Another Pedestrian Death, but This One is Ignored

The reaction by local officials to the death of Crista Marie Spencer has been exemplary. I specifically want to recognize Ward 6 Councilmember Tommy Wells, who rushed to the aid of the child's family and immediately worked to install stop signs to make the intersection safer for all pedestrians. Since joining the City Council, Tommy has been extremely responsive to local residents. I live in Ward 6, and he is doing a phenomenal job.

Now on to today's post. I was reading a comment in DC Watch yesterday from a woman named Trish Chittams who described the tragic vehicle death of a woman named Ms. Covington in another part of the city. While the accident was not a hit and run, it's interesting to note that this accident passed without a mention in the media, a visit from a politician ,or a candlelight vigil. The difference between the death of Ms. Covington and that of Crista Marie Spencer? Read for yourself an example of the "two cities" that make up the District of Columbia:

On Friday, April 13, Ms. Covington was hit while in the crosswalk of
Minnesota Avenue and M Street, SE. The driver stopped. On Saturday, April 21,
Ms. Covington died as a result of the injuries sustained during the accident.
The family mourns, the neighborhood pauses. There are no candlelight vigils, no
curbside memorial. Only orange markings to show that something happened there.
There are no TV cameras, no mayor, no Ward representative, not even an "In
Brief" mention in a newspaper. Two weeks later, there are no stop signs. Two
weeks later, no temporary stop signs, no speed humps. Two weeks later, we have
promises that the situation will be "reviewed," but they can't promise that
action will be taken.

We live in a city divided by the Anacostia River. Ms. Covington's death occurred East of the River, the section of DC with the highest rates of poverty, crime, unemployment and a host of other social issues that need to be addressed. The problem is, these residents are being largely ignored. We as a community need to let our elected officials know that East of the River matters to us. No matter what Ward we live in, we are all Washingtonians. Let's treat each other that way.