austin

Austin

chicago

Chicago

denver

Denver

lasvegas

Las Vegas

madison

Madison

nashville

Nashville

philly

Philly

pittsburgh

Pittsburgh

portland

Portland

saltlake

Salt Lake

seattle

Seattle

twincities

Twin Cities

We make podcasts and newsletters that connect people with the cities they love.

City Cast DC

This year, City Cast DC is excited to present our second annual City Cast 6 awards, presented by Christopher Nace and the trial lawyers at 

We'll be recognizing six local leaders transforming six distinct industries in 2024 — Politics, Food & Drink, Business & Development, Arts & Culture, Music, and for the first time ever, a Local Hero nominated by readers and listeners. We will announce the six visionaries on Dec. 9, selected alongside our panel of D.C. reporters and experts. 

Stay tuned! And check out last year's winners below.

An unlikely hero, but no one has had a bigger impact on D.C.’s business and development this year than Senator L. Louise Lucas. By almost single-handedly stopping Monumental Sports’ move to Virginia, Lucas secured her spot as the winner of the City Cast 6 business & development award for 2024.

Lucas represents Virginia’s 18th District, which includes Greensville and Sussex County. At 80-years-old, she has held the seat since 1992 and chairs 

Last spring, when Gov. Glenn Youngkin tried to lure Monumental Sports to Virginia with a $2 billion stadium deal, Lucas stonewalled it. She said the proposal would not only be a disaster to the state’s finances, but it would also set Virginia’s newly ascendant Black lawmakers up for failure.

“Had she backed down, Democrats looking to compromise with Youngkin might have pushed through, but she stood her ground. We have her to thank for the teams staying in D.C.,” said Washingtonian reporter Anna Spiegel, part of the City Cast 6 panel.

After Youngkin and Leonsis unveiled their plans, Lucas posted on X, “Anyone who thinks I’m going to approve an arena in Northern Virginia using state tax dollars before we deliver on toll relief and for public schools in Hampton Roads must think I have dumbass written on my forehead.”

Lucas’s actions made her an instant D.C. celebrity. It doesn’t hurt that 

 and matching suit game are absolutely iconic.

Youngkin, a multimillionaire former private equity chief and Harvard MBA, and his team of high-finance advisers were left fuming. At the end of the day, the stadium deal got the smackdown by an 80-year-old legislator who has more political savvy than them all put together.

“I’ll never forget the picture of her at the end of the Capital One saga,” said Greater Greater Washington’s Dan Reed during City Cast 6 panel negotiations, “when Glenn Youngkin is in front of the state capitol saying the deal fell apart, and she's just up on a balcony behind him eyeing him like, ‘that's right.’”

We’re not used to lawmakers outside of D.C. meddling in our affairs with a positive outcome, as City Cast 6 panelist and Washington Post report Michael Brice-Saddler pointed out, and for that, Lucas has become a household name in D.C.

CEO of Monumental Sports, which owns the Capitals, Wizards, and Mystics.

 D.C.’s official sports betting agencies.

 ​​Founder and CEO of Neighborhood Development Co.

The rail company that won Union Station’s eminent domain lawsuit.

To ensure the veracity of the awards, we chatted with dozens of field experts across D.C., conducted listener and reader polls, and did our own research to come up with nominations. Finally, we had a public vote to help our panel of experts — Washington Post's Michael Brice-Saddler, Axios' Anna Spiegel, and Greater Greater Washington’s Dan Reed — select the winners.

The City Cast 6 awards, sponsored by Christopher Nace and the trial lawyers at 

, honor D.C.’s standout visionaries across six distinct categories. 

An unlikely hero, but no one has had a bigger impact on D.C.’s business and development this year than Senator L. Louise Lucas. By almost single-handedly stopping Monumental Sports’ move to Virginia, Lucas secured her spot as the winner of the City Cast 6 business & development award for 2024.


City Cast 6 2024: Business & Development Winner L. Louise Lucas

City Cast 6 2024 Award Winner: L. Louise Lucas

In 2024, City Cast DC is recognizing six local leaders transforming six distinct industries in 2024 — Politics, Food & Drink, Business & Development, Arts & Culture, Music, and for the first time ever, a Local Hero nominated by readers and listeners.

City Cast 6 Awards

D.C. is full of culinary visionaries. It even has the 

highest density of Michelin-star restaurants

 in the U.S. But, after months of research, interviews, and deliberations, we've selected Chef Michael Rafidi as the winner of the City Cast 6 Food & Drink category for 2024.

Rafidi is the mastermind behind the Michelin-starred, hearth-fired marvel 

 and the popular Levantine-inspired cafe 

Before making his mark on D.C.'s restaurant industry, Rafidi spent six years working with Michael Mina as Executive Chef of the French restaurant RN74 in San Francisco. But, his cooking background can be traced back to Ramallah, Palestine, where his family still runs a bakery. 

 a tribute to his grandparents and the food he grew up with.

“The way he's elevating his Palestinian-American heritage and introducing Levantine food to D.C. is special. I don't think a lot of us would have known what that cuisine meant before he opened Albi,” said Washingtonian food editor Anna Spiegel, a member of the City Cast 6 panel.

Rafidi is renowned for his creative approach to traditional Arabic cuisine, blending contemporary techniques with Mid-Atlantic ingredients. While both Albi and Yellow are Levantine in soul, Rafidi’s latest venture, La’ Shukran, combines French and Middle Eastern flavors in a disco bistro setting.

The menu is updated daily but diners can expect dishes filled with za’atar, chiles, sumac, pickles, and herbs. Think smokey escargot, carob roast duck leg confit, and date BBQ mushrooms. The cocktail menu is artsy and heavy on the arak, an anise-flavored Middle Eastern alcohol.

Rafidi also opened a second location of his hit cafe Yellow in Union Market this year, which transforms from a coffee shop during the day to a casual kebab restaurant at night with dishes like leg of lamb, harissa chicken wing, and swordfish skewers.

 on stage “to Palestine, and to all the Palestinian people out there, whether it’s here or in Palestine or all over the world,” he said.

Rafidi has been a strong voice against Israel’s military assaults on Palestine over the past year and hopes his cooking can bring more awareness to the tragedies against the Palestinian people. “We are seeing unspeakable horrors in my homeland … The very land that for generations provided my family and millions with the ingredients and recipes that sustained life and made it possible for someone like me to stand on that stage is in danger and we must all speak out against it,” wrote Rafidi 

 — Zaytinya, Jaleo, minibar, and others

D.C. is full of culinary visionaries. It even has the highest density of Michelin-star restaurants in the U.S. But, after months of research, interviews, and deliberations, we've selected Chef Michael Rafidi as the winner of the City Cast 6 Food & Drink category for 2024.

City Cast 6 Award Winners: Food & Drink: Michael Rafidi

City Cast 6 2024 Award Winners: Michael Rafidi

🏆 WINNER: Noochie’s Live from the Front Porch

Noochie’s Live from the Front Porch is keeping go-go alive in D.C. — and giving NPR’s Tiny Desk a run for their money while they’re at it. 

 attracts worldwide acts to perform on a suburban porch south of D.C., 

 and millions of views. Noochie’s success and impact in the DC metro area is undeniable, earning them the title of City Cast 6 winner in the music category.

Born and raised in the DMV, Noochie took a roundabout route towards musical success. The idea for Live from the Front Porch first came about in 2017, when local rapper Noochie started posting recordings of his own throwaway freestyles from his porch. After a failed deal with Atlantic Records and a brief stint working on HBO shows, Noochie decided to expand the series and bring it to life. In July 2023, Backyard Band’s front porch session went viral — ascending Noochie to local music fame.

Since then, Chance the Rapper, Anderson Paak, Craig David, Robin Thicke, and the Lox have all graced Noochie’s porch-stage, bringing live, often go-go inspired renditions of their hit songs. Local legends Junkyard Band and TOB have also been featured, breathing new life into D.C.’s local go-go scene. Snoop Dogg even reposted one of Noochie’s videos, stating 

 — referring to his legendary Death Row Records company.

“I was blown away because I didn't realize the extent of who had been involved,” said City Cast 6 panelist Dan Reed. “Noochie is really boosting D.C. by creating this platform.”

Although the project is now produced by a professional film crew, fans gravitate towards the series’ edgy and street-friendly feel. Some of Noochie’s videos have raked in more than six million views, and the artist is already looking to continue the momentum into 2025, with a 

The rapper has also seen a flood of local support this year. “If you want the world behind you, you’ve gotta get your area behind you,” 

 about his recent success. “So, I just thought about, what’s the most D.C. shit I can do ever?”

Singer-songwriter who released "Dance You Outta My Head" on TikTok four days after beginning hospice care.

Takoma vegan donut shop owned by local punk rockers.

Local DJ Collective expanding rave music to D.C.

Pop punk and noise band leading “mascara mosh pit” genre.

Musician and show booker for Rediscover Fire that books acts at Black Cat and Comet Ping Pong.

Noochie’s Live from the Front Porch is keeping go-go alive in D.C. — and giving NPR’s Tiny Desk a run for their money while they’re at it. Noochie’s success and impact in the DC metro area is undeniable, earning them the title of City Cast 6 winner in the music category.

City Cast 6 Award Winners: Music: Noochie’s

City Cast 6 2024 Award Winners: Noochie

D.C. is known for its amazing art museums, not its clubbing scene. 

 is out to change that. This queer party & DJ collective has been gaining momentum and reflects a new type of nightlife in D.C. that is more fluid, inclusive, and doesn’t have a concrete home. It is this dedication to transforming D.C. nightlife that has earned it the City Cast 6 award in the category of Arts & Culture.

 of gay tea dances that began in New York in the ‘50s and ’60s when same-sex dancing was criminalized. At the heart of Flower Factory’s mission is the desire to create a safe space for gender expression and queer joy in D.C.

"A huge part of queer culture is celebrating each other when no one else will and giving each other the space to do that," Bumper from Flower Factory told us. "Our goal has always been to create a space for top-notch musical talent in our community to have a platform and for people to feel free to be themselves."

Every second Sunday, the collective organizes a dance at a different host venue, and anywhere from 600 to 1,300 guests will attend. The group brings in DJs that span house, funk, club, disco, trance, pop, and hip-hop. Events are open to everyone and focus on creating a body-inclusive space that encourages vibrant, stylish attire and self-expression.

, there has been some erasure of queer spaces in D.C. in the last few years, most recently with 

. Flower Factory has helped fill the gap and bring D.C.’s queer space into a new, more flexible, era.

“Historically, [D.C.’s gayborhood] was in Dupont Circle,” said Greater Greater Washington reporter Dan Reed, a member of the City Cast 6 panel. “But, folks I interviewed said it's everywhere now, right? Flower Factory really reflects that ultimately every neighborhood should be capable of holding space for the LGBTQ community.”

A locally funded news source by former DCist reporters.

A new museum celebrating go-go music in Anacostia.

Local muralist and director of D.C. Walls Festival.

Children's book author awarded the MacArthur 'Genius Grant' and last year’s City Cast 6 literature winner.

We're excited to announce that 2024's City Cast 6 Arts & Culture winner is Flower Factory! This volunteer-based queer party & DJ collective has been gaining momentum and reflects a new type of nightlife in D.C. 

City Cast 6 2024 Awards: Arts & Culture: Flower Factory

City Cast 6 2024 Award Winners: Flower Factory

It may seem like a boring choice, but hear us out. From pushing to revitalize Downtown to resolving the Ted Leonsis spat, Bowser’s steady, centrist leadership style has been front and center in 2024 and has earned herself the City Cast 6 award in the politics category.

Earlier this year, when Ted Leonsis, the billionaire owner of the Wizards, Capitals, and Mystics announced he was moving the teams to Virginia, Bowser played the long game. She sat tight until Leonsis was forced to 

 because Gov. Glen Youngkin didn’t play his cards right with the Virginia legislature. Bowser turned what could have been a legacy-wounding loss into a defining career win when she announced the $515 million deal to keep the teams in D.C. until at least 2050. The ultimate 

Her plans to turn Capital One Arena into a state-of-the-art urban arena will affect D.C. for years to come. If it goes according to plan, it will both mitigate Ted Leonsis’ power and bolster Chinatown generally. If it doesn’t, it’s another money pit for taxpayers. Regardless, her work will have major repercussions.

“It would have been a huge, huge loss if the teams left. She's shown that she's up for the fight. And I think she'll continue to do so when Trump comes to town,” said Washingtonian reporter and City Cast 6 panelist Anna Spiegel.

Mayor Bowser told us her biggest takeaway from the ordeal was to "not take no for an answer. Do what you think is best for D.C. until the door is absolutely closed shut." 

Also on the sports front, the Senate Committee on Energy and National Resources 

 which would give D.C. long-term control of the RFK site, paving the way for the Commanders to return to the city. It also put Bowser one step further towards her career-defining goal of shaping RFK Campus into a hub of affordable housing, businesses, and recreation facilities.

. He has promised to “take over our horribly run capital,” and gut federal programs. 

Bowser has reached out to Trump asking for a meeting to discuss possible collaboration. "Last time, we tried to find common ground on issues that the federal government and D.C. share. That will be our approach this time as well," Bowser told us. It’s possible that her “boring,” middle-of-the-road style is going to be the city's best defense against whatever comes our way next year.

“The irony is that her centrist, non-activist style seems to be carrying the day right now as we're about to enter an era where she is going to be painted by Trump and the Republicans as the face of this, like, ‘80s style dystopian city,” said City Cast DC host Michael Schaffer.

Bowser is now in her third term as mayor, rivaling even the legacy of “mayor for life” Marion Barry. As for a fourth term, she’s said "I'm running until I'm not running.” But skeptics say the idea of sparring with Trump for another term 

It’s the City Cast 6 – our end of year awards recognizing DC’s most influential people. After months of deliberation, we're proud to announce Mayor Muriel Bowser as the 2024 winner in the Politics category. 

City Cast 6 2024 Award Winners: Politics, Mayor Muriel Bowser

City Cast 6 2024 Award Winners: Mayor Bowser

When WAMU suddenly shut DCist down last February, laying off 15 employees, it 

 in local journalism. To fill it, six former 

, a non-profit publication committed to covering hyper-local news. Not only did they get multiple write-in nominations for our people’s choice award, but they also received a unanimous vote from our panel.

The City Cast 6 Local Hero Award recognizes a person or group doing important work to uplift the D.C. community, no matter the scale. 2024 is our inaugural year for this award.

 — a nod to the District of Columbia’s lack of statehood — is still small in scale, publishing a few articles each week, but outsized in impact. Its coverage has ranged from D.C. home rule and homebuyers programs to local day trips and fall walk recommendations.

A worker-run newsroom is becoming somewhat of a rarity in local news, and allows The 51st to maintain full editorial control and focus on their mission: to demystify opaque city and civic processes and celebrate what makes D.C. special.

In July, The 51st launched an incredibly successful crowdfunding campaign, raising $250,000 in just one month from more than 3,000 donors. This funding was matched bringing the non-profit to $500,000 which, 

 should sustain them for their first year. While the community support is undeniable, like so many news organizations, long-term sustainability remains a question.

“Not only is the fundraising The 51st has done remarkably impressive,” said Washington Post reporter and City Cast 6 panelist Michael Brice-Saddler, “but they are filling a much-needed chasm in local print media that was worsened especially when WAMU mostly shuttered last year.”

Local newsrooms across the country have been dwindling, and D.C. is no exception. In addition to the death of DCist, Washington Post’s local section also endured massive cuts this fall. The 51st represents a new kind of local media, one that is challenging assumptions, and has the public’s support. Who better to take home the City Cast 6 Local Hero award for 2024?

"We’re thrilled that our little start-up has been named a City Cast 6 community hero --- but we literally wouldn’t exist today without the support of the community," said The 51st co-founder Colleen Grablick. "We took a risk with our launch, and it’s only thanks to the folks who believed in the importance of worker-led local news and trusted in our mission that we’re able to publish. We couldn’t be more excited to see what we can keep making together."

 — Quarterback for the Washington Commanders.

 — A non-profit music program for young people to learn, grow, and rock out.

 — An activist trying to get a women’s WWII memorial for the National Mall.

 — For their work on child and adult education programs.

When WAMU suddenly shut DCist down last February, laying off 15 employees, it left a gaping hole in local journalism. To fill it, six former DCist reporters started the 51st, a non-profit publication committed to covering hyper-local news. We're proud to have them as our people's choice winner City Cast 6 2024.

City Cast 6 2024 Award Winners: The 51st

It’s the City Cast 6 – our end of year awards for DC’s most influential people. Washington Post’s Michael Brice-Saddler, Axios’ Anna Spiegel, and Greater Greater Washington’s Dan Reed join the team to decide who influenced DC in 2024, for better or worse.

The City Cast 6 is presented by Christopher Nace and the trial lawyers at 

Plus, it’s our year-end membership campaign! Member support is critical for helping us tell the stories that connect you to this city we all love. 

, with ad-free listening, for as little as $8 a month.

Learn more about the sponsors of this December 9th episode:

Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info 

Who Were DC’s Most Influential People in 2024?

, presented by Christopher Nace and the trial lawyers at 

The City Cast 6 is an annual event where we recognize six local leaders transforming six distinct categories — Music, Politics, Food & Drink, Business & Development, Arts & Culture, and, for the first time, a "local hero."

After months of research and interviews, we have finally compiled a shortlist of nominees for each category. Now, we need your help! You know Washington, D.C.,  and its players better than anyone, and we want to ensure we celebrate the right person. So, please take a minute to vote on who should be this year's winners!

 so get your votes in quickly! Then, we'll start tallying the numbers and announce the final results on our 

 on Dec. 9. May the best Washingtonian win!

Vote in City Cast DC's 2024 City Cast 6 awards, an annual event where we recognize six local leaders who have transformed six distinct categories.

Vote on 2024's City Cast 6 Nominees

2024's City Cast 6 Awards: Time to Vote!

D.C. is a special city. There’s so much to do, see, and taste here. And with so much to experience, we wanted to narrow it down to the most transformative of what the city has to offer. In this final installation of our inaugural City Cast 6 awards, we’re diving into the categories of food and drink, business, and sustainability.

. The politics winner especially is going to blow your mind.

Want some more DC news? Then make sure to

Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info

And we’d love to feature you on the show! Share your DC-related thoughts, hopes, and frustrations with us in a voicemail by calling 

D.C.'s Most Influential People of 2023 (Part II)

This year, City Cast DC is conducting our inaugural City Cast 6 awards, where we recognize six local leaders transforming six distinct industries — Politics, Food & Drink, Business & Development, Sustainability, Music, and Literature.

After months of research, interviews, and deliberation, we're proud to announce the winner of the Literature category.

Reynolds was born in D.C. and raised in neighboring Oxon Hill, Maryland. He began writing poetry at 9 years old and focused on that for the next two decades. He published several poetry collections before he published his first novel, “When I Was The Greatest,” in 2014.

Most of Reynolds’ works are children's books or YA books focusing on antiracism and the Black experience in America. He also recently published a four-part podcast starring his mom and a short film called “Dear, Dreamer” about traversing the schools and landscapes of modern-day America.

He has received a Newbery Medal, a Printz Honor, an NAACP Image Award, and multiple Coretta Scott King honors. Reynolds is also the 2020-2022 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature.

Bookstagramer focusing on Latinx-authored books (

Bartender and creator of “Literary Cocktails” series, and lead of several D.C. book clubs.

To ensure the veracity of the awards, we chatted with dozens of field experts across D.C., conducted listener and reader polls, and did our own research to come up with nominations. Finally, we had you vote to choose a "People's Choice" winner. And we had our panel of experts — Washington Post's Michael Brice-Saddler, Axios' Anna Spiegel, and City Cast's David Plotz — confer and select a winner per category.

Children's book author Jason Reynolds' career has focused on writing about antiracism and the Black experience in America for young readers.