Meet Oliver L. Roy — The Advocate Ward 8 Has Been Waiting For
Oliver Linner Roy is a community leader, disability rights advocate, and write-in candidate for the Ward 8 seat on the D.C. Council. With over two decades of service to Washington, D.C.’s most vulnerable communities, Oliver is not running to become a politician—he’s running to be a champion for the people who have been too often overlooked, underserved, and unheard.
Raised in the foster care system and shaped by personal experiences of hardship, Oliver’s journey from survivor to servant leader is not just inspiring—it’s a blueprint for change. His leadership is rooted in lived experience, not political ambition, and his platform reflects the urgent needs of the community he’s spent his life fighting for.
As the Founder and CEO of The Linner Foundation and Family First Resource Center, Oliver has launched programs that deliver critical support to families, returning citizens, youth, and individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. He’s trained hundreds of parents, advocated for disability inclusion in city policy, and worked side-by-side with residents facing housing insecurity, food scarcity, and systemic barriers.
Oliver currently serves on several influential boards and councils, including the DC Developmental Disabilities Council, DC Homeland Security Disability Advisory Board (Chairman), and the OSSE Family Advisory Council, where he provides direct input on education equity and emergency preparedness for individuals with disabilities.
His campaign platform—“We Must Do Better”—is a bold call to action grounded in community priorities:
- Safe and supported streets through community-led solutions
- Affordable housing with anti-displacement protections
- Expanded support for seniors, returning citizens, and caregivers
- Equity in education, especially for students with disabilities and learning differences
- Jobs, training, and economic opportunity for Ward 8 families
Oliver’s campaign is not powered by special interests—it’s powered by the people. He believes that those closest to the pain must be closest to the power, and that Ward 8 needs a voice that’s not only loud in the Council chamber, but present in our neighborhoods.
This July 15th, write in OLIVER L. ROY for Ward 8 Councilmember. Let’s elect a leader who shows up, speaks truth, and builds with heart.
Because Ward 8 deserves better. And together, we must do better