Good evening, my brothers and sisters of Ward 8,

I stand before you today not as a politician, but as one of you—a father, a neighbor, an advocate, and a fighter for the people. I know what it’s like to struggle, to wonder if you’ll have a roof over your head, food on your table, and a safe place for your children to grow. I have lived it. And that’s why I am here today—because our community deserves better, and I refuse to stand by while the people of Ward 8 are left behind.

For too long, our voices have been ignored. Families in Berry Farms were displaced, pushed out of their homes with nowhere to go. Slum landlords continue to take advantage of our people, forcing them to live in unlivable conditions. Our seniors struggle to afford groceries. Our children walk to school through unsafe streets, past abandoned buildings and violence that threatens their future.

Enough is enough!

Ward 8 deserves safe streets. Ward 8 deserves affordable housing. Ward 8 deserves leaders who will fight for YOU—not special interests, not developers, not the wealthy—but YOU, the hardworking people who make this community what it is.

As your next Councilman, I will fight to:

✅ Stop the displacement of our families – No more broken promises of affordable housing that never comes. I will hold developers accountable and make sure that when they build in OUR community, OUR people benefit first.

✅ Crack down on slumlords – Landlords who neglect their properties while collecting rent from struggling families will be held accountable. I will push for stricter housing codes and real penalties for those who refuse to provide safe living conditions.

✅ Make our streets safer – Gun violence has taken too many of our sons and daughters. We need community-based violence intervention, youth mentorship programs, and real investment in mental health services. We cannot police our way out of this—we must invest in our people.

✅ Lower the cost of food and basic needs – It is unacceptable that in the nation’s capital, our families are forced to travel miles just to find affordable groceries. I will push for new grocery stores in our food deserts, expand urban farming programs, and support policies that make fresh food accessible to ALL Ward 8 families.

✅ Improve our schools and protect our children – Our children should not have to learn in schools that are underfunded and overcrowded. We must invest in better teachers, after-school programs, and mental health resources so every child in Ward 8 has a real shot at success.

My friends, I am not here to make empty promises. I am here because I have already been fighting for you. Through The Linner Foundation and Family First Resource Center, I have helped families find homes, access mental health services, fight for disability rights, and secure jobs. I have fought for parents, children, returning citizens, and our most vulnerable. And now, I am ready to fight for ALL of Ward 8 at City Hall.

But I cannot do this alone. I need YOU. I need your voices, your strength, your power. Because this campaign is not about me—it is about US. It is about our families, our future, and the legacy we leave behind for our children.

So tonight, I ask you: Are you ready for change? Are you ready for leadership that fights for YOU? Are you ready to take back OUR Ward 8?

If you are, then stand with me. Fight with me. Let’s bring back dignity, respect, and opportunity to the people of Ward 8.

Together, we will not be ignored. We will not be displaced. We will not be forgotten.

Together, we will rise.

I am Oliver L. Roy, and I am running to be your next Ward 8 Councilman. Let’s win this fight—for our families, for our future, for Ward 8.

Thank you, and may God bless you all.

#Oliver4DC #Ward8Strong #PeopleOverPolitics