This is the fifth in a series of guest posts by Sandra Moscoso, featuring a few of Capitol Hill’s sheroes — remarkable women — in honor of Women’s History Month. Today’s post features Barbara Rielhe. Previous posts featured Heather Schoell, Laurie Siegel, Barbara Percival and Julia Christian.
Barbara Rielhe: Education devotee, community champion, voice of reason. Barbara’s career in education policy was inspired by her involvement in DCPS. Twenty years ago, her daughter Anna was among the first class of three year olds to enter the Montessori program at Watkins – brother Peter followed later and both are Capitol Hill Cluster School alumni. An active member of the Capitol Hill Public School Parents Organization (CHPSPO), Barbara recognizes that her children “have gotten so much from this really rich (and unexpected) public school experience. “ She would like as many people as possible to know about “the good stuff going on” and hopes more families will also benefit. Barbara (and her husband Thom) started the Eastern Market Metro Community Association (EMMCA) in July 2008 when a town square was proposed for the space near her home. She says “I love Eastern Market, I love the incredible feeling of community with neighbors, I love that you can walk everywhere.” A group of now almost 100, “the EMMCA idea is to give a voice to people in the neighborhood who haven’t had one before.” Who are Barbara’s sheroes? Janice Gordon, fellow activist and co-founder of the Holy Comforter – St. Cyprian Community Action Group (CAG); fellow education devotees Suzanne Wells and Sherry Trafford; and Waduda Henderson, Montessori educator, and in Barbara’s words, “a second mother to my children.”