>>>
>>> FORMER D.C. MAYOR SHARON PRATT HAS LONG FOUGHT FOR
STATEHOOD FOR THE DISTRICT, AND
HER FIGHT CONTINUES THROUGH THE
INSTITUTE OF POLITICS, POLICY,
AND HISTORY.
AND HISTORY. I RECENTLY SPOKE WITH HER TO
LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT
IT.
IT.
IT. TAKE
IT. TAKE A LOOK.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
JOINING US TODAY.
WE ARE EXCITED TO HAVE YOU ON
"GREAT DAY WASHINGTON."
HERE TO EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT IPPH, I KNOW YOU FOUNDED
IT, TELL US WHAT IT STANDS FOR.
>> THE INSTITUTE OF POLITICS,
POLICY, AND HISTORY.
ON THE FOUNDING DIRECTOR BUT IT
WAS ACTUALLY LAUNCHED BY MAYOR
MURIEL BOWSER AND THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF
THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA,
RONALD MASON.
RONALD MASON. OUR MISSION IS TO REDISCOVER
THE HISTORY OF WASHINGTON, D.C.,
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, DRILL
DOWN ON ISSUES THAT HAVE
PLAGUED OUR NATION.
>> I KNOW YOU REALLY GO INTO
THE HISTORY OF D.C. ANYTHING
YOU HAVE FOUND THAT HAS
SURPRISED YOU, ESPECIALLY AS WE
ARE FIGHTING FOR STATEHOOD?
>> WELL, THE INTERESTING THING
IS, YOU KNOW IN THE MUSICAL
"HAMILTON," THEY HAVE THIS SONG
ABOUT THE ROOM WHERE IT
HAPPENED.
HAPPENED.
HAPPENED. ULTIMATELY, THE SONGS ABOUT
WHERE ALEXANDER HAMILTON MET
THOMAS JEFFERSON AND MADISON TO
GET THEM SUPPORT, IN EXCHANGE,
WHAT THEY WANTED WAS FOR THE
CAPITOLS TO BE IN A
SLAVEHOLDING COMMUNITY.
SLAVEHOLDING COMMUNITY. THERE WERE OVER 30 VENUES, NEW
YORK, PHILADELPHIA, BALTIMORE,
THAT WERE COMPETING, BUT IT
ENDED UP HERE.
IT WAS BASICALLY ALMOST
NOTHING.
NOTHING.
NOTHING. SOMEWHAT TAKE HIM ALMOST A SWAMP
, ENTIRELY AS A GESTURE TOWARD
THE INSTITUTION OF SLAVERY.
WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT UNTIL WE DIG
DEEPER.
DEEPER.
DEEPER. >> I KNOW YOU ARE WORKING WITH
RESIDENT FELLOWS.
RESIDENT FELLOWS. HOW DOES THAT WORK?
>> WELL, THE RESIDENT FELLOWS
ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE, YOU KNOW,
RESPECTED WASHINGTON RESIDENTS,
WHO SORT OF CURATE A FACET OF
WASHINGTON LIFE.
WASHINGTON LIFE. SO FOR EXAMPLE, THIS FAMILY HAS
BEEN PART OF THE COMMUNITY EVEN
BEFORE MOUNT VERNON.
AND NOW, THEY ARE HAPPILY
LOCATED IN BROOKLYN AND
WASHINGTON, D.C., SO THEY CAN
TELL US ABOUT THAT JOURNEY.
WE HAVE OTHERS, SUCH AS ALIVA
KEPNER, WHO IS A DISTINGUISHED
FILMMAKER, WHO HAS KEPT HER
FOCUS ON JEWISH-AMERICANS.
AND SO SHE'S BRINGING THAT
DIMENSION.
DIMENSION. IT IS A NICE, INTERESTING ARRAY
OF WASHINGTON RESIDENTS WHO
CURATE A FACET OF WASHINGTON
LIFE.
LIFE.
LIFE. >>
LIFE. >> I KNOW YOU ARE ALSO FOCUSED
ON STAY TO PLAY.
WHAT IS THAT PROGRAM?
>> STAY TO PLAY IS A LIVE
STREAM THAT WE STARTED DURING
THE 2020 ELECTION CYCLE,
BECAUSE WE KNEW IT WAS A
CONSEQUENTIAL ELECTION PERIOD,
AND BECAUSE WE WERE SO FOCUSED
ON THE HISTORY OF THE CITY AND
NATION.
NATION.
NATION. WE THOUGHT WE SHOULD HAVE THIS
LIVE STREAMED WITH TWO MEMBERS
OF OUR ADVISORY COMMITTEE,
KAREN KOMOTOWO AND MARK
THOMPSON.
THOMPSON.
THOMPSON. AND SO, WE DID THAT, AND NOW,
IT TOOK OFF, AND NOW WE HAVE
INTERESTS ON THE PART OF A
COUPLE OF NETWORKS WHO WANT US
TO COME ON AND CONTINUE THAT
EXPERIENCE.
EXPERIENCE. SO THAT'S PRETTY EXCITING.
>> WOW.
>> WOW.
>> WOW. YEAH.
YEAH.
YEAH. THAT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S GROWING
RAPIDLY.
RAPIDLY.
RAPIDLY. IS THAT HER PEOPLE SHOULD GO
MOSTLY TO FOLLOW ALONG?
WHERE DO YOU RECOMMEND PEOPLE
STAY UP TO DATE ON THE LATEST?
>> THE BEST PLACE IS PROBABLY
THE WEBSITE, IPPH.ORG.
THAT'S WHERE YOU CAN STAY UP TO
SPEED WITH THE RESIDENT
FELLOWS, STAY TO PLAY, ANY OF
OUR PODCASTS AND THE LIKE.
WE HAD NIKKI GIOVANNI, FOR
EXAMPLE, ONE OF OUR PODCASTS.
SO, WE HAVE A RICH ARRAY OF
INTERESTING PERSONALITIES WHO
HELP US, AND HELP HOPEFULLY THE
BROADER COMMUNITY BETTER
UNDERSTAND THIS IMPORTANT
COMMUNITY OF WASHINGTON, D.C.
>> BEFORE I LET YOU GO, WHAT DO
YOU THINK OF D.C. STATEHOOD?
IS IT A POSSIBILITY?
>> IT IS A POSSIBILITY.
I THINK THE STARS ARE ALIGNED.
WE HAVE A PRESIDENT THAT
SUPPORTS IT, A VICE PRESIDENT,
A HOUSE.
A HOUSE.
A HOUSE. SPEAKER PELOSI HAS, FOR A LONG
TIME, BEEN A VIGILANT SUPPORTER.
AND NOW WE HAVE CHUCK SCHUMER,
THE MAJORITY LEADER IN THE
SENATE.
SENATE.
SENATE. YES, WE HAVE THE CHALLENGE OF
THE FILIBUSTER, BUT SOMEHOW,
THERE CAN BE A BARGAIN
SOMEWHERE.
SOMEWHERE. WE'VE GOT TO GO FORWARD.
I THINK THERE WILL BE FEWER
WINDOWS OF OPPORTUNITY AS WE
HAVE TODAY.
HAVE TODAY. I THINK IT IS A REAL
POSSIBILITY.
POSSIBILITY. >> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. THERE HAS NOT BEEN A TIME LIKE
THIS.
THIS.
THIS. WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
>> SO, THE FIGHT FOR D.C.
STATEHOOD CONTINUES TO GAIN
MOMENTUM WITH RESIDENTS AND
ALSO CONGRESS.
ALSO CONGRESS. MORE THAN 200 COSPONSORS ARE
BACK IN THE LEGISLATION.
IT WAS INTRODUCED IN JANUARY BY
CONGRESSWOMAN NORTON.
CONGRESSWOMAN NORTON. IT STILL HAS A LONG WAY TO