Part of the "Awesome People You Should Know in DC" series Pop quiz: How many female stories and landmarks in Washington, DC can you name off the top of your head? 3, 2, 1 ... Go!
How did you do? The history of DC is filled with the names of male patriots, and their stories are easy to find. But women have always been busy making their own history in tandem, too. There might not be a towering obelisk to mark their contribution, but you can find monuments, murals and historic markers to female activists, educators, artists if you look a little closer. Kaitlin Calogera founded "A Tour of Her Own' in 2018 to help find and amplify those female stories, The first tourism company in DC to focus exclusively on women's history or "herstories" as Katilin calls them, the mission of A Tour Of Her Own is to elevate women’s stories into a more prominent place in American history and culture. Because no one knows the city better than local guides, we asked Kaitlin about some of her favorite spots and ways to explore DC beyond the familiar iconic images.
2 Comments
Part of the "Awesome People You Should Know in DC" series Find travel inspiration and discover new wonders for your adventures in DC as some of the city's movers, shakers, explorers and creatives share ow they're staying busy during the quarantine and what they're looking forward to once the restrictions lift. DC-native Solia Bickersteth is a rising pop phenom who released her debut EP Fast Cars & Midnight earlier this year. She embodies DC's long-standing DIY music tradition, writing, playing all the instruments and producing her own music. As a singer-songwriter, Solia finds inspiration from personal experiences. Check out a sample of her music on our "DC Sounds Like This" Spotify playlist. She says, "My goal as a songwriter is to tell stories and so through the voices of these women I’m speaking through in the show, I”m telling stories." Through her journey producing two other releases and writing her first play for the Capital Fringe Festival a couple of years ago, she has found the value in letting go and being open to new experiences. Naturally, being able to enjoy live music again at 9:30 Club tops her wish list for post-COVID activities, but she encourages people to explore DC beyond the popular hotspots:
Follow Solia @iamsolia for updates about releases, videos and events. Curious? There's more!
Part of the "Awesome People You Should Know in DC" series Find travel inspiration and discover new wonders for your adventures in DC as some of the city's movers, shakers, explorers and creatives share ow they're staying busy during the quarantine and what they're looking forward to once the restrictions lift. Multi-hypenate Elle VanDyne is the founder, CollabCreate DC, a creative hub for connecting and amplifying DC's creative community, which she started in 2018 from an Instagram account. When she's not connecting people + promoting the DC creative community, she is an, artist, writer, producer and a self-described DIY addict. Find out how she stays connected to the DC community and creatively inspired as quarantine eases but things remain far from "normal." P.S. she's in the market for a new hair stylist so send suggestions her way! How long have you lived in Washington, DC? 20 years! What local spot in DC brings you joy and why? Femme Fatale DC's retail pop-ups + events (powered by CollabCreate DC) bring me joy, and I miss all of the beautiful energy of that space + the people who make it wonderful. What recommendations do you have for people to explore and discover DC while staying at home?
What's something new you've found out about DC while staying at home that you didn't know before? That's an excellent question I'm not sure I have an answer for yet... I guess I'd say that I'm proud of how our Mayor has responded to this crisis and dealt with it in a rational, informed way. It's empowering to see the women leaders who have stepped up to lead us in this time of uncertainty. What's the first thing you're looking forward to doing in DC after the COVID restrictions are lifted? I can't pick one thing, so here's my perfect post-COVID day: oatmilk latte from Colony Club, pedicure at Enchanted Nails in Adams Morgan, haircut at TBD (need a new stylist!), ALL OF THE THRIFT SHOPPING, then happy hour on a patio somewhere with all the people I miss. And dinner out with my partner at Zaytinya - our first date five years ago (anniversary in June!). Awww! Share your tips for ways locals and tourists can discover the "real DC" once things return to "normal." Find local women-owned businesses to support! A Tour of Her Own and Curious Caravan create fantastic content that goes beyond the surface layer of DC and reveals the rich history of our city and country from a woman-centric view. Editor's Note: thanks for the shout-out! Stay connected with CollabConnect @collabconnectdc. Curious? There's more!
Chris Naoum, DC Funk Parade Co-founder + Music Advocate, Sounds Off on Exploring DC Like a Local5/26/2020 Part of the "Awesome People You Should Know in DC" series Find travel inspiration and discover new wonders for your adventures in DC as some of the city's movers, shakers, explorers and creatives share ow they're staying busy during the quarantine and what they're looking forward to once the restrictions lift. You might not know his name, but if you're a local music fan, chances are you've attended one or more of his festivals. Christopher Naoum is the founder of Listen Local First, co-founder of the annual Funk Parade and the city's newest music festival, Down in the Reeds And to add to his long list of accomplishments, he is also festival, programmer for the Kingman island Bluegrass & Folk Festival In short, just call him the DC Music Man! And if you're an artist, Chris is one of the most passionate and active advocates for musicians' rights in the district.
Discover Chris' favorite local spots in the DC and how he continues to discover new things in the city! Discover DC's Fascinating Local History + Heritage With Cultural Tourism DC's Cheryl Crowell5/22/2020 Awesome People in DC You Should Know Series Find travel inspiration and discover new wonders for your adventures in DC as some of the city's movers, shakers, explorers and creatives share tips on exploring the city even during the quarantine and what they're looking forward to once the restrictions lift. Longtime DC resident Cheryl Crowell is the Resource Development Director at Cultural Tourism DC; she is responsible for developing new sources of revenue and building relationships that further the organization's vision. The non-profit develops authentic, memorable experiences for people to enjoy and learn about DC, beyond its monuments. You've probably seen tall posts with historic information, photos and maps all across the city. Well, those are thanks to Cultural Tourism DC. And that's not all.
They promote pride and appreciation for the arts and vibrant heritage of DC through an impressive range of signature events: Residents and locals can participate in WalkingTown DC, a 10-day festival of intriguing guided tours of DC sites; gain insight into our international diplomatic community via Passport DC and the Around the World Embassy Tour; and engage in arts and culture during PorchFest DC, a showcase for local performing artists in neighborhood settings. Cultural Tourism DC is the ultimate local's tourism guide! With all that insider knowledge, find out what DC spots bring Cheryl joy and other ways for you to discover the real DC! "Awesome People in DC You Should Know" Series Find travel inspiration and discover new wonders for your adventures in DC as some of the city's movers, shakers, explorers and creatives share tips on exploring the city even during the quarantine and what they're looking forward to once the restrictions lift. DMV-native Dominic Green is a multi-disciplinary artist and storyteller who is currently focused on film, photography and play-writing; he has written and directed two film shorts "The Black Body" and "Awaken, Brown Eyes" which premiered at Atlas Performing Arts Center's "Intersections" festival earlier this year.
From a young age, Dominic has been fascinated with the duality of good and evil. This fascination was rooted in a spiritual upbringing, and stories of good and evil found in biblical text. Through these stories, Dominic developed a curiosity around the backstories of their characters, and how a moment seemed to shape the rest of their lives. Dominic uses his lens and writing to explore this central tension, and inherent questions of fairness and bias rooted in perception. We've said it once and we'll say it again, look out Spike Lee! Find out what local places Dominic credits as some of his favorites and his suggestions for discovering spots that tend to be overlooked. "Awesome People in DC You Should Know" Series Find travel inspiration and discover new wonders for your adventures in DC as some of the city's movers, shakers, explorers and creatives share tips on exploring the city even during the quarantine and what they're looking forward to once the restrictions lift. Think you know everything about DC because you visited once on a school field trip or watched every episode of Scandal and West Wing? Think again! Meet Carolyn Crouch, founder of DC-based walking tour company, Washington Walks. Their tours include Memorials by Moonlight, Embassy Row, Georgetown, the famous Most Haunted Houses. Whether you're a resident or just visiting, Washington Walks tells the stories about some of DC's most famous landmarks that no one else knows. Plus, they have over a dozen tours that travel through D.C.'s diverse neighborhoods so you get to know the "real DC" beyond the National Mall. And if the thought of history will give you flashbacks to your high school history class, have no worries. Carolyn and her team are excellent storytellers who make history interesting and accessible, bringing the drama, scandals and adventures of the past alive for today's modern explorers.
|
AboutLook up, down, and all around. Adventures can be found everywhere -- if you're curious enough to look. k for it Categories
All
|