Domestic violence survivors, among others, say the process at DHS’s Virginia Williams Family Resource Center “feels like it’s designed to break you down when you are at your lowest point.”
Whether you’re into retro zombies, pan de muerto, or classic fall festivals, we’ve got something for you on our list.
Plus, a loophole in the RENTAL Act and changes to D.C.’s graduation requirements.
Hey readers,
Over the decade-plus I’ve lived in D.C., riding my bike has been more than a form of transportation — it gets me out of my head, helps me meet my neighbors, and connects me more deeply to our city. Plus, it makes getting around more fun, even in the heat!
That’s the experience that local P.E. teacher Alex Clark was trying to provide his students when he launched Prime Ability, my colleague Sam Delgado reports. The nonprofit aims to make cycling — group rides, mountain biking, and more — a safe recreational outlet for Black and brown youth.
Are you bike-curious, but nervous about safety? You’re not alone — many of my colleagues feel similarly, including contributor Mary-Kate Wilson, who faced her fear and lived to write a guide for you.
Keeping up the urbanist theme, we’ve got reporting on transit, housing, and education, too: We want to hear from you about your experience with Better Bus, one year in, and contributor Suzie Amanuel dug into a loophole in D.C.'s new RENTAL Act that is further threatening TOPA protections for renters. Then, for our opinion section, a school board member weighs in on the larger issues behind changing D.C.’s graduation requirements.
If you’re looking for places to go on the bus or bikeshare, we’ve got you! Don’t miss our weekly guides to what to do this weekend and how to volunteer around the city, or the local recommendations in this introduction to our newest contributor, editor Benny Peterson.
See you in the bike lane — or at our July 18 event with The Nicholson Project?
— Gracie
Tenant organizers fought to exempt renovated buildings from the sweeping housing law, but advocates say that isn’t working in practice.
Prime Ability started as one P.E. teacher's attempt to keep kids safe. It’s become so much more.
Practical advice for confidently cycling around town
Debates about the city’s new graduation requirements only skim the surface of our students’ problems with college- and workforce-readiness, writes a member of the D.C. State Board of Education.
In June 2025, WMATA overhauled the Metrobus network — renaming routes, eliminating stops, and re-routing lines in an effort to make the system faster and more reliable. A month in, we asked readers like you how it was going.
Now that it's been a year, we're back to check in: We want to know: How has your commute changed since last year? Have any of you stopped commuting by bus this year, due to job loss, re-routing, or something else? Or for you, is the Better bus ... actually better?! Help us make sure our story reflects our readers' experiences by filling out our survey here!
Dive into the dog days of summer with a Japanese star festival celebration, World Cup carnival, and fairy-tale circus show.
Operate a bike lane sweeper, learn street medic strategies, and more opportunities to get involved.
Benny joined the team as an editor in July.
Here are some stories you may have missed this week:
See you next week,
Gracie
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:
