The Best, the Worst, and the Weird of the DMV: 2020
When this century is said and done, 2020 is likely to rank temperature-wise as one of the coolest, and therefore by nature, one of the least chaotic years of our lifetimes if you mind the trend of global warming, which isn’t getting any better (thanks to global climate efforts thus far that have largely failed). But that does not mute the chaos we saw in a year that started with firestorms in Australia, led to global anti-racism protests, and ended with a drawn-out presidential election and hundreds of thousands dead from a pandemic that has now reached all seven continents.
Make no bones about it, this year hurt badly. But there were many moments this year that inspired and gave us hope. Here's a look at just some of the best and worst (and weird) moments of the DMV in 2020.
The Best
DMV Hits it on All Screens
From the small screen to the big screen, the DMV got major screen time this year. On television, PG County’s culture and basketball legacy get a fascinating examination on Showtime’s Basketball County: In The Water, executive produced by Kevin Durant; another mini-series project from Showtime, The Good Lord Bird, premiered earlier this year having filmed entirely on-location in Virginia. On Netflix, the reality TV series Deaf U premiered in October, allowing audiences to follow the lives of students who attend Gallaudet University, a private college in D.C. catering to the deaf and hard-of-hearing.
This year in cinema, perhaps the most high-profile feature came with the long-awaited release of Wonder Woman: 1984, which had filming locations all around D.C. including scenes with Gal Gadot and Chris Pine at L’Enfant Plaza and the National Air and Space Museum. Other films included ARRAY’s (Ava Duvernay’s film collective) independent film Residue, a film about D.C’s gentrification crisis; HBO Max’s Charm City Kings, a film about Baltimore’s infamous dirt bike scene which was executive produced by Will and Jada Smith.
Photographers Win Big
This year, photographers in the area landed major photoshoots with some of the biggest names in music and entertainment.
Some of our favorite photographers this year include Jada Imani M (@jadaimanim), Tayo Kuku (@tayojr), Shaughn Cooper (@shaughncooper), Zara Israel (@zaravisuals), Guy the Photographer (@guythephotographer), Myles Loftin (@mylesloftin), Jacob Webster (@jpwphoto).
Music Keeps Rising
The DMV music scene is trending upwards, and 2020 was no exception.
Cordae earned two Grammy nominations for Best Rapper and Best Rap Album; he also wins public opinion for the best new couple for his relationship with tennis world champion Naomi Osaka.
IDK announces he will teach a new music business crash course at Harvard University for up and coming talent of the music industry.
Rico Nasty has an amazing year: she graces Rihanna’s SavagexFenty Show; drops a new album, “Nightmare Vacation”; appears in countless magazines and newspapers including PAPER, NY Times; “Smack a Bitch” reaches gold certification.
The DMV trap scene saw the movement towards unification grow to new heights between its top trap stars, displayed this year when all of our favorite artists including No Savage, Black Fortune, Big Flock, Money Marr, and more got together in Los Angeles this past fall.
Columbus is Toppled
This summer, the entire world erupted into mass protests over the killing of George Floyd and against the prevailing order and memorialization of centuries of white supremacist settler-colonialism. Protests in the U.S. were defined by scenes of protesters toppling longstanding monuments dedicated to colonizers, slave owners, and confederate leaders. In Baltimore, protesters tumbled a statue of Christopher Columbus before tossing it into the Chesapeake Bay. The moment of protesters rejoicing at Columbus’ downfall is captured at various angles and goes viral worldwide.
At the height of nationwide calls for less funding for police departments, the Baltimore city council approves more than $22 million in cuts to the Baltimore Police Department.
Gogo Is Undefeated
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser moments after signing into law a bill designating gogo music as the official music of D.C. during a bill signing event at the Culture House DC, February 19th, 2020.
This past February, D.C. Mayor Bowser signed a bill that deemed gogo music the District’s official music. This victory for the gogo community came after decades of criminalization and demonization of the music form by the D.C. city council and, in recent years, sustained demonstrations following the #DontMuteDC protests in 2018.
Gogo music saw viral appreciation this year when in August, a video circulated showing a group of skilled Black men beating their feet (a hyperlocal dance form) to gogo music in front of police officers on the Ocean City boardwalk during the height of racial justice protests.
Baltimore’s New Mayor
36-year-old Brandon M. Scott won not only his election for Baltimore’s mayorship during the June primary election, but also Twitter, who caused Scott’s tweet recognizing the victory to go viral after thousands had praise for the mayor-elect’s fresh fro and fade featured in an attached photo.
The Worst
COVID Hits
Maryland announces its first COVID-19 cases on March 5th, when three people in Montgomery County tested positive after taking a cruise in Egypt on the Nile River.
The District of Columbia announces its first COVID-19 case on March 7th, a Reverend at Christ Church Georgetown.
On March 7th, a U.S Marine is the first to test positive in Virginia.
On March 30th, after weeks of escalating restrictions, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia issue stay-at-home orders, shutting down non-essential movement in the region until further notice.
Maryland fairs better than other states with Republican governors due to Hogan’s open resistance to pressure from the White House to ignore scientists and limit restriction measures, earning the governor public ire from President Trump.
As of December 29th, Maryland stands 271,000+ cases with 5,803 deaths and counting; D.C. stands at 28,000+ cases and 775 deaths; Virginia stands at 340,000+ cases and 4,920 deaths.
Hatred
A spitting-mad Trump supporter confronts counter-protesters outside Supreme Court. Thousands of right-wingers took over D.C. streets in November and December to protest the 2020 election result. Caroline Brehman/Getty Images
High profile moments capturing the worst of humanity surfaced out of the DMV over the year.
In Baltimore, a restaurant refuses service to a Black child citing a “dress code”, however letting a similarly dress white child in. The restaurant apologized and placed the manager seen in the video on indefinite leave after the mother's video went viral.
In Bethesda, a video taken by young activists surfaces to show a white cyclist, Anthony Brennan, assaulting three young people with his bike for posting flyers around the community in support of Black lives. The video led to a police investigation searching for Brennan, who would later be identified thanks to hundreds of tips from the community. Anthony Brennan, who pleaded guilty earlier this month to three counts of assault, is set to be sentenced in February 2021.
MAGA rallies took place all over the DMV. On November 14th, Trump supporters gathered for the first Million MAGA March to protest "the corruption and dishonesty that is taking place in Our Country," according to the march's website. A second march took place in D.C. on December 12th. Both events ended with people stabbed and multiple arrests. Counter-protesters report a lack of law enforcement during the chaotic MAGA marches as opposed to the mobilization seen against racial justice protesters earlier in the summer.
Infringement on Rights
A military helicopter hovers over protesters in D.C. on June 1. (Courtesy of Sam Ward)
This year, the DMV lost community members to police violence, including high profile cases of William Green, Deon Kay, and Karon Hylton.
Reports also revealed:
ICE ran facial recognition searches on millions of Maryland drivers.
Maryland leads the nation in the incarceration of young Black men.
Dozens of instances of alleged racial discrimination, retaliation, and abuse within the Prince George’s Police Department, leading to the police cheif’s resignation.
Baltimore’s aerial surveillance pilot program, which approved a spy plane for the Baltimore Police department, violated the rights of Baltimore residents.
In moments that garnered nationwide alarm, the use of unidentified federal soldiers, military helicopters, banned chemicals, and excessive police force on protesters over the summer in the streets of D.C., as well as the unprovoked excessive force used to clear out D.C. protesters to allow the president a photo op in front of a church, generated serious concerns about the autocratic nature of the crackdowns on protests this summer.
D.C. Nightlife Suffers
The interior of Marvin, one of seven bars and restaurants of the U Street corridor that closed down due to coronavirus restrictions. Courtesy of Sam Vasfi
Months of COVID restrictions caused many nightclubs in D.C. to shutter for the last time. Among the mourned include an array of clubs and bars on the popular U Street. In a joint statement that left the DMV repining at their last nights on the street, American Ice Company, Brixton, El Rey, Echo Park, Gibson, Marvin, and Players Club announced in September that they would shut down for good after Halloween.
The famed U Street Music Hall also announced its closure on October 5th, becoming the district's biggest music venue to do so.
Snowless Winter
The region had an unusually warm winter in 2019-2020. Baltimore totaled just 1.8 inches of snow by February, with no snow falling at all in February, landing Baltimore at the top three least-snowiest winters in recorded history.
Over the past five decades, the Washington area has seen average winter temperatures increase between three and five degrees. As climate change progresses, our normally bitterly cold winter days will shift upwards to New York while winters in D.C. start to feel more like Mississippi.
The Weird
Now, there were some weird moments in the DMV this year, like when the police department in Taneytown, Maryland, had to urge residents via Facebook to remember to wear pants when leaving the house checking the mail.
Or, when four teenage girls were seen zooming down Route 50 on a stolen golf cart after missing their $35 Lyft ride from Bowie to D.C.
Then, there was Governor Hogan writing in Ronald Reagan for president.
Honorable Mentions
February: Lamar Jackson was named the 2019 NFL MVP and FedEx Air NFL Player of the Year.
July: beloved Ravens and Orioles superfan Mo Gaba died at the age of 14.
A year of tornadoes: Not only was there no snow, but there were five tornadoes confirmed across Maryland in February. In August, tropical storm Isaias moves through the region and spawns nine tornadoes in Maryland and Delaware. Weeks later, a severe thunderstorm produced a EF-1 tornado that blew through Edgewater near Annapolis, causing considerable damage in the area.
September: President Trump targets Baltimore in racist tweets, calling the city “worst in nation.”
October: D.C. area painter Martin Kotler is identified and praised after a video from a bystander of him painting the D.C. skyline goes viral.
October: WKYS’ Little Bacon Bear debuts as host of Youtube’s new original series, Released.
December: News anchor and new Tik Tok star Jeanette Reyes joins the Fox 5 DC station.
