Hi neighbors,

It's another busy weekend in Ward 1! I hope to see you at Columbia Heights Day on Saturday 6/18 for a celebration of everything that makes Columbia Heights great. Don't miss go-go on Sunday at Moechella, either. There's more about these events and recent legislation, too — let's go!

Legislative Updates

Juneteenth History and Planning Commission Establishment Act of 2022

Our office will be closed on Monday in observation of the Juneteenth holiday. I'm proud to introduce this bill with colleagues on the Council to create the District Juneteenth History and Planning Commission. They would be responsible for programming and education around Juneteenth in the District.

Preserving Our Kids’ Equity Through Trusts (POKETT) Amendment Act of 2022

This week I introduced the POKETT Act with the support of colleagues on the Council to ensure that kids who age out of the foster care system receive benefits they’ve earned. This bill protects federal survivor and disability benefits from being "pocketed" by child welfare agencies to pay for their care, a legally dubious practice that's been challenged in court. Under this bill, these benefits (which legally belong to those in foster care) are deposited in a trust. Ownership of the trust is transferred to children once they age out, allowing financial independence.

Clean Teams Pay Equity Act of 2022

This week I also introduced legislation to ensure that workers on our Clean Teams continue to receive fair pay. Since coming into office I’ve established new Clean Teams that now cover every commercial corridor in Ward 1, and as of this year we now have a “roving” clean team that can address litter and maintenance needs on residential blocks adjacent to those corridors.

Many employees of Clean Teams are returning citizens who are often economically vulnerable. Every year I’ve had to fight to include cost-of-living pay adjustments for those workers in the budget — in some years, their pay has remained the same despite rising inflation. This bill will correct that by building those pay increases into the budget in perpetuity.

This is one of many initiatives to ensure fair and robust pay for workers. Earlier this year we funded wage rate increases for Direct Care workers to ensure that essential work pays what it should, and we have now funded wage increases for early childhood educators through the Homes and Hearts Amendment Act I championed last year with CMs Allen and Lewis George.

Community Updates

Juneteenth at Moechella

On Sunday evening, Moechella is coming back to 14th and U for a Juneteenth concert from 4:00 to 8:00 PM with performances from New Impressionz, TOB, CCB, and more. It's free and all are invited.

I'm proud to have go-go here in Ward 1 — the home of Chuck Brown Way and Lil’ Benny Way. It's why I voted with my colleagues on the Council to make go-go the official music of the District and why I wrote a letter to T-Mobile to ask them to keep the music playing at 7th and Florida during the #DontMuteDC movement.

Like the last event, Moechella will take place in front of the Reeves Center. As many of you know, we're working on the future of this site. And it's important to me that the history of Black Broadway is part of the future of 14th and U.

Frank Reeves was a prominent Black attorney who argued, and won, landmark civil rights cases. He argued Bolling v. Sharpe, the court case that ruled segregation in DC schools unconstitutional, decided on the same day as Brown v. Board of Education. His legacy is still felt today. He was a Ward 1 resident, too.

So it's extremely meaningful that the NAACP has signed a letter of intent to bring their headquarters to the site of the Reeves Center at 14th and U Street. It will be an anchor for Black Broadway and bring jobs to the Ward. But that's not all — I've made it clear that any development on the site needs daytime and cultural uses to support events like Moechella that keep District culture alive and thriving, along with affordable and permanent supportive housing.

The finalist proposals for the redevelopment will better accommodate the activity that 14th and U already sees by including performance spaces that better address sound and noise and reduce the likelihood of gatherings spilling over into the street.

You might read "event space" and "affordable and permanent supportive housing" and wonder how they can occupy the same site. That's what inspired my Harmonious Living bill. Living close to cultural assets is not only possible, it's what many people move here for! We live in the densest, most diverse ward in the District and share spaces like U Street with each other — a nightlife and culture destination for the DMV over 100 years. Like go-go, it's part of who we are and I'm proud to preserve and enhance it.

Events

Columbia Heights Day

Join me Saturday at Columbia Heights Day! Across three sites in Columbia Heights — Columbia Heights Civic Plaza, 14th and Girard, and Tubman Elementary — there are events for everyone, from local creators and musicians to a carnival for kids, the farmer's market, bike repair, and more. More at this link.

Join a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)

SERVE DC is looking for new residents to serve on CERT teams. It's a free training, based on FEMA standards, and is available to anyone who lives, works, or congregates in the District. When emergencies happen, CERT members can provide critical support to first responders, immediate assistance to survivors and can help organize spontaneous volunteers at a disaster site. CERT members can also help with non-emergency projects that help improve community safety. Register for the July 21 cohort at this link.