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Original Photo Double Reflection by Emma K Alexandra
Dear Neighbors,
I don’t know about you, but heading into the holiday weekend celebrating the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King feels draped with a particular tension this year. The same people who will inevitably praise and misquote Dr. King about being colorblind are in fact funding a regime that is actively racially profiling individuals on the street to ask for their papers. They are the very same people canceling critical health research grants for the mere mention of the word “diversity” in a grant proposal. Brace yourself – hypocrisy will be on high display in America come Monday.
Though Dr. King was committed to non-violence, that did not make him a so-called moderate in his demands for change. Dr. King was fiercely opposed to systemic racism. He was anti-war and critiqued the United States for placing “insatiable military demands” above the critical needs of our own underprivileged citizens. Dr. King called out Democrats and Republicans alike for not doing enough to advance civil rights. He believed in racial alliances and labor solidarity to break economic inequality. It is crazy the number of speeches and writings of King in the 1960s that apply to our current times. But as it turns out, racism was not just “a passing phase” in the cycles of our nation’s life.
As I write this, I’m preparing to head into Day 2 of immersive workshops led by the Groundwater Institute with my cohort for Leadership Greater Washington. Groundwater’s approach is grounded in three things: 1) Racial inequity looks the same across systems; 2) Socio-economic difference does not explain the racial inequity; 3) Systems contribute significantly to disparities. I’ve done several racial justice type workshops and trainings in my life, but Groundwater’s focus on systems is unique.
I stayed up way too late into the evening looking at my notes and reflecting on this from one of our facilitators: ‘Most of us are trained to fix people. We are not trained to fix systems – infrastructure – “the groundwater.”’ Sometimes even laws do not change systems. For example, in 2018, the rate of black homeownership was virtually the same as it was when the Fair Housing Act passed in 1968.
Day 1 was understanding how the system was built. It’s hard to undo a system if you do not understand how it got there in the first place. A wealth of information was shared, and even I as a history buff learned new stories I hadn’t heard about the founding of this country. Do you know the story of John Punch in 1640?
Today, we’ll be looking at actions. Oversight alone cannot change systems, but as we head into performance oversight season ,which begins next week, I’ll be approaching hearings with this lens: Are our programs just bandaids or are we on a path to shift the system?
Many decades ago, Dr. King himself was also calling for Americans to address “the groundwater.” Given the way school curriculums are set today, I hope that people have read King’s work beyond “I Have a Dream.” So, over the weekend, I’d offer up the following given what our country is currently experiencing:
The rest of the newsletter includes information about upcoming hearings and events. The work continues...
In Service,
Christina Henderson
Councilmember, At-Large
ChristinaHendersonDC.com
Performance oversight hearings for the Committee on Health start January 27, 2026. You can also view the draft performance oversight calendar for the DC Council, here, and the schedule for performance oversight hearings for the Committee on Health below. The Council will officially vote on this schedule on Tuesday, January 20. Once that is complete, witnesses will be able to sign up to testify at https://lims.dccouncil.gov/hearings/.
The Committee on Health also will hold two roundtables next week: one on operational and safety concerns regarding Saint Elizabeths Hospital on Thursday, January 22; and another on nominees to the Board of Dietetics and Nutrition on Friday, January 23. You can register to testify or submit testimony for the roundtables, here.
On Tuesday, January 6, the Community Health Amendment Act of 2025 was approved by Council on final vote. The Community Health Amendment Act protects District residents, visitors, and workers by ensuring that pharmacists can continue to order and administer, and pharmacy technicians can administer, without a prescription, the immunizations needed to protect the public health of District of Columbia. The bill was introduced by Councilmember Henderson in late 2025 in response to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services federal policy changes regarding immunizations.
Providing Pivotal Resources for DC Residents
On Thursday, January 8, Councilmember Henderson visited the 7th Street NW location of Bread for the City. Bread for the City offers services to aid low-income DC residents by providing and connecting them with pivotal resources. Holistic programs such as food, medical, legal, social services, clothing, and advocacy are available to everyone at both their Northwest and Southeast locations. You can find more information about Bread for the City, here.
Standing in Solidarity
Later that day, Councilmember Henderson joined in solidarity with members of the DC community at Sherman Circle in Petworth as they held a vigil for Renee Nicole Good. Good, a mother, wife, and daughter, was fatally shot by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Officer on January 7, 2026 in Minneapolis, MN.
Lunch and Learn with American University Students
On Wednesday, January 14, Councilmember Henderson joined American University’s School of Public Affairs, and Women’s and Politics Institute for their first Lunch and Leadership of 2026, where she shared with students her political journey and her responsibilities as a Councilmember on the DC Council.
Freedom and Resistance Exhibition
In celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Black History Month, the MLK Library will present Freedom and Resistance: An Exhibition Inspired by The 1619 Project from January 16 through March 15.
MLK Futsal Camp
The fourth annual MLK Futsal Cup returns, honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through sport, teamwork, and community. The event includes two days of nonstop 5v5 indoor futsal showcasing the next generation of stars on January 17 and 18 from 10:00am to 5:00pm at three DPR facilities.
DPR Facilities:
• Riggs LaSalle Recreation Center (501 Riggs Rd, NE)
Saturday & Sunday, 10:00am to 5:00pm
• North Michigan Recreation Center (1333 Emerson St NE)
Saturday & Sunday, 10:00am to 5:00pm
• Trinidad Recreation Center (1310 Childress St NE)
Saturday only, 10:00am to 5:00pm
Jazz January
This January, Mayor Muriel Bowser, in collaboration with Sing For Hope, and The Union Station Redevelopment Corporation, is reimagining the evening commute with January Jazz Jam, a free live instrumental jazz concert series featuring local musicians every Tuesday and Wednesday from 4:00pm to 6:00pm at The Stage at Union Station on the mezzanine level of the retail concourse.
January Jazz Jam Schedule:
Ice Skating Across the District
If you’re looking to get outside, ice skating is back at various locations across the District.
2026 Fall Leaf Collection
The second pass for leaf collection in Section A in Wards 1-8 is still underway. Section B in Wards 1-8 should get ready. Section B, please have your leaves at the tree box or curbside by Sunday, January 18. All sections will receive two weekends’ notice of when to rake their leaves out to the tree box or curb. Find raking tips and more information at dpw.dc.gov/leaf. During leaf season, weekly updates will be provided on DPWs location and where they will be collecting leaves. Stay tuned for the latest schedules, so you can know when crews will be in your neighborhood.
To follow live updates click, here.
MLK Day Openings and Hours
One library location will be open in each ward on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, January 19. The neighborhood libraries will be open from 9:00am to 5:00pm and the Marthin Luther King Jr. Memorial library will be open from 9:30 am to 5:30pm. You can find the list of libraries below.
*Specialty departments like the Adult Learning Department, Center for Accessibility, the Labs at DC Public Library and The People's Archive are not open on holidays.
7th Annual MLK Holiday DC Health & Wellness Fair
Join MLK Holiday DC for the 7th Annual MLK Holiday DC Health and Wellness Fair on January 19, at the PNC Parking Lot on MLK Avenue (2000 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE). Explore free resources, health screenings, and services focused on mental health and community wellness.
You can register for the event, here.
Voting Locations for the June 16, 2026 Primary Election
The DC Board of Elections is seeking public comment on the proposed Early Voting Vote Center, Election Day Vote Center, and Mail Ballot Drop Box locations for the June 16, 2026 Primary Election.
Comments may be submitted here. The deadline for comments is Friday, January 16, 2026. You can view the proposed locations here.
The DC Rockstar Fund
As a Rock Star, participants will:
Criteria for eligibility:
Have a constituent service need related to the Health Committee or any of the other agencies in DC Government? Want Councilmember Henderson to come to your community event or meeting? Don’t hesitate to reach out to our Constituent Services Director Ana Berrios-Vazquez during regular business hours (9:00am - 5:30pm) at 202-724-8105, or ABerriosVazquez@dccouncil.gov.