ARTURO
GRIFFITHS

DC Statehood Green Party

UNITY, DIVERSITY, and a VOICE for all DC Residents

CITY COUNCIL AT-LARGE

Arturo Griffiths was born in Panama and immigrated to Washington, DC in 1964. A 30-year resident of the District, Arturo has been a long-time activist in youth organizations, and helped found the Latin American Youth Center. He was elected President of the Latin American Festival for three years. As a community activist and labor organizer, Arturo planned and coordinated the Citywide Multicultural Leadership Summit in 1992. Most recently, he has been working to build a citywide grassroots healthcare advocacy organization called Healthcare Now. He is also organizing with the Coalition for Housing Justice, to stop evictions in Columbia Heights and throughout the city, and to ensure increased access to affordable housing.

A VOICE for all DC Residents...

Build Democracy and Participation of Residents in all Levels of Governance -- The city should foster organizing among communities, tenants, workers, and youth, so that people can truly participate in decision-making processes. ANCs should have more resources and staff so they can better help their communities carry out neighborhood planning and economic development.

Attain Statehood for the District -- DC must attain statehood so that residents truly have local authority, complete autonomy over the DC budget, full Congressional representation, and no more federal interference.

Give a Voice to Underrepresented Communities -- Latinos, immigrants, and others need a voice on the City Council. The Council needs a member who will build bridges across all the diverse communities of the District, to build a coalition that will improve living conditions for all residents.

Restore the Elected School Board -- The elected school board is a vital democratic institution that must not be weakened or eliminated. All parents must have meaningful participation in the issues that affect their children's education. Funding should be provided to encourage stronger parental involvement in the schools .

... and INVESTMENT in our Communities

Create Living Wage Jobs -- We must increase the number of jobs that pay living wages with health benefits, provide training that prepares residents for jobs in growing sectors of our regional economy, and strengthen our transportation networks so that DC residents can get to these jobs. Workers must have the right to organize and form unions. We must work together to improve city services, rather than privatize them.

Increase Supply of Affordable, Decent Housing -- We must develop comprehensive housing plans to stabilize gentrifying neighborhoods so that housing remains affordable to a diverse, mixed-income community. Existing District laws that protect tenants need to be enforced, and our rent control laws need to be expanded.

Expand Health Coverage and Quality Care -- Uninsured District residents need access to quality health care, through improved capacity of health clinics, stable support for the Public Benefits Corporation, and resident participation in all aspects of health care policy and planning.

Improve Educational, Recreational and Job Opportunities for Youth - Training and recreational opportunities should be expanded for youth, and every youth should have access to a summer job. District teachers and schools need greater resources, and schools should be transformed into 24-hour community centers, that serve the many needs of their residents.

Paid for by the Committee to Elect Arturo Griffiths -- Lisa Ranghelli, Treasurer

Call (202) 736-1700 for more information about the campaign. Contributions may be sent to "'The Committee to Elect Arturo Griffiths," c/o L. Ranghelli, 2022 Columbia Rd NW, Apt 407, Washington, DC 20009.

Others in DC Statehood Green Party Slate: TOM BRIGGS for Ward 2 Member of Council · RENEE BOWSER for Ward 4 Member of Council · THOMAS E. SMITH for At-Large Member of the DC Board of Education · MARTIN THOMAS for DC "Shadow" Representative · RALPH NADER for President