Love is contraband in Hell, Cause Love is an acid that eats away bars.
But you, me, and tomorrow hold hands and make vows that struggle will multiply.
The hacksaw has two blades. The shotgun has two barrels.
We are pregnant with freedom.
We are a conspiracy.

-Assata Shakur

Developing Our Power: Right to Housing Freedom School

This Saturday, October 5, ONE DC’s Right to Housing Committee will be hosting a Freedom School. The event takes place from 12:00 to 3:00 PM at Thurgood Marshall Academy and follows our Right to Housing Mini-Assembly that took place in July. Together, we will address the issues raised in the Mini-Assembly, specifically displacement by development and landlord neglect.

The concept of Freedom Schools were developed by the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee during the 1964 Freedom Summer in Mississippi as a way of building political power through popular education.  Though many things are different between the Deep South in the 1960's and Washington, DC today, the need for working class people of color to become a force for social change is ever-present. Serious changes are taking place in the political, social, and economic climate of the District. Very few of these changes directly benefit long-time residents—many of them actually undermine our ability to access our basic human rights to stability, community, and a sustainable life for ourselves and our families.

As importantly, residents who are so affected by these changes almost never have a seat at the decision-making table. Once again, there is a strong need for capacity and skills building so that everyday people can create and implement a vision for change. In this spirit, our Freedom School will provide us with a common knowledge of the history of displacement in DC, how it works, and the solutions we can work towards to reclaim housing in DC.

As always, ONE DC will provide food, transportation, and childcare. Join us in our fight for community control of land and housing in DC!

Click here to RSVP

Another Step Toward Liberation

Since purchasing a building to house the Black Workers and Wellness Center in December 2017, ONE DC has taken several steps towards transforming the BWWC into space that is equipped to organize for racial & economic justice through popular education, promotion of sustainable employment, & the incubation of economic alternatives. 

We have submitted our construction permits and made partnerships: both with Emotive Architecture, a local Black-owned architecture firm based in Washington, D.C. to develop a design and architectural plans for the renovation the building; and with Capital Construction Group (CCG), a local Black-owned general contracting firm to carry out the renovations. Through our grassroots funding campaign, we have raised $850,000 toward our total fundraising goal of $1.5 million. Finally, we have held several Space Planning meetings to gain input from ONE DC members and partners about the design and future use of the space that includes accessible entrances and an elevator, new HVAC, and a cooperative incubation space. 

Join us at our next Space Planning Meeting, this Thursday, October 3 at 6:00 PM at the Black Workers & Wellness Center, where we will be updating our members and supporters on the progress of the renovations and capital fundraising campaign. Click here to RSVP

CLICK TO WATCH & SHARE OUR NEW BWWC FUNDRAISING VIDEO!

ONE DC is an organization with a membership base comprised of longtime DC residents who have been directly affected by displacement, gentrification, and structural unemployment. Our organizing model centers the voices of those who are ignored by wealthy developers and government officials. Our strength comes from numbers, and need YOU to help us build political strength in the District.

When you donate to our BWWC Capital Fundraising campaign, you are joining hundreds of others in making a community-controlled Black-led space in DC a reality. Please donate today!

A Co-op is Democracy in Daily Life

In September, the Housing Co-op Study Group met with members of the Ella Jo Baker Intentional Community, a multicultural limited equity co-op of activists in Columbia Heights. We learned about how they're able to maintain $973 per month for a 2 bedroom in the rapidly gentrifying neighborhood of Columbia Heights, and the principles that drive them. One co-op member and longtime activist, Ajowa Ifateyo, expressed that a co-op is "democracy in daily life... this is no one's fiefdom." Linda Leaks, a co-op founding member and lifelong co-op and tenant organizer, added "being a cooperative means just that - we cooperate. We work together, and educate."

The next meeting of the Housing Co-op Study Group will be a discussion with Amanda Huron about Limited Equity Co-ops at the ONE DC Shaw office, on Monday, October 7 from 6:30 to 8:00 PM. All are welcome! Optional pre-reading can be found here.

Contact gnewell14@gmail.com or eric.fullilove@ri.org for more information.

Upcoming Events

ONE DC Learning Circle
Wednesday, October 2 - 6:00 - 8:00 PM
ONE DC Black Workers & Wellness Center - 2500 MLK Jr Ave SE
ONE DC's Learning Circle is a space for ONE DC members to come together to learn about the legacy of of progressive action that we are carrying forward. By engaging with text, media, and storytelling, we learn from one another and our predecessors about guiding principles and ideals of racial equity, cooperative economics, and community building. The Learning Circle is currently reading "Left of Karl Marx: The Political Life of Black Communist Claudia Jones." In Left of Karl Marx, Carole Boyce Davies assesses the activism, writing, and legacy of Claudia Jones, a pioneering Afro-Caribbean radical intellectual, dedicated communist, and feminist.
Click here to RSVP


Join the Homeless Encampment Sweep Response Team
Thursday, October 3 - 12:00 - 1:00 PM
Organized by Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless
Have you noticed people sleeping in tents on the street in your neighborhood, while you are out, or on your way to work? Have you seen government officials forcing people to move their belongings or trash trucks disposing of people’s personal items or tents? The Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless (“WLCH”) is organizing a new volunteer opportunity for lawyers and non-lawyers who want to help people living on the street protect their belongings. We want to invite you to learn more about homeless encampments in DC, what should and should not happen during clean-ups, and ways you can help people experiencing homelessness protect their belongings and maintain their dignity during city clean-ups.
RSVP: karen.malovrh@legalclinic.org


No Pepco Pledge Campaign Launch
Friday, October 4 - 7:30 - 8:30 AM
UDC - 4200 Connecticut Ave NW
In the DC region, meaningful action on climate justice is repeatedly blocked by our utility monopoly, Pepco. But we know we can stop their business-as-usual tactics and make way for a just, renewable, publicly-owned energy system.That's why 350 DC and a coalition of environmental advocacy organizations active in the District are launching the No Pepco Pledge Campaign during the upcoming 2020 DC Council elections!
Click here to RSVP

2019 Symposium: Racial Equitable Community Development
October 22 - 23, 2019
Brunn Conference Center - 7310 Park Heights Ave, Baltimore, MD 21208
Organized by the Network for Developing Conscious Communities
The Symposium Racial Equitable Community Development on October 22-23, 2019 will descend on Baltimore, Maryland, attracting national and local community stakeholders, public and private sector businesses, nonprofit organizations, organizers, health and wellness practitioners, activists, environmentalists, entrepreneurs, and visionaries for the purposes of framing new community development paradigms. Symposium organizers are committed to strengthening and supporting Black and Brown communities through deconstructing racial barriers and racial inequities that have been biased on the distribution of opportunities to some, at the expense of others.
Click here to register

Rally to Reclaim Rent Control!
Saturday, October 26 - 3:00 - 4:00 PM
Lamont Park, 3213 Mt. Pleasant St NW
Organized by Reclaim Rent Control DC
It’s been clear for a long time now that our nation’s capital is in the middle of a housing emergency. We cannot afford to keep the status quo any longer. It’s time for action. The Reclaim Rent Control campaign is calling for the DC Council to use the upcoming reauthorization of the rent control laws as an opportunity to expand and strengthen rent control in order to protect the affordable housing we already have as well as drastically increase the number of units protected by rent control.
Click here to RSVP

ONE Bit of Good News - Resource Committee Looking for New Members!

Click here to RSVP

 

"Mask no difficulties, mistakes, failures. Claim no easy victories... Our experience has shown us that in the general framework of daily struggle this battle against ourselves, this struggle against our own weaknesses... is most difficult of all."
- Amílcar Cabral

Building the Foundation for the Work

In August, ONE DC’s focus has been centered around the theme of “building”: whether that be through the renovation of our home in the Black Workers and Wellness Center or through the  strengthening of the organizational structure on which our future work will be done.

Over the past month, we have held both our Staff and Shared Leadership Team retreats, in which we molded our goals and strategies for the future. During the SLT retreat, we reflected on our accomplishments over the past five years and developed our Movement Vision in which we identified our goals for the next five years.

ONE DC's Shared Leadership Team at the Annual Retreat

As well as renovating the Black Workers and Wellness Center, we want to develop more community alternatives in the future.  We plan on creating an East of the River worker coop with MOMIES LLC, base-building with Black and Brown workers and returning citizens, in partnership with Trabajadores Unidos, Afro-Latino Caucus, Family and Friends of Incarcerated People, Serve Your City, National Reentry Network, DC Jobs with Justice, LiUNA, and GRID Alternatives. Similarly, we want to continue creating political education spaces and other opportunities for popular education on worker rights, racial unemployment, job related opportunities, and economic alternatives. We focused our intentions to expand on our base building movements by: cultivating the next generation of leaders through youth apprenticeships and internships and gaining 500 members per year, leading to 2,500 new members by 2025. Furthermore, we aim to continue our work in political education and leadership development by sustaining 25 members  per year in our LEAP program and holding more Freedom Schools in conjunction with our larger campaigns.

In our People’s Platform, People’s Assembly & Right to Housing Campaigns we aim to preserve public land by gaining community control of land through a community land trust located East of the River. This work will be spearheaded by our Fall People's Assembly and will work hand in hand with our continued affiliation with Homes for All (Right to the City) and grassroots housing organizations around U.S. The People’s Platform will also hold monthly political education with curriculum geared toward community control over land and housing. Finally, we aim to send members and staff on learning journeys to visit Chainbreakers, Dudley Street LT, City Life/Vida Urbana and Charm City Land Trust to learn and build.

Entwined in the future of ONE DC is the transition of long-time Resource Organizer, Dominic Moulden, from staff to member. ONE DC and Dominic are committed to ensuring the organizational history and information is transferred on to the next generation. Because of this, a Transition Committee has been formed made up of ONE DC members, the Shared Leadership Team, and staff, and is responsible for identifying knowledge transfer, strengthening staff leadership, and working to ensure a smooth transition for the organization. Recently, we hired a documentation consultant to assist the transition committee and on September 19th the committee will hold a Funder’s briefing to update major ONE DC contributor’s on the transition and our work as a whole.

As a result of both this transition and our movement vision, ONE DC is now hiring! We are looking for three exceptional organizers who are passionate about grassroots community organizing and committed to the struggle for liberation.

We are currently hiring for the following positions:

• Resource Organizer (full-time)
• Black Workers & Wellness Center Organizer (full-time)
• Black Workers & Wellness Center Coop Organizer (part-time)

Please share with your networks!

Housing the Work

Over the past couple years, the Black Workers and Wellness Center’s role has predominantly been to offer space for a wide variety of community groups and events that support popular education and economic opportunities for Ward 7 and 8 residents.  

One such group, National Reentry Network for Returning Citizens, hosted its 1st Cohort of its “Ready to Work Program” at the BWWC. The program is designed to assist returning citizens in their transition back into the workforce. Members learned how to write a resume, deliver a 30 second pitch and participated in mock interviews to prepare them to find work. Since its introduction last year, 60% of the participants of the cohort were hired within two weeks of starting the program.

1st Cohort of the National ReEntry Network or Returning Citizens' “Ready to Work Program” at the BWWC

Willie M. Hill, founder of the Coming Home Coop

This summer, the Coming Home Coop also found a home in the BWWC. The Coming Home Coop is a new project whose purpose is to empower District of Columbia returning citizens and other justice-involved persons to work together to create financially stable futures for themselves and others. The Coop is operated by Haul Masters LLC, a local business owned by returning citizen entrepreneur Willie M. Hill, and is currently funded by the District of Columbia Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD). “The Coop’s mission intersects with the BWWC’s mission in various ways,” said project manager Clark. “By hosting our meetings at 2500 Martin Luther King Avenue, we hope to introduce returning citizen entrepreneurs to all that BWWC offers, and to support the Center through our rental fees. As the Coop grows and evolves, we are confident we will identify even more synergies between our respective missions.”

CLICK TO WATCH & SHARE OUR NEW BWWC FUNDRAISING VIDEO!

The ONE DC Black Workers & Wellness Center is a member-led community & wellness space in Anacostia that builds racial & economic justice through popular education, organizing toward sustainable employment, & the incubation of economic alternatives such as worker cooperatives.

We are an organization with a membership base comprised of longtime DC residents who have been directly affected by displacement, gentrification, and structural unemployment. Our organizing model centers the voices of those who are ignored by wealthy developers and government officials. Our strength comes in numbers, and need YOU to help us build political strength in the District.

When you donate to our BWWC Capital Fundraising campaign, you are joining hundreds of others in making a community-controlled Black-led space in DC a reality. Please give today!

Upcoming Events

ONE DC Right to Housing Freedom School
Saturday, October 5th
Thurgood Marshall Academy Public Charter High School - 2427 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE, Washington, DC 20020

On October 5th, ONE DC’s Right to Housing Committee will be hosting a Freedom School. At this event we’ll be diving deeper into the issues raised by participants in our July mini assembly: Displacement by Force and Landlord Neglect. All of this work will lead to our city-wide People’s Assembly in the Fall. To get involved, email Patrick at pgregoire@onedconline.org or call 202.232.2915.

On a MOVE! Repression, Resistance and Freedom
Saturday, August 31 - 12:00 - 2:00 PM
Watha T Daniel/Shaw Library -  1630 7th St NW, Washington, DC 20001
Organized by Stop Police Terror Project DC and Pan-African Community Action
Join Stop Police Terror Project DC and Pan-African Community Action as we honor #BlackAugust by hosting a panel featuring Eddie and Janet Africa, members of MOVE a Black liberation group based in Philadelphia that suffered deep police repression and terrorism in the 1970s and 80s.
Click here to RSVP

Black Labor Day 2019
Monday, September 2nd
Organized by the National Black Worker Center Project
This Labor Day, we are asking that you stand with us- and raise your voices with us as we come Out of the Shadows and expose the truths of Working While Black. No longer will the plight of Black workers be forced into the shadows and ignored. Participate in the Twitter storm on Monday, September 2^nd from 3:00 - 5:00 pm ET using #BlackLaborDay #BlackWorkersRising and #WorkingWhileBlack.  

Accounting Basics Workshop
Saturday, September 7th - 9:30 AM - 12:00 PM

ONE DC Black Worker's and Wellness Center - 2500 Martin Luther King Ave SE, Washington, DC 20020

Organized by Coming Home Coop
This accounting workshop--presented by Keila Hill-Trawick, owner of Little Fish Accounting--will help you get your business financial record keeping on solid ground regardless of how you currently keep your books and manage your accounts. Accounting is not just a chore you need to do to enable you to prepare your tax return. It is set of tools that will help you understand and grow your business. Whether you’re a complete novice or have been in business for a while, we’ll provide you with helpful accounting information to help you chart your course toward business success. The event is FREE to attend.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/accounting-basics-for-returning-citizen-business-owners-tickets-70054247139  

3rd Annual Worker Co-op Jumpstart
Saturday, September 14th - 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Impact Hub Baltimore - 10 E. North Ave, Baltimore, MD
Organized by the Baltimore Roundtable for Economic Democracy
On September 14th, the Baltimore Roundtable for Economic Democracy (BRED) will be hosting our third annual Worker Cooperative Jumpstart! It will be a day-long series of workshops focused on establishing and running worker cooperatives. We have something for everyone. So whether you’ve been a worker-owner for years, are thinking about starting a co-op, or just want to learn more this event is for you! Organizations and individuals welcome! We will be having exciting new content that focuses on cooperative conversions.

https://baltimoreroundtable.org/category/news-and-updates/

ONE Piece of Good News - Dominic Moulden wins Black Collar Award

 

"Freeing yourself was one thing; claiming ownership of that freed self was another."
-Toni Morrison

Right to Housing Mini-Assembly

Right to housing members participate in an interactive map of experiences with displacement in DC: “She couldn’t ever afford to buy her home.”

"My grandmother lives in Northeast. They’re watching their neighborhood change. They get cold calls of people wanting to buy their home.”

Displacement by force is one way long-time DC residents have lost their homes: “I became a victim of domestic violence. And then I actually lost my housing voucher since they said I had too much money in my account.”

“My mom and I kept falling into the cracks. I went straight from being a ward of the state to case closed homeless at 17.”

“We want you to think big. We want you to think about institutions.”

Participants share their experiences of landlord neglect in DC within breakout groups: “The whole soap dish was black from mold. Then they hired inexperienced workers who mishandled it.”

Some people felt they couldn’t be secure in housing unless they could afford to buy a house: “The system is responsible and they keep doing it to us. They wouldn’t do this if it was white people.”

“We want to take our anger and our issues to DCHA, DCRA and Mayor Bowser. We need to study and reflect before we can assess and attack.”

Nae came to the Right to Housing Mini-Assembly to fight for justice, just like her idol Ida B. Wells.

Next up for ONE DC’s Right to Housing Committee is the Freedom School. We’ll dive deeper into the issues raised by participants in the mini assembly: Displacement by Force and Landlord Neglect. All of this work will lead to our city-wide People’s Assembly in the Fall. To get involved, email Patrick at pgregoire@onedconline.org or call 202.232.2915.

Organizing for Liberation - Donate toward the BWWC Renovations

CLICK TO WATCH & SHARE OUR NEW BWWC FUNDRAISING VIDEO!

The ONE DC Black Workers & Wellness Center is a member-led community & wellness space in Anacostia that builds racial & economic justice through popular education, organizing toward sustainable employment, & the incubation of economic alternatives such as worker cooperatives.

We are an organization with a membership base comprised of longtime DC residents who have been directly affected by displacement, gentrification, and structural unemployment. Our organizing model centers the voices of those who are ignored by wealthy developers and government officials. Our strength comes in numbers, and need YOU to help us build political strength in the District.

When you donate to our BWWC Capital Fundraising campaign, you are joining hundreds of others in making a community-controlled Black-led space in DC a reality. Please give today!

Upcoming Events

Liberation Flix: Eyes on the Prize, "Power!"
Saturday, August 10 - 4:00 - 7:00 PM
The Justice Center - 617 Florida Ave NW
Organized by Party for Socialism & Liberation
The Party for Socialism & Liberation's Black Liberation summer film series continues with the series Eyes on the Prize, featuring the episode "Power!," which highlights Black power in its various forms throughout the 1960s and 1970s, such as the Black Panther Party for Self Defense. Light refreshments will be provided. Films will be followed by a group discussion. Donations of $5-10 will be accepted via cash or card at the door, though no one will be turned away for lack of funds.
Click here to RSVP

Defend Healthcare East of the River!
Thursday, August 22 - 6:00 - 8:00 PM
United Medical Center - 1310 Southern Ave SE, Conference Room 2 & 3
Organized by the DC Health Justice Coalition
The fight for UMC and access to quality health care East of the River is not over. On August 22nd, Ward 7 and 8 community leaders are meeting to discuss improving the access to healthcare East of River. UMC is set to close in January 2023 and there are discussions of a new hospital on the St. Elizabeths campus. The community must be a part of these discussions and it is time to strategize. Join US!


Working While Black Expo
Saturday, August 24 & Sunday, August 25
Coppin State University - Baltimore, MD
Organized by the National Black Worker Center Project
Join the National Black Worker Center Project for the first annual Working While Black Expo. Enjoy a weekend-long Black worker empowerment gathering with music, food, workshops, an apprenticeship fair, film festival, dynamic speakers, not-to-be-missed workshops, and discussions that will engage, surprise, challenge, and educate.
blackworkerexpo.org

Admin & Member Engagement Meeting
Tuesday, August 27 - 6:00 - 7:30 PM
ONE DC Black Workers & Wellness Center - 2500 MLK Jr Ave SE
Admin & Member Engagement committee is made up of ONE DC members, staff, and new volunteers, and is responsible for organizing administrative support for the organization as a whole, such as our communications, website, social media, grassroots fundraising, event logistical support, and other needs for ONE DC organizing campaigns and programs. It is a space where ONE DC members and supporters, both new and long-time, can learn more about ONE DC, find out what’s upcoming, and engage in the real, everyday work of the organization.
Click here to RSVP


Serve Your City Summer Programs
An invitation for students ages 9-17 to join Serve Your City to try a new sport, get centered, and learn new skills! 

ONE Piece of Good News - ONE DC is hiring!

 

In the Pursuit of Affordable, Sustainable Housing

At the ONE DC office in Shaw on a Tuesday evening, Right to Housing Organizer Patrick Gregoire carefully reads over a drafted email blast about the upcoming People’s Right to Housing Mini-Assembly. He edits the language to make it more accessible and compelling, asking for feedback from others. Members of the Right to Housing Committee have been meeting week after week to build out a city-wide housing campaign, and now it's time to launch summer outreach and base-building.

Sending communications is one of many features of Patrick’s work with ONE DC: his priority is to reach out and connect with people in ONE DC’s base of working class people of color. As the Right To Housing Organizer, Patrick's role is to organize tenants, especially long-time DC residents, to fight displacement, dismantle housing inequities, and end the privatization of housing. Housing being ONE DC's longest standing pillars of organizing, Patrick explains, “the big North Star is to have community-controlled, sustainable, affordable and dignified housing and to pursue models that support that."

Patrick (fourth from left) at a LEAP workshop

In order to move towards these goals and connect with the community, Patrick organizes regular 1-on-1 meetings with ONE DC members to connect the values of the organization to their experiences living in DC. “I mean if you don’t have safe dignified housing, what do you have? You can’t focus on your work. Where are you stacking your food if you've got any? We can’t fight for the things we need if we can’t even stay where we are.” he says. 

Patrick’s passion and dedication to the fight for equitable housing grew from his experience as a ONE DC member. After coming on staff, he now organizes closely with a dedicated group of ONE DC members and interns that make up the Right to Housing Committee. Several members have been displaced from their own neighborhoods in the District and use their experience to inform campaign strategy. In addition to the housing team, Patrick also works with other ONE DC staff and organizers: “I love being with a diverse cadre of people -- our Shared Leadership Team, our interns, the staff, our general membership -- especially when we have people that are the most impacted by displacement coming together and brainstorming ideas about how we’re gonna fight for our right to housing.”

ONE DC's Right to Housing Committee connects with the nation-wide Homes for All Movement at a Tenant Power Assembly Training in Minneapolis

Join with Patrick and tenants in DC to develop a popular education agenda and build our skills so we can fight back against predatory landlords and developers, and create collective power at the People's Right to Housing Mini-Assembly on Saturday July 6! This event is the first in a series of three and will be followed by the People's Right to Housing Freedom School and ONE DC's citywide People's Assembly.

Click here to RSVP

Nobody's Free Until Everybody's Free - Juneteenth in DC 2019

This past month was filled with preparation, planning, and most importantly, outreach for our annual Juneteenth in DC events. Thanks to the hard work and mobilizing efforts of ONE DC members, interns, and staff, the events turned out to be a huge success!

On Saturday, June 15, we hosted our 2nd Annual Juneteenth in DC Festival at the vacant lot owned by Bethlehem Baptist Church, located next to our Black Workers and Wellness Center in Anacostia. There was an estimated 500+ turnout, with over 60 vendors, community partners, performers and food trucks.

On Wednesday, June 19, in commemoration of the first observance of Juneteenth, ONE DC held a Juneteenth Community Learning Event with over 230 people in attendance. Dr. Camara Jules P. Harrell, Professor of Psychology at Howard University and author of Manichean Psychology: Racism and the minds of people of African descent, started off the program with a presentation on the history and significance of Juneteenth. In his presentation, Dr. Harrell disrupted the narrative of Abraham Lincoln as a benevolent white savior and uplifted the long history of rebellion of Africans in the U.S. against the system of slavery. They fought to liberate themselves by “…running away, rebelling violently, fleeing to the British, murdering slave-catchers…refusing to work, breaking tools….” In this legacy, ONE DC members continue our fight against the oppressive system of racial capitalism today.

Following the presentation, Aidyn & Addison Ellis-Otovo, two sisters from DC who have a passion for the arts and equal rights advocacy, performed on violin "Lift Every Voice and Sing." We also heard spoken word and musical performances from Pchs, Mena, Iyon, and closed the program with a healing mediation by Sista Alchemy.

It's not too late to become a sponsor of Juneteeth! By making a donation, you help ONE DC cover the costs of food, space and equipment rentals, and supplies.

Thank you all for commemorating Juneteenth with us!

We Are Ready for Change: Let's Face it Together

A note from Dominic Moulden

As the Resource Organizer for ONE DC, I’m writing to make an important and joyful announcement. This year, 2019, marks a truly unique year for ONE DC. It is year 13 since we began our journey as a community organizing collective organizing for racial and economic equity in Shaw and the District.  We are also in a period of Creative Reconstruction, ONE DC organizers, members, and shared leadership team are healing and learning together. This process also includes critiquing ourselves and our organization and doing the work necessary to imagine what our work looks like in the future.

Looking around me, I am honored to stand beside people committed to organizing for liberation and to see the strong and courageous ONE DC movement that we ALL have created. The work I am most proud of is the relationships we have built and sustained. Liberation always requires transformation. For us to grow, something must shift. This shift doesn’t mean anything is wrong, it means that we as an organization are ready to grow in new formations and ways. Shifting is possible for organizations and individuals and I am writing to inform you that at the end of 2019, I am transitioning off of staff as the Resource Organizer for ONE DC.

In the shared leadership structure, no one person is the spoke that keeps the wheel turning. There are many spokes. My transition is an act of solidarity with the movement work of ONE DC. It is rooted in the belief that no one person holds an organization up. I will continue to work closely with our membership and Shared Leadership Team throughout this time. I am committed to working closely with ONE DC to ensure that organizational history and information is transferred. I ask you to bravely support us as we lead this transformation at ONE DC. 

Now in my third decade of organizing in DC, I’m reflecting on what it means to be black and fearless. To me, being fearless means evaluating our organizational capacity; it means fostering membership development and healing; it means taking charge of your own political education and your own leadership development. And it means supporting the staff that will continue to redevelop and reorient the culture of ONE DC after my resignation. This one quote comes to mind:

“You cannot change any society unless you take responsibility for it, unless you see yourself as belonging to it and responsible for changing it.”
-Grace Lee Boggs

ONE DC is a strong and a courageous organization.  We have a long history of people who have demonstrated a commitment to organizing for a more equitable future. As I look back at the strength we have built as a collective, I am ready to fight with you all into the future and to continue our wins in our Right to Housing, Income and Wellness campaigns. A Transition Committee has been formed and is responsible for identifying knowledge transfer, strengthening staff leadership, and working with me this year and next to ensure a smooth transition for staff and membership. I will continue to work closely with them during this time and in the future. I look forward to joining the powerful membership of ONE DC, and hope you will too.

I want to thank you for allowing me to be a part of this very special organization. I’m committed to working with all of you to bring a life of joy and liberation in DC to fruition. 

Please look out for other announcements and information in the coming months. Thank you for the many special memories and the chance to smell the roses.

In solidarity,

Dominic T. Moulden
Join ONE DC

Upcoming Events

Know Your Rights Outreach Blitz
June 28-30, times & location vary
DC Jobs with Justice
This summer 2019, on July 1st, the minimum wage for hourly worker will increase to $14.00 and $4.45 for tipped workers in the District. This July also marks the first day of business tax collection for the Paid Family Leave benefits program. We will be doing outreach to workers about the new minimum wage, wage theft (including sick days, the tipped minimum, off the clock work) and TIMES UP resources for victims of sexual harassment. We will also be engaging managers on the Paid Family Leave tax collection and their responsibilities. We are looking for 150 people to come out and hit the streets with us on the weekend of June 28th! We'll have outreach events from Friday to Sunday across DC's neighborhoods. Will you join us?
Click here to register

Stonewall50 Rally + Action to DecrimNow!
Friday, June 28 - 4:00 - 7:00 PM
Freedom Plaza - 14th St NW & Pennsylvania Ave. NW
No Justice, No Pride
Research shows that over 80 percent of street-based sex workers experience violence in the course of their work. Criminal penalties have also made sex workers more vulnerable to violence and police abuse. By removing criminal penalties, this legislation will reduce the vulnerability of sex workers to exploitation and violence, promote public health by improving access to services, and help address human trafficking. Join us as we call on Members of the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety to hold a hearing for our new bill the ‘Community Safety and Health Amendment Act of 2019.’
Click here to RSVP


ICE Out Of DC! / Fuera ICE de DC! Rally in Columbia Heights
Saturday, June 29 - 4:30 - 7:00 PM
Columbia Heights Civic Plaza - 14th & Park Rd NW
Sanctuary DMV
Last Saturday, ICE agents roamed freely through Adams Morgan and Columbia Heights, entering a private home and taking 2 parents away from their children. They also interrogated people in several local businesses, spreading fear and alarm throughout the community. This comes despite Trump “delaying” massive ICE raids by two weeks, which were planned to target families in cities across the country, including DC.We'll have a community gathering at 4:30, hear from a set of community and organizational leaders at 5pm, and then walk through the streets of our neighborhood in a show of support for our immigrant neighbors. Please show up in solidarity with our neighbors on Saturday!
Click here to RSVP


July Learning Circle: Healing Justice and Right to Wellness
Wednesday, July 3rd - 6:00 - 8:00 PM
ONE DC Black Workers & Wellness Center - 2500 MLK Jr Ave SE
July's Learning Circle will focus on the ONE DC principle of the Right to Wellness and the role of healing justice in our work. Created by Cara Page and the Kindred Healing Justice Collective, “healing justice...identifies how we can holistically respond to and intervene on generational trauma and violence, and to bring collective practices that can impact and transform the consequences of oppression on our bodies, hearts and minds.” Our July 3rd learning circle will focus how we can live out our commitment to wellness and healing in our work at ONE DC.The monthly Learning Circle explores the principles and legacies that ONE DC moves forward and meets on the first Wednesday of every month from 6-8pm at the Black Workers and Wellness Center.
Click here to RSVP

Play-in for Climate Action
Thursday, July 11 - 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
The National Mall at 3rd St NW & Madison Dr NW
Moms Clean Air Force
Parents and kids from across the country will gather near the US Capitol in Washington, DC to call for climate action. This family-friendly protest against the air pollution that causes dangerous climate change showcases exactly what’s at stake as temperatures and sea levels rise: our kids. Moms know that kids can’t sit still, so we are ditching a traditional sit-in and holding our sixth annual Play-In.
Click here to RSVP

The Inaugural: Art-a-Thon
Saturday, August 24 - 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Hill Center @ Old Naval Hospital - 921 Pennsylvania Avenue SE
The Sanctuaries
Discover new passions as you tell your story through hip hop. Explore new ideas as you design a street theater skit. Learn new skills as you spraypaint wearable art. Dare to be different as you embark on an artistic adventure through the heart of Washington, DC — surrounded by friends and supported by local artists. Then, later that evening, take the big stage and share what you’ve created with your loved ones at an exclusive arts showcase at the Hill Center. Whether you’re a first-time creator or a seasoned professional, you'll have the best time of your life. All for a great cause!
Click here to register

Department For-Hire Vehicles T2R
The Department of For-Hire Vehicles (DFHV) is pleased to introduce a transportation pilot program for residents and visitors East of the River called Taxi-to-Rail, or T2R. T2R marks an effort to vastly improve transportation options East of the River, as many neighborhoods in this area are not in close proximity to metro stations. T2R will allow DC residents and visitors to pay a $3 flat fare rate to ride to any of the following eight Metro Stations - Deanwood, Minnesota Avenue, Capitol Heights, Benning Road, Anacostia, Congress Heights, Southern Avenue, and Naylor Road.  A rider may also use this service from one of these metros stations to a destination of their choice (located in East of the River). Call (202)-727-3T2R for more information.

ONE Bit of Good News - ONE DC Member Published in the Washington Post

 

Celebrating Juneteenth in DC 2019

ONE DC is excited to announce our Juneteenth in DC 2019 events celebrating Black liberation and justice! Juneteenth is an annual celebration to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved Black people in Texas on June 19, 1865. This is a time for us to reflect on our collective history of fighting for emancipation and equity, to celebrate and be joyful about our triumphs, and to recommit with passion and discipline to the current struggle for liberation.

Click here to RSVP 

Each sponsor who gives $100 or more will receive a Juneteenth commemorative poster, a Juneteenth t-shirt, and public acknowledgment on our website.
Click here to become a sponsor!

Over 100 Community Members Show Support for Racial Equity in DC

On April 25th, more than 80 people testified, and over 100 community members came to the Wilson Building to show support for Racial Equity in DC. A wide variety of advocates and activists packed a hearing on the proposed REAR Act, which is legislation introduced by Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie to assess the impact of government practices on racial equity in the city.

Witnesses testified on the impact of structural racism on the educational system, housing, healthcare, policing, and economic opportunities, as well as the disparities that persist in the city along racial and ethnic lines. Councilmember Brandon Todd presided over the Committee on Government Operations and heard seven hours of expert and powerful testimony; the councilmember pledged to continue engaging with constituents as the bill is evaluated by his committee.

Many of the community members present that day were motivated to join in because of a call from the DC Initiative on Racial Equity and Local Government, a diverse group of organizers and direct service providers that has been pushing for the city to do more to improve racial equity for all residents. The DC Initiative proposed several improvements to the legislation, increasing its scope and impact.

ONE DC organized with 9 residents to develop their testimony and show their support for these efforts, joining with Empower DC, Bread for the City, SPACEs, Jews United for Justice, Working Families, and several other organizations to hold educational sessions for community members about racial equity, the DC Initiative, and the REAR Act itself. The group plans to continue building a powerful coalition to demand intentional government action to reduce disparities and improve equity, using this legislation as a springboard to further acts to dismantle systemic racism and improve outcomes for all city residents.

Collective Work & Cooperation

Co-Familia: Bilingual Childcare Development Center
By Silvia Inez Salazar

Organizing and buying our rent-controlled building in 2011 was a huge accomplishment that took 7 years. Our building used to be called the Norwood Apartments and today it is called 1417 N Street NW Co-operative. We converted our 84-unit building into affordable housing and no longer had to worry about being pushed out because of gentrification.

In 2015, we began to think about the need to have stable and dignified work with livable wages and benefits. Many people in our co-operative work two or three jobs in the service sector and they have no potential to be promoted or gain stable employment. We soon realized that a worker owned co-operative was the solution. A group of 16 women from the DMV area and our housing co-operative were interested in launching their own worker owned co-operative business that would provide childcare services in DC.

Although I had experience organizing my building into a co-operative, I did not know how to organize a worker-owned co-op. The support and collaboration provided by ONE DC was instrumental in getting started. Emily Sladek, Bryant Sewell, Tania Guerrero, Katharine Richardson, and Erin Kessler volunteered their time and expertise with the early phases of business planning. Luther Place Memorial Church lent their support and provided a place to meet. Professor Louise A. Howells, Clinical Instructors Jerome Hughes and Eva Seidelman and a team of law students with the UDC School of Law provided expertise with formulating bylaws and governance. The DC Childcare Collective continues to provide childcare during organizing meetings.

We worked collectively to share the basic concepts of a cooperatively owned business and more importantly, we set aside time for the women to transition from seeing themselves as employees and changing into owners of their own business. By 2018, Co-Familia Childcare Co-operative had evolved into a core group of women leaders with a vision of how their business would function. ONE DC interns Citlalli Velasquez and Esmi Huerta worked with the leaders to create visual illustrations of services to be provided. A grant from the Meyer Foundation provided funding for the worker-owners to take childcare development classes at Montgomery College.

In spite of our collective accomplishments, I was not sure about what direction to take or where we were along the co-op development lifecycle. ONE DC provided support to me and Emily Sladek with applying for a training provided by CooperationWorks! at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The training was focused on implementation and providing practical tools and skills for co-op developers. The courses and case studies presented during the training provided perspective on where Co-Familia is towards launching and what steps to follow. Learning the viewpoints of fellow co-op developers helped us understand the challenges we are facing and how common they are. As a result of the training, we can now provide Co-Familia with the support and direction they need to establish their business.

Co-Familia worker-owners are currently taking child development courses at Montgomery College and are scheduled to graduate this coming July. We plan to celebrate and move forward with renting a locale that will house the co-operative.

Dulce Hogar Cleaning Cooperative

Dulce Hogar Cleaning Cooperative, a worker-owned cleaning cooperative, became operational in February of 2019. Dulce Hogar is being supported by ONE DC, Beloved Community Incubator, and Luther Place Memorial Church.The seven worker-owners participated in a year long training process, which included logo and brand development, governance, financial literacy, and cooperative principals. Dulce Hogar has now begun taking on clients across DC and in the immediate Virginia suburbs.
Check them out or request an estimate at dulcehogarcleaning.com

The ONE DC learning circle has started study groups focused on specific types of co-ops.  As Jessica Gordon Nembhard remarks in her seminal book, Collective Courage: A History of African American Cooperative Economic Thought and Practice, "[e]very African-American-owned cooperative of the past that I have researched, and almost every contemporary cooperative I have studied, began as the result of a study group or depended on purposive training and orientation of members."  We are taking this guidance, and starting study groups.

 

The Housing Co-Op study group will meet on Wednesday, June 26, from 6:30-8pm at the ONE DC office. At our first meeting, we'll set goals, decide how often we want to meet, etc. Contact Eric Fullilove (eric.fullilove@ri.org) or Gabrielle Newell (gnewell14@gmail.com) if you're interested in being part of this group moving forward. 

 

Kim Lee (klsourceinc@gmail.com) will convene the Health Co-op Study Group! Reach out to her if you want to join in this effort or learn more.

 

The monthly Learning Circle explores the principles and legacies that ONE DC moves forward. The Learning Circle continues to meet on the first Wednesday of every month, from 6-8pm at the Black Workers and Wellness Center. The next session on June 5th (6-8pm at the BWWC) will explore 400 Years of Inequality. Click here to RSVP

Contact Gabrielle Newell (gnewell14@gmail.com) for more information about the Learning Circle or to join the Learning Circle email list

No Pride in Displacement!

The Dyke March, a grassroots march for queer liberation led by self-identifying dykes, first started in the District in 1993. It subsequently spread to major cities in North America and the UK, but fizzled out in DC. Be a part of it's revival on June 7 after a more than decade-long hiatus. Our inaugural theme is "Dykes Against Displacement" and we will be raising funds for a variety of organizations doing anti-displacement work, which includes: ONE DC, BLM DC, NJNP, HIPS, and Casa Ruby.
Click here to RSVP

 

Stonewall Turns 50 - Join the PSL's Contingent at Capital Pride!
Saturday, June 8 - 3:30 PM
June 28th of this year will mark the 50 year anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, widely regarded as one of the most historic events of the contemporary LGBTQ movement. That night, members of New York City's LGBTQ community fought back against constant police violence, which they faced in their community spaces -- namely, the Stonewall Inn, a prolific bar in Manhattan's historic "gayborhood" and the namesake of the Stonewall Riots. This year, the PSL-D.C. contingent at Capital Pride will be honoring this history of LGBTQ resistance. 50 years later, the LGBTQ community has made many strides despite widespread repression, homophobia, transphobia and biphobia -- but many of these forces still oppress LGBTQ people today.
Click here for meet-up location & to RSVP

 

Support a Mission Trip
Hi! I'm Detrice Belt,  long-time resident of Barry Farm in southeast Washington, DC and mother of one-- an 11 year old daughter who's homeschooled by me this first year, which was very challenging. I was not able to work. However, I have been offered an opportunity to go on a mission trip where all expenses are paid except for my flight to Tanzania in Africa.

I am a dental assistant and this trip is taking volunteers from the District of Columbia area -- nurses, doctors, dental assistants, hygienists and other specialties in the medical field -- to this country every year for a medical mission. I'm very hopeful that I will be able to take this trip as this will be my first trip out of the country and I was informed that I could take my daughter. However she won't be joining this year because she's too young and would have to stay behind on some of the missions which are at night and she's too young to stay in a hotel by herself so I will be taking the trip myself.

This year, the trip is June 13th through June 30th. I need help with my air ticket which will cost up towards $1375. I have been working with ONE DC and Empower DC to organize my community for over 5 years and plan to share this work with my African community. Any little bit would be greatly appreciated!

To support Detrice, go to paypal.me/bdetrice

Upcoming Events

ONE DC Happy Hour Fundraiser (+ Open Mic Night!)
Thursday, June 6, 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Madam's Organ - 2461 18th St NW
ONE DC inviting you for a night of fundraising and fun at a special ONE DC Open Mic Night. Please fill out this form if you would like to perfom! This fundraiser will feature raffle prizes, t-shirt and tote bag sales PLUS $1 of every drink and food item sold during happy hour benefits ONE DC!
Click here to RSVP

Great Labor Arts Exchange 2019
Thursday, June 20 - Sunday, June 23
Tommy Douglas Conference Center - 10000 New Hampshire Ave, Silver Spring, MD
Join us for a weekend of workshops, films, discussion groups, spoken word, jam sessions and open mike! Bring your instrument, your voice, your beat box, your song, your poem, your story or just yourself!
Click here to register

Play-in for Climate Action
Thursday, July 11 - 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
The National Mall at 3rd St NW & Madison Dr NW
Hosted by Moms Clean Air Force
Parents and kids from across the country will gather near the US Capitol in Washington, DC to call for climate action. This family-friendly protest against the air pollution that causes dangerous climate change showcases exactly what’s at stake as temperatures and sea levels rise: our kids. Moms know that kids can’t sit still, so we are ditching a traditional sit-in and holding our sixth annual Play-In.
Click here to RSVP

Special Request - Support a Member's Healing Journey after Domestic Abuse

We want to support someone in our community who has been supporting countless others for many years. Ms Bilal is a social worker, a long-time active member of ONE DC, and a woman who works hard to brighten every room that she walks into.

 

Make Some Noise! - Resistance through Music

Long-time Shaw residents are accustomed to being greeted by the sounds of Chuck Brown, Rare Essence, or Mambo Sauce as they pass the intersection of 7th and Florida. Donald Campbell has been playing Go-Go music - the D.C. musical specialty that "just goes and goes, the lovechild of blues, funk, salsa, gospel, and soul" - outside his Metro PCS store there for 25 years now. But earlier this month, passersby found the corner eerily quiet. T-Mobile had ordered Donald to turn off his music after a resident in the new luxury apartment complex across the street complained about the noise. Unsurprisingly, these complaints only applied to the go-go music being played by the Black-owned corner business, and not the pricey new beer garden next door, which also plays music outside, and at later hours.

Our community quickly rallied together to defend the cultural hallmark of the neighborhood. An online petition to bring back the music garnered over 80,000 signatures, while the hashtag #DontMuteDC went viral on social media. A few days later, performers and demonstrators packed the streets surrounding the store, both in defense of Donald Campbell, and in unapologetic celebration of D.C. music and culture.

This attempt at literally silencing local tradition struck many as painfully emblematic of the ongoing gentrification battle in Shaw and the District. At the same time that the city tries to immortalize its roots with murals and plaques to Go-Go artists and neighborhood heritage trails, the real-life Washingtonians who contributed to the birth of the musical movement are being displaced. What is being preserved is the ghost of past culture, rather than current living culture and the people keeping it alive.

This is what We Act Radio co-founder Kymone Freeman refers to when he says, unequivocally, "Gentrification is cultural genocide." The word "gentrification" often serves as a euphemism for what is really going on: displacement. It focuses attention on what is supposedly being "gained" through the change - perhaps luxury condos, coffee shops, yoga studios, organic healthfood stores, organic dog-food stores. In this way, the term distracts from what is being lost - affordable housing; laundromats, barbershops, mom-and-pop restaurants, and all manner of Black-owned businesses; local art, music, traditions, and sense of community.

The irony is that gentrifiers are often very interested in the concept of cultural authenticity - "real" cultural products that bring the excitement of the exotic into "their" adopted neighborhoods. They fetishize the customs and even the perceived "grittiness" of a neighborhood, but do not want to have to deal with any of the actual (likely working-class Black and brown) people whose aesthetics they covet. Therefore, local culture is commodified and packaged as novelty products for gentrifiers to consume, while the lives of long-time residents are de-prioritized. Inevitably, over time culture is watered down until it has been erased entirely or turned into a grotesque, empty caricature of its former self.

Resisting cultural erasure will always be an important component of resisting displacement. The incident at 7th and Florida demonstrates some newcomers' appalling lack of respect for D.C. culture, but it also demonstrates the ferocity of our community when we come together and stand up for each other. The uproar surrounding go-go's removal from the neighborhood made national news, and reached the ears of T-mobile's CEO, who reversed the order. Today, Donald Campbell's music is blasting through Shaw once again.

Commemorating Emancipation Day 2019

Tuesday, April 16th marked the 157th anniversary of the day that slavery was legally abolished in D.C., freeing over 3,000 enslaved people living in the District - a crucial turning point in the history of American slavery. 

To commemorate the date, this year ONE DC, in collaboration with We Act Radio, held a Freedom School in Southeast, focusing on elements of D.C. history not taught in our public schools. Residents of all ages participated in lively discussions and educational workshops throughout the day. We were joined by special guests historian Dr. C.R. Gibbs, who spoke on the history of slavery in the District; breathologist Ayo Handy-Kendi, who lead a community meditation session to honor our ancestors and find peace with their memory; and director Mignotae Kebede, who discussed her new documentary "What Happened 2 Chocolate City", which was screened at the event.

Read The Washington Informer coverage here. 

Participants reflect on issues of education and housing

Historian C.R. Gibbs leads a lesson on D.C. history

Participants hold small group discussions

Grassroots civil rights organizer Ella Jo Baker

Kids Flow Yoga (for ages 9-14)
WHEN: Mondays and Fridays, 4:00 - 5:30 PM, April 22nd - June 10th
WHERE: Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, 545 7th Street SE
A practice dedicated to helping young people of color grow stronger and more confident

Click here for more information!

BRAND NEW College Preparatory Program (for 6th - 12th graders and their families)
We will help you and your children learn how to:

• Complete College Applications
• Complete Financial Aid Applications
• Complete Scholarship Applications
• Prepare for the SAT/ACT

For more information and to register, email Maurice Cook at info@serveyourcitydc.org

Upcoming Events

Carry It On: A Celebration of Pete Seeger
Saturday, May 4th, 8:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Tommy Douglas Conference Center - 10000 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring, MD
Hosted by Labor Heritage Foundation
The DC Labor Chorus presents “Carry It On: a Celebration of Pete Seeger" on what would have been his 100th Birthday. With Special Guests Joe Uehlein and Anna Grace Uehlein. Be prepared to sing along. Tickets are $25.
Click here to purchase tickets

When the Mountains Tremble: Film Screening & Discussion
Friday, May 17 - 7:00 PM
Eaton Cinema, 1201 K St NW
Hosted by the International Mayan League
Join the International Mayan League for a special screening of When the Mountains Tremble to recognize the history of genocide in Guatemala and to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the murder of 20-year-old Maya Mam woman, Claudia Patricia Gómez González, by U.S. Customs & Border Patrol. Her murderin May 2018 remains unresolved and we continue to demand justice!
More info @mayanleague │ info@mayanleague.org


Improv Playshop for Bystander Intervention
Saturday May 18th, 1-2PM Potluck, 2-4PM Skill Practice
Maitri House Intentional Community, 251 Manor Circle, Takoma Park MD 20912
(Parking is available; Buses drop off nearby; 12-15 minute walk from the Takoma Metro Station)
Hosted by The DC Peace Team
Join our advanced nonviolent skills building improv play shop for bystander intervention scenarios, which translates to situations when we unexpectedly encounter conflict, harassment, or violence between other parties. An opportunity to do work with various role-play scenarios that we create, including, for example, incidents of discrimination, micro-aggression, conflict escalation, cat-calling on the street, at the workplace, in the metro, etc. FREE and no prior experience necessary.
Register Here!

6th Annual Rodham Institute Summit
Thursday, May 23rd, 8:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Southeast Tennis & Learning Center - 701 Mississippi Ave, SE
Hosted by George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences
Incorporating the Arts to improve Health and Wellbeing in Washington, D.C. 
Click here for more information

ONE Bit of Good News - ONE DC Intern Sinclair Blue Selected as Truman Scholar!

 

Building Our Base

At ONE DC, our vision of community organizing is cooking up! Its hearty base derives from Ella Baker’s approach to organizing. Ella Baker understood that for far too long, those who were directly affected by the issues (poverty, homelessness, racism, displacement) were rarely integrated into their own liberation struggle.

In her praxis as an organizer, Ella Baker practiced participatory democracy. This concept meant that people within movements for social change, those directly affected by the issues, make the decisions related to the campaign or movement; minimize hierarchy within their organization to maximize shared power and equity of voice; and utilize direct action as an effective means to compel decision-makers to implement demands made by the community. ONE DC infuses this concept of organizing and leadership development within our community organizing model as we build our base of long-time DC residents.

Building a base can be chaotic and takes many turns and dips. Organizing and educating the base is exciting, but a slow cooking type of work. Gumbo comes to mind when we realize all the gifts and skills members bring to the organizing dinner table. ONE DC's role is to blend all this talent into a delicious menu of social and political change organizing in DC. Here are some of our ingredients:

1. Leadership Education Action & Power (LEAP)

A people’s vision at ONE DC consists of a membership education program called Leadership Education Action and Power (LEAP). LEAP facilitators use popular education methods to deconstruct the US economy and social issues. Members teach members. With the global understanding of the problems faced by members, members effectively organize their communities and offer comprehensive solutions to decision-makers.

A foundational tenet of ONE DC's vision is that we are organizing for a new system. Because ONE DC is a learning organization, we seek to identify the root causes of injustice and not to simply reform the system. We examine the interconnection of issues like capitalism, white supremacy, patriarchy, as well as the need for personal and community healing and wellness.

Throwback! Created at a LEAP workshop in 2009

To build power, we must also consistently work to develop our skills as organizers. Over the past several years, our members and staff have participated in the Center for Third World Organizing's (CTWO) Community Action Trainings. Through these trainings, ONE DC members, as well as other local organizers, activists, and tenants studied different types of organizational structures; the power of symbols and framing a narrative to convey a message; campaign frameworks and strategy; and methods of nonviolent action.

GET INVOLVED: The first LEAP session will take place on Saturday, April 27 starting at 11AM. To learn more, contact Claire at ccook@onedconline.org or call 202-232-2915.

2. Grassroots Fundraising

In 2014, the Resource Development Committee of ONE DC began focusing on our grassroots fundraising strategy after attending a session of the Grassroots Institute for Fundraising Training (GIFT). We developed a long-term grassroots fundraising strategy with the goal of having a greater percentage of our funding come from our strong base of long-time supporters, so as to be less dependent on foundational support.

Resource Development Committee retreat in 2017

The base of our funding is a combination of small and major donations from individual community members, and grants won through the efforts of our committed grant-writing team made up of members, interns, and staff.  We believe that how an organization approaches fundraising is political, and we strive to create a fundraising structure in line with our principles of shared leadership. Click here to view our 5-year Grassroots Fundraising Strategy Report.

GET INVOLVED: The next workshop in our 2019 Resource Development training series is scheduled to take place Wednesday, April 17 from 6:00-8:00 PM at the Black Workers and Wellness Center. To learn more, contact Nawal at nrajeh@onedconline.org or call 202-232-2915.

3. Coalition Building

ONE DC is a homegrown, locally focused organization, but we embody a far-reaching perspective. We continually develop relationships with individuals and organizations who share our mission, vision, and values not only in Washington, D.C., but around the U.S. and the world. Our Black Workers & Wellness Center is D.C. is affiliated with the National Black Worker Center Project, which supports and incubates Black worker centers that build power with Black workers to advance their rights and improve the quality of jobs in key employment sectors. For the last five years, ONE DC members and staff have attended the National Black Workers Center Convening to expand our vision in coordination with other BWCs.

GET INVOLVED: Join the ONE DC Learning Circle on Sunday, April 14 at 3:00 PM for a special discussion with SLT member Jessica Gordon Nembhard, author of "Collective Courage: A History of African American Cooperative Economic Thought and Practice" Click here to RSVP

From left: Maurice, Nawal, Kelly, Luci (kneeling) and ba at the 2018 National Black Workers Center Convening

Emancipation Day Freedom School - 400 Years of Inequality

Emancipation Day Freedom School
Tuesday April 16 - 3:00 - 9:00 PM
THEARC - 1901 Mississippi Ave NE
Hosted by ONE DC & We Act Radio
Join us to commemorate 400 years of inequality and 400 years of resistance. An interactive political education workshop will be held, followed by a screening of the new documentary film What Happened 2 Chocolate City
3:00- 3:45- The history of Emancipation Day
3:45- 4:00- Meditation
4:15- 6:00- Breakout sessions
6:30-8:30 -Film Screening of "What Happened 2 Chocolate City?" followed by a Q/A with director Mignotae Kebede.
Click here to RSVP

Also: join Free DC in marching for freedom and equal citizenship rights at the 2019 DC Emancipation Day Parade on Saturday, April 13.

What Does Racial Equity Mean for D.C.?

Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie's proposed legislation - 'RACIAL EQUITY ACHIEVES RESULTS ACT' - will have its first hearing on Thursday, April 25th. Attend one of two upcoming prep sessions before the hearing to help shape this bill into something that can meaningfully address racial inequity in DC! At the prep sessions, we will learn about the proposed legislation, discuss its strengths and weaknesses, and develop testimony and talking points for the April 25th hearing.

Prep Session 1
Monday, April 15 - 6:30 - 8:30 PM
UPO - Petey Greene Center
2907 Martin Luther King Jr Ave. SE

Prep Session 2
Thursday, April 18 - 6:30 - 8:30pm
Benning Library
3935 Benning Rd. NE

ATTEND & TESTIFY at the City Council Hearing!
Thursday, April 25 - 10:00 AM
John A. Wilson Building
1350 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Room 120

Click here for more information
If you're interested in testifying on behalf of ONE DC, please contact Patrick Gregoire at pgregoire@onedconline.org!

Upcoming Events

ONE DC Open Mic Night and Happy Hour Fundraiser
Thursday, April 4 - 5:00 - 9:00 PM
Madam's Organ Blues Bar - 2461 18th Street NW
Come out to support ONE DC's work at a fun and lively night at Madam's Organ! $1 from any drink or food item will go toward ONE DC! Listen to live music while helping us create and preserve racial and economic equity in DC. Want to perform? Click here.
Click here to RSVP

East End Hospital Community Meeting
Thursday, April 4 - 6:00 - 8:00 PM
Black Workers & Wellness Center  - 2500 MLK Jr Ave SE
Hosted by DC Jobs with Justice
DC Jobs with Justice is bringing together leaders to talk about the important health access issues arising from the planned hospital on the St. Elizabeths Campus. The deal is currently being hammered out by the Mayor and Universal Health Services behind closed doors and with a $300 million commitment from the DC Council which also waived the public input process called Certificate of Need. In addition, UHS will only commit to limited services in the new East End Hospital and has a history of working in bad faith with union members at it's current DC hospitals.
To RSVP, contact Ina: antolina@dcjwj.org


Stand with the Irving Street Rent Strikers
Friday, April 5 - 6:00 PM
Columbia Heights Civic Plaza (Between 14th St and Park Rd)
Hosted by LEDC
Tenants at 1454 Irving St NW have lived in slum conditions for years and after increasing pressure from the landlord to evict them, the tenants are fighting back by launching a rent strike. Join the rent strikers on April 5th and show them the community supports their fight for housing justice.
Click here to RSVP


True Reformers: Celebrating Justice Heroes Past & Present
Tuesday April 9 - 4:00 - 8:00 PM
Public Welfare Foundation - 1200 U Street NW
Hosted by Public Welfare Foundation
Join us on Tuesday, April 9th as we gather as a community to talk about how we – together – can catalyze a transformative approach to justice that is community-led, restorative, and racially just. The event will include speakers and performances, and food and beverages will be served.
Click here to RSVP

DC Cooperative Stakeholders Group Meeting
Tuesday, April 23 - 6:00 - 7:30 PM
DC Library Southeast - 403 7th St SE
Hosted by DC Cooperative Stakeholders
We invite you to join our growing effort to further build upon the DC area's cooperative ecosystem.
Click here to RSVP

Assata Shakur Study Group
2nd and 4th Wednesday of the Month, 7-9 PM 
Black Workers & Wellness Center - 2500 MLK Ave SE
Hosted by Pan-African Community Action
Click here for more information

Workers Rights Clinics
Friday, April 5th - 12:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Friday, April 12th - 12:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Black Workers & Wellness Center - 2500 MLK Ave SE
Hosted by Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs & ONE DC 
Contact 202-319-1000 or clinic@washlaw.org to set up an appointment

Community Announcements

ONE Bit of Good News - Cofamilia Enrolled in Childcare Courses

This spring, 16 people from the Cofamilia Childcare Cooperative enrolled in courses at Montgomery College, which will help qualify them for childcare development licenses. The 16 students are a mix of worker-owners and several newer recruits that are starting to learn about the benefits of joining a worker cooperative. Cofamilia is planning a special celebration for July, when the course will be complete and the worker-owners will be one step closer to opening their childcare business.

We are seeking fluent Spanish speakers to support Cofamilia in the ongoing organizing of their coop. For more info, email ccook@onedconline.org.

 

ONE DC & the Global Land Movement

Sharecroppers in Eutaw, Alabama, 1930s

ONE DC recognizes that because all basic necessities of human life come from the land, community control of the land is an essential element of liberation. Displacement and dispossession from the land are perhaps the most powerful tools of colonialism because they strip us of our self-sufficiency. We become dependent on capitalist structures to provide our food, water, and housing as commodities, forgetting that as human beings on a plentiful Earth, we all have an inherent and equal right to these necessities, regardless of our ability to pay. Without control of the land, we may survive (when our survival is useful or convenient for those in power) but we can never ensure that our survival will continue. We cannot guarantee access to healthy food and safe, decent housing for our families and communities; and we cannot protect our water, soil, and air from pollution that poisons our bodies.

In DC, we live our daily lives on land with a long history of contestation, environmental inequality, and racial injustice. Our city exists on land stolen from its original residents, the Nanotchtank people, and developed using the exploited labor of enslaved African people by European colonists. People of color in the District have been relegated to less desirable land, and dispossessed of their land as soon as it has become profitable for those with more power. Systemic housing discrimination and mass displacement guised as "urban renewal" efforts have led to the disenfranchisement of Black residents throughout the 20th century. At the same time, many white residents were able to benefit from this inequality to build intergenerational wealth, creating a dramatic wealth disparity between white and Black families in DC.

Overlooking development in Anacostia

In the ongoing struggle to defend our homes, DC residents must contest with the joint powers of corporate greed and government corruption. It is common practice in DC for government officials to provide enormous subsidies to real estate developers in return for campaign contributions. Instead of funding affordable housing, transportation, education, or community-led, equitable development, hundreds of millions of dollars of city funds are given away to developers each year by way of tax breaks and land deals. In these so-called "sweetheart deals," corporations have received public land worth millions of dollars for only $1. Meanwhile, D.C.'s housing costs continue to skyrocket, and the rate of homelessness remains one of the highest in the U.S. Now, as the housing crisis reaches a critical point, political resistance in the District is stronger than ever as working class people and people of color are uniting and organizing for land, equity, and justice. 

Congress Heights

At Congress  Heights, tenants are still going strong in their fight for community control over housing and for safe, dignified housing conditions. After a fire broke out on the property in November 2018, the tenants have been temporarily relocated to other buildings in the area, and maintain their legal standing as tenants of their Congress Heights apartments as they wage the fight for quality, long-term, and meaningfully affordable housing in their neighborhood. The two ongoing lawsuits against Geoff Griffis and City Partners regarding their improper ownership and evasion of tenants' TOPA rights have been fought in the courts over the past year. The property also  remains under the control of a court appointed receiver due to past negligence of the property.

Congress Heights tenants hold a meeting at the BWWC

Kelsey Gardens

In the way that development and humanitarian aid are often used to mask imperialist intervention abroad, the rhetoric surrounding mixed-income development obscures a sinister process of displacement. At the very core of the politics of mixed-income development is the undermining of communities of the working poor, particularly when these communities are also Black. Gentrification exposes already marginalized communities to increased policing and surveillance. As new, wealthier, whiter residents move into communities, long-term tenants find themselves subject to racialized stereotypes of criminality, often resulting in dangerous and violent encounters with the police.

Kelsey Gardens tenants prior to the demolition

In addition, once residents move into shiny, new developments, building management implement a draconian slate of rules enforced through constant surveillance of private behavior and space. This is coupled with an aesthetic and cultural transformation of neighborhood and community space, which compounds feelings of unfamiliarity, loss, and discomfort. As this discomfort mounts and long-term residents choose to leave, rather than be subjected to continued indignities, the traditional networks of mutual support, which working class and poor people rely on to survive the perpetual onslaught of  capitalism, start to fall apart.

Kelsey Gardens, one of the first properties where ONE DC organized, is a clear example of the negative impact of mixed-income development on working class and Black communities in DC. After a long struggle against the developers who sought to transform their housing into luxury apartments, in 2006, the residents of Kelsey Gardens, led by their tenant association, won the right to return to the new building after construction was completed. The residents would live in subsidized apartments within the building, which would be shared by new arrivals to Shaw who could afford to pay market-rate rent.

When the residents returned to the building after being displaced for six years, however, they realized that the communal feel of the old Kelsey Gardens had been erased with the construction of the new property, Jefferson at Marketplace. In the new building, subsidized tenants found that they were subject to a different set of rules than the market-rate tenants, including restrictions on access to amenities, surveillance and criticism of their guests, and verbal harassment from management.

In addition, residents have reported previously undisclosed fees for basic services, coldness from market-rate residents, and interference with the tenant associations right to organize on the property. In one extreme case, a resident was even evicted for smoking cigarettes in her apartment, a practice she had maintained for most of her adult life. These forms of harassment and invasion of privacy and comfort have caused many of the original residents, who fought hard for the right to return, to leave the new building and Shaw entirely.

Despite the injustice they faced at the hands of building management, the current and former residents of Kelsey Gardens continue to fight, and want their experiences to serve as a counterbalance to the dominant discourse on mixed-income development. Over the course of the last few months, former Kelsey Garden residents have been working with ONE DC member Martha Davis and Virginia Commonwealth University Professor Kathryn Howell to share and record their experiences living in new mixed-income developments.

Former Kelsey Garden tenants sharing their stories in 2018

The results of these interviews will be compiled into a policy document that will be used to educate lawmakers and combat the mythology of mix-income developments. In addition, the interviews will be turned into a popular education tool to discuss the relationship between mixed-income development and the displacement of working class and working poor communities of color in DC. This, in turn, will be used to collectively educate buildings experiencing similar redevelopment attempts and give them tools to identify, articulate, and organize against mixed-income development and in favor of their right to the city. We look forward to the results of this project and the implementation of its associated written resources.

Richman Apartments

In November 2017, Mrs. Jourgette Reid-Sillah, (aka. Ms. J.), a ONE DC member, along with a few of her neighbors voted to create a Tenants Association at the Richman Apartments in Southeast DC. The Richman Apartment residents, noticing the increase in expensive housing developments popping up in their community, wanted to take action and get organized.

Ms. J and other tenant-leaders began meeting monthly in their laundry room, and encouraged fellow residents to get involved. ONE DC enthusiastically supported Ms. J. and her neighbors’ organizing efforts. ONE DC staff and members helped knock on doors, conducted outreach, and offered technical assistance on how to create a Tenants Association.

Ms. J. saw the Tenants Association as an important group that could help build community and stay abreast of development plans. But even as residents recognized its value, not everyone was willing to contribute the necessary labor. "Everyone thinks that a coalition is a good idea," Ms. J. says, “the challenge is making people understand that they must help carry the water.”

Their hard work has paid off. They have named their association the Because We Care Coalition, Richman Apartments Tenants Association. Through a process of debate and discussion, the tenants created their by-laws and are now focusing on electing a board and registering their Tenants Association with the DC Government.

Ms. J. is excited about the future victories they will win for their complex and neighborhood. She, like Fannie Lou Hamer, believes, “If you don’t speak out ain’t nobody gonna speak for you.” Over time, even more community leaders have become dedicated to building power in their community, and the association is continually seeking to recruit tenants who care. They are focused on organizing and setting goals for the future.

ONE DC is only one component of a growing international movement - we partner with and take inspiration from organizations all over the world who share our vision. Methods of achieving community control of land and housing differ from place to place, as different communities exist in unique historical contexts, with different needs and cultural values.

From Justice for Grenfell in London...

The official enquiry into the Grenfell Tower atrocity is currently adjourned indefinitely. Justice delayed is justice denied. But some of the root causes are well known to the working class communities around Grenfell, across the Atlantic and throughout the world. Neoliberalism considers the lives of the poor unimportant.  Housing has become just another commodity to be traded.  The people and agencies who should have been ensuring the safety of people at Grenfell were more interested in making money out of them, or pursuing their political careers.

But it goes deeper. UK council tenants, like US public housing tenants, have been stigmatized for decades.  The Grenfell fire spread because of the flammable material fitted to prettify a council housing tower block.  There are some very rich people living near Grenfell. They didn’t want to look at “ugly” housing, or think about the people who lived there. Grenfell has become a symbol of our failing housing policy and divided cities.  But there is hope. It’s also become a totem for campaigns demanding decent, safe, secure and truly affordable homes for all. Winning that is the real way to get Justice for Grenfell. -Glyn Robbins, author of There's No Place: The American Housing Crisis and what it means for the UK

...to the MST (Landless Workers' Movement) in Brazil:

Agrarian reform may seem like an old problem, but it is vitally important for a new vision of modernity. It means tearing down three fences, as the MST puts it—fences around land, capital, and knowledge. As part of a larger effort to democratize access to resources, agrarian reform and food sovereignty can encompass everything from providing credit for settlers in land reform areas so that they can practice agroecological methods, to establishing good public schools and universities in every region. It might start with diversified local economies supported through farmers markets, but it also envisions universal health services, access to the internet, public transport, movie theaters, and more in every town. (Source)

...to Abahlali baseMjondolo (Shack Dwellers' Movement) in South Africa:

The state makes promises. The state breaks its promises. People respond. We were promised a piece of land. That land was sold to a businessman. Anger welled up. We brought traffic to a standstill for hours, demanding answers from the authorities. Most popular protest in South Africa uses road blockades as a tactic. What is significant is that although there were so many protests around the country, we were able to sustain that protest and turn it into a movement.What made that possible is that the state was prepared to lie and put lies ahead of the truth and put profit ahead of human needs. Because they were prepared to continue lying, I think that act really enabled us to put sustaining plans in place to resist. We did not only organise our locality. Neighbouring communities also got involved. They said, ‘we identify your demands with our demands. We can amplify our voices if we all unite’. So, this unity was organic. This movement grew from anger to the table, not from the table to anger. Ours is a politics of the poor – a homemade politics that everyone can understand and find a home in. (Source)

And in 2018, ONE DC joined Homes for All, a national campaign launched by Right to the City Alliance that aims to protect, defend, and expand housing that is truly affordable and dignified for low-income and very low-income communities by engaging those most directly impacted by this crisis through local and national organizing, winning strong local policies that protect renters and homeowners, supporting efforts at building models for truly affordable community-controlled housing and shifting the national debate on housing. We believe that housing is a human right not a commodity. 

To get involved, contact Patrick Gregoire at pgregoire@onedconline.org or 202-232-2915.

SAVE THE DATE: ONE DC Annual Membership Meeting

The Annual Membership Meeting is a space for members to guide the vision of ONE DC. The agenda will include:
-Elections for an open seat on the ONE DC Shared Leadership Team
-Overview of our 2018 wins and goals for 2019
-Community learning exercises on shared leadership
-Financial updates

The ONE DC Annual Membership Meeting is an opportunity to meet and build relationships with other members. The program will also include music, spoken word, videos, and political education. Free food will be provided. Childcare will be provided and transportation is available upon request.

Click here to RSVP

About 2019 Shared Leadership Team Elections

ONE DC is governed by a 9-person Shared Leadership Team (SLT) made up of appointed and elected board members and ONE DC staff. At the 2019 Annual Membership Meeting, we will hold an election for one (1) of two open elected position. We will hold the election for the other open position in 2020 in order to create staggered terms. All are welcome to attend, but only members who paid membership dues in 2018 are eligible to vote in the election.

According to our by-laws, requirements for being 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.

We strongly encourage members interested in running for the SLT to attend one of our pre-election orientations to learn more about the roles, responsibilities, and expectations of being a SLT member. If you are interested, please contact us at organizer@onedconline.org for orientation details.

2019 Membership Drive

Membership dues support the organizing campaigns of ONE DC, membership event, & member-leader development. As we grow more powerful, it becomes more and more important to be funded by our base. Click here to pay your 2019 membership dues.

Upcoming Events

Worker Cooperatives 101
Wednesday, February 27th - 6:30 PM
West End Library - WEE Conference Room - 2301 L Street NW
Hosted by Democracy at Work DC
Click here to RSVP

Bring Human Rights Home - DC Human Rights City Alliance
Saturday, March 2nd, 10 AM - 12 PM
Black Workers and Wellness Center - 2500 MLK Ave SE
RSVP: 202-544-0324

Defend Public Housing! Empower DC Quarterly Membership Mtg
Saturday, March 2nd, 2 PM - 4 PM
Christ United Methodist Church - 900 4th Street SW
Hosted by Empower DC
Click here to RSVP

The Exiled Palestinians: Voices from Stateless Women
Monday, March 4, 2019 at 7:30 PM – 9 PM
Westmoreland Congregational UCC - 1 Westmoreland Circle Dr., Bethesda
Hosted by North America Nabka Tour
Click here to RSVP

Film Premiere & Panel: Cubanas, Mujeres, en Revolución
Thursday March 7, 2019 - 6:30 PM – 9:00 PM
True Refomer Building - 1200 U Street NW
Hosted by Thought in Action
Click here to RSVP

​
We Were There! A Celebration of Women’s History - International Women’s Day
Friday, March 8, 2019 - 3:00 pm
AFL-CIO President's Room - 815 16th Street NW
Hosted by the Labor Heritage Foundation
Click here for more information

Harriet Tubman Day - “Celebrate to Educate”
Friday March 8, 2019 - 6:00 Light Reception / 7:00 Program
Charles Sumner School Museum Archives - 1201 17th Street NW
Hosted by the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park
Click here to RSVP

Assata Shakur Study Group
2nd and 4th Wednesday of the Month, 7-9 PM 
Black Workers and Wellness Center - 2500 MLK Ave SE
Hosted by Pan-African Community Action
Click here for more information

Workers Rights Clinics
Friday, March 1 - 12:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Friday, March 15 - 12:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Black Workers & Wellness Center - 2500 MLK Ave SE
Hosted by Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs & ONE DC 
Contact 202-319-1000 or clinic@washlaw.org to set up an appointment

ONE Bit of Good News - Matching Gift from the Share Fund

In January, the Share Fund generously pledged to support ONE DC by matching all donations made towards the renovation of the Black Workers & Wellness center until April 16 (Emancipation Day) up to $100,000! That means for every dollar our members donate, ONE DC will receive double that amount! The full-scale, state-of-the-art renovation of the building is set to begin late Summer 2019, with the design of Emotive Architecture, a local Black-owned architecture firm. If you would like to contribute to the effort, please click here to donate to the Black Workers & Wellness Center!

Future Black Workers & Wellness Center Facade

 

The ONE DC Black Workers & Wellness Center (BWWC) has been an evolving project for over five years, and we cannot thank you enough for your support in making this dream a reality. After years of grassroots fundraising from 963 donors to purchase the former United Black Fund, Inc. building, followed by clean-up by hard-working ONE DC members, the BWWC was opened to the public in early 2018. Over the last year, the BWWC has been operating as a vital community organizing center - a space for political education, the promotion of sustainable employment and worker-owned alternatives, and building power for racial and economic justice. In 2018, some of the projects developing out of the BWWC included: 

• Cooperation DC, a project of ONE DC that works with residents to expand employment opportunities in low-income communities of color by developing worker-owned cooperative businesses and other alternatives to the capitalist system. 
• Code on the Block, a coding program conducted by members for DC Ward 8 residents which aims to increase dignified and sustainable employment opportunities for Black DC residents
• Worker Justice Clinics, where low-wage workers can receive free legal advice on employment matters from the Washington Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs Workers Rights.
• Black Workers Center Chorus, a group of 25+ members who perform movement songs at community actions, meetings, and events
  
• Partnership with Laborer’s International Union of North America, LIUNA is one of the most progressive and diverse unions of construction workers. ONE DC works with LIUNA to offer job intakes in demolition and construction work and build collective power through the BWWC.

ONE DC members at a Learning Circle in the BWWC

BYP100's Black Joy Experience performs at 2018 Membership Appreciation

We are excited to update you on our upcoming full-scale renovation of the building, which we are undertaking with the help of Emotive Architecture, a local Black-owned architecture firm. As of February 2019, we have raised $1,025,000 of the $1,500,000 needed for the renovation. As we enter these final months of fundraising before the renovation begins, your support is more important than ever. The Share Fund has generously offered to match all money donated until April 16 (Emancipation Day) up to $100,000! That means for every dollar you donate, ONE DC will receive double that amount!

Please click here to donate to the Black Workers & Wellness Center now!

We will begin renovations in late summer 2019, with a focus on accessibility, climate consciousness, and inclusion. To do this, some of our expenses will include:

• New elevator to provide access for all to basement and second floor - $100,000
• Create accessible front and rear entrances with new ramps - $40,000
• New front facade to create inviting and open entrance with large glass doors and patio - $100,000
• New sprinkler system to maximize safety - $100,000
• Maximize open meeting space for up to 175 people by relocating stairwells - $35,000
• Excavate basement floor & renovate basement as usable cooperative incubator and wellness space - $130,000
• Efficient new heating-cooling-ventilation system for clean air & comfortable environment - $200,000

Future Black Workers & Wellness Center facade

We have come so far already, and we are entering the final push before renovations begin this summer to secure the $1.5 million needed for these exciting updates. As a reminder, The Share Fund will match your donation if you donate now until April 16th!

Click here to support the renovation of the Black Workers & Wellness Center.

You can also mail your gift to ONE DC at PO Box 26049, Washington, DC 20001. Again, thank you for your continued support of ONE DC. We are deeply grateful for your generosity.

In Solidarity,

Kelly Iradukunda, Claire Cook, & Nawal Rajeh

400 Years of Inequality

2019 will be the 400th Anniversary of the arrival of the first Africans to be sold into bondage in North America: in 1619 at Jamestown.  400 Years of Inequality is a nation-wide coalition of organizations and individuals dedicated to dismantling structural inequality and building strong, healthy communities. We are calling on families, organizations, neighborhoods and cities to observe the anniversary by telling their stories of oppression and resistance. We must link arms in radical equality.

Inequality is a threat to our health and democracy. Nearly 400 years of division have created an apartheid society: we need a new social infrastructure to carry us through the challenges of climate change, decaying physical infrastructure, rapidly evolving jobs, underperforming schools, uneven access to health care and lack of affordable housing. Communities and organizations across the country are already observing the call, and addressing these inequalities in bold and impactful ways.

In 2019, ONE DC will join in organizing, observing, and building around the theme of 400 Years of Inequality. Save the dates:

• Emancipation Day Celebration - Tuesday, April 16
• Juneteenth Festival - Saturday, June 15
• Juneteenth Community Learning event - Wednesday, June 19
• Black August - Date TBD
• October closing event - Date TBD

To join the 400 Years of Inequality planning committee, email Kelly at kiradukunda@onedconline.org

SAVE THE DATE: ONE DC Annual Membership Meeting

The Annual Membership Meeting is a space for members to guide the vision of ONE DC. The agenda will include:
-Elections for two open seats on the ONE DC Shared Leadership Team
-Overview of our 2018 wins and goals for 2019
-Community learning exercises on shared leadership
-Financial updates

The ONE DC Annual Membership Meeting is an opportunity to meet and build relationships with other members. The program will also include music, spoken word, videos, and political education. Free food will be provided. Childcare will be provided and transportation is available upon request.

Click here to RSVP

About 2019 Shared Leadership Team Elections

ONE DC is governed by a 9-person Shared Leadership Team (SLT) made up of appointed and elected board members and ONE DC staff. At the 2019 Annual Membership Meeting, we will hold an election for two open elected positions. All are welcome to attend, but only members who paid dues in 2018 are eligible to vote in the election.

According to our by-laws, requirements for being 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.

We strongly encourage members interested in running for the SLT to attend one of our pre-election orientations to learn more about the roles, responsibilities, and expectations of being a SLT member. If you are interested, please visit onedconline.org/annualmeeting for more information and contact us at organizer@onedconline.org for orientation details.

2019 Membership Drive

Membership dues support the organizing campaigns of ONE DC, membership event, & member-leader development. As we grow more powerful, it becomes more and more important to be funded by our base. Click here to pay your 2019 membership dues.

ONE DC Learning Circle

Black Workers & Wellness Center: A Community-Controlled Space

The BWWC served as a volunteer check-in & warming station at the 2019 MLK Jr. Peace Walk & Parade

Rental Space
The ONE DC Black Workers & Wellness Center is a resident-led space that creates and maintains racial and economic justice through popular education, direct action, and the creation of worker-owned alternatives. We strive to transform and subvert the capitalist system which exploits and under-employs, through its emphasis on dignified and sustainable work. The BWWC also provides community space that is available for use by grassroots community organizations and for events that align with ONE DC’s mission, vision, and values. In 2018, ONE DC members and partner organizations used the BWWC for organizing trainings, tenant association meetings, restorative circles, film screenings, political education sessions, special events, and more.
Click here to learn more about reserving space at the BWWC

BWWC Stewards
ONE DC is calling on our membership to take leadership in the routine maintenance and stewardship of the property. With the support of ONE DC organizing staff, the responsibilities of the BWWC Stewards will include:
-Scheduling regular volunteer clean-up days
-Monitoring inventory and helping order supplies
-Reporting maintenance issues to staff
-Learning how to open and close the building for partner events & meetings
If you are interested in learning more about becoming a BWWC Steward, send an email to bwc@onedconline.org.

Interested in supporting the BWWC in other ways? We are currently looking for donations of folding chairs and folding tables to increase our seating capacity at events.

Later this year, we will begin a full-scale renovation to transform the space into a more accessible, environmentally-conscious, and inclusive organizing center. Click here to donate to the BWWC Capital Campaign

For Akheem Film Screening: Ending the School-to-Prison Pipeline

On October 23rd, ONE DC and Restorative DC collaborated to host a screening of the documentary feature film For Ahkeem at ONE DC's Black Workers & Wellness Center. For Ahkeem follows two years in the life of St. Louis teen Daje Shelton, - two years in which friends die, love blossoms, Michael Brown is murdered, and she finds out she is pregnant. The film discussed topics such as the school-to-prison pipeline, raising a Black child in the US, structural racism, institutional inequality, and how justice is handled in public schools.

The audience of the screening was mostly local high schoolers; they are probably the most important viewers of the film. After the film, a few members of the audience stayed for a discussion led by Maria Blaeuer of Advocates for Justice and Education and Jordan Brown, a student at Georgetown University. Both women have a deep interest in restorative justice practices and equitable justice in public schools. The discussion touched on how privilege and oppression played into the film, Black motherhood, and what responsibility, if any, the filmmakers had in changing the thoughts or actions of the film's subjects.

This event was part of the Dignity in Schools Campaign's National Week of Action Against School Pushout, where this year's theme was "Counselors, Not Cops!" The Dignity in Schools Campaign is a national coalition working to end the school-to-prison pipeline and the current national culture of hyper-criminalization, punishment, and systematic racism.

Coalition Wins

Clean Energy DC!

In December 2019, after years of relentless community pressure by the DC Climate Coalition, the DC Council passed the Clean Energy DC Act:

• The District will be powered by 100% renewable energy by 2032. This puts DC on the fastest timeline to 100% renewable electricity among states in the country, faster even than California!
• The bill creates groundbreaking efficiency standards for existing buildings. Buildings account for 74% of the District’s greenhouse gas emissions.
• This landmark legislation takes aim at emissions from electricity and natural gas use. It scales up the existing Sustainable Energy Trust Fund (SETF) utility fee, which will raise tens of millions of dollars to finance renewable energy and energy efficiency projects and provide assistance to low-income DC residents.
• The Clean Energy DC Act will fund local programs to assist low-income residents as the city transitions to more sustainable clean energy systems, and create a clean energy workforce development program.
• Finally, the Act begins to tackle transportation, the #1 driver of climate pollution nationwide. It does so by adjusting the vehicle excise tax to incentivize clean cars and make owning dirty vehicles more expensive. The Mayor is now authorized to put a price on transportation fuels with a DC carbon fee if Virginia and Maryland commit to the same, and to join DC to emerging regional efforts like the Transportation Climate Initiative.
  

The DC Climate Coalition will continue to push for progressive environmental policies in DC. If you are interested in serving as a ONE DC representative on the DC Climate Coalition, please email Claire at ccook@onedconline.org.

End Pay to Play Politics!

In early December, the DC Pay to Play Coalition organized to pass sweeping campaign finance reform in the District of Columbia including a new pay to play law. The DC Council passed the Campaign Finance Reform Amendment Act of 2018 (B22-0107) unanimously on December 4th. Mayor Bowser did not veto the bill, but did not sign it either, which means it will become law after an obligatory 30 day Congressional review period. The legislation will:

• Restrict major government contractors from making campaign contributions to those responsible for issuing the contracts, addressing ongoing concerns about “pay to play” politics
• Ensure the independence form political interference of the campaign finance enforcement agency
• Enhance the disclosure requirements for money in District elections and require that “independent” expenditures be truly independent of candidates
• Mandate training of all candidates and campaign treasurers of the campaign finance and ethics laws

Congratulations to everyone in the DC Pay to Play coalition! Jews United for Justice, DC for Democracy, Campaign Legal Center, ONE DC, Empower DC, People For the American Way, the Ward 3 Democrats, DC NOW, Franciscan Action Network, the Brennan Center for Justice and DC for Reasonable Development.

Decriminalize Fare Evasion!

In January 2019, the “Fare Evasion Decriminalization Amendment Act of 2018 was successfully passed. This bill makes evading fare on WMATA buses and trains a civil offense punishable by a fine, rather than a crime that can result in arrest, jail time, and/or a fine of up to $300.The zero-tolerance criminal enforcement of low-level offenses like fare evasion by Metro Transit Police has a negative impact on all District residents. It has proven especially harmful to young people and to poor Black and brown residents who rely on public transit the most and who are disproportionately targeted by police enforcement.

After the DC Council voted to pass the bill in late 2018, Mayor Bowser vetoed the bill. With her veto, the Mayor put in jeopardy this important criminal justice reform that will prevent hundreds of Black DC residents from unwarranted arrests, jail-time, and criminal records for failure to pay a $2 fare (91% of fare evasion enforcement has targeted Black riders). Thanks to broad community support, the Council voted 11-2 to override the Mayor's veto, protecting the bill.

Local Job Postings

Fair Budget Coalition Advocacy Manager
Since its founding in 1994, the Fair Budget Coalition (FBC) has brought together community members directly affected by poverty, human and legal services providers, advocates, faith organizations, and concerned District residents to advocate for a District budget and public policies that meaningfully address poverty and human needs. FBC leverages the collective power of its sixty plus member organizations to accomplish this work, including by helping them increase the civic engagement of those they serve and by creating processes and structures to ensure that those directly affected by poverty are at the forefront of crafting solutions. FBC’s vision is of a just and inclusive D.C. that supports strong and stable communities, allows low-income residents to live in dignity, and makes it possible for all residents to achieve economic security. Fair Budget Coalition (FBC) is seeking a motivated and enthusiastic individual to join our team as the Advocacy Manager. Reporting directly to the Fair Budget’s Executive Director, Advocacy Manager is responsible for implementing the organization’s advocacy/policy strategy and overseeing community engagement.
Click here for more information

Working Families Organizer
Working Families is a progressive political organization that fights for an economy that works for all of us and a democracy in which every voice matters. We believe that our children's life chances must not be determined at birth and that America must be a nation that allows all its people to thrive. We fight to elect strong progressive advocates and advance legislation that will reduce inequality and improve the quality of life for people living in Black, Brown, undocumented, and White lower-income and working-class communities. We are an anchor group in the new Birth to Three for All DC Coalition (B3DC), which is organizing across the District for policies and city funding that support infants, young children, and their families so they can thrive and that also work to end the inequities confronting poor children from before birth. This position’s primary focus will be on organizing grassroots engagement for this campaign, but it will also support Working Families’ other organizing efforts.
Click here for more information

D.C. Area Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action

From February 4-8, teachers across the D.C. area will implement Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action curriculum in their classrooms. In the evening, there will be events for educators, students, stakeholders, and community members to actively engage in the movement. Educators, schools, organizations, and community members are invited to learn more and sign up to participate in the week of action.
Click here to check out the events

Upcoming Events

ONE DC Happy Hour Fundraiser at Madam's Organ
Thursday, February 7 - 5:00 PM to 9:00pm
Madam's Organ - 2461 18th St NW
Come out to support ONE DC's work at a fun and lively night at Madam's Organ. $1 from every drink or food item sold during the happy hour benefits ONE DC.
Click here to RSVP

DRUG$ the Price We Pay Film Screening
Sunday, February 17 - 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
THEARC: Town Hall Education Arts Recreation Campus - 1901 Mississippi Ave SE
The MOST important film of 2019! Are you or a loved one dependent upon prescription drugs? Did you know that prior to 1997 drugs could not be marketed directly to consumers via ads? Did you know with pills that sell for as much as $1k with a production cost of $1 makes the Drug industry the most profitable industry in America by far? #dosomething Join us as we expose how #BigPharma decides who lives or dies.
Click here to RSVP

ONE Bit of Good News - ONE DC member Dewayne Brown makes recovery from gunshot wound

Dewayne Brown is a fifth generation Washington, longtime ONE DC member, and served on the Shared Leadership Team for 8 years. Dewayne was a leader in the Right to Income and Marriott Jobs Training Program campaign. NBC Washington recently covered Dewayne's story of recovery. Click here to view

Dewayne at a Respect DC rally in 2011.

A Special Note About ONE DC Organizer Nawal

In early January, Nawal's apartment building caught on fire while she was inside. Nawal jumped out of her bedroom window to escape and is recovering from an injury she sustained - she is healing well and in good spirits. We know that Nawal will have many needs in the coming days and as members of her community we want to show her our support! We have started a GoFundMe page to collect donations to aid in Nawal's healing and future emotional, spiritual and material needs.

Everyone who knows Nawal knows how kind-hearted she is and this is a chance for us to show how special she is to us. Please give anything you can to support!