Route 1 Corridor Conversations

Hyattsville Aging in Place, Helping Hands University Park, Neighbors Helping Neighbors of College Park, and Explorations on Aging have joined together to launch a new, online informative series to entertain, engage, and educate attendees, especially our older residents residing along the Route 1 Corridor. These Corridor Conversations programs will be held monthly and attendees can join via telephone or Zoom. Presentations begin at 2 p.m., although attendees are encouraged to join at 1:30 for conversation to work out any technical glitches. When possible, programs will be recorded for those who cannot attend live. We will be expanding this list as new programs are ready.

What to Consider When Considering a Move to a Care Community

Saturday, January 24, 2026 — 2–3:30 p.m.

Join Ginger Noce and Kristi Kennedy from Silver Bridges to look at the questions you and your family will want to consider when considering whether moving to a care community is the right decision for you. They will cover everything from questions to ask when visiting a prospective site to financing and setting your priorities will be covered. Whether you want independent living, assisted living, or memory care, there’s much to considered—both by you and by relatives who want to help.

Bibb County: A Conversation with Lonnae O’Neal

Saturday, February 28, 2026 — 2–3:30 p.m.

Join Hyattsville-based author Lonnae O’Neal for a discussion of her recent book Bibb County, a story of seven generations of her family, buried histories, and living truths. In the book, she explores relationships entangled with enslavement, resistance, sexual violence, survival, and lettuce.

Click Here to Register

Additional programs will be announced soon.

The Route 1 Corridor Conversations series has received support from Maryland Milestones, the City of Hyattsville, and the City of College Park.


Past Events

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Family & Traditional Recipes for the Fall

Saturday, September 27, 2025 — 2–3:30 p.m. — Click Here to Watch This Presentation

Join us for community conversation about traditions, family, and the importance of coming together to share food from diverse backgrounds. Especially now, in a time when divisions among people and cultures are heated, finding ways to share our experiences — and our favorite foods — can help us find common ground. Loretta Foster of University Park will start off the discussion, along with other Village members from the Route 1 Corridor. Bring your own family recipes to share, or you can email them ahead of time to communicationsHAP@gmail.com so we can add them to the ones we will share out during the program.

Are You Ready for an Emergency?

Saturday, August 23, 2025 — 2–3:30 p.m.— Click Here to Watch This Presentation

Join Rasheed Plummer from the Prince George’s County Office of Homeland Security for a presentation on Emergency Preparedness. September is National Preparedness Month, an annual campaign to raise awareness about the importance of preparing for disasters and emergencies. It’s a time to encourage individuals, families, and communities to take steps to be ready for various situations, including natural disasters and other emergencies. This summer we’ve seen an unusual number of severe storms, flash flooding and excessive heat warnings, so the threat is real.

For most people, disasters and emergencies are not a part of everyday life, so when something happens, they are taken by surprise. We want to help you avoid this by providing information on how to develop an emergency plan, prepare an emergency to go kit and understand how to stay informed. Having items ready to go in a waterproof bag will make it easier to piece your life back together if you are forced to evacuate. This session will focus on personal documents you’ll want to have at hand along with some cash, a list of contacts, glasses, medications, batteries and personal hygiene items.

It’s Summer! Time to Get Fit

Saturday, July 26, 2025 — 2–3:30 p.m. — Click Here to Watch This Presentation

Join Wallace Merriman on your journey to a healthier lifestyle. His talk will help people who want better health walk through the nutritional maze and make it safely to the other side.  Wallace is a health and fitness coach specializing in weight loss and wellness with You Be Fit. He has over 25 years of experience as a personal trainer and was a fitness trainer for agents in federal law enforcement as an Army instructor; he now works in Prince George’s County Parks and Planning and teaches at Prince George’s Community College. Wallace takes the confusion out of diet, exercise and nutrition and helps people make better choices that will last a lifetime instead of a moment in time.

Recognize and Avoid Cyber Crime

Saturday, June 28, 2025 — 2–3:30 p.m. — Click Here to Watch This Presentation

Join cybersecurity expert Heidi Weber to learn how to recognize and avoid the rising threat of electronic fraud in today’s digital age. Discover the common tactics used in phone calls, text messages, and emails to deceive unsuspecting individuals. Learn what red flags to watch for and the warning signs of a scam. Gain valuable strategies for safeguarding your personal information and finances, including what to do if you suspect you’ve been targeted. And find out about resources that can offer assistance and support in the fight against fraud.

Made in Maryland

Saturday, May 17, 2025 — 2–3:30 p.m. — Click Here to Watch This Presentation

It’s no secret that Maryland is home to hundreds of creatives who design, craft, roast, stitch, bake, weld, brew and build amazing productsand now there is a retail initiative dedicated to helping them grow. This modern-day incubator is a platform for creativityenabling ideas, products, and people to converge and drive traffic to neighborhoods while creating low entry-to-market opportunities for Maryland-based makers and small retailers.  Founded by Stacey Price of People Make Place and Michael Babin of Neighborhood Restaurant Group, Shop Made in Maryland is dedicated to showcasing the talents of MD-based designers, artists, and makers.

Route 1 Commercial History

Saturday, April 26, 2025 — 2–3:30 p.m. — Click Here to Watch This Presentation

Join Mike Franklin and Prince George’s County Planning Board Chair Peter A. Shapiro for a discussion of the commercial history and development of Route 1, starting with the old Hyattsville Hardware Store that is home to today’s Franklins general store, restaurant, and brewery, and the creation of the Gateway Arts District, which Shapiro spearheaded during his time on the County Council.

Pyramid Atlantic: Anchoring the Arts District

Saturday, March 22, 2025 — 2–3:30 p.m. — Click Here to Watch This Presentation

Kate Taylor Davis, executive director of Pyramid Atlantic Arts Center in Hyattsville, discusses the vibrant arts scene supported by the Pyramid Atlantic, including its studios, letterpresses and other printmaking equipment, the history of its building, and more.

Columbia Air Center: Determined to fly

Saturday, February 22, 2025 — 2–3:30 p.m. — Click Here to Watch This Presentation

Columbia Air Center, also known as Riverside Airfield, was the first licensed Black-owned and operated airport in the United States. Located in Croom, Prince George’s County, Maryland, it operated from 1940–1962. Columbia Air Center was more than an airfield, it was a home for the Black community, an expression of self-determination. Its history and legacy have been largely overlooked. Since 2022, College Park Aviation Museum has been honored to work with four Columbia Air Center’s descendant families and pilots to create the exhibition “Columbia Air Center – Determined to Fly.” This exhibit will be located in one of the museum’s three 800 sq ft. galleries and is scheduled to open to the public in the fall of 2025. Please join Museum Director Dr. Nadine Boksmati-Fattouh and Collections Curator and project lead Luke Perez as they talk about the curatorial approach and implementation of this groundbreaking interactive exhibition.

Healthy Movement Habits for the New Year

Saturday, January 18, 2025 — 2–3:30 p.m. — Click Here to Watch This Presentation

Join Jasmine Jackson, PT, DPT, CMTPT/DN, from Process Physical Therapy and Performance to learn about building healthy movement habits and practices for the New Year and beyond!


The Route 1 Corridor Conversations series has received support from Maryland Milestones, the City of Hyattsville, and the City of College Park.