DCPS leaves international teachers in limbo

Hello readers!

Do you remember what you were doing a year ago? My colleagues were finishing up the first of these newsletters. Like many of you, I was awaiting its arrival as an early supporter.

It's a little surreal to be writing to all of you now, as the team's newest part-time editor. I've been working in journalism locally since 2016, when I moved to D.C. for a temp job at the local NPR station, WAMU. Since then, I've worked as an editor with 730DC, CityLab, and The Trace — and going forward, I'll be here in your inbox twice a month.

This week, we're marking our first birthday, and launching our campaign to bring aboard 551 new members! To those of you who joined yesterday: Welcome, and thank you. Join them by clicking here!

Now, onto the news: Our lead story this week covers DCPS reneging on its promise to help hundreds of international teachers secure a green card. Many may now be forced to leave the country, writes 51st reporter Martin Austermuhle.

Martin had a busy week, also covering Trump's reinstatement of the death penalty in D.C. and the federal shutdown's effect on city residents.

Plus, we dove into housing and affordability coverage with a story about an Anacostia nonprofit fighting displacement and an interview with the director of a new documentary on gentrification.

Keep scrolling for our roundups of weekend events and ways to get more involved in the city — which might be especially useful if you're furloughed right now.

Have feedback on my work? You can find me here,

Gracie

P.S. Save the date for our one-year celebration, the evening of Oct. 23. More details coming soon!

DCPS promised them green cards. Now, these international teachers have nowhere to turn.

Since 2021, the school district has become the city’s leading sponsor of H1-B visas for its employees. Now, more than 200 teachers who took jobs expecting a path to legal permanent residency are facing uncertain futures.

What it means that Trump reinstated the death penalty in D.C.

Trump’s decision to reinstate capital punishment — which hasn’t been used here in 68 years — is part of a broader law-and-order campaign targeting the District. And, per usual, we're more vulnerable to interference than anywhere else.

ICYMI: Federal shutdown, local impacts

The federal government has shut down. Here’s what it means for D.C.

You can’t legally get married, for one, and the city’s economy will take a hit.

The 51stMartin Austermuhle

New documentary dives deep into gentrification in D.C.

Ruth Tedla's documentary "Cracked Shells" focuses on D.C.'s rapid gentrification and displacement of longtime — often Black — residents. She calls it "a tool against the erasure" of D.C. natives' rich culture and history, and capacity for resilience.

This Anacostia nonprofit is fighting displacement east of the river

Soon after purchasing her home in Anacostia, Meche Martinez attended a gathering to discuss a development project that neighbors feared would price them out. Ten years later, those residents' efforts have become a full-blown organization dedicated to preventing displacement in Ward 8.

11 things to do around D.C. this weekend

On the agenda: An extremely local music festival, stargazing, and celebrating one of South Korea’s biggest holidays.

Angry hour: Your weekly Civics Roundup

Resisting fascism, a meetup for pissed-off optimists, and plenty of opportunities to plug into Free DC.

Here's some news you may have missed this week:

• D.C. has been a testing ground for ICE's expanding collaboration with local law enforcement, including beyond the crime emergency. [The New York Times, The Post]
• Did passing the RENTAL Act deserve more than half an hour of discussion? Councilmembers may be reconsidering. [WAMU]
• The Trump administration is threatening to search for non-citizen residents of public housing. D.C. is their first target. [Street Sense]
• Tenants of an Adams Morgan apartment building where a woman was critically injured in the elevator say they'd raised safety issues to management for years. [WJLA]
• Local bars and restaurants are offering specials during the federal shutdown — some specifically for furloughed workers. [Washingtonian, Axios DC]
• Empower CEO promises to shut down the renegade rideshare company's local operations, avoiding jail time for contempt of court. [Washington Business journal — accessible via DCPL]
• After a car chase by federal agents ended in a crash, a D.C. police sergeant has been charged with nine crimes. [The Post]
• The National Park Service has released funding withheld from “Historic Underrepresented Communities" — except for three LGBTQ+-specific grants, including one documenting D.C. history. [Washington Blade]
• The accessibility of WMATA's system has been declining, adding a transportation time tax for riders who use mobility aids, one advocate writes. [Greater Greater Washington]

Thanks for reading,

Gracie