The Washington Informer - January 11, 2024 by The Washington Informer

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Serving Our Community in the DMV

Street Renaming Honors Life and Legacy of Davon T. McNeal, III By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer

Tuesday, Jan. 9 marks what would've been Davon Thomas McNeal III’s 15th birthday. Davon, a football phenom and violence interrupter in training, became a victim of the very scourge his mother, Crystal McNeal, was working to stop. On July 4, 2020, he lost his life on the 1400 block of Cedar Street in Southeast shortly after arriving at a cook-out his mother was hosting. Crystal McNeal, joined by dozens of community members, recently converged, once again, on 1400 Cedar Street to honor Davon, for whom

Vol 59 No 13... January 11 – 17, 2024

that street has been ceremoniously renamed: Davon T. McNeal, III Way. The renaming, McNeal said, counts among her latest efforts to preserve Davon's legacy. “This baby did a lot. He was a good kid [just] to be taken away at the age of 11,” said McNeal, a violence interrupter and executive director of the Davon T. McNeal III Foundation (DM3), launched just one month after her son’s death. “I do my best to stay strong and not give up. I don't want to see mothers go through things I go through,” McNeal continued. “I tell mothers [who lost their child to violence] it's

MC NEAL Page 36

5 The Office of Councilmember Trayon White & The Davon McNeal Foundation Renamed 1400 Cedar Street S.E. D.C., to Davon T. McNeal III Way. January 6, 2024. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

Annual D.C. King Day Parade Set for Jan. 15

Staff Members at Shaw Community Center Fight to Preserve Familial Atmosphere

Earlier Events Include Prayer Breakfast, Essay Contest By James Wright WI Staff Writer

By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer

For more than 30 years, generations of Shaw residents looked to the Shaw Community Center as a place of refuge, enrichment, and, for many, steady employment and professional development. The pandemic further positioned the North-

SHAW Page 36

Washington Commanders Capture the Moment / Page 35

5Shaw Community Center staff members and board members are in a battle for the community center’s future. (Rob Roberts/Washington Informer)

Regina Pixley grew up in Ward 8 observing and participating in the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Peace Walk and Parade that takes place on the avenue that bears the name of the slain civil rights leader. This year’s Jan. 15 parade, however, will be important for Pixley, a well-known community activist and former advisory neighborhood commissioner. The Parade committee has selected her to be one of the grand marshals for the event. “January 15 is a special day for me,” Pixley, 53, said fighting back tears at a Jan. 6 meeting for the parade committee that took place at the Busboys &amp; Poets Restaurant and Bar located on

PARADE DAY Page 37

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COMPILED BY STACY M. BROWN, WI SENIOR WRITER; RICHARD ELLIOTT WI CONTRIBUTING REPORTER

Washington Commanders Coach Ron Rivera Fired Ron Rivera, finishing off his fourth season as head coach for the Washington Commanders, has been terminated from his position less than a day after a 38-10 loss to the division rival Dallas Cowboys. 5 Ron Rivera Rivera’s coaching re(Courtesy Photo) cord of 26-40-1 (.396 winning percentage) includes back to back last place finishes in the tough NFC East division, although the team won the division in his first year as coach, where he suffered serious health concerns due to cancer. During his years with the Carolina Panthers, Rivera won Coach of the Year twice and even went to the Super Bowl in 2015. While many fans on Twitter expressed relief in the end

of his tenure, others expressed pride and appreciation in him for coaching the team during particularly rough stretches including back to back last place finishes in the NFC East division. His firing is another step of new owner Josh Harris’ rebuilding strategy. A search committee including business mogul and NBA superstar Magic Johnson and former Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers will begin the hunt for a new coach. The Commanders have already requested permission to interview Rams’ defensive coordinator Raheem Morris and Ravens’ associate head coach Anthony Weaver for their head coaching vacancy. "To deliver upon our ultimate goal of becoming an elite franchise and consistently competing for the Super Bowl, there is a lot to do and first we must establish a strong organizational infrastructure led by the industry's best and most talented individuals," said team owner Harris in a statement. Read more on washingtoninformer.com. WI

Disparity Persists for Women and Minorities in Film and Television

In Memoriam Dr. Calvin W. Rolark, Sr. Wilhelmina J. Rolark THE WASHINGTON INFORMER NEWSPAPER (ISSN#0741-9414) is published weekly on each Thursday. Periodicals postage paid at Washington, D.C. and additional mailing offices. News and advertising deadline is Monday prior to publication. Announcements must be received two weeks prior to event. Copyright 2016 by The Washington Informer. All rights reserved. POSTMASTER: Send change of addresses to The Washington Informer, 3117 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave., S.E. Washington, D.C. 20032. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. The Informer Newspaper cannot guarantee the return of photographs. Subscription rates are $55 per year, two years $70. Papers will be received not more than a week after publication. Make checks payable to: THE WASHINGTON INFORMER 3117 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave., S.E Washington, D.C. 20032 Phone: 202 561-4100 Fax: 202 574-3785 news@washingtoninformer.com www.washingtoninformer.com

PUBLISHER Denise Rolark Barnes STAFF Micha Green, Managing Editor Ron Burke, Advertising/Marketing Director Shevry Lassiter, Photo Editor Lafayette Barnes, IV, Editor, WI Bridge DC Austin Cooper, Our House Editor Desmond Barnes, Social Media Stategist ZebraDesigns.net, Design & Layout Mable Neville, Bookkeeper Angie Johnson, Office Mgr./Circulation REPORTERS Kayla Benjamin, (Environmental Justice Reporter) Stacy Brown (Senior Writer), Sam P.K. Collins, Curtis Knowles, Brenda Siler, Lindiwe Vilakazi, Sarafina Wright, James Wright PHOTOGRAPHERS Shevry Lassiter, Photo Editor, Roy Lewis, Jr., Robert R. Roberts, Anthony Tilghman, Abdula Konte, Ja'Mon Jackson

4 JANUARY 11 - 17, 2024

Shortly after actress Taraji P. Henson said the “math ain’t mathing” when raising concerns about equal pay for women in Hollywood, two new reports not only support the star’s claims, but each go a bit further in revealing the overwhelming disparities in film and television. The latest report from The Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University sheds light on women’s ongoing challenges, particularly those from underrepresented racial and ethnic backgrounds, in behind-the-scenes roles. Titled “The Celluloid Ceiling: Employment of Behind-the-Scenes Women on Top Grossing U.S. Films in 2023,” the report comprehensively analyzes the industry’s gender and racial dynamics. It reveals a concerning decline in the overall represen-

tation of women in key behind-the-scenes roles, dropping from 24% in 2022 to 22% in 2023. Examining specific roles, women comprised 16% of directors, 17% of writers, 26% of producers, 24% of executive producers, 21% of editors, and a mere 7% of cinematographers. Notably, films with at least one female director demonstrated higher inclusion of women in various roles than those with exclusively male directors. A glimmer of hope did emerge from the Indie Women study, focusing on independently produced feature-length documentaries and narrative films. While men still dominate key roles, the percentage of female directors increased from 40% in 2021–22 to 42% in 2022–23, reaching a recent historic high. The study also noted increases in the percentages of women writers, producers, and editors. Read more on washingtoninformer.com. WI

Congress Inches Closer to Avoiding Shutdown with Tentative Agreement Leaders Settle Spending at Nearly $1.66 Trillion

Following weeks of negotiations and just before Congress reconvened from its holiday recess, key Senate and House members announced their consensus on setting the total spending at nearly $1.66 trillion. The deal aligns with the agreement struck last year between President Joe Biden and then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a deal that faced strong opposition from conservative factions and led to McCarthy’s ouster by MAGA Republicans. The agreement includes a boost in Pentagon spending to $886.3 billion while keeping nondefense funding unchanged at $772.7 billion. The figure incorporates an additional $69 billion agreed upon through an informal arrangement between McCarthy and the White House. As a compromise, lawmakers would accelerate $10 billion in cuts to I.R.S. enforcement and reclaim $6 billion in unspent COVID funds and other emergency allocations.

“By securing the $772.7 billion for nondefense discretionary funding, we can protect key domestic priorities like veterans’ benefits, health care, and nutrition assistance from the draconian cuts sought by right-wing extremists,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a joint statement. Describing it as a “favorable arrangement for Democrats and the nation,” Schumer and Jeffries, stressed the necessity for a bipartisan approach in Congress to “prevent an expensive and disruptive shutdown.” With the initial deadline for passing four spending bills on Jan. 19, securing an overall agreement on total funding is just the initial phase of avoiding a shutdown. A subsequent deadline for finalizing the remaining eight appropriations bills, including the one for the Pentagon, looms on Feb. 2. WI

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WMATA Budget Proposal Jeopardizes Efforts to Curb Truancy, Advocates Say D.C. Council Chairman Eyes Federal Support for Public Transit By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer The release of WMATA General Manager Randy Clarke's 2025 budget proposal sparked anguish among some District residents, like Sherice Muhammad, who are cognizant of the hours-long treks that students take across the city to attend the schools of their choice. During the winter break, Muhammad, a Ward 7 resident and parent leader, wrote Clarke a letter asking him to reconsider the proposed cuts. This outreach counted as the latest in Muhammad’s advocacy for transportation equity since 2012 when, as an advisory neighborhood commissioner, she helped launch a standing transportation and infrastructure committee in Ward 7. In her letter, Muhammad said the proposed cuts, if brought to fruition, would be “catastrophic” for District public school and public charter school students and their parents. She went on to question Clarke's rationale for the proposed budget cuts, asking whether, in reaching their conclusion, WMATA collected data about the revenue collected on the affected bus lines. Muhammad also criticized what she called investments in the purple and silver lines over the years that caused WMATA further financial stress. She appealed to Clarke to consider asking U.S. Transportation Secretary Peter Buttigieg about federal funding that could close the $750 budget shortfall that sparked talks about budget cuts. As it relates to her ward, Muhammad didn’t shy away from demanding that the District explore creating Circulator routes for residents living near Benning Road. All in all, any strategy that decimates already existing bus routes would further debilitate D.C. economically and exacerbate truancy, Muhammad told The Informer. “The school system is going to implode. You’re cutting the primary mode of transportation that students need,” Muhammad said. “How do you come to the conclusion about lower ridership for shorter trips? How are you gauging your riders if there’s no emphasis on paying? I’m

really concerned and imploring my friends on the State Board of Education to say something.”

A DEFUNCT BUS SYSTEM AND CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM

Clarke's FY 2025 proposal affects 67 out of 135 bus lines. Bus lines that would see reduced service include the 31,32, 33, and 36 bus routes going from Southeast to Downtown, D.C., and the 80, which goes from the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to Fort Totten Metro Station in Northeast. Bus lines to be cut entirely include the 96 bus which goes from East Capitol Street to the U Street corridor, the D6 which goes from Stadium-Armory Metro Station to Sibley Hospital, and the X3 which goes along Benning Road and the H Street corridor. These bus lines serve students traveling from all corners of the District to attend Banneker High School, Cardozo High School, Dunbar High School, Jackson-Reed High School, MacArthur High School, Duke Ellington School of the Arts, and School Without Walls in Northwest, along with Eastern High School in Southeast, and H.D. Woodson High School, Ron Brown High School, McKinley Technology High School, and Phelps Architecture, Construction, and Engineering High School in Northeast. D.C. State Board of Education (SBOE) Representative Brandon S. Best (Ward 6) told The Informer that the budget cuts would “compound the hurdles” that students face as they attempt to navigate the education system. He also alluded to more pressing issues that, several years ago, inspired the Safe Passage program. “We know from experience that reduced capacity can lead to overcrowding, which in turn can lead to student conflicts between neighboring schools,” said Best, chair of SBOE’s School Community and Wellbeing Committee. “Moreover, these proposed changes threaten to increase truancy rates and limit students' participation in vital out-of-school time activities—

both areas we are actively working to improve upon this year. I call on our city's decision-makers to take decisive action to protect the transit routes crucial for our students' journey to and from school.”

AT LEAST ONE LOCAL LEADER ASKS FOR FEDERAL INVOLVEMENT

In addition to eliminating 67 bus lines and reducing service on 41 lines, WMATA’s FY 2025 budget proposal, $4.5 billion in total, will bring 20% fare and parking increases, create longer headways across the system, turnbacks on the Red Line and Silver Line, 10 station closures, and a 10 p.m. closing time across the system. Such adjustments, WMATA officials said, will yield a net savings of $433 million. However, more than

5 General Manager and Chief Executive Officer Randy Clarke (WI File Photo/Robert R. Roberts)

2,200 positions will be eliminated and riders will experience crowding, longer police response times, and more frequent elevator and escalator outages. WMATA’s FY 2024 budget proposal, which Clarke presented early last year, included $561 million of

federal COVID relief funding infused into a budget of nearly $4.8 million. Such support, however, wouldn’t last for long Clarke warned D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) and the D.C. Council during an Oct. 31

WMATA Page 16

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black facts

JAN. 11 - 17, 2024

SOURCE: BLACK AMERICA WEB

JAN. 14

1916 – Fiction writer John Oliver Killens is born in Macon, Georgia. 1940 – Famed civil rights leader Julian Bond is born in Nashville, Tennessee.

JAN. 15

1908 – Alpha Kappa Alpha, the first Black Greek-letter sorority, is founded at Howard University. 1929 – Iconic civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. is born in Atlanta. 1998 – Civil rights activist James Farmer is awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Clinton.

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1971 – Mary J. Blige, "The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul," is born in New York City. 1987 – Three scientists announce they have discovered evidence of a woman who lived in Africa 200,000 years ago and may be the mother of the human species.

JAN. 12

1910 – Famed U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves dies of Bright's disease in Muskogee, Oklahoma, at 71. 1948 – Supreme Court rules that Blacks have the right to study law at state institutions.

1871 – Jefferson Long becomes the first African American from Georgia to be elected to the United States House of Representatives. 1920 – Sorority Zeta Phi Beta is founded at Howard University. 1941 – The War Department announces the creation of an all-Black fighter squadron to train at an airfield in Tuskegee, Alabama. 1967 – Lucius D. Amerson, the first Black sheriff in the South in the 20th century, is sworn in at Tuskegee, Alabama. Jan. 17 1759 – Quaker businessman and abolitionist Paul Cuffee is born in Cuttyhunk Island, Massachusetts. 1942 – Boxing legend and civil rights activist Muhammad Ali is born Cassius Clay in Louisville, Kentucky. WI

JAN. 13

1835 – Isaac Myers, pioneer of the African American trade union movement, is born in Baltimore. 1869 – The Colored National Labor Union, the nation's first Black labor union, is founded in Washington, D.C. 1873 – P.B.S. Pinchback ends service as Louisiana governor. 1913 – Sorority Delta Sigma Theta is founded at Howard University. 1953 – Don Barksdale becomes the first Black to play in the NBA All-Star Game. 1989 – Poet and literary critic Sterling A. Brown, D.C. native and longtime Howard University professor, dies in Tacoma Park, Maryland, at 87.

6 JANUARY 11 - 17, 2024

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Remembering Risikat “Kat” Iyabo Okedeyi A District Gem Cherished By Many By Lindiwe Vilakazi WI Health Reporter Cherished by many, and even more influential to those touched by her grace and life’s work, Risikat “Kat” Iyabo Okedeyi, was a university professor and cultural architect who inspired the African-centered arts and entertainment scene across the D.C. Metropolitan area and beyond. No one was prepared to hear the news of Okedeyi’s diagnosis of colon cancer, and even fewer were prepared when she died on Tuesday, Dec. 26, from the grueling disease. At just 51 years old, Okedeyi had a powerful way of inspiring those around her, as Baba Odutola Orisagbemi Eegungbade Isanyemi Egbelade shared jewels of her profound heritage, strengths, and the impactful life she led before a house full of loved ones at her memorial service held Saturday, Jan. 6 at the Capital Turnaround in Southeast, D.C. “She cared and cherished for many through her direct leadership and guidance. She led like a king in a royal laba. But we all know that she is the Queen, and many could not handle the impact of her reign,” Egbelade said. “How many of you can attest to her motherly love in your life? If you didn’t raise your hand, then you didn’t know her.” Born on December 20, 1972,

5 Family and friends gathered at Capital Turnaround in Southeast, D.C. to remember the life of Risikat “Kat” Iyabo Okedeyi, a university professor and cultural architect who inspired the African-centered arts and entertainment scene across the D.C. Metropolitan area and beyond. (Ra-Jah Kelly/The Washington Informer)

Okedeyi was a first generation Nigerian-American who spent much of her childhood years in Prince George’s County and Washington, D.C. Enamored with African culture and the literary arts, she grew to earn a bachelor's degree in African American studies from the University of Maryland, College Park, and later progressed to receive a master’s degree in African literature and history from Ohio State University. She was an associate professor in the English department at Prince George’s Community College, and an adjunct professor at Bowie State University, but her passion for educational empowerment extended well beyond the classroom. In 2001, Okedeyi created Lil SoSo Productions (LSP), an entertainment company specializing in event production and artist services, that hosted a litany of arts and culture events around the city. The work of LSP quickly became the “lynchpin” of the creative scene across the District for over 15 years, producing “interactive experiences”, and content creation in various capacities. Okedeyi’s masterpiece became the brains behind some of D.C.’s most memorable and popularly-known events including the renowned “Marvin Mondays,” “Audio Trip,” “When Harlem Came to Paris,” “Axel F Party,” and the favored well-

ness portion of “The Black Love Experience.” Her work penetrated overseas markets, as she grew to develop healing workshops in Lagos, Nigeria, to numerous collaborations with artists in Amsterdam and London. Her influence in culture curating further led her to serving as a cohort member of the Kennedy Center’s Culture Caucus, while contributing on the boards of various arts-based nonprofits. During her memorial, her dedicated and true village of sisters, brothers, friends, and family alike opened her ceremony with an Afro-jazz infused “Queen’s stroll” of women family and peers who danced to honor her life and legacy, beautifully adorned in purple garb with surrounding decor underscoring the royal life, legacy, and impact Okedeyi’s presence left on the world. Before closing the ceremony, the room filled with auditory records of Okedeyi’s sentiments as she soared in her journey of life, and left with the unwavering support of the people she loved and appreciated most. “This is all very difficult in some ways, but the gratitude is there because I’m surrounded by so much love and support, and I really am quite the lucky girl in that regard,” Okedeyi shared in the recording. WI

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The BRIDGE Honors 2023 DMV 35 Under 35

Journey to Freedom Art Sale Amazing Collection! Afro-American Art The Private Collection of Twin Sisters Velma Laws-Clay and Vivian Laws Ritter

By Ra-Jah Kelly WI Contributing Writer

The Washington Informer Bridge, in partnership with The Media Prince and Just 1 PR, has announced its 2023 DMV 35 Under 35 list. Established in 2018, this annual list celebrates young influencers, entrepreneurs, and philanthropists under 35 making significant strides in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. The initiative spotlights individuals who are pioneers in their fields and play a crucial role in influencing and shaping the region's culture. The Washington Informer Bridge, a sister publication of the Washington Informer, focuses on arts and culture. This year's honorees include Noochie, a recording artist and creator of Live From The Front Porch; Myles Frost, a Tony Award-winning artist; Darius Baxter, an entrepreneur and owner of Good Projects DC; and Alex Vaughn, a songwriter and recording artist. For the complete list, visit The Bridge at https://wibridgedc.com/ dmv-35/. WI

January 18th through January 21st, 2024 10AM - 3PM each day 1913 Tulip St NW Washington DC 20012 A more-than-impressive collection of over two-hundred oils, prints, lithographs, posters, and pictures (including well-known artists and great discoveries)! African statuary and sculptures will also adorn this unique art sale experience! R. Bernard Estate Liquidators https://www.estateliquidatorsdc.com/upcoming

5 In partnership with The Media Prince and Just 1 PR, The Washington Informer Bridge has announced its 2023 DMV 35 Under 35 list. (Courtesy Photo)

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JOEL CASTON SENTENCING COMMISSION NOMINATION IN LIMBO

D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D) decided not to move forward with a resolution to nominate Joel Castón to the D.C. Sentencing Commission. At least, not until the D.C. Council and the commission meet on Jan. 23 to address concerns about the implication of Castón’s appointment. In 2021, Castón became D.C. Jail’s first advisory neighborhood commissioner. That feat followed Castón’s launch of the Young Men Emerging program and other advocacy efforts he took on during his nearly 30-year stint in federal prison. Since his release, Castón continued his work in the justice policy space. His appointment to the D.C. Sentencing Commission, to some, would be a continuation of that crusade. On Monday, Jan. 8, the day before

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D.C. Centenarian Celebrates 104

Family and friends, including representatives from Mayor Muriel Bowser, celebrated the 104th birthday of Eulis Joan Thompson Ward who was born January 8, 1920 in Parish of St. Elizabeth Jointwood District, Jamaica. A long-time D.C. resident, Ms. Ward spent her early years attending Apex Beautician College on U Street on her days off from her housekeeping duties for two Canadian Law students. Upon graduation, she became a fulltime beautician, a passion she continued until 2019. She was also a seamstress and hatmaker. Her husband, Clinton Ward, is deceased, as well as her 11 brothers and sisters, with the exception of two, who currently live in London, England. A mother of three, six grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and seven greatgreat grandchildren, Ms. Ward currently lives with her daughter and granddaughter in their home in D.C. WI

www.4CELLLIFE.COM

The inaugural edition of the Collins Council Report looks back at the D.C. Council’s Jan. 9 Committee of the Whole and legislative meetings. The following delves into a polarizing D.C. Sentencing Commission nomination, the delay in SNAP litigation and the controversial naming of a Ward 3 school, along with a spirited debate about traffic safety measures.

Castón’s nomination was scheduled to go before the council’s Committee of the Whole, Mendelson said that a “minority” of sentencing commission members opposed Castón’s nomination. U.S. Attorney for District Columbia Matthew Graves expressed similar thoughts in a letter to the council, saying that Caston appointment would lead to more lenient sentences handed out in District courts. Mendelson, as he had done over the last year, designated the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Metropolitan 5 The council unanimously approved the Stronger Police Department, not the Enforcement Tools to Reduce Dangerous Driving in council or the D.C. Sentenc- the District, also known as the STEER Act, however, ing Commission, as the true D.C. Councilmember Trayon White (D- Ward 8) voted stewards of arrest, prosecu- “present.” (WI File Photo) tion, and ultimately sentencing. During the council breakfast, he Court Services and Offender Supervipointed to situations in which offend- sion Agency. Additionally, D.C. Mayor Muriel ers received less than a decade of prison time, due to plea deals negotiated Bowser, the D.C. Council, and D.C. by their defense attorney and the U.S. Superior Court Chief Judge Anita M. Josey-Herring can each appoint a attorney’s office. The D.C. Sentencing Commission commission member. Bowser recently nominated Sean consists of 17 seats, 12 of which have a Holihan, a Ward 1 advisory neighvote and five that don’t. Entities that have representation on borhood commissioner and state legthe commission include the Metro- islative director for Giffords: Courage politan Police Department, the Unit- to Fight Gun Violence. No council ed States Parole Commission, Federal member spoke of hearing any insight Bureau of Prisons, the Sentencing from Bowser on Caston’s nomination Project, Office of the Attorney Gener- to the sentencing commission. al for the District of Columbia, D.C. Public Defender Service, and the D.C. COUNCIL Page 29

By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer

The Collins Council Report

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JANUARY 11 - 17, 2024 11

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY Prince George’s County Legislative Updates By Richard Elliott WI Contributing Reporter

$215,000 FOR JOBS TRAINING DONATED TO LAUREL UNION TRAINING CENTER

Laurel’s Local 24 of the Heat and Frost Insulators Union and Allied Workers hosted some high-profile guests on Dec. 5, including a Congressman with a big check for $215,000 to support jobs training. During the tour, the Biden Administration’s push towards building a clean energy workforce to power America’s green economy and the Department of Energy’s announcement of $40 million to expand clean energy workforce training were highlighted. “Green jobs are essential to our competitive business landscape, vital to our environmental future and to the prospects of young people who want to start a career in the building trades,” said Con-

gressman Glenn Ivey (D-District 4). “I commend the Biden administration and my colleagues in the House and Senate who provided this funding.” A new building and trades center also opened in Lanham on Dec. 8 of last year. “ I’m going to be very clear,” said Governor Wes Moore (D) at the time of the site’s opening. “When we say that this is going to be a time that we are going to create pathways for work, wages and wealth for all Marylanders, we mean that it is an opportunity to find a good fulfilling job that pays you a fair wage.” County Executive Angela Alsobrooks (D) said the career center will be home to training programs and apprenticeships for all unions within the building trades. It is the first training center at a site dedicated to the building trades. “We’re bridging the gap between union labor and demand for skilled workers in construction,” she said. WI

Stay Informed!

www.washingtoninformer.com 12 JANUARY 11 - 17, 2024

5Lawmakers and stakeholders met with members of the Heat and Frost Insulators Union and Allied Workers. From left to right: County Councilmember Ingrid S. Watson; Deputy Secretary Department of Energy David Turk; Council Chair Jolene Ivey; Brian S. Cavey; Congressman Glenn Ivey; Terrence M. Larkin; Laurel Mayor Keith R. Sydnor; Maryland Councilmember Kyla Clark; and John L. Stahl. (Robert R. Roberts/ The Washington Informer)

MARYLAND’S 2024 BUSINESS AND TAX CLIMATE

One immediate change to begin 2024 for Marylanders was the minimum wage increase to $15 an hour. The legislation, supported by Gov. Wes Moore (D), implemented the minimum wage increase two years faster than prior laws would have. Montgomery County and Prince George’s have been on a faster timeline than the rest of the state to raise their local minimum wage. Amid the budget crunch, one revenue stream has shown to bring consistent returns: cannabis. The Maryland Cannabis Administration (MCA) reported over $700,000,000 in cannabis sales in just the first year of legalization. 1,708 applications were received for the state’s 179 social equity cannabis licenses, with 99 of those applications coming from Prince George’s. A bill to amend Maryland’s cannabis laws was requested by the MCA and is being proposed by Economic Matters Chair C.T. Wilson (D- Charles County), although the details of the bill are not yet known. Maryland legislators are also considering tax proposals such as a millionaire’s tax and closing corporate loopholes to address the roughly $400 million budget shortfall. “I don’t think anything’s off the table,” said Maryland’s House Ways and Means Committee

Chair Vanessa E. Atterbeary (D-District 13). “This is the session to do something if we’re going to do it. Some folks say to wait until the next session. I say rip the Band-Aid off, and let’s just solve the problem.” WI

LONGTIME BOWIE POLITICIAN DOUGLAS PETERS DEAD AT AGE 60

Surrounded by family, retired Senator Douglas J.J. Peters died at age 60 due to complications of multiple myeloma. The University of Maryland alum and business owner was held in high esteem by his former colleagues along with many Bowie constituents. Peters was first elected to the

Bowie City Council in 1998, later being elected as Mayor Pro Tempore, County Councilmember and eventually was elected to the State Senate in 2006. In the state legislature, he was known as a bipartisan legislator who advocated particularly for businesses and the veteran community. He served on the Budget and Tax Committee for 15 years before resigning his Senate seat in 2021 to serve on the Board of Regents for the University System of Maryland. A viewing will be held on Monday, Jan. 22 at Bowie’s Beall Funeral Home from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. The funeral service will be private. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation to continue the fight against the disease. WI 3Longtime Bowie politician Douglas J.J. Peters died at the age of 60 on Dec. 30. He first served on the Bowie City Council and eventually rose to the State Senate, serving nearly 15 years before resigning. (Courtesy Photo/Maryland State Archives)

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ty Animals Services Facility and Adoption Center (ASFAC) announced last week that they are closing to the public and halting all dog adoptions due to a mysterious canine illness that has spread through the facility. During this closing, quarantine will be implemented to trace the illness and treat the afflicted dogs. According to officials, this illness has no risk of spreading to other animals in the facility. “As we are seeing an uptick of this disease strike shelters na-

THE ASSOCIATION FOR THE STUDY OF AFRICAN AMERICAN LIFE AND HISTORY

tionwide, we are acting out of an abundance of caution to help stop the spread of this disease,” said David Fisher, associate director of the Department of Animal Services. “The best place for a dog to be at this time is in a home being watched carefully by their owner.” Officials said pets will only be allowed to leave the facility if they are being returned to the owner, an adoption is in progress and the pet shows no signs of illness, or the pet is considered for foster and shows no signs of illness. WI

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GiGi’s ice cream shop, located at 502 Main Street in Laurel, opened its doors to the public for the first time on Jan. 5 and unlike many other ice cream shops, their selection includes hot food. The shop will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the winter and 7:30 a.m. to - 8 p.m. in the summer. “We are more of a cafe/ dessert shop than just an ice shop,” said owner Karelin Ramirez in an exclusive interview with The Informer. “We decided to incorporate more items after the name was established. Not only do we bake brownies, cookies and have a great selection of ice cream flavors, including some vegan ice cream options; we also have hot food available all day including waffles, ham and cheese paninis, caprese paninis and avocado bagels for my lovely vegetarians. Our original focus was acai bowls, which are also available everyday.” Ramirez, who has five years of experience as a bar manager, has

CANINE ILLNESS AFFLICTS LOCAL ANIMAL SHELTER

Bowie is facing two business losses to begin 2024. Party HQ, a Black-owned entertainment space complete with a bar, bowling alley and gaming stations, located at Bowie Town Center, is closing. A post on the company’s website explains that the company was never able to get past the hurdles imposed by the pandemic, and thanks all who supported their business during their time of operation. The business first opened in October 2020 amid the pandemic. The site of Party HQ was previously the primary food court for Bowie Town Center, and it is unclear what the building will become in the future. TGI Friday’s, located near the now-shuttered Regal Cinema, across from Bowie Town Center, has closed. This is one of six closings in the DMV region, leaving 11 total TGI Friday’s in operation nearby. The company said it had offered transfer opportunities to more than 1,000 affected employees, or

ICE CREAM SHOP OPENS ON LAUREL’S MAIN STREET

BOWIE TOWN CENTER’S PARTY HQ, TGI FRIDAY'S CLOSING

more than 80% of those affected by the closings. WI

By Richard Elliott WI Contributing Writer

worked in the restaurant industry since she graduated from Montgomery County’s James Hubert Blake High School. One of the lessons she has learned is not to sacrifice quality in food service, which is why her meals are fresh and made to order. WI

BLACK

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5Gigi’s Ice Cream Shop opened in Laurel on Jan. 5. Unlike most ice cream shops, they will also offer hot food year round. (Facebook/City of Laurel)

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BUSINESS ir efs By James Wright / WI Staff Writer

PARKER INTRODUCES BUSINESS BILL

D.C. Council member Zachary Parker (D-Ward 5) has introduced the Ward 5 Small Business Development Center Establishment Act of 2023. The legislation is designed to foster entrepreneurship and boost the small business landscape within Ward 5, with a focus on fostering economic growth and opportunity for minority-and women-owned businesses. The bill is driven by data from the “Disparity Study” commissioned by the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development. The study states that barriers exist for racial minority-and women-owned businesses including acquiring human capital, accruing financial capital, and owning and operating a successful business even after accounting for age, income, and education. These barriers reduce these businesses’ availability for government work and their ability to successfully compete for and win government contracts. The bill addresses the barriers by proposing to equip aspiring entrepreneurs and small businesses in Ward 5 with the necessary skills and support to function within the city’s economic landscape. “I have seen first-hand the inspiring potential of many Ward 5 neighbors who are starting or operating their own small businesses, and I am excited to support them with this legislation,” Parker said.

14 JANUARY 11 - 17, 2024

able D.C. racial gaps in wealth and employment,” McDuffie said. “I appreciate the work done by all the residents and organizations to shed light on this issue.” WI

CAAB RECEIVES $50K GRANT

The D.C. Council’s website reveals that Parker’s bill was referred to the Committee on Business and Economic Development on Jan. 9. WI

THE GREEN BOOK

The Bowser administration has released the fiscal 2024 Small Business Enterprise Opportunity Guide, known as the Green Book, with a record-breaking spending goal of $1.2 billion. The Green Book assists small businesses in securing contracts from District government agencies by providing entrepreneurs with an overview of available opportunities to conduct business and information on how to do that. “The Green Book is one of our best tools for leveraging the District’s procurement power to support and grow local businesses,” said Mayor Muriel Bowser at a news conference on Jan. 4 in downtown D.C. “When local businesses get a fair shot, our residents get a fair shot too. Local businesses hire D.C. residents, grow D.C. neighborhoods, and represent D.C.’s values and culture. We want businesses to check out the Green Book, work with the [Department of Small and Local Business Development] to get their certifications, and then find out and go after their fair shot.” While the Green Book is available for entrepreneurs generally, firms that are Small Business Enterprises—a designation of the department—and are Certified

5 Zachary Parker represents Ward 5 on the D.C. Council. (WI File Photo)

Business Enterprises will receive preferences when bidding on D.C. government contracts. “I encourage all eligible entrepreneurs to apply for CBE certification, explore the Green Book, and access the resources and procurement opportunities available,” said Rosemary Suggs Evans, interim DSLBD director. For the fourth consecutive year, entrepreneurs can search for opportunities in real-time using GreenBookDC.com, the program’s website and interactive tool. The site brings spending data from the Green Book to life and allows businesses to sort opportunities by District agency and product category. To view the latest procurement opportunities and interact with the District Spend Data Dashboard, go to greenbookdc.com. WI

D.C.’S CLEAN HANDS LAW

Tzedek DC, an organization that protects the legal rights and financial status of low-income District residents dealing with abusive debt collection practices and other consumer related issues, has announced its support for reforming the city’s Clean Hands Law advocated by D.C. Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie (I-At Large) (right). McDuffie’s bill—The Clean Hands Economic Expansion and Revitalization Amendment Act of 2023– would end the current law’s disqualification of people

from occupational and small business licenses as punishment for unpaid fines and fees. The current law disqualifies anyone over $100 in unpaid fines and fees of any kind from obtaining District government occupational and small business licenses. Affected are more than 125 occupations, representing 48,000 workers, including barbers, cosmetologists, nurses, social workers, plumbers, HVAC cleaners, food vendors, and dozens of other occupations that are considered critical to the city’s economy. The D.C. Council’s Office of Racial Equity has conducted research and concluded that Black residents are harmed more by the Clean Hands policy than other racial groups. Tzedek DC has issued a report, “Locked Out: How DC Bans Workers with Unpaid Fines from More than 125 Jobs or Starting a Business, and What We Can Do About It” that addresses the negative consequences of the Clean Hands Act and what could be done as a remedy. “I’m concerned about the problems caused by the Clean Hands law for both D.C. workers and D.C. employers, and I am committed to ensuring our public policy helps reduce, not widen, the unaccept-

The Capital Area Asset Builders (CAAB) announced recently that it has received $50,000 as a Latino Community Development Grant from the D.C. Mayor’s Office of Latino Affairs (MOLA) to support the organization’s financial wellness services in English and Spanish. The funding is to benefit the Latino community and to support work to address and close the racial wealth gap in the District. “We are honored to receive this grant from MOLA,” said Joseph Leitmann-Santa Cruz, CAAB’s CEO and executive director. “We are proudly focusing on creating financial stability and longterm prosperity opportunities for Black, Latinx and Immigrant community members. This grant from MOLA will assist us to advance this objective. Specifically, MOLA’s grant enables CAAB to provide the seven-year-old CAAB-managed DC Ahorra Y Prospera (DC Saves and Prospers Campaign) to link Latinx D.C. residents with information, education, resources, tools, and money to achieve financial stability and be placed on a journey to prosperity.” WI @James WrightJr10

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Business Planning for Successful Creative Arts Community By Brenda C. Siler WI Contributing Writer

Getting that painting, a film script, or a photography exhibition past the development and before an audience stage requires planning. What should be included in a business strategy to move the work past the creative stage and begin financing to get others to support your effort? The Northern Virginia Local Arts Agencies (NVLAA) offer free business and marketing workshops for artists and arts organizations in the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia region. Seven free workshops begin on Jan. 18 and continue until May 2. The NVLAA is a partnership between ArtsFairfax, Arlington Cultural Affairs, and Alexandria Office of the Arts and was designed to share costs, promotion, and administrative duties. “This is the second year of professional development offerings from NVLAA,” said Allison Mui Mitchell, director of communications at ArtsFairfax. “The free workshops also increase networking opportunities.”

ACCESS TO TOPICS EVERY CREATIVE CAN USE

The sessions will take place virtually, except for one in-person workshop in the spring. The first workshop on Jan. 18 is “Inside Representation: Paths to Working with Dealers and Agents.” “Our participants appreciate that even though our gatherings are virtual, every workshop is interactive,” Mitchell continued. “Not only do the participants enjoy the opportunity to connect with colleagues across the region, but they also get to immediately apply the skills they’re learning in small group activities and conversation.”

NOT TO BE MISSED FREE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

“For individuals not affiliated with an organization, being an artist can be isolating,” acknowledged Mitchell. “Like any industry, it’s helpful to connect with peers to share inspiration, hear ideas, or see if they are confronting the same challenges.” Though free, advance registration is required to attend any workshop in this series. WI @bcscomm

BUSINESS The Only Constant is Change! By Aimee D. Griffin, Esq. Happy New Year! I regularly speak proudly about being a New Year’s Resolutioner! I always have resolutions about taking steps to be more healthy, wealthy and wise! However, as I reflect on the goal of health, I define it differently now. I remember when the health goal was to run a half marathon. Healthy now is to be able to move without sound effects. I want to make sure to stave off the challenges of brittle bones. Wealth and wisdom have different definitions to me now as I age. Our perspective changes with time. As I celebrate 10 years of contributing to the Washington Informer, I am reminded of what has happened over those ten years. The last decade has brought many opportunities to clarify our values and our vision. We have viewed our rights and our privileges from different perspectives in these years. Our country appears different through the Obama, Trump and Biden administrations. The things we took for granted are very precious now. Ten years ago, my children were just making their way as adults. Now, I have grandchildren. We have spent the last four years in the throes of a pandemic, with a recent resurgence that again questions how to move through the world. In the last ten years I have lost amazing family members and friends through illnesses and accidents. Although we say, “tomorrow is not promised”, we are always taken by surprise when we lose a loved one. Estate planning is dynamic because life is dynamic. Along with the change of our values, dreams and hopes, our financial situation changes. We may move from an active income earner to retirement by choice or by demand. We may move from caring for loved ones to being cared for. We may move from having a large circle of “framily” to an intimate number of close loved ones. We live our life in various stages. I consider the first part of our adult life as the accumulation stage. At this point we are starting out and trying to find that which we want to build our comfort levels. We are securing our base standard and moving throughout the world to find where we find peace and what is necessary. We are building relationships that conform with our sense of self and being. Then, we protect our treasures once we have been secured in the conservation stage. This stage may mean that we have acquired what we need, and we are moving to what we want. With that in mind we can supply clarity on who we want in our circle of influence and how to support and protect them. We can build a cocoon of protection for how we live and preserve our assets. This initiative-taking strategy can enable us to be forward thinking in building a plan for multigenerational wealth building and asset protection. As we change, our circumstances change as well as our loved ones change. We need to be vigilant in protecting our goals and dreams. We must be mindful about laying out our strategic plan for success. The final stage is the transitioning from our possession to the ones who will receive after us. This transition compels and propels the next generation. The continuum of our lives is fluid, and it will happen if we plan or by default. There is joy in planning strategically for the legacy to build and grow with anticipation. Happy New Year!

5 Northern Virginia Local Arts Agencies (NVLAA) offer free business and marketing workshops for artists and arts organizations in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia region. NVLAA is a partnership between partnership between ArtsFairfax, Arlington Cultural Affairs, and Alexandria Office of the Arts. (Courtesy photo/NVLAA)

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JANUARY 11 - 17, 2024 15

NATIONAL Homelessness Surges, Disproportionately Affecting Black and Latino Communities By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has released its 2023 Annual Homeless Assessment Report, revealing a 12% surge in homelessness since 2022. The report, encompassing the Housing Inventory Count, paints a bleak picture of the current state of homelessness. A staggering 653,104 individuals experienced homelessness on a single night in January 2023— the highest since the national reporting on the Point-in-Time count began in 2007. Of significant concern is the disproportionate impact on Black communities, constituting nearly 4 in 10 of those experiencing homelessness.

Despite comprising just 13% of the total U.S. population, individuals identifying as Black accounted for 37% of the homeless population. Equally alarming is the plight of the Latino community, as almost one-third of people experiencing homelessness identified as Hispanic or Latino. The number of homeless individuals in this demographic surged by 28% between 2022 and 2023, contributing to 55% of the total increase in homelessness during this period. “Our society is selective on who is worthy enough to receive sympathy and assistance: Black or white, sober, or addicted, mother or father, married or single. We choose according to personal politics who is worthy of stability, who doesn’t deserve support,

WMATA from Page 5 mayor-council breakfast in Room 421 of the John A. Wilson Building. The level of support that the U.S. Department of Transportation would provide WMATA, if any at all, has yet to be determined. The Informer unsuccessfully attempted to gather comment from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Transit Administration about its FY 2025 commitment to WMATA. On Monday, D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D) expressed sentiments similar to Muhammad’s about the federal funding for WMATA, mainly out of concern about the regional public transit system having to divert capital funds to cover operating costs. Mendelson told the Informer that he, along with D.C. Councilmember Charles Allen, Chief Financial Officer Glen Lee and City Adminis-

16 JANUARY 11 - 17, 2024

In regard to Clarke's budget proposal, Mendelson described it as a worst-case scenario, saying that cuts in the finalized budget can’t exceed what Clarke put forth.

trator Kevin Donahue are in discussions with their state counterparts in Maryland and Virginia about WMA-

5The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has released its 2023 Annual Homeless Assessment Report, revealing 12% surge in homelessness since 2022. (Courtesy Photo)

and when it is acceptable for someone to be without shelter,” author, poet, and blogger Archuleta Chisolm wrote for BlackGirlNerds.com. In the District, the city’s medical examiner reported in December that at least 77 individuals experiencing homelessness lost their lives in the nation’s capital, in 2023. The causes of death varied, with intoxication, accidents, and homicides being prevalent factors. Due to the usual 90-day timeframe for the medical examiner to determine the cause of death, the actual count is likely higher than reported. Medical examiner data TA funding. While he said he doesn’t know how much Virginia plans to contribute toward closing the $750 million deficit, Mendelson mentioned a pledge by Maryland Governor Wes Moore he said wouldn’t suffice. In regard to Clarke's budget proposal, Mendelson described it as a worst-case scenario, saying that cuts in the finalized budget can’t exceed what Clarke put forth. Even so, he didn’t shy away from suggesting that D.C. and its regional partners should be seeking federal support. “Within the last decade, the federal government was given two seats on the WMATA board,” Mendelson said. “They should pay for them. Close to half of its workers use WMATA and federal workers comprise almost a fifth of the total ridership. I'm not clear why the region hasn't been asking for more money.” WI @SamPKCollins

reveals that a significant portion of those who died, 60 out of the reported 77, succumbed to accidents induced by intoxication. Natural causes accounted for 11 deaths, while three were victims of homicide. In a statement, Laura Zeilinger, the director of D.C.’s Department of Human Services, shared that over 1,000 individuals benefited from the city’s pandemic emergency housing program and successfully transitioned to permanent housing. The statement further noted that even after the program’s closure, the city continued its efforts to provide housing placements. While the latest report indicates progress in addressing homelessness, with HUD projecting to serve 330,000 people through increased grants to homeless service organizations, challenges persist. The expiration of resources from President Biden’s American Rescue Plan (ARP), the largest single-year investment in preventing and ending homelessness in U.S. history, has played a role in the current rise. The 2023 Point-in-Time Count data underscored the urgency of the situation, revealing increases across various demographics: • Sheltered homelessness rose by 13.7% • Unsheltered homelessness rose by 9.7% • Homelessness among individuals rose by 10.8% • Homelessness among people in families with children rose by 15.5%

• Homelessness among unaccompanied youth rose by 15.3% • Homelessness among veterans rose by 7.4% • Chronic homelessness among individuals rose by 12% HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge acknowledged the gravity of the issue. “Homelessness is solvable and should not exist in the United States,” Fudge declared. “From day one, this administration has put forth a comprehensive plan to tackle homelessness, and we’ve acted aggressively and in conjunction with our federal, state, and local partners to address this challenge. We’ve made positive strides, but there is still more work to be done. This data underscores the urgent need for support for proven solutions and strategies that help people quickly exit homelessness and that prevent homelessness in the first place.” The report further attributes the overall increase to a rise in the number of people experiencing homelessness for the first time, with a 25% increase between fiscal years 2021 and 2022. Data from the report emphasized the pressing need for sustained, collaborative efforts to combat homelessness and support vulnerable populations nationwide. “HUD has substantially invested in addressing the housing needs of those facing homelessness, particularly the most vulnerable populations,” officials wrote in a release. WI

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U.S. Capitol Police Hero Harry Dunn Running for Congress By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer A Capitol Police officer, who bravely protected congressional members during the January 6, 2021 attack, is now running for Congress in Maryland’s 3rd Congressional District. Harry Dunn left the police in December after 15 years of service. He gained worldwide recognition for his emotional testimony in front of a House committee investigating the January 6 insurrection, and now aims to achieve a “safe and secure America” during one of the most divided times in history. Dunn asserted that his focus would be on protecting democracy and fighting back against forces seeking to undermine it. He said he will also focus on reproductive rights, promoting sensible gun control, protecting voting rights, and improving mental health treatment. He

NATIONAL

civilian award, for outstanding the U.S. Capitol, Dunn beservice to the country or fellow came one of the few officers citizens. who openly talked about the “I think it’s important to note violent incident. He testified that I accept this medal not as a before Congress about the Capitol Hill Police Officer, a job difficult experiences he and I have held for 15 years,” Dunn his colleagues had. said during the October cereDunn expressed enthusimony. “Rather, I am here as an asm for running for office to American. What I did on Jan- address important issues like uary 6; I did as a police officer. mental health, crime, gun It was my job. But what I have control, and infrastructure. done every day since, I do be“My platform is democracause I am an American.” cy,” he asserted. admore on After the traumatic¼ page eventsver)cal Read in which supporters of the washingtoninformer.com. twice-impeached former PresWI ident Donald Trump stormed @StacyBrownMedia

promised to prioritize the needs of Americans and bring Congress back to its main mission of serving the people. “On January 6, 2021, I did my duty as a police officer and as an American and defended our nation’s Capitol from violent insurrectionists,” Dunn said. “Today, I’m running for Congress because the forces that spurred that violent attack are still at work, and as a patriotic American, it is my duty to defend our democracy.” He noted the additional challenge of being a Black officer on January 6. “A lot of us Black officers fought a different battle than everybody else fought,” Dunn said. “That’s when I said, ‘Is this America?’ and I started crying. Tears are coming down my face. ‘Is this America?’” ¼ page ver)cal ad In 2023, President Joe Biden gave Dunn the Presidential Citizens Medal, the second-highest

“A lot of us Black officers fought a different battle than everybody else fought,” Dunn said. “That’s when I said, ‘Is this America?’ and I started crying.

“Where failure is not an op)on”

GateWay Boarding GateWay Boarding Academy is recruiting students ages 12-16 to afterschool reading and math program. Academy is recruiting Free for qualified students. students ages 12-16 Visit gatewayboardingacademy.org. to participate in its “Where failure is afterschool not an op)on” reading NONDISCRIMINATION POLICY and math program.

The GateWay Academy admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic or privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to stud Free for qualified students. not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin in administr Visit gatewayboardingacademy.org. policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administer

GateWay Boarding Academy is recruiting students ages 12-16 to participate in its afterschool reading and math program. NONDISCRIMINATION POLICY The GateWay Academy admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the Free for qualified students. rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at GateWay.Visit It doesgatewayboardingacademy.org. not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and 5Harry Dunn, a former Capitol Police officer who bravely protected congressional other school-administered programs. members during the January 6, 2021 attack, is now running for Maryland’s Third Congressional District. (Courtesy Photo) NONDISCRIMINATION POLICY

The GateWay Academy admitsINFORMER students of any race, color, national and ethnicJANUARY origin to all11the rights, WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM / THE WASHINGTON - 17, 2024

privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at GateWay. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.

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Somali President Signs Law 'Nullifying Illegal’ Ethiopia-Somaliland Deal

Somali president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Saturday, Jan. 6, signed a law nullifying the memorandum of understanding signed between the Government of Ethiopia & Somaliland. The symbolic move comes as Ethiopia and a breakaway Somali region announced a deal on Jan. 1. As part of the deal, Somaliland plans to lease a 20-km stretch of land along 5Somali President Hassan Sheikh its coastline to Ethiopia to establish a naval base, Ethiopian Prime minister Abiy Mohamud. (Courtesy Photo) Ahmed said at the signing. Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi said the agreement included a statement that Ethiopia would soon recognize the territory as an independent country. That is where the bone of contention lies. Somaliland has always contested the legally binding character of the state of union which was to form a unified country after Somalia and Somaliland respectively gained independence from Italy and Britain. In reaction to the deal, Somalia recalled its ambassador from Ethiopia. The AU chairperson urged Ethiopia and Somalia to engage without delay in a negotiation process to settle their differences. Ethiopia lost its access to the sea when Eritrea seceded in 1993. Ethiopia has been using the port in neighboring Djibouti for most of its imports and exports. Meanwhile, Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi recently pledged his support for Somalia, following a deep disagreement between Ethiopia and Somaliland over maritime access. Ethiopia signed an agreement to use one of Somaliland's seaports, prompting criticism and annoyance from Somalia. Somalia, which considers Somaliland part of its territory, condemned the agreement as an act of "aggression" and a violation of its sovereignty. WI

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18 JANUARY 11 - 17, 2024

Guyana President Dr. Irfaan Ali Takes Over as New Chairman of CARICOM

Guyana President Dr. Irfaan Ali assumed the Chairmanship of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) on Jan. 1, replacing Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit. During his six-month tenure, he is expected to highlight Guyana’s emerging prominence in Caribbean affairs and make a strong commitment to furthering 5 Dr. Irfaan Ali, president of Guyana, CARICOM’s strategic priorities, Caribbean National Weekly (CNW) reported. is the new Chairman of CARICOM. “The focus will be on regional development goals, encompassing a variety of (Courtesy Photo) areas, including economic growth, societal well-being, and maintaining peace throughout the Caribbean Community,” according to CNW. “The emphasis is on harnessing the potential of the New Year to explore and implement targeted programs beneficial to the region.” Noting that a key aspect of President Ali’s agenda is the enhancement of regional security, CNW added, “Recognizing the global challenges to peace, CARICOM under Ali’s leadership aims to maintain the Caribbean and Latin American regions as Zones of Peace.” The approach involves adhering to international law and resolving border controversies through peaceful and legal means, continuing the efforts made in 2023. CARICOM is also actively working to address issues of crime and violence, particularly focusing on the illegal weapons trade through its “War on Guns” campaign. This initiative is part of a broader effort to ensure peace and stability in member states, notably Haiti, reaffirming the commitment to maintain the region as a Zone of Peace. Established in 1973 with the signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas in Trinidad and Tobago, CARICOM’S four founding members were Barbados, Jamaica, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago. Currently, there are 15-member nations and dependencies. Countries that are part of CARICOM, include: the four founding members— Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago— The Bahamas, Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Haiti, and Suriname. Associate members are Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, and Turks and Caicos. In addition, there are eight observer nations: Aruba, Colombia, Curacao, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Saint Maarten, and Venezuela. WI

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Planning For The Unexpected And Finding Your Path Forward your life. Take the time to think about the industry, the company and your personal brand. Be sure you are taking the right next step for yourself and that you are doing it for the appropriate reason – keeping your “why” in mind.

By Tawanna Browne Smith, Vice President and Banker, J.P. Morgan Private Bank Sponsored Content by JPMorgan Chase & Co. When you lose a spouse, you’re often left grieving while also trying to figure out how to find a way forward and identify what’s next – personally, career wise and financially. Life is a journey with many chapters and with life experiences and lessons learned, we find and deepen our connection with ourselves. In the aftermath of losing my husband several years ago, I connected with other women who were grieving the loss of their spouse and also saw many of them struggling with managing their finances. I had a previous career in banking with a good handle on my family’s finances. As a result, I found myself to be a resource to other women in a similar situation to educate them on how to manage finances in this new chapter of their life. It’s an all-too-common story for married couples where one spouse manages the finances, and the other has little to no involvement. Shortly after my husband died, COVID-19 hit and I found myself doing little more than just taking care of the house and kids. After months of introspection and a deep desire to find sense for it all, I came to the conclusion that I needed to turn my pain into purpose. My exposure to a network of women facing simi-

PLANNING FOR THE UNEXPECTED 5Tawanna Browne Smith, Vice President and Banker, J.P. Morgan Private Bank

lar life circumstances provided me with my answer and my next steps: rejoin the banking workforce and work with women to plan for and protect their family’s wealth – especially in the face of tragic life events.

FINDING A NEW PATH

Deciding to rejoin the workforce after a prolonged career break is no easy decision. Aside from the transition of working for yourself, there are a slew of other factors you need to consider. My finding the JPMorgan Chase ReEntry Program was a bit of good timing and divine intervention. Shortly after I applied to the program, I interviewed and was on my way into a new career with the Private Bank in Baltimore. The structure of the ReEntry Program is a nice cocoon for on-boarding a new employee – especially one who has been out of corporate America for over a decade. That said, if you are planning to rejoin the workforce it’s important to give yourself grace and be intentional about the next chapter of

The Newsletter Sign up to receive the JPMorgan Chase & Co. Money Talk Newsletter and stay up to speed with the latest financial wellness information.

Because of my journey, I am passionate about helping clients who are facing life-changing circumstances. Below are three key financial tips for individuals no matter where they are on the wealth spectrum. 1. Identify where your documents are located – Put together a master document that outlines a list of all your bills and how they are paid, usernames and passwords for accounts, and important financial and estate planning documents including bank statements, wills and any other directives. Place them in a safe or lock box that a trusted family member is aware of. 2. Build your short-term liquidity fund – As a general rule of thumb, setting aside three to six months’ worth of your basic essential expenses is key for preparing for a rainy day. When you’re just starting out, it’s okay to start small and continue building from there. Everyone has a different comfort level for what this fund (a savings or money market account) looks like. The main point is to take a look at your monthly expenses and plan your short-term safety net from there in the event that the unexpected happens. 3. Make sure estate documents are in order – For some families, discussions around sickness and death are tough ones to have. Unfortunately, proper estate planning can be overlooked as a result. The negative cost of this oversight can pose a threat to the surviv-

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ing family’s wealth and financial well-being. Ensuring you have a will, powers of attorney (POA), living trust, advanced directives and other important estate documents in place is crucial for protecting assets and outlining your wishes in the event of your passing. Be sure to update these documents as major life events happen over the years. It's normal to be reluctant about planning for unexpected events – it’s personal and complex. Taking control of your finances and thinking ahead about your future is an

evolving process. Working with a trusted team can help you ensure your wealth plans support the hopes and dreams you have for your family’s future. Tawanna Browne Smith is a vice president and banker at J.P. Morgan Private Bank in Baltimore. Smith leverages her trading and analysis background to guide successful individuals and their families in taking a holistic view of their wealth management goals and aspirations.

JANUARY 11 - 17, 2024 19

OUR

EARTH

(Courtesy Photo)

The Kids Suing the EPA Over Climate Change Are Black and Brown Too By Willy Blackmore Word in Black

This article was originally published online with Word In Black, a collaboration of the nation's leading Black news publishers (of which the Informer is a member). Genesis B. doesn’t have air conditioning. That used to be the norm in Long Beach, California, where the 17-year-old was born and raised. A beach city in southern Los Angeles County, it’s the kind of place that never gets too hot, thanks to the

breeze coming off of the water — or it used to be, at least. As temperatures increase, air conditioning has become more common there — but it’s too expensive for Genesis’ family. The heat can take its toll outside, too: This summer, the hottest ever, Genesis (who, as a minor, is only identified by the first initial of her last name) suffered from heat exhaustion. Along with 17 other California kids between the ages of 8 and 17, Genesis is suing the Environmental Protection Agency, arguing that the federal agency has violated what lawyers representing the kids say is a constitutional right to a clean and healthy environment by permitting excessive amounts of pollution that has led to and continues to exacerbate the climate crisis. “As extreme heat days become more common in Long Beach, Genesis is unable to cool off in her home during the day,” the suit, which was filed last month, explains. “On many days, Genesis must wait until the evening to do schoolwork when temperatures cool down enough for her to be able to focus.” As an Afro-Latina with an Indigenous background, Genesis is at a particular disadvantage when it comes to climate change — as are all Black and Brown kids in the U.S. If climate change presents particular health challenges to children, as the suit argues, many of those problems are found at disproportionately higher rates in Black communities. A number of the plaintiffs (but not Genesis) have asthma, for example; nationally, 5.5% of white children have asthma, compared to 12% of Black children. The higher rates of asthma are largely attributed to where Black Americans tend to live — which, thanks to redlining and the decades of housing discrimination that followed, tend to

be neighborhoods that are less desirable for a host of reasons — like being flood-prone, or routinely blanketed with pollution. Consider Genesis’ hometown: an incredibly diverse city, Long Beach is 12% Black, and the majority of the community lives in North Long Beach, right alongside the 710 freeway — a major trucking route for goods leaving the Port of Long Beach, which sits just west of the city. What was long known as the east side of Long Beach (which referred to the east side of the Los Angeles River), familiar to anyone who listened to Snoop Dogg in the 1990s, sits near both the freeway and the port. Parts of those neighborhoods have been labeled as so-called Diesel Death Zones. The plaintiffs in the suit are a diverse group of kids from across California, including rural parts of Northern California and elsewhere in the greater Los Angeles area. As the organization Our Children’s Trust, which filed the suit on their behalf (and is the driving force behind the new legal strategy of having kids sue states and local governments over climate issues), said in a statement, “The climate system that is vital to ordered liberty and has fostered and supported all human life for thousands of years no longer exists because it has been destabilized by pollution from burning fossil fuels.” And that is very much true for all kids. But just like climate change writ large in this country, it’s Black and Brown kids who are bearing the early brunt of the negative effects. If the lawsuit is successful, however, and forces real, historic change from the EPA, it will be fitting that the history books will note it by the official name, the name of an Afro-Latina girl from Long Beach: Genesis B. v. EPA. WI

The Informer's Our Earth page turns 1 year old this fall. We want to know what you think and what we can do better in year 2! Please let us know with this 3-minute survey.

20 JANUARY 11 - 17, 2024

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Tales of A Heartbroken City

“ Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane.”

The Intersection Between Trauma and Drug Addiction By Lindiwe Vilakazi WI Health Reporter The horrors of drug abuse and addiction appear at the crux of several crises including drug overdose fatalities, rampant violence, and homelessness. While District leaders discuss medical-based solutions to resolve the widespread opioid crisis, psychiatrists and holistic health specialists underscore the significance of addressing trauma and its immense impact on chronic substance use disorder. Substance use disorder is a “treatable mental disorder that affects a person’s brain and behavior, leading to their inability to control their use of substances like legal or illegal drugs, alcohol, or medications,” according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Supporting studies have found links between people battling mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder, and using drugs or alcohol as a means of self-medication. In support of these findings, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) states that “Trauma is especially common in the lives of people with mental and substance use disorders. For this reason, the need to address trauma is increasingly seen as an important part of effective behavioral health care and an integral part of the healing and recovery process.”

BEHIND THE VEIL OF ADDICTION

Dr. Ike Nnawuchi, medical director of MBI Health Services, the largest outpatient provider of mental health and substance abuse in Washington, D.C., has heard countless stories of abuse, depression, and rage that exist

—Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (March, 1966)

HONOR THE LEGACY OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. 5 Dr. Ike Nnawuchi (Courtesy photo)

beneath the shambles of those addicted to drugs. Nnawuchi detailed the story of a young lady who walked into his office in the middle of summer, referred through the Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program (CPEP). Seven months pregnant and visibly stricken with the disease of drug addiction, his staff scoffed at the positive urine results of phencyclidine (PCP), cocaine, and other drugs in her system while carrying a child. Prepared to give her a virtuous speech on her seemingly reckless behavior, he was immediately humbled by her response as said to him, “It’s not my fault, I don’t want to be like this. It’s my life. Do you know why I’m wearing a long-sleeved shirt in the summer?” pulling up her sleeves to reveal her wrist. “When I was a young girl, my grandfather used to tie me by my wrist to the bottom of the stairs in the basement and rape me every day. The only way I don’t feel the pain and don’t have those nightmares is when I use drugs.” Left speechless, Nnawuchi instantly found that there is often an untold sto-

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EDUCATION Wheeler, Berry Use Athletics to Achieve Career Goals By Ed Hill WI Contribution The term student-athlete is loosely used in today's athletic conversation. There are many who question whether the overall needs of young athletes are met through their matriculation. After their careers are finished on the courts or playing fields, are they prepared to pursue careers that are meaningful and difference makers in their communities? If you are searching for candidates who are poster material for student athlete success, look to Ian Wheeler and Marli Berry as examples. Wheeler is a member of the Howard University football team and Berry is a member of the women's soccer program. Below are their stories.

IAN WHEELER

Wheeler's journey to Howard University was unique. An outstanding

HEALTH from Page 21 ry behind those fighting drug addiction and the emotional scarring they may carry. “You see a person on the street who is a drug addict, who is homeless, and you have to think about what came first. Is it the drugs or the life that they have lived?” Nnawuchi said. “You’re seeing these people and are judging them, but why are they like that? What happened to her to make her like this? Is it that she wants to be like this? No. She’s just trying to survive.”

BREATHING TO SOBRIETY

A survivor of early childhood abuse, Mama Ayo, a Certified Breathologist, and Transformational Facilitator of over 40 years, was once one of many young adults struggling with substance addiction. Years of drug abuse and recurring patterns eventual-

22 JANUARY 11 - 17, 2024

football player coming out of Houston, Texas, he got lost in the recruiting process in the state known for rich football talent. A few Division III schools recruited him, but Wheeler felt that he had the talent to play at the Division I level. "I felt all along that I could compete at a certain level," said Wheeler. "I did not want to settle for D-III and that is no reflection on them, but I felt that I could play at a higher level. So, I researched schools that had a football program at the D-I level, but also one that could help me achieve my goals beyond athletics." Howard University offered him a chance to come as a walk-on and it paid off handsomely for both. After quickly moving up the ranks and earning a scholarship, the 5-foot10-inch, 195-pound speedster became one of the most prolific players in school history. Along the way, he helped lead the Bi-

“During my time of substance abuse, I began to study addictive behavior. I was working with populations and also around a lot of other people who were dealing with substance abuse. I also saw my father as an alcoholic,” Mama Ayo told the Informer. ly sparked her journey to unravel the root of her unyielding dependency. “During my time of substance abuse, I began to study addictive behavior. I was working with populations and also around a lot of other people who were dealing with substance abuse. I also saw my father as

5 Howard University soccer player Marli Berry has shined both on the field and in the classroom and has been accepted into three medical schools to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming an OBGYN. (Courtesy Photo)

son to back-to-back Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) titles and a first-ever trip to the Celebration Bowl this season. He earned individual accolades of being named to the prestigious All-MEAC team the past two years. Always an outstanding strident, he made an important impression in the classroom, with a cumulative 3.57 GPA. This success has put him in a unique predicament. Because of his success on the football field, Wheeler has gotten the attention of the NFL. He has been invited to attend the HBCU Legacy Bowl in Yulman, Louisiana. (Feb. 24). It is an opportunity to give senior players from an alcoholic,” Mama Ayo told the Informer. “I wanted to find out for myself why I used substances. There was a part of me that liked the euphoric aspect of it, but there was another part of me that recognized that I was suppressing pain. Her growing awareness of childhood trauma precipitated memories of profound discomfort around her father. Recalling his threatening and sexually abusive ways, her mental distress manifested in her behaviors as an adult, challenging her ability to feel safe or allow intimacy in her marriage later on. The inner turmoil led Mama Ayo to further research various substance abuses, eventually finding correlations revealing that roughly 6 out of 10 women and 5 out of 10 men suffering from substance abuse have had exposure to trauma in early childhood. Read more on www.washingtoninformer.com. WI

HBCUs who are draft eligible an opportunity to showcase their skills for the NFL scouts. That is only part of the equation: last October, Wheeler was accepted into med school at Howard University. On the surface, it seems like a tough dilemma in making a choice. But Wheeler takes a different approach. "I am definitely going to take advantage of the opportunity to play professorially," he proclaimed. "I will give it all I’ve got. But if that does not work out, I have the option of med school. I can always redirect my brain. If you look at it, it's good to have options."

MARLI BERRY

Berry came to Howard under different circumstances. A native of Orangevale, California, she has a strong family history at The Hilltop. Her mother is a graduate and a medical doctor. "I was being recruited but was not sure at first," said Berry. "I have a brother, who is older and was accepted at Howard. When I came to visit the campus, I knew that it was the place for me to pursue my career. The culture was palpable. There was a unique hustle culture that allowed for competition in a non-toxic way. That had a strong appeal in my decision." She turned in her best season in 2023, finishing second on the team in scoring, tallying 18 points in 20 games, including 20 shots on goal and producing an impressive four game winners. The team finished 12-6-2 and advanced to the conference semifinals where they lost in overtime. She was named to the NEC All-Conference team. Despite the demands of being a stu-

5 Howard University football player Ian Wheeler has excelled on the field and classroom, and is now met with opportunities to pursue a professional football career or medical school. (Courtesy Photos)

dent-athlete, Berry got it done and then some in the classroom. The biology major has a 3.86 cumulative GPA and was named to the NEC All-Academic team the past two years. And if that was not enough of a commitment, Berry found time to work with the Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC) and to intern with programs during the summers. "Athletics can take its toll on students," offered Berry. "It is like a job. For some student-athletes, it can be overwhelming. There are so many demands and expectations. You have to continue to refocus your priorities and understand the process and the end goal." Like Wheeler, Berry was also faced with an executive decision. She received notice that she had also been accepted into med school. "It was interesting how it all happened," she recalled. "The day of official acceptance was actually Oct. 15, but that day fell on a Sunday. As it turned out, I received the notice on Oct. 16, which was my birthday. I was so excited." Berry has a year of eligibility remaining to play soccer again, but she decided to graduate early (this past December) and opted to use what she calls a "gap" semester to pursue her lifelong dream and follow in her mother's footsteps. "For years, I have wanted to be an OBGYN doctor," she explained. "There has never been any doubt. Ultimately, I plan on being a physician and run my own clinic that would be at a low cost, no insurance to those in the communities that lack the resources to get the best medical care." WI

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It’s more than just the big screen—it’s a celebration where diverse stories and untapped brilliance in our community take center stage. Just say ‘Black Experience’ into your Xfinity Voice Remote and embark through a curated content collection of movies, TV shows, original documentaries and much more that pays homage to Black culture, amplifies our narratives, and illuminates our imagination.

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Lights, Camera, Culture!

EDITORIAL

Regional Tax Needed to Subsidize Metro

In December, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro)General Manager Randy Clarke warned the public about the $750 million budget shortfall in the agency’s upcoming fiscal year budget. He said if the shortfall isn’t closed, Metrorail stations could close at 10 p.m. each night; 10 stations may be shuttered; and nearly half of the Metrorail bus routes would be eliminated with dozens more having to reduce service. Additionally, Clarke stressed that job cuts and raises in fares will also likely occur. Metro is funded by fares and other revenue sources in addition to contributions from local jurisdictions in Maryland and Virginia and the District. The federal government provides grants to the transit system substantially, also. This system was set up in 1976, the first full year of Metro’s operation. Ideally, the system would provide the financing needed to maintain and grow without controversy. However, over the years, some jurisdictions have not given their fair share of Metro’s budget because of financial and/or political issues. Plus, fares and other revenue sources of Metro have not been steady due to economic downturns and, in the case of earlier this decade, a pandemic. As a result, the general manager of Metro annually says the system will be in financial straits if the jurisdictions don’t come up with their share of the budget. Somehow, the budget gap is closed each fiscal year with last-minute political and financial maneuvering by jurisdictions, but it should not be the case. There is a better way to fund Metro, and that would be through a regional tax. In a recent media interview, Clarke pointed out that metropolitan areas such as Austin, Atlanta and Los Angeles have regional taxes to pay for their public transit systems. A regional tax would give Metro a steady financial stream so it can plan its budget and future projects. The tax could be an additional small amount to area jurisdiction’s sales or gas taxes. To implement such a tax, the District, Maryland, and Virginia would have to consent and grant taxing authority to Metro. Nevertheless, a regional tax to fund Metro operations’ time has come and it should be undertaken. WI

The Urgent Peril Confronting the African American Community

Black America’s looming crisis extends beyond politics. Amid President Biden’s struggle to garner public support and his optimism that the MAGA movement will help rectify America’s missteps, African Americans must recognize that their own lives and livelihoods are under imminent threat. It is not President Biden or those who resemble him whose existence hangs in the balance; it is the African American populace who stand to lose everything, fueling a sense of ongoing loss and despair. Moreover, who can feign ignorance of the true implications behind the phrase “Make America Great Again?” The prosperity and influence achieved by a select few Black individuals hold no significance for racists who, reminiscent of the aftermath of the Civil War, relentlessly seized opportunities from the African American community. Tragically, history may repeat itself, as these perpetrators seem poised to reprise their actions. To compound matters, the Supreme Court, with its shifting dynamics, tilts in favor of those It is not President Biden or who seek to marginalize and exploit Black Amerthose who resemble him icans. With new legislation being drafted and vital protections being dismantled, the freedoms whose existence hangs in enjoyed today could falter within a year, particthe balance; it is the African ularly if former Donald Trump reassumes office. The time for complacency has long passed. The American populace who African American community must remain vigstand to lose everything, ilant, for the perils they face transcend political ideologies. fueling a sense of ongoing It is essential to recognize that the battle for loss and despair. Moreover, equality is far from over, and that unity and strength within the community are paramount. who can feign ignorance By staying informed and engaged, there is hope of the true implications that the impending dangers can be averted, ensuring a future where all Black America can behind the phrase “Make thrive, unburdened by the looming threat of opAmerica Great Again?” pression. WI

TO THE EDITOR I just want to salute the writers of the Washington Informer. You all put forth outstanding effort in reporting and covering the issues that matter most and impact our daily lives. That’s what real journalism is all about. Keep it up! Marlene Burns Washington, D.C.

An end of an era: Councilmember Vince Gray will not seek re-election. What a journey and political life he has had serving the residents of Washington and Ward 7. Job well done! Judy Lewis Washington, D.C.

Readers' Mailbox The Washington Informer welcomes letters to

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the editor about articles we publish or issues affecting the community. Write to news@washingtoninformer.com. or send to: 3117 Martin Luther King Jr Ave., SE, Washington, D.C. 20032. Please note that we are unable to publish letters that do not include a full name, address and phone number. We look forward to hearing from you. JANUARY 11 - 17, 2024 25

OPINIONS/EDITORIALS Guest Columnist

Benjamin F. Chavis Jr.

We Must Work Together to Support HBCUs' Sustainability in America

Earlier this year the U.S. Department of Education sent all colleges and universities across the nation a notice, reminding them that they need to comply with the newly updated cybersecurity regulations published by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The regulations — which include specifications such as implementing critical controls for information security programs, maintaining oversight of

service providers, and designating an individual to oversee a school's cybersecurity infrastructure — came in response to an uptick in ransomware attacks on schools around the United States. While these regulations are certainly warranted in an age where personal data is becoming increasingly vulnerable to cyber-criminals, the penalties for failing to comply with the regulations — especially the withholding of federal needsbased funding under Title IV — pose an existential threat to schools operating under tight budgets. Take historically Black colleges and

universities (HBCUs), which have throughout their existence struggled to find the substantial funding that many state and private predominantly white institutions (PWIs) of higher education enjoy and who are already steeling themselves to deal with an expected surge of applicants following the Supreme Court's regressive decision to effectively end Affirmative Action admission programs. The loss of Title IV funding would drastically affect about 80% of the student bodies at HBCUs and would have a consequential negative impact on the

Guest Columnist

future of these vital institutions of higher education. Endowments at HBCUs pale in comparison to those at the U.S.'s topranked colleges and universities, with the overall endowments at all the country's HBCUs accounting for less than a tenth of Harvard's. The gap in funding between PWIs and HBCUs isn't just because of smaller endowments, it's also because state lawmakers keep funds off HBCU campuses — in North Carolina, for example, legislators awarded N.C. State an extra $79 million for research while N.C.

A&T — the nation's largest HBCU — was given only $9.5 million. When it comes to access to technology, HBCUs also face an uphill battle with 82% of HBCUs being located in so-called “broadband deserts.” Despite their struggles with funding, and the fact that these schools constitute only 3% of four-year colleges in the country, HBCU graduates account for 80% of all Black judges, 50% of Black lawyers, 50% of Black doctors, 40% of Black members of Congress, and our

CHAVIS Page 45

Berthony Napoleon and Rey Robinson

Reviewing Our Past

The "Teaching Our Own History (TOOH) Task Force" tasked my organization, Five and Two Solutions Group Inc. (FTSG) to write this article "Reviewing Our Past." I accepted the task as a privilege and honor. This came about after a briefing that encompassed pre-slavery to the present day, provided to the Task Force on the "Five and Two Solutions' New World African (NWA) Studies, A Primer to Decision Making

Process." NWA is also an Ayisyen (Haitian) word which means black. The New World African (NWA) concept highlights the peculiarity of the Africans captured in Africa, sold, shipped in chains and scattered within the Americas and the Caribbean in slavery under the whip of the Christian Empires of Europe, sanctioned by Pope Nicolas V. The program's critical thinking, and historical analysis within the

Guest Columnist

context of: Security, economic, diplomacy, informational and immigration stimulate the imagination of the African American Youth, to dig into the functionality of history. Reviewing our past critically helps African American Youth: - To know: Who, what, where, why, when and how of slavery (to develop a "never again" attitude). - To acknowledge as Africans, we were once sovereign, many were royalties, and to discover the scattered Africans in the New World, increasing African-American's worldview to enable vision for critical decision making.

- To cultivate a common consciousness amongst the Nwas; an identity to advance our narrative and testimony, in order to tell our own story. - To get wisdom and understanding to rebuild our spiritual, educational and entrepreneurial systems. - To understand the status quo, and to take appropriate actions favorable to our community. - To develop informed visionary leaders who can in turn build their people self-sufficiently and self-reliantly. Conclusion: African American Youth in the aggregate are not grateful to

their ancestors, and are not prepared to make informed decisions that are beneficial to their self-interest. The education system is inadequate to prepare African American youth. To reverse the trend, we need to "Teach Our Own History (TOOH)." Make "NWA" history part of the learning regiment of our community, to develop visionary leaders with authentic belief systems in their People. We have launched a statewide task force in conjunction with the Florida General Baptist Convention, Inc.,

cific time. As a result, most Americans are in favor of term limits for members of Congress. Term limits would, in effect, provide a defined "expiration date" for the entrenched politician unwilling to retire once it becomes clear they are beyond their true effectiveness and ability. But will members of Congress impose this self-restriction upon themselves? More Generation Z candidates are positioning themselves to run for office out of frustration over the nation's aging political class. Representative Maxwell Frost of Florida became the

first member of Gen Z elected to Congress. Now, two fellow Gen Z Democrats are seeking to join Frost and increase the voice of their generation in the House. The generational divide is real within our government, and young people are grossly underrepresented. Cheyenne Hunt, a 26-year-old attorney running for California's 45th District, cited concerns about the climate crisis, democracy, and women's rights as "existential threats" that older genera-

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David W. Marshall

Addressing the Generational Divide in Congress

According to a 2022 Gallup survey, the average retirement age in the U.S. is 61. In 1991, the average age was 57. According to the same study, people still working in 2022 expected to retire at age 66 on average. The numbers show that people are deciding to wait longer before hanging it up. Many people who want to stop working can't do so, while others have the re-

26 JANUARY 11 - 17, 2024

sources to retire but won't. Members of the political class can still be in the prime and peak of their careers while in their 60s, but high levels of mental and physical capabilities don't last forever. It is hard to understand why an individual would choose to remain in a stress-filled job well into their 80s when financially it may not be necessary. Yet, the late U.S. Sen. Diane Feinstein, who at 90, was the oldest sitting U.S. senator and member of Congress after three decades in the Senate. She's not alone — Mitch Mc-

Connell (age 81), Charles Grassley (age 90), and Nancy Pelosi (age 83) are elderly lawmakers who have extended their careers where they are at least 20 years over the average retirement age. Former Sen. Strom Thurmond holds the record by turning 100 years old while still in office. Aging is an inevitable process of life that varies from person to person. Many officials stay in office far too long, and often, unfortunately, they are too powerful to be voted out. Elected officials are unlike food products with a defined shelf life after a spe-

MARSHALL Page 45

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OPINIONS/EDITORIALS Guest Columnist Words You Should Know

We're hearing so many words in the news these days that we don't normally hear. We need to get acquainted with them because leading up to the 2024 election, some candidates have made it clear if they're elected, things will be changing. You need to take that into account as you decide for whom you will vote — especially for president of the United States.

Many of you will already know these words, but Dick Gregory always told me I should speak and write so my grandmother will understand what I've said or written. Authoritarian is the first word you need to understand before you vote. Donald Trump has already told us that is what he'll begin on his first day in office if you vote for him. Many of those who already plan to vote for him and return him to office don't know that an authoritarian means enforcing strict obedience to Trump. In this case, it means there'll no longer be

Guest Columnist

Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq. (Ret.) any democracy where the people get to decide anything. It means you'll be forced to show strict obedience to Mr. Trump. You won't get a chance to decide anything. There'll be no such thing as personal freedom to do anything. You'll immediately lose democracy and be told what you can and cannot do. What you'll experience will not give you the option to make decisions, and in this case, you will live by what Mr. Trump tells you to do. Facism is another word you hear. That, too, means an author-

itarian, intolerant or oppressive idea or behavior. There'll be a ban on everything you now hold dear and you risk death or harsh imprisonment if you disagree under a fascist system. Adolf Hitler is a name you'll hear often. What he said and did is now mentioned a lot by people like Trump. Hitler was the leader of the Nazi Party who rose to power. He was responsible for starting World War II, which resulted in the death of more than 50 million people. It led to the extension of the former Soviet Union's power,

which eventually led to the communist party in China. He was responsible for what we know as the Holocaust that led to the deaths of millions of Jews. Hitler eventually died by suicide. He was a dictator of Germany from 1933 to 1945. He is a person Trump quotes but tries to deny knowing much about! However, there's a disturbing link between Hitler's rhetoric and the kind of thing Trump says about immigrants. Hitler used the word "vermin" about Jewish peo-

WILLIAMS Page 46

Marc H. Morial

Haley's Embrace of 'Lost Cause' Ideology Shows Eagerness to Defend White Supremacy

"The Lost Cause mythology was more than bad history. It provided the intellectual justification for Jim Crow — not just in the former Confederacy, but everywhere systemic racism denied Black citizens equal citizenship and economic rights ... That's why the recent retreat to Lost Cause mythos is troubling. One would

think that a Republican candidate for the presidency might be proud of the party's roots as a firmly antislavery organization that dismantled the 'Peculiar Institution' and fomented a critical constitutional revolution during Reconstruction — one that truly made the country more free." — Joshua Zeitz When she was inaugurated as South Carolina's first woman and first non-white governor in 2011, Nikki Haley said "it would be wrong to mention our greatness during the revolutionary period

Guest Columnist

without noting the ugliness of much that followed. The horrors of slavery and discrimination … remain part of our history and a part of the fabric of our lives." It would be wrong. That didn't stop Haley, now a presidential candidate, from flagrantly pandering to racists by lying about the cause of the Civil War during a town hall in New Hampshire. When she told her questioner that answering him wasn't "easy," it wasn't because she didn't know

that slavery was the cause of the Civil War. It was because she knew that giving the correct answer would alienate voters who have embraced a false version of history. In the Declaration of the Immediate Causes Which Induce and Justify the Secession of South Carolina from the Federal Union, issued Dec. 24, 1860, the government of South Carolina explained its reasons for seceding from the United States. Those reasons bear no resemblance to Haley's cowardly blather about "the freedoms"

and "the role of government." Unlike Haley, South Carolina's lawmakers were honest about their reasons for seceding. "An increasing hostility on the part of the non-slaveholding States to the institution of slavery has led to a disregard of their obligations" to return people who escaped from enslavement back to their enslavers. All eleven states who seceded – and the pro-secession minori-

MORIAL Page 46

Ben Jealous

In the Gap Between Jan. 6 and MLK Day, Once-Forbidden History Offers Hope

Even Ron DeSantis had to admit, when pressed at a CNN town hall, Jan. 6, 2021, was a bad day for America. Invariably, following this past week's anniversary of the insurrection, we're forced to ask ourselves: Will we ever be able to pull this country back together again? It's a reasonable question. The

fissures run deep. For the answer to that big, terrible question, I turn to the history books. And to the history of our country that was long kept out of those books. In the wake of the Civil War, America was still a tinder keg. In 1867, two years after the Civil War had ended and nine years before another almost erupted, Frederick Douglass laid out the argument for why, as Americans, we should remain optimistic about our future and our ability to come

together. In "Our Composite Nation," Douglass explained, a nation's character is defined by that nation at its best, not its worst. And America's character (at our best), our geography, and our already diverse population "all conspire to one grand end" … to make us the most "perfect national illustration of the unity and dignity of the human family, that the world has ever seen." It seemed a tall order in those tough times, as it does now. And

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yet close to 15 years after he gave that speech, a new movement erupted in Petersburg, Virginia, that swept across the old Commonwealth uniting freedmen and former Confederate soldiers in a shared quest to save the public schools. The Readjusters Party emerged amid an attempt by the old plantation owner oligarchs to reassert their influence, following the Hayes-Tilden Compromise. The Compromise — which both prevented the possible outbreak of

a second civil war and unleashed the terror of the Ku Klux Klan — resolved a bitter dispute over the election of 1876 and re-enfranchised former Confederates. With the Confederates' votes restored, the old oligarchs presumed their political power was assured. But they made a fatal mistake. They tried to dissolve the free public schools created by Blackled Reconstruction governments, claiming war debt made them un-

JEALOUS Page 46 JANUARY 11 - 17, 2024 27

LIFESTYLE WASHINGTON INFORMER WEEKEND CHECKLIST WASHINGTON INFORMER'S

Things To Do, DMV!

By Ra-Jah Kelly WI Contributing Writer

Forty-five years ago, Dr. Calvin Rolark, founder of The Washington Informer, initiated the now annual parade celebrating the life of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.— six years before King's birthday was designated a federal holiday. Since this pioneering event, both The Washington Informer and the nation's capital have been at the forefront of commemorating Dr. King's enduring legacy. This tribute extends from the naming of our streets to a diverse array of dynamic events and activities. Below is a selection of events scheduled for the MLK Holiday Weekend. While this list is not exhaustive, it offers a glimpse into the variety of celebrations and commemorations taking place. For a comprehensive guide and to stay informed about all the festivities, be sure to check out the Washington Informer Calendar.

FRIDAY, JAN. 12

UPO 40th Annual MLK Jr. Memorial Breakfast 2024 Time: 8:30 a.m. - 11 a.m. | $150 Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW Suite 268, Washington, D.C. 20004

The Annual MLK Breakfast, a fundraiser for the Joseph A. Beavers Scholarship Fund and UPO programs, aims to "Unite People with Opportunities" in their quest for economic security. This year's keynote speaker is Dr. Russell Wigginton, president of the National Civil Rights Museum. Special remarks will be made by Eric Holder, former Attorney General and advocate for American rights. The United Planning Organization (UPO), since its inception in 1962, has been dedicated to transforming lives and guiding low-income residents of Washington, D.C. towards self-sufficiency and success. Legacy: Civil Rights At 60 Time: Noon. - 5 p.m. | Free DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, 200 I (EYE) Street SE, Washington, D.C., 20001 "Legacy: Civil Rights at 60," an art exhibit commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson. The exhibit, which opens Friday, features works by District artists, made possible through a grant from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. It includes paintings, photographs, sculptures, and various innovative art forms celebrating the Act.

5 The annual D.C. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Peace Walk and Parade is on Jan. 15. (WI File Photo)

The D.C. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Peace Walk and Parade Time: 9 a.m. | Free Parkland, 3000 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave, Washington, DC, 20032

GIVE WARMTH DC: An MLK Day of Service Time: 9:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. | Free Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, 901 G Street Northwest, Washington, D.C., 20001 Join #LoveYourTribe for a #GiveWarmth event to support our unhoused neighbors in D.C. Volunteers will distribute winter essentials and toiletries. MLK Day of Service Itinerary: 9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m.: Meet the Tribe for coffee and light refreshments to assemble #GiveWarmth bags. 10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.: Divide into small groups to distribute #GiveWarmth bags along designated routes. Some routes are accessible by car, others on foot. 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.: Regroup for lunch and a debriefing session. MLK Peace, Truth & Justice Poetry Slam Time: 7 p.m. | $5 Busboys and Poets, 2004 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE, Washington, D.C., 20020 In alignment with the 19th Annual MLK Peace Walk and Parade, this event invites poets to compete with powerful poems centered around the themes of peace, truth, and justice. Prepare to be moved as talented wordsmiths take the stage to share their perspectives and insights on these important subjects. This poetry slam is not only a celebration of artis-

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MONDAY, JAN. 15

SATURDAY, JAN. 13

tic expression but also a meaningful contribution to the commemoration of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy. Don't miss this opportunity to witness the transformative power of poetry and join us in honoring the principles of peace, truth, and justice.

SUNDAY, JAN. 14

MLK Sunday 2024: Honoring the Woman Behind ‘I Have a Dream’ Time: 10 a.m. - Noon | Free COVENANT BAPTIST UCC, 3845 South Capitol Street, SW, Washington, D.C., 20032 As part of the oldest MLK observance in the country, we honor the Rev. Dr. Prathia Hall, a clergywoman ahead of her time, activist, and the inspiration behind the famous “I Have a Dream” speech. The guest preacher is the Rev. Dr. Courtney Pace, a Scholar in Residence for Equity for Women in the Church and the author of “Freedom Faith: The Womanist Vision of Prathia Hall”.

MLK Holiday DC Peace Walk Time: 11 a.m. Step off; 9 a.m. Peace Rally; 9:45 a.m. Assembly at Martin Luther King Jr. + Malcolm X Ave SE Details: Annual event coordinated by the Coalition for Peace. Over a thousand participants join the twomile walk along MLK Avenue in Southeast D.C. MLK Holiday DC Parade Time: 10 a.m. Check-in & Assembly at R.I.S.E. Demonstration Center, 2730 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE, Washington, DC 20032; 11 a.m. Step off Background: Founded in 1979, the parade honors Dr. King's legacy, encouraging peace and non-violence. Conceived by Dr. Calvin W. Rolark, Wilhelmina J. Rolark, Esq., and Ralph “Petey” Greene. MLK Holiday DC Community Service Project Activity: Clean-up project along the parade route. Time: Noon to 2:00 p.m. WI

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COUNCIL from Page 11 When it came to Mendelson’s decision to delay the resolution, D.C. Council members Robert White (DAt large), Kenyan McDuffie (I-At large), and Trayon White (D-Ward 8) had much to say on the matter. The trio told Mendelson that the council shouldn’t avoid controversy based on assumptions a vocal minority made about someone based on their criminal history. D.C. Councilmember Brooke Pinto (D-Ward 2), chairperson of the council’s Committee on Public Safety and Judiciary and commission member, supported Mendelson’s call for a postponement, telling her colleague that she had doubts about Castón’s expertise on sentencing matters. Similarly, D.C. Councilmember Matt Frumin (D-Ward 3) embraced the opportunity to get to know Castón more and further mull over this issue. Council Defers to Bowser on SNAP Increase, Delays Litigation Resolution After the Bowser administration decided, afterall, to allocate excess local revenue to SNAP benefits, there were questions of whether the D.C. Council would move forward with the SNAP Litigation Authorization Act, which allows the Office of the General Counsel to sue the Bowser administration for the excess funds. On Tuesday morning, Mendelson said he would delay deliberation on the legislation, at least until February, when the council, with its Committee on Health, could determine if the Bowser administration moved forward with the increase in SNAP benefits. If D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) didn’t follow through by early March, Mendelson said, then the council will follow through with the SNAP Litigation Authorization Act. One day prior, Mendelson, along with D.C. Councilmember Christina Henderson (I-At-large), health committee chairperson, and D.C. Councilmember Robert White (D-At large) met with Bowser administration leaders, including Wayne Turnage, D.C. deputy mayor of health and human services. That meeting, Mendelson said, instilled his confidence in Bowser’s seriousness about following through on SNAP disbursements.

AN ISSUE OF SCHOOL RENAMINGS

The D.C. Council unanimously approved, on an emergency basis, the renaming of Tyler Elementary School on Capitol Hill to Shirley Chisholm

Elementary School. D.C. Councilmember Charles Allen (D-Ward 6), on behalf of his constituents, expressed appreciation for D.C. Public Schools partnering in this endeavor. Several minutes earlier, the council similarly approved the official naming of MacArthur High School in Northwest -- but not without some discussion. Six council members --- Allen, along with D.C. Council members Matt Frumin (D-Ward 3), Anita Bonds (DAt large), Christina Henderson (I-At large), Brooke Pinto (D-Ward 2), and D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D) - voted yes. D.C. Councilmembers Brianne Nadeau (D-Ward 2), Zachary Parker (D-Ward 5), Janeese Lewis George (D-Ward 4), and Kenyan McDuffie (I-At large) voted no while D.C. Council members Robert White (DAt large) and Trayon White (D-Ward 8) voted “present.” D.C. Councilmember Vincent C. Gray (D-Ward 7) was absent. Earlier this year, MacArthur High School, located on MacArthur Boulevard in Northwest, opened as part of an effort to quell the overcrowding at Jackson-Reed High School. More than 500 community members participated in a poll about the school’s name, with the majority supporting MacArthur High School as the institution’s permanent moniker. The council received legislation, the MacArthur High School Designation Act, last spring to facilitate this process, which included a public hearing and committee markup. On Tuesday, a couple hours before the council’s Committee of the Whole was scheduled to consider the legislation, Lewis George and McDuffie expressed their opposition. During the legislative meeting, Lewis George reaffirmed her position, saying that the District must do well by Black veterans and community members. General Douglas MacArthur, for whom MacArthur Boulevard is named, served as a U.S. military leader during World War 1. As Lewis George noted, MacArthur fought against desegregation of the armed forces and disproportionately court martialed Black soldiers under his command. He did so out of his belief in African-American inferiority. In light of the naming of Jackson-Reed High School, Ida B. Wells MIddle School, and most recently, Shirley Chisholm Elementary School, Lewis George and McDuffie suggested that there be further exploration of local D.C. figures and people from

marginalized communities for the District’s newest high school. Mendelson differed, citing the aforementioned namings as one reason for accepting MacArthur High School as an appropriate name. He, along with Frumin, who represents the MacArthur High School community on the council, also requested respect for the process that community members engaged in to officially name their school. Later, on the dais, Frumin reminded his council colleagues that the school would be named for the street, not the controversial general. Earlier, during the council breakfast, McDuffie scoffed at that point.

D.C. COUNCILMEMBER TRAYON WHITE STANDS ALONE AGAINST STEER ACT

On its first reading, the council unanimously approved the Stronger Enforcement Tools to Reduce Dangerous Driving in the District, also known as the STEER Act. However, D.C. Councilmember Trayon White (D- Ward 8) voted “present.”

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The STEER Act enhances booting, towing and impounding of vehicles that repeatedly commit traffic violations within a six-month time window. It also allows the D.C. Office of the Attorney General to bring civil suits against drivers and vehicles while instituting stronger license revocation procedures for repeat DUI offenders. Days before this vote, the District ended 2023 with 52 vehicle-related fatalities. For months, D.C. Councilmember Charles Allen (D-Ward 6) counted among the sea of voices critical of D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s Vision Zero program, saying that ticketing reckless drivers hasn’t been effective. Allen cited more than 27,000 people owing more than $5,000 in unpaid traffic tickets, four people owing more than $25,000, and a Maryland car accumulating more than $100,000 in unpaid tickets. Less than 10% of citations are issued to cars with District license plates, he added. Read more on www.washingtoninformer.com. WI @SamPKCollins

5 Council Chair Phil Mendelson (WI File photo)

JANUARY 11 - 17, 2024 29

LIFESTYLE

(Courtesy photo)

‘The Color Purple’ Exceeds Box Office Expectations Going Into Awards Season By Brenda C. Siler WI Contributing Writer

Juanita E. Thornton / Shepherd Park Neighborhood Library 7420 Georgia Ave NW, Washington, DC 20012 January 10, 2024 —4-6pm Woodridge Neighborhood Library 1801 Hamlin St NE, Washington, DC 20018 January 17, 2024 — 4-6pm

Stay Informed!

www.washingtoninformer.com 30 JANUARY 11 - 17, 2024

“The Color Purple,” has had a spectacular run, bringing in $18.1 million on Christmas Day. That was the biggest box office total on that holiday since 2009. In its first two weeks, the film, now in seventh place in the top ten current films, has brought in $55 million. Co-executive produced by Oprah Winfrey and Stephen Spielberg, the musical adaptation of the Alice Walker Pulitzer Prize-winning novel is the story of Celie, a young woman who learns to love herself and those around her after coming through emotional and physical trauma. According to entertainment reporter Graeme ONeil, watchers noticed “The Color Purple” trending heavily on Christmas Day. Also trending with high numbers on Christmas Day were actresses Fantasia Barrino and Danielle Brooks. Director Blitz Bazawule surprised an audience at a Christmas Day screening in Atlanta to thank them for supporting the film. “We’ve already set a record at Warner Brothers for the most presales theater buyouts in the history of Warner Brothers,” Bazawule said, followed by applause and cheers. He stayed to see the entire movie with the audience. “It really hit different with a crowd,” Bazawule said on his X

feed. “To hear the laughs, the gasps, the sobs, wow!!! We really did that.”

THE ENVELOPE, PLEASE

The awards season opened on Jan. 7 with the Golden Globe Awards. Nominated from “The Color Purple” are Barrino as Lead Actress in a Comedy or Musical and Brooks in the ‘Best Supporting Actress” category. Neither actress won. Up next are the Critics Choice Awards on Jan. 14. The film received five nominations. They include Brooks for Best Supporting Actress. Other nominations were for “Best Picture” and “Best Acting Ensemble.” “The Color Purple” also received nominations for “Best Costume Design,” for Francine Jamison-Tanchuck's work and “Best Hair and Makeup.” The Black Reel Awards, airing on Jan. 16, has given “The Color Purple” 15 nominations. Nominations include “Outstanding” film, director, actress, supporting actors, soundtrack, and others. Other upcoming awards shows will be the Director’s Guild of America Awards on Feb. 10, the Academy Awards on March 10, and the NAACP Image Awards on March 16. Read a review of “The Color Purple” in the Washington Informer. WI @bcscomm

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Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Feb. 6–11 | Opera House PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE Tue., Feb. 6. and Fri., Feb. 9 at 7:30 p.m. Works by Alonzo King, Ronald K. Brown, and Ailey’s masterpiece Revelations

Wed., Feb. 7 at 7:30 p.m. — Gala

Works by Amy Hall Garner, Elizabeth RoxasDobrish, and Ailey’s masterpiece Revelations

Thu., Feb. 8 & Sat., Feb. 10 at 7:30 p.m. Works by Amy Hall Garner, Jamar Roberts, and Ailey’s masterpiece Revelations

Sat., Feb. 10 & Sun., Feb. 11 at 1:30 p.m. Matinee

Works including excerpts from Ailey Classics and Ailey’s masterpiece Revelations

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Groups 20+ call (202) 416-8400 For all other ticket-related customer service inquiries, call the Advance Sales Box Office at (202) 416-85401 Dance Presenting Sponsor

William J. Caldwell and Michele Toth

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C. Michael Kojaian

JANUARY 11 - 17, 2024 31

Take a look at this list of MLK, Jr. Day Service ideas. Then look at each picture. Number the project you think each kid chose in the circles. 1. Clearing an elderly neighbor’s sidewalk.

3. Help coach a younger child’s team.

2. Collecting canned goods for a food bank.

5. Play a game at the senior center.

4. Help a neighbor with some yardwork.

ervice was at the heart of Martin Luther King’s philosophy. He urged Americans to take action to improve the lives of others.

These students helped with a park clean up. How many bags of trash did each student fill? Use the clues to complete the chart. • The 4 students filled a total of 15 bags.

• No one filled more than 7 bags.

• None of the students filled the same number of bags.

• Cassidy filled 5 bags.

• Owen filled 3 less than Cassidy. • Sam filled the most bags.

ACTION CLUES GARDENS GREAT HELPING HOLIDAY HOME IDEAS KING PROJECT MEMORY DAY READ SERVICE STUDENTS

People across the nation spend Martin Luther King Day volunteering to make their communities better places. Some will plant community gardens, clean up parks or beaches, and others will read to children or the elderly.

School Sign Painter any communities have a place that helps volunteers find ways to help others. Write the letter that comes after each letter of the alphabet on the spaces at right to find a place you can call to see how you can be of service to your community.

S N E D R A G B Y H

T B G H N O I T A E

U C X T O R Y A D L D V L S L M T A I P E T W U E P E V L I

N A V M E R K I O N T E O J P S V K H G S R T S A E D I N J

Y G A C T I O N C X T C E J O R P G O E

Standards Link: Letter sequencing. Recognize identical words. Skim and scan reading. Recall spelling patterns.

Problems in the News

Service Starts at Home Sometimes the best place to be of service is in your own

Reading your local newspaper is a great way to learn how to help your community. Look through today’s newspaper and find one or more problems in your community. Is there something you could do to help?

home. Make a list of five things you could do on Martin Luther King Day to help your mom, dad, a grandparent, brother, sister or neighbor.

Look through the newspaper to find: An organization that helps others A person helping others Adjectives about helping Martin Luther King, Jr. Day events Standards Link: Civics: Know how various American holidays reflect values, principles and beliefs of Americans.

Standards Link: Use the newspaper to locate information.

Make a Difference Write about how you make a difference in someone’s life within your family, your school, or in your community.

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32 JANUARY 11 - 17, 2024

Your family around you key to the su faster t

Standards Link: Mathematical Reasoning: Use a variety of strategies to solve problems.

In 1994, Congress passed the King Holiday and Service Act to support efforts to make the King holiday a day of service. Since then, millions of Americans have honored the memory of Dr. King by making Martin Luther King Day as a “day on” instead of a “day off.”

Write in the missing vowels to complete these signs.

Trash Bag Team

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With hund Kid Scoop features si high-inter activities f school! Ge sample to

wi book review "Who Got Game? Basketball" by Derrick Barnes, illustrated by Jez Tuya c.2023, Workman Publishing $16.99 172 pages

By Terri Schlichenmeyer WI Contributing Writer A little less than two feet. That's how far you can get your two feet off the floor if you're an average kid doing an average vertical jump. Not quite 24 inches, but don't worry: the taller you grow, the higher you could be able to jump. Practice some, dribble a little, shoot more three-pointers, and you might jump right into a book like "Who Got Game? Basketball" by Derrick Barnes, illustrated by Jez Tuya. Here we are, football season's almost over, and your mind has turned to other things — namely, hoops set high over your head, and a round bouncy basketball. Kids like you who "got game" have had it for more than a century. Yes, the game of basketball was created by Dr. James Naismith in 1891 in Massachusetts. In the years since, basketball has changed a lot, thanks to what Derrick Barnes calls "pioneers." Julius "Dr. J" Erving improved the dunk. Before that, in 1950, the NBA first allowed Black basketball players on the teams. There have been super-tall players (Manute Bol and Gheorghe Muregan were both seven feet, seven inches tall) and smaller b-ballers — five-three Muggsy Bogues had a vertical jump of nearly four feet! — and just two years after the game was invented, America had its first women's team. A lot of off-court people poured themselves into the game, too. Barnes writes, for example, about Pat Summitt, hoopster, leader and "one of the greatest coaches in all of sports history." Her record of 1,098 wins ranks her at first-place in coaching women's basketball, and as the coach with the second-most wins overall. You can probably guess that in a book about buckets, there are bucketfuls of stats. Barnes includes a list of NBA players who jumped to a team right out of high school. He writes about the greatest basketball park ever, he explains why winners cut down the net, how Title IX changed the game, why backboards rarely break into a zillion pieces anymore, high scores, bad injuries, "hoops movies," and where in the world you can pick up a game today. So your 9-to-13-year-old loves basketball so much that they dribble a ball in their sleep? They think their favorite jersey is church wear? Then you'll be the hero of the day when you bring home "Who Got Game? Basketball." But first, there's one big thing you need to know: this is not a how-to book. There aren't any instructions inside here, no rules or plays to follow. Instead, author Derrick Barnes makes young b-ballers happy by sharing little-known info about the game they love so much, short lists, great stories about great players, wins and losses, and phrases they should know to talk the talk. All this knowledge is supported by colorful illustrations by Jez Tuya that kids will enjoy alongside the facts. This book is for die-hard young b-ballers, but don't be surprised if an adult finds a thing or two to learn here. "Who Got Game? Basketball" is a book any fan will want to jump on. WI

horoscopes

LIFESTYLE JAN. 11 - 17, 2024

ARIES Your enthusiasm has an effect on the outside world on Monday and Tuesday. It's almost as if flowers lift higher out of the earth when you walk by. Midweek, walks are great, and in keeping with your mood, when progress is a concern but speed is not. Thursday and Friday are especially molasses-filled days, but they are not without a certain amount of sweetness. You will reap rewards for your perseverance. Saturday and Sunday, by comparison, are speedy. Lucky Numbers: 7, 33, 39 TAURUS You are of two minds about everything at the beginning of the week. Don't take the first thing that catches your eye if it's not right. Don't feel pressured to accelerate the decision-making process. Starting Wednesday, everything will be easier, and you'll feel good just from being in the company of people who know you. Thursday and Friday find you happy as well, wondering if you've become a glutton what with all the excess that surrounds you. Lucky Numbers: 22, 29, 30 GEMINI Whatever you're feeling on Monday, you're not alone. The people around you are more complicated than you may realize, and talking with them is a grand idea. Tuesday's great for communicating as well. Wednesday and Thursday are more introspective days, and Friday involves an awkward squabble with someone nearby (a coworker or neighbor). But Saturday and Sunday are bursting with goodness and, possibly, romance. Lucky Numbers: 2, 34, 43 CANCER The slightest suggestion recalls a whole world to you on Monday and Tuesday. A smell, a color, even a word brings you right back to something from your past. On Wednesday and Thursday, dinner parties, charming people, and your house all figure strongly, and Friday is full of crazy ideas and a sense of urgency about generating newer ideas. Saturday is the kind of day when you'll walk to the store and, on a whim, decide to keep walking just to see how far you can get. Sunday is made for completing tasks. Lucky Numbers: 8, 18, 21 LEO A "nice to meet you" attitude on Monday and Tuesday is the way to go. Prepare to shake hands with someone who will change your opinion of something. On Wednesday, you won't see anyone except the people you work with, and on Thursday, you have thoughts only related to work. But Friday is a total mixed bag: Celebrities, the law, your boss, your ego, all of these things may figure in. The weekend is about friends, dreams, and hopes. Lucky Numbers: 3, 4, 23 VIRGO High-spiritedness can quickly become combativeness when tempers run short. On Monday and Tuesday, keep your head on long-term goals rather than short-term issues. It isn't until Wednesday that you begin to feel truly compatible with others this week. Thursday and Friday find you getting a lot done and finding more and more things to do. And the weekend is loaded with potential. It will be a great weekend or a nothing weekend, depending on you. Lucky Numbers: 14, 23, 58 LIBRA Whatever else happens, Monday and Tuesday afford you time to spend with you-know-who, time stretching into forever. What will you do together? A dose of selflessness isn't a bad idea. What would this other person like to do? On Wednesday and Thursday, your mind is still on other people, and Friday finds you scrambling to find a creative way to tell someone how much you appreciate them. On Saturday and Sunday, expressing yourself comes more easily. Lucky Numbers: 17, 39, 50 SCORPIO While your impulse to deal with issues as they arise is not the right impulse on Monday and Tuesday. Avoiding conflict is the order of the day. Things could easily get out of hand. Wednesday and Thursday are better suited to working things out, although, to your frustration, the best solution most likely requires that you give in at some point (a small point, a painless concession). Boldness is key to getting beyond the obstacles Friday has in store for you, but this weekend you're better off proceeding on tiptoe. Sunday is deep. Lucky Numbers: 12, 43, 52 SAGITTARIUS Your checklist is a game on Monday and Tuesday, a true test of your effectiveness. You like creating these kinds of games for yourself, and you like getting things done. The secret to Wednesday is in the details, but on Thursday and Friday, you'd be wise to take a step back and look at everything through wider goggles. On Saturday, there is so much going on that you'll have no chance at depth or meaning in your social interactions. Lucky Numbers: 6, 29, 55 CAPRICORN Your family is in your thoughts on Monday and Tuesday. You are feeling loyal and worried in that loving, protective way, and the best thing to do might be to pay a visit. If that's not possible, try to connect in some other way. Wednesday is much more "me" centered, creative project will have you grinning. And Thursday or Friday evening might be right for a small trip somewhere for a couple of hours or overnight. Camping? The weekend returns you very much to the real world, full of flaky people, talkative strangers, and faithful, brilliant friends. Lucky Numbers: 2, 14, 21 AQUARIUS You're easing into a new approach to your life. On Monday and Tuesday, you're feeling a bit radical, a bit bohemian, or maybe you're just reading too many French novels. It's changing the way you dress, though, no? And the way you interact with people? Your values? On Wednesday and Thursday, your self-discovery takes on even more dimensions, and on Friday you are baffled by the strangeness of life itself. It's a wild week for you, internally. . Lucky Numbers: 10, 17, 41 PISCES Everything takes on a certain murkiness on Monday, and by Tuesday, you'll have no idea which way is up. On Wednesday and Thursday, find antidotes to the ambiguous abstractedness. Put your thoughts in writing. Play an album you know by heart. On Friday, nothing is as strong as the pull of your heart, on Saturday, you'll open up a book of poetry. Sunday isn't a boring day, but you should try to keep the activities cerebral rather than athletic. Lucky Numbers: 2, 19, 24

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JANUARY 11 - 17, 2024 33

SPORTS Two Boys Basketball Programs Continue Rivalry By Ed Hill WI Contributing Writer The characters and the dates may have changed over the years, but the matchup between the two schools remains as intense as ever. Theodore Roosevelt and Calvin Coolidge High Schools met on the basketball court in another one of those key D.C. high school battles. When it was all said and done, the Roosevelt Rough Riders managed to hold off their Northwest, D.C. rivals, 72-71 in a thrilling District of Columbia Interscholastic Athletic Association (DCIAA) game at Coolidge. One could feel the energy early as students and fans gathered in anticipation of seeing another entertaining competition between the two rivals. It was a back and forth battle from start to finish with many ebbs and flows in between. First Roosevelt (11-4, 5-1 in the DCIAA) jumped out to the early 18-9 lead But the Coolidge Colts settled in and responded to cut the deficit to 18-15 at the end of the quarter. With senior guard Jawaun Carter and freshman Jamall "Deuce"

Price, Jr. of Roosevelt leading the way, the Rough Riders managed a 34-28 halftime lead. Coolidge (10-5, 4-1 in the DCIAA) rode the efforts of talented junior guard Quinton Cooper and sophomore Eric Turner, who took turns victimizing the undersized Rough Riders with an array of strong moves to the basket. Then, the Colts closed out the third quarter with a 10-0 run over the last 3:14 to take what appeared to be a comfortable 61-51 advantage at the end of three periods of play. The Rough Riders is a very young and inexperienced team and it showed as they consistently turned the ball over (25 for the game) and missed numerous free throw attempts (16 of 28). With Cooper continuing his assault on the Roosevelt defense, the Colts were able to increase its lead to 66-53 lead--the biggest of the game-- into the fourth quarter with 5:51 remaining. Then the game quickly changed. Turner (12 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists) suffered an injury that forced him out of the rest of the game. Adding to their woes,

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34 JANUARY 11 - 17, 2024

5 The Roosevelt Rough Riders defeat the Coolidge Colts 72-71 at Coolidge High School in Northwest on Jan. 5. (Abdullah Konte/ The Washington Informer)

freshman Jabril Harvey (eight points, 14 rebounds) fouled out which allowed the Rough Riders to capitalize by putting together a 15-2 run over a three-minute span to take the lead at 69-68. It was Carter who finished the play, giving him 16 points for the game. Freshman Gabriel Hudgens added a basket to make it 71-68 with 20 seconds remaining. But before the Rough Riders could celebrate and the fans could head for the exits, Cooper hit a long bomb from three-point range--his first of the game-to knot the score at 71 with just nine seconds remaining. Carter was fouled on the Rough Riders ensuing possession and hit on one of two with 6.3 seconds remaining. Coolidge called a timeout and designed a play, but the team was unsuccessful, as Roosevelt escaped with a hard-fought victory in another DCIAA “battle royale.” "With so many young players who have never played in this kind of hostile environment, we faced a lot of adversity," said Roosevelt head coach Rob Nickens, who has over 400 victories in 28-plus years as a head coach. "We turned the ball over too much and missed too many free throws, but somehow they found a way to come away with a win." Price, who led his team with 19 points, said: "Coach Rob told us

"With so many young players who have never played in this kind of hostile environment, we faced a lot of adversity," said Roosevelt head coach Rob Nickens, who has over 400 victories in 28-plus years as a head coach.

to keep fighting when we're down and not to panic. It was a hard game but we came out with the W and that's what matters." Coach Derrick "Derky" Washington was philosophical following the loss. "We are 15 games in, and we have played in several playoff type environments," said Washington, in his fifth season leading his alma mater. "When we lost Eric and Ji-

bril, it definitely affected us since we depend so much on them. But the good thing is that some of the players who came in for them realize they have to be ready. Since we are so young, it can't do anything but help as we move forward the rest of the season and in the future. With the restructuring of the DCIAA over the years, and players opting to leave for other schools and conferences, some argue the interscholastic association— which was once one of the best in the country— has lost some of its swag. Nickens, however, begs to differ. "When you look at the crowd and the atmosphere here tonight, it lets you know that this league has some pretty good teams who play good basketball. I especially love it because it helps the confidence of the young players on both teams… when they play these kinds of games in this environment.”” It was the first league loss for the Colts. Roosevelt also has a league loss to an improved Cardozo team, which is undefeated in league play. Both teams have to play the defending champions and strong favorite, the Jackson-Reed Tigers, later in the season. The teams could also see each other later in the season. Stay tuned. WI

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CAPTURE the moment

The Washington Commanders lose to the Dallas Cowboys in its final game 10-38 ending the season on an 8-game losing streak. (Photos by Abdullah Konte/The Washington Informer)

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JANUARY 11 - 17, 2024 35

SHAW from Page 1

MC NEAL from Page 1 okay to cry but don't give up with their other children. You have to be your child's voice to keep their name alive.”

FAMILY AND FRIENDS RETURN TO 1400 CEDAR STREET SE TO HONOR DAVON

On Saturday, DM3, in conjunction with Ward 8 D.C. Councilmember Trayon White's office and a bevy of community organizations, hosted an event in celebration of the ceremonial street renaming. Several community members, including the D.C. Guardian Angels, a group founded by Davon’s paternal grandfather John Ayala, braved cold, wet wintery conditions to take photos in front of the “Davon T. McNeal III Way” sign, reflect on Devon’s legacy, groove to the sounds of hip-hop and go-go, and, most importantly, support a call for change. LaTravette “La” Walker, DM3’s director of operations, served as the mistress of ceremonies and the Rev. Kevin McGill, Davon’s football coach, opened the event with a prayer. Councilmember White gave remarks while Wali Johnson, executive director of J&J Monitoring, a partner organization, spoke about Davon’s impact as a young, respectful athlete, telling community members that Davon now stands among the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X. Others who spoke on Saturday included Ricardo D. Miles of Driven Concepts and Solutions, Prince Hamn of Making a Difference, Tiffany Evans of Strong Ass Mothers, an advocacy group for mothers grieving from children’s deaths, and Wanda Ayala, Davon’s grandmother. After listening to a poem recited by La’Niya “LaLa” Johnson, revelers took in the raw, soulful messages of Pinky Tha Rapper and BDR, rappers hailing from Ward 8. Reaction Band later closed out the program with their unique execution of the bounce beat that placed community members of all ages in a trance. At times throughout the program, community members held up three fingers, in honor of Davon, a linebacker and running back who wore #3 on his jersey. Kevon McNeal, Davon’s younger brother, counted among those who made it to the 1400 block of Cedar Street SE on Saturday. He participated in the festivities mindful of the

36 JANUARY 11 - 17, 2024

5 The 1400 block of Cedar Street S.E. Washington D.C., became Davon T. McNeal, III Way on Saturday, January 6, 2024, renaming the block where he was killed. With the help of the Office of D.C. Council Member Trayon White and the Davon McNeal Foundation, the street was renamed to honor 11 year old Davon T. McNeal, whose life was killed by a stray bullet during a July 4th barbecue in Anacostia.

emotions that the occasion brought. “I miss my brother. I remember us always being together,” said Kevon, 13. “I want people to remember that he was ‘like that’ at every sport he played -- football, basketball and baseball,” Kevon continued. “This is showing me that life is bad because I lost my brother. Right now, we would be playing [video] game[s].”

A CEREMONIAL STREET RENAMING AND THE PRESERVATION OF A LEGACY

Per the Street and Alley Closing and Acquisition Procedures Act of 1982, people who have been deceased two years or longer are eligible for symbolic street designations with the suffixes “way” or “plaza” once the advisory neighborhood commission in which the street is located receives proper notice and the D.C. Council approves. On May 2, 2023, the D.C. Council unanimously approved the Davon T. McNeal III, Way Designation Act, introduced by D.C. Councilmember Trayon White (D-Ward 8). This took place less than a year after a D.C. judge sentenced Carlo General, one of four men indicted for their part in Davon’s murder, to 16 years in prison for his direct role in Davon’s death. The passage of the Davon T. McNeal, III Way Designation Act also preceded the passage of a resolution symbolically designating a Ward 7 street for the late Makiayah Wilson, who lost her life under similar circumstances in 2018. During the legislative process, Matthew Marcou, District Department of Transportation’s chief of

staff told the council’s Committee of the Whole that he, on behalf of the executive, had no objection to the ceremonial street renaming. The committee received no testimony or comments from any advisory neighborhood commission. As McNeal recounted to community members on Saturday, Councilmember White called her shortly after the council approved the ceremonial street renaming while she was on a trip with the young people of DM3. She said the two of them had been in conversation for years about the endeavor. Other than waiting for Davon’s eligibility, navigating the process— which includes collecting signatures for a petition— didn’t take much effort, McNeal told The Informer. “Davon used to be doing the work with me,” McNeal told The Informer. “Everyone knew about him.”

HELPING PARENTS, CHILDREN ADDRESS TRAUMA

At the time of his death, Davon had been playing football for more than half of his life. He garnered a reputation as a charismatic, passionate team player and natural-born leader. Through DM3, McNeal has been able to preserve Davon’s legacy via weekly meetings at 1425 Cedar Street SE and seasonal out-of-town trips for Davon’s friends and other youths. She has been able to take these out-of-town trips in a van donated by Pittsburgh Steelers running back Anthony McFarland, Jr. that bears pictures of Davon. WI Read more on www.washingtoninformer.com

west-based center as the hub for young people seeking free meals and mentoring. However, all of that may soon come to an end as Shaw Community Center staff members and board members are in a battle for the community center’s future. Shaw Community Center staff members, many of whom hail from the surrounding community and started as client families and later volunteers, are demanding the immediate resignation of the center’s board of directors. Staff members, like Melissa Laws, told The Informer that, despite the development of a strategic vision that promotes Black-led organizational changes, the board continues to have Serena Wiltshire, a relic of the former all-white board of directors, as the board chair. Laws cites, among other slights, board members' failure to visit the center, directly participate in fundraising activities, and establish rapport with staff members and community members. In early November, Shaw Community Center staff, community members, and contractors sent the board of directors a letter demanding its resignation. Laws signed the letter along with program coordinators Gwendolyn Howard, Gregory Windley, and Marquetta Washington, media program coordinator Gabriel Parker, and program assistants Sharita Howard, Michelle Young, Selena Laws, Delonta Howard, and Ronte Hinton. They circulated the letter after the board implemented policy changes that staff members said disregard longstanding cultural norms of benefit to the community center, including: collaboration with staff members

with entrepreneurial ventures, paying out of pocket for essentials and disbursing funds to student contractors via CashApp and other direct transfers. Per the Nov. 4 letter, staff members recommend that three board members -- Pete Davis, Kiah Lewis, and Dan Davis -- stay on to facilitate the transition to an entirely new board. “One of the things we support within our mission is hiring within the community and expanding the community [presence] so families won’t be gentrified out here,” said Laws, a program director at Shaw Community Center. “Some board members are coming up on their third year [without] coming into the community center or having any parts of the programming. We have reservations about future decision making that impacts what we do around the community center.”

DISCUSSIONS THAT HAVEN’T GONE ANYWHERE

Shortly before Thanksgiving, the Shaw Community Center’s board of directors dismissed executive director Sudi West, due to what Laws described as his refusal to adhere to the policy changes that would marginalize students without bank accounts. In what staff members call a conflict of interest, Diedre Smith, a board member with corporate human resources industry experience, took on the interim executive director role shortly after. Operations for 2024 are in jeopardy as staff members attempt to get their demands, as outlined in their Nov. 4 letter, heard by the board. WI Read more on www.washingtoninformer.com

5 Shaw Community Center is the sole, remaining community-based Out-of-SchoolTime program in the Shaw neighborhood. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

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tor for the event. “We had 117 essays submitted for the contest,” Nixon, 61, said. “We had 42 judges from all the Black Greek letter organizations and community groups judge the essays. What struck me was that many of the essays talked about violence, such as not feeling safe going outside to go somewhere.” Nixon said the first, second and third place winners will be recognized and rewarded. The Washington Informer will print the winning essays in a special edition. On Jan. 14, a special service will occur at the Covenant Baptist United Church of Christ starting at 10 a.m.

PARADE DAY from Page 1

PRE-PARADE ACTIVITIES

Activities leading up to the parade included an “Evening of Prayer, Song and Reflection that occurred on Jan. 8 at Living Word Church in Southeast. “This is a night of prayer, song and dance,” said the Rev. Anthony Motley, who helped coordinate the event. “During the civil rights movement, a prayer service was held before we did what we had to do.” Motley, 74, noted the service encompassed the theme of the parade and said the program will note the 2000 truce in the community “to stop the violence. On Jan. 9, the film “Children of the Movement,” will be screened at the Anacostia Busboys &amp; Poets. The 40-minute documentary talks about the impact that children had on the

Anderson said participants at the Peace Walk will gather around 8:45 a.m. at Shepherd Park in Southeast for a rally. He said after the rally, people will congregate at the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr., and Malcolm X Avenues SE to march a few blocks to the R.I.S.E. Demonstration Center where the parade will start at 11 a.m. Anderson said there will be warming stations throughout the route on King Avenue northward at Matthews Memorial Baptist Church and Campbell AME Church, among other places. He said 2500 King Avenue will serve as the command center for the parade.

E B R ATIN

Martin Luther King Avenue SE in Anacostia. “Twenty years ago, on January 15, I lost my hero, Mable Pixley Atkinson. Now I am being honored on that day as a grand marshal.” Pixley will be joined as a grand marshal by: retired Channel 7 journalist Sam Ford, executive director of the Alliance of Concerned Men Tyrone Parker, D.C. Deputy Youth Mayor Lourdes Robinson and Ambassador Baptist Church pastor the Rev. Wanda Thompson. The parade is a highlight of a fullweek of activities honoring King, hosted by the 19th Annual MLK Observance Week. This year’s theme is “Bending Toward Peace, Truth and Justice.” The 19th Annual MLK Observance Week 2024 committee is led by Washington Informer Publisher Denise Rolark Barnes and community activist Stuart Anderson.

civil rights movement during King’s activism. “Children were the ones who ended segregation,” said anti-violence activist and entrepreneur Ron Moten. “About 6,300 children went to prison to end segregation. It is not by accident that our children are fed garbage today. They don’t want them [children] to understand the power they have.” On Jan. 11, Pixley will sponsor a “Families Dinner,” honoring the kin of people who have been the victims of homicide or suicide. “This is not going to be a sad celebration but a happy one,” she said. “We are going to have line dancing and karaoke.” Pixley said residents and leaders of various organizations will be at the Martha Table’s-based event but said “this year we really want to focus on the youth.” On Jan. 12, a play, “Where Do We Go from Here” will be presented at THEARC in Southeast. The play was facilitated by the Rev. George Gilbert of Holy Trinity United Baptist Church in Northeast. On Jan. 13, The MLK Prayer Breakfast, facilitated by Thompson, will take place at Matthews Memorial Baptist Church in Southeast from 9 a.m.-noon. “The prayer breakfast is sold-out,” Thompson said. “It will be an intergenerational, multicultural affair. Twenty-five percent of the audience will consist of young people. The guest sermon will be delivered by a student at the Thurgood Marshall Academy.” Later that day, the winners of the MLK Essay Contest will be announced at the Martin Luther King Jr., Memorial Library in Northwest. Norm Nixon, a member of the Marion Barry Youth Leadership Institute’s alumni association, who works actively with the group, serves as the facilita-

DETAILS ON THE

“If you have lost your child, or have some emergency, the command center is where those matters will be taken care of,” Anderson, 63, said. Anderson said the viewing stage will be located on King Avenue between W and V Streets and the Health Fair—this year geared toward Black male mental and physical ailments-will occur at the nearby PNC Parking Lot. He advised all groups interested in participating in the parade to enter through 12 th Street and Alabama Avenue SE. Anderson said shuttles will be available at certain points to assist marchers. WI @JamesWrightJr10

5 The annual D.C. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Peace Walk and Parade is on Jan. 15. (WI File Photo)

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JANUARY 11 - 17, 2024 37

RELIGION

THE HISTORY OF THE JOINT NEW YEAR’S REVIVAL

First Baptist Church of Glenarden and Greater Mount Calvary have sponsored the revival for the last 30 years, and from Jan. 3-6, the revival featured three ministers and several national recording artists, in addition to worship leaders from the church. The 2024 revival began on Wednesday, Jan. 3 with Judith McAllister, Donald Lawrence and Maurette Brown Clark singing and Dr. Phillip Pointer preaching. Birmingham, Alabama Pastor Mike McClure, preached Thursday.

T.D. Jakes Preaches Pivoting, Briefly Addresses Rumors at New Year’s Revival Church Leaders, Members React to Social Media Rumors About Jakes By Hamil Harris WI Contributing Writer While Bishop T.D. Jakes has recently drawn fire on social media for allegedly attending events with Sean “Diddy” Combs, his recent messages at First Baptist Church of Glenarden pushed prosperity in 2024. “I want to see the word made flesh. I do prison ministry. People

get on my nerves talking about whom I'm seen with,” Bishop Jakes said on Saturday, Jan. 6, day-four of the New Year’s revival, sponsored by First Baptist Church of Glenarden and Greater Mount Calvary Holy Church. “You want to know why all hell is going on against me? Jakes continued. “The devil is mad. Through good soul, I want to train 1,000

5 Bishop T.D. Jakes preached Jan. 5 and Jan. 6 during the New Year’s revival at First Baptist Church of Glenarden. (Courtesy Photo/Screenshot)

millionaires. I want to Build parks and senior citizens homes. That's why I am on the hit list. Is there anyone covering me with prayer?” Drawing from the biblical book of Joshua, Bishop T.D. Jakes emphasized that the Black church needs to “pivot.” As he strolled around in the pul-

pit filled with ministers, Jakes said Friday that he wanted to challenge the congregation’s thinking. “We spend our money looking rich on shoes that hurt our feet,” he said. Jakes preached that too many messages are “emotionally titillating instead of being intellectually stimulating.”

Prayer and Praise Based King Holiday Events

By Hamil Harris WI Contributing Writer

While many people have the day off from work or school, Jan. 15 is a day on— designated for service and honoring the life of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The 19th Annual MLK DC Observance Week 2024 offers a lot of events, including faithbased programming to honor the life and legacy of King. Learn about a few of the faithbased events below.

FRIDAY, JAN. 12

“Where Do We Go from Here? There is Hope!” 7 p.m. | Free THEARC, 1901 Mississippi Avenue SE, Washington, D.C. This production, based on Dr. Martin Luther King’s final book, will be presented on stage at THEARC.

38 JANUARY 11 - 17, 2024

The Rev. George Gilbert, co-pastor of Holy Trinity Baptist Church, is one of the featured artists in the production. Phil Pannell, executive director of the ACC, said: “This is a musical about the struggles of African Americans from enslavement through Black Lives Matter. The tickets are free. Please invite guests.” The production is sponsored by the Center for Racial Equity, the Anacostia Coordinating Council, Pepco, Busboys and Poets. WI

JAKES ENCOURAGES ADDRESSING ECONOMIC REALITIES, PIVOTING

On Saturday Jakes had a special lesson for church leaders, where pastors must face certain economic realities. “Jesus won't pay for my hotel or to fly me back to Dallas. Our churches have to be more than a place to hoop and shout,” Jakes said. He pushed the importance of proper planning and pivoting. “You have to have a strategy. We don't need to cultivate our purpose, we need to cultivate our strategy,” Jakes said. “Harlan Sanders was 65 when he started KFC. Shout ‘Pivot!’ You have to Pivot.”

CHURCH LEADERS, REVIVAL GUESTS REACT TO JAKES SATURDAY, JAN. 13

MLK Prayer Breakfast 9 a.m. - Noon | $30 per person Matthews Memorial Baptist Church, 2616 Martin Luther King Jr Avenue SE, Washington, D.C. Tickets are already sold out for the MLK Holiday DC Prayer Breakfast 2024. The event is facilitated by the Rev. Wanda Thompson, and features guest speaker Minister Calique Barnes of Prayer and Praise Ministries in Oxon Hill, Maryland, and the dancing group DC Divas. With such a lineup, the event offers food, entertainment and inspiration. WI

SUNDAY, JAN. 14

Sunday Service at Covenant Baptist United Church of Christ 10 a.m. | Free 3845 S Capitol Street SW, Washington, D.C. With all the programming surrounding the King holiday, the 19th annual MLK Holiday DC Observance Week 2024 committee invites people to take a moment to slow down and worship at Covenant Baptist United Church. WI

The Rev. Henry P. Davis, pastor of First Baptist Church of Highland Park, said the New Year’s revival started this week at his church, but he still attended the revival with Jakes. “At a time when there is so much godlessness, so many stores have closed and there so many thefts, we need hope. Bishop Jakes brought that,” Davis said. Dr. Willie Jolley, a motivational speaker and member of First Baptist Church expressed his support for Jakes. “There has been so much hoopla because he has been tried in social media and some have given up, but what we did, by showing up, was to say we have your back.” WI

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RELIGION the religion corner WITH LYNDIA GRANT

Type 2 Diabetes in the African American Community

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. — Hosea 4:6 You're more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes if you are 45 or older, have a family history of diabetes, or are overweight or obese. According to research done by the National Institute of Health, in the U.S., black adults are nearly twice as likely as white adults to develop Type 2 diabetes. This racial disparity has been rising over the past 30 years. This is a series which is likely to run between four and seven weeks. It was taken from an online publication written by me back in 2003, a couple years after my mother died from complications of Type 2 diabetes. Since its' publication, this article has made its way around the world. It is posted in Africa, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Canada, Europe and Asia, it is translated into different languages, and it appears all across America. The last time this series was published, many people anxiously awaited the next issue, they asked via emails and phone calls when the next article was coming out, or how to get copies of the previous copies. It is the story of the life and suffering of my mother, told in order to help somebody so her living would not be in vain. This week, the Lord told me to share this article with my readers again. It is my pleasure to run this series for the fifth time. It is my own Diabetes Prevention Education, public relations campaign established under the name Fannie Estelle Hill Grant, started after the loss of a mother who succumbed to Type 2

diabetes on Christmas Day 2000. Mother was 73 years old, a wife and mother of nine, a homemaker who loved her family very much and believed in preparing wonderful home-cooked meals for the family, desserts any day of the week. Mama enjoyed cooking, cleaning and washing clothes, and although she raised nine children of her own, she always had room for other needy children. In our early years, the 1960s, Mother was the wife of our sharecropper father in North Carolina. Her own father owned a farm with 226.2 acres in Dover, North Carolina. To keep his farm, he had to go to the North Carolina Supreme Court to get a ruling, but thankfully, Judge William Bobbitt ruled in his favor. My mother's family still owns the farm, over 200 acres today. However, my mother was married to my father, who did not own any land. He was a sharecropper. He worked from farm to farm for about 12 years, until work ran out. Tobacco harvesters came along, and there was not much work for Black families, so they moved the family to Washington, D.C., in 1965. For more than 30 years, the Washington metropolitan area was home. The family learned of Mother's Type 2 diabetes after a major stroke she had in 1989. She lived only 12 years after the diagnosis. I and my sisters pledged to begin the educational prevention campaign while we visit-

ed with and/or cared for our mother during her last year of life. Mother and Father moved back to North Carolina, where she enjoyed her later years in a very peaceful way. We purchased her a new home, took over the mortgage payments, and she was happy. Mother Grant enjoyed living on the 226-acre farm, near Kinston; she was one of the heirs to the farm left to her family by their father, and my grandfather, Floyd Hill. She enjoyed walking around the farm, following my father as he worked. Mother suffered many additional strokes; during one of them, she lost the use of her tongue and couldn't speak. Her kidneys failed, putting her on dialysis for the last two years of her life. She had high blood pressure for many years, and both of her legs were amputated above her knees. We wanted to know more about the disease that took our mother in such a brutal fashion. There was so much pain and suffering prior to her death. Mother Grant was a Christian, an evangelist, a missionary who preached the gospel in churches throughout the D.C. area, and everyone loved her and called her Ma. As her oldest daughter, I promised to educate millions of people regarding the causes and preventions of Type 2 diabetes. In sharing with the general public, I feel a lot better now, because my mother's living shall not be in vain. Read Part 2 of this series, "The Problem," next week. WI

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RELIGION The Miracle Center of Faith Missionary Baptist Church Bishop Michael C. Turner, Sr. Senior Pastor 9161 Hampton Overlook Capitol Heights, MD 20743 Phone: 301-350-2200 / Fax: 301-499-8724 Service and Times Sunday Worship Times : 7:30 AM 7 10:00 AM Communion: 1st Sunday Sunday School: 9:00 AM Bible Study: Wednesday, 12 Noon Bible Study in homes: Tuesday 7:00 PM Website: www.themiraclecenterFMBC.com Email: Miraclecenterfmbs@gmail.com Motto: “We Walk by Faith, Not by Sight”

Blessed Word

Pilgrim Baptist Church

Church of Living Waters

Rev. Louis B. Jones II Pastor

Rev. Paul Carrette Senior Pastor

700 I Street, N.E. Washington, D.C. 20002 (202) 547-8849 Service and Times Worship Sundays: 7:30 & 11:00 AM 5th Sundays: 9:30 AM 3rd Sundays: Baptism & Holy Communion Prayer & Praise: Wednesdays @ Noon & 6:30 PM www.pilgrimbaptistdc.org

Covenant Baptist United Church of Christ

Dr. Dekontee L. & Dr. Ayele A. Johnson Pastors

Reverend William Young IV Pastor

4001 14th Street, NW Washington, DC 20011 (202) 265-6147 Office 1-800 576-1047 Voicemail/Fax

3845 South Capitol Street Washington, DC 20032 (202) 562-5576 (Office) / (202) 562-4219 (Fax)

Service and Times Sunday School: 9:30 AM Sunday Morning Worship Service: 11:00 AM Communion Service: First Sunday Prayer Service/Bible Study: Tuesday, 6:30 PM www.blessedwordoflifechurch.org

Mount Carmel Baptist Church

901 Third Street N.W. Washington, DC. 20001 Phone (202) 842-3411 Fax (202) 682-9423 Service and Times Sunday Church School : 9:00 AM Sunday Morning Worship: 10:10 AM Bible Study Tuesday: 6: 00 PM Prayer Service Tuesday: 7:00 PM Holy Communion: 3rd Sunday 10:10 AM themcbc.org

Services and Times Sundays: 10:00am Worship Services Bible Study: Wonderful Wednesdays in Worship and the Word Bible Study Wednesdays 12:00 Noon; 6:30 PM (dinner @ 5:30 PM) Sunday School: 9:00 AM – Hour of Power “An inclusive ministry where all are welcomed and affirmed.” www.covenantdc.org

Mount Olivet Lutheran Church

“Friendliest Church in the City” Website: mountolivetdc.org Email: mtolivedc@gmail.com

Dr. E. Gail Anderson Holness - Senior Pastor Rev. Ali Gail Holness-Roland Assistant & Youth Pastor

40 JANUARY 11 - 17, 2024

12801 Old Fort Road • Ft. Washington, MD 20744 Office (301) 292.6323 • FAX (301) 292.2164 Service and Times Sunday Worship 10:15 am Sunday Church School 11:00 am Youth Sunday every 4th Sunday Prayer Call @ Noon every Tuesday & Thursday 978.990.5166 code: 6166047# Virtual Bible Study Wednesday Facebook & Zoom 7:00 pm “A Growing Church for a Coming Christ” www.adamsinspirationalamec.org

Service and Times Sunday Morning Worship: 11:00 AM Holy Communion: 1st Sunday Sunday School: 9:45 AM Men’s Monday Bible Study: 7:00 PM Wednesday Night Bible Study: 7:00 PM Women’s Ministry Bible Study: 3rd Friday -7:00 PM Computer Classes: Announced Family and Marital Counseling by appointment E-mail: Crusadersbaptistchurch@verizon.net www.CrusadersBaptistChurch.org / “God is Love”

St. Stephen Baptist Church

Third Street Church of God

Bishop Lanier C. Twyman, Sr. / Senior Pastor 5757 Temple Hill Road, Temple Hills, MD 20748 Office 301.899.8885 – Fax 301.899.2555 Service and Times Sunday Early Morning Worship 8:00 AM Sunday School 9:30 AM Sunday Morning Worship 11:00 AM Tuesday: 7:00 PM – Kingdom Building Bible Institute Wednesday: 12:30 PM – Mid-Day Bible Study Wednesday: 7:00 PM – Evening Bible Study Baptism - 3rd Sunday – Communion 4th Sunday Free Food Giveaway – Every Tuesday, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm “We are One in the Spirit” www.ssbcmd.org | secretary@ssbcmd.org

Campbell AME Church

2562 MLK Jr. Ave., SE - Washington, DC 20020 Adm. Office 202-678-2263 Email: Campbell@mycame.org

Service and Times Divine Worship, Sunday 10:00 a.m. Communion 1st and 3rd Sunday

Rev. Dr. Alton W. Jordan Pastor 800 I Street, NE - Washington, DC 20002 202-548-0707 - Fax No. 202-548-0703

www.livingwatersmd.org

1306 Vermont Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20005

Rev. Dr. James Coleman Pastor

Website: www.allnationsbaptistchurch.com All Nations Baptist Church – A Church of Standards

Service and Times Sunday Service: 8:30am& 11:00 AM Bible Study: Wednesday 7:30 PM Communion Service: First Sunday

Rev. Terrance M. McKinley Senior Pastor

Adams Inspirational A.M.E. Church

Service and Times Sunday Church School – 9:30 AM Sunday Worship Service – 11:00 AM Holy Communion – 1st Sunday at 11:00 AM Prayer – Wednesdays, 6:00 PM Bible Study – Wednesdays, 7:00 PM Christian Education / School of Biblical Knowledge Saturdays, 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM, Call for Registration

4915 Wheeler Road Oxon Hill, MD 20745 301-894-6464

John F. Johnson Reverend Dr.

All Nations Baptist Church

2001 North Capitol St, N.E. - Washington, DC 20002 Phone (202) 832-9591

Harold Andrew Assistant Pastor

Crusader Baptist Church

Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 10:00 AM Sunday Church School: 8:45 AM Bible Study: Wednesday: 12:00 Noon, Wednesday: 7:00 PM, Thursday: 7:00 PM “Reaching Up To Reach Out” Mailing Address : Campbell AME Church 2502 Stanton Road SE - Washington, DC 20020

Emmanuel Baptist Church

Rev. Cheryl J. Sanders, Th.D. Senior Pastor 1204 Third Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 202-347-5889 office / 202-638-1803 fax Services and Times Sunday School: 9:30 AM Sunday Worship: 11:00 AM Sunday Community Worship Service: 8:30 AM “Ambassadors for Christ to the Nation’s Capital” www.thirdstreet.org Live Stream Sunday Worship Service begins @ 12:00 noon www.thirdstreet.org

Mt. Zion Baptist Church

Reverend John W. Davis Pastor 5101 14th Street, NW / Washington, DC 20011 Phone: 202-726-2220 Fax: 202-726-9089 Service and Times Sunday Worship Service - 8:00 a.m. & 11:00 a.m. Children’s Church - 11:00 a.m. (1st & 3rd Sundays) Communion - 10 a.m. 4th Sunday Sunday School - 9:15 a.m. (4th Sunday 8:15 a.m.) Prayer Meeting & Bible Study - Wednesday 7:00 p.m. “A Church with a past to remember – and a future to mold” www.mtzbcdc.org

Florida Avenue Baptist Church

Reverend Christopher L. Nichols Pastor

Dr. Earl D. Trent Senior Pastor

2409 Ainger Pl.,SE – WDC 20020 (202) 678-0884 – Office / (202) 678-0885 – Fax “Moving Faith Forward” 0% Perfect . . . 100% Forgiven!

623 Florida Ave.. NW - WDC. 20001 Church (202) 667-3409 / Study (202) 265-0836 Home Study (301) 464-8211 / Fax (202) 483-4009

Service and Times Sunday Worship: 8:00 AM & 10:45 AM Baptism/Holy Communion: 3rd Sunday Family Bible Study Tuesdays – 6:30 PM Prayer Service: Tuesdays – 8:00 PM www.emmanuelbaptistchurchdc.org

Service and Times Sunday Worship Services: 10:00 AM Sunday Church School: 8:45 – 9:45 AM Holy Communion: Every First Sunday Intercessory Prayer: Monday – 7:00-8:00 PM Pastor’s Bible Study: Wednesday –7:45 PM Midweek Prayer: Wednesday – 7:00 PM Noonday Prayer Every Thursday

Isle of Patmos Baptist Church Reverend Dr. Calvin L. Matthews Senior Pastor 1200 Isle of Patmos Plaza, Northeast Washington, DC 20018 Office: (202) 529-6767 - Fax: (202) 526-1661 Service and Times Sunday Worship Services: 7:30 AM and 10:30 AM Holy Communion: 2nd Sunday at 7:30 AM and 10:30 AM Sunday Church School: 9:20 AM Seniors Bible Study: Tuesdays at 10:30 AM Noon Day Prayer Service: Tuesdays at Noon Bible Study: Tuesdays at 7 PM Motto: “A Ministry of Reconciliation Where Everybody is Somebody!” Website: http://isleofpatmosbc.org Church Email: ipbcsecretary@verizon.net

Greater Mt. Calvary Holy Church Bishop Alfred A. Owens, Jr. Senior Bishop & Evangelist Susie C. Owens – Co-Pastor 610 Rhode Island Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20002 (202) 529-4547 office • (202) 529-4495 fax

Sunday Worship Service: 8:00 AM and 10:45 AM Sunday Youth Worship Services: 1st & 4th 10:45 AM; 804 R.I. Ave., NE 5th 8 AM & 10:45 AM; Main Church Prayer Services Tuesday – Noon, Wednesday 6:00 AM & 6:30 PM Calvary Bible Institute: Year-Round Contact Church / Communion Every 3rd Sunday The Church in The Hood that will do you Good! www.gmchc.org / emailus@gmchc.org

Shiloh Church of God 7th Day Elder Jonathan M. Carson Senior Pastor

5701 Eastern Avenue, Hyattsville, MD 20782 Phone: 301 559-5262 Service and Times Sabbath Worship @ 1:00 pm in-person/FB/Zoom Tuesday - Prayer@ 7:30 pm on Zoom Wednesday - Bible Study@ 7:30 pm on Zoom Friday - Sabbath School@ 7:30 pm on Zoom Web: shiloh7thday.org Email: shiloh7thdaycomm@gmail.com "A culturally diverse church of edification, deliverance and transformation"

Holy Trinity United Baptist Church Rev. Dr. George C. Gilbert Senior Pastor 4504 Gault Place, N.E. / Washington, D.C 20019 202-397-7775 – 7184 Service and Times Sunday Church School: 9:30 AM Sunday Worship Service : 11:00 AM The Lord’s Supper 1st Sunday Prayer & Praise Services: Wednesday 7:00 PM Bible Study: 7:30 PM Saturday before 4th Sunday Men, Women, Youth Discipleship Ministries: 10:30 AM A Christ Centered Church htubc@comcast.net

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RELIGION Zion Baptist Church

Rev. Keith W. Byrd, Sr. Pastor 4850 Blagdon Ave, NW - Washington D.C 20011 Phone (202) 722-4940 - Fax (202) 291-3773 Service and Times 9:00 a.m. – Sunday School 10:15 a.m. – Worship Service Wed. Noon: Dea. Robert Owens Bible Study 7 PM Pastor’s Bible Study Ordinance of Baptism 2nd Sunday, Holy Communion 4th Sunday Mission: Zion shall: Enlist Sinners, Educate Students, Empower the Suffering, Encourage the Saints, And Exalt our Savior. (Acts 2: 41-47) www.zionbaptistchurchdc.org

St. Luke Baptist Church

Rev. Aubrey C. Lewis Pastor 1415 Gallatin Street, NW Washington, DC 20011-3851 P: (202) 726-5940 Service and Times Sunday Worship: 11:00 AM Sunday School: 9:15 AM Holy Communion: 11:00 a.m., 3rd Sun. Bible Institute: Wednesday - 1:30 PM Prayer Meeting: Wednesday - 12:00 Noon

Rehoboth Baptist Church

Rev. Lance Aubert Imterim Pastor 1251 Saratoga Ave., NE Washington, DC 20018 (202) 269-0288 Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 10:45 AM Sunday School: 9:15 AM Holy Communion1st Sunday: 10:45 AM Prayer Service: Wednesday at 6:30 PM Bible Study: Wednesday at 7:00 PM Bible Study: Tuesday at 10:30 AM

Service and Times Sunday Worship: 10:00 AM Holy Communion: First Sunday 10:00 AM Sunday School: 9:00 AM Bible Study: Wednesday @ 12 noon and 6:30 PM Motto: "Faith On The Hill"

Eastern Community Baptist Church Damion M. Briggs Pastor

5606 Marlboro Pike District Heights, MD 20747 301-735-6005

Apostolic in Doctrine, Pentecostal in Experience, Holiness in Living, Uncompromised and Unchanged. The Apostolic Faith is still alive –Acts 2:42

“Where God is Praised, Christ is Obeyed, and People are Loved”

New Commandment Baptist Church

8213 Manson Street Landover, MD 20785 Tel: (301) 322-9787 Fax: (301) 322-9240

13701 Old Jericho Park Road Bowie, MD. 20720 (301) 262-0560

Service and Times Sunday Worship Services: 7:45 AM and 10:45 AM Holy Communion: 1st Sundays at 7:45 AM & 10:45 AM Sunday School: 9:30 AM Prayer & Praise Service: Tuesdays at 12 noon & 6:30 PM Bible Study: Tuesdays at 1 pm and 7 PM Youth Bible Study: Fridays at 7 PM Web: www.mountmoriahchurch.org Email: mtmoriah@mountmoriahchurch.org

Service and Times Early Morning Message: 7:30 AM Sunday Morning Worship Service: 10:00 AM Sunday Church School: 9:00 AM Holy Communion: 1st Sunday 7:30 AM & 10:00 AM Prayer, Praise and Testimony: Wednesday 7:00 PM Bible Study: Wednesday 7:30 PM

Service and Times Sunday Worship: 11 AM Sunday School: 10 AM Wednesday Mid-Week Worship, Prayer & Bible Study: Wed. 7 PM

Promised Land Baptist Church

Historic St. Mary’s Episcopal Church

621 Alabama Ave., S.E.- Washington, D.C. 20032 P: (202) 561-1111 - F: (202) 561-1112

Foggy Bottom - Founded in 1867 728 23rd Street, NW - Washington, DC 20037 Church office: 202-333-3985 - Fax : 202-338-4958 Service and Times Sundays: 10 a.m. Holy Eucharist with Music and Hymns Wednesdays: 12:10 p.m. - Holy Eucharist

www.stmarysfoggybottom.org Email: stmarysoffice@stmarysfoggybottom.org

401 Van Buren St., NW, Washington D.C. 20012 Office (202)-882-8331 Service and Times Sunday Worship 10:30 am Zoom: zoom.us/;/2028828331 Bible Study: Wednesday 7:00pm Communion Every First Sunday

"Serve, teach and Live by precept and example the saving grace of Jesus Christ."

All are welcome to St. Mary’s to Learn, Worship, and Grow.

“A Church Where Love Is Essential and Praise is Intentional”

First Rising Mt. Zion Baptist Church

Rev Kevin A. O'Bryant Pastor

Website: Theplbc.org Email: churchclerk@theplbc.org

Dr. Joseph D. Turner Senior Pastor

Service and Times Sunday Apostolic Worship Services 11:00 A.M and 5:00 PM Communion and Feet Wash 4th Sunday at 5:00 PM Prayer/Seeking: Wednesday at 8:00 PM

Rev. Stephen E. Tucker Senior Pastor

“Real Worship for Real People” Website: www.easterncommunity.org Email: ecc@easterncommunity.org

Matthews Memorial Baptist Church

2616 MLK Ave., SE - Washington, DC 20020 Office 202-889-3709 - Fax 202-678-3304 Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 9:30 AM Holy Communion: 1st Sunday 9:30 AM Sunday School: 8:15 AM Bible Study: Wednesdays at Noon Baptism: 4th Sunday 9:30 AM

1636 East Capitol Street, NE Washington, DC 20003 Telephone: 202-544-5588 - Fax: 202-544-2964

The Rev. E. Bernard Anderson Priest

Motto: “Where God is First and Where Friendly People Worship”

1301 North Carolina Ave. N E Washington, D C 20002 202 543 1318 - lincolnpark@lpumcdc.org www.lpumcdc.org

Dr. Lucius M. Dalton Senior Pastor

Sermon On The Mount Temple Of Joy Apostolic Faith Elder Herman L. Simms Pastor

Rev. Richard B. Black Interim Pastor

Mount Moriah Baptist Church

Rev. Curtis l. Staley Pastor

Service and Times Sunday Service: 10:00 AM Sunday School for all ages: 8:30 AM 1st Sunday Baptism: 10:00 AM 2nd Sunday Holy Communion:10:00 AM Tuesday: Bible Study: 6:30 PM Prayer Meeting: 7:45 PM

Lincoln Park United Methodist Church

Israel Baptist Church

Website address: www.mmbcdc.org

Peace Baptist Church Rev. Dr. Michael T. Bell 712 18th Street, NE Washington, DC 20002 Phone 202-399-3450/ Fax 202-398-8836 Service and Times Sunday Early Morning Prayer & Bible Study Class: 8:00 AM Sunday School: 9:00 AM Sunday Morning Worship Service: 10:00 AM Wednesday Service: 12:00 PM “The Loving Church of the living lord “ Email Address: admin@pbc712.org

Mt. Horeb Baptist Church

Rev. Oran W. Young Pastor

Rev. Dr. H. B. Sampson, III Pastor

602 N Street NW - Washington, D.C. 20001 Office:(202) 289-4480 Fax: (202) 289-4595

2914 Bladensburg Road, NE Wash., DC 20018 Office: (202) 529-3180 - Fax: (202) 529-7738 Service and Times Worship Service: 7:30 AM Sunday School: 9:00 AM Worship Service: 10:30 AM Holy Communion: 4th Sunday 7:30AM & 10:30 AM Prayer Services:Tuesday 7:30 PM. Wednesday 12 Noon

Service and Times Sunday School for All Ages: 8:00 AM Sunday Worship Services: 9:30 AM Midday Prayer & Bible Study: Wednesday 11:30AM Evening Prayer & Bible Study: Wednesday 7:00 PM Laymen's League: Thursday 7:00 PM Email: Froffice@firstrising.org Website: www.firstrising.org “Changing Lives On Purpose “

Email:mthoreb@mthoreb.org Website:www.mthoreb.org For further information, please contact me at (202) 529-3180

Pennsylvania Ave. Baptist Church Rev. Dr. Kendrick E. Curry Pastor 3000 Pennsylvania Ave.. S.E Washington, DC 20020 202 581-1500 Service and Times Sunday Church School: 9:30 AM Sunday Worship Service: 11:00 AM Monday Adult Bible Study: 7:00 PM Wednesday Youth & Adult Activities: 6:30 PM Prayer Service Bible Study

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JANUARY 11 - 17, 2024 41

LEGAL NOTICES

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2023 ADM 1430

2023 ADM 001353

2023 ADM 001034

2023 ADM 1470

2023 ADM 001424

Camillia A. Wilkins Decedent

Darren R. McAllister Decedent

Alice Washington Wilson Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Clifford L. Wilson Sr., whose address is 11007 Ibis Lane, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Alice Washington Wilson who died on 9/23/2023 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 6/28/2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 6/28/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 12/28/2023 Clifford L. Wilson Sr. Personal Representative

Lintung Liu Decedent NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Lily Liu, whose address is 2939 Van Ness Street NW #626, Washington DC 20008-4619, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Lintung Liu who died on April 16, 2023 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 6/28/2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 6/28/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 12/28/2023 Lily Liu Personal Representative

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Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

Legal Notice Notice of an unregistered claim by a private living man, sovereign by the grace of God, their name written in the Book of the Tree of Life, beneficiary in original jurisdiction now coming as Grantor/Settler with Notice of Unregistered Claim, or priority equitable right, title and interest in the John Troy Williams Estate, New York File number- 156-71-123639, including all assets, attributes, derivatives and transmutations thereof. For more on the nature of the claim see https://everify.americanstatenationals.us Recorder Number # 2023-Fut90a15-Ca-231110-037-00000157 SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 2023 ADM 682 Carrie Lena Wood Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS David Wood, whose address is 1214 Jamaica St., NE, Washington, DC 20011, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Carrie Lena Wood who died on 1/15/2022 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 7/4/2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/4/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 1/4/2024 Andre T. Best Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Date of first publication: 1/4/2024 Jahmal I. Adams 14103 Mary Bowie Pkwy Upper Marlboro, MD 20774 Personal Representative

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NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Ricole N. White, whose address is 661 Barbey Street, Apt 2, Brooklyn, NY 11207, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Darren R. McAllister who died on September 16, 2023 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 7/4/2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/4/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 1/4/2024 Ricole N. White Personal Representative

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SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2023 ADM 001456

2023 ADM 000898

2023 ADM 1419

2023 FEP 127

Roman Thomas Pate, Jr. Decedent

Mable Fanny Carpenter Decedent

11/28/2021 Date of Death

Julius P. Terrell, Esq. 1455 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Suite 400 Washington, DC 20004 Attorney

Lisa Arlene Williams aka Lisa Arlene Williams Randolph Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Lynette Pate-Dieng, whose address is 5817 Cherrywood Lane, Apt., 104, Greenbelt, MD 20770, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Roman Thomas Pate, Jr. who died on September 12, 2023 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 7/4/2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/4/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Lynette Pate-Dieng Personal Representative

42 JANUARY 11 - 17, 2024

Andre T. Best, whose address is 20559 Wildbrook Court, Ashburn, VA 20147, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Preston Theodore Best who died on March 28, 2023 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 7/4/2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/4/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Jahmal I. Adams, whose address is 14103 Mary Bowie Pkwy, Upper Marlboro, MD 20774, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Camillia A. Wilkins who died on September 18, 2023 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 7/4/2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/4/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

David Wood Personal Representative

Washington Informer

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS

Sharon Legall 1325 G Street, NW Suite 500 Washington DC 20005 Attorney

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

Date of first publication: 1/4/2024

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Aimee D Griffin, Esq. 5335 Wisconsin Ave., NW Suite 440 Washington, DC 20015 Attorney

Washington Informer

Date of first publication: 1/4/2024

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Preston Theodore Best Decedent

TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Reginald Peters, whose address is 4212 H Street, SE, Washington, DC 20019, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Mable Fanny Carpenter who died on July 16, 2010 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 7/4/2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/4/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 1/4/2024 Reginald Peters Personal Representative

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Julius P. Terrell, Esq. 1455 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Suite 400 Washington, DC 20004 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Marcella Jefferson and Paulette Saunders, whose addresses are 3622 Swann Rd., Suitland, MD 20746 and 312 34th Place, SE Washington, DC 20019, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Lisa Arlene Williams aka Lisa Arlene Williams Randolph who died on July 21, 2023 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 7/4/2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/4/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 1/4/2024 Marcella Jefferson Paulette Saunders Personal Representative

Bertha Brooks Simon Name of Decedent NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS Christopher Simon, whose address is 2318 Manor Gate Terrace, Upper Marlboro, MD 20774 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Bertha Brooks Simon, deceased, by the Orphans Court for Prince Georges County, State of Maryland, on December 8, 2023. Service of process may be made upon Jacqueline Wallace Barnes, 5543 Bass Place SE, Washington, DC 20019-6381 whose designation as District of Columbia agent has been filed with the Register of Wills, D.C. The decedent owned the following District of Columbia real estate. 5536 Bass Place SE, Washington, DC 20019-6381. Claims against the decedent may be presented to the undersigned and filed with the Register of Wills of the District of Columbia, 515 5th Street, NW, Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001 within 6 months from the date of first publication of this notice. Date of first publication: 1/4/2024 Christopher Simon Personal Representative Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

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THE WASHINGTON INFORMER / WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

LEGAL NOTICES

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2023 ADM 001432

2023 ADM 1218

2023 ADM 001443

2023 ADM 1433

2023 ADM 001435

Barbara J. Glover aka Barbara Lee Decedent

William H. Hopkins Decedent

Margaret Goode Johnson Decedent

Joan M. Wilbon 1629 K Street, NW Suite 300 Washington, DC 20006 Attorney

Lawrence B. Manley, Esq. 2026 32nd Street SE Washington, DC 20020 Attorney

Herbert Lee Best Decedent

Betty Ann Holman, Jr. Decedent

Tina Smith Nelson, Esq. Legal Counsel for the Elderly 601 E Street, NW Washington, DC 20049 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Colleen L. Best and Milton L. Best, whose addresses are 5421 James Pl., NE, WDC 20019 and 5713 S. Marwood Blvd., Upper Marlboro, MD 20772, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Herbert Lee Best who died on 2/26/2022 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 7/4/2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/4/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 1/4/2024

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Chantelle Marie Coles-Jackson, whose address is 4980 Just Street NE, Washington, DC 20019, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Betty Ann Holman, Jr. who died on May 10, 2023 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 7/4/2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/4/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 1/4/2024 Chantelle Marie Coles-Jackson Personal Representative

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Colleen L. Best Milton L. Best Personal Representative

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

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NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Kimberly Lee Johnson and Kenneth Edward Glover, whose addresses are 1420 Crockett Lane, Silver Spring, MD 20904 and 13903 Ascott Drive, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Barbara J. Glover aka Barbara Lee who died on June 25, 2023 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 7/4/2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/4/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 1/4/2024 Kimberly Lee Johnson Kenneth Edward Glover Personal Representative

Patrick J. Hopkins, whose address is 1415 28th Street, Suite 160, W Des Moines, IA 50266, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of William H. Hopkins who died on December 29, 2022 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before July 4, 2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before July 4, 2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 1/4/2024 Patrick J. Hopkins Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Theoria Johnson, whose address is 55318 Deal Drive, Oxon Hill, MD 20745, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Margaret Goode Johnson who died on November 18, 2019 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 7/11/2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/11/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 1/11/2024 Theoria Johnson Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2023 ADM 001445

2023 ADM 001481

2023 ADM 001463

2023 ADM 001477

2023 ADM 001476

Saeed Savon Smith Decedent

Lorraine W. Brown Decedent

Cahli Marcus Thomas Decedent

Leeroy Bundy Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS

Joan M. Wilbon Attorney at Law 1629 K Street, NW, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20006 Attorney

Cherri Fitzgerald aka Cherri J. Fitzgerald Decedent

Julius P. Terrell, Esq. 1455 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Suite 400 Washington, DC 20004 Attorney

Brian L. Kass, Esq. 4301 Connecticut Ave., NW Suite 434 Washington, DC 20008 Attorney

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS

Carla Thomas, whose address is 257 Tennessee Ave., NE, WDC 20002, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Cahli Marcus Thomas who died on October 16, 2023 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 7/11/2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/11/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Dimingus Bundy, whose address is 5344 Chillum Pl. NE, Washington, DC 20011, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Leeroy Bundy who died on August 14, 2023 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 7/11/2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/11/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 1/11/2024

Carla Thomas Personal Representative

Dimingus Bundy Personal Representative

Rockelle Smith and Darryl Dickson, whose addresses are 836 Barnaby St., SE 102, Washington, DC 20032, 13209 Darlymaid Drive T2, Germantown MD 20874, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Saeed Savon Smith who died on July 23, 2023 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 7/11/2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/11/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 1/11/2024 Rockelle Smith Darryl Dickson Personal Representative

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NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Arni L. O’Donnell, whose address is 213 Huron Dr., Forest Heights, MD 20745, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Lorraine W. Brown who died on 2/12/2022 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 7/11/2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/11/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 1/11/2024 Arni L. O’Donnell Personal Representative

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Tina N. Peters, whose address is 4602 Rockbridge Court, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Cherri Fitzgerald aka Cherri J. Fitzgerald who died on September 24, 2023 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 7/11/2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/11/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 1/11/2024 Tina N. Peters Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM / THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

JANUARY 11 - 17, 2024 43

LEGAL NOTICES

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2023 ADM 001490

2023 ADM 1499

Ericka Jeanne Orina aka Ericka J. Orina aka Ericka Fredericks Orina Decedent

Janice Almetta Tucker Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Mike Orina Otachi, whose address is 4811 10th St. NE, Washington, DC 20017, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Ericka Jeanne Orina aka Ericka J. Orina aka Ericka Fredericks Orina who died on 9/17/2023 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 7/11/2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/11/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 1/11/2024 Mike Orina Otachi Personal Representative

Bobby G. Henry, Jr. Henry Legal Firm, LLC 9701 Apollo Dr., Ste. 100 Largo, Maryland 20774 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Janet Almetta James, whose address is 9701 Apollo Drive, Ste. 100 Largo, Maryland 20774, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Janice Almetta Tucker who died on October 8, 2023 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 7/11/2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/11/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 1/11/2024 Janet Almetta James Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

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SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2023 ADM 001447

2023 ADM 1492

Beverly Harris Simmons Decedent

Louise M. Pittman Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Taylor Travers Simmons, whose address is 10905 Burbank Drive, Potomac, MD 20854, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Beverly Harris Simmons who died on August 25, 2023 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before July 11, 2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before July 11, 2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: January 11, 2024 Taylor Travers Simmons Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

Colline Silvera Robinson Kirlew & Associates, PC 7731 Belle Point Dr. Greenbelt, MD 20770 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Yvonne C. Freeland, whose address is 11411 Lake Arbor Way #905, Bowie, MD 20721, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Louise M. Pittman who died on October 1, 2023 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 7/11/2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/11/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 1/11/2024 Yvonne C. Freeland Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

44 JANUARY 11 - 17, 2024

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CHAVIS from Page 26 country's current vice president. HBCUs truly know how to do more with less, but they cannot be saddled with costly regulations that pose an existential crisis to their ability operate and be given no help to deflect some of the costs. Fortunately, however, there are businesses and individuals who see the importance of HBCUs to the Black community and are willing to lend their hands — and their dollars — to support them. The Student Freedom Initiative (SFI), a non-profit chaired by philanthropist and entrepreneur Robert F. Smith and funded by major tech companies like Cisco, has raised millions of dollars to help HBUs comply with the

NAPOLEON/ROBINSON

from Page 26

Reverend Dr. Carl Johnson, President, to demand that the governor of Florida and the State Department of Education, teach black history accurately, factually and forthrightly. In the spirit of Dr. King, in the State of Florida, we organized a task force labeled, "Teaching Our Own History." Carter G. Woodson, the founder of Negro History Week, encouraged us to not sit idly by and allow this system to "mis"-educate black people. Our Task Force will present to the government, a comprehensive curriculum that correctly and effectively teaches Africa and African American history to students in Florida's public schools. Moreover, we will develop forty (40) plus "Freedom Schools" by 2025. We will not sit idly by and allow any governor, to erase the accurate teaching of Black history. The Objectives of "The Teaching Our Own History" Task Force are

MARSHALL from Page 26 tions in power aren't addressing with the urgency younger Americans feel. "Young people are keenly aware of this situation and are jumping in at unprecedented rates because we know we can't afford to wait," Hunt said. In Maryland, Del. Joe Vogel is another Gen Z Democrat running for Congress. Vogel, who is also 26 years old, said he initially got into politics after the 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, "frustrated by the inaction" on issues such as gun violence, which has directly affected many young Americans' experience at school in recent years. "I think our entire generation is having this moment where we're channeling that energy and channel-

Education Department's mandates. Cisco alone donated $150 million to the SFI with $100 million allocated to bringing HBCU cybersecurity system upgrades and $50 million going to establish an endowment to offer alternative student loans. With $89 million already distributed to 42 HBCUs across the nation, the initiative has already saved about $1.5 billion in needs-based funding to these colleges and universities and is making strong inroads to helping these institutions meet the new cybersecurity regulations, but more is required if all HBCUs are to be saved. Given the empowering impact HBCUs have on the nation's Black community and the future promise of a

more inclusive America, it is imperative that more companies support the work the Student Freedom Initiative is doing to ensure these vital higher education schools can continue to educate and inspire future generations. As Vice President Harris said, “What you learn at an HBCU is you do not have to fit into somebody's limited perspective on what it means to be young, gifted and Black.” We in the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education (NAFEO) https://www.nafeonation.org/ stand in strong support of the Student Freedom Initiative. We all should work together to ensure the sustainability of HBCUs in America. WI

as follows: 1. To encourage the accurate and unbiased teaching of African American history, culture, experiences and invaluable contributions in the state of Florida and this nation 2. To develop strategies and solutions to support and strengthen public education in marginalized communities 3. To develop and adequately support 40 Freedom Academies across the state of Florida 4. To create significant after school programs for students in Title One schools in marginalized communities across the state of Florida, using an age appropriate African American History Curriculum to strengthen reading, writing and mathematics skills 5. To create summer "Freedom Schools" to teach youth the importance of African Americans contributions, self-respect, personal responsibility, and African American contributions 6. To empower and encourage the three private HBCUs in Florida to de-

velop laboratory schools on their respective campuses by 2025 7. To cultivate and create partnerships with foundations, businesses and philanthropists to support programs and events that consistently celebrate the contributions of African American history, culture, literature, faith and heritage We all must redouble our efforts to fight for social justice, voting rights, civil rights, diversity, equity and inclusion. The dismantling of programs of diversity, equity and inclusion are shameful and insulting. Over the next several weeks, selected members of "The Teaching Our Own History" Task Force will publish articles for dissemination through The National Black Press, addressing the critical components for teaching our own history. I encourage our readers to enthusiastically engage in meaningful discussions in their various constituent groups and organizations as we speak "truth to power." WI

ing that urgency into having more political representation in terms of the issues," said Vogel. Arguing for the importance of younger perspectives in elected office, Vogel pointed to projections of the catastrophic climate consequences that could hit by around 2050. Even with the election of Vogel, Cheyenne Hunt and other Gen Z candidates, there will always be the need for term limits and new code of ethics rules to accompany the influx of younger lawmakers. U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna has addressed the issue of declining trust in government by introducing a new Political Reform Resolution. With his proposed legislation, the California lawmaker aggressively seeks broad political and anti-corruption reform in the judicial and legislative branches of the federal government.

Khanna's five-point resolution specifically calls for a 12-year term limit for members of Congress, a ban on members of Congress from holding and trading individual stocks while in office, banning members of Congress and candidates for the House and Senate from accepting contributions from political action committees and lobbyists, creating a binding code of ethics for Supreme Court justices along with an 18-year term limit for future Supreme Court justices. With Khanna's emphasis on ethics, many members of both parties who benefit from lax campaign finance and stock-trading regulations may find it challenging. I believe the odds of this becoming law are slim. Read more on www.washingtoninformer.com WI

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ple when he chose to exterminate them! Ever wonder who Trump wants to exterminate? Democracy is another word we hear a lot about these days. That's what we have now under the current government, and what authoritarians want to destroy. In a democracy, we get a chance to vote and decide what our government

MORIAL from Page 27 ty of legislators in Missouri and Kentucky — cited slavery as their reason. Haley does not claim to be ignorant of this history. The day after her craven response in New Hampshire sparked national outrage, she declared, "Of course the Civil War was about slavery," but quickly returned to her vague talking points about "the role of government" and "individual liberties." Haley's pandering on the issue of slavery in New Hampshire appears to contrast with her comments in 2015, after a white supremacist who draped himself in symbols of the Confederacy

JEALOUS from Page 27 affordable. With the Readjusters offering a haven, working-class white former Confederates fled the Democratic Party of the plantation oligarchs to defend their children's schools. At the same time, sparked by both President Hayes' betrayal of Black communities in the South and the same concern over public schools, my grandmother's grandfather, Edward David Bland, led an exodus of Blacks from the Republican Party to join them. The math of democracy necessitated that if they were going to save their children's schools, they would have to join up with the white parents who shared their same fears. The new Readjusters Party quickly took over the state and won the governorship, control of both houses of the legislature, and would appoint both U.S. senators (state legislators still appointed U.S. senators back then). In four years, the Readjusters succeeded in saving the free public schools. They radically expanded Virginia Tech to make the college

will be like. I realize there are people even in this democracy who don't want us to vote. Some are saying they aren't going to vote in the upcoming election because they highly dislike the President's action on the Hamas/Israel War. You may not like everything President Biden has done, but he has never said he will stop you from voting. He is committed to free and fair elections where you get

to decide how we should have free and fair elections. You may not agree with everything he has done, but occasionally we have to take the good with the bad. If we don't vote, there is nothing good for us! When you vote, you increase the chance of those who work to retain our democracy and we get some things better for all of us, so please vote. WI

murdered nine Black worshippers at Mother Emanuel Church in Charleston. Announcing the removal of the Confederate flag from the State House grounds, she called it — for some —"a deeply offensive symbol of a brutally offensive past." But she has long been willing to overlook "the horrors of slavery" in discussing the cause of the Civil War. In a 2010 interview with an activist group called Palmetto Patriots, she said the war was a conflict between "tradition" and "change," never mentioning that the tradition was slavery. Interestingly, the reason why Palmetto Patriots asked the question of Haley, who is of South Asian ancestry, but none of the

other candidates for governor, is rooted in racism. The other candidates were "Southerners whose families go back to beyond the war between the states, back to antebellum times, and they would have a deeper appreciation of Southern thinking and mentality," a spokesman said. As the daughter of Sikh immigrants from India, Haley's loyalty to the false "Lost Cause" interpretation of history could not be assumed when she was running for governor. As a presidential candidate, she has proved that she is eager to defend white supremacy by distorting history and presenting racial gaps as the result of ‘merit" and "hard work" instead of systemic oppression. WI

the working white person's answer to the patrician University of Virginia, and aided the creation of what is now called Virginia State University — the first public university for the training of Black teachers. They also abolished the poll tax and the public whipping post, and even pushed the state out of a deficit into a surplus. However, at the end of the one term any governor is allowed in Virginia, the Readjusters would be swept out of power by a political movement built on disinformation, ruthless violence, and a call to white supremacy. The new political regime of Jim Crow then took steps to ensure that the history of the Readjusters would never make it into the lessons taught to Virginia school children. Jim Crow politicians knew how much of a threat that example was to their power structure, built on lies and hate. The story of Frederick Douglass' optimism and confidence in America's destiny, and the Readjusters' courage in pursuing it, is a reminder that the people of our country were always more resilient and greater than most politicians

The story of Frederick Douglass' optimism and confidence in America's destiny, and the Readjusters' courage in pursuing it, is a reminder that the people of our country were always more resilient and greater than most politicians were ever willing to bet on. were ever willing to bet on. It also begs the question: If they could unite then in the interest of all their children, what is actually keeping us from uniting now in the interest of all of ours? WI

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