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.
ONGOING
DC Migrant Mutual Aid Back to School Drive As D.C. families continue to live under President Trump's "summer surge," local groups are coming together to ensure that kids have what they need for school. You can browse DC Migrant Mutual Aid's shopping list by scanning the QR code in this post, or donate funds to @DCMigrantAid via Venmo.
Serve Your City Back to School Drive Serve Your City/Ward 6 Mutual Aid is collecting funds to equip Black and brown D.C. students with the devices for the new school year. Select from a tiered donation list, providing Chromebooks, stocked backpacks, and more. Information available here.
One Year of Occupation Free DC is marking one year of the ongoing military occupation of D.C. with 11 days of programming highlighting what the presence of federal law enforcement, immigration officers, and National Guard troops means for D.C. residents. Find the full list of events here, or keep reading this post!
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5
One Year of Occupation: Justice for D.C.'s students and schools β° 6 - 7 p.m. π Near Fort Totten (location shared upon RSVP) The influx of immigration officers in the city has left families scared to send their children to school. And the increase in federal law enforcement and National Guard troops has made trips to school in D.C.'s majority Black neighborhoods particularly fraught, Free DC writes. This rally will focus on protecting students and calling for justice as we approach another back-to-school season under President Trump's occupation. RSVP here.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 6
DC Ward One Mutual Aid Virtual Organizer Orientation β° 6:30 - 8 p.m. π Zoom Looking to organize with Columbia Heights neighbors? W1MA is a great place to start. This orientation is for anyone who wants to get started with the group; you'll learn about what they're currently working on and how they're trying to build a better D.C. Register here.
Black August Letter Writing β° 7:30 p.m. π MLK Library, Room 401-E (901 G St. NW) Living Lesbian Archive β a Black lesbian zine and scrapbooking club with chapters in New York, Atlanta, and D.C. β is marking Black August with a letter-writing event at MLK Library. You'll learn about the history of Black August while writing to currently incarcerated LGBTQIA+ people. RSVP here.
One Year of Occupation: Freedom Dreaming β° 6 - 8 p.m. π Capitol Hill United Methodist Church (421 Seward Sq. SE) This segment of Free DC's 11-day programming will look toward a better future. What could D.C. look like if we had statehood? What's your vision of a better D.C., and how can you achieve it in community? Attendees won't just dream β you'll scheme about how to get there together. RSVP here.
Chocolate City and the Black Radical Tradition β° 6 p.m. π Virtual Join Harriet's Wildest Dreams and the DC Black August Committee for an education session focused on modern movements that incorporate radical organizing. From the DC Black codes to home rule, Black Washingtonians have a history of shaping the city's trajectory through nontraditional ways of visioning and organizing. RSVP here.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 7
One Year of Occupation: #DeleteDoorDash β° 6 - 7 p.m. π Near Navy Yard Metro (location shared upon RSVP) Last month, Doordash supported a new bill in Congress that would revoke D.C.'s ability to set its own taxes. In response, Free DC is calling for a boycott of the food delivery service. Read more about the campaign here, and RSVP to this week's rally here.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 8
Ward 2 Coffee Hour + Wheatpasting β° 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. π Meet at Aslin Beer Company (1740 14th St NW) Participate in a full morning of Free DC activities: Kick off your Saturday with a coffee social, where you'll prep for wheatpasting. Around 10:15 a.m., hit the streets of Ward 2 and spread the message of D.C. autonomy. You don't have to join every part of the event, but sign up here if you're interested, so you receive weather-related updates. All supplies will be provided, but if you've got them, bring warm water and a plastic bag for litter.
One Year of Occupation: Justice for DC youth + film-the-police training β° 12 - 1 p.m. π Near the Anacostia Metro Station (location shared upon RSVP) D.C.'s teens have been at the center of a very public discourse about crime and safety β even before the federal occupation began. But what do local kids actually need β particularly Black and brown youth who are most likely to interact with law enforcement? Free DC is bringing neighbors together to call for justice for D.C.'s young people, which will include a practical training on how to legally document police activity. RSVP here.
MONDAY, AUGUST 9
Marshal and de-escalation training β° 7 - 9 p.m. π Virtual Free DC is seeking marshals! These volunteers are in charge help keep people safe and respond to any emergency issues at the group's events (like the ones mentioned above). You can RSVP for the virtual training here.
Colleen is a 51st co-founder and a former DCist reporter. Her work has appeared in NPR, Street Sense Media, and The Washington Post. She currently lives in New York, where she's pursuing an MFA.
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