Tales from the 202

***Please note this was recorded during the summer of 2021.***

For Steve Anders, Washington DC is a living, breathing contrast. Back in the seventies and eighties, it was one of the murder capitals of the world - and yet it also felt safe. And this parallelism never felt truer for him growing up biracial in the US capital back in those days.

This episode is a well-told time machine in the eyes of Anders, a native through and through who experienced the best and the worst that DC can offer. He narrates his fun childhood days living in the shadows of the White House, surrounded by massive monuments and landmarks that revealed the city's sense of grandeur and history.

In between, he tells personal stories of a black child who just wanted to fit in with a highly diverse population but ultimately made it because he had immense pride in his roots.

This is a touching, powerful, and inspiring memoir about one man's journey through the ups and downs of life in America's capital. It is also a reminder that no matter how much things change, some things will always remain the same.

***Please be advised that this was recored in 2021***

For Kate Christenberry, the best word to describe Washington DC is “arts.”  In fact, she has lived and thrived because and through it.

A Washington DC native as soon as she was born, Kate grew up in a creative and innovative family. His father, for example, ran a studio. Her siblings have taken up arts in school, while she currently sits on the board of Washington Project for the Arts, which has been supporting home-grown artists for decades.

And like most of those who considered DC as their home their entire lives, she has seen the nation’s capital past the usual monuments, memorials, and museums.

For instance, the eclectic neighborhoods offer experiences unique from one another, whether it be a cozy cup of coffee from a local cafe or an underground theater experience.

If you want to know more about the arts and culture scenes that continue to breathe vibrancy and life into DC, listen to our podcast episode with Kate today. We promise you that you will never look at DC the same way again.

In This Episode:

***Please be advised that this was recorded in 2021***

Sometimes you can live in a neighborhood or city all your life and still feel you do not know everything about it. This is the experience of our guest, Hugh Beshers.

To say that Hugh is a DC native is an understatement. He and the generations before him went to the same school. Belonging to a congenial small community, he was comfortable to hop to friendly neighbors’ homes to play games with the other kids or even rummage through their fridges.

Everything changed when their teacher introduced a school building to their class. And this memory shattered his innocence and made him realize he could be living a sheltered life.

Let’s listen to this stand-out memory and figure out together the good and bad—and the misconceptions people have—about living and thriving in DC.

In This Episode:

***Please be advised that this was recorded in 2021***

What happens when politics, religion, and sex walk into a bar? More likely, you’ll come across a DC native!

Jamie McElroy, our guest for this episode, is a proud Episcopal priest in Alabama. But perhaps unlike other religious, he is not afraid of conflict or tackle with sensitive topics, such as sex and politics. He even belongs to a progressive church, which ordains women and officiates same-sex weddings.

He didn’t develop these characteristics overnight. Instead, he bloomed right where he was first planted: Washington DC.

The country’s capital is all about personal connection. You grow up with the same neighorhood kids and families over the years and meet individuals from all walks of life. These alone encourage openness, critical thinking, and lively engagement.

But we want you to let Jamie tell us more about this endearing DC attribute. Listen to his journey now.

In This Episode:

***Please be advised that this was recored in 2021***

Have you heard a lion’s roar outside the window? Carter Stallard did. A professional gardener, he has worked at a DC zoo. But even when he was still young, he was already familiar with the non-human residents as he lived near one!

But that is not his only favorite memory of growing up in the US capital. Throughout the episode, he offered snippets of the natives’ regular lives: the ease of entering the Smithsonian on the weekend, costume parades, and deep political talks among friends and family.

He also shared his views on the importance of statehood, diversity, and the fast-changing landscape of people, culture, and architecture.

Let's follow him as he retraces his beloved stories from past to present in this episode.

In This Episode:

***Please be advised that this was recorded in 2021.***

Once a DC native, always a DC native - and this episode highlights that no one can get the capital out of a person who has lived and breathed it for most of their lives.

Today, Julia Schwartz talks about how the metro lifestyle seems to be embedded into her DNA, especially now that she’s living in the West Coast. But it is also for this reason that she can easily spot a transplant and a true-blue child of the capital.

Further, being raised in a mixed-race family, Schwartz touches on how DC is so far ahead of its time for embracing diversity.

Want to learn more about her insights about these topics? Listen to this episode now.

In This Episode:

***Please be advised that this was recorded in 2021.***

There is more to DC than being a seat of federal power. It is also teeming with a unique and diverse culture that heavily influences the local arts.

Episode 5 is with Mark Prince, a gifted musician living in Maryland with his family but whose heart still belongs to the US capital, where he grew up.

Using his amazing talent and knowledge in music, Mark describes the evolution of music and the rest of the arts scene in the metro area that parallels the city's growth.

He also talks about how the city’s location—being at the crossroads of so many different cultures—brings forth diversity that has helped him easily navigate adult life.

In This Episode:

***Please be advised that this was recorded in 2021***

Experience is never the same for everyone, even between siblings. That makes this episode one of the most interesting takes about growing up in Washington DC.

Sekou Biddle is a former DC Board of Education member, councilmember and now United Negro College Fund (UNCF) vice president. But before these achievements, he was a boy who grew up with a sister, one of the podcast hosts.

In this interview, he shares family memories, including his shared love of sports with his father. He also explained why DC is a capital of contradictions: while much has changed, so many have also remained the same.

Inside This Episode:

***Please be advised that this recording was made in 2021***

Is there a difference between Washingtonians and DC natives? Are all those who live and grow up in the city transplants? This episode answers these essential questions with Yolanda Corbett.

Corbett knew the ins and outs of DC all her life. She was born and raised in DC. She has lived in Ward 7, Ward 8 and now Ward 5.

After all, she grew up in caring neighborhoods, where people looked after one another. Thus, even if the seventies were difficult, especially for certain demographics, those were the days of immense growth and support she derived from those who surrounded her.

But DC has changed, and along with it is the birth of new terms such as "Washingtonians" and “transplants.”

What do these mean now for those who called the capital their home all their lives?

Yolanda helps dispel the belief that all these words mean the same thing—that DC natives are real and ready to tell their stories when they and the capital were still young.

Join her as she recounts what could be some of the best years of her life, the city’s development over the years, and what she fears the most about its transformation.

Inside This Episode:

In this introductory episode of the Tales from the 202 podcast, we meet the hosts Elani (she/her) and Trinity (she/her). Elani and Trinity dialog in short exchange to share on how they met, their love for Washington, DC, and their desire to share the stories of proud DC residents. They realized a need within the District, and the project developed into this podcast.  They also share tidbits on what the listener can expect to hear in upcoming episodes. 

Books referenced: First Class by Allison Stewart and Chocolate City by Chris Meyers Asch and George Derek Musgrove. 

How to connect with the hosts of Tales from the 202?