By Tashi McQueen,
AFRO Political Writer,
tmcqueen@afro.com
From June 16 – 18 geek culture will be on full display at Awesome Con, which will be hosted inside of the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. Attendees can see their favorite movie, comic and game stars. The convention will include Levar Burton from “Reading Rainbow” and “Roots,” and Billy Dee Williams from the “Star Wars” series and “Batman (1989).”
The three-day event will feature meet and greets and a science and book fair. One-day badges cost $45-$50 and weekend passes are $95. Child weekend passes cost $15. Attendees can purchase their tickets at awesome-con.com/badges.
Juneteenth Family Day
On June 17, the National Archives Museum will host a free Juneteenth Family Day to celebrate the emancipation of enslaved African Americans at the Boeing Learning Center in D.C. The event will go from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Families are invited to make art, view the handwritten General Order No. 3, and learn about Arlington’s Freedman’s Village with guides from the National Archives Museum and Arlington National Cemetery.
Celebrate Juneteenth with FITDC
On the morning of June 19, start Juneteenth with free fitness and wellness classes as they reflect on the historic day. Attendees can grab a limited edition FITDC commemorative shirt and other great giveaways at Franklin Park. Mayor Muriel Bowser launched FITDC to encourage residents to take over their holistic health and promote fitness for all D.C. residents.
A reflective Yoga session and a Wellness Festival will be offered throughout the morning, starting at 9 a.m. and ending at 1 p.m. The festival will have nutrition and meditation sessions, massages, and food trucks.
Camp Congress for Girls D.C. 2023
The Girls in Politics Initiative will host several girls in the nation’s capital from June 26 at 9 a.m. to June 30 at 4 p.m. Girls ages 12-17 will have an opportunity to spend the week at summer camp while being introduced to the political system – what it’s like to run for office and serve in Congress.
The week includes a day at the United States Capitol. While on Capitol Hill, students will visit many sites, including the House & Senate galleries and the Library of Congress and meet with a member of Congress.
Interested parents can go to tickettailor.com/events/girlsinpoliticsinitiative to sign up.
D.C. Council’s Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety hearing
On June 27, the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety will hear B25-291, the Safer Stronger Amendment Act of 2023, B25-247, the Female Genital Mutilation Prohibition Act of 2023 and B25-135, the Illegal Dumping Enforcement Amendment Act of 2023. The hearing will begin at noon.
Mayor Muriel Bowser introduced the Safer, Stronger amendment in May to address an upward trend of violence in D.C. Residents are invited to testify by contacting the Committee Manager, Aukima Benjamin, at (202) 724 – 8058 or emailing her at judiciary@dccouncil.gov.