“Most people know us as ICDC. This building has been here since 2008. This is our campus. We built all three of these buildings where there once were either vacant or dilapidated properties. And this building has been a community asset ever since then,” said Billy Lane, the executive director of ICDC.
We always hear “do the work,” but how do we access that work when it’s hidden behind high costs, long waitlists, or providers who don’t understand our stories? Healing doesn’t have to come with a hefty price tag. We deserve peace, clarity, and support — and it is possible to find that without going broke. The key is knowing where to look and how to advocate for your well-being on a budget.
In the Black community, there has long been a disconnect when it comes to prioritizing health, particularly because we haven’t always had the luxury of doing so. The mindset of “I’ll be okay” is what has kept many going, but it can also lead to neglecting our body’s needs.
“They’re taking buses away from where I’m close to, so now I have to go further for a bus stop,” George said about the new route, noting she knows of other youth in the D.C. metropolitan area who have had similar experiences. “You have to leave out earlier because it’s going all around everywhere except straight to a certain destination, so it just takes longer to get everywhere. It’s less accessible from certain areas.”
Held at the Old Congress Heights School, at 3100 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE, the event was not only centered around CHACC’s decade of service, but highlighted the wealth of local artists— particularly from Southeast D.C. — who are using their art toward positive change.
Marking the gravity of the moment, Larry H. Padilla, chief executive officer of the Decatur Housing Authority, emphasized that the ribbon-cutting was a renewed commitment to the authority’s mission of creating affordable housing. “Today is a celebration, yes. But it must also be a call to action,” he said. Building on his message, Padilla concluded, “Let it be the beginning, not a capstone.”
The center not only provides cold water and a cool, safe place to reset, but also offers meals, hygiene products, and referrals to long-term services. Many of the individuals who visit the facility are unhoused or lack consistent access to air conditioning, making even short stays critical to their health.
“I had an open procedure. I had to be cut from waist to waist, and that recovery was hard,” Hawkins said. “This technology is out there that can treat these women in a very different way, with great outcomes. Why are we not given more of these options? So immediately I was drawn to that purpose behind my career to help women do better.”
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