Opinion

The District of Columbia is experiencing the damage caused by the coronavirus, the recessionary impact of the lockdown, and the ongoing national trauma of murder, racism and continued violence that led to protests, clashes and a temporary…

The special election scheduled for next week in Ward 2 may be pro forma. After all, several of the candidates already have decided not to compete. As reason for pulling out, they have cited the victory of Brooke Pinto in the June 2…

“Economic gap between black, white Americans may help explain protests” — that was the print headline for a recent Washington Post article by Eli Rosenberg. Earlier, The Post had an important editorial pointing to the need for national…

Officials at the DC Board of Elections have managed to publish preliminary voting results from the primary election held earlier this week. That achievement may not be worth celebrating, however. The primary election was an absolute mess. …

Like the public health crisis it has caused, COVID-19 has already inflicted terrible financial harm on DC, especially our working-class families and communities of color. And when the immediate financial crisis passes, a new one will…

I love walking to the polls on Election Day. With every step I take toward the voting booth, I remind myself of everyone who fought so hard to give me my right to cast my ballot. But this year, that love and excitement is mixed with nerves…

Around the country, people in jails, prisons and detention centers are contracting SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Many have tested positive; some have died. Countless more remain vulnerable to transmission. It is…

Last week DC Mayor Muriel Bowser unveiled a budget that promises continuity. By using prior surpluses, local reserves and federal relief funds, she has avoided the cruel budget cuts being made by many other jurisdictions. But continuity is…

With Mayor Muriel Bowser set to begin reopening DC after the city’s weekslong closure amid a public health emergency, there are legitimate concerns about the future of our arts and culture industry, including artists and other personnel.…

Soon after Washington Teachers’ Union president Elizabeth Davis learned there was a 3% increase in the per-pupil spending for public education in the proposed fiscal year 2021 budget and financial plan, she called DC Mayor Muriel Bowser at…

The COVID-19 crisis reinforces the need for inclusive, accessible programs for public health and public benefits. Fortunately, the District is almost ready to launch a new program that will help.  DC’s new Universal Paid Leave Program…

We are living through a shared experience that marks our days and affects our world in profound, pervasive and lasting ways. The COVID-19 pandemic will be a personal and historical point of reference, and we are grappling with effects that…

Beyond the tragic toll of fatalities, intensive-care intubations and infections that have forced a radical rethink of daily life, the coronavirus has brought a halt to the District’s strong economy and the revenue it generates. To…

The reopening of our school doors will serve as a symbol of our city’s recovery. How we invest in our school system in the upcoming school year will serve as a symbol of our city’s priorities. It's critical that we fully invest in our…

The budget is a reflection of our values as a community, and so is the process that guides its creation. Yet, in a time of pandemic when government resources are a literal lifeline to local residents, the DC Council is significantly…

Perhaps we should have recognized much earlier the large ambitions of Karl Racine. After all, he had been a White House counsel and was one of the first African Americans elected as managing partner of Venable LLP, a top firm in the city.…

Like many people, I have been thinking about the most compelling needs our community faces in the midst of this pandemic and where we can do the most good in our individual efforts to help. The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s compelling…

In the month and a half since DC began coronavirus mitigation, I’ve seen more children learning to ride bikes than I had before in the 11 years I’ve lived in the Washington region. The joyous rite of passage is happening more these days…

We recently celebrated Emancipation Day in Washington, DC, the nation’s capital — also known as Chocolate City due to the strong and vibrant Black community that has lived, worked and shaped the culture of the city on both sides of the…

It is heartbreaking — and perhaps unsurprising — that the rate of confirmed COVID-19 cases is now 16 times higher for people incarcerated in DC’s jails than in the general District population. That disparity is not acceptable and not…