October 16, 2023 • 30 mins
Bowie residents, it’s Election Season!! Do you know the candidates runners for Ciry Council? Meet Iyamide House, candidate for Bowie City Council, District 3.
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Tamara Davis Brown (00:06):
And welcome back to another episode of All
Politics is Local with me, yourhost, Tamara Davis Brown.
I know you have been eagerlyawaiting and wondering what's
going on.
We haven't heard a new podcastepisode from Tamara in a while.
Yes, we took a family vacation,had a great time in Greece, and
(00:27):
then life happened, had alittle bit of health challenges,
but we're all doing well now,and uh we're back.
It is election season in thecity of Bowie.
So I decided that when I comeback, I wanted to talk to some
of the candidates who arerunning for office for the City
of Bowie, Maryland.
(00:48):
And I'm so excited because, asyou many of you may know, and if
you follow the podcast andsubscribe to the podcast, by the
way, please do download andsubscribe and share the podcast
with your friends and neighbors.
But the purpose is to reallyengage our millennials, our next
generation of uh voters, ofcitizens, to get them more
(01:12):
engaged, not in just thepolitical process, but public
service and government processand how the federal government,
state, and local governmentaffects you daily.
So again, it is election seasonin the city of Bowie.
I'm excited to uh let you knowthat elections are Tuesday,
November 7th.
(01:33):
I always remember that datebecause November 7th happens to
be my father's birthday, andevery once in a while the
elections fall on my father'sbirthday.
Um, but I'm excited to havewith me today Yamade House.
She is a candidate for District3, council member for the city
(01:53):
of Bowie.
So, welcome, Miss House.
Thank you for joining me.
We're so excited to hear aboutyou, your candidacy, what you
plan to do, not only for theresidents of District 3 in
Bowie, but the city at large.
And so thank you for joining ustoday.
Good morning.
Good morning.
(02:14):
How are you?
I am doing well.
So we're gonna jump right inand let the people know.
Tell us a little bit aboutyourself, who you are, where you
were born and raised, tell usabout your family, whole nine
yards.
Iyamide House (02:28):
Awesome, awesome.
Thank you so much for havingme.
Um, I am uh a native NewYorker, so I grew up in the
Mid-Hudson Valley, Poughkeepsie,New York.
Um, and that is where Iattended public school, and that
is where um my family wasraised me.
My mother is actually fromSierra Leone, West Africa, and
(02:51):
she moved here when she was 13and was educated.
She started off actually at anHBCU at Bennett, and then she
transferred to WilkesUniversity, where she met my
father.
And my father is um a nativeNorfolk, Virginia man, and his
his father was worked on ashipyard like lots of people in
(03:12):
Norfolk, Virginia, and he umactually went to Wilkes on a
wrestling scholarship.
Tamara Davis Brown (03:18):
Oh, wow.
Iyamide House (03:19):
And uh they were two of five black folks at
Wilkes University nowuniversity.
Um, and they after graduationwent back to New York and set up
home.
And so actually, reallyinterestingly enough, they both
ended up in education.
My father started off as an artteacher.
(03:41):
Uh my mother ended up workingat the United Nations, but then
ended up being an Englishteacher.
She was my only black teachergrowing up in middle school.
She taught seventh gradeEnglish.
Um, they subsequently were umbecame principals.
Um, and so my home was a lot oflearning, education, um,
(04:03):
reading, and it was a greattime.
I have a younger sister who isalso a mental health clinician.
She is a social worker, I'm acounselor.
Um, after um New York, I wentto the school at Johns Hopkins
University, and that's whatactually brought me to Maryland
and has kept me in Maryland.
Um, I loved my experience atJohns Hopkins.
(04:25):
I loved being um around more umblack folks, African folks, so
it's like home, um coming toMaryland.
Um and at uh Johns Hopkins, um,I was actually the black
student union president for acouple of years.
Um, and I did everything underthe sun of Johns Hopkins from
(04:48):
bringing back Greek life.
I'm a member of Sigma Gamma Rowsorority um to actually, I
think it's apropos, I um was astudent leader for Project
Interchange.
Um and it actually had me go toIsrael to learn about the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
And so I was in both Palestineand Israel for a week to learn
(05:10):
about that conference incollege.
Um, and as I left school andgraduated and um resided in
Maryland, I decided to become amental health clinician.
Got my master's at JohnsHopkins, um, was a school
counselor for a bit um inWashington, DC.
Um and I also um recentlyopened my practice, not
(05:32):
recently, 2015, I opened up myprivate practice where I um see
professional women.
And I also am the mom of threeamazing children.
I have uh twin five-year-oldboys, uh Winston and Langston,
and I have a nine-year-olddaughter, uh Dillion.
And another random thing aboutme, I love being a soccer mom.
(05:55):
It's one of things that bringme great joy.
Um, and I'm also learning howto love to be a cheer mom.
Cheering is a little bit moreintensive.
I love I love the girls, um,but it's a little bit more
intensive than being a soccermom.
So it's a little bit more aboutme.
Tamara Davis Brown (06:11):
Excellent, excellent, very good.
So, when did you uh moveactually move to the city of
Bowie?
Iyamide House (06:18):
Yeah, Bowie is a destination in um Prince
George's County.
I moved to Bowie seven yearsago in 2016 and bought my first
home.
Um, and so I knew I wanted tomove to Bowie.
I had a friend who lived hereand I loved it.
I thought it was the cutestlittle community, and it's like
(06:39):
right smack in the middle ofWashington, DC and Annapolis.
Um, and so 2016 is when Ibought my home.
Tamara Davis Brown (06:46):
Okay, very good, very good.
And um, is your practice inBowie as well?
You said that you were a youare a mental health clinician,
and so tell us a little bitabout your practice and and
exactly what you do and and isit located, and if you know, we
can talk a little bit.
I know we're gonna get to thecampaign, but talk a little bit
(07:08):
about your profession and andand your career and what where
where you're located.
Iyamide House (07:13):
Thank you.
That's um it's actually um dueto the pandemic, my practice is
now virtual.
Um it's so I can see anybody inWashington, D.C.
and mail in because I'mlicensed.
Um, and you know, because ofthe pandemic, my office was
located in Washington, DC.
Um, once the pandemic hit, andwe had to go home, and I
(07:36):
provided telehealth therapy 100%of the time.
Um, that is what I've continuedto do, and it actually works
for a lot of people.
So I see people throughout theregion.
Again, most of my clients areprofessional women.
Um, so a lot of um women whoactually work on the hill, CEOs,
lawyers, um, doctors, and evengraduate students, college
(08:00):
students as well, and I do seemen too.
Um, but focusing on really alot of anxiety and depression,
um, life transitions.
Um, I do see some folks whohave personality disorders
because I've been highly trainedto treat folks with um BPD or
borderline personality disorder.
(08:21):
Um, and so we also have aclinician who is trained in
EMDR.
That's a trauma traumatreatment for folks who have um
unfortunately experienced lotsof trauma that too is
evidence-based.
Um so a lot of my work isaround making sure that everyone
is well.
(08:42):
I started off as a schoolcounselor working with children,
working with adolescents, and Ijust realized how moms were not
focusing on themselves andpouring so much into their
children and missing the piecethat when we as parents are
well, our children are well.
Tamara Davis Brown (09:02):
Right, right, right.
Very good, very good.
Well, that's very important.
And and I think the pandemiconly emphasized the need to
focus on mental health, not onlyfor students, but caregivers
such as parents and so forth.
So I applaud you in um inchoosing that profession.
I know it has to be verydifficult.
(09:24):
I always said when I startedpracticing law, I didn't want to
do anything that was personal.
Because I just couldn't itseems like I I kind of brought
that home.
I I did clerk for um um anattorney that did personal
injury and it those stories kindof just stuck with me, and I
was like, I just can't, I can'tdo this.
So I applaud you, hats off toyou for uh for being being in
(09:49):
that that licensed uh clinicalprofession and and dealing with
uh mental health because nowagain, like I said, the pandemic
has really emphasized thatfolks are really struggling and
and and suffering.
And so thank you for your thankyou for your service.
So let's pivot now a little bitto the campaign.
(10:10):
Um what made you decide to runfor um District 3?
Um council member for the cityof Bowie.
Uh tell us a little bit aboutyour platform, what you hope to
accomplish, and um all the goodthings of why people in the
particularly uh district threeresidents in the city of Bowie
(10:31):
should vote for Yama Day House.
Iyamide House (10:34):
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Well, I um actually, as I justsaid, I was black student union
president many, many, many moonsago.
Um and so that always kind ofput government in my mind, not
necessarily a focus.
And so um I actually um thedistrict three last elected
(10:58):
person was elected into anotherrole, so it became an opening.
Um, and I interviewed for thatposition back in January because
it became an appointed seat.
That's that was my tippingtipping my toe.
I didn't I didn't get it.
It's okay, it was fine, and Imoved on with life.
Um, and I thought it would havebeen an interesting job, but
(11:18):
that's okay.
Um, but then last year um onJune 7th, many Bowie residents
know that we were shaken becausethere was an active shooter
incident at Bowie High School.
Um, and it was one of the mostterrifying experiences I've had
as a parent getting a textmessage that your school's
(11:39):
locked down, there's an activeshooter, um, you know, and that
was really it.
So, like many of the parents,we ran to the school, our kids
were safe, the person wasoutside, but it knocked knocked
on our door, right?
As parents, we've seen schoolshootings around um the country,
(12:00):
and it's terrifying and it'supsetting and it's destroyed,
it's it makes us distraught.
Um, and as a mental healthclinician, I was in the parking
lot talking to parents, helpingparents figure out how they were
gonna talk to their kids.
Um, you know, really utilizingmy profession in that moment
when everybody's terrified tofigure out like how we're gonna
(12:22):
talk to the kids.
I'm sure they were scared.
There were, you know, armedpolice officers around our
school, thank goodness.
Um, but kids came out and theysaw that.
Um, and so that really ignitedin me like, hey, I'm a part of
this community.
I love my my neighbors, I lovemy children and their friends
and their parents.
(12:42):
How can I make sure that wekeep our community safe?
How can I like participate?
And so because I dipped my toein back in January, I said, you
know what?
Um I think God is pushing me toreally just step up and
participate in a way that I knowI can really give back and help
(13:04):
shape the community movingforward.
Um, you know, my tagline is avoice for families because we
are so busy with kids and, youknow, we're in the sandwich
generation where we're takingcare of our parents as well,
that we are not able to focus onum, you know, politics in the
(13:24):
way that we're activelyinvolved.
Um, and so that's what reallypropelled me to say, you know
what?
Get into the race, get involvedbecause there's a huge swath of
the community that isn't ableto actively participate.
I am the only candidate withschool-age children.
Um, and I'm also the only womanin this race.
(13:47):
Um, so I'm bringing absolutelya different voice.
Um, and I'm not sure if youknow Tamara, but there's also
only one woman on the citycouncil.
Um, and so, you know, that's54% of buoy that is not being
um, that doesn't have a voice,right?
Like it's not equitable,there's not equitable
(14:08):
representation on the council.
So that's really what'spropelled me to run.
Um, and then as I've beentalking to folks and um getting
more information about whateverybody, what's really on
everybody's mind, it's reallylike these big things, right?
That's crime, there's anincrease in crime in our
(14:31):
community, um, and it's hit mostof the country, but it's one of
the things that makes Bowiefeel different because we are a
tight-knit, safe community.
Um, I've been knocking ondoors, and in one community, um,
you know, there were four umcars car stolen, uh, people
waking up and their cars aregone, right?
(14:51):
Um, and which is so differentfrom what people have
experienced.
So really working with uh thepolice uh department, but we has
their own police department.
And one, they are incentivizingpeople joining the police
department, but two, reallymaking sure that we have some
more and strengthening communitypolicing, more patrols, um,
(15:14):
even deterrents where we canmaybe even incentivize uh police
officers living in ourcommunities.
My community has a policeofficer who's right in the front
of our community, so that'sreally a great deterrent, but I
know lots of communities don'thave that.
Um, so public safety is one ofthe things that's really
(15:35):
important um to strengthenembowie.
The next piece, again, becauseI'm the only um candidate with
school-aged kids, education ishighly uh combined.
Exactly, exactly.
And though city council doesnot um really have control over
(15:55):
the schools, that is the schoolboard.
Uh, there's a couple of thingsthat we have to keep in mind.
One, Bowie has um some of thebest schools in Prince George's
County.
Um, and one of those schools,well, most of those schools
actually haven't been renovated,but one of those schools in
particular um has at this pointfive, uh five or six um trailers
(16:20):
because they're so full.
Um, and we are we're seeingincreased development in Bowie,
and that's wonderful.
Um, people come to Bowiebecause of the schools, but our
we do not need our classes to beum overpopulated.
I was talking to another umresident of District 3, and she
(16:40):
said her child has 40 kids intheir middle school class,
right?
And so it we have to reallylobby and make sure that our
schools uh can handle thebreadth of and the increased
population of children coming,right?
It means newer buildings andhow we can lobby to make sure
(17:02):
that we get newer buildings, um,how we can make sure that we
have affordable aftercareprograms.
So really incentivizing, um,maybe creating some tax breaks
for aftercare programs anddaycare programs to come to Buoy
and support.
Um, that's a big need here.
Um, you know, talking toteachers and some of the things
(17:23):
that ruffle their feathers a bitis like, you know, people
always put their buoy residentsalways put their kids in private
school.
And I absolutely understandthat because we have some great
schools.
But at the same time, if allthe buoy residents did not put
their kids in private school, wewouldn't, we would be very
overcrowded, right?
Um, and so there's that piecetoo that I really want to help
(17:46):
the the city council understandthat we have to take people care
of people holistically, right?
If we're attracting youngfamilies to come, they're coming
here because of the schools,that's wonderful because we can
then support our seniors andcreate a bigger tax break to um
excuse me, tax base to supportour aging population and their
(18:08):
needs.
Um, but we also have to keeppeople here.
And then that's the otherpiece.
People are moving out of buoybecause they can't afford it,
right?
Um, they need their familiesare growing, they want to buy
bigger homes, and there'sthey're just being priced out of
the community.
Um, and so that's another issuethat I don't think everybody
(18:32):
fully gets the full circle, howeverything works together in
talking to some folks.
So that's one piece.
Um, and then the last piece umis hand goes hand in hand.
So we've had we've talked alittle bit about the development
and the housing development,but also economic development.
Um, district three,particularly, is where the town
(18:54):
center of Bowie is located.
Um, and we've seen a lot ofbusinesses leave to go to other
places or close their doors.
And we know that nationallyretail um brick and mortar
stores are really struggling.
Um, but all the other pieces,people are also not necessarily
shopping in Bowie because othercities have bigger box stores.
(19:17):
Um, and uh that's reallyanother issue is creating um a
strong retail base um fordistrict three.
And so one of the other thingsthat I'm going to um really
appeal and advocate for is forBowie to have a streamlined
(19:38):
permitting process to helpincrease um or decrease, excuse
me, the time period it takes toopen a brick and mortar store,
especially in um in DistrictThree.
So help uh the city create aliaison between us and the
council to really increase uhone, the amount of stores that
(19:59):
come in, but to decrease thetime they they have uh to open.
Tamara Davis Brown (20:04):
I can see why um your tagline uh is a
voice for buoy families, becauseum quite frankly, uh although
I'm not a buoy resident, I havenot heard someone really take on
that holistic look at families.
And like you said, you're umbeing a mom of of young
school-aged children as well,um, you kind of understand that
(20:28):
holistic need.
And I think the fact that youare a licensed um mental health
clinician, you hear about someof the issues that that um
working mothers, uh workingwomen are are dealing with, and
so you I think you will bring abreath of fresh air to the uh
(20:50):
Bowie City Council in thatregard.
I love your platform, I loveyour platform.
Um with that, um, as Imentioned uh earlier and at the
at the top of um in in theintroduction that we're really
trying to reach um the youngergeneration and really trying to
encourage them.
(21:11):
What do you say to buoyresidents who say, you know, I
don't want to vote, it doesn'tmatter, you know, look what's
going on on on the hill.
Uh, you know, just you know,folks, you know, it's so um
bitter and partisan, um, it justseems like my voice is not
being heard.
What do you say to encouragethem, not only one, to to
(21:35):
exercise their right to vote andto vote for you specifically,
obviously, but really what couldthey do as a younger generation
to ensure their feet f futurepolitically or just even if it's
not politically, just beingactively engaged and
understanding what's going on intheir local government.
I hope you uh hope that wasn'ttoo much of a mouthful.
Iyamide House (22:00):
Uh absolutely.
I I think one of the thingsthat I said earlier and when I
started was people get busy,right?
Life is really difficult.
Um, one thing I love about thisyounger generation um is that
they are informed, they aresmart, um, and they are really
(22:22):
kind of bucking the system andsystematic norms, right?
Even this whole like work fromhome piece that they are making
sure that they understand thatbusinesses understand I'm going
to work from home, I will comein three days a week, not five,
and really standing on that.
Um, so they, the youngergeneration, I guess myself
(22:43):
included, I feel a little bitlike a zenial, um, are really
great advocates for themselves.
I think one thing that we haveto understand is that
government, especially localgovernment, is about the people.
And so that's another piecethat I want to make sure is that
(23:06):
I am bringing folks with me.
Um, you know, sometimesgovernment feels like this
othered um experience and itfeels like it's not inclusive,
it feels like it's not aboutyou, it feels like something
that somebody else should do.
And I think it's been it's beencreated that way on purpose,
(23:30):
where in previous generationspeople were more actively
engaged.
But as a younger person, itreally has felt like that's
something my parents do.
Or even we've seen like kind oflike the partisan news networks
and the kind of the collapse ofjust um objective and informed
(23:53):
communication.
Um, we're seeing that like itdoesn't feel inclusive.
So one thing that I thinkpoliticians in general need to
do, and I'm I love seeing theyounger politicians in Prince
George's County, is to make itfeel inclusive and making all
these different groups of peoplefeel like they're apart.
(24:17):
Um I am less educated on um howpolitics is taught nowadays.
I know things have revamped,it's been it's been a little
bit, and my kids haven't learnedpolitics in school.
But one of the things that Iknow I learned in one semester
in high school was politics andgovernment.
(24:41):
But I don't know why it wasjust one semester.
This is uh this is our right ascitizens to be informed and to
learn about how to make lawspossible.
And so um you what would bereally exciting to you to know
is that I've actually beeninvited by Bowie High School to
come and speak it with theiryoung Democrats.
(25:01):
Isn't that amazing?
Tamara Davis Brown (25:02):
Oh awesome.
Yes, yes, yes.
Iyamide House (25:04):
Um so I think one, you know, really keeping
the lines of communication openwith the youth on all levels,
not just during election season,but bringing them on.
I've I've had my children comeout and knock doors with me.
I've had teenagers come out andknock doors with me to let them
(25:27):
know that they are a part ofthe process.
And it is about conversationand communication with your
neighbors, right?
Um, one thing that Bowie hasthat I love is just a strong
community, and that's what Ireally want to make sure that we
maintain as we get bigger andbigger and bigger.
Exactly, exactly.
Tamara Davis Brown (25:47):
Well, that's awesome.
That is so um refreshing tohear.
I remember I started the umDemocratic Club at Gwyn Park
High School years ago, and um soexcited to see those students.
A lot of them went on tocollege.
I wrote letters ofrecommendations for them, and
they were involved in studentgovernment.
(26:08):
So um hats off to you to uh forengaging with the young Dems at
Bowie High School.
I know that's um that's that'squite an honor.
Um so we're about to to toclose out.
I do want um voters andresidents of uh the city of
Bowie, particularly DistrictThree, to find out a little bit
(26:29):
more how they can learn aboutyour campaign, um learn about
you know your social mediahandles, all of those things.
And one thing I forgot to askon the top, but I know that it's
on your website.
Can you describe you did ummention that the town center is
in district three, but describethe actual little um communities
(26:52):
that comprise of district threeas well, and then um help close
us out with some maybe upcomingcampaign events.
And um I do want to give ashout out because I I did peep
your website a little bit and Isaw you had some great
endorsements from our state'sattorney, your fellow Soror, um
(27:12):
Sigma Gamma Row, Aisha BraveBoy.
I saw that one of the at-largeschool board members is also um
endorsing you.
Um, and I I you know I thinkthat's great.
And I think it was one otherperson, I can't remember.
Um, but feel free to uh talkabout your endorsements and
who's supporting you as well.
So um first let's start out,let's start out by um um
(27:35):
mentioning some of thecommunities that district three
covers in in the city of Bowie.
Iyamide House (27:40):
So there are a bunch of communities, but I will
go through the list.
So District Three that polls atBowie Gym would be Allen Pond
Townhomes, Bowie Commons, uhBrookdale, uh Woodward Estates,
Dixon's Crossing, Enfield Chase,Evergreen Estates, Northview,
Princeton Square, Oak Pond, OldStage, Spring Meadows, Westview,
(28:04):
Woodmore Estates, and WoodmoreHighlands.
And then at the City Hall,where you would vote if that's
your polling place.
Um, that would be the BowieTown Center Condos, Covington,
Enfield Chase, Enslay, Esington,Evergreen Apartments, Governor
Green Apartments, Heather Hills,Heather Ridge Apartments, Long
Leaf Palisades, SpatuxtonOverlook, Penn Oak Village
(28:26):
Senior Apartments, Vistas atBowie, the Willows, and Woodland
Lake Condos.
Tamara Davis Brown (28:32):
Oh, wow, that is a um that is a lot of
communities.
I did see there was a kind of aquote unquote laundry list list
of them.
All right, so tell us um beforewe end with where they can get
your social media handles, ifyou've got some um upcoming um
political dates of um campaignactivities that you'd like to
share, uh please do so now.
(28:53):
Thanks.
Okay.
Iyamide House (28:54):
Um, so also again, I have been endorsed by
Progressive Maryland, by thestate's attorney, um, Aisha
Brave Boy, by um state delegateTiffany Alston, by at-large
Prince George's County SchoolBoard member Jocelyn Route.
So those are some of thepolitical endorsements that I
have received.
Thank you so much.
You can find out more about meat houseforbui.com, and that's
(29:16):
the handles for everything.
So House for Buoy on Facebook,House for Bowie on Instagram.
Um, and then I do have afundraiser, a family photo shoot
fundraiser this Thursday, um,October 19th from 6 to 8 at M
Lounge Studios in Bowie.
Uh that same night I willactually be at a Covington um
(29:37):
community event at the CovingtonRecreation Center.
They're having a panel to meetall of the candidates.
So I will be there.
And then um that's just thisweek.
So there's more things comingup, but it will be on my
website.
Tamara Davis Brown (29:51):
Absolutely excellent, excellent, excellent.
So I want to thank our guesttoday, Ms.
Yamade House.
She is a candidate for District3.
You heard all thosecommunities.
I don't remember any of them,but I just know it's near the
Bowie Town Center area.
So if you live near the uhBowie Town Center area, this is
(30:13):
a candidate that you shoulddefinitely investigate and look
into.
Again, her all her handles area house for buoy.
Thank you everyone forlistening.
Again, please do subscribe,like, and share this podcast.
All politics is local with me,your host, Cameron Davis Brown.
And welcome back to another episode of All
Politics is Local with me, yourhost, Tamara Davis Brown.
I know you have been eagerlyawaiting and wondering what's
going on.
We haven't heard a new podcastepisode from Tamara in a while.
Yes, we took a family vacation,had a great time in Greece, and
(00:27):
then life happened, had alittle bit of health challenges,
but we're all doing well now,and uh we're back.
It is election season in thecity of Bowie.
So I decided that when I comeback, I wanted to talk to some
of the candidates who arerunning for office for the City
of Bowie, Maryland.
(00:48):
And I'm so excited because, asyou many of you may know, and if
you follow the podcast andsubscribe to the podcast, by the
way, please do download andsubscribe and share the podcast
with your friends and neighbors.
But the purpose is to reallyengage our millennials, our next
generation of uh voters, ofcitizens, to get them more
(01:12):
engaged, not in just thepolitical process, but public
service and government processand how the federal government,
state, and local governmentaffects you daily.
So again, it is election seasonin the city of Bowie.
I'm excited to uh let you knowthat elections are Tuesday,
November 7th.
(01:33):
I always remember that datebecause November 7th happens to
be my father's birthday, andevery once in a while the
elections fall on my father'sbirthday.
Um, but I'm excited to havewith me today Yamade House.
She is a candidate for District3, council member for the city
(01:53):
of Bowie.
So, welcome, Miss House.
Thank you for joining me.
We're so excited to hear aboutyou, your candidacy, what you
plan to do, not only for theresidents of District 3 in
Bowie, but the city at large.
And so thank you for joining ustoday.
Good morning.
Good morning.
(02:14):
How are you?
I am doing well.
So we're gonna jump right inand let the people know.
Tell us a little bit aboutyourself, who you are, where you
were born and raised, tell usabout your family, whole nine
yards.
Iyamide House (02:28):
Awesome, awesome.
Thank you so much for havingme.
Um, I am uh a native NewYorker, so I grew up in the
Mid-Hudson Valley, Poughkeepsie,New York.
Um, and that is where Iattended public school, and that
is where um my family wasraised me.
My mother is actually fromSierra Leone, West Africa, and
(02:51):
she moved here when she was 13and was educated.
She started off actually at anHBCU at Bennett, and then she
transferred to WilkesUniversity, where she met my
father.
And my father is um a nativeNorfolk, Virginia man, and his
his father was worked on ashipyard like lots of people in
(03:12):
Norfolk, Virginia, and he umactually went to Wilkes on a
wrestling scholarship.
Tamara Davis Brown (03:18):
Oh, wow.
Iyamide House (03:19):
And uh they were two of five black folks at
Wilkes University nowuniversity.
Um, and they after graduationwent back to New York and set up
home.
And so actually, reallyinterestingly enough, they both
ended up in education.
My father started off as an artteacher.
(03:41):
Uh my mother ended up workingat the United Nations, but then
ended up being an Englishteacher.
She was my only black teachergrowing up in middle school.
She taught seventh gradeEnglish.
Um, they subsequently were umbecame principals.
Um, and so my home was a lot oflearning, education, um,
(04:03):
reading, and it was a greattime.
I have a younger sister who isalso a mental health clinician.
She is a social worker, I'm acounselor.
Um, after um New York, I wentto the school at Johns Hopkins
University, and that's whatactually brought me to Maryland
and has kept me in Maryland.
Um, I loved my experience atJohns Hopkins.
(04:25):
I loved being um around more umblack folks, African folks, so
it's like home, um coming toMaryland.
Um and at uh Johns Hopkins, um,I was actually the black
student union president for acouple of years.
Um, and I did everything underthe sun of Johns Hopkins from
(04:48):
bringing back Greek life.
I'm a member of Sigma Gamma Rowsorority um to actually, I
think it's apropos, I um was astudent leader for Project
Interchange.
Um and it actually had me go toIsrael to learn about the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
And so I was in both Palestineand Israel for a week to learn
(05:10):
about that conference incollege.
Um, and as I left school andgraduated and um resided in
Maryland, I decided to become amental health clinician.
Got my master's at JohnsHopkins, um, was a school
counselor for a bit um inWashington, DC.
Um and I also um recentlyopened my practice, not
(05:32):
recently, 2015, I opened up myprivate practice where I um see
professional women.
And I also am the mom of threeamazing children.
I have uh twin five-year-oldboys, uh Winston and Langston,
and I have a nine-year-olddaughter, uh Dillion.
And another random thing aboutme, I love being a soccer mom.
(05:55):
It's one of things that bringme great joy.
Um, and I'm also learning howto love to be a cheer mom.
Cheering is a little bit moreintensive.
I love I love the girls, um,but it's a little bit more
intensive than being a soccermom.
So it's a little bit more aboutme.
Tamara Davis Brown (06:11):
Excellent, excellent, very good.
So, when did you uh moveactually move to the city of
Bowie?
Iyamide House (06:18):
Yeah, Bowie is a destination in um Prince
George's County.
I moved to Bowie seven yearsago in 2016 and bought my first
home.
Um, and so I knew I wanted tomove to Bowie.
I had a friend who lived hereand I loved it.
I thought it was the cutestlittle community, and it's like
(06:39):
right smack in the middle ofWashington, DC and Annapolis.
Um, and so 2016 is when Ibought my home.
Tamara Davis Brown (06:46):
Okay, very good, very good.
And um, is your practice inBowie as well?
You said that you were a youare a mental health clinician,
and so tell us a little bitabout your practice and and
exactly what you do and and isit located, and if you know, we
can talk a little bit.
I know we're gonna get to thecampaign, but talk a little bit
(07:08):
about your profession and andand your career and what where
where you're located.
Iyamide House (07:13):
Thank you.
That's um it's actually um dueto the pandemic, my practice is
now virtual.
Um it's so I can see anybody inWashington, D.C.
and mail in because I'mlicensed.
Um, and you know, because ofthe pandemic, my office was
located in Washington, DC.
Um, once the pandemic hit, andwe had to go home, and I
(07:36):
provided telehealth therapy 100%of the time.
Um, that is what I've continuedto do, and it actually works
for a lot of people.
So I see people throughout theregion.
Again, most of my clients areprofessional women.
Um, so a lot of um women whoactually work on the hill, CEOs,
lawyers, um, doctors, and evengraduate students, college
(08:00):
students as well, and I do seemen too.
Um, but focusing on really alot of anxiety and depression,
um, life transitions.
Um, I do see some folks whohave personality disorders
because I've been highly trainedto treat folks with um BPD or
borderline personality disorder.
(08:21):
Um, and so we also have aclinician who is trained in
EMDR.
That's a trauma traumatreatment for folks who have um
unfortunately experienced lotsof trauma that too is
evidence-based.
Um so a lot of my work isaround making sure that everyone
is well.
(08:42):
I started off as a schoolcounselor working with children,
working with adolescents, and Ijust realized how moms were not
focusing on themselves andpouring so much into their
children and missing the piecethat when we as parents are
well, our children are well.
Tamara Davis Brown (09:02):
Right, right, right.
Very good, very good.
Well, that's very important.
And and I think the pandemiconly emphasized the need to
focus on mental health, not onlyfor students, but caregivers
such as parents and so forth.
So I applaud you in um inchoosing that profession.
I know it has to be verydifficult.
(09:24):
I always said when I startedpracticing law, I didn't want to
do anything that was personal.
Because I just couldn't itseems like I I kind of brought
that home.
I I did clerk for um um anattorney that did personal
injury and it those stories kindof just stuck with me, and I
was like, I just can't, I can'tdo this.
So I applaud you, hats off toyou for uh for being being in
(09:49):
that that licensed uh clinicalprofession and and dealing with
uh mental health because nowagain, like I said, the pandemic
has really emphasized thatfolks are really struggling and
and and suffering.
And so thank you for your thankyou for your service.
So let's pivot now a little bitto the campaign.
(10:10):
Um what made you decide to runfor um District 3?
Um council member for the cityof Bowie.
Uh tell us a little bit aboutyour platform, what you hope to
accomplish, and um all the goodthings of why people in the
particularly uh district threeresidents in the city of Bowie
(10:31):
should vote for Yama Day House.
Iyamide House (10:34):
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Well, I um actually, as I justsaid, I was black student union
president many, many, many moonsago.
Um and so that always kind ofput government in my mind, not
necessarily a focus.
And so um I actually um thedistrict three last elected
(10:58):
person was elected into anotherrole, so it became an opening.
Um, and I interviewed for thatposition back in January because
it became an appointed seat.
That's that was my tippingtipping my toe.
I didn't I didn't get it.
It's okay, it was fine, and Imoved on with life.
Um, and I thought it would havebeen an interesting job, but
(11:18):
that's okay.
Um, but then last year um onJune 7th, many Bowie residents
know that we were shaken becausethere was an active shooter
incident at Bowie High School.
Um, and it was one of the mostterrifying experiences I've had
as a parent getting a textmessage that your school's
(11:39):
locked down, there's an activeshooter, um, you know, and that
was really it.
So, like many of the parents,we ran to the school, our kids
were safe, the person wasoutside, but it knocked knocked
on our door, right?
As parents, we've seen schoolshootings around um the country,
(12:00):
and it's terrifying and it'supsetting and it's destroyed,
it's it makes us distraught.
Um, and as a mental healthclinician, I was in the parking
lot talking to parents, helpingparents figure out how they were
gonna talk to their kids.
Um, you know, really utilizingmy profession in that moment
when everybody's terrified tofigure out like how we're gonna
(12:22):
talk to the kids.
I'm sure they were scared.
There were, you know, armedpolice officers around our
school, thank goodness.
Um, but kids came out and theysaw that.
Um, and so that really ignitedin me like, hey, I'm a part of
this community.
I love my my neighbors, I lovemy children and their friends
and their parents.
(12:42):
How can I make sure that wekeep our community safe?
How can I like participate?
And so because I dipped my toein back in January, I said, you
know what?
Um I think God is pushing me toreally just step up and
participate in a way that I knowI can really give back and help
(13:04):
shape the community movingforward.
Um, you know, my tagline is avoice for families because we
are so busy with kids and, youknow, we're in the sandwich
generation where we're takingcare of our parents as well,
that we are not able to focus onum, you know, politics in the
(13:24):
way that we're activelyinvolved.
Um, and so that's what reallypropelled me to say, you know
what?
Get into the race, get involvedbecause there's a huge swath of
the community that isn't ableto actively participate.
I am the only candidate withschool-age children.
Um, and I'm also the only womanin this race.
(13:47):
Um, so I'm bringing absolutelya different voice.
Um, and I'm not sure if youknow Tamara, but there's also
only one woman on the citycouncil.
Um, and so, you know, that's54% of buoy that is not being
um, that doesn't have a voice,right?
Like it's not equitable,there's not equitable
(14:08):
representation on the council.
So that's really what'spropelled me to run.
Um, and then as I've beentalking to folks and um getting
more information about whateverybody, what's really on
everybody's mind, it's reallylike these big things, right?
That's crime, there's anincrease in crime in our
(14:31):
community, um, and it's hit mostof the country, but it's one of
the things that makes Bowiefeel different because we are a
tight-knit, safe community.
Um, I've been knocking ondoors, and in one community, um,
you know, there were four umcars car stolen, uh, people
waking up and their cars aregone, right?
(14:51):
Um, and which is so differentfrom what people have
experienced.
So really working with uh thepolice uh department, but we has
their own police department.
And one, they are incentivizingpeople joining the police
department, but two, reallymaking sure that we have some
more and strengthening communitypolicing, more patrols, um,
(15:14):
even deterrents where we canmaybe even incentivize uh police
officers living in ourcommunities.
My community has a policeofficer who's right in the front
of our community, so that'sreally a great deterrent, but I
know lots of communities don'thave that.
Um, so public safety is one ofthe things that's really
(15:35):
important um to strengthenembowie.
The next piece, again, becauseI'm the only um candidate with
school-aged kids, education ishighly uh combined.
Exactly, exactly.
And though city council doesnot um really have control over
(15:55):
the schools, that is the schoolboard.
Uh, there's a couple of thingsthat we have to keep in mind.
One, Bowie has um some of thebest schools in Prince George's
County.
Um, and one of those schools,well, most of those schools
actually haven't been renovated,but one of those schools in
particular um has at this pointfive, uh five or six um trailers
(16:20):
because they're so full.
Um, and we are we're seeingincreased development in Bowie,
and that's wonderful.
Um, people come to Bowiebecause of the schools, but our
we do not need our classes to beum overpopulated.
I was talking to another umresident of District 3, and she
(16:40):
said her child has 40 kids intheir middle school class,
right?
And so it we have to reallylobby and make sure that our
schools uh can handle thebreadth of and the increased
population of children coming,right?
It means newer buildings andhow we can lobby to make sure
(17:02):
that we get newer buildings, um,how we can make sure that we
have affordable aftercareprograms.
So really incentivizing, um,maybe creating some tax breaks
for aftercare programs anddaycare programs to come to Buoy
and support.
Um, that's a big need here.
Um, you know, talking toteachers and some of the things
(17:23):
that ruffle their feathers a bitis like, you know, people
always put their buoy residentsalways put their kids in private
school.
And I absolutely understandthat because we have some great
schools.
But at the same time, if allthe buoy residents did not put
their kids in private school, wewouldn't, we would be very
overcrowded, right?
Um, and so there's that piecetoo that I really want to help
(17:46):
the the city council understandthat we have to take people care
of people holistically, right?
If we're attracting youngfamilies to come, they're coming
here because of the schools,that's wonderful because we can
then support our seniors andcreate a bigger tax break to um
excuse me, tax base to supportour aging population and their
(18:08):
needs.
Um, but we also have to keeppeople here.
And then that's the otherpiece.
People are moving out of buoybecause they can't afford it,
right?
Um, they need their familiesare growing, they want to buy
bigger homes, and there'sthey're just being priced out of
the community.
Um, and so that's another issuethat I don't think everybody
(18:32):
fully gets the full circle, howeverything works together in
talking to some folks.
So that's one piece.
Um, and then the last piece umis hand goes hand in hand.
So we've had we've talked alittle bit about the development
and the housing development,but also economic development.
Um, district three,particularly, is where the town
(18:54):
center of Bowie is located.
Um, and we've seen a lot ofbusinesses leave to go to other
places or close their doors.
And we know that nationallyretail um brick and mortar
stores are really struggling.
Um, but all the other pieces,people are also not necessarily
shopping in Bowie because othercities have bigger box stores.
(19:17):
Um, and uh that's reallyanother issue is creating um a
strong retail base um fordistrict three.
And so one of the other thingsthat I'm going to um really
appeal and advocate for is forBowie to have a streamlined
(19:38):
permitting process to helpincrease um or decrease, excuse
me, the time period it takes toopen a brick and mortar store,
especially in um in DistrictThree.
So help uh the city create aliaison between us and the
council to really increase uhone, the amount of stores that
(19:59):
come in, but to decrease thetime they they have uh to open.
Tamara Davis Brown (20:04):
I can see why um your tagline uh is a
voice for buoy families, becauseum quite frankly, uh although
I'm not a buoy resident, I havenot heard someone really take on
that holistic look at families.
And like you said, you're umbeing a mom of of young
school-aged children as well,um, you kind of understand that
(20:28):
holistic need.
And I think the fact that youare a licensed um mental health
clinician, you hear about someof the issues that that um
working mothers, uh workingwomen are are dealing with, and
so you I think you will bring abreath of fresh air to the uh
(20:50):
Bowie City Council in thatregard.
I love your platform, I loveyour platform.
Um with that, um, as Imentioned uh earlier and at the
at the top of um in in theintroduction that we're really
trying to reach um the youngergeneration and really trying to
encourage them.
(21:11):
What do you say to buoyresidents who say, you know, I
don't want to vote, it doesn'tmatter, you know, look what's
going on on on the hill.
Uh, you know, just you know,folks, you know, it's so um
bitter and partisan, um, it justseems like my voice is not
being heard.
What do you say to encouragethem, not only one, to to
(21:35):
exercise their right to vote andto vote for you specifically,
obviously, but really what couldthey do as a younger generation
to ensure their feet f futurepolitically or just even if it's
not politically, just beingactively engaged and
understanding what's going on intheir local government.
I hope you uh hope that wasn'ttoo much of a mouthful.
Iyamide House (22:00):
Uh absolutely.
I I think one of the thingsthat I said earlier and when I
started was people get busy,right?
Life is really difficult.
Um, one thing I love about thisyounger generation um is that
they are informed, they aresmart, um, and they are really
(22:22):
kind of bucking the system andsystematic norms, right?
Even this whole like work fromhome piece that they are making
sure that they understand thatbusinesses understand I'm going
to work from home, I will comein three days a week, not five,
and really standing on that.
Um, so they, the youngergeneration, I guess myself
(22:43):
included, I feel a little bitlike a zenial, um, are really
great advocates for themselves.
I think one thing that we haveto understand is that
government, especially localgovernment, is about the people.
And so that's another piecethat I want to make sure is that
(23:06):
I am bringing folks with me.
Um, you know, sometimesgovernment feels like this
othered um experience and itfeels like it's not inclusive,
it feels like it's not aboutyou, it feels like something
that somebody else should do.
And I think it's been it's beencreated that way on purpose,
(23:30):
where in previous generationspeople were more actively
engaged.
But as a younger person, itreally has felt like that's
something my parents do.
Or even we've seen like kind oflike the partisan news networks
and the kind of the collapse ofjust um objective and informed
(23:53):
communication.
Um, we're seeing that like itdoesn't feel inclusive.
So one thing that I thinkpoliticians in general need to
do, and I'm I love seeing theyounger politicians in Prince
George's County, is to make itfeel inclusive and making all
these different groups of peoplefeel like they're apart.
(24:17):
Um I am less educated on um howpolitics is taught nowadays.
I know things have revamped,it's been it's been a little
bit, and my kids haven't learnedpolitics in school.
But one of the things that Iknow I learned in one semester
in high school was politics andgovernment.
(24:41):
But I don't know why it wasjust one semester.
This is uh this is our right ascitizens to be informed and to
learn about how to make lawspossible.
And so um you what would bereally exciting to you to know
is that I've actually beeninvited by Bowie High School to
come and speak it with theiryoung Democrats.
(25:01):
Isn't that amazing?
Tamara Davis Brown (25:02):
Oh awesome.
Yes, yes, yes.
Iyamide House (25:04):
Um so I think one, you know, really keeping
the lines of communication openwith the youth on all levels,
not just during election season,but bringing them on.
I've I've had my children comeout and knock doors with me.
I've had teenagers come out andknock doors with me to let them
(25:27):
know that they are a part ofthe process.
And it is about conversationand communication with your
neighbors, right?
Um, one thing that Bowie hasthat I love is just a strong
community, and that's what Ireally want to make sure that we
maintain as we get bigger andbigger and bigger.
Exactly, exactly.
Tamara Davis Brown (25:47):
Well, that's awesome.
That is so um refreshing tohear.
I remember I started the umDemocratic Club at Gwyn Park
High School years ago, and um soexcited to see those students.
A lot of them went on tocollege.
I wrote letters ofrecommendations for them, and
they were involved in studentgovernment.
(26:08):
So um hats off to you to uh forengaging with the young Dems at
Bowie High School.
I know that's um that's that'squite an honor.
Um so we're about to to toclose out.
I do want um voters andresidents of uh the city of
Bowie, particularly DistrictThree, to find out a little bit
(26:29):
more how they can learn aboutyour campaign, um learn about
you know your social mediahandles, all of those things.
And one thing I forgot to askon the top, but I know that it's
on your website.
Can you describe you did ummention that the town center is
in district three, but describethe actual little um communities
(26:52):
that comprise of district threeas well, and then um help close
us out with some maybe upcomingcampaign events.
And um I do want to give ashout out because I I did peep
your website a little bit and Isaw you had some great
endorsements from our state'sattorney, your fellow Soror, um
(27:12):
Sigma Gamma Row, Aisha BraveBoy.
I saw that one of the at-largeschool board members is also um
endorsing you.
Um, and I I you know I thinkthat's great.
And I think it was one otherperson, I can't remember.
Um, but feel free to uh talkabout your endorsements and
who's supporting you as well.
So um first let's start out,let's start out by um um
(27:35):
mentioning some of thecommunities that district three
covers in in the city of Bowie.
Iyamide House (27:40):
So there are a bunch of communities, but I will
go through the list.
So District Three that polls atBowie Gym would be Allen Pond
Townhomes, Bowie Commons, uhBrookdale, uh Woodward Estates,
Dixon's Crossing, Enfield Chase,Evergreen Estates, Northview,
Princeton Square, Oak Pond, OldStage, Spring Meadows, Westview,
(28:04):
Woodmore Estates, and WoodmoreHighlands.
And then at the City Hall,where you would vote if that's
your polling place.
Um, that would be the BowieTown Center Condos, Covington,
Enfield Chase, Enslay, Esington,Evergreen Apartments, Governor
Green Apartments, Heather Hills,Heather Ridge Apartments, Long
Leaf Palisades, SpatuxtonOverlook, Penn Oak Village
(28:26):
Senior Apartments, Vistas atBowie, the Willows, and Woodland
Lake Condos.
Tamara Davis Brown (28:32):
Oh, wow, that is a um that is a lot of
communities.
I did see there was a kind of aquote unquote laundry list list
of them.
All right, so tell us um beforewe end with where they can get
your social media handles, ifyou've got some um upcoming um
political dates of um campaignactivities that you'd like to
share, uh please do so now.
(28:53):
Thanks.
Okay.
Iyamide House (28:54):
Um, so also again, I have been endorsed by
Progressive Maryland, by thestate's attorney, um, Aisha
Brave Boy, by um state delegateTiffany Alston, by at-large
Prince George's County SchoolBoard member Jocelyn Route.
So those are some of thepolitical endorsements that I
have received.
Thank you so much.
You can find out more about meat houseforbui.com, and that's
(29:16):
the handles for everything.
So House for Buoy on Facebook,House for Bowie on Instagram.
Um, and then I do have afundraiser, a family photo shoot
fundraiser this Thursday, um,October 19th from 6 to 8 at M
Lounge Studios in Bowie.
Uh that same night I willactually be at a Covington um
(29:37):
community event at the CovingtonRecreation Center.
They're having a panel to meetall of the candidates.
So I will be there.
And then um that's just thisweek.
So there's more things comingup, but it will be on my
website.
Tamara Davis Brown (29:51):
Absolutely excellent, excellent, excellent.
So I want to thank our guesttoday, Ms.
Yamade House.
She is a candidate for District3.
You heard all thosecommunities.
I don't remember any of them,but I just know it's near the
Bowie Town Center area.
So if you live near the uhBowie Town Center area, this is
(30:13):
a candidate that you shoulddefinitely investigate and look
into.
Again, her all her handles area house for buoy.
Thank you everyone forlistening.
Again, please do subscribe,like, and share this podcast.
All politics is local with me,your host, Cameron Davis Brown.
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