Members and allies of the District’s LGBTQ community will flock to the 14th and U street corridors this weekend for an annual celebration of queer literature.
The OutWrite Book Festival returns to the D.C. Center (2000 14th St. NW) for its sixth year on Aug. 5-7.
“This year, we have more than 60 different authors and panelists who are participating throughout the festival,” said OutWrite co-chair Dave Ring.
The free event will kick off Friday night with the launch of a new book, “Love Unites Us: Winning the Freedom To Marry in America.” The book chronicles some of the people behind Obergefell v. Hoges, the landmark Supreme Court case that gave same-sex couples the right to marry in the U.S.
“After the readings with the contributors to the book, we are having a panel with a diverse group of community members and looking at the what direction queer activism has gone in since the wake of marriage equality hearing,” Ring said.
Jim Obergefell, the main plaintiff from that case, is expected attend Friday’s reading and panel discussion, Ring added.
On Saturday, about 30 LGBTQ authors and exhibitors will sell books inside the center, Ring said. Other events planned for that day include workshops, open mic events, discussions and book readings, including a presentation by Dicción Queer, a Latino queer bilingual writing group.
The festival will wrap up Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.with additional workshops that cover topics like “working with agents to applying a queer lens to afro futurism,” Ring said.
Photo courtesy of OutWrite Festival
The DC Stonewall Kickball League plays at Stead Park Field, 1625 P Street NW. (Luis Gomez Photos)
From Dan Segal. Email him at dsegalAT]borderstan.com and find him on Twitter @segaldg.
Following the annual Drag Kickball tournament and festivities during Capital Pride Week in June, our curiosity was piqued on how the Stonewall Kickball-DC League started. Stonewall sports leagues are LGBT friendly and while most team members across the country are LGBT, everyone is welcome. I talked to Martin Espinoza, one of the founders of DC Stonewall Kickball.
Segal: When did the league start?
Espinoza: Mark Gustafson and I began planning the league over the summer of 2010 and introduced the inaugural Sunday season of Stonewall Kickball in the fall of 2010. Our Sunday season started with six teams and 90 players and now has grown to 20 teams and more than 525 players. With this fast jump and high demand, we were able to most recently partner with DC Kickball, offering a Thursday night league now that has over 300 players and 12 teams currently.
Segal: What made you want to start this league?
Espinoza: Mark and I had played in other kickball leagues in DC and realized our teams wanted a less competitive, LGBT-friendly league that could better give back to the community. We had the perfect opportunity to create a new league where we could bring the people together and help raise money for local, LGBT non-profits. Looking for locations, we found Stead Park right off the 17th Street neighborhood [1625 P Street NW] and thought it would be a great fit. We knew we were onto something when JR’s and Cobalt were ready to sponsor and support our venture.
Segal: What separates you all from any of the other sports leagues/kickball leagues in the DC area?
Espinoza: The difference is, our main priority is FUN. We have created an environment for everyone to play, network and have a good time competitive or not. We also are the only social sports league in DC focused raising money for the community with more than $20,000 annually going to The DC Center for the LGBT community and other community-based organizations. The excitement and spirit of the league led us to create Stonewall Sports offering a range of sports with this same interest in FUN and charity. We now offer Stonewall Bocce and soon Dodgeball.
Segal: Funniest moment during/after a kickball game?
Espinoza: One of the funniest moments in kickball was the day a handful of players decided they would wear high heels to the game. Not only was this fun to watch, but also helped spur the idea of a drag kickball game. We later created the Stonewall Kickball DragBall as an annual Capital Pride event with real DC drag queens and Stonewall Kickball players dressed in drag. Last month, our second annual DragBall raised over $11,000 for The DC Center and for Capital Pride.
Segal: Best team name?
Espinoza: That is hard to say, we have so many from My Caucus Enormous, Sit On My Base to Pitches Be Crazy.
The March 20 Silent March to protest and recognize anti-LGBT violence made its way from Columbia Heights to Dupont Circle. The march grew from two assaults, including one at the IHOP restaurant in Columbia Heights. (Luis Gomez Photos). (Luis Gomez Photos)
From Rachel Nania. Check out her blog, Sear, Simmer & Stir. Follow Nania on Twitter @rnania, email her at rachel[AT]borderstan.com
Most people don’t know that DC has the highest rate of anti-LGBT violence in America – I sure didn’t. But sure enough, in 2011, DC had 91 bias-based crimes, a 33 percent increase from 2010.
That is why GLOV (Gays and Lesbians Opposing Violence) is hosting its first blogger night on Thursday, June 28 at 7 pm at the DC Center, 1318 U Street NW. By hosting this event, the local coalition hopes to help area bloggers and advocates educating neighbors, coworkers, friends and readers about the seriousness of the situation. GLOV also hopes to learn from local bloggers ways to spread the word so members of the community can stay safer and better informed.
Following the blogger night, GLOV will testify to the DC City Council at the Hate Crimes Hearing, making Thursday’s meeting the perfect time to get the conversation started.
GLOV is a local organization working to reduce violence against LGBT individuals through community outreach, education and monitoring cases to ensure that the rights and dignity of LGBT victims are respected and protected. GLOV assists victims of anti-LGBT violence by advocating on their behalf, encouraging reporting and providing a community of support.
Wine and light refreshments will be provided; for more information and to RSVP, please email [email protected].
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Sunday's 2012 Stonewall Drag Kickball at Stead park. Click above to see the photo album. (Luis Gomez Photos)
From Luis Gomez. Catch his photos on Picplz and at One Photograph A Day. Follow him on Twitter @LuisGomezPhotos.
View the photo album of Sunday’s Drag Kickball at Stead Park.
With a crowd of 500-plus people cheering the action, Stonewall Kickball held its second annual Drag Kickball festivities on Sunday at Stead Park Field on P Street NW. The winner was the Cobalt Division, beating the division from JR’s Bar & Grill by a score of 4-0. The event benefited The DC Center for the LGBT community and Capital Pride.
Sadly, the tug-of-war between competing teams of Stonewall Kickers was not part of this year’s festivities as it was in 2011.
The event was presented by JR’s and Cobalt. Sponsors of Sunday’s event included Bar Number Nine, Pizza No. 17, Town Dance Boutique, VIDA Fitness, Washington Hilton, Jimmy Kickit, Looks by Dorothy, Bukkicke, 21st Amendments, Sit On My Base, Whornets, Oprah’s Ball Club, Hotmess Kickers, Public Enemy and Harder, Faster.
Learn more about the DC Stonewall Kickball on their Facebook page and website. Their spring season is about to wrap up with the summer season getting underway shortly; Stonewall Kickball also has a fall season. For more information, email info[AT]stonewallkickball.org.
Borderstan.com is proud to be among the sponsors of Capital Pride 2012. Find an entire list of this year’s events, as well as details on each event, on Capital Pride’s website calendar.
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From Ashley Lusk. Check out Ashley’s blog Metropoetrylis and find her on Twitter at @arlusk. You can email her at [email protected].
Fact: The average person makes 24% of their annual donations between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, and despite a deep recession, charitable giving was up more than 3% in 2010 (Source: Charity Navigator).
Here at Borderstan we want to help you make the decision to give locally this year. That’s why we’re providing you with an easy way to make contributions to charities that provide support for our neighbors in Borderstan and DC. From health care to social services and the arts, philanthropies in our neighborhood make an impact on our community.
Consider adding one of these charities or organizations to your holiday list. Then ask friends and family to make a donation in your name. Or make a donation for someone else. If we missed an organization, please leave a comment with details!
Following are 14 programs, organizations, charities and schools you can support that provide important services to our community, in the following six categories: Help Those in Need, Local Schools, HIV/AIDS Support, Senior Citizens, LGBT Community and The Arts.
Help Those in Need
Bread for the City, 1525 7th Street NW. The mission of Bread for the City is to provide vulnerable residents of Washington, DC with comprehensive services, including food, clothing, legal and social services and medical care. This season for $28.85 you can provide a single low-income family with a complete holiday meal through the Holiday Helpings program. In addition to cash donations that sustain ongoing programs like the rooftop garden, you can customize your gift by contributing an item from the Bread for the City Wishlist. The list contains items needed for programs and clients and includes needed items like Adobe InDesign software, toaster ovens and gift cards to Walmart, CVS and Target.
Central Union Mission, 1350 R Street NW. Although this long time shelter just moved from its home on 14th Street NW, you can still support the mission this holiday season. In addition to cash donations through their website, you can provide presents for a needy child through Operation Christmas Miracle or even volunteer at their food depot or kitchen. The mission also offers you a chance to customize your donation by purchasing items needed for the residents through their Christmas Catalog — you choose if your dollars buy hygiene clothing, toys or even meals.
Charlie’s Place, 1830 Connecticut Avenue NW. In Northwest DC there can be the misconception that everyone is financially stable. But Charlie’s Place provides an important service for those people who are not. This non-denominational, anti-hunger, homeless ministry of St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church provides morning meal, case management, lunch go-go, HIV testing and counseling and clothing distribution. This holiday season and all year long donations can be made online through their Network for Good site.
Martha’s Table, 2114 14th Street NW. The vision for Martha’s Table is to find solutions to poverty in the short term with food and clothing programs, and in the long term by breaking the cycle of poverty with education and family strengthening programs. This season you can browse their holiday catalog for a customized gift in honor of a family member or friend. Choose from a variety of programs to support including debate classes, college preparation courses or wellness and nutrition activities. You can also make unrestricted cash gifts, donations of clothing or food, or contribute an item from the Martha’s Table Wishlist. If you’re looking for a bigger way to support Martha’s Table into the new year consider attending their Sips and Suppers events in early January where for $100 you have a chance to enjoy drinks with Jose Andres, Alice Waters and Joan Nathan.
N Street Village, 1333 N Street NW. Few people know that many of the homeless services in DC focus specifically on men. Services provided by N Street Village focus on empowerment and recovery for homeless and low-income women. They strive to address issues around income, housing, employment and health. To volunteer or make a donation, in-kind or financial, visit their donation site.
Local Schools
Garrison Elementary School, 1200 S Street NW. Garrison is the in-boundary school for most of Logan Circle and the U Street Corridor, serving more than 250 students from preschool through 5th Grade. The school also has three autism classrooms.You can support the Garrison PTA with a donation; make a check to Garrison PTA, 1200 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 (donations to Garrison PTA are not tax deductible at this time). You can also support the school by collecting Box Tops for Education, Labels for Education, linking your Safeway Card to Garrison and just by volunteering! Email [email protected] to join the email list or to get more information.
Ross Elementary School, 1730 R Street NW. There is something so meta about supporting an organization that supports other organizations and Ross Elementary School does just that. In addition to being a local school, through Ross Elementary PTA you can provide donations to Books for America, Children’s Hospital and Charlie’s Place. In addition, you can choose to make a donation to Ross’ programs by bringing your recyclable materials to the school, clipping box top for education labels or selecting Ross as the recipient of the school rewards programs at Giant, Safeway and Harris Teeter.
School for Friends, 2201 P Street NW. One of the ways you can contribute to the School for Friends (Quaker) is through their Fund for Friends Campaign. The fund provides financial aid to students, which allows the school to support their commitment to diversity. One of the great thing about SFF is the diversity of the families, all of varying economic, racial, ethnic and sexual orientation backgrounds. SFF is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.
HIV/AIDS Support
Whitman Walker Health, 1701 14th Street NW. If you ever needed to believe a small donation could mean a lot, Whitman Walker Health proves it: just $25 helps their health team distribute 50 safer sex kits. Make a donation to WWH this season and your dollars will go to provide high quality health services to individuals who face barriers to accessing care. You also have the opportunity to make a donation in honor or memory of someone, or even make the gift anonymously.
Senior Citizens
Dupont Circle Village, 9 Dupont Circle NW. It’s hard to imagine being inside most of the time when all of DC is just outside your door, but for many older resident of the District their world is what they see through their window. That’s why Dupont Village is dedicated to linking older residents to not only social/cultural activities, but to also provide health-related and reliable home-maintenance services. Consider serving as a volunteer to an elderly person in the community by agreeing to provide transportation to and from appointments or provide a pick-up after a medical procedure. Get started with the volunteer application on the Dupont Village site.
LGBT Community
The DC Center for the LGBT Community, 1318 U Street NW. The DC Center’s mission is to celebrate and support LGBT residents in the District, and based on the number of programs, activities and communities on their site, they are succeeding. Although the Center accepts cash donations throughout the year, you may want to consider buying a ticket to the Glamour, Glitter, Gold Oscar event held in February each year. Proceeds support the Center and you get to dress up for a fun night out.
Trevor Project, DC Ambassadors Committee. The Washington, DC Ambassadors Committee is group of volunteers dedicated to helping raise awareness of The Trevor Project‘s mission of ending suicide among LGBTQ youth. The committee works with schools in the DC area to reach out to kids directly and raise awareness of the issue, as well as raising support through volunteerism and fundraising, to help The Trevor Project carry on their life-saving efforts. In its first year, the local committee raised nearly $100,000 for the Trevor Project and engaged over 1,000 DC area supporters.
The Arts
Mid City Artists. The Mid City Artists is “a diverse and talented group of professional artists who have come together for the purpose of promoting their art and the Dupont/Logan neighborhoods of Washington DC that they call home. Twice each year, the private studios of select member artists are open for visitors. Discover painting, photography, sculpture, glass, mixed media, prints and much more.” With a current roster of 42 artists, you can support MCA’s general fund by sending a check to the organization’s treasurer: MCA, c/o Chuck Baxter, 914 Westminster Street NW, Washington, DC 20001. (Donations are not tax deductible.)
The Phillips Collection, 1600 21st Street NW. The artwork in the Phillips Collection is mighty in its scope — the museum features more than 3,000 works of art by Renoir, van Gogh, Picasso, Rothko, Diebenkorn, and other modern masters. Caring for so many historic pieces calls for community support and this holiday it’s easy to do that with a donation to the museum. You can become a member and gain reciprocal special admission at more than 300 partner museums. Unrestricted dollars are welcome, but you can also choose to dedicate your gift to the musical program or the onsite library and archives.
Borderstan: News from Dupont-Logan-U Street
On Friday, November 24, POP-UP VINTAGE is partnering with the DC Center for the LGBT Community for a “Buy Nothing New Day.”
- What: POP-UP VINTAGE: Black Friday Extravaganza
- When: Friday, November 25, noon to 5 pm
- Where: DC Center for the LGBT Community, 1318 U Street NW
What exactly is POP-UP VINTAGE? It’s best to lack them describe themselves in their own words:
“POP-UP VINTAGE is a monthly vintage clothing, art, books and houseware shop. POP-UP features a carefully curated selection of men’s and women’s clothing, including t-shirts, hoodies, jackets, dresses, pants and accessories. And some kick-ass Adidas lowtops. And pair of blue leather fuck-me boots. And high-heel cowboy boots.
“POP-UP has an extensive collection of framed art, including graphic prints, indie rock touring posters and vintage erotica. POP-UP has a selection of unique housewares at sub-Target prices. POP-UP sells books from the sixties with INSANELY trippy covers.”
You can still purchase tickets for the DC Center Fall Reception this Friday, September 30. The reception is 7 to 9 pm at the Sofitel Hotel, 15th and H Streets NW. Tickets are $75; $45 for seniors and students.
The DC Center is Washington’s center for the LGBT community and the annual event serves as a fundraiser and awards ceremony. This year’s honorees are Rick Rosendall, Sheila Alexander-Reid, Frank Kameny, Earline Budd.
The DC Center is at 1318 U Street NW.
Sunday at the Dupont Farmers’ Market: Venga has teamed up to help DC Central Kitchen with “Stuff the Bus.” The bus is at various food and restaurant locations through the 30th, collecting healthy foodstuffs and donations. From left: Lindsey Downen of Venga; Sarah von Pollaro; Alejandra Owens of Borderstan.com and One Bite At A Time; and Winston Lord, Venga founder and president. (Matty Rhoades)
From Mike Kohn. Email him at [email protected] or find him on Twitter @mike_kohn.
Wednesday: Stuff the Bus for DC Central Kitchen at Birch & Barley
There is still time to Stuff the Bus with healthy foodstuffs for DC Central Kitchen. DC’s largest food charity has teamed up with the restaurant app, Venga, to collect food and donations. DC Central Kitchen provides meals for the homeless from its downtown kitchen and headquarters. The bus will be at various food and restaurant locations around the city through Friday, September 30. One of the local stops is at Birch & Barley, 1337 14th Street NW this Wednesday from 5 to 7 pm. You can always donate online to DCCK if you can’t make it to the bus! Venga is a mobile app featuring exclusive offers from more than100 of DC’s top restaurants.
Change of Pace: Metro Makes Improvements
Yep, you read that right. First, the word from DCist is that everyone will now be able to make payment to your SmarTrip card from the comfort of your own home using the Internet. That’s been a long time coming. And then we saw from the Post that Metro is working “every night” to expand cell phone coverage in its busiest stations. I know I was going through severe withdrawal during my 15-minute metro ride, but no more!
You Don’t Have to Go Home, But You Can’t Stay Here
A couple of closings in the Borderstan ‘hood are rapidly approaching. First, news came from U Street Girl that Mid City Caffe will be closing this Saturday, October 1 (on my birthday, no less!). Mid City opted not to renew its lease, and it won’t be opening elsewhere. MetroWeekly also mentioned on Friday the closing of 1409 Playbill Cafe, blaming the upcoming development along the 14th Street NW corridor and rising rents. The owners do hope to find a new home in the Logan Circle area.
Dinner Time
A couple of LBGT organizations are having some big dinners across the next week — it must be a fall thing. The HRC National Dinner will be held next Saturday; it has been sold out for a while now, so hopefully you have your tickets already. If not, make sure you get your name on the wait list. On a more local level, the DC Center will be hosting its annual fall reception next Friday and there are tickets still available.
The LGBT DC Center is holding an informational session this evening, June 22, at 6 pm on how to help lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender youth who are in the foster care system in the D.C. metro area.
Tonight’s session focuses on how you can become a CASA — Court Appointed Special Advocate — for LGBT youth in the foster care system. CASAs are appointed by a DC Family Court Judge to represent the best interest of a foster care child.
Some of the duties of a CASA include:
- Appearing at court hearings to make recommendations to the Court
- Continuing contacts with child, family, social workers and others to monitor court orders
- The overall being a great mentor to the child.
Please RSVP by emailing [email protected]. The Center is at 1318 U Street NW.
Here are two more Monday events in the Borderstan area that are part of LGBT Capital Pride 2011:
On Monday, June 6, head to The DC Center at 1318 U Street NW for a panel discussion, Celebrating Queer People of Color: Activism, Leadership and Community. Time is 7 to 9 pm.
Women’s Spoken Word is Monday, June 6, at Indulj, 1208 U Street NW, from 7:30 to 9 pm. “Come celebrate the women of DC and express yourself through poems, monologues, songs, and more.”
For more information on LGBT Pride events in the Dupont-Logan-U Street area, check out June 1-12: Capital Pride Events in Borderstan Area. Get complete Capital Pride 2011 information on their website.
1300 block of U Street NW: Be ready for “Judgment Day May 21.” (Luis Gomez Photos)
From Michelle Lancaster. Tell me what I missed on Twitter @MichLancaster.
Shaw May Move to Ward 6
We all knew changes were in store after census results showed Ward 2 is too large. In order to maintain equal representation, the Council would have to redraw the maps. Moving Shaw is one suggestion, as we reported today. If it’s all too technical for you, we forgive you. It’s Friday, after all. Instead, play this awesome game from Greater Greater Washington and redistrict as you see fit!
Less Money, More Cars, No Problem?
Nothing gets D.C. residents all hot and bothered like parking restrictions. Those that have them should be quite pleased with the current tenor of the City Council, which is largely in opposition to graduated parking fees for a household’s second and third vehicles. They may also want to lower the price of parking meters and take them back to their old, shorter hours. Greater Greater Washington, however, is less thrilled with the tone of the debate that put car prices at a premium and other transportation issues on the backburner.
From Berrak Sarikaya
Wednesday is World AIDS Day and the 2010 theme is “Building on Success.” World AIDS Day is celebrated each year on Dec. 1 around the world. It has become one of the most recognized international health days as well as a key opportunity to raise awareness, commemorate those who have passed on, and celebrate victories such as increased access to treatment and prevention services.
Dec. 2 deadline: The D.C. HIV Prevention Community Planning Group (HPCPG), is looking for new members. The HPCPG is an all-volunteer group that works with the D.C. government each year to create a prevention plan to stop the spread of HIV in the District. Download the fact sheet and application.
According to the Whitman-Walter Clinic, there are more than 15,000 people living with AIDS in the Washington metropolitan area and tens of thousands more are estimated to be infected with the HIV virus.
Saturday morning at Vastu on 14th Street NW: Trainer Jonathan Ross launches his book, “Abs Revealed.” (Luis Gomez Photos)
From Berrak Sarikaya
Here’s an event a day, starting tonight through Saturday.
Wednesday, Nov. 17: Join 1905 for a Beaujolais Nouveau Party, a night of food and festivities including a $50 prix fixe, three-course French dinner (tax or gratuity not included). There are still reservations available for two-seatings: 7:00 and 7:30 p.m. Doors open to the public at 10 pm.
Thursday, Nov. 18: Loaves and Fishes, a local meal program serving low-income and homeless individuals in the Mount Pleasant and Columbia Heights communities, will be holding a fundraiser at Caramel from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Attendees will have the opportunity to bid on silent auction items and purchase the work of local artists and photographers throughout the space. No cost to attend.
Friday, Nov. 19: You’re invited to the opening reception for Bodyscapes, the Art of Bill Travis, at The DC Center for the LGBT Community from 6 to 8 p.m. The exhibit will be on display through Jan. 5, 2011.
Saturday, Nov. 20: Celebrate award-winning personal trainer, Jonathan Ross, and the launch of his new book, Abs Revealed, at Vastu. Chat with the author, enjoy a healthy bite to eat and get some great fitness tips from 9:30 to 11 am. Please RSVP to [email protected], and mention if you’d like to attend the fitness workshop.
