Last year in December, I sent a newsletter titled, “How are the kids?” It is a question that shapes much of how I approach my work representing Ward 5 neighbors on the Council. When I wrote that newsletter, I was fighting to make the District Child Tax Credit a reality. And this year, we made it happen through the FY25 budget process! Our city’s young people need us, and I am proud of this important first step. When our children thrive, we all thrive.
“How are the kids?” is a question I will be asking with even more focus and commitment over the next two years as the Chairman’s Council Period 26 committee assignments, announced yesterday, place me as Chair of the newly created Committee on Youth Affairs. This committee will allow me to continue oversight of the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS), and adds the Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA), juvenile services at the Office of the Attorney General (OAG), and maintains small boards, commissions, and offices that I had in the Subcommittee on Libraries and Youth Affairs.
So, how are the kids, really? When DC children and families interact with CFSA, are they receiving responsive care and adequate resources? When youth interact with our criminal legal system, are they assessed and placed in a timely manner through DYRS? The even bigger picture is this: what are we doing to ensure positive outcomes for the children and youth who come into contact with these critical District agencies?
I look forward to asking this question in oversight hearings, site visits, and regular coordination over the next two years. Even more so, I look forward to championing our city’s youth. When their future is bright, ours is, too.
In the final Ward 5 Wave podcast episode of 2024, I talk a bit more about what this committee assignment will mean for my office in Council Period 26. I also share a bit about the past few weeks on the Council, our final Legislative Meeting on December 17, and what challenges I think the District will face in the new year. Whether you’re waiting at the airport for a flight home for the holidays, taking a long car, bus, or train ride to see loved ones, or simply have some extra time on your hands at home here in the District, I hope you’ll tune in and share your thoughts on what you’d like to see covered in future episodes.
