Ward 8

Since the day my son Charles came into this world, I’ve advocated for him to receive all the resources he deserves to live a great life. My advocacy only strengthened when psychiatrists diagnosed Charles at two years old with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), a behavioral disability that causes him to act out and defy authoritative […]

Ward 8

Imagine sitting at your breakfast table on a Saturday morning. You see the sun shining through the windows, hear feel-good music playing from the radio, and take that deep breath of relief that only a weekend morning can bring.  Then, you notice an email from your child’s teacher, and suddenly, that calm and cool Saturday […]

Ward 8

I’ll never forget the moment when the officer of the corrections facility I was in ordered me to report to the Chaplin’s Office. Because only a few moments later, I was informed that my unborn child, who my wife was pregnant with at the time, did not make it through the delivery.  I returned to […]

Ward 8

My advocacy for School-Based Mental Health (SBMH) supports stems from personal experience. Growing up, I felt high levels of stress and anxiousness, especially when I was in the classroom. Despite these feelings being so visually apparent, my family, teachers, and schools did nothing to help. This is why I fight for kids in the District […]

Ward 8

As parents, we are responsible for raising the next generation of citizens.  To do this, we take on the role as caregivers. We provide our children with a safe environment. We make sure they are nourished and healthy. And we do not hesitate to protect our children from harm.  Through all this provision, we are […]

Ward 8

I loved my neighborhood growing up. Walking around, it felt like a block party was happening on every corner. Everyone knew each other and we were always coming together.  The neighborhoods don’t feel like this now. As a native Washingtonian, I’ve seen my city change in more ways than one, but it’s the loss of […]

Ward 8

This blog piece includes two narratives, one of DaSean Jones (Advocacy Captain and Ward 8 PLE Board member) and one of Christine Miller (Advocacy Captain and Ward 1 PLE Board member).  DaSean There is no easier way to build a strong sense of community than by getting to know your neighbors.  I had the chance […]

Ward 1Ward 8

Trigger Warning: This blog piece mentions multiple attempts of suicide.  My daughter almost died three times before I even knew that there was a problem.  To think that she attempted suicide three times before I could get her help is the reason why I lie awake at night.  I can’t help but reflect on all […]

Ward 8

As the city works to recover from COVID-19, PAVE parent leaders are calling for increased mental-health support funding with $6.4 million for expanded programming to at least 80 public schools, $4 million for community providers, and $10.8 million for social-emotional learning and trauma-informed training. Mental health needs among children and families were present before COVID-19. […]

Ward 8

The stark racial divide among parents on who is comfortable sending their children to school for in-person or hybrid learning is just another, entirely predictable result of the prominent divide between white and Black America. And here in DC is no different. As DC Public Schools opened this month for about 8,500 students — and […]

Ward 8

My children’s schooling has always been one of my top priorities, and I work hard to build a rapport with their teachers each new year by visiting their Washington, D.C., schools regularly. Forging those relationships is no small task for my family: I co-parent my four children, in grades high school down to prekindergarten, with […]

Ward 8

2020 was too much death. Since the beginning of the pandemic, I’ve lost three uncles, one of whom was like a father to me. My life felt like it ended with his passing. I received the call that he died at 4:00 a.m, yet the last time I had spoken with him was just 15 […]

Ward 8

Teaching in person and teaching remotely is a vastly different experience for students, teachers, and parents alike. My 5-year-old daughter, Z, is competitive, extroverted, and curious. Like many students across the district did in September, Z started a brand-new school remotely where she was confronted with unfamiliar teachers, classmates, norms, and curriculum, as well as […]

Ward 8