Brenda Siler

AARP Foundation is again providing free tax assistance and preparation for taxpayers with low to moderate income through the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide program. AARP Foundation Tax-Aide, in its 45th year, is the nation’s largest free tax assistance and preparation service, giving special attention those 60 and older. You do not need to be a member of AARP or a retiree to use this free service.

There is still time to reserve your seat for two FREE Black History Month movie offerings from AARP DC. We want to see you there! Follow the links to learn more and to reserve a space.

AARP’s Southwest Waterfront Chapter #4751 has an exciting program planned for February in observance of Black History Month. Mark your calendar. Current AARP members and prospective members are welcome. For further information, contact Chapter President Betty Jean Tolbert Jones at bettyjeantolbertjones@yahoo.com or call 202-554-0901.

A movie or a music event? AARP DC has a number of fun and thought-provoking offerings during February that you will want to explore. Will it be a "Fab Four" tribute concert, a jazzy Valentine's Day evening for you and your sweetie, a 2014 Academy Award- nominated movie, or a documentary about marriage equality on an election ballot. Check out the details for each event. AARP DC looks forward to seeing you!

Join AARP DC in celebrating Black History Month at a free AARP Movies for Grownups screening of the inspiring film “Lee Daniels’ The Butler.” The film features dynamic performances from an award-winning cast led by Oscar-winning actor Forest Whitaker and Oprah Winfrey.

Mark your calendar for February 24, 2014, to see "The New Black," a documentary that tells the story of how the African-American community is grappling with the gay rights issue in light of the recent marriage equality movement and the fight over civil rights. This free film screening documents activists, families and clergy on both sides of the campaign to legalize gay marriage and examines homophobia in the black community’s institutional pillar—the black church. The movie reveals the Christian right wing’s strategy of exploiting this phenomenon in order to pursue an anti-gay political agenda. "The New Black" takes viewers into the pews, onto the streets and provides a seat at the kitchen table as it tells the story of the historic fight to win marriage equality in Maryland and charts the evolution of this divisive issue within the black community. RSVP here to attend this movie.

There's still time to get your tickets for the 50 th Anniversary celebration of the first-ever Beatles concert in North America. On February 11, 2014, AARP will sponsor The Beatles Yesterday & Today event where a tribute concert with Beatles impersonators will take place in the same venue as the original event, the Uline Arena, which is located in Northeast Washington D.C. Singer Tommy Roe will be the opening act just as he was 50 years ago for the Beates. There will also be an exhibition of images from the original concert, shot by photographer Mike Mitchell, who was an 18-year old freelancer at the time.

AARP DC is offering a special discount for a Friday, February 14th Valentine's Day concert featuring Billboard Top 10 Jazz keyboardist/pianist Marcus Johnson. He has emerged as one of the young lions of the music world. Johnson's unique self-taught style of piano play has earned him distinction among his peers, and accolades among critics and fans alike. Don’t miss his Strathmore debut.*

Bringing exercise and nutrition awareness to 113 black men throughout the metro District of Columbia area including Maryland and Virginia, AARP DC launched the Black Men’s Fitness Challenge. The 12-week program consisted of teams from Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. Mu Lambda Chapter; Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., Alpha Omega Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., and 100 Black Men of Greater Washington. The men competed through their individual teams to see who could lose the most stomach inches during the program. The men were guided in the fitness competition by local fitness expert Yohnnie Shambourger, a former Mr. Universe and founder of Yohnnex Sports, Inc. (YSI) located in the Washington, DC metro area.

On February 11, 2014, AARP will sponsor the 50 th Anniversary celebration of the first-ever Beatles concert in North America. The Beatles Yesterday & Today event will feature a tribute concert with Beatles impersonators in the same venue as the original event, the Uline Arena, which is located in Northeast Washington D.C. Singer Tommy Roe will recreate his opening set from the February 11, 1964 concert at this upcoming event as part of the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Beatles invasion of America. There also will be an exhibition of images from the original concert, shot by photographer Mike Mitchell, who was an 18-year old freelancer at the time. AARP members will receive 15% off their ticket price – enter the promo code “AARP” at checkout. Proceeds from the event will benefit the D.C. Preservation League , which has rehabilitated the Uline Arena for this historic event. For tickets and more information, visit http://beatlesyesterdayandtoday.com/ (Photo credit: Mike Mitchell)