Thurston leads the combined forces of the Cathedral Choral Society and the Heritage Signature Chorale in this and other works by African American composers. $20 to $85. Pay-whatyou-wish livestream is also available. cathedral.org.

Path of the Panther, directed by Eric Bendick. A wildlife photographer finds himself on the front lines of an accelerating battle that has pushed the Everglades to the brink of ecological collapse.

Irina Kavsadze as Belle and Vato Tsikurishvili as the Beast. Photo: Johnny Shryock

SCOTTISH BALLET: THE CRUCIBLE AT THE KC

On May 24 to 28, Scotland’s national dance company returns to the Kennedy Center with The Crucible, bringing Arthur Miller’s classic play about the Salem witch trials to the ballet stage. The Crucible had its world premiere in August 2019 at the Edinburgh International Festival, and Washington audiences will enjoy the production’s east coast premiere as Arthur Miller’s classic play about the Salem witch trials celebrates its 70th anniversary. Watch as a tight-knit society unravels into chaos, and ask yourself: when everything is at stake, what price are you prepared to pay for the truth? Six performances only. $39 to $129. kennedy-center.org.

TEMPLE AT DANCE PLACE

TEMPLE shines the spotlight on the fraying of public life and the growing reality that people participate in institutions less and less. Through the languages of Indian dance and hip hop culture, Chitra Subramanian explores the experiences and stories of her South Asian immigrant journey through the lens of the major institutions that were powerful anchors in her life. From the Hindu Temple in Pittsburgh to the temple of the DC Club, Chitra showcases the limitless ways in which hip hop and dance continue to inspire and transform. TEMPLE, on March 18 at 7 p.m. and March 19 at 4 p.m., describes itself as a deeply family-friendly performance geared to an intergenerational audience. $25 general admission; $20 for seniors; $15 for college students and artists; and $10 for kids 17 and under. Dance Place is at 3225 Eighth St. NE. danceplace.org.

MY FAIR LADY AT THE NATIONAL

Adapted from George Bernard Shaw’s play and Gabriel Pascal’s motion picture Pygmalion, My Fair Lady premiered on Broadway in 1956. The legendary original production won six Tony Awards including Best Musical and ran for 2,717 performances making it, at the time, the longest-running musical in Broadway history. Boasting a score that contains such now-classic songs as “I Could Have Danced All Night,” “Get Me to the Church on Time,” “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly,” “On the Street Where You Live,” “The Rain in Spain,” and “I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face,” Lincoln Center’s revival has been hailed as better than it ever was. My Fair Lady is at the National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, for six shows from April 6 to 9. Tickets start at $60. broadwayatthenational.com.

DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS AT THE 9:30 CLUB

On the title track to Welcome 2 Club XIII, Drive-By Truckers pay homage to the Muscle Shoals honky-tonk where founding members Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley got their start: a concrete-floored dive lit like a disco, with the nightly promise of penny beer and truly dubious cover bands. The 14th studio album from Drive-By Truckers— whose lineup also includes keyboardist/guitarist Jay Gonzalez, bassist Matt Patton, and drummer Brad Morgan—Welcome 2 Club XIII looks back on their formative years with both deadpan pragmatism and profound tenderness, instilling each song with the kind of lived-in detail that invites bittersweet reminiscence of your own misspent youth. $35. Drive-By Truckers is at the 9:30 Club, 815 V St. NW, on Saturday, April 29 and Sunday, April 30. 930.com.

Madeline Powell as Eliza Doolittle.

Photo: Jeremy Daniel

Scottish Ballet’s production of Helen Pickett ’s The Crucible.

Photo: Andy Ross

WASHINGTON NATIONAL OPERA’S “BLUE”

In Harlem, a couple celebrates the birth of their firstborn—a boy, Black and beautiful. As the mother worries for her son’s future in today’s America, the father wrestles with his role as a police officer, a “Black man in blue.”

When the unimaginable happens years later and a white officer kills the son, their deepest fears come true. Tony

Award–winning composer Jeanine Tesori and NAACP Theatre Award–winning librettist Tazewell Thompson’s new opera is inspired by contemporary events and Black literature, including Ta-Nehisi Coates’s “Between the World and Me” and James Baldwin’s “The Fire Next Time.” By giving voice to the joy and pain of families that are often unheard, “Blue” places timely issues at the forefront of modern opera and invites audiences to the emotional epicenter of their impact. $35 to $179. “Blue” is at the Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater for six performances from March 11 to 25. kennedu-center.org.

AOIFE O’DONOVAN PLAYS NEBRASKA AT THE BIRCHMERE

On Wednesday, March 15, 7:30 p.m., Aoife

O’Donovan will perform Bruce Springsteen’s album Nebraska solo in its entirety. It has been described as saluting Springsteen’s songcraft with clear, pitch-perfect articulation and affable delivery. Tickets are $39.50. (The live album is available digitally only via aoifeodonovan.bandcamp.com.) The Birchmere is at 3701 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria. birchmere.com.

A savvy and generous collaborator, Aoife is one third of the group I’m With Her with bandmates Sara Watkins and Sarah Jarosz. I’m With Her earned a Grammyaward in 2020 for Best American Roots Song.

CUMBERLAND, MARYLAND’S DELFEST

DelFest was born from the desire to create a familyfriendly music festival celebrating the rich legacy of McCoury music by providing a forum for world-class musical collaborations while also exposing fresh new talent. On-site you’ll find music all day long on their Grandstand Stage, intimate Artist Playshops, late night shows, a funfilled kids area, an art and craft fair, food and drinks, plentiful camping space and RV hookups. Cumberland, MD is a charming Victorian town nestled in the Potomac River Valley in Western Maryland amidst the lush landscape of the Appalachian Mountains. DelFest, May 25 to 28, is at the Alleghany County Fairgrounds, 11410 Moss Ave., Cumberland, MD (about 140 miles from DC). Tickets are on sale now at delfest.com.

LARKIN POE @ THE 9:30 CLUB

The latest full-length from Larkin Poe, Blood Harmony is a wholehearted invitation into a Southern landscape so precisely conjured you can feel the sticky humidity of the warm summer air. In bringing their homeland to such rich and dazzling life, Georgiabred multi-instrumentalist sisters Rebecca and Megan Lovell fortify their storytelling with a blues-heavy sound that hits right in the heart. Blood Harmony affirms Larkin Poe as an essential force in shaping the identity of Southern rock-and-roll, breathing new energy into the genre with both forward-thinking perspective and a decidedly feminine strength. $30. Larkin Poe is at the 9:30 Club, 815 V St. NW, on Thursday, March 9, 7 p.m. 930.com.

THEATER ALLIANCE’S “THIS GIRL LAUGHS, THIS GIRL CRIES, THIS GIRL DOES NOTHING”

Triplet sisters are left in a forest by a woodcutter father and forced to find their own way in the world. From this fairytale beginning, three resolutions are made—one sister walks one way to find purpose, one the other to find adventure and the third stays right where she is, to create a home. This moving and irresistibly charming modernday fairytale by Finegan Kruckemeyer with music by Nate Weida is appropriate for all ages. “This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing” is at the Anacostia Playhouse, 2020 Shannon Pl. SE, from March 1 to 25. theateralliance.com.

Photo: Karli Cadel

The Travelin McCourys in performance.

Photo: Jay Strausser

SIGN UP FOR YOUR FREE SMALL BUSINESS WORKSHOP TODAY

Are you an aspiring or existing business in the District? The Small Business Resource Center (SBRC) is here for you!

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

Thursday, February 2, 2023

10:00 am – 11:00 am

Register: dlcpsbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events/58976

WEBINAR: ALL THINGS NON-PROFIT

Thursday, February 9, 2023

10:00 am – 11:00 am

Register: dlcpsbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events/59400

WEBINAR: BUSINESS FOUNDATION SERIES: THE BUSINESS MODEL CANVAS

Thursday, February 9, 2023

2:00 pm – 3:30 pm

Register: dlcpsbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events/60452

WEBINAR: BUSINESS FOUNDATION SERIES: THE LEAN BUSINESS PLAN

Thursday, February 23, 2023

2:00 pm – 3:30 pm

Register: dlcpsbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events/60457

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

Monday – Friday

By appointment between 10:00 am – 4:00 pm Register: dlcpsbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events

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

Wednesdays

By appointment between 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm Register: dlcpsbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events

LLAMADA TELEFONICA: 1:1 PASOS PARA OBTENER UNA LICENCIA COMERCIAL CON LA SRA. HERRERA

Miercoles con cita de 12:00pm a 1:00pm Registro: dlcpsbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events

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

Dr. Carter G. Woodson and His Legacy Today

American history has always been contested. In the wake of the Civil War, its White losers invented the heroic myth of the “Lost Cause,” to justify their drive to reverse the political and social gains made by Blacks during Reconstruction across the South. They erected Confederate statues throughout the region, even in the nation’s capital, to provided physical testimony to their dominion. Slowly but surely they erased Black history from the American narrative.

The 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, a central part of my own family history, was erased and forgotten for nearly 100 years. This example was far from unique. However, in the early 20th Century, prominent Black historians worked diligently to recover the stories of Black Americans. In August of 2019, that e ort culminated in the publication of the New York Times 1619 Project (https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/08/14/ magazine/1619-america-slavery.html). This project placed the Black American narrative, particularly chattel slavery, at the center of the American story.

Unfortunately, The 1619 Project generated a major reaction among conservative Republicans. Decrying the “woke agenda” as o ensive to the sensibilities of White Americans and a violation of their deeply held mythology of our nation’s origins, they have moved aggressively to legally circumscribe the teaching of American History to exclude the Black experience. Given these circumstances, it is important to revisit the life

by Pleasant Mann

of The Father of Black History and DC resident, Dr. Carter G. Woodson, whose Shaw home will open as a national historic site in 2023 (https://www.nps. gov/cawo/index.htm).

Who

Was

Carter G. Woodson?

Dr. Woodson’s own early life is worthy of study during Black History Month. Poverty drove him at the age of 17 to move to West Virginia to work as a coal miner. At 20, he went to high school, eventually going on to progressive Berea College in Kentucky, where he received a baccalaureate degree in 1903. He later earned a master’s degree in history from the University of Chicago. He eventually entered Harvard University, doing most of the work on his doctorate while teaching in the segregated Colored DC public school system. After defending his dissertation on “The Disruption of Virginia,” he received his PhD in History in 1912, becoming the second African American to do so at Harvard.

The Father of Black History

In 1915, Dr. Woodson, with three other co-founders, established the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH) in Chicago. He said that the organization “proclaimed as its purpose the collection of sociological and historical data on the Negro, the study of peoples of African blood, the publishing of books in this eld, and the promotion of harmony among the races by acquainting the one with the other.” Most African Americans were unaware of the contributions and accomplishments of people of color to the nation’s history because the subject was intentionally suppressed and distorted, not taught in schools and not well researched or known. And publishers saw no potential market for books on the subject.

Dr. Woodson served as the director of research and editor for the organization until his death in 1950. The presidents of ASNLH during this period included Shaw resident Mary McCleod Bethune, an important Black educator and civil and women’s right leader, who served from 1938 to 1952. But without Dr. Woodson’s passion, commitment and personal sacri ces, Black history might be even more poorly understood and rarely taught than it is today.

In the early years of the association, Dr. Woodson held a number of academic positions, including principal of Armstrong Manual Training High School, serving a year as the dean of Howard University’s School of Liberal Arts and as dean of the West Virginia Collegiate Institute. In 1922, he decided to devote himself exclusively to the operations of ASNLH. On July 22, 1922, he purchased his home at 1538 Ninth Street NW, which also served as the national headquarters of ASNLH and his publishing company, Associated Publishers. Eventually, the home’s rst oor was devoted to the clerical operations of ASNLH and the second to Dr. Woodson’s o ce, while he lived on the third oor. The basement was used for the storage of books and publications.

In 1926, Dr. Woodson made perhaps his most lasting contribution to American culture: his creation of Negro History Week. Woodson thought that a week in February, with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln (February 12th) and Frederick Douglass (Febru-

Carter G. Woodson Park. Photo by Alexander Padro. Courtesy Shaw Main Streets

Carter G. Woodson

ary 14th), would be the most appropriate date to hold the event. The week “should emphasize not Negro History, but the Negro in history. What we need is not a history of selected races or nations, but a history of the world devoid of national bias, race hate, and religious prejudice.”

The idea of Negro History Week immediately took hold, with annual celebrations in American cities. In 1932, 1,000 school children met in a caucus room of a House o ce building under the auspices of Representative Oscar DePriest and other Black congressmen. Black History Month, after almost a century, is still an important date on the American calendar. Woodson also started the Negro History Bulletin, a monthly publication aimed at high school teachers and students, to promote Black history throughout the year.

The Legacy of Dr. Woodson

In the late 1960s, there was a re-release of the 1939 lm “Gone with the Wind.” While my parents were not fans of the movie, they couldn’t easily explain why. So my sister and I went to see it for ourselves. During intermission in the theater, we compared notes with a classmate and did not see much objectionable in the lm. That was largely due to the fact that we were largely the product of integrated school systems, which carried the standard narrative that the slaves just sat around until Union forces freed them and that Blacks during Reconstruction were largely manipulated to drain the wealth of the South.

From the perspective that was given to us, we were not aware of how important slavery was to the United States. As Yale University Professor David Blight summarized, by 1860 “the nearly four million American slaves were worth some $3.5 billion, making them the largest single nancial asset in the entire U.S. economy, worth more than all the manufacturing and railroads combined.” We also hadn’t heard that over 200,000 Blacks, representing 10 percent of the Union forces, served in the United States Colored Troops during the Civil War, including as we later learned, a great-grandfather of ours.

Dr. Woodson Today

“It will be fty years before the world appreciates what I am trying to do,” Woodson predicted. Things started to change with the rise of the Black Consciousness movement on college campuses in the late 1960s. The life of Blacks, after decades of being abstractly described by White sociologists, were now recognized as a subject worth studying. Dr. Woodson’s Negro History Week soon turned into Black History Month, commemorated by the White House every year since 1976.

Dr. Woodson’s work served an important foundation for the development of Black Studies. In college, when I wanted to write a geography paper on the phenomenon of allBlack towns that developed in the South and West, the only book length study of the subject I could nd in the library was written by Dr. Woodson.

This year the nation celebrates Black History Month, whose theme somewhat ironically is “Black Resistance.” With the whisper of Woodson’s voice in our ears, let us stand up and again demand our history’s central place in the American Story. We will never again be erased. May your rst act of resistance be a visit to the new Carter G. Woodson Home National Historic Site. ◆

Carter G. Woodson Home National Historic Site

by Pleasant Mann

The completion of the work by the National Park Service (NPS) on the Carter G. Woodson Home National Historic Site this year will mark a milestone in the nation’s appreciation of Dr. Woodson’s work as the Father of Black History—the documentation of his life in Shaw.

Dr. Woodson’s life revolved around a tight circle in the Shaw community. Since his home o ce did not have a working kitchen, he walked over to the Phyllis Wheatley YWCA cafeteria for many of his meals, frequently conversing with the residents there after dinner. Shaw resident Gloria Anderson remembered him as “the Book Man,” regularly carrying piles of books and passing out candy to neighborhood kids. Dr. Woodson noted that “Shaw Junior High School, about two blocks from the national o ce in Washington, raises more money for the cause than any other school in the world.” His funeral was held at Shiloh Baptist Church, which is on the same block as his house.

Dr. Woodson’s house was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1976. At the turn of the century, neighbors noticed that the Woodson home, now vacant, was falling into ruin. The structure had broken windows, and squatters were living there, using Sterno cans for heat and cooking. After enough media attention, there was an e ort to preserve the Woodson home, with Congress voting in 2003 to establish the Carter G. Woodson Home National Historic Site.

There were other e orts to commemorate Dr. Woodson’s work. A triangle park near the home was designated Carter G. Woodson Park in 2001, with plans made to install new landscaping, paving and a statue to honor Dr. Woodson. Internationally known sculptor Ray Kaskey, famed for works such as Portlandia in Oregon and the lions gracing the National Law Enforcement Memorial, was commissioned to create a statute of Dr. Woodson. In 2015, the Woodson monument and restored park were o cially dedicated.

The NPS e ort to open the Woodson National Historic Site to the public also began in earnest in 2015. The plan for restoration had three phases, with the third and nal phase now scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2023. The site will include the original Woodson home, plus two adjoining row houses. A full exhibition outlining Dr. Woodson’s work and the accolades he received during his life will be a highlight for visitors. Dr. Woodson’s o ce will be reconstructed and renovated to serve as a major focus of the historic home. The completed site will also have space for NPS to manage the site, as well as serving as the headquarters of the organization Dr. Woodson formed, now known as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History. The NPS will also sponsor tours, including a February 2023 walking tour with a Woodson reenactor, Darius Wallace, and a Shaw historian, Alexander Padro, describing the environment in which Dr. Woodson lived and worked. ◆

The Carter G. Woodson House National Historic Site. photo: Morgan Howarth - National Trust for Historic Preveration

The Greensboro Lunch Counter at the American History Museum

In Greensboro, hundreds of students, civil rights organizations, churches, and members of the community joined in a six-month-long protest. Their commitment ultimately led to the desegregation of the F. W. Woolworth lunch counter on July 25, 1960. americanhistory.si.edu.

Through the African American Lens: Afrofuturism: The Origin Story

A Smithsonian Channel Documentary. Feb. 8, 7 to 9 p.m. This lm features insights from Kevin Strait, NMAAHC curator of the Afrofuturism exhibition, and contributor to its com-

Afrofuturism: A History of Black Futures

Opening March 2023. Gathering the voices of authors, artists, musicians, scholars and creatives, Afrofuturism: A History of Black Futures with the use of interactives and the Smithsonian Hi digital ingallery guide investigates Afrofuturism’s growing global in uence and its dynamic impact on popular culture and beyond. National Museum of African America History and Culture, 1400 Constitution Ave. NW. nmaahc.si.edu.

panion collection of essays. National Museum of African America History and Culture, 1400 Constitution Ave. NW. nmaahc.si.edu.

Emmett Till Exhibit at MLK Library

Through March 12. The Emmett Till & Mamie Till-Mobley: Let the World See exhibit is in the Great Hall of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library. Accompanying this work is a local exhibit, Mothers of the Movement, which uplifts the role Black women activists in our region have had, standing at the front lines to combat police lynching and police brutality for more than a century. MLK Library, 901 G St. NW. dclibrary.org/mlk.

Our Song, Our Story

Feb. 10, 7:30 p.m. A salute to African American operatic pioneers Marian Anderson and Jessye Norman, featuring rising-star vocalists Jacqueline Echols, soprano and Justin Austin, baritone. $30 to $75. kennedy-center.org.

Historically Speaking: Next Generation of Black Leaders in Geneticists

“The High Ground” at Arena

Feb. 10 to April 2. A Black man in an army uniform stands his ground atop Tulsa’s Standpipe Hill, bearing witness to the destruction and desecration of Tulsa’s Greenwood District--but other forces, both friendly and hostile, conspire to remove him. A play in conversation with Tulsa, Oklahoma’s 1921 race massacre, The High Ground o ers a complex portrait of what it means to bear witness, to resist and to move forward from devastation. $72 to $95. Arena Stage, 1101 Sixth St. SW. arenastage.org.

Feb. 23, 7 to 8 p.m. During this program panelists will explore the work of a new generation of African American biomedical scientists conducting groundbreaking research. Free; registration required.

The Lion of Anacostia, Frederick Douglass

Feb. 23, 11 a.m. to noon. Frederick Douglass’ chosen birthday of Feb. 14 was once celebrated as a school holiday in Washington, DC, and was even known as Douglass Day. View materials related to Douglass and listen to an audio clip of civil rights activist Mary Church Terrell discuss her friendship with this remarkable statesman. Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Pl. SE. Registration recommended at anacostia. si.edu/events.

Black Founders: The Forten Family of Philadelphia

Feb. 11 through Nov. 26. This groundbreaking exhibition brings together—for the rst time—more than 100 historical artifacts to tell the inspiring story of free Black Philadelphian James Forten and his remarkable family, from the Revolutionary era through the Civil War and Reconstruction. The Museum of the American Revolution is open daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Online prices are adults, $21;

National Museum of African America History and Culture, 1400 Constitution Ave. NW. nmaahc.si.edu.

Create to Free Yourselves: Georges Adéagbo Installation

Through Feb. 15. Adéagbo has long been personally intrigued by President Lincoln as an icon of emancipation, and this project will explore Lincoln’s legacy of liberation and creativity. Tours are self-guided. President Lincoln’s Cottage, 140 Rock Creek Church Rd. NW. lincolncottage.org.

ages six to seventeen, $13; ve and under, free. Museum of the American Revolution, 101 S. Third Street, Philadelphia, PA. AmRevMuseum.org

Alexandria’s Watson Reading Room

Located next to the Alexandria Black History Museum, the Watson Reading Room is a non-circulating research repository focusing on issues of African-American history and culture. Black History Museum sta and volunteers are available (by appointment) to work with visitors of all ages who are researching African American history. Call 703-746-4356 for an appointment. Alexandria Black History Museum,

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Open daily, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Free, timed-entry passes are still required. The National Museum of African American History and Culture is at 1400 Constitution Ave. NW. nmaahc.si.edu.

National Cathedral Replaces Confederate Stained Glass with Racial Justice Imagery

The Cathedral’s Light in the Darkness windows replacement project captures the resilience, faith and endurance of African Americans and our nation’s struggle with the original sins of racism and slavery. The Cathedral hopes these new installations tell a more inclusive story and re ect the dignity of each beloved child of God. Installation and dedication is tentatively scheduled for fall 2023. cathedral.org.

Happy Birthday

Marion Anderson

Feb. 27, 6 to 8 p.m. Celebrate Marian Anderson’s birthday by viewing the PBS documentary, Voice of Freedom: Turbulent Times Turned an Artist into a Hero. Southwest Library, 900 Wesley Pl. SW. dclibrary.org/southwest.

Visit the MLK Memorial

Open to visitors all hours, every day. 1964 Independence Ave. SW. nps.gov/mlkm.

902 Wythe St., Alexandria, VA. alexandriava.gov.

Photo: Brian Rimm, Courtesy of President Lincoln’s Cottage

T HE E ASTSIDER Celebrate Black History!

by Leniqua’dominique Jenkins

ties and fraternities, and civic organizations. Essentially, he wanted everyday people, not just laypeople to get involved in sharing and learning about Black history.

By 1960s, the term “negro” was replaced with “Black.” This change was born out of the civil rights movement and the excitement of a new generation. Negro History Week started to shift and expand. By 1976, it o cially became Black History Month when U.S. president Gerald Ford extended the recognition to “honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”

Carter G Woodson wanted to ensure that the contributions and legacy of African Americans was re ected honestly and with academic rigor. His goal was never to depend on the need for Black History month, but to design an education system that honored the lives and history of African Americans, every day. February serves as a great opportunity to learn about the history and contributions of African Americans, and can be used as a personal reminder to remain sensitive to Black History, all year long!

Black History Venues

As you prepare to celebrate Black History Month expand your knowledge about the Black experience by visiting the places and exhibits below.

The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture: The founding Director, Lonnie G. Bunch, III encourages everyone to visit. “This Museum will tell the American story through the lens of African American history and culture. This is America’s Story and this museum is for all Americans.” Pan your visit and learn more here: https://nmaahc.si.edu/

DC Public Library: Check out the exhibit Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley: Let the World See. According to the website the “exhibit shows how a ght for justice launched the Civil Rights movement and its ongoing relevance to activism today.” Learn more about the exhibit here: https://www.dclibrary.org/node/69481

Frederick Douglass National Historic Site: Frederick Douglass was a writer, public servant, abolitionist, and orator. Touring his home, Cedar Hill, helps viewers understand his life, character, and dedication to the ght to end slavery. Although, The Frederick Douglass NHS is closed for in-person visitation due to renovations, you can take a virtual tour here anytime: https://www.nps.gov/frdo/learn/photosmultimedia/virtual-tour.htm

It’s February and the city is buzzing with programs, events, and many opportunities to celebrate Black History month. But before I share some of my favorite spaces to learn more about the contributions and legacy of African Americans, I want to provide a brief history about the creation of Black History month.

Carter G. Woodson was a historian and scholar who dedicated his life to educating others about the contributions of African Americans. In 1926, he created Negro History Week as a direct challenge to the curriculum of the time that often degraded and dehumanized Black people. It was also a call for social justice and change.

Woodson did not make his dream a reality on his own. He had the supportive hands of thousands of Black teachers, mostly women, community members, churches, sorori-

The Anacostia Community Museum: ACM has several Black History Month events; Feb. 4 - Magni cent Monuments, Culture Queen Kids Hour; Feb. 19- Art & Calls to Action with Yetunde Sapp; Feb 23. – Lion of Anacostia: Frederick Douglass, Co ee and Collections Series. If you haven’t been to the museum, de nitely go. You will learn a lot. Their mission statement says it all. “As our neighborhoods undergo social, economic, and environmental changes that individuals alone cannot address, there is a need for communities to bring together their combined knowledge and strengths. As a museum that convenes people and ideas, ACM documents and preserves communities’ memories, struggles, successes, and o ers a platform where diverse voices and cultures can be heard. We believe that bridging disparate parts of our communities can bring collective action to bear on forging a better future together.” Check out the exhibits, outdoor community installations, and virtual o erings here: https://anacostia.si.edu/about-us

Leniqua’dominique Jenkins holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Houston and has worked on Capitol Hill and in Africa, India and Spain. She is a preschool teacher at a language immersion school in Ward 7. ◆

SMYAL supports and empowers lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) youth ages 6-24. Through youth leadership, SMYAL creates opportunities for LGBTQ youth to build self-confidence, develop critical life skills, and engage their peers and community through service and advocacy. Committed to social change, SMYAL builds, sustains, and advocates for programs, policies, and services that LGBTQ youth need as they grow into adulthood.

New Year, New ANCs Changes in Wards 7 and 8

by Elizabeth O’Gorek

Do you know what ANC you live in? Do you know which commissioner represents your SMD? Even if you think you do, they may have changed this year. Let us brief you on Advisory Neighborhood Commissions (ANCs), Single Member Districts (SMDs) and the change that happened with the new year.

What Is An ANC?

ANCs are a non-partisan body of elected officials that represent local community members. Commissioners serve two-year terms without pay. All commissioners in all wards were newly sworn in January 2023. Each commissioner represents a SMD of approximately 2,000 residents. The ANCs’ main role in the District is to be their neighborhood’s official voice in advising the District government (and Federal agencies) on things that affect their neighborhoods.

As of January 2023, both the boundaries of the ANCs and the SMDs represented by each commissioner have changed, together with those representing them. The boundaries of the ANCs and SMDs are updated every ten years, based on the results of the latest decennial census.

The latest boundaries were approved by the DC Council on June 7, 2022 and by Mayor Muriel Bowser on June 16, 2022. Updated ANC and SMD boundaries were used for the November 8, 2022 General Election.

To see if your ANC or SMD boundary has changed, enter your address in

the new 2023 Locate Your ANC/SMD tool at https://arcg.is/1PrKXG.

Changes To ANC Boundaries

In Ward 7, Kenilworth, Eastland Gardens, Mayfair-Parkside and River Terrace are now part of a reconstructed ANC 7D, which now goes south to East Capitol St. and across the river. ANC 7C includes Deanwood, Burrville and Lincoln Heights while ANC 7E now encompasses most of Marshall Heights and Benning Ridge. Greenway moves from 7F to ANC 7B, and ANC 7F now includes Fort Dupont, the Fort Chaplin Park Apartments and Hillbrook, as well as a portion west of the river.

The new boundaries of Ward 7 ANCs also include three neighborhoods west of the Anacostia: Kingman Park, included in 2000; the portion of Hill East that is east of 15th Street; and Rosedale. Both the latter were formerly in Ward 6. The Ward 7 Redistricting Taskforce incorporated these neighborhoods into two cross-river ANCs: 7D and 7F. Former residents of ANC 6A07, 6A08, 6B09 and 6B10 are now in Ward 7 ANCs 7D06, 7D07, 7D08 and 7D10.

Meanwhile, the former 7D01 retains the same boundaries but is now 7D05. ANC 7F07, which is entirely populated by the DC Jail, also remains the same. Phase 1 and 2 of Reservation 13 development, including the Park Kennedy Apartments (1901 C St. SE) and The Ethel (1901 C St. SE) are part of ANC 7F08.

Ward 8 has also been redrawn to include a west of the river commission,

8F, which includes Navy Yard and two ward 6 SMDs (8F04 and 8F05). East of the River, ANC 8B experienced the greatest amount of change, with much of 8B01 now in 8A; and much of Douglass-Shipley (formerly 8B07 and 8B06) now in 8E01, 02 and 03. Bolling Air Force Base is now split between 8D and 8C.

Changes In Representation

Many long-serving commissioners did not seek re-election in 2022. Tiffany Brown stepped down in 7B02, having watched Skyland come to fruition. After co-chairing the Ward 7 redistricting committee, Tamara Blair steps down in 7D01, now the new 7D05. Long-time commissioner Dorothy Douglas was redistricted into ANC 7C07 where incumbent commissioner Antawan Holmes defeated her in the election.

Write-in candidates represent several ANC 7C SMDs including 7C06 in Burrville, where Patricia Stamper won as a write-in candidate, and 7C03 east of Kelly Miller Park, now represented by Carlos Richardson.

Candidates were on the ballot for nearly all of the Hill East ANC 7D SMDs. In addition to Horn in 7D10, returning commissioner Brian Alcorn will represent constituents again in the new 7D08; Ashley Schapitl and Shane Seger are running to represent 7D09, Denise Krepp’s former ANC.

Brett Astmann was elected as a writein for SMD 7D07, the SMD north of C and east of 15th Street NE. Wendell Felder was also elected as a write-in to represent communities in the area bound by Hayes and Jay Streets NE, Mayfair and Paradise-Parkside.

But there is no representative for SMD 7D02, between Hayes Street NE and Benning Road NE along the Anacostia; or for 7D10. There are also representatives needed for 7E03, on the east side of Benning Road to Southern Avenue SE. Commissioner Krystal Bagley was elected as a write-in candidate for 7E02, as were Timothy Howard in 7E05 and Evette (S.L.) Lang in 7E07.

Meanwhile, the areas east of 19th Street SE, south of Independence Avenue SE and north of the DC Jail are part of 7F07, a cross-river SMD that reaches BenningStoddart Recreation Center near Fort Chaplin Park. That SMD is represented by returning Commissioner Shirley Thompson-Wright. The DC Central Detention

Facility and Correctional Treatment Facility are located in 7F08, bordered by 19th Street SE, the Congressional Cemetery and the river. That SMD is represented by Leonard Eugene Bishop.

Incumbent Brittany N. Hughes again represents 7F05. But 7F04, from Eads Place to East Capitol Street NE; and 7F06, to the north of Fort Dupont Park, are still without representation.

Ward 8

In Ward 8, Four of seven commissioners were re-elected in ANC 8A, including Barbara J. Clark, Holly Muhammad (8A03), Laenice Moore (8A04) Jamila White

(8A05) and Robin McKinney (8A06). Newly elected are Tonya Crawford (8A01) and LaVerne Glann (8A07), the latter victorious as a write-in.

Salim Adofo (8C07), Cheryl Moore (8C05, formerly 8E02) and Robbie Woodland (8C06, formerly 8C03) return to office joining six new commissioners.

Three write-in candidates join ANC 8D, Jacqueline Kinlow (8D01), Sandra Harrell (8D03) and Natasha Yates (8D07). But there are no representatives for 8D02 or 8D04. Those SMDs include Blue Plains and a portion of Bolling Air Force Base. Travon Hawkins returns to office for 8D05 and Wendy Hamilton (8D06) and Lakiah Williams (8D08) come newly to the commission.

Deborah Wells (8E01), Kelly Mikel Williams (8E03) Rowena “Joyce” Scott (8E08) and Rhonda K. Holmes are newcomers to ANC 8E. Returning are LaQeda Tate (8E02), Kendall Simmons (8E04), Duane Moody (8E05), and Dolores Bryant (8E06). There is no representative for 8E07, south of Washington Highlands.

Edward Daniels, former representative of 6D07, returns to represent the newly defined 6/8F04. He is joined by newcomers Nic Wilson (8F01) representing the area from Virgina Avenue SE to the river, and roughly Fourth Street to 11th Street SE. Rick Murphree represents 6/8F02, an area from M Street SE south to the river and from South Capitol Street SE to Fourth Street SE. Brian Strege represents 6/8F03, from Virginia Avenue to M Street SE and New Jersey Avenue to Third Street (plus one block south of L Street SE). Daniels represents the area from I Street SE to M Street SE and from South Capitol Street to New Jersey Avenue SE, with the exception of a block north of K Street along New Jersey Avenue. That block is part of 6/8F05, bounded otherwise on the south by I Street SE and to the north by the Southeast Freeway, and by South Capitol Street and New Jersey Avenue to east and west. It is represented by newcomer Clayton Aristotle Rosenberg.

You can find your ANC and SMD by visiting https:// openanc.org/index.html.Learn more about ANCs at anc.dc.gov. To see if your ANC or SMD boundary has changed, go to the new 2023 Locate Your ANC/SMD at https://arcg.is/1PrKXG u

The Man of Anacostia Get Involved In Your Neighborhood

by Philip Pannell

It was standing room only on Saturday, Jan. 28, at the Matthews Memorial Baptist Church for the screening of the documentary “Barry Farm: Community. Land & Justice.” It is an excellent lm and should be widely viewed throughout the community. In the lm it is noted that the name Barry Farm is that of a plantation and the African Americans in 1871 o cially renamed that community Hillsdale. Although for decades there was an active Hillsdale Civic Association, the name Barry Farm is still today used by the government and the public.

Shortly before the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic the Hillsdale Civic Association (HCA) became defunct. This year the Anacostia Coordinating Council will embark on an e ort to restore the HCA but its demise bespeaks a continuing problem east of the river. There are neighborhoods that have no functioning civic associations. Unfortunately, there is minimal e ort to revitalize or restore civic associations east of the river. The east of the river councilmembers could be instrumental to such an e ort but their o ces are not engaged.

What makes the lack of a functioning Hillsdale Civic Association in Ward 8 more acute is that there is also a Single Member District in that neighborhood that has no Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner. Last year I sounded the alarm about the Single Member Districts throughout the city that had no candidates on the November general election ballot and urged writeins. While there were write-ins that were sworn in commissioners, currently there are nine Single Member Districts east of the river that have no commissioners:

7D02,7D10,7E03,7F06

8B03,8B07,,8D028D04, 8E07

Having these vacancies means that there are approximately 18,000 east-of-theriver residents with no grassroots representation. I nd it curiously ironic that when council candidates run for o ce, they can assemble teams of campaign workers to knock on more doors than Jehovah Witnesse, but when it comes to making sure that there are no ANC vacancies in their wards they will not employ the same methods or make any attempt to guarantee that

there is full representation in their wards.

In Ward 8, the ve vacant Single Member Districts are not the only disempowering situation. Ward 8 has only six civic associations and some of them are struggling to survive. There are schools that have no PTAs or any organizations that promote parental engagement. Most of the residents live in apartment buildings with no tenant associations. The Ward 8 AARP chapter has had no virtual meetings since the beginning of the pandemic and may be on the verge of collapse. The Seventh District Citizens Advisory Council, which should be the leading organization forging productive police/community relations has been reduced to only monthly virtual meetings that on the average attract only a few community participants and produce no activities. Most of the Ward 8 churches are not engaged in any collective e ort to deal with community issues – particularly the ongoing violence. There are far too many streets blighted with trash.

Please do not get me wrong. Ward 8 is not all desolation and despair. There are community organizations that are doing herculean work in the community although they are mostly underfunded and understa ed. There are many untold stories of residents who make daily e orts and sacri ces to improve conditions in their neighborhoods, on their blocks or in their apartment buildings. But more needs to be done. Even though the government is not and should not be the answer to all problems, in some cases it can be a catalyst for meaningful and productive community action. Next year there will be elections and I hope that the voters will ask or rather demand that the candidates give concrete plans for addressing the conditions and situations that lead the continuing disempowerment of our community.

Long-time Ward 8 community activist Philip Pannell can be contacted at philippannell@ comcast.net. Pannell is the Executive Director of the Anacostia Coordinating Council. Help Make Wards 7 & 8 Great! Become a Member of the Anacostia Coordinating Council: Visit http://www. anacostiacc.org/join-us.html.

The New ANC 7D Elects Officers ANC 7D Report

by Sarah Payne

Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 7D met Tuesday Jan. 10 via Microsoft Teams. Commissioners Siraaj Hasan (7D01), Wendell Felder (7D03), Milton Hardy (7D04), Ebony Payne (7D05), Marc Friend (7D06), Brett Astmann (7D07), Brian Alcorn (7D08) and Ashley Schapitl (7D09) were in attendance. Both Single Member Districts (SMDs) (7D02) and (7D10) are currently vacant.

In their first meeting of the year, Commissioner Wendell Felder (7D03) was elected to serve as Chair of the commission. Commissioner Siraaj Hasan (7D01) spoke about Felder’s prior work in public service and how he will serve as an asset to the commission in this new capacity.

“I think that we’re lucky to have someone like Commissioner Felder who’s young and energetic and very passionate about serving his community,” Hasan said of his work with Felder.

Commissioner Brian Alcorn (7D08) echoed Hasan’s comments in support of Felder’s leadership. “I am inspired by his commitment to the community and I’m inspired by his commitment to wearing many hats to serve the community,” Alcorn said.

Alcorn was elected to serve as Vice Chair of the commission. Felder expressed confidence in Alcorn’s ability to take on this position.

“I’m extremely confident in his leadership ability, and I think that he is a true asset to this commission,” Felder said. “I have no doubt that he’s going to put in hard work for all the residents within this commission.”

Commissioner Brett Astmann (7D07) was nominated and elected to serve as the commission’s treasurer. Alcorn emphasized Astmann’s commitment to the community and fit for this role.

“Brett is a well regarded community member, a caring parent with children in schools and a community volunteer who stepped forward to serve the community,” Alcorn said.

Finally, Commissioner Ashley Schapitl (7D09) was nominated and elected to serve as the commission’s secretary.

Commissioner Ebony Payne (7D05) said she has gotten to know Schapitl over the past several days and is excited about what she will bring to the commission in this capacity.

“I’m very excited to have her on this commission,

and I have full confidence that she will perform the job with a lot of professionalism and experience,” Payne said.

Meeting Schedule

ANC 7D will meet on the second Tuesday of each month throughout the remainder of the calendar year from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. These meetings will take place on Feb. 13, March 14, April 11, May 9, June 13, Sept. 12, Oct. 10, Nov. 14 and Dec. 11. There will be no meeting in July and August.

The Commission Voted Unanimously To:

• Adopt the ANC 7D bylaws and establish a bylaws committee, given that redistricting combined multiple ANCs together. Commissioner Felder, who proposed the committee, emphasized the importance of collaboration of both members of the commission and the community on these bylaws. “We can get residents from the community to weigh in to help advise us to contribute to some of the changes that we’re going to make,” Felder said. “Then that way, not only are we collecting feedback from the community, but [from] the Commission as well.”

• Participate in the ANC security fund and allocate $50 to the fund.

Other Matters:

• Commissioner Hasan was officially sworn in to his position as commissioner for SMD 7D01 by atlarge Council Member Kenyan McDuffie.

• Ashley Wells, a consultant from the DC Smart Street Lighting Project, attended the meeting to share updates on the modernization of the more than 72,000 streetlights in DC. This project will convert the lights to LED technology and also provide remote capabilities including the ability to dim the lights and see when lights go out. The project is expected to begin within the next few weeks and continue through spring of 2024.

• Director of constituent services for Ward 7 Council member Vincent Gray, D.L. Humphrey, spoke at the meeting with updates from the Councilmember’s office and the DC Council budget. He encouraged residents to utilize the 311 service to report issues within their community so the District

could address issues and areas of concern.

• Ward 7 liaison from DC Mayor Muriel Bowser’s office, Lawrence Devin, spoke about the Mayor’s ‘DC Comeback Plan’ and one of its goals which is to eliminate illegal dumping in Ward 7. Devin expressed excitement about his upcoming work with 7D commissioners and residents during his two-year term.

Sarah Payne is a general assignment reporter for Capital Community News. She can be reached at sarahp@hillrag.com. u

Protected Bike Lanes Coming to M Street SE ANC

8F Report

by Andrew Lightman

Advisory Neighborhood Commission 8F (ANC 6D) met on Jan. 24. Commissioners Nic Wilson (8FO1), Rick Murphree (8F02), Brian Strege (8F03), Edward Daniels (8F04), Clayton Rosenberg (8F05), were in attendance.

Gottlieb Simon conducted the first ANC 8F election. The commission unanimously voted for a slate: Strege, secretary; Murphree, treasurer; Rosenberg, vice chair; Daniels, chair.

M Street Protected Bike Lane

Sean Burnett, manager of the DC Dept. of Transportation’s (DDOT) Bicycle Team, briefed the commission on the agency’s plan to install a two-direction protected bike land on eastbound M Street SE between First and 11th Streets SE. DDOT

has issued a Notice of Intent (NOI) for the project, having completed 65 percent of its design. Installation is slated for summer 2023, Burnett stated. The agency is accepting public comments until Feb. 28.

DDOT’s has two objectives in installing the protected bike lanes (PBLs). The rst is to physically separate modes of transportation. This, Burnett stated, is a fundamental safety tenet. PBLs e ectively segregate cars from bikes, but also from pedestrians. This reduces possible “zones of con ict” between them, decreasing the incidents of cyclist and pedestrian fatalities.

DDOT’s second objective is to slow traffic speeds on city roads. PBLs reduce the number of automobile lanes. The narrowing of the street limits the speed of cars traveling its length, said Burnett.

To further reduce con ict, DDOT plans to install one oating and three share bus stops. PBLs will be clearly marked to encourage cyclists to slow down while transiting the area surrounding the stops. Furthermore, the agency plans to limit non signalized intersections on M Street to “right in and right out.” More signals will be introduced to control north bound left turns from eastbound M Street car lanes.

We are con dent that this is a major improvement in safety for the corridor,” Burnett stated.

Burnett’s presentation was received skeptically. DDOT was planning installation at the height of baseball season, they pointed out. What provisions were being made for baseball tra c, they asked? Chair Daniels castigated the agency for failing to update its Tra c Operation and Parking Plan for the two stadiums before the advent of the 2023 season.

Commissioners questioned Burnett about how deliveries might be accommodated when the PBLs blocked curbside access. They pointed to the difculties created by the neighboring First Street SE PBL, which narrowed the road to a single lane in either direction while blocking curbside access. Most

of the curbside abuts The Navy Yard wall and the US Dept. of Transportation (USDOT), which do not allow street side deliveries, Burnett countered. Commissioners cited their experience watching delivery vehicles servicing Starbucks and events at the USDOT.

Stopped delivery vehicles will simply block the automobile travel lanes, Chair Daniels stated. The Metropolitan Police (MPD) will ticket the o enders, Burnett countered. Daniels disagreed. MPD has told the commission that it will not enforce trafc laws, he stated. “What happens when the enforcement piece isn’t there and it doesn’t work as you envisioned,” Daniels asked?

“DDOT may be making it better for bikers and pedestrians, but the changes may make cars more reckless,” stated Commissioner Wilson. What is the agency’s plan if the new design does not work, he asked?

Commission Rosenberg questioned whether the road changes would reduce accessibility for the disabled. “Making roads smaller doesn’t help us at all,” he stated. Burnett acknowledged reducing the travel lanes for cars may cause congestion elsewhere in the neighborhood as drivers seek routes around the bottleneck.

Commissioner Murphree suggested the DDOT bike team conduct a block-by-block survey of M Street SE to ensure all conditions were taken into account.

DDOT is accepting comments from residents until Feb. 28. The commission took no vote on the matter.

Other Matters

MPD Kevin Captain Harding briefed the commission on public safety. The Half Street homicide near the metro has been closed and a 31-year-old suspect charged. The victim was targeted. Overall crime is down in the PSA, Harding stated.

The commission voted unanimously to:

• approve commission’s 2023 budget;

• approve participation in the ANC Security Fund and $50 payment;

• approve the commission’s bank account;

• approve the schedule for public and administrative meetings.

ANC 8F generally meets on the fourth Tuesday on the month. The next meeting is scheduled for Feb. 28 at DC Dept. of Transportation Headquarters, 250 M Street SE,. For more information and links to join ANC meetings, visit www.ANC8F.org. ◆

Commissioner Nic Wilson (8F01) ponders the presentation made by the DDOT on a plan to install protected bike lanes on the south side of M Street SE between First and Eleventh Streets.

Photo: Andrew Lightman

Polar Plunge for Special Olympics DC

The DC Polar Plunge, on Saturday, Feb. 25, noon to 4 p.m., at Yards Park, 355 Water St. SE, is a very cool way for the community to come out and show support for Special Olympics DC. An above-ground swimming pool will be erected, and participants will “take the plunge” to the cheers of the crowd. To participate, raise at least $100 and receive the commemorative 2023 Polar Plunge t-shirt. Raise even more to receive other cool prizes. The Polar Plunge and ICE YARDS will be joining forces again this year to take the frozen fun to another level. The event will include an ice bar, live music, interactive ice activities and food vendors from neighborhood favorites. Everybody is welcome to attend, but you must raise at least $100 and pay the $10 registration fee to jump. specialolympicsdc.org.

Afro House Spirit Fest

On Saturday, Feb. 18, noon to 6 p.m., there is a day-long festival at the Anacostia Arts Center, 1231 Good Hope Rd. SE, that includes live performances from local creatives, a creative marketplace, a drum circle, smudging workshop, sound bath, African Fashion demo, mental health roundtable and much more. anacostiaartscenter.com.

Sweet Home Café Black History

Month Chef’s Table

Chef Siatta discovered her love of food at the age of ve when she accompanied her grandmother to the food market in Tanda, Abidjan (Ivory Coast). Raised by her grandmother, Chef Siatta spent hours in the kitchen learning the basics of preparing African cuisine. When her grandmother became ill, Chef Siatta began making soups and stews at the age of seven. As her culinary skills developed over the years, she became the goto person to help execute most of the wed-

dings and large events in her village. Meet West African Cuisine Chef Siatta on Friday, Feb. 24, noon to 3 p.m. at the Sweet Home Café Black (concourse level) at the National Museum of African American History and Culture. nmaahc.si.edu.

Suitland Parkway Trail Rehabilitation Project Virtual Public Meeting

The District Department of Transportation will hold a virtual public meeting on Feb. 15, 6:30 to 8 p.m., to discuss the concept engineering for the rehabilitation of the Suitland Parkway Trail, a 1.7-mile paved trail that runs along Suitland Parkway from Pomeroy Rd. SE to Southern Avenue. DDOT plans to rehabilitate the trail include re-paving and widening, adding a crash barrier between the trail and the roadway, and adding trail and streetlights. Additional changes may include adding new connections to the trail from neighborhood streets. Ultimately, the

Ribbon Cut on Bard High School Early College

On Jan. 5, Mayor Bowser and DC Public Schools Chancellor Lewis D. Ferebee cut the ribbon on Phase I of the newly modernized Bard High School Early Col- lege (BHSEC) DC at 1351 Alabama Ave. SE. After three and a half years at the Davis School Building, students and sta returned from winter break this week to their permanent home. BHSEC DC is a District-wide high school program that o ers students the opportunity to earn up to 60 transferable college cred- its and an associate degree from Bard College along with a high school diplo- ma, free of charge. The new BHSEC DC is approximately 108,200 square feet spread over four oors, including 32 classrooms. Phase II of the project, which includes additional work to the exterior of the building, an outdoor parking lot, and outdoor turf eld and basketball courts, is scheduled to be completed by the start of the 2023-2024 school year. bhsec.bard.edu/dc.

Photo: Courtesy of Special Olympics DC

Photo: Khalid Naji-Allah, photographer for Mayor Muriel Bowser

by Kathleen Donner

DCHFA, Your Homeownership Resource in the District.

2023 - New Year, New Home

DCHFA, Your Homeownership Resource in the District.

DCHFA, Your Homeownership Resource in the District.

DCHFA, Your Homeownership Resource in the District.

DC Open Doors

DC Open Doors

Visit

DC Open Doors

DC Open Doors is your key to homeownership inthe city. is programo ers competitive interest rates and lower mortgage insurance costs on rst trust homebuyer or a D C. resident , be purchasing a home in the District of Columbia.

DC Open Doors

DC Open Doors

DC Open Doors is your key to homeownership inthe city. is programo ers competitive interest rates and lower mortgage insurance costs on rst 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) rst-time home buyer program.

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 mortgages. You are not required to be a firsttime homebuyer or a D.C. resident to qualify for DCOD. You must, however, be purchasing a home in the District of Columbia.

DC Open Doors is your key to homeownership int city. is programo ers competitive interest rates and lower mortgage insurance costs on rst trust homebuyer or a D.C. resident , be purchasing a home in the District of Columbia

DC Open Doors is your key to homeownership int city. is programo ers competitive interest rates and lower mortgage insurance costs on rst trust homebuyer or a D.C. resident , be purchasing a home in the District of Columbia

Home Purchase Assistance Program (HPAP)

HPAP provides interest free deferred loans for down serves as a co-administrator of this DC Department of Housing and Community Development’s (DHCD) rst-time home buyer program.

HPAP provides interest free deferred loans for down serves as a co-administrator of this DC Department of Housing and Community Development’s (DHCD) rst-time home buyer program.

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

HPAP provides interest free deferred loans for down serves as a co-administrator of this DC Department of Housing and Community Development’s (DHCD) rst-time home buyer program.

HPAP provides interest free deferred loans for down payment and closing cost assistance up to $202,000 combined. DCHFA 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. Quali ed District homeowners can receive up to

DC4ME

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

DC4ME provides mortgage assistance with optional down payment assistance to D.C. government employees. DC4ME is o ered 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.

DC4ME provides mortgage assistance with optional down payment assistance to D.C. government employees. DC4ME is o ered 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

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

DC4ME provides mortgage assistance with optional down payment assistance to D.C. government employees. DC4ME is o ered 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

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.

DC MAP COVID-19 provides nancial assistance to those a ected by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Quali ed borrowers can receive a loan of up to $5,000 per month to put toward their mortgage for up to six months.

DC4ME provides mortgage assistance with optional down payment assistance to D.C. government employees. DC4ME is o ered 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.

DC MAP COVID-19 provides nancial assistance to those a ected by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Quali ed borrowers can receive a loan of up to $5,000 per month to put toward their mortgage for up to six months.

COVID-19

COVID-19

DC MAP COVID-19 provides nancial assistance to those a ected by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Quali ed borrowers can receive a loan of up to $5,000 per month to put toward their mortgage for up to six months.

DC MAP COVID-19 provides nancial assistance to those a ected by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Quali ed borrowers can receive a loan of up to $5,000 per month to put toward their mortgage for up to six months.

Walk with Woodson Tour

Walk with Woodson, a walking tour of sites in the Shaw neighborhood that were familiar to the Father of Black History Dr. Carter G. Woodson, will be presented by the National Park Service on Saturday, Feb. 18, at 11 a.m. The tour begins at the Carter G. Woodson Home National Historic Site, 1538 Ninth St. NW and will be led by Shaw historian and ANC Commissioner Alexander Padro and Woodson reenactor Darius Wallace. Woodson lived and worked on Ninth Street from 1922 until his death in 1950. During that time, A. Philip Randolph, Mary McLeod Bethune and Elijah Muhammad lived or worked nearby, among other notables. Neighborhood institutions like Shaw Junior High School, Phyllis Wheatley YWCA and Shiloh Baptist Church were places he visited. The 90-minute tour is free but reservations are required at WoodsonNHS@nps.gov. For more information, visit nps.gov/cawo.

trail will connect to the new Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge and the Anacostia River Trail. This is the rst public meeting for the concept engineering project. For more information, visit trails.ddot.dc.gov or contact the project manager Michael Alvino at Michael.Avino@dc.gov or 202-497-7153.

FITDC HerStory 5k Runners/Walkers

Mayor Bowser is inviting residents to celebrate the historymaking women of our nation’s capital by joining in the fth annual FITDC HerStory 5K, which will be held in-person at Freedom Plaza, 1455 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, on Saturday, March 4. On-site registration begins at 9 a.m. and the 5k begins at 10 a.m. For those who want to grab their 5k materials in advance, FITDC will host shirt and bib pickup

on Wednesday, March 1 and Thursday, March 2 from noon to 5 p.m., at these woman-owned businesses: SteadFast Supply, 301 Tingey St. SE; Hook Hall, 3400 Georgia Ave. NW; and Bourne2Fly Fitness, 3408 18th St. NE. Residents are encouraged to pick up their bib and shirts prior to the race to avoid lines on the day of the event. The FITDC HerStory 5K is a Women’s History Month tradition that routinely draws over 2,500 participants from all eight wards. Last year’s HerStory 5K was the largest to date, with over 3,000 DC residents running. herstory5k.com.

Comments Sought on Creek Restoration at Fort Dupont Park

The National Park Service, in partnership with the DC Department of Energy and Environment, is preparing a creek restoration project for the Fort Dupont Creek Watershed located within Fort Dupont Park in Southeast DC. You can review the plan and provide feedback through March 2, 2023. This project involves restoration of approximately 600 linear feet of Anacostia River tributaries within parkland cared for by the National Park Service. Restoration is needed to improve the long-term stability of the multiple streams and improve downstream water quality for the Anacostia River watershed. The stream restoration project will: reduce streambank erosion; improve stream habitat; manage invasive vegetation; and protect existing sanitary and stormwater infrastructure. To provide comments online or get additional information on the project, visit parkplanning.nps.gov/projectHome. cfm?projectID=68832.

Petal Porch Registration

The National Cherry Blossom Festival invites DC residents to celebrate springtime by decorating their homes. Registration for Petal Porches is through March 20. Registration is free. All registered participants receive a downloadable sign to print and include in their display. Once registered, your home will be added to the o cial Petal Porches Map. Make sure to register before March 13 to get a free Petal Porch yard sign. No

Weekly Bird Watching Walks at Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens

Join National Park Service rangers for their weekly Tuesday bird walks at Ke- nilworth Aquatic Gardens from 8:30 to 10 a.m. Anyone interested in walk- ing the gardens and identifying birds is welcome, including advanced bird- ers though people with no birding experience are also welcome. Bring water, sunscreen and binoculars if you have them. Meet in front of the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens visitor center at 8:30 a.m. nps.gov/keaq.

An over-life-sized statue of the Father of Black History Dr. Carter G. Woodson is a stop on the Shaw walking tour.

Photo: Alexander M. Padro, Courtesy Shaw Main Streets

Great Blue Heron takes ight on a wintry morning.

Porch? Feel free to decorate your yard, sidewalk, window, or something else visible from the street or sidewalk. Petal Porches should be decorated during the dates of the Festival: Monday, March 20 through Sunday, April 16. nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/event/petal-porchregistration.

HOTTIX and Pay Your Age at Arena

Arena Stage is committed to making theater accessible to persons for whom the regular cost of tickets would be prohibitive. A limited number of halfprice tickets are sold for most performances, subject to availability. HOTTIX go on sale 90 minutes before curtain in person at the Sales O ce and are sold until all available sell out. Limit of two per person.

Pay Your Age tickets are for the 30 and under crowd, and just like the name says, your age determines the price. Tickets become available about two months before the show’s rst performance. Proof of age for each member of the party will be required at the time of ticket pick-up. Fees are not included in ticket prices. Children under the age of 5 are not permitted in the theater. Tickets are based on availability. Limit of four per household. arenastage.org/ tickets/savings-programs.

DC Public Library Launches Public Square

What are we talking about when we talk about equity and racial justice? How will leaders advocating for social change and the scholars who study it know that their ideas are meeting the moment? The DC Public Library hopes to help explore the next frontier

Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon and 5k Registration is open for the Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon and 5k on March 18, 7:45 a.m. (5k) and 8 a.m. (half marathon). Current prices are $65 for the 5k and $119 for the half marathon--they may increase. The Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon and 5k also features a two-day Health & Fitness Expo prior to the race, which all participants must visit to pick up their race packets. Free and open to the public, this expo features the latest in running technologies, tness apparel, health & nutrition information and interactive displays. All runners must visit the expo to pick up their race number, gear bag and t-shirt. runrocknroll.com.

of equity through a conversation series called “The Public Square.” In celebration of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library’s 50th anniversary, the Public Square will bring leaders and innovators to the Library to discuss the next phase of their work or scholarship. Traditional prepared speeches will be replaced by engaging conversations designed to move their work or scholarship forward. The Public Square is presented in partnership with the DC Public Library Foundation and Pepco, an Exelon Compa-

ny. For more information, visit dclibrary.org/ publicsquare.

Hiring DC Employees Free Clinic

On Tuesday, March 7, 10:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., the DC Bar Pro Bono Center and the law rm Covington & Burling LLP are sponsoring an in-person legal clinic to provide free brief advice on the basics of on-boarding employees to small businesses and nonpro ts

with employees who regularly work in Washington, DC. To participate, nonpro ts must have 501(c)(3) status and small businesses must be incorporated. Advance registration is required. Contact sta attorney Christine Lopez Kulumani at 202-780-2732 or ckulumani@dcbar.org.

DC Living Wage Increases

As of Jan. 1, in accordance with the Living Wage Act of 2006, the living wage in the Dis-

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon and 5k course map.

Nation to Nation Exhibit at American Indian Museum

Treaties—solemn agreements between sovereign nations—lie at the heart of the relationship between Indian Nations and the United States. Native Nations made treaties with one another long before Europeans came to the Western Hemisphere. The United States began making treaties with Native Peoples because they were independent nations. Often broken, sometimes coerced, treaties still define mutual obligations between the United States and Indian Nations. The eight treaties featured in Nation to Nation: Treaties Between the United States and American Indian Nations, on loan from the National Archives, are representative of the approximately 374 that were ratified between the United States and Native Nations. The National Museum of the American Indian, Fourth and Independence Ave. SW, is open daily (except Christmas, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. americanindian.si.edu.

trict of Columbia increased to $16.50. On July 1, the District’s minimum wage will increase to $17, triggering an increase to the living wage for non-tipped workers to the same rate. This increase is due to provisions of the amendment that tie DC’s minimum wage to the Consumer Price Index.

Live at the Library Celebrates Black History Month

On Thursday, Feb. 23, the Library’s American Folklife Center presents African Folk Music with Jake Blount at 6 p.m. in the Members Room of the Thomas Jefferson Building (Room 162). A gifted musician and scholar of Black American music, Blount sourced field recordings from the collections of the American Folklife Center for his latest album “The New Faith.” Blount will perform on voice, banjo and fiddle for this performance. Reserve a timed-entry pass

at loc.usedirect.com/LOC. On view also is “Black History Month 2023: Black Resistance” through the end of February. Explore how African Americans have resisted historic and ongoing oppression from America’s earliest days into the 21st century. Items featured are from the Rare Book and Special Collections, Manuscript and Prints and Photographs Divisions. loc.gov/live.

DC Community Emergency Response Team Training

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program educates families and individuals about preparing for disasters or hazards. CERT trains people in basic disaster response skills such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. CERT members can assist others in their neighborhood or workplace following an incident until professional emergency re-

Alexandria’s George Washington Birthday Parade

On Monday, Feb. 20, 1 to 3 p.m., the largest parade in the country celebrating Washington’s birthday marches a one-mile route through the streets of Old Town. The Reviewing Stand is on Royal Street at King Street. With nearly 3,500 participants, this community parade honors one of Alexandria’s favorite sons. The parade begins at the corner of Gibbon St. and S. Fairfax St., travels north on S. Fairfax St. and then turns west on Queen St. After one block, the parade continues south on S. Royal St, ending on Wilkes St. visitalexandriava.com.

sponders and critical resources arrive. CERT members promote emergency preparedness, give critical support to first responders in emergencies, provide immediate assistance to survivors, collect disaster information to support first responder efforts and provide help in the period immediately following a major emergency or disaster. Read more and request training information at servedc.galaxydigital.com/dc-cert/.

New Ticket Alert Service for DC Residents

District residents can now enroll in the DMV’s Ticket Alert Service (TAS) to get quick notifications on tickets. Previously, they had to already have a ticket on record before enrolling in TAS. Non-residents are still required to have received at least one ticket within the past 18 months to enroll in TAS. Enrollment in TAS is free and the online service provides users with near real-time notification of ticket-related activity on up to four vehicles and a single driver license. Once a driver has enrolled, they may log in to their account to check the status of tickets. Users may elect to receive notifications via text and/or email. Users may also access links to complete ticket payments and schedule hearings online. dmv.dc.gov/service/registration-ticket-alert-service-tas. u

Photo: Tisara Photography

The 1829 Prairie du Chien Treaty, in which several Native communities ceded land in the Great Lakes region to the US government, is on display at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian until April. View treaty in its entirely at catalog.archives.gov/id/170826601.

ANNUAL 2023

JULY 3 – AUGUST 4

Children Ages 3-10

Hours: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM Full Day

8:00 AM –12:30 PM Half Day 12:30 PM – 5:00 PM Half Day

Kids love us; parents trust us. Discover the difference that Polite Piggy’s makes.

FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE

Whether you are looking for the morning, full-day, or all five weeks, we have you covered with top-notch programming.

Why Choose Polite Piggy’s This Summer?

Your child will find joy, friendships, and caring team members daily. In addition, we offer unique classes like art, music, sciences, Stemovate, chess, fitness, sports, cooking, Legos, and a hiking club with Aunt Lizzie.

2023 SUMMER CAMP FEES

Full Day: $79 per Day          $395 per week

Half Day: $59 per Day         $295 per week

Sibling Discount: 20% discount for each child after the first.

$185 per week scholarship rate

NON-REFUNDABLE REGISTRATION FEE (PER CHILD):

Three weeks or more: $150 Two weeks or less: $75

P.S. We forgot to mention there are weekly water play sessions and plenty of popsicles! QUESTIONS:

Meet Your Neighbor

Meet Robert Morris III: Realtor

by Anthony D. Diallo

There is a saying that if you love what you do, you never work a day in your life. Robert Morris III epitomizes that statement as he averages about 70 hours a week—every week—selling real estate and renting properties in the DC and Virginia and enjoying every minute of it.

Morris, 59, has sold houses, condominiums, land, and rental properties in all eight wards from Le Droit Park in Ward 1 through Fort Totten in Ward 4 to Bellevue in Ward 8. He also serves as a trainer for Keller Williams Capital Properties in the District, Maryland, and Virginia.

He knows DC’s landscape well, but chooses to live in Congress Heights in Ward 8.

Flourishing in S.E.

“Affordability is the answer to why I moved to Southeast and specifically Congress Heights. Where else was I going to take my family of six in 2000? It was not a choice for me back then,” said Morris who was then working at the Pentagon as a senior staff officer and policy analyst, which included titles like Deputy Director and Special Assistant, for the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Manpower, and Reserve Affairs before transitioning into entrepreneurship and acquiring his real estate license in 2004.

Before moving his family there, Morris, a second-generation Washingtonian, lived on Bolling Air Force Base. In 2010 Bolling AFB merged with Naval Support Facility Anacostia to form Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling.

“I didn’t think I had any other avenue other than Southeast with my $48,000 military salary,” said the honorably discharged veteran after providing 20 years of commissioned officer service in the United States Marine Corps.

It was a good choice. Congress Heights, located beyond Anacostia, has improved in value and desirability with the arrival of the 5,000-seat Entertainment and Sports Arena in 2018 that has emerged as a hub for live concerts and sporting events on the grounds of St. Elizabeth’s Hospital East Campus. The Congress Heights community borders on the hospital, built in 1855 as a psychiatric center for military personnel and residents, and has in recent times consolidated its property although it still operates as a medical and evaluation site.

The Morris family loves the mix of urban and suburban feel as well as the multiple parks within walking distance.

Despite cherishing their four-bedroom, three-and-half-bath contemporary townhome, Morris remembers when his wife Rhoda was worried and openly questioning their move to the southeast neighborhood because of issues with crime.

“We heard gunshots out of the window late at night and I would have to reassure Rhoda [knowing about the caliber of guns and ammunition] that the firearm was light and fired from too far a distance to affect us. I am a Marine. I’m used to conflict and kind of drawn to it,” Morris stated matter of factly.

From Boy to Marine

An only child, Morris was raised by his mom Sylvia Hollie (his mother and father divorced when he was two) and a grandmother, and his great-grandmother.

Before enlisting in the military, Morris was a lackluster student and unhappy during his four years at the prestigious Georgetown Preparatory School in Rockville. “I was the only brother in the class when I graduated in 1981. I was doing just enough not to flunk out and the only thing I enjoyed was playing football.”

“The thing that changed my life was when I was graduating from high school, my uncle told me about BOOST. Things got serious for me. It was at that point when I got into ROTC,” Morris said.

BOOST is the acronym for Broadened Opportunity for Officer Selection and Training in military classification. Initially, BOOST was a ninemonth program that offered active-duty enlisted personnel a chance to receive extensive academic preparation.

After enlisting in the United States Marines, which officially falls under the Department of the Navy, Morris began his basic training with 1,400 other men and women. By the time the training ended, Morris was one of only three hundred. The Marines have four groups: the operating forces that do the actual fighting, the headquarters for leadership, the supporting establishment that provides logistical support, and the Marine Corps Reserve.

“The highlight for me as a Marine was being able to attend Hampton [then Institute, now University] where I met my wife, and later was assigned to Southern University in Louisiana as the Marine Officer instructor. Morris has a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Physics/Engineering Electronics from Hampton and a Master’s in Public Administration in Public Policy/Urban Development from Southern University and Agricultural and Mechanical College at Baton Rouge.

The WAR Team is Born Morris, who encourages youth to explore the benefits of the military, would not change any part of his life—the good or bad, the struggles or the blessings.

The WAR Team: Realtors Russell Carter on the left and Robert Morris III.

“I could always see God’s influence on everything that occurred in my life. As far as the Marines were concerned, I was the block of wood, they were my sandpaper. I had a lot of ‘poop’ piled on me. Now [because of that manure], I’m the biggest mushroom. I wouldn’t be [successful] if it weren’t for God. I’m just thankful that I’m on God’s team.”

God is the most important consonant in Morris’s life followed closely by his family which consists of his wife and four children—Raquel, 27, Robert IV, 25, Richard, 23, and Raina, 21. His next biggest blessing would be the creation of the WAR Team.

The WAR Team started with Morris “because I’m super aggressive,” and fellow real estate agent Russell Carter, in 2017. Together the partnership and the DMV WAR Team www.dmvwarteam.com consistently rank among the best of the Washington area real estate professionals and the top performers at Keller Williams Capital Properties.

Morris’s passion, personality, and productivity resonate with homebuyers and investors.

“When I moved to DC in 2009,

he helped me find a condo downtown in the Mt. Vernon Triangle area,” said Dr. Kevin Johnson, a radiologist who has since bought other properties with Morris’s assistance. “He is very personable and never shrinks away from difficult situations.”

To date, Morris, and the WAR Team, have closed 872 deals with more than $275 million in total sales. They have provided 370,000 in closing subsidies that include representing 194 affordable dwelling units. Morris has executed 240 standard leases for U.S. AID, U.S. military, and U.S. State Department personnel that totals $5.7 million in rents received. However, Morris does not want those numbers to be his legacy. Instead, “I would hope it would say that [here lies] an outstanding husband, good father, son, friend, and servant. u

The happy homeowners on the left are the newly married Oral and Kristy Grant. Realtor Robert Morris is on the right.

From back: Sons Richard and Robert, mom Rhoda Morris, father Robert Morris III, daughters Raquel and Raina (in front).

kids & family

by Kathleen Donner

“Aquarium” at the Atlas INTERSECTIONS Festival

Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of The Lion King on Broadway

On Monday, Feb. 20; 10:30 a.m., the African American History Museum is hosting a Community Day celebrating the 25th anniversary of The Lion King on Broadway. The festivities include show-themed workshops led by Disney Theatrical Teaching Artists (separate passes required) and other inmuseum activities for the whole family. They invite you to join them in this celebration of Black joy. Admission is free; however, registration is required at nmaahc.si.edu/events.

Story Time at La Cosecha

On Tuesdays, 10:30 to 11:15 a.m., meet Northeast Library sta at La Cosecha, 1280 Fourth St. NE, on the second oor Balcón space for story time fun. Their 30-minute story times are packed full of

books and songs designed to be enjoyed by children ve and under with their caregivers. Promoting language and literacy skills, these story times are a great way to further your child’s lifelong love of reading and learning. A free, three-hour park-

Enter a fantastical island world where sh soar through the air, lemons light up the sky, and sheep go parading by. With gentle music, puppets, and props, actors lead children and caregivers in an interactive exploration of a magical place of play. Children sit in a circle on the stage, with their adults sitting behind them. As part of the Atlas 2023 INTERSCETIONS festival, Imagination Stage presents “Aquarium” on March 9 and 10 at 10:30 a.m.; and March 11 and 12, at 10:30 and 11:45 a.m. “Aquarium” is best for ages one through ve. $15. All patrons ages one and above must have a ticket. The Atlas Performing Arts Center us at 1333 H St. NE. atlasarts.org.

ing garage is behind La Cosecha, on the block between Morse Street and Neal Street. dclibrary.org/northeast.

Culture Queen Kids Hour at the ACM

On the rst Saturday of each month through June, 11 a.m. to noon, Grammy-nominated children’s entertainer, Culture Queen, holds court with live per-

123 Andres at the KC (Move, sing, and play in Spanish and English.)

On Saturday, Feb. 11, 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., join Andrés and Christina on an exciting cultural exploration of Latin America through an introduction of language, music, and dance. The Latin Grammy-winning music duo 123 Andrés, deemed “a rockstar for little language learners” by Billboard, is back by popular demand and on the heels of their recent Grammy-nominated release. Their catchy songs and lively, interactive concerts get the whole family dancing and learning—in Spanish and English. $20. Most enjoyed by ages three, up. The 11 a.m. performance is sensory-friendly. kennedy-center.org.

formances, interactive community building, stories, crafts, movement, and more. Kids’ Hour features monthly themed programs that encourage diversity, community and self-love. March 4--I’m A Tower of Royal Power!--Participants will iden-

tify their roy-

Photo: David-Rugeles

Circle of Life. Photo: Matthew Murphy

al powers (innate abilities) and learn how to use them to help their peers, families, and communities. April 1—Create-aCommunity--Participants will learn about community-building activities and design their own 2-D communities. May 6--Manners Matters--Participants will explore etiquette traditions from around the world and learn how to carry themselves royally in various environments. June 3—Createa-Holiday--Participants will create holidays celebrating the people, milestones, and things that matter most to them. The Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community, Museum is at 1901 Fort Pl. SE. Free registration at anacostia.si.edu.

NMAAHC Kids Learning Together!

This Black History Month, NMAAHC Kids is celebrating Black children’s movie and TV characters (online). On Saturday, Feb. 4, 11 a.m. to noon, join them for a virtual program inspired by Disney Encanto’s Antonio and meet a Black veterinarian. On Friday, Feb. 10, 11 a.m. to noon, meet a Black ice skater during this program inspired by The Incredibles’ Frozone! On Monday, Feb. 13, 11 a.m. to noon, meet a Black chef. On Tuesday, Feb. 21, 11 a.m. to noon, join them for a program inspired by Disney’s Doc McStu ns and get to know a Black doctor. Read more and register at nmaahc.si.edu/events/upcoming.

Presidential Family Fun Day

On Saturday, Feb. 18, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., celebrate President’s Day and all things presidential at the National Portrait Gallery’s annual Presidential Family Fun Day in the Kogod Courtyard. This year they celebrate Honest Abe (a.k.a. Abraham Lincoln) with art activities, spotlight tours and more. Free. The National Portrait Gallery is at Eighth and G streets NW. npg.si.edu.

Kids Night Out: We Heart STEM

On Saturday, Feb. 11, 6 to 8 p.m., celebrate Valentine’s Day with the National Children’s Museum in the Lab with Kids Night Out. Learn all about the heart by making your own stethoscope and listening to your heart, creating a oating rain-

Download the Emancipation Proclamation Commemorative Coloring Book

President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863, announcing, “that all persons held as slaves. . . henceforward shall be free.” To commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the signing of this document, download the Emancipation Proclamation Commemorative Coloring Book at archives.gov/ les/publications/kids/emancipation-proclamation-coloring-book.

bow while learning about density at the Experiment Bar, and observing their sta perform a sheep heart dissection. $40. This is a kids-only, drop-o event. Register more than one child and receive $5 o per ticket. National Children’s Museum, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. nationalchildrensmuseum.org.

Kofi’s African Village at Discovery Theater

On Tuesday, Feb. 28 and Wednesday, March 1, at 10:15 and 11:30 a.m., Drummer Ko Dennis brings the vibrant life of a West African village to the Discovery Theater stage though music, storytelling, and dance. Using authentic instruments, the Ghanaian native leads lively call-andresponse songs, games, and movement that gets audiences on their feet in a highenergy exploration of African cultural traditions. $8 for adults; $7 for kids; $3 for kids under two. Tickets on sale now. It is recommended for ages three to six. Discovery Theater’s Ripley Center is at 1100 Je erson Dr. SW (on the National Mall). discoverytheater.org.

XOXO: An Exhibit About Love & Forgiveness

This spring, share, listen, connect and

learn about feelings and emotions at XOXO: An Exhibit About Love & Forgiveness, showing through May 14 at National Children’s Museum. Through facial expressions, words, movement, artmaking, and other hands-on activities, XOXO: An Exhibit About Love & Forgiveness provides children and caregivers the opportunity to think about and explore feelings to help them understand, appreciate, and express their emotions. National Children’s Museum, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. nationalchildrensmuseum.org.

Meg Medina Named New National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature

The Library of Congress and Every Child a Reader has announced the appointment of Meg Medina as the eighth National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature for 2023-2024. Medina, a Cuban American, is the rst Latina to serve as National Ambassador in the program’s history. Medina’s books examine how culture and identity intersect through the eyes of young people. Her middle-grade novel “Merci Suárez Changes Gears,” the rst of three books in a trilogy about the Suárez family, received the 2019 Newbery Medal and was

kids & family

See the New Elephants at the Zoo

Two new female Asian elephants, 19-year-old Trong Nhi (trong-nEE) and her daughter, 9-year-old Nhi Linh (nEE-lin), are now on public view at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo having completed quarantine following their Nov. 7 arrival. Visitors are most likely to see them in the Elephant Community Center or outdoors exploring their habitat from 10 a.m. to noon daily. They will also rotate on view on the Elephant Webcam at nationalzoo.si.edu/webcams/elephants. Trong Nhi and Nhi Linh are a gift from the Rotterdam Zoo in South Holland, Netherlands. They join male Spike (41) and females Kamala (47), Swarna (47), Bozie (47) and Maharani (32) at the Elephant Trails exhibit, a habitat that includes space for socializing, training and playing while providing staff safe access to care for the animals. Free admission; $30 to park. nationalzoo.si.edu.

and more. Best enjoyed by ages three to six, but anyone is welcome to join in the fun. Tickets are free, but register in advance. Walk-up tickets are subject to availability. Masks are optional, but highly recommended. The National Theatre is at 1321 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. nationaltheatre.org/saturday-morning-live.

Local Kids Perform Historic Speeches at Lincoln Oratory Festival

On Feb. 7 and 8, 10:30 a.m. to noon, more than 400 local elementary and middle school students will perform a selection of President Abraham Lincoln’s speeches on the Ford’s Theatre stage. The programs feature students who have worked with Ford’s Theatre Teaching Artists this academic year to expand their vocabulary, develop confidence and public speaking skills and build an understanding of Abraham Lincoln’s oration and impact, as well as the work of other powerful orators in United States history. Free tickets may be reserved online at fords.org. Day-of tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis from the Ford’s Theatre box office.

Gay Men’s Chorus Youth Invasion Concert

On Saturday, April 29 at 1 and 4 p.m., at THEARC Theatre, 1901 Mississippi Ave. SE, the GenOUT Youth Chorus returns again this season for their annual con-

named a notable children’s book of the year by the New York Times Book Review. Her most recent picture book, “Evelyn Del Rey Is Moving Away,” received multiple honors, including the 2021-2022 Charlotte Zolotow Award. Raised in Queens, New York, Medina now lives with her family in Richmond, Virginia. megmedina.com.

NGA Storytime in Spanish and English

The National Gallery is the place to be at the start of each month. On first Fridays at 10 a.m., their educators lead Storytime in Spanish and English in the East Building Atrium. Seating is offered on a first come, first seated basis. nga.gov.

Saturday Morning Live! at the National

imagiNATIONS Activity Center at the American Indian Museum

The interactive, family-friendly imagiNATIONS Activity Center provides young visitors a lively space with a wide variety of learning experiences. The cultural and scientific knowledge of Indigenous peoples reflects a tradition driven by innovation that is both unique and universal. Visitors to the center may explore some of these ingenious adaptations through a variety of play-based interactives. Recommended for ages ten and younger, the imagiNATIONS Activity Center at the American Indian Museum is open every day except Monday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The American Indian Museum is at Fourth and Independence SW. americanindian.si.edu.

Fun takes center stage at the National Theatre for Saturday Morning Live. Kids are invited to the Helen Hayes Gallery space on select Saturday mornings at 9:30 and 11 a.m. for wow-inspiring children’s entertainment of all sorts, from interactive performances, puppets, dance, and music. On Saturday, Feb. 11, see The Miraculous Magical Balloon by Synetic Theater. Expressed through movement, masks, pantomime illusions, and dazzling choreography, The Miraculous Magical Balloon tells the story of a traveling actor and his magical trunk full of toys, tricks, and surprises. On March 11, see We Can Do It! by Bright Star Theatre. A fascinating adventure featuring some of the world’s most remarkable female pioneers, audiences will discover trailblazers like Amelia Earhart, Sacajawea, Susan B. Anthony,

cert, Youth Invasion. Under the direction of C. Paul Heins, this concert gives voice to the identities and experiences of LGBTQ+ and allied youth, and reminds us all of our role in nurturing them and giving wings to their dreams. Tickets are free but reservations required. gmcw. org/youth-invasion.

DC CAMP FAIR

BY J.O WILSON PTA

COME

SPORTS

MUSIC & ARTS

MUSIC & ARTS

OVERNIGHT

ACADEMIC

SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE

FREE AND OPEN TO ALL PARENTS

AGES 3 - 18

For more information, email jowilsonpta@gmail.com or go to DCcampfair.com

Come learn Chinese with us!

YU YING IS OPEN TO ALL!

• We’re one of 11 DC public charter schools with equitable access preference.

• Parents and guardians –you don’t need to speak Chinese for your child to attend.

Learn more and register for an upcoming virtual open house at washingtonyuying.org/enroll

PREK 3 - GRADE 5

SPONSORED BY J.O. WILSON PTA

PRESENTED

Joyful ABC Activity Booklets from the NMAAHC

The Joyful ABC Activity Booklet series invites caregivers and educators to support children’s positive identity development while also growing their language and literacy skills with activities, museum objects, and new words. Learn more about the series and download all their available activity booklets for early learners ages three to five and infants and toddlers. nmaahc.si.edu/learn/early-childhood/joyful-abc-activity-books/ joyful-abc-activity-booklet-series.

Family Pickup Ice Hockey

Washington’s Birthday Free Admission to Mount Vernon

On Monday, Feb. 20, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Wednesday, Feb. 22, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., celebrate the first president of the United States’ birthday at his beloved home. Admission is free for both Presidents Day and George Washington’s birthday. Admission tickets and timed tickets for mansion tours will be distributed on-site upon arrival. mountvernon.org.

ane Kidd. Learn about the icy worlds that exist at the edge of our solar system and then stay to create a model of a planet or the whole solar system. On Thursdays in March at 11 a.m., join Air and Space staff for a reading Dinosoaring by Deb Lund, a funny story about huge dinosaurs who fly airplanes to an air show and hear stories of early aviators who use airplanes to write messages in the sky. Stay after the story to create a skywriting craft and send a message to a loved one. These are free, drop-in events. You will need free timed-entry passes to enter the Museum. airandspace.si.edu.

MedStar Capitals Iceplex Family Pickup Hockey is open to parents and kids (all ages) who enjoy non-contact hockey. Each participant pays the $20 entry fee and must be in full gear. This is a fun, easy-going, no contact game for kids and adults. MedStar Capitals Iceplex is a state-of-the-art facility located atop the Ballston Common Mall Parking Garage, 627 No. Glebe Rd., Arlington. Read more and register at medstarcapitalsiceplex. com/page/show/2864567-pick-up-hockey.

HBCU Scholarship Opportunities

DC Metro HBCU Alumni Alliance Higher Education Initiative will award five $1,000 scholarships to incoming freshmen during fall semester. All applicants must be from DMV, Baltimore or VA/MD Eastern Shore. Applications are due by Feb. 17, 2023. Read more and apply at Bit.ly/ Higher/Education/Scholarship/Awards2023.

Príncipe y Príncipe (Prince & Prince) at GALA

Based on the children’s book King and King by Linda Haan and Stern, Príncipe y Príncipe captures the charm of fairy tales at their finest. When a Queen calls together all the unmarried princesses in the land to meet her son, he must discover which will be his true love. But it may not be a princess he’s searching for… A funny, sweet, and heartwarming celebration of love in all forms. The bilingual Príncipe y Príncipe is at GALA Hispanic Theatre, 3333 14th St. NW, on Saturdays, March 11, 18 and 25, at 3 p.m. $12 for ages two to twelve: $14 for adults. galatheatre.org.

The Smithsonian (kid’s) Game Center

The Game Center offers free Smithsonian STEM games and simulations online or for download. Their games are

designed with clear learning objectives, vetted by their team of curriculum experts, and are used by students around the world. Here’s the current listing: Shutterbugs: Wiggle and Stomp (kindergarten); Mini Golf Motion (k to fifth); Tami’s Tower: Let’s Think About Engineering (k to second); Showbiz Safari (first to third); Morphy! (third to fifth); Pick Your Plate! A Global Guide to Nutrition (fourth to eighth); Aquation: The Freshwater Access Game (fifth); BumperDucks and Disaster Detector (middle school). ssec. si.edu/game-center.

Messages in the Sky Family Day

You may already be familiar with a banner pulled by an airplane advertising a beachside restaurant. But what are the other ways aircraft are used to deliver messages in the sky? Explore this topic with Air and Space at this month’s Soar Together at Air and Space Family Day. Messages in the Sky Family Day is on Saturday, March 11, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA. Activities include demonstrations, hands-on activities and conversations with experts in the field. Free; parking is $15. Registration requested. airandspace.si.edu.

Flights of Fancy: Drop-in Storytime at Air and Space

On Thursdays in February at 11 a.m., join Air and Space staff for a reading of Pluto’s Secret, An Icy World’s Tale of Discovery by Margaret Weitekamp, David DeVorkin and illustrated by their educator, Di-

The Great Backyard Bird Count

The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) is a free, fun, and easy event that engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of bird populations. Participants are asked to count birds for as little as 15 minutes (or as long as they wish) on one or more days of the four-day event and report their sightings online at birdcount.org. Anyone can take part in the GBBC, from beginning bird watchers to experts, and you can participate from your backyard, or anywhere in the world. This year the annual Great Backyard Bird Count is Friday, Feb. 17, through Monday, Feb. 20. birdcount.org.

Photo: Sarah Eagar, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Music Time: To Follow Apollo

50 years ago, the final lunar landing mission of the Apollo program came to a close as Apollo 17 lunar module Challenger lifted off from the lunar surface on Dec. 14, 1972, and command module America splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on Dec. 19, 1972. As we look back at the Apollo Moon landings, share the excitement of the upcoming Artemis missions with your littlest space fans through Air and Space’s “To Follow Apollo” music video from their new Flights of Fancy Music Time series on youtube.com.

The Hula Hoopin’ Queen at Imagination Stage

Kameeka is confident that today she will finally beat her rival, Jamara, and become the Hula-Hoopin’ Queen of 139th Street in Harlem. But she has to prepare for Miz Adeline’s birthday party, and almost ruins the day. Until Miz Adeline confesses that she’s also got the itch--the hula-hoopin’ itch. Her fingers start snappin’. Her hips start swingin’. Soon everyone’s hips are swinging as the party spills out onto the street. The Hula Hoopin’ Queen is at Imagination Stage, 4908 Auburn Ave., Bethesda, MD, from Feb. 15 to April 8. It is best suited for ages five to eleven. imaginationstage.org.

Welcoming Curious Kids Ages Six and Under

Wegmans Wonderplace at the American History Museum is open Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wonderplace is located on 1 West in the National Museum of American History. Free. The museum is located on the National Mall at Constitution Ave. NW., between 12th and 14th. Americanhistory.si.edu. u

Surprising Connections

Across:

by Myles Mellor

Down:

1.