On April 14, 1967, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., addressed a standing room only auditorium at Stanford University. Holding up a mirror for those in the audience to reflect, King boldly declared: 

"A riot is the language of the unheard. And what is it America has failed to hear?... It has failed to hear that the promises of freedom and justice have not been met. And it has failed to hear that large segments of white society are more concerned about tranquility and the status quo than justice and humanity."  

Fifty five years later, Dr. King’s words still ring true for the District’s Black and brown residents. Today, the promises of freedom and justice have not yet been met and life continues to be inequitable. We are in challenging times—times that weigh heavily on some more than others. 

Today marks the Council Office of Racial Equity’s one-year anniversary of joining the long fight for racial justice. Since this day last year, we have been humbled by the support, feedback, and partnership we’ve experienced while working to create a more racially equitable home for residents of the District of Columbia. 

As we look to the year ahead, we strive to amplify the voices of District residents that have remained unheard for far too long. As a step towards this goal, we’ve created a short online survey where you can share your thoughts and suggestions about our work. 

The survey will inform our work for the next year—as we refine our Racial Equity Impact Assessments, find new ways to engage with residents, and aim to disrupt the status quo. The survey closes on Sunday, January 23rd and we will share our takeaways in a blog post next month. 

In 2022, the CORE team looks forward to recommitting ourselves to the work required to achieve a racially equitable society. We look forward to working with you, the District’s residents, over the next year.  

In solidarity, 
Brian