Dan Silverman: Why I Happily Stay in D.C.

Dan Silverman: Citizen of the District of Columbia. Photo by Hugh Clarke

Seems we have hit peak Trump is President, Partisan politics suck, I’m burned out so I’m leaving D.C. season. Well my friends, there is always a flip side to the coin. In this case it is what I call ‘The Real D.C.’. You see many of us spend our days in D.C. not obsessing about national politics. Alright except when Flynn pleads guilty but never mind the exceptions. Beyond some media’s focus on the District’s steakhouses and Capitol Hill/K Street intrigue, the real D.C. is a series of phenomenal neighborhoods that continue to get better whether an R or a D is leading the way.

We are a city (Baruch Ha’Shem one day a state) with beautiful architecture, amazing parks, fantastic music venues, a blossoming waterfront(s), many, many, many quality bars and restaurants. And a frigging ice igloo. But the most important part that makes our District great, truly great – the people. The real people. Not the ones who eat at the same steakhouses and have two addresses plugged into their Uber.

The real people. The people who live in our neighborhoods. The people who bike to work. The people who continue to ride metro as it struggles to get back to good. The people who hike our trails and our streets. The people who care for their sweet city rides. The people who brunch and drink copious amounts of beer. The people who go to church. The people who’s church is a stadium. The people who cheer on the Nationals and stay past the 6th inning. The people who sit on our porches and say hi to our neighbors. The people who support the burgundy and gold despite it all. The people who run the high heel race. The people who protest, OK we can be into national politics too. The people who run and go to ANC meetings. The NIMBYs and the YIMBYs constantly battling it out. The people who paint murals on our walls and other creatives who beautify the city. The people who look out for those in need. The people who are in need. The people who teach our children. Our children. Our parents. Our family. The people who cry tears of joy when a Wawa or Wegmans is announced. The people who love dogs. The people who hate the result of some dog walks. The people who rejoice about new brick and mortar bookstores. The people who line up around the block for, well, everything. The people who dance and raid the grocery stores over an inch of snow. The people who arrange World Cup watching in Dupont Circle. All the folks who follow their varied passions. We are not a monolith. We are a diverse COMMUNITY.

Some have lived here 60 years (and generations before them) and some have lived here only a few years. But the love they share for the District can not be ignored. The pride folks today take in the District of Columbia and especially their neighborhoods is truly an amazing thing to see. So yeah, I’m excited to be raising my two daughters here. Look I know it’s not all roses and rainbows everyday but I’ve lived in D.C. for 20 years and I look forward to living here for many more.