I was recently interviewed for a WTOP article about the food gap in Anacostia and in Ward 8. You can read the article HERE. The article focuses on a real issue in Ward 8 --  lack of grocery stores and healthy food options. However, as important as that issue is I found myself flabbergasted when I read the reader comments. To be fair, the negative perceptions and misconceptions of Ward 8 are nothing new. I have addressed them before on this blog but I must admit even I was shocked at the level of  vitriol in some of the reader comments by people who I am sure think of themselves as educated. Comments by people who probably wouldn't classify themselves as racist or elitist but who must feel that only certain people in certain communities are deserving of basic things like quality food options.  That bias really disturbs me. As DC residents it should disturb all of us to realize that this is the message that is being received, at least by some.  If this was the perception of the District as a whole we would be in the midst of an economic and public relations crisis. The fact that is Ward 8 should make it no less important.  For anyone to think that Ward 8 and it's 73,000 residents should be considered of no value is a failing all of us (district residents, business owners, and government) should consider our responsibility and priority to change. By the way you can't tell me that this perception issue is not directly tied into the oversaturation of social service providers and residential facilities in the community, particularly the Ward 8 business corridors and that in turn has a negative effect on the economic fabric of Ward 8. 



Some may read this and think that the issue of lack of quality Ward 8 businesses (such as grocery stores and restaurants) is a separate issue from that of Ward 8's perception but I disagree. If Ward 8's  food gap is a 'failing of the District' then this type of disregard for an entire section of the District -- our nation's capital --  should be a failing of our sense of humanity . It makes me wonder are we really "one city" when all it takes is the anonymity of a screen name to show how we really feel?

Posting some of the reader comments from the WTOP article below but you can read them all HERE.