RFK Campus: February 2021 Newsletter | Events DC

Events DC Community Grant Awardee Spotlight: The Nicholson Project

The Nicholson Project was chosen as a grant awardee of Cycle 1 of the Fiscal Year 2021 Events DC Community Grant Program for providing a unique, innovative cultural hub in a former single-family row house in Southeast DC for artists in the community. Since its opening in September of 2019, The Nicholson Project welcomed artists, designers, makers, chefs, gardeners, architects, engineers, and scientists to stay at the residence.  

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, The Nicholson Project had to pause its onsite program. Larry W. Cook was the last artist-in-residence in the summer of 2020. Since April 2020, 10 artists have participated in the modified Digital Residency via the group’s Instagram account, with Mariama Bramble being the latest artist-in-residence for December 2020.

Learn more about The Nicholson Project:

The Nicholson Project is an artist-in-residence program that provides a safe and equitable space for 1-3 months with free stay and $2,000.00/mo. For more information, click here.  
The Nicholson Project celebrated its one-year anniversary with a YouTube video featuring former resident artist Larry W. Cook. 
For more information on the December 2020 Digital Resident winner Mariama Bramble, visit her Instagram.
The rowhouse at 2310 Nicholson Street SE hosts a neighborhood garden installed by Love and Carrots to provide vegetables to the neighborhood as a whole.

Community Envisioning Virtual Meeting

Want to learn more about the future of Kingman and Heritage Islands? Join your friends and neighbors at the kick-off Kingman Island Community Envisioning Meeting on March 2 at 6:30 PM!

The District of Columbia’s Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) is excited to announce an exciting new phase Kingman and Heritage Islands! Join us for a virtual community meeting to learn more and share your thoughts with the project team! Over the next 3 years, our design-build team, led by MCN Build, Hickok Cole Architects, Oehme van Sweden, and Sarver Ecological will design and construct improvements on Kingman and Heritage Islands that will prioritize conservation and restoration of the natural ecology and focus on education opportunities for children and visitors of all ages.

By preserving and enhancing nature we will create more opportunities to learn, play, relax, and explore this unique environment in our own back yard. After extensive engagement with the surrounding community, DOEE is excited to be able to share this important first step and hear directly from you!

Register

The Fields at RFK Campus Updates

Applications to run a summer camp at The Fields at RFK Campus should be submitted between February 15 to 25. Local, community-based organizations are encouraged to apply. For more information, contact thefields@crysp.org.
The Fields at RFK Campus have returned to its regular winter hours of 10 AM to 9 PM on weekdays and 10 AM to 8 PM on weekends.

More Information

How the Washington DC Police Foundation is Boosting Community Relations

The Washington DC Police Foundation/DC Police Athletic/Activities League Chapter funds and supports all the youth and community outreach initiatives of the Washington Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

There are over 130 MPD officers that work with youth, schools, and the community. Together, the Foundation and MPD reach over 15,000 youth annually through programs like Officer Friendly, Junior Cadets and Youth Creating Change.  Additionally, the Foundation sponsors the Ward 7 & 8 baseball program, as well as the Marshall Heights Bison football team. Both programs are led by MPD officer coaches, who not only coach but act as leaders and mentors to youth players. Officer coaches inspire youth to understand and fall in love with the game, and more importantly, give them an opportunity to mature as all-around student athletes.

The Marshall Heights Bison Youth Football Organization has been active since 1992. The organization has grown from 40 kids participating in football on Saturdays to a year-round program that focuses on empowering more than 180 youth. Marshall Heights has produced numerous championships on the field including 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015 and the 2017 National Championships. Over 200 alumni are higher education graduates attaining degrees from universities including Colorado State, Howard, Hampton, Syracuse, Delaware State, UDC, Bowie State, and Cornell. Three alumni currently participate in the NFL.

Throughout the pandemic, the Foundation has sought innovative ways to continue to work with players.  Individual home sports kits were delivered to each of the 60 baseball players, so that they could continue their workouts from home.  Virtual fitness challenges were also shared with youth and families.  The Bison team held leadership virtual learning sessions where youth could ask questions of coaches and athletes.  In the Fall, Bison players began masked practices at the Fields at RFK Campus to continue their program in a safe setting. 

Foundation and DC PAL programs not only promote success as student athletes, but also allow youth to develop a positive mentorship with their officer coaches.  Players often have open and honest conversations with their coaches about life, their experiences and what they are seeing in the world.  It is very important for conversations around police-community relationships to take place, especially with our young future leaders. Together, through sports, the youth and officers are able to get to know one another while working together to address neighborhood challenges and build a better future. 

More Information

Events DC Community Grant Awardee Spotlight: The Fishing School

The Fishing School, whose name is based on the old adage, “If you give a man a fish, you will feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish, and he will feed himself for a lifetime” is an Events DC Fiscal Year 2021 – Cycle 1 Community Grant awardee. While offering afterschool programs, parent engagement programs, and summer camps The Fishing School incorporates STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math), life skills, read alouds, and self-confidence boosting clubs. All programs are open to 1st – 5th graders and families in Wards 7 & 8.

Like many programs across the city, the COVID-19 global pandemic forced The Fishing School to transform its in-person programming to virtual programming to ensure that youth learn in a safe and healthy environment. One of the most pivotal impacts The Fishing School has made since the onset of Covid-19 is providing families with resources. These resources include distance learning, digital libraries, digital lesson plans, free and discounted utilities, connectivity resources, and childcare resources in addition to information about locations where free meals are being provided. To learn more about The Fishing School or to enroll for any of the programs click here.

More Information

DC Oral History Collaborative

The DC Oral History Collaborative (DCOHC) will award up to $7,000 for Washingtonians launching new oral history projects!

Help us tell the untold stories of Washington, DC by applying for a DCOHC “New Projects” grant. The opportunity is available to individuals who are full-time residents of Washington, DC, or 501c3 non-profit organizations based in Washington, DC.

It is especially important during these difficult times to document and preserve the city’s rich history through personal anecdotes and historical narratives. Prospective applicants should read the full Request for Proposals, and begin their applications by visiting http://grantapplication.wdchumanities.org.

All proposals must be submitted by 11:59 PM EST on Monday, March 8. The DC Oral History Collaborative is a partnership of HumanitiesDC and the DC Public Library. The DCOHC was created in 2017 as a city-wide initiative aimed at documenting and preserving the history of Washington’s residents and communities. These grants are awarded as part of the “Humanities Grant Program,” an initiative funded by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities.

For more information, please contact Jasper Collier at jcollier@wdchumanities.org.

More Information

DC Salutes You

As a thank you to servicemembers, law enforcement and first responders, we are happy to welcome you back to DC with these special offers.

More Information

Community Grant Program

The Events DC Community Grant Program provides financial support to qualifying non-profit organizations dedicated to supporting youth sports, cultural or performing arts in the District of Columbia.

More Information