Black Lives Matter DC

08/13/2026

Street Law focuses on practical, direct survival knowledge for people interacting with police, ICE, or other federal law enforcement, especially during stops and frisks. It provides basic but critical baseline information for communities most likely to be targeted.

In D.C.’s Black neighborhoods, there is the law on the books, and then there is street law: how policing actually happens on the street, in real time.

When police approach, question, detain, search, or pat you down, what so-called constitutional rights are you supposed to have? What should you do in the moment? If police lie and you are arrested, what do you need to know? How can we document, report, and share what is happening in our communities—and identify the officers responsible?

In addition to addressing these questions, the training highlights the contradictions between what the law and official policies say and the tactics law enforcement actually uses on the street.

08/05/2026

BLACK LIVES MATTER DC PRESENTS: BLACK AUGUST LIBERATION DAY 🖤❤️💚

Saturday, August 8 | 1:00–5:00 PM
Anacostia Park (Field 7)

FREE • Family-Friendly • Open to the Community

This year’s Black August Liberation Day honors the legacy of Black youth who have shaped the struggle for freedom. We remember Jonathan Jackson, who was just 17 years old when he gave his life on August 7, 1970, and draw inspiration from Baba Jalil Muntaqim, who was imprisoned at 19 and reminds us through We Are Our Own Liberators that freedom is built through political education, collective struggle, and self-determination.

As Mama Assata Shakur reminds us, “Part of being a revolutionary is creating a vision that is more humane. That is more fun, too. That is more loving. It’s really working to create something beautiful.”

Come build community with us.

07/24/2026

BLACK LIVES MATTER DC PRESENTS: BLACK AUGUST LIBERATION DAY

Saturday, August 8 | 1:00–5:00 PM
Anacostia Park (Field 7)

FREE • Family-Friendly • Open to the Community

This year’s Black August Liberation Day honors the revolutionary legacy of Black youth in Washington, DC and beyond. One of those young revolutionaries was Jonathan Jackson, who was just 17 years old when he gave his life in the struggle for Black liberation on August 7, 1970. His courage and commitment remind us that young people have never simply inherited movements, they have built them, led them, and transformed them.

We are our own liberators.

Jonathan Jackson’s life reminds us that liberation has always depended on the courage, vision, and leadership of young people. That same spirit is reflected in the title of Comrade Jalil Muntaqim’s powerful collection of prison writings, We Are Our Own Liberators. A former Black Panther Party and Black Liberation Army member who was imprisoned at just 19 years old and spent nearly 50 years behind bars, Baba Muntaqim reminds us that freedom is built through political education, collective struggle, and self-determination.

Join us for an afternoon of community, culture, and political education as we celebrate the revolutionary tradition of Black youth. Enjoy free food, a live DJ, free haircuts, face painting, a large children’s activity center, a mutual aid station, youth and community organizations, community political education, raffles, and opportunities to connect with neighbors, learn about ongoing community work, and find meaningful ways to plug in year-round.

As Mama Assata Shakur reminds us, “Part of being a revolutionary is creating a vision that is more humane. That is more fun, too. That is more loving. It’s really working to create something beautiful.” That’s what this day is about. Come celebrate Black joy, build community, and help create the conditions for the next generation of young revolutionaries to thrive.

Saturday, August 8
1:00–5:00 PM
Anacostia Park (Field 7)

Free and open to the entire community.

07/16/2026

Rain or shine, we’re outside! 🌦️ And don’t worry—we’ll have tents to keep the celebration going.

Join us this Saturday for an afternoon of food, games, music, community, and so much more. Bring your family, invite your friends, and come celebrate with us!

📍 Anacostia Park, Field 6
🗓️ Saturday, July 18
🕛 12 PM–5 PM

We can’t wait to see everyone there. Rain or shine, we’re making it happen! 🎉✊🏾❤️💚💛

07/14/2026

🎉 Just 4 days to go!

Join Black Lives Matter DC for For the Culture Community Day, a free afternoon of Black joy, community, music, food, games, and family fun in Anacostia Park.

This is a chance to gather, reconnect, celebrate our culture, and simply enjoy being in community with one another.

🗓 Saturday, July 18
🕛 12 PM–5 PM
📍 Anacostia Park

Tag a friend, bring the family, and spread the word. We’ll see you there! 🖤❤️💚💛

07/06/2026

🚨 COPWATCH TRAINING + POLICE COMPLAINTS WORKSHOP 🚨

📅 Sunday, July 26
🕑 CopWatch Training: 2–4 PM
🕓 Police Complaints Workshop: 4–5 PM
📍 Black Workers & Wellness Center
2500 MLK Ave SE

As policing, surveillance, and collaboration between local and federal law enforcement continue to expand across DC, our communities need more people ready to observe, document, and support one another.

Join the DC COLLAB for a hands-on CopWatch Training and learn how to safely monitor police activity, document encounters, know your rights, support your neighbors, and strengthen community self-defense.

Then stay for our Police Complaints Workshop, where we’ll walk through how to write and file a complaint. Whether you’ve experienced police misconduct, witnessed it happen to someone else, or simply want to understand the process, this workshop is for you.

Need help filing a complaint? Bring any photos, videos, notes, officer information, witness contacts, or other documentation you have—but don’t worry if you don’t have anything. We’ll help you figure out your next steps.

You do not need to be filing a complaint to attend. Come learn the process so you’re prepared to support yourself, your family, and your community.

Collective safety starts with organized communities. Come build with us.

BlackLivesMatterDC

07/04/2026

07/01/2026

SAVE THE DATE! 🖤💚❤️💛

Join Black Lives Matter DC for For the Culture Community Day!

Enjoy free food, music, games, family-friendly activities, and a day celebrating Black joy, culture, and community.

Saturday, July 18
12:00–5:00 PM
Anacostia Park

Come for the culture. Stay for the joy. Bring the whole family!

06/24/2026

As DC prepares for a significant increase in federal and local law enforcement presence during the July 4th America 250 celebrations, we’re hosting a Street Law 101: Summer Surge Survival Training.

We’ll cover rights during police encounters, impacts on youth and Black communities, documenting police activity, rapid response, and community protection strategies.

This training is also part of building the People’s Self-Defense Network and strengthening our ability to keep each other safe.

Please register and help spread the word.

June 28 | 2-4 PM
Black Workers & Wellness Center
Free food and childcare