Each week, we list some ways to get engaged in the city β whether thatβs protesting, organizing with your neighbors, or testifying before your councilmembers. This isn't an exhaustive list; share your events and trainings with us at 51st.news/submit-events.
For more ways to get connected, check out our resources roundup; and for more to do around the city, don't miss our Weekend Events post.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26
Rally: Keep Federal Police and National Guard Away from our Schools β° 7:45 a.m. π Wheatley Education Campus (1299 Neal St. NE) School started this week β and the National Guard have announced a new focus on the neighborhoods of Trinidad and Anacostia. Free DC is pushing back on the troops' presence near schools. Want to join them? They're hosting a press conference and rally at one of the schools where National Guard have been active this week.
Losing the Lead: Your Timeline, Your Yard, Your Questions β° 7 - 8 p.m. π Virtual DC Water hosts a quarterly meeting about their Lead Free DC project, sharing where they're headed next and what to expect if your block is on the list, as well as taking questions from community members. Join the meeting here.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 27
Ward 1 Gardening Night β° 6:30 - 8 p.m. π Columbia Heights Green (3321 11th St. NW) Did you know there's a community-run urban farm in Columbia Heights? As part of their new-ish program, Ward 1 Neighbors Helping Neighbors, Free DC is hosting a chance to get your hands in the dirt. Plus you get to meet neighbors for drinks afterward at the Wonderland Ballroom. Register here.
Palantir Out Day of Action β° 12 - 1:30 p.m. π Georgetown (RSVP for location) Local nurses want the surveillance tech giant out of our hospitals and local government. If you agree, you can join them to make your voice heard. Register here for more info about where to show up.
Free DC Chocolate City Orientation β° 6 - 8 p.m. π Sargent Memorial Presbyterian Church (5109 Nannie Helen Burroughs Ave. NE) Are you a Black D.C. resident who's been curious about Free DC's work? This intro session is for you; hosted by the group's Chocolate City group, it's specifically designed by and for Black Washingtonians. Meet neighbors, hear about what's been accomplished so far, and get organized for what comes next. Register here.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 28
Pay It Forward fundraiser β° 6 - 8 p.m. π Open City (2331 Calvert St. NW) Ward 3 Mutual Aid has partnered with Woodley Park's Open City to offer free meals, no questions asked, to community members who need them. The September 1 beginning of the new Pay It Forward program is especially significant given the end of a similar offering at The Potter's House, which closed its doors earlier this year. For $15, you can join your neighbors to eat pizza and make sure the program has the funds it needs to succeed! Pay at the door.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 29
Black August celebration: Dare to Dream β° 3 - 6 p.m. π RSVP for location It's Black August, a period when organizers across the country commit to deepening their knowledge of Black radical history. Free DC's Chocolate City Group is meeting up to share food and scheme about their collective vision of D.C. If you're a Black resident interested in fighting for political self-determination, sign up to join them here.
Neighborhood Beautification Day β° 11 a.m. π Bruce Monroe Park (3012 Georgia Ave. NW) Have you been walking by neighborhood tree boxes and feeling an itchy green thumb? Get together with Ward 1 neighbors to make a difference on the street level. Even if you can't make this event, you can still RSVP here to find out about future volunteering opportunities! And if it rains, the event will take place on Sunday, August 30.
Social Justice Curriculum Fair β° 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. π Inspired Teaching Demonstration PCS (200 Douglas St. NE) Are you an educator? Are you interested in updating your curriculum with classroom resources from the Zinn Education Project and Social Justice Books, or in networking with D.C.-area education organizations? D.C. Area Educators for Social Justice is organizing a fair β featuring workshops on teaching about home rule, integrating oral history into your teaching, and "equipping students to reimagine democracy." Tickets run $10, and you can buy them here.
Hains Point Hoopla 2.0 β° 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. π Hains Point Mixed Use Field (1100 Ohio Dr. SW) Amid the potential redesign of East Potomac Park, the Washington Area Bicyclist Association is organizing another joyful, active protest showing support for the public green space and calling for transparency. We hear the DC Bird Alliance will be there leading tours of the critical avian migration corridor, and elected officials and organizers will be speaking. Register here.
Puzzle party β° 2 - 4 p.m. π MLK Library (901 G St. NW) D.C. library patrons have been working for months on a 40,320-piece puzzle β and this weekend, the DC Puzzle Swap and DC Public Library will be uniting the sections that have been spread across different branches. The event also features a puzzle swap, which you can participate in even if you don't have one to bring! Optional registration here.
Back-to-School Bike Ride and Block Party β° 4 - 6:30 p.m. π School Within School (920 F St. NE) Take a pedaling tour of many of Capitol Hill's schools with neighbors of all ages, organized by Hill Family Biking. If your little one can't handle four miles, you can join at the halfway point. Afterward, celebrate with a parade of family-friendly hits: A foam party! Free cookies! A chalk mural! Pizza! Register here (and show up early if you've got a bike that needs some TLC).
SUNDAY, AUGUST 30
Benefit show: Southside Shai, Acid Red Dress, Melting Virgo β° 6:30 p.m. doors, 7 p.m. show π Rhizome (6950 Maple St. NW) This fundraiser for Migrant Solidarity Mutual Aid features three local artists β promising a focus on justice, electric folk, communal singing, and dance-friendly beats. A suggested donation of $20 covers your evening. Get tickets here.
Ward 1 affordability canvass β° 10:30 - 1 p.m. π 3030 14th St. NW Turn your complaining about how expensive everything is right now into important political info β Metro DC DSA is sending volunteers out for an informal survey about the change D.C. residents want to see. Register here.
MONDAY, AUGUST 31
Film the Police 101 training β° 7 - 8 p.m. π Virtual Do you know your rights in filming members of law enforcement, whether local or federal? Would you feel confident stepping up to deescalate an interaction? This training from Free DC and Harriet's Wildest Dreams covers the basics of monitoring police activity β especially how can you be helpful your neighbors around the police. Register here.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1
Janeese Lewis George listening session β° 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. π RSVP for address What's working in D.C. β and what isn't? How could the government better serve residents? Ahead of the general election in November, the Democratic candidate for D.C. mayor is hosting a series of listening sessions across all eight wards, featuring food, activities for kids, and ASL and Spanish interpretation as requested. The first one is Tuesday in Ward 8, and you can find the full list of dates and locations here.
People's Potluck β° 6 - 9 p.m. π Edgewood Community Farm (2304 2nd St. NE) DC Local to Global, which works to build coalitions amongst organizers of all kinds, is hosting a casual outdoor potluck where you can meet others interested in solidarity and fighting for a better world. Bring something to share! Register here.
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