GREATER DC PEOPLE'S ASSEMBLY

The Greater Washington, DC People’s Assembly Adopted this 15th day of May, 2010

In this time of political, economic, and social turmoil, the people of the Greater Washington, DC region are more than ever committed to building a just and equitable society; one in which all of its citizenry can thrive and prosper socially, culturally, and economically.

Therefore we identify the following priorities:

STATEHOOD, BUDGET AND SERVICES Secure statehood for DC; influence the legislative, policy, and electoral processes at all levels by organizing, pressuring stakeholders, developing leaders, and raising the collective consciousness; equitable wealth and resource distribution through progressive taxation, public ownership of public property, goods and services; a strong safety net; and robust community media with active citizen participation to build a stronger social movement.

WORK

Create solidarity amongst all the working class-- union and non-union; support the Employee Free Choice Act, repeal the North American Free Trade Agreement, the Central American Free Trade Agreement and any other pending trade agreements; demand living wages for all workers and ensure equal pay for historically marginalized and oppressed working peoples; greater access to job training programs; full employment for all and an end to job discrimination; support the passage of a trans-inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act; take command of the working class narrative by telling our own stories and through coordinated media campaigns.

IMMIGRATION

Build a multicultural, multifaith immigrants’ rights movement which includes first nation communities; full legalization for all undocumented people; ensure that immigration reform is participatory, includes communities directly affected; repeal local anti-immigrant laws including 287g, SB1070 and "secure communities"; and halt raids and deportations. HOUSING We the people see that quality, affordable housing is a human right that cannot be denied. Therefore we identify our priorities as the decomodification of housing; securing quality, safe, affordable, accessible, clean housing for all; protection from discrimination; right of return for displaced communities; and inclusive community input on all housing-related decisions in the city.

HEALTHCARE

Create a publicly funded universal health care system that prioritizes people over profit, acknowledges the holistic nature of health, is inclusive of community-driven approaches to healthcare delivery and is sensitive to the lives of LGBTQ people; education of the public, policy-makers and other stakeholders about the human right to quality health and healthcare; organizing in our communities around healthcare issues in solidarity with other movements locally and comprehensive strategies to end the spread of HIV that include both prevention and treatment.

LGBTQ

We the people see that transphobia and homophobia divide our communities, cause widespread suffering and intersect with other systems of oppression to fuel vast social and economic inequalities throughout the world. Therefore we see our priorities as ending the state-sponsored brutality, surveillance and harassment experienced by trans and gender non-conforming people at the hands of police and the prison industrial complex; abolish all laws which criminalize LGBTQ people and our survival strategies (such as sex work) and enact policies to protect LGBTQ people who are incarcerated from violence; enact policies and trainings to end bullying and discrimination of LGBTQ youth in our school systems; supporting and legally protect rans people's right to self-determine our gender identities and expressions free from coercion or violence.

EDUCATION

Eliminate “No Child Left Behind;” develop the capacity of students and parents to be able to advocate for what they need; reform the current schools governance to include parents’ and students’ voices when it comes to the decisions made about their schools and education; involve staff, parents and students in defining a curriculum that reflects the population it is serving and offers classes that lead to greater personal growth and development; keep the PUBLIC in public education; prioritize historically underserved schools that need greater resources to turn them around; redefine how success is measured; look critically at the underlying issues for under performance and begin to deal with those in a clear manner rather than scape-goating teachers and staff or closing down the schools.

PEACE

We the people see that the struggle for peace is indivisible from the struggle for justice for all. Therefore we see that our priorities are: the redistribution of social economic and political power across race, class and gender; shifting our national priorities and budget from militarism and imperialism to human needs around the world; opposing imperialist wars and occupations; to follow the lead of liberation movements, people of color and those most affected by these policies; to educate ourselves and others, including our children and youth, about the realities, history and consequences of militarism; and develop and share practices of peace and peace-making communications, conflict resolution and interpersonal inner peace skills work.

FAITH

We the people see the potential of unifying the faith-based spiritual community to inspire and strengthen the struggle for progressive social justice. Therefore our priorities are: hold a conversation with the left/progressives on the role of spirituality in the social justice movement; build a coalition between interfaith/spiritual/religious organization and individuals and the rest of the left; and take action based on the agenda of the coalition.