Ward 6 residents filled the space at Skyline 609 (609 H St. NE), spilling out onto the rooftop deck to enjoy nighttime views of the Capitol dome and the twinkling lights of H Street despite the cold.
250 people gathered to celebrate the 19th Annual Brickie Awards. Founded ago as “The Livable Walkable Awards” by former Ward 6 Councilmember Tommy Wells (D), the honor was renamed by Hill Rag Managing Editor Andrew Lightman in honor of the actual prize given, a red clay brick.
“The bricks really symbolize the things that make up our community, the foundation that gets laid,” Allen explained.
The council member noted that his office receives hundreds of nominations each year, praising how Ward 6 residents “show love” to those who are working tirelessly — sometimes behind the scenes — to build up the city.
Neighbor Award: Rev. Brian Hamilton
Westminster Presbyterian Church
“Rev. Brian Hamilton is just an icon,” Councilmember Allen said. Allen said he always knows he chose the right honoree as soon as he makes the phone call, “when that person says, “oh no, not me —there’s someone else.” That was exactly Rev. Brian Hamilton’s response, Allen added.
Ward 6 residents overwhelmingly nominated Hamilton for transforming Westminster Presbyterian into far more than a church.
“It is so much more than just Westminster Presbyterian Church. It’s what he has helped build within the walls of this building,” Allen said. “It is the town center. It is the community hub of an entire neighborhood. And on top of that is a place that helps really celebrate and anchor a lot of music” The church has hosted candidate forums, neighborhood meetings, social support services, and the city’s beloved Blues and Jazz nights. A tribute video emphasized Hamilton’s leadership in building the Southwest Palliative Center and championing programs addressing HIV, substance use, and youth opportunity — always rooted in love.
Hamilton remembered coming to the District in a blizzard in 1996. Calling it an honor and a privilege, he thanked the southwest community and the “jazzheads around town, all you blues heads.”
“We’ve thrown a lot of things against the wall, but it’s all been a joy to really try and bring the community together with so many people who share that passion,” Hamilton said, thanking neighbors for helping create a place “where everyone is welcome, everyone is fed, and everyone is brought together.”
“I know there are great days to come.”
Community Organization Award: Capitol Hill School Parents Football League
This year’s Community Organization Award recognized an organization that builds community around the soccer pitch. The Capitol Hill School Parents Football League brings parents together to play soccer, organizing them around the neighborhood schools. “What you saw happen was this really great kind of camaraderie,” Allen said. “People got to meet each other for the first time.” The league is bringing all these groups together, he added, having fun in the process as they build a stronger community one match at a time. In video comments, previous Brickie Award winner and restauranteur Erik Bruner-Yang said that this was his first year in the parents league, telling organizers Auden Kaehler and Jen Barrie that they made everyone who plays feel seen and heard, including cultures, backgrounds and economic spaces. “I don’t think you realize how meaningful that is to people.” He concluded.
Barrie said the idea started from a single team of Maury Elementary parents. “What we realized is we were a bunch of 40-somethings being destroyed by 20-somethings every week.” Barrie wondered allowed if parents from other schools would want to compete against them. She thought it was an offhand comment, Barrie added, but Kaehler took it to the next level.
From that one team, Koehler said, the league will expand to 18 next year, including a Northwest division. Players run the gamut from former college players to the first time on the field Keahler thanked the sponsors and the players, noting that Bruner-Yang, “is very aggressive on the field,” and inviting anyone with parents to join them to play. “Thank you very much for this award,” Kaehler concluded. “It is an honor to accept this.”
Business Award: Atlas Performing Arts Center
Allen introduced the next honoree by pointing out the profound impact arts have on business corridors. “When our arts are doing well, our businesses do well — everything does well,” he said bringing energy and creativity into spaces. The Atlas Performing Arts Center has exemplified that impact since reopening its historic doors in 2006, becoming a flagship destination on H Street NE.
Allen emphasized that Atlas is not simply a theater. It is home to the Intersections Festival, rehearsal space for local artists, a stage for diverse voices, and a magnet drawing tens of thousands of visitors into the corridor each year. “It is a multiplier effect for the entire corridor,” Allen said.
Executive Director Jarrod Bennett — celebrating his first full year leading Atlas — shared that only the Kennedy Center produces more performances annually in DC. He proudly noted that last year alone, Atlas returned $1.7 million to the community in the form of free venue access, free tickets, and reduced-cost programming.
Bennett acknowledged Atlas founder Jane Lang, who was also in attendance and received a round of applause from the crowd. “We’re here for the community,” Bennett said. “Come back, see us, say hi — we want to partner with you.”
Public Service Award: Maude Holt, DC Healthcare Ombudsman
There wasn’t a dry eye in the room as Allen introduced the person he said solves problems during some of residents’ most frightening moments. As DC’s Healthcare Ombudsman, Maude Holt helps residents obtain essential medicines, equipment, and insurance coverage when systems break down.
When constituents call with problems accessing medical care and equipment, they are often in dire situations and “really scared, nervous, frantic, because it’s such a serious issue,” said Allen’s Constituent Services Coordinator, Kimberly Kennedy in a video tribute. To solve those problems, they need contacts in District agencies. “We’ve been so lucky, because Maude Holt is an unbelievable resource.”
Allen said they trust her every time to “cut straight through the red tape.”
“Olivia Chase told me a second ago she’s got two brand new hips because of Maude Holt,” Allen said, joking to Chase, “I don’t know if you got Maude to autograph them.”
In the tribute video, Allen’s constituent services staff recounted cases ranging from a senior who survived the fire at the Arthur Capper residences needing portable oxygen to residents waiting days for insulin — emergencies Holt navigates with persistence and compassion. One staff member summed it up simply: “That’s our Maude.”
Holt said she was humbled and honored by the award. But, she said, she does her work, “not because I want praise, but because it’s the right thing to do.”
“We must learn how to help one another, be those eyes, be that fierce person to help them get what they need.” Holding her brick, Holt shared that her drive to help others negotiate the healthcare system is personal: “I have leukemia, so I fight that fight too,” she told the crowd.
“That’s our Maude,” Allen repeated.
Civic Pride Award: Free DC
As Allen introduced the winners of this year’s Civic Pride Award, the crowd broke into cheers of “Free DC! Free DC!” Many also waving flags and signs. “Obviously I don’t really need to introduce free DC very much to this crowd here,” Allen joked as the chants faded.
Allen praised Free DC a movement that rose rapidly in response to unprecedented political threats. When Congress moved to interfere with locally passed DC laws in early 2025, Free DC provided needed neighborhood and community based leadership that was needed, helping residents organize with purpose — and joy.
Allen said he was proud of the leadership which he said has “inspired and motivated” thousands across the District to defend democracy right here at home. “Courage is contagious,” he said, “and when Free DC steps out and leads in a way that inspires and motivates and bring our neighbors together, it is something that’s very special.”
Executive Director Keja Chatterjee thanked everyone for allowing Free DC to be part of the community and for organizing with them. “We all know that it is the joy and is the power of the people of DC and the people in Ward 6 that is going to be the reason that we prevail, ultimately,” she said. “And so it’s so wonderful to see that joy and that power on display through all of the people who won awards today.”
Ward 6 Co-Chair Allegra encouraged all to attend an orientation and organize with Free DC. She said the organization’s goal was to mobilize 3.1 percent of the city. Ward 6, she said, hasn’t met their goals, encouraging neighbors to get involved.
DC faces many challenges ahead, Allen added, and Free DC will be needed. “We’re going to continue to need a leadership that comes from that grassroots and comes from neighbors, neighbor to neighbor, really pushing and fighting and working for each other and helping protect and speak up for one another.”
Special Recognition Award: Larry Janezich
Capitol Hill Corner
The final award of the night recognized a familiar — and constantly present — face: Capitol Hill Corner editor Larry Janezich.
Allen said that Janezich has been nominated multiple times in previous years. That’s why the Special Recongition Award was needed, he said, “because some community champions don’t fit neatly into one category — but absolutely deserve celebration.”
For 15 years, Janezich has documented nearly every local decision, development and debate, attending virtually every Ward 6 Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) meeting since 2010 in person and reporting faithfully. His blog has recorded more than 2.4 million views, a testament to residents’ reliance on it as an indispensable source of news, Allen said. “t’s a credit to your talent and your dedication of building community through local reporting that you are receiving the special, special recognition award this year,” Allen said.
A video tribute reflected on an era when local journalism is shrinking and major outlets are “taking people off the street.” Janezich, by contrast, is everywhere, writing the stories people need to read, from his early work on the Hine Project and Eastern Market Metro Plaza Park to his recent breaking news on the cancellation of the US Navy land transfer deal.
In accepting the award, Janezich kept the focus on neighbors: “Capitol Hill corner is about community,” he said. “It’s about the people in this room and people like them who try every day to make Capitol Hill a better place. All I do is report on their efforts. Thank you for this award.”
Sponsors
As the evening wound down, neighbors embraced and had a final beverage together under then night sky. “The Brickies is a great reminder of why so many people love calling Ward 6 home. The neighbors, organizations, and businesses we recognize are inspiring, the food and drinks are delicious, and the atmosphere is heartwarming,” said Allen,.
All food and beverages for the event are donated by exceptional Ward 6 and local DC businesses:
The Queen Vic | Tiki Garden Thai Street Food | Ethiopic Restaurant | Pie Shop | The Little Grand | Tunnicliff’s Tavern | Hill East Burger | Little Pearl | The Pretzel Bakery | Good Company Doughnuts & Café | la Betty | 2fifty Texas BBQ | Atlas Brew Works | DC Brau | Henceforth, | Ama | Mr. Henry’s | Sweet Crimes
Additional event sponsors include Skyline 609, Building Creative, Jair Lynch Real Estate Partners, Naval Lodge No. 4, Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington, Hill Rag, Solid State Books and printing donated by The Beytin Agency.
An earlier version of this story misidentified Allen committee director Kevin Whitfield in a caption. The Hill Rag apologizes to Mr. Whitfield for the error.
