My name is Uchenna and I am running to be president of the Lamond-Riggs Citizens Association, the neighborhood civic association. Officer elections take place on May 1, 2017. In order to vote, you must be a paid member of the civic association, so I am asking you to do two things. (1) Pay dues online at lrcadc.org/join-lrca. Only $10 for individuals, $15 for families, and $50 for corporate members. (2) Show up at the LRCA meeting on May 1 to cast a vote. The meeting takes place at 7:00 pm at Lasalle Backus Education Campus, located at 501 Riggs Road NE (enter on Madison Street).

My desire to be president really comes from the simple desire to put community first when it comes to community affairs. As I mentioned in this post, I have been a trustee of the association for the past two years. As president, I will have the platform to continue focusing on the work I’ve done in putting the community first.

First, making sure we have an informed community. I created this blog to inform the community about what was going on in the neighborhood, particularly at a time when there was not much communication from those in positions inherently entrusted with the mandate to be transparent. That’s why early on I started posting ANC 5A meeting recaps. That’s why I helped to create and maintain LRCA’s website and social media presence. These things require time, research, attending neighborhood meetings, and getting to know elected and law enforcement officials. One outgrowth of creating this blog and establishing the LRCA website is that our community has an online presence. In this digital age, it is important for our community to have an online presence so that we are defining and shaping the view of our community. And it’s important that we continue to be informed.

Second, continue participating in the civic process. One thing I have done behind the scenes over the years is submit comments, letters, and testimony related to various items affecting the neighborhood, sometimes drafted on behalf of the association and sometimes speaking solely for myself. I think it is important that residents participate in the democratic processes available to us. So that means when the Zoning Commission is considering a proposed development, or the Comprehensive Plan is being updated, or a regulated industry has proposed to take action that impacts residents, we have to become informed and we have to participate.

Third, shaping how our community evolves. The neighborhood is evolving. Major development is occurring. The library needs to be updated. We have the ability to have a constructive voice in shaping how the neighborhood continues to evolve. Everything may not be for everybody, but there really can be something for everyone. That’s why in addition to having a neighborhood wish list on the blog, I had a hand in creating a community benefits survey for residents. Our neighborhood is diverse in many ways and I think we’ve embraced that diversity fairly well. We have an opportunity to capture the history of the neighborhood because we are fortunate to have residents who have lived here for 40, 50 years. We also have an opportunity to make sure all residents feel invested enough to make sure that our community is safe, is welcoming, and has the amenities and resources to support residents across generations.

All of these things require time and work. I enjoy doing the work because I live here and I think we all have to work to have the neighborhood we want. We have all benefited from the work of residents over the years who have made positive contributions to the neighborhood. By continuing to put community first when it comes to neighborhood affairs, we can continue to benefit far into the future.

I would appreciate your vote. If you live within the boundaries of LRCA, please be sure to pay your dues online today so that you can vote in the officer election on May 1.

Thanks for reading.