We Didn’t Win, But We’re Holding On

It’s hard to feel powerless.

Over the past month, Free DC organized a massive, people-powered campaign to defend DC’s autonomy and budget. We visited every House office in person—not once, not twice, but three times. We showed up with cute kids, persuasive parents, teachers and union members.

We were strategic, and persistent. We collected data. We contacted the majority of House Legislative Directors. We tracked positions and flipped them—getting more and more Members of Congress on record in support, including a dozen Republicans.

The Fireman’s Union issued a public letter of support. When Trump tweeted “get it done” we grudgingly thought that might have helped.

One professional lobbyist commented that our operation was one of the largest-scale, sustained, and durable citizen-led campaigns on a budget issue they’d ever seen.

End of the day crew, celebrating hitting our target of visiting every House member.

But in today’s chaotic political environment, where even the basics of governance is broken, all that effort wasn’t enough to get us past the finish line. The Bill didn’t make it to the floor. And the House left for their two-week spring break, punting our crisis back to the DC City Council.

Yesterday we saw the outline of the Mayor’s budget proposal— and it brought me straight back to the painful first days of the USAID funding suspension at Save the Children: Freezes on hiring. Freezes on overtime, promotions, and pay raises. A halt on purchases and procurement.

But we all know that won’t be enough.

The Mayor announced she will tap a 2009 law that allows the District to increase its spending if funds are available, which should effectively reduce our budget gap to $410 million. She has tasked the City Administrator to unveil additional cost-cutting plans within the next 10 days. Those will include teacher furloughs. Temporary closures of public services like recreation centers and libraries. A pause on the DC arts and music events that make this city feel alive.

And let’s be clear again: this is our tax money. And a budget Congress already approved back in September. The only reason Congress can hold it up is because DC doesn’t have Statehood. So the federal government can do whatever it wants to us.

There are so many examples of how American democracy is failing us right now, I recognize asking the nation to care about DC’s budget is an ask.

The political set-up and arrest of Mohsen Mahdawi. The illegal deportation of Kilmar Ábrego García, and El Salvador’s refusal to return him. The billions frozen or stripped from universities. The cuts to NIH research—on cancer, diabetes, influenza, overdose prevention, environmental health.

The list goes on, and I know every one of you could add your own heartbreak to it.

It does one’s head in.

Me & an enthusiastic young lobbyist outside of AOC’s office, which is covered in post-it note messages.

Lately, I’ve been spending more time in my neighborhood library, conveniently located across the street from my gym. Every Tuesday, a group of developmentally disabled adults is there using the library’s 20 desktop computers. They’re all Black, mostly male. Their unfiltered joy and energy always makes me smile, and I’m proud that my tax dollars help hold this space for them.

Yesterday, one of the young men came up to me with urgency. “My mama is dead,” he said. Then again, looking right into my eyes: “My mama is dead.”

“I know what it’s like to lose someone,” I replied. “I’m so sorry for your loss.” Our gazes lingered. Then he returned to his reading desk, seemingly satisfied his grief had been heard.

This is what public spaces are for: small, sacred moments—where we recognize each other’s humanity.

I can’t help but feel sad knowing how great a loss it will be to their lives if the library is indeed closed, for no good reason. And a loss for me, too.

It’s a good reminder of what we’re actually fighting for.

Ms Kelsye, Free DC founder, with more Save the Children peeps!