D.C. Area Events
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For national conferences and institutes see the Teaching for Change calendar.
What to Expect This School Year
This overview maps out our school-year events. Check back for links to upcoming programs as they go live. See more upcoming events below.
August
August 29, 2026: Social Justice Curriculum Fair 2026 (in-person)
November
November 7, 2026: Native Knowledge 360° Teach-in (online)
April
September
Sept 26, 2026: Native Knowledge 360° Teach-in (in-person in Washington, D.C.)
January
October
Oct 5–9, 2026: Teach Central America Week
February
February 1–5, 2027: Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action
Upcoming Events
A [New] American Dream
A [New] American Dream won't give you the answers. Join curator Philippa Pham Hughes and the Heurich House Museum for a series of gatherings from May 20th - August 7th, 2026 as America (and DC) enters its 250th year.
Jazzy Sundays in Anacostia
Presented by the Anacostia BID and DCity Smokehouse, Jazzy Sundays returns after an incredible first season that proved one thing: this is exactly what the people want.
Black August Webinar: Educate + Heal
This year, the Center for Black Educator Development and the National Black Teacher Pipeline Coalition invite you into Black August: Educate. Heal. Organize. This is a two-part webinar series grounded in reflection, connection, and collective action.
Dave Zirin — The People's Historian: The Outsized Life of Howard Zinn
Politics and Prose will host author Dave Zirin to talk about his forthcoming biography of historian Howard Zinn.
Counted Out Virtual Screening and Conversation on AI
Free virtual screening of Counted Out followed by a live conversation about making sense of the world in the age of AI.
The People’s Historian: The Outsized Life of Howard Zinn
TFC Partner Event | Join us at Busboys and Poets with author Dave Zirin. He will be in conversation with Jessica A. Rucker to introduce a new biography of Howard Zinn.
Black August Webinar: Organize
This year, the Center for Black Educator Development and the National Black Teacher Pipeline Coalition invite you into Black August: Educate. Heal. Organize. This is a two-part webinar series grounded in reflection, connection, and collective action.
2026 Social Justice Curriculum Fair
DCAESJ Event | Pre-K–12 educators are invited to connect in person while exploring curriculum that challenges students to be critical thinkers and active community members.
Contemporary Central American Voices
TfC Event | Join us at Busboys and Poets for our third annual conversation with contemporary Central American authors, featuring Anna Lapera, John Manuel Arias, Ana Patricia Rodríguez, Jared Lemus, and Diana Rojas.
2026 Native Knowledge 360° Teach-In
TFC Event | Save the date for this in-person teach-in hosted at the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) in Washington D.C.
Liwanag Filipino Lit Fest DC
Liwanag Filipino Lit Fest DC returns on Sunday, October 4th, 2026 and will take place in the Petworth neighborhood at the Petworth Library and Loyalty Books!
2026 ONLINE Native Knowledge 360° Teach-In
TFC Event | Save the date for this ONLINE teach-in hosted in partnership with the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI).
DC History Book Talk: Avocado Dreams
TFC Advisor Event | Join DC History Center and The People’s Archive at MLK Library on Monday, July 27 for a talk about Teaching for Change’s Teaching Central America advisor Ana Patricia Rodríguez’s new book Avocado Dreams.
Freedom Isn’t Free Intergenerational Panel
Join Rising Organizers for "Freedom Isn't Free: Social Movements and the Fight for a Free and Fair Democracy,” an intergenerational conversation featuring movement leaders and organizers exploring the role organizing has played in shaping American democracy, the current state of organizing in America, and offering hopes and recommendations for the future of organizing.
For the Culture Community Day
Join Black Lives Matter DC for For the Culture Community Day, a day of joy, connection, and celebrating the richness of Black culture! Bring the whole family out for delicious food, music, games, and fun activities for all ages.
DC Asian Pacific American Film Festival
The DC Asian Pacific American Film Festival celebrates films from around the world that reflect the richness, diversity, and complexity of Asian and Pacific Islander diasporic experiences, while creating opportunities for audiences, filmmakers, and community leaders to engage in meaningful conversations.
FILM SCREENING: Las Muertes Más Bellas del Mundo
DCAESJ Partner Event:
A film about the Salvadoran diaspora in Washington, D.C. through the eyes of Salvadoran artists.
Lets Get Free March & Concert
On July 9, Center for Popular Democracy invites everyone to march in Washington, D.C. on the anniversary of the 14th Amendment, the moment when “We the People” expanded.
CHOCOLATE: Screening at The Go-Go Museum & Café
Join the iconic Go-Go Museum & Cafe for a special screening of CHOCOLATE: A Motion-Poetry Homage to Black D.C., a lyrical short film honoring the people and resilience of Black D.C.
Next250 National Mobilization
Join Next250 in Washington, DC on June 27 to reimagine what our nation can become.
Maryland Humanities Summer Institute 2026: Dissent!
Haunted by the ruptures of the world around us, the theme for this year’s Maryland Humanities Summer Institute is “Dissent!”
Black Music Month Celebration Summit
DCAESJ Partner Event: In honor of Black Music Month, DC Black MBA, 5 Starr Entertainment, and IN THE LOOP Program of Success are hosting a Music Matters Summit designed to give youth interested in music an opportunity to learn from some leaders in the music industry here in the DMV.
TONI x 2: How Bambara and Morrison Reshaped the Literary Landscape
Join March On! for TONI x 2: How Bambara and Morrison Reshaped the Literary Landscape — an afternoon exploring the powerful creative connection between two of the most influential figures in American literary history: Toni Cade Bambara and Toni Morrison.
America 433+ Teach-In
TFC co-sponsored event | Join us this Juneteenth from 1–4pm at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park for a teach-in on how our shared stories are being erased, censored, or manipulated at our national parks, and what we can do to protect them.
Red Card: The 2026 World Cup, Sportswashing, and the Fifa Greed Machine
TFC Partner Event | Author Jules Boykoff joins us to share about “the longstanding problems with the Olympics, the persisting erosion of leadership in the Olympic Movement, and the consequences and impact for all involved” (Harry Edwards, Professor Emeritus, University of California, Berkeley).
Beyond Compensation: A Book Talk and Signing with Dr. Terence Ngwa
TFC Partner Event | Attend this event to hear from Dr. Terence Ngwa on his new book, Beyond Compensation: Empowering Teachers' Unions to Think Beyond Bread-and-Butter Issues.
DC Dox Festival
TFC Co-Sponsored Event | DC/DOX returns to Washington, DC, June 11–14 for its fourth edition, celebrating bold storytelling and the power of documentary. Experience 100+ new films, plus panels, workshops, and special events.
Robin Broad & John Cavanagh — The Water Defenders: How Ordinary People Saved a Country from Corporate Greed
Broad and Cavanagh will be in conversation with Tope Folarin about their acclaimed book The Water Defenders, which tells the story of activists in San Isidro, El Salvador, who fought multinational mining corporation OceanaGold and won.
Protest: Respect It, Defend It, Use It
TFC Partner Event | Co-authors Annie Leonard and André Carothers join us alongside two local protest experts, Nadine Bloch and Deepa Padmanabha, to celebrate the release of Protest: Respect It, Defend It, Use It and talk about the power of individuals coming together to make real change.
Parent & Youth Town Hall
Meeting on Curfew and Peace.
Join the Go-Go Museum for a no-judgment, honest conversation about youth violence, curfew, parental resources, and accountability.
Founder's Day Celebration
TFC Partner Event | Join the African American Civil War Memorial Museum for a vibrant Founder’s Day Celebration honoring the birth of the United States Colored Troops. Enjoy live music, a pop-up exhibit, and an evening of community and reflection.
Our DC, Our Culture: Arts & Culture Mayoral Candidate Forum
TFC Co-Sponsored Event | We’re excited to partner on Our DC, Our Culture: Arts & Culture Mayoral Candidate Forum, broadcast live on WPFW 89.3 FM on May 1 at 5 - 6 PM and on May 5 from 3-5 pm. Tune in to learn where your mayoral candidate stands on DC’s art and culture community!
Our DC, Our Culture: Arts & Culture Mayoral Candidate Forum
TFC Co-Sponsored Event | We’re excited to partner on Our DC, Our Culture: Arts & Culture Mayoral Candidate Forum, broadcast live on WPFW 89.3 FM on May 1 at 5 - 6 PM and on May 5 from 3-5 pm. Tune in to learn where your mayoral candidate stands on DC’s art and culture community!
May Day 2026 Noon March and Rally
The centerpiece of May Day will be a march and rally beginning at the Washington Monument at 12 PM. Led by immigrant workers in solidarity with labor unions and community members, we’ll take action together to make it clear we reject this administration’s attacks on workers, immigrants, and our communities.
DC History Conference
TFC Partner Event | The 52nd DC History Conference will cover topics important to Washingtonians: activism and advocacy, LGBTQ+ communities, education, environment, local culture, religion, design, and more.
Application Deadline: Summer Graphic Novel Project
Shout Mouse Press, in partnership with the National Museum of Women in the Arts, is now accepting applications for a summer writing workshop for girls and gender-expansive youth of color (ages 12-16) in the DC area. Participants will collaborate on writing and publishing a graphic novel set in a fictional middle school.
The Minutes
THE MINUTES is a darkly hilarious, slow-burning thriller that peels back the patriotic veneer of American identity. Part biting satire, part psychological mystery, it exposes the rot at the heart of institutional power and the stories we tell to survive it.
DC Emancipation Day 2026: Slavery, Memory, and Reconciliation Campus Walking Tour
Save the Date for an annual walking tour of campus buildings and sites with connections to Georgetown’s history and ongoing work in Slavery, Memory, and Reconciliation.
Filmfest DC 2026
Washington, DC's largest and longest-running international film festival celebrates four decades of global cinema. Teaching for Change is partnering with Filmfest DC to bring a limited number filmmakers into D.C. classrooms April 20–24.
Freedom Was in Sight: Reconstruction as the Second Founding
A weeklong educators seminar at the National Museum of African American History and Culture from July 6–10 facilitated by the NMAAHC Teaching and Learning unit along with Reconstruction historian Kate Masur.
11th Annual Howard/Georgetown University Children and Youth Literature Workshop for Teachers
Celebrate the 11th annual Howard/Georgetown University Children and Youth Literature workshop for teachers.
That the Work This Time Shall Finally Be Done: The 14th Amendment & the Next Refounding
Join scholars, advocates, artists, and students for a day of conversation exploring the meaning of citizenship, equality, and democratic renewal in this constitutional moment.