The Issue
To the Mayor of Washington, D.C., the D.C. Council Chair, and D.C. Council Members:

Civil legal aid in Washington, D.C. is not a luxury it is an equity imperative.
It ensures that low-income, justice-impacted, and historically marginalized residents have access to legal support in areas such as housing, custody, healthcare, and public benefits.

Programs like the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Initiative mobilize volunteer attorneys to support residents facing eviction, custody challenges, and benefit denials, advancing justice in the face of systemic barriers.

As a D.C. resident, a single mother, and the Founder of WRAP-IT (Wraparound Reentry Advocacy Program for Intervention and Transformation), I bring more than passion I bring 20 years of firsthand courtroom experience.

I served over two decades as the Sr. Executive Assistant to Paris London, one of D.C.’s most trusted criminal defense investigators and Founder The Detective Agency. From that front-row seat, I witnessed the gaps in reentry, sentencing support, and legal advocacy that too often left families broken and unsupported.

WRAP-IT was born from that lived reality.
I have:

Stood beside families in courtrooms and sentencing hearings
Written letters of advocacy and readiness plans
Walked clients home after conviction, custody loss, or release
Helped preserve housing, employment, and custodial rights
Built reentry programs for churches, grassroots organizations, and returning citizens
Mentored youth and adults through trauma recovery and workforce readiness
WRAP-IT wasn’t born out of theory it was born out of necessity. It was built inside the very system it now supports.

When the system didn’t show up for me, the people who made up that system did elders, movement-builders, and faith leaders who taught me how to stand, speak up, and build something that outlasts me.

WRAP-IT is their legacy too.

 
The Economic Reality
According to a 2025 report from the Legal Services Corporation:

💵 Every $1 invested in civil legal aid generates an average return of $6.72 in economic and social value. In some states, the return is as high as $17.99.
That value reflects:

Income preserved through child support, wage protections, and public benefits
Costs avoided through eviction prevention, housing retention, and legal representation
Reduced use of emergency systems like shelters, ERs, and temporary placements
In D.C., civil legal aid isn’t charity it’s a community safety net that lowers costs, protects families, and stabilizes lives.

 
Why This Petition Matters
Mayor Bowser’s proposed FY26 budget cuts funding for the Access to Justice Initiative by 67% from $31.7 million to just $10.5 million while keeping SNAP and public benefits flat during a time of rising costs.

These cuts would devastate:

• Residents’ ability to remain safely housed
• Access to civil legal protections for vulnerable families
• The future of community-based reentry initiatives like WRAP-IT
• We cannot trade dignity and justice for short-term budget savings.

 
What We Urge the Council to Do

• Fully restore $31.7 million to the Access to Justice Initiative.
• Increase SNAP and public benefits to meet real community needs.
• Invest in court-informed programs like WRAP-IT that are proven to work.

Programs like WIC, TANF, diaper banks, aftercare, school meals and civil legal aid are not optional.
They are lifelines.

And WRAP-IT is proof that community-centered, courtroom-tested solutions are possible when we center the people closest to the pain and purpose.

 
Why Your Signature Matters
Your signature says:

“We see the families, the youth, the returning citizens and the women who never gave up on them. We believe in second chances and system change. We stand for equity, justice, and dignity in D.C.”

Please sign this petition.
Stand with WRAP-IT.
Stand with the people.
Stand for a D.C. that protects, uplifts, and restores.