FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Julian Goldstein, (202) 239-9282 Community Liaison Restoring Shepherd Park on Malcolm X Day Washington, DC – To commemorate Malcolm X Day on Thursday, Mary 19, 2022, Representative Oye Owolewa will be joining forces with ANC 8C Chairman Salim Adofo to lead dozens of volunteers to restore Ward 8’s Shephard Park (located on the intersection of Malcolm X Blvd SE and Martin Luther King Ave SE). Shepherd Park, a historical landmark dating back to the Civil War, has been reduced to an unkept space often home to drug use and crime. For example, 6-year-old Nyiah Courtney was shot and killed at a liquor store just yards away from Shephard Park less than a year ago. After waiting years for the government to beautify Shephard Park, Rep. Oye and Chairman Adofo plan to conduct a community clean up and create a community garden. The goal of this event is to inspire more DC residents to get involved in community service and take ownership of the presentation of our public spaces. Rep. Oye affirms, “I would like to thank Chairman Adofo for the continued leadership in community service. On Malcolm X Day, we are following his example as we beautify our own neighborhood, take back our streets and contribute to the betterment of our living spaces. I hope our work continues to increase public interest in community service.” ## Release Date: May 16, 2022