EAST OF THE RIVER MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2012 | CAPITALCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM
NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS 08.............Go See Do
10.............East of the River Calendar 16.............The Bulletin Board 20.............The District Beat • by Martin Austermuhle 22.............The Numbers • by Ed Lazere 24.............H St. Playhouse Moves • by Annette Nielsen 26.............Jail Leads to the Law • by Amanda Wilson 27.............ANC 7A Report • by Mariessa Terrell 28.............Marshall Heights Job Readiness • by Stephen Lilenthal
EAST WASHINGTON LIFE
30.............EOTR Steelband • by Michelle Phipps-Evans 32.............History Comes to Life • by Monica Z. Utsey
16
KIDS & FAMILY
38
34.............Kids and Family Notebook • by Kathleen Donner 38.............Camp Invention Expanding in DC • by Virginia Avniel Spatz
HOMES & GARDENS
39.............Changing Hands • compiled by Don Denton 40.............The Classifieds 42.............E on DC • by E. Ethelbert Miller
30 ON THE COVER:
Children’s History Theater Group
History came alive last month as W.E.B. DuBois, Carter G. Woodson, Frances Ellen Harper and Septima Clark graced the stage of St. Stephen’s church in Northwest during the performance of the play “The War in the Classroom.” Nabila Abdul-Malik portrayed Sister Clara Muhammad. See story page 32
HILL RAG MID CITY DC EAST OF THE RIVER FAGON COMMUNITY GUIDES THE EDUCATION EDITION Capital Community News, Inc. 224 7th Street, SE, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20003 202.543.8300 • www.capitalcommunitynews.com EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Melissa Ashabranner melissaashabranner@hillrag.com EDITORIAL STAFF
KIDS & FAMILY
MANAGING EDITOR: Andrew Lightman andrew@hillrag.com CFO & ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Maria Carolina Lopez carolina@hillrag.com SCHOOL NOTES EDITOR: SUSAN BRAUN JOHNSON SCHOOLS@HILLRAG.COM KIDS & FAMILY NOTEBOOK EDITOR: KATHLEEN DONNER KATHLEEN.DONNER@GMAIL.COM
Kathleen Donner • kathleen.donner@gmail.com Susan Johnson • schools@hillrag.com
SOCIETY & EVENTS
Mickey Thompson • socialsightings@aol.com
HOMES & GARDENS
ARTS, DINING & ENTERTAINMENT
ART: Jim Magner • jjmagner@aol.com DINING: Celeste McCall • celeste@hillrag.com HIT THE CITY: Joylyn Hopkins • joylyn@joylynhopkins.com LITERATURE: Karen Lyon • klyon@folger.edu MOVIES: Mike Canning • mjcanning@verizon.net MUSIC: Jean-Keith Fagon • fagon@hillrag.com RETAIL THERAPY: Scott Fazzini • scott.fazzini@gmail.com THEATER: Barbara Wells • barchardwells@aol.com TRAVEL: Maggie Hall • whitby@aol.com THE WINE GUYS: Jon Genderson • jon@cellar.com
CALENDAR & BULLETIN BOARD
HILL RAG, MIDCITY DC & EAST OF THE RIVER: CALENDAR EDITOR: Kathleen Donner calendar@hillrag.com, bulletinboard@hillrag.com
GENERAL ASSIGNMENT
Individual and Family Therapy Services Offering therapeutic assistance with depression, anxiety, relationships, and goal achievement. Skype and coffee shop sessions are also available for your convenience. Call for details. We accept most insurance and have low cost sessions for the uninsured
Dr. Satira S. Streeter, Clinical Director
Ascensions Psychological and Community Services, Inc. 1526 Howard Rd. SE, Wash., DC 20020 202-889-4344 • www.2ascend.org
Visionary's Furniture, lighting, rugs, drapery, home decor and more. Destination shopping on H Street with a fashionable approach for your surroundings beauty and comfort.
Opening Fall 2012!
By Appointment now at
202.600.5417
visionarysdesign.com
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| AUGUST 2012
Michelle Evans • invisiblecolours@yahoo.com Celeste McCall • celeste@hillrag.com Heather Schoell • hschoell@verizon.net Virginia Avniel Spatz • virginia@hillrag.com Peter Waldron • peter@hillrag.com Kathleen Donner • kathleen.donner@gmail.com Stephanie Deutsch • scd@his.com Melanie Sunukjian • melsunuk@gmail.com Shannon Holloway • holloway.shannon@gmail.com Alice Ollstein • alice.ollstein@gmail.com Amanda Abrahams • manda.abrams@gmail.com Lex Kiefhaber • lexk24@gmail.com Roberta Weiner • rweiner_us@yahoo.com Gwyn Jones • gwynjones@aol.com John H. Muller • jmuller.washingtonsyndicate@gmail.com
BEAUTY, HEALTH & FITNESS
Patricia Cinelli • fitmiss44@aol.com Ronda Bresnick Hauss, LCSW • www.quietwaterscenter.com quiet_waters_center@yahoo.com Peter Sherer • Peter@expmatters.com
Rindy O’Brien - Hill Gardener • rindyob@mac.com Derek Thomas • derek@thomaslandscapes.com Judith Capen • judith.capen@architravepc.com HomeStyle: Mark Johnson • mark@hillrag.com
NEWS & NEIGHBORHOOD REPORTS ANC6A, 6B, 6C, 6D:
Roberta Weiner • rweiner_us@yahoo.com • gwynjones@aol.com BARRACKS ROW: sharon@barracksrow.org H STREET LIFE: Elise Bernard • inked78@hotmail.com THE NOSE: thenose@hillrag.com LOGAN CIRCLE • mark@hillrag.com SHAW • Ralph Brabham: Ralph • ralphbrabham@yahoo.com BLOOMINGDALE: Eleanor Gourley • ecgourley@gmail.com 14TH & U: Catherine Finn • cathefinn@gmail.com ANC6B: GWYN JONES
PRODUCTION/GRAPHIC DESIGN
ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR / WEB MASTER: Jason Nickens 202.543.8300 X17 • jason@hillrag.com ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR: Jason Yen 202.543.8300 X21 • jay@hillrag.com
ADVERTISING & SALES
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE: Kira Means 202.543.8300 X16 • kira@hillrag.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE: Jennifer Zatkowski 202.543.8300 X20 • jenn@hillrag.com CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING: Maria Carolina Lopez 202.543.8300 X12 • carolina@hillrag.com MARKETING ASST.: Giancarlo Fagon
DISTRIBUTION
DISTRIBUTION MANAGER: Andrew Lightman DISTRIBUTORS: Southwest Distribution DISTRIBUTION INFORMATION: distribution@hillrag.com
DEADLINES & CONTACTS
ADVERTISING: sales@hillrag.com DISPLAY ADS: 15th of each month CLASSIFIED ADS: 10th of each month EDITORIAL: 15th of each month; submissions@hillrag.com BULLETIN BOARD & CALENDAR: 15th of each month; calendar@hillrag.com, bulletinboard@hillrag.com
We welcome suggestions for stories. Send queries to andrew@hillrag.com. We are also interested in your views on community issues which are published in the Last Word. Please limit your comments to 250 words. Letters may be edited for space. Please include your name, address and phone number. Send Last Word submissions to lastword@hillrag.com. For employment opportunities email jobs@hillrag.com.
PUBLISHER: JEAN-KEITH FAGON • fagon@hillrag.com Copyright © 2010 by Capital Community News. All Rights Reserved.
capitalcommunitynews.com
GO.SEE.DO. Richard Diebenkorn: The Ocean Park Series at the Corcoran
A pivotal figure in the history of modern painting, Richard Diebenkorn (1922–1993) was an innovator whose work inspired legions of artists and greatly advanced the lexicon of abstraction. The Corcoran is the only East Coast venue for Richard Diebenkorn: The Ocean Park Series, the first major museum exhibition to focus on the artist’s most celebrated body of work. The exhibition features more than 80 works, including large-scale paintings, smaller paintings made on cigar box lids, mixed-media drawings on paper, monotypes, and prints. On view at the Corcoran Gallery of Art from June 30-Sept 23. 500 17th St. NW. 202-639-1700. corcoran.org
Richard Diebenkorn, Ocean Park #38, 1971. Oil on canvas, 100 1/8 x 81 inches. The Phillips Collection, Gift of Gifford and Joann Phillips. ©The Richard Diebenkorn Foundation. Image courtesy The Richard Diebenkorn Foundation.
Havre de Grace Seafood Festival
Crowds line-up at a popular crab shack. Photo: Heppner Imaging
From August 10-12, Havre de Grace, Md welcomes seafood lovers with over 30 vendors serving more than 175 seafood delicacies. This historic town located “where the Chesapeake Bay begins” puts on this annual event that has been named on of the 10 best food festivals in the country. Other things-to-do are visit an arts and crafts market with 120 vendors with locally made products, 24 hours of live entertainment, a classic car show and the general fun of a festival on the water. Havre de Grace is about 75 miles from DC; take Route 95 north. 410-9391525. HdGSeafoodFestival.org
Summer Music in the Courtyard Gallery OonH Concerts
Gallery OonH continues its Summer Music in the Courtyard Series on Saturdays, 5:30-10:30 p.m., through September 2, with performances by the John Stone Reggae Band; Sir Allen and the Calypso Ponzi Schemers; and Wheelie and Tia Nina. The gallery and adjacent courtyard, at 1354 H Street, NE, provide an indoor/outdoor space where art, music, and minds intersect for cultural experiences appealing to a broad range of ages and interests. Presentations will include pop-up markets for food and retail while continuing to feature gallery exhibits from the private collection of the owners Mary Ellen Vehlow and Steve Hessler. “We see this as an opportunity to infuse the local community with an energy beyond the bars and night life of H Street,” explains Vehlow. galleryoonh.com Photo: Courtesy of Events DC
Maloof Skate Park at RFK Stadium
The Maloof Skate Park at RFK Stadium is an outdoor venue for skateboard lovers of all ages and skills. Located in Parking Lot 3 adjacent to RFK Stadium, this new 15,000 square foot facility is open daily for public use from dawn to dusk and is only closed during inclement weather. Use of the park is free as is parking. Designed by Pro Skater Geoff Rowley and California Skateparks, the Maloof Skate Park is the first major skate park in DC. Inspired by Freedom Plaza and the architecture along Pennsylvania Ave., the skate park includes replicas of the Golden Rail and Freedom Plaza Ledges. Located by DC’s Metro Center rail station, the Golden Rail has been made world famous by local skate boarders. 202-608-1100. dcsportsent.com
A Celebration of Gaming at Labyrinth
From August 5-12, join Labyrinth Games & Puzzles for a week-long Celebration of Gaming. On Sunday, August 5, the week will start with a super-bargain sale of used and donated games and puzzles for all ages. It will continue throughout the week with their annual store-wide sale. On Thursday, August 9, they will celebrate the store owner Kathleen Donahue’s birthday with Party Game Night! Award-winning game designer Dave Chalker will play Get Bit and friends from local North Star Games will join everyone to play their award-winning Wits & Wagers. There will be door prizes and cake! The Celebration will culminate in a weekend-long celebration of board games and tabletop role-playing on Saturday, August 11 and Sunday, August 12, featuring game designers from all over the east coast. Labyrinth Games & Puzzles, 645 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. 202544-1059. labyrinthgameshop.com CAPITALCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM H 9
CALENDAR
Courtesy of the Anacostia Watershed Society
Anacostia River Paddle Night
Wednesdays through Sept. 12, 5-7:30 PM. Come out and join them for a relaxing evening of paddling on the Anacostia River. There’s no fee. Just bring yourself and be ready to have a good time! They’ll have staff, canoes, and kayaks there for anyone who would like to paddle on the river. These events are hosted by the Anacostia Watershed Society and the Anacostia Community Boathouse Association. Meet at the Anacostia Community Boathouse, 1900 M St. SE. RSVP at 301-699-6204. anacostiaws.org
SPECIAL EVENTS 2012 Twilight Tattoo at Fort Myer. Wednesdays, Aug. 15, 22, and 29. 7 PM with pre-ceremony pageantry starting at 6:45 PM. The 2012 Twilight Tattoo season has been extended and will run through the entire summer. Members of the 3rd US Infantry (The Old Guard), the US Army Band “Pershings Own,” Fife and Drum Corps and the US Army Drill Team will perform an hour-long sunset military Pageant. Over 100 Old Guard soldiers dressed in period uniforms will provide a glimpse of Army history from colonial times to the soldier of the future. Summerall Field on historic Fort Myer in Arlington, Va. usarmyband.com Marine Barracks Evening Parade. Friday evenings through Aug. 31. Guests admitted starting at 7 PM. Guests should be seated by 8 PM. Program begins at 8:45 PM. The Evening Parade has become a universal symbol of the professionalism, discipline and Esprit de
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Corps of the United States Marines. The story of the ceremony reflects the story of Marines around the world. The ceremony begins with a concert by the United States Marine Band. Free. It is wise to have reservations that can be made online at mbw.usmc.mil. Marine Barracks (front gate), Eighth and I Streets SE. 202-433-4073. mbw.usmc.mil Free Summer Saturdays at the Corcoran. This summer, through Labor Day weekend, enjoy special exhibitions and programming free of charge in addition to Gallery tours, select workshops, demonstrations, and performances for all ages. Corcoran Gallery of Art, 500 17th St. NW. 202-639-1700. corcoran.org
offers six Rhythm and Blues performances in July and August as part of Fort Dupont Park’s “Summer Theatre” concert series. The concerts’ are sponsored solely by the National Park Service and free to the public. On Aug. 11 at 7:30 PM, it is DC’s Legends ‘n Soul Night, Al Johnson & His A Team, Peaches & Herb, Skip Mahony & the Casuals and HALO. On Aug. 18 at 8 PM, see KLYMAXX featuring Bernadette Cooper and B’ela Dona. There is a Jr. Ranger tent offering programs for children and general information about Fort Dupont Park. nps. gov/fodu
SUMMER MUSIC
1812 Overture on the Mall. Aug. 14, 8 PM. US Army Band “Pershing’s Own,” and the 3rd US Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) Presidential Salute Battery. Sylvan (open air) Theater on the Washington Monument grounds (southeast corner). usarmyband.com
Fort Dupont Summer Concerts. Saturdays, Aug. 11 and 18. The National Park Service
South on South Capitol Southern Rock Concert Series. Aug. 24; 11:30 AM, Bands all
| AUGUST 2012
day, mechanical bull, picnic tables. Half and M Streets SE at the Navy Yard Metro. fairgroundsdc.com Evenings at Zuppa Fresca. Third Thursdays, 6-8 PM; Aug. 16, Jimi Smooth & the Hittime (Motown), Sept. 20, Levi Stephens (Funk/ Blues). 250 K St. NE. nomabid.org Yards Park Friday Evening Concert Series. Through Sept. 14, 6:30-8:30 PM. Spend your Friday evenings on the river, relaxing on the terraced lawn steps with family and friends and listening to live music from the Yards Park’s boardwalk stage. Friday evening concerts will feature a wide range of live musical performances including jazz, salsa, reggae, and more. capitolriverfront.org Military Band Concerts at the US Capitol. Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays in summer (weather permitting). 8 PM. Mondays, US Navy Band; Tuesdays, US Air Force Band;
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CALENDAR Wednesdays, US Marine Band; Fridays, US Army Band. Free. West Terrace US Capitol Building. US Marine Band Concerts at the Sylvan Theater. Thursdays in summer (weather permitting), 8 PM. You are welcome to bring folding chairs, blankets and refreshments to the concert. Free. 15th St. and Independence Ave. SW (on Washington Monument grounds). 202-433-5717. mbw.usmc.mil National Shrine Summer Organ Recital Series. Sundays in Aug., 6 PM. Free. Free will offering accepted. All welcome. 400 Michigan Ave. NE. 202-526-8300. nationalshrine.com Navy Memorial Concerts on the Avenue. Tuesdays, through Aug. 28, 8 PM. Come out to the US Navy Memorial for an evening of relaxing music by the United States Navy Band and its specialty groups. Free. US Navy Memorial, 701 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. 202-737-2300. navyband.navy.mil Air Force Band Concerts. Wednesdays in summer. 8 PM. Air Force Memorial at One Air Force Memorial Drive in Arlington, Va. (14th St. Bridge into Virginia, merge onto Washington Blvd. and then Columbia Pike in the direction of the Navy Annex. Then follow signs.) Expect a pleasing mix of contemporary and patriotic tunes and spectacular views of the nighttime Washington, DC skyline. Free. airforcememorial.org Jazz in the Sculpture Garden. Fridays in summer (rain or shine), 5-8 PM. National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden. Live jazz performed by an eclectic mix of top artists from the Washington area entertains visitors outdoors in front of the fountain or in the Pavilion Cafe (if it’s raining). The Pavilion Cafe features a seasonal tapas-style menu and bar service during the concerts. Everyone can enjoy these concerts. You do not have to order food or drinks. Free. 202- 289-3360. nga.gov
MUSIC AND THEATER Follow the Drinking Gourd. Aug. 11 and 25, 10:30 AM. Join performance artist Kwelismith, as freedom fighter Harriett Tubman, and take a trip on the Underground Railroad to freedom by following the celestial drinking gourd. Go back in time to 1854 and learn how Tubman’s faith in God and her knowledge of land, water, stars, plants and animals contributed to her success on the dangerous journey from Cambridge, Maryland, to St. Catherine’s Canada. For reservations, call 202-633-4844. Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Pl. SE. anacostia.si.edu Fort Dupont Summer Concerts. Saturdays, Aug. 11 and 18. The National Park Service offers 6 Rhythm and Blues performances in July and Aug.ust as part of Fort Dupont Park’s “Summer Theatre” concert series. The concerts’ are sponsored solely by the National Park Service and free to the public. On Aug. 11 at 7:30 PM, it is DC’s Legends ‘n Soul Night, Al
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“He’s Not Mine, She’s Not Mine” Photo: Courtesy of THEARC
He’s Not Mine, She’s Not Mine at THEARC
Aug. 19, 3 PM. Promise Productions presents “He’s Not Mine, She’s Not Mine,” a heartfelt play that exposes the challenges and struggles of blended families. What happens when a son and his stepfather refuse to get along and the mother/wife is in the middle? Will the family ever survive? This is a story you don’t want to miss! $25. THEARC, 1901 Mississippi Ave. SE. 202-889-5901. thearcdc.org
Johnson & his A Team, Peaches & Herb, Skip Mahony & the Casuals and HALO. On Aug. 18 at 8 PM, see KLYMAXX featuring Bernadette Cooper and B’ela Dona. There is a Jr. Ranger tent offering programs for children and general information about Fort Dupont Park. nps. gov/fodu
mation, call 202-633-4866 or 202-633-4844. Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Pl. SE. anacostia.si.edu
His Chosen Diamond-A Domestic Violence Story. Aug. 11, 3 PM. Dan Didier Productions, Inc. presents “His Chosen Diamond,” a riveting, suspenseful, and powerful stage play that executes a message against domestic violence. $25. THEARC, 1901 Mississippi Ave. SE. 202-889-5901. thearcdc.org
The Gallery at Vivid Solutions-Inside Outside by Gabriela Bulisova. Through Sept. 28. This project offers the first-person accounts and insights of formerly incarcerated men on the process of reentry. It casts light on their plight in the hope that we will do more to help these men succeed in becoming productive members of society and caring family members. The Gallery at Vivid Solutions, 2208 MLK Ave. SE. 202-365-8392. vividsolutionsdc. com
Women Breaking Salsa Boundaries. Aug. 25, 2-4 PM. Host Jim Byers of WPFW 89.3FM’s “Latin Flavor” as guest Eileen Torres and others discuss breaking the glass-ceiling facing female musicians and percussionists in the male-dominated world of Salsa. The band “All-Star Female Descarga” will perform Salsa music in the second hour. This program received Federal support from the Latino Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Latino Center, as well as an individual Artist Grant from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. Space is Limited. For more infor| AUGUST 2012
EXHIBITIONS
Sixth Annual East of the River Exhibition. Through Sept. 8. This exhibition showcases the work of artists with connections to communities east of the Anacostia River. Gallery hours are Tuesday-Friday, noon-5 PM and Saturday, 11 AM-5 PM Honfleur Gallery, 1241 Good Hope Rd. SE. 202-365-8392. honfleurgallery.com Double Take-The Surreal Art of Russ Mc-
Intosh. Through Aug. 31. Russ McIntosh’s unique digital photography exhibition. Center for Green Urbanism, Tubman-Mahan Gallery, 3938 Benning Rd. NE. 202-506-3867. centerforgreenurbanism.org DeanwoodxDesign: Designing Life Through the Arts. Through Aug. 31. DeanwoodxDesign is a creative place-making project sponsored by ArtPlace and the DC Office of Planning (OP). ArtPlace, a new private-public collaboration, is an initiative of eleven of America’s top foundations working in collaboration with the National Endowment for the Arts and seven federal agencies, ArtPlace’s aim is to drive revitalization across the country by putting the arts at the center of economic development. Each project supported by ArtPlace has been selected for developing a new model of helping towns and cities thrive by strategically integrating artists and arts organizations into key local efforts in transportation, housing, community development, job creation, and more. Center for Green Urbanism, Tubman-Mahan Gallery. 3938 Benning Rd. NE. 202-506-3867. centerforgreenurbanism.org Separate and Unequaled: Black Baseball in the District of Columbia. On view indefinite-
ly. From Reconstruction to the second half of the 20th century, baseball, the great American pastime, was played in Washington, DC, on segregated fields. “Separate and Unequaled” looks at the phenomenal popularity and community draw of this sport when played by African Americans. Featured are such personalities as Josh Gibson and “Buck” Leonard, star players of the Negro Leagues most celebrated team, the Washington Homestead Grays. The show also highlights community teams that gave rise to the various amateur, collegiate and semi-pro black baseball teams and leagues. For special viewing hours and tours, call 202-633-4844. Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Pl. SE. anacostia.si.edu
TOURS, TALKS AND CLASSES Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens Tours. Weekends in Aug. 9 AM and 11 AM. Awaken your senses and sense of discovery with a ranger led tour of the ponds and wetland area that borders them. Find out who was out during the night eating water lilies and which plants are in bloom. 9 AM tour is best for night blooming water lilies. 1550 Anacostia Ave. NE. 202-426-6905. nps. gov/keaq Public Art East of the River. Aug. 12, 10 AM-12:30 PM. Some of the most exciting public art in the District of Columbia is on view east of the Anacostia River. The artworks make bold statements and reflect the diversity and craftsmanship of artists through mosaics, paint, and a variety of sculptural materials. Meet at the museum no later than 1:50 PM to join them on this exciting tour as they travel to select sites and view art by Martha JacksonJarvis, Roderick Turner, Uzikee Nelson, and others. Mixed-media artist Deidra Bell will serve as your guide. For registration, call 202-633-4844. Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Pl. SE. anacostia.si.edu Discovering Community-Behind the Scenes at the Anacostia Community Museum. Aug. 17, 24 and 31, 10 AM. Join the Collections staff for a behindthe-scenes tour of some of the holdings used in expanding the museum’s role as a “community museum.” The tour will explore art that provides daily inspiration, observe some of the museum’s ongoing preservation projects, and possibly preview some of the objects being assembled for future exhibitions. Participants must meet at the museum’s staff entrance no later than 9:55 AM Space is limited. Call 202-6334844 for more information and to make reservations. Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Pl. SE. anacostia. si.edu The Ties That Binds at Anacostia Community Museum. Aug. 19, 2 PM. CAPITALCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM H 13
CALENDAR Join them for an inspiring story of how a grandmother’s creative guidance led to the development a uniquely imaginative idea. Beautifully handcrafted of high quality fabrics, Velma Crawford’s aprons are fun, fancy and functional. At a very young age Velma sat at her grandmother’s feet learning how to cut out quilting blocks. In addition to being a professional clothing consultant, she now spends much of her time crafting uniquely designed aprons that fit any occasion. For reservations, call 202-633-4844. Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Pl. SE. 202633-4820. anacostia.si.edu The Rise of Fashion in WDC. Aug. 21, 7 PM. Fashion attorney and blogger Mariessa Terrell, founder of the Fashion Law and Policy Center and YooHooDarling.com leads a discussion on the rise of DC fashion. This session includes a fashion show featuring Fashion Row House fashion design fellows moderated by selected east of the river designers. Come and see what DC Fashion looks like in 2013. For reservations, call 202-633-4844. Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Pl. SE. anacostia.si.edu Kim Johnson’s Story of the Pan. Aug. 26, 2 PM. The steel pan is the national instrument of Trinidad and Tobago, which celebrates its 50th anniversary of independence from Great Britain this year. Kim Johnson, leading researcher of steel band history, presents valuable research in “The Illustrated Story of Pan.” Featured are oral testimonies and pictures of the pan from its beginnings to the present. Links to the African drum and the “African aural aesthetic,” to tamboo-bamboo and the older Carnival tradition of beating bits of metal for percussion, are presented in words and images. Johnson will discuss this unique musical heritage and sign copies of the book that tells its story. A demonstration of pan music will also be featured. This program is co-sponsored by Caribbeana Communications Incorporated. For reservations, call 202-6334844. Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Pl. SE. anacostia.si.edu A Watershed Study. Sept. 5, 10:30 AM. What is a Watershed and how does your backyard fit into it? In this first educational workshop of a series, you will learn about the Anacostia River, its tributaries and the land within its boundaries. Using maps, photos and other artifacts our journey into the place we call home begins. For more information and reservations, call 202-633-4866 or 202-633-4844. Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Pl. SE. anacostia.si.edu A Self-Reliant People: Greater Deanwood Heritage Trail. Discover, or see with new eyes, this traditionally African American enclave in Far Northeast when you follow “A Self-Reliant People: Greater Deanwood Heritage Trail.” Fifteen poster-sized street signs combine storytelling with historic photographs and maps to transport you back to the days before Deanwood was Deanwood. To pick up the trail go to Nannie Helen Burroughs Ave. and Division Ave. NE. Walk one block south to Foote Street, at the edge of Marvin Gaye Park. The 90-minute, self-guided tour will bring you along Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue, up 49th St. and along Sheriff Rd. back to Minnesota Ave. and the Metro station. Walk the trail at your own pace and take time to enjoy this small town in the city. Don’t forget to pick up a free trail
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guide from businesses along the way. 202661-7581. www.culturaltourismdc.org
MARKETS Ward 8 Farmers Market. Saturdays, through Thanksgiving, 9 AM-2 PM. Fresh Fruit, vegetables, bread and meat. Market now will double the value of your SNAP, EBT, WIC or senior food vouchers for produce. THEARC, 1901 Mississippi Ave. SE. ward8farmersmarket.com Ward 8 Farmers’ Market at St. E’s. Saturdays through Oct. 27, 10 AM-2 PM. Chapel East Gate, 2800 MLK Ave, SE. 202-841-0394. ward8farmersmarket.com H Street FRESHFARM Market at New Location. Saturdays, 9 AM-noon. 1300 H St. NE. The market is a producers-only outdoor market offering fruit, vegetables, meats, baked goods, cheese, flowers and more for sale. freshfarmmarket.org NOMA Farmers Market. Wednesdays, through Oct . 31, 3-7 PM. 1200 First St., NE. nomabid.org Penn Quarter FRESHFARM Market. Thursdays, through Dec. 20, 3-7 PM. North end of Eighth Street, between D and E Streets NW. freshfarmmarket.org By the White House FRESHFARM Market. Thursdays, through Oct. 25, 11 AM-2:30 PM. 810 Vermont Ave. NW. freshfarmmarket.org Mount Vernon Triangle Market. Sundays, 10 AM-4 PM. Initiating its second season, the market is situated in Mt. Vernon Triangle, at the corner of 5th and Eye Streets NW just north of Chinatown. The market will feature a diverse mix of art, crafts, imports, antiques, collectibles and furniture. The market will also highlight local prepared foods such as handmade chocolates and breads; and beverages, such as organic juices, teas and coffee. The food truck, Curbside Cupcakes and Bita Diomande, of Sarafina will also be at the market. Also find handmade jewelry, vintage and contemporary clothing and accessories. mountvernontriangle.org 9th and U Flea Market. Saturdays and Sundays, 9 AM-5 PM. 9th and U Streets NW. Dupont Circle Farmers Market. Sundays year round (rain or shine), 9 AM-1 PM. The Wall Street Journal and The Financial Times of London named the market one of the top farmers’ markets in the country. During the peak season, there are more than 30 farmers offering fruits and vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, cheeses, fruit pies, breads, fresh pasta, cut flowers, potted plants, soaps and herbal products. 1500 block of 20th St. NW (between Mass. Ave. and Q St. in the adjacent parking lot of PNC Bank). 202-362-8889. freshfarmmarket.org 14th and U Farmers Market. Saturdays. 9 AM-1 PM, until Thanksgiving. Producers-only market. 14th and U Streets NW, in front of the Reeves Building. marketsandmore.net Mi Tierra (Latino) Market at Unity Park. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays (weather permitting). 9 AM-7 PM. Unity Park at Champlain | AUGUST 2012
and Euclid Streets and Columbia Rd. NW. Mi Tierra market has 18 approved vendors that sell foods and crafts from their native countries in the heart of Adams Morgan. Georgetown Flea Market. Sundays year around (except in the case of very inclement weather), 8 AM- 4 PM. The crowd is as diverse as the items for sale! Antiques, collectibles, art, furniture, rugs, pottery, china, jewelry, silver, stained glass, books and photographs are an example of the available items. 1819 35th St. NW. 202-775-3532. or georgetownfleamarket.com Eastern Market. Daily except Mondays and important holidays. Weekdays, 7 AM-7 PM; Saturdays, 7 AM-5 PM; Sundays, 9 AM-5 PM. Flea market and arts and crafts market open Saturdays and Sundays, 9 AM-6 PM. Eastern Market is Washington’s last continually operated “old world” market. On weekends the market area comes alive with farmers bringing in fresh produce, craft and flower vendors, artists, a flea market and street musicians. 200 block of 7th St. SE. 202-698-5253. easternmarket-dc.com
SPORTS, DANCE AND PHYSICAL FITNESS Public Skating at Fort Dupont Ice Arena. Saturdays and Sundays in August, 2-3:30 PM. Dress for warmth and safety. Clothes should be easy to move in, and pants must not fall below the heel of the skate (sweatpants or leggings are a good choice). Everyone needs to wear gloves or mittens, and one pair of thin, long socks or tights that fit snugly (no ankle socks). A helmet or knit hat is strongly recommended (loaner helmets are available). $5. $4 for kids and seniors. $3 for skate rental. Fort Dupont Ice Arena, 3779 Ely Pl. NE. 202-5845007. fdia.org Dr George Washington Carver and the Nature Trail. Aug. 15, 10:30 AM. Learn about Dr. George Washington Carver and how the museum’s nature trail uses Kwanzaa principles to explain the benefits of natural recycling, the insect community, medicinal plants, and other outdoor offerings. The museum’s trail walk is co-sponsored by the George Washington Carver Outdoor School, Inc. For reservations, call 202-633-4844. Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Pl. SE. anacostia.si.edu Nats Baseball. Aug. 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 30 and 31; Sept. 1. $10, up. Nationals Park. 202-675-6287. washington.nationals.mlb.com National’s Ballpark Tours. Wednesday-Sunday (non-game days), 10:30 AM and 1:30 PM. On day of night-time home games, tours at 10:30 AM. Take the Nationals Park Ballpark Tour for a behind-the-scenes look at Nationals Park. Over the course of an hour and fifteen minutes you will visit the PNC Diamond Club, the Lexus Presidents Club, the Stars & Stripes Club, luxury suites, the Shirley Povich Media Center, Nationals dugout and Nationals clubhouse. Throw a pitch in the Nationals bullpen. $12-$15. All proceeds from Nationals Park Tours will be donated to the Nationals Dream Foundation. washington.nationals.mlb.com
DC United Soccer Home Match. Aug. 19, 5 PM, vs. Philadelphia Union; Aug. 22, 7:30 PM, vs. Chicago Fire; Aug. 29, 8 PM, vs New York Red Bulls. $23-$52. RFK Stadium. 202-5875000. dcunited.com Washington Mystics Basketball. Aug. 19 and 24. $17, up. Verizon Center, 601 F St. NW. wnba.com Waterfront Workouts at the Wharf. Saturdays, 9-11 AM. Yala Fitness at 9 AM and Flow Yoga at 10 AM. 7th Street Landing at 7th and Water Streets SW. wharfdc.com Pick-up Field Hockey on the Mall. Every Monday at 6 PM. Meets at the fields in front of the Smithsonian Metro stop for males and females who have a passion for field hockey. No experience necessary. Bring water, shinguards, mouthguard, cleats, a field hockey stick, and either a reversible jersey or a light and dark shirt - no grays please. Free. Rock Creek Park Trail Rides. On Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. and Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays through Aug., take a one-hour guided horseback ride through Rock Creek Park. Weekend rides are at 9:30 AM, 11 AM and 12:30 PM on Saturdays and 11 AM and 12:30 PM on Sundays. Weekday rides are at 6 PM. No prior experience is necessary but riders must be under 200 lbs. except for one horse that can carry up to 225 lbs. Reserve your ride well in advance at rockcreekhorsecenter.com or call 202-362-0117. $40. Rock Creek Horse Center, 5100 Glover Road, 1/2 block south of Military Road, NW. Watch for signs. Adult Dance Classes. Starting Aug. 27. Tuesdays, 7-8:30 PM, Jazz; Wednesdays, 7-8:15 PM, Ballet; Saturdays, 9-10 AM, Zumba. The Washington Ballet @ THEARC offers three adult classes this year. Classes are $12 each or you may purchase a $100 class card for 12 classes. Classes are only $5 for Ward 8 residents. The class card for Ward 8 residents is $50. (Valid ID required.) THEARC, 1901 Mississippi Ave. SE. 202-889-5901. thearcdc.org Free Yoga Classes at Anacostia Neighborhood Library. Every Thursday, 7-8 PM. Yoga is a great way to relax, unwind and get grounded. Even if you’ve never done yoga before – this class is for you. Open to people of all abilities, ages and body types. All you need to bring is yourself, comfortable clothing and an open mind. Judgment free zone: having a great time is encouraged! Register in person at Anacostia Neighborhood Library or call 202-715-7707. 1800 Good Hope Rd. SE. dclibrary.org/anacostia Roller Skating at Anacostia Park. Skate sunrise to sunset. This is a covered, outdoor skating pavilion. Free. One-hour free skate “rental” has started but sizes and supplies are limited. During summer months, open daily. Go east on Penn. Ave. across Anacostia River and make the first right turn onto Fairlawn Ave. and another right onto Nicholson and then into the park. 202-472-3873. Free public tennis courts in Wards 7 and 8. Fort Davis Community Center, 1400 41st St. SE; Hillcrest Recreation Center, 3100 Denver St. SE; Kenilworth-Parkside Recreation Center, 4300 Anacostia Ave. NE; Randle Highlands
Tennis Courts, 31st St. and Pennsylvania Ave. SE; Anacostia Park, 1900 Anacostia Dr. SE; Bald Eagle Recreation Center, Martin Luther King, Jr Ave. and Joliet St. SW; Congress Heights Recreation Center, Alabama Ave. and Randle Pl.SE; Fort Stanton Community Center, 1812 Erie St. SE. All courts are open daily, dawn to dusk. Some are lighted for extended evening play. Courts are available on a first-come, first-served basis for one-hour intervals; extended use of tennis courts requires a permit. Proper shoes and attire is required. 202-671-0314. dpr.dc.gov Southeast Tennis and Learning Center. Open daily; Monday through Saturday, 9 AM-9 PM; Sunday, 9 AM-6 PM. Four indoor courts. Six outdoor courts. Summer hourly fees at $6 to $10 for adults. Kids 17 and under play for free. 701 Mississippi Ave. SE. 202-645-6242. dpr.dc.gov Anacostia Pool. 1800 Anacostia Dr. SE. 202724-1441. dpr.dc.gov Barry Farms Pool. 1230 Sumner Rd. SE 202645-5040. dpr.dc.gov Benning Park Pool. Southern Ave. and Fable St.SE. 202-645-5044. dpr.dc.gov Douglass Pool. Frederick Douglass Ct. and Stanton Ter. SE. 202-645-5045. dpr.dc.gov Fort Dupont Pool. Ridge Rd. and Burns St. SE. 202-645-5046. dpr.dc.gov Fort Stanton Pool. 1800 Erie St. SE. 202678-1798. dpr.dc.gov Kelly Miller Pool. 4900 Brooks St. NE. 202724-5056. dpr.dc.gov Oxon Run Pool. Fourth St. and Mississippi Ave. SE. 202-645-5042. dpr.dc.gov NOTE: All outdoor pools are open weekends, noon-6 PM. Weekday hours are 1-8 PM. Every pool is closed one day a week for cleaning and maintenance. All pools are free for DC residents. Have picture ID.
CIVIC LIFE Congresswoman Norton’s Annual Job Fair. Aug. 23, 10 AM-3 PM. Professional development workshops, 10-11 AM. Over 80 employers will be represented. Washington Convention Center. norton.house.gov Congresswoman Norton’s SE District Office. Open weekdays, 9 AM-6 PM. 2041 MLK Ave. SE, #238. 202-678-8900. norton.house.gov Councilmember Alexander’s Constituent Services Office. Open weekdays, 10 AM-6 PM. 2524 Penn. Ave. SE. 202-581-1560. Councilmember Barry’s Constituent Services Office. Open weekdays, 9 AM-5 PM. 2100 MLK Ave, SE, #307. 202-698-2185. Anacostia Coordinating Council Meeting. Last Tuesday, noon-2 PM. Anacostia Museum, 1901 Fort St. SE. For further details, contact Philip Pannell, 202-889-4900.
Capitol View Civic Association Meeting. Third Monday, 6:30 PM. Hughes Memorial United Methodist, 25 53rd St. NE. capitolviewcivicassoc.org Historical Anacostia Block Association. Second Thursday, 7-9 PM. UPO-Anacostia Service Center, 1649 Good Hope Rd. SE. For further details, contact Charles Wilson, 202834-0600. Anacostia High School School Improvement Team Meeting. Fourth Tuesday. 6 PM. Anacostia High School, 16th and R Streets SE.
NOW AT TWO LOCATIONS!
Fresh produce from local farmers, plants, art, food-preparation workshops, children activities, nutrition and more...
Fresh Fruit, Vegetables, Bread and Meat.
Deanwood Citizens Association General Body Meeting. Fourth Monday, except Aug. and Dec., 6:30 PM. 1350 49th St. NE. Deanwood Citizens Association General Body Meeting. Fourth Monday, except Aug. and Dec., 6:30 PM. 1350 49th St. NE. Eastland Gardens Civic Association Meeting. Third Tuesday. 6:30-8:30 PM. Kenilworth Elementary School (auditorium), 1300 44th St. NE. Greg Rhett jrhett3009@ aol.com or 202-388-1532. Fairlawn Citizens Association. Third Tuesday, 7 PM. Ora L. Glover Community Room at the Anacostia Public Library, 1800 Good Hope Rd. SE. ANC 7A. Second Tuesday, 7:30 PM. BenningStoddard Rec. Center, 100 Stoddard Pl. SE. 202-727-1000. 7A@anc.dc.gov. anc7a.org
We DOUBLE your EBT,WIC and Seniors Coupon dollars!! (as long as funds last)
Saturdays: 9:00 am to 2:00 pm At THEARC 1901 Mississippi Ave., SE - Front parking lot Saturdays: 10:00 am to 2:00 pm At St. Elizabeths 2700 Market Luther King, Jr. Ave. (Chapel Gate) Ward8FM@gmail.com • www.Ward8FarmersMarket.com
ANC 7B. Third Thursday, 7 PM. Ryland Epworth United Methodist Church, 3200 S St. SE (Branch Ave. and S St. SE). 202-5843400. anc7b@pressroom.com. anc7b.us ANC 7C. Second Thursday, 7 PM. Sargent Memorial Presbyterian Church, 5109 Nannie Helen Burroughs Ave. NE. 202-398-5100. anc7c@verizon.net
The FREE Ward 8 Farmers Market Circulator Shuttle Bus
Every Saturday 9:30am – 1:15pm. BUS ROUTE
ANC 7D. Second Tuesday, 6:30 PM. Sixth District Police Station, 100 42nd St. NE. 202-398-5258. 7D06@anc.dc.gov
Ward 8 Farmers’ Market / THEARC (1901 Mississippi)
ANC 7E. Second Tuesday, 7-8:30 PM. Jones Memorial Church, 4625 G St. SE. 202-5826360. 7E@anc.dc.gov
Big Chair (stop in front of Chair)
ANC 8A. First Tuesday, 7 PM. Anacostia UPO Service Center, 1649 Good Hope Rd. SE. 202889-6600. anc8adc.org ANC 8B. Third Tuesday, 7 PM. Seventh District Police Station Community Center, Alabama and McGee Sts. SE. 202-610-1818. anc8b.org
Salvation Army / Spirit Health Center (2300 MLK Ave.)
Birney Elementary / Barry Farms / Matthews Memorial (Stop in front of Birney E.S.) Ward 8 Farmers’ Market / St. E’s (Friendship Academy, 645 Milwaukee Pl. SE) (MLK across from St. E’s Chapel Gate) Washington Gas Bldg. (3101 MLK) - across from Historic Old Congress Heights School (New) Assumption Catholic Church / National Capital Children’s Center
ANC 8C. First Wednesday, 6:30 PM. 2907 MLK Jr. Ave. SE. 202-388-2244.
Secrets of Nature (3923 South Capitol St. SW)
ANC 8D. Fourth Thursday, 7 PM. Specialty Hospital of Washington, 4601 MLK Jr. Ave. SW. 202 561-0774
Southeast Tennis Center (701 Mississippi Ave. SE)
ANC 8E. Third Tuesday, 7 PM. SE Tennis and Learning Center, 701 Mississippi Ave. SE. 202-561-6616. 8e02@anc.dc.gov Note: Many regular monthly community meetings to not happen in August. ●
(New) Simon Elementary (Mississippi Ave & 4th St SE)
Alabama Ave & 10th Place (1000 Alabama Ave. SE) IHOP / Giant (1523 Alabama Ave. SE) (stop in front of IHOP)
Thank you to our Ward 8 Circulator Sponsors: Anacostia Coordinating Council • Congress Heights Citizens Association Secrets of Nature – Natural Foods Store • Georgetown University • SHIRE CAPITALCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM H
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BULLETIN BOARD
Pictured (left to right): DC Councilmember Vincent B. Orange Sr. (At-Large); Jair Lynch, President/CEO, JAIR LYNCH Development Partners; Dorothy Douglas; Sharita Slayton, Cesar Chavez Public Charter Schools for Public Policy; DC Councilmember Yvette M. Alexander (Ward 7); DC Mayor Vincent C. Gray; DC Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton; DCPCA CEO Sharon A. Baskerville; Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Willie Woods; Geraldine Bell, President, Parkside Civic Association; Unity Health Care President/CEO Vincent A. Keane. Photo: Saida Z. Durkee
Groundbreaking for Unity Health Care-Parkside Health Center in Ward 7
DCPCA’s Medical Home DC program continues to expand access to primary care east of the Anacostia River, breaking ground in the Parkside neighborhood. Replacing the Hunt Place Center in Ward 7, Unity Health Care, Inc. will more than double its capacity to serve District of Columbia residents in the soon to be constructed state-of-the-art community health center. An estimated 50,000 projected annual patient visits will be scheduled at the brand-new 43,200 square foot Unity Health Care-Parkside Health Center. The total cost of this capital project is nearly $26 million. Through Medical Homes DC, DCPCA leveraged more than $15 million–61% of the project costs. Unity-Parkside is projected to open at the end of 2013.
Anacostia Community Museum 45th Anniversary Gala
On Saturday, Sept. 15, join them in celebrating the 45th anniversary of the Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum. The theme of this year’s exciting gala is Reclaiming Our Edge: Launching a New Vision. Guests attending the gala will get a preview of their upcoming exhibition, “Reclaiming the Edge: Urban Waterways and Civic Engagement,” which opens to the general public on Sept. 17. The Gala will feature live entertainment, a silent auction, dinner and dancing. Funds raised by the Gala will help sustain the Smithsonian’s only museum dedicated to its local DC constituents and will enable the Anacostia Community Museum to sustain and expand its ongoing programs and activities including research, exhibitions, and educational outreach. 16 H EAST OF THE RIVER MAGAZINE
For more information call 202-6334875 or email ACMinfo@si.edu
Ward 8 Farmers’ Market at St. E’s
The Ward 8 Farmers’ Market has opened a second branch at the Chapel East Gate, 2800 MLK Ave., SE. It will be there every Saturday from 10 a.m.2 p.m. through Oct. 27. For more information, visit ward8farmersmarket. com or email ward8FM@gmail.com or call Michael Segal, Executive Director 202-841-0394.
DDOT Reconstructs DC-295 (Anacostia Freeway) Ramp from Pennsylvania Avenue SE
DDOT began reconstructing the existing DC 295 ramp from Pennsylvania Ave. SE in July. This work is part of an improvement effort to create safer merging conditions for motorists. The reconstruction work will entail widen| AUGUST 2012
ing the existing DC 295 ramp from Pennsylvania Ave. SE and the replacement of overhead signage, sign lighting and pavement markings on the Sousa Bridge. The project is anticipated to take 270 days to complete. Traffic control signs will be installed to guide motorists and provide advance warnings about expected construction delays. Visit goDCgo.com for more information on transportation options.
Feet in the Street (Save the Date)
The National Park Service will hold its fourth annual “Feet in the Street” Event on Saturday, Sept. 22. They are teaming up again this year with the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) and for the first time with the annual Car Free Day! Car Free Day is an international event celebrated every Sept. 22 in which people are encouraged to get around without cars and instead ride a train, bus, bicycle,
carpool, subway, or walk. The benefit to greater society is a day with less traffic congestion, a greener environment and reduced gasoline demand. Fort Dupont is one of the largest parks in the Nation’s Capital, with 361 acres to explore. On Sept. 22, the roadways in the park, including Fort Davis Drive and Fort Dupont Drive, will be closed to motor vehicles from 10 a.m.4 p.m. Residents and visitors are invited to come put their Feet in the Street and run, walk, bike, skate, and move along this 1.6 mile long corridor. There will also be organized activities and programs including a 5k walk/run to kickoff the event, guided nature hikes, rock climbing wall, physical fitness classes, community garden tours and vegetable gleaning, healthy cooking demonstrations and farmer’s market, face painting, free bike rentals courtesy of Bike and Roll, Capital Bikeshare test rides and free ride coupons and much more. nps.gov/fodu
CAPITALCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM H 17
NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS AfterDark@THEARC
On Saturday, Sept. 15, 6:30 p.m., join them for AfterDark@THEARC, their annual gala to support THEARC (Town Hall Education Arts Recreation Campus) and its partners: Building Bridges Across The River; Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington; Children’s National Medical Center: Children’s Health Project of DC; Corcoran Gallery of Art: Corcoran ArtReach; Covenant House Washington; Levine School of Music; LIFTDC; Parklands Community Center; Trinity Washington University; The Washington Ballet; Washington Middle School for Girls. Individual ticket is $250. THEARC, 1901 Mississippi Ave. SE. 202-889-5901. thearcdc.org
Anacostia Community Museum Reopens
Anacostia Community Museum, which was closed for repairs, has reopened its public spaces to the public and on-site programming has resumed. 1901 Fort Pl. SE. 202-633-4820. anacostia.si.edu
Clean Rivers Project Update
The construction schedule of the Clean Rivers Project has been updated. DC Water will begin removal of the sidewalk along M Street, SE from 8th to 9th Streets SE in order to accommodate four lanes of traffic along M Street during the major construction efforts. (Pedestrian traffic will remain open along the south side of M Street SE, from 9th to 14th Streets. throughout construction.) The Metrobus stop at 8th and M Streets SE will be temporarily relocated during construction. In the interim, transit riders may board the bus at either 7th and M Streets or 10th and M Streets.
tion center, which is fully paid for, is located at 4900 Puerto Rico Ave. NE near the food bank’s former location for 21 years on Taylor Street NE. Due to the uncertain economy and the dire situation it has created, the Capital Area Food Bank embarked on a capital campaign five years ago under the leadership of co-chairs Donald E. Graham, J.W. Marriott Jr., the late Abe Pollin and Bennett Zier. Hilary Salmon, the food bank’s director of special projects, played a leading role in the capital campaign and transition into the new facility. capitalareafoodbank.org
Habitat for Artists at THEARC
Habitat for Artists returns to THEARC this summer in a collaboration with the Corcoran Gallery of Art. HFA uses the idea of the artist’s studio as a catalyst for mutual engagement between artists and communities and will work with THEARC and the Corcoran from July 16-Aug. 24. The “habitats” are small, temporary, 6’-by-6’ structures. HFA invites artists to work in these small, temporary studios, and while exploring their own creative process, the artists engage in active dialogues with a new audience. The public, meanwhile, is invited into a dialogue about art, the artist’s role, and topics pertinent or relevant to that local community. Through Aug. 24 in THEARC Organic Garden, 1901 Mississippi Ave. SE. 202-889-5901. thearcdc.org
DeanwoodxDesign Needs Volunteers
The Capital Area Food Bank is responding to the growing hunger crisis facing the Washington metro area by moving to a larger, newly-constructed food distribution center in Northeast DC that will enable it to double its food storage and distribution capacity over time and foster healthy eating. The food bank opened its new Northeast Washington facility on July 30. The new $37 million food distribu-
DeanwoodxDesign (pronounced as Deanwood by Design) showcases the rich arts, cultural, historical, and green space assets of Deanwood and Ward 7 through a community-wide, intergenerational, and collaborative effort. This project engages artists and a diverse network of Deanwood institutions and stakeholders to cultivate community pride, showcase and create great art, and invigorate the creative economy. These events feature workshops, exhibitions, and cultural events that reflect the community. Volunteers have the opportunity to lend their skills and talent to a series of arts and cultural events, exhibitions
18 H EAST OF THE RIVER MAGAZINE
| AUGUST 2012
Capital Area Food Bank Moves to New Facility
Courtesy of Aya Community Markets
Aya Community Market Relocates to SW
The market provides resources for healthy and sustainable communities through farm fresh produce, educational health speakers and live musical Performances, locally produced handmade crafts and baked goods, art, youth activities and more. Formerly at the Pennsylvania Avenue Baptist Church, it is now at Christ United Methodist Church, 900 4th St. SW. every Saturday through Nov. 17, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. ayamarkets.org and workshops that will take place each weekend through Oct. 31 at all the Temporiums. Volunteers are needed to distribute posters and fliers in Deanwood and surrounding neighborhoods, assist with online promotion and marketing, staff special events, photograph special events and live performances, photograph/document the temporium transformations, assist with art installation. Volunteers serve in shifts of 2-3 hours Thursday and Friday evenings from 5-9 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. For more information, contact Kellie Armstead at Leadership@reeldc.org, deanwoodxdesign. com/volunteers
The Organic Garden at THEARC
The Organic Garden at THEARC is a 100 percent organic garden operating as a community project of Building Bridges Across the River developed with THEARC partners to serve as a tool to educate THEARC community
about nutrition and healthy eating. This market operation will help develop entrepreneurial skills in the youth of Ward 8, while exposing them to employment opportunities in the fields of agriculture, business and the culinary arts. For more information, contact them at info@ thearcdc.org Building Bridges Across the River is the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that built and now runs THEARC. The mission of Building Bridges Across the River is to improve the quality of life for children and adults living east of the Anacostia River by providing leadership, management and financial oversight of the Town Hall Education Arts Recreation Campus (THEARC). Through a collaboration of partner nonprofit organizations, THEARC provides access to high quality educational, arts, recreation, health and social service programs. Building Bridges Across the River was incorporated as a nonprofit organization in 1997 by William C. Smith + Co. In its role as the leader of THEARC, BBAR is responsible for the collaboration of the nonprofit partner organizations at THEARC, as well as the management of THEARC Theater, and the maintenance and upkeep of THEARC facility and grounds. thearcdc.org
Fishing with AWS
Come on out and join them for some evening fishing off of the pier at Bladensburg Waterfront Park. They provide the equipment, lures, and instruction. You just have to show up and have a good time! Friday, Aug. 17, 5-7:30 p.m. Bladensburg Waterfront Park, 4601 Annapolis Rd., Bladensburg, MD. RSVP at 301-699-6204 or anacostiaws.org.
Green Jobs
Current and Emerging Opportunities Community Forum
The Anacostia Community Museum continues its research and educational initiative focused on urban waterways, especially rivers, their watersheds, and associated creeks and streams. The project explores, among other things, social conditions, envi-
ronmental burdens, citizen concerns and involvement, and cultural and recreational traditions associated with urban rivers. This community discussion focuses on green jobs: current and emerging opportunities. Aug. 14, 7 p.m., Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Pl. SE. 202-633-4820. anacostia. si.edu
District’s First ‘Green’ Alleys Completed
The Green Alleys Project is a joint collaboration between DDOT and DDOE with funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The project is aimed at reducing the quantity and improving the quality of storm water run-off within the District’s right-of-way. As part of the project, the existing concrete, gravel and dirt alleys were removed and replaced with a permeable concrete pavement–allowing water to pass through the surface and percolate through a gravel layer and into the soil below. Construction started in November 2011. Throughout the US, Green Alley projects are being used as an effective and innovative way to manage storm water runoff and pollution. The initial Green Alley sites are in the Watts Branch Watershed in Ward 7 in the alley between 54th St., Blaine St., 55th St., & Clay St. NE; the alley between 56th St., Eads St., & 57th St. NE and the alley between 58th St., Dix St., 59th St., & Clay St. NE. ddot.dc.gov
11th Street Bridge Project Traffic Advisory
DDOT may close lanes during off peak travel times on the 11th Street bridges, related ramps, portiwaons of the Southeast/Southwest Freeway, I-295/DC 295 and local streets through Sunday, Sept. 30 to accommodate 11th Street Bridge Project related construction activities. For more information about this work or the 11th Street Bridge Project, contact DDOT Deputy Chief Engineer Ravindra Ganvir at 202-359-6948 or visit the 11th Street Bridge page on AnacostiaWaterfront.org. l CAPITALCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM H 19
NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
The Gray Area by Martin Austermuhle
I
n September 2010, Vince Gray defeated Adrian Fenty in the Democratic primary. Wait, did he? That’s not the sort of question any voter should have to ask themselves close to two years after the election. But that’s exactly where we are today, as further revelations in the ever-evolving scandal surrounding Gray’s 2010 campaign have suddenly cast doubt upon the most basic element of democracy: did the winner actually win? It’s no longer a black and white issue—we’ve entered a gray area. In terms of sheer number of votes, yes, Gray won. He defeated an incumbent who, while enjoying a two-to-one fundraising advantage, ran an uninspired campaign and failed to turn back the tide on an electorate that had largely soured on him. At the end of the day, Gray emerged with 13,000 more votes than Fenty—a 10 percent margin. But all of that is now being revisited. Gray’s supporters could excuse some of his first missteps, but as more irregularities have been revealed, the more impossible it has become to shrug off the doubts.
The Shadow Campaign
In early July, donor Jeanne Clarke Harris pleaded guilty to running a massive straw donation scheme that directed $653,800 in off-the-books contributions to a shadow campaign that helped elect Gray. Only weeks later, the Washington Post uncovered further wrongdoing within Gray’s campaign— members of his staff had improperly obtained a database of the names of 6,000 public housing residents, 20 H EAST OF THE RIVER MAGAZINE
Mayor Vincent Gray. Photo: Andrew Lightman.
gaining a treasure trove of personal information on a segment of the population that while sympathetic to Gray’s message, doesn’t often exercise its rights at the ballot box. Additionally, campaign treasurer Betty Brown—that’s the official campaign, mind you—admitted that $100,000 in day-of walking around money was mislabeled on campaign finance reports as being payments for polling and mailing lists. In June former D.C. Council Chair Kwame Brown pleaded guilty | AUGUST 2012
to much of the same—giving poll workers more than the $50 they are allowed to get in cash.
Cheating Your Way to Victory
Had it only been one slip-up or violation, residents may have dismiss it. Had things been limited to paying Sulaimon Brown to say mean things about Adrian Fenty—which he did with gusto—maybe that too could have been brushed aside. But with the enormity of the scandal having become that much
more apparent, many voters have started asking a key question—was the election fairly won? Sure, Gray crossed the line first. But did he trip up his principal competitor along the way, making a fair race all but impossible? For those who have lined up to say that Gray should resign, it’s an easy answer—the process was so corrupted that even a wide-margin victory like the one Gray received is likely suspect. “The legitimacy of the election has been called into question. Whether the Mayor knew of the shadow campaign or not does not matter. He should not be the beneficiary of that illegality,” said Councilmember David Catania (I-At Large). Councilmember Mary Cheh (D-Ward 3), who endorsed Gray in the 2010 primary, said much the same when she called on him to resign, saying that he had benefited from “massive election fraud.” The scandal seems to reveal as much. According to the investigation led by U.S. Attorney for D.C. Ron Machen, the shadow campaign didn’t shy away from the light of day—in fact, the money that Harris funneled into it (along with co-conspirator Jeffrey Thompson) openly benefited the campaign. Some $203,100 went to pay for staff, $127,700 bought campaign materials, $58,000 went to supplies, and $265,000 covered rental vans, hotel rooms and other expenses. For a campaign that legally raised close to $2 million for the primary, $653,800 isn’t a rounding error—it’s a substantial percentage. As for the list of public housing residents, it provided a distinct
WIDE SHOE OUTLET Men’s and Women’s sizes up to 15 EE advantage for Gray’s campaign. The Post found that same-day registrations from precincts with large public housing populations surged during the September primary—and those precincts largely went for Gray. In one precinct in the southwestern segment of Ward 6, for one, turnout increased by 26 percent, with the majority of the new votes going for Gray.
Not All Fraud Is The Same
The case seems to be weighing heavily against Gray at this point—politically, at least. Election fraud and campaign finance violations are very different beasts, and Gray’s campaign is accused primarily of violating the latter. No one has yet said that Gray paid people to vote for him, much less that he stuffed ballot boxes. This may seem like a low standard for what’s right and wrong in electoral democracy, but directly linking money to votes without proving that voters were paid is extremely difficult. Campaign finance violations are certainly of concern, though. This country’s democratic system is premised on fair competition, and that’s partly judged on money being raised and spent according to set rules and in a manner that is open to public review. Gray’s shadow campaign effectively made it impossible to know who was supporting his candidacy, what they were paying to get him elected and what they might get in return. These might seem like semantic distinctions, but they matter. I called upon a number of elections experts to ask whether any elections had ever been nullified by massive campaign finance violations, and they couldn’t think of any that fit the bill. The closest case came from Baltimore, where a city councilwoman failed to file any campaign finance reports at all during her re-election bid—but still kept her seat after having won the election. At this point, then, there’s no real legal case to be made for the claim that Gray “stole” the election. Did he play the game unfairly? Absolutely. But did that style of play push him over the top against Fenty? Short of finding evidence that the $653,800 was used to buy votes, we’ll likely never know.
“Mayor” Gray
Of course, little of that seems to matter now. The standards for political guilt are significantly lower than they are for legal guilt, after all. Looked at that way, a large part of D.C. residents seem to think Gray is guilty
as charged. According to a Post poll in mid-July, 54 percent of respondents said that Gray should resign. (That majority largely crossed demographic and geographic lines, a reality that’s richly ironic since Gray’s dream of forging “One City” seems to be limited to pushing a majority of residents to want him gone.) The poll also found that if there were a do-over of September 2010 today, Fenty would win by a two-to-one margin. Ouch. While Gray has said little as the scandal has blossomed, he has steadfastly denied having known anything about what was happening in his own campaign. At the advice of his attorney, though, he has said nothing of his involvement in the investigation—only further fueling conspiracy theories, rumors and chatter as to how long he will remain in office. Short of any further revelations, though, it’s looking like he’ll survive through the dog days of summer. After that, though, the D.C. Council will return and Gray will be faced with the reality that he’ll have to govern with very little political capital at his disposal. That may ultimately be the thing that does him in—does he want to seem like a lame duck for the next two years, governing over a city that largely doesn’t trust him? Until he makes that decision for himself—or Machen comes back with a case against him—Gray is putting his head down and insisting that it’s business as usual. In late July, he rolled out a 60-page “One City Action Plan” (basically bullet points of what his administration had already said it would do), presented the results of an initiative that allows residents to more easily grade D.C. agencies and announced plans for a number of longstanding development projects from Walter Reed to Reservation 13. But it’s hard to pretend nothing has happened while the very legitimacy of his mayoralty crumbles beneath him. Journalists constantly pepper him with questions about the scandal, and residents can only lower their gazes and hope that D.C. doesn’t stumble any lower than it already has. Sure, we’re in a far better place than we were during the worst of Marion Barry’s days, but at least then everyone could say that they knew he won the election. Nowadays it’s even hard to admit that much. Martin Austermuhle is the editor-in-chief of DCist.com and a freelance writer living in Petworth. l
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NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
The Numbers
Warren Buffett Is Right
Wealthy Investors Should Not Pay Less Tax than the Average DC Family by Ed Lazere
I
t’s hard to deny that the super-rich sometimes get to live by a different set of rules than the rest of us, like the celebrities who get all sorts of fancy stuff for free just for showing up somewhere. DC may soon have its own case in point of preferential treatment for the well-heeled. Legislation before the DC Council would allow some very wealthy DC residents to pay a lower income tax rate than the typical working DC family, mostly because some highincome residents said they didn’t want to pay DC’s normal tax rates. To be clear, the bill in question — introduced by Mayor Gray — would not turn DC’s income tax structure entirely upside down. Instead, it would set a very low tax rate for investments in DC-based tech firms. Yet because investments provide the main source of income for the super-wealthy, and because DC’s growing tech sector is making a number of people rich, this tax cut would let some very well-off residents pay a lower income tax rate than you or I do. This dramatic departure from progressive tax rates — the tech investment tax rate would be lower than the DC’s lowest income tax rate for wage and salary income — could be justified only if there were convincing evidence that the rest of us would be better off as a result — that it would, for example, create a lot of jobs and boost DC’s economy. Yet supporters cannot point to any such benefits. In fact, when pressed, the taxcut supporters in DC government say the lower rate is needed because they have heard from wealthy investors who are planning to move from the District to Virginia to avoid
22 H EAST OF THE RIVER MAGAZINE
that wealthy investors pay a higher tax rate than middle-income families — rather than violating it.
Tech Investment Tax Break Plan Goes Too Far
paying DC taxes when they cash in on their tech investments. This suggests that the rich and powerful get to dictate DC government policy, down to the income tax rate they will pay to the city. There clearly is something wrong with this, especially since the District actually does a good job attracting and retaining high-income residents. DC’s richest residents have higher incomes than similar families in any major U.S. city. If any of this tax debate sounds familiar, it may be because War| AUGUST 2012
ren Buffett has brought attention to something similar at the federal level. The billionaire investor (who graduated from DC’s own Wilson High School) has challenged federal capital gains tax laws that allow him to pay a lower tax rate on his investments than his secretary pays on her salary. The issue also has gotten Mitt Romney into some hot water, since his tax returns show that he pays a low rate on his investment-heavy income. DC’s policymakers would do well to follow the Buffett Rule —
The “Technology Sector Enhancement Act” is intended to support growth in DC-based technology companies, a worthwhile goal at a time when the federal government may be shrinking. But good intentions are not enough. A close look at the proposed investor tax credits raise lots of serious questions. • Ridiculously low tax rates for investors: The bill would set a 3 percent tax rate on gains from investments in DC-based tech firms. That is lower than the tax rates paid by any working DC resident — even a minimum wage worker — where the rates start at 4 percent and go up to 8.95 percent. • Tax breaks for venture capital companies: The low tax rate would apply to venture capital companies, which are in the business of investing in other companies. They don’t need special tax breaks to be encouraged to do so. • No focus on start-ups: New companies are the ones most likely to face challenges attracting investors. Yet the proposed legislation would offer the low tax rate for investments in any tech companies, including successful well-established ones.
Letting the Rich Set Their Own Tax Rates: Not a Wise Move
Perhaps the most shocking element of the Mayor’s bill is that it would lower the tax rate for people
who currently hold investments in DC tech companies. If the goal of the tax cut is to encourage more investment in tech companies, we shouldn’t offer tax breaks to people who already have made such investments, right? This is where the plot over a seemingly mundane tax proposal gets more interesting. The Gray Administration, in a document shared with the DC Council, says that the tax cut is needed because there are “high-value tech employee stock-holders” that have told the Mayor’s people that they are considering “relocating to Virginia to shelter themselves” from paying taxes to the District. To be clear, this means that there are residents who plan to cash in their tech investments soon — standing to make very large sums, no doubt — who have said they would rather not pay taxes on their substantial gains. And the Mayor’s response has been to offer them a lower tax rate than any other DC resident pays. This proposal is disturbing on many levels. Not only does it fly in the face of fair tax policy, it also is policy made based on anecdote. It does not make sense to reduce taxes deeply in response to concerns raised by a small number of people. While it’s not surprising that some wealthy residents would ask for lower taxes, but there is no evidence that DC’s tax system is creating widespread agitation among our richest residents. The average income of the top 5 percent of DC families is $473,000, and that is higher than in any major U.S. city.
Investment Tax Breaks Won’t Turn a Frog Into a Prince
As if this isn’t enough to cast doubt on cutting investment taxes, what about the simple fact that it won’t even work? That it is unlikely to result in greater investments in DC tech companies? Investing in a new company
with a new product or idea is risky. There is no FDIC insurance protecting that investment. An investor could stand to lose everything if the company fails. So it is no surprise that the people and companies that invest in tech start-ups are very choosy and only pick the start-ups they feel are likely to succeed. Offering investors a low tax rate on earnings from DC tech companies is unlikely to change investors’ behavior, because a low tax rate does not turn a risky investment into a safe one. David Weaver, who mentors and educates “angel investors,” the kinds of people who invest in startups, says it best: “[T]ax credits won’t make angels invest in a company that they wouldn’t invest in without the credit…[Investors] aren’t so foolish to throw their money away because someone waves an incentive in from of them.”
Follow the Warren Buffett Rule
This brings us back to Warren Buffett, the billionaire who supports efforts to raise taxes on investments, because current federal tax law allows some of the wealthiest Americans to pay some of the lowest income tax rates. The good news is that DC doesn’t have the problem that Warren Buffett points out — yet — but we would if the tech investor tax cut is adopted. Rather than bribing a handful of very well off residents to stay and invest in DC with tax rates that are lower than anyone else’s, DC’s leaders should keep supporting efforts to make DC a healthy and attractive city — which will do more in the end to create the right atmosphere for economic growth. Lazere is the executive director of the DC Fiscal Policy Institute (www. dcfpi.org), which conducts research on tax and budget issues that affect low- and moderate-income DC residents. l CAPITALCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM H
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NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
The H Street Playhouse Moves Across the River by Annette Nielsen
From left: Nikki Peele with ARCH Development Corporation, ANC commissioner David Garber, Charles Wilson, President & Co-founder of the Historic Anacostia Block Association, ANC commissioner Greta Fuller, and Colin Hovde, Artistic Director, Theater Alliance. Photo: Annette Nielsen
E
xit the Anacostia Metro stop and you start to feel the energy of this vibrant neighborhood. Travel past the Capital Bikeshare station, Arcadia Farm’s Mobile Market selling fresh fruit and vegetables, and walk a few blocks on bustling Martin Luther King Boulevard and you’ll find the HIVE, a creative and shared workspace for freelancers and small businesses, a project of the ARCH Development Corporation (ADC). Around for over two decades, ADC is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit community based organization that believes arts and the creative economy can be employed as part of a comprehensive approach to community revitalization in Anacostia– and believes in working collaboratively with other groups and organizations
to realize economic growth. Back in January 2012, ADC heard that the H Street Playhouse would no longer operate out of their H Street NE home and they reached out to the theater to propose their relocation to Historic Anacostia. And now, just a block from the HIVE, live theater will come to Anacostia. “It was a natural fit,” says Phil Hutinet, ADC’s Chief Operating Officer who spearheaded the project. “The H Street Playhouse’s presence in Historic Anacostia will not only provide a world-class black-box theater for both local and regional patrons, but it will also provide a stage for local performers who live and work East of the River including Southeast Trinity, Verbal Gymnastics, the Serenity Players and Melvin Deal and the African Heritage
24 H EAST OF THE RIVER MAGAZINE
| AUGUST 2012
Dancers and Drummers.” On the heels of LUMEN8Anacostia where art venues showcased the works of local fine artists and artisans as well as performances by visual artists, dancers and actors – the H Street Playhouse announcement seems perfectly timed. Charles Wilson, President and Co-Founder of the Historic Anacostia Block Association, is enthusiastic about the announcement and said that the move is a good indicator that Anacostia will be getting the attention it deserves. “The buzz is out there – folks are definitely talking about the future development of the larger Ward 8 community – between Anacostia and Congress Heights, there is a lot going on. There’s an influx of new residents, mostly young black pro-
fessionals coming into the neighborhood, too, which gives hope that we can all pursue the American Dream.” Julia Robey Christian, who not only works as the managing director of the H Street Playhouse, but at one time served as program director for Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, and also more recently held the post of executive director at Capitol Hill’s Chamber of Commerce (CHAMPS), was raised in a community-minded household. Julia’s parents, Adele and Bruce Robey, had purchased the building at 1365 H Street, NE in 2001 and started the H Street Playhouse. After Bruce passed away in 2009, Adele sold the building to Century Associates. The H Street Playhouse is currently a Century tenant through the end of January 2013. “I’m a neighborhood nerd, and more than ever, it’s key for the H Street Playhouse to continue to be a resource for its community – I grew up in DC, and my father grew up in Anacostia – it’s important to work on behalf of the place that took care of you.” Philip Pannell, executive director of the Anacostia Coordinating Council and longtime Ward 8 resident said of the H Street Playhouse relocation that there couldn’t be better news. “There hasn’t been a live theater and performance space in Anacostia in 20 years – since 8Rock was located on Martin Luther King Boulevard – I can’t wait for the Playhouse’s arrival.” The Playhouse’s change in venue to 2020 Shannon Place, SE, also has the support of Mayor Gray and Ward 8 council member Marion Barry. ANC commissioner David Garber who lived in Anacostia for three years stated, “This is a winwin for the city – a real beacon for all of the possibilities as we see more destinations created, adding to the already established Uniontown Bar & Grill, existing art galleries – all things that will bring people to the neighborhood.”
Julia Robey Christian, Managing Direcdtor of H Street Playhouse. Photo: Andrew Lightman
Garber’s sentiment was echoed by DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities executive director Lionell Thomas at the Monday afternoon press conference, “This will be an amazing cultural hub here in Anacostia – a great example of how public and private partnerships can work in underserved areas.” Adele Robey admires so much about the new Anacostia theater space, “The venue’s expansive ceilings and open floor space allow for varying configurations, depending
Phil Hutinet, ADC Chief Operating Officer. Photo: Andrew Lightman
on the requirements of the different performances – and over the past decade we’ve galvanized supporters with a steady stream of producing theater companies who are ready to be a part of something new and exciting.” Robey stated that they hope to have a seamless transition, with performances starting at the new location as soon as the lease expires at the H Street location the end of January. And while the H Street Playhouse won’t be keeping its name in the Anacostia venue, they might open it up to a competition, although she added, “2020 is a cool address.” Pannell, who works a few steps away from the new theater location says that he looks forward to working with the playhouse and the possibility of hosting events in the new space. He noted Black History Month celebrated in February, coincides with the projected opening date. ANC commissioner Greta Fuller said, “This is the catalyst for Historic Anacostia – let the city and the rest of the world know who we are and what we have to offer.” l
CAPITALCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM H
25
NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
Jail Leads To the Law UDC Grad Transcends Past by Amanda Wilson
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t the lowest point, sitting in a jail cell, James King never thought he would be a lawyer. He got out of prison and went on to attend the University of District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law, where he served as Student Bar Association President. King graduated May 11, 2012 with a juris doctorate and a job offer from the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia, widely recognized as one of the premier public defender offices in the nation.
From the NFL to Begging Lawyers to Take His Case
Originally from Detroit, he signed as a rookie free agent with the Cleveland Browns after playing on Central Michigan University’s team. He played football overseas, based in Bergamo, Italy. What inspired him to change to a career in law, he says, was being charged with a misdemeanor crime that he did not commit. “My life literally got flipped upside down. There is nothing like sitting inside of a jail cell for a crime that you didn’t commit,” King, who is 30 years old, said. “It made me switch my passion from trying to be a football player to doing something more down to earth and more meaningful.” As King tells it, several people were injured in a bar fight King was trying to break up. King was arrested and charged with a felony, although prosecutors offered him plea deals. Sure of his innocence, King turned them down. When his attorney urged him to accept one of the deals, King reluctantly plead guilty to a misdemeanor in exchange for no jail time. The judge later refused to honor the deal, and he locked King up for six months on 24-hour lock-down. King was even more frustrated when he 26 H EAST OF THE RIVER MAGAZINE
found out that what the judge and attorneys and done was not illegal. “My ignorance of the law cost me my freedom,” King said. He served his time and was released early. Attorneys once told him it would cost as much as $100,000, for them to represent him. But he had the knowledge of his own innocence to keep him going forward. He says he “went from having everything in the NFL to begging lawyers” to take his case. When he finally got out, the experience was the basis for his decision to stay in the justice system – but as a lawyer who could help people in circumstances like his. And that is exactly what he did. “I always said if I get out of here I am going to help other people in this situation,” said King.
A Decision to Attend Law School
A resident of Northeast DC, King says he chose to attend UDC – starting in 2009 – because of the school’s mission to help people in the community. At UDC, he did hundreds of hours of community legal work, including working at an immigration and human rights clinic and working with co-ops in the District to address their legal problems. Last summer he worked in the office of the Public Defender doing what he dreamed of doing when he got out of prison: helping people without money to pay for their defense. He remembers one client in particular, an older gentleman in his 60’s who was the primary caretaker for his mother, an elderly woman with mobility difficulties. They thought they didn’t have money to get a “good” attorney. “That’s what they thought,” King said. As he took statements to build their defense, King spent time with the man’s family, eating with them, talking with neighbors | AUGUST 2012
James King (courtesy of Mr. King)
who said the man used to cut their lawns to help them out. When the man won his case with King’s help and went home, it wasn’t just winning a case, it was helping an entire neighborhood get one of their cherished members back, putting a family back together again. They all celebrated with a cookout. King said he believes people in the justice system, guilty or innocent, still deserve to be treated like people. “I went home every day with
a smile, knowing that I got to help somebody in need without reaching out to help someone with one hand and then reaching into their pocket with the other hand.” King was at home in January when he got the call about a job offer with the Public Defender office of Washington, DC. Out of 80 interns who worked out of the office last summer, among them students of Harvard, Stanford, Georgetown, American University, and Yale law
schools, it was King who was offered the job.
A Model For Others
UDC Law Professor Andrew Ferguson said King had worked hard in class, even serving as a teaching assistant for his class on criminal law, criminal procedure and evidence. He says that although it is rare for someone who has experience on the other side of the justice system to become a lawyer, it is possible. “Part of the reason it is rare is that not everyone who has felt the injustice of an unjust prosecution has had the character and intelligence to do something to improve the system,” Ferguson said. Ferguson says that he thinks the legal community and King’s future clients will greatly benefit from his inspirational path, one he believes is redemptive – as King was facing the ultimate legal sanction and suffered some real costs of being accused of a crime. “The fact that he overcame that moment in his life is redeeming to the system and to him personally.” James King also does motivational speaking, telling his story to at-risk teens. “I think they have a lot to learn from not only picking the right crowd of people, but being more conscious of their environment and places to go or not to go. I sit down and talk with them about things they should steer away from and things that would behoove them to stay on the right path.” James King can be reached with motivational speaking inquiries at king1je@gmail.com More information: The Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia, 633 Indiana Ave. NW # 220 Washington, DC 20004, (202) 628-1200, http://www.pdsdc.org/ l
ANC 7A Report by Mariessa Terrell
& Girls Club of Greater Washington’s Teen Arts Performance (T.A.P.) group, violinist Chelsey Green, Regina Belle, The Manhattans, Zapp, The Bar-Kays, and Mandrill. Contact Friends@Fort Dupont.org for more information.
Grade DC Government
A
NC 7A held a public meeting on July 10, 2012. Despite the absence of Commissioners Martha Kent, Latese Gilbert, Eboni Rose Thompson and Shahidah Hamlett, Chairman Villareal Johnson along with Commissioners Sheila Carson Carr and Evie Washington provided attendees with timely updates.
Requests for Block Party Support
Dominique Little, Director of Deux Faces, Inc. seeks funding for her neighborhood block party to be held in the parking lot of the Safeway (Minnesota and Benning Road SE). The Commission agrees to consider Little’s request provided that she can demonstrate that the block party has an impact on residents located in 7A. Any DC residents can determine 7A geographic boundaries by visiting anc.dc.gov, dc.gov (DC
guide), calling 311 or DC Board of Elections at 202-727-2525 or the Advisory Neighborhood Commission 202-534-6673. Jackie Holmes and Vernetta Jones seek a letter of support to enable them to coordinate a block party on August 4 or August 11 to benefit the residents of the Benning Road Cooperative. The event will be held at the 4400 block of E Street SE (between Alabama Avenue and Benning Road and Falls Terrace).
Friends of Fort Dupont Seek Volunteers and Funding
Friends of Fort Dupont made a formal request for 7A funding for website improvement and additional volunteers to assist with programming. The Fort Dupont free Summer Concert Series kicks off on July 9. This year, no alcohol will be allowed in the park. Reserved seating for all shows is available ($30 for individuals; $50 for a family of 4). Headliners include: a performance from the Boys
Sandra Lee from the Deputy Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Engagement announced that residents can now rate the effectiveness of Department of Parks and Recreation (@ dcdpr), Department of Public Works (@dcdpw), District Department of Transportation (@ddotdc), Department of Consumer Regulatory Affairs (@dcra), Department of Motor Vehicles (@dcdmv) and the Mayor’s Office (@mayorvincegray) by sending a tweet directly to each government agency. Additionally, residents may now submit service requests through 311 or via each agency’s website. www.gradedc.gov
Chairman Johnson Updates Community Conversation on Education
7A is joining the DC Schools Quality Education Community Engagement effort by leading a Community Conversation in order to address ways to improve quality and access to education for DC’s Ward 7 school students. The Ward 7 Community Conversation will take place Saturday, August 11 at Kelly Miller Middle School, 301 49th Street NE, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lunch and childcare will be provided. To carry out this initiative, the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education is partnering with Public Agenda, a national non-profit, non-partisan, research and public engagement organization. As an incentive to encourage local residents to attend, 7A will distribute Back-to-School supplies at this Community Education meeting. www.anc7a.com. l CAPITALCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM H 27
NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
Finding Hope
Marshall Heights’ Job Readiness Orientation Class Can Help Ward 7 and Ward 8 Residents Find Work by Stephen Lilenthal starts at 9 a.m. An air conditioner’s hum and the occasional remarks between a husband and wife break an uneasy silence. Then, the appearance of Deborah Dews and Patrina Swinson breaks the stillness.
MHCDO’s Job Seeker Orientation
Marshall Heights workforce development counselors Patrina Swinson, Deborah Dews, director, and Carl McAllister search for job leads.
A
line forms early outside the DC Department of Employment Services (DOES) offices on Minnesota Avenue, NE. One man says many of the people are waiting for the One Stop Center’s doors to open so they can file clams for unemployment, speak to counselors, or access computers. It’s a sign of the times. Unemployment in Wards 7 and 8 has been historically high and, in these recessionary times, that’s more true than ever East of the River (EOTR). DC DOES unemployment statistics for May 2012 show Ward 7’s rate to be 15.0% and Ward 8 with a 22.5 % joblessness rate. Not far from DOES is the Marshall Heights Community Development Center (MHCDO) on Benning Road NE. There, people file in a side door for the twice-a-month Job Readiness Orientation Class that 28 H EAST OF THE RIVER MAGAZINE
| AUGUST 2012
Ms. Dews, with over thirty years experience as a job placement counselor, is the survivor of a layoff herself. Ms. Swinson purposely wears a bright pink jacket to demonstrate what not to wear to an interview. She’s a former job readiness facilitator with the United Planning Organization, the community action agency in DC which oversees many programs to help low-income residents, including MHCDO’s own job orientation sessions and workforce development program. Ms. Swinson’s involvement in job counseling stems from her service as president of a local PTA and witnessing parents fail to obtain needed jobs because they lacked skills such as the proper style for an interview.
Job Seeker Orientation Classes
Ms. Dews talks about MHCDO and its programs promoting home buying and helping homeowners to avoid foreclosures, and in providing transitional housing to displaced people. MHCDO also offers GED classes. Too many job seekers, she notes, fail to take advantage of the resources that can provide childcare, health insurance, even clothing suitable for job interviews. Then, as job seekers fill out a form to determine whether they are at risk, Ms. Swinson takes over. “I’m stable, but not as stable as I’d like to be so you’re talking to someone who’s your counselor, and you’re talking to someone who’s been in your shoes,” she tells the job seekers. She explains the importance of patience and persistence in obtaining a job as well as how to project a positive impression in an interview. ”If you’re
Donnell Harris
Ms. Donnell Harris worked as an accountant before raising three children as a single mother. As her children grew older, Ms. Harris, now 44, wanted to rejoin the workforce. She had taken courses in computer engineering but, lacking an appropriate degree, was receiving a cold shoulder from tech companies. Soon after attending a job fair at MHCDO, Ms. Harris started working part-time at Safeway as a cashier, holding the job for approximately eight months. Staying in contact with MHCDO helped Ms. Harris to obtain a full-time job with Metro Access. Now, she works the early morning to early afternoon shift and, as a “people person,” likes helping the elderly and disabled. Safeway may not have provided fulltime hours, yet Ms. Harris says it “was a stepping stone” and it “helped build my confidence” after her frustrating search in computer engineering.
Tony Blue
Tony Blue had a career as a facilities/utilities technician but became unemployed at age 56. Acting on a tip from the DC DOES, Mr. Blue attended the jobseeker orientation class. “It was very impressive. It got my attention,” says Mr. Blue, crediting the class with imparting a “deeper understanding of interviewing skills” when it came to dress and body language. Mr. McAllister urged Mr. Blue to revise his resume to make it more presentable and continued urging Mr. Blue to follow up with the places he had applied for work. At the same time, Mr. Blue studied to obtain his GED. Eventually, a position with So Others Might Eat opened up, and Mr. Blue is now a Night Manager at one of their facilities, dealing with security and record keeping. What he likes about it is that the position can lead to advancement, possibly even a service technician position. Mr. Blue credits MHCDO for its outstanding assistance and, particularly Mr. McAllister, for urging him not to give up.
George Ware
An electrician by training, George Ware was working in his brother’s business. Then, the economy faltered and Mr. Ware found himself “facing the most serious disease a black man can have: long-term unemployment.” He was on the verge of facing serious problems, but MHCDO found Ware temporary jobs. Eventually, MHCDO found a training program run by construction firm Hensel-Phelps that will prepare Mr. Ware to work a well-paying job as an electrician helping to construct a new Marriott. Mr. Ware now splits his time between the training program and work performing unskilled labor. “Marshall Heights consistently sought out jobs and employers willing to hire DC residents,” says Mr. Ware. Job counselors Dews and Swinson provided useful advice about how to interview ranging from appropriate dress to proper introductions that are more crucial than many jobseekers realize.
not working, you should be volunteering,” she urges. Some people need anger management classes to better control their anger. Some need coaching to address criminal backgrounds or past addiction problems. Others need to understand they have a responsibility when hired to fulfill the employer’s expectations. Later, former Benning resident, J.D. Moore, talks about how he found success after serving time in Lorton and lets attendees know they can contact him if they have an interest in sales. By the end of the orientation, the mood of the attendees appears more positive. George Gillespie, a customer service worker before being laid off, calls the motivational speeches “good” because “they keep up the reinforcement.” After the session, another MHCDO counselor, Carl McAllister, discusses problems shared by the people he helps. He states that education is a “direct stem to the unemployment” besetting Wards 7 and 8, with another major problem being a lack of computer skills. Mr. McAllister runs off the top six mistakes job-seekers make including: not researching a company adequately; dressing too casually or flamboyantly for an interview; not arriving on time for an interview; not turning off a cellphone during an interview; failing to bring more than one resume to an interview since several staff members usually participate in interviews; and exposing potential employers to inappropriate voicemail messages (all ringtones are inappropriate).
Success Stories
Even in these tough times, MHCDO clients have been able to find work. There are success stories. (See sidebars). “The majority of our clients take guidance, they follow up, enter into GED or training programs. I drill the point that you not only need a job but you need certification,” says Mr. McAllister. If people accept that and do what it takes,” McAllister says, “there is light at the end of the tunnel.” Stephen Lilienthal is a freelance writer who lives in Washington, DC. l
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CLOCKWISE from RIGHT 1. Founder and executive director Dr. Gladys Whitworth Gray has headed up the nonprofit organization for almost 20 years. 2. The most current members of East of the River Police Boys and Girls Steelband. In the front are Nina and Kevin Anderson Jr. (photo by Leigh H. Mosley) 3. East of the River Steelband at a past performance. 4. Several members of the band are engrossed in a life skills lesson in this 2009 photo. Photos courtesy of the East of the River Police Boys and Girls Steelband
East of the River Police Boys and Girls Steelband 20 Years of Success With Southeast Youth
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efore January, Southeast residents Nina Anderson, 9, and her brother Kevin, 7, had little formal music training. They were not exposed to the Caribbean culture in the Washington metropolitan area, and they never visited the Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago, the birthplace of the steelpan. Yet both children confidently played the rhythm for the popular “Lion King” song, and other calypso music as if they were natural born West Indians. Both play for the East of the River Police Boys and Girls Steelband. “It helps me experience a different kind of music on the steelpan,” said Nina who played the double seconds pan at a recent practice at the Benning Road Boys and Girls Club. “It helps me with how I read the notes of the music.” Her brother chimed in, “I like the pan. I like the music it makes.” Kevin
30 H EAST OF THE RIVER MAGAZINE
by Michelle Phipps-Evans plays the guitar pan. The children’s mother, Candice Anderson, said initially she was concerned when she took the children to their first practice. “But they caught on right away,” she said. “This is something they enjoy. In fact, they ask me every week when is practice.” Anderson, who lives in the Benning Heights neighborhood of Ward 7, said she likes the bond of the close-knit group and all the young people seem to be friends. This bond was by design. This East of the River Steelband is the brainchild of Dr. Gladys Whitworth Bray who founded the group in 1993 on a simple premise of keeping East of the River youth engaged, out of trouble and focused. “All of our Black children are at risk, aren’t they?” asked Dr. Bray, 79, when asked if this program was created for so-called at-risk youth. Bray, a former biology teacher at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, founded the | AUGUST 2012
steelband as a substance abuse prevention program, but it has become much more to the families involved and to the wider community. Ward 7 resident Rita Dozier’s now 23-year-old son, Edward, joined the band when he was 11. Her two daughters, Ayana, 14, and Aisha, 13, have followed his footsteps. Dozier is the band manager, plays the drum set, and chaperones the group. One of the requirements is for parents to become actively involved, including instilling discipline at home. “I like that the kids are involved in this as it helps to make them well rounded and deeper in their thinking,” said Dozier. “It gives them a better outlook when they are exposed to different places, people and things. They think outside the box.”
A Success Story
Scores of District of Columbia youth have participated in the East
of the River Steelband. The program works with youth, ages 7 to 19, living east of the Anacostia River. Besides training in steelpan music, the program offers tutoring, mentoring, life skills training and exposes young people to education and cultural activities. “We focus on academic enrichment, arts training and the performing arts, and HIV/AIDS, teen pregnancy and substance abuse prevention,” Bray added. Trained under Trinidadian composer and arranger, master pannist Roger Greenidge, the strength of the musical training is evident by the band’s invitations to a number of prestigious performances. Premiere events have included the Anacostia River Jazz Festival, Wolf Trap Park for the Performing Arts, Battle of the BBQ, the Cherry Blossom Family Day, and the 1996 Olympic Soccer Games. Each year, the band makes an annual cultural Gullah tour, which includes performances in Beaufort and Charleston,
S.C., and Savannah, Ga. Past international performances included visits to Canada, and Trinidad and Tobago. Its most recent performances included the July 2012 Smithsonian Folklife Festival when the band had four performances at “Citified: Arts and Creativity East of the Anacostia River.” “It was great and it was hot as the dickens,” Bray said. The band will perform for free at several venues in August: Aug. 4 will be Six Flags in Maryland; Aug. 5 at the reopened Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum; and Aug. 7 at the Anacostia Public Library during the National Night Out celebrations. A North Carolina native and Ward 7 resident, Bray created the program to teach young people steelpan music, an acoustic instrument invented in Trinidad and Tobago in the 20th century. Since the early 1980s, Bray, who holds a doctorate in education, was involved in a summer arts program that included African dance, drumming and steelband. She sought a project to connect young people to their heritage. Initially she wanted to create a connection to the continent that included travel to different countries. However, cost prevented this. But one year she took a vacation to visit Trinidad and Tobago with her sister, Barbara James, and her niece, Bianca, and fell in love with the steelpan. She decided to develop a program involving the Caribbean instead, which, like the United States, has large populations of people from the African Diaspora due to its connection to African slavery. She worked with the Trinidadian ambassador, other District officials, and hammered out an exchange arrangement with the Police Youth Clubs of Trinidad and Tobago with the District’s Metropolitan Police Boys and Girls Club. The nonprofit organization relies substantially on grant funding and fundraising to ensure sustainability. “This is a success story introducing children in this country to the pan, and the larger community to a different aspect of Black culture,” said Baba Lumumba, one of Bray’s early backers, and owner of Umoja House, a cultural center in Northeast. “It’s a credit to Dr. Bray that these African-American children are playing Trinidadian songs and arrangements that Trinidadians will recognize. I continue to support
her and help her.” Like Freeman’s support, Bray enjoys the longtime support of performance coordinator, Clarence James, her brother-in-law. He is in charge of logistics and sees that the drums are packed, the band gets performances at different gigs, and are physically there on time. For the past 16 years, master pannist Greenidge is the fourth Trinidad and Tobago native serving as musical arranger and music director. Greenidge, who is from a musical family that includes world-renowned Robert Greenidge, arranges for Pan Masters Steel Orchestra, a professional steelband in the DC area. “Roger is a really good musician. He really knows how to arrange the music and he was one of the biggest factors in my steelband career,” said Nicholas Evans, a 19-year-old tenor pan player with the band since age 11, who is now at Fayetteville State University in North Carolina.
Changing and Influencing Lives
It is a warm Tuesday afternoon in July at the Boys and Girls Club. Nina and Kevin Anderson are learning the different beats of the African drum. Francis Thompson shows a technique and the children replicate it. Kevin giggles in delight as he catches on. Thompson, a percussion teacher at Duke Ellington, said he is helping with “basic auditory skills,” and “fundamen-
tals of reading” the music. He is here twice a week during the summer for two-hour sessions tutoring anywhere between three to seven children at a time. Bray relies on these teacher-artists and mentors to work through the program’s after-school, summer and Saturday line-ups. She expects the youth who went through the program to return to mentor others, especially those who attend college. The most recent of the band’s alumni now attend the University of Maryland, Eastern Shore; Fayetteville State University; and the University of the District of Columbia. The success stories she is especially proud of include Albert Strong IV, Bianca James and Gary Fisher. In 2009, the band released its third recording, “Pan in DC.” At its release concert, “A Taste of Pan Concert” at THEARC on Sept. 26, 2009, these alumni returned as guest pannists. All three are graduates of Duke Ellington and each credit their involvement in the steelband and especially Bray for elevating them to where they are today. “East of the River’s rigorous rehearsal schedule was a deterrent from getting into trouble,” said Strong, a music instructor at St. Augustine’s College and an adjunct instructor of trumpet at Shaw University and his alma mater, North Carolina Central University. He said the ability to perform and travel both locally and abroad served him
Nina and Kevin Anderson at a recent practice at the Benning Road Boys and Girls Club.
well when he became a professional musician and educator. Many alumni do return as mentors and embrace the life lessons learned. “I try to show my appreciation for the training I received, and I volunteer as an instructor in East of the River’s Saturday and summer camp programs when time permits,” said James, a tenor pannist with the Pan Jammers Steelband in the District. She has a degree in recreational therapy from Hampton University and is the lead dancer with the Afro-Cuban Alafila Dance Company. Fisher uses his band background as a music instructor at Eastern Senior High School. “I am able to instill in young people an understanding and appreciation for music that goes beyond popular music and to see the interrelatedness of hip hop and classical symphonies,” said Fisher, who holds a master’s in music theory from the University of Mississippi, Oxford.
20th Anniversary
Next year, the organization will celebrate its 20th anniversary. According to Bray, she plans to have a commemorative concert with the band’s alumni next summer. “We hope to revive the exchange program with the Police Youth Clubs of Trinidad and Tobago as well as plan a visit there in 2013,” Bray said, adding that another goal would be purchasing new pans as some are in such poor condition they cannot even be tuned. Bray said she continues to stay true to the mission of the steelband program when it began almost 20 years ago. It is still a prevention program. “We’re not an intervention program, we’re about prevention,” she said. “It attempts to enhance the lives of those most at risk of not becoming healthy, productive adults.” For more information on the East of the River Police Boys and Girls Steelband or to contribute funding, contact the organization at the Metropolitan Police Boys and Girls Club #14, 4103 Benning Rd. NE, Washington, DC 20019. Call 202-584-6023 or 202-299-6023 or 202-397-CLUB Ext. 8220. Visit www.EastoftheRiversteelband.org or e-mail Dr. Gladys Bray at EastoftheRiverstlbnd@aol.com or Clarence James at cejameseor@aol.com. l CAPITALCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM H 31
EAST WASHINGTON LIFE
Yeshayah Tsalmiel portraying Mangaliso Sobukwe in “The War in the Classroom.”
History Comes to Life Children’s History Theater Group Bring Important Leaders to the Stage
article by Monica Z. Utsey | photos by Renee Flood-Wright
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istory came alive last month as W.E.B. DuBois, Carter G. Woodson, Frances Ellen Harper and Septima Clark graced the stage of St. Stephen’s church in Northwest during the performance of the play “The War in the Classroom.” These historical figures were among the many portrayed by students from all over the city. Over the past year they have gathered every Saturday afternoon to learn their history, unencumbered by the usual constraints of time, topic and scope. This community history class is where children learn about African history, not just in the United States, but all over the world. This learning then becomes the backdrop for the historical figures they portray on stage. Obi Egbuna, Jr., a veteran teacher and long-time community activist, is
the creative force behind this play and several others, which he calls an important vehicle for exposing children to historical topics and figures that they would not ordinarily access. “It made sense to come up with the concept of historical theater for youth in order to infuse our history in our community,” says Egbuna, Jr. “What this approach enables one to do is not teach history to our children, but through our children. Teaching history through our children is rooted in an aspect of African tradition that says children are equally as responsible as adults for educating the society.” Egbuna, Jr., whose Nigerian father is also a playwright and important historical figure of the Black Power Movement in England, says that his work is a continuation of the work of those who came before him. According
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to his research, W.E.B. DuBois wrote a play called “The Star of Ethiopia” and his wife Shirley Graham DuBois was the first woman in this country to write an opera called “Tom Toms” chroni-
cling the plight of African-American people. Egbuna, Jr., says that the great African writer and freedom fighter Franz Fanon also wrote plays and used historical theater to intensify his en-
themselves students in the class, agree. “Our son’s have partici1. Obi Egbuna, Jr. and cast thank the audience at pated in several of Obi’s plays the end of the play. and attended classes for the past 2. Attiyah Jenkins portraying Septima Clark in the year where they have learned “War in the Classroom.” about their own culture in a 3. Nabila Abdul-Malik portraying Sister Clara very positive format,” says TeMuhammad in “The War in the Classroom.” resa Price, parent and mother of two sons ages 15 and 18. “Not 4. Zachariah Bryant portraying Walter Rodney in the “War in the Classroom.” only did they perform in two of the plays but they had to study 5. Adia Gill portraying Frances Ellen Harper in the their character for deeper un“War in the Classroom.” derstanding to bring that person to life. This class has provided an gagement with and exposure to our opportunity for real education and community. “They were able to use critical thinking which is very imcultural expression to reinforce the portant to us. Obi understands our point they were making through their children and what they face and repolitical activism,” says Egbuna, Jr. ally cares about them and for that we Egbuna, Jr.’s first play was “Afare truly grateful,” says Price. rican Liberation Day for Our ChilAlan Price, Jr., portrayed Rodren” performed by students at Roots mare Bearden in the most recent Public Charter School in DC in June play and performed a violin renof last year and twice by students in dition of “Seabreeze,” a composiSelma and Tuskegee, Alabama. In tion written by a man most famous February of this year students learned for his work as a collage artist. about Cuban doctors who have been “Through this experience, I was working in Africa during their perable to learn and expose myself to formance of “Cuba’s Greatest Army: extraordinary individuals and I was A Tribute to Cuban Doctors.” “The able to integrate my art forms inSally Mugabe Lives Forever” play cluding violin and visual art, which commemorated the 20th year of her allowed me to really live my charpassing and the most recent play, acter,” says Alan Price, Jr. “The War in the Classroom,” was a Egbuna Jr.’s belief that cultural tribute to Dr. Adelaide L. Sanford and political expression must be and Dr. Mary Hoover. synonymous is echoed by a par“Dr. Adelaide Sanford, who is ent who helped get the commu87 years young, and the former Vice nity African history classes off the Chancellor of the State University of ground. “Baba Obi has created an New York’s Board of Regents, dediopportunity for our family to be cated her whole life to changing the creative and learn in a unique way. educational landscape for African It is imperative that we support his children throughout the Diaspora mission at a time in our culture and Dr. Mary Hoover, who taught where arts and creative expression at Howard University, developed the have been given the lowest priority concept of Saturday school to use it as in our school systems,” says Renee a bridge to teach our children history,” Flood-Wright, mother of SiaLi, says Egbuna, Jr. age 8 and Raseph, age 11, who Egbuna, Jr., sees his work as a have been attending classes from historical obligation. The ideas for the start. his plays come from years of study Egbuna, Jr., is busy working on and years of activism, coupled with two additional children’s history the desire to share with young theater plays for the year while the people who may not have had exSaturday history class is on summer posure to these people or concepts. break. The Community African HisHe believes that history theater can tory class for ages 5 and up will reempower children. “What we have sume in late September. seen in this process is that these plays enhance children’s vocabulary, For more information about Saturday help them with expression and imhistory class and children’s history theprove self-esteem.” ater, call 202-615-6310. l Parents, who also consider OPPOSITE PAGE: CLOCKWISE from TOP
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KIDS & FAMILY
Kids enjoying the action on the ice. Photo: Courtesy of Fort Dupont Ice Arena
Kids On Ice Program at Fort Dupont Ice Arena Deadline Approaching The Friends of Fort Dupont Ice Arena, Inc. is home to Kids On Ice, a community ice skating program for children ages 5-18, offering free lessons with all equipment provided. Now in its sixteenth year, KOI serves over 7,000 children annually. Instructors include qualified volunteers under the direction of professional figure skating, ice hockey and speed skating directors. The Kids On Ice Program has six components: Basic Skills, Speed Skating, Figure Skating, Ice Hockey, Schools Skate for Fitness and Freestyle Practice Sessions. Deadline for sign-up is Aug. 24. You can find registration forms online and you can pick one up in person at the arena. Registration forms with a parent’s signature must be mailed in or delivered in person. Fort Dupont Ice Arena, 3779 Ely Pl. NE. 202-584-5007. fdia.org
Kids & Family Notebook by Kathleen Donner
East of the River Writer Calls all English Students and Journalism Club Members
Your assignment: Write a great article about an individual or group doing something really innovative or entrepreneurial in your community. Is there something new in: Music? Dance? Art? Clothing? Food? Technology? Science? 34 H EAST OF THE RIVER MAGAZINE
Faith-related? Poetry? Theater? Or a new way to solve a community problem? Is this a new business started by an individual or group? As long as it’s new and good, it counts! Just write an interesting 2-3 page article and be sure to interview the innovator(s) to get some good quotes. And take pictures, too! The East of the River Writer project is jointly
| AUGUST 2012
sponsored by the Museum for Black Innovation and Entrepreneurship (mbiedc.org) and THEARC (thearcdc.org) as a way to engage young people in sharing and celebrating examples of innovation and entrepreneurship in the community. Each article must include the author’s name, email address, telephone number, age, grade, school, the date, and a title for the
article. Unless otherwise notified, the author retains all copyright ownership of the submitted work. Selected articles will be published in local newsletters, newspapers, and web sites. Authors of the best articles selected by a panel of community members will be awarded the East of the River Writer Prize. Send completed articles by email to John Whitman, jwhitman@ mbiedc.org.
Fort Dupont Trail Ambassador Program for Teens
The overall goal of the Fort Dupont Trail Ambassador Program is to act as the first link between park and community, while giving more opportunities to high school students trying to earn community service hours. Community service hours help build students’ academic resumes. The program also offers the community a group of talented young people with a solid education in natural history and outdoor resources. It will put positive feet on our National Historic Trails. Positive feet, means that the ambassador will promote the park. The Trail Ambassador, with the help of experienced Park Rangers will maintain and encourage park education by experiencing all the park has to offer first hand. They will go on hikes and ride NPS bikes to some of the most beautiful places in the city. At the end of service, each student will receive recognition and proof of community service hours and walk away with a positive life changing experience. This program is designed to get kids outdoors and have fun, NOT to set at behind a desk answer phone calls! This is a year round program. They usually meet every Saturday and some weekdays. They are flexible and willing to accommodate the student’s schedule. If you’re interested, call Jermain Robinson or Thomas Safranek at the Fort Dupont Activity Center. 202426-7723. nps.gov/fodu
Showtime Tuesday at THEARC
THEARC Theater presents Showtime Tuesdays, a showing of free movies each Tuesday through Aug. 14. This year, there will be a special story time with Cola Lewis before each showing. There will also be a healthy snack provided courtesy of Walmart. The Aug. 14 movie is “The Adventures of TinTin.” This event is free and open to the public. THEARC, 1901 Mississippi Ave. SE. 202-8895901. thearcdc.org
Children’s Defense Fund Launches Freedom School with Boys and Girls Clubs
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington’s (BGCGW ) George Ferris Jr. Clubhouse Six partnered with the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) to launch a Freedom School program, which began on June 25 and ended on Aug. 3. The program stimulates high-quality academic enrichment, civic engagement and social action, family involvement, intergenerational leadership development, and nutrition, health and mental health. The CDF’ Freedom School accommodates 50 members between 5-13 and is free to all participants which maintains BGCGW’s goal to help those who need the most, despite financial restraints. The six-week program utilizes an Integrated Reading Curriculum, which is comprised of 80 of the country’s best authors and illustrators that are approved for youth between the ages of 5-18. The curriculum is reinforced by the reoccurring book themes, I Can Make a Difference in: My Self, My Family, My Community, My Country, and My World with Hope, Education and Action. One of the largest academic hurdles for today’s youth is summer learning loss, which is an extended break in the academic routine. George Ferris Jr. Clubhouse Six was an ideal destination for impactful summer education
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202-397-1170
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KIDS & FAMILY
National Museum of African Art Presents “African Cosmos: Stellar Arts” Starkid 2007, Acrylic on Canvas 150 x 240 cm (59 1/16 x 94 ½ in.)
Under African Skies Free Planetarium Show Discover the wonders of the African skies in a special presentation compiled by staff of the National Air and Space Museum. Featuring astronomical objects that can be seen in different parts of Africa, the program will be shown in a temporary planetarium at the National Museum of African Arts. It complements “African Cosmos,” an exhibition exploring how inspiration from the sky is reflected in African art. Shows run continuously on Aug. 18, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; Sept. 15, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.; Oct. 20, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.; Nov. 17, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. National Museum of African Art, 950 Independence Ave. SW. 202-633-4600. africa.si.edu
programs due to its location in the District. According to the Office of the State Superintendent of Education there has been a 20 percent decline over the past two years in high school graduation rates amongst the District youth. These graduation rates also reflect a 16.4 percent gap below the national average. bgcgw.org
Children’s Summer Cinema
Join them Mondays at 4 p.m.
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through Aug. 20 for weekly movie screenings! Related books, puzzles and popcorn to be provided. Ages 5-12. Francis A. Gregory Neighborhood Library, 3660 Alabama Ave. SE. 202-698-6373. dclibrary.org/francis
Youth Open Mic at Busboys and Poets
On Aug. 18, 5-7 p.m., come and be captivated by young poets speaking about their experiences, heart, | AUGUST 2012
and minds. Join this collaboration of the Anacostia Community Museum, poet Kenny Carroll and Bus Boys & Poets Restaurant for an evening of spoken word. $5. For reservations, call 202-633-4866. Busboys and Poets, 5th and K Sts. NW. anacostia.si.edu
High Achievement Centers Need Volunteers
Higher Achievement is in need of mentors and study hall aides at
six of their Achievement Centers in DC and Alexandria. The commitment is one evening per week, Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday; study hall aides, 3:30-6:15 p.m., mentors-6-8:15 p.m. 96 percent of Higher Achievement graduates finish high school and 76 percent graduate from college. In a city where 59 percent finish high school and only 9 percent get a college degree, these results are astounding – and desperately needed. Higher Achievement is creating lasting
Try our Gourmet Cream Style Corn! change in the lives of youth – and you can be a part of that change in the DC Metro area! For more information or to fill out an application, go to higherachievement. org/volunteer.
Kids Free at Newseum Through Labor Day
Up to six kids (7-18) are free with each paid adult or senior admission through Sept. 3. These tickets are regularly $12.95. Children 6 and under are always free. Newseum, 555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. 888639-7386. newseum.org
Teaching Inquiry Science to 3, 4 and 5-Year-Olds
The National Air and Space Museum will be offering a free, live webcast for early childhood educators, parents, and enthusiasts to learn how to teach inquiry science to 3-5 year-olds. Using hands-on, recyclable and easily found materials, early childhood museum educators Ann Caspari and Lizzie Cammarata will give teachers the confidence to teach science to young children. They will provide lesson plans, activities for the classroom, and clearly defined science goals that are ageappropriate for young learners. The theme of the two-hour webcast will be Light and Shadows–so get ready with your flashlights to learn some science and have fun too! Aug. 22, 10 a.m-noon. Register at smithsonianconference.org/ inquiryscience.
awarded grants for this summer totaling $2.5 million. Programs are offering children diverse opportunities that will help them build academic success, create their own arts, explore future careers, become financially savvy and stay healthy. Selected programs include those from areas targeted by the One City Summer Fun Initiative—an inter-agency collaboration to provide highquality summer programming to DC youth—for factors including teen pregnancy rates, academic proficiency and obesity. The DC Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation is the primary resource for developing partnerships that expand and improve services and opportunities for children and youth in the District of Columbia, especially during their time out of school. The partnerships include public schools, city agencies, and employers, including non-profit providers. Since its inception in 1999, the Trust has provided grants, technical assistance, youth worker training, capacity building, learning opportunities, convenings, and policy support in the District. For more information, visit cyitc.org. l
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DC Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation Funds Dozens of DC Programs
Nearly 80 organizations are providing enriching summer experiences to more than 3,000 youth in the District of Columbia before they return to school, thanks to funding from the DC Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation. The Trust has CAPITALCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM H
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KIDS & FAMILY ceeds with Plan B – or was it Plan C or D? Another group of inventors are momentarily at a loss. “OK, let’s think ahead. How do we want this to look?” asks their teacher.
Expanding Thinking
A team of Camp Invention participants collaborate on balloon-popping invention.
Camp Invention Expanding in DC
Students and Teachers Explore STEM and Creativity by Virginia Avniel Spatz
“W
e tried that, but it didn’t work. Now, we’re gonna...” One of a group of inventors, aged 7 to 9, is explaining the group’s effort to create a balloon-popping invention. Similar trials, with their own failures, are taking place around this Southeast classroom. No one seems disappointed. All ideas are encouraged, even if they don’t work out as originally hoped. Risk is an essential part of the process at Camp Invention. “If they’re really stuck, I’ll help,” says one Camp Invention teacher at Friendship Chamberlain, 1345 Potomac Ave SE. At the moment, though, she is simply ensuring that all students wear protective eye gear before they attempt to pry apart pieces of equipment. Without her intervention, several rapid strategy discussions ensue and hands fly across the table, until the team suc-
Young inventor at Camp Invention, held at Friendship Chamberlain Public Charter School.
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Inventive
Launched in 1990, Camp Invention is designed to foster creative, inventive thinking and problem-solving skills through handson STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) activities. It encourages participants traditionally underrepresented in engineering and science, including girls, minorities, and low-income families. Through its scholarships, made possible by a variety of donors, Invent Now was able to reach 10,000 underserved students in 2011. Camp Invention is one project of the non-profit Invent Now, sponsors of the national Collegiate Inventors Competition and afterschool Club Inventions. Invent Now honors pioneers of innovation and invests in future generations “by giving them the tools and confidence to invent, innovate, and create.” The organization encourages students and teachers to “explore STEM and their own innate creativity.” In doing so, Invent Now seeks to improve both students’ and teachers’ attitudes toward science and to expand views of who does science. Students in one Chamberlain classroom explored Edwin Land’s work on instant print cameras, for example. And Camp Invention participants know, from their own experiences, that girls can do chemistry. The camp is currently offered in 49 states and the District, serving 80,000 stu-
dents in grades one through six. With new activities each year, students can profitably participate year after year. This summer, Friendship Public Charter School’s second with Camp Invention, 251 students on four campuses participated. Ordinarily offered as a one-week, full-day program, Camp Invention designed a two-week, half-day version to dovetail with Friendship’s existing Summer Learning Academy. The camp hopes to expand its District offerings, including DCPS sites, next year.
A Real Difference
“I see a real difference in the way children work during Camp Invention,” says Lanika Womack, who coordinates summer and after-school activities at Friendship Chamberlain. “I see real teamwork. You hear a lot of ‘Let’s try this.’ There’s no negativity. They learn problem solving. In a strict lesson, we might get some of what you see here. But with Camp Invention, we get it all in one program...and the students are excited to come.” According to an outside evaluation, Camp Invention has as much impact on instructors – over 72,000 teachers and counselors have participated over the years – as on students. One evaluator for last year’s program wrote: “[Instructors] also expressed an interest in incorporating some of the Camp Invention program’s team building and creative problem solving methods and activities to foster the sharing of ideas with their future students...Many expressed the wish that mainstream schools adopt this approach to learning as a means of increasing creative problem solving and inventing.” “What if we used a nail and a magnet?” Students and teachers will find out together. Invent Now can be reached at www.invent.org or at 3701 Highland Park NW, North Canton, Ohio 44720. 571-272-0095. l
HOMES & GARDENS
Changing hands is a list of most residential sales in the District of Columbia from the previous month. A feature of every issue, this list, based on the MRIS, is provided courtesy of Don Denton, manager of the Coldwell Banker office on Capitol Hill. The list includes address, sales price and number of bedrooms.
FREE
foreclosure counseling credit repair homebuyer counseling tenant purchase counseling
UNIVERSITY LEGAL SERVICES Neighborhood
Close Price
BR
FEE SIMPLE ANACOSTIA
2258 MOUNT VIEW PL SE 1630 MINNESOTA AVE SE 2233 MOUNT VIEW PL SE
BARRY FARMS 2228 HUNTER PL SE 2520 WEST ST SE
CHILLUM
103 LONGFELLOW ST NW 5612 NORTH CAPITOL ST NW
CONGRESS HEIGHTS 526 FOXHALL PL SE 868 YUMA ST SE 1103 ALABAMA AVE SE 837 HR DR SE
DEANWOOD
820 52ND ST NE 4236 BROOKS ST NE 4719 EADS ST NE 5108 HAYES ST NE 216 56TH ST NE 4011 CLAY PL NE 904 52ND ST NE 850 51ST ST NE 1202 47TH PL NE 4913 CENTRAL AVE NE 576 49TH PL NE 4504 FOOTE ST NE 4219 DIX ST NE 1034 47TH PL NE 4923 NASH ST NE
FORT DUPONT PARK 4302 GORMAN TER SE 4615 HILLSIDE RD SE 925 RIDGE RD SE 803 BURNS ST SE 624 RIDGE RD SE 3227 D ST SE 117 34TH ST SE 1681 FORT DUPONT ST SE 1116 46TH ST SE
HILL CREST
2705 32ND ST SE 2719 N ST SE
$95,000 $260,000 $306,500
5 4 3
$90,000 $229,000
4 3
$359,000 $425,000
7 5
$65,000 $92,500 $125,000 $145,000
2 3 3 3
$55,000 $62,500 $63,700 $91,000 $138,500 $142,000 $155,000 $160,000 $194,000 $206,000 $215,900 $217,500 $220,000 $237,000 $290,000
2 2 2 2 2 3 2 2 3 3 5 3 3 4 4
$80,000 $107,000 $125,000 $145,000 $159,000 $186,500 $199,000 $245,000 $263,000
2 3 4 3 3 4 3 3 4
$240,000 $245,000
3 3
3547 TEXAS AVE SE 2200 32ND PL SE 2210 30TH ST SE 3448 N ST SE 1429 34TH ST SE 3347 HIGHWOOD DR SE 3321 U ST SE 3031 ALABAMA AVE SE 3670 CAMDEN ST SE
MARSHALL HEIGHTS 4647 A ST SE 206 54TH ST SE 5616 DRAKE PL SE 5411 BASS PL SE 65 53RD PL SE 5019 ASTOR PL SE 5017 ASTOR PL SE 5029 ASTOR PL SE 5023 ASTOR PL SE 5100 CALL PL SE 5213 B ST SE
RANDLE HEIGHTS 3419 24TH ST SE
$292,000 $300,000 $320,000 $330,000 $349,500 $351,000 $377,500 $240,000 $290,000
3 8 3 4 3 4 4 3 3
$73,500 $75,200 $102,900 $145,000 $174,900 $250,000 $250,000 $255,000 $255,000 $290,000 $360,000
2 2 3 2 4 4 4 4 4 4 5
$182,000
3
3210 8TH ST SE #7 3201 8TH ST SE #6
FORT DUPONT PARK 3935 S ST SE #303
MARSHALL HEIGHTS 4932 A ST SE #204
RANDLE HEIGHTS
1907 GOOD HOPE RD SE #5 3107 NAYLOR RD SE #304 1907 GOOD HOPE RD SE #310 3072 30TH ST SE #303 2400 GOOD HOPE RD SE #101 3275 15TH PL SE #202
$45,000 $47,000
1 1
$46,100
1
$48,000
1
$19,000 $28,500 $35,000 $35,200 $43,500 $62,000
1 1 2 2 1 3
COOP CONGRESS HEIGHTS 20 CHESAPEAKE ST SE #C-25 5 BRANDYWINE ST SE #45 l
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40 H EAST OF THE RIVER MAGAZINE
| AUGUST 2012
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The Nationals, A Love Affair
W
ith August ending, I’m praying baseball will be more than a summer love. I want to be seduced by the playoffs and maybe married to a World Series – forever. That how I feel watching the Washington Nationals right now. I fell in love with this team after being a New York Yankee fan since birth. Sports in Washington can break your heart. I can’t believe I once owned a Wizard’s cap. Talking heads for a moment, it’s easy to measure the wonderful success of the Nationals by simply counting the number of African Americans around the city wearing red caps with a curly W. Remember when this head gear was code for being Republican and a Bush supporter? No way one could hustle those red caps in some of our wards. The poet Jody Bolz gave me a red one last year and I only wore it while working in my yard. Today I swear allegiance to the Nationals and my hat is on a peg near the front door. D.C. needs good baseball. I want life to be decided now and then by one pitch. Who doesn’t’ cheer for a rally after staring at a small paycheck? There is something about the game that encouraged me to return to it after I turned 50. Almost every evening this summer, I’ve found myself turning on the television in order to catch a game. I immediately became a Bryce Harper fan. “The Kid” for a spell was the straw stirring the drink, at bat, on the bases and in the field; he made things happen. His presence was not a promise or a tease. It has been a date with success and fulfillment. Winning is not simply contagious, it’s addictive. This summer I found myself becoming slightly depressed after a National’s loss. How quickly one relies on a relief pitcher to get the job done, and when they fail it’s like Pepco telling you about your power. You’re angry and ready to kick anything, even a tree. When a player suddenly stops hitting, it reminds me of a child not listening anymore. Just swing. Take a pitch. Clean your room. Why do I have to keep repeating myself ? I prefer watching baseball at home alone. I’ve never been a fan of sports bars. I’m very selective with who I attend a game with. It’s like dating and realizing by the third inning one’s tongue has nothing in common with another person’s lips. But I’m a romantic and need to see the ball park several times a year. I’ve always been curious about old black men who sat near street corners or in front of their apartments and homes. What are they thinking about when the sun starts going down? At 61, the game of baseball has slipped back into my life like a funny knuckleball thrown at my head. I’m amazed and dazzled by how it floats and dips. I’m surprised by how much enjoyment it brings and this makes me 42 H EAST OF THE RIVER MAGAZINE
| AUGUST 2012
by E. Ethelbert Miller
proud and happy for our city. There are those moments between pitches when there is nothing to do but wait. Maybe the batter has stepped out of the box or the catcher wants a new ball, or the pitcher wants a new sign. This is what one sees at weddings. Heads turning around waiting for the bride to walk down the aisle. Or a lover waiting near the altar. Baseball is what you learn to cherish when you hear the crack of the bat and it lifts you from your seat. What happens next is why you take vows and say prayers. I want to see a few miracles this year. I want to witness something amazing. In 1969, I was a student at Howard University going crazy in Cook Hall as the New York Mets defeated the Baltimore Orioles in five games. Nets manager Davey Johnson was playing second base for the Orioles and made the last out in the series. Where have you gone, Donn Clendenon? It would be nice to feel that excitement again; to be a city where champions reside. I want the ball park to bring us together. I want to celebrate this American pastime under the sun and the night sky. I want to turn and high five a stranger’s hand, stare at the scoreboard and count the outs needed for another win. This is the game I wanted to play while growing up; this is the game I continue to watch while growing old. This is baseball. This is life. In my office at home there is a ball that I caught in the late Sixties at Yankee Stadium. I never thought of myself as being lucky. But maybe there were moments in my life when I was and never thought about it. A few years ago I caught a second ball at RFK Stadium. How many people attend more games than me and never come close to catching a ball? Once at the Nationals ball park a man dropped his child while attempting to catch a baseball. I was in the crowd surrounding him and everyone was shocked by what he did. Was a baseball worth risking the safety and well being of a love one? What was the man thinking? What is it about the game that intoxicates us? What pulls us even backwards to catch a foul ball or a home run? This is why I’ve started writing more about baseball . I think there are questions and answers in wild pitches, stolen bases and errors. I think a dropped ball, a missed tag or a sacrifice fly becomes a metaphor for the mysteries that surround us. Baseball is the “beautiful wonder” every generation embraces. E. Ethelbert Miller is a literary activist and author. His last book is a second memoir The 5th Inning.It was the first book published by Busboys and Poets. Mr. Miller is also the board chair of the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS), a think tank located in Washington, D.C. www. eethelbertmiller.com l
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