THE UPDATE | October 13

DC Out-of-School-Time Coalition Builds on Support Pledged by DC Council Members

Buoyed by commitments of support from several DC Council Members and government leaders, the DC OST Coalition is gathering data and information to demonstrate the immediate need for changes to regulatory requirements that present obstacles to serving young people. Coalition members are scheduled to meet with Council Chair Phil Mendelson’s staff next week. In recent weeks, educators and students from several out-of-school-time organizations met with DC Council Members, Deputy Mayor for Education Paul Kihn, and Learn24 Director Dr. Shontia Lowe to discuss current administrative, oversight, and funding challenges and how to resolve them in order to focus on best meeting the needs of children and youth.

National Coming Out Day Highlights Challenges Faced by LGBTQIA+ People of Color

This week’s celebration of National Coming Out Day is a reminder of the challenges inherent in “coming out” and the importance of examining the intersection of race, ethnicity, and age when we talk about what gender and sexuality mean to an individual or group of people. A recent Washington Blade article explained that coming out can be a dangerous prospect for LGBTQIA+ people of color, who already face discrimination and violence. Some Black and brown people prefer the term “inviting in” over “coming out,” recognizing that LGBTQIA+ individuals are under no obligation to announce their gender or sexual identities to the world, but can choose to invite in to their lives the friends, family members, and others who will be allies. The tangible threats of “coming out” are illustrated by a new study by the Trevor Project

that indicates that, as young people recognize and reveal their gender and sexual identities at younger and younger ages, they may face increased discrimination and mental health risks. In the District, the need for supportive services for LGBTQIA+ youth who are separated from their families, is growing, as discussed in this Washington Blade article about the expansion of LGBTQIA+ focused shelters.

DC Action is committed to lifting up all District children and youth, especially in areas where they face challenges related to their race and identity. Through our Youth Economic Justice and Housing Coalition, we work closely with organizations that support young people experiencing homelessness, many of whom are Black or brown and LGBQIA+, and we will continue to seek safety and equity on their behalf.

Home Visitors Await Congressional Reauthorization of Funding

In late September, the US House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee unanimously passed The Jackie Walorski Maternal and Child Home Visiting Reauthorization Act of 2022 to reauthorize the Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting program (MIECHV). Proposed MIECHV reauthorization would increase the program’s funding by $500 million over five years to reach more families and offer programs more resources and options to continue virtual services. Home visiting advocates are hoping this win on the House side will continue on the Senate side and that a year-end package will include home visiting as a priority. The DC Home Visiting Council is monitoring the updates and implications this new legislation could have on local home visiting programs.

Support the Rapid Re-Housing Reform Amendment Act of 2022

Join DC Action and more than 60 other organizations in signing onto a letter to the DC Council urging the passage and funding of the Rapid Re-Housing Reform Amendment Act of 2022, which would improve housing stability and sustainability for thousands of District residents. To learn more, contact Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless Director of Policy and Advocacy Amber Harding at amber@legalclinic.org.

Ballots Now Available for DC Residents to Vote

Registered voters should have received their ballots for the November 8 election in the mail. Residents will be voting for Council Members, Delegate to the House of Representatives from the District of Columbia, Mayor, Council Chair, Attorney General, Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners, State Board of Education, and US Representative as well as voting on Ballot Initiative 82.

It’s easy to vote in DC