January 2, 2020 | Vol. 6, Issue 1
Dear Washingtonians,
Happy New Year, DC! Yesterday, I kicked off 2020 with hundreds of DC residents at yesterday's Fresh Start 5K. In just a few weeks, I hope you will join me again for the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Peace Walk and Parade.
While we have a lot to look back on and celebrate from 2019, we also have so much to look forward to in 2020. I am looking forward to one date in particular: July 1, 2020, the day our city's minimum wage will rise to $15 an hour. In 2016, we won the Fight for $15, and since then, our minimum wage has increased every year. Along the way, we've made clear that giving more people a fair shot is good for workers and good for the economy.
We go into 2020 focused on building an even more inclusive future: new year, new housing. In 2019, we set an ambitious housing goal – 36,000 new homes by 2025. With a strong economy and a community committed to equity, we go into 2020 knowing that 2025 is just around the corner and ready to build citywide solutions that embody DC values.
Sincerely,
 On January 1, 2020, Todd Lee, the Executive Director and CEO of the District of Columbia Housing Finance Agency, passed away. Below is a statement from Mayor Bowser:
We are heartbroken with the news of Todd Lee’s passing. Todd was a true champion for DC and a tremendous public servant. During a time when housing has become the number one issue in our city, Todd delivered for the people and families of the District. If a program wasn’t working, he fixed it. If a program was missing, he created it. He was committed to innovation, to finding new resources and maximizing the ones we already have available, and, above all, he was committed to getting Washingtonians into affordable homes. We will miss his leadership and his friendship. Today, our hearts and prayers are with Todd’s family, friends, and colleagues.
 This Martin Luther King Jr. Day, walk with Mayor Bowser in the 2020 Martin Luther King Jr. Peace Walk and Parade. To join us in honoring the legacy of one of our country's greatest leaders, meet at 11:00 a.m. at the Anacostia Park entrance on Good Hope Road and MLK Jr. Avenue, SE.
Learn more and RSVP HERE.
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 This year, for the first time, the U.S. census will be available to complete online! Beginning the week of March 16, 2020, every household in DC will receive a mailed invitation to go online to complete their census form.
The census provides critical data that District agencies, schools, health care providers, business owners, nonprofits, and many others use to provide daily services, products, and support for our community. Every year, billions of dollars in federal funding goes to hospitals, fire departments, schools, roads, and other resources based on census data. The District also uses census data to redraw ward and ANC boundaries every 10 years to ensure equitable representation. Census data is kept safe and confidential and is never shared with any law enforcement agency.
Follow @dccensus on Twitter to get information about the 2020 Census.
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 The My School DC lottery application for school year 2020-2021 is now open. My School DC is the city’s common application and public school lottery for DC Public Schools (DCPS) and the majority of public charter schools (grades PK3-12).
Families must use the My School DC lottery application to apply to:
- DCPS PK3 / PK4 programs (including programs at in-boundary DCPS schools);
- DCPS citywide and out-of-boundary schools (PK3-12);
- DCPS selective high schools (9-12); and
- all participating public charter schools (PK3-12)
The application deadlines are February 3, 2020 for grades 9-12 and March 2, 2020 for grades PK3-8.
Have questions or need help with your application? Call the My School DC hotline at (202) 888-6336, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. or email info.myschooldc@dc.gov.
For more information and to apply, go to www.myschooldc.org.
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This week’s District Minute features stories about the Senior Holiday Celebration, the new Edgewood Recreation Center, and the Mayor's 6th annual Fit DC Fresh Start 5K.
 The DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) provides quality urban recreation and leisure services for residents and visitors to the District of Columbia. DPR supervises many of the city's recreation/community centers, parks, athletic fields, playgrounds, spray parks, tennis courts, community gardens, dog parks, and aquatic facilities.
DPR has an opening for a Recreation Specialist. This position is responsible for assisting in the daily inspection of all equipment and facilities. All details regarding this vacancy, including qualifications, can be found by visiting the job announcement.
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