"I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality...I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word."
- Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Annual Membership Meeting
We are pleased to invite you to the ONE DC 2024 Annual Membership Meeting. The meeting will take place on Saturday, March 23rd from 2-5pm at the Black Workers and Wellness Center at 2500 Martin Luther King Avenue SE.
The Annual Membership Meeting is a space for members to guide the vision of ONE DC. The agenda will include:
- Elections for open seats on the ONE DC Shared Leadership Team
- Overview of our 2023 wins and campaign goals and strategy for 2024
- Community learning on ONE DC membership and leadership
- Treasurer's report
Per our by-laws, ONE DC is governed by a Shared Leadership Team (SLT) made up of appointed and elected board members, other designated ONE DC member-leaders, and ONE DC staff. At the 2024 Annual Membership Meeting, we will hold an election for three open elected positions.
Please fill out this Google Form if you would like to nominate yourself or someone else.
The qualifications for being appointed or elected to the Shared Leadership Team are:
- Be a resident of the District of Columbia,
- Be at least 18 years of age,
- Be a ONE DC member for at least 6 months and current in the payment of membership dues,
- Complete ONE DC leadership and capacity training, and
- Demonstrate commitment to ONE DC’s values, work and mission as demonstrated through an interview process with the Shared Leadership Team.
Click here for more information about the roles and responsibilities of being on the ONE DC Shared Leadership Team.
The ONE DC Annual Membership Meeting is open to the public and all are welcome and encouraged to attend. However, only members whose names appear on the membership list will be eligible to vote in the election and on other matters put before the members for a vote. If you are unsure of your membership status, please contact [email protected].
2024 Call to Membership
Membership dues are used to build a people's movement funded by the people. They are used to fund membership activities & the ongoing campaigns & projects of ONE DC.
Click here to pay your dues for 2024.
Black Workers and Wellness Center (BWWC) Updates
In our journey together, we hold the well-being of every member of our community close to our hearts. Today, we bring forth news that underscores our commitment to your safety and health: the BWWC is now equipped with Narcan (naloxone) and Fentanyl test strips, readily available for those who may find themselves in need.
With the BWWC proudly designated as a Narcan distribution site, we extend an invitation to you to partake in training sessions focused on overdose prevention and the proper administration of Narcan during emergencies. This training, consisting of a one hour video and quiz at the end, can be easily shared upon request, from [email protected].
Your health and safety are paramount to us; they form the cornerstone of our endeavors. If you or someone dear to you could benefit from these invaluable resources, we urge you to reach out without hesitation. Simply drop a line to [email protected] or approach any of our dedicated staff for assistance.
Life Essentials
Condoms and HIV test kits: You may or may not know that DC had the highest rate of HIV diagnoses in 2020 of any city in the country. The DC Department of Health has an HIV prevention program that has provided the BWWC with free condoms for distribution. This program also provides free HIV test kits but you will need to get them directly from the DC Dept of Heath’s HIV prevention program (www.getcheckeddc.org, [email protected]).
Narcan & Fentanyl Test Strips: While fentanyl is a danger to anyone consuming recreational drugs, Black men over age 45 are the leading fentanyl overdose causes in DC. Poncho, the BWWC Coordinator, has worked with The DC Department of Behavioral Health program to get the BWWC registered as a Narcan distribution site. Anyone can go into the BWWC and receive a NARCAN overdose prevention kit that contains 2 doses. The test strips are for urinalysis and to test if you may have unintentionally consumed fentanyl.
Menstrual Products: With half of the American population being able to menstruate through most of their lives, this is a necessity that many do not always have access to . In 2021 the DC Council approved an act requiring all public buildings to provide pads and tampons in all women's restrooms and at least one men's restroom. ONE DC is covering the cost of these products so that our members know they are covered and cared for.
Homes for All DC Updates
As of February, HFA DC has welcomed a new member! The campaign now consists of five tenant associations members - the Franklin Arms, Richman Apartments, Wayne Place, and Clermont Apartments, and now the Edward’s Apartments Tenant Associations! And we are still continuing our work to grow.
The Franklin Arms Tenant Association has formed a core team of tenants working to develop a campaign plan against NOVO to go along with their continuing lawsuit. As a NOVO property and a new HFA member, working across the Franklin and the Edwards apartments will play an important role in building power and tenants’ ability to achieve their demands. And outreach has steadily continued in the Carrolton, a neighboring NOVO property.
This month, our legislative core team has begun focusing on crafting an outreach script for petitioning, and posting a digital version of the petition. And we have continued our collaboration with Bread for the City, who is helping us craft the legislation.
From Maryland to Palestine
On Saturday February 3, 50 constituents of Maryland Rep. Glenn Ivey (D) held a funeral march to mourn the killing of over 26,000 Palestinians since the start of Israel’s invasion of Gaza. The march started in a local park and culminated outside of the congressman’s home in Cheverly, Maryland.
Photo Credit: David Kraybill
Rep. Ivey represents Maryland's 4th Congressional District, which includes most of Prince George’s County—a Democratic Party stronghold where support for a ceasefire is strong and growing. Rep. Ivey is out of step with a majority of Democratic voters, including voters in his district, due in large part to special interest money from a super PAC affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), which spent $6 million to help him get elected in 2022.
Supporters of a ceasefire read the Jewish Mourner's Kaddish, sang songs, read poems, and offered eulogies for the tens of thousands of lives lost in the war. The protest also featured five small, child-sized wooden coffins, draped with banners reading, "Let Gaza Live" and "Ceasefire Now."
At the conclusion of the protest, participants followed the Jewish custom of leaving stones on the tops of the coffins as the funeral march departed from Rep. Ivey's house.
Written By: Paul Abowd
For more information: https://www.instagram.com/md4ceasefire/.
Upcoming Meetings & Events
On March 2, join millions across the world and take to the streets for Gaza! Israel is preparing to launch an all-out invasion of Rafah on March 10 despite massive international condemnation from the people and governments of the world. Tens of thousands of Palestinians could die in the worst massacre yet.
The clock is ticking. Millions of people are demanding that Biden act now to prevent the invasion of Rafah and to impose a ceasefire to stop the Israeli killing spree against Palestinians.
The ONE DC Resource Development Committee is responsible for grant writing and fundraising. Join a dynamic team to help raise funds for our organizing work! RSVP Here
Join us and Dr. Michelle Chatman on Zoom to learn everyday practices that help reduce stress, promote healing, and honor your sacredness and power. RSVP Here.
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