D.C. Area Events
Filter Events: All Events / BLM at School / Our Meetings / Application Deadlines
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.
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
Nov 8: Native Knowledge 360° Teach-in (virtual)
March–April
International Filmfest D.C. Classroom Visits
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
Fire Work Screening
When the System sparks a fight, who dares to light the fuse? Join the Theater Alliance for their screenings of Fire Work
Liberation Libations®
DCAESJ Partner Event | JoinBaltimore Transformative Learning Collective for their event series designed to cultivate community amongst educators.
Litte City Concerts: Nen Daiko
A powerful, dynamic combination of drumming and movement with an ensemble rooted in the taiko traditions of Japan.
Award-winning Graphic Artist Pablo Leon Presents "Silenced Voices" and "Remember Me"
Join University of Maryland for Pablo Leon’s presentation of his new graphic novel Silenced Voices and short film Remember Me.
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.
"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.
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.
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.
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."
DC Educator Organizing Summit
DCAESJ Partner Event | Build your organizing skills and policy knowledge to produce educator-led change in D.C. with EmpowerEd.
Grand Reopening of the African American Civil War Memorial Museum
TFC Partner Event | Grand Reopening of the African American Civil War Memorial Museum.
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).
Freedom Nights: The Black Panthers
Engage in a conversation that explores Panthers’ survival programs, political repression (COINTELPRO), women in the Black Panther Party, and more.
Learning Environment: Author Talk
TFC Event | Join Teaching for Change at Busboys and Poets to learn about an award-winning environmental science teacher's actionable roadmap for educators
DC Organizing Festival
The festival will bring together 20 grassroots organizations from across D.C. and over 200 community members.
2025 National Book Festival
Check out more than 90 of the nation's best authors, poets and illustrators, who will discuss their work and answer your questions at the National Book Festival.
Back-to-School Happy Hour for Educators
DCAESJ Partner Event | EmpowerEd invites DC educators to their annual Back to School Happy Hour
"The Last Battlefront" Film Screening
Join Free D.C. for their screening of ”The Last Battlefront: Quest for the Vote in Washington, D.C.”
The Light Looks Like Us: An Intergenerational Conversation
DCAESJ Partner Event | Join Shout Mouse Press for a powerful afternoon of conversation & community with prominent DC poet and author Tony Keith Jr. and local youth authors from the newest anthology, The Light Looks Like Me: Words on Love from Queer Youth.
Popcorn & Politics
Join Empower D.C. for the launch of their new exhibit at Busboys & Poets.
Solidarity Season: Labor Day 2025 Rally + March
Workers across the DC region need to be in solidarity with one another now more than ever before.
2025 Social Justice Curriculum Fair
DCAESJ Event | REGISTER TODAY for the annual Social Justice Curriculum Fair, an opportunity for D.C. area educators to connect in person while exploring curriculum aligned with various social justice themes.
Teaching Through Storytelling: One-Day Workshop for Capitol Hill Educators
DCAESJ Partner Event | Application Deadline July 23 This workshop focuses on educational storytelling—giving you practical tools you can bring straight into your classroom. You’ll help students express themselves, build trust, and connect with one another through story.
Bellevue’s 13th Annual Back to School Bash
DCAESJ Partner Event | Celebrate the 13th Annual Back to School Bash, a free event all about bringing the community together and making sure our kids start the year off strong, healthy, confident, and supported.
Freedom Nights: SNCC Film Screening
DCAESJ Partner Event | Join Project STAND for a night of powerful documentary documenting the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee
Teaching to Transgress: Humanities Summer Institute
Inspired by the legacy and enduring significance of the insurgent Black feminist writer and teacher, bell hooks, the theme for this year’s Humanities Summer Institute is “Teaching to Transgress.”
Youth v. Trump Event in DC: Children's Climate Rights Resolution Press Conference
Youth are leading once again by taking on the Trump administration and its anti-clean energy and anti-climate science directives that attack our children, our scientific institutions, the rule of law, and our democracy.
Summer Institute for Teachers: Arts and Belonging
DCAESJ Partner Event | Explore how the arts can be a catalyst to build belonging in your classroom in this summer’s week-long teacher institute.
Harvesting Justice: Cultivating a Future for DC Schools
TFC Partner Event | Join CARE D.C. at Harvesting Justice on July 10—an event rooted in love, equity, and the fight for better schools in DC. Let’s build something real for our kids.
Freedom Was in Sight: Exploring Reconstruction in the Washington, D.C. Region (Educator Professional Learning)
Join the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture for a deep dive into the era of Reconstruction in the Washington, D.C. region.
The Annual Scotland Juneteenth Heritage Festival
The Family Carnival is one of the most anticipated events of the Scotland Juneteenth Heritage Festival — a full day of celebration, performances, and unforgettable memories.
Juneteenth at Woodlawn Manor Cultural Park
Join the Woodlawn Manor cultural park for special museum hours Thursday, June 19 from 10am to 4pm.
Special Opening - Juneteenth at Josiah Henson Museum and Park
What better way to celebrate Juneteenth than to visit the museum dedicated the man, Reverend Josiah Henson, who traveled along the Underground Railroad freeing 118 former enslaved persons.
National Juneteenth Festival
TFC Partner Event | Celebrate Juneteenth at the African American Civil War Memorial
Book Talk
TFC Partner event | Join the DC History Center and The People's Archive for a book talk about language, community, and identity formation for Latinx immigrants in Chocolate City.
Go-Go on the Rooftop
The beat is back on this summer at the Go-Go on the Rooftop Concert Series at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library!
Family Day: Josiah Henson Birthday Celebration
Kick off your Juneteenth Week by joining the Josiah Henson Museum and Park to celebrate Josiah Henson’s birthday on June 15th!
The Librarians at DC/DOX25
DCAESJ Co-Sponsored Event | Join the DC/DOX festival for the world premiere of The Librarians, a powerful documentary on the chilling story of book bans in Texas and the fight against censorship.
Trans History: A Graphic Novel | A Busboys and Poets Books Presentation
Join Bus Boys & Poets and explore an essential introduction to trans history, from ancient times to the present day, in full-color graphic nonfiction format
DC/DOX Festival
DCAESJ Co-Sponsored Event | Join DC/DOX from June 12–15 for powerful documentaries that uplift truth in education. We’re proud to partner on a Teach Truth Day of Action screening of The Librarian.