8 WARDS, 1 DC: WORKING HAND IN HAND
Melodie's vision for Washington DC is rooted in the belief that when our communities collaborate, our city thrives. From Anacostia to Rock Creek Park, we are building a unified future where every ward receives the investment, safety, and opportunity it deserves. Together, we are creating a DC that works for everyone.
Legal Advocacy for the Marginalized: Represented underrepresented
residents in historic civil rights cases, ensuring justice reached the
doorsteps of all 8 wards.
MEET MELODIE
Melodie's journey is one of resilience and unwavering service to the District. With a background in law, a strategic mind for lobbying, and a lifelong commitment to community education, she has spent decades advocating for those whose voices are too often sidelined in the halls of power.
The 2026 mayoral race in Washington, D.C. is not just an election—it is a defining test of what this city will become.
At stake is more than leadership. It is integrity, and whether truth will matter in a system too often shaped by power and silence. Melodie Shuler stands at the center of that test—not as a product of the political machine, but as a trailblazer forged outside of it, trained in law, and proven through fearless action.
Her qualifications are not theoretical—they are lived. A graduate of Touro College Law Center the University of Maryland and Anacostia Senior High School, her foundation is built on both academic discipline and a deep purpose. But application defines leadership, and Shuler’s record is a roadmap of systemic change:
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Landmark Precedents: In the 2011 criminal contempt proceeding, attorney Melodie Shuler defended housing advocate Benoit Brookens against charges that advocates viewed as an attempt to silence opposition to rising rent ceilings. The defense argued against the weaponization of old injunctions, culminating in a 2018 D.C. Court of Appeals reversal of Brookens criminal convictions.
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She secured the historic reversal in Benoit O. Brookens, II v. United States, establishing a three-year statute of limitations for criminal contempt. This victory serves as a vital shield for tenant rights advocates against the political abuse of process and "weaponized" judicial injunctions.
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Constitutional Defenses: Through cases like Joel Hall v. Lanier, she successfully challenged MPD’s "broken windows" policing on the 1900 block of 3rd Street NE. Her work forced an overhaul of MPD training, affirming that officers cannot harass residents for "loitering" or simply being present, and establishing that verbal challenges to police are a protected First Amendment right.
Legislative Lobbying for Change: Navigated D.C.'s legislative to prevent gentrification and create a landscape to secure critical funding and policy shifts for community-based education.
BROOKENS II v. UNITED STATES (2018) | FindLaw
Melodie V. Shuler represented Benoit O. Brookens II in a landmark case.
Brookens II v. United States (2018) involved Benoit Brookens II’s tenant advocacy and civil rights challenges. The case highlighted tensions between housing rights activism and legal restrictions, influencing debates around tenant protections and gentrification. He ultimately succeeded in overturning his criminal contempt conviction, but was unsuccessful in stopping gentrification or broader housing trends. While described by supporters as "landmark" for its focus on tenant advocacy and resisting judicial overreach, the most documented proceedings involve:
Why It Is Considered a "Landmark" Case
1. Scope of Judicial Injunctions: It established a firm precedent regarding the longevity and reach of permanent injunctions.
2. Definition of "Practice of Law": The case provided a modern interpretation of Rule 49...
3. Contempt vs. UPL: The ruling solidified the government's ability to use criminal contempt...
4. Tenant Advocacy Conflict: The case is an example of the legal system's hostility toward non-traditional advocates.
Hands-on Community Educator: Led grassroots initiatives across the city to empower residents with essential knowledge of their civic rights and responsibilities.
Melodie Shuler started under UB1 Power organizations/programs and their mission:
• Mission: Provide legal services, legal rights awareness, and grassroots advocacy for underserved communities.
Programs under UB1 Power:
• It Only Takes One: Encourages individual action.
• Aspiring Lawyers Up and Coming: Mentors future lawyers.
• Urban Poets Up and Coming: Youth empowerment through creative expression.
• Metropolitan Organization Education and Constitutional Awareness: Rights education.
• Justice First For All: Equal access to justice.
• Fatherhood Movement Program: Family stability.
• I CARE: Generational support network.
• Power of the Pen Publications: Literary advocacy.
In short: UB1 Power is a grassroots network focused on education, empowerment, and access to justice.
Our movement is built on your voice and your vision. Together, we can build a Washington where every resident thrives.
Fifth Milestone
In 2014, she made the decision to change her career path, dedicating her work to lobbying, political campaigns, and community education.
Ms. Shuler helped support historic milestones in law enforcement leadership, including the first Black police chief and first Black female sheriff in Henrico County, the first Black police chief and sheriff in Hinesville, and the first Black police chief in North Charleston.
This path was not an easy journey. During her work in civic engagement across several deep South counties in Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, Ms. Shuler experienced firsthand the consequences of government overreach and corruption.
When she later returned to the District of Columbia so her children could complete high school, she noticed significant changes in the city. Many longtime residents felt increasingly hopeless, disconnected from the cultural bonds that once united their communities, and abandoned by a government they once believed protected and respected their rights.
After working on numerous political campaigns and public initiatives to include most recently, in Washington, she took her advocacy directly to the community—walking neighborhood streets, speaking with residents, and gathering signatures to help pass Initiative 83 into law, Ms. Shuler was encouraged by many community members to consider public office.
Years earlier, while attending law school, she had been advised to consider running for mayor in cities in New York. Now, people from diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds—across different ages, genders, and identities—have encouraged her to run for Mayor of the District of Columbia. On February 19, 2026, she declared her candidacy for Mayor of the Distrit of Columbia.
Forth Milestone
in 2011 Ms. Shuler joined the law office of Kimmel & Roxborough; former bond counsel to Mayor Sharon Pratt Kelly. In 2014, she made the decision to change her career path, dedicating her work to lobbying, political campaigns, and community education.
It was during this time that Ms. Shuler discovered the criminal justice system is used as a tool for political advantage and suppression of progress.
It was during this period that Ms. Shuler witnessed first hand how that the criminal justice system was misused as a political tool—too often leveraged for political advantage and, at times, to exert control over communities of color. Through her legal and advocacy work, she observed how legal processes could be manipulated or abused by powerful institutions and individuals, including members of the legal profession, government officials, and influential law firms.
These concerns became especially evident during her work representing housing rights advocate Benoit Brookens, who previously won a million-dollar lawsuit related to rent ceilings. Following his advocacy, Brookens became the target of what Ms. Shuler has described as a malicious prosecution led by Cynthia Wright and Theodore Metzler in the case Brookens II v. United States 2018, District of Columbia Court of Appeals,Nos. 12–CM–1807, 13–CO–937.
After Brookens’ criminal conviction was overturned, Ms. Shuler served as lead counsel in a civil lawsuit, Brookens v. United States, filed against the District of Columbia, Wright, Metzler, and the law firm Covington & Burlington.
Although the federal court ultimately dismissed the case for lack of sufficient proof, Ms. Shuler maintains that the broader issues raised in the case are reflected in the ongoing transformation and gentrification of communities throughout the District of Columbia; Brookens v. United States, Civil Action No. 12–502 (RWR).
Third Milestone
After law school, Ms. Shuler, moved to Knox Place SE, mentored hundreds of youth and was a foster parent to teenagers. As a defense attorney won 99.9% of her cases, provided
pro bono work to thousands of people and was mentor through a program CSOSA created helping young adults who were returning citizens.
Ms. Shuler won her first police misconduct case in a civil lawsuit addressing racial discrimination and the targeting of young Black males. These practices often pushed them out of public spaces to make new residents feel more comfortable, with police responding to complaints about seeing Black males outside.
Ms. Shuler is distinguishable from her political opponents because she has not simply been part of a system that often overlooked the rights of people or lacked cultural awareness and social understanding of the problems residents face. Instead, through her work as a case manager, Ms. Shuler has conducted family visits, walked through neighborhoods, and spoken directly with community members about their struggles and needs.
Beyond professional experience, Ms. Shuler also shares many of the same life circumstances as the residents she hopes to serve. Because of this, she does not just understand their challenges—she has lived them. This shared experience has created a genuine and personal connection with many people across the city.
As a child, Ms. Shuler’s mother, though gainfully employed as a dental assistant for the District of Columbia, faced serious health issues during pregnancy. Combined with the absence of child support while raising four children, these hardships resulted in the family moving frequently to different areas throughout the city.
While those years were extremely difficult, it is during this run for Mayor that Ms. Shuler has fully recognized how fortunate she is to have lived in six of the eight wards of the District of Columbia. Later in life, as an adult professional, she worked in all eight wards. These experiences have given her a deep understanding of the unique needs of each ward and the important role she can play in supporting the goals of every community while ensuring the needs of all residents are addressed.
Second Milestone
In January of 2023,
just 6 months after passing the Maryland state bar,
Ms. Shuler created UB1 Power. A grassroots organization that continues to provide legal services and awareness of legal rights.
She provides extensive grassroot work throughout the District of Columbia and Prince George's County Maryland; to include pro bono and low bono work. The Law Office of Melodie V. Shuler, Esq. & Associates was a full service law office. Our goal was to provide legal services in communities traditionally underrepresented with legal representation. The firm provided first-rate services for all families and individuals for reasonable fees. The Law Office of Melodie V. Shuler, Esq. & Associates provided legal representation to UB1 Power’s programs: It Only Takes One, Aspiring Lawyers Up and Coming, Urban Poets Up and Coming, Metropolitan Organization Education and Constitutional Awareness, Justice First For All, the Fatherhood Movement Program and I CARE -YOUTH & COMMUNITY RESOLUTION MOVEMENT(YCRM). In 2014, she made the decision to change her career path, dedicating her work to lobbying, political campaigns, and community education.
First Milestone
Law School graduate. A family first.
Author, community organizer, motivational speaker, and tutor, Ms. Shuler has served vulnerable populations as a case manager for the homeless, mentally ill, and veterans, including hands-on overnight work with Veterans on the Rise at a homeless shelter in DC.
Proud parent of 2 sons. Meleik Delaney, youngest published author in the world and rap artist named MelOnMarz. Mehkhy Delaney youngest person to publish a Manga - - "Vampire Life" and current student at Cardozo Senior Highs School; a public school.
Melodie V. Shuler, Esq. practiced law in Maryland, the District of Columbia and the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. She received a Juris Doctorate degree from Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center. She received a Bachelors of Arts in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of Maryland at College Park and a certificate in African-American Studies. She graduated from Anacostia Seniro Highs School at the age of 17.
She is an author. The book "Only the Strong Survive 'by the grace of God'" explains that there is light at the end of the tunnel, sunshine after rain, hope for the hopeless and a world for those whom life has not been very fair with,” says Agenyi Arome, “I saw through the eye of faith that to every man who believes he can make it, even when situations around him tells him all hope is lost he attains the greatest heights of achievement; because he dares to believe he can…” “It is an awakening, an inspiration, it is a message to all to - DARE TO DREAM.”
Professional Reviews
Agenyi Arome, Lagos, Nigeria.
"The book tells me that there is light at the end of the tunnel, rain after sunshine, hope for the hopeless and a world for those whom life have not been very fair with. It is an awakening to those whose are going through the hard times of life; an inspiration to those who where assaulted on every sides, that they can still make a positive mark if only they can see beyond the inhumanity of man to man. It is warning to those who are involved in abusing children... I saw through the eye of faith that to every man who believes he can make it, even when situation around him tells him all hope is lost attains the greatest heights of achievement; because he dares to believe he can. Indeed you have been through it all. But what makes the difference is that GOD was with you in it all..."
Geoffrey Tate, Washington, D.C.
I admire your story and your strength to overcome the adversities. You have truly lived up to my favorite motto: Learn to turn Less into a Lesson, a Mess into a Message and turn a Test into a Testimony!
Timeline
Key milestones
8 WARDS 1 DC - WORKING HAND IN HAND DC THRIVES • 8 WARDS 1 DC - WORKING HAND IN HAND DC THRIVES •
UPCOMING RALLIES
The road to a united DC starts in your neighborhood. Join Melodie for community rallies, town halls, and ward meet-ups as we discuss our vision for 2026. Together, we work hand in hand to make DC thrive.
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