EIGHT FOR WARD 8 DEMOCRATIC COUNCIL CANDIDATES SELF PROMOTE AT ANC SPONSORED FORUM

Just spotted this in the August edition of the "East Of The River" magazine. Excellent article - so on point with the lack of follow up and follow through that is Marion Barry. This council forum was in July. One correction - my understanding is that Ahmad Braxton Jones is still in the race.

To link to the original article click HERE.

Eight for Ward 8Democratic Council Candidates Self-Promote at ANC-Sponsored Forum
by David Garber

It wasn’t long ago that Marion Barry was on top of his game. Always cracking a smile at eager constituents, always ready to kiss a cheek and tip a hat – to the right people, of course. But when he didn’t show up at the forum of candidates for the Ward 8 DC Council seat, not even the presence of his bright-green t-shirt fan club could do much to stir the crowd. This was a forum of candidates willing to take time out of their hectic schedules to verse the public on where they stand on important issues such as development in Ward 8, fixing the city’s school system, and the problem of unemployment. Although many were hoping that the aging incumbent would show up to express his views on these and other pressing matters that rarely see political action, five out of the eight vying for the seat did their best to impress on voters why they were the best fit for the job.
Impressive in his black business suit and with a fresh-out-of-political-science-class motivation to remake Ward 8 into an equal opportunity area, Darrell Gaston began the evening by admitting, “I have no experience.” Interestingly, Gaston has since dropped out of the race.
Charles Wilson, current president of the Historic Anacostia Block Association, whose dynamic red and black signs have blazed across the Ward 8 landscape in recent months, set the tone by suggesting that “the improvements and enhancements that we want for our ward start with us.”
Independent Democratic candidate Yavocka Young, current president of Main Street Anacostia, focused on job creation, citing recent statistics that show Ward 8 struggling with over 10 percent more unemployment than the rest of the city.
Also in attendance was Ahmad Braxton-Jones, who has since withdrawn from the race, and Sandra “S.S.” Seegars, the long-time “also ran” who showed up late for the forum and focused on bringing public restrooms to Ward 8’s main streets."