Mt. Pleasant: The Social Power of Music

Mt. Pleasant is a neighborhood in Northwest Washington, D.C. Starting in the late 1990s, a public debate over the changing community’s culture and identity was waged over the issue of live music. This unfolded when local Latino restaurants were forced to sign agreements indicating that they would not present live music after a group of neighbors complained to the Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration, which permits restrictions on alcoholic beverage licenses.