Mayor Bowser's African Heritage Month Proclamation
African Heritage Month Celebration
Courtesy of the Smithsonian
In commemoration of African Heritage Month, please join the Mayor’s Office on African Affairs and the Commission on African Affairs at the opening day of Artists' Book and Africa hosted by the National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, on September 16, 2015 from 2:00pm to 5:00pm.
The event will feature artists included in the new exhibition Artists’ Books and Africa who will share their experience on developing and producing artists’ books, their creative inspirations, and the recurring themes within their works. A tour of the exhibition will follow the discussion.
When: Wednesday, September 16, 2015 | 2:00pm - 5:00pm
Where: National Museum of African Art | 950 Independence Ave. SW | Washington, DC | 20560
Click here to learn more and RSVP
African Diaspora ConneXions Hour at the Smithsonian: A Celebration of African Heritage
Courtesy of the Smithsonian
In celebration of African Heritage Month, the Mayor’s Office on African Affairs invites you to participate in a special exhibition tour of the rich and dynamic African arts and artists whose work make up the collection of the National Museum of African Arts.
The African Diaspora ConneXions Hour will be an opportunity to meet the staff of the Smithsonian, the Mayor’s Office on African Affairs and members of the DC Commission on African Affairs, and to also experience the rich heritage of the African continent.
When: Friday, September 18, 2015 | 3:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Where: National Museum of African Art | 950 Independence Ave. SW | Washington, DC | 20560
This event is open to the public, but space is limited.
Click here to RSVP.
MOAA 6th Annual DC Africa Festival
Save the Date
When: Sunday, September 27, 2015 | 12:00 pm-6:00 pm
Where: Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center - Woodrow Wilson Plaza -
Closest Metro: Federal Triangle Metro Station (orange/blue lines)
RSVP Required: click here
Food Vendor Application: click here
Arts & Crafts Vendor Application: click here
Volunteer Application: click here
MOAPIA Action Forum
Members of Washington’s African community are invited to participate in a citywide forum sponsored by the Mayor’s Office of Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs (MOAPIA). The Mayor’s Office of African Affairs is a co-sponsor of this event and we encourage African community leaders and members attend and interact with members of the District’s Asian American community.
Participating District Government agencies and various ethnic and multi-cultural communities will explore solutions to shared challenges such as education, public safety, health care, housing, and economic empowerment.
When: Saturday, September 12, 2015 | 9:30 am- 2:30 pm
Where: Walter E. Washington Convention Center | West Salon G/H | 801 Mt. Vernon Place NW | Washington, DC | 20001
Click here to RSVP and learn more
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MOAA/GMU African Diaspora Demographic Survey
On behalf of the Mayor’s Office on African Affairs and the George Mason University, you are invited to participate in the African Diaspora Demographic Survey. The survey will address critical gaps in information and capture much needed demographic data such as age, employment, education, and language proficiency. The project will culminate in a jointly-issued research report with important policy recommendations and analyses of issues facing the African diaspora community, namely underemployment, cultural and linguistic language barriers, and lack of access to services.
Once completed, the survey will serve as a resource for researchers and as support for targeted outreach efforts of service providers and government agencies in connecting policy decisions with the needs of African immigrants communities in the Washington metropolitan area.
Please click here to complete the survey.
Thank you for your participation in this important project.
Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Mayor’s Office on African Affairs at 202.727.5634 or email us at oaa@dc.gov.
MOAA Fall Internships (September-December, 2015)
MOAA is accepting applications for Fall 2015! If you are interested in public service and working with African Diaspora communities in the District of Columbia, you are invited to submit an application. Bi-lingual (Amharic and French) interns are especially encouraged to apply. Internships are unpaid and require a minimum requirement of 32-hours per week.
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Be in the Know: Help OAA’s Facebook page get to 3,000 likes!
Like OAA’s Facebook page to help us get to 3,000 likes and we’ll help you stay connected! We have over 1,000 likes and we need your help to reach our new goal!
Also, follow us on Twitter!
OAA’s FACEBOOK PAGE HAS IT ALL!
Interested in being the first to hear about grant opportunities, business development services, DC government resources, networking events, and Africa-related news and events?
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Mayor Bowser Outlines Next Steps in Homelessness Plan and Calls on Residents to Sign Pledge
On Tuesday, September 1, 2015 Mayor Muriel Bowser, City Administrator Rashad Young, Director of DC Department of Human Services Laura Zeilinger, Executive Director of the Interagency Council on Homelessness Kristy Greenwalt and other Administration officials participated in a meeting with members of the District’s Interagency Council on Homelessness (ICH). During the meeting, Mayor Bowser announced a set of legislative and administrative measures to improve the District’s homelessness crisis response system for families and called on residents to sign a pledge to end homelessness.
“Far too many men, women, and children live on our streets and in our shelters,” said Mayor Bowser. “Ending homelessness in the District has to be a priority for all of us. We have a plan to make homelessness, rare, brief and non-recurring by 2020, and it’s on all of us to make that goal a reality. That’s why today, I’m asking residents to sign a pledge and commit to ending homelessness in the District.”
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Pledge to End Homelessness in DC
Mayor
Bowser asks you to join the effort to end homelessness in DC. Our entire
community must be a part of the solution. Every neighborhood, and every
resident, has a stake in ending homelessness.
Learn more
Please
join the Mayor’s Office on African Affairs in supporting the Mayor’s
initiative to end homelessness in DC by signing this pledge.
You
can take the pledge by visiting: http://dcforms.dc.gov/webform/pledge-end-homelessness-dc
Once
you have signed the pledge, please notify us by email at oaa@dc.gov
Click on flyer to learn more
Click on flyer to learn more
The Right Choice Campaign
On Friday, July 10, 2015, Mayor Muriel Bowser signed into law emergency legislation aimed at preventing the sale of synthetic drugs in the District of Columbia. The law authorizes the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA), and District government as a whole to take swifter and stronger action against businesses who sell these illegal products.
District business owners are encouraged to participate in the Mayor’s #WePledgeDC campaign by signing a pledge not to participate in the sale of any form of synthetic drugs. More than 150 businesses across the District have already signed the pledge promising that they will not sell synthetic drugs. Look for the sticker below in participating stores and businesses.
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Gbenga Sesan: Connecting a Million
As a school student Gbenga Sesan was denied access to the computer room at his Nigerian school and told he was not clever enough to operate one.Years later, Gbenga is an Information and Communications Technology (ICT) expert, who has won international awards and is running a successful consultancy business.
"When I think of my Nigeria, I think of potential and of real-life action. When I think of potential, I think of what could be, but is not. When I think of real-life action, I think of young people who literally take their future into their own hands and build something that they can be proud of and others can also be proud of."
The social entrepreneur is spreading his good fortune by teaching ICT and life skills to young adults in Nigeria's poorest neighborhoods.
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New Human-like Species Discovered in South Africa
The discovery of 15 partial skeletons is the largest single discovery of its type in Africa.The researchers claim that the discovery will change ideas about our human ancestors. The studies which have been published in the journal Elife also indicate that these individuals were capable of ritual behavior. The species, which has been named naledi, has been classified in the grouping, or genus,Homo, to which modern humans belong.
The researchers who made the find have not been able to find out how long ago these creatures lived - but the scientist who led the team, Prof Lee Berger, told BBC News that he believed they could be among the first of our kind (genus Homo) and could have lived in Africa up to three million years ago.
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Celebrating Africa: Share Your Photos and Stories
From September 7-13, 2015, Comment is Free is running a series of articles about Africa, moving away from the usual media scrutiny on extreme events and focusing instead on daily life.
Spanning north to south there are over one billion people living in Africa’s 55 countries, and the diverseness of the continent is highlighted by the thousands of languages spoken and myriad ethnicities represented.
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Great Streets Retail Small Business Reimbursement Grants
The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) invites the submission of applications for the Great Streets Retail Small Business Reimbursement Grants.
Eligibility: Business must be located within a Great Streets or H Street NE corridor, be a registered business in Good Standing, retain site control of the business property, provide proof that the business’ average annual revenue for the first three years “in business” does not exceed $1 million
Contact: LaToyia Hampton | dmpedgrants@dc.gov | 202.724.7648
Deadline: Monday, September 14, 2015
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DSLBD Monthly Small Business Visit
The DC Department of Small and Local Business Development is encouraging businesses to sign-up for its monthly visit schedule.
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Business Planning Process Seminar
The District of Columbia Small Business Development Center will be hosting a seminar that will explain the step by step process of creating a business plan from the marketing to financial side. Participants will be engaged in discussions surrounding the thought process behind each step as well as learn how to make a plan that best meets the needs of their business.
When: Thursday, October 8, 2015 | 6:30 pm-8:30 pm
Where: William O. Lockridge Library | 115 Atlantic Street SW | Washington, DC | 20032
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Phase Zero Program
The District’s Phase Zero program will provide funding to assist small businesses with their development of Federal Phase I SBIR/STTR proposals. Any District small business planning to submit a Phase I to any of the eleven Participating Federal Agencies is eligible to apply to the Phase Zero program.
Deadline: Rolling basis
Contact: Philip Reeves at Philip.Reeves@dc.gov
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15th Annual Public-Private Conference
The Mayor’s Office of Partnerships and Grant Services in collaboration with the Center for Nonprofit Advancement is co-hosting the 15th Annual Public Private Conference. The conference theme focuses on the significance of the nonprofit sector as a major employer.
When: Monday, September 28, 2015 | 8:00 am-4:00 pm
Where: Kellogg Conference Hotel | Gallaudet University | 800 Florida Av.e NE | Washington, DC | 20002
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The Office of Partnerships and Grant Services, Grant Information Resource Center
The Grant Information Resource Center (GIRC) provides technical assistance and information about resources that improve community services in the District of Columbia for its “customers” - District government, nonprofit, and faith-based representatives. The primary focus is to assist customers who either lack computer access or the knowledge to best use their existing computer technology to strengthen their organizations.
When: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, 10:00 am-12:00 pm and 2:00 pm-4:00 pm, by appointment only.
Contact: 202.727.8900. Please click here to schedule an appointment.
FY16 Community Partnerships Mini-Grants Initiative
The DC Trust (the Trust) serves DC youth and their families to address key community priorities in select communities across the District. The Community Partnerships mini-grants will support programming in one of the following four categories: violence prevention/mediation, mentoring, youth enrichment programs, and family support.
Eligibility: Nonprofit organizations
Deadline: Proposals will be accepted on a rolling basis
Contact: The Trust grant@dctrust.org
Pre-Application information session is mandatory. All potential applicants must attend the Grant Technical Assistance sessions (GTA) at the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Greater Economic Opportunity
When: Wednesday, September 23, 2015 |10:00 am-12:00 pm
Where: 2235 Shannon Place SE | Suite 3040 | Washington, DC | 20020
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FitDC Ward 6 Walk
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CPR AED and First Aid Training
Health & Safety International is offering CPR AED and First Aid Training. Certification is available upon completion of the training. This certification can be required for certain jobs, but also prepares individuals to respond to medical emergencies faced by those around them.
When: Offered throughout the year Where: Local libraries, blended, onsite Contact: Mr. Massa HealthSafetyINTL@gmail.com (202) 695-3663
Learn more
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Yoga @ Your Library
Yoga at Your Library is a beginner level yoga class for adults and teens brought to you courtesy of Yoga Activist. No experience is required. Classes are open to the public, and participants are encouraged to wear comfortable clothing, and bring a mat. Yoga mats are also available for use during the class.
When: Every Saturday | 11:00 am
Where: Georgia avenue-Petworth Library | 4200 Kansas Ave. NW | Washington, DC | 20011
Learn more
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Free Home Internet for Low-income DC Families
Connect.DC, the District’s digital inclusion program, is partnering with EveryoneOn, Byte Back, and the United Planning Organization will provide six months of free home Internet service ($60.00 value) to 500 DC families with school-aged children. This project is designed to help low income children use technology to succeed in school.
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Free Community College Workforce Training
The UDC Community College Division of Workforce Development and Lifelong Learning (WDLL) provides District of Columbia residents with job skills training leading to employment. The industries focused on are those where jobs are available in the District and in the metropolitan area.
Contact: workforce@udc.edu | 202-274-7181
Learn more
Contact: fema-ia-recruitment-hiring@fema.dhs.go
30th Annual Mayor's Arts Awards, Call to Artists
The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (DCCAH) seeks freestyle dancers and acoustic, classical or electric guitar musicians for the purpose of performing in a special project for the 30th Annual Mayor's Arts Awards (MAA), October 29, 2015. Auditions will take place on Thursday, September 10, 2015.
Contact: Ebony C. Brown, Special Events Manager, ebony.brown@dc.gov or JaKenna Martin, Special Events Associate, jakenna.martin@dc.gov | (202)724-5613
Learn more
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Click on the flyer to learn more
Jobseekers Drop-in Clinic and Computer Basics
Every Tuesday morning the DC Library Woodbridge branch provides computer access and help with the following: creating email accounts, refining your resume, completing job applications online, understanding the importance of using social media sites, finding and using free online continuing education classes, and providing networking opportunities with other jobseekers.
When: Every Tuesday | 10:00am-12:00pm
Where: Woodbridge Library | 1790 Douglas Street NE | Washington, DC | 20018
Learn more
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100Reporters Film Screening: Poverty, inc
Director Michael Matheson Miller’s 2014 documentary 'Poverty, Inc' is a film that questions the system of entrenched humanitarian aid in developing countries. The film features 200 community leaders from 20 nations in Matheson’s quest to find out. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion with co-producer Mark Weber, Andreas Widmer, Director of Entrepreneurship Programs at the Catholic University of America, and Ron Nixon, author of “Selling Apartheid,” chairman of 100Reporters and Washington correspondent of the New York Times.
When: Sunday, September 13, 2015 | 6:30pm-8:30pm
Where: Busboys & Poets | 2021 14th Street NW | Washington, DC | 20009
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Want Your Event Featured in the African Beat?
'The African Beat' is distributed to over 7,000 subscribers every other Friday. If you would like your event to be featured in our calendar, please submit the following details: what, when & where, and provide a link to where readers can go for more information. Submission deadline for the next edition is Wednesday, September 23, 2015 at 5:00 pm (Send all materials, along with any questions, to (oaa@dc.gov).
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