Washingtonians of the Year

For 36 years, The Washingtonian has honored men and women who give their time and talents to make this a better place for all of us. They find ways to enrich the lives of everyone they touch. Here are our local heroes. All photographs by Matthew Worden.

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Luis "Lucho" Velasquez

The door is always open at the Hermano Pedro DC Day Shelter at the Shrine of the Sacred Heart in DC’s Columbia Heights. more

Jim Bugg

Late in 2004, Jim Bugg heard from a pal about a discussion the pal’s Marine son had at Thanksgiving dinner. more

Ludy Green

Like too many children, Ludy Green grew up with domestic violence. more

Betty Jo Gaines

The three-year-old arrived in August at Bright Beginnings, a free, nonprofit childcare center devoted to the District’s homeless. more

Donnie Simpson

When Donnie Simpson came to Washington more than 30 years ago to be on the radio, he wondered whether DC would accept him. more

Jerry Weast

Montgomery County was changing when Jerry Weast arrived to become the superintendent of schools in 1999. more

Lorna Green

Hope is a steel drum to Lorna Green. more

Jane Lang and Paul Sprenger

In 2001, on rundown H Street in Northeast DC, you might have seen a couple of well-heeled lawyers stepping through the remains of a movie house. more

Alison Malmon

Alison Malmon was a Potomac high-school student when her brother came home at the suggestion of the Columbia University counseling center. more

The Rosenbaums

“All the things that could possibly go wrong did,” Marcus Rosenbaum says. more

Brian Lamb

C-Span is not television, says founder and CEO Brian Lamb: “It’s the antithesis of everything else on the air.” more

Matt Gerson

When Matt Gerson began volunteering with the Prevent Cancer Foundation, not even his closest friends knew why. more

Leah Gansler

It helps to have friends in high places. more

Sidney Harman

Sidney Harman is a modern Medici. more

Past Washingtonians of the Year Honorees

25 Most Beautiful People

The conventional wisdom says this is a city of former class presidents and valedictorians, not prom queens and kings. But after a six-week hunt for the best-looking Washingtonians, we discovered that brains come wrapped in some surprising packages. Here are our 25 most beautiful people. more

Chat About Fashion With Two of Our Favorite Bloggers

We’ve invited two of our favorite Washington fashion bloggers (and Washingtonian.com contributors) Rachel Cothran and Betsy Lowther in for a chat on all things fashion and shopping on Friday, May 16, at 3 PM. more

To Do: Food & Wine Festival at National Harbor

If you haven’t checked out the glitzy National Harbor in Prince George’s County, head over to the new riverfront complex this weekend. On Saturday, May 17 and Sunday, May 18, the inaugural Food & Wine Festival at National Harbor offers a lineup of lectures, demos, and tastings studded with local and national big-name chefs. more