August 31, 2017 | Vol. 3, Issue 35
Dear Washingtonians,
At the start of 2017, I announced that my Administration would be launching a new Immigrant Justice Legal Services (IJLS) grant program. Through the program, my Administration would provide $500,000 to community-based organizations, private organizations, associations, and law firms that do legal work for immigrants in Washington, DC.
We created the IJLS grant program because in Washington, DC we embrace our diversity and strive to be more inclusive. We believe our city and residents are safest when all Washingtonians know their rights and feel comfortable
seeking help, reporting crimes, and using public services.
Today, only months after the first round of grants was awarded, IJLS has already reached hundreds of immigrant families. IJLS grantees have hosted 12 Know Your Rights presentations,
reaching almost 500 residents. Briya Public Charter School has helped more than 200 parents learn their rights as
immigrants. IJLS grantees have
opened 111 new cases, spanning a
vast array of legal services – T visas, U visas, Special Immigrant Juvenile
visas, asylum cases, and more. The grants have provided for 178 legal consultations, and IJLS grantees have already placed more
than 18 cases with pro bono attorneys. Grantees have hosted seven trainings that have touched more than 126 attorneys. And at
Whitman-Walker, IJLS has funded 51 legal
matters related to accessing public benefits.
Earlier this week, I reaffirmed Washington, DC's support for the DACA program, and the IJLS grant program is just one way we are taking concrete steps to support not only our DREAMers, but immigrants of all ages and backgrounds who live in the District. Recently, we announced that in fiscal year 2018, the DC Government is making an additional $500,000 available to fund the IJLS grant program. These funds will allow us to expand and deepen the progress that was made during the first round of grants.
I am proud to lead a city that embraces and celebrates our diversity, and I am grateful to all who have stepped up over the past year to defend and promote our DC values.
Sincerely,
This week, Mayor Bowser kicked off DC's second annual 202Creates, a month-long showcase of the District’s diverse and vibrant creative community. Washington, DC ranks first in creative businesses per capita, and throughout September, 202Creates will highlight the artists, makers, and entrepreneurs who contribute to DC’s thriving creative economy.
As part of 202Creates, this weekend, the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities is presenting the 2017
Labor Day Weekend Music Festival.
Located at the Historic Lincoln Theater, the festival will feature local jazz,
blues, rock, and pop artists.
Residents can learn more about the festival HERE and find a full list of all 202Creates events at 202Creates.com.
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Through a Department of Energy and Environment-funded Community Stormwater Solutions Grant, the Anacostia Watershed Society has issued a call for mural artists to create storm drain murals in the Anacostia Watershed. Selected muralists will work with students at Kimball Elementary School, River Terrace Education Campus, and Eastern High School to create murals around each school.
These storm drain murals will raise awareness about the impact of stormwater runoff on our local watersheds. Artists will be provided a $775 stipend per mural. Designs are due by 5:00 p.m. on September 15. This effort follows the four storm drain murals recently completed along 17th Street, NW. For more information, go HERE.
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As part of Washington, DC's Vision Zero initiative, Mayor Bowser has announced the Video Analytics Towards Vision Zero project, a cutting-edge partnership between the District and Microsoft that will use video footage and crowdsourcing to prevent traffic accidents. The project will tap artificial intelligence and new technologies to analyze traffic camera video footage and use near-miss collisions to predict where crashes are likely to occur in the future.
The District has over 130 closed circuit television cameras around the city that are used to observe traffic conditions at intersections, and as part of this project, Microsoft has developed a crowdsourcing platform that will allow members of the public to review video footage and use tracking tools to identify movements and objects. People will be able to identify objects such as pedestrians, bicyclists, drivers, and motor-vehicles. The feedback will be used as part of a process where people will teach computers how to tell the difference between different movements and modes of transportation.
Residents can participate in the crowdsourcing platform by visiting the program website HERE.
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This
week's District Minute features stories about the Mayor's investments in DC charter schools, the ribbon cutting for the modernized Friendship "Turtle Park" Recreation Center, and the ribbon cutting for the University of the District of Columbia Community College's recently renovated Bertie Backus Auditorium.
The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) is the primary law enforcement agency for Washington, DC. MPD's mission is to protect DC's residents and visitors through high-quality community policing, state-of the-art information technology, and a commitment to innovation.
Looking to serve your community? At MPD, you will learn hands-on from some of the best public safety professionals in the country. Learn more about joining MPD at joinmpd.dc.gov.
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