Housing Rising

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Julia Cain

From the DC Fiscal Policy Institute‘s May 7th report, “Disappearing Act: Affordable Housing in DC is Vanishing Amid Sharply Rising Housing Costs,” via Washington Grantmakers Daily:

Over the last decade, DC has experienced a rapid rise in housing costs that has contributed to a substantial loss of low-cost housing stock. Since 2000, the number of low-cost rental units in the city has fallen by half, due primarily to rising prices, and the number of lower-value homes fell by nearly three quarters [...]

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Power of Words

Posted on May 7, 2012 by Julia Cain

In the fall of 2010, Catalogue launched a contest to mark our eighth year: we asked our non-profits to choose an “8″ word (celebrate, collaborate, appreciate, or elevate) and then create a 30-60 second film around it. Many used a simple hand-held camera or even a cell phone, but the results were pretty amazing.

Our winner, the Literacy Council of Montgomery County won the “Power of 8″ contest with this great video. Their prize was a professionally-produced video from 5:00 Film and Media … and we are excited to share it with you today!

Around Town: May 4-6

Posted on May 4, 2012 by Julia Cain

Welcome to May, Greater Washington! What are you in the mood to experience this weekend?

VISUAL ARTS

On Friday at 7:00 PM, the DCAC opens “Zeitgeist III: Too Much Information?,” the third in a series of periodic group exhibitions of artists exploring contemporary cultural themes; learn more on Facebook. And on Saturday at 2:00 PM, students from the Corcoran Gallery of Art and College of Art + Design‘s Masters of Arts in New Media Photojournalism program will present a diverse selection of work at THEARC, 1901 Mississippi Avenue SE.

TECHNOLOGY

From 1:00 to 5:00 PM on Saturday at Fairlington Presbyterian Church, Computer CORE will offer a 4-hour workshop, in which students will learn the basic functions and capabilities of Salesforce, plus get some hands-on experience! You can sign up .

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In Our Schools

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Marie LeBlanc

By Marie LeBlanc, Catalogue Community Partnerships Coordinator

Today’s political and economic conversations tend to revolve around one problem and its many side-effects: the struggling economy, and thus high unemployment rates and student loan debt, especially among youth and recent graduates. However, for one segment of the population, even the burden of student debt is out of reach because they don’t have the opportunity to go to college. Today, drop-out rates in the US are startling. According to American Graduate, 1.3 million students drop out of high school each year. DC’s high school graduation rate is 76%, with significantly different rates depending on race. Students who don’t complete high school are ineligible for some low-skill jobs, never mind the high number of professions today that require at least a Bachelor’s degree.

The American Graduate Initiative tackles this issue head on, with the support of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. WAMU published a series of articles addressing the dropout crisis in the area. Reporter Kavitha Cardoza explores the “causes and consequences of the dropout problem” in DC, and also look at innovative support for at-risk students provided by a variety of community organizations.

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In The News …

Posted on May 2, 2012 by Julia Cain

The Effect Of Youth Unemployment On Crime (DCentric via Justice Policy Institute): “DC has an unemployment disparity, in which joblessness is very low in wealthy neighborhoods, while low-income neighborhoods have Depression-era unemployment rates. The Justice Policy Institute report also showed how unemployment is chronically high in places with a lot of crime.” A graph of 2010 property crimes, violent crimes, and unemployment rates by DC Ward show that the three correlate almost exactly. The report also points out that “as compared to their more advantaged peers who may have received more preparation from their family, school and overall community environment, youth from low-income areas of the District may need additional guidance to meet the expectations of the workplace.”

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Life Stories

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Julia Cain

Last night, at the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater, The Theatre Lab School of the Dramatic Arts presented a unique new work, My Soul Look Back and Wonder: Life Stories from Women in Recovery — a production of its acclaimed Life Stories program. After the performance, R. Gil Kerlikowske, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, took part in a panel discussion about the play and the critical issues of substance abuse and homelessness.

According to the Theatre Lab, “The program began in early February on-site at the N Street Village facility, a recovery center for homeless and low-income women. Theatre Lab instructor Thomas Workman led a group of ten women in recovery for substance abuse through acting, storytelling, and drama therapy exercises. Participants shared details of their personal lives, including family issues, struggles with drugs, and homelessness. The stories were then crafted into theatre piece by Helen Hayes Award-winning playwright Jennifer L. Nelson. The women — none of whom are professionally trained actors — performed the play themselves under the direction of Theatre Lab founder and co-executive director Deb Gottesman.”

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That Swing

Posted on April 30, 2012 by Julia Cain

It don’t mean a thing, if it ain’t got that swing
It don’t mean a thing all you got to do is sing
It makes no difference
If it’s sweet or hot
Just give that rhythm
Every little thing you’ve got …

– music by Duke Ellington, born this past Sunday in 1899 in Washington, DC

You can learn about the Ellington Fund, which ensures a dynamic arts and academic experience for students at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, right here.

Around Town: April 28-29

Posted on April 27, 2012 by Julia Cain

So what might strike your fancy this weekend?

RUNNING FAR …

The 2nd annual Fairfax CASA Run for the Children 10K Race & 3K Run/Walk is coming up on Saturday at 8 AM — prizes, food, and entertainment all included. Sign up right here. And in running-related events, Girls on the Run founder Molly Barker will share words of wisdom at a brunch to benefit the GOTR of MoCo scholarship fund on Saturday at 8 AM. Admission tickets are sold out, but you can still buy raffle tickets here!

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In The News …

Posted on April 25, 2012 by Julia Cain

The cost of a nation of incarceration (CBS News): “Nationwide, the numbers are staggering: Nearly 2.4 million people behind bars, even though over the last 20 years the crime rate has actually dropped by more than 40%.” Michael Jacobson, director of the Vera Institute of Justice, points out that the US has “about 5% of the world’s population, but we have 25% of the world’s prisoners.” A report from Vera, “The Price of Prisons, finds that the cost of incarcerating one inmate runs up to $60,000 per year in some states. Says Walter McNeil, president of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, “… the vast majority of the people in prison are going to return to prison unless we do something different.”

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