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- Siri gets schooled by Howard + this week's hottest events
Siri gets schooled by Howard + this week's hottest events
Read to the end for an update on training camp
Good morning, DC. We’re nearly halfway through the week, and more than halfway to Fall if this cooler weather is to be believed.
In today’s District Download:
A greener DC
Teaching Siri a thing or two
Jazz Fest is coming
Let’s get to it.
THE DIGEST
🌳 DC's green dreams: L'Enfant's garden city vision needs a 2025 glow-up
Pierre L'Enfant designed Washington as a nature-filled capital, but many of DC's most visible public spaces are now overly paved heat traps that push people away. The good news: there are concrete opportunities brewing to fix this, including a stalled project featuring two open-air museums—one called "Emerging Voices" highlighting youth perspectives and native plants, the other an extension of the US Botanic Garden. The centerpiece would be a shallow scrim fountain broken into five panels that can be turned off for events, using only 10% of the water of current fountains thanks to on-site filtration. While that project hit bureaucratic snags when maintenance responsibility shifted from the National Park Service to the Architect of the Capitol, spots like Freedom Plaza (currently baking under the sun) represent prime opportunities for green makeovers. As the nation approaches its 250th birthday, there's a golden chance to bring L'Enfant's garden city vision into the 21st century with nature-based solutions that cool streets and strengthen communities.
🎤 Howard University teaches Siri
Howard researcher Lucretia Williams kept noticing her interview quotes weren't quite right—transcription tech was dropping "-ed" endings and stumbling over her speech patterns, a problem plaguing Black speakers nationwide. Through "Project Elevate Black Voices," Howard partnered with Google to fix voice-recognition technology's bias: studies show top-tier systems have error rates 12-22% higher for Black users than white ones, forcing many to "code-switch" when talking to Alexa or Siri. Williams and her team recruited over 530 African Americans across 32 states, paying participants up to $599 each to create a 600-hour dataset of natural Black speech—from "What are your hobbies?" to everyday commands. A Black-owned transcription company processed all recordings, and Howard maintains data ownership to prevent misuse while making it available to Google and historically Black colleges for approved projects. The next phase aims to expand the dataset to include additional dialects from across the African diaspora spoken in the US, because as Williams puts it: "You shouldn't have to feel excluded from the technologies that you use and pay for."
LOCAL BUSINESS
🍽️ Kayu's Filipino comeback lands in Dupont Circle
Chef Paolo Dungca's modern Filipino restaurant Kayu is making a swift comeback after closing its H Street location in June, reopening today in a bright 40-seat Dupont Circle space at 1633 17th St. NW. The new version ditches the chef's counter and prix-fixe menus for a more accessible à la carte approach, keeping signature dishes like savory cassava cake topped with crab fat and jamón Ibérico while adding purple ube bao sliders and tocino chicken with sweet soy-pineapple glaze. Dungca is also reimagining childhood staples like pork and beans as elevated pork belly with stewed chickpeas, plus cocktails with Filipino flair including a pandan negroni and tamarind-jackfruit margarita. He's hunting for a new home for his casual Filipino cafe Hiraya while planning to launch Hiraya-style weekend brunch with creative Filipino-inspired lattes and fried-rice bowls in the coming months.
JAZZ FEST
🎷 DC JazzFest returns to The Wharf for Labor Day weekend business boost
The 20th annual DC JazzFest is set to flood The Wharf and surrounding venues with music lovers August 27-31, promising a major economic boost for local businesses during the five-day celebration. The festival spreads across multiple D.C. venues including The Hamilton Live, Eaton DC, and The Anthem (where Grammy winner Lalah Hathaway headlines August 29), with Saturday and Sunday's main events centered at The Wharf to showcase the area's restaurants and shops. General admission tickets start at $45 for the weekend days, while several events remain free to the public, and organizers expect crowds similar to last year's 95,000+ attendees from around the globe. The Wharf's restaurants, boutiques, and beverage stations will be prime beneficiaries as jazz fans arrive early (before noon) and stay through 10 p.m. performances both weekend days.
Where do you take out-of-town visitors first? |
WHAT’S HAPPENIN’
Here’s what’s going on around DC this week:
Wednesday
🎤 Planet Word's Wordplay Wednesday
Sing karaoke and play word games at this weekly gathering that combines musical fun with literary challenges.
📍 Downtown | 🕐 5 PM
Romance novelist Olivia Dade talks about her newest book blending zombies and romantic comedy in this virtual author event.
📍 East City Bookshop | 🕐 7 PM
🗳️ "From Barriers to Ballots" exhibit opening reception
Learn about the history of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 at the opening reception for this new exhibit exploring voting rights in America.
📍 Arlington Central Library | 🕐 5 PM
Thursday
🌾 The Great American Farmers Market
Support small farmers and learn about agriculture at this week-long inaugural showcase featuring vendor shopping, live music performances, and conservation talks running through Saturday.
📍 National Mall | 🕐 Through Saturday
Author David Levithan teams up with Swedish singer-songwriter Jens Lekman to discuss their collaborative novel about a wedding singer navigating love and loss.
📍 Politics and Prose | 🕐 7 PM
🖖 Star Trek-themed trivia at Atlas Brew Works
Play a game of Star Trek-themed trivia to win a gift card, with $5 core pints and food vendors making it the perfect nerdy night out.
📍 Atlas Brew Works | 🕐 7 PM
WEATHER
Wednesday
78 🌡 68 | 🌧️ 20% | 💨 7 mph
Thursday
79 🌡 66 | 🌧️ 15% | 💨 9 mph
LIVE MUSIC LOWDOWN
Wednesday
Wolf Trap | Maverick City Music | 8 PM
Soundcheck | AlienPark | 10 PM
Thursday
Jiffy Lube Live | Volbeat with Halestorm | 7 PM
Wolf Trap | Lyle Lovett and his Large Band | 8 PM
TRAINING CAMP
🏈 Daniels Sharp, Miller Mentoring & Position Battles Heat Up
Jayden Daniels is looking crisp at Commanders training camp, displaying improved footwork and decision-making as he lofted a perfect 25-yard touchdown pass to new receiver Deebo Samuel on a slot fade route during 11-on-11 drills. Veteran edge rusher Von Miller is already making his presence felt beyond just pass rushing, mentoring linebacker Frankie Luvu and bringing versatility that allows coach Dan Quinn to deploy rushers from multiple positions and execute stunts. The coaching staff is strategically managing Miller with veteran rest days to keep him healthy all season, while rookie Josh Conerly Jr. continues working with the second offensive line as he battles to earn his starting spot. Quinn emphasized that no positions are being handed out, maintaining the same competitive approach that made Daniels earn his starting quarterback job last season rather than simply giving it to him.
Did You Know? The U.S. Capitol building sits atop a hidden subway system that's been shuttling senators between the Capitol and their office buildings since 1909. The original cars were open-air trolleys, but today's sleek electric trains can hit 35 mph through the underground tunnels—making it possibly the only subway system in America where you need security clearance to ride.
Till next time,