Dear Ward 5 neighbors,
It’s been a long year with unprecedented challenges and changes for District residents. From a new federal administration, to budget delays, to major policy shifts, we’ve stood shoulder-to-shoulder to weather each storm.
Truthfully, I am so proud of Ward 5. Together, we linked arms and pushed back against federal interference and asserted our right to Home Rule and self-governance. Together, we took a budget mess and turned it into advances for DC schools, public safety agencies, and economic opportunity. Together, we moved forward policy initiatives that will be in no uncertain terms transformative for the District—including making D.C. the first city in the U.S. with a local child tax credit, righting decades of environmental injustice in Ivy City, and challenging the status quo in our juvenile justice and child welfare systems.
I’m clear-eyed that the fights are not over. We’re still facing daily federal interference in local affairs. We’re still enduring the challenges presented by this year’s budget process. Neighbors are still facing enormous economic pressures and headwinds, including rising utilities costs, rising unemployment, and more. That’s why this week, 10 of my colleagues joined me in sending a letter to Mayor Bowser, calling on her to keep the District Child Tax Credit in her FY27 budget proposal. As one of the single-most effective anti-poverty measures of the last half-century, it is a proven, bipartisan-supported, transformative policy that will cut child poverty in the District by as much as 25%.
As we wrap up 2025 and celebrate the holidays, I am grateful for every Ward 5 neighbor who has stood with us to build healthy communities. It isn’t easy, but it is worth it. My office will be on limited operations until the new year, and I hope you and your loved ones will also be able to get some time of rest and refreshment before we head into 2026 with a vision for a healthier, stronger, most just DC.
And just as a heads up, 2026 will also bring some changes in how we communicate with neighbors. My office is preparing to change the platform we use for our newsletter as well as our constituent services management. This tool will allow us to reach more neighbors than ever before and create clear lines of communication when managing constituent services requests. It’s possible that individuals who have not received our newsletter before will begin seeing it in their inboxes in January, so stay tuned and keep an eye out!
