The 51st
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Information with representation, by and for D.C. residents. Worker-led nonprofit newsroom, funded by readers like YOU. Become a member today: https://51st.news/signup 🌐 https://51st.news
NEW: Looking to lend a hand? Each week, we round up ways to get involved around D.C. Here's this week's list:
12 ways to volunteer around D.C. this week
Fighting back against one year of occupation and more ways to show up for your neighbors.
51st.news
The word is out! I’m so excited to be joining one of the most exciting outlets covering DC. I’ll be focused on all the drama surrounding DC government and politics in a time of huge change for the city: reach out if you have story ideas for when I start later this month.
The 51st@51st.news · 3h agoThis August, our newsroom is tripling our reporting capacity — and deepening our politics coverage. Today's news: Alex Koma (@alexkoma.bsky.social) is joining our team later this month. More about Alex's work — and the reporting he's excited to dig into as part of our team:
This August, our newsroom is tripling our reporting capacity — and deepening our politics coverage. Today's news: Alex Koma (@alexkoma.bsky.social) is joining our team later this month. More about Alex's work — and the reporting he's excited to dig into as part of our team:
Alex Koma joins The 51st as a Senior Reporter
The 51st is tripling our reporting capacity and deepening our political coverage.
51st.news
August 11 will mark one year since the federal occupation of D.C. began. We want to know: What will you remember about this time? And what questions do you have as the takeover continues? Our survey:
Reflecting on a year under federal occupation
On August 11, 2025, life in D.C. changed overnight as President Trump announced a federal takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department and the deployment of National Guard troops and federal law enforcement officers throughout the city. In the months that followed, we've also been subject to the ongoing incursion of the Safe and Beautiful Task Force, the summer of America 250, and the continued meddling of the federal government in our local affairs.
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On August 11, 2025, life in D.C. changed overnight. A year later, with the National Guard set to be on our streets until 2029, we want to hear from D.C. residents: What questions do you have about the ongoing occupation of our city? More questions for you in our full survey:
Reflecting on a year under federal occupation
On August 11, 2025, life in D.C. changed overnight as President Trump announced a federal takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department and the deployment of National Guard troops and federal law…
forms.gle
“I worked at a restaurant many years ago and a rat ran under the tables and up a guy’s pant leg. He got up, shook the rat out, and stomped it to death in the middle of dinner service. My manager said nothing. Just put a bucket over it and slid it away.” More rat stories from our readers:
Our readers' wildest stories about D.C. rat experiences
Readers encountered rodents in their basements, cars, tree boxes, closets, under foot — and even inside of a food delivery.
51st.news
Outreach organizations worry the closure of the sidewalk outside the MLK Library will simply move people elsewhere, making it harder to connect them with housing and services. “People don’t just disappear when you evict them from an encampment," Shannon Clark of @remorahousedc.bsky.social says.
Why has DC's MLK Library banned sleeping outside?
New enforcement includes rope barriers and police to keep homeless people from sleeping under the library's overhang.
51st.news
Thrilled that our team is featured in this @niemanlab.org story on recent nonprofit news readership! Hear from @maddiepoore.bsky.social about how we're identifying and meeting our community’s information needs:
Despite concerns about AI Overviews, some nonprofit news outlets see a surge in search traffic
"We found this heartening, in a time when many experts are writing eulogies for clickthrough from search engine results pages."
niemanlab.org
Do you have a question about life and culture in D.C. that you'd like a native Washingtonian to answer? Use the form below to submit your questions to our "Ask A D.C. Native" columnists. Find past entries in the series here: www.51st.news/tag/ask-a-dc-native/ docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
"Ask A D.C. Native": Submit a question
Got a burning question about life and culture in D.C. that you'd like a native Washingtonian to answer? Use this form to submit your questions for The 51st's Ask A D.C. Native column. If you've been…
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Welcome @ecwilliams.bsky.social! It's Elliot C. Williams' first day on our team as a Senior Reporter. An experienced arts and culture reporter, he'll be continuing to cover D.C.'s creative scene, as well as writing explainers and news pieces. Get to know Elliot here:
Elliot C. Williams joins The 51st as a Senior Reporter
The 51st is tripling our reporting capacity and expanding coverage of D.C.'s arts and culture.
51st.news
Almost a year into the federal occupation of D.C., we want to hear from residents like you: What memory sticks out to you most about the past year? What questions do you have about the ongoing takeover? And what are you seeing in the streets? Take our survey here:
docs.google.com
One of our main goals at The 51st is to make D.C. an easier place to live. One way to do that is by explaining stuff that is otherwise confusing, mystifying, or intentionally opaque! What do you want to know more about? What can we help you understand? Let us know:
Help us explain D.C.
At The 51st, we aim to make living in the District easier for the residents who call it home. To that end, one of our editorial focus areas is explainers: stories that demystify opaque city services…
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Know about a cool event happening in (or around) the city soon? Let us know via the form below. We publish two roundups each week — one featuring fun weekend events, and the other sharing opportunities to get more civically engaged. Submitting by Sunday night ensures we see it in time!
Submit your events to The 51st
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In Kingman Park, residents are taking rat abatement into their own hands. That story is part of @samdelgado.bsky.social's monthslong dive down the rabbit hole — or in this case, rat burrow — of the new fronts in D.C.'s ongoing anti-rodent war.
DC's war on rats reaches new heights
Birth control, poison, and calls for a more peaceful coexistence. Is the District finally winning the rat race?
51st.news
The MLK Library has added rope barriers and police to keep homeless people from sleeping under the building's overhang. This new enforcement is expected to last for at least 90 days, reporters from @streetsensedc.bsky.social learned:
Why has DC's MLK Library banned sleeping outside?
New enforcement includes rope barriers and police to keep homeless people from sleeping under the library's overhang.
51st.news
The next few days are stacked for local booklovers! Here are the highlights from our Weekend Events guide: 📖 Black Books Matter Fest at Mahogany Books 📖 Book Besties speed-dating at East City Bookshop 📖 A community book swap at Cafe Cino More on these events and others:
15 things to do around D.C. this weekend
So many book events, a hip-hop-themed 5K, and free ice cream await you.
51st.news
For the last 3 months, I've been obsessed with one question: why can't D.C. get its rat problem under control? I went to an Adams Morgan alley, rat school, and down the rabbit hole (or in this case, the rat burrow) to find out. @51st.news 🐀 51st.news/dc-rat-preve...
DC's war on rats reaches new heights
Birth control, poison, and calls for a more peaceful coexistence. Is the District finally winning the rat race?
51st.news
Each week, we list some ways to get engaged in the city — whether that’s protesting, organizing with your neighbors, or testifying before your councilmembers. Here's this week's guide:
9 ways to volunteer around D.C. this week
Abortion trivia, courtwatching, and more ways to plug in.
51st.news
NEW: What are you doing this weekend? So many book events, a hip-hop-themed 5K, and free ice cream await you. See all of @graciemck.bsky.social's event picks:
15 things to do around D.C. this weekend
So many book events, a hip-hop-themed 5K, and free ice cream await you.
51st.news
NEW: We spoke to Ward 7 artists and residents about what's missing in D.C.'s arts communities. Here's what they told us, via @samdelgado.bsky.social:
Imagining the future of D.C.'s arts and culture scene
We spoke to Ward 7 artists and residents about what's missing in the city's arts communities. Here's what they told us.
51st.news
NEW: We asked for gruesome stories about D.C.’s rats. You delivered, in a big way — and @graciemck.bsky.social rounded them up. Click at your own risk... 🐀🐀🐀🐀🐀
Our readers' wildest stories about D.C. rat experiences
Readers encountered rodents in their basements, cars, tree boxes, closets, under foot — and even inside of a food delivery.
51st.news
NEW: This month, the D.C. Public Library began enforcing rules banning people from sleeping outside of downtown's MLK Library. Advocates worry it will simply move people elsewhere, making it harder to connect them with housing and services. In partnership with @streetsensedc.bsky.social:
Why has DC's MLK Library banned sleeping outside?
New enforcement includes rope barriers and police to keep homeless people from sleeping under the library's overhang.
51st.news
NEW: D.C. is gearing up for an anti-rat revolution. Thanks to new legislation, a slew of campaign promises, and a surge of community efforts, could our city finally have a chance at beating the rat race? @samdelgado.bsky.social reports:
DC's war on rats reaches new heights
Birth control, poison, and calls for a more peaceful coexistence. Is the District finally winning the rat race?
51st.news
Some exciting personal news! I’m thrilled to jump back into local coverage in the city I love 🙌🏽
The 51st@51st.news · 6d agoWe’re thrilled that our newsroom is growing. Elliot Williams is joining our team starting next (!) week (!!) @ecwilliams.bsky.social has covered D.C.'s arts and culture for the better part of a decade and we can't wait to see what he does at The 51st. 51st.news/elliot-willi...
📬 This week's newsletter: 🐀 D.C.'s war on rats reaches new heights 🚨 Concerns about MLK Library's sleeping ban 👀 Meet our new reporter Don't let algorithms decide what news you see. Get our next update in your inbox: www.51st.news/signup
We went to rat school ✏️
Plus, meet our new reporter.
51st.news
We’re thrilled that our newsroom is growing. Elliot Williams is joining our team starting next (!) week (!!) @ecwilliams.bsky.social has covered D.C.'s arts and culture for the better part of a decade and we can't wait to see what he does at The 51st. 51st.news/elliot-willi...
Elliot C. Williams joins The 51st as a Senior Reporter
The 51st is tripling our reporting capacity and expanding coverage of D.C.'s arts and culture.
51st.news
It's newsletter day! Are you signed up? Get our latest stories in your inbox this afternoon:
Join The 51st
The 51st is a worker-led nonprofit news source for D.C. Our reporting is rooted in our conviction that local journalism is meant to make people’s lives better — no paywalls, ever. But that's only…
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Capturing tenant organizing, statehood activism, and rapid gentrification taught D.C. photographer Nancy Shia that change comes for those who keep fighting. See more of her photos here: www.51st.news/nancy-shia-photography-dc-protest-statehood-gentrification/
NEW: Looking to lend a hand? Each week, we round up ways to get involved around D.C. Here's this week's list:
9 ways to volunteer around D.C. this week
Abortion trivia, courtwatching, and more ways to plug in.
51st.news
One of our main goals at The 51st is to make D.C. an easier place to live. One way to do that is by explaining stuff that is otherwise confusing, mystifying, or intentionally opaque! What do you want to know more about? What can we help you understand? Let us know:
Help us explain D.C.
At The 51st, we aim to make living in the District easier for the residents who call it home. To that end, one of our editorial focus areas is explainers: stories that demystify opaque city services…
docs.google.com