Abigail Higgins

Washington, D.C., United States

Freelance journalist in DC, previously Kenya. Covers inequality, gender, labor @WashingtonPost @TheGuardian, Co-founder @51stNews, Organizing @FSP_NWU

Articles

Senate votes to spare D.C. from dramatic budget cuts

1 month ago | 51st.news | Martin Austermuhle |Shedrick Pelt |Colleen Grablick |Abigail Higgins

The U.S. Senate has a weird way of coming through for D.C. at the last minute, it seems. (Remember the RFK Christmas miracle?)On Friday evening, Senators swept in to spare D.C. from what city officials said would have been dramatic cuts to its local budget that could have resulted in spending freezes and government layoffs – including among police and teachers. "The issue is here is just allowing the D.C. government to proceed to spend its own tax revenue," said Sen.
In Congressional lobbying blitz, some D.C. residents were told to contact representatives they don’t have

1 month ago | 51st.news | Shedrick Pelt |Colleen Grablick |Abigail Higgins |India Kea |Martin Austermuhle

D.C. resident Meriah Burke-Raines started calling House offices earlier this week with one goal: urge members to reject a provision of the federal spending bill that would slash the city’s local budget. Instead, she got a harsh reminder of one of the indignities of living in D.C.“I just started going through and calling as many offices as I could. I called about 15. One of them at one point said you should be calling your representative.
Ask A D.C. Native: I’m new here. How can I make friends?

1 month ago | 51st.news | Martin Austermuhle |Shedrick Pelt |Colleen Grablick |Abigail Higgins

Ask A D.C. Native — 5 min read Arriving in a new city is kind of like stepping into a thick forest — everything is alive and buzzing, but the path ahead is unclear. It can feel a bit disorienting trying to find your way while facing the unknown. My quick advice: trust your instincts and feel your way through; the right opportunities for connection will emerge over time. As a D.C. native, the city’s rhythm is embedded in my DNA.
12 things to do around D.C. this weekend

1 month ago | 51st.news | Martin Austermuhle |Shedrick Pelt |Colleen Grablick |Abigail Higgins

The weather has finally turned, the days are longer, and things are looking up (uhh, sorta). Wake up from your winter hibernation with book talks, poetry readings, Holi celebrations, and Nowruz parties. How To Sell Out with Chad Sanders at MLK Jr. LibraryWriter Chad Sanders will be in conversation with Loyalty Bookstores owner Hannah Oliver Depp about the realities of writing about race as a Black author, based on his own experiences mining pain and trauma.
Lo que debes saber sobre los operativos del ICE en D.C.

2 months ago | eltiempolatino.com | Abigail Higgins |Teresa Frontado

La aguanieve caía afuera mientras cuatro docenas de personas se apiñaban el sábado en la estrecha sala de estar de una casa en hilera de Shaw. Otra docena escuchaba desde el pasillo mientras la concurrenciaaprendía los fundamentos legales para responder a los agentes de inmigración en sus hogares, lugares de trabajo o vecindarios tras la promesa inaugural del presidente Donald Trump de deportar a "millones y millones" de inmigrantes.
Overheard in D.C.: Yikes!

2 months ago | 51st.news | Mikka Macdonald |Abigail Higgins |Cornelia Poku |Colleen Grablick

Welcome back to Overheard in D.C. — The 51st edition! Send the quirky, funny, embarrassing, and otherwise entertaining stuff you overhear to [email protected]. Make sure to include where you were, who said it, and a little context.
15 things to do around D.C. this long weekend

2 months ago | 51st.news | Mikka Macdonald |Abigail Higgins |Cornelia Poku |Colleen Grablick

The federal government isn’t giving us much (anything?) to root for these days, but we can still celebrate President’s Day for what it is: a Monday off! This long weekend, there are plenty of lovey-dovey V-Day events to remind you that all we really have is each other. “The Genius of Polyamory” salon at Cleveland Park LibraryYep, you read that correctly. The Cleveland Park Library is hosting the first of three polyamory workshops tonight, led by sex activist and coach Dr. Jaime Grant.
Trump is razing the federal workforce. What will that do to D.C.?

2 months ago | 51st.news | Abigail Higgins |Cornelia Poku |Colleen Grablick |Mikka Macdonald

We’re in the fourth week of Donald Trump’s second term, and it’s clear the president remains intent on keeping his campaign promise to gut the federal workforce. Around 75,000 federal workers have accepted Elon Musk’s “fork in the road” buyout (which a judge allowed to proceed on Wednesday) and the Office of Personnel Management has initiated extensive layoffs that the administration hopes will help them cut agency budgets by 30 to 40%.
8 cheap but sweet spots for a D.C. date night

2 months ago | 51st.news | Mikka Macdonald |Abigail Higgins |Colleen Grablick |Cornelia Poku

Arts and Eats — 4 min read Let’s face it: we could all probably use some quality time with people we love (or maybe just like a lot) right now. And whether you’re one of the many single D.C. denizens navigating the dating scene or a married couple looking for somewhere to celebrate making it through another week, dinners for two can add up.
How to defend your neighbors (or yourself) from ICE enforcement in D.C.

2 months ago | 51st.news | Mikka Macdonald |Cornelia Poku |Colleen Grablick |Abigail Higgins

Sleet came down outside as almost four dozen people squeezed into the narrow living room of a Shaw rowhouse on Saturday. Another dozen listened from the hallway as the crowd learned the legal basics of responding to immigration officers in their homes, workplaces, or neighborhoods following President Donald Trump’s inaugural promise to deport “millions and millions” of immigrants.