Over the past twenty years, the District of Columbia has experienced explosive and controversial change. D.C. is netting 1,200 new residents a month; yet there is not enough affordable housing for everyone. Neighborhoods are changing dramatically, with much-loved local shops and eateries transforming along with them. Are these changes for the better? How do we hold onto D.C.’s unique past while embracing the future? DC Public Library believes that D.C. residents should be part of this decision-making process and that information will empower residents to participate in shaping the District. Thus, the Library has partnered with David Plotz and Hanna Rosin to create the District of Change discussion series to engage all District residents and foster dialogue about the future of their city.

The District of Change series included four discussions over the past year on topics that particularly resonate with D.C. residents: Making D.C. Better for the Arts; Are D.C. Schools Getting Better?; LGBTQ Life in D.C. Then and Now; and Is D.C. Still Chocolate City? The success of the series relies upon the format and the panelists/moderators. Plotz and Rosin have purposely chosen journalists such as Matt Yglesias, Amanda Ripley, Mark Joseph Stern, and Natalie Hopkinson to moderate and challenge panelists to engage with the audience and one another. These are spirited interactions that aim beyond the politic and provoke thoughtfulness.

Since its inception, more than 650 participants have attended District of Change discussions. Evaluations have revealed that residents are hungry for this type of civic engagement. Moreover, participants have requested smaller discussions at neighborhood branches to explore these topics more deeply. The Library is working to meet these requests. Outcomes also include new relationships and programs resulting from the series. For example, panelist Holly Bass, a D.C.-based artist, challenged the Library to support public art and local artists during the first discussion. As a result, the Library hosted her installation, Black Space, in the Great Hall of the central library and made it the cornerstone of its Black History month programming. Panelist Brendan Canty is partnering with DCPL to develop a musical instrument lending program.