John,

Today, I want to take a moment to honor our Warrior on the Hill — Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton — who announced yesterday that she would not seek re-election.

One of the greatest opportunities of my life was working for Congresswoman Norton in my very first job after graduating from Howard University. Fresh out of college, I had a front-row seat to history. Every single day, I watched her fight relentlessly for DC residents — for our right to self-govern, for dignity, and for full representation in our democracy.

Watching her work didn’t just teach me how government functions — it inspired me to believe I could play a role in changing it. Seeing her brilliance, preparation, and moral clarity helped push me to become a lawyer so I could better serve our city. When the time came to apply to law school, Congresswoman Norton didn’t just inspire me — she wrote me a recommendation letter. That act of faith and mentorship is something I carry with me to this day.

For more than three decades, Eleanor Holmes Norton has shown what it means to fight and deliver for DC. Her legacy lives not only in the laws she defended and advanced, but in the people she lifted up and inspired to lead like myself.

As she turns the page on this chapter, I am filled with gratitude. The work she dedicated her life to is not finished. DC still deserves full equality, full representation, and leaders who will never stop pushing for it.

Thank you Congresswoman Norton for inspiring, leading, fighting and delivering on behalf of all DC.

With gratitude and resolve,

Kenyan

P.S. If Congresswoman Norton taught me anything, it’s that progress only happens when people step up and stay engaged. If you’re ready to help continue the fight for DC’s future, I’d love for you to volunteer with us. Let’s keep pushing — together.