Donald Trump’s election and its potentially dangerous implications for minorities and other marginalized Americans has definitely spurred people into action. It’s come in different forms: Google docs listing non-profits that support women and minorities, open letters on social media, protests. There’s a sense that something needs to be done.
In DC, where 93 percent of people voted against Trump, some businesses and artists are translating their anger into charity efforts. The Lemon Bowl, a work space and artist collective on Georgia Avenue started by three local women, decided two days ago to hold a bra and tampon drive to gather donations for Support the Girls, an organization that gives feminine hygiene products and bras to DC’s homeless women.
On its Instagram, the Lemon Bowl explained the impetus for the drive: “Because women’s rights are human rights, because the future is female and queer and every single color. Because we’ve got a lot of work to do and we’ve got to start somewhere.” They’ll be taking donations at the space (3015 Georgia Ave NW) for the rest of November.
Inspired by the Lemon Bowl, Carolyn Misterek of Matine Studio, a handmade leather accessories line out of DC, is donating 20 percent of the store’s sales from now until Sunday to ACLU. “When feeling stuck I believe in finding the things we can do and the things we can control, no matter how large or small,” Misterek wrote.
Den-Mate, a local band led by Jules Hale, is donating all of the proceeds from their shows last night and tonight to Black Lives Matter and Planned Parenthood. “We may feel hopeless in times like this but we can all do our part to help each other make a difference,” Hale wrote on her Facebook page.
And after a handful of gay couples asked for advice on speeding up wedding plans before Trump officially becomes president, Pop Wed Co, a wedding planning business, decided to offer its wedding officiant to witness vows and sign marriage licenses for free on December 16 and January 6.
If you hear of any other local efforts like these, drop me a line at gweber@washingtonian.com. I’ll add to the list as they come in.
Greta started as an editorial fellow in January 2016 and joined as a full-time staff member that August. She now works as a web producer and writer. She was previously an intern at Slate and National Geographic and graduated from the University of Missouri’s Journalism School. She lives in Adams Morgan.
