District 7 Councilmember Krystal Oriadha Discusses New Basic Income Program With Prince George's Suite Magazine & Media

By Raoul Dennis

Thrive Prince George’s, a two-year, $4 million guaranteed-income pilot program has been established, offering aid to those in need. Recently, District 7 Councilmember Krystal Oriadha sat down with Prince George’s Suite Magazine & Media to discuss the program’s ultimate goal, its supporting organizations, and what motivated her to help launch the county’s first ever guaranteed basic income program.

Pr. George’s Suite: Why is there so much demand so fast, for Thrive Prince George’s?

Councilmember Oriadha: There's really a need. When we talk about our youth, especially the ones aging out of foster care systems, once they turn 18, it doesn't mean they're full adults. They still need assistance. They need us prioritizing, focusing on them so that they're not lost and don't fall through the cracks.

When we talk about the senior program, we're focusing on seniors who are guardians. We have seniors who are raising another generation. A lot of them live either on a fixed income or have to go back into the workforce at a minimum wage.

Pr. George’s Suite: Did you see this problem in advance and is that a reason you helped launch Thrive Prince George’s?

Councilmember Oriadha: I had actually seen this before I was elected, between 2020 and 2021, when I was leading [the grassroots social change organization] PG Changemakers. One of our members came to us and said he heard about this program, Guaranteed Basic Income, and he wondered how we could get something like this in Prince George's County, so I'm really excited to work with amazing partners like Greater Washington Foundation, and Meyer Foundation.

Pr. George’s Suite: What inspired you to initiate Thrive Prince George’s?

Councilmember Oriadha: We started to build a coalition of different organizations that we felt would be like-minded. [Then] it was getting my colleagues on board and finding the resources through federal and local grants so that [the program] won't impact taxes, or programming.

Pr. George’s Suite: So not only were people already familiar with guaranteed income programs, but you also had allies helping shepherd through a bill to establish this one?

Councilmember Oriadha: Exactly. That’s the importance of building a coalition on the front end. We came prepared. Instead of coming to the table with nothing, we came to the table already with partners that were willing to pay 50 percent into the program, that were in support of this initiative, and had ideas about how we can prioritize.

Doing all that definitely helped us move the bill faster. I'm glad it could pass unanimously on the council.

Pr. George’s Suite: You mentioned PG ChangeMakers earlier. Could you tell us a little bit about that organization?

Councilmember Oriadha: It was formed after the murder of George Floyd. It was really an organization that focused on reaching the community with direct services. We did food distribution and other programs, helping people if they needed assistance, and focusing on advocacy around change and policy.

Pr. George’s Suite: Can you also tell us a little bit about the Meyer Foundation and how you connected with them?

Councilmember Oriadha: The Meyer Foundation had been brought to the table by Greater Washington as one of the funders [of Thrive Prince George’s]. They're a foundation that has prioritized funding for black-led nonprofits, but they also do a lot of amazing work lifting up organizations.

Pr. George’s Suite: Now that the program is launched, how do you keep it moving forward and sustainable?

Councilmember Oriadha: The goal is really to push for state and federal dollars to move it past just a pilot program. As a movement now, there are about 170 jurisdictions around the country that have implemented some type of Guaranteed Basic Income pilot program.

Pr. George’s Suite: Is the program safe for next year at this time, given the current heavy demand?

Councilmember Oriadha: We're good for the two-year pilot. Once the individuals are selected, they receive those funds for two years. If people want to see the program expanded, we need to make sure that we come together as a community to say that it’s a priority. The pilot, we know, is not going to be able to help as many people as we want or as many people who are in need. [We’re] just asking people to stay engaged because it's important to communicate the need for this program when it comes down to making decisions around funding.