Education
Studied art history, Music and ballet.
Qualifications
Performing artist/ arts instructor.
Website
in process
Self determinstion and autonomy through DC Statehood and the eradication of the multiple levels of racial disparities that along with envitonmental toxins plague the district. I intend to achieve both objectives by advocating for a participatory democracy utilizing the inherent skills, talents and goodwill of the DC community.
Yes. Provide funding for the Statehoid delegation.
Promote legislation recognizing housing as a human right. Provide more social service resources and oversight and collaborate with ANCs and Community village resources to look out for and assist in the well being of our more vulnerable residents.
Lack of autonomy and self determination.
Strengthen communities through intercultural intergenerational activities that break down prevalent alienation, aggression and depression.
Provide alternative programs, activites to incarceration. Listen to the youth and include strategies and remedies which they contribute to along with intergenerational support and collaboration.
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Provide them with jobs, training and therapy in a city developong into an arts state affirming access to training in an arts economy as a means of constructively reentering society with a renewed sense of purpose.
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Education
Bachelors Degree, Vanderbilt University
Website
aparnafordc.com
As Ward 1 Councilmember, my top two priorities will be making DC more affordable and defending our autonomy from a hostile federal government. To lower costs and make it easier for families to make ends meet in the District, I will work to expand rent control to cover more buildings, guarantee free universal childcare and protect the Pay Equity Fund, raise the minimum wage, and end the sub-minimum wage for tipped workers. To protect our communities from federal overreach, I will fight to close loopholes in the Sanctuary Values Act, establish an immigration public defender program, and end MPD collaboration with ICE so all residents can live safely and without fear.
Yes, I firmly believe DC should be a state. This past year has reinforced how desperately we need statehood, and as Councilmember, fighting for Statehood and defending Home Rule will be top priorities. The District already has the infrastructure to self-govern, and statehood would expand our ability to build a stronger, more just, and more affordable DC. To win statehood and protect our autonomy, I will partner closely with our Congressional delegation to lobby Congress and ensure DC’s interests are represented, while partnering with networks I have developed with national organizations like Working Families Party to make Statehood a priority for local, state, and federal lawmakers, and their constituents, from across the country.
Every person in DC deserves an affordable, safe, and dignified place to live. As a renter and tenant organizer, I have seen that for too many, that life is out of reach - rents are too high, older buildings need investment, and exclusionary zoning laws have kept DC from building the housing our population needs. To build more housing, I will fight to end exclusionary zoning to allow for multifamily buildings in every neighborhood, encourage higher density along transit corridors, and streamline our permitting process. To make sure rents are affordable, I will fight to expand rent control, invest in tools like the Housing Production Trust Fund, and work to ensure we adequately fund our voucher programs for targeted, deep affordability.
Crime in DC is driven by disinvestment, poverty, and lack of access to stable housing, jobs, and care. The safest communities are the ones with the most resources, so I will fight to equitably invest public resources across Ward 1 and the District - making sure every neighborhood has quality schools, dignified housing, good union jobs, and equal access to quality public services. To address root causes, I will expand violence interrupter programs in neighborhood hot spots, strengthen youth and workforce opportunities, and invest in housing stability. I will also work to fix our emergency response system, fund mental health and substance use first responders, and expand victim services to break cycles of violence and build lasting safety.
Improving outcomes for justice-involved youth starts with prevention and support. I will fight to ensure families have all they need to thrive to set youth up for success. I will work to make sure every school has mental health counselors, nurses, and after school programs. I will push to end pretrial detention for youth, oppose curfews that criminalize young people, especially youth of color, and invest in community alternatives. For youth in the care of DYRS, I will ensure access to quality education, nutritious food, and wraparound services like mental health care and job training. We should treat young people with dignity and provide real pathways to stability and success, not send the message their lives are over before they begin.
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For incarcerated DC residents, I will ensure DC Jail is safe and habitable by addressing dangerous conditions, understaffing, and poor health outcomes through a mix of budget intervention and rigorous oversight. I will also work to expand opportunity by investing in workforce development, education, and wraparound supports during for people currently incarcerated.
For those returning home, I will partner with the Mayor’s Office on Returning Citizens’ Affairs to ensure programs supporting these residents are fully funded and effective. I will also expand housing and job access by growing voucher programs, working to end housing discrimination, and investing in reentry-focused workforce development so returning residents can rebuild stable, dignified lives.
