Dear Ward 5 neighbors,  Yesterday, the Committee on Youth Affairs held a public oversight roundtable on overcrowding conditions at the Youth Services Center (DC's juvenile detention center, also known as YSC). This critical oversight is a continuation of our work seeking to improve outcomes for youth across the District. From last week's introduction of the C.A.R.E. for Youth Plan,…

Dear Ward 5 neighbors,  This week, I introduced a 16-bill policy package in my role as the Chair of the Committee on Youth Affairs. The C.A.R.E. for Youth Plan is designed to foster youth wellbeing in the District, and was developed in partnership with impacted youth and their families, advocates, agency employees, lawyers, judges, and experts.  Since…

Dear Ward 5 neighbors,  Earlier this week, Congress failed to reach an agreement on funding the federal government, resulting in an indefinite shutdown. Many federal workers are furloughed, some are facing layoffs, government services are interrupted, and some federally-run museums and parks are closed (including, for example, the U.S. National Arboretum in Ward 5). The Smithsonian announced that…