Embedded Files
Marie “Sis” Walls ran Sis's Tavern as a late-night hub for Black performers from the 1950s through 1970.
📣 Welcome
📣 Welcome
Date 2/20/26
Issue #20
Last week at the Mount Rainier Elementary PTO meeting –the first-ever held entirely in Spanish (very cool! Shoutout to the translators!)—I was delighted by the Black History trivia kickoff. The questions and answers were great, but the best part was the quiet commentary from parents, aunts, and grandparents, who layered in their own stories and knowledge of our area’s Black history.
Sis’s Tavern in North Brentwood came up as a hyperlocal example of the community, resilience, and beauty that Black neighbors have built and sustained here for generations. There’s no way I can do its history justice. Over the decades, it’s been a tavern, grocery store, barbershop, and music hall, hosting legends like Pearl Bailey and Duke Ellington. It remains, as ever, a gathering place. Now it has undergone significant renovations in cooperation with the city and the state so it can be available as an event space for rent. If you’re curious about its past and present, check out the Hyattsville Wire’s recent coverage.*
There are lots of ways to celebrate this last week of Black History Month, but you can also keep it simple and local by taking a walk around our neighborhoods.
My Top Five:
Sis’s Tavern + Upcoming Thomas S Stone Elementary Black History Celebration (2/26)
North Brentwood Black History Month events (2/21 + 2/28)
MRES “Spanish-first” PTO moment + Language Club at miXt (2/24)
Joe’s Black History programming + free Tuesday stress-reduction care
Spring food prep: CSAs list + Gateway Farmers' Market indoors (2/28 + 3/28)
Rachel Bush
LGN Editor
rsbush01@gmail.com
*We do our best here at the Lower Gateway Newsletter, but this isn’t, and won’t be, journalism. The good news is there are several local news outlets to support, especially as Billionaire Jeff Bezos (boo hiss), owner of The Washington Post, just demolished so much of our local news coverage. Here are some local outlets to follow and support financially, if and when you’re able:
The Banner (They’ve expanded to PG County!!!)
Got others? Lemme know!
🏛️ City Updates
🏛️ City Updates
When Parents and Education Advocates Unite, PGCPS Students Win
Brentwood:
Cottage City:
2/21 Sa - Black History Month Event
2/26 Th - Coffee with Chief Martini
2/21 Sa - City Council Retreat
2/23 M - CERT Meeting
The next CERT meeting will be in March
2/26 Th - Thomas Stone PTO Black History Month
2/21 Sa - Black History Month Activity
Black History Trivia at North Brentwood Citizens Association
2/28 Sa - Black History Month Activity #Free
Register: 301.864.0756
🎒 School News
🎒 School News
Students Celebrated Valentines by “heart attacking” the office doors of Cafeteria and Custodial staff, and then celebrated the end of the 2nd quarter by helping the PTO restock and distribute teacher supplies (You can never have enough tissues or pencils!), seen above.
MRES hosted its first "Spanish first" PTO meeting, held primarily in Spanish with English translation provided. It was a great opportunity to provide access to our Spanish speaking families and for our English speakers to navigate life in a second language.
2/24 will be family Language Club at miXt food hall from 6-7:30pm. Come share your language and learn someone else's - all community members are welcome!
Parent volunteers will be joining each class to read “See Marcus Grow” as part of a global Read for the Record even on 2/26
3/16-3/20 will be the MRES Scholastic book fair - be on the lookout for a community night where members of the community can come participate
3/18 PGCPS Parent Cafe @ MRES at 5pm - come meet other parents and share experiences, tips, and resource
5/15 Spring Carnival - if you want to volunteer to help plan this annual event, reach out to mountrainierPTO@gmail.com
TSES has had a full and exciting month of February! Although Book Club had to move to a virtual format due to the cold weather, we still had an amazing time reading The Snowy Day and creating fun snowmen together. Our next session will be in person on March 9, when we will read The Rainbow Fish. This month, we also celebrated Valentine’s Day, enjoyed our Winter Instrumental Showcase, recognized the Lunar New Year, marked the 100th Day of School, and continued our Black History Month celebrations. CogAT results have been released, and class picture day is this Friday. Cheer and soccer after-school programs are back in full swing, along with our other after-school activities and clubs.
We are especially looking forward to our 3rd Annual Black History Month & Winter Art Showcase on February 26th at 6:00 PM!
🌎 Stay Local
🌎 Stay Local
🎉Business Announcements
🍽️🎉 New Restaurant Alert! 🎉🍽️
🕯️ Purple Rose Wellness, a local small business, is hiring a Market Associate for the farmers market and pop up market season (April-November). Email purplerosewellnessllc@gmail.com to learn more! 🕯️
💪🏋️ PG Strength Club has added a 7 AM Monday morning class! 🏋️💪
🎭 Neighborhood Happenings
🎭 Neighborhood Happenings
Every Tuesday - GAT community walk for all ages every Tuesday at 10:30 am for 30-40 min. Meet at Joe's Movement Emporium
2/20 Fri - Jammin’ on Steelpan Workshop - Valentine’s Edition
2/21- What If Democracy Felt like a Party
2 - 5 PM at Meadworks
2/21 Sa - Artist & Curator Talk #Free
Glimpses of Heaven curated by Asha Elana Casey
2/22 Su - Figures & More Artist Reception
2/26 - DC Brau Trivia
Every Thursday at 7 PM
2/27 F - GAT Potluck 6-8 PM at the Mount Rainier Nature Center
Bring a dish to share. Our speaker is Carrie Noel-Nosbaum will share tips for decluttering and organizing
2/28 Sa - Gateway Farmer’s Market
MiXt Food Hall
3/2 M- Intro to Welding Class Begins at Red Dirt Studio
Email scot.york.mckenzie@gmail.com for more information
3/4 W - Pocket Vases Glass Class at Washington School of Glass
3/13 Fr - Thomas S. Stone Elementary Fundraiser
Takoma Park Chuck E. Cheese
Gettin’ to be Spring CSA season. Here’s a list of just some of the CSAs neighbors use. And of course, you’ll have the Gateway Farmer’s Market for all your produce needs, if you prefer to shop!
What’s a CSA, you ask? Community Supported Agriculture. Neighbor Houkje Ross has the following to say about CSAs:
‘Personally, I think CSAs are well worth the cost.
You’re getting much fresher vegetables than you will at any local grocery store. Your CSA veggies didn’t sit in a truck for days traveling across the U.S., and they weren’t bred to fit nicely in a plastic container. If you’ve ever had a truly fresh tomato or strawberry from a CSA, you know exactly what I mean.
The people who grow the food are often the same folks handing it to you at pickup—and they’re usually happy to tell you how to use a vegetable you’re not familiar with.
If you’ve ever worked on a farm, you know how much labor goes into growing food. These folks work their butts off to feed you well. A CSA is one of the best ways to support local, small, and eco-friendly businesses.”
Would be fab to have more info on these CSA options, so if someone wants to type that up, we can link it in the newsletter next time!
☮️ Volunteering and Mutual Aid
The PG County Immigrants Rights Collective (PGIRC) is a group of neighbors helping neighbors impacted by recent ICE kidnappings. This includes:
🧑🌾 Gateway Farmer's Market Feature
🧑🌾 Gateway Farmer's Market Feature
2/28 and 3/28 Sa - Join us indoors at miXt Food Hall!
9-12pm. Stock up on fresh produce, meat, dairy, bread, baked goods, preserves and more. Super kid friendly with plenty of options for breakfast and lunch.
Outdoor market opens on April 18th!
🩰 Joe’s Movement Emporium
🩰 Joe’s Movement Emporium
Every Tuesday, from 12-1:30 pm, Joe’s offers free stress reduction care (Acupuncture and Bodywork), sponsored by Acupuncturists Without Borders of the National Capital Area. No appointments needed.
On Friday, March 13th, PG IRC is hosting a dance party at Joe’s! Sign up here, and support an important cause!
2/22 Su - Celebrate Black History at Joe’s with artist partners Black Leaves Company for Through Our Eyes, a creative journey through Black dance, music, and culture. Grab tickets here.
6 PM
2/24 Tu - Wine Down with Black Environmentalists Panel. Enjoy a drink while we discuss environmental justice and its intersections with race and class. RSVP free here.
6:30 pm.
3/4 W - On the Black Hand Side pays tribute to the gestural representations of love, spirituality, creativity, respect, dignity, and recognition within Black American cultural traditions. RSVP free here.
📚 Mount Rainier Public Library
📚 Mount Rainier Public Library
Did you know that the Mount Rainier Branch Library and the Prince George’s County Office of Human Rights (PGCOHR) collaborate on a monthly book club to the Mixt Food Hall in Brentwood, MD? Each month, we will read a book that has a theme relating to social justice and highlights social issues including, but not limited to, race, disability, LGBTQ+ issues, and gender. This March, our book club is reading and discussing Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson. Click here for more information about this book and the book group or drop by the Mount Rainier Branch Library.
🗺️ Slightly Less-Local Stuff
🗺️ Slightly Less-Local Stuff
2/21 Black Flea Market @ Hyattsville Middle School 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM
2/28 - Sneaker Ball Fundraiser
3/21 Sa - Basket Bingo
Colmar Manor Community Center
Greenbelt Little League Baseball is open! $150 for the Spring season. Learn more here.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement appears to be expanding its footprint in Hyattsville. Read The Hyattsville Wire's reporting. Check out PG IRC for opportunities to support neighbors impacted by the ICE kidnappings.
The square dance at Joe’s—called by Becky Hill—was such a delight. All kinds of folks, all ages, and live music from the Hamlin Street String Band. Keep an eye out for more this spring!
A local group of artists and crafters gather on the second Wednesday of each month at MiXt Food hall to craft. Kids are welcome, too!
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