DC Ward 1 Member of the Council Choose 5
Ward 1 Member of the Council of the District of ColumbiaDuties: Represents citizens from Ward 1The Council’s central role is to make laws for D.C. It is also the chief policy-making body for the city. In addition, Councilmembers' responsibilities include oversight of multiple agencies, commissions, boards and other entities of District government and responding to constituents’ concerns. (source: https://dccouncil.us)Term: 4 yearsAnnual Salary: $115,000 (approximately) source: Code of the District of Columbia § 1–611.09
Biographical Information
Campaign Email
jcrannitch53@gmail.com
Education
Studied art history, Music and ballet.
Qualifications
Performing artist/ arts instructor.
Website
in process
What are your top 2 priorities and how will you accomplish them?
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.
Should DC be admitted to the union as a state? Yes or No? *If yes, what immediate plans should be made, and actions taken, to begin preparing DC for statehood? *If no, what is your plan for achieving full voting rights for DC?
Yes. Provide funding for the Statehoid delegation.
How do you propose to increase housing for our most vulnerable residents?
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.
What do you see as the root causes of crime in DC? What policies would you propose to address the issues?
Lack of autonomy and self determination.
Strengthen communities through intercultural intergenerational activities that break down prevalent alienation, aggression and depression.
What are your ideas for improving outcomes for youth in the justice system?
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.
Is it important to use this job to protect our rights and keep Congress and the President out of our local government business?
Very unimportant
Somewhat unimportant
Neither important nor unimportant
Somewhat important
Very important
What are four things you will do to help DC residents now in prison and those who are returning home?
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.
Biographical Information
What are your top 2 priorities and how will you accomplish them?
Candidate has not yet responded.
Should DC be admitted to the union as a state? Yes or No? *If yes, what immediate plans should be made, and actions taken, to begin preparing DC for statehood? *If no, what is your plan for achieving full voting rights for DC?
Candidate has not yet responded.
How do you propose to increase housing for our most vulnerable residents?
Candidate has not yet responded.
What do you see as the root causes of crime in DC? What policies would you propose to address the issues?
Candidate has not yet responded.
What are your ideas for improving outcomes for youth in the justice system?
Candidate has not yet responded.
Is it important to use this job to protect our rights and keep Congress and the President out of our local government business?
Candidate has not yet responded.
What are four things you will do to help DC residents now in prison and those who are returning home?
Candidate has not yet responded.
Biographical Information
What are your top 2 priorities and how will you accomplish them?
Candidate has not yet responded.
Should DC be admitted to the union as a state? Yes or No? *If yes, what immediate plans should be made, and actions taken, to begin preparing DC for statehood? *If no, what is your plan for achieving full voting rights for DC?
Candidate has not yet responded.
How do you propose to increase housing for our most vulnerable residents?
Candidate has not yet responded.
What do you see as the root causes of crime in DC? What policies would you propose to address the issues?
Candidate has not yet responded.
What are your ideas for improving outcomes for youth in the justice system?
Candidate has not yet responded.
Is it important to use this job to protect our rights and keep Congress and the President out of our local government business?
Candidate has not yet responded.
What are four things you will do to help DC residents now in prison and those who are returning home?
Candidate has not yet responded.
Biographical Information
Campaign Email
info@aparnafordc.com
Education
Bachelors Degree, Vanderbilt University
Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/aparnafordc/
Campaign Twitter Handle
@aparnafordc
Campaign YouTube URL
http://www.youtube.com/@AparnaForDC
Website
aparnafordc.com
What are your top 2 priorities and how will you accomplish them?
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.
Should DC be admitted to the union as a state? Yes or No? *If yes, what immediate plans should be made, and actions taken, to begin preparing DC for statehood? *If no, what is your plan for achieving full voting rights for DC?
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.
How do you propose to increase housing for our most vulnerable residents?
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.
What do you see as the root causes of crime in DC? What policies would you propose to address the issues?
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.
What are your ideas for improving outcomes for youth in the justice system?
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.
Is it important to use this job to protect our rights and keep Congress and the President out of our local government business?
Very unimportant
Somewhat unimportant
Neither important nor unimportant
Somewhat important
Very important
What are four things you will do to help DC residents now in prison and those who are returning home?
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.