Neighbors, 

Schools are letting out, pools and spray parks are open, and summer is getting into full swing. It is an exciting time of year and we want all residents to have a fun, enriching, and safe summer.

One summer tradition here in the District is the Marion Barry Summer Youth Employment Program (MBSYEP). This year, the program is celebrating its 40th anniversary after being founded by former Mayor Marion S. Barry in 1979. Each year the program provides over 10,000 young people with meaningful work that helps them develop transferrable skills across an array of areas. Having taken part in the program when I was young, I recall being exposed to new parts of the District that I had never explored before, experiencing some financial independence, and making friendships which endure to this day. I am very proud to welcome two MBSYEP interns to my office this summer. 

The summer opportunities in the District do not stop there. Ward 5 is home to three outdoor pools and two additional spray parks. DC Public Schools offers summer learning opportunities and the DC Public Library continues to hold an annual Summer Reading Challenge. For those who may need help with food security while school is out, there are several sites in Ward 5 where residents can access free meals over the summer.

While I encourage residents to have a fun summer, it is important to also keep safety in mind. If the temperature or heat index rises above 95 degrees, the DC government will activate cooling centers throughout DC. Make sure to check on your neighbors, particularly seniors, when it gets warm and refer to heat.dc.gov for more information. Safety also means being vigilant against crime, particularly as neighbors travel for vacation. When you are away, remember to set your home alarm and let a neighbor know your plans. Ask them to keep an eye out and remove any flyers or packages that may be placed outside of your residence. If you have not taken advantage of the Private Security Camera Incentive Program, now is the time to install a security camera. You can also stay on top of public safety in our community through the Metropolitan Police Department’s (MPD) yahoo group listservs or by simply calling your police district headquarters or watch command (those phone numbers are available on each police district’s roster on the MPD website).

I hope you have a safe and happy summer and I look forward to seeing you out and about in the community!

In service,

Kenyan

On June 4, Councilmember McDuffie introduced the Go-Go Official Music of the District of Columbia Designation Act of 2019. In addition to amending the official D.C. code to enshrine Go-Go music as a part of the fabric of the District, the legislation also requires the Mayor to design and implement a program to support, preserve, and archive Go-Go music and its related documents and recordings.

“To me, and so many other native Washingtonians, Go-Go music has become so much more than just a musical genre. It is the very fabric of the city’s cultural and artistic expression,” McDuffie said, “Designating Go-Go as the official music of the city signals to those who have been here and to those who continue to move here, that this music represents the lived experiences of native Washingtonians. It codifies into law that Go-Go will never be muted in the District of Columbia.”