On Sunday at 10 a.m. about 30 DC kids sang their version of Last Week Tonight’s States’ song, from the August 2, 2015 show at the East Front Capitol. Apart from the kids and their parents the happy crowd included Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, Shadow Senators Michael D. Brown and Paul Strauss, and Miss District of Columbia 2015, Haely Jardas. We were also happy to see several activists for DC Statehood in the crowd, such as Josh Burch and Keith Ivey, whose work we have been following and whose efforts have been key to bringing attention DC’s statehood. You can read Burch’s moving testimony, where he outlines why statehood is important, by clicking the link.
A very special thanks to Roll Call, WTOP, FOX 5, Washington City Paper, NBC Washington, Inside Sources, DCist, PoPVille, DC Focused, HuffPost DC, Washington Informer, Demotix photos and HillNow for covering our event. In addition, organizer and choir leader Mike Showalter and I also talked to Shadow Senator Brown during his radio show, Shadow Politics. You can listen to the broadcast by clicking the link.
While we would like to think that this event was very successful (as well as very adorable), it is by no means an isolated effort. One of the hardest things we have to overcome is the lack of awareness and caring on the part of the rest of the country, as well as the transient population in the District– largely unaffected by their lack of representation as they are usually in allegiance to their home state throughout their stay in DC.
Fellow organizer Tim Krepp says it best: “Most residents are not activists, and don’t feel comfortable at traditional political rallies, so events like these are critical in expanding past the conversation beyond the usual suspects. We’re going to need exponentially more Washingtonians involved if we want to break through the apathy the rest of America has towards our cause. This is one small step on that journey.”
Did you miss it? Watch our extremely adorable video above!
The #SingFreeorDie group, bringing adorable awareness of a most grievous injustice. Photo by Aurora Lutty.