The racial makeup of D.C. affects the fact that citizens do not have a voting representative in Congress, said Washington College of Law professor Jamin Raskin at the Table Talk Lunch titled "Race and Politics: The Case for the District of Columbia" in the Kay Spiritual Life Center on Wednesday.
"Race has everything to do with politics in D.C. because the majority of residents are of color and are not given their right as individuals to vote," said Raskin, a professor of constitutional law.
The District has a non-voting representative to Congress, Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D).
David Haimen, an activist for the Manna Community Development Corporation, which helps the African-American Shaw community in Northwest D.C., explained how the neighborhood is affected by non-voting representation in Congress.
"The history of Shaw is very prosperous, but after the Civil Rights movement, people moved out of the neighborhood," Haimen said. "Since then there has been an acceleration in investments made in Shaw, but [establishments] are too costly for the poor residents that remain in the neighborhood."
Raskin explained the history of D.C. and voting rights. In 1790, Congress gave President George Washington the right to select an area of land for the capital under the Residence Act. Washington selected areas of Maryland and Virginia, the area now called the District of Columbia.
"It is sad because right now citizens of Iraq have more voting rights than residents of our nation's capital."- Jamin Raskin, WCL professor
"It is sad because right now citizens of Iraq have more voting rights than residents of our nation's capital," Raskin said.
There is still a drive to get representation in Congress, Raskin said. One plan would help D.C. residents receive congressional representation, while another would let residents vote in Virginia or Maryland.
Some students found the talk thought-provoking.
"A lot of people do realize the connection between race and politics but ignore it because it is an embarrassment because of the ideal we have on equal rights," said Robert Idlett, a freshman in the School of Public Affairs.
William Taylor, a local lawyer and writer specializing in civil rights and education, also spoke at the event.
