Natasha Dupee spent her childhood exploring Anacostia in Southeast D.C. Growing up surrounded by a close-knit network of neighbors, a beautiful park, and the river felt joyful. “Everyone that I knew, we would see each other on the streets of Southeast,” she recalls. “You didn’t have to leave your community to experience love.”
Even in that warmth, Natasha witnessed the inequities that shaped her neighborhood — underfunded schools, food deserts, and limited access to healthcare. Local organizations often stepped in to fill those gaps, reinforcing her belief that “folks can bloom where they’re planted.”
She remembers how something as simple as access to technology could shape opportunity. As a child, she often spent afternoons at the Francis A. Gregory Library, where her mother led their Girl Scout troop. The library doubled as a hub for connection and learning, but limited computer access made even basic tasks — like applying for training programs or submitting forms — a challenge.
That awareness of inequity guided her into a life of service that began early. At just 14, Natasha joined Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton’s office, where her gift for communication and advocacy quickly stood out. She went on to earn degrees in Women’s Studies and Public Health from George Washington University and a Master’s in Education from the University of Missouri–St. Louis. As a Teach for America corps member, she brought creativity and empowerment into her classrooms — values she first learned from the very programs that shaped her childhood. A fifth-generation Washingtonian, Natasha Dupee has dedicated her life to public service, women’s empowerment, and community development across Wards 7 and 8.
When Black Women Thriving East of the River (BWTEotR) was formed, Natasha saw an opportunity to merge her personal experience with her professional expertise. She began as a participant in the workforce development workgroup and later became co-chair, helping to guide the direction of the initiative. Over time, her collaboration with the Jane Bancroft Robinson Foundation deepened into what she describes as a “true partnership grounded in shared values of equity, accountability, and community-centered impact.”
As co-chair, she helped design a model of collaboration that centered trust, lived experience, and equity. “We moved at the speed of trust,” Natasha says. “That meant slowing down to make sure everyone’s voice was heard, creating space for healing and authenticity.” Her leadership approach emphasized intention and inclusivity, ensuring that every participant — whether a hospital executive or a Ward 7 mother — was valued equally.
That experience also reshaped how she viewed leadership itself. She believes true professionalism lies in authenticity, not conformity. “Our best thinking means you can show up as your full self,” she reflects. “We questioned status-quo decision-making and challenged the idea that professionalism has to look a certain way. Professional is how I show up.”
Today, as Director of the D.C. Mayor’s Office on Women’s Policy and Initiatives (MOWPI), Natasha leads programs that strengthen communities, empower women, and support families across the District. Her adolescence, she notes, taught her the importance of “strategic partnerships, skill-building workshops, and advocacy” — principles that now guide her work at the city level.
Under her leadership, MOWPI hosts initiatives such as the National Maternal & Infant Health Summit, #BeTheMovement Women’s Policy Bootcamp, and WorkSmart Wage Negotiation Workshops. “MOWPI focuses on shifting economic power to women,” she explains. Through events like Let Her Cook: Ingredients for Doing Business in the District, the office helps women entrepreneurs access capital and training while promoting economic security in partnership with other D.C. agencies.
Her vision for the future is clear and hopeful. “My ambition is to help build systems that reflect our collective strength: accessible education, economic mobility, and spaces for mentorship and collaboration. I want our city to be a place where girls see leadership modeled in every corner of their communities, where equity is not an aspiration but a lived reality.” Natasha wants every woman and girl in D.C. to have access to the tools, opportunities, and networks they need to thrive — right where they are. “When we invest in women and girls, we invest in the heart of D.C.,” she says. “Our local brilliance continues to shape not only our neighborhoods but also the world.”
Often described as someone who builds bridges and drives change through inclusive leadership, Natasha shares, “Running for and serving in public roles has reminded me that leadership is about listening first and building with others to create equitable solutions.” She is a testament to what’s possible when education, rootedness, and radical care converge — a reminder that lasting change begins right where you’re planted. Through JBRF’s intentional, long-term philanthropic investments, leaders like Natasha are reimagining how women’s voices, lived experience, and community care can drive systemic change in Wards 7 and 8. “The organization gave me affirmation that we should be centered in our care,” she reflects. “If we are not well, we cannot be well for our communities.”
Natasha, a multi-generational Anacostia resident, has a vision: “a District where every resident —especially women and girls — feels seen, heard, and supported by systems that reflect their needs and dreams.“
Sustained, trust-based investments are essential for Wards 7 and 8 to address not only immediate needs but also the root causes of inequity, such as housing, workforce opportunities, and access to health and education. This approach will empower communities to cultivate long-term wellness from within and ensure more residents, like Natasha, can continue to bloom where they are planted.