(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)
Larae King-Day is a construction worker, a father, a musician and a lifelong DC resident. He’s also been out of work for two long years. King-Day trained as a construction worker through the GSA Building Futures Project but has had no luck finding steady work. “I thought being a Ward 8 resident would give me preference in hiring, but it hasn’t,” says a frustrated King-Day (r). “Its grim out there for the native Washingtonian.” A glimmer of hope for King-Day is the “District Resident Employment & Trade Stimulus Amendment Act of 2010,” legislation currently before the DC City Council that would require higher standards for employing DC residents on District- subsidized projects. “DC residents should be able to get first priority,” says King-Day, “We live in this community. Why wouldn’t I want to work to rebuild my community, my school, my neighborhood, my street, my sidewalk?” King-Day will testify in support of the legislation at a hearing next Wednesday before the DC City Council. – Essie Ablavsky, Union Summer intern; photo by Ryan McCarty