If you're one of many D.C.-area residents struggling to find work following DOGE cuts and the collapse of many local media and cultural institutions, you may be all too familiar with the "black hole" of D.C. job-hunting right now. 51st contributor Abi Newhouse spoke to local job-seekers about their valiant efforts to secure full-time employment in this saturated job market. For those who are in the same boat, we hope learning about these hellish experiences will at least help you feel less alone.
Today, we're also dropping another story from our print edition. In it, you'll hear from Jai Merritt, Trinity Hudgens, Davaughn Gaddy, and Makayla Sanford. They're students at Eastern High School who vulnerably share about how gun violence, poverty, mental health, and safety are affecting D.C. youth.
And if you've been thinking about giving back this week, we've got you covered with our weekly civics roundup.
A quick shout out to the folks who make our work possible: As a nonprofit newsroom without a paywall, we believe local news is a public good that should be accessible to everyone. To make that possible, we depend on readers who make monthly contributions to fund our work.
If you’ve considered becoming a member, now is a great time to do it. We need to reach 500 new paid members by 2027 to enter the new year fully funded. Plus, we’re cooking up some exciting member perks for the new year (more on that soon)!
With your help, we pursue stories that hold leaders to account, demystify opaque city and civic processes, and celebrate the idiosyncrasies that make us proud to call D.C. home. Put simply, our mission is to make it easier — and more fun — to live in the District. Our members help keep local news free and independent for all:
