Leading up to Inauguration we're using our homepage
to share the reasons Y O U live, love, and appreciate this city
(and why it's way more than just the federal government)
DC is __________________________________?

Click here to let us know: bit.ly/ACDC-DC-is-REAL

 

DC is a city that welcomes all who come to wander and stay for a while. Those who stay have built a place that represents a model for the great American city.  Increasingly young, scrappy, culturally/ethnically diverse, and collaborative, our denizens' lives are constantly enriched by the sum of our parts.
Albert Ting [ www.archtableau.com ] [ IG @pootie_ting ]
 

DC is R A D - this great city attracts + produces amazing creative outlets on a scale that allow participants to ACTIVELY ENGAGE with the community in a way I've never experienced in a big city. There is an authentic accessibility to culture, art, incredible food + music (frequently for free). I feel proud to live, work + create in DC.
Alex Stoller, Design Director, SWATCHROOM [ IG @designhunger ]


DC is a place for my boyfriend and I to create, eat, and learn. It's a place to escape to when you fall in love. 
Alex F. [ IG @fuste.art ]

DC is HOME. there's nothing but love here, you're new? there's no problem with asking a stranger for help. everyone has a warm heart. that's what the city is built off of.
Amber L. [ IG @A78759 ]

DC is Heart. DC is Unexpected. DC is Deep. DC is full of Builders. DC is Smart β€” full of the smartest people in this country who care about real issues impacting real lives; and who respectfully (and legally) disagree, and work together. 
Amy, Washington, DC


DC is where I realized my creative potential. DC gave me a community that encouraged my curiosity, the courage to pursue it, and matched these with opportunity. 
Amy W., Washington, DC
 

I came to this town as an immigrant in the 90s from India. I have gone to college here (ungrad + grad school), bought a home here, and fallen in love here (now getting married). This city taken me through so many stages of my life. 
AP, Washington, DC

DC is my home, my creative hub, and my place of inspiration to influence creatives to get their just due financially. 
THE ASH PROJECT, Founder of The Ash Project [ www.THEASHPROJECT.co ] [ IG @theashproject ] [ Tw @the_ashproject ]


DC is that magical place where dreamers change the world. Where your community is your home and your home is open, and inviting <3 
Ashley Badgley, Proud Ward 5 Resident [ Tw @ashually ]


DC is community. Political lines don't separate us. We come from every country, background, upbringing. We listen. We unite. We are community.
Austin Graff [ IG @AustinKGraff ] [ Tw @AustinKGraff ]
 

DC is what you choose to make it, especially if you look beneath the surface and engage with its local culture + and its movers and shakers. It is secretly blowing up as a creative hub on the East Coast. It's my community, my inspiration + my livelihood. 
DJ Ayes Cold [ IG @ayescold ]

DC is the quintessence of a cultural melting pot in modern day society. Beyond being home to politics, the district is also the birthplace of Punk and Go-Go genres. DC represents the voice and spirit of a people fighting for equality across all axie and borders. 
Beau Young Prince, Musician/Producer [ IG @beauyoungprince ] [ Tw @beauyoungprince ]


DC is richly diverse. Outside my glass door, on the sidewalk 15 feet away, I watch humans of every ethnicity, every race, every age, every gender, rich and poor walking around, making a living and building a community.
Beena R., Washington, DC

DC is thankfully, a place that you have to give love to get it back. Otherwise, don't let the door hit you in the ass on your way out.
Bliu, Washington, DC

DC is POWER - we have access to world-class museums, entertainment venues, and fabulous people who live and work in the DC area. We have the power, grit, and energy to succeed.
Carolyn Belefski [ www.carolynbelefski.com ] [ IG @CarolynBelefski ] [ Tw @CarolynBelefski ]


DC is a place where my Muslim-Jewish international queer home can exist safely.
C.C., Washington, DC


DC is the home of the real HU! Since 1867 Howard University's goal has been the elimination of inequities related to race, color, social, economic and political circumstances. My DC is real and has produced the highest number of the nation's Black professionals in art, medicine, engineering, architecture, religion, law, music, social work and education. 
Charles Philippe Jean-Pierre, Teaching Artist [ www.charlesjeanpierre.com ] [ IG @cjpgallery ] 


DC is where I have found love, joy, daily inspiration, creative community, deep gratitude, deeper faith, HOME.
Chelsey Christensen [ IG @chelsey_dc ] [ Tw @chelseydc ] 

DC is teaching other people's children how to be considerate and respectful citizens to all people. 
A. Choutka, Teacher  [ Tw @choutkaa ]

DC is where I learned how to be creative. DC is where I found a community. DC is where I am consistently inspired by real people. DC is where I call home.
Clarissa Villondo, Photographer [ karlinvillondo.photoshelter.com ] [ IG @karlinvillondophotography ] [ Tw @cvillondo ]


DC is exploration. I grew up going to the museums, and now I love exploring parks, restaurants, neighborhoods and events too! There's always something I haven't seen before.
Claudia P., Washington, DC

DC is where my mom, my daughter, and I were born. It's where I met my wife. It's where I've learned who I am.
D. Soho [ IG @dsohophotography ] 

DC is where dreams come true! Almost 8 years ago when we started working on opening DC’s first production brewery since the 1950s, it was just that - a dream. The DC community has rallied around us, supported us, and helped us make DC Brau into an internationally renowned, award-winning brewery. There’s nowhere else we’d want to brew our beer. #DCisReal #MadeinDC #DrinkLocal
Brandon Skall, Jeff Hancock, Mari Rodela - DC Brau Brewing Co. [ www.dcbrau.com ] [ IG @dcbrau ] [ Tw @dcbrau ] 

DC is the place I call home, as a daughter of Vietnamese refugee immigrants. We were one of the first places in America to recognize gay marriage, we've decriminalized marijuana and DC businesses will soon be required to provide maternity leave.  The list goes on and on on why I am proud to call DC my home.
Danielle Vu [ IG @ledaniellevu ]

DC is always in bloom; friendly and welcoming; home.
Desi F. [ IG @desifurn ] [ Tw @desifurn ] 

DC is a city where all creatives from all walks of life, cultural backgrounds, age, and color converge and unite to empower others to step out to be seen & heard. It is a city where all creatives feel inspired and impact the DC community every single day.
Diego Gonzalez-Zuniga, NoMa BID Marketing + Events Manager/DC Creative Influencer [ diegodowntown.com ] [ IG @diegodowntown ] [ Tw @diegodowntown ]

DC is the very real land where I moved to make my dreams come true, the place that supports me as I wake up every day and pursue a living creating with my hands, a environment encouraging thousands of artists to speak their minds, create, and thrive.
Emily K M Reeder, Goldsmith [ JewelryClassDC.com ] [ IG @Ekmrdesign ]


DC is an intelligent, creative, and beautiful community, in every sense of the word. I've called DC home for 8 years, and everyday I'm still madly in love. Every citizen is an artist. I'm constantly fascinated by each person's unique story and cultural contribution.
Emily Unroe [ www.emilyunroe.com ] [ IG @asparagus_therapist ]

DC is dope! I grew up in VA, but always made my way to the city. Finally ending up moving here about 5 years ago and fell in love. It is a suit and tie place, but there’s a totally other side to DC that is creative, vibrant, alive, active, and cares deeply about the city. I am so inspired by this place and I am proud to be contributing to the culture here. DC or nothing!
Gary Williams Jr, Director & Co-Founder CreativeTheory | [ IG @masterwilliams ]

DC is the place having the greatest social impact on my life as a youth. It's where I returned as an adult to apply all I'd learned to help strengthen the culture we have.
Geronimo Collins, Your Social Connector [ alltheflykids.com ] [ IG @geronimoknows ] [ Tw @geronimoknows ]

 

DC is the place where I am able to learn as a college student, mature as a young adult, and explore and adventure as human being. DC is the most incredible city I've ever seen. DC is home. 
Gina Forsyth [ IG @ginaforsyth ] [ Tw @ginaforsythh ]

DC is home to people who are thriving, people who are struggling, neighbors, friends, and communities. DC is an American town.
Greg, Washington, DC


DC is so often cast as the promise and paradox and diversity of the United States in a microcosm. But DC also exists as a particular, peculiar place outside of these expectations, and so consistently subverts and ignores and queers them that it feels sometimes like sci-fi. 
Hayden Higgins, Publisher, 730DC [ 730DC.com ] [ IG @730DC ] [ Tw @730_DC ]


DC is a vibrant, expansive community filled with smart, eager, innovative people of all kinds and talents and backgrounds. I came here because the city had a sense of active possibility about it. I'm still here 17 years later because it still offers that every single day.
Heather B., Washington, DC


DC is my family's home since my grt-granddad left rural Va to drive a cab here for 50+ yrs -- including during the Great Depression.
Heather M. [ Tw @mcd_h ]


DC is playground for my wildest dreams to come to life, the homeland I never knew I was from.
Helen R., Washington, DC

DC is comfortable, vibrant, eclectic, diverse, and full of bad-assery. This city is more than suits and ties, it's filled with dreamers, achievers, and ballers.
Ishaba H. [ IG @ishabhaque ] [ Tw @ishabahaquee ]


DC is collaborative and creative β€” basically the opposite of the "Washington" most people are used to hearing about on the news.
James Jackson, Photographer & Social Influencer [ thisisjamesj.com ] [ IG @thisisjamesj ] [ Tw @thisisjamesj ]

DC is a city full of potential, both realized and yet to be. It's a social and cultural hub for the communities that surround it, full of energy, interesting people, and a colorful history...and future.
Janelle R., Writer [ www.reTyped.org ] [ IG @JanelElaine ] [ Tw @JanelElaine ]


DC is a beautiful and vibrant swamp filled with amazing people whose natural habitat is an environment where they can do good. It's the invasive species the rest of the country elects to infest the swamp that's the problem.
Jesse Strauss [ www.forwardframemedia.com ] [ IG @JesseMS42 ] [ Tw @JesseMS42 ]

DC is where I grew up. DC is where I fell in love for the first time. DC is where I saw my first punk show. DC is where I get excited about ideas, and folks say "how can I help?" DC is family.
Julia Dann, Washington, DC
 

DC is a city of neighborhoods - colors, textures, stars and stripes. 
Julianne Brienza [ IG @juliannebrienza ] [ Tw @juliannebrienza ]


DC is home! I was born in DC, and lived there up until I was 18. My parents live in DC, my brother lives in DC (and owns a DC business), and many of my close friends are in DC. Real people live there - and they aren't all connected to politics!
Julie Lenard, Washington, DC


DC is collaborative and full of hope. People come together here and support each other with open hearts and minds. We're a city of believers. 
Kacy [ www.badsentences.com ] [ IG @kacykish ]


DC is 658,893 creative, ambitious, diverse US citizens who are unapologetically about their drive to make our city and world a better place, but have no voice in Congress. Taxation without representation. 
Katalina Mayorga, Founder of El Camino Travel [ elcamino.travel ]  [ IG @theyoufinder ] [ Tw @theyoufinder ]


DC is filled with compassionate, inspired and informed people, who really care about our planet and people of all faiths and color who inhabit it.
Kate B., Washington, DC

DC is extraordinary! It's full of interesting, diverse, unique and vibrant people who have chosen this city to call home. Not many people accidentally end up here. They come to serve, to create, to inspire and to learn from the history, culture and each other.
Katie Brooks [ IG @thekatiebrooks ] [ Tw @__KatieBrooks ]


DC is where I built my dream business. 
Katie Stack, Owner + Lead Maker, Stitch & Rivet [ www.shopstitchandrivet.com ] [ IG @stitch.and.rivet ] [ Tw @stitchandrivet ]


DC is a city of migrants. Most of us are from other places, yet we all have chosen to call this wonderful place home. Compassion and community come naturally since most of us have the shared experience of being a newbie to the city.
Kelly Paras [ IG @flipflopcaravan ]