PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
December 6th, 2023

CONTACT:
Dr. Rhonda L. Hamilton – (240) 274-9436; advocates4mi@gmail.com
Ms. Cynthia L. Robinson – (301) 768-2101; cynlrob@aol.com

(WASHINGTON, DC) – Ward 8 Southeast, DC – Marbury Plaza Tenants United for Change Tenant Association members along with Marbury Plaza residents continue their plight for clean, safe, and habitable housing in both today’s testimonies before the UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, and also as guests on CBS radio.     

Their “cries for justice” regarding the uninhabitable housing conditions and the city’s failed actions regarding laws that are not being aptly applied, or existing codes that remain ignored, continue to be at the forefront of their plight to be heard, and made whole.  Many members of the DC Council continue to demonstrate a lack of political will towards correcting DC’s failed housing enforcements and oversight. 

At-Large Council member and housing committee chairperson, Robert White, asked, in a recent meeting with Marbury Plaza tenants, “what good will amendments do when laws that are already on the books are not enforced?” When the tenants and their advocate, Dr. Rhonda L. Hamilton, expressed the need to become more proactive as opposed to reactive, he commented that he wished he could share their optimism.  Mr. White shared his interest in working with the tenants and Dr. Hamilton regarding their Tenant Bill of Rights proposed amendments, however, he expects that the mayor would present a hindrance to these efforts.  The proposed amendments to the Tenant Bill of Rights, which were given to Mr. White and asked to be “voted” upon at the upcoming January 2024 hearings, allows for the much-needed oversight, and protections for the thousands of elders, active adults and children who are residing in DC’s housing systems, and who face overexposure to severe toxins, hazards, failed safety, and imposed mental health realities.

City council members including the chairman Phil Mendelson have also been provided with a copy of the proposed amendments to the Tenants Bill of Rights, which includes the implementation of a task force that would incorporate dominant representation of DC tenants, along with other key city representatives. Offending slumlords will suffer increased penalties including the suspension of licenses, and additionally imposed fines. Marbury Plaza residents want progressive change for the city’s current housing laws, and code.  Unfortunately, they feel that this change is most likely to come from the power of the people at the grassroots level and not from the elected, or appointed officials of the District’s current governing body.

The mayor’s current agenda appears to place business development, and greed above advancing healthy solutions for the many oppressed District marginalized tenants who are residing with uninhabitable, and unsafe community conditions.  Join the Marbury Plaza tenants as they continue the fight for their dignity, to be heard, and the right to be made whole! Marbury Plaza Tenants need your voices! Please email DC legislators and officials today, with the subject: JUSTICE FOR MARBURY PLAZA & for ALL DC TENANTS, along with your message of support for District tenants’ plight to have clean, safe, and habitable housing.  It’s time to unite in the fight to save DC citizens! For more information: www.healthydcandme.org #thewoodberryproject!

Thank you,

Dr. Rhonda L. Hamilton
M.I. Mother’s Keeper
Healthy D.C. & Me Leadership Coalition
Executive Director/President
240-274-9436 or
1-844-36HELP2!
1-888-389-7209 fax
www.mimotherskeeper.com
www.healthydcandme.org

Facebook: Rhonda L. Hamilton
Facebook: Healthy DC & ME Coalition

DID YOU KNOW?

The Capital City Emergency “Level II” Trauma & Wellness Center will house a “state of the art” Outreach Community Resource Center, that will provide case management, mental health community advocacy, and oversight from the M.I. Mother’s Keeper mental health advocates. 
 
The Capital City Emergency “Level II” Trauma & Wellness Center will offer patrons access to immediate coverage by general surgeons as well as coverage by the specialties of orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, anesthesiology, emergency medicine, radiology and critical care.
 
Our goal is to help people in the best way possible in an effort to preserve and to save more lives in the Nation’s Capital and beyond.

Follow Capital City Emergency Trauma & Wellness Center's success:

Sign up to receive updates

Add your signature by clicking each petition below.

Emergency

Code Red
Gunshot Victim
Life Threatening Wounds
Physical Assault Victim
Severely Injured Auto Accident Victim
Burn Victim
Epilepsy/Seizures
Cardiovascular
Choking & Breathing Obstructions
and more…

trauma

Child Sex Assault Victim
Domestic Violence Victim
Drug Overdose
Rape/Sex Crime Victim
Suicide Watch
Trafficking Victim
Nervous Breakdown
and more…

Mental Health

At Capital City Emergency Trauma & Wellness Center patrons with mental health emergencies that include life threatening situations in which an individual is imminently threatening harm to self or others, severely disoriented or out of touch with reality, has a severe inability to function or is otherwise distraught and out of control, will have access to quality and psychiatric emergency services and referrals.

Physical Health

Whether your life threatening medical emergency involves excessive or uncontrollable bleeding, head injury. difficulty with breathing, severe pain, heart attack, vision impairments, stroke, physically collapsing, or seizure related, rest assured that our professionals will properly assess and evaluate the level of response that will be most needed to help provide stabilized care solutions and minimize complications as well as reduce early mortality.

Holistic Healthcare

We offer healthcare solutions that will support the whole person which includes their physical, psychological, emotional, social, & spiritual wellbeing. Research supports that because your mental state can affect your overall health we support and offer the inclusion of complimentary and alternative medicine(CAM) practitioners and naturopathic doctor recommendations and referrals as a part of our Outreach Community Resource Center’s care regimen and support.

Rehabilitative

Emergency care can typically result in traumatic injuries for which rehabilitation becomes an essential component of care in trying to achieve the best long-term outcomes for the patient. In addition to speeding up recovery times and helping to prevent further complications, rehabilitative care also helps to support a patient’s self-managed recovery once discharged from our facility. Our Outreach Community Resource Center works closely with our trauma center’s discharge department to assure that patrons requiring these services are linked with qualified professionals who will be accountable to the standard of care required to help the patron be successful in their recovery.

Social Services

Our “state of the art” Outreach Community Resource Center intends to promote “expansive” beneficial community enriching services, programs, case management, & linkage to “approved” partner resources and supports in all of the following intended areas and more:

Social Services

  • Clothing
  • Food Pantry
  • Housing/Shelter
  • I.D. Credentials
  • Senior Wellness Check
  • Toiletries
  • Transportation
  • Etc.

Extended Family Services

  • Child Care
  • Credit Counseling
  • Family Court Services
  • Legal Aide

Career Training

  • Apprenticeship programs
  • Computer/Graphics Training
  • Culinary Program  
  • GED Courses
  • Hospitality Training
  • Job Etiquette & Grooming
  • Resume’ Prep
  • Sales Training
  • Software/Technology workshops
  • Small Business Training

Return Citizen
Program Partner
(Bridging the Gap)

  • Case Management
  • Temporary Boarding/Housing
  • Transitional Program Registration

Prevention/Intervention Outreach,
Workshops, & Programs

  • After-school Behavioral Health Program
  • Civic Engagement / Volunteer Sign-up
  • Fatherhood Rites of Passage
  • Gun Violence Town Hall Forum
  • Life Coaching & Coping Strategies
  • Marriage Counseling Workshops
  • Medicare Informational Workshops
  • Mentorship Training
  • Parental Classes
  • Support Groups
  • Town Hall Discussions
  • Violence De-Escalation Training
  • Voter Registration

Nutritional Outreach

  • Cooking Demonstrations
  • Dietary Programs
  • Exercise Classes
  • Recipe Sharing Workshops
  • Meal Prep

Community Outreach

The Healthy DC & Me Leadership Coalition is partnering with the M.I. Mother’s Keeper Mental Health advocacy organization to provide outreach services on the community level as an aid in reducing the existent health inequities that many District citizens are facing as a direct result of the presence of debilitating social determinants and the lack of culturally appropriate care choices and realities for community members residing in marginalized and lower-income communities.

It is the vision and intentions of the M.I. Mother’s Keeper Mental Health Advocates organization to help improve the quality of living for citizens living in our Nation’s Capital and beyond by overseeing the delicate linkage to services and by maintaining higher standards of care accountability for deserving citizens of the Nation’s Capital.

For more information or to enroll as one of our service providers, please email us at:
info@healthydcandme.org