My neighbors:
It has been a pleasure and a welcome challenge to serve as your Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner over the past two years. I have worked day and night and sometimes at night in my pajamas while addressing an illegal construction crew, to represent over eight thousand residents of the Navy Yard | Capitol Riverfront | Capitol Quarter community. As our neighborhood is set to become the most populated and most developed neighborhood in Washington, DC, I am proud to announce my re-election campaign to continue serving as your advocate and your voice in the needlessly complicated world of local politics.
CANDIDATE.
I have proudly called Washington, DC home for the past 17 years, where I have worked as a union film & stage actor and owner of two small businesses, Scorpio Entertainment, LLC and Monologue Madness, LLC.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I began to follow the development of the Capitol Riverfront back in 2008 when much of the area consisted of empty fields, warehouses, and a very polluted Anacostia River. I became a bit infatuated with the development of this waterfront corridor and after living in Columbia Heights and Shaw I moved to Navy Yard, one of the 12 Coolest Neighborhoods Around the World, in 2016.
MY FIRST TERM.
Two years ago, as your elected representative, I set out to meet and hear from as many of you as possible and I promised to keep your concerns at the forefront of ANC6D, DC Council, and every local stakeholder who continues to shape the place we call home. I have remained honest, transparent, and have worked tirelessly to hold myself, my colleagues, and others in positions of power as accountable as possible for both their actions and their inaction in regards to making our community one of the most amazing places to live.
Highlights of my work over the past two years includes,
finally getting DDOT to green light the installation of a much-needed traffic light at the very hazardous intersection of NJ & I Street SE a request that residents have made for over five years. Installation is due before the end of FY2020.
I have led the charge to correct conflicting traffic signage throughout the community.
I have requested the installation of high-visibility pedestrian crosswalks at every intersection in my District.
I have requested the results of DDOT’s Curb Flow study and planned installation of much-needed loading zones, which are necessary to combat double and illegal parking resulting in unnecessary congestion.
Along with Commissioner Forgie, we have worked to alleviate the scheduling of after-hours construction and the overwhelming aggregate of simultaneous construction projects throughout the neighborhood, in addition to multiple loop-holes that utility companies have sought to perform ‘emergency’ work without ANC approval.
One of my proudest accomplishments is my continued effort to hear from those in which I represent with my series of Neighborhood Nights, a community meet & greet with myself, MDP, key government agencies, and other local stake holders. I thank each of the 100 residents who attended our last event atop the new Thompson Hotel.
Alongside my colleagues of ANC6D, we have fought for a significant number of affordable housing units with each new residential project that comes before us. We have advocated for the health and safety of our residents and the recovery of our businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic and we remain vigilant in our request for DDOT to offer our SE and SW waterfront region a comprehensive traffic plan, as we continue to grow and become a world-class entertainment and tourist destination.
OUR FUTURE.
The fight for my second term and my goals remain rather simple. Life is short, efficiency is key, and accountability is a must. The past two years have revealed so many flaws in the system of politics and the people who continue to break and slow down that system. The death of George Floyd and subsequent protests really sparked my thoughts and frustrations with failed systems and has really informed my mode of operation as I enter this second term. We need more leaders to step up to the plate, listen to collective voices, and make it a priority to get things done now, not tomorrow, not next week, but now.
My immediate plans for our community include:
creation of residential permit parking zone 6A for Navy Yard residents only
complete high-visibility striping of all pedestrian cross-walks
request for 25-30% affordable housing in all new residential development projects
online application transparency in the affordable housing application process
creation of 25’ buffer zone at all crosswalks, for pedestrian safety
re-installation of speed camera on M Street SE and re-assessment of road safety at the 4th & M Street SE intersection
Again, I thank each of you for your continued support and engagement with our community. With just over two months until the General Election, I would appreciate your support of my re-election campaign and your vote on November 3. | DONATE HERE.