East of the River Magazine – March 2024

N EXT I SSUE : A PRIL

Capital

NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS

16 Community Blindsided as Pepco Sells Lot at Benning Road Site: Parkside-Kenilworth Residents Hoped for Development Benefiting Community by Elizabeth O’Gorek

20 What’s Up Now at Reservation 13? An Update on the Hill East Development District by Elizabeth O’Gorek

22 Our River, The Anacostia: Wonderful Places To Visit In Spring-Time by Bill Matuszeski

24 ProLogis Development Generates Concerns: ANC 7D Report by Sarah Payne

24

32

04

34 The Old Man of Anacostia: Battling Prostate Cancer and the Fight for More Awareness by Philip Pannell rine

35

DDOT No Show: ANC 8F Report by Andrew Lightman

26 Bulletin Board by Kathleen Donner

EAST WASHINGTON LIFE

30 Messay Derebe’s Quest: Searching for a Creative and Inclusive Economy by Matthew McClure

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

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

MANAGING EDITOR: Andrew Lightman • andrew@hillrag.com

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER: Carolina Lopez • carolina@hillrag.com Copyright © 2024 by Capital Community News. All Rights Reserved.

WHAT’S ON WASHINGTON

Two Blossom Festivals at the River

On Saturday, March 23, 2 to 9 p.m., The Wharf celebrates spring with Bloomaroo, a free festival featuring live music, dancing, crafts and public karaoke. Explore family-friendly activities including koi kite decorating, balloon artists, and flower vendors in the Kids Zone near The Green. Fireworks at 8:30 p.m. wharfdc.com. On Saturday, April 6, 1 to 9 p.m., celebrate spring at Capitol Riverfront’s Petalpalooza with a full day of live music and engaging activities. This free, day-long all-ages celebration brings art, music, and play to multiple outdoor stages, interactive art installations, a cashless beverage garden, family-friendly activities, roaming entertainers, and more. Fireworks at 8:30 p.m. (Fireworks are also visible from Anacostia Park.) nationalcherryblossomfestival.org.

DC Moth StorySLAM: Dazzled

On Monday, March 11, 7:30 p.m. (doors at 6:30 p.m.), listen to true stories or share your own at their open-mic storytelling competition. This night’s theme is “Dazzled.” Prepare a five-minute story of a time you sparkled. Drippin’ in diamonds down the red carpet, smooth cruisin’ in a Corvette, or cosplaying as Marilyn Monroe.

Share your shiniest, knock out memories that no one believes or the moments that prove that all that glitters is gold. Admission is $15. DC Moth StorySLAM is at Miracle Theatre, 535 Eighth St. SE. There is a public parking lot underneath the highway on Eighth Street, SE between I Street and Virginia Avenue. themoth.org.

National Gallery Nights

The spring season of the popular (and free) National Gallery Nights takes place on the second Thursday of March, April and May, 6 to 9 p.m. This season they celebrate “Color Theory” on March 14, “Flowers After Hours” on April 11, and “Art Prom” on May 9. Music, live performances, artmaking, and pop-up talks center around each theme. Light fare, gelato, and beverages, including beer, wine, and specialty cocktails, are available for purchase throughout the East Building and in the Terrace Café and Espresso & Gelato Bar. Their April and May programs also feature activities on the Fourth Street Plaza which are open to all without registration. Due to its popularity, registration is through a lottery system. The lottery takes place the week before each event. Additional passes are available at the East Building entrance—first come, first served—starting at 5:30 p.m. on the afternoon of each event. nga.gov/calendar/community-events/nights.

RIGHT: The East Building comes alive during National Gallery Nights programs on March 14, April 11, and May 9. National Gallery of Art, Washington.

Easter Sunday Organ Concert at National Cathedral

On Easter Sunday, March 31, 2 p.m., Cathedral Organist Thomas Sheehan celebrates the joy of Easter with a selection of uplifting music to celebrate the Resurrection on the cathedral organ. Available in-person or online. No tickets required. The Washington National Cathedral is at 3101 Wisconsin Ave. NW. cathedral.org.

Change YOUR Game at American History

Invention and technology can make the difference between victory and defeat and expand the field of who can participate in sports. Change YOUR Game is a family-friendly, interactive exhibition on the intersection of invention, sports, and technology developed by the museum’s Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation. The exhibition showcases dynamic stories and objects related to diverse inventors, athletes, and technologies that have changed how sports are played. Visitors will be invited to identify themselves as inventive problem solvers who can become “game changers” in their daily lives. In addition to hands-on activities in the gallery’s four key sections, the adjacent Draper Spark!Lab will also feature themed activities. Change YOUR Game opens at the Smithsonian American History Museum. 1st Floor, West, Lemelson Gallery, on March 15. americanhistory.si.edu.

Ellington 125: Celebrating the Duke at the KC

The Kennedy Center commemorates Duke Ellington’s 125 birthday with institution-wide celebrations of the American icon who changed how the world heard music. An outstanding musician, charismatic band leader, and prolific composer, the Washington, DC native was an innovator across an expansive and eclectic range of styles…from pop and theatrical to swing, fusion, and beyond. Here’s the lineup: March 15, Duke Ellington Orchestra; March 15 and 16, Symphony Swing; March 17, NSO Family Concert; March 30, Robert Glasper—Black Radio and Afterparty; April 10, Jason Moran—Solo Ellington; April 13, NEA Jazz Masters Tribute Concert; April 16, Beyond Category, Ellington Concert Music; April 23, Dover Quartet; April 24, Tomeka Reid; April 26, Three Keys to Ellington; April 29, Cyrus Chestnut, Duke Ellington Sacred Concert. kennedycenter.org/whats-on/festivals-series/ellington-125.

Jogbra concocted from two jock straps.

Gary Gulman: Misfit Book Tour at The Warner

Gary Gulman, an American stand-up comedian, was a finalist on the NBC reality-talent show Last Comic Standing in its second and third seasons. Gulman’s comedy centers on absurd observations about daily occurrences. He is one of only a handful of comedians to appear on every major late-night television comedy program. He brings his Gary Gulman’s Misfit Book Tour to the Warner Theatre, 513 13th St. NW, on Saturday, March 16, 8 p.m. Tickets are $49 to $205. warnertheatredc.com.

President Richard M. Nixon presents the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Duke Ellington, April 24, 1969.

WHAT’S ON WASHINGTON

Artomatic

Artomatic is an open-entry creative art showcase of visual art, music, film, performance, poetry and fashion. They typically occupy a large commercial space of over 90,000 sq ft that is either in transition or has recently been delivered to the market. This year Artomatic is at 2100 M St. NW. From March 8 to April 29, Artomatic is open Wednesdays and Thursdays, 5 to 9:30 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays, noon to midnight; and Sundays, noon to 9 p.m. All art is sold commission-free and remains on the walls until the show closes. artomatic.org.

A Wildflower Hike at Turkey Run Park

Ireland at the Wharf

On Saturday, March 16, noon to 6 p.m., grab a drink from the Guinness Beer Garden, then enjoy live music performances by the 19th Street Band, Poehemia, and Ben-David Warner & Friends on the District Pier main stage during Ireland at The Wharf. Here’s the schedule: noon, Festival Activities and Six Nations Rugby Championship Begin; noon, Irish Dancing--Boyle School of Irish Dance; 12:30 p.m., Poehemia; 2:15 p.m., The 19th Street Band; 2:30 p.m., Irish Dancing--McGrath Morgan Academy; 4:15 p.m., Ben-David Warner Band. wharfdc.com/ireland.

On April 2, 3 or 4, 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., discover the spring splendors of the Potomac Gorge, a 1,900-acre natural area spanning Maryland and Virginia that is one of the most botanically diverse places in North America. Hike north from Turkey Run Park along the Potomac Heritage Trail on a wilderness adventure inside the Beltway as you admire lush upland forests and floodplains brilliantly decorated by Virginia bluebells and other spring ephemeral wildflowers. Keep an eye out for great blue herons and other native fauna in the temporary pools and side channels and in the Potomac River itself. Bring a picnic lunch to enjoy on the adventure. Your study leader Melanie Choukas-Bradley, a naturalist and the author of six regional nature books, has explored the Potomac Gorge from Great Falls to Theodore Roosevelt Island for a forthcoming book, and this trek covers one of her favorite sections. $75. smithsonianassociates.org.

Nicki Minaj at Capital One Arena

Nicki Minaj is a Trinidadian-born rapper, singer, and songwriter often referred to as the Queen of Rap. She is one of the best-selling music artists with 100 million records sold worldwide. Billboard has ranked her as the top-selling female rapper of the 2010s and one of the greatest rappers of all time. She is the only female rapper to have three number-one albums on the Billboard 200 chart. She is at the Capital One Arena, 601 F St. NW, on Monday, April 1, 8 p.m. (doors at 7 p.m.). Tickets are $96 to $310. capitalonearena.com.

Mike McMullen’s Yellow Triangle

Artwork based off of photo of Derrick D. Truby, Jr. and Chani Wereley by Scott Suchman.

Busboys and Poets Weekly Open Mic

For two hours each week at seven Busboys and Poets locations, audiences can expect a diverse chorus of voices and a vast array of professional spoken word performers, open mic rookies, musicians and a different host every week. Expect to be moved, expect a packed house, expect the unexpected, but above all come with an open mind and ear. Times are subject to change. Here are the locations, 14th and V, Tuesdays, 8 to 10; Columbia, Thursdays, 8 to 10 p.m.; 450 K, Wednesdays, 6 to 10 p.m.; Shirlington, Mondays, 8 to 10 p.m.; Hyattsville, Thursdays, 8 to 10 p.m.; Baltimore, Wednesdays, 8 to 10 p.m.; Brookland, Second, Third and Fourth Fridays, 9 to 11 p.m. busboysandpoets.com.

Little Shop of Horrors at Ford’s

Little Shop of Horrors is a nonstop blast, sci-fi horror comedy, love story and rock musical that has become one of the most treasured pieces of American musical theatre. While paying homage to doowop and Motown recordings, the story follows a luckless florist shop worker, Seymour, who raises a wisecracking carnivorous plant that develops a craving for human blood. He delights in the fame and fortune that his leafy, ever-growing friend attracts, while trying to show his co-worker Audrey that she is the girl of his dreams. As Seymour discovers his plant’s out-of-this-world origins and intent toward world domination, he learns the lesson: “Don’t feed the plants!” Tickets are $25 to $95. Ford’s Theatre, 514 Tenth Sy. NW, from March 15 to May 18. fords.org.

Busta Rhymes’ BLOCKBUSTER TOUR 2024

Busta Rhymes is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer and actor. His favorite rapper as a teenager was LL Cool J, who was the inspiration and reason for Busta Rhymes writing his first raps. He was creatively inspired by American singer and record producer George Clinton for “being over the top and outlandish and brave as far as his showmanship.” In 2021, Busta Rhymes released the 25th Anniversary Edition of his debut studio album, The Coming. In late 2023, his eleventh studio album Blockbusta was released. Fillmore Silver Spring, 8656 Colesville Rd., Silver Spring, MD, on Monday, April 6, 8 p.m. Tickets start at $81.85. livenation.com.

Baltimore Street Food Festival

The Baltimore Street Food Festival is returning to Power Plant Live!, 34 Market St., Baltimore, on April 6 and 7, 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., both days. They are shutting down an entire city block and bringing out the area’s best food vendors, entertainment and excitement. All food items will be priced at $5 or less. This provides the best opportunity to sample as many vendors from around the world as possible. Come for the food and stay for the fun as there will be tons of live entertainment, a huge general vendor market, kids fun zone experience, axe throwing, an indoor climate-controlled giant beer garden, breakdancing expo, mechanical bull riding, free hard seltzer sampling, crazy eating challenges and more. General admission tickets required. powerplantlive.com.

Busta Rhymes has received 12 Grammy Award nominations for his work making him one of the most nominated.

At the Wedding at Studio Carlo crashes her ex’s wedding with three simple goals: Don’t get drunk. Don’t make any kids cry. Don’t try to win back the bride, no matter how boring the groom is. (She’ll ultimately fail at all three.) A very, very funny play about loneliness, estrangement, and a slow-burn romance with being alive. Studio Theater, 1501 14th St. NW, from March 13 to April 21. Sstudiotheatre.org.

WHAT’S ON WASHINGTON

Chiarina Chamber Players Concerts at St. Mark’s

On Sunday, March 17, 7:30 p.m., enjoy Enchantment: Trios by Arensky, Ravel, Boulanger, and Esmail. Towering melodies and dramatic colors frame this program of old and new piano trios, featuring Chiarina artistic directors and violinist Domenic Salerni. On Sunday, April 14, 7:30 p.m., enjoy Intersections: Songs of the Earth. With strings, winds, and piano as vehicles, these imaginative works create an all-encompassing experience where sound, sky, and seascape collide. Concerts are at St. Mark’s Capitol Hill, 301 A St. SE. General admission tickets are $30; 18 and under, free. chiarina.org.

Thalea Quartet--Christopher Whitley and Kumiko Sakamoto, violins, Lauren Spaulding, viola, and Alex Cox, cello.

Thoughts, Questions and Shit to Say

From March 8 to April 7, Dupont Underground presents “Thoughts, Questions and Shit to Say,” an exhibition featuring multiple forms of visual art to celebrate the complexity of the DC region’s female artists‘ narratives in celebration of Women’s History Month. The exhibition, featuring over 20 local female artists, features sculptures, paintings, and other forms of visual art intentionally curated to encourage a dialogue around issues that resonate with women across various cultural, social, and economic backgrounds. Opening Night, March 8, 7 p.m.; Poetry Night, March 14, 7 p.m.; Music Night, March 21, 7 p.m.; Artists Conversation, March 28, 7 p.m.; Closing Dance Party, April 5, 7 p.m. dupontunderground.org.

“Thoughts, Questions and Shit to Say,” reflects the candid, unfiltered, and authentic narratives presented through diverse artworks and performances. It is taken from a quote by stand-up comic, author, and actress, Amy Schumer.

Nora and the Lighthouse by Javier Padilla at Dance Place

NORA and The Lighthouse is a sci-fi immersive dance theater experience that takes us through the coastal town of Shenoa Creek on a journey of loss, hope, grief and transformation. Through vignettes of audience participation, projections, vocal looping and choreography, NORA questions what actually waits for us at the end and how far we’re willing to go for the ones that we love. Nora and the Lighthouse by Javier Padilla is on Friday, March 15, 8 p.m. at Dance Place, 3225 Eighth St. NE. Tickets are $10 to $30. danceplace.org.

National Harbor’s Sakura Sunday

Come to Sakura Sunday at National Harbor on Sunday, March 24, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., for a wide array of free cultural activities including an artisanal Japanese marketplace, cultural performances on the Plaza Stage, culinary delights, music and dance, a sake and beer garden and more. nationalharbor.com.

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)

Wednesday, March 6, 2024 • 10:00 am Register: dlcpsbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events/63697

DLCP AT YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD LIBRARYSHORT-TERM RENTAL (AIRBNB) ORDINANCE

Tuesday, March 12, 2024 • 6:00 pm Register: dlcpsbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events/63813

WEBINAR: MHCDO PARTNERSHIP: STEPS TO OBTAINING A BUSINESS LICENSE

Wednesday, March 13, 2024 • 6:00 pm Register: dlcpsbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events/63809

WEBINAR: INTRODUCTION TO GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING

Thursday, March 14, 2024 • 2:00 pm Register: dlcpsbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events/63806

SHORT-TERM RENTAL (AIRBNB) ORDINANCE WEBINAR

Wednesday, March 27, 2024 • 10:00am Register: dlcpsbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events/64090

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

BUSINESS DIAGNOSTIC CHECK - IN PERSON WEDNESDAY’S

Wednesdays by appointment between 10:00 am - 3:00 pm Register: dlcpsbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events

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

Jeffrey Martin at Pie Shop

Unidentified Maker, Crazy Star; ca. 1920, Arthur, Illinois, cotton and wool; 74 x 63 ½ in. (detail), Collection of Faith and Stephen Brown, Promised gift to the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

Pattern and Paradox: The Quilts of Amish Women at SAAM

In the late nineteenth century, Amish women adopted an artform already established within the larger American culture and made it distinctly their own, developing community and familial preferences, with women sharing work, skills, and patterns. The quilts in Pattern and Paradox were all made between 1880 and 1950 in communities united by faith, values of conformity and humility, and a rejection of “worldly” society. No specific guidelines governed quilt patterns or colors, so Amish women explored an uncharted territory, pushing cultural limitations by innovating within a community that values adherence to rules. Styles, patterns, and color preferences eventually varied and distinguished the various settlements, but it was the local quilters who drove and set the standards. Pattern and Paradox: The Quilts of Amish Women is at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Eighth and G Streets NW, from March 28 to Sept. 2. americanart.si.edu.

On a small corner lot in southeast Portland, Oregon, Jeffrey Martin holed up through the winter recording his quietly potent new album Thank God We Left The Garden. What began as demos meant for a later visit to a proper studio became the album itself, spare and intimate and true. Recorded live and alone around two microphones, Jeffrey often held his breath to wait for the low diesel hum of a truck to pass one block over on the busy thoroughfare. In a moment where depth is so often traded for the instantaneous, where tech billionaires are building rockets to escape the planet, where the dead-eyed stare of artificial intelligence is promising to existentially upend our world, and where divisiveness in our culture is breeding delusional levels of certainty, Jeffrey Martin’s new record feels like a hopeful and fully human antidote. Jeffrey Martin is at Pie Shop, 1339 H St. NE, on Friday, April 5, 6 p.m. (doors at 7:30 p.m.). Admission is $20. pieshopdc.com.

Life of a Poet: Sandra Beasley

On Thursday, March 14, 7 to 8:30 p.m., poet Sandra Beasley will be in conversation with poet Kyle Dargan at Hill Center, 921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. Sandra Beasley is the author of four poetry collections—Made to Explode; Count the Waves; I was the Jukebox; and Don’t Kill the Birthday Girl: Tales from an Allergic Life. Honors for her work include the 2019 Munster Literature Centre’s John Montague International Poetry Fellowship, a 2015 NEA fellowship, and six DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities fellowships. She lives in Washington, DC. $10 admission. hillcenterdc.org.

Penelope at Signature

“If we’re going to talk about the Trojan War, we need a drink.” Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, is fed up and has some things she wants to say. With glass of bourbon in hand, she takes the microphone to chronicle those twenty years waiting on the small island kingdom of Ithaca. With soulful music, this witty and thoughtful musical flips the script on the dutiful wife, as Penelope steps out of the background to claim her time in the spotlight. Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington, from March 5 to April 21. Tickets start at $40. sigtheatre.org.

Community Blindsided as Pepco Sells Lot at Benning Road Site

Parkside-Kenilworth Residents Hoped for Development Benefiting Community

by Elizabeth O’Gorek

Pepco has sold 10 acres of land from its 77-acre Benning Road SE property, which was home to a large power plant. The land was sold to Prologis, a real estate and supply-chain logistics company, for $10.25 million in December 2023.

Map showing Pepco Benning Road service center. Red line indicates acreage sold to Prologis; yellow line, property retained by Pepco. Department of Public Works facility is at top. Screenshot: Google Maps (edited)

Logistics real estate involves the rental and sale of warehouses, distribution centers, exible spaces and other industrial buildings with storage facilities. The project is in the large-tract review process and is scheduled to begin construction on a new logistics center at the site as early as 2026.

The sale came as a surprise to many members of the community. “We’ve met with Pepco in the past and we were under the impression that Pepco had no intention to sell the site,” said Wendell Felder, chair of Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 7D. As Pepco conducted remediation on the site, Felder recalled, representatives would give community updates to the ANC. But an update on the sale was not part of that schedule.

Felder told Pepco Environmental Manager Jamie Hill as much at a Jan. 9 meeting of ANC 7D. “We feel like Pepco has not been a good community neighbor, for Pepco to meet with us and then surprisingly sell your decommissioned power plant,” Felder said.

History

Pepco operated the site for a century before closing and demolishing the oilred plant in 2012. Local activists such as George Gurley had fought for closure

of the plant since the 1970s and had organized the Urban Protectors to prevent Pepco from expanding the generators. Gurley’s health assessment, which found elevated levels of asthma, bronchitis and cancer in the surrounding neighborhoods, including River Terrace, prompted the federal government to launch an investigation.

In October 2023, the utility agreed to pay a $57 million settlement to clean up contaminants it had dumped into the Anacostia River. The agreement with the DC O ce of the Attorney General (OAG) was the largest environmental settlement in Washington’s history. Much of the rest of the site is still active as a service center for distribution operations as well as a community solar facility.

The site requires signi cant environmental remediation. The Benning Road Landside Feasibility Study, released in December 2023, began evaluation of contaminants on the site.

At the Jan. 9 meeting with ANC 7D, Hill said the “contaminants of concern,” including vanadium, PCE and PCBs, were concentrated on the service center lot rather than the Prologis site. “There’s no acute or short-term risk identi ed or anticipated with the Benning Road facility,” he explained. “Current site controls prevent any exposure to the site contaminants, and there are some long-term risks

Join us for our Next Virtual Public Meeting Tuesday, March 12, 2024 - 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm How to participate: By computer: https://zoom.us/j/91628647160 Passcode: anc7d Or by phone: 1-301-715-8592 Webinar ID: 91628647160 Passcode: 776540

YOUR 2023-2024 COMMISSIONERS ELECTED TO SERVE YOU

Wendell Felder Parkside – 7D03 7d03@anc.dc.gov

Chairperson

Vice Chair

Advisory Neighborhood Commission 7D “Uniting Communities East and West” Representing the Capitol Hill/Hill East, Eastland Gardens, Kenilworth, Kingman Park, Mayfair, Parkside, River Terrace and Rosedale neighborhoods and the RFK Stadium Complex. Vacancy in Single Member District 7D02 WIDE SHOE OUTLET Men’s and Women’s sizes up to 15 EE Brands: Naturalizer • Soft Spots • Ros Hommerson • Propet Walking • Cradles • Easy Street 301-702 1401

Brian Alcorn Capitol Hill/Hill East – 7D08 7d08@anc.dc.gov

Brett Astmann Rosedale – 7D07 7d07@anc.dc.gov

Treasurer

Ashley Schapitl Hill East – 7D09 7d09@anc.dc.gov

Secretary

Siraaj Hasan Eastland Gardens/ 7d01@anc.dc.gov

Kenilworth – 7D01

Mike Davis River Terrace – 7D04 7d04@anc.dc.gov

Ebony Payne Kingman Park – 7D05 7d05@anc.dc.gov

Marc Friend Rosedale – 7D06 7d06@anc.dc.gov

Brianne Hill East – 7D10 7d10@anc.dc.gov

Who Where How to Contact DO YOU LIVE IN THE MAYFAIR COMMUNITY? We are looking for a Commissioner to serve for 2024!

simplywide.com Savings in store and online Lots & Lots Wide Width Shoes All Day Comfort

Limited Time simplywide.com

All Sales $10 off 4279 Branch Avenue Marlow Heights, MD 20748 E AST OF THE R IVER M AGAZINE M ARCH 2024 17

Benning Road service center gates. Pepco retains 67 acres on the site, much of which requires remediation. Photo: E. O’Gorek/CCN

that have been identi ed under the most conservative of estimates there.”

Valencia McClure, Pepco’s regional vice president for government and external a airs, said the sale leaves 67 acres at the site, which houses the service center and substations. There are no plans to sell additional lots, she said.

Hopes Dashed

Parkside residents have long expressed a desire for the site to be redeveloped in a manner that bene ts the community. They hoped for mixed-use waterfront development, including amenities such as sit-down restaurants or a grocery store. Felder remembered discussion of a Home Depot possibly coming to the site.

Felder acknowledged that a transition in Pepco’s leadership over the last six months may have a ected the delay in communication. “I don’t get the sense that they were trying to be underhanded or anything of that sort,” he said.

Pepco spokespersons said they were aware of the 2015 Technical Assistance Program Report (The TAP, https:// washington.uli.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2016/02/ULI-TAP-Report-Pepco.pdf) , but were not a contributor. They said they engaged with District leaders and stakeholders after the public and competitive bidding process began in April 2022.

Hussain declined. “It’s already a very small parcel for Prologis in terms of the developments that we do,” he explained. “So selling half of it and then being able to do the rest of the business is pretty much impossible, given the size of the parcel.”

In response, Felder, tongue rmly in cheek, said Prologis could get around the problem by selling all 10 acres to the District.

Prologis did not respond to a request for comment.

Commissioners expressed concern about the site’s future. Many claimed the sale helped to perpetuate a history of communities east of the Anacostia getting the short end of the stick. “A lot of residents in this community are extremely frustrated,” echoed Felder, who noted the multitude of possible community-focused uses for the space.

“There are many uses for that particular area of land that we thought we were well engaged on with Pepco,” Commissioner Siraaj Hasan (7D01) noted at the January meeting. “To hear that there’s been some mysterious sale of that land is disheartening to say the least.”

Plans Stalled

“We will maintain use of our remaining Benning Road property, which is the hub for many of our underground electric operations, and look forward to continuing to support the Benning community through our engagement with community and workforce development opportunities, work with local nonpro t partners and more,” declared a Pepco statement, which added that the company was exploring small business grants bene ting the surrounding neighborhoods.

Community leaders, however, continue to push back. When Steven Hussain, vice president of cofmmunity relations at Prologis, appeared at a Feb. 13 ANC 7D meeting, Felder asked Prologis to sell part of the land back to the city. That, Felder said, would give the city an opportunity to transform half the site to bene t the community.

The last 20 years have seen tremendous investment in the Kenilworth-Parkside community. Thousands of homes and at least two schools were built. Mayor Bowser cut the ribbon on a seven-story, 172,000 square-foot residential building in April 2022, as part of the 15.5acre Parkside planned unit development (PUD) southwest of Kenilworth Avenue and Hayes Street NE. The Park 7 Apartments and the District Department of Employment Services building recently opened nearby on Minnesota Avenue.

The Pepco site is close to Metro and I-295 as well as the proposed Benning streetcar route. That’s a lot of potential.

ANC Commissioner Justin Lini argued in a 2016 article for Greater Greater Washington that, with the right changes, the Pepco site could provide much-needed economic opportunities to Ward 7 residents and become the economic and social center that the ward lacked, something like a smaller St. Elizabeths East.

The city had obviously considered it. In November 2015, DC’s Office of Planning partnered with the Urban Land Institute to form a Technical Assistance Panel (TAP) that looked at improving transportation access at the site, creating new community amenities and providing economic opportunities for Ward 7 residents. Ideas included access to the river, public art, business incubators and farmer’s markets.

“The mayor’s office and the new Ward 7 councilmember should be on the lookout for opportunities to use land swaps and other incentives to achieve the goals outlined in the TAP plan,” Lini wrote in the article.

The TAP Report focused only on 19 decommissioned acres along the east side of the river and north near the Department of Public Works transfer station, where buildings had been removed. A good portion of this area has now been sold to Prologis.

Frustration

“Residents have a lot of frustration, not just with Prologis but just living in Ward 7,” Felder declared. “There’s great frustration, specifically in this area, that residents do not have a say-so in terms of what comes into their community.” He added, “We want the same things and the same quality of amenities as other parts of the District. We’re strongly opposed to this.”

ANC 7D voted on Jan. 9 to send a letter to Prologis and Pepco Holdings expressing concern about the sale, with the goal of stimulating “engagement and discussions” with both companies on a community-focused use of the land and emphasizing the importance of the property’s environmental remediation.

Felder thought it was still early in the process and that he and the commission would continue to operate in good faith. Prologis has given its word that it would host community meetings to get a sense of neighborhood desires and share redevelopment plans.

“I think there’s opportunity in that area,” said Felder, who intends to hold the company to its word.

With additional reporting by Theo Weller. u

What’s Up Now at Reservation 13? An Update on the Hill East Development District

by Elizabeth O’Gorek

Development is moving forward in Hill East. In March, Donatelli/Blue Skye are scheduled to appear before the District’s Zoning Commission (ZC) for design review and approval of two new buildings that will be built across the street from the DC Armory.

The hearing before the DC Zoning Board indicates forward motion on the large parcel of land now called the Hill East Development District, once known as Reservation 13. But the move comes more than two years after the development team was awarded a contract for the property and 22 years after the District first created a Master Plan to guide development at the site. Meanwhile, there has been no publicly visible motion on three other lots at the site awarded to another developer.

Former Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner (ANC) 6B10 Francis Campbell served on the ANC for 12 years starting in 2002, the year the city started planning for the site. Only three buildings have been built in the 21 years since then.

“Look what we’ve done throughout the city,” he said, comparing development at sites such as The Wharf and St. Elizabeth’s to construction at Hill East. “In my opinion, it sucks,” Campbell said.

History

The 67-acre property is technically located in Ward 7, just to the east of Capitol Hill. Originally a federal reserve (Reservation 13) it was transferred to DC by Congress in 2006. Generally, the site is bounded on the north by Independence Avenue and to the south by Congressional Cemetery. To the east is the Anacostia, buffered from the site by National Park Service (NPS) land; to the west is 19th Street SE, the edge of the existing Hill East neighborhood.

In 2002, after extensive community engagement, a Master Plan was created to guide redevelopment on the site, hoping to accommodate public services and neighborhood needs with mixed-use elements. New zoning codes were approved in 2009, setting the project up for development the following year.

However, the economic downturn caused the city to downsize the project in 2010. Instead of the full site, the

District focused on two parcels, F1 and G1 to the east and just south of the Stadium-Armory Metro station. In 2012 the Office of the Deputy Mayor of Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) launched a request for expression of interest (RFEI) for the area.

One development team, Donatelli-Blue Skye, responded. The Donatelli-Blue Skye plan for parcels F-1 and G-1 included two mixed-use buildings with a total of 353 residential units and 25,678 square feet of retail. The project was expected to break ground in 2016 and be completed by 2018.

But the project did not break ground until spring 2018. Donatelli-Blue Skye finished the Park Kennedy (1901 C St. SE) in late 2020 and immediately began work on The Ethel (1900 C St. SE), 100 units of permanent supportive housing (PSH) which opened February 2023.

Now complete, the two mixed-use buildings have a total of 353 residential units and space for 25,678 square feet of retail. Sala Thai (1901 C St. SE, Set A), in the Park Kennedy, opened in October 2023; Duffy’s Irish Pub opened next door a few months later. In November 2023, Donatelli-Blue Skye told a public meeting that the Park Kennedy was fully leased, with a daycare expected to fill the remaining space and said they are looking for retail tenants at The Ethel.

In November 2020, DMPED issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for two “bundles” at Hill East adding up to under 497,000 square feet total. A year later, Bowser selected developers for these bundles, located between Independence Avenue and the continuance of Massachusetts Avenue, east of St. Coletta School and the new Park Kennedy Apartments.

Blue Skye Development and Donatelli Development

will develop Bundle 1, (Parcels A, B-1, B-2, F-2 and G-2).

R13 Community Partners, a consortium of eight different developers who came together for the project, has been selected to develop Bundle 2, including parcels C, E and H.

A Hotel as Anchor on Bundle 2

Former Ward 7 Councilmember Yvette Alexander presented plans on behalf of R13 Community Partners (R13) for a $564-milion Phase II project. The plan includes a 150-room hotel as a flagship, seeking to make the area a tourist destination. In addition to the hotel, plans call for 1,120 rental and co-living apartments, 60,000 square feet of retail, 126 condos and townhomes and “multigenerational” park spaces. During presentations of the proposal, the team said they had received consent from the family of Relisha Rudd to dedicate a central playground with splash park in her name.

R13 Community Partners have proposed a Marriott Hotel and a playground named for Relisha Rudd. May 20, 2021 presentaiton. https://dmped.dc.gov/Bun

R13 had hoped to break ground at the end of this year. However, Alexander said that the economy had changed since the project began in 2021. While the plan is un-changed, she said the team needs to revamp project finances. The team is also working to finalize land disposition agreements and infrastructure design with a view to breaking ground in 2025.

Evens Charles of the contracting firm Frontier Development and Hospitality Group, one of eight members of the R13 partnership, gave a tentative timeline for the project. He said it will proceed in three phases, beginning with infrastructure and two apartment buildings near RFK; 12 months later, work will begin on the central park, with a memorial to RFK and a playground named for Relisha Rudd. Condos and townhomes “will probably be about 12 months after that,” Charles said.

More Residential on Bundle 1

In 2021, the Mayor selected Donatelli-Blue Skye to build on Bundle 1, located east and northeast of the work they were doing on The Ethel. The team, styling themselves as Hill East Parcel B LLC, will build on the A, B1 and B2 parcels, just east of St. Coletta of Greater Washington (1901 Independence Ave. SE).

The project will take over a portion of the school’s parking lot but developers say they will provide parking in the underground lot of the residential building. The larger of two buildings will go up on parcel B1, a seven-story, 350-unit residential apartment with a 238-space, two-level below-grade parking garage, at Independence Avenue at 21st Street SE. 100 of those spaces are allocated for the use of St. Coletta. A linear park along the residential building will be dedicated to the life and legacy of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

On B2, they will build a seven-story, 144-unit mixeduse building with 14,000 square feet of ground floor retail fronting along Burke Street. The two buildings will share access to a below-grade parking garage, a central courtyard

and penthouse lounge in B1. Residential access is off 21st Street; a private drive will provide access to parking between the two entrances.

30 percent of residential units in both buildings will be affordable, half at 30 percent AMI and the other half at 50 percent AMI.

GTM DC designed The Park Kennedy and The Ethel and have also been tapped as the architect for the new buildings. In documents filed with the Board of Zoning, the team said “the architect’s overall approach is to create two distinct buildings that integrate signature elements for consistency and foster a pedestrian friendly experience.”

The parcels directly east of The Ethel and the Park Kennedy, F2 and G2, were also part of this RFP for Bundle 1, Plans for those two parcels were not submitted to the Zoning Commission for consideration in March. Donatelli President and CEO Chris Donatelli said the team wanted to get moving on the B1 and B2 parcels,

where planning was most advanced. Parcels A, F2 and G2 will built up at a later date, he said.

Initial presentations indicated that developers wanted to put a grocery store in the large retail space fronting Burke Street. Donatelli said that while the team was not working with a particular retailer at this stage, a grocery store is a definite possibility as the project advances. “We don’t have a target retailer,” Donatelli said, “although I think a grocer would certainly be welcome by us and I think it would be something that would be additive to the community.”

Community Feedback

Neighbors have a mixed response to the news that ground could soon be broken on a new project. Some are simply pleased that development is finally moving forward.

Gary Peterson is the former Chair of the Capitol Hill Restoration Society (CHRS) Planning and Zoning Committee, and was part of the efforts to establish the plan for the area.

“If you look at what they’ve done, I think it looks really good,” said Peterson. He said he expected that the District’s Zoning Board would approve the DonatelliBlue Skye application with little controversy.

“I’m just glad to see something being built there,” he said. “The more of that site that gets redeveloped, the less the hungry eyes of the city are going to come in and do something that will damage the plan.”

However, others were not part of the 2020 RFP process and want to know more about the project. ANCs were redistricted in 2022, and Commissioner Shirley Thompson-Wright (7F07) now represents the area to be developed in a new cross-river single member district. Both ANCs have voted unanimously to send letters to the Board of Zoning requesting a delay of the hearing. Those include both ANC 7F and ANC 7D, the latter commission representing the Hill East community across 19th Street SE, which has not yet heard from the development team.

In putting forward the letter at a Jan. 31 special call meeting of ANC 7F, Thompson-Wright said it was done to allow time for community information sessions with the developer.

“I’m not saying that I want to oppose this situation,” Thompson-Wright continued, not-ing that she had some questions. “But I would like to get more information out to communities so that we can be working hand in hand with the developer and bring justice to our community with these developments being built.”

The ANC 7F resolution calls for Donatelli-Blue Skye to do in-person engagement with communities on both sides of the river in the next month, proposing an in-person meeting within the bounds of ANC 7F. Donatelli said that the team was working with the commission to secure a date in early March. Check for updates at anc7f.com. u

View of Donatelli-Blue Skye Building 1 (B1) from Independence Avenue, looking to-wards 21st Street SE. Office of Zoning.

Map showing location of parcels to be developed. DMPED: HE PH II Disposition 15 Day Register Notice

Our River, The Anacostia Wonderful Places To Visit In Spring-Time

by Bill Matuszeski

There are many places along the Anacostia that are easy to overlook but are very special if you decide to explore them. Here I suggest five places with a wide range of experiences among them. Let’s start down-river and work our way to the top through visits to these very special places.

Pope Branch

Our first stop is along Pope Branch in southeast Anacostia. This is a stream in a deep valley that requires us to climb to the top to cross streets where the stream tunnels underneath, but that adds to the adventure of finding your way, and emphasizes that when walking along the stream it is so deep and remote that it seems impossible to be in the midst of a large city. I have never seen another walker along Pope Branch, and I have been welcomed a number of times by deer and owls who like being there and are happy to see you.

A good place to start finding your way is to park your car on M Place, SE, which is on the north side of the park, not to be confused with M Street, SE on the south side. The easiest place to find your way down to the stream is half a block upstream from Branch Avenue, which is the first intersection on M Place upstream of Minnesota Ave. The walk is short but filled with a sense of wilderness and surprises.

Watt Branch – Marvin Gaye Center

Watts Branch in northeast DC is a place that celebrates singer Marvin Gaye who grew up along the stream there. He would escape from his family and come sit by the stream to compose his music. Today the trail and playgrounds are named for him, as well as the new modernistic music, education and performance center at the top of the stream as it arrives in DC along Pennsylvania Avenue. It feels as though Marvin Gaye is still there.

In contrast to Pope Branch, Watts Branch comes across

as a very urban stream, with paved pathways and cars crossing at bridges with side-walks all along the way. It is a pleasant mix, with natural areas, adjacent fields, pleasant residential streets, apartment complexes and even small commercial areas along the way. It starts where the stream enters from Maryland, with the new Marvin Gaye Center to welcome it. It is a fun trip for all ages and families to take part in.

Then, below the 295 Freeway and commercial avenues, Watt’s Branch changes once again, this time to a natural format. It makes its way with natural cover alongside the playing fields of Kenilworth Park until it reaches and discharges into the Anacostia.

Lake Artemesia

The third special place is one you are most likely to have found already on your own; if not, you must seek out Lake Artemesia, located on the other side of the elevated railroad and Metro tracks from College Park, Maryland. It has a history of being used by early owners to raise plants and fish to sell. When the Metro was being built up this way in the 70’s, there was the need for sand, soil and rocks. So the land was excavated to produce these and the remainder turned into a park with the 30-acre lake, 2.4 miles of loop trails plus picnic spots, changing rooms and restrooms.

You can reach the lake by subway, auto or bicycle. You can walk, bike or taxi from the Metro Station on the

College Park side, following signs to the lake along streets and on paths through the woods. You can bike from Bladensburg on the Northeast Branch Trail, which ends at the south end of the Lake. If you drive, the lake is about half an hour (30 miles) from Capitol Hill.

Northwest Branch

Our fourth special place to visit is just outside the Beltway in Prince Georges County. The fall line requires the Northwest Branch of the Anacostia to tumble over rocks and fallen trees to reach the coastal plain. All streams and rivers in our area must do this, but this one is especially dramatic. Teddy Roosevelt would bring his mother by on horseback each year in springtime to observe it. It is impressive any time of the year.

The best route to get there is to take University Blvd. north from the Beltway, then go right at the first major intersection on US 29, Columbia Pike and Colesville Road. After about a half mile the road will start down a long hill and you will see at the bottom the crossing of the Northwest Branch with two historic buildings, one on each side of the road. Exit right and park in back before reaching the shopping center ramp.

The most impressive parts of the stream’s passage over

Pope Branch Park, southeast Anacostia above Pennsylvania Ave.

the fall line begin along the parking area. They continue through a series of falls and pools for the next mile or so. It is a very impressive performance by the Northwest Branch of what all our streams go through to enter the coastal plain, and it is there for you 24 hours a day. There is the ability of children to get close to the water here. Depending on age and experience, they should be watched and instructed on how to deal with wet rocks and other dangers they may not anticipate.

The Birthplace of the Anacostia

The fifth and final place to visit is a remarkable combination of nature, beauty, and human history. It is the birthplace of the River, a spring in open fields and woods working together, and the sight of human bravery and celebration. This has been identified as the farthest place from the discharge of the Anacostia River where water emerges to form a stream.

The human history of the area is remarkable and appropriate. A Quaker meeting house was built early on a half mile from the water source. They wanted to help escaped slaves with their health and new homes after escaping the south. They learned that the escaped slaves would use shallow water to cover their tracks and the trees alongside to hide; they used rivers like the Anacostia, which had both.

So Sandy Spring took its name from the farthest source of the Anacostia River that started there in a sandy spring and it supported the Quakers as they helped the escaping slaves. To get there takes some time but is a pretty attractive trip. Take the Beltway west to Route 650, New Hampshire Avenue north for about a half hour to Route 108 Sandy Spring Road, left at a stoplight. Sandy Spring is the next village and comes up rather quickly. Look for a sign on the left for the Quaker Meeting House and take that road to either the parking lot at the Meeting House or the end of the road to a place to park that does not block the gate for those with a key to enter.

I think you will be delighted with any of these trips, and I would love to know what you think. So email your reactions to me at bmatsedc@gmail.com. u

ProLogis Development Generates Concerns ANC 7D Report

by Sarah Payne

Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 7D met Feb. 13 via Zoom. Commissioners Siraaj Hasan (7D01), Wendell Felder (7D03, chair), Ebony Payne (7D05), Marc Friend (7D06), Brian Alcorn (7D08, vice chair), Ashley Schapitl (7D09), secretary) and Brianne Eby-Stockert (7D10) were in attendance. Commissioners Mike Davis (7D04) and Brett Astmann (7D07, treasurer) were absent. Single Member District 7D02 remains vacant.

Pepco’s sale of 10 decommissioned acres of land to logistics company ProLogis dominated discussion at ANC 7D’s February meeting as representatives briefed commissioners on community engagement and construction plans.

In December of 2023, Pepco sold 10 of the 67 acres of the site of the decommissioned Benning Road Power Plan to ProLogis (www. prologis.com), a company specializing in real estate relating to supply chain logistics, often manifesting as warehouses. Pepco Vice President of External Governmental Affairs and President of Pepco Region Valencia McClure and Head of Government and Community Affairs for ProLogis Steven Hussain briefed the commission on the transaction, which had surprised many commissioners and residents.

In January, the commission wrote to ProLogis and Pepco Holdings to express its concern about the sale, to “stimulate engagement and discussions” with both companies on a community-focused use of the land and to emphasize the importance of the environmental remediation of the property.

Pepco intends to keep and maintain the use of the remaining 57 acres, stated McClure. “We’re not going anywhere,” she added. “We are an active partner within the community and we look forward to be being even a more engaged community partner with this particular area.”

ProLogis intends to break ground in 2026, said Hussain, with construction continuing through 2027. He highlighted the company’s global commitment to sustainability, expressing excitement

about the environmental and economic impacts of their new facility.

“I would venture to say there is nobody who is going to build a more sustainable building and have a more sustainable operation than Prologis,” Hussein said, “We are at the forefront of this space.”

Community members are frustrated at sale of the decommissioned land to a private company, reported Chair Felder. “I’m all for sustainability as well as workforce development, however, we want to see whatever the site is transformed to benefit the community, specifically in a manner in which residents can benefit from it,” he said.

Would ProLogis would consider selling half of the land back to the District to be revitalized and developed for community use? asked Felder. The request for a partial land sale is “pretty much impossible” given its size, replied Hussain.

Commissioner Hasan echoed Felder’s concerns, noting the “lack of resources” such as grocery stores in this area of Ward 7 and highlighted the potential for the acreage to be used for public good.

Commissioner Friend raised the issue of increased truck traffic impacting nearby residential streets. ProLogis takes this type of disruption “seriously” but did not anticipate truck traffic having a negative impact on residential streets due to the location of the entry and exit points, replied Hussein.

Hasan disagreed. “Trucks come off of the highway and they tear up folks’ yards, the guardrails and more,” he said. “I will tell you I am more than concerned with this project, even more so than before.” The commission took no vote or additional action on this matter.

Other Matters

Superintendent of National Capital Parks-East, Tara Morrison, briefed the commission on the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) Legacy Restoration Fund that would provide nearly $12 million in funding for improvements to National Parks in Southeast DC. The National Park Service (NPS) will host pop ups this winter and spring to talk to neighbors about amenities and priorities as they plan to rehabilitate existing parks and facilities. Visit nps.org to learn more.

The commission voted to:

• to request the Zoning Commission to reschedule the March 11 design review hearing for Hill East Parcel B of Reservation 13 to allow commissioners to review the relief being requested by the applicant;

• Write to the Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) in support for an Anacostia River arboretum bridge and request that the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) explore a “minimally intrusive” bridge option;

• support funding the extension of the DC Streetcar project.

ANC 7D will meet next on March 12 at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom. Learn more about the commission and register to attend at 7d0761.wixsite.com/anc7d-1. u

DDOT No Show

ANC 8F Report

by Andrew Lightman

Advisory Neighborhood Commission 8F (ANC 8F) met on Nov. 28. Commissioners Nic Wilson (treasurer, 8F01), Rick Murphree (vice chair, 8F02), Brian Strege (secretary, 8F03) and Edward Daniels (chair, 8F04) and . Clayton Rosenberg (8F05) were in attendance.

The commission awaited representatives from DDOT to discuss a wide variety of issues. In particular, the commissioners were hoping to question the agency about its Traffic Operations and Parking Plan (TOPP) for Nationals and DC United Stadia. With the baseball season just weeks away, the window for substantive community comment is rapidly closing.

Commissioners expressed concerns that there would be time for any community input into the TOPP. DDOT has yet to furnish them with its 2024 plan.

DDOT representatives did not appear at the meeting.

Petalpalooza

The organizers of Petalpalooza (nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/event/ petalpalooza), scheduled for April 6, as part of the citywide Cherry Blossom Festival briefed commissioners on the plans for their event. The festival runs from 1 to 9 p.m. A fireworks show is

scheduled from 8:30 to 8:45 p.m. There will be live performances in stages at Yards and Diamond Teague parks.

Road closures and parking restrictions will begin the night before around Yards Park. No vehicles will be permitted south of Tingley Street SE. Residents will be given special placards to allow them to access their vehicles parked in underground garages.

Commissioner Murphree expressed his concerns about tra c management, given a scheduled 4 p.m. Nationals game.

The commission voted unanimously to support the event.

Other Matters

Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Lieutenant Kenneth Taylor briefed the commission on public safety. In general, crime is keeping pace with last year, he stated. Of the ve robberies in the last 30 days, two have been closed with arrests, Taylor reported. Secretary Strege expressed his concern about the incidents of juvenile vandalism plaguing Capitol Quarter. Kids are kicking garage doors and throwing bricks in the alleys, he reported. The perpetrators have been caught on homeowner’s cameras, but there have been no arrests, Taylor replied.

“It’s going to be summer soon and kids will be roaming around in groups again,” Taylor said. “If you know juveniles in your neighborhood, I would recommend getting to know them and their parents,” he advised. “It’s going to be a long summer.”

Commission voted to support the Fifth Annual CHCI run on May 19, 2024.

Representatives from Whitlow on the Water briefed the commission on their plans for the 48-person passenger boat they intend to operate on weekends at Yards Marina. They requested the commission support a stipulated liquor license for the vessel in advance of their application for permanent approval. Due to the timing of the application process and the Cherry Blossom Festival, the commission voted to support their stipulated application.

ANC 8F’ s next meeting is scheduled for March 19 at DDOT Headquarters at 250 M St. SE at 7 p.m. For more information, visit anc8f.org. ◆

ACM’s “A Century of Black Arts Education in Washington, DC, 1900-2000”

Some of the country’s most gifted artists taught and were taught in Washington’s educational institutions, from small community centers to university classrooms. From March 23 to 24, come to the Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Pl. SE, and see the artwork and hear the voices of the African American artist-educators who enriched the lives of many generations of Washington’s young people. On Saturday, March 23, 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., there is a panel on Howard University’s History and Legacy in the Arts. On Sunday, March 24, take a guided tour. www.anacostia.si.edu

“Sunset Baby” at Anacostia Playhouse

Nina is a smart and sexy hustler who has rejected everything her parents fought for in the Black liberation movement. When her estranged father Kenyatta wants to reconcile, negotiating her past and present becomes a revolutionary act. “Sunset Baby” is at the Anacostia Playhouse, 2020 Shannon Pl. SE., from April 3 to 28. Tickets are $35 to $50. www. anacostiaplayhouse.com

AWS’s Earth Day Cleanup

Started by Seafarer’s Yacht Club of DC, the Anacostia Watershed Society’s Earth Day Cleanup (this year on April 20) is the society’s largest annual volunteer event. Join thousands of volunteers around the watershed to collect trash and enjoy the Anacostia River. For participation opportunities and updates, visit www.anacostiaws.org.

Women of Faith Prayer Breakfast

On Saturday, March 23, 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., join Ward 7 and 8 faith leaders and clergy for their second annual prayer breakfast at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, 1600 Norris St. SE. Free and open to all. Register at www.tinyurl.com/2024woprayerbreakfast.

Grow Your Own Mushrooms Workshop at THEARC

On Saturday, March 16, 10 a.m. to noon, join THEARC’s sta for an interactive workshop inoculating logs with shiitake mushroom spawn. They’ll provide the logs and spawn. They’ll also discuss the life cycle of the mushrooms, how to care for your log once you bring it home and

how and when to coax out the delicious mushrooms. The workshop, $5, is held outdoors. If it rains, the workshop is under a tent. Wear clothes that can get dirty. www.bbardc.org

Soil: The Black Gold of Any Garden

The Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum’s first workshop of the growing season covers the importance of soil. Through the museum’s Growing Community program, gardeners discover how even the worst soil can be made whole again. Residents of all ages engage with the beauty of the natural world, a healthy food system and their cultural past. This workshop is on Saturday, March 23, 10 a.m. to noon, at the Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Pl. SE. www. anacostia.si.edu

Anacostia River Festival Date Announced

The 11th Street Bridge Park and the National Park Service have announced that the Tenth Annual Anacostia River Festival, a premier event of the National Cherry Blossom Festival, is scheduled for Saturday, May 4, 1 to 4 p.m. www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org

Tax Help at Anacostia, Bellevue and Capitol View Libraries

Through April 15, select DC Public Libraries are hosting income-tax-return preparation for qualified residents. The DC Library is partnering with the AARP Foundation to provide service to eight neighborhood locations. Find locations and tax help hours at www.dclibrary.org/using-the-library/taxpreparation. During regular tax assistance hours, pick up an information packet that contains the intake and interview forms as well as a list of documents

needed to prepare returns. Tax help hours are: Anacostia, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Bellevue, Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; and Capitol View, Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For questions, call 202656-0442 and leave a message, or email 20051018@aarpfoundation.org. A tax preparer will reply. www.dclibrary.org

Bikes Belong in Ward 8 Petition

Many Ward 8 residents bike for commuting, exercise or fun, but their lives are threat-

The New Thing Art and Architecture Collection, Anacostia Community Museum, Smithsonian Institution. Photo: Tom Zetterstrom

neighborhood news / bulletin board

DCHFA, Your Homeownership Resource in the District.

DC Open Doors

DC Open Doors

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

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 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 first-time homebuyer or a D.C. resident to qualify for DCOD. You must, however, 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.

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.

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

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.

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 fulltime 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 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

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.

Deanwood Library Celebrates

50 Years of Home Rule

Deanwood Library’s Dawn Fox has created a new approach to encourage public engagement by building a “civic worker” named Dean Wood. A QR code takes visitors directly to DCPL’s Home Rule page. Her display will be up during March. Deanwood Library is at 1350 49th St. NE. www.dclibrary. org/50-years-home-rule

ened by unsafe road designs and reckless driving behavior. The Ward 8 Bike Alliance is circulating a petition that is hosted by the Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA). The petition reads: “As a Ward 8 resident, I support biking in our ward. I want a future where everyone can travel safely in Ward 8, including by bike. Please work to make Ward 8 a safer place for people who bike by prioritizing trails and protected bike lanes.” This petition will be presented to city leaders and planners to demonstrate community support for safe biking in Ward 8. Find the petition at www.p2a.co/i3bqbqy.

St. Jude Rock and Roll Half-Marathon

Women’s History Month 5k

Mayor Bowser’s sixth annual FITDC HerStory 5k highlights Women’s History Month. On Saturday, March 9, the run starts at Freedom Plaza, 1455 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, with a pre-race warmup, kids dash and remarks from prominent female gures. After a scenic run down Pennsylvania Avenue, the festival ends with music, food and vendors from local women-owned businesses and womenled government agencies. Registration begins at 9 a.m.; kids’ dash at 9:30 a.m. and 5k at 10 a.m. Free registration is at www.herstory5k.com.

On Saturday, March 16, discover the District while running the St. Jude Rock ‘n’ Roll Running Series Washington DC. The eclectic running tour passes iconic monuments including the White House, US Capitol, Lincoln Memorial and more. The 5k is $75; half-marathon is $139 (fees may rise). Register at www.runrocknroll.com/washington-dc-register.

DC Fish Art Contest

Join DC’s Department of Energy & Environment in celebrating the beauty of the District’s local sh species with Wildlife For-

ever’s Fish Art Contest. The contest deadline has been extended to March 31 and is open to all District residents between the age of ve and 18. Read more and enter at www.doee.dc.gov/ service/ sh-art-contest.

Summer in the City Connects DC Youth with Opportunities

Arboretum Flowering 5k Run/Walk

On Sunday, March 24, at 9 a.m., enjoy spring at the US National Arboretum during FONA’s Flowering 5k. This run/walk will pass garden collections brightly colored with spring owers and traverse tree-lined streams winding their way to the Anacostia River. All roads are closed to cars to ensure safe running or walking through a 451-acre urban green space. Strollers and dogs are welcome but dogs must stay on a six-foot, non-retractable leash. $50 registration ends on March 21; race weekend registration is $55. Registration is free for kids to age 12. Register at www.fona.org/events_ programs.

Mayor Bowser and the O ce of Out of School Time Grants and Youth Outcomes are inviting parents and families of school-aged kids to the second annual Summer in the City, set to take place on Saturday, April 6, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Raymond Elementary School, 915 Spring Rd. NW, in Ward 4. At the event, families will be able to connect with government agencies, nonpro t organizations and community-based organizations to learn more about the summer programs available to students.

Giant Pharmacy Launches CPR Certification Program

Giant Food has announced the launch of a CPR Certi cation Program for local businesses and organizations. The on-site program, o ering two-year certifications led by Giant Food’s

Dawn Fox wants to make sure the display looks like the community the library serves every day.

USBG Funds Awarded to Covenant House Greater Washington

The United States Botanic Garden and American Public Gardens Association are awarding support to 26 public gardens and their community partners engaging in urban agriculture, food-growing and related education work. Covenant House Greater Washington, in collaboration with OurFarm DC, Run Hope Work and THEARC Farm – Building Bridges Across the River, will receive funding.

certi ed pharmacists, provides the skills necessary to respond to life-threatening cardiac emergencies. The course teaches the proper way to perform chest compressions and rescue breathing, and will cover the proper methods for adult, child and infant CPR plus AED training. Giant’s CPR Certi cation Program is available for groups of six or more individuals, starting at $69.99 per person. Contact the Giant CPR team at www.pharmacy@ giantfood.com to learn more about developing a custom certi cation program.

Friends of the SW Library Book Sale

The Friends of the SW Library are hosting a book sale on Saturday, April 20, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Sunday, 1 to 3 p.m., on the second oor of the Southwest Library, 900 Wesley Pl. SW. Most items are $1 or less with a $5 bag sale on Sunday, 2 to 3 p.m. Proceeds go to library supplies and programs not provided in the city’s budget. Payment can be made with cash, checks and Venmo. There is a car park at the rear of the building. Email friendsofswlibrary@ gmail.com if you have questions.

Residential Street Sweeping Starts

The Department of Public Works has started residential street sweeping beginning Monday, March 4, through Thursday, Oct. 31. During this time, motorists are asked to obey posted signs indicating the schedule of parking restrictions in order to ensure streets are swept thoroughly. For more information, visit www.dpw.dc.gov. ◆

east washington life

Messay Derebe’s Quest

Searching for a Creative and Inclusive Economy

by Matthew McClure

In 1996, when Messay Derebe arrived in Irving, Texas from her native Ethiopia at the age of 11, it was music that ignited a spark of creativity in her soul. “One of the best outcomes of that journey is that I got to play violin in middle school. I didn’t even know what a violin was because I barely spoke English at that point. It’s been the single most important occurrence of my life.” Only later would she realize that teasing out those first few musical notes would set her on a path to becoming the current General Director of the Anacostia Arts Center, located at 1231 Marion Barry Ave. SE, DC.

A New Life

The career of this soft-spoken, self-proclaimed introvert with a passion for art and entrepreneurship makes sense when viewed in the context of her childhood. Hailing from Addis Ababa, Derebe’s family had to carve out

a new life for themselves in the US. “It’s the typical immigrant story.” she explains. “My parents had to work minimal wage jobs to make our lives possible.” Derebe’s father was a banker and economist in Ethiopia. He ended up working at a gas station to support his family and to earn enough money to send his daughters to good schools. “My parents are the ultimate feminists. It was important to them that we get an education and had our own free path as women. I think it’s a family value.”

Derebe’s flirtation with music was brief. She laughs as she remembers her family’s re action to her new interest. “I come from pragmat ic immigrant parents who were flabbergasted that I thought I was going to be a violinist!” Despite finally surrendering her instrument and picking up Accounting and English Lit at Texas’ Southern Methodist University, she never forgot the twin powers of opportunity and access signified by her violin, and how they transformed her life.

After graduation, Derebe did a stint at Ernst & Young, but couldn’t shake a lingering sense of restlessness. “It was a really valuable experience, but the biggest takeaway from that role was

that I needed to be working in the community. I needed to be working in a place where I can say that I’m spending my days making someone’s life better. That’s when I started looking at the arts and social impact work.” Derebe’s accounting degree, she says, provided her with an entry to the art world. “Once I started working at arts organizations, I knew that was the type of work I wanted to do. I like being able to provide access to something that isn’t accessible equitably to everyone.”

The next few years saw her constantly being drawn in by the inexorable pull of the arts. She moved to the East Coast to complete a master’s degree in arts administration at Carnegie Mellon University, then took up a position at the Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation in DC, assisting with programs supporting community investment in the arts, health and education. A conversation with her partner about creating a platform for local artists to have their work rented or purchased for home or office spaces resulted in her first business venture called goARTful. “I missed being directly involved in the arts. My partner

Derebe speaking at a graduation ceremony for Wacif’s Enterprising Women of Color Center.

Photos: Courtesy Messay Derebe

works in tech and social impact, and we started talking about the idea for goARTful. He’s brilliant and super encouraging. He said ‘Let’s just do it!’”

Enabling Change through Entrepreneurship

Just like when Derebe learned to play the violin as a young girl, dipping her toes into entrepreneurship for the first time was transformative. “It’s something I never thought I could do.” she recalls. “And after I did it, it made me realize I can actually do all these other things.” Co-founding goARTful gave her first-hand experience of starting a small business as a woman of color. “After I went through that, I wanted to make that accessible to other people, and support others to go even further than we did.” It was at that precise moment, she remembers, that the Washington Area Community Investment Fund (known colloquially by its acronym Wacif) advertised a post for someone to start a center focused on enabling women of color in business. For Derebe, it was like the stars had aligned. “It was sort of a dream scenario where everything coalesced

for me. It was exactly what I cared about!”

As Wacif’s Program Director for the Enterprising Women of Color (EWoC) DMV Business Center, Derebe could put her whole skillset to work. “Access to the arts and entrepreneurship is hugely transformative. It’s a disservice to society when we don’t present that as an opportunity for everyone. I know that because I lived it. I know how different my life would have been if I didn’t encounter both of those things.” EWoC was so successful that the US Department of Commerce lured Derebe away for a year to help them disburse $125 million in grant funding to projects in underserved communities through the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA). But Wacif always felt like home, so she soon returned to assume the position of General Director at the Anacostia Arts Center in November last year after Wacif acquired it at the end of 2021. This historic business and creative hub has played a generative role in Anacostia for years by incubating entrepreneurs and contributing to equitable economic development in Anacostia, which is why Wacif’s decision to align with it made perfect sense. “The Anacostia Arts Center has so much history and so much

significance for the community. It’s such a tremendous and beautiful and heavy responsibility taking that on and honoring the role that the Center has played in the community.” It’s clear that Derebe is aware of this formidable legacy and takes her new job seriously.

Looking to the Future

The Anacostia Arts Center’s colorful front gallery exhibition space is where you might bump into Derebe sitting at one of the many café-style tables working on her laptop while greeting visitors and tenants and watching the daily life of Anacostia unfold around her. “I try to spend as much time as possible there. I get to work in a gallery and be surrounded by cool local art! Sitting there is seeing the tapestry of what the Center means to the community in microbursts,” she says. The Center’s top level is home to a myriad of Black-owned retail spaces and a theater, while its lower level contains The HIVE; a business incubator space. Derebe works with a team that includes Jeffery Herrell, Jessica Randolph and Michael Johns Jr., the Director for The HIVE, the Center’s Associate Creative Director and the Project Manager for Real Estate Strategies, respectively. Collectively, they make magic happen.

In December last year, the Anacostia Arts Center hosted an exhibition of more than 20 local artists. On the same day, the Umoja Market filled the Center’s rooms and hallways with locally made products and music, dancing and lively chatter. The energy was exhilarating, and Derebe moved from group to group engaging with the people she serves each day in the city that she loves. “Since I left Ethiopia, DC is the first place I’ve truly felt is my home. It’s a place that I feel like the longer I’m here, the more passionate I’ve become about doing everything in my power to make it better. And a lot of that has to do with the people here. How welcoming of outsiders DC is.”

Last summer, Wacif announced redevelopment plans for the Anacostia Arts Center to build on the work that it already does so well. Spend any amount of time in the community and you’ll hear excited whispers about what’s in store for the Center and Anacostia generally, as the nearby 11th Street Bridge Park Project is projected to break ground soon. Amid all this change, how does Derebe envision the future of the Center? “The vision is to create the largest and most inclusive hub for entrepreneurship. The Center is really a place for possibilities. The dream is to make it a haven for historically underserved entrepreneurs seeking comprehensive support— from training, to community to capital —to pursue their dreams, while preserving the importance of the space as a cultural and community hub. It’s a big goal, but one that’s worth spending any amount of energy on.”

For more information, go to www.wacif.org and www.anacostiaartscenter.com. u

Derebe working at the goARTful booth at Art All Night, 2018.

Meet Adriane Herbert

Distributing Food, Furniture, and Hope

by Anthony D. Diallo

Although Adriane Layvonne Herbert does not have a regular church home, she religiously follows the biblical edict of God that His intent is for hungry people to be fed and He calls His people to participate in providing the food.

Herbert works at the FurnishHopeDC non-profit as the Director of Community Outreach and Client Relations. She helps collect and distribute furniture and household goods to mostly older clients living East of the River in public housing. FurnishHopeDC was founded by Niki Mock to assist residents in Wards 7 and 8 transitioning from homelessness or escaping from domestic violence, or who simply need furniture.

Herbert has also started a non-profit, Village of H.O.P.E Inc., to provide food, toiletries, and other necessities that FurnishHopeDC (https://furnishhopedc.org/) did not supply.

“I feel like if we don’t [feed the hungry and love our neighbor], who else is going to do it? If we really love on each other, we can accomplish anything,” Herbert said while declaring her resolve to continue to make a positive difference in her community and beyond.

“I’m originally from Columbia Heights and used to volunteer and work with [the late] Councilmember Jim Graham. I’ve always been a person who helps people,” said Herbert.

Native Washingtonian

Herbert, 48, was born at Providence Hospital, the oldest child of Stanley and Judith Herbert. Her father was a career employee with Washington Gas Light who drove a backhoe while his wife was a stay-at-home housewife. Taking of Herbert and her two sisters.

The family was a fixture in the middle-class society of DC until both parents became victims of the crack epidemic of the 1980’s. They separated and her sisters went to live with other family members.

“I became the adult when it was just me and my mother,” Herbert stoically reflects. “This story is not hard to tell because it is a part of me. It has made me stronger and made me, me.”

The attractive child with a wide smile attended Takoma Educational Center (now Takoma Elementary School) through middle school and then briefly attended Calvin Coolidge High School where she dropped out in the ninth grade.

From Academy of Hope to Village of H.O.P.E Inc.

Always smart and resilient, Herbert returned to the Academy of Hope Adult Public Charter School at 421 Alabama Ave. SE and acquired her GED in 2018. The adult public charter school, which opened in 1985, educates more than 600 adults annually and offers career tracks and hands-on training in healthcare, hospitality, and information technology. All services are free to District of Columbia residents

Right: The hungry and needy know that they can count on Ms. Adriane (as she is known throughout East of the River). They calmly walk up and select a bottle of water, some milk, or fruit to eat.

Above: Ms. Herbert sets out her table and provides nutritious and healthy snacks to community residents in Wards 7 and 8 (2)

Left: Adriane Herbert poses for a photo next to her table of food.

while instruction is o ered in the day or evening and available both in-person and online.

Herbert was inspired and motivated to start Village of H.O.P.E Inc. (https://villageofhopeinc.org/) while delivering furniture to a family. One of the children in the family inquired if food was also being brought because there was no food in the house, and he was hungry.

“The word “hope” stands for] Helping Our People Evolve. There is no period after the letter ‘E’ because we are always evolving and that doesn’t end. I began to save up money and do research to nd out how to start a nonprofit. I have five children, receive TANF [the federal government’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program], and live in public housing,” said Herbert who can easily empathize with her clientele.

President George W. Bush promoted education by endorsing the No Child Left Behind Act in 2001. Herbert promotes no child being left hungry in 2024. She distinctly remembers seeking assistance for her family and being treated inhumanely. “It wasn’t [always] a nice experience and I wanted to do better.”

To that e ect, no matter how tired she may be raising three teenagers and two pre-teens, she delivers muchneeded packages of food, books, games, clothes, and toys free with a happy heart and sincerest humility.

“She is an amazing woman. I don’t know where to start. She’s got a re in her belly,” beamed Terr Nussbaumer, a semi-retired hairstylist who has been “in charge of the nancing” of Village of H.O.P.E Inc. since its inception two years ago.

What irks Nussbaumer, who has resided in a townhouse near Logan Circle “before gentri cation” is the fact that sometimes people approach her thinking she is the boss simply because she is Caucasian. “[Herbert] doesn’t even get paid. I’ve seen her [spirit] get knocked down by people promising things and not delivering. I

pray to God that this non-pro t goes national. I will stay with her forever!”

The Connection Between Hunger and Violence

Herbert and her family had to move East of the River to a neighborhood she describes as “forgotten, underserved, and under-resourced” seven years ago after her son, then only 13 years old, was stabbed at his public charter school. DCHA had to conduct a public safety transfer for the entire family—Joshua, twins J’Adore and Jaden, J’Zelle, and Jaxton—that consisted of relocating them from northwest to southeast.

The six-member family now occupies a three-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment on Elvans Road. New sites are currently under construction in the area including a luxury apartment building. However, according to Herbert, meaningful adjustments are slow to trickle down to the bene t of the community at large.

“I don’t see major changes. The police are here sometimes and that’s when the violence calms down. As soon as they leave, it starts up again. More should be done,” said the nancially strapped philanthropist who says that she has contacted the mayor’s o ce for help as well as the Ward 8 councilmember.

“Hunger and violence go hand in hand. We have to go back to the height of COVID. We got the stimulus checks, and we got double the food stamps. Everybody was eating! When COVID was called off, everything went o . I was getting $2,025 a month for my family. Now I’m getting $437.”

For now, Herbert wants to continue her mission of providing for those in need of her aid and do so in a digni ed manner. She currently serves about 200 people monthly. She would love to increase those numbers despite the challenges.

“If you’ve never been hungry, how can you tell me what hungry feels like?” she asks. ◆

The Old Man of Anacostia Battling Prostate Cancer and the Fight for More Awareness

by Philip Pannell

Lamont Mitchell, chair of the Anacostia Coordinating Council and founder of the Imani Cafe and catering company in Anacostia, recently found himself in a fight against prostate cancer. Diagnosed in April 2023 with a highly aggressive prostate cancer by a local DC urology group, Lamont’s journey has been a testament to the importance of seeking second opinions and the need for increased awareness and early detection in the African American community.

His diagnosis came after a routine Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) test revealed a concerning level of 27 (normal level is less 4), leading to further investigation including an MRI, biopsy, and a Gleason score of 9, classified as stage T3b prostate cancer.

The initial recommendation for immediate surgery to remove his prostate prompted Lamont to seek a second opinion at the world-renowned Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, where his results were reevaluated and downgraded to Gleason 7. Following a PET PMSA and bone density scan to assess the extent of the cancer. his treatment plan at Memorial Sloan Kettering included six months of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), Brachytherapy (one session at high-dose rate), and Proton Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) consisting of five sessions over 10 days.

“It’s vitally important that you seek out centers of excellence when dealing with cancer,” Mitchell advises. ”The Washington metro area has many to choose from. I chose Memorial Sloan Kettering because of a trial study evaluating a shorter course of ADT and SBRT with a Breachy-therapy boost. There is a critical need for more Black men to participate in medical research.”

Throughout the treatment, Lamont has shown remarkable resilience and determination. In response to his personal experience. He has taken a proactive approach to raise awareness about the importance of regular health screenings, particularly for African American men. He has founded an organization called “Know Your Numbers,” dedicated to encouraging African American men to get tested for major illnesses, including PSA levels, A1C (average blood sugar), blood pressure readings, and other vital health indicators. Through this initiative, Lamont aims to empower men in his community to take charge of their health and seek early detection and treatment when necessary.

“Black men in our community often wait too long to seek medical attention, particularly as it relates to reproductive health and the dreaded Digital Rectal Exam (DRE),” Mitchell says. “Many men don’t know that with modern technology the DRE isn’t necessary in most cases.”

Lamont is committed to collaborating with DC Health officials and leaders of nonprofit organizations, such as the Ana-

costia Coordinating Council and Martha’s Table, to address the health crisis facing African American men, particularly those living East of the River. His vision includes implementing community-based programs, organizing educational workshops, and advocating for increased access to healthcare services and resources for underserved populations. Lamont’s journey with prostate cancer has not only highlighted the importance of seeking second opinions and comprehensive evaluations but has also underscored the urgent need for increased awareness and proactive health measures within the African American community. His dedication to empowering men to prioritize their health and seek early detection serves as an inspiration to all, and his advocacy efforts are poised to make a meaningful impact in the fight against prostate cancer and other health disparities affecting the community.

As Lamont continues his own battle with prostate cancer, his unwavering commitment to raising awareness and driving positive change stand as a beacon of hope. Through “Know Your Numbers” and his collaborative efforts with local and national entities, Lamont is poised to make a lasting difference in the lives of many, leaving a powerful legacy of resilience, advocacy, and empowerment.

“Knowing your key health indicators is a start, but maintaining a healthy diet, controlling your weight and regularly exercising are essential for a long and healthy life,“ Lamont advises.

I will help Lamont keep the community informed of his personal medical journey and efforts to raise our community’s health consciousness. Please join me in keeping my friend and his efforts in prayer.

Contact Mitchell at knowyournumbersdc@gmail.com. The website “knowyournumbersdc.org” has a launch date of mid-March 2024.

Long-time Ward 8 community activist Philip Pannell can be contacted at philippannell@comcast.net. u

kids & family

by Kathleen Donner

Blossom Kite Festival

On Saturday, March 30, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (rain date, Sunday, March 31), join kite enthusiasts, beginners, families, and friends at the Washington Monument Grounds for activities, music, competitions, and performances. The 2024 Blossom Kite Festival will feature: Sakura Taiko Fest at Sylvan Theater, produced by Miyako Taiko, a day-long celebration of dynamic traditional Japanese drumming; Performances by Not a Saint Band Ian Carroll and Guava Jelly; Mr. Mikio Toki, a master of traditional Edo-style kites, who is traveling all the way from Japan to showcase his kites for attendees; Choreographed performances and demonstrations by Team KiteLife, Wings Over Washington Kite Club, and other nationally and internationally recognized professional kite iers; and Adult Kitemakers Competition and Youth Kitemakers Competition. nationalcherryblossomfestival.org.

Easter Eggstravaganza! at Lincoln Park

National Community Church’s Easter Eggstravaganza! at Lincoln Park, East Capitol Street between 11th and 13th, is on Saturday, March 23, noon to 3 p.m. Please pre-register at national.cc/eggstravaganza.

Tudor Place Easter Egg Hunt

On Saturday, March 23, Friday, March 29 or Saturday, March 30, join Tudor Place for Eggstravaganza!, a favorite spring tradition. Children of all ages can take part in a lively Easter egg hunt and egg roll on the South Lawn. Afterwards, make crafts and take a picture with the Easter Bunny. The egg hunt

begins at 10:30 a.m. and the egg roll begins at 10:45 a.m. This outdoor event takes place rain or shine. Please dress for the weather. Each child must bring a basket, hard-boiled egg, and spoon to participate. $18 per child; $8 for accompanying adult. Tudor Place is at 1644 31st. St. NW. tudorplace.org.

Change YOUR Game/Cambia TU Juego at American History Museum

Invention and technology can make the di erence between victory and defeat as well as expand the eld of who can participate in sports. “Change YOUR Game,” is a family-friendly, interactive exhibition on the intersection of invention, sports and

STEAM Saturdays at the National Building Museum

On the second Saturday of each month from 1 to 3 p.m., families are invited to join the National Building Museum, 401 F St. NW, for STEAM activities related to their Brick City exhibition. Each activity challenges children to think creatively and experimentally using principles of design thinking and engineering. From building with LEGO bricks to working with AI to plan a city, each child will solve problems large and small and come to a greater understanding of the built world around us. STEAM Saturdays are targeted towards children in grades second through eighth and their caregivers. STEAM Saturdays are free with museum admission. Registration is strongly encouraged. nbm.org.

technology. The exhibit showcases dynamic stories and objects related to diverse inventors, athletes, and technologies that have changed how sports are played. Visitors will be invited to identify themselves as inventive problem solvers who can become “game changers” in their daily lives. In addition to hands-on activities in the gallery’s four key sections, the adjacent Draper Spark!Lab also features themed activities. Beginning March 15, Change YOUR Game is in Jerome and the Dorothy Lemelson Hall of Invention and Innovation Gallery on the Amer-

NSO Music for Young Audiences: String Thing

Attention: kids, parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, rubber chickens... but especially kids and rubber chickens. This daring double act of classical fun is back. National Symphony Orchestra musicians—bassist Paul DeNola and violinist Heather LeDoux Green—introduce young audiences to some of the greatest music ever written. You’ll never hear a word out of them during the concert, but with instruments in hand and a trunk full of gags, this “silent” comedic tag-team presents a hilarious program of music and mayhem. String Thing is at the Kennedy Center Family Theater on Saturday, April 6, 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 7, 1:30 and 4 p.m. It is most enjoyed by ages three and up. Tickets are $20. Prior to each performance, the NSO Volunteer Council’s Musical PLAYspace gives children the opportunity to try out the instruments they’ll see played on the stage. kennedy-center.org.

ican History Museum’s first floor, west. americanhistory.si.edu.

Library on the Go-Go Book Bike Ride with Hill Family Biking

On Saturday, March 23, 10:30 to noon, all are welcome to join Hill Family Biking and the Li-

brary on the Go-Go Book Bike for a fun ride to the lovely Southwest Library. Stop by for story time inside the branch after the ride. Meet up at the Eastern Market Metro Plaza to join an approximately four-mile group bike ride down some of the most bike-able streets in the District. The ride will kick off at 10:30 a.m. and end around 11:30 a.m. at Southwest Library. Stick around after to enjoy a story time or check out a book. Free registration at dclibrary.libnet.info/event s?l=Southwest+Neighborho od+Library.

Black Kids Swim

The Black Kids Swim website celebrates and publicizes the truth that African-American children can and do excel in the sport of swimming. Black Kids Swim highlights the accomplishments of Black children in the sport of swimming and also serves as a resource for families with experienced swimmers and those with children who want to explore the sport of swimming. There are also multiple resources to help Black children learn basic water safety skills. Black Kids Swim wants to see children do more than simply survive in the water. They want them to develop valuable techniques that can benefit them physically and professionally throughout their lives. blackkidsswim.com.

Visit NMAAHC’s Website for Kids

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture has an educational website that will provide a variety of learning activities designed to share African American history using the museum’s collection. The “North Star: A Digital Journey of African American History” website is designed for the discovery and

NSO Family Concert: Music of Duke Ellington

On Sunday, March 17, at 2 p.m., in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall, take the A-Train to a special afternoon of music paying tribute to the beloved jazz composer and bandleader. Conducted by Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser, the National Symphony Orchestra performs this swinging session as part of the Kennedy Center’s season-wide Ellington 125 celebration. Most enjoyed by ages five and older. Tickets are $18 to $20. Prior to the performance, the NSO Volunteer Council’s Musical PLAYspace gives children the opportunity to try out the instruments they’ll see played on the stage. Following the performance, young audience members can ask questions and hear stories from the show’s artists and creative team. kennedy-center.org.

Peter Pan at the National

This high-flying musical has been thrilling audiences of all ages for close to 70 years and is now being brought back to life in a new adaptation by celebrated playwright Larissa FastHorse, directed by Emmy Award-winner Lonny Price and choreography by Lorin Latarro. The adventure begins when Peter Pan and his mischievous fairy sidekick, Tinker Bell, visit the bedroom of the Darling children late one night. With a sprinkle of pixie dust and a few happy thoughts, the children are taken on a magical journey they will never forget. This extraordinary musical full of excitement and adventure features iconic and timeless songs including “I’m Flying”, “I Gotta Crow”, “I Won’t Grow Up” and “Neverland.” Peter Pan is at the National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, from April 9 to 21. Tickets start at $55. broadwayatthenational.com.

“I am youth! I am joy! I am freedom! You can never defeat me!” Introducing Nolan Almeida as the beloved Peter Pan, with a first look at the extraordinary costume design by Sarafina Bush.

National Symphony Orchestra musicians bassist Paul DeNola and violinist Heather LeDoux Green. Photo: Steven Wilson

New at the Zoo: Meet Nick

Nick is a 16-year-old, 700 lb. male California sea lion and he is the largest sea lion the National Zoo has had in the last twenty years. His bark is incredibly loud and quite impressive, and visitors will love watching him bask in the sun, play with the other sea lions and just be in awe at how large he is. He also joins the ranks of being one of many rescued, non-releasable animals at the Zoo. Nick was found alone on Seal Rock in North Laguna, California with his umbilical cord still attached. He was rescued by the Paci c Marine Mammal Center and because he was so young, Nick needed to be bottle-fed and was hand-raised by humans. He found a permanent home at the Denver Zoo when he was 10 months old. Summer hours begin March 15; 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (last entry at 5 p.m.). Free zoo admission: parking is $30. nationalzoo.si.edu.

creative use of Smithsonian’s digital collections and tools by educators and students in grades six through twelve. Accessible through desktop, laptop and tablet devices, this site gives students and educators access to more than 35 digital education curricula that will share an overview of American history through the African American lens. The North Star digital journey exposes users to

themes, people and moments in history, with units such as Slavery in Colonial America, The Civil War, The Black Arts Movement and the Modern Civil Rights Movement. nmaahc.si.edu/learn/digitallearning/north-star.

engineergirl.org

The Engineer Girl website is designed to

The Denver Zoo is giving their sea lion habitat some upgrades and needed a temporary home for Nick while they complete the construction. Nick will return to Denver once those habitat upgrades are completed.

bring national attention to the exciting opportunities that engineering represents for girls and women. Why girls and women? Because despite an increase in female participation in many traditionally male-dominated professions such as medicine and law, women remain grossly under-represented in engineering. Engineering and engineers are central to the process of innovation, and innovation drives economic growth. Diversity of thought is crucial to creativity, and by leaving women out of the process of innovation, we lose a key component of diversity and stifle innovation. The website is a service of the National Academy of Engineering. engineergirl.org.

Marvel Superhero Day with Capital City Go-Go

On Sunday, March 24, at 3 p.m., DC Public Library presents Marvel Superhero Day at the Entertainment & Sports Arena, 1100 Oak Dr. SE. Students come out for a special Marvel Superhero themed game including super activities, giveaways and more. This unique experience will

Magic Mirror at the Puppet Company

Meet Toad, a young person destined for greatness in this mash-up story with many familiar fairy tales. Join The Puppet Company, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo, MD, on this journey of dragons, monsters, and spirits of the woods. Through March 24, Magic Mirror is back after its special 40th Anniversary run and Broadway World nomination in 2023. This production was the first show founders Christopher Piper and Allan Stevens worked on as the Puppet Co. Recommended for ages five and up. Runtime is about 50 minutes. Tickets are $15; free for under age two. Upcoming shows are Alice in Wonderland, April 12 to May 12; Allen Steven’s Pinocchio, May 25 to June 23; The Wizard of Oz, July 4 to Aug. 4; DinoRock Productions—Dinosaur Babies, Aug. 15 to Sept. 8. thepuppetco.org.

be fun for the whole family. Experience GoGo in a never seen way with a combination of hoops and comics at ESA. Tickets start at $15. capitalcity.gleague.nba.com.

Discovery Theater on the Mall

On April 9, 11, 12, 25 and 26, 10:15 and 11:30 a.m., the magic of earth science takes center stage in this fun, interactive Discovery Theater original. Explore the origins of our planet, sing about the water cycle, and understand our vital role to protect the ecosystem. Science and folklore about the “big blue marble” we call home kick off Earth Month, and audiences become Earth Superheroes and take home some great ideas to start right away. Shows are $8 for adults; $7 for kids; $3 for kids under two. Discovery Theater’s Ripley Center is at 1100 Jefferson Dr. SW (on the National Mall). discoverytheater.org.

Let’s Build with Duplo Blocks! at MLK Library

Kids through age twelve can come to MLK Library, 901 G St. NW, every Tuesday at 4 p.m. for an hour of playing with Duplo blocks. You can build the weekly challenge, or you can build your own creation. dclibrary.org.

Teen Graphic Novel Reading Group

On Tuesday, March 12 and Wednesday, April 10, 5 to 6:30 p.m. and Saturday, May 11, 10:30 a.m. to noon, teens are

Chicken Feeding at Oxon Hill Farm

Every day at 10 a.m., learn all about chickens and their role on an American farm. Guided by a Park Ranger, you will visit the feed barn, see the chicken coop, and even try feeding the chickens. This program is great for all ages. Children must be supervised by an adult for the entirety of the activity. Meet the ranger at the Visitor Barn. Oxon Hill Farm is at Bald Eagle Rd., Oxon Hill, MD. nps.gov/oxhi.

invited to come to the National Portrait Gallery, Eighth and G streets NW, and read a selection of graphic novels inspired by the sitters in the National Portrait Gallery’s collection. Through group discussion about autobiographies, fantasy and historical fiction, attendees will develop visual literacy and critical thinking skills. Open to teens ages 13 to 19. Free. Registration required at npg.si.edu.

Bilingual Cinderella: A Salsa Fairy Tale

What will happen to Cinderella at the ball … game? That’s the surprising question in this contemporary Latin-American Cinderella musical that weaves subtle lessons on empathy, sportsmanship, and respect into an exciting, high-stakes story. This is an Imagination Stage original that broke new ground in bilingual children’s theatre. Best for ages five and older. Tickets start at $12. Cinderella: A Salsa Fairy Tale is at Imagination Stage, 4908 Auburn Ave., Bethesda, MD, through April 5. imaginationstage.org.

Adventure Theatre Presents “Junie B. Jones: The Musical”

It is Junie B.’s first day of first grade, and a lot of things have changed for her: Junie’s friend, Lucille, does not want to be her best pal anymore and, on the bus, Junie B. makes friends with Herb, the new kid at school. Also, Junie has trouble reading the blackboard and her teacher, Mr. Scary, thinks she may need glasses. Featuring a tremendously loveable character and fun-filled songs, Junie B. Jones will capture your heart just as the books captivated

Photo: Elizabeth Dapo

an entire generation of students. Through March 30. Tickets are $25 each and can be purchased online at adventuretheatremtc.org or by calling 301-634-2270.

Earth Day Family Festival (save the date)

On Saturday, April 20, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., join the National Portrait Gallery and the American Art Museum in the Kogod Courtyard to learn how art and science can help protect the earth. Attendees of all ages can enjoy nature-themed activities and there will be face painting for children 12 and under. A scavenger hunt in the galleries features works from both museums that highlight the Earth’s natural wonders and the various ways artists help care for our planet. Free but registration encouraged. americanart.si.edu. ◆

Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana” at the KC

Contrasting monumental masterworks and new compositions, E Pluribus, Una Vox (“Out of many, one voice”) examines the in uences of the world’s abundant fortune, both on the human experience and the fractured spaces we create. Carl Or ’s timeless Carmina Burana returns to the Kennedy Center stage under the baton of Uniting Voices Chicago’s Josephine Lee. Inspired by over 200 poems and songs from the 11th through 13th centuries, the scenic cantata tells the story of humanity through all of its peaks and valleys. The Choral Arts Symphonic Chorus and Orchestra welcomes youth voices from Uniting Voices Chicago for the experience. Scenic for di erent reasons, Ted Hearne’s Partition tells the story of New Haven, Connecticut. Despite the city’s meticulously planned infrastructure and local cornerstones, New Haven remains segregated by the very roads that make up the city. Join Choral Arts as they sing the story of these collective yet con icting experiences chronicled centuries apart. Carl Or ’s “Carmina Burana” is at the Kennedy Center Concert Hall on Sunday, April 7, 5 p.m. Tickets are $16 to $69. kennedy-center.org.

XWORD

Egg on Your Face?

by Myles Mellor

Across:

1. Make amends

6. Ratify

12. Batman and Robin, e.g.

15. Native of Mogadishu

17. Summer squash

20. Viking Ships Museum city

22. Hearty brunch fare

24. Bake, as eggs

26. Chart of beats, abbr.

27. Temperate

28. Conductor, Klemperer

29. Unruffled

30. Whale show

33. More clairvoyant

36. Holbrook of “The Firm”

37. Trilogies

38. Out on the waves

40. Sundial letters

42. Indian turnovers

44. Last quarter

47. Defense grp.

48. Golf peg

49. Breakfast choice

52. Like some eggs

56. Doctors’ org.

57. Ditto

58. I.D. datum

60. Sit in on

62. Bumps from a blow

63. Short-billed rail

65. California’s San ___ Bay

66. Attache

70. Corinne Bailey ___ 2007 Grammy nominee

71. Patriots’ grp.

72. Henna and others

73. Birdie assembly

75. Actress Archer

77. Wearing foot gear

79. Prefix with -pod

80. Federal agency support org.

81. Overwhelming fear

83. Cousin of calypso

86. Fluffy fare

89. Short-order order

92. Labor org, for short

93. Got a load of

94. Nevertheless

95. Sketches again

99. Storm heading, abbr.

100. Former Cuban leader

102. Is furious

103. Tunnel-drilling need

105. Letter-shaped opening

107. Illuminations

111. Desert-like

112. Listening devices

114. Number for one

116. “Certainement!”

117. Phillipines dish from the shell

119. Eggy French dishes

124. Canine pests

125. Pilot

126. Tea breads

127. ___ price

128. Be a go-between

129. Point of ____

Down:

1. Grate expectations?

2. Have an impact on

3. Watch model

4. U.S. sea arm

5. Rock group from the 70s

6. Rhododendron kin

7. Nova Scotia national park

8. Board for TV regulations

9. “___ bin ein Berliner”

10. Stat start

11. What Mike Myers creates

12. Recommendations

13. Popcorn sweepers

14. “Hopelessly devoted to you” singer

16. Theory

18. __ much (less)

www.themecrosswords.com

19. Person who’s out of step with society

21. Cookies with a white filling

23. Common

25. Hosp. staffers

31. Multi-sport announcer Albert

32. Unqualified

34. Elevates

35. Liturgy

37. Leather shoe covering

39. Chronic nag

41. Itsy-bitsy pieces

43. Start of an apology

44. Health regulators

45. Original manufactured equipment, for short

46. Tony winner Merkel

47. Cleans up

50. “La Bohème,” e.g.

51. Mixture

52. Execute

53. Shaded

54. Mini-whirlpool

55. Calamitous

59. Proceed

61. Lean-___ (sheds)

64. Bitter tasting

66. Shipboard direction

67. Seine sights

68. Inflict upon

69. Light brown

74. Afghanistanis

76. Simplifies

77. Scatters

78. Parceled

82. Indulge one’s self

83. Japanese money

84. Metric wts.

85. Time long past

87. Neighbor of Ala.

88. Opposite of sophisticated and advanced

90. Saclike structure

91. Boxing’s Oscar ___ Hoya

95. Bucolic

96. Iago’s wife

97. Take off

98. Kind of drum

100. As an example

101. Pack ___ (quit)

102. Marvelous, in slang

104. Creature under Grimm’s bridge

106. Himalayan holy men

108. Prepare to frame, maybe

109. More refined

110. Hardly macho

113. 640 acres, abbr.

115. Donkey

118. Fortuneteller’s leaves

120. Land of opportunity

121. Brit. recording giant

122. Arctic sight

123. About a billion years