Prince Georges Afro American Newspaper November 29 2014 by AFRO News

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY EDITION

Volume 123 No. 17

Nation’s #1 African American Newspaper 2014 Nielsen-Essence Consumer Report

NOVEMBER 29, 2014 - DECEMBER 5, 2014

Marion Barry: the City’s ‘Mayor for Life’ By James Wright Special to the AFRO Several leaders from across the District reflected on Marion Barry’s life with plenty of reflective and positive thoughts on former D.C. Council member and four-term mayor. Barry died at 1:46 a.m. at the United Medical Center on Nov. 23 after collapsing the previous day while he was leaving Howard University Hospital after visiting his son, Christopher. Barry served as mayor of the District from 1979-1991 and from 1995-1999. He was elected to the D.C. Board of Continued on A4

Ferguson Ignites

AP Photo

Protestors carry signs and gather in front of the White House in Washington, Nov. 25, 2014, after the Ferguson grand jury decided not to indict police officer Darren Wilson in the shooting death of Michael Brown. By Zenitha Prince Senior AFRO Correspondent After months of deliberation, a 12-member grand jury on Nov. 24 decided Ferguson, Mo., police officer Darren Wilson was justified in his fatal August shooting of an unarmed African-American teen, triggering protests in the city. Prosecutor Robert

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McCulloch said the grand jury decided “no probable cause exists” to indict Wilson on any of the five possible charges in the wake of his Aug. 9 fatal shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown. Both eyewitness testimony and physical evidence pointed to Brown being the aggressor, including the presence of the teenager’s DNA and fingerprints in the officer’s vehicle and on his gun, he said. And, McCulloch added, several eyewitnesses offered statements that were “inconsistent with other statements they made and also conflicting with the physical evidence.” “I’m ever mindful that this decision will not be accepted by some and may cause disappoint for others.

But all decisions in the criminal justice system must be determined by the physical and scientific evidence and credible testimony corroborated by that evidence, not in response to public outcry or for political

evidence. Anything else is not justice.” The announcement gave vent to pent up tensions that mounted over the past three-and-a-half months and reached fever pitch in the past few days as the Ferguson

“We are profoundly disappointed that the killer of our child will not face the consequence of his actions.” –Brown’s parents expediency,” McCulloch said. “Decisions on a matter as serious as charging an individual with a crime simply cannot be decided on anything less than a complete, critical examination of all the

community awaited the grand jury decision. Brown’s death, for many, became a flashpoint in the local and national conversation about race and the acrimonious relationship Continued on A3

Government Agencies, Non-Profits Fight Hunger in Prince George’s County By Courtney Jacobs AFRO Staff Writer

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In order to boost nutrition for local families and children in Prince George’s County, Md. the charity Gleaning For The World along with several government departments pledged to give out one million meals per year for three years to fight hunger. Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker, III, Milt and Lauren Peterson from the Peterson Family Continued on A5

Photo by Mike Yourishin

A county resident enjoys some of the free produce available at the event.

AP Photo

Nyela Williams (left in hat) Barbara Jones (center) a longtime employee of former Mayor Barry and Dawn Perry (right) comfort each other during a vigil to honor Marion Barry.

Butterfield Elected New CBC Chair By James Wright Special to the AFRO

The members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) recently voted a former North Carolina jurist as its leader for the 114th Congress. Rep. G.K. Butterfield (D-N.C.) was voted to lead the Congressional Black Caucus on Nov. 19. Butterfield, who was first elected to Congress in a special election in July 2004, is known on Capitol Hill to be a strong advocate for supporting broadband expansion in rural and minority areas and for quality health insurance access for all Americans. “I am happy to pass the chairman’s gavel to my friend Rep. G.K. Butterfield and colleague, Rep. Butterfield,” (D-N.C.) is the new outgoing CBC Chair Marcia chairman of the Fudge (D-Ohio) said. “He has Congressional Black dedicated his life and career to Caucus. advancing the priorities of the disenfranchised and overlooked, both in his home state of North Carolina as well as here on the Hill. I congratulate him on his election, and I look forward to supporting him in his new capacity as he continues to move our caucus forward.”

AKAs Hold HBCU Fair in Suitland

By Courtney Jacobs AFRO Staff Writer

to be the #1 nation that gives out bachelor degrees. We are currently 12. This is one of the important decisions in your life. It’s never too late to get a degree,” said Dr. George E. Cooper, executive director of the White House Initiative – Dr. George E. Cooper on HBCUs. Multiple sessions, workshops, guest speakers and colleges offered guidance to students. Students were offered a wide range of perspectives, including views from student athletes. Continued on A4

“This is one of the important decisions in your life. It’s never too late to get a degree.”

Beltway Church of Christ in Suitland, Md. along with the Upsilon Tau Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) Sorority from Fort Washington, Md. hosted an HBCU College Fair on Nov. 15 to help students choose a college and to emphasize that HBCUs are still significant in today’s society. “A degree is going to up job opportunities. Obama is encouraging us to all have at least one year of college experience out of high school. Obama wants

Continued on A4

The Afro-American, November 29, 2014 - December 5, 2014

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NATION & WORLD Black Norfolk HS Students Hold Protest Over Allegedly ‘Racist’ Tweet By Assistant Principal

Black students held a protest by walking out of Booker T. Washington High School in Norfolk, Va., after seeing an allegedly racist tweet on the page of assistant principal Amy Strickland, according to ABC13. The tweet, originally posted by “@OrNahhTweets” on Twitter, was a prom picture of seven White females with seven Black males and the caption: “Every White girl’s father’s worst nightmare Or Nah?” Strickland retweeted this posting back in June, but students noticed it recently when they were looking on her page. President of the NAACP Norfolk branch Joe W. Dillard released a statement denouncing Strickland’s decision to retweet the offensive post and said the organization has launched its own investigation. “We hold the administration accountable for their actions,” Dillard said. “We will not tolerate racism in this city and definitely not in the education system. Booker T. Washington High School is a fragile school; and the last thing we need in our community are students walking out of school in protest to racist administrators. “The residents of Norfolk, the students of Norfolk and the Norfolk Branch NAACP ask for quick and just adjudication of Assistant Principal Amy Strickland’s behavior,” he added. Michael LeMelle, a junior at Booker T. Washington told NewsOne, “Those comments should really be kept to herself. I could have been any one of the boys in the picture. And I really don’t see myself, like I said earlier, as anyone’s worst nightmare.” LeMelle, along with a dozen other students, walked out Monday after their grievance was allegedly ignored by their principal and Norfolk Public Schools. Strickland, who is currently on administrative leave, said the tweet was something she forwarded to her daughter last June, before she joined the Norfolk School System. She added that the intense media scrutiny and calls for her termination based on her allegedly racist actions are unwarranted and belie her history as an educator in predominantly African-American schools. “The ‘tweet’ appeared to me at the time to have been an attempt at good-natured humor concerning mixed race couples attending a high school prom. Because I have two daughters who in fact did attend proms with African American dates, I casually forwarded the ‘tweet’ last June to one of those

daughters,” she explained in a statement. “Media reports suggesting that I am racially prejudiced are one thousand percent false, as my record and my many students, colleagues, friends, and family members who are African American can and, if necessary, will attest,” she added.

Beloved Louisiana Football Coach Slain Over Argument

West St. John High School quarterback coach and former Millsaps College football star The alleged gunman Juan Joseph, 27, was shot and Kendric Cloud (left) and killed outside of Allure nightclub Lemark Cloud in Baton Rouge, La., on Nov. 16, according to news reports. “Information given to us through witnesses was that he was trying to deescalate the situation occurring between his two friends and the driver of the vehicle,” Baton Rouge police Cpl. L’Jean McKneely told The Clarion Ledger. That driver, Lemark Cloud, 25, is being charged with accessory after the fact to second-degree murder, accessory after the fact to illegal use of a weapon and accessory after the fact to felon in possession of a firearm. The alleged gunman, who turned himself in to police, was Lemark’s cousin Kendric Cloud, who was just released from jail on Nov. 5. Kendric has been arrested for connection in the killing of Joseph and charged with second-degree murder, illegal use of a weapon and felon in possession of a firearm. “While in the parking lot inside of a vehicle [Lemark] and one of the witnesses got into a verbal altercation after [Lemark] struck the witness with his vehicle,” the officer noted in the probable cause report according to NewsOne. “The driver then got out of his vehicle and showed a gun to [Joseph] and friends in the process. [Joseph] attempted to diffuse the situation by telling his friends to leave as they weren’t interested in fighting,” the officer continued. “[Kendric], the front seat passenger, then exited the vehicle and shot [Juan Joseph] without cause or justification to do so.” Joseph graduated from Millsaps College in Jackson, Miss., with a bachelor’s degree in marketing and finance, and a master’s in business administration. He won the Conerly Trophy in 2008, an award given out to the top college football player in the state.

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The New Face of Foreclosure

By George H. Lambert Jr. President and CEO, Greater Washington Urban League

As we celebrate Thanksgiving, those of us with a roof over our heads should be full of thanks for the blessings we have been granted. Not only are there far too many homeless individuals and families in our midst-- in our own backyard--but there are also a substantial number of homeowners who are being crushed by debt. Consider, for example, a client we recently saw at our free housing clinic in D.C. When this 43-year-old father of two lost his job with a trucking company, the resulting cascade of debt jeopardized his ownership of two properties. Over the course of four months of financial counseling, he was able to modify his mortgage terms so that he could afford to pay his bills and to continue supporting his children’s education. Today, he’s working as a bus driver,

living within his means, and a homeowner in good standing. Too many people facing foreclosure are suffering in silence. Debt doesn’t have to be a death sentence. If you got a little behind, if you’re overextended or maxed out, there is help within your reach. The Greater Washington Urban League and other organizations are a resource and an ally. That’s why we’re here. If you are shouldering massive debt, understand that you are not alone. It probably comes as no surprise that minority homeowners have been disproportionately affected by the foreclosure crisis, losing homes at a faster pace than white borrowers. The recession of 200710 should be ancient history by now, but its after-effects linger even as the U.S. economy recovers. According to one recent report, thousands of Americans who lost their homes and who thought they were out of the woods now find themselves pursued by debt collectors with the power to freeze bank accounts, garnish wages, and seize assets. Although the worst of the national financial crisis is over, Maryland has the second highest foreclosure rate in the country, and Prince George’s County has the highest in the state.

The county faces what the Washington Post has called “a stubborn backlog” of foreclosures, and more than half of the county’s homeowners owe more than their houses are worth. This is what realtors mean when they say a house is underwater. The nice way of saying it is “negative equity.”

This is not the time to be proud. Pride comes before the fall and we want to catch you before you reach this point. In Prince George’s County as well as in the District, the Greater Washington Urban League maintains a full-time housing counseling staff. We help

“Not only are there far too many homeless individuals and families in our midst… but there are also a substantial number of homeowners who are being crushed by debt.” It can happen to anybody. The loss of a job, the death of a spouse, or health issues can sap your earning power and make it impossible to keep up with the bills. In many cases, your mortgage becomes a ticking time bomb, set to detonate at some point in the future, especially if property values decline. But here’s the good news. The sooner you take action, the better your chances are to retain your home and to restore your credit rating. The more prepared you are to shed the embarrassment and stigma of debt the better your prospects are for a secure financial future. Moreover, don’t wait until the eleventh hour to seek intervention from a resource provider.

our neighbors manage their mortgages and put their credit back together, all at no charge. We partner with banks like Wells Fargo with Home Preservation Workshops for homeowners facing foreclosure. There’s more information on our website at www.gwul. org , or you can call 202265-8200 (in the District) or (301) 985-3519 (in Prince George’s County). Housing is just one example, and an important one, of the important work we do in our community. And that’s something to be thankful for. George H. Lambert, Jr. is the President and CEO of the Greater Washington Urban League.

The Afro-American, July 5, 2014 - July 5, 2014

Margaret Pemberton: Champion for Preserving Black History

November 29, 2014 - December 5, 2014, The Afro-American

Giving Thanks

By AFRO Staff

Margaret Pemberton is a shining example of what it means for African Americans to help each other. She is passionate about giving back to preserve her community and its culture. She is a major contributor to the forthcoming Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in D.C. She donated $300,000 to solidify the museum’s place as a future building on the National Mall. The building is expected to be completed in 2016. Other donors to the museum include The Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundations and The Lily Foundation among several others. “Now, because of your support and that of others, we are poised to open an innovative 390,000 square-foot, five-level, environmentally sustainable building on the National Mall,” according to a letter written to Pemberton by the museum’s Director Lonnie G. Bunch. Pemberton’s motivation to see the museum come to fruition in D.C. is one that spans from a deep appreciation of her heritage. “I think this is one of the greatest things I’ve seen happen in the District of Columbia,” she said. As a former District nurse for 35 years, Pemberton, who doesn’t have any children of her own, donates funds to scholarships for nursing students at Howard Photo by Abby Benson University and Norfolk State Margaret Pemberton gives her $300,000 donation to University in Virginia. She also funded scholarships to Dillard Margaret Turner, senior major gifts officer, National University in Louisiana. “I put Museum of African American History and Culture.

Army Master Sgt. Tanga Green and Maj. Patricia Coates, members of the Northern Virginia Delta Kappa Epsilon Psi Chapter and Northern Virginia KLC Brothers at the Karens House, one of Final Salute’s homeless female veterans homes assist with 30 days of giving thanks during the Thanksgiving holiday season. We salute our service members who serve and those who have served.

“It’s important to me to be a part of history and leave a legacy.” – Margaret Pemberton them in there,” she said, referring to the students who received her scholarships. Pemberton also mentors these students and sees them through their educational endeavors. Pemberton is an active advocate for helping the culture enhance. She is currently active in four organizations, including the National Black Nurses Association, the National Council of Negro Women, the American Business Women’s Association and the D.C. chapter of AARP. “As an African American, I’ve always wanted us to grow and grow and grow,” she said. “It’s important to me to be a part of history and leave a legacy.”

Ferguson Ignites

Continued from A1

between communities of color and police. “We are profoundly disappointed that the killer of our child will not face the consequence of his actions,” Brown’s parents, Lesley McSpadden and Michael Brown Sr. said in a statement, even as they called for peaceful demonstration. “We respectfully ask that you please keep your protests peaceful. Answering violence with violence is not the appropriate reaction.” Brown family lawyer Benjamin Crump, speaking in an interview with CNN just before the announcement, summarized the feelings of disillusionment many in Ferguson and other Black communities are now experiencing, saying, “We are tired of police officers killing young people of color and no one being held accountable,” he said. Crowds gathered outside the Clayton courthouse immediately began to chant in protest after the announcement, some with hands up in the air, while some hugged and shared tears, as a phalanx of officers in riot gear stood guard. In Ferguson, however, anger was evident, as agitators gathered before the Ferguson Police Department set a police car on fire, threw bottles and rocks and later looted the Ferguson Mart & Liquor and set another building ablaze, live videos from the city showed, even as other demonstrators urged them to nonviolence. Police responded by deploying tear gas into the streets and ordering demonstrators off the streets as armored vehicles slowly moved down the streets. Other protestors gathered on Interstate 44, shutting down one of the main

thoroughfares leading to St. Louis. Protest also broke out in other cities across the nation. In Washington, D.C., for example, several residents, of varying nationalities, gathered on U Street in Northwest D.C., the White House and other locations to rally against the verdict, holding signs that call for justice for Michael Brown and yelling “stop racial profiling.” Authorities delayed release of the decision for hours. CNN reported that a decision was made by the grand jury earlier in the afternoon, but it was not released until after 8 p.m. Central Time. Patricia Bynes, Democratic committeewoman of Ferguson Township in St Louis County, Mo., told CNN that the delay in a decision Monday was meant to give safety officers enough time to prepare for anticipated unrest in response to the jury’s decision. Live video from Clayton and Ferguson, showed increasingly growing crowds as the night progressed, swelling into the hundreds. Days before the decision, Gov. Jay Nixon declared a state of emergency and activated the Missouri National Guard. And, during a press conference before the decision was announced, he urged that “regardless of the decision, people on all sides show tolerance, mutual respect and restraint.” Ahead of the decision, news reports also said that Ferguson schools would be closed on Nov. 25. Since Brown was killed Aug. 9, the grand jury— comprised of nine Whites and three African Americans— has been deliberating on whether Brown’s death was

Protesters in front of the burning Juanita’s Fashion R Boutique on West Florissant Avenue in St. Louis, Mo. early Nov. 25. Protesters set fire to buildings and cars and looted businesses in the area where Michael Brown was fatally shot. a “justifiable homicide” or whether there was “probable cause” to charge Wilson with any or all of several crimes, including: first-

degree murder, seconddegree murder, voluntary manslaughter or involuntary manslaughter. Many within the

Ferguson community had wondered at the length of the deliberations given the number of eyewitness who said Wilson opened fire on

an unarmed Brown whose hands were up in surrender. Several others questioned why the prosecutor “punted” the decision to the grand jury instead of simply pressing charges and wondered about the process, including the fact that the prosecutor gave no recommendations to the grand jury. “We have concerns… This grand jury process has been unusual to say the least,” said NAACP President and CEO Cornell AP Photo William Brooks, speaking on CNN. Added Brown family attorney Benjamin Crump, “Don’t change the rules when it is our children.”

The Afro-American, November 29, 2014 - December 5, 2014

VIP Room Owner Claims New Residents Are Shuttering Black Businesses With Intimidation and Discrimination increased inappropriate (even illegal) behavior, unwelcome liquor and beer-bottle litter and plenty of congestion.” Ronald Austin, ANC 4B06 chair, said that new residents told him on The VIP Room in Washington has stood as a staple of more than one occasion that they simply did not want the VIP African-American pride for decades. The family-owned Room to have a liquor license at all. social hall, founded in 1978 by Earline and Sam Sampson, “The VIP Room has operated for 40 years at its present has provided a venue for neighborhood and church functions, location. It is applying for a liquor license only so that it can national gatherings and musical performances that have stop applying for temporary one-day licenses every time an welcomed DC notables, such as media mogul Cathy Hughes. event is staged at the premises. There were no complaints As unofficial stewards of the Brightwood community, the from the surrounding neighborhood until it filed its application Sampson family poured hard work and tenacity into their for the regular liquor license. Only then, did its operation success by supporting local interests and become an issue for a small minority of rarely taking time off. residents in the neighborhood,” Austin The VIP Room in Washington has However, Sampson’s eldest son, Bo, said. stood as a staple of African-American who took over management of the hall The protest group, according to pride for decades. following his father’s passing in 2011, Austin, only included 11 people, although said he believes all of his family’s hard 35 spoke in opposition to the licensing work has been tapped for destruction at the July 28 hearing. Despite asking through recent attempts by a handful of that the Commission’s ruling that the new, mostly White residents to shutter VIP Room secure a license on Oct. 15, the business. the beverage administration denied the “We’ve been here for years with license based on its close proximity to flickr.com absolutely no problems—no law the National Children’s Center, a facility enforcement issues, no licensing serving children with various disabilities. infractions, no ordinance abuses or violations of any sort either Sampson said the “center” was only recently categorized as such inside or around our business—but suddenly, we are being and the facility is used primarily for administrative tasks. denied a liquor license because the new residents are reporting Sampson is among a growing group of Black business people urinating outside the building and loitering,” he said. owners who claim gentrification in the region is being led Bo’s siblings, Gary, Mike and Yolanda, also work with him to by patronizing and prejudice White newcomers with a continue their parents’ legacy. particular distaste for community-based, African-Americans Previously, temporary day/event licenses were issued businesses. The new supplants’ participation in local zoning through D.C.’s Office of Alcoholic Beverage Regulation and neighborhood advisory boards has helped paint Black Administration (ABRA) to the VIP Room for alcohol businesses they want removed as static, underdeveloped consumption for $300 per license. With the popularity of the neighborhood nuisances, or as a potential danger to neighbors. venue, Sampson was advised to apply for a tavern license, “We are prepared to fight for the livelihood of our which would offer an annual renewable liquor license and businesses because we didn’t suddenly become a hindrance to streamline the cost. It was during this new application the neighborhood. The VIP Room and loads of other Black process, Sampson said, that new residents began an aggressive businesses have supported our communities’ schools, churches, campaign to label the business a nuisance. elders, and been an extended family for them,” Sampson said. A one-page flyer announcing a July 28 Advisory “It is barbaric to lie and attempt to destroy a family’s legacy Neighborhood Committee (ANC) meeting circulated through because it doesn’t fit into your definition of viable.” the neighborhood and claimed a Class C Tavern Liquor License No calls for comments from Mayor-elect Muriel Bowser or offered to the VIP Room would “invite late-night noise, ABRA had been returned at press time.

HBCU Job Fair

Continued from A1

By Shantella Sherman Special to the AFRO

Thirty HBCUs were in attendance at the HBCU College Fair. “Coaches in colleges are different from coaches in high school,” said Danielle White, regional sales manager for the Washington Mystics. “Being a student athlete had made me who I am today because of my competitive spirit.” The fair included workshops on topics such as applying for scholarships, transitioning from high school to college, college life, ACT versus SAT and having a debt-free education. “Going to a HBCU is different,” said Andrea Sims-Parson, who served as the event chairperson. “The environment is different. The college experience is different. So in coming up with the workshops, we had workshops on college life where we brought in undergrads so they can talk to people about the experience.” Thirty HBCUs were in attendance, including Hampton University, Howard University, Morgan State University, Norfolk State University, Prince George’s Community College, Virginia State University and Virginia Union University. “We are having this fair today because we need students to understand that going to an HBCU is still a valuable option,” said Danaeka Spear, vice president of the Upsilon Tau Omega chapter of AKA. “We want them to know that you can go to an HBCU and get the same education that you can get at a traditionally white school and come out and be competitive in the workforce.”

Butterfield

Continued from A1 Butterfield is the 24th elected chair of the organization and will officially begin his duties on Jan. 6, 2015, when the 114th Congress is sworn in. Butterfield, who has spent most of his public career as a jurist, said that he is humbled by his election. “I’m moved by the unwavering support the CBC has shown me throughout the years,” he said. “Each year they’ve continued to elect me to senior positions within the caucus, solidifying their confidence in me to steer and

“I am happy to pass the chairman’s gavel to my friend and colleague, Rep. Butterfield.” –Outgoing CBC Chair Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio) now lead the conscience of the Congress as chair. I do not take their endorsement lightly.” A native of Wilson, N.C., Butterfield is a graduate of North Carolina Central University and its law school. He served as a Resident Superior Court Judge for the First Judicial Division, presiding

over civil and criminal courts in 46 counties. In February 2001, then Gov. Mike Easley (D) appointed Butterfield as an associate justice on the North Carolina Supreme Court. Butterfield authored opinions on such issues as the application of capital punishment, judicial sentencing

procedures and eminent domain. Butterfield lost his election bid to the court in November 2002, and he resumed his judicial career as a Superior Court trial judge. Butterfield will have to work with a strongly partisan Republican House of Representatives and President Obama, who is in the last two years of his term. Nevertheless, he feels there are opportunities for the CBC. “The new Congress provides a fresh start to address the issues that are important to all of us,”

Butterfield said. “Members of the CBC come from every region of the country. While we each have our own priorities, we speak with a singular, powerful voice in our fight to deliver on the expectations of Americans— to have a government that works for all of us.” In addition to Butterfield, Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.) was elected as first vice chair, Rep. Andre Carson (D-Ind.) as second vice chair, Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.) as secretary and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) as whip. Butterfield and the

elected officers will lead 45 CBC members, the largest number in the organization’s history. Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) was elected as co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), a former CBC Chair, was elected whip and Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-Texas) got the nod for vice chair and liaison to the CBC. Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.), a former CBC Chair, was re-elected as the House Democratic Caucus Assistant Democratic Leader.

Marion Barry

Continued from A1

Education, from 1971-1974 and served on the D.C. Council from 1974-1979 as an at-large member and represented Ward 8 from 1993-1995 and from 2005 to 2014. D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray (D), who had known Barry for over 30 years, said that political icon will be missed. “Marion was not just a colleague but also was a friend with whom I shared fond memories about governing the city,” the mayor said. “He loved the District of Columbia and so many Washingtonians loved him.” On the Nov. 24 edition of Channel 5’s Fox Morning News, Gray said that no concrete plans were in place as of yet to honor Barry. Barry has been credited for putting Blacks and women in higher level management positions in the District government and for strong advocating that up to 45 percent of city contracts be awarded to firms that were Black or that partnered with Black firms and professionals. “He did those things that he thought would make a difference in the lives of people in this city,” Maudine Cooper, Barry’s former chief of staff and director of Washington’s Office of Human Rights and Minority Business Opportunity Commission told the AFRO, referring to his tenacity in creating opportunity for Blacks in D.C. D.C. Mayor-elect Muriel Bowser (D), who served on the D.C. Council with Barry and was often seen with him at campaign events during the recent general election season, said that Barry “has been a part of my family for decades, and will continue to be an example of me and so many others.” Bowser’s parents, Joe and Joan Bowser, served as Ward 5 coordinators for Barry’s successful run for mayor in 1978. Barry was serving as a Bowser transition co-chair, along with former mayors Sharon Pratt, Anthony Williams and Adrian Fenty. D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D) said that Barry “was a voice on the council for human rights and civil rights.” “Most recently he fought to restore benefits to families on welfare,” the chairman said. “It was on issues like this where he was persistent and passionate and his voice will be missed.” Mendelson said that the council will take all appropriate steps to honor Barry and celebrate his life. One of Barry’s strongest political allies on the council and his political life was D.C. Council member Anita Bonds (D-At Large). “Marion was a political genius, community outreach

expert, champion of the over-looked and the left-out while emphasizing inclusion of everyone,” Bonds, who serves as the chairman of the D.C. Democratic State Committee, said. “While his history of accomplishment began decades prior to his entry onto the D.C. political scene representing SNCC in the 1960s, even today he remains the city’s favorite politician and truly loved by most and many across the nation.” One of Barry’s hallmarks as mayor was the D.C. Summer Youth Employment Program and that is how D.C. Council

Marion Barry’s Funeral Arrangements Dec. 2 – 9 a.m. to Dec. 3, 9 a.m.

Marion Barry’s body will lay in state at the Wilson Building, located at 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.

Dec. 3 – 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

A community motorcade will commence from the Wilson Building through SE ending at Temple of Praise, located at 700 Southern Ave SE for a eulogy.

Dec. 4 – 9 a.m.

Public eulogy and ceremony at Walter E. Washington Convention Center, located at 801 Mt Vernon Pl. NW. D.C. government will close on Dec. 4. member Kenyan McDuffie (D-Ward 5) remembers his late colleague. “Marion Barry touched so many lives, including my own,” McDuffie, who is the council’s chairman pro tem, said. “Growing up in the District, I vividly recall stories of his political successes as well as his personal struggles. As a teenager, I benefitted from his summer jobs program, especially his Mayor’s Youth Leadership Institute.” McDuffie said that he “appreciated his [Barry’s] generosity of time and spirit, and am honored to have served alongside him on the council.” D.C. Council member-elect Brianne Nadeau (D-Ward 1) interacted with Barry during the election season and notes that she will not be able to serve with him on the council. “Barry was a larger than life presence in the District of

Columbia, and to our entire nation, first as a civil rights activist and later as a dedicated public servant who spoke often about the power of everyday people to come together to change the world,” she said. Carol Schwartz, a Republican D.C. Council member, ran against Barry for mayor in 1986 and 1994. While losing both times, Schwartz served with Barry on the D.C. Council from 2005-2009 and were amicable. “We were dear friends and there for each other over the years,” Schwartz said. “Marion personified D.C. and his passing is a great loss to all of us, especially those most in need whom he served. In spite of his foibles and having run AP Photo against him, I loved and appreciated Marion Barry Jr., and will miss him.” E. Faye Williams, national chair of the National Congress of Black Women, said she was glad Barry decided to title the last chapter of his autobiography “still standing,” a speech she wrote for him years ago. She said Barry should be credited with making a lot of progress in the city. “The thing that I credit him for is getting a lot of the positive things started in this city,” Williams said. Andre Byers, a Ward 8 resident and an expert on District economic development, spoke highly of his late council member. “Marion Barry was unapologetic and had a brilliant mind,” he said. “Many people in public life are afraid to speak their mind but not Barry. He said what needed to be said and his courage is going to be missed.”

November 29, 2014 - December 5, 2014, The Afro-American

Congressman Clyburn Warns of Capitulating Fraud of Black Inferiority Pens New Book About Blessed Experiences By Shantella Sherman Special to the AFRO Congressman James Clyburn (D-S.C.) is no stranger to the struggle to reconcile America’s constitutional allegiance to liberty and democracy with legislative efforts that promote its selective application. From his humble beginnings in Sumter, S.C. to

political dexterity as the third highest-ranking Democrat in the House of Representatives, Clyburn has led an extraordinary life. In his new memoir, Blessed Experiences: Genuinely Southern, Proudly Black, Clyburn details his “Saul to Paul transition,” which was precipitated by witnessing legendary civil rights attorney Matthew Perry in court as a child. He noted that this encounter would

Comcast, Boys & Girls Clubs Create Tech-Savvy Seal for Youth By Christina Sturdivant Special to the AFRO For children coming of age in the 21st century, online platforms have shaped the lives of these young people more than any other generation. These children are no strangers to using smartphones, electronic tablets and computers as tools for learning and communicating. Google is the cure for this generation’s inquisitiveness, Club youth explore the newly-renovated technology and sharing thoughts, photos center at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington’s and ideas through social media Richard England Clubhouse. is like second nature. Photo by Christina Sturdivant On Nov. 13, Comcast partnered with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington to introduce the “My Future,” initiative, which was designed for youth at the Richard England Clubhouse in Northeast, D.C. The clubhouse is located in Ward 7 and is historically known as having one of the highest African-American populations and most under-served residents in the city. Comcast provided the non-profit organization with $100,000 to fund the clubhouse’s fully renovated technology center. “We are worried about students starting out behind and not being able to catch up,” said Charisse Lillie, vice president of community investment at Comcast and president of the Comcast Foundation, in an interview with the AFRO. The initiative, which is part of a five-year partnership between the two entities, reaches nearly 4 million youth in over 4,100 Boys & Girls Clubs across the country. Out of the 12 clubhouses in the D.C. metro area, only one was chosen as an anchor for the project. “We have need here, why shouldn’t we do it here,” said Pandit F. Wright, president and CEO at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington. She said she hopes that the new technology can entice more young people to visit the clubhouse on a more consistent basis. District youth now get personalized, hands-on experiences in the digital realm through the initiative. This program encourages safe and productive online interactions with over 40 activities that reinforce digital literacy, including exploring the web, communicating with others and building media. Children are also encouraged Boys and Girls Club staffers, community leaders, Comcast to tap into interests that could potentially lead to careers in execs and media personalities celebrate the launch robotics, coding, game design of Comcast and Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s new and online journalism. technology initiative.

Hunger in Prince George’s County

ultimately lend itself to again,” Clyburn said. “Everyone his political ascension and has their roles and we have to President Barack Obama play our roles. People tend to describing him as, “one of a assign worthiness to different handful of people who, when roles; however, we all have critical they speak, the entire Congress roles to perform and none is more listens.” important than the other. If I do Written, in part, to my job in the Congress and you document his own experiences do yours on the city council and in government, Clyburn said he the other person does theirs on the also wanted to encourage the county council or legislatures, the many young African Americans job gets done. We all have roles he has encountered not to to play and they must be played give up when obstacles seem well.” insurmountable. Clyburn told the AFRO that “I don’t think anyone would deny that convincing the average citizen to become young African Americans back in the early civically engaged, however, has become the part of the last century were schooled and real conflict. The eye-opener for him came brainwashed into believing that there was during November’s mid-term elections when something inferior about being Black. he encountered a woman who took issue with Blackness is not a condition that anybody the manner in which her children were being ordered for themselves and therefore not a educated, but refused to vote. condition to which anyone has license to “I tried to explain that her participation assign value,” Clyburn told the AFRO in an would ensure she could elect better people to exclusive interview Nov. 21. “My mother and the school board, but she said she would not my father made sure that I would feel that way get ‘mixed up’ in voting. That is where our and I’ve tried to make sure my children feel real battle is. She did not want to get mixed up that as well. I open this book with a letter to in the political process,” Clyburn said. my children – and those similarly challenged – Similarly, Clyburn pointed to the 6 percent that they ought to conduct themselves a certain voter turnout in Ferguson in November to note way despite the challenges they may face.” that there is much work to be done to help But in an age where segments of the citizens understand the connections between American population believe a pseudofailure to exercise suffrage rights and suffering euphoric shift has occurred, eliminating social inequalities. the need for race-based legislation or “In 2012 when Barack Obama was running consideration—or even civil rights for re-election, 70 percent [of Ferguson residents] organizations like the NAACP and the Urban went to vote for him, but it is in these local League, Clyburn faces both apathy from those elections that people don’t want to participate— most in need and an under-appreciation for where the police chief, school board, and those collective engagement. impacting their day-to-day experiences are “There is part of the book that talks about elected to office. Ferguson is 67 percent Black, roles. Years ago as a student I was arrested but many are buying into this narrative of for a protest and the person responsible for inferiority. We have to take some responsibility raising bail money, Reverend Newman, was for some of this stuff taking hold. I can’t blame also arrested unbeknownst to me. It was three others for trying to perpetrate a fraud; I have to days before we got out of jail. I was in the blame us for capitulating that fraud. This 2014 same suit, shirt, and underclothes during that election says to me that we may not be drinking three days. What was supposed to have been the Kool-Aid, but we are sipping it. I’ve got to a three hour stay in jail for protesting, turned warn everyone before we start gulping it or we into three days. I determined at that time are going to relive some of what we thought we GSUSA-Boots Afro 10-V3_GSUSA-Boots-Wash 5.68x10 9:01 AM Page 1 that we wouldWash never get5.68 ourx roles confused hadAfro fought and 11/21/14 won years ago.”

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS FRIGHTFUL. TIME TO GET INSIGHTFUL.

Continued from A1

Foundation, County Council member Obie Patterson (D-District 8) and Prince George’s County Public Schools CEO, Dr. Kevin M. Maxwell came together at Fort Foote Baptist Church in Fort Washington, Md. on Nov. 13 to announce one of the sites that will help distribute food to families. The pledge was made with the Prince George’s County Department of Social Services, Department of Family Services, the Prince George’s County Public Schools, the Peterson Family Foundation and the National Harbor. “If we are going to see substantive changes in our communities that have significant economic, health, public safety and educational challenges, I think it’s clear that we need to address all elements of residents’ lives,” Baker said in a news release. “Hunger and nutrition are two critical elements. Once again, to have a partner like the Peterson Companies and National Harbor step up in such a significant way is a great example for other businesses and individuals in our community. Prince George’s County thanks Milt Peterson and the Peterson Family Foundation for demonstrating their commitment to our communities and our families.” Much of the food distribution will be targeted toward the six communities in the county that are part of the Baker’s

Transforming Neighborhoods Initiative. Those six communities are East Riverdale/ Bladensburg, Glassmanor/Oxon Hill, Hillcrest Heights/Marlow Heights, Kentland/Palmer Park, Suitland/Coral Hills and Langley Park. Maxwell said he believes targeting hunger among county families and children will have a great impact on students in the classroom. “The research is quite clear that hunger and poor nutrition have a real impact on children’s ability to learn,” Maxwell said in a news release. “We look forward to leveraging our partnerships with county agencies to best identify the families that –Rushern L. Baker, III need these resources the most.” “Between the slow economic recovery and cutbacks in federal spending over the past few years, there remain many families in Prince George’s County who continue to struggle with basic needs like food and proper nutrition,” said Rev. Joseph W. Lyles, pastor of Fort Foote Baptist. “This type of long-term commitment and the fresh produce that will be a substantial part of each delivery will make a real difference in the lives of many families and children.” Peterson said, “Under County Executive Baker’s leadership, Prince George’s County is making such a remarkable upward journey, and we are proud to make another investment in his vision.”

“I think it’s clear that we need to address all elements of residents’ lives.”

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The Afro-American, November 29, 2014 - December 5, 2014

COMMUNITY CONNECTION Prince George’s County, Md. Small Business Saturday

Gwen McCall, President and CEO of the Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation, is encouraging all county residents to support local small businesses on Nov. 29. The day is dedicated as Small Business Saturday. The 5th Annual Small Business Saturday is a day to support the local businesses that create jobs, boost the economy and preserve neighborhoods around the country. Small Business Saturday is a national movement to drive shoppers to local merchants across the U.S. on the busiest shopping weekend of the year.

Washington D.C.

Adams Morgan Offers Alternative to Holiday Shopping

Small Businesses in Adams Morgan have offered an alternative to holiday shopping: keep calm and shop small. On Nov. 29, select establishments in the neighborhood will participate in the national celebration of small businesses. Several stores will offer giveaways and discounts. To view a full list of participating stores, visit: https://www.facebook.com/littlefountaincafe.

The Oakland Mills Community Association will present The Jazz in the Mills Concert Series Dec. 7 at the Oakland Mills Village Center located at 5851 Robert Oliver Place from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the village center, $15 in advance and $20 at the door. Tickets can also be purchased at www.brownpapertickets,com/event/569396. For more information, contact Lavenia Nesmith at 301-596-5128 or Lavenia_nesmith@ comcast.net or Sandy Cederbaum at 410-730-4610 or at manager@ oaklandmills.org.

Washington D.C. Funny in Stilettos

D.C.-based comedian Queen Aishah presents, for the third time this year, “Funny-n -Stilettos” at the Howard Theatre located at 620 T St. N.W. on Dec. 16. The production is an-all female comedy show comprised of a diverse offering of female comics from all over the country. The show celebrates the unique styles of women in comedy. For more information and to get tickets, visit http://thehowardtheatre.com/show/2014/12/16/funny-n-stilettos-theholiday-edition/.

Columbia, Md.

Oakland Mills Community Association Presents Jazz Concert Series

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November 29, 2014 - December 5, 2014 The Afro-American

The Ferguson Verdict

EDITORIAL

Hold the Police Accountable; Don’t Burn the Block Down Time and time again we destroy our own neighborhoods when something terrible happens. We did it in Detroit, we did in Los Angeles, we did it in Baltimore. And now, we’re doing it again in Ferguson now that Darren Wilson was not indicted in the shooting death of Michael Brown. Let’s be clear. We are not the only ones who riot. Winning a basketball or hockey championship is often reason enough for people to take the streets and start destroying things. But come on. It’s not right then and it’s not right now. Peaceful protesters took to the streets all across the country from South Los Angeles to Philadelphia. But when Brown’s stepfather Louis Head started yelling “Burn this [expletive deleted] down” while pointing at police headquarters right after the announcement that Wilson would not be indicted, an already anxious crowd began to destroy stores, fire guns and burn cars. The facts of the case are horrifying: Michael Brown, an 18 year-old unarmed teenager, was

gunned down by Darren Wilson on a hot summer day. According to Wilson’s recently released grand jury testimony, after struggling with Brown through the police car window he fired his weapon multiple times. When Brown began to depart, for reasons unclear, he turned around and allegedly charged at the officer. Brown wound up dead on the street and remained there, uncovered, for hours. Brown joins the list of unarmed young Black men killed by police officers including Akai Gurley, Amadou Diallo and Sean Bell. As Jeffrey Mittman, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri, said in a statement after the grand jury decision, “The grand jury’s decision does not negate the fact that Michael Brown’s tragic death is part of an alarming national trend of officers using excessive force against people of color, often during routine encounters. Yet in most cases, the officers and police departments are not held accountable.” It’s time to reverse this national trend. We must start holding the police accountable for these crimes. Burning down the block is a frivolous waste and is clearly not the answer.

COMMENTARY

Marching to Freedom on a Treadmill Here’s a sobering statement from Economic Policy Institute (EPI): “Fifty years ago (2013), the unemployment rate was 5% for Whites and 10.9% for Blacks. Today, it is 6.6% for Whites and 12.6% for Blacks.” Can you believe that? We are at the same relative position now as we were when MLK gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963. Part of the problem is that we have been waiting to be rescued rather than doing everything we can to rescue ourselves. Employment is very high on the fictional Black agenda, so much so that during our protests James Clingman we have to say it three times: Jobs! Jobs! Jobs! While we have certainly protested and begged for jobs from politicians, our tepid and passive solutions have not moved us one inch toward our goal of lowering the Black rate of unemployment. Why? The last march for jobs was called three years ago by Marcherin-Chief Al Sharpton during the run-up to the 2012 presidential election. Sharpton, who was flanked by leaders of the National Education Association, NAACP, and other groups, was quoted in the Washington Post as saying, “We will bring forth the masses who have not been heard in the midst of the jobs debate…As the president fights for a jobs act, as super-committees meet, they need to hear ‘marching feet.’ This is to send a message to Congress.” Marching feet? Congress must have had earplugs on that day. If they did get the message, they did nothing to improve the situation two years later, according to the EPI report. Many of our marches have been tantamount to walking on a treadmill, burning energy but not permanently moving forward. Sharpton went on to say, “The march, which will count on the large ranks of union members, will bring ‘drama’ to the jobs debate. His use of the word, “drama” reminds me of what John Henrik Clarke said about Sharpton during a debate with Cornell West at Ohio State University. Clarke stated, “We have to make a distinction between these academic vaudeville shows and those who give us knowledge. We cannot accept the performers as fighting for our liberation. We can enjoy the performance, but don’t think it moves us forward, except

the bank account of the performer. I like Al Sharpton personally because he is something that is useful; he is an alarmist. An alarmist solves no problem; he will call attention to it and won’t let us leave the agenda until someone else solves the problem. So [alarmists] serve a purpose with their big mouths… Alarmists won’t let you sleep.” All we get, and unfortunately settle for, is “drama” when it comes to solving our problems. We love to march and make symbolic statements, but we stop there; we never follow up with appropriate action. This is why I propose that we gather 1 million or more conscious Black people who are willing to do several things in response to the problems we face in this country. We must have people who are willing to pool their votes and their dollars to build and grow businesses. We must elect politicians who, prior to an election, will state very clearly and publicly, their commitment to fight for issues specific to Black people, just as other groups get politicians for whom they vote to support and fight for their issues. A collective of 1 million conscious Black people could positively affect the jobs issue by forming an equity or loan fund to establish more Black businesses. We could also help grow those businesses by collectively supporting them with our consumer dollars, thereby, creating jobs and lowering the Black unemployment rate. One million conscious Black voters could leverage our votes to help elect the politicians who will work in our best interests, no matter what color their skin is, what party they belong to, or what political label they wear. It’s all about interests, not parties or skin color. A national group of 1 million could also stimulate the formation of local coalitions to accomplish the same goals in cities across

this nation. No more need to go to Washington and march about something we can do right in our own backyards. No more spending our money, the majority of which goes to non-Black businesses, to travel distances to “protest” and create “drama” around issues we can solve ourselves. Enough of that nonsense! We must coalesce around efforts that make sense, efforts that are practical and beneficial, and efforts that will get us off the treadmill and keep us from marching in place for the next fifty years. Join the one million conscious voters, and let’s start solving our own problems and creating our own jobs, with our own dollars. Jim Clingman, founder of the Greater Cincinnati African American Chamber of Commerce, is the nation’s most prolific writer on economic empowerment for Black people. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Cincinnati and can be reached through his Web site, Blackonomics.com.

Will Larger CBC Translate into Greater Clout? Even though the next Congress, which starts on January 6, will feature 48 African Americans, the largest number in history, the question is: Can they get anything done in a Congress that’s been gridlocked for four straight years? But since most Black members will serve as members of the minority party in the House, most of their power to control federal policy and billions of dollars will be decided by compromise as they serve on major committees. Though members of the Congressional Black Caucus will not control the policy agenda, they will still play a key role in those decisions. For the first time in history, seven members of the Congressional Black Caucus will serve as Ranking Members of major House Committees for the upcoming 114th Congress. Why does this matter? Because even a member in the minority in the hyper-partisan House, which has been controlled by Republicans since 2010, is going to have a seat at the table. Much of what is done behind the scene goes unreported by press corps fixated on the political cat fight of the moment. And in the case of the CBC, the Black Press is the only place where their work is likely to be covered. November 19, was one of the biggest days for the Caucus since four Black Committee Chairman were christened in January 2009. Seven Black members of the House – Reps. John Conyers (D-Mich.), Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), Corrine Brown (D-Fla.), Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Texas), Bobby Scott (D-Va.), Bennie Thompson

Lauren Victoria Burke

(D-Miss.), and Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) will have a seat at the legislative table next year as ranking committee members. Additionally, two of the most powerful members of the Black Caucus, Reps. Sanford Bishop (D-Ga.) and Chaka Fattah (D-Penn.), are ranking members on subcommittees on the most powerful committee in the House: Appropriations. From those positions they will have a say in doling out several hundred billion dollars every fiscal year. “Politics is about who gets what when and how and being at the table is essential to determining that those resources get where they need to be,” Rep. Bishop told the The Root in an interview. “It is my hope that we are able to use the appropriations process and the policy making process here in Congress in a bipartisan way that will benefit all the American people,” Bishop said in the interview. In an effort to show they can actually govern, Republicans in the 114th Congress are expected to pass legislation rather than repeat another four years of their core strategy: Gridlock. The last two years witnessed the least productive U.S. House in history in terms of bills passed, all under Republican control. Even with the well-publicized gridlock over the last four years, Rep. Fattah was able to get the Urban Jobs Act through the House after a compromise was reached with House Republicans. The bill’s passage, which was a rare example of bipartisanship, received almost no press. The gridlock strategy was employed by House Republicans in hopes of preventing President Obama from getting anything done.

But going into the 2016 presidential campaign, Republicans are expected to show they can produce actual legislative results in what would be a huge strategic change. As part of its normal process, the Congressional Black Caucus elected a new Chairman yesterday, Rep. G.K. Butterfield (D-N.C.). Though he plans to outline a detailed strategy for the Caucus in January, he spoke in general terms about the policy focus he’ll have next Congress. “The economy is not working for African Americans. Some are succeeding, but the vast majority of African Americans are not succeeding. It’s our job as legislators to try and enact policies that will enact policies that will move the needle – whether it’s with a coalition of Democrats or Republicans,” Butterfield told The Root. The new chairman will inherit the largest Congressional Black Caucus in history at a time when presidential politics will play a big role in the narrative. Whether he and the Black Caucus can navigate the games of gridlock will depend on how afraid Republicans are of being tagged as the “party of no” as their presidential candidates tour the country. Chances are those politics will be the real reason the GOP will suddenly be interested in moving legislation during President Obama’s last two years in office. Lauren Victoria Burke is freelance writer and creator of the blog Crewof42.com, which covers African American members of Congress. She Burke appears regularly on “NewsOneNow with Roland Martin” and on WHUR FM, 900 AM WURD. She worked previously at USA Today and ABC News.

The opinions on this page are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the AFRO. Send letters to The Afro-American, 2519 N. Charles St. Baltimore, MD 21218 or fax to 1-877-570-9297 or e-mail to editor@afro.com

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The Afro-American, November 29, 2014 - December 5, 2014

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November 29, 2014 - December 5, 2014, The Afro-American

Freddie and Angela McClain, with son Jerimiah (in front), Connie Belfiore, admissions director of Friends Community School in College Park Md., Jerimiah’s school; and Lisa Woodward, Jerimiah’s teacher and advisor

Mya Harris, Black Student Fund scholar, Holton Arms School, Maria Fernanda Borja, executive Class of director, Latino Student Fund, Leroy 2016 Nesbitt Jr., executive director, Black Student Fund, Alex Hitch, Virginia Ali, co-founder and owner, Ben’s Chili Bowl, educational programs manager, Latino Student Fund Stacie Royster, Black Student Fund board member

Walter Allen, academic advisor, Black Student Fund, Jeanie Collins Carr, immediate past executive director, Black Student Fund

Cadene Russell and Mitchell Brooks, Black Student Fund board member and secretary

The Black Student Fund hosted its 50th Anniversary Gala, “Celebrating our Past, Embracing our Future!” on Oct. 17 at the Marriott Wardman Park in Northwest D.C. The event highlighted the organization’s 50-year legacy and commitment to providing essential advocacy, academic and retention support to academically motivated African Americans and other underserved students to facilitate their access, admission and successful matriculation and graduation from member schools. The legacy continues.

Nicholas K. Austin, Esq., Black Student Fund board member Joel Kanter, and board chair, Black alumnus Student Fund

Black Student Fund board members Dr. Michaele Christian and Eric C. Grant with alumnus Skip Grant The Honorable Judge Zinora Mitchell-Rankin, Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett and Catherine Leggett

Colette Coleman, Katherine Silverthorne, Sarah Mannes

Kathleen Matthews, emcee, chief communications and public affairs officer, Marriott International

Jennifer Grant and Catherine Grant

Dr. Deborah Foreman, Pamela Harrington and Gladys Fitzhugh-Pemberton

Jalene Spain Thomas, Anne Marie Desaulniers, Megan Chounoune, Margaret Hartigan, Stacie Royster (BSF board member), Andy Florance, Heather Florance

Ernestyne Matthews, Sallye Higgin, Hattie Higgin-Greene and Margaret Savage Keitha V. Johnson, the emcee

Michele D. Robinson, Meta Jackson, Michelle Smith and Sherese Burgess

The Northern Virginia Alumnae (NoVAC) Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and the Northern Virginia Delta education and Community Service Foundation Fourth Annual Prayer Brunch hosted “Sisters Called to Serve”on Nov. 8 at The Westin Crystal City Hotel in Arlington, Va. The event highlighted the youth who serve in the community. In addition to the camaraderie and fellowship that engulfed the breakfast room, the explosive message given by Cynthia M.A. Butler-McIntyre, the 24th National President of Delta Sigma Theta Soroity kept the guests shouting “amen” and applauding for more. The breakfast also featured the gospel stylings of Fiernile and Rebecca White, Min. Crystal Hunter and the Youth Dancers of Greater New Hope Baptist Church. Chapter member Keitha Johnson was the emcee and Anna Carter was chair of the planning committee.

Dr. Cynthia Brown, 1st VP and Tameka Tunsil, chapter president

Barbara Boyd and Carol Everette

Guest speaker Cynthia M.A. ButlerMcIntyre, 24th National President, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority

Latrina Antoine, Francine Nelson, Terrence Fields, Vonda Fields, Latisha Neil (seated), Katie Inmon and Shirley Williams

Kenny for the King performing a spiritual dance routine

Angela Wilson and Owen Wilson, newly elected Basileus, Psi Nu Chapter, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity

Ferneil and Rebecca White singing some gospel melodies

Anna Carter, chair, fundraising committee

Liturgical dancers

Tameka Tunsil, Linda Hitchens, President, Board of Directors Foundation with scholarship recipients: Kelsey Fields, James Whitley, Kameron Clarke(his aunt accepting for him), Jana Hobson, Ronald Wilson, Jr., and Andre DeNeal

Photos by Rob Roberts

The Afro-American, November 29, 2014 - December 5, 2014

November 29, 2014 - December 5, 2014, The Afro-American

ARTS & CULTURE

‘25 to Life’ Film Review

Out-of-the-Closet Documentary Chronicles Clandestine Life of Brother Hiding His HIV Status

By Kam Williams When William Brawner was 18 months-old, his singlemom Linda left him in the care of a suspicious male babysitter against her better judgment while she went off to class at Howard University. Upon returning home, she found her baby so scalded by hot water that he needed numerous skin grafts and blood transfusions. Doctor’s didn’t buy the babysitter’s story that it was all the result of an accident. And the proof in the pudding rested in the fact that the creep quickly slipped out of town before subsequently disappearing from the radar entirely. Unfortunately for William, this tragedy transpired in the early Eighties at the dawn of the AIDS epidemic, well before the medical community became aware of how to protect the country’s tainted blood supply. Consequently, he contracted HIV from one of his transfusions. Because of the social stigma then associated with AIDS, his mother decided to studiously hide Bill’s positive HIV status over the course of his childhood. Furthermore, since the guilty woman had no idea how long he might live, she also proceeded to spoil him rotten, admittedly raising a monster the rest of the world was going to have to deal with. For, Bill eventually blossomed into quite the handsome ladies’ man. And while he did inform his high school sweetheart, Natasha, that he was infected, he never told any of the 20+ classmates he slept with when he followed in his mother’s footsteps to Howard. He even had unprotected sex with some of those sisters, and was almost outed by his angry ex-girlfriend who sent an anonymous letter to the President of the University, warning, “Bill Brawner is HIV+ and infecting everyone at your school.” But the roaming Romeo’s culpable response was to never again share his status with anyone, though he would remain promiscuous. Finally, in 2006, William confessed to his shameless behavior by going on the radio to reveal to the world once and for all that he was HIV+. In addition, he founded a Haven Youth center, a healthcare facility offering infected teens treatment and counseling. Directed by Mike Brown, 25 to Life is reverential biopic that revisits all of the above, opting to present Bill in a positive light despite his risky behavior with a string of sex partners. Granted, it’s great that he ultimately embraced honesty and even settled down and got married, but it would’ve been nice to hear from his former conquests to learn how they felt about being used

Courtesy Photo

25 to Life won Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary at the 2014 American Black Film Festival.

and whether they’ve tested positive for the AIDS virus. A cautionary tale about a charming predator’s penis dispensing potentially-lethal demon seed. Very Good HHH Rated PG-13 for PG-13 for action and violence

Running time: 87 minutes Studio: SimonSays Entertainment Distributor: AFFRM To see a trailer for 25 to Life, visit: https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=T9b7qEVRpQc

Entering Stage Wright! Jeffrey Wright: The Hunger Games – Mockingjay Part 1 Interview With Kam Williams Critically-acclaimed Jeffrey Wright continually pushes the boundaries of his craft with inspiring and celebrated performances in an illustrious career that has spanned the worlds of theatre, film and television. On the big screen, Wright was most recently seen in Jim Jarmusch’s Only Lovers Left Alive which was released last April. On television, he currently appears on HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire,” playing Dr. Valentin Narcisse, Doctor of Divinity, philanthropist, student of culture and the man who runs Harlem. Onstage, this versatile thespian played the lead in John Guare’s A Free Man of Color, which was directed by the legendary George C. Wolfe at Lincoln Center. And he garnered a Tony Award in 1994 for his work in Tony Kushner’s Pulitzer Prizewinning epic Angels in America, also directed by Wolfe. On film, Jeffrey has portrayed a stunning array of icons and iconoclasts. His brilliant portrayal of the renowned and controversial graffiti artist Jean Michel Basquiat in the 1996 film Basquiat received widespread praise from critics and earned him an Independent Spirit Award nomination. At the other end of the spectrum, he has taken on roles in the James Bond films, Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace, and starred as Muddy Waters in Cadillac Records and as Colin Powell in Oliver Stone’s W. Here, he talks about his latest outing as Beetee in The Hunger Games – Mockingjay Part 1. Kam Williams: Hi Jeffrey, thanks for another interview. Jeffrey Wright: Hey, how’re you doin’, Kam? KW: Great! How was it being back with The Hunger Games and playing Beetee again?

JW: The film has kind of been an expansion of these stories, though not from Beetee’s perspective. It sort of shrinks for him in that he’s wheelchair-bound and kind of confined to a laboratory’s space. But the films around him are expanding and the stakes are being raised, and we’re entering these districts that we really haven’t explored before. So,

since it’s relevant to a lot of what’s happening outside of cinema nowadays. KW: Given your peerless acting talents, do you ever think of yourself as underrated? JW: No, I don’t, Rel. Some people say that, but, no, I don’t.

story all by itself. Also where did he get the idea for the way he said “Tiger Woo” in Shaft. People are still imitating you for laughs. JW: Thank you, Hisani. I don’t know how to answer the eyes question. I just use the eyes that I was born with. But I do think they are a film actor’s primary tool, so I try to use them well. As for “Tiger Woo,” I was in Scotland for the British Open a couple weeks before we started shooting Shaft. Every day, I was thinking about the script in my head. The original script had me ask Christian Bale’s character whether he liked tennis. But it occurred to me that golf would be better, especially since I’d been watching so much of it. So, instead I asked, “Do you play golf?” before referring to “Tiger Woo,” since Peebles likes power and aspires to be someone like that. [LOL] KW: The Viola Davis question: What’s the biggest difference between who you are at home as opposed to the person we see on the red carpet? JW: Well, we just had the London red carpet premiere for Mockingjay in front of about 5,000 people. I hope I’m not nearly as excitable at home as I am in that situation. If I were as amped up at home, I think I’d be bouncing off the walls. [Laughs] KW: Thanks again for the time, Jeffrey. I’m really honored to have had this opportunity to speak with you. JW: Thank you, Kam! Take care.

Photo by Murray Close/Lionsgate

Jeffrey Wright stars as ‘Beetee’ in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1. it’s kind of a thrilling ride. From Beetee’s perspective, he becomes the lens through which we enter these other worlds, since he’s responsible for communications. That’s kind of exciting. I was also drawn to the idea of propaganda and communication as a weapon,

KW: Professor/filmmaker/author Hisani Dubose says: You are one of the most engaging actors I’ve ever seen. How are you able to project so many emotions through your eyes? In the Manchurian Candidate for example the close-up on your eyes told your

To see a trailer for The Hunger Games – Mockingjay Part 1, visit: https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=IXshQ5mv1K8 To see a montage of Jeffrey playing Peeples in Shaft, visit: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=Z_dQOIrGhwI

The Afro-American, November 29, 2014 - December 5, 2014

Film Review

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 By Kam Williams Special to the AFRO In recent years, movie studios have started splitting into two their adaptations of finales from young adult book series, most notably, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and Twilight: Breaking Dawn .The money-making ploy is arguably little more than a transparent attempt to milk the last dollar out of a soon to expire franchise. The Hunger Games is the latest such production to employ the cash-generating tactic, as it divides in half “Mockingjay,” the last opus in Suzanne Collins’ best-selling, sci-fi trilogy. Unfortunately, this uneventful installment basically treads water while functioning as a setup for the upcoming dramatic conclusion. Nevertheless, nothing in the power of these words could possibly affect the box-office returns of this review-proof episode. Directed by Francis Lawrence (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire), the movie again stars Jennifer Lawrence (as protagonist Katniss Everdeen) augmented by a support cast featuring Josh Hutcherson as Peeta, Liam Hemsworth as Gale, Woody Harrelson as Haymitch, Jeffrey Wright as Beetee, and the late Philip Seymour Hoffman as Plutarch Heavensbee. At the point of departure, we find the country Commander Paylor (Patina Miller), left, of Panem plunged into chaos and on the brink Gale Hawthorne (Liam Hemsworth), of revolution. Hunger Games victor Katniss Boggs (Mahershala Ali), Katniss reluctantly allows herself to be recruited by the Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), and Pollux leader of the rebellion, Alma Coin (Julianne (Elden Henson) in The Hunger Games: Moore), to serve as the face of the struggle in Mockingjay Part 1. propaganda videos designed to foment further insurrection. However, besides Katniss’ frequently fretting about the mental state of her pal Peeta’s being caught in the clutches of Panem’s ruthless President, Coriolanus Snow (Donald Sutherland), not a lot transpires over the course of this anticlimactic adventure. Worse, we have to wait another whole year for the decisive denouement. A lame excuse to fleece the legions of loyal Hunger Games fans in the target teen/tween demo.

Photos by Murray Close/Lionsgate

Fair H Rated PG-13 for intense violence, disturbing images and mature themes Running time: 123 minutes Distributor: Lionsgate Films To see a trailer for The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1, visit: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=IXshQ5mv1K8

The late Philip Seymour Hoffman as Plutarch Heavensbee and Julianne Moore as President Coin.

Book Review

Who We Be - The Colorization of America By Kam Williams Special to the AFRO “Race. A four-letter word. The greatest social divide in American life, a half-century ago and today. During that time, the United States has seen the most dramatic demographic and cultural shift in its history, what can be called the colorization of America… How do Americans see race now? After eras framed by words like ‘multicultural’ and ‘post-racial,’ do we see each other any more clearly? From the dream of integration to the reality of colorization, Who We Be remixes comic strips and contemporary art, campus protests and corporate marketing campaigns, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Trayvon Martin into a powerful, unusual and timely cultural history of the idea of racial progress.” -- Excerpted from the Bookjacket Each generation has its share of visionaries. Long ago, William Faulkner warned that “The past is never dead. It’s not even past.” In the Sixties, R. Buckminster Fuller conveyed the critical insight that “Geniuses are just people who had good mothers,” while Marshall McLuhan helped us understand exactly why “The medium is the message.” More recently, Ray Kurzweil anticipated the age of spiritual machines where computers lead and people follow. Who We Be is the work of a new sage thinker with his finger on the pulse. Don’t let yourself be dissuaded by the grammaticallyincorrect title of his opus, or it’s Ebonics chapter headings like “I Am I Be” and “What You Got to Say?” for the actual text isn’t written in inscrutable slang as implied, but rather offers a very articulate analysis of the evolution of American culture from the March on Washington to the present. In fact, the author isn’t even black, but Asian-American of Chinese and Hawaiian extraction. Not one to be pigeonholed by his ethnicity, Jeff Chang previously penned a couple of books about hip-hop, Can’t Stop Won’t Stop, and Total Chaos. Here, however, he successfully tackles

subject-matter of much more depth and consequence in the process sharing a cornucopia of profound insights on themes ranging from the rise of Obama to multiculturalism to gentrification to the use of the N-word to Occupy Wall Street. For example, in a blistering critique of the economic system, he opines: “Capitalism aspired not only to be the law, but morality, too. Freedom meant being

Photo by Jeremy Keith Villaluz

Author Jeff Chang

free even from responsibility or empathy. All values would bow before economic value. Redemption would be redefined. Consumption would set the terms of the social. Creditors ruled everything around us. Debtors—a category that included almost everyone—were parasites. Capital and the state

debased fundamental human relations… It’s sociality itself that’s treated as abusive, criminal, demonic.” Sobering! With the help of a dizzying mix of evocative essays, anecdotes, quotes, quips and eyecatching cartoons and photographs, he amply illustrates what he refers to as America’s postracial paradox. For although the country might be awash in a sort of melting pot imagery suggested by popular movies, TV shows and rainbow coalition commercials, that superficial symbolism flies in the face of the undeniable reality of rising re-segregation in terms of housing and schooling. Pearls of wisdom from an AsianAmerican wannabe who deliberately employs double negatives, bad grammar, incorrect syntax and even an occasional double positive for the sake of street cred. Still, the Utne Reader saw right through that smokescreen and dubbed Jeff Chang among the “50 Visionaries Who Are Changing Your World.” Who he be? He be a phat prophet! You feel me? To order a copy of Who We Be, visit: http://www. amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0312571291/ref%3dnosim/ thslfofire-20

November 29, 2014 -December 5, 2014, The Afro-American

AFRO Sports Desk Faceoff

SPORTS

Will RGIII Ever Return to his Rookie Form? By Perry Green and Stephen D. Riley AFRO Sports Desk The magical campaign that was Robert Griffin III’s rookie season and the Washington Redskins’ last playoff appearance seem like ages ago. It was only 2012 when RGIII was a rookie, taking the world by storm. A few injuries and a couple of different coaches later and Griffin finds himself at a crossroads as a Redskin. He’s 0-3 as the starting quarterback this year and has been even worse in-game. He’s sailed passes and missed reads routinely; and the sprinter speed from his rookie year is all but evaporated. Washington first-year coach Jay Gruden’s comment to the media that the “clock’s ticking” on Griffin could easily be interpreted as the coach could be thinking about a replacement. Times have changed dramatically from Griffin’s first year and he might finally Can Griffin return to form before its too late? be on the hot seat in Washington. But can Griffin return continues to get hurt. He missed six games this year, to form before it’s too late? Stephen D. Riley and Perry that’s a considerable amount of time for any NFL player Green of the AFRO Sports Desk debate the question. to be out, let alone a quarterback. And even after missing a month-and-a-half, he’s still managed to throw for Green: The time has come for Washington to cut the scores in each of his last two games. The game last week cord on RGIII. His rookie year is starting to look like a fluke and he’s on his way to flaming out the league much against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was as bad as it gets from a team perspective, but it was just another step like Vince Young did after his Pro Bowl caliber rookie season. Even with his speed and agility fading, he should in getting back to normal for RGIII. Washington could probably cut ties with Griffin and it wouldn’t come as be able to successfully and consistently read coverages a shock to people inside that locker room. But, the fact by now, and he just can’t. It’s painful to watch him play still remains that he’s the best option for them as a signal the quarterback position on Sundays, and his penchant caller. Gruden has done well with young quarterbacks for coming off as arrogant is the perfect combination and we still haven’t seen anything close to a working to get him out the door early. Though Kirk Cousins and Colt McCoy aren’t starting quarterbacks themselves, they relationship between the two yet because they simply haven’t had enough time together. both have come in and had more success this year than Griffin, who hasn’t even won a game as a starter. The writing is on the wall in Washington and it’s becoming obvious. Riley: Griffin has played bad, no doubt, but he’s going to continue to have mulligans as long as he

Green: We haven’t seen enough of Gruden and Griffin, but we’ve seen enough of RGIII as a solo act and heard enough of his prima donna postgame rants to know that he’s going to sink this team the longer he stays on it. Even his first year had murmurs of locker

to get to that mailman. Coming to visit his mom, Sam took the alley short cut. Sam was wearing a blue suit, and this alerted Blitz that the enemy was in the neighborhood. Sam entered the house from the front and proceeded to the back porch to give his mom a hug. When he stepped onto the porch, Blitz lit him up. Now Sam had a reputation for being a fashion plate, but when Blitz finished with that blue suit, Sam looked like the neighborhood bum. I had a decent track career, and sometimes I would be questioned about how I got my speed. I would always reply that I was faster than light. This was a little slanted, but absolutely true. We lived in the lower third of the block. There was a street light in front of my house, and Sam’s rule was, “Be in the house when the street light comes on.” There was another street light in the upper third of the block, and I would play until that light came on. The lights were in tandem, and when the light came on up the block, I would sprint for home. Making the full speed turn into my house would turn into quite an adventure on some days, but Sam would just hand me the iodine for my skinned knee and turn his back so I couldn’t see the grin on his face. Some would say he was hard but fair, but that was part of what made Sam special.

‘And the Beat Goes On’ I am sure most of you are guilty of this, and will get a chuckle when I confess that it is happening to me. I was kicking back in my favorite chair with one eye on the TV and the other in my brain searching for my column material. Sam’s story kept popping up, and I was trying to dismiss it with the excuse of poor concentration. This is when the chuckle erupted. I had the audacity to close “He Made a Difference,” thinking I had covered the life story of Sam Lacy. When Sam left us to take a seat at the Sports Desk in the sky, he was a half dozen heartbeats from turning 100 years old. The question rises, “Why did I think I could share his story in a few paragraphs?” I think a good place to pick up his story is with a little humor. My grandmother had a pit bull named Blitz. The knock on pit bulls is ridiculous. The mean ones are taught to be mean, or you have to tick them off. Blitz was as gentle as a lamb unless you got it twisted. The mailman would take a short cut through the alley, and as he passed the yard he would drag a magazine along the fence to mess with Blitz. I think Blitz would go to sleep at night trying to figure a way

room dysfunction between him and the older players back in 2012. I think the brand, the commercials and the injuries have simply run its course in the capital. Even those around the team that continue to give him passes based upon his rookie season are beginning to open their eyes. Fans are beginning to voice their displeasure, and you can even hear boo birds at FedEx Field. They were definitely there last week when he played terribly against sorry Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Washington finally has its draft picks back after trading so many of them away for RGIII in the first place – the team is on the way to another bottom-five finish and could use that pick to draft his replacement. If it’s ever going to be a year to start all over again it’ll be this one coming up, especially if Griffin continues to play erratically and lose football games. Riley: Whatever pick that Washington ends up with this year the team would certainly be wise to use it to add another piece up front to the offensive line. Every quarterback that’s played behind that unit has been put under fire this season, and the lack of a pass rush has definitely crippled the defense. There are many holes on this Redskin team that don’t even possess the potential that Griffin has at the quarterback position. Gruden has shown he can work with quarterbacks and turn them into above average players. Griffin’s unique skill set is a welcomed addition to the signal caller position that Gruden could definitely mold into his own image. But until we see a full healthy year from RGIII then he should be able to last at least one more year in Washington.

Howard University Football Weekly-11

Howard Wins ‘Battle of the Real HU’ over Hampton in Season Finale By Perry Green AFRO Sports Editor Junior kicker John Fleck nailed a game-winning field goal to help the Howard Bison edge the Hampton Pirates, 30-29, in comeback fashion on Nov. 22 at Greene Stadium in Washington, D.C., in the “battle of the real HU.” Fleck’s 17-yard field goal came with just 21 seconds left on the game clock, shortly following Hampton kicking its own field goal that pushed them ahead, 29-27, with three minutes left in the game. Both Howard and Hampton battled, tooth and nail, with five score exchanges throughout the game. Howard took the first lead in the opening quarter with an 8-yard touchdown run by junior running back William Parker. But Hampton scored three unanswered touchdowns in the second quarter to take a 19-7 lead into halftime. Hampton extended its lead to 26-7 with another touchdown score in the third quarter before Howard finally began to make its comeback, scoring three consecutive touchdowns to reclaim the lead. That set up for the dramatic finish capped off by Fleck’s game-winning kick. Howard was led by senior running back Aquanius Freeman with 102 rushing yards and two touchdowns; senior quarterback Greg McGhee also had a strong game on the ground, rushing for 97 yards and a touchdown. McGhee, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference’s (MEAC) leading passer, passed for a modest 157 yards with no touchdowns and an interception. He nevertheless had a high completion percentage in this game, connecting on 20-of-26 pass attempts. McGhee finished his season with a MEACbest 2,388 passing yards. Hampton freshman running back Eric Carter Jr. ran for a game-high 103 yards in the loss, and freshman quarterback Jerrell Antoine passed for 240 yards and two touchdowns, with three interceptions. With its win Saturday, Howard (5-7 overall, 3-5 MEAC) successfully finished its season on a four-game winning streak, marking a huge turnout for the team after losing five straight games earlier during the year. Hampton finished 3-9 overall, 2-6 in the MEAC.

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LEGAL NOTICES

Superior Court of the District of District of Columbia PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2014ADM1178 Lorenzo Smith AKA Lorenzo S. Smith Decedent Thomas L. Campbell Esq 3807 Minnesota Ave NE Washington, DC 20019 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Virginia Brooks, whose address is 153 Brynwood Street, Hagerstown, MD 21740 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Lorenzo Smith, AKA Lorenzo S. Smith who died on September 9, 2014 without 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., 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before May 28, 2015. 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 May 28, 2015, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship. Date of Publication: November 28, 2014 Name of newspaper: Afro-American Washington Law Reporter Virginia Brooks Personal Representative

Superior Court of the District of District of Columbia PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2014ADM1177 Jean L. Jordan AKA Jean Lash Jordan Decedent NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Neenah Jordan Kelliebrew, whose address is 817 57th Place, Fairmount Heights, MD 20743 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Jean L. Jordan AKA Jean Lash Jordan, who died on September 30, 2014 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 (or to the probate of decedent´s will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor Wa s h i n g t o n , D . C . 20001, on or before May 28, 2015. 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 May 28, 2015 or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship. Date of Publication: November 28, 2014 Name of newspaper: Afro-American Washington Law Reporter Neenah Jordan Kelliebrew Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS

Superior Court of the District of District of Columbia PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2014ADM699 Ciro Carlos Araujo de Quadros Decedent Harold Krauthamer Krauthamer & Stahl, Chartered 5530 Wisconsin Ave, Suite 801 Chevy Chase, MD 20815 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Susana Alicia Cecilia Figeruoa de de Quadros, whose address is 2920 3 8 t h S t r e e t , N W, Washington, DC, 20016 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Ciro Carlos Araujo de Quadros, who died on May 28, 2014 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 (or to the probate of decedent´s will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before May 21, 2015. 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 May 21, 2015 or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship. Date of Publication: November 21, 2014 Name of newspaper: Afro-American Washington Law Reporter

TYPESET: Mon Nov 24 12:51:20 EST 2014

TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 11/28, 12/5, 12/12/14

TYPESET: Mon Nov 24 12:50:26 EST 2014 11/28, 12/5, 12/12/14

Superior Court of the District of District of Columbia PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2014ADM1191 Mattie J. Montgomery Decedent Julius Daugherty Jr. 1403 Wentworth Ave. Unit A-3 Parkville, MD 21234 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Brenda E. B. Dunson, whose address is 409 Van Buren Street, NW, Washington, DC 20012 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Mattie J. Montgomery , who died on June 15, 2014 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose where-abouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent´s will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor Wa s h i n g t o n , D . C . 20001, on or before May 28, 2015. 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 May 28, 2015, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship. Date of Publication: November 28, 2014 Name of newspaper: Afro-American Washington Law Reporter Brenda E.B. Duson Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS

Superior Court of the District of District of Columbia PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2014ADM1186 Eunice Marie Minor Decedent Peggy A. Miller, Esq 530-7th St. NE Washington, DC 20011 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Diamond McGee, whose address is 4552 Kinmount Road, Lanham, MD 20706 was appointed personal representativ of the estate of Eunice Marie Minor, who died on October 3, 2009 without 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 (or to the probate of decedent´s will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor Wa s h i n g t o n , D . C . 20001, on or before May 28, 2015. 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 May 28, 2015, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship. Date of Publication: November 28, 2015 Name of newspaper: Afro-American Washington Law Reporter Diamond McGee Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 11/28, 12/5, 12/12/14

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Superior Court of the District of District of Columbia PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2014ADM1328 Carletha T. Bell AKA Carletha T. Kelly-Bell AKA Carletha K. Bell Decedent NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Michael O. Middleton and Lester L. Oates Sr. , whose addresses are 14909 Health Center Drive, Apt 435, Bowie, MD 20716 and 11504 Dundee Drive, Bowie , MD 20721were appointed personal representatives of the estate of Carletha T. Bell AKA Carletha T. Kelleu-Bell AKA Carletha K. Bell, who died on August 15, 2003 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 (or to the probate of decedent´s will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor Wa s h i n g t o n , D . C . 20001, on or before May 21, 2015. 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 May 21, 2015, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship. Date of Publication: November 21, 2014 Name of newspaper: Afro-American Washington Law Reporter Micheal O. Middleton Lester L. Oates Sr. Personal Representatives TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 11/21, 11/28, 12/5/14

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signed with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the under-

November 29, 2014 - December 5, 2014 The Afro-American TYPESET: Tue Nov 18 14:39:58 EST 2014 SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Foreign No. 2014FEP146 Date of Death October 10, 2014 Robin L. Gaines Decedent NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS Robin L. Gaines whose address is Riley Gaines was appointed personal representative of the estate of 5409 Cheapeake Road, Bladensburg, MD 20710 deceased, on November 14:39:49 EST 2014 5, 2014, by the Orphans’ Court for Prince George’s County, State of Maryland. Service of process may be made upon Wendy Carrington 73 Underwood Place, NW, Washington DC 20012 whose designation as District of Columbia agent has been filed with the Register of Wills, D.C. The decedent owned the following District of Colombia real property: 2900 7th Street, SE, Washington DC 20032 Claims against the decedent may be presented to the undersigned and filed with the Register of Wills for the District of Columbia, Building A, 515 5th Street, NW 3rd Floor, Washington, DC 20001 within 6 months from the date of first publication of this notice. (Strike preceding sentence if no real estate.) Robin L. Gaines Personal Representative(s) TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS Date of first publication: November 21, 2014 Name of newspapers and/or periodical: The Daily Washington Law Reporter The Afro-American

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TYPESET: Tue Nov 18 14:39:38 EST 2014

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Superior Court of the District of District of Columbia PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2014ADM1173 Rachel E. Henderson AKA Rachel Henderson Decedent William A. Bland Esq. 1140 Connecticut Ave. NW #1100 Washington, DC 20036 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS B r e n d a T. K e l l o g g , whose address is 6109 7th Place,NW, Washington, DC 20011 was appointed personal repre14:39:27 EST 2014 sentative of the estate of Rachel E. Henderson aka Rachel Henderson , who died on August 13, 1993 without a Will. 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., 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before May 21, 2015. 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 May 21, 2015, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship. Date of Publication: November 21, 2014 Name of newspaper: Afro-American Washington Law Reporter Brenda T. Kellogg Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 11/21, 11/28, 12/5/14

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unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before May 2015. Claims against TYPESET: Mon Nov 24 14, 12:52:02 EST 2014 LEGAL NOTICES the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Superior Court of Register of Wills or filed the District of with the Register of Wills District of Columbia with a copy to the underPROBATE DIVISION signed, on or before May Washington, D.C. 14, 2015, or be forever 20001-2131 barred. Persons believed Administration No. to be heirs or legatees of 2014ADM1176 the decedent who do not Yvonne Coker Reid receive a copy of this noDecedent tice by mail within 25 NOTICE OF days of its first publicaAPPOINTMENT, tion shall so inform the NOTICE TO Register of Wills, includCREDITORS ing name, address and AND NOTICE TO relationship. UNKNOWN HEIRS Neal Orion Reid, whose Date of Publication: address is 4602 Emmett November 14, 2014 Road, Glen Allen, VA Name of newspaper: 23060 was appointed Afro-American personal representative Washington of the estate of Yvonne Law Reporter Michelle L. Sedgewick Coker Reid, who died on Personal October 12, 2011 with a Representative Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs TRUE TEST COPY OF WILLS whose where-abouts are REGISTER TYPESET: Tue Nov 11 unknown shall enter their a p p e a r a n c e i n t h i s 11/14, 11/21, 11/28/14 proceeding. Objections Superior Court of to such appointment (or the District of to the probate of deDistrict of Columbia cedent´s will) shall be PROBATE DIVISION filed with the Register of Washington, D.C. Wills, D.C., 515 5th 20001-2131 Street, N.W., 3rd Floor Administration No. Wa s h i n g t o n , D . C . 2014ADM1163 20001, on or before May 28, 2015. Claims against Sharon D. Freeman the decedent shall be Decedent presented to the under- Murphy Peterson, Jr. signed with a copy to the Esq Register of Wills or filed 1629 K Street, Suite 300 with the Register of Wills Washington, DC 20006 with a copy to the under- Attorney NOTICE OF signed, on or before May APPOINTMENT, 28, 2015, or be forever NOTICE TO barred. Persons believed CREDITORS to be heirs or legatees of AND NOTICE TO the decedent who do not UNKNOWN HEIRS receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 H a r r y E S i m m o n s , days of its first publica- whose address is 5914 tion shall so inform the Brookfield Rd, RichRegister of Wills, includ- mond, VA 23227 was aping name, address and pointed personal representative of the estate of relationship. Sharon D. Freeman, who Date of Publication: died on June 14, 2014 November 28, 2014 without a will, and will Name of newspaper: serve without Court suAfro-American pervision. All unknown Washington heirs and heirs whose Law Reporter Neal Orion Reid where-abouts are unPersonal known shall enter their Representative a p p e a r a n c e i n t h i s proceeding. Objections to such appointment TRUE TEST COPY shall be filed with the REGISTER OF WILLS Register EST of Wills, TYPESET: Tue Nov 11 14:40:28 2014D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd 11/28, 12/5, 12/12/14 Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before May Superior Court of 14, 2015. Claims against the District of the decedent shall be District of Columbia presented to the underPROBATE DIVISION signed with a copy to the Washington, D.C. Register of Wills or filed 20001-2131 with the Register of Wills Administration No. with a copy to the under2014ADM1164 signed, on or before May Thoraid A. Johns, Sr. 14, 2015, or be forever Decedent barred. Persons believed NOTICE OF to be heirs or legatees of APPOINTMENT, the decedent who do not NOTICE TO receive a copy of this noCREDITORS tice by mail within 25 AND NOTICE TO days of its first publicaUNKNOWN HEIRS tion shall so inform the Lydia W. Johns, whose Register of Wills, includaddress is 2416 17th ing name, address and Place, SE, Washington, relationship. DC 20020 was appointed Date of Publication: personal representative November 14, 2014 of the estate of Thoraid Name of newspaper: A. Johns, Sr, who died on Afro-American August 5, 2014 with, a Washington will and will serve without Law Reporter Court supervision. All unHarry E. Simmons known heirs and heirs Personal whose whereabouts are Representative unknown shall enter their appearance in this TRUE TEST COPY proceeding. Objections REGISTER OF WILLS to such appointment (or TYPESET: Tue Nov 11 to the probate of de- 11/14, 11/21, 11/28/14 cedent´s will) shall be filed with the Register of Superior Court of Wills, D.C., 515 5th the District of Street, N.W., 3rd Floor District of Columbia Wa s h i n g t o n , D . C . PROBATE DIVISION 20001, on or before May 14, 2015. Claims against W a s h i n g t o n , D . C . 20001-2131 the decedent shall be Administration No. presented to the under2014ADM215 signed with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed Cloastellie Tilghman with the Register of Wills AKA Cloastellie M. Tilghman with a copy to the under- AKA signed, on or before May Cloastellie S. Tilghman 14, 2015, or be forever Decedent barred. Persons believed Sharon M. Graysonto be heirs or legatees of Kelsey the decedent who do not 3034 Mitchellville RD. receive a copy of this no- Bowie, MD 20716 tice by mail within 25 Attorney days of its first publicaNOTICE OF tion shall so inform the APPOINTMENT, Register of Wills, includ- N O T I C E T O ing name, address and CREDITORS relationship. AND NOTICE TO Date of Publication: UNKNOWN HEIRS November 14, 2014 J o e s e p h Ti l g h m a n , Name of newspaper: whose address is 1002 Donington Court, Bowie, Afro-American MD 20716 was apWashington pointed personal repreLaw Reporter Lydia W. Johns sentative of the estate of Personal Cloastellie Tilghman, Representative AKA Cloastellie M. Tilghman AKA Cloastellie S. Tilghman who died on TRUE TEST COPY September 7, 2013 with REGISTER OF WILLS a will, and will serve withTYPESET: Tue Nov 11 14:40:06 2014 All out Court EST supervision. 11/14, 11/21, 11/28/14 unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their Superior Court of appearance in this the District of proceeding. Objections District of Columbia to such appointment (or PROBATE DIVISION W a s h i n g t o n , D . C . to the probate of decedent´s will) shall be 20001-2131 filed with the Register of Administration No. Wills, D.C., 515 5th 2014ADM1123 Adrienne Anita Sed- Street, N.W., 3rd Floor Wa s h i n g t o n , D . C . gewick 20001, on or before May Decedent 14, 2015. Claims against NOTICE OF the decedent shall be APPOINTMENT, presented to the underNOTICE TO signed with a copy to the CREDITORS Register of Wills or filed AND NOTICE TO with the Register of Wills UNKNOWN HEIRS with a copy to the underMichelle L. Sedgewick, signed, on or before May whose address is 3815 14, 2015, or be forever 2 4 t h S t r e e t , N W . , barred. Persons believed Washington, DC 20018 to be heirs or legatees of was appointed personal the decedent who do not representative of the receive a copy of this noestate of 3815 24th tice by mail within 25 Street, NW., Washington days of its first publica, DC, 20018, who died on tion shall so inform the June 6, 2014 without a Register of Wills, includwill, and will serve with- ing name, address and out Court supervision. All relationship. unknown heirs and heirs Date of Publication: whose where-abouts are November 14, 2014 unknown shall enter their Name of newspaper: Afro-American appearance in this proceeding. Objections Washington to such appointment Law Reporter Joseph Tilghman shall be filed with the Personal Register of Wills, D.C., Representative 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before May TRUE TEST COPY 14, 2015. Claims against REGISTER OF WILLS the decedent shall be 11/14, 11/21, 11/28/14 presented to the under-

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The Afro-American, November 29, 2014 - December 5, 2014

HEALTH

HIV/AIDS Activists Push for More Funding to Address Stigma By Freddie Allen NNPA Senior Washington Correspondent WASHINGTON (NNPA) – In an ongoing effort to combat the HIV/ AIDS epidemic physicians, healthcare workers and human rights activists want the government and the public to place more emphasis on the stigma associated with the deadly disease that continues to plague the Black community. According to the Centers (Freddie Allen/NNPA) for Disease Control and Douglas Brooks, the director of the Office of National Prevention (CDC), Blacks AIDS Policy at the White House, delivers his keynote “accounted for an estimated address at the International Conference on Stigma in 44 percent of all new HIV Washington, D.C. infections among adults and adolescents (aged 13 years or older) in 2010, despite representing only 12 percent of the U.S. population.” Not only are Blacks disproportionately affected by poverty, discrimination, higher rates of incarceration, but the CDC also lists those issues as well as the stigma associated with HIV/ AIDS as socioeconomic risk factors contributing to the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the U.S. Sohail Rana, an HIV/AIDS specialist and physician in the Department of Pediatrics and Child Health at Howard University Hospital said that because the Black community is the most affected by the epidemic, it’s up to Blacks to make it easier for other African Americans affected to come forward. Rana questioned the effectiveness of investing billions in HIV vaccine research without adequately addressing stigma associated with the disease. “How can you give someone the vaccine, if they won’t come forward to even get tested?” asked Rana. “We need to put some balance into these efforts to make people accept their brothers and sisters with HIV of color.” HIV/AIDS activists praised President Barack Obama in 2009 for lifting the travel ban for people that are HIV-positive. The move cleared the way for the 2012 International AIDS Conference to be held that year in Washington, D.C. According to The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), a nonprofit focused on domestic and global health policies, the Obama administration requested $17.5 billion to care for people living with HIV in the U.S. and $929 million for domestic HIV prevention in 2015, a 1.3 percent increase over the 2014 request for prevention services.

The Kaiser Family Foundation also reported that the White House requested $57 million for the Minority HIV Initiative to “to address the disproportionate impact of HIV/AIDS on racial and ethnic minorities in the U.S.” The goals of President Obama’s national HIV/AIDS strategy include: reducing new HIV infections, increasing access to care and improving health outcomes and reducing HIV-related disparities and health inequities. Rana noted the efforts of Surgeon C. Everett General Coop in educating Americans about HIV/AIDS with his revolutionary pamphlet, titled “Understanding AIDS” that was mailed to more than 100 million households in 1988. During his keynote address at the conference, Douglas Brooks, the director of the Office of National AIDS Policy, said he wants to issue a similar document, in print or online, during his term in office. “The thing about going to every mailbox is that there was a chance that most Americans would have access to this document,” said Brooks, adding that HIV/AIDS knowledge among Americans appears to be fading, according to research conducted by KFF. Some people believe that can get HIV from toilets or dirty utilities. “The level of misinformation and lack of information is pretty high, so we definitely want to work on that.” Brooks called for more conversations about the fear and shame associated with HIV/AIDS in professional and private settings. Jorge Lander, a participant at the conference, agreed. “There is little done in terms of normalization,” said Lander, who is also a community health worker with Us Helping Us, a nonprofit group that provides health and support services for Black men, women and youth living with HIV/AIDS in the Washington metro area. “We don’t make sex normal, we don’t make having [sexually transmitted diseases] normal, we don’t make having HIV and living with HIV normal, so we don’t create great spaces for disclosure.” Lander said that addressing the stigma of HIV/AIDS is not just about sexual behavior, it’s also about poverty, unemployment, homelessness and substance abuse in the Black community. The problem is layered and complicated, Lander added, and he’s not sure if it’s being approached that way. Approaching that stigma in that right way involves getting over the fear of opening up conversations about HIV/AIDS. “If you’re sitting at the Thanksgiving table where we’re told that you don’t talk about sex, you don’t talk about religion, you don’t talk about politics, throw some fuel on the fire,” said Lander. “Just once bring up HIV. Ask if everyone at the dinner table been screened for HIV. We have to get out of our comfortable spaces. Education is the first thing to shift and everybody is an advocate. If we get that messaging out then people feel empowered to say ‘I can take care of myself, I can take care of my brother, I can help my sister out.’” Rana said that addressing the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS requires a center that is constantly working and a that his group has presented a proposal to the Howard University board of trustees and the president. Rana added: “There is no better place than [Howard University] to have it, because we have a long history of fighting for human rights.”

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