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Coalition for Voter Empowerment C Bates, BloomingdaleA coalition of six civic associations of the West End of Ward 5 in O Eckington, Edgewood

Washington, D.C. - Established 2006 V Hanover and

Co-Founders: Jim Berry, Bertha Holliday (Name the Others) E Stronghold

http://ward5cove.blogspot.com

First of Thursday Forums with the Candidates

Thursday, March 22 through May 3, 2012

McKinley Technology High School

151 Todd, Place, NERoom 150Washington, DC 20002

INTRODUCTION

COVEwas established in 2006 as a neighborhood coalition to empower and to educate the citizens of

Ward 5 within the said civic association boundaries, who were otherwise left out of major outreach andeducational opportunities about the mayoral and Ward 5 Council electoral process.

Tonight introducing the re-launching of the COVE series of seven forums is Bertha Holliday, a Ward 5

citizen since 1989 and Co-founder of COVE, professionally, she is a Psychologist, currently practicing.

Ms. Holliday states the primary focus of Cove is to increase our political visibility and to educate our

candidates of some of the unique factors of the West End of Ward 5

For example:

We dont live in houses setting on quarteracre lots, which mean when problems or disputes

arise, we dont have the privilege of being able to ignore them and hide Most of us live inattached row houses on a block that might include up to 100 other households and when

problems arise they are in our face most of us live.

CHALLENGES

Changing demographics that create multiple/complex concerns that vary from race,culture, social class, sexual orientation, marital status, family composition,

income/wealth, age, and length or residency

Need to develop a language of diversity To develop skills in thinking and behavior that promotes sustainable resolutions in diverse

contents

Learn how to pose questions and frame initiatives that do not generate profounddivisions, but learn to give our neighbors, and community organizations and institutions

(even with flaws and shortcomings) due respect to based upon their strength

Learn to seek common ground

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GOALS

The Coalition is an Agreementbetween the six civic associations designed to Educate, PromoteUnity,

Empower, Increase Political Responsiveness, and to Build More Beautiful, Safer, More Economically

Viable Community, this is the primary focus of COVE.

Final Product and Outcome

One of the tools and goals ofCOVEis the utilization of the COVE Report(to be developed from

transcription of each of the candidates forums), which will be disseminated throughout the West End of

Ward 5 communities by each civic association; and a second tool is the use of the COVE survey, that

allows the audience to provide feedback on the overall forum and the candidates response. All

candidates have been invited to participate in these forums; each of the candidates will be asked a series

of the same questions.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS/Sponsors

Coalition of West-end Civic Association Presidents

Bates Geovani Bonili Bloomingdale- Teri J. Quinn Eckington Kim Mosley EdgewoodMichael Mike Clark, Sr. anoverSylvia Matthews StrongholdAnn Brooks

Other Volunteer Members

Jim BerryCOVE Co-Founder

Robert Brannum

Rashidi ChristianDonetta Clark

Michael Clark, Sr.

Timothy Clark

William Clark

Charlene McCullers

Patricia Mitchell

Scott Roberts

Bradley Thomas

Kirby Vinney

FUNDERS/DONORS

Each west-end civic association

Au Bon Pain

Frank Braxton

Rashidi Christian

Columbia Enterprises

Yangs Market

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McKinley Technology High and C.A.P.C.S. Public Charter Schools for Facilities Use and Staff

Establishment of Rules of Orders and Introduction monitored by a Timekeeper

Audience questions will be handled by utilizing cards provided in advance, several randomquestions will be chosen from the sum of the cards and asked the candidate

The audience is asked not to speak out The audience Q&A will last approximately 15 minutes toward the end.

The entire forum will be recorded for play back at a later time for those who are unable topresent, therefore the candidate is asked to speak loudly and with clarity.