MARCH 2021
CONTENTS
NEXT ISSUE: April 3
MARCH 2021
10
04 what’s on washington your neighborhood 10 The Asymmetry Of COVID-19 Vaccine Access • Liz O’Gorek
ON THE COVER:
14 Shaw Streets • Pleasant Mann 18 ANC 6E • Pleasant Mann 20 Bulletin Board • Kathleen Donner
14
Photo: A “wish tree” to share with family, friends, and neighbors at the Hirshhorn. Read about it on page 28.
out and about 24 At The Movies • Michael Canning
at home 26 Changing Hands • Don Denton
kids and family 28 Notebook • Kathleen Donner
34 classifieds
28 Capital Community News, Inc. Publisher of: Capital Community News, Inc. PO Box 15477, Washington, DC 20003 202.543.8300 www.capitalcommunitynews.com • www.hillrag.com
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SPYING THAT SHAPED HISTORY
WHAT’S ON WASHINGTON
In the International Spy Museum’s Spying That Shaped History gallery, the exhibits illustrate the impact of intelligence on history, including successes and failures, new tech tools, and the tension in balancing the needs for secrecy and liberty. You’ll see George Washington’s Spy Letter. In this letter, General Washington offers Nathaniel Sackett $50 a month (more than $1,000 today) to spy for the Continental Army, plus another $500 to set up a spy network. This month, the International Spy Museum, 700 L’Enfant Plaza SW, reopens Mondays through Fridays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Sundays, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Admission is $24.95 for adults and $16.95 for kids, seven to twelve. Online ticket purchase is suggested. spymuseum.org.
LEFT: George Washington (masked)
JOIN THE DISTRICT RUNNING COLLECTIVE
Established in 2013, District Running Collective is a community-based organization that uses running to promote wellness, culture, and community. Their goal is to provide all levels of runners with the best resources, community, and support along their running journey. Subscribe to their newsletter to learn more about their runs, what to expect, and their community. Their weekly Wednesday, four-pace-groups runs resume in early March. The DRC Space is at 733 11th St. NE. districtrunningcollective.com.
Patrick Page
“We exist where fitness, fun, and community collide. We support one another up every hill, across every bridge, and through each painstaking mile. As a crew, we represent the best of each individual that dedicates themselves to getting better, faster, and stronger every day.” DRC
Photo: Khalid Naji-Allah
VISIT BLACK LIVE MATTER PLAZA
On June 5, DC renamed a twoblock portion of 16th Street, NW (south of K Street, extending through I Street, and north of H Street NW) on the north side of President’s Park in front of the White House “Black Lives Matter Plaza” and had the slogan painted on the asphalt in massive, 35-foot, yellow letters as part of the George Floyd protests. Visit anytime.
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ALL THE DEVILS ARE HERE: HOW SHAKESPEARE INVENTED THE VILLAIN
Macbeth. Iago. Claudius. STC Affiliated Artist Patrick Page invites you to experience the evolution of evil in Shakespeare’s villains—from rogues and cutthroats to tyrants and sociopaths. Tony Award nominee Patrick Page explores how Shakespeare created the treacherous characters we all love to hate. This mesmerizing one-man performance runs until July 28, 2021 and is available online only. This production runs approximately 80 minutes and is available for 72 hours after purchase. $25. shakespearetheatre.org.
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WHAT’S ON WASHINGTON
A COURSE IN ITALIAN RENAISSANCE ART
The arts blossomed in Renaissance Italy, an era that encompassed the innovations of perspective and oil paint, a new emphasis on the study of anatomy and antiquity, and the growing independence of the artist. Rocky Ruggiero, a specialist in the Early Renaissance, explores some of the great masterworks of art and architecture created from the late-14th to the 16th centuries as he examines the intellectual trends and social context that gave rise to such giants as Giotto, Botticelli, and Michelangelo. On Zoom; March 30, April 6, 13 and 20; 6:45 p.m. $90. smithsonianassociates.org
LEFT: Brunelleschi’s dome of Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence
ENVIRONMENTAL FILM FESTIVAL IN THE NATION’S CAPITAL
This year’s all-virtual festival will run from March 18 to 28 and feature roughly 100 films on topics related to all-things climate, activism and the outdoors. One major highlight of this year’s festival is the film Youth v Gov, a true story documenting young people taking on the world’s most powerful government for violating their constitutional rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness by willfully creating the climate crisis. Another film, The Falconer, is made by a DC area filmmaker and follows a local man on a mission to build a bird sanctuary and provide access to nature for a stressed, inner-city community. dceff.org.
Rodney Stotts holds a redtailed hawk in The Falconer. Photo: Annie Kaempfer
CAPITAL IRISH FILM FESTIVAL
From March 4 through 14, Solas Nua and the American Film Institute present the 15th Capital Irish Film Festival online. The Festival celebrates Irish identity, culture, and artistry by bringing the best in contemporary Irish cinema to US audiences. Opening the Festival is the award-winning Irish-language thriller “Arracht” (Monster), screening with English subtitles, a heartrending story of individual survival in Ireland’s 19th Century famine years. It is Ireland’s selection for the 2021 Academy Award. An individual festival ticket is $12; all-access pass, $100. solasnua.org/ciff.
Victim of the Great Famine and injustice in 1845 Ireland, Colman Sharkey (Dónall Ó Héalaí) is under the gun in the Irish-language thriller Arracht (Monster) with English subtitles, opening Solas Nua’s Capital Irish Film Festival on March 4, co-presented by AFI/Silver.
ANACOSTIA RIVERKEEPER CLEAN WATERWAYS CLEANUP
On Saturday, March 27 (rain or shine), 9 a.m. to noon, help clean up the Kenilworth Park Bandalong Litter Trap, Deane Avenue NE. The cleanup will be divided into sub-locations with groups of 25 people or less (all masked) in compliance with COVID-19 safety guidelines. All supplies provided. Wear closed-toe shoes and clothing you can get dirty that will protect you from the brush. Here’s the schedule: 8:30 a.m., sign in; 9 a.m., welcome and safety talk; 9:30 a.m. to noon, cleanup. Register at eventbrite.com/e/march-27th-clean-waterways-cleanup-tickets-138316487337. Read more at anacostiariverkeeper.org.
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WHAT’S ON WASHINGTON
THE BEAUTY OF BUZZARD POINT
If you haven’t yet discovered the impressive “Beauty of Buzzard Point” mural along the Pepco substation in Buzzard Point, at S and First Streets, SW, be sure to check it out during your next stroll around the neighborhood. But before you go, enjoy this documentary video to get the inside story of how an idea among Buzzard Point stakeholders, Pepco, and the Capitol Riverfront BID became a reality. Local artists Kaliq Crosby and Rose Jaffe collaborated to create the larger-than-life mural featuring important DC icons that celebrate history and community, and reflect the rich contributions of this dynamic part of the District. youtube.com/watch?v=mc_KIdYKpbI&t=6s. RIGHT: Mural Community Paint Day
FORD’S THEATRE PRESENTS ONE DESTINY
Ford’s Theatre Society has announced release of its free, ondemand video version of the popular stage play One Destiny by Richard Hellesen, directed by Mark Ramont. One Destiny On Demand is now available for streaming through June 13, 2021, with event registration on fords.org/visit/one-destiny. The 40-minute video production revisits the events of April 14, 1865, with a cast of historical characters who were present, including Ford’s Theatre co-owner Harry Ford and stage actor Harry Hawk. As they reconstruct the sequence of events, they grapple with the question: Could John Wilkes Booth have been stopped from assassinating President Abraham Lincoln? fords.org.
ABOVE: Michael Bunce and Stephen F. Schmidt in the Ford’s Theatre production of One Destiny. Photo: Courtesy of Ford’s Theatre
THE REVOLUTIONISTS (ALAS, LIVE THEATER)
Through March 20, come to The Little Theatre of Alexandria, 600 Wolfe Street, to watch as four beautiful, sassy women lose their heads in this irreverent, girl-powered comedy set during the French Revolution’s Reign of Terror. Playwright Olympe de Gouges, assassin Charlotte Corday, former queen (and fan of ribbons) Marie Antoinette, and Haitian rebel Marianne Angelle hang out, murder Marat, and try to beat back the extremist insanity in 1793 Paris. This grand and dream-filled comedy is about violence and legacy, art and activism, feminism and terrorism, compatriots and chosen sisters, and how we actually go about changing the world. $21 to $29. Performances are Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays, 3 p.m. thelittletheatre.com.
SIMPLY SONDHEIM
Signature Theatre’s Simply Sondheim is the first production in the Signature Features 2021 Season. Starring 12 singers and an orchestra of 16, Simply Sondheim includes over 30 songs from the composer’s canon. It was filmed over the course of three days in Signature’s MAX Theatre with multiple safety protocols in place. The show will be available to stream through March 26 and for 72 hours after patron’s initial viewing has begun. Closed captions and an audio described version are available in English. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased at SigTheatre.org.
Tracey Lynn Olivera, Awa Sal Secka and Katie Mariko Murray. Photo: Christopher Miller
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NEIGHBORHOOD
The Asymmetry of COVID-19 Vaccine Access Community Organizations, Neighbors Bridge Gaps in DC Information and Registration
O
by Elizabeth O’Gorek
n Jan. 29, Barbara and David asymmetry of access to information Ehrlich parked their cars and and resources about registration. The headed towards the Howard ways in which communities and orgaUniversity clinic. It was a long nizations stepped up to fill these gaps walk for the couple, both 85 provide lessons in information disyears old, but they didn’t mind. At semination and registration strategies. the end of it, they were getting the These lessons are particularly COVID-19 vaccine. important as the District opens vacBut when the Southwest couple cination appointments to more resiarrived at the clinic, they found the dents in the context of a vaccine supfront doors locked. A simple sign ply far too low to meet demand. was affixed. “No Vaccine,” it read. “We had an appointment, we Success of Senior Villages had the paperwork. But when we got The Ehrlichs could have given up, there, there was no vaccine,” Barbara but instead, they sought assistance Ehrlich said. “We didn’t feel great. and got it. They turned to their vilBut it happens. We weren’t the only lage for help. Waterfront Village is folks that had appointments and one of the District’s 14 senior vilthen weren’t able to keep them.” lages, volunteer-based organizations The District began offering vacproviding services and resources to cine registration to residents 65 and help seniors age in place. They are older online and through a telephone overwhelmingly located west of the hotline starting Jan. 11. It was the first Anacostia River. time vaccines were available to memWaterfront Village Executive bers of the public. Demand far outDirector Len Bechtel worked with paced supply. On the first day, 6,700 the Dupont Circle village to get the appointments were available to about Ehrlichs an appointment at Medstar. 80,000 eligible residents and were “Len called us on a Sunday night signed up for within hours. That winat 8 p.m. Feb 7 to say he’d secured dow of availability would shrink from an appointment for Monday at 9:20 hours to minutes over the following a.m.,“ Ehrlich said. “He filled our weeks, prompting comparisons to a names in, made the appointment – rush to get Beyonce tickets. and then he drove us there,” she said. John Capozzi receives the COVID-19 vaccine at Pennsylvania Avenue Baptist Church (PABC) during the Feb. 11 clinic. The process did not start out Senior villages operate indepensmoothly. After the first two days dently from the DC government, to unsuccessfully get what they view as a lifeof registration, users complained of technologibut network together to share information and saving vaccine,” he wrote in an email shared with cal glitches, frustrating waits on the phone lines, resources. When they learned vaccine registration constituents, “the result is going to be some people and poor website design. Advisory Neighborhood would open to seniors, the 14 senior villages in the who give up and don’t check anymore and who, Commissioner (ANC) Steve Holtzman 6B05 District worked together to get information from despite being in priority vulnerable groups, do not wrote the Mayor’s office to express concern with the city and disseminate it broadly to members get (early) vaccinations.” the process. and those subscribed to their list. The challenges faced by seniors trying to get the “[I]f residents get frustrated and crazy trying “We had members that were calling their adult COVID-19 vaccine in the District illustrate the
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NEIGHBORHOOD
children overseas to help them negotiate the portal, that’s how challenging and overwhelming it was,” said Capitol Hill Village (CHV ) Executive Director Judy Berman. Faced with calls from seniors who were confused and even put off by the District’s registration system, the 14 senior villages stepped up to be advocate and guide. First, they were a trusted source of information. Second, they provided feedback to DC Health about what was going well and where improvements were necessary. Third, they centralized and distributed information, both in terms of the District vaccination procedures as well as the hospital and healthcare systems also offering vaccinations on separate platforms, including George Washington, Georgetown and Howard University Hospitals, Sibley, as well as the Kaiser and Medstar. Finally, they worked together to get appointments for seniors who reached out to them. For instance, Waterfront Village conducted a survey of membership to see who still needed an appointment and wanted help in making it. They then matched those individuals with members who had successfully registered as well as community members who helped them secure the appointments.
Lopsided Success
Senior villages were overwhelmingly successful in helping those who reached out to them. By Feb 11, all but five of the 150 members of Waterfront village had received their first dose of the vaccine. 90 percent of the 400 or so members of Capitol Hill Village (CHV ) had also secured the vaccine. But the people who reached out to the senior villages were overwhelmingly white and middle class. CHV’s Berman said that the villages had been discussing ways to provide village resources to all seniors. “The village model is not attractive to all people in the same way,” she said. “It’s definitely had more of an appeal, particularly in our area, to a white and middle-class population. In my view what’s happening is that the function of the village is being served by different institutions in the Black community.” Francis Campbell, 69, struggled to make an appointment for a month after they were available.
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DC Health Director LaQuandra Nesbitt visits the PABC clinic. Photo: John Capozzi
Campbell, who is black, is not a part of a senior village. “I’m still independent,” he explained. The former Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner (ANC) 6B10 is comfortable with technology but was still overwhelmed with the process. All through January he tried –and failed—to register himself, his sister and his 88-year-old mother. In the end, Campbell managed to secure a vaccine by word of mouth. A friend called him from a vaccination site to say there were unclaimed doses and Campbell should gather his family and get down there. “This is a frustration I’ve never had to deal with no matter how bad situations have been in my life, even when I was teaching,” Campbell said. “If a lot of the Black seniors don’t have someone who is going to advocate for them, or make sure this happens, they’re going to get passed over. That’s what’s happening.” Kathy E. Pointer is Director of Kingdom Care. The Ward 8 senior village is one of the
newest and smallest, serving 50 members out of Greater Fellowship Full Gospel Baptist Church (FGBC) (814 Alabama Ave. SE). Pointer said that, in terms of the vaccine, she sees the role of the village as sharing information, finding out who needs an appointment and helping them to secure one. For instance, when she received an email telling her that the District had made 660 additional appointments available only through the call center, she sent a text message to all members. Instantly, two successfully booked appointments. Like CHV and Waterfront Village, Kingdom Care is part of the consortium of villages that share trusted information with members. Unlike the two Ward 6 villages, Kingdom Care is based in the church, growing out of the senior ministry. Pointer herself was a very engaged church member long before she became the village director, and she said that it was an ideal space for the village. “There was already engagement, buy-in from leadership and access for the community,” she said. “It was a win-win sort of thing.” She said that black churches are key to sharing information about the vaccine. Pastors are trusted leaders, advocates and friends, Pointer added, and messaging is better received when communicated by pastors to parishioners. “There’s a trust,” she said. “There are relationships there, there’s already been a demonstration of care and concern, of health and wholeness. You also have the collaboration among churches that helps to strengthen the community.”
Tweaking the System
The inequities were apparent on Jan. 11, the first day vaccines became available to seniors. Residents of the District’s three most affluent wards claimed 70 percent of available appointments. It was clear that while COVID-19 was disproportionately affecting communities of color, more vaccinations were being administered to the white and affluent residents of the District. A Jan. 13th DC Council conference call became heated when Councilmember Elissa Silverman (At-Large-I) and Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie suggested that vaccines be prioritized for people hardest hit by COVID-19. Sil-
NEIGHBORHOOD
verman commented that some members of low-income communities might not have access to computers or have the technological literacy to book appointments. DC Health Director LaQuandra Nesbitt initially scoffed at Silverman’s suggestion, calling the statement pejorative. She said vaccine resistance had played a role. Results of a November 2020 DC Health survey appeared to show that about 44 percent of Black District residents would not take the vaccine. The District moved to even the playing field. Three days after the council call, Nesbitt announced that access to registration would be prioritized by ward and later by zip code. A week after the change, the ratio of appointments claimed by residents of the three affluent wards dropped from 70 percent to 49.5 percent, which Nesbitt said was an indication that the new system reduced disparities. The District took further steps to address inequity, including the introduction of the Senior Vaccine Buddies program on Feb. 4. Program staff go door-to-door in neighborhoods most impacted by the disease, offering to sign seniors up for a vaccine appointment. Finally, on Feb. 7, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that as part of the “Faith in the Vaccine” pilot program, Pennsylvania Avenue Baptist Church (PABC) would host two vaccination clinics to increase confidence in the vaccine and support the vaccination of residents in their communities. During two clinics, hosted Feb. 11 and 13, more than 200 people were vaccinated. Pastor Rev. Dr. Kendrick E. Curry began advocating for churches to be used as vaccine distribution sites in August, before vaccines had even been approved. He argued that Black churches were centrally located, engaged in service and capable of operating during non-traditional hours – in short, all elements suited to getting the vaccine deeper into their communities. “We can do what people need,” Curry said. “that’s why people come to us.” John Capozzi signed up for the PABC Clinic at a virtual Hillcrest Community Civic Association (HCCA) meeting. Administrators not only announced the clinics, they also shared a link to register. Capozzi, who is 65 this year, clicked on the link and signed up during the meeting. A white Ward 7 resident who lives in a priority zip code, Capozzi had previously tried to sign up through the District portal but while he describes himself as an “intermediate [technology] user,” he was unable to get an appointment. PABC is particularly “outreach oriented,” long the hub of a network that not only includes other churches, but also civic and political organizations. The church drew on all those networks to get word out about the vaccine clinics.
“I started Calling People”
Sometimes the congregants are the network. “After I got [my vaccine], I came home and pulled out my church directory and I started calling people,” said Barbara Savage. Barbara and her husband Paul were expressing frustration with the District vaccine registration portal when a neighbor said they should try calling United Medical Center (UMC) to get an appointment. Trying to reach the scheduler and getting a busy signal, Paul Savage redialed the number so many times that a UMC operator finally picked up. A few minutes later, a scheduler called back to make appointments for both Savages. Like the neighbor who had advised them to call UMC, the Savages shared what they had learned with members of their church and neighborhood, starting a sort of telephone chain. Barbara started calling the other members of East Washington Heights Baptist (2220 Branch Ave., SE) aged 65 and over, asking if they wanted to register for a COVID vaccine, helping to secure appointments and even taking people to appointments. Then, in an online church service, Senior Pastor Reverend Dr. Kip Bernard Banks Sr. announced that parishioners wanting assistance registering for a vaccine appointment should contact the Savages. Members of the congregation began referring their neighbors, and they referred their friends. In the month since the Savages received their first dose, they have helped more than 20 people secure an appointment. Paul Savage had tried and failed to register through the District website. The short lead time on many vaccine announcements meant that he and those like him, who are not wedded to instant messaging, don’t get government notices as they come out. But it isn’t the short lead time that is the real problem, Savage said. It’s the fact that the District uses the same methods to reach the diverse communities of the District. “They still haven’t figured out how to serve African Americans and Latinos in the same manner that they do other people,” he said. “and that’s on them. There’s a history of how you do this, and don’t do this.” Paul Savage, a former District official, said that the city needs to do a better job of contacting the people who live in and care about the communities they hope to reach. “In the Black community, it’s not the internet –it’s not any of those things,” Savage said. “It’s word of mouth, in the church, or on the telephone. That’s how people disseminate information.” “What Barbara did, that’s normal. We have a long history in East Washington of community involvement with our neighbors,” Savage said. “People in this city should know that, because it’s been going on for a long time.” u
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Shaw Streets by Pleasant Mann This month, DC Inner City Excellence (DC-ICE), which proWhile the pandemic-era economotes urban skating by District my is still struggling, real estate youth of all backgrounds, chaland new business development in lenging them to Olympian levels Shaw continues to move forward. of excellence, took advantage of A recent survey by Urban Turf the program. DC-ICE is taking shows the delivery of 600 resithe plywood it got from Wood dential units in the last year, with for Good to build the Peterbug 15 projects representing 870 units Ice Rink, located behind the coming in this and future years. famed Peterbug Shoe Academy The projects offer a mix of rental on Capitol Hill. units, condos, co-living space, ofThe Wood for Good project fices, retail and a hotel. Many of is still standing by to accept the the new Shaw projects may resemcity’s excess plywood with the ble each other, with four projects intent of putting it all to a pro(901 W Street, 2220 11th Street, ductive and creative second life. 631 P Street, 1128 10th Street) Artists, creatives and community designed by architectural firm Eric groups anywhere in DC that are Colbert and Associates, two (the 9 interested in using this recycled ½ Street Initiative and the WashDacha Beer Garden proprietors Ilya and Dmitri want your vote in the USA Today Reader’s Poll. Photo: Alexander M. Padro lumber in a project should send ington Apartments redevelopment an email to shawmainstreetsinc@ at 1200 5th Street) designed by gmail.com with their contact information and Torti Gallas and two (1318 Ninth St., 1400 Ninth proposed use for the wood. They will be contactSt.) by Architextual. ed to confirm each project’s needs and confirm And expect to see new businesses opening soon. Shaw’s Dacha Beer Garden, no stranger to awards availability of inventory for pick up. Based on the Row House, bringing rowing to Shaw, is coming to for Best Beer Garden in DMV polls, is moving project description and quantity of wood provid901 W Street. The concept comes from New York to the big time. They are in a USA Today Readed, they may be asked to post images of finished City, offering a low impact, full-body synchronized ers’ Poll angling for a spot in the newspaper’s list work on Instagram, using the hashtag #woodforgroup fitness experience. Row House Shaw opens of the nation’s 10 Best Beer Gardens. As one of the good, or donate items for a charity auction. April 1. Yardbird Southern Table and Bar, the Mi20 finalists, Dacha is competing with beer gardens ami-based restaurant concept with locations worldacross the country, including the beer-soaked comwide, is also opening its first DC restaurant at 901 munities of Milwaukee and Chicago. You can vote New York Avenue NW in April. to put Dacha Beer Garden on USA Today’s Best 10 Two Shaw chefs went nude for a DC campaign to List by going to https:/www.10best.com/ support restaurant workers in need. Frank Mills, awards/travel/best-beer-garden/dachabeverage director at Roy Boys, and Daniel Kramer, beer-garden-washington-dc/. Voting ends chef of Gogi Yogi, posed nude with strategically on Tuesday, March 16 at noon. Winners placed aprons to aid a charity fundraiser by Revivwill be announced on March 26. alist Spirits. The Pennsylvania gin maker will post a nude DC restauranteur on its Facebook page every week and donate $1 for every Facebook share or Instagram repost (up to $5,000) to the LEE Initiative set up by Chef Edward Lee and Lindsey Ofacek to support struggling workers in the hosWood for Good, the Shaw Main Streets pitality industry. Mills’ post includes the recipe for program to which the Mayor has en“Shame on a pear,” a cocktail he created. Watch couraged District business and property Revivalist Spirits’ social media (Facebook: Revivowners to donate plywood formerly used alistGins, Instagram: @therevivalistgins) for your to protect storefronts and plate glass chance to support restaurant workers. windows for recycling, is still operating. Wood for Good put to use at the new Peterbug Ice Rink. Photo courtesy of DC-ICE
Shaw Still on the Move
Dacha Up for Best Beer Garden in the USA
Shaw Chefs Go Raw
Wood for Good Material Still Available
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SIGN UP FOR YOUR FREE SMALL BUSINESS WORKSHOP TODAY For existing and aspiring District businesses - the Small Business Resource Center is here for you!
WEBINAR: FRANCHISE YOUR BUSINESS: A PROVEN STRATEGY FOR GROWTH & SUCCESS
WEBINAR: INTRODUCTION TO GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING
Monday, March 1, 2021 10:00 am Register: dcrasbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events/51603
Wednesday, March 17, 2021 2:00 pm Register: dcrasbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events/52554
WEBINAR: DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE, SECURITIES AND BANKING “COFFEE & CAPITAL” AT DCRA
WEBINAR: ALL THINGS NON-PROFIT
Tuesday, March 2, 2021 10:00 am Register: dcrasbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events/51843
WEBINAR: HOW TO OBTAIN YOUR MADE IN DC CERTIFICATION
Shaw Main Streets delivers donated PPE to Wanda’s on 7th. Photo: Pleasant Mann
WETA Goes Home to Shaw
Public television station WETA has launched a new series illustrating residential communities in the region, with Shaw being featured in its first episode. The series, entitled “If You Lived Here,” spotlights notable neighborhoods in the DMV, describing the features that make them attractive and features three new properties in the neighborhood up for sale. The Shaw episode describes the neighborhood’s role in DC history, its Michelin restaurants and reputation as a dining destination, as well as its (pre-pandemic) status as an entertainment destination. In the show, Christian Gregory, son of comedian/activist Dick Gregory, explains how Shaw has been able to maintain its link to history while still developing to meet the needs of the contemporary world. The hosts ooh-and-ahh over the features of Ditto Develop-
Thursday, March 4, 2021 10:00 am Register: dcrasbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events/51921
Thursday, March 18, 2021 10:00 am Register: dcrasbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events/51834
WEBINAR: DCRA AT YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD LIBRARY - LEARN THE PROCESS OF STARTING A BUSINESS Tuesday, March 23, 2021 10:00 am Register: dcrasbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events/51849
WEBINAR: LEARN HOW TO BECOME A CERTIFIED BUSINESS ENTERPRISE (CBE)
WEBINAR: MARSHALL HEIGHT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION PARTNERSHIP: STEPS TO OBTAINING A BUSINESS LICENSE
Wednesday, March 10, 2021 10:00 am Register: dcrasbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events/52839
Wednesday, March 24, 2021 6:00 pm Register: dcrasbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events/52961
SBRC ONE-ON-ONE CALL SESSION: STEPS TO OBTAINING A BUSINESS LICENSE Monday - Friday By appointment between 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Register: dcrasbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events Small Business Resource Center (202) 442-4538 | dcra@dc.gov
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ment’s Poet Place at 1923 Ninth Street and rowhouse condos on the 900 blocks of O and S Streets and attempt to guess the spaces’ selling prices. Shaw had previously been profiled in the WETA series “WETA Neighborhoods” in 2006. You can view the Shaw episode of “If You Lived Here” on WETA or see it on their website at https://watch.weta.org/video/ shawi5ntst/?s=03.
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Shaw businesses have been spending countless dollars on PPE for staff and customers during the pandemic. Shaw Main Streets recently distributed free masks and sanitizer donated by the Rodham Institute and the Recreation Wish List Committee to help support some of the neighborhood’s small businesses. Twelve Black-owned businesses in Shaw were chosen to receive a total of 25,000 disposable masks and 72 gallons of gel hand sanitizer. The Rodham Institute at George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences was founded in 2013 in honor of former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s mother, the late Dorothy Rodham. The organization seeks to apply the transformative power of education to achieve health equity in Washington, DC. Recreation Wish List Committee was founded by former DC First Lady Cora Masters Barry, who received the Rodham Institute’s Beacon of Light Award. “The Rodham Institute’s commitment to leveling the playing field for the District’s most underserved communities by always fighting for equity, and access to health care, is greatly appreciated and much needed,” said Mrs. Barry in u a written statement.u
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NEIGHBORHOOD
ANC 6E
A
dvisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 6E held its monthly meeting for February 2021 on Tuesday evening, February 2. The meeting was held as a virtual conference. Commission Chair Rachelle Nigro (6E04) called the meeting to order with Michael Eichler (6E01, Vice Chair), Alex Lopez (6E02, Secretary), Frank Wiggins (6E03, Treasurer), Patrick Parlej (6E05), Denise Blackson (6E06) and Kevin Rogers (6E07) in attendance. There was a quorum to conduct official business.
Police Service Area (PSA) Reports
Lieutenant Wayne Steinhilber gave the First District report. Thefts from autos were down, but cases of stolen autos were up, a national and city trend. Most stolen autos were again cases of delivery drivers keeping their vacant cars running. There were two fewer robberies than the previous month. There was a shooting at 200 K Street NW that was related to an altercation on the grounds of the Capitol during recent disturbances. There was an Assault with Deadly Weapon incident January 27 when officers came across two suspects who had drawn their guns. The suspects fled in a car that later crashed, police being able to apprehend one of the suspects on the unit block of K Street. A Civil Disturbance Unit of the First District is still on high alert after the January assault on the Capitol. Commissioner Blackson asked why there was no patrol at First and M Streets. Steinhilber replied that a patrol covered that area every day, although there may be slight changes in deployments day to day. Commissioner Rogers said that there seemed to be shootings every week on K Street now, after criminal activity had calmed down earlier. He also wanted to know the status of the case of Demetri Harvin, who was shot on October 5. The police noted that the January 27 assault arrest they made was discovered on a routine patrol when the suspects were interrupted in the middle of their crime. The problem is that perpetrators know that the police are on patrol, but they are willing to take their chances committing crimes anyway. The Third District report came from Captain David Augustine. There was a homicide last month at the gas station on the 1300 block of Ninth Street. A gun was recovered and with investigative leads, it
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by Pleasant Mann looks like the case will be closed soon. On January 29, there was a stolen car and robbery on the 1700 block of Ninth Street. There was also a stolen auto on the 600 block of P, with the car being recovered at the Tyler House and an arrest being made there. One problem is that people believe that they can leave their cars and keep them running if they have the car’s key fob, but this is not enough to prevent theft.
MOCRS Report
Talib Shakir, the Ward 6 liaison from the Mayor’s Office of Community Relations and Services (MOCRS) said that the major District effort is to get everyone vaccinated. He had observed vaccinations at Shipley Terrace and it seemed well organized. There is also a series of community budget hearings coming up. If people want to report property damage from crime, they can contact him at talib.shakir@dc.gov. Commissioner Rogers said that the current vaccination process was “a joke.” As an eligible person, he has tried to register three times. People in Ward 6 should not be prevented from registering. Finally, there were no provisions for senior citizens without internet service to register. Shakir said that Wards 7 and 8 had a priority for vaccination since they had the biggest coronavirus problem. There are also people going door to door to see if they can identify seniors who need to be vaccinated. A resident asked if the Mayor could pressure police to patrol more often in the North Capitol Street area. Shakir replied that he has heard safety concerns from that area and that he will work with planners to come up with a strategy to reduce crime there.
Sursum Corda Turnkey and Sibley Townhome RFP
DC Housing Authority Executive Director Tyrone Garrett came to the ANC to describe the status of the Request for Proposals (RFP) put out for the redevelopment of the Sursum Corda Turnkey and Sibley Townhomes. An RFP has been issued and they have received proposals. The proposals are being evaluated to see if they are sufficient before bringing them before the residents. The hope is to make sure that the community is involved in all phases of the project.
Zoning and Development Committee
Shiloh Baptist Church Redevelopment Map Amendment. The consultants and developers for the redevelopment of the properties surrounding Shiloh Baptist Church made a presentation to the ANC at its December meeting, asking for a zoning map amendment for the area. However, the letter from the commission, supporting a map amendment was for the wrong type of amendment. The developers were seeking support for a map amendment to the Future Land Use Map (FLUM) of the District’s new Comprehensive Plan. A motion was made to have the ANC support the FLUM amendment and convey their support to the Mayor, DC Council and Office of Planning. The motion passed unanimously. 441 M Street NW. Seeking approval of renovation plans from the Historic Preservation Review Board. Tony Brown, committee chair, noted that the project had come before the commission before and generated some controversy. The plans have been revised and he believed that they did an outstanding job meeting the concerns of the neighborhood and the HPRB. A motion to support the plan before the HPRB passed unanimously. 1527 Eighth Street NW. Project requiring zoning relief to convert a rear deck into an interior sunroom. Request for a special exception for building square footage allowed, lot occupancy variance and a special exception for the rear yard. The ANC unanimously supported the request for zoning relief to be conveyed to the Board of Zoning Adjustment.
Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC)
The committee presented a request to the DC Department of Transportation to install speed bumps on Fifth Street between Q Street and Rhode Island Avenue. There are already speed bumps between the 1300 and 1500 blocks of Fifth. Commissioner Wiggins, who lives on Fifth Street, expressed his support for the measure. The resolution was approved unanimously by the commission.
Resolution on Northwest One Library
Commissioner Lopez introduced a resolution, objecting to the DC Public Library’s (DCPL) plans for the Northwest One Library. The DCPL Master Facilities Plan called for closing Northwest One, a small neigh-
borhood library, and building a larger one to the east in Eckington. Lopez noted that the usage of Northwest One is much higher than would be expected for its size. His resolution calls for more community input in library planning and the construction of a larger library at the Northwest One site. Commissioner Rogers also expressed opposition to DCPL’s current plans. The resolution, which will be sent to DCPL, was passed unanimously by the ANC.
Resolution on McMillan Sand Filtration Site Redevelopment
A community resident wanted the commission to adopt a resolution opposing the District’s plans for redeveloping the McMillan Reservoir Sand Filtration Site. He thought that the members of the DC Council who approved the project a number of years ago were not aware of the architectural loss that would occur if the underground sand beds once used to purify the city’s water were destroyed by the new development. Instead, the reservoir should be preserved as a historic structure and used as a recreational site for District residents. Commissioner Nigro invited residents near the reservoir who supported the development to speak, but only the ANC commissioner from the area was on the conference. The commissioner supported the planned development since it would provide the neighborhood with amenities like a grocery store and a pool, and that she was told that the old sand filtration site was unstable and would require too much money to restore. A resolution was introduced that would call for a suspension of the project until it was reevaluated, but it was defeated by a vote of two yeses, three nos and two abstentions. ANC 6E will hold its next meeting on Tuesday, March 2 at 6:30 p.m. Plans are to hold this meeting as a virtual conference. Visit www.anc6e.org for ◆ more information.◆
Joel N. Martin Licensed in DC, MD & VA Since 1986 DC resident since 1970 / Shaw resident since 2002
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NEIGHBORHOOD
BULLETIN BOARD
Supreme Court Justice Stephen G. Breyer Takes the Bench for A Winter’s Tale of Marital Woe: Who’s to Blame?
Photograph of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, Justice Stephen G. Breyer, and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg at a previous Shakespeare Theatre Company Mock Trial. Photograph: Kevin Allen
Oyez, oyez, oyez! Shakespeare Theatre Company’s annual Mock Trial is now in session—virtually. On March 10, at 7:30 p.m., audiences are invited to hear a mock appellate argument before a panel of judges, based on a legal issue arising out of a re-imagined plot point of The Winter’s Tale. Audiences will be able to watch the proceedings online and even cast their own judgment before the panel renders their verdict. Focusing on the royal rift between King Leontes and Queen Hermione of Sicily, this year’s Mock Trial scenario A Winter’s Tale of Marital Woe: Who’s to Blame? finds the Queen’s frenemy Paulina paying out of pocket after keeping the monarchs separated for sixteen years. $30; free for students. shakespearetheatre.org.
Florida Avenue NE’s Virtual Circle to be Redesigned
DDOT is redesigning the notorious “virtual” circle at the intersection of New York Avenue, Florida Avenue, and First Street, NE, to make it safer for pedestrians, bicyclists and drivers. Once complete, the redesigned intersection will: realign and add two-way traffic to First Street; restore two-way traffic on Florida Avenue; add protected bicycle lanes; make other improvements benefitting safety and legibility for all modes of travel; and create three new public park spaces. The title for the property was transferred to the District by eminent domain. DDOT will complete the final design plans in Summer 2021 with plans to begin construction in the first quarter of 2022. For more information, visit floridaaveproject.com.
Theater J Adds New Israeli Streaming Films
Theater J has grown its innovative Israeli Theater Collection with nine high quality streaming videos with English-language captions from many of Israel’s leading theater companies. The collection provides audiences across North America exclusive access to the productions, all of which were filmed pre-COVID, and represents some of the breadth and
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diversity in both content and aesthetics of contemporary Israeli theater. The collection showcases the work from theater companies across Israel, including Beit Lessin Theatre, the Cameri Theater, Ensemble Aspamia, Haifa Theatre, Gesher Theater, Jaffa Theater (the Arab-Hebrew theater), and Nephesh Theatre, and feature the works of acclaimed Israeli theater artists such as Roee Chen, Hadar Galron, Motti Lerner, Ido Rozenberg, Gur Koren, Gilad Kimchi, and Tomer Yifroch. The Israeli Theater Collection will be available to rent through June 30. theaterj. org/israeli-theater-collection.
SAAM’s Virtual Women Filmmakers Festival
Join the Smithsonian American Art Museum for their third annual Women Filmmakers Festival. This year, the festival is presented exclusively online with screenings and programing that highlights a different artist each week. Organized around the theme of “Her History Lessons,” the featured filmmakers all create works that look to the past for insights into urgent issues of today. Acknowledging the momentous events of 2020, the selected videos reflect on colonial histories and the growing climate crisis; legacies of artists, activists, and state repression; and more than a century of pandemics tied to social upheavals. americanart.si.edu/events/ women-filmmakers-festival/2021.
Studio Theatre’s Season Remainder
Productions are available on demand--watch when you want. There are no apps to download, just visit their website to stream. Here the remaining 20202021 season lineup: Cock by Mike Bartlett, March 5 to 28; Until the Flood by Dael Orlandersmith, March 28 to April 18; 2.5 Minute Ride by Lisa Kron, April 23 to May 16; Flow by Will Power, May 21 to June 13; Tender Age by George Brant, July 2 to 25. studiotheatre.org.
LOC Launches Campaign for Civic Strength
A series of new events exploring ideas and actions to strengthen America’s democracy will debut in March, April and May with the launch of Our Common Purpose: A Campaign for Civic Strength at the Library of Congress. The initiative is created and hosted by Danielle Allen, who was awarded the 2020 John W. Kluge Prize for Achievement in the Study of Humanity. This new campaign will feature public events hosted virtually on the Library’s Facebook page and its YouTube site, along with workshops for K-12 educators to help educators across the country experiment and create new ways of making civic education come to life. The first conversation from Our Common Purpose, on March 11, 1 p.m., will highlight civic media as a promising counterpoint
DCHFA, Your Homeownership Resource in the District. The District of Columbia Housing Finance Agency is your homeownership resource in the District from buying a home to retaining your home; we have a homeownership program to assist you. 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 mortgages. You are not required to be a first-time homebuyer or a D.C. resident to qualify for DCOD. You must, however, be purchasing a home in the District of Columbia. Home Purchase Assistance Program (HPAP) HPAP provides interest free deferred loans for down payment and closing cost assistance up to $84,000 combined. DCHFA serves as a co-administrator of this DC Department of Housing and Community Development’s (DHCD) first-time home buyer program. Reverse Mortgage Insurance & Tax Payment Program (ReMIT) ReMIT provides financial assistance to seniors 62 years or older who have fallen behind on insurance and tax payments as a result of their reverse mortgage. Qualified District homeowners can receive up to $25,000 in assistance. DC4ME DC4ME provides mortgage assistance with optional down payment assistance to D.C. government employees. DC4ME is offered to current full-time District government employees, including employees of District government-based instrumentalities, independent agencies, D.C. Public Charter Schools, and organizations, provided the applicant/borrower's employer falls under the oversight of the Council of the District of Columbia. DC MAP (Mortgage Assistance Program) COVID-19 DC MAP COVID-19 provides financial assistance to those affected by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Qualified borrowers can receive a loan of up to $5,000 per month to put toward their mortgage for up to six months. HomeSaver HomeSaver is a foreclosure prevention program that assists unemployed and underemployed homeowners who may have fallen behind on their mortgage payments. The program offers lump sum or ongoing monthly assistance with a maximum assistance of $60,000 per household.
Visit www.DCHFA.org for full qualification guidelines and information on how to apply to any of DCHFA’s homeownership programs. 815 FLORIDA AVENUE, NW, WASHINGTON, DC 20001 • 202.777.1600 • WWW.DCHFA.ORG
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to the often overwhelming universe of social media. The second event in April will explore how refinements to voting procedures have the potential to increase the responsiveness of elected officials. The third event in May will look to history and search for ways to engage with the nation’s founding documents. youtube.com/user/LibraryOfCongress.
the Performing Arts at the Library of Congress Facebook page. All events of the season are free, and tickets are not required. loc.gov/concerts.
Congressional Cemetery Call for Actors
AARP Tax Preparation Help for DC Residents
DC residents can send a text to or leave a message at 202-642-9037 or email the Help Desk at DCTaxAide.Help@ gmail.com if you have questions or need help with your federal or DC tax return. One of their counselors will get in touch with you by email or return your call using the number 617-675-4444. For contact free help, you can send your scanned documents to them and they will prepare your return. All contact is by video chat or phone. A copy of your completed return is then emailed to you. You sign and they eFile your return. To get started, go to aarpfoundation.org/ taxaide or email the Help Desk. For an appointment, you can bring your documents to them at a designated site and either (1) they scan and return them or (2) you leave them. All further contact is by video chat or phone. You then get a copy of your completed return. You sign and they eFile your return. To get started, contact the Help Desk.
Photo: Courtesy of Dance Place
From March 8 to 14, Dance Place presents local company S. J. Ewing & Dancers with their new, virtual reality, physically distant presentation of TECHNE. Audiences will enter Dance Place for the first time since the start of the pandemic, and they will experience a fully immersive 360-degree virtual reality film that lives at the intersection of contemporary dance, interactive projections, and surround sound. Leveraging technology to bring the audience onto the stage and into the artists’ world, TECHNE delivers an entirely new perspective of a contemporary dance performance. TECHNE was created during a week-long residency at Dance Place that used new projection technology and a 360-degree camera for filming. Dance Place, 3225 Eighth St NE. danceplace.org.
Arena Stage Theater Artists Marketplace
Arena Stage Theater Artists Marketplace has trailblazed a model for regional theaters to connect art, artists and their artistry directly with the public. You commission or purchase a work of art safely, with no in-person contact, from the artists and artisans who have graced Arena’s stages. When you make a purchase through the Marketplace, you are generating much-needed financial support for artists. A percentage supports Arena Stage. There are 33 artists and over 100 works of art, lessons, or commissioning opportunities currently on the Marketplace. Check back often as more Arena Stage artists and their works will be added over time. arenastage.org/ tickets/looking-forward/artists-marketplace.
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A Fully-Immersive 360-degree Virtual Reality Dance Experience Premieres at Dance Place
LOC Announces Spring Concert Programming
Concerts from the Library of Congress offers virtual concerts, interviews and conversations with artists and composers, lectures, curator talks and educational programs. This spring’s events include performances and presentations in classical music, jazz and dance. The season is being presented entirely in an online format for the first time. March concerts include: March 10, noon, HOMEGROWN at Home: É.T.É presents traditional and contemporary Francophone music from Québec; March 12, 8 p.m., New World Orchestra; March 19, 8 p.m., Steven Osborne, piano; and March 26, Dudok Quartet, Amsterdam. All events will be made available on the scheduled premiere date and time on loc. gov/concerts, the Library’s YouTube channel and
Whether you are an experienced actor, always have had a great time doing skits, or just enjoy telling people about history--doing historical theater may be for you. Congressional Cemetery is looking for a few good actors to help with some historical theater events. It will be fun while helping them raise money for the Cemetery. The Historical Theater Interest Form is at form. asana.com/?k=XNyM8IOrXjgPtcdrh WDacg&d=1199636913810108. congressionalcemetery.org.
Growing Healthy Houseplants with the Botanic Garden
On Thursday, March 18, 2:30 to 3 p.m., join USBG Plant Health Care Specialist Chelsea McKinley live from the US Botanic Garden’s Conservatory for helpful hints on maintaining healthy houseplants. Using images and plants from the Garden’s collections, McKinley will share tips for diagnosing and addressing common houseplant health concerns. Free. Register at smithsonian. zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_uBoi7NGVSR2SLUpdZQbX9w.
Folger’s Shakespeare Unlimited (podcasts)
William Shakespeare and his works are woven throughout our global culture, from theater, music, and films to new scholarship, education, amazing discoveries, and more. In the Folger’s Shakespeare Unlimited podcast, Shakespeare opens a window into topics ranging from the American West, to the real history of Elizabethan street fighting, to interviews with Shakespearean stars. As you’ll hear, he turns up in surprising places, too—including outer space. Join the Folger Shakespeare Library for a “no limits” tour of the connections between Shakespeare, his works, and our world. Explore by play or explore by topic 150 free podcasts. folger.edu/shakespeare-unlimited.
NEIGHBORHOOD
Easter at the National Cathedral
On Easter Sunday, April 4, at 11:15 a.m. attend the Easter service at the National cathedral on their website, YouTube page or Facebook page. At 6 p.m., Cathedral organists Thomas Sheehan and George Fergus celebrate the holiday with a selection of uplifting music on the Cathedral’s Great Organ. Join the organists after the recital for a discussion of the music and the amazing instrument. This concert includes the works of Lynn Trapp, Buxtehude, Simon Preston, John West, Florence Price, Denis Bédard and Marcel Dupré. Free but registration is necessary. Registrants will be sent a link to view the concert. cathedral.org.
National Cathedral Red Cross Blood Drive
The National Cathedral has partnered with the Red Cross to host blood drives on Wednesday, March 24, 10 a.m. and Thursday, March 25, 1 p.m. If you are able to donate blood, visit redcrossblood.org, and in the red “Find a Blood Drive” box at the top right, enter the code “National Cathedral” for available reservation times.
Community Forklift Seeks Volunteers for Workshop Program
If you are a tradesperson or creative DIYer and would like to help with a workshop on practical how-to’s or creative reuse, propose your workshop idea at communityforklift.org/our-programs/application-forworkshop-ideas.
NGA Sculpture Garden and Pavilion Café Reopen
Transitional Housing Opportuniy
The National Gallery has reopened the Sculpture Garden and Pavilion Café to the public, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., daily. Admission is free and all entrances and paths are open. Capacity is limited and visitors will be welcomed on a first-come, first-served basis. The 6.1-acre garden is located along the north side of the National Mall between Seventh and Ninth Streets NW. The East and West Buildings remain closed to the public. nga.gov.
Housing Counseling Services’ Transitional Opportunity Program (TOP) is accepting applications for a transitional housing program for single HIV+ adults who are homeless, at risk of homelessness or living in unstable situations. Program participants will be housed in community-based, furnished, one-bedroom apartments. Participants must be prepared to engage in intensive case management, demonstrate capacity to live independently, and be ready to document 40 hours a week of productive activity. files. constantcontact.com/ff922da4601/6480933e-7d7d4806-9364-4e0721a50a3e.pdf
SHRINES: Adventure awaits.
From March 21 through April 25, 2021, six curious and wondrous Shrines will appear throughout the region’s landscape, waiting to be discovered. Explorers, adventurous participants who choose to journey to one or many Shrines, will travel and enact a Ritual connecting them to the magic of a Shrine, its location, and other Explorers who have been there. SHRINES is free to experience, and each unique Shrine is complete and self-contained. Explorers may visit as many as they like. All they ask is that participants engage fully with any Shrine they visit and share with others to foster deeper magic and connection. SHRINES locations, rituals and media will be released in late February so Explorers can begin planning their journeys. In the meantime, Explorers may peruse the SHRINES guidebook and sign up for maps, rituals, etc. at shrines.space. Explorers can also begin to connect with one another in the SHRINES Facebook Group and use the hashtags: #SHRINES #FindYourShrine #exploredc.
edge, engage, and uplift our neighbors’ stories. Their stories reflect the ordinary and the extraordinary details of day-to-day life, our individual joys and triumphs, our challenges, our shared community celebrations, and more. Explore the stories and consider contributing your own. humanitiesdc.org/programs/ constellation.
HCS Foreclosure Prevention Webinars
The Devil’s Disciple
The Washington Stage Guild is streaming George Bernard Shaw’s The Devils Disciple, set during the American Revolutionary War, on their YouTube channel, March 17, 8 p.m. to March 21, 8 p.m. Ten actors bring the script to life for you to enjoy from your own home. This limited engagement is available online at any time—day or evening. There is no ticket purchase required to attend but they would appreciate a donation. stageguild.org.
HumanitiesDC Call for Stories
Constellation: Our DC Stories, a HumanitiesDC story-sharing initiative, invites all who live, work, play, or otherwise experience the District to share their DC story so that we may collectively acknowl-
The non-profit Housing Counseling Services is conducting webinars every Wednesday in March at 2 p.m. to provide information about available options for people who are having difficulty paying their mortgage, condo fees or property taxes. You may participate by internet or telephone. The webinars are free and registration is required. You may register at housingetc.org/webinar-registration . If you have questions, you may also call the Foreclosure Prevention hotline at 202-265-2255.
Schedule a COVID Vaccination Appointment
Visit coronavirus.dc.gov/vaccinatedc for continually updated vaccination information, to make an appointment and to signup for vaccination availability alerts. The portal is only to schedule appointments for the first dose; patients will schedule an appointment to receive their second dose during their first appointment. u
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OUT AND ABOUT
At The Movies
Contrasts: An End-of-Life Road Trip and the Farm Life of a Korean-American Family by Mike Canning
Supernova
(From left) Stanley Tucci and Colin Firth star in the elegiac “Supernova.” Photo: Bleecker Street
An up-close-andpersonal examination of dementia may not be everyone’s idea of a fun movie, but the new film “Supernova,” written and directed by Harry MacQueen, treats just that subject with such care, humor, nuance and taste that moviegoers will come away both moved and delighted – and newly thoughtful about end-of-life questions. It doesn’t hurt that the film is a brilliant acting pas de deux, starring Stanley Tucci (“Spotlight”) as Tusker, a writer in his 50s, the victim of early onset dementia, and Colin Firth (“The King’s Speech”) as Sam, a concert pianist and Tusker’s partner of 20 years. (With a running time of 93 minutes; the film is rated R.) Knowing Tusker’s diagnosis, the two agree to take a last road trip around England when they can, visiting family and past friends. Sam, who has put off his career to care for Tusker, does all the driving and heads for the Lake Country, where they can re-live memories of their life together in a kind of swan song. He even creates a useful excuse for the trip, booking a piano recital for himself at a town up north. After 20 years, Sam and Tusker are as secure in their love as they have ever been, but in the two years since Tusker was diagnosed, their lives have had to change. As Tusker’s condition gradually worsens, Sam is forced to place his own life on hold and become his partner’s full-time caregiver. Their time together has been the essence of their lives, and this road trip takes on an extra emotional weight. While Tusker had long been Sam’s rock, it now falls to Sam to take control, and he aims to offer his beloved partner as much normality and joy as he can muster. Meanwhile, Tusker knows that his condition is having an overwhelming effect on both their lives, and that he is beginning to lose control. As their trip progresses, in
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a somewhat battered van, their individual visions of America, being an immigrant nation, has long feaa possible future together tured immigrant stories and characters in its movies. begin to collide. Past seThe best combine a vision of an individual’s expericrets surface, private plans ence in adjusting to the US while also reflecting the crumble and their love for universal experience of the ethnic group depicted. A each other is tested anew. recent example of that narrative comes with “MiDirector MacQueen nari,” an ode to Korean-American adaptation to came up with the origiAmerican life. (The film, now streaming through lonal story of “Supernova” cal outlets, is rated PG-13 and runs 115 minutes.) after studying and reThe Yi family patriarch, Jacob (Steven Yeun), searching dementia over his wife Monica (Han Ye-ri) and two kids, David three years, then added the gay relationship into his and Anne (Alan Kim and Noel Kate Cho), leave first outline. The casting was crucial, and he got the life in California in the 1980s to follow Jacob’s talent he wanted with Tucci and Firth. dream of owning his own farm to grow Korean MacQueen said he aimed to make an open-ended produce to sell to vendors in Texas. After he purmovie. “I’m not interested in making films that overtly chases a plot of land in rural Arkansas, he’s optitell you what to think,” he said in an interview. “I think mistic about the life ahead, especially for growing that’s up to an audience to decide; the idea was to set “minari” (dropwort), a green vegetable popular up the fact that these are two people on a precipice, in Asia. Jacob does receive support from a kind and this is the thing that’s pulling them apart. There Christian neighbor, Paul (Will Patton). are no ends tied up in the film, and it doesn’t become Monica is unhappy with their move, where one thing or another. But hopefully we allow people to all she can find is a grim job “sexing chickens” at a think more about how we treat one another, and how nearby hatchery, dead-end employment that she and difficult it is to be put in this position.” Jacob take on for ready cash. Monica also worries The final casting turned into a sort of kismet. about her son David’s heart condition. The marriage Tucci, first on board, thought he would play Sam, but, has become shaky, and the couple bickers often. after both men read the script, Firth felt that maybe he To watch the kids during the day, the Yis arshould be Sam and Tucci Tusker. Firth began to wonrange for Monica’s mother, Soon-ja (Youn Yuhder if they should flip their roles, and Tucci had been jung), to travel from Korea. having similar thoughts. The feisty grandma, who “We each read each role for has an outspoken and proHarry [MacQueen], and fane manner, clashes with we knew instantly that this David, who is forced to was how it was supposed share a bedroom with her to be,” Tucci said. “I don’t and resents her presence know why, it just sat better on the farm. She struggles this way.” Having themto adjust to American life selves been close friends for and to a strange landscape 20 years, the two leads wove and tries to help the housethat personal rapport fully hold by taking the children into their fine representa(From left) Young David Yi (Alan Kim) helps his grandma (Youn Yuhto plant minari seeds by a tions in “Supernova.” Jung) plant vegetables in “Minari.” Photo: A24 Pictures and Plan B
Minari
#ShawTakeout YOU COULD USE A DRINK RIGHT ABOUT NOW! nearby creek, hoping for a good crop and looking to bond with the children. Unfortunately, hardships cascade on the Yis. A well that Jacob has dug runs dry, and he resents having to pay for county water, while Monica keeps urging a return to California. Then Soon-ja suffers a stroke overnight and, while she survives with medical care, she is left with impairments. Finally, things take a more positive turn. On a medical trip to Oklahoma City without Soon-ja, the family learns that David’s heart condition has dramatically improved, while Jacob makes a deal to sell vegetables to a Korean grocer. But the couple still has issues and, after an argument, they agree to separate. Back home, Soon-ja accidentally sets the barn containing their produce on fire. The family, just returning home, tries to contain the fire, but it grows out of control, and their barn is ruined. Then their luck turns again when Jacob and David return to the creek to find the minari has blossomed in the new soil, and the farmer realizes that Soon-ja knew just where to plant it. Director-writer Lee Isaac Chung took elements of his own biography to create “Minari.” A son of Korean immigrants himself, he grew up in rural Arkansas, then studied at Yale University and the University of Utah film school and launched his first feature film in 2007. He has crafted this modest but fulfilling picture from local knowledge of the region, given it precise and careful pacing and imparted appropriate weight to each member of his ensemble. Hill resident Mike Canning has written on movies for the Hill Rag since 1993 and is a member of the Washington Area Film Critics Association. He is the author of “Hollywood on the Potomac: How the Movies View Washington, DC.” His reviews and writings on film can be found online at www.mikesflix.com. ◆
TIGER FORK
Photo: Scott Suchman
Whether your taste runs toward the classic or creative, Shaw’s bars offer a wide range of tastes, from divey Ivy and Coney to world class Columbia Room, from sudsy Right Proper to frenchy La Jambe. You can’t sit at the bar right now, but you can order your favorites to go or try something new.
TAKE A SIP OR CHUG A PINT. EITHER WAY, IT’LL BE #SHAWSOME!
www.shawmainstreets.org 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 ©2021 Shaw Main Streets, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
“High quality design and preservation framing are our top priorities” Serving Capitol Hill since 1984 Custom designed mats • Wide selection • Work done on premises 513 11TH ST. SE (EASTERN MARKET METRO)
202.544.7577 www.newmangallery.com ROTATING EX H IBITS OF LO CA L A RTIS TS
M ARC H 2 0 2 1 2 5
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 48 W St NW 24 Channing St NW 1828 N Capitol St NW 64 Seaton Pl NW 18 T St NW
COLUMBIA HEIGHTS 1356 Irving St NW 1354 Irving St NW 1319 Spring Rd NW 2520 12th St NW 1462 Spring Rd NW 1340 Spring Rd NW 1536 Monroe St NW 3637 11th St NW 754 Fairmont St NW 1352 Parkwood Pl NW 1115 Harvard St NW #R 626 Harvard St NW 3122 Sherman Ave NW
DUPONT CIRCLE 1723 Riggs Pl NW 1721 Willard St NW 2148 Florida Ave NW 1730 Corcoran St NW 1722 Swann St NW
ECKINGTON 136 R St NE 13 Quincy Pl NW 11 Q St NE 126 Todd Pl NE 220 T St NE #1
FOGGY BOTTOM
2502 I St NW 2529 Queen Annes Ln NW
LOGAN CIRCLE 1512 P St NW
OLD CITY #2
946 Westminster St NW
SHAW
902 French St NW 1334 5th St NW 1536 5th St NW 704 Rhode Island Ave NW
TRUXTON CIRCLE
1617 New Jersey Ave NW 1540 1st St NW
U STREET CORRIDOR 2227 13th St NW 2100 12th St NW 1440 Florida Ave NW
Price
2920 Sherman Ave NW #2 1390 Kenyon St NW #812 1348 Euclid St NW #107 625 Park Rd NW #UNIT 206 625 Park Rd NW #UNIT 113 1512 Park Rd NW #1 1330 Park Rd NW #A 1418 Meridian Pl NW #2 1418 Meridian Pl NW #1 1447 Chapin St NW #105 1401 Columbia Rd NW #219 3606 Rock Creek Church Rd NW #202 731 Girard St NW #2 3504 13th St NW #1
$1,500,000 $1,485,000 $1,195,000 $860,000 $750,000 $1,395,000 $1,295,000 $1,200,000 $1,150,000 $990,000 $960,000 $920,000 $864,000 $810,000 $700,000 $687,500 $660,000 $630,000
DUPONT
1746 Q St NW #5 1745 N St NW #210 1706 16th St NW #2 1801 16th St NW #609 1728 New Hampshire Ave NW #101 1621 T St NW #703 1816 New Hampshire Ave NW #410 1725 Q St NW #G1 2122 N St NW #8 2150 Florida Ave NW #PH4 2150 Florida Ave NW #3 1733 20th St NW #102 1737 P St NW #502 1747 T St NW #2 1822 New Hampshire Ave NW #1 1620 Corcoran St NW #A1 1325 18th St NW #511 1325 18th St NW #608 1615 Q St NW #507 1825 T St NW #301 2130 N St NW #404 1711 Massachusetts Ave NW #226 1727 Massachusetts Ave NW #210
$1,849,000 $1,575,000 $1,562,500 $1,450,000 $965,000 $1,150,000 $857,500 $700,000 $675,000 $396,750 $989,000 $1,100,000
ECKINGTON
$2,508,000
FOGGY BOTTOM
$1,362,500
LEDROIT PARK
$1,739,000 $1,550,000 $785,000 $747,000 $915,000 $770,000 $1,375,000 $1,335,000 $1,000,000
Condominium 14TH STREET CORRIDOR
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307 Todd Place NE #1 2515 K St NW #403
2125 14th St NW #326 2125 14th St NW #431
ADAMS MORGAN
2248 Ontario Rd NW #PH 9 2244 Ontario Rd NW #PH 7 1832 Calvert St NW #4 1794 Lanier Pl NW #203 2550 17th St NW #508
BLOOMINGDALE
4 R St NW #PENTHOUSE #1 4 R St NW #5 51 Randolph Pl NW #502
CENTRAL
915 E St NW #1015 400 Massachusetts Ave NW #807 916 G St NW #401
$775,000 $399,000 $1,295,000 $745,000 $599,000 $517,000 $510,000 $835,000 $445,000 $338,000 $777,000 $628,750 $770,000
CHINATOWN
777 7th St NW #713
COLUMBIA HEIGHTS 1206 Lamont St NW #2 742 Princeton Pl NW #2 3624 10th St NW #7 3554 10th NW #3 3541 11th St NW #302 1508 Park Rd NW #5 1483 Monroe St NW #1 765 Girard St NW #1 731 Girard St NW #1 3821 14th St NW #9 3619 14th St NW #3 1120 Euclid St NW #1 1447 Girard St NW #3 2750 14th St NW #608 1514 Newton St NW #201
$585,000 $1,346,500 $900,000 $890,000 $850,000 $840,000 $812,500 $775,000 $760,000 $749,000 $730,000 $675,000 $650,000 $600,000 $595,000 $580,000
1844 3rd St NW #302 1844 3rd St NW #303 1844 3rd St NW #202 1844 3rd St NW #203 46 Channing St NW #3 1852 3rd St NW #A
LOGAN CIRCLE
1220 N St NW #3B 1010 Massachusetts Ave NW #503 1828 13th St NW #4 1817 13th St NW #2 940 P St NW #B 1631 16th St NW #2 1550 11th St NW #206 1515 15th St NW #209 1502 Q St NW #3 1444 Church St NW #302 1211 13th St NW #707 1427 Rhode Island Ave NW #203 1441 Rhode Island Ave NW #706
$573,000 $558,000 $552,000 $545,000 $483,000 $470,000 $469,900 $425,000 $404,000 $350,000 $345,000 $325,000 $309,000 $299,000 $1,475,000 $1,275,000 $645,000 $619,000 $600,000 $505,000 $270,000 $230,000 $1,999,900 $790,000 $754,900 $645,000 $505,000 $450,000 $440,000 $432,000 $427,000 $425,000 $425,000 $290,000 $282,000 $255,000 $230,000 $667,000 $265,000 $1,285,000 $1,145,000 $975,000 $850,000 $785,000 $547,500 $935,000 $577,500 $760,000 $1,800,000 $1,145,000 $1,050,000 $899,900 $875,000 $787,000 $749,000 $584,000 $550,000 $535,000
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WIDE SHOE OUTLET Men’s and Women’s sizes up to 15 EE Savings in store and online
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Redefining Beauty One Client at a Time! 1515 15th St NW #202 1311 13th St NW #503 20 Logan Cir NW #3-2 1441 Rhode Island Ave NW #109 1215 N St NW #3 1515 11th St NW #C-1 1314 Vermont Ave NW #1 1450 Church St NW #502 2000 16th St NW #401
MT VERNON SQUARE 1011 M St NW #610 440 L St NW #204 440 L St NW #1107 460 New York Ave NW #1006 460 New York Ave NW #1001 440 L St NW #1008 1111 11th St NW #603
$529,999 $510,000 $505,000 $497,500 $469,900 $460,000 $460,000 $760,000 $612,500 $855,000 $650,000 $545,000 $544,000 $524,900 $517,000 $484,000
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910 M St NW #1020 1108 T St NW #1108 1109 M St NW #6 1740 New Hampshire Ave NW #NHC 1620 Corcoran St NW #A 1735 New Hampshire Ave NW #105 1727 Massachusetts Ave NW #605
PENN QUARTER
715 6th St NW #1202 912 F St NW #907 915 E St NW #405 631 D St NW #1229 701 Pennsylvania Ave NW #1124
SHAW
2120 Vermont Ave NW #523 1718 9th St NW #2 801 N NW #206 306 P St NW #2 801 N NW #103 500 Florida Ave NW #2 51 Randolph Pl NW #501
TRUXTON CIRCLE 62 Q St NW #1
U STREET CORRIDOR 2020 12th St NW #PH03 2250 11th St NW #101 2100 11th St NW #204 929 Florida Ave NW #8007 2020 12th St NW #T13 1390 V St NW #402 1390 V St NW #510
$1,040,000 $797,000 $725,000 $635,000 $415,000 $390,000 $236,000
Lots & Lots
ON ANY NEW INSTALLATION
Derek Thomas / Principal
$870,000 $740,000 $650,000 $529,000 $337,500 $915,000 $750,000 $750,000 $639,900 $590,000 $350,000 $340,000 $630,000 $1,240,000 $952,500 $870,000 $699,000 $685,000 $619,000 $455,000
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OLD CITY #2
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in the Whole Foods Section
CoOp ADAMS MORGAN
1736 Columbia Rd NW #104
COLUMBIA HEIGHTS 3701 13th St NW #210
DUPONT CIRCLE
1701 16th St NW #817 1701 16th Street NW #530 2039 New Hampshire Ave NW #609
FOGGY BOTTOM
700 New Hampshire Ave NW #821 730 24th St NW #917
LOGAN CIRCLE
1300 Massachusetts Ave NW #205
OLD CITY #2
2039 New Hampshire Ave NW #510 1444 W St NW #106
◆
$365,500 $95,009 $425,000 $369,900 $241,000 $760,000 $306,121 $193,000 $340,000 $146,304
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M ARC H 2 0 2 1 2 7
KIDS AND FAMILY
notebook by Kathleen Donner
Spy Academy & the Lost Treasure of Atlantis
Spy Academy & the Lost Treasure of Atlantis is Imagination Stage’s made-for-the-virtual-world immersive online experience for kids ages five and older. Through May 23, the show--part escape room, part spy adventure, and part online game--engages children in an interactive performance as meaningful as it is delightful. The audience--no more than 15 households per performance--takes on the role of cadets at a spy academy. They are being taught by Pat, a live facilitator. When Pat gets notification that some of the academy’s adult spies need help evading the villainous Dr. Levinious as they search for the Heart of the Dragon, Pat recruits all the cadets to help them by solving various puzzles and problems. Adults will have received instructions in advance to secretly prepare some key props to have nearby for their cadets. $25 per household. imaginationstgae.org.
Wendy, Where Does Our Wastewater Go?
This new book, published by DC Water, aims to take complex environmental and engineering themes and make them accessible to children ages six to twelve. The story follows DC Water’s mascot, Wendy the Water Drop, as she takes a group of curious students through all the steps that wastewater takes from their homes, through Blue Plains, and eventually back to the Potomac. The book is illustrated by Deborah Han and designed by Jacob Bilich, both students at Georgetown University. Wendy, Where Does Our Wastewater Go?
2 8 M I D CI T Y D C N EWS . C O M
is available at all open DC libraries. It can also be purchased at bluedrop.co/shop/ for $12.75. 10% of each sale goes to the SPLASH Fund (dcwater. com/customer-assistance), a DC Water program that helps customers maintain critical water and sewer service in times of financial emergencies.
Baltimore’s Maryland Zoo is Open
Baltimore’s Maryland Zoo, at One Safari Place, is open daily (rain or shine) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There is a new timed-ticket process in place and all ticket purchases are online. Admission is $22
for adults; $18 for ages two to eleven; and $19 for seniors. Parking is free. marylandzoo.org.
Parent Like It Matters: How to Raise Joyful, Change-Making Girls
How do we teach girls to change the world? Janice Johnson Dias encourages parents to begin within, seeking their own fulfillment and in turn becoming self-realized role models for young women. Drawing on her knowledge as a leading sociologist and experiences raising her own change-agent
M ARC H 2 0 2 1 2 9
KIDS AND FAMILY
Science Moms
Science Moms are a group of bipartisan climate scientists and mothers who care deeply about the planet that our children will inherit. Together, they aim to demystify climate change, talk honestly about how it will affect our children and give moms the facts they need to take action. Sign up for monthly actions to protect your kids from climate change at sciencemoms.com.
Make Invisible Ink
Learn how to make eight different formulas for creating invisible ink and don’t forget to do the Secret Message Egg Challenge on the back. Find them at spymuseum.org/education-programs/educators/ lesson-plans-activities. Other activities include: Disguise for Cover--Sometimes intelligence officers and their agents need to operate in public places without being recognized. Frequency Analysis Code Cracker--Can you crack this secret message? Crack A Top Secret Code--Try your hand at cracking this top secret message. DIY Ninja!--What can you learn from Ninjas? How about strength, focus and stealth. Design Your Own Spy Gadget--It’s your turn to be spy scientist. The International Spy Museum, 700 L’Enfant Plaza SW, is now open. While all children are welcome, the Museum’s content is best suited for ages nine and up. The Museum offers scheduled programs and events at spymuseum.org/ calendar/?audience=kids-families, and ongoing interactive experiences. Resources are also available here to bring out your inner spy at home! Admission is $24.95 for adults and $16.95 for kids, seven to twelve. spymuseum.org.
A Tree For You And ME
Create a “wish tree” to share with family, friends, and neighbors. And the Hirshhorn wants to see your creations. Step (1) What is a wish? Step (2) Write or draw your wishes on scraps of paper. Step (3) Choose the Wish Tree project that works best for you. Step (4) Gather materials. Step (5) Cut your trunk and branches. Step (6) Tape your leaves and wishes to the branches. Step (7) Invite friends to add theirs. Step (8) Share your tree with the world on social media @hirshhorn with #HirshhornInsideOut and #WishTreeForTheWorld. hirshhorn.si.edu/explore/make-a-wish. daughter, Marley, she offers strategies for discussing racism and sexism, finding appropriate mentors and inspiring girls to pursue their passions. Dias emboldens girls to lift as they climb--boosting other young women as they move through their life journey. Mixing personal experience with research from the field, Dias has created the ulti-
3 0 M I D CI T Y D C N EWS . C O M
mate guide for inspiring a generation of girls to take charge and make change. On Tuesday, March 23, 6 to 7 p.m., join Janice Johnson Dias (online) as she discusses her book PARENT LIKE IT MATTERS: HOW TO RAISE JOYFUL, CHANGE-MAKING GIRLS with Jacqueline Woodson. politics-prose.com.
Read About Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with DCPS
In recognition of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., DC Public Schools has curated a list of recommended books and content resources. Families can access the list through dcps.instructure.com/courses/211378/pages/dr-martin-luther-king-jr-day.
The Space Shuttle at 40
Here’s a big idea: What if we could fly to space like we fly around the world? That’s not science fiction--that’s the reality of the Space Shuttle Program. From 1981 to 2011, space shuttles flew astronauts and payloads to space and then returned to Earth, like a plane returning to an airport. NASA used them for critical projects
Reflections on Grief & Child Loss
When Abraham and Mary Lincoln’s son, Willie, died at 11 years old in February 1862, they once again experienced what is called “the greatest tragedy.” Willie was their second son to die from an illness in childhood. The Lincolns were eager for solace and a place to grieve this loss when they moved to the Cottage at the Soldiers’ Home. When describing their move, Mary Lincoln wrote, “When we are in sorrow, quiet is very necessary to us.” Reflections on Grief and Child Loss at President Lincoln’s Cottage is a first-of-its-kind exhibit that bridges the Lincolns’ experience of the death of their children with modern families whose children have died inexplicably or from illness, disease, physical and gun violence. The exhibit will remain open for at least two years. President Lincoln’s Cottage, 140 Rock Creek Church Rd. NW, is open for tours daily, except Mondays, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Admission is $6 to $15. lincolncottage.org. in a variety of ways, like launching satellites, servicing the Hubble Space Telescope, and helping build the International Space Station. On this episode of STEM at 30, they’ll discuss the history and science of this one-of-a-kind spacecraft. STEM in 30 is the National Air and Space Museum’s webcast series for middle school students. Tune in every month to share the fascination of aviation and space. airandspace.si.edu/events/spaceshuttle-40.
Respect Her Crank!: Sounds of Blackness
Black music has the ability to lullaby listeners with melodic whispers, unearth pain with crying keys, and bring bodies to their feet in celebration with breakbeats. The range in sound and emotion within Black music is driven, in part, by the ingenuity of Black women. The Hirshhorn ARTLAB’s latest series, Respect Her Crank!: Sounds of Blackness, explores the roles of Black women in American music
Over 95% of our business is past client clients or their referrals who come back to us time and time again. 311 E ST NE I $1,265,000
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1507 NORTH CAROLINA AVE SE I $500,000
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Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage 350 7TH ST. SE, Washington, DC 20003
You cannot find a more experienced or better realtor to find or sell a home. She (Linda) made my home sale experience so easy and stress-free. She found a buyer quickly and at the full listed price. She handled the entire process, from staging, to listing, to settlement, with expert care, and her guidance throughout was invaluable. I give her and .
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KIDS AND FAMILY
Jan. 31. Five-monthold giant panda Xiao Qi Ji sniffs a cub-sized snowman before taking a frosty bite.
Who is Sylvia Méndez? Separate Is Never Equal
Save the date for Galita’s Who is Sylvia Méndez? Separate Is Never Equal this spring (April 11 to 25). This is a joyful play that embraces diversity and tolerance through the story of elementary school teacher Sylvia Mendez who fought to end segregation in education in California, paving the way for the national ban on segregated schools. For her legacy and courage, Mendez received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Obama for her advocacy for educational opportunity for children of all backgrounds. $12 for adults; $10 for kids. Performances for the general public are Saturdays and Sundays at 3 p.m., only. GALA Theatre, 3333 14th St. NW. galatheatre.org.
Glen Echo Park Celebrates of 100th Anniversary of the Dentzel Carousel
Through September 2021, Glen Echo Park, together with Montgomery County and the National Park Service, commemorates the 100th anniversary of Glen Echo On Sunday, Jan. 31, giant panda cub Xiao Qi Ji experienced yet another milestone—his first encounter with snow. Park’s beloved Dentzel carouWatch him tumble and play in the snow at nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/news/pandastory-chill-cubs-first-snow. sel with celebrations, including You can watch more of Xiao Qi Ji on the Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s Panda Cams. Watch giant pandas Tian Tian, virtual lectures on the history Mei Xiang and Xiao Qi Ji. Toggle between Panda Cam 1 and Panda Cam 2 using the tabs at the top of the video player and restoration of the carousel, for the full experience. Mei Xiang gave birth to a male giant panda cub named Xiao Qi Ji (SHIAU-chi-ji) Aug. 21, 2020. summer family weekend activiIf you have a question about what you’re seeing on the Panda Cam, visit nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/giant-panda-cub- ties, social media contests, carfaqs and sign up for the Giant Panda Bulletin to get the latest panda cub news straight to your inbox. ousel anniversary merchandise, a fundraising campaign, and the premieres of three short videos history through weekly virtual workshops in music that will feature personal stories reflecting the production, songwriting, graphic design, and surunique and enduring role the carousel has played prise workshops from community partners. in the community for a century. Read more at gleThrough June 2021, Respect Her Crank! workThe Dance Institute of Washington’s Summer nechopark.org/carousel100. Download carousel shops are open to all but tailored to educators on Training, for ages three to eighteen, is from June coloring pages at glenechopark.org/sites/default/ Tuesdays and teens on Thursdays, 4 to 5:30 p.m. 28 to Aug. 6. They provide high quality dance files/2020_Carousel_Animal_Coloring_Pages.u u Up your after-school game and sign up for a worktraining by world class instructors in Ballet, Modshop (they’re free)—or multiple—today. No prior ern, African and Hip-Hop. Registration is open experience is needed. hirshhorn.si.edu/events. for both virtual and limited in-person. danceinstituteofwashington.org/summer-training-2021.
Xiao Qi Ji’s First Snow
The Dance Institute of Washington’s Summer Training
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#ShawTakeout Enjoy your favorite Shaw Main Streets bars’ and restaurants’ best dishes and alcoholic beverages at home. Order carryout and delivery tonight!
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www.shawmainstreets.org 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 ©2021 Shaw Main Streets, Inc. All Rights Reserved.