Mid City DC Magazine – June 2022

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JUNE 2022 CONTENTS

NEXT ISSUE: July 9th

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16 Juneteenth: A Family Story • Pleasant Mann

21 Election Special Coverage for the District of Columbia 2022

22 Meet the Mayoral Candidates: Three Challenge Bowser on Housing, Public Safety • Elizabeth O’Gorek

ON THE COVER:

26 Get to Know the Candidates for DC Attorney General • Sarah Payne 28 Meet the Candidates for DC Council Chair • Sarah Payne 32 The At-Large Democratic Primary Race • Elizabeth O’Gorek

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Photo: Synetic’s (wordless) A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Alex Mills as Puck sprinkling fairy dust. Photo: Johnny Shryock

36 Opinion / Reform Election Petition Requirements Now! – Signature Technicalities Should Not Be A Bar To The Ballo • Leniqua’dominique Jenkins

your neighborhood

38 Shaw Streets • Pleasant Mann 41 ANC 6E • Pleasant Mann 42 Bulletin Board • Kathleen Donner

at home 48 Changing Hands • Don Denton

out and about

50 Insatiable • Celeste McCall 52 Business Briefs • Sarah Payne

kids and family

55 ALL OF US TOGETHER SPECIAL 56 A Letter from Mayor Muriel Bowser 58 Notebook • Kathleen Donner Class of

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62 classifieds Capital Community News, Inc. Publisher of:

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EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Melissa Ashabranner • melissa.ashabranner@gmail.com MANAGING EDITOR: Andrew Lightman • andrew.hillrag@gmail.com PUBLISHER: Jean-Keith Fagon • fagon@hillrag.com Copyright © 2022 by Capital Community News. All Rights Reserved.

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

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C I T Y LIVE AT THE LIBRARY: LOC WELCOMES THURSDAY EVENING VISITORS

The Library of Congress has created a new evening visitor experience featuring extended public hours and regular live programming as part of an ongoing series, Live at the Library. The Thomas Jefferson Building and all exhibitions are open for extended hours on Thursdays from 5 to 8 p.m. Enjoy happy hour drinks and food available for purchase. The series features special conversations, music, performances, films and workshops. Get free timed-entry passes at loc. gov/visit. loc.gov/visit.

Washington Nationals pitcher Sean Doolittle. On Thursday, June 30, Washington Nationals pitcher Sean Doolittle and Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden discuss Doolittle’s love for books, his passion for reading and his role as the team’s Summer Reading Ambassador at 7 p.m. in the Coolidge Auditorium. Photo: Courtesy of the Library of Congress

DOWNTOWN DC’S MONTHLY POP-UP ARTS MARKET

The Capital Arts Collective takes over Wilson Plaza, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., on every third Thursday of the month through October.

Remaining dates are June 16, July 21, Aug. 18, Sept.

15, and Oct. 20. Locals and passersby can shop and explore a curated selection of items by the areas most talented creatives, including everything from jewelry, paintings, candles, custom designed items, home goods, and more. rrbitc.com/events/capitalarts-collective.

Photo: Courtesy of the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center

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JUNETEENTH CELEBRATIONS

On June 6, 6 p.m. (two virtual programs), Stephen Lewis, NMAAHC Curator of Music and the Performing Arts, will discuss the premier of the Juneteenth Playlist featuring the best of jazz, soul, rhythm and blues, gospel, classical and other genres. Same day and time, Juneteenth Dishes to Taste and Savor. The three-day SOMETHING IN THE WATER Music and Arts Festival 2022 is on Juneteenth weekend, June 17 to 19 on Independence Avenue. General admission, tier-three passes for all three days are still available at $399.50, plus fees. On June 19, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., celebrate the history, art, and culture of Juneteenth at NMAAHC with three community day events. Live. See more events online at nmaahc.si.edu.

Created by Jessie Bell Williams Telfair Freedom Quilt ca. 1975 cotton H x W: 73 × 87 in. (185.4 × 221 cm) Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Virginia Dwan

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NATIONAL CAPITAL BARBECUE BATTLE RETURNS h CenFEST to the Kennet LS ROCK! IR ipated return G tic K an C ly Friday A gh L on hi e B e first tim ST makes its rchestra for th LS ROCK! FE BLACK GIR ng R&B icon l Symphony O y Award-winni ith the Nationa m w m g ra tin G ra tiul bo braM ter, colla powering cele . (both days). ly 1 at 8 p.m ll-spirited, em fu Ju a d t, an ver en lie 30 ev June ’s must-see ie is a true be lines this year alto, India.Ar ad ch he -ri is et e ie lv Sh Ar ve a. y. r di jo In own for he peace, and Girl Magic. Kn love, healing, ed ad cr re in r sp he tion of Black to r community fo ds and music ry or w st du of in er ic rlw us gi m in the po .org and back fans and the nnedy-center ldwide by her performer. ke d respected wor an , er rit w a singer, song ible talent as srock.com.

BELA FLECK: MY BLUEGRASS HEART AT WOLF TRAP

Béla Fleck’s Grammy Award-winning album, My Bluegrass Heart (2021), is more than just a bluegrass homecoming. It features all new compositions and musicians from both the newgrass aces of Fleck’s generation as well as the sharpest young players today. On Saturday, July 2, 7 p.m. (gates, 5:30 p.m.), he returns to the Filene Center with mandolin master Sam Bush and the Jerry Douglas Band. Tickets are $29, up. Wolf Trap, 1551 Trap Rd., Vienna, VA. wolftrap.org.

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The National Capital Barbecue Battle returns in-person (rain or shine) on Saturday, June 25, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday, June 26, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and will benefit the USO of Metropolitan Washington-Baltimore. The two-day event along Pennsylvania and Constitution Avenues, between Third and Seventh, features delicious barbecue and grilled food samples all weekend, 30 bands performing across three stages, celebrity chefs, cookbook authors and local professional sports player appearances, microbrew and wine sampling, cooking competitions and more. Musical artists performing throughout the weekend include American Authors, Trevor Daniel, Nighthawks, Laine Hardy, Vertical Horizon, The Chuck Brown Band and Sam Grow.

Daily pass, $20; two-day pass, $30; kids under 12, free; and family four-pack (for over 12s), $60. bbqindc.com.

Emmy Award-winning actor Richard Thomas plays the role of Atticus Finch.

Photo: Julieta Cervantes

HARPER LEE’S TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

Academy Award winner Aaron Sorkin’s adaptation of Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning masterwork starring Richard Thomas is at the Kennedy Center from June 21 to July 10. Harper Lee thought To Kill a Mockingbird would fail. But not only was the novel a best-seller, it was followed up with an Oscar-winning movie starring Gregory Peck. It also won a Pulitzer Prize in 1961. Today, the book sells almost one million copies per year. $49 to $199. kennedy-center.org. PS: Mary Badham, the actress who played the original Scout in the film, plays Mrs. Henry DuBose in this touring production.

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Late Night Cabaret at the 2015 Fringe

DC JAZZFEST

The 18th edition of the DC JazzFest will take place Aug. 31 to Sept. 4, marking a permanent shift of their annual festival to the end of summer and culminating over Labor Day Weekend. With five days of concerts citywide, the 2022 DC JazzFest will be a celebration of all things jazz in more than a dozen neighborhoods including its marquis weekend at The District Wharf. DC JazzFest at The Wharf will take place Sept. 3 to 4, featuring multiple waterfront stages, as well as the DCJazzPrix international band competition at Union Stage. For the lineup go to dcjazzfest.org.

CAPITAL FRINGE FESTIVAL RETURNS

After a two years absence, the Capital Fringe Festival is returning to one of DC’s most historic neighborhoods. This year you will find Fringe performances at Georgetown Park in the heart of commercial Georgetown. From July 14 to 17 and 21 to 24, over 250 theatre artists will perform sketch comedy, stand-up, documentary theatre, musical theatre, and cabaret with themes reflecting on what is happening in our world today such as the climate crisis, our relationship with our bodies, substance abuse, motherhood, the afterlife, marijuana in gentrifying DC, Palestine, cloning, identity, the pandemic, and much more. The schedule goes live and $15 tickets are on sale starting June 21. capitalfringe.org.

The String Queens perform at the 2021 DC JazzFest.

Photo: Jati Lindsay

THE OUTWIN 2022: AMERICAN PORTRAITURE TODAY EXHIBITION

The National Portrait Gallery’s triennial Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition celebrates excellence in the art of portraiture. Every three years, artists living and working in the United States are invited by the museum to submit one of their recent portraits to a panel of experts. The selected artworks reflect the compelling and diverse approaches contemporary artists are using to tell the American story through portraiture. This year’s competition features 42 portraits that were selected by a jury from more than 2,700 open-call entries. The Outwin 2022: American Portraiture Today is on view at the National Portrait Gallery, Eighth and G Streets NE, through Feb. 26, 2023. npg.si.edu. You can vote online only in the People’s Choice Competition at portraitcompetition.si.edu/competition/how-to-vote.

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SAVOR: AN AMERICAN CRAFT BEER & FOOD EXPERIENCE

On Friday, June 24, at 7 to 10 p.m., the country’s premier craft beer and food pairing event comes to The Anthem, 901 Wharf St. SW. SAVOR marries flavor-forward, independent craft beer with small bites to create an unforgettable experience for beer lovers and foodies alike.

Meet the personalities behind 100 + small and independent US craft breweries and sample their rare and unique beers. All SAVOR tickets include: samples from more than 200 craft beers from more than 100 US craft breweries; unlimited food pairings; conversation with brewery personalities; event program with room for tasting notes; unlimited non-alcoholic beverages; commemorative tasting glass; an exclusive commemorative beer. $144. theathemdc.com.

First Prize Winner: “Anthony Cuts under the Williamsburg Bridge, Morning” by Alison Elizabeth Taylor, marquetry hybrid (wood veneers, oil paint, acrylic paint, ink jet prints, shellac, and sawdust on wood), 2020. Collection of the artist. Copyright Alison Elizabeth Taylor. Courtesy of Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery.

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SIX AT THE NATIONAL (DIVORCED, BEHEADED, DIED, DIVORCED, BEHEADED, SURVIVED)

From Tudor Queens to Pop Princesses, the six wives of Henry VIII take the mic to remix five hundred years of historical heartbreak into an exuberant celebration of 21st century girl power. This new original musical is the global sensation that everyone is losing their head over. Six is at the National Theater, 1321 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, from July 5 to 10. broadwayatthenational.com.

Brittney Mack (Anna of Cleves, center) with (l-r) Anna Uzele (Catherine Parr), Abby Mueller (Jane Seymour), Andrea Macasaet (Anne Boleyn) & Adrianna Hicks (Catherine of Aragon)

FIRES IN THE MIRROR AT THEATER J

On June 9 through July 3, Theater J brings Fires in the Mirror: Crown Heights, Brooklyn and Other Identities to the stage. The groundbreaking documentary play was conceived, written, and originally performed by Anna Deavere Smith in the wake of the violence and unrest that struck the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, in 1991. Fires in the Mirror tells the story from the multiple perspectives and wildly divergent viewpoints of those who lived through it.

In a racially polarized neighborhood simmering with tensions between the Afro-Caribbean and Chabad-Lubavitcher Jewish communities, Crown Heights erupted into riots after a Black child was killed by a car in the Chabad-Lubavitcher Rebbe’s motorcade. $35 to $70. Theater J is at 1529 16th St. NW. theaterj.org.

Photo: Ben Pease

WE THE PEOPLE BEFORE AT THE KC

From June 30 to July 2, the Kennedy Center presents a festival of events designed to explore and expand deep truths and reflections about the history and experience of this country’s Native peoples.

The three-day event will feature performances, workshops, film screenings, a cooking demonstration, discussions, and a signature multi-disciplinary stage production in the Eisenhower Theater featuring some of the greatest Indigenous performers and storytellers of our day. The highlight of the We The Peoples Before First Peoples Fund celebration at the Kennedy Center, will be a one-night-only, multi-generational, multi-genre mainstage production that takes the audience through the past, present and possible future of an Indigenous America that is grounded in spirit, land, and the principles of true democracy. All events are free but some require advance reservations. Read more and register at wethepeoplesbefore.org.

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SMITHSONIAN FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL

Since 1967, Smithsonian Folklife Festival has been collaborating with cultural practitioners, communities, and heritage professionals to spark curiosity, catalyze intercultural exchange, and create participatory experiences that nurture human connection.

Themes for this year’s Festival are United Arab Emirates (From poetry to perfume, explore past and present traditions of the region as resources for connecting communities and envisioning a sustainable future.) and Earth Optimism (Meet scientists, anthropologists, and other specialists to learn about conservation in action at the Smithsonian and in our communities.). The Smithsonian Folklife Festival is on the National Mall from June 22 to 26 and June 30 to July 4. festival.si.edu.

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SILKROAD ENSEMBLE WITH RHIANNON GIDDENS AT WOLF TRAP

The Silkroad Ensemble, founded by Yo-Yo Ma in 1998, unites audiences through cultural experiences and underrepresented voices. Silkroad’s music is contemporary and ancient, familiar and foreign, traditional and innovative, drawing on styles from around the world to create a new musical language that reflects 21st-century society. “When we create music together, we listen to our differences, connecting and creating meaning from them.” Featuring Grammy Award winner and Artistic Director Rhiannon Giddens, on Sunday, July 24, at 8 p.m., Silkroad showcases more than 15 acclaimed musicians for an evening like none other. Tickets are $32, up. Wolf Trap, 1551 Trap Rd., Vienna, VA. wolftrap.org.

DURAN DURAN AT MERRIWEATHER POST

Duran Duran is a British new wave band formed in Birmingham, England in 1978. The group was a leading band in the MTV-driven Second British Invasion of the US in the 1980s.

The group was formed by keyboardist Nick Rhodes and bassist John Taylor, with the later addition of drummer Roger Taylor; After numerous personnel changes, the band added guitarist Andy Taylor and lead singer Simon Le Bon. The band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2022.

Duran Duran with Special Guests Nile Rogers & Chic are at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland on Tuesday, Aug. 23, 7 p.m. (gates at 5:30 p.m.). $57.50 to $227.50. merriweathermusic.com.

GUIDED BY VOICES AT 9:30 CLUB

Guided by Voices (GBV) is an American indie rock band formed in 1983 in Dayton, Ohio. It has made frequent personnel changes but always maintained the presence of principal songwriter Robert Pollard. The band has had a prolific output, releasing 35 full-length albums along with many other releases, and has garnered a dedicated cult following. Guided by Voices is at the 9:30 Club, 815 V St. NW, on Saturday, June 18, doors at 8 p.m. $35. 930.com.

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SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE AT THE KEEGAN

Young Will Shakespeare has writer’s block… the deadline for his new play is fast approaching but he’s in desperate need of inspiration. That is, until he finds his muse—Viola. This beautiful young woman is Will’s greatest admirer and will stop at nothing (including breaking the law) to appear in his next play. Against a bustling background of mistaken identity, ruthless scheming, and backstage theatrics, Will’s love for Viola quickly blossoms and inspires him to write his greatest masterpiece. $60. Shakespeare in Love is at the Keegan Theatre, 1742 Church St. NW, from June 18 to July 26. keegantheatre.com.

Guided by Voices. Photo: Tony Nelson

“CULTIVATE: GROWING FOOD IN A CHANGING WORLD” AT THE (REOPENED) BOTANIC GARDEN

The United States Botanic Garden, 100 Maryland Ave. SW, at the foot of the Capitol, has just opened a new exhibit sharing the stories of agriculture—from the people that grow the food and the important cultural connections food provides to modern techniques and scientific innovations that make agriculture more sustainable and productive.

The visually beautiful United States Botanic Garden is the oldest continuously operating public garden in the United States, created in 1820. The USBG informs visitors about the importance and fundamental value and diversity of plants, as well as their aesthetic, cultural, economic, therapeutic, and ecological significance. USBG is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. usbg.gov.

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Photo: Craig Cipollini

IT’S A GAS! THE GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK

On June 26 at 2 and 6 p.m., join the Gay Men’s Chorus as they salute the music of the “Great American Songbook” paying tribute to the music of African American artists and composers from the early 20th century (Nat King Cole, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holliday, Lena Horne, Fats Waller, Eubie Blake, and many more.)

Thirteen select soloists from the Chorus will share stories as they sing from the songbook of jazz greats. Songs include “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore,” “Georgia On My Mind,” “God Bless the Child,” and “Stormy Weather.”

It’s a GAS! The Great American Songbook is at Capital One Hall, 7750 Capital One Tower Rd., Tyson, VA. Tickets start at $45. capitalonehall.com.

FOLGER’S “THE PLAYHOUSE” AT THE NATIONAL BUILDING MUSEUM

RED VELVET AT SHAKESPEARE

In London’s Theatre Royal, 1833, history is made when Ira Aldridge becomes the first Black actor to take the stage as Shakespeare’s Othello. As a bill promoting the abolition of slavery sends shockwaves through Parliament, how will London react to Aldridge’s groundbreaking performance? Director Jade King Carroll makes her STC debut with Olivier Award winner Lolita Chakrabarti’s Red Velvet, celebrating a pioneering actor who triumphed in his art despite a tempest of social injustice. Red Velvet is at Shakespeare Theatre’s Michael R. Klein Theatre from June 16 to July 17. shakespearetheatre.org.

Amari Cheatam plays Ira Aldridge. Photo: Tony Powell

The National Building Museum and the Folger Shakespeare Library are partnering this summer to present The Playhouse. July 1, through Sept. 6, visitors can step back in time with the Bard for the latest iteration of the Museum’s Summer Block Party. An exciting festival stage, developed by Jim Hunter, Department Chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance at the University of South Carolina, which comfortably fits into the Museum’s immense Great Hall, will welcome visitors as they arrive. By day it provides a venue for unique experiences related to theater—from behindthe-scenes tours to sword-fighting demonstrations and other hands-on activities. At night, Tuesdays through Sundays, July 12 to Aug. 28, The Playhouse transforms into a stage for Shakespeare’s most famous, fairy-filled comedy for Folger Theatre’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Tickets start at $20. folger.edu/theatre.

The Playhouse, the 2022 National Building Museum’s Summer Block Party installation is a partnership with the Folger Shakespeare Library. It will fill the Museum’s Great Hall. Image: Alex Erkiletian

PORTSIDE IN OLD TOWN SUMMER FESTIVAL

On Friday, June 18, 6 to 9 p.m. and Saturday, June 19, 1 to 9 p.m., kick off summer with the return of the Portside in Old Town Summer Festival at the Waterfront Park, 1A Prince St. This free festival features an array of live music, local craft beer from Port City Brewing Company and fun for the whole family on the Alexandria waterfront. New this year, the event merges with the 44th Annual Alexandria Jazz Fest on Friday evening to showcase jazz performances and readings by Alexandria poets. Saturday the festival continues with an eclectic musical lineup, local food, hands-on art and history activities and more. visitalexandria.com.

Photo: Sam Kittner

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jUnEtEeNtH: a fAmIlY sToRy

w

hen President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act last year, the nation finally had a national holiday to commemorate the end of slavery in the US. Some thought the new holiday should have been on the date of the declaration of the Emancipation Proclamation in September or its enactment in January, or the date of the passage of the 13th Amendment ending slavery. But having grown up in Oklahoma and Colorado, where Juneteenth celebrations were commonplace, I think Juneteenth was the right choice.

by Pleasant Mann 1865, his announcement that any previously enslaved people were thereafter free made that the date for commemorating emancipation. There were Juneteenth celebrations in Texas the following year.

The Mann Family Early History

My family’s time in the West starts with my greatgrandfather, the first Pleasant Mann, who was born into slavery on a plantation near Calhoun, Georgia in 1852. He was likely liberated during General Sherman’s march towards Atlanta. While there is at least one story that said the plantation owner tried to implement Sherman’s Special Field Order No. 15, mandating that every emancipated family get 40 acres of land and a mule, Pleasant did not stay there.

He made his way west, taking opportunities to work at sharecropping, until he reached Texas. In 1878, he married Octavia Porter, whose father, a White man, owned land. The census records for Grayson County, Texas show Pleasant farming next to his in-laws.

Octavia’s father eventually formally deeded the land to his children before he died.

The first big celebration of the end of slavery was actually here in Washington DC, on April 19, 1866, when the Black community celebrated the fourth anniversary of the law emancipating slaves in the District of Columbia. It started with an assembly of Black troops and civic association members in front of the White House, where President Andrew Johnson welcomed the crowd and shook hands with people approaching him. As Harper’s Weekly recorded the event, “The procession then re-formed and took up the line of march along Pennsylvania Avenue. In Pleasant and Octavia quietly farmed and raised eight passing the Capitol cheer after cheer rent the air in comchildren in Texas. According to census records, they were pliment to their legislative friends. There were probably still in Texas in 1900. By 1910, the family had moved 4,000 or 5,000 colored men in the procession, while 10,000 of the same race were interested The first Emancipation Day celebration in DC’s Franklin Square. spectators, manifesting their joy and gladness by Harper’s Weekly graphic. Library of Congress waving their hats and handkerchiefs and cheering lustily the passing procession. The celebration was closed with religious services and the delivery of addresses in Franklin Square in the presence of a vast multitude.”

Celebrations of the end of slavery in the Western United States took a different turn.

While most presume that the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia’s surrender at Appomattox in April 1865 marked the end of the Civil War, the situation in the West was more complicated. Other Confederate armies had yet to give up and there were even occasional hostilities. The Confederate army in Texas did not surrender until June. When Union General Gordon Granger took over Galveston, Texas on June 19,

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The author at the plantation in Georgia where his great-grandfather was born. Photo: Alexander Padro to Oklahoma. Family lore does not offer much detail on what prompted the move to Oklahoma, but Pleasant did it in his mid-forties. He and his family, and at least one of his in-laws, moved to the all-Black town of Grayson.

Oklahoma attracted a number of Blacks in this period, with notable Black towns such as Boley, which still has an annual Black Rodeo, and Langston, formed with the intent of creating a Black state in Oklahoma Territory, and the location of a Historically Black College. Some of this migration was encouraged when the Creek Nation was forced to break up the land it held in-common and give it out as individual parcels to tribal members. A number of Creeks divided their 160 acres into smaller lots that Blacks moving to Oklahoma could purchase. Being in the West, Juneteenth was the celebratory day for Oklahoma Blacks. Indeed, the last novel by Oklahoma-born author Ralph Ellison is entitled “Juneteenth.”

The Tulsa Massacre and Aftermath

Pleasant’s children did not stay on the farm for long. Ben, the oldest, wound up in Okmulgee and started a grocery store. The next oldest, John Douglas “J.D.” Mann moved to Tulsa and set up his own grocery on Greenwood Avenue. Not long after, my grandfather McKinley Mann and his brother Obie opened a grocery on Lansing, appropriate-

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JUNETEENTH EVENTS

at the National Museum of African American History & Culture (all programs are free and require registration.)

Mann Bros. Grocery in Tulsa with McKinley Mann (far right). Photo courtesy of the Mann Family

ly named Mann Bros., just before the Tulsa Race Massacre in 1921.

Obie Mann is credited in books like “The Burning” with leading the resistance to the attacks against the Greenwood community during the riot. After hostilities ended, Obie had to skip town for a time until it became clear that the indictment issued against him after the riot would not be carried out.

While Mann Bros. had been burned out, there were enough savings that my grandfather could rebuild it. He married my grandmother, a member of the Creek Nation, three months after the Tulsa riot. Eventually all of Greenwood was rebuilt. This was bolstered by the fact that Tulsa’s Blacks had little inclination to patronize White stores, encouraging the development of a full spectrum of Black-owned businesses. When my mother’s family came from Kentucky to visit, they were amazed at the strong Black community they found there with its own retail, doctors, dentists and even its own hospital. Still, there were some adjustments required. Greenwood had a barbeque joint with separate entrances for Whites and Blacks. My father also told me of a drive-in theater that prohibited Black patrons, even though a Black man owned the land under it.

There is also an emancipation story on my mother’s side of the family. Her great-grandfather, Green Thurman, was allowed to join the U.S. Colored Troops during the Civil War. He fought in the

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Battle of New Market Heights near Richmond in September 1864. After the war, he went back to Lawrenceburg, Kentucky and became a tobacco farmer.

When he applied for a soldier’s pension in the 20th Century, his file included an affidavit: “I knew Green Thurman. My father gave him to me.”

Obie Mann died in 1946, and after my grandfather died, Mann Bros. grocery closed in 1961. Soon after, my father moved the family to Denver. As Black Consciousness grew in the Sixties, Juneteenth became the obvious time for celebrations. As schools integrated, Negro History Week had started to diminwh as an important date on the calendar, without the prominence that Black History Month has today. One of the first big Black cultural celebrations I remember was in June 1969 at Five Points, the heart of Black Denver since the time that Madame C.J. Walker and Hattie McDaniel lived in the city.

Juneteenth has now come full circle, growing from a Western holiday to a national one. My family, with branches around the country, and the rest of the nation now have an official date to celebrate emancipation.

Happy Juneteenth!

Pleasant Mann is a 35-year resident of the Shaw neighborhood and is well-versed in its history and community development. He writes the monthly “Shaw Streets” column for MidCity DC. ◆

Tuning in to Juneteenth. (virtual) Monday, June 6 at 6 p.m. Stephen Lewis, NMAAHC Curator of Music and the Performing Arts, will discuss the premier of the Juneteenth Playlist featuring the best of jazz, soul, rhythm and blues, gospel, classical and other genres.

Juneteenth Dishes to Taste and Savor. (virtual) Monday, June 6 at 6 p.m.

NMAAHC Curator Joanne Hyppolite and Sweet Home Café Executive Chef Ramin discuss how at-home audiences can design and cook a delicious Juneteenth Day menu—inspired by longtime honored recipes reconceptualized for today’s palate.

Texas Freedom Colonies.

Saturday, June 11; noon to 1:30 p.m.

Dr. Andrea Robert, University of Texas at Austin professor, discusses her work researching, documenting, preserving, and mapping “Freedom Colonies”—areas where African Americans started intentional communities between the years 1865 and 1935. Live and streaming.

Watermelon & Red Birds—A Conversation with Nicole A. Taylor.

Monday, June 13; 7 p.m. American writer and cookbook author Nicole A. Taylor discusses her book Watermelon and Red Birds, which includes documentation of 19th century Juneteenth celebrations, and recipe updates to 21st Century tastes. Live.

One Year Later: Juneteenth for all Americans.

Wednesday, June 15; 7 p.m. Kevin Young, Andrew W. Mellon Director of NMAAHC, moderates a panel

of scholars as they discuss the historic and social complexity of Juneteenth. Live.

Juneteenth Community Day. Sunday, June 19, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Celebrate the history, art, and culture of Juneteenth at NMAAHC with three community day events. Live.

Alphonso Horne and the Gotham Kings.

Monday, June 20; 3 p.m. Grammy-nominated trumpeter Alphonso Horne and the Gotham Kings weave together the sounds of New Orleans to demonstrate the history of the trumpet and the story of jazz for an immersive jazz experience for all ages. Live.

A Soldier’s Story.

Monday, June 20; 11:30 a.m., 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. Learn how the United States Colored Troops came into being, what the Emancipation Proclamation really did, the significance of Juneteenth, and how they affect us today. Live.

Light in the Darkness: When Monuments Attack.

Tuesday, June 21; 7 p.m. The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture and The Washington National Cathedral, 3101 Wisconsin Ave. NW, host a discussion exploring the politics of memory and how questions and debates about memorials and monuments help to understand the past and present around matters of race, community, identity, and nation. Live and streaming. Registration encouraged. ◆

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Election Special Coverage for the District of Columbia 2022

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2022 Election Special

Meet the Mayoral Candidates

Three Challenge Bowser on Housing, Public Safety

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by Elizabeth O’Gorek

n the June primary, incumbent Mayor Muriel Bowser faces a trio of challengers as she seeks a third term.

Two of her challengers for the Democratic nomination are sitting DC Councilmembers, inc luding Robert C. White, Jr. and Trayon White, Sr. A third, James Butler, is a former Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner (ANC).

Mayoral Candidate and current At-Large Councilmember Robert White, Jr. Photo: Courtesy the Campaign

Meet The Candidates:

Name recognition will play a role in this election, but in repeated polling voters have said they are concerned with the issues, particularly rising crime, housing and homelessness.

Robert C. White, Jr. (robertfordc.com): At-Large Councilmember Robert White was first elected in 2016 after an unsuccessful 2014 run. A fifth-generation Washingtonian, White graduated from Archbishop Carroll High School, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, and American University Washington College of Law. Prior to becoming a councilmember, he served as Legislative Counsel to DC Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton. Currently, White is Chair of the Council Committee on Facilities and Procurement as well as the board chair of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.

As councilmember, Robert has supported returning citizens and advocated for minority-owned businesses. An occasional critic of the mayor even prior to the election, White has helped pass laws that imposed higher taxes on the wealthy, established paid parental leave and has advocated for shrinking the city’s spending on police in favor of alternatives.

Trayon White Sr. (no website) Trayon White was first elected to represent Ward 8 in 2016 when he defeated LaRuby May, to whom he lost in a special election the year before. A Southeast Washington native raised by his grandmother, he is a graduate of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. He said his fight is to get adequate resources to the places that need it the most, putting people over politics.

A former member of the DC State Board of Education, White has focused his efforts on raising awareness of violence in Ward 8. White has prioritized fighting gun violence, which disproportionately affects areas of the city such as the ward he represents. He uses social media to great advantage, posting constitu-

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ent meetings and concerns to his followers. However, it proved a disadvantage in March 2018, when White said that Jewish banking family the Rothschilds control the climate while recording a Facebook video.

White has introduced bills to help curb gentrification and co-authored legislation ending the city’s practice of suspending driver’s licenses for unpaid tickets. He recently cast the only opposition vote on a bill that would have required all councilmembers and their staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19. He said while he was fully vaccinated, he did not want to force a decision on anyone else.

James Butler (www.butler4dc.com): Former Ward 5 commissioner James Butler has a simple message: Everyone else on the ballot has had years to fix the issues they are talking about in the debate —and they haven’t. If the electorate truly wants change, he said, he’s the only candidate that can accomplish this. He launched his first mayoral bid in the 2018 Democratic primary, coming in second to Bowser with about 10 percent of the vote.

Originally from Ohio, Butler, 46, has lived in the District for about 20 years, first in Columbia Heights and most recently in Trinidad, where he was elected as Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner (ANC) 5D03 in 2016. He holds a Bachelor’s of Science from Kent State University and a law degree from Ohio State University Moritz College of Law. He currently handles civil complaints before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the DC Office of Human Rights.

Butler was disbarred in 2009, after at least 130 of his former clients contacted the DC Bar about fraud and negligence related to his former legal practice.

Butler did not dispute the committee’s findings and surrendered his license.

Butler focuses on public safety, arguing DC Police have insufficient officers and resources to deal with crime.

Incumbent Mayor Muriel Bowser (murielbowser.com) is a native Washingtonian who was raised in North Michigan Park. She graduated from Elizabeth Seton Incumbent Mayor Muriel Bowser at the Capitol Hill July 4th Parade.

Photo: Andrew Lightman High School before get-

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2022 ELECTION Special

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HOW to VOTE

he Primary Election is June 21. This is where voters affiliated with particular parties choose their candidates for office in the General Election.

The General Election takes place November 8, and will involve the candidates selected by each party and those running as independents. However, DC is largely a blue city, so the primary elections usually function as the main event.

Voters who register by May 31 are eligible to vote in their party primaries. The DC Board of Elections (DCBOE) started mailing ballots to voters May 16. You can mail those back immediately and track them online (https://votedc.ballottrax. net/voter/), but they must be postmarked by June 21 and received by June 28.

Alternatively, ballot drop boxes open May 27. Early voting is between June 10-19 from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. at any of the 40 Vote Centers. 90 Vote Centers will be open on June 21

from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

You don’t have to go to any particular voting center, either.

A full list of early and day-of voting centers is at https://www. dcboe.org/Voters/Where-to-Vote/Find-Out-Where-to-Vote If you are a registered voter, you won’t need any particular identification to vote, unless you are doing same-day voter registration. Then you’ll need to bring proof of residence. That can include a DC-issued ID (i.e., driver’s license or REAL id), a government check or paycheck, a bank statement, a current utility bill, a lease, or any official document that includes your name and current District address.

If you are incarcerated, regardless of the offense, you can vote. If you are under court supervision or residing at a halfway house after release, you can vote.

If an Absentee Ballot was mailed and you were released from incarceration before it arrived, you may vote at any Voting Center during Early Voting or at any Vote Center on Election Day. Upon your release, please contact the Board of Elections to make any updates to your mailing address.

DCBOE usually posts results for mail and early in-person shortly after polling places close on Election Day, followed by the day-of results. But nothing is official until results are certified on July 8.

Limited races: Councilmembers for Ward 1, 3, 5 and 6; Ward-based committee members of the DC Democratic State

Committee.

Citywide races: mayor, attorney general, DC Council Chair, At-Large councilmembers, US Shadow Representative, Delegate to Congress (Note: The Full Minimum Wage for Tipped Workers Amendment Act, a referendum on whether DC should get rid of the tipped wage scale, has been pushed to the November General Election).

Find out more about the June Primaries by visiting dcboe.org/ Elections/2022-Elections ◆

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Mayoral Candidate and current Ward 8 Councilmember Trayon White, Sr. at a mural dedication December, 2021. Photo: E.O’Gorek/CCN

ting a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Chatham University and a Master’s degree in Public Policy from American University.

Bowser first entered elected office in 2003 as the representative for Riggs Park ANC 4B09, and was elected Ward 4 Councilmember during a 2007 special election, winning re-election in 2008 and 2012. Bowser was appointed to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority board of governors in 2011, holding the position until 2015. She won her first term as mayor in 2014 and was re-elected in 2018.

Bowser helmed the city during the pandemic, seeking to add to the police force and opening homeless shelters not just in low-income areas but across the city, including affluent neighborhoods. In addition, a great deal of construction has taken place throughout her two terms, including multiple real estate projects and the early completion of the Frederick Douglass Bridge.

However, Bowser has had challenging moments during her eight years in office. Bowser appointee Neil Albert, the former chair of DC Housing Authority (DCHA), resigned after reports that he had authorized contracts for a design firm owned by a personal associate. Critics have pointed to accusations of misconduct amongst MPD officers, “squalid conditions” at the DC jail and DC’s troubled crime lab, which lost its accreditation last year.

Public Safety and Justice

Public safety and justice have been front and center during the campaign, as an uptick in violence and crime across the city has left many residents feeling uneasy.

“I may be the only one —and Mr. Butler, perhaps— who is willing to include policing in that comprehensive approach,” said incumbent Mayor Muriel Bowser, restating her goal to get MPD up to 4,000 officers and deriding Robert White’s plan to “streamline” police as a screen to defund officers.

Bowser touted the benefits of the cadet program, which DC has

Mayoral Candidate James Butler.

Courtesy the Campaign

2022 Election Special

funded for the last several years. The program allows the District to hire students and residents, send them to the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) and the police academy. Bowser has funded incentives to attract and retain officers, a strategy, she said, that will continue to build a stronger and larger police force in the District.

James Butler said his goal is “to be the mayor of the safest city in America.” Butler said increasing the size of the police force is key to accomplishing this. He committed to bringing between 500 and 700 “new, well-trained officers” into the DC Police corps during his first term as Mayor.

“Our police force is overburdened and doing 1.1 million hours of overtime,” Butler said. “I know that those 1.1 million hours of overtime equates to the salaries of 500 more police officers. It amounts to lower response times, it amounts to police officers working when they’re sick.”

Accusing the Mayor in particular of fear mongering, Councilmember Robert White, Jr. said he would enact recommendations made by the District Police Reform Commission in the report issued two years ago and conduct an analysis of how many police are needed in the District, rather than aspiring to any “arbitrary” number.

“I want people in our city to feel safe, but more importantly, I want people in our city to be safe,” Robert said. “That is why my comprehensive plan first focuses on streamlining police resources on public safety so that they can solve crime, so that they can patrol.”

“We deserve more than just the police,” White said, introducing a focus on violence intervention “that meets the scale of the problem.” “We can’t wait to lose more brothers and sisters in our city,” Councilmember Trayon White, Sr. echoed those concerns, saying neglecting a response crime has led to the 20-year high in crime that DC is

currently experiencing.

“I believe that police is a part of reducing crime in Washington, DC,” Trayon said. “We have neglected violent crime in this city for at least six years, with zero money going into violence prevention while this administration ran the initiative that crime was down,’ Trayon said. As a result, there is a 20-year high in crime, Trayon said. “That’s not leadership.

That’s reactionary.”

While acknowledging that police should be “part of ” incident response, Trayon emphasized the need for the expansion of after school programs and a focus on supporting kids working with both local and federal partners to mitigate and interrupt violence before it happens.

Housing

The mayoral race has involved frequent discussion of housing and homelessness.

Bowser spoke about her efforts to combat homelessness and her CARE pilot program, intended to do intense outreach to people in encampments and find them housing.

Bowser expressed frustration with DC Council’s decision to halt her pilot program, which she said aims to clear tent encampments and provide stable and secure housing to unhoused residents of the District.

Robert White said his approach to encampments would diverge significantly from the Mayor’s current strategy by taking “a strong, empathetic and studied approach.”

He argued that the “quick fix, headline stuff isn’t working,” asserting that unhoused residents often don’t seek services due to a lack of trust in government. “If our Mayor spent more time talking to people who lived there and less time talking to developers,” White said, “maybe she would understand that we need not show up with police and bulldozers.” He said the District needs to get the residents vouchers, support the organizations doing the work and get out of the way.

“I have made it a major platform of my time in office to make homelessness rare, brief and non-recurring,” Bowser said. “The truth is that we had a pilot program to make sure that we could move people out of tents and into housing, and council members voted to stop it. They voted to stop it,” Bowser said. That elicited a response from two councilmembers; DC Council voted down a bill to pause clearings last December.

Trayon White sharply criticized the CARES pilot, calling it a “failed program” and saying that there is not a one size fits all strategy to getting people housed. White said the right strategies need to be implemented with the right people.

White said the District needs to talk to homeless individuals and families about their needs. “We have all these different people that we have shuffled around in all these different programs leaving them in deep despair.”

Butler said the mayor and council members were bickering over issues that they should have solved years go. “They remind me of three blind mice,” the former commissioner said.

Butler said his plan was to go into existing housing stock and have homeless residents themselves build units out into Permanent and LongTerm Supportive Housing, with the District providing wrap-around services such as mental health and addiction support.

Bowser defended her accomplishments in providing new housing and reducing homelessness, referencing the $1 billion invested in the Housing Trust Protection Fund (HPTF) since 2015 and $500 million in this budget for affordable housing.

She pointed to studies showing family homelessness has significantly declined during her time in office.

“Most residents understand that spending money and solving problems are different things,” said Robert White. He said he would “stand up to developers” and demand workforce housing for those earning

between $50-$90,000 annually. DC needs to protect affordable housing that exists, enforcing the building code in poorly maintained units.

Finally, he called for social housing and community land trust as well as converting commercial properties to residential.

Trayon was sharply critical of the deployment of HPTF, saying it has become “a slush fund for developers,” and calling for an investigation into the way those funds were spent. “We can’t figure out where the affordable housing is, quite frankly,” Trayon said.

He said the District needs to re-consider what affordable is so truly affordable housing is available.

Trayon expressed frustration with the gentrification that has forced out thousands of black residents from the city.

“We have lost 20,000 black residents in the last 10 years,” White said. “We are being forced out and gentrification is being engineered by the government.”

Butler said if elected, he would take steps on day one to ensure that residents have long-term supportive housing. He said the key to this is not continuing to “rely heavily” on inclusionary zoning through private developers but rather to go into the city’s housing stock and provide “deeply affordable housing” to residents and rent control for newer units. He said there should be a reexamination of the formula DC uses to calculate Area Mean Income that depends on the local data rather than regional income.

Bowser refuted criticism from other candidates and touted the District’s significant investments in affordable housing.

“Unlike the entire region, we have made a strategic investment in building affordable housing,” Bowser said. “When you look at the whole region, we stand head and shoulders above them all.” u

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2022 Election Special

Get to Know the Candidates

for DC Attorney General

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ncumbent Attorney General Karl Racine (D) announced last fall that he will not seek reelection, leaving the field open for the three candidates who seek the Democratic nomination in the June 21 primary election. Former front-running candidate Kenyan McDuffie (Ward-5 D) suspended his campaign May 2, after the DC Board of Elections and Court of Appeals ruled that he did not meet the statutory requirements for the position.

The platforms of the three remaining Democratic candidates —Brian Schwalb, Bruce Spiva and Ryan Jones— share many of the same priorities for the District. But their backgrounds provide a unique perspective on many of the issues facing Washingtonians today including public safety, the criminal justice system, environmental issues and DC statehood.

Meet Brian Schwalb

Brian Schwalb (brian4dc.com) is a third-generation Washingtonian and trial lawyer. After graduating from Harvard Law School and completing a clerkship, Schwalb returned to the District to join

By Sarah Payne the Justice Department under the Clinton administration. Schwalb has worked in private practice for 30 years and has also served as the vice chairman and Partnerin-Charge of the District office of law firm Venable LLP. Schwalb said his vast experience in leadership and in representing a variety of legal cases sets him apart. He said while he did not have a long-standing dream of running for public office, he is excited about the opportunity to bring his expertise to address the inequities addressing his hometown.

“I think it is a city with big challenges, but also really big opportunities in the future,” Schwalb said of the opportunity to serve. “I looked at what I thought was the biggest challenge for everybody who loves Washington, a city that has abundant resources and amazing talent, and it’s that we don’t share the opportunities and the equity equally across our city. I feel the law is the most powerful tool we have to address inequity.”

Meet Bruce Spiva

Brian Schwalb

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Bruce Spiva (spivaforag.com) has lived in the District for over 30 years and founded and ran a public interest law firm.

After graduating from Harvard Law School, Spiva dedicated his career to practice in the areas of civil rights, consumer protection and antitrust enforcement. Spiva has tried cases and argued appeals in courtrooms in the District and all across the country, including in the Supreme Court.

Spiva has also served as an advocate for Washingtonians outside of his legal work. He has been a long-time supporter of DC state-

Bruce Spiva

hood, civil rights, housing and consumer rights.

Spiva believes that his advocacy work, leadership and legal experience and love for the District make him uniquely qualified to serve as DC’s next attorney general.

“I came here for work and really loved the city,” Spiva said of Washington. “I really love the diversity of the city, and I want to continue to work to make it better, particularly for those who haven’t enjoyed the benefits of the prosperity of the city as a whole.”

Meet Ryan Jones

Ryan Jones (ryanjonesforag.com) is a lifelong Washingtonian who grew up in Ward 4. He is a practicing attorney who has appeared in civil, criminal, family, landlord-tenant and probate court in addition to the DC Court of Appeals and the District Court for the District of Columbia.

Jones attended Southern Illinois School of Law and The George Washington University Law School for his LL.M. He founded his law firm here in the District in 2014. That practice has helped both plaintiffs and defendants, in cases including seniors, fraudulent transactions, discrimination cases, em-

2022 Election Special

Ryan Jones

ployment matters and intellectual property cases.

After seeing how Washingtonians have been victimized and exploited, he said his goal is to protect DC residents with the law.

Jones said he is running to give back to the city that has given him so much and wants to use the law to uplift people in the District.

“When 2020 hit, I wanted to use my tested skill set in order to help more people and so that’s what pushed me to run,” Jones said, referencing the onset of the pandemic. “I felt (and) I believe that we’re in crucial and critical times that need new innovative thoughts to overcome the hardships that we’re currently in to create or implement new solutions to cure age old problems.”

KEY ISSUES: Equity

Promoting equity and opportunity in the District is a top priority for all three candidates.

Schwalb said that equity is at the forefront of his platform and that ensuring equity and the availability of resources to the District’s residents, regardless of the Ward they live in, is a top priority.

“I thought about a city I love, what I’m good at and taking the law to address what I think is the biggest long-term threat for anybody who loves Washington, which is how do we address a widening gap between people who are enjoying certain opportunities and prosperity and others who are being left out,” Schwalb said.

Jones emphasized that creating equity in the law can range from education reform to child support enforcement.

“There’s an inequitable allocation of resources and opportunity and I think we start attacking that with the law, how we write the law, what’s available for people, how we’re designing our city, how we focus our resources on our residents, that’s our greatest challenge,” Jones said. “When people start trying to isolate certain issues it overlooks the greater underlying cause, and that’s the change that I bring.

I’m focusing on root causes.”

Spiva said a core component of his campaign is to help the people who have been left behind. If elected, he said he wants to bring his legal experience into helping set a level playing field for all.

“I want to use the experiences that I have had over the last 30 years to try to advance the public interest mission of the office and to help people in the city, particularly people who have been left out, left behind and lower income folks,” Spiva said.

Public Safety and Juvenile Justice

The District’s uptick in crime, specifically juvenile crime, has raised questions about best approaches for mitigating violence in the District. While all candidates agree that public safety is a top priority in the District, each candidate has a unique strategy and perspective on how to best address this issue.

Schwalb has a six-point plan to address violence in the city by addressing current crime and also community mitigation and programming. He emphasized the importance of creating safe communities and preventing violence before it happens through violence interruption and other mitigation strategies.

“If people don’t feel safe in their neighborhoods, we can’t get to the other really important hard work that government has to do in terms of bridging equity gaps, making sure that people have economic opportunities to build equity in their homes and in their businesses and get ahead in education and other things,” Schwalb said.

Juvenile justice, something the attorney general is responsible for overseeing, is a crucial component of the job. Schwalb said he will “never give up on kids” but plans to hold them accountable for their actions in addition to addressing the root causes of

crime through community programs.

“We always have to remember that kids are kids,” Schwalb said. “Their brains are developing, and therefore even when we’re holding kids accountable for making mistakes, we also have to provide resources, and make sure that we’re thinking about how we help kids rehabilitate, get on paths of hopefulness, prosperity, feeling good about what they’re doing, because we all know that kids who are hopeful and who see a future for themselves are less dangerous to themselves.”

Spiva said that addressing all of the issues, including public safety and the prosecution of juvenile offenders, will require a comprehensive approach rather than a specific focus on one component of the problem.

“All of these challenges really require an approach that uses all of our resources and involves us coordinating and cooperating amongst ourselves because no one agency or no one part of the government has the ability under its roof to solve these problems. It’s going to take a team effort, because these are complicated challenges that we face.”

Spiva said that he sees “great promise” in violence interruption programs and that he plans to expand these programs. He said addressing the root causes of this violence is the “right thing to do for kids and the right thing to do for public safety.”

Jones also advocated for a comprehensive approach to crime, but specifically advocated for increased hiring of local police officers and visible presence to deter violence before it happens.

“I think we need to be hiring local residents to be police officers so that they can stay in the city and take their police cruisers home and provide deterrence to some of the criminal elements that are occurring in our city right now,” Jones said. “We need to talk about doing a gun buyback program so that we can get guns off of our streets, and if we can collaborate more seamlessly with the Mayor’s office and have Cure the Streets work with prosecutors and police, then we’ll really get better.”

Jones said he plans to use both specific and general deterrence practices to hold youth offenders accountable while also working to give kids a second chance to “get better on the other side” of a poor decision.

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

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2022 Election Special

Meet the Candidates

for DC Council Chair

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hen they met for debate during the primary campaign for DC Council Chair, incumbent Phil Mendelson and primary challenger ANC Commissioner Erin Palmer had different views on nearly every issue from transportation to crime. While the two candidates share many of the same priorities, including creating a more equitable and accessible DC, they each have a unique strategy for how to address the key issues.

by Sarah Payne Phil Mendelson

The DC Council works to improve the quality of life of District residents’ neighborhoods by ensuring safer streets, improving education, providing oversight of the District’s government including the Mayor’s office and developing the District’s economy. Working with the Mayor and the executive branch, the Council also maintains the District’s budget. The DC Council Chair works to oversee and lead the 13 members of the Council.

Erin Palmer

Meet Phil Mendelson

Current Chairman Phil Mendelson moved to Washington, DC from Cleveland, Ohio to pursue a bachelor’s degree in political science at American University. In 1979, Mendelson was elected as an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner (ANC) for his neighborhood of McLean Gardens where he fought against threats of demolition and rent increases on behalf of its residents. Mendelson said in his fight to save McLean Gardens that he became committed to remaining active in local politics.

The current chairman has served on the DC Council since 1998, first as an at-large member and then in 2012 as DC Council Chairman after winning a

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special election following the resignation of his predecessor. Mendelson has subsequently been reelected twice.

Mendelson also serves as the chair for the Council Committee of the Whole (COW), which has specific oversight of the District budget, Council relations with the federal government, planning and zoning, DC statehood, the retirement system, the University of the District of Columbia, the DC auditor, the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs and DC Public and charter schools.

Mendelson’s top priorities include increased progress in education in the District, addressing pressing public safety concerns and addressing the affordable housing crisis.

You can learn more about Mendelson and his platform on his website, mendelsonforchairman.com.

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2022 Election Special

Meet Commissioner Erin Palmer

The current ANC representative for 4B02, ethics and accountability lawyer Erin Palmer is running on a platform of progressive change. After attending the University of Pennsylvania, Palmer relocated to the District to attend law school at American University and has lived in the District ever since.

Palmer is a Board Member of the Old Takoma Business Association and has previously served as Secretary of the Manor Park Citizens Association, a Board Member of the Kennedy Street Development Corporation, and a Board Member of the Student Education and Leadership Fund. At the forefront of Palmer’s agenda is her DC Council accountability plan, the first of its kind, which she hopes to use to strengthen the Council creating a well-functioning, modern, ethical and accountable standard of practice to best serve the community.

Though this, she hopes to: strengthen the Council as a whole, reduce over-concentration of power in the Chair position, revitalize committees and add legislative research capacity, hold the council accountable to high ethical standards and ensure inclusivity and accessibility through use of technology to make the council more accessible to residents. Palmer’s other priorities include transportation and safer streets, housing, public education as a right and public safety.

You can learn more about Palmer and his platform on her website (erinfordc.com).

KEY ISSUES: Public Safety

As the District continues to report increases in crime, public safety remains a key issue for candidates and the community. Mendelson called public safety “top of mind” and emphasized the importance of government action to help community

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members feel safe.

Mendelson’s platform emphasizes the importance of holding repeat offenders accountable and maintaining an open dialogue with city officials about resources they need to help keep communities safe.

“It’s a relatively small number, several individuals repeat and repeat and repeat,” Mendelson said. “We need to focus on those assessments.”

Mendelson said that while a set number of police officers is not crucial in his view, he is adamantly opposed to defunding the police.

Data, Palmer said, is what drives her approach to crime. She referenced a 2017 investigation into the DC police and said “we don’t have the number of police officers that would make us most safe” emphasizing a need for alternative intervention.

Public safety, community programming and investment in violence interruption are key components of the solution to crime in the District, according to Palmer. She emphasized a “balanced discussion” about violence prevention and mitigation is needed alongside policing and the criminal justice system.

For Palmer, this includes ensuring that DC residents have basic needs such as housing and education.

Funding, Palmer said, should be focused on providing for residents and on stopping violence before it happens through violence interruption programs.

Housing

Homelessness and affordable housing are also key issues for both candidates. Mendelson and Palmer disagree sharply on the DC Mayor Muriel Bowser’s (D) pilot program to clear encampments.

Mendelson favors the Mayor’s program, saying it provided for relocation and long-term housing for residents of the District in need.

While acknowledging its shortcomings, Mendelson expressed agreement with the initiative and its results call-

ing the program “the best approach” to homelessness.

“This was a pilot, so there were some mistakes that were made,” Mendelson acknowledged, “but it seemed that there were lessons learned so that the city can do a better job.”

Palmer’s platform is focused on the importance of providing adequate, safe and secure housing for all DC residents without forcibly clearing the tent encampments. Palmer expressed extreme concern about the tent encampments that she said were hastily cleared.

“The camps were evicted while people were still in them, so a human being was bulldozed,” Palmer said.

“That’s not a mistake. That is deplorable and we need to provide housing.”

Palmer said building trust with individuals experiencing homelessness is key to securing them in long term housing. She emphasized that removing encampments simply displaces the issue and does not resolve it.

“They want safe, stable and secure housing,” Palmer said. “They’re entitled to that, and tent evictions displace the problem, they do not solve it. They move people around somewhere else. Housing is the solution to homelessness.”

Education

Both candidates agree on the importance of education to the District’s communities and the vitality of continuing to improve access to education.

While Palmer said there were a handful of things that led her to challenge Mendelson in the primary election this summer, she said education and how schools and families were handled throughout the pandemic stood out to her.

Chairman Mendelson dissolved the standalone education committee during his tenure, something Palmer said she plans to reinstate if elected.

“I think that has really done a disservice,” Palmer said. “Dedication to our public schools, and the oversight necessary to balance out a mayoral control governance system really requires a dedicated committee and the institutionalized support staff that comes with that. We have seen and felt the consequences of not having that over the course of these last several years.”

Mendelson emphasized the importance of education and continuing to make improvements to the DC Public Schools and that improving outcomes in schools will in turn advance communities across the District and help to ameliorate many other challenges facing the District’s residents. Mendelson, after becoming Chairman in 2012 reinstated the independent education committee but felt there was insufficient progress. He now stands by his decision to again dissolve the independent education committee as the current committee as a whole is providing more oversight.

Palmer said that the COVID-19 pandemic exposed many of the “deep deep failures” of the DC public education system. Education as a right as well as additional funding for students classified as at-risk is also a component of her DC Council Accountability Plan.

The DC primary election will take place on June 21, 2022. Early voting will take place from June 10 to June 19. The deadline to request an absentee ballot is June 6, and absentee voting is taking place May 27 through election day. You can learn more about the primary election and voting process at (dcboe.org).

Sarah Payne is a general assignment reporter at Capital Community News.

She can be reached at sarahp@hillrag. com. u

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2022 Election Special

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The At-Large Democratic Primary Race

by Elizabeth O’Gorek

hree candidates are challenging incumbent Anita Bonds for the Democratic at-large nomination. The other Democratic at-large seat is currently occupied by Robert J. White, Jr. who is currently running for mayor but is eligible to hold his seat until 2025.

Two seats designated for the non-majority party are currently occupied by Christina Henderson (I) and Elissa Silverman (I), the latter of whom will appear on the ballot in November; because she is an independent candidate, there is no primary.

www.gorefordc.com) graduated from the University of Virginia and is finishing a master’s degree in management from University of Illinois. Currently Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) for 3/4G01 and a resident of U Street, Gore spent 23 years as a federal special agent for the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), rising to Special Agent

Lisa Gore

Meet the Candidates

Born and raised in Hillcrest, Dexter Williams (www.dexter4dc.com ) graduated from Dexter Williams

Friendship Collegiate Academy before obtaining a bachelor in health administration from Howard University and a master in public administration from the University of Baltimore. Williams worked as legislative assistant for Councilmember Robert J. White, Jr. until 2020. Since then, Williams has worked for RepresentUs, an organization that lobbies for electoral reforms like ranked-choice voting and voting by mail.

Born in Roanoke, VA, Lisa Gore (https://

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Nate Fleming

In Charge. She recently retired from government service after a stint with the Inspector General (OIG) office in the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Nate Fleming was raised in Ward 8 and obtained his Bachelors in political science from Morehouse College, a law deAnita Bonds gree from the University of California, Berkeley and finally, a master’s in public policy at Harvard. In 2013, Fleming was elected as DC’s Shadow US Representative. Currently a resident of Deanwood in Ward 7, Fleming has worked in the office of Councilmember Trayon White Sr. (D-Ward 8) since 2017 as both a Legislative and Committee Director.

The trio face incumbent Anita Bonds. A graduate of the University of California, Berkeley who was born and raised in Southeast and is now a resident of Northwest. The incumbent has been involved in District politics for more than fifty years, start-

ing behind the scenes helping Marion Barry run for school board in 1971 and then during his campaign for mayor. She later joined his administration in multiple capacities, including as his special assistant for constituent services. Bonds has been At-Large representative on DC Council since 2012, filling the vacancy created when Phil Mendelson (D) won a special election for DC Council Chairman.

Bonds has been re-elected twice since then, defeating two primary challengers in 2016. Currently Chair of the Council Committee on Housing and Executive Administration, Bonds points to legislative successes including the Vacancy Increase Amendment Act of 2020 which limits rent increases on vacant units; and Limited Equity Cooperative Task Force Act 2018, which established a task force to provide policy recommendations to improve existing and add new cooperative housing in the District.

“As an at-large council member for all eight wards, I am focused on providing reasonable and resourceful leadership on legislation and constituent services,” she said.

During the campaign, the four at-large candidates met virtually and in-person at multiple debates including one sponsored by the Hill Rag and Ward 6 Democrats at the Hill Center (921 Pennsylvania Ae. SE) May. During these encounters, the three challengers tried, and at times struggled, to differentiate themselves from one another. For her part, Bonds was often the more likely to offer opposing views. Two matters dominated much of the discussion: public safety and housing.

Crime

Public safety and a rise in crime are major issues during this year’s District election cycle and it was no different during the at-large debates. Bonds was the only candidate to say she is in favor of a proposal from Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) to increase Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) ranks to 4,000 officers, noting that she was a “big proponent of community policing” while suggesting that more officers could help improve the police department’s clearance rate in solving crimes and help the community feel safer.

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2022 Election Special

Acknowledging that societal interventions are needed, Bonds emphasized that the community wants additional police support. “I really and truly believe that we need to see more officers on the streets,” Bonds said at the Hill Center forum.

“Whether it is a forgone conclusion or not, people feel comfortable when they see an officer in their community and we just don’t have officers in our community as we once did.”

Meanwhile, former law enforcement manager Gore said she sees the importance of police in crime prevention but said there is not a “magic number of officers who will make the city safer.”.

“I think we need to give MPD what they need, but I would do that with great oversight,” she said at the Hill Center forum. Allocating resources is a difficult balance, she said, adding that DC Council needs to dig into the MPD budget to make sure the agency is effectively positioned to respond appropriately in an efficient and effective way, and to make sure resources are not being allocated where not needed.

Both Williams and Fleming opposed an increase in officers. Williams addressed the importance of identifying and addressing the root causes of crime in the District rather than adding uniformed officers to the streets. He called for equitable resource allocation across wards, especially for education, school nutrition programs, after-school programs, mental health support programs and opioid treatment.

“We have to invest in causes,” Williams said.

“I don’t think increasing the number of police officers is actually going to solve crime; it gives us a false sense of security.” Instead, he proposed the city needs to expand the Mental Health Emergency Dispatch Program to direct certain 911 mental health calls to social workers instead of going directly to MPD. “By not having the police as the sole crisis responders,” Williams added, “we will start eliminating the risk of harm to both residents and the police.”

Fleming agreed, saying a comprehensive approach is needed. He said improving outcomes for young people can help address the root causes of crime. Instead of increasing officer corps, he advocated for the implementation of year-round universal after-school programming. “[Crime] is a reflection of our young people being in crisis and we have to address that issue both in the short term by improving community and police relations,” Fleming said, adding that this could be addressed in the long term with educational and economic opportunities and expanded mental health care. Fleming said one way to do

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so is to create jobs and expand entrepreneurship, while avoiding displacement and securing affordable housing. “Making sure that our young people are engaged, I think, is at the heart of this matter,” he said.

Challenging Bonds on Housing

Incumbent At-Large Councilmember Bonds is the Chairperson on the Committee on Housing and Executive Administration. There’s no guarantee that the next at-large council member will serve in the same role, as chairs of council committees are elected by the Committee of the Whole at the start of each two-year council period. Still, given that Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) has referred to Bonds as “the Chair of Housing,” it is no surprise that housing dominated much of the discussion between candidates.

Pointing to her record, Bonds said that since accepting the assignment as chair of the housing committee DC has been recognized as a national leader on affordable housing. “Building, preserving and providing housing at a rent that residents can afford are challenging processes, but DC is slowly overcoming,” she said.

Bonds said she was working to ensure that every District resident has a safe, sanitary, and affordable place to call home, pushing for policies that expand tenants’ rights, increase opportunities for homeownership and preserve and increase of the District’s affordable housing stock.

Bonds said there has been progress made but much work still needs to be done on affordable housing in the District. In April, she created a stir when she said she had not heard of the District’s 37,000-long housing-voucher wait list.

Asked about it at the Hill Center Forum, Bonds said that she was misquoted. She said she was aware of a wait list for public housing, but noted that there is no list for the local voucher program. Of note, Bonds said the Council is researching the public housing waitlist to see which families have already been assisted. The incumbent said the government thinks it likely that many have had their needs met in the time that has elapsed since they were added; “We don’t know that,” she acknowledged, “but that’s what we’re working on.”

Gore, former council staffer Dexter Williams and former shadow representative Nate Fleming all pointed to the council’s lack of oversight of the Housing Production Trust Fund as a particular concern. Since 2015, more than $1 billion has been added to the fund, which by law is required to spend half its outlay on funding the construction of units reserved for residents earning below

30 percent of the area median income (AMI). A recent inspector general report found the fund was significantly missing that target.

During the virtual Office of Campaign Finance (OCF) debate, Gore quoted a report issued last year by the Office of Inspector General which found that contracts for affordable-housing development projects were sometimes awarded to applicants besides those recommended by the finance committee. “And we know the Housing Production Trust Fund (HPTF) has been in the news lately with the inappropriate spending of over $82 million in terms of deeply affordable housing,” Gore said. “That is where good oversight comes in.”

Responding to a question about which barriers to building housing should be removed, Williams and Fleming also pointed to HPTF. Williams said mismanagement is putting money in developer’s pockets and preventing the city from building as much affordable housing as possible. “We have policies that can address these issues, but they aren’t being implemented well,” he said at the OCF debate.

Bonds said that a problem with the HPTF is that developers have trouble getting funding to build units in the 0 to 30 AMI range. In response to another questions, she also pointed to the cost of land as a primary barrier to housing construction.

“Land prices are so exorbitant it makes it very difficult to build the housing that we need uniformly across the city,” she said.

Affordable Housing

The city is experiencing an affordable housing crisis even as housing prices rise. Fleming emphasized the need to make affordable housing a “priority” in the District and said that unconventional and creative problem solving could be the solution. “We have the least affordable housing market in the country, we have the highest rate of black displacement in the country, we have the largest achievement gap between black and white students, public safety, crime is on the rise,” Fleming said. “So we need creative leadership that can work to solve these problems.”

Williams emphasized a need for increased housing for the middle class as well as affordable units. He pointed to the potential of development around Reservation 13 to fill housing needs. “I have friends who make a high six-figure income [and] they cannot afford to live in this city,” Williams said at the Ward 6 Dems At-Large Candidate Forum.

“So I think it gives us an opportunity to build more workforce housing and, as a Councilmember, to advocate for more funding so that we can make those

strategic investments.”

Gore said the city can integrate community land trust and social housing models that center permanent affordability. But, she said, DC won’t get out of the affordable housing crisis using one type of model. While DC has built a lot of market-rate units, there’s been less investment in affordable. She said DC should look at new ways to invest, such as the Community Land Trust model used in New York.

Gore said DC could close loopholes in rent control law and to make sure to preserve affordable and multifamily units during conversions.

DC should also fund public housing repairs, rehabilitating and maintaining deteriorating units. “Public housing residents deserve to live in homes that are safe, healthy, and thriving,” Gore said.

Quick Stands

Positions on other issues were offered in short-answer questions posed at both the OCF and Hill Center forums: • All four candidates oppose District financial support for a new Washington Commanders stadium.

• Bonds favors removal of encampments, noting housing is available to residents. Williams, Fleming and Gore oppose removal.

• Bonds is also the only candidate to oppose ranked-choice voting and voting for those under 18. She is the only candidate who supports continued mayoral control of District schools.

Next

The winner of the June 21 Democratic Primary will appear on the ballot for the Democratic Party in the November 8 general election.

Learn more about the 2022 Primary Election by visiting dcboe.org/ PrimaryElection2022 ◆

A STRONGER D.C. FOR ALL. I am running for re-election because I am devoted to our community, and we need steady, dedicated, honest leadership now more than ever.

My focus is simple: providing strong, independent leadership and working to create a stronger D.C. for all of us.

I HUMBLY ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT. UN DISTRITO DE COLUMBIA MÁS FUERTE PARA TODOS Me postulo para la reelección porque estoy dedicada a nuestra comunidad, y necesitamos un liderazgo estable, dedicado y honesto ahora más que nunca.

Mi enfoque es simple: proporcionar un liderazgo fuerte e independiente y trabajar para crear un DC más fuerte para todos nosotros.

HUMILDEMENTE LES PIDO SU APOYO.

Vote Anita Bonds - #3 on the ballot

www.anitabonds2022.com

Endorsed by: DC Women in Politics • LiUNA • UNITE HERE Hospitality Workers’ Union

Paid for by Anita Bonds 2022, Don Dinan, Treasurer. A copy of our report is filed with the DC OCF, Washington, DC.

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2022 Election Special

/ opinion /

I

Reform Election Petition Requirements Now!

Signature Technicalities Should Not Be A Bar To The Ballot

n November 2021, I announced I was running as a Democrat for the At-Large DC Council seat, in Washington, DC. Six months later I was unceremoniously kicked off the ballot by an opponent who successfully challenged my petitions. This tactic is commonly employed by candidates to thin the ranks thereby increasing their electability.

Essentially, my opponent used the petition process to bar me from public office. Perhaps I am naïve, but I always thought the choice of who best to serve District citizens lay in the hands of its voters.

In DC, council candidates for AtLarge seats are required to collect 2,000 signatures from registered voters to qualify them for appearance on the ballot. I collected 2,049 signatures. A novice for citywide public office, I was unaware that this razor thin number put my candidacy in jeopardy. Opponents challenged the validity of the signatures on my petitions alleging missing dates, incomplete forms, illegible or unauthentic signatures and in some the concerns were manufactured completely out of whole cloth. A sufficient number were called in question for the DC Board of Elections to summon me for a mediation.

After a failed attempt at mediation, I subsequently appeared in court to defend my petitions. I was consumed by anxiety. I was not worried about meeting the required number of signatures. I had neighbors and supporters rooting for me.

Donations were flowing in daily. Rather,

3 6 M I D CI T Y D C N EWS . C O M

by Leniqua’dominique Jenkins I feared the judicial system was about to fail me.

I spent days securing affidavits from challenged signatories and assisting voters in updating their addresses. I came with 64 pieces of evidence.

However, as a preschool teacher and mother of two, I did not have the resources to pay an attor-

ney. Neither did the Board provide one gratis. In the end, a loaded docket and over extended Board ruled against me despite my best efforts. I was barred from the ballot giving DC voters no chance to decide on my merits as a candidate.

Had I received court-appointed legal aid, matters might have ended differently. A modernized petition system might also have permitted my petitioners to correct their voting credentials and sign their names electronically, preventing confusion.

No one gave me a blueprint on running for District office that would guided me around the perils of petitions. I still do not have one. However, I do possess grit, courage, genius and a sincere avocation to improve our city. I will do this even in the absence of an official title.

The election petition process should not be weaponized. The Board of Elections must do a better job adjudicating petitions, create an electronic alternative to paper or simply dispense with the qualification entirely.

I hope to be the last Black Woman removed from the ballot by an antiquated, cumbersome, weaponized petition qualification.

Leniqua’dominique Jenkins holds a Bachelor’s in Political Science from the University of Houston. She worked on Capitol Hill and in Africa, India and Spain. Currently, she serves as a preschool teacher at a language immersion school in Ward 7. u

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NEIGHBORHOOD

Shaw Streets

by Pleasant Mann

Open Streets covers Shaw in suds. Photo: Alexander Padro

Island Avenue to dedicate the mural “She Got We”

by Cita “Miss Chelove” Sadeli facing the crowd, and the “Together” mural on the east side of the 1300 block of Ninth Street by Maggie O’Neill, Nia Ketura Calhoun and Lisa Marie Thalhammer.

Addressing those gathered, Kristi Whitfield, director of the Department of Small and Local Business Development representing Mayor Muriel Bowser, affirmed the importance of projects like the murals to the cultural and commercial life of the District. Similar praise came from Ward 2 Councilmember Brooke Pinto and Heran Sereke-Brhan, the executive director of DC’s Commission on the Arts and Humanities. Then Sadeli, accompanied by two models that she used for “She Got We,” related how her three-story mural was developed and its importance. Finally, O’Neil, Calhoun and Thalhammer took to the podium to reflect on the effort for their five-story high mural “Together,” which was developed after the 2017 Women’s March on Washington. Thalhammer, best known in Shaw for her famous rainbow “Love” mural in Blagden Alley, capped the comments with the observation “DC has mural fever now, but 10 years ago it was just getting started.” The dignitaries then got together to cut a ribbon dedicating “She Got We.” The group

Shaw, Open City

Shaw became part of the District’s Open Streets program on Saturday, June 4, when Seventh Street NW was closed to vehicular traffic for six hours from Pennsylvania Avenue all the way up to Florida Avenue. Without traffic, Seventh Street was lined with tents and kiosks from local businesses, nonprofits, elected officials and District agencies. There was yoga in the street at the Shaw Fit Zone. The Friends of the Watha T. Daniel Library held an outdoor book sale. But perhaps the most excitement on the street was the setup in front of the Kennedy Recreation Center. There was a jumbo video screen showing live gaming, a bounce house and a foam machine dumping suds on the street, to the delight of screaming children playing in the foam.

The community also took the opportunity to formally welcome two new murals to Shaw that illustrate the contemporary empowerment of women. A ceremony led by Shaw Main Streets Executive Director Alexander Padro drew a crowd to the southwest corner of Seventh Street and Rhode

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Cita Sadeli and dignitaries cut the ribbon in front of her mural “She Got We.” Photo: Todd Clark

then moved down to the Sunoco gas station at 1317 Ninth Street to dedicate the “Together” mural with another ribbon cutting.

Shaw Main Streets Holds Open House June 25

Shaw Main Streets will hold its next Shaw Open House, a free event to highlight neighborhood businesses, on Saturday, June 25, from 1-5 p.m.

Shaw Open House will showcase the restaurants, bars, health and fitness facilities and other exceptional retail in the portion of the neighborhood north of Rhode Island Avenue. The event was presented annually or biannually in different parts of Shaw for 15 years, until it was suspended in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Attendees should expect to see a lot of free food and beverage samples, and special offers, along with drawings for prizes from dozens of participating businesses.

One major attraction this year will be the Streetmarket set up behind the Howard Theater. Curated

by Streetsense, the commercial creative collective will use its new location at the Wonder Bread Factory to set up a pop-up experience to celebrate the neighborhood, promote local product makers and businesses, along with supporting the Washington Housing Conservancy.

The Streetmarket will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Shaw Open House ends at 5:00 p.m. with a close-out party and prize drawing. For more information, visit www.shawmainstreets.org.

Shaw Businesses win Great Streets Grants

DC government and small business leaders met on May 26 for the announcement of the winners of the latest round of grants from DC’s Great Streets initiative. The program invests in new and existing

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Shaw was packed during Open Streets. Photo: Pleasant Mann

retail storefront businesses in 13 commercial corridors to create walkable and shoppable amenities for District residents. The Shaw businesses receiving grants were Pearl’s Bagels on Seventh Street and the Maxwell Park (Shaw) wine bar on Ninth Street. Since the initiation of the program in 2013, Shaw businesses have received Great Streets grants totaling approximately $2.5 million dollars.

Street from Seventh to Fourth Street. Finally, and perhaps the most important, was the provision to create a Center City Middle School by 2028, which will fill the educational void created by the closing of Shaw Middle School in 2008.

DC Budget Comes in for Shaw

Just a reminder that some of the RAMMY awards to be given out this summer by the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington will be determined by a popular vote. There are Shaw restaurants that would like your support. Nina May is up for the Best Brunch of the Year, while Cracked Eggery is nominated for Hottest Sandwich Shop. Neighborhood residents will have a hard time choosing between three Shaw restaurants, Convivial, Kinship and Unconventional Diner, to vote for in the Splendid Holidays at Home category. The award, which has only five contestants, is given to the establishment with the best packaged meals. You can submit your vote by going to www.therammys.org. Winners of the RAMMY awards will be announced on July 24.◆ ◆

After the DC Council passed the District budget for the next fiscal year, Ward 2 Councilmember Brooke Pinto pointed out the initiatives that benefited Shaw. The budget includes dedicated funding for staff at the Kennedy Recreation Center to support senior programming. It also commits one of the Mayor’s Violence Interruption Teams to Shaw. Funds are devoted to build much-needed restrooms at the Shaw Skate Park. The area of operations for the Shaw Main Streets Clean Team will be expanded to 11th Street. The budget also moves up the construction of the S Street Revitalization project, which will redevelop the sidewalks, infrastructure and treescape on S

Vote for Shaw Restaurants in RAMMY Awards

NEIGHBORHOOD

ANC 6E

by Pleasant Mann

A

dvisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 6E held its monthly meeting for May 2022 on Tuesday evening, May 3. Commission Chair Michael Eichler (6E01) called the meeting to order with Alex Lopez (6E02, secretary), Frank Wiggins (6E03, treasurer), Rachelle Nigro (6E04, vice chair), Patrick Parlej (6E05), Denise Blackson (6E06) and Kevin Rogers (6E07) in attendance.

Police Service Area (PSA) Reports

Lieut. Doinigian of the First Police District reported an armed carjacking on the 1000 block of Fifth Street, April 8. The perpetrator fired a gun at the victim, behavior that matched a pattern from previous incidents.

At the edge of 1D there was an assault at Seventh Street and Massachusetts Avenue, where a phone was taken. Evidence should help to resolve the case. The lieutenant concluded that the crime trend in 1D was stabilizing and starting to decline.

Doinigian added that demonstrations at the Supreme Court may take more of the First District’s resources. Parlej said that he was pleased to see the Mount Vernon area return to normal. He had recently participated in a productive walkthrough of the area with the police.

Lieut. Daee announced that the Third District had a new commander, James Boteler. Nigro asked if there was a shooting at the Second Northwest Co-Op, Saturday night. Daee reported that an apartment window was shot out, along with a window in a parked automobile. Nigro also noted that her area has a problem with packs of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), which are illegal to ride on District streets and cause noise and chaos. The lieutenant replied that ATV incidents can be texted to the police. He noted that the police have a no-chase rule for ATVs, but that any information gathered can be used to apprehend violators.

Alcoholic Beverage Licensing Committee (ABC)

Alexander Padro, ABC chair, noted that the Alcoholic Beverage Regulatory Agency (ABRA) was renewing licenses by class, so this year all the renewals will be for restaurants. The following restaurants were seeking support for licenses.

Chaplin’s, 1501 Ninth St. NW. A Class C Restaurant license with a sidewalk cafe, it had no violations recorded in the last two years. Motion to support renewal passed unanimously.

Zeppelin, 1514 Ninth St. NW. The committee recommended supporting renewal; motion to support passed the ANC. Communal Restaurant, 919 Fifth St. NW. The proprietor did attend the ANC meeting and spoke briefly on his request. Parlej said the restaurant was a good neighbor in Mount Vernon and he moved to support the renewal, which passed unanimously.

Stellina, 508 K St. NW. Parlej said that he had no problem with the application. Stellina’s owner noted at the ANC meeting that they had just opened that night. Parlej made a motion to support the license, which passed unanimously.

Busboys and Poets, 450 K St. NW. No violations reported. Motion to support renewal passed.

Giant, 1400 Eighth St. NW. Renewal of a Class D restaurant license for an area in a corner of the grocery, no previous violations. Motion to support the renewal passed.

AC Hotel, 601 K St. NW. Class C Hotel license for a club on the roof. Padro said there had been noise complaints associated with the club and that the proprietors had adequately addressed them before the ANC meeting. The ABC suggested protesting the license. Parlej noted that the hotel had promised to meet conditions to get the license but had not fulfilled them all yet. He suggested protesting the license renewal until the ANC could work out a settlement agreement with the club. He presented a draft letter to ABRA protesting the renewal, on the presumption that the protest would be withdrawn once a settlement agreement was completed. The commission passed a motion to protest.

Pearl’s Bagels, 1017 Seventh St. NW. No recorded violations, ABC supported renewal. Nigro made a motion, which passed, to support the license renewal.

RPM, 650 K St. NW. Its investigative history has issues but they are largely administrative. The committee recommended supporting the renewal.

Parlej made a motion to support renewal that passed.

Rumi’s Kitchen, 655 New York Ave. NW. Padro said that the renewal may be delayed because the ABRA placard contained an error. Nigro moved to support the license renewal, which passed.

Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC)

The TAC requested the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) to establish automated enforcement of pickup, dropoff (PUDO) zones on the 400 block of K Street. Parlej stated that the idea came about during a walkthrough of the area with DDOT. He had drafted a letter to DDOT requesting a pilot program to improve enforcement of PUDO zones. The commission approved the letter.

The TAC considered a notice of intent (NOI) from DDOT to establish a commercial loading zone on Fifth Street for the Mount Vernon Safeway. Currently, if the store’s loading docks are occupied, trucks line up along Fifth Street and impede traffic. A loading zone would allow them to park on the street until they could unload. Parlej said he had trouble with the proposal and that residents to whom he presented the NOI thought it would create more congestion and noise on Fifth Street. Parlej suggested either opening the Safeway loading docks earlier or putting one on Four-and-a-Half Street. His motion to oppose the NOI passed by a vote of 7-0.

Another NOI considered was to change the bus stops in the Mount Vernon area to address changes in routes. The commission decided unanimously to support the NOI. The TAC considered a third proposal to establish a bike lane along New Jersey Avenue up to Rhode Island Avenue. This portion of New Jersey Avenue has allegedly had more crashes than any other part of the ANC. The proposal called for reducing the avenue from two lanes to one lane of traffic, adding a protected bike lane. Nigro said that some commissioners in Ward 5, east of New Jersey Avenue, were concerned about the project. She had heard that it would reduce parking spaces up to 70%. A member of the Washington Area Bicyclist Association commented that the project could accommodate current traffic while being safer. Lopez, TAC chair, made a motion to support the NOI. The motion passed, five yes, one no, one abstention.

ANC 6E will hold its next meeting on Tuesday, June 7, at 6:30 p.m. Plans are to hold this meeting as a virtual conference. Visit www.anc6e.org for more information. u

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NEIGHBORHOOD

BULLETIN BOARD Photo: Courtesy Juneteenth Marathon

Juneteenth Half Marathon & 10K

The third annual Juneteenth Half Marathon & 10K runs on Saturday, June 18, from 5:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Fort Stanton Park, 1829 Erie St. SE. Runners meet at sunrise (5:30 a.m.); pre-run stretch at 6:00 a.m.; starting time 6:19 and 6:30 a.m. Post-race festivities are from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The 2022 edition of the Juneteenth Half Marathon & 10K takes runners along the Civil War defenses of Washington Trail. Truly a trail run, with dirt and elevation, it is one of DC’s hidden gems.

Free registration. Commemorative shirts available for purchase. www.juneteenthmarathon.org

JPMorgan Chase Opens Regional Headquarters

On May 9, JPMorgan Chase cut the ribbon to its renovated regional headquarters, the Bowen Building, at 875 15th St. NW, at the corner of McPherson Square. The historic building, with main lobby and interiors redesigned by Marnique Heath of STUDIOS Architecture, consolidates nearly 600 of the firm’s DC employees. The infrastructure includes smart technology, community and event space for clients, nonprofits and community groups and collaborative workspaces. www.jpmorganchase.com

Studio Theatre Announces 2022-23 Season

Studio Theatre has concluded a $20 million Open Studio capital campaign and will offer its first full season in a completely renovated building featuring new works and next-generation talent. This is Studio’s largest-ever main series subscription season, six productions that range from intimate

4 2 M I D CI T Y D C N EWS . C O M

drama to riotous comedy to theatrical spectacle to celebrated musical. The season lineup: “Heroes of the Fourth Turning,” Sept. 21 to Oct. 23; “People, Places & Things,” Nov. 9 to Dec. 11; “English,” Jan. 10 to Feb. 11; “Clyde’s,” March 8 to April 9; “Good Bones,” May 24 to June 25; “Fun Home,” June 28 to July 30. www.studiotheatre.org

DCHA Headquarters Site to Be Developed

Ares Management Corporation and MRP Realty, as part of a joint venture among Ares Management Real Estate Funds, MRP Realty, CSG Urban Partners and Taylor Adams Associates, have announced the land closing and Phase 1 construction financing of a mixed-income residential development on the site of the current home of the DC Housing Authority at 1133 North Capitol St. NE in NoMa. Construction is slated to begin immediately, with Phase 1 delivery anticipated in 2024. Phase 1 will comprise 430 multifamily units, including 86 affordable units. www.aresmgmt.com

Don’t Toss It! Fix It! A Free Event

On Saturday, June 22, 2:30 to 5:30 p.m., bring your bicycle, small broken appliances, electronics and toys or garments to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, 901 G St. NW. Network and learn how to disassemble, troubleshoot and if possible repair your item. Workspace and basic hand tools provided. New participants will be required to complete a Labs Orientation and sign a participant release form at the beginning of the clinic. www. dclibrary.libnet.info/event/6576367

Theater J’s 2022-23 Season

Theater J has announced its 2022-23 season. Here’s the lineup: Sept. 7 to 25, “Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story”; Oct. 19 to Nov. 13, “Intimate Apparel”; Jan. 11 to Feb. 5, “Two Jews Walk into a War …”; March 8 to April 2, “Gloria: A Life”; June 7 to July 2, “One Jewish Boy”; and an add-on, Dec. 7 to 18, “The Pianist of Willesden Lane.” Theater J, 1529 16th St. NW. www.theaterj.org

DCHFA, Your Homeownership Resource in the District.

DCHFA, Your Resource in in the DCHFA, Your Homeownership Resource the District.

DCHFA, YourHomeownership Homeownership Resource inDistrict. the District.

DC Open Doors DC Open Doors is your key to homeownership in the city. This program offers competitive interest rates and lower mortgage insurance costs on first trust

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This program offers competitive interest rates and District of Columbia.

DC Open Doors is your key homeownership ratesmortgage and lower insurance mortgage insurance coststrust on first trustin the lower costs on first city.

This program offers competitive interest rates and homebuyer or a D.C. resident mortgages. You are not required to be a first-time lower mortgage insurance costs on first trust , be purchasing a home in homebuyer or a D.C. resident homebuyer or a D.C. resident to qualify for the DCOD. District of Columbia., be purchasing a home in the HPAP interest free deferred You must,provides however, be resident purchasing a home loans in the for down homebuyer or a D.C. District of Columbia.

District of Columbia., be purchasing a home in the serves as a co-administrator of District of Columbia.

Home Purchase Assistance Development’s (DHCD) first-time home HPAP provides interest loans forofbuyer down serves free as a deferred co-administrator Program program. (HPAP)

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this DC Department of Housing and Community HPAP provides interest free loans for of serves as adeferred co-administrator HPAP provides interest free deferred loans for down Development’s (DHCD) first-time home buyer this DC Department of Housing and Community down payment and closing cost assistance up program.

Development’s (DHCD) first-time home to $84,000 combined.

DCHFA as buyer a coserves as serves a co-administrator of program. administrator of this DC Department Housing this DC Department of Housing andofCommunity Development’s home and Community Development’s firstyears or older(DHCD) who havefirst-time fallen(DHCD) behind onbuyer insurance program. time buyer program. andhome tax payments as a result of their reverse mortgage.

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

DC4ME Qualified District homeowners receive to years or older who have fallencan behind onup insurance DC4ME provides as mortgage with optional and tax payments a resultassistance of their reverse mortgage.

Qualified Districtassistance homeowners cangovernment receive up to down payment to D.C. DC4ME provides mortgage assistance optional years or older whoishave fallen behind onwith insurance employees.

DC4ME offered to current full-time down payment assistance to D.C. government and tax payments as a result of their reverse mortgage.

DC4ME provides mortgage assistance with employees optional District government employees, including employees.

DC4ME offered to current down payment assistance toisD.C. government Qualified District homeowners can receivefull-time up to ofDistrict District government-based instrumentalities, government employees, including employees. DC4ME is offered to current full-time employees DC4ME provides mortgage assistance with optional of District government-based instrumentalities, independent agencies, D.C. Public Charter Schools, District government employees, including employees payment assistance toD.C. D.C.Public government independent agencies, Charter Schools, ofdown District government-based instrumentalities, and organizations, provided the applicant/borrower’s employees.

DC4ME offered to Charter current full-time and organizations, provided the applicant/borrower's independent agencies, is D.C. Public Schools, employer falls under the oversight of the Council of District government employees, including employees and organizations, theoversight applicant/borrower's employer fallsprovided under the of the Council of of District government-based instrumentalities, DC4ME provides mortgage assistance with the District of Columbia. employer falls under the oversight of the Council of optional the District of Columbia. independent agencies, D.C. Public Charter Schools, the District of Columbia. down payment assistance to D.C. government

and organizations, provided the applicant/borrower's employees.

DC4ME is offered to current full-time employer falls under theemployees, oversight ofincluding the Council of Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC) District government employees the District of Columbia. ofThe District government-based instrumentalities, MCC provides an additional incentive for firstCOVID-19 COVID-19 independent agencies, D.C. Public Charter Schools,to time homebuyers to purchase a home in D.C. An DC MAP COVID-19 provides financial assistance DC MAP COVID-19 provides financial assistance to and organizations, provided the applicant/borrower's those affected the impacts ofability the COVID-19 MCC offers qualified borrowers to claim those affected by theby impacts of thethe COVID-19 employer falls under the oversight ofareceive the COVID-19 pandemic.

Qualified borrowers can pandemic.

Qualified borrowers can receive loanCouncil ofa loanofof a Federal Tax Credit of 20 percent of the mortgage the District ofmonth Columbia. up to $5,000 per to put toward their mortgage up to $5,000 per month to put toward their mortgage DC MAP COVID-19 provides financial assistance to interest paid during each calendar year. for up sixto months. forto up six those affected bymonths. the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Qualified borrowers can receive a loan of up to $5,000 per month to put toward their mortgage COVID-19 for up to six months.

DC MAP COVID-19 provides financial assistance to are Back at DCHFA Homebuyers Info Sessions those affected by the impacts of the COVID-19 Visit www.DCHFA.org Qualified borrowers can receive a loan of Visitpandemic. www.DCHFA.org Register at their bit.ly/dcopendoors uphow to $5,000 monthto to any put toward mortgage to per apply of DCHFA’s homeownership programs.

for uphow to six months. to apply to any of DCHFA’s homeownership programs.

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

815 FLORIDAhow AVENUE, NW, 20001 • 202.777.1600 • WWW.DCHFA.ORG

815 FLORIDA AVENUE, NW, WASHINGTON, DC 20001 • 202.777.1600 • WWW.DCHFA.ORG

Visit www.DCHFA.org how to apply to any of DCHFA’s homeownership programs.

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815 FLORIDA AVENUE, NW, WASHINGTON, DC 20001 • 202.777.1600 • WWW.DCHFA.ORG

NEIGHBORHOOD

Free Movies on the Pitch at Audi Field

Audi Field, home of DC United, and the Capitol Riverfront BID have partnered to host a free outdoor movie series on Thursday evenings at Audi Field, located in the Buzzard Point subarea of Capitol Riverfront.

Here’s the remaining lineup: June 30, “Sing 2”; July 28, “A Quiet Place 2”; Aug. 25, “In the Heights.” Movies will show on the stadium’s jumbotron screen. The family-friendly experience will begin at 7 p.m., with gates opening at 5:30 p.m. Audi Field will offer concessions for purchase during each movie (no outside food or alcohol permitted). Moviegoers can visit https://offer.fevo. com/movies-on-the-pitch-801efa3 to register for tickets. www.capitolriverfront.org/events

Let’s Skate DC at The Wharf

Photo: Courtesy Friends of the National Arboretum

Arboretum Summer 5K (Scenic Race through the Collections)

On Saturday, June 25, 9 a.m. to noon, enjoy the US National Arboretum in full swing during FONA’s summer 5K. Runners pass through garden collections in full bloom, over treelined rolling hills and along streams winding to the Anacostia River. Road closures provide safe running through 450-acres of urban green space. $55, adults; age 12 and under, free. Strollers and dogs are welcome, but dogs must stay on a five-foot nonretractable leash. www.fona.org

New this summer is an old-school favorite at The Wharf Roller Rink ‒ a free outdoor roller-skating rink on Transit Pier.

During the second weekends of June, July and August, skate outdoors for free, vibe out to music and watch skate performances by professionals. The Wharf Roller Rink will operate on Saturday, June 11, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and on Sunday, June 12, from 3 to 7 p.m. Free admission for all ages and no pre-registration required. Skate rentals are $10, for children only (size 12 junior-6). Adults must bring their own skates. The Wharf Roller Rink will also be open on July 9 and 10 and Aug. 13 and 14. www.wharfdc.com

Friday Night Concerts at Yards Park

Friday nights, through July 29, Yards Park offers music, food and beverages for adults and kids alike.

Music starts at 7 p.m. Here’s the lineup: June 10, La Unica (Irish Latin Rock); June 17, The JoGo Project ( Jazz/Go-Go); June 24, Pebble to Pearl (Pop/ RnB); July 1, The 19th Street Band (Folk); July 8, The Jarreau Williams Xperience (RnB); July 15, So Fetch 2000s Tribute Band; July 22, Broad Sound Pop/Rock/RnB; July 29, Uncle Jesse (Rock). www. capitolriverfront.or

4 4 M I D CI T Y D C N EWS . C O M

SOMETHING IN THE WATER Music and Arts Festival 2022

“Drumfolk,” inspired by the Stono Rebellion of 1739 in South Carolina.

State laws mandated that enslaved Africans could not assemble or play their drums, used to signal the uprising, but they could not stop the beat. The immersive production will be the first of three as part of a multi-year collaborative partnership between Step Afrika! and Arena Stage. $76 to $95. “Drumfolk” is at Arena Stage through June 26. www.arenastage.org

Public Ice Skating Resumes at Fort Dupont Ice Arena

Public indoor ice-skating sessions resume at Fort Dupont Ice Arena, 3779 Ely Pl. SE, on Friday, July 8. Adult admission is $5; kids, $4. Skate rental is $3. Check the session schedule at www.fdia.org/calendar.

Photo: Courtesy Washington Area Bicyclist Association

The three-day SOMETHING IN THE WATER Music and Arts Festival 2022 is on Juneteenth weekend, June 17 to 19, on Independence Avenue. At press time, general admission, tier-three passes for all three days are still available at $399.50, plus fees. The pass includes access to the main lineup, activities, food and drink vendors and all general-admission areas of the festival. See the lineup and buy passes at www.somethinginthewater.com/home#home-lineup-content.

(Night) Market SW

Market SW, at Fourth and M streets SW, is open alternate Fridays, 4 to 10 p.m. Remaining dates are June 24, July 8 and 22, Aug. 5 and 19, and Sept.

2, 16 and 30. This market is a mix of local and creative businesses, food trucks, live music, a fully stocked beer garden, colorful lights and familyfriendly activities. www.diversemarkets.net

“Drumfolk” by Step Afrika! at Arena Stage

Electrifying percussive dance fused with contemporary art fuels StepAfrika!’s latest production,

The Sweet Ride (through Arlington and Alexandria)

On Saturday, June 18, 8:30 through 11:30 a.m., Washington Area Bicyclist Association launches summer with a bicycle ride through Arlington and Alexandria. Choose from 5-, 15-, 30-, or 50-mile routes through Northern Virginia on a combination of bike lanes, quiet neighborhood streets and trails. Enjoy snacks, lemonade, water; WABA staff and volunteers offer support at pit stops. Registration fees support WABA’s work in the DC region and its mission of empowering people to ride bikes, build connections and transform places. www.waba.org

DC Outdoor Pools Open for Season

DC outdoor pools are operating on a weekend-only schedule through Sunday, June 26. Starting Monday, June 27, all outdoor pools will operate on individual summer schedules, six days a week. Public pools are free for DC residents.

Have photo ID. www.dpr.dc.gov/ page/outdoor-pools

Meet George Washington on July 4

On July 4, celebrate our nation’s independence at the home of the father of our country. During this patriotic day you can meet George Washington, watch made-fordaytime fireworks, observe a citizenship ceremony, listen to 18thcentury music in the upper garden, watch and learn about flying hotair balloons in the 18th century and watch a musical performance by the National Concert Band.

All activities are included in the admission price. Adults 12+, $28; kids 6-11, $15; kids 0-5, free. www. mountvernon.org

1 4T H ST R E E T • S H AW • LO G A N C I R C L E • L E D R O I T PA R K • D U P O N T C I R C L E MT. VERNON SQUARE • BLOOMINGDALE • BRENTWOOD • NOMA • TRUXTON CIRCLE

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NEIGHBORHOOD

Photo: Nan Raphael

fied Business Enterprises (CBE-Eligible) firms and DC residents. Train Green courses range from introductory to advanced, addressing but not limited to energy efficiency, renewables and HVAC. Potential participants must complete a registration form at www.dcseu.com/traingreen-register.

Art Bank Program Workshop

The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (CAH) requests applications from qualified artists and District nonprofit art galleries or organizations for its FY 2023 Art Bank Program. Award amounts vary but eligible applicants can be awarded up to $15,000. There is an informational workshop on Wednesday, June 15, 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. Register at www.dcarts.dc.gov/node/1594896.

CAH Announces Grants for FY 2023

Freedom Fireworks at Nats Park

On Friday, July 1, after the 6:05 p.m. Nats vs. Marlins game (around 9 p.m.), fireworks will be visible from inside the park, along the riverfront, in boats and on nearby rooftops. www.mlb.com/nationals

Bond Vet (Urgent and Primary Care) Opens in Arlington

Bond Vet has announced that will open its first location outside New York at 2871 Clarendon Blvd., in Arlington, on June 14. New clients will enjoy a $25 exam fee.

Bond Vet welcomes local pet parents to their clinic on June 12, noon to 4 p.m., for an open house with adoptable pups from Little Black Dog rescue, pet portraits, treats for pups and humans, swag and raffles. Bond Vet is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Bond Vet also offers Telehealth services when a trip to the vet isn’t feasible. www.bondvet.com

The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (CAH) is accepting applications for FY 2023 grant programs. Funding is available to support projects from both individuals and nonprofit organizations. CAH awards grants through a competitive, peer-reviewed process. Artists and humanities practitioners must be residents of the District of Columbia and organizations must be 501(c)(3) nonprofit entities based in the District. Non-arts nonprofit organizations that host arts projects are encouraged to apply. Grant awards range up to $500,000 and support initiatives including public art, arts education and capacity building.

To learn more about grant programs and to apply visit www.dcarts.dc.gov. CAH holds live online chat sessions to assist with the completion of grant program applications every Friday, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m., through July 8. www.dcarts.dc.gov/ u node/1115831u

Alex Mills as Puck sprinkling fairy dust.

Photo: Johnny Shryock

DC Heat Alerts and Shelter Hotline

When the temperature or heat index reaches 95 degrees, District government, through the Department of Human Services and the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency, will implement its Heat Emergency Plan and activate cooling centers for residents. For transportation to a shelter, call 311 or the Shelter Hotline, (202) 399-7093. For more information and a list of District cooling center locations visit www.heat.dc.gov.

DPR Is Hiring for Summer Positions

The Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) is hiring for over 700 seasonal positions at pools, parks, camps, food service, natural resource management and operations. Selected candidates for hire must be vaccinated and boosted (as applicable) and will be subject to criminal background checks, traffic record checks, or both, and pre-employment drug and alcohol screening. Details about job opportunities and job listing numbers can be found at www.dpr.dc.gov/summerjobs.

Interested individuals may apply for a job at DPR through the Careers DC portal at www.careers.dc.gov.

DCSEU Courses Are Live. Register Today!

Register at no-cost for one of over 18 DC Sustainable Energy Utility courses that are live now. The no-cost training, credentialing and certification program is designed to expand the local green workforce and is available to staff of DC Certi-

4 6 M I D CI T Y D C N EWS . C O M

Synetic’s (Wordless) “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”

Synetic Theater, 1800 South Bell St., Arlington (Crystal City), the home of American Physical Theater and movement-based storytelling, announces the return of its adaptation of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” directed and choreographed by company co-founders Paata and Irina Tsikurishvili. The production runs July 1 to 24. Tickets, $25 to $65, are available at www.synetictheater.org/midsummer2022.

Full-Service Landscape Design & Maintenance

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Outdoor Wellness Series at Kenilworth

Friends of Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens offers WELLderness: An Outdoor Wellness Series, at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, 1550 Anacostia Ave. NE. Learn or continue yoga, tai chi, forest bathing and painting and enjoy live music, June through October. Additional activities and events include West African and steel-band drumming, bird watching, photography and dog-pack walks. Subscribe to the newsletter at www.kenaqgardens. org/subscribe. Here is the June and July schedule: Forest Bathing, June 18 and July 2, from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m.; tai chi, June 19 and July 31, from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m.; yoga, June 19, July 3 and 17, from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m., and July 16, from 7:00 to 8:00 a.m.; Park Cleanup Volunteer Event, June 25, 9:00 a.m. to noon; canoe tour with Anacostia Watershed Society, July 16, from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m.; iPhoneography with ArtReach GW (all phones), July 16, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; Bele Bele Rhythm Collective, July 30, from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m.; and East of the River Steel Band, from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. www.kenaqgardens.org

301.642.5182 | 202.322.2322 (Office) thomaslandscapes.com

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REAL ESTATE

changing hands

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

Neighborhood BLOOMINGDALE 126 V St NW 18 Randolph Pl NW 2319 1st St NW 39 S St NW 45 S St NW 58 Florida Ave NW

COLUMBIA HEIGHTS 1013 Fairmont St NW 1130 Park Rd NW 1317 Fairmont St NW 1338 Spring Rd NW 1440 Harvard St NW 1533 Spring Pl NW 2905 Sherman Ave NW 2907 Sherman Ave NW 3217 Sherman Ave NW 3306 Park Pl NW 3323 Holmead Pl NW 3523 New Hampshire Ave NW 3920 13th St NW 425 Irving St NW 617 Irving St NW 620 Columbia Rd NW 623 Columbia Rd NW 720 Harvard St NW 722 Kenyon St NW 763 Princeton Pl NW

DUPONT

1530 Swann St NW 1626 Riggs Pl NW 1713 Q St NW 1723 19th St NW 1806 Corcoran St NW 1827 S St NW 1830 S St NW 1910 16th St NW

ECKINGTON 134 Quincy Pl NE 223 T St NE

LEDROIT PARK 1901 3rd St NW 2219 Flagler Pl NW 26 Channing St NW 314 T St NW 409 T St NW 621 Florida Ave NW

LOGAN CIRCLE

1325 Riggs St NW 1415 Q St NW 1420 Paloma Way NW 1447 Corcoran St NW 1715 15th St NW #11 935 O St NW 942 P St NW

Price

BR

$1,820,000 $915,000 $1,775,000 $1,232,500 $1,100,000 $885,000

6 3 5 3 5 3

$800,000 $1,560,000 $2,050,000 $949,000 $1,375,000 $1,100,000 $990,000 $679,000 $725,000 $910,000 $1,100,000 $710,000 $795,000 $980,000 $870,000 $633,000 $1,625,000 $960,000 $735,000 $900,000

3 5 8 3 5 4 1 3 2 4 6 3 3 3 6 3 7 4 3 5

$2,199,000 $3,600,000 $1,999,000 $2,300,000 $1,160,000 $1,765,000 $1,670,000 $1,210,000

4 6 6 6 2 5 4 4

$975,000 $827,500

4 4

$2,500,000 $975,000 $875,000 $879,198 $1,139,000 $1,375,000

7 4 3 2 3 4

$1,800,000 $1,690,000 $2,399,000 $1,420,000 $615,000 $1,405,000 $1,800,000

3 5 3 2 2 4 5

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OLD CITY #2

437 S St NW 982 Florida Ave NW

SHAW

1412 10th St NW 1701 6th St NW 1703 6th St NW 607 Q St NW 902 S St NW

SW WATERFRONT 611 4th Pl SW U STREET CORRIDOR 1722 10th St NW

$625,000 $610,000

3 2

$1,025,000 $1,475,000 $1,475,000 $1,600,000 $1,215,000

2 2 2 4 4

$1,070,000

3

$1,870,000

3

CONDO 14TH STREET CORRIDOR

1323 Clifton St NW #32

ADAMS MORGAN

1901 Columbia Rd NW #602 2363 Champlain St NW #4 2550 17th St NW #206

BLOOMINGDALE

2030 1st St NW #2 2035 2nd St NW #G107 26 Bryant St NW #2 51 Randolph Pl NW #304

$505,000

1

$449,000 $725,000 $195,000

1 2 0

$800,000 $625,000 $985,000 $355,000

3 1 3 1

CENTRAL

1124 25th St NW #201 $415,000 1260 21st St NW #507 $295,000 601 Pennsylvania Ave NW #1503$1,075,000 1010 Massachusetts Ave NW #1210$969,000 1150 K St NW #1205 $635,000 1150 K St NW #1408 $590,000 777 7th St NW #322 $357,000 777 7th St NW #702 $300,000

CHINATOWN

400 Massachusetts Ave NW #810 $422,250 809 6th St NW #33 $370,000

COLUMBIA HEIGHTS 1007 Otis Pl NW #1 1132 Columbia Rd NW #1 1200 Euclid St NW #3 1205 Clifton St NW #C 1317 Harvard St NW #4 1325 Fairmont St NW #3 1330 Randolph St NW #2 1333 Euclid St NW #102 1390 Kenyon St NW #104 1390 Kenyon St NW #320 1401 Columbia Rd NW #103 1401 Columbia Rd NW #107 1401 Columbia Rd NW #313 1414 Belmont St NW #101 1417 Newton St NW #103 1430 Newton St NW #401

$719,000 $365,300 $530,000 $920,000 $570,000 $935,000 $740,000 $540,000 $625,000 $593,500 $345,000 $337,000 $420,000 $499,900 $345,000 $580,000

1 1 2 2 2 2 1 0 1 1 2 2 1 2 2 3 3 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 2

1438 Meridian Pl NW #104 $261,000 1439 Euclid St NW #B2 $264,900 1440 Oak St NW #1 $696,500 1440 Oak St NW #2 $750,000 1441 Euclid St NW #B2 $265,000 1443 Girard NW #2 $615,000 1444 Harvard St NW #002 $410,000 1451 Park Rd NW #513 $460,000 2600 Sherman Ave NW #104 $450,000 2809 Sherman Ave NW #2 $760,000 2905 13th St NW #3 $499,000 3509 14th St NW #2 $630,000 3517 13th St NW #102 $689,000 3517 13th St NW #201 $670,000 3517 13th St NW #202 $640,000 3701 14th St NW #2 $595,000 4120 14th St NW #37 $355,000 725 Kenyon St NW #1 $1,025,000 751 Columbia Rd NW #2 $1,093,000 770 Girard St NW #6E $779,000

DUPONT

1 Scott Cir NW #412 $237,000 1260 21st St NW #108 $285,000 1621 T St NW #306 $690,000 1704 T St NW #101 $660,000 1711 Massachusetts Ave NW #308$379,000 1718 P St NW #706 $450,000 1721 21st St NW #T2 $555,000 1740 T St NW #2 $699,000 1800 R St NW #806 $565,000 1 Scott Cir NW #207 $262,500 1260 21st St NW #8 $50,000 1301 20th St NW #1014 $320,000 1330 New Hampshire Ave NW #825$415,000 1414 22nd St NW #43 $825,000 1520 16th St NW #202 $615,000 1545 18th St NW #618 $423,000 1601 16th St NW #5 $466,000 1611 21st St NW #2 $542,500 1619 R St NW #404 $615,000 1625 1/2 19th St NW #36 $652,000 1632 S St NW #31 $1,350,000 1632 S St NW #32 $1,489,500 1705 P St NW #44 $410,000 1718 P St NW #309 $279,000 1718 P St NW #320 $293,000 1727 Massachusetts Ave NW #410$210,000 1729 T St NW #4 $1,250,000 1816 New Hampshire Ave NW #201$247,500 1816 S St NW #2 $790,000 1916 17th St NW #414 $470,000 1916 17th St NW #508 $482,500 1926-1930 New Hampshire Ave NW #32$604,000 2007 O St NW #301 $415,000

ECKINGTON

134 U St NE #1 $850,000 136 U St NE $1,399,999 147 R St NE #11 $535,000 1500 Harry Thomas Way NE #109$839,900 1500 Harry Thomas Way NE #111$839,900

1 1 2 3 1 2 1 2 2 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 2 0 1 2 2 1 1 2 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 2 1 1 1 2 1 2 3 1 0 0 0 2 0 2 1 1 2 1 3 5 2 2 2

1500 Harry Thomas Way NE #510$999,900 1625 Eckington Pl NE #402 $824,900 1625 Eckington Pl NE #520 $709,900 1927 3rd St NE #300 $299,500 2004 3rd St NE #303 $325,000 2118 4th St NE #2 $550,000 44 Quincy Pl NE #1 $790,000 50 Florida Ave NE #823 $480,000 50 Florida Ave NE #826 $763,725

LEDROIT PARK

1929 1st St NW #203 235 Florida Ave NW #3

LOGAN CIRCLE

1420 N St NW #310 1009 O St NW #3 1108 T St NW #1108 1111 11th St NW #905 1133 14th St NW #904 1203 N St NW #B 1211 13th St NW #704 1215 N St NW #8 1225 13th St NW #311 1321 R St NW #4 1401 Q St NW #604 1412 15th St NW #11 1412 15th St NW #4 1527 12th St NW #3 1529 14th St NW #305 1529 14th St NW #402 1634 14th St NW #204 1916 12th St NW #2 7 Logan Cir NW #44 1715 15th St NW #26 1301 T St NW #2 1735 Johnson Ave NW #A

3 2 2 1 1 2 3 1 2

$550,000 $529,000

2 2

$235,000 $1,170,000 $835,000 $660,000 $678,000 $475,000 $570,000 $800,000 $485,000 $1,115,000 $1,578,000 $465,000 $550,400 $933,611 $639,900 $676,000 $620,000 $1,375,000 $475,000 $690,000 $799,000 $775,500

0 2 2 2 2 1 1 2 1 2 2 1 1 2 1 2 1 3 1 2 2 2

MOUNT VERNON TRIANGLE

1001 L St NW #704 $635,000 1110 6th St NW #6 $780,000 400 Massachusetts Ave NW #712 $600,000 401 M St NW #2 $830,000 440 L St NW #1002 $475,000 440 L St NW #709 $515,000 450 M St NW #1 $570,000 459 Massachusetts Ave NW #12 $429,900

2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1

CoOp ADAMS MORGAN

1736 Columbia Rd NW #404 1820 Clydesdale Pl NW #101 1820 Clydesdale Pl NW #4

DUPONT

1701 16th St NW #836 1725 17th St NW #105 1734 P St NW #3 1701 16th St. NW #734 1701 16th St. NW #825 ◆

$288,500 $355,000 $381,900

1 1 2

$535,000 $491,500 $389,000 $525,000 $374,000

2 1 1 2 1

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OUT AND ABOUT

Insatiable

by Celeste McCall Inside Union Market, Buffalo & Bergen is an old fashioned, New York-style soda fountain and cocktail bar.

Frozen Fun

Here’s something fun and cooling for summer.

Parked outside Union Market, 1309 Fifth St. NE, is a shiny Airstream trailer. The vintage vehicle is operated by Gina Chersevani, who also owns the Buffalo & Bergen New York-style soda fountain/ deli inside the market. Back outside, the Airstream dispenses frozen cocktails, slushies, beer and wine.

For hours and more information visit www.buffalobergendc.com.

Alley Gators, Peruvian style

Things are heating up in Shaw’s Blagden Alley.

Last month, the hotly anticipated Peruvian restaurant Causa arrived at 920 Blagden Alley NW. Heading the display kitchen is chef/co-owner Carlos Delgado, former executive chef at Jose Andres’ China Chilcano.

Born in Lima, Delgado creates innovative ceviches, charcoal-fired skewers threaded with meats, seafoods and veggies; maduritos (fried plantains crowned with pork and cheese) and lagartos (alligator croquettes). To wash down those gators, the bar pours wine, beer and myriad cocktails, going far beyond the usual pisco sours. Causa, by the way, is Peruvian slang for “friend” or “buddy.”

For Causa’s hours and more information visit www.causadc.com.

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What Lies Beneath

Alias on 14th, a flashy restaurant and drinking den, has debuted at 1610 14th St. NW. The Logan Circle newcomer is situated downstairs from Mediterranean-centric Dolce Vita. Guests enter the spy-themed nightclub through an unmarked electric pink door, before descending to the flashy, neonlit space. Created by Dolce Vita chef Elier Rodriguez, the mezze menu offers such Hellenic dishes as spanakopita, beef souvlaki, moussaka, grilled baby eggplant and Greek salad. The ambitious, creative bar pours exotic cocktails along with beer, wine and lots of bubbles.

For hours (it’s open late!) and more information visit www.aliasdc.com.

Caribbean Flair

St. James, a “contemporary Caribbean” restaurant, has arrived at 2017 14th St. NW. Created by Trinidad-born Jeanine Prime (who also operates the Atlas District’s Cane), the newcomer showcases island fare like callaloo (greens) soup, accras (codfish fritters), grilled oxtails, jerk wings, mango sorbet and tropical cocktails. For hours and more information visit www.stjames-dc.com.

and cocktail bar.

After attending Peter’s prep-school reunion, where we nibbled on bite-sized hors d’oeuvres, we repaired to Dauphine’s handsome, marble-topped bar. The menu was divided between large and small plates. Since we’d noshed at the previous event, we chose from the latter, ordering oysters Dauphine and gumbo z’herbes.

Chargrilled with spinach and pecorino (cheese) and spiked with horseradish, the bivalve reparation was a riff on the traditional oysters Rockefeller. The gumbo was different from versions we’ve savored in the Big Easy. Listed as a “classic,” Dauphine’s version was more like a soup, tasting like it had begun with a dark roux and studded with moist pork morsels and “local” greens. An offbeat embellishment was a dollop of potato salad. Among other menu options are shrimp remoulade, barbequed shrimp, duck jambalaya and “dirty rice” stuffed quail. We’ll try that next time.

Dinner for two with a glass of wine apiece came to $78 before tip. Service, provided by bartender Kevin, was excellent. For more information visit www.dauphinesdc.com.

They’re BACK!

Slowly, gradually, establishments long closed due to COVID-19 are coming back. After a five-month hiatus, Shaw’s The Brixton, 901 U St. NW, reopened last month. Created by the Hilton Hospitality brothers, the swanky rooftop corner fixture

Sibling Rivalry

This seems to be the season for expansion. A gorgeous restaurant spinoff is Dauphine’s Raw Bar & Boucherie, 1100 15th St. NW. The New Orleans-themed charmer is part of Long Shot Hospitality, which also operates the Navy Yard’s popular Salt Line.

On a chilly late spring evening, we visited Dauphine’s, ensconced in the gleaming, futuristic Midtown Center. Designed by SHoP Architects and WDG Architecture, the 865,000-square-foot complex also houses the Japanese hotspot Shoto and Little Chicken, a lively fried chicken eatery

Parked outside Union Market, Buffalo & Bergen’s shiny Airstream trailer dispenses frozen cocktails, beer, wine and summer fun.

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has reinstated its “Before COVID” vibe of frozen cocktails and other spirited libations. Returning soon: second-floor DJ dance parties. For now, the Brixton reboot is open weekends only, but watch for expanded hours. For updates visit www.thebrixtondc.com.

In our Logan Circle neighborhood, ChurchKey, 1337 14th St. NW, has also resurfaced, having been dark since 2020. Again we can savor the eclectic menu of grilled octopus, pressed sandwiches with assorted fillings, pizza and plenty of potent potables. For more information visit www.churchkeydc.com.

Boozy Gelato

Folks who like a little buzz in their ice cream should check out Niko’s Spiked Gelato, 1508 Okie St. NE, inside the Studio 52 Events venue in Ivy City. Unfortunately, you cannot enjoy your spirited treats there, but can pick them up (by the pint) inside Studio 52 or have them delivered through DoorDash.

Containing just 5% alcohol, flavors include bourbon coffee chocolate chip, blood orange cognac sorbet and mango margarita.

The booze does not dominate the flavors. Bring the kids; among nonalcoholic options are chocolate hazelnut and cookies & cream. To place orders and for more information visit www.nikosgelato.com.

Congrats to El Cielo, 1280 Fourth St. NE, which has received a single Michelin star for the second year. Located inside La Cosecha Latino market, the award-winning restaurant is helmed by Colombianborn chef Manuel Barrientos, who creates traditional South American cuisine with innovative flair.

El Cielo, which means “the sky,” is among 14 local restaurants earning one or more stars. Yes, the Michelin Guide is related to the tire company; Michelin published its first culinary guide in 1900. For more information on El Cielo visit www. elcielowashington.com. ◆

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OUT AND ABOUT

Business Briefs

by Sarah Payne StopSmack’n co-owner DeAndre Green and Chef Larry Cooper.

Photo by Alexander M. Padro, Courtesy Shaw Main Streets.

Stop by Stop Smack’n for LipSmacking Southern Comfort Food

A

few blocks from Howard University’s campus sits Stop Smack’n Restaurant & Lounge (1839 Seventh St. NW), a Louisiana- and Southern-inspired eatery. The restaurant features a unique menu and three distinct dining experiences: a dining room, a bar and the vault room with a DJ booth for special events.

The name Stop Smack’n is a reference to something that owner DeAndre Green’s mother often told him when he was growing up: to stop smacking, or noisily enjoying his food. Green’s upbringing also influenced the menu, a collection of many of his favorite dishes.

Stop Smack’n was originally a catering business created by Green and chef Larry Cooper to host events as they built their brand. “We were known for throwing a lot of events, cookouts and college house parties and just showing people a good time,” Green said. “We sold a lot of my favorite foods. That’s how we put together the menu and built the brand.”

Green’s original goal was to operate a food

5 2 M I D CI T Y D C N EWS . C O M

truck, but when the truck factory closed due to COVID-19, he started selling food out of a house in the District. Green and his basketball coach Stanley Childs then formed a partnership and moved to a permanent restaurant space in Shaw.

The menu offers Southern-inspired signature dishes like salmon nuggets, rasta pasta and jerk chicken lasagna. The lounge also features signature cocktails.

The restaurant stays involved in the basketball space by catering for the Howard team twice weekly, in addition to visiting teams from across the country.

Since the opening in summer 2021, Stop Smack’n has been “having a great time” serving their dishes and drinks. “We’re from DC, so we can relate to the old DC and the new DC,” Green explained. “We want to give them the best customer service.

Make them feel comfortable.”

The kitchen is open Monday, 4 p.m. to 12 a.m.; Tuesday through Friday, 2 p.m. to 12 a.m.; and Saturday and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 12 a.m. The lounge is open Monday through Thursday and Sunday, 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.; and Friday and Saturday, 10 p.m. to 3 a.m.

For more information on Stop Smack’n, including the full menu, visit www. stopsmakndc.com.

Find Fresh, Sustainable Fish at FishScale

F

ishScale, located at 637 Florida Ave. NW, is known as the place to go for fast, fresh, sustainably sourced seafood dishes in Shaw.

Siblings Brandon and Kristal Williams, the co-owners of FishScale, said the idea for the restaurant came about when their mother became a pescatarian and they wanted to create something she could enjoy in place of a traditional hamburger.

Brandon Williams sharpened his culinary skills at L’Academie de Cuisine and started FishScale at a farmers’ market near the White House.

In 2017, FishScale went bricks-and-mortar with a storefront in Shaw. “Shaw is a great place for thriving small business owners,” he said. “I just love the neighborhood. My church, where I grew up, is not too far away on 14th Street, so it was a good area that I knew very well.”

While he’s not the first to make fish burgers, Williams wants to help popularize this type of food and create access to quality wild fish and seafood for Washingtonians on the go. The Mary-

Brandon and Kristal Williams, FishScale owners and siblings.

Photo by Alexander M. Padro, Courtesy Shaw Main Streets.

land crab burger is one of the most popular offerings. “Ours is the best that they’re ever gonna have,” boasted Williams. “Even if you went to a Michelin-starred restaurant, I’d put my crab burger up against any of those places, and I know that we have the best.”

Williams believes the approach to sourcing is what distinguishes FishScale from the multitude of seafood restaurants in DC. “We focus on wildcaught sustainable fish in a fast-casual setting that is accessible to anyone who just wants to get great, fresh wild fish on the go,” Williams stated. “We do fish differently.”

Williams said all of the menu items are FishScale signatures, including fish burgers, tacos, crab burgers, fish cheesesteaks, salads and more.

The Japanese sweet potato and grilled romaine sale are popular side dishes. All of the items, including the condiments, are made in house using organic and locally sourced ingredients, where possible. “It’s really like a fine-dining restaurant in a fast-casual setting,” Williams observed. “We make everything from scratch. The only thing we don’t make from scratch is our bread, which we get from a local bakery.”

FishScale also offers a curated list of locally sourced meads and craft beers. The full menu can be enjoyed in the 12-seat dining room, as well as for carryout, delivery and catering.

FishScale is open Tuesday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and Friday through Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. For more information, including the full menu, visit www. wearefishscale.com.

Authentic, Casual Italian Eats Await You at Quattro Osteria

Q

uattro Osteria (600 Florida Ave. NW) is a little piece of Italy on a corner in Shaw. The restaurant has provided casual, authentic Italian dining since its 19th-century carved wooden door opened in August 2021.

Co-owner Louie Hankins, a Northern Virginia native, started a food truck in DC 10 years ago called Rito Loco, which spawned a storefront location in Shaw in 2015. He is also the owner of El Techo (606 Florida Ave. NW), a Mexican-inspired restaurant and bar above Rito Loco. During the pandemic, the restaurant next to Rito Loco/El Techo did not renew its lease, and Hankins saw the space as an opportunity to open an Italian restaurant.

Co-owners and brothers Giovanni and Salvio Ippolito are from Naples, Italy, and have worked

Quattro Osteria co-owners Louie Hankins and Salvio Ippolito. Photo by Alexander M. Padro, Courtesy Shaw Main Streets.

in the food industry for more than 15 years. Hankins knew their culinary expertise would bring the “authenticity, knowledge, menu creation and vibe” that he was hoping to achieve in the space.

According to Hankins, many of Quattro’s menu items were created in an “authentic alternative” way, putting a modern spin on classic dishes.

For example, the summer menu will feature eggplant parmesan ravioli and carbonara tortellini.

Giovanni Ippolito said some of the inspiration for these recipes comes from his family in Naples.

“We are using a lot of input and ideas that my grandmother did back in the day,” Ippolito said.

“This is authentic Italian cuisine.”

The restaurant’s three dining environments feature an outdoor patio, an indoor-outdoor area and a more formal indoor dining space. Hankins’ goal was to make the restaurant an authentic dining experience for guests, not only through the food but also the atmosphere. “I really wanted to transport people to Italy,” Hankins said. “I want you to feel like you have packed your passport, you’ve gotten on an airplane and you’re eight

hours, nine hours away in a different country.”

Giovanni Ippolito expressed appreciation for the strong community response, remarking on their many regulars. Hankins stated that the team worked to make the space feel casual and inviting.

“You can come as you are,” he said. “We don’t have a dress code. It’s not a have-to-wear-a-jacket kind of place like many others in the city. It’s a neighborhood place.”

Quattro Osteria is open Tuesday through Thursday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday, 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Brunch is served Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday all day. For more information, including the full menu, visit www.quattroosteria.com.

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

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5 4 M I D CI T Y D C N EWS . C O M

All of Us

Together

Class of JU NE 2 0 2 2 5 5

All of Us

Together Class of

Dear Students, Whether this was your final year of high school, your last year of elementary school, or anywhere in-between, I hope you are wrapping up a successful school year and that you are excited to celebrate summer and all that comes next.

As students and as people, you have been through a lot over the past two and a half years. I know that your teachers and principals worked hard to make this school year an exciting return from many months of distance learning. I hope you enjoyed getting back to friends, group projects, specials classes, and after school activities. I also want you to know how proud I—and your community—have been of how you adapted so quickly to new ways of doing things—new COVID testing protocols, new pickup and drop-off procedures, new ways of interacting with your teachers and classmates. But you did it. I hope you will take a moment to feel proud of your accomplishments too. I also hope you will take some time to thank the people around you who supported you through distance learning and then with your return to school.

One thing we know from our experience throughout this pandemic is the importance of working together as a community. As Mayor of Washington, DC, I feel incredibly proud of how our city rose to meet this once in a lifetime challenge. At every stage of the pandemic, Washingtonians of every age, and across all eight wards, have worked together to keep each other safe.

Now, as you prepare for summer, my call to action to each of you is to pick an issue or problem you care about and then find other people in our community who want to help you create a solution. There is no issue too big or too small for you to care about.

You might want to join the growing number of Americans nationwide who are demanding solutions to gun violence. In fact, you might already have an idea for how we can make our community safer and stronger. You might have heard about the campaign being led by professional women’s sports teams in DC to distribute free sports bras to girls who need them, and you might have your own idea for how we can help and encourage more girls to play sports. Maybe every day on your walk to school you notice a part of the sidewalk on your street that needs to be fixed and you want to do something about it. Maybe you’re just about to turn 18 and you’re frustrated about not having any United States senators to vote for and now you

5 6 M I D CI T Y D C N EWS . C O M

SERVING GRADES 6-12

want to play a bigger role in the fight for DC statehood.

Again, there is no issue too big or too small for you to care about.

Being a Washingtonian is a unique and wonderful experience. Washington, DC functions as a city, county, and state. That makes my job interesting because it means I function as a mayor, county executive, and governor. For you, as a citizen, this also means that there is so much opportunity to make a positive change in your hometown. You can have an idea today and by working with other members of the community, you can bring that idea to life by the summer. And I hope you will! I always tell my team at DC Government to bring me fresh ideas. One thing I know for certain is that our young people have the freshest ideas!

Again, I am so proud of DC’s students. Let’s keep setting important goals, dreaming big, and working together to keep Washington, DC the greatest city in the world, and soon to be the best state in the country!

Sincerely, Muriel Bowser Mayor

YOUR LEGACY STARTS HERE. Apply today for School Year 2022-2023. Seats are limited.

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Washington Youth Garden 50th Birthday Party On Saturday, June 11, 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., all are invited to the National Arboretum Washington Youth Garden for a free, family-friendly birthday party.

WYG was established in 1971 on the grounds of the US National Arboretum to teach students horticultural and life skills. They’ll have games, activities, and birthday cake. Connect with WYG staff and participants from the past and present.

The event is free, but they ask that you register to let them know you’re coming at fona.org.

Photo: Courtesy of Friends of the National Arboretum

y l i m a f & kids

National Capital Barbecue Battle (free, under twelve) After taking place virtually for the past two years, the National Capital Barbecue Battle returns in-person on Saturday, June 25, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday, June 26, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. (rain or shine), and will benefit the USO of Metropolitan WashingtonBaltimore. The two-day event along Pennsylvania and Constitution Avenues, between Third and Seventh features barbecue and grilled food samples all weekend, 30 bands performing across three stages, celebrity chefs, cookbook authors and local professional sports player appearances, kids activities, microbrew and wine sampling, cooking competitions and much more. Musical artists include American Authors, Trevor Daniel, Nighthawks, Laine Hardy, Vertical Horizon, The Chuck Brown Band, Sam Grow and many more. Daily pass, $20; two-day pass, $30; family four-pack (adults), $60. bbqindc.com/kids-activities-dpr.

DC Outdoor Pools Open for Season DC outdoor pools are operating on a weekend-only schedule through Sunday, June 26. Starting Monday, June 27, all outdoor pools will operate on individual summer schedules, six days a week. All DC public pools are free for DC residents. Have photo ID. dpr.dc.gov/page/outdoor-pools.

Photo: Courtesy of the DC Department of Parks and Recreation

Marine Corps Marathon Kids Run Registration Open The MCM Kids Run is on Saturday, Oct. 29 in Arlington, VA. Children ages five to twelve can participate in the one-mile fun run. Pre- and post-event hospitality, activities, entertainment, games and mascots make this an unforgettable event.

The Kids Run offers families eight start time options between 9:30 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. Registration is $15 and is now open at marinemarathon.com/events.

Courtesy of the Marine Corps Marathon

5 8 M I D CI T Y D C N EWS . C O M

DC Prep campuses now accepting applications for the 22-23 school year, serving students PK3-8th grade in wards 5,7,8.

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The ABCs of Black History by Rio Cortez

On Monday, June 20, 11 a.m., acclaimed author Rio Cortez will read from her book “The ABCs of Black History.” Using rhyming couplets, Cortez shares uplifting stories with young readers about pivotal events in Black history. This in-person storytime will also include an art making activity and book signing.

This program is free, however registration is required. National Museum of African American History & Culture, 1400 Constitution Ave. NW. nmaahc.si.edu.

Washington Nationals: The Team That Reads This season, the Nationals launch Summer Reading Sundays, which occur prior to select home games and feature Nationals first baseman Josh Bell and relief pitcher Sean Doolittle as Player Ambassadors. Summer Reading Sundays feature a Player Ambassador plus reading and literacy-themed programming from partner organizations including Arlington Public Library, DC Public Library, the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian Institution and National Children’s Museum. Summer Reading Sundays will take place prior to these home games this season: June 12 vs. Milwaukee Brewers; July 17 vs. Atlanta Braves; and Aug. 14 vs. San Diego Padres. nationals.com/SummerReading.

Market SW: Family & Pet Friendly Gathering Market SW, at Fourth and M Streets SW, is on alternate Fridays, 4 to 10 p.m. Remaining dates this season are June 10 and 24; July 8 and 22; Aug. 5 and 19; and Sept. 2, 16 and 30. With a mix of local and creative businesses, food trucks, live music, a fully stocked beer garden, colorful lights, and familyfriendly activities, each market creates a lively atmosphere of a neighborhood outdoor living room. The market is directly across the street from Waterfront Station Metro and near Arena Stage.

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JOIN US ON SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 2022 FOR 2 Great FREE Events in 1 Great Neighborhood!

#FunInShaw

EAT, DRINK & SHOP LOCAL

SHAW OPEN HOUSE Come explore the northern half of Shaw between 6th and 11th Streets, NW and get a taste of what Shaw’s businesses have to offer.

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Food, Beer, Wine and Cocktail Samples

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#LoveShaw T-Shirts, Magnets, Pins, Recyclable Shopping Bags and Other Swag

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Prize Drawing for prizes from participating businesses

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After Party For the list of participating businesses and event Passport and Shaw swag pick up locations, visit www.shawmainstreets.org and follow @shawmainstreets on and for updates.

STREETMARKET– a curated market experience by Streetsense Time: 10 AM - 3 PM

Location: Parking lot behind 620 T Street, NW Cost: FREE

Global creative collective Streetsense is partnering with The Howard Theatre to promote local makers—like Little Sesame, ReWild, and Chippin Dog Treats—in this pop-up market event. The family friendly event will celebrate the neighborhood, support neighboring businesses, and benefit the Washington Housing Conservancy. Come visit!

Visit streetsense.com/blog/see-you-atstreetmarket/ to reserve your free tickets and stay in the know for participating vendors, giveaways, and more.

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www.shawmainstreets.org TM

Shaw Main Streets is a designated DC Main Streets program and is funded in part by the Department of Small and Local Business Development, Muriel E. Bowser, Mayor.