Proclaiming Presence from the Washington StageWashington, uniquely among American cities, has remained disenfranchised since its founding as a federal enclave. In the absence of an overarching political life, the very meaning of "local" became contested. Residents and communities seeking to establish their presence in the city and, because of its capital status, the nation confronted prohibitions against the sort of political action evident elsewhere throughout the country. For much of the