July 2020 CHV News

JULY 2020 VILLAGE NEWS FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND THE PRESIDENT Taking Action Against Racism By Phil Guire and Judy Berman We’ve probably all experienced leaps of consciousness at some time or another, when an experience or piece of information tilts the lens through which we’ve known the world and another image takes shape. It’s like the moment you first realize your parents are human and fallible—you view yourself and them differently forever. One of my (Judy’s) leaps occurred as a young adult when I recognized my own White privilege. I remember discovering that the day I was born was just two days after four little girls were killed by White supremacist terrorists who bombed a church in Above: Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and George Floyd. Birmingham, Alabama. I found myself wondering, for the first time, how derive benefits due to the color of our to stop falling back on what’s easy it had been reported on the news, skin—like the benefit of the doubt— not to see, and to take action against whether my White parents—living just we have to acknowledge that many the injustices of historical, systemic, outside New York City—were thinking more people—Black, Indigenous, and and current racial inequality. It starts about it as they contemplated the People of Color—are unjustly denied with understanding, but it doesn’t imminent birth of their second child, those benefits only because of the color stop there. We have to continually whether they worried about or were of their skin. affected by the hate that motivated the continued on page 3 Phil and I decided to share our violence, or the grief and fear that the CONTENTS violence left in its wake. It changed my columns in this newsletter because sense of the world I was born into, and this topic is so very important. With 2 Next Steps? Get Involved; Happy July 4th the country reeling over the deaths it changed me. 3 Taking Action Against Racism continued of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, 4 LGBTQ Corner: Member Bert Kubli’s Story I think the most remarkable thing George Floyd, and so many others, about privilege is the way it obscures a tide has turned. As many White 5 History and Biography Group Sets itself to those who possess it. The fact individuals confront their own biases Reading Agenda; Lit Club Announces 2020-2021 Selections; CHV LGBTQ that I could reach adulthood without and assess the impact that living in Symposium Coming in September! awareness of my proximity to this a racist society has had on them, we 6 Meet the Metzgers historic event speaks volumes about believe it is equally important that my White privilege. And even when businesses and organizations do 7 Village Voices; Show Us What You’ve Got! seen once, with crystal clarity, it can the same. CHV’s strategic plan has 8 Meeting Transportation Needs for Seniors recede into the habitual, the familiar, included expanding diversity as a and People with Disabilities the unquestioned. It’s not that privilege pillar of its strategy for several years, 9 Transportation Needs for Seniors and is hard to see, it’s that it’s easy not to, yet not enough has changed. People with Disabilities cont.; Gail Kohn unless we make a point of seeing it. Recognized; First Amendment Questions? And it’s uncomfortable to see, because This moment in history is crying out 10 CHV Events List if White people acknowledge that we for those of us with White privilege Next Steps? Get Involved Are you feeling inspired by the Black clothing, medical care, and legal and of Trayvon Martin’s murderer, the Lives Matter protests and want to social services to reduce the burden “Black Lives Matter Foundation contribute in a meaningful way? Here of poverty; seeks justice through is a global organization, whose are some actions that people of color community organizing and public mission is to eradicate white have recommended for White people advocacy; and works to uproot supremacy and build local power to who want to make a difference. (These racism, a major cause of poverty.” intervene in violence inflicted on examples are from Capitol Hill Village > Health Alliance Network: The Black communities by the state and not by any means an exclusive list.) Health Alliance Network convenes, and vigilantes.” 1. Choose to support Black-owned collaborates, and advocates for 3. Include Black voices in your daily businesses. White people need to put health equity and chronic disease activities. Here are some suggestions, their money where their mouths are reduction for poor and low-income who you may already be familiar with: communities in DC. and, if we truly oppose racism, invest in > The Kojo Nnamdi Show on the economic advancement of our Black National/International: National Public Radio neighbors. It’s not enough to feel badly > Color of Change: “Color Of > It’s Been a Minute, with Sam about racism, we have to change our Change exists to strengthen Black Sanders behavior. Here are some Black-owned America’s political voice. Their goal > Yamiche Alcindor, PBS News Hour food-businesses in our neighborhood is to empower members—Black > Michele Norris (also at https:// that offer take-out and/or delivery: Americans and allies—to make michele-norris.com/) > Cane – Trinidadian government more responsive to the > District Soul Food – Southern, Soul concerns of Black Americans and This list will be available on the CHV Food to bring about positive political and website. If you have suggestions to > Milk and Honey – Brunch, Café, social change for everyone.” contribute, please send them to info@ Coffee, Cake > Black Lives Matter: Founded in capitolhillvillage.org. > Hype Café – Ethiopian, Coffee, 2013 in response to the acquittal Pastries, Sandwiches > Sweet Lobby – Coffee and Cupcakes > Souk – Bakery, Coffee, Spice Market, Retail > MLK Deli – Sandwiches, Salads, Wraps, Wings and Crab Cakes > Smith Commons DC – Brunch, Dinner, Cocktails 2. Support organizations led by People of Color that are actively working to undo racial inequities. Here are some examples: Local organizations: > Serve Your City: A nonprofit that “provides life-changing experiences Happy Fourth of July, Capitol Hill Village! and opportunities for at-risk It’s not quite the same without our small-town parade, and our favorite local D.C. students through inspiring celebrities driving down Eighth Street in their convertibles (thinking of you, Bill and programming and the support of Roger!). We had to dig out a photo from 2019. It’s also not the same when so much of passionate volunteers” (and our attention is being drawn to the ways that the United States is struggling to live is helping coordinate Ward 6 up to the potential and the principles so beautifully articulated in the Declaration of Mutual Aid). Independence. But there’s nothing more American than hope, and we’re reminded > Bread for the City: “The mission again and again how much experience and knowledge and know-how resides with of Bread for the City is to help the members of CHV (did you read about the Metzgers?—and they’re just two!). If low-income DC residents develop there’s a group that knows how to make a difference, it’s this one. So, let’s make a their power to determine the Fourth of July resolution (New Year’s is just so pre-pandemic): let’s plan to march in future of their own communities. next year’s parade to honor what each of us has done to make our community more The organization provides food, fair and more just. That will be something to celebrate! 2 • July 2020 Capitol Hill Village News FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND THE PRESIDENT CAPITOL HILL VILLAGE Taking Action Against Racism To reach us: continued from page 1 202-543-1778 (M–F, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.) remind ourselves and each other From the group Teaching [email protected] when White privilege is at work, when Tolerance: https:// https://www.capitolhillvillage.org injustice is at work, and commit to www.tolerance.org/ standing up against it—even if, or magazine/fall-2018/ Capitol Hill Village perhaps especially if—it makes us what-is-white-privilege-really 1355 E Street SE uncomfortable. Many of us moved to Washington, DC 20003 White Fragility: Why It’s So Capitol Hill precisely because of its Hard for White People to Connect with CHV at: diversity, because LBJ had issued a call Talk About Racism, by Robin for a “Great Society” and we wanted to DiAngelo (available from the be part of it. But that vision is still to DC Public Library: https:// be realized. dclibrary.overdrive.com/ To unsubscribe, please send an e-mail to [email protected] As leaders of the Village, we are media/3716950. (The book is making the following commitments: also available at online book To become a member, go to www. capitolhillvillage.org and click on “Join.” we (staff and board) are actively sellers and locally at East City Dues can be paid online, or call the office at working to make changes that will Bookshop.) 202-543-1778. enable us to attract and serve more Ibram X. Kendi: The difference To support the Village, go to www. Black members (at least in part to between being “not racist” capitolhillvillage.org and click on “Support/ help reduce health inequities between and antiracist (TED Talk: Donate.” Capitol Hill Village is a 501(c)3 Black and White seniors); we will seek https://www.ted.com/speakers/ charitable institution, and your gift is tax and choose more Black businesses ibram_kendi) deductible.

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