Vigilers Honor Miguel Gonzales at the Adams Morgan Plaza and Demand “People Over Profit”; Ward One DC Council Candidates Salah Czapary and Sabel Harris In Attendance, Among Others

Adams Morgan, Ward One, Washington, DC —  On Saturday, April 30, nearly fifty people attended a two+ hour vigil dedicated to Miguel Gonzales who froze to death in late March in Adams Morgan at the corner 18th and Columbia Road NW. Mr. Gonzales’ body was found curled up next to his defacto safe space, the Adams Morgan plaza just a little more than a week after Truist bank evicted all residents and put up fences around the long held public corner. Gonzales was 59.

NBC4 covered the vigil with Adams Morgan residents and friends who came out to recognize Miguel’s life and circumstances that led to his death.

There’s a GoFundMe to help cover funeral costs and to bury Miguel next to his mom.

---

DC Candidates also came out to acknowledge Mr. Gonzales’s life and death, including Salah Czapary (https://salah2022.com/) and Sabel Harris  (https://sabelforward1.com/) both who are running against Ward One Council incumbent Brianne Nadeau (https://www.briannefordc.com/).

After the vigil, Harris sent out a statement:

“On February 11th, Brianne Nadeau tweeted that all of the residents had been connected with safe and stable housing. That was not true. Miguel died on your watch, Councilmember.”

On Saturday, we mourned the loss of a community member. Miguel Gonzales, a kind and bright light, who loved football and basketball died on March 29th clutching the blue concrete bench outside of the Plaza after being evicted from the area without his sleeping bag and tent. pic.twitter.com/4koYi2VEvd

— Sabel Harris (@sabelward1) May 2, 2022

Other candidates in attendance were Ryan Jones, running for DC Attorney General (https://www.ryanjonesforag.com/), and two candidates running for DC Delegate, Wendy Hamilton  (https://www.revwendyforcongress.com/), and Kelly Mikel Williams (https://kellymikelfordc.com/). Faith Hubbard running for Ward 5 Council (https://faithforward5dc.org/) sent a note: “My heart goes our to all who loved Miguel and to all of our unhoused neighbors.”

Court update:

D.C Superior Court Judge, Judith Bartnoff entered an order to authorize Vikram Chiruvolu, of Adams Morgan for Reasonable Development to subpoena phone records of Miguel Gonzales’ mother.  Anyone encountering any additional phone numbers or email addresses or social media or other electronic handles for Miguel Gonzales or Filomena Guillen, please advise as we could potentially return to the judge to amend the order to include those as well.

---

Adams Morgan residents want the plaza preserved as an open public space that continues to serve public interests as it has for nearly 50 years. In addition to public events, farmers markets, vending, music, art, and generally open air and sky at a very busy intersection, this special corner at the center of Adams Morgan has served our unhoused neighbors as a safe space and can continue to do so if city officials would purchase the plaza and end the remaining legal controversy.