Earlier this year, D.C. Shadow Rep. Dr. Oye Owolewa counted among those who frequented the John A. Wilson Building during a budget season unlike any in recent history .
Despite Owolewa’s advocacy, along with that of several other D.C. residents and organizations, the council approved a budget that didn’t fully reverse cuts and health care coverage restrictions proposed by D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser. Months later, as District residents deal with Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement collusion , Owolewa says the council could do more to stand up for constituents.
“There [haven’t] been enough fighters for some time,” Owolewa, a pharmacist and Ward 8 resident, told The Informer as he reflected on events that have unfolded in recent weeks. “As a chil