Dear friend.
A majority of D.C. City Council just sold out Black residents to the wealthy restaurant industry. Every majority Black ward in the city voted in favor of Initiative 77, which would have provided a living wage to tipped workers - who are disproportionately Black and low income. It passed as a ballot initiative in the district by an overwhelming 10-point margin, but the D.C. Council chose to listen to restaurant industry lobbyists instead of voters, and overturned the election results.1
Color Of Change and our coalition partners fought back against this Jim Crow act of voter nullification. From taking out ads in newspapers across the district, to testifying before the Council for over 12 hours, to delivering petitions and gathering comments from thousands of tipped workers and their families describing what an increased wage could mean for them in a rapidly gentrifying city, we built organizing power among low-wage communities in D.C. and planted the seeds for progressive change.
Color Of Change doesn’t shy away from difficult fights. We know that the road to fair and just wages in DC, is long, but we will continue to stand with Black workers until one fair wage is a reality for all. We know that every fight is an opportunity to emphasize the issues and voices that matter to Black communities.
We may not have the outcome we wanted in D.C., but we’re just getting started. We’re working with low-wage workers in DC and all across the country to fight for a living wage, and increased protections so that workers can be free from harassment and have safe working conditions. This is the only way we’re going to see the systemic change we want, but it’s not going to happen overnight. We need your support to help us continue this fight.
Until justice is real,
Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Jade, Evan, Johnny, Future, Corina, Chad, Mary, Saréya, Angela, Eesha, Samantha, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References :
- "It’s official : D.C. Council has repealed Initiative 77, which would have raised pay for tipped workers", Washington Post, 16 October 2018 https://act.colorofchange.org/go/99985?t=7&akid=19490%2E1942551%2EcvrI2y
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
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