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IN THIS NEWSLETTER: 

• Tomorrow and Saturday - Fourth of July Observances
• July 9 & 23 - DOB Virtual Listening Sessions
• July 14 - DC Reentry Services Event
• July 15 - Carver Langston Town Hall
• ...and more!

"This celebration also marks the beginning of another year of your national life; and reminds you that the Republic of America is now 76 years old. I am glad, fellow-citizens, that your nation is so young. Seventy-six years, though a good old age for a man, is but a mere speck in the life of a nation. Three score years and ten is the allotted time for individual men; but nations number their years by thousands. According to this fact, you are, even now only in the beginning of your national career, still lingering in the period of childhood. I repeat, I am glad this is so. There is hope in the thought, and hope is much needed, under the dark clouds which lower above the horizon. The eye of the reformer is met with angry flashes, portending disastrous times; but his heart may well beat lighter at the thought that America is young, and that she is still in the impressible stage of her existence. May he not hope that high lessons of wisdom, of justice and of truth, will yet give direction to her destiny?"

Indeed, I do hope. These words, spoken by Frederick Douglass during his famous "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" Speech on July 5, 1852, still ring true as we mark the nation's 250th anniversary this weekend. 

It is not lost on me that this significant milestone and long-anticipated anniversary falls at a time of great disappointment and national unrest. An unnecessary war has thrown our country into harm's way and driven the cost of everyday essentials—from gas to groceries—through the roof. More than a quarter of DC children are now living in poverty. Our region is still recovering from the reckless discarding of thousands of federal employees—faithful public servants who believed in the promise of America. Neighbors live in fear amid the proliferation of masked, unidentified agents snatching loved ones off of bikes and out of their own homes. The Supreme Court continues to roll back hard-fought voting rights, asylum protections, and access to healthcare. 

I do not say this to be grim, but to illuminate the meaning of James Baldwin's famous words—"I love America more than any other country in the world and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually." 

Like Baldwin, I am not afraid to name what is wrong, knowing that my attention to injustice is born from a deep love of this country. And like Douglass, I hope that the high lessons of wisdom, of justice and of truth, will yet give direction to our destiny. This Fourth of July, I will celebrate our founding ideals while remaining clear-eyed about the hard work that remains ahead of us to more perfectly embody them. 

Some government services will be modified tomorrow, Friday, July 3, and Saturday, July 4, in observance of the holiday. A full list of impacted services is available here. Please also be mindful of numerous road closures and travel impacts for federal government activities related to Freedom 250. You can also check Metro's website for details on modified holiday service and free rides available during Fourth of July festivities. 

Have a great weekend and stay safe!

Crime Trends

You can find the latest crime statistics using MPD's Crime Cards here. Toggle the variables at the top of the page to zoom in on your own neighborhood. Don't see a public safety incident covered in this newsletter that you have questions about? Please always feel free to reach out to my office directly anytime by phone (202-724-8028) or email (ward5contact@dccouncil.gov).

From June 19 - August 23, 2026, youth ages 18 and younger have access to no-cost meals at over 100 sites across the city. Click here to learn more. 

Join Nature Forward and Empower DC for workshops to help prepare you and your loved ones for climate events and flooding. These free community workshops will teach you how to use FEMA Flood Maps to assess your flood risk and equip you with resources for emergency preparedness. You can receive a stipend for your participation and refreshments will be provided. Learn more and register for the workshops here. Each workshop (July 7, 14, and 21) will take place from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. at the Ivy City Community Center Clubhouse (1900 Capitol Ave NE). 

Join the Department of Buildings (DOB) for summer virtual listening sessions on the District's construction codes—they want to hear from residents about how the codes affect your work and life. Learn more about the codes and sessions here, and register to attend here. 

• July 9 - Building: Existing Building
• July 23 - Electrical 

On Wednesday, July 15 from 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. at the Langston Golf Course Clubhouse, please join me alongside ANC 5D Commissioners for a town hall covering topics for the Carver-Langston community including the closure of the Safeway grocery store, the end of Streetcar service, and the future of the Langston Golf Course. We will be joined by representatives from the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, Department of Parks and Recreation, National Links Trust, and Metropolitan Police Department. Let us know you're coming by registering here. 

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is required to give written notice of their intent to modify traffic and/or parking requirements to the Council and affected Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners (ANCs) to allow for a public comment period on the modifications. The following Notices of Intent (NOIs) for Ward 5 are open for comment: 

• Closes for comment on July 6: Revision to the Safety Treatment on Queens Chapel Road NE between Evarts Street and Douglas Street NE - Read and comment here (NOI-26-159-MSED)
  
  
• Closes for comment on July 22: Curbside Change to Implement Metrobus Stop Rebalancing - Read and comment here (NOI-26-174-CPD)

There were no ANC or civic association meetings for my team to attend this week.

Meetings my team will attend next week: 

• Monday, July 6
  • 7:00 p.m.
    • Stronghold Civic Association

You can always view the schedule of upcoming ANC and civic association meetings that my team will attend on my website here. Not sure which ANC is yours? Use this tool to look it up. We're here to help, so email us anytime with questions - ward5contact@dccouncil.gov. Have a need, or want to share important information for ANC and civic association meetings? Get in touch with one of our Constituent Services team members:

• 5B & 5E: Oliver Stoute, ostoute@dccouncil.gov
• 5A, 5C, & 5D: Andrianna Lovelace, alovelace@dccouncil.gov
• 5F: Anniyah Brown, abrown@dccouncil.gov

DPR Communal Farms Weekly Veggie Giveaways have started back up at locations across the city. From now until November 25, 2026, stop by the below locations on select days each week to get free, locally grown fruits, veggies, and herbs. For more information, including how to volunteer, email joshua.singer@dc.gov.

• Ward 5: Edgewood Rooftop Farm (301 Franklin St NE)
  • Tuesdays, 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
• Ward 7: Lederer Garden (4801 Nannie Helen Burroughs Ave NE)
  • Wednesdays, 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
  • Saturdays, 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
• Ward 1: Powell Communal Farm (3149 16th St NW)
  • Thursdays, 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

The High School Internship Program provides work-readiness skills, project-based learning, life skills, leadership development training, and work opportunities for District high school students (grades 9-12), ages 14—21. The goal of the program is to help prepare District youth to successfully transition from high school into postsecondary education, advanced training, unsubsidized employment, or a career in the military. 

• For the youth application for the 2026 - 2027 HSIP Program click here.
• For the host application for the 2026 - 2027 HSIP Program click here.

Learn more about the program and apply by August 1, 2026 here.

Rock Creek Church Rd:
Annual Soldiers Home Independence Day Celebration

July 4 - 4:00 - 9:30 p.m.
@ Armed Forces Retirement Home (140 Rock Creek Church Rd NW)
Join the Friends of the Soliders Home for their annual Independence Day celebration, complete with live music, food trucks, games, bounce houses, and fireworks. 

Anacostia:
Jazzy Sundays

July 12 - August 30 - 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.
@ 1234 Morion Barry Ave SE
Join District agencies, the Anacostia BID, and DCity Smokehouse on Sundays through the summer for live jazz and good vibes. Learn more and register for free tickets here.

As always, I invite you to use this form to provide feedback on how we're doing. We'd love to hear from you anytime. 

Yours in service and community, 

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