Happy New Year, Neighbors!
Last week I attended a panel hosted by Humanities DC that commemorated the 100th birthday of renowned American author and essayist James Baldwin. Three distinguished writers discussed the importance of bearing witness–sharing and preserving your own testimony of current or past events. Stories can deepen our understanding of the past, give meaning to our present, and inspire change. So much of what PBCA does at this moment is also about bearing witness.
9/11 Memorial Park
Next month we will launch our memorial paver fundraising campaign for 9/11 Memorial Park. Our goal is to make that little pocket park a beautiful gathering space that memorializes those D.C. residents who tragically lost their lives on 9/11. Named pavers will be a testament to the many wonderful families–past and present–who have made Penn Branch the best neighborhood in the District of Columbia.
This year we will attempt to host a mix of virtual and two or three seasonal, in-person community meetings. Our January meeting will be held virtually on Tuesday. Please join us. Our new Ward 7 Councilmember, Wendell Felder, is planning to join us. Establishing meaningful dialog with our new councilmember will help him to shape a fruitful policy agenda for our communities. I want to congratulate him for taking the torch of service on the DC Council and wish him every success.
Also, Leah Gage from Humanities DC will also join our meeting to share information about their open oral history and independent practitioner fellowship grants. Both are wonderful opportunities to get humanities training while preserving and interpreting D.C. stories.
Renew Your Membership
Finally, please take a moment to visit our revised website and renew your membership. Your continued support is the engine that keeps our community on the move. Membership runs January 1-Dec 31st. Our executive board is laser focused on bringing greater value to your membership, increasing our connection to each other–and with greater Ward 7, and improving our public spaces.
Keep safe. Check on your neighbors. And never stop sharing your story.
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It looks as if the smoldering heat of summer is over, and the hurricane season has begun. When I look at the impact of Hurricane Irma in New York and other hard-hit areas, I feel sad for their hardship but grateful that it hasn’t impacted us much. Hopefully our luck will continue. Unfortunately, we’ve had three carjackings over the past few months. Please stay vigilant when you’re out and about, especially when entering and exiting your cars. Thankfully, Terry Clyburn, our neighbor on Texas Ave, has volunteered to become the Chairperson of the Safety Committee. He will be coordinating with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) to keep us informed and he will develop ideas on how the neighborhood can deal with the increasing crime. Now that summer is over, we’ll be coming together again for our monthly General Body meetings. Thanks to the Delta variant, our meetings will still be taking place on Zoom. If you haven’t done so already, please get vaccinated against COVID-19 to protect yourself and others in the community. Thank you.
