The 2020 ANC 4D candidates, in their own words
/Petworth News urges you to vote and wear a mask! (photo: Aryan Rodriguez Bocquet rocking the Vote mask.)
The Advisory Neighborhood Commissions (ANCs) are the first layer of political bodies in the District, with residents elected in non-partisan positions to represent approximately 2,000 constituents in a Single Member District (SMD). ANCs have no legislative authority, though their resolutions are to be given “great weight” by DC agencies. Their main job is to be a liaison between residents and DC government, help with 311 “quality of life” issues, ABRA alcohol licensing agreements, etc.
Some ANCs are really contentious, others work hard, and some others don’t do much. While some Commissioners and candidates who want to serve also fit the same descriptions, serving is one of the best ways to be involved in the community. Petworth News reached out to every candidate running for an ANC 4C and 4D seat in 2020, and 19 of the 25 candidates responded. One candidate withdrew. Here are their responses with no editing, published as-is.
ANC 4D has 6 single member districts, one of which has no candidate running for the seat (4D05).
Remember, you vote for only one commissioner for your Single Member District.
ANC 4D Candidates
Single Member District 4D01
Erik Lindsjo
Did not submit any responses to our questionnaire. He is running unopposed.
Single Member District 4D02
Misha G. Cornelius
About the Candidate
My name is Misha Cornelius. I live in the 300 block of Ingraham St NW with my partner Jason Green and our dog Toni. I am originally from Oakland, Calif., where I was active in my community as a founding member of an organization working toward racial, social and economic justice which has grown to become recognized as a leading organization in the fight to end the school to prison pipeline. Since moving to Washington, D.C., I have had the opportunity to work with a racial justice organization in the area where I supported campaigns, locally and nationally, that seek to end the disproportionate criminalization of Black and Brown people, immigrants, and youth. Currently, I work as a Senior Communications Specialist at Howard University, where I am also pursuing a doctoral degree in the department of political science.
Why she is running for ANC
I am running as 4D02 Commissioner because I believe our community deserves leadership that is attentive to the concerns and aspirations of our residents. Especially during this time of global pandemic and uprising in response to systemic racism, our community shares the common desire for leaders who are willing to listen to and address resident's concerns with compassion and accountability. My first priority as 4D02 Commissioner is to listen to the concerns of neighborhood residents and let their concerns and aspirations guide my priorities. As Commissioner, I will strive to advocate knowledgeably, thoughtfully and fairly for the residents of 4D02. I will remain knowledgeable about available resources regarding vital city services and any changes to those services which could impact our residents. I will leverage my 10+ years of experience as a communications professional to implement traditional and innovative ways of ensuring effective communication with 4D02 residents and systematically creating opportunities to educate the community about their rights, available resources and the ANC. I believe that during the pandemic, we have the challenge and fortune of truly taking the time to get to know and understand our neighbors and the ways we can best communicate with and advocate for them.
Additional thoughts
The District of Columbia is undergoing significant change and as a result, our community is experiencing deep disparities in education, incomes, employment and city services. Much of this change is systemic; gentrification is rampant and our native, long-term and new neighbors are pitted against one another. Our 4D02 neighborhood is comprised of D.C. natives and people who are new to the community, having come to D.C. because of the opportunity the District offers. During this time, I believe the greatest need is to return to the basic tenets of community, acts of service, and confronting the root causes of the disparities that exist.
Single Member District 4D02
Renee Bowser (incumbent)
About the Candidate
I am running for the position of Single Member District ANC Commissioner in ANC 4D. I am an African American female trade unionist who has lived in single member district 4D02 since 1989. I have cousins and a niece who live in DC, Maryland, and Virginia.
I’ve worked tirelessly to advance working-class communities through my professional career and years of volunteer activism. I’m a recently retired UFCW International Union lawyer where I fought with workers of all races, genders, orientations, immigration status, and regions of the world to assist them in securing a voice on the job to protect and enhance their safety and health, training, and economic advancement. I’ve worked to advance anti-discrimination laws, wage and hour laws, and immigrant rights. I’ve spent years fighting for safe, secure, affordable housing and to expand production of deeply affordable housing in my single member district and citywide. Stable housing provides a foundation for an individual or family to pursue education and employment and fight for a stake in their community and against displacement.
Why she is running for ANC
I’m running to continue communicating and working with my single member district and upgrading the livability and safety of its residents. Foremost, I want to galvanize my SMD, the entire ANC 4D, and other interested community members to work to establish a community job training and entrepreneurship center focused on youth and young adults to develop their talent and abilities to thrive and benefit their futures and community. My focus will be on developing youth and young adults and not on using police to contain, remove, and criminalize noncriminal behavior.
I continue to use several methods to reach out to constituents, including email, telephone, signs, and hand delivery of newsletters because I realize that many residents, particularly seniors, are not online and have only landline phones and US mail.
Additional thoughts
I’m a DC Democratic State Committee Ward 4 Committeewoman and a member of organizations with a variety of interests. I have a holistic vision of community by which I mean that community betterment requires us to work not only to enhance living conditions of individual residents, but also to work on issues that generate long-term impact on changing and reforming inequitable citywide institutions. Such work will result in greater long-term benefit for the community as well as its individual members.
Single Member District 4D03
Aryan Rodriguez Bocquet
About the Candidate
Soy puertorriqueña. My name is actually a combination of my parents’ names, “Arlene y Angel” = “Aryan” (the “y” in Spanish means “and”); my family and heritage are very much a part of who I am.
I began my career in the District and fell in love with the city, which has been home for 17 years. Our family – my husband, Christopher, and our dog, Sam – has lived in our SMD for the past three years. There’s a bit of a mystery as to which neighborhood our address actually belongs to, which I find fascinating: Nextdoor considers it Brightwood Park, Popville “officially” declared it Petworth and Open Data DC clusters us with both, plus Crestwood. Irrespective of our slight identity crisis, we live in an awesome community.
I currently lead communication and outreach efforts for the city’s public school lottery program, a role that affords me the opportunity to engage directly with families and schools, which I genuinely value. If you have not already met me at a lottery event, you’ll see me walking Sam or running with Christopher. Do stop me and say hi (especially if you catch me on a hill).
Why she is running for ANC
Simply put, I want to support our community. SMD 4D03 is solely made up of residences – houses, condominiums and rental properties. As a new-ish resident to 4D, I’ve already witnessed the vast changes that have taken place in the area over the past three years. I support development and neighborhood improvement, but I also support residential stability for all residents. My hope is that I can play a positive role in promoting the health and well being of our neighbors, and I believe that my years of experience working with city agencies and community programming will serve as an asset.
Connecting with constituents when in-person engagement is limited is a challenge, especially if they are not familiar with ANCs. Residents can connect with me by email but also phone (voice and SMS), and I commit to exploring ways for additional engagement such as hosting monthly virtual “drop-ins” and issuing an e-bulletin. Residents who do not have access to email can also call the Office of Advisory Neighborhood Commissions at (202) 727-9945 to inquire if a commissioner has publicly listed their number. If you do live in SMD 4D03 and have access to email, please send me a note and encourage your neighbors to do the same. I’d love to learn how you’d like to be reached. Please also encourage neighbors to learn who their representatives are by visiting anc.dc.gov or calling (202) 727-9945.
Single Member District 4D04
CC Courniotes
About the Candidate
Hello to my lovely neighbors of the 4D04 single member district (SMD). My name is Chrysanthe "CC" Courniotes (pronounced Chrysanthemum without the mum :)). I moved to Washington DC from a graduate program in Milan, Italy over 15 years ago and began my career as a graduate intern for the Department of Veterans Affairs focused on health policy initiatives and international development partnerships. I am originally from Massachusetts, but from Western MA, so I don't have the Boston accent. I am currently a management consultant who specializes in both military and veterans healthcare policy, but have an extensive background in public health as well which I plan to utilize during this COVID-19 crisis. My Mom and I bought our home in Petworth in 2011, and about 5 years later, my Mom was diagnosed with a recurrence of metastatic breast cancer. I was my Mom's primary caretaker throughout her illness and I learned many lessons about empathy, caretaking, and knowing the system around long-term and elder care issues. About a year after my Mom's diagnosis, I ran for this ANC seat against the current ANC Commissioner and at the time, I stated, that I wanted to work with EVERYONE in the community on getting back to basics! I commit to being available 24/7 and to LISTENING to everyone, not just those residents who have been here for a few years and have their own expectations, disregarding the residents that have been here for generations. I will be every 4D-04 residents ANC Commissioner and will move all resident priorities forward accordingly. I am also running in honor of my Mom "Momma C" who always tried to keep our neighborhood clean and cooked for all! Give me a chance to "SHOW UP" and you won't be disappointed!
Why she is running for ANC
As ANC 4D-04 Commissioner, I will:
Lead through Compassion, Collaboration, & Conviction (The 3 Cs)
GET BACK TO THE BASICS of "help thy neighbor“
SHOW UP - Actually be there 'in the trenches' responding to important issues and going Door to Door consistently
LISTEN to everyone
TREAT everyone with RESPECT
Form community groups with purpose & objective
Public Health Group (focused on informing our neighbors of the most relevant COVID-19 information)
Public Safety Group (focused on violence and crimes)
Infrastructure Group (focused on alley and neighborhood cleanliness, pest control, yard maintenance, trash pick-up)
Vulnerable Populations Group (focused on the elderly, caregiver resources, emotional wellness, financial wellness, and physical activities that can be done at a distance)
Beautification Group (focused on low cost ways of beautifying and maintaining our neighborhood)
Hold consistent and transparent communication "get-togethers"
Bi-weekly 4D-04 Zoom Chats (evenings and/or weekends)
Quarterly Baklava Chats (in Lorenzo Park or on my front porch --- masks will be provided if needed)
Available via phone in case of ANY emergencies
Additional thoughts
I am approaching this position with the community as my top priority, period! I am not using this a stepping stone to "bigger and better" things! I know in my heart that if we work together as a community anything is possible! I also know after almost a decade of living in 4D-04 what worked in the past and what didn't and how we can continue improving the lives of all our residents.
In the interim, please email me at chrysanthe.courniotes@gmail.com with any questions or concerns. Also visit my campaign page at: https://www.facebook.com/CC4ANC4D04. I look forward to meeting all of you prior to the campaign (From a distance) and hearing the issues that I will prioritize from Day 1.
Single Member District 4D04
Zachary Israel
About the Candidate
I have lived on the 700 block of Gallatin Street NW since 2018 with my wife Juliana and, since February 2020, with our 8-month old son Elliot. A DC resident since 2013, I currently serve as the National Committeeman for the DC Young Democrats, where I advocate extensively on behalf of DC statehood at the national level and work hard to engage DC’s 18—36 year old Democratic voters to get more involved in local and national politics. I am also an active member of the progressive, grassroots organization DC for Democracy and serve as an ex officio member of the DC Democratic State Committee.
In my day job, I am a Principal and Manager of Legislative Affairs at The Ferguson Group (TFG), a federal lobbying firm which specializes in advocacy, consulting, and grants work for municipal and county governments throughout the nation. My work over the past five years at TFG has provided me with a skillset that includes effectively working with local and federal government staff, elected officials, and agencies to achieve results for our clients. I will utilize my expertise working with all levels of government to serve the roughly 2,000 residents who call 4D04 home.
I look forward to serving 4D04 residents beginning January 2, 2021 and I hope to earn your vote on November 3, 2020 (or in October if you vote early by mail or drop box)!
Why he is running
I am running to be the new Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner for Single Member District 4D04, which includes parts of northern Petworth and Brightwood Park, because I love my community and want to help make our neighborhood safe and vibrant for all who live and work here and ensure that DC agencies are responsive to the needs and aspirations of 4D04 residents. I have a skillset that includes effectively working with local and federal government staff, elected officials, and agencies to achieve results. I care about ensuring that Petworth and Brightwood Park have robust affordable housing available to low and middle-income families; making sure our small businesses on Georgia Ave. and Kennedy St. have the resources and support to stay afloat; keeping our streets safe by improving traffic safety and addressing gun violence; and supporting the Truesdell Education Campus.
I plan on connecting with 4D04 constituents during COVID-19 by constantly staying in touch, both electronically and in-person, and being accessible via phone and email. I plan on sending out a monthly newsletter to 4D04 residents, which will provide information on the work of ANC 4D, DC government resources, and events in Ward 4. For those residents who do not have Internet access or are not tech-savvy, I plan on asking block captains to help me distribute hard paper copies of my newsletter to these residents. I will also utilize Facebook and Twitter to stay in touch with 4D04 residents in real-time! I plan on knocking on every door in 4D04 (while maintaining social distancing) to make sure that every resident has an opportunity to meet me in person and understand what ANC 4D can do for them.
Additional thoughts
I would like 4D04 voters to know that I’m running to be their new Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner because I believe in public service and the positive impact that local government can have in our lives and in our community. My lived experience and professional background will allow me to effectively work on 4D04 residents’ behalf on ANC 4D and I promise to be as transparent and accessible as possible throughout my two-year term on the Commission.
I've thought through many of the most important issues impacting Single Member District 4D04 and have reached out for input on these issues by speaking with my neighbors and 4D04 residents to hear what’s important to them. All of the details on my stances on these issues are listed on my campaign website: www.zachisrael.com.
I am also running because I feel that the most important issue facing 4D04, public safety, has not been adequately addressed by ANC 4D or District government. This includes making our local streets safer for all residents by working with DDOT to install additional safety features at various intersections where cars speed through, endangering residents. Public safety also means addressing gun violence. The current approach taken by MPD’s Fourth District has failed to achieve meaningful results and I’ll work with Ward 4 Council member-elect Janeese Lewis George* and the DC Council to secure additional resources to 4D04 which have proven to make a difference in reducing gun violence in other parts of DC. This includes emergency funding for new cohorts of CURE Violence Interrupters teams to be based in Petworth and Brightwood Park; an expansion of the Office of Neighborhood Safety’s Roving Leaders program at Department of Parks and Recreation sites; mobile trauma support centered in ANC 4D; and hosting a cease-fire community meeting to cultivate a cease-fire agreement.
(*Editor Note: Janeese Lewis George is the Democratic nominee for Ward 4 Councilmember, and is not the member-elect — yet. The new Ward 4 Councilmember will be elected on November 3rd during the General election, at which point it’ll obviously be Janeese.)
Single Member District 4D05
No candidates — empty seat. If you live in the SMD, you can submit your request to run for the seat at an upcoming ANC 4D meeting, and only the people at the meeting vote. Silly, but you’d probably be the only person there running for the seat, so, congrats, you’re now the Commissioner for 4D05.
Single Member District 4D06
Jonathan Nobil (incumbent)
Did not submit any responses to our questionnaire. He is running unopposed.
