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ONE DC's History & Past Wins

2016

  • ONE DC hosted its 10th Anniversary Celebration at George Washington University and the Bolivarian Hall at the Venezuelan Embassy. The event featured a community marketplace with local activists and vendors as well as a community dialogue with scholars Dr. Angela Davis and Dr. Barbara Ransby on organizing, global activism, and housing and jobs for all. Afterwards, guests attended a night of go-go music, dancing, and food. Over 250 people attended this phenomenal celebration of what we could accomplish in just 10 years, launching our capital campaign to raise funds for another 10 years of organizing for a more fair and just DC.
  • The Black Workers Center continued to hold monthly meetings regarding how to shift the District's jobs training program to focus on apprenticeships linked to actual employment. The Black Workers Center also further established the space at the United Black Fund to function at its maximal potential, including coming together to create a community art piece. 
  • ONE DC worked further with tenants at Brookland Manor to organize against displacement, inequitable redevelopment plans, security abuse, and poor housing conditions. 
  • The right to housing campaign also partnered with the group Justice First to fight with tenants at Congress Heights to exercise their tenant opportunity to purchase rights in the midst of land sales and development/displacement opportunities. 

2015

 

 

  • ONE DC established its Black Workers Center, securing a space at the United Black Fund (2500 MLK Ave SE) in Southeast DC. The Black Workers Center held monthly meetings to discuss an organizational strategy to expand job opportunities for black workers and maximizing the impact of Black Workers Center as a space.
  • At Mount Vernon Plaza, 20 low- income tenants participated in a rent strike, reaching an agreement between the city and the landlord to extend housing affordability for seven years.
  • ONE DC proudly becomes the fiscal and organizational home for Cooperation DC, a distinct program focused on providing technical assistance to worker cooperatives, with a focus on low- income communities of color. Cooperation DC works closely with the Black Workers Center, which will be conducting outreach, popular education, and organizing with workers who may be interested in starting worker co-ops.

 

2014

  • ONE DC holds its first annual Equitable Development Conference with The George Washington University. Angela Glover Blackwell from Policylink was the keynote.
  • ONE DC hosts the People's Platform Mayoral Forum in which 250 people attended to hear the mayoral candidates' ideas about equitable development, fair housing and jobs, and the principles established in the People's Platform.
  • Graduates of the Marriott Marquis Jobs Training Program that were not hired met with Marquis human resources directors in Fall 2014 at ONE DC to address concerns with the training program and hiring process; push for more job-ready program graduates to be hired; and to begin the process of accountability around DC’s First Source law.
  • Mount Vernon Plaza residents stage sit-in at Councilmember Bowser’s office in protest and resistance to evictions after losing the low-cost housing rental subsidy.

 

2013

  • ONE DC helps recruit over 3,000 DC residents to apply for a community and hospitality training to apply for jobs at the new Marriott Marquis hotel at the Washington Convention Center.

  • Works with residents from Lincoln Westmoreland II to form a tenant’s association and assert their right to affordable housing after the building owners decided to opt out of the Section 8 program.

  • Supports Kelsey Garden Tenants as they return to their affordable rental units in the new Jefferson at Market Square development

2012

  • ONE DC continues to pressure DC government and mayor to build affordable housing on undeveloped land known as Parcel 42.

  • ONE DC holds two seats on the Headquarters Hotel Committee, providing input and oversight into choosing the community organization that will conduct life and job skills training for living wage jobs at Marriott in 2014.

2011

  • ONE DC wins DC’s first community benefits agreement at Progression Place (Parcel 33), that includes 29 new jobs for DC residents, 51 affordable rental units, community fund grants, and designation of locally-owned community retail space.

  • Implements the Ujima Justice Collective, a collaboration among DC metro area’s Black leaders, Black-led organizations and economic justice allies. The priority is to use a community organizing and movement building approach to shape and influence the billions of dollars in economic development projects either planned or in progress in the DC area. And to do so in a way that reduces and, ultimately, eliminates DC’s high levels of Black unemployment, underemployment and economic segregation.

2010

  • ONE DC successfully transitions into a non-hierarchical, shared leadership structure, which emphasizes grassroots organizing, democratic leadership, shared power and resources, cooperative work, and collective action.

  • Right to Wellness and Healing Campaign created, which emphasizes the importance of “wellness spaces” for members and stresses the importance of practicing actions that sustain oneself and one’s community.

  • ONE DC establishes Tent City, a direct action land liberation to hold city officials accountable to develop Parcel 42 for low-income rental housing and to dramatize the city’s affordable housing crisis.

2009

  • Over 75 residents and members participate in the annual Freedom School which includes wellness activities, workshops, and healthy meals as part of the theme, “Nurturing the Movement by Nurturing Ourselves.”

  • ONE DC named and written into legislation as part of DC job training and hiring program for the new Marriott Convention Center Hotel.

2008

  • ONE DC celebrates its inaugural year with a formal dues-paying membership structure and launches LEAP, Leadership for Action and Power community learning component.

  • Hosts the Jobs Trainers’ Community Partnership Forum to connect residents with job training agencies willing to work within the framework and vision set forth by ONE DC’s Residents Jobs Program.

  • Celebrates International Housing Rights Day by protesting at Mayor Adrian Fenty’s house for withdrawing his commitment to affordable housing in DC.

2007

  • ONE DC begins providing intensive training and technical assistance to over 70 local and regional organizers and potential organizers through the Kressley Community Organizing Institute.

  • Assists residents of Martin Luther King, Jr. Latino Co-op and Duncan Co-op in securing over $23 million to purchase and renovate their buildings as permanently affordable housing.

  • Supports Ward 8 Anacostia residents who oppose the development of a new sports stadium to be located at Poplar Point.

2006

  • Manna CDC separates from its parent company Manna, Inc. and becomes an independent organization, ONE DC – Organizing Neighborhood Equity.

  • Kelsey Gardens Tenants Association and ONE DC secure a settlement agreement that includes 54 affordable units for low-income families for 50 years, a large settlement payment, relocation funds for those displaced, and absolute right to return to the new development.

2005

  • Manna CDC’s SEA Program (Shaw Education for Action) entered into a formal partnership with the Community Services Agency of the Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO and Embassy Suites Hotel to develop and conduct a two week Job Readiness training program which resulted in the placement of about 25 DC residents at the new Embassy Suites Hotel.

2004

  • Manna CDC launches Maggie Moo’s Ice Cream franchise with a local small business woman.

  • Organizes and stands in solidarity with Kelsey Gardens Tenant Association as the building owners announce their intent to sell the property and attempt to secure the tenants’ first right to purchase for only $1,000 per tenant.

2003

  • As part of its Affordable Housing Preservation Program, Manna CDC successfully completed a year of basic intensive training sessions for residents of 11 Section 8 subsidized buildings in the target area of Shaw and published its Building by Building Tenant Leadership Manual.

  • The critical need for affordable housing is documented by Manna CDC’s publication in 2003 of “The Changing Face of Shaw.” It has helped to inform many people in the neighborhood about the shift to high prices and rents that has started to gentrify Shaw and displace long time residents and businesses.

  • Manna CDC helped residents of 1330 7th Street NW buy their building and ensure its future affordability, and is working with tenants of other buildings.

2002

  • Manna CDC began the Shaw Equitable Development Initiative in the last quarter of 2002. Partnering with DC Agenda’s city-wide equitable development initiative, Manna CDC identified the remaining undeveloped public parcels in Shaw as an area ripe for community involvement and input regarding future development plans.

  • Manna CDC staff brought together approximately 20 community residents and stakeholders to discuss the impact of development in the Shaw community and to identify the areas in which development has not met community needs. Not surprisingly, issues like affordable housing, living wage job creation, entrepreneurial opportunities and access to increased services came out as vital community needs that were not always realized in new development.

2001

  • Manna CDC formed Shaw Education for Action (SEA) SEA was Manna CDC’s model for community leadership development and organizing, bringing together Shaw residents to develop critical analysis about neighborhood issues and to stimulate community action. In 2002, SEA members celebrated the successful completion of the affordable housing advocacy that they began in 2001, continued their partnership with the Youth Action Research Group, began developing an action strategy to address barriers to living wage employment, and developed more formal criteria for membership In 2001, SEA created the only document describing vacant properties in Shaw.

  • Manna CDC is awarded land and a $300K grant to develop 12 units of affordable housing at Temperance Row in the up and coming U Street corridor. However, the Board of Zoning Adjustments denies approval and Manna CDC holds a farmers' and artist' market on the site in 2002.

  • Manna CDC helps Shaw EcoVillage start the Chain Reaction Youth Bike Shop, a retail bicycle sales and repair outlet specializing in recycled bikes for youth.

2000

  • Manna CDC partners with the DC Heritage Tourism Coalition to create, “Before Harlem There Was U Street”, a walking tour of the historic Shaw neighborhood.

1999

  • Manna CDC partners with the DC Chamber of Commerce and the DC Heritage Tourism Coalition to create “Duke Ellington’s DC”, a bus tour of the historic Shaw neighborhood.  Several Shaw residents were trained as tour guides.  To date, the CDC has presented over 50 bus tours.

1998

  • Manna CDC helps form Shaw EcoVillage(SEV) whose mission is to train youth to be effective leaders and catalysts for sustainable change in Washington, DC’s urban neighborhoods.Manna CDC partners with the ICA Group, a Boston-based community lender, to start Enterprising Staffing Services (ESS), a worker-owned temporary-to-permanent staffing services aimed at placing low-skilled entry level workers into living wage jobs.  ESS is a profitable business that places 20-25 employees a day into temporary jobs.  About 30% of the employees are Shaw residents.

    • SEV operates two youth programs:  EcoDesign Corps and Chain Reaction.  The EcoDesign Corps provides year-round leadership opportunities for youth ages 16-19 through hands-on community improvement projects and professional readiness training. Chain Reaction is a recycle-a-bicycle program that provides instruction in bicycle mechanics, sustainable transportation, safety, and entrepreneurship for youth ages 9-19.

1997

  • Manna Community Development Corporation is formed as a subsidiary of Manna, Inc.  The CDC is formed to address the lack of community involvement in the development of the Shaw neighborhood.  Where Manna Inc. works citywide, Manna CDC is chartered to serve the Shaw neighborhood exclusively.  The CDC works in four programmatic areas:  community leadership development, community economic development, affordable housing, and youth leadership development.

1982

  • Manna Inc. is established in Washington, DC.  Manna, Inc. serves low and moderate income families, assisting them to fulfill the dream of homeownership by renovating or building affordable homes; educating first-time homebuyers for the process of home purchase and for success as homeowners; and training first-time homeowners.