A DC statehood sign by Michelle Kinsey Bruns licensed under Creative Commons.

The discussion around DC statehood is nothing new. People have been arguing for and against it for years. But, in an online forum hosted by the Historical Society of Washington, George Derek Musgrove, Ph.D., an author and associate professor of history at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and Bob Levey, a former Washington Post columnist, will both talk about the historical context for today’s ongoing effort toward DC statehood.

Participants can expect answers to questions such as: How and why did statehood become the popular strategy? Why did late-20th-century efforts for statehood fail? And what role has race played in the effort for representation for this historically Black city?

The event starts at 7:30 pm Thursday, July 16. You can register here.

Tuesday, July 14

Learn about the progression of automated vehicle technologies: Following the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s recent posting of a Voluntary Safety Self Assessment for BMW’s Level 3 automated vehicle system, the Eno Center for Transportation is hosting a conversation to discuss the system, plus current developments and future of automated vehicles.

Speakers include Armin Graeter, the head of strategy for autonomous driving and driver assistance at BMW Group; Simon Fuerst, a principal expert for automated driving technologies at BMW Group; and Paul Lewis, the vice president of policy and finance at the Eno Center for Transportation.

The event starts at 2 p.m. You can register here.

Wednesday, July 15

Learn about converting America’s building stock: OurEnergyPolicy is hosting panel discussion with representatives from academia, industry, labor, and the utilities sector to look at political, economic, and infrastructure issues surrounding building electrification in the US.

The conversation will be moderated by Adam Zurofsky, the former director of state policy and agency management for the State of New York. Speakers include Marilyn A. Brown, a professor of public policy at Georgia Institute of Technology; Mike Fishman, the principal officer at Climate Jobs New York; Kyle Kimball, the vice president of government relations at ConEd; and Alex Laskey, the founder of Rewire America.

The webinar starts at Noon, and you can register here.

Thursday, July 16

“Being an ANC commissioner is an incredibly fulfilling task, filled with moments of success, frustration, anger, and hope,” said Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners Corey Holman, in a recent GGWash post.

As we’ve previously reported, ANCs are neighborhood-level elected officials who help with neighborhood problems and weigh in on how places should (or shouldn’t) change. Although the position is unpaid and they can’t make laws or regulations, ANCs play a crucial role in their communities and throughout the city.

This year, petitions are due — with 10 valid signatures — on August 5. If you’re interested in running for ANC this year, join GGWash Thursday, July 16, at 6 pm to learn about the process and about how being a commissioner works.

You can register here.

Check out more urbanist events on our events calendar. Do you have an event you’d like to see featured in the weekly events post? Submit it here!

Christina Sturdivant Sani is a proud DC native whose work has exposed disparities and injustices that permeate under-resourced communities. She finds joy in highlighting creative solutions in this rapidly changing city. As a coffee shop connoisseur, she has a list of more than 60 cafes that she's visited in the District. If you see her at your local shop, story ideas are welcome!