Kwanzaa may not start until Dec. 26, but local Black-led organizations around the D.C. region are starting the celebrations earlier in the month.

The founders hope the Valley Place Arts Collaborative will give artists from wards 7 and 8 a reliable platform to showcase their work.

Mayor Muriel Bowser’s administration is investing awarding a $4 million to the Anacostia BID to promote the neighborhood’s arts and culture.

The 14th edition of the Anacostia Arts Center exhibition features an auction and work from more than a dozen artists.

“East of the River” debuts in a workshop performance on Friday at 8 p.m. at the Anacostia Arts Center.

In the 1860s, African Americans worked by lamplight to build homes in Barry Farm and Hillsdale. A community walk celebrated that history on Saturday.