Wal-Mart: Respect DC!
By Veronica Mora, a student at St. Cloud State University and intern at United States Student Association.
“Mayor Gray, Mayor Gray, help us make Walmart pay!” echoed across the Freedom Plaza where community members gathered to voice their demands loudly, on the hot and humid Wednesday afternoon last week. As the speakers took the microphone, a common theme was repeated: the community will not stand idly by as negotiations are agreed upon without their input. The people demanded that Walmart put their promises in writing and transparency and respect from Mayor Gray as voting constituents of our communities.
In recent months, Walmart has unveiled a plan to open 4 stores in Washington, D.C. They claim that their stores will create new jobs and raise the standard of living in the wards in which they are established. Community organizers though, have witnessed the contrary, especially in the aftermath of the recent Supreme Court ruling in Dukes v. Walmart. These community members have joined together in a coalition, Living Wages and Healthy Living Coalition, and have demanded to be included in the negotiations, as Reverend Finley stated “we demand our place at the table.”
These demands though, have gone largely ignored by Walmart, who was released press statements claiming that the coalition represents only a small number of people. Walmart representatives have only met once with the coalition, and have refused to meet with them again, despite numerous confrontations by community members. Mayor Gray has also met with community members once, but it was done behind closed doors. This has led to community members to push even more for a Community Benefits Agreement, in which they are included and have a say in.
Before the rally began, organizers asked protestors to write a message to Mayor Gray on a paper plate. An example given was, “Dear Mayor Gray, Walmart has a terrible track record of paying poverty wages and destroying small businesses. We can’t let them come to DC without a signed, enforceable Community Benefits Agreement. The best way for this to happen is for the community to be at the table.” Then, the rally was kicked off by a skit, followed by various speakers, including Reverend Finley from , Maria Streznewski from DC Jobs Council, James LeBlanc from Reentry Network of Returning Citizens, Bill Alston-El from OneDC, and special appearances by Comissioner Keith Silver, and DC Councilman Vincent Orange.
Once the speakers had finished, a group of community members walked across the street into the City Council building with the intent to present Mayor Gray with the paper plates that contained the concerns of the community. Despite small issues with building security (when is there not?) the group made it outside Mayor Gray’s office, where we were prevented from going any further. Community members asked to speak to Mayor Gray, but were denied an audience. Instead, one of his staffers came out to greet us and accepted the paper plates in behalf of the Mayor, promising she would deliver them to him in person.
Afterward, I spoke to one of the rally organizers, Mackenzie Baris, and asked, what now? Her response was that the community will continue to demand their rights through more actions and by supporting the communities in which Walmart plans to open its stores. This is a movement in which the people of Washington need to stand in unity and solidarity. We cannot let Walmart continue to impoverish, exploit, and destroy another community. If you are in the Washington area and want to get involved, please contact organizer@respectdc.org Lets make a stand with our brothers and sisters in Washington against this corporate giant.
