Mayor Muriel Bowser's Multicultural Resource Fair
 The Multicultural Resource Fair is an opportunity for District residents to learn more about immigration legal services and health resources. Join us for this event to get free health screenings, sit in on Know Your Rights workshops, enroll in a health insurance plan and more!
Spanish, French, Amharic, Vietnamese, Mandarin and Korean interpretation services will be provided.
When: Saturday, January 11, 2020 | 11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Where: Columbia Heights Educational Campus | 3101 16th St NW | Washington, DC | 20010
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Mayor Muriel Bowser’s 2020 Accountability Report
 Join Mayor Muriel Bowser as she delivers on her commitment to transparency and accountability and offers a comprehensive look into the Administration’s goals and priorities.
When: Monday, January 13, 2020 | 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Where: Kellogg Center at Gallaudet University | 800 Florida Avenue Northeast | Washington, DC | 20002
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MLK Peace Walk & Parade
 This Martin Luther King Jr. Day, walk with Mayor Bowser in the 2020 Martin Luther King Jr. Peace Walk and Parade.
Join us in honoring the legacy of one of our country's greatest leaders.There will also be a Health and Community Fair at the R.I.S.E. Gateway Pavilion (2730 MLK Ave SE) from 12:00 - 3:00 pm.
When: Monday, January 20, 2020 | 11:00 am
Where: Anacostia Park | 1900 Anacostia Dr SE (entrance on Good Hope Road and MLK Jr. Avenue) | Washington, DC | 20020
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New Population, New Year, New Housing
The Bowser Administration is kicking off a new year focused on the Mayor’s bold goal of building 36,000 new homes by 2025 by highlighting new population data recently released the by the U.S. Census Bureau. The new data puts the District’s population at 705,749 as of July 1, 2019, up 4,202 people over the previous year. While population growth has slowed in recent years, the population has risen every year since 2006 and has grown by 104,000 people since the 2010 Census.
“Our population is up, and now we must work together to ensure a vibrant, equitable, and resilient city, not only for us, but for our children and grandchildren,” said Mayor Bowser. “This year, we are focused on getting all residents counted in the 2020 Census and on building the housing DC needs to continue our growth and prosperity.”
This data comes out four months before 2020 Census efforts. To ensure the District gets an accurate population count, all residents are encouraged to participate fully in the census and to fill out their census forms either online, by mail, or by phone. For more information, visit dccensus2020.dc.gov.
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Mayor Bowser Celebrates Transformation of MLK Gateway in Historic Anacostia
On Thursday, January 9, 2020, Mayor Muriel Bowser celebrated the groundbreaking at MLK Gateway, a renovation of the historic retail buildings at the intersection of Good Hope Road and Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, SE that will bring office, retail, and other neighborhood amenities to Ward 8.
“Today, we are continuing the transformation of this historic neighborhood by revitalizing the gateway of the Anacostia business area,” said Mayor Bowser. “My Administration never gave up on this project because we know it will help us bring jobs, housing, and new amenities to Ward 8. We thank all of our community and private sector partners for making this project a reality.”
Phase One of the project includes the renovation of the historic retail buildings at 1201-1215 Good Hope Road, SE including a two-story office addition above the retail. The office addition of 20,000 square feet will be occupied by D.C.-based Enlightened, a leading cyber-technology company, bringing 150 employees from their downtown DC location to Anacostia. Phase Two of the project will consist of a new building construction at 1909-1913 Martin Luther King. Jr. Avenue, SE with street-level retail and multi-story office above.
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Tomi Adeyemi on the Blood, Sweat, and Tears Behind Her Newfound YA Superstardom
At just 26 years old, author Tomi Adeyemi’s list of literary accomplishments reads like something an aspiring author might chant to manifest their dreams into reality. Her debut young adult fantasy novel, Children of Blood and Bone, was bought by Henry Holt Books for Young readers in a seven-figure deal and has since spent 89 weeks (and counting) on the New York Times bestseller list. And as of December 2019, the author's first two novels were in the number one and number two spots on the New York Times' Young Adult Hardcover bestseller list.
Now, Adeyemi is well on her way to household name territory. She's been hailed the next J.K. Rowling, was selected as part of the Forbes 30 Under 30 List in 2019, and was chosen for book clubs on both Good Morning America and The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon. After first being acquired by Fox 2020, her first book will likely be adapted by LucasFilms—meaning that the studio's first cinematic universe that isn’t Star Wars or Indiana Jones will likely have an all-Black cast.
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A Kid In A Refugee Camp Thought Video Games Fell From Heaven- Now He Makes Them
Lual Mayen, a video game developer based in Washington, D.C., remembers the first time he saw a computer. He was just a kid at the time. It was 2007, and his family was registering for benefits at a refugee camp in Uganda, where they'd settled after fleeing civil war in South Sudan.
He didn't tell anyone at first, but in that moment he knew in his heart that he wanted to learn to code, he says. More than a decade later, Mayen is garnering international recognition from Facebook and the global gaming community for an innovative video game that brings players into the life of a refugee. The latest version of the game — called "Salaam," which means "peace" in Arabic — will be released on Thursday.
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 Roosevelt Feeder Fest
 Join Roosevelt High School at their Feeder Fest to learn more about their school and their feeder schools.
When: Saturday, January 11, 2020 | 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Where: Roosevelt High School | 4301 13th St NW | Washington, DC | 20011
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District of Columbia Infrastructure Academy (DCIA)
 The goal of the DC Infrastructure Academy (DCIA) is to bring multiple infrastructure-related workforce development activities together under one roof to provide DC residents with high-quality, specifically designed training and programs that lead to careers in the District’s Infrastructure Industry sectors.
When: Tuesday, January 14, 2020 | 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Where: DC Infrastructure Academy | 2330 Pomeroy Road | Community Center 1st Floor | Washington DC | 20020
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2020 Multilingual Education Fair of DC
 The fair will feature 150+ exhibitors covering 18+ languages to allow you to explore and deepen your linguistic and cultural skills, and learn about careers where languages are crucial.
Resources for young professionals, families and educators include language classes for all ages, apps, books, tutors, assessments, travel abroad programs, university programs, dual language programs, after school programs, daycares, language and culture organizations, embassies and multilingual recruiters.
When: Saturday, January 25, 2020 | 10:00 am - 2:30 pm
Where: Woodridge Library | 1801 Hamlin Street NE | Washington, DC | 20018
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Building Futures Construction Pre-Apprenticeship Training program
The Building Futures Construction Pre-Apprenticeship Training program is a free class that connects low-income women and men ages 21+ with family-sustaining jobs in the construction industry and related occupations.Accepted students attend the 6-week pre-apprenticeship class from 8:00 am – 1:00 pm daily (plus two Saturday sessions) with a curriculum that includes construction math review, blueprint reading, tool identification and use, OSHA 10, CPR/First Aid, Scaffold Basics, and Flagger Safety & Traffic Control certifications, as well as job readiness preparation.
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DCRA Small Business Resource Center (SBRC) Free Workshops
Learn critical business skills and insight at free small business workshops. Receive one-on-one counseling or attend a group session. Space is limited, sign up today!
When: Throughout January
Where: 1100 4th Street SW | 2nd Floor | Washington, DC | 20024
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Young at Art Weekly Seniors Program
 Promoting healthy aging through the arts and creative expression, Young at Art allows seniors aged 55+ to explore activities in painting, drawing, ceramics, and crafts. This free, weekly hands-on, instructor-led program goes beyond the traditional “arts and crafts” activities; allowing participants create original works of art that articulate the richness of their life experience.
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GED and High School Skills Tutoring
Join DC Public Library for skill assessments for adults who need a high school diploma (GED or National External Diploma) and tutoring for those with skills at the high school level. Tutoring takes place on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 4 to 7 pm Assessments take place on Wednesdays only.
Please note: In order to qualify for tutoring, you must take the assessment first.
When: Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays | 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Where: Shaw (Watha T. Daniel) Library | 1630 7th St NW | Washington, DC | 20001
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Want Your Event Featured in the African Beat?
The African Beat is distributed to over 8,000 subscribers every other Friday. For an event to be featured in MOAA's newsletter, please submit the event description, venue, time, and a website link for additional information. The submission deadline for the next edition is Wednesday, January 22, 2020 by 5:00 pm. Send all materials, along with any questions, to oaa@dc.gov.
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