By Megan Sayles
AFRO Staff Writer
msayles@afro.com

The Washington Informer teamed up with the D.C. Democratic Party (DC Dems), the Washington Association of Black Journalists (WABJ), the Greater Washington Black Chamber of Commerce (GWBCC) and the Greater Washington Urban League (GWUL) to host a debate for delegate and mayoral candidates in D.C. on May 2. 

The debate covered critical issues, including housing affordability and displacement, education outcomes and economic equity. 

Mayoral candidates debate how to balance growth with equity 

The mayoral candidates included Councilman Vincent Orange, Councilwoman Janeese Lewis George, Gary Goodweather, Rini Sampath, and former at-large Councilman Kenyan R. McDuffie. 

Each drew clear distinction on how to balance economic growth with equity, particularly when it comes to housing education and access to opportunity for D.C. residents. 

On economic policy and business investment, candidates debated whether the city’s challenges stem from revenue or how funds are managed. Sampath emphasized the need to grow the tax base by supporting businesses, arguing that social programs depend on economic strength. 

“We need to be attracting businesses to Washington,” said Sampath. “We need to make sure it’s easier for them to thrive.” 

Goodweather pointed to inefficiencies in city spending, proposing the creation of an equity map to track investments in D.C. residents and businesses.  

“We’ve increased our budget 70 percent over the past seven years. Our economy is down 8.5 percent,” said Goodweather. “We need to take a look at the budget and double down on the services that are working. For the ones that aren’t, we need to reallocate those dollars somewhere else.” 

Lewis George framed economic growth and affordability as interconnected, arguing that stabilizing residents ultimately benefits businesses.  

“What we do is we set up a system in which we allow people to be able to afford to live here,” said Lewis George. “When people can afford child care, housing, groceries and utilities that means those people are going to patronize our businesses.” 

Education also emerged as a key issue. All candidates said they would keep mayoral control over D.C. Public Schools. 

McDuffie emphasized improving the quality of schools and workforce pathways. 

“We’re going to address overcrowded schools West of the park by making better quality schools East of the park,” said McDuffie. “We’re going to make sure we focus on early literacy, trades and apprenticeships for our middle school students— giving them early access to jobs that are being created in projects across the District.”

Lewis George highlighted the need for stronger oversight and student engagement, particularly around attendance. 

“I will also be addressing chronic absenteeism because if our students aren’t in school, we can’t close the literacy and math gap at all,” said Lewis George. 

Orange proposed making the University of the District of Columbia tuition-free and doubled down on greater investment in workforce development for students. 

“I will make sure that every agency in the District of Columbia has a paid youth apprenticeship program upon graduation from high school to make sure that our young people have health benefits, retirement benefits and entry level jobs and they will grow with the District of Columbia,” said Orange. 

On housing and displacement, particularly around the planned redevelopment of the RFK Stadium site, candidates offered competing visions for ensuring longtime residents can remain in their communities. 

Orange called for deeper affordability thresholds and community input. 

“I’m not talking about 80 percent of the area median income, I’m down at 40 or 50 percent of the area median income,”  said Orange. 

Sampath stressed the need for stronger planning and renter protections, noting that of the 6,000 homes being developed under the project, only 30 percent are affordable.

“We need to make sure we’re protecting our renters rights in that region,” said Sampath. “Under my administration, we will have an equity plan that names exactly how we will do that.” 

Delegate hopefuls outline priorities for statehood, housing and economy  

D.C. delegate candidates are vying to succeed longtime D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, who announced her retirement in January after more than three decades in Congress. 

They include: Kinney Zalesne, former White House fellow, Councilman Robert White, Trent Holbrook, former senior legislative counsel to Norton; Greg Jaczko, former chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission; and Councilwoman Brooke Pinto. 

On the question of D.C. statehood, White and Holbrook argued that it’s the right moment to finally push the decades-long effort across the finish line. 

“People are hungry for a leader that can direct our energy and resources. I’m going to be that leader and build on top of what Congresswoman Norton did,” said White. “This is our time to get statehood.”

Zalesne, meanwhile, emphasized that advancing D.C.’s priorities will require broadening the city’s coalition of political allies and rethinking its economic strategy. 

“We need to rethink our economy,” said Zalesne. “That wasn’t true for most of her leadership, but it is now because we’ve had a full frontal assault on our economy by this administration, and we need someone with business experience.” 

Pinto also focused on economic transformation, particularly as it relates to adapting to emerging industries. 

“I think the biggest difference we need to lean into is accepting new industries to come here,” said Pinto. “We are in an AI revolution, and if we don’t get this right and properly regulate it to keep residents safe, we’re going to miss the boat and wish we had done it sooner.” 

On housing affordability, candidates largely agreed the crisis requires both federal intervention and local accountability. White argued for expanding federal involvement through land transfers to the District to support affordable housing development. Holbrook proposed reviving and adjusting a first-time homebuyers tax credit and increasing funding for public housing vouchers. 

Jaczko emphasized expanding access to credit and restoring programs aimed at helping first-time buyers. 

“One of the programs that’s been severely decimated by the Trump administration is an opportunity for alternative credit programs to allow people who may not have significant credit history to afford a home and to buy a home,” said Jaczko. “That’s an area that I will specifically focus on working to reestablish that program.” 

Pinto highlighted her “Breaking Ground D.C.” plan, which includes repealing the federal Height Act and building housing above transit corridors and making rent tax-deductible.  

Job displacement and the future of the federal workforce also emerged as a central concern, particularly amid federal layoffs and broader workforce reductions affecting Black and low-income communities. 

Pinto argued that the next delegate must focus on both protecting federal workers and helping them transition into new careers. 

“It is imperative that our congressional delegate is strong on supporting our federal workforce and on helping people upskill and learn other skills to be part of the economy in other places if they have lost their job,” said Pinto. 

Zalense tied these shifts to the erosion of the Black middle class in D.C. 

“The DOGE program was not about efficiency. We know that. It was about destroying the Black middle class, and we have got to take that personally,” said Zalense. “We have got to be outraged, and we’ve got to fight for those jobs to come back in a Democratic administration.

WASHINGTON (7News) — If you’ve got plans around D.C., Maryland, or Northern Virginia this weekend, you’ll want to stay flexible.

The forecast brings a mix of warm temperatures, sunshine, and a few rounds of showers and storms—especially Saturday and late Sunday.

Here’s a simple, hour-by-hour style breakdown so you can plan ahead.

Saturday: Warm Front, Clouds, and Spotty Storms

Morning (6 AM – 12 PM)

Mostly cloudy to start

A few early showers possible, especially toward the MD/PA border

Temperatures climbing through the 60s into the low 70s

What’s happening: A warm front is lifting north, bringing in milder air.

Afternoon (12 PM – 5 PM)

Highs reach the mid-70s

Clouds may break at times

Scattered showers and thunderstorms develop

Storm window: 2 PM – 7 PM

About a 50% chance of rain

Severe risk is low, but not zero

Possible:

Brief heavy downpours

Gusty winds

Maybe even small hail in isolated spots

Good news: Not everyone sees rain—but keep an eye on the sky.

Evening & Night (After 7 PM)

Storm chances linger early, then fade

Skies turn partly cloudy overnight

Lows drop to the mid-50s

Winds become light

Most of the night should be quiet and comfortable.

Sunday: The Pick of the Weekend

Morning

Dry and pleasant

A mix of sun and clouds early

Afternoon

Sunny and warmer

Highs in the low 80s

Light southwest breeze

This is your best outdoor day—great for parks, brunch, or yard work.

Sunday Night (After Midnight)

Clouds increase

Showers likely after midnight (70% chance)

Lows in the mid-50s

Winds shift from the north

Rain becomes more steady and widespread overnight

Looking Ahead (Late Sunday into Monday)

A cold front approaches from the northwest

Best chance for rain: Sunday night → Monday morning

Rainfall totals:

Generally 0.10″ to 0.25″

Locally higher in spots

Storms are possible, but:

Limited instability

Severe weather risk remains low

Weekend Planning Tips

Saturday:

Keep plans flexible—have a backup indoor option in the afternoon

Sunday:

Get outside early—it’s the best weather window

Sunday night:

Expect rain if you’re out late or traveling

The Big Picture

This weekend is part of a warming trend, with temperatures climbing from the 70s into the 80s. But with that warmth comes multiple chances for showers and storms, especially as weather fronts move through the region.

This weekend compared too next

CONTENT WARNING: This story contains content that may be uncomfortable to some readers. Discretion is advised.

WASHINGTON (7News) — A mother said she learned her 13-year-old daughter was sexually abused in a D.C. school when a detective contacted her a week after it happened. She said the school never notified her.

7News sat down with the mother on Friday, while her daughter was being evaluated and interviewed by detectives. We’re not sharing the mom’s identity to protect her daughter.

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The mom said she got a call Sunday night, “regarding my daughter and a sexual assault that happened at school involving my daughter last Monday.”

However, it didn’t come from the place or people she said she counted on.

“I never got a phone call from the school, an email, a text, nothing to say,” said the mom. Nothing happened until a week later.

That’s when a detective called and told her what happened.

“She was forced to give oral sex to a student in school,” said the mom.

Her 13-year-old daughter is disabled, autistic, and has challenges communicating.

The mom said she was sending her daughter to school without knowing what happened.

“I noticed a little behavior, emotional changes,” said the mom. “When I got that call now, it makes sense to, you know, what you because of what she had experienced at school and to come home and she didn’t say anything or no one had called me and just like it breaks my heart.”

7News obtained a copy of the police report, which confirms the youth investigative branch is investigating what happened to her daughter as sexual abuse. It shows that a Kelly Miller Middle School social worker reported it to the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) last week.

“I just hope that I can be able to get her back on the right track. From all the trauma, on top of trauma,” said the mom. “To be able to grow and not have to hold that in the back of her head that she experienced in school, which should have been her safe place.”

7News started reaching out to DCPS just after 12:30 p.m. to ask if the students suspected of the abuse have been removed from the school, and why parents wouldn’t have been notified about the incident. They did not get back to us until after our first report aired. They did not answer either question. They provided the following statement.

A district spokesperson provided this statement:

At DC Public Schools (DCPS), student safety and wellbeing are paramount, and the district treats any allegation of sexual misconduct with the utmost seriousness. DCPS will continue to cooperate with law enforcement as this matter is investigated.

In accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and our obligation to maintain student confidentiality, we are unable to provide comment on individual student cases.

If you or someone you know is a victim of sexual assault or abuse, the National Sexual Assault Hotline can be accessed by calling 1-800-656-4673.