Recovering From COVID-19 Together
Since the onset of the pandemic, the city has taken important steps to address and minimize the spread of Covid-19. We know that helping each other stay healthy and safe means taking important steps like wearing a mask and social distancing. Following the recommendations of city health officials continues to be our best protection against the virus.
Visit coronavirus.dc.gov to get information about testing locations, health guidance, unemployment, and other assistance, and phased reopenings from DC Health and the office of Mayor Muriel Bowser.
Everyone needed to adapt and follow health guidelines in this challenging time. Some can work from home, but essential workers such as bus drivers, grocery workers, medical staff, and sanitation employees put their health at risk every day to serve our communities. The health crisis also puts strains on our families and teachers who are working to make sure children can keep their education on track.
I believe that city leaders must take responsibility for minimizing harm and keeping DC residents safe through the Covid-19 pandemic. This is especially important as many people have lost their jobs and are struggling to pay rent, and businesses struggle to remain open.
As an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner, I worked with the District Department of Transportation to expand public spaces so people could safely social distance while walking . During the Phase 1 reopening, I worked with local restaurants to create additional outdoor dining spaces, expanding their customer base, and keeping diners safe.
But there is more to do. We need to meet this moment with bold, fast action. We need more leaders at the Council who listen to what residents need during this health emergency in an increasingly expensive city.
As your Councilmember, I will:
- Focus on enhancing Covid-19 testing so that not only are tests accessible throughout Ward 2 and the District, but more is done to communicate with residents about the testing process and how to obtain timely results.
- Partner with families, DCPS, and teachers, to ensure students’ needs are met when it comes to laptops, tablets, and hotspots so the “digital divide” isn’t holding back the progress and potential of our students.
- Address unmet needs that still exist for people left behind by federal assistance and the relief the District has been able to provide so far, whether for renters, landlords, or populations like immigrants who have been cut out of the emergency unemployment benefits that have allowed others to survive this difficult time.
More Issue Areas
Browse the issues below and learn more about those principles.
Community-Focused Public Safety
The District should approach public safety with policies that are based on evidence. We should not entrust the safety of our communities with purely reactive measures but instead, invest in preventing crime and violence before they start.
Recovering from COVID-19
Since the onset of the pandemic, the city has taken important steps to address and minimize the spread of Covid-19. We know that helping each other stay healthy and safe means taking important steps like wearing a mask and social distancing.
Democracy and Voters’ Rights
The foundation of our democracy is the promise we keep to voters that elections are safe, accessible, and fair. Covid-19 changed many parts of our daily lives and our elections are no exception.
Housing Affordability
The high and rising cost of housing has made it hard for many residents to maintain the life they envision here in Ward 2. Our long-standing residents must be able to remain in their homes and new neighbors shouldn’t be deterred from joining our community by unaffordable housing.
Environment and Sustainability
We are experiencing a climate crisis that will negatively impact almost every aspect of our lives and threaten the future of our planet. Energy costs will get more expensive, food supply chains will be threatened, and temperatures will rise.
Jobs and Small Businesses
As a former service industry worker and restaurant manager, I know how small businesses struggle to keep their doors open in a tough market and an expensive city. Even before the pandemic, Ward 2’s commercial corridors were dealing with high vacancies as rents went up and business owners pinched and saved to get by.
Transportation and Public Spaces
While we’ve seen some progress towards preventing traffic injuries and fatalities, the District has generally moved incredibly slow at improving our transportation infrastructure and making our streets safe for everyone.
LGBTQ Community Affairs
The District has been a national leader on pro-LGBTQ policies for decades. From repealing the anti-sodomy law in 1993, establishing the Mayor’s Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning Affairs in 2006, and legalizing same-sex marriage in 2010, the District has been ahead of almost any other city in the nation.