District of Columbia
Meet the job training groups fighting for better economic mobility in D.C.
Government and non-profit resources abound
Employment is getting harder to come by in D.C.
In fact, as of August, D.C.’s unemployment rate is at 6.0% –– the highest in the country. Its unemployment rate increased by 0.7% from August 2024.
About 17% of D.C. residents lived in poverty in 2024, and marginalized communities were hit the hardest. Last year, 30.5% of Black residents and 11.9% of Latino residents lived in poverty, while poverty rates for non-Hispanic white residents sat at 4.6%.
With little room for economic mobility in D.C., multiple organizations and non-profits are fighting to change those statistics.
From on-the-job training to employment counseling, here’s a look into some local and governmental groups working to serve D.C.’s unemployed population.
LGBTQ-focused programs
Cesar Toledo, executive director of the Wanda Alston Foundation, knows the struggles of escaping poverty firsthand.
As a first-generation Latino raised in an immigrant household, Toledo said he was able to escape the poverty cycle through educational opportunities.
“Serving as an executive director for the foundation and supporting the most vulnerable members of our community…really gives me a front line perspective to the work that needs to be done to ensure that not only can our youth survive, but they can thrive independently, live on their own and being able to afford their own apartment,” Toledo said.
The Wanda Alston Foundation provides a variety of services to open new pathways toward economic mobility, including housing for homeless LGBTQ youth in D.C., free counseling and accessible employment opportunities. The foundation also offers educational support to their housed youth so they can continue to work toward securing an education.
The organization recently launched an initiative called “Slay & Sauté,” giving those it supports an opportunity to learn cooking skills that eventually open the door to a culinary career.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 202-465-8794contactus@wandaalstonfoundati
Project LEAP is a program sponsored by Damien Ministries that supports job seekers in the D.C. area who identify as transgender, gender non-conforming and non-binary.
You can request to be paired with a one-on-one job coach, where you’ll receive pre-employment training and the tools necessary to overcome economic barriers.
Project LEAP has two other programs dedicated to jobseekers. One, called Project LEAP We Thrive, is a support group for men of color to discuss the employment challenges they face. The other, called Project LEAP Job Start, is for early-career job seekers to receive mentorship on entering the workforce and ensuring their resumes and interview skills are up to par.
The project also offers a “Style Closet,” where job seekers can receive a clothing consultation to ensure they are stylistically prepared for an interview.
Email: [email protected]
The DC LGBTQ+ Community Center Job Club
The DC LGBTQ+ Community Center hosts weekly job club meetings to help those entering the workforce or struggling to find employment.
The group’s goal is to “improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely ‘applicants’ toward being ‘candidates,’” its website reads.
Meetings are held on Zoom every Wednesday at 6 p.m.
Email: [email protected]
Government resources
The Department of Employment Services (DOES) offers on-the-job training opportunities for job seekers looking for a way to get experience while staying employed.
Pay rates range from $14-23.95 per hour depending on the job, and employees must work a minimum of 32 hours per week.
The types of jobs employees might work include administration, property management, merchandising, health care, law enforcement, hospitality and transportation services.
Email: [email protected]
DOES Occupational Skills Training
If you’re looking for more guidance, an employment specialist can steer you in the right direction by helping you secure the training and certifications required by local employers. Your training will focus on high-demand industries, such as construction, health care, information technology and retail.
Email: [email protected]
For other services and resources, such as a look into D.C. worker rights and federal employee frequently asked questions, click here.
D.C. Sustainable Energy Utility
Programs under the Sustainable Energy Utility provide you an opportunity to obtain the skills you need to land environmentally friendly jobs.
These programs match residents with paid, five-month opportunities to observe and learn about different necessary skills for green jobs. They’re open to anyone, no matter if you’re new to the workforce, in between jobs or simply looking for new employment opportunities.
Potential jobs to learn about include electrical engineering, solar technician, building maintenance, HVAC helper and mechanical engineering.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 202-479-2222
The Office of Human Rights provides resources for employers to understand how to combat hiring bias and for employees to understand their rights, including:
Hired and Transgender –– For employers to understand how to recognize and combat hiring bias for transgender applicants.
Valuing Transgender Applicants –– For employers to receive guidance on how to best support transgender applicants and employees beyond legal obligations.
LGBTQIA+ Resource Portal –– For LGBTQIA+ employees or residents to better understand their workforce and legal rights.
Non-governmental Job Training Opportunities
The SOME Center for Employment Training (CET) is a post-secondary vocational school.
You’ll have access to free job training in the health care and building trades industries, and receive advice on the skills needed to land the right job. From resume help to writing the perfect cover letter, you’ll be equipped with both hands-on experience and the professional skills necessary to gain employment.
No high school GED is required, and the CET program is open to applicants with criminal histories.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 202-797-8806
By mail: 71 O St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001
Academy of Hope offers career training programs in a variety of fields.
Health care programs include medical billing and coding, nurse aide and phlebotomy technician training.
For business, you can receive training in project management, and for information technology, you can enter programs that could get you jobs in tech support, IT operations and other similar fields.
These programs only run from February to June. Classes offered involved hands-on work led by industry professionals, with the intention of landing students entry-level certifications to stay competitive for high-demand jobs post-graduation.
Contact page: Click here
Catholic Charities provides courses that equip residents with the resources they need on their career paths.
Courses include job skills for bank sales representatives, construction jobs using sustainable solutions and professional counseling.
Catholic Charities also offers English as a second language courses and personalized career assistance for adults with developmental disabilities.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 202-772-4300
University of the District of Columbia (UDC)
You don’t have to be a college student to take advantage of UDC’s Workforce Development and Lifelong Learning courses.
Learn the skills necessary to land jobs related to early childhood education, construction and property management, health care, hospitality and tourism, information technology and lifelong learning.
Courses are free, but a few may require minimal out-of-pocket expenses.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 202-274-5000
With UPO, you can receive certifications in child development, culinary arts, plumbing, professional building maintenance, information technology and more.
To begin the pre-enrollment process, you must be at least 18, have a high school degree or GED and be drug free.
Contact form: Click here
District of Columbia
Over 2,000 turn out for Hands Around the Kennedy Center protest
Drag performer Tara Hoot serves as MC, Gay Men’s Chorus of DC performs, attendees shout for Trump to keep ‘hands off’ Kennedy Center
More than 2,000 supporters of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts turned out on Sept. 18, for a rally in support of the performing arts center and a vocal protest against President Donald Trump’s threats to permanently close the center and possibly demolish it.
The event was organized by a group called Hands Off the Arts, which initially called for participants to form a “human chain” around the Kennedy Center’s main building following a rally on the plaza in front of the building.
However, due to a decision by the Trump-controlled Kennedy Center’s board of trustees to close the center earlier in the week and install fencing around part of the building, participants could only form the chain around part of the building, according to organizers.
Drag performer Tara Hoot, who co-organized the event and served as master of ceremonies for the rally preceding the “human chain,” said the large turnout could have fully surrounded the building at least twice had the fencing not prevented a full encirclement.
Among the musicians and singing groups that performed at the rally was the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, which, like other rally performers, had performed at the Kennedy Center in past years. They drew loud applause after singing one of their favorite songs from the Broadway musical show Ragtime, which includes the lyrics, “Will justice be demanded by 10 million men? Make them hear you. When they hear you, I’ll be near you again.”
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Prior to their performance, Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington’s artistic director, Thea Kano, spoke at the rally, reminding participants that shortly after the Trump takeover of the center last year, Kennedy Center officials cancelled a concert the chorus was scheduled to perform there for World Pride 2025.
A Kennedy Center spokesperson said the cancellation was due to a scheduling conflict, but chorus members and LGBTQ activists believe it resulted from policies put in place by Trump and his leadership team at the Kennedy Center following Trump’s statements that he would end controversial “woke” performances that he claimed the majority of Americans disapprove of.
“Now this building sits empty in silence,” Kano told the crowd at the rally. “Let us raise our voices together and bring back the Kennedy Center as it was intended, a place where American culture could be celebrated and elevated, embracing the vibrancy with the spectrum of identify without censure and without politics,” she said.
Among the others who spoke at the rally were U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.), U.S. Rep. Jonathan Jackson (D-Ill.), and D.C. Councilmember Robert White (D-At-Large).
Most speakers, along with LGBTQ participants in the hands-around-the-building event expressed strong opposition to Trump’s demand that the Kennedy Center name be changed from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to the Donald J. Trump and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
At Trump’s request, his appointed board initially made that name change and placed Trump’s name on the front wall of the building along with the Kennedy name. But following legal action taken by opponents who pointed out that Congress must approve such a name change, a judge ordered the removal of Trump’s name from the building. Trump has said he will take steps to reverse that order and has said he will stop plans to renovate the Kennedy Center building and possibly demolish it if his name is not restored in the Kennedy’s Center’s official name.
Throughout the Sept. 18 rally, LGBTQ participants repeatedly responded to the Trump threats by shouting, “Hands Off!”
Chris Raleigh, one of the founders of Hands Off the Arts and a lead organizer of the Sept. 18 event at the Kennedy Center who spoke at the event told the Washington Blade that more similar events are being planned and he welcomes the support the event has received from the LGBTQ community.
“The LGBTQ community was here first, and we’re following them,” he said. “They’ve been the spearhead; they’ve been the vanguard. And I’m so thankful for heroes like Tara Hoot,” he said, adding, “It’s because they know what it means and how this is a safe place – the theater – for many LGBTQ people.”
The DMV’s own furry group was on full display on the Metro on Sept. 12.
Shutterpaws is a volunteer-led 501(c)(3) non-profit organization located in Maryland.
The furry group has been doing the FurRide event since 2024 and has blown up in popularity for furries around DMV. They showcased themselves on the Silver and Blue Lines near the Smithsonian on Sept. 12.
“A lot of careful planning goes into running these events, with the goal being a seamless and enjoyable experience for everyone who attends,” says Zayre, a Shutterpaws staff member. “There’s a lot that you learn just by trial and error, and as Shutterpaws hosts more and more events, our team of event organizers continues to learn and refine our approach to keep things running smoothly and finding new ways to engage with our community.”
With a larger growth of participation in the community comes many challenges with the group, especially when it comes to the Metro rides and organizing.
“The biggest challenge that we face as organizers is keeping things fresh and finding new and engaging venues to host events,” says Zayre. “Recently we saw a lot of success hosting a meet at On Target Battlezone, an indoor NERF gun battle arena where our crew was welcome to show up and play both with and without a fur suit.”
Nevertheless, Shutterpaws receive overwhelming support from the community and partners.
“Across the DMV there are so many amazing places to host a Shutterpaws event so we can pursue our mission of helping connect fur suiters and photographers, and we’re blown away with the amount of support we’ve received from our community partners,” says Zayre.
Shutterpaws plans to do more events for anyone in the DMV who is interested.
Their next event in collaboration with DC Fur Meet will take place at Pitchers (2317 18th St., N.W.) on Saturday. Visit Shutterpaws’ website for more information.
District of Columbia
Hands Off the Arts to form ‘human chain’ around Kennedy Center
Drag performer Tara Hoot among event organizers
An organization called Hands Off the Arts has announced it is holding a protest on Friday, Sept. 18, in which between 400 and 800 participants are expected to create a “human chain” around the Kennedy Center to voice their strong objection to President Donald Trump’s call for possibly demolishing the Kennedy Center.
“Hands Off the Arts is organizing a rally Sept. 18 against the president’s defacing of JFK’s memorial, his removal and censorship of art, and the threat to demolish the center if he can’t remake the site in his image,” a statement released by the group says.
The statement says the event will start with a rally at 6:30 p.m. on the Kennedy Center steps and culminate with a “human chain” around the building. “There will be musical performances, testimonials from current and former employees, along with other special guest speakers,” it says
A separate announcement by the group says longtime D.C. drag performer Tara Hoot, who has performed at the Kennedy Center in past years, was among the organizers of the Sept. 18 protest.
The planned protest follows Trump’s decision last year to use his authority to replace the existing members of the Kennedy Center’s board of directors with new members loyal to him. Over the objection of longtime Kennedy Center supporters, the Trump-appointed board changed the name of the center, at Trump’s request, from the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts to the Donald J. Trump and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
But following the threat of legal action by opponents who pointed out that the name change could not be legally made unless approved by Congress, the name change was cancelled, with Trump saying he would take steps to restore it later.
The Washington Post, meanwhile, reports in a Sept. 13 news story that because of negative publicity related to Trump’s actions, the Kennedy Center was facing “fiscal collapse” and possible bankruptcy and could be forced to shut down as early as this week.
According to the Post report, a 57-page document presented to the Kennedy Center’s board of trustees says the center was facing a financial and structural building crisis, with the recent collapse of part of the building’s inside ceiling, indicating the building was unsafe for employees and the public. Among other things, the document says the Kennedy Center may not be able to make payroll or pay for routine maintenance “within a matter of weeks,” the Post reports.
Some LGBTQ advocates were among those who joined others in boycotting the Kennedy Center to express their objections to Trump’s actions, including a statement by Trump that he objected to the Kennedy Center’s practice of hosting drag performances.
The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington has been among the LGBTQ performing arts groups and artists that have performed at the Kennedy Center.
“With the future still very much uncertain, now more than ever, the Center needs you to stand up for freedom of expression and against authoritarian overreach into arts and culture institutions,” the Hands Off the Arts group says in its announcement of the Hands Around the Kennedy Center protest.
“You have the opportunity to make a difference — show up with Hands Off the Arts and show your power as part of Hands Around the Kennedy Center,” it says.
A spokesperson for the Kennedy Center couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.
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