March 1, 2024
Dear Washingtonians,
I want to thank everyone who attended or participated in our Budget Engagement Forums this week. I heard from hundreds of residents and what I heard is that Washingtonians are excited about the future of our city, a future where we continue to fight for the middle class and invest in safe and vibrant neighborhoods. From our senior residents to our Gen Z residents, I heard great ideas about how we can keep our city moving forward ? even with a sober budget. We know that when we put the right interventions in place, from the right public safety interventions to the right economic development interventions, we will continue to create new opportunities and new resources for our city.
In fact, earlier this week, we released two plans that will help guide the future of Downtown DC: the Downtown Action Plan, which was developed by the DowntownDC and Golden Triangle BIDs, and the Downtown Public Realm Plan, which was developed by District?s Office of Planning. With the future of Downtown, we have a unique opportunity ? and responsibility ? to be bold, creative, and collaborative. These plans give us a roadmap for how our community can work together to deliver on the enormous potential of our beautiful Downtown.
Then, on Wednesday, we celebrated the House passage of the D.C. Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus Revitalization Act (H.R. 4984). The vote was a significant step forward in our efforts to unlock the full potential of the RFK Campus ? for our residents and visitors, the community, and DC?s Comeback.
This week, we also celebrated more good news about our students and schools. New data shows that our students who participate in high-impact tutoring were more likely to attend school on days they had a tutoring session scheduled.
There is a lot to be energized about and more work to do. And next week, we have another opportunity to keep our city moving forward with the Council?s second vote on Secure DC. With Secure DC, we can rebalance our public safety and justice system so that, above all else, it prioritizes the safety of our community. Learn more HERE.?
Sincerely,
 View photos from this week?on Facebook.
 Mayor Bowser and the Mayor?s Office on Women?s Policy and Initiatives (MOWPI) invite residents to celebrate Women?s History Month at events happening throughout March, including:
6th Annual FITDC HerStory 5K: Mayor Bowser invites residents to register for the 6th Annual FITDC HerStory 5K. The 5K is free and open to people of all ages and abilities. This year's festivities will also include the first-ever HerStory Kids Dash for children 12 and under. Kids Dash participants will receive a special t-shirt giveaway before taking part in a modified "race" on the 5K route.?
- When: Saturday, March 9
- Registration opens at 9:00 a.m. and 5K starts at 10:00 a.m. There will also be a Kids Dash at 9:30 a.m., please arrive early to pick up materials.
- Where: Freedom Plaza?
- Register at herstory5k.com.?
Washington Women of Excellence Awards: Join Mayor Bowser during an awards ceremony to honor influential women who have made significant contributions towards enriching the lives of women and families in DC.
- When: Wednesday, March 13 @ 6:00 p.m.
- Where: THEARC (1901 Mississippi Avenue SE)
- Register to attend HERE.
Learn more about upcoming Women?s History Month events HERE.
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 There?s still time to apply for the Mayor Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program for District youth ages 14 to 24. Young people interested in gaining work experience over the summer should apply at summerjobs.dc.gov by Wednesday, March 6.
Employers interested in hosting District youth should apply to participate by June 1.?
For over four decades, MBSYEP has employed thousands of District youth in summer jobs that provide them with both income and critical work experience.?
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 Join Mayor Bowser and the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development for the annual March Madness event.
March Madness is the District?s annual economic development showcase and pre-solicitation event that highlights projects soon to be available to the District?s development community.
- When: Wednesday, March 13 @ 10:00 a.m.
- Where: Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center (1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW)
- RSVP to attend at obviouslydc.com/March13
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 The Office of Out of School Time Grants and Youth Outcomes (OST) invites parents and families of school-aged youth to the second annual ?Summer in the City.? The Summer in the City event allows families to connect with government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and community-based organizations to learn more about summer programs available for students.
The event will connect children, youth, and families to summer programming, internships, and employment opportunities available to school-aged youth in Grades K through 12. In 2023, the Summer in the City event connected 250 families with summer programming opportunities.
- When: Saturday, April 6 @ 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
- Where: Raymond Elementary School
- Register to attend HERE
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 There are plenty of reasons to #BeDowntown during the month of March, including the following free events:
Women?s History Month Festival: This family-friendly event will offer residents the chance to view the newest portraits of Oprah, Beyonc?, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, and other inspiring women. There will be a celebration that will include performances by the Washington Ballet, and workshops, art activities, spotlight talks, scavenger hunts, and story times. ?
- When: Saturday, March 9 @ 11:30 a.m. ? 3:00 p.m.
- Where: National Portrait Gallery (800 G Street Northwest)
- Register to attend the festival HERE.
National Cherry Blossom Festival: Later this month, head to the annual National Cherry Blossom Festival, which brings four weeks of fun, food, culture, and entertainment to the National Mall. Each year, the festival marks the beginning of spring in the nation?s capital and attracts more than 1.5 million people to the District. At the heart of the festival is the blooming of 3,000 cherry blossom trees along the Tidal Basin. This year, peak bloom is expected to call between March 23 and March 26.?
- When: Wednesday, March 20-Sunday, April 14
- Where: National Mall
- For more information about the National Cherry Blossom Festival, visit nationalcherryblossomfestival.org
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