WARD 1 CANDIDATE JACKIE REYES-YANES DEMANDS ACTION ON GUN VIOLENCE SURGE, OUTLINES CONCRETE SAFETY PLAN

23 Shootings. 2 Homicides. One Month. Reyes-Yanes Says Ward 1 Can’t Wait.

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, May 1, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Ward 1 Council candidate Jackie Reyes-Yanes made her voice heard at two back-to-back community events this week: the National Youth Violence Prevention Week forum hosted by T.R.I.G.G.E.R. on Tuesday, April 28, and the ANC 1C Adams Morgan Candidate Debate at the Festival Center on Wednesday night. At both events, her message was consistent: Ward 1’s violence crisis is predictable — and preventable — but only if leaders stop looking away.

In the past 30 days alone, Ward 1 recorded 38 violent crimes: 23 shootings, 17 assaults with dangerous weapons, and 2 homicides (mpdc.dc.gov).
“Residents are not imagining it — our communities are hurting. We cannot keep responding to violence after the fact. We need to address what’s driving it — and we need to do it now.”

Reyes-Yanes has identified three critical gaps in the District’s current approach: MPD lacks a dedicated gang intervention unit to address ongoing conflicts; there is no consistent follow-up after shootings to interrupt the cycle of retaliation; and the agencies responsible for serving at-risk youth operate in silos, without the coordination needed to reach the young people most in danger.

Her Ward 1 Public Safety Plan responds directly to each failure. Reyes-Yanes would establish a Ward 1-focused violence intervention task force and deploy specialized units for gang conflict mediation and prevention. She would expand youth engagement forums and build rapid-response outreach capacity to reach young people before conflicts escalate. Every violent incident would trigger strict accountability protocols, and she would work to cultivate a community-wide culture of vigilance — one where residents feel empowered to speak up and confident that someone will act on what they report.
“Too many of these conflicts are predictable — and preventable. But they’re not being talked about openly, and that silence is costing lives.”

Reyes-Yanes connects neighborhood conditions directly to community safety — arguing that trash-filled streets and parks erode the sense of ownership residents need to keep communities safe. Her plan:

— Expand weekend trash pickup services
— Clarify DPW vs. DGS agency responsibility for streets and parks
— Launch a public 311 tracking dashboard for transparency
— Continue weekly ‘Hands On Ward 1’ cleanups with residents

Reyes-Yanes has already been leading cleanups across Mount Pleasant and Park View — before holding any elected office. “We’re not waiting on a title to start doing the work,” she said.

SUPPORT THE CAMPAIGN
Ward 1 deserves leadership that faces problems head-on. If you believe in Jackie’s vision for safer, cleaner, more accountable communities, chip in $25 today to help her win.
Every dollar goes directly toward knocking more doors, reaching more voters, and building the Ward 1 we deserve.

About Jackie Reyes-Yanes, Council Candidate for Ward 1, Washington DC
Jackie’s story is Ward 1’s story. She began her public service in 2007 as a community relations and services specialist under Mayor Fenty. Working alongside Councilmember Jim Graham, she sharpened her expertise in constituent services and policy—tackling housing, public safety, and economic opportunity from the ground up.
Jackie became Director of the Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs (2015–2021), where she made government work for immigrant and Latino families. She expanded language access so people could talk to agencies in their own language. She helped Latino-owned small businesses survive and thrive. And when COVID hit, she didn’t wait—she connected 20,000+ neighbors to vaccines, delivered $10 million to families facing eviction, and launched a historic Sister City partnership between D.C. and San Salvador. She also created a $3.5 million Immigrant Justice Legal Services Program so families had lawyers fighting for them.

Most recently (2021–2025), Jackie served as Director of the Mayor’s Office on Community Affairs, overseeing 14 neighborhood offices and a $23 million budget. She coordinated citywide community support, helped migrant families arriving at Union Station, and played a key role in making D.C.’s 2025 World Pride a landmark celebration of inclusion and dignity.
In October 2025, Jackie launched her campaign for Ward 1 D.C. Council because she knows what needs to change: real affordable housing so neighbors can stay, universal childcare so families can work, a government that is responsive and accountable, thriving small businesses, and neighborhoods that feel safe and clean.

mariana barrientos
ROIG Communications
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