Sankofa Video Books & Café
On Georgia Avenue, approximately a five-minute walk from The Yard, recent Howard University graduates Joshua Hughes and Isaac Alicea reminisced outside Sankofa Video Books and Cafe about how the Afrocentric community staple shaped their college experience.
Since 2023, Hughes and Alicea have hosted weekly jam sessions and open mics at Sankofa through their production company and activism group, ARTIVISM.
They built a relationship with the owners of the store, Shirikiana and Haile Gerima, internationally acclaimed Ethiopian filmmakers known for producing the 1993 film “Sankofa”
and former Howard professors.
“We just felt like it was only right to give our art back to the place that it was able to be so graciously cultivated,” Hughes said. The same fondness for Sankofa was evident as Hughes spoke about Washington, D.C., the city he now calls home.
“It’s literally one of the most creative and captivating cities on the East Coast,” he added. “And I’m originally from New York.”
Alicea said Sankofa was one of the first places in D.C. where they created music.
Now, their Tuesday jam sessions are on the calendar of events Sankofa hosts. Hughes said the sessions help “bridge that gap between the D.C. population and Howard,” and emphasized the importance of engaging meaningfully with the city beyond being Howard students or visitors.
For Hughes and Alicea, music is that connector. They recommend students find their own connectors by being open to new experiences socially and exploring the city.
“There’s three or four metro stations in the Howard area. Get on the train and just go to a random stop, find something,” Hughes said.
Rock Creek Park
For Kiera Hale, a junior honors environmental science major from Cleveland, part of transitioning to D.C. is finding familiar landscapes.
Being from the “Forest City,” Hale has made efforts to connect with nature. She has done this by visiting the 1,700-acre Rock Creek Park in Northwest D.C.
To her, the historic national park is an oasis from the fast-paced life of the capital and a break from the stress of studying.
“I would recommend that people start at Picnic Grove number 1 and Picnic Grove number 2,” Hale said.
She noted the groves’ accessibility by public transportation, their streams and ponds, running and hiking trails, and picnic tables.
Hale also recommends that students volunteer at Rock Creek Park and with local environmental justice organizations such as Empower DC or the Sunrise Movement.
“Taking care of the forest feels very rewarding, and it also helps you bond with people,” she said.
Beyond Rock Creek, she points students to Malcolm X Park for its historical importance and Georgetown Waterfront Park for kayaking and shopping.
Spark Social House
Another place Hale goes to decompress and connect with the D.C. community is Spark Social House, a non-alcoholic LGBTQIA+ bar.
“They have different community bonding events every week — it’s fun every time I go,” she said, mentioning free cookouts, sip-and-paints, karaoke and drag balls.
Hale said Spark Social House highlights Black queer voices, contributing to the city’s broader legacy. Washington, D.C., has long been a center for Black LGBTQIA+ nightlife and art dating back to the legendary drag balls of the 1980s and ‘90s.
“I have always felt very accepted there. They have Black staff and events run by Black queer and trans people,” she said.
Museums and Community Service
Lauren Iwamiya, a junior history and mathematics double major from San Francisco, California, explores the city by taking the D40 bus downtown, where many museums are located.
“If I got off school early, I would go to the National Gallery of Art, which is the most beautiful art museum ever, and just turn my brain off for a bit,” they said.
Iwamiya also named the National Portrait Gallery, the Kogod Courtyard at the American Art Museum, the National Air and Space Museum, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the Folger Shakespeare Library Café and the Hillwood Estate in Northwest D.C.
“I think it’s so easy to feel stuck to Howard’s campus, especially because we’re always busy,” they said. “I try to make sure that I give myself time to do things outside of Howard.”
Iwamiya recommends students reflect on D.C’s history and how 98.28 percent of Howard students are not locals.
“Figure out ways in which you can also contribute to local communities, support local businesses, and become involved,” they said. “Give back to the communities that are actually here for the long run.”
Iwamiya has built community ties through working with the Japanese American Citizens League, the Chinatown community, and the 1882 Foundation.
Food Recommendations
Folajinmi Alafeso, a senior audio production major from Columbia, Maryland, and self-proclaimed “Howard foodie,” recommends the cinnamon rolls from Creative Grounds D.C. in Bloomingdale. Similar to Busboys and Poets or Sankofa, it is a café, bookstore, and event space.
“Very good playlists, very good vibes,” he said. “Get your knowledge up and maybe also meet somebody who is also trying to get their knowledge up.”
Alafeso does not recommend Shaw’s Tavern on Florida Avenue, saying the portions are not worth the price compared to a place like Howard China on Georgia Avenue.
He added that because of D.C.’s prices, he does not go out to eat as much as he would like, but still tells students, “don’t be afraid to try new stuff” on their own budget.
Among the food spots Alafeso has tried, he highlights fries with a vinegar aftertaste from Hip Hop Fish and Chicken; burgers at Lucky Buns in Adams Morgan; chili burgers at Ben’s Chili Bowl, which he says are “sleep-inducing;” buffalo chicken sandwiches at Capo Italian Deli; and $7 jumbo pizza slices at Pizarro on Florida Avenue.
Copy Edited by D’Nyah Jefferson – Philmore