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By Micha Green, AFRO Washington, D.C. Editor, [email protected]
Black Girl Magic filled the home of Marie Johns in Northwest, D.C. on September 30, as she welcomed several distinguished women in support of Dionne Reeder, a small-business owner who is running for the D.C. City Council At-Large seat. Johns, the former deputy administrator for the U.S. Small Business Administration said she backed Reeder from the start of her campaign.
“I was on the train at the beginning because I feel strongly that Dionne brings a unique voice that our Council desperately needs,” Johns said.
So when Johns had the opportunity to do so, she opened her house to some of her other eminent friends who co-hosted the event, including, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, the presumed next Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, former First Lady Cora Masters Barry, Women’s March organizer Tamika Mallory, President and CEO of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation and Black Women’s Roundtable convener Melanie Campbell, Pepco’s Debbi Jarvis, legendary publicist Raymone Bain, real estate developer and faith leader Rev. Dr. Michele Hagans and economist, author and commentator Dr. Julianne Malveaux, to name a few.
On a sunny Sunday guests listened to several powerful women proclaim their support for Reeder and the candidate’s vision for a stronger city and Council.
Bowser said she hoped Reeder was elected because she truly understood the issues of people in all eight wards and would be a useful voice on the Council.
“[Voters] want to make sure the next four years that we are a city that is working together for the common good of our people. And I know that I can best do that when I have Council members that will actually listen,” Bowser said. “And so in this election, you have the opportunity to vote for two at large council members. We of course are voting Democratic for Anita Bonds. And then the second vote- you have to vote for Dionne Reeder.”
Alsobrooks shared that her appreciation for Reeder began when was her grandmother’s roommate after the candidate had surgery. When Alsobrooks’ grandmother had a rough first night in the hospital, Reeder stayed up with her, advocated on her behalf to the hospital staff and even maintained the relationship.
“Not only did she stay there with her. When Dionne was released from the hospital on crutches to visit my grandmother with flowers. This is who we are here to support,” Alsobrooks told the crowd.
As a native Washingtonian, mother, wife, lesbian and business owner, Reeder’s perspective crosses many bridges.
“I am a proud, African American, native born, D.C. resident and is a small business owner,” she said.
Reeder told the crowd her top four priorities if elected: better senior housing and opportunities, improved education system and vocational training for students, more appreciation for small businesses and affordable housing.
Reeder has been horrified by the city’s treatment of seniors.
“I’ve traveled to over 50 senior centers and I realize our seniors are paying their rent and buying medicines before they take care of their quality of life. We can do better,” she said. “For those seniors who want to age in place in their home, let’s let them age in place. Let’s be able to pass the legislation to give them the resources necessary to fix up their homes.”
She advocates for “not just accountability in our educational process, but also having opportunities once you graduate.”
“When I was in school we had trades. All of our students are not going to go to college. It worked for me, but it will not work for everyone,” Reeder told the crowd. So do we blame them for not having the opportunities or do we look at ourselves? I think we look at ourselves and I think we create opportunities that include vocational training and IT training.”
As a restaurant owner she said small businesses are integral to D.C.’s residents.
“We are the fourth largest employer. We actually employ more D.C. residents than our city government,” she said.
With D.C. being so expensive, affordable housing is a popular issue. Reeder touched on helping homeless residents.
“We hurt when we see families that are homeless. But you know one way could be, that the $152 million that’s leaving the District of Columbia through the current paid family medical leave law, could possibly house almost 8,000 homeless families through an affordable housing program,” Reeder said.
At the end of the event, Tamika Mallory, who as an organizer for the Women’s March knows a thing or two about rallying women, shared her reasoning for supporting Reeder.
“I met Dionne very recently and as soon as I met her I was like, ‘Ok I’m with you,’ because real recognize real very quickly. It didn’t take long for me to be able to recognize in her, that she was serious and that she was about the same type of seriousness that I’m about,” Mallory said.
The Women’s March organizer said that in order for Reeder to win, the people at the gathering had “to get in the trenches.”
“In the trenches it’s people who are at the bottom. It’s folks that don’t look like us. They can’t make it to this beautiful, beautiful home, because we don’t necessarily have them everyday in our contacts,” Mallory said. “They’re not on our list. They don’t wear the clothes we wear. They don’t talk like us. But they are voters and they need to be present. And the bottom line is that, if in fact Dionne does not win, it’s on us.”
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