Dear Neighbors, A lot has happened since the last time I got to write to you. I’ve spent the last two weeks touring every Ward 4 DCPS school (some multiple times) to follow up on outstanding maintenance work with DC agencies, as well as pressing for additional measures to be taken to protect the health and safety of students and educators this school year. I’m grateful that some new measures were announced today, but I still share many of the concerns that many families have about returning to in-person learning. There will be two Back 2 School giveaways in Ward

Neighbors, I am excited to share that my office will be hiring a new constituent services coordinator to join our team this coming fall. Please consider applying or sharing the job opening with residents who would be well suited for the position. Our constituent services team works diligently to respond to constituent needs, connect Ward 4 residents with resources, empower community members, and plan neighborhood events – from vaccine outreach drives to rental assistance pop ups to job fairs on Kennedy Street. They approach constituent services with heart and intentionality, recognizing that systemic inequities in our city have left many

Dear Neighbors, This week the Council finalized DC’s budget, so I’m excited to share this detailed breakdown of what’s in it and how it will impact our community. I’m really proud of everything we included for Ward 4, as well as the citywide investments in a just recovery and a more equitable DC. Yesterday our community came together for a job fair on Kennedy Street to meet an important community need for more resources by bringing jobs and opportunity to the Kennedy Street corridor. I was really moved to see so many of our local employers, DC agencies, and residents

Neighbors, please note that our office will be closed the week of August 16-20 so I can give my staff a much-needed mental health break after seven relentless months of hard work serving the people of Ward 4. If you need to urgently reach us, please contact my Chief of Staff Lenace at ledwards@dccouncil.us or 202-288-9820. I will be continuing my work by touring Ward 4 schools to ensure they are ready to reopen at the end of the month for the new school year. Thank you for the honor of serving our community. Yours in Service,Janeese

Dear Neighbors, This has been another active week serving you on the DC Council. We fought hard and delivered important budget wins for our community. We cut the ribbon on a brand new playground at The Parks. We responded to a Boil Water Advisory that left part of Ward 4 without clean water. And we held a press conference calling for justice for our neighbor Karon Hylton-Brown. Thank you for taking time to read these updates. I hope you find them useful! Legislative Updates I will have a full budget breakdown for you next week, but today I wanted to

Dear Neighbors, We have a new playground and a new Farmers Market starting in Ward 4 this week, an update on Citi Open, important public health news, and many resources and events in our community. Next week after our second budget vote I will share a detailed breakdown of the DC budget and all of the important investments for Ward 4, for the District as a whole, and for a just recovery after the pandemic. Ward 4 News New Playground, Farmers Market, Popsicle Party, Yoga, and Jazz! This Sunday will be a big one for the Parks at Historic Walter

This piece originally appeared in Petworth News’ Councilmember’s Corner column. Our communities are reeling from the devastating gun violence that our city is experiencing. From the shootings by Nationals Park and 14th Street to the tragic killing of 6-year-old Nyiah Courtney in Southeast DC and the public safety incidents in our own neighborhoods, it’s clear that DC and Ward 4 have not been spared from the nationwide surge of gun violence. These crimes are senseless and catastrophic. We cannot afford for this situation to continue and for more lives to be claimed by gunfire.  Everything we do in the short term needs to be about keeping guns off

Dear Neighbors, I’m writing to update you on the latest about the DC budget, including a budget amendment that will have a huge, positive impact on our most vulnerable, most neglected, and most excluded residents. I’ll also share an update on the devastating gun violence crisis our city is experiencing. And as always, I have lots of events, resources, and community news to share. Legislative Updates A Huge Step Towards Ending Homelessness, Funding Child Care, and Lifting Up Working Families On March 5, 2016, city leaders gathered in a crowded Foundry Church and made a commitment to end chronic homelessness in the District.

Dear Neighbors,  I hope you’ve had a great week! I’m writing to share important updates to DC’s moratorium on evictions and utility shutoffs, lots of Ward 4 news, and quite a few events and resources for our community. We’re also working hard to finalize DC’s budget, which will have its first of two final votes on Tuesday next week. Ward 4 News Citi Open Returns to Ward 4 at Full Capacity with Rafael Nadal Citi Open, DC’s prestigious tennis tournament is returning to Ward 4 at Rock Creek Park Tennis Center from July 31-August 8 after being cancelled last year due to

Dear Neighbors,  As we head into the weekend, here is the latest on what’s happening in Ward 4 and DC! Ward 4 News NPS Opens Public Comment Period on Upper Beach Drive Ward 4 encompasses more of Rock Creek Park than any other Ward, so it’s important that our residents have a say on determining the future of Upper Beach Drive. Yesterday the National Parks Service held a public meeting and opened the public comment period for whether Upper Beach Drive should reopen to cars and during which time periods. The comment period will last until August 22, so you have until then to weigh in.