For the past year and a half, residents of Washington, DC, have seen the federal administration attempt to take an increasing share of control of local governance. The Trump administration has deployed the National Guard in the city and established a “Safe and Beautiful Task Force,” both of which are expected to stay through 2029. This year marks a crucial opportunity to reshape DC’s leadership through local elections that can push this federal overreach back.

Aparna Raj announced her candidacy for Ward 1 DC Council last summer. A renter and a democratic socialist, her platform prioritizes rent control and affordable housing, universal childcare, and local autonomy. She has been endorsed by unions including local chapters of UNITE HERE, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and the Communications Workers of America Union (CWA) as well as the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO). Her history of organizing for tenants rights, food justice, and labor is embedded in her campaign. She is also endorsed by the Metro DC chapter of Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).

Raj spoke with Sahar Roodehchi to share how she’ll be an “organizer in office,” pushing local leaders to prioritize the needs of everyday people over developers and corporations. She lays out how her policies will support working people and protect DC residents from federal overreach and dangerous immigration policies, laying out a vision of how to make Ward 1 a home that welcomes and works for everyone.