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VOLUME 66 NUMBER 18
JUNE 17 - JULY 14, 2020
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B RO O K E P I N TO TA K E S WA R D 2 D E F U N D T H E P O L I C E? H AU T E & C O O L : T H E B E S T F O R DA D BLM IN THE ARTS
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ABOUT THE COVER
Yuri Horwitz sits with his three sons, ages 8, 5 and 1, in their backyard. Photo by Ricardo Jimenez.
NEWS · 4 - 6 Town Topics
BUSINESS · 7 Ins & Outs
DOWNTOWNER · 7 EDITORIAL/OPINION · 8 Editorials CAG Update Letter to the Editor
The Agony of Emmett Till and George Floyd
COVER · 10
Gifts for Dad
REAL ESTATE · 12
SENIOR WRITER Stephanie Green
PHOTOGRAPHERS Philip Bermingham Jeff Malet
CONTRIBUTORS Mary Bird Susan Bodiker Allyson Burkhardt Evan Caplan Didi Cutler Donna Evers Michelle Galler Amos Gelb Wally Greeves Kitty Kelley Rebekah Kelley Jody Kurash Shelia Moses Kate Oczypok Linda Roth Alison Schafer Mary Ann Treger
As of the first week of June, 184 buildings were boarded up in Georgetown. Courtesy Georgetown BID.
COVID TESTING AT FIREHOUSES EXPANDS BY R OBERT D EVAN EY
D.C.’s Engine 31 firehouse at 4930 Connecticut Ave. NW. Google Maps.
ARTS · 12
CLASSIFIEDS · 14
COOK ON A WHIM: COCONUT KIWI PARFAITS
Service Directory
BY AN ITA PAR R IS SOU L E
BOOK CLUB · 15
Photo by Anita Parris Soule. Courtesy Cook on a Whim.
Kitty Kelley Book Club
GRAPHIC DESIGN Troy Riemer
BY R OBERT D EVAN EY
Taking It From the Top Black Lives Matter in the Arts
FASHION & BEAUTY SENIOR DIRECTOR CORRESPONDENT Lauretta McCoy Peggy Sands
GEORGETOWN BID: ‘WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?’
Father’s Day 2020, Unlike Any Other
HAUTE & COOL · 11
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Robert Devaney
FEATURES EDITORS COPY EDITOR Ari Post Richard Selden
ADVERTISING & MARKETING Kate Sprague Richard Selden Kelly Sullivan
Downtown News
OPINION · 9
PUBLISHER Sonya Bernhardt
1050 30th Street, NW Washington, DC 20007 Phone: (202) 338-4833 Fax: (202) 338-4834 www.georgetowner.com The Georgetowner is published every other Wednesday. The opinions of our writers and columnists do not necessarily reflect the editorial and corporate opinions of The Georgetowner newspaper. The Georgetowner accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs and assumes no liability for products or services advertised herein. The Georgetowner reserves the right to edit, rewrite or refuse material and is not responsible for errors or omissions. Copyright 2020.
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TOWN TOPICS
Brooke Pinto Wins Ward 2 Race BY RO BE RT DEVA NEY Candidate Brooke Pinto declared herself the winner in the heavily contested Democratic primary for Ward 2’s District Council seat, held June 2. She looks to go on to become the youngest Council member and the first Ward 2 rep to succeed Jack Evans in almost 30 years. The Board of Elections supplied the following totals for the major candidates for the Ward 2 seat, as of Friday, June 12: Pinto, 3,067 (28.33%); Patrick Kennedy, 2,716 (25.09%); Jordan Grossman, 2,332 (21.54%);
the hard work of recovering from COVID-19 and healing the wounds of division caused by systemic racism and injustice. Let’s get to work.” A former D.C. assistant attorney general, the 28-year-old Pinto, first endorsed by D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine, also garnered endorsements from Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) and Rep. Joe Kennedy (D-Massachusetts), along with the Washington Post. Hailing from Connecticut, Pinto went to
“I am proud to have won the Ward 2 Democratic primary. I want to thank Ward 2 residents and voters who have put their trust in me to lead and care for our community ... I promise to make you proud.” - Brooke Pinto Kishan Putta, 1,076 (9.94%). The final results have not been certified. “I am proud to have won the Ward 2 Democratic primary,” Pinto said in a statement. “I want to thank Ward 2 residents and voters who have put their trust in me to lead and care for our community ... I promise to make you proud.” “My attention is now focused on the special election to fill the vacant Ward 2 Council seat. We must now unite and begin
Cornell and Georgetown Law. She did not use the public campaign financing program. A newcomer to D.C., she was the last to enter the Ward 2 race. “With the latest update from the Board of Elections, and after discussions with my supporters, I am now conceding in the Ward 2 primary and special elections,” said Patrick Kennedy, an advisory neighborhood commissioner who earlier appeared to be leading in the contest. Kennedy was the first
to announce for the Ward 2 race in 2019. “Our city and our country will have to confront enormous challenges in the months and years ahead, including structural racism in our society, overcoming a global pandemic and dealing with its consequences. It is particularly important for Ward 2 residents to have certain leadership and a seated representative on the Council to represent them in those difficult conversations.” Kennedy continued: “While I would have liked to be that representative, based on the number of ballots left to be counted, Brooke Pinto is the presumptive Democratic nominee for Ward 2. I wish her success in the fall campaign, and provided that the results of the special election accelerate her transition to office, I will support her and her team
where I can.” Former Ward 2 Council member Jack Evans, who held the seat for nearly three decades before relinquishing it in January due to ethics violation accusations, had only 344 votes by the end of June 5. The Board of Elections estimated that some 107,121 ballots were cast citywide by last week — 26.11 percent of 410,260 registered voters. In Ward 2, there were 11,234 ballots cast out of 37,231 registered voters, representing 30.17 percent. The special election for the Ward 2 seat to finish out Evans’s term, running to January of 2021, occurred on June 16 — no results were available as of press time. Grossman and Kennedy pulled out of that election, as did Republican Katherine Venice.
Real estate executive Marc Duber, Ward 2 Council candidate Brooke Pinto and Shahab Farivar, co-owner of Peacock Cafe and Vintage78. Photo by Robert Devaney.
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TOWN TOPICS
Police Hold Street Meeting About Georgetown Looting BY PEG GY SA NDS It felt like a mild summer evening on June 7 when Second Dist rict Cmd r. D u ncan Bedlion of the Metropolitan Police Department held a hastily organized meet-and-greet in Georgetown on N Street at the corner of Wisconsin Avenue. The meeting was hosted by Martin’s Tavern owner Billy Martin.
chanting “Black Lives Matter” and “This is what democracy looks like,” were dressed all in black. Up and down Wisconsin Avenue from where they sat, almost all the stores and businesses had been boarded up in the wake of vandalism and looting that took place on May 30 and 31. The looting had not been expected.
area, where thousands of demonstrators had gathered in Lafayette Park in front of the White House.” But on this Sunday evening, a week later, there was palpable mood of relief and a desire to know what was happening. This weekend had passed peacefully, with thousands of people (not the predicted one million) assembling on a por tion of 16th Street NW blazoned with the words BLACK LIVES MATTER and in front of the Lincoln Memorial — watched over by National Guard soldiers and Metropolitan Police off icers on standby. There had been no violence for five days. The demands of protesters were evolving — from justice for Floyd to demands to refor m and even to “defund” police departments. “It is time to talk about it,” Bedlion
most of them D.C. residents, he said. But he admitted that the police had failed to protect Georgetown businesses because their numbers were few and most were deployed elsewhere. “When can we take the boards down from our storefronts?” one Georgetown businessman asked. “Everyone now is fully activated on a rolling basis,” Bedlion said. “It’s up to business owners. We’re now seeking public assistance in identifying multiple persons and vehicles of interest in reference to criminal offenses during that time.” He noted that the department had obtained photo and video footage of numerous individuals committing crimes in Georgetown and other parts of D.C. MPD is asking the public to review the videotapes and offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and indictment of
3200 Block of M St. during protests. On June 3, the cor ner in front of Mar tin’s had been the site of a massive sit-down, with hundreds of people protesting the May 25 death of George Floyd while forcibly restrained by Minneapolis police off icers who have now been charged. Many of the protestors in Georgetown that night,
Georgetown’s streets were deser ted following a timid first day of Phase One reopening after three months of pandemic lockdown. “Only a few police off icers had been present in Georgetown those nights,” Bedlion said. “Instead, the entire District force … were deployed to the downtown
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told the assembled crowd of Georgetown residents, advisor y neig hborhood com missioners, restau rant pat rons eating at tables set up on the street and a mix of police captains, detectives and patrol officers. “What happened in Minneapolis was nothing shor t of murder. The inaction of the law enforcement off icers there to stop the murder is against ever y policy, regulation and training of the DC MPD. That would not be allowed here.” Instead, Bedlion praised his “incredible police force” for their restraint in face of crowds assaulting them verbally and with firecrackers, bricks and gunshots. Between Friday and Monday, 25 people were arrested,
those responsible. “Why are you here?” asked one youth who had grown up in Georgetown and now lives in New York City. “Why are you talking to rich white people in the most wealthy area of Washington, D.C.? Why are you criminalizing poverty and homelessness?” “That’s my beat,” responded Detective Rachel Pulliam. “You r concern and enthusiasm is welcome. Why don’t you come back to D.C. and work with us on the many programs that D.C. and so many organizations suppor t for D.C. residents?” The questioner thanked Pulliam for her response.
TOWN TOPICS
Assistance With Home Utility Bills BY PEGGY SAN D S
Metropolitan Police Chief Peter Newsham and Mayor Muriel Bowser at the opening of the National Law Enforcement Museum in 2018. Photo by Jeff Malet.
Defund D.C. Police? No, Says Bowser
Several emergency programs to help D.C. residents struggling to pay water, gas and electric bills due to the coronavirus pandemic have been developed by the District government and the utility companies. Benefits include a range of reduced rates, extended payment plans and even one-time grants of up to $2,000. In general, District policy is that utilities won’t be shut off when bills aren’t paid and late fees won’t be charged when accounts become overdue. But arrangements for reduced rates and emergency grants have to be made individually by residential customers via an application process. Eligibility factors, which also determine the amount of the discount and/or grant, include household size, household income, heating source and type of dwelling. Applications — which can be completed online or mailed in — require documentation of residency and loss of income due to the pandemic, along with details of prior utility usage and costs. According to DC Water, “Eligible households with unpaid DC Water bills during the coronavirus (COVID-19) public health emergency and 105 days thereafter, may receive bill assistance up to $2,000 as a one-time emergency benefit.” In addition, households eligible for Customer Assistance Programs will receive
a discount on the first 300 or 400 cubic feet of water and sewer services used each month, with some exceptions. They will also receive a 50-percent reduction in the monthly Clean Rivers Impervious Area Charge and a Water System Replacement Fee waiver, a discount of approximately between $15 and $65 a month. The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which distributes Department of Energy & Environment funds for heating and cooling grants to help qualified applicants pay their energy bills, has been expanded. “Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, states were provided additional funds to the amount of $900 million to provide payment assistance for qualified applicants,” according to Mayor Muriel Bowser’s office. Eligible households may receive energy bill assistance of between $250 and $1,800 as a one-time benefit based on household size, household income, heating source and type of dwelling. Some cable, auto and credit cards companies are also providing financial relief to those suffering income loss due to the pandemic. Customers who contact their providers during the public health emergency may arrange for deferred payments, a temporary halt in late fees and the lifting of credit freezes.
BY PEG GY SA NDS The Black Lives Mat ter protests triggered by the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police have come to include demands to defund police depar tments. On June 10, despite the mayor’s opposition, the Dist r ict Cou ncil u nan i mously approved several refor ms to t he Metropolitan Police Depar tment, also considering a proposal to remove all protective off icers from D.C. public schools. Yet, in recent weeks, the city has experienced not only peaceful protests but nights of vandalism and looting. On the weekend of May 29, the f irst day of the District’s cautious Phase One reopening, thousands of protestors jam med Lafayet te Square and the streets around the White House. Fires were star ted in St. John’s Church and the national AFL-CIO headquar ters. Over the next three days, hundreds of businesses were damaged, including 57 in Georgetown, with curfew and pandemic regulations widely ignored. On June 1, Second District MPD Cmdr. Duncan Bedlion apologized for failing Georgetown. “Ever y one of our
person nel, including ad minist rative staff, were ordered to protect the dow ntow n. We simply did n’t have enough people,” he said. Mayor Muriel Bowser has responded with f lexible enforcement and gestures of suppor t. She ordered “Black Lives Matter” to be painted in huge yellow letters on two blocks of 16th Street NW leading to the White House, with the stretch renamed Black Lives Matter Plaza. When a “Defund the Police” street painting suddenly appeared next to the BLM one, the mayor did not remove it, although she said she did not approve of the message. Bowser has refused to consider a reversal of her proposed additional funding for D.C. police ser vices. “We fund the police at the level that we need it funded, including increased training and safety net programs,” she said in a June 10 inter view on National Public Radio station WAMU. Public Schools Chancellor Lewis Ferebee ag reed. “Law enforcement and secur it y g uards are cr itical to student safety,” he said on June 11.
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5
TOWN TOPICS
Restaurateurs, Retailers Show Resilience BY C HR ISTOP HER J ON E S
Urban Outfitters. As the coronavirus pandemic persists, Georgetown restaurateurs and retailers have met the twin challenges of the District’s Phase One reopening and property damage during the recent protests with a variety of responses — from sadness and anger to resilience and determination, along with support for the Black Lives Matter movement’s call for an end to police brutality. “The spirit of Georgetown merchants is incredible, and they are cleaning up, rebuilding and making plans to reopen as soon as they are able,” said Joe Sternlieb, CEO of the Georgetown Business Improvement District. “Despite the fact that the vast majority of protests in D.C. over the murder of George Floyd have been peaceful, large groups of young people, mostly unaffiliated with the BLM protests,
a quintessential idea that our owners and managerial staff hold.” Simpson, who has attended downtown BLM protests “almost every day,” as have other staff members, added: “We understand that the looters and the rioters are different and separate from the message” of the protests. For Krista Johnson, owner of Ella-Rue, a high-end consignment shop for designer women’s wear, the looting was both disastrous and appalling, especially since her P Street shop had been closed for three months due to the coronavirus lockdown. Now it’s in ruins. “The looting of Georgetown was the final hit we did not foresee,” she said.
stated, though they only stayed briefly because they are “at a risky age” for the coronavirus. While she agrees with the racial equality message of Black Lives Matter, Zola Tungalag, manager of Lucas Tailor & Cleaners on Wisconsin Avenue, is infuriated by the lootings and vandalism that took place. “I agree with these people, but it’s very hard to have broken businesses. People are having a hard time with COVID19. Businesses are shut down already and this makes it even worse. It was very scary.” David Berkebile, who has owned Georgetown Tobacco for 56 years, described the challenges he has faced in recent days
of the injustices happening in our country.” She and her staff are “preparing actionable steps” to address these issues. At the Officina Popup at Via Umbria, the manager (who asked to remain anonymous) recalled that some guests “were shocked when they saw everything in the neighborhood boarded up.” However, he feels “hopeful,” since the “protests got less violent” over time. He said he generally supports the protests. Undamaged by looting or vandalism, the Italian-themed market has begun allowing small groups of shoppers to browse inside. At neighborhood landmark Martin’s Tavern, also undamaged, outdoor patio dining has resumed, with six elegant tables (allowing for social distancing), newly painted iron railings and hanging flower baskets. Farther up Wisconsin Avenue,
The Dough Jar.
Fiola Mare. vandalized 57 Georgetown businesses.” Of those establishments, 42 were looted, according to Sternlieb. The BID’s most recent announcement stated that 184 Georgetown businesses were boarded up. “As we were just gearing up for the reopening, the tragic event of George Floyd happened, leading to protests in the nation, including our neighborhood. And, sadly, looting began,” said Emel Bayrak, owner of Café Georgetown. Nevertheless, she has had valuable conversations about racial injustice with many protesters who have stopped by the café, giving her “a deeper understanding 6 JUNE 17, 2020
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Thomas Sweet suffered a broken window, but is serving its small-batch ice cream. Outdoor tables are available, though indoor seating has not yet reopened. Offering patio service on its walled terrace, with nine tables spaciously separated by potted plants, Boulangerie Christophe has reopened for brunch and lunch. Throughout the protests, the café has “kept an open door” instead of boarding up, according to barrista Thea Simpson, who speaks French with her customers. “Our doors are open to everybody,” she said. “We do believe that Black Lives Matter. It’s
“I am all for peaceful protest and love that in America we [have that right]. And what happened to George Floyd was a tragedy.” Despite her frustrations with the government restrictions and the ineffective response to the lootings and vandalism, she appreciates the support from “good neighbors and clients,” who send “uplifting messages” and “encourage us to keep going.” Across the street from Ella-Rue, Carolyn Wasylczuk, co-owner of Just Paper & Tea, said that viewing all the destruction in the neighborhood was “so sad.” Support from neighbors and clients during the shutdown has buoyed her spirits, however. When asked whether she supports the BLM protests, she declared “Oh my God, absolutely!” She and her husband, who have owned the business together for over 30 years, were “excited” to attend the downtown BLM rallies, she
as “life-changing.” While he believes the “damage and loss due to a few bad actors” could have been prevented, he appreciates the apology recently issued by D.C. police representatives and the steps taken by the mayor to bring the crises under control. He asserted that “social and legal justice for Black, Brown and minority [groups] must become a part of our national fabric.” “Does it suck that 99 percent of Georgetown is practically closed right now? Yes,” said Derek Rice, manager of Good Stuff Eatery on M Street. “But I think there are deeper causes to all of this. I don’t think my being a person of color affects my reactions to the protests as much as just seeing all the injustices going on in our country. So I commend everybody for what they’re doing to bring about change and I just hope people stay safe.”
BUSINESS
BY KATE OCZ Y P OK
NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERS TEST POSITIVE
The D.C. National Guard, mobilized to respond to the protests triggered by George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police, reported that some of its members tested positive for COVID-19. The number of members with the disease has not been made public due to “operational security.”
PROTESTERS TOLD TO GET TESTED
If you’ve been out protesting in the D.C. area, Mayor Muriel Bowser wants you to get tested for COVID-19. The mayor expressed her concern that a spike in coronavirus cases could follow the large Black Lives Matter gatherings, at which social distancing was impossible and mask wearing far from universal.
FAKE: LINCOLN MEMORIAL PHOTO
The photo circulating online of a heavily graffitied Lincoln Memorial, supposedly vandalized during the Black Lives Matter protests, was confirmed to be false by the National Park Service, WUSA9 reported. Another photo making the rounds that shows an employee cleaning green paint from the memorial is from 2013.
MAJOR MARCH PLANNED FOR AUG. 28
Preparations are underway for 100,000 people to come to D.C. in late August to march from the Lincoln Memorial to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial for criminal justice reform. The family of George Floyd and the Rev. Al Sharpton have applied for a permit for the Aug. 28 event, to coincide with the March on Washington’s 57th anniversary.
MAY HOUSING SALES PLUMMET
Typically, May is one of the best months for D.C.-area home sales, but due to COVID19 the month’s totals were the lowest in a decade. A lack of listings left many potential buyers with nothing available. Listing service Bright MLS said pending sales were down almost 20 percent from May of 2019 and closings were down 34.2 percent.
LAYOFFS COMING TO GWU
The GW Hatchet reported that George Washington University President Thomas LeBlanc sent an email to faculty association president Andrew Zimmerman saying that a predicted 2020-21 revenue shortfall of between $80 and $320 million will mean layoffs. LeBlanc is taking a pay cut and freezing merit salary increases for faculty.
INS & OUTS BY R OBERT D EVAN EY
Due to the coronavirus crisis, most retailers have temporarily closed or limited their services. For details, check with individual stores directly or visit georgetowner.com.
IN: OFFICINA POPUP AT VIA UMBRIA
Chef Nicholas Stefanelli joined forces last week with Via Umbria owners Bill and Suzy Menard to open Officina Popup in the Via Umbria space at 1525 Wisconsin Ave. NW. It is, said the group, “similar to the flagship Officina location at the Wharf and will include Stefanelli’s distinct shopping and dining experience with fine wines, artisanal pastas, specialty snacks and preserves.” With his experience at Masseria in Union Market and Officina at the Wharf, Stefanelli said he and his team “are excited to curate a special Italian culinary experience for Georgetown.” “Growing up in the metropolitan area, Georgetown is a neighborhood that I’ve always been interested in and this opportunity has long been in the works with Bill and Suzy Menard,” Stefanelli said. “While the industry has been greatly disrupted, we are being as creative and proactive as possible and look forward to serving our new friends in Northwest.” Curbside pickup and delivery are available, along with a private shopping experience with scheduled time slots for health safety.
MORE POPPING UP: ELLA-RUE IN ALEXANDRIA
With their Georgetown shop boarded shut after the May 31 looting, boutique owners Krista and Alexa Johnson have opened an Ella-Rue pop-up at 815 South Washington St. in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia. Discounts are being offered on such famed brands as Chanel, Dior and Prada.
MOVING: HICKOK COLE TO UNION MARKET
Mayor Muriel Bowser approved the Black Lives Matter mural on 16th Street. Courtesy Office of the Mayor.
7 JUNE 17, 2020
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Architecture firm Hickok Cole announced on June 3 that it had signed a lease for a new 25,000-square-foot office owned by FoulgerPratt in the Union Market neighborhood. The 32-year-old design firm said it plans to move its 100-person staff from its current Georgetown location at 1023 31st St. NW to
St. John’s Church Lafayette Square at Black Lives Matter Plaza. Georgetowner photo. 301 N St. NE by April of 2021. The firm also has an office in Richmond, Virginia. “We’ve loved being part of the Georgetown community for the past 20 years, so leaving is bittersweet,” said Mike Hickok, co-owner and senior principal. “But, as the firm has grown and changed, so have our needs. We’ve been searching for new space and have always felt the character of the Union Market neighborhood aligns with our creative culture. The move provides a unique opportunity to invest in what’s next for D.C. and contribute to the revitalization of one of the city’s most interesting new neighborhoods.”
OUT: CEOS OF THE WING, REFORMATION
Waves of resignations are rippling through retail and other businesses as accusations of racism are lodged against executives. Two of the businesses so far affected have Georgetown outposts: the Wing, a womancentric co-working space on Thomas Jefferson Street, and the Reformation clothing store on M Street. Wing co-founder Audrey Gelman resigned as CEO on June 11 amid employee anger. Staffers said the decision was “not enough” and called for the Wing “do more to support its black and brown employees.” A threeperson group now makes up “a newly formed Office of the CEO,” according to the Wing. “The past three months have brought change to our society, our culture, our business and our team in ways no one could have imagined,” the company said in a statement. “The Wing remains a vital resource for thousands of women navigating their path to success. But the moment calls for a rethinking of how we meet their needs moving forward and for new leadership that can guide The Wing into the future.” A statement by employees who took part in a digital walkout against the company reads: “Simply put, The Wing doesn’t practice the intersectional feminism that it preaches to the rest of the world.” Likewise, Reformation CEO Yael Aflalo quit on June 12 after accusations of racism. Writing “I’ve failed” on her Instagram account, Aflalo, who founded the women’s wear brand in 2009, will be replaced by Reformation president Hali Borenstein. According to Business Insider, “12 current and former employees at Reformation … allege the company perpetuated a culture of racism against Black employees.”
EDITORIAL/OPINION
CAG Report: Farewell Georgetown BY C H ERYL GR AY
Send Your Feedback, Questions or Concerns, Tips and Suggestions to editorial@georgetowner.com or call 202-338-4833
Keep Your Distance, Neighbor On March 30, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced a stay-at-home order for the District. Anyone leaving home for essential business reasons or to pick up food, run errands or walk the dog was to maintain “social distancing” — that is, to keep six feet apart from all but family members. Store managers could allow in only a limited number of customers, with markers indicating where they could go and stand, even at outdoor markets. Violators would be subject to a fine of up to $5,000, jail time up to 90 days or both, the order stated. But in practice, there is no official enforcement. “Arrest is the last resort here. It was not the mayor’s intention from the beginning to enforce these regulations unless individuals are egregiously violating the order,” said Metropolitan Police Department spokesperson Kristen Metzger. “Officers can distance themselves and use bullhorns to educate groups about public safety risks and the mayor’s order while asking them to disperse.” It seemed to work. The curve of COVID19 cases flattened out and, on May 29, the District began its Phase One reopening. City eateries with outdoor seating were allowed to offer limited dining. Parks were open to small groups. But everyone was to
keep wearing a mask and practicing social distancing. Just four days earlier, however, George Floyd was murdered by Minneapolis police. The protests came to D.C. on the night of May 29, with tens of thousands of Black Lives Matter demonstrators packing Lafayette Square, the adjacent streets of the District and Georgetown’s commercial corridors that weekend. Many protesters (the gatherings continue, in D.C. and elsewhere) wear masks — it varies — but social distancing is largely ignored. A Phase Two reopening of D.C. is now being considered for June 19. The mayor has said repeatedly that the impact of the protests on the spread of the virus is unknown. “Of course, we are concerned,” she says. But it appears unlikely that there will be a stepping up of enforcement. This is the reality of make-up-yourown-mind America. It seems it is up to each of us as individuals to decide whether or not to follow official public health guidelines. What do you do when you see other people defying social distancing? Who you gonna call? No one, really. Do you confront? Probably not a good idea. Maybe the only weapon left is “the look” … and crossing the street.
A Big Win for Pride During this particular Pride Month — with the excitement at a lower pitch due to the absence of a parade and other outdoor events — the Supreme Court, of all institutions, lit up the LGBTQ world. The court ruled on June 15 that workers cannot be fired for being gay or transgender. The historic 6-3 decision had the added irony that it was written by Justice Neil Gorsuch, who was appointed by President Donald Trump. “An individual’s homosexuality or transgender status is not relevant to employment decisions,” Gorsuch wrote. “That’s because it is impossible to discriminate against a person for being homosexual or transgender without discriminating against that individual based on sex.” In D.C., such protections have been in place for years, but there was no federal protection stating that LGBTQ employees could not be fired because of their orientation. Plaintiffs argued that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits employers from discriminating on the basis of “sex,” applies to sexual orientation and gender identity. “This has been a long seven years, as you know,” Gerald Bostock, one of the
plaintiffs, said in an interview. “I went into shock. My partner and I embraced. I was thinking this has to be good, this has to be good … I’ve just been on a high ever since.” “This is a landmark victory for LGBTQ equality,” said Human Rights Campaign President Alphonso David. “For the past two decades, federal courts have determined that discrimination on the basis of LGBTQ status is unlawful discrimination under federal law. Today’s historic ruling by the Supreme Court affirms that view, but there is still work left to be done. In many aspects of the public square, LGBTQ people still lack non-discrimination protections, which is why it is crucial that Congress pass the Equality Act to address the significant gaps in federal civil rights laws and improve protections for everyone.” Former Vice President Joe Biden said the court’s ruling “confirmed the simple but profoundly American idea that every human being should be treated with respect and dignity.” Even President Trump said of the decision: “They’ve ruled, and we live with their decision.” We’d say there’s plenty to cheer about, even without a parade.
By my count, we are past Day 90 of our socially distanced existence — an unexpected, unprecedented and very strange experience that most of us will never forget. The human tragedy, economic pain and psychological stress have been enormous for many. Yet I continue to be impressed by the flexibility, resilience and creativity of people and institutions as they adjust to this new normal. Local government and business leaders, scientists, arts and religious organizations, health and wellness providers — all are finding ways to adapt to the new situation and contribute to solutions. Given its long history and strong community spirit, I am confident that Georgetown will find a successful path forward and continue to be the truly special place it has long been.
This is my last president’s column for The Georgetowner. After a decade living in Georgetown and volunteering with the Citizens Association of Georgetown, my husband and I are relocating to Colorado to be near mountains and family. It has been a true pleasure to serve as president of this wonderful organization, which works every day to support and strengthen our local community and preserve Georgetown’s unique historic legacy. Going forward, CAG will be led by Tara Sakraida Parker, working with Executive Director Leslie Maysak and CAG’s board, committee chairs and volunteers. With this excellent leadership and CAG’s strong base of support, I have no doubt that CAG will continue to thrive for many years to come. Cheryl Gray is president of the Citizens Association of Georgetown.
CAG Online Election
CAG’s annual meeting, election and awards presentation, originally scheduled for May 12 at Dumbarton House, has been postponed to Sept. 22 due to public health emergency restrictions. In order to continue operations, the election will be held by online voting, concluding on June 25. Current dues-paying members will receive an email invitation with a link to vote for the following proposed 2020-21 slate of officers and directors: President, Tara Sakraida Parker Vice-President, Susan Dabbar Treasurer, Jerry Libin Secretary, Amy Kuhnert Director, Stephanie Bothwell Director, Karen Cruse Director, John Rentzepis Director, Jennifer Romm
Letter to the Editor Thanks for Excellent Coverage Your June 3-16 issue, pp. 10-11, as well as the coverage of the current racial justice demonstrations, the wise editorial “We Shall Overcome,” the superb quotations on pages 10 and 11 (could you please give the source for the one on p. 10?) and the practical information in “How to Fund Racial Justice” was just excellent and greatly appreciated by this 84-year-old woman who still wants to do something about this blot on our American character. Thank you. — Jacqueline D. Gallagher
Ed.: As mentioned in the fifth paragraph on page 10, the quote often credited without documentation to Benjamin Franklin, “Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are,” is aparaphrase of a statement attributed to Solon by the later Greek author Plutarch.
What are your plans for the July 4th holiday?
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OPINION
The Agony of Emmett Till and George Floyd BY SHE L IA P. MOS E S I thought about Emmett Till as I watched the video of George Perry Floyd dying in the street. I can never forget George calling for his mother before taking his final breath. “I wonder if my child cried out for me?” said Mamie TillMobley as she talked about the night her 14-year-old son was brutally murdered in Money, Mississippi, in 1955. One can only imagine her agony regarding her only child. The pain she must have felt about her decision to let him go “down South,” a trip that would
Emmett Till.
cost him his young, precious life. In 1955, parents knew they must have “the talk” with their sons and daughters before sending them to spend the summer in the South. In 2020, parents know they must have that same talk if their child is walking to the corner store in New York City. The truth is, there are rules for Black folks! Rules for their children! Don’t do this and don’t do that. The list is long to stay alive. Like most teenagers, Emmett did not understand that there was a price to pay if you didn’t follow the rules on that list. Six decades later, his accuser, Carolyn Bryant, admitted to author Timothy Tyson that Emmett didn’t break the evil rules of racism. She admitted that her story about young Emmett whistling at her was a lie. He said nothing disrespectful. Even with her admission, there is still no justice for Emmett! Now the question is … will there be justice for George Floyd? There was no justice for all the Black men and women murdered between 1955 and 2020. There has been no justice dating back 401 years, when the first slave ship arrived in Jamestown, Virginia. George Floyd was 46 years old, not 14 like Emmett. He lived in Minneapolis, not Mississippi. He was not murdered late in the midnight hour in a barn and
dumped in a river. George was murdered in broad daylight in front of numerous people, with a cellphone camera rolling. He was accused of trying to use a counterfeit $20 bill, but we have no proof that it was fake. If it was counterfeit, there is no proof that he knew. The laws
George Floyd. in place for trying to use a counterfeit bill do not include a knee in your neck for almost nine minutes. The punishment is not death. What will happen to the men responsible for George Floyd leaving us? Since his death, people have protested around the world. Conversations about
passing laws to protect Black people from the very police that are supposed to protect them have begun. People from every generation and race are screaming “Black Lives Matter” and “I Can’t Breathe.” D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser marched with protesters and changed a section of 16th Street NW to Black Lives Matter Plaza. We have not seen this magnitude of protesting since the civil rights era. So many lives were lost during the movement. The list of deaths is longer than the rules for Black folks. Names like Jimmie Lee Jackson, the four little girls in Birmingham, Malcolm X and Dr. King stand out in the history books. So here we are. As we wait for justice, we cry for George Floyd! We hear George’s cry for his deceased mother. Emmett Till’s cry that we didn’t hear is embedded in our souls. We hear the original cry! The cry of agony from our ancestors on the slave ship as they crossed the ocean into the unknown. National Book Award finalist Shelia P. Moses is the author of “The Legend of Buddy Bush,” “The Last Mile: Conversations with Dick Gregory” and the forthcoming “I, Shirley Chisholm.”
WITHOUT YOU, WE’RE NOTHING OUR SURVIVAL IS IN YOUR HANDS. GEORGETOWNER.COM/STAKEHOLDER
DC Water CEO David Gradis is co-hosting a meeting to discuss proposed rates, current projects and issues impacting your community. The meeting will be held by phone and online using Microsoft Teams. Join the conversation at dcwater.com/Ward2TownHall or call 202753-6714. Conference ID: 476 175 386#
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COVER
John Korsmo and his daughters Mattie, Genevieve and Ally. Courtesy Korsmo family.
Yuri Horwitz sits with his three sons, ages 8, 5 and 1, in their backyard. Photo by Ricardo Jimenez.
Tom Strike with children Ryan, Jord wife and mother Sarah Ford Strian and Katelyn — and with ke. Courtesy Strike family.
More Dad Stories Online!
Go to georgetowner.com to read about fathers John Korsmo, Tom Strike and others. Email your dad stories to editorial@georgetowner.com.
FATHER’S DAY 2020, UNLIKE ANY OTHER BY PEGGY SA NDS This Sunday, June 21, is Father’s Day, the third Sunday of June, the day after the summer solstice — the longest day of the year. But Father’s Day 2020 is also unquestionably unlike any other experienced by those living today. It comes amid a global pandemic in which more than 100,000 Americans have died (the majority of them men), an economic recession with millions unemployed (again, the majority of them men) and stay-at-home orders that have closed stores, offices, government buildings, parks, schools and day care centers from coast to coast. Here in Washington, D.C., on May 29, just as the city was about to cautiously celebrate its Phase One reopening, the soon-to-benationwide protests triggered by the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers arrived. Thousands of protesters ignored social distancing and the wearing of masks. At times during the unrest, businesses were looted and vandalized — 57 in Georgetown. The following days saw stores and businesses along M Street and Wisconsin Avenue boarded up and desolate. In these fraught days, weeks and months since mid-March, with more to come, the experience of fatherhood is being seen in a new light.
TIME COMMITMENT IS INTENSE
The “pandemic father” is finding that the time committed to being with his children is both overwhelmingly consuming and precious. Suddenly, since D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s March 16 stay-at-home order, every family has had to get used to being confined at home — eating, playing, working and spending every evening together. Family members share and at times struggle for computer time to do everything remotely, from distance learning and taking part 10 JUNE 17, 2020
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in virtual meetings to getting work and homework done, shopping and socializing. Computer sharing among parents and children has been stressful for parents used to being able to work on their own. Many have had to make arrangements for extra devices and WiFi, while paying more attention to internet privacy and content issues. For those with smaller children, it has meant being on hand almost constantly, monitoring, guiding and helping as children spend their school hours on distance learning. On the other hand, in some households, children are becoming tired of screen time. “At times, we almost had to bribe our 5-year-old with a treat or a game if he would watch TV for a half-hour more so we could get something done,” said Sebastian Kwakkenbos with a chuckle. Getting out of the house with the kids every day seems to have become a regular routine for all the dads interviewed by The Georgetowner. “Being outdoors is visceral to me,” said Yuri Horwitz, co-founder of a solar energy company and the father of three boys, ages 8, 5 and 1. “I am used to running and being outdoors every day, even while I am used to working 60 to 80 hours in the company.” Now much of that outdoor time is shared with his kids, especially during times when his wife, who works on climate issues, has to travel. Apart from the exercise (both Horwitz and his wife were competitive runners in college, where they met), the father of three spends a lot of quality time outside with his kids. “They ask wonderful unexpected questions,” he said. “Once the shutdown is over, I need to figure out a way to reschedule and delegate my work so I can spend more time with the kids than I did before.” But scheduling that time, even now, is easier said than done. “Right now, the time needed is so much more than I thought,” said
Kwakkenbos. He and his wife, who runs an education business, try to divide their time equally between in-person parenting and their full-time careers. “At first, we thought one of us would spend mornings and the other afternoons with our son, focusing on our special skills in math and literary arts,” Kwakkenbos told The Georgetowner. Given distractions and attention spans, it didn’t work out that way. Now they each take two days — one Mondays and Wednesdays, the other Tuesdays and Thursdays — to devote to full-time teaching and parenting. The experience became almost overwhelming when the whole family was stricken with COVID-19 in March. While they did not have to be hospitalized, they all struggled with the illness. Now that they are testing negative, they can tease each other about who had it worse. Fatherhood has many meanings for the Rev. Tim Cole, rector of Georgetown’s Christ Church on O Street, known to hundreds of Georgetowners as Father Tim. He ministers to them as his own father did in Scotland, where Cole followed in his father’s footsteps as a pastor and a military chaplain. Cole underwent a particular trial in March when he became the first person in the District to be diagnosed with COVID-19. Hospitalized, he was very sick for several weeks. But after several ups and downs, he was able to return to the rectory. Now, two weeks before Father’s Day, he says he is fully recovered. Neither his wife nor his 23-year-old son, who has been residing with them, ever tested positive. And the togetherness has been a blessing. “The past year with my adult son at home has been a gift, getting to know him and have him there. While hundreds call me ‘Father,’ my son and daughter are the only ones in the world who call me ‘Dad.’
THE PROTESTS: TELLING THE KIDS WHAT IS GOING ON
As if the virus, the shutdown and the distance learning weren’t enough, the challenges of fatherhood rose to new heights when the District and Georgetown exploded in Black Lives Matter protests, along with the attacks on Georgetown businesses. How is a father to explain it all? “We all want our children to enjoy the innocence of childhood as long as possible. All parents want to shield our children from evil and violence and hurt. But now it is all around,” said Horwitz. “It is all so age-andstage-dependent how much to tell them, show them and have them experience what is going on.” “There are no right answers,” Horwitz said. He tries to keep it light — not as in funny but as in keeping it simple — with explanations focused on compassion and humility, letting the kids ask the questions as he “immerses” them in the reality of what is going on. He took them to the Lincoln Memorial during the peaceful protests on Saturday, June 6. They shared ice cream, talked with some of the National Guard troops and watched and walked with some of the protestors. “Things happen to people and some get angry,” he told them when they asked why everyone was there. “So they are speaking out.” “Things can be so easily misconstrued,” said Father Tim. “It is a time to be sensitive. Families and parenting cultures are so varied. Relationships even between fathers and daughters and fathers and sons are different. What is so lovely for me personally in these fraught days is to be with, have long conversations with and get to know my son as an adult. I will look back on these days as precious indeed.”
HAUTE & COOL
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DAD:
SIMPLY THE BEST
SUIT UP! Protective face masks are here to stay, so why not get him a menswear pack that works with his professional attire. Washable, breathable and adjustable, the layered construction includes a filtration layer, an anti-microbial and a water-repellent finish.
TAKE HIS PAIN AWAY These cherry-filled heat pillows are an allnatural way to ease aches and pains. If he is not a golf pro, visit yesshemay.com for a wide assortment of prints. Reversible mask included.
BY ALLYS O N BURKHARD T There is no one bigger, stronger or more reassuring than our dad. He has dedicated his life to taking care of us, so let’s dedicate Sunday to taking care of him. Here are our pure and simple gift ideas for the best man in our lives. Allyson Burkhardt is the founder of Let’s Get Dressed! Image & Style Services. Visit her on the web at letsgetdresseddc.com.
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5 CHEERS! QUINTESSENTIAL LUXURY This is the shaving tool that perfectly embodies high-end shaving and traditional men’s grooming. Handmade in Baltimore, with a perfectly balanced rosewood handle for a smoother shave.
Brewed with black limes and Mandarina Bavaria hops and fermented in 45-hectoliter French oak barrels, this limited release is a delightfully refreshing take on a traditional wheat beer. Available for delivery or pickup in Brookland.
HOT OFF THE GRILL He will love the rich flavor coming from the world’s finest Midwestern beef. Named for the city where they originated, these are also known as New York strip steaks.
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SOCKS ARE THE NEW SHOES NEW WHEELS As we reemerge into the world, treat him to something good for the body and for the environment. Marlin 6 is a cross-country mountain bike that is also a great choice for daily commutes.
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CHERAPY THERAPEUTIC HEAT PILLOW & MASK $45 Yes She May
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IMPERIUM SHAVING THE ACE SHAVE SET
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$9 (500 ml bottle)
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While our Zooms are on and our shoes are off, treat him to extra-cushioned luxe, available in extended sizes. And since many of our vacation plans are on hiatus, we can still dream a little dream with these adventure-themed socks.
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TREK MARLIN 6, MODEL 28787 $649.99 Trek Bicycle Georgetown
OUI OUI! World-renowned knives from the MidiPyrénées region of France, these stainless steel steak knives feature the iconic bee and beautiful cream-colored handles.
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TALL ORDER BIG & TALL SOCKS $18 Yes She May
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LAGUIOLE BOXED KNIVES SET $88 Salt & Sundry
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REAL ESTATE
Views north and west from the rooftop deck. Courtesy HomeVisit.
Taking It From the Top
A STYLISH WEST END PENTHOUSE BOASTS CITYWIDE VIEWS BY SU S A N BODIKE R In this dark time, nothing brightens one’s outlook like a sunny penthouse with phenomenal views. Penthouse 62 at Dumbarton Place fits the bill, with walls of floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Dupont Circle to the east and Rock Creek Park — which the locals call “P Street Beach” — to the west. Topping off a boutique luxury building that once housed the offices of Congressional Quarterly, the two-bedroom, two-and-ahalf-bath home at 1414 22 St. NW is one of only four penthouses among 36 apartments. It offers approximately 2,022 square feet of living space on one level, comprising a generously sized living room, a kitchen, a separate dining area and a den. Three heated parking spots, along with a secure 20-by-10-foot storage space, also
convey with the unit, which is on the market for $1,795,000. The monthly condo fee is $2,030. To the right of the foyer, a hall leads to the private master bedroom with park views and two walk-in closets — one with a pocket door — with built-in storage systems. The en-suite bath features a large linen closet, a floating single-sink vanity, a travertine tile floor and an elevated soaking tub with a travertine brick surround. Small blue-green Porcelanosa tiles line the shower, adding to the Mediterranean vibe. Facing the entry are the abundantly lit living room, kitchen and dining room. High ceilings and new white oak flooring create a feeling of lightness and space. Off the living room, accordion doors open to a Juliet balcony facing west.
Rooms with multiple views. Courtesy HomeVisit. In the kitchen, there are sleek dark wood cabinets, a breakfast bar, dark granite counters and a sand-brown linear mosaic tile backsplash. Chef’s-grade appliances include a stainless Sub-Zero French-door refrigerator, a Jenn-Air four-burner gas range and oven and a Bosch dishwasher. Off the kitchen is a laundry room with a stacked GE washer and dryer and plenty of storage — plus a window. Down the hall from the dining area is the second bedroom suite, with a walk-in closet, custom louvers and an en-suite bath with a charming frosted porthole window (one of only two in the building) above the tub.
Dumbarton Place is a pet-friendly, controlled-access building with on-site management, concierge and maintenance. The rooftop terrace, with grilling areas, boasts panoramic views. Residents can also take advantage of a well-equipped private fitness center and a party room/conference center. Penthouse 62, a two-bedroom, two-anda-half-bath condo at Dumbarton Place, is listed at $1,795,000 with Washington Fine Properties. For details, contact Richard Newton at 202-669-4467 or richard. newton@wfp.com. For a visual tour, visit spws.homevisit.com/hvid/285678.
I CHOSE INGLESIDE AT ROCK CREEK During this time, Ingleside At Rock Creek
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A NOT-FOR-PROFIT LIFE PLAN COMMUNITY
ARTS
Black Lives Matter in the Arts BY ARI P OS T For the past few weeks, I’ve been trying to reflect on fairness and cultural representation in the arts, and on my own failings in this arena as an arts writer. They are difficult things to come to terms with, not just because they require unforgiving confrontations with my sense of identity as a basically benign and civically responsible person, but because of the way I perceive art. I’ve always believed that one of art’s greatest assets is its capacity to transcend the immediacy of social and political climates. Ironically, that idea was the basis of my last column. There, I upheld visual art as a light in the darkness of the pandemic, as a form of expression that can take us beyond our given moment. I quoted Braque, who said: “The painter lives through the age. But his work depends too much on the past for him to accommodate the changes of the hour.”
classes. The point is that I was wrong. At this moment, art in America isn’t transcending anything. It is mired in the same oppressive systems that methodically obstruct and destroy African American lives, just as the Pyramids of Giza were built on my ancestors’ broken backs. Art in America is simply accountable for this. As am I. As are you, fellow Georgetowners. And maybe that’s unfair — but maybe that’s the point. We need to accept some burden of moral culpability in our country’s systemic oppression of BIPOC — Black, Indigenous, People Of Color — and low-income communities. I am still struggling to understand art’s role in all of this. I would not want the arena of fine art to be overtaken by allegories of present-day social narratives. But the way we talk about art in America needs to evolve
To celebrate the 2020 graduates of Duke Ellington School of the Arts, pictures of the graduates were placed on the front lawn June 12 when students and family met for photos. Georgetowner photo.
but rather to wonder out loud what more I could do. My coverage of any exhibition featuring BIPOC artists has never come from a sense of duty to racial justice. Rarely did it enter my mind that any of these exhibitions were more or less deserving of coverage than any other — with certain exceptions, like “Dawoud Bey: The Birmingham Project,” at the National Gallery of Art, where the show’s sociopolitical significance overrode my ambivalence toward the formal quality of the actual art on view. It’s an open question. I would welcome your emails and comments. I will end with two thoughts at the intersection of art and our new era of civil rights activism. First, the graffiti in which
protestors have enveloped the Confederate monuments along Monument Avenue in Richmond has transformed these symbols of oppression into visually arresting and gutwrenchingly powerful works of art. If the statues do not get taken down, I think they should be opened permanently to tagging. Second, when I saw the words BLACK LIVES MATTER lighting up 16th Street in an aerial photograph, my first thought was, “That looks like a Barbara Kruger!” I also thought about Glenn Ligon. It looks like a (very good) piece of conceptual art by emerging artist Muriel Bowser, and I was almost as interested in its formal properties as in its political audacity. Someone needs to write about how radically awesome it looks.
At Major sneaker and sports apparel shop, which was looted, there’s fresh art on the plywood. Georgetowner photo Some readers mistook this for “escapism.” But what I was trying to impart had more to do with art as a collective artifact of humankind’s pursuit of beauty. This isn’t to say that fine art cannot be political or politicized, but it’s generally not what it does best and there are other forms — music, theater, literature, film — that do it far more effectively. I write about museum exhibitions in Washington, usually ones developed by the Smithsonian and the National Gallery of Art. It would be easy to hold social responsibility at a distance in my work, since I can only cover what they put out. But it’s now being suggested that my fidelity to these institutions is itself an act of white privilege (I’m white, by the way), because their systems of operation favor white elites and uphold white supremacy. This is true, of course. Museums spend sickening amounts of time, money and labor courting their wealthy, white donors. (To momentarily defend them, this is sort of what nonprofits receiving insufficient government support have to do to make art freely available to the public.) However, this quickly becomes complicated. Because art has always — and with very few exceptions — been a privilege of the rich and the culturally dominant
beyond constraints of the European tradition. I don’t think that the metric of selecting art for exhibition should be the color of its maker’s skin, yet there needs to be more of an effort to promote work by BIPOC communities — today and throughout history. I have certainly failed in many capacities to address issues of social inequity in the arts. However, I have always done my best to cover exhibitions highlighting work by BIPOC artists. For better or worse, I never thought much about the ethics of covering them. If it’s a good show, I want to write about it. I’ve always been more interested in art’s formal qualities than anything else, and I hope that, for the most part, this is a good thing. Writing about Sam Gilliam or Kerry James Marshall is the same for me as writing about van Gogh. That the artists are Black is only relevant to the degree that it informs the work. You can’t talk about Marshall’s work without talking about racial injustice in America. But I’ve spoken to and written about Gilliam a few times, and — without taking away from his groundbreaking accomplishments as an African American artist — his racial identity has never seemed particularly relevant. None of this is to flout my accomplishments,
The Robert E. Lee Monument in Richmond on June 3. Courtesy WRIC-TV.
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KITTY KELLEY BOOK CLUB
You start with an idea. We mold it into something special.
‘The Moment of Tenderness’ THIS COLLECTION OF MADELEINE L’ENGLE’S EARLY STORIES SEEMS HEARTFELT, IF ILL-CONSIDERED R EVIEWE D BY KIT T Y K E LLE Y Madeleine L’Engle (1918-2007) was a storyteller known for her childhood fables, religious tracts and fanciful science fiction. Although she wrote 50 books, her masterpiece was “A Wrinkle in Time,” which won the Newbery Medal in 1963. Still in print, the book inspired two Disney film adaptations, plus a TV movie and a 2018 theatrical film directed by Ava DuVernay and starring Reese Witherspoon and Oprah Winfrey. Now, to further burnish L’Engle’s legacy, Charlotte Jones Voiklis has compiled a book of her grandmother’s earliest short stories, “The Moment of Tenderness.” Most of the 18 stories, written in the 1940s and 1950s, were reimagined and revised to reappear in other forms in L’Engle’s later works. They were not published as short stories at the time they were written, probably for good reason. While fascinating to a loving grandchild, “the scraps and stories and studies” Voiklis found in boxes yellowed with age in her grandmother’s study might be less than dazzling to the average reader. Voiklis maintains that the stories show the writer’s growth, which may be enough to satisfy L’Engle’s most devoted fans. L’Engle, who majored in theater at Smith College, moved to New York City and tried to make it as an actress in the 1940s, writing short stories (which she could not get published) on the side. On tour for “The Cherry Orchard,” she fell in love with a fellow actor, Hugh Franklin. They married in 1946 and — short on money and having given up on success on the stage — they moved to Goshen, New York, where they opened a general store. Such biographical details help to more fully understand L’Engle’s fiction, in which she poured out the truths of her life as a child abandoned by her father and a wife betrayed by a husband who took mistresses throughout their marriage. Deeply religious and drawn to makebelieve, L’Engle wrote several revisionist memoirs that read as fantasies. In one, she wrote that she was sent to boarding school because her father was gassed in the war. In reality, her parents wanted to live their own lives — and her father lived a long, carousing one before dying suddenly of a heart attack. In another memoir, L’Engle presented her marriage as content and happy: “There in the chapel of the church, Hugh and I made promises, promises which for forty years we have, by some grace, been able to keep.” Her family, aware of Franklin’s many affairs, dismissed L’Engle’s 2004 memoir in the New Yorker as “pure fiction.” The keystone of this collection, which gives the book its title, tells the story of two couples living in Mt. George, Vermont,
a setting much like Goshen, where the village is divided into natives and nouveauriche newcomers. The couples meet and socialize. One husband, a doctor of “quiet earnestness” born in Mt. George, listens intently to the other wife, a newcomer, while their spouses whirl gaily at the country club dances on Saturday nights. The man’s attentiveness is in itself a moment of tenderness for the wife, who is pregnant, and she decides she wants this general practitioner to deliver her child, rather than the wealthy obstetrician her husband prefers. She is besotted with the gentle doctor’s hands, his brief touch of care and concern. He becomes the family’s doctor, making house calls to tend to her and her children. “[I]t is not love I want from him,” she relates, “just those little moments of tenderness.” This culminates later in an unexpected kiss from the doctor, followed by an abject apology. “This is something I’ve never done before,” he said. “Please believe me.” Shushing him, the wife says: “Why … we aren’t going to let it make any difference. We aren’t going to have an affair … so why shouldn’t we say it just this once? There’s so little real love in the world, isn’t it wrong not to acknowledge it when it happens. What you’ve just said is going to make all the difference in the world to me, just to know that somebody sees me as a human being … as me. And it can’t hurt anybody, can it, if you know that I’m thinking about you and caring when you’re up all night and tired and maybe discouraged sometimes? We’re not going to say it again or let it make any difference in the way we live our lives, so how can it be anything but good to have said it just this once and to know it for always.” The doctor looks at her with a steady, serious gaze. “What a wise little star you are. Yes, we’ll always know, and the knowledge will be good.” Ah, the magic of a such a moment of tenderness — an elegiac title for an affectionate, if ill-advised, tribute.
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Georgetown resident Kitty Kelley has written several number-one New York Times best-sellers, including “The Family: The Real Story Behind the Bush Dynasty.” Her most recent books include “Capturing Camelot: Stanley Tretick’s Iconic Images of the Kennedys” and “Let Freedom Ring: Stanley Tretick’s Iconic Images of the March on Washington.” She serves on the board of Reading Is Fundamental, the nation’s largest children’s literacy nonprofit. GMG, INC.
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