December 19, 2017: How many people died on the streets of DC while homeless this year? The People for Fairness Coalition provides an update on their work to end housing instability, which is led by people experiencing homelessness, as they prepare for the upcoming annual Homeless Memorial in honor of those who died while homeless over the past year.
Guests: Robert Warren, People for Fairness Coalition
December 12, 2017: Women from DC’s Public Housing communities bring their stories to the stage in an effort to break stereotypes and win support.
Guest: Linda Brown, Greenleaf Resident
December 5, 2017: We will be discussing the Dec 6th 15,000 person rally/action to urge Congress to pass a clean Dream Act and permanent residency for TPS (temporary protective status) holders.
Guests: David Thurston – Black Immigration Network, Fatima Correas – youth organizer CASA
November 28, 2017: DC Fair Elections aims to change the way big money influences elections in DC. Find out how the bill they are pushing through the DC Council could end the pay-to-play culture rampant in city government.
Guests: Keshini Ladduwahetty – Chair of DC for Democracy, Matt Hanson, Raquel Jackson and Valerie Ervin of DC Working Families
November 21, 2017: An update from Black Lives Matter DC on the growth of the movement and opportunities to get involved in organizing for Black liberation, with our guest Core Member Makia Green.
Guest: Makia Green, Core Member, Black Lives Matter DC
November 7, 2017: #dc1968 – a look at the remarkable events and people that made moves in the year most remembered for the riots following the assassination of Dr Martin Luther King. Local historian Marya McQuirter shares her project and philosophy about the role of history in organizing for social change.
Guests: Dr Marya McQuirter, Historian
October 31, 2017: Since 1979 the NE Performing Arts Group has provided a safe space for the creative expression of DC kids. But it’s more than an arts program – it’s about saving lives.
Guests: Carrington Lassiter, Executive Director – Aaron Watkins, Choreographer – NE Performing Arts Group
October 24, 2017:Why does Mayor Bowser want to limit access to shelter for people experiencing homelessness? We’re talking about the politics behind shelter access and funding for homeless services.
Guests: Amber Wittig Harding of the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless and Monica Kamen of Fair Budget Coalition
October 17, 2017: Breaking down the patterns of discrimination and disregard for the poor inherent in DC’s development trends.
Guests: Ari Theresa, Ward 8 resident and Attorney at Stooplaw challenging gentrification through the Zoning process; Greg Squires, Professor of Sociology and Public Policy at George Washington University
October 10, 2017: The latest in the battle for Congress Heights, one of the city’s biggest tenant led fights against displacement.
Guests: Robert Green, Congress Heights Resident and Will Merrifield of the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless
October 3, 2017: DC Loves PR: Standing in solidarity with Puerto Rico in the aftermath of the devastating hurricane. We are joined by DC Boricuas who will help us understand what’s going on, how to help, and educate us about the history and context of the US/PR relationship.
Guests: Jacqueline Velez Mojica, Federico de Jesus of BoricuActivate
September 26, 2017: Updates from the organizers of Save Our System who are working to fix DC’s Metro Transit system and fight fare hikes – and, an update on Saturday’s March for Racial Justice.
Guests: Siggy Meilus and Emellia Talarico of Americans for Transit ; David Thurston of March for Racial justice
September 19, 2017: We’re talking about two critical needs in the District: child care, and shelter for the homeless. First, we talk with long-time child care provider and President of the Washington Association of Child Care Centers, Jeff Credit, about how community based centers are working to improve access to quality, affordable child care for DC’s lowest income families. Second, we hear from Amber Harding of the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless about the urgent alter her organization has put out calling on the DC City Council NOT to approve a bill brought by Mayor Bowser which would limit access to shelter for people experiencing homelessness. Find out how you can Take Action on both of these critical issues impacting our city.
Guests: Jeff Credit, President, Washington Association of Child Care Centers. Amber Harding, Attorney, Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless
September 12, 2017: A new jail for DC? The members of the ReThink Justice DC coalition are uncovering the Mayor’s plans for a new jail in DC – and working with impacted communities to define our needs as a city.
Guests: Kendrick Holley (ACLU DC), Tammy Seltzer (Director of Jail and Prison Advocacy Project of University Legal Services) , and Eric Henderson (A returning citizen)
September 5, 2017: Organizers of the March for Racial Justice talk about the upcoming March and it’s role within the movement to end white supremacy and institutionalized racism.
Guests: Maurice Cook, David Thurston
August 29, 2017: Barry Farm residents and their attorneys announce a class action lawsuit against the DC Housing Authority and its developers challenging discrimination against residents.
Guests: Brook Hill, Washington Lawyers Committee on Civil Rights; Ismael Vazquez, Paulette Mathews, Detrice Belt – Barry Farm Tenants and Allies Association
August 22, 2017: Empower DC’s Fellow’s discuss the misconceptions around who lives in public housing.
Guests: Empower DC Fellow’s: Abena Disroe, Linda Brown, Nicole Odom-Vasquez, & Robin Fields
August 8, 2017: Is the water in DC Public Schools toxic? We’re talking with residents who are fighting for a #LeadFreeDC.
Guests: Claudia Barragan, Community Planner; Roger Green, Campaign for Lead for Water
August 1, 2017: How the members of the Movement for Black Lives are reimagining what #SafetyIs for our communities.
Guests: April Goggans, Black Lives Matter DC / #KeepDC4Me & Whitney Shepard, BYP100
July 25, 2017: In the midst of service cuts and fare hikes, riders and workers of DC’s metro system are organizing to Save our System.
Guests: Siggy Meilus and Emellia Talarico of Americans for Transit
July 18, 2017: Hear from community members who are fighting back against developers (and the DC government agencies that support them!). They are taking a stand against displacement and developer greed! Find out what they’re doing and how you can help.
Guests: Ari Theresa, Esq of Stooplaw
July 11, 2017: An update from the tent encampments on the fight to end homelessness and combat gentrification.
Guests: Eric Sheptock and people experiencing homelessness
June 20, 2017: What is the impact of Mayor Bowser’s eviction of tent encampments around the city? We’re talking with some of the people who have been displaced.
Guests: Eric Sheptock, Katherine Kilpatrick, Yolanda and Lena
June 13, 2017: Barry Farm is an example of development that does not favor residents, today we will give an update on what’s happening at Barry Farm and discuss how its emblematic of the development slated for Ward 8 and the city in general.
Guests: Ari Theresa (Lawyer with Stoop Law), Paulette Matthews (Barry Farm Resident leader)
June 6, 2017: The Fight for Brookland Manor is one of the biggest tenant battles happening in DC right now. We’re talking with tenants and Organizers about their experience trying to protect their community from demolition and displacement.
Guests: Yasmina Mrabet, Organizer with ONE DC; Ms. Brunson and Geno Bridges, Brookland Manor tenants
May 30, 2017: On the day of Donald Trump’s inauguration, thousands of protesters hit the streets in opposition. Over 200 now face 75 years in prison. We’re talking with members of J20 Resistance about state repression against protest in the Trump era.
Guests: Dylan Petrohilas, David Thurston – Resist J20 organizers
May 23, 2017: Development for who? Development at what cost? We’re talking about who is benefiting and who it being harmed by DC development, and efforts to fight back.
Guests: Chris Otten, DC for Reasonable Development; Stephanie Sneed, Fair Budget Coalition
May 16, 2017:John Cheeks is on a mission to win reparations for decedents of enslaved people, and he’s not counting on the government to do it. Find out about his legislative proposal that may soon be before the DC voters.
Guests: John Cheeks, Gerald Owens – United Stated Citizens Recovery Initiative Alliance
May 9, 2017:Are DC’s housing programs for the homeless “set up to fail?” Attorneys from the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless are challenging the effectiveness of the city’s primary rehousing program which currently houses 4,000 people, most of them children.
Guests: Max Tipping, Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless
May 2, 2017: How do we get control of runaway gentrification & displacement in our city? One key is the Comprehensive Plan, which plays a major role in how our city develops and is being amended this year. We’re talking with civic activists who are fighting back by refusing to allow developers and their friends to control this process.
Guests: Tony Norman, McMillan Park Committee; Claudia Barragan, Sierra Club; Nancy MacWood, Committee of 100 on the Federal City; Chris Otten, DC 4 Reasonable Development
April 25, 2017: Want to know more about this weekends Environmental Justice march? Empower DC’s Kari Fulton is giving you the run down. “I’ll be hosting Taking Action and we’ll be talking with some dope folk who will be here for the Peoples Climate March THIS SATURDAY, APRIL 29.
Featured guests:
– Damien Thaddeus Jones from the Union of Concerned Scientists
– Sheika Nikole A Reid who will be giving an update on the DC Parking Ticket reform campaign
– Christine Spencer President of the James Creek Resident Council – DJ CAVEM– Organic Chef and Founder of Eco Hip-Hop.
April 18, 2017: Can people organize their own networks to overcome mental health and employment crises? My guests exemplify the spirit of self-help. We’re learning about NAMI, the National Alliance for Mental Illness, and the TightShift Laboring Collective, a worker-owned cooperative organized by returning citizens.
April 11, 2017: It’s DC budget season and Mayor Muriel Bowser has released her 2018 budget for the city. Does the Mayor’s budget share the city’s prosperity, or continue to exacerbate persistent poverty for residents and communities? We’re talking with advocates and organizers who are tracking the budget on issues like housing, homelessness, and the needs of DC’s low income families.
April 4, 2017: What is the true State of the District? We’re reflecting on DC Mayor Muriel Bowser’s speech last week, and her city budget released this morning, with DC watchdogs and activists who are active in issues of public safety, housing and education.
March 21, 2017: We’re talking with activist, journalist and author Jordan Flaherty about his new book No More Heroes: Grassroots Responses to the Savior Mentality. Jordan’s new book breaks down the history of white-controlled charity in its many forms and how it has maintained oppressive systems rather than led to the dismantling of them. Jordan will share ways that people of color, queer and nongender conforming people are leading grassroots efforts which buck the control of white “saviors” and represent real approaches to collective liberation.
March 8, 2017: Native Nations Rise! The fight in Standing Rock against the DAPL pipeline comes to DC with a week of action. What are the lessons of the their movement for environmental justice and indigenous rights that we might apply to our own fights here in DC?
February 28, 2017: The escalating cost of property taxes contributes to the displacement of DC residents. One of the ways to combat this is through appealing property tax assessments. The Urban Housing Alliance tells us how.
February 21, 2017: What is the Pope doing to encourage the building of People Power? Members of the DC delegation report back from the US Regional Meeting of the World Meeting of Popular Movements, initiated by Pope Francis, held this past weekend in Modesto, California.
February 14, 2017: Even if you are single today, please remember Mother Nature loves you!! Today on WPFW 89.3 @ 1pm est. we are going to show how much DC loves her back. Join Kari Fulton for a Special DC
<3 ‘s Pachamama Episode of Taking Action with Empower DC. Featured Guests include, Tricey Adams of Black Millennials for Flint and the Thursday Network – GWUL Young Professionals, Jameka Hodnett of DC SUN, and Jeremiah Lowery, with so many hats we just goin’ call him “That Dude”. Plus a little Musical Love for Mother Earth. Updates on the Solar For All Bill, Fighting Lead in our Water, Protecting Health in Buzzard Point +More!February 7, 2017: What is “equitable development” really? What does it take to make development equitable, and are the people using the term really putting it into action? We’re talking about the latest buzz word in DC development with Greg Squires of GW University, Dominic Mouldon of ONE DC and Claudia Barragan of the Sierra Club Environmental Justice Committee.
January 31, 2017: With the election of Trump, many immigrant communities and communities of color have been in a state of anxiety, fear, and anger. His hateful rhetoric is being translated into hateful policies that is further impacting our families and communities. While DC is a Sanctuary City – what does that really mean for Latinx, Muslim, Afro-Latino, Black Immigrants and low-income communities of color generally? Do we have true ‘Sanctuary’? And how are folks taking action on the ground in DC to move us towards a more comprehensive definition of ‘Sanctuary’?
January 24, 2017: Rent Control, Housing and Homelessness: DC housing advocates and tenant leaders discuss their rental housing priorities for the city in 2017.
January 17, 2017: The Washington Teachers Union is preparing for action. WTU President Liz Davis shares concerns about public education under Trump, and their priorities for 2017.
January 10, 2017: As people gear up for marches and rallies during the upcoming Inauguration of Donald Trump, we ask the question – Why Protest? Seasoned direct action facilitators join us to discuss the role that nonviolent direct action will play on Inauguration day and beyond.
January 3, 2017: Building resistance to the racist model of Trumpism: A coalition of faith leaders discuss their strategy ahead of a mass meeting planned for January 8th.