About me - Bernita Carmichael 2026

About the Candidate

meet bernita

My name is Bernita Carmichael and I am running to be your first Ward 5 Councilwoman.

Hello Ward 5 and all DC residents.

I am a proud native of Washington, DC, born at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Ward 4 and raised in Brightwood and Riggs Park. A graduate of Phelps High School and the University of the District of Columbia. Ward 5 has always been the home of Veterans and Veteran Families, even to-date! As the daughter of a Gulf War Army Medic, I learned the value of community serving alongside my mother, aunts, and grandmother through our former family church (Pentecostal Baptist Church) uptown on Colorado Ave NW, especially during the Drug and HIV epidemics. These experiences have fueled my commitment to serving diverse communities, embracing individuals from all walks of life, and advocating against the stigma surrounding opioids.

With over 15 years in public-facing roles as an Enterprise Risk Management professional, experience includes achieving the first accreditation for the DC Department of Corrections under the DC Jail Improvement Act of 2004, enhancing emergency response for authorized DC Child Care Centers at the DC Office of the State Superintendent Education (OSSE), and serving as an Environmental Safety and Health Manager for Sodexo at Proctor & Gamble Tide Plant and MARS Petcare in Ohio. Driven by a passion for trades as a former cosmetologist, a passion for life safety as a pro-board fire inspector, a passion for laborers as a general industry occupational safety & health trainer, and a passion for global studies.

My goal is to strengthen our local workforce with an emphasis on workplace safety, empower our Ward 5 community, amplify the needs of LGBTQ+ youth within our households & schools, support businesses with an emphasis on local business, and even support our pets. Our DC households run DC; respect!

I am currently a DC Democratic Party Committeewoman, a member of the Ward 5 Leadership Council, and a member of the DC Federation of Democratic Women through the DC Democratic Women’s Club. Previously, I served as the 3rd Vice President of the Metropolitan Women’s Democratic Club under the late Gaby Fraser, and held board positions with the DC Federation of Women and Ward 5 Democrats. I was also a member of the National Beauty Culturists’ League.

My notable experiences include placing second at the 1999 Essence Hair Show at Howard University and being the only African American woman on the 2016 Hillary Clinton campaign in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, where I served the Yeadon and Lansdowne community. I organized the National Federation of Democratic Women’s virtual conference during COVID-19 and served as an At-Large Delegate for President Joe Biden in 2020. In 2024, I organized 5 charter buses from Ward 5 to support Vice President Kamala Harris at Hechinger Mall.

Additionally, I am a member of the Georgiana Thomas Grand Chapter, OES, PHA Jurisdiction of DC, the Junior League of Washington, and I proudly belong to the Xclusive House of LANVIN DMV Chapter, which advocates for the LGBTQ+ community and preserves our history year-round. “You Know The Story!”

Welcome to my roots and shoulders that shaped who I am today, everybody needs somebody to lean on.

I am deeply invested in our community’s economic unity and want to foster a Ward 5 where all neighbors actively engage in the democratic process to drive long-overdue change. The challenges we face—gentrification, housing insecurity—are significant. Owning a home should be a realistic goal for all residents, yet too many are struggling to make it a reality; this includes me.

A vote for me is a vote for change, hope, and the opportunity to be heard. Together, let’s pursue economic transformation for our community, prioritizing the needs of residents over developers. I will advocate for common-sense solutions that truly reflect our community’s values and aspirations.

Insider, I’m a hell of a policy writer and love getting to the root of it all!

Let’s Dream Again & Win Together!