Press Release: Ward 8 Residents Chart New Course as Community Economic Development Initiative Launches

News Release — Ward 8 Community Economic Development Planning Process

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 26, 2021

CONTACT: Ed Walz

WASHINGTON — A first-of-its-kind planning effort is being launched today by a steering committee representing Ward 8 residents, businesses, nonprofits, government officials, and other stakeholders. The Ward 8 Community Economic Development Planning Process (W8CED) will engage local residents in data collection, goal-setting, and planning, to create a comprehensive economic development plan for Ward 8.

“Planning for Ward 8 has always been driven by outside experts, focused on the community’s problems, not its strengths, and done in silos that ignored the critical connections between issues like health, jobs, transportation, and housing,” said Mustafa Abdul-Salaam, W8CED facilitator. “W8CED is turning that failed model on its head to develop a plan that’s resident-driven and comprehensive. It will leverage the community’s assets to build community wealth, improve quality of life, and make Ward 8 an engine of economic growth in DC.”

W8CED will engage Ward 8 residents to map the area’s social, cultural, and economic assets and collect data on the community’s challenges. Residents, convened by the W8CED steering committee, will articulate goals aimed at building wealth and health, promoting equity, and creating social and economic assets Ward 8 residents can benefit from and own. Through W8CED, residents will then develop a master plan encompassing health, housing, education, job creation, transportation, public safety, and other factors contributing to economic vitality and community well-being. The plan will coordinate investments to leverage Ward 8 assets, align and maximize the impact of public and private sector investments, and generate economic activity.

Funding support for the planning process is being provided by the Bainum Family Foundation. This includes engaging Enterprise Community Partners (Enterprise) and their mission-based consultancy, Enterprise Advisors, to support W8CED’s resident engagement, asset mapping, and planning.

“Kids live in communities, and if we want all children in Ward 8 to thrive, we have to invest in building a community that can support their healthy growth and development,” said David Daniels, CEO and President of the Bainum Family Foundation. “We have partnered in Ward 8 for decades to improve outcomes for children, especially those who have been systematically excluded from opportunity. Now, we are honored to be invited into this process to support Ward 8 residents as they take charge of their community’s future. We urge other funders to join this collaborative effort and come alongside the community to support this plan for a better D.C.”

The W8CED steering committee is holding a virtual launch event Friday morning, February 26. In addition to Abdul-Salaam and Daniels, speakers included: David Bowers, VP & Mid-Atlantic Market Leader, Enterprise Community Partners; Kim Ford, President and CEO, Martha’s Table; Rayna Smith, Chief of Staff to Deputy Mayor of Health and Human Services Wayne Turnage; and Tamara Smith, President and CEO, District of Columbia Primary Care Association. A statement by Trayon White, Sr., Councilmember, District of Columbia Council, will also be read.

Enterprise Advisors has worked with more than 500 communities nationwide to improve housing access, promote equity, and generate economic growth. Recent examples include Maryland Housing Needs Assessment and 10-Year Strategic Plan and a partnership with Prince George’s County, Maryland.

“The Ward8CED process lays the groundwork for public, private and philanthropic investments to support a sustained plan to help build a community of pride, power and belonging,” said David Bowers, VP and Mid-Atlantic Market Leader, Enterprise Community Partners. “Our experience shows that to close the racial inequity gap in wealth, housing, health and education, it takes strong partnerships among residents, community stakeholders, policymakers, nonprofits and anchor institutions.”

Ward 8 residents and others can learn more about this initiative, including how to get involved, by visiting www.ward8cedplan.com. 

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