Dear Friend,?

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Over the past year we have witnessed our community step up with and for each other. Tomorrow, at our I'll Be There Awards, we want to highlight the work of Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal (Metro AME) Church and Natacia Knapper. Both are anchors in our community and are a clear example of what community looks like!

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Metro AME Church has provided a safe space to worship, create, and build with community since its inception. Rooted and grounded in the resilience, strength, and beauty of the Black and African American community in DC, it continues to be a beacon of tenacity and fight. We want to celebrate their continuous support for all the organizing work they provide in the city and beyond.?

Founded in 1838, Metro AME was formed by two existing churches: Israel Bethel ?A.M.E., founded in 1821, and Union Bethel A.M.E., founded in 1838. The parent A.M.E. Church movement grew out of an anti-segregation protest in Philadelphia in 1787. Similarly, both Israel ?Bethel and Union Bethel began as a result of dissatisfaction among African Americans over racial segregation here in Washington at Ebenezer Methodist Episcopal Church. On July 6, ?1838, Union Bethel received the official sanction of the Baltimore Conference of the African ?Methodist Episcopal Church.

From anti-slavery leadership in the mid-19th century, to AIDS education and voter registration projects today, Metropolitan has been not just a major center of worship, but also an institution in the forefront of the civic, cultural, and intellectual life among African Americans.?

Natacia Knapper is Black, queer, nonbinary organizer who has called Washington DC home for over a decade. They deeply believe in restorative justice, Black liberation and reparations. Over the years, their organizing journey has included the DC Movement 4 Black Lives, Stop Police Terror Project DC, the ACLU of DC, Defund MPD, Ward 1 Mutual Aid, and their greatest passion project, Baldwin House - a housing project collectively dreamed up with their Ward 1 Mutual Aid comrades.

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Natacia is passionate about breaking cycles of gentrification, misogynoir, incarceration and transphobia and believes our collective liberation is linked together - and the most important part of liberation is celebration, art and joy.?

DC Jobs With Justice - I'll Be There Awards
Tuesday, November 14

Festival Center * 1640 Columbia Rd NW
Open House 5:30 - 7:00 * Awards Program 7:00

Join us tomorrow in celebration as we uplift the work and commitment to our communities in DC that Natacia and Metro AME have!

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In solidarity

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Elizabeth Falcon?
Executive Director
DC Jobs With Justice

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