By Sofia Bellucco
Two new grocery stores will come to D.C. by the end of the year to fight food insecurity. One will be at the Skyland Town Center on Good Hope Road SE and will be "the first new grocery store serving residents in Wards 7 and 8 in more than a decade,” according to Natalia Vanegas, from the office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED). According to D.C. Hunger, which works to create hunger-free communities, Wards 5, 7 and 8, have significantly fewer full-service grocery stores and lack sufficient and reliable access to healthy and affordable food. These food deserts appear to be growing the most in Ward 7 and 8. Those wards are located more than half a mile from grocery stores or supermarkets, have low rates of car access, and have a high poverty rate, the D.C. Policy Center reported. Meanwhile, Lidl will open its second store on 14th St. NW, in Columbia heights on the ground level of the city’s largest retail development, joining Target, Best Buy, and Marshall, one block away from an existing Giant Food store. Sofia Bellucco is a student in the Digital Media program at the University of the District of Columbia.
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Local and federal don’t often mix when it comes to activities at the Smithsonian, the renowned institution housing the nation’s histories. One recent exception was The National Gallery of Art’s’ Afro-Atlantic Histories exhibition which brought together District-based creatives and an international collection of artworks. Featuring some 130 art works including paintings, prints and sculptures from the 17th century onward, the exhibition surveys the histories and cultural legacy of both Africans and members of the African diaspora. For a handful of District area residents the event meant an invitation to participate in a day-long community festival on April 30 with highlights including cooking demonstrations, live musical performances and a market with local creatives. Among them was JC Smith of the Bailiwick Clothing Company which he created with his brother Jeff in 2015. The apparel brand hit a home run when its “Chocolate City” t-shirt was picked up by local Whole Food stores a couple of years ago. Smith explained that being at the Smithsonian was refreshing because, “traditionally, those these institutions are located in D.C., they are not necessarily part of D.C. This allows for a link back to the community.” Also on hand was teen Andrew Burton who with his older brother Nyles created Uncle Dell’s Mambo Sauce as a homework assignment in 2019. The BBQ sauce is now sold in D.C. carryouts and area stores. “I was born in D.C. and it’s important that people support local businesses. So, I’m happy about being here,” Burton said. For Ama Schulman of All Very Goods participating was a way to mark the occasion. “I loved the exhibition and I wanted to celebrate that they (the National Gallery of Art) are doing this,” she said. Schulman’s work features prominent Black themes which are available on note cards, bags and bandanas. Meanwhile, painter Rayhart underscored that inclusion is key. “We don’t need any demarcation,” he said of the exhibition. "Art is a part of the community." Community Festival Vendors: Andy Factory www.andyfactory.com Bailiwick Clothing Company www.bailiwickclothing.com All Very Goods https://allverygoods.com/ Rayhart www.rayhart.com/ By Alba Encarnacion
Among the nearly one million Latinos in the Washington DC-metro area are a group that are often invisible in the mix of nations and cultures that make up the population. They are Afro-Latinos. Recently while we were speaking Spanish in a D.C. restaurant, two of my best friends, Jenny and Emma, who are Afro-Latino, had another of the frequent experiences of someone questioning their identity. An African-American man approached us to ask where we had learned Spanish. We were very confused at first but soon realized that he had no clue that we were Latinas. After being lectured by Emma, who is passionate about culture and heritage, he said “You ‘all don’t look like Latinas,” referring to Emma and Jenny‘s skin color and curly hair. “She does,” he continued pointing at me. We were not shocked because this happens too often. One reason is that many people focus on appearance, how Latinos look, forgetting that this race is the product of a mix between Europeans, indigenous peoples and Africans. That richness of mixture can be seen in our religions, (Catholic from European culture and Santeria or Voodoo from African culture), food, colors, music, and every artistic expression. In this instance, we took the time to educate the young man about how we “Latinas” come from many, are a mixture of races and therefore diverse and come in all colors and shapes. Though once rarely spoken, in recent years, the term Afro Latina has been embraced more inside the community, with members feeling prouder of their heritage, and willing to expose issues of racism and identity in Latin America and around the world. “I am Afro-Latina and proud,” Jenny said. One learns that with time, when we realize where we come from. For many years we didn’t accept our blackness and tried to hide it or pretend that was not there. To me it was freedom, when I first understood that my worth was not depending on how straight I could wear my hair. Being Afro-Latina is to be free and proud of the Sazon and flavor of my culture, the freedom of expressing who I am and honoring my ancestors,” she said. Alba Encarnacion is a 2022 graduate of the University of the District of Columbia's Digital Media program. The District hosts media from all over the world, but its homegrown media has long been at the forefront of pioneering movements for human rights. The little remembered Blacklight, for example, was the first national Black gay periodical in the United States. It was founded in Washington, D.C. in 1979 by journalist Sidney Brinkley. In this piece, University of the District of Columbia, digital media student Christian Calaway, explores the publication and the era in which it was born. To see some of Blacklight's editions visit: digdc.dclibrary.org/islandora/object/dcplislandora%3A283869 Photo: Olive Vassell I pass this mural of the late rapper and entrepreneur of Eritrean origin, Nipsey Hussle ( born Ermias Asghedom) in the 900 block of Florida Ave, NW, frequently on my daily walks. It was created by Ethiopian-born artist and musician Robel Musika, and borders a gas station whose owners are also from that part of the world. This powerful statement to Hussle, who was a businessman and philanthropist who cared deeply about the community, reminds us that this little part of D.C. is an East African business powerhouse, so much so that a portion of nearby 9th street NW was officially named Little Ethiopia in December 2020 (More to come on this community in another post). This video shows Robel Musika painting the mural, which was sponsored by local business, Dejavu Lounge. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=727419464401645 Here is a link to an article about Hussle and his community activism. https://nonprofitquarterly.org/remembering-nipsey-hussle-cultural-and-community-activist-extraordinaire/ |
AuthorOlive Vassell is a journalist and professor of Digital Media at the University of the District of Columbia. Her work focuses on African diasporas in the US and the UK. Archives
August 2022
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