This week, the administration took the unprecedented step of declaring a federal state of emergency in Washington, DC, deploying local law enforcement resources under federal command, and sending DC National Guard troops into our streets. Let’s be clear: there is no public safety crisis in DC that justifies this action. Violent crime in the District is at a 30-year low.
For decades, DC has been treated as a political testing ground, and its residents have been denied the full rights of statehood. But this marked a new level of interference, one where federal authority overrides our community’s rights, safety, and dignity. This opens the door to unlawful policing and targeting, especially of our young people.
We know from history that heavy-handed, militarized responses land hardest on Black and Brown youth. When troops are in the streets, when the government broadcasts that constitutional protections may be ignored, our young people feel the chill first in their daily routines, in their sense of safety, and in their ability to move freely through their own city. These measures don’t make them safer; they deepen distrust and compound trauma.
At Critical Exposure, we believe in our youth’s vision for a just and safe DC. We will stand with them and amplify their voices. In the days ahead, we will reach out to our young people, ensure they have safe spaces to process what’s happening, and connect them to resources and information. We will continue to work with partners to support young people and elevate their stories.
This is a moment to stand firm in our mission and ensure that youth voices are heard above the noise of fear and control.
As Jamal, one of our young photographers, said:
“Some people say that DC isn’t really a safe place. People think that this city is full of crime and just bad things. I find this city to be a great place to socialize and just have fun. The people you see in this photograph are having fun. People who don’t even live in the district say all these bad things about the city.”
With Love and In Solidarity,
Nicole and the CE Team
