Stop Interfering in our Affairs

Congress is at it again!

As many of you have heard, the US House of Representatives will soon vote on a pair of bills that would overturn two laws that the DC Council overwhelmingly passed last year. The first, House Joint Resolution 26, disapproves “the action of the District of Columbia Council in approving the Revised Criminal Code Act of 2022." The second, House Joint Resolution 24, disapproves “the action of the District of Columbia Council in approving the Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2022." Both bills have been referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability.

The new House Republican majority, no surprises here, is determined to undermine the will of a majority of DC voters. For example, House Joint Resolution 24 would overturn legislation passed by the D.C. Council that will allow undocumented residents to vote in local elections, beginning in 2024. The attempted passage of both bill are, no doubt, just the first of many that DC residents can expect during the 118th Congress that will negatively impact the District's 700,000 residents.

While the Council can hold hearings, listen to its constituents, vote, and pass bills to better serve the over 700,00 DC residents, the process does not stop there. You see, all bills passed by the Council are subject to congressional approval. We must send a strong message to Congress to stop interfering in the matters of DC residents. Therefore, I, along, with my colleagues, have sent a joint letter to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, expressing concerns over both proposed measures.

The Republican House majority on Capitol Hill who are making decisions for us, don’t look like us, are not elected by us, and therefore, should not try to govern for us. Those of us who live in DC know what is best for us. We do not need Congress to tell us what we should or should not have in DC. We are already without a vote in Congress. It is time we have full autonomy over our affairs. It’s time for Statehood.

Stand up and speak out to save our democracy. Our future depends on it.

Don’t just stand there. Do something.

It is a honor to serve the residents of Ward 8.

Peace and love,
Trayon White, Sr.
Councilmember, Ward 8
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** Embody Resistance During Black History Month
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Black History Month, Embodying Resistance

During Black History Month 2023 ([link removed]) , DC Public Library is lifting up those who have left their mark, using their words and actions to resist the oppression of the Black community. Throughout the month the library is hosting a series of events that will explore resistance movements locally, across the nation, internationally and most importantly, our individual
relationship to resistance. How can you embody resistance to make positive change in your community? Upcoming events include:
* 34th Annual Black Film Festival ([link removed]) | Tuesdays at 3 p.m., Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
* Family Reader's Theatre: Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters ([link removed]) | Wednesday, Feb. 8, 4 p.m., West End Library
* Virtual Author Talk: The Civil Rights Trail with Deborah Douglass ([link removed]) | Wednesday, Feb. 8, 7 p.m., Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
* Art Afterwords: A Book Discussion ([link removed]) | Thursday, Feb. 9, 5:30 p.m., National Portrait Gallery
* MLK's Beloved Community and the DC Art Bank ([link removed]) | Saturday, Feb. 11, 1 p.m., Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
* Feeder's Advisory: Black Food ([link removed]) | Thursday, Feb. 16, 7 p.m., Northeast Library
* Author Talk: Finding my Voice with Emerald Garner ([link removed]) | Sunday, Feb. 19, 4 p.m., Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
* Family Author Talk: Books N Bros with Sidney Keys III ([link removed]) | Saturday, Feb. 25, 1 p.m., Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
* Strengthening African & African American Relationships ([link removed]) | Tuesday, Feb. 28, 6 p.m., Woodridge Library

For more information on resources, exhibits, and recommended reads for Black History Month, please visit our website ([link removed]) .
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
February 1, 2023
CONTACT:
Dr. Turnesha Fish – 202-294-1061; [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])


(Washington, DC)—The Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS) released a Request for Applications (RFA) for entities to provide intensive mentoring, career readiness and social development training, curriculum development, and family support services to at-risk youth ages 10-14. DYRS seeks a community-based organization to provide rigorous, effective, appropriate supports and services for youth and their families at the DYRS campus in Laurel, Maryland, and in communities District-wide. The funding available for the project is up to $500,000 for an 18-month period beginning March 2023.
All applicants should be in alignment with the DYRS vision – to provide the nation’s best continuum of care for court-involved and at-risk youth and their families through a wide range of programs that emphasize individual strengths, personal accountability, public safety, skill development, family involvement, and community support.
The complete Request for Applications (RFA) and all eligibility information can be found on DYRS’s website at [link removed] ([link removed]) . The deadline for all submissions is February 24, 2023, at 4:30 p.m. Applications must be submitted by email to [email protected]
(mailto:[email protected]) .

Eligibility: All the institution types listed below may apply for this grant.
-Nonprofit organizations, including those with IRS 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) determinations
-Faith-based organizations
-Government agencies
-Universities/educational institutions
-Private Enterprises
For additional information regarding this RFA, write to: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .

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ABOUT DYRS: The District of Columbia’s Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS) is the District’s juvenile justice agency. DYRS improves public safety by allowing court-involved youth to become more productive citizens by building on the youths’ and families’ strengths in the least restrictive, most homelike environment consistent with public safety. DYRS seeks to incorporate best practices and promising approaches to creating the nation's best strength-based, data-driven juvenile justice agency.
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** Get Ready to Register for DPR Programs
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Stay ready, so you don't have to get ready! DPR will be opening spring program registration on March 1, so now is a great time to make sure your DPR Account is up-to-date ([link removed])
.

DPR offers programming at reduced rates to qualiftying DC residents. New this year, sign up once and receive reduced rates on all DPR programs ([link removed]) for all of 2023.


[link removed]

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Emmitt Till & Mamie Till-Mobley: Let the World See is a touring exhibition recommended for visitors ages 10 and up that shares the story of how a mother's bravery and fight for justice more than six decades ago fueled the civil rights movement in America. It provides a framework for people and communities committed to racial healing. The exhibition will be at the Martin Luther King Jr., Library through March 12th.

For more information, visit [link removed]
CLICK HERE TO FILL OUT COMMENT FORM ([link removed])
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RSVP Today ([link removed])
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Sign up to Testify ([link removed])
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Staff Update

Monique Diop

Job Title
Director of Constituent Services for the office of Councilmember Trayon White

What are some specific duties you do at work?
I will be coordinating incoming issues and concerns from the people we serve. Our office will continue to connect with constituents and agencies to advise Councilmember White on matters concerning our Stakeholders.

What's your favorite food?
Thiéboundienne! It’s a very fancy Senegalese Fish, vegetables, and Rice Dish!

What's your favorite movie?
Grease II. I cannot sing, but I love to sing

What's something you're proud of?
Moving to Washington D.C. on my own at the age of 23.

Do you have any hidden talents or hobbies?
I have a very green thumb! I can grow anything and can bring back most plants to vibrancy.

Are you a morning person or a night person?
I love the wee hours. Night or morning, is the time when everyone else is asleep, and it’s so peaceful and quiet, you can really sit and think. I get up every day at 6 am to start my morning meditation, but that doesn’t mean things don’t keep me up late at night.

What did you want to be when you grew up?
A reporter, but being an ANC for so long, allowed me to inform the community. I love to advise, matter of fact, the name Monique, means “Advisor”

What motivates you at work?
I love to work on issues and see them come to fruition in my community. It's very satisfying when we can increase communication and get more people in our neighborhoods involved with civic issues.

What's your favorite work-related memory?
Once we took a field trip to Hershey Park Pa, and our manager, Mr. Lewindowsky let the entire crew pour chocolate all over his head! It was great!

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I see myself continuing to work for the District Government in any capacity that serves the community.

What are your greatest accomplishments thus far?
Clearing up my credit and paying off my debt.

What do you love about Ward 8?
I love Ward 8 because the people bring me joy. I love working with children because they are loving, ambitious, and very helpful. The teens think they are hipp and they have great dance moves! The seniors are historians and tell you all about the area. There are so many historic places to explore, and so many green spaces to relax in, our streets are wide, and we have abundant trees, places to park, and the best breathtaking city views.

What else do you want to share about yourself?
I’m an easygoing person who can talk to anyone, even if they don’t speak my language. I am an avid listener & professional storyteller. My motto in life is, to take a chance!

Kevin Coleman

Job Duties
As a Constituent Services Specialist, I connect with DC government agencies such as DDot, DCHA, DPW, DPR to remedy the concerns of residents. I also collaborate with ANC commissioners to help support their needs so they can better serve the constituents in the SMDs that they serve.

Favorite Food:
I don’t have a particular favorite food. I LOVE to eat. But if I had to pick one, it would be a good bacon cheeseburger.

Favorite Movie:
I love scary movies, so I would say all the 1990’s Halloween movies (Michael Myers).

Something I’m Proud of:
I’m proud of my children, my nephews, and my nieces. They are all either in college or on their way to college. They are straight A & B students and doing well in professional skill-level employment.

Hidden Talents & Hobbies:
My hidden talent is music. I love to write and compose lyrics and beats. My hobbies, I like to color (lol) and do gardening.

Morning or night person:
I’m a morning person

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Growing up I wanted to be a football player and rapper.

What motivates me at work?
It’s the work itself. Being able to help and serve the community in which I grew up motivates me. Being a member of the councilmember’s team and having the resources to help my community grow also motivates me as well as shows the younger generation that regardless of how tough things may look, anything is possible if they keep pushing in the right direction.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
In 5 years (may I be blessed to see it) I see myself having a landscaping business in multiple locations across the district. Employing those who have a difficult time finding employment because of past background issues. I’ve been there so I know how hard that is.

What is your greatest accomplishment thus far?
My greatest accomplishment thus far was being elected as the Chairman of ANC Commission 8B. That gave me the opportunity to utilize my voice for my community and provide people an opportunity to be heard but our government.

What’s your favorite work-related memory?
My favorite work-related memory was when Councilmember White and I worked together to get the owners of a local corner market to start back accepting EBT payments after they had stopped accepting EBT payments for over a year.

What do you love about Ward 8?
I love EVERYTHING about The GR8 Ward 8. I love the vibrance of our ward. I feel like we are the heartbeat of the city and always have been. Our culture is rich at heart. Ward 8 is diverse; our small business community is thriving like never. We have hands down the best parks in the city. Ward 8 is creative, and we have “Beat Ya Feet” (FYI). Ward 8 is honest, if you don’t want to hear the truth don’t ask somebody from Ward 8 lol. Ward 8 is loyal. We have always had strong leaders who stand up and fight for us so in return Ward 8 fights with them, through good and bad (lol). Now that’s loyalty. I can go on and on, but I finish up by saying Ward 8 is Excellence
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Legislative Happenings


On Tuesday, February 7, the Committee of the Whole met for the third legislative meeting of Council Period 25.

Councilmember White’s legislation supporting the nomination of LaToya Foster as Director of the Office of Cable Television, Film, Media, and Entertainment was approved unanimously.

Councilmember White also introduced the Rare Disease Day Recognition Resolution of 2023, which recognizes the need to raise awareness for rare diseases, honors rare disease patients and families in the District, thanks the National Organization for Rare Disorders and rare disease advocacy groups for their tireless work, and declares February 28th, 2023 as Rare Disease Day in the District of Columbia. The legislation passed unanimously.

Councilmember White also introduced two pieces of legislation alongside Chairman Mendelson to fill gaps during Congressional review, the River East at Grandview Condominium Property Tax Exemption Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2023. This legislation will amend District law of to provide for an extended real property tax exemption for unit owners of the River East at Grandview Condominiums while the state of the property is being resolved. The emergency act passed unanimously.
Committee Happenings

On Monday, February 6th, the Committee on Recreation, Libraries and Youth Affairs (RLYA) held its Performance Oversight Hearing for the Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs (MOLA) and the Mayor’s Office on Caribbean Community Affairs (MOCCA).

Chairman Trayon White, Sr. commenced the performance oversight hearing with an overview of the agencies, then he welcomed his first panel of witnesses from a list of twenty-eight public witnesses who were organization leaders, attorneys and District residents present to offer their testimony. John McKenzie of the Caribbean-American Chamber of Commerce, Christine Perez Jimenez of the National Hispanic Council on Aging (NHCOA), and Abigail Cushing of the Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights Coalition were among witnesses who shared their impassioned statements on issues, challenges and triumphs of the communities served by MOLA and MOCCA.

Chairman White, Sr. listened attentively to each witness before engaging them in discourse on their concerns, challenges, and triumphs. He took care to acknowledge the issues and applaud the achievements that were articulated by participants. After approximately two hours of hearing from the public, Chairman White swore in the government witnesses.
The inaugural director of the newly established MOCCA, Natalee S. Snider, commenced the Chairman’s conversation with agency leaders present at the performance oversight hearing. She shared that MOCCA had, “established the offices' first social media accounts, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, to have a multi-pronged approach to help leverage the flow of information to as many Caribbean constituents as possible. As a result, across all social media platforms, we averaged one new follower per day and 300 to 500 impressions, with as many as 2000 impressions looking at a single post.”

Director Eduardo Perdomo followed with his testimony and was proud to reveal that, “MOLA connected over 945 DC Latinos to obtain or renew their access to the Health Insurance Alliance, promoting inclusion in the provision of vital health services. In addition, MOLA assisted more than 365 households to pay back rent through the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP).”

Today, Wednesday, February 8^th, RLYA will hold its performance oversight hearing on the Office of Cable Television, Film, Music and Entertainment.

I am gearing up to hear from our youth about what they need to be safe in school and in our communities. A Youth Hearing is scheduled for February 25^th. For information, please contact Kyle Yeldell at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .

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Calendar of Events: February 6th - Feb 17th

Remaining RLYA Performance Oversight Hearings:

Mayor’s Office of Caribbean Affairs
Wednesday
February 8 2:00pm-6:00pm Office of Cable Television, Film, Music, and Entertainment

Monday
February 13 2:00pm-6:00pm Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services

Thursday
February 23 2:00pm-6:00pm Department of Parks and Recreation

Tuesday
February 28 12:00pm-4:00pm Serve DC
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Hours of operation:
Monday - Friday from 9:00am - 5:30pm
CLOSED Saturday, Sunday & Holidays

Monique Diop: [email protected]
Director of Constituent Services
Area of Concentration: All things ANC 8D & ANC 8F

Eric Cleckley: [email protected]
Constituent Services Specialist
Area of Concentration: All things ANC 8A & ANC 8B

Kevin Coleman: [email protected]
Constituent Services Specialist
Area of Concentration: All things ANC 8B & ANC 8E

Louise Thorne: [email protected]
Constituent Services Specialist
Area of Concentration: All things ANC 8C


** Quick Links
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* Need a Test? Get a Test: Learn more about COVID-19 testing sites ([link removed])
* Check out the 2020 Ward 8 Progress Report ([link removed])
* Check out the 2021 Ward 8 Progress Report ([link removed])

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