Checking out the sights

This past weekend, I went down to the Japanese Cultural festival with a small group. As I walked through the crowd, examining overpriced trinkets that didn’t really interest me all the while hearing the music from the stage. I was kind of hungry so I walked over to the food area and the lines were a bit excessive and all for overpriced “authentic” food. I was beginning to think that the whole trip was a bust and I started walking. While Mike and I were sitting at a bench, I noticed that the building in front of me was one I remembered well from television from my childhood. The J. Edgar Hoover Building, F.B.I. headquarters, the building that was shown multiple times during the X Files. It truly brought out my inner dork from elementary school. As it brought back memories of Agents Mulder and Scully investigating the paranormal, I began texting a fellow fan of the show and making inside jokes. I then decided to look and see what other buildings were around in the area. I really enjoyed walking around and seeing the Department of Justice building, the IRS Federal building, the Navy memorial, and many others. I liked walking around and seeing all of the buildings and plan on making another trip down there to see the rest. Walking around with no rhyme or reason can lead to some interesting finds.

SRF

Refugee Protection

Now having been in Washington D.C. for a few weeks, I have settled into my internship with Human Rights First. Although I am mainly working with the office's Communications Director, I have had the opportunity to work with other Human Rights First programs, specifically the Refugee Protection Program. The office works with people who are seeking political asylum - those who leave their home country for fear of persecution or violence. When the Refugee Program is evaluating whether or not it will be able to take someone's case and find them a lawyer, they do an 'intake.' This process involves meeting with the client and having the person tell their story of why they are fleeing their country and seeking refuge in the United States. I was able to help with one of these intakes because the speaker was from Cote d'Ivoire, and with my major and back ground in French, I was able to help with the translation of his story. This was a great opportunity for me to apply what I have learned in the classroom to my internship and job skills. Also, Human Rights First has been commemorating the 30th anniversary of the passage of the Refugee Protection Act of 1980 which established uniform refugee eligibility and eliminated the biases that had dominated prior laws. However, Senator Leahy (D-VT) has introduced new legislation, the Refugee Protection Act of 2010, that would make several changes to existing legislation, trying to ensure that innocent people are not unfairly denied access to the United States by laws enacted after September 11, 2001, while always ensuring that provisions are in place to prevent terrorists from manipulating the immigration system. Overall, my internship has already provided me with great opportunities.
-LJB

Folger Shakespeare Library and National Postal Museum

On Saturday Davide and I ventured out into the nations capitol for some experiential education. We first graced the doors of the Folger Shakespeare Library, nestled behind the Library of Congress. We quickly joined a tour and found the rich history of the Folger Shakespeare Library to be quite interesting. Mr. Folger came to be the president of Standard Oil where he found great wealth. Instead of decorating the hills with picturesque mansions and vacation homes, he and his wife collected rare literary works. Of those being the first folio of William Shakespeare's plays to ever be composed. To study at this library you must be a scholar or author with respected credentials. Unfortunately, Mr. Folger was never able to see the grandeur of his life's work (of which he oversaw every detail), the Folger Shakespeare Library. From there we walked over to the National Postal Museum adjacent to Union Station. While at the Museum I couldn't help but think about those who are outraged by the purposed legislation that would eliminate mail service on Saturdays and how far this country's mail service has come. The first mail carriers would use Indian trails to navigate from town to town notching trees to pave the way for others. Now "snail mail" as we call it is being overrun by technological advances in virtually instant communication and endless information transfer capabilities. The future of our nation's postal service may be in jeopardy but I'm thankful that the past is preserved.

~JJB and Davide

An Afternoon at the American History Museum

At the beginning of my time in Washington, I went over to the Smithsonian Museum of American History. Though, it was not my first time at the museum, it's always fun to look around and see things that have been added, or look at exhibits in a new perspective. One of the highlights for me was the "First Ladies" exhibit, which displays photos, anecdotal stories about various first ladies and their inaugural ball gowns. The exhibit is fun, in the sense you get to look at the various beautiful gowns from the ages, but it also is an interesting perspective of fashion through the history of the United States. Seeing the dresses in a row, shows the changes in style and the change in fashion philosophy through the ages.
Another exhibit I really enjoyed seeing again was Julia Child's kitchen. This exhibit had a lot of people milling around, enchanted by seeing her equipment up close-thanks to the movie Julia and Julie.
However, the best part about visiting the History Museum, is the multitude of special events that happen throughout the year. While I was there, I had the opportunity to attend Helen Thomas' book signing. Meeting Helen Thomas was an incredible moment as she was such a force in White House journalism.
The History Museum also is home to a fair amount of pop culture, like Carol Burnett's drapes from her Gone with the Wind skit and Dorothy's Ruby Slippers.
The museum is a great place to go if you have all day, or even an hour as you're bound to learn something new and see artifacts that represent American history, in all of its facets.
LMM

Photos!!

World War II Memorial

During the weekend, several of us went to the Mall to see the Washington Monument and World War II Memorial. Both were impressive but the WWII Memorial was particularly moving. The Memorial can trace its beginnings to 1987, the year in which a World War II veteran asked his congresswoman why no national war memorial had been built. That congresswoman, Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), introduced a bill that authorized the building of the Memorial. The bill languished in the House until Sen. Strom Thurmond (R-SC) introduced companion legislation in the Senate. Finally, it was signed into law by President Clinton in 1993 and dedicated by President Bush in 2004.

I feel honored to be interning in Rep. Kaptur's office for several reasons. However, the role she has played in WWII's legacy may trump everything else.

-Mike P.

First Fridays @ Dupont Circle

Dupont Circle was the compass heading and off we were. . . The arrangement not reflecting the well marked strip of galleries involved in "Gallery Hop" (a similar event occurring the first weekend of every month, weather permitting) in the Short North back home, but more of a word of mouth treasure hunt of galleries sprinkled across the Dupont district. As fate had it the first disguised gallery we stumbled upon was a private establishment with open doors and a guest book. Stairs stretched up into multiple floors of the townhouse as if they were once part of a bound accordion. At the first floor we were greeted with shrimp cocktail, assorted cheeses, and freshly ground hummus. I instantly thought to myself that not only am I out of my element but I am extremely under dressed. The latter of the two conclusions served to our advantage. Scott the tallest of the bunch, as seen in the picture above, was proudly sporting a scarlet and grey Ohio State tee. The bold collegiate lettering caught the eye of what we soon found out to be the artist, Scooter Flaherty (artwork displayed in background), a former Ohio State Alum. We reminisced. What began as a stab in the dark attempt at cultural enlightenment became a chance to connect with a renowned artist and former alum at that.

~JJB

44th Annual Smithsonian Kite Festival

Having never been to Washington before, I arrived on Friday, a couple days before our Sunday, March 28th move-in date. I wanted to spend a couple days getting acquainted with the city and the transit system. My girlfriend and I took a stroll over to the Department of Commerce building on 14^th & Constitution, NW, where I would be interning during the quarter. When we arrived, we saw thousands of people surrounding the Washington Monument with an unimaginable amount of kites in the sky, so we decided to check it out.

At first, we chalked it up as just a normal weekend on the Washington Monument in the gorgeous spring weather (57 ° and sunny). We thought that kite flying was just something that everyone did around here. But after browsing around for a while, we came across a flag and literature that read, “44^th Annual Smithsonian Kite Festival, CRAFTed for Flight.” At this moment, it all made sense.

We found out that the annual kite festival, sponsored by the Smithsonian Associates and the National Air and Space Museum, is a pretty big event in the area. It features handmade kite competitions, kite displays and demonstrations by professional kite flyers. Other activities include children learning to write their names in Japanese characters and in unity with the National Aquarium, children can build kites that look like stingrays.

This is a great date or family event and something everyone should see at least once!

AAM

Ben's Chili Bowl: A Delicious D.C. Landmark

This weekend a couple of us went to Ben's Chili Bowl after a night out on the town. We had all heard great things about the food and it certainly was delicious! What I didn't know, however, is the very important role the restaurant played in the Civil Rights Movement in the D.C. area.

Ben's Chili Bowl was started by newlyweds Ben and Virginia Ali in 1958. The same year Federal troops were ordered into Little Rock, AK to integrate the public schools. At that time the U Street Corridor was know as "Black Broadway," Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald and Nat King Cole were some of the notable people who often ate there. After the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King race riots ensued in cities all over the country. Most of D.C. was shut down, but Ben's stayed open and was even granted police permission to stay open after curfew to provide food and shelter for activists, firefighters and public servants all of whom were trying to restore public order. The neighboorhood went through a transition period after the riots, many businesses were shut down, but today the U Street Corridor is thriving and redefining itself. Today, Ben's is known all over the world and people come from all over to eat there.

Right before coming to D.C. I had seen an article in Time Magazine mentioning that Ben Ali had just passed away and discussing the importance of the restaurant to the entire D.C. community, the African American community especially. Just this past year President Obama became the first president to eat at Ben's. Bill Cosby is a big fan and helped put it on the map. In fact, a sign in the restaurant that reads that Bill Cosby, Michelle, Sasha and Malia Obama are the only people who get to eat there free. I had read in the Time Magazine article that Barack Obama used to eat there for free too, but insisted on paying.

I highly recommend a trip to U St. to have a bite at Ben's. Not only can you enjoy some amazing chili cheese fries you but you can experience a piece of D.C. history!

-Clare

Pictures with Dr. Gee!!

Pictures with the Glenns!!