The 51st recently held a happy hour, both to toast the summer and kick off our new crowdfunding campaign. (We're raising money to hire Christina and Martin!) In between sips of craft beer in the Heurich House Garden, our readers were able to mingle with each other and members of our team.
As a community connector for Ward 7, it's been a blast talking to my fellow Ward 7 residents about how they feel about their city, their leadership, and their neighborhood – but I also love connecting with residents from all corners of D.C. At the happy hour, I had the opportunity to ask attendees two big questions that have always been on my mind.
If you were the mayor of the city, what’s the first thing you’d do?
What's one thing you love about the District?
With a final vote on D.C.’s 2026 budget looming, I wanted to see what residents would do if they had the power to decide how the city's dollars were spent. And given the political upheaval over the past several months – from federal layoffs, to the RFK deal, to constant threats on D.C.’s autonomy from Capitol Hill – I also wanted to know what my neighbors love about this complex city.
While responses ran the gamut, a few consistent themes emerged in my conversations.
(George Kevin Jordan)
Several people wanted faster, better transit service — and now. Others said if they were mayor, they'd focus on affordable housing, whether by nixing single-family zoning or lowering or freezing rents. More hypothetical mayoral actions included strengthening D.C.'s status as a sanctuary city, winning D.C. statehood, and taxing the rich. (Plus, one kind 51st fan wanted to make us the official "paper" of the city.)
When it comes to what residents love about the District, it's the people. The diverse population and the array of languages and cultures across D.C. came up frequently as folks reflected on what makes this place special. Green spaces like Rock Creek Park also received some shout-outs, in addition to the Metro.
(George Kevin Jordan)
We know this isn't an official survey, but it does offer an important peek into how residents and our readers see their city, flaws and all. We still want to hear from you: If you were mayor, what would you do on your first day in office? And what do you love about the city?
Let us know in the comments or reach me at communityconnector@51st.news
George Kevin Jordan is a freelance writer, editor, and author with more than 25 years of experience. He currently lives in Ward 7, and is still discovering new things about the District.
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