Ed Lazere, a lifelong progressive and D.C. resident for more than three decades, has consistently impressed our chapter with his commitment to racial, environmental, and economic justice and his firm belief that the D.C. government should work for all of its residents, not just the wealthy or well-connected few. As director of the D.C. Fiscal Policy Institute for two decades, Lazere developed expertise in the D.C. budget and policymaking processes and, through this work, saw firsthand how D.C. councilmembers and mayors have failed to address skyrocketing inequality. Lazere understands that our political and economic systems are fundamentally flawed and that we need a system that shifts power back into the hands of D.C. workers.