When it comes to activism, Busboys and Poets has always supported the DMV’s diverse communities. So it comes as no surprise that the restaurant group hired local artists to paint their storefronts – instead of boarding up – after an act of vandalism. This initiative, now known as #PaintTheStorefronts, has been adopted by other local businesses, including the National Landing BID and Jose Andres’ restaurants. This is a model on how to respond in moments of crisis — by amplifying the skills and creativity of the community. Now more than ever, this is an important lesson to learn.

Andy Shallal, founder and CEO of Busboys and Poets will facilitate a conversation with some of the artists who have participated in the initiative — Mia DuVall, Luther Wright, and Luis Peralta Del Valle — about how this effort came about, as well as the power that art has in supporting and healing communities. And don’t worry — we’ll have time to answer audience questions too!

About DC Design Week

Built by 100% volunteer power, DC Design Week is an annual celebration of this community, hosted by AIGA DC. Ten percent of all revenue from DCDW events and all profit this year go toward the Design Continuum Fund (DCF) scholarship fund. We believe in fostering the next generation of designers through helping local design-minded and underrepresented students as they pursue their education. Interested in becoming a member? To gain early access to our most exclusive events and year-long discounts, sign up to become a member today!

Accessibility

All DCDW events will have real-time CART (live captioning) services. Learn more about our commitment to accessibility and request additional accommodations at https://www.dcdesignweek.org/accessibility.

Platform and Prerequisites

This event will be streamed via Zoom. In order to participate fully, attendees should plan to join on the Zoom app via their computer, tablet, or mobile device with enough bandwidth to support viewing video. In order to ensure only those who have registered for the event are able to attend — and to create space for intimate conversations — only those whose display name fully matches the name on our registration list will be admitted from the waiting room. You can find more about joining our virtual events, including how to connect, directions to troubleshoot, and information about our refund policy in our FAQ.

Code of Conduct

All AIGA DC events adhere to our Code of Conduct.