Coalition for Voter Empowerment

A coalition of six civic associations of the West End of Ward 5 in Washington, D.C. - Established 2006
Co-Founders: Jim Berry, Bertha Holliday (Name the Others)

Bates, Bloomingdale O Eckington, Edgewood V Hanover and

Stronghold

http://ward5cove.blogspot.com First of Thursday Forums with the Candidates Thursday, March 22 through May 3, 2012 McKinley Technology High School 151 Todd, Place, NE Room 150 Washington, DC 20002

INTRODUCTION COVE was established in 2006 as a neighborhood coalition to empower and to educate the citizens of Ward 5 within the said civic association boundaries, who were otherwise left out of major outreach and educational opportunities about the mayoral and Ward 5 Council electoral process. Tonight introducing the re-launching of the COVE series of seven forums is Bertha Holliday, a Ward 5 citizen since 1989 and Co-founder of COVE, professionally, she is a Psychologist, currently practicing. Ms. Holliday states the primary focus of Cove is to increase our political visibility and to educate our candidates of some of the unique factors of the West End of Ward 5 For example: We dont live in houses setting on quarter acre lots, which mean when problems or disputes arise, we dont have the privilege of being able to ignore them and hide Most of us live in attached row houses on a block that might include up to 100 other households and when problems arise they are in our face most of us live. CHALLENGES Changing demographics that create multiple/complex concerns that vary from race, culture, social class, sexual orientation, marital status, family composition, income/wealth, age, and length or residency Need to develop a language of diversity To develop skills in thinking and behavior that promotes sustainable resolutions in diverse contents Learn how to pose questions and frame initiatives that do not generate profound divisions, but learn to give our neighbors, and community organizations and institutions (even with flaws and shortcomings) due respect to based upon their strength Learn to seek common ground

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GOALS The Coalition is an Agreement between the six civic associations designed to Educate, Promote Unity, Empower, Increase Political Responsiveness, and to Build More Beautiful, Safer, More Economically Viable Community, this is the primary focus of COVE. Final Product and Outcome One of the tools and goals of COVE is the utilization of the COVE Report (to be developed from transcription of each of the candidates forums), which will be disseminated throughout the West End of Ward 5 communities by each civic association; and a second tool is the use of the COVE survey, that allows the audience to provide feedback on the overall forum and the candidates response. All candidates have been invited to participate in these forums; each of the candidates will be asked a series of the same questions. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS/Sponsors Coalition of West-end Civic Association Presidents Bates Geovani Bonili Bloomingdale- Teri J. Quinn Eckington Kim Mosley Edgewood Michael Mike Clark, Sr. anover Sylvia Matthews Stronghold Ann Brooks Other Volunteer Members Jim Berry COVE Co-Founder Robert Brannum Rashidi Christian Donetta Clark Michael Clark, Sr. Timothy Clark William Clark Charlene McCullers Patricia Mitchell Scott Roberts Bradley Thomas Kirby Vinney FUNDERS/DONORS Each west-end civic association Au Bon Pain Frank Braxton Rashidi Christian Columbia Enterprises Yangs Market
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McKinley Technology High and C.A.P.C.S. Public Charter Schools for Facilities Use and Staff

Establishment of Rules of Orders and Introduction monitored by a Timekeeper Audience questions will be handled by utilizing cards provided in advance, several random questions will be chosen from the sum of the cards and asked the candidate The audience is asked not to speak out The audience Q&A will last approximately 15 minutes toward the end. The entire forum will be recorded for play back at a later time for those who are unable to present, therefore the candidate is asked to speak loudly and with clarity.

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