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Domestic Violence By James Wright WI Staff Writer
ByOne Tiaof Carol Jones leading the District’s
WI Staff Writer political activists who used her moment on the national stage to When L.Y. Marlow's 23-yearhighlight her support for stateold daughter told her the father hood and to protest the disrespect of her daughter threatened her meted outthe to the Congress, life, and lifecity of by their child, recently died. she knew something had to be Barbara a politidone. OutLettofSimmons, her frustration cal and formerhandling member withoperative law enforcement's of the situation, D.C. Boardshe of decided Education of the to passed on Saving Dec. 22Promise at the age of start the cam85. Her funeral was held at Shiloh paign. “It seems to be vicious cycle Baptist Church in aNorthwest on that won't turn my family Thursday, Jan. 3. loose,” Marlow said. asMarlow Simmons was known an outshared her story with the audispoken yet articulate champion of ence at the District Heights D.C. statehood and the education Domestic of the city’sViolence children. Symposium on“Barbara May 7 atLett the District SimmonsHeights was a Municipal Center. The sympofriend of mine and of many othsium was sponsored by the ers, but she was a friend of the Family and Youth Services city to whom gave much Center of theshe city of soDistrict passionate devotion,” D.C. Del. Heights and the National HookEleanor Holmes Norton said. Up of Black Women. “She had anhas instinct to serve and Marlow written a book, a“Color focused to serve Medetermination Butterfly,” which is a those who needed service the story about four generations of most.” domestic violence. The book is inspired by her Norton, 75, own andexperiences, Simmons and those were rivals offorherthegrandmother, Democratic her mother and for her delegate daughter. Party nomination in She said every September 1990.time Aftershe thereads priexcerpts from herbecame book, she mary, Simmons one still of can not believe the words Norton’s staunchest allies came and from her. “Color support Me Butterfly” had the delegate’s for her won the 2007 National most controversial political “Best stand Books” Award. in 2000, when as a District elec“I was just 16-years-old when tor candidate Al my for eye presidential first blackened and my Gore, she opted not to vote for lips bled,” Marlow said. theElaine Democratic ticket. Davis-Nickens, presi“I will never forget Hook-Up her gutsy dent of the National protest one of said the there three isD.C. of BlackasWomen, no presidential electors in 2000 when consistency in the way domestic she abstained the exviolence issuesfrom are casting dealt with by pected vote for Albert Gore Jr.,” Norton said. “Barbara used the city’s one national right – its electoral vote – to stand up for her city and to amplify its protest against the denial of Congressional voting rights and statehood.” Eugene Kinlow, public affairs director for DC Vote, a Northwest non-government organization dedicated to full D.C. political rights, agreed with Norton. “Many people thought that she should not have done that,” said Kinlow, 50. “But Barbara Simmons played the situation like a true politician and played that card and many people said later that she was right to do that.” Strong political stands were a part of Simmons’ makeup. While on the Board of Education, to
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law enforcement. She said they threat,” she said. had come together to bring a Among the programs Marlow sense of uniformity in the way wants to see implemented are domestic violence victims and stricter restraining order policies, survivors are treated. more rights for victim's families “She's using her own personal to intervene on behalf of a vicstory, her own personal pain to tim, a domestic violence assesspush forward,” Davis-Nickens ment unit coupled with further said about Marlow. training for law enforcement Davis-Nickens said anyone agencies, a Child's Life Protecwho reads Marlow's book will tion Act and mandatory counsel“get it.” She said she “puts the ing for batterers. case in such a way, the average “If we are ever going to eradiperson can get it.” She said at the cate domestic violence, we must end of the day, the book will look at both sides of the coin. help people begin to have a dia- We need to address both the viclogue about domestic violence. tim and the batterer,” Marlow Also present at the event was said. Mildred Muhammad, the exMarlow would also like to see wife of John Allen Muhammad, programs designed to raise who was sentenced to six consec- awareness among children in utive life terms without parole public and private schools. She by a Maryland jury for his role in feels children need to be educatthe Beltway Sniper attacks in ed about domestic violence. 2002. Mildred Muhammad is “We have to stop being pasthe founder of After the Trauma, sive-aggressive with poor chilan organization that helps the dren about domestic violence,” survivors of domestic violence Marlow said. and their children. Marlow has worked to break “I lived in fear for six years. Six the cycle of abuse in her family, Barbara Lett Simmons. /Courtesy Photo years in fear is a long time. It is and is confident the policies she not an easy thing to come out is pushing for will start that of,” sheshe said. process. which was elected to in 1973 organization was established after Muhammad said “I plan to take these policies to andMildred was defeated for re-election in former presidential candidate and peopleshewho help a Congress and implore them to 1985, was awant strongtosupporter Walter Mondale domestic violence victim must Vice changePresident our laws,” Marlow said. of D.C. Schools Superintendent failed to consider a black female as be careful of how they go into “I will not stop until these poliBarbara Sizemore who thought his vice presidential running mate. the victim's life, and understand cies are passed.” that District children deserved to E. Williams, president of that she may be in “survival TiaFaye Carol Jones can be reached know the organization, described Simmode”.the many contributions of at tiacaroljones@sbcglobal.net blacks in allyou fields – a mons as “honest and assertive” “Before getoftoendeavor 'I'm going controversial view at that to kill you,' it started as time. a verbal even WIthough some of her ideas Simmons also launched a piano didn’t meet the approval of its competition for District youth. members. Ethel Delaney Lee, a longtime po“She was right there with us litical activist in Ward 4, said Simwhen we got started,” said Wilmons had a way of mixing educaliams who lives in Southwest. tion and politics effectively. “I remember when I first was “Barbara spoke her mind and was in her presence and that was at a honest and assertive. She truly meeting at Shepherd Elementary cared about the causes she esSchool,” said Lee, 85. “She was poused and did not worry about speaking about issues that were the consequences.” Simmons was a graduate of going on in the school and I was impressed with her command of Western Michigan University in the English language. That day, Kalamazoo, Mich., and taught I knew that she was going to be in the Montgomery County, Md. and District of Columbia somebody.” The Ward 4 Democrats annual school systems. A native of Batcelebration is named in honor of tle Creek, Mich., Simmons also Lee and she noted that Simmons served as president of the Diswas honored recently by the orga- trict’s chapter of the American Lung Association. nization at the event. A mother of two sons and the Simmons also had a passion for national politics outside of D.C. wife of the late Samuel L.Y.Simmons, Marlow voting rights. She was a founding Barbara Simmons was known as member in 1984 of the organiza- one who fought the good fight. tion now known as the National “She was a giant in the city and Congress of Black Women. The she will be missed,” Lee said.wi
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We have to stop being passive-aggressive with poor children about domestic violence. I plan to take these policies to Congress and implore them to change our laws. I will not stop until these policies are passed.
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around the around the region
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