The Georgetown Voice, 8/21/24

U P DAT E P U B DAT E

A U G U ST 21 , 202 4

DEAR HOYAS, By the Editorial Board

THE SICKOS’ GUIDE TO GEORGETOWN SPORTS

By Benjamin Jakabcsin and Henry Skarecky “FOUNDED ON DISPLACEMENT”: HOUSING HISTORY IN D.C.

By Katie Doran and Imani Liburd

Contents

August 21, 2024 Volume 57 | Issue 1 Editor-in-Chief ...... Ajani Jones Managing Editor ...... Connor Martin

8-9

internal resources: Executive Manager for Staff ...... Sabrina Shaffer Executive Editor for Resources, Diversity, and Inclusion ...... Aminah Malik Asst. Editor for Resources, Diversity, and Inclusion ...... Imani Liburd Editor for Sexual Violence Advocacy, Prevention, and Coverage ...... Alison Karki Service Chair ...... Grace Nuri Social Chairs ...... Ninabella Arlis, Henry Skarecky Archivist ...... Bradshaw Cate

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7

10

12

Dear Hoyas,

Student discounts to keep on your radar

“Founded on displacement”: Housing history in D.C.

Know your rights: Interacting with GUPD

editorials

features

leisure

EDITORIAL BOARD

5

NINABELLA ARLIS

KATIE DORAN AND IMANI LIBURD

voices

The dilemma of belonging: My FGLI experience at Georgetown

on the cover

ALI CHAUDHRY

6

news

ROMY ABU-FADEL

13 news

D.C. local news is getting a new worker-led newsroom ANGELENA BOUGIAMAS

14

sports

The Sickos’ guide to Georgetown sports

halftime sports

D.C. sports guide: What to know about the District's professional sports scene

BENJAMIN JAKABCSIN AND HENRY SKARECKY

BRADSHAW CATE, NICHOLAS RICCIO AND ANDREW SWANK

“Fresh Start" PIA CRUZ

• • • •

...AND THERE'S MORE!

“I could make a real change”: Student leaders discuss finding activism and community at Georgetown — Sydney Carroll Discovering D.C. by bike — Arthur Schnieders Where to make queer friends on campus — Connor Martin and Liam Moynihan The mayor, statehood, and neighborhood meetings: A newcomer’s guide to D.C. local politics — Samantha Monteiro

Yet, at some point between your application, acceptance, and commitment, a part of you believed that you could be a Georgetown student. Georgetown saw that too.

PG. 5

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Thank you Wingo’s and Wisemiller’s for sponsoring this issue!

THE GEORGETOWN VOICE

contact us

editor@georgetownvoice.com Leavey 424 Box 571066 Georgetown University 3700 O St. NW Washington, DC 20057

news: Executive Editor ...... Franziska Wild Features Editor ...... Katie Doran News Editor ...... Eddy Binford-Ross Asst. News Editors ...... Sydney Carroll, Dolce Coury, Samantha Monteiro opinion: Executive Editor ...... Barrett Ahn Voices Editor ...... Ali Chaudhry Asst. Voices Editors ...... Alex Lalli, Kate Satterfield, Arthur Schnieders, Shana Struski Editorial Board Chair ...... Jupiter Huang Editorial Board ...... Connor Martin, Olivia Pozen, Sabrina Shaffer leisure: Executive Editor ...... Hailey Wharram Leisure Editor ...... Sofia Kemeny Asst. Leisure Editors ...... Koharu Ando, Jack Kealey, Kristy Li Halftime Editor ...... Sagun Shrestha Asst. Halftime Editors ...... Eileen Chen, Nikki Farnham, Amber Xie sports: Executive Editor ...... Henry Skarecky Sports Editor ...... Bradshaw Cate Asst. Sports Editors ...... Thomas Fischbeck, Ben Jakabcsin, Nicholas Riccio Halftime Editor ...... Andrew Swank Asst. Halftime Editors ...... Anna Cordova, Sam Lynch design: Executive Editor ...... Olivia Li Design Editor ...... Tina Solki Spread Editors ...... Cecilia Cassidy, Jihoo Yang Cover Editor ...... Pia Cruz Asst. Design Editors ...... Elin Choe, Paul Kang, Maggie Zhang copy: Copy Chiefs ...... Cole Kindiger, Zachary Warren Asst. Copy Editors ...... Ninabella Arlis, Emma Cameron, Eve Elias Stowell multimedia: Multimedia Executive ...... Bahar Hassantash Podcast Executive Producer ...... Romy Abu-Fadel Podcast Editor ...... Lucy Collins Photo Editor ...... Izzy Wagener Asst. Photo Editors ...... Yihan Deng, Sophia Frank, Yunji Yun online: Website Editor ...... Mj Morales Asst. Website Editor ...... Scottie Vandy Social Media Editor ...... Mark Manaois Asst. Social Media Editor ...... Rachel Zhang business: General Manager ...... Aashna Nadarajah support: Associate Editors ...... Rhea Banerjee, Angelena Bougiamas, Eileen Miller, Olivia Pozen, Alexis Tamm Staff Contributors ...... Meriam Ahmad, Carolina Bomeny, Mia Boykin, Elspeth Campbell, Romita Chattaraj, Ryan Goodwin, Christina Pan, Nicholas Romero, Isabella Stratta, Kami Steffenauer, Nadine Zakheim The opinions expressed in The Georgetown Voice do not necessarily represent the views of the administration, faculty, or students of Georgetown University, unless specifically stated. Columns, advertisements, cartoons, and opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editorial Board or the General Board of The Georgetown Voice. The university subscribes to the principle of responsible freedom of expression of its student editors. All materials copyright The Georgetown Voice, unless otherwise indicated.

map by sabrina shaffer; crossword by nick romero; gossip rats and layout by tina solki

Dear Voice readers...

Nick’s Blue-and-Gray Crossword

Welcome to the New Student Issue: a collection of articles about the joyful, challenging, complicated transition to life at Georgetown.

ACROSS: 1. Fancy library found in 10 Down 5. East campus building with art gallery 9. Coffee bean they might have at UG 11. Anagram tech co. w/ namesake PC 13. Do, __, mi 14. Energy surrounding someone 16. Flip-flop one’s stance on an issue 18. “The,” in Madrid 19. Data-storing camera card 20. Online auction website 22. Not quite always 24. Housing also called “Alumni Square” 25. Winning boxing move 27. Bring this to Tombs 28. Warmed up again 31. Small, simply 33. Georgetown is an ex. of “higher” this 34. Old name of Tokyo 35. The Key, Memorial, and Douglass 38. Famed satire publication 39. Visit this gym to work out

Pondering the weight of this transition, we asked ourselves: If you were an incoming first-year with the knowledge you have now, how would you do things differently? What would you have wanted to know?

What must new students carry forward with them through their time at Georgetown and in D.C.?

We hope to challenge how Georgetown welcomes new students, and to discuss the transition to college critically—embracing the charm, hardship, and nuance of it all.

I hope you find joy or validation in these pages.

From all of us at the Voice, I’d like to welcome you to Georgetown. (And for our returning students, welcome back and good luck <3.)

Editor-in-Chief, Fall 2024

DOWN: 1. Older science building near Arrupe 2. Watch one of these at Cooper or Shaw 3. Athens’ country’s NATO code 4. Bareilles or Ramirez, to friends

5. State of Milwaukee, in short 6. Educational sphere, sometimes “dark” 7. The main library on campus, casually 8. Building with Gaston Hall and namesake lawn 10. Under someone’s spell

12. Where you might put a small dorm room table 15. Questioned again 17. Wide-brimmed Mexican hat 21. Exist 23. Good __’ boy 24. Video hosting website 26. Smells

29. Challenging tradition or style 30. Johnny, of Cartoon Network fame 32. Baseball stat. for contributions 36. Not out 37. Creators of College Football 25

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EDITORIALS

Dear Hoyas,

BY THE EDITORIAL BOARD

E

very August, the Voice’s editorial board offers advice to incoming students on how to adjust to life at Georgetown. Enrolling as a new student means not only finding a home on the Hilltop but learning to navigate living in Washington, D.C. This is a big transition and there is a lot to take in these first few weeks, and it’s okay to be overwhelmed. Take this fall semester one step at a time. We are students, first and foremost, and it’s alright to just focus on that. There are abundant obligations and new experiences on campus that can make Georgetown feel far larger than it really is—from living independently for the first time to making all new friends, let alone managing classes, jobs, clubs, and other commitments.

So, in this letter, we’d like to introduce you to your new home, and city, and share advice on how to be an informed resident of the District. There’s so much value that we hope you find here at Georgetown, but there’s also so much experience beyond its gates.

Let’s start with campus. It’s easy for students to feel disconnected from the city while living inside “the Georgetown bubble.” Tucked away in northwest D.C., Georgetown has no Metro stop, making it difficult to come and go from the neighborhood. How you venture out into the city is tied to financial access: 60% of Georgetown students come from the top 10% of wealthy families in the U.S., while only 15% come from the bottom 60%. This disparity mediates how students experience this city and their education—and it can be alienating, at times. On top of the student body’s wealth disparities, the university was founded as a white-only institution and remains predominantly white today. Our university’s existence would not be possible without its involuntary founders—Black Americans enslaved by the Jesuits. Not only did enslaved people labor on campus, but the 1838 sale of over 314 enslaved men, women, and children—the GU272+—saved the university from bankruptcy.

Zooming out from campus, the surrounding Georgetown neighborhood was once historically Black, though today, its residents are predominantly white. This shift reflects a larger trend in D.C.’s demographic makeup. Students should learn the history of the “Chocolate City” and how a litany of racist policies have displaced 4

THE GEORGETOWN VOICE

and disenfranchised Black residents. D.C. had the highest percentage of gentrifying neighborhoods in the country between 2000 and 2013, according to one 2019 study. We encourage students to follow current fights for housing justice, including those in migrant centers, historic cultural enclaves, and homeless encampments, and to hold their elected officials accountable on these issues.

Looking towards Capitol Hill, we’d also like to welcome you to the epicenter of national politics. While media attention has focused on the presidential race, there is probably an important down-ballot race in your hometown you should watch.

Next to the Capitol is the Supreme Court, whose ultra-conservative agenda has systematically eroded personal freedoms, criminalized our country’s vulnerable populations, granted presidents broad immunity from criminal liability, and weakened federal agencies. Our close proximity affords us the ability to protest these actions at our government’s front door. But in this political climate, all action carries risk. If you choose to participate in a protest, know your rights, be aware of potential risks, and prepare accordingly. If direct action is not for you, know that there are other ways to advocate for causes you care about. The stakes of our participation in the political process are incredibly high. This fall could be your firsttime voting—make a plan for it, now. Mail-in and absentee voting takes time, especially with Georgetown’s mail system.

Students have also become increasingly vocal about how international events show up in their lives. This past spring, college students across the country faced suspension, arrest, violent counterprotesters, and police brutality for peacefully protesting Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza. At Georgetown, numerous vigils, walkouts, and protests culminated in a twoweek-long encampment at George Washington University. Students from a number of nearby schools demanded their universities divest from corporations with ties to the Israeli military.

On the 15th night of the encampment, nearly 150 MPD officers cleared it by force, pepper spraying protesters and arresting 33 people, including seven Georgetown students. While

there are many misleading narratives perpetuated by the media about pro-Palestine activism, we must not lose sight of what’s important: an end to Israel’s genocide in Gaza. We should condemn fringe examples of antisemitism at pro-Palestine protests, some of which are perpetuated by white supremacist infiltrators. We must also condemn police brutality and harassment of protesters and organizers, and most importantly, continued American support for Israel’s slaughter of Palestinians. Pro-Palestine activism should not be equated with antisemitism; students have a responsibility to fact-check and elevate the systemically marginalized perspectives of Palestinians.

As young people, we have a responsibility to make a difference in our community. Your time here is limited, and you will have to make trade-offs. You might not have the bandwidth to engage with the small snapshot of issues we’ve named. However, we hope you start your college experience with a mindset of community care. Explore the city, connect with its history, participate in local politics, exercise your right to vote, and advocate for what you believe in.

We’ve said in our previous letters that there isn’t a criterion you have to meet to qualify for having the “college experience,” because you define your own experience. We just ask that you start that journey with grace for yourself and for one another. There is a lot to change about Georgetown, D.C., and our country, but maybe a stronger ethics of care is where to start. Wherever this year brings us, we hope that you can use this time to make our community better.

With hope, The Voice editorial board G The editorial board is the official opinion of The Georgetown Voice. The board’s editorials reflect the majority opinion of the board’s members, who are listed on the masthead. The editorial board strives to provide an independent view on issues pertinent to Georgetown University and the broader D.C. community, based on a set of progressive institutional values including anti-racism, trauma-informed reporting, and empathetic and considerate journalism.

The editorial board operates independently of the Voice’s newsroom and the General Board.

design by maggie zhang

VOICES

The dilemma of belonging: My FGLI experience at Georgetown

BY ALI CHAUDHRY

E

ntering Georgetown, for any student, means saying goodbye to something. It might be your family, friends, hometown, or anything else, but regardless, it’s intimidating. It’s most people’s first experience living away from home—it’s a jarring transition that leaves you excited yet still shouldering a host of nerves. For me, I was most worried about the competitive environment. As a first-generation low-income (FGLI) student from a noncompetitive public school, I worried about how I would fare at an elite institution like Georgetown.

I had expected to feel like a small fish in a big pond—my high school GPA made my guidance counselor wince when I told him I was applying to Georgetown—but after hearing about my peers’ accolades, I felt like I was tossed aimlessly into the Pacific. I wasn’t just surrounded by valedictorians, but people who had already published research, interned on Wall Street, and amassed over 500 LinkedIn connections.

Regardless of the difference between our achievements, their academic and professional prowess motivated me. As it turned out, determination couldn’t solve everything. I hadn’t expected all A’s, yet my first few grades fell below my expectations. Where I normally would ask my classmates for help, I hesitated out of fear of looking asinine. This fear especially affected me in my business courses due to the hypercompetitive attitudes of my peers. When I would open up to people about my struggles, I would hear a phrase I became all too familiar with: “But isn’t that class easy?” I tried not to let that get me down.

I turned to club applications, but after a handful of Google Forms, three interviews, and no congratulatory emails, I felt like I had missed my last shot at belonging. I started to believe that maybe I wasn’t meant to succeed like everyone else at Georgetown. I recalled the speeches given at convocation—words telling us we would do great things and that we deserved to be here. Maybe those words were only pertinent to some—those who never felt they could achieve anything less than greatness. Maybe some individuals were just here to stand aside so others could shine brighter.

design by credit paul kang

For a while I resigned myself to that fate at Georgetown. In the clubs I was later accepted into, I took on a quieter role. I listened in on meetings and simply worked in the background.

People started to view me as “reserved,” and while not a bad trait, it didn’t feel like me. Rather than excelling at Georgetown like I had dreamed, I resorted to just trying to get by, trying to hide the fact I always felt like the least qualified person in the room. I spoke to my hometown friends about this realization, at which point I understood that this wasn’t how I wanted to be known as at Georgetown. I wanted to take up space, so I reckoned with my case of imposter syndrome and began seeking new avenues for community and self-expression.

One of the first places in which I found a new sense of community was with the Georgetown Scholars Program (GSP), a support program for selected FGLI students. Providing guidance, mentorship, and a sense of belonging, GSP events helped me get on my feet at Georgetown.

In particular, the course offered to GSP students—Mastering the Hidden Curriculum— helped me grow confident in my place at an elite university. It was also here where I met other GSPers who were in the same situation as me.

Being around individuals that could relate to the dilemmas I faced helped ground me, especially during my first semester. I was able to slow down and realize what an amazing community I was a part of, and that I too had something to offer Georgetown.

With my newfound confidence, I started to look for other places I could get involved at Georgetown. I became a Muslim Life Fellow for Campus Ministry, where I helped plan and manage events for the Muslim community here on campus. At this position, I learned that I loved managing logistics and event-planning for programs, skills that I further explored as Director of Programming for the Muslim Student Association. Now, I currently serve as the Programming Operations Coordinator for GSP, coming full circle to the organization that helped me find my footing at Georgetown. While I wasn’t

capable of crushing consulting case interviews, I found a love of something new, which I never would have known if I let my failures stop me from applying myself.

While no class, social event, or conversation can solve all the symptoms of imposter syndrome, they can help you realize the contributions you make to Georgetown by just being here—by being yourself here.

I understand that Georgetown makes it hard to feel that way.

Even the framework I developed in Mastering the Hidden Curriculum seemed to quickly fade. Yet, at some point between your application, acceptance, and commitment, a part of you believed that you could be a Georgetown student. Georgetown saw that too.

The moments where you wonder if you should be here are inevitable and near-universal. But just as you forged your path to get here, you’ll need to do the same on the Hilltop.

The only way to do that is to bring your identity to the forefront of all you do and have confidence in your abilities. Admittedly, even as a junior, I struggle to do that. Still, I have become more assured in my capabilities as a student, a leader, and a Hoya—and I’ll keep doing so. The FGLI experience at Georgetown will be different for every person who walks through the front gates, but we can all be united with our drive to succeed and our resourcefulness to make that success possible. G

UPDATE AUGUST PUB 21, DATE 2024

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SPORTS NEWS

BY BENJAMIN JAKABCSIN AND HENRY SKARECKY

T

he start of the school year is on the horizon, and with it comes the start of Georgetown sports, so the Voice is here to provide a quick dive into some of the things that make Hoya sports so special.

Except this isn’t just a regular guide—it’s a Sickos guide. Sickos, united under a popular X account with over 100,000 followers, cheer for chaos and appreciate many of the absurd things that arise in the world of sports. In the sequel to our article outlining the weird and wacky parts of college football, we’re back to highlight the strange and unusual aspects of Georgetown sports which make being a Hoya fan so great. stiundictur aut etur? Issumquod quid quas “Rich shit” fuga. Et audici que seque nosaasquatem Georgetown men’s basketball is chaos. eossi coriaep repero est voluptium quiatia se The program has been the epitome of a Sicko voluptatem que eiuntur? program over the last few years, with a Sicko fandom Ihillor essitio maximi, sum entis delenimin to match. Whether it be the student-led consequiam as aliandu cilita niae mo“Dollar quaturBeer at.

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THE GEORGETOWN VOICE

Ever since Cooley left BIG EAST foe Providence a year and a half ago, a program he alone built into a BIG EAST contender, he has been on a mission to fulfill his gamble and rebuild Georgetown into the proud program it once was. Since arriving on the Hilltop, he and his staff have been able to punch well above the weight class of a team that hasn’t made the NCAA tournament in years when it comes to recruiting talent. The staff has been able to, mostly, successfully take advantage of college basketball’s new era of transfer portal players and students profiting from name, image, and likeness deals (NIL).

At its best, Georgetown is a villain of the BIG EAST. The reality is, they haven’t been that in awhile, due to, you know, not being very good at basketball—but they are on their way. After all, how many basketball programs have had a now-defunct, half-baked, sometimes-messing-up-easily-Googleable-facts, hit-piece documentary made about them in the last year by another team's fans. Under the “rich shit” #mindset, Georgetown is on its way sequeasilla ditiumquunt que nate earumenduci back.

That’s we callnisimus Divine Providence, baby. berepel mowhat omnimag id unt eaquosto Most importantly, Jayden Epps is now a junior. quat.

Celebrate accordingly.

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While Hoya football doesn’t experience nearly as many highs and lows as the men’s basketball team does, it is by no means absent of false hope. Georgetown football competes in the Patriot League, in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) of NCAA Division I, which, unlike the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), gives every conference winner a spot in the championship bracket. As you might expect, this makes it easy for us to track the chances of the Hoyas making the tournament, as we just have to track the chances of the Hoyas winning the conference in a practice that we at the Voice like to call Patriot League Bracketology (pending trademark). However, despite being a footballonly member of the conference since 2001, Georgetown has never won the Patriot League, although the league only has seven members.

There have been glimmers of hope for this team, however. Last year, the Hoyas beat a ranked Fordham debitat. team in their first conference game, and Id followed victory two weeks later with et etthateatemperum reriatur, nobisa victory overteLehigh to begin ant, conference 2-0, aspelecti volutempor officid play quodis giving Hoya football sickos an opportunity to pull essimusant es molorerferum rem sam, aut que out bracketology and dream. quiatheir audaes as enit la spreadsheets nestisimus magnistrum, Alas, as is always the case team, thatOrit joy sita vit doluptaquae inciawith simthis es aut fuga. was crushed.nihitio. Nulparibus, quis quo promptly eum eosamus Important stat on nobitia Georgetown football: In voluptist voloresseque dolupta spicimus games where dolorectur I (Ben) was coverage, eosandellora ad on que game nis nonserum Georgetown football wasvolore, undefeated.

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Andrew Swank covered them, they dolorio. were winless.

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Apeliam soccer, soccer, and, eat lastlabut not least, nullaut women’s es et adita volorum exerum, sed men’s lacrosse. aliquunte They haveniswon bajillion (yes, quam, volorror remarepudanto odia it’s a realdolliam, number) regular season games, and are niscient quiani berit et autatio.

Et fugiam, sure to spend lots of weeks ranked, but have failed comnihi licium rerumquibus consecullor miliqua time anddigentibus time again todolo reach the mountain top (no, spissit occum enesedisqui men’s 2019 national championship doesn’t dolestrsoccer’s umquunt eos earum voluptaque eum count, as sports existed since falleverro 2021). fuga. Odio odit have hitis only re pore maximaxim Could that rumquo change? Absolutely—all teams omnimpo mil ipit quas three illistius, si are of talent and que goodvelectotatur coaching. But again, namfull endia denisquo sit pliam post-season is oftensuntem very luck and sunto vibes acescipsa etsuccess plaut laccus, simus, dependent, and iume honestly, the vibes bea invelecto consed minusjustetdon’t alis be et vibing rightalis now. laborrum as G rehenist latius eum doluptin et que la inullabo. Ehentem qui volorecto quatus doluptaeptis et sports molum eos adisitate For more of “theas best” analysis from our inctesecea abo.

Neque version et quibus writers, read the extended of this vernatumarticle aligenimusa que et la sint on georgetownvoice.com.

photos by daniel rankin and thecredit voice; design design by olivia li

LEISURE

Student discounts to keep on your radar

BY NINABELLA ARLIS

Whether you’re a new Hoya or a campus veteran, here’s your ultimate guide for making the most of student life without breaking the bank. Maximize your experience at Georgetown by saving on movie tickets, fitness classes, and transportation in D.C.—all with just your student ID or email.

Editor’s note: The Voice is not affiliated with the businesses named below and was not paid to promote them.

Exercise

Yates Field House: Did someone say gym era? Group fitness classes are now free for students, faculty, staff, alumni, and those with a community membership. Show up early, check in via Google Form, and get ready to sweat without spending a dime.

SoulCycle: Book “Soul University” priced classes and passes by registering an account with your student email.

Entertainment

AMC Georgetown 14: Movie buffs, rejoice! Join AMC Stubs for free to enjoy cheaper movie tickets on discount Tuesdays and 25% off shows before 4 p.m.

Upgrading to be an AMC A-Lister gets you 12 tickets per month at the cost of two normally (P.S., Show your student ID in person for a small discount.)

Folger Theatre: Students receive 10% off the full cost of any ticket for Folger Theatre, Folger Music, and the O.B. Hardison Poetry Series with a valid student ID. Kennedy Center: Watch your favorite musical, ballet, comedy show, or opera with a MyTix account, which gives access to Student Rush tickets for $10-20 starting two weeks before the desired performance date.

The Escape Game: Ten minutes from the front gates, The Escape Game offers a 20% discount for students with ID. Forge friendships, build alliances, and perhaps even create a few rivalries as you work together to escape.

Dining

Dominos: Use code “STUD2024” online and get 20% off—just remember to show your student ID at pick up.

Grubhub: Students can order ahead at on-campus restaurants and dining halls and get discounts at off-campus restaurants thanks to Georgetown’s partnership with the food delivery app.

Mai Thai: Eat free on your birthday by calling ahead and bringing your ID and someone who will buy an entree. Bonus points if you bring a whole table—they might even sweeten the deal with dessert!

Restaurant Week: D.C.’s Restaurant Week takes place twice a year in the winter and summer. Over 100 restaurants offer multicourse meals for $25-65 per person. It’s the perfect excuse to eat out and eat well without making your pockets hurt.

Sports

D.C. United: Students can fill out an online form to get access to discounted tickets the week of a match.

Georgetown Men’s Basketball: The first home basketball game at Capital One Arena is usually free for students with shuttles provided.

You can also buy a season pass with the student attendance discount if you’re up to see Georgetown (probably) lose multiple games in a row.

Georgetown Women’s Basketball: The majority of games are played on-campus at McDonough Arena and are free for students to enter.

You might even leave with a free shirt or poster!

Washington Nationals: Take me out to the ballgame! Verify your student status online to get tickets to see the Nationals and the Racing Presidents for 30% off.

Washington Spirit: Entering your student email as a promo code gets you $12 tickets to see soccer matches at Audi Field all season long.

Shopping

Georgetown REUSE: Georgetown REUSE is a great way to shop sustainably and affordably. You can shop for pre-loved clothes and dorm materials online, in-person at Red Square during the weekly GU Farmers Market, or at their occasional pop-ups. At the end of the year, you can also donate your unwanted items to their annual move-out drive.

Student Beans and Unidays: These websites provide exclusive student discounts on a variety of products and services both online and in-person after verifying your student status.

Target: Before your first Rosslyn Target run, access Target Circle bonuses (like 20% off one purchase before 9/28) by verifying your student status on your account.

Transportation

Amtrak Discount: Last-minute trip? Purchase a day in advance and save 15% on tickets via their student page or by entering discount code “V814” on their app.

Capital Bikeshare: Georgetown students can purchase a $25 annual membership by signing up with their student email and using the code “Cabi4Hoyas” on the Capital Bikeshare App, which includes free unlimited rides under 45 minutes, which are easily begun at the Bikeshare station at the front gates.

CONCUR: Georgetown has preferred partners with negotiated rates for flights, train tickets, hotels, and rental vehicles that students can access by booking through CONCUR. Hoya Transit Program: At the beginning of every semester, each Hoya receives an email inviting them to join the Hoya Transit Program and get a $50 monthly credit through SmarTrip to use on WMATA buses and Metro.

Zipcar: Don’t want to walk all the way to Trader Joe’s? Drive one of the Zipcars located on campus by reserving a vehicle online. Get a $35 yearly membership—less than half of the typical price—with a Georgetown email.

Subscriptions

Georgetown Library: The computers at the campus libraries have a large array of available software. There is also equipment that can be checked out, including cameras, calculators, and video game consoles.

LinkedIn Learning: All Georgetown community members have unlimited access to LinkedIn Learning. From professional skills to fun tutorials, it’s a goldmine of knowledge at no cost.

News: All students, staff, and faculty get free access to The New York Times and the Washington Post by signing up with their Georgetown email. Stay updated, Hoyas—after you finish reading the Voice, of course!

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AUGUST 21, 2024

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Toilet paper and other related items are the cheapest at Trader Joe's/Safeway over CVS. Pro tip: get the Safeway coupon app.

Get your art fix here: the Department of Art and Art History hosts free, open-access figure drawing sessions most Fridays in Walsh 395. The building also features a revolving art gallery on its first floor!

Health Education Services is a great first stop if you’re struggling with mental health, substance abuse, sexual assault, relationship violence, pregnancy, or other health issues.

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Welcome to Georgetown! While it is an unofficial rite of passage for new Hoyas to stumble their way through campus, the Voice put together a map to ease all of your worries (because who knows where New North really is anyway). Find your way through campus and learn some tips and tricks from campus veterans along the way.

The Hoya Hub Food Pantry in Leavey 418 is open to any Georgetown community member struggling with food insecurity.

2. H*yas for Choice has free condoms and dental dams. They can also help you access free or low-cost Plan B and hormonal birth control.

3. The Volta Park Pool is a free public pool you can use by just showing an ID and proof of residency (student ID doubles as both!)

4. The Wisconsin GUTS bus takes you to Trader Joe’s, and if you’re doing things at the Capitol, there’s a Capitol shuttle as well!

5. Check out Chaplain’s Tea for consistently good and free food on Tuesdays from 3-3:50 p.m.!

6. Lime scooters are banned on campus until Prospect & 37th, so try a bike from Capital Bikeshare instead! The rack's right by the front gates, and they offer a $25/year discount for Georgetown students.

7. If you go to Insomnia Cookies close to closing, they might give you extra! Mint double chocolate chip fans, this one's for you.

8. The new Office of Student Equity and Inclusion is located under the HFSC, and includes the Women's Center, Disability Cultural Center, Center for Multicultural Equity, and LGBTQ Resource Center, where you can access free menstrual products, pregnancy tests, and condoms, as well as co-op library, where you can borrow textbooks long-term at no cost.

9. If you’re looking for a space away from your dorm to chill during the day, check out Black House, Casa Latina, and the AAPI house.

10. Boulangerie Christophe will give away free baguettes and other fancy bread and pastries at closing!

11. Most of the Corp coffee locations (including MUG, UG, and Midnight) have free pastries to give away at closing.

12. 90 Second Pizza has relatively cheap and fast Neopolitan.

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FEATURES LEISURE

“Founded on Displacemen

BY KATIE DORAN

W

ashington, D.C. has many nicknames, from “the District” to “the swamp.”

But the city’s most popular nickname is more than just a name—it’s a symbol of centuries of Black community, history, and fights for justice.

Welcome to Chocolate City.

D.C. earned the title “Chocolate City” when it became widely considered the first large city in the country to have a majority Black population. At its peak in 1970, Black residents made up 71% of the city. But

the District of today no longer embodies its historic nickname.

Today, only about 44% of D.C.’s population is Black.

Compared to other U.S. cities, D.C. has experienced some of the highest rates of gentrification, the process where new residents and development transform an area, often displacing current residents. For Georgetown students—new and returning—understanding this history is a part of respecting the city and its full-time residents.

“D.C. was founded on displacement,” Andria Chatmon, community organizer for Empower D.C., an economic justice advocacy organization, said. “It was founded on the displacement, not only of enslaved Black Africans, but also on the displacement of Indigenous

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communities. So it's really important to keep that history in mind.”

Much of this history is obscured by D.C.’s image as the seat of American government with its monuments and tourist attractions. But for those people to whom D.C. is more than a vacation, displacement and gentrification have been a defining part of the city’s story.

How We Got Here: D.C. Since the ’90s Part of D.C.’s demographic shift has been fueled by the growth of government-adjacent fields, such as think tanks, tech, and the defense industry, according to American Studies and English professor Sherry Linkon. These fields have attracted a high number of white and collegeeducated workers, particularly since the 1990s.

Kelly Andreae, executive director of the Georgetown Ministry Center, a homelessness advocacy and outreach organization, explained that an influx of new residents, combined with policies that limit housing availability and affordability, has pushed out people who have lived here for decades.

“It’s a great city, and a lot of people come here and want to be here, but there isn't enough housing for that,” Andreae said. “So when that supply-demand curve drives up housing costs, that displaces longtime residents, as well as those that are lower on the socioeconomic scale.”

Rental and housing costs have risen at an alarming rate, with the price of D.C. homes more than tripling since 2000. While D.C.’s median income is high—more than $100,000 per household—there’s also high inequality. Housing costs are a great burden for much of D.C.’s population, and nearly 60,000 households in the District spend over half their income on housing.

The unaffordability of housing has fueled gentrification, which has uprooted thousands of residents in D.C. One study estimated that 20,000 Black residents were displaced from the District from 2000 to 2013 alone.

Zoning policies, which determine how land can be used, have contributed to a lack of affordable housing and fueled gentrification, according to Andreae. While some of these policies aimed to improve living conditions, they often favored singlefamily, low-density, and luxury housing that isn’t affordable for many residents.

“There were some really squalor conditions that existed at certain points in times,” Andreae said, “So there is a need for that, for some regulations, but the pendulum has over-swung, and so, as a result, we have significant problems in places like D.C.” Linkon also emphasized that gentrification in D.C. has often involved well-intentioned government policies.

“Gentrification is more complicated than just the story of greedy, wealthy white folks coming in and displacing poor Black victims,” Linkon said. “That is part of the story. But it's not the whole story.”

At times, Linkon said, the local government encouraged gentrification because they hoped that new development would increase the tax base, allowing the city to better provide services to low-income residents. Policies aiming to revitalize the city can have the inadvertent effect of raising property values and causing displacement, a concern that remains relevant in D.C. today.

Earlier this year, for example, Mayor Muriel Bowser introduced the Downtown Action Plan, which allocates more than $400 million to projects aiming to make D.C. a destination for new residents, visitors, and businesses.

Zoning, new development, revitalization efforts, and other policies have also led to high levels of segregation across D.C. For example, while Wards 7 and 8 are 90% Black, Georgetown’s ward, Ward 2, is only 11% Black. Today, the District is more segregated than it was in 1990.

Elise Merchant (CAS ’25), co-president of Homeless Outreach Programs and Education, a Georgetown student group, encouraged students to remember the human impact of housing policies and ensuing demographic shifts.

“These aren't just demographics. These are real people,” Merchant said. “Every number is an individual person who has experienced this kind of push out and effect from the gentrification of such a historically Black city.”

Georgetown’s Black Heritage Just as the demographics of the District as a whole have shifted, so has the makeup of Georgetown.

In the 1800s, what is now the Georgetown Waterfront was a major port in the trading of enslaved people. The neighborhood had nearly 1,500 enslaved Black people, and slavery was a key part of both the local economy and the labor and revenue that Georgetown University exploited to stay afloat.

After the Civil War, Georgetown became a center of the Black aristocracy, home to wealthy and well-known Black families and professionals with prestigious jobs in medicine, law, education, and government. In 1930, Georgetown's population was 30% Black, and had a thriving Black community, including Black churches, social groups, and Blackowned businesses.

Today, Georgetown’s population is 73% white and only 5% Black.

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nt”: Housing History in D.C. AND IMANI LIBURD

“People forget that Georgetown was actually a Black neighborhood first,” Andreae said. “And people were pushed out. It was a working class neighborhood at one point in time. Zoning and the organizing of various communities have shaped the landscape of D.C. and Georgetown specifically to what it looks like today.”

In the 1930s, New Deal policies intended to spur recovery from the Great Depression and grow the federal bureaucracy led to an influx of white federal employees in D.C. Georgetown’s historic— and often dilapidated—townhouses were seen as attractive housing options for these newer and wealthier residents. In turn, housing costs rose, and longtime Black residents were displaced.

“Now, it’s almost a status symbol to live here—if you can afford a house in the Georgetown neighborhood, out of all the neighborhoods in D.C., that really speaks to a kind of wealth and generational wealth,” Merchant said. “But a lot of those houses and townhouses were originally owned

by Black citizens, and then there were renovation projects, reconstruction projects, and now, obviously [Georgetown] is a majority white district.”

This was exacerbated in 1936 with the introduction of a zoning law called the Alley Dwelling Act, which led many Georgetown townhouses to be renovated or demolished and rebuilt before going back on the market at a higher price, causing property taxes to skyrocket. The act also banned the leasing of rooms in the townhouses, a common practice among Georgetown residents, requiring that these buildings be single-family homes.

In the decades following, organizations like the Georgetown Citizens Association and the Progressive Citizens Association of Georgetown, which didn’t allow Black members, continued to lobby against the creation of higher-density and often more affordable housing. Gentrification intensified, and Georgetown became an increasingly unaffordable and segregated neighborhood.

Today’s Georgetown is far from the Georgetown of 1930. A number of significant locations—like Herring Hill, a stretch of east Georgetown that served as a center of Black community and business in the 1920s, and the Mount Zion United Methodist Church, the oldest Black congregation in D.C.—still symbolize the neighborhood’s Black history. However, the area has lost many of its Black-owned businesses and spaces designed to serve Black residents.

Andreae emphasized that the lack of certain spaces is not accidental.

“There’s a lot of exclusionary zoning in this area and throughout

the city,” Andreae said. “The reason certain things don’t exist in certain communities is on purpose and by design.”

Popping the Georgetown Bubble Georgetown is only one of many D.C. neighborhoods—132 of them, as unofficially defined by the D.C. Office of Planning—with a unique history.

Interviewees encouraged students to get out of “the Georgetown bubble,” a common term on campus used to describe the insular and privileged nature of the university and the surrounding neighborhood. Leaving “the bubble” allows students to enjoy the rich culture that D.C. has to offer and to expand their own understanding of their new home.

“Especially at an institution where we have so many students who have a commitment to social justice, who want to work in government and policy,” Linkon said. “You’ve got to get out to the city and see what all of that looks like in person. I think it's going to change people's points of view in many ways.”

Getting out of the Georgetown bubble takes a commitment, but isn’t hard, according to Linkon.

“We talk about the bubble as if it were this cast iron thing that you have to just really struggle to tear down,” she said. “My sense is that the question of getting out of the Georgetown bubble isn't about, ‘How do I do that?’ It's about, ‘How do I talk myself into making the time and effort to do it?’”

According to Andreae, making that time and effort is worth it: Exploring D.C.’s neighborhoods offers students a wide range of exciting experiences.

“D.C. has so much to offer, and even the campus is different than the Georgetown neighborhood as well. There's a vibrancy of community,” Andreae said. “I view D.C. as sort of a patchwork of different communities, like a quilt, and each of them has sort of its own vibe and opportunities to engage in culture and try new things.”

Public transportation can help students explore D.C. Georgetown doesn’t have a Metro station, in part due to resistance from residents who opposed connecting the wealthier, whiter neighborhood with the rest of the District. However, the Georgetown University Transportation Shuttle Buses and D.C.’s Metrobus are options for students to get around the city and the Hoya Transit program provides

students with a monthly credit to spend on Metro and bus fares.

Linkon emphasized that escaping ‘the bubble’ means going beyond visiting the popular destinations in D.C. “Go get on a bus and ride the bus to somewhere other than the National Mall and Federal Triangle.

Go to neighborhoods that are not Navy Yard and 14th and U—but also, go to those neighborhoods, and look for the evidence of the history of those neighborhoods,” she said.

Linkon encouraged students to learn about the history of D.C.’s neighborhoods on their own and by exploring museums dedicated to local history, like the Anacostia Community Museum and the D.C. History Center.

Chatmon added that getting involved in advocacy organizations in D.C. is one way to see the city through a new lens.

“I think that it is helpful to find an organizing home,” Chatmon said. “I would say that probably the number one way to get out of the bubble is to be working to make an inclusive D.C.” Even within Georgetown, engaging in advocacy can give students a different perspective on the neighborhood.

“One way to get a different vibe of the city is to come volunteer at a place like Georgetown Ministry Center,” Andreae said. “It is not far from the Georgetown University bubble, but I can tell you it is an entirely different world by being a half mile away. And that sort of gets you to the true character of the city.”

While Linkon also suggested getting involved in community organizations as a way to escape “the bubble,” she cautioned students to approach this work with respect for the people who’ve called D.C. home for decades.

“When you go out into the city, be conscious that you’re an outsider,” Linkon said. “You may not be in a position to solve the problems of D.C. You're young and energetic, but you’re still getting an education, and you’re still learning your way through this. So, be humble.” G

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NEWS

Know your rights: Interacting with GUPD

BY ROMY ABU-FADEL

G

eorgetown students are known for being politically-active. Throughout the years, Hoyas have mobilized around a variety of issues, ranging from the Vietnam War to South African Apartheid to LGBTQ+ rights.

Participating in political activism can be fulfilling and educational. However, students should be aware of their rights when engaging with the Georgetown University Police Department (GUPD), the primary entity responsible for campus security.

GUPD Jurisdiction GUPD has jurisdiction over Georgetown’s main and medical campuses. Their officers respond to incidents of theft, violence, sexual assault, and violations of the Code of Student Conduct, which they pass on to the Office of Student Conduct.

GUPD officers have full arrest powers on campus but are not armed with guns. Instead, they carry batons and pepper spray, as all firearms are prohibited on Georgetown’s campus according to the university’s weapons policy.

GUPD officers are commissioned by D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), giving them their arrest powers, and the two participate in joint training exercises to ensure smooth cooperation. GUPD states that it “works closely” with both MPD and the D.C. fire department to “prevent and deter crime on campus.”

Through the Reimbursable Detail Subsidy Program, the university must employ MPD officers to patrol off-campus Georgetown neighborhoods and respond to noise violations. MPD also independently responds to incidents in the area.

Issues that involve Georgetown students are handled by the Student Neighborhood Assistance Program (SNAP), run by Georgetown’s Office of Neighborhood Life. SNAP will send a vehicle to the residence concerned, document the incident and resolution, and submit a report to the Office of Student Conduct, which will follow up to determine if there have been any code of conduct violations.

GUPD has launched several initiatives to increase student security, including the Sexual Assault Response Team (SART)—specially trained police officers within GUPD who provide services including no-contact orders, guidance on how to obtain protection orders, and physical evidence recovery kits.

Additionally, GUPD manages the SafeRides program, which provides transportation for Georgetown students, faculty, and staff to and from any location within certain boundaries.

Past Controversies with GUPD In the 2020 campus climate survey, Black and Latinx students reported being stopped

by GUPD at disproportionate rates compared to their white peers. In response, GUPD began

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tracking the demographic information of field stops. GUPD officers now provide an information pamphlet to each individual stopped and record the person’s race, gender, campus affiliation, last name, and NetID as well as the time, location, and reason for the stop.

In April 2022, LaHannah Giles (CAS ’23) experienced a hate crime involving racial slurs and death threats shouted by a white student.

Giles filed a police report and a bias report with the Office of Student Conduct. GUPD produced a report identifying the perpetrator based on security footage, but later told Giles they lost the video footage due to an unexpected server failure. The suspected perpetrator did not receive disciplinary action. Students responded with sitin protests in Healy Hall from Dec. 4 to 9 of 2022, resuming in February 2023 when the university investigation was deemed “inconclusive” by the Institutional Diversity, Equity, and Affirmative Action office. Demonstrators demanded that GUPD take responsibility for the mismanagement of the investigation and that the university expel the perpetrator.

Interacting with GUPD GUPD officers routinely patrol Red Square, which is designated as a free speech zone, and thus is where student groups often hold protests. In February 2024, demonstrators protested a Campus Ministry event that brought three soldiers from the Israel Defense Forces to campus. The protest included chants opposing police presence. Some groups, such as Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), have specially-trained liaisons to engage with law enforcement, according to an SJP board member.

According to Georgetown’s Speech and Expression Policy, students have the right to protest events as long as the audience’s right to see and hear the speaker is not violated. Students may use social media and send emails, and in certain zones on campus, like Red Square, they can put up flyers and banners, chalk exterior walkways, and staff information tables.

“We respect the rights of members of our community to express their personal views and are committed to maintaining the values of academic freedom and serving as a forum for the free exchange of ideas, even when those ideas may be controversial and objectionable to some,” a Georgetown University spokesperson wrote in a statement to the Voice.

The spokesperson added that Georgetown may regulate the time, place, and/or manner of a demonstration to ensure that it does not disrupt the university’s ordinary activities.

“GUPD becomes involved either when there are matters affecting the immediate safety and security of the Georgetown community, or after they have coordinated with the Division of Student Affairs or other university offices,” the spokesperson wrote. “The vast majority of student activism on campus is peaceful and takes place without incident.”

A GUPD lieutenant will maintain liaison with groups planning demonstrations and may be present at the event. If stopped by a GUPD officer while participating in demonstrations, students have the right to know the reason for the stop.

They also have the right to remain silent and to ask if they are free to leave. A pamphlet provided

by GUPD says that students may be subjected to a pat-down search if the officer has a reasonable suspicion that the student is carrying a weapon.

However, students may refuse the search of their person, belongings, or residence without a reasonable suspicion or a warrant.

In D.C., citizens have the right to record interactions with police officers, provided it does not interfere with the officer’s duties. If you disagree with the reason you were stopped, keep track of the officer’s name, their identification number, and the details of the potential misconduct and file a complaint.

Filing Complaints Concerns related to free speech and expression should be reported to the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs by emailing speechandexpression@georgetown.edu.

Additionally, students may report concerns by meeting with the Student Safety Advisory Board, which shares relevant information from GUPD with community members and expresses community concerns to GUPD. Finally, GUPD provides a Complaints, Compliments and Feedback form that can be completed anonymously based on any interactions with officers. G

photo courtesy of the georgetown university library; design by cecilia cassidy

NEWS

D.C. local news is getting a new worker-led newsroom

BY ANGELENA BOUGIAMAS

W

hen a popular D.C. news outlet abruptly shut down in February, six journalists resolved to create their own worker-led, nonprofit newsroom. The initiative, called the 51st, promises to bring more communitycentered reporting to Washington’s dwindling local news scene and exceeded its $250,000 fundraising goal on Aug. 13.

“This has been a labor of love,” Eric Falquero, former journalist at the DCist and Street Sense Media, said.

Falquero and co-founders Abby Higgins, Maddie Poore, Colleen Grablick, Teresa Frontado, and Natalie Delgadillo are looking to fill the gap that opened when Washington’s NPR affiliate WAMU closed the DCist to focus on its audio brand, laying off 15 staffers. The digital paper offered a wide range of hyperlocal coverage, from holding elected officials accountable to suggesting fun weekend plans.

“The DCist, when it originally started, or before it was under WAMU, was a really voicey publication. It was a really political publication. It was funny. It wasn’t afraid to be a little provocative and poke fun at powerful people in D.C.,” Higgins said. “I think that’s a voice that we really need, and we want to bring back.”

The 51st will be the latest addition to the D.C. local news landscape, which has seen journalists laid off and bought out in the last two decades as readership habits change and conventional revenueraising sources, like advertising, decline.

The District’s status as the nation’s capital already puts its local news scene in a unique position.

“D.C. has a really high concentration of journalists, but the vast majority of them are reporting on the White House, and on Capitol Hill, and on public politics,” Higgins said. “They’re not reporting on the lives of D.C. residents and what is happening to people in this city.”

Still, local news in D.C. isn’t as scarce as it is in non-metro areas, some of which have no local news outlets. There are local affiliates of national television stations, like NBC4 Washington D.C., as well as radio stations, like Washington Top News. There are also local divisions of national outlets, like Axios D.C. and the Washington Post’s local section.

But the local focus of these national news brands has also waned as executives pursue business decisions intended to capture larger audiences.

When Jeff Bezos bought the Washington Post in 2013, he sought to transform the traditionally local outlet to a globally-recognized brand. Though he

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initially kept the Post’s Metro section largely intact, according to Robert McCartney, former Metro editor, the Post’s local coverage eventually lessened over time as Metro reporters took buyouts during the 2008 recession and again in 2023.

But lately, the Post seems to be prioritizing its local roots—Axios D.C. reported in June that the Post’s CEO Will Lewis is thinking about offering “Local+,” a service where readers can “pay extra for premium local content.” McCartney also noted the importance of maintaining the Post’s local brand for both economic and reputational reasons, even as the outlet’s reach expands.

“The local audience is the most loyal audience to the Post,” McCartney told the Voice.

“They read more stories, they spend more time on the web, and they are interested in more sections of the paper.”

"We want to create change, and we want to build the local news ecosystem."

Meanwhile, on the hyperlocal level, outlets like the Washingtonian, Washington City Paper, the Washington Informer, and others strive to offer the fullest picture of the District that they can.

Some outlets aim to highlight specific issue areas, such as Street Sense Media, which strives to end homelessness through reporting on housing and poverty. Annemarie Cuccia (SFS ’22), current editor-in-chief (EIC) of Street Sense and former EIC of the Voice, said there’s great value in having a paper dedicated to homelessness, which can go underreported at other news outlets with broader priorities. Street Sense has partnered with other outlets like the DCist and WAMU to bring its coverage to a larger audience and different reporting mediums.

“I think there is a good spirit of collaboration,” Cuccia said, describing the interactions between the local news outlets in D.C. “Unfortunately, whenever layoffs happen, I think there’s a recognition that I see of the D.C. media scene is already maybe smaller than it could or should be.

And so [there’s an] appreciation of the journalists that we have and that we’re working alongside, even if people are working towards the same stories.”

As for its contribution to the D.C. news scene, Higgins said the 51st will bring a worker-led organization with “a deep sense of community engagement.” The outlet will focus on four categories in their coverage: issues of affordability in the District, explanations for how to access government services, investigations into corrupt systems, and stories that showcase D.C.’s culture.

It’s also emblematic of the community-focused direction that some newer newsrooms take where journalists strive to build relationships with the people they report on, according to Christina Sturdivant Sani, a freelance writer and editor for several D.C.-based publications.

“I think a lot of relationship building and trust building is coming out of the newer models of journalism,” she said.

In addition to filing paperwork to establish the organization and drafting workplace policies, the co-founders of the 51st held pop-ups at the Dupont, Bloomingdale and Ward 8 farmers markets. There, they conversed with District residents about what stories the outlet should cover, the first of several plans to engage their readers in the process of writing the news.

“We really want to make sure that we are in communities, and we are talking to communities, and we are listening to communities,” Higgins said. “And we are not only getting story ideas from them, but we are also hearing what they think about our coverage and the stories that we do.”

The 51st would be the only worker-led D.C. news outlet, which Poore said can make it less expensive to operate and potentially more sustainable than models that require high salaries to be paid to executives. She’s been reassured by the volume of small-dollar donations they’ve received and the engagement at their in-person pop-ups.

“We want to create change, and we want to build the local news ecosystem,” Poore said. “It’s easy to not be optimistic, but we’re doing this work because we are optimistic.” G

AUGUST 21, 2024

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HALFTIME SPORTS

D.C. sports guide: What to know about the District's professional sports scene

BY ANDREW SWANK, BRADSHAW CATE, NICHOLAS RICCIO

S

ports provide an opportunity for communities to connect. Fans celebrate their favorite teams’ successes together and share the pain of losing. New Georgetown students eager to explore their new city through sports can use this guide to discover and connect with Washington, D.C.'s professional teams. Although it’s not the most successful of times for professional sports in our nation’s capital, there are still plenty of opportunities for DMV fans to come together and support the city's teams through their wins and losses.

D.C. United The first team in this guide is D.C. United, the District’s Major League Soccer (MLS) team.

D.C. United plays at Audi Field, a 13-minute walk from the Navy Yard-Ballpark Metro station, which connects to the Yellow and Green lines. All United games are available on Apple TV through the MLS Season Pass. D.C. United has several active supporters’ groups, including groups founded by and for queer fans and fans of color.

D.C. United is in a difficult season, with a 6-11-8 record that puts them 13th out of 15 teams in the MLS Eastern Conference. The 2023-24 MLS regular season ends in October, and United will almost certainly miss the playoffs. D.C. United seriously needs a rebuild and a clear plan for the future.

There are some promising signs for United, though. Striker Christian Benteke leads D.C. United with 16 goals and four assists in 21 matches so far this season. Benteke, a Belgian international player, spent most of his career in top European soccer leagues, including multiple seasons at top-flight English clubs Aston Villa and Liverpool.

Another D.C. United striker, Jacob Murrell, is a former Georgetown men’s soccer standout who was the seventh overall pick in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft. Murrell has recorded one goal and one assist in six starts for United, but at only 20 years old, the Georgetown alumnus has time to develop and add to his tally.

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THE GEORGETOWN VOICE

Washington Commanders The Commanders are D.C.’s resident NFL team and the oldest professional sports organization in the District. Commanders Field, the Commanders’ home turf, is about an hour by Uber from campus, or a 90-minute journey by Metro. Regardless, the logistical challenge of attending games in person and the expense of NFL tickets means that most people will watch them on TV with friends. The Commanders’ regular season begins Sept. 8 and students can catch their first home game on Sept. 15.

Since the time incoming first-years started kindergarten, these Washingtonians have been lackluster at best, going 77-116-2 over the last 13 years. The team has also been embroiled in multiple scandals, mainly centered around former owner Dan Snyder, who sold the team in 2023. Shortly after the sale, the NFL concluded Snyder sexually harassed a former employee of the Commanders. Additionally, Snyder resisted calls for decades to change the former name of the Commanders, which Indigenous American activists considered derogatory. Some fans still wear merchandise depicting Indigenous American caricatures at games. Coupled with their track record of losing, these factors can make students rightfully hesitant to adopt the team as their own.

Despite its troubled history, the team still commands a strong fanbase within the DMV. That fan base finally has hope, too. The Commanders are under new ownership, shirking off the famously miserly Synder and bringing in a coalition of owners, which includes former NBA superstar Magic Johnson. The new leadership is spending big on new coaches, including head coach Dan Quinn, who will start his freshman season this year. Quinn previously coached a high-impact defense for the division rival Dallas Cowboys. He also has head coaching experience, having led the Atlanta Falcons to the Super Bowl in the 2016-17 season in which the team ultimately lost to Tom Brady’s Patriots.

Additionally, Washington’s new draft class is headlined by star quarterback and no. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels, who won the Heisman Trophy (college football’s top honor) in his final collegiate season. Daniels can generate successful plays through his arm and running ability, which should spark the previously lethargic offense.

Washington Mystics The Mystics are yet another D.C. team in a rebuilding phase. The Mystics sat second-to-last in the WNBA with a 6-19 record as the Voice went to print. The league had been on a break for the Olympics, but the Mystics started again on Aug. 15. Fans who want to attend Mystics games can see them at the Entertainment & Sports Arena in Southeast D.C., accessible via Metro on the Green Line. TV viewers will find local broadcasts on Monumental Sports Network or via WNBA League Pass for games not subject to local blackouts.

The Mystics are experiencing a significant drop-off this season, largely the result of two offseason developments: the departure of Natasha Cloud and the absence of two-time MVP Elena Delle Donne. Cloud left Washington to join the Phoenix Mercury this past offseason after the Mystics decided not to re-sign her in free agency.

Delle Donne, who has dealt with persistent injuries throughout her career, is currently taking a break from basketball to reevaluate her future. Both Cloud and Delle Donne played a notable role in the Mystics’ 2019 championship season. The Mystics must find players who can do heavy lifting if they want to contend for another championship.

Rookie forward Aaliyah Edwards is one player who could be instrumental in revitalizing the team. Edwards was the sixth overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, and she’s averaged 8.7 points per game and 5.9 rebounds in 22 games so far this season. Edwards may bring back (sometimes unpleasant) memories for Georgetown women’s basketball fans, who saw the Canadian forward put up big numbers against the Hoyas during her college playing days at UConn. Edwards is a talented young player, but she’ll need help for the Mystics to return to elite status. Unfortunately for D.C. sports fans, the Mystics are yet another struggling team in serious need of a rebuild.

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GET STUDENT COUN DIS TS! WE’RE ON THE UP! (MAYBE!)

Washington Nationals Oh, the Nationals. The Nationals are not a very good team, but they might have the best gameday atmosphere in the District, along with some of the best ballpark food. As of Aug. 16, the Nationals hold a 53-64 record, with little hope of making a run at the playoffs. However, the Nationals’ ballpark is easy to get to from campus, following a similar route as getting to D.C. United games from the Navy Yard-Ballpark Metro station, giving students little excuse to avoid the ballpark. Students can get ticket discounts on the MLB website, including discounted tickets and concessions on Tuesdays, and the many bobblehead giveaways should be enough to entice you to go to Nationals Park.

The on-field performance is improving, too. The Nationals have an electric shortstop in C.J. Abrams, and DMV native and left fielder James Wood has been a breakout star this season. While the Nationals’ pitching needs improvement, the team is young, which should give new fans some hope.

The Nationals have a fun remaining schedule.

Between Aug. 26-28, they host the high-powered Yankees offense, giving D.C. residents a chance to see two-time MVP Aaron Judge. On Sept. 10 and 11, the Nats play the Braves, a likely playoff team. To end the season, the Nationals host the division-leading Philadelphia Phillies, a World Series contender with superstars Bryce Harper and Nick Castellanos. The final series will be played Sept. 27-29.

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Washington Spirit The Washington Spirit are an oasis of winning in the desert of losing that is the D.C. sports landscape.

The Spirit, D.C.’s local National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) team, are currently 11-1-4 and sitting in third place in the NWSL. With 10 weeks left in the season, the Spirit have an opportunity to win the NWSL regular season title and a very high chance of making the playoffs to compete for the NWSL championship. The NWSL has been on break for the Olympics, but the Spirit will return to action against the second-place KC Current at Audi Field on Aug. 25. The match will be broadcast on CBS Sports and Monumental Sports Network.

Spirit games are simple to attend in person because they play at Audi Field like D.C. United.

However, watching on television can be challenging because the NWSL’s television rights deal gave broadcasting rights to several different networks.

Therefore, Spirit games are split between Monumental Sports Network, CBS Sports, ESPN, NWSL+, ION, and Prime Video.

The Spirit boast a young and talented roster, headlined by forward Trinity Rodman, a regular starter for the United States Women’s National Team. The Spirit’s midfield is headlined by two rookies, Croix Bethune and Hal Hershfelt, who were the third and fifth picks of the 2024 Draft, respectively. Bethune made history this season by winning back-to-back-to-back NWSL Rookie of the Month honors. Additionally, the Spirit recently added a new head coach, Jonatan Giráldez, who led FC Barcelona Femení to two consecutive Union of European Football Associations Women’s Champions League titles. With an owner who is committed to the growth of the Spirit and the wider world of women’s sports, the Spirit are in an excellent position to build a strong team for years to come. The Spirit look like a lone successful team in a D.C. sports landscape full of franchises that have been losing a lot lately.

Washington Wizards The Wizards. Oh, the Wizards. The former Chicago Zephyrs are usually a lock to be the District’s biggest annual sporting disappointment, and this year looks like it will be no different. From Alex Sarr’s embarrassingly poor Summer League performance to trading Deni Avdija (a 23-year-old coming off a career year) for Malcolm Brogdon (who in his career has started more than 60 games only once) and the 14th overall pick, the biggest money laundering scheme in D.C. (someone had to say it) has already had an offseason for the history books.

Led by the “California Rejects” of Kyle Kuzma and Jordan Poole, this team is the definition of rebuilding. What exactly the plan involves is unclear, but they seem content with snagging Frenchmen in the draft: their second overall choice this year was Alex Sarr, and last year, their seventh overall pick was Bilal Coulibaly. To be fair, their offseason signings have been competent—Jonas Valančiūnas and Saddiq Bey, specifically—but none will move the needle all that much. Coming off a 15-67 season, the team has nowhere to go but up, and the Wizards are projected to finish as the second-worst team in the league, which is better than being dead last.

In short, if you’re going to a Wizards game, you’re buying cheap tickets to see an opposing star, or you’re there for the Friday Night concert series (please bring this back for this season, Wizards; it was so fun). Attend these games to have fun, not to watch a good basketball performance by the home team. They’ll be lucky to win 25 games.

But hey, maybe Alex Sarr can turn it around. And according to Basketball Reference, one of Malcolm Brogdon’s monikers is “The President.” So, uh, that’s something. G

AUGUST 21, 2024

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