Tent City residents have been boldly enduring the heat. Today’s record temperatures, however, have made it difficult for them to host people for tonight’s planned events.
Tonight’s celebrations have been postponed indefinitely. Once the heat goes down, plans will move forward. Please stay posted for more!
Want to learn how to grow plants such as squash, collard greens, herbs, tomatoes or melon in urban spaces? Come out to Tent City for the Urban Gardening class, tonight 5 PM to 7 PM. Save money and eat healthier by growing your own food!
Bring soil and gardening equipment if you have it. Donated gardening materials such as soil, seeds, shovels, hoes, and metal rakes much appreciated! Thanks!
"Everyone should come to the cook-out tonight!" says, Faith, 8-year-old resident of the Shaw community and Tent City supporter. During dinner Faith will be offering a dance performance by and for kids. Kid Power!
Tent City DC is hosting a cook-out tonight! Please come out after 6 PM and bring some desserts, side dishes, chips/crackers, or something to put on the grill. We’ll also need paper cups, plates, and utensils. There will also be a “Know Your Rights!” workshop (on how to handle the cops and what to do if you get arrested), and a dance performance by Faith, 8-year-old Shaw community resident. Please come by if you can!
Tent City is at 7th & R St NW in Washington DC. Other supplies needed are: Batteries for flashlights (AA), drinking water, cleaning supplies, and non-perishable food items that do not require cooking. Donated clothing, especially new socks and underwear, are also welcome and will be given to the homeless population with preference given to the Shaw neighborhood.
We also appreciate the periodic ice deliveries that we’ve been getting from Shaw residents! THANKS from the bottom of our hearts.
A variety of workshops by and for Shaw residents are being offered at Tent City DC this week! These workshops focus on community empowerment, helping to beef up the skills and talent of the community. All workshops are held at Tent City, on the corner of 7th & R St NW in Washington DC. For most updated version of the schedule, please report to Tent City and take a look at the board. To schedule a class, please come visit us at Tent City and sign up in person. Shaw residents will be given priority for workshop offerings. Here is the lineup:
MONDAY, 7/19
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM. KID POWER! Faith, 8-year-old Shaw resident, teaches us how to stop-drop-and-roll in case of a fire emergency.
TUESDAY, 7/20
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM. Hand-sewing class. Learn the basics of how to make clothes, including using a garment you already have as a pattern for cutting cloth, and using basic stitches. Some sewing materials provided. Bring a garment to create a pattern from, and needle and thread if you have it!
6:00 PM – 7:00 PM. “Know Your Rights!” class with Ann Wilcox, DC lawyer. Class will focus on your rights, protecting yourself against unlawful search and seizure, what the law says on when you have to obey a police officer and when you don’t, and what questions a police officer can and cannot ask you.
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM. KID POWER! Faith, 8-year-old Shaw resident, teaches us her favorite step and dance moves!
WEDNESDAY, 7/21
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM. Urban Gardening class with Gregory, Shaw resident, and Paul, a farmer from the mountains. Class will focus on how to grow plants and vegetables in pots and on small plots of land. How to save money by growing your own food!
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM. KID POWER! Kelvon, 10-year-old Shaw resident, teaches us the rules to kickball and demonstrates how it’s done, then leads a fun game of kickball!
THURSDAY, 7/22
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM. Storytelling. How do the stories of Shaw residents get told? How can we better voice our hopes, visions, triumphs and testimonies? This storytelling workshop will focus on finding our voices and telling our stories.
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM. Wellness & Spirituality for DC residents, by Ron Harris, lifelong DC resident. How to stay healthy here in Washington DC.
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM. KID POWER! Drumming class, by Charles, 14-year-old Shaw resident.
Bring drums or drumsticks if you have them!
FRIDAY, 7/23
7:00 AM – 8:00 AM. Yoga with Andrea Christie, yoga instructor of the Shaw neighborhood. Gentle stretching and muscle exercises for people of all shapes.
Please bring a mat if possible! Some mats will be provided.
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM. Bringing it together! An arts presentation and celebration of the week.
Tent City has been here for over a week now. The press definitely took notice this past weekend! Here’s where Tent City got play:
WTOP ran an update this morning
The City Paper weighed in with a little analysis
DJ Eurok posted interviews with Tent City activists
And Councilmember Brown made the connection to DC’s “affordable” housing crisis on The Kojo Nnamdi Show:
Tent City hosted a rally by the Statehood Green Party and others yesterday, pictures soon. There’s now also a library at Tent City. If you have spare children’s books, we’re accepting donations.
There have been conflicting media reports about whether Mayor Fenty ever signed anything guaranteeing truly affordable housing at Parcel 42 (meaning: for families making less than 50% AMI, or less than about $50,000/yr). Yesterday reporters from the City Paper and Street Sense, among others, were shown the original Memorandum of Understanding and Tiered Income Pro-Forma agreed to by (then-)Deputy Mayor Neil Albert. The Pro-Forma makes clear that the housing would be priced for families making from 20%-50% AMI, and would include three- and four-bedroom units.
And in case there were any doubt, DCmud points out that the official DC government website for Parcel 42 still maintains the new housing will be 100% affordable for families making less than 50% AMI.
An interview with Tent City DC leader and neighbor Ca’Vonn Ellis-Smith.
In recognition that many more Shaw & DC residents have come out in recent days to create an intentional community at Parcel 42, last night ONE DC members, board and staff officially transferred coordination of the site occupation to a broader group of residents – still including ONE DC members.
And no offense to the videographer, but the scene yesterday was a little less dramatic, and more serious, than that cinematic soundtrack.
We’ve been pleased to see so many Washingtonians — longtime and new — come together to build community, make art, play drums and guitars, screen movies, and talk about how to create change that bypasses broken promises and values land and shelter not for the profit they can create, but the very community already happening. Three dozen people gathered well into the night yesterday to continue planning the next stage for this intentional community in the making.
Tonight, the beginnings of that next stage will be unveiled at 6:30pm. Later on we’ll have a “Victory Circle” open mic, at 10pm.
Many people who can’t camp out have been generous in their contributions, donating tents, food and other supplies. We still have a need for more tents, sleeping pads, food (fruit, water, sandwich fixings..) and art and construction materials. Drop by 7th & Rhode Island Ave NW between 8am and 11pm.
Also, in case you missed them, stories about us by ABC 7 and the Washington Afro.
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