Ward 2 | Street Sense Media

A rendering of the outside of the library and new cafe patio.

DC Central Kitchen to run new cafe in MLK Library

The nonprofit has trained people with high barriers to employment for the past 30 years and will now expand to run a new cafe in the renovated Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in downtown D.C.

King of the Road: Saul Aroha Nui Tea’s path to healing through puppeteering

Street Sense Media vendor Saul Aroha Nui Tea explains how puppeteering came to play the role of therapy in his life and breaks down his latest folk opera.

What reopening the Martin-Luther King Jr. Memorial Library means for the homeless community

The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial library reopens after a three-year renovation. COVID-19 has affected it, but the library is still trying to help the homeless community.

A white building sits at an intersection in downtown D.C.

The coronavirus has gutted downtown DC

Artist and vendor Sybil Taylor shares her experience dealing with the effects of COVID-19 in downtown D.C.

Picture of a woman and a man holding up a hand-painted sign that says "Live Love Let Go" as they kneel inside of a green and gray tent with the entry flap open.

Two homeless residents say Dupont Circle neighbors cleared their belongings when they were given an Airbnb for one night

Two homeless residents living in front of the Safeway at 17th and Corcoran streets NW lost all their belongings overnight. They claim it was neighborhood vigilantes.

Black and white photo of woman standing in park

DC, stop bullying homeless people out of downtown

Colly Dennis questions how the city has been treating the homeless community.

Franklin Park renovations begin, leaving some homeless residents unsure where to go

The redevelopment of Franklin Park has been planned for years. Due to past starts and stops, some residents thought it was only a rumor. But people were forced to leave on June 30 and a fence is being erected on July 1.

2-day sit-in across from the Wilson Building protests DC police budget expansion

Members of the racial justice collective Freedom Fighters D.C. began to sit in at the plaza in protest of the mayor’s proposed police budget. Hundred joined them over the course of two days.

Black and white photo, both officers are wearing PPE also. One is staring straight at the camera.

A home gone to ruins

A formerly homeless man writes about how the federal response to Black Lives Matter demonstrations in DC has cut some homeless people off from a place sleep and receive help from others.

Response to protests upends daily life for homeless people downtown

The influx of people into downtown DC and the aggressive police response has put people experiencing homelessness in DC on edge.

A D.C. city street. A red and white sign advertises an upcoming encampment clean-up. Cars are parked on the side of the road and a bus is passing by in the photo.

Recovering from the trauma of an encampment clean-up

Homeboy, a resident of D.C. experiencing homelessness, lost nearly all of his possessions in an encampment clean-up.

Two people wearing masks standing in front of two garbage trucks.

New Jersey Ave encampment cleanup challenges CDC COVID-19 guidelines, witness says

According to a witness, encampment cleanups are continuing amidst the coronavirus pandemic.

Photo of a hand holding a pencil above a sheet of notebook paper with two lines already written.

Battle Poem: Old School vs Youth

Two perspectives on life shared by artist and vendor Ibn Hipps.

Black woman smiling at the camera wearing a red dress and pearls. Background is out of focus and depicts a classroom.

Tireless advocate for homeless women and children to be honored by Georgetown University at MLK Day event

On Jan. 20 Sandra Jackson was honored by Georgetown University as part of the Kennedy Center’s annual Let Freedom Ring Celebration, a free, ticketed musical tribute that featured Grammy Award winner Chaka Khan and the Let Freedom Ring Choir. Jackson is the executive director of House of Ruth and has had two decades of experience in social services management in the D.C. area.

Photo of Alice wearing a pink shirt and standing in front of an awning that says "Dupont Italian"

Alice Carter, poet and performer, dies at 35

Street Sense Media vendor and artist Alice Carter tragically passed away on December 18, 2019.

An African-American male speaks behind a podium as congregants listen from the pews.

Interfaith service held for those who died without a home

About 50 people gathered at New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in honor of Homeless Person’s Memorial Day. An service was held by local religious leaders.

The door leading into the office of D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson; in the background are some people.

Housing activists hand-deliver 2020 budget priorities to Wilson Building and Bowser Administration

Local housing activists visited the Wilson Building to deliver budget priorities to their councilmembers.

A man wearing a baseball cap and a Street Sense vendor shirt looks at the camera.

Bernard “Chino” Dean Jr, Navy veteran and cartoonist, dies at 46

Remembering Bernard “Chino” Dean Jr.

Two African-American male marchers carry a coffin topped with black roses and candles. One marcher holds a megaphone. Other marchers carry signs with the names of those that died.

Activists march to remember 117 people who died without homes in DC

On Thursday, Dec. 19, 2019 a group gathered in Luther Place Church to commemorate the lives of those who died without a home last year. Following the service, participants gathered along 14th St, and marched in a procession carrying signs with the names of those who had passed and chanting for their right for housing.

A group of people wearing winter coats holding signs on as they walk on a D.C. street at night

At least 117 people died without a home in DC this year

People gathered on December 19th to commemorate those who died in D.C. this year without a home.

Content categorized as Ward 2