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
Seven 7 Days in D.C. From Sunday, June 28, through Saturday, July 4, organizers from across the U.S. are gathering in D.C. to run counter-programming to the America 250 celebrations. The weeklong series will feature panels, demonstrations, performances, and more, all with the goal of encouraging direct participation in a free democracy. Stop by Black Cat for a chat with ACLU members, learn how improv can be a useful skill for organizing, or sit in on a live performance led by young people in the D.C. area. You can find the week's full schedule here.
TUESDAY, JUNE 23
The D.C. Occupation: A discussion with local veterans β° 6 - 8 p.m. π All Souls Unitarian Church (1500 Harvard St. NW) With the National Guard patrolling D.C. streets β and more troops on the way β members of Free DC's veterans' group will walk you through what it means to be deployed, what choices National Guard members have, and what consequences they face for refusing orders. They will also review instances of abuse by National Guard members during their deployment in D.C., and listen to neighbors' testimony about their experiences. RSVP here. (Note: The space may not be air-conditioned.)
Neighbors Helping Neighbors Happy Hour β° 6 - 7:30 p.m. π Wonderland Ballroom Neighbors Helping Neighbors, a new Free DC initiative in Ward 1, is heading to the site of many nights out in Columbia Heights to build community and solidarity. Stop by Wonderland Ballroom to learn how you can plug into their support network. Bring along some diapers too; they'll be donated to the Greater DC Diaper Bank. RSVP here.
THURSDAY, JUNE 25
Play for Choice: DC Abortion Fund fundraiser β° 7 p.m. π GameOn Bar + Arcade (1330 U St. NW) If you're into video games and reproductive justice, this is the event for you. In support of DC Abortion Fund, the DC Gaming Group is putting on a competition at GameOn bar. A $25 ticket gets you entry and starter tokens; all ticket proceeds will be donated to DCAF. Buy those here.
FRIDAY, JUNE 26
Supporting Survivors Summit β° 12 - 3 p.m. π Busboys and Poets Anacostia (2004 Martin Luther King Jr Ave. SE) To mark Gun Violence Awareness Month, the organizations Peace for DC and Guns Down Friday are coming together with other local gun violence or victim service groups for a special gathering, focused on resource-sharing and networking. The afternoon will explore what survivors need to heal and how to ensure those resources are accessible and compassionate. Reserve a spot here.
Independents Day: A Night of Creative Expression β° 7:30 - 10 p.m. π Takoma Park Community Center auditorium (7500 Maple Avenue, MD) The president may have wrestling matches and glitzy ballrooms β but Takoma Park has poetry. Run through the City of Takoma Park's Arts and Humanities Division, the Takoma Park Arts series will be celebrating art that values inclusion and community and free expression ahead of whatever Trumpian Fourth of July antics are still to come. The event is a fundraiser for for Free DC. No RSVP needed.
SATURDAY, JUNE 27
Summer of Freedom canvassing on the Mall β° 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. or 4 - 6 p.m. π Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial (540 Independence Ave. SW) With tourists expected to flock to the city over the coming weeks for America 250 celebrations, Rising Organizers is seeking volunteers to canvass the Mall, engaging with visitors in conversations about D.C. statehood. There is a training session on Wednesday, June 24, from 6 - 8 p.m. The team will repeat the training and canvassing again on Wednesday, July 8, from 6 - 8 p.m. and 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. and 4 - 6 p.m. on Friday, July 10, respectively. The training is mandatory β but if you can't make the time work, contact the the organizers. More details here.
LGBTQIA+ History Walking Tour β° 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. π Meet in Dupont Circle Dupont Circle may have been closed over Capital Pride weekend, but together, we can keep our city's queer history alive. This Saturday, take an educational walk with the DC Preservation League and the D.C. Office of Planning β centered around the area that built a reputation starting in the 1970s as D.C.'s "gayborhood." RSVP here.
SUNDAY, JUNE 28
Street Law 101: Summer Surge Survival β° 2 - 4 p.m. π ONE DC Black Workers & Wellness Center (2500 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE) With an influx of federal law enforcement coming to the city around July Fourth, Black Lives Matter DC, Migrant Solidarity Mutual Aid, and other local advocacy groups will hold a special training to prepare residents for the increased police presence. The training will cover what your rights are during a police encounter, what to do if you witness police abuse, strategies to protect one another, and more. RSVP here.
MONDAY, JUNE 29
National Lawyers Guild Legal Observer Training β° 7 - 8 p.m. π Virtual Free DC is bringing in the National Lawyers Guild to train members interested in becoming legal observers β the folks who help people know their rights during police encounters, connect people to jail support, document police misconduct, and more. If you can't make this training, there will be another on Sunday, July 12, at 1:30 p.m. If you can't make either, complete the interest form; with enough interest, Free DC may schedule additional trainings. (Note: In order to attend the training, you must commit to show up at an unspecified number of future actions.)
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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