Outkast, Salt-N-Pepa enter Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
By Andrew Dalton
Salt-N-Pepa highlighted gender inequality in the entertainment industry and the music of Outkast brought waves of emotion on the night of Nov. 8 at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
The power of women in music was called out loudly early in the evening at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles during the induction of Salt-N-Pepa.
“This is for every woman who picked up a mic when they told her she couldn’t,”
Cheryl “Salt” James said in a rousing speech accepting her, Sandra “Pepa” Denton and DJ Spinderella’s entrance into the hall.
James brought up their fight to reclaim their master recordings from Universal Music Group.
“The industry still doesn’t want to play fair, Salt-N-Pepa have never been afraid of a fight,” she said.
They took the stage for a medley of their hits, opening with “Shoop” then sliding into “Let’s Talk About Sex” before En Vogue joined them for their joint hit “What a Man.”
Outkast rocks the house, but not entirely together
Outkast didn’t perform together for the first time since 2016 as some had hoped, but the duo stood together on stage, surrounded by a crew of friends and cohorts as they
Facing fire and funding cuts, farmer fights to save his land
By Megan Sayles
AFRO Staff Writer
msayles@afro.com
New York farmer David Haughton had hoped the end of the COVID-19 pandemic
would bring relief from his revenue challenges. But, just as he began to recover, new funding gaps under the 47th president’s administration brought hardship back to his farm. In March 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that it would cancel the Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) Cooperative Agreement Program, which had helped farmers like Haughton sell
produce while supplying fresh food to communities in need.
Haughton’s major customers, like The Campaign Against Hunger and GrowNYC, were directly affected.
“Because of the cut, we actually lost 60 percent of our market,” said Haughton. “Some of them
gave grateful speeches after doing rock-paper-scissors to decide who would go first.
Andre 3000 gave a long, rambling, funny speech
— “I’m freestylin’ y’all!” — that ended in tears when he talked about their very beginnings in a basement “dungeon” in Atlanta in the early 1990s.
He choked out the words, “Great things start in little rooms.”
Andre sat out the performance but Big Boi, wearing
shorts and a fur coat, started off an express tour through the Atlanta duo’s discography that included Tyler the Creator, JID and Killer Mike.
Janelle Monáe joined them to shake her way through “Hey Ya” and Doja Cat delivered a sly and soulful take on “Ms. Jackson.”
Stevie Wonder led a funky and flashy tribute to the late Sly Stone to open the show that streamed live on Disney+. An edited version airs on ABC on Jan 1.
Wonder was joined by Questlove, Leon Thomas, Maxwell, Beck, Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers for renditions of Sly and the Family Stone hits “Dance to the Music,” “Everyday People” and “Thank You.” Jennifer Hudson joined them to wail through “Higher.” Stone, who was inducted into the hall in 1993, died in June. This article was originally published by The Associated Press.
Black leaders shine in 2025 November elections
By Corey Williams
City Council President Mary Sheffield will be Detroit’s newest mayor and the first woman to lead the city. She joins Sharon Owens, who was elected as the next mayor of Syracuse, N.Y., and Dorcey Appelyrs, of Albany, N.Y., and a long list of other historic makers who won their races this month.
Sheffield defeated popular megachurch pastor the Rev. Solomon Kinloch in the
Nov. 4 general election.
She will take office in January and succeed three-term Mayor Mike Duggan who announced last year that he would not seek reelection.
Sheffield thanked voters in her victory speech election night, addressing those who voted for her and those who didn’t.
“I am here to listen to you, to fight for you and to serve you,” she said. “Because, at the end of the day, we all want the same thing, a Detroit that
works for everyone.” Detroit has had 12 consecutive years of balanced budgets and the city has been showing historically low violent crime numbers.
Its population also has grown following decades of losses. Earlier this year, the U.S. Census estimated Detroit’s population at 645,705 — a gain of 12,487 residents since a May 2024 estimate, according to the city.
AP Photos/Chris Pizzello
Hip-Hop fans worldwide are celebrating the 2025 class of inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, including Big Boi (left) and André 3000 of the award-winning group, OutKast, and the members of Salt-N-Pepa, Sandra “Pepa” Denton, DJ Spinderella and Cheryl “Salt” James (right).
Paul SancyaAP Photo/Paul Sancya
City Council President Mary Sheffield speaks during an election night watch party after winning the mayoral race on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, in Detroit.
Photo courtesy of David Haughton New York farmer David Haughton is seeking donations after a fire destroyed his home in August 2025. The disaster came on the heels of federal funding cuts that eliminated many of Haughton’s customers and threatened his farm’s survival.
WHAT’S TRENDING ON AFRO.COM
Black leaders
Detroit’s population reached 1.8 million people in the 1950s. Sheffield, 38, first was elected to the City Council in 2013 at age 26 and has been council president since 2022. She was one of many first to take hold on Nov. 4. In Albany, using social media, Applyrs told her supporters that the “work ahead will
be bold and inclusive.”
A native of Washington, D.C., Applyrs has served as chief city auditor for Albany since January 2020. Before stepping into that role, she represented residents of the First Ward on the Albany Common Council. Albany, which was founded in 1683, has a population of more than 300,000 people. Applyrs said that both she and Owens, who will be the first Black woman to serve Syracuse, will be continuing
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Baltimore legend, WWII veteran Herb Brown dies at 101
By Tashi McQueen AFRO Staff Writer tmcqueen@afro.com
Herbert “Herb” Brown, a well-respected World War II veteran and Baltimore businessman, has died at age 101. Brown was born in Winnsboro, S.C. on Sept. 22, 1924, as the youngest of three sons to Lawrence and Willie Mae Brown. When he was about six months old, his family moved to Baltimore. He went on to graduate from Douglass High School and join the U.S. Army. After serving two years, he was honorably discharged as a sergeant.
the conversation about “issues like affordability, housing and public safety.”
Aside from Sheffield, Applyrs and Owens, Connie Alsobrook became the first Black person to be elected as mayor of Conyers, Ga., and Christal Watson will be the first Black woman to hold the office of the mayor in Kansas City, Kan.
Residents in Omaha, Neb. elected to have their first Black mayor, John Ewing Jr., and voters in Brockton, Mass. chose Moises Rodrigues as their next leader. Similarly, Josh Brown, in Bay Minette, Ala. will be the first Black person to serve as mayor. This article was originally published by the Associated Press. Members of the AFRO Staff added to this report.
In 1968, Brown founded the Mondawmin Travel Agency, making him one of only two Black businesses at the time within the West Baltimore mall. Over time he became a power broker in Baltimore im-
Welcome to the late State Sen. Clarence Blount. Brown was a beloved member of the community, and an active member of the Ashburton community in West Baltimore for 62 years.
“He was one of Baltimore’s political ‘Godfathers.’ May he forever rest in peace.”
pacting politics within Northwest Baltimore, co-founding the Vanguard Organization, which aided in electing several Black politicians from the late State Sen. Verda
For his milestone 100th birthday on Sept. 21, he was celebrated by more than 125 of his family and friends on a cruise at the Baltimore Inner Harbor, which included
Farmer fights to save his land
dropped out. Some of them we will have to wait a period of time to get money [from]. Some of them still owe me money.”
The LFPA program was created in 2021 under former President Joe Biden to help farmers cope with pandemic-related challenges. It provided funding to states to purchase produce from local farmers and then distribute it to food banks and other hunger-relief organizations. The program especially sought to support small and minority farmers, who often face greater obstacles than their
counterparts.
When LFPA was terminated earlier this year, local organizations no longer had the funding to pay for Haughton’s produce, putting a serious strain on his cash flow. Suddenly, the 35-acre property he had cultivated since 1995—following the death of his son—was at risk.
“We almost lost our home and our property because we couldn’t make the mortgage payments,” said Haughton.
Because he is a small, Black farmer, securing a loan to help with his financial challenges proved difficult. It was the Black Farmers Fund (BFF)
U.S. Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D-Md.-07).
“I wish to extend my sincere condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Herbert Brown,” said Mfume in a statement posted to his social media accounts. “For more than 101 years, Herb lived an exceptional life. He served in World War II, owned the first full-service Black-owned travel agency in Maryland, and was a leader in the Vanguard political organization as well as several boards and task forces across the city and state. He was one of Baltimore’s political ‘Godfathers.’ May he forever rest in peace.”
that provided Haughton a lifeline. The organization was created by farmer activists in 2017 to provide low-interest loans, grants and technical assistance to Black farmers and other food businesses.
Myra Marcellin, investment director at BFF, said access to capital and resources remain the top obstacles to the sustainability of Black farmers’ operations—especially in light of funding changes under the 47th president’s administration.
“Some of the grants that have been canceled and paused have really impacted Black farmers the most,” said Marcellin.
For many farmers, like Haughton, that means the difference between keeping their land and losing it. Marcellin said BFF uses its $20 million integrated capital fund to help Black farmers scale their operations and economic and social impact.
“With folks, like farmer Dave, they need support relative to marketing, branding, as well as financial and production support because they have to grow based on demand,” said Marcellin.
“As far as the Black Farmers Fund, we provide those levels of technical assistance to help them identify some of these challenges and areas of need so that they can understand their business better and figure out what they need to focus on to optimize their growth potential.”
BFF ultimately provided Haughton with a grant that helped him save both his farm and home. He was also able to buy new equipment and hire a few part-time workers. However, in August 2025, a fire ravaged his home—destroying part of the house, ruining personal belongings and supplies and flooding the basement. Haughton has set up a GoFundMe to help him with recovery.
Despite the struggles he’s encountered, Haughton remains committed to being a farmer. It’s been in his blood since growing up on a 14-acre farm in Jamaica.
“Farmers are heroes, and farmers feed heroes,” said Haughton. “We face the most challenging times, whether it’s climate change or the market falling. I wish that the federal government or even some of these financial institutions wouldn’t just look at us, but help us.”
Photo courtesy of Stephen Jones Friends and family of Herbert “Herb” Brown are mourning his death at age 101. The WWII veteran is remembered as a savvy businessman and longtime community leader.
Courtesy photo
Dorcey Applyrs will be sworn in on Jan. 1, 2026 as the first Black woman to serve as mayor in Albany, N.Y.
Courtesy photo
Sharon Owens will serve as the next mayor of Syracuse, N.Y.
BALTIMORE-AREA
Reviving Johnston Square: New housing and library signal community renewal
By Brandon Henry AFRO Intern
On Nov. 10, hundreds joined ReBUILD Metro to celebrate the opening of The Hammond at Greenmount Park, an apartment complex, as well as the opening of the new Johnston Square Branch of the Enoch Pratt Free Library.
Mayor Brandon M. Scott and U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) were in attendance for the opening.
“Johnston Square is proving what we can accomplish when we invest in the people in Baltimore and trust local leadership at every level,” said Mayor Scott. “Our city’s future is built in neighborhoods like this one, by residents who never gave up.”
The Hammond is named after Regina and Keith Hammond, a couple that has spent over 12 years trying to implement their vision of the community. Regina Hammond is the founder and executive director of Rebuild Johnston Square.
The Hammond will bring 109 new mixed-income affordable apartments into the area.
The apartments were built over 42 vacant lots, and were part of a $55 million project, a project that is showing to be worth the wait.
“Feel it,” said Jacob Day, secretary of Maryland Housing. “Feel that cold on your skin, on your hands and on your face and remember that what this work means is 109 families will not feel that tonight.”
Baltimore City Mayor Brandon M. Scott,
Community mourns death of Anthony Barksdale, longtime civil servant and deputy mayor of public safety
By Brandon Henry AFRO
Leaders and members of the community are mourning the death of Anthony Elmore Barksdale. The late deputy mayor of public safety for Baltimore City died at the age of 53 on Nov. 6. Local media reports say he suffered a heart attack.
of over 12 years of hard work
in the Johnston Square community.
have worked hard to create
“By putting the community first, we refused to accept ‘that’s the way it is,’ and instead, we worked to make a new reality,” said Sean Closkey, president of ReBUILD Metro.
Regina Hammond called the opening of The Hammond apartment complex a “divine intervention.”
The Enoch Pratt Free Library branch is the first new branch to open in over 15 years, marking the start of a new era for the community.
Vision for growth and connectivity in Downtown Baltimore moves forward
By Megan Sayles AFRO Staff Writer msayles@afro.com
The Downtown Partnership of Baltimore (DPOB) hosted its annual meeting on Nov. 5 at the M&T Bank Exchange, celebrating the momentum of Baltimore’s core and sharing updates on ongoing efforts to attract new businesses, residents, visitors and investment downtown.
The gathering followed the release of the Downtown RISE: Masterplan, a longterm framework developed by Mayor Brandon M. Scott’s administration, Gov. Wes Moore’s administration and DPOB to make downtown more livable, walkable and vibrant. The masterplan builds on the Downtown RISE: Strategic Action Plan, a nearto medium-term strategy unveiled in 2024.
“This is us working together in ways that we have not before. We are aligned. We are positioned for growth— public, private and community,” said Shelonda Stokes, president of DPOB. “Every plan, every project and every partnership is one piece following the next piece, forming that puzzle that we’re making.”
The theme of the meeting was, “Downtown by Design,” a nod to the intentional collaboration that’s taking place to revitalize Downtown Baltimore in a way that benefits all of the city. The Downtown RISE initiative itself was launched in 2023 as a three-phase project.
“Who would have thought that we would have been able to turn what used to be on this street into what you see today?” she said.
Hammond said that this is just the start.
“For anyone listening in here that wants this to happen to your neighborhood, it can happen,” she said. “We’re going to do it all over Baltimore.”
A viewing for Barksdale took place on both Nov. 10 and Nov. 11 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Sol Levinson Funeral Home in Pikesville, Md. Barksdale’s funeral took place at New Shiloh Baptist Church at 10 a.m. on Nov. 12 and he was interred at Arbutus Memorial Park after a graveside service at 12:30 p.m. on the same day.
“Tony Barksdale was the epitome of what it means to be a public servant — but more importantly, he was a standard bearer of what it means to be a good man,”
The second phase, the Downtown RISE: Strategic Action Plan, focuses on advancing economic and infrastructure development, arts and culture and public safety and cleanliness. The Downtown RISE: Masterplan marks the final phase of the project, charting the city core’s course for these priorities over the next 10 years. It includes renovating the Baltimore Convention Center, the restoring of the Red Line light rail project and expanding public
said Mayor Brandon M. Scott in a statement the night of Nov. 6.
AFRO Photo / Tashi McQueen
community leaders and residents are celebrating the opening of more affordable housing in Charm City, along with the first new branch of the Enoch Pratt Free Library in 15 years. The Hammond at Greenmount Park is the result
from Regina and Keith Hammond, who
change
Photo courtesy of Side A Photography
Shelonda Stokes, president of Downtown Partnership of Baltimore (DPOB), gives remarks at DPOB’s annual meeting on Nov. 5 at the M&T Bank Exchange.
Intern
Photo courtesy of Eclipse Funerals Expressions of condolences and appreciation are pouring in for Anthony Barksdale, the deputy mayor of public safety, who served Baltimore in various capacities for over 30 years. Barksdale died on Nov. 6.
CLLCTIVLY fellowship grows network of social innovators in Baltimore
By Andrea Stevens AFRO Staff Writer astevens@afro.com
Inside a city long defined by both struggle and creativity, a new generation of leaders is gathering to build a different kind of future.
CLLCTIVLY, a Baltimore-based social change organization, has announced the second cohort of the Drs. Elmer & Joanne Martin Social Impact Fellowship, an initiative that unites 18 Black changemakers from across Baltimore’s arts, education, health and technology sectors. The six-month program, running from October 2025 through March 2026, offers a $2,000 monthly stipend and training in partnership with the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Social Impact Strategy.
For CLLCTIVLY founder Jamye Wooten, the fellowship is more than professional development. It is a collective act of restoration.
“Most leadership programs are built around individual advancement,” he said. “Our work has always been about the ‘we.’ When one fellow grows, the whole network benefits.”
The fellowship’s mission to lift an entire network of Black entrepreneurs, creatives and other changemakers is a step in the right direction to fight a broader disparity: highgrowth entrepreneurship remains overwhelmingly White, with Black founders significantly underrepresented.
The National Bureau of Economic Research reports that “28 percent of high-growth startups are run by women, although women make up 45 percent of the overall labor force. Fewer than 10 percent of entrepreneurs are Black.”
For participants like Jess Solomon, the fellowship provides not just professional development but also the space and support to pursue culturally impactful projects that address urgent community needs.
Jamye Wooten, founder of CLLCTIVLY, leads the Martin Social Impact Fellowship, a program that provides mentorship, training and support to Black changemakers across Baltimore.
“Being part of the Martin Social Impact Fellowship is giving me the space, time and support to move forward a cultural project that feels urgent and alive,” said Solomon. “It means a lot to be seen in this way and to be in community with changemakers who are building and stewarding their work through a liberatory lens.”
The fellowship’s target network spans the city’s Black social economy in a centuries-old tradition of cooperation and community wealth-building. The fellowship’s namesakes, sociologists Elmer and Joanne Martin, devoted their lives to documenting those traditions and founded the National Great Blacks In Wax Museum. Their work on and highlighting of the “helping tradition” in Black families continues to shape the CLLCTIVLY’s vision.
Dr. Joanne Martin says she feels both pride and continuity as the new class begins.
“Baltimore has always been full of fighters,” said Martin. “We are not just the city of ‘The Wire.’ We are a city of uplift, of churches, of community builders. This fellowship reminds people of that.”
Bobby
Holmes, founder of Son of a Dream, participates in the Martin Social Impact Fellowship, connecting with a network of Black social entrepreneurs to grow projects that strengthen the community.
The fellows include organizers, artists, technologists and educators already working at the grassroots level. Wooten said selections were based not only on individual excellence but also collective balance, ensuring the group reflected Baltimore’s diversity.
“We were intentional about shaping a collective,” he said. “They form a regenerative ecosystem that sustains and strengthens itself through shared contribution.”
Each week, fellows meet online and at in-person retreats. Sessions weave social impact strategy with African-centered traditions, guided by scholar Dr. Itihari Toure. This year’s curriculum drew inspiration from “Imagination: A Manifesto” by Dr. Ruha Benjamin, who will join the group for a live discussion.
The fellowship’s combination of mentorship, a culturally grounded curriculum and
public servant and lifelong advocate for the people of Baltimore,” Cogen said in a statement.
collaborative sessions is exactly what participants believe will be transformative for their work and community impact.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to participate in CLLCTIVLY’s Martin Fellowship,” said Bobby Tunmise Holmes, a cohort participant and founder of Son of a Dream. “This program gives me the chance to connect, learn and grow within a dynamic collective of Black social entrepreneurs who are committed to strengthening our community.”
Martin sees the fellowship’s growth as part of Baltimore’s enduring legacy of mutual aid.
“We give what we can to the struggle,” she said. “That’s how we’ve always built our communities.”
For Wooten, the vision is generational: “The fellowship is a seed. When we plant together, we grow together.”
Barksdale, born on Dec. 9, 1971, was a Baltimore native and graduate of the Baltimore Polytechnic Institute. He joined the Baltimore Police Department in 1993, and became Baltimore’s deputy commissioner of operations in 2007. During this service to the city, he created and carried out a plan to fight crime in Baltimore from 2007 to 2012. Barksdale’s work not only lowered arrests but also reduced homicides to 200 in 2011. Barksdale also served as Baltimore Deputy Mayor for Public Safety, to which he was appointed in July of 2022.
“For three-plus decades, he served his city with one purpose: to make it safer for all Baltimoreans. He never veered from that mission, whether as a patrol officer, Deputy Commissioner, Acting Commissioner, or Deputy Mayor,” said Mayor Scott in his statement. “I had the pleasure of learning at his side for nearly two decades, and I am eternally grateful for all that I learned from him and the brotherly bond we built. My heart goes out to his family and all of us who had the pleasure of working with him. Baltimore is better because a boy from West Baltimore made it his mission to make it safer.”
Baltimore City Sheriff Sam Cogen praised Barksdale for his commitment to the community and said he served with “distinction.”
“The Baltimore City Sheriff’s Office joins our city in mourning the loss of Deputy Mayor Anthony ‘Tony’ Barksdale, a dedicated
“Deputy Mayor Barksdale spent decades working to make our city safer, serving with distinction in the Baltimore Police Department and later as Deputy Mayor for Public Safety. His leadership, integrity, and commitment to community will never be forgotten… . His legacy of service will continue to inspire all who strive to make Baltimore a better place.”
said. “Tony wasn’t just a colleague — he was a mentor, a friend and someone who believed deeply in the power of public service. Over the decades we worked together, he taught me so much about leadership, perseverance and what it truly means to serve and protect as one of Baltimore’s Finest, with heart and purpose.
“His guidance helped shape my career and he continued to serve our city with unwavering dedication,” Worley continued. “Baltimore is better because of him, and his impact will be felt for generations to come.”
“Tony Barksdale was the epitome of what it means to be a public servant — but more importantly, he was a standard bearer of what it means to be a good man.”
Cogen sent his condolences to Barksdale’s family, friends and colleagues and concluded his statement, saying, “Rest in peace, Deputy Mayor Barksdale. Your impact on our city will never be forgotten.”
Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley said Barksdale’s death is a “profound and tragic loss” for the city, police department and the entire community. He added, however, it is a loss that also affects him personally.
“I am heartbroken to hear of the passing of Deputy Mayor Anthony Barksdale,” Worley
“Together, we’re creating new momentum for Baltimore’s core through strategic coordination with the city and federal partners in Maryland. We’ve helped to secure historic funding to reimagine Downtown—reinvesting in public safety, in infrastructure innovation and in inclusive economic growth,” Moore continued. “Over the past year, we’ve
increased our commitment to the strategic operations center so that every investment connects communities and supports both the short-term wins and the long-term vision for Downtown, and the Downtown Rise initiative helps to align those efforts by measuring progress, delivering impact and moving Maryland forward.”
Building on that vision of connected investment, Stokes stressed the importance of
Barksdale is survived by Alease “Sue” Susan Carter, his mother; a sister, Alease Kelly Carter; his partner, Beth Perlman; and a nephew, Tyon Lamont Carter. Prior to his death, Barksdale lost his brother, Donald Otis Barksdale Jr.; his grandma and grandpa, Alease Mittie and Delhi Thweatt, and Donald Otis Barksdale Sr., his father. The family welcomes those who knew and loved Barksdale to make a donation to the American Heart Association.
ensuring that downtown’s growth benefits the wider city.
“We want to make sure that when things happen downtown, they’re also feeding other parts of the city,” said Stokes. “Quite often, when people think of downtown, it’s separated. But, downtown is a neighborhood. It’s part of the city. It’s the anchor. It’s a place where we want everybody to feel connected to, welcome and benefit from in terms of growth.”
Photo Courtesy/ Jess Solomon Jess Solomon is part of the second cohort of the Martin Social Impact Fellowship, using comedy, research and storytelling to challenge harmful narratives about Baltimore.
Photo Courtesy/ Jamye Wooten
Photo Courtesy/ Bobby Tunmise Holmes
Tunmise
COMMENTARY
FEAR AND TRAUMA:
How a Boy Scout’s childhood changed with a police encounter
By Gina Elleby and Deborah
When police point guns at children, they don’t just risk physical harm – they inflict lifelong trauma.
As federal judge Roderick C. Young recently warned, “any time a gun is presented like that, that changes the whole dynamic of the interaction.”
That’s why what happened to a 15-year-old Frederick County child, identified here by the pseudonym “Callum,” is so devastating. And it’s why we are urging Frederick County Sheriff Charles Jenkins to act now to prevent this from recurring. We invite community members to join us.
During the pre-dawn hours of May 25, Callum was conducting a Memorial Day vigil with his Boy Scout troop in tribute to fallen service members, patrolling a Field of Honor with American flags at St. Ignatius Catholic Church. At about 4 a.m., two Frederick County deputies rushed out of the darkness at Callum, screaming “GET ON THE F***ING GROUND!” Body-worn camera shows one brandishing a handgun while the other pointed a rifle with a flashlight directly at the scout.
Terrified, Callum slowly lowered himself cross legged to the ground, hands raised, remaining as calm and composed as he could to avoid escalating the officers’ fury.
The deputies’ justification for their frightening assault? Callum is Black and young.
Police were searching for four young men suspected of crashing a stolen car described only as “Black and in dark clothing.” No evidence or information indicated any weapon. Just a description that could match countless innocent people, including a Boy Scout in uniform conducting a patriotic vigil.
This incident severely traumatized Callum. Like any parent, his mother, a Frederick physician, is likewise terrified by how close her son came to serious injury or death on such a flimsy basis. Working with the Frederick County Branch of the NAACP and the ACLU of Maryland, the family pursued complaints through the police disciplinary process, with little to show for it. No finding of excessive force, just a minor violation regarding body-worn camera usage.
Sheriff Jenkins maintains his deputies behaved appropriately.
They did not.
“You know, the sheriff’s responsibility isn’t just to his men. His responsibility is to the community. And my son was put in danger by his men,” said Callum’s mother, “Sadly, this happened on the fifth anniversary of George Floyd’s murder.”
“People need to know that this
happened and take it seriously,” Callum added.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit addressed a strikingly similar case in September involving two Black teens approached by a gun-wielding Baltimore officer simply for being outside. When police appealed the jury’s $250,000 verdict, three federal judges expressed incredulity at the contention the jury got it wrong.
Judge Roderick Young emphasized that “when the gun is introduced it causes an element of fear ...and that fear that that young person experienced is going to be with him probably for the rest of his life.”
Judge Roger Gregory agreed:
“That young person, for the rest of his life, he’ll never forget that.”
Neither will Callum.
The harms are multiplied across all his relationships, threatening his feeling of home and community.
“It’s why I left the troop,” he says.
“The memory of what happened just sticks in my head.”
Callum’s mother reinforces the point: “We haven’t been back to that church. We try not to go past that field. We do our best to stay away.”
Statistics underscore why this matters. According to the Frederick County Sheriff’s own 2023 Annual Administrative Review, Black people make up only 12 percent of
Frederick County’s population, yet criminal arrests of Black children accounted for 55 percent of all juvenile arrests that year.
Nationally, a Johns Hopkins University study released in January 2025 found more than 300 children were shot by police between 2015 and 2020 – a shocking 54 percent of them Black children. An Associated Press report counted roughly 3,000 children harmed by police over 11 years—more than half were Black.
Callum knows the importance of these numbers in his bones now, and carries it with him. He knows that police are more likely to presume he is dangerous, and that Black people experience disproportionately high police violence.
In this situation, deputies created danger where none existed,
traumatizing an innocent child based on nothing more than his race and the time of day. The sheriff suggests he sees nothing wrong with that, compounding the harm.
We urge the community to join us in calling on Sheriff Jenkins to take commonsense action that acknowledges the harm to Callum and to police-community trust. Issue clear departmental guidance to protect Frederick County children from similar experiences and apologize publicly to Callum and his family for the irreparable harm his deputies inflicted. Pulling guns on children, Boy Scouts or not, is simply unacceptable.
If we have any hope of building trust between police and their communities—especially Black communities—this has to change.
Teach your kids backyard and urban farming to promote nutrition and neighborhood health
Mr. Buckner, a neighbor in our Ninth Ward New Orleans neighborhood, planted vegetables in his backyard. The Buckners, who had no children, taught me, my sister and Freddie (who lived next door) how to plant vegetables in our backyards.
In the mid-1990s my cousin, Romona, left the legal profession and started vegetable gardens in downtown neighborhoods. Urban farming.
These community gardens :
1. Brought generations together through inter-generational learning and cultural exchange
2. Strengthened community ties and promoted social cohesion, which reduced crime
3. Gave kids information and education on nutrition
4. Brought vegetables and fruit to their tables
5. Lowered grocery bills
6. Brought job and income creation by encouraging entrepreneurship and small business development
7. Reduced the carbon footprint in the neighborhoods associated with long-distance transportation
8. Improved air and soil quality and bio-diversity.
If the garden is not in your backyard, you need to organize your community to meet challenges to urban farming:
• Limited Space - Urban areas are densely populated. Organize your community to get local public
officials and representatives to do their jobs to get access to public spaces for urban farming.
• Contaminated Soil - Urban soils can be contaminated with pollutants like heavy metals, pesticides and industrial chemicals. Soil contamination can pose health risks. Use community organizing to get local officials to do their jobs, get public money to get the soil tested.
• Limited Access to ResourcesUrban farming can face limited access to resources like water (some urban areas have restrictions on use of water) and seeds. Communities organize to get public officials to assist in overcoming these obstacles.
• Permitting and RegulationsZoning laws, health codes and food safety regulations that can limit the types of crops and animals that can
I hated wearing tights, until my mother died
By Alanah Nichole Davis
“It’s cold, please don’t let me see y’all’s bare legs,” read one of my recent Instagram stories. Behind the words was a photo of a pair of coffee-colored knee highs I had bought on a crisp fall morning at the Safeway on 25th Street. I had left home overconfident in the unseasonably warm weather and skipped putting on tights under my gray pencil skirt. That Instagram story was a peculiar statement for a millennial like me, someone who could have easily led a rebellion against hosiery and all things similar. I grew up under the tutelage of a Black woman of West Indian descent, born in 1950s New York City, a classy woman from a long line of them, who was adamant about undergarments and shapewear. From control-top opaque tights to pantyhose, knee highs, girdles and everything in between, my mother, Leslie Denise
Creque-Davis, who passed away earlier this year in our Baltimore home, left me with an unwritten manifesto on what it means to “be ladylike,” as she would often say. Growing up, I was made to wear three or four layers of garments under school uniforms, Easter dresses, or everyday clothes, which of course made me never want to wear them at all. As I got older, I began to despise layers and restrictive clothing altogether. Now, with all we know about neurodivergence and how certain textures, seams, or fits can cause discomfort or even anxiety, I can name what I couldn’t then. The wrong kind of turtleneck has ruined more than a few of my days over the last 30 years. But now, with my mother gone and fewer things keeping us physically close, wearing tights feels like a hug from her, or at least a stern talking to about how one day my back will tighten up and hurt if I don’t wear layers of
undergarments and a coat that comes past my butt. I wear my tights with pride now, knowing I was raised with sense. Knowing how important the lessons were, the ones my mother learned from her mother and from working at B. Altman and Company in her younger years, where my grandfather was a manager. My mother was always particular about good brands, but even more so about good quality and a good cut. She passed that wisdom on to me. And even though I spent years rebelling against the gospel of shapewear by living in sports bras and rejecting anything with underwire, I recently bought a “good bra.”
I never thought something as simple as stockings would bring me peace on the days when grief feels heavier and I want to hear her voice. Sometimes I talk out loud to her as I color match hosiery to my skin tone in the aisles of various stores around town. I can still
hear her stories about my great-aunt Louise Foreman and how her color was Town Taupe. I’m more of a mocha, chestnut or coffee colored hosiery girl myself. While history books may credit a man named Allen E. Gant with creating pantyhose, it was Black women like my mother and countless others, both famous and not, who made them iconic. Women at lunch counters, in Baptist churches serving as ushers, or on stage in 1960s girl groups were the ones who truly brought tights and pantyhose into style.
It’s 2025, and it would be easy to dismiss the lessons I learned from the matriarchs in my family, call them outdated, and go out bare-legged like I might have when I was younger. But these days, I think more deeply about how much more graceful it feels to honor where we come from and how effortlessly chic it is to pair the right hosiery with the perfect outfit.
be grown. A community organization can get information from city officials on these issues.
Urban and backyard farming promotes food security, economic benefits, community building and environmental benefits. Community organizations need to demand that policymakers, urban planners, city government, etc., do their jobs to overcome the challenges to urban farming like limited space, contaminated soil, limited access to resources and regulatory barriers. Local politicians need to support research on soil contamination and remediation, develop regulations that support urban farming and invest in training and education for urban farmers. However, those of us with backyards can get started now.
Jeon
Courtesy photos
Gina Elleby (left) is the legal advocacy manager for the ACLU of Maryland, where Deborah Jeon (right) serves as legal director. This week, Elleby and Jeon speak on the trauma that occurred in May 2025 when Frederick County deputies pulled a gun on a young Black teen at St. Ignatius Catholic Church.
Courtesy photo Alanah Nichole Davis is a Bronxborn, Baltimore-raised awardwinning journalist, essayist and cultural worker. This week, she speaks on the wisdom of her late mother, Leslie Denise CrequeDavis (left). Shown here, Davis, as a young girl, with her mom.
By John-Michael Lawrence
Courtesy photo
John-Michael Lawrence is a trained lawyer and project manager. This week, he shares his thoughts on the importance of community and backyard gardening.
WASHINGTON-AREA
D.C. Council extends emergency youth curfew
By D. Kevin McNeir Special to the AFRO kmcneir@afro.com
The D.C. Council approved emergency legislation on Nov. 4 to reinstate the summer juvenile curfew of 11 p.m. for anyone under 18 years old. The move came after the arrest of multiple teens on Halloween night near the Navy Yard Metro station.
The curfew remains in effect for 90 days.
In addition, the Council authorized Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith to declare designated curfew zones with earlier times.
D.C. Deputy Mayor Lindsey Appiah said the decision was needed in view of youth acting out.
“It’s plain and simple – kids are kids,” Appiah said. “Social media does influence their behavior with kids saying things on Tik-Tok like, ‘We can be wilder than you.’
But we’re not the only city or town where we’re seeing group takeovers by teens.
“After the pandemic, there were changes in all of our behavior, especially among kids, who are on their phones more and are being influenced to engage in certain kinds of behavior.”
Appiah said while the emergency
curfew enacted during the summer ended in October, Mayor Bowser was convinced that considering recent events, the curfew needed to be extended.
“We wanted to work with the Council which is why we met with them to discuss extending the curfew which had been ordered by the mayor in the summer,” she said. “Kids need and want boundaries. And after several weekends (of inappropriate behavior) leading up to Halloween and Navy Yard, the mayor said we have to act.”
The Council’s vote to extend the curfew was not unanimous.
Councilmember Robert White, who voted no, said the curfew would not help to alleviate longstanding issues related to youth behavior.
“When we pass curfews as a temporary fix without addressing the issue, all we do is make it worse,” he told the press. “That is so unfair to people in D.C.”
Councilmember Janeese Lewis George said while she has supported youth curfews in the past, this time she voted no, due in part to the recent federal surge.
“Since August, things have changed in the District,” she said. My constituents call me every day, overwhelmed and terrified
by the increase in law enforcement. We are taking a huge risk with young lives by voting yes on a curfew right now.”
Appiah said there was no other option but to act now.
“We found last summer with seven curfew zones, we changed behavior,” she said. “We do not want to constantly be behind and going back and forth does not make sense. A permanent version of the bill would be a tool that works and could be used as needed. That’s what the mayor will work on with the council.”
Since receiving the council’s go ahead earlier this month, Bowser has proposed additional legislation that would give the chief permanent authority on curfew zones. The council will consider Bowser’s proposal during their meeting in December.
Meanwhile, Appiah said when she hears attempts to justify youth violence and other forms of inappropriate behavior because there’s not enough for them to do, she stands firm.
“We have a lot of activities in the District for youth, but it’s not an either-or,” she said. “Whether we have more programming available or not, youth need to be good citizens.”
Community mourns teacher killed in Annandale stabbing
By Brandon Henry AFRO Intern
Barely two weeks after the close of National Domestic Violence Month, police say an Annandale, Va., woman has been stabbed to death.
On Nov. 7, at 9:52 p.m., authorities were called to a brutal scene, finding Isha Koroma unconscious in the 3900 block of Terrace Drive.
“Just after 9:30 tonight our officers responded to what a witness had reported was an unconscious and unresponsive female lying in the roadway,” said Fairfax County Police Department Captain Jesse Katzman, in a statement. “When they arrived on the scene they located the female with upper body trauma, and she was declared deceased.”
Police have taken Musa Kargbo, 42, into custody. Authorities allege that Kargbo “travelled to Annandale and fatally stabbed Koroma,” adding that the violent act “does not appear to be a random act as the suspect and victim are believed
to be known to each other.”
With the assistance of Prince George’s County Police, Kargbo was taken into custody to face charges of second degree murder.
Detectives continue to conduct interviews and process evidence recovered from the scene to determine the circumstances that led up to the fatal stabbing. Those familiar with the victim, a teacher, and the alleged assailant took to social media to express condolences and discuss the case. One X (Twitter) post alleges that Kargbo traveled to Koroma’s location and fatally stabbed her after a breakup between the two.
Victim specialists from Fairfax County’s Major Crimes Bureau’s Victim Services Division have been provided to make sure Koroma’s family has needed resources and assistance.
If you have information regarding the incident, please call 1-866-411-TIPS (866411-8477), or Fairfax County’s Major Crimes Bureau at 703-246-7800, option 2.
New RENTAL Act amendment reduces tenant protections
By Tashi McQueen
AFRO Staff Writer
The D.C. Council revisited two key pieces of legislation during its Oct. 21st additional meeting, tightening the language of the recently passed Rebalancing Expectations for Neighbors, Tenants, and Landlords (RENTAL) Act. The legislation aims to balance the
District’s tenant protections with the need to improve housing production amid decline.
The RENTAL Act makes changes to eviction protocols, tenant protections and the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA), which is credited with helping relieve housing inequity in D.C. TOPA gives tenants the first opportunity to buy the property they live in when the
owner decides to sell, allowing them to stay in their homes instead of being displaced by new owners.
TOPA was created in 1980, a time when few new rental units were being built and many rental buildings were being converted into individually owned condos. These conversions often pushed out existing tenants and reduced affordable housing. Since then, TOPA
rights in D.C. have expanded in many ways, including allowing tenants to transfer their purchase rights to housing providers, helping units remain available as rental housing.
The council originally passed the RENTAL Act at their Sept. 17 legislative meeting by a 10-3 vote, with an amendment from Councilmember Anita Bonds (D-At Large) that relieves properties with four or less units from TOPA. But during their Oct. 21 legislative meeting, the council decided to revisit Bond’s amendment in response to concerns about it stopping people from acquiring clear ownership of a property when a sale is finalized and the vulnerability of residents.
On Oct. 21, Bonds proposed an amendment to address that concern by allowing title attorneys to ascertain a clear title, but did not roll back the exemptions.
“Today’s amendment provides the necessary clarity,” said Bonds. “District residents who obtain home ownership should not be stifled in their growth or disincentivized to further invest themselves into our city.”
Councilmember Janeese Lewis George (D-Ward 4)
spoke and voted against the amendment alongside three of her colleagues. They argued that exempting smaller rental properties from TOPA would weaken tenant protections in the neighborhoods that need them most, given that two- to four-unit rentals are often located in communities of color.
“We know exactly who this change will hurt,” said George.
“The working-class neighbors around RFK, specifically in Kingman Park, Lincoln Park, and pockets of Ward 5, 6, and 7, where the land values are about to skyrocket with the development of the stadium, and where displacement pressures are already mounting.”
Councilmember Robert C. White, Jr. (D-At-Large), who voted in favor of the amendment, continued to defend it.
“Exempting the two to four unit buildings from TOPA acknowledges the realities of mom and pop landlords who often rely on rental income to maintain their own homes without undermining the spirit of TOPA and larger multifamily properties,” said White. “It also strikes a balance between protecting tenants rights and ensuring that small property owners, many of whom live on site, aren’t burdened by lengthy and costly processes intended for larger scale landlords.”
In the end, by a 10-3 vote, the council decided to pass the revised RENTAL act which retained Bonds’ amendment within the bill by a 9-4 vote. Landlords with two to four unit buildings will not have to offer their property to current tenants first when they want to sell.
AP Photos/ Mark Schiefelbein
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (left) and Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith (right) are working together to strengthen youth curfew enforcement across the District.
Unsplash / Zoshua Colah
Landlords who own two to four unit properties and want to sell will no longer have to first offer the current tenants an opportunity to purchase after recent decisions made by the D.C. Council.
Photo courtesy of Meta (Facebook) / Isha Edward Koroma Family and friends of Isha Koroma are mourning her untimely death, allegedly at the hands of her boyfriend.
Crossword answers found on B8 ACROSS 3. Percentage of costs you pay after meeting your deductible 5. The amount you pay each month for your Medicare plan 7. The amount you pay before your insurance starts covering costs
9. Supplemental insurance that helps cover costs not paid by Original Medicare
The annual period when you can make changes to your Medicare coverage
crossword puzzle was created using AI technology.
IMAGINE THE NBA
Sports Zone
Xfinity Fan View
Multiview
Watch up to four games at once.
Bridging the gap in diabetes tech: Dr. Sherita Hill Golden speaks on who benefits—and who’s left behind
By Megan Sayles AFRO Staff Writer msayles@afro.com
Automated insulin delivery (AID) systems are transforming how people with Type 1 diabetes manage their condition, offering tighter glucose control and more freedom in daily life. Yet, access to this life-changing technology remains uneven. A recent study from the American Diabetes Association found that while 70 percent of White youth with Type 1 diabetes used AID systems, only 47 percent of Black youth did.
The AFRO spoke with Dr. Sherita Hill Golden, Hugh P. McCormick Family Professor of Endocrinology and Metabolism at Johns Hopkins Medicine, about the promise of this technology, the barriers that persist and policies that could help close these gaps.
AFRO: From your perspective, what are the most significant benefits automated insulin delivery systems provide for patients, particularly when it comes to glucose control and quality of life?
Dr. Sherita Hill Golden: I think automated insulin delivery systems are one of the most exciting advances in the field of diabetes,
particularly for managing Type 1 diabetes. The primary benefit of them is that compared to non-automated insulin delivery systems— taking multiple shots a day— there’s a significant improvement in blood sugar control. The reason that’s important is the better the blood sugar is controlled, the less likely a patient with diabetes is to develop complications like vision loss, renal failure, loss of limbs and others.
Blood sugar control means flexibility—which is particularly important for young professionals, but even also for middle-aged and older adults who also have busy schedules. You know you don’t have to go look for insulin and a syringe and check your blood sugar. You also have a lower risk of developing low blood sugar, which can be very frightening for patients with diabetes, because they feel shaky, disoriented, confused and unsettled. A lot of patients used to refrain from controlling their glucose as tightly because they were worried that the sugar would drop low when they were sleeping or exercising, which is quite dangerous. With these automated insulin delivery devices there’s much less hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, and that definitely improves quality of life.
automatically adjust insulin levels and help people with diabetes maintain stable blood sugar.
AFRO: While AID systems offer clear advantages, what are some of the limitations or disadvantages that patients and providers should be aware of?
SHG: There are some patients who are not comfortable having to have the device stuck to them. There’s an insertion site for the insulin pump, and there’s a sensor that’s usually on the arm. In the Summer, if someone is wearing a short-sleeve shirt, you’ll see the little round glucose sensor on the back of their arm. For some people, they don’t necessarily want to make an announcement about having diabetes. That can be a limitation. Also, some people may occasionally have skin reactions where the device is inserted. But,
they’ve really tried to improve them so that’s less likely to happen.
AFRO: How do cost and insurance coverage affect who is able to use automated insulin delivery systems—and who gets left out?
SHG: Almost all insurance companies cover these devices now because they are basically the standard of care management for Type 1 diabetes. Medicaid covers them and most commercial insurance does too. The real issue becomes making sure people have access to insurance. Unfortunately, a lot of times, insurance is tied to employment. If someone’s working for a company that is a smaller business and doesn’t offer insurance or if they are unemployed, that’s clearly going to be a barrier.
This is why there’s so much focus on extending the cost subsidies for the premiums under the Affordable Care Act. That’s going to help people not have to pay so much out of pocket. If there are cuts to Medicaid, that means the out-of-pocket costs could be higher. When that happens, people may forgo the use of theology or their insurance altogether because they can’t afford to enroll. That is a particularly devastating outcome that we all hope won’t happen.
AFRO: What policy or healthcare system changes would you like to see to make automated insulin delivery systems more accessible and beneficial for all patients, regardless of race or income?
SHG: In research, after devices come out, there’s clinical studies that are done to prove that they improve clinical outcomes. Then, they get approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and can go into clinical practice guidelines. After that, there’s also a follow up study on all of the people who are now using these devices. You tend to have a more diverse group of people represented there. It’s important to continue that kind of work.
From a policy standpoint, it’s important that we further the expansion of Medicaid, as opposed to considering any moves to reduce funding, because that’s going to make technology and care more accessible in all areas. It’s also important to promote telemedicine further rather than take it away so it can reach patients in areas where they don’t have easy access to a diabetes specialist or clinician.
With Type 1 diabetes we’re talking about a fairly young population, and now there’s people with Type 1 who are living until they’re older adults. We want that to continue to happen, but the only way it can is if we make sure people are well-controlled early so they don’t get complications.
Overlooked and at risk: Diabetes crisis growing among people with developmental disabilities
By Victoria Mejicanos AFRO Staff Writer
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), diabetes is on the rise nationwide, recently reaching as high as 830 million in 2022. However, an overlooked group that experiences higher rates of diabetes are those with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1 in 6 individuals with disabilities also had diabetes in 2020.
The Institute for Exceptional Care, a nonprofit organization that advocates for better healthcare for disabled individuals, reports that 30 percent of individuals with IDD are “Black, Brown or low-income.”
This disparity is
compounded by barriers to maintaining adequate physical activity. Those with cognitive and physical disabilities are more likely to live sedentary lifestyles, leading to an increased likelihood of obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Each of these conditions is linked with the development of Type 2 diabetes.
Limited access to adaptive programs and supports can make healthcare inaccessible, according to Dr. Craig Escudé, a family physician and president of IntellectAbility, a company that provides software and education services to those who serve disabled communities.
“Without targeted interventions, these factors contribute to sedentary lifestyles and increased risk of secondary health complications,” said Escudé in a press release sent
to the AFRO
In addition to limited mobility, people with IDD also rely on familiar routines, including consistently eating the same foods that have their preferred texture, flavor or color. This makes it hard to improve nutrition, if the preferred food is unhealthy. At the same time, developmental disabilities may cause limitations on the type of food that can be eaten, and how it is consumed, like through a feeding tube.
Once diagnosed, consistent monitoring of blood glucose levels and insulin administration is required through the use of needle pricks which can cause distress for people with disabilities.
“Blood glucose monitoring in people with IDD is often complicated by sensory sensitivities, communication barriers and the need for
consistent, trained supporters,” said Dr. Escudé. Not only is monitoring complicated, it is also expensive.
In a survey conducted by the American Diabetes Association in 2023, about 31 percent of respondents said that they did not self-monitor glucose levels because blood glucose monitoring test strips were too expensive. People with disabilities are also more likely to be low income. Many who rely on social security (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSID) and have a set amount of financial resources available each month. These supports are often meant to help those with disabilities that cannot obtain employment. Even those that are able to work may face barriers to employment due to personal biases of hiring managers.
About 1 in 6 individuals with disabilities also have diabetes according to the CDC.
These barriers to employment are then compounded by health challenges that often go unnoticed and untreated.
According to a press release sent to the AFRO, early detection of health issues is essential, as they may be connected to larger diseases like diabetes. Signs include: • Sudden behavior or mood changes
• Increased thirst or urination
• Unexplained fatigue or weakness
• Unsteady gait or increased falls
• Slow-healing wounds or skin changes
Photo generated in ChatGPT
Automated insulin delivery systems combine an insulin pump with a continuous glucose monitor to
Photo courtesy of Johns Hopkins Medicine
Dr. Sherita Hill Golden serves as the Hugh P. McCormick Family Professor of Endocrinology and Metabolism at Johns Hopkins Medicine. Her research spans the mental health complications of diabetes and how health system changes can lead to better, safer care for hospitalized patients with diabetes.
Unsplash/ Itay
A look at preventing gestational diabetes
By Tashi McQueen AFRO Staff Writer tmcqueen@afro.com
For many pregnant women, preparing for a new baby is an exciting time filled with planning and anticipation. As part of caring for both their own health and their baby’s, medical experts encourage women to take steps to prevent gestational diabetes, and, if diagnosed, to actively work on managing it.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), each year, 5 to 9 percent of pregnancies in the U.S. are impacted by gestational diabetes.
For Black women, the risks associated with the disease can be especially concerning.
A Kaiser Permanente study of 77,666 women who gave birth between 1995 and 2009 found that, when compared to White women, Black women are 52 percent more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes after having gestational diabetes.
“During pregnancy, fluctuating blood sugar levels can cause fatigue, dehydration and frequent infections,” said Dr. Elizabeth Rubin, a clinical advisor for Embers Recovery, an outpatient treatment center for addiction and mental health disorders. “For the
baby, uncontrolled gestational diabetes can lead to macrosomia (excessive birth weight), which complicates delivery and increases the risk of birth injury. Other potential effects include low blood sugar after birth, respiratory distress and a higher lifetime risk of obesity and diabetes.”
mother,” said Nadler.
A 2024 study by Deniece Feig, a professor of Medicine in the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism at the University of Toronto, and her colleagues found that exposure to diabetes from the mother as the fetus is developing in the womb is
“For the baby, uncontrolled gestational diabetes can lead to macrosomia (excessive birth weight), which complicates delivery and increases the risk of birth injury.”
Dr. Evan Nadler is co-founder of ProCare Consultants and ProCare TeleHealth, organizations that aid hospitals and clinics in creating and running weight-management programs for children and families both in person and online, respectively.
“New data shows risk of neurodevelopmental disorders, and the impact on the fetus is often overlooked with all the care directed to the
linked to the increased risk in developing attention-deficit and hyper-activity disorder, autism and cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.
The specific cause of gestational diabetes is unclear, and there is much doctors do not know about it, according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA). The placenta’s hormones, which help the baby grow, can, at times, block the mother’s insulin, causing insulin resistance.
Insulin resistance puts pressure on the mother’s body to produce more insulin in order to reduce the amount of glucose (sugar) in her blood. If it cannot create enough, then she will have higher blood sugar levels.
A 2018 study that looked at paternal age for 40,529, 905 live births between 2007 and 2016 in the United States found that women who conceived children with “fathers older than 45 years had a 28 percent increased odds of a pregnancy complicated by gestational diabetes” when compared to women who conceived children with men between the ages of 25 and 34.
Gestational diabetes can be diagnosed in women who do not already have diabetes. Often, no symptoms occur alongside the disease, and testing is required to know for sure if a woman has it. If symptoms do show, they are typically mild, appearing as having to urinate more often
or being more dehydrated than normal.
Testing can include glucose screening, which measures a person’s blood sugar at the time of the test, and glucose tolerance, which measures an individual’s blood sugar levels before and after they drink something that contains glucose.
Gestational diabetes typically occurs around week 24 of pregnancy. Doctors typically test expecting mothers between week 24 and week 28. If an individual is at higher risk for diabetes, the doctor may order the test earlier.
If an individual’s blood sugar is higher than usual early in pregnancy, they may not have gestational diabetes, but Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes instead. This is why it’s important to keep up with prenatal appointments and get the necessary testing done.
It’s important to note that just because a woman is diagnosed with gestational diabetes, it does not mean she
had it before or will have it after the pregnancy. According to the ADA, the crucial factor is to be consistent and persistent in managing the condition.
The disease is treatable with the help of an individual’s health care provider.
Treatment for the disease can include specialized meal plans, scheduled physical activity, regular blood sugar testing, and insulin injections.
“The cornerstone of treatment is dietary modifications like eating balanced meals with consistent carbohydrate intake, high fiber, and lean proteins,” said Rubin. “Women are encouraged to eat smaller, frequent meals, avoid refined sugars, and pair carbohydrates with protein or fat to slow glucose absorption.”
Women diagnosed with gestational diabetes can have a smooth pregnancy and a healthy baby if they catch it in time and get the guidance they need to manage it.
Family-friendly diabetes education events coming this November
Date: 11/18/25
November is a time to recognize National Diabetes Awareness Month. Across the D.C., Maryland, Virginia area, free family-friendly events are offering opportunities for people of all ages to learn about diabetes prevention, healthy living and wellness. From health fairs and screenings to educational programs and wellness expos, there is something for everyone. Check out some of the events happening from Nov. 16 to Nov. 25, and be sure to take advantage of a free diabetes screening.
Maryland Montgomery County Free Health Screenings at Crossroads Farmer’s Market CareFirst Community
Engagement will host a free health screening during National Diabetes Awareness Month. This event is perfect for families that would like to support their local communities farmers market, while educating themselves on their health.
Date: 11/19/25
Time: 10:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Location: Crossroads Farmers Market University Boulevard East Takoma Park, MD 20912
Cost: Free
Baltimore City
Diabetes Prevention Awareness Expo in the Village at Mondawmin Inside The Village of Mondawmin will have a diabetes awareness event that is free to the community on Nov. 20. There will be A1C, glucose, cholesterol and blood pressure screenings. Along with healthy
lifestyle and nutrition tips with expert led health discussions.
Date: 11/20/25
Time: 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Location: 3201 Tioga
Parkway
Suite W Baltimore, MD
21215
Cost: Free
2025 State of Diabetes: Baltimore
This event is hosted by the American Diabetes Association and will address both obesity and diabetes. There will be a panel discussion followed by breakout sessions tailored to educating caregivers with snacks, giveaways, games, and entertainment.
Date: 11/21/25
Time: 9:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Location: University of Maryland, Baltimore/ SMC Campus Center
621 W Lombard St. Baltimore, MD 21201
Cost: Free
Dine with Divine-Brown Girl Wellness Event HealthCare Access Maryland will have a health fair with information for prediabetics, risk screenings and resources for caregivers and families on Nov. 22. This community event is perfect for the family, and those that want to learn more about their health in a fun environment.
Date: 11/22/25
Time: 12:00 p.m. - 3:00
p.m.
Location: 1201 Pennsylvania Ave.
Baltimore, MD 21217
Cost: Free
Oasis Health Expo 2025 Baltimore
This family friendly event will not disappoint, with face painting, a magic show, obstacle course and balloon animals for the kids. There will also be panel discussions, health
screenings and giveaways for the adults with a goal of increasing diabetes awareness and disease prevention.
Date: 11/22/25
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 5:00
p.m.
Location: Ingleside Shopping Center 5646 Baltimore National Pike
Baltimore, MD 21228
Cost: Free
Virginia
Fairfax County
Health talk: Eating well to live well
This event will be hosted by Chip Coleman of Body Dynamics and the discussion will be based on basic nutrition meal planning and shopping. Coleman is currently a Nutritional Therapy Consultant and will use his background to help his others address the many facets of good health.
Kaiser Mobile Health Team - Alexandria Campus Northern Virginia Community College in partnership with Kaiser Permanente will have a mobile health clinic on campus. This event offers flu vaccines, cholesterol and diabetes (AC1) screenings, blood pressure checks and health education resources.
Date: 11/19/25
Time: 2:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Location: Alexandria Campus Bisdorf Building (AA), Room 158 5000 Dawes Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22311
Cost: Free
By Andrea Stevens AFRO Staff Writer
astevens@afro.com
The Kaiser Mobile health Team will be on the campus of Northern Virginia Community College on Nov. 19 to give out flu vaccines and cholesterol, diabetes and blood pressure screenings.
This National Diabetes Awareness Month there will be multiple events across the Maryland, D.C. and Virginia area focused on healthy living, better nutrition and screening for the condition. Families are encouraged to go out and participate to educate themselves and have fun in the community.
Courtesy photo Courtesy photo
CDC report shows Americans eat too much processed food
By Laura Onyeneho
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a first-of-its-kind report showing how much of the average American diet comes from ultra-processed foods.
According to the report, ultra-processed foods made up 53 percent of the daily calories eaten by adults in the U.S. from 2021 to 2023. For children, the number is even higher: 62 percent of their daily calories came from ultra-processed foods. That’s more than half of what most people eat every day and while it’s a slight decrease from a few years ago, experts say it’s still too much.
So what exactly are ultra-processed foods?
There’s no official government definition yet, but researchers at the CDC used the NOVA classification system developed in Brazil. It puts food into four categories: Unprocessed (like fresh fruits and vegetables), Processed culinary ingredients (Oils, salt, sugar, and flour), processed (like canned fruits and vegetables) and ultra-processed (like frozen pizzas, sugary cereals, soda or packaged snack cakes). These foods are often loaded with artificial ingredients, like dyes, preservatives or emulsifiers, that don’t exist in a home kitchen.
Top sources of ultra-processed calories, the CDC found, are: Burgers and sandwiches
Sweet baked goods (like cookies or snack cakes)
Sweetened drinks (like soda or juice cocktails)
• Savory snacks (like chips or flavored crackers)
Who’s eating the most ultraprocessed food?
The CDC’s report also revealed a few patterns:
• Children eat more ultra-processed
food than adults
Income makes a difference for adults — those with higher incomes ate less ultra-processed food on average
• But income level didn’t matter for children — kids across all income brackets had similar consumption levels
Many families rely on ultra-processed foods because they’re cheap, convenient and everywhere, whether you’re middle class or low-income or shop at Whole Foods or Walmart. And that’s precisely what concerns public health experts.
Why it matters for your health
Health leaders like Robert F. Kennedy Jr., now Secretary of Health, are pointing to ultra-processed foods as a significant cause of chronic health problems in America, including obesity, diabetes, heart disease and even some cancers.
“Ultra-processed foods are driving our chronic disease epidemic,”
Kennedy said in a statement. “We must act boldly to eliminate the root causes of chronic illness and improve the health of our food supply.”
Some regulators are even considering restricting food stamps (SNAP benefits) to buy things like candy and soda.
But while the policy debates continue in Washington, many people ask a more immediate question: What can I do to eat healthier right now?
We asked a local expert to help.
Denise Cazes, a longtime health educator and Senior Lecturer in Psychological and Behavioral Health Sciences at the University of Houston–Clear Lake, notes that convenience comes with a serious cost.
“Food manufacturers engineer these products to be more palatable and even addictive,” Cazes says. “But they’re also severely lacking in nutritional value. People are overeating calories without getting the fiber, vitamins and minerals
Fast walking is a key to longevity, research shows
By Gina Park
Too busy to go to the gym? Don’t worry — you can stay healthy by incorporating at least 15 minutes of fast walking into your everyday routine, new research suggests.
In general, it’s recommended that people commit to 150 minutes of moderate activity per week to see sufficient health benefits, said Dr. Wei Zheng, the study’s corresponding author. But if 150 minutes is too difficult to manage, fast walking a minimum of 15 minutes every day can have the same health benefits. Zheng and a team of researchers recruited mostly low-income and Black study participants from 2002 to 2009, according to the study published in the October 2025 edition of the American Journal of Preventative Medicine. Nearly 85,000 participants were given a comprehensive questionnaire about their exercise habits, average time spent working out, walking speed and health. Then the participants completed a questionnaire about 16 years later, and the analysis began in 2023.
We know “fast walking is good compared to slow walking,” but there isn’t much research on how many minutes you should spend fast walking on average, said Zheng, director of the Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center and the Anne Potter Wilson Professor in Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn.
On average, study participants who fast walked for at least 15 minutes every day saw a nearly 20 percent reduction in premature death
compared with a 4 percent reduction among participants who walked slowly for a total of more than three hours a day.
“We’ve actually known for quite a long time that walking speed correlates with outcomes, meaning the faster you walk, the better you do. And it certainly makes sense, because you can imagine, somebody who’s in really bad shape is probably not going to be able to walk very quickly,” said Dr. Andrew Freeman, director of cardiovascular prevention and wellness at National Jewish Health in Denver. He was not involved in the study.
How walking can impact your health
Walking has health benefits, such as managing weight and sugar intake, reducing risk of cancer, easing joint pain, and boosting immune function.
Health experts “know that when people are exercising regularly, blood vessels can relax and dilate a bit better. And then we also know that exercise is quite good for cholesterol, so it seems to lower cholesterol, and then overall, it reduces the risk of cancer and things that would otherwise hurt people,” Freeman said.
Walking daily can also lower risk of dementia or cognitive decline in people predisposed to developing Alzheimer’s, according to recent research.
Engaging in daily physical activity, such as walking, promotes better sleep and reduces inflammation, which improves brain structure,
according to the Piedmont Medical Center in South Carolina.
“I want to emphasize that these exercises, no matter slow or fast, all confirm some benefit,” Zheng said. “But what we find is that fast walking as little as 15 minutes a day confirms substantiated benefits.”
Fast walking has been found to have specific benefits, such as decreasing risk of heart failure, arrythmias and Type 2 diabetes.
“(T)he thought is that exercise has a very big effect on blood pressure, as you may know, and blood pressure, it is one of the more exponential risk factors that we have, for roughly every 20 points blood pressure goes above 120 (what is considered normal or healthy), the risk of a cardiac event roughly doubles,” Freeman said. “So, it’s a super potent and exponential risk factor, and we know that regular exercise lowers that.”
Get your heart pumping
In general, you can tell you’re fast walking when you’re able to talk but not sing, according to the United Kingdom’s National Health Service.
Alternatively, you can increase your walking pace by a couple of steps and track it with a metronome, according to a July study.
“I usually recommend that they get up before work, and they go for a brisk walk or a bike or a swim, or they do some high-intensity interval training, whatever it is that they’re into,” Freeman said. People can go to “a rec center, or they walk outside, if it is safe, or whatever it may be, and just weave it into their day.”
1. Real veggies over boxed sides.“Frozen fruits and vegetables are affordable and healthier than boxed mac and cheese or instant potatoes,” she says. “Even if you’re just steaming frozen broccoli, it’s a step in the right direction.”
2. DIY desserts instead of candy or ice cream.“A favorite in my house is Greek yogurt mixed with chocolate protein powder and fresh berries. It’s sweet and satisfying, but so much healthier than reaching for cake or ice cream.”
3. Smarter snacks.“Some packaged foods are okay. Look for short ingredient lists and high fiber. For example, Triscuits have only three ingredients and are minimally processed. You don’t have to avoid everything in a box — just be choosy.”
their bodies need.”
She says this pattern contributes to rising rates of obesity, type 2 diabetes and other chronic illnesses, especially in communities where ultra-processed foods are more affordable than fresh ones.
“There’s absolutely a socioeconomic factor,” Cazes explains. “Ultra-processed foods are usually cheaper and more accessible. People with higher incomes tend to be more educated about nutrition and have better access to medical care. But even then, doctors aren’t always giving good guidance on diet and exercise.”
So what can families do, especially those trying to eat better on a tight budget?
3 simple food swaps to start today
Cazes says it’s not about perfection but small, manageable changes. Here are a few of her go-to food swaps:
She also stresses reading labels: “If it comes in a box with a barcode, look at the ingredients. Fewer is better. Aim for items with at least three grams of fiber and less than 10 grams of sugar per serving.”
Helping kids eat better Cazes says improving kids’ diets starts with education and involvement.
“Start young and let kids help choose or cook meals. Give them options: ‘Do you want carrots or green beans?’ That sense of choice makes them more open to trying new foods.”
For older kids already set in their ways, she suggests setting limits and offering “treat days.”
“I don’t like to say no to everything — I’m Cajun, we love to eat,” she laughs. “But let them have one meal a week where they choose what they want. That way it’s special, and the rest of the week can focus on better choices.”
This article was originally published by the Houston Defender.
Experts say a brisk 15-minute daily walk can improve overall health.
Following good walking form, such as standing tall with your shoulders back and swinging your arms, can help prevent backaches, make it easy to breath and keep you balanced.
“Walking is a full body movement. It is not just about your lower body. It’s not just one step in front of the one foot in front of the other,” said Dana Santas, a certified strength and conditioning specialist and mind-body coach in professional sports, in a previous article.
“Your arm swing is a huge part
involved in the mechanics of walking. So, you want to have an arm swing that’s coordinated with your foot movement, so it’s opposing,” she added.
Want to take it up a notch? When doing any form of exercise, try to practice conscious or nasal breathing, which is when you inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. This helps regulate blood pressure and can prevent hypertension, according to Santas. This article was originally published by the Atlanta Voice and CNN.
Unsplash / HamZa NOUASRIA
Unhealthy ultra-processed foods can significantly exacerbate chronic health conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease.
Unsplash / Fausto Sandoval
Community power: How Maryland organizations are fighting diabetes in Black communities
By Andrea Stevens AFRO Staff Writer astevens@afro.com
Black Americans disproportionately face higher rates of Type 2 diabetes and related complications, with systemic barriers to care.
“In 2024, non-Hispanic Black or African American adults were diagnosed with diabetes 24 percent more frequently than adults of the total population,” according to the U.S. Department of Human and Health Services Office of Minority Health.
Jeffery Soden, a Baltimore resident diagnosed with diabetes in 1992, utilizes resources offered by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) to help educate himself on a healthy lifestyle and diagnosis.
“I’ve seen articles on diabetes management, like the AARP magazine that comes out every month. I learned a lot through that, but I’ve always been proactive in the diabetes management aspect of being diabetic,” Soden says. “You’ve got to make a concerted effort to be in charge of it and not let your diabetes be in charge of you.”
AARP recommends several practical steps for managing
Maryland
diabetes and supporting overall health:
Lose a small amount of weight to improve blood sugar control
• Drink enough water to help keep blood sugar from concentrating
• Try “exercise snacking,” or brief bouts of physical activity throughout the day
• Include protein, such as fish, chicken or plant-based sources, with each meal
Stay current on vaccinations, which are especially important for people with diabetes
Focus on total carbohydrates per meal, not just sugar intake
Use medications when needed, and make lifestyle changes early
In Maryland, a range of organizations and support groups are working to provide culturally relevant education, peer support and community-based resources. It’s important to find the right program that offers culturally competent guidance, peer support for shared learning, encouragement and assistance that addresses social barriers such as food access or transportation. Participation in support groups, educational programs
and community initiatives can improve outcomes and quality of life for Black residents living with diabetes. Residents seeking assistance are encouraged to reach out directly to these organizations for information on meeting times, locations and virtual participation options.
The following organizations offer resources for diabetes prevention, self-management and community connection for Black residents living with or at risk for the condition.
Website: africanamericandiabetes.org
African American Health Program (AAHP)
– Montgomery County
AAHP provides free classes and support for Black residents on diabetes prevention and management, including structured programs focused on healthy eating, physical activity and lifestyle changes.
Website: aahpmontgomerycounty.org
“You’ve got to make a concerted effort to be in charge of it and not let your diabetes be in charge of you.”
African American Diabetes Association (AADA)
Based in Beltsville, Md., AADA provides education, advocacy and culturally tailored outreach for Black Americans with diabetes. Programs include workshops, online resources, and peer support networks.
HealthCare Access
Maryland – Community Diabetes Initiative (CDI)
Based in Baltimore City, CDI connects residents to diabetes screenings, peer support groups, and community health workers who help navigate care and resources. The program emphasizes support for Black residents in underserved
neighborhoods.
Website: healthcareaccessmaryland.org
Unite 2 Integrate Diabetes Coalition (U2IDC)– Montgomery County
U2IDC works to improve outcomes for high-risk minority residents, connecting them with social services, community programs, and educational resources for managing diabetes.
Website: montgomerycountymd.gov
LifeBridge Health Diabetes Support Group
LifeBridge Health hosts monthly support group meetings in the Baltimore area for individuals with diabetes, facilitated by certified diabetes educators. Groups provide peer support, education and strategies for managing the disease.
Website: lifebridgehealth.org
American Diabetes Association – Maryland Chapter The ADA offers statewide programs, educational resources, and events in Baltimore and surrounding counties, with a focus on health equity and outreach to underserved communities.
Website: diabetes.org
Scammers don’t take holidays: How to help protect your money this season
Sponsored by JPMorganChase
There always seems to be a never-ending list of tasks during the holiday season, from booking flights to purchasing gifts for loved ones. As you prepare for the holidays, it’s also critical to keep an eye out for online scams that aim to steal your money and your joy.
Nationally, nearly 1 in 3 consumers reported falling victim to an online scam during the 2024 holiday season, and DC locals have lost more than $30.1 million to fraud and scams just last year. Scams are becoming increasingly more sophisticated, making them more convincing and harder to detect.
“The holidays are scammers’ busy season. From fake travel websites and false package delivery messages to phony charity donations, scammers take advantage of people’s spirit of generosity and bustling holiday schedule,” said Diedra Porché, National Head of Community and Business Development at JPMorganChase. “Your best defense to protect yourself and loved ones is to stay educated on common and emerging scam tactics.”
Don’t let the threat of scams dampen your celebrations. Consider the following tips to help you celebrate safely.
Beware of unrealistic deals
When you have so many gifts to buy, you’ll want to look for bargains. However, make sure that the discounts you’re offered are legitimate. Scammers often lure buyers with massive discounts, especially on popular and sold-out items, often using fake websites or social media ads. If you think, “this deal is too good to be true,” listen to your gut. It’s likely a scam.
Shop with trusted retailers
When shopping online or on social media, make sure to only buy from trusted websites and vendors. Review the website’s URL and ensure that it starts with “https://” (the ‘s’ stands for secure) as scammers can create fake websites to look like legitimate retailers. If you’re unfamiliar with a store, search for the name with terms like “scam,” “complaints,” or “reviews” to uncover any red flags.
Be especially cautious when making purchases from social media marketplaces. Always verify the product exists before purchasing and use payments with purchase protections, like a credit card, to pay.
Gift card scams typically begin with outreach from a scammer, often pretending to be someone else, who urgently pressures victims into buying specific gift cards and sharing the card numbers and PINs. Scammers use various stories, such as pretending to be government officials, tech support, friends or family in emergencies, prize promoters, utility companies, or online romantic interests. Remember: Legitimate organizations will never demand payment by gift card, and requests for gift card payments are a sign of a scam.
How you pay matters
Not all payment methods offer purchase protection. When buying gifts for the holiday season, consider using your debit and credit cards, as they may provide protections that allow you to dispute a charge if you don’t receive what you paid for or it’s not as you expected. If you purchase something using payment methods like Zelle®, wire transfers, gift cards, or cash, and it turns out to be a scam, it’s unlikely you’ll get your money back. Only use Zelle® to pay others you know and trust. Seek out free resources
Give yourself peace of mind while shopping by using digital tools to monitor your personal information. For example, Chase Credit Journey® offers free credit and identity monitoring. This includes alerts to let you know if your data is exposed in a data breach or on the dark web. You don’t have to be a Chase customer use it. To learn more about how to help protect yourself from scams this holiday season, visit Chase.com/Security.
Unsplash/ Towfiqu Barbhuiya
is full of resources and support groups for diabetics and their loved ones that want to learn more about their diagnosis, and how to live a healthy lifestyle.
Can Type 2 diabetes be reversed?
By Tashi McQueen AFRO Staff Writer tmcqueen@afro.com
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic, life-altering condition affecting more than 35 million Americans. The disease occurs when a person’s cells do not respond to insulin properly, causing high blood sugar levels. Excess glucose in the blood can harm the body, potentially damaging the kidneys, heart and eyes. Around one in 10 Americans has diabetes, and 90 to 95 percent of them have Type 2, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The disease has long been considered irreversible, but recent research suggests that it may be possible to reverse T2DM or at the very least, put it into a state of remission.
modest weight loss—even as little as 10 percent—can reduce insulin resistance and reverse T2DM. However, the study also found that most people who lost weight later regained it.
The report adds that anti-obesity GLP-1 medications, such as Trulicity and Ozempic, can help individuals with diabetes maintain long-term weight loss as a treatment for the disease.
“Loss of fat around the liver and pancreas can allow the body’s insulin producing cells to regain function,” said Dr. Olalekan Otulana, a general practitioner and physician. “People who achieve this tend to have been diagnosed relatively recently and may also have excess body weight to lose. It is important to emphasize that this requires a structured and supported approach, often involving a planned
“When HbA1c reaches a nondiabetic or prediabetic range, less than 5.7 percent, then we can say the diabetes is in remission.”
Some medical experts are now comfortable discussing T2DM reversal, noting studies show significant weight loss can restore normal metabolic function, the process by which the body turns food into energy.
A report from Yale School of Medicine (YSM) notes that Type 2 diabetes can be reversed through reducing insulin resistance. Defining research by Gerald I. Shulman, George R. Cowgill Professor of Medicine (endocrinology) and Cellular and Molecular Physiology at YSM, and Kitt Petersen, professor of medicine (endocrinology) at YSM, found that
dietary program, increased activity and medical monitoring.”
Austin Shuxiao, a board-certified internal medicine physician, is among medical experts who argue that diabetes cannot be truly reversed, though remission can be achieved. Remission occurs when an individual with T2DM maintains normal blood sugar levels for three months or more without taking diabetes medication.
“Typical maintenance of T2DM involves keeping blood sugar within a target range, and subsequently keeping HbA1c (Hemoglobin A1c) at a manageable level, typically
FROM MISDIAGNOSIS TO MISSION:
between 6–7 percent,” said Shuxiao. “When HbA1c reaches a non-diabetic or prediabetic range, less than 5.7 percent, then we can say the diabetes is in remission. The key determinants of whether this is achievable is the duration of diabetes and the degree of insulin resistance.”
Shuxiao said the longer a person has diabetes, the less likely they are to achieve remission due to insulin resistance accumulating in the body over time. Experts caution that the term “reversal” can be misleading because, without sustained lifestyle changes, the disease can return.
In a large study led by Barune Thapa, a medical student at the Kaiser
How Kyhla Desire fights for Black children with diabetes
By Megan Sayles AFRO Staff Writer
msayles@afro.com
Kyhla Desire was misdiagnosed twice before her family finally determined she had Type 1 diabetes at age five. Her doctor initially told her mother she just had the flu— a common mistake since many of the symptoms of Type 1 diabetes, such as fatigue, body aches, chills and vomiting, mimic those of the flu. But, Desire’s blood sugar was never checked.
It was a great aunt, who was a nurse and diabetic, that noticed Desire’s increased urination and excessive thirst, leading her to check Desire’s blood sugar. The family was shocked to find it registered high.
“My reaction wasn’t dramatic, partly because I was so young, but also because my parents handled it calmly. Diabetes wasn’t foreign to me— my dad was diabetic, as were my grandparents, whom I’m very close with,” said Desire. “My family’s familiarity with the condition made the transition much easier, and they rallied around me with incredible support.”
Desire’s story isn’t uncommon. Across the country, Black youth with diabetes are still facing delayed diagnoses, unequal treatment and limited access to new technologies that could improve their outcomes.
A study from the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism found that White patients were more than twice as likely to use insulin pumps than Black children, even after
accounting for income and education.
Black children also had higher average blood sugar levels and were more likely to experience serious complications, like diabetic ketoacidosis.
Desire’s experience echoes the barriers highlighted in the study. Despite her family’s support, she struggled to access resources that could have made managing her diabetes easier.
“I often felt like my medical team didn’t share the same goals as us— achieving a better A1C without making my life unbearably difficult
While
to prove the therapy would work and satisfy insurance requirements.
“My mom is my superhero,” said Desire. “She doesn’t particularly enjoy reading, but in that moment when she decided a doctor wasn’t going to help her child, she took matters into her own hands.”
Addressing these disparities is at the heart of the African American Diabetes Association (AADA), a national nonprofit dedicated to educating Black communities about diabetes. The organization advocates
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition, its impact on Black youth is magnified by socioeconomic and systemic barriers, leading to significantly worse outcomes.
seemed impossible,” said Desire.
It wasn’t until age 12, when her mother threatened to leave Boston Children’s Hospital, that Desire finally gained access to an insulin pump.
Her mother, determined to advocate for her daughter, bought every book and read every blog on diabetes that she could find. She even learned how to manually calculate and administer insulin— acting as a “physical pump”
for equitable access to care and technology, creates support networks and develops culturally-relevant educational programs.
Leon Rock, cofounder and CEO of AADA, said the COVID-19 pandemic put a spotlight on the disparities in diagnosis and care for youth with Type 1 diabetes, which he deemed devastating.
“While Type 1 diabetes is an
Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine, and colleagues, 556,758 adults with T2DM were analyzed.
About 2.9 percent achieved remission over three years, though 36.9 percent of them later relapsed.
Shuxiao believes dietary education is crucial for people with diabetes to achieve normal blood sugar levels without dependence on medications.
But Shuxiao emphasized that even if individuals lower their A1c to a non-diabetic range, they will always carry a formal diagnosis of diabetes.
“Lifestyle changes are foundational, and medications are there to assist,” he said. “I can understand
that people don’t want to change the way they eat to accommodate diabetes, but they cannot truly manage their diabetes if they don’t manage their diet.”
Medical experts note that once someone develops significant insulin resistance, their body remains at higher risk of regaining it, even if blood sugar is controlled and they are off diabetes medications entirely.
Though debate continues over whether T2DM can truly be cured or reversed, medical experts agree that individuals with the disease can and should learn to regulate their blood sugar and insulin levels.
autoimmune condition, its impact on Black youth is magnified by socioeconomic and systemic barriers, leading to significantly worse outcomes. Black youth with Type 1 diabetes are consistently presenting poorer glycemic control and are 2.4 times more likely to die from complications than their White peers,” said Rock. “These disparities stem from gaps in care: lack of access to life-saving advanced technologies, like insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors, and the impact of low socioeconomic status on the ability to afford consistent nutritious food.”
Rock inspired Desire to become a founding youth board member of
AADA. For him, it’s critical to give young people a seat at the table in conversations about type 1 diabetes. He believes meaningful change can only be realized through grassroots outreach, bringing education, support and resources directly into the communities where Black families live and youth grow up.
“We can’t wait for families to come to the clinic, we must meet them in the heart of the community,” said Rock. “That means showing up in barber shops and beauty salons; youth centers; Boys and Girls Clubs; rural communities, faith-based organizations; public and assisted housing complexes and public schools.”
Photo courtesy of Kyhla Desire
Kyhla Desire is a founding youth board member of the African American Diabetes Association. Desire was five when she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.
Unsplash/IsensUSA
Experts debate whether Type 2 diabetes can be reversed, noting that weight loss, medication, and lifestyle changes can achieve remission, though insulin resistance may persist and the disease can return.
The District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA) is providing notice of Public Hearing and Comment Period to solicit comments on its proposed Administrative Plan (Admin Plan).
To download a copy of the proposed Admin Plan, please visit the DCHA website at https://www.dchousing.org/plans-and-reports. To request a copy of the proposed Admin Plan, send an email to PublicationComments@dchousing.org or call 771-240-4377.
The virtual Public Hearing will take place at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, November 18.
To speak during the Virtual Public Hearing, register online at https://bit.ly/RegisterAdminPlanPublicHearing.
To join the live event, at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, November 18, please visit https://bit.ly/AdminPlanPublicHearing. This event will also be live streamed on the DCHA Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ dchousing/.
Comments
Written comments regarding the proposed Admin Plan will be accepted by 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, December 16. Email your comments to PublicationComments@dchousing.org.
Alternatively, you can mail comments to:
District of Columbia Housing Authority
Office of the General Counsel
Attn: General Counsel
300 7th Street, SW 10th Floor Washington, DC 20024
Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION 2025ADM001128
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