Bill > CER26-0022

This resolution officially recognizes and honors Anita Bellamy Shelton on her 90th birthday, celebrating her extensive history of social justice advocacy in Washington, DC. Born in Harlem in 1935, Shelton was a first-generation college student who graduated from Howard University with degrees in Social Work and went on to become a prominent civil rights leader. She served as Director of the DC Office of Human Rights, appointed by Mayor Marion Barry, and worked with organizations like the National Committee on Household Employment, where she successfully advocated for domestic workers' rights, including raising minimum wages and securing Social Security benefits. Shelton was also involved in community organizing, including organizing one of the city's first rent strikes, and has continued her public service as Ward One Committeewoman of the Democratic State Committee and President of DC Women in Politics. The resolution commends her for improving countless lives through her decades of advocacy for domestic workers, women in politics, discrimination victims, and families in need, recognizing her significant contributions to building a more just and equitable society.