Defending Home Rule
It's been a challenging week in DC, to say the least. ANC Commissioners from across the city have been strategizing on how best to respond to President Trump's attempted takeover of our local law enforcement, and deployment of federal law enforcement and military on our streets. While I have signed the League of Women Voters DC Statehood Petition and the ANC Statehood Pledge, my immediate concern is protecting the wellbeing of our neighbors, especially those who do not have homes and those who are immigrants. I am grateful for our Councilmember Janeese Lewis-George's work and resource-sharing on safeguarding the District's autonomy. Here are some things YOU can do:
Free DC Orientation & Actions
Free DC is setting out to build the cultural and political power it will take to protect Home Rule and win lasting dignity for the people of DC. Campaign Orientation is the place to learn about the attacks DC is facing right now, the strategy to defeat them, and our organizing structures that will make it possible. On Wednesday, August 20th at 12pm, Free DC is hosting a virtual orientation for community members looking to get involved. You can also visit their website for more upcoming events and resources, including a special session on protecting young people as they move around the city.
One action is to go out at 8pm every evening until the occupation ends and make noise for 5 minutes. Recruit your friends and neighbors to join in. Bang on pots, blow horns, whatever. Make a joyous cacophony! This is called a "cacerolazo" and has a long history in anti-fascist protest around the world.
Got friends in other places who want to help DC right now? We have a letter campaign for that. Please feel free to share this letter campaign with anyone and everyone who is worried about what's happening in DC right now: https://freedcproject.org/allies
Report ICE sightings
Migrant Solidarity Mutual Aid is tracking ICE sightings and enforcement activity around the District. If you see ICE, Homeland Security, or other federal immigration officers moving around the city, please TEXT them at 202-335-1183. CALL if you (firsthand witness only) observe an active detention or raid. To learn more about how to safely witness and record immigration enforcement, check out this great guide prepared by our local advocates.
Support Unhoused Neighbors
Miriam's Kitchen, who support unhoused neighbors, have issued the following ask: "Sweeps of unhoused neighbors have begun. We are asking for DC residents to assist in doing two things: First, if you know unhoused folks in your neighborhood please look out for them. Offer basic kindness, including a metro card or calling the shelter hotline (202-399-7093). If you do call the hotline, try to wait with them until the van arrives. It may take some time. Second, if there is an engagement [from law enforcement], be a witness. If you see any law enforcement engage someone who you know to be unhoused, record it on your phone to document."
Thank you. Let's all keep each other safe.
Special Meeting on Petworth Peanuts Spooktacular Grant Application
A few days before our July ANC Public Meeting, Petworth Peanuts submitted a grant application for $3,500 to support the 2025 "Spooktacular" Halloween celebration in Sherman Circle, just south of SMD 4D04 and in ANC4D. Petworth Peanuts is a fabulous organization supporting new parents and families, grown organically by a volunteer board based right here in Petworth. The organization and its activities serve residents mostly in 4D and 4C, with the Spooktacular being their largest event of the year. My family has personally loved and attended the Spooktacular since its inception. Past 4D Commissions have supported it with grant funds to varying extents over the years, including $3,500 each of the past two years.
We were unable to vote on the application at the July meeting, due to several factors: the short notice to review the application; the need to recuse a Commissioner with a family relationship to the Peanuts board, which resulted in a lack of legally-required quorum for the vote; great difficulty with our hybrid setup, which reduced several Commissioners' ability to participate in the conversation and hear Peanuts' grant presentation; and the fact that several Commissioners, myself included, wanted to be sure to have a chance to review the application in accordance with our existing 4D Community Grant Guidelines. I therefore made a motion, sustained by my fellow Commissioners, to delay consideration of the application until we could address those issues. We duly noticed and conducted a special 4D Executive Meeting on July 30th, during which Peanuts was able to present their application again with better A/V, and then scheduled the upcoming virtual Special Public Meeting this Thursday to take our vote on the application.
In the intervening time I, and my fellow Commissioners, have heard from many residents in support of Peanuts and the Spooktacular. We also heard from several residents concerned about process questions, and learned that Petworth Peanuts has been by far the largest recipient of ANC 4D grant funds for the last three fiscal years, with limited applications from other eligible organizations and no funding at all going to activities in the northern (Brightwood Park) portion of 4D. In reviewing our grant guidelines, we see that the maximum grant size is set at $2,000, with no organization to receive a total of more than $3,500 (presumably in multiple smaller grants) in the course of the year. Grant guidelines are non-binding, but they do provide us with a transparent, equitable way of reviewing funding requests, and I feel it is important to use them as an important resource until and unless the current Commission updates them to reflect any new priorities. (As a side note, I am chairing the process currently underway to update these guidelines, and all future applications will be considered under the new guidelines - learn more at https://anc4d.org/community-grants/).
I will share my vote, as will the other Commissioners, at our special meeting this Thursday evening. My vote will be informed by what I have already heard from you, my personal experiences of the Spooktacular and recognition of its importance to the neighborhood, my understanding of the existing grant guidelines, and my concern for equity throughout the neighborhood. If you have additional opinions you would like to share, please don't hesitate to reach out.
To access the Zoom and register for the meeting Thursday at 6:30 pm, please click here.
To view the agenda and the grant application, please click here.
Thank you,
Commissioner Eliza Cava
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Government News You Can Use
Take the DPR Survey
From DPR: DC is immensely proud of our ranking as the #1 park system in the United States, but we know to stay on top, we have to keep improving our customer experiences.
As a user of a recent DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) program, facility, or event, we want your feedback on how we can improve our programs, services, and facilities. Your feedback is important and will help us understand how well programs are meeting the needs of the community, and what we can do to better meet your needs. TAKE THE SURVEY NOW
Register for the DC State Fair
The DC State Fair is a free annual event to celebrate the District's homegrown agricultural, artistic, and culinary talents. This year's fair will be on Saturday September 6 at Bryant Street NE, right off the Rhode Island Ave Metro. Inspired by time-honored state fair traditions—growing and gardening, contests, and deep-fried foods—the DC State Fair honors what makes the District unique!
Registration for DC State Fair contests is now open, which include everything from best apple pie to funkiest looking vegetable. If you are interested in registering for any of the contests, please read more in the contest guide here: https://www.dcstatefair.org/2025-contests. Contest registration is free and closes August 15. Winners will be announced at the fair. See you there!
Back-to-School Backpack Giveaways Continue
Now that school is about to start, back-to-school supply giveaways are in full swing! Check out the list of events and share with a neighbor:
- On Saturday, August 23rd from 2:30 to 5:30pm, the Juanita E. Thornton-Lamond-Riggs Library is hosting a back-to-school uniform swap! Bring any lightly used school uniforms to the library. All clothing should be clean and free of serious wear and tear. Clothing should be sized to fit students aged 3-16. Accepted items include khaki pants, school shirts, belts, and school shoes. All leftover clothing will be donated to the PTA of the appropriate school.
- On Thursday, August 21st from 4 to 6pm, MPD 4th District officers will offer free backpacks and free haircuts while supplies last, at 6001 Georgia Avenue NW. Child must be present to obtain a backpack.
- On Saturday, August 23rd from 11am to 1pm, Fellowship Baptist Church is hosting a back-to-school drive at 5605 Colorado Ave NW. Come out and get the school supplies our young scholars need to start the school year, plus games, food, and free haircuts!
- On Saturday, August 23rd from 10am to 1pm, the Ward 5 Education Equity Committee is hosting its 5th Annual Back-to-School Giveaway (location TBD). Families will get the opportunity to receive free backpacks and school supplies ahead of the start of the school year. Rain or shine!
- On Saturday, August 23rd from 10am to 2pm, Zion Hill Baptist Church and Petworth Rec Center are hosting the 3rd Annual Community Outreach Day at Petworth Playground (801 Taylor St NW). Join for school supplies, family fun games, moon bounce, snow cones, and more! RSVP here.
While these are just a few of the backpack giveaways happening around DC, you can check out this list of events throughout the DMV for more events coming up. Thanks to A Wider Circle for compiling this list of giveaways for neighbors, and to Councilmember Lewis-George for sharing it!
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