Three Questions for the Days Ahead

Not sure what to do amidst the chaos? Come to Guapo's Thursday starting 5:30 p.m.

Not sure what to do to fight for your values and against Trump, Bannon, and the broligarchy?

Want to make sure there’s strong advocacy for our neighbors and that local tax dollars are being spent effectively on what matters most right now?

Confused about how to make good decisions about caring for Granddad/Mom/Dad/Aunties or yourself and your spouse/siblings as you age?

I have a simple answer: Come to Guapo’s Tenleytown on Thursday, 2/6, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Guapo’s is steps away from a unicorn in our region: A multi-racial independent living community for seniors that is truly affordable, in which residents pay only 30 percent of their income, whatever that might be. Seabury at Friendship Terrace is a real-deal example of what is possible to do that we need to do more of in our city and our region. In fact, Seabury along with its partner Enterprise Community Development is working on a similar affordable community right in the heart of Silver Spring because affordable housing is a regional challenge.

Along with affordable homes, Seabury Resources for Aging offers many other important services not only for seniors but for their family members. Many of us, myself included, are wrestling with how to make good decisions for our family members as they age. Seabury offers wide-ranging care management services to help you with these confounding decisions and help you understand the options. Dawn Quattlebaum, Seabury’s CEO, will be at Guapo’s to explain all of what Seabury has to offer and how you can access these services and support these critical programs. I serve on the board of Seabury, and I’m thrilled several board members and staff will be joining us as well.

OK, how does this connect to the other big questions?

My simple answer: In order to win the hearts, minds, and votes of our fellow neighbors and Americans, we need to restore trust by delivering on things that truly matter to them. We heard that at the doors in York, PA, and we hear it in DC, MD, and VA. What are those things—homes they can afford in safe neighborhoods, access to healthy food at a reasonable cost, schools that prepare kids and adults for liveable-wage jobs with health insurance, a 911 service that responds quickly to emergencies with equipment that works.

Perhaps you also noticed this detail in the reporting on the tragic air collision along the Potomac last week: That the D.C. FEMS fire boat, which should be used for water emergencies and is the sole ice-breaking tool for the city, is in a repair shop in Baltimore and unavailable. It’s been out of service for several years (read pg. 69 of this report). Complex RFK land-use legislation gets top priority including a last-minute unanimous consent resolution in Congress, but our fireboat sits broken, providers of housing and homelessness services don’t get paid, and a bunch of seniors in Columbia Heights can’t get groceries or leave their building because their elevators haven’t worked for two months.

The District of Columbia is the nation’s capital, and a recognizable symbol of democracy, freedom, and opportunity. We need our city to reflect those values.

We’ve all been impacted by the flood-the-zone, shock-and-awe approach taken by Trump et al. My take is that the reversal of the federal grant order came because it highlighted the ways government helps people, and people expressed their anger about it. D.C. is especially vulnerable because of our interrelationship with the federal government and our lack of statehood. As residents of this region, we need to be organized to make our voices loudly heard because our local elected officials think they can’t—or won’t—speak up for us.

There are also small actions we can take to strengthen our community. I read about this innovative, life-saving pilot by D.C. FEMS, which is only successful if there’s blood available. So that’s why I headed Friday to a blood drive at the Capital Jewish Museum. Below you’ll see see my expert phlebotomist, Meghan, along with me and my contribution. Plus, where else can you nosh on Cheez-Its and chocolate chip cookies guilt-free?

It is a scary, frustrating time that can make us prone to anger but we need to seek support from each other. I know some of you want to take direct, immediate actions. I understand and appreciate that urgency. I think this is marathon, with strategic sprints of direct action. I hope to see many of you Thursday, and please RSVP so we can have enough snacks and name-tags!

Elissa.