Can D.C. Keep Its Local Power? Residents Stand Up Against Federal Takeover.

Can D.C. Keep Its Local Power? Residents Stand Up Against Federal Takeover.

Federal Overhaul is a multipart series that explores the impact of the Trump administration’s restructuring of the federal government on Black communities. WASHINGTON — For most of 61-year-old Jocelyn Frye’s life, her hometown of Washington was majority Black. As a child, she was keenly aware of how some white lawmakers would disparage D.C. and assert that its residents were dangerous. “The predominantly white Congress was almost like an oversee…

Op-Ed: Bowser Gave Up The Mural. We Can’t Give Up The Movement

Source: Tasos Katopodis / Getty There’s something telling about how unsurprised many of us were.  When the massive “Black Lives Matter” lettering on that stretch of 16th Street NW was painted over in early March, it didn’t shock many of us — not because we didn’t care, but because we always knew it was performative. The mural was never meant to last because it was never about lasting change.  Mayor Muriel Bowser defended the decision, saying, “W…

Thriving, Not Surviving: The New Black Agenda

In 2020, people around the globe rallied behind the slogan Black Lives Matter, making it the largest and possibly most diverse set of protests in history. While the goals varied, the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis energized demands for everything from police accountability to support for Black-owned businesses to addressing the black-white wage gap. Each activation was worthy on its own merits.  By design, the demonstrations did n…