FW: BVG DC Update: Ward 5 Leadership Council Press Advisory 5-02-2023
rbob.king
WARD 5 LEADERSHIP COUNCIL
PRESS ADVISORY
Contact: Robert “Bob King, 202/427-2655 or Hazel Thomas, 202/491-9245
Ward 5 Residents Unite to Form Ward 5 Leadership Council
A group of prominent Ward 5 residents, civic advocates, businesspersons, and faith leaders have united to form the Ward 5 Leadership Council(W5LC). The W5LC is a non-partisan organization whose mission is to draw on the experience and expertise that exists in Ward 5 to raise issues and advance legislative and executive solutions for the benefit of Ward 5 residents and the city at large.
Spearheaded by long-time Ward 5 civic leaders Robert “Bob” King and Hazel Thomas, the W5LC’s convening meeting on February 18, 2023, consisted of individuals from neighborhoods across Ward 5 and a Steering Committee was adopted. At a subsequent meeting on March 4, 2023, five committees were formed, committee chairpersons and members were selected to address the following broad Ward 5 priorities: Education; Housing; Public Safety and Criminal Justice; Economic Development; Democracy and Governance. The W5LC’s Committees work to review and develop budgetary, legislative, and administrative proposals and map out strategies for working with members of the Council of the District of Columbia and other elected officials. (See attached List of Ward 5 Leadership Council Steering Committee.)
“Too often, legislation in the District of Columbia is crafted by lobbyists who represent big business, developers, and prominent law firms,” explained W5LC co-convener Robert King. “Rather than leaving it up to outside interest groups who have little stake in the future of Ward 5 or its people, the Ward 5 Leadership Council is proactive in developing initiatives, identifying concerns, and advancing solutions.”
Ward 5 Leadership Council Steering Committee
Robert “Bob” King and Hazel Bland Thomas – Co-Conveners
Joan and Joseph Bowser – Honorary Co-Chairs
Pastor Michael Thompson, Faith Advisor
Courtney Williams, Senior Research Advisor
Education: Leroy Swain, Chair; Lori Jackson, Emily Lucio, Faith Hubbard, Traci Porter, Joyce Robinson-Paul, Deatrice Simpson, Gloria Stokes, Bradley Thomas
Housing: Caroline Petti, Chair; Sandi Washington, Deatrice Simpson, Mercy Ogutu, Joyce Robinson-Paul, Carisa Stanley Beatty, Ra Amin, Diane Kern
Democracy and Governance: Verna Clayborne, Chair; Robert Vinson Brannum, Anthony Hood, Caroline Petti, Harry Thomas, Jr., Franklin Garcia
Economic Development: Deatrice Simpson, Chair; Edward Johnson, Nicole Allen, Serge Hyciath, Diane Kern, Emily Lucio, Jatarious Frazier, Rodney Foxworth
Public Safety: Robert Vinson Brannum, Chair; Leroy Swain, Pierpont Mobley, Rosetta Davis, Lori Jackson, John Lucio, Joyce Robinson-Paul, Anthony Hood, Carmen Williams, Mercy Ogutu, Frank Malone, Herman “Rip” Preston
SNAPSHOT OF WARD 5
According to the DC BOE, Ward 5 has 56,866 registered Democrats, the highest number of registered Democrats of any other ward; and 71,199 registered voters for all political parties. POPULATION according to the 2020 U.S. Census: Ward 5 is home to 88,948 residents: 51,242 black residents, 22,161 white residents and 17,000 children under 18. WEALTH: white median wealth is 284,000; black median wealth is $3,500; MEDIAN INCOME: white family of four median income is $134,000; Median Black family of four median income is $32,000; Median DC. Household: White households $149,000 or three times the black household income of $42,652 according to the DC Council Office of Racial Equity. HOUSEHOLDS: 38,236 households in Ward 5 of which 52% female, 62% Black – 23% white, and 40% of households are headed by single mothers. According to the Washington Post, DC is the loneliest city in the country: 1-person households represent 48% of all DC households: 21.5 % are male; and 26.7 are female. DEMOGRAPHICS: Ward 5’s median income is $84,566; median age is 35.2 years, 91.1% are high school graduates or higher; 51.2% hold a bachelor’s degree or higher; Ward 5 has the largest population of seniors living in housing complexes; a 10% poverty rate; and a 9 % unemployment rate.