By Grassroots DC, on November 7th, 2013 
[re-posted from the Washington Peace Center’s weekly “Activist Alert” e-newsletter]:
Last week, more than 40 million people’s food stamps benefits were cut. As wealth continues to concentrate and poverty continues to grow, Congress has decided that it’s acceptable to reduce the monthly allotment for food stamps (or SNAP benefits) more than thirty dollars a month for low-income individuals and families.
Over and over again, we’re reminded that many, if not most, of our elected officials are more interested in getting reelected than empathy. More interested in maintaining tax shelters and keeping donors than the safety and well being of their constituents. Not to mention, the rhetoric that they’re putting out – about private charities making up for the gap – is misguided at best. The nation’s food banks are already struggle to meet the needs of their clients, and a reduction in food stamps is just going to make the problem worse.
Charitable organization’s can’t be expected to make up for the lack of resources that are aggravated by a broken financial system. It feels hopeless a lot of the time, but fortunately here in DC, there are folks working towards employment justice. Now’s the time to get involved with a local campaign that we have a good chance of winning. Then, we can show the feds how to do it!
Join the Paid Sick Days Rally on Friday to make our collective voice louder – folks deserve living wages, and to be able to take care of themselves — whether that means feeding their families of taking time off to get healthy.
In Solidarity,
Kat, Ryn, Candice, Sonia & Dany
By Abena Disroe, on November 5th, 2013 
Two DC nonprofits Stereotype Us and my organization, Neighborhood Empowerment Working Success or N.E.W.S. hosted a Community Youth Day at Hopkins Apartments (1430 L Street, SE) on October 26, 2013. This was the first COMMUNITY YOUTH DAY CELEBRATION but we intend to make it an annual event. The following video, produced by independent video producer Lawrencia Taylor, documents beautifully this wonderful event. It was a wonderful blessing, and surprise when our own Ward 6 Councilman Tommy Wells showed up to say hello, and to communicate to us how pleased he was of what we were doing here in the community. This was a Resident Driven event in which we reached out to the surrounding neighborhood, as to engage the community in this positive fruitful venture “to Empower the Youth”. In this effort “The Word of God Baptist Church” just 2 blocks away~ donated three (3) tables, and a few chairs which were needed so the elderly who attended would have comfortable seating. #gallery-1 { margin: auto; } #gallery-1 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 33%; } #gallery-1 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-1 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */ Community members serving each other. Young people line up for lunch. Yum, Yum, Yummy! The day consisted of a community clean-up, grilling of hotdogs, hamburgers, and tossing salad, with plenty of food, and drinks for ALL (there was even food, and drinks left over.) Also there was live music with African drummers, and also a DJ playing great music for the youth, and their parents. To top it all off ,there was a youth poetry contest with 6 participants: 1st place winner received a $30 gift card, 2nd place winner received a $25 gift certificate, and 3rd place winner received a $15 gift certificate, of course ALL the participants received a Certificate with their name on it signed by STEREOTYPE US, and N.E.W.S.. WOW! Were they happy, and surprised? There were 23 persons who received a winter coat, with coats left over for the next coat drive. We also had a guest performer poet/rapper called Jeremiah. There was a Hopkins parent who had two (2) youth who participated in the poetry contest. After watching her children, she also came to the outdoor stage to recite a poem that she wrote herself…which was very good. #gallery-2 { margin: auto; } #gallery-2 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 33%; } #gallery-2 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-2 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */ Grilling! Drumming! Poetry Contest Winners! There is a lot of talent in Public Housing, many diamonds in the rough. The only thing missing is for the residents to have the opportunities to shine with people who really care about building strong foundations within the family structure. That means building more consistent programs within a family like environment that reinforces sharing, and caring…coming together to celebrate whatever they are willing to offer. You will see diamonds in the rough surfacing with a shine that you never thought existed, because of the public housing stigma’s that just seem to not go way. Stereotype US; I don’t think so…especially if you had been at the 1st Annual Hopkins Apartments Youth Community Day Celebration. #gallery-3 { margin: auto; } #gallery-3 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 33%; } #gallery-3 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-3 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */ Drumming Food Fun! Fellowship More Fellowship! More Drumming!! The event took place from 2:00pm – 5:00pm. During the Poetry contest many of the parents were present, and sat to cheer their children on to victory. In closing there was a group effort of the youth along with their parents cleaning up the entire playground. That was a beautiful sight to behold. A sight that if provided more consistently to the residents, you will see the seeds of (building) unity amongst the residents. There were no fights, no harsh words, everything was so peaceful, as everyone worked together in unison with purpose, and that was to share, and enjoy the celebration. No one in their right mind would stop such a positive effort of CHANGE in the minds, and hearts of the youth…..Ready for change, I am. Won’t you join me!
Abena Disroe is the Founder of Neighborhood Empowerment Working Success, LLC. She is an author and a poet dedicated to sharing her talent and creativity with her community and the world.
By Grassroots DC, on October 31st, 2013 
We are all aware that our city faces disheartening gentrification, and that many are priced out of their neighborhoods day in and day out. It is discouraging and ever more evident that so many regulations tip the scale towards higher end landlords and developers, putting their interests before tenants’. For exactly this reason though, tenants need to be aware of the rights and legal protections that they do have, especially in DC where in some ways these are more extensive than in many other places. Here are a few of your basic rights as a DC tenant.
Potomac Gardens Tenants Organize
Tenants have the right to organize. In DC, tenants’ right to organize is protected under the law. This means that tenants cannot be stopped from meeting and discussing issues regarding their building and community, with or without any representative from management being present. Tenants can also distribute flyers and other literature on unit doors, as well as invite tenant organizers or other technical assistance providers into the building.
Tenants have the right to be heard in court before an eviction can occur. While the anecdotes are often true about tenants coming home to find their landlord has changed the locks to their apartment, this scenario is actually completely illegal. You can only be put out through the eviction process, which means a landlord first needs to give the tenant summons with a date to appear in court. The most important thing to remember about this is to make sure you go to court and answer when your name is called. Once your case has been heard, a writ needs to be issued by the court before an eviction can occur. Only the US Marshals can legally put someone out during a 3 to 75 day window after a writ of eviction has been issued. Even when the Marshals are at your door, if you can pay the total amount you owe in full the eviction legally cannot proceed. If you are evicted by anyone other than the US Marshals do not hesitate to call the police and seek out legal help.
Highland Dwellings Tenants
Tenants do not have to sign a new lease. This is a protection that tenants have specifically in DC. Even if your building is sold or foreclosed on, you are still bound by your original lease until and unless you decide to sign another. This is important, because it means that you cannot be forced into any terms that weren’t in place when you moved in. This also highlights that you should always ask for a copy and take your time to read any document you’re asked to sign, and seek out clarification with any part you don’t understand. The only changes to the terms of your tenancy should be the amount of rent that you pay. This can go up, but usually only once a year by rent-controlled, or government-limited, increases.
A landlord needs a legally valid reason to terminate someone’s tenancy. The sale or purchase of the building is not a valid reason. Sadly, tenants will often leave their homes of 10, 20, or 50 years if asked to move when their landlord sells the building. Under DC law there are very specific and fairly few reasons that a tenant can be evicted other than violating lease clauses or not paying rent. For example, tenants from a single unit can be evicted if the landlord decides to make the apartment their primary residence (not a second home or a place for their friends or family). Tenants can also be given a six month notice to vacate if the building will no longer be used at all for residential purposes. But the sale or foreclosure of a property is not a valid reason for eviction. When a landlord buys or sells a property in DC, they do so with all tenants in place. Tenants in DC are also afforded the first right to buy their property when it is for sale, or can assign this right to any interested party that they choose.
Your building cannot be flipped into condos right out from under you. Before the owner of a rental property may proceed to convert a building into condos, there must be a vote of all tenants that live at the property. If the majority of the tenants do not want the conversion to occur, units cannot be turned condo and the building stays rental. A landlord may . . . → Read More: Tenant Rights in the District of Columbia
By Brenda Hayes, on October 28th, 2013 
Jared Ball Interview
Dr. Jared A. Ball is the father of two brilliant and adorable daughters, Maisi (7) and Marley (5), and the fortunate husband of Nelisbeth Yariani Ball. After that he is an associate professor of communication studies at Morgan State University in Baltimore, MD. Ball is the author of I MiX What I Like: A MiXtape Manifesto (AK Press, 2011) and co-editor of A Lie of Reinvention: Correcting Manning Marable’s Malcolm X (Black Classic Press, 2012). He can be found online at IMIXWHATILIKE.ORG.
By Grassroots DC, on October 25th, 2013 
The NSA is spying on everyone’s personal communications. It’s operating without any meaningful oversight.
On October 26th, the 12th anniversary of the signing of the USA Patriot Act, we’re holding the largest rally yet against NSA surveillance. We’ll be handing more than a half-million petitions to Congress to remind them that they work for us — and we won’t tolerate mass surveillance any longer.
A stellar group of whistleblowers, activists, researchers and others from both sides of the political spectrum will be speaking at this historic event. The list includes:
Congressman Justin Amash Former senior NSA executive and whistleblower Thomas Drake Social critic Naomi Wolf Jona Bechtolt, from electro-punk band YACHT Claire L. Evans, also from YACHT Lt. Dan Choi, LGBT advocate and U.S. veteran Rainey Reitman, EFF Bruce Schneier, internationally renowned security technologist Craig Aaron, Free Press Kymone Freeman, Director of the National Black LUV Fest Former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson Khalilah Barnes, EPIC Shahid Buttar, Bill of Rights Defense Committee Malachi Byrd, DC Youth Poetry Slam Team Wafa Ben Hassine, writer and human rights advocate Former Congressman Dennis Kucinich Laura Murphy, ACLU NOT4PROPHET, Hip Hop MC and community organizer Black Alley, DC-based soul-garage band
Location: Marchers will gather in front of Union Station at 11:30 a.m. by the Christopher Columbus Memorial Fountain in Columbus Circle. Shortly after noon we’ll march to the National Mall at 3rd Street and Madison Dr. NW, in front of the Capitol Reflecting Pool, where there will be a stage set up for our rally speakers, musicians, and performers.
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