Planned Parenthood’s Cecile Richards Speaks at Georgetown University, with Protestors Nearby

May 1, 2016

On April 20, Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards came to Georgetown University to deliver a historic speech to a packed crowd of students. The significance of the event is found in the juxtaposition of Georgetown’s status as the oldest Catholic University in the country and Planned Parenthood’s title as the United States’ largest abortion provider.

Richards spoke at the invitation of the Lecture Fund, a non-partisan and student-run organization, which has previously hosted conservative commentator Ann Coulter and a slew of other notable guests. Her invitation was greeted with consternation by pro-life groups both on campus and around America, which considered the move an affront to the values of a supposedly Catholic and Jesuit university. Even Archbishop of Washington, Cardinal Donald Wuerl condemned Georgetown by stating that it was not “within the Catholic tradition for a university to provide a special platform to those voices that promote or support” issues contrary to the Vatican’s views, such as abortion. (Wuerl is celebrating a Mass of Life April 21 at Epiphany Catholic Church in Georgetown.)

Despite the onslaught of criticism, Georgetown University administrators defended the Lecture Fund’s decision on the grounds of freedom of expression, stating that they hoped to “provide a forum that does not limit free speech.”

As she walked on stage, Richards was greeted by a standing ovation. In her opening remarks, she was quick to thank the university for standing by the Lecture Fund and stated the importance of the protection of free speech. She went on to recount her career as an activist, which started in earnest in middle school, when she wore a black armband to protest American involvement in Vietnam. (She is the daughter of former Texas governor Ann Richards.) Later, she told the story of Planned Parenthood’s foundation by Margaret Sanger 100 years ago. Sanger was arrested for distribution of birth control devices, information and advice, which violated the Comstock Law prohibiting “articles of immoral use.”

Richards explained how far Planned Parenthood and its mission have come since 1916. An estimated 1 in 5 women in the U.S. has frequented one of Planned Parenthood’s more than 650 health centers across the nation. Annually, 2.5 million women and men (men make up 10 percent of the organization’s clientele) visit Planned Parenthood centers in the United States. Planned Parenthood prevents approximately 579,000 unintended pregnancies per year and provided over 270,000 Pap tests and breast exams. She notes that teen pregnancy rates are at a 40-year low, thanks in large part to her organization’s work providing sexual education over the internet to 6 million people.

During her address, Richards emphasized the importance of the members of the Millennial generation sitting before her. “I’m constantly blown away by young people tackling issues that have been taboo for years,” she remarked, later referring to the fight over sexual violence on college campuses and the growth of the Black Lives Matter movement in response to the marginalization of the African American community. In addition, she praised the bravery of the scores of young volunteers and professionals who work in Planned Parenthood and embody the organization’s unofficial motto, “These Doors Stay Open,” when they unanimously decided to open the day after the shooting at a Planned Parenthood location in Colorado Springs in November 2015.

After her speech, Richards sat down for a conversation with two Georgetown students and Lecture Fund board members, Helen Brosnan and Elizabeth Rich. Together, they addressed issues including the recent Supreme Court case on whether recent legislation in Texas represents an “undue burden” on provision and attainment of safe and legal abortions. Richard unequivocally thinks that it does and that such laws merely masquerade under the “guise” of protecting women. She stated that in her ideal world the next president would work to overturn the Hyde Amendment, which forbids federal funds from being used for abortions.

In the first time in its history, Planned Parenthood has endorsed a presidential candidate during the primary season: former senator and secretary of state Hillary Clinton. Richards cited Clinton’s introduction of eight separate bills to expand access to reproductive healthcare during her time in the Senate as reason for Planned Parenthood’s support. “I can’t wait for the day partisan politics gets out of reproductive healthcare,” Richards said.

The three women on stage also touched on the recent allegations that Planned Parenthood was involved in the selling of body parts obtained through abortion. Richards denounced these accusations, referring to the footage that raised the concerns as “deceptively edited.” She reminded the audience that Planned Parenthood has been exonerated of any wrongdoing by a Texas grand jury and that the creators of the video have been indicted in their place.

A short question-and-answer session followed the conversation, during which Richards invited a pro-life student to visit a health center to see for herself what type of work is done there. An atmosphere of politeness prevailed throughout.

Outside the event, however, protesters gathered on a cordoned-off section of campus. They were led by Abby Johnson, a former Planned Parenthood employee turned pro-life activist, who delivered a speech at Dahlgren Chapel at 7:30 pm on the same day. The protesters’ banners and signs labeled Cecile Richards “a felon” and demanded the federal government switch funding from Planned Parenthood to Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), which provide women’s health services but not abortion.

In an interview with the Georgetowner, Johnson stated that her goal was to “debunk the myth that women don’t have other options outside of Planned Parenthood” and called that claim “a blatant lie.” Johnson said that despite Planned Parenthood’s numerous health services, it only provides these to “eventually sell a product to a patient, and that is abortion.”

Johnson is the founder of And Then There Were None, an organization dedicated to helping abortion clinic workers leave the industry. According to Johnson, in the past three years, 218 clinic workers, including six full-time abortion doctors, have done just that.
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Weekend Round Up April 14, 2016

April 27, 2016

Inside the Diplomatic Reception Rooms
APRIL 14TH, 2016 AT 06:45 PM | $45 | TEL: 202-633-3030 | EVENT WEBSITE

Marcee F. Craighill will give an illustrated lecture about the State Department’s recreated period rooms. The ticket price includes a 45-minute daytime tour of the Diplomatic Reception Rooms on a selection of dates.

S. Dillon Ripley Center, 1100 Jefferson Drive SW

The Sculptor’s Journey
APRIL 14TH, 2016 AT 06:30 PM | $15 | TEL: 202-337-3050 | EVENT WEBSITE

Sarah Tanguy moderates a stimulating discussion with noted Washington area sculptors including Emilie Brzezinski and Jae Ko.

Kreeger Museum, 2401 Foxhall Road NW

Left Bank String Quartet
APRIL 15TH, 2016 AT 12:00 PM | FREE | TEL: 202-331-7282 | EVENT WEBSITE

The Left Bank Quartet performs works by Beethoven and Stravinsky with guest cellist Eric Kutz.

Arts Club of Washington, 2017 I St. NW

Opening Reception: Panacea’s Box
APRIL 15TH, 2016 AT 07:00 PM | FREE | TEL: 202-462-7833 | EVENT WEBSITE

This reception offers visitors a first look at the newest Nano Gallery exhibition, Panacea’s Box, featuring gorgeous shadowboxes by Zofie Lang in which fictional remedies are crafted into small vignettes using dollhouse drawers, original photography and found objects.

2438 18th St. NW

Hickey Freeman Trunk Show
APRIL 16TH, 2016 AT 10:00 AM | TEL: 202-298-7464 | EVENT WEBSITE

Everard’s hosts a Hickey Freeman trunk show with 10% off made-to-measure items.

1802 Wisconsin Ave. NW

Bike Tour: Past, Present and Future of NoMa
APRIL 16TH, 2016 AT 10:00 AM | $35 | EVENT WEBSITE

For Architecture Week, Toole Design Group will lead a bike tour through NoMa highlighting projects such as the Uline Arena, Union Station and Constitution Square. Participants must bring their own bike and helmet.

51 N St. NE

National Cherry Blossom Parade
APRIL 16TH, 2016 AT 10:00 AM | FREE ($20 FOR GRANDSTAND SEATING) | EVENT WEBSITE

One of D.C.’s largest spectator events, the energy-filled National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade, presented by Events DC, runs for 10 blocks along iconic Constitution Avenue. Giant colorful helium balloons, elaborate floats, marching bands from across the country and celebrity performers provide a spring-inspired spectacle of music and showmanship seen only once a year.

Constitution Avenue NW between 7th and 17th Streets

Caribbean Party at the Embassy of the Bahamas
APRIL 16TH, 2016 AT 08:00 PM | $55 | TEL: 202-319-2660 | EVENT WEBSITE

Embassy Experiences will deliver the Spirit of Nassau and Paradise Island with a diplomatic touch as the new ambassador welcomes young professionals to a special cultural evening at the Embassy of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, recreating a visit to this Caribbean jewel.

Embassy of the Bahamas, 2220 Massachusetts Ave. NW

Cherry Blossom Brunch with DCPL Foundation
APRIL 17TH, 2016 AT 11:00 AM | $35 | EVENT WEBSITE

The D.C. Public Library Foundation will host a Cherry Blossom Brunch where all in attendance can enjoy cherry blossom-inspired bites, mimosas and crafts. The afternoon will give guests a chance to use state-of-the-art technology.

Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, 901 G St. NW

Music of Bernard Hermann
APRIL 17TH, 2016 AT 03:30 PM | FREE | TEL: 202-737-4215 | EVENT WEBSITE

PostClassical Ensemble performs works by Bernard Hermann, composer of legendary film scores including those for “Citizen Kane” and “Psycho.”

National Gallery of Art, 401 Constitution Ave. NW

The Beats, the Bauhaus and the Birth of Abstract Film
APRIL 17TH, 2016 AT 06:00 PM | FREE | TEL: 800-444-1324 | EVENT WEBSITE

The Kennedy Center hosts a survey of short animated films from the 1920s with a soundtrack composed and performed live by Chicago electric violist and DJ Dominic Johnson.

Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW

Looking Forward to, and Preparing for, Emancipation Day


Most of the District’s events in celebration of Emancipation Day — April 16, 1862, when 3,185 enslaved residents of the District of Columbia were freed, about eight months before the Emacipation Proclamation — will take place on Saturday.

Following the 1 p.m. parade (which follows the Cherry Blossom parade), there will be a concert on Freedom Plaza; a “truck touch,” when kids can touch parked trucks and snow plows; and fireworks.

But on Friday, some rush-hour lane operations will be impacted, according to the District Department of Transportation and the Department of Public Works.

Here’s what drivers need to know:

There will be no reversible lane operations on the following roadways:
• Connecticut Avenue NW between Legation Street and Woodley Road
• 16th Street NW between Arkansas Avenue and Irving Street.
Drivers should anticipate congestion on the inbound lanes during morning rush and the outbound lanes during the evening rush hours.

DDOT will run reversible lane operations on the following roadways:
• Canal Road between Chain Bridge and Foxhall Road NW
• Independence Avenue between 4th Street SW and 2nd Street SE
• Rock Creek Parkway (controlled by the National Park Service).
Parking regulations, including weekday rush-hour parking restrictions, expired meters, residential parking and street sweeping will be suspended for the holiday.

DPW will enforce parking restrictions Friday, April 15, along the streetcar line on H Street/Benning Road NE. “Blocked” Streetcar Parking Enforcement occurs every day, including weekends and holidays, along H Street and Benning Road NE, between 3rd Street and Oklahoma Avenue NE. On Sundays and holidays, enforcement occurs between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m. Enforcement on Mondays to Thursdays occurs 6 a.m. to midnight; and on Fridays and Saturdays, enforcement runs between 6 a.m. and 2 a.m. Normal enforcement citywide resumes Saturday, April 16.

Working for Le Weekend on Book Hill


The 13th annual French Market, along the boutique-and-gallery-filled Book Hill section of Wisconsin Avenue, will run for three days instead of two, Friday, April 29, through Sunday, May 1.

Organized by the Georgetown Business Improvement District and sponsored by TD Bank, the French Market isn’t strictly French, but as you sample a croissant, sip Sancerre and sidewalk-shop, you may feel that you’re spending the afternoon in Paris (or, at least, Europe).

The blocks between P Street and Reservoir Road, where Book Hill Park begins, will be enlivened with music, street performers and activities for kids on Saturday and Sunday. The Saturday music line-up includes Swing Guitars DC with Daisy Castro, Bitter Dose Combo and Mary Alouette and the Crew. On Sunday, Laissez Foure (how clever can you get?) will perform.

The French Market is not only kid-friendly, but dog-friendly. On Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., visitors can have their picture taken with their dog(s) at the Parisian Pup Photo Booth, courtesy of A-list Photo Booths. Unleashed by Petco is providing treats.

Also on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Revolution Cycles and DC Bike Ride are offering free bicycle spot checks in the parking lot at Wisconsin and P Street. The first 100 bicyclists who stop by Patisserie Poupon’s booth in the same lot will receive a free gift bag.

Speaking of bags, on Sunday between noon and 3 p.m. in the TD Bank parking lot at Wisconsin and Q Street, a limited-edition Georgetown French Market tote bag will be screen-printed by Soul & Ink before your very eyes for $10 (while they last).

Friday and Saturday hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday hours are noon to 5 p.m. About three dozen shops and cafes are offering French Market discounts of up to 75 percent. Here is the list (or, as they say in French, la liste), adapted from the Georgetown BID website:

A MANO, 1677 Wisconsin: Clearance, up to 75 percent off.
Appalachian Spring, 1455 Wisconsin: Broken Hearts Sale, up to 50 percent off.
Artist’s Proof, 1533 Wisconsin: Spring art collection, prints by Carol Rowan, John Stango and others, 20 percent off coffee-table art books by Phaidon and Taschen.
Bacchus Wine Cellar, 1635 Wisconsin: Six-pack of wines in a canvas tote for $50, samples offered for tasting prior to purchase, 15 percent off all French wines.
Cafe Bonaparte, 1522 Wisconsin: Sweet and savory crepe stand, $5 per crepe.
Cross MacKenzie Gallery, 1675 Wisconsin: Discounts on all artwork in the gallery and affordable functional ceramic pieces outside.
Egg by Susan Lazar, 1661 Wisconsin: Sample sale items, 20 percent off everything full price.
Ella Rue, 3231 P: In-store basement sale and sidewalk sale, $30- and $20-and-under racks, 50 percent off jewelry on Wisconsin in front of Carine’s, Steals & Deals 50 to 75 percent off.
Georgetown Lutheran Church, 1556 Wisconsin: Church and garden open to visitors, free treats.
Georgetown Olive Oil Co., 1524 Wisconsin: Free small bottle of Champagne wine vinegar with purchase, 15 to 30 percent off select items, French-inspired variety packs and gifts.
Illusions Salon of Georgetown, 1629 Wisconsin: Parisian-inspired hair show, Kerasilk launch party hosted by Goldwell, giveaways, beauty tips from the Illusions Team, complimentary makeup applications by a Jane Iredale artist, discounts on selected items.
Jaco Juice & Taco Bar, 1614 Wisconsin: 15 percent off regular-menu items, special limited tasting menu, fresh juices and smoothies.
Jaryam, 1531 Wisconsin: 70 percent off select clothing.
LiLi The First, 1419 Wisconsin: 15 percent off regular-price items and 50 percent off sale items.
Little Birdies Boutique, 1526 Wisconsin: 50 percent off past-season styles and headbands and bows, newborn to size 10 designer clothing on sale including French children’s clothing lines Baby Dior, Petite Plume, Petite Annette and Petite Bateau, French-inspired baby plates, sippy cups, bowls, utensils.
Lynn Louisa, 1631 Wisconsin: Up to 70 percent off, including Parisian designer brands Margaux Lonnberg and Gat Rimon apparel, Adeline Affre jewelry.
Manny and Olga’s Pizza, 1641 Wisconsin: $3 fresh pizza slices, $1 drinks.
Marston Luce, 1651 Wisconsin: Selection of 18th-, 19th- and 20th-century French and Swedish furniture and accessories, carefully chosen jewelry.
Matt Camron Rugs, 1651 Wisconsin: Rugs and textiles.
Maurine Littleton Gallery, 1667 Wisconsin: 20 percent off SwitchWood interchangeable wooden bow ties, 10 percent off monogrammed cuff links.
Moss & Co., 1657 Wisconsin: Up to 75 percent off, assortment of home accessories, antiques (including French antiques), furniture, garden items, jewelry.
Patisserie Poupon, 1645 Wisconsin: Illy coffee station, French pastries including croissants, kouign amman, eclairs, tarts and macarons, grilled specialties including merguez, flank steak, chicken and toulouse sausage, French tablecloths, linens and handmade baskets.
Pho Viet & Grille, 1639 Wisconsin: 30 to 40 percent off Vietnamese sandwiches, Viet salad and Viet coffee drink.
Pretty Chic, 1671 Wisconsin: 60 percent off throughout the entire store excluding consignment items, Secret Garden Special with $5, $10 and $20 racks.
Reddz Trading, 1413 Wisconsin: 20 percent off everything in the store excluding Chanel and Hermès.
Sherman Pickey, 1647 Wisconsin: 20 percent off everything in the store excluding Chanel and Hermès.
Susan Calloway Fine Arts, 1643 Wisconsin: Classic modern designs inspired by Chinese ceramics by Georgetown-based Middle Kingdom Ceramics at street level, 40 percent off antique and vintage French paintings inside.
TD Bank, 1611Wisconsin: Portraits by caricature artist on Saturday.
The Bean Counter, 1665 Wisconsin: 10 percent off sandwiches.
The Phoenix, 1514 Wisconsin: 20 percent off jewelry by French designer Selen, 20 to 50 percent off spring and fall clothing from Eileen Fisher, Oska, White + Warren.
Via Umbria, 1525 Wisconsin: Discounted Italian olive oils, foods and ceramics, French cooking class and dinner with chef-sommelier Vickie Reh on Friday at 7:30 p.m.
Washington Printmakers Gallery, 1641 Wisconsin: Friday from 1 to 3 p.m., “Make and Take” prints for children 3-12.
Zannchi, 1529 Wisconsin: Special Kimbap (rolls) and tea.

Weekend Round Up April 21, 2016


Smithsonian Craft Show
APRIL 22ND, 2016 AT 10:30 AM | EVENT WEBSITE

The Smithsonian Craft Show is considered the country’s most prestigious juried show and sale of fine American craft. Dale Chihuly and Toots Zynsky, world-renowned glass artists and recipients of the Smithsonian Craft Show Visionary Artist Awards, will headline the list of more than 75 outstanding artists who donated over 90 works to this year’s Smithsonian Craft Show Online Auction.

National Building Museum, 401 F St. NW

30th Annual Filmfest DC
APRIL 22ND, 2016 AT 12:00 AM | $10-$100 | FILMFESTDC@FILMFESTDC.ORG | TEL: 202-234-3456 | EVENT WEBSITE

The festival will bring 75 films from 35 countries to show on 6 screens across 11 days during 1 exciting festival. Numerous directors and filmmakers will be present throughout the festival for questions and/or discussions.

AMC Mazza Gallerie, 5300 Wisconsin Ave. NW, and Landmark’s E Street Cinema, 555 11th St. NW

C&O Canal Pride Days
APRIL 23RD, 2016 AT 09:00 AM | FREE | DRAPER@CANALTRUST.ORG | TEL: 301-714-2233 | EVENT WEBSITE

Do you take pride in your neighborhood National Park, the C&O Canal? Show it off by volunteering for a day of restoration, revitalization, and fun during one of the C&O Canal Trust’s Canal Pride Days.

C&O Canal National Historical Park, 11710 MacArthur Blvd., Potomac, Maryland

Temperance Walking Tour
APRIL 23RD, 2016 AT 01:00 PM | $49 | TEL: 202-633-3030 | EVENT WEBSITE

Garrett Peck leads a Smithsonian Associates tour of D.C.’s quirky Prohibition history, setting off from the Cogswell Temperance Fountain.

7th Street and Indiana Avenue NW

Author Talk: Michelle Nzadi Keita
APRIL 23RD, 2016 AT 02:00 PM | FREE | TEL: 202-633-4820 | EVENT WEBSITE

Michelle Nzadi Keita will speak about and sign copies of her book, “Brief Evidence of Heaven: Poems from the Life of Anna Murray Douglass.” Anna Murray Douglass was the first wife of Frederick Douglass.

Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Place SE

Jazz at the Atlas
APRIL 23RD, 2016 AT 08:00 PM | $28 | TEL: 202-399-7993 | EVENT WEBSITE

The Tizer Trio, a “world jazz fusion powerhouse” led by keyboardist Lao Tizer, performs.

Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE

Shakespeare’s Birthday
APRIL 24TH, 2016 AT 12:00 PM | FREE | TEL: 202-544-4600 | EVENT WEBSITE

Celebrate the Bard’s birthday with music, puppets, stage combat demonstrations, cake, Elizabethan crafts and an appearance by Queen E. herself.

Folger Shakespeare Library, 201 East Capitol St. SE

National Gallery Concert: Inscape
APRIL 24TH, 2016 AT 03:30 PM | FREE | EVENT WEBSITE

The ensemble performs music by Chen Yi, Toru Takemitsu and other Asian composers.

National Gallery of Art, 4th Street and Constitution Avenue NW

Georgetown Professor Speaks About University’s History With Slavery

April 22, 2016

Dr. Adam Rothman, a member of Georgetown University’s Working Group on Slavery, Memory & Reconciliation, spoke in Lauinger Library today, April 18, about the university’s history in connection with the Jesuits’ sale of 272 slaves in 1838.

“It seems to me that the story of Georgetown and slavery is a microcosm of the whole history of slavery,” he said.

The discussion, scheduled in honor of D.C. Emancipation Day, comes on the heels of a front-page story in Sunday’s New York Times detailing Georgetown University’s history with slavery and asked what, if anything, should be done for the descendants of those slaves, sold at the initiative of President Rev. Thomas Mulledy, S.J.

Rothman, an associate professor of history at Georgetown, spoke about documents found in the university archives that document the transaction that sent 272 slaves from the Jesuits’ Maryland plantation to former Louisiana governor (later U.S. Congressman) Henry Johnson and his associate Jesse Beatty.

Entries from 1813 and 1814 in the diary of Rev. John McElroy, S.J., offer insight into the connections the Jesuits had with slavery, and the articles of agreement between Mulledy and Johnson and Beatty detail the terms of the sale: $115,000 to be paid in a series of installments. Rothman estimated that in today’s dollars the amount would be equivalent to, conservatively, $3 million.

“Humans were transformed into commodities,” he said.

Rothman highlighted another document, an 1848 letter from James Van de Velde, S.J., of St. Louis, who inquired into the circumstances of the slaves who were sold. Van de Velde found that their families had been separated and that they had not been given ample opportunity to practice their religion, violations of the terms in the articles of agreement.

Rothman pointed out that while these documents are vitally important to the understanding of Georgetown’s involvement in slavery, they only tell one side of the story.

“What we so often lack is the perspective of enslaved people themselves,” he said.

At the end of the talk, a man named Joe Brown spoke up from near the back of the room. He said that his ancestors had been slaves whose lives followed a similar trajectory at the hands of the Catholic Church in Maryland. Coincidentally, he had been at the library researching his family history at the same time as the discussion.

Brown shared his story of being raised in the Catholic Church and then coming to understand how the church had been part of his family history in a terrible way. He spoke quietly and emotionally about his new doubts and whether he could still have faith and raise his children in the Church.

His comments made Rothman’s earlier remarks about looking at slavery in its local context, in order to humanize a difficult subject, very real to the listeners. When Brown’s story was followed by another attendee’s question about reconciliation, Rothman himself was overcome with emotion and could not answer.

Rothman later said that the first step of truth and reconciliation is truth. He spoke of the possibility of scholarship programs and memorials on campus, while noting that conversation is ongoing and no decisions have yet been made.

“My own personal opinion is that nothing is sufficient,” he said.

Visitation Prep Students Mugged Friday Afternoon

April 21, 2016

Two Georgetown Visitation Prep students were mugged around 3:30 p.m., Friday, April 15, in Pomander Walk along 3300 block of Volta Place. The two female students were grabbed by a boy and pushed into the alley of small townhouses off Volta Place and were mugged by two girls.

The assailants stole a phone and ran away when a neighbor observing the crime came on the scene. The visibly shaken students were uninjured and remained at a Volta Place corner to speak with police and be attended to by school officials, as commuter traffic idled on 34th Street.

The Metropolitan Police Department describes the suspects — two of whom were wearing Guy Fawkes masks on top of their heads — as black, 14 to 18 years old and averaging five-foot-seven or five-feet-eight with thin or medium builds.

Treasury: Harriet Tubman New Face of $20 Bill

April 20, 2016

U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew announced today that the image of Harriet Tubman will replace that of Andrew Jackson as the face of the $20 bill.

Tubman, who was born a slave in Maryland in 1822, is famous for her abolitionist work and for helping slaves escape through the Underground Railroad, a secret network of safe houses and routes to free states and Canada.

The news diverges from the currency replacement plan originally announced by the Treasury on June 17, 2015, in which Lew said he planned to put a woman on the $10 bill — one who was “a champion for our inclusive democracy,” he commented at the time.

Alexander Hamilton, the first Secretary of the Treasury, will remain the face of the $10 bill, CNN reported, in part due to his resurgence in popularity thanks to the Broadway musical “Hamilton.” According to CNN, Lew is also expected to announce that various women will appear on the back of the $10.

Washington, D.C., Celebrates Earth Day


On April 22, Earth Day will be celebrated for the 46th time. The annual global phenomenon, started in 1970, is intended to motivate people to act to help save the planet from the forces of climate change.

The historic Paris Climate Agreement was sealed in the final days of 2015 and is scheduled to be signed on this coming Earth Day by as many as 120 countries, including both the United States and China. Combined, those two countries make up as much as 40 percent of global emissions. The treaty will be signed at the United Nations headquarters in New York City.

Celebrate this monumental human achievement and Earth Day by heading to one of these climate friendly Earth Day events in the Washington, D.C. area. There are events for environmentally conscious kids, teens and adults.

Earth Day Celebration at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo: Take time to observe the species that need protecting this Earth Day while getting gardening tips from the experts, attending special demonstrations, touring the zoo’s green facilities and participating in other climate-themed activities. The zoo encourages participants to bike to the event.

Saturday, April 23, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
3001 Connecticut Ave. NW

Earth Day at Union Station: The station will be putting on a spread of eco-friendly and interactive experiences to educate people about environmental issues and encourage sustainable practices. The event is sponsored by NASA and will feature scientists, astronauts and a number of exhibits.

Thursday and Friday, April 21 and 22, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
50 Massachusetts Ave. NE

Alexandria Earth Day: The theme of this celebration is “Choose to Reuse—Your Choices Matter.” There will be a number of exhibits, demonstrations and hands-on activities for kids. Live music will be performed by Hand Paint Swinger. A number of food trucks will be serving at the event.

Saturday, April 30, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Lenny Harris Memorial Fields at Braddock Park, 1005 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria, Virginia

United State Botanic Garden Earth Day Open House: Come to the Conservancy Terrace at the Botanic Gardens to meet with representatives of regional conservancy organizations. Participate in hands-on games and activities and learn how keep our planet healthy.

Friday, April 22, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
100 Maryland Ave. SW

Broccoli City Festival: Come listen to headliner and wildly popular rapper Future at the Gateway Pavilion. A number of other musicians will be performing as well, including Californian Jhené Aiko and former Odd Future members The Internet. This one-day music festival, featuring ground-breaking artists, is committed to engaging urban millennials in issues of environmental sustainability. In addition to the music, there will be pop-up markets, live art and featured restaurants.

Tickets can be bought at ticket-resale websites or “earned” by participating in volunteer opportunities. Entrants must be 16 years or older.

Saturday, April 30, noon to 10 p.m.
St. Elizabeth East Gateway Pavillion, 1100 Alabama Ave. SE

Anacostia Watershed Cleanup: Be a hero of the Anacostia River. Join over 2,000 volunteers to clean one of D.C.’s main waterways. Be prepared to get a bit dirty. Register at the Anacostia Watershed Society website.

Saturday, April 23, 9 a.m. to noon
You can volunteer at 31 locations in Washington, D.C., and Maryland.

“eARTh Day” Art Night: Exclusive Multi-Artist Exhibition: An exhibit of environmentally themed art about our planet as seen through the eyes of local artists. Admission is free but all proceeds from sales directly benefit artists.

Friday, April 22, 8 p.m.
The Ritz-Carlton Georgetown, 3100 South St. NW

“Made in Arlington” pop-up shop: A retail experience dedicated to all things beautiful, wearable and edible provided they’re made in Arlington. Browse for gifts or curiosities at the stands while admiring the ongoing photo exhibit Lighting Diversity, which will be shown in the same space. The event is free.

Saturday, April 23, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Arlington Mill Community Center Gallery, 909 S Dinwiddie Street, Arlington, Virginia

Body Found Floating in C&O Canal Identified


A body found floating in the C&O Canal near 31st Street NW Tuesday morning, April 12, has been identified, according to D.C. police.

Osbaldo Lemus Bernal, 51, of Arlington, Virginia, was found in the canal around 7:30 a.m. by construction workers, who took a photo from the canal towpath near Sea Catch Restaurant of the backpack floating above the man’s body.

The Metropolitan Police Department indicated that the death might not be suspicious, although homicide units were on the scene the morning the body was discovered. Parts of 31st Street NW and South Street NW were blocked off for a time.