In Conversation with Yaddiya: Three years of Moechella, D.C. vs. GoGo, and the future of the Genre moving forward

Nayion Perkins • July 7, 2022


“If you have a black-tie event, you don’t have any problem. But if you bring go-go in, you’re going to have problems.”

This quote from 2005 was stated by retired DC Police Commander Larry McCoy. It captures the sentiment that many police officers and some government officials had toward DC’s native genre. In the early 2010’s gogo stood on its last leg as a cultural giant within the city, as many venues were shut down or reported, citing either violence or loud noise complaints from new neighbors.

Many bands were often surveilled by police, and in 2010, MPD’s GoGo report was discovered, where officers passed around a list of weekly shows and performances, in the hopes of “intervening in violence”

In 2010 Former Prince George's County Police chief referenced TCB gogo shows as , “violence masqueraded as entertainment”.

Ten years later, on February 19th 2020, DC Mayor Muriel Bower signed a bill into law that designated GoGo Music as the official music of DC.

This hillturn of the city's acceptance of gogo has a lot to do with the work of Justin “Yaddiya'' Johnson, and the mobile gogo movement he founded with Moechella. If you have been in DC the past 3 years, it would be very hard for you to not be familiar with the gogo event that often doubles as a form of protest. In 2019 Yaddiya put together years of experience in the gogo circuit and organizing protest against actions of the federal government during the Trump administration, to respond to a local incident involving gogo.

The moment is pretty well known and infamous by now. A white newcomer to DC made a complaint about the gogo music being played out of the Metro PCS store on the corner of 7th and Florida Ave, a tradition that is beloved my DC residents. When the store stopped playing the music, this hit the nerve of Natives across the city, who were already dealing with the circumatsnces of gentrification in many other ways, now it was extending to the music!? The DOnt Mute DC Movement began and the gogo event of all gogo events was created, Moechella.

Yaddiya and Moechella celebrated their three year anniversary on May 21st, 2022 with a concert at the Howard Theater featuring special guests, TCB, New Impressionz, Comedian and DC mayoral candidate Red Grant, DJ and EAT Founder AllHomage, DJ NahFr, and many more.

I caught up with Yaddiya a few weeks before the event, in the midst of his promotion run. We sat on Wisconsin Ave near the National Zoo, and our conversation went as follows:



So you talked about entering the Gogo circuit, and live music at a certain time. How is the market of Gogo different now versus when you first started getting into it?


The market of Gogo is different now because I think when I was coming up and starting to move around in Gogo, it seemed to be way more popular and way more prevalent in the area. I started when I was 18, 19 years old. At that time, that's where a lot of people went to parties every weekend, they went to Gogo spots. Gogo was just super popular. Like I always tell people, I came up in the time in Gogo where you could have Backyard Band next to Jay-Z and people would prefer to go see the Backyard Band. And that's the Gogo I know. Endless shows being organized, everyone wanting to start their own Gogo band. There was an abundance of Gogo bands. You had shows like the CFE 20 for 20 things like that.

People didn't want to be rappers. They wanted to be in a Gogo band.


Exactly. That's why I say rap is the new Gogo, because back then Gogo was the thing. Just like how everyone want's rap now, that's how Gogo was.

So it's definitely different in that way, and that was of course before the emergence of social media, which I think changed a lot of the way people look at their indigenous culture. Back then, when I got into Gogo, people was still wearing urban wear. Certain people were still wearing staples of the culture heavily way more than I see now. So I just think the appreciation behind the culture was just more amplified you know? The culture was more appreciated. And not only was it appreciated, we were actually in the middle of it. We were actually in the center of the culture, actually a part of it, not just appreciating it, we were a part of it. We were creating it. That was the difference.

You just talked about how important Gogo was to culture years back, but now, I feel like the city as far as government reps and police, they’re a lot more accepting of Gogo now versus back then. What do you think about that?


I mean, I wouldn't be able to say that I was involved in certain city politics or had the knowledge of the sentiments of the people in this city as much as I do now. So I wouldn't be able to say that oh they didn't appreciate it or they did. I do know that when I was coming up throwing Gogos, they were starting to push Gogo out of the city. So there weren't many clubs where you could even go to the Gogo in the city anymore. You had to go out to Maryland. Like they wouldn't even allow certain bands like TCB to play. TCB, would've never been at the Howard Theater. Like we got them now in a couple weeks, but back then?

Now they appreciate it more with the creation of Moechella, with the formation of the movement Don't Mute DC, the organization of the movement Long Live Gogo, things like that. They've also seen the way Gogo has sort of been politicized and used to shed light on a lot of the policies that are being passed and a lot of the commentary that's being talked about in the community. So it's been utilized as a tool as of late. I feel that it has not just gotten the attention of natives and the newcomers, but from the people in city politics as well.

So you just talked about the intersection of politics and Gogo. How it's kind of used to shed light on these different issues. When did you first see that connection? Was it just with putting together Moechella and the Don't Mute DC movement or did you always see it?


My first protest was in 2018 where I used Gogo against the amplified noise amendment and that kind of gave me the inspiration behind using music to draw attention, to garner an audience and mobilize people essentially. Not even mobilize people, but just more so create that energy. I always knew Gogo creates a certain energy, especially when people are together in one place and really celebrating it. Shortly after that protest against the amplified noise amendment, I led a protest in front of the white house against the not the current regime, but against the corruption and policies at the time (Donald Trump Administration). And I led the protest for a hundred and eighty five nights and I used musicians every night to basically activate the protest. That was the program.

I'm essentially the front man and I do the commentary et cetera, and the engagement and all those things with the crowd. So that is where I saw how music brought people together and how Gogo music was encouraging people to protest and how people were using these methods to be able to uplift their voice. And I saw how music brought people together. So that gave me even more of an inspiration to use entertainment, to raise political awareness and promote political engagement and voting and all these things. All the things that our community has stopped doing that people and politicians take advantage of.

We don't participate in the political process. We don't have faith in it, and we don't feel like the government works for us so we have lost faith in the system. So we don't even participate, all the while it's still policy being pushed. It's still people that are moving the needle, and moving the country [forward] and we not even paying attention. So I felt we got to use entertainment, something that people love to get them motivated. We are the culture. So we got more of the knowledge of how to garner our audience, who to include, what to make things look like and all that type of stuff. So that really gave me inspiration. When EZ Street told me about the situation with the store on seventh and Florida, I knew a lot of people from the city knew me from my activism, so I was like there's no way I could speak out against what's going on in federal politics and not speak out against something that's an attack on the culture, specifically Gogo, which is the community I come from.

So That was a No-brainer.

It was a no-brainer and then just using Gogo music and my knowledge of the city and just me knowing U street’s a popular intersection and all these types of things, people knowing me, etc. It just created that moment, that's just how it all came about for real.

That was like a huge moment in the city. Like so many people outside of the city covered those initial protests. And you could see aerial shots of a whole block of U street literally listening to Gogo. How surreal was that moment? Did you see it reaching out like that to the masses when you first organized it?


Well, the first one I organized with TOB was pretty big. It was kind of going viral as far as the promotion, when people like Wale, people from the area that got influence were showing their support for it. So it kind of created a spark. And from there, I knew how it is with things in the community, whether it be a food drive, a giveaway or whatever , it's always like one day out of the year or one day once every half of the year. I'm like how we going to create momentum or do it for the city if we just do it once and that's it. We gotta keep it going. So every other week I would do it on Tuesdays. They were always on Tuesdays every other week.

And every other week it would just get bigger and bigger. And after each one, I would definitely feel that adrenaline rush and just that energy, just like you know when you inside of a moment, it's so intense you don't notice what's going on and then afterwards when you see all the footage and all the clips and all the stuff on social media, it's a little bit overwhelming. So the second one, I was starting to get that vibe, like damn, like couldn't sleep reall the same night cause I'm just still thinking about it. Cause I'm literally in the middle of it all, and I'm like damn this is crazy.

Yeah. And since then you talked about being creative and having these outlets. Since then you've done a book, you've done clothes. I've seen artwork and posters on the streets...


Endless.

It seems like you're always figuring out a new creative way, like a new outlet. What inspires you?


Creating………


**Yaddiya’s phone rings**


Hold on one second. Hold on one second. Cause I forgot to do something.

I gotcha.


**Yaddiya pauses the interview to finish placing a poster order for the upcoming Moechella 3 Year Anniversary show at the Howard Theater on May 21st 2022.**


My bad


All good, we can pick up.

I was saying, since then you've done a book. Clothes. There's so many creative outlets. What inspires you to venture into those fields like poster artwork? You literally just ordered some posters when we were talking?


I'm overall a creative person, so I always think of different ideas. I always watch what's going on. I also have a lot of different interests, so I always look at how I can create certain partnerships and create certain products that embody how I feel or will represent some of my interests. I feel like that's only natural. So everything I do, I want to at least have a passion for it. I never just want to sell something just because I feel like it'll make me money. Whatever I do. I wanna make sure that it's a part of me and that I enjoy doing it. You got to diversify the brand, diversify the revenue streams and all those things. That's what's going to ensure that I can continue to do what I'm doing.

So we're coming up on the three year anniversary of Moechella. And by the time this is out, you would have already had your event at the Howard theater. You’re collaborating with a bunch of people from the city, like, AllHomage of EAT, DJ NahFR, Red Grant, TOB, and on and on. How do you feel about all of this support so far? You're three years in and still going


See the thing is bro, when people do this, I don't look at it like it's for me, I look at it like it's for the city. So it's like, I'm just the person that God is working through. I'm just the person that's like, I don't know if it's the purveyor, but I'm just the catalyst, you know what I mean? So I feel like when people say they want to be a part of it, that's dope as shit. At the end of the day, I'm always just thinking about how I could make it bigger. Because at the end of the day, that's all that matters. Going to a new level. That's only gonna happen through bigger partnerships, more support and involving people. That's always been the vision, to involve people.

What is it like doing something at Howard Theater? Like you said earlier in this interview, the city took away gogo venues to a point where they almost pushed gogo out of the city. So to be able to have gogo performed in the city, especially in a historic place like Howard Theater, what is that like?


Man, it's great to be able to have that support. At the same time, it's also kind of a fruit of my labor, to create that openness, like the Kennedy Center partnership, Howard Theater, all these different venues that allow gogo. At the same time, gogo has been iconic for the city. I just think that I was able to help give it a new spark and continue a new wave. Now I got people like yourself, younger people interested in coming back to Moechella. High school kids. We need that to be able to keep it going. I feel like I'm representing the new era.

Speaking of High School, you were just at Duke Ellington with a couple bands and there's videos of the kids interacting with it. Talk to me about that.


It shows that it's really in the spirit. It's really in the DNA of the kids in the area. It's never going to leave. It's truly cultural. These moments truly show you that. So it's not the fact that people don't love it. It's just that the people in gogo got to do what they need to do to continue to help it evolve. Like we said before, it was a time everybody wanted to be in a band. You had bands of 14 year old, 15 year old kids. Now it's not like that. We need more of that. How do we do that? Make it cool again.

Was it initially difficult to find spaces that wanted to host Gogo? And has it been easier since you started?


I mean the way I utilize Gogo is not too much like, oh, I need to book this venue and do this, that and the other. At the same time, I definitely see more of an openness. Like I said, TCB would've never been able to play in the Howard Theater in my mind.


**We both laugh**

Nah, I agree with you.


You know what I'm saying? So I see it.

Five years from now, where do you see Moechella and this movement at?


Man, five years from now I definitely see it worldwide. Like I see myself being able to garner and create an audience and fanbase independently and I see us being able to tour with Moechella. Just us being the core essentially, kind of what we've been building and just surrounding that with other artists, and I feel like we'll be able to take it worldwide. Partner with other festivals, have a stage at other festivals. Like it's all about the exposure and the consistency. So we keep doing things like going to LA, doing it, bigger, better partnerships, getting people to come to this. Make some good records. Start really being able to push the records. We need to stop trying to make Gogo mainstream and just make the mainstream love Gogo. And that's what I feel like people be missing. They be trying to make Gogo be like rap records. That don't make sense.

You're taking Gogo to the west coast with some events. What do you think of the reception of Gogo in LA? Cause I know some DC people end up traveling there and the ones that are on that side love to see it come over there.

I think the ones on that side, they just love that DC coming to LA, they don't give a fuck. It could be fucking who the fuck knows, you know what I'm saying? As long as it's Gogo, I feel like they're going to give it a shot.Thankfully Moechella just got that name with it. It just got that recognition to where they like, oh Moechella coming? Bet.

Moechella’s name is way bigger than mine. So it's like, that's tight. That's saying something. I feel like people just got that pride for the city, man. We was out Utah, whoever in Utah from DC, they coming!

I don't ever have an expectation as far as the audience. I always like to position that shit to get in front of a new audience. That's what it's more about for me. The people that's out of town from the city. I look at them like promoters. Cause I'm like, man, y'all need to promote y'all culture and bring y'all men from there, here. It's lit you feel me? So I'm always wondering how we could expose it to more people. I feel like the live experience is definitely going to sell Gogo to people. And if we could find a way to pitch that live experience. I feel like that shit is definitely going to get more people interested in coming to the Gogo. I feel like Gogo could be one of the best and biggest hard ticket selling fucking draws. Cause ain't nothing like a live Gogo, right? Am I lying? Right or wrong?

Nah. And that was the only thing growing up, like the girls would actually be dancing to Gogo and that was what you would actually dance with girls to.


But think about this. Niggas go every week and pay to get in. It's just the way niggas doing the industry. It's no real organization. Then it's not enough fans for it to be unorganized on a national level. We gotta make more fans.That's what that shit really about. And I feel a lot of people feel possessive over that shit. Like, nah, you can't like this, you know what I mean? They see a white person in there or something and they like, man that's our shit and its like damn, how the fuck ya'll think y'all about to get the money if y'all don't let everybody love it.

Big white folk love Tupac. That nigga didnt say nah, this black people music like. We got to be more open.

You're introducing Gogo to a new generation of Washingtonians. And some of that includes people who are new to this city. What do you think about their relationship with Gogo?


The new people that I see love it. It's crazy cause I even got a friend, one day we did something at Union Market. Even she was complaining like, man, it was so loud. But it’s like, white people really do love it. This is not even just about white people. People [in general] love live music.

I feel like everyone loves live music. When I see people in the street, like when we are on the truck and shit man, they love it. They root for it. I hear people say, “that’s the Gogo truck!”

What do you love most about DC?


No matter where you go around the world, you always can notice somebody from DC. It’s just different. You can see the best of the best to the pits of the pit in DC. The culture is definitely unique. It's definitely got that spiritual vibe to it, especially the black people here. You've never met anything like the black people in DC, I'm telling you, You've never met anything like that. So it's just that special little thing that all people from the area got with them, and you always can notice it. It's not really something you can explain you know? Even just like the accents, all the slang.The mentality. The give no fucks mentality. That shit is crazy bruh. Like you don't even notice how people perceive us till you leave from here.


Kavon Martez is Cultivating a Community Through the Game of Basketball

By Nayion Perkins • July 7, 2022
Basketball has a close relationship with the inner cities across the world. Sports such as tennis, golf, hockey, gymnastics, and so on, are not accessible for many black kids to participate in at an early age. A lot of this can be traced to a lack of access to resources within communities. With basketball, the game is simple. There’s not much equipment that needs to be purchased; all you need is some sneakers, a ball, and a hoop. In DC culture, basketball’s unique relationship with the city cannot be ignored. To understand it you must look past the mainstream of the NBA, where the Washington Wizards, formerly known as the Bullets, have struggled to maintain success since their last championship in 1978. Basketball is one of the true subcultures of DC. The Goodman League in SE DC, is a great example of that. NBA pros, amateurs and fanatics alike gather to participate or watch games throughout the summer. While those groups definitely hold impact, the biggest example of DC’s relationship to basketball is on full display with the game of 33. The goal of the game is to be the first to score 33 points, and there is no cap on the amount of people who can participate. What makes this unique to DC is the fact that many across the country play this same game, but they only play it to 21. 33 is a game that has been played on DC basketball courts for decades. No one knows the true origin of the game, but many trace it back to Patrick Ewings tenure at Georgetown University, and how Jon Thompson’s historic teams put DC basketball on the map in the 1980’s. Ewing famously sported the number 33 as a Georgetwon Hoya, and later on in his hall of fame NBA career with the New York Knicks. Kavon Martez explored this very relationship between basketball and Washington DC, with the debut of his documentary ‘33|DC’s Game’ alongside co directors Llyod Foster and David Ross. The short film explores the rules of the game, its possible origins, its ties to Georgetown, and DC’s love for basketball. For Kavon, the release of the documentary was a turning point within his life. Kavon is a native Washingtonian who previously dabbled with storytelling through making streetwear clothes. One day he decided to make a hoodie dedicated to the game of 33, and got a response that would propel his outlook on things moving forward. “So I used to make clothes a lot…that was like my first creative outlet. So the way it started was one of the most organic things in my life…I made like this dope hoodie explaining the rules of 33 and what it meant and then I put it up on my social media, just joking around and I never got a reception like that [before].I never had an organic response like that. I had no expectation that people would like the sweater. l was just like, this is cool, this is just DC, just a game we played. So I put it on my social media and I had like 150 comments of people like, "bro, I need this, this fire”. He soon connected with a friend of his, Lloyd Foster,a photographer attending NYU who introduced him to fellow filmmaker David Ross. Impressed with Ross’s previous work, a vision soon came to Kavon about what to do next. “I was just like, people really loving this idea of 33. You think we can make a documentary about 33? And I never went into a magical brainstorm like that before. That one night that I thought about it, I visioned everything that was going to come. And then we created the film and now I have a basketball organization named 33 Hoyas with over 80 kids.” 33 Hoyas is a youth basketball team founded by Kavon in 2020. In the aftermath of the 33 documentary, Kavon developed 33 Community DC, feeling a responsibility to continue what he started. I visited Kavon at Shepard Park Recreation Center in May to talk about this journey, and the outlook of the organization. From the very moment I met him, you could feel his focus and attention to detail in everything he said. You could also feel how much the culture of DC shaped him. In our conversation, Kavon discussed the pathway from the documentary release to developing a successful youth basketball program; connecting and receiving a donation from Chicago designer JoeFreshGoods; what he works to instill in the kids he mentors, and much more. Here is an excerpt from our conversation:

Ty Hobson-Powell doesn't believe in respectability politics

By Nayion Perkins • July 7, 2022
Ty Hobson Powell is one of the dynamic voices in DC advocacy. It’s hard not to be impressed with his resume. Ty finished high school at age 13, graduated college with his bachelor’s degree at age 15, and received his masters at age 17. It would be easy for Ty to be defined by these academic achievements, but his reach and influence go far beyond them. He is an activist that has been critically engaged with all issues relating to the well being of Black people in DC, especially within the last few years. In 2020, after seeing the frustration of his peers during the many racial justice demonstrations of 2020, Ty co founded Concerned Citizens to help organize the thoughts and voices of DC. Concerned Citizens started with marches, and soon moved into a place of advocacy through mutual aid drives and providing communal resources for residents of DC from turkey drives all the way to feminine care products. Ty’s advocacy has also crossed over into making sure DC Statehood has a future. He has been a partner with 51 for 51, a group that mobilizes to ensure legislation making DC a state has a future to be passed. Though Ty Hobson Powell wears many hats, he is one of the most approachable individuals you will ever meet. I met him on the corner of 14th and Crittenden St in Uptown DC, right across the street from Highlands. A random bystander probably wouldn’t guess that this 6’1 black dude posted on the corner arguing about how good Luka Doncic has been in the playoffs so far, is one of the leading advocacy voices in DC. But that’s the point. Civil engagement should not be gatekept, or have a certain look. That premise is what's kept the average person from feeling like they have a voice that can participate in the larger discussions. The politicians that represent us are not seen as real people who live the same lives as us, or people that we can just walk up to on a random street corner and talk to. Ty and I talked outside for about an hour. Here is an excerpt from our conversation:

Keyonna Jones knows the Soufside has something to say in the Arts

By Nayion Perkins • July 7, 2022
The Southside of DC, affectionately referred to by many as Soufside, is often misunderstood. Many think of the violence that takes place in Wards 7 and 8, and the discrepancies in the amount of grocery stores and hospitals this area has in comparison to other parts of the city. While many attribute negative connotations to the Soufside, many see it as home to some of the most personable and resilient people you will ever meet. They see a place where the talent is unlimited in terms of sports, art, music, food and much more. Keyonna Jones has long been one of the people who has seen the potential for the Soufside. Jones is a creative in all facets of the term. She is the executive director of the Congress Height Arts and Culture Center, and touts herself as a one woman band who will get whatever needs to be done to advance the space of art within her part of the city. Keyonna has pushed initiatives forward such as SoufsideCreates, and since 2015, the CHACC has been a creative hub that artists can have exhibitions at, small businesses can vend, and people of all ages are exposed to new ways of interacting with their artistry. In 2020, during the heart of the pandemic and racial justice protests within DC, Keyonna was approached with a tall task. She and other artists in the city were approached by the Mayor to paint the yellow Black Lives Matter mural, located now at what is known as Black Lives Matter plaza in downtown DC. When Keyonna was recognized as one of the lead artists, and pulled from anonymity, she used the press she was receiving as an opportunity to continue her mission, push forward the creative arts space in southeast DC. I visited Keyonna at the Congress Heights Arts and Culture Center on MLK Ave in SE, to pick her brain on the past few years, and her mission of making art accessible in Southeast DC. Here is an excerpt from our conversation:

Nia Keturah Calhoun is Navigating the World of Art Without Compromise

By Nayion Perkins • July 7, 2022
DC is one of the most unique cities in the country in terms of its arts scene. You will see everything from street graffiti, and political art to fine art exhibitions and installations. Throughout each street, you will likely see a mural or sculpture of some kind, paying homage to history or just celebrating the rich culture of the city. Nia Keturah Calhoun, is one of the constant contributors to this very scene. Nia is a multidisciplinary hailing from Maryland, who is constantly creating art that celebrates Black culture in America. If you have been in DC within the past few years, it's possible you have passed by her art without even knowing. She has recently created a cherry blossom sculpture that was acquired by the Mayor’s office, and sits within SE DC. She created visual artwork for Rare Essence’s Overnight Scenario detailing the famous scene the song plays out, and also painted some street dividers with a nice question on them, “What do they call math in DC? AD+MO.” Recently, Nia was tasked with her first full mural. The subject? Supreme Court Justice nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson. By the time Nia finished the mural, the Senate officially voted to confirm Jackson and send her to join the court. I caught up with Nia at the corner of 14th and S Street NW, in front of the mural to pick her brain about the mural making process, and how she approaches her art:

Generational Equity Movement is changing the conversation around marijuana and black business ownership in Washington, D.C. 

By Nayion Perkins • July 7, 2022
On March 31st, 2022, DC Council Chairman Phil Mendelson called for a vote on emergency legislation that would give the city the ability to close down any marijuana gifting business in DC. The bill would implement these changes as soon as May, and many I-71 gifting shops would have been subject to closure. For Generational Equity Movement, this breaking news caused shock for a few reasons. Not only were many of the members workers within the gifting community, they were hours away from releasing a documentary at the Angelika Pop-Up Theater at Union Market, that covered the very subject. GEM felt a conflicting feeling of fear of the unknown, but also power in knowing that they would soon have a movie theater sized audience that was ready to hear their input. Culturally speaking, weed has always played a role within the city. DC has their own customary smoking rituals such as using sheets and funnel. Since 2014, DC has been living in a gray area when it comes to weed. It was now decriminalized to where MPD could now give out tickets for smoking in public instead of jail time, all the while still being federally illegal. You could now walk around with up to an ounce of weed on you, as long as you showed no intent to sell it. Residents are even allowed to grow a limited number of marijauna plants in their homes. Businesses however, would face the most drastic and complex changes. Selling weed was still illegal, but simply gifting it to someone was now decriminalized.This law created the gifting industry. As a loophole, businesses often sell art, books, pencils, stickers or other items, and accompany that purchase with a selection of weed. Since the weed is in addition to the initial purchase, it is considered a gift, and by law, legal. Most of these dealings are done in cash. For eight years this trend has continued with many black residents starting lucrative businesses within the marijuana space. Many of them couple as creative businesses, often serving as incubator hubs for the arts. Within the past few years, this gray area had been in constant threat, with various legislation proposals to strike this status down, despite the fact that in 2014, DC residents voted overwhelmingly to have weed legalized in their city. Because DC is not a state, Republican Congressman from Maryland Andy Harris was able to insert a rider that prohibits local lawmakers from moving forward on legalizing marijuana sales. Generational Equity Movement saw how entrepreneurship in this space gave a new wave of young Black Washingtonians an opportunity to provide for themselves and insulate their communities. They also saw how the uncertainty of the marijuana laws in DC put many black entrepreneurs in danger of no longer being able to provide for themselves in a legal manner. So they decided to put together the documentary titled Young Gifting and Black, which explores DC’s relationship with weed, the positive things business owners have been able to provide for their communities, and how the issue of marijuana also goes into civil rights, and the politics of being denied agency without having DC statehood. I chatted with members of Generational Equity Movement, including their documentarian, to pick their brains about the state of the marijuana industry in DC, and what went into making their documentary Young Gifting and Black. Here is an excerpt from our conversation:

An Interview with Frontline Women: Advocating on behalf of the people of Washington D.C. 

By Nayion Perkins • November 18, 2020
Activism is inspired by a call to action. People observe a need that is often neglected and ignored; and that neglect elicits action. This has been a constant theme for the year 2020, which has been plagued with the COVID-19 pandemic and racial strife in the country, especially within the nation’s capital, Washington D.C. Frontline Women DC, a group of young black women who are advocating for the needs of Washingtonians are one of the best examples of recognizing areas of neglect, and organizing to address them head on. In early June, they came together in reaction to the death of George Floyd, a definitive last straw for many black people who were tired of hearing about police encounters ending with the same deadly result. “The inspiration was definitely through the George Floyd protests. That’s when we came together right at the beginning of June. We really just wanted to make an impact and we didn’t know exactly how we were going to do that, but we just wanted to be a part of this special moment in history. It was like a really weird time and it’s just like, I want to do something. I can’t sit home and watch this on social media and on TV and not be a part of the movement.” The need to participate in the overall movement for justice translated into the formation of Frontline Women. Subsequently, the group organized resources from district residents across the city to provide protestors with food, water, and general financial support to help protests spread their messages. Though their advocacy started with a desire to support protestors of racial injustice, Frontline Women’s mission has expanded into many areas that directly addressed problems DC residents are facing, especially when it comes to black women. “We wanted to center black woman because we felt like in the movement in general and also in DC, we don’t really see the focus of a lot of the movements and activism here being black woman. So we wanted to create the space for ourselves. A lot of black are black women are abused, killed, violated by the police and just by the system in general, that gets overlooked. I think when you have an organization that is founded by black women, we’re always going to put those issues first. For example two girls back in June, were murdered in DC. It wasn’t by the police, but we are still victims of violence within our community and outside our community. We really made an effort to donate to their go fund me’s and spread awareness to violence against black women in DC. I think it’s important to have things that are for us by us when it involves black women, because we’re always going to champion us.” Saige Ballard and Zymia Joyner are the young women referenced. They were two black teenagers who were murdered due to the rampant gun violence that has taken place in DC this year, especially during the summer. When Frontline Women heard of their stories, they immediately used the profile they built aiding protestors in order to funnel aid and support to those two families. Since the summer, Frontline Women DC have organized a series of events to give DC residents resources. Grocery giveaways to Wards 7,8, which are areas that have been historically disenfranchised due to their demographics and location. School drives to provide supplies, as many children went back to school in September without the same familiar infrastructure present. As election season approached, they mobilized to register people to vote, as well as sharing important information with their communicates about how and where to vote. Though they have been able to organize and provide resources to support many communities in DC, members of Frontline Women DC sounded off on a number of issues that are on their radar moving forward: “I think one of the biggest issues is definitely the lack of access to healthy food across the city, food insecurity in general. As DC has become more gentrified those neighborhoods before that didn’t have access to grocery stores, maybe only have like a corner store, now have grocery stores and things like that only because white people have moved in the neighborhood. You can see that these places where white people haven’t moved yet still don’t have access to groceries. Someone should be able to walk down the street and get food because everyone doesn’t have access to cars.” “I also think, to be a little more black women specific, DC is one of the most high risk places to have children in the country, especially if you live east of the river because there aren’t any hospitals, and the hospitals that are in DC right now outside of Howard, you can’t really go to most of them if you don’t have insurance or it’s going to be extremely expensive. That’s something that alarms me. That’s also a huge issue since we’re in the middle of a public health crisis; that there’s just not access to medical care, especially for black women, like there should be in a major city like DC.” “A big thing is cultural and social awareness, just coming back to DC and seeing how gentrifiers, even black people who are new to DC, not understanding the culture. We would like to see more emphasis on teaching people about black DC culture. I just felt like a lot of people are just not culturally sensitive or aware of how inspirational DC’s culture has been and how it’s being taken away through gentrification.” “DC has always been violent, but I feel like this summer in the past couple of years, it’s been super evident. We know that a lot of that is the effect of gentrification. People are being pushed together, but also there’s not a shared community responsibility just to keep everyone safe and alive anymore and that’s just stressful and kind of alarming to think about, especially as we get older and we’re going to start having kids and wanting to raise families here, it’s just not safe and we don’t feel safe when the police come. They don’t necessarily give the care and the proper attention to a lot of these cases like they should, the mayor doesn’t; It’s like us as activists and as community members are the only one who cares.We’re the ones supporting the families when they need help after they lost loved ones.” “It kind of goes back to gentrification. I know growing up here, there were a lot more resources for homelessness. A lot of homeless people had a lot more shelters that they could go to. A lot of addicts had drug treatment programs that they could get into, and now it’s little to none. That’s extremely frustrating, especially with drugs being exposed to younger kids. A lot more people are on the street and there’s a pandemic on top of all of this. Homelessness is at such an alarming rate and then people are already being pushed out from some of the places that they are staying. It’s very concerning.” You can follow Frontline Women DC on Instagram @FrontlineWomenDC in order to keep up with their community events, as well as receiving information on how to donate or volunteer.

Washington D.C. on Track for Highest Murder Total in 15 Years

By Norbert Klusmann • November 18, 2020
Amidst the most chaotic year in recent history… during a pandemic, during a social revolution regarding this country’s past, present and future racial transgressions, with a paradigm shifting Presidential election looming, Washington D.C. is facing a heartbreaking and familiar epidemic that it knows all too well: gun violence. Whether at the hands of the people sworn to protect and serve us or as a by-product of poverty, the lack of opportunities in our communities and displacement, murder has run rampant in the District in a way we haven’t seen for 15 some odd years. With 150+ murders in early October of 2020 (compared to 166 total murders in 2019), Washington, D.C. is on track for topping 200 murders for the first time since 2004. History of Murder Capital D.C.’s Mayor for Life, Marion Barry, once said ”It’s been like a frenzy. Once you start a name, it just becomes a name. You can’t get rid of it,” in respect to the city’s ‘Murder Capital’ tag. Throughout the 80s and 90s, Washington, D.C. did more than earn enough to earn the grim title. From 1988 to 1995, the homicide rate rested comfortably in the 400s, a frightening number for any city, but especially a city as small and compact as D.C. There were many contributing factors to this traumatic time period. First and foremost, we’d be remiss in not recognizing the profound effect the crack epidemic had on this area. Crack’s introduction in 1986 is the most obvious precursor to the ‘Murder Capital’, with D.C. also essentially becoming the ‘Crack Capital’ as well, with the largest crack-dealing organizations making as much as $8 million a month ($18 million in 2020, with inflation). This much street traffic, money and the murder that followed garnered a lot of attention - all the way to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Newly elected President George Bush made it a point to “restart” the War on Drugs because of the drug trade in Washington, D.C., using crack sold in a park across the street from the White House as an example. The subsequent policing and attention caused more harm than good, as the murder rate rose in the following years, but this clearly outlines the landscape this nickname was given in. Factors in Violence: (gentrification, poverty, lack of opportunity) Gun violence is not an issue that exists in a vacuum. It is the culmination of a number of things, ending in the perfect cocktail of circumstances needed for someone to be injured, sometimes fatally. When citizens are asked, they bring up the following as contributing factors: D.C. natives struggle with a lack of opportunity in an economically booming city, rising rent costs forcing residents into unfamiliar (sometimes even warring) neighborhoods, on top of an already irreparable relationship with the black community and the Metropolitan Police Department. This creates a deadly atmosphere, a hotbed for gun violence. Residents don’t feel safe and it is obvious how some may feel that carrying a weapon for your own self-defense is better than potentially losing your life, falling victim to this new landscape they have been put into. On the other hand, when it comes to individuals that may not have any opportunity, any way to feed themselves or their families, relying on less than savory methods of making money become necessary. This puts an unavoidable target on your back - either with other individuals in the streets, the police or both. The powers that be in Washington, D.C. have a responsibility to its citizens, to ensure that they are never put between a rock and a hard place, in this way. The cross-section of economics and public safety can be seen plainly here and real steps need to bee made to ensure the progress of all Washingtonians. 34th N EAT Party Shooting More recently, there has been two captivating stories: a celebration turned mass shooting and another young life taken too soon by America’s over-militarized police force. In the days leading up to August 9th, near the apex of a somewhat dormant and stifled summer as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, a video went viral on social media. Hundreds of bottles of liquor advertising an annual cookout branded the ‘34th & EAT Cookout’, featuring the popular D.C. brand EAT, prompted hundreds of people to take to the streets. A little past midnight, shots rung out. 22 people were shot. 21 individuals were adults, including 12 of which are women, 9 male victims and 16 people between the ages of 20-29 years old. Heartbreakingly, a 17 year old young man, a father to an infant, lost his life. No one has been charged for these murderous actions and no explanations have been produced. The event was a perfect cocktail for mayhem, with alcohol amounting to thousands of dollars, the common violent occurrences of dice games and other cash-based gambling at parties and cookouts, ontop of the reality of warring neighborhoods in Washington, D.C. DEON KAY Deon Kay was similarly young. 18 years old with years of life ahead of him, his journey was cut short in a way that is all too familiar to young black men in this country: by a gun in the hands of a police officer. Police responded that a tip that Kay and two others were in their neighborhood brandishing guns and officers actively went looking for them. Upon being discovered, Kay fled, trying his best to escape capture. Officer Alexander Alvarez runs ahead of Kay, trying to cut him off. As we can only guess at this point, Deon realizes his capture is inevitable and he tries to best to toss his weapon. While doing so, Alvarez shoots and kills Deon Kay. The weapon in question was found nearly 100 feet away from Deon Kay’s lifeless body. Police shootings happen everyday in America. Rarely are we, the people, given the information to truly discern whether or not justice was truly served. Do I believe Deon Kay could have been apprehended without loss of life? I do. But at the end of the day, we can only truly focus on how to stop these situations and circumstances from being common occurrences in our communities.

What is Police Abolition?

By Camara Stokes Hudson • November 18, 2020
Why don't you like cops - All people have inherent worth and dignity - and people are not their jobs. When people say ACAB or Fuck 12 they are attacking the institution of the police and people who uphold and defend that system, many of those people are current or former law enforcement. The fact is policing is rooted in anti-blackness and racism. The origins of American policing come from pre-civil war slave catching forces and has throughout its history created and perpetuated a criminal justice system that actively kills Black people and holds Black communities back.

Yaytunde Speaks: Expressing Artistry in Tumultuous Times

By Nayion Perkins • November 18, 2020
On May 25th, 2020, George Floyd was murdered by police officer Derek Chauvin, when he held his knee on Floyd’s neck for eight minutes and forty-six seconds. Video of Floyd’s last moments were recorded, and ultimately went viral through social media, sparking instant outrage. Subsequently, protests began nationwide, and the conversation on race and injustice in America was sparked once again. For many young Black Americans, Floyd’s death was the last straw. The tragic cases of Ahmaud Arbery as well as Breonna Taylor were already weighing on the minds of many. This was insult to injury. It was also nothing new. Each year, the list of black people who are murdered at the hands of the police grows. Many of those cases conclude with officers not being held accountable for their actions. In June 2020, we saw a boiling point nationwide. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic prompting the shutdown of business and life as we know it, protestors of all ages took to the streets. Many, looking for an outlet. A way to grieve and sort through the familiar pain of losing life to a system that does not care whether you live or die. Protest across the country have brought light to issues when many mainstream media outlets have failed to feel the pulse of the people who are demanding change. During protests, many are inclined to carry a sign to convey a message or share something they feel needs to be addressed. Within the new generation of protesters, art has become an important medium to convey messages to the masses. Coupled with protest, the lockdowns put in place due to COVID-19 presented challenges for many. In a world where technology rules and everyone is now working from home or attending school remotely, it was hard to ignore the movement for social justice taking place outside. Social media would ensure that was the case. And though it was good that a lot more people were forced to pay attention because of the surrounding circumstances of the world, for those who are all too familiar with the pain of being black in America, it was hard to take in all of the news without it taking a mental toll. For DC born and raised artist Yaytunde, art has been a major outlet during this tumulus year. A true chance to make a statement, while also addressing the many emotions that the death of black people wakens.

What does the rise of Muriel Bowser to the national stage mean for DC Natives?

By Camara Stokes Hudson • November 18, 2020
Mayor Muriel Bowser seems to be getting a lot of national attention in the past few months. She has appeared on MSNBC, CNN and ABC to speak on racial justice and the pandemic. She has been offered a Leadership Award by the National Newspaper Publishers Association. Mayor Bowser even had a speaking role at the 2020 DNC. Often alongside other Black woman mayors like Keisha Lance Bottoms, London Breed, and Lori Lightfoote, Muriel has been cast clearly in the national discussion as a local savior, holding the line against the public health and political threats posed by the Trump Administration and its followers. Most notably, Mayor Bowser has received high praise for her decision to paint “Black Lives Matter” large enough it could be seen from space on the portion of 16th street running up to White House, renaming it “Black Lives Matter Plaza”. A response, of sorts, to the still ongoing nation-wide protests to end racist policing practices and seek accountability for police who commit murder.
Show More