ONE DC's shared leadership team and members continue to recruit DC residents to engage in organizing for economic and racial equity.  Since January 39 new and past members paid their dues and are active in organizing with ONE DC, who is focused on the following priorities:

• community control of land and resources, workers' rights and employment
• workplace democracy, outreach and recruitment of DC residents for living wage jobs, and job security for returning citizens; and
• Kelsey Gardens to give residents the "right to return": when the first phase is completed in 2013 and when the final development is completed in 2014.

ONE DC's goal is to recruit and engage an additional 40 new members by the end of June.  Please join us in these campaigns to create economic and racial equity in DC!

For the past several months, ONE DC and its members have been shaping the Right to Live and Work in DC campaign. According to the New Convention Center Hotel Omnibus Financing and Development Act of 2006, DC residents who successfully complete the hotel training program will be given first consideration for positions at the Marriott Marquis hotel slated for construction at the former Convention Center site. Per the legislation, ONE DC also has a seaton the Headquarters Hotel Committee alongside John Boardman, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of UNITE HERE Local 25 and Fred Kramer of Marriott. ONE DC is specifically tasked with identifying potential recruits for Marriott's job training and placement programs in close coordination with other Committee members.

ONE DC is proud to facilitate placement of DC residents into jobs, but this is also an opportunity to raise consciousness in the community about work as a human rights concern. The legislation specifies that DC residents will be given first consideration for jobs in the new Marriott; more so, ONE DC believes that all DC residents have a human right to a good job that pays a living wage. We want to use the Right to Live and Work in DC campaign to:

• illustrate the disparity in employment levels between wards in our city;
• highlight the structural nature of persistently high unemployment in Wards 5, 6, 7, and 8;
• dismantle the stereotypes and discriminatory practices that perpetuate the problem of high unemployment, particularly for District residents of color; and
• build power so that we DC residents can demand and realize our human right to good, sustainable jobs.

There is a lot of work to be done! We need to prepare an outreach strategy, conduct extensive research into hospitality industry hiring practices, continue to build relationships with Marriott, and identify and reach out to DC residents in the community who are ready to work -- both on an individual basis and through popular education workshops. ONE DC's mission is not only to place DC residents into jobs at the Marriott Marquis but also to build consciousness around workers' rights and human rights and to hold Marriott responsible to the agreed-upon legislation. ONE DC intends to tailor our work so that the recruits it recommends will be the best possible candidates for positions at the hotel and will have the institutional skills and support to remain in those positions for the long term.

If you are interested in participating in any aspect of this campaign, or if you are an unemployed or underemployed DC resident who is ready to work, please contact ONE DC. We cannot make the change happen for you -- you are the change, and we need you!

Tony Keith of the DC's Community College Student Success Team invited ONE DC to speak about its organizing work regarding unemployment in DC and the displacement of long time DC residents.  The three-hour community learning session went by quickly, according to students who attended, as the ONE DC team used fun quizzes, small group sessions and short presentations to facilitate the session.

Students remarked they were moved by the facts they learned from the quiz. For example, the quiz revealed that working a minimum wage job at $8.25/hour would require one to work 201 hours a week to afford the average cost of a one-bedroom apartment ($1,250/month). One stunned student replied, "But there's only 168 hours in a week, so it's not possible!"  That was precisely the point: Walmart, Target, and other low-wage jobs won't allow those who work for these businesses to live and work in DC.

Asked about the changes students are seeing in their neighborhoods, most agreed that while it was nice to see new housing going up everywhere, they couldn't afford to live in most of it.  Finding jobs at a living wage was also a challenge for many of them and their family members.  Mr. Keith said ONE DC fired up students about organizing to redress the mounting pressures that could eventually push them and their family members out of DC.  ONE DC's Community Learning Team included Ron Harris, Therese Beaudreault, N'ya Finley, and Ka Flewellen.

Long time ONE DC member Pat Penny, shared her appreciation of ONE DC at the annual meeting on Saturday, March 10th and announced the launch of the $5 dollars for 5 Years fundraising Campaign.  Ms Penny asked everyone to give just $5 if they appreciated ONE DC’s work and as she spoke members began pulling out their five dollars! Member CaVon Ellis, who was given the “Member Appreciation Award” shared how ONE DC changed her life and now she is engaged in fighting for a quality education for her children and in other community battles. ONE DC matters she noted with tears as she accepted the award. “ONE DC offered a safe place for me to learn, discover my own voice, and take action!”

 
“We collected $163,” Gloria Robinson announced, “and everyone gave something!”  Pat Penny says she chose $5 as the “gift” because it’s an easy amount and most folks will give it!  That theory will be tested over the rest of 2012, as ONE DC asks all members and supporters to join in and give $5 or more in appreciation of 5 YEARS of ONE DC’s work for Equity in DC!  Pat Penny is challenging all ONE DC members to ask 5 friends and family members to join in preserving ONE DC by giving $5 too!

Our goal: $5,000! All we need is 1000 people to give just $5.  Be sure we can count YOU in that number. Each month we will report on how much YOU raised to help ONE DC by posting a report on the website.  Click here and give today or mail your tax deductible donation to ONE DC, PO Box 26049, Washington DC 20001 

To learn more about ONE DC’s 5th Anniversary and all that we’ve achieved together click here

Emancipation Day 2012 now also features Kemit Mawakana speaking on Trayvon Martin. Please join us!

Saturday, April 14, 2012

614 S St NW, parking lot

Shaw/Howard University Metro stop, Howard University exit

Hope to see you there!

Join ONE DC at our Emancipation Day celebration!

Saturday, April 14, 2012

1 pm - 5 pm

614 S St. NW (parking lot) - Shaw/Howard University metro stop, Howard University exit

FREE!

This year's Emancipation Day will feature discussions and activities highlighting:

- the history of Emancipation Day

- the new Jim Crow and the issues facing returning citizens

- alternative solutions--Ella Baker and the history of African-American-owned co-ops and local co-op movement building

- our focus on wellness

There will also be food and fun! Please join us!