Statehood Green Party Candidates and Supporters Join Neighborhood
Rally to Reopen Anacostia Public Library
THE D.C. STATEHOOD GREEN PARTY
http://www.dcstatehoodgreen.org
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Contact:
Scott McLarty, DC Statehood Green Party Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624,
mclarty@greens.org
Chris Otten, candidate for Mayor of Washington, D.C., 202-234-7075, chrisotten2@yahoo.com
Mayoral candidate Chris Otten helps organize the rally; Statehood Greens demand opening of
closed libraries and full funding for libraries throughout D.C.
WASHINGTON, DC -- D.C. Statehood Green Party candidates and members will join Anacostia
residents at a public rally on Thursday, August 31, to reopen Anacostia Public Library. The
rally will take place 5:00 p.m to 7:30 p.m. at the library, 1800 Good Hope Road, SE, at the
corner of 18th & Good Hope.
Statehood Green mayoral candidate Chris Otten <http://www.mayorchrisdc.com>
has been working alongside the Residents Association of Marbury Plaza to organizing the rally.
"The leading Democrats should know that education doesn't just happen in our kid's schools," said
Mr. Otten. "Neighborhood libraries can again and must be strong centers of knowledge. Adults are
not getting literacy training at our schools. But they can and must have the chance to do that
at our libraries as it has been demonstrated that a great many of our neighbors are illiterate."
Anacostia Library has been shuttered since December, 2004, along with three other libraries:
Benning, Tenley, and Watha T. Daniel/Shaw. D.C. Public Library trustees terminated the contract
to rebuild the four libraries, citing rising construction costs after Hurricane Katrina and
calling the plans "not good enough." Library supporters have questioned the authority of
the Board of Library Trustees to cancel approved plans for which City Council had appropriated
funding, especially after more than $3 million dollars was spent.
Local residents also note that the Mayor and the City Council have never found it a priority to
make sure interim services are in place to continue to serve the needs of the Anacostia
neighborhood.
In Ward 7, Advisory Neighborhood Commission candidate and Statehood Green Party leader Rick
Tingling-Clemmons (ANC 7D05) is leading efforts to reopen the Benning Neighborhood Library.
"In Ward 7, the Central Northeast Civic Association and ANC 7D are on record in opposing
the closing of our library. We are outraged at the city leaders' failure to step forward to
preserve this vital community resource" said Mr. Tingling-Clemmons. "They interpreted our need
for relevant and up-to-date books, longer hours, upgraded electronic resources, and
well-trained staff for each library into their need for a new building."
Mr. Tingling-Clemmons, an adult educator, father, grandfather, and long-time community activist,
speculated that the libraries are closed "because there's more money in new buildings than in
library services to our residents!" He noted that there are plans for a rally at the Benning
Library in Ward 7, and that the closing of the library compromised one of the neighborhood's
safe places for youth, seniors, and others; halted an award-winning chess program; and closed
the neighborhood's voting station.
Joyce Robinson-Paul, Statehood Green candidate for U.S. Senator from the District of Columbia,
issued a statement calling for the reopening of the Watha Daniels library: "Many of the children
living near the Watha Daniels Library at 7th and Rhode Island Avenue, NW used this library to
complete homework assignments, utilizing the resource materials and computers. My
three older children stayed on the honor roll as a result of their many many hours at the above library. It
was also a meeting space for many community meetings over the years. The new library was
supposed to be completed this year and now we only have a vacant building"
"We demand all library personnel, all elected city officials, and the Mayor's office
immediately restart negotiations for the rebuilding of these community libraries. We ask
all voting citizens to reject any politician running in the upcoming elections
who will not support or current city officials who do not support, the rebuilding of these libraries
immediately. We also need to investigate, how $3 million dollars was spent," Ms. Robinson-Paul
added.
"It's never about us, its all about the money," Rick Tingling-Clemmons added.
Food and beverages will be served at the August 31 rally and keynote speakers will speak,
followed by an open mic.
The rally has been endorsed by Community Empowerment Operations, Parkland Community
Center, Empower DC, DC Library Renaissance Project, BetterDeal4DC Coalition, Pleasant Plains
Civic Association, DC Anti-War Network, Residents Association of Marbury Plaza, Operation Hope, and
Critical Resistance DC.
More information about the rally: Joy Pinkney, 202-889-7581,
joy@joynet1.com
MORE INFORMATION
The DC Statehood Green Party
http://www.dcstatehoodgreen.org
D.C. Library Renaissance Project
http://www.savedclibraries.org
