The DC Center is proud to host the following events as part of the 2012 Split this Rock Poetry Festival. The events listed below take place at the DC Center on Saturday, March 24th. The DC Center is located at 1318 U Street NW.

Poetry for the People and the Teaching Vision of June Jordan
Saturday March 24th, 9:30 AM, The DC Center
Founded by June Jordan in 1991 at UC Berkeley, Poetry for the People (P4P) provides a unique and collectively-developed pedagogical model for political and artistic empowerment through the teaching of poetry. A culmination of June Jordan's career as a politically engaged teacher and poet, Poetry for the People aims at furthering the vision of Martin Luther King's "beloved community."
more information about this event

Prophetic Tones: Resonance and Resistance in Poetry
Saturday March 24th, 11:30 AM, The DC Center
Uttering prophetic words is always dangerous business. What social and political conditions have surrounded or given rise to public utterances that we now call "prophetic"? How have these poets and poems shown resistance and vision for the future? Shannon Berry will examine the work of farmer-poet Wendell Berry in the context of liberation theology. Jericho Brown will explore events around the 1955 release of Allen Ginsberg's "Howl" as an act of civil disobedience against the "obscenity laws." Katherine Anderson Howell will focus on the use of metaphor by Audre Lorde and her view that "Poetry is not a luxury." Rose Marie Berger highlights the poetry of 17th century Mexican nun Sor Juana de la Cruz and what led to her writing the first feminist manifesto in the Americas.
more information about this event

White Poets Writing About Race: An Invitation to Conversation
Saturday March 24th, 2:00 PM, The DC Center
In his 2007 essay "A Mystifying Silence," Major Jackson asks why there should be a "dearth of poems written by white poets that address racial issues." Six white poets who have written about race will make very brief presentations that address not only this problem, but also questions of why and how white poets can and should deal with racial issues, and what aesthetic and ethical complexities they may encounter in doing so. By limiting our presentations to five minutes each, we will save most of the session for group discussion.
more information about this event

The next SAGE Steering Committee Meeting will take place Thursday March 1st at 12:30 PM at 1705 DeSales Street, NW, Suite 700.

SAGE Metro DC is a program of the DC Center made up of a broad spectrum of volunteers. Our mission is to provide support and advocacy for the aging LGBT populations of the DC metropolitan area and those who provide services to them.

For more information visit www.sagemetrodc.org. You can also find us on facebook at: facebook.com/sagemetrodc or on twitter at twitter.com/sagemetrodc.

You're invited to join us at the DC Center on Friday February 24th at 6:30 PM for a community conversation on the National Strategy for Black Gay Youth.

Our featured guests will be Frank Walker and Ezra Littleton from Youth Pride Services. Youth Pride Services (YPS) is currently the only, national organization that is 100% dedicated to African American LGBT youth. Find out more about YPS at: www.youthprideservices.com.

Youth Pride Services, in partnership with several local and national organizations, have launched the first phase of a youth-led initiative to establish a National Strategy for Black Gay Youth in America.

Youth leaders in several states kicked off the first phase of this initiative on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The goal of this first phase is to mobilize 2,500 black gay youth across the country to take part in a national survey. The survey is designed to paint a national picture of what it is like to grow up black and gay in the United States. It will be used as a tool for partnering orgnaizations via a publication that will break down state-by-state data received from the strategy.

Please join us on Friday February 24th at 6:30 PM and participate in a community discussion on the National Strategy. The DC Center is located at 1318 U St, NW.

In his 2007 essay "A Mystifying Silence," Major Jackson asks why there should be a "dearth of poems written by white poets that address racial issues." Six white poets who have written about race will make very brief presentations that address not only this problem, but also questions of why and how white poets can and should deal with racial issues, and what aesthetic and ethical complexities they may encounter in doing so. By limiting our presentations to five minutes each, we will save most of the session for group discussion.

This event takes place Saturday March 24th at 2:00 PM at the DC Center for the LGBT Community, 1318 U Street NW. This event is part of the Split this Rock festival and you must be registered with Split this Rock to participate. A day-pass for the festival costs $40 ( or $20 for students). A full festival pass costs $75 (or $40 for students). Register online at: www.splitthisrock.org.

(Sarah Browning, Martha Collins, Ailish Hopper, Tess Taylor, Susan Tichy, Jake Adam York)

Uttering prophetic words is always dangerous business. What social and political conditions have surrounded or given rise to public utterances that we now call "prophetic"? How have these poets and poems shown resistance and vision for the future? Shannon Berry will examine the work of farmer-poet Wendell Berry in the context of liberation theology. Jericho Brown will explore events around the 1955 release of Allen Ginsberg's "Howl" as an act of civil disobedience against the "obscenity laws." Katherine Anderson Howell will focus on the use of metaphor by Audre Lorde and her view that "Poetry is not a luxury." Rose Marie Berger highlights the poetry of 17th century Mexican nun Sor Juana de la Cruz and what led to her writing the first feminist manifesto in the Americas.

This event takes place Saturday March 24th at 11:30 AM at the DC Center for the LGBT Community, 1318 U Street NW. This event is part of the Split this Rock festival and you must be registered with Split this Rock to participate. A day-pass for the festival costs $40 ( or $20 for students). A full festival pass costs $75 (or $40 for students). Register online at: www.splitthisrock.org.

(Rose Marie Berger, Shannon Berry, Jericho Brown, Katherine Anderson Howell)

Founded by June Jordan in 1991 at UC Berkeley, Poetry for the People (P4P) provides a unique and collectively-developed pedagogical model for political and artistic empowerment through the teaching of poetry. A culmination of June Jordan's career as a politically engaged teacher and poet, Poetry for the People aims at furthering the vision of Martin Luther King's "beloved community." Former student teacher poets and colleagues of June Jordan, architects behind June Jordan's Poetry for the People: A Revolutionary Blueprint, and directors of Poetry for the People programs will provide a historical perspective on the founding and growth of P4P.

This event takes place Saturday March 24th at 9:30 AM at the DC Center for the LGBT Community, 1318 U Street NW. This event is part of the Split this Rock festival and you must be registered with Split this Rock to participate. A day-pass for the festival costs $40 ( or $20 for students). A full festival pass costs $75 (or $40 for students). Register online at: www.splitthisrock.org.

(Samiya Bashir, Ruth Forman, Lauren Stuart Muller, Beto Palomar, Marcos Ramírez, Solmaz Sharif, Junichi P. Semitsu)

march 3, 2012
local 16 * 1602 u street nw
7-10 pm
$5-20 suggested donation at the door
**drink specials 7-9pm**

asterisk* is a new, satirical, online "fashion" magazine highlighting the funny, ridiculous, and offensive messages that so-called "women" magazines constantly perpetuate to people of all genders, especially women who are assumed to be heterosexual. asterisk* will provide a platform for feminist/womynist critiques on U.S. American culture through satire and humor, with all of the typical women's magazine features, including articles, how-tos, fashion guides, advice columns, spotlight stories, horoscopes, and advertisements. please join us for our release party on march 3, 2012 and help us spread the word about asterisk*! there will be special previews, great company, music, and treats!

asterisk* is an anti-racist, anti-oppressive, sex-positive, queer loving, accessible magazine, welcoming submissions and financial support from folks of all genders, abilities, and classes, and prioritize the voices of women, trans, and genderqueer folks of color.
for more information, email: asteriskeditor@gmail.com.

facebook event link

The next Youth Working Group Meeting will be held on Monday March 12th at 6:00pm at The DC Center (1318 U Street, NW).

The Youth Working Group is a gathering of people who are committed to positively impacting the lives of DC area youth. You should attend this meeting if you would like to help think of ways to better serve our youth and also implement new programs for (and with) them. The group is a program of the DC Center and meets the second Monday of every month.

Come check us out if you would like to help advocate for LGBT Youth in the District of Columbia. To find out more you can find us on Facebook and Twitter.

The nomination period for the 2012 Colin Higgins Youth Courage Awards is now open! Colin Higgins Youth Courage Awards were established in 2000 to further the spirit and life work of Colin Higgins. All of his films celebrate honesty and integrity in the face of adversity and, like the characters in his films, Colin Higgins Youth Courage Award recipients have endured overwhelming hardships due to their sexual orientation and/or gender identity, yet have handled themselves with the utmost grace.

In 2012, three honorees will receive a $10,000 grant which will be presented in New York City at the Trevor Project Benefit Gala in June. Honorees will also receive an expense paid trip to the 2013 National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Creating Change Conference. Nominees must be under 21 years of age at the time of nomination.

Please see the Colin Higgins Foundation website for more information on how to nominate. You must nominate by Wednesday, February 29th at 5pm Pacific Standard Time.