What's With Washington
Channel Details
What's With Washington
What do you wonder about the Washington region and the people who call it home? As part of What's With Washington, you submit the questions that inform the stories that WAMU reporters go out and answer.
Recent Episodes
31 episodes
51st: With Democrats In Charge, Is DC Destined For Statehood?
The city's chances at statehood have improved in 2021, but there’s still one big obstacle: the filibuster.
This is a special bonus epis...
Next Virtual Trivia: November 19th!
Join Mikaela for another night of virtual trivia on November 19th! Test your knowledge of the Washington region along with special guest Rachel Kurziu...
51st: Greetings From Douglass Commonwealth
What does Washington, D.C.'s future hold? We take a trip to 2030 to find out. Plus, Kojo Nnamdi and Tom Sherwood explore why D.C. statehood is so pers...
51st: From Prisons To Weed, How District Life Is Different
D.C.'s status as a district has drastically altered the lives of some residents, including people convicted of felonies and medical marijuana patients...
51st: Is D.C. Statehood Even Legal?
Should D.C. become its own state, combine with Maryland or stay the way it is? Most local activists say 51st statehood is the only way to go, but oppo...
51st: ‘Take This Thing To The Streets’
The civil rights movement is reshaping D.C.'s push for representation and local control. Will local leaders like Walter Fauntroy and Marion Barry be a...
51st: What Hamilton Got Wrong About D.C.
A Philadelphia mutiny. A secret dinner meeting with three Founding Fathers. A controversial political boss's citywide reorganization plan. To understa...
51st: Why Statehood, Why Now?
Three major events in 2020 bring D.C.'s lack of representation into the spotlight: the coronavirus pandemic, protests near the White House against pol...
51st: Our New Season
51st is a series about Washingtonians’ fight for representation. D.C.'s 700,000 residents don't get to elect a voting representative to Congress, and...
Next Virtual Trivia: Oct 1!
Join Mikaela for another night of What’s With Washington Virtual Trivia on October 1st! Test your knowledge of the Washington region’s history, geogra...
Virtual Trivia Returns! July 23
Calling all D.C. trivia nerds! We had so much fun at our first virtual trivia event in May so we're doing it again!
Join Mikaela Lefrak...
Virtual Trivia: Join Us May 14!
Calling all D.C. trivia nerds! It’s time to test your knowledge and face off in WAMU’s first-ever virtual trivia event!
Join Mikaela Le...
Coronavirus Testing Explained, Plus Ways To Help
To see the latest coronavirus coverage, visit WAMU.org and DCist.com. We're updating our stories around the clock. We've also created a Facebook group...
An Embassy Mystery: What’s Up With Iran’s Properties In D.C.
The former Iranian Embassy and ambassador's residence on D.C.'s Embassy Row have been boarded up for decades. But recently, a listener noticed constru...
What’s With Washington: LIVE!
A few weeks ago, What’s With Washington went on the road (to NPR’s D.C. headquarters, that is) for our first ever live event. We talked about what mak...
Why Do Washingtonians Freak Out About Snow?
You've seen the terrible drivers and empty store shelves. But is there a deeper reason why Washingtonians can't handle the snow? Or are we just wimps...
D.C.’s Buildings Have Peaked: The Height Rule, Explained
What’s with the height limit on D.C. buildings? And if there were no limit, would the city be more affordable? Mikaela Lefrak gets a view from the top...
Will Amazon Change D.C.’s Dating Scene?
Stymied by dating in the District, a listener wonders if her chances will improve when Amazon brings new jobs -- and perhaps an influx of dating prosp...
Bad Suits And Bold Dresses: Inside Washingtonians’ Fashion Choices
Not everyone in D.C. is a white collar square, but nonetheless, ill-fitting navy suits and Ann Taylor Loft dresses are what come to mind when you imag...
Peas, Yes; Pineapples, No: D.C.’s Local Produce Scene, Explored
What does it mean to "buy seasonal" in the D.C. area? A listener seeks a guide to the region's local produce, and to answer, reporter Esther Ciammachi...
The Georgetown Metro Myth
As far as neighborhoods go, Georgetown has a bad rap...for public transit. The usual refrain? Georgetown residents didn't want a Metro station because...
Virginia Is For (Ham) Lovers, And Other Iconic Foods From The Washington Region
A listener asks whether D.C. has any "iconic" foods -- since Maryland's got the blue crab and Virginia has ham. Dish City hosts Ruth Tam and Patrick F...
How Go-Go Became D.C.’s Unofficial Soundtrack
As a musical genre, go-go is hard to capture with words. But walking through D.C., its beats are instantly recognizable. Mikaela and All Things Consid...
Watergate Salad Is Made Of What?! What A Retro Dessert Can Teach Us About D.C.’s Past
Despite its name, this once-popular dessert doesn't include a single vegetable. It does, however, share its name with one of D.C.'s most famous buildi...
Daycare Costs How Much?! Why Childcare is So Expensive in the Washington Region
Daycare is so expensive some parents are postponing their plans to have kids. Elly Yu and Martin Austermuhle join Mikaela to demystify the hidden cost...
A Crest, a Breast, and a Hot Mess: The Story Behind the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia Flags
A listener wants to know why the Maryland flag is such a mesmerizing mess, leading Mikaela to look into the three main flags of the DMV. DCist's Rache...
A Wombat Can Dream: Why the National Zoo Prefers Elephants to our Favorite Fuzzy Wuzzy Chubby Cutie Snuggly Marsupial (an Exposé)
When a listener writes in asking why the National Zoo doesn't have a wombat, you can count on Mikaela to confront the zookeepers about their decision-...
Do Pizza Boxes Go to Heaven? Your DMV Recycling Questions, Answered
So you think you recycle...but where do your plastic bags, jam jars, and soda cans actually go? Jacob Fenston joins Mikaela on a field trip to the rec...
Bikes, Pedestrians, Scooters, Oh My! Why Aren’t Sidewalks for Walking Anymore?
Bikes often end up on the sidewalks in the DMV even where there are bike lanes. Tyrone Turner joins Mikaela to get to the bottom of a question posed b...
From Duke Ellington to Blues Alley: What’s With D.C.’s Jazz Scene These Days?
"Are there still jazz clubs where up-and-coming artists perform?" Sasha-Ann Simons joins Mikaela to answer a question from a recent transplant to Dama...
Trailer
Introducing What's With Washington, a podcast that answers your questions about the Washington region.