Theatre and Art Museums

**Advance ticket sales have ended but plenty of additional tickets remain available at the door.** [Profs and Pints DC](https://www.profsandpints.com/washingtondc) presents: **“How Africans Fought Slavery,”** on the hidden history of resistance to the Transatlantic Slave Trade among those targeted by it, with Richard Bell, professor of history at the University of Maryland, College Park. [Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Available at [https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/profsandpints/africans-fought-slavery](https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/profsandpints/africans-fought-slavery) .] The Transatlantic Slave Trade was the largest forced migration in human history. In all, more than 12 million African men, women, and children were kidnapped and made to board European ships destined for the New World. Generally left out of our history books is the fact that African people fought the Transatlantic Slave Trade from the moment raiders approached their villages throughout every stage of the deadly Middle Passage. Join Profs and Pints fan favorite Richard Bell for a talk that turns the slave trade’s history inside out by examining the huge varieties of African resistance to this 400-year-long nightmare. He’ll discuss how African people fought capture through fortified villages, armed flight, and deception awareness. Their struggle to stay free involved rebellions inside African coastal forts, hundreds of shipboard mutinies, hunger strikes, and mass drownings. You’ll learn how African suicides and revolts, as well as the constant threat of captive rebellion, forced European traders to spend enormous sums on weaponry, guards, surveillance, and ship redesign. Such costs, historians now calculate, saved more than a million Africans from ever being trafficked across the Atlantic. Far from being helpless victims of an unstoppable system, African captives proved relentlessly defiant, leaving a record that reshapes our understanding of the trade and the roots of African American resistance. (Door: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. The talk starts 30 minutes later.) Image: The slave ship La Amistad, site of a famous mutiny by the slaves on board. (Artist unknown / Wikimedia Commons.)

This **no gi class** focuses on **advanced [Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazilian_jiu-jitsu) (BJJ) concepts**, including takedowns, positional drilling, submissions, transitions, situational sparring, strategy development, and live training. While the class is scheduled for **90 minutes**, it may run longer depending on content and participation. This class includes both instruction as well as [rolling](https://www.howbjjworks.com/bjj-blog/2018/7/29/how-rolling-works-in-bjj) (sparring). The **drop-in fee** for non-members is **$20**, payable on-site and note that we are in **suite #130**.

**A drop-in game every Tuesday at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Central Library, located at the corner of 9th and G Streets NW.** The Gallery Place Metro station (9th Street entrance) is located across the street. Street parking is available. We play in the Great Hall -- as you enter the library, we are on the right of the room. **All skill levels are encouraged to participate.** Lessons for new players (as needed) at 6:00pm. Please arrive on time. Games for all skill levels begin at 6:00. Games wrap up at 8:00. **If you own a mah jongg set, we encourage you to bring.** More resources (especially for new players) are available at http://linktr.ee/davidmahj

**Description:** Join us for trivia at Lost Dog Cafe in McLean, Virginia located at 1690 Anderson Rd every Tuesday evening in October. Trivia begins at 7pm, but please consider joining earlier, around 6:30, since seating’s first-come-first-served. Speaking of seating, per Lost Dog’s regulations, a team needs to have at least five members in order to participate in trivia. So please make sure you RSVP so we can secure a spot to play in trivia. The nearest metro is McLean. **Donation:** Neurodivergent District strives to compensate Neurodivergent District members that volunteer to host our events. Please consider a donation to @katewoodwardcm for hosting. Please specify "donation to trivia host" in the description of your payment. Questions? Text 202-930-2881.

Please join us at Hill Center on Wednesday January 21st from 6:30pm-8:30pm for the Opening Reception with the Artists and Juror. All pieces of art are for sale and will be on display throughout our Galleries and online at [HillCenterDC.org](https://www.hillcenterdc.org/). These are wonderful community events with affordable art and generous refreshments. **[REGISTER HERE](https://www.hillcenterdc.org/event/hill-center-galleries-2026-regional-juried-show/)**. Street parking is easy and the Metro is across the street. Juried by Claude Elliott, the Hill Center Galleries 2026 Regional Juried Exhibition features the amazing work of artists from all over DC, Maryland, and Virginia. The selected artists compete for cash prizes and honorable mention awards. First place $1000, Second Place $750, and Third place $500. The exhibition runs from January 21-May 2, 2026 **Juror: Claude L. Elliott** is an independent curator, oral historian, and advocate for artists in the DMV. He is former assistant curator at Rhode Island School of Design. He has developed exhibitions in Providence, RI, Atlanta, GA, Philadelphia, PA, Brentwood, MD, and Washington, DC. Use the left and

Imagine how rich you'd be -- and how much art you could buy -- if you owned Samsung. Now, come see it in person at this extraordinary, exquisite exhibition of Korean art that hardly ever leaves South Korea. Discover Korea's Mark Rothko, Kim Whanki, or fall in love with the cool green shades of serene Korean ceramics, or smile at the slightly imperfect perfection of a Korean moon jar. Or, just come to see Molly in full nerd mode -- she ADORES Korean art! It'll be a good time. MEET AT: Outside the front main entrance (the one facing the National Mall) to the museum. Look for Molly with the rainbow LAL sign. COST: FREE! NEAREST METRO: Smithsonian (orange/blue/silver lines) Collecting is a timeless passion—an enduring way to preserve memories, express one’s taste, and safeguard traditions for generations to come. *Korean Treasures: Collected, Cherished, Shared* honors this practice by presenting a remarkable selection of masterpieces generously donated to the Korean nation by the family of Lee Kun-Hee, the late chairman of Samsung Group. Spanning ancient times to the present, the works featured in this exhibition embody the depth and diversity of Korea’s artistic legacy. Once held in private, these treasures now belong to the public, reflecting the Lee family’s profound commitment to preserving Korea’s cultural heritage and making it accessible to all. The objects on view were originally created for a range of settings, including royal palaces, Buddhist temples, Confucian academies, scholars’ studios, and modern art spaces. Together, the works trace the evolution of Korean innovation, revealing shifts in style, power, belief, and technology over time. In *Korean Treasures*, the voices of those who made, used, and collected paintings and objects are displayed through letters, inscriptions, and dedications—offering glimpses into their lives and insights into the meanings these objects held before and now.

Last year, members of our group went to the National Portrait Gallery to see a show of work by the late gay conceptual artist Felix Gonzalez-Torres. (Gonzalez-Torres died from AIDS at age 38 in 1996.) Now, that exhibition's curators have released a catalog for the show, and they are appearing at Politics & Prose in DC on Sunday, January 25th at 5 p.m. to talk about Gonzalez-Torres in relation to portraiture and identity. To learn more, here is the event page from Politics & Prose: https://politics-prose.com/charlotte-ickes-and-josh-t-franco-012526 The event is free. If someone wants a copy of the catalog, Politics & Prose is selling copies for $60.

We're going to be visiting the **Udvar-Hazi** **Air & Space Museum** for an immersive look at humanity’s journey through flight and space exploration! **\#\#\# Details** **Location:** 14390 Air and Space Museum Parkway, Chantilly, VA 20151 **Time:** 2:00pm - 4:00pm (Subject to change) **Price:** $15 per Car (pay on entry) **Fursuiting allowed!**

Please register for free on **[Eventbrite](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1978714749080?aff=oddtdtcreator)** so we have an accurate guest count. **This is a don't miss private tour!** Located just off Dupont Circle, the 1893 [Whittemore House mansion](https://www.thewhittemorehouse.com/) houses [The Woman’s National Democratic Club](https://democraticwoman.org/welcome) (WNDC) and hosts [private events](https://www.thewhittemorehouse.com/). **This tour is free of charge.** The WNDC Museum is housed in a landmark 19th-century residence, originally built for Sarah Adams Whittemore, an opera singer and member of the distinguished Adams family of Massachusetts. The building, designed by Harvey Page, is informally called The Whittemore House. Significant interior features include the Arts and Crafts foyer and stairwell and an elaborate plaster ceiling in the former music room, now the Hamlin Room. In addition to its architecture, The Whittemore House contains a rich permanent collection of fine art and furniture. The WNDC Ballroom and art galleries feature rotating exhibitions from Washington-area artists. This rare tour is officially hosted by Go Gay DC, Washington, DC's inclusive LGBTQ+ community focused on friendship, leadership, and service. It now reaches over 10K fabulous people and is growing fast. Visit [https://www.meetup.com/GoGayDC](https://www.meetup.com/GoGayDC) Go Gay DC leader **[TJ Flavell](https://www.linkedin.com/in/tjflavell/)** will be there to greet you. Name tags will be provided. Casual attire is fine. Feel free to invite all your friends to join you there. Parking is usually available nearby on the residential side streets. See the [directions](https://democraticwoman.org/hours-directions-parking). **Metro Directions:** Be eco-friendly. Dupont Circle Metro station North exit on the Red line is the closest Metro stop. **Plan to arrive promptly by 7:00 p.m. When you arrive, ask for David Hoffman, the club member who is the tour leader.** (Note: Preceding the tour is an optional **[Get Out the Vote](https://democraticwoman.org/submaster.cfm?aPage=calendardetails.cfm&CalID=1568)** letter/postcard campaign starting at 6 p.m. hosted by WDNC to swing states that you may opt to attend. Ask for David Hoffman when you arrive. Pizza will be served at that!) There's no need to print out and show your Eventbrite ticket. Please be sure to tag any event photos on social with #gogaydc For more exciting events like this, stay tuned to Go Gay DC at [https://www.meetup.com/GoGayDC/](https://www.meetup.com/GoGayDC/) This event is a safe, inclusive space for everyone under the rainbow. This event is for all ages. Remember to bring your ID, as everyone who wishes to drink alcohol at the bar is carded of course. Go Gay DC is on social media: Join the Facebook Group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/GoGayDC](https://www.facebook.com/groups/GoGayDC) Like the Facebook Page [https://www.facebook.com/GoGayDC](https://www.facebook.com/GoGayDC) Follow on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/GoGayDC](https://www.instagram.com/GoGayDC) Follow on Bluesky [https://gogaydc.bsky.social/](https://gogaydc.bsky.social/) Follow on X [https://www.x.com/GoGayDC](https://www.x.com/GoGayDC) Watch on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/GoGayDC](https://www.youtube.com/GoGayDC) Search tags: LGBT LGBTQ LGBTQI LQBTQIA Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer Intersex non-binary women

On Academy Awards night the residents of a small Midwestern town are all spellbound in front of their televisions. A local boy who went to Hollywood has been nominated for Best Actor, and everyone is watching as the envelope is opened. He wins! He makes his way to the podium and delivers his acceptance speech, gratefully acknowledging those who helped him achieve this honor. In particular, he thanks his high-school drama teacher, and in doing so mentions that the man is gay. This declaration comes as quite a surprise to the folks back home – especially the teacher and his fiancée! ■ Title — **In & Out** ■ Director — Frank Oz ■ Cast — Kevin Kline, Joan Cusack, Tom Selleck ■ Rating — PG-13 ■ ©1997 \| 1h 30m \| Comedy\, Romance

Members of the public are invited to view the wonders of the universe through the telescopes of NOVAC volunteers at the Smithsonian's Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA. You do not need to be a member of the club or own any astronomical equipment to attend. Telescopes will be provided by the Smithsonian and pre-approved members of the NOVAC. No other personal telescopes are permitted at the event. The event will take place on the bus parking lot of the museum. **Please park your vehicle at the south end of the main visitors lot and follow signs and red lights to the observing site. As a reminder, parking during the event is free.** Have a cosmic question? One of NOVAC's astronomers or museum staff will be happy to help you. As the sky gets dark, be prepared to enjoy the wonders of the night sky! Don't forget to dress warmly. Please check the weather forecast. For lighting, cover a flashlight in red cellophane (the darker the better). Bring along water to keep hydrated. Note: This outdoor event is weather-dependent and may be cancelled because of significant cloud cover or precipitation.

Always an ArtHouse favorite, the next Katzen Museum opening looks like a good one. We always meet around 6 pm in the lobby to socialize where they serve some food and open a cash bar, and then go into the 3-floor museum around 7 pm. Underground parking is convenient but does cost now. Buses also service the venue. Here's the lineup: Ilana Manolson: The Air We Share *A Project Space exhibition* **Ilana Manolson, Artist** **Sarah Tanguy, Curator** *The Air We Share* invites viewers to look closely at the plants that thrive at the edges of human attention. Painter, printmaker, and naturalist Ilana Manolson celebrates and elevates species often dismissed as weeds, revealing their vitality, beauty, and essential roles within the ecosystems we share. This exhibition challenges the hierarchies humans impose on nature. Weeds, often maligned as invaders, stabilize soil, retain water, and offer shelter, medicine, and renewal. By placing them at the center of her compositions, Manolson reclaims their dignity and reveals their quiet power. As climate urgency intensifies, *The Air We Share* calls for renewed awareness of our interdependence with the natural world. Manolson’s paintings remind us that life not only persists but flourishes in the margins, and that every living thing contributes to the shared breath that sustains us all. ## Vital and Veiled: Valerie Brathwaite and José Gabriel Fernández **Valerie Brathwaite, Artist** **José Gabriel Fernández, Artist** **Jesús Fuenmayor, Curator** Two pioneering sculptors, Valerie Brathwaite and José Gabriel Fernández, reveal how abstraction can speak to identity, sensuality, and the complicated histories that shape the Americas. Trinidad-born Brathwaite channels the landscapes of her childhood and the ecological tensions of urban life into luminous organic forms. Her stones, flowers, and “soft bodies” pulse with what she describes as the vitality of nature, shaped from clay, plaster, cement, fabric, and color that suggest both the Caribbean’s exuberance and its fragility. Her lifelong engagement with materials creates an aesthetic language rooted in memory, movement, and an enduring concern for the natural world. ## The Magical World of Joan Danziger **Joan Danziger, Artist** **Jack Rasmussen, Curator** Enter a world of transformation—where imagination takes physical form; where wire, glass, and celu-clay become creatures of wonder; and where an abstract painter evolves into a surreal sculptor guided by her fascination with fantasy and dream imagery. ## Humanist Touch: Works from the Weber Collection Presented by the Alper Initiative for Washington Art **Joan and Bruce Weber, Collectors** **Laura Roulet, Curator** Assembled over four decades, these works from the Weber collection reflect Joan and Bruce Weber’s long engagement with contemporary DMV artists and galleries. When they describe their collection, a strong sense of community emerges, one enriched by personal ties to the artists and by the many conversations, visits, and encounters that shaped their choices.