One sentence could not better describe how the DC Council actually works www.axios.com/local/washin...

Not surprised given the overall lack of engagement and activity from ANC 4B, but pretty disappointed to see not a single 4B Commissioner signed up to participate.

Stand with DC! 📢 The Council for Court Excellence urges the Senate to reject bills undermining DC’s judicial nominations + attorney general appointment process. Orgs + individuals can sign on by Mon, Sept 22 at noon. Add your name: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F....

Hard to believe we’re entering a new budget cycle here in DC. Thankful for @fairbudgetdc.bsky.social’s People’s Budget Forum where we’re learning and advocating collaboratively and proactively to meet people’s basic needs as rights.

DC could not be lovelier. Well … except for getting the National Guard out of here and abolishing ICE.

They just tear-gassed us. They tried to run us over in a van holding a peaceful protester. They shot us with pepper balls. They dragged another protester into the facility.

I think it’s a misstep to say the federal surge has ended. MPD’s control by the federal government has ended. Bowser said they would no longer provide info to ICE. But the feds are still here. Migrant neighbors are still being detained. The National Guard is still here.

“We’re going to keep showing up until they stop abducting our neighbors.” More of this from our elected officials.

The best piece I've read so far about my Mom's She's Under Here. For life experiences, many of which happened decades ago, to be so contemporaneously relevant. Whew.

Also, if you don’t pay your rent, your landlord now only needs to wait 10 days to file a lawsuit to evict you, but if the Commanders don’t build the affordable housing they promised to, maybe there’s some sort of consequence for them in like 2040 or something

We just wrapped up our final vote on the RENTAL Act.    While we made real improvements on the initial bill, the final version is far from a real reckoning with the issues facing DC residents.   If we want to truly solve DC's housing crisis, our work is cut out for us. 🧵

Team Rayceen represents! 🌈 I’m honored to be up for Community Ally in the Washington Blade Best of LGBTQ DC Awards — with Team Rayceen shining across categories. Vote daily thru Sept 30! (I’m also up for Lawyer, but let’s be real: vote Chase Strangio!) 👉 www.washingtonblade.com/2025/09/17/2...

if you rent a one bedroom in dc for $2,500 per month, your yearly rent will be 30,000 times what the commanders will pay to rent an nfl stadium from the city ($1). i know the team is putting up money for construction, but then again, so are we as taxpayers. $2 billion in cash and tax givebacks.

The Council votes today on the RENTAL Act, a sweeping housing bill that would roll back parts of TOPA. A new UMD study shows TOPA has helped preserve affordable housing for low-income Black tenants, contradicting a landlord lobby’s claims. Full story:

That speeding evictions and weakening tenant bargaining power were even on the table right now tells you why our local DC politics are also broken.

"I didn’t want to write about myself. But of course I am in those books." Jacqui Devaney's interview with @karenpalmer.bsky.social on her new book “She’s Under Here” (@algonquinbooks.bsky.social) is out now. chireviewofbooks.com/2025/09/17/h...

Honestly what distinguishes this guy from a tacticool school shooter? Nothing.

8 Democrats just joined Republicans in voting to enable 14-year-olds in DC to be tried as adults: Cuellar Davis (NC) Gillen Golden Lee (NV) Min Perez Vindman Harmful, heinous, counterproductive, and deeply racist clerk.house.gov/evs/2025/rol...

This is my local indie! They supported Company multiple times (events for my hardcover and paperback books, plus an Indie Next rec) and are just all around wonderful. If you’re buying a book, always order through an indie! If you don’t have your own, go through @loyaltybooks.bsky.social:

I’m too excited to hold out any longer! The amazing Daniela Galarza and Cornelia Poku are joining Spookyville as celebrity judges for the No Tricks, Just Treats baking contest! Enter by Oct 17 for a chance to win the Vita Cooking School grand prize: www.spookyville-hauntedalley.com/event-detail...

More of this from our elected officials.

LA folks: Pub day event tomorrow @ 7 @ Skylight. Yes it's a Tues, LA traffic sucks, you don't even know me. But: I'll be in conversation w/Matthew Specktor (The Golden Hour), whose writing I adore and whose smarts I admire (and, frankly, fear). Come see us and be entertained! tinyurl.com/yx9rw6rm

I'll be at Fair Budget Coalition's People's Budget Forum on Saturday. It's an opportunity to share your budget priorities and build some collective power in fighting for our government to support basic needs as rights. Hope to see you there!

Pub day, and @thebookmaven.bsky.social profiled me for the Los Angeles Times. (It's behind a paywall, but yahoo news and aol news have it.) tinyurl.com/ykph8xs7

On the run from her abusive ex for decades, she's now at home — in L.A. and with herself

Routine traffic stops has been a major mechanism for making arrests in DC. Make sure your headlights/taillights are working. Update your registration & have it displayed properly. Really try to be on your best traffic law behavior.

Witnessed a team of at least three FBI agents, two HSI agents, and two MPD officers, some in unmarked vehicles, making an arrest after what appeared to be a routine traffic stop. One HSI agent covered his face. A Dunkin’ Donuts themed patch on his vest says “Guns N’ Coffee.”

The House voted 200 to 198 to block discussion of a Democratic resolution to end the fake state of emergency used to justify Trump's occupation of DC. Only 2 Republicans joined Democrats: Bacon and Massie. clerk.house.gov/evs/2025/rol...

In my definitely-not-made-up official capacity as Alexandria Ambassador to Spookyville, I hereby encourage those in the Spookyville environs to volunteer to help make some Halloween magic.

🔮 Our neighborhood mystic, Madame J, has seen the future… and it needs YOU! Spookyville: Haunted Alley runs on volunteer magic. Sign up to help conjure the spookiest night of the year on October 24: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F....

Impressed a friend today when a spotted lantern fly flew up my shirt and I deftly removed it and stomped it into the ground. I have better reflexes than I thought. But also those suckers can jump - they’re like crickets!

We’re out here! District Drip clothing resale and quality decants at Art All Night at Sandlot Uptown (1900 7th St NW). 🎨✨

Tonight's the night! Find Littlest Monster - clothing resale and cologne decanting - at Art All Night at Sandlot Uptown (1900 7th St NW). 🎨✨Among so much more, including open mic, performances, and the Midnight Shaw Mini Ball. 🪩 We love @teamrayceen.bsky.social!

I’m exhausted but so happy to have spent yesterday with Coolidge students sharing info about what IDs are available in DC and what they do (and don’t do) as part of a civic empowerment event. I really love the Coolidge students and every opportunity I have to engage with them.

Go, Ariel! Go, wetlands! Go, @doeedc.bsky.social!

Could I love this more? No, I could not. Come down to the river in two weeks & join this to learn more: www.kingmanisland.com/friends-fami...

Feels like not only has @mayorbowser.bsky.social given up on fighting back on Trump, but basically just doing anything that would move the ball forward for DC residents. How is DC behind Glenn Youngkin's Virginia in covid vaccine access? www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/202...

When these things happen which clearly express who we value and who we don’t, believe them.

Madame J’s Fright Bites Cookie Challenge ends TODAY! Donate $50+ to Spookyville and treat yourself to frightfully delicious homemade cookies. 🍪 Madame J knows how to bake; don’t miss out! Donate here: www.gofundme.com/f/9th-annual.... Then email [email protected] to claim your cookies.

I’ve made a resource about the various forms of ID you can get in DC, eligibility, and how to get them. If this is helpful to you lmk. I’m happy to share!

We're close to reaching a chilling moment; the first time in history where the single largest group of people arrested by ICE in the interior and held in detention are people with no criminal record. The gap is now down to fewer than 300 people.

“...the expiration offers little relief. Thousands of National Guard troops from D.C. and eight Republican-led states remain deployed, along with additional officers from the FBI, DEA, and other federal agencies. Immigration raids continue, and armored vehicles still patrol neighborhoods."

For DC friends: Erin (who is obviously my daughter) will be my conversation partner at People's Book in Takoma Park on October 12, 5:00 p.m.

WaPo reviewed @karenpalmer.bsky.social's new memoir, She’s Under Here. So much well-deserved praise + appreciation for the complexity: "Disappearing … gave me my life. Mother, daughter, wife; coward, hero, criminal. I did what I had to do, I would do it again.” share.google/jLQZC36jNYRp...

I’m excited to join tenant leaders at the DC Office of the Tenant Advocate's 2025 Tenant Summit this Saturday (9/13) for a panel on how mutual aid builds power, strengthens organizing, and addresses housing needs. Join us from 1:45-3 pm at 899 North Capitol St, NE! www.eventbrite.com/e/office-of-...

I will say - the transition in my head fom day-to-day life tasks to thinking about and responding in the ways I can to the deeply harmful and scary things happening these days is increasingly rough.

Local leadership priorities.

This bugs me a lot. The residents of Ward 8 elected Trayon White, with the drama out in the open. If the Council believes there are and should be consequences for his misconduct then they should expel him. This just punishes residents.

A National Guard report accidentally emailed to the Post says veterans and active-duty troops view the D.C. deployment with "shame and alarm" @alexhorton.bsky.social www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...

I ended up in a conversation with an off duty DC cop at a bar recently, he told me that he was getting an ICE detail assigned to him at the beginning of every shift that would just follow him around throughout the day looking for people to arrest every time he made an interaction.