Afro e-Edition 9_26_2025

Congressional Black Caucus Foundation hosts 54th annual legislative conference in nation’s capital

By D. Kevin McNeir

The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) returned with its 54th

Annual Legislative Conference (ALC) in Washington, D.C at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center under the theme, “Made For This Moment: Power, Policy, and Progress.” With over 100 workshops and panels on the agenda, each year the conference serves as a critical time to address issues impacting the Black community. This year the annual event began on Sept. 24 and goes through Sept. 28, offering something for everyone.

Culture, education, health, wealth, racial justice and artificial intelligence (AI) were just some of the topics of discussion for the legislators, community leaders, students, CBCF interns and everyday people who attended this year.

This year’s opening press conference included a unique feature, as it was held not in the convention center, but rather at the Sycamore and Oak Cultural Center in Southeast Washington, D.C.

Before speakers stepped to the podium, the audience, which numbered close to 100 people, was entertained by Howard University’s “Showtime Marching Band.”

Rep. Terri Sewell, (D-Ala.), chair of CBCF, underscored the significance of

the theme for the 54th ALC.

“While the challenges we face are great– so is our resolve,” she said. “We, too, are made for this moment. And ALC is more than just a gathering – it’s a movement.

“We knew that we had to come to the community this year to begin the conference because it’s our community that undergirds us and gives us our strength.”

Nicole Austin-Hillery, CBCF president and CEO, shared how a conversation with National Urban League president and CEO, Marc Morial, led to the CBCF holding two opening press conferences – one at the traditional Walter E. Washington Convention Center site, and the other in the heart of D.C.’s Ward 8 community.

“We wanted to let our community know that its leaders are standing up for them and giving voice on their behalf to address the challenges Black America is now facing,” she said. “This week is about celebration, if for no other reason than noting that we will celebrate the 50th anniversary of CBCF next year. But when the work is over, we will be sending all of the attendees out into the world with their marching orders. We can and will make America live up to

its promises.”

How the next generation does their part

The AFRO spoke with two interns of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation who are actively helping members of the Congressional Black Caucus achieve their policy goals.

Shelton Fantroy, 21, a recent graduate of American University works as a legislative intern with a senator on the health committee.

“I studied public health in college. Translating that to the work I do in Congress has been amazing,” Fantroy told the AFRO. “I decided to do it because you realize, over time, the disparities that Black people go through in healthcare is so detrimental. I get to look at policies and see bills and bipartisan support to push for legislation and push for social impact that affects us directly– it’s some of the best work you can do.”

Fantroy said the CBCF internship gives him an opportunity to use his degree to the fullest extent.

“You’re actually applying it,” he said. “You can apply your education to the research and to memos and write-ups that you do. We do a lot of work looking at ways that we can best help our constituents when it comes specifically to healthcare,” he said.

AFRO Photo / Alexis Taylor

Each year the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) hosts legislators, community leaders, students, activists and interns looking to make change. This year, the organization held its 54th Annual Legislative Conference inside of the Walter E. Washington, with a goal of addressing issues facing the community, drafting solutions and creating opportunities for Black people of all walks of life. Shown here, CBCF interns Jason Garcia (left), Robin Stevens, Alexis White, Amalia Desir and Collins Onyeike.

AFRO Photo / Alexis Taylor

Sen. Clifford Joseph (left), Sen. Marise James, Senate President Milton Potter and Sen. Hubert Frederick all serve in the legislature of the U.S. Virgin Islands. The four traveled from the Virgin Islands to collaborate with members of the Congressional Black Caucus with the common goal of improving life for Black people everywhere.

Women leaders urge unity and action at annual Black Women’s Roundtable

By Tashi McQueen and Andrea Stevens AFRO Staff Writers

tmcqueen@afro.com

astevens@afro.com

The National Coalition on Black Civic Participation (NCBCP) and its Black Women’s Roundtable (BWR) held their 17th Annual Black Women’s Roundtable at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s (CBCF) 54th Annual Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 24. The discussion was centered around the theme, “Black Women Reclaiming Our Economic and Civic Power in Challenging Times.”

The session included two roundtables moderated by Errin Haines, editor-at-large for The 19th News and president of the National Association of Black Journalists. Leading Black women from across the country discussed how Black women are working to alleviate the pressures that threaten to bring Black America backward in a time of progress.

After federal mass layoffs and a rollback of equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives earlier this year, the Black unemployment rate has risen to 7.5 percent as of August, according to the Economic Policy Institute.

“I work hard to help Black women with small businesses, and there is just pain across the industry,” said Tameka Ramsey-Brown, convener of the Michigan Coalition on Black Civic Participation and the Metro Detroit and Pontiac BWR, during the first panel discussion. “We had so many Black women who were facing losing their jobs at the

federal government, taking workshops so that they can have a plan if things don’t go right.”

Ramsey-Brown pointed out that Black women often don’t have the luxury of not providing, not working, not giving to their communities. Laid off or not, they must find a way.

“We are the ones who, when things go bad, people look to us,” said Ramsey-Brown.

Bishop Leah Daughtry, founder and convenor of Power Rising, provided a word of encouragement for Black women as they navigate this challenging time.

“This is the moment to rise, because when Black women show up in policy shifts, when Black women lead communities, when Black women refuse to bow down, nations are transformed,” said Daughtry. “It is not enough to simply have a seat at the table. Sometimes we are going to have to build the table, and sometimes we are going to have to flip the table.”

Latosha Brown, co-founder of Black Voters Matter, emphasized that the way forward is through unity not solo initiatives.

“Your village has to be strong right now,” said Brown. “No longer can you be an organization just by yourself. Who are you working with?”

Brown also emphasized the need to not just be present, but put in the work.

Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association, highlighted that the actions seen today are not new and Black women have been fighting this fight for

U.S.

“Sometimes

some time.

“There are people in this room who have been fighting this battle for a long time,” said Pringle. “When I think about meeting this movement and the responsibility of the

moment, I ground myself in the Black women who came before me.”

Pringle encourages Black women in this time to be a light, that people may find their way.

Tamika Mallory, co-founder of Until Freedom, an activist organization, said the Black community should not be waiting to be called on to serve but to be empowered to stand for what they believe in innately.

“We’re waiting to be told to get in the game, and yet we need to call ourselves,” said Mallory. “We don’t need a position or permission. We don’t need for anyone to choose us and tell us that this is the time, we know that it is time.”

Panelists also addressed strategies to protect the rights, freedoms and democracy of

future generations.

“We need to bring our young sisters to a round table,” said Elsie Scott, founding director of the Ronald W. Walters Leadership and Public Policy Center at Howard University. “I’m spending a lot of my time dealing with young women who are afraid, who don’t know what to do, who are looking for directions.”

Panelists urged Black women, both young and old, to unite, stay informed on local and national issues, and turn that information into action without hesitation.

CBCF ALC panel tackles Black workers’ fight for education, equity and economic justice

By Megan Sayles AFRO Staff Writer msayles@afro.com

Under the 47th president, Black workers across industries are facing escalating attacks on equity, diversity and inclusion; growing economic inequality; and the undermining of democratic norms. All the same time, they are leading movements to defend democracy and advance

As Florida State Rep. Angela Nixon pointed out during the panel conversation, this has greater implications for Black students who overwhelmingly rely on public schools for their education.

That challenge was the focus

health care discussed strategies

“They are labeling these schools— our public schools that do great work— failing governmental schools,” said Nixon. “Then, they are now allowing our money, our taxpayer dollars, to go and to not only pay for charter schools, but to pay for corporate schools, parochial schools, which we know are failing our children and can discriminate against our kids.”

Panelists believe that this assault on public education is by design, contending that the 47th president and Republican lawmakers fear educated Black people. They called on the Black community to defend public schools by continuing to enroll their children.

panelist and national president

during the panel was the impor-

erasure and censorship of Black

“They know that an educated populace is a voting populace that knows better and means better,” said Fredrick Ingram, secretary-treasurer of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and panelist.

Another central focus of the panel discussion was the role of unions and collective bargaining in protecting Black workers and fostering economic justice. Union membership has continued to decline over the past several decades, though unions have historically been viewed as a way out of poverty.

“It has been unions that have fueled the exhaust in what we know as this locomotive of democracy. We have to organize our folks. We have to educate our folks,” said Ingram. “We have to stay off of that foolishness they call MSNBC and Fox and get real education. Then, go out door-to-door, conversation by conversation, person by person.”

Panelists emphasized that organizing cannot come from activists and organizations alone— it has to come from the people themselves. Though grassroots organizing can be difficult, especially as households navigate financial and other challenges, they urged the Black community to come together and support one another as they continue the fight for Black workers.

“I am so confused at how we have billionaires throwing $50-million weddings, but they don’t want to pay their workers living wages and we have hundreds of thousands of unhoused people on the streets,” said Nixon. “We should be upset about that. It takes us coming together outside these four

on doors and making phone calls— not just three months before the election but year-round so that people can trust us.”

Ingram highlighted the deep ties between the union movement and the Civil Rights Movement, explaining that unions can be a tool for organizing.

walls, knocking

AFRO Photo/Tashi McQueen

Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association (left); Melanie Campbell, president and CEO of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation; Errin Haines, editor-at-large for The 19th News and president of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) and Bishop Leah Daughtry, founder and convenor of Power Rising speak at the 17th Annual Black Women’s Roundtable, discussing the pivotal moment Black America and Black women are facing in the

WHAT’S TRENDING ON AFRO.COM

What were they thinking: A betrayal of leadership?

By Dr. Frances Murphy Draper AFRO CEO and Publisher

By voting to enshrine a divisive figure, Congress traded principle for optics, exposing the cost of symbolic gestures over real reform.

Last week the U.S. House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to establish Oct. 14, the birthday of Charlie Kirk, as a National Day of Remembrance. Ninety-five Democrats joined Republicans to pass the resolution.

Only 58 voted “no,” while 38 voted “present,” and 22 did not vote at all.

The senate, when considering their own resolution to honor Kirk with a national day, voted in favor– unanimously.

A horrendous murder, but a troubling choice

Kirk’s murder was horrendous, and no family deserves the pain now borne by his wife and children. Every human life is sacred. Yet it is more than ironic — it is alarming — that Congress chose to elevate to national remembrance a man whose public words often demeaned Black women, belittled immigrants and dismissed civil rights progress. By attaching his name to a national day, Congress risks legitimizing rhetoric that was harmful and divisive.

The irony runs deeper: Oct. 14 is also the birthday of George Floyd, whose murder in 2020 under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer shook the world. Floyd’s death

unmasked the deep racism of American policing, ignited global protests and forced a reckoning that this country still resists. His name is etched into memory through marches, vigil and murals. But not through Congress.

From heinous act to political weapon

In the aftermath of Kirk’s death, some have used the tragedy as proof of political persecution, as a weapon in cultural battles and as justification for even harsher rhetoric against immigrants and communities of color. This, too, is dangerous. A heinous act should not become an excuse to spread more hate.

Kirk himself was not a neutral commentator. He once claimed Michelle Obama, Joy Reid, Sheila Jackson Lee and Ketanji Brown Jackson lacked “the brain processing power to be taken seriously” and had to “steal a White person’s slot.”

He called the Civil Rights Act of 1964 “a huge mistake” and invoked replacement theory language to stoke fear about immigrants. These are not conservative ideas in the democratic tradition. They are words that wound, words that divide, words that weaken the very democracy he claimed to defend.

To honor Kirk with a national day at all is distortion. His murder must be condemned, but his public record makes him unfit for exaltation. Congress’s action sends a dangerous message: that divisive words can be legitimized even as the lives of the oppressed are ignored.

The courage to vote “No”

Not everyone went along.

Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D-Md.), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), and dozens of other Democrats — many from the Congressional Black Caucus and the party’s progressive wing — voted “no,” holding firm to principle. They recognized that condemning violence does not require sanctifying divisive rhetoric. These leaders deserve credit for refusing to let grief be weaponized into political ritual.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY-08) and others, however, justified their support by stressing that the resolution was nonbinding and did not endorse Kirk’s views. Some even called it a Republican “trap” designed to divide Democrats. Yet these explanations raise their own troubling questions: If Kirk’s

views are rejected, why vote to elevate his name at all?

And why would leaders who have carried the mantle of civil rights choose optics over principle at such a moment? In politics, the votes cast matter more than the disclaimers offered after the fact.

Symbolism fast-tracked, reform delayed

The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act tells a different story. Passed once by the House but stalled in the Senate, it has been reintroduced in 2025 by Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-Md.). Yet at the very moment reform is being revived, federal oversight and accountability tools are being rolled back. The contrast is stark: symbolic gestures are fast-tracked, while substantive change is pushed aside.

If Congress truly wishes to honor lives, it should begin by enacting reforms that protect lives today.

Pass tougher gun laws so that fewer families are torn apart by violence. Advance

police accountability so that no more unarmed Black men and women die without justice. Protect communities still living with the daily reality of systemic racism. Symbolic gestures may win headlines and offer shortterm political cover, but substantive reform saves lives. What we choose to commemorate is never neutral. It reveals whose stories we elevate and whose we ignore. That is why this vote is so troubling. Why did some Democratic leaders — Black and White — who know the weight of history go along? Their explanations may stress political traps or nonbinding language, but the truth is simpler: leadership failed when it mattered most.

True leadership is measured not by symbolic gestures but by the courage to act. Until that courage is embraced, justice will remain deferred, and remembrance will remain a tool of politics instead of truth.

Receptionist

Andrè

AP Photo

This week, AFRO News Publisher and CEO Dr. Frances Murphy Draper speaks on the legislators who voted to honor Kirk, and praises those like Congressman Kweisi Mfume (D-MD-07) (left) and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY-14) (right), who stood against the resolution put before them.

Photo

Black Americans across the nation are questioning why Black leaders such as Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY-08) voted for a National Day of Remembrance for Charlie Kirk,

commentator who often made disparaging comments about the Black community.

COMMENTARY

Dear White men, why are you so angry?

By Edmond W. Davis

Dear White men, why are you so angry?

For over 400 years in the United States, you’ve stood as the apex alpha male in nearly every statistical category imaginable. You dominate wealth, political power, corporate board rooms and cultural influence. So again, why are you so angry?

You have the highest household wealth, the greatest social mobility, and the strongest political representation of any group in the nation—if not the world. And yet, too many of you are seething with rage. You’ve committed some of the greatest crimes against humanity—colonialism, slavery, genocide, systemic oppression—but your “rap sheet” is erased or excused by history books you authored. Still, you appear deeply, dangerously angry. Why?

White males, you are roughly 30 percent of all Americans, but as a minority group you control the country. So why are you still angry?

Let’s be clear: this isn’t about vilifying you. It’s about saving the nation. Because the uncomfortable truth is this: the No. 1 terror threat to the United States, according to the FBI, is not Black extremism, or Latino cartels, or Asian gangs, or Indigenous militias—it is White male domestic terrorism.

This isn’t a hip-hop video. This isn’t a culture-war rant. This is a plea for emotionally mature White men to

intervene—because other White men won’t listen to me, Deion Sanders, or to Black America. They will listen to you.

We must talk honestly about why so many young White men are being groomed into violent ideologies. They are picking up guns and turning schools, synagogues, grocery stores and parades into war zones. They are radicalized in online echo chambers while emotionally mature White male leaders remain silent. They are given deadly weapons as easily as they are given misinformation.

This cannot be fixed by Barack Obama, or AOC (Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.) or even Donald Trump’s wife. The voice they will hear must come from someone who looks like them, someone they consider part of their tribe. You are the only ones they might believe.

So I ask again: Why are you so angry?

You have the White House. You have Congress. You have a Supreme Court tilted to your worldview. You have gutted affirmative action, rolled back diversity and inclusion, banned Black history curricula and re-centered government and corporate power almost entirely in your image.

And still—rage.

What more do you want?

You’ve chased women out of senior military and federal leadership positions. You’ve slashed scholarships and gutted funding for minority-serving institutions. You’ve rewritten museums, curricula, and public memory to

erase the contributions and humanity of people of color. You’ve reengineered policy to ensure your dominance for decades to come.

And yet, you’re still furious. Why?

Even many federal law enforcement agencies—ICE, Border Patrol and others—are overwhelmingly staffed by White men, earning salaries rivaling those of 20-year teachers or licensed master plumbers. And still, many of your peers – not Black or Brown men – are the ones killing police officers at an alarming rate. According to officer mortality reports, the most dangerous threat to law enforcement is not “leftist radicals,” not “Latino mafias,” not the “Japanese yakuza”—it is other White men.

Think about that.

Before you point fingers at migrants, at rappers, at single mothers, at “urban crime,” ask yourselves: who is actually pulling the triggers at schools, malls, country concerts, and churches? Who is lynching Americans in 2025? Who is sowing fear and chaos in the name of a twisted version of patriotism?

This is not about shame. This is about responsibility.

Scripture says, “To whom much is given, much is required” (Luke 12:48). You have been given everything: wealth, political power, cultural dominance, military control, global credibility. But instead of stewarding it with humility, too many of you wield it with hostility.

I know you are capable of better.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God” (Matthew 5:9). Right now, we need peacemakers—especially White male peacemakers—who will speak to the young men in your communities before they become the next mass shooter, the next Jan. 6 rioter, the next domestic terror headline.

Because this is an actual country, not a game board. This is a nation forged from the labor, genius, and blood of every race, ancestry and creed. You did not build it alone—and you will not save it alone. But without you, we may not save it at all.

Emotionally mature White men, where are you? We need you to mentor your sons, nephews and neighbors. We need you to tell them they do not need an AR-15 to prove their worth. We need you to show them that power is not domination but discipline, not violence but vision.

If you want to be seen as leaders, then lead them away from the cliff.

Because if this rage continues unchecked, it will consume everything—including you. White terrorism has been the deadliest force in human history—not just in America but worldwide. But this moment feels even more perilous, because it is cloaked in denial, drenched in selfpity, and armed to the teeth.

And I say this not as an enemy— but as a fellow American who desperately wants this country to survive.

The Bible says, “Be not overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21). Right now, good requires courage from you. It requires that you disarm not just your weapons, but your anger.

Child care doesn’t have to be this terrible

By Brea Harris

At three months old, my son was kicked out of his daycare.

I had spent my pregnancy navigating my city’s brutal child care landscape — posting on social media looking for nanny shares, adding my name to year-long waitlists, and wondering how I was going to pay the astronomical daycare fees.

So, when I found a place, I felt a flood of relief. It was close to my job, half the cost of others in the area, and had a gold star recommendation from a friend of a friend. It seemed like a unicorn amidst daycares. It seemed like the perfect fit. Yet, less than a week after I returned to work, I received a call asking me to pick up my son because he was crying too much. The

next day, same call. After a few days I was told “it was not a good fit.” I had until the end of the month.

I had exhausted my PTO and depleted my savings in an attempt to offset the costs of my unpaid leave. I don’t have family nearby. I’m a single mom working in healthcare unable to work remotely or stay home full time. And I had no idea where I was going to send my three month old son during the day while I worked.

I sent out desperate pleas to mom groups in my area and eventually, through the power of the moms in my community, I found the daycare he now attends.

I love this daycare. However, it costs more than my rent — it puts a $1,600 deficit in my monthly budget. So with each passing month I fall further behind on car payments,

Justice in the algorithm

By Mustafa Ali

We should understand the essence of this moment. On the cusp between collapse and creation, we stand staring at something both terrifying and divine: the rise of artificial intelligence. It’s not science fiction anymore. It’s not a whisper on the wind. It’s here. It’s learning us — our faces, our rhythms, our desires, and even our fears. And if we’re not careful, it’ll inherit every injustice we’ve failed to dismantle.

The future we want cannot be built with the tools of the past. Slavery had cotton. Colonialism had gold. The 21st century has data. But the lesson remains the same: those who do not control the resource are destined to be controlled by those who do. Own your data or be owned by it

Let us take a moment to be clear. In this new digital economy, data is the new oil — but more invasive, more intimate. It knows the pulse of our hearts, the inflection of our voices, the tilt of our politics. But unlike oil, data regenerates, multiplies, feeds itself. And right now, it’s being harvested by the handful, sucked from communities without consent, transparency, or reparations. We’ve seen this movie before. First, they take your labor. Then they take your land. Then they take your likeness. Now they want your language

student loans, utilities. And every day I field calls from debt collectors.

All of this is due to the cost of child care.

When I started sharing my story with friends, coworkers and random moms on the playground, I quickly learned that I’m not alone. Almost every mom I know has a story like this. They’ve been juggling budget deficits to afford care, pleading for financial aid, adding their names to yearlong wait lists, reducing their work hours, or cutting their careers short.

The details vary, but the common thread is this: child care costs are unsustainable.

One night, up late with a teething baby, I fell down a Google rabbit hole, reading about countries with policies that truly support moms and families. Sweden offers 16 months of paid

patterns, your biometric scans, your browsing habits. It’s an extraction economy wearing a Silicon Valley hoodie.

But what if we flipped the script? What if data were community-owned? What if AI models trained on Black speech patterns, Indigenous knowledge systems, or working-class narratives had to pay for that privilege — not just in licensing fees, but in returns that fund schools, solar panels, local clinics, and libraries? What if every byte pulled from us came back tenfold in dignity?

Justice must be programmed in AI doesn’t have to be evil. It’s not inherently racist or sexist or ableist. But it will become those things if we don’t train it differently — because it learns from us. And if we don’t teach it to see the humanity in the most marginalized, it will reinforce the hierarchies that profit from their invisibility. Every decision we make now—about facial recognition, about predictive policing, about employment screening, about who gets credit and who gets watched—etches itself into the code of tomorrow. We are building a digital Constitution, line by line, and if equity isn’t the preamble, oppression will be the default.

Together, let us legislate like it matters and utilize strategy to achieve our collective goals. Together we can demand ethical frameworks that center justice, not just efficiency. As a forward-thinking

parental leave. Norway provides leave specifically for parents caring for a sick child. Canada is initiating $10 a day child care. Portugal has free child care for all regardless of income.

This late night rabbit hole affirmed what I already knew in my gut: moms in the U.S. are struggling due to systemic issues and policy failures. And it does not have to be this way.

In my 13 months of motherhood, I’ve already witnessed the power moms have when we band together. It was moms that helped me secure a last minute daycare spot. It was moms who recently gathered at a local park to swap baby gear in response to rising prices.

And it will be moms who demand more from our policymakers when it comes to the accessibility of child care in our country.

collective, we can require AI audits, community oversight boards, and radical transparency about where the data comes from and how it’s used. Let’s create models that don’t just optimize profit margins but maximize shared power.

The climate cost of the cloud And then there’s the Earth. We cannot build the future on a platform that burns it down. The servers that feed AI’s hunger

I am a historian, a journalist, and a keynote speaker who has spoken around the world for two decades. Yet in the past eight months, I’ve received no speaking invitations—not because my expertise has diminished, but because this country is turning away from truth. I have had to pivot, and so must you. Please. Help us confront the intra-cultural epidemic of White male violence before it becomes America’s undoing.

for computation don’t run on goodwill. They run on coal-fired electricity, on lithium mines that scar Indigenous land, on water siphoned from droughtprone regions to cool machines that memorize our selfies. The irony is brutal: we’re training machines to understand us while killing the planet that birthed us.

If the digital future requires strip-mining the natural one, we’ve already failed.

We need a green AI revolution. One that prioritizes energy efficiency in its very architecture. One that locates server farms in places powered by wind and sun, not fracked gas. One that reinvests its profits into climate resilience — especially in frontline communities that didn’t create this crisis but bear its brunt.

Imagine if every teraflop of AI-powered innovation came with a carbon receipt and a promise to offset, to repair, to regenerate. Imagine if the biggest AI labs were also the biggest funders of climate justice and energy transition in the Global South. Imagine if intelligence — artificial or otherwise — meant nothing unless it was in service to the planet.

We decide what tomorrow knows This moment is not neutral. It is holy. It is perilous. It is pregnant with possibility.

We can choose a future where AI deepens divides, surveils dissent, and sells our stories to the highest bidder. Or we can choose one where it becomes a tool for liberation — a way to amplify unheard voices, dismantle biased systems, and democratize the very act of knowing.

Courtesy photo Philadelphia native Edmond W. Davis is a historian, college professor and journalist. In this column he challenges White men to confront the roots of their anger despite holding the greatest wealth, power and influence in America.

Courtesy photo

Brea Harris is a single mom living in Chicago. It was only after months of expensive child care stress, she said she learned other countries don’t do it this way.

Courtesy photo

Dr. Mustafa Ali is a thought leader, strategist, policymaker and activist committed to justice and equity. This week, he speaks on how society must decide whether AI serves empire — or liberation. And if we don’t own our data, we’ll be owned by those who do.

Congressional Black Congress Foundation draws attendees from all walks of life

By AFRO Staff

Each year the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) hosts their Annual Legislative Conference in efforts to bring together Black legislators and members of the community to speak on policy and solutions facing the race. Attendees came from far and wide to discuss the many issues and opportunities facing Black people as it relates to health, business, education, criminal justice reform and more.

Howard University’s Showtime Marching Band made spirited appearances at both the opening press conference, held offsite at Sycamore and Oak Cultural Center in

Southeast D.C., and the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. Aside from policy discussions, thousands visited the vendors in the exhibition hall, which featured a fashion show, cooking demonstrations and countless opportunities to “buy Black” from the numerous vendors on hand.

All AFRO Photos / Alexis Taylor

Congressional Black Congress Foundation interns, Tierney Macon (left), 22, and Shelton Fantroy, 21, attend the conference with pride.

Shown here, Stanzel Jackson (left) and Bryan Chatman (right), of Fruition Hat Company.

Mamadu Tchamo, a current student of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, and Danny Steele, a Howard University alumni, represent the younger generation at the legislative conference.

Ryan Burns, attends the conference on behalf of Progressive Insurance with Jeanetta Ellison, founder of the J. Nicole Experience production company by her side. The women traveled from California and both proudly represent finer womanhood as members of the Nu Omicron Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc.

Tiana Thrower (left) and Leor Beverly represent the Urban League of Portland.

Owner of Another Phase, Karen Roache (left), sells her goods to conference attendees with the help of Terry Anderson (right).

Members of the Southern Black Girls and Women’s Consortium come together at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s (CBCF) 54th Annual Legislative Conference (ALC). Shown here, Alice Jenkins (left), an anchor for the organization, with Chanceé Lundy Russell, executive director; Beatrice Gakuba, global partner from Rwanda; Jacqueline Idun, global partner from Ghana; Naana Asante, global partner from Ghana, and Pam Nelson, a partner from Texas.

Black creators discuss equity, compensation and community impact at CBCF Annual Legislative Conference

By Megan Sayles AFRO Staff Writer msayles@afro.com

Black people have long been at the forefront of shaping culture— whether through music, fashion, food, art or sports—yet they rarely receive credit or requisite economic gains for their contributions. Too often, the culture they create is appropriated or exploited without fair compensation.

Entertainment professionals gathered for a panel conversation at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s 2025 Annual Legislative Conference on Sept. 24 to explore how ownership and economic power can be used to secure social and financial capital for Black creators.

“Today’s panel is about culture and creativity but it also includes commerce,” said California Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove. “We cannot let people separate us from our coins. They want all of our stuff for free and ask us to dig even deeper and deeper to share without the appropriate compensation, value and recognition.”

Actor Kris Lofton, of “Power Book IV: Force,” advised Black artists to take ownership of their careers, rather than rely on others to validate their ideas and talent or provide opportunities.

He said that creators could leverage social media applications and other platforms to push out their own content.

“Stop waiting on people. Nobody’s coming to save you,” said Lofton. “Do it yourself because, especially in my business, you’ll be waiting around for that phone to ring for the rest of your life if you’re just sitting there.”

However, Eni Popoola, a New York-based digital creator, warned

that Black creators often face a lack of pay transparency and biased algorithms when sharing their content on social media. She explained that these barriers make it difficult for Black creators to expand their reach and grow their audiences.

She encouraged creators to have more open, candid conversations about their earnings and stressed the importance of building a trusted team that can advocate for appropriate compensation.

“A huge factor that has helped me feel like I’m getting my worth is

having really good representation— people who are there seeing the big picture, people who are setting the rates and people who are there to call out if you’re not being given what you really deserve,” said Popoola. Panelists also emphasized that creating culture does not just have the ability to benefit an individual person—it can also advance entire communities. Jermon Williams, co-founder of Broccoli City Festival, explained that his team has been intentional about collaborating alongside community members and

local entrepreneurs since they started the music festival.

He noted that in the last 13 years, Broccoli City has helped Black, small businesses in D.C. generate more than $3 million through its marketplaces and vendor opportunities. The festival has also created WeChipN, a social impact platform that rewards people for engaging in their communities.

Participants earn “chips” by volunteering, supporting local businesses and nonprofits or completing other socially-beneficial activities,

**YOU MAY BE ENTITLED TO A SETTLEMENT PAYMENT**

To receive a payment, file a claim by May 18, 2026

WHAT IS THIS ABOUT?

A proposed class action settlement has been reached in three related lawsuits. The lawsuits allege that, beginning in 2007, Discover misclassified certain Discover-issued consumer credit cards as commercial credit cards, which in turn caused merchants and others to incur excessive interchange fees. The misclassification did not impact cardholders. Discover denies the claims in the lawsuits, and the Court has not decided who is right or wrong. Instead, the proposed settlement, if approved, will resolve the lawsuits and provide benefits to Settlement Class Members.

WHO IS INCLUDED?

The Settlement Class includes all End Merchants, Merchant Acquirers, and Payment Intermediaries involved in processing or accepting a Misclassified Card Transaction during the period from January 1, 2007 through December 31, 2023. To view the full Settlement Class definition, including defined terms and excluded entities, go to www.DiscoverMerchantSettlement.com.

WHAT CAN I GET?

To receive a settlement payment, with very limited exceptions, you will need to file a claim by May 18, 2026 and/or provide

which can then be redeemed for tickets to concerts and other entertainment events.

For Williams, all cultural events should be investing in strategies to strengthen and empower Black communities.

“If you look at Black-owned festivals, they have local partnerships set up that continue to push that local economy forward,” said Williams. “I think that is the blueprint—looking beyond the festival and using it as a way to keep pouring into our local communities.”

additional information to the Settlement Administrator. Under the proposed settlement, Discover will make payments to eligible Settlement Class Members who submit valid claims. Discover has agreed to pay between $540 million and $1.225 billion plus interest in connection with this settlement. Your settlement payment amount will be calculated based on a variety of factors.

YOUR OTHER OPTIONS.

You can file a claim for a payment by May 18, 2026 and/or provide additional information. Alternatively, you can exclude yourself from the settlement by opting out, in which case you will receive no payment under this settlement and retain any right you may have to sue Discover about the claims in these lawsuits or related to the Misclassified Card Transactions. If you do not exclude yourself, and the Court approves the settlement, you will be bound by the Court’s orders and judgments and will release any claims against Discover in these lawsuits or related to the Misclassified Card Transactions. If you do not exclude yourself, you can object to or comment on any part of the settlement. The deadline to either exclude yourself or object to the settlement is March 25, 2026. Visit the website for information on how to exercise these options.

AFRO Photo/Megan Sayles

Kris Lofton (left), American actor; Jermon Williams, co-founder of the Broccoli City Festival; California Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove; Eni Popoola, New York-based content creator; and Monica McNutt, basketball analyst for ESPN, discuss strategies for leverage ownership, economic power and cultural contributions to empower Black communities.

D.C.’s Go-Go Museum and Café pivots to offset financial setbacks

By D. Kevin McNeir  Special to the AFRO kmcneir@afro.com

Go-go music, which now serves as the official music of Washington, D.C., has come a long way since its emergence as an underground musical genre nearly 50 years ago.

And in November 2024, following decades of efforts led by advocates to secure a brick-and-mortar venue to celebrate the music and educate the public on its history, the Go-Go Museum and Café opened its doors in D.C.’s Anacostia community.

However, the museum is now at a crossroads,

according to its founder and CEO, Ron Moten. The museum has suffered from financial setbacks and a shift in funding priorities from major businesses who, over the last several months, have withdrawn their support.

But Moten, a diehard, fifth-generation Washingtonian, said he’s determined to keep the doors open and the music playing.

“I’ve been an advocate for preserving our history, music and culture for the last 30 years, as well as the co-founder of Don’t Mute DC,” he said, speaking on the movement and cultural collective that began in 2019

Ron

to lead the charge for the District’s homegrown sound.

Malcolm X meets Shakespeare in revisioning of ‘The Tragedy of Julius Caesar’ at D.C.’s Folger Theatre

By D. Kevin McNeir

Special to the AFRO kmcneir@afro.com

The eloquent, emotionally charged words spoken by Malcolm X during the final days of his life, merge with the revered speeches and scenes from William Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar” in D.C.’s Folger Theatre’s season opening production. The play, “Julius X: A Re-envisioning of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare,” opened Sept. 23 and will run through Oct. 26.

Infused with scenes which segue between Rome and 1960s Harlem, the script features the lyrical brilliance of spoken word artist Al Letson, and a performance by renowned Shakespearean actor and local favorite, Brandon Carter, who takes on the role of Malcolm X. D.C.-based theater artist, Nicole Brewer, who directs the play, said the power of the work rests in the playwright’s ability to harmonize Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar” with the life and legacy of civil rights icon Malcolm X.

“Letson’s poetry pulses with the rhythm of revolution, weaving

D.C. Council advances key bills on RFK Stadium, housing

By Tashi McQueen AFRO Staff Writer tmcqueen@afro.com

The D.C. Council, returning from its summer recess, tackled several key bills at its Sept. 17 legislative meeting, covering topics such as the future of Robert F. Kennedy (RFK) Stadium and the youth curfew.

The bills could have a lasting impact on renters, landlords, youth and public safety in Washington, D.C. RFK Stadium

The council took its second and final vote on the $3.7 billion RFK stadium deal, passing it 11-2.

The deal between the District and the Washington Commanders will use $1.1 billion to help bring the team back to Washington, D.C. The Commanders last played at RFK Stadium from 1961 to 1996 and have called FedEx Field in Landover, Md., home since 1997. The team will remain there until the new stadium is built.

The bill included several amendments. One, by Councilmember Wendell Felder (D-Ward 7), directs funds to a community reinvestment fund and creates a benefits agreement oversight committee with residents from Wards 5, 6, 7, and 8. D.C. Health Matters reports that around 87 percent of residents in Wards 7 and 8 are Black. In Ward 5, 45.8 percent are Black, and in Ward 6, 28.8 percent are

African-American.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) said the project will be the largest economic development effort in D.C. history.

“This will be the largest economic development project in D.C. history, it will supercharge our growth agenda, and we’re ready to deliver for our city,” said Bowser. “We’re on a path to opening day in 2030, and we’re ready to get D.C. residents and businesses to work right now, building housing, retail, hotels, parks, an NFL stadium, a Sportsplex, and more in the best city in the world.”

RENTAL Act

The RENTAL (Rental Equity and Nonpayment Timely Accountability and Landlord-Tenant) Act was created amid a regional housing and investment crisis, passing on a 10-3 vote.

“Apartment building permits plummeted more than 80 percent between 2022 and 2024 from 7,234 to 1,239,” said Councilmember Robert C. White, Jr. (D-At-Large). “In 2023, D.C. issued only 1,500 of the region’s 9,600 apartment permits, our smallest share in a decade. This housing shortage drives up rent for Washingtonians who already can barely afford to hang on in D.C.” White and Councilmember Christina Henderson (Ind.At-Large) said the housing market is failing.

D.C. Metro introduces student-only lanes, updates Kids Ride Free program

By Victoria Mejicanos AFRO Staff Writer  vmejicanos@afro.com

This fall, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) has undergone several changes, impacting commutes for students and families. The updates include route changes, special lanes for students and Kids Ride Free cards, according to a news release on their website.

Students in D.C. can use the Kids Ride Free program to get to class, which allows public and public charter school students to ride the Metrorail at no cost. New SmarTrip cards for the 2025-26 school year began distribution in D.C. schools on Aug. 15. Students have until Sept. 30 to pick up their updated card from their school.

A total of 12 D.C.

have lanes marked specifically for D.C. students to use during the 2025- 2026 school year.

The cards are for students 5- 21 years of age and students 13 years and older can also transfer their physical Kids Ride Free card to their Apple device so it’s with them at all times. At the moment, Metro officials are collaborating with Google to create a digital card for students who use Android devices instead of Apple products. The Kids Ride Free program was first introduced in 2013 by then-Councilmember Muriel Bowser as a way to ease the burden of rising transit costs on families and address truancy. It expanded in 2015 to

Metrorail, according to an older

Photo courtesy of Go-Go Museum/Samuel Johnson III

Washington, D.C.’s Go-Go Museum, which officially opened earlier this year, gives fans and visitors multiple ways to learn more about and experience the history of D.C.’s homegrown sound.

Photo courtesy of Go-Go Museum/Samuel Johnson III

Moten, founder and CEO of the Go-Go Museum, located in Washington, D.C.’s Anacostia community, continues

Photo Courtesy Folger Shakespeare Library Award-winning journalist and spoken word artist, Al Letson, is the playwright of “Julius X: A Re-envisioning of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare.” The production debuted on Sept. 23 at the Folger Theatre in Washington, D.C.

Photo courtesy of WMATA

Metrorail stations

to protest the silencing of go-go music.

Moten noted that the Don’t Mute DC initiative not only fostered conversations about gentrification and the need for greater equity for the city’s long-term residents, but it also led to go-go becoming D.C.’s official music and the establishment of the Go-Go Museum and Café.

And while he acknowledged that the museum is surviving, it should be thriving.

“We’ve been making it because we have some amazing volunteers who have stepped forward so we can continue to offer programming – a lot of which is free,” he said. “But

D.C. Council

the cost of maintaining this facility has risen far more than we could have imagined. Our Pepco bill, for example, was $500 a month when we had our soft opening last fall.

Now, it’s $1,400. We’re making something that is hard look easy. But it isn’t easy, and we can’t sustain things the way we’re going now.”

Moten added that after the election of the 47th president, attitudes changed – in many cases, for the worst.

“We had a lot of promises and commitments for financial support, but after Trump reentered the White House, a lot of our sponsors and contributors backed out.

“Many Black institutions like ours are suffering now,” he said. “In fact,

“We want to protect affordability, but also deal with the realities of needing investors to find us attractive again,” Henderson said. “We want to make sure these properties don’t stay in foreclosure forever.”

The final RENTAL Act includes an amendment by Council Chair Phil Mendelson (D) requiring tenants to pay rent into a court-managed account during eviction cases. Another amendment by Mendelson, Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau (D-Ward 1) and Councilmember Janeese Lewis George (D-Ward 4) restore the Qualified Purchaser Program. Many other amendments were considered.

Police funding

As of Oct. 1, the Metropolitan Police Department will see a 13 percent pay increase under a collective bargaining agreement with the D.C. police union.

Two bills passed unanimously on Sept.17, making way for a 4.8 percent fiscal year (FY) 2026 funding increase for hiring and retention and providing 4.5 percent cost-of-living raises for FY 2024 and 4.25 percent for FY 2025 and FY 2026. The bargaining agreement will cost around $300 million.

I hear that unless the Anacostia Museum receives the federal funds that were approved and then canceled, they may have to close their doors. We’ve lost a few grants as well, but thankfully not all of them.”

Museum to launch its fundraising campaign on Oct. 4th

On Saturday, Oct. 4, the museum will kick off its annual fundraising campaign with a juke-joint themed gathering, from 2 to 6 p.m., that will feature food, dancing and music provided by local favorite Raheem DeVaughn and a Blues artist from Memphis, Tenn.

The goal for the campaign, Moten said, is $500,000. And plans

to better sustain the museum are already in motion.

“Go-Go music will mark its 50th anniversary in 2026 and we’re going to kick off the celebration in grand fashion on Jan. 6, 2026, at the Lincoln Theatre in D.C.,” he said. “Sure, funds that come from major grants or from the region’s leading businesses and philanthropists go a long way in helping us provide free programming to D.C. youth and paying the bills. But a lot of smaller donations can also make a difference.”

Moten emphasized that it was community support that counted as the first financial contributions he received during the early stages of the museum’s development.

“The first $19,000 we received did not come from big corporations, it came from the D.C. community,” he said. “We know that people like good music – diverse music – and the museum brings people together – people from all over the world.”

“Because of the tidal wave unleashed by the White House, individuals and businesses have been discouraged from supporting Black institutions like ours,” Moten said. “I tell folks that if they just came to the museum and bought some food and merchandise, that would help significantly. People need to understand how much they can help by doing and giving just a little.”

As demolition of the RFK stadium is underway, D.C. Council members debate and vote on major legislation, including funding for a renewed stadium, police pay increases and an extension of the city’s youth curfew.

Youth Curfew

The council considered a youth curfew amid concerns about late-night gatherings linked to violence. A temporary modified summer curfew for children 16 and under is set to end Oct. 5. To replace it, the council is planning to extend it through temporary and emergency legislation.

“This legislation turned out to be very effective,” said Mendelson. “It was a tool that was used in seven locations on each weekend that it was in place for. The MPD (Metropolitan Police Department) has experienced zero curfew violations during the extended curfew hours.”

At the Sept. 17 meeting, the council advanced the temporary bill, the Juvenile Curfew Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act, from first reading by an 8-5 vote. The temporary law would extend the curfew 225 days and allow police to continue juvenile curfew zones, starting at 8 p.m., now limited to four days instead of 15. The council postponed voting on the Juvenile Curfew Congressional Review Emergency Declaration Resolution, the emergency bill that formally supports the need for these curfew laws, for the council’s Oct. 7 meeting.

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‘The Tragedy of Julius Caesar’

Shakespearean drama into the raw urgency of the civil rights era,” Brewer said. “In many ways – whether through Shakespeare or American history – many people already know the story. But you’re compelled to watch it unfold again because of how Letson remixes his own verse, with excerpts from Malcolm X’s speeches and the most notable lines and scenes from ‘Julius Caesar.’”

Brewer added that “ultimately, ‘Julius X’ is a love story – the brotherly love that exists between Black men for their faith, their community and each other – struggling against internal and external forces that oppose the very existence of that love.”

Letson, a Peabody Award-winning journalist, podcast host and acclaimed

comic book creator, credits comic books with teaching him how to read and helping him conquer dyslexia.

In true spoken word artist fashion, he describes how he became interested in developing a play that has since evolved into “Julius X.”

“‘Julius X’ was inspired by me being told that I wasn’t going to get cast for Mark Antony in a production of ‘The Tragedy of Julius Caesar.” Back then they weren’t doing colorblind casting,” he said in a statement. “So, I thought – ‘screw it, I’m going to write my own.’”

“I had a deep love for Shakespeare’s text when I was in the 10th grade – Mark Antony’s speech just blew me away,” said Letson. “I also read ‘The Autobiography of Malcolm X’ when I was in 7th grade, and that stayed with me.”

“Julius Caesar and Malcolm X were very different men, but their circumstances overlapped well,” said Letson. “Malcolm was a man who was deeply committed to the fight for civil rights, and one of the most beautiful things about his life is that you can look at him and you can see him learn and change over time.”

Audiences urged to abandon role of spectator and instead, participate

Under the leadership of Karen Ann Daniels, artistic director and director of artistic programs, Folger Theatre’s foray into producing selected works by Shakespeare in nontraditional fashion has already been well received by audiences in the Greater Washington Area.

In October 2024, “Romeo and Juliet” garnered record crowds, including large groups of area high school students who were captivated by the reimagined production. Changes to the play which illustrated 21st century American society included a multiracial cast of Black, White, Asian and Hispanic thespians, interracial marriages, bilingual speakers and the frequent use of modern modes of transportation and communication.

But what can audiences expect when they see “Julius X?”

“This is not the story you know, but somewhere in-between’ is how “Julius X” begins, reminding us that this story is not fact but an imagined truth that blends two iconic historical characters,” Daniels said in a statement.

“Just like Shakespeare did with ‘Julius Caesar’, which he adapted from Plutarch, Al

Letson creates a dramatized mythology of Malcolm and Caesar to help us explore the struggle for power, friendship and free will in our own age.”

Sound designer Thom Woodward advises that the best way to experience “Julius X” is to feel like you’ve been invited to join the production.

“The flow and the environment that have been created are almost rooted in the Black Church experience,” he said.

“And in the spirit of the Black Church, all are welcome – not as a voyeur but as a participant. So, what’s

happening on the stage in this ‘Harlemesque’ location, is a world in which the audience is similarly invited to join in and experience for themselves – the space, the sounds, the environment.”

Brewer added she hopes as audiences leave the play, and if she and the crew have done their job, that people will leave with more questions to be resolved than answers.

“It is not the role of art to look to curate or shape something in the minds of the audience,” she said. “In this production, we are revisiting

the myths associated with people and examining what happens when we elevate someone to the level of icon. What, as individuals, do they gain and what do they lose?”

“If nothing else,” said Brewer, “The play reveals a sense of unity that is conditional and rests on the notion that we are of one mind, doing what the leaders desires. But what happens when one strays away? That’s when we have a problem.”

For tickets or more information, visit www.folger.edu/ juliusx.

written into D.C. law in 2019.

Students riding Metrobus or Metrorail should always have their Kids Ride Free SmarTrip card with them, or be prepared to pay

the regular fare for their trip, according to Metro’s website.

The 12 D.C. Metrorail stations with students lanes are listed below:

- Anacostia

- Brookland-CUA

- Columbia Heights

- Congress Heights

- Fort Totten

- Georgia Ave-Petworth

- NoMa-Gallaudet U

- Rhode Island Avenue

- Shaw-Howard U - Stadium-Armory

- Takoma - Tenleytown

Photo Courtesy Erika Nizborski

Brandon Carter stars as Malcolm X in the Folger Theatre’s “Julius X: A Re-envisioning of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare,” written by Al Letson and directed by Nicole Brewer. The season opening production debuts Sept. 23 in Washington, D.C. and continues through Oct. 26.

Illustration by Yunyi Dai “Julius X: A Re-envisioning of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare” runs through Oct. 26.

Photo courtesy of WMATA

H Street Festival returns

By Patricia McDougall

The H Street Festival was held on Sept. 20, celebrating 20 years of music, food and art. The event, held 12-7 p.m. in Washington, D.C., was free and open to the public. Thousands of people took to the streets for an entertainment lineup complete with various artists, bands, karaoke, fashion shows and artwork. Health

experts were also on hand to give out important resources. Attendees could also get moving to the tunes of a deejay and enjoy yoga.

Restaurants were full and food stands were on every corner. The fun filled day was truly a hit with not only for the residents of the District of Columbia, but attendees, vendors and creatives from all over.

All AFRO Photos / Patricia McDougall

People line dance in the street at the 2025 H Street Festival.

Award-winning hip-hop artist Frankey Barrz performs for the crowd.

Monica Milton, a local, showcases her artwork as a festival vendor.

Abdul Akande, of Washington, D.C., takes time out with his daughter, Dayo Akande, to enjoy the H Street Festival activities.

Amaya Lewis, left, and Gilliam “Bantu” Joseph of New York, and Kelaiah Carey of Florida has a nice time at the festival

Afriyie Williams, of Alexandria, Va., shows off the OJeanne Collection. Williams is lead creative director for the brand, which she started in 2004. Ray Gillumo (left) and Ryan Gillumo chat with artist Reggie Gillumo.

The H Street Festival is full of life with people from all ages.

Gerard “Coach G” Burley (left), of Sweat D.C., takes his gym moves to the H Street Festival to teach wellness and fitness. Shown here, Burley with Alex Palmer (center) and Lucas Penayo (right) testing out the weights.

D.K. Williams (center) shows off his moves with a breakdance.

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Washington Commanders build with backups

By Edward G. Robinson III AFRO Sports Editor

It’s always nice to have a backup plan. NFL teams with postseason ambitions need quality backups to make it through a roughand-tumble regular season where injuries are commonplace and the adage is “next man up.”

Dan Quinn’s bunch learned it can play without QB1 Jayden Daniels as the Washington Commanders walloped the visiting Las Vegas Raiders 41-24 at Northwest Stadium with a mix of starters and reserve personnel playing key roles.

Week 3 provided some keen insight on how to read this Washington team as second year coach Quinn instills a military-like system and core values. This current roster has adopted his stoic personality.

If they needed a reminder of Quinn’s toughness, the game on Sept. 21 provided a glimpse. Backup quarterback Marcus Mariota accidentally ran into him on the sideline and drove him into the ground.

Bloodied and bleary-eyed, Quinn kept coaching.

That’s the type of resilience he’s looking for from these Commanders. On Sept. 21, there were examples everywhere.

Washington improved to 2-1 after a setback against Green Bay on Sept. 11, scoring touchdowns through the air, on the ground and with special teams play. The team showcased depth and resolve, areas of strength championship teams carry into the playoffs.

Some new faces and old faces contributed to that game. And the effort appeared collective.

“It does speak to team,” Quinn said during a press conference following the Sept. 21 victory. “And when called upon being able to deliver.”

Mariota certainly delivered.

He subbed for an injured Daniels and impressed with a top tier performance. He stood calmly in the pocket and delivered passes like a former Heisman Trophy winner should. The former Oregon standout – who filled in for the Commanders’ other Heisman Trophy winner

– completed 15 of 21 attempts for 207 passing yards and a TD.

When pressed out of the pocket – and the Raiders’ defensive end Maxx Crosby pressed often and from every angle – Mariota, 31, moved around the natural grass—well, like a natural. He rushed six times for 40 yards, including a 2-yard scamper into the end zone on the team’s first drive of the game.

Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury plugged Mariota into the system and dialed up a balanced game plan.

It was Mariota’s 75th start in the league and he operated with supreme confidence. He thanked his teammates for believing.

“Belief is so powerful and those guys, from Monday, were just, ‘Hey, you got this,’” he said. “I think that instilled confidence in me, just to go out there and play my game.”

Mariota’s value became clearer in a time of distress after he fumbled the ball on a 22-yard keeper midway through the first quarter. The Raiders recovered the ball, but it didn’t seem to stay with him.

“Yeah, I thought honestly he stayed very level-headed,” Quinn said. “He stayed aggressive into it. So yeah, I felt no flinch

didn’t dress for the Sept. 21 game.

Green Bay’s defense dominated at the line of scrimmage and forced the Commanders to consider some changes up front. Washington swapped guards on both sides of the offensive line with Quinn saying that early-season competition is healthy.

So everyone was motivated to affect change and adapt, especially the offensive line and running back staff who collected

“I love this system. We understand that there’s going to be moments where it’s not going to work out the way that we anticipated, but we never blink.”

into that. I just felt it was very quintessential him. A really clean game.”

Playoff-bound teams need players who adapt when times grow weary.

Washington faced its first mini-crisis following a disappointing loss to Green Bay in Week 2. The offense sputtered in that game and Daniels injured his knee. His practice status was announced as limited and he

just 51 yards against the Packers.

Washington’s ground crew – posted 201 yards and three touchdowns on the grounds against Las Vegas.

“It meant a lot to us, after losing a game, the whole week, you get ready to get back on the field and prove you’re better than what you put on tape last week,” Washington rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt said.

Running back Jeremy McNichols popped one for 60 yards late in the third quarter.

“I was super proud of Jeremy on the long [touchdown run], maybe 60 yards or something like that,” Quinn said.

Wide receiver Jaylin Lane played his part with a 90-yard punt return for a touchdown in the third quarter.

He became the first rookie to record a punt return for a touchdown since Desmond Howard in 1992. He finished the game with 127 punt return yards – third most for a rookie in a single game.

And Klingsbury called on wideout Terry McLaurin four times against the Raiders. Mariota connected with the veteran on three receptions, including a “go” route where he pulled in the pass at the 30 yard line, raced to the goal line and arms stretched landed just short of a touchdown.

“I love this system,” Mariota said. “We understand that there’s going to be moments where it’s not going to work out the way that we anticipated, but we never blink. It’s such a great, healthy environment for all parties involved. I’ve just really enjoyed my time here. Every opportunity I get, I just try to make the most of it.”

And that makes the guy with the blood on his nose really happy.

Ravens pushed around, Jackson chased down in humbling 38-30 loss to Lions

By David Ginsburg

Pushed around on defense and manhandled when they had the ball, the Baltimore Ravens stumbled mightily at home in an ugly, surprising defeat.

The Ravens allowed the Detroit Lions to amass 426 yards — including a whopping 224 on the ground — which proved to be simply too much for Lamar Jackson and Baltimore’s high-powered offense to overcome.

“The biggest problem is we didn’t play good defense.”

Jackson was sacked seven times, Derrick Henry fumbled in the fourth quarter when the game was still close, and Baltimore absorbed a humbling 38-30 loss loss on Sept. 22.

The final score was deceptively close. In truth, the Ravens (1-2) let a 21-14 lead turn into a 14-point deficit before tacking on a meaningless TD with 29 seconds left.

“The biggest problem is we didn’t play good defense,” coach John Harbaugh said. “There’s nobody in that locker room that thinks that’s good enough. That’s not who we are. It cannot be who we are. It’s not acceptable.”

So, three weeks into the season the Ravens have lost 41-40 and

38-30. In between, they beat lowly Cleveland despite leading by only a touchdown at halftime.

That’s why Jackson scoffed at the notion that this defeat might serve as motivation to improve.

“Week 1 was a wake-up call. Last week was a wake-up call,” he said.

“We’ve got to find a way to win.”

Jackson struggled to get free and Henry coughed up the ball down the stretch, but this loss was mostly about the defense. The Ravens were

mercilessly pushed around by a Lions team that two years ago came to Baltimore and lost 38-6. In this one, the Lions had drives of 95 and 98 yards before putting together a 70-yard march that produced a field goal for a 38-24 lead with 1:42 left.

“No excuses can be made at this point. If it’s not one thing, it’s another,” safety Kyle Hamilton said. “We’ve just go to patch it up right now.”

There once was a day when the Ravens went weeks at a time without

giving up 100 yards on the ground.

That’s why it hurt so much to have David Montgomery ramble for 151 yards and Jahmyr Gibbs pick up 67.

“Our run defense has been pretty good the whole time I’ve been here,” Hamilton said, “but when a team runs the ball like that it demoralizes you. It’s on us as a defense to put that fire out, and we just didn’t do that.”

Given that Jackson was 7-2 in Monday night games and 24-2 lifetime against the NFC, it was an

uncharacteristic performance by a team with aspirations of reaching the Super Bowl. The trek doesn’t get any easier next week, when Baltimore faces the defending AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs on the road.

“I don’t think the sky is falling, but we’ve got a big one next week on a short week,” Hamilton said. “So it’s up to us to be professionals and go out and win.”

This article was originally published by the Associated Press.

AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough

Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) steps in for an injured Jayden Daniels and leads the team to a 41-24 win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sept. 21.

AP Photo/Nick Wass

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) is tripped up by Detroit Lions linebacker Derrick Barnes (55) during the second half of the game.

This nonprofit is bringing Black teachers back to New Orleans

By Aaricka Washington

In the two decades since Hurricane Katrina drowned the city and its public school system, the story of K-12 education in New Orleans has gone something like this: nothing good happened until charter schools, and White reformers, showed up.

But Adrinda Kelly, a New Orleans native, knows that’s not the whole story. The public school teachers she had growing up — most of them Black women — helped prepare her for Harvard University.

“Frankly, our school system wasn’t perfect, but my experience pre-Katrina was a great one,” Kelly says. Her teachers, she says, weren’t just concerned with her grades; they cared for her well-being.

Investing in Black teachers and schools

Now Kelly and her colleague, Stevona Elem-Rogers, are among those working to reclaim that legacy. They are co-leaders of Black Education for New Orleans (BE NOLA) a grassroots nonprofit that invests in Black teachers and promotes Black-led schools to increase the number of Black teachers in New Orleans classrooms.

The goal, Kelly says, is simple: ensure New Orleans’ Black

students receive a culturally relevant, high-quality education, like she did. Since post-Katrina reforms, experts say, the city’s teaching workforce has gotten whiter and K-12 test scores have improved, but Black children are still being left behind.

“I think our education system is often pointed to as a model around the potential impact of charter-based reform,” Kelly said. But “there are a lot of people who don’t like what’s going down.”

Altered dynamics

When Hurricane Katrina barreled through New Orleans on Aug. 23, 2005, it killed about 1,400 people, flooded blocks of the mostly Black Lower Ninth Ward, and swept entire houses off their foundations. The storm also altered the city’s dynamics: Tens of thousands of people fled or were displaced, but only about 60 percent have returned, and gentrification has taken hold. As it slowly recovered, New Orleans became smaller, with a larger percentage of white residents.

During the recovery, some civic leaders saw an opportunity to rebuild the city’s troubled school system. They gradually shifted K-12 education from a centralized, traditional public school system to a decentralized charter school system, with a focus on education reform. Part

of that transition, however, involved revamping New Orleans’ teaching workforce — including firing more than 4,300 teachers, most of them Black.

The new teaching vanguard looked vastly different. Before Katrina, 71 percent of the city’s public educators were Black; by 2014, only 49 percent of teachers were. Meanwhile, as the overall gains in math and reading scores for city students improved, fewer than one-third of Black fourth graders were reading on grade level,

A community-rooted solution

The BE NOLA founding collective — Dr. Howard Fuller, Elem-Rogers, Andre Perry, Bishop Tom Watson, Stacy Martin, Ashana Bigard, Bill Rouselle, and Jonathan Wilson — built BE NOLA in 2017. It was the brainchild of several community conversations they hosted about building up a thriving education system for Black educators and students.

While some thought the city’s school system was on the right

track, “there were people in the room who thought the exact opposite,” says Kelly, BE NOLA’s executive director. “But across that continuum, what they could all see is that [officials were] neglecting to invest in the capacity, involvement, and leadership of Black educators in New Orleans.”

Elem-Rogers, the chief of community programs and partnerships at BE NOLA, said the group developed a Black manifesto on education that outlined eleven principles centered on self-determination, cultural literacy, and community wellness. The manifesto asserted that while post-Katrina reforms had improved test scores, many Black children are not getting the quality education they deserve.

“And from that Black manifesto, I think people got the understanding that we should be demanding what we want, that we could create a world around it,” she said.

Training the next generation Kelly said that Black educators

in New Orleans who work with BE NOLA learn a range of professional development and leadership skills. The organization collaborates with four to five Black-governed schools — public charter schools as well as private schools — depending on funding. They also offer a Black education curriculum for teachers to gain a deeper understanding of the New Orleans landscape.

Elem-Rogers said even though she is from Birmingham, Alabama, she considers New Orleans home. She moved to the city fresh out of college as a young Teach For America teacher.

Training for BE NOLA participants “has been centered around building an understanding of where they live,” Elem-Rogers said. “A lot of [teachers] are actually New Orleans natives. You can be from somewhere and still not be very clear about the history of where you’re from, or not be looking at it through a certain lens. And for those who aren’t from New Orleans, it helps them learn about where they’re teaching.”

Elem-Rogers said that 96

percent of their teachers stay in their program.

“It’s exciting to be able to have a space where people can come together and really think about specifically this slice of what’s going on with us,” she says. “How can we make it better? What are some things that we can highlight?”

At a time when the federal government is rolling back efforts to bring diversity to the classroom through funding cuts, Kelly says, BE NOLA can be a powerful counterweight.

“We’re feeling both excited and honored and sort of validated by the number of people and partners who continue to rock with us, whether they’re foundations or individual donors,” Kelly said. “And at the same time, we’re feeling both the direct and indirect effect of the moves against the Department of Ed, which make it more difficult for children who have all kinds of unique needs from underserved neighborhoods to receive the resources they need.”

This article was originally published by Word in Black.

Baltimore residents weigh in on search for next city schools CEO

By Andrea Stevens AFRO Staff Writer astevens@afro.com

As Baltimore City Public Schools prepares to select its next chief executive officer, community voices are playing a central role in determining candidate requirements. A recent telephone town hall meeting hosted by Mayor Brandon M. Scott gathered input from families, students, educators and community members to help define the qualities and priorities most important for the district’s next leader.

“I’ve been so grateful for the stability that our current CEO Dr. Santelises [has provided] since day one and [she] is the longest serving member of my cabin. At the end of this year her contract is up and the system has made great progress under her leadership,” said Mayor Scott.

Zayra Chicas-Guzman, the student commissioner on the Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners, opened the town hall

discussions by explaining the CEO’s role to the attendees on the call, helping them understand why selecting the right person is so critical.

“This is about our young people and the future of our city, and we want our residents to be deeply engaged in this effort,” said

“This is about our young people and the future of our city, and we want our residents to be deeply engaged in this effort.”

“The CEO’s responsible for the educational programs, staffing performance, operations budgets and finance of the districts. CEOs are also charged with lobbying for resources, funding and establishing partnerships in support of city schools,” said Chicas-Guzman.

Mayor Scott followed by stressing the importance of community involvement in shaping the future of the school system and holding everyone accountable for student success.

Scott. “The responsibility of making sure our young people are where they need to be, especially in reading and math, falls on us all as a community.”

The attendees were encouraged to ask questions to the board during the call, so their voices could be heard. During the town hall, an attendee asked about the timeline for selecting the next CEO and how the transition would be handled.

“We have segmented the work into several different phases that will lead to a successful selection and onboarding of our superintendent by June 30, 2026, which is Dr. Santelises’ last day,” said Robert Salley, chair of the Board of School Commissioners. “We hope to select our candidate through the interview process as early as March of 2026. Our goal is to ensure that there is some overlap between the two superintendents so that the onboarding is as smooth as possible.”

Ashiah Parker, vice chair of the Board of School Commissioners, emphasized the importance of community involvement in such a critical decision. The input will help shape the candidate profile, which outlines the key traits, experiences and priorities that residents want to see in the next CEO.

“So we are having these forums so we can see what our community needs from the next CEO, so we’re taking all of that input and putting it into what we’re calling a candidate profile,” Parker said. “Ultimately the Board of Commissioners will be voting and hiring the next CEO, but we are [taking] the community along with every step of the process.”

During the forum, one attendee asked whether the board would prioritize a local candidate rather than someone from out of state. Salley replied that the board is committed to finding someone qualified and connected to the city.

“We want candidates that want to be here in Baltimore City, who want to work with our young people, who want to build relationships with the community,” said Salley. “As much as we’re doing a national search, we’ll be looking far and wide but also looking at candidates that are here locally.”

The search for the next CEO of Baltimore City Public Schools is still in its early stages, with more community forums planned in the months ahead. Officials say continued public engagement will remain a key part of the process, ensuring that the next leader reflects the values and needs of Baltimore’s students, families and educators.

Word in Black

Illustration courtesy of LCL/ Be Nola via Word in Black

Stevona Elem-Rogers (left) and Adrinda Kelly (right) are co-leaders of Black Education for New Orleans, or BE

NOLA. The nonprofit helps nurture and develop Black educators in her home city with a curriculum that focuses on leadership, management, and cultural competency.

Courtesy photo

Soul Shop for Black Churches equips faith leaders to address suicide in their congregations

By Megan Sayles AFRO Staff Writer msayles@afro.com

The Black Church has long been instrumental in confronting the challenges that African Americans face around the country, whether it be racial discrimination, the COVID-19 pandemic or the erasure and censorship of Black history. Though, one struggle it’s been hesitant to address is suicide.

Many religions deem suicide a sin—as evidence that a person did not appreciate the gift of life from God. Though attitudes toward it have shifted in more recent years, mental health remains somewhat of a taboo topic in faith and Black communities.

The Soul Shop movement has stepped in to empower faithbased institutions and leaders with training to support congregants who have been impacted by trauma and suicide.

“Historically, the Black Church has been such a cornerstone for our Black communities. It has been the birthplace of movements, the heartbeat of hope, the food pantry, the gathering space, a place of sanctuary and also a place where we can regain a sense of inspiration to make change,” said Lauren Jenkins, co-director of Soul Shop for Black Churches. “Why not the Black Church be the place where we are having conversations about a public health crisis, like suicide, and hearing how suicide is impacting our Black communities?” The concept for the Soul

Shop movement was designed in 1999 by founder Fe Anam Avis, who wanted to discover

FTC launches inquiry into AI chatbots acting as companions and their effects on children

By Barbara Ortutay

The Federal Trade Commission has launched an inquiry into several social media and artificial intelligence (AI) companies about the potential harms to children and teenagers who use their AI chatbots as companions.

The FTC said Sept. 11 it has sent letters to Google parent Alphabet, Facebook and Instagram parent Meta Platforms, Snap, Character Technologies, ChatGPT maker OpenAI and xAI.

The FTC said it wants to understand what steps, if any, companies have taken to evaluate the safety of their chatbots when acting as companions, to limit the products’ use by and potential negative effects on children and teens, and to apprise users and parents of the risks associated with the chatbots.

The move comes as a growing number of kids use AI chatbots for everything — from homework help to personal advice, emotional support and everyday decision-making. That’s despite research on the harms of chatbots, which have been shown to give kids

dangerous advice about topics such as drugs, alcohol and eating disorders.

The mother of a teenage boy in Florida who killed himself after developing what she described as an emotionally and sexually abusive relationship with a chatbot has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Character.AI. And the parents of 16-year-old Adam Raine recently sued OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altman, alleging that ChatGPT coached the California boy in planning and taking his own life earlier this year.

Character.AI said it is looking forward to “collaborating with the FTC on this inquiry and providing insight on the consumer AI industry and the space’s rapidly evolving technology.”

“We have invested a tremendous amount of resources in Trust and Safety, especially for a startup. In the past year we’ve rolled out many substantive safety features, including an entirely new under-18 experience and a Parental Insights feature,” the company said. “We have prominent disclaimers in every chat to remind users that a Character is not a real person and that

Jenkins. “With Soul Shop for Black Churches, we help equip faith-based leaders to essentially be somebody’s borrowed hope until they can find it again.” Jenkins serves alongside Rev. Dr. Reginald Wells. Wells, a Missionary Baptist pastor out of North Carolina, was a participant in the training himself before becoming the other co-director of Soul Shop for Black Churches.

Both Jenkins and Wells have personal encounters with mental health challenges. Jenkins, a clinical counselor and trauma specialist from Maryland, lost her childhood best friend to suicide and later experienced suicidal desperation herself. Wells, a military veteran, suffers from chronic post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). He also lost his great-nephew to suicide.

Since taking the training and becoming co-director, Wells has begun to implement what he’s learned in his ministry. He preaches sermons on what desperation looks like and prays openly about suicide.

“We have weekly prayer in our church via conference call, and the focus of one of our prayers was on those who are dealing with suicidal ideation and desperation,” said Wells. “That was something years ago we did not do. I’m just trying to let people know that it’s OK to talk about it.”

how faith communities could respond to suicide.What started as a one-day training for faith leaders in 2012 quickly grew into a national movement, becoming an independent organization in 2017.

In 2022, Soul Shop for Black Churches emerged from the broader movement. The program was designed by a group of Black faith-based leaders with expertise in suicidality and in partnership with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

A one-day workshop, their

training teaches faith leaders how to develop workshop resources, educate congregants on suicide awarness and fundamental conversation skills and open the door for people who have experienced suicidal thoughts to share their stories. The program also points to times when suicide was discussed in scripture to help reduce stigma.

“When people get into that space of desperation they cannot access hope—which is understanding and seeing that a better, new day is achievable—and they feel isolated and alone,” said

In the future, Jenkins and Wells plan to continue normalizing conversations about suicide in faith communities. They also hope to gain more exposure for the work of Soul Shop for Black Churches. For them, it’s a movement with momentum, not a oneoff program.

“If you are reading this and you have been impacted in some way by suicide, understand that your experience has a voice that needs to be heard,” said Jenkins. “There are resources and training, like Soul Shop, to equip us to help save a life, ease a burden and let somebody know they’re not alone.”

everything a Character says should be treated as fiction.”

Snap said its My AI chatbot is “transparent and clear about its capabilities and limitations.”

“We share the FTC’s focus on ensuring the thoughtful development of generative AI, and look forward to working with the Commission on AI policy that bolsters U.S. innovation while protecting our community,” the company said in a statement.

Meta declined to comment on the inquiry and Alphabet, OpenAI and X.AI did not immediately respond to

messages for comment.

OpenAI and Meta earlier in September announced changes to how their chatbots respond to teenagers asking questions about suicide or showing signs of mental and emotional distress. OpenAI said it is rolling out new controls enabling parents to link their accounts to their teen’s account.

Parents can choose which features to disable and “receive notifications when the system detects their teen is in a moment of acute distress,” according to a company blog post that says the changes will go into effect this fall.

Regardless of a user’s age, the company says its chatbots will attempt to redirect the most distressing conversations to more capable AI models that can provide a better response.

Meta also said it is now blocking its chatbots from talking with teens about self-harm, suicide, disordered eating and inappropriate romantic conversations, and instead directs them to expert resources. Meta already offers parental controls on teen accounts.

This article was originally published by The Associated Press.

Photo courtesy of Soul Shop

Lauren Jenkins serves as co-director of Soul Shop for Black Churches, a training workshop to educate faith leaders on how to respond to suicide in their communities. Jenkins is also a licensed clinical counselor and a certified trauma professional.

Photo courtesy of Soul Shop Rev. Dr. Reginald Wells serves as co-director of Soul Shop for Black Churches. He is also a Missionary Baptist pastor in North Carolina.

AP Photo/Darryl Webb

The Federal Trade Commission is taking a close look at several tech giants over the safety of chatbots being used by children and teenagers.

Suicide survivor T-Kea Blackman creates organization to bring hope and healing to others

By Megan Sayles AFRO Staff Writer msayles@afro.com

T-Kea Blackman knows firsthand the impacts of sui cide. Her 13-year-old cousin died by suicide, and when Blackman was in middle school, she began to struggle with suicidal ideation herself. These thoughts came to a head when she was 24 and attempted to take her own life.

Blackman survived the attempt at a time when she says she noticed a rapid in crease of Black people dying by suicide. So, she decided to transform her pain into action.

“I wanted to make sure that Black people had a space to talk about their challenges, and for people who lost a loved one or were a survi vor, I wanted to make sure they also had places to talk about that,” said Blackman. “If we don’t talk about it, we can’t start healing, and in the Black community, we can’t heal in isolation— we need community.”

Blackman started to raise awareness about suicide in the Black community in 2018

through a podcast, “Fireflies Unite.” In 2023, she rebranded the name to “Black People Die by Suicide Too” (BPDBST).

That same year, she decided to grow the podcast into a nonprofit organization based in Odenton, Md.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that though U.S. suicide rates remained largely the same overall during 2018 to 2023, they increased by nearly 25 percent among Black Americans.

From Blackman’s perspec tive, often suicide is missing from conversations about mental health, which are already rare in Black commu nities. She thinks this is due to a few reasons. The religious belief that suicide is a sin, and avoidance of morbid topics in general can lead to a lack of awareness in general.

“There’s stigma and fear of judgment, and I believe that has a lot to do with being able to open up,” said Blackman “In our community, the mes saging is, ‘Suicide is a White people thing, Black people don’t do that.’ That’s where the name of the organization

comes from. It’s a message to our community that suicide is happening in our community, and we have to talk about it.”

BPDBST’s flagship pro gram is a peer support group for African Americans who are experiencing suicidal thoughts. Blackman said people join the meetings from all over the country.

The organization also helps to train peer recovery special ists in Maryland—equipping them with tools and strategies to support people who are struggling— and leads “QPR” workshops. The acronym stands for question, persuade and refer. It teaches people how to ask if someone is considering suicide, how to persuade them to seek support and how to refer them to the right help and resources.

Destiny English, a former volunteer with the organization and now an administrative as sistant, said BPDBST’s work is critical to healing in the Black community. English her self has struggled with suicidal thoughts and attempted to take her own life when she was 14.

Like Blackman, she wanted to leverage her experience to

support and educate others.

“Awareness is always the first step to solving a problem. Without awareness a prob lem is never identified,” said English. “We shine a light on a problem within the Black community that many may not have known about or may turn a blind eye to. The start of the conversation can invite healing within the space.”

Earlier in September, BPDBST hosted a retreat for Black people who are living with suicidal thoughts and who lost a loved one to suicide. Many of the attend ees had never been afforded a space to talk openly about their losses.

“There’s stigma, shame and embarrassment that’s asso ciated with suicide. People need spaces to talk about it, and for many of them, it was the first time that they’ve ever been to anything like that,” said Blackman. “Some of the losses were still fresh, and they said it was the first time that they really talked about it since it happened.”

Down the line, Blackman’s goal is to expand BPDBST’s reach globally, recognizing

Where to turn when you’re in crisis

By Andrea Stevens AFRO Staff Writer astevens@afro.com

Suicide prevention resources that speak directly to specific communities can often make all the differ ence. Mental health organizations across the country offer specialized support, including hotlines and peer-led services, designed to meet the unique needs of men, women, LGBTQ+ individuals and youth.

Tina Field, a longtime crisis counselor and leader at Baltimore Crisis Response Inc., has spent more than a decade providing immediate support to those in crisis. She says that creating space for people to be heard without judgment is often the most power ful form of intervention.

“A lot of people really talk themselves into safety. They need somebody to listen and not shame them for their feelings or not immediately call 911 when they say they’re having thoughts of suicide,” she said. “Many times, just being able to get it out and be heard and accepted will start to move them toward safety.”

Regardless of your age or gender, 988 is a nation al help hotline for those having suicidal thoughts, or are considering self-harm. Here are specialized helplines and support services available across the United States, listed by community focus:

Support For Men

Men Therapy

A mental health campaign built to connect with men using relatable language, humor and practical tools.

Tip: Take the “head inspection” self-assess ment on their site to understand your stress,

depression or substance abuse and find ways to reach out for help.

Website: Menstherapy.org

“Many times, just being able to get it out and be heard and accepted will start to move them toward safety.”

Movember- Mens Mental Health

Movember encourages open conversations and funds programs focused on early interven tion and social connection.

Tip: Reach out to someone who’s been dis tant with a simple “How are you really doing?” to spark an honesty‑based conversation.

Website: us.movember.com/mens-health/ mental-health

HeadsUpGuys

This site provides self-help tools specifically for men dealing with depression or suicidal thoughts.

Tip: Keep a daily mood journal to identify patterns

that suicide is a critical issue across the African diaspora, and to design programming for college campuses. But, for right now, she is looking to recruit board members, donors and volunteers for the young organization.

and recognize when to seek extra support.

Website: headsupguys.org

Support for LGBTQ+ individuals

The Trevor Project

The Trevor Project offers 24/7 crisis support by phone, text and chat for LGBTQ+ youth ages 13 to 24.

Tip: You don’t have to wait for a crisis, you can reach out just to talk or process feelings.

Website: thetrevorproject.org

Phone: 1-866-488-7386

Text: Text “START” to 678-678

Trans Lifeline

A peer-led hotline for trans people, offering emo tional support from volunteers who understand their lived experience.

Tip: If you’re trans and struggling, talking to someone who shares your identity can be uniquely validating.

Website: translifeline.org

Phone: 1-877-565-8860

LGBT National Help Center

Offers free and confidential peer support through phone, chat and youth-specific lines.

Tip: Use the talklines to practice asking for help, even if you’re not sure what you need yet.

Website: glbthotline.org

Hotline: 1-888-843-4564

Youth Talkline: 1-800-246-7743

Support For Women

STOPS (Sisters Taking On the Prevention of Suicide)

Provides peer groups and mental health first

Her own suicide attempt and survival continues to fuel the work she does.

“It influences everything I do in the organization,” said Blackman. “It’s truly the center that helps to remind me why I started it.”

aid training tailored to women who support others living with mental illness.

Tip: Sharing your experience with others who’ve been through similar loss or struggle can reduce shame and isolation.

Website: helpstopsuicides.org

To Write Love on Her Arms (TWLOHA) TWLOHA connects people to mental health services and promotes healing through storytelling.

Tip: Telling your story, even in a journal or anonymously, can help process emotions and begin recovery.

Website: twloha.com

MGH Center for Women’s Mental Health (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services)

Provides critical guidance and crisis tips for women with suicidal thoughts.

Tip: If experiencing suicidal thoughts, call 911, utilize the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, seek a medical emergency department, or reach out to someone who can help you access support.

Website: https://womensmentalhealth.org

Support For Teens and Children

Teen Line

Peer-to-peer helpline via phone, text or email, run by trained teens.

Tip: Reach out even when you think your issue is small. Teen Line is there because no concern is too small.

Website: Teenline.org

Phone: (800) 852-8336

Text: Text “TEEN” to 839863

Teen Link

Teen Link is a confidential peer-to-peer support line staffed by trained teen volunteers. It provides a safe space for youth to talk about mental health, relationships or anything they’re struggling with.

Tip: If you have a friend who tells you they are thinking of killing themself, take that person seriously. Don’t keep a secret that may end a life. Tell a trusted adult.

Website: crisisconnections.org

Phone/ Text: 866-833-6546

Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide (SPTS) Offers toolkits and resources for teens, fami lies and educators.

Tip: Use their Mental Health Crisis Toolkit to recognize early warning signs and respond effectively.

Website: sptsusa.org

Photo courtesy of T-Kea Blackman

T-Kea Blackman is the executive director and co-founder of Black People Die By Suicide Too, an organization aspiring to normalize conversations about suicidal ideation and suicide in the Black community.

Unsplash/ Dan Meyers

NO. 2024ADM001325 HELEN E. BRINSON AKA HELEN ELIZABETH BRINSON Name of Decedent LISA SMITH SANDERS, ESQ. 14452 OLD MILL ROAD, SUITE 101 UPPER MARLBORO,

AKA HELEN ELIZABETH BRINSON who died on NOVEMBER 4, 2023 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance In this proceeding. Objections to such, appointment 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

BALTIMORE-AREA

‘Daily Hustle’ exhibit brings photos of I. Henry Phillips to life

By Tashi McQueen AFRO Staff Writer tmcqueen@afro.com

“The Daily Hustle” exhibit is now showing at the Baltimore Museum of Industry (BMI), located at 1415 Key Highway in Baltimore.

The exhibit, which will run through February 2026, spotlights the striking photographs of I. Henry Phillips Sr., the late longtime AFRO photographer.

Through his work, visitors to the exhibit are able to get a glimpse into the lives of the Black laborers and business owners who called Baltimore home during the mid-20th century.

The exhibit is curated by Phillips’s grandson, Webster Phillips III, and places an emphasis on style, labor and entrepreneurship in Black neighborhoods, often overshadowed by negative narratives of poverty and crime. The exhibit aims to elevate the stories of ordinary people and business in Baltimore.

Webster Phillips III says the idea for the exhibit began when a friend put postcards he had created with his grandfather’s photos up online. This sparked the interest of someone at T. Rowe Price. That interest led to an initial show of I. Henry Phillips Sr.’s business-themed photos in their Bmore CoLab, a space where entrepreneurs and small business owners can start or build their business and financial goals.

“It was there for almost three years,” said Phillips, who curated the piece.

“Then it moved to Charm

The new

City Cultural Conservation on Greenmount Avenue.”

After an appearance at a local flea market, Webster Phillips III connected with BMI, inevitably making way for “The Daily Hustle.”

Webster Phillips III told the AFRO the shows amplify the impact of Black laborers and business owners on the local economy.

“We started to do shows with themes, where we could open up larger conversations and bring in experts on the subjects, and bring in resources for the community,” he said.

The temporary “Daily Hustle” exhibit pairs well with the permanent AFRO News exhibit installed at BMI in the Print Shop.

Continued on D2

Webster

Greater Baltimore Committee celebrates 70 years of civic and economic leadership

By Megan Sayles AFRO Staff Writer msayles@afro.com

The Greater Baltimore Committee (GBC) held its 70th Annual Meeting at the Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel on Sept. 12, marking seven decades of economic and civic leadership in the region. The gathering convened business, community and elected leaders and reflected on the history of the organization while highlighting its vision for the future.

The celebration comes two years after GBC’s release of its multi-year agenda for the region, which outlines 12 initiatives to advance economic opportunity, transportation and infrastructure and collective impact.

“What is so special about tonight? It is a reconciliation of our past with the last two years since we announced our multi-year agenda,” said Mark Anthony Thomas, CEO and president of GBC. “We’ve set a new foundation, we have integrated new organizations, we’ve reset our governance, and we built a game plan.” GBC unveiled its

Mark

multi-year agenda at its 2023 Annual Meeting. The release followed a restructuring of the organization after its merger with the former Economic Alliance of Greater Baltimore in 2022. Since then, under the leadership of Thomas, the organization has devised a 10-year economic development plan, launched a branding initiative

and successfully spearheaded an effort to secure a federal Tech Hub designation for the Greater Baltimore region.

Most recently, GBC integrated UpSurge, a tech ecosystem builder, under its umbrella and relaunched the BLocal economic impact initiative.

“There is such a vicious work underway to ensure that

Morgan State University targets R-1 status to boost innovation, jobs and growth in Baltimore

of Baltimore.”

Morgan State University (MSU) is pressing forward in its efforts to achieve R-1 status—a designation from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education and the American Council on Education (ACE).

Institutions with an R-1 status operate at the highest level of research activity and are critical for innovation, as their research drives new products and business creation.

Presently MSU offers 20 plus doctoral degree granting programs; having invested over $1 billion in infrastructure and hosting eight new State Supported Research Centers, including ones in cutting edge topical areas such as cybersecurity, Al and machine learning and microelectronics (CHIPS).

According to ACE, there are 187 R-1 institutions in the United States. Another 139 have R-2 status, including MSU. Aside from those two categories, there are 216 other research institutions that spend more than $2.5 million on research annually, but do not have R-1 or R-2 status in the United States.

Led by Dr. David K. Wilson, MSU’s 10th president, the university achieved R-2 status in December 2018, a recognition of its significant research and development activities. As an R-2 institution, MSU is required to allocate $5 million annually toward research and confer at least 20 doctoral degrees each year.

Wilson says reaching R-1 status will boost university spin-offs and increase small businesses in Baltimore, fostering the city’s growth as an innovation hub. He notes this recognition will attract more investment, residents and students to the city.

we are making sure every high-growth and high-potential startup and entrepreneur has the support they need to thrive in this market,” said Thomas. “This future also includes, now, BLocal. We’ll be galvanizing companies to hire, to buy and invest locally to keep all of our region’s

“MSU State University is embarking on a transformative journey to reach R-1 status by 2030,” said Wilson. “Achieving R-1 status would be of enormous benefit and value first to the City of Baltimore. We conducted an economic impact study just a couple of years ago and at the R-2 level it’s a billion dollars economic impact a year for the state of Maryland and over $500 million economic impact for the city

“At R-1, minimally, we could expect to double that impact for the City of Baltimore. That would mean a $1 billion dollar annual economic impact and minimally $2 billion and above for the state of Maryland,” Wilson said, adding that “it is quintessential” for the university to prepare MSU graduates for “the work of the future and future of work.”

The Carnegie Commission began evaluating higher education institutions in 1970, publishing its framework in 1973, with updates every three years. Currently, universities that hold R-1 status are required to spend at least $50 million in annual research and confer 70 research doctorates each year. In Maryland, only four universities have this distinction: Johns Hopkins University; University of Maryland, Baltimore; University of Maryland, Baltimore County and University of Maryland, College Park. Wilson noted that MSU sets “ambitious, but realistic goals” and is committed to reaching them. He assigned the Division of Research and Economic Development to lead efforts toward the university’s R-1 status.

In 2018, Dr. Willie E. May, an accomplished scientist and former president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, joined MSU as vice president of Research and Economic Development and professor of chemistry. May is tasked with directing MSU in the following areas:

• Enhancing MSU’s research capacity, providing infrastructural support to increase external funding from public and private sources Ensure compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, including those related to the responsible conduct of research

• Assist in coordinating research in programs that span multiple schools

• Facilitate the commercialization of faculty and students generated

By Catherine Pugh Special to the AFRO

Photo Courtesy of Morgan State University

Maryland’s Morgan State University is pushing toward R-1 status, aiming to boost research output, attract investment and strengthen Baltimore’s economy.

Photo by Haldan Kirsch Photography

Anthony Thomas, CEO and president of the Greater Baltimore Committee (GBC), addresses the crowd at the organization’s 70th Annual Meeting at the Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel on Sept. 12. Thomas reflected on the organization’s history while outlining its future direction.

AFRO Photo/Tashi McQueen

“The Daily Hustle” exhibit at the Baltimore Museum of Industry spotlights I. Henry Phillips, Sr.’s photographs, chronicling Black laborers and business owners in mid-20th-century Baltimore. The photos highlight style, entrepreneurship and community stories often overlooked in history.

AFRO Photo/Tashi McQueen

Phillips III honors his grandfather I. Henry Phillips Sr.’s legacy by serving as curator of “The Daily Hustle” at the Baltimore Museum of Industry, showcasing historic photos of Black laborers and business owners.

From patrol officer to deputy commissioner: An AFRO spotlight on Kevin Jones

By Tashi McQueen AFRO Staff Writer tmcqueen@afro.com

Kevin Jones, deputy commissioner of operations for the Baltimore Police Department (BPD), has spent more than 30 years in the force building connections between the police and the community.

His positive contributions to building better police-community relations, along with his promotion to deputy commissioner overseeing violence reduction efforts, have helped the department achieve record reductions in violent crime.

According to BPD, as of Sept. 11, homicides are down by 26.9 percent and non-fatal shootings by 19.8 percent year-to-date. The city is currently experiencing a 50-year low in homicides after eight consecutive years of more than 300 homicides annually.

As deputy commissioner of operations, Jones, 53, oversees the youth and community partnerships division, crime strategies and intelligence, victim services, patrol, the BPD detectives and forensic sciences and evidence division.

Prior to serving as deputy commissioner starting on Dec. 3, 2023, Jones was a colonel and chief of patrol. He has also served as patrol officer in the Northwestern District, operations sergeant and captain and executive officer in the Southeastern District.

“What we’re doing is a lot of [work with a] data driven focus,” said Jones regarding BPD’s work with reducing crime. “We’re analyzing it. What we do is identify the most vulnerable individuals

who are group

members, and we start to go after them. We’ve got to find those individuals who are more than likely going to be a victim

or going to victimize so we can extract them, if necessary.”

Grassroots power and civic action take center stage at Beyond Impact 2025

By Megan Sayles AFRO Staff Writer msayles@afro.com

Tides Advocacy, a California-based nonprofit dedicated to advancing social justice movements, hosted Beyond Impact 2025 in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor Sept. 17-19. The convening assembled organizers, community leaders and advocates to exchange ideas, share resources and align strategies for change.

During the three-day conference, panel conversations and breakout sessions tackled issues, like voting rights, public safety, coalition building and organizer well-being. The goal of Beyond Impact 2025 was to strengthen the infrastructure of social movements by equipping attendees with the tools, networks and vision to defend democracy

R-1 status

Continued from D1

intellectual property

Spearhead MSU’s efforts in being seen as a well-recognized, well respected and well-rounded research institution

May said MSU is steadily advancing toward R-1 University status, having met key benchmarks and planning further expansion.

The university has awarded over 1,000 doctoral degrees and conferred at least 70 doctorates each year from 2020–2022. Since 2016, the university has received 39

Love

founder of Life

and Chrissy

of Associated Black Charities, have a discussion on Baltimore’s

organizing.

U.S. utility patents and has more than 30 pending. May emphasizes the university’s focus on supporting student and faculty research through stipends and reduced course loads, allowing more time for research projects.

If approved, Morgan State University would be the first Black institution to receive R-1 status in the state of Maryland.

“We cannot forget who we are,” says May. “Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) came into being during the time when many schools barred their doors to African Americans.

HBCUs offered the best –and often, the only – opportunity for higher education.

“Daily Hustle”

Continued from D1

There, visitors can learn about how the 133-year-old publication was put together letter by letter, line by line in the linotype era.

Benjamin “Ben” Phillips IV, president of the AFRO expressed his excitement at another exhibit recognizing the work of his late uncle, I. Henry Phillips Sr., and the work of his family to keep the legacy alive.

Benjamin Phillips IV was trained under his uncle in photography at the AFRO alongside four others, often shadowing them on the weekends, learning how they engaged in the community, and took photos with names for the AFRO publications.

“It took a special skill to make sure that you could capture all the hues of folks of color,” said Phillips. “You could have a lighter complexion and still come out on a photo dark as can be. His uncle developed and taught us techniques to make sure you’re able to see them as they were.”

Beth Maloney, director of curatorial affairs at BMI, said it was important to bring the exhibit to the museum.

“I really wanted to be able to host the show here, in part because we are all about the history of working people in Baltimore,” said Maloney. director of curatorial affairs at BMI. “Many of the images resonated with our existing galleries.”

“Photography is a powerful

Leadership

Continued from D1

economic power in this market.”

During the meeting, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore gave remarks, recognizing GBC’s collaboration with the state and the city to address the vacancy crisis in Baltimore.

The effort, dubbed Reinvest Baltimore, seeks to eliminate pockets of vacant properties and revitalize neighborhoods.

“We chose to do something really crazy: work together… to actually work together and say that we are going to work in partnership with the city and the state. We are going to make sure that the private sector is involved. We are going to make sure that our social entrepreneurs and community organizations have a seat at the table,” said

way to connect with the past,” said Maloney. “You see real people, real situations and there is so much story-telling within photography.”

Maloney shared what she hopes visitors of the exhibit will take away from the experience.

“History is not just about big themes or anonymous folks, but real people, who you can feel connected to, who have real personal and important experiences, that together can braid this bigger narrative about the past,” said Maloney. “I also really want to make sure that our visitors are getting a full, rich understanding of the history of Baltimore, which includes the experience of Black business owners in the Black community here.”

Webster Phillips III and Maloney confirmed that they are expecting to host a panel discussion with experts and resources available for the community in October. Further information about the event will be available on the website.

In the long-run, Webster Phillips III –who oversees the archives of his grandfather’s photos–has big plans for his grandfather’s work and legacy.

“I would like to have the archive to be a resource for educators, but also an open resource,” said Phillips, recognizing that many archives are hard for the average person to access.

He hopes the photos will help support educators in the stories they want to tell, providing a true image of history rather than leaving them to visually imagine that time period.

Moore. “In just this time, in two and a half years, that number of vacants has now been cut by over 20 percent with a goal that in 13 years we will eliminate the entire vacant housing inventory.”

Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott also spoke at the gathering, praising GBC for co-founding the CollegeBound Foundation in 1988. Since then, the foundation has supported tens of thousands of low-income and first-generation Baltimore City students, including Scott himself, with scholarships and grants to pursue higher education.

“The most important words that I will say tonight are, ‘Thank you,’” said Scott. “Thank you to the GBC for 70 years of believing in, investing in and building Baltimore—and not just in business, but in community and even in education.”

In a report prepared by May for the university’s board of regents, he notes HBCUs in the category of “underutilized national resources.”

“To maintain U.S. global competitiveness, it is in our Nation’s best interest for HBCUs to receive a greater share of federal research dollars and other support to help provide the U.S. STEM workforce of the future,” May wrote in the report.

Morgan State College became Morgan State University (MSU) in 1975, by the authority of the Maryland General Assembly permitting them to offer doctoral programs. According to MSU’s

communications, the university as of fiscal year 2025, set a new record by earning over $104 million in sponsored research and $65 million in research expenditures.

“Achieving R-1 status guides our dedication to MSU’s mission as a resource for the Black community, “ May told the AFRO. “Morgan is committed to serving all levels—from local to global—by preparing empowered, diverse graduates to become leaders.”

The next round for Morgan State University to be reviewed for Carnegie R-1 status is 2028, which meets their goal of achieving that plateau by 2030.

AFRO Photo/Megan Sayles

Dayvon

(left), public policy director for Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle; Qiana Johnson,

After Release;

Thornton, president and CEO

legacy of grassroots

Courtesy photo

Deputy Commissioner Kevin Jones of the Baltimore Police Department oversees crime strategies, patrol and youth partnerships as part of the agency’s violence-reduction efforts.

Photo by Haldan Kirsch Photography

Maryland Governor Wes Moore gives remarks at GBC’s 70th Annual Meeting on Sept. 12. Moore applauded GBC’s partnership with the state and the city of Baltimore in tackling the city’s vacancy crisis.

Beyond Impact

Continued from D2

and create sustainable, community-centered equity.

“We are all together to protect this democracy,” said Jones. “We are the people, and we have the power to organize more people and build our bases to protect our democracy.”

Fighting for fair representation in redistricting maps Across the country, a number of states are undergoing redistricting,with battles over who gets represented and how districts are drawn. In Texas, for example, Republican lawmakers have created a new map that seeks to seize five Democratic seats. It also dilutes Black voting power by consolidating much of Houston’s Black population into a single district.

The redistricting in Texas was also pushed by the 47th president.

“Trump and his allies are using redistricting to entrench minority rule and usher in autocracy. Our choice is clear,” said Jones. “We can hope our courts will save us, or we can build bases strong enough to win fairness on our own terms.”

During a panel at Beyond Impact, legal, voting and census experts examined how organizers can defend against gerrymandering in their communities.

April England-Albright, legal director and chief of staff for Black Voters Matter, explained that legal teams must work hand-in-hand with organizations and people who are being impacted by redistricting efforts. This helps to strengthen lawsuits against new maps.

“Litigation outside of organizing does not work. It just doesn’t,” said England-Albright. “We have to acknowledge that the cases that win are cases that are fed and fueled by the community. You have to have those two components together.”

Meeta Anand, senior director of census and data equity at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, stressed the importance of accurate census data to secure fair representation.

She explained that undercounts, especially in Black, Latino and other marginalized communities, can lead to diminished political power, less access to resources and fewer congressional seats.

She emphasized that local engagement and participation in the census is critical to protecting communities’ voices in redistricting, but the government must ensure that participants’ data is protected.

“It’s important that you show up in the data because what the government has created right now is a situation where you’re in a rock or a

hard place,” said Anand. “You either show up in the data and then you’re not showing up for your community, yourself or representation, or you’re showing up in the data and putting yourself at risk.”

Grassroots power and Black autonomy in Baltimore

Beyond Impact also featured a special session on Baltimore’s history of organizing, racial equity and community-led solutions. The panel brought together local leaders in working at the intersection of economic empowerment, criminal justice and civic engagement, who reflected on lessons from the in-custody death of 25-yearold Freddie Gray in 2015.

In the aftermath of Gray’s killing, Baltimore was thrust into the national spotlight, highlighting

longstanding issues of police violence against African Americans in the city.

Dayvon Love, public policy director for Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle (LBS), said that Gray’s death and the community’s subsequent response were part of a broader struggle for Black liberation.

“When Freddie Gray was killed and the uprising happened, I understood it as a part of the continuum of Black resistance to White supremacy,” said Love.

“If you know about what has been happening in the community, you weren’t shocked or surprised,” he continued. “The question became, ‘How are we going to use the momentum to make a change?’”

Qiana Johnson, founder of Life After Release in Prince George’s

Sunni Gilliam closes Teavolve after 20 years

Teavolve Cafe, a Harbor East Black-owned restaurant known for tea, closed on Sept. 19 after 20 years in business. Over the past two decades the establishment has made a name for itself as much more than just a trendy spot to enjoy a hot beverage and connect with friends.

Founder Sunni Gilliam’s inspiration for Teavolve came from a daily lifestyle change.

“My doctor told me to lay off the caffeine because I was doing espresso—lots of espresso,” Gilliam told the AFRO. “I had a really great tea mentor and she helped me choose the teas for this cafe.”

The Philadelphia native moved to Baltimore in September 2005. She wanted to bring something to the city that she felt was missing.

“I was working at a jazz club in Philly called Zanzibar Blue, that’s when I fell in love with the restaurant industry,” said Gilliam. “I wanted to have that ‘third place’ where it’s not your work, it’s not your home, it’s a place to hang out.” Gilliam opened her first storefront, originally named Tealogy, in November that same year.

Jones

Continued from D2

County, Md., said Baltimore’s response to the death of Gray helped her county to recognize the power of grassroots organizing and apply those lessons locally.

She also highlighted ongoing work to support women and families impacted by incarceration through programs that address legal empowerment, employment and childcare access—demonstrating how community-led organizing can build longterm resilience and opportunities.

“Because Baltimore was rising up, we started to demand some things too. The police accountability that came out of Baltimore’s movement is something else that Prince George’s County has taken,” said Johnson. “Our advocates and our people on the ground have been holding police officers accountable.”

Sanar Blues, she brought her “third place” vision to life in Harbor East. The restaurant known for its tea and brunch is like family to the community after 20 years.

“We had open mics, live music and tea tastings. It was a very intimate setting,” said Gilliam.

Three years later, she signed a lease, acquired a

Jones said the Group Violence Reduction Strategy was implemented with a layered approach, utilizing patrol officers and enforcement teams who then have the ability to do other investigations.

“It’s really making sure that all of the entities who have their responsibilities are focused unilaterally to get the job done,” he said.

liquor license and opened the Harbor East location under a different name: Teavolve. The neighborhood was still developing when they first opened.

Jones highlighted the work BPD is doing to help officers with their mental health, which he says helps to ensure a better officer. He said he is also particularly proud of their victim services unit, something BPD did not have 30 years ago. Through the unit, the officers are finding the root cause of violence, helping them break the cycles of violence.

“You have to make a decision, whether it’s the popular decision or not,” said Jones concerning what he’s learned about leadership and working in the police force.

“Whole Foods and restaurants like H and S Bakery were not here,” said Gilliam.

“We were kind of like pioneers in the area.”

“We had weddings here,

“You have to make it as quickly as possible with the information that you have, because not making the decision is a decision. People need to be led.”

Jones, a Baltimore native, was born on Oct. 29 in 1972. He attended and graduated from Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High School in 1990. In 1994, he joined BPD, in part paying homage to his former Ames department store colleague, who endeavored to join the police force prior to his untimely death. While at BPD, he earned a

we had engagements, bridal showers, baby showers,” said Gilliam. “I met another couple that had their first date here and they’ve been married for 12 years now.”

certificate from the University of Maryland University College in criminal justice leadership in 2009, an associate’s degree in criminal justice from the Community College of Baltimore County in 2019 and a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and corrections from Strayer University in 2025.

Charlene Bourne, president of the Eastern District for the Community Relations Council, weighed in on Jones’ work and character.

“Deputy Commissioner Kevin A. Jones has been a constant joy to

Over the years, the restaurant garnered many awards. It was voted Best Brunch, Best Tea House, and Best Breakfast by the Baltimore Magazine.

Still, there were some struggles.

“We went through two recessions, a pandemic… we endured so much, but it was the love and support of the community that kept us going. It kept me going, honestly.”

Teavolve became like a home – and an office – for many of its customers.

CEO of VaynerBasketball, Bay Fraizer, said he held many business meetings and client calls in the Harbor East cafe.

“I loved the atmosphere, the community,” said Fraizer. “I [will] miss being able to meet with different people from my programs here…It was the perfect location, and the food was great.”

Now, after years of impacting others, Gilliam is ready to take time to decompress.

“It’s been a wonderful ride for 20 years. I will certainly miss the community,” said Gilliam. “But I also know that this is the right time to do it...I feel at ease.”

work with, I truly believe that he has the community’s best interest at heart,” said Bourne. “From all of his positions until becoming deputy commissioner he has always been approachable, ready and able to look into any issues community members would bring to his attention.”

“I have even called him at home when he was cutting grass to assist me with a community issue and providing an explanation to residents about a crime,” said Bourne. “He is a great example of police working with the community to solve issues.”

AFRO Photo / Alexis Taylor

Sunni Gilliam, owner of Teavolve, moved from Philadelphia in 2005. Inspired by her former job at jazz club

AFRO Photo/Megan Sayles

April England-Albright (left), legal director and chief of staff for Black Voters Matter; Cathy Duvall, founder of Democracy Ascent Advisors; Resha Thomas, project director of the Texas Black Action Fund; and Meeta Anand, senior director of census and data equity at the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, discuss ongoing redistricting battles across the country. The conversation took place during Beyond Impact 2025, a gathering hosted by Tides Advocacy in Baltimore Sept. 17-19.

Metropolitan United Methodist Church celebrates 200 years

By AFRO Staff

Metropolitan United Methodist Church (MUMC) celebrated its 200th anniversary as a historically Black institution in Baltimore on Sept. 13 at Forum Caterers.

Established in the early 19th century, the church came into being at a time when African Americans had to fight for both their physical and religious freedoms. Today, the church serves as one of the city’s most enduring symbols of faith, resilience and purpose. Over the years the church has experienced building and name changes.

Earl Graves, a member of the church and part of the banquet program committee, recounted the church’s early beginnings.

“The Metropolitan United Methodist Church began two centuries ago during slave times. Most freedmen and slaves, as the teachers of the gospel, held these meetings such as prayer or Bible study in secret at various homes in South Baltimore, because such gatherings of Black people were illegal,” Graves said.

According to a 1975 nomination form filed with the National Register of Historic Places, “in 1825 a West Indian Black man [named] Truman Le Pratt held prayer meetings in his house…the other two trustees at that time were Basil Hall and Cyrus Moore.”

Soon, the meetings were too big for a small house.

Truman Le Pratt, also spelled Trueman Pratt, “got the idea about a church, and gave the first sum of money toward its construction. His wife was employed by the Moore family. George and Henry Moore owned or were agents for a lot of property in Baltimore,” according to the nomination form.

“Mrs. Truman approached her employer, Mr. Moore, who gave Mr. Pratt a piece of land to start his church ministry. This piece of land was on Orchard Street,” Graves said.

According to the history written on the nomination form by George J. Andreve, an assistant architectural historian with the Maryland Historical Trust in 1975, “during this period in history Blacks were given things without anything being recorded, or any legal transaction such as a deed. Truman Le Pratt’s wife asked her employer for some land to build a house of worship for her people. She was promised some land by the family. However, this was by word of mouth only.” Graves described the laborious effort that went into building the original church, emphasizing the congregation’s determination and faith.

“The congregation began to build the church themselves. Most of the work was done at night. The men laid bricks while the women and children held candles for light. The congregation continued to meet in their homes until the church was finished. It took them 10 years to complete,” he said.

Though the church archivist has no record of an exact founding date– only the

year of 1825– by March 4, 1928 the congregation had a new building. They marched together to their new location, which is now located at 1121 West Lanvale Street.

The Rev. Rodney Hudson, the current senior pastor of Metropolitan UMC, said the church’s bicentennial is about more than just commemorating the past.

“Our church anniversary is not just about families coming together, raising money or talking about the good old days, but it is about lifting the name of Jesus,” Hudson said. “It is about sharing God’s love so that our community can encounter true transformation. This is the kind of

transformation that impacts not only one person but future generations.”

All AFRO Photos/ Stephen Hopkins

Family is key at Metropolitan UMC, which was founded by former slave Truman Pratt, in 1825. Shown here celebrating the 200-year anniversary are Laverne Sykes (left); Shannon Reid; Brandon Armstrong; Danielle Tunstall Armstrong; Patricia Poindexter Tunstall; Stephanie Pettaway; Janet Carter Hadnott; Samuel Tunstall Jr. and Tammy Poindexter Mckoy.

The Rev. Rodney Hudson, pastor of Metropolitan UMC, speaks to attendees that the bicentennial celebration.

Jackie Chester (left) and Brenda Carter sit chatting at the celebration of Metropolitan UMC’s 200-year legacy of service to the Baltimore community.

The congregation takes a moment to recognize Agnes T. Ray (left), the eldest in the room at the age of 102. Shown here, Ray (front, center) with Patricia Tunstall (back,left) Saundra Northington Jackson and Tammy Mckoy (back, right).

The Rev. Dr. Anthony Hunt Sr. (left) fellowships with Stephanie Pettaway at the Metropolitan United Methodist Church (Metropolitan UMC) celebration of 200 years of faith and service.

Earl Graves, a member of the banquet program committee, recounts the church’s beginnings on Sept. 13.

A new generation of Metropolitan UMC worshippers celebrate its 200-year anniversary. Shown here here, Amber Scott (left) and Keasia Scott.

Elenor Brown (left), Emily Hinson and Bonita Mouldin celebrate Metropolitan UMC’s milestone anniversary.

Fay Evans is resplendent in a sequined gown at the Metropolitan UMC’s bicentennial anniversary event, held on Sept. 13 at Forum Caterers.