Last night I attended an Education Town Hall in Ward 8 hosted by Mayor Fenty. The auditorium had no air conditioning and was extremely hot, letting residents experience what their children have to go through attending classes. But the place was packed, as parents and activists alike filled the room to let their views be heard.
There were multiple tables at the meeting, each one with a facilitator who helped participants offer their ideas. Each table came up with their top ideas and presented them to the Mayor who guided the entire forum. I was very impressed with the efficiency and effectiveness of this model and its ability to draw opinions out of residents.
Ideas ranging from increased security to more busing to more parental involvement were discussed at each table and ultimately presented to the Mayor. Whether or not the Mayor takes all of these ideas and puts them into practice is up to him and his staff, but the fact that he shows up and wants to hear what residents have to say goes a long way. I look forward to attending more of these and encourage city residents to do the same.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
To Close or Not to Close
The tragic shooting at a popular Southwest Nightclub has ignited calls from residents and local stakeholders for the permanent closure of H2O. Chief Lanier has announced a temporary closure of the club, which I believe is the correct action. Revelers need to see that their behavior has consequences, and a temporary closure sends that message.
I must say, however, that I am still unsure about permanently shutting down the establishment due to this incident. H2O screens and searches patrons before they enter, keeping the club safe inside. It's what happens outside that is the problem. Too much alcohol, combined with ready access to weapons, is a disastrous combination. That's we saw that over the weekend when the assailant went to his car to get a gun and then shot the victim in the head.
I see the event as an issue of enforcement. Adequate police/security presence both inside and outside the club can act as a preventative measure, likely reducing unlawful incidents. Kneejerk reactions are rarely the best solution. The calls to close H2O are understandable, but may just push the problem somewhere else instead of actually preventing violence. Instead of permanently forcing the closure of H2O, let's put the onus on MPD to ensure that the surrounding area is safe and require H2O to increse its own efforts to ensure a safe and fun evening for both customers and local residents.
I must say, however, that I am still unsure about permanently shutting down the establishment due to this incident. H2O screens and searches patrons before they enter, keeping the club safe inside. It's what happens outside that is the problem. Too much alcohol, combined with ready access to weapons, is a disastrous combination. That's we saw that over the weekend when the assailant went to his car to get a gun and then shot the victim in the head.
I see the event as an issue of enforcement. Adequate police/security presence both inside and outside the club can act as a preventative measure, likely reducing unlawful incidents. Kneejerk reactions are rarely the best solution. The calls to close H2O are understandable, but may just push the problem somewhere else instead of actually preventing violence. Instead of permanently forcing the closure of H2O, let's put the onus on MPD to ensure that the surrounding area is safe and require H2O to increse its own efforts to ensure a safe and fun evening for both customers and local residents.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Alarming Spike in Capitol Hill Robberies
This past weekend saw 15 robberies on Capitol Hill. The number is alarming. As a resident I can't remember a spike like that since my teenage days in the 90's. The weekend crimes included muggings at gunpoint, snatched money from cash registers, and even a couple walking home who were beaten with 2x4's.
As you may have seen on my previous post about youth crime getting ready to increase, the police are unprepared to prevent these incidents. We have seen community policing be effective across the city. Unfortunately there just isn't enough officers on the streets. Police presence will deter crime and the more cops we have out on the street, the safer our neighborhoods will be.
MPD needs both more resources and an overhaul of their booking system so that officers can spend more time on the streets and less time filling out paperwork at their desks. With crime increasing on Capitol Hill and across the city, I plea for help from our leaders. The better you can protect your consituents, the happier we will be and the more vibrant our communities will become.
As you may have seen on my previous post about youth crime getting ready to increase, the police are unprepared to prevent these incidents. We have seen community policing be effective across the city. Unfortunately there just isn't enough officers on the streets. Police presence will deter crime and the more cops we have out on the street, the safer our neighborhoods will be.
MPD needs both more resources and an overhaul of their booking system so that officers can spend more time on the streets and less time filling out paperwork at their desks. With crime increasing on Capitol Hill and across the city, I plea for help from our leaders. The better you can protect your consituents, the happier we will be and the more vibrant our communities will become.
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Tax Cuts for Rich: Appearing in DC
The newly passed DC Council budget includes a round of tax cuts that take advantage of the region' s booming economy. Many of the tax cuts are warranted, especially since lower and middle-class residents have been getting squeezed because of increasing costs. I am happy that one tax cut was actually removed, because its only purpose was to benefit DC's wealthiest residents.
Councilmember Carol Schwartz -- a Republican -- had been supporting the elimination of the estate tax. How she was able to slip that into the budget is beyond me, but with all of the problems faced by residents of DC, tax cuts for the rich does not seem to be responsible policy. My reasoning for this lies in two general areas:
1) Lower and middle-income residents are the taxpayers who truly need the relief, not the rich
2) While we have a surplus right now, we don't know how long the economic boom will last
3) We should use the estate tax revenue for programs like affordable housing and decreasing poverty.
Fortunately, cooler heads have prevailed, thwarting the repeal of the estate tax. But it really does show that if we are not paying attention, deeply flawed policies for DC residents can be implemented right under our noses.
Councilmember Carol Schwartz -- a Republican -- had been supporting the elimination of the estate tax. How she was able to slip that into the budget is beyond me, but with all of the problems faced by residents of DC, tax cuts for the rich does not seem to be responsible policy. My reasoning for this lies in two general areas:
1) Lower and middle-income residents are the taxpayers who truly need the relief, not the rich
2) While we have a surplus right now, we don't know how long the economic boom will last
3) We should use the estate tax revenue for programs like affordable housing and decreasing poverty.
Fortunately, cooler heads have prevailed, thwarting the repeal of the estate tax. But it really does show that if we are not paying attention, deeply flawed policies for DC residents can be implemented right under our noses.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
The Ward 5 Strip Club Saga
As a local resident, I don't think I would like strip clubs in close proximity to my home. I'm not a small business owner, but if I were, I would also not take kindly to the government forcing me to relocate. Here in lies the conundrum of the Ward 5 Strip Club proposal. Club owners were required to move in order to make way for the baseball stadium. But now, citizens elsewhere are rising up to keep them out of their neighborhoods.
It is policy situations such as these that make governing so difficult. Both sides are right. Residents moved to a certain community to maintain a certain quality of life. Businesses operate under the assumption that they will not be pushed around. Who is more important? Local residents or local businesses? Whether one supports strip clubs is really a values argument, but we cannot argue that these clubs are not legitimate businesses. They operate within the law and pay taxes.
Ultimately, the clubs will end up locating somewhere in DC, or the government will be on the losing end of a very large lawsuit. A reasonable solution will depend on skillful negotiations and the active civic engagement of all concerned.
It is policy situations such as these that make governing so difficult. Both sides are right. Residents moved to a certain community to maintain a certain quality of life. Businesses operate under the assumption that they will not be pushed around. Who is more important? Local residents or local businesses? Whether one supports strip clubs is really a values argument, but we cannot argue that these clubs are not legitimate businesses. They operate within the law and pay taxes.
Ultimately, the clubs will end up locating somewhere in DC, or the government will be on the losing end of a very large lawsuit. A reasonable solution will depend on skillful negotiations and the active civic engagement of all concerned.
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Plagarism, Policy and Protection
The news last week that the Fenty administration took verbage, word for word, in its draft education plan from school system plans of other cities should not come as much of a surprise. The Mayor and his team specifically expressed that they were using best practices to make up the bulk of the school takeover implementation. Using best practices is an excellent way to find a solution that works, and an academic citing the work of others is completely acceptable. Unfortunately, this work was not attributed.
Fenty's gaffe is serious, but should not be used to criticize his administration's education policy. The Mayor is well-intentioned and wants a stellar public education system in Washington, DC. He made a mistake, now let him move on so that we can help our kids. What really worries me, though, is that blame is being put squarely on the shoulders of Victor Reinoso. Note that in an earlier blog I wrote about the risk to the oversight of DCPS if Reinoso had to spend most of his time facing attacks that had little to do with the day-to-day operation of schools. It looks as if we are facing that right now. Here is my blog from 4/5/07:
We are now at "that point." Now is the time for Mayor Fenty to ensure that Victor Reinoso is protected so he can effectively manage DCPS. We all know that plagarism is wrong, but let's put our childeren first and let the Deputy Mayor for Education concentrate on the job of educating our children.
Fenty's gaffe is serious, but should not be used to criticize his administration's education policy. The Mayor is well-intentioned and wants a stellar public education system in Washington, DC. He made a mistake, now let him move on so that we can help our kids. What really worries me, though, is that blame is being put squarely on the shoulders of Victor Reinoso. Note that in an earlier blog I wrote about the risk to the oversight of DCPS if Reinoso had to spend most of his time facing attacks that had little to do with the day-to-day operation of schools. It looks as if we are facing that right now. Here is my blog from 4/5/07:
I haven't seen much publicly written about this topic yet, and criticism
has not really been aired citywide, but I would like to offer some advice. In
New York, when people attack Joel Klein, Mayor Bloomberg immediately rushes
to his defense. After all, Mayor Bloomberg is really the person in charge,
and he needs to take the heat so that the Chancellor can do his job without
distractions.Mayor Fenty needs to do the same thing with Mr. Reinoso if it
ever gets to that point. It will be some time before we can objectively rate
the job that Mr. Reinoso is doing, so let's not make predictions or launch
ad homonym attacks. Only the children will suffer if the new education
system falls prey to politics and public relations.
We are now at "that point." Now is the time for Mayor Fenty to ensure that Victor Reinoso is protected so he can effectively manage DCPS. We all know that plagarism is wrong, but let's put our childeren first and let the Deputy Mayor for Education concentrate on the job of educating our children.
Friday, May 11, 2007
The Military Solution
As a Lieutenant in the United States Navy Reserve, I am required to serve in an active military capacity one weekend per month and two weeks per year. During times of crisis, I can be called to go to war in places like Iraq and Afghanistan. While I have not been sent to a war zone, I have been to other hot spots around the world, such as post-tsunami Indonesia, where I was part of a humanitarian relief effort. Serving in thhe Navy has been an extremely rewarding experience for me, as it has been for many others.
How does this connect to issues in DC? Sometimes, the military may be one of the only ways out for kids living in dire circumstances. While many youth in DC have fractured families and are surrounded by guns, drugs and crime, the military offers them a way to travel, become better educated, learn discipline and organizational skills, and perhaps pick up a trade that can be of value in the civilian world. In many ways, the military can harness young energy in a positive way that can turn lives around.
The war in Iraq has tainted the reputation of the military, despite the hard work and dedication of our young men and women in uniform. But let's remember that the military has been around since before our nation was born, and it has fostered some of the most well respected leaders in the history of our nation. Most of our Presidents have been in the military and so have many successful CEOs, writers and other outstanding citizens. The military is not the solution for everyone, but for some of our city's youth, it may just well be. I am proud to serve my country in the United States Navy and I know that many other DC residents are as well.
How does this connect to issues in DC? Sometimes, the military may be one of the only ways out for kids living in dire circumstances. While many youth in DC have fractured families and are surrounded by guns, drugs and crime, the military offers them a way to travel, become better educated, learn discipline and organizational skills, and perhaps pick up a trade that can be of value in the civilian world. In many ways, the military can harness young energy in a positive way that can turn lives around.
The war in Iraq has tainted the reputation of the military, despite the hard work and dedication of our young men and women in uniform. But let's remember that the military has been around since before our nation was born, and it has fostered some of the most well respected leaders in the history of our nation. Most of our Presidents have been in the military and so have many successful CEOs, writers and other outstanding citizens. The military is not the solution for everyone, but for some of our city's youth, it may just well be. I am proud to serve my country in the United States Navy and I know that many other DC residents are as well.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Public Safety Walks: Enhancing Community Engagement
Yesterday evening, Tommy Wells took residents of PSA 106 on a tour of alleys and other public safety hotspots in our neighborhood. This was the fourth such tour in Ward 6 that the councilmember has conducted, and the turnout was spectacular, perhaps more than 50 people.
Public safety depends on community involvement. Residents must understand the parts of their neighborhood that are at risk for crime and be vigilant to help prevent it. Tommy's walk-throughs enhancing MPD's community policing efforts by ensuring that average citizens participate in public safety initiatives. Police cannot be everywhere, so if neighbors are aware of high-risk areas, they can either avoid them or monitor them closely in order to report suspicious activities.
Involving residents in crime fighting efforts helps everyone. An engaged community deters crime and improves the standard of living for all. Tommy's efforts set the standard for community-wide public safety efforts, and I believe that councilmembers in other wards should use his initiatives as an example to replicate.
Public safety depends on community involvement. Residents must understand the parts of their neighborhood that are at risk for crime and be vigilant to help prevent it. Tommy's walk-throughs enhancing MPD's community policing efforts by ensuring that average citizens participate in public safety initiatives. Police cannot be everywhere, so if neighbors are aware of high-risk areas, they can either avoid them or monitor them closely in order to report suspicious activities.
Involving residents in crime fighting efforts helps everyone. An engaged community deters crime and improves the standard of living for all. Tommy's efforts set the standard for community-wide public safety efforts, and I believe that councilmembers in other wards should use his initiatives as an example to replicate.
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
Job Training: Teach the Right Skills
Four industries make up the majority of DC’s economic growth: government, real estate, health care and technology. Hiring residents that live in the District for these jobs should be an integral part of maintaining a healthy middle class and a vibrant city. Unfortunately, many employers who want to hire citizens of DC have a difficult time finding skilled residents to take those positions.
While the DC Department of Employment Services has job training programs for residents, many of the programs are not in relevant industries; and furthermore, it is difficult to effectively track graduates of the program. For example, when determining eligibility for job training providers, nowhere does it mention the trades which they are required to teach. It only mentions "in demand" jobs, which could essentially mean anything.
Classes for people at the lower end of the economic spectrum can yield extraordinary benefits and allow them to move into higher paying jobs. But to do this, the DC government must help make them relevant to the people looking to hire.
To make our workers more competitive, it is necessary for our political leaders and DOES to customize their courses and contractor requirements to the skilled jobs in the District that are most available. The standards for these courses must be well regulated and oversight will be necessary to ensure that student performance is documented. More must also be done to bring employers and job training graduates closer together. Online job databases specifically for District residents and a streamlined process for hiring from these programs would go a long way to increasing opportunity for local residents.
While the DC Department of Employment Services has job training programs for residents, many of the programs are not in relevant industries; and furthermore, it is difficult to effectively track graduates of the program. For example, when determining eligibility for job training providers, nowhere does it mention the trades which they are required to teach. It only mentions "in demand" jobs, which could essentially mean anything.
Classes for people at the lower end of the economic spectrum can yield extraordinary benefits and allow them to move into higher paying jobs. But to do this, the DC government must help make them relevant to the people looking to hire.
To make our workers more competitive, it is necessary for our political leaders and DOES to customize their courses and contractor requirements to the skilled jobs in the District that are most available. The standards for these courses must be well regulated and oversight will be necessary to ensure that student performance is documented. More must also be done to bring employers and job training graduates closer together. Online job databases specifically for District residents and a streamlined process for hiring from these programs would go a long way to increasing opportunity for local residents.
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Hine-Site is always 20/20
Tonight I attended what may have been one of the largest community meetings in the history of DC. My guess is that more than 1,000 people came out to Hine Junior High School to meet, debate and collaborate on the future of Eastern Market. Mayor Fenty, along with Councilmembers Catania, Mendelson and Wells, along with their staffs, were in attendance to listen and learn from community members and vendors. In the week since the fire, much homework and planning have been done, and several options that would provide a temporary location for the market while the rebuilding is underway have been researched. The three options presented were:
1) Closing 7th Street in order to house a temporary indoor market
2) Placing the market in the school yard of Hine Junior High School
3) Locating the market near the Eastern Market Metro stop on the other side of Penn. Ave.
Mayor Fenty's community-minded approach to solving urgent problems is admirable. He gave the community three options, and essentially let us take the future into our own hands. This was similar to his approach at the Temple Courts housing project. When a politician listens to an engaged community, Democracy flourishes in its purist form. It was an impressive and inspiring evening.
As for my decision on where to house the market: The site in the school yard of Hine Junior High School seems to be the best approach, and it is the choice of the displaced Eastern Market vendors. It provides room for trucks to deliver goods, leaves traffic unaffected, and still allows for plenty of space for childeren to play in the yard. Where do you want to see the temporary market? Contact the mayor or leave your comments here and I will let him know.
1) Closing 7th Street in order to house a temporary indoor market
2) Placing the market in the school yard of Hine Junior High School
3) Locating the market near the Eastern Market Metro stop on the other side of Penn. Ave.
Mayor Fenty's community-minded approach to solving urgent problems is admirable. He gave the community three options, and essentially let us take the future into our own hands. This was similar to his approach at the Temple Courts housing project. When a politician listens to an engaged community, Democracy flourishes in its purist form. It was an impressive and inspiring evening.
As for my decision on where to house the market: The site in the school yard of Hine Junior High School seems to be the best approach, and it is the choice of the displaced Eastern Market vendors. It provides room for trucks to deliver goods, leaves traffic unaffected, and still allows for plenty of space for childeren to play in the yard. Where do you want to see the temporary market? Contact the mayor or leave your comments here and I will let him know.
Monday, May 7, 2007
Violent Crime in DC - On the Edge of a Cliff
Last week I met with Kris Baumann, the President of the Fraternal Order of Police, to discuss issues of public safety. I came out of the meeting feeling a sense of urgency. It looks as if street crime will get worse before it gets better.
MPD is severely undermanned and burdened with a bureaucracy that forces officers to spend more time at their desks when they should be patrolling the streets. Combine a broken police force with a coming spike in the number of 13-21 year olds, the most likely violent offenders, and a perfect storm is brewing. Our city is not prepared, which is scary.
Nobody wants to return to the days of the crack epidemic when DC was the murder capitol of the nation. But that is where we are heading if we don't fix MPD and don't address our city's changing demographics. We need a combination of more stringent law enforcement together with programs providing greater opportunities for youth. Certain solutions that I propose include:
-Tougher sentences for violent offenders along with in-prison programs to lower the recitivism rate
-Redeployment strategies that ensure the proper number of officers are present in the most high-risk areas
-Reforming the police booking system to reduce time spent on paperwork
-Focus on prevention and rehabilitation to address juvenile crime. Increase collaboration with our community organizations, such as the Peaceoholics, to provide mentoring and mediation to young people.
I would encourage those with additional ideas to prevent the coming spike in violent crime to post here. As a city we are unprepared, and we need to make some serious changes.
MPD is severely undermanned and burdened with a bureaucracy that forces officers to spend more time at their desks when they should be patrolling the streets. Combine a broken police force with a coming spike in the number of 13-21 year olds, the most likely violent offenders, and a perfect storm is brewing. Our city is not prepared, which is scary.
Nobody wants to return to the days of the crack epidemic when DC was the murder capitol of the nation. But that is where we are heading if we don't fix MPD and don't address our city's changing demographics. We need a combination of more stringent law enforcement together with programs providing greater opportunities for youth. Certain solutions that I propose include:
-Tougher sentences for violent offenders along with in-prison programs to lower the recitivism rate
-Redeployment strategies that ensure the proper number of officers are present in the most high-risk areas
-Reforming the police booking system to reduce time spent on paperwork
-Focus on prevention and rehabilitation to address juvenile crime. Increase collaboration with our community organizations, such as the Peaceoholics, to provide mentoring and mediation to young people.
I would encourage those with additional ideas to prevent the coming spike in violent crime to post here. As a city we are unprepared, and we need to make some serious changes.
Friday, May 4, 2007
Abortion, Teen Pregnancy and DC
A few weeks ago, the Supreme Court voted to take control of a woman's body and put it in the hands of the government. While late-term abortions are rare, the high court voted to prohibit them, even if the mother's life is at risk. This is a scary decision because it could signal the first of other attacks by the religious right to weaken a woman's consitutional right to choose.
This abortion decision got me thinking about teen pregancy, particulary in the District of Columbia, which has the highest rate in the nation. We are truly in a crisis here. Children having children, and so many born into poverty with little hope of growing up in secure families or having even basic needs met, seems to me a questionable choice. Sex education must become standard for all children growing up in DC. Teaching abstinence may, in some cases, delay the onset of sexual activity, but recent studies show that teaching abstinence alone may be inneffective in preventing teen pregnancy.
I do not in any way advocate abortion as a method of birth control. But the reality is, a restriction on Roe v. Wade may only make this problem worse. I'm an idealist at heart, but we need to be pragmatic about this issue. A woman's right to choose needs to remain a fundamental right.
This abortion decision got me thinking about teen pregancy, particulary in the District of Columbia, which has the highest rate in the nation. We are truly in a crisis here. Children having children, and so many born into poverty with little hope of growing up in secure families or having even basic needs met, seems to me a questionable choice. Sex education must become standard for all children growing up in DC. Teaching abstinence may, in some cases, delay the onset of sexual activity, but recent studies show that teaching abstinence alone may be inneffective in preventing teen pregnancy.
I do not in any way advocate abortion as a method of birth control. But the reality is, a restriction on Roe v. Wade may only make this problem worse. I'm an idealist at heart, but we need to be pragmatic about this issue. A woman's right to choose needs to remain a fundamental right.
Thursday, May 3, 2007
A Rude Awakening
So much has happened over the past few weeks. The tragic hit-and-run accidents, the Eastern Market fire and the Georgetown fire have been much on my mind. The removal of the Awakening, a well-known piece of sculpture and a hallmark of Haines Point, to Prince Georges County is another loss to our city. The arts make a city vibrant, and our city's vitality is due in no small part to its monuments, public art, museums, and theaters. Should developers get to decide the fate of the famous hand that appeared to rise from the banks of the Anacostia River?
I do not understand why the Awakening wasn't owned by the city or the Parks Service in the first place. The sculpture is leaving our city. Done. Gone. And we will just have to live with it. Will something replace it to offer amazement and contemplation to residents and visitor's, alike?
I urge our city leaders to think about the important role of the arts in Washington, DC, a world-class city. The arts are not just for tourists and elites. They bring joy and pride to our residents who consider the culture and uniqueness of our Capital City an integral part of their lives. Let's audit the artwork across the city and make sure that we do not lose any more landmarks.
I do not understand why the Awakening wasn't owned by the city or the Parks Service in the first place. The sculpture is leaving our city. Done. Gone. And we will just have to live with it. Will something replace it to offer amazement and contemplation to residents and visitor's, alike?
I urge our city leaders to think about the important role of the arts in Washington, DC, a world-class city. The arts are not just for tourists and elites. They bring joy and pride to our residents who consider the culture and uniqueness of our Capital City an integral part of their lives. Let's audit the artwork across the city and make sure that we do not lose any more landmarks.
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
A Day with the Peaceoholics
I spent today with one of my favorite non-profit groups in DC, the Peaceoholics, a group dedicated to stopping violence. Founded by ex-offenders Ron Motten and Jauhar Abraham, the group uses crisis mediation and mentoring to keep disadvantaged youth out of trouble and teaches them skills to succeed in life. Jauhar took me under his wing for a day to see the group in action.
We spent the day in Ward 8, first at Malcolm X Elementary School and then at Anacostia Senior High School. At Malcolm X, we witnessed the convening of a "youth court," where a student accused of starting a fight was judged by her peers. It was amazing to see the childeren participate fully and take the case so seriously. Similar to a substence abuse-intervention, the court applied peer pressure to prevent future bad behavior.
At Anacostia Senior High School, we toured the facility and spoke with some of the students in the Peaceoholics mentoring program. We also observed a group attempting to get better statistical data on student attendance in order to track down truants.
This day's experience was incredibly moving. Hearing stories shared by some of the kids overwhelmed me with pain, but also with hope and admiration. It was absolutely heartbreaking to imagine the lives of some of the young children east of the river. With no parental guidance and a government that has essentially abandoned them, the heroic Peaceoholics have stepped in to do what they can to help some of our sons and daughters have a productive future. We owe Ron and Jauhar a debt of gratitude for all they are doing.
Check out the Peaceoholics website to learn more.
http://www.peaceoholics.org/home.htm
We spent the day in Ward 8, first at Malcolm X Elementary School and then at Anacostia Senior High School. At Malcolm X, we witnessed the convening of a "youth court," where a student accused of starting a fight was judged by her peers. It was amazing to see the childeren participate fully and take the case so seriously. Similar to a substence abuse-intervention, the court applied peer pressure to prevent future bad behavior.
At Anacostia Senior High School, we toured the facility and spoke with some of the students in the Peaceoholics mentoring program. We also observed a group attempting to get better statistical data on student attendance in order to track down truants.
This day's experience was incredibly moving. Hearing stories shared by some of the kids overwhelmed me with pain, but also with hope and admiration. It was absolutely heartbreaking to imagine the lives of some of the young children east of the river. With no parental guidance and a government that has essentially abandoned them, the heroic Peaceoholics have stepped in to do what they can to help some of our sons and daughters have a productive future. We owe Ron and Jauhar a debt of gratitude for all they are doing.
Check out the Peaceoholics website to learn more.
http://www.peaceoholics.org/home.htm
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Eastern Market - The Day After
Yesterday members of the Capitol Hill community were overcome by emotion watching our beloved Eastern Market in flames. remembering years past and wondering what comes next. Today, we must focus on something extremely important. While we will miss the shopping, the emotional satisfaction and the neighborhood presence of Eastern Market, at least for the next few months, let us not forget those whose livelihood really depends on this historic landmark.
The vendors are the lifeblood of Eastern Market. Their small businesses suppy the goods, the personality and the character to improve our quality of life. Now, it is their quality of life that is threatened. Let's all come together as a community to support them. Not only do we need to show up in force this weekend to support the outdoor vendors, but we need to assist the indoor vendors, who have lost more than we can even imagine.
The Capitol Hill Community Foundation, run by Nicky Cymrot, has set up a fund to assist the vendors and help them stay afloat until they can reopen their businesses. The building can be rebuilt, but the businesses need our help to weather this storm. Let's do our part to help those who need us the most. To contribute, click here.
The vendors are the lifeblood of Eastern Market. Their small businesses suppy the goods, the personality and the character to improve our quality of life. Now, it is their quality of life that is threatened. Let's all come together as a community to support them. Not only do we need to show up in force this weekend to support the outdoor vendors, but we need to assist the indoor vendors, who have lost more than we can even imagine.
The Capitol Hill Community Foundation, run by Nicky Cymrot, has set up a fund to assist the vendors and help them stay afloat until they can reopen their businesses. The building can be rebuilt, but the businesses need our help to weather this storm. Let's do our part to help those who need us the most. To contribute, click here.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
