From the bottom of my heart, I want to say thank you.

We didn’t get the result we were hoping for in our race for the DC Council. Despite that, these last 4️⃣1️⃣1️⃣ days on the campaign trail made a difference — and have been some of the most rewarding days of my life.

You welcomed me into your living rooms and moved meet and greets and events to Zoom in the wake of COVID-19. You made calls, sent texts, walked the streets, gave $5, gave $100 (but never more than that), and stood at the polls to spread our…

Leaders from across the region have endorsed Markus Batchelor for DC Council At-Large because of his vision of a fairer DC that works for everyone.

“I am thrilled to have earned the support of so many prominent leaders, representing the next generation of leadership in the State of Maryland and Commonwealth of Virginia. These leaders understand that the strength of our localities and states depend on the strength of our partners and neighbors across the region and I’m ready to work together with them to get things done for all of our people,” said Markus Batchelor. …

Today, July 1st, the District of Columbia wins the #Fightfor15 and raises the minimum wage to $15 an hour, while thousands of DC workers finally gain access to paid family leave. The coalition of policymakers and advocates who made this day possible should be proud — I know I am.

But the truth is we still have harder work ahead to provide a living wage and true economic security for every DC resident. Rents are too high, while thousands languish in homelessness or squalor waiting for solutions. Too many residents choose between medication and groceries each month. Childcare is through…

A city (or campaign) for all of us isn’t built on big donors or connections to special interests — they’re built on the effort of ordinary people ready to do extraordinary things.‬

That’s why we’re proud to have the support of Washingtonians from all 8 wards uplifting their communities and fighting for a city that works for all of us. I’m honored and excited to work alongside them to not only win the next election, but to win our city’s future.

This group represents a broad array of activists, advocates, organizers, and elected leaders with deep connections to our communities…

This afternoon, the Council of the District of Columbia unanimously confirmed Dr. Lewis Ferebee as Chancellor of DC Public Schools. Dr. Ferebee comes to DCPS at a time when our families are demanding leadership that is hyper-focused on closing the opportunity gap; championing equity; demonstrating transparency; prioritizing family engagement; institutionalizing collaborative decision-making; and effectively coordinating supports for our students and educators — all of which is necessary to ensuring a strong network of neighborhood schools in every ward our city.

I am optimistic about Chancellor Ferebee’s pledge to listen to our voices and work alongside us to do things differently…

Through an online survey and a town hall meeting conducted on October 4, 2018, DC State Board of Education Representative Markus Batchelor and the Ward 8 Education Council solicited feedback from students, teachers, families, staff, administrators, youth service providers and other concerned neighbors about their vision for the qualities and experience of our next Chancellor for DC Public Schools.

The search for the next Chancellor of DC Public Schools began on June 28, 2018 with Mayor Muriel Bowser’s announcement of the formation of the Our Schools Leadership Committee, billed as a “review panel” to “assist the Mayor during the search…

Today, Representative Markus Batchelor, the Ward 8 Member on the DC State Board of Education, released the following statement:

In her first veto since taking office, Mayor Bowser has rejected the School Promotion and Graduation Fairness Emergency Act of 2018, passed by the Council 12–1, to ensure that students in the Class of 2018 were not adversely or unfairly impacted by adult mistakes at DC Public Schools.

Despite widespread instances of non-enforcement or misuse of DCPS attendance systems and policies, followed by hardline enforcements following scandal mid-year, the Mayor has decided to curtail the graduation plans of students who will…

In recent weeks, the nation has turned its eyes to Washington, DC as our community works to make sense of our missing black and brown teens, overwhelmingly girls. While the DC Police Department reports that there is no increase in missing cases from years previous, one missing teenager is one too many. Luckily, social media has rallied support behind our cause, with celebrities and advocates alike creating awareness, and a task force has been called upon. Make no mistake, this is a test — one every citizen in the nation’s capital is prepared to pass.

As Ward 8’s member on…