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Hopeful
It’s an attitude and a call to action. A friend is using it to inspire his community through Maine artist Charlie Hewitt’s work pictured below. As he told me, “the pandemic has forced us to look at things differently and to appreciate life more. I am incredibly optimistic that we will come out the other side of this smarter, wiser, and closer as a community.”
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The artist explained it this way:
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“The idea of ‘hopeful’ came out of a dark place. I was feeling sad at the time about politics, about addiction, about life.”
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Hewitt said he woke up to the idea as soon as he said to himself, “I am not going to accept that.” And the word ‘hopeful’ came to mind. He added, “Hopeful is not a gift – it’s a challenge. To be hopeful requires action, it requires commitment, it requires opening your eyes, it requires making a decision, it requires being part of something. It requires being passionately in love with your country, passionately in love with your family, and passionately in love with everyone in your community. That passion and that love I want back. I want a resurgence in my soul for that kind of life.”
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So – that’s what I wish for ANC 2B and here’s what I’m doing to promote it – and I hope you’ll join me:
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Testify: You don’t need to be a preacher, or to have religion. The ongoing DC Council Performance Oversight Hearings are a great opportunity to weigh in on how DC government is doing and what it could do better: https://dccouncil.us/2020-2021-performance-oversight-fy-2022-budget-schedules/. You can appear during the virtual hearing, leave your thoughts on voicemail, or submit a written statement. Education issues are up March 9; planning and statehood, March 11, and housing, March 15. All hearings are broadcast live.
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Show up: The mayor will release her proposed budget end March, triggering DC Council agency-by-agency hearings. If there’s a program you care about and want to see supported – whether housing for the unhoused, support for nonprofits providing essential services, or infrastructure improvements – now is the time to reach out, and to get involved in supporting that request. If you aren’t sure, contact me and I’ll try to help.
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- Attend our ANC meetings: The next one is March 10. It’s a good way to keep up to date and find new ways to get involved.
- Call me maybe: Or at least sign up for my newsletter, so I can keep you informed. Every week is a flood of information, on everything from COVID to public safety to education – with opportunities to be heard, learn and find new ways to be a part of getting us past this pandemic.
Lend a hand: Here are three ways:
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- TakeOut Tuesday is just getting started – show our businesses we’re standing by them.
- Ward 2 Mutual Aid can always use more volunteers and financial support. See the wishlist here.
- Join the leaf brigade – before the snow, we raked up about 25 bags on Swann and Riggs. It’s fun, and an hour works wonders. If you’re willing to organize your neighbors, I’ll come help.
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How I’m keeping hopeful
Here are the main things I’ve been doing to move us past this pandemic with hope and purpose:
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COVID Emergency Task Force – I co-chair this effort, formed to support our community by raising awareness of resources, identifying and filling gaps and improving coordination.
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- Our task force has testified before the DC Council on vaccine access issues and is continuing to work to address gaps. I’m participating in a cross-city ANC task force to help fellow Commissioners and community leaders address questions about the vaccine, and improve vaccination rates.
- Our task force has hosted three webinars for small businesses, in English, Spanish and, next week, in Vietnamese – with six to come – covering federal and state programs, one on one services, trainings and other resources. The full schedule is on my website along with recordings of past webinars.
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Keeping Dupont green and clean – together with Commissioner Kyle Mulhall, and DC’s Department of Health, I’m launching an initiative to curb our rodent population while keeping our waterways and tree canopy safe. Studies show that the best way to reduce rats is to eliminate food and cover. This plan has three elements – resident outreach and education; regular DC sweeps and support for commercial compactors to minimize spills and pickup trips. You can help by giving access to your alleyway for upcoming sweeps. Just complete and deliver this form.
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I hope you find this short newsletter helpful. Please feel free to share it with your neighbors. If you aren't already subscribed, you can add your name to the list with the handy button below.
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I've been working on adding useful material to my website. If you've not been there for a bit (or at all), please check it out when you have a moment. I plan to make it a resource for the community, so I will welcome your comments and suggestions about it.
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