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Continuing the Fight for D.C. Statehood

December 30, 2025

Washington D.C. residents and activists are intensifying their push for statehood and home rule protection following President Trump's temporary federal takeover of the city's police department and other actions that diminished local autonomy. Community leaders are developing multiple strategies for 2026, including legislative pressure, grassroots mobilization, and cultural campaigns to raise national awareness about D.C.'s lack of self-governance. Activists emphasize the urgency of building community-based support systems as the district faces anticipated federal budget cuts and continued challenges to its limited autonomy.

Who is affected

  • D.C. residents (over 700,000 Washingtonians)
  • Rep. Oye Owolewa (D-D.C.)
  • Kelsye Adams and the organizations Free DC and Long Live Go-Go
  • Ty Hobson-Powell, activist and author
  • Metropolitan Police Department (subject to federal takeover)
  • Black communities in D.C. specifically mentioned regarding self-governance
  • Activists and organizations working on D.C. statehood

What action is being taken

  • Free DC is organizing rapid-response infrastructure, mass mobilization, and political education to block congressional attacks
  • Long Live GoGo is activating spaces like Art Basel to promote Go-Go culture and connect it to statehood demands
  • Community leaders are creating community-based structures to act as supportive infrastructure

Why it matters

  • This matters because over 700,000 D.C. residents lack full democratic representation and self-governance despite paying federal taxes. The recent federal interventions—including the police department takeover, removal of Black Lives Matter Plaza, and efforts to overturn the 1973 Home Rule Act—demonstrate the district's vulnerability to authoritarian federal overreach. The situation highlights fundamental questions about democratic representation, racial equity (particularly for Black self-governance), and whether American citizens should be subject to laws without having voting representation in Congress.

What's next

  • Rep. Owolewa will continue fighting for D.C. statehood in 2026 by galvanizing energy and ensuring congressional supporters introduce D.C. Admissions legislation
  • Rep. Owolewa plans to work with activists, organizations, and social media influencers to broadcast the statehood fight nationally
  • Long Live GoGo will carry D.C. culture from U Street to Miami in 2026

Read full article from source: The Washington Informer

Continuing the Fight for D.C. Statehood