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Young members of the African
Heritage Dancers and Drummers
kicked off the boat cruise with
a performance.
Photo: Kyle Johnson
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Less than ideal weather and the effects of the economic recession didn’t stop the Anacostia Coordinating Council (ACC) from having another successful rendition of their annual fundraising boat cruise.
Departing from Old Town Alexandria, the Nina’s Dandy cruised up the Potomac, down the Anacostia and even up the Washington Channel as the large crowd on board discussed the issues facing Anacostia and the city. The crowd was a mixture of ordinary citizens, community activists, city leaders and politicians.
Advisory neighborhood commissioners, DC Councilmember Marion Barry (Ward 8), Eleanor Holmes Norton – DC’s non-voting delegate to Congress, mayoral candidate Leo Alexander and at-large council candidate Clark Ray were just a few of the familiar faces enjoying the festivities and rubbing elbows with the Anacostia crowd during the ACC’s 16th annual boat cruise. Developers and business leaders also were along for the ride.
The event even got support from the DC Republican Committee. When it was announced that that organization had donated the raffle prizes, some audience members laughed in surprise.
The cruise began with an African prayer ceremony and a performance by young members of the African Heritage Dancers and Drummers before VIPs took turns at the microphone.
High school junior Eugene Kinlow was one of the youngest people aboard the boat, but he served as emcee of the event. Kinlow seemed at ease handling the introductions. When introducing Barry, for example, he complimented the councilmember on his wardrobe, a track suit.
“If I had one like that, I’d wear it just like you,” Kinlow said.
The chilly, overcast weather kept all but the bravest attendees inside the confines of the large boat. About halfway through the cruise, only two people were on the top deck of the ship, with a few more smokers huddling under an overhang near the entrance to the large glass room where the festivities were held.
Getting the Word Out
Candidates and group representatives worked the crowd, handing out buttons, flyers and short brochures. Nicolus McCoy, a campaign staffer for Ray, said that the campaign was going well but that campaign workers and the candidate had been busy attending events all over the city. When Norton walked on board the boat, McCoy noted that the boat ride was the “third or fourth” time they had been at an event with her in a one-week span.
Shirley Price, an ACC board member and an employee in the Anacostia branch of the United Planning Organization, said the boat cruise is a great networking tool that lets those involved in working to better Anacostia know what others are doing.
“And I’ve never been on one of these boats where people argued or fussed,” she said of people from different groups coming together to talk about their community.
Price was disappointed that Mayor Adrian Fenty didn’t attend the boat ride. She said that at a previous boat ride, former mayor Anthony Williams attended a different event and was not aboard when the boat left Old Town. However, he rode a different boat and boarded the Nina’s Dandy mid-cruise.
No Worries
Norton said the excitement of the attendees and the good turnout show how involved many people are in the future of Southeast.
“I’m not worried about Anacostia,” she said.
She highlighted the start of work on the Department of Homeland Security’s future headquarters in Southeast, among other projects in and around Anacostia. Norton also spoke about DC voting rights, an issue of eternal interest to people in the city. A DC voting rights bill was stalled in Congress earlier this year after threats to attach a gun rights amendment to the legislation.
“I’m asking you to stay tuned,” Norton told the crowd on the boat. She said another voting rights bill, one that “you deserve,” will be coming soon.
Several other speakers also let the crowd know about their work in the community. The CEO of the United Medical Center, formerly known as the Greater Southeast Community Hospital, said the facility will open a pediatric emergency center next year and that the facility has brought a lot of new healthy professionals into the area.
A census representative urged the crowd to help get census participation up, especially in Ward 8. The representative noted that only about one-half of households in the ward completed their census forms in 2000.
Philip Pannell, executive director of the 26-year-old ACC, was introduced with a rendition of “Happy Birthday.” Pannell’s birthday was just a few days after the boat ride.
Pannell thanked the crowd for their support and said that the ACC’s goal to bring Anacostia groups together is only possible with help from the community.
After eating a large meal, hearing the speakers and seeing the sights from the boat, the cruise wound down with some music. A woman worked the crowd with her rendition of Tina Turner’s “Proud Mary,” and most of the crowd moved to the dance floor for the “Electric Slide” and a few other songs. |
