What began as a single restaurant and bar next to the Howard Theater on U Street has now grown into an operation that oversees production and distribution in Delaware and all over the DMV.听听

Still, the company says its focus is on bringing value to D.C. neighborhoods and making high quality 鈥渂eer flavored beer.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 kind of like a Cheers situation,鈥� said Bri DeOrsey, a bartender at Right Proper鈥檚 Brookland bar and production facility.听听

DeOrsey has worked at the bar for eight years, one of the only employees who has been on staff since before the pandemic. In addition to bartending, DeOrsey also handles event coordination and other responsibilities for the company. 听

She said that, even with the company鈥檚 expansions,听it鈥檚听still a neighborhood spot, with a neighborhood feel.听听

鈥淭his was an old autobody shop,鈥� she said, referring to the Brookland location. “There are neighbors who still remember it as that.鈥� 听

While the company strives to keep the vibe local, customers like Bob Woodward and Jocelyn Nieva make the journey, regardless of the distance.听

鈥淭here are no great breweries near our house,鈥� said Nieva. The two, who live near American University, routinely bike the seven miles to enjoy a drink at the Brookland location.听听

鈥淲别鈥檝e been coming here for years, and we love it.鈥� Upon hearing the news that a new location is opening in听Eckington, they both agreed it would be 鈥渙ne more place to drink.鈥�听

The new location in Eckington will be the largest of the company’s three locations, though it will be similar to the Shaw location. The overall focus will be to bring value to the community.听

鈥淭hey don鈥檛 really have a restaurant over there,鈥� said Thor Cheston. He and his wife Leah Cheston co-own the business. 鈥淲别鈥檙e looking forward to being of service to the community,鈥� he said.听听

According to Thor Cheston,听construction at听the听Eckington听facility started听two weeks ago, but听there鈥檚听no official opening date yet.听听

鈥淲别 would love to have an official date,鈥� he said. 鈥淎s of right now,听Maypril.鈥�听

While the brand is successful, the focus听remains听on making high-quality products. 鈥淲别 could sell more than we鈥檙e actually producing,鈥� said Chris Broome, head听brewer听and production manager for the company.听听

Broome has been with Right Proper for about two years but has been a brewer for听10.听听

He said that while other breweries are focused on new and unique, Right Proper is leaning into four core beers, keeping things simple with a focus on the details.听听

The choice to keep a limited product line reinforces the company鈥檚 overall goal of reducing cost and increasing quality, he said. 听

鈥淲hen you think of D.C. craft beer, we want you to think of Right Proper,鈥� Broome said. 鈥淲别听aren鈥檛听trying to re-invent the wheel.听We鈥檙e听making beer flavored beer at the highest quality possible.鈥�听

At current capacity, Right Proper brews and distributes about 5,000 barrels of beer per year. Current plans to expand capacity in the next six to 12 months are underway, with a goal of 6,500 barrels per year.听听

Going beyond that, however, would be a challenge.听听

鈥淭he more tanks you have, the more space you need for raw materials,鈥� Broome said.听听

Since raw materials for beer making attract rodents, the production facility also employs Prima, to help combat pests.听听

鈥淧rima is a working cat,鈥� Broome says. 鈥淟ots of breweries have them.鈥�

Prima is just one of several ways the Right Proper has been able to innovate through the volatility of recent years. Partnerships such as Zeke鈥檚 Coffee, which听operates听inside the Brookland location, allow the shop to offer something that otherwise听wouldn鈥檛听be on the menu.听听

鈥淶eke鈥檚 is very good at making and serving coffee, and we are really bad at it,鈥� said Thor Cheston. 鈥淲别鈥檙e听not going to pretend we know what听we鈥檙e听doing, so听we鈥檙e听going to get people who听do. We make听very good听beer and听we鈥檙e听going to stick to what we know.鈥�听

For Leah鈥疌heston,鈥痠t鈥檚鈥痑lso about being able to pivot.鈥�鈥�听

鈥淪ometimes it still feels like we鈥檙e surviving the pandemic,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou just keep going.鈥濃��鈥�听

She鈥痵aid she鈥痑nd her husband both worked in the restaurant industry鈥痑nd started Right Proper because they saw a need for more places in D.C. where you could get a relaxed, comfortable environment and good affordable food.鈥�鈥�听

Over the years, she learned it鈥痙oesn鈥檛鈥痭ecessarily get easier.听听

鈥淭here鈥檚 no destination really,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou just get better at flexing.鈥濃��听

Like her husband, Leah鈥疌heston鈥痚xpressed excitement about becoming a part of the鈥疎ckington鈥痗ommunity.鈥�鈥�听

鈥淲别 identified鈥疎ckington鈥痑s a place that needed more amenities,鈥� she said.鈥��听

The 5,500 square foot location will seat 180, and will feature a full kitchen, but smaller brewing capacity. While there will unfortunately be no brew cat because of the restaurant,鈥痵he said鈥痶he kitchen is sure to be its own draw.鈥�鈥�听

鈥淧eople forget we have really good food,鈥� Leah鈥疌heston鈥痵aid.鈥�鈥�听鈥�听

The new facility will be听located听at 1625鈥疎ckington鈥疨lace, NW.鈥��听

The post After 12 years, Right Proper is still getting it right first appeared on 最新蜜桃影像.

Howard’s Homecoming has been rapped about, referenced in popular media, and responsible for the of many stars in a wide range of industries. Attracting alumni, members of Greek-letter organizations, businesses, tourists, athletes, movie stars, and recording artists, the event is a major economic booster for the city.

But this year, what the event will look like is still unclear.

In August, President Donald Trump invoked emergency powers, allowing him to increase the number of federal law enforcement officers in the district and deploy the National Guard in an effort to reduce crime. Since then, the Guard’s initial 30-day orders have been extended through Dec. 3, and seven additional states have sent troops.

Federal agents from various agencies have conducted checkpoints and arrested individuals on the streets, sparking protests throughout the city. All of this, in addition to weak economic data and rising unemployment, has had a chilling effect on Howard alumni and local business owners, sources told 最新蜜桃影像.

Michael Vasquez, who lives in Maryland, is one of those alumni.

鈥淚 am currently undecided about attending homecoming,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he current political climate in the city makes me uneasy. With the recent threats directed at HBCUs, I worry that the university could become a potential target.鈥�

So far, Howard has not said it will change its regularly scheduled events for this year’s homecoming.

On campus this year, the university has been using numerous methods to help students feel safe, including the , the , and issuing a to the community in March, detailing how one should handle an encounter with ICE. While these efforts are aimed towards students, alumni are still expressing concerns.

鈥淚鈥檓 not going to be coming back to the area because of what the Trump administration is doing to D.C.,鈥� said Ahmeen Muhammad, an alumnus who lives in Houston. 鈥淏eing a military member, I have no problem with the National Guard being in D.C., but I’m not coming back to homecoming so I can feel like I’m outside of a [military] post again. I’d rather stay home and sit this one out.鈥�

Even without the addition of troops and federal agents, businesses, alumni, and residents say they are dealing with the reality of economic uncertainty as well.

Matt Fay is an advisory neighborhood commissioner on ANC 1B, the district covering Howard University, Ledroit Park, and the U Street Corridor, a popular business district nearby.

鈥淗onestly, I don’t know,鈥� he said when 最新蜜桃影像 asked how U Street businesses are preparing for the event.

鈥淭he additional presence of policing resources on U Street have definitely had an impact,鈥� Fay said. 鈥淎 lot fewer people are going out to eat, to bars and clubs. Business is down.鈥�

Others echoed that sentiment.

Carl Brown is the director of the Howard University Business Development Center. His clients, who are mostly small businesses in D.C., have said similar things.

鈥淓mployees sometimes don’t come to work because they hear ICE is in the area. People are not coming to the district to eat. It’s very disrupting,鈥� Brown said.

Those disruptions are being felt all over. Howard alumna Keya Stanford is a travel nurse from Georgia. The economic slowdown is forcing her to change her homecoming plans as well.

鈥淓conomy, economy, economy,鈥� Stanford said. 鈥淓ggs cost crazy money, and I don’t even eat eggs.鈥�

Brown said he has noticed the university is increasing campus police presence and security, as well as the Metropolitan Police Department driving through campus more frequently. MPD usually works with the university and the ANCs to create traffic management plans.

In years past, the month leading up to the event has been filled with unveilings of performance lineups, ambassadors, and party schedules. The website currently lists 18 scheduled events, information on sponsorship, and a vendor application.

Questions surrounding homecoming events are not uncommon. With so many changes happening in the district, however, some alumni are simply making other plans.

鈥淚 most likely will not be attending,鈥� said Howard Alumnus Tristen Neal. 鈥淚t has nothing to do with the presence of soldiers. Donny ain鈥檛 gonna stop me. I just have prior engagements.鈥�

Another alumna, who asked not to be named, said she will not be going to Homecoming because 鈥淚 was just there for my 10-year reunion last year and only plan to go for significant milestone class reunions.鈥�

The university did not respond to requests for comment.

The post Economic uncertainty, federal law enforcement surge loom over Howard鈥檚 101st Homecoming first appeared on 最新蜜桃影像.

Although they鈥檙e two neighborhoods with significant LGBTQ+ populations, voters shared with 最新蜜桃影像 that the social issues they鈥檙e focused on this election season include the economy, abortion, democracy, climate change and marijuana legalization.

鈥淚 have friends who are like, 鈥業f Trump wins, then [gay] marriage will go away, and we鈥檒l be stuffed back into the closet,鈥欌�� said Joseph Schroder, who wrote in his vote for president at the Shaw polling place. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think that鈥檚 actually true.鈥�

On the other hand, Clifton Hogan, who voted for Harris near Logan Circle, said he鈥檚 worried by Project 2025 ideologies as a gay man.

鈥淥bviously, gay marriage hasn鈥檛 been made illegal, but Roe v. Wade was decided precedent, but here we are two years later,鈥� Hogan said.听

The Shaw/Watha T. Daniel Library was a lively polling spot, with an outdoor line stretching the length of the building. The volunteer site coordinator, who did not share her name in fear of being perceived as representing the D.C. Board of Elections, said the voter turnout has been 鈥渙verwhelming in a good way.鈥�

The site coordinator said she’s seen a diverse and enthusiastic flock of voters, many of whom registered to vote on the spot. She said this contributed to the long wait times and line, which moved to the shaded side of the library around lunchtime after voters complained of baking in the heat.

People running for office, including Brooke Pinto for D.C. Council and Nicole Shea for Shaw鈥檚 Advisory Neighborhood Commission, were also outside the library with their teams campaigning and talking to voters.

Outside the library, Schroeder said he鈥檚 focused on the economy, federal debt, and the way the country budgets, which are top-of-mind issues. While his identity as a gay man changes how he culturally views things, he wrote in a candidate because his views don’t align with Kamala Harris nor Donald Trump.

鈥淚鈥檓 in D.C., so I feel like I have the privilege of being able to [say] my vote doesn鈥檛 matter,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f I was in Pennsylvania or something, I would have to make a real choice and probably vote for [Harris], but at the moment, I鈥檓 sort of casting a protest vote.鈥�

D.C. is notorious for voting blue in each election. In 2020, in the District voted for Joe Biden.

Fifteenth Street Presbyterian Church near Logan Circle had a less lively outdoor crowd. Still, voters reported that the printed ballot system was out of order, so everyone was required to vote digitally. One man walked out of the polling place shortly after entering, declaring to passersby that the indoor line was too long for him to wait in during a break between food deliveries.

Jacynta Smith, registered to vote in North Carolina, said she鈥檚 focused on bodily autonomy and is hopeful as her home state is a swing state.

She was found outside the Fifteenth Street Presbyterian Church waiting for Corey Littman while he voted. Littman鈥檚 priorities are abortion, climate change and marijuana legalization.

Regarding LGBTQ+ issues: 鈥淚鈥檓 not personally in that community, but I do want them to have the protections everybody deserves,鈥� Littman said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not my highest priority, personally, but I do think it鈥檚 important.鈥�

Emily Menge voted for Harris at the Logan Circle polling place, prioritizing women鈥檚 rights and democracy.

鈥淒.C. is dramatically [Democrat], so I don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 shocking that most of these people are voting for her,鈥� Menge said. 鈥淲ithout D.C. statehood, it … doesn鈥檛 make you feel great about your vote.鈥�

James Ashton, who was chanting 鈥淭rump, Trump, Trump鈥� under his breath as he exited the Shaw Library polling location, said he voted Republican due to the economy and border issues.

David Lublin, department chair and professor of government at American University, said he hasn鈥檛 seen many people say LGBTQ+ rights are a number one priority for voters in this election.听

鈥淚n particular, I鈥檝e seen this election as a battle of whether abortion or immigration is the most important issue,鈥� Lublin said.

Lublin said transgender issues have been a discussion point for some Republicans, mainly due to gendered sports and restrooms, but 鈥渢he lack of discussion of same-sex marriage and related questions I think show to what an extent that it鈥檚 no longer really a debatable proposition in the U.S.”

The polls will close at 8 p.m. In the Shaw neighborhood, Kamala Harris will tonight at Howard University.

The post Logan Circle and Shaw: Voter priorities and what we saw on Election Day first appeared on 最新蜜桃影像.

Libraries have played a key role in providing access to reading materials that are educational, diverse and creative. Not only do they allow the general public to freely borrow books, but most libraries feature fun community events and educational programs that provide opportunities to learn important life skills. With book banning rising throughout the nation, local libraries are having to support their communities even more with their resources.听

According to a July 2021-June 2022 study done by the free speech advocacy group, Pen America, there have been around 2,532 instances of individual books being banned. In the first eight months of 2022 alone, the American Library Association has recorded 1,651 unique titles that were challenged. This is already an increase from the previous year, marking it as the highest number of banned books tracked since the last twenty years. The majority of the banned books are written by or tell diverse stories and have been the target of multiple groups since 2021.听

At the end of 2021, the ALA recorded the top five most challenged and banned books in libraries, schools and universities. On their list, the first three books, Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe, Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison, and All Boys Aren鈥檛 Blue by George M. Johnson were predominately targeted for 鈥淟GBTQIA+ content, and because it was considered to have sexually explicit images.鈥� The reasons for the fourth book, Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Perez, was due to depictions of abuse and the last book, The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas was banned for violence, anti-police messaging and indoctrination of a social agenda.听

George Williams, the media relations manager for the D.C. Public Library, said one of the ways the local libraries show support is by participating in Banned Books Week, an event that celebrates literary freedom. Libraries nationwide can participate听in Banned Books Week as they share and promote stories with readers.

Most of the programs that are offered in the D.C. Public Libraries are designed to instill community camaraderie and a love for reading that goes beyond banned books. Williams pointed out some of the resources at the Watha T. Daniel/Shaw location that do this include access to computers and wi-fi, study rooms and a supply of multiple books, audiobooks and movies. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Watha T. Daniel/Shaw library was able to offer contactless book pickups and provided COVID tests to听those who needed them.

鈥淚t鈥檚 important to note,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淎 library is relevant and important even if it doesn鈥檛 offer programming.鈥澨�

Williams said that a priority of the Watha T. Daniel/Shaw library is to teach literacy at a young age. Events such as the two-year running Evil Laugh contest, the Dinosaur Roaring contest and librarian-led story times are a few of the many ways librarians make books appealing to children. Early literacy, according to Williams, helps children progress in their education while also helping them realize that reading can be for pleasure.

President of the American Library Association, Lessa Peyalo Lozada, agrees that encouraging literacy for all ages is important. Lozada said that literacy at a young age is also 鈥渇oundational to a productive & democratic society,鈥� and should be encouraged.

鈥淟iteracy and learning labs are common, but not as common as we would like them,鈥� Lozada said about the services that provide educational opportunities for the public.

According to Lozada, the libraries prevalent today have grown community hubs that offer services and resources when people need them. Libraries encourage people to learn about essential life skills, while also allowing them to have hard conversations, such as discussing banned books.

Lozada described the process of getting a book banned. It starts when an organized individual challenges a book, either in a school or public library. While each library is different, the overall process is similar in that the challenged book will be read and reviewed by either librarians or a board of trustees before making a decision.听

Lozada said that she鈥檚 noticed most of the challenged books are LGBTQ stories and stories written by people of color. She said that she finds banning books to be a disservice to the community as a whole because it silences diverse books and doesn鈥檛 give all people the chance to tell their stories.

鈥淭he most important thing is for folks to recognize that the library is for everyone,鈥� Lozada said. 鈥淚f you don鈥檛 see yourself in the library, your library workers are there to listen and make you feel seen.鈥�

The post Libraries and their role in preventing book banning first appeared on 最新蜜桃影像.

Organized in tandem with , an organization that empowers local artists, and Shaw Main Streets, an organization supporting local Shaw businesses, the art market will return for its final day on Dec. 18 at 625 T St. NW.

The market is an off shoot of Art All Night D.C., an art festival that celebrates visual and performing arts throughout the District.

Stop by to see and shop. 625 T Street, NW (across from ). Open 11 AM-5PM, every Saturday and Sunday through 12/19/21.

鈥� Shaw Main Streets (@shawmainstreets)

Tia Kane, a member of Artbox DC and organizer of the event, is looking forward to providing a return to norm with COVID vaccines now readily available and people more open to in-person events.

鈥淚n the winter months we鈥檙e not out as much, so I鈥檓 really happy that we鈥檙e able to provide an experience at the close of the year that will provide a dynamic experience for the Shaw community,鈥� Kane said.

Kane said Artbox D.C. has had trouble securing artists for some weekends this year, forcing a cancellation of the market on Dec. 11. But Kane expects there will be a plethora of artists at the final weekend, this Saturday, with shoppers eager to get those last-minute gifts.

Alex Padro, head member of Shaw Main Streets, said the local market has been ongoing since 2014, allowing neighbors to stop by and purchase one-of-a-kind pieces from local artists as holiday gifts.

When the pandemic struck, the market went virtual in 2020. Artists were still able to sell their work, but not as much as they would have liked.

With the market returning to in-person shopping, local artist Heda Rose, an expressionist painter, is excited not only for the economic opportunity, but also to engage with her customers directly.

鈥淚 missed the interactions, the discussions, seeing the effect that the art has on people,鈥� Rose said.

Heda Rose finds engaging with others in-person over her art to be a more wholesome experience because she can observe the reactions and thoughts of people who view her art.

Calisma Asafor Atowo, another local artist, is also looking forward to the market for a similar reason. Atowo believes the market creates an opportunity for people to get to know and meet the artist and experience their work.

鈥淚t speaks more to people when they can be a part of something physically. It’s that feeling of just seeing someone and saying, 鈥榳ow I love what you’re doing, and I want to support you,鈥欌�� Atowo said.

Though artists are optimistic, they鈥檝e also faced stocking issues. Kane said group artists that create murals have struggled to get paint for their projects.

To meet consumer demand in the wake of supply shortages, Rose has shifted to creating apparel and merchandise for her artwork. Though Rose continues to paint, the low cost and availability of apparel makes selling wearable art a more favorable option.

鈥淧eople also like art they can wear,鈥� Rose said.

Overall, Padro believes the market, which he expects will be bustling this weekend, will create a great opportunity for artists and customers alike.

鈥淣eighborhood businesses always like things that bring in additional foot traffic to their blocks. Folks also always enjoy finding unique one-of-a-kind gifts for their family and friends,鈥� Padro said.

鈥淭his is one of those opportunities to find something they can’t get anywhere else.鈥�

The post Shaw Holiday Art Market returns for in-person shopping first appeared on 最新蜜桃影像.

Omicron has now been , with three cases identified in the greater Washington area of Maryland. No positive cases of Omicron have yet been identified in the District.

DC Mayor Muriel Bowser dropped the District鈥檚 mask mandate earlier in November 鈥� one week before the World Health Organization recognized Omicron as a variant of concern. This week, news of Omicron creeping closer to D.C., combined with an due to COVID-19 this past month, has now prompted the mayor鈥檚 office to re-issue an indoor mask 鈥榬ecommendation.鈥�

According to the CDC, the COVID-19 Omicron variant than the orginial COVID-19 virus, although more research is needed to understand if Omicron will cause more severe illness. While vaccines are expected to protect people from high risk side effects, hospitalization, and death, are expected to occur.

In the wake of Omicron, restaurants enforce mask wearing

最新蜜桃影像 spoke with representatives from Busboys and Poets, Alero, Ben鈥檚 Chili Bowl, and The Smith about how restaurants are grappling news of the new variant, and the new D.C. mask 鈥榬ecommendation鈥�.听

As for the reason that D.C. doesn鈥檛 have a mask mandate right now 鈥� 鈥淚 don鈥檛 really know why,鈥� said Al Em, the manager of Busboys and Poets on 14th St. NW.听

In the wake of Omicron, Em said Busboys and Poets is taking mask-wearing seriously, regardless of whether there鈥檚 a mandate to wear a mask indoors. To get booked into the rota, all employees are required to wear a mask on their nose and mouth at all times and also receive complete dosages of the COVID-19 vaccine.

鈥淲别鈥檙e just doing our part though,鈥� said Em. For a company with more than 100 employees spread across its chain, 鈥渨e are one of the few companies that does not have a lot of cases. As far as I know, there鈥檚 been no COVID exposed within Busboys and Poets.鈥�

One block east of Busboys and Poets, upbeat music and colorful banners signal U St.鈥檚 popular Mexican restaurant Alero. Manager of Alero Julieta Hernandez said that the mayor鈥檚 mixed messaging as to whether or not masks should be worn places a safety stressor on restaurant staff.听听

鈥淧ersonally, I鈥檓 more worried because we don鈥檛 know what鈥檚 going to happen with Omicron, so it can be more difficult now,鈥� said Hernandez.

With the inevitable first Omicron case awaiting D.C., Hernandez said decisive measures would put the Alero staff more at ease. 鈥淔or me, I鈥檇 prefer it to be mandatory mask,鈥� she said.听

Safety as a priority 鈥� 鈥楾hank you for your cooperation!鈥�

Ruth Palacios, a hostess from U St. restaurant The Smith, reiterated this sentiment. Even though the D.C. law is not requiring patrons to wear a mask, The Smith is self-enforcing a mask mandate for all people who enter the restaurant.听

At The Smith, 鈥淲别 always are supposed to have safety as a priority 鈥� safety to our customers, because we don鈥檛 want any customer to get sick,鈥� said Palacios.听

Outside of the District鈥檚 famous Ben鈥檚 Chili Bowl, a piece of paper triple-taped to the glass door reads: 鈥楳asks must be worn inside at all times unless you are seated dining. Thank you for your cooperation!鈥�

Owner and Manager of Ben鈥檚 Chili Bowl Vida Ali said that while the pandemic was difficult for business, first and foremost, her priority was to protect the safety of the restaurant鈥檚 team members and their guests.听

鈥淲别 definitely still ask the team to wear a mask, and we ask the guests to wear a mask,鈥� Ali said.听

It鈥檚 no surprise that the mayor鈥檚 guidelines have changed over time correlating with varying incidence rates of COVID-19, said Ali. But, regardless of the COVID-19 status in the city and messaging from the D.C. Department of Health, the restaurants鈥� philosophy for Omicron has definitively stayed the same as before 鈥� masks required.听

鈥淚t鈥檚 just making everyone as comfortable and as safe as possible,鈥� she said.听

The post How U Street restaurants are preparing for Omicron in DC first appeared on 最新蜜桃影像.

Speaking with 最新蜜桃影像, Ali explained the necessity for DC NAACP to defend Barry and Hopkinson, two vocal proponents of arts funding redistribution whose re-appointments to the DCCAH were initially blocked by the D.C. Council two weeks ago.

鈥淚t was important that we fought for them because we cannot set precedent of silencing strong voices who fight for resource equity,鈥� Ali said.

In the midst of D.C. Council鈥檚 attempt to block Barry and Hopkinson from re-confirmation, Ali said the DC NAACP would continue advocating for strong Black voices.

鈥淵ou need people at the table who are going to fight for resources because resources and money are really what impacts the economic foundation that changes the structure of our society and community, she said.

Council鈥檚 initial move to block Barry and Hopkinson generated disapproval

The controversial move to block the Commissioners sparked disapproval from councilmembers and activists alike. Shortly after the blockage, emergency legislation was introduced and passed by 11 councilmembers to approve the re-nominations of Hopkinson and Barry. D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson was the sole dissident of this emergency legislation.

Ali explained that Hopkinson鈥檚 and Barry鈥檚 advocacy upset larger organizations whose funding was diverted to local artists and smaller arts organizations. Subsequent against Barry鈥檚 integrity, and the Council Chair鈥檚 accusation that the pair are 鈥渃ontroversial and polarizing鈥� members of the commission, led to the blockage of their nominations 鈥� and that鈥檚 when the NAACP stepped in.

Let me tell you what I don鈥檛 want to see on my Monday morning (or any day for that matter) – Chairman Mendelson鈥檚 staff attacking an accomplished Black woman with a PhD, calling her a liar, and insulting her ability to do math.

鈥� Alison Horn (@Alison6B09)

Ali emphasized the importance of the pair鈥檚 tenure on the DCCAH. Over the two years that the pair served on the commission, Barry and Hopkinson 鈥渨ere two of the most fierce and outspoken fighters for resource equity, and racial equity in the distribution of funds on the commission,鈥� Ali explained.

The DCCAH currently allocates over to the District鈥檚 arts initiatives. Barry and Hopkinson identified considerable inequities in how the funding was distributed across D.C.鈥檚 eight wards, she said.

The commissioner鈥檚 advocacy work on the DCCAH helped to ignite the development of the Task Force on Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging. In 2020, this committee identified that enhance how the DCCAH can equitably distribute resources across D.C.鈥檚 art community, whether by location, or the size of the organization.

Promoting equity and inclusion in the District鈥檚 art community

DCCAH Chief of Staff Jeffrey Scott described implementing one of the recommendations proposed by the equity task force.

The Commission is acting more intentionally to collect the demographic data on the communities and the populations that the organization serves, said Scott. Early in 2021, the Commissioners decided to behind the general operating grants to allocate smaller and midsize organizations a large proportion of funding.

This move allows the DCCAH to 鈥渉ave a better sense of where the dollars are going, and what sort of impact they’re having,鈥� he said.

In response to the controversy, D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson took to Facebook for weekly live broadcast to discuss the imbalance in arts funding in the District. Mendelson deflected responsibility to the DCCAH, which distributes grants among applicants.

鈥淭here was until repealed, a set aside for the large arts organizations, but other than that, decisions on grant-making are entirely with the arts commission, and still are with the arts commission.鈥�

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The 2021 redistricting process has been ongoing this fall, with redistricting subcommittee chair Elissa Silverman holding several roundtable discussions with community members from across the District. Much of the discussion has centered around Ward 6 losing population and Wards 8 and 7 gaining population as the wards are rebalanced, but there has also been a focus on Shaw.

Three released on Nov. 1 show that three Shaw census tracts originally moved from Ward 2 to Ward 6 in 2011 would likely rejoin Ward 2 and the remainder of the neighborhood after redistricting.

Sam Rosen-Amy, chief of staff for Silverman, said redistricting Shaw into Ward 2 would align with the principles that D.C. Council is following for redistricting 鈥� cohesion and compactness. Cohesion would mean keeping census tracts together within ward boundaries and compactness would mean creating wards that don鈥檛 look gerrymandered.

Rosen-Amy said redistricting the Ward 6 鈥渟tovepipe鈥� would fulfill the principle of cohesion, as part of the Shaw neighborhood still remains in Ward 2. The stovepipe is a colloquial term used to describe the portion of the Shaw neighborhood moved to Ward 6 in 2011.

鈥淚t makes sense that we would look at trying to rejoin it with the rest of the Shaw community and the neighborhoods to the west, which it identifies more with,鈥� Rosen-Amy said.

Rosen-Amy also said redistricting Shaw to Ward 2 would fulfill the principle of compactness, as the removal of the stovepipe creates an area that is less gerrymandered.

Moving most of Shaw back to Ward 2 would reunify the neighborhood, returning the neighborhood to how it once was in the 2000s. For Alex Padro, a longtime representative for the neighborhood, it would be a beneficial reunion, but would also cause some degree of disorientation.

鈥淚t would sort of be like 鈥楤ack To The Future鈥�,鈥� Alex Padro said jokingly.

Alex Padro served as an advisory neighborhood council member in Shaw for 20 years and has deep ties to the neighborhood. Padro was around when Shaw was redistricted in 2011, when the neighborhood was separated and moved to Ward 6 to reduce Ward 2鈥檚 excess population.

For Padro, the neighborhood鈥檚 reunification would make things easier in that neighborhood projects could be streamlined more easily, but it could also leave other Shaw neighbors disoriented in terms of representation. Here鈥檚 what that would mean specifically.

Communication and ANC collaboration would improve

According to Padro, by bringing Shaw back to Ward 2, decision making, collaboration, community interaction and application of policies would become easier within the community.

Shaw is currently intersected by multiple wards, which Padro said has made community and local legislative processes more complicated than they need to be.

鈥淲hat鈥檚 difficult about having multiple wards intersect with a single area, is that you have three different wards and three different ANC鈥橲 interacting. That makes local decision making, community interaction between government agencies, and consistency with policy application very difficult,鈥� Padro said.

Padro provided an example of where a legislative process became difficult. For the, Padro said three council members and ANC representatives from three different wards all ended up pining on the stretch of 9th Street NW that serves as a dividing line for Wards 1, 2 and 6.

鈥淚t just becomes very cumbersome because agencies only have to deal with one council, one ANC and maybe one civic association. If you multiply that by three, that manifests problems in terms of gaining a consensus and outreach,鈥� Padro said.

Padro said returning the neighborhood to Ward 2 would make finding a consensus on projects easier and more streamlined.

Parking would become cohesive again鈥揵ut could change later on

According to Padro, many people in Shaw still have Ward 2 parking privileges despite being in Ward 6. Moving the Shaw stovepipe back to Ward 2 would align their parking designation with their Ward designation.

introduced by Councilmember Christina Henderson could change how Residential Parking Permits work though. The tentative legislation would create smaller RPP zones tied to ANC boundaries instead of wards.

Amanda Farnan, a communication representative for Henderson, said this would allow people to park long term more easily in the area where they live.

鈥淚t also incentivizes people to walk or take the metro to places outside of their ANC in their ward while also allowing residents to park anywhere for under two hours,鈥� Farnan said.

Farnan said ward parking boundaries will freeze temporarily after redistricting. Farnan added that the legislation will likely be implemented next year after redistricting and ANC boundaries are worked out.

Representation would change

Padro said most Shaw members support the potential transition back into Ward 2, but there are still those who would be frustrated by the move.

ANC 6EO2 Representative Alex Lopez is against the potential move because it would again create a situation where Shaw residents are represented by a council member they didn鈥檛 vote for.

鈥淚t affects relationship building and constituency building within districts or wards. It will take time to reestablish a new relationship with the new councilmember.鈥� Lopez said.

Other representatives like Farnan said the reunification would actually consolidate voting power for the neighborhood because it would be able to elect one councilmember to represent the neighborhood as a whole.

鈥淣eighbors could consolidate their vote, collectively advocate for things specific to their neighborhood and vote for one councilmember that could represent their views. I would say that鈥檚 allowing them to utilize their collective power,鈥� Farnan said.

Shaw would likely maintain its mercurial nature of shifting between wards

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The U St. Corridor and 14th St. are home to Hamiltonian Artists, Transformer, and Foundry Gallery 鈥� modernist spaces that dissolve the barrier to entry for emerging artists. In comparison to the blue-chip galleries commonly found in New York, these organizations place a greater emphasis on promoting the work of local artists.听听

The Hamiltonian鈥檚 core focus is to engage the D.C. community with artists based in the region, with lesser importance placed on the market and financials, said Hamiltonian听Administrator Jonathan Bella. While government support for local galleries certainly exists in D.C., barriers to financing are pervasive, he said.

鈥淚t’s strange because D.C. has some of the best museums in the world 鈥� the whole Smithsonian Institution the Hirshhorn Museum, the National Gallery of Art 鈥� all of these institutions in D.C., and then you have local spaces that are struggling.鈥�

This past year, the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (CAH) pledged to redistribute funds through its grant program to the District鈥檚 more intimate art spaces to promote inclusivity in the art world. In August, the CAH granted out of its $16.5 million budget to a greater proportion of smaller art groups in D.C., 最新蜜桃影像ington Post reported.听

The Foundry Gallery has taken full advantage of CAH鈥檚 grant program. Foundry鈥檚 show Moment of Interrogation wrapped up on Sunday, and member Gregory O鈥橦anlon views CAH鈥檚 grants as a pivotal financial addition that enables the gallery to host experiential art in a post-pandemic environment.

O鈥橦anlon contends that the CAH has been supportive of Foundry and smaller gallery spaces in the District.听鈥�The pandemic funding was more widespread and to a broader range of art spaces than prior,鈥� he says.

During the height of the pandemic, exhibition space听Transformer took an innovative approach to assist local artists from the financial sticker shock that rippled across the art industry in 2020. The gallery held an auction to support local artists in D.C.; the funds collected were then released to artists in the form of $500 grants.

MichaelAngelo Rodriguez is a District-based multimedia artist and photographer who applied for the grant. Rodriguez鈥檚 first solo exhibition 鈥� Otro Tiempo 鈥� closed at Transformer last week. Produced over a four-year period, the show features a tranquil amalgam of photo and video work taken from the perspective of a car.听

Each piece in Otro Tiempo captures a unique depth of feeling experienced during a single moment in time. This nostalgia is particularly emphasized in听鈥�The Sky Through the Trees,鈥� a multimedia piece that glides through a continuous foreground of leaves and filtered sunlight.听Rodriguez views this work as the anchor piece of the exhibition because 鈥�there’s something so soothing and really meditative about passing through the trees.鈥�

Group-show Empirical Evidence, housed at the Hamiltonian Gallery on U St., channels similar themes to Rodriguez鈥檚 work, except with a more climate-oriented angle. The exhibition calls for a communal response to the humans’ interaction with the environment, Bella said.听

The diverse perspectives brought to Empirical Evidence demonstrate how individual thought, in collective space, can challenge living systems. In the exhibition, post-pandemic human interaction and individual relationships with the environment are presented in painting, sculpture, video, illustration and screen printing. Ultimately, the show听points towards the artists鈥� conceptualization of nature, climate change, and life forms not typically perceptible in everyday lives.听

Moment of Interrogation is the pandemic brainchild of D.C. artist Courtney Adair Applequist, whose study of breath as a meditative and cathartic practice bore a collection of work that reflects her mulled contemplations with 听the ‘-isms’ of society 听鈥� sexism, colonialism, and consumerism. Adair Applequist’s relationship with these constructs resulted in a series of paintings, illustrations, and prints that challenge her self-perceptions as an artist creating work in the age of COVID-19.

Collectively, the works presented in Otro Tiempo, Empirical Evidence, and Moment of Interrogation conceptualize what it means to live in a post-pandemic atmosphere, emphasize the ever-changing essence of human connection, and call for a moment to pause and reflect.听

最新蜜桃影像 reached out to CAH to hear more about funding opportunities for local artists creating in the DMV, but never heard back. From their website, the CAH offered for individuals and not-for-profit organizations to apply to this year, all of which are currently filled.听

On a final note, Bella said that while the CAH funding programs are immensely useful to artists and non-profit organizations alike, the grants that the CAH offers are oftentimes correlated with wealth and education. In response to this problem, Hamiltonian Artists has begun offering workshops that aid local artists during the grant application processes, helping artists see their work to fruition.听

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Student protesters said they have experienced health conditions such as asthma from mold and fungal growth in the university鈥檚 dorms.听

鈥淪tudents have been in the hospital with strep throat and asthma they鈥檝e never had before that鈥檚 been caused by the mold in the dorms,鈥� said one freshman protester, who preferred to remain anonymous out of fear of getting expelled from the University.听听

Vice President of Student Affairs Cynthia Evers wrote in an email to students that they could face academic expulsion if they continue to occupy the university鈥檚 space, according to . Students also fear police aggression.

 

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The HU freshman added that students have been coughing up blood from the conditions and that there are rats and roaches in university buildings.

The students are demanding three actions from the university: An in-person town hall with President Wayne Frederick, a reinstatement of students and alumni on the board of trustees and a meeting between the president, the chairman of the board and student representatives to discuss housing conditions.听

Student protesters said they won鈥檛 leave the Blackburn University Center until all of their demands have been met.听

The board of trustees voted back in to transition out current students, alumni and faculty representatives from the board so that it can 鈥渆xpand mechanisms across the university to provide broad input from key university stakeholders,鈥� according to the university鈥檚 website.

Students are now also asking for academic immunity because of the threats of expulsion they have received. According to the, the campus paper, Frederick said he did not have the power to grant exemptions to those occupying the Blackburn Center.

Frederick agreed to the third demand regarding the meeting over housing. The Hilltop also reported that there was a town hall on Oct. 25 with the Student Life Committee Board that discussed the affiliate positions of the board.

Frank Tramble, vice president of communications for the university, said the university is working to address the housing issues students are facing with Corvias, the university鈥檚 partner that manages its property.

鈥淲别 are going door to door and ensuring that maintenance happens. We are also following up with our third-party partner Corvias to make sure that they are doing their work,鈥� Tramble said.

Tramble added in an email that the university has 38 reports of concerns related to discoloration or suspected fungal growth across more than 5,050 beds. He said students have been placed in temporary housing as the university works to address the issues.

Tramble said the university is at 94% occupancy and has hundreds of beds available in response to student claims of homelessness.

But student protesters don鈥檛 agree. Protesters said the remaining housing for underclassmen is either used for COVID-19 quarantine space or is unlivable because of mold.

Public figures are also supporting the protest over housing. Janeese Lewis George, Ward 4 council member, visited student protesters last Wednesday supporting their grievances of gentrification and quality of housing.

鈥淭he students鈥� struggle for proper housing parallels the issues of displacement and gentrification that black families face across D.C.鈥� spokesperson for George said.

Tramble said via email the university encourages any student experiencing housing issues to the office of residence life and university housing for assistance. Tramble added university officials will assist with securing housing and make their food pantry on campus available for students who are food insecure.听

Students say they will continue to protest until all of their demands have been met. They say the protest is not just for themselves, but also for future students.

鈥淗ow many more years of this before people stop coming to Howard U?,鈥� said another student, who also wished to remain anonymous. 鈥淲别 want things to be better for future bison.鈥�

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