I love D.C. I can be found randomly singing songs in spaces across the city, writing poems in coffee shops and community parks, or crocheting across the rainbow of the Metro. But Southeast will always be home — specifically, Ward 8.
When I tell folks I'm from Southeast, some balk, assuming that could never be true. Others ask how I "made it out with my good wits.” This has always bothered me because the assumptions folks carry can influence inequities that disenfranchise my community.
I personally feel that Ward 8, and Southeast as a whole, is misrepresented by its history in the '70s, '80s, and '90s. While some things remain the same, others have changed.
Here are five things folks should know about Ward 8.
A lot has changed in Anacostia
For my entire life, Anacostia has been significant to Black life in D.C. I remember going to the Woolworth on Good Hope Road with my great-grandmother and picking up soap, toilet paper, and other essentials. Then we’d walk half a block down and visit thrift stores and collect random trinkets.
One of my first times experiencing the freedom of city life as a teen was going to Unifest on Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and Good Hope Road. The people, the food, the energy — all of it was unmatched. There is still nothing like it in D.C. today. (My friends and I also knew to leave the festival before it got dark because someone would probably start shooting.)
While many D.C. natives hold nostalgia for those bygone years, efforts are being made to create lasting memories for new generations. The longtime home of We Act Radio and The Anacostia Arts Center has seen additions like Busboys and Poets, Capital One Cafe, and the forthcoming 11th Street Bridge Park, which have been welcomed with varying degrees of excitement and fear.
In 2023, Mayor Bowser named Anacostia the official Arts and Culture District for D.C., reinforcing the neighborhood’s history of creativity and relevance in the city. From legacy sites like the Frederick Douglass House and Anacostia Community Museum (which was originally housed in Carver Theater on Nichols Avenue — now MLK Ave) to newer gathering spaces and eateries like Sapodilla, DC Smokehouse, and Grounded, Anacostia is becoming a place to learn, create, and relax.
Art spaces like The Honfluer Gallery (where I had my first fashion show), The Go-Go Museum & Cafe, and Capital Hill Boys Club (more on them later) showcase D.C.’s homegrown sounds and sites. The Hive 2.0 hosts workshops for residents to pursue entrepreneurial endeavors, work on their next creative masterpiece, and cowork with neighbors.
But an arts district is more than spaces — it's about the people. I caught hometown favorites Am’ad and Malachi Byrd performing during the Jazz-Hop festival and created new memories at Jazzy Sundays in Anacostia while listening to Cecily Bumbray croon.
For more on what you can get into in Anacostia, visit Arttogogo.org
Ward 8 is more than Anacostia
While Anacostia is usually the first neighborhood people mention when talking about Ward 8 and Southeast, it’s not the only community in the ward. Many of my favorite parts of the city, including every place I’ve ever lived, have been in Ward 8, and they deserve some shine.
Ward 8 is sprawling, with more than a dozen neighborhoods and landmarks. Congress Heights is home to Ballou High School and the Congress Heights Arts and Culture Center. Douglass has a wealth of churches and community centers, and Barry Farm/Hillsdale is ripe with history. Garfield Heights, Shipley Terrace, and Washington Highlands all have community libraries and recreation centers that are full of longtime Washingtonians with stories to be told. Even Navy Yard (to the chagrin of many Ward 8 residents) is zoned as part of Ward 8.
From the Goodman League to the Southeast Tennis and Learning Center, there are tons of neighborhood gems throughout Ward 8.
There's an art gallery in an old laundromat
Speaking of gems, let’s get back to the Capital Hill Boys Club. Many people don't realize that the laundromat on the corner of 16th and Marion Barry Ave SE houses an art gallery. Once notorious for drug activity, the space is now a prime example of community-led revitalization.
Capital Hill Boys Club is home to an arts summer camp for kids, an artist residency program, and the CHBC Murals program, which hosts the Anacostia Mural festival. I’ve had the pleasure of witnessing founders Dietrich Williams and Mark Garrett in action — from planning small-scale murals to working with returning citizens to showcase their work. I’ve sat in on art talks with Brian Bailey Jr., who guides burgeoning artists on how to become creative professionals.
I’m planning to pull up to their open mic in the coming months and share some of my artistry with the pros. Don’t take my word for it. Check out their Instagram.
Despite progress, many Ward 8 residents still face food insecurity
For all the progress seen in the ward, there are still challenges. Approximately 86,500 residents live in Ward 8. In 2025, those residents are served by four full-service grocery stores, two of which are in Navy Yard and inconvenient for the majority of Ward 8 residents who live on the other side of the Anacostia River.
In comparison, Ward 1, comprising neighborhoods like Columbia Heights, U Street, Park Heights, and Shaw (which has a similar population size but far smaller geographical footprint) has 13 grocery stores.
My mother has to ride two buses to her nearest grocery store and often Ubers further for access to quality service. That is an injustice. And it's important to recognize that as D.C. works toward economic equity and cultural representation for Ward 8, there is still a need for essential needs and basic services for residents.
THEARC offers more than a good show
Located in Congress Heights, THEARC (Town Hall Education Arts Recreation Campus) is known for its 365-seat Proscenium Theatre, but they offer so much more than a great show. I personally combat the food disparity in my neighborhood by attending Food and Farm Fridays, where I get free fruit, vegetables, and recipes. I also enjoy chatting with the elders who are lined up with me.
At THEARC, Covenant House provides services to help stabilize youth and young adults who may have been disenfranchised by school and other systems. I’ve had the pleasure of hosting creative writing workshops for Boys and Girls Club kids and helped celebrate the opening of their teen center’s state-of-the-art recording studio. And my friend’s daughter is studying ballet as part of Washington Ballet youth classes at the space.
The Phillips Collection has a gallery and multi-purpose space that houses recurring workshops, often featuring D.C.-area artists. In the last year, they hosted Paloma Vianey, Luis Del Valle, Shawn Lindsay, and Paula Mans, among others.
There's a Black Box theater in THEARC West that features an animatronic Fredrick Douglass that shares historical facts! THEARC is a jewel in the heart of Ward 8, and more people across the city should know about it.
Hopefully, I've shared a bit about the Ward 8 that I know, love, and call home. Make time to visit and support the good things happening in these communities.
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