Why I’m running for ANC, and the values that will guide me
The story behind Matt McFarland's campaign for ANC commissioner in 3/4G-07
Before I bought my first house in DC in 2014, I called up the neighborhood’s ANC chair and asked him about the neighborhood.
His name was Kent. He was smart, helpful and generous.
I moved to his ANC and shortly after I started a neighborhood group, Georgia Avenue Thrive. We worked to make Park View more connected, inclusive and vibrant.
Sometimes I’d attend ANC meetings to share Thrive’s work, or ask for the ANC’s help.
And there was Kent — always dressed up and leading the show. You could tell he loved the work.
Kent always greeted me warmly and made sure I was heard. He was connector. Thrive was a big success, and the support of leaders like Kent was big.
My family moved to Chevy Chase last year, and I heard my ANC commissioner wasn’t returning.
It felt like my time to give back. The ANC had helped me and Thrive so many times.
We had big wins that I was so proud of. Pedestrian safety. Pioneering public art. Neighborhood cleanups that the mayor honored. Public safety improvements that attracted the first Call Your Mother bagel shop to a corner once overrun with violence and addiction.
Kent was such a success that he now leads DC’s ANC office.
You may have seen him quoted in The Washington Post’s story about the tension at Chevy Chase’s ANC, and the shortage of ANC candidates.
I’m determined to help get Chevy Chase’s ANC back on the right track. Here are some of the values that I’ll bring to the work:
1. Civil discourse.
Let’s be neighborly. Chevy Chase is a great neighborhood and our problems pale in comparison to what many people deal with. We shouldn’t be toxic, or take cheap shots. Seek first to understand, then to be understood.
2. Health and happiness for all.
I like to start with shared and universal values. Life is the greatest gift. It should be cherished and prioritized. How can the ANC make us a happier, more connected community?
Americans are drifting apart. Household size is shrinking. Fewer people know their neighbors. Kids are less likely to walk to school. Social capital has declined.
I want to unite, not divide Chevy Chase. I’m excited to pursue projects that are win-win situations for a wide range of neighbors.
3. Operational excellence.
Chevy Chase should have the best ANC in the city. Other ANCs should be copying our best practices. We should set the highest bar for ourselves, and for DC’s government.
I once spent 22 months navigating DC’s bureaucracy to have graffiti removed from a public road sign.
I had to end up on a first-name basis with the employee tasked with replacing the sign. Incidents like that are inexcusable.
More recently, I’ve been deeply concerned with the long-running flaws and shortcomings of the DC Department of Forensic Sciences, commonly called the Crime Lab. The failures are a hazard to public safety, trust in government, and racial equity.
Our government has tremendous room for growth, including the DC Housing Authority and our 911 dispatch system. Recent reports on their flaws are alarming and unacceptable. I’ve watched in horror as neighbors struggle to connect to 911 following a shooting.
4. Live in harmony with each other and nature
Neighbors shouldn’t interrupt you and scream at you at a community meeting, or snipe unfairly at you on public forums. I recommend that everyone read Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg, and Nonviolent Communication by Marshall Rosenberg.
We live in the shadow of a US National Park. Let’s remember to connect with nature, and to respect it.
5. Understand the past and build a great tomorrow
I was born in DC and went to high school in the city, a few miles from 116 Bryant Street, best known for its role in the landmark 1948 Supreme Court ruling on racial covenants, Hurd vs. Hodge.
During the racial reckoning of 2020, I tracked down my AP American History textbook from high school to see if we’d been taught about the racial covenants.
We hadn’t.
Too often, we don’t fully understand our city and our history. My first DC apartment was a few feet from the site of Tally’s Corner, a landmark, best-selling book that opened many eyes.
More recently, I’ve explored the history of how a Chevy Chase block came to be named Kanawha. I’ve teamed with research librarians, and we’ve yet to uncover the story.
I want to better understand Chevy Chase. I feel so lucky to live here, and would love to give back to the community.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out — matt@51problems.com.