Special Messages/Greetings

I am writing to wish all the mothers, grandmothers, and mother figures a very happy Mother’s Day! As we celebrate this day, I reflect on all the mothers with us in presence and in spirit. In this time of reflection, I continue to be grateful for the many sacrifices, gestures of love, and commitments to health and security that so many moms have made for their families. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for all you do to nurture and care for your children and communities. Because of your love – we are eager to celebrate you today and every day! From committing to improving access to affordable and accessible maternal health, supporting our women-owned businesses, and investing in our senior spaces, moms will continue to be centered in our priorities for our community.

Newsletters

I heard a quote recently that I loved: “there is no service without the served” -- and this mission continues to guide us to include the voices and ideas of our community. While we have highlighted some of these events in this newsletter, I want to encourage you to continue seeking opportunities to give back and encourage those around you to do the same. Over the last two weeks, my team and I have been out in the community every day engaging with neighbors on efforts from Earth Day clean-ups, to assisting our neighbors experiencing homelessness, and helping our neighbors get vaccinated. It was great to be in-person across the Ward and have the opportunity to engage with so many of you. In addition to engaging in community service activities, my team and I held a Ward 2 Community Safety Bike Ride on Saturday, April 24, to hear from residents about their traffic and safety concerns and worked together on ideas to make our streets safer. I would like to personally thank everyone that took part and helped us to spread the word. The Vision Zero initiative will be a priority of mine as we enter budget season. On the legislative front, the Council will hold its first vote on the District’s Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 2021, the framework that will guide the growth and development of our city over the next 20 years, and on Monday, May 10, the District is also set to receive guidance from the federal government on how we may spend recently allocated federal dollars in our upcoming budget.

Special Messages/Greetings

Please join Councilmember Pinto and Team for the Ward 2 Community Safety Bike Ride this Saturday, April 24, at 12 noon. We will bike through various Ward 2 neighborhoods and hold listening sessions at each stop to hear directly from residents about their traffic and safety concerns.

Newsletters

Dear Neighbor, In the past two weeks, we have lost four people to traffic violence – 4-year-old Zy’aire Joshua; 29-year-old bicyclist and safe streets advocate Jim Pagels; Brian Johnson, a 30-year-old father expecting another child; and 54-year-old Evelyn Troyah. It is imperative that as a community, we learn and re-educate ourselves about street safety and take action to ensure that pedestrians, scooter users, bikers, and drivers can travel safely. I also remind all drivers that a moment of inattention, distraction, or speed, can result in the end of a human life. In this newsletter, you will find information regarding the Ward 2 Community Safety Bike Ride, DC Public Schools’ Full Reopening this Fall, increased funding for DC Public Schools in the Mayor's Proposed Budget, COVID-19 vaccine eligibility, the new rent relief program for District tenants, DC Statehood Advancing on Capitol Hill, and the Fiscal Year 2022 Budget.

Newsletters

Beginning Monday, April 19th, all DC residents ages 16 and over will become eligible to receive the vaccine. Individuals in priority groups will continue to be prioritized in securing appointments. Below, you will find updated information on how to get vaccinated. I will continue working with the Mayor, my colleagues, and other District officials to ensure that we can get all of our residents vaccinated as quickly as possible. Please get vaccinated as soon as you can, and help and encourage those around you to do the same.

Newsletters

Dear Neighbor, I hope that all who celebrated had a wonderful Passover and Easter week. While religious and family celebrations continue to look different this year for many of us, I know our resilient spirit is strong. Within this newsletter, I will cover some COVID-19 updates, community updates, my fiscal year 2022 budget priorities, and updates on my legislation to support tenants experiencing hardships and provide grant funding for small and local businesses in Ward 2.