Photo by Mark Poblete.

On June 15, Mayor Vince Gray tweeted, “Would like to see President Obama fight actively for DC autonomy. Door to Wilson Building always open to him.” The sentiment, which is loudly echoed by voting rights activists across the city, will be a central theme at a rally set for this Saturday in front of the White House.

Gray, however, won’t be there.

According to his office, Gray will be participating in the popular D.C. Caribbean Carnival Parade instead. But he won’t be alone. Stephen Glaude, Gray’s Director of Community Affairs, has reportedly been reaching out to members of the D.C. 41 — the officials, activists and residents who were arrested during a demonstration on Capitol Hill on April 11 — and asking them to join the mayor during the lengthy parade. This won’t be the first time Gray has marched alongside the D.C. 41, either — they joined him during the Capital Pride Parade, where they wore t-shirts bearing the names of those arrested. (The D.C. 41 is a positive brand, isn’t it?)

The problem is that the parade largely overlaps with the rally at the White House — both start at 11 a.m. — forcing members of the group and others to choose between the two events, or leave one early to get to the next. D.C. Council Chair Kwame Brown, who was arrested alongside Gray, will likely be at the parade, as will Councilmember Muriel Bowser (D-Ward 4). Councilmembers Michael Brown (I-At-Large) and Yvette Alexander (D-Ward 7) have both on their agenda, while Councilmember Tommy Wells (D-Ward 6) may get hung up prepping for Ward 6 Family Day at Yards Park. For other members of the D.C. 41, it’s a mixed bag: some opting for both and some focusing on the rally alone.

A source close to the situation who asked not to be identified was perplexed at both Gray’s absence and that he’d be drawing others away from the rally, which seeks to put pressure on President Obama to take a more forceful stand on D.C. voting rights and self-determination.

D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, along with representatives from a number of national groups, will be at the rally, where they’ll surely protest the continuing imposition of social riders on the District — such as a prohibition on the use of local funds on abortions, which Democrats failed to overturn today.