March On Washington 2026

The righteous Nadine Dowell

I covered the 63rd anniversary of the March on Washington at the Lincoln Memorial, in Washington DC. From the March's website "We march to defend the vote, because voting rights are under attack and the protections generations fought, bled, and died for are being weakened.

We march to defend civil rights, because attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion are attempts to roll back access, opportunity, and representation.

We march for economic justice, because too many families are still fighting for fair wages, affordable housing, equal opportunity, and a fair chance to build wealth.

This is not only about one election. This is about whether our democracy will protect all of us. This is about whether the promises of 1963 will finally be made real. This is about standing together, across generations, to say we will not go backward.

... we return to Washington not to remember history, but to make history. We march for the vote. We march for justice. We march for the future."

I spent good time with the DC Activist Street Band and the Extraordinary Rendition Band (from Providence RI). Solidarity and joyful righteous noise.

Prominent speakers included Rev. Al Sharpton, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Virginia Governor Abigail Spanbergand AFT president Randi Weingarten.

Operation Understanding DC | weekend retreat, meeting with Shoah survivors

Operation Understanding DC, a program for Black and Jewish teenagers in the DC area whose mission since 1993 is "... empowering a generation of social justice leaders who will promote respect, understanding and cooperation while fighting to eradicate racism, anti-Semitism and all forms of discrimination."

The participants recently visited relevant sites in Farmville and Richmond, Virginia, and returned to DC to hear testimony from two Holocaust survivors,  Peter Feigl and Rose-Helene Spreiregen. They also met with students from an allied program from Atlanta, Georgia, the Black Jewish Teen Initiative.

Thanks to the OUDC students, to Mr. Feigl and Ms. Spreiregen, and OUDC's staff, Dr. Linda J. Mann, Xochi Quetzali Cartland, Kyla Goldsby, and Alix Swann.

I have been documenting OUDC since its founding by Karen Kalish in 1993.

Peter Feigl

Rose-Helene Spreiregen.