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
Social Justice Curriculum Fair (in-person)
September
Sept 20: Native Knowledge 360° Teach-in (in-person in NYC)
October
Oct 6–10: Teach Central America Week
November
POSTPONED to March 16: Native Knowledge 360° Teach-in (virtual)
March–April
International Filmfest D.C. Classroom Visits
March 16: Native Knowledge 360° Teach-in (virtual)
January
January 10: Black Lives Matter at School Resource Exchange (in-person)
January 24: Black Lives Matter at School Curriculum Fair (virtual)
February
February 2–6: Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action
Upcoming Events
Liberation Libations®
DCAESJ Partner Event | JoinBaltimore Transformative Learning Collective for their event series designed to cultivate community amongst educators.
“Rich With Love”: A Film Screening and Panel Discussion
Join the City of Bowie and UMD Social Justice Alliance for a film screening & panel discussion centered around racial justice and equity, and in honor of native 1LT Richard W. Collins III.
Resource Exchange D.C. Area Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action
DCAESJ EVENT| Resource exchange for all D.C. area educators in preparation for the 2026 Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action (February 2–6, 2026).
Black Lives Matter at School Curriculum Fair
DCAESJ Event | Join us on Saturday, January 26, 2026, for an online curriculum fair featuring a keynote speaker and workshops set to uplift the guiding principles that focus on improving the school experience for Black students.
Youth Town Hall
DCAESJ Partner Event | The Youth Town Hall brings youth of color from D.C. together to discuss issues impacting their lives and communities.
I’ll Make Me a World: The 100-Year Journey of Black History Month
TFC Event | Jarvis Givens joins Rethinking Schools executive director Cierra Kaler-Jones and editor Jesse Hagopian to discuss his latest book, I’ll Make Me a World: The 100-Year Journey of Black History Month.
Held during Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action (February 2—6, 2026), this event uplifts the national demand to mandate Black history and ethnic studies in K-12 curriculum.
This event is part of the Zinn Education Project's (co-directed by Rethinking Schools and Teaching for Change) Teach the Black Freedom Struggle series and is designed for teachers and other school staff. Parents, students, and others are also welcome to participate.
Black History Is for Everyone with Brian Jones
TFC Event | Join Teaching for Change at Busboys & Poets for a conversation with author and educator Brian Jones.
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.
Rest + Rise: Yoga Wellness Night
DCAESJ Partner Event | Rest + Rise, a project of EmpowerEd, invites Black educators from across the DMV to an evening of yoga, mindfulness, and community building!
Lt. Collins Day of Service
Honor the life and legacy of Lt. Richard Collins III through a day of service, reflection, and community impact.
American Agitators Screening at NCSS
Join NCSS for a screening of American Agitators. This documentary explores the remarkable life of Fred Ross, Sr. and a legacy of organizing for social justice that thrives today.
East of the River Educator Happy Hour
DCAESJ Partner Event | EmpowerEd invites educators to the East of the River Happy Hour!
Documentary Screening: "The Librarians"
Don't miss this opportunity to see The Librarians, a vital documentary for anyone who believes in the power of libraries and the freedom to read.
Exhibit Tour: "Class Action: Education and Opportunity in the Nation's Capital"
Join this guided tour for the Free DC community to learn lessons from student organizers, educators, and community leaders who worked to reimagine education throughout DC’s history.
The Brown Bookshelf Tour
Join us the MLK Library for a family-focused panel discussion and live reading from four renowned children’s literature authors from The Brown Bookshelf.
QUEEN MOTHER | A Busboys and Poets Books Presentation
From an award-winning historian of Black radical politics comes the definitive biography of Queen Mother Audley Moore--mother of modern Black Nationalism and trailblazer in the fight for reparations
Screening of Award-Winning Documentary: American Agitators
American Agitators explores the remarkable life of Fred Ross, Sr. and a legacy of organizing for social justice that thrives today.
DC Educator Organizing Summit
DCAESJ Partner Event | Build your organizing skills and policy knowledge to produce educator-led change in D.C. with EmpowerEd.
46th Charles H. Thompson Lecture with Keynote Dr. David Stovall
TFC Partner Event | Join the Charles H. Thompson Colloquium for Dr. David Stovall’s keynote address "We Cannot Forget the Assignment; Educational Freedom Fighting in Perilous Times."
The 14th Amendment and the Crises in American Democracy with Sherrilyn Ifill
Join Frederick Douglass Center for Leadership Through the Humanities for their free public lecture, “The 14th Amendment and the Crises in American Democracy.”
Children’s Africana Book Awards Ceremony 2025
TFC Partner Event | Join the Children’s Africana Book Awards (CABA) in honoring children’s and young adult books that promote understanding of Africa through compelling stories and accurate representation.
Evening for Educators: Out of Many, One Classroom
Experience how art can spark dialogue, foster inclusion, and amplify diverse perspectives.
Exhibit Opening at Garrison
Join The Story of Our Schools to celebrate their newest school story exhibit, and honor the deep history that surrounds Garrison Elementary.
A History Teach-In
Join in for a teach-in on the National Mall happening from sunup (6:30am) to sundown (7:30pm).
Model Schools in the Model City: A Book Talk with Amber N. Wiley
Join the DC History Center and Charles Sumner School Museum and Archives for a book talk about the history of Black public education and school architecture in the nation’s capital.
Rest + Rise Happy Hour for Black Educators
DCAESJ Partner Event | Join Rest + Rise for a special happy hour event for Black educators!
Reconsidering Reparations: Author Talk with Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò
TFC Event | Hear from author Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò, in conversation with Jenice L. View, on his new book, Reconsidering Reparations: Why Climate Justice and Constructive Politics Are Needed in the Wake of Slavery and Colonialism.
Police Against the Movement: The Sabotage of the Civil Rights Struggle and the Activists Who Fought Back
Police Against the Movement shatters one of the most pernicious myths about the 1960s: that the civil rights movement endured police violence without fighting it.
Eradicating Anti-Black Racism in the DMV Conference
Join the Anti-Black Racism Initiative and the Bahá’í Chair for World Peace for the Eradicating Anti-Black Racism in the DMV Conference.
Fall 2025 Book Study
Join the DEY PLI for their 2025 Book Study series on Maurice Sykes’ and Kyra Ostendorf’s new book Child Care Justice.
Barry Farm/Hillsdale: History Open Mic
Join Empower DC for their first Barry Farm/Hillsdale: History Open Mic. As part of the second event for the traveling Barry Farm Exhibit, share your stories about Barry Farm.
La Comunidad Reads with Alejandro Varela
To celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, join the Mt. Pleasant Library, Lupita Aquino, and Politics and Prose Bookstore for conversation with novelist Alejandro Varela for his new book Middle Spoon.
Recess at the Capitol
DC needs Congress to defeat the 16 bills attacking DC, reject the 20+ budget riders that would undo key laws, and pass bills that would expand DC's local power.
Child Care Justice Webinar
“Child Care Justice calls on educators, activists, and their allies to rethink, reimagine, and reconstruct a more equitable and just system for all who receive and provide care to our nation’s youngest children.”
"Bright Before Us" Launch with Author Jason Reynolds
DCAESJ Partner Event | Celebrate Shout Mouse Press's new anthology, which features work from 10 years of SMP books & contributions from guest authors.
Immigration Detention Panel
Coming at a pivotal social and political moment, Immigration Detention Inc. makes the case for dismantling immigration detention regimes everywhere.
Mojitos y Maestros: 2025 DC Latiné Educator Story Lounge
DCAESJ Partner Event | EmpowerEd invites DC's Latiné educators to a night of community, celebration, and storytelling.
Community Care Circle: Repairing the Staff–Admin Divide
The Back-to-School Pressure is Real. Join 11:11 Wellness for their virtual Community Care Circle.