The Washington Informer - November 3, 2023 by The Washington Informer

RECIPIENT OF THE DC BLACK MBA ASSOCIATION 2023 LEGACY AWARD

Serving Our Community in the DMV

Vol 59 No 3..., November 2 - 8, 2023

Hate Crimes on the Rise

Page 16

Displaced Homeowners Say D.C. Government Has No Plan for Recompense Ongoing Battle Continues in D.C. Court, D.C. Council Takes Action By Sam P.K. Collins and Austin R. Cooper, Jr. WI Staff Writer and Our House Managing Editor

5 The northbound lane of the 600 block of Rhode Island Avenue in Northeast was shut down as hundreds of residents lined up to participate in Trunk Fest. The Jackson twins enjoy stopping by cars decorated in cartoon themes supplied and received goodies that included treats, candies, and school supplies. (Courtesy photo/Michael Lassiter) See more photos in Capture the Moment on Page 43

Two years ago, the D.C. government told condominium owners at River East at Grandview Estates that they suddenly had to move out of the structurally unsound building. They did so with the hope that the D.C. government would devise a plan that places them back on a path to homeownership. What some of the more than 40 families said they’ve experienced instead

Ready Center Offers One-Stop Shop for Returning Citizens in D.C By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer Since June, Ronald Gorham has reunited with his mother, built camaraderie with like-minded people and taken the steps to consistent, gainful employment. Gorham found out about the Hope Foundation Re-entry Net-

work not long after completing his second prison stint. He said that the program has helped him fulfill a promise he made to himself about never again embracing the lifestyle that got him tangled up in the court system. With the Hope Foundation Re-entry Network’s recent move to a returning citizens resource center in Congress Heights, Gorham said there’s an even greater likelihood that he’ll be able to lead a self-sufficient life, and eventually become a Hope Foundation Re-entry Net-

READY Page 48

is financial duress and a lack of certainty about their future in the District. The situation has proven to be insurmountable for Shannon Thomas, a mother of one who has been living in a Northwest rental home since leaving River East at Grandview Estates, located on Talbert Street in Southeast. While in her rental home, Thomas has continued to make monthly mortgage payments for her condominium while applying for the D.C. Homeowners Assistance Fund, a program that provides grants to District home-

TALBERT Page 42

Los Angeles Police Board finds Officers in Violation of Policy in D.C. Teacher’s Death No Indication of Whether Officers Will Be Disciplined or Fired By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer

5 The Executive Office of the Mayor and DOC celebrated the reopening of the Resources to Empower and Develop You (READY) Center in Ward 8 on Oct. 20. (Ja'Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

For months, activists, family and friends of the late Keenan Anderson have demanded accountability for the police officers involved in the early morning traffic stop that preceded his death. A recent ruling by the Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners may likely bring them closer to their goal. A recent ruling by the Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners likely brings them closer to their goal.

KEENAN Page 48

Celebrating 59 years. Your credible and trusted source for Black news and information.

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COMPILED BY STACY M. BROWN, WI SENIOR WRITER / BRENDA C. SILER, WI CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Breakthrough Research Sheds Light on Aggressive Breast Cancers in Black Women Researchers at the Indiana University Melvin and Bren Women of African descent had more PZP cells in their Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center are spearheading a normal breast tissue than women of Caucasian descent, acpioneering study to unravel the biological underpinnings cording to a previous study under Nakshatri's direction. Noof aggressive breast cancers in Black women. Led by Dr. tably, PZP cell numbers increase when Caucasian women Harikrishna Nakshatri, a breast cancer researcher at the develop breast cancer, while they are naturally more abunIU School of Medicine and a key researcher at the Vera dant in Black women. Bradley Foundation Center for Breast Cancer Research at "When these PZP cells interact with epithelial cells, they the IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, the inves- trigger the production of a crucial protein called interleutigation holds promise for targeted treatments that could kin-6. This prompts distinct behavior in the epithelial cells significantly reduce disparities in breast cancer outcomes and activates a signaling pathway known as STAT3," Nakamong Black women. shatri explained. While breast cancer incidence is now considered lower "This is what makes tumors originating from the epithelial among Black women, they face significantly poorer out- cells more aggressive." comes, often developing more aggressive triple-negative The findings have laid the foundation for an upcoming breast cancers at a younger age. clinical trial led by Kathy Miller, MD. "Even after you correct for socioeconomic and health"This study could help us determine if physicians need to care access factors, African ancestry is still associated with consider the genetic ancestry of the person when deciding on the worst outcomes," Nakshatri emphasized. possible treatments for breast cancer," Nakshatri stated. WI

White House Issues Executive Order on Artificial Intelligence

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

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On Oct. 30, an executive order was signed by President statements made by Arati Prabhakar, Ph.D., Director of Joe Biden with the intent of focusing on America’s respon- the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy sible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). (OSTP) and Science Advisor to the President. “The President has been very clear that we have an ob“They know that AI is one of the most consequential ligation to not only harness the power of AI for good but technologies of our time,” said Prabhakar during a White also to protect people from its profound potential risk,” House briefing. “We all know that AI's applications are exsaid Stephen Benjamin, senior advisor to the President and tremely broad. If you just look over the last decade, artificial director of the Office of Public Engagement, who led the intelligence has already come into many different parts of announcement about the executive order. Americans' daily lives.” Based on research and guidance from the White House Speakers during the executive order announcement Office of Science and Technology Policy, the executive looked at both sides of AI, they acknowledged the helpful order is felt to be the biggest policy initiative about AI potential of AI, but also its troubling side. that is being taken on by any government, according to Read more on washingtoninformer.com. WI

Affordable Care Act Premiums Rise, But Subsidies Protect Most Consumers Premiums on the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA) exchange will increase in 2024, but the Biden-Harris Administration has pledged that generous subsidies will ensure that most consumers remain shielded from the rising costs. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the average monthly premium for the benchmark silver plan in 2024 will see a 4% increase in the 32 states participating in the federal exchange, HealthCare.gov. The uptick mirrors the increase seen in the previous year and marks a shift from the four consecutive years of premium declines that preceded it. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra emphasized the administration’s commitment to affordable healthcare coverage. “Millions of Americans have obtained affordable, high-quality health care coverage through the marketplaces,” Becerra stated. He said everyone should visit HealthCare.gov to explore the available health insurance plans and learn more about the options that

best suit their needs. “The Biden-Harris Administration has made it a priority to continue to strengthen the ACA and build on its progress by reducing premiums for the millions of Americans enrolled in Marketplace coverage,” Becerra added. CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure also highlighted the growth and strengthening of ACA Marketplaces in recent years. She encouraged consumers to explore HealthCare.gov and their state-based marketplaces to preview plans and premiums before the Open Enrollment period. The Marketplace Open Enrollment Period on HealthCare.gov will run from Nov. 1 to Jan. 15. Those who enroll by midnight on Dec. 15 (5 a.m. EST on December 16) will secure full-year coverage starting on January 1, 2024. Given that Jan. 15, is a federal holiday, the enrollment deadline will be extended until midnight on Jan. 16 (5 a.m. EST on January 17) to allow consumers to enroll in coverage. Consumers enrolling after Dec. 15 but before the January deadline will have coverage starting on February 1, 2024. Read more on washingtoninformer.com. WI

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Beyond the Streets with Paco Panama

By Milaka Saddler WI Bridge Contributing Writer

Southeast D.C.’s own Paco Panama is ushering in a new era of underground rap and shining a light on new talent, crowning himself as one the new kings of underground rap in the District. His alternative perspective on storytelling reflects his life experiences and hard work ethic. Through his humble roots, he’s developed an ear for the community that helps him stand out. His transition from the trap life to a music career is a testament to his vision to see the world bigger than himself. The son of a Panamanian father, growing up in D.C., Paco was exposed to a broad worldview early on. His father became incarcerated when he was young, so his mother and aunt helped to raise him. Despite his father’s absence, they still created respect as he would write letters and hear stories about him. “I don’t blame my dad for not being there, but it was times when I was like, ‘Damn, I need you right now,’” he said. There were questions only a father could answer, but he learned how to stay inspired. As an athlete in his youth, he focused on basketball, which he attributes to his perseverance. “Sports helped me get the discipline and competitiveness,” he stated. Continuing to say, “Hard work beats talent.” Another lesson he’s learned from his life experience is patience. That patience has paid off, as he has now been recognized by some of the DMV’s biggest names, including Brent Faiyez and Goldlink. While attending the Broccoli City Festival, he had the opportunity to link up with some of the mentioned artists, who he said now enjoy his music. Paco explained that artists who have been in the game for a while still keep their ear to the streets and that he appreciates being acknowledged by them. Read more on wibridgedc.com. Hailing from Southeast, D.C., Paco Panama is ushering in a new era of underground rap and shining a light on new talent, crowning himself as one the new kings of underground rap in the District. (Courtesy Photos)

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ANACOSTIA PARK 9AM-12PM ‘CHANGE IS COMING’

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black facts

OCT 26 - NOV 1, 2023 SOURCE: BLACK AMERICA WEB

1974 – George Brown and Mervyn Dymally are elected lieutenant governors of Colorado and California, respectively, becoming the first two Blacks in the nation to hold the position. 2010 – Famed opera singer Shirley Verrett dies in Ann Arbor, Michigan, of heart failure at 79.

NOV. 6

1880 – George Poage, the first African American to win a medal in the Olympic Games, is born in Hannibal, Missouri. 1973 – Coleman A. Young is elected as Detroit's first Black mayor.

NOV. 7

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1930 – Haile Selassie is coronated as emperor of Ethiopia. 1983 – President Reagan signs a law designating the third Monday in January as Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

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1868 – John Willis Menard of Louisiana becomes the first Black man ever elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, though a challenge of the electoral results by his defeated foe prevents him from taking office. 1896 – J.H. Hunter, an African American inventor, patents the portable weighing scale. 1992 – Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois becomes the first African American woman to be elected to the United States Senate.

1837 – Elijah Lovejoy, abolitionist and newspaper editor, is killed by a pro-slavery mob in Alton, Illinois, out to destroy his press and abolitionist materials. 1967 – Carl Stokes is elected as mayor of Cleveland, becoming the the first Black elected mayor of a major U.S. city. 1989 – David Dinkins is elected as New York City's first Black mayor. 1989 – L. Douglas Wilder is elected as governor of Virginia, becoming the nation's first elected Black governor. 2020 – Kamala Harris is elected as vice president of the United States, becoming the first-ever woman, African American and Asian American to hold the position.

NOV. 8

1938 – Crystal Bird Fauset is elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, becoming the nation's first Black woman to serve as a state legislator. WI

NOV. 4

1844 – Cathay Williams, the only known female Buffalo Soldier, is born in Independence, Missouri. 1879 – Inventor Thomas Elkins patents an improved refrigerator design. 1954 – Hulan Jack is elected borough president of Manhattan in New York City, becoming the highest-ranking African American municipal official at the time. 1969 – Entertainment and business mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs is born in Harlem, New York. 2008 – Barack Obama defeats John McCain to become the first Black president of the United States.

NOV. 5

1968 – Shirley Chisholm becomes the first Black woman elected to Congress, representing the 12th District in New York City.

6 NOVEMBER 2 - 8, 2023

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D.C. Senior Housing Complex to Get 93 New Units

First in Ward 3 to be Funded by Housing Production Trust Fund By James Wright WI Staff Writer Althea DeGree couldn’t wait to speak at the ceremony announcing 93 new affordable housing units at the Lisner-Louise-Dickson-Hurt Home in the Friendship Heights neighborhood of Ward 3. The historic facility housed her ailing mother in the twilight of her life. “My mom had to go to assisted living because she had triple-bypass surgery and she wanted to go to a place that was comfortable and where she felt safe,” DeGree, 55, said. “When we came here, she was just in awe. She decided this was the place she wanted to be, and I have been happy ever since.” DeGree joined D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, D.C. Council member Matt Frumin (D-Ward 3), other community leaders and officials with the Lisner-Louise-Dickson-Hurt Home to break ground on the additions on Oct. 25. The new facility will consist of a four-story building with more than half of the units available to residents earning a yearly salary that is less than $31,950 for a one-person household, and up to $36,500 for a family of two. Nineteen of the 93 units will be designated as permanent supportive housing, which combines

5Mayor Muriel Bowser joined a long-term senior care nonprofit to celebrate the groundbreaking of affordable housing for low- and modest-income DC Residents in Ward 3 at the Lisner-Louise-Dickson-Hurt Home. (Ja'Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

housing, case management services, and amenities to help residents transition out of homelessness. The project received over $26.6 million from the District government’s Housing Production Trust Fund, a first in Ward 3. The facility is a product of green-oriented construction, encompassing an all-electric heat pump system that reduces greenhouse gas emissions and energy bills significantly. Urban Atlantic will serve as the partnering developer with the facility’s management team. The Amazon Housing Equity Fund and financiers such as Capital One Community Bank, Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust, and D.C. Green Bank were among those helping to finance the project.

PRAISE FOR LISNER-LOUISEDICKSON-HURT HOME

Like DeGree, Bowser is no stranger to the Lisner-Louise-Dickson-Hurt Home. “My mother had my grandmother placed here and my grandmother said she liked it very much,” said Bowser, 51. Bowser said her administration’s

8 NOVEMBER 2 - 8, 2023

funding of the new units of the facility is a part of its overall plan to increase housing in the city. “We know that reaching our bold housing goals requires a citywide vision and a commitment to building affordable housing in all parts of Washington, D.C.,” the mayor said. “We’re proud that through this historic investment from the Housing Production Trust Fund, we will be creating 93 new units of senior affordable housing in Ward 3. We’re grateful to all the government and community partners who are making this project a reality and continuing the Lisner-Louise-Dickson-Hurt Home’s legacy of serving D.C. seniors.” Frumin said the key to the success of the project was the support of the neighborhood. “I have a long history with Lisner, and I could not be prouder of its leadership in moving forward the first-ever Housing Production Trust Fund project in Ward 3,” he said. “It is critical we add more housing—especially affordable housing—in Ward 3. This project shows that we can construct abundant, affordable housing in a way that meets important needs and is respectful of the neighbors.

HOUSING Page 11

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Remembering the Rev. Dr. Sandra Butler-Truesdale By Ra-Jah Kelly WI Contributing Writer The Rev. Dr. Sandra Butler-Truesdale, a native Washingtonian and passionate lover of music, died on Oct. 28. She was 83. As the founder and chair of DC Legendary Musicians, Inc. (DCLM), Butler-Truesdale was dedicated to preserving, protecting and promoting the artistic legacies of Washington, D.C.'s professional musicians. Her contributions to the DMV's vibrant music scene were numerous. The mission of DCLM demonstrated her profound respect and commitment to the musicians of her city. She held significant roles in various cultural institutions, including serving as a member of the Howard Theatre Board and as chairperson of the Howard Theatre Com-

munity Committee. Her voice was familiar to many in the D.C. area as a programmer, writer, and producer for WPFW Radio, 89.3 FM, notably on shows like “Don’t Forget the Blues” and “Jazz Stories”. Frank Smith, founder and CEO of the African American Civil War Memorial and Museum, reflected on her impact, saying, “Somehow, you think people like Sandra will never pass away. They’re just a legacy that goes on forever, especially in the jazz on U Street. I‘m sad to hear about her passing." Butler-Truesdale was recognized as a D.C. music historian and worked alongside iconic musicians, including the late Ray Charles and James Brown. Her dedication was unwavering in her commitment to documenting the history of music in the DMV area. Beyond just chronicling, she

3 Sandra Butler-Truesdale (Courtesy photo/ Facebook)

served as a fierce advocate and community organizer, continuously supporting local music and artists. Among her many accomplish-

ments, Butler-Truesdale co-authored the notable book, “Washington DC, Jazz.” Butler-Truesdale’s family will be honoring her legacy at The Kenne-

dy Center on Nov. 15, on the eve of what would have been her 84th birthday. Guests are asked to wear all white. WI

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CAPTURE THE MOMENT

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

The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation (BLHF) hosted Bobo's Joy Joint, featuring the organization's founder award winning actress Taraji P. Henson (left) and executive director Tracie Jade, to raise awareness on mental health and wellness on Oct. 30. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

Who’s Reading the Informer? Washington Informer reporter Austin Cooper standing in front of the Washington Informer store at Dulles International Airport. (Courtesy photo)

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“We [must] realize that our future lies chiefly in our own hands.” – Paul Robeson

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D.C. Board of Elections Assures Voters after Data Breach

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By James Wright WI Staff Writer

In social media posts, agency officials said they are reaching out to all registered voters out of abundance of caution. The election niors we serve for generations to come.” DeGree said she thought so highly of the facility and its management that she decided to celebrate a transformative life event there. “When I received my MBA from Howard University, I held my reception here at the Lisner,” she said. “My fellow students and professors were surprised at how well kept it was. This place will always be special to me.” WI @JamesWrightJr10

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board has been consulting with Mandiant, a cybersecurity firm and subsidiary of Google based in Reston, Virginia to assist with next steps. Nick Jacobs, a spokesperson with the elections board told the Informer “that all of our efforts are ongoing,” as of Oct. 30. “This remains an active and open investigation,” social media posts said. “DCBOE will release its full findings when they are available. DCBOE is committed to full transparency with the public and will contact D.C. voters about next steps.” While the investigation continues, agency officials encourage residents to continue monitoring the social media posts for updates. Additionally, for updates, Jacobs said residents may email inquiries to questions@dcboe.org. He also said voter registration remains open for residents and it is safe to register. WI @JamesWrightJr10

’S

Achieving these goals takes hard work, but with today’s groundbreaking, Lisner, Urban Atlantic and Mayor Bowser and her team have shown again that it can be done in Ward 3.” L. Ward Orem, CEO of the Lisner-Louise-Dickson-Hurt Home, said “the new affordable senior living apartments, along with the assisted living building renovation, will transform the lives of the se-

numbers and email addresses. Agency officials said the company could not pinpoint if or when the file may have been assessed or how many, if any, voter records were accessed. However, officials stress that no internal DCBOE databases or servers were compromised. The breach has occurred as the agency prepares for the 2024 election cycle in which the District will hold presidential, congressional, city council, advisory neighborhood commission and initiative contests. The primaries are scheduled to take place on June 4, 2024, for the city’s registered political parties and the general election will occur on Nov. 5.

HOUSING from Page 8

5 DC residents register to vote at the Entertainment and Sports Arena in Southeast. (WI File Photo)

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The D.C. Board of Elections is presently dealing with the effects of a data breach or hack that took place last month and agency officials assure registered voters that their information is safe. Indication of a data breach came to the attention of board of election (DCBOE) officials on Oct. 5. The officials learned that a hacking group, known as RansomVC claimed to have breached DCBOE’s records and accessed 600,000 lines of U.S. voter data, including District voter records. On Oct. 16, it was revealed that the records were from August 9, 2019, to January 25, 2022 and had information from voters who participated in the agency’s canvass process, which takes place every odd-numbered year to ensure the voter roll is timely. Less than 4,000 voter records were affected, agency officials said. According to social media posts by the elections board, on Oct. 20, agency officials confirmed that during a daily morning checkin call with DataNet Systems--a managed service provider based in Austin, Texas—that a copy of the company’s database server containing the District’s voter roll had been breached. DataNet Systems said bad actors may have had access to the full voter roll which includes personal identifiable information including partial Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, dates of birth, and contact information such as phone

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PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY Prince George’s Updates Historic Collaboration Announced, AKAs Raise Political Awareness, Municipal Election Info By Richard Elliott WI Contributing Reporter

ATTORNEY GENERAL, PUBLIC DEFENDERS ANNOUNCE HISTORIC COLLABORATION

Bowie State University’s James E. Proctor Building was the site of a historic press conference on Oct 25 to

announce the Maryland Equitable Justice Collaborative, the first ever collaborative effort between the Office of the Public Defender (OPD) and the Attorney General (AG). The goal of the collaborative is to address mass incarceration in Maryland through legislative changes, resource allocation and fostering dialogue among collaborators. “I’ve been in public service for about 25 years, 40 if you include military

5 Attorney General Anthony Brown (left) and Chief Public Defender Natasha Dartigue announced a historic collaboration between their offices at Bowie State on Oct. 25. (Anthony Tilghman/The Washington Informer)

service. I’ve had the honor of working on some initiatives to change lives, improve lives, and even save lives. Today, this launch and announcement represents the most impactful initiative I’ve ever worked on to change the lives of Marylanders,” said Attorney General Anthony Brown (D). Brown is the first African American

to ever serve as Maryland’s Attorney General. “The mass incarceration of Black men and women in Maryland is a crisis,” Brown added. With urgency, we are launching the MEJC.” BSU President Dr. Aminta Breaux, OPD Chief Natasha Dartigue noted the urgency of the moment and the historic nature of not just the collaboration, but also the new era of leadership. Dartigue is also the first Black person to serve in her role. “The solutions to the obstacles we face can be found in institutions of learning such as Bowie State… I want to personally thank the AG for his vision and his commitment, and for taking the bold step to partner with the Office of the Public Defender,” said Dartigue. Judge Alexander Williams, the first Black person to ever serve as Prince George’s State’s Attorney, acknowledged his role in past sentencing. Williams served 20 years on the federal bench and called on those present to address this unacceptable problem. Dr. Charles Adams leads the university’s restorative practices program, the only of its kind in Maryland, and spoke about the role his department will have in the collaboration. The collaborative’s next public forum will be held on Nov. 6 at Baltimore’s Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture. WI

AKA’S RAISE POLITICAL AWARENESS WITH CIVICS 101 LESSON

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority’s Psi

12 NOVEMBER 2 - 8, 2023

Epsilon Omega Chapter hosted a free Civics 101 lesson at Bowie’s Northview Elementary School on Oct. 21, providing an opportunity to become a registered voter and learn about the political process in preparation of the 2024 general election. With civics long removed from school curriculum, this is an important issue for the sorority and chapter. “Far too often, individuals wait to engage in the political process until it is time to elect the president of the United States. In reality, many of the elections that most directly impact our communities occur at the state and local levels,” said Psi Epsilon Omega President Benita A. Swindell. “We are offering this free course to residents to increase knowledge and awareness of how to engage in the political process at all levels of government. This is how we as a community create the society we want to see.” said AKA Psi Epsilon Omega Chapter President Benita A. Swindell. Swindell also emphasized the importance of voter engagement. “Politicians at every level of government should aim to stay engaged with constituents on their progress through all means of technology used to gain their support,” she said. “Feedback and updates provide confirmation to voters that their act of voting counts, and makes the voter feel invested and eager to vote again." She also recommended that political and civic leaders host nonpartisan community events that encourage civic engagement through voter education, registration, and mobilization. The next civics 101 lesson will be on Dec. 16, again, at Bowie’s Northview Elementary School. WI

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER / WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

Prince George’s Business Updates By Richard Elliott WI Contributing Reporter

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY YEARS

Est. 1958

STATE FACES BUDGETARY SHORTFALLS, DISTRICT HEIGHTS ACQUIRES MARLBORO PIKE LAND

While the state ended the last fiscal year with a $555 million surplus, reduced economic activity and less income tax revenue than projected has raised some concerns among statehouse leaders and budget forecasters of an ever-growing gulf between revenues and spending. Governor Wes Moore warned of budget deficits earlier this year at the Maryland Association of Counties summer gathering (MaCO). “My administration has spent the last seven months looking under the hood of our state’s fiscal health, and we’ve learned some harsh truths,” he said during the conference in August. “Our budgets have gotten bigger over time, but our economy has not kept pace. Since at least 2017, the Department of Legislative Services has been forecasting structural budget deficits. Those projections were made under the last administration, not this one. Those are their numbers, not mine. The trouble beneath the surface was masked by federal cash and big stock gains during COVID. But we knew it wouldn’t last forever.” Maryland is required to pass a balanced budget every legislative session. This year’s budget is roughly $418 million short, which will necessitate changes in taxation, spending, borrowing or some combo thereof. It is projected that Maryland may face a $1 billion budget shortfall by 2028, with the Blueprint for Education representing a large portion of the projected additional costs. A state fiscal panel recommended over $500 million in additional borrowing to help balance the budget and ensure the state has the necessary finances to weather a potential recession or government shutdown. “We simply cannot ignore what is happening with the federal government,” said state Treasurer Dereck E. Davis. “I do not know how many times we’re going to have to keep reliving this national nightmare.” WI

5 District 25 Delegate Kent Roberson speaking at the announcement of District Height’s recent land acquisition along Marlboro Pike. (Rob Roberts/The Washington Informer)

CITY OF DISTRICT HEIGHTS ACQUIRES MARLBORO PIKE LAND

In the first time the municipality has gone that far outwards its limits, District Heights has acquired 1.4 acres of adjoining land on the Marlboro Pike corridor. This acquisition is occurring as District Heights gears up their economic development plans with the goal of attracting and retaining businesses in the Marlboro Pike corridor. The new plans will facilitate redevelopment of aging commercial building-stock, enhance workforce and job development opportunities for residents, and establish District Heights as an Inner Beltway leader economic opportunity. “The growth, expansion, and future of District Heights is intrinsically tied to the redevelopment and success of Marlboro Pike,” according to a city press release. “City presence on Marlboro Pike will allow the municipal government to further support regional interconnectivity and development initiatives planned for the Silver, Blue, and Green Metrorail line corridors in Prince George’s County.” WI

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BUSINESS ir efs By James Wright / WI Staff Writer

SERVICE PROVIDERS GRANT

The DC Department of Small and Local Business Development announced recently that it will solicit applications for the “FY24 Business to Business: Service Providers Grant.” There will be multiple grant recipients. The recipients will provide services to support other local businesses by offering business development courses, cohort management, and program marketing across several DSLBD programs such as Aspire to Entrepreneurship, Dream Pitch, Food Waste Innovation, and Just Cannabusiness. The service areas include Proposals for Storytelling and Videography; Pitch Preparation and Pitch Coaching; Cohort Management and WrapAround Support; Pitch Day Onsite

Event Management; Pitch Micropayment Provider; Business Classes and Workshops; Non-Dilutive Capital Support for Regulated Cannabusiness Businesses; Speakers Bureau; and Innovative Proposals for Services Non-Contemplated. DSLBD intends to award grants in amounts between $5,000 and $50,000 from the $400,000 available for direct service provision grants. Eligibility applications are due Nov. 21 at 2 p.m. EST. WI

ELC TAPS TAYLOR FOR CAO

The Executive Leadership Council (ELC), an organization dedicated to increasing the number of Blacks in C-Suites, corporate boards, and global enterprises, announced the appointment of Audrey Taylor as its

chief academy officer, as of Oct. 16. Taylor will report directly to the CEO and will be responsible for leading the ELC Academy, a tool for corporations to utilize to attract, retain and promote Black talent. She will also lead the organization’s newly formed consultancy offerings. “The ELC is known for its initiatives for enhancing Black talent and it is also known for its research and consulting with global corporations,” said Michael C. Hyter, president and CEO of the ELC. “Ms. Taylor’s years spent in the consulting environment and her also known expertise in building businesses make her an excellent choice for chief academy officer.” Taylor, who holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and MBA from Stanford University, has worked in the fields of consulting and advisory for many years, most recently as managing director of the diversity, equity, and inclusion practice at Kincentric, a Spencer Stuart company, and at Catalyst Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to creating workspaces for women. Prior to Catalyst, Taylor worked at Gartner interfacing with human resources and IT departments to enhance the work

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3 Audrey Taylor, the chief academy officer at the Executive Leadership Council. (Courtesy photo)

experience of C-suite executives. “I am delighted to join The ELC leadership team and look forward to launching a consultative practice and expanding our research and leadership development offerings to maximize the leadership pipeline of Black executives and further our mission in advancing Black executives globally,” said Taylor. “The ELC has a reputation of excellence, and I am pleased to have the opportunity to help grow that with corporations that need our help.” WI

KEEPING IT COOL GRANT PROGRAM

The Keeping It Cool Grant Program, funded by The Morningstar Foundation, will provide $425,000 in grants ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 to support cold storage infrastructure and equipment needs of food businesses and nonprofits providing food-related goods and services in the Washington, D.C. region. Eligible locations include Arlington, Alexandria, and Fairfax County in Virginia; Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties in Maryland; and the District. The program is designed for businesses with budgets of less than $1.5 million. The businesses must grow, process, sell and/or distribute healthy food in low-income, low-access food areas. There will be a webinar explaining the program on Nov. 2 from 5-6 p.m. EST. Application deadline is Nov. 10. For more information, contact Alison Powers, Director of Economic Opportunities, Capital Impact Partners at apowers@capitalimpact.org, 703-647-2369. WI

NONPROFIT & SMALL BUSINESS LEGAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

The D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center’s Nonprofit & Small Business Legal Assistance Programs, Center for Nonprofit Advancement, and Washington Area Community Investment Fund. The four-part course is designed for the nonprofit executive or small business owner with significant human resource responsibilities and other staff that seek to develop their capabilities. Participants will learn the basics of employment law from experienced attorneys at Crowell & Moring LLP. The course will be held via webinar on four consecutive Tuesday evenings on Nov. 7, 14, 21 and 28 starting at 6:30 p.m. Topics covered include hiring, firing and performance management; employment compensation and classification; independent contractor vs. employee; and prohibitions on employment discrimination. There is a one-time $50 charge for the entire course. For more information, contact probonotraining@dcbar.org. WI

MGM HARBOR BUSINESS EXPO

The MGM Harbor Business Expo and Procurement Networking Opportunity Event will take place on Nov. 16 from 6-8 p.m. at the facility’s Grand Ballroom in Oxon Hill, Maryland. The purpose of this in-person event is to learn about various procurement opportunities and resources available for the business community. For more information, email Karey Alston at kialston@co.pg.md.us or call 301-952-3688 or Mirinda Jackson at MDJackson1@co.pg.md.us or call 301952-4919. WI

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER / WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

BUSINESS

Experts Share Strategies for African American Wealth-building at Black Wealth Summit

Maryland Governor Wes Moore Calls for Economic Equity By James Wright WI Staff Writer When Alexander K. Austin learned of the Black Wealth Summit taking place at the Jericho City of Praise Family Ministries Campus in Landover, Maryland from Oct. 26-28, he decided to attend the event not just as the president of the Prince George’s Chamber of Commerce, but as someone interested in growing African American wealth. “I came here to learn,” Austin, 44, said. “This is a very pivotal moment in our community. I could not miss a summit where people of color are discussing Black wealth and possibly exploring a partnership in the future.” Austin was joined by hundreds of people at the Black Wealth Summit (BWS) led by Cedric Nash, a wealth coach, investor, founder, and CEO of the Oakland Consulting Group headquartered in Lanham, Maryland and author of “Why Should the White Guys Have All of the Wealth: How You Can Become a Millionaire Starting from the Bottom.”

“The overwhelming majority of wealth in America (84%) is in the hands of white households,” said Nash. “Black households own an estimated 4% of wealth in the country,” Nash continued. “Black Americans can build wealth in spite of the odds. You can create your own wealth journey, even if you’re starting from the bottom using a systematic and specific approach that is short on empty promises and long on techniques. By taking what you have, earn considerably more, building up your investment capital, and making what I call ‘Millionaire Money Moves’ to accumulate appreciating assets that generate income and wealth, you will set the foundation for genuine generational wealth that you and your loved ones can continue building upon for years to come.”

THE SUMMIT FEATURES MAJOR CORPORATIONS AND GOV. WES MOORE

The summit featured presentations

by experts and professionals in the fields of real estate, banking, insurance, investing and entrepreneurship. Corporations such as New York Life, Truist, Morgan Stanley, and Charles Schwab Bank had information tables in the lobby with literature for participants to learn more information and employees with whom they were able to engage. Maryland Governor Wes Moore served as one of the guest speakers. “If we are not talking about wealth, I don’t know what we are talking about,” Moore, 45, said on Oct. 27. “This is one of the main reasons I ran for governor. I am interested in closing the racial wealth gap in Maryland.” Moore stated a list of hurdles instituted by public and private entities such as redlining, unfair home appraisals, racist implementation of the GI Bill, predatory lending and bigoted procurement practices that hinder African American wealth. He said those practices were done intentionally by governments and private sector companies. Nevertheless, Moore stressed

5 Maryland Gov. Wes Moore with Cedric Nash, founder of the Black Wealth Summit. Gov. Moore was one of the featured speakers at the Summit held Oct. 2628 at Jericho City of Praise in Landover. (Rob Roberts/The Washington Informer)

the importance of the “ownership society” in which owning assets become the key ingredient for economic growth and acquisition. He said people who own homes and businesses tend to be more diligent citizens. “Tom Friedman, the economist said ‘no one washes a rented car,’”

the governor said. Moore emphasized the importance of generational wealth, encouraging participants to “pass something off to our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.” WI @JamesWrightJr10

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NOVEMBER 2 - 8, 2023 15

NATIONAL U.S. Agencies Brace for Surge in Hate Crimes Amidst Israel-Hamas Conflict

Minority Communities on Heightened Alert By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer As the Israel-Hamas conflict escalates, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) are issuing warnings of an anticipated surge in hate crimes within the United States. The agencies underscored the need for heightened vigilance not only against antisemitic and Islamophobic attacks but also against the backdrop of continued threats faced by African

Americans and LGBTQ communities. The DHS’s recent intelligence assessment emphasized an expected increase in antisemitic and Islamophobic hate attacks in the country as the conflict progresses. The agency also cautions that the ongoing war could elevate the threat of terrorism and targeted violence on American soil. In a separate memo addressed to law enforcement agencies in Washington, D.C., the DHS pinpointed potential targets, in-

5The DHS’s recent intelligence assessment emphasizes an expected increase in antisemitic and Islamophobic hate attacks in the country as the conflict progresses. The agency also cautions that the ongoing war could elevate the threat of terrorism and targeted violence on American soil. (Courtesy Photo/ Wikimedia Commons)

cluding places of worship, First Amendment-protected demonstrations, events and U.S. military assets. The memo, first reported by ABC News, disclosed a troubling spike in swatting calls targeting Jewish temples in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island, featuring hoax bomb threats since the eruption of the latest Isra-

Rising Interest Rates, Prices Keep Homeownership as a Distant Goal, Especially for African Americans By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer In the wake of escalating mortgage rates and soaring housing prices, the dream of homeownership in the United States is slipping further from the grasp of many Americans, particularly African Americans. Recent reports from financial and real estate authorities reveal that prospective homebuyers, burdened by the growing costs of homes and borrowing at higher interest rates, face an increasingly challenging landscape. Meanwhile, disparities in homeownership persist, disproportionately affecting minority communities, and access to mortgages remains an uphill battle. According to Bankrate.com, the cur-

16 NOVEMBER 2 - 8, 2023

rent average 30-year fixed mortgage interest rate stands at a staggering 8.01%, marking a 12-basis-point increase over the past week. Mortgage refinance rates are also rising, with the average 30-year fixed refinance interest rate reaching 8.09%, up by four basis points in the same period. The rising interest rates compound the difficulties those in search of a home loan face. The surging home prices and escalating mortgage rates put immense financial strain on buyers, especially African Americans. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported that, even as millions aim to purchase homes, the reality is starkly different from just a few years

PRICES Page 18

The surging home prices and escalating mortgage rates put immense financial strain on buyers, especially African Americans.

el-Hamas conflict on Oct. 7. “At the top of our agenda will be our shared efforts to help keep our communities safe from violent crime,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said at a conference in Florida. Garland acknowledged the palpable fear gripping communities nationwide considering Hamas’ terrorist attacks on Israel. The FBI has reported an uptick in threats against faith communities, particularly those of Jewish, Muslim, and Arab faiths. In response, Garland directed all 94 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the FBI to maintain close communication with state, local, and federal law enforcement partners in their districts. Garland pledged the DOJ’s commitment to providing the necessary support for law enforcement partners, particularly in the face of rising threats of hate-fueled violence and terrorism. However, the heightened alert extends beyond the Jewish, Muslim, and Arab communities. Minority communities across America are also on edge. African Americans, long-standing targets of hate crimes, and LGBTQ communities are particularly concerned about the potential for increased violence. Officials confirmed that organizations and community leaders

representing those groups are collaborating with law enforcement agencies to ensure the safety and security of their members. The Department of Justice has initiated measures to address hate crimes targeting these communities, pledging to stand alongside them in the face of adversity. A recent incident in Pensacola, where law enforcement agencies and ATF ballistics experts worked together to convict a shooter involved in an attempted robbery, served as an example of the Department’s commitment to combating violent crime. A successful operation called “Agua Azul” that seized sizable amounts of illegal substances proved the DOJ’s dedication to destroying the global fentanyl supply chain, the DOJ said. A recent conviction for a racially motivated attack close to the scene of the 1923 Rosewood Massacre also proves that the Department continues to pursue justice in cases of hate crimes, Garland noted. He concluded that the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice “remain resolute in their mission to uphold the rule of law, safeguard communities, and protect civil rights, even in the face of escalating international conflicts.” WI @StacyBrownMedia

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER / WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

NATIONAL

House Republicans Elect Mike Johnson as New Speaker After Weeks of Turmoil By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

In a protracted and contentious process that ground Congress to a halt for over three weeks, House Republicans have finally chosen a new Speaker. Mike Johnson (RLa.), a lower-ranking member of the GOP leadership and notorious right-wing election denier, emerged as the victor on Wednesday, succeeding the ousted Californian Kevin McCarthy. The long and turbulent journey, which has lingered and prevented America from aiding its Israeli and Ukraine allies, saw Johnson become the party’s fourth nominee for the role since the MAGA wing of the caucus ousted McCarthy. On Tuesday morning, Republicans initially selected Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), as their nominee, only for him to withdraw later in the day, unable to muster the 217 votes required to

secure the position. With only 221 Republicans in the House, the margin for error was slim for any nominee vying for the top spot. While the GOP celebrated the long-awaited appointment of a new speaker, some members struggled to break old voting habits. GOP Rep. Kay Granger of Texas initially voted for Rep. Mike Rogers of Alabama before eventually changing it to Mike Johnson. In a routine unanimous show of Democratic support, all 212 members voted for New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the House Minority Leader, as Speaker. As he noted about a potential Jim Jordan speakership, Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff of California said Johnson would now preside over the counting of electoral votes in the next election. “After he was deeply involved in trying to overturn the last one. Just when you think they can’t be more irresponsible, they prove you

wrong,” Schiff stated. Similarly, Rep. Steve Cohen of Tennessee expressed disbelief in a now-deleted social media post, saying, “I can’t believe this is happening after January 6. If Trump can get to another electoral college, House Speaker will be able to subvert votes of the people/ This is the first act in insurrection 2.0.” Johnson, a pro-Trump election skeptic, now holds a position that could influence future election outcomes. Notable for his involvement in various controversial matters, Johnson pressed Attorney General Merrick Garland on a conspiracy theory involving the Justice Department and Hunter Biden. He also advocated for the expunging of Donald Trump’s first impeachment and pushed for a national abortion ban. Johnson also took a more active stance in the attempt to overturn the 2020 election results. In 2020, he spearheaded efforts to rally

5 House Republicans have finally chosen a new Speaker. Mike Johnson (R-La.) (Courtesy photo)

House GOP members to support a Texas lawsuit seeking to invalidate election results in crucial states. Over 125 members eventually signed on. Essentially, Johnson was at the forefront of rallying support for a controversial theory posited by state Attorney General Ken Pax-

ton, aimed at overturning a U.S. presidential election. His instrumental role earned him recognition as “the most important architect of the Electoral College objections” by The New York Times just a year ago. WI @StacyBrownMedia

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NOVEMBER 2 - 8, 2023 17

NATIONAL

PRICES from Page 16

5The surging home prices and escalating mortgage rates put immense financial strain on buyers, especially African Americans. (Courtesy Photo/Bankrate.com)

5House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has labeled the GOP as being engaged in a civil war. (Courtesy Photo/Wikimedia Commons)

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ago. In December 2020, 30-year fixed mortgage rates hit an all-time low of 2.68%, down significantly from 3.78% a year earlier. In tandem with the lower rates, housing prices skyrocketed. The median sale price of a single-family home has now risen above $416,000 in the second quarter of 2023, up from less than $360,000 in late 2020. U.S. home price indexes have reached historic highs, surpassing the reach of many median-income households. Lawrence Yun, the chief economist for the National Association of Realtors, noted that in late 2020, the monthly mortgage payment on a typical newly sold home was approximately $1,100 in principal and interest. Today, it has more than doubled, further exacerbating buyers’ challenges. The NAR’s calculations indicate that a buyer now needs to earn $107,232 annually to afford a median-priced home, based on recent rates and a 20% down payment, allocating 25% of their gross monthly income to housing expenses. This figure surpasses the real median household income of $74,580 in 2022, as the U.S. Census Bureau reported. Yun emphasizes that those who don’t earn six figures will face significant hurdles in affording a home in many markets. The NAR’s monthly housing affordability index, which reflects the ability of a median-income individual to purchase a home above the median price, has plummeted from nearly 170 before the COVID-19 pandemic to a preliminary total of 91.7 in August, the lowest reading since October 1985. These challenges in homeownership are hitting minority communities hard, with African Americans at the forefront of the struggle. The homeownership gap between Black Americans and other racial groups is widening, particularly compared to white households. While the overall homeownership rate

in the U.S. has increased over the last decade, the Black homeownership rate has grown less than 1 percentage point, reaching 44% in 2021. This falls significantly behind Hispanic Americans at 50.6%, Asian Americans at 62.8%, and White Americans at 72.7%. NAR’s deputy chief economist and vice president of research, Jessica Lautz, underscores the disproportionate impact on Black buyers. Black homeowners allocate a more significant portion of their income to housing expenses, with 30% being cost-burdened. This is followed by Hispanic Americans at 28%, Asian Americans at 26%, and White Americans at 21%. Over half of Black renters spend over 30% of their income on rent, with nearly 30% classified as severely cost-burdened, spending over 50% of their income on rent. In contrast, 22% of White renters are severely cost-burdened. These affordability challenges extend beyond the cost of homeownership. Black and Hispanic homebuyers also face higher denial rates for mortgage loans. According to Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data, 20% of Black and 15% of Hispanic loan applicants were denied mortgages, compared to 11% of White and 10% of Asian applicants. Black Americans were denied applications for nearly 17% of home purchase loans, 17% of refinancing loans, and a staggering 51% of home improvement loans. “The data paints a stark picture of the American housing market, where the dream of homeownership has become increasingly unattainable, particularly for African Americans,” said Nathaniel Ogilvie, a District of Columbia real estate broker. “We already have so many disparities that keep African Americans from affording homes, so addressing the housing affordability crisis and ensuring equitable access to mortgages is still a pressing issue that must be addressed nationally and must be addressed with Black Americans in mind.” WI @StacyBrownMedia

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THE WASHINGTON INFORMER / WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA OFFICE OF THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Office of Tax and Revenue

NOTICE OF DISCOUNT SALE OF TAX DELINQUENT REAL PROPERTIES Notice is hereby given that all real properties, which were bid back to the District of Columbia during the July 2023 Real Property Tax Sale and were not sold at a subsequent special deed sale and have not been redeemed, will be offered for sale by the Office of Tax and Revenue (“OTR”) to the highest bidder at public auction (“Discount Sale”). The Discount Sale will be conducted pursuant to DC Official Code § 47-1353(b), which permits OTR to sell a real property for less than the total amount of delinquent taxes. The Discount Sale will begin on Tuesday, December 5, 2023, from 8:30 a.m. until 12:00 noon and from 1:00 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. and will continue every day thereafter (legal holidays excepted) at the stated times until all real properties are sold. The sale will occur at OTR located at1101 4th Street, SW, Suites W244 and W250, Washington, DC 20024. The Discount Sale list of tax delinquent real properties may be found on OTR’s website https:// otr.cfo.dc.gov by clicking on “Real Property” and then “Real Property Tax Sale.” All real properties are listed in square, suffix, and lot, or parcel and lot, number order. The name of the owner of record of each real property is stated. The list also states condominium unit and parking space numbers, if available. Certain real properties on this list do not have street numbers or premise addresses; therefore, none can be provided. A real property without a street number is generally stated on

the list as having a “0” as the street address number. The best description of a real property typically is its square, suffix and lot, or parcel and lot, numbers, viewed on a property map (e.g., DC Atlas Plus, found at http://atlasplus. dcgis.dc.gov). Real properties may be removed from this list at the discretion of OTR. At the Discount Sale, the opening bid for each real property will be $300, regardless of the amount of total delinquent taxes owing by the real property. Each real property will be sold to the highest bidder. After successfully foreclosing the right of redemption in the Superior Court, and after having paid all taxes and liabilities becoming liens after December 5, 2023, the successful purchaser will be awarded a tax deed to the respective real property. The real property will be free and clear of all prior taxes owing by the real property to a District taxing agency. The purchaser shall monitor their portfolio for the status of tax payments being made by accessing the purchaser’s log-in view on OTR’s website at www.mytax.dc.gov. A purchaser at the Discount Sale acts at his or her own risk and must exercise due diligence in selecting real properties upon which to bid in good faith. After the Discount Sale, a listing of successful purchasers, the corresponding real property descriptions, the total amounts of taxes owing for which the real properties were sold, and the purchase amounts shall be published on OTR’s website. The purchaser shall monitor tax payment

schedules provided by OTR on its website and shall surrender the certificate of sale to receive a refund if the real property taxes, vault rents, BID taxes, liens certified pursuant to D.C. Code § 47-1340, and fees and charges payable to OTR on account of the real property are paid. A certificate of sale shall be canceled if, inter alia, it is later determined that the delinquent taxes, including accrued interest and penalties, were satisfied before the end of the last day of the Sale. The date of sale of any real property shall be deemed to be the last day of the Sale, regardless of the actual day of the Sale during which the real property was offered and sold. The certificates of sale shall indicate the date of sale as being the last day of the Sale. Purchasers shall have filed Form FR-500, Combined Business Tax Registration Application, prior to registering. This form should be filed online by visiting OTR’s website, www.mytax.dc.gov. A potential purchaser, including a natural person or business entity, who is delinquent in payment of in rem taxes to the District or who has been convicted of a felony involving fraud, deceit, moral turpitude, or anticompetitive behavior, may not bid on real property offered at a sale or otherwise acquire an interest in real property sold. Also, bidders cannot be related to business organizations that are delinquent in the payment of in rem taxes. If it is determined that a bidder is delinquent in in rem taxes after the purchase of a property, the sale may be voided, and monies paid will be forfeited.

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM / THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

Registration for the Sale is mandatory and begins Friday, November 17, 2023, online via www. mytax.dc.gov. Registration continues until the final day of the Sale. Prior to bidding at the Sale, a lien purchaser of real property must have made a deposit of at least 20% of the total purchase price. ALL PAYMENTS MUST BE MADE TO THE D.C. TREASURER BY CASH, CERTIFIED CHECK, CASHIER’S CHECK, POSTAL MONEY ORDER, OR BANK WIRE. Payment of the entire bid amount is due by DECEMBER 12, 2023 (date of conclusion of the sale). If final payment is not timely received, the sale of the real property will be voided. ALL PAYMENTS MUST BE MADE TO THE D.C. TREASURER BY CASH, CERTIFIED CHECK, CASHIER’S CHECK, POSTAL MONEY ORDER, OR BANK WIRE. The Cashier’s Office of the D.C. Treasurer is located at: 1101 4th Street, SW, 1st Floor, Washington, DC 20024. The Cashier’s Office is open Monday through Friday, 8:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Discount Sale procedures are explained in the District of Columbia 2023 Discount Tax Sale Information Guide (FAQ) located at OTR’s website https://otr.cfo.dc.gov under “Real Property” and by clicking on “Real Property Tax Sale.” OTR will conduct two public seminars to explain the tax sale procedures. Potential purchasers are highly encouraged to attend a seminar and review the District of Columbia 2023 Discount Tax Sale Informational Guide (FAQ) available at https:// otr.cfo.dc.gov/page/real-property-

tax-sale. To enroll in a seminar, please register online via www. mytax.dc.gov. The seminars will be held online via Webex platform, on Wednesday, November 15, 2023. The Webex invitation link will be sent to the email you have provided at the time of registration. The first seminar will take place from 9:30 a.m. until 12:00 p.m., and the second from 1:30 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. During each of the two seminars, OTR will generally explain the tax sale process and follow up with a question-and-answer period. The seminars are free, and all are welcome. Enrollment is mandatory for anyone planning to attend one of the seminars. Enrollment will be granted on a first-come/firstserved basis and will continue until all available slots are taken. A person with a communication impairment requiring an interpreter for the Discount Sale shall notify OTR of the need for an interpreter no later than November 28, 2023. If an interpreter is required for the public seminars, OTR shall be notified no later than November 8, 2023. For additional Discount Sale related information please visit https://otr.cfo.dc.gov/ page/real-property-tax-sale. You are also welcome to contact OTR at (202) 727-4TAX (4829), via email at Patricia.Watson@dc.gov, or visit its Customer Service Center at 1101 4th Street, SW, Suite W270, Washington, DC 20024. Keith J. Richardson Deputy Chief Financial Officer Office of Tax and Revenue

NOVEMBER 2 - 8, 2023 19

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africa now

COMPILED BY OSWALD T. BROWN, WI CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Kenya to Become Visa Free to African Visitors

Kenya is to end visa requirements to all African visitors by the end of the year, President William Ruto has said, The BBC reported on Sunday, Oct. 29. "It is time we... realize that having visa restrictions amongst ourselves is working against us," he told an international conference. Visa-free travel within the continent has been a goal of the African Union (AU) 5 Kenya President William Ruto says that by for the past decade. While there are regional deals and bilateral arrangements, progress towards no the end of this year, no African will be required to have a visa to come to KenyaVEMBER 2 restrictions has been slow. (Courtesy Photo) Only Seychelles, The Gambia and Benin offer entry to all African citizens without a visa, according to a 2022 AU-backed report. But according to Africa's Visa Openness Index - which measures the extent to which each country in Africa is open to visitors from other African countries - most countries are making progress towards simplifying entry processes and dropping restrictions to some other nations. In 2022, Kenya was ranked 31st on the index out of 54 states. President Ruto told an audience in Congo-Brazzaville that it was bad for business. "When people cannot travel, businesspeople cannot travel, entrepreneurs cannot travel, we all become net losers,” Ruto said. "Let me say this: As Kenya, by the end of this year, no African will be required to have a visa to come to Kenya," he said to loud cheers from the conference delegates. "Our children from this continent should not be locked in borders in Europe and also be locked in borders in Africa." He was speaking at a summit aimed at protecting some of the world's largest rainforests. The AU launched its African passport in 2016. The idea behind the passport is for all African citizens to be able to travel throughout the continent without visas - but it is still not widely available. This is in part because of concerns about security, smuggling and the impact on the local employment markets. If dropping all visa restrictions is currently a step too far, the Visa Openness Index report recommends a number of other measures. These include lowering fees, making visa on arrival standard for African visitors and implementing a secure e-visa system. WI

caribbean now Mottley Urges Peaceful End to Land Dispute Between Guyana and Venezuela Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley is calling on Venezuela and Guyana to have a peaceful end to their ongoing land dispute. Late last month, it was reported that the Venezuelan National Assembly announced its intention to seize and occupy some two-thirds of the Essequibo Region in a referendum that is scheduled for early December. 5 Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley Barbados Today reported that in a wide-ranging address to the 84th annual speaking at the 84th annual Barbados Labour Barbados Labour Party (BLP) conference on Saturday evening, Oct. 28, Mottley Party (BLP) conference on Saturday evening, called on the two countries to ensure the Caribbean remain a zone of peace, as she Oct. 29. (Courtesy Photo) expressed concern about the uncertainty surrounding future gas price, due to the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine and Israel and Hamas. “Even with oil prices coming down, what do we now have? Last night Gaza looked like a firestorm, and we sit here today not knowing what our future will be like in a few weeks’ time, it could just as easily go right back up. That is why what is required is for us to craft our future responsibly because we do not know where that will be,” said Mottley. “I hope that the rhetoric and the noise between Venezuela and Guayana does not turn our Caribbean into anything that is not a zone of peace because it matters to us that this Caribbean remains a zone of peace,” she said. Mottley said she was aware that the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat had commented on the development between Venezuela and Guyana. However, noting that Barbados had a perspective on the matter, Mottley said: “The average man and woman in this country … must know that what we are facing is not only of our own making, but we are also victims of an international set of circumstances” WI

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER / WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

Heart Disease Doesn't Stand Still. Neither Should We. By Lester Davis Heart health is deeply personal, touching our lives in profound ways, with most of us impacted by cardiovascular disease, either first-hand or through someone we love. The scale of the disease is enormous, and the statistics are alarming. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States for men, women, and people of most racial and ethnic groups. One person dies every 33 seconds in the U.S. from heart disease. In 2021, that accounted for 1 of every 5 deaths. Including healthcare services, medicines, and lost productivity, heart disease costs the U.S. nearly $240 billion annually. Its toll—both in terms of personal and financial costs—is truly staggering. The numbers are even more concerning when considering the disparities within our communities. Black men face a 70% higher risk, and black women have a 50% higher risk of experiencing cardiovascular events. These disparities are not just statistics; they are the stories of our families, friends, and neighbors. They are also the story of my mother. My mother passed away 22 years ago from heart disease at the age of 53. And as each year passes, and I get closer to 53, I can't help but reflect on the importance of heart health. Personal experiences like these highlight the urgency of combating heart disease. It is our shared responsibility to act; to identify and implement innovative solutions that will alter our current trajectory and improve cardiovascular health outcomes for all. Organizations like the American Heart Association (AHA) understand this urgency and are working tirelessly to help people live stronger, healthier lives. For nearly 100 years, the AHA

has been a relentless force advocating for a world where people live longer, healthier lives. The organization has invested more than $5 billion in research, leading to breakthroughs, discovery, translation, and clinical application of more than 47,000 projects. And as the largest not-for-profit healthcare company in the mid-Atlantic region, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (CareFirst) is proud of our longstanding partnership with the AHA. This partnership goes beyond financial support; it involves a commitment from CareFirst employees who actively engage in volunteerism and donations to support the AHA's vital work. The employee engagement aspect of this partnership cannot be overstated. It's a testament to CareFirst's dedication to wellness and its commitment to supporting the AHA's mission. As we emerge from the pandemic, CareFirst employees, like many of us, seek opportunities to reconnect and strengthen bonds. Events like the Heart Walks taking place across our region this Fall promote heart health and provide a platform for communal healing and connection. They are a manifestation of "well care" and a commitment to fostering a culture of wellness that prioritizes every aspect of health—physical, emotional, behavioral, and social. Heart disease may not be entirely preventable, but lifestyle choices

can significantly reduce the risk. The whole health approach embraced by CareFirst and the AHA emphasizes helping individuals make healthier choices by creating accessible options that prioritize well-being. And the partnership between CareFirst and the AHA is not just a momentary collaboration but a longstanding commitment. The fight against heart disease is far from over, especially as our population ages and faces new health challenges in our post-pandemic environment. Our partnerships must continue to evolve. We have to find new, creative and innovative ways to raise funds, increase volunteerism, and enhance awareness.

Heart disease doesn't stand still, and neither should we. As we move forward, let us remember that heart health is not just a matter of statistics; it's literally about life and death. By supporting initiatives like the Heart Walk and embracing a whole health approach, we can empower individuals to make healthier choices and reduce their risk of heart disease. The partnership between CareFirst and the AHA reminds us that, together, we can make a difference, strengthen our communities, and continue to fight the leading cause of death in our country. Lester Davis is Vice President and Chief of Staff for CareFirst BlueCross

BlueShield. He leads the company’s Public Health and Community Health and Social Impact efforts, where he oversees philanthropic giving, community engagement and initiatives that drive forward measurable improvements in community health and health equity. CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield is a local sponsor of the American Heart Association’s 2023 Greater Washington Region Heart Walk. Learn how you can participate in the Greater Washington Region Heart Walk on Saturday, Nov. 4, and join us on our journey to build a healthier community for all at https://www.heart.org/ en/affiliates/washington-dc.

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HEALTH Opioid Commission Hashes Out Settlement Funding Public Strategy and Status of Emergency Still In Debate By Lindiwe Vilakazi WI Health Reporter The D.C. Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission officially held its inaugural meeting to address strategies and resolutions to alleviate the opioid crisis across the city. Despite dedicating hours during the meeting to talk about funding, strategies and more, and then a subsequent Council hearing, the opioid epidemic is still undeclared as a public health emergency. During the Oct. 25 meeting, members deliberated top priorities in the Department of Behavioral Health’s (DBH) Training Institute Room, as their first steps were heavily focused on clarifying budgetary practices while evaluating the success and failures of previous budget allocations to ensure successful solutions moving forward.

Currently, the commission has an estimated $13.9 million to jumpstart immediate efforts in rectifying the opioid crisis. There are various sources of upcoming funding toward services and support for individuals with opioid use disorders (OUD) over fiscal year (FY) 2024. The State Opioid Response (SOR) Grant of $24.9 million is to increase access to medications for OUD. The SAMHSA Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services Block Grant (SUBG) of $1.9 million is to implement activities that will prevent and treat substance use while targeting populations and service areas. Medicaid will provide $18.6 million over FY 2023 in fee-for-service funding, in conjunction with SUD treatment and recovery services. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Overdose Data to

5 The first meeting of the Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission was held on Oct. 25, in the Department of Behavioral Health’s Training Institute Room. (Robert R. Roberts/ The Washington Informer)

22 NOVEMBER 2 - 8, 2023

Action Program (OD2A) of $3.9 million is awarded to DC Health to support surveillance and collecting data on nonfatal and fatal overdoses. Dr. Ayana Bennett, acting director of the Department of Health, echoed the sentiments of various committee members to consciously evaluate the upcoming budget before it is put in place as a means to properly allocate opioid settlement funding this go round. “When we’re talking about spending funds, some of it has to go to things that we are already doing, because we’re already doing a lot. To invest in something, we have to have some sense of what’s worth the money and what’s not, and we have the benefit of having done some of that,” Bennett said. “So it doesn’t make sense to me why we wouldn’t use that benefit to help correct where the funds [will] go.”

EXAMINING CURRENT DATA, STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS OUD

Director of the Department of Behavioral Health Dr. Barbara Bazron, highlighted the need to reassess previous data and popular sentiments that consider the issue most prevalent in Wards 7 and 8, as she said she questions if the information is completely accurate. Bazron suggested working to examine where the most concentrated areas of the opioid epidemic exist to help guide the direction of funding and strategic planning for those residents in need. However, several commission members including Demetrius Jones, community mobilizer for the District of Columbia Prevention Center, disavowed the previous strategies and choices of grant allocation to address opioid issues. He illustrated the grim reality of opioid-addicted residents that persists across the District, alluding that measures taken thus far have proven ineffective. “We have all the best people in America sitting right at this table with years of experience of fighting opioid addiction and substance abuse disorder, and [yet] everybody can raise their hand for failing. For failing me, failing the Washingtonians, and failing your community. Why? Because the evidence is the people who are dy-

5 District of Columbia Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb and Dr. Barbara J. Bazron, director of the Department of Behavioral Health. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

ing outside. The evidence is based around you not being able to do what you are getting paid to do, but then have me out there doing it for free,” Jones expressed. Having saved numerous residents amid opioid overdoses with the saving grace of narcan on hand, Jones continued to share, “I see real results because people are coughing up fentanyl out of their nose and stomach on the spot. The evidence is on the news. The evidence is the people lying in the alleys on top of each other to stay warm. The evidence is the people that are dying who are unhoused in the District. The system that we are in needs to address the real issue that we know exists in the District of Columbia.”

DECLARATION OF A PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY LEFT IN GRIDLOCK

Occuring on the heels of the inaugural Opioid Commission meeting, At-Large D.C. Councilmember Christina Henderson led the Council hearing PR250386 on “The Sense of The Council On The Opioid And Fentanyl Epidemic Resolution of 2023.” This hearing was to assess public witness testimonies and direct examination of District leaders to determine whether the opioid and fentanyl epidemic will be declared a public health emergency within the District of Columbia. The District’s medical examiner's latest overdose report through July

2023 leads commission members to believe that at the current rate, the city is expecting to have over 500 opioid deaths through the remainder of this year. The jarring numbers have encouraged local organizations and drug recovery advocates alike to lay pressure on Mayor Muriel Bowser and her administration to address the opioid crisis with greater urgency. Henderson questioned the efficacy and framework of Bowser’s Live. Long.DC program, detailing that the campaign website lacked updating for months until roughly three weeks ago. “We keep talking about Live. Long.DC as our framework, and yet, I don’t see us actively going to the framework to determine whether or not it’s working,” Henderson said. After a four-hour council hearing, the opioid epidemic remains a static concern with no verbal acknowledgement as a public health emergency by DBH or DC Health officials. “I’m concerned that we have a great opportunity to advance real solutions in the District, and that should be coordinated with all of the other work through District government, [and] it should be connected to the legislation that’s being rolled out by the executive,” Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker told Dr. Bazron during cross-examination. “But it is a little frustrating that this is now the fourth or fifth hearing that we’ve had on opioids, and we can’t even just clearly say that we have a crisis.” WI

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In Your Community

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AARP DC brings together valuable online resources and community programs to help veterans and military families navigate their options in civilian life. We want to hear directly from you about how the programs and services offered by the District to assist Veterans have impacted your life. Sharing your experience will help us advocate for more effective services – and give valuable insights that can help others.

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NOVEMBER 2 - 8, 2023 23

OUR

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WHAT ON (OUR) EARTH IS GOING ON?

October Environmental Roundup: Hands-On Climate Protests, More Federal Money, and More By Kayla Benjamin WI Climate & Environment Writer The tree outside my window has turned gorgeous gold, and I hope you’ve had a chance to enjoy some of the phenomenal fall weather. If you have pics of the changing leaves from

around the DMV – send them my way at kbenjamin@washingtoninformer.com! We may feature them in an upcoming piece. In case you’re wondering if our unusually un-chilly fall has anything to do with climate change-- yes it does! October temperature highs have steadily crept up over time, and

5 Demonstrators with Extinction Rebellion D.C. locked themselves together to delay work at a Washington Gas worksite in northeast D.C. Oct. 26. (Courtesy of Extinction Rebellion D.C.)

are little more than 1 degree Fahrenheit warmer now than they were in 1970, according to analysis from Climate Central. That might not seem like much change, but even that slight warming can mean longer seasons for both mosquitos and allergies. Globally, this year is likely to

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be the hottest ever recorded. Catch up quick on what’s been going on environmentally around D.C. while we’ve been enjoying the last weeks of warm sun.

EXTINCTION REBELLION ACTIVISTS DELAY WORK AT WASHINGTON GAS CONSTRUCTION SITE

Four people with the climate group Extinction Rebellion D.C., which focuses its efforts primarily on civil disobedience demonstrations, locked themselves together and laid down in the center of a Washington Gas construction site Oct. 26. The activists remained locked in for over three hours before police arrived, making five arrests. About 50 activists participated in the protest, according to an Extinction Rebellion spokesperson, holding banners and signs around the site, which was located near Gallaudet University in northeast D.C.. The group is protesting the continuation of Project Pipes, a multi-billion dollar plan to replace all of D.C.’s gas pipes over four decades. The D.C. Public Service Commission first approved the plan in 2014. Climate advocates argue that the project will

keep the District stuck on fossil fuels long after 2045, when the city has pledged to achieve carbon neutrality. Washington Gas recently requested a 20% rate hike for residential consumers, saying that “existing rates are insufficient” for the company to “earn a reasonable rate of return on its investments.” Washington Gas said the replacements are necessary to ensure continued reliability and safety of its pipes. However, public health advocates and researchers note that even when pipes aren’t leaking, burning methane gas inside homes for heating and cooking raises risks for asthma and other respiratory illnesses.

D.C., MD. AND VA. TO RECEIVE OVER $5M IN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE FUNDING

Throughout October, the Biden administration announced more funding for environmental justice work as part of its “Investing in America agenda.” The newest grants, announced Oct. 24, include more than $3 million for projects in Maryland and over $2 million in Virginia. Those projects include, among others: Read more on www.washingtoninformer.com 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.

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D.C. Launches First U.S. Battery Recycling Program to Take All Small Batteries By Kayla Benjamin WI Climate & Environment Reporter If you happen to have a box somewhere full of used-up AAs from kids’ toys, AAAs from the TV remote and a random watch battery or two, now is your time to shine. As of Nov. 1, consumers in the District will be able to drop off home-use batteries of any kind for free at sites around the city, where they’ll be picked up for recycling. It’s the first battery recycling program in the U.S. funded by battery makers that accepts both rechargeable and single-use batteries, said Carin Stuart, a spokesperson with nonprofit Call2Recycle, which is partnering with the D.C. Department of Energy and Environment to launch the initiative. Previously, the organization’s collection sites in the District could only pick up rechargeable batteries. “As batteries get larger, and they're found in more and more devices, the need to safely manage them at end of life rapidly increases,” Stuart, who works as Call2Recycle’s steward relations manager,

said. “Battery recycling creates a circular economy, reduces the need to mine virgin materials— we can process those and reclaim those materials and put them back into new products.” As part of the new program, Stuart said, people can drop off any rechargeable or single-use battery that’s under 11 pounds, or less than 300 watt-hours for lithium-ion batteries. Some need to have tape over the ends or be wrapped in a plastic bag. Car batteries can’t be accepted; neither can e-bike batteries, but many bike shops around the city do have their own drop-offs for those. “The focus is on what you would call a portable battery,” Stuart said. “[It] pretty much covers anything that the consumer is gonna be walking around with, but not riding on or uninstalling.” Battery producer companies pay for the recycling program, as they do in many jurisdictions around the country. Stuart said Call2Recycle currently has 22 partner sites on board across the District, which will host specially lined boxes in which batteries can safely travel to recycling facilities around the country.

Call2Recycle hosts an online map of participating sites where anyone can drop batteries. That can be found at www.call2recycle. org/locator. However, as of Oct. 30, only 10 sites were listed within D.C. borders, and none of them were east of the Anacostia River. D.C. law requires the initiative to include at least 70 sites “with a reasonable geographic spread… across all eight wards, taking into

OUR EARTH

account accessibility to public transit.” The D.C. Council first established the need for a collection and recycling program funded by battery makers nearly three years ago, but used emergency legislation in 2022 to push back the implementation. The same D.C. law that established the recycling program—the Zero Waste Omnibus Amendment Act of 2020—also made it illegal to knowingly throw batteries in the trash. For residents, that part of the law went into effect Aug. 1 of this year. Tossing batteries and having

them end up in landfills creates some serious risks. Lithium batteries, especially large ones, can cause fires. Others, including common alkaline and zinc-carbon batteries, can leach toxic chemicals into soil or groundwater. “The most common issues with battery recycling stem from a lack of general awareness of the proper disposal,” Stuart said. “We're seeing a growing awareness in terms of battery recycling that's crucial to preventing fires and protecting people, property and the environment.” WI

HOLIDAY MAGIC. H I STO R I C STR EET S.

November 17 - January 1 Ice & Lights: The Winter Village at Cameron Run November 18 City of Alexandria Tree Lighting Ceremony November 24 Plaid Friday: Alexandria’s Small Business Black Friday November 25 Small Business Saturday December 2 - 16 “A Christmas Carol” at The Little Theatre of Alexandria December 2 52nd Annual Alexandria Scottish Christmas Walk Parade sponsored by Wegmans

December 2 23rd Annual Alexandria Holiday Boat Parade of Lights sponsored by Amazon December 3 Del Ray Holiday Tree & Menorah Lighting December 9 Christmas Market & Holiday Craft Show at John Carlyle Square December 15 - 16 Christmas Illuminations at Mount Vernon December 31 First Night Alexandria Festivities & Fireworks

For even more holiday events and things to do, check out:

VisitAlexandria.com/Holidays Corporate Partner

5 As of Nov. 1, consumers in the District will be able to drop off home-use batteries of any kind for free at sites around the city, where they’ll be picked up for recycling. (Courtesy Photo/ Heather Kennedy, Flickr)

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NOVEMBER 2 - 8, 2023 25

EDUCATION 3 (Courtesy Photo/ U.S. Department of Education from 2015-2016 school year).

Schools Aren’t Prepared to Handle Racist Bullying By Maya Pottiger Word in Black Breana Calloway stood in front of the Illinois State Senate in March to testify in favor of the Racism Free Schools Act. It passed the Senate unanimously, passed through the House, and was signed into law in August. Calloway, a principal-in-training in Chicago and a former Teach Plus Fellow, worked with her cohort to pass the act, which she said “puts something on the books to protect staff and students from ra-

cial harassment.” The goal was to distinguish racial harassment from bullying, because bullying is something that persists, whereas racial harassment can happen once and still cause the same amount of harm. The program aims to provide training for teachers, because so many “are not prepared to deal with it,” Calloway said. Growing up in predominantly white spaces, this was personal to Calloway. She wanted to make sure that not only was her story being told, but so were the stories

of thousands of students who experience this daily. Now they’re figuring out how to implement it, hold people accountable, and even take it national. “This is something we want to expand upon,” Calloway said.

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“This is something that is super monumental for us here in Illinois, and we’re definitely looking forward to expanding.”

RACIST BULLYING ISN’T GOING ANYWHERE

Bullying isn’t going away. If anything, it’s evolving and becoming more targeted, said Tyler Cook, a second-year eighth-grade math teacher in Philadelphia. “Bullying has become much more intersecting,” he said. “As we’ve adopted more inclusive language and different ways of recognizing the intersections in the world, that also has created more room for violence and harm.” Cook, a Black and queer educator, is open with his students about how he identifies. Fed up with the offensive vernacular he’s heard students use, Cook leads Safe Zone workshops, teaching his students how to address different identities, and be open and mindful of others’ identities. But it only sticks situationally. Even though Cook knows his students respect him, he’s found they are no longer thinking about his identity when they leave his classroom. He’s overheard students say, “This person is a f*****, but I’m not talking about Mr. Cook.” Cook wants students to understand that there aren’t exceptions to derogatory terms. “You’re talking about a community that I am accepted into, a community that I feel a part of,”

Cook explained. “When you say that to one person, you’re saying that to all.” Despite making up only 15% of the public school population, Black students were 35% of those who reported being bullied because of their race, according to a 2018 report by the U.S. Department of Education’s Civil Rights Data Collection. Race-based bullying accounted for nearly a quarter of all bullying reported in the analysis, and it was the top reason Black students were bullied. Cyberbullying is also a huge problem among teens, with 46% of teens ages 13-17 reporting any type of cyberbullying, according to a 2022 Pew Research Center report. Black students, at 40%, were the least likely to report cyberbullying, and 29% said they experienced offensive name-calling. However, data from Boston University’s Wheelock College of Education & Human Development shows that searches for both school bullying and cyberbullying dropped between 30% to 40% during virtual learning in spring 2020. The drop continued through the fall and winter of the 2020-2021 school year, but increased back to pre-pandemic levels, and students returned to in-person schooling. Part of the problem, Cook said, is that the education system “is not quite all the way there,” to support educators, students, and families as they navigate these new spaces. “I don’t see bullying going away anytime soon,” Cook said. “The moral code is played out. We need to update it just like we need to update our laws, our policies.”

THE BURDEN FALLS ON BLACK TEACHERS

Neither Cook nor Calloway,

EDUCATION Page 27

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EDUCATION from Page 26 who spent seven years as a teacher in Chicago, recall any specific training on handling racial harassment or racist bullying. And yet the responsibility of navigating racial harassment and racist bullying incidents are often assigned to Black teachers. “It’s given to you to figure it out,” Calloway said. But it’s not just the students. It also comes from the teachers, Calloway explained. As a Black teacher, Calloway said, the environment can become hostile when you try to speak up. “The burnout, for me, I experienced because I’m constantly speaking out for Black children, their experiences, trying to make it better. And I’m not shielded from that,” Calloway said. “So I’m shielding myself from these experiences, from an administration and other teachers, but also trying to shield the students from that, as well.”

EDUCATION

PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENTS DON’T HELP THE CAUSE

While the Black Lives Matter Movement dominated the news cycle and Gen Z is talked about as being a progressive generation, neither have done much to help eliminate racial harassment or racist bullying. Instead, Cook thinks the movement unintentionally contributed to racism in the classroom. He said focusing attention on any specific identity, social group, or type of oppression definitely brings in allies and advocates, but it also amplifies the voices of the opposition, who say, “I don’t believe in this thing, and I don’t accept it.” “How do you level out ‘we are trying to open these young minds, and we’re trying to adopt this new transformative way of thinking,’” Cook said, “but we still have generations of people who are in these positions of power, who haven’t adopted their mindset?” Racist bullying or racial harassment are an everyday thing for many students. If anything, the bullying gets more

3 (Courtesy Photo/ Pew Research Center) 6 (Courtesy Photo/ U.S. Department of Education from 2015-2016 school year).

discreet and becomes more of a microaggression, Calloway said. Racism doesn’t go away because we say it doesn’t exist, she explained. “A lot of times, when people say that, you’re minimizing the everyday experiences of Black and brown children, specifically in schools that are already harmful to them because they have different ways of teaching,” Calloway noted. “If racism was going away, we wouldn’t need something like the Racism Free Schools Act to protect students from racial harassment and racial bullying.” WI

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NOVEMBER 2 - 8, 2023 27

28 NOVEMBER 2 - 8, 2023

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EDITORIAL

The DMV Cannot Let Metro Fall Off The Fiscal Cliff

For months, WMATA has been sounding the alarm about its own impending financial doom. The pandemic sent ridership plummeting, inflation hit hard and Metro allowed D.C., Maryland and Virginia to reduce their payments temporarily in response to COVID-19. All of that has led to a $750 million budget shortfall that will slam the transit system when federal pandemic funds run out in July 2024—unless contributing jurisdictions step up to provide more funding. Metro has released some of the “doomsday” service cut options the agency might have to take if the gaping hole isn’t fixed. None of them sound pleasant. Metro wait times could skyrocket to 20-30 minutes, and some rail stations could close completely. All but 37 of the busiest Metrobus routes could vanish. In any of the worst-case scenarios, more than 4,000 people could lose their jobs. Our transit agency faces budget issues almost every year, but they’re usually nowhere near this dire. Small fare increases won’t do the trick this time: fares would have to rise to between $20 to $30 per ride to fix the problem, WAMU reported in June. Any fare increase would likely drive away at least some riders, and so will service cuts. The budget issues could lead to a “death spiral,” where a loss in services drives away riders, causing the revenue to shrink further and require even more service cuts. All of this is potentially devastating for our region’s economy and the many people and communities that depend on metro and bus to get around. Even for those who don’t, a collapsing WMATA would cause problems. It would mean more cars on the road if people switch from transit to personal vehicles—traffic would get worse and so would air pollution. Regional leaders need to prioritize getting a deal on the books ASAP. And residents in the DMV—whether they ride the bus, the metro, the streetcar or none of the above—should be pressing them hard to make sure it gets done. WI

TO THE EDITOR

How Do We Prioritize Joy in Our Lives? With guests dressed to the nines in 1920s and 30s regalia– including sequins, fringe, pearls, suspend-

ers and tuxedos– people celebrated prioritizing mental health and choosing joy at the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation’s “Bobo’s Joy Joint,” on Monday, Oct. 30. Held at Planet Word in Northwest D.C., founder Taraji P. Henson and executive director Tracie Jade emphasized the importance of choosing joy as a mental health benefit. “We’re just raising awareness around mental wellness through joy. It doesn’t always have to be a scary undertaking. It’s literally choosing to be there for yourself, to love on yourself, to take care of yourself, to listen to yourself,” said the organization’s founder, an Academy Award nominated actress and D.C. native. Joy– and spreading joy– has been a major component of the foundation’s programming throughout October. “Bobo’s Joy Joint is a milestone celebration for an initiative called Joy Joints, that we’ve been running the whole month of October to celebrate a little bit of joy in your life each day. So we have people all over the world who are participating. Just a little bit of joy goes a long way,” said Tracie Jade. In an event that transported attendees back a century, the shindig celebrated prioritizing one’s happiness and mental health, encouraged being intentional about choosing joy (even despite difficult times), and spreading that joy with others. It was a beautiful sight to see so many people connecting over the common thread of joy. Folks who had never met were cutting a rug on the dance floor together, taking photos and letting “the good times roll,” on a Monday evening– a work and school night. The guests were intentional about choosing joy in their lives, and that joy was clear and contagious. Even the security guards were smiling and enjoying witnessing the guests fully dive into their joy. “I cultivate joy by spreading joy. The more you spread, the more it grows, the more it comes back to you,” Tracie Jade said. Life will always life. Bills must be paid, babies must be fed and other responsibilities will rise throughout the course of life’s ups and downs. To add to personal trials are the world’s challenges– from wars, like between Ukraine and Russia and Israel and Hamas, to mass shootings such as the recent one in a Lewiston, Maine bowling alley where 18 people were tragically killed and 13 others wounded. However, even in what might feel like the lowest of low times, we must choose just a bit of joy in our lives daily. That intentionality will allow for joy to be a priority in your life, and help you see the sun even in the rain. Not only will you be doing yourself (and mental health) a favor, but choosing joy in your life, will also empower you to spread joy with others. WI

I loved the picture of the family riding their bikes on last week’s cover by photographer Robert R. Roberts. How precious it is that they will have that moment captured in time forever. Keep up the good work!

Every month, I am more and more impressed with the WI Bridge. It’s an outstanding paper with awesome, creative photography and great stories about the younger folks. More people should know about the Bridge if you ask me.

Marvette Wiley Washington, D.C.

Timothy F. Barnes Landover, Md.

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. NOVEMBER 2 - 8, 2023 29

OPINIONS/EDITORIALS Guest Columnist

Al Wynn

'Right to Repair' Movement Could Risk Patient Care for Disadvantaged Communities

In state legislatures across the country the "right to repair" movement is gaining momentum. Thirty-three states and Puerto Rico considered right to repair legislation during the 2023 legislative session. And while this might be a good idea for some products, policymakers should oppose any attempts to weaken regulated safety requirements for repair-

ing life-saving and life-enhancing medical devices. Patient safety is too great a risk. In theory, expanding repair options might seem like a good idea. It is the democratization of product repair. And certainly, there are many industries in which this is the right path forward. In fact, advocates for this movement notched a symbolic win in California after tech giant Apple unexpectedly supported a bill that would require electronics companies to provide more access to the

parts and instructions to fix their products. What the right to repair movement ignores though is that not all product classes are created equal. And a one-size-fits-all solution is not a real solution, especially when it comes to regulated products like medical devices. Medical devices are an important part of the health care services industry. Every single person has been helped by a medical device — whether it's an EKG machine, a defibrillator, dialysis pump, X-ray

Guest Columnist

machine, or any of the other more than 24,000 devices that medical professionals use every day. Now imagine if that device didn't work. It is this risk that should give policymakers considering these right to repair laws pause. Given the influence medical devices have on public welfare, do we really want to introduce more risk? Risk that could impact functionality? During my time in the House of Representatives, I served on the Subcommittee on Health whose

jurisdiction included oversight over the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the agency in charge of the effective regulation of these devices to guarantee their quality and safety. I know firsthand the diversity and sophisticated nature of these products. By granting broad, open access by repair shops unregulated by the FDA, we could be undermining device integrity maintained by the whole regulatory system.

WYNN Page 53

Marian Wright Edelman

Early Steps Forward

Fifty years after Children's Defense Fund (CDF) was founded, some of CDF's marks of impact go all the way back to the beginning — including CDF's first report, "Children Out of School in America." The report built on a Massachusetts task force's local research on children who were not enrolled in school in Boston. CDF staff examined official federal and

state data, and from that analysis determined there were two million children nationwide who were out of school for at least three months, including 750,000 children between 7-13 years old. But there was no clear information on who these children were and why they were at home. To learn more, CDF staff knocked on 8,500 doors in 30 census tracts in nine states to find families whose children were not in school and ask them why not. One of the colleagues knocking on doors was a young lawyer

named Hillary Rodham, later first lady, Sen. and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. Another was MaryLee Allen, who went on to anchor CDF's policy work for more than 40 years, while the data analysis and follow-up survey were designed by longtime CDF director of research Paul Smith. CDF learned that a large number of the 7- to 13-year-olds who were at home were children with physical, emotional, or learning disabilities. Another large group were children who had been pushed out by dis-

Guest Columnist

cipline policies and never returned to school. In Holyoke, Massachusetts, we found children who had recently moved from Puerto Rico staying home when it got cold because they had no winter coats. In a rural Maine community, we found children who couldn't afford the local school district's transportation fees and were unaware that the state would reimburse the local district for transportation costs. In other states like Kentucky the key barriers were book fees. In Children Out of School in America,

CDF summed up the many documented problems and the eventual conclusion: "If a child was not White, or was White but not middle class, did not speak English, was poor, needed special help with seeing, hearing, walking, reading, learning, adjusting, growing up, was pregnant or married at age 15, was not 'smart enough' or was 'too smart,' then, in too many places, school officials decided school was

One small act of leadership and bipartisanship triggered a motion to remove McCarthy. Hard-right Republicans turned on McCarthy just as they had turned on Paul Ryan and John Boehner. Former Speaker Boehner was previously threatened with a motion to vacate but escaped the removal process. Johnson was the party's fourth nominee to replace the ousted McCarthy. The previous nominees, House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, Rep. Jim Jordan and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise,

failed to unite a dysfunctional Republican caucus. The Republicans went as far as to blame the Democrats for failing to throw McCarthy a lifeline to save his job. While the predictions of a Republican red wave never materialized in the 2022 midterm election, the GOP still flipped the House, resulting in a small majority. Despite becoming the majority party in control, Republicans continue to show they remain the "party of

EDELMAN Page 53

David W. Marshall

A Divided House Cannot Stand

After three weeks of chaos, the Republicans got their man. In a party-line vote, Republican Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana was finally elected speaker of the House, with Johnson receiving the votes of all 220 Republicans who cast a ballot while all 209 Democrats present voted for Hakeem Jeffries. During his first speech as the

30 NOVEMBER 2 - 8, 2023

56th speaker of the House, Johnson vowed to "rebuild and restore" the trust of the American people, which he acknowledged had been damaged by the turmoil of recent weeks. "We want our allies around the world to know that this body of lawmakers is reporting again to our duty stations. Let the enemies of freedom around the world hear us loud and clear: The People's House is back in business." As the American people listen to Johnson and all factions making up the House Republican caucus,

it is obvious that the internal enemies to America's freedom and democracy are a greater threat than those from around the world. As the House members report back to duty, it is not simply a House divided between Democrats and Republicans, but Republicans versus Republicans. The negotiations and compromises by former Speaker Kevin McCarthy resulted in a bipartisan temporary funding bill, which ultimately passed with more Democratic than Republican votes.

MARSHALL Page 53

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OPINIONS/EDITORIALS Guest Columnist

Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq. (Ret.)

World Conference of Mayors Goes to Canada

The World Conference of Mayors, led by Mayor Johnny Ford of Tuskegee, Alabama, visited with the Honorable Allister is a member of the board of directors of the World Conference of Mayors. Allister Coward is also the executive director and leader of the National Policy Alliance Canada held the first Underground Railroad bus tour in Canada. Participants at-

tended from many places around the world. Mayor Ford played a major role from the United States, along with others. This historic event the first National Policy Alliance Canada US Underground Railroad bus tour to the North Buxton Museum in Buxton, Ontario, saw Ford warmly greeted by the Honorable Mayor Darrin Canniff of the Chatham Kent County of Ontario. In our own studies here in the United States, we remember the significance of Harriet Tubman and others leaving their enslave-

ment in the United States and going to Canada — a nation that welcomed our brothers and sisters to Canada where many of them became active and productive citizens of that country. They went from enslavement to freedom by crossing the border between the U.S. and Canada. As Mayor Ford who is from Tuskegee, Alabama, and an expert on the work of Dr. Booker T. Washington, said, "In the spirit of Dr. Booker T. Washington, there they cast down their buckets and made Canada their home." Further, Mayor Ford said,

Guest Columnist

"In Canada, we not only feel at home in Canada, but we also found other family here." The FutureBizNow Conference is a leading event that explores the convergence of technology and business. With a focus on innovation and growth, the conference gathered thought leaders, entrepreneurs, educators, and visionaries to inspire and drive progress in the digital age. A highlight of the event in Milton, Ontario, Canada, was the fact that Mayor Ford participated and was accompanied by a notable VIP delega-

tion that included former Mayor Darryl Johnson of Mound Bayou, Mississippi, who made headlines when he unveiled the Emmett Till movie exhibition in the recently opened Mound Bayou, Mississippi, African American Museum, commemorating a pivotal chapter in the civil rights movement. Joining them was Rev. Dr. Al Sampson of Chicago, who holds the unique distinction of being the only living person ordained by the Honorable Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

WILLIAMS Page 54

Marc H. Morial

Americans Overwhelmingly Support Corporate Diversity Initiatives

"Diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance." —Verna Myers, vice president of inclusion strategy at Netflix In the unfolding aftermath of the Supreme Court's pivotal decision on affirmative action, our country stands at a crossroads. It's a juncture where the corporate

world has the power, and I'd argue, the responsibility, to reshape our understanding of diversity and inclusion in the modern age. And while the road map may not be as clear-cut as before, the destination remains unequivocal: an America where every individual, regardless of their background, has an equal shot at success. For decades, affirmative action has been a tool employed to address historic and systemic inequities. However, with the Supreme Court's new stance, corporations

must be more intentional and innovative about fostering diversity. First and foremost, it's essential for corporations to understand that diversity is more than a moral or ethical obligation — it's a business imperative. Second, national polling done by U.S. Harris Poll revealed that 81% of Americans overwhelmingly support corporate diversity initiatives. At the National Urban League's Whitney M. Young Leadership Development Conference in New York, the Black Economic Alli-

Guest Columnist

ance Foundation presented their research to our affiliate CEOs and staff, detailing how companies can best navigate corporate diversity after the Supreme Court's decision. Their presentation suggested what we've known all along — that corporate diversity is beneficial to the overall culture, profitability, talent recruitment and retention efforts of an organization. However, there are instances where corporations have seen the fallout behind implementing DEI initiatives due to emboldened

objectors against the change. For example, the American Alliance for Equal Rights (AAER) filed a lawsuit against Fearless Fund, an Atlanta-based venture capital firm run by two Black women, alleging that the fund was engaging in racial discrimination by running a grant program exclusively for early-stage companies owned by Black women. Earlier this year, America First Legal filed complaints against Kellogg's, Nordstrom, and Activision

mary heating fuel. Two-thirds of the greenhouse gas coming from buildings comes from heating spaces and water. The good news in Maryland is that half of homes will have zero-nitrogen oxide heating by 2030. The challenge is where those homes will be. "The homes that use heat pumps tend to be in wealthier communities," Stix noted. But buildings in low- and moderate-income neighborhoods tend to have less weatherization and less efficient

appliances, so they consume more energy and pollute more, he said. Federal incentives in the historic clean energy and jobs package approved by President Biden and Congress last year give homeowners and landlords the chance to switch to electric powered heating. "As we electrify buildings, we have to do it in an equitable way," Stix said. "Community advocates in various parts of Maryland are testing air in homes to show the

MORIAL Page 54

Ben Jealous

Just Like in the (Horror) Movies

The plot twist in the horror movies we love to watch at this time of year (including 1978's "Halloween") is used so often it's no longer surprising — the danger is inside the house, not coming from outside. It plays off the idea that we consider our homes to be the safest place we can be, that we can lock

out what's harmful. But when it comes to air pollution from burning fossil fuels, the horror movies have it right — the damage is done inside buildings and gets pumped outdoors. The outcome can be just as deadly. The Green and Healthy Homes Initiative in Maryland estimated that burning fossil fuels in heaters, furnaces, boilers, and water heaters results in 163 premature deaths in a year as nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide and dioxide, and fine particles of

pollutants that escape from homes and buildings. The pollution leads to 3,500 cases of respiratory issues, asthma, and costs the state 6,500 lost work days and $1.3 billion in public health spending. "The utilities have positioned gas as a clean burning fuel. It's not," said Christopher Stix, who volunteers with one of more than 100 Maryland organizations working on the air pollution coming from homes. Across the country, half of our homes rely on gas as their pri-

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JEALOUS Page 54 NOVEMBER 2 - 8, 2023 31

LIFESTYLE WASHINGTON INFORMER'S

Things To Do, DMV! Washington, DC, 20566

By Ra-Jah Kelly WI Contributing Writer Check out a handful of the many events happening in the DMV this weekend. To keep up with all the fun, don’t forget to check out the Washington Informer Calendar. Keep your outlook vibrant and remember, there’s always something happening in the DMV to keep your spirit-- and social life-- lit.

THURSDAY, NOV. 2

America's Voices Against Apartheid Time: 10:00 a.m. | Free The Kennedy Center, 2700 F St., NW

“America's Voices Against Apartheid,” explores the contributions of U.S. citizens to the international movement that dismantled apartheid in South Africa. Presented with The Howard University Republic of South Africa Project and Sister States of Maryland the exhibit in the Hall of Nations features Harry Belafonte, Arthur Ashe, Steven Van Zandt, and Debbie Allen, “alongside ordinary American citizens and organizations that courageously challenged both the South African apartheid regime and their own government's "constructive engagement" with discrimination.”

5 America's Voices Against Apartheid

FRIDAY, NOV. 3

GIMS at Karma Time: 7:00 p.m. | $75+ Karma DC, 2221 Adams Place, Washington, DC 20018 Gandhi Djuna, popularly known as GIMS, is a distinguished French rapper, songwriter, and producer, as well as the son of singer Djuna Djanana. Throughout his career, GIMS has garnered eight gold, six platinum, and three diamond discs, on the European charts as well as numerous other international accolades. Join him on the first stop of his world tour. A Conversation and Master Class with Grandmaster Flash Time: 7:30 p.m. | $30+ The Kennedy Center, 2700 F St., NW, Washington, DC, 20566

The iconic musical epic as you’ve never experienced it before Starring

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BOBBY SMITH

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OCTOBER 24 – JANUARY 7 SigTheatre.org | 703 820 9771

32 NOVEMBER 2 - 8, 2023

In honor of hip hop's 50th anniversary, The Kennedy Center presents an exclusive master class and discussion with Grandmaster Flash. Grandmaster Flash, acclaimed for pioneering turntable artistry, introduced the "Quick Mix Theory," laying the groundwork for turntable techniques like "scratching." Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five released seminal tracks like "The Message," spotlighting community issues. DJ and producer J.Period will moderate the event.

SATURDAY, NOV. 4

15th Annual Black People's March on the White House Time: 11:00 a.m. | Free Malcolm X Park, 2400 15th St NW, Washington, DC 20008 The Black is Back Coalition for Social Justice, Peace and Reparations’ is hosting its 15th Annual “Black People’s March.” The organizers are calling for “African, Indigenous, Mexican, Filipino, Cuban, Venezuelan and other oppressed peoples of the world to stand together with Palestine in a united front against colonialism, our common enemy.” However you feel about the conflict in the middle east you can make your voice heard while enjoying a day at the park and a nice walk. Dancing with the Scholars XIII Time: 7:00 p.m. | Free with Ticket THEARC, 1901 Mississippi Ave SE, Washington, DC, 20020 Join four high school students as they team up with past and current elected officials in a dance-off inspired by "Dancing with the Stars." Hosted by The William O. Lockridge Community Foundation (WOLCF), the thirteenth annual fundraiser champions higher education for students in Wards 7 and 8, providing scholarships, emergency funds, and global travel opportunities. Show up, cheer on, and support a worthy educational cause!

SUNDAY, NOV 5

Girls Rock! DC Skate Party! Time: 12:30 p.m. | $10 Kraken, 514 Rhode Island Ave NE, Washington, DC, 20002 Join Girls Rock! DC (GR!DC) for a family-friendly skate fundraiser at Kraken. Enjoy snacks and special drinks, with ticket proceeds and $1 from selected beverages benefiting GR!DC. The organization champions inclusivity, focusing on girls and non-binary youth, particularly Black and Brown individuals. Their mission is to cultivate leadership, self-expression, and social change through creative teamwork and community empowerment. Bank of America's Museums on Us at The Phillips Collection Time: 11:00 a.m. | Free with Bank of America Card The Phillips Collection 1600 21st St. NW, Washington, DC, 20009 Bank of America, Merrill, and Bank of America Private Bank cardholders get free access to "African Modernism in America, 1947-67" at The Phillips Collection, usually $20 for adults. The exhibit, showcasing over 70 pieces by 50 artists like David Driskell and Jacob Lawrence, delves into postwar ties between modern African artists and their American counterparts and sponsors. WI

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LIFESTYLE

Life is at The Heart of 'Only Time,' New Music from Mark G. Meadows Brenda C. Siler WI Contributing Writer

Mark G. Meadows is consistently busy at a lightning pace– that’s good for him, and us, as he juggles multiple projects as a pianist, vocalist, composer, producer, arranger, and band leader. “Only Time” is the latest album from Meadows and his group, The Movement, where new compositions and arrangements of hits by other artists take listeners on a spirit journey with Meadows. During the pandemic, Meadows felt like most folks. In addition to the new album, other opportunities began to come his way. “People felt like they had to experience everything,” said the multi-talented Meadows. “Not frivolously, but I owed it to myself to take a serious look.”

UNWRAPPING “ONLY TIME”

Honoring new roles as parents, Meadows composed “Happy Mother’s Day,” recognizing what

10th Anniversary

his wife does for their baby son. The lyrics affirm he will be an involved, committed husband and father. The song ends with a baby’s babble, assumingly his son.

HIP HOP TO HEALTH

TAKING THE JOURNEY

“Only Time,” the title cut, has Meadows in his strongest vocal position. These lyrics are a story of a relationship stuck in a back-andforth cycle, leading to exasperation. The hope is that only time will heal this relationship. Meadows has produced an album that you will want to stay with. There are easy-tempo tunes and a few up-tempo songs like “LITT (Love is the Treatment), with vocals and spoken word performed by Kristian Castro. Listening to “Only Time” will make you feel good. Stay on top of works from Mark G. Meadows including “Only Time” at markgmeadows.com. Read more on washingtoninformer.com. WI @bcscomm

Step to the Beat of Quality, Affordable Health Insurance

THE BOWSER ADMINISTRATION

invites you to Open Enrollment Community Day Kick-off & Health Fair SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2023 11:00 AM – 3:30 PM

MLK Jr. MEMORIAL LIBRARY 901 G Street, NW Onsite enrollment, FREE health screenings, local entertainment, healthy cooking and wellness demos, Hip Hop freestyle dance exercise, children activities, giveaways and more Refreshments by Ben’s Chili Bowl

Celebrating... 10th Anniversary of DC Health Link 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop and its impact on the health and well-being of families and communities

OPEN ENROLLMENT PERIOD November 1 - January 31

5 “Only Time” is the new album from multi-talented musician Mark G. Meadows. (Photo courtesy/Grant Langford)

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NOVEMBER 2 - 8, 2023 33

LIFESTYLE

Kennedy Center Exhibit Showcases U.S. Support for South Africa in Apartheid Era By Eden Harris WI Contributing Writer An exhibition paying tribute to Americans who protested apartheid is being curated at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in partnership with Howard University's Republic of South Africa Project and Sister States of Maryland. The exhibit dubbed "America's Voices Against Apartheid" has been displayed in the Hall of Nations since Sept. 14, with its run

expected to end Nov.5. "This exhibition is not only a celebration of our shared history but also a testament to our renewed commitment to mutual engagement and cooperation, extending to the broader African continent," said Jean Bailey, project director and co-curator, in a news release. Bailey, who is also a graduate professor and chair of the Howard University Republic of South Africa Project, told the Informer that this exhibit was "especially meaningful to [her]

because [she] was a product of the segregated South." Like others, she said, she didn't think segregation would end in the South, nor did she think it would end in South Africa. "Fast forward 20 years later, I still never thought we would be able to see a peaceful transition for South Africa, but it finally happened," she said.

SOUTH AFRICA AND THE U.S., THE KENNEDY CENTER

Doctors heal your illnesses, musicians heal your soul.

Join us at the Music Center at Strathmore this November to see Music Director Jonathon Heyward in action!

The Kennedy Center and South Africa have a long-standing relationship, said Alicia Adams, co-curator and vice president of international programming. “[The relationship] began with the African Odyssey festival in the late '90s and continues through our World Stages programming and international festivals," said Adams. According to the U.S. State Department, "The United States and South Africa share vibrant educational and people-to-people ties, significant economic and political interests, as well as common development objectives throughout Africa." One tie is attorney Gay J. McDougall, an African-American woman who dedicated her professional life to tackling global human rights issues and racial discrimination. On Apr. 27, 1994, McDougall

stood beside Nelson Mandela, an anti-apartheid activist and South Africa’s first president from 1994 to 1999, as he voted for the first time in the country’s Democratic election. The moment was monumental for the country and Mandela following a 27-year imprisonment for his anti-apartheid endeavors. The exhibits at the Kennedy Center's Hall of Nations show a "timeline of American and South African cross-cultural moments." For example, in 1986, Congress passed the Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act in the United States, overriding President Ronald Reagan's veto. This act authorized a complete withdrawal of U.S. financial support and implementation of sanctions against the South African govern-

APARTHEID Page 36

- JONATHON HEYWARD

JOIN US AT THE MUSIC CENTER AT STRATHMORE THIS NOVEMBER TO SEE MUSIC DIRECTOR JONATHON HEYWARD IN ACTION!

EMANUEL AX PLAYS BRAHMS SAT, NOV 18, 8 PM STRATHMORE The renowned pianist plays Brahms' First Concerto, while the Orchestra dazzles audiences with Beethoven and a contemporary work by Unsuk Chin. Supporting sponsor:

STRAVINSKY'S THE FIREBIRD

Emanuel Ax

THU, NOV 30, 8 PM STRATHMORE Violinist Simone Lamsma joins the BSO to showcase her “absolutely stunning” (Chicago Tribune) talents in Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto, and the Orchestra presents a thrilling performance of Stravinsky's supernatural masterpiece, The Firebird. The appearance of Simone Lamsma is generously provided by the Peggy & Yale Gordon Young Artist Fund.

TICKET START AT JUST $19! GET YOURS TODAY AT BSOMUSIC.ORG THE MUSIC CENTER AT STRATHMORE | 877.276.1444

Just minutes away on the DC Metro Red Line at the Grosvenor-Strathmore Station! The BSO is proud to offer the Kids Listen Free program! For all Classical and Pops concerts, children ages 7-17 may attend free with the purchase of an adult ticket. Reservations need to be made in advance, by phone or in person. Kids Listen Free is generously underwritten by Sarellen and Marshall A. Levine, M.D.

34 NOVEMBER 2 - 8, 2023

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National Gallery of Art Exhibit Shows Black People from Slavery to Self-Determination

Examining the Past through Photography to understand the Present By Andrew S. Jacobson WI Contributing Writer A photograph holds the power to capture a single moment, but its influence can echo through the centuries. The recently acquired Ross J. Kelbaugh Collection at the National Gallery of Art stands as testament to this, offering a profound look at African-American lives from the 1840s through the early 20th century. This extensive collection not only immortalizes the strides, struggles, and triumphs of African-Americans, but invites comparison to contemporary practices while providing an introspective lens into evolving societal values. During the Civil War, an unknown African-American soldier bravely chose to pay extra to have a photographer highlight, with glistening gold, his knife and revolver — items he had once been prohibited from possessing. Fast forward to today, when "flexing" — the act of flaunting wealth or material possessions — has become a rampant social media trend. Another powerful photograph from the collection presents two men, one Black and one white, with their hands interlocked. While its original intent might be unknown, it resonated with the abolitionist call: "Am I not a Man and a Brother?" Decades later, Harry Belafonte's Hands Across America initiative in the mid-1980s would echo this sentiment, symbolizing unity and breaking racial barriers. With political rifts deepening, the burden to find unity weighs heavily on American hearts and minds. Can we bridge this divide as a community, or as a nation? In another segment of the collection, African-Americans stand with books, a potent symbol of defiance and thirst for knowledge in a time when literacy was denied to them. Images of African-American women attending to white children

5 “Portrait of a Soldier,” (c. 1863) as part of the National Gallery of Art’s Ross J. Kelbaugh Collection. (Courtesy Photo)

depict the uncomfortable realities of a past where they couldn’t form stable family units. Yet, there are uplifting moments as well: photos showing prosperous African-American mothers with their own children, staging the young subjects as if they are en route to school, reclaiming narratives and reshaping perspectives. Perhaps the most significant takeaway from the Kelbaugh Collection lies in its overall message of resilience and pride. From photographs by pioneering Black photographers like James Presley Ball and Augustus Washington, to portraits of luminaries like Frederick Douglass, the collection underscores that every individual, known or unknown, played a part in shaping America's tapestry. Ross Kelbaugh, the custodian of the work behind this remarkable collection, started amassing these photographs in the 1970s. As a young social studies teacher, Kelbaugh believed in the power of these images to foster learning. For his diverse classroom in Baltimore, the photos served as tangible proof that every American, regardless of race, contributes to the nation's narrative. Read more on www.washingtoninformer.com WI

LIFESTYLE

Honoring the Past, While Looking Forward to the Future Submitted by Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum As the Anacostia Community Museum closes out another incredible year, there is excitement as we reflect back on the changes of the past few months and are enlivened by what these events will mean for the future of the Anacostia community. In April 2023, the Center for Environmental Justice was launched as decades of intersectional environmental, humanities, and social justice work was formalized into a strategic vision for engagement. In August, the CEJ welcomed it’s founding Director, Lisa McClure, and within a few weeks Lisa had already experienced a large part of what makes the CEJ so unique, the Women’s Environmental Leadership Summit. September saw the return of the first in-person Women’s Environmental Leadership Summit since the pandemic, and the sessions were alive with energy. This event focuses on authentic connection between women across the environmental justice field, highlighting the work of passionate, everyday women in the fight to bring awareness and equity to communities across the nation and across the globe. The Summit was a chance for women to share and connect, discussing how the fabric of communities is woven by women, using threads of faith, leadership, action, environmentalism, and the arts. This year, the WEL Summit did even more to engage community leaders from across the world and to share community stories that united and excited all. The Center for Environmental Justice will grow this excitement as it expands the outreach of this network. The Environmental Justice Academy will be back for it’s second year, looking to engage more students and build the next generation of female and non-binary leaders of color. The WEL Summit will continue to honor the work of the past and tell the stories of the women who have cultures and communities that are tied to the land and the shaping of today’s environment, while also highlighting the stories of our contemporaries both within the United States and abroad. The Center for Environmental Justice is excited to move forward in continuing to tell the story of communities in action for clean and safe environments.

Participants at the 2023 Women's Environmental Leadership Summit. Photos: Juan Carlos Briceno for the Anacostia Community Museum

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NOVEMBER 2 - 8, 2023 35

LIFESTYLE

Claudia Jones School for Political Education Hosts Saturday School: The Socialist Movement By:Milaka Saddler WI Contributing Writer On Oct. 21, the Claudia Jones School for Political Education hosted its monthly educational program, “Saturday School: The Socialist Movement,” at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library. Featuring community activists, such as the program’s leader, Communist Party USA (CPU) co-chair Joe Sims, the event allowed attendees to discuss the increased in-

terest in socialism among the youth, continued struggles of the working class faces, the MAGA movement, and more. Monthly Saturday School encourages individuals from all backgrounds to take part in the inclusive discussion about the state of our community.

ARE WE IN A SOCIALIST MOMENT?

On the third Saturday of October, 30 minutes past noon, attendees of all

ages and backgrounds shuffled into room 401-E at Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library. The discussion began with CPU co-chair Joe Sims, begging the question “Are we in a socialist moment?” But before breaking the attendees up into groups to discuss the question, he wanted to make sure the room understood the meaning of socialism. “A free college education,” proclaimed one attendee, “the right to health care,” called out another. “Housing access” exclaimed another person, before the attendees broke into

By William Shakespeare | Directed by Tamilla Woodard

groups to answer the main question. “I don’t think we are in a socialist moment right now. People are focused on more pressing issues like the Bonga movement and the threat of fascism” shared Aaron, a local American University college student. Other group members shared a similar sentiment, pointing out that the average working-class citizen focuses on more pressing matters, such as simply surviving day-to-day life.

LACK OF SUPPORT FROM POLITICAL PARTIES FOR THE WORKING CLASS

The discussion continued and Sims brought attendees back to the examples of what socialism is, what it isn’t, and what opposing or confused parties politically label it to be. “I hate the term ‘identity politics.’ What they call ‘identity,’ we call human rights.” Sims continued to discuss the Democratic party and Republican party, pointing out similar interests

and sentiments both parties have on particular issues. He suggested people look beyond parties to observe the bigger political picture. One example he offered was thinking critically about President Joe Biden’s decision to block U.S. railroad strikes in December of 2022, for example. Despite Biden being supportive of organized labor, Sims explained, this decision wasn’t very reflective of it. Some of the attendees questioned if the Democratic party is failing to protect its workers. The Claudia Jones Political School offers a sounding board for attendees to ask questions and voice frustrations. “The failure of the democratic party is why we are dealing with certain issues now,” Kyann , a Claudia Jones Political School Staff Member, expressed. Further demonstrating the frustration of the youth and their call for change. To learn more about the Claudia Jones School of Political Journalism you can visit their website: https:// claudiajonesschool.org/ or their Instagram @claudiajonesschool. WI

5 Attendees of the monthly “Saturday School: The Socialist Movement,” hosted by the Communist Party USA at Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library on Oct. 21. (Milaka Saddler/The Washington Informer)

APARTHEID from Page 34

Ticket s start a t

NOW ON STAGE THRU DECEMBER 17! $20 AT THE HISTORIC FOLGER THEATRE

Buy tickets at folger.edu/winter or call 202.544.7077 36 NOVEMBER 2 - 8, 2023

ment. The exhibit weighs in on the moment. “A mass resistance to apartheid escalates across South Africa and is met by increased state repression. Pass laws are repealed," the exhibit displays. During apartheid, artists played a major role in speaking out against the racist rules. The exhibit shows musical artists like Zenzile Miriam Makeba, affectionately known as Mama Africa, who used her voice to speak out against apartheid in

front of a leading world organization.

THE TIE BETWEEN AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURE AND AFRICA

Bailey emphasized that “continued mutual engagement,” with African Americans and African cultural diplomacy is key– particularly when considering a national arts organization such as the Kennedy Center. Read more on www.washingtoninformer.com WI

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We Want Your Feedback on Proposed Changes at Capitol Heights Station Proposed changes to accommodate future joint development include:  Relocating Bus Loop  Reducing Kiss & Ride spaces  Eliminating the Park & Ride lot

There are two ways you can provide feedback: Share your feedback online by 9 a.m., November 20, 2023. Submit comments at wmata.com/plansandprojects

Participate in the Open house and Public hearing, in-person, by phone, or online. Wednesday, November 8, 2023 Open House: 6:30 p.m. Public Hearing: 7 p.m.

Capitol Heights Elementary School 601 Suffolk Ave Capitol Heights, MD

For more information, please visit the project website or call us. Learn more wmata.com

@wmata 202-637-7000

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NOVEMBER 2 - 8, 2023 37

LIFESTYLE

Christian Roberts Foundation Hosts Inaugural Sneaker Ball

Event Honors Parents Who Lost Their Children to Gun Violence By Micha Green WI Managing Editor

Alex Logaiski

Peter-Frank-Edwards

Black tie intersected athletic fashion on Saturday, Oct. 21 at the Christian Roberts Foundation Sneaker Ball at the Hyatt Regency in Crystal City, Virginia. The inaugural gala was an event to raise awareness about combating gun

violence, a fundraiser for efforts such as sneaker donations and scholarships, and a celebration of strength and resilience even in the face of grief and despair. The foundation’s namesake, Christian Roberts, a son, brother, uncle, boyfriend, basketball player and do-gooder, was killed along with his friend Jordan Rad-

RANKY TANKY WITH VERY SPECIAL GUEST MS. LISA FISCHER Tomorrow! Fri, Nov 3 Music from the Gullah tradition

STRATHMORE.ORG | 301.581.5100 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda, MD

38 NOVEMBER 2 - 8, 2023

way in January 2019. The young student-athlete was not only dedicated to basketball and his family, but to helping others, such as the unhoused. “I just want to give back,” the young man said in a video from a donation drive he hosted years ago, which was played at the ball. Christian, who died at age 24, loved to provide one of his favorite fashions– sneakers. His parents, Donald and Wanda Roberts, are continuing his legacy. “The foundation is all about supporting Christian’s vision in reaching out to the community, and that’s what he was about– reaching out to the community, giving back to the community and community-centric,” Donald Roberts, Christian’s father, told the Informer. Wanda Roberts, a mother and now grandmother, said her youngest son, “had a love for sneakers and a love for people.” “The purpose of being here this evening is to further our mission of helping to prevent gun violence, provide scholarships to students who have been victims of gun violence, and also help the homeless in providing sneakers and other supplies,” Wanda Roberts, president of the foundation, told the crowd. While the Roberts miss their son tremendously and seek to continue his legacy, they emphasized that the sneaker ball is about more than remembering their beloved Christian. As vice president of the organization, Donald Roberts weighed in why the Christian Roberts Foundation prioritizes giving back and combating gun violence. “There’s this adage, that if you are broken as a person… our community is broken,” he said. “We live in a community where there's violence, and any type of violence that’s our [broken] community, and we need to make it whole. And that’s what Christian was all about, making it whole.” In an evening that included an engaging band, led by saxophon-

5 Amari Wilson received a $2,500 scholarship from the Christian Roberts Foundation at its first sneaker ball on Oct. 21. (Courtesy Photo)

ist Sharon Thomas, dancing, food, and a sneaker step-and-repeat sponsored by Sneaker Mat, for guests to take photos, the night certainly was a celebration. However, it also allowed for the community to come together and honor the strength of those affected by gun violence. “While we’re here, we want to be able to support the people that are living to give them hope, and for the dreams that they have in the future, let them know that they’re not alone,” Donald Roberts said. The honorees, parents of children who died as a result of gun violence, were given the “Overcomer Award,” for their resilience and work to fight gun violence. Award winners included: Peter and Tina Radway, the parents of Jordan Radway; Marie Yvette Thomas, the mother of Lorenzo Freeman; LaTisha Johnson, mother of Demetris Johnson, Toni Cole and Hobart Wilson, parents of Akira Wilson; Amber Wilson, mother of Noelle Wilson; and Anita Hall, mother of Rondell Wills and Arvel Wills. “Being an overcomer, I actually had to look up the word in Webster's dictionary. ‘Is that me? An overcomer? You’ve got to be kidding me.’ But I actually have overcome some of the grief and the heartache that I have encountered,” said honoree Amber Wilson, whose daughter Noelle was killed three years ago. “I con-

tinue to push past the pain, push through the pain, and it’s all a healing process.” Amber Wilson said part of healing is continuing her daughter’s legacy and fighting against gun violence. “We have to continue to live through the spirit of our loved ones,” she added. At the end of the evening, the foundation presented a $2,500 scholarship to Akira Wilson’s brother, Amari Wilson, who has some big dreams. “The 2023 award goes to a student who attends Jackson-Reed High School in Washington, D.C. He enjoys nature, photography and volunteering in his community. His desire is to attend North Carolina A&T University,” said Christian’s brother Marcus Roberts, who serves as director of program management for the foundation. Shayla Caldwell, Christian’s sister and the foundation’s director of operations, said the ball will help continue efforts to provide scholarships and resources. “My brother was huge into the community, and giving back,” said Caldwell. “When he passed, we really wanted to continue that effort and provide scholarships to families and students who have been affected by gun violence. So the sneaker ball was a good way to raise money and to continue those efforts.” WI

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T:9.875"

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Preproduction model shown throughout. Actual production model may vary. Available late 2024.

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For artwork inquiries, contact dispatch@theddbstudio.com | For print inquiries, contact _

NOVEMBER 2 - 8, 2023 39

When to Visit an ER vs. Urgent Care Center Submitted by AmeriHealth Caritas DC When you’re having a medical emergency, it can be confusing to know where you should go to get the proper care. Emergency rooms (ERs) and urgent care centers are both options for immediate medical attention, but they are different in terms of the level of care and types of conditions they handle.

EMERGENCY ROOMS

ERs are made to handle life-threatening or severe conditions that require immediate attention. ERs carry advanced medical technology and are staffed by specialists who can provide comprehensive care around the clock. However, ER visits can be costly and time-consuming, and the waiting times can be longer for less urgent cases. ERs should be utilized for major medical conditions such as:1 • Chest pain or difficulty breathing • Weakness or numbness on one side of your body • Slurred speech • Fainting • Serious burns • Head or eye injuries • Concussion • Broken bones • Dislocated joints • Seizures • Severe cuts that may require stitches • Facial lacerations • Severe cold or flu symptoms • Vaginal bleeding with pregnancy If you believe you are experiencing any of these medical emergencies, do not hesitate to go to the ER. Trust your gut and call 911.

URGENT CARE

Urgent care is medical care you need within 24 hours that might not be for an emergency. Urgent care centers should be used for non-life-threatening conditions that require urgent attention but are not severe or critical. These include minor injuries, infections, flu symptoms, sprains, minor fractures,

and other minor illnesses. Urgent care centers are usually more accessible, have shorter wait times, and are less expensive compared to ERs. They are usually open after regular office hours and on weekends, as a convenient alternative for non-emergency situations. It's important to assess how serious your condition is and your need for immediate attention when deciding between a visit to the ER or urgent care center. If you're unsure, consult with a health care professional or call your primary care provider. They can help guide you in making the right decision. You should go to an urgent care center if you are experiencing:2 • Allergic reaction • Nausea • Back pain • Pneumonia • Conjunctivitis (pink eye) • Rash • Diarrhea • Insect bites • Vomiting • Wounds • Fever • Sore throat The information in this article is to help you learn more about this topic. It is not to take the place of your healthcare provider. If you have questions, talk with your healthcare provider. If you think you need to see your healthcare provider because of something you have read in this information, please contact your healthcare provider. Never stop or wait to get medical attention because of something you have read in this material. Sources: 1. “Should You Go to the Emergency Room or Urgent Care?” Scripps, https://www.scripps.org/news_ items/4231-should-you-go-to-the-emergency-room-or-urgent-care#component_209b34f566 2. “What is Urgent Care Medicine?” American Academy of Urgent Care Medicine, https://aaucm.org/what-is-urgentcare-medicine/ All images are used under license for illustrative purposes only. Any individual depicted is a model

Finding an urgent care center near you Cold and flu season is here which means you may find yourself or a family member in need of urgent care. You should visit an urgent care center to get flu shots, testing, and treatments for minor flu-like symptoms. AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia (DC) has options for enrollees to have easier access to urgent care centers near them.

professionals for urgent care, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can access the RelyMD app on your mobile device. To access urgent care by phone or video, enrollees can: • Call RelyMD at 1-855-879-4332 • Visit www.relymd.com For a full list of urgent care providers, call Enrollee Services at 202-408-4720.

RelyMD AmeriHealth Caritas DC offers urgent care options to enrollees by phone or video chat with RelyMD. RelyMD is an AmeriHealth Caritas DC provider that offers enrollees access to health care

Transportation to urgent care centers AmeriHealth Caritas DC enrollees can schedule a same-day ride to a nearby urgent care center at no cost. Visit amerihealthcaritasdc.com to view our Urgent

#BestMe

Care brochure. Once you find the urgent care center you want to go to, call Transportation Services at 1-800315-3485 to schedule your ride. 24/7 Nurse Call Line AmeriHealth Caritas DC enrollees can also call the 24/7 Nurse Call Line to speak to a nurse 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Nurse Call Line can help you determine what type of care you might need, help you learn how to manage your symptoms, or aid one of our other urgent care options. To access the 24/7 Nurse Call Line, call 1-877-759-6279.

No-Cost rides to appointments for ALL pregnant enrollees

Call 1-800-315-3485 Your health and your time are important, especially when planning for your new baby. Get fast, reliable, and no-cost transportation to all of your maternal health appointments before and after giving birth.

Because pregnant people deserve a LYFT My Life. My Ride.

Find us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/amerihealthdc. / Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/amerihealthcaritasdc. / Find us on Instagram at www.instagram.com/amerihealthcaritasdc.

40 NOVEMBER 2 - 8, 2023

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wi book review "The Reformatory" By Tananarive Due c.2023, Gallery $28.99 576 pages

Terri Schlichenmeyer WI Contributing Writer You'll do better next time. You're sorry, deeply sorry, sincere in your apology, and it won't happen again. You had a chance to think about your transgressions and you were wrong. What can you do or say to make things better? How can you properly make amends? As in the new book "The Reformatory" by Tananarive Due, how long should you pay for something you didn't do? The north Florida countryside was passing by fast as Robert Stephens sat small in the passenger seate of the fancy car. Any other time, he'd be enjoying himself but not now. No, this time, he was on his way to The Reformatory, a school for boys who'd broken the law. How did things get this far, this fast? It wasn't but a day or so that Robert and his sister Gloria were walking down the road when Lyle McCormack, son of Gracetown's richest man, tried to kiss Gloria and Robert kicked Lyle, in defense of his sister. It was 1950 and every Black person knew that you didn't do that to somebody who was white, but Robert kicked before he could stop himself and he was arrested. And here he was, 12 years old, on his way to a place where Papa said was where the killing started. But Papa wasn't around anymore, having been run out of town for his union work. It was just Gloria, Robert, and old Miz Lottie, and Robert was terrified. Ever since he was little, he'd been able to see things nobody else could see. He told Gloria that Mama visited him sometimes, even though she'd been dead for months. He knew things, too; the closer the car got to The Reformatory, the more he knew he couldn't stay there for the next six months. The place smelled like smoke, but there were no fires. It smelled like death and fear. He had to trust that Gloria would get him home. He'd trust Mama to watch over him. He could see "haints" at The Reformatory. The place was full of them … Though it might look like one, "The Reformatory" is not just a ghost story. It's tighter, scarier, more ominous because this tale has deep roots based in truth. Like the tentacles belonging to some sort of evil creature, Jim Crow laws ooze into every corner of this book, wrapping tendrils around the characters and their lives. That's a terror that's told authentically and is (un)easy to imagine, but then author Tananarive Due kicks the frights into maximum overdrive with ghosts and madmen that you can sometimes barely tell apart. Even scarier: they're inside The Reformatory, and outside it, and they want revenge — both of the otherworldly kind and based in reality. Scarier still: they're willing to make deals. If you have a heart condition, you might want to pass on this book because it'll raise your pulse rate to the roof. If you're healthy and brave, though, look for "The Reformatory." When it comes to scary novels, you'll never do better. WI

horoscopes

LIFESTYLE NOV 2 - 8, 2023

ARIES If you take every little detail into consideration, your head will explode, and no one wants that. On Monday and Tuesday, take things slowly, but don't take them so slowly that you obsess over matters that may turn out to be inconsequential. Your intentions are good, and you genuinely care about the other people involved, as you will demonstrate midweek. Lucky Numbers: 20, 22, 47 TAURUS Everything goes better with a side of romance, doesn't it? Music sounds better. Art is more interesting. Cash presents so many more possibilities. Monday and Tuesday are smooth sailing on the river of love. Wednesday through Friday return you to dry land, delirious and nostalgic and more excited about life (even its drab, everyday aspects) than you have been in a while. Laziness figures somewhat this week, but try not to let it get the best of you. Lucky Numbers: 9, 18, 44 GEMINI Try as you might, communication doesn't come easily on Monday and Tuesday, especially with your family. Sending an email might go off better than making a phone call. On Wednesday, when you can turn your attention to the romantic interest in your life, you're much more successful in the forming-words-toexpress-what-you-mean department. You're downright poetic. Lucky Numbers: 7, 15, 37 CANCER At the start of the week, the important clues will stand out if you narrow your gaze. The risk of being analytical is that you'll overthink things. Cleaning could be good. You might discover something under the couch. Home issues dominate your life from Wednesday through Friday, not just related to house chores but also to neighbors, roommates, landlords, pets, etc. Lucky Numbers: 23, 25, 36 LEO You are devoted to straightening out your finances at the beginning of the week. Keep the profligate adventures to a minimum. You know all too well the sayings about what money can and can't buy. Wednesday is as good an illustration as ever. Your friends are not for sale, and they are what you love most about your life. Lucky Numbers: 24, 29, 48 VIRGO Tidying up your desk, your car, or your house on Monday will give your brain some time to put things in order. It may be a more productive task than you realize. Tuesday is a fine day to marshal the troops for a new operation, but watch unnecessary expenditures on Wednesday and Thursday. Lucky Numbers: 16, 18, 39 LIBRA Your magic quality this week (especially at the beginning of the week) is your utter inability to hold a grudge. You just don't care enough to carry that kind of energy around. There are too many important things to think about. Plus, on Tuesday especially, you're a wonderful listener. From Wednesday through Friday, use those listening skills to be a better flirt. Lucky Numbers: 10, 16, 54 SCORPIO The information you receive on Monday helps you immensely. Now you can plan. Now you know where you're going. Get on the phone and make sure your friends have your back. On Tuesday, if you have to make a detour to cover a friend's back, you certainly should. You never know when you'll need to collect a favor. Decisions come less easily than you may have anticipated in the second half of the week. Lucky Numbers: 7, 18, 43 SAGITTARIUS Others may drive you crazy on Monday and Tuesday, but why let on? Save your lectures for situations that matter. There is enough to do that you don't need to egg on the let's-stir-up drama contingent. Your reserve will pay off nicely. By Wednesday, you will be heralded as everyone's favorite person to be around. Lucky Numbers: 17, 29, 39 CAPRICORN A long-distance phone call brings you more relevant news at the beginning of the week than you ever expected. And if the person on the other end is an old pal, the interaction will leave you feeling grounded and contented. On Wednesday, it's time to leave the ground, but don't expect to make headway immediately. New missions take time. Lucky Numbers: 35, 40, 41 AQUARIUS You might as well take care of the details from the outset because you'll have to take care of them at some point. Not everyone may be on the same page as you, and the fault may be your own. Clear your throat and spell it out. On Wednesday, a chance interaction with someone you barely know will lead to a revelation. You love it when that happens. Lucky Numbers: 8, 22, 27 PISCES Your analytical mind can be too much for a friend seeking solace. Sometimes the best course of action is to listen intently. If advice is solicited, follow your intuition. The full blast of your true opinion isn't necessarily what's needed (especially if your true opinion is somewhat critical of the person seeking the advice). In the second half of the week, you'll be collecting favors, and maybe even money, from others. If a problem arises in a friendship, consider what you can do to smooth things over. Lucky Numbers: 2, 15, 45

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NOVEMBER 2 - 8, 2023 41

SPORTS Swimming Interest on the Rise Among Black Youth By Ed Hill WI Contributing Writer

The D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation recently hosted the 10-and-under Trick or Treat Mini Swim Meet at the Turkey Thicket Recreation Complex in the Brookland section of Northeast Washington and there were several performances that brought hope to the future of Black people in swimming. Swimming, for some Black Americans, has long been a sore spot. But with some of the prospects, the future appears bright for Black athletes in the sport. Among the outstanding partici-

TALBERT from Page 1 owners with funding from the American Rescue Plan. All the while, she and others have patiently awaited word from the Talbert Street Task Force about if their mortgages would be forgiven and if they would be able to reenter the District’s first-time home buyer’s program. For years, the D.C. Department of

pants was 9-year-old Janelle Johnson, who started swimming at age 5. Her brother Jason, 11, is ranked nationally in his age group, her sister Jasmine, 13, also swims on the club level and their father, Joseph is a meet official. "My motivation was simple," said dad Joseph Johnson. "I didn't want to have to worry about their safety in the pools when we went on vacation. From there, it developed into something more." They all came under the instruction of Darrell Fogan, one of the top swim instructors in the area. Fogan is a contractor for DPR who has worked at Howard UniHousing and Community Development (DHCD) has provided rental assistance for the displaced homeowners. In early August however, then-DHCD Deputy Director Drew Hubbard told Thomas and her neighbors in a letter that their support would be extended for an additional nine months, not a full year, from when their rental lease expires. Less than a month later, the Depart-

5 Decay on the walls of a home on Talbert Street in Southeast Washington, D.C. in May 2023. (WI File Photo/ Ja’Mon Jackson)

42 NOVEMBER 2 - 8, 2023

versity, the American Red Cross and has his company, Metro Wellness that he established in 1994. A contractor for DPR, Fogan trains and prepares young swimmers before they are allowed to become members of swim clubs. "There has been an influx of late from Blacks in the sports. You are finding more and more second generations. They are gravitating toward the sport for various reasons: some has to do with health, others with potential scholarship opportunities.” Fogan is a historian on the sport as it pertains to Black athletes. "As for the history as I know it, it all started back in World War I around 1918," said Fogan. "Because of the nature of the war with all the deaths, it was called by land and air. Then, they added by sea due to the change of tactics used in warfare. Later Howard University and Ohio State started swim programs in the 1940s. As time went on, swimming became big in the Black community in the DMV area. Many of the swimmers attended Florida A&M, Tennessee State, Morgan State and Howard University. Because of the influence, their children followed suit.” Fogan also noted a late, local leader as key in the thriving of lo-

ment of Buildings deemed River East at Grandview Estates as inhabitable and placed orange signs on each unit prohibiting entry. Meanwhile, Thomas said that neither the Grandview Estates Homeowners Association or the task force have been clear about when, or even if, they would be able to collect their belongings from their condominiums. The situation has placed Thomas in what she describes as “purgatory.” With the clock ticking to June, when her lease renews and her rental assistance expires, Thomas continues to mull her next move. She said she’s not able to do so however without a full picture of what the D.C. government is able to provide. “We were overpromised that there would be some strategic plan to transition us from our predicament so that we would be able to move on,” Thomas said. “We were hopeful that they came up with a final plan and option and we have yet to hear anything,” she continued. “I’m panicking. I feel like the bottom is about to fall out.”

TALBERT Page 51

5 Darrell Fogan is a longtime local swim instructor. (Courtesy Photo)

cal swim programs. Also under the Marion Barry regime, the sport was popular as you had many young people becoming lifeguards through the summer work program,” he said. "Then Title 9 forced a change as there were not enough swim programs for women at HBCUs, so they shut down those programs and it ultimately had a strong impact,” Fogan continued. Despite the shutting down of certain collegiate swim programs, local swimmers are still working hard and showing promise beyond the pool or diving board. "The Black talent is still holding its ground, 10 and younger,” he said. “Families are using the opportunity to promote physical health and self-confidence through participation. They like the health benefits.” Fogan emphasized the diverse nature of the sport in the D.C. region. “But what we are seeing is a shift. Of the 11-and-unders

that I train, 30% are African American. The remaining 70% are other minorities and it's not what you think. There are a number of parents from Indian and Chinese descent who are signing up their kids for training. It is a new kind of minority that you will see more evident in the next 10 years.” Currently, Howard University is the only HBCU that has a swim team. Johnson and Fogan see it as a major benefit for Black students interested in swimming. "Jason attends the Howard swim camp and he has already told Coach (Nicholas) Askew that if he is still coach when he reaches his senior year, he is going to Howard," said Johnson, an HBCU alum and graduate of Norfolk State. "With this surge of interest in swimming among minorities, Howard University is in a great position to take advantage of the opportunity. WI

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CAPTURE the moment

Lots of treats to be had in a parking lot in the 600 block of Rhode Island Avenue in Northeast.

3 Cornelius Young (left) and Carnel Davis Jr. prepare to hand out treats in the decorated music ministries decorated trunk. (Courtesy photo/Dashon Gales) 6 The HBCU banners trunk handed out candy and pencils. (Courtesy photo/Dashon Gales)

3 Children had a chance to pet small animals. (Courtesy photo/Dashon Gales) 5 Children line up to receive goodies at Trunk Fest. (Courtesy photo/Michael Lassiter)

6 Nevaeh Smith, 10, a 5th grader at Langley Elementary in Northeast dressed as Ariel the Little Mermaid for trunk fest. (Shevry Lassiter/The Washington Informer)

4 A trunk with a tailgate theme. (Courtesy photo/Dashon Gales)

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NOVEMBER 2 - 8, 2023 43

RELIGION Putting Feet to Prayer for Better Health By Jacqueline Fuller WI Religion Writer GirlTREK encourages Black women and girls to use walking as the first practical step to leading healthier, more fulfilled lives. From Oct. 15 to Oct. 23, the organization connected with the community through churches, in an initiative called Prayer TREK, a program to increase talks about God and counter the toxic viewpoints of hate in our communities, on the airwaves and social media posts. “Regardless of faith or background it’s our job to inspire women everyday to move towards the light of living, " the GirlTREK team said in an email to supporters.

The Prayer TREK was virtual, free and had a simple request: each participant dedicated 30 minutes a day to walking. They walked and called in each morning for their daily motivation and they were recorded for registrants to watch if they could not join for the live sessions. “Sometimes we do that by talking about history, sometimes pop culture, sometimes hood politics and liberation theology. Like a good pot of gumbo, we mix it all in to speak truth to power, honoring the complexities of the lives of the women we serve.” Nearly 3,000 churches across the country participated in Prayer TREK. During the program, participants walked and reflected on the

5 GirlTREK participants praying. (Courtesy Photo/ GirlTrek)

Bible’s Fruits of the Spirit, (Galatians 5:22-23), which are love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. GirlTREK is not a faith-based organization, but they welcome people from various belief systems to register. Participants do not have to be a member of a church to join Prayer TREK. This fall’s group had daily prayer calls with singer-songwriter Victo-

ry Boyd and the co-hosts of “Truth’s Table,” Dr. Christina Edmondson and Ekemini Uwan. Churches registered to have a Prayer TREK crew were entered to win $1,000 for their health ministry. The drawings were held daily during the challenge, which gave them nine chances to win. For those that missed the opportunity to participate in Prayer TREK, there are other ways to get involved with GirlTREK this fall.

At Bowie State, Zion Church Feeds Bodies and Souls By Hamil R. Harris WI Contributing Writer The Bowie State University (BSU) Bulldogs are working hard to finish strong and this year, with a 4-4 record, the team is getting help from a Greenbelt Church to be successful. After weekly practices, the Bulldogs come off the field and pick up sandwiches and tables filled with healthy snacks provided by Pastor Keith Battle and members of Zion Church. “We understand the importance of nourishment and nutrition to the body,” said Bowie State Interim Head Coach Kyle Jackson. “On behalf of Bowie State football, we want to thank Zion Church and we look forward to continuing this relationship.” Dr. Madye Henson-McCannon, chief external engagements officer at

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Zion Church, said "Over the past two years Zion has been blessed to support young people at Bowie State University by providing healthy foods, snacks and needed toiletries to their Nutrition Lounge, and [feeding] student-athletes.” The church’s nutrition program comes at a time when faith and community leaders have been looking for ways to support students at a time when shootings have taken place on college campuses and schoolyards across the U.S. Henson-McCannon said, “We take seriously our charge to serve as God’s hands and feet through our service at BSU.” Kristopher Whitehead of Zion Church said, “As the project manager leading the ‘ZTreats’ charge at BSU, I have had the opportunity to see the faces of the students, student-athletes, and faculty members

The next activity is their 21-Day Gratitude TREK. The goal is to help families, churches and communities get and stay active with a self-guided walking challenge that includes over 30 ideas participants can use to practice kindness and spread love while you walk. Participants can use this guide to prepare for the organization’s annual Black Family 5K after the Thanksgiving holiday. WI that benefit from Zions‘ Weekly distribution of fresh produce, healthy snack options and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.” More than 300 students have participated in the weekly Zion program that helps athletes and regular students at BSU. Shanelle O’Connor, campus health educator of BSU’s Nutrition Lounge said, "BSU depends on Zion’s partnership. “We know that the students benefit from having fresh fruits available in the lounge weekly.” Whitehead also said, “Nutrition can be the push that a student needs to be successful and this should not be a stressful factor for anyone. It is a tremendous blessing and honor to be able to serve BSU.” Keith Battle, senior pastor of Zion Church said ”The importance of nutrition for students and athletes cannot be overstated.” "It's difficult to be athletically strong and academically focused when you're hungry,” Battled explained. WI

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RELIGION the religion corner WITH LYNDIA GRANT

Tribute to Patricia A. Stevens Ramdass, a Precious Gem

Having known my late neighbor, family friend and sorority sister Patricia A. Stevens Ramdass, I felt compelled to share with you about her sweet, genuine and sincere spirit. She left us early on Sunday morning, Oct. 22, 2023. Her work was done, folks. When we come and when we go is God's business, except for those who take their own lives. This tribute to Pat is to help inspire others to give their time and talents as she did. A God-fearing woman, but the dedication of half of her life to bringing up two beautiful daughters is what I want to communicate most. Pat did her job so well as a mom that her daughters were honor students at the A+ excellent level! Not only did she sacrifice for her children to see that they become their best selves, she shared those skills with others. How do I know? My daughter Tanika told me how Pat called her to give her advice on how to give her own daughter, my granddaughter, her best life. My daughter and granddaughter loved her so much that they signed up to sit with Pat during her illness earlier this year, grateful for the teachings Pat had shared. Now 12 years old, my beautiful granddaughter is also an honor student at the highest level. It has been wonderful traveling along this journey with Patricia A. Stevens Ramdass as a neighbor, as a friend to my entire family, and as a sorority sister. Not only did she care for her family in a herculean manner, she was also a community

volunteer. She served on several of my major projects of which you have read in this column, including the unveiling of the Rev. Jesse Jackson bronze bust — Pat was right there, every step of the way. he was a lead volunteer for the annual Georgia Avenue Day Festival and Parade, especially the gala dinner; and she was right there, assigned to the main stage, helping elected officials on the day the African American Civil War Memorial was unveiled on July 18, 1998! Finally, she was a member of Gamma Phi Delta Sorority, Inc., Eastern Region, Delta Pi Chapter of Silver Spring, Md., for 37 years. Thank you, Patricia A. Stevens Ramdass! Let us emulate this very special life, and choose to live our lives in such a manner that others can learn lessons they otherwise may have never known. Leave some teachings behind for others when the good Lord calls you home. Scripture reminds us how we are to take care of our families first. Not only did Pat put her family first — her children in particular — but she also took care of her mother who preceded her in death. Her mother passed a few years ago, but she put everything on hold during that time, saying, "I've got to take full responsibility for taking care of my mother." To God be the Glory for the things she has done. Scripture tells us in Timothy 5:8, "The Good News: If you do

not love and care for your family, especially your immediate family, then you are denying your faith in God. In Scripture, it also says, “This is worse than not believing in God at all." My final Scripture (2 Timothy 4:7-8 KJ) says, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day." We will miss you down here, my friend and sorority sister. Enjoy eternity, where you no longer have the cares of this world. I close with this poem that I enjoy: Don’t grieve for me, for now I’m free. I’m following the path God laid for me. I took his hand when I heard His call, I turned my back and left it all. I could not stay another day, to laugh, to love, to work, to play. Tasks left undone must stay that way. I’ve found that peace at the close of the day. Be not burdened with times of sorrow. I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow. Perhaps my time seemed all too brief, don’t lengthen it now with undue grief. Just remember the good times you shared with me, and just think, God wanted me now. He set me free. May you rest in eternal peace, Patricia A. Stevens Ramdass. The members of Gamma Phi Delta Sorority, Inc., will miss you, and we love you! 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

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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

Join us for our live broadcast every Friday at Noon!

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Denise Rolark Barnes - Publisher of The Washington Informer NOVEMBER 2 - 8, 2023 47

KEENAN from Page 1 On Oct. 24, the Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners ruled that two officers who subdued and tased Anderson during that traffic stop on Jan. 3 violated the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD)’s use-of-lethalforce policy. The board made its decision during the closed-door portion of its weekly meeting. They adopted recommendations that Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore made in a report that had been made public not long before the hearing. In the report, Moore cited officers’ application of force to Anderson’s windpipe and their use of a stun gun on the D.C. public charter school teacher. Moore also said that five officers didn’t properly search Anderson and failed to quickly place him in recovery position after handcuffing him. After the commission’s ruling, Dr. Melina Abdullah of Black Lives Matter Grassroots took to the airwaves to reflect on that moment and explain its significance. "We wished this would have moved more quickly but we're grateful that it moved in the way that Keenan's family demanded, the way that Keenan's spirit demanded,” Abdullah told Dominique DiPrima on “First Thing’s First with Dominique DiPrima.” “Everyone expected it to go the other way.

READY from Page 1 work program facilitator. “I look forward to that family environment. It’s real love [and] they bring out a lot of perspectives,” Gorham said. “I got introduced to [making] a personal resume about my social gathering outside of work and the activities that I do so I can see where I want to be,” he continued. “ I’m encouraged to write a book and be self aware. Everytime I’m with people in these group sessions, I am learning about myself.” The Hope Foundation Re-entry Network counts among several programs that are available at the Resources to Empower and Develop You Center, more commonly known as the READY Center. The READY Center recently relocated to Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue in Southeast’s Congress Heights. The move culminated meetings with the D.C. Department of General Services about the available buildings and community engagement sessions with Advisory Neighborhood Commission 8C

48 NOVEMBER 2 - 8, 2023

5 Keenan Anderson (Courtesy photo)

When Keenan's family heard [the ruling], they said 'Oh my God!.' They're grateful to everyone who organized."

FROM L.A. TO D.C., A COMMUNITY REELS

Before Tuesday’s commission hearing, activists representing Black Lives Matter Grassroots held a press conference demanding that the officers be disciplined. In June, Anderson’s family filed a $100 million wrongful death lawsuit. ] Anderson was a 10th grade English and Language Arts teacher at Digital Pioneers Academy Public Charter that book place for more than a year. When the READY Center first opened in 2019, it operated out of a trailer behind the D.C. Department of Corrections (DOC). During the pandemic, elements of the READY Center came to a standstill. It eventually relocated to the Reeves Center in Northwest in the summer of 2022. Upon the READY Center’s Congress Heights reopening in late September, dozens of returning citizens who completed stints at DOC and the Federal Bureau of Prisons have walked through a bright red door and immersed themselves in the one-stop shop. There, they can receive D.C. government-issued ID cards and other documentation, along with resources to get them reacclimated to life outside of a correctional facility. Returning citizens are eligible to receive services at the READY Center for six months after their release. In the months leading up to that special day, representatives of the center reach out to returning citizens to determine the types of

School in Southeast with nearly a decade of classroom experience. In the six months he worked at Digital Pioneers PCS, he had developed a tight-knit relationship with his students, administrators said in a statement released shortly after Anderson’s death. At the time of his death, Anderson, cousin of Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors, had been visiting family in Los Angeles during his winter break. In a statement, LAPD officials said they stopped Anderson for his alleged involvement in a hit-and-run. Body camera footage released in

resources. They then use that information to connect them with partner agencies -- including D.C. Department of Motor Vehicles, D.C. Department of Employment Services, D.C. Department of Human Services, the Mayor’s Office of Veterans Affairs, D.C. Department of Behavioral Health, Voices for a Second Chance, Manpower DC, and House of Ruth. The READY Center is open five days a week, and returning citizens are able to schedule an appointment or walk in from the street. In December, the READY Center will host a family reunification event that will allow returning citizens to meet estranged family members in a safe space. This event counts among 10 of its kind taking place at the READY Center and DOC this year. Jaqueline Williams, DOC deputy director of education, reentry programs and case management, said that the READY Center aims to tackle the issues of housing,

READY Page 49

the days after show Anderson yelling “They’re trying to George Floyd me,” before officers tased him. When the video resumes, Anderson is seen jogging toward an intersection where he stops and two officers attempt to lay him on his stomach. After tasing Anderson, the officers handcuff him and place shackles on his ankles. LAPD officials, alluding to a preliminary toxicology screening that detected cocaine and marijuana in Anderson’s bloodstream, said that emergency medical professionals provided Anderson care at the scene before transporting him to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. The Los Angeles coroner's office would later rule an enlarged heart and cocaine use as the cause of Anderson’s death. Digital Pioneers Academy PCS founder and CEO Mashea Ashton revealed that Anderson was the third community member lost to violence. Months prior, Antoine Manning and Jakhi Snider were shot and killed during separate incidents. After Anderson’s death, students, faculty and staff members at Digital Pioneers Academy PCS suffered additional losses -- that of Demarcos Pinckney and Jaylin Osbourne. In speaking about Anderson’s death, Ashton said that young people fear being in situations similar to what their beloved teacher experienced. The tragic situation incited conversation about police de-escalation and how to prevent future deaths of Black men and \ boys, Ashton added.

A PATTERN OF POLICE MISCONDUCT AND NEXT STEPS

Anderson counted among the litany of Black men who’ve been killed by Los Angeles police officers. In 2019, the Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners found that police officers Ryan Lee and Martin Robles had been found in violation of policy when they shot and killed Grechario Mark. Lee and Robles shot and killed Mack inside Crenshaw-Baldwin Hills Mall in the spring of 2018. Mack was brandishing a knife while experiencing a mental health episode. The first shots didn’t kill Mack, but Lee and Robles fired additional rounds into his body as he laid on the ground. At the time, then-Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck conceded that there was a probable violation of use-of-lethal-force policy. In its ruling, the five-person commission said

that, when the final shots were fired, neither the officers nor civilians were in danger. By the time the board made its decision, Moore had been serving as chief for several months. Despite activists’ delivery of letters and meetings with Moore, Moore didn’t fire or discipline Lee and Robles. Today, Lee is a lieutenant in the Los Angeles Police Department. In 2021, California legislators passed the Police Decertification Act which prevents officers from serving in law enforcement in California once they’re found to have committed serious misconduct. The decertification process takes a year from the out-of-policy ruling. More than 140 officers that have made the Peace Officer Certification Actions list have either been disqualified from serving as an officer, had their certification revoked, voluntarily surrendered their certification, or had their certification suspended, pending an investigation into misconduct allegations. Of course, officers can appeal the board decision with the Los Angeles Board of Rights, an entity with the final say in whether officers accused of serious wrongdoing remain on the force. On Tuesday, several people testified at the Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners, including Chris Anderson, Keenan Anderson’s younger brother. In his testimony, Carl Douglas, a lawyer representing Anderson’s family, reflected on his more-than-40 years of service representing families affected by police misconduct. He expressed lamentation about, once again, standing before the commission under such circumstances. However, as he explained, his feelings, and his skepticism about an out-of-policy ruling, didn’t take away from what he described as LAPD’s failure to follow protocol. “Mr. Anderson was a victim of police overreach. He was a victim of officers who failed to realize that he was going through some sort of crisis,” Douglas said. “Doesn’t matter if it was because of drugs, alcohol or mental illness. Officers are trained to deal with conduct. It was clear that [Keenan] was unarmed. It was clear that he was compliant,” he continued. “It was clear that he was submissive. It was clear that he was outnumbered. He never balled up his fists or tried to kick anyone or said anything of disrespect. Every minute of that interaction is on videotape.” WI @SamPKCollins

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READY from Page 48 employment and strained family relationships that make it difficult for returning citizens to make a smooth transition. “We have so many services in the District that people have a hard time navigating,” Williams said. “Mayor Bowser wanted a space where people could be under one umbrella,” Williams added. “The overall vision is to ensure that returning citizens can reenter society. It’s important to have spaces that meet their needs, and give them life skills and resources for family reunification.” On Oct. 20, the READY Center celebrated its grand reopening with a ceremony that attracted dozens of people in the reentry arena. Guests included Williams, Lindsey Appiah, deputy mayor for public safety and justice, and Erica Green, vice president of ANC 8C and commissioner of single-member district 8C04. In August, Green facilitated an ANC meeting at William O. Lockridge/Bellevue Neighborhood Library in Southwest where WIliams and other DOC representatives discussed the READY Center with

community members. Green told the Informer that residents had enthusiasm for a community center that, for many people, represented a significant improvement in how returning citizens could ease back into the real world. She recounted the meeting lasting much longer than an hour with library staff at times asking them to end the meeting. “Several people were inspired,” Green said as she explored the potential for other groups receiving similar support. “It was important to come together for robust change. The D.C. Department of Motor Vehicles being here is a game changer. People stop me all the time asking how I can help them get their identification. If we can do this for returning citizens, then we can do this for our single moms.” Cherise Stone said she can attest to the READY Center’s impact in her life. In 2019, Stone entered the READY Center upon the completion of her prison stint. As she recalled to the Informer, READY Center personnel tended to her needs, some of which she hadn’t considered. She said those experiences inspired her to help others

3 Deputy Mayor, Lindsey Appiah speaking at the opening of the new Resources to Empower and Develop You (READY) Center in Ward 8. (Ja'Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

acquire important resources. Stone has done so over the last few years, first in then- Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie’s office, and now in the READY Center as an outreach specialist. These days, she communicates with returning citizens in the months leading to their release, attends community events, and runs daily

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operations at the READY Center -- all with a big smile on her face. For Stone, it’s all about paying it forward and fulfilling her potential. “When I came home, I was starting from scratch not knowing where I was going to live or how I was going to provide for my girls,” she told the Informer. “I was inspired by the READY Center and

saw employees who were returning citizens. I thought that if they could do it, I could do it. We break the barriers to fast track [responses to people’s] needs. I was grateful for the opportunity to connect returning citizens [to resources] like it had been done for me.” WI @SamPKCollins

NOVEMBER 2 - 8, 2023 49

LEGAL NOTICES

S UPERIOR 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 001178

2023 ADM 001177

2023 ADM 000913

Phyllis Goodwin Decedent

2023 ADM 001097

2023 ADM 001154

Massimo A. Righini Decedent

Dorothy Lucas Whitley Decedent

Donald Marlais, Esq. 411 10th Street NE Washington, DC 20002 Attorney

Rudolph Lennox Brathwaite Decedent

Edward G. Varrone, Esq. 1825 K Street, NW Suite 1150 Washington, DC 20006 Attorney

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

Alfred L. Spencer aka Alfred Larkin Spencer Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Christen D. Jacobs and Omar James Goodwin, whose addresses are 719 Ingraham Street NW, Washington DC 20011, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Phyllis Goodwin who died on August 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 April 19, 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 April 19, 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: October 19, 2023 Christen D. Jacobs Omar James Goodwin Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Marilou M. Righini, whose address is 1921 Biltmore Street, NW, Washington, DC 20008-1509, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Massimo A. Righini who died on July 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 4/19/2024. 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 4/19/2024, 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: 10/19/2023

Kevin Judd, Esq., whose address is 601 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Suite 900-South Building, Washington, DC 20004, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Dorothy Lucas Whitley who died on January 1, 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 4/19/2024. 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 4/19/2024, 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: 10/19/2023 Kevin Judd, Esq. Personal Representative

Marilou M. Righini Personal Representative

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Washington Informer

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Matthew F. Shannon, Esq. 1420 N Street, NW #203 Washington, DC 20005 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Ruby W. Brathwaite, whose address is 4321 Varnum Place, NE, Washington, DC 20017, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Rudolph Lennox Brathwaite who died on August 5, 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 4/19/2024. 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 4/19/2024, 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: 10/19/2023 Ruby W. Brathwaite Personal Representative

Janice S. Spencer, whose address is 1423 Iris Street NW, Washington, DC 20012, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Alfred L. Spencer aka Alfred Larkin Spencer who died on 6/22/2021 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 4/19/2024. 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 4/19/2024, 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: 10/19/2023 Janice S. Spencer Personal Representative

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Washington Informer

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

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

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 001180

2023 ADM 001236

2023 ADM 001190

2023 ADM 450

2023 ADM 001167

John Andrew Mercer Decedent

Estate of Brenda J. Cook aka Brenda Cook aka Brenda Joyce Cook

Archie Davis Jr. Decedent

Bernard R. Dickens Sr aka Bernard Ross Dickens Sr. Decedent

Loretta M. Brown Decedent

James Larry Frazier, Esq. 918 Maryland Avenue NE Washington DC, 20002 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Eric Andrew Mercer, whose address is 3927 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SW, Washington DC 20032, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of John Andrew Mercer who died on July 6, 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 4/19/2024. 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 4/19/2024, 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: 10/19/2023 Eric Andrew Mercer Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

NOTICE OF STANDARD PROBATE Notice is hereby given that a petition has been filed in this Court by Tawnya Artisst - Anderson for standard probate, including the appointment of one or more personal representatives. Unless a responsive pleading in the form of a complaint or an objection in accordance with Superior Court Probate Division Rule 407 is filed in this Court within 30 days from the date of first publication of this notice, the Court may take the action hereinafter set forth. Admit to probate the will dated 12/26/2020 exhibited with the petition upon proof satisfactory to the Court of due execution by affidavit of the witnesses or otherwise Date of first publication: 10/19/2023 Tawnya Artisst – Anderson 5108 Ewing Ave. S Minneapolis, MN 55410 Petitioner/Attorney: TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

Destiny Fullwood-Singh 200 Massachusetts Ave NW, Floor 8 Washington, DC 20001 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Margie Davis and Patricia Long, whose addresses are 461 H NW #620 Washington DC 20001 and 924 44th Street NW, Washington, DC 20019, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Archie Davis Jr who died on February 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 4/26/2024. 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 4/26/24, 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: 10/26/2023 Margie Davis Patricia Long Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

50 NOVEMBER 2 - 8, 2023

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Cornelius E. Dickens Sr. & Sheila A. Feaster, whose addresses are 5613 Emack Ave Lanham MD 20706 and 526 21st Street NE Washington, DC 20002, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Bernard R. Dickens Sr. aka Bernard Ross Dickens Sr. who died on August 21, 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 4/26/2024. 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 4/26/2024, 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: 10/26/2023 Cornelius E. Dickens Sr. Sheila A. Feaster Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

James Larry Frazier, Esq. 918 Maryland Avenue NE Washington, DC 20002 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Debra L. Sharp, whose address is 523 Bennington Avenue, Youngstown, OH 44505, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Loretta M. Brown who died on July 31, 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 4/26/2024. 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 4/26/2024, 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: 10/26/2023 Debra L. Sharp Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER / WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

LEGAL NOTICES

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

2023 ADM 001212

2023 ADM 227

2023 ADM 001283

Roy Wise Decedent

Estate of Mumbi Grace Fuller aka Mumbi Grace Mogaki

Kenneth Eugene Jackson Jr. Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Kenneth Eugene Jackson III, whose address is 14813 Mattawoman Drive, Brandywine MD 20613, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Kenneth Eugene Jackson Jr. who died on September 9, 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 4/26/2024. 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 4/26/2024, 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: 10/26/2023 Kenneth Eugene Jackson III Personal Representative

Shari Kleiner 5614 Connecticut Ave., NW, #107 Washington, DC 20015 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Shari G. Keiner, whose address is 5614 Connecticut Ave., NW, #107 Washington DC 20015, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Roy Wise who died on 12/26/2022 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 5/2/2024. 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 5/2/2024, 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: 11/2/2023 Shari G. Kleiner Personal Representative

NOTICE OF STANDARD PROBATE Notice is hereby given that a petition has been filed in this Court by Lucy Sandra Mumo for standard probate, including the appointment of one or more personal representatives. Unless a responsive pleading in the form of a complaint or an objection in accordance with Superior Court Probate Division Rule 407 is filed in this Court within 30 days from the date of first publication of this notice, the Court may take the action hereinafter set forth. In the absence of a will or proof satisfactory to the Court of due execution, enter an order determining that the decedent died intestate appoint an unsupervised personal representative Date of first publication: 11/2/2023 Lucy Sandra Mumo 14801 Cartagena Dr. Gainesville, VA 20155 Petitioner/Attorney: TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 2023 ADM 001202 Rose Marie Mells Decedent Janelle Jordan 9701 Apollo Drive, Suite 100 Upper Marlboro, MD 20744 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Jemetria M. Dudley, whose address is 2000 Burning Bush Lane Conyers, GA 30094, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Rose Marie Mells who died on June 5, 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 5/2/2024. 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 5/2/2024, 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: 11/2/2023 Jemetria M. Dudley Personal Representative

Deed Conveyance of Trust & Notice of White Flag Surrender In God We Trust. Deed Conveyance of Trust. Notice of White Flag Surrender. Notice of Special Appearance : I am that I am: "Jeremy Dylan Creager©", in full life, in propria persona, sui juris, in solo proprio, the beneficiary and heir of: “Divine Core Legacy Trust©”, corp. sole Dba.: “JEREMY DYLAN CREAGER©", "JEREMY D CREAGER©", “JEREMY CREAGER©”, “CREAGER, JEREMY DYLAN©” having reached the age of majority, hereby affirms to declare a Deed Conveyance of the following trust’s, being duly certified hereby affirms the following: under the natural laws governing Californian Americans, i hereby declare and proclaim the following from this day forward in harmony with my nationality status and jurisdiction, the trust’s currently doing business as: “Creager Family Trust”, and “Perfect Darkness Trust” are hereby conveyed with 100% (one hundred percent) clear, clean, and perfected Title Deed Conveyance to “Divine Core Legacy Trust©”. pursuant to The Geneva Conventions, Article III, as a minister of yhwh's covenant, and Internationally Protected Person. Notice of: LAWS AND CUSTOMS OF WAR ON LAND (HAGUE, IV), ARTICLE: 32, 45, 46, & 47. Notice of Claim pursuant to Public Law 87-846, TITLE II, SEC. 203. Notice of Bailment Merging of Legal Title with Equitable Title : This order is to preserve legal and equitable title, and to reserve all rights, title, and interest, in the property, conveyed to "Divine Core Legacy Trust©". All property of the same issue and amount, in like kind and specie, is to be returned fully intact, as a Special Deposit order of the Depositor / Beneficiary / Bailor / Donor / Principal / Creditor: "jeremy dylan creager©", nom deguerre: "Jeremy Dylan Creager©", as a special deposit order in lawful money. This special deposit is to be used exclusively for the benefit of: "Divine Core Legacy Trust©", an Inter Vivos Unincorporated Divine Grantor Trust. This deposit is not to be commingled with general assets of any bank, nor depositary / trustee / agent / bailee / donee / debtor. This deposit is not limited to, but including discharge and set off, of any and all outstanding liabilities as accord and satisfaction. Public Law 97-116 sec. 12 sub-sec. b of sec. 274. Inter alia enact fuit. All Rights Reserved. Deo volente.

TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

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TALBERT from Page 42

AN ONGOING LEGAL BATTLE

In October, May Jung LLP filed an emergency motion to secure the structural integrity of Grandview Estates. The law firm is scheduled to appear before a judge on Nov. 1 in regard to that injunction. In 2021, May Jung LLP filed a lawsuit against Grandview Estates Homeowners Association, the D.C. government and several other parties on behalf of six displaced homeowners. D.C. Superior Court Judge Jose Lopez dismissed Grandview Estates Homeowners Association and the D.C. government from that lawsuit. Other defendants in the suit included Stanton View Development and RiverEast at Anacostia LLC. Both entities have since filed for bankruptcy. In the fall of 2021, May Jung LLP appealed Lopez's decision. The District appellate court has yet to decide a course of action, per the District's appellate e-filing system. LaRuby May, a partner at May Jung LLP, said the homeowners have a viable case. "Our six plaintiffs wanted the American dream in D.C. and it was shattered from the beginning so [it's about] holding folks accountable for the harm that happened to our client," May said. "They worked to get their credit together to become homebuyers. The building was defective and the District threw their hands up. It puts distrust in the government." Per a timeline established by the Talbert Street Task Force, DHCD provided a $2.2 million loan to Stanton View Development LLC in 2011 for the purchase of 1260-1272 Talbert Street SE. Stanton View Development then transferred the property to RiverEast Anacostia LLC and assigned development rights to it that would yield the construction of a 46-unit affordable rental housing project for households earning less than 80% of the area median income. By 2016, DHCD and Stanton View Development agreed to convert the property on Talbert Street from rental to homeownership. The agency then registered River East at Grandview Condominiums with the warranty security liability set at more than $430,000. The warranty security, by design, provides coverage for buildings for 10 to 12 years after project completion. It safeguards against substandard materials, poor workmanship and unexpected defects. Developers usually secure war-

ranty security before construction. Between 2017 and 2019, first-time home buyers started purchasing condominiums in River East at Grandview Estates through the Home Purchase Assistance Program (HPAP), administered through the D.C. Housing Production Trust Fund. Some homeowners complained about large wall and ceiling openings, separation of the bathtub from the floor, and windows no longer closing. DHCD also received a complaint about electrical and roof problems in some of the units. At the time, the agency was unable to post warranty security. This briefly prevented the sale of other units. That’s when Grandview Estates Homeowners Association notified DHCD that it intended to file a statutory structural warranty claim. In 2019, the last unit sold. However, Grandview Estates Condominium Association alerted DHCD about its inability to secure an engineering report to file the structural warranty claim. The association would go on to submit a claim without an engineering report. Two years later, the Falcon Group, an engineering firm hired by the condominium association, recommended an emergency evacuation for at least 30 of the 46 units within River East at Grandview Estates.

THE D.C. COUNCIL TO TAKE A FURTHER LOOK

On Nov. 9, the D.C. Council’s Committee of the Whole is scheduled to conduct a public roundtable titled, “The River East on Grandview Condominiums Debacle.” In September, the council unanimously approved the Grandview Condominium Assistance Tax Exemption Amendment Act. The legislation extended, for the condominium owners on Talbert Street, a D.C. Office of Tax and Revenue low-income homeowner property tax relief program that was set to expire this year. Per the legislation, those affected by the displacement would be able to benefit from the property tax exemption during the 2024 tax year. In his remarks on the dias, D.C. Councilmember Trayon White (D-Ward 8) demanded that more be done to help displaced condo owners so that they are able to fulfill their dreams of homeownership. Read more on www.washingtoninformer.com WI @SamPKCollins @acooper62

NOVEMBER 2 - 8, 2023 51

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WYNN from Page 30 Essentially, if a smartphone or tablet malfunctions from a bad repair job, there's sure to be some headaches, but you'll survive. On the other hand, if a sophisticated medical device experiences the same type of error because a hospital chose unregulated repair options, it can be a matter of life or death. It is also important to consider possible unintended consequences this type of policy might have on

EDELMAN from Page 30 not the place for that child. In sum, out of school children shared a common characteristic of differentness by virtue of race, income, physical, mental or emotional 'handicap,' and age. They were for the most part, out of school not by choice but because they had been excluded. It is as if many school officials had decided that certain groups of children were beyond their responsibility and were ex-

underserved and racial minority communities, which are most often among the truly disadvantaged. One report from researchers with UCLA, Johns Hopkins and Harvard shows that hospitals with a large share of African American patients have significant funding disparities and receive lower payments for care from programs like Medicare. Unfortunately, these facilities are the ones that will most likely use the unregulated repair option to fit necessary mainte-

nance into tight budgets. Therefore, we could be unintentionally putting our community on the front lines of the increased risk a broad right to repair policy would enable. Cutting corners in the medical field should never be an option. A 2016 study by the National Library of Medicine found that cutting corners was a "common practice" that contributes to adverse outcomes. That's simply unacceptable. WI

pendable. They excluded them arbitrarily, discriminatorily, and with impunity." Following that 1974 report, CDF and others worked together to push Congress to pass legislation in 1975 that for the first time gave children with disabilities the federal right to a free, appropriate public education — the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, now the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA. It was an early victory affirming the beliefs

that no child is expendable, every child deserves a right to learn, and no child should be excluded from the indispensable lifeline of education. The battle to make these beliefs real for every child and youth, including the need to reform discipline policies that push students out, would continue. But it was, and remains, an essential battle to fight. Every child and youth today still deserves an education that allows them to reach their full potential. WI

MARSHALL from Page 30 no." Seeing how the extreme factions of the party have taken control, few agents of unity remain within the GOP. Therefore, is it realistic to believe that the new House speaker will have the ability to "restore and rebuild" trust after the American people witnessed how a bitterly divided GOP caucus used bullying tactics and death threats against their members over speaker votes? If there is no respect for their fellow GOP members when they disagree with each other, how can any responsible person lead this group while working in a bipartisan fashion with the Democrats when the circumstance of the nation calls for it? With either their support or opposition to the advancement of critical legislation, the individual who holds the House speaker's position has tremendous power that can impact the lives of every American. Therefore, any American who stands for democracy and against authoritarianism cannot trust Johnson, who, like Jordan, supported Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential elections. While some will passionately vote for the

It is the votes of minority voters that Trump, Jordan and Johnson sought to invalidate in cities such as Detroit, Atlanta, Milwaukee and Philadelphia. protection of the Second Amendment, the same degree of passion needs to be given to the 14th Amendment. A key element of the 14th Amendment grants citizenship to all persons "born or naturalized in the United States," including formerly enslaved people, and provides all citizens with "equal protection under the laws," extending the provisions of the Bill of Rights to the states. The amendment authorized the government to punish states that abridged citizens' right to vote by proportionally reducing their representation in Congress. It banned those who "engaged in insurrection" against the United States from holding any civil, military, or elected office without the approval of two-thirds of the House and Senate. Donald Trump and his allies

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consistently promoted the idea of massive voter fraud and irregularities in big cities and counties with large populations of people of color. It is the votes of minority voters that Trump, Jordan and Johnson sought to invalidate in cities such as Detroit, Atlanta, Milwaukee and Philadelphia. Therefore, we cannot overlook the 14th Amendment concerning the new speaker. Johnson had argued Biden's win was bogus, and he appeared to pressure 125 House Republicans to join him in filing a brief to the Supreme Court supporting a Texas lawsuit to overturn Biden's win in Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. He told them Donald Trump was watching. To end this chaos, the Democrats must flip the House back to the Democrats and make Hakeem Jeffries the House speaker. WI

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Additionally, Mayor Johnny Ford and the VIP Delegates were warmly received by the Honorable Mayor Darrin Canniff, Mayor of Chatham Kent County, and by the Prince family, who are 7th generation custodians and curators of the North Buxton Museum in Buxton. This historic visit marked a significant milestone in the collaboration between the National Policy Alliance-Canada and the World Conference of Mayors (WCM), underscoring their commitment to fostering international

MORIAL from Page 31 Blizzard alleging that their diversity and inclusion policies constitute racial discrimination. Now is

connections and the exchange of innovative ideas. This gathering promised to foster ongoing meaningful connections, celebrate heritage, and drive discussions on the intersection of technology and community development. The FutureBizNow Conference 2023 together with "NPA Canada was more than just an event; it shaped up to be a historic moment where visionary leaders, innovators, and communities converged to explore the future while honoring the past. With a diverse lineup of distinguished speakers and a dynamic hybrid format, the confer-

ence sought visionaries to unlock the boundless potential of the digital era. Allister Coward is executive director of the National Policy Alliance-Canada and Managing Director of Allviziers Business Group (www.npacanada.org). He is also on the board of directors of the World Conference of Mayors. See www.worldconferenceofmayors. com and the Historic Black Towns and Settlements under the leadership of the Honorable Johnny Ford, who brings together people from all across the world who are doing great things themselves to bring people together for good. WI

the time for corporations to meet the moment and they must do so tactfully and innovatively in order to make permanent and effective policy changes.

Affirmative action was birthed from a historical necessity — to redress centuries of systemic discrimination and level the playing field. But now, as the legal landscape shifts, it is up to businesses to champion the values at the core of this initiative. The Supreme Court's decision on affirmative action has unquestionably reshaped the landscape of diversity initiatives in the corporate realm. But as businesses grapple with these changes, the essence of what diversity stands for must not be lost. Instead of viewing the decision as a constraint, businesses should see it as an opportunity to authentically and innovatively set their best foot forward. WI

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Affirmative action was birthed from a historical necessity — to redress centuries of systemic discrimination and level the playing field.

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54 NOVEMBER 2 - 8, 2023

JEALOUS from Page 31 people who live there the impact of burning gas." The federal programs "will make a significant contribution to making electrification for low- and moderate-income families a possibility," but it won't cover all the cost. Stix and other advocates want the state to pay any incremental amount beyond the federal aid for low-income households. Because the heating improvements may uncover other home repair issues like roof leaks and lead paint, those families also need a one-stop process that allows them to tap all the assistance they may need. If we're going to offer incentives, the federal government needs to take the next step with a benchmark for what we want to replace. More than a year ago, 26 climate and health groups called on the Environmental Protection Agency to set limits on pollution

More than a year ago, 26 climate and health groups called on the Environmental Protection Agency to set limits on pollution from household appliances. Unlike other sources of greenhouse gases across our economy that are regulated by the Clean Air Act, buildings filled with appliances that burn gas, oil, or propane are left unaccountable. from household appliances. Unlike other sources of greenhouse gases across our economy that are regulated by the Clean Air Act, buildings filled with appliances that burn gas, oil, or propane are left unaccountable. This dangerous omission makes even less sense today than ever.

We're rightly reimbursing Americans' investment in readily available electric heat pumps and other appliances to address nearly 15 percent of net greenhouse gas pollution. Putting limits on those emissions should be part of the solution." WI

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Chef MAC and Pinkey Reddick, Co-Owners

Make Opportunity Happen Strengthening the economy by supporting Flavorture and other DC small businesses

With the help of JPMorgan Chase, restaurant co-founders Pinkey and Chef MAC of Flavorture are sharing their passion for food with communities like Woodley Park and beyond. See how we help make it happen at jpmorganchase.com/impact Participants compensated. © 2023 JPMorgan Chase & Co. All rights reserved.

56 NOVEMBER 2 - 8, 2023

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