Federal planners Thursday approved the , authorizing its placement on the . 

The monument is the product of two congressional acts 鈥� one by President Donald Trump in 2020 establishing the project and another by former President Joe Biden in January securing its home on federal land. 

The voted last Thursday to approved the placement of the memorial near the intersection of 19th Street and Constitution Avenue in , which is between the and . 

The commission four potential locations before giving its final approval for a site known as Constitution Gardens East.

“The location provides thematic connections to the 56 Signers of the Declaration of Independence Memorial and the Vietnam Women鈥檚 Memorial and a visual connection to the Washington Monument. It would complement the National Mall Plan and the Trust for the National Mall鈥檚 vision for Constitution Gardens as a place of 24-hour activity throughout all seasons,” the commission said in a press release released following its approval.

Some visitors around the Mall were surprised this didn鈥檛 happen sooner. 

鈥淚 think it鈥檚 really good,鈥� said Chloe De Wouters, a tourist from Switzerland. 鈥淭here are so many monuments here, and none are about women.鈥� 

The Women鈥檚 Suffrage National Monument Foundation is responsible for fundraising, design selection, and construction. The project will rely entirely on private donations and is estimated to cost around $100 million. 

A national design competition is set for 2026, a foundation spokesperson told 最新蜜桃影像, and construction will begin once funding and design approval are secured. 

No major monument on the Mall is dedicated to women鈥檚 history, aside from the Vietnam Women鈥檚 Memorial, which honors the nurses who served during the war.

Some visitors said they hope the monument reflects a wide range of women who shaped the suffrage movement, not just the most famous figures.  

Glennis Warsaki of Virginia said the monument should include women whose work for equality extended beyond voting rights. 

鈥淓vangeline Booth should be in it,鈥� Warsaki said. 鈥淪he started the work of the Salvation Army in the United States, and nobody ever mentions her.鈥� 

The monument aims to tell a centuries-long story, from the to the who picketed the White House.  

For visitors like William Kelly, a Washington-area worker, placing the monument on the Mall is long overdue.  

鈥淲omen have been through a lot, and they deserve the recognition they get,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檒l absolutely go see it.鈥�

The post First monument honoring women greenlit for National Mall first appeared on 最新蜜桃影像.

A remnant of COVID-era distanced dining, the popular temporary program ends on Nov. 30 in favor of permanent that promise safer, more accessible structures for wheelchair users.

That is, if establishments choose to pay the fees for them.

The city鈥檚 new regulations include:

• Platforms (a raised, flush, sidewalk-level floor that replaces the old drop-down or step-up streatery setups);
• Clearer entryways; and
• At least one table that falls under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant seating guidelines.

The new requirements come with fees and rebuild rules that many restaurant owners say they can鈥檛 afford, leading to their streateries getting torn down altogether.

Under the new permanent program, restaurants must pay a $260 permit fee plus a public-space rental charge of about $20 per square foot each year.

This is a big shift from the temporary program, where restaurants paid no fees at all.

Many U Street restaurant owners told 最新蜜桃影像 that they cannot afford the new $20-per-square-foot fees or the cost of rebuilding platforms to meet DDOT鈥檚 standards. Most businesses did not want to be identified when reached out to for comment.

A spokesperson for the D.C. Department of Transportation () told 最新蜜桃影像 that the new permanent rules were designed to fix long-standing safety and accessibility issues in D.C.鈥檚 outdoor dining spaces.

鈥淭he platform is the bare minimum requirement,鈥� the spokesperson said. 鈥淲hile it may come with increased costs, it comes with increased safety and access.鈥�

The temporary program provided insight into major accessibility failures across the city鈥檚 streeteries, according to DDOT. A 2022 survey revealed over 90% of streateries didn鈥檛 have a platform or ADA-required ramp, DDOT said.

The survey influenced the agency鈥檚 new ADA-compliant guidelines, which DDOT said was consulted on with an ADA coordinator.

Kent Keyser, a public policy fellow at the , said the new rules will only matter if the city 鈥� and businesses 鈥� choose to go beyond bare-minimum compliance.

鈥淎ccessibility just doesn鈥檛 help wheelchair users, it helps everybody,鈥� Keyser said. 鈥淲e urge local governments and businesses to remember that the ADA sets minimal, not maximum, standards.鈥�

Josie Byzek, former senior director at the United Spinal Association, said that only one accessible table doesn鈥檛 reflect the reality of how people with disabilities dine out.

Title III of the ADA restaurants to provide equal access to public accommodations.

A streatery that offers only one wheelchair-accessible table 鈥� or creates conditions that prevent wheelchair users from entering at all 鈥� could still violate those laws, even if the setup technically meets city guidelines.

What if “two or three wheelchair users arrive independently of each other, and they can’t sit down at your restaurant to eat?鈥� Byzek asked.

Mia Ives-Rublee, a wheelchair user and senior director for the at the , said many restaurants still underestimate the demand for dining out among people with disabilities.

鈥淭here鈥檚 this general belief that disabled people don鈥檛 have disposable income,鈥� Ives-Rublee said. 鈥淭hen, when no one comes, they feel it proves their point 鈥� not realizing disabled people aren鈥檛 coming because of inaccessibility.鈥�

She said streateries brought new opportunities for safer, outdoor dining during the pandemic, such as for people who are immunocompromised, but they also created frequent accessibility issues on U Street, including blocked curb cuts and crowds that clog sidewalks.

 

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Ives-Rublee said investing in accessibility measures is a future-proofing measure that benefits both businesses and customers in the long run.

鈥淚f you want to expand your customer base, it鈥檚 essential to make your business accessible because the U.S. is getting older and the disability community is growing,鈥� she said.

Streateries gave many residents with disabilities their first real access to D.C.鈥檚 restaurants, according to Kate Radt, president of .

鈥淪treateries have crucially granted high risk people like me a safer way to return to public spaces since the COVID-19 lockdown,” Radt said. “They鈥檝e also permitted me to experience restaurants that aren鈥檛 ordinarily wheelchair accessible.”

The post D.C.鈥檚 new outdoor dining rules aim at accessibility. Will they deliver? first appeared on 最新蜜桃影像.

One by one, the piano bench fills with jazz enthusiasts, Bach reinterpreters, and amateur performers taking turns as the crowd cheers and calls for encores.听

night takes over on U Street every Wednesday from 7 to 10 p.m., offering a no-cost space for pianists from every corner of the musical spectrum.听

Kevin Lambert, the event鈥檚 founder and emcee, said he started Open Piano after growing frustrated with intrusive background music in bars. He said he wanted a space centered on live acoustic piano and genuine social connection.听

鈥淣o amplifiers, none of that,鈥� Lambert said.听

Lambert said his longing for authentic, acoustic musical experiences grew out of memories such as an accordionist in a Viennese bar, where people gathered for 鈥渃onversation and possibly a piano.鈥�听

In D.C., he turned that vision into reality with help from Robert James, a computer programmer he met through community choir rehearsals in Mount Pleasant. James, who often finds homes for unwanted pianos, helped place one at the event’s original venue, the restaurant, giving Lambert the launching pad for Open Piano in 2018.听

The group later upgraded to a refurbished Yamaha upright piano, now the centerpiece of the event.听

鈥淓very time I see people getting together and enjoying themselves around a piano, I feel like I鈥檝e really done a good thing,鈥� Lambert said.听

The event encourages participation and attentive listening, with audience engagement built into its foundation 鈥� people shout song requests and occasionally clear space for an impromptu dance floor.听

The Saloon鈥檚 owner, Kamal 鈥�Commy鈥� Jahanbein, runs the Kamal Foundation, which uses proceeds from the bar to fund schools and clinics abroad.听

Lambert said he often encourages attendees to order an extra snack or drink, knowing 鈥渋t goes to a good cause.鈥�听

Hosting Open Piano every Wednesday night on the second floor of his bar makes perfect sense to Jahanbein: 鈥淭he piano is the mother of all instruments.鈥�听

Bach, reinterpreted听

The Yamaha piano became an outlet for Sam Post 鈥� a pianist, composer, and longtime Open Piano regular 鈥� who found in it a place to share his work.听听

After discovering the event at its original venue, The Purple Patch in Mount Pleasant, Post said he was hooked. He said he returned week after week, making friends and performing for nearly a decade.听

Although raising two young children has limited his recent appearances, Post said each visit still means a lot to him.听

鈥淭his is a special night out for me,鈥� he said.听

Post released his latest album, , with Ralitza Patcheva, associate chair of chamber music at the Levine School of Music, on Oct. 17. The project reimagines a collection of Johann Sebastian Bach pieces with fresh rhythms and bright syncopation.听

鈥淚t gives them a more modern feel and works much better on the piano,鈥� Post said.听

For Post, performing and handing out physical copies of his work at Open Piano builds a rare sense of connection.听

鈥淭o feel the energy of the physical space is really great,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat’s always true of live music.鈥�听

Self-taught听

Tio Brown, a self-taught composer and pianist, said he started attending Open Piano five years ago.听

The D.C. native鈥檚 path to the Saloon鈥檚 Yamaha includes collaborations with Lambert, Open Piano鈥檚 founder, and his cousin, a percussionist.听听

The trio recorded four or five original tracks together, all arranged and written by Lambert.听

After Brown鈥檚 band, 100 Years Time, broke up, he said he reunited with Lambert and became a regular performer at the U Street event.听

鈥淚 feel great because I’m doing my own stuff,鈥� Brown said.听

As a child, Brown said he wanted to learn piano but faced an unexpected barrier. Born with two fingers missing from his right hand, he wasn鈥檛 allowed to take piano lessons at school.听听

Undeterred, Brown said his mother encouraged him to find his own way into music.听

On the second floor of The Saloon, Brown now captivates the crowd with his simultaneous vocals and piano playing.听

A farewell tune听

After more than 70 years in Washington, pianist Ed Rejuney is preparing to leave the District and start a new chapter.听

Rejuney said he first met Lambert during choir rehearsals in Mount Pleasant. Together, they built a community that now feels like family.听

He describes his upcoming move as both exciting and bittersweet.听

鈥淵ou get comfortable in your life, and then suddenly something kicks you, and it鈥檚 like throwing a bomb into the middle of everything,鈥� he said.听

Rejuney said he started playing piano at age seven and has since logged more than 10,000 hours at the keys.听听

His dedication shows in the way he mentors others and remembers moments that shaped the group 鈥� like the day Kristen Clark, a shy but gifted singer, first performed. The two soon became a performing duo.听

Clark, he said, represents Open Piano鈥檚 mission: creating a space where anyone who loves the piano can belong.听

A loyal crowd听

After moving back to Washington in 2021, Blake Vieira said he discovered Open Piano by accident. A simple flyer taped to an electrical box invited passersby to 鈥淥pen Piano at The Saloon every Wednesday, 7 to 10 p.m.鈥� Intrigued, he decided to stop by.听

Since that night, he said he has rarely missed a week.听

Vieira said he听is now on a first-name basis with many of the pianists, and friendships that began at the piano have extended far beyond The Saloon鈥檚 walls.听

鈥淚t鈥檚 always a magical experience,鈥� he said, noting that each week brings new faces and unforgettable moments 鈥� from late-night dancing to performances that bring the house down.听

Although Vieira isn鈥檛 a musician, his appreciation for the talent runs deep.听

鈥淚鈥檝e described myself to my friends here like an art dealer. I know the value of it and can appreciate it,鈥� Vieira said.听 鈥淛ust don鈥檛 ask me to actually do it.鈥�听

 

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The women said they have a reason for skipping the demonstrations against the administration: it’s time for others to step up.

During the 2024 presidential election, 92% of Black women voted for Democratic candidate Kamala Harris. After her defeat, some chose to disengage from today鈥檚 demonstrations to prioritize their own well-being.

However, others said that while rest is important, citizens should not abandon participation in resistance movements.

At a time when Black women face further marginalization, some sat out a rally that had more than 7 million participants nationwide, but no clear action steps, some said.

鈥淏lack women are tired of empty performative action,鈥� said Sherri Williams, associate professor in Race, Media and Communication at American University.

Williams explained that the issue is not about disengagement but about choosing when and how to engage. Black women chose to unshoulder political burdens and prioritize self.

鈥溾�橰est as protest鈥� means Black women are really thinking strategically about where they will invest their energy,鈥� Williams said.

Exhausted, but 鈥榮till showing up鈥�

Still, the rally was compelling for some protesters.

Activist Imani Bashir spent the day under a tent helping people understand their power as jurors and taxpayers and sharing information about labor unions.

She described the rally as a 鈥渨hite liberal space,鈥� a space with predominantly white attendees and no plan of action. She felt it lacked a sense of urgency, disruption, and clear demands, and felt more like a parade than a protest.

Bashir said she understood why others skipped the event. However, she said doing nothing is not enough.

鈥淪ome are throwing up their hands,鈥� Bashir said. 鈥淏ut most of the Black femmes, trans folks, and gender-nonconforming people I know are exhausted 鈥� and still showing up.鈥�

Opting out

Kia Braxton, an emergency management contractor who works on social justice issues, stayed home. She found little reason to express herself publicly again.

鈥淢y protest was back in November when I voted for the only competent, capable choice who was on the ballot who happened to be a Black woman,鈥� Braxton said.

Braxton said protests should not be 鈥渃omfortable pursuits.鈥� She said the rally was more of a 鈥渟ocial gathering.鈥�

Braxton told 最新蜜桃影像 that Black people are still resisting, even if they don鈥檛 appear in demonstrations. Black people, she said, historically have been working for everyone鈥檚 benefit.

鈥淲e鈥檝e earned our rest,鈥� Braxton said. 鈥淲e are still doing the work, just not the way you expect.鈥�

鈥淭he Rest Revolution鈥�

Amanda Littlejohn, author of , recognizes how going back to the basics of rest and well-being is helping Black women deal with burnout from advocacy.

Littlejohn and others are turning inward to prioritize their physical and mental health above advocacy.

As her critics call rest a luxury, she pushes back.

鈥淩est is not a luxury or something that we have to earn,鈥� Littlejohn said. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 outwork racism; you can鈥檛 outwork sexism. Your excellence cannot fix systemic issues.鈥�

Littlejohn criticizes the oft-repeated doctrine that Black women must be 鈥渢wice as good鈥� to succeed. She said it normalizes exhaustion to an unhealthy degree.

鈥淩est is being in community with people who are supportive to you,鈥� Littlejohn said. 鈥淩est is making room for joy and things that replenish, refuel, and energize you.鈥�

Intergenerational burnout

Clinical psychologist and founder of Vivid Innovations Consulting Ashley Elliott, popularly known as Dr. Vivid, said that rest is a form of resistance.

Elliot said that resting allows others to step up and act. She added that since Black women have carried the load, others need to contribute.

鈥淭hat resistance is a show of growth in our mindset,鈥� Elliot said. “We understand we are doing more harm than good if we continue to show up on the battlefield for people who won’t show up for us unless we start the work.鈥�

The Arlington-based psychologist told 最新蜜桃影像 that Black women have taken on the role of keeping communities together, sometimes neglecting their own needs, resulting in generational cycles of burnout.

To break generational cycles of burnout, Elliot said Black women must remember they also deserve the love, rest, and safety they provide others.

Elliot said that Black women can often feel guilty for resting due to societal pressures. When this guilt rises, there is a way to counteract that – with evidence.

“What have you done for yourself, for your family, for your community that has proved fruitful, effective, positive, beneficial?” Elliot asks. “Acknowledging that that work, no work, no matter how long or short in the task or the project, is enough to justify rest.”

Not exactly 鈥渞est鈥�

Anna Malaika Tubbs, sociologist and author of Erased: What American Patriarchy Has Hidden from Us, said that because Black women were pushed furthest from the original U.S. patriarchal structure, they had to imagine and fight for better conditions.

鈥淭he Founding Fathers 鈥� were building a republic of men, white men in particular, who they saw as elites,鈥� Tubbs said. 鈥淭hey painted Black women as the complete opposite of American patriarchy and the benefits that are afforded to them.鈥�

The sociologist said that when Black women do not always appear at rallies or events, it is not because they are necessarily resting in the traditional sense of the word.

鈥淥ur day-to-day life is resistance,鈥� Tubbs said. 鈥淭he way we parent our children to still live and love and thrive in a nation that often tries to attack them, is our resistance.鈥�

Black women aren鈥檛 giving up, Tubbs said, it鈥檚 just time for others to 鈥渨ake up.鈥�

The post The complicated relationship of Black Women and the 鈥楴o Kings鈥� movement first appeared on 最新蜜桃影像.

The park鈥檚 half-century-old drum circle has become one of the District鈥�s sustained traditions, with participants now extending their skills into classrooms and workshops.听

The park overlooks the District perched on one of D.C.鈥檚 highest points. It was laid out in the early 1900s as Meridian Hill Park.

In 1804, President Thomas Jefferson first called the area Meridian Hill, named for the White House meridian line first surveyed by Andrew Ellicott and Benjamin Banneker, who mapped Washington, D.C.听

Officially, it鈥檚 still Meridian Hill Park. To but to many Washingtonians, it鈥檚 Malcolm X Park.听

In 1969, Angela Davis held a rally, calling for the park to be renamed Malcolm X Park following Malcolm X鈥檚 assassination. A few years later, the drum circle began meeting regularly.听听

Ngoma鈥檚 legacy. 听

Kwame William H. Caudle Babalu remembers the early years of the drum circle vividly. He said he came up in D.C.鈥檚 revolutionary 1970s, when the District was known as Chocolate City.

Caudle said he learned drumming in the park from master drummer Baba Ngoma, the man he credits as the drum circle鈥檚 first leader. 听

鈥淏aba Ngoma always went to Malcolm X Park,鈥� Caudle said. 鈥淩ight after the death of Malcolm X, Baba Ngoma was playing drum prayers early in the morning.鈥�听

On those Sunday鈥�s, Caudle remembers waiting in silence until Ngoma finished playing. Only then, could a student speak.听

鈥淭hat鈥檚 how you learned,鈥� Caudle said. 鈥淵ou watched. You earned your part.鈥�听

Ngoma was deeply tied to D.C.鈥檚 Black consciousness movement, Caudle said. Schools in the District sent him to Kenya, where he had a spiritual reading and came back as Baba Ngoma, and instructed at the African Heritage Dancers and Drummers 鈥� one of his students being Caudle. 听

Caudle said the circle first met on the Euclid Street side of the park before moving into the main lawn. The site once served as a Civil War fort, according to the National Park Service, which inspired regulars to call it 鈥渢he sentry hub.鈥�听

鈥淭here was a sentry post,鈥� Caudle said. 鈥淎nd Baba Ngoma would do prayer and libation for El Hajj Malik Shabazz (Malcolm X) and all of the ancestors.鈥�听

A libation is a ritual pouring of water in remembrance of the dead.听

The circle grows.

Kevin Lambert said he started coming to the circle shortly after he moved to D.C. in 1990.听

鈥淚t was a little more spiritual than it is now,鈥� Lambert said. 鈥淚t started in the 1960s with Black nationalism and movements, so there was a definite political and spiritual edge to it.鈥�听

He said he first stumbled onto the circle by chance after passing by one Sunday afternoon and hearing the congas.听

鈥淏y gosh, there were about 20 guys playing drums. I figured that Chocolate City would have a drum circle, and I finally sort of stumbled onto it,鈥� Lambert said.听

At the time, the circle鈥檚 leadership centered around Barnett Williams, a master drummer and longtime percussionist who played with Gil Scott-Heron and The Last Poets, Lambert said.听

Williams听鈥�was a man of deep respect. He finally said, 鈥極kay, guys, shut up 鈥� this man knows what he鈥檚 doing,鈥� and that opened the door for me,鈥� Lambert said.听

When Williams died in 2006, Lambert said he feared the circle would end.听听

鈥淲e didn鈥檛 have anyone to keep it right,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut other people stepped into the breach 鈥� and then we realized the breach didn鈥檛 really have to be stepped into.鈥�听

Over time, the circle became more open and community –based.听

Drumming as oral history.听

Healing through drumming drives Yuma 鈥�Docta Yew鈥� Bellomee, who founded the. The group brings African drum and dance traditions into workshops and schools across the D.C. area, Bellomee said.听

Bellomee said he used to drum at Malcolm X Park but now spends his time teaching others.听

鈥淚t connects us to the cultures that we were disconnected from through the enslavement process,鈥� Bellomee said. 鈥淭he vibration, the rhythm of the drum, it moves energy inside of the body. It helps with self expression… helps to alleviate stress.”

That continuation is felt deeply by Jordyn Pigott, a dancer who first learned West African dance as a child and later joined Ni Dembaya under Bellomee鈥�s guidance.听

鈥淪o physically and mentally, I feel a lot of healing coming to this space,鈥� she said. 鈥淕et away from the D.C. hustle, the stress, the political climate.鈥�听

Across the DMV.听

Drumming across the DMV extends far beyond the park. Afro-Peruvian artist Andr茅s Ar茅valo instructs dancers to sync to the rhythms of the caj贸n and cajita, adding to D.C.鈥檚 drum culture.听

鈥淚t鈥檚 about remembering our African roots, our history, our families,鈥� Ar茅valo said.听

The Peruvian percussionist said his drum of choice, the cajita, evolved from a church collection box, to an instrument.听听

鈥淚t was creativity from the Afro-Peruvians,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey found a stick, and they started to make music.鈥�听

Ar茅valo runs the , teaching traditional Peruvian dance classes to his drumming.听

鈥淭his music is enjoyable for everyone,鈥� Ar茅valo said. 鈥淚f I can teach two thousand people to dance together鈥� to feel that rhythm 鈥� that is the dream.鈥� 听

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U.S. District Judge Susan Illston Wednesday put on hold the subsequent mass firing of about 4,100 of the federal workers 鈥� a decision aimed at the Trump administration. Illston, with the Northern District of California, questioned the legality of the administration to fire them.  

Even as the courts weigh in, the shutdown appears far from over.

Senate leaders voted against ending the shutdown Wednesday for the ninth time after efforts to end the stalemate collapsed on Tuesday. 

The shutdown is tangled in deep partisan divisions, with Republicans and Democrats refusing to negotiate over Democrats鈥� push to extend health care tax credits, which make health insurance cheaper for millions of Americans under the Affordable Care Act. 

The shutdown 鈥� the fifth longest in modern history 鈥� mirrors the political brinkmanship seen during Trump鈥檚 first term when the stoppage lasted 34 days.

Stephen Farnsworth, political science and international affairs at the University of Mary Washington, said the administration鈥檚 strategy of sustaining select programs while tightening pressure on Democrats suggests the shutdown may be less a short-term funding lapse than a calculated battle over the future of federal spending and health care policy.

鈥淒emocrats find it difficult to make a deal with Republicans in Congress when the president has shown little interest in following the terms of existing laws on the federal budget,鈥� Farnsworth said. 

Deadlock in D.C.

Leadership wasn鈥檛 budging Wednesday. 

House Speaker Mike Johnson said in a press conference he will not bring back House members until Senate Democrats agree to reopen the government first.

An hour and a half later, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Democrats were willing to negotiate, but would not approve any funding bill without action on health care subsidies. 

鈥淲e are ready, we are willing, and we are able to negotiate a bipartisan spending agreement,鈥� Jeffries said outside the Capitol. 

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-LA, said that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-NY, is avoiding compromise with Senate Republicans on the shutdown to fulfill a 鈥渉ostage list鈥� of demands that will undermine Americans.

The impasse reflects a familiar dynamic in Washington, but this time the stakes are higher.

The layoffs across seven federal agencies started Friday, including at the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services. Before Illston鈥檚 decision, over 4,100 employees received layoff notices. 

Sen. John Fetterman, D-PA, said that Congress 鈥渟hould have never shut the government down,鈥� when addressing concerns of mass layoffs of federal workers.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e not going to get paid,鈥� Fetterman said. 鈥淒on鈥檛 put them in that spot by shutting the government down.鈥�

Republicans also want the government open, but blame the holdup on Democrats.

鈥淚 voted nine times to open the federal government,鈥� said Sen. John Boozman, R-AR, outside the Senate subway. 鈥淭he Democrats were blocking that.鈥�

What is working or not

As key federal programs face growing uncertainty, the White House is working to shield certain services from disruption. 

On Saturday, the Trump administration announced $8 billion would be reallocated to cover the pay of about 1.3 million active-duty personnel and National Guard members. Although they received their paycheck on Wednesday, Johnson said  service members will miss their Oct. 31 paychecks if the government doesn’t reopen by then.

The move appears aimed at maintaining critical operations while blunting public backlash against the administration. But those steps may also remove much of the pressure that could otherwise force a deal.

Johnson said that conservative Republicans 鈥減rioritize troops and law enforcement.鈥� 

Republicans 鈥渕oved that over to prioritize payment of those who are putting their lives on the line today, and the families in serious situations,鈥� Johnson said.

When questioned about Capitol police working without pay, Johnson said that Republicans 鈥渁re not taking pleasure鈥� in this scenario. 

The Senate is expected to vote again Thursday on the GOP-led funding bill without any expectation of a different outcome, according to Politico. 

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GALA, short for Grupo de Artistas Latino Americanos, celebrates 50 years of productions on its professional stage with its 2025-2026 season and continues its commitment to nurturing the next generation of artists.  

Since 1976, the theater has been a beacon of Latino performing arts productions in D.C., founded by Argentinian-born theater director Hugo Medrano and Executive Director Rebecca Read Medrano. 

What makes you different, makes you special 

GALA鈥檚 production of 贬茅ctor, El Ni帽o El茅ctrico 鈥� directed by Mauricio Pita 鈥� is empowering for young audiences, Pita said.

贬茅ctor, El Ni帽o El茅ctrico follows 贬茅ctor, a shy boy who spends much of his time in his imagination, escaping into comic books. Over the course of the musical, he learns that the qualities that make him feel 鈥渄ifferent鈥� are actually his strengths 鈥� his superpower. 

Pita worked closely with playwright Cornelia Cody, meeting every Saturday over the past summer to refine the script. He said he personally relates to 贬茅ctor, played by actress Ixchel Hern谩ndez, and believes many children will, too. 

鈥淭he show gives kids a chance to see themselves reflected back at them,鈥� Pita said. 

As part of GALA鈥檚 outreach efforts, the theater will host student matinees for schools across the DMV. During the performances, children in the audience can participate, including in a musical–chairs moment on stage with the actors. 

Pita said the interactive element helps young people understand how theater works and challenges them to use their imagination in a way film and television don鈥檛 demand. 

鈥淭heater forces people to suspend their disbelief and buy into what鈥檚 happening on stage as if it鈥檚 real, even though we all know it鈥檚 not,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a contract between the actors and the audience. If you believe it, they believe it.鈥� 

Pita, who previously directed GALA鈥檚 after-school arts program for teens, the Paso Nuevo program, said that even the simplest prop can become something extraordinary for young audiences. 

鈥淲e have a garage on stage, and there are supposed to be three cars,鈥� Pita said. 鈥淭here aren鈥檛 three cars 鈥� one of them is a dinner table that turns, lights come out of it, and wheels get put on. It鈥檚 the illusion of a car, but if the actors treat it like a car, then the audience believes it鈥�s a car.鈥� 

Creativity carries itself through all corners of GALA Theatre, where students from the after-school program Paso Nuevo sometimes help backstage during professional productions.  

The arts build confidence 

Students crowd the basement 鈥� el subte 鈥� for Paso Nuevo. 

The program offers high school students a free arts education in creative writing, music, and theater. 

Since joining Paso Nuevo in May 2024, high schooler Balaria Rodr铆guez has made new friends, discovered a love for acting and writing, and gained a newfound confidence. 

鈥淚 have learned how to control myself,鈥� Rodr铆guez said. 鈥淚 don’t get nervous.鈥� 

The program gives students hands-on experience in technical theater, including lighting and sound design, for those who prefer working behind the scenes. 

鈥淎 lot of people who come here do costumes and backstage, because they don’t like to do acting,鈥� Rodr铆guez said. 

最新蜜桃影像 35 students currently participate in Paso Nuevo, led by Program Director Chris R铆os. He said the program helps students gain emotional intelligence that extends beyond the theatre. 

鈥淓ven if the students don鈥檛 want to be professional actors or anything, providing education in the arts helps give them key resources to develop emotionally and mentally as they grow into adulthood,鈥� R铆os said. 

The program is bilingual 鈥� just as GALA鈥檚 professional productions upstairs are. 

鈥淲e get a good pool of students who speak no Spanish, who speak no English, who speak some English and some Spanish, and we find a way to marry the two in our productions,鈥� R铆os said. 

Paso Nuevo students have free access to GALA鈥檚 professional performances, giving them a first-hand experience of GALA鈥檚 mission of sharing Latino arts and cultures through bilingual productions. 

贬茅ctor, El Ni帽o El茅ctrico runs Oct. 18鈥揘ov. 1. Tickets, $10 to $12, are available .

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Witchcraft鈥搊nce taboo鈥揾as become part of the nightlife in some spaces.

Throughout the District, witchcraft is practiced in homes, caf茅s, and at local bars. Some witches practice tarot card readings, astrology, or crystal scrying, used for reflection. For others, it鈥檚 Santer铆a鈥攁n Afro-Caribbean religion. 

And while they vary in where and what they practice, they all share one conviction: their craft is not a trend.

Tarot in D.C.

D.C.-based tarot reader is often found at the bars The Dew Drop Inn and Black Cat, and the cafe plant shop PLNTR, giving tarot readings.

Tarot is the practice of using cards to learn about someone’s future鈥搒ome use tarot for fortunetelling.

Marinda said tarot first came to her nine years ago. A lifelong Halloween enthusiast, she took a trip to Salem, Massachusetts, and got a reading. Ever since, she was hooked.

鈥淚 was going through a hard time,鈥� Marinda said. 鈥淚t helped me be like, 鈥極h, I should take care of myself.鈥欌��

Marinda said she began reading tarot cards for friends and family at intimate gatherings but quickly realized her talent could reach a wider audience.

鈥淭he language of it makes a lot of sense to me; these cards with images telling a story, kind of like a graphic novel, but about your life,鈥� she said.

The biggest misconception about tarot comes from media depictions, Marinda said.

鈥淧eople think readings are scary and harsh, like in movies where they pull the death card. But it鈥檚 not like that,鈥� she explained.

The death card doesn鈥檛 represent physical death, but the ending of an interest or relationship, Marinda said.

Marinda is co-leading , a festive maker鈥檚 mart featuring her tarot readings, on Oct. 11 at The Coupe in Columbia Heights.

A local鈥檚 take on witchcraft

Tarot readings are a bonding experience with friends, D.C. resident said.

She recently took some out-of-town friends visiting D.C. to . Afterwards, she said the friends had deeper conversations about 鈥渄reams, past and future that you might not have thought to share otherwise.鈥�

Witchcraft has had a long place in D.C. life, Warren said.

鈥淢ary Todd Lincoln held seances in the White House,鈥� she said. 鈥淣ancy Reagan had an astrologer on speed dial. It鈥檚 not new or just a trend.鈥�

Readings in D.C. typically cost $20 for a palm reading and up to $100 for a full psychic aura.

Providing guests more than just a cocktail

, a U Street mystical-gothic speakeasy, celebrates D.C.鈥檚 interest in witchcraft by hosting tarot nights.

Their tarot nights are intended to provide guests with 鈥渟omething more immersive than just a cocktail,鈥� The Craft Owner Joshua Valencia said.

The customer response is curious, open, and full of genuine excitement to experience witchcraft in a nightlife social setting,  Valencia said.

The Craft insists on taking witchcraft traditions seriously, Valencia said.

鈥淲e鈥檙e mindful that tarot and witchcraft carry deep cultural and spiritual roots,鈥� he said. 鈥淗osting these events isn鈥檛 about gimmicks but about creating a space where those traditions are honored and accessible.鈥�

The Craft is holding its next tarot night in October.

Witchcraft as religion

Santer铆a, a type of witchcraft, or brujer铆a, has deep religious roots. 

The District has been home to various Santer铆a botanicas through the years. Yemaya & Chango set up shop in Adams Morgan in 1995 and closed in 2014. Botanica y Tarot LLC is currently open in Fort Totten. 

Santer铆a is an Afro-Caribbean religion that developed in Cuba during the late 19th century, centered on the worship of nature. It takes on aspects of the West African religion, Yoruba, and Catholicism. 

Despite being a 200-year-old religion, taboos exist around the practice. 

, an L.A.-based priestess of Santer铆a known online as , said, growing up, she recalled Santer铆a being 鈥渟omething you would only hear about鈥� through rumors. Now, as a godparent to other practitioners, she practices the religion in stride.

鈥淚f you had told me back in 2018 that this is what I was going to end up doing, I would have told you you were crazy,鈥� Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez was crowned Oshun by fellow Santer铆a practitioners, signifying a direct connection to the deity Oshun, she said.

鈥淥shun is based on the Caridad del Cobre, Our Lady of Charity in the Catholic faith,鈥� Rodriguez explained. 鈥淒ifferent gods are tied to Catholic saints.鈥�

Through the process of iyaworaje, she spent a year and seven days in white for purification.

鈥淲hen you go through that, you can鈥檛 take pictures, you can鈥檛 be on video, you can鈥檛 touch other people outside your loved ones,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very intense.鈥�

Santer铆a helped her process trauma and live more peacefully, Rodriguez said.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not just the witchcraft aspect or the esoteric practice. Divination tells you aspects about yourself you really have to work on, almost like therapy,鈥� she said.

Rodriguez also sees danger in the growing popularity of witchcraft, she said.

鈥淚t鈥檚 wonderful that this is out there; that鈥檚 the pros. But the cons are, some people are using it just for a trend.鈥�

Rodriguez makes her rituals and readings available both online and in person through her shop, .

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Performing gender for an audience is nothing new for D.C. The late summer boom of 鈥榩erformative male contests鈥� is just the freshest addition to the District鈥檚 long, queer performance history.听

The term performative male identifies men who prefer traditionally feminine aesthetics, such as painted nails and female indie artists, and who care about women鈥檚 feelings 鈥� or at least pretend to. The concept has now become the basis for public competitions sprouting up over the past few weeks in Seattle, Toronto, and New York City, as well as D.C. to determine who wins the title of most performative male.听

At the same time, lesbian and queer communities have launched 鈥榩erformative masc鈥� contests, where women and nonbinary people lean into stereotypes within their own community.

At McPherson Square, D.C.鈥檚 most performative men, representing a range of gender expressions, gathered in a matcha-sipping, Labubu-adorned showcase for the city鈥檚 performative male contest on Aug. 31 鈥� just a few blocks from U Street, a culturally significant neighborhood for the Black and LGBTQ+ community. The event began when American University Student Emera Humphreys dropped a TikTok ad for the contest, followed by a Partiful RSVP link.

Contestant number one at the contest, Alex Montgomery, applied makeup and dressed up in preparation for the competition, a copy of Strong Female Lead: Lessons From Women In Power by Arwa Mahdawi in tow. They were one of two non-male-identifying contestants among the participants.

鈥淎lex 鈥� that’s not my real name. That’s an extension of myself that I use when I go out. So honestly, this is really a drag competition, if you think about it,鈥� Montgomery said after their performance.

One by one, the contestants took turns pulling feminist literature and tampons from their tote bags, while a crowd of mostly women laughed and cheered.

鈥淚 think women can recognize the inherent performativity of a man,鈥� Ella O’Connor, contest attendee, said after the event. 鈥淲hen we hear certain topics of conversation being brought up, we’re able to recognize it for its performative nature. Whereas sometimes men think that they’re being genuine and they’re not.鈥�

Contestant 11 in the lineup, Jaibin Mathew, pulled out the Korean sunscreen Beauty of Joseon from his Georgetown tea shop, ching ching CHA, tote bag to cheers from the crowd.

鈥淎dding props and things like that, it feels like a lesser form of drag, in a way,鈥� Mathew said after the competition. 鈥淧eople are pulling things out of their bag鈥搕heir surprises鈥揳nd you’re performing gender in a heightened sense.鈥�

The popularity of performative male contests is linked to a broader cultural hunger for humor and release, according to Arlington-based clinical psychologist and founder of Vivid Innovations Consulting, Ashley Elliott, known popularly as .

鈥淲hen we see people鈥搘hether it be inauthentic or authentic鈥搈aking fun of themselves, not taking themselves too seriously, that is enjoyable,鈥� she said. 鈥淓specially in American society, where a lot of male ideals are steeped in aggression, or not showing a full range of emotion, or not being able to laugh at yourself.鈥�

Performative male contests should lead to community-focused actions after the laughs, Elliot said.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not about outfits. It鈥檚 not about T-shirts. It鈥檚 about allyship,鈥� she said. 鈥淏eing able to show up for groups of people who identify or express themselves and say, 鈥楬ey, I鈥檓 here to support and I鈥檓 here to protect.鈥欌��

Acknowledging contributions of queer individuals to modern life in D.C. is a crucial part of this process, Elliot said.

鈥淲e talk about the history of drag and the history of ballroom; we have a very deep history in D.C.,鈥� Elliot said. 鈥淎ll people want is the space to freely express themselves and feel like 鈥業 belong鈥� and 鈥業 matter.鈥欌��

D.C.鈥檚 drag history dates back to the late 19th century when William Dorsey Swann, known as the “queen of drag,” organized balls in the district. By the mid-20th century, U Street emerged as the epicenter of Black Broadway and the 鈥榩anzy craze,鈥� a dynamic hub for African American nightlife and drag. Following desegregation, it transformed into a center for gay clubs and bars.听

By the 1990s, D.C. hosted over 40 drag shows each week, according to Mark Meinke, founder and chair of Rainbow History Project, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving D.C.鈥檚 LGBTQ+ history.

Today on U Street, , a trans masculine drag queen based in D.C., frequently performs at various venues, including Shakers, Kiki, and DC9 Nightclub.听 Hymen describes听their on-stage gender performance as a form of subversion.

鈥淚鈥檓 doing a lot of gender play,鈥� Hymen said. 鈥淚 love showing off the fact that I am trans, while also dressing up in a feminine way, and subverting the fact that I was born a woman, but I am now becoming a man in my day-to-day life, but then I want to be a woman again on stage. It鈥檚 absurd and fun, and I love it.鈥�

Hymen said their drag is both playful and political. Yet when queer styles become a trend, they said the problem isn鈥檛 the performance, it鈥檚 the failure to credit the queer legacies behind it.

鈥淜nowing your histories and connecting to the queerness of it, and lifting the queer community and the trans community, rather than taking this as something for cis people,鈥� Hymen said.

To view the full gallery of photos of contestants, visit 最新蜜桃影像’s .

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After a week of Washington being the nation鈥檚 spotlight, Kara Levchenko was glad to organize a show glowing with queer joy and artistry.

Hundreds packed into 听Thursday for Sapphic Songwriters Night to mosh and celebrate live music written and performed by sapphic, LGBTQ+ artists , , and .

A portion of the night’s proceeds were donated to , a provider of LGBTQ care and advocacy, including gender-affirming healthcare services in the D.C. area.

The evening was abundant in music debuts. Levchenko performed her latest single, 鈥�,鈥� with Artist and Co-Collaborator . Swataa released their EP 鈥溾�� at midnight on Friday.

Levchenko decided to throw a show with a solely DMV-based sapphic artist line-up in March at 听a venue she said playing is a 鈥渞ite of passage鈥� for DMV musicians.

鈥淲e wanted to lift up queer artists in the area,鈥� Levchenko said. 鈥淚t just feels even more important that we’re putting on this event today.鈥�

Concert Attendee Nik Battaglia said that 鈥渟haring joy鈥� is vital right now.

鈥淚t’s so important to be supporting artists,鈥� Battaglia said. 鈥淚t’s important to be gathering together, taking up space.鈥澨�

Headliner Levchenko grew up on a steady music diet of theatre, jazz and classical, a mix her parents would put on during long car trips, despite not being musicians. On Sundays, her grandparents often took her to the orchestra.

鈥淔rom a young age, I was taking musical theater, and I was excited about studying,鈥� Levchenko said.

Alongside her technical foundation, Levchenko鈥檚 dreamy sound and pop-punk stage presence are a culmination of her songwriting capabilities and authenticity.

鈥淚 think that a song is a snapshot of a feeling,鈥� Levchenko said.听 鈥淚t’s wild to look back at your song that you鈥檝e written and realize that it has a whole other meaning years later.鈥�

Levchenko honed her creative side through long-standing friendships. She met her best friend and part-time songwriting partner, Larae, in high school choir.

鈥淭hat element of trust is really important when you write a song with someone, to feel like they know you very well and can be honest with each other,鈥� Levchenko said.听

For the DMV native, her inner critic can sometimes get the best of her 鈥� so collaboration and trust can help, most recently, on 鈥淗ouse of Cards.鈥澨�

鈥淲hen you have another person to bounce ideas off of, things come together so quickly and in such a special way where your two sounds mesh,鈥� she said.听

The collaborative energy is at the soul of her new single, 鈥�,鈥� which drops Sept. 10 with .

鈥淚 wrote it with my friends; we wrote it together at ,鈥� Levchenko said.

Her performance streak continues with a show at Sept. 28 at 8 p.m. For ticket information, visit .

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