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.

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.

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.

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.

On Thursday, March 25, 2021, Councilmember Brooke Pinto sent her Fiscal Year 2022 budget priorities letter to Mayor Bowser for her consideration. In the letter, Councilmember Pinto reflects on the needs expressed by her constituents during her first annual Ward 2 Budget Community Meeting and other significant matters impacting the broader DC community. In her letter, Councilmember Pinto shared that she is “optimistic we will have the resources needed to recover from the devastating impacts of COVID-19… to invest in our communities who need the most support… and take bold action to further our shared goal of a more just and equitable future.”

On Wednesday, March 24, Ward 2 Councilmember Brooke Pinto introduced the“Expanding Student Access to Period Products Act of 2021.” As introduced, this legislation requires the provision of free period products in District public, public charter, and private schools and post-secondary institutions. This legislation also requires that the District of Columbia’s State Office of the Superintendent of Schools (OSSE) develop and implement comprehensive menstrual health education standards. This legislation was co-introduced by all of Councilmember Pinto's female colleagues on the Council (Anita Bonds, Elissa Silverman, Christina Henderson, Brianne Nadeau, Mary Cheh, and Janeese Lewis George) and Vincent C. Gray. This legislation is also a revised and expanded version of Bill 23-0887, the “Expanding Student Access to Period Products Act of 2020”, which Councilmember Pinto co-introduced last Council period with former Councilmember David Grosso.

Dear Neighbor, Once again, we are faced with the reality that white supremacy still looms and is an ever-present threat to our safety, security, and democracy. We must all take action to make #StopAsianAmericanHate more than just a hashtag. We must make it a call to action and do our part to protect our neighbors. That means educating ourselves and those around us about the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Within this newsletter, I will cover the new legislation I have introduced, and share information on today's statehood hearing on Capitol Hill, COVID-19, local and federal tax deadline extensions, a new tool for understanding the District's budget, and business and community grants.

This past week marked one year since we first declared the public health emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. While this pandemic's effects have been devastating, we are thankful that there is light at the end of the tunnel. To date, over 14% of DC residents are partially or fully vaccinated, and over 150,000 first doses have been administered. The Mayor also extended the public health emergency through May 20 and provided updated guidance for outdoor and public activity. Today, we continue to advocate for a digital record of vaccinations and clearer guidelines for our businesses, restaurants, event spaces, theaters, and music halls as we get more of our residents vaccinated.

Today, the District of Columbia launched its new vaccination pre-registration system, and over 52,000 residents and workers successfully pre-registered. This means that District residents will no longer have to race to sign-up for appointments every week. Eligible residents can now enter their information once and will receive an invitation to book an appointment when a slot has become available. Details on how to pre-register are below.

Dear Neighbor,Happy Women’s History Month! While the myriad contributions of women are seen year-round, we are excited to dedicate the month of March to celebrate the ways women continue to make our society stronger. We must also acknowledge that women have been disproportionately affected by this pandemic – as frontline healthcare and childcare workers, grocery workers, and first responders – and a demonstrated mass exodus from the workforce. This must be addressed throughout our recovery.