Neighbors,

Each February, we celebrate the contributions made by African Americans to our country and beyond. This Black History Month, my office is taking to social media to highlight our #Ward5BlackHistory. Each day this month we are honoring someone who has lived or learned in Ward 5.

We have already honored Robert C. Weaver, who was born and raised in Brookland and would later become the first African American to serve in a cabinet-level position in United States history. We talked about Lucy Diggs Slowe, a pioneer in education and women's rights who was the first dean of women at Howard University and lived on the 1200 block of Kearny Street NE. We learned about Woodridge resident William T. Fauntroy, a Tuskegee Airman who Councilmember McDuffie honored with a Ceremonial Resolution from the D.C. Council last year. And we highlighted the fact that blues and rock 'n roll icon Bo Diddley lived and recorded in a home on Rhode Island Avenue NE.

I encourage you to follow along on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram as we will continue celebrating #Ward5BlackHistory all month long.

In Service,

Kenyan

Beginning this week, the Council will hold a series of Performance Oversight Hearings for each agency in the District government to review their operations for the previous year. Along with agency leadership, the public is invited to give testimony and provide comments.

Ward 5 residents are strongly encouraged to testify and let your priorities be heard. This is truly one of the best opportunities for residents to be informed about the work of District agencies, and speak directly to how the agencies are performing.

Below is a schedule of selected Performance Oversight Hearings, listed by agency. A full list of agency hearing dates, as well as more detailed information on the hearings below, can be found on the D.C. Council website.

Thanks to those residents who came out on January 25 to testify in support of Councilmember McDuffie's Drug-Related Nuisance Abatement Amendment Act. Rachel Kurzius covered the hearing for the Washington City Paper.

The first week of every month always contains a busy schedule of Ward 5 community meetings -- five regular meetings are scheduled on the first Monday alone. This Monday, Councilmember McDuffie attended the Stronghold Civic Association, where the topic was public safety. There has been a spate of robberies, including a particularly heartbreaking robbery in which the victim used a wheelchair. Councilmember McDuffie and Metropolitan Police Lt. Wright engaged the community in a discussion on what we can each do to stay safe, as well as what we can do to assist the Metropolitan Police Department to keep us safe. 

Councilmember McDuffie attended the Eckington Civic Association, a group which had previously expressed an interest in hearing more about grant programs for small businesses. To that end, Councilmember McDuffie's office helped arrange a presentation by Sybongile Cook, Director of D.C.'s Great Streets program.

Last night, Councilmember McDuffie also engaged with residents at the North Michigan Park Civic Association, pictured above. The discussion covered the upcoming Council oversight hearings, constituent service issues, and concerns from neighbors about short-term rentals and Councilmember McDuffie's legislation to address it.

Applications are now being accepted for youth and employers who want to participate in the 2018 Mayor Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program (MBSYEP).  District youth ages 14 to 24 and employers interested in hosting youth should apply online for MBSYEP 2018 at www.summerjobs.dc.gov by February 24, 2018. The program will provide six weeks of meaningful employment and work-readiness training.  MBSYEP 2018 will begin on Monday, June 25, 2018 and will end on Friday, August 3, 2018.

MBSYEP is a locally-funded initiative that provides young people in DC with six weeks of enriching and constructive summer work experience through subsidized placements in the private and public sectors. The program partners with hundreds of DC employers who are uniquely positioned to provide relevant training and guidance to DC’s youth in order to help them develop the positive work habits and job skills necessary to secure future employment.