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Representation for Ward 8 at Risk
A series of important events affecting our communities
Representation for Ward 8 residents is under attack. As you may have heard, Councilmember Trayon White (D, Ward 8) was arrested on a criminal complaint of bribery on August 18th. The claim alleges that White accepted payments in exchange for the extension of contracts with the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (ONSE). The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the FBI, the D.C. Office of the Inspector General, and the IRS Criminal Investigation Washington Field Office.
Not unlike many other council members who have been involved in scandals and/or criminally charged, Trayon White is not perfect. The violence interruption programs that he supports are being credited for reducing crime and violence in Ward 8. If fully supported, they could transform policing to one that is more community-based. An increase in the number of violence interrupters may also result in a decrease in the need for the current number of patrol officers in the areas, something that the Office of the DC Auditor’s MPD audit suggests is needed. Trayon White’s involvement in a potential bribery case could jeopardize those programs. What's more consequential, is that the case could leave Ward 8 without DC council representation, in a city filled with residents who are not given equal representation in congress.
On Monday, September 9th at 7pm many residents of Ward 8 and the city at-large signed into a virtual community town hall hosted by Harriet’s Wildest Dreams (HWD) titled “What’s at Stake for Ward 8”. The meeting was facilitated by HWD’s Co-Founder and Executive Director, NeeNee Taylor and HWD Policy Organizer, Jillian Burford. Who, after grounding the meeting in the organization's principles, gave the virtual floor to Councilmember Robert White (D, At-large) to go over what will and may happen next in regards to Trayon White’s seat on the DC Council and several committees.
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Many mainstream media outlets are reporting as though Trayon is sure to be found guilty but during the community town hall many called for reminders that we are all innocent until proven guilty in this country. As an elected official, he continues to represent Ward 8 until voters decide otherwise. Federal charges don't change that immediately, and with an upcoming election, we'll soon find out who Ward 8 residents choose to represent them.
The Healing Outlet App
When a young black man in Washington, D.C., lost his life to violence, Charnal Chaney felt the tragedy was preventable. “We had two government agencies in that neighborhood, over a billion dollars in resources. I feel like he should still be here.”
This conviction led Chaney, founder of Bold Yoga, and Katherine Russell, founder of Transformative Justice Solutions, to create The Healing Outlet. “We realized that there’s already a lot of great work being done, it’s just that it’s not being coordinated and we’re not working together,” Chaney said in a video with Russell in which they describe their vision for the app.
“People need resources now, so another big part of this app is being able to instantly connect people to others who are grieving and resources on how to cope with the losses that neighborhoods are feeling, that schools are feeling…the effects and the trauma [of gun violence] impact everybody in the vicinity,” Russell states.
Don’t Throw DC Under the Crimnibus
On Feb 6, the DC Council had their first vote on the Crimnibus aka Councilmember Pinto and Mayor Bowser’s “Secure DC” Omnibus in their legislative meeting. While this hyper-racist crime bill passed the first vote, HUNDREDS of you called & emailed and PACKED the Council meeting, resulting in some critical harmful provisions being removed from the bill!
These harm reduction amendments are an important win. Unfortunately, many dangerous provisions still remain and the second and FINAL vote is coming up on March 5th. But we know the community pressure is working!
So, please join us and take action to stop the crimnibus!
Join Grassroots DC for our Media Literacy Workshop!
Join Grassroots DC for our Media Literacy Workshop!
In the workshop we will:
- Learn how to make mainstream media work for you
- Deconstruct the way that local news reports on issues that affect our communities
- Understand when and why the news gets it wrong
- Learn how to convince local news producers to pay attention to issues they normally ignore and include perspectives they usually omit
Anacostia Community Members Save Lives During Gas Leak and Explosion
Around 10:00 AM, on Thursday, January 18, 2024, an Anacostia community member called 911 about a gas leak near the DanAkil Convenience Store on Marion Barry Avenue SE. Next door to the convenience store is the Baby Einstein Child Development Center. The staff at the childcare center quickly began packing up all of the children and rushed them to safety at a local business outside of the safety zone before the Fire/EMS arrived.
What is A Slum condo?
Josh and Liane discuss the concept of a slum condo by exploring what’s happening at Ridgecrest Condominiums. This segment was played on WPFW’s Voices with Vision on Tuesday, September 26th, 2023 from 9am to 10am.
Follow along with Grassroots DC’s reporting to see what happens next with the resident’s of Ridgecrest Community Campagin.
Join us on the lawn at 4000 E St. SE Washington, DC 20019 on Saturday September 30th at 11am for the launch of the Ridgecrest Community Campagin to take back control of the condominiums!
Five Reasons You Should Join Your Tenant Association
Five Reasons You Should Join Your Tenant Association
Tenant Associations are important community groups where residents of a property come together to address all kinds of issues relevant to the place they live. If united and strong, these groups can be instrumental in shaping the living environment of all residents. Here are five important reasons you should join or form tenant association where you live.