District of Columbia | Spark of Genius

Indigenous person from Kogui people of Colombia

New online tool is first to track funding to Indigenous, local, and Afro-descendant communities

By Peter Schulte / April 12, 2024

The Path to Scale dashboard, developed in a partnership between the Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI) and the Rainforest Foundation Norway (RFN), provides information on funding from 133 donors since 2011 based on publicly available information. According to the developers, this publicly accessible dashboard will help donors, NGOs and rights holders identify critical funding gaps and opportunities in global efforts to secure communities’ rights.

Hands making hear shape over transgender flag in background

More than 90% of trans people are more satisfied with life after transitioning, massive new study finds

By Peter Schulte / February 7, 2024

Ninety-four percent of transgender people said that they were either a little or a lot more satisfied with their lives since they transitioned, the 2022 U.S. Transgender Survey (USTS) by the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) found. The study, which is the latest edition of the influential survey of transgender people, involved 92,329 transgender and nonbinary respondents answering questions about various aspects of their lives from October 19 to December 5, 2022.

Biden pardons thousands convicted of marijuana charges on federal lands and in D.C.

By Peter Schulte / December 23, 2023

The sweeping pardon applies to all U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents in possession of marijuana for their personal use and those convicted of similar federal crimes. It also forgives pot users in the District of Columbia.

U.S. Congress passes bill named after Emmett Till to make lynching a hate crime

By Peter Schulte / March 8, 2022

The bill would make it possible to prosecute a crime as a lynching when a conspiracy to commit a hate crime results in death or serious bodily injury.

U.S. officially enacts Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault Act into law

By Peter Schulte / March 4, 2022

The law is retroactive, freeing individuals who have been bound by arbitration language to pursue legal action against their harassers.

Promising lung cancer blood test delivers impressively accurate results

By Peter Schulte / August 24, 2021

A new study by researchers at Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center is showing a novel blood test can detect the presence of lung cancer with over 90% accuracy using artificial intelligence.

Deb Haaland slated to be first Native American Interior Secretary

By Peter Schulte / December 22, 2020

If confirmed, her role will include overseeing the government’s relationship with the 567 federally recognized tribes and 1.9 million American Indians and Alaska Natives.

26 organizations pledge to conserve, restore, and grow more than 855 million trees

By Peter Schulte / September 17, 2020

Organizations across the U.S. have joined together in support of nature-based solutions. The World Economic Forum and American Forests have launched the U.S. chapter of 1t.org, an initiative to “conserve, restore, and grow” one trillion trees around the globe.

A merger creates the world’s first Black-owned bank with more than $1 billion in assets

By Peter Schulte / September 1, 2020

The first Black-owned bank to reach $1 billion in assets has been created, due to the merger of City First Bank of D.C. in Washington and Los Angeles-based Broadway Federal Bank. The newly created lender will focus on housing, small businesses, and nonprofits.

The opening of the NFL game at FedEx Field

Washington’s NFL team is retiring the Redskins name

By Peter Schulte / July 13, 2020

The decision to change 87-year-old team name – considered a slur against Native Americans – comes amid mounting pressure on the franchise from corporate sponsors and the broader nationwide discussion of race.