Civil Rights

**Mark your calendar for every third Friday of the month!** Come hang out with fellow freedom-lovers, get the inside scoop on the Liberty Movement in Northern Virginia, and hear what’s brewing with local festivals and upcoming election support. Whether you’ve been part of the cause for years or are just curious about Libertarian ideas, you’re welcome to drop by for food, fun, and lively conversations that keep the spirit of liberty alive!

We will have open shop hours for anyone to bring their bikes to work on or need help fixing your own bike. We will also have bikes that need to be fixed so you can learn if you like. We will need everyone to sign in when arriving and sign out when leaving so we can keep track of volunteer hours and shop times. Suggested donation of $15 per hour for use of tools and space would be appreciated. Thank you!

♠️ Spades in Virginia! ♠️ Nando's Peri Peri, Mosaic District 2987 District Ave Ste 100, Fairfax, VA 22031 🌟 3rd Fridays 🕕 7:00pm to 11:00pm Spades in Virginia! We are trying a new location. If things go well, we may meet there more often. 🚗 Parking is FREE!!! Alcoholic beverages are available!Please support the business by ordering food/drinks. No partner is needed! Find one when you get there. All skill levels are welcome. Come hang out with us and have a great time! 📆 Posted in multiple groups. So expect a nice crowd. 🌟 The fun starts at 6:30pm! RSVP today.

What if the way we speak—to our families, colleagues, and communities—could actively bring out the best in others? Join us for an elevated conversation on how to incorporate the language of virtues into our daily interactions, inspired by the work of The Virtues Project. This approach centers on recognizing and naming the positive qualities—such as courage, kindness, integrity, and perseverance—that exist within each person and moment. Together, we’ll explore how using the language of virtues can: * Strengthen relationships and build trust * Shift conversations from reactive to intentional * Encourage growth, accountability, and mutual respect * Create more positive, purpose-driven environments at home and at work Through discussion, examples, and shared experiences, you’ll gain practical ways to integrate this language into everyday moments—from giving feedback to navigating conflict. Come join a different kind of conversation – one that welcomes every perspective in a search for the underlying truths that unite us all – on what we can do through our use of words to contribute to a better world. Join us for an open and respectful conversation where participants can share perspectives, experiences, and insights. Whether you come to speak or simply to listen, all thoughtful voices are welcome.

# Immigration Rights & Communication Access Community Panel All of our happenings provide an opportunity for our community to come together and share with each other resources that we've found helpful. When a community gathers, an amazing thing happens: its members build each other up and help the whole network to get stronger. Join us, be strengthened, and strengthen others! Join NVRC for an **Immigration Rights and Communication Access Community Panel.** This in-person panel and community discussion will focus on immigration-related concerns within the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community, featuring legal and civil rights perspectives along with time for audience Q&A. **WHEN:** Saturday, April 18 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM **WHERE:** NVRC (ServiceSource Building – Community Room, 3rd Floor) 10467 White Granite Drive, Oakton, VA [Please RSVP here.](https://forms.gle/soqgBjjwatoR4AeP6) **Confirmed panelists:** **Michael Lukens**, Executive Director, Amica Center for Immigrant Rights **Anna Bitencourt**, Chief Litigation Officer, Deaf Equality

Please be sure to RSVP here! https://stampede.proanimal.org/events Join your fellow animal lovers and DC Animal Protection to discuss what’s happening in the animal advocacy scene in DC! This series is a weekly meetup, with guest speakers from all of the major animals rights orgs. We’ll host non-profits such as Pro-Animal Future, International Council for Animal Welfare, DC Voters for Animals, The Humane League, Mercy for Animals and Direct Action Everywhere as well as local grassroots groups like the DC Coalition Against Foie Gras and sanctuaries. We’ll also have special sessions related to health, nutrition and mindfulness! We encourage anyone who is interested in helping animals to attend- no need to be vegan! Come learn about our rich variety of local activism. With protests, outreach, wheat-pasting, signature collecting, leafletting, lobbying, tabling etc. there’s something to match everyone’s comfort level and skill set. Coffee, bagels and community will be provided! Feel free to bring any extra treats to share (no animal products please.) Hope to see you soon! :) Note: Unfortunately, animals are not allowed at our venue. Please leave your furry friends at home.

Spring into celebration and let freedom ring in the nation's capital! DC Emancipation Day 2026 will be celebrated on Sunday, April 19, 2026, with a festival at Franklin Park featuring a parade and concert, honoring the 21st anniversary of the official city holiday. The celebration marks the April 16, 1862, signing of the Compensated Emancipation Act, which freed over 3,100 enslaved people in Washington, D.C. It is this legislation, and the courage and struggle of those who fought to make it a reality, that we commemorate every DC Emancipation Day. This year's celebration will be marked with a parade, concert, and much more! HOW TO GET THERE To get to ⁠Franklin Park (1332 I St NW) using the Metrorail, your best bet is to head to ⁠McPherson Square, located on the Silver, Blue, and Orange Lines. It's the closest station, located just a block away at 14th and I St NW. Exit from the 14th and I St NW side. Due to the expense and difficulty of driving and parking in DC, taking the Metro is highly recommended. WHERE TO MEET We will meet outside the 14th and I St NW exit of McPherson Square. NOTE: It may be crowded and noisy. It will be outdoors. Please plan accordingly for any sensory or mobility issues and dress for the weather. If the weather calls for heavy rain and/or thunderstorms, I will cancel this event. See you soon, Jenny

Join our ASL Brunch on Sundays in Greenbelt! All ASL users and learners are welcome. Brunches are alternately held at two restaurants in Greenbelt, both in the same town plaza. ODD WEEKS: 1st, 3rd, and 5th Sundays, we meet at Cedars of Lebanon, 103 Centerway. EVEN WEEKS: 2nd and 4th Sundays, we meet at New Deal Café,113 Centerway. We are the Greenbelt ASL Community, a group of both Deaf and hearing people who hang out, chat about everyday goings on, trade stories, get to know each other better, and of course, enjoy food together. Many members use ASL as their primary language, several are interpreters or other fluent ASL users, while others are ASL learners who wish to improve their skills while making new friends. Before or after brunch, you can visit the farmer's market and small coop grocery store in the plaza. Please RSVP so we can contact you via email if needed. Our group is on Facebook as Greenbelt ASL Community. Some longtime Brunch attendees don't mark their attendance here, so feel free to stop by even if you don't see others who have RSVP'd on Meet-up.

Sol Roots Band blends raw funk, deep blues, rock, soul, and hypnotic grooves. With a unique voice and top-tier musicians, Sol honors musical legends while forging his own powerful sound. Bring a chair. We will sit near the front to the right facing the stage.

Some of the most challenging places to be LGBTQ+ are in Africa -- but that doesn't stop gorgeous queer expression there. The National Museum of African Art offers a beautiful collection of 60 works by LGBTQ+ African artists. Join us, and find a new favorite queer artist from Africa! MEET AT: Outside the main entrance to the National Museum of African Art. It is inside the gardens behind the big red stone Smithsonian Castle and looks like the picture above. Look for Molly with the rainbow LAL sign. COST: FREE! NEAREST METRO: Smithsonian **Exhibition description:** Artists’ voices are central to this exhibition, which is based on years of close collaboration and dialogue with African visual art practitioners who claim belonging in the LGBTQ+ community, however they define those terms. They are united by a simple, shared declaration: **We are here and always have been and will be.** The exhibition is part of a larger research initiative, the Here Project, that seeks to document these voices. The artists in the Project practice across the entirety of the African continent and its global diaspora, using their work to speak their truths. Inviting us into their worlds, they share complex stories of openly claiming their identities, their histories, and their place. While their experiences are unique to them, they address issues that unite us all: the importance of family, of spirit, of standing up for oneself and others, of imagining the future, of making intimate connections, of finding belonging, of embracing potential, and above all, of experiencing joy. *Here* is based on years of close collaboration and dialogue with these artists and their communities. Through their art, they invite us into their worlds, and share complex stories of openly claiming their identities, their histories, and their place. *Here* is in the largest exhibition on this subject to date, with nearly 60 artworks, demonstrating how they are a part of a larger story of African art history.

Sleep in on Sundays. When you've had your fill of pajama-time, roll out and have some tasty brunch with your fellow Humanists!

Join us for a night of board gaming with FANG (Fem All Night Gaming). **We are an all fem board game group** in Columbus, Ohio. No cis-men, please! We play modern hobby board games! If you're unsure what that is, we can teach you! We'll be meeting at Round Table Games in Dublin! They have snacks and drink. They allow outside food if you want more than a snack. We will be playing in the store on the right when you walk in!

Join us as we get together to get together to help those in need at this CMG Gives Back event! We have a great little community of Movie Group friends so rather than see a movie this time, we’ll help “create a better world” by helping serve those in need. Here are complete details and our plan for this event: FAITH MISSION – GRANT KITCHEN: The Faith Mission kitchen and dining room serves residents 3 meals a day, every day of the year. For this event, our group will help prepare food, serve meals, assist residents in the dining room, wash dishes, and clean surfaces. PLAN: We will be preparing / serving / cleaning for BRUNCH from 10:30am to 12:30pm and have space for a total of 7 volunteers. Please arrive at 10:20am and wear closed-toe shoes and long pants. LOCATION: Faith Mission – Grant Kitchen is located at 245 N. Grant Ave. Enter the kitchen at Dock 1 (in the back of the building), indicated in the attached map. On-site parking in the adjacent lot and street parking is available in the surrounding area. Below are some links / attachments with additional info/details: IMPORTANT REMINDER: Our group will be providing all of the volunteers on this day so a firm RSVP count is essential. Please only sign up if you are certain you’ll be able to attend. If something unavoidable comes up, please try to update your RSVP no later than one week prior to the event. With few exceptions, no shows or cancelations within 1 week of the event will not be eligible for future CMG Gives Back events. I appreciate your understanding as we try to ensure the agencies have the volunteers needed to provide the essential services they provide to the vulnerable population they serve. Our Partner Agency for this event is Lutheran Social Services! A huge THANK YOU to all of YOU for volunteering at this (and any of our previous) CMG Gives Back events! Should be a good/fun/meaningful time together, Dan

WQC has weekly Thursday night social nights at the Westerville Java Central. Come and grab a coffee and connect with the community: low stakes, chill environment, and tasty drinks. No registration is required; come as you are.

**Let’s catch up and take an afternoon break.** **Grab a coffee or snack and let’s chit chat! Gayle and I will bring adult coloring books and/or a simple craft if you’d like to unwind and relax.😊**

Join the CONNECTED Westerville Mastermind Group for a dynamic afternoon of B2B networking! This event is perfect for professionals looking to expand their business connections, share insights, and foster collaboration within the community. Whether you are a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting out, this event offers a valuable opportunity to exchange ideas, build relationships, and grow your network in a supportive environment. Connect with like-minded individuals, explore potential partnerships, and discover new opportunities for professional growth. Don't miss out on this chance to enhance your business network and take your career to the next level with CONNECTED Westerville Mastermind Group! We meet the 4th Monday of every month from 11am-1pm. Welcome and general networking from 11am - 11:30am with core meeting 11;30 - 12:30 and a final round of networking from 12:30 - 1pm.

This month's prompt concerns the idea of the “warrior philosopher” (seemed appropriate in these times)--that is someone whose understanding of violence, power, and justice is forged through direct experience of war. We are looking at Major General Smedley D. Butler, a highly decorated U.S. Marine raised in a Quaker (pacifist) tradition who later became a prominent critic of American militarism (there is a wonderful biography of Gen. Butler called "Gangsters of Capitalism") Butler's argument in *War Is a Racket* (1935): that many U.S. interventions were driven less by national defense than by corporate and financial interests, with Butler portraying himself as an enforcer for business and Wall Street. We can consider the moral ambiguity of his insider critique—whether complicity strengthens or undermines credibility and also consider some of the concrete reforms he proposed (e.g., “conscript” capital before soldiers, restrict the military to coastal defense, and have only those who fight decide on war). Butler’s life arc clearly changed from pacifist upbringing to warrior to antiwar crusader—and asks whether true understanding of peace requires firsthand knowledge of war, and what that implies about the cost of suffering. So do we need to suffer to understand suffering? Do we have to experience war to appreciate peace? As one more question: in the movie "A Few Good Men" Jack Nicholson's character says that "you have the luxury of not knowing what I know" so do most of us go through life oblivious to real violence and suffering? See you at Drunken Philosophy!