Hot coffee and sweet pastries welcomed Mayor Bowser’s special invited guests to the DC Faith Leaders Breakfast which was co-hosted by Federal City Council in honor of Black History Month. Economic growth and affordable housing were the themes underscored in her address to these prominent district residents who arrived eagerly to sit in the beautiful Museum of the Bible to listen to their mayor help bridge the gap between policy and faith.
Sounds of cheer and clapping echoed in the halls of the District’s newest museum when Mayor Bowser proclaimed, “As we grow our economy, we want to ensure that every resident – regardless of color, background, or zip code – can afford to live in Washington, DC.”
At the recommendation of the Federal City Council (FC2) CEO and Executive Director, Tony Williams, FC2 partnered with the Mayor’s Office of Community Affairs to plan and execute this breakfast meeting that was aimed at bringing together business leaders and faith leaders, while introducing them to the new Museum of the Bible.
FC2 Trustee Cary Summers, President and CEO of the Museum of the Bible, welcomed guests and invited any newcomers to stay after the program and tour the museum. Before returning to his seat, he chuckled as he shared with the mayor and guests what he and his staff have found the most paramount question for the museum’s visitors to be, which is, “Where to park?”
The irony of this concern is similar to the concern of many local leaders, and that is the accessibility to the nation’s capital which leads to the attractiveness of the District and ultimately the growth of the economy.
Rev. Thomas L. Bowen, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Religious Affairs served as Master of Ceremonies to this sixty-minute program. Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II (Fifth District, Missouri) gave brief remarks about the role of the faith community in empowering communities while Rev. Dr. Gwendolyn E. Boyd spoke about the important role of education in African American prosperity.
