Afro e-edition 06_12_2026

Volume 134 No. 46

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JUNE 13, 2026 - JUNE 19, 2026

CELEBRATING

JUNETEENTH Juneteenth is more than just another day on the calendar—it is a powerful celebration of Black freedom, resilience, economic empowerment and the enduring strength of the Black community.

afro.com

In this special edition, AFRO News honors the Black soldiers who helped enforce freedom on June 19, 1865, while also reflecting on how far African Americans have come since the first Juneteenth and how far we still have to go.

Copyright © 2026 by the Afro-American Company

A2 The Afro-American June 13, 2026 - June 19, 2026

An unfinished freedom: Juneteenth and the ongoing struggle for equity

By Megan Sayles AFRO Staff Writer msayles@afro.com It’s been almost 161 years since some 2,000 Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, in 1865 to declare freedom for more than 250,000 enslaved people in the state.

The announcement came more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation, which decreed that “all persons held as slaves” in rebellious confederate states were free and authorized African Americans to enlist in the U.S. military.

Even though liberation was secured in law more than a century ago, those at the forefront of civil rights say Black Americans are still fighting battles over equity, justice and access today.

“Black folks in America are still deserving and in need of full participation and access to all of the rights of this country—every element and amendment of the United

States Constitution,” said Dana Vickers Shelley, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ALCU) of Maryland. “We’re still working toward that.”

With celebrations for America’s 250th birthday on the horizon, Shelley said she can’t help but feel conflicted. To her, it seems Black Americans have been stuck in a recurring cycle of progress followed by systemic reversals.

Soon after what would become known as the first Juneteenth, the U.S. entered Reconstruction, an era between 1864 and 1877 marked by hope and possibility. Over that time period, African-American men voted, held public office and began to develop political influence for the first time in the country’s history. But the rise of self-determination for Black Americans came with fierce backlash from White Southern leaders who sought to undermine each hard-won gain.

From the late 1870s up until the height of the Civil Rights

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Photo courtesy of ACLU of Maryland

Dana Vickers Shelley serves as the executive director of the ACLU of Maryland, an organization committed to defending and preserving individual rights by the U.S. Constitution and state laws.

Movement in the mid-1960s, Jim Crow ushered in the era of “separate but equal,” with state-sanctioned segregation, racial terror, economic oppression and voter disenfranchisement. Decades after the passage of landmark legislation, like the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, Black Americans still find themselves and their rights at the whim of political actors who seek to erode those protections.

“What irony is it that this 250th anniversary comes at a time when so many inalienable rights are being taken away by our country’s government?” said Shelley. “This current federal administration is mocking even the founding documents of this country.”

In just the last year, the 47th president has issued executive orders to eliminate diversity, inclusion and equity in the federal government, end birthright citizenship, weaken civil rights protections tied to unequal outcomes and censor Black history. The U.S. Supreme Court has also contributed to these rollbacks

over time—striking down affirmative action and diminishing protections in the Voting Rights Act.

feels grieved when thinking about the state of the country for Black Americans. Her organization was founded in

“Black folks in America are still deserving and in need of full participation and access to all of the rights of this country— every element and amendment of the United States Constitution.”

- Dana Vickers Shelley, Executive Director of the ACLU of Maryland

Shaylyn Cochran, deputy executive director at the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (Lawyers’ Committee), admitted she

1963 at the behest of former President John F. Kennedy, who put out a call to action for private attorneys to assist the federal government in

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Photo courtesy of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law

Shaylyn Cochran serves as the deputy executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, an organization dedicated to ensuring equal justice for all and combating racial discrimination.

ensuring Black Americans’ civil rights were realized and to defend against racial discrimination.

Most concerning to Cochran has been the Supreme Court’s recent Louisiana v.

Callais, which significantly narrowed key provisions of the Voting Rights Act by making it more difficult to challenge racially discriminatory electoral maps.

“The Supreme Court basically decimated the last vestige we have of probably the most consequential civil rights statute in our country, the Voting Rights Act of 1965,” said Cochran. “It is in the aftermath of that that we are seeing majority Black districts across this country written out with new district lines that are being passed by legislatures. To say that voting rights are in crisis right now in our country would be an understatement.”

Still, organizations, like the ACLU of Maryland and the Lawyers’ Committee, have held firm on the front lines of pursuing racial equity and justice, filing lawsuits and advocating for policies to combat voter suppression and defend equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives, confront housing discrimination and advance criminal justice reform.

Both Shelley and Cochran have also been able to hold onto glimmers of hope amid the fraught political and social climate. For Shelley, it’s the hundreds of activists and community leaders the ACLU of Maryland works alongside every day to preserve constitutional and civil rights and dismantle systemic oppression.

For Cochran, it’s the conviction that even in periods of crisis, people come together in ways that can strengthen the push toward justice.

“There are good things.

There are coalitions, relationships, organizations and even new laws that are going to emerge from this period of crisis,” said Cochran. “If the past is prologue, that has been the American story.

When things are the hardest and look the bleakest, we often turn to each other and that often brings a spirit of creativity and audacity that has propelled us forward— even in the midst of trying times.”

June 13, 2026 - June 19, 2026 The Afro-American A3

Juneteenth, justice and America’s double standard

By Frances “Toni” Draper AFRO CEO and Publisher Some Americans celebrate Juneteenth enthusiastically, while others observe it reluctantly or still question why it matters at all — even though it is now a federal holiday.

That divide reflects a deeper truth about America’s ongoing struggle with race, history and justice. More specifically, it exposes a persistent double standard in how the nation responds to different forms of injustice and whose suffering receives urgency, sympathy and political attention.

Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, and informed enslaved Black Americans they were free — more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.

But Juneteenth is not simply a celebration of delayed freedom. It is also a reminder of delayed justice.

General Order No. 3 did more than announce emancipation. It promised “absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property.” For many Black Americans, that promise remains unfulfilled.

More than 160 years later, conversations about reparations and racial justice are still too often dismissed as too expensive, divisive or complicated.

That unresolved history provides important context for understanding why recent discussions surrounding possible compensation for people connected to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol have sparked outrage among many Americans.

The Trump administration’s proposed “Anti-Weaponization Fund,” reportedly designed to compensate people who claimed they were unfairly targeted by the

federal government, drew immediate scrutiny because some Jan. 6 defendants and Trump allies were expected to seek payments. On June 2, the administration said it was abandoning the fund after bipartisan criticism, legal challenges and concerns that taxpayer money could be used to reward people involved in the Capitol attack.

That reversal matters. But it does not erase the deeper concern.

Americans watched in horror as the attack left people dead, police officers assaulted and the nation’s democracy under siege. Yet only a few years later, some participants were discussed with a level of sympathy many believe would have been unimaginable if a predominantly Black mob had stormed the Capitol.

President Donald Trump must be held accountable for helping legitimize that conversation.

Words matter. Leadership matters.

When national leaders entertain compensation for participants in the Capitol attack while conversations about reparations for descendants of enslaved people continue to stall, many Americans see a glaring double standard.

Most individuals charged in connection with Jan. 6 were White, intensifying longstanding concerns about racial and social privilege.

At the heart of the debate is how quickly this nation mobilizes sympathy, political energy and even discussions of compensation for predominantly White Jan. 6 defendants while generations of Black Americans continue to wait for meaningful action addressing centuries of documented injustice.

Juneteenth reminds us that freedom delayed has

Photo courtesy of Johns Hopkins University / Will Kirk

Dr. Frances “Toni” Draper, publisher and CEO of the AFRO, reflects on the meaning of Juneteenth and examines how debates over reparations, accountability and racial justice continue to shape America’s understanding of equality and freedom. consequences.

Formerly enslaved people in Texas did not suddenly receive land, wealth, security or equal opportunity on June 19, 1865. Freedom came.

Equality did not.

That unfinished legacy continues to shape disparities involving wealth, housing, education, healthcare and opportunity today.

Perhaps that is why Juneteenth still unsettles some Americans. Unlike many national holidays, Juneteenth does not simply ask America to celebrate itself.

Instead, it demands that America remember honestly and confront not only how far this nation has come, but how far it still has to go.

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A4 The Afro-American June 13, 2026 - June 19, 2026

Upcoming Juneteenth events in the D.C., Maryland and Virginia

By Morgan Carpenter and Briannia Robinson AFRO Interns mcarpenter@afro.com brobinson@afro.com As the summer heats up, the Juneteenth holiday weekend is fast approaching. Here are a few free events taking place in the Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia (DMV) area during the weekend. This is a celebratory weekend full of exciting activities and events for all ages to enjoy. From block parties to museum events and more, there is something for everybody this Juneteenth.

Washington, D.C. Juneteenth for the City

District residents will have a chance to come together on Juneteenth for a block party hosted by Bread for the City on June 19. The event will highlight local Black culture, creativity and community connection, while also supporting and uplifting local businesses.

Date: June 19 Time: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Price: Free Location: Michelle Obama Southeast Center of Bread for the City 1700 Marion Barry Ave., SE Washington, D.C. 20020

Juneteenth Community Day

Honoring Opal Lee and Celebrating 100 Years. The National Museum of African American History and Culture is holding a Juneteenth celebration with activities for all ages. Participants have the opportunity to enjoy storytelling, music and workshops about Black history and freedom. There will also be performances and opportunities to make art.

Date: June 19 Time: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Price: Free Location: National Museum of African American History and Culture 1400 Constitution Ave. NW Washington, D.C. 20560

Freedom Day Black-Owned Marketplace

The Freedom Day BlackOwned Marketplace event celebrates Juneteenth in the way of supporting Black owned businesses. This event is made to highlight and support Black-owned businesses in the local Maryland area.

Juneteenth Celebration at Benjamin Banneker Historical Park and Museum

Visitors of this event can explore various vendors offering unique products and services. Food vendors are and fun community activities are offered as a way to enhance the festive atmosphere.

Date: June 19 Time: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Price: Free Location: 165 Waterfront St. National Harbor, Md. 20745

Maryland Baltimore City AFRO News to host Juneteenth Breakfast

The 2026 Juneteenth Breakfast hosted by AFRO News will honor the Maryland institutions that serve as “Stewards of Legacy” by educating and preserving Black history and culture.

Date: June 18 Time: 8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Price: $100 Location: The Baltimore Museum of Industry 1415 Key Highway Baltimore, Md. 21230

AFRAM

Baltimore’s Official Juneteenth Celebration, AFRAM’s 50th anniversary will include performances from celebrity and local artists, children’s activities, great food and a host of vendors with everything from jewelry to handmade soaps, clothing and more.

The event, which serves as Baltimore City’s official Juneteenth celebration, welcomes all ages and is a great way to spend the weekend of Juneteenth.

Date: June 19 - June 21 Time: June 19, 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.

June 20-21, 12 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Price: Free Location: Druid Hill Park Baltimore, Md. 21217

Black Musical Expression and Memory

A Juneteenth Celebration is perfect for lovers of Black music and art. Held at the Walters Art Museum, this event features live music from internationally recognized artists. The occasion will also highlight the importance of Black expression and joy through creative means.

Date: June 19 Time: 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.

Price: Free Location: 600 N Charles St.

AP Photo/Nati Harnik

As the summer season kicks into high gear, there are many events taking place during the Juneteenth weekend in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia. Shown here, the Juneteenth Flag, created in 1997 by Ben Haith.

Baltimore, Md. 21201

Juneteenth Block Party

NOLA Seafood and Spirits invites all to partake in a Juneteenth block party in Baltimore. This event celebrates family, culture and community with food specials, ending in a FIFA World Cup watch party.

Date: June 19 Time: 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Price: Free Location: NOLA Seafood and Spirits 36 E Cross St. Baltimore, Md. 21230

Juneteenth 2026 at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum Baltimore citizens can choose to celebrate June 19 at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum. Inspired by the newest museum exhibit “The Lines We Cross,” this event is perfect for the historians of Baltimore. Featuring dialogue, history and cultural expression, this event centers Juneteenth as a pivotal moment in Black history.

Date: June 19 Time: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Price: Free Location: RFL Museum 830 East Pratt St. Baltimore, Md. 21202

Juneteenth Celebration

A day of unity and care is what Sankofa Children’s Museum is hosting at their Juneteenth event.

With free health screening, utility assistance and a grocery giveaway, this event is focused on providing a helping hand to the community.

There will also be storytelling, African drumming and dancing, balloon animals and family fun.

Date: June 17 Time: 2 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Price: Free Location: Sankofa Children’s Museum Park Heights Ave. Baltimore, Md. 21215

Prince George’s County Watkins Regional Park Juneteenth Festival

The Watkins Regional Park Juneteenth Festival is perfect for the performing and visual artists of Prince George’s County, with graffiti walls, dance classes and crafts being put to the forefront of activities provided during the celebration.

Date: June 13 Time: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m Price: Free Location: Watkins Regional Park Watkins Park Drive, Upper Marlboro, Md. 20774

Juneteenth: Freedom through Music

Prince George’s County Memorial Library will host a night of lively music and informative sessions to celebrate Juneteenth. The afternoon will be filled with thoughtful conversations, videos and sing-alongs with a goal of exploring the impact of African-American musical traditions.

Date: June 13 Time: 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm Price: Free Location: Bladensburg Large meeting room 4820 Annapolis Road, Bladensburg, Md. 20710

Baltimore County

Residents of Maryland have the opportunity to celebrate at the Benjamin Banneker Historical Park and Museum on Juneteenth. The Juneteenth Celebration at Benjamin Banneker Historical Park and Museum will include live music, local food vendors, local community service organizations and historical demonstrations.

Date: June 19 Time: 3 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Price: Free Location: Benjamin Banneker Historical Park and Museum 300 Oella Ave. Catonsville, Md. 21228

Virginia Fairfax County Fairfax City Juneteenth Celebration

Celebrate the federal Juneteenth holiday with community at the Fairfax City Juneteenth Celebration in Fairfax, Va. Under the theme of “Juneteenth Brings Balance to America’s Celebration of Freedom,” this event will feature steel drum performances, spoken word and more.

Date: June 19 Time: 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Price: Free Location: Stacy C. Sherwood Community Center 3740 Blenheim Blvd., Fairfax, Va. 22030

Loudoun County Juneteenth Bazil Newman Celebration

One of the most successful Black entrepreneurs of Loudoun County’s Antebellum period, Bazil Newman, will be honored this Juneteenth. This event is one of historical importance and local education. Newman, born a freeman to a Black father and White mother, owned 186 acres of land and helped many enslaved people escape to freedom on his ferry.

Date: June 19 Time: 1 p.m. - 2 p.m.

Price: Free Location: River Creek Country Club Golf Course, Olympic Boulevard Leesburg, Va. 20176

June 13, 2026 - June 19, 2026 The Afro-American A5

FROM HOMEOWNERSHIP TO CAPITAL CONTROL:

Rethinking economic freedom for Black families

By Megan Sayles AFRO Staff Writer msayles@afro.com For more than two centuries, Black Americans were exploited for forced, unpaid labor under chattel slavery in the U.S.—stripping them of their humanity, freedom and any avenue to accumulate wealth. Even after emancipation in 1865, the promise of “40 acres and a mule” as reparations never materialized.

In the decades that followed, more promises were denied and new systems emerged that systematically excluded Black Americans from economic advancement, including exclusion from the GI Bill, redlining and discriminatory lending practices.

The effects of those policies remain visible today in the racial wealth gap. In 2022, the Federal Reserve reported that median wealth among White families was more than six times that of Black families, or $285,000 compared to $44,900.

Many economists and advocates continue to debate what it will take to narrow that gap and move closer to true economic freedom for Black Americans.

“Top of my list for economic freedom for Black Americans is homeownership,” said Rodney A. Brooks, author of “Fixing the Racial Wealth Gap.” “Right now, we’re looking at a White homeownership rate of about 74 percent and a Black homeownership rate of about 43 percent.”

Homeownership builds wealth in several ways. Each mortgage payment increases equity that can be leveraged for investments such as education or entrepreneurship, while property values typically appreciate over time, boosting net worth. Over generations, that equity can also be passed down as inherited wealth.

Brooks said expanding housing programs that move residents from renting into homeownership would be key to closing the wealth gap.

“Baltimore, for example, has thousands of uninhabited houses,” said Brooks. “Think about a program that would get people into those houses, giving them loans and assistance to help fix them up.”

Other experts argue that narrowing the racial wealth gap also depends on shifting who controls capital

Photo courtesy of Howard University

Curtis Kidd-Telemaque serves as the director of the Center for Financial Excellence at Howard University’s School of Business. and how it circulates within communities.

Curtis Kidd-Telemaque, director of the Center for Financial Excellence at Howard University, … said true economic power is tied to ownership and industry control, which in turn shapes employment and opportunity within communities.

“It is that ability to hire your own race or ethnicity without any sort of backlash at all,” said Kidd-Telemaque.

Through his work at the Center for Financial Excellence, he said he encourages students to leverage their training in private equity, investment banking, capital markets and wealth management to start their own companies.

“I don’t want to create a bunch of analysts that work for the industry for the rest of their life,” said Kidd-Telemaque. “I would like to create some small and large business owners who can then hire out.”

That shift, he added, can change how capital flows.

“Someone of the same ethnicity can then direct capital to their venture project, their barbershop or whatever it is they seek to do without

jumping the hurdle of trying to convince someone who doesn’t look like you that this thing is going to work when they don’t want to give you the money anyway,” said Kidd-Telemaque.

When it comes to measuring progress in closing the racial wealth divide, there are several metrics Kidd-Telemaque and Brooks pointed to a few indicators. Brooks highlighted homeownership rates as a benchmark of wealth-building capacity, noting that increases in Black homeownership would likely correlate with a narrowing of the racial wealth gap.

Kidd-Telemaque, meanwhile, recommended using the Gini coefficient to assess overall inequality, which measures how far a society’s distribution of money deviates from perfectly equal distribution. He also suggested that growth in Black-owned banks could serve as a sign that economic power is shifting.

“It’s access to capital and capital being controlled

by Black people. You can greenlight anything you need to in this particular country with money,” said Kidd-Telemaque. “You can start someone’s dreams.”

Photo courtesy of Rodney A. Brooks

Rodney A. Brooks is an award-winning journalist and author who writes about issues related to economic and health disparities, including the racial wealth gap.

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A6 The Afro-American June 13, 2026 - June 19, 2026

BEYOND GRANGER:

Honoring the Black soldiers who enforced freedom on Juneteenth

By Victoria Mejicanos AFRO Staff Writer vmejicanos@afro.com Discussions regarding Juneteenth often center on Union General Gordon Granger and his reading of General Order No. 3, but less attention is paid to Black soldiers who

Courtesy photo

Dr. Hillary Green is the James B. Duke professor of Africana Studies at Davidson College.

were with him in Galveston, Texas, helping enforce the end of slavery.

Historians who spoke with the AFRO say that by June 19, 1865, many of the Black Union troops had already been through brutal combat, racist treatment, unequal pay and were still navigating those conditions even after white soldiers were allowed to return home.

Dr. Hilary Green, the James B. Duke professor of Africana Studies at Davidson College, shared that many of the Black soldiers stationed in Texas wanted to return home, sending petitions to Washington, D.C. She also outlined the treatment they were facing. “[There are still] white officers who are not necessarily pro-Black soldiers,” said Davidson. “So you still see some violence. You still see some racism of the lingering white soldiers out there who do not respect these Black men in uniform, and more importantly, you do have civilians—in particular, white civilians—who actually see these black soldiers as legitimate.”

Green said that placing Black soldiers at the forefront of Juneteenth demonstrates the revolutionary nature of the Civil War because it decenters whiteness and makes it clear that Black soldiers helped defeat the Confederacy, which was deeply committed to slavery.

“This was a war in which Black

soldiers allowed for federal victory,” Green.“Without Black soldiers, you can’t have an end of the Civil War.” According to the National Park Service, 2,000 troops accompanied General Granger to Galveston.

Green said that while General Robert. E. Lee had already surrendered, many people didn’t believe what they heard.

For Black troops sent to Texas after fighting in Virginia, the assignment was both historic and deeply frustrating. While many white soldiers were allowed to return home, Black regiments remained stationed in Texas. The presence of Black troops in Texas created a stark contradiction: soldiers who were denied equal treatment themselves were now responsible for enforcing freedom for others.

“That reversal causes a lot of violence directed to those Black soldiers, but for Black Texans and those who are seeing these men enforcing emancipation and ending the Confederacy, they are praised and seen as liberators,” said Green.

For Dr. Holly Pinheiro Jr., whose research focuses on free Black Northern families during the Civil War, Juneteenth reveals the emotional toll Black soldiers carried while serving. “[There’s] psychological, emotional trauma that is impacting these

Courtesy photo

Dr. Holly Pinheiro Jr. focuses on the families of Black soldiers during the Civil War and is a professor of history at Furman University. people who are both liberators, but human beings who have their own struggles dealing with racism,” said Pinhiero Jr. Part of the emotional toll for Black soldiers in the Civil War came from having the life-changing impact of freeing an enslaved person, while also navigating challenges of the war, such as unfair wages. This issue was compounded after the war because veterans returned with diseases that gave them lifelong disabilities due to unequal working conditions. None of which would have been known without the record-keeping and memory of their

loved ones.

“Part of it is–from my experience–pension records,” said Pinheiro Jr. “It’s the wives, it’s the daughters, it’s the cousins and the sons, but the women in these soldiers’ orbits that are demanding that we never forget.”

Both historians said that including Black soldiers in the story of Juneteenth can change how Americans understand both freedom and the Civil War itself, shifting focus away from Confederate generals and toward the Black troops and families who helped secure emancipation.

June 13, 2026 - June 19, 2026 The Afro-American A7

Juneteenth beyond Galveston: How Black communities across states honor freedom

By Victoria Mejicanos AFRO Staff Writer vmejicanos@afro.com Juneteenth, for many Americans, is often remembered as the moment the “last enslaved people” learned they were free in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865. While many people celebrate Juneteenth as the end of chattel slavery in America, historians say the details of emancipation were more complicated. States like Delaware and Kentucky didn’t officially recognize the end of slavery until months after June 19, 1865.

“Freedom did look differently in different parts of the country,” said Dr. Donna Patterson, a professor of Africana Studies at Delaware State University. “What we saw in some of the border states like Delaware and Kentucky is that they did not ratify the 13th Amendment.”

According to the Texas State Library, Juneteenth was first celebrated in Texas in 1866 and became a state holiday in 1980.

Delaware did not ratify the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery in the United States, until 1901.

Kentucky did not ratify the amendment until 1976, but both states stopped practicing slavery in December of 1865 after the amendment was approved by three-fourths of the states—six months after Juneteenth–according to articles by the University of Kentucky and WHYY, the NPR affiliate serving Delaware and Philadelphia.

“What we see in different parts of the country is people have different knowledge and relationships with Juneteenth, in Texas, but of course, throughout the country.”

In Lexington, Ky., those relationships have taken shape through food, agriculture and community gathering.

Martina Barksdale co-founded SoulFeast Week with her twin brother, Marcellus Barksdale, in 2020 amidst nationwide racial justice protests and the pandemic.

The event celebrates Black culinary arts and agriculture.

“I wanted to figure out a way to give back to the community,” said Barksdale.

What began as a 19-day social

Photo courtesy of Shannon Woodloe

Beyond Juneteenth is an annual event hosted at the Delaware Art Museum, which works with local artists and organizers to look toward a collective future.

Courtesy photo

TD Young, a Blues artist from Lexington, Ky., performs at SoulFeast Week 2025. media challenge supporting Black-owned businesses evolved into SoulFeast Week, an annual event hoping to educate and uplift Black businesses through food.

Barksdale works with organizations like Black Soil Kentucky, which connects Black farmers to distributors and helps connect Black Kentuckians to agricultural traditions rooted in the state.

“We knew how important agriculture was in the state of Kentucky, so we decided that every dish would have at least one ingredient sourced directly from a Black farmer,” he said.

Although SoulFeast Week centers on Juneteenth, Barksdale said many Black Kentuckians also recognize Aug. 8 as the state’s Emancipation Day. According to the University of Kentucky, oral histories say news of the Emancipation Proclamation reached the region on Aug. 8, 1863, while federal law ultimately forced enslavers in Kentucky to emancipate enslaved people after the ratification of the 13th Amendment in December 1865.

“We know Juneteenth marks liberation for us, even though we have a lot further to go,” said Barksdale. “I think it is a great thing that so many

celebrations are happening.

There’s been celebrations even before us, particularly in Lexington. We just wanted to do our part and showcase what liberation means to us.

And the best way that I know how to do that is through food, culture, and vibes.”

For Barksdale, the event is more than just a celebration.

She said it is also an opportunity to reinvest in Black communities and honor those who came before.

“I think food brings people together,” said Barksdale. “I believe in pouring back into the community and making sure that our businesses have the resources that they need to thrive.”

This year, SoulFeast Week is partnering with the Lexington Black Prosperity Initiative and Blue Grass Community Foundation on a memorial honoring R.C.O. Benjamin, a Black voting rights organizer who was killed for registering Black voters in Lexington.

“While we’re focused on the Juneteenth holiday, so many of our ancestors fought for us to exist and be able to do these things,” said Barksdale. “While we’re having a good time, we want to be a beacon of hope as well as honoring those who came before us.”

In Delaware, organizers at

the Delaware Art Museum aim to transcend traditional narratives of slavery through their annual Beyond Juneteenth event, which features local artists, musicians, and cultural performances.

Abundancechild is a community partner for this year’s seventh annual Beyond Juneteenth celebration, and organized the first grassroots version of the event before it eventually grew into a partnership with the museum.

“I didn’t feel comfortable at a lot of the other historic Juneteenth events,” said Abundancechild. “They weren’t doing anything wrong. It’s just my people weren’t there, and

we weren’t celebrating the way my spirit felt.”

She said that the eventual partnership with the museum validated the event and the community behind it.

“I felt very seen,” she said.

“I felt like the community that I represent felt seen, because here you have an actual institution saying, ‘Yes, we support what you’re doing.’

“From that, I saw the amazing power of sponsorships.”

Nadjah N. Pennington, cultural programs coordinator for the museum, said the goal of the event is to move beyond the pain of the past.

“We’re not going to be held or bound to the weight of our

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A look at the crowd of SoulFeast Week 2025 in Kentucky.

past,” said Pennington. “We are guided, and we are strong in our now and in our future.”

Iz Balleto, the cultural programs manager at the museum, spoke to the significance of hosting a Juneteenth event that is led by people of color at an institution.

“As an institution, we have to archive everything that happens here, especially at our art museum,” he said.

“This story will be forever lived for the youth to learn in the future to look back.

We already know as people of color what it’s like to be erased out of books of truth and it is a necessity for us to do our part.”

June 13, 2026 - June 19, 2026 The Afro-American A9

WASHINGTON AREA Hundreds gather to honor life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Marie Braxton

By Joi-Marie Murphy McKenzie Lewis Special to the AFRO

Photo by Eli Turner Photography

Stephen Glaude is president and CEO of The Coalition—a nonprofit dedicated to advancing equitable community and economic development.

DCAP funnels almost $1 billion in spending to minority-owned businesses in the District

By Megan Sayles AFRO Staff Writer msayles@afro.com The Coalition, a nonprofit that works to advance equitable community and economic development, and Mayor Muriel Bowser gathered on June 1 to celebrate strides in local and minority business contracting.

Through the D.C. Community Anchor Partnership (DCAP), 17 large institutions in the District have

now spent more than $1.5 billion with D.C.-based businesses, including almost $1 billion for minority-owned businesses.

DCAP was started in 2017 after The Coalition discovered that less than 3 percent of the billions of dollars District hospitals and universities spend each year was being directed to local, small businesses.

“We believed that could change,” said Stephen Glaude, president and CEO

of The Coalition, formerly the Coalition for Non-Profit Housing and Economic Development (CNHED). “We believed that institutions could change the way they do business and that if local businesses were given the opportunity and the support to compete, institutional procurement could be an engine for local job creation, income generation and economic mobility.”

Today, DCAP is a collaborative of 17 local anchor

Photo by Eli Turner Photography

Genell Anderson serves as the owner of Washington, D.C.-based architecture and civil engineering firm AMAR Group. She began working with the D.C. Community Anchor Partnership (DCAP) in 2022 and has since landed contracts with Children’s National Hospital.

institutions, comprising hospitals, universities and utility companies. The initiative tracks institutional procurement data, facilitates strategic match-making and supports local, small businesses with technical assistance to streamline their access to contracting opportunities.

Genell Anderson, owner of D.C.-based architecture and civil engineering firm AMAR Group, was introduced to DCAP in 2022 and was quickly encouraged to apply for a master service agreement with Children’s National Hospital. Though hesitant at first, Anderson ultimately went for it and landed a three-year contract with the health system.

She’s now working on finalizing a second three-year contract.

“I think DCAP’s philosophy is to get excellence in the door, and we take it from there,” said Anderson.

“When we reached a roadblock with insurance, DCAP stepped in. When we wanted to spread our wings, they created a vendor fair with 20 incredible organizations.”

DCAP has not only shown small businesses what’s possible when contracting is intentional—it has also demonstrated to anchor institutions that small firms can successfully handle large-scale projects.

“What DCAP has done so effectively is help bridge some gaps, creating not only a powerful matchmaking environment between local businesses and anchor institutions, but also helping small businesses build the capacity and capabilities to compete for and deliver on large-scale contracts,” said Michelle Riley-Brown, president and CEO of Children’s National Hospital. “Along the way, this partnership has Continued on A10

Hundreds gathered inside Metropolitan A.M.E. Church in Washington, D.C., June 5 to celebrate and remember the life of the Rev. Dr. Marie Elizabeth Murphy Phillips Braxton.

Braxton, or Rev. Doc, as she was affectionately called, was a beloved high school educator, writer, preacher, mentor, civic leader and a history-making African Methodist Episcopal clergywoman. She died peacefully in her Maryland home after a lengthy illness. She was 77.

At a time when women in A.M.E. churches were still fighting for their much-needed place in ministry beyond missionary work, Rev. Braxton broke stained-glass ceilings by becoming one of the first women to be ordained an itinerant elder in the Baltimore Annual Conference. She helped open many doors for women clergy to follow behind her, creating a difference that would impact generations of women in ministry and the A.M.E. church at large.

Rev. Braxton, who had served as an assistant pastor at Metropolitan for 11 years, was also an AFRO shareholder, board member and the granddaughter of longtime AFRO publisher, the late Dr. Carl Murphy, who turned the newspaper into one of the nation’s most influential Blackowned media companies.

Born Jan. 22, 1949, Rev. Braxton was the oldest child

of Frank Phillips Jr. and Martha Elizabeth Murphy Phillips Moss, and the older sister of Benjamin Murphy Phillips IV and Rachael Murphy Phillips Humphrey, the AFRO’s president and board secretary, respectively.

She was deeply influenced by her mother, a trailblazing AFRO executive whose example of leadership, perseverance and commitment to community inspired and supported Marie’s many personal, professional and spiritual endeavors throughout her life. She was also the granddaughter of Vashti Turley Murphy, one of the 22 founders of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. “There was nothing easy about her journey,” her husband of nearly five decades, former A.M.E. presiding elder, the Rt. Rev. Dr. Ronald E. Braxton, wrote in “My Life with Marie,” part of the funeral program. “But my wife was a strong Black woman. She was in every sense an accomplished, self-determined, forward thinking, compassionate and spirit-led woman.”

Inside Metropolitan, Rev. Braxton’s family dressed in white. There was lightness and laughter that filled the air, perhaps a nod to the deceased’s light and effervescent spirit. The service brought together generations of A.M.E. leaders, members of the historic Murphy family, AFRO board members and civic leaders from the Continued on A10

Courtesy photo

Family and friends mourn death of Rev. Dr. Marie Braxton.

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Past 7 days

39 2026 Total as of 6/10

A10 The Afro-American June 13, 2026 - June 19, 2026 WASHINGTON D.C. | LIFESTYLE

Ebenezer Church of God holds annual banquet

By Patricia McDougall Special to the AFRO Ebenezer Church of God held its annual banquet June 7 at the Holiday Inn in College Park, Md. The event, called “Spirit Break Out,” was the first gala hosted by Virtuous Women of Valor and was a tremendous success, uniting people of all cultures and ministries for an evening of inspiration, entertainment, fellowship and celebration.

The atmosphere was filled with joy, music, dancing and community spirit, making it a truly memorable occasion for all who attended.

“Our goal was to create an atmosphere where people from all walks of life could come together in celebration, encouragement

and fellowship. Seeing the joy, unity and love shared throughout the evening made this inaugural gala a tremendous blessing and a resounding success,” said the Rev. Dr. Rose Subryan, founder and president of Virtuous Women of Valor.

Ewart Blake was the special celebrity artist.

Rev. Dr. Agorom C. Dike, founder and president of Caribbean and African FaithBased Leadership Conference, presented Bishop Oliver Subryan, the senior pastor of Ebenezer Church of God, with the Global Spiritual Leadership Award for exceptional pastoral leadership from The White House Prayer for Our Nations.

All AFRO Photos/ Patricia McDougall

David Rhoden (left) and Michael O’Connor meet in fellowship.

Dr. Keith A. Robb (left), Dr. Danalee H.A. Robb, Keisha Forbes-Walters and Akili Henney enjoy their evening.

Guest artist Minister Ewart “2nd Chance” Blake performs live for the banquet guests.

Shown here, Mrs. Lisa Brooks (left) and Mr. Richard Brooks.

Binie Morris (left) with her daughter Rosalee Morris at the annual banquet for Ebenezer Church of God.

Rev. Dr. Agorom C. Dike, the founder and president of the Caribbean and African Faith-Based Leadership Conference, speaks to the audience.

Shown here, Aaron “Ninja” Lawrence (left) (Virginia Beach), Dr. Omar Chukwueze (New York) and Rev. Zereal B. Williams (Jamaica).

Virtuous Women of Valor members and banquet sponsors, Minister Dr. Deloris McKoy (left) and First Lady Dr. Rose Subryan are awardees for outstanding leadership.

Tamyiah Baptiste (left) and Doreen Lambert support their leadership with a smile.

Senior Pastor Oliver Subryan receives the Global Spiritual Leadership Award for exceptional pastoral leadership.

DCAP Continued from A9 challenged us to rethink our own assumptions about what’s possible, about who is ready and about the strength of our local and minority-owned businesses.”

Through DCAP, Children’s National secured a local, minority-owned facilities management company to oversee cleaning services across all of its campuses—an opportunity Riley-Brown

said likely would not have materialized otherwise.

In light of sweeping cuts to the federal workforce, the D.C. region lost an estimated 72,000 jobs in 2025, according to the D.C. Office of Revenue Analysis (ORA). Mayor Muriel Bowser suggested that employment challenges brought on by the federal downsizing require an all-hands-ondeck approach.

For her, programs like DCAP present

Paul Watson (left) and Ranford Murphy make an appearance at the church banquet.

“I think DCAP’s philosophy is to get excellence in the door, and we take it from there.”

– Genell Anderson, Owner of AMAR Group

pathways forward.

“It requires all of us to think about how we will replace those jobs with more good-paying jobs. When we do that, we will ensure that we have a robust downtown because new companies are coming in and hiring D.C.

residents. We will ensure that we have growing schools because families are moving into our neighborhoods and choosing D.C. Public Schools. We will ensure that our residents are increasing their own personal wealth because people are buying housing and making

sure that we have a strong housing market. We will ensure that our universities attract great students because they want to live in a vibrant city,” said Bowser.

“All of those things are important and it takes small business and big business to help lead those efforts.”

Dr. Marie Braxton Continued from A9 Baltimore and Washington areas.

From behind the pulpit, family members, sorority sisters from Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and civic leaders reflected on Rev. Braxton’s life and her decades-long influence across many communities.

Cousin Cimmon Byrd, representatives of The Philomathians Club and AFRO publisher and cousin, Dr. Frances “Toni” Draper, were also present to pay their respects.

“In 1973, she was among 11 AFRO family members under the age of 30 elected to the newspaper’s Board of Directors. Years later, she returned to board service as both a director and shareholder,” Dr. Draper said.

“Then, in 1977, at just 28 years old, Marie was selected to serve as a juror for the Pulitzer Prizes, becoming the youngest member of the panel that year. Just think about that for a moment: A young Black woman from Baltimore helping to evaluate the nation’s

highest honor in journalism.”

Her son, Derek Eugene Braxton, remembered his mother for how she infused happiness in his life in a tribute video played at the funeral.

“Mommy, remember what we said: Nothing can break us apart. You’d draw a million smiling faces in the notes you’d leave me. I hope you’re happy, like for real,” he recalled.

“I know you’re smiling forever.”

AME bishops, including Bishop A.J. Richardson, Bishop James Davis, Bishop John R. Bryant, who introduced the Braxtons, and Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie, her cousin, also shared tributes.

“Soror Marie loved Jesus and Jesus loved her back,” Bishop McKenzie said during Delta Sigma Theta’s Omega Omega Service, held before the funeral. “She was born in charge, a leader from an early age, managing a household, her siblings’ lives and everything else in the classic style of those strong Murphy women.”

Leaders from the A.M.E. church’s Women’s Missionary Society also shared their memories and thoughts of Braxton.

“There was an elegance about her; a kind of sophistication without any pretense. She was pleasant, kind, and radiant with a proper … speaking style,” said Retired Supervisor Connie Richardson, who called Rev. Braxton a friend.

“Dr. Marie, my friend, did not let her light go out while she yet lived. Dr. Marie, my friend, did not lose her faith, her hope, her giving spirit, her entrepreneurship spirit, her creativity,” Supervisor Arelis Davis, of AME’s Seventh Episcopal District, said.

“She truly believed that only what we do for Christ will last.”

The funeral service, which was presided over by Metropolitan’s pastor William H. Lamar IV and featured a musical tribute by Rev. Andre Jefferson, was punctuated by a eulogy from Rev. Dr. Joanne Browning, a longtime friend of the deceased, and the longtime

co-pastor of Ebenezer A.M.E. Church in Fort Washington, Md. “Anyone that knew or encountered what I would call the ‘Rev. Marie Experience,’ you knew she had a special, divine connection to Jesus Christ,” Browning said.

“She was a woman saved by grace and called by God.” “A wife, a mother, a family member, and a beloved friend, a pastor, a preacher, a writer, a Delta, creative, gifted and anointed by the Holy Ghost. Because of her divine connection with the things of God, she was profound and prolific when she spoke, whether it was a preaching moment or in a private conversation,” Browning continued.

Braxton leaves behind her husband, Rev. Dr. Ronald Braxton, and two adult children, Shannon Elizabeth and Derek Eugene. She is also survived by her younger siblings, Benjamin Murphy Phillips IV and Rachael Phillips Humphrey, along with a host of cousins, nieces, nephews, godchildren and friends.

A11 The Afro-American June 13, 2026 - June 19, 2026

COMMENTARY

What Andrew Young reminded me about Baltimore

By Mark A. Thomas Civil rights icon Andrew Young recently came to Baltimore as a guest of the Baltimore Orioles and the South Baltimore Gateway Partnership to help celebrate the establishment of the Baltimore Black Sox memorial and lift up another remarkable chapter in Baltimore’s history.

As America approaches its 250th anniversary, Baltimore’s story runs through so many chapters of the nation’s story: industry, culture, civil rights, labor, education, neighborhood life and baseball. The Black Sox are part of that inheritance.

Their story reminds us that Baltimore’s history is not a backdrop. It is a source of identity, pride and possibility for what this city and region can still become.

Like many people, I knew Ambassador Young as a civil rights icon, former U.N. Ambassador, and former Mayor of Atlanta. What I did not realize until his visit was that he once served as Chairman of the Metro Atlanta Chamber, effectively the GBC of my hometown.

Ambassador Young understood the work from both sides: as a civil rights leader and as a business-civic leader helping shape one of the country’s most influential regional economies.

When former Mayor Young shared that Baltimore’s Inner Harbor helped

Courtesy photo

Mark Anthony Thomas is president and CEO of the Greater Baltimore Committee. This week, he discusses the impact of civil rights icon Andrew Young. inspire Underground Atlanta’s redevelopment in the 1980s, it was a reminder that Baltimore has made bold moves before, and that those moves have reached farther than we sometimes acknowledge.

At the time, Baltimore was one of the larger and more influential markets on the East Coast and across much of the Southeast. The Inner Harbor represented a city thinking boldly about its future and organizing public, private and civic leadership around that vision.

Atlanta went on to make major long-term bets on itself. Investments in transportation, higher education, downtown revitalization, sports and talent reshaped the trajectory of the

city and state. One of them was the HOPE Scholarship, arguably one of Georgia’s most important talent investments and a major policy effort former Mayor Young reminded me the Chamber championed. It changed the lives of countless young people, including mine.

Baltimore has made major civic investments before. The work now is to make that level of ambition show up in the issues people feel every day: jobs, housing, public safety, neighborhood reinvestment and access to opportunity.

Three years ago, the Greater Baltimore Committee began a different kind of work.

Not simply merging organizations or announcing a new agenda, but rebuilding the region’s business-civic table for a moment that demanded more alignment, more ambition and more follow-through.

Baltimore had plenty of voices describing its challenges. What the region needed was stronger connective tissue: a place where leaders could organize around economic growth and investment and the longterm future of the region.

Over the last three years, GBC and our partners have helped build more of that civic infrastructure, including: • The Baltimore Region’s first 10year economic opportunity plan, All In | 2035, giving the region a

clearer framework for long-term growth.

• The region’s first economic brand, BOLD MOVES, which City Nation Place selected as the top U.S. place brand in 2025.

• The federal Tech Hub designation and the Regional Innovation Office, strengthening the region’s ability to compete for innovation-focused federal investment.

• The region’s first economic investment scorecard, giving us stronger tools to track capital flows, understand investment momentum and market the Baltimore Region for jobs and growth opportunities.

• Baltimore’s Transit Future, Downtown RISE, transit-oriented development, and industrial infrastructure priorities tied to Sparrows Point, Curtis Bay, freight, logistics and the Port of Baltimore.

• Maryland Tough Baltimore Strong, BPD recruitment and retention support, and one of Baltimore’s generational vacant housing and neighborhood redevelopment efforts, including the partnership with Enterprise Community Partners announced at Rockefeller’s Big Bets for America convening.

• UpSurge Baltimore, BLocal, and the Baltimore Social

Responsibility Group, strengthening the region’s capacity around innovation, entrepreneurship, local hiring, procurement and corporate philanthropy.

We are grateful for the partners across business, government, philanthropy, neighborhoods and civic life who have stepped into this work with us. The progress of the last three years reflects their commitment as much as ours. What GBC has tried to do is help organize that energy around a clearer agenda for economic growth, investment and long-term opportunity.

Re-celebrating the Baltimore Black Sox was a reminder that Baltimore’s history is deeper, richer and more consequential than we often tell ourselves.

But it also reflected something larger in former Mayor Young himself: an understanding that sports, culture, civic leadership and economic opportunity are all connected to how a city sees itself and where it believes it can go next.

That was the dual message of his visit: honor the history that made Baltimore matter, and do the work required to make its next chapter matter just as much.

In these first three years, I hope we have honored that responsibility.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the AFRO.

Apple cuts bait on Baltimore County How to know which and workers pay the price types of debt to pay first

By Eric Brown

By Courtland Merkel

Last month, my son was born.

It should have been a week of pure joy. And it was, but underneath the happiness was something I couldn’t shake: the uncertainty of not knowing whether I’ll have a job, health insurance or a steady paycheck by the time he’s three months old.

I’m a sales lead at the Apple Store at Towson Town Center. I’ve worked there for more than six and a half years, starting as a part-time technical specialist and working my way up through the ranks to a role similar to what most retailers would call an assistant manager. I live in Parkville, Md., in Baltimore County.

Apple isn’t just my job, it’s my career. And for nearly 90 of my coworkers, it’s theirs, too. Apple announced that it will close our store on June 20. It’s not just closing a store.

It’s closing down the careers and hopes of local workers.

Here’s what makes this decision different from a typical store closure: two other Apple retail locations are closing at the same time, and workers at those stores are being offered transfers to other locations. We are not. The one thing that sets our store apart from those two? In our view, Apple is breaking the law and carving us out because we have a union.

Four years ago, my coworkers and I made history. We became the first Apple retail store in the United States to be unionized. I joined that effort because I believed in this job and wanted real security in a career I intended to keep building. We knew there might be consequences. We even braced for retaliation. But we never imagined Apple would punish the thousands of people who call Towson “their Apple Store.”

People who had nothing to do with our organizing just wanted to settle a score with us.

My Union (IAM Union) has filed an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) charge with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), citing discriminatory treatment against unionized workers at the Towson store. The entire Maryland congressional delegation has written a letter to Apple demanding answers. But Apple has yet to change course.

What I want people to understand is what this store means to this community and what its closure will cost.

Towson sits in the heart of Baltimore County and outside Baltimore City. For many people in this region, we are the Apple Store.

Customers tell us regularly they’ve driven more than an hour to reach us, from Pennsylvania, from West Virginia, from deep in the city.

We’re blocks from hospitals, high schools, colleges and businesses.

Students from Towson, Goucher, Stevenson, CCBC, Loyola, John Hopkins, University of Baltimore, Morgan State University and Coppin State University come to us. High school and middle school students come to us.

Parents come to us. Senior citizens come to us. People who

Handling money has become increasingly difficult, and almost every Baltimore family is struggling with an important question: Which bills and debts should we pay first?

To answer this question, it is important to understand that not all debt is equal. Some debts can damage your credit score if left unpaid, while others can threaten your home or transportation.

The first rule of debt management is to prioritize debts that can immediately harm your family if they are not paid. These are considered “high-priority” debts because falling behind on them can quickly and severely affect your household.

Housing should always come first.

Rent and mortgage payments are among the most important financial obligations because missing too many payments can lead to eviction or foreclosure. Losing your home can create long-term financial instability, which is why housing should remain a top priority.

Property taxes are also important. If you do not have an escrow account with your mortgage lender, you are responsible for paying your own property taxes. While nonpayment may not result in the immediate loss of your home, unpaid taxes can eventually lead to a tax sale.

Transportation is another major priority. If you rely on your vehicle to get to work, school, or medical appointments, missing payments on a car loan or lease can result in repossession after only a few missed payments. Losing reliable transportation can quickly affect employment and household income.

Many families make the mistake of prioritizing lower-priority debts simply because debt collectors call frequently or because the payments are smaller.

Credit card balances, medical bills and retail charge accounts generally do not create immediate threats to your housing, transportation or income.

Photo courtesy of IAM Union / Nicki Morris

Eric Brown is a sales lead at the Apple Store in Towson Town Center and a member of IAM Local 4538. depend on public transit come to us because we are accessible in a way that other locations are not.

This is what Steve Jobs envisioned when he created Apple retail 25 years ago: not just a place to buy a phone, but a place where technology and community meet.

Our store has been part of this community for more than 20 of those 25 years. To close it suddenly, without offering our workers a path forward, isn’t just a business decision.

It’s a betrayal of the people we serve every day and of us.

My oldest daughter starts college in the fall. My youngest daughter turns 3 this year. And my newborn son is sleeping at home right now while I’m trying to figure out what comes next. My coworkers are in similar positions, carrying families, mortgages, medical bills and the quiet fear of watching a stable job disappear.

We’re not asking for charity. We’re asking Apple to do right by us and offer us the same transfer opportunities it extended to workers at its other closing stores.

We’re asking the company that built a brand on thinking differently to think differently about how it treats the workers who made that brand real in this community Apple is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. After half a century, it can afford to treat its workers with dignity.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the AFRO.

Photo courtesy of MVLS

Courtland Merkel is a housing and consumer attorney for Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service.

Medical debt includes bills from hospitals, doctors, dentists, ambulance companies and other healthcare providers; these are usually considered lower priority. In many cases, medical debt does not affect your credit report for at least a year and often carries lower interest rates and fewer penalties. Further, medical debt does not usually result in the immediate loss of property or income unless a creditor successfully sues you.

Debts you owe as a co-signer may also become high priority. If you co-signed for someone else’s loan and used your home or vehicle as collateral, failure to pay could place your property at risk.

Credit card debt is generally considered low priority. Credit card companies cannot seize your bank accounts, wages, or property unless they first sue you in court and obtain a judgment against you. Compared to other types of debt, credit card debt should rank lower than keeping your home.

Debt can feel overwhelming, but not all debt carries the same consequences. By protecting essentials first – housing, transportation, utilities and legal obligations – families can stabilize their finances and avoid the most damaging outcomes while working toward long-term recovery.

Free Legal Help: Contact Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service at 410-547-6537

The opinions on this page are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the AFRO. Send letters to The Afro-American ∙ 233 E. Redwood Street, Suite 600G Baltimore, MD 21202 or fax to 1-877-570-9297 or e-mail to editor@afro.com

June 13, 2026 - June 19, 2026 The Afro-American A12

BALTIMORE AREA

Afro Charities hosts ‘Dreams in Bloom’ fundraiser

By Kendra Bryant Special to the AFRO

AFRO Photo / Makayla Walker

Christopher Lundy (center), inaugural director of Small and Minority Business Advocacy and Development, marks the official beginning of the 2026 Small Business Advancement Conference with a ribbon cutting.

Investing in yourself: A recap of the 2026 Small Business Advancement Conference

By Andrew Hall and Makayla Walker AFRO Interns On June 4, 2026, hundreds of Black business owners joined together at the Baltimore Convention Center for the Small Business Advancement Conference. The conference featured vendor tables, seminar speakers, workshops, breakout sessions, and more. Guests learned about opportunities for small, local, minority and women-owned businesses.

“The purpose is all about partnership and opportunities,” said Christopher Lundy, inaugural director of Small and Minority Business Advocacy and Development.

“It was important to me that we bring back something that really highlights our small business community.”

Lundy emphasized the importance of building community as an entrepreneur and establishing cohesiveness and connections that take businesses ventures to the next level. He explained that the conference marks the capstone of the fiscal year for his department.

The convention included riveting speeches from several notable leaders, including Ron Busby Sr., president and CEO of the U.S. Black Chambers (USBC). The USBC’s mission is to stimulate economic empowerment by providing leadership and advocacy, particularly to small business owners.

“The challenge is, when I go talk to corporate America, when I talk to local governments, they say ‘We want more black owned businesses, but we can’t find

them and they don’t have the size and the scale,” said Busby. “That’s what today’s environment is really about.

Being found– first off– then creating the size and scale that corporate America and governments require.

Many of us sell gadgets and widgets, and we all want to get into these big box stores.

The USBC is creating a program that will allow you and your business to grow to get into those consumer stores, so your products can be found on their shelves. ” Along with Busby, Towanda R. Livingston, director of supplier development and engagement for Constellation Energy, shared powerful remarks. Livingston called on emerging minority business owners not to be discouraged by the discrimination they face,

but to find peace in knowing there is room for them in the marketplace.

“What we’re in is not new.

Everything up to this point has prepared this generation for this very fight. They’re banking on you to break down, shut down, but we’ll show them that we will double down on ourselves, each other, our community and our businesses. Growth starts with us, not ‘me and them,’ but ‘us,’” Livingston said. “If we’re going to be bullied, we’re going to be bullied into billions.”

The conference included multiple information sessions, where panelists discussed tips to help business owners be successful in 2026 and beyond. Session topics included learning how Continued on A13

Afro Charities hosted their “Dreams in Bloom” fundraiser at Cece’s Roland Park on June 6, with proceeds going towards the work of curating and protecting the AFRO Archives.

The collection, overseen

by Afro Charities, includes more than 3 million AFRO images, letters and audio files documenting Black history and the AFRO’s 133year history.

Inspired by the “Dreams in Bloom” theme, the restaurant was decorated with colorful flowers and offered guests opportunities to create floral crafts, including headbands and corsages.

“It requires a certain level of nurturing in order to grow,” said Savannah Wood, fifth generation descendant of AFRO News founder John H. Murphy Sr. and executive director of Afro Charities.

“So with that, it seems like the perfect analogy for the organization at this time as we’re on our way to bloom.”

The event honored Eddie and Slyvia Brown, founders of The Brown Family Foundation. Eddie Brown is also the founder of Brown Capital Management, one of the nation’s oldest Blackowned investment firms.

“Eddie and Sylvia Brown have made a tremendous impact in Baltimore,” said Robert Matthews, an Afro Charities board member.

“They’ve been committed to serving and taking care of those in our city in many different ways, from education to healthcare and beyond.

When we think about who they were and who they’ve become, they represent dreams manifested. They represent dreams in bloom.”

The Howard University graduates were recognized for their philanthropy, including a $5 million commitment to establish the Graduation Retention Access to Continued Excellence (GRACE) Grant, which was the largest alumni donation in the university’s history.

“Giving back is in our DNA,” said Sylvia Brown.“Especially today with what’s all going on at this moment. We give to the young people, as they are our hope.”

The program helps students facing financial hardships to continue their education. Eddie Brown was able to attend the university after a high school teacher covered the cost of his education.

“It’s not about giving back, but it’s about giving forward for the next generation,” said Eddie Brown.

“We were especially interested in helping those less fortunate, because I was once in that boat.”

Attendees included community leaders, local business owners and artists.

“To be in proximity to the archives and being able to play a part in the restoration of Black history is the single greatest role you could ever play in your life as a Black person,”said Khalil McFarlane, Baltimore born visual artist. “It’s almost mind blowing to even think Continued on A13

HOMEGROWN SOUND:

Local artists reflect on AFRAM’s enduring influence

By Maurice Carroll Special to the AFRO While big celebrity names are a major draw for AFRAM, local artists cannot be undervalued when it comes to measuring the growth and popularity of the festival. The event curates an experience for visitors, but for Baltimore-based artists, it serves as a platform of opportunity and advancement.

“I remember AFRAM being the first time I saw live sound–the big speakers and everything,” said Changa Onyango, a staple of the local arts scene. “I was there with my parents and community, who were playing drums and doing African dance. I got to see them transform from my regular school bus driver or school teacher into this person that was performing in front of everybody. That never left me.”

When he grew older, AFRAM became a major platform for his own music on multiple occasions.

“AFRAM was one of the largest crowds that my band, The Love Peace Project, performed in front of,” he said.

“The professional lights and sound in an outdoor setting–it just gave us a certain amount of confidence to continue elevating what we were doing.”

After his own opportunities, Changa reached back to help other artists as curator of the “One Lit Stage” in 2018, a community stage for local artists.

AFRAM has been both an inspiration and a springboard for many careers.

Navasha Daya, lead singer of Fertile Ground before it disbanded, is still a regular contributor to AFRAM under her own name. The festival’s roots are in her blood—literally.

“My cousin, Gil Scott-Heron, performed at the very first AFRAM in 1976, and that history has always stayed with me,” she recalls.

“AFRAM represented the resiliency of our people, our talent, our creativity and our history. The inaugural festival’s programming was brilliant because it reflected so many dimensions of the Black community through music, art, culture and civic engagement...being part of a festival with such deep

cultural roots has always felt meaningful.”

Baltimore has a competitive music scene that unifies at different times of year, including at AFRAM. “I think people sometimes only see the performance itself, but they don’t always realize how meaningful it is to perform in front of your own community,” says Nadria Jennings, who goes by the stage name, DriaTheArtist.

“There’s something different about being seen and embraced by people who understand where you come from.

For me, AFRAM was bigger than just getting on stage. It was a moment that reminded me that my voice, my art and my presence matter right here in my own city.”

This year marks the 50th year of AFRAM, with Baltimore’s own Dru Hill, Mario and Lil Mo taking to the main stage. Brandon Woody, the popular Baltimore-born jazz trumpeter, PJ Morton, Tamia and Normani will also make an appearance at the festival.

Though major celebrities will draw crowds, local and regionally-based performers will also once again grace the

Courtesy photo

Navasha Daya dances during a 2009 AFRAM performance. stage at AFRAM. Timothy Fletcher, Rodney Jay, The Poet Serenity and NAE are all set to perform at AFRAM 2026 Roots and Family Stage.

The free festival will take place in Druid Hill Park June 19-21. On Friday, June 19, the event will run from 3 p.m to 9 p.m., with festival hours running from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. on June 20 and 21.

3

Last 7 days

39 2026 Total as of 6/10

June 13, 2026 - June 19, 2026 The Afro-American A13

‘Dreams in Bloom’ Continued from A12 about our history being able to be physically felt outside of oral tradition. To see the embodiments of these people we look up to and share love with, but on paper.

That’s the thing I really love and appreciate about the AFRO, being able to have that connection to things that are tangible.”

Silent auction items included artwork by Black artists such as “Queen for a Day” by Ainsley Burrows, “The Watcher’s Tale”

by Chukwudumebi Amadi-Emina and “Queen Rasta” by Yemonja Smalls.

The archives will be housed in

the Upton Mansion. Built in 1838, the building remained vacant after the closing of the Upton School in 2006 until Afro Charities purchased it in 2021 as part of a $16 million dollar redevelopment.

“There’s so much that we can learn from the Afro Archives in particular because they’re told from the Black perspective,” said Wood. “When you go back in history, you don’t usually get that perspective. My hope is that people will do their own research and expand their understanding of the past by using our collections.”

AFRO-Archives will open to the public on March 13, 2027, at the historic site.

Shown here, the Afro Charities team: Deyane Moses (left), Deyane Moses, Savannah Wood, Annyah St. Louis, Amber Campbell-Wheeler, Bry Reed, Oyinda Omoloja, Megan McShea, Olivia Jones, Blanca Vásquez-Hurley, Jasmine Clarke, and Imauri Hazel.

2026 Small Business Advancement Conference Continued from A12 to access capital, establish financial literacy and leverage certification and technology.

The technology session covered how business owners can leverage AI within their companies. Will Holmes, founder of Will Holmes Consulting, was the moderator.

The panelists were Dr. Yasmine Kotturi, Stephanie-Solange Campbell, Alex Johnson and Agnes Kibirige.

To successfully utilize artificial intelligence, owners were instructed to assess where automation fits in their business, understand where their data is being stored and view AI as a partner, rather than a replacement.

“Think about the things you’re good at, think about your superpowers. Tap into what makes you unique and offload the rest,” said Agnes Kibirige, founder and CEO

Photo courtesy of the Baltimore Small and Minority Business Advocacy and Development Office

Hundreds attend the Baltimore City Small Business Advancement Conference at the Baltimore Convention Center on June 6. of experTribe. “The way you interface with the world is a combination of your lived experience, your passion and

your skills. AI cannot replace that.”

Tonia Cain, founder and CEO of Ruby Rock Inc.,

and Ruby Rock Consulting attended the conference looking to form relationships.

“That’s super important,”

Cain told the AFRO. You have to continue to come out and network. If people don’t see you and you aren’t building those relationships, they don’t know who you are– you become just another company. If you continue to go out, talk and build relationships, then they’ll always call on you.”

Ruby Rock Inc., a commercial cleaning and post-construction clean up company, honors Cain’s mother, Ruby, who worked for 30 years as a custodian on Capitol Hill. Inspired by this, Cain says her business is built on the love her mom showed her, and that passion is what separates her company from others.

Less than a year ago, Cain founded Ruby Rock Consulting with the goal of helping other women launch their own businesses. Understanding that entrepreneurship can

Sophisticated culture matters.

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be unsettling, Cain implores others to take the risk and remain determined.

“Start and don’t give up,” Cain says, “If you have an idea, but just don’t know where to start, what to do or where to turn, do not get discouraged because there are resources available to help you, and you are never alone.”

Sponsors for the 2026 Small Business Advancement Conference included the Baltimore Convention Center, SMB A&D, Capital Region Minority Supplier Development Council, Baltimore City Information Technology, Downtown Partnership, Goldman Sachs 10,000 small businesses, T.Rowe Price, SERVPRO, The AFRO, Constellation, PNC, Whiting-Turner, The Baltimore Times, Maryland Health Connection, and First National Bank.

June 13, 2026 - June 19, 2026 The Afro-American A14

Black community reflects on fathers and the advice that shaped them

By Morgan Carpenter and Briannia Robinson AFRO Interns mcarpenter@afro.com brobinson@afro.com Father’s Day is quickly approaching and will be celebrated on June 21. With the holiday coming fast, members of the Black community took time to acknowledge the father figures in their lives. Take a look below at the wise words of wisdom passed down.

Montreal Ravenel, 46 Charleston, S.C. Division Chief for Federal Government

AFRO Photos/Briannia Robinson

“He really instilled in us values, self worth and confidence but his guidance and lifestyle and introducing us to Christ was the best thing he did. Our faith gave us something to believe in and have faith in. All of us are highly educated, all of us in ministry…and we are products of him.”

Father’s name: Jerry W Griffin Father‘s occupation: Truck Driver

Mikel Caldwell, 21 Atlanta, Ga. Business Student Clark Atlanta University

Photo courtesy of Mikel Caldwell

“Wow, my dad dropped so many gems. He used to say, ‘Mikel, make sure you get the money and the honey,’ and that’s been my motto.”

Father’s name: Shannon Caldwell Father’s occupation: Business Consultant

Earl Brown, 75 Alexandria, Va. Manager

AFRO Photos/Briannia Robinson

“He told me, get as much education as you can, but also learn to work with your hands.

Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty or work hard.”

Father’s name: Tom Brown Father’s occupation: Engineer

Alfred Lewis II, 19 Bronx, N.Y. Philosophy Student George Washington University

AFRO Photos/Briannia Robinson

“‘Everywhere you go, you take yourself with you.’ It is a reminder of the values he instilled in me such as integrity, honesty, empathy, kindness and prioritizing family. These values should never change when I’m in a new environment. No matter where I go, I’m going to always take those values along with me.”

Father’s name: Alfred Lewis Father’s occupation: Youth Development Specialist

Liz DuVall, 48 Washington, D.C. Content Manager

AFRO Photos/Briannia Robinson

“I didn’t have a father, but I had an older brother, and one of his pieces of advice that he gave me was ‘don’t change for anybody.’ Continue to be who you are, people will appreciate your authentic self and love you for who you are.”

Father figures’s name: Richard Pearson Father figure’s occupation: Entrepreneur

A15 The Afro-American June 13, 2026 - June 19, 2026

January 27, 2024 - February 2, 2024 The Afro-American

C3

Updated form helps Black students get more aid BALTIMOREFAFSA CLASSIFIEDS

By Bria Overs Word In Black

LEGAL NOTICES City of Baltimore DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Over one million students applied for financial aid Citywide Traffic Signal Reconstruction & Pedestrian Crossing through the Free Application forMeeting Federal Student Aid Sector 1 Public Join us to review proposed citywide traffic and pedestrian safety (FAFSA) in the first week of its opening.

However, improvements. This meeting will cover upgrades to traffic signals and pedestrian crossing beacons, enhancements to ADA accessibility, this year was different. On Dec. 30, the Department and related sidewalk and roadway modifications. of Education released the updated and redesigned TR19309, TR17305, TR25301 Citywide Traffic Signal application. Reconstruction & Pedestrian Crossing “With the Better FAFSA now live 24/7, we are PUBLIC MEETING moving the federal financial aid application into the 21st century and, in the process, affordable Monday, July 30,putting 2026 6:00p.m. to 7:30 p.m. higher education within theLibrary reachWaverly of 610,000 Enoch Pratt Free Branch students 400 E 33rd St. Baltimore, Maryland 21218 If you have any questions, comments or need special accommodations, please contact dotengagement@baltimorecity.gov subject line Citywide Traffic Signal Sector 1 Or call 410-396-6802 Accommodation requests should be received by Monday, July 20, 2026

“We have heard from students and families that the new FAFSA form is a better experience that’s easier to complete.”

Receive regular updates via Facebook, “X” formerly known as Twitter at @BmoreCityDOT.

Veronica P. McBeth, DIRECTOR DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Cityincomes of Baltimore from families with low who will now be DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION eligible for Pell Grants for the very first time,” U.S. Citywide Traffic Signal Reconstruction & Pedestrian Crossing Secretary of Education SectorMiguel 4 Public Cardona Meeting said in a Join us to review proposed citywide traffic and pedestrian statement in January. safety improvements. This meeting will cover upgrades to traffic signals and pedestrian crossing beacons, enhancements to ADA According to the department, nearly 1.5 million accessibility, and related sidewalk and roadway modifications. more students receive $7,395, the Traffic maximum TR19309,will TR17305, TR25301 Citywide Signal award Reconstruction & Pedestrian Crossing of the Federal Pell Grant, bringing the total to more PUBLIC than 5.2 million students.

TheMEETING new form should take around an hour to complete, and6, students and their Monday, July 2026 6:00p.m. to 7:30 p.m. families can skip “as many as 26 questions, depending Enoch Pratt Free Library Southeast Anchor Branch

3601 Eastern Ave. Baltimore, Maryland 21224 If you have any questions, comments or need special accommodations, please contact dotengagement@baltimorecity.gov subject line Citywide Traffic Signal Sector 4 Or call 410-396-6802 Accommodation requests should be received by Monday, June 29,

By Joseph Williams 2026

“We have heard from students and families that the new FAFSA form is a better experience that’s easier to complete,” said Federal Student Aid Chief Richard Cordray in a statement.

Congress passed the Fostering Undergraduate Talent

by Unlocking Resources for Education (FUTURE) Act in 2019 and the FAFSA Simplification Act in 2022, allowing changes to the form. According to the 20242025 Better FAFSA Better Future Roadmap, more features will come in the near future.

“Financial aid is a critical part of the college planning process, but many families are unaware of the necessary steps to take or don’t think they qualify for support when they actually do,” said Autumn Caviness, director of Real Talk. Real Talk is a “career and college exploration initiative” for Black students and their families as part of BigFuture, a free online college planning guide.

A 2018 National Center for Education Statistics report found that 72 percent of BlackCredit: undergraduate Nappy.co/ Alyssa Seib Unsplash/ Towfiqu Barbhuiya students received a Federal Pell Grant with an average Health professionals say traditional expectations of masculinity often discourage Black men from seeking counseling, The Department of Education expects the updated and leaving depression, anxiety and emotional distress untreated. annual amount of $4,900, more than any other racial redesigned financial aid form to help students get more group. Caviness said there has been a lot of interest for their higher education. from Black students and families in their offerings, on their individual circumstances.” specifically their event about FAFSA with financial aid More questions are skippable because the department experts from colleges and universities. previously acknowledged that not all students are “in “We believe that all young people, especially our touch with their parents” and “approximately 300,000 underrepresented students, deserve access to the

By Jennifer Porter Gore especially troubling. treatment in the previous year, same gender and race is benstudents are experiencing homelessness.”

The new necessary that opens allBlack doors,” she said.are Word in Black University of Georgia even thoughinformation they had similar eficial, practitioners form allows users to securely researchers and directly import tax or higher rates of anxiety and last year found still an extreme minority in all information from thefrom Internal that Revenue Service (IRS) depression as whites.

Black men are dying childhood exposure to of by the Word mentalInhealth This article was originally segments published In a newly released report, a mental health crisis that too trauma, poverty and racism profession.

Only 4 percent of instead of manually entering it.

Black.

Black men: ‘Manning up’ isn’t a mental health flex

the JED Foundation, a nonpsychologists are Black and profit dedicated to protecting just 2 percent of psychiatrists, the emotional health and who are medical doctors, and preventing suicide for teens a scant 11 percent of licensed and young adults found that professional counselors are boys are socialized from an Black. early age to internalize their But research has shown that emotions rather than express peer-based support groups can them. be effective in communities The report, titled The plagued by lack of access to Emotional Lives of Boys and mental health professionals, Young Men, found that when as well as mistrust of clinical that distress surfaces, it often environments. looks very different from the Organizations such as JED depression and inactivity seen have launched partnerships in girls and young women. with fraternal organizations Instead, according to the to reverse these trends. Last report, boys and young men month, JED announced it are more likely to disguise Playing tough can be is working with Alpha Phi their distress by withdrawing, Alpha Fraternity, Inc. as part fatal displaying anger or aggresTraditional definitions of The JED Greek-Letter Orsion, or engaging in daredevil ganizations (GLO) programs. of masculinity — stoicism, behavior— reckless driving, staunchly self-reliant and “The Jed Foundation substance abuse, compulsive The painful numbers emotionally controlled — recognizes that fraternities gambling or risky sexual Data from the Centers for are found to increase the and sororities are powerful encounters.

Disease Control and Prelikelihood that men of all communities for connecAt the same time, online vention show twice as many age ranges will avoid protion, leadership and identity Nappy.co/holisticcare environments, like video people died by suicide in fessional help.

Researchers development,” Dr. ShirDonna A new report reveals how hundreds of billions of dollars have been snatched away from the nation’s public schools games and social media can 2023 than from homicide. In find those men fear being Lawrence, senior manager of since 2016. be a double-edged sword, fact, it was the second leading judged as weak, a perception JED GLO, said in a statement. according to the report. cause of death among people that significantly raises stress “This makes them essential spending deficit, meanwhile, cost schools “over $360 revenue but are choosing not to do so.”

“Digital environments can aged 10 to 34 and the fourth and contributes to untreated partners in advancing student billion 2016among and 2021,” the report Not surprisingly, Black students theandbrunt of the amplify both harmful and leading between cause of death depression and states. anxiety. mentalbore health well-being Yet “most states have increased their expectations funding downturn. supportive pathways, with individuals between the ages In 2023, just 17 percent of on and off campus.” opportunities for humor, of 35 44. a mental It’s alsoasa White mutually benfor theand performance of schools,American teachersmen andsaw students” Black students “aredistwice as likely students traction and connection,” the That same year, the suicide health professional, rougheficial relationship, which without increasing funding needed to reach the higher to be in districts with funding below estimated adequate report provides rate among males wasBaker, nearly a University ly half the rate of women. “strengthens Alpha’s enduring benchmarks, Bruce of Miami levels,says, and but 3.5also times more likely to be in ‘chronically “exposure to harmful content, mission and advances JED’s 4 times higher than among Among men who said they professor and Black one ofmen the report’s co-authors, said one in in underfunded’and districts,” study.responsive, The cyberbullying gamblingaccording females—with were depressed, only work to in the culturally aalso statement.

The “permanent divestment” in public discrepancies between Hispanic and White students, the and sports betting.” being four times as likely four received any counseling community-centered mental schools, hesuicide says, is mistake by states who report states, “are smaller but health still large.” to die from as aBlack or therapy in the“have past year. promotion,” Lawrence were women. to make their districts Black Black shortage gaps said. refused wholeadults, after however, the disastrous Theprovider largest opportunity “tend to be in states such 36 percent less likely to Among younger Black research indicates This article was originally cuts during that recession.” asWhile Connecticut, New York and Massachusetts,” where have received mental health men, the trajectory is that having a caregiver of the published by Word in Black. often goes unseen.

As deaths from suicide, overdoses and alcohol abuse rise among Black Americans, experts warn that cultural expectations around masculinity, mistrust of mental health systems and a shortage of Black providers are preventing many men from getting help before it is too late.

In the waning days of the pandemic, the U.S. saw the number of deaths from suicide, alcohol use and drug overdoses — called “deaths of despair” — among Black Americans surpass occurrences among whites for the first time. Between 2013 and 2022 the rates of these deaths tripled among Black Americans.

leads many young Black men to believe they don’t have value and are unable to trust community support systems.

Between 2007 and 2020, the suicide rate among Black youth ages 10 to 17 nearly tripled, rising faster than any other racial or ethnic group.

Suicide is now the second leading cause of death for people between ages 20 and 24. For Black men in the same age group, however, the suicide rate surpassed that of their white peers in 2024—a dreadful historical first.

For Black kids, underfunded public schools are inequality factories Word In Black

Receive regular updates via Facebook, “X” formerly known as Twitter at @BmoreCityDOT.

For the Black community, education is considered an investment, the best way for Black children to get ahead Veronica P. McBeth, DIRECTOR DEPARTMENT in life, and a keyOFtoTRANSPORTATION overcoming systemic racism. But a new study indicates states are short-changing the schools City of Baltimore Black childrenDEPARTMENT attend, worsening the achievement gap.

OF TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC NOTICE A study titled “The Adequacy and Fairness of State There will be a public meeting to educate the community and receive public about the installation of sidewalks on the School Financecomment Systems” found that Black students are East side of Kane Street. The sidewalks will be installed between E. twice as likely as White students to attend school in Pratt Street and E. Lombard Street. districts withTR26302 subparKane government funding and more than Street Sidewalk Installation three times as likely to live in “chronically underfunded” PUBLIC MEETING districts.

Tuesday, July 1,found 2026 that “educational At the same time, researchers 6:00p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

District— that is, higheropportunity is unequalSoutheastern in every state 5710 Eastern Avenue poverty districts areBaltimore, funded Maryland less adequately than lower21224 Virtually: https://buff.ly/l3Z8wX5 poverty districts,” according to the report.

By Phone: 408-418-9388 Pass code: 2337 168 7017 If you have any questions, need special The funding disparities arecomments, likely toorfurther increase accommodations, please contact via mail “opportunity gaps” between Black and White children, John Malinowski, Project Manager Department Transportation, creating what one researcherof called “inequality 417 E. Fayette St., 5th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202 Email: DOTEngagement@baltimorecity.gov, Subject: Street factories.”

And the disparities are occurring asKane school Sidewalk Installation districts set academic achievement Or by leaving a voicemail at: standards 443-396-6802that Accommodation requests should be received

by June 24,2026 children in underfunded districts often struggle to meet.

Receivecompiled regular updates Facebook, Instagram The findings, by via a team of researchers “X” formerly known as Twitter at @BmoreCityDOT. from the Albert Shanker Institute, the University of Miami and Rutgers University, evaluated the K-12 Veronica P. McBeth, MSL, DIRECTOR DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION school finance systems of all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The project analyzed data from 2009 — the City of Baltimore depths of the Great Recession, during which revenueDEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION starved states slashed education budgets — to the 2020Citywide Traffic Signal Reconstruction & Pedestrian Crossing Sector Public Meeting 21 school year, roughly a 2decade after the economy Join us to review proposed citywide traffic and pedestrian safety recovered. improvements. This meeting will cover upgrades to traffic signals and crossing beacons, enhancements to ADA accessibility, Apedestrian thumbnail measure of education quality, school and related sidewalk and roadway modifications. district spending varies across the country, with some TR19309, TR17305, TR25301 Citywide Traffic Signal school districtsReconstruction and states spending farCrossing more per pupil — & Pedestrian and paying teachers more — than others. Yet spending PUBLIC MEETING matters: data has linked higher district spending to better student performance,Monday, test scores and outcomes.

July 27, 2026 6:00p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

When the U.S. entered a sharp downturn, Enocheconomy Pratt Free Library Walbrook Branch 3203 W North Ave. revenue-starved states slashed education budgets.

Baltimore, Maryland 21216 But whenIf the economy rebounded, however, not all you have any questions, comments or need special accommodations, please contact education budgets bounced back.subject line Citywide Traffic dotengagement@baltimorecity.gov Signal Sectorcompensate 2 “Good school finance systems for factors Or call 410-396-6802 statesAccommodation cannot control (e.g., student poverty, labor July costs) requests should be received

by Monday, 17, 2026 using levers that they can control (e.g., driving funding Receive updates via Facebook, to districts“X” that need itregular most),” according to the study. formerly known as Twitter at @BmoreCityDOT. “We have devised a framework that evaluates states based largely on how well they accomplish this balance.

Veronica P. McBeth, DIRECTOR DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION We assess each state’s funding while accounting directly for the students and communities served by its public schools.”

The report also found that 20 percent of all U.S.

statewide spending adequacy is relatively high “but where wealthier districts contribute copious amounts of Obituary In Loving Memory local (property tax) revenue to their schools,” according “The reality is that it costs more to the study. “This exacerbates the discrepancies in March 1949between - May these 21, 2026 to achieve higher educational funding31, adequacy districts and their less affluententered counterparts.”

Mrs. Georgia M. Smallwood into rest May 21, 2026. Funeral outcomes, and we’re unlikely Matthew Di Carlo Albert Shanker Institute, services were held at 11am Thursday, Juneof 11,the 2026, at Old Macedonia to see much return on ourMissionary Baptist Church, North Augusta, SC. Interment will take place who co-authored the report, believes the opportunity at a later date in Arlington National Cemetery.Mrs. Smallwood, a native of gaps “are essentially inequality factories, with affluent investments when we’re Asheville, not really North Carolina, was a member of Old Macedonia Missionary districts funded to achieve higher student outcomes Baptist Church. Survivors include her husband, Deacon Emeritus Warren J. making those investments.” than lower-income districts, year aftertwo year.”

And the Smallwood, Sr.; a daughter, Ayrika G. N. (Joseph) Fletcher; sons, Pastor inequality, said, is a feature — notSmallwood; a bug.

Warren J. (Rosa) Smallwood, Jr. he and Joseph D. (Rodlynn) a step-daughter, Angela Smallwood; three sisters, Asenath Elam Rout, Sheila “We cannot expect to close achievement gaps,” he L. (Rahsaan) and Lorinda D. Elam; two brothers, George Elam, public school students attend “chronically below Wakisa said, “when states’ systems are designed to W. reproduce Jr. and Roderick D. Elam; 10 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; a host adequate” districts, in which actual state funding is them.” of other loving relatives and friends.G. L. Brightharp & Sons Mortuary, 614 the furthest below adequate levels. ButWest 60 percent of Bridging those gaps will require states to make Ave, North Augusta, SC. those districts are in just 10 Sun Belt states: Alabama, a host of changes to district funding, including Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, revamping district funding targets and increasing Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina and Texas. revenue, particularly state aid, according to the report.

“The reality is that it costs more to achieve higher Researchers also believe the federal government must educational outcomes,” said Baker, “and we’re unlikely step up to help states that, due to high poverty and small

Georgia Smallwood

June 13, 2026 - June 19, 2026 The Afro-American A16

June 13, 2026 - June 19, 2026 The Afro-American A17

BOARD OF LIQUOR LICENSE COMMISSIONERS FOR BALTIMORE CITY NOTICE – JUNE 2026

Payment Policy for legal notice advertisements.

Effective immediately, The Afro American Newspapers will require prepayment for publication of all legal notices Payment will be accepted in the form of checks, credit card or money order. Any returned checks will be subject to a $25.00 processing fee and may result in the suspension of any future advertising at our discretion.

WASHINGTON LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION ADMINISTRATION NO. 2026ADM000586 BIRDIE L. FERGUSON Name of Decedent VICKEY A. WRIGHT-SMITH 1629 K. STREET, NW #300 WASHINGTON, DC 20006 Name and Address of Attorney Notice of Appointment, Notice to Creditors and Notice to Unknown Heirs MINNIE BARBOUR, whose address is 1512 SPRING PLACE, WASHINGTON, DC 20010 was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of BIRDIE L. FERGUSON who died on APRIL 7, 2017 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 shall be filed With the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before DECEMBER 12, 2026 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 DECEMBER 12, 2026 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 publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Date of first publication: June 12, 2026 Name of newspaper and/or periodical: Daily Law Washington Reporter AFRO American Newspapers

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION ADMINISTRATION NO. 2026ADM000541 CECILE ZO’OBO ANGO Name of Decedent Notice of Appointment, Notice to Creditors and Notice to Unknown Heirs DANIELLE MONI ZO’OBO & IVAN ULRICH ZO’OBO ANGO, whose addresses are 1130 48TH PL NE WASHINGTON, DC 20019 & 2113 PINE STREET, WILMINGTON, DE 19802; were appointed Personal Representative of the estate of CECILE ZO’OBO ANGO who died on MARCH 12, 2026 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 shall be filed With the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before DECEMBER 12, 2026 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 DECEMBER 12, 2026 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 publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Date of first publication: June 12, 2026 Name of newspaper and/or periodical: Daily Law Washington Reporter AFRO American Newspapers

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION ADMINISTRATION NO. 2026ADM000552 HEZEKIAH DILLAHUNT, SR. Name of Decedent DIANN DAWSON, ATTORNEY 2101 STEUBEN WAY SILVER SPRING, MD 20905 Name and Address of Attorney Notice of Appointment, Notice to Creditors and Notice to Unknown Heirs CASSANDRA DILLAHUNT and MICHELLE DILLAHUNT, whose addresses are 7921 MANDAN RD. #204, GREENBELT, MD 20770 and 7708 KIRKLEE CT., LAUREL, MD 20707; were appointed Personal Representative of the estate of HEZEKIAH DILLAHUNT, SR. who died on MARCH 24, 2026 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 shall be filed With the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before DECEMBER 12, 2026 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 DECEMBER 12, 2026 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 publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Date of first publication: June 12, 2026 Name of newspaper and/or periodical: Daily Law Washington Reporter AFRO American Newspapers

DANIELLE MONI ZO’OBO and IVAN ULRICH ZO’OBO ANGO Personal Representative(s)

MINNIE BARBOUR Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 06.12, 06.19, 06.26.26

TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 06.12, 06.19, 06.26.26

CASSANDRA DILLAHUNT and MICHELLE DILLAHUNT Personal Representative(s) TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 06.12, 06.19, 06.26.26

Petitions have been filed by the following applicants for licenses to sell alcoholic beverages at the premises set opposite their respective names.

The real property for these applications will be posted on or about June 15, 2026. Written protests concerning any application will be accepted until and including the time of the hearing. Public hearings may be scheduled on or after June 25, 2026 at 10:30 AM in the Liquor Board Hearing Room, located at 200 St. Paul Place, Suite 2300, Baltimore, Maryland 21202.

Please visit baltimorecity.gov/llb under the link for “Hearing Schedules” for confirmation of the date, time, and place for all matters being heard by the Board.

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1. CLASS “A” BEER, WINE & LIQUOR LICENSE Applicant: Navadrishti, LLC T/a One Stop Shop Liquor - Rajesh Shrestha, Nimala Bhandari, and Raymond Crank Petition: Transfer of ownership LEGAL NOTICES Premises: 4905 Frankford Avenue 21206 (City Council District: 2nd; State Legislative District: 45th) SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Applicant: Sai Baba Liquors, Inc. T/a Harford Road Liquors - Neel PROBATE DIVISION Sharma ADMINISTRATION NO. Petition: Transfer of ownership 2026ADM000557 ANNRoad LYLES Premises: DEBORAH 4627 Harford 21214 Name of3rd; Decedent (City Council District: State Legislative District: 45th) Notice of Appointment, Notice to Creditors and Notice to Unknown Heirs

Applicant: Melroy’s Liquor, LLC T/a Melroy’s Package Liquors - Seema DAVONN LYLES, whose address are 4007 24TH PL, Gulati and AnnMARYLAND Francis McRae TEMPLE HILLS, 20748 was appointed Petition: Transfer of ownership Personal Representative of the estate of DEBORAH Premises: 1813 died Pennsylvania Avenue ANN LYLES who on OCTOBER 22,21217 2024, without a will andDistrict: will serve without supervision.

(City Council 7th; StateCourt Legislative District: 40th) All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown“B” shall enter WINE their appearance this 2. CLASS BEER, & LIQUOR inLICENSE proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be Applicant: LYM Hospitality Group, LLC T/a Union Hill Kitchen & Craft filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 BarStreet, - Matthew Largent 5th N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, Petition: of ownership with against continuation of outdoor table on or before Transfer DECEMBER 5, 2026. Claims the service,shall requesting off-premises catering with a decedent be presented to the undersigned copy to the Register of S. Wills or filed with the21224 Register Premises: 938-40 Conkling Street of(City WillsCouncil with a copy to the1st; undersigned, on or before District: State Legislative District: 46th) DECEMBER 5, 2026, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who Applicant: 900 E Fort, LLC T/a Fili Anthem House - Ziad Maalouf and do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 Liz Amy Gomez Pena shall so inform the Register days of its first publication New restaurant license outdoor table service, offofPetition: Wills, including name, address andrequesting relationship. premises catering, and delivery of alcoholic beverages Date of first publication: JUNE 5, 2026 900 E. Fort Avenue, Suite C aka Suite 109 21230 Premises: Name newspaper and/or periodical: (CityofCouncil District: 11th; State Legislative District: 46th) Daily Washington Law Reporter AFRO American News

3. CLASS “BD7” BEER, WINE & LIQUOR LICENSE Applicant: Eden Sports Bar & Grill, LLCLYLES T/a Edens Sport Bar - Shakria DAVONN Lanea Buckner Personal Representative Petition: Transfer of ownership and location of a Class “BD7” BWL TRUE TEST at COPY license presently located 414-16 E. Baltimore Street to 404 E. REGISTER OF WILLS Baltimore Street requesting live entertainment 06.05, 06.19.26 Premises: 404 E. 06.12, Baltimore Street 21202 (City Council District: 11th; State Legislative District: 46th) Applicant: Kanda Enterprises, Inc. T/a Trade Name Pending - Shah Baaz Singh and Jessica Bhatia Petition: Transfer of ownership Premises: 2300 W. Baltimore Street 21223 (City Council District: 9th; State Legislative District: 40th)

BALTIMORE CLASSIFIEDS LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

CAREER CORNER

BOARD OF LIQUOR LICENSE COMMISSIONERS FOR BALTIMORE CITY

Petitions have been filed by the following applicants for licenses to sell alcoholic beverages at the premises set opposite their respective names.

The real property for these applications will be posted on or about June 15, 2026. Written protests concerning any application will be accepted until and including the time of the hearing. Public hearings may be scheduled on or after June 25, 2026 at 10:30 AM in the Liquor Board Hearing Room, located at 200 St. Paul Place, Suite 2300, Baltimore, Maryland 21202.

Please visit baltimorecity.gov/llb under the link for “Hearing Schedules” for confirmation of the date, time, and place for all matters being heard by the Board.

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY CAREER OPPORTUNITIES Automotive Mechanic II Correctional Records Clerk I County Auditor Detention Officer Entry Level Firefighter/EMT-Basic (Firefighter II) Facilities Maintenance Mechanic I/II Firearms Examiner Firefighter/EMT - Paramedic (Firefighter/Emergency Technician - Paramedic) Maintenance Worker II - Highways Police Officer - Lateral Police Officer, Entry Level Pretreatment Program Specialist Roads Maintenance Supervisor Safety Coordinator Senior Equipment Operator - Waste Management Sheriff’s Communications Operator Solid Waste Crew Supervisor Solid Waste Mechanic Storekeeper I Traffic Maintenance Worker II Utilities Infrastructure Program Manager Utilities Support Worker II Utility Systems Technician I Wastewater (Program Manager)

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Visit our website at www.aacounty.org for additional information and to apply online. You may access the internet at any Anne Arundel County library, or visit our office at 2660 Riva Road in Annapolis, MD. Deadlines to apply posted on the website.

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NOTICE – JUNE 2026

1. CLASS “A” BEER, WINE & LIQUOR LICENSE Applicant: Navadrishti, LLC T/a One Stop Shop Liquor - Rajesh Shrestha, Nimala Bhandari, and Raymond Crank Petition: Transfer of ownership Premises: 4905 Frankford Avenue 21206 (City Council District: 2nd; State Legislative District: 45th) Applicant: Sai Baba Liquors, Inc. T/a Harford Road Liquors - Neel Sharma Petition: Transfer of ownership Premises: 4627 Harford Road 21214 (City Council District: 3rd; State Legislative District: 45th) Applicant: Melroy’s Liquor, LLC T/a Melroy’s Package Liquors - Seema Gulati and Ann Francis McRae Petition: Transfer of ownership Premises: 1813 Pennsylvania Avenue 21217 (City Council District: 7th; State Legislative District: 40th) 2. CLASS “B” BEER, WINE & LIQUOR LICENSE Applicant: LYM Hospitality Group, LLC T/a Union Hill Kitchen & Craft Bar - Matthew Largent Petition: Transfer of ownership with continuation of outdoor table service, requesting off-premises catering Premises: 938-40 S. Conkling Street 21224 (City Council District: 1st; State Legislative District: 46th) Applicant: 900 E Fort, LLC T/a Fili Anthem House - Ziad Maalouf and Liz Amy Gomez Pena Petition: New restaurant license requesting outdoor table service, offpremises catering, and delivery of alcoholic beverages Premises: 900 E. Fort Avenue, Suite C aka Suite 109 21230 (City Council District: 11th; State Legislative District: 46th) 3. CLASS “BD7” BEER, WINE & LIQUOR LICENSE Applicant: Eden Sports Bar & Grill, LLC T/a Edens Sport Bar - Shakria Lanea Buckner Petition: Transfer of ownership and location of a Class “BD7” BWL license presently located at 414-16 E. Baltimore Street to 404 E. Baltimore Street requesting live entertainment Premises: 404 E. Baltimore Street 21202 (City Council District: 11th; State Legislative District: 46th) Applicant: Kanda Enterprises, Inc. T/a Trade Name Pending - Shah Baaz Singh and Jessica Bhatia Petition: Transfer of ownership Premises: 2300 W. Baltimore Street 21223 (City Council District: 9th; State Legislative District: 40th) Applicant: Calvert Pub & Spirits, LLC T/a Calvert Pub & Spirits - Hiren Vora Petition: Transfer of ownership and location of a Class “BD7” BWL license presently located at 1708 Thames Street to 10 N. Calvert Street #102 (Amended) Premises: 10 N. Calvert Street #102 21202 (City Council District: 11th; State Legislative District: 46th) Applicant: Always Five O’Clock, LLC T/a Clock Kitchen and Bar -

Applicant: Calvert Pub & Spirits, LLC T/a Calvert Pub & Spirits - Hiren Vora Petition: Transfer of ownership and location of a Class “BD7” BWL license presently located at 1708 Thames Street to 10 N. Calvert Street #102 (Amended) Premises: 10 N. Calvert Street #102 21202 (City Council District: 11th; State Legislative District: 46th) Applicant: Always Five O’Clock, LLC T/a Clock Kitchen and Bar Jolene Allen and Craig Martin Petition: Transfer of ownership with continuation of live entertainment, requesting delivery of alcoholic beverages Premises: 31 S. Calvert Street 21202 (City Council District: 11th; State Legislative District: 46th) Applicant: Spent the Night in Eutaw, LLC T/a 8 x 10 - Chris Perella and Samuel Robert English Petition: Transfer of ownership with continuation of live entertainment Premises: 8-10 E. Cross Street 21230 (City Council District: 11th; State Legislative District: 46th) Applicant: GIP, LLC T/a Q’s Liquors and Tavern - Ganesh Adhikari and Iswor Lamichhane Petition: Transfer of ownership Premises: 2521 E. Monument Street 21205 (City Council District: 13th; State Legislative District: 45th) Applicant: Armaan Singh, LLC T/a Jimmy D’s Liquor & Bar - Sahibjeet Singh and Patricia Scruggs Petition: Transfer of ownership requesting delivery of alcoholic beverages Premises: 5900 Moravia Road 21206 (City Council District: 2nd; State Legislative District: 45th)

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