PODCAST · government
The Ward 5 Wave
by Councilmember Zachary Parker
Join DC Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker each week for updates on Council activities, highlights from the Ward 5 Weekly Newsletter, and interviews with DC agencies and community partners. You can also send in questions for him to answer on the podcast!
Episodes
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Voices of Ward 5: Clips from Ward 5 Day! Plus Public Safety, FILTER Act, and DYRS Hearing
DC Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker and Communications Director Melissa Littlepage catch up on the highlights from Ward 5 Day, and share clips of dozens of neighbors who said hello at the Ward 5 Day pop-up podcast studio. Councilmember Parker also reflects on recent legislative action on the...
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Return from Recess, and Ward 5 Week & Day!
DC Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker and Communications Director Melissa Littlepage reflect on 9/11, 25 years after the terrorist attacks changed our country forever. They also highlight all of the fun events taking place September 13-19 for Ward 5 Week and Ward 5 Day. Councilmember Parker...
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Ward 5 Housing Conditions Tour
DC Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker chats on-site with tenants and tenant organizers about his Ward 5 Housing Conditions Tour, including visits to the Hecht Warehouse, The Gale - Eckington, and 1400 Florida Ave NE (the focus of this episode). The Councilmember's Director of Constituent…
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CM Elissa Silverman, Effective Oversight, and Summer Interns
DC Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker sits down with the recently-sworn-in At-Large Councilmember Elissa Silverman, a familiar face (and voice) in the Wilson Building. They talk about effective oversight, CM Silverman's plans for the fall legislative session, and—of course—pizza. Ward 5 Council...
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Recess, DoorDash, Rats, Buses, and More!
DC Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker and Communications Director Melissa Littlepage catch up on Council Recess, a new congressional attempt to undermine DC Home Rule (supported by DoorDash), updates on rat abatement in Ward 5, budget wins for Ward 5 bus routes, and a save-the-date for Ward 5…
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Fight for Funding and Happy Pride!
DC Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker and Communications Director Melissa Littlepage catch up on budget markups, concerns with remaining gaps in the FY27 budget proposal, and look ahead to the June 9 vote on the budget. Conversations center around juvenile justice, Credible Messengers program,...
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Housing in the FY27 Budget, Youth Roundtable Reflections, and Talbert Street Homes
DC Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker and Communications Director Melissa Littlepage welcome At-Large Councilmember Robert White, Jr. to the show to talk about housing concerns in the Mayor's proposed FY27 budget, reflections on last week's youth rountable on "teen takeovers," and CM White's...
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Teen Takeovers, SOUL Act, Future Land Use, and More
DC Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker and Communications Director Melissa Littlepage catch up on the coversations buzzing in the Wilson building about "teen takeovers" and juvenile curfews, with proposals on how to respond and the announcement of Councilmember Parker's youth-centered roundtable…
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DC's Social Safety Net, Safeway Closing, and Economic Development
DC Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker and Communications Director Melissa Littlepage sit down with SPACEs in Action Policy Strategist Maneesh Horshin to talk about DC's child care subsidy, Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund, the child tax credit, and how all these programs work together to...
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Potomac Interceptor Collapse Update with Councilmember Charles Allen
DC Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker sits down with Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen, chair of the Council's Committee on Transportation and the Environment. Councilmember Allen shares updates about the Potomac Interceptor Collapse, what he learned when he visited the site, and what neighbors...
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Budget Challenges, Advancing Adult Education, and Remembering Rev. Jesse Jackson
DC Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker is joined by several community members and advocates from REACH (the Roundtable on Education in Adult Charter Schools), including Faith Gibson Hubbard. Guests share the importance and wide-ranging impacts of adult education opportunities and the ways adult...
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Get to know CM Doni Crawford; Council Priorities, Black History Month, Congressional Interference, and More
DC Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker interviews the Council's new interim At-Large Councilmember, Doni Crawford. They talk Council priorities, books, music, Black History Month, the ongoing congessional interference in local policy, and more. Communications Director Melissa Littlepage shares…
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Season 3 Kickoff! Selecting a New Interim CM, Oversight, and ICE
DC Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker and Communications Director Melissa Littlepage talk about the Council's process for appointing a new, interim At-Large Councilmember following former CM McDuffie's resignation in December 2025. They also look ahead to upcoming performance oversight and...
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Season 2 Finale! Child Tax Credit, 2025 Reflections, 2026 Changes
DC Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker and Communications Director Melissa Littlepage reflect on a busy fall legislative season, celebrating the big win for the District Child Tax Credit. They also discuss recent hearings on bills including environmental justice in Ivy City and improving access…
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Changes to TOPA, SNAP Benefits at Risk, and Montana Triangle Zoning Hearing
DC Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker, Communications Director Melissa Littlepage, and Legislative Director Neferteria Brown chat about the Council's recent votes on the RENTAL Act making changes to TOPA. They also discuss the impending changes to SNAP benefits due to the federal government...
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The CARE for Youth Plan
DC Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker shares details of his recently introduced C.A.R.E. for Youth Plan - a 16-bill policy package designed to foster youth wellbeing in the District. Jenise "Mama Jo" Patterson, Founder and Director of Parent Watch, Inc., joins to share her perspective on how…
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Recap of Ward 5 Day, RFK Redevelopment and RENTAL Act, and Preview of Youth Affairs Policy Package
DC Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker and Communications Director Melissa Littlepage reflect on a vibrant and joyful time with neighbors at Ward 5 Day. Councilmember Parker also discusses the Council's recent votes on the RFK Redevelopment Deal and the RENTAL Act. He also offers a preview of a...
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Federal Overreach, Council's Next Legislative Meeting, and WARD 5 DAY!
DC Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker and Communications Director Melissa Littlepage catch up on the latest news about federal overreach in the District, sharing lots of resources including ward5.us/toolkit, ward5.us/report, ward5.us/resist, and ward5.us/onthehill. Councilmember Parker also…
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Threats to DC Autonomy, DYRS Lawsuit, and Reflections on Second Budget Vote and RFK Redevelopment
DC Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker and Communications Director Melissa Littlepage talk about the federal government's latest threats against DC's autonomy, as well as a civil lawsuit against the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS). Councilmember Parker also reflects on the...
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First Budget Vote Reflections and I-82 with Andy Shallal
DC Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker and Busboys and Poets Founder and CEO Andy Shallal talk about the Council's first vote on the FY26 Budget, including discussions around Initiative 82 and the tipped minimum wage. Andy shares his insights as the owner of Busboys and Poets, which has 8…
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Updates on RFK, Budget Oversight, and Cell Phones in DC Schools
DC Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker and Communications Director Melissa Littlepage discuss recent news about the RFK Stadium site redevelopment and reflect on a week full of budget oversight hearings. Phelps ACE High School (in Ward 5!) Principal, Cara Fuller, joins the episode to discuss new...
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I-82, RFK, WorldPride, and More
DC Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker and Communications Director Melissa Littlepage catch up on a busy week including a vote on emergency legislation about I-82 (Tipped Minimum Wage) on the Council, a letter to the Washington Commanders about labor agreements for the RFK stadium site...
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A Budget for All of Us
DC Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker discusses the Mayor's proposed FY26 budget with advocates and shares his alternative view: a budget for all of us. Joined by Kimberly Perry, Executive Director of DC Action, and Erica Williams, Executive Director of the DC Fiscal Policy Institute, the...
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The Budget is Coming!
DC Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker and Communications Director Melissa Littlepage reflect on a busy week involving oversight in the Committee on Youth Affairs, a community meeting on the future of the RFK Stadium site, and the opening of the new Trader Joe's in Brookland. They also look ahead...
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Council Hot Topics with Chairman Mendelson
DC Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker sits down with Chairman Phil Mendelson to discuss current hot topics on the Council: RFK, I-82, World Pride, and more. Communications Director Melissa Littlepage shares highlights from the latest edition of the Ward 5 Weekly Newsletter. Read at ward5.us/news...
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The Future of RFK (plus I-82, Upcoming Events, and Sinners Movie)
DC Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker and Communications Director Melissa Littlepage catch up on some of the District's biggest news this week, including plans for the future of the RFK Stadium site, conversations about restaurants and I-82, upcoming events, and reflections about the movie...
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Upcoming Ward 5 Events, DC Emancipation Day, Spring Break & Council Recess
DC Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker and Communications Director Melissa Littlepage share updates on the status of DC’s budget fix on the Hill, upcoming Ward 5 events including the Healthy Communities Spring Cleaning day on April 26, and the next Ward 5 Public Safety Call on April 30. Next week...
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Recent Council Votes: Rental Assistance Reform and Open Meetings Act
DC Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker talks with Ward 3 Councilmember Matt Frumin about the Council’s recent votes on ERAP (Emergency Rental Assistance Program) reform, and on emergency legislation to amend the Open Meetings Act. Both topics have been marked by controversy in public discussion....
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Moving the Providence Redevelopment Forward
DC Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker shares the latest news about the Providence Redevelopment following a new deal secured this week by the Office of the Attorney General (learn more here). To talk more about what this redevelopment means for Michigan Park, Ward 5, and the District, two guests...
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Recess at the Capitol
DC Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker invites Jhonna Turner, Chief Strategy Officer of CARE Washington, DC, to share about her experience helping organize students and families to rally at the Capitol and defend DC’s budget last week. They also discuss what’s the come as a standalone measure to...
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Power to the People
DC Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker heads to Capitol Hill to lobby U.S. Senators to protect DC’s budget in the GOP’s Continuing Resolution. Communications Director Melissa Littlepage shares highlights from the latest Ward 5 Weekly Newsletter; read at ward5.us/news and subscribe at...
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District Dollar Signs
DC Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker talks with the Council’s Budget Director, Jen Budoff, about the upcoming budget process and anticipated challenges. Jen explains the fiscal headwinds DC is facing, and ways neighbors can get involved as we approach budget season. Communications Director...
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Celebrating Black History Month: Tyrone Celey
DC Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker wraps up the Black History Month series chatting with Tyrone Celey—a Trinidad neighbor and owner of Jabbo’s Compact Market. He shares about growing up in the Trinidad neighborhood, witnessing numerous significant moments in civil rights history, and what…
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Celebrating Black History Month: Sia Barbara Kamara
DC Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker continues the Black History Month series with a conversation with Sia Barbara Kamara — a civil rights activist, early childhood education leader, and Riggs Park neighbor. She shares her many stories of participating in the civil rights movement with SNCC…
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Celebrating Black History Month: Jeannette Mobley
DC Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker sits down with longtime Brookland resident, Jeannette Mobley, as the Black History Month series of episodes continues. Jeannette shares about her upbringing, life in DC, and many stories in community organizing in both local- and national-level politics....
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Celebrating Black History Month: Wade Henderson
DC Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker kicks off a Black History Month series of episodes with Ward 5 neighbors. This week’s episode features Wade Henderson, a lifelong Bloomingdale resident and civil rights lawyer. Tune in to hear Wade’s experiences from the March on Washington (1963), to...
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Tragedy at DCA, Improved NAEP Scores for DC Students, and More…
DC Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker and Ward 5 State Board of Education Representative Robert Henderson connect over the tragic plan crash at DCA that occurred Wednesday, January 29, 2025. They also discuss recent National Assessment for Educational Progress scores for DC students showing...
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Oversight, Federal Gov’t Changes, Commanders, RFK Stadium, and More…
DC Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker sits down with At-Large Councilmember Christina Henderson for a chat covering everything from performance oversight on the Council, to changes at the federal government level, to the Commanders and opportunities at the RFK Stadium site, to Beyoncé and more....
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MLK Day, Inauguration, New Staff, and Upcoming Ward 5 Events
DC Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker and Communications Director Melissa Littlepage kick off Season 2 of the Ward 5 Wave with updates on snow removal, reflections on the legacy of Rev. Dr. King ahead of the MLK holiday, closures to be aware of for the Presidential Inauguration, new staff…
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Season 1 Finale: How are the kids, really?
DC Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker and Communications Director Melissa Littlepage bring holiday greetings and share lots of important news from the Council including new committee assignments, reflections on Council Period 25, what’s coming in the new year, and more. Read the latest Ward 5...
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Happy Thanksgiving! And November Updates
Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker and Communications Director Melissa Littlepage reflect on the 2024 General Election, the past month of work on the Subcommittee on Libraries and Youth Affairs, the 2024 Holiday Turkey Giveaway, and what’s coming up in the Ward 5 Council Office. Read the latest...
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Tackling Challenges Together: DC Farm Tour, Council Updates, and More
Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker and Communications Director Melissa Littlepage catch up on recent Council hearings, legislative meetings, and more. The Councilmember leads a tour for officials from around the region of DC farms and urban agriculture initiatives, with soundbites from Gail…
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Legislative Meeting Recap, Great Libraries, and UNCF Guests
Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker and Communications Director Melissa Littlepage share updates from the DC Council’s October 1 Legislative Meeting, CM Parker’s meetings with directors of DC Public Library and the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services, and special guests from the United...
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Lots of Events and the End of Council Recess
Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker and Communications Director Melissa Littlepage talk about Ward 5 Week, September 16-21, Ward 5 Day, September 22, and what neighbors can expect with the end of Council Recess next week. You can read the latest Ward 5 Weekly Newsletter at ward5.us/news and...
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Gun Trafficking Lawsuits (and…Getting Ready for Ward 5 Day!)
Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker and Communications Director Melissa Littlepage give the latest updates on Ward 5 Day, free tickets to an upcoming Nationals baseball game, and more. Deputy Chief of Staff Conor Shaw joins to discuss DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb’s lawsuit against gun stores...
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Thank a Union! Plus Updates and Trinidad Day Recap
Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker and Communications Director Melissa Littlepage share details about the upcoming Ward 5 Day event on September 22, along with a celebration of Labor Day and unions. Melissa also sits down for a chat with ANC 5D Chair, Salvador Sauceda-Guzman, and Constituent...
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A Looming Crisis: Rental Housing in the District
Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker and Communications Director Melissa Littlepage chat about a recent report detailing an impending crisis in the District’s rental housing market. Longtime Ward 5 neighbor, lawyer, and landlord Raenelle Zapata chats about her up-close-and-personal experiences…
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Remembering Joe Bowser, and Saying Thank You to Summer Intern, Faith Hutson
Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker and Communications Director Melissa Littlepage reflect on the passing of Joseph L. Bowser. They also share updates on the South Dakota Ave Safety Study, DPR’s Ward 5 Construction Updates, and more from this week’s newsletter. Ward 5 Council Office Summer…
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Getting Ready for Back-to-School
Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker and Communications Director Melissa Littlepage share the latest Ward 5 news. DC State Board of Education Representative for Ward 5, Robert Henderson, joins to share information about the Ward 5 Education Equity Committee’s upcoming backpack and school supplies...
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Shifting Our Economic Strategy: Co-ops
Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker and Communications Director Melissa Littlepage share the latest Ward 5 news and feature new legislation on cooperative economics (OWNERS Amendment Act of 2024). Constituent Services Coordinator Sam Bonar, and Charnal Chaney, owner of BOLD Yoga, chat with...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Join DC Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker each week for updates on Council activities, highlights from the Ward 5 Weekly Newsletter, and interviews with DC agencies and community partners. You can also send in questions for him to answer on the podcast!
HOSTED BY
Councilmember Zachary Parker
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Ward 5 Wave have?
The Ward 5 Wave currently has 62 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Ward 5 Wave about?
Join DC Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker each week for updates on Council activities, highlights from the Ward 5 Weekly Newsletter, and interviews with DC agencies and community partners. You can also send in questions for him to answer on the podcast!
How often does The Ward 5 Wave release new episodes?
The Ward 5 Wave has 62 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to The Ward 5 Wave?
You can listen to The Ward 5 Wave on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The Ward 5 Wave?
The Ward 5 Wave is created and hosted by Councilmember Zachary Parker.
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