Fellow Ward 6 Democrats,
Today is the celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday, and, with it, the annual MLK Day of Service. The pandemic makes in-person volunteering much more difficult, so I urge you to register to join us tomorrow night for a salon conversation with Maurice Cook, founder of the Ward 6 Mutual Aid Network. Through "solidarity, not charity" they are serving our neighbors here in Ward 6 every day, and you'll learn about safe, physically-distanced ways you can help. Details and RSVP below.
Ever wondered what the deal is with DC's ANCs, our unique form of hyper-local government? The Young Dems of Ward 6 (YDW6) have invited ANC6A04 Commissioner Amber Gove, who is the chair of ANC6A, to their next meeting, Thursday, January 28, to explain The ABCs of ANCs. Details and RSVP below.
Coronavirus vaccines are now available for our seniors. If that's you, you can now sign up for an appointment to get vaccinated. More information about how to do that is available via the dedicated DC coronavirus site or via the dedicated Capitol Hill Village coronavirus site. Get vaccinated as soon as you can, to protect both yourself and our community.
Speaking of keeping each other safe, I'm sure you've noticed the increased law enforcement and National Guard presence around our neighborhood in preparation for President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris's inauguration later this week. As NPR reported, many violent right-wing white supremacists were staying at Airbnbs all over our community prior to their failed insurrection of January 6. They are planning to come back to try to wreak more havoc this week. Due to the efforts of local civic and neighborhood associations, local activist groups, our Councilmembers, and individual Airbnb hosts, Airbnb was successfully pressured into canceling all DC reservations for inauguration week and blocking new reservations for that time period from being made. There is an ongoing effort to pressure Mayor Bowser to use the authority of Mayor's Order 2021-003 to close the hotels as well. You can learn more about that - or add your voice - here.
The horrific attack on the Capitol and the ongoing threats to DC have also brought new attention to the DC Statehood movement and to what exactly our lack of equal representation and self-determination means. Relatedly, there's a lot going on in the DC Statehood movement, and you can learn more about how you can help below.
I want to close with a quote from Dr. King's Letter from a Birmingham Jail that seems particularly appropriate for those of us in Ward 6 in this moment in time and in history: "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly."
Be safe and take care of each other,
Chuck Burger
President, Ward 6 Democrats
Salon: The Ward 6 Mutual Aid Network - TOMORROW, Tuesday, January 19
Join the Ward 6 Democrats tomorrow night for a salon conversation with Maurice Cook, Executive Director of the Ward 6 Mutual Aid Network.
Serve Your City focuses on advocating to address systemic racism and inequity in DC. They won the 2020 Civic Pride "Brickie" from Councilmember Charles Allen's office; and they have distributed more than $30,000 worth of food to more than 2,000 families; provided students with laptops, backpacks and internet service; and much more.
Date: Tuesday, January 19, 2021
Time: 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. (note the early start time)
Location: Zoom, link provided on registration
Mr. Cook will share information about the background of the group, what they mean by "solidarity not charity" and "we keep us safe," and will talk about the particular challenges and needs in our community and what the Ward 6 Mutual Aid Network is doing to address them. There will be time for Q&A with Mr. Cook, and we'll provide information about specific things you can to do help.
Can't make the discussion, but want to support their work? You can contribute directly, purchase specific items to support our unhoused neighbors via their Amazon Wish List, or sign up to be a virtual tutor.
YDW6: The ABCs of ANCs - Thursday, January 28
Are you a young professional in Ward 6 who wants to learn about what Advisory Neighborhood Commissions (ANCs) are and how they work?
Join the Young Dems of Ward 6 for a salon conversation with ANC6A04 Commissioner Amber Gove, who is the chair of ANC6A. Commissioner Gove will cover the basics of what ANCs do and how they work, her experience as a Commissioner, and how young professionals like you can get involved (or maybe even run). Learn more about Commissioner Gove at The Hill Is Home.
Date: Thursday, January 28, 2021
Time: 7:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Location: Zoom, link provided on registration
Space is limited to 15 participants and exclusively to Young Dems of Ward 6 (age 36 and under), so RSVP right away to secure your spot!
"DC Statehood Is More Urgent Than Ever"
The horrific attack on the Capitol of January 6 has brought new focus to the need for DC Statehood, not only within our local area, but across the nation. Our fellow Americans were able to see the impact of our lack of equal representation and self-determination on their own TV screens as they watched right-wing insurrectionists seize control of the US Capitol building, with DC local government and law enforcement limited in their ability to protect DC residents.
NOW is the time to get involved to support the DC Statehood movement:
Want to show your support publicly? Request your yard sign by contacting Andria.
Do you have connections in Arizona, Maine, or West Virginia? Help advocate to get Senators Joe Manchin (WV), Angus King (ME), Kyrsten Sinema (AZ), and Mark Kelly (AZ) on the record supporting DC Statehood by contacting Emily.
Do you have connections in DC's business or nonprofit communities? Help advocate to get local businesses and nonprofits to publicly support of DC Statehood by contacting Emily.
Do you have connections with state-level elected officials, particularly in New Jersey or Virginia? Help advocate to get them on the record supporting DC Statehood by contacting Noah.
Join the 51st State Virtual Inauguration Celebration, Friday, January 22 - details and RSVP here.
Mark your calendar for the next DC Democratic State Committee Statehood Committee meeting, Wednesday, February 10 - details and RSVP here.