Image from Ork Posters.
Congress Heights On the Rise reader Ambergris wrote this “Open letter to DC media.”
In light of the recent shootings at 4000 South Capitol Street SE and 1300 Congress Place SE, it seems like the rest of the city is once more going to be given the impression that all of Southeast is the Wild West. One of the ways this idea is perpetuated is by referring to the entire area as “Southeast,” compounded, in this instance, by insisting that it is less than a mile between these two incidents.
This is plain wrong. Its 1.6 miles from 4000 South Capitol Street, SE, in the Washington Highlands neighborhood, to 1300 Congress Place, SE, in the Congress Heights neighborhood.
For those who need a Northwest orientation, this is about the same distance from the corner of 17th and U to Metro Center. If two incidents had occurred in those two locations, would the media be referring to all of Northwest as a free-fire zone? I don’t think so.
As someone who grew up in Northwest and now lives in Southeast, I shared the Northwest misapprehension that all of Southeast was also called “Anacostia,” and that one was taking one’s life into one’s hands crossing the eponymous river.
Now that I live here, I’m occasionally the neighborhood ambassador for taxi drivers who have to overcome their apprehension to give me a lift home. To make sure I don’t get put out of the cab, I usually direct them only to South Capitol Street by the stadium, and then gently guide them over the Douglass Bridge to my home. They are inevitably stunned at the new Giant, the IHOP, the houses — all the things that make my part of Southeast look like suburbia.
Taxi drivers should know the neighborhoods of the city they’re licensed to drive in. Journalists should know the same about the city they’re reporting on. So my gentle suggestion to DC journalists is to print out a Google map of Southeast DC, which helpfully names the neighborhoods, and take advantage of the lovely weather we’re having to take a drive around, familiarize yourself with which area is called what, until it is as familiar to you as the distinction between Adams Morgan and Columbia Heights, Woodley Park and Cleveland Park, and then start using those names in your reporting. At the least, it will lend accuracy to your reporting. It might even make it easier for me and the residents of Southeast to get a taxi home.
Cross-posted at Congress Heights On the Rise.
Top image: Image from Ork Posters.
Exterior of Mart Liquors, at Martin Luther King Jr. Ave and Malcolm X Ave.
Nikki Peele is one of the rising stars of the River East area, blogging about issues in that part of the city, especially her neighborhood of Congress Heights, at Congress Heights On the Rise. She will be sharing some of her thoughts with us here on Greater Greater Washington.
Regardless of one’s personal stance on the consumption of alcohol almost everyone can agree that there are entirely too many liquor stores in River East. Whether you live in Ward 7 or Ward 8, in Anacostia or Congress Heights, you can’t go three blocks without encountering a blighted yet busy liquor store.
As residents we have all complained about it. We all have at least one liquor store (if not more) in our community that is on this side of sleazy and not only brings negativity and blight to the community but exploits it.
For $2,600 almost anyone can get a Type A Retailers license (the liquor store license). Isn’t our community worth more than $2,600? The license fee is miniscule in comparison to liquor store profits but how many liquor stores are contributing (both financially and civically) back to the very community they are exploiting? I think it is safe to assume that the owners of most of these liquor stores (who do not reside in the same community in which they do business) are not living in a community with a rundown liquor store on every corner. We are allowing irresponsible liquor store owners to do in our community what they would not tolerate in theirs. Why should we?
We are looking for progress and change in our community in the form of family friendly and community contributing businesses and let’s be honest the neighborhood liquor store isn’t sufficient. Most Congress Heights and River East liquor stores in general are not only eyesores but are epicenters of trash, public drunkenness and crime. Oftentimes they exploit those at their weakest and most desperate.
It’s time that we as River East residents unite as a community and present a united front to finally put a stop to what has become an epidemic of blighted liquor stores in our communities. Some ANCs and neighborhoods have tried to fight the battle on their own but as residents and community activists everyone needs to be united as one collective body and start picking off these parasites one by one. We as concerned citizens need to make it clear that we will no longer tolerate outside forces coming into our community sucking out the already limited resources and leaving nothing but negativity in its wake. We are a community worthy of great things and great things we will have.
Top image: Exterior of Mart Liquors, at Martin Luther King Jr. Ave and Malcolm X Ave.