Eight District residents arrested in a number of recent protests for D.C. voting rights and autonomy are headed to trial, while nine others opted to pay a fine after appearing in a D.C. courtroom this morning for a preliminary hearing. more ›

I first encountered local writer/activist Hawah last fall at a Subcontinental Drift open mic night. He was performing as a member of ShantiSalaam, a collective of local South Asian American artists who toured 11 cities in India and Pakistan in late 2006/early 2007 to promote tolerance among South Asians of different religious backgrounds. The group's performance used music, spoken word, and audience interaction to address issues of intolerance between individuals and the institutional forces that encourage this mindset. Hawah's writing not only deals with these issues, but also broader global issues dealing with conflict, prejudice, poverty and social justice. more ›