Dr. Earl S. Richardson, HBCU champion and transformative former president of Morgan
State University, dies at 81
By Catherine Pugh Special to the AFRO
Dr. Earl Stanford Richardson, who served as the ninth president of Morgan State University from 1984 to 2010, has died at the age of 81. Dr. Richardson succeeded Dr. Andrew Billingsley and was followed by Dr. David K. Wilson, the current president of the university.
It’s hard to admit it, but I was wrong about democracy
By Dr. Frances Murphy Draper
I was wrong. Not about the dangers of speaking up — I knew early that raising your voice could make you
a target. I was wrong to believe that democracy would live up to its promise of protecting every voice, when racism was and is alive and well in the United States of America. As a child of the civil rights era, I saw what happened to people who resisted. Leaders were jailed. Children were hosed and beaten. Students were dragged from lunch counters — images carried on television and printed in the AFRO that seared themselves into my young mind. Those pictures shaped an early understanding of justice, and they still matter today because the same forces of fear and silencing are at work in 2025. I remember sitting quietly as my grandfather, Carl J. Murphy, longtime publisher of the AFRO-American Newspapers, spoke about the risks he faced because of his editorials. For 45 years, he used the AFRO’s pages to challenge segregation and demand equality — and
In announcing Dr. Richardson’s death to the Morgan community in a statement on Sept. 13, Dr. Wilson called him, “a transformative leader in our institution’s history, who guided Morgan with wisdom, strength and vision. He
ushered in what came to be known as Morgan’s Renaissance–a period of tremendous growth, renewal and national recognition.”
24,
Congressional
and
Congressional Black Caucus Foundation prepares for 54th Annual Legislative Conference in D.C.
By Megan Sayles AFRO Staff Writer msayles@afro.com
The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF), a nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy research and education institute, is gearing up for the start of its 54th Annual Legislative Conference (ALC) on Sept. 24. The five-day gathering will convene elected officials, policy experts, thought leaders, business professionals and activists at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in D.C. This year, the ALC is running under the theme of, “Made for This Moment:
Power Policy and Progress,” underscoring the resilience and momentum of the Black community amid trying times.
“We are confronting hard truths: our democracy is under attack, the gaps in health and wealth are widening and the future for the next generation is on the line,” said Nicole Austin-Hillery, president and CEO of the CBCF, in a statement to the AFRO. “At a time when rhetoric and policies from all levels are trying to turn back the clock on our progress, this conference is about standing firm, fighting back and mobilizing to
“At a time when rhetoric and policies from all levels are trying to turn back the clock on our progress, this conference is about standing firm, fighting back and mobilizing to secure the future we deserve and was promised to all Americans.”
Photo courtesy of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation
The
Black Caucus Foundation’s 54th Annual Legislative Conference returns to Washington, D.C. on Sept.
bringing together policymakers, thought leaders
activists to tackle pressing issues facing Black communities
Photos courtesy of Meta (Facebook) / Morgan State University
Friends, family and thousands of students across the nation and beyond are mourning the death of Dr. Earl S. Richardson (right), former president of Morgan State University (MSU). During his tenure, Dr. Richardson increased the institution’s offerings from a lone doctorate in urban education to more than 15 different doctoral programs. Shown here (top, left), Dr. Richardson with current MSU President Dr. David K. Wilson; Dr. Richardson with the students he loved to serve (left, center); and the president emeritus with the late Dr. Nathan M. Carter Jr., who served as chairperson of MSU’s Department of Fine Arts and director of the famed Morgan State University Choir.
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Army Maj. Bianca Ross celebrates promotion, urges Black women in uniform to be ‘unstoppable’
By Jonathan Forney Special to the AFRO
A crowd of friends, family and fellow servicemembers gathered on the lawn of the National Museum of African American History and Culture to commemorate Army Captain Bianca Ross’ promotion to major on Sept. 15.
The historically Black college and university alumna from Clark Atlanta University was born at Fort Stewart in Georgia.
She took the opportunity of her promotion to major, which coincided with her 32nd birthday, to encourage other Black women in the armed forces to stay true to themselves and make every 24 hours count.
During her remarks, Ross called out the names of great men and women who have gone before her, including Nefertiti; Ida B. Wells; W.B. DuBois, Fannie Lou Hamer; James Baldwin, Nikki Giovanni and more.
“These are people who have inspired me and not only gave me permission to be myself, but helped me understand that it’s a requirement,” said Ross. “A former colleague once confessed that he and other White, male officers watched me closely, hoping to find flaws because it unsettled them that I didn’t carry myself
like an oppressed person. This is a PSA to them and whoever has ever thought to themselves, ‘Who does she think she is?’ You’re asking the wrong question. What you should be asking is ‘Who does she know she is?’ And the answer is:
A beautiful Black queen with her own mind, who is not afraid to use her voice and unstoppable when she puts her mind to something.”
“Advocating for myself doesn’t make me problematic,” Maj. Ross said. “The military heroes celebrated in this museum behind me did not achieve greatness by lowering their heads.”
Colonel Tony Fears swore Maj. Ross into her new rank, with family members placing the new major rank pin on her uniform.
“She’s more than a soldier,” Col. Fears said. “She’s an innovator, a trailblazer and a world citizen.”
In addition to her military accomplishments, Maj. Founded a tech startup, talkdonttext. The service is a social app to connect people and redistribute advertising dollars to small businesses.
Several current Howard University students working at the startup with Maj. Ross were in attendance.
The ceremony’s location was a symbolic gesture. Col. Fears said that standing in the museum’s
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shadow, Maj. Ross reminds onlookers to “dream boldly” and “persevere relentlessly.”
Attendees were encouraged to come up and say a few words to celebrate the occasion. Many referred to how Maj. Ross exemplified her HBCU’s motto, “find a way or make one.”
Captain Darius Postell, who has known Maj. Ross for many years, called her growth and leadership inspirational. He added that she has “an incredible ability to inspire others to move mountains.”
Throughout the ceremony, Maj. Ross said that knowing exactly who she is has helped her get this far and she encouraged others to do the same.
“Too often, Black officers are taught that respectability politics is the only path to success,” she said. “I reject that idea. Respectability politics demand that we sacrifice our own self respect for others approval and my self respect is not negotiable.”
Maj. Ross said that the last year and half of her Army career has been the hardest for her, but she made it through with the help of Captain Darius Postell and others.
“I want to thank all of my sisters in uniform for nothing more than being themselves and for having the audacity,” Maj. Ross said. “You all inspire me.”
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secure the future we deserve and was promised to all Americans.”
Since the 47th president has been in office, a series of policy rollbacks and funding cuts have disproportionately impacted Black Americans— from the elimination of federal equity, diversity and inclusion programs, reducing Medicaid funding, to cutting support for food assistance.
The ALC provides a platform to address these challenges, discuss solutions and celebrate the work of people who are driving change and advancing equity.
“The Annual Legislative Conference is a vital opportunity to come together, share ideas and shape policies that move our communities forward,” said Congresswoman Terri A. Sewell, chair of CBCF’s board of directors, in a statement. “By gathering leaders, advocates and innovators from across the nation, we spark conversations and actions that advance equity, celebrate our culture and strengthen Black leadership for generations to come.”
In addition to signature events, like the National Town Hall and Phoenix Awards, the conference will feature a number of discussions and workshops on critical issues, including health care, education, economic empowerment and social justice. Below is a quick look at some of the sessions on opening day and the conference’s premier events.
A full schedule can be found at https://na.eventscloud.com/ website/85930/agenda/.
Health
The Cure is Here. Equity isn’t. What now for Sickle Cell?
Sept. 24, 2025
2 p.m.-3 p.m.
Room 143B
This session will explore the promise of new cell and gene therapies for sickle cell disease, while examining the barriers
that may prevent children from accessing these cures. Leaders from Children’s National Hospital, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Children’s Hospital Association and patients will discuss hurdles, such as high costs and specialist shortages, as well as potential solutions.
Funding the Fight: Why Sustained HIV Investment Matters
Sept. 25, 2025
12 p.m.- 1 p.m.
Room 202B
On the second day of the conference leaders such as Carl Baloney, president and CEO of AIDS United, Toyin Nwafor, executive director of US HIV Medical Affairs for Gilead Sciences, and Grammy Award Winning artist Raheem DeVaughn will come together to speak on the need for sustained federal investment in HIV prevention and treatment programs. The session will take an in depth look at how funding impacts HIV support in underserved communities and spotlight how policy changes can save lives.
Empowering Black Communities: A Call to Action for the Fight Against Kidney Disease
Sept. 26, 2025
9 a.m.- 10 a.m.
Room 143A
On Sept. 26, U.S. Congressman Glenn Ivey will join forces with the likes of Emani McConnel-Brent, of the American Kidney Fund, Barbara Harrison, a clinical assistant professor at the Howard University College of Medicine and others to discuss the impact of chronic kidney disease on the Black community. The session will serve as a call to action for those in attendance, with a focus on equipping the public with resources to “champion awareness, facilitate ongoing education and advance health equity,” according to information released by the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation.
Economic empowerment
Reclaiming Rural: Lessons from Black Agriculture Leaders on Restoring Trust
Sept. 24, 2025
4 p.m.-5 p.m.
Room 145 A
This session will include two panels: one with elected officials representing rural districts and another with Black leaders in agriculture. It will highlight strategies for preserving generational wealth in agriculture, creating opportunities for rural communities and fostering a stronger relationship between Washington and rural areas through economic investment and ongoing engagement.
Unlocking Capital:
Building Inclusive Pathways to Funding for Small Businesses
Sept. 26, 2025
10 a.m.- 11 a.m.
Room 145A
On Day 2 of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Annual Legislative Conference Black business will be discussed in a session with Nicole Elam, Esq., president and CEO of the National Bankers Association, Brian Argrett, director and CEO of City First Bank, and Ron Busby, Sr., president and CEO of the U.S. Black Chambers. Attendees will learn about accessing capital as small business owners and opportunities available to entrepreneurs looking to create intergenerational wealth and economic opportunity for others.
Education STEM Braintrust: AI and Us! What You Need to Know, and Why You Can’t Afford to Be Left Out
Sept. 24, 2025
2 p.m.-3 p.m.
Ballroom A
Led by Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio-District 3), this science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) panel will look at the future of artificial
intelligence and strategies for building talent pipelines in artificial intelligence careers.
U.S. Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys Education Braintrust
Sept. 26, 2025
4:30 p.m.-6:00 p.m.
Ballroom C
A two-part panel, this Day 3 session will explore how to equip Black boys with the tools, resources and support they need to succeed in the education system and look at how trauma and pressure can impact them as they transition into adulthood. The discussion seeks to debunk stigmas and highlight solutions for change.
Environment
Agricultural Innovation - Enabling Black Farmers to Meet the Challenges of Feeding a Growing World Through the Power of Science
Sept. 24, 2025
3 p.m.-4 p.m.
Room 146C
This panel discussion will focus on innovations that can help Black row crop farmers become more efficient, productive and sustainable. It will also examine how these tools can help to tackle food insecurity in communities.
Skyrocketing Power Bills and Energy Justice: Solving America’s Affordability Crisis
Sept. 26, 2025 10 a.m.-11 a.m.
Room 202B
On Day 3, leaders, including former Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter and former Florida Congressman Kendrick Meek, will tackle the energy affordability crisis, as households struggle to pay their electricity bills. This session will explore how natural gas and energy infrastructure, alongside renewable energy, can ensure a cleaner, sustainable and affordable future for energy.
AFRO Photos/ Jonathan Forney
Major Bianca Ross (left), a graduate of Clark Atlanta University, stands with Captain Darius Postell after receiving her promotion.
2), Council Chair Michael P. Ertel (D-District 6), Councilman Julian E. Jones (D-District 4) and Councilman Pat Young’s (D-District 1).
Community honors life and legacy of Dr. Clayton Stansbury Jr.
By Tashi McQueen AFRO Staff Writer tmcqueen@afro.com
Dr. Clayton C. Stansbury Jr., beloved retired dean of Morgan State University’s (MSU) Honors College, was laid to rest on Sept. 16 at Woodlawn Cemetery. He died on Aug. 30 at age 93.
His gospel-filled funeral at MSU’s Carl J. Murphy Fine Arts Center in Baltimore drew hundreds, with the university choir performing several hymns throughout the service.
By Tashi McQueen AFRO Staff Writer tmcqueen@afro.com
The Baltimore County Council on Sept. 15 approved a redistricting map with amendments from Councilman Israel “Izzy” Patoka (D-District 2) and Council Chair Michael P. Ertel (D-District 6). The map was passed by a 5-2 vote.
“It really creates an opportunity to have three minority members join this council in 2026,” said Patoka.
The current council has only one Black member,
Councilman Julian E. Jones (D-District 4).
The new map creates two majority Black districts and a minority-majority district made up of voters who are Black, Indigenous or People of Color (BIPOC) on the west side of Baltimore County. The new lines make way for the increase of the county council districts from seven to nine, which will go into effect during the 2026 election year. The increase in districts was approved by the voters via a ballot question in 2024. The approval of an increase in the number
of seats on the Baltimore County Council and districts in the area prompted the creation of the 2025 Redistricting Commission, which provided recommendations, a final report and a proposed map to the council on June 17.
For weeks leading up to the final decision, there has been tense debate around where the new lines would be drawn and calls for equitable representation for the minorities in the county that make up around 48 percent of the population.
Prior to this meeting,
Baltimore MET Gala 2025: A timeless celebration of style, culture and community
On Sept. 13 the fourth annual Baltimore MET Gala (BMG) transformed The HALL at Live! Casino and Hotel into a dazzling celebration of art, fashion, culture and cuisine. With this year’s theme, “TIMELESS — The Evolution of Style: Past. Present. Future,” the evening proved to be nothing short of phenomenal from the moment guests stepped onto the blue carpet to the final applause.
A blue carpet entrance
The night began with a flood of elegance as artists, fashionistas, business leaders, elected officials and Baltimore’s cultural tastemakers arrived. Attendees dressed to embody every era imaginable — from African royalty to the roaring 1920s, 1970s-inspired glam, Bridgerton regalia, gilded age opulence, and even futuristic interpretations.
“It felt like walking through a living museum of style,” said Danielle Morrison,“Everywhere you turned, the past, present and future came alive in the room.”
Culinary and artistic excellence
residents and leaders of Baltimore County’s east side called for a minority-majority district in their portion of the county, saying it would ensure Black voters in that area have voting power.
Nehemiah Bester, a communications strategist for the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland (ACLU), said the only redistricting plan that reflects community input, interest and creates a fair and representative map is the 2025 Redistricting Commission’s version.
“Thank you for your willingness, your willingness to share this phenomenal Morgan man with us, we were all most fortunate and extremely blessed beyond measure, to have had him in our lives for so long,” said Dr. David Kwabena Wilson, president of MSU.
During the service, Wilson announced that the auditorium in Martin D. Jenkins Hall will be renamed in Stansbury’s honor, a decision approved by the board of regents.
Born March 20, 1932, in Havre De Grace, Md., Stansbury was the sixth of seven children. He earned a bachelor’s in psychology
from MSU in 1955, a master’s in general psychology from Howard University in 1960, and a Ph.D. in social psychology from the University of Maryland. Stansbury was also a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. He and his wife, Catherine, were dedicated members of
Aside from the fashion, guests indulged in A Taste of the MET, a culinary experience curated with the Greater Baltimore Urban League. The spread included everything from soulful fusion cuisine to artisanal desserts, with each plate as memorable as the last.
“The food alone was worth the ticket,” shared Marcus Reed, a first-time attendee. “It was like traveling through flavors.”
Equally captivating were the art installations of the Statement 2025 Art Exhibition, curated by Ernest Shaw, Ainsley Burrows and Laurielle Noel. Immersive displays surrounded guests, setting the tone for a night where creativity and community converged seamlessly.
“This wasn’t just art on walls,” noted Sophia Grant, a local artist. “It was a full
AFRO Photo/Tashi McQueen
Members of the Baltimore County Council discuss the redistricting map during their Sept. 15 legislative session prior to approving the amended plan expanding the council to nine districts. Left to right, Councilman Israel “Izzy” Patoka (D-District
Photo courtesy of Morgan State University Friends and family are mourning the death of Dr. Clayton C. Stansbury, former dean of the Morgan State University Honors College.
By Ericka Alston Buck Special to the AFRO
AFRO Photo/ Ericka Alston Buck Shown here, members of the Madison Walker Models team, Sya McKay (left), Iesha Daniels-Overton and Akcire Alston Buck.
Redistricting
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The proposed map from the commission called for two majority-minority, or BIPOC, districts on the east side and on the west side respectively.
Ertel opposed the commission’s decisions regarding the minority-majority districts and the majority-Black districts, saying that they would produce slim majorities and split up communities such as Randallstown, Woodlawn, Essex and Middle River.
“There’s only so much we can do to create some of this opportunity,” said Ertel in response to demand from some community members. “It just feels like no matter what we do there is no good answer here.”
Ertel said the council was not convinced that the commission’s proposed map would create better opportunities for minority candidates.
The council meeting, held at 6 p.m., drew in dozens anxious to see whether there would be a final vote on the map that day. Tensions were high as members of the community voiced their satisfaction and dissatisfaction with various motions and comments made by the council members during the debate.
There was also notable tension between Jones, Patoka and Councilman David S. Marks (R-District 5) throughout the process.
“My constituents are asking me to stand here and defend their communities,” said Jones, who voted against the map. “My constituents did not ask you to bring the intersection of Liberty road and Rolling road and make that the intersection for three different districts.”
There were many amendments introduced during the meeting, but only two were passed. Councilman Pat Young’s (D-District 1) amended map was defeated by a 4-3 vote. Jones motioned to delay the final vote, which Young agreed with, but it was ultimately defeated. Jones’ version of the map also failed by a 4-3 vote.
There is a potential for a lawsuit against the newly confirmed map from the ACLU, but it has not yet been confirmed.
MET Gala
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sensory experience that made you stop, reflect and celebrate Baltimore’s brilliance.”
Fashion as a timeless journey
The highlight of the evening was the Moments in Time fashion show, curated by Lana Rae and Earle Bannister. Collections featured included Andrew Nowell Menswear; Angelias Couture; BeMade; Madison Walker; Sa’loote Culture Designs; Shop. TheRunway and Studio D’Maxsi + The A Concept by Afua Sam. The show transcended the traditional runway.
“It wasn’t just a fashion show — it was a journey,” said Alicia Thompson, a fashion blogger.
“You could feel the heartbeat of the region’s creative community in every look.”
From vintage silhouettes to futuristic avant-garde designs, the fashion presentation moved fluidly through eras.
“It was spectacular,” added James Carter, a longtime supporter of the arts. “Every designer put their best foot forward — they told stories through fabric that connected generations.”
Awards and honors
The night also recognized the leaders shaping Baltimore’s cultural renaissance through the ICON + IMPACT Awards.
Honorees included Derrick Adams (Artist ICON), Saon Brice (Culinary ICON), Khalilah Beavers (Fashion ICON), Brandon M. Phillips (IMPACT Award) and Audra Madison (IMPACT Award), with the Thurgood Marshall Amenity Center receiving the Community Impact Award.
“The Baltimore MET Gala continues to demonstrate the unbelievable talent in the Baltimore region,” said producer LaRian Finney. “I love recognizing our greatness via awards to Chef Saon Brice, Khalilah Beavers, Derrick Adams, Brandon Phillips and Audra Madison.”
For many, the night felt bigger than fashion itself.
“You could feel the love for
“It wasn’t just a fashion show — it was a journey. You could feel the heartbeat of the region’s creative community in every look.”
Baltimore in every moment,” said Kimberly Ross, “This was more than a gala — it was a cultural celebration that reminded us of our greatness.”
More than a gala — A cultural movement Since its inception in 2022, the Baltimore MET Gala has grown into a cultural movement that not only celebrates luxury and artistry but also invests back into the community. Supporting organizations like the Thurgood
Marshall Amenity Center, the event continues to elevate Baltimore’s profile on a national stage while amplifying the voices of the city’s next generation of leaders.
On the night of Sept. 13, one thing was clear: Baltimore’s creative spirit is not only alive but thriving. The 2025 Baltimore MET Gala was a breathtaking reminder that style — like the city itself — is truly timeless.
AFRO Photos/ Ericka Alston Buck
Dr. Clayton Stansbury Jr.
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Epworth United Methodist Church in Baltimore County for more than 40 years.
Stansbury began working at MSU in 1967 as a psychological counselor in the University Counseling Center. Through 2019, he served in various roles, including assistant dean, assistant vice president for student affairs and director of the university’s honors program.
U.S. Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D-Md.-07), chairman of the MSU Board of Regents, spoke of his dedication to service at the funeral.
“His life was a master class in service,” said Mfume. “He was a fixer of problems, who never refused to assist and to help when confronted by countless requests, assignments and challenges.”
Wilson called Stansbury “the full embodiment and the quintessential definition of what it means to be a Morgan man.”
“We honor a man who selflessly and unapologetically devoted his gifts and his talents to the upbuilding of
this sacred institution,” said Wilson. “Dr. Stansbury, now you have retired from the university more than a decade before I arrived, but everywhere I looked, people would say that you have to get to know Dr. Stansbury.”
Wilson noted that the Stansbury legacy at MSU runs deep.
“The Stansbury’s were literally everywhere,” he said.
“At graduations, scholarship benefits, lunches and homecoming deals, alumni lunches and choir concerts and football games. If there was an opportunity to uplift and support the mission of Morgan State University they were there.”
Candis Williamson, one of many students he helped throughout his life, recalled his guidance.
“I had a hard time getting accepted to college because I had low SAT scores, but a high and consistent grade point average from Woodlawn High School,” she said.
“I remember as an 18 year old, sharing with Dr. Stansbury my strong desire to go college. I was declined by so
many other schools in Maryland, but Dr. Stansbury had hope in me.”
He encouraged Williamson to keep pursuing higher education and helped her gain acceptance to MSU in 1998.
“He believed in me and told everyone about me at MSU to get me there,” she said. Williamson graduated in 2002 from the Earl G. Graves School of Business and Management.
“Before the graduation Dr. Stansbury asked me to come to the Murphy Fine Arts Building to get something special,” she said. “He awarded me the Dr. Clayton C Stansbury, Jr. Importunity Award for all my hard work. He also made sure on graduation day that the Baltimore Sun did a write up in the paper with him and [me].”
“He was a powerful man and an amazing asset to me,” Williamson said. “I love Dr. Stansbury.”
Stansbury is survived by his wife of 68 years, his sisterin-law, Cassie N. Stansbury, nieces, nephews, and numerous extended relatives and friends.
Derrick Chase (left) and Larian Finney produce another successful installation of the Baltimore Met Gala.
AFRO Photo/ Ericka Alston Buck Shown here, host of the 2025 Baltimore Met Gala VIP reception and afterparty, April Watts.
AFRO Photo/Tashi McQueen
Rev. Dr. C. Anthony Hunt (center) leads Dr. Clayton C. Stansbury Jr.’s funeral as family, friends and mentees say goodbye inside of the Carl J. Murphy Fine Arts Center on the campus of Morgan State University.
Coaches, players and community gather to honor
Blake Bozeman’s legacy at inaugural clinic
By Dr. Deborah Bailey AFRO Contributing Editor
The inaugural Twenty2 Basketball Coaches Clinic and Networking Brunch, welcomed more than 50 high school, college, community league coaches and players to learn from and connect with each other and NBA personnel on Sept. 14.
Shortly after the day started, it
became obvious to friends and family that the inaugural tribute event to honor the legacy of Blake Bozeman was a rousing success– the first of what will surely be many more to come.
“We wanted to honor the spirit of Blake Bozeman, who understood the connection between basketball, sport and issues that impact the community.
47th
U.S. president threatens to take over D.C. police again over immigration enforcement
By Gary Fields and Chris Megerian
The 47th president of the United States on Sept.15 threatened to once again federalize Washington, D.C.’s police force, in what he suggested could come in response to the city’s mayor’s stated refusal to cooperate with immigration enforcement.
The president’s emergency order, which took over the local police force, expired last week. Hours before it elapsed, Mayor Muriel Bowser said that the city would not cooperate with Immigration, Customs and Enforcement (ICE) in their continued operations in the nation’s capital. Earlier, she had said the city would work with other federal agencies even after the emergency order expired.
In an early-morning social media post on Sept. 15, the president said his intervention
Jawando’s campaign for Montgomery County executive picks up steam and new endorsements
By Dr. Deborah Bailey AFRO Contributing Editor
Montgomery County Council Vice President Will Jawando (D-At-large) is back on the campaign trail. Jawando announced his first bid for Montgomery County executive in the spring and now the campaign is heating up with post Labor Day endorsements from Progressive Maryland and Working Families Party.
The two powerhouse endorsements represent progressive groups with backing that includes labor unions, child advocacy organizations, and community activists. The two groups, which threw their support behind Jawando in early September, have an assertive campaigning style that set the tone for other recent local and state elections.
“We are thrilled to announce our endorsement of Will Jawando for Montgomery County Executive. Alongside Maryland’s Working Families Party, we are looking forward to supporting Councilman Jawando’s campaign digitally and in the field,” Progressive Maryland posted on Facebook Sept. 5. The organization held a press conference Sept. 3 announcing their endorsement.
Jawando first announced his run for the county executive post in May of this year, alongside current
Jawando, vice president
Montgomery
Montgomery County Exec utive Marc Erlich. Erlich, who is half-way through his second and final term at the county’s helm, has endorsed and is actively campaigning for Jawando.
Prince George’s County Ex ecutive Aisha Braveboy has also announced her support for Jawando.
“There’s no mistake about his purpose, his values, his understanding of the issues,” declared Braveboy, in support
in the city, a claim Bowser has backed up, though, data shows crime was already falling in Washington before the law enforcement surge began. Trump said crime could increase if cooperation on immigration enforcement ceases, in which case he would “call a National Emergency, and Federalize, if necessary!!!”
The mayor’s office declined to comment.
The White House did not say if Trump would follow through on his threat. It also did not say whether the president had considered trying to extend his previous order that placed the city’s police force under federal control. The order was not renewed by Congress and lapsed on Sept. 11.
Bowser issued an order Sept. 2, setting up how the local police will continue working with the federal law enforcement agencies that
Resource Fair
Meta (Facebook) / Todd Bozeman, Blake Bozeman Foundation
David Vanterpool, assistant coach for the Washington Wizards, speak with attendees of the inaugural Twenty2 Basketball Coaches Clinic and Networking Brunch.
Meta (Facebook) / Todd Bozeman, Blake Bozeman Foundation
The late Blake Bozeman is remembered as a dedicated athlete, a father, a husband and mentor in the community.
Will
of the
County Council, is campaigning for county executive with growing support from progressive groups and local leaders.
Blake Bozeman legacy
Blake was a connector and understood basketball as a tool for connection,” said Todd Bozeman. “The basketball court was where things might get started, but he understood athletes have to prepare for all of life – both on and off the court.”
The senior Bozeman is founder of the Blake Bozeman Foundation and former basketball coach at Morgan State University. He is also father to Blake Bozeman, the 31-year-old beloved mentor and former Morgan State University athlete who was shot and killed on Sept. 23, 2023 in the 1300 block of H Street in Northeast, Washington, D.C.
Blake Bozeman played high school basketball at St. Albans and Bullis Prep before his time at Morgan State University. He received both his undergraduate and graduate degrees from the historically Black institution and worked in real estate at the time of his death. Blake was married with three children.
Now, two years later, the
D.C. take over
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continue working in the city. The order listed a number of federal agencies she anticipated working cooperatively with the MPD (Metropolitan Police Department), the local police, including the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Secret Service, among other agencies. Absent was ICE.
Speaking Sept. 10 at a ribbon cutting ceremony, the mayor said “immigration enforcement is not what MPD does,” referring to the local police department. She added that when the emergency order ends, “it won’t be what MPD does in the future.”
Data analyzed by the Associated Press during the emergency period
“We wanted to honor the spirit of Blake Bozeman, who understood the connection between basketball, sport and issues that impact the community.”
community is remembering the life and legacy of Blake Bozeman through the sport he loved most. The Twenty2 Basketball Coaches Clinic and Networking Brunch was held at McNamara High School in Forestville, Md. and featured local professional and high school coaching talent, including David Vanderpool, assistant coach for the Washington Wizards, David Cox, the University of Maryland’s (UMD) associate head coach, and Lindsey Spann, assistant head coach and recruiter for women’s basketball at UMD.
“It was a full day of inspiring
showed that more than 40 percent of arrests were immigration related, highlighting that the Trump administration continued to advance its hardline immigration policies as it sought to fight crime in the nation’s capital. Federal law enforcement agencies and National Guard units from D.C. and seven states are continuing operations in the city.
Trump’s threat comes the same day that the House Committee on Rules is taking up several D.C.-related bills, including a proposal to lower the age at which juveniles can be tried to 14 from 16 for certain serious crimes, as well as restricting the district’s authority over its sentencing laws and its role in selecting judges.
The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform held a
speakers,” said Terry Payton, a new head coach in Fairfax, Va. “I’m taking away a lot. With everything else going on, now I need to keep up with what’s happening today to be an effective coach.”
The Bozeman Foundation is planning two additional activities between now and the end of the year, and has already started discussions about the second annual Blake Bozeman tribute event.
“This was an amazingly good start,” said the senior Bozeman. “We’re coming out of the gate with a strong foundation.”
Foundation Todd Bozeman
founder of the Black Bozeman Foundation, speaks to those gathered for the Twenty2 Basketball Coaches Clinic and Networking Brunch with Keith Veney (right), who handles player development for the Dallas Mavericks.
Federal agencies, including the FBI and Homeland
Investigations, will continue their work with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), even as Mayor
refuses to allow cooperation between MPD and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
similar hearing last week.
The district is granted autonomy through a limited home rule agreement passed in 1973, but federal political leaders retain significant
control over local affairs, including the approval of the budget and laws passed by the D.C council.
This article was originally published by The Associated Press.
Jawando
Continued from A5
Council on Dec. 22, 2018. He won a second term in December 2022 and became chair of the Education and Culture Committee. He was named vice president of the Council in December 2024.
Jawando previously ran in the Democratic U.S. Senate primary in 2023 against current U.S. Sen. Angela Alsobrooks and former Congressman David Trone before dropping out of the race in October 2023. He endorsed Alsobrooks just days after.
“There’s no mistake about his purpose, his values, his understanding of the issues.”
The Montgomery County executive’s race already boasts five candidates vying to replace Erlich. In addition to Jawando, Montgomery County Councilmen Andrew Friedson (D-District 1) and Evan Glass (D-At-large) will seek to trade their current council seats for the executive’s post.
Silver Spring resident and health care worker Celeste Ihora was the first person to enter the contest in March and is also filing as a Democrat. Mithun Banerjee, CEO at Banerjee Holdings, LLC in Silver Spring, is the fifth Democratic candidate. So far, no Republican candidates have filed to become Erlich’s successor. The deadline for candidate filing is Feb. 24, 2026.
AP photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivias
Security
Muriel Bowser
Meta (Facebook) / Todd Bozeman, Blake Bozeman
(left),
COMMENTARY
A challenging time for HBCUs: From terror threats to attacks on equity
By Edmond W. Davis
The U.S. Department of Education has ignited national outrage after announcing it will withhold $350 million in congressionally approved funds from more than 800 minority-serving colleges and universities, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), Tribal Colleges and Universities, and other Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs).
The agency, now led by Education Secretary Linda McMahon — former WWE executive and wife of billionaire Vince McMahon — claims these institutions’ reliance on racial demographics to qualify for federal support is “discriminatory” and therefore, unconstitutional.
McMahon cited a recent Justice Department memo claiming it violates the Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause to allocate federal dollars based on the racial composition of a student body. That July memo reversed decades of bipartisan federal precedent that carved out dedicated funding streams to help schools serving historically excluded groups overcome resource gaps.
The announcement effectively erases fiscal 2025 discretionary funding for minority- focused
programs, including STEM scholarships for students of color and campus development initiatives at Black, Native, Asian American Pacific Islander, and Hispanic- serving colleges.
According to Business University, the department vaguely said the $350 million would be “reprogrammed” into race-neutral programs that “advance Administration priorities” — without clarifying what those priorities are.
A coordinated attack on equity
This policy shift aligns with Donald Trump’s long crusade against diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). It comes just months after the DOE threatened to cut funding from universities accused of “illegal DEI” efforts, and after the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in college admissions.
“This is an attack on equity in higher education,” said David Mendez, president of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities. “Cutting this funding strips away critical investments in under-resourced and first-generation students and will destabilize colleges in 29 states.”
Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA) called the move “devastating” and warned it would block economic mobility pathways for
millions of students of color.
Roughly 5 million students attend minority serving institutions or MSIs nationwide, including about 100 HBCUs that have long served as engines of Black excellence despite systemically intentional chronic underfunding.
Most MSIs qualify for federal support based on student demographics — except HBCUs and Tribal Colleges, which are designated by historical mission. McMahon’s DOE is now using this distinction to argue that nearly all other minority-serving programs are illegal “racial quotas.”
Legal pretext, political agenda
McMahon defended the decision by quoting the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling against racebased affirmative action, which said “outright racial balancing” is “patently unconstitutional.”
U.S. Solicitor General D. John Sauer supported the DOE’s stance, saying the Justice Department would not defend Hispanic-serving institutions in an ongoing lawsuit filed by the state of Tennessee and the conservative group Students for Fair Admissions — the same group that helped dismantle affirmative action. But critics say this is a politically orchestrated assault, not a legal necessity.
Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) blasted the DOE for “putting politics ahead of students simply looking to get ahead,” noting Congress already authorized these funds and that McMahon is overriding legislative authority. “These are longstanding programs that Congress has provided funding for on an annual basis,” Murray said. “Congress — not Donald Trump or Linda McMahon — decides how limited taxpayer dollars are spent.”
An ugly week for Black higher education
This attack comes amid a wave of White supremacist threats targeting HBCUs just days after conservative commentator Charlie Kirk’s death. At least six campuses, including Alabama State and Southern University, were forced into lockdown after receiving bomb or shooter threats from extremists enraged that Black students didn’t mourn Kirk’s death the way they are grieving. Now, those same students are being financially punished by a Trump-led DOE that seems determined to erase DEI entirely from American education.
The contrast is stark: instead of protecting HBCUs from terror threats, the federal government is gutting their funding — while McMahon, who once ran a WWE
empire notorious for its history of racist gimmicks and exclusion of Black talent, frames herself as a champion of “equal protections.”
What’s really at stake
This isn’t about ending discrimination — it’s about reengineering higher education to benefit White students under the guise of colorblindness. McMahon even stated the grants will be “re-envisioned” to help “underprepared or under-resourced students,” widely seen as code for poor White students whom the Trump administration portrays as the “real victims” of racism. But for HBCUs, HSIs, Tribal Colleges and other MSIs, the stakes are existential. These schools don’t just serve students of color — they serve whole communities, drive local economies, and cultivate the diverse workforce America needs. As Mendez said, these funds have never been about exclusion: “They strengthen entire campuses, creating opportunities and resources that benefit all students, especially those pursuing science, technology, engineering, and math fields.”
A call to resist
This funding cut is not just a policy change — it’s a racial profiling of entire institutions. It sends a chilling message that schools rooted in racial justice
Baltimore’s roads were built on Black suffering–now it’s time to build something different
By Steven K. Ragsdale
Baltimore does not easily forget the past, but far too often, it is forced to move on too quickly past its painful history. But there are some stories we can’t afford to leave behind. Not when the very streets we pay for the privilege to walk today were paid for by people in chains, not when today’s injustices echo so loudly from our collective yesterdays. Maryland, and Baltimore in particular, didn’t just participate in the domestic slave trade. We helped build it. From the early 1800s through the Civil War, Baltimore became a major port for the buying and selling of Black people—not across oceans, but within the borders of the United States. The so-called “peculiar institution” wasn’t just a Southern phenomenon. It thrived right here.
On the same National Road that still cuts through West Baltimore— Route 40—Black families were bound together, marched in shackles and led south to the cotton fields of Alabama and Mississippi and the sugar plantations in Louisiana. It is less than ironic that the street name on the east side of
the city bears the name Orlean Street.
The city’s waterfront, now lined with shops and tourists, once launched ships packed with enslaved men, women, and children bound for places like New Orleans. These were not discrete crimes. They were part of the city’s business that ported between 800,000 and 1.2 million captives to the industrial agricultural South.
This was not a shadow economy, it was big business and out in the open.
Baltimore traders like Austin Woolfolk, Hope Slater, James Franklin Purvis, John Denning and Joseph Donovan were not fringe figures—they were city politicians, business leaders, respected men. Banks gave them loans. Insurance companies protected their “cargo.”
The Baltimore Sun ran ads for slave auctions with average sales prices, with prices ranging to a premium for the light-skinned female prodigy of a White enslaver. The machinery of human commodification ran smoothly, backed by legislation, policy and public silence.
In a city where 91 percent of its African-American population lived with free legal status, selling humans was legal in
every corner of the fourth largest city in America from its founding in 1728 until the advent of the Civil War.
That silence has lasted too long and continues to haunt the way that local politics are waged in Maryland.
Today, West Baltimore is still one of the most disinvested, under-connected areas in the city. And it is no accident. The same corridors that once trafficked in Black bodies now lack reliable public transit. The Red Line—a long-promised light rail system meant to connect isolated Black neighborhoods to opportunity—was shelved in 2015 with barely a shrug from Annapolis and its bevy of lobbyists. Only now – after years of organizing and resistance – has the project been revived by our recent governor, but the project will undoubtedly face more scrutiny, criticism and attacks.
Make no mistake: This fight isn’t over because this isn’t just about trains and tracks. It’s about history. It’s about reparative justice. The same state that helped move thousands of African ancestors into bondage owes much more than words—it owes access, infrastructure, and investment.
The AFRO has always stood on the front lines of truth for generations.
For over 130 years, this paper has held systems accountable and printed what others refused to say. That same courage is necessary now. Citizens must say what many are unwilling to say publicly: Baltimore’s past isn’t just tragic for some—it is instructive. Do we need to reexamine the Road to Nowhere? Like in that slice of civic history, the Red Line demands constant vigilance and action.
Baltimore isn’t asking for charity. Its people are demanding accountability. The same systems that once extracted profit from a people’s pain must now work and invest to repair the damage.
That includes fully funding the Red Line–not just breaking ground but following through. That includes honoring the communities historically left behind with more than ribbon cuttings, but with real, sustained investment that funnels much-needed economics into a city that still struggles almost 75 years after White flight began.
Let the roads that once carried our people in chains now take us to
Financial tips for a smart school year
By Janet Currie
The school year is underway and families are settling into new routines, which can often also mean new expenses and new opportunities. From tuition payments and activity fees to sports equipment and last-minute supply runs, the costs can add up quickly. While it’s easy to let the semester’s hustle push financial planning to the back burner, it’s a prime opportunity to cultivate strong financial habits that will benefit the entire family for years to come.
Keep the budget going strong Expenses don’t stop after the Back-to-School hustle or the first day of class. Field trips, new technology and mid-year supply replenishments can still take a bite out of your budget. Review what you’ve spent so far and update your plan for the months ahead. Be sure to track variable expenses like extracurricular fees, clothing or dorm upgrades so they don’t derail your goals.
Pass on financial education to your student(s) Money management is a
muscle you have to build, and starting early can help children establish a strong foundation. From learning how to build a budget, to understanding the benefits of compound interest and instilling smart spending, saving and budgeting habits before and during the college years will help your student be well-prepped for long-term fi nancial success.
Pro Tip: Help your children build healthy habits by using free budgeting apps and digital tools to stay on track. Bank of America’s Better Money Habits website offers easy-to-follow guides for
and cultural heritage have no place in America’s future. Students, educators, sponsors and alumni must respond — through lawsuits, congressional pressure, and yes, even economic boycotts of companies linked to McMahon, including WWE, whose long history of racism is well documented. If the Trump-McMahon DOE can erase $350 million from minority-serving schools overnight, it can erase the legacy of equity these institutions represent. America cannot let that happen.
argues that Baltimore
reckon with its legacy of slavery and disinvestment—particularly in West Baltimore—by fully committing to projects like the Red Line.
opportunity. Let the harbor that once tore families apart now reconnect neighborhoods. Let Baltimore’s future not erase its past but redeem it. Baltimore citizens have been asked repeatedly to move on. But they are still here, and many more are moving in. The citizens of Baltimore and all those cities sitting along the planned route cannot afford to wait any longer.
students, helping them manage their money and track expenses as they go. Remember, budgeting doesn’t have to be all about sacrifice. Maintain some flexibility to help your financial life’s impact be positive, not overwhelming. Bank of America also offers family-friendly banking options that help kids, teens and young adults build financial independence while giving parents control and peace of mind. SafeBalance® for Family Banking lets kids as young as six use a debit card with parental controls and offers smart expanded options as your child grows—helping families build smart financial habits at every stage.
Courtesy photo Edmond W. Davis is a social historian, professor and former director of the Derek Olivier Research Institute. This week, he discusses funding cuts and recent threats against historically Black institutions across the nation.
Courtesy photo
Steven K. Ragsdale is a strategic systems architect and human capital optimizer. This week, he
must
Courtesy photo
Janet Currie is the president of Bank of America for Greater Maryland. This week, she offers financial tips for being smart with your back-to-school money.
for that courage he endured FBI surveillance, harassment and economic pressure designed to silence him.
Our family’s story is not unique. So many parents and grandparents bore the same scars. They faced threats, intimidation, job loss, surveillance, jail and worse simply for demanding freedom. Their experiences remind us that free speech in America has never truly been free, especially for Black voices.
There was hope that democracy itself would provide sturdier guardrails, that over time the country would bend more toward openness rather than retreat into fear. But the events of 2025 — especially the murder of Charlie Kirk and the toxic aftermath — have shown how wrong that hope was.
Instead of grieving a life lost while also interrogating the harm of his rhetoric, Kirk’s death has been weaponized. It has become an excuse to silence those who dare to challenge his polarizing views. Nurses, teachers, journalists, students — people from every walk of life — have been punished simply for saying, “I do not agree.”
The hypocrisy is glaring. “Free speech” is defended for some, while others lose jobs, reputations and platforms for speaking their truth. Even the press — the Fourth Estate, long regarded as democracy’s watchdog — is under unprecedented attack.
And yet, none of this is new.
Colin Kaepernick knelt peacefully during the anthem and was exiled from professional football.
The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was branded a dangerous agitator before being assassinated for daring to dream aloud.
The Exonerated Five — Yusef Salaam, Antron McCray, Raymond Santana, Kevin Richardson, and Korey Wise — were just 14, 15, and 16 years old when they were wrongfully accused in the infamous Central Park jogger case. As boys, they were silenced and condemned; as men, they were vindicated. But the damage of that stolen youth can never be erased. And in Birmingham, four young girls — Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson, and Cynthia Wesley — were murdered in their church before they ever had
the chance to raise their voices. Their silence was imposed by hatred. Today’s cry to “say their names” reminds us that remembering is resistance, and silence is complicity.
Here is the truth: hate speech and free speech are not the same. Free speech is the lifeblood of democracy. Hate speech is its poison — the words that demean, divide and endanger. But in America, the two are too often confused, protecting the poison while punishing the truth-tellers.
What are we teaching our children when we punish those who speak out against injustice while shielding those who spread division?
What are we teaching when we say democracy values every voice, but prove through action that some voices matter less than others?
This is why today’s truth-tellers must be celebrated — journalists, grassroots organizers, young activists, pastors and preachers, and everyday citizens who refuse to be quiet. Young people especially are refusing to stay silent in the face of injustice. Their courage gives hope. They remind us that democracy doesn’t live in monuments or memorials. It lives in the words and actions of ordinary people — often the young — who dare to speak when silence feels safer.
The boldness of prophetic leaders like the Rev. Dr. Jamal Harrison Bryant also deserves celebration, calling this nation to account in ways that stir both conscience and conviction. He stands in a long line of preachers, prophets and organizers who never confused silence with safety.
But courage alone is not enough. This moment demands unity. The Black church, the Black Press, historic civil rights organizations, the Divine Nine Black fraternities and sororities, and all who love truth must reclaim a collective voice. Too many fought too hard for us to scatter now. With one message and one movement, we must again be the conscience of this nation.
What was taught about democracy was wrong. Democracy is not guaranteed. It is not self-sustaining. It does not automatically bend toward justice. It survives only when people — brave, ordinary, determined people — fight to protect it.
Many have been on the battlefield a long time, speaking and sacrificing with power
and conviction. Others are raising their words with fresh urgency. Together, we must stand as one. Their courage must become our collective rallying cry. They kept writing. They kept marching. They kept crusading for justice, in spite of
great opposition. They refused to be silent, and so must we. If their witness endured persecution, then ours must endure the present storm. Their courage demands our courage. Their stand demands our stand. And this time, I know I’m right.
Silencing dissent: The high price of criticizing hate in America
By AFRO Managing Editor
Recently, I was alerted by the Washington Association of Black Journalists (WABJ) of the firing of Washington Post opinion columnist, Karren Attiah. Her offense? A post to her personal Bluesky social media account quoting the words of the conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.
With her firing, she joined a slew of now unemployed critics of Charlie Kirk, who have been fired for a variety of comments that range from simply reminding the country of Kirk’s own words to social media posts praising his gruesome Sept. 10 assassination. Some have been fired for pointing out that refusing to deeply mourn Kirk’s death is not the same as advocating for gun violence.
While no one should be making light of how Charlie Kirk died, we also certainly cannot create light from the darkness of how he lived.
Kirk was a White supremacist. Full stop. He spewed his brand of hatred every chance he could and encouraged others to go after those in the Black community willing to stand up against him and his ideals. I, for one, am not in the business of rewriting history. I am here to record it. And what does the record say?
When it came to Black leaders such as former First Lady Michelle Obama and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, Kirk –the community college dropout– said in July 2023 that these women “do not have the brain processing power to otherwise be taken really seriously.”
“You had to go steal a white person’s slot to go be taken somewhat seriously,” he said, speaking directly to the Black women who have helped shape this nation.
And on the topic of school shootings? In 2023, a year where the FBI logged 48 active shooter incidents, Kirk said the following: “I think it’s worth it to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the second amendment to protect our other God-given rights. That is a prudent deal.”
Kirk made that last comment just nine days after three children and three adults were killed at Covenant Presbyterian Church and School in Nashville, Tenn. by a shooter with a LeadStar Grunt-15 5.56mm/.223 caliber semi-automatic AR pistol and two other guns.
Maybe he truly believed in the insensitive comments he made that day, but regardless of the vile things on Kirk’s record, I was still shocked to my core when the grisly footage of his death found its way to my inbox last week.
You see, I – and many Black people – still have empathy. You know, that “made-up, New Age term that” that Kirk once said “does a lot of damage, but it is very effective when it comes to politics.” I don’t think anyone’s death should be social media fodder for the globe. But what we have seen in the last few days goes well beyond empathy for a human being brutally assassinated on the world stage.
Since Sept. 10 there has been a blatant revision of what Kirk stood for and the harm he was actively causing with his words at the time of his death. You can have empathy and still tell the truth. But that’s not what America wants. This country and its leaders would much rather silence those unafraid to use their First Amendment right to speak out against those that push racist agendas, eugenics programming and homophobic beliefs.
I am appalled by the 47th president’s decision to lower the American flag to half staff for a racist, while leaving them flying high after the June 2025 assassinations of Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark. That said, I am not surprised that many want to hide away Kirk’s own words, and focus solely on the “Christian father and husband” who left behind few works to match the faith he proclaimed.
I am truly disgusted by the football teams (Tennessee Titans, New York Jets and Dallas Cowboys to name a few) that held moments of silence as if Kirk advocated for something besides bigotry and division– but what more do you expect from an organization with “owners” that see the players (majority Black athletes) as property?
In a world where Florida
middle schoolers are being taught that slaves benefited from chattel slavery, I am not shocked that conservatives and MAGA cult members are now going after anyone who reminds them of the ugly side of Charlie Kirk.
To be clear– the firings we are seeing are nothing more than a mass economic lynching– a stark reminder that anyone willing to speak out against the White supremacy better shut up or face consequences.
In lieu of legally swinging our bodies from trees and mutilating our bodies, they want to cut us off from the lifelines of healthcare tied to our jobs and a steady income (while the president wages tariff wars that drive up the cost of everything in and out of the grocery store).
I imagine the last two weeks have been incredibly hard for Black journalists, editors and publishers everywhere. But no matter how hard it is to keep up in this news cycle, we cannot grow so weary that we do not use our pen to speak up for those who are being silenced. And so, the night before deadline day, I sit at my desk, writing. Speaking out, and ever more grateful that I have a “Black job” that allows me to do so.
Now is the time to support all of the member publications of the National Newspaper Publishers Association, the trade organization of the Black Press. Of course, my home team is the AFRO, which has been in print for 133 years. We, like all Black publications, value every subscription, like, comment and share.
To all the journalists and teachers who have been fired, I say find the nearest Black publication and join the ranks of the Black Press. In this political climate, we certainly need all the soldiers we can get.
AFRO Photo / Alexis Taylor
Alexis Taylor is managing editor of the AFRO American Newspapers. This week, she discusses the economic lynching of those who are chose to speak on the late Charlie Kirk’s history of White supremacy.
Unsplash / Gayatri Malhotra
AFRO Publisher and CEO, Dr. Frances Murphy Draper, speaks on how democracy’s promise of protecting every voice has fallen short in her latest reflection and call to action. This week, she urges unity among the Black Press, the Black Church and the community to defend free speech and fight for a democracy that truly values every voice.
Dr. Earl S. Richardson
During Dr. Richardson’s tenure as president, from Nov. 1, 1984 to June 30, 2010, he increased the institution’s offerings from a lone doctorate in urban education leadership to more than 15 different doctoral programs. He was also responsible for expanding the university with the addition of multiple new schools, including the School of Architecture and Planning, the School of Community Health and Policy, the School of Social Work, the School of Global Journalism and Communication and more.
Dr. Wilson credits his immediate predecessor’s leadership in transforming the campus with more than a half billion dollars in new and renovated facilities.
“Under his stewardship Morgan’s enrollment grew significantly, the qualifications of incoming students rose, and our graduates went on to excel across every field of endeavor,” stated Dr. Wilson. “He leaves behind a legacy of perseverance, innovation, and an unshakable belief in the transformative power of education. Dr. Richardson will forever be remembered as a towering figure in Morgan’s history.”
In 1995, Dr. Richardson hired Dr. Anna McPhatter, who became the founding dean of the institution’s School of Social Work, which was the last school established in 2009 under Dr. Richardson and the Board of Regents.
“It has become one of the leading master’s programs,” said Dean McPhatter, in an AFRO interview, following news of the death. “Dr. Richardson’s imprint on higher education for the state of Maryland will be forever felt.”
Baltimore City Mayor Brandon M. Scott also weighed in on Dr. Richardson’s death.
“Morgan State would not be where it is today without Dr. Richardson. Under his leadership, Morgan grew in every sense of the word—from enrollment to degree offerings to physical expansion of the campus. All of that progress brought new students and new investments to Baltimore, helping to drive our own citywide growth,” he said.
“Dr. Richardson was also a strong advocate for equal opportunity and access for all students,” Scott added. “He knew that building a path to higher education meant opening doors for countless young people to reach their full potential. I am so grateful for his service to our city and our country. My prayers are with his wife Sheila and son Eric.”
In 2006, the Coalition for Equity and Excellence in Maryland Higher Education, which Dr. Earl Richardson helped create, filed a lawsuit that began a 15-year battle on behalf of students that attended historically Black
colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the state. That case was finally settled in 2021, requiring Maryland to provide $577 million in additional funding to its four HBCUs over 10 years.
Former State Sen. Joan Carter-Conway served from 1997-2019 on the Senate’s Committee for Education, Health and Environmental Affairs. She served as vice chair of that committee from 2003 to 2007 and as chair from 2007 to 2019.
Dr. Richardson “will be remembered as a true champion for Morgan and all HBCUs,” Carter-Conway said.
“I witnessed many presentations in Annapolis by Dr. Earl Richardson during his tenure. He was a dynamic and energetic leader who fought diligently for fair funding for all historically Black institutions,” said Carter-Conway. She added of the news of his death, “It hurt me to my heart. I was devastated to learn of his illness and passing.”
Carter-Conway currently serves as deputy assistant to the president and as director of government relations for Morgan State University.
Among the many legislators and state leaders to pour out their condolences for the Richardson family was Gov. Wes Moore.
“Dr. Earl Richardson was a pillar of Maryland and the Morgan State University community,” said a statement sent to the AFRO from Gov. Moore’s office. “Dr. Richardson dedicated his life to the education of young Marylanders– our home is stronger because of his work.”
Maryland Congressman Kweisi Mfume, the U.S. representative of Maryland’s 7th Congressional District and staple of the Morgan community, called Dr. Richardson “a transformative leader and stalwart in the fight to insure a college opportunity for all students.”
“It was an honor for me, as a member of the Morgan State University Board of Regents, to serve alongside him. His voice and his presence will be greatly missed,” said Mfume.
Richardson was born, Sept. 25, 1943, in Westover, Md. Part of his passion for Mary land’s HBCUs was no doubt rooted in the fact that he earned his bachelor’s degree in social science from the University of Mary land Eastern Shore (formerly Maryland State College), according to information from the Maryland State Archives. He went on to se cure master’s and doctoral degrees in educa tion from the University of Pennsylvania.
Prior to becoming president of Morgan State University, he taught on the undergraduate lev el and held different administrative roles, such as assistant to the president of the University System of Maryland.
At the height of his career, according to information released by Morgan, Dr. Richardson chaired the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education and was appointed by President William Jefferson Clinton to head the White House Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Dr. Earl Richardson received numerous awards, including the Maryland Senate’s prestigious First Citizen’s Award and recognition by President Barack Obama for his work in higher education.
After leaving his role as leader of the national treasure he helped thrive, Dr. Richardson, decided to serve as a distinguished professor and research associate in the Center for Civil Rights in Education. He also served on several boards and commissions,
both locally and nationally.
Dr. Richardson leaves to mourn his wife, Dr. Sheila Bunting, and his son, Eric Anthony.
“As we mourn his passing, let us also honor his extraordinary contributions by rededicating ourselves to the ideals he championed and the mission he so faithfully advanced,” said Dr. Wilson in his statement. “Morgan is stronger because of Earl S. Richardson, and for that we are eternally grateful.”
Today, the AFRO sends a salute to Dr. Richardson, the man that poured into thousands of students and fought valiantly on their behalf in court to improve higher education in the State of Maryland. We thank him for his service and dedication, and conclude with Dr. Richardson’s favorite quote: “Whatever you do, do it well.”
Honoring Unsung Heroes Honoring Unsung Heroes
Honoring the Solid Waste Division's DPW Workers for their vital role in keeping our community clean and safe
Thursday, October 23, 2025 11:30 am - 1:30 pm
Photo courtesy of the AFRO Archives
Shown here, Morgan State University Chair of the Board of Regents, Congressman Kweisi Mfume (D-MD-07) (left), with Dr. Earl S. Richardson (right) in an undated photo from the AFRO Archives.
‘I’m important too’: The role of self-care in postpartum healing
By Andrea Stevens AFRO Staff Writer astevens@afro.com
The postpartum period is often described as a time of physical recovery, but for many mothers it also marks the beginning of a deep identity shift. The journey of becoming a mother isn’t just about caring for a baby. It’s also about rediscovering who you are in the wake of birth. At the heart of this transformation is self-care—not the kind tied to luxury or free time–but the essential kind that reminds a mother she matters too.
Destinee Richmond is a postpartum nurse and mother of two, now in the eighth week of her postpartum recovery. She spoke with the AFRO, reflecting on the evolution of her identity.
“I feel more like myself now than I did going from zero to one. With this second baby, it’s not as much of a culture shock. I had a starting point this time — I wasn’t building from scratch,” Richmond said.
What helped her the most the second time around was remembering to give herself space to care for her own needs.
“I had to take a second to step back and realize that I’m important too. Your baby is OK. As long as they’re fed and breathing, they’re OK. You can get to bath time later. Take the time for yourself. It really does make a difference in feeling like you again,” said Richmond.
Her experience highlights something many mothers come to learn, postpartum isn’t about going back, it’s about becoming someone new
BREAKING CYCLES:
with pieces of the old still intact.
Victoria Meehan, a postpartum doula with the Womb Room, sees this transformation in nearly every client she supports.
“A lot of people want to go back to who they were pre-baby, and I tell them you’re never going to be that person again,” said Meehan. “You’re
her professional experience helped ease the transition.
“At 22, I was in nursing school, stressed and just trying to figure it out. Now at 28, I’m more financially stable, mentally stronger, and I’ve learned how to handle my emotions. That makes all the difference,” said Richmond. “Now I do this all day long
“You’re becoming a new version of yourself, and that’s not a bad thing. It’s about rediscovering who you are now.”
becoming a new version of yourself, and that’s not a bad thing. It’s about rediscovering who you are now.”
That rediscovery often requires time, intention and support. As a postpartum nurse, Richmond found that
with babies. It’s my job. I struggled so hard with nighttime feeds the first time. I felt very prepared this time around. I had a lot of resources to help me.”
Even with preparation, the emotional landscape of new motherhood
is complex. Guilt, especially, is a heavy burden.
“You are a human being outside of being a parent. It’s OK to want something for yourself, and it’s normal to feel guilty about that. But we work through that guilt because meeting your needs doesn’t take away from your journey as a mother, it enhances it,” said Meehan.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologist reports that “postpartum depression is a type of depression that causes intense feelings of sadness, anxiety, or despair that keep people from being able to do their daily tasks.”
According to the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health, postpartum depression is “the leading complication of childbirth, impacting 1 in 5 U.S. women.” For the women included in that number, “40.1 percent of depressive episodes onset during the postpartum period,” or after birth.
Meehan encourages mothers to name what they need and take action.
“It’s hard to pour from an empty bucket. Be honest about what you need. If that means hiring a sitter, taking a walk, or just getting some sleep, do it,” she Meehan. “A lot of hospitals send you home unprepared. You’re tired, overwhelmed, and everyone expects you to just figure it out. That’s where postpartum doulas come in. We’re here to hold space, answer questions and remind you that you’re not alone.”
As both a postpartum
and a mother of two,
Richmond says experience, preparation and self-care helped her feel more like herself the second time around.
In a world where new mothers are expected to bounce back and do it all, self-care can feel like rebellion. But as both Richmond and Meehan remind us, it’s not indulgent, it’s necessary.
Postpartum rediscovery begins the moment a mother gives herself permission to breathe, to step outside for a walk, to ask for help, or to say, “I need this for me.” That’s where healing starts. That’s where identity is rebuilt. And that’s where motherhood becomes something sustainable, not just survivable.
Black parents embrace mindful parenting
By Tashi McQueen AFRO Staff Writer
Across the U.S., Black parents are shifting their approach to parenting by teaching their children mindfulness, positive affirmations, the importance of setting healthy boundaries and how to prioritize self-care.
“Historically, Black families have carried the weight of grief, resilience, responsibility and survival,” said Chanae L. Wood, mother and author of “Where is Skip, Pa?”
“We are often taught to push through and ‘be strong’ at all costs, but our children deserve to see that strength and vulnerability can coexist,” she added.
Wood believes self-care can be simple to apply.
“I’ve learned that self-care doesn’t always have to be big or extravagant; it’s often the small things done consistently,” said Wood. “For me, that’s prayer, moving my body, journaling or simply giving myself permission to rest. I make it visible to my son by naming it out loud.”
She said she tells her son when she’s going for a walk to clear her head or when she needs quiet time to pray.
“That way he sees that taking care of yourself is normal, necessary and not something to feel guilty about,” said Wood.
Through this trend, parents are also taking steps to help
Akirashanti “Kira” Boyd, co-founder of Curl Centric, uses affirmations during her children’s hair care routines to teach them self-love, confidence and the importance of setting healthy boundaries.
children with grief.
“As Black parents, we often don’t have the space or language to openly talk about grief in our households,” said Wood.
“‘Where is Skip, Pa?’ was written as a gentle tool to start those hard conversations with children. Instead of shying away from the reality of loss, the book gives language that a child can understand, while also creating space for parents to share their own memories.”
Wood said she wrote the book to help families identify with what they’re feeling and remember their loved ones in
healthy ways.
“Children need honesty, but they also need security,” she said. “For me, healthy boundaries look like letting my son see my tears, but not placing the weight of my healing on him.”
Wood said it is important for children to see their parent’s emotions.
“It teaches them empathy,” she said.
Some parents are integrating self-care into their daily routines.
“I started educating self-care through our everyday hair care,” said Akirashanti “Kira” Boyd,
co-founder and co-owner of Curl Centric.
Boyd said she uses words of affirmations while she moisturizes her kids’ hair.
“They are not just words, they are seeds,” said Boyd. “Every week we write affirmations on a piece of paper and keep them under their pillows and say them every morning after prayer.”
She said affirmations ranged from loving themselves to recognizing that their voice matters.
“I have noticed how they glow even by just reading those six words,” said Boyd. “I did not have that sort of daily reinforcement growing up, but I want it for them.”
Boyd said she also encourages her children to ask for time alone to cool down, just as she does for herself.
When it comes to setting boundaries, parents can focus on social interactions, respect and empathy.
“Having boundaries is one of the healthiest things a person should practice even at an early age, as this will shape how they will carry the weight of the world in the future,” said Boyd.
The Child Mind Institute, a nonprofit working to improve child mental health, encourages parents to talk with children about feelings, help them understand rules as protections and teach them to advocate for themselves.
can coexist.
Wood believes that teaching children about self-care and boundaries is an act of breaking cycles.
“It says, you don’t always have to pour from an empty cup,” said Wood. “You are worthy of rest, of expressing your feelings and of protecting your peace.”
Despite generational socioeconomic and systemic barriers, Black parents are embarking on this shift to give their children a more secure, balanced and positive upbringing.
“We are often taught to push through and ‘be strong’ at all costs, but our children deserve to see that strength and vulnerability can coexist.”
Courtesy Photo/ Victoria Meehan
Postpartum doula Victoria Meehan helps mothers reclaim their sense of self by offering support, validation and reminders that their needs matter too.
Courtesy Photo/ Destiny Richmond
nurse
Destinee
Courtesy photo
Author Chanae L. Wood models self-care and healthy boundaries for her son, showing him that strength and vulnerability
Courtesy photo
Protect your peace of mind: How to avoid disturbing content on social media
By Annie Margaret The Conversation
When graphic videos go viral, like the recent fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk, it can feel impossible to protect yourself from seeing things you did not consent to see. But there are steps you can take.
Social media platforms are designed to maximize engagement, not protect your peace of mind. The major platforms have also reduced their content moderation efforts over the past year or so. That means upsetting content can reach you even when you never chose to watch it.
You do not have to watch every piece of content that crosses your screen, however. Protecting your own mental state is not avoidance or denial. As a researcher who studies ways to counteract the negative effects of social media on mental health and well-being, I believe it’s a way of safeguarding the bandwidth you need to stay engaged, compassionate and effective.
Why this matters
Research shows that repeated exposure to violent or disturbing media can increase stress, heighten anxiety and contribute to feelings of helplessness. These effects are not just short-term. Over time, they erode the emotional resources you rely on to care for yourself and others.
Protecting your attention is a form of care. Liberating your attention from harmful content is not withdrawal. It is reclaiming your most powerful creative
force: your consciousness.
Just as with food, not everything on the table is meant to be eaten. You wouldn’t eat something spoiled or toxic simply because it was served to you. In the same way, not every piece of media laid out in your feed deserves your attention. Choosing what to consume is a matter of health.
And while you can choose what you keep in your own kitchen cabinets, you often have less control over what shows up in your feeds. That is why it helps to take intentional steps to filter, block and set boundaries.
Practical steps you can take
Fortunately, there are straightforward ways to reduce your chances of being confronted with violent or disturbing videos. Here are four that I recommend:
• Turn off autoplay or limit sensitive content. Note that these settings can vary depending on device, operating system and app version, and can change.
• Use keyword filters. Most platforms allow you to mute or block specific words, phrases or hashtags. This reduces the chance that graphic or violent content slips into your feed.
• Curate your feed. Unfollow accounts that regularly share disturbing images. Follow accounts that bring you knowledge, connection or joy instead.
• Set boundaries. Reserve phonefree time during meals or before bed. Research shows that intentional breaks reduce stress and improve well-being.
Reclaim your agency
Social media is not neutral. Its algorithms are engineered to hold your attention, even when that means amplifying harmful or sensational material. Watching passively only serves the interests of the social media companies. Choosing to protect your attention is a way to reclaim your agency.
The urge to follow along in real time can be strong, especially during crises. But choosing not to watch every disturbing image is not neglect; it is self-preservation. Looking away protects your ability to act with purpose. When your attention is hijacked, your energy goes into shock and outrage. When your attention is steady, you can choose where to invest it.
You are not powerless. Every boundary you set – whether it is turning off autoplay, filtering content or curating your feed – is a way of taking control over what enters your mind. These actions are the foundation for being able to connect with others, help people and work for meaningful change.
More resources
I’m the executive director of the Post-Internet Project, a nonprofit dedicated to helping people navigate the psychological and social challenges of life online. With my team, I designed the evidence-backed PRISM intervention to help people manage their social media use.
Our research-based program emphasizes agency, intention and values alignment as the keys to developing healthier patterns of media consumption. You can
The Conversation, CC BY-ND Shown here, steps for turning off autoplay or blocking sensitive content, according to the platform of choice.
try the PRISM process for yourself with an online class I am launching through Coursera in October 2025. You can find the course, Values Aligned Media Consumption, by searching for Annie Margaret at the University of Colorado Boulder on Coursera. The course is aimed at anyone 18 and over, and the
videos are free to watch.
Annie Margaret is a teaching assistant professor of Creative Technology and Design with the ATLAS Institute at the University of Colorado Boulder. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.
How Baltimore homebuyers can save on a down payment
Sponsored by JPMorganChase
While there is a lot of uncertainty around the housing market in 2025, affordability still remains a top challenge for homebuyers – especially first-time home buyers who, according to a 2025 Bankrate survey, often cite the upfront costs of homeownership1 as the biggest barrier to homeownership. And a 2023 study from LendingTree shows that while 39% of homebuyers nationwide use financial assistance2, around 22% look to their friends and family for help vs. tapping into available local resources.
Here’s how those in Baltimore can access assistance programs and how they can address some of the upfront costs of homeownership.
What are my down payment assistance program options?
Down payment assistance programs aim to make housing more affordable and can be used to address the upfront costs of homeownership. Some down payment assistance options, which span government, municipalities, non-profits, local lenders and so on, include:
• Grants: Homebuyers can receive funds to put toward their down payment—which can be available at the local, state and lender-level. Homebuyer grants may also cover closing costs if you already have the full down payment amount, and may be stacked with other forms of assistance. For example, Chase offers a homebuyer grant of up to $5,000 when purchasing homes in 15,000 eligible areas in the country, including qualifying neighborhoods in Baltimore.
• Forgivable loans: Also known as second mortgage down-payment assistance programs, these are low-interest or no-interest down payment loans that may be forgivable. In order to qualify for forgiveness, you may have to satisfy certain requirements. In most cases, borrowers may have to continue to own and live in the home after a period of time to avoid repayment of the loan.
• Deferred-payment loans: These tend to be zero- or low-interest loans that offer a fixed rate to help cover down payment and closing costs. Typically, payments are not due unless you sell the home or refinance your mortgage. If you decide to sell and have a zero-interest deferred-payment loan, you might only have to pay back the amount that you borrowed, regardless of how much time has gone by
• Low-down payment loans: Outside of down payment assistance, there are a variety of low down payment mortgage options available with flexible credit requirements. These can be offered by the lender, such as Chase’s DreaMaker mortgage, or through government agency loans such as FHA, Standard Agency, etc. These loans may be as little as 3% down for a qualifying borrower.
1 Bankrate survey: https://www.bankrate.com/mortgages/home-affordability-report/#changefor-affordable-housing
2 LendingTree study: https://www.lendingtree.com/home/mortgage/down-payment-help-survey
How do home buyers know if they qualify?
Eligibility depends on a variety of factors. While each program has different eligibility requirements, some of the elements that determine how much help you can receive and on what terms include your credit score, debt-to-income ratio, income, number of people in your household and completion of a homebuyer education program. In some instances, the home purchase price cannot exceed the maximum limitations set by the agency offering assistance.
Each down payment assistance program requires its own application forms and process. By working with a local real estate or mortgage professional, you can gain insight and understanding on local programs offered by Baltimore. Additionally, prospective buyers can use the Chase Homebuyer Assistance Finder to research and identify assistance programs at the local, state and lender-level they may be eligible for.
Using mortgage calculators can help you estimate what you can afford, and consulting with mortgage professionals can provide tailored advice and alternative financing options to fit your situation. For more information, visit chase.com/afford.
Why more people are turning to digital detoxes
By Tashi McQueen AFRO Staff Writer
tmcqueen@afro.com
As technology increasingly dominates daily life, people are turning to putting down their devices and turning to “digital detoxes,” or periods of intentional time away from screens, social media and constant connectivity.
“Too much is coming at us at such a fast pace,” said Lynn Berger, a licensed mental health counselor. “It is impossible to keep up and stay focused on simple tasks.”
A Global Web Index (GWI) study found that one in five people have completed a full
avoiding phone use at bedtime or during dinner. Some remain unconcerned about their daily screen time.
A Pew Research Center study found that 98 percent of Americans possess a cellphone, with about 91 percent owning a smartphone in particular. The survey included 5,626 adults and was conducted from Feb. 1 to June 10, 2024.
A report by Gitnux, a market research platform, found that the average smartphone user picks up their phone 58 times a day. Around 61 percent of young people say they are addicted to their devices, and mobile device addiction can increase the risk of depression
“Power off your phone, leave your television and computer off and give yourself the gift of some quiet, reflective time.”
digital detox, while seven in 10 have chosen only to limit some of their online activity. The detox worked for eight out of 10 who tried it. The survey included 4,438 internet users, ages 16 to 64, in the U.S. and the United Kingdom.
“Snap out of scrolling and into your life,” said Julie Potiker, author and certified mindful self-compassion instructor. “We miss out on valuable moments of our lives and real-world connections when we spend too much time immersed in our phones, unconsciously scrolling through social media or ‘doomscrolling’ the news.”
The GWI study shows that people are responding to increased technology use differently. Some take extended breaks from social media, cellphones or laptops, while others adopt subtler measures, such as
by up to 27 percent.
As people seek balance, experts say digital detoxes reflect a growing awareness of technology’s toll and a proactive effort to manage its impact on daily life. While some choose to detox and completely avoid digital devices, others choose “digital diets,” which are less stringent and only focus on cutting down usage- not eliminating it completely- during an intentional period of time. Finding ways to detox may be especially important for Black Americans. Psychologists note that cell phones are highly addictive since they are accessible nearly everywhere and make it effortless to check social media.
According to the Pew Research study, 19 percent of Black Americans rely on their smartphones as their only way
to access the internet, which may increase their risk of technology-related addiction.
Potiker noted that being absorbed in technology every day increases stress and can harm emotional and mental health.
“If the news is compromising your sense of wellness and inner peace, as it is for many, it may be time to look at a new way forward,” she said.
People are finding that way forward by deleting smartphone apps, limiting routine activities like checking emails or texts, turning off notifications and distancing
themselves from devices.
Berger recommends an occasional digital detox, even if only for a few hours.
“It heightens mental acuity and clarity,” said Berger.
Potiker recommends her SNAP (soothing touch, naming the emotion, act and praise) method when feeling overwhelmed by technology.
She suggests soothing yourself by placing your hands over your heart or over your stomach, identifying the emotion and taking deliberate action to care for yourself, such as limiting technology. Lastly, acknowledge and pat yourself on the back for taking positive steps forward.
“Power off your phone, leave your television and computer off and give yourself the gift of some quiet,
More and more people are taking intentional breaks
their smartphones and social media, practicing digital detoxes to reduce stress, improve focus and reconnect with their daily lives.
reflective time,” said Potiker.
“Write in a journal, take a walk in nature, read a book that engrosses you or spend quality time with people you
Now’s your time to enjoy it all. In our diverse and inviting Life Plan community, surround yourself with people you’ll like and social opportunities you’ll love. Settle into a home amongst nature, supported by a continuum of care for every age and ability. At Broadmead, you’ll be able to focus on a lifestyle you truly enjoy!
and your life.”
love. However you spend this time, experience it fully without technology and enjoy being fully present in your body
Unsplash /Tashi McQueen
from
Chart courtesy of Global Web Index
with data separated for digital
Relax, recharge, restore: Black-owned spas making an impact in the DMV
By Megan Sayles AFRO Staff Writer msayles@afro.com
Looking for a place to relax and recharge? Across the D.C., Maryland and Virginia area, Black-owned spas are redefining self-care—blending wellness, culture and community into each treatment they offer.
From facials, to massages, to holistic wellness, these
spaces provide more than just pampering— they offer healing, restoration and renewal.
Uzuri Spa
This Pikesville, Md.-based spa was started by West Baltimore native Tiah Kuniken in 2017. Kuniken said it was divine intervention that put her on the path to opening a wellness business. After becoming a massage therapist, she continued to collect more skills,
becoming a licensed esthetician and holistic health coach.
“Uzuri” is Swahili for beauty. At the spa, Kuniken offers various types of massages, sugaring, facials, body scrubs, yoni steams, head spas and sauna treatments.
“I’m not a Four Seasons, but I operate with a Four Seasons mindset. Excellence is what I’m going for— even when it was just me on my own for years,” said Kuniken. “I want to hit all of the senses as much as possible. It’s a very relaxed, cozy environment.”
Though some may view a trip to the spa as an indulgence, Kuniken sees it as essential self-care and proactive maintenance for long-term health.
“Right now, having good health and wellness is a luxury as you age. My thought is that you have to invest now before the breakdown,” said Kuniken. “It’s inevitable that everyone is going to expire, but how you expire is totally within your control.”
Unique and Special Kids Spa and Silk Rose Spa
After spending 20 years as a childcare professional,
Martia Clark realized that young people needed a place to decompress, be pampered and feel nurtured in a safe, welcoming environment. To meet this need, she opened Unique and Special Kids Spa in Alexandria, Va. in 2018.
There, she offers massages, facials, waxing, manicures and pedicures. She also holds science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) classes, teaching children how to make their own spa products.
“On a regular appointment, a child can come and it’s just about them for that time period,” said Clark. “It’s about making them feel comfortable, helping them feel beautiful on the inside and the outside and providing a relaxation oasis for them where they don’t have to worry about the outside world for a bit.”
After opening Unique and Special Kids Spa, parents enjoyed the concept so much that Clark launched Silk Rose Spa for adults next door in 2023. In addition to facials, waxing and massages, the spa offers acupuncture, foot baths, yoni steams, the Japanese head spa experience and
sauna services. With her businesses, Clark is on a mission to educate people about the vitality of self-care.
“Self-care is not a luxury. It is a necessity. We absolutely need to take care of ourselves,” said Clark. “There are different ways to do it. Maybe someone can’t afford to get a massage all of the time, but you can afford to do something on a regular basis, even if it’s something small.”
Paris Alexander Day Spa
Esthetician Paris Alexander
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Vibrant Senior Living!
has owned and operated her spa in D.C.’s Dupont Circle neighborhood for more than 30 years. She established the boutique spa to serve District professionals who needed a place to revive, rejuvenate and refresh. There, she offers facials, acne and anti-aging treatments, massages, waxing and body contouring services. In 2024, Paris Alexander Day Spa was featured in Lauri Williamson’s “111 Places in Black Culture in Washington, D.C. That You Must Not Miss.”
Photo courtesy of Martia Clark
Martia Clark is the owner of Unique and Special Kids Spa and Silk Rose Spa in Alexandria, Va. After opening the former to give young people a space to decompress in 2018, parents loved the concept so much that she launched the latter as a sister spa next door in 2023.
Photo courtesy of Tiah Kuniken
Tiah Kuniken is the owner of Uzuri Spa in Pikesville, Md. There, she offers massages, yoni steams, body scrubs, head spas and sauna treatments.
Baltimore candle makers light the way to self-care through scent and creativity
By Andrea Stevens AFRO Staff Writer
In a world where burnout is increasingly common,
Baltimore business owners are offering a different kind of relief—one rooted in scent, creativity and community.
Seoulful Scentz, co-founded by Stacey White, has carved
Stacey White, co-founder
Seoulful
in Baltimore, curates wellness through custom
and guided candle-making experiences designed to promote mindfulness and emotional balance.
out a niche with candles designed to promote emotional balance and mindfulness. With collections inspired by affirmations and healing themes, Seoulful Scentz encourages customers to pause, breathe and reconnect.
“Self-care isn’t just about taking care of your physical health, but ensuring your mental health is nourished,” said White.
The store is part boutique, part wellness studio. Shoppers can browse curated scent profiles, attend small group events or simply take a quiet moment while sampling products. White’s goal is to make wellness feel personal, not performative.
The business owner recently expanded her services to include a mobile candle-making and fragrance bar that brings custom scent creation directly to events, corporate gatherings and community spaces across Baltimore.
“Treating yourself to an experience where you create a candle and fragrance is a self-care absolute must and a moment of bliss,” White said.
Letta Jews, owner of KSM Candle Co., has built her brand around the idea that scent can lead the way to calm and creativity. The studio offers a peaceful, welcoming space where guests can unwind, explore and create something
with personal meaning.
“KSM Candle Co. is a calm, creative candle-making studio where scent leads
the way,” Jews said. “Come in, breathe and explore our fragrances, then create a beautifully scented custom soy
“Remember, self-care isn’t just about taking care of your physical health but ensuring your mental health is nourished.”
— Stacey White
candle — solo, with friends or at a private workshop.”
Her workshops and retail experiences are centered on simplicity and joy, with a focus on relaxation through creativity.
“We keep the vibes peaceful and the guidance simple so you can relax, experiment and leave with something you made and love,” she said.
KSM Candle Co. also operates online and at local markets, offering hand-poured candles with bold fragrances and minimalist design. Jews frequently collaborates with other makers and uses her brand to promote mental wellness and the small business community.
Bringing diversity to the mat: Maryland studio owners work to make yoga more inclusive
Maryland-based studio owners, Dana A. Smith and Kendra Blackett-Dibinga, are striving to make yoga more inclusive with their studios, creating spaces where people of all backgrounds can feel welcome and represented in a practice that has been historically dominated by White, affluent individuals.
Smith runs Spiritual Essence Yoga and Wellness in Upper Marlboro, Md., while Blackett-Dibinga operates Bikram Yoga Works alongside her
husband in Baltimore, Riverdale Park, Md. and Washington, D.C. Each of them had their own distinct introduction to yoga, but both remembered feeling underrepresented.
“When I went to teacher training, I was one of less than 10 Black people in the training of almost 500 people,” said Blackett-Dibinga. “To be honest, Bikram yoga never really targeted African Americans in general, and I believed it was something that our community needed.”
She and her husband, Omekongo Dibinga, opened Bikram Yoga Works in 2014 after Blackett-Dibinga discovered Bikram
yoga’s benefits and introduced it to her family. The style is a form of hot yoga that combines various poses with breathing exercises. It’s designed to increase flexibility, build strength and promote detoxification through sweating.
At her studios, Blackett-Dibinga also offers Vinyasa yoga; Yin yoga; hot Pilates; weight and resistance training; and flexibility and mobility classes. She said contrary to the dominant culture Bikram yoga is really designed to support anyone who needs a sense of healing and community.
For her, yoga is a practice that transcends race, gender and other social divides. It’s also a form of self-care.
“Self-care is our birthright. It’s true that we have been excluded from marketing and dominant culture narratives about who does yoga and who does self-care,” said Blackett-Dibinga. “But, it’s actually something for us that is so important.”
Like Blackett-Dibinga, Smith noticed a scarcity of Black representation in yoga — both among participants and instructors. She was introduced to the practice during a trying period in her life.
After the terror attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 — when she lost someone close to her— and while pregnant with her first child, she was struggling with elevated blood pressure and anxiety. A coworker suggested yoga as a way to manage stress. Though she resisted at first, she began by reading about it and practicing at home.
Once she gave birth, she sought out classes.
“I started to travel out, looking for yoga classes, and I could only find them in D.C.,” said Smith. “I had to go to DuPont Circle or Adams Morgan, and in those environments, I was the only person of color in those classes.”
In 2003, she opened Spiritual Essence Yoga and Wellness to make classes more accessible and inclusive of her community. She’s also been training others to become yoga instructors since 2007.
“Yoga is for everyone. Everyone should feel accepted, and we shouldn’t have to go through any barriers.”
Her studio uses an approach she developed called Jiivana L.I.F.E Yoga. “Jiivana,” is the Sanskrit word for, “life,” while the acronym is based on her philosophy to live inspired, fearless and empowered. Under that approach, she offers gentle flow yoga, active flow yoga, meditation and mindfulness yoga and other specialty classes. Smith noted that oftentimes Black women, in particular, may feel as though they have to take care of everyone else in their lives before being able to nurture themselves. She emphasized that yoga, in practice, can help them prioritize their mental and physical health without feeling selfish.
“Yoga is for everyone. Everyone should feel accepted, and we shouldn’t have to go through any barriers,” said Smith. “We should be able to go into a safe space where there’s people who look like us, vibe like us and understand us.”
Photo Courtesy/ Letta Jews
Letta Jews is owner of KSM Candle Co. The business offers a calming studio space to combine creativity and fragrance to support relaxation and self-expression.
Photo Courtesy/ Stacey White
of
Scentz
scents
By Megan Sayles
AFRO Staff Writer
msayles@afro.com
Photo courtesy of Kendra Blackett-Dibinga
Kendra Blackett-Dibinga is the owner of Bikram Yoga Works, which has locations in Baltimore, Riverdale, Md. and Washington, D.C.
Photo courtesy of Dana A. Smith
Dana A. Smith is the owner of Spiritual Essence Yoga and Wellness in Upper Marlboro, Md.
Maurice Carroll, Reiki master, speaks on ‘Starting Your Sound Healing Journey’
By Gene A.
According to the National Institutes of Health, music “can get your foot tapping, lift your mood and even help you recall a distant memory.”
“When you listen to or create music, it affects how you think, feel, move, and more,” says neuroscientist Dr. Robert Finkelstein, who co-leads NIH’s music and health initiative, in an article published in an NIH monthly newsletter.
“Today, modern technologies are helping researchers learn more about how the brain works, what parts of the brain respond to music, and how music might help ease symptoms of certain diseases and conditions,” he explains.
This week, as part of Self-Care Awareness Month, the AFRO explored the benefits of sound healing with Maurice Carroll, Reiki master teacher, sound healer, music producer and founder of Harmony in Mind Wellness Group.
Healing Journey: The Beginner’s Path,” available as an audiobook on multiple platforms including Apple, Barnes and Noble and Amazon Kindle, he helps readers gain an understanding of mindfulness, meditation and the science of sound.
Carroll described how sound treatments can help relieve stress and anxiety in the body. Aside from the singing bowls, he also uses white and brown noise as a sound treatment.
According to Harvard Health, “white noise has been compared to the static from a radio that isn’t tuned to a specific station. Technically, the term ‘white noise’ refers to noise that contains all frequencies of the sounds that people can hear, in equal parts. (Frequency is the rate at which sound waves vibrate.)”
“She had a disorder where sounds are really magnified. The frequency of the singing bowls irritated her. When I gave her the white noise treatment, she almost came to tears because it was that healing to her.
But white noise isn’t where it stops.
“Another color noise — brown noise — reduces higher sound frequencies even more than pink noise and is described as grainier or rougher. For example, brown noise can be compared to ocean waves crashing, while pink noise is more like a gentle rain,” reports Harvard Health.
According to Carroll, both “white [and] brown frequencies of noise can be effective as a part of sound healing.”
Sound healing has been used since the dawn of the earliest civilizations of Africa, India, Latin America and Asia. It uses rhythmic tones from sound healing instruments such as singing bowls and tuning forks to release emotional blockage points in the body.
“Sound healing is an ancient practice where you’re using frequency sound vibrations to align the body, mind and spirit of an individual,” said Carroll.
As a music producer with 30 years of experience, Carroll combines sound healing elements in his music. He produces EDM, spoken word, hip-hop and has done scoring for documentaries.
In Carroll’s new book
“Starting Your Sound
Carroll described a session he had at Harmony in Mind Wellness Group with a client.
Carroll said during a sound healing session, the client lays flat on the table in a meditative state. During this process,
“Sound healing is an ancient practice where you’re using frequency sound vibrations to align the body, mind and spirit of an individual.”
he tells his clients to focus on the sound vibrations. As thoughts arise within clients, he tells them to acknowledge each one and let it pass.
“Meditation is being in the present moment. That is the concept of meditation–to constantly bring yourself back,” said Carroll.
“This age group demonstrated the largest reduction in physical pain and a strong reduction in tension, especially for those who were previously naïve to this type of meditation,” wrote the authors.
In a time of great political and social upheaval, Carroll said sound healing can be a great help.
A study on 62 people between the ages of 21 and 77, published in the Journal of Evidence-Based Integrative Medicine, by Tamara L Goldsby; Michael E Goldsby ;Mary McWalters and Paul J Mills, found that “participants aged 40 to 59 years appeared to especially benefit from the sound meditation.”
“The environment that we’re in is a high stress environment,” said Carroll. “The practice is designed to put you back into a state of calm and a state of balance.”
Lambey Special to the AFRO
Photo courtesy of Maurice Carroll
With sound bowls, tuning forks, white noise and centuries-old wisdom, Maurice Carroll helps readers explore sound healing as a pathway to inner peace and mental clarity. Amazon
“Starting Your Sound Healing Journey: The Beginner’s Path” by Maurice Carroll is a short 34-paged book that educates readers on sound healing and its benefits to the mind, body and spirit.
The modern man’s guide to self-care
By Famous Erwin
Men live in a fast-paced, high-pressure world today. Societal pressures, outdated stereotypes and a widespread cultural belief that they need to be tough have discouraged some men from prioritizing their mental well-being.
Many men equate self-care with weakness or “feminine indulgence,” but self-care is more important than ever, even for men. As the perspective shifts and men start to recognize the benefits of taking care of their physical, mental and emotional health, self-care might be something you want to implement in your life.
Keep reading to learn practical, effective self-care ideas for men this year. These techniques can empower men to build a healthier and more balanced lifestyle simply by taking care of themselves through a selfcare regimen.
The importance of self-care for men
Shattering the stigma surrounding men and self-care is critical if we want to promote healthier lifestyles and mental well-being. For too long, the traditional views that men should “tough it out” or “suck it up” have encouraged them to avoid being vulnerable. Unfortunately, this mentality has led them to neglect their own mental and emotional needs. Stress levels and mental health challenges are on the rise everywhere today, making the need for self-care even more essential.
• Men are 4 times more likely than women to take their own life
• An estimated 1 out of 10 men have symptoms of anxiety or depression
• Less than half of the men receive treatment for anxiety and depression Engaging in self-care doesn’t diminish a man’s strength—it enhances it. Prioritizing well-being means men can be more productive, have better mental clarity, and find an improved overall quality of life.
1. Meditate to clear your mind
Meditation is a powerful addition to your self-care routine. It will help clear your mind and reduce stress. It only takes a few minutes a day to see benefits, and you can improve focus, increase self-awareness, and find a sense of comfort that will benefit you throughout your busy days.
2. Prioritize quality sleep
Sleep and mental health are closely connected, so getting quality sleep is crucial to your mental well-being and overall health. Sleep helps your body recover, improves cognitive function, and boosts mood. Establish a healthy, routine sleep habit where you go to bed and get up at the same time every day. Limit screen time before bed and create a peaceful and quiet environment to fall asleep in.
3. Engage in regular exercise
Working out is one of the best ways to care for your body and mind. Whatever workout routine you enjoy — weightlifting, running, yoga, swimming, hiking — exercise reduces stress by releasing endorphins, the feel-good hormones.
4. Start journaling
Research shows that journaling is good for mental health. Writing things down can give you clarity and help you track personal growth. Journaling is also an effective way to identify triggers contributing to stress in men. Try to journal a few minutes to start or end your day.
5. Set personal goals and track progress
Setting goals is a great way to stay motivated, give you a sense of purpose, and keep on track with your selfcare regimen. It can help you focus on completing tasks, whether that means working toward a significant career milestone or trying to reach a fitness goal. Regularly tracking your progress helps, too, and you’re able to celebrate milestones along the way.
“Engaging in self-care doesn’t diminish a man’s strength — it enhances it.”
17 self-care ideas for men
Understanding self-care for men is key to breaking the stereotype that self-care is only for women. The great thing about self-care is it’s not a onesize-fits-all deal. You can find what works best for you to improve your physical health, boost your mental clarity, or just unwind from a long day. There are countless ways to integrate self-care into your daily routine — the following 17 ideas are tailored specifically for men.
6. Connect with friends and family
Making an effort to stay connected with essential people in your life is crucial to self-care and preventing loneliness in men. Spending time with friends, family, and loved ones who support you ensures you don’t feel isolated and gives you something to look forward to.
7. Take care of your mental health
Prioritizing mental health is just as
crucial as taking care of yourself physically. This is especially true for men, as addressing mental health concerns early can prevent long-term issues. Incorporating men’s mental health tips into your routine, such as practicing mindfulness or seeking support, can make a significant difference in your well-being. If you feel overwhelmed with stress or anxiety, therapy can be a powerful form of self-care. Online therapy platforms like Talkspace make working with a licensed therapist easier than ever, providing accessible resources tailored to your specific needs.
8. Meal-prep healthy food options
If you struggle to fuel your body with nutritious food, meal prepping can be a game-changer. Eating a balanced diet involves making mindful choices throughout the week, and preparing meals ahead of time helps when you’re busy and don’t have the time or energy to plan for a healthy meal.
9. Go for a walk
Even a short walk can do wonders for your body and mind. Take a stroll through the park or go on a brisk walk around the neighborhood. Spending time in nature can clear your mind and boost your mood. Getting your blood moving also gives you a break from the demands of your day.
10. Explore a new hobby
Trying something new and exciting is a great way to challenge yourself and break out of your routine. Try learning an instrument, cooking, or taking up any new hobby.
11. Create a grooming ritual
It might seem like a no-brainer, but when stress and anxiety start to take
over, it can be easy to neglect simple things like taking care of your appearance. Even if you’re just going through the motions, regular grooming is a rewarding and confidence-boosting form of self-care. Find a skincare routine you love, engage in a shaving ritual, or style your hair — having a ritual around grooming can help you feel refreshed and ready for your day or night.
16. Schedule regular therapy sessions
12. Practice positive affirmations
Studies show that using positive affirmations in your daily routine has benefits. These simple, optimistic statements or mantras can improve your mindset and build self-confidence. Repeating empowering words helps with resilience and allows you to shift your focus to keep a positive outlook.
13. Manage your emotions
Although it can be challenging, learning to manage your emotions and express them in a healthy way is an effective part of self-care. Take the time to slow down and reflect on what you’re feeling. Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you’re struggling to cope.
14. Learn something new
Picking up a new skill or learning something is a great way to engage your mind and challenge yourself. Staying mentally sharp keeps life exciting and can boost your confidence.
15. Unplug with a digital detox
Doing a digital detox and taking a break from technology, even if it’s just for a few hours, will help you be more present in your immediate surroundings. Focusing on the present enables you to prioritize your well-being.
Therapy can be a proactive way to prioritize your mental health. Keeping on top of regular sessions helps you consistently address challenges before they become too much. In-person or online therapy can be a safe place to explore your emotions and get guidance on navigating difficult situations. It’s also where you can learn effective coping and stress management techniques.
17. Practice gratitude
Gratitude is proven to have a powerful impact on mental well-being and your outlook on life. Research shows that individuals who have more gratitude have lower levels of depression. The practice will help you shift your mindset, increasing positivity and helping you focus on the good things you have in life. Make a conscious effort to reflect on things you’re thankful for each day.
The first step toward better mental health is self-care
Self-care is more than a luxury. It’s an essential part of a holistic, comprehensive focus on well-being. Consistently practicing self-care for men reduces different types of stress and improves physical and mental health. It enables men to build mental
and a healthier
resilience
mindset.
Famous Erwin, LMHC, LPC, is a licensed mental health counselor with over 15 years of counseling experience. This article was reprinted with permission from Talkspace.com. The original story can be
Unsplash/ Alex Ware
Self-care isn’t weakness — it’s strength. Experts say prioritizing well-being helps men improve mental clarity, reduce stress, and live healthier lives.
Unsplash / Jonathan Mueller
Meditation is a powerful tool to help men decompress, reset and prepare them for each day.
Unsplash / Lumin or Supply
AP Photo/ Amy Harris
Balancing motherhood and being the greatest tennis player of all time certainly isn’t an easy feat. In order to make sure she’s giving her best to both roles, Serena Williams makes a concerted effort to carve out some self-care time at least once a week. Her go-to activities vary, but one mainstay is playing video games on her Nintendo Switch. While gaming may not be the first thing that comes to mind for many of us, there are proven mental health benefits that stem from an absorbing session. Namely, while playing video games, the brain enters into something called a flow state, which is similar to meditation. While in this state the brain becomes hyperfocused on the task at hand and ceases to generate other intrusive thoughts, allowing us a reprieve from the chaos of regular life.
AP Photo/ Charles Sykes Frank Ocean may be in his early 30s, but his skin looks like it belongs to a 20-something man thanks to his devotion to a precise skin care routine. The musician told GQ all about his self-care practice saying, “I need the night cream because when I wake up I feel very beautiful, moisturized, and ready to have people making eye contact with me. That’s the life hack right there.” Sanam Hafeez, a psychologist, agrees with Ocean about the importance of a skin care routine, noting its value as an act of physical self-care as well as mental self-care. She told Byrdie, “A skin care routine, like any other form of self-care, can be soothing and calming. On a deeper level, it makes you feel like you’re honoring yourself aesthetically, by taking time out for yourself. Those few minutes, if spent going through the steps in a rhythmic, calm, and purposeful manner, can almost be meditative.”
How 7 celebrities practice self-care
By Madison Troyer
The concept of selfcare has been around for decades, but it’s taken off in recent years as a mode adopted by individuals, especially in the millennial generation. The coronavirus pandemic further popularized the idea of taking care of yourself as millions faced the unprecedented challenges of navigating a pandemic, quarantines, and caring for others that came with it.
What does it mean to practice self-care?
Any discussion related to self-care needs to start with the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense.
While the term “selfcare” was used in medical circles as a concept for patients to take care of themselves, it was the leaders of the Black Panther Party who reframed “self-care” as a practice to both survive incarceration and the broader harm that a racist society can cause to the physical and mental health of Black people. Nutrition, yoga, exercise and meditation became concrete activities taught by Black Panther leaders in service of the party’s Ten-Point Program, written in October 1966.
As it gained in popularity, self-care was absorbed into training and practices for jobs that are especially stressful, exhausting or traumatic, such as social workers and some workers in medical professions. The idea behind self-care in this sphere evolved into caring for yourself so you are able to continue doing difficult work. This same ethos is practiced by activists and organizers who use the tenants of self-care as a way
Former first lady Michelle Obama knows a thing or two about busy schedules and work stress. But rather than succumb to the pressure, these realities have pushed her to be more vocal about the importance of prioritizing yourself and your needs. While speaking at the 25th Anniversary Essence Festival in New Orleans in 2019, she said “We have to start having conversations … about why it’s so hard for us as women to put ourselves first,” noting, “If we don’t have our act together as women … we aren’t going to be able to get our kids on track.” She revealed on Instagram that her go-to methods of self-care include regular exercise, good sleep, and time to recharge. While researchers have long agreed that regular exercise can help with conditions like depression and anxiety—thanks to the release of chemicals in the brain like serotonin—new studies find that it also is a mood booster. As little as 10 minutes of activity a day, like walking or jogging, has been demonstrated to raise folks’ levels of joy, happiness, and contentment significantly.
to cope with the important but draining work of leading social movements on the ground. You can’t sustain such work, the argument goes, if you don’t also take care of yourself.
Audre Lorde summed it up well in 1988 when she wrote, “Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation and that is an act of political warfare.”
Today, self-care is a wellknown term that’s been incorporated—some might say appropriated—into the larger health and wellness industry. Millennials may be more into self-care than older generations because they are also more attuned to their mental health, and self-care plays an important part in a healthy mind, especially for those dealing with mental and chronic illness.
While it may have strayed from its radical roots, self-care can still be a way take care of yourself in an unjust system—treating the symptoms of a society so we can move through it with at least some happiness, and maybe a little energy left to do the things we love, take care of each other and work to make a system that benefits everyone.
While celebrities don’t typically face the struggles that self-care was originally designed for, their influence often sets trends, and that can be a good thing when it comes to paying attention to our mental wellness and learning about self-care.
Sunday Citizen compiled a list of 7 ways celebrities practice self-care, using interviews and blog posts. From meditation to cooking to therapy, read on to find out how some of your favorite celebs show themselves a little love.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Viola Davis, like many of us, found herself with a lot more free time on her hands. So she picked up a few new hobbies, like cooking, which she’s made a regular part of her self-care routine. Cooking, whether you’re following a recipe step-by-step or coming up with an entirely new dish, is a creative activity. And creativity has been shown to improve brain function, mental health, and physical health. If cooking isn’t your speed, consider adding another creative activity into your routine, like writing, drawing, or crafting, and watch the benefits start adding up.
Actress and activist Laverne Cox’s most important selfcare practice? Therapy. She told Parade magazine that she’s been in and out of therapy for 20 years, and has kept up her weekly appointments via video chat during the COVID-19 pandemic. A good therapist helps you develop tools to deal with tough emotions so that you can live a more happy, healthy, and balanced life. The work isn’t always easy—it’s certainly much harder than applying a face mask or sitting for a pedicure—but it can literally be life-changing for those who commit to the process.
One of the busiest women in Hollywood, Oprah Winfrey has had to learn to prioritize self-care in order to avoid burnout. The primary way she shows herself a little love and recharges her batteries is by taking a day off. The mogul wrote on her website, “I always give myself Sundays as a spiritual base of renewal—a day when I do absolutely nothing. I sit in my jammies or take a walk, and I allow myself time to BE—capital B-E—with myself. When I don’t, I absolutely become stressed, irritable, anxiety-prone, and not the person I want to be in the world.” While you may not have the luxury of taking a whole day off each week, try scheduling in at least a small block of non-negotiable time to do whatever it is that makes your heart sing. You’re sure to find that you feel more relaxed and centered after the fact.
Serena Williams: Video games
Frank Ocean: A good skin care routine
Viola Davis: Cooking
AP Photo/ Jordan Strauss
AP Photo/ Evan Agostini
AP Photo/Paul Sancya
Laverne Cox: Therapy
AP Photo/ CJ Rivera
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION 2025FEP000108 JUNE 21, 2012 Date of Death ISAIAH BOLTON Name of Decedent NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS
ROSLYN BOLTON whose address is 13224 TREBLECLEFF LANE, SILVER SPRING, MD 20904 was appointed representative of the estate of ISAIAH BOLTON deceased, by the ORPHANS Court for MONTGOMERY County, State of MARYLAND, on SEPTEMBER 17, 2012. Service of process may be made upon AARON E. PRICE, SR. ESQ., 7826 EASTERN AVE., NW #209 WASH., DC 20012 whose designation as District of Columbia agent has been filed with the Register of Wills, D.C. The decedent owned the following District of Columbia real property: 130 KENTUCKY AVE., SE, WASH., DC 20003 Claims against the decedent may be presented to the undersigned and filed with the Register of Wills for the District of Columbia, Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001 within 6 months from the date of first publication of this notice.
Date of first publication: SEPTEMBER 12, 2025 Name of newspaper, and/or periodical: Daily Washington Law Reporter AFRO-American ROSLYN BOLTON
TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 09/12, 09/19/25, 09/26/25
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION
D. HOOKER Personal
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION ADMINISTRATION NO. 2021ADM001015 MILDRED T. LEAK AKA MILDRED TINNER LEAK Name of Decedent LEGAL COUNSEL FOR THE ELDERLY ELIZABETH V. NOEL, ESQ. 601 E ST NW WASHINGTON DC 20049 Notice of Appointment, Notice to Creditors and Notice to Unknown Heirs MILDRED T. LEAK, II, whose address is 1104 46 ST. SE, WASHINGTON DC 20019 was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of MILDRED T. LEAK AKA MILDRED TINNER LEAK who died on APRIL 18, 2020 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance In this proceeding. Objections to such, appointment shall be filed With the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before MARCH 19, 2026. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before MARCH 19, 2026 or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship. Date of first publication: SEPTEMBER 19, 2025 Name of newspaper and/or periodical: Daily Washington Law Reporter AFRO American Newspapers
MILDRED T. LEAK II Personal Representative
TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 09/19, 09/26, 10/03/25
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION 2025ADM000976
Estate of IRMA SIMMS BROWN Deceased NOTICE OF STANDARD PROBATE
(For estates of decedents dying on or after July 1, 1995)
Notice is hereby given that a petition has been filed in this Court by PATRCIA BROWN & KATHERINE BROWN for standard probate, including the appointment of one or more personal representatives. Unless a responsive pleading inthe form of a complaint or an objection in accordance with Superior Court Probate Division Rule 407 is filed in this Court within 30 days from the date of first publication of this notice, the Court may take the action hereinafter set forth.
*admit to probate the will dated JANUARY 31, 2014 exhibited with the petition upon proof satisfactory to the Court of due execution by affidavit of the witnesses or otherwise
*order any intrested person to show cause why the provisions of the lost or destroyed will dated JANUARY 31, 2014 should not be admitted to probate as expressed in the pettition
*in the absence of will or proof satisfactory to the Court of due execution, enter an order determing that the decendent died intestate
*appoint an unsupervised personal representitive Date of first publication:
SEPTEMBER 12, 2025
Names of newspapers:
Daily Washington Law Reporter
AFRO American Newspapers
THOMAS P. HARTNETT
700 PENNSYLVANIA AVE SE, SUITE 2006
WDC 20003
Signature of Petitioner/Attorney
Register of Wills
Clerk of the Probate Division 09/12, 09/19/25
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA CIVIL DIVISION Judge-in-Chambers Case No. 2025-CAB-5114 IN THE MATTER OF LEROY SYLVESTER ROBINSON JR NEXT EVENT Show Cause Hearing 9/19/2025, 10:00 AM Judge-in-Chambers
ORDER AND NOTICE OF UPCOMING HEARING
The Petitioner in the above captioned case wishes to change their name from Leroy Sylvester Robinson, Jr. to Abdullah Ahadiyah This Order and Notice of Hearing, along with Petitioner’s Name Change Application, must be served upon any creditors the Petitioner may have, including any entity, corporation, company, or provider with whom the Petitioner has an ongoing financial obligation such as a landlord or utility provider, so those creditors may appear and object to the name change if they so wish. Should a creditor wish to appear to object to Petitioner’s name change, that creditor may appear at the above date and time before the sitting Judge-in-Chambers in Courtroom 400. Courtroom login information is attached to this order. Proof of delivery to Petitioner’s creditors must be filed with the court, accompanied by an Affidavit/Declaration1, listing the name and address of each creditor to whom notice was sent
Petitioner may send notice electronically or by certified mail, in which each mailed receipt will include tracking numbers. Petitioner should either file with the court the creditor’s response, the return receipts when they arrive, or use these tracking numbers on the USPS website? to obtain proof of delivery, and file that with the court prior to the next hearing. Also, Petitioner should retain copies ofthe mailed receipts which include the tracking numbers.
THEREFORE, it is this 25” day of August 2025, hereby: ORDERED that the hearing on Petitioner’s Application for Change ofName ofan Adult is set for September 19, 2025, at 10:00 AM. The courtroom information is attached.
Judge Yvonne Williams Sitting in Judge-in-Chambers
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Effective immediately, The Afro American
accepted in the form of checks, credit card or money order. Any
BOARD OF LIQUOR LICENSE COMMISSIONERS FOR BALTIMORE CITY NOTICE – SEPTEMBER 2025
Petitions have been filed by the following applicants for licenses to sell alcoholic beverages at the premises set opposite their respective names. The real property for these applications will be posted on or about September 15, 2025. Written protests concerning any application will be accepted until and including the time of the hearing. Public hearings may be scheduled on or after September 25, 2025 at 10:30 AM in the Liquor Board Hearing Room, located at 200 St. Paul Place, Suite 2300, Baltimore, Maryland 21202. Please visit llb.baltimorecity.gov under the link for “Hearing Schedules” for confirmation of the date, time, and place for all matters being heard by the Board.
1. CLASS “B” BEER, WINE & LIQUOR LICENSE
Applicant: Seppia, LLC T/a Trade Name Pending - Amy Lefenfeld Petition: New restaurant license requesting live entertainment, outdoor table service, and off-premises catering Premises: 901 W. 36th Street 21211 (City Council District: 14th; State Legislative District: 40th)
Applicant: D&M Sports Bar & Grill, LLC T/a Trade Name Pending - Darryl J. McCallum, III and Michael P. Kennedy
Petition: Transfer of ownership with continuation of live entertainment Premises: 6317-19 Belair Road 21206 (City Council District: 2nd; State Legislative District: 45th)
Applicant: Play Baltimore Restaurant & Lounge, LLC T/a Play Baltimore - Gia Darden
Petition: New restaurant license requesting live entertainment
Premises: 6820 Eastern Avenue 21224 (City Council District: 2nd; State Legislative District: 46th)
2. CLASS “BD7” BEER, WINE & LIQUOR LICENSE
Applicant: Beason Management MD, LLC T/a Circus Bar - Tiarra Sade Beason Petition: Transfer of ownership of a Class “BD7” BWL license and Class “AE” Adult Entertainment license with continuation of live entertainment
Premises: 427 E. Baltimore Street 21202
(City Council District: 11th; State Legislative District: 46th)
Applicant: Sheldon 2021, Inc. T/a Sheldon’s Lounge - Gurdial Singh and Elisabeth Anotado
Petition: Transfer of ownership
Premises: 4325-27 Belair Road 21206
(City Council District: 2nd; State Legislative District: 45th)
Applicant: LimeandSalt Investments, LLC T/a Lime and Salt - Cesar
Flores
Petition: Transfer of ownership requesting off-premises catering
(Amended)
Premises: 1747-49 Belt Street 21230
(City Council District: 11th; State Legislative District: 46th)
Applicant: Little Chang, LLC T/a Ni Hao - Pengliang Zhang and Helen Tse You
Petition: Transfer of ownership requesting off-premises catering
Premises: 2322 Boston Street 21224
(City Council District: 1st; State Legislative District: 46th)
Applicant: L&L Independent Living, LLC T/a New Club ThunderbirdGeraldine McClairn
Petition: Transfer of ownership
Premises: 2201 E. Chase Street 21213
(City Council District: 13th; State Legislative District: 45th)
Applicant: B-Moore Hangout, LLC T/a Trade Name Pending - Demetrius
Moore Petition: Transfer of ownership
Premises: 3301 Foster Avenue 21224
(City Council District: 1st; State Legislative District: 46th)
Applicant: Royal Thai, LLC T/a Thai Restaurant - Nuttawood Metawiparee
Petition: Transfer of ownership and location of a Class “BD7” BWL license presently located at 3316 Greenmount Avenue to 3100 Greenmount Avenue (Amended)
Premises: 3100 Greenmount Avenue 21218
(City Council District: 14th; State Legislative District: 43A)
Eszar,
3. CLASS “D” BEER, WINE & LIQUOR LICENSE Applicant: Jinjoo, LLC T/a Bar Jinju - Kevin Irish and Christopher Rich
CITY OF BALTIMORE
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
PUBLIC NOTICE
In an effort to educate the community and receive public comment the upcoming project, a community meeting will be held.
PUBLIC MEETING FOR
Harford Road Transit Improvements and Multimodal Pathway
Extension Between St. Lo Dr. and Erdman Ave
*formally known as: Harford Road Transit Improvements and Cycleway Extension Thursday, October 16, 2025 6:00 PM
Montebello Elementary Middle School, Cafeteria, 2040 E. 32nd Street
Please use Curran Drive to enter, attendee parking is in the rear parking lot.
Virtually: www.buff.ly/BWkhxzo
By Phone: 408-418-9388 Pass code: 2336 519 6281
If you have any questions, comments, or need special accommodations please contact via mail
Mathew Bleakney, Project Manager Department of Transportation, 417 E. Fayette St., 5th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202
Email: DOTEngagement@baltimorecity.gov, Subject: Accommodations Harford Road Transit Or by leaving a voicemail at: 443-396-6802
Accommodation requests should be received by T hursday, October 2, 2025.
Veronica P. McBeth, MSL, DIRECTOR
Baltimore City Department of Transportation
CITY OF BALTIMORE
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS
OFFICE OF ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION
NOTICE OF LETTING
Sealed Bids or Proposals, in duplicate addressed to the Board of Estimates of the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore and marked for SANITARY CONTRACT NO. 982RR-Eastern Avenue Pumping Station
Rehabilitation will be received at the Office of the Comptroller, Room 204 City Hall, Baltimore, Maryland until 11:00 A.M on December 3, 2025. Positively no bids will be received after 11:00 A.M. Bids will be publicly opened by the Board of Estimates and can be watched live on CharmTV’s cable channel 25/1085HD; charmtvbaltimore.com/watch-live or listen in at (443) 984-1696 (ACCESS CODE: 0842939) from City Hall at Noon.
The Contract Documents may be examined, without charge, at Contract Administration 4 South Frederick Street Baltimore, Maryland 21202 on the 3 rd floor (410) 396-4041 as of September 19, 2025 and copies may be purchased for a non-refundable cost of $50.00. Conditions and requirements of the Bid are found in the bid package. All contractors bidding on this Contract must first be prequalified by the City of Baltimore Contractors Qualification Committee. Interested parties should call (410) 396- 6883 or contact OBC at 4 S Frederick St., 4 th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202. If a bid is submitted by a joint venture (“JV”), then in that event, the document that established the JV shall be submitted with the bid for verification purposes. The Prequalification Category required for bidding on this project is E13003 Water and/or Sewer Treatment Plants and Pumping Stations. Cost Qualification Range for this work shall be $50,000,000.01 to $60,000,000.00.
A “Pre-Bidding Information” session will be conducted via Microsoft Teams. Vendors can call: 1 667-228-6519 Phone Conference ID: 646 420 121# or Virtual Platform, Microsoft Teams ID: 291 098 891 083 PASSCODE: DR7Qw3eU on Thursday, September 25, 2025 at 10:00 AM.
A site visit to Eastern Avenue Pumping Station will be conducted on Tuesday, September 30, 2025 at 1:00 PM. For any Pre-bid questions please contact Mr. Kevin Cookley at Kevin.Cookley@baltimorecity.gov. Contractor Questions shall be submitted (In Writing Only) by Thursday, November 6, 2025 at 5:00 PM.
For further inquiries about purchasing bid documents, please contact the assigned Contract Administrator: Latonia Walston lwalston@baltimorecity.gov and dpwbidopportunities@baltimorecity.gov
To purchase a bid book, please make an electronic request at: https://publicworks.baltimorecity.gov/dpw-construction-projects-notice-letting and dpwbidopportunities@baltimorecity.gov. For further inquiries about purchasing bid documents, please contact the assigned Contract Administrator lwaltston@baltimorecity.gov.
Principal items of work for this contract include, but are not limited to:
1. Demolition of pumping systems (1 through 6) and associated existing piping and appurtenances; demolition of existing seal water pump and vacuum prime pumping systems; demolition of existing cone valves; demolition of existing wastewater screening systems; demolition of existing pump power supply and control systems; demolition of miscellaneous power supply and control systems; demolition of miscellaneous HVAC and plumbing systems.
2. Provision and installation of new pumping systems and associated piping and appurtenances; provision and installation of new seal water pump and vacuum prime pumping systems; provision and installation of new pump discharge check valves; provision and installation of new magnetic flow meters; provision and installation of new wastewater screening systems; provision and installation of
CITY OF BALTIMORE DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SERVICES NOTICE OF LETTING
Sealed Bids or Proposals, in duplicate, addressed to the Board of Estimates of the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore and marked for PRJ001888 – Forest Park Library Addition and Renovation, will be received at the Office of the Comptroller, Room 204, City Hall, Baltimore, Maryland until 11:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2025. Board of
BALTIMORE CITY NO. RP24821 Patterson Park Pool House Renovation will be received at the Office of the Comptroller, Room 204 City Hall, Baltimore, Maryland, until 11:00 A.M. November 19, 2025. Positively no bids will be received after 11:00
- Fridays, 8:30am – 4:00pm by emailing benitaj.randolph@ baltimorecity.gov as of September 19, 2025 and copies may be purchased for a non-refundable cost of $100.00. A SharePoint link to a PDF of the Construction Drawings will be provided to all prospective bidders. Conditions and requirements of the Bid are found in the bid package. All contractors bidding on this Contract must first be prequalified by the City of Baltimore Contractors Qualification Committee. Interested parties should call (410) 396-6883 or contact the Committee at 4 South Frederick Street, 4th Floor, Baltimore, Maryland 21202. If a bid is submitted by a joint venture (“JV”), then in that event, the document that established the JV shall be submitted with the bid for verification purposes. The Prequalification Category required for bidding on this project is E13001 Three-Story and Under. Cost Qualification Range for this work shall be $1,100,000.00 to $1,500,000.00. A “PreBidding Information” session will
Microsoft Teams at 10:30am EST on September 30, 2025. Email your
to demos.anastasiades@ baltimorecity.gov to receive an invite to the Microsoft Teams (video
ference meeting) no later than 4:00pm EST, September 29, 2025. Principle Items of work for this project are Selective demolition, renovation of the existing building, locker room addition, entry construction, site improvements, and associated mechanical, electrical, and plumbing work. The MBE goal is 27% and WBE goal is 10% APPROVED: M. Celeste Amato, Clerk, Board of Estimates
