Deborah Menkart

Black and white photo of people sitting at a Toddle House diner counter. Most wearing jackets. In conversation except one young woman looking at the camera

Booklet cover - green with a black and white photo of two adults and a child. Text says: SNCC & Grassroots Organizing

DC area friends: Don't miss in-person workshop led by SNCC vet/Eyes on the Prize assoc. producer Judy Richardson (facing camera, sit-in photo, still looks the same!) about SNCC organizing.

Saturday, Social Justice Curriculum Fair, register: www.dcareaeducators4socialjustice.org/news/2025-so... 🧵

This evening, Donald Trump can ooze out of the White House for a photo op to show an occupied DC that’s quiet, grey, and bent to his will. And blocks away, in the face of a red state military occupation, a different DC. GoGo against fascism. #FreeDC #LongLiveGoGo

2025 Social Justice Curriculum Fair — D.C. Area Educators for Social Justice Join us for the annual Social Justice Curriculum Fair on Saturday, August 23, 2025 from 9:15AM–12:45PM in person at Inspired Teaching Demonstration PCS (200 Douglas Street NE).

For educators anywhere near DC -- we hope to see you Saturday at the best mini-conference of the year.

Leave with fantastic teaching ideas, uplifted by a social justice teaching community, free books, & more.

A boost for the new school year.

www.dcareaeducators4socialjustice.org/news/2025-so...

A terrorist targeted federal workers last week. There wasn’t much reporting on it. But I’m not finished thinking about it! 🧵

An anti-vaxxer fired more than 500 gunshots into CDC Atlanta, shattering 150 “blast-proof” windows on 6 buildings. Employees were pinned down in terror.

STOP conceding that Trump can legitimately expand grab by deploying baseless claims of “emergency.”

There was NO EMERGENCY to justify tariffs.
There was NO “INVASION” to justify this migrant crackdown.
And there is NO “EMERGENCY” that justifies military takeover of local law enforcement in D.C.

Same here!

Can you ask a certain historian for us?!

"It's a Story That's Been Intentionally Erased" The Gilded Age's Denée Benton on the power of seeing upwardly mobile historical Black women onscreen.

Thank you Dr. Erica Armstrong Dunbar & everyone involved in creating The Gilded Age. What an extraordinary show.

www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/film...

"I feel heartbroken. Not just because I lost a job — but because I lost it for doing what librarians are supposed to do: create a space for everyone. I stood by our mission. I followed policy. I led with love." -- Lavonnia Moore, librarian with 15 years experience

Defend #FreedomtoRead ⬇️

I think the typos are intentional. All their correspondence is like that. (Which initially left federal office staff wondering if official emails were actually legitimate. Under any other administration, they would have been spam.) It is part of their strategy of disorientation and destruction.

I continue to beg people to find out if they have a local elected or appointed library board, go to the meetings, and then RUN FOR A SEAT or SEEK APPOINTMENT TO ONE if you can.

What the 2020 Protests Can Teach Us About Protesting Today "It is up to us to change everything. But, against the doomers, I believe in this moment we may be uniquely poised to do so."

Prep for whats ahead.

"We want to recall lessons of 2020 & to practice what Olurin called for: Remember our history, that we've been here before, so we can learn from the past & keep building toward a different future." -- by @leximcmenamin.com via @teenvogue.com ⬇️
www.teenvogue.com/story/organi...

If you stand with @padilla.senate.gov, stand with @replamonica.bsky.social.

Tell your Reps & Senators how you feel about the charges against her. 202-224-3121
And call the DOJ comment line:
202-353-1555

Looking forward to this event tomorrow.

So important to defend the freedom to learn in museums, schools, and libraries.

And marching with a brass band!

See everyone at NMAAHC at 10am. Rain or shine.

In just two months, DOGE has —lost— the government an estimated half a trillion dollars. I propose that Musk pay it back personally.

teachers standing and sitting with Freedom to Learn signs and frames, in front a of brick wall

four people standing on sidewalk outside, three with signs and one with a message on her shirt - Good Trouble. Tree in background.

This morning teachers from @dcaesj.bsky.social working groups met at @teachingchange.bsky.social office in DC.

Then folks made signs & took Metro downtown to the massive #HandsOff protest.

(Signs said "Hands Off DEI" since that was sadly missing from official graphic, & taking issue with NATO.)

We may need to organize shifts to occupy/defend NMAAHC 24/7. (With replacements ready to step.) #civildisobedience

Watch We Are Lady Parts Streaming | Peacock Watch We Are Lady Parts, a music comedy following a Muslim female punk band on a mission to find a lead guitarist and a proper gig. Stream on Peacock!

"We Are Lady Parts" (Only two short seasons, but sooo good)

Also, Lincoln Lawyer, Matlock, Dark Winds, Perry Mason (2020 with Matthew Rhys -- how many TV shows include Bonus March, Ludlow Massacre, and more?) -- and for timely movies, The Old Oak by Ken Loach.

www.peacocktv.com/stream-tv/we...

The Garbologists (2025) - Theater Alliance DC Regional Premiere THE GARBOLOGISTS by Lindsay Joelle Directed by Shanara Gabrielle JANUARY 30 – FEBRUARY 23, 2025 A fresh, quirky buddy comedy about two unlikely partners, thrown together in the ca...

Friends in the DC area.

Marco, my brother, and I saw "The Garbologists" at Theater Alliance.

It is soooo good. The script, actors, and set are all superb. Moved to laughter and tears.

Don't miss it before it ends on Feb. 23.
theateralliance.com/portfolio/ga...

Watercolor card. Undulating River of color (aqua, green, pink) with words by Audre Lorde: Revolution is not a one-time event.

Comrade card for 2/16/2025.

When you start, I recommend watching the first two episodes to get immersed in the story. Fingers crossed they do a 3rd season.

“Mr. King and his Queen and y’all can pick which one is which”. —Rep. Jasmine Crockett.

Of course it’s a coup Miss the obvious, lose your republic

Of course it’s a coup. Miss the obvious, lose your republic.
open.substack.com/pub/snyder/p...

As is "We Are Lady Parts" -- have you seen the show? It is sooo good.

Agreed. I was so pleasantly surprised when he was selected. And then they made him invisible. What a devastatingly bad call.

I’m still not over the fact that Tim Walz went viral for calling Republicans ‘weird,’ put Trump and Vance on the defensive, then got picked as Harris’s running mate because of it, and then… he was immediately silenced, disappeared, and Dems stopped calling the GOP ‘weird.’

Human Rights Award for Teaching for Change - Teaching for Change Teaching for Change was selected by the United Nations Association of the National Capital Area (UNA-NCA) for their 2024 Community Human Rights Award.

We are honored that, on our 35th anniversary, Teaching for Change was selected by the United Nations Association of the National Capital Area (UNA-NCA) for their 2024 Community Human Rights Award.

www.teachingforchange.org/human-rights...

AICL'S YEAR IN REVIEW: 2024 Designed to help readers develop a critical eye about representations of American Indians in children's and young adult books

Our annual Best Books list is ready! We invite you to look it over, write to me if you have questions about anything, and share the list in your own networks!

americanindiansinchildrensliterature.blogspot.com/2024/12/aicl...

Here's a sample of book covers for books you'll find on our list.

Help The 51st Grow—for Free! We’ve been publishing for almost two months (!) and growing The 51st with you has been thrilling. Our progress has been heartening, and each day this dream of growing a sustainable worker-led newsroom...

If you think independent local journalism is important, here are some free ways you can help The 51st grow 🌱