What Happens When the Artist Becomes his own Client?
RAZA RY opens THE 1ST ROOM, turning nearly two decades of reconstruction into a public experiment
Six Films. Two Movements. One Ongoing Rebuild.

By PRESS OFFICER

RAZA RY

MOUNT RAINIER, Md. (Aug. 26, 2026)—What happens when an artist turns the lens around, makes himself the client and invites an audience into the unfinished work?

On September 20, RAZA RY intends to find out.

Brick by Brick: THE 1ST ROOM brings nearly two decades of personal and creative reconstruction into Station 3510 through six short films, artifacts and audience participation. Instead of presenting a polished portrait of arrival, RAZA exposes the architecture underneath it: the choices, fractures, revisions and discoveries that make becoming possible.

This is not a retrospective. The audience is not being asked simply to look back at who RAZA has been. They are being invited into the room while becoming is still happening.

Across two movements, film leaves the screen and enters the room. Artifacts carry memory into physical space. Audience participation changes the temperature of the work. What begins as one artist’s reconstruction becomes a question shared by everyone present: What are we building, dismantling or becoming in our own lives?

At the center of the experiment is an unusual reversal. RAZA, whose work spans photography, film and writing, has spent years observing and interpreting other people. With Brick by Brick, he turns that attention inward and makes himself the client, collapsing the distance between artist, subject and work.

The result is neither screening nor exhibition in the conventional sense. THE 1ST ROOM is a threshold: part cinema, part installation, part social experiment. Its subject is not a finished identity, but the courage and uncertainty of constructing one in public.

With Brick by Brick, RAZA turns the work of becoming visible into both a social experiment and a shared journey with his fans, supporters and collectors.

RAZA RY is a multidisciplinary artist working across photography, film, writing and experience-making. His practice explores identity, visibility, reconstruction and the tension between who we have been and who we are still becoming. Brick by Brick makes that inquiry visible, inviting others not merely to witness the rebuild, but to enter it.

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Get Moving, Get Screened and Get Connected at Free Prince George’s County Health Fair
Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc. Prince George’s County Chapter to host Sept. 26 event featuring health screenings, interactive wellness activities and fun for all ages

By LADY MARIA JAMES

Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc. Prince George’s County Chapter

CAPITOL HEIGHTS, Md. (Aug. 17, 2026)—Get ready to move, learn and take charge of your health! From children ready for a challenge to older adults looking for fun ways to stay active, there will be something for every generation at the Let’s Move Prince George’s County Community Health Fair.

The Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc. Prince George’s County Chapter, in partnership with the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Department of Parks and Recreation, will host the free event Saturday, Sept. 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Oakcrest Community Center in Capitol Heights.

Under the theme “Wellness for All: Mind, Body, and Community,” this won’t be your typical health fair. In addition to valuable health information, attendees will be invited to get up, participate and try something new through interactive activities for all ages.

Children can take on a Kids Challenge, while teens and adults can get moving through fitness activities or learn practical techniques during a self-defense demonstration. Adults and older residents can try chair yoga, and attendees can pick up healthy eating ideas through a nutrition workshop and cooking demonstration.

Men’s health will also take center stage, with a special panel designed to engage men in conversations about their health and wellness.
 
Visitors can learn important information about their health through screenings and services, including blood pressure and A1C checks, vision and hearing screenings, and sickle cell trait testing and education. Mental health and other community wellness resources will also be available.

The fair will bring together organizations including the Prince George’s County Health Department, AARP Maryland, Howard University Sickle Cell Center, NAMI, the Colorectal Cancer Alliance and other health and community partners.

Whether you come to get screened, join an activity, learn about men’s health, discover a new healthy habit or enjoy the day with your family, the health fair offers Prince George’s County residents an opportunity to make wellness active, accessible and fun.

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National Harbor Community Day Set for Sunday, Sept. 20
Free Event Includes Family Activities, Health and Wellness Resources, Entertainment, Local Vendors and More

By PRESS OFFICER
National Harbor

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. (Sept. 3, 2026)—National Harbor will host its free Community Day on Sunday, Sept. 20, from noon to 4 p.m., featuring family activities, entertainment, health screenings, government agencies and local vendors.

Highlights include a community blood drive with Inova’s bloodmobile, performances by Lela Belles Dancers and Cultural Academy for Excellence, free blood pressure screenings from Adventist HealthCare Fort Washington Medical Center, and program information from The Arc. Ben & Jerry’s will sample its new Razz Up and Key Lime Pie flavors, while CVS shares immunization information and Fort Washington Forward highlights its community work. The Agency at National Harbor will provide financial and retirement planning resources.

Recruiters from the U.S. Army, Air Force, U.S. Coast Guard, and D.C. National Guard will also be on-site. Prince George’s County Office of Veterans Affairs will connect veterans and families with benefits, health care and educational resources.

The Capital Canopy will host the Kids Zone where the Maryland-National Capital Parks and Recreation will offer games, activities and recreational program information, while Park Rangers will showcase furs and skulls. WOW Wheelz will offer a free interactive driving academy, and Prince George’s County Fire/EMS hosts a fire safety table with recruiter meet-and-greets.

The day wraps up with a Commanders vs. Cowboys Watch Party at 4:25 p.m. on the jumbo screen at The Plaza (150 National Plaza). Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets and grab food from one of National Harbor’s 40 restaurants.

For more information, visit www.NationalHarbor.com or the Community Day event page: https://www.nationalharbor.com/events/annual-events/community-day/

Situated on the banks of the historic Potomac River and just minutes from the nation’s capital, National Harbor is a waterfront resort destination unlike any other. National Harbor is home to two of Maryland’s Four Diamond rated hotels—Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, the East Coast’s largest non-gaming hotel and convention center and has almost 2,000 hotel rooms and 660,000 sq. ft. of meeting space and MGM National Harbor, an integrated luxury casino resort with renowned chef-driven restaurants, a 3,000-seat state-of-the art theater and one of the largest gaming floors outside of Las Vegas. The vibrant Waterfront District features boutique shops, restaurants and entertainment options along picturesque promenades. The iconic Capital Wheel, a 180-ft observation wheel, Tanger National Harbor’s 85 designer brands, and a robust calendar of events round out this destination that welcomes more than 15.2 million visitors a year.

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