The DC Lineup for this weekend: pride, protests and personal connection

The DC Lineup for this weekend: pride, protests and personal connection

Events focused on dialogues, diversity and inclusion fill The DC Lineup for this first weekend of the month, June 5 to 7.

Temperatures will range from 59 to 92 degrees over the next few days, according to the forecast, with scattered thunderstorms Friday followed by mostly sunny skies on Saturday and Sunday

1. Activism: The group Stop Police Terror Project DC with support from Black Lives Matter DC will hold a protest rally Friday at 6 p.m. at Freedom Plaza at 13th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW. Using the hashtags #DivestfromMPD and #NoMoreStopandFrisk, the group’s tweets about the event say it’s a chance to connect the ongoing protests against police brutality to DC issues the organizers have been working to address since 2014. … A Black Lives Matter march will start at Dupont CIrcle this Sunday from 3 to 8 p.m. to raise awareness of police brutality and honor victims of this violence like George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor. Organized by a rising senior at Virginia Tech, the event’s requests include an overhaul of police training programs, third-party arbiters between police departments and victims, and compensation to families who have lost loved ones.

2. History: This is the first weekend to explore the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture’s new online portal “Talking About Race,” which was made to help people discuss racism, racial identity and how these ideas influence society. It includes digital tools and exercises, video instructions, scholarly articles and more than 100 multimedia resources. “We hope that people will use this site to become more comfortable engaging in honest dialogue and self-reflection,” says the museum’s interim director Spencer Crew in a statement about the platform. “Talking About Race” is free to use and does not require registration.

3. Literature: The DC-based organization Girls’ Night In was founded in 2017 to provide tips and recommendations of things to do at home — long before staying at home was an order. The group is sharing its expertise by partnering with Politics and Prose for an online discussion with New York Times bestselling author Brit Bennett, who will talk about her new novel, The Vanishing Half. According to the publisher’s description, the book tells the story of twin sisters “who ultimately choose to live in two very different worlds, one black and one white.” The New York Times Magazine story editor Jazmine Hughes will join Bennett in conversation on Saturday from 7 to 8 p.m. The program is free to attend, and donations are welcome to support the bookstore and its virtual event series.

4. Health: The DC Center has increased the frequency of meetings for its support group for LGBTQ people of color: Instead of just meeting on the third Saturday of each month, the group now meets every Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m. on Zoom. The conversations are meant to be a safe space where LGBTQ people of color can connect and talk about any issues they are facing. Those interested in learning more can find details of the Zoom meeting in the event description.

5. Education: Youth for Human Rights Washington DC begins a free 10-week summer education series this weekend. The first 30-minute seminar, “Equality and Fair Treatment for All,” is this Saturday at 1 p.m. The organization’s president Azhar Haq will present the first three articles of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, followed by a Q&A. An RSVP is required to receive a webinar link. 

6. Relationships: The dating service Pitch a Friend is kicking off Pride Month with “Pitch a Queer,” a special edition of its forum to persuade someone in the audience to date your friend and perhaps find “queerantine love.” The event will take place on Friday from 8 to 10 p.m. on Facebook Live. Each pitcher has three minutes to talk using a PowerPoint presentation, followed by a two-minute audience Q&A with the pitched friend.

7. Music: World-renowned singer Ola Onabulé is the featured performer in this weekend’s final installment of DC Jazz Fest from Home. His latest album Point Less comments on social injustice, according to his website, with work that is “at once celebrating life and warning the social forces threatening it.” The concert runs from 7 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, and is free to watch on YouTube and Facebook. Donations are welcome to support the DC Jazz Fest Music Education Program, which educates students in the District. 

8. Dance: DJ Edward Daniels, DJ Tezrah, international hula hoop performer Zbu Hoopism from Ghana, and DC vocalist Tiffany Lyn are some of the highlights of this Saturday’s Virtual Dance Party 5.0/Pride Night. The party starts at 8:30 and runs until 10 p.m. on Zoom. An RSVP and a $1 minimum donation is required for the link and password;. The event is produced by the local DJ service Scorpio Entertainment.

9. Politics: Have dinner with Democracy Now! host and executive producer Amy Goodman this Friday during “Busboys and Friends: A Virtual Dinner Party.” Goodman will discuss her work in journalism, which covers topics like social justice, politics and activism — and won her the Right to Livelihood Award for “truly independent grassroots political journalism that brings to millions of people the alternative voices that are often excluded by mainstream media.” The event is free to attend; an RSVP is required to receive a Zoom link. Andy Shallal, CEO and founder of the District’s iconic Busboys and Poets, will host the talk from 6 to 7 p.m. and invites attendees to order a meal from the restaurant beforehand.

10. Arts: The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum is hosting the first virtual program in its Rug and Textile Appreciation Mornings series. The event “Color Theory for Oriental Rug Lovers” will take place from 11 a.m. to noon on Saturday. Collector and museum trustee Wendel Swan will discuss color theory and physiological reactions to color as they relate to textiles throughout history. Registration is required to obtain a Zoom link for the discussion, and select participants will display high-resolution photos of their own textiles during a show-and-tell portion.