Some folks on their day off from work are responding to medical emergencies and putting out burning buildings. They’re the volunteer firefighters who keep many areas safe year-round, but they are now in need of more recruits, especially from Gen Z.

鈥淒epending on where you are in the country, between 60% and 80% of the firefighters in any given community are volunteers,鈥� said Shawn Stokes, the fire chief for the Dunn Loring Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department and an officer with the International Association of Fire Chiefs.

The fire chiefs association has launched a campaign called 鈥淎 Hustle Worth Having鈥� that’s targeting the younger generation, with hopes of helping volunteer fire departments around the country attract new recruits through social media campaigns and marketing materials.

鈥淗ow do they identify with the 20-year-olds that are coming in? That’s really a core demographic that we’re looking for,鈥� Stokes said. 鈥淎 big part of the program is to provide tools for us to be able to identify with and be attractive to the newer generation, the younger generation to want to come and volunteer, because that’s our future.鈥�

Stokes said over the years, it has become harder and harder to recruit ready volunteers. He theorized that people usually have a busier life than previous decades and many are working in areas where they do not live, making it harder for daylight EMT and fire service.

“I just saw a video the other day where a single firefighter pulled up, pulled the line, charged it, made an initial attack on a mobile home fire because he was the only person out there,” Stokes said.

While there is a strong history of volunteer fire service in the D.C. area, Stokes said the majority of the work is handled by career firefighters and EMTs. The most vulnerable departments are in more rural areas, such as western Virginia and Maryland.

鈥淚n a majority of the communities by a square mileage basis across the country, if the volunteers don’t show up, the fire truck doesn’t go out the door,鈥� Stokes told WTOP.

It is a reason Kim Burns, an EMT in Dunn Loring, began volunteering. The full-time United Airlines pilot is originally from North Dakota and her hometown depended on the volunteer fire service.

鈥淚 had a family member that was affected by it and I saw that probably gave that family member an extra year and a half of life,鈥� Burns said.

Volunteering to become a firefighter is not for the faint of heart. It requires commitment and dedication, according to Stokes. Training in Fairfax County can last up to 18 months, but afterward, volunteers will have the full qualifications of a career firefighter. Most volunteers put in 250 to 300 hours a year.

鈥淭his isn’t, ‘I get a certification, and then two or three times a year I show up and ride a fire truck.’ This is something that you have to be current on, and something that you have to be committed to,鈥� said Stokes, adding that it was a lifestyle.

And while volunteering can be tough, Stokes argued that it is the most rewarding opportunity in most people鈥檚 lives.

鈥淵ou are the person there to help somebody on their worst day, and almost everybody that we see is having their worst day. Nobody calls 911 because something isn’t wrong,鈥� Stokes said.

鈥淲e can help them physically, but we can also help them mentally and give them dignity, and also the family members that we’re dealing with,鈥� Burns added.

Michael Van Dyke, a volunteer fire officer, told WTOP, 鈥淭he thing that attracted me to it is the opportunity to do something, frankly, that wasn’t sitting at a desk eight hours a day because that isn’t good for me long term, and I don’t think it’s good for anybody long term. It was an opportunity to give back.鈥�

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Follow WTOP鈥檚 team coverage of the聽D.C. primary and Election 2026聽online, on air at 103.5 FM or on the聽WTOP 太子探花 app.

The District is approaching a pivotal primary election where a front-runner for council positions and the mayor will be decided.

For the first time in 12 years, a new face will take on the city鈥檚 top job. WTOP spoke with voters and a policy expert about what issues are front of mind for those in the District.

Crime and homelessness

鈥淎t times I even think about leaving the city, and I鈥檝e been born and raised here. 鈥� It’s gotten that bad. I’ve been robbed twice on the subway, I’ve had to defend myself,鈥� said Latisha Mason, who works in Anacostia.

While crime rates have improved from the sharp spike seen during and after the pandemic, deeper structural issues remain, according to Yeshim Sayan, executive director of the D.C. Policy Center.

鈥淭he No. 1 reason why I see reductions in crime is 鈥� enforcement,鈥� Sayan said, emphasizing that the visibility and presence of officers on the streets plays a more immediate role than long-term sentencing policies.

However, that is complicated by the declining staff numbers at D.C. police.

鈥淭he District’s police force has lost a lot of members; it’s hard to bring in new cadets and it’s hard to retain existing ones,鈥� Sayan said.

One reason for it is the stiff competition from neighboring jurisdictions, such as Montgomery County, Maryland, and Fairfax County, Virginia, as well as federal law enforcement agencies that offer higher salaries and incentives. On top of that, policing in a city also has added challenges compared with policing in a suburb.

鈥淚 really wish they would have some on the ground, real programs for crime, having police sit outside the 7-Eleven in a mandated stationary position instead of out of their cars, walking the beat, getting to know their community,鈥� Mason told WTOP.

Stacy Mills, who lives in Northwest D.C., said, 鈥淚 think the city has put in every intervention it can, other than making sure there’s a policeman standing next to every person who’s committed a crime in the past.”

She added, “I don’t know what more the city can do with the resources that they have at this time.鈥�

Mills mentioned the use of emergency youth curfew zones: 鈥淚 want these kids to have freedom. 鈥� But we all have to take responsibility for our behavior.鈥�

Beyond staffing issues, the District鈥檚 criminal justice system presents unique complications, according to the D.C. Policy Center. Unlike most jurisdictions, D.C.鈥檚 criminal code is prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney鈥檚 Office rather than a local district attorney.

Sayan said this creates a 鈥減ing-ponging鈥� effect, where D.C. police make arrests, a federal prosecutor could decide whether to file charges and a federal court decides the fate of convicted offenders, who can then be sent to federal prisons all over the country.

The result can be inconsistent prosecution and weakened accountability, according to the D.C. Policy Center. In 2022, prosecutors declined to prosecute nearly two-thirds of those arrested by police that would have been tried in D.C. Superior Court.

“At one point,” Sayan said, 鈥�1 in every 5 homicides got properly prosecuted, 1 in every 20 carjackings got properly prosecuted.鈥�

Several voters mentioned a wish for the city to better address the issue of homelessness.

Gabriel Davis, a Marine Corps veteran who recently returned to D.C., found the city very different from when he left around a decade ago.

鈥淎 lot of people are homeless out here. I think there could be more programs,鈥� Davis told WTOP. 鈥淚 get it, can’t help everybody, but I think it should be more help from the taxpayers.鈥�

Mason said that the city should focus more on mental health resources for people living on the streets and that it might lead to safer outcomes.

鈥淵ou have people being attacked by mentally ill patients because they have nowhere to go,鈥� she said.

Housing and rising prices

Roger Spence, a voter in Northwest D.C., said many colleagues in his office have had to move out of the city when they began having children.

Flavio Irnez agreed: 鈥淓verything, especially the apartments are really expensive 鈥� almost 30% higher than all around the DMV.鈥�

He told WTOP that he is planning to move to Maryland in the next few weeks because of the rising costs of housing.

Irnez said it’s difficult for “normal people like us to get some decent apartment.鈥�

鈥淲e need caps on rent, and caps on home prices,鈥� Mills said. “At least for a couple of years.”

Housing prices are an area where local government could intervene, Sayan said.

鈥淭he city cannot do a whole lot about oil prices. The city cannot do a whole lot about grocery prices,鈥� Sayan said. 鈥淭he city can do a lot about housing costs.鈥�

Sayan said there are numerous regulations and requirements that are on the shoulders of housing production and operations, which makes housing relatively scarce in the city.

鈥淲e produced a lot of units, but most of them are clustered in a handful of neighborhoods, and the reason they’re clustered there is because there wasn’t any other housing in those places to begin with,鈥� Sayan said.

A recent report from the D.C. Policy Center found that policy decisions by previous councils and mayors have contributed to this housing scarcity.

鈥淚 would call it a death by a thousand cuts,鈥� she said.

Local zoning is much more prohibitive than just the . Sayan said when it comes to mid-sized housing, most neighborhoods are entirely closed to that kind of development. That is why most housing in recent years has been developed in previously industrialized areas, such as The Wharf and NoMa. These, however, are far from many schools and amenities that are needed for families.

鈥淭hen you have to go through all kinds of permits and approvals. That takes a lot of time in D.C., and there’s also inconsistency,鈥� Sayan said, noting that two different reviewers could have very different responses for the same set of development plans.

She added that current regulation energy efficiency upgrades for older residential buildings can be too costly, and even regulations around heritage trees have limited buildings that could house up to 20 families.

It鈥檚 causing an exit of families from the District and rapidly declining birth rates.

鈥淵ou cannot have a city without families. It’s no longer a city,鈥� Sayan said.

Small businesses and jobs

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, it is not only people that have left the District, but also small businesses.

鈥淭hinking about the candidates, I’m interested in someone who is focused on small, mid-sized business retention and growth,鈥� said Jocelyn Walters, a small business owner in Anacostia.

鈥淭his is the neighborhood of my grandmother and I just want to see this neighborhood and all D.C. neighborhoods be able to sustain themselves without again requiring people and businesses to have to move out of D.C. in order to be part of the growth,鈥� she said.

Antonio Elberts, a resident of Southeast D.C., told WTOP, as he heads to the ballot box, the most important issue on his mind is simply employment.

鈥淛obs, jobs, jobs and at my age, I need a job. It鈥檚 hard to get a job right now,鈥� he said.

Davis echoed his sentiment, 鈥淚t’s hard to get a job around here at times. Even at Chipotle or Chick-fil-A, it’s hard to get a job, believe it or not. People think that you just walk in and get a job here. No, you can’t. It’s very competitive right now.鈥�

Sayan said, 鈥淚 think the new mayor and the new council are going to face particularly challenging times.鈥�

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Families looking for a little fun and adventure this summer may find it with the likes of Superman and Wonder Woman at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in Prince George’s County, Maryland.

Super Hero Summer featuring DC, will run through Labor Day and feature a variety of activities.

鈥淲e’ll have our light show every single night, that’s our Battle for Justice light show, where the villains will take on those superheroes, and we’ll see who’s triumphant at the end, as well as our DC Super Hero Academy, where you can get in on the action in our interactive show, where you can awaken your inner superhero,鈥� David Bracamonte, the director of creative for special events and entertainment, told WTOP.

Guests can also put their wits to the test with the Revenge of the Riddler Scavenger Hunt, where they solve puzzles across the resort to rescue kidnapped members of the Justice League.

Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman will also make weekend appearances.

鈥淚f you want to meet our characters live and in person, the superheroes coming in from the Hall of Justice, focus on those weekend dates, Saturdays and Sundays,鈥� Bracamonte said.

The superhero themes will even spill over into the pool with games, such as DC trivia and movie nights, where guests can watch iconic superhero films while lounging in the water.

鈥淪uper Hero Summer builds on Gaylord National’s entertainment legacy by delivering interactive adventures, spectacular shows and unique experiences,” Dan McKeon, area general manager at Gaylord National Resort said in a statement. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the only place in the capital region where families can experience this level of immersive summer fun.鈥�

According to Bracamonte, the best way to experience Superhero Summer at Gaylord National is to, “book one of our room packages that’s going to include all of those different superhero experiences.鈥�

To book a room or learn more about their supersized festivities

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Local business owner and adventurer Frank Fumich has run over 150 marathons, at least one per continent.

The Virginia man has reached the South Pole, biked across the United States and competed in dozens of ultramarathons while raising money for charity. But last month鈥檚 feat was the pinnacle of Fumich’s career: reaching the top of Mount Everest while carrying a very precious gift with him.

鈥淚 did take like 60 seconds and look around and appreciate where I was standing, and that, 0.001% of humans ever get to see with their own eyes, but mostly I was just thinking, 鈥極K, now I need to get down,鈥欌�� Fumich told WTOP.

The trip to the top of the world鈥檚 tallest peak is decades in the making for Fumich. He climbed to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro around 22 years ago and the idea started, and he began to work toward this goal ever since.

Fresh from his descent, he said, 鈥淚鈥檇 say literally and figuratively say it ranks at the top.鈥�

Fumich endured hours of running, strength training and wearing out his home treadmill with a 40-pound pack. He also incorporated balance training and hiked the Shenandoah Valley half a dozen times with full gear.

He also completed what is called a flash expedition to the top, which requires a shorter amount of time on the mountain to get acclimated to the altitude. This is achieved by an altitude tent that Fumich slept in every night for two months before he traveled to Nepal.

鈥淵ou turn up the machine and it simulates higher and higher altitude, and you know it鈥檚 pretty miserable because you’re kind of choking and gasping in your sleep,鈥� Fumich said.

鈥淵ou鈥檙e training hard here and normally, you鈥檙e looking forward to going to sleep, but I was kind of dreading going to sleep because that was harder than even the training.鈥�

Fumich and the group he joined to climb the mountain initially planned to go up the north side of Everest, but the Chinese government closed that side to any international traveler and they had to pivot to travel up the southern side in Nepal.

The climb is a waiting game, waiting for the right conditions to make the ascent.

Fumich said there was a lot of sitting around 鈥渢rying to stay mentally in the game.鈥�

There is a tiny window of only a few days to a week in late May before monsoon season begins.

Eventually, their window arrived and they had to make it to the top of Everest and back down in five-and-a-half days.

Arguably, the most treacherous part of their journey is at the beginning on the Khumbu Icefall, a moving glacier with deep crevasses that can only be crossed via ladders that are roped together. One crevasse required five ladders to be latched together.

鈥淚f you’re in the wrong spot at the wrong time and one of those things collapses, it could be devastating,鈥� Fumich said.

The toughest part of the journey for Fumich and most climbers is the sheer altitude. One camp, located at above 26,000 feet, is what’s referred to as the “Death Zone.”

鈥淭hat is definitely where you are dying,” he said. “Humans are just not made to be at that altitude. We obviously use supplemental oxygen, but even with the oxygen, I was amazed.”

鈥淲e literally walked past dead bodies, which is super sobering, and we also saw a guy pass away, which was really sobering,鈥� Fumich said.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a reminder when you see one of those people, none of them plan to not come back. No one thinks that you’re going to be the one that doesn’t come back, but it happens every year.鈥�

A guardian angel

When Fumich finally reached the top of the mountain, there was not much time to spare. He recorded videos to friends and loved ones and took in the view, but also laid to rest the ashes of a 13-year-old girl.

Lilly Toxavidis, the daughter of one of Fumich鈥檚 closest friends, died of cancer in 2019. Fumich was in the hospital room as she drew her last breath, and her father gave Fumich some of her ashes to spread as he adventures across the world, helping to keep her memory alive.

The vial that Fumich carried to the top of Mount Everest held the last of Lilly鈥檚 ashes.

鈥淚t’s a nice way to end all my adventures and my experience with her ashes, to put them on top of the world,鈥� he said.

During this adventure, in particular, he viewed Lilly as a “guardian angel.”

鈥淪he’s kind of looking over me on these adventures. I feel privileged to be able to do it,鈥� Fumich said.

Helping hands

This achievement is, of course, never done alone, Fumich said he could not have gotten to the top without his sherpas, Dawa and Passang, who helped carry oxygen, gear and even attached their crampons to his boots when it was too cold for him to take off his gloves.

He also climbed the mountain with three friends from across the world, joining the group of 10 on this particular expedition. He said the challenges they faced together formed bonds that can only be forged under shared hardship.

鈥淲hen we all made it to base camp and sort of recounted our stories 鈥� we’re eight grown men that were bawling like children,鈥� Fumich said. 鈥淚t was super emotional, and those guys are my brothers.鈥�

The 58-year-old said this would be his first and last time summiting the tallest mountain in the world.

鈥淗ow do you top Mount Everest? I saved the best or hardest for last, and I’m feeling pretty satisfied,鈥� Fumich said.

He said that this feat is a lesson for anyone who wishes to put themselves to the test and see what they are capable of.

鈥淚 always say you never find anything about yourself sitting on the couch,鈥� Fumich said.

鈥淚鈥檓 not talented, I’m not a fast runner, but I just basically refuse to quit, and everybody has that in them. I think you know it’d be great if sometimes people would go out there and see what they’re made of. 鈥� They’d be really surprised to find out.鈥�

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What exactly are the qualifications for a driver and are there any processes to ensure greater safety when traveling at night?

All bus drivers are required to hold a commercial driver鈥檚 license (CDL) along with a passenger endorsement, according to Scott Michael, president of the United Motor Coach Association.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a new entry-level driver training requirement that the feds have put in place back in 鈥�22 that requires that you go through the curriculum, and there鈥檚 required training and certification things that you have to go for that process,鈥� Michael said.

He said most motor coach companies also have internal training.

One focus of the investigation is whether English language proficiency may have played a role in the crash. The driver, 48-year-old Jing Dong, a naturalized citizen originally from China who lives in New York, is a licensed commercial driver in that state.

鈥淭here鈥檚 been a lot of talk about the English language proficiency鈥攖hat is a requirement that has been in place for a number of years, and some states have done a better job of enforcing that than others,鈥� Michael explained. 鈥淵ou have to have at least enough ability to speak English that you can interact with any law enforcement personnel that you might encounter, and obviously you need to be able to read the traffic signs.鈥�

Investigators with NTSB said speed played a role and the bus failed to slow down as it approached a work zone on I-95 before crashing into six other cars.

While exact causes in this crash are not known at this time, previous fatal motor coach crashes have found driver fatigue to be a contributing factor in many of them. Like other commercial drivers for freight, passenger drivers have hours of service limitation to ensure safety for passengers.

This crash happened at 2:35 a.m. according to Virginia State Police.

鈥淚 do know that many of our members have been for years examining whether it makes sense to operate at night, and some of them are either limiting the number of trips that they agree to do that require overnight travel,鈥� Michael noted.

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In the D.C. region, conversations often start with, 鈥淲hat do you do?鈥� WTOP鈥檚 鈥�Working Capital鈥� series profiles the people whose jobs make the D.C. region run.

Millions of us grew up reading comic books, fantasizing about becoming our favorite superhero and telling our own stories in our head or through playtime with Spider-Man action figures.

But one D.C. man took that passion throughout his career and eventually told his own stories using his favorite Marvel character.

David Betancourt is a veteran journalist for The Athletic. He lectures at both the University of Maryland and American University. But the thing that connects it all is his love for comic books and he has been fortunate to write a few of his own.

Betancourt grew up with a comic book always in his hand, and he attributes his love of reading and writing to those early comics that he read as a kid.

During his years as a culture reporter at The Washington Post, he made several connections with Marvel, which asked him to write a character with whom that Betancourt has a deep affinity: Miles Morales, a newer Spider-Man who has become widely popular thanks to two theatrically released animated movies: “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” and “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.”

鈥淭he character of Miles Morales means a lot to me, because he represents the first time, I felt that I’ve truly seen myself in any medium,鈥� Betancourt said.

Much like Morales, Betancourt has one African American parent and one Puerto Rican parent.

鈥淗e’s bilingual, he’s biracial, he looks like me and he’s Spider-Man. And that’s somebody who I always wanted to be as a kid,鈥� Betancourt said.

He was first approached by Marvel to write an essay about how much Miles Morales meant to him. He was then asked to write a few more essays about the comic book company.

鈥淚 said, ‘I’ll do it if I can write Miles, because he’s a character that means a lot to me, because I am what he is.’ So that led to me writing my very first Miles Morales comic book story for Marvel,鈥� Betancourt said.

In the story, Morales as Spider-Man meets the Black Panther. At its core, it is a story of identity.

鈥淗e talks to the Black Panther, ‘When people see you and your Black Panther superhero suit, even though they can’t see you, they know you’re Wakandan. I have this superhero suit, but people don’t know what I am,鈥� Betancourt said about his story.

Morales wanted the world to know that he is both Black and Puerto Rican.

鈥淚n the story, that led to the creation of what is known as the Boricua suit,鈥� Betancourt said.

The black Spider-Man outfit prominently displays the Puerto Rican flag on its chest. It has even been made into an action figure. His biggest hope is that it appears in the final Spider-Verse movie that will be released next year.

鈥淚t really is kind of an out-of-body experience,鈥� said Betancourt. 鈥淭o always be that adult that runs to the superhero toy section to see what cool toys are there 鈥� then see a toy that started off as an idea in your head, it was really an amazing experience. It’s something I’m very proud of.鈥�

Another proud moment was when he received fan mail as a comic book writer. One letter came from Latin America, writing that they could tell this particular story was written by a Latino.

He took great responsibility to reflect both sides of his culture in Miles, but made sure the story and action was on point. It is a balancing act.

鈥淧eople aren’t running to the comic bookstore to buy a superhero comic to hear someone talk about how Puerto Rican or how black they are. They want to see a superhero bench pressing a car and throwing it and getting into battles with super villains,鈥� he said.

鈥淪o you really have to pick your moments where you can let the reader know that you’re a part of that culture and you want to express that within the character.鈥�

Along with writing comics, Betancourt has written books about comic book culture. He authored 鈥淭he Avengers Assembled: The Origins of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.鈥�

Betancourt is highlighting a series of lectures and activities for children at the D.C. Public Library called 鈥淐omictroplis.鈥�

鈥淲e have multiple writers from the comic book realm that I’ve curated,鈥� Betancourt said, speaking about the shows.

鈥淚 want this series to be for the older comic book-loving community, but especially our young community. Here is a chance to peek inside what it’s like to create comic books and let these kids know that reading comic books can be a path to becoming a creator,鈥� he said.

鈥淚 want this series to be an eye-opening experience for young kids that are into comics that potentially have an interest in maybe doing that someday.鈥�

On Saturday, June 13, Betancourt will speak about his path towards writing Miles Morales at the Southwest Neighborhood Library.

To register for one of the three remaining events, visit the .

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Over the past week, multiple vehicles have been broken into across the Silver Spring area, including at several county parking garages.

In a statement, Council member Kate Stewart said that Montgomery County police have arrested suspects using security camera footage.

“Utilizing security camera footage, officers from Montgomery County Police Department鈥檚 Third District have apprehended individuals suspected of entering vehicles inside county parking garages,” Stewart .

Authorities believe the break-ins are being committed by multiple groups moving through neighborhoods. Police crime summaries indicate that car parts have been stolen in several of these incidents.

Residents in affected areas are encouraged to share any doorbell or exterior camera footage with investigators. The cases remain under investigation.

Residents can share the footage by calling the police non-emergency number at 301-279-8000.

WTOP’s Will Vitka contributed to this report.

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All throughout May, WTOP is celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with聽stories about the people and places shaping the D.C. region.

If you鈥檝e walked through D.C.鈥檚 Chinatown lately, you may have spotted a vibrant, two-story mural tucked into an alley off H Street NW. It features a woman in a bright red hat, a yellow flower pinned to her lapel and the words, 鈥淰ote. It鈥檚 Your Voice.鈥�

If you don鈥檛 immediately recognize her, that鈥檚 the point, according to the organization that聽commissioned the mural.

The mural depicts Mabel Ping-Hua Lee, a Chinese American suffragist, scholar and community leader. said聽the project is meant to spark curiosity and draw attention to stories of Chinese Americans that have long been overlooked.

Who was Mabel Ping-Hua Lee?

Lee immigrated to the United States from China as a young girl in 1905. She grew up in New York and went on to become a prominent community leader.

Her achievements include becoming the first Chinese American woman to receive a PhD in economics, earning the degree from Columbia University. She was also a passionate suffragette, advocating for women鈥檚 right to vote and for full participation in American civic life. She participated in the historic New York City suffrage parade in 1912 at the age of sixteen.

But there was just one catch after the 19th Amendment was ratified in 1920: the young woman still could not vote.

Ted Gong, founder of the 1882 Foundation, explained that it was due to the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act, 鈥淭hat act prohibited Chinese from immigrating to United States and from becoming American citizens. That was first passed in 1882, and it was not rescinded until 1943.鈥�

鈥淪he was arguing for this right for women to vote and to participate fully in American affairs, and she could not become an American citizen and could not vote,鈥� Gong said.

Sharing stories like Lee鈥檚 is central to the foundation鈥檚 mission shedding light on the Chinese immigrants during that era, and the barriers they faced despite their contributions.

The mural itself is impossible to miss with bright blues, reds and yellows framing Lee鈥檚 face, which is painted in black and white. The contrast is intentional.

鈥淪he lived a long time ago, before there was color photography, so I wanted it to represent an older era, when she was a pioneering suffragette鈥� Artist Jeff Huntington, known as Jahru, said.

He said it was very challenging to paint at a scale this large, 鈥渁nd on a wall this textured. It involves a lot of math and a lot of problems solving, and that鈥檚 just a huge part of my process.鈥�

The colors are a triadic color scheme, Jahru said it offers 鈥渉armony and balance as far as the color wheel goes.鈥�

The mural is in Jahru鈥檚 signature style with an almost prism-like effect.

鈥淵ou see the fractal radiance in the background. It gave me an opportunity to give her a glow that radiates from the center of her soul,鈥� he said.

That sense of invitation is at the heart of the project.

An opportunity like this one highlighting Mabel Ping-Hua Lee carries extra weight for an artist like Jahru.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a huge honor. They gave me some artistic freedom to put in some of my style in the work, and it鈥檚 also very important for me to create a public piece that sort of invites the public and the community in, with curiosity,鈥� he said.

Gong said, the issues Lee fought for more than a century ago haven鈥檛 disappeared.

鈥淭he current issue is who has a right to become an American, and how do we welcome immigrants?鈥� he said.

鈥淎rt, it鈥檚 such a powerful tool, it鈥檚 a beautification tool. It鈥檚 a way to activate a space, but it鈥檚 also about telling a story,鈥� said Lukas Umana, The Downtown D.C. Business Improvement District senior director of public space operations and activations. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really about a story of the importance of voting and what she meant to America as we celebrate 250 years of American democracy.鈥�

A formal dedication of the mural is planned for July 1.

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Not many kids who are doing school projects are digging into the actual letters, primary documents and photos of the subjects they are studying, but the Library of Congress has opened a new facility for younger students to get a more hands-on approach and learn how to research the millions of records that they hold.

It’s called 鈥淭he Source鈥� and it opened in early May. It allows school groups and individual students five days a week.

鈥淲e worked with librarians and educators to identify collections that would be most appealing and relevant to their lives,鈥� said Shari Werb, the director of the Center for Learning Literacy and Engagement and lead curator at “The Source.”

When students first walk into “The Source,” they first see what looks like traditional card catalogs but when they pull certain drawers that correspond with different fields of study, they are greeted with artifacts, a projected light show and sounds.

Nearby are videos of career librarians explaining their job and how to research at the library.

Then students can immerse themselves in kid-friendly research. The items chosen for the space had input from a kid and teenage advisory group, according to Werb.

鈥淭hey wanted a variety of different kinds of media to deal with, not just the books,鈥� Werb said.

鈥淲e really want to not just have them understand the collections, but build up research skills for their lives, not just for school.鈥�

You can of course check out a book section of “The Source” where they also have a mock microfilm viewer that exposes children to how research was done in the past. But beyond the documents, students can check out a film section complete with projector and faux reels that play footage from World War II and even 鈥淭he Sound of Music.鈥� A sound and map section round out the offerings.

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鈥淭he Source鈥� is an especially great opportunity for younger researchers because reader cards are only allowed for people 16 and up.

鈥淭hen they can go on to the website and start looking through those kinds of collections as well,” Werb said. “We’re leading them into our deeper collections at the library through this space.”

She added that being able to view firsthand documents and artifacts brings a 鈥渉uman dimension鈥� to research.

鈥淲e use computers for everything, so you lose that sort of handwriting piece, but a lot of the collections that we have here at the library, you can look at them and start to understand the history of that person,” she said.

“The Source” is open Tuesday through Saturday. Weekday mornings are reserved for school groups, but individual students can attend after 1 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.

鈥淚f people leave here asking more questions than they started with, we feel like we’ve invited somebody into the lifelong journey of research,鈥� Werb said.

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New statues were erected on Freedom Plaza in D.C. last week. A dozen unannounced additions now stand alongside a statue installed last month after being moved from Wilmington, Delaware.

“I haven’t heard anything about it. I’m seeing it for the first time, but I’m really not sure who they are, because I can’t tell, because we can’t get in the park,” Sean Elgut, a D.C. native, told WTOP Monday as he looked over the construction fence at the statues. “But I would say it’s nice to see statues coming back to D.C., especially on the 250th birthday of America.”

According to the Department of the Interior, the twelve are bronze depictions of American Revolutionary soldiers from all walks of life. Some are holding muskets, another a flag with thirteen stars. Some are blackened with apparent age, others much shinier bronze.

In a statement to WTOP, the Interior Department wrote, 鈥淭he twelve soldiers represent the collective sacrifice of those who served during the Revolutionary War, reflecting the broad range of individuals who contributed to the nation’s founding. Together, the installation will transform Freedom Plaza into a space of remembrance and reflection, inviting visitors to connect with the people and pivotal moments that shaped the early history of the United States.鈥�

A thirteenth statue was also installed last month, the figure of Caesar Rodney atop a horse.

Rodney is known for riding about 80 miles overnight on Jul. 1, 1776, from Delaware to Philadelphia to cast a tiebreaking vote for independence. He also served as an officer during Revolutionary War.

The statue once stood in but was removed in 2020 during protests following the death of George Floyd. Rodney owned enslaved people, including hundreds on his family’s Byfield plantation.

In 1766, he advocated for restricting the importation of enslaved people into Delaware and, like George Washington, freed some enslaved people after his death.

As we approach America鈥檚 250th anniversary, has been committed to celebrating and acknowledging the full breadth of our nation鈥檚 history, including the story of Caesar Rodney and his pivotal ride in July 1776.

Despite being gravely ill with a cancerous condition that 鈥�

鈥� Secretary Doug Burgum (@SecretaryBurgum)

On April 25, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum posted on X that National Park Service “staff returned his statue to Freedom Plaza. By telling the full story, every triumph, every challenge and every step towards a more perfect union we strengthen our shared understanding and ensure that future generations inherit not just the land we love, but the truth of the journey that brought us here.”

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Charles Du Mond, who also visited the site, told WTOP he does not support honoring a slaveholder at Freedom Plaza.

“Do I think it’s a good idea to put up statues to people who owned a lot of slaves or held a lot of slaves? No, I do not,” he said.

Freedom Plaza has been closed for months as crews renovate the park ahead of events marking the nation’s 250th birthday. It is unclear when it will reopen.

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Every Memorial Day, a group of people in D.C. still wake up early on their day off and put in the work at the gym. They do a tough workout called the “Murph” challenge to honor a fallen service member.

Joey McIntosh called it 鈥渁n iconic workout鈥� during their warmup at Urban Athletic Club in the Washington Convention Center in Northwest.

The workout consists of a one-mile run, 100 pullups, 200 pushups, 300 air squats and finishes with another mile run.

Michael Presley, a CrossFit trainer at Urban Athletic Club, led the challenge early Monday morning. The workout is named after Lt. Michael Murphy, who was killed in action during Operation Red Wings in Afghanistan in 2005. For his heroics, he was

鈥淢ichael P. Murphy was a U.S. Navy SEAL who would do this workout whenever he was out and had a lack of gym equipment, to be able to work out,鈥� Presley said.

For some, like Megan Wynn, it was their first attempt at the workout.

鈥淚 think it’s a really nice tradition to honor this person every year and do this really intense workout, and kind of put us in a setting as if we were a Navy SEAL and the kind of conditioning they go through. It puts it in perspective of the work they have to do,鈥� she told WTOP.

Meanwhile, Jason Tindungan, who is an active-duty Army soldier, came out for very personal reasons this Memorial Day to complete the challenge.

鈥淛ust recently a lost couple of friends over in Kuwait,” he said. “It’s one of those things I got to do, and think I owe it to them.”

Tindungan did the entire workout in his 20-pound military vest.

鈥淲e’re doing it for the people who have fought for his country and have fallen,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e’re also doing it for (their) family, so that’s my motivation to keep pushing through.鈥�

Ben Picozzi finished the challenge at just 36 minutes.

鈥淢y piddly, 30-plus-minute workout is nothing compared to what they go through on an everyday basis. So incredibly fortunate to be living in this country and having them behind us,” he said.

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One of the latest graduates from the University of Maryland鈥檚 School of Architecture found her second calling at the school. Her first calling was to serve God at the Sacred Monastery of Saint Sidonia near Frederick, Maryland.

On Tuesday, Sister Nina walked across the stage to get her diploma for her Bachelor of Science in Architecture at the University of Maryland. She had finished the program in December and hadn’t seen her fellow students in months.

鈥淚t was nice to reconnect and to share this moment together and to also see many of my professors and also greet them and thank them for their help and instruction,鈥� Sister Nina told WTOP.

Sister Nina had never really thought about going to school for architecture while she was at the monastery but one abbess there saw her talents in woodworking and her knack for knowing how things go together. She suggested that Sister Nina attend the school to learn more about design.

鈥淚 really do enjoy it very much, and it wasn’t so much of a choice that I made on my own, but it’s something that I very much appreciate being part of,鈥� Sister Nina said.

Her first stop was Frederick Community College, where she first learned AutoCAD, a design tool that would come in handy the rest of her career.

When she attended school like all of her classmates, she was tasked to design projects like a spa, or a harbor plaza. Sister Nina, however, proposed that she design similar projects. But instead of imaginary places, they would be buildings and infrastructure that was actually needed at the monastery. That included a complicated greenhouse and a new courtyard.

鈥淚 had to follow the same parameters that everybody else had to follow, but it was my site at the monastery,鈥� she said.

Sister Nina also designed updated living quarters for the sisters and a host of other projects.

鈥淚 presented it to all my classmates, and they had some exposure to a monastery, which I thought was cool and some of them said, ‘Oh, cool, can we come visit?鈥欌�� Sister Nina said.

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Most of Sister Nina鈥檚 projects have been incorporated into the master plan for the monastery, which is still in development, save for a spa.

鈥淚 think in some form, yes, they will be adjusted and built into the infrastructure,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat’s the main reason that I’m trying to learn this so I can help here.鈥�

Sister Nina noted that there are many Orthodox churches in the area but not many Orthodox architects.

She believes having an architecture degree, who understands the theology, is important because that ultimately goes into the building.

鈥淚t’s not only about forms, but also, understanding the theology,” Sister Nina said. “It’s understanding the liturgy. It’s understanding how everything works together and supports itself.”

She said with her new training, she now looks at beautiful churches of old like the Hagia Sophia, a Byzantine cathedral built in 537 CE in modern-day Turkey. It is now a functioning mosque.

鈥淯nderstanding the way it was designed and seeing there were also very real structural constraints,鈥� said Sister Nina.

鈥淎rchitecture, as in everything else, we are responsible for every decision we make. Understanding it will impact everyone else around us in some way,鈥� she said.

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The Smithsonian National Museum of American History has opened a new exhibit marking the nation’s past 250 years.

Called it features 250 artifacts and adds live performances to create a more immersive visitor experience.

鈥淲hen most people think of the Smithsonian, they think of the research we’ve done and the cool stuff we’ve collected,鈥� said Julie Garner, creative director of theater programs at the National Museum of American History. 鈥淏ut theater specialists like myself and my team, we interpret the people and their histories and we bring their voices to life.鈥�

Garner told WTOP the three programs they offer this summer support different learning styles, especially for visitors who learn by observing and listening.

鈥淭hey leave you with a feeling which creates a memory, which really makes that history and research and scholarship stick, because it’s a really engaging and participatory experience,鈥� Garner said.

Three rotating theater programs will run throughout the summer for America鈥檚 250th birthday, with three to six performances daily lasting about 30 minutes.

One program, “Shout,” highlights the religious tradition of ring shouts, developed in enslaved communities in the 18th and 19th centuries. Performers Kecia Deroly and Sia Li Wright show how its rhythms connect to modern music, including Elvis Presley’s “Hound Dog” and songs by Lauryn Hill.

‘The ring shout, like many African American religious expressions, included Christian and Muslim traditions, as well as West African forms of worship, like the Akan and Yoruba religions,鈥� said Deroly.

Ring shouts are still practiced today by the Gullah Geechee culture, descendants of Africans who were enslaved on plantations in the barrier islands along the lower Atlantic coast, including parts of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida.

鈥淓ven though we are telling stories of oppression, we are also telling the stories of enslaved people who find joy through oppression,鈥� Deroly told WTOP.

Another program, 鈥淢eet the Wheelwoman,鈥� features Susie Alden highlighting the popularity of bicycles in the 1890s.

鈥淚 ride this antique 1898 bicycle around the floor of the museum 鈥� still functional, still rideable,鈥� Alden said.

She said the program emphasizes how bicycles changed women’s lives, improving, independence and opportunity.

鈥淚鈥檒l talk about, specifically, connections between the bicycle boom of the 1890s and women’s liberation, and how that led to things and contributed to things like suffrage, changing clothing patterns, changing social norms, changing dating habits,鈥� Alden told WTOP. 鈥淭his bicycle is allowing ladies to go be independent, which a lot of people were worried about at first.鈥�

The third program, 鈥淏road Stripes and Bright Stars,鈥� introduces Mary Young Pickersgill, the seamstress who hand-sewed the Star Spangled Banner, which inspired the lyrics to the national anthem. The original flag is also housed at the museum.

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Where better to celebrate America鈥檚 250th birthday and the country鈥檚 rich history than the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in D.C. A new exhibit, which opened Thursday, tells the United States’ 250-year history with 250 objects.

Visitors will see the museum mainstays like the original American flag that inspired the 鈥淪tar Spangled Banner鈥� and the desk where Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, but the new exhibit will also show some artifacts never before displayed.

鈥淎 surfboard that was used by Duke Kahanamoku, who is a Native Hawaiian surfer who really popularized surfing to the world. He was an Olympian and we have his massive, 9-foot surfboard that he shaped in Southern California in 1928,鈥� said Theo Gonzalves, a curator at the National Museum of American History.

The exhibit covers the history of the nation through political action, including a sweater worn by a young woman during a school walkout during the Civil Rights Movement and a Tea Party sign from the 2010s.

It also delves into military history with the Revolutionary War鈥檚 gunboat “Philadelphia,” and a uniform worn by Gen. George Washington.

Pop culture, lifestyle and entertainment are also front and center.

鈥淲e have a Nintendo game set and so there are folks that are looking at their at that Nintendo game set, and they’re thinking, ‘I can’t believe that that’s now part of history,’鈥� Gonzalves said. “I’m old enough to realize what Nintendo was for our generation, but it is part of American history.鈥�

Megan Smith, the head of experience development at the museum, said a seemingly mundane object is one of her favorite artifacts in the museum.

鈥淗idden in a kind of boring looking exterior, which is a file cabinet that contains over 52,000 jokes written by Phyllis Diller,鈥� she said. 鈥淧hyllis Diller was one of the first female stand-up comedians in America. It’s just an ordinary filing cabinet, but it’s filled with her career basically, and her creative process and all of her knowledge.鈥�

Scientific and technological achievement throughout American history is also celebrated, including the first radiocarbon dating machine from the 1950s.

Anthea Hartig, the Elizabeth MacMillan director of the museum, said staff at the museum had to whittle down nearly 2 million artifacts to 250 artifacts that define American history.

鈥淭o take 2 million to get down to 250, and the curators did a beautiful job. The whole team did a lot of thinking about what are those objects that help show us in action as a people? Help understand the dreams that we’ve put into the declaration, how it’s expanded, who it includes,鈥� she told WTOP.

She said the exhibit is the brainchild of over three years of curation work.

The National Museum of American History is open every day but Christmas.

鈥淚 hope people see themselves reflected in our work and in these objects,鈥� Hartig said.

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It鈥檚 a mixing of the generations. A group of retirees in Gaithersburg, Maryland, every week head to a nearby elementary school to volunteer their time and go back to work to help the newest generation learn to read, improve their math skills and even pick up a second language.

The volunteers from The Carnegie at Washingtonian Center travel a mile, once or twice a week, to Fields Road Elementary School to be paired with their class.

Principal Joshua Williams said this effort began last year when two residents at the nearby retirement community reached out to volunteer.

鈥淥riginally, we were thinking a handful. It ended up being eight or nine, and now it’s grown from there where we’ve had between 12 and 15 residents,鈥� Williams told WTOP.

Jim Pattison, one of the volunteers, heads to Ms. Huang鈥檚 class every Friday afternoon.

鈥淚鈥檝e been involved with schools for over 40 years, and there’s kids (that) are enervating, but they’re also energizing, and it’s fun to be back in a classroom and just see the delight of the kids learning things and being with a terrific teacher,鈥� Pattison said.

Second grade teacher Mandy Huang said it is always a treat when Pattison, who the kids lovingly call Mr. JP, comes to her classroom.

鈥淚t’s like an extra grandfather to a lot of them,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really exciting to see. It’s like Christmas every Friday for them, they’re always like, ‘When is Mr. JP coming?’鈥�

Huang said Pattison鈥檚 forte is helping with reading, grammar and phonics.

鈥淭hey’ll kind of want to come work with him for the independent work, and do things like learning about subjects, verbs, nouns and then sometimes there’s a little short story 鈥� and he’s able to kind of encourage them to grow even more with their comprehension,鈥� she said.

Miriam Moskowitz is a student in the class and frequently reads with Pattison.

鈥淲hen we’re having trouble, we can work with Mr. JP and he helps us,鈥� the eight-year-old told WTOP.

She said everybody is very excited when they come back from music class every Friday and see him sitting in their classroom.

‘We get something from this as well’

While Pattison said that he is happy to help and is pleased that the students are learning more and feel comfortable practicing their skills with him, it is not a one-sided relationship.

鈥淲e get something from this as well,鈥� he told WTOP. 鈥淧eople who are wrapped up with themselves 鈥� they get kind of crabby, and that’s an old-fashioned term. But when you’re doing something for someone else, you just feel better.鈥�

Joan McCarthy, another volunteer at the school, agreed with that sentiment. She has been a teacher, substitute and volunteer at her kids’ and grandkids’ schools, so the environment is just natural for her.

鈥淚t makes me feel great,” she said. “I walk in the classroom, and right away they raise their hand. They want to come out with me to hear stories.”

McCarthy works with a fourth grade class often helping children who are learning English as a second language.

鈥淚t鈥檚 wonderful for the different generations, because we’re older and they’re younger and they see us, and it inspires us. It’s enjoyable to be with them,鈥� she said.

Beyond just volunteering in the classroom, the folks from The Carnegie have really become part of the school community. They raised money to purchase T-shirts for every child that they wear on field trips and during special events. They also raised money to buy 75 backpacks for students in need at the school.

鈥淭hey’re doing a beautification project in the front of the school,鈥� Williams said.

Speaking about the overall experience, Williams said: 鈥淚t sends the message to our kids, and they really believe this that they matter. The fact that people that live within the community, but really don’t have specific ties to the school, have taken the time out to just come meet with our kids, support our teachers, and they are invested.鈥�

鈥淭here are probably other retirement communities that would probably jump at a chance to do something like this and I think there’s plenty of schools that would welcome that kind of a thing,鈥� Pattison added.

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