Each week, we list some ways to get engaged in the city โ whether thatโs 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.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1
Fundraiser for The DC LGBTQ+ Community Center โฐ 6 - 9 p.m. ๐ Protest Pizza & Bar (1633 1/2 P St. NW) Go Gay DC, a local queer meetup and events group, is hosting a fundraiser at Dupont Circle's Protest Pizza + Bar. Stop by between 6 - 9 p.m. and get dinner, a drink, or dessert; 10% of the proceeds will go toward the DC LGBTQ+ Community Center, which provides resources like food, mental health counseling, and more to queer folks in D.C.
La Petite Swap โฐ 6 - 8 p.m. ๐ Rhizome (6950 Maple St. NW) Calling this civic engagement is a stretch, but as a 5-foot-tall person, I'm biased: Rhizome is hosting a clothing swap just for short people! Build solidarity with your similarly sized neighbors, bring something to donate, and โ I hope โ leave with the cropped-but-on-you-they're-just-normal pants of your dreams. RSVP here.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2
DSA new member orientation โฐ 7 - 8 p.m. ๐ MLK Memorial Library (901 G St. NW) Perhaps the recent wave of democratic socialists stepping into city halls across the U.S. โ including, soon, our own Wilson Building โ has made you curious about your local Democratic Socialists of America chapter? The D.C.-Metro DSA faction is hosting an introductory event for new members; you'll learn what the organization is all about, how it's structured, and where you might best fit in. RSVP here.
Empower DC tenant rights meeting โฐ 4 - 5:30 p.m. ๐ Zoom The local organizing group focused on economic, racial, and environmental justice is hosting a know-your-rights training for D.C. tenants. (You can't sue your landlord if you don't know what the hell you're talking about!) If you can't make this one, they're held every first and third Wednesday of the month. RSVP here.
DC History Book Talk โฐ 6:30 - 8 p.m. ๐ MLK Library (901 G St. NW) Calling all poetry fans (or ... anyone who's had to defend D.C.'s rich literary history to a snobby out-of-towner). Writer and D.C. native Brian Gilmore will be chatting about his book, No More Worlds to Conquer: The Black Poet in Washington, D.C., which traces Gilmore's life as a poet and makes the case for D.C. as a major hub of American literature. In conversation with the artist Holly Bass, Gilmore will explore the life and legacy of D.C.'s Black poets, underscoring their significance in the past and present of D.C. culture. RSVP here.
Advocacy social and cargo bike show-and-tell โฐ 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. ๐Laurel Ave. Streetery (between Eastern Ave. NW and Carroll Ave.; Takoma Park, Maryland) Pedal just over the D.C. border to meet others interested in fighting for safer streets in the District and Maryland, as the Washington Area Bicyclists Association and Takoma Family Biking link up for a cargo e-bike show-and-tell and discussion about local advocacy opportunities. If you have a cargo e-bike, feel free to bring it and share your experiences โ but the event is open to all, e-bike owners and just the e-bike-curious alike. There will be snacks, and the option to purchase your own drinks from Takoma Beverage Co.!
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3
Ward 6 Free DC Team meeting โฐ 7 - 8:30 p.m. ๐ Hybrid (Link and location shared upon RSVP) Free DC is convening Ward 6 neighbors for a monthly meeting. While it's highly encouraged to have attended a campaign orientation first, this meeting is open to all Ward 6 residents. You can attend remotely or IRL. RSVP here for the location and link.
Ward 7 listening session with Janeese Lewis George โฐ 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. ๐ RSVP for location What's going well in D.C., and what could go better? 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. Our team will be there in Ward 7 on Thursday โ but if you can't make this one, you can find the full list of upcoming dates and locations here. RSVP to find out where to go here.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6
D.C. State Fair โฐ 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. ๐Anthem Row (800 K St. NW) So we might not have fields of cows and crops (or ... statehood?), but who says D.C. can't have an annual state fair? Now in its 17th year, the state fair celebrates the culinary, agricultural, and artistic accomplishments of D.C. residents. Head downtown โ by the Convention Center, not the concert venue with a similar name โ for good food, music, and family-friendly fun.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7
Harriets Responders orientation โฐ 7 - 9 p.m. ๐ Virtual This group born out of Harriet's Wildest Dreams dedicated to direct action, rapid response, and mutual aid is looking for more people to join their team. Harriets Responders is focused on decreasing our community's reliance on D.C. police, and is piloting an alternative to calling for help from government or state authorities. You can RSVP here.
Note: Purchasing books via the links in this story, or here, supports our nonprofit newsroom โ and independent bookstores across the country โ through Bookshop.orgโs affiliate program.
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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