Bipeds of Brookland: Hamid Elaissami

Bipeds of Brookland: Hamid Elaissami

Hamid Elaissami  came to DC from Morocco to study economic development at GWU.  “Some people think it is inevitable to be poor. To figure out why that is and then find a solution has always been a driver for me. People abroad don’t understand that there is extreme poverty in the United States, and it really shouldn’t be: it’s the richest country in the world.”

“I work for an organization (Year Up) that helps provide opportunities for disconnected youth. We look for youth who are really motivated and want to break the cycle and we train them and then place them in jobs. I don’t see what I do as a job, helping other people really reach their potential. I see it as a moral obligation. It makes perfect business sense to invest in our young adults. My job is to help employers change perceptions about young Black and Latino men and women and see that they are assets.”

After getting married, Hamid moved to Brookland in 2008. “We live on a block that really belongs to a century ago. Everybody knows everybody, people use their porches to hang out and share stories. They love kids, so our kids can go out and we feel like everybody is watching them.”

 
He notes that despite the transient population in parts of DC, “In Brookland people come to stay for the long haul, which is very wonderful. I think it really is a diverse neighborhood, not just race but everything: retirees, families with kids, college students, it is really incredible. A lot of my students live in this neighborhood.” Hamid is sad to see the neighborhood changing slowly as “Some people who have been here for a while leave; in the span of 10-15 years their house became a treasure, and so selling it just made pure economic sense.”

Bipeds of Brookland: A weekly series introducing the people who make Brookland their home, one step at a time.
Article by Tom Sabella.  Photo by R. Elaissami