Happy Friday junior! We hope everyone is enjoying finally having some good weather in DC. We wanted to share our Black History Month recommendations, including important reads and virtual events. We’ve also got your complete guide to renting out a movie theater!
Black History Month
The National Archives Foundation is hosting a virtual panel on “The Black Family: Representation, Identity, and Diversity” on Feb. 25, 7 p.m. ET.
Self Guided Tour: Check out U Street Corridor for a self-guided tour through the neighborhood’s contributions to the MuralsDC Project.
The Chicago Children’s Choir will be live streaming their Black History Month concert on Feb. 25 at 8PM ET.
Support DMV Black owned restaurants. Click here for a list.
Since the start of the pandemic, I’ve been enjoying reading historical non-fiction because it reminds me that whatever collective trauma we’ve faced before, we’ve recovered. I’m currently reading a book called “Medical Apartheid: The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present” by Harriet A. Washington. It’s certainly not an easy read, as the title suggests, but I highly recommend! The book offers a historical perspective on why many Black Americans harbor mistrust of the medical establishment, and because of that may be wary of getting the COVID-19 vaccine. There are myriad examples of Black communities being mistreated by medical professionals from gruesome experiments on slaves, to forced sterilization, to the infamous Tuskegee syphilis study. Today, Black communities are experiencing disproportionately high rates of COVID cases and deaths, but low vaccination rates. This is not a new phenomenon and it’s important to learn how we got here so that we can mitigate these disparities. - Madison
Here are some good articles for further (or lighter) reading on this topic:
America has a history of medically abusing Black people. No wonder many are wary of COVID-19 vaccines.
Black Americans should face lower age cutoffs to qualify for a vaccine.
Help Texas
Houston Food Bank
Central Texas Food Bank
Rebuilding Together
AMC Theater Rental
One of my favorite pre-COVID activities was going to see movies. So, I was super excited to see that AMC was offering a private theater viewing experience. My family and I did it over the holidays when I was back home in South Carolina and we absolutely loved it. For $99 - $150 (depending on the movie) you can rent out a theater and pick from ~50 movies. They have a great selection, including plenty of options for kids. Currently, in the DMV area it’s only available in Virginia and the limit is 10 guests per group. Your group (of 10 or less) are the only ones in the theater, and you must wear a mask (unless you are eating). They had their full concession stand open when I went, including wine and beer! So, if you are going a little stir crazy and need a safe activity, I would definitely recommend it! - Rebecca
Click here to reserve a theater.