Welcome to Washington, D.C.! I am thrilled to welcome you to my hometown, the greatest city in the world, the city that 700,000 Americans call home, and the place where people come to change the world. From the Prayer Breakfast to the National Town Hall to the Phoenix Awards Dinner, this week is about coming together for discussion, camaraderie, and to create an action plan for building a stronger, more democratic, and more equitable country.
Here in D.C., we look forward to hosting this conference every year. We hope you enjoy all that D.C. has to offer during your visit, from the monuments and museums to the restaurants and nightlife – there is truly only one Washington, D.C. We also hope that you keep D.C. statehood at the forefront of your conversations this week. Every aspect of this year’s theme resonates with our ongoing fight to become the 51st state. To secure our democracy, D.C. residents must have access to it. To protect our freedoms, we must include the voices and votes of 700,000 Americans living in the shadow of the Capitol. And to uplift our culture means to celebrate Chocolate City – our people and what we stand for and all we have overcome to define and defend our D.C. values.
Just last month, we commemorated 60 years of progress since the March on Washington. In recognizing our progress, we also recognized our obligation. Our obligation to keep pushing for a history that is perfected. To keep pushing for racial and economic justice. To keep pushing for an America where every citizen in every city and state is equal under the law, and a country where every person has autonomy over their own body. To keep pushing for a country where the citizens of the nation’s capital have a voice and vote. This is our obligation and our duty. So, together, and throughout this week, let’s keep pushing.
Sincerely,
Muriel Bowser
Mayor of Washington, D.C.