The moments that shape our relationships with the places we call home aren’t always the obvious ones.

For nearly my entire life, D.C. has been that place. The newest issue of Washingtonian magazine, which celebrates 50 moments that influenced Washington during the past half century, reconnected me with so much of the local history I’ve lived through in my time here.

After reading a short piece Kojo wrote for the magazine (which is celebrating its 50th anniversary), about a year that’s personally significant to his relationship with D.C., I started thinking about whether I could pick a year for myself.

You’ll have to listen to today’s show or pick up a copy of Washingtonian to learn why Kojo chose 1989. But I’m happy to share why I chose 1991 right here: it’s the year my family moved back to D.C. after spending a few years living in the Middle East. We left Jordan in January that year, days before the start of Operation Desert Storm. I suddenly found myself back at Lafayette Elementary School in the middle of third grade. I had been out town for the final tailspin of the great Marion Barry scandal. 1991 was the year I caught up with the three years of American pop culture I missed while living abroad (See: Hammer, M.C.) and became reacquainted with the city we’d left, which had obviously experienced one hell of a whirlwind while we were gone. I loved everything about getting to know the city again – with the exception of the local pro football team.

My dad, who’s from Laredo, Texas, made sure I was a Dallas Cowboys fan before we left for Jordan – and made sure I rooted for the  Cowboys when we came back. My friends and classmates teased me to no end later that fall when their beloved burgundy and gold played their way to the Super Bowl. I’m proud to say I never caved on the football front, no matter how many times they sang the team song at school assembly.

We asked our Twitter followers to share what years of local D.C. history have a similar significance to them. Here are a few of the responses:

@MikeMartinezDC @kojoshow @washingtonian 1993 the year I arrived DC and met my wife to be! who else's?

— José Andrés (@chefjoseandres) September 29, 2015

@MikeMartinezDC @washingtonian #1995 #MillionManMarch. For me, THE most profound experience of #AfricanAmerican and male inclusion — EVER.

— Jason E. Turner (@jasonturnerdc) September 29, 2015

@MikeMartinezDC 3-way tie: Moved in with boyfriend in Tenleytown in 2009, engaged in North Beach MD 2012, married in Foggy Bottom 2014

— Rebecca Frank (@frankrebecca) September 29, 2015

@MikeMartinezDC @washingtonian In 2005, trekking down East Capitol all the way to RFK for the opening of the Nats' first season!!!

— S. Tremaine Nelson (@stremainenelson) September 29, 2015

@kojoshow @MikeMartinezDC as a native-born daughter that's a hard one. '76? Graduated HS, bicentennial, met someone special

— R L Goins (@CapCityRLG) September 30, 2015

@kojoshow My biggest year was 2012. Moved back to the area as an adult and started to be closer to the city.

— Christian Wright (@chpwright) September 30, 2015

.@kojoshow But seriously, 2014 for me. Moved to Brookland, which scared me growing up in DC. A lot changed since i was gone for 7yrs.

— Robin G (@Capitol_Oyster) September 30, 2015

@kojoshow The yr the hostages were tkn down at Wilson Bldg, when Marion Barry was shot & ambassadors fr 3 Muslim countries brought in 2 hlp

— la_toque (@la_toque) September 30, 2015

The October issue of Washingtonian is available now. You can hear editor Michael Schaffer discuss the issue with Kojo today at noon.

The Moments That Shaped The Face of Local Washington – The Kojo Nnamdi Show