“I love America more than any other country in this world, and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually.” This James Baldwin quote pretty perfectly summarizes the weekend ahead. However you choose to celebrate or not celebrate, we hope you’ll stay mindful that there’s still a lot of work to be done in this country when it comes to equality and justice. (Also, please stay safe: stay home if you feel unwell, wear a mask, wash your hands, be respectful of others and their health.)

Before we talk about what’s on the agenda, here are some things from the BYT universe you might find useful and/or interesting:

• Pride is over, but the fight for Black trans lives is not. Change requires year-round allyship and action.
• It’s also important to celebrate the diversity and resilience of the LGBTQ+ community year-round; a reminder to check out Smithsonian Project Pride.
• Here are your weekly resources to consider on your journey towards becoming a better ally. (And five more places to donate.)
• Lucky Dog Animal Rescue gave us some advice on adopting a pet during a pandemic.
• Will restaurants ever be the same? St. John Frizell of Brooklyn’s Fort Defiance gave his input, and told us about the resto-bar’s grocery pivot.
• We premiered Niambi Ra’s great new video for “See To Be (C 2 B)”, and we wrote about Madame Gandhi’s “Waiting For Me”.
• MOCO Museum took us on a virtual trip to Amsterdam with a tour of their incredible collection ft. Kusama, Rothko and more.
• Svetlana (who grew up watching the Eurovision) and I (who did not, but identify as an enthusiast) reviewed Will Ferrell’s Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga which just came out on Netflix.
• And resident beer expert/enthusiast Phil Runco found out what can be expected from Solace Brewing’s new Falls Church Outpost.

Thursday July 2nd

• At noon – start the long weekend right w/ a special @brightestyoungthings instagram live community session w/ Carl Maynard and Trap Bob
• Plus staff members from the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian and Smithsonian Gardens will be discussing the significance of the Three Sisters (traditional indigenous staples of corn, squash and beans) and how to prepare them in the kitchen.
• Robbie Amell, Andy Allo and Greg Daniels will be (virtually) talking UPLOAD with 92Y at 2pm ET.
• At 7pm ET, meanwhile, Brooklyn Brainery is hosting a $15 virtual course on how to make shrubs, which are refreshing tonics made with a vinegar base, fruit, sugar and herbs, as well as a $10 virtual medicinal plant foraging class.
• If you feel like dancing, Intimate SLEAZE (ft. Lemz and Keenan) is happening at DC9 (or from your living room) tonight; if you go IRL, you need to book a table reservation, because only four roof deck tables of six people each are available at a time. (When you’re not sitting at the table with your five friends, you must practice social distancing and wear a mask.) $50 to reserve a table, or free if you’re watching from home; all table sales will be donated to Bartenders Against Racism.
• Or if you’re in the mood for a (safe and socially distanced) trip, Ocean City is doing fireworks at Talbot Street Beach tonight.

Friday July 3rd

• Firstly, it’s a new round of Bandcamp Friday, meaning artists get to keep 100% of sales. From 3am ET today to 3am ET tomorrow, OPEN YOUR WALLET. If you need inspiration, here are the artists and labels offering donations and special merch, plus here are 2000+ Black artists and producers currently using the platform.
• Feed The Need DC is hosting a clothes swap from 2pm to 6pm tonight at Malcolm X Park; organized by queer Black womxn, this is an event “centering the inclusion, safety, and comfort of Black and Brown TGNC folx of all sizes and Expressions”, so be mindful and respectful of that.
• There’s also a DC #SAYHERNAME peaceful vigil for Oluwayotin Salau tonight at 8pm, location TBD.
• And there’s an overnight sit-in at Freedom Plaza to demand an end to the harassment, abuse and violence by MPD towards protesters.
• Shifting into tunes territory, 110% recommended to scope Shamir virtually via tonight’s 8pm BABY TV live stream. Tickets start at $5.
• You can also catch WE FOUGHT THE BIG ONE’s live stream tonight ft. KAG (Katie Alice Greer, ex-PRIEST) at 10:30pm ET.
• Plus U Hall TV will feature a live-streamed Subversions performance tonight on Twitch starting at 7pm ET.
• In terms of film, Brooklyn’s Nitehawk will host a special virtual screening of John Lewis: Good Trouble ft. Q+A with director Dawn Porter at 8pm ET tonight; tickets are $12.
• Meanwhile, Union Market District Drive-In kicks off tonight with an 8:30pm screening of Captain America: The First Avenger. $20 per car. (And yes, you unfortunately DO need a car due to social distancing restrictions.)
• And Hamilton hits Disney+ today.
• RE: TV series, The Baby-Sitters Club is coming to Netflix today. Will it ever beat the VHS series? Doubtful, but still excited that this is a series that will never die.
• (Plus the final season PART TWO of Spain’s Cable Girls also hits Netflix.)

Saturday July 4th

• George Floyd Memorial March on Washington is set to kick off at 9:30am beginning at Lincoln Memorial. Additionally, All Americans Unite will gather at the Washington Monument at 10am, which is also when the Million Man March on Washington begins at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial. And the Black Lives Matter Protest and Unity Human Flag begins at 12:30pm at the National Museum of African American History and Culture. More details here.
• The National Archives will begin its annual reading of the Declaration of Independence at 4pm ET.
• The NWSL has returned with teams playing to empty stadiums for the 2020 Utah Challenge Cup, and there are two matches (weather permitting) today – Utah Royals face off against Sky Blue at 12:30pm ET, while Houston Dash play the Reign at 10pm via CBS and CBS All Access.
• PBS will live stream A Capitol Fourth at 8pm ET; John Stamos and Vanessa Williams will host, and Patti LaBelle will headline.
• (Fireworks are scheduled to start at 9:07pm.)
• U HALL TV will go live with Will Eastman starting at 7pm ET.
• Union Market’s roof will be open with extended hours (12pm to 10pm) for a special 4th of July BBQ pop-up. Head over for cookout fare, draft cocktails and more, and/or stay late to spot neighborhood fireworks. 

Sunday July 5th

• If you missed Nitehawk’s special presentation of John Lewis: Good Trouble, the Film Forum is also kicking off a series of virtual screenings starting today.
• Rhizome DC will present The Pleasure Garden: A Very Queer Historical Introduction to the Art of Film, Part 2: Confessions virtually today; tickets range in price from $5-$20 on a suggested donation basis, and all proceeds will be split between Rhizome DC and Revolve AVL.
• The aforementioned NWSL 2020 Utah Challenge Cup continues today, and the Washington Spirit (who have mostly been kicking ass, and are currently in second place behind the NC Courage) are set to face off against the Portland Thorns tonight at 10pm ET via CBS All Access.
• Meanwhile, Desus & Mero S2 returns from hiatus at 11pm ET on Showtime.

And…Monday July 6th

• Join staff of the National Museum of Women in the Arts for a virtual happy hour to celebrate Frida Kahlo’s birthday; in addition to making a specialty cocktail in her honor, learning Frida facts, and exploring the museum’s collection and archives for all things Frida, the event will feature a behind the scenes look at Frida’s letters to her mother, and curators will be highlighting other women artists who were inspired by Frida.

Once again, we hope you stay safe, mobilized and vigilant (AND HYDRATED) out there this weekend. In the meantime, did we miss something? Drop us a line at [email protected]

Featured photo by Clay Banks