Washington, D.C
Mosaic Theater Company launches ‘Young John Lewis’ reflection series
Mosaic Theater Company of DC is proud to announce the Young John Lewis Reflection Series, a season-long slate of community conversations, performances and special events leading up to and surrounding the world premiere of Young John Lewis. Running March 26-April 26, 2026, Young John Lewis is a new musical celebrating the life and legacy of the late Congressman and Civil Rights leader. The Reflection Series extends the play’s themes into the community with events across all eight wards of Washington, DC, honoring Lewis’ commitment to “good trouble” while celebrating the city’s rich cultural, artistic and civic life.
“Art and activism go hand in hand in moving society forward,” said Reginald L. Douglas, Artistic Director of Mosaic Theater Company. “With this Reflection Series, we honor John Lewis’ legacy by creating space for dialogue, celebration and action across our city. Our hope is that audiences will see themselves in his story, and leave the theater not only inspired but empowered to make good trouble of their own.” “The Reflection Series is about weaving John Lewis’ story into the fabric of DC life,” added Jacob Ettkin, Mosaic’s Education and Engagement Manager. “By partnering with community leaders, schools, libraries and arts organizations, we’re ensuring that this musical extends beyond our stage into a citywide movement that uplifts history, community and future generations of changemakers.”
About Young John Lewis
Book and Lyrics by Psalmayene 24
Music by Kokayi
Directed by Reginald L. Douglas
March 26-April 26, 2026
It’s time to make some Good Trouble! In this new musical, Mosaic’s Playwright-in-Residence Psalmayene 24 honors the legendary “Conscience of Congress”: the late Congressman John Lewis. Focusing on the Congressman’s formative years of ages 18-28, Young John Lewis reveals the humanity and heart of this mighty historic figure. The musical explores how the murder of Emmett Till motivated Lewis to pursue a life of service, including leading the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, fighting for Civil Rights with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and nearly two decades of work in Congress. A theatrical event not to be missed, Young John Lewis is both a galvanizing call to action and an inspiring reminder that we can all make a difference, no matter our age.
A Season of Good Trouble: Young John Lewis Reflection Series
October
Celebration of Community
October 9, 2025 | Ward 2 | Eaton DC | Free event
In the spirit of John Lewis’ commitment to coalition building across disparate communities, Mosaic will celebrate the power of connecting across differences with this kickoff event at Eaton DC featuring food, drinks, and a celebration of Good Trouble from a diverse group of inspiring voices.
A Celebration of Community
Thursday, October 9 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm
Eaton DC – 1201 K St NW, Washington, DC 20005
Sign up here: https://docs.google.com/…/1FAIpQLSeN1C…/viewform
What to expect:
Sneak peek of Young John Lewis from Helen Hayes Award-winner Psalmayene 24 and a taste of the music from Grammy Award-nominee Kokayi
Insights from the Smithsonian Museum of African-American History & Culture
The Honorable Cori Bush and Mosaic Artistic Director Reginald L. Douglas in conversation
Panel of local leaders featuring Seeds of Peace, AARP DC, US Department of Justice–Civil Rights Division, Capital Pride Alliance, and Rising Organizers
November
Hip Hop History Month
November 5, 2025 | Ward 8 | Busboys and Poets Anacostia
Mosaic partners with Busboys and Poets Anacostia for a night uplifting local spoken word and hip-hop artists and highlighting Young John Lewis’ hip-hop roots.
December
A Celebration of DC Home Rule
Date TBD | Ward 2 | MLK Library
December 24, 2025, marks 52 years of home rule in Washington, DC. Mosaic heads to MLK Library–the first major project DC built independently–for a celebration of DC artistry, identity and community. Programmed in partnership with the DC Public Library and the DC History Center.
January
Remembering John Lewis: Good Trouble and the Black-Jewish Civil Rights Alliance
January 16-18 | Ward 3 | Adas Israel Congregation
Mosaic partners with Adas Israel Congregation and its church and gospel partners for the yearly Martin Luther King weekend days of inspiration. From shabbat to the Sunday community day of service, Mosaic and Adas will share stories, challenges and musical inspirations from Lewis’ exemplary life of social action and building the beloved community.
Not Just Another Day Off Poetry Reading
January 17, 2026 | Ward 6 | Folger Theatre
Each year, the Folger celebrates Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. ‘s birthday with inspiring poetry readings and rousing historical speeches delivered by contemporary poets and actors. Mosaic will amplify their work and the significant relationship between Dr. King and Congressman Lewis, which is featured heavily in the musical.
The Fox & the Panther Play Reading
January 22, 2026 | Ward 4 | Busboys and Poets Takoma
The Fox & the Panther by Tariq Hamami takes us to the 1960s when Algeria established itself as the anti-colonial capital of the world and hosted multiple revolutionaries including the Black Panther Party. Presented in collaboration with California’s Golden Thread Productions, this new play reading will include a special talkback with the playwright and local leaders, highlighting the work of activists in the 1960s and now. Reading hosted at Busboys and Poets Takoma.
DC: A Home for New Musicals
January 26, 2026 | Location TBD
A panel conversation led by Washington Post theater critic Naveen Kumar highlighting local theater companies producing new musicals. Produced in partnership with Olney Theatre Company and Signature Theatre Company, the event will feature performances from Young John Lewis and upcoming productions at the peer theaters.
February
The Spark
February 7, 2026 | Ward 6 | Atlas Performing Arts Center
Mosaic’s annual benefit event will honor local “Good Trouble” leaders Susan Clampitt (former Deputy Chair for Programs at the National Endowment for the Arts), Andy Shallal (Founder & CEO of Busboys & Poets), and George Vradenburg (civic leader and founder of Mosaic’s Trish Vradenburg Play Commission, honoring his late wife’s contributions to the arts by supporting emerging female playwrights). The event will feature a performance from Young John Lewis and a sneak peek of Mosaic’s 2026/27 season.
Celebration of DC Black Theater
February 26, 2026 | Ward 1 | Howard University
A moving panel highlighting DC’s long history of being a hub for Black theater featuring present-day local Black women artistic leaders in conversation with trailblazers who built the legacy. Programmed in partnership with Howard University and State of DC Black Theatre.
March
The Mosaic High School Playwriting Contest
March 15, 2026 | Ward 2 | MLK Library
Mosaic uplifts the next generation of playwrights through its High School Playwriting Contest, providing mentorship, instruction and a professionally guided reading of the winning play with a director and working actors. This year’s contest is inspired by the themes of Young John Lewis, including justice, coalition building, and activism within our communities.
Artist Talkback with Psalmayene 24
March 28, 2026 | Ward 6 | Atlas Performing Arts Center
Curious about what went into the making of Young John Lewis? Playwright Psalmayene 24 will share insights into the process behind the production and his artistic practice following a performance of the musical.
Author Talk: March
Date TBD | Ward 2 | MLK Library
March is a vivid first-hand account of John Lewis’ lifelong struggle for civil and human rights, meditating in the modern age on the distance traveled since the days of Jim Crow and segregation. Rooted in Lewis’ personal story, it also reflects on the highs and lows of the broader civil rights movement. Mosaic and the DC Public Library welcome March author Andrew Aydin for a conversation on his work and Lewis’ legacy.
April
Intergenerational Matinees
April 2, 9, 22, 23, and 30, 2026 | Ward 6 | Atlas Performing Arts Center
After watching Young John Lewis together, middle and high school students and seniors will engage in a post-show conversation with Mosaic’s artists and one another.
65 Years of Good Trouble: SNCC in DC
April 3, 2026 | Ward 6 | Atlas Performing Arts Center
2025 marks the 65th anniversary of the founding of SNCC–the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee–by leaders including Congressman Lewis. Mosaic invites SNCC members into conversation around SNCC’s work, legacy and more.
Washington Performing Arts Weekend
April 10-12, 2026 | Ward 6 | Atlas Performing Arts Center
Mosaic partner organization Washington Performing Arts will lead the curation of a weekend of special events celebrating the power of music and local arts collaborations.
Millennium Arts Salon Talkback
April 12, 2026 | Ward 6 | Atlas Performing Arts Center
Millennium Arts Salon holds a talkback conversation bridging arts and activism after a matinee performance of Young John Lewis.
The Dramaturgy of Hip Hop Theater
April 18, 2026 | Ward 6 | Atlas Performing Arts Center
Young John Lewis keeps the power of hip-hop theater alive! Playwright Psalmayene 24 is a leading figure in the movement and will shed insights into the form and its legacy in dialogue with other hip-hop theater leaders.
The Next Generation of DC Changemakers
April 19, 2026 | Ward 6 | Atlas Performing Arts Center
John Lewis sparked many generations of activists and organizers towards fighting for change within their communities. This post-show conversation will feature some of the changemakers mobilizing for DC here and now.
The Good Troublemaker’s Symposium
April 24, 2026 | Ward 2 | Eaton DC
Mosaic concludes our season-long “Good Trouble’ Reflection Series with the Good Troublemaker’s Symposium. Featuring keynote speakers, breakout conversations, and opportunities to come together and mobilize towards a better future collectively. Programmed in partnership with Eaton DC and DC History Center.
Artist Talkback with the Cast of Young John Lewis
April 26, 2026 | Ward 6 | Atlas Performing Arts Center
Members of the cast will share insights into the making of the show and their unique connections to the work.
Ongoing
The Power of Knowing: John Lewis, Poetry & Hip Hop
Wards 5 and 7 | Capitol View Neighborhood Library, Francis A. Gregory Neighborhood Library and Woodridge Neighborhood Library
“The Power of Knowing” is an interactive workshop that brings together the legacy of civil rights leader John Lewis and the expressive energy of hip hop and spoken word. Led by poet, spoken-word artist, and hip-hop educational leader Tony Keith Jr. in partnership with DC Public Library.
More activities and special events to be announced.
About Mosaic Theater Company
Mosaic Theater Company of DC produces bold, culturally diverse theater that illuminates critical issues, elevates fresh voices, and sparks connection among communities throughout our region and beyond. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Reginald L. Douglas and Managing Director Serge Seiden, Mosaic produces plays that both entertain and enlighten, using art to build empathy amongst diverse people united by the magic of theater, and hopes to build community by reflecting the many cultures that call DC home.
Washington, D.C
Senators Seek to Change Bill That Allows Military to Operate Just Like Before the DC Plane Crash
Senators from both parties pushed Thursday for changes to a massive defense bill after crash investigators and victims’ families warned the legislation would undo key safety reforms stemming from a collision between an airliner and Army helicopter over Washington, D.C., that killed 67 people.
The head of the National Transportation Safety Board investigating the crash, a group of the victims’ family members and senators on the Commerce Committee all said the bill the House advanced Wednesday would make America’s skies less safe. It would allow the military to operate essentially the same way as it did before the January crash, which was the deadliest in more than two decades, they said.
Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell and Republican Committee Chairman Sen. Ted Cruz filed two amendments Thursday to strip out the worrisome helicopter safety provisions and replace them with a bill they introduced last summer to strengthen requirements, but it’s not clear if Republican leadership will allow the National Defense Authorization Act to be changed at this stage because that would delay its passage.
“We owe it to the families to put into law actual safety improvements, not give the Department of Defense bigger loopholes to exploit,” the senators said.
Right now, the bill includes exceptions that would allow military helicopters to fly through the crowded airspace around the nation’s capital without using a key system called ADS-B to broadcast their locations just like they did before the January collision. The Federal Aviation Administration began requiring that in March. NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy called the bill a “significant safety setback” that is inviting a repeat of that disaster.
“It represents an unacceptable risk to the flying public, to commercial and military aircraft, crews and to the residents in the region,” Homendy said. “It’s also an unthinkable dismissal of our investigation and of 67 families … who lost loved ones in a tragedy that was entirely preventable. This is shameful.”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he is looking into the concerns but thinks they can be addressed by quickly passing the aviation safety bill that Cruz and Cantwell proposed last summer.
“I think that would resolve the concerns that people have about that provision, and hoping — we’ll see if we can find a pathway forward to get that bill done,” said Thune, a South Dakota Republican.
The military used national security waivers before the crash to skirt FAA safety requirements on the grounds that they worried about the security risks of disclosing their helicopters’ locations. Tim and Sheri Lilley, whose son Sam was the first officer on the American Airlines jet, said this bill only adds “a window dressing fix that would continue to allow for the setting aside of requirements with nothing more than a cursory risk assessment.”
Homendy said it would be ridiculous to entrust the military with assessing the safety risks when they aren’t the experts, and neither the Army nor the FAA noticed 85 close calls around Ronald Reagan National Airport in the years before the crash. She said the military doesn’t know how to do that kind of risk assessment, adding that no one writing the bill bothered to consult the experts at the NTSB who do know.
The White House and military didn’t immediately respond Thursday to questions about these safety concerns. But earlier this week Trump made it clear that he wants to sign the National Defense Authorization Act because it advances a number of his priorities and provides a 3.8% pay raise for many military members.
The Senate is expected to take up the bill next week, and it appears unlikely that any final changes will be made. But Congress is leaving for a holiday break at the end of the week, and the defense bill is considered something that must pass by the end of the year.
Story Continues
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Washington, D.C
Bill would rename former Black Lives Matter Plaza for slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk – WTOP News
A South Carolina Republican Congresswoman wants to rename a well-known stretch of 16th Street NW in D.C. after slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
A South Carolina Republican Congresswoman wants to rename a well-known stretch of 16th Street NW in D.C. after slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Rep. Nancy Mace introduced legislation Wednesday to designate the area once known as “Black Lives Matter Plaza” as the “Charlie Kirk Freedom of Speech Plaza.” The proposal comes three months after Kirk was killed while speaking at a free-speech event at a Utah college.
Mace said the change would honor Kirk’s commitment to the First Amendment, calling him “a champion of free speech and a voice for millions of young Americans.” Her bill would require official signs to be placed in the plaza and updates made to federal maps and records.
In a statement, Mace contrasted the unrest that followed George Floyd’s killing in 2020, when the plaza was created, with the response to Kirk’s death, saying the earlier period was marked by “chaos and destruction,” while Kirk’s killing brought “prayer, peace and unity.”
She argued that after Floyd’s death, “America watched criminals burn cities while police officers were ordered to stand down,” adding that officers were “vilified and abandoned by leaders who should have supported them.”
But D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton pushed back, saying Congress should not override local control.
“D.C. deserves to decide what its own streets are named since over 700,000 people live in the city,” Norton wrote on X. “D.C. is not a blank slate for Congress to fill in as it pleases.”
The stretch of 16th Street was originally dedicated as Black Lives Matter Plaza in 2020 following nationwide protests over Floyd’s death. Earlier this year, the city removed the mural.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s office declined to comment on the bill, as did several members of the D.C. Council.
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Washington, D.C
Chicago woman testifies about being dragged out of car, detained by federal agents in viral video
Wednesday, December 10, 2025 2:09AM
Chicago woman Dayanne Figueroa testified in Washington, DC about being dragged out of a car by federal agents in a viral YouTube video.
CHICAGO (WLS) — A Chicago woman, who is a U.S. citizen, testified in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday about her experience being dragged out of her car and taken into custody by federal agents.
Dayanne Figueroa told a group of senators that on Oct. 10, she had just dropped off her son at school when an SUV rammed into hers.
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Once she was stopped, she says masked men dragged her out of her car.
A video posted on YouTube that has been seen more than 42,000 times shows what happened.
Figueroa was one of five U.S. citizens who testified.
Figueroa said she suffered severe bruising, nerve damage and aggravated injuries to her leg.
Copyright © 2025 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.
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