"I don't want DC Voting Rights," Margaret said.
The sound of three voices chimed in. Almost simultaneously, they asked "Why?"
Margaret has lived in DC for over six years. A transplant from Missouri, she did her undergrad at George Washington University and works in the non-profit world. Her career is driven by her ideas on economic policy and she aligns herself with the libertarian party. When it comes to this issue, she falls on the right side.
"We are not a state," she said, as if aware that the counter argument would soon fill the room from her close friends. "You choose to live here. You can choose to live in Maryland or Virginia." 
True to the nature of conversation amongst this crowd of cross-country yuppies, it wasn't long until someone else challenged the thought. With the topic of gentrification –something we are all becoming increasingly familiar with – opinions are strong. Cleaning up a city known for high crime rates and inexcusable poverty began a decade before many of us arrived. But now, we are all living in a city where poor areas are donned with million dollar condos, retailers and new schools – and lower income residents are pushed out.
"But what about the people who don't choose to live here? I'd estimate it is like seventy percent of the population," Lewis, a Capitol Hill staffer said. Lewis agreed with Margaret that DC is not a state, but with cordial continuation, disagreed with her overall point.
Lewis, in that moment, connected two important issues going on in DC politics: not having a vote in Congress and, for many, not having a say in where you live.
"They don't have an option to decide to move. They are forced to move out of their neighborhoods," said Will, a California transplant who lives in a rent controlled apartment in Northwest DC.
The debate that unfolded in my living room, was, I have to admit, a bit induced. None of my friends knew they would be asked to go on record and talk about the issues that matter to them – but with a gentle awkwardness and humble interest, I asked if I could pick their brains for ten minutes – about each other -- and life in Washington. It was, in the spur of the moment, a great focus group of one part of DC: the young people who were hired from across the country to move in and take on competitive jobs.
After the brunch ended I started to listen to the conversation. When talk of gentrification came up – I was reminded about the story I did last week, when I hung out at the Public Housing units on 15th and R and talked to some guys. Jamal, a young DC local local, met me on the low income housing stoop and spewed the word condominium at me with a vengeance.
"Look at all the condominiums around here," he shifted his shoulder to face down the street. "It didn't use to be like this. You go two blocks down the street…more condominiums. Look across the street, condominiums. They cost a million dollars. All these are million dollar condos. We can't afford that. So they pushing us out. First the Latinos, now us" Jamal said in a strong voice.
Back in the debate room, Melissa, who was raised in Ohio, talked about those same condominiums.
"We have an issue in this city. I mean the divide between our population and the people who are local here, grew up here, they resent us. I would too," she said. In that moment, Jamal's face came back to me – and Melissa's honesty stuck with me.
Her voice faded and she looked at her glass. Melissa, unlike the rest of us, lives in Southwest DC. I realized by virtue of her address she is exposed to much more than white collar K Street and popped collar Georgetown.
John, a Teach for America alumni, gained a first-hand account of the challenges low income populations, especially students, face in the District of Columbia. Almost 70 percent of students at John's school were on free or reduced lunch, which is a measurement of how high the school's poverty level was.
"At the same time," John added, "when neighborhoods get gentrified and the property values go up and you get more services. Neighborhoods that were once underserved now have commercial retail and other benefits."
John's point lent itself to the argument for aggressive gentrification, while Will, the lone west coaster in the room, told me what it is like to live in Washington.
"For me (living in DC) puts a face to the entire country," Will said. "Here, I look at the faces of my friends and I realized, 'wow, this is basically covering the entire country.' And that's great."
In a way, Will, makes a valid point -- in terms of the people who move to DC. But on the flip side, the hard realities DC locals endure, without voting rights and thus control over certain community spending, can be a vivid example to the rest of the country about our most serious problems and solutions. Would voting in DC improve civic engagement? Would it set a better course for the city or just create more problems?
While the DC House Voting Rights Act hangs in the balance, a new Democrat-controlled Congress will increase the chances it is passed, giving DC residents, for the first time in history, a vote of their own.