Prince Georges Afro American Newspaper January 24 2015

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY EDITION

Volume 123 No. 25

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

JANUARY 24, 2015 - JANUARY 30, 2015

AFRO Series–Part Two

Few Jobs for Blacks in Silicon Valley

By Kamau High Special to the AFRO

Unless you are a White or Asian male, you are unlikely to work at some of the biggest technology companies in America. And while things like President Obama’s recent efforts to make community college free for more people are attempts to change that, the lack of diversity in the tech field is likely to take some time to

change. So, minus a new civil rights movement focused on forcing technology companies to increase the number of women and minorities they hire, what can be done?

The AFRO spoke with a range of recruiters, outside organizations and people who have forged their own path to make Silicon Valley more equal in its hiring practices.

Two ideas emerged from these conversations: 1) Don’t wait Continued on A5

Time is Now for Md. Second Chance Act

By Roberto Alejandro Special to the AFRO The Maryland General Assembly is on the precipice of passing stronger shielding protections for persons with misdemeanor criminal

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President Obama: ‘Don’t Turn the Page Yet’

By Gloria Browne-Marshall AANIC Correspondent President Obama’s State of the Union speech titled “Turn the Page” made clear – he is no lame-duck. With an ambitious agenda, and less than two years to complete it, time is running out for him to take on the issues in urban communities.

The mid-term elections cost Democrats the U.S. Senate.

But, President Obama was optimistic about the future of America. Black-Americans who gave the largest percent of their votes (97 percent) to re-elect him did not see much in his speech that directly addressed their issues.

The President spoke forcefully about protecting labor unions, gay rights, the environment, and even intellectual property, but failed to clearly address concerns within urban

Continued on A4

President Obama delivers his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill on Jan. 20.

AP Photo

First Baptist Church of Glenarden Hosts Panel To Honor Dr. King

records. Sen. Christopher Shank (R) and Del. Jill P. Carter (D) shared this news with an audience during a recent forum on shielding and expungement protections.

At the forum, “How Long Is Too Long,” held at the University of Baltimore School of Law on Jan. 12, a panel of experts, including Shank and Carter, discussed the pros and cons of shielding and expungement protections for persons with criminal

Photo by Courtney Jacobs

Panelists Alejandro Negron, Stan Richards and Faith Holmes participate in the First Baptist Church of Glenarden’s “Beyond the Color of Our Skin” discussion.

By Courtney Jacobs AFRO Staff Writer In honor of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., First Baptist Church of Glenarden hosted a panel discussion on diversity and racial tolerance. The “Beyond the Color of Our Skin” discussion featured a youth and adult panel that analyzed racism inside schools, recent marches and protests and Selma.

Youth panelists, varying in ethnic and cultural backgrounds, included Howard University Middle School of Mathematics and Science student Busayo Maubela; Key School student and son of the church’s senior pastor, John Jenkins Jr.; Bowie High School student Devyn Johnson; and Henson Middle School students Cole Smith and Ethan Martinez.

“It’s a conversation that hasn’t been really been discussed until Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown,” said Johnson, the

only female panelist. “I don’t want people to tell me that I’m doing good in school for a Black girl. I want them to say I’m doing good in school as a student.”

Martinez felt that everyone should speak up for themselves.

“The smallest person could have biggest voice,” Martinez said.

“I don’t care if you’re the captain of the basketball team or coming off of the bench, everybody has a voice that should be heard.”

When asked about culture, Jenkins said, “Hate for another culture is something that is taught.”

The next topic was on the marches and protests that are occurring around the world. “I feel like there is a lot of talk and no action,” said Maubela, the grandson of Dick Gregory.

“People go to these protests with their signs, but once they get home it’s like what’s on Cartoon Network.”

Continued on A4

Workshop Held To Decrease African-American Incarceration

By AFRO Staff

A panel of experts included Del. Jill P. Carter and Sen. Christopher Shank. convictions. Shielding laws hide past criminal convictions from persons conducting background checks, while expungement wipes the convictions from their record.

The Maryland Second Chance Act, which would Continued on A6

The Maryland Alliance for Justice Reform (MAJR) hosted a training workshop to discuss ending the mass incarceration of Black people, in Largo on Jan. 10.

MAJR is a bi-partisan, statewide alliance seeking legislative changes to bring Maryland into the 21st century with corrections policies that are evidencebased, humane, and effective.

Sandra Pruitt, People for Change Coalition Inc.’s executive director, helped promote this seminar. She said, “We want to reduce

“We want to reduce the amount of people incarcerated. We want to reduce the time they are in jail as well.”

– Sandra Pruitt

pfccoalition.org

Sandra Pruitt, People for Change Coalition Inc.’s executive director, helped promote this seminar.

the amount of people incarcerated. We want to reduce the time they are in jail as well.”

This event was held to discuss alternatives to incarceration, screening for

Copyright © 2014 by the Afro-American Company

low-risk offenders, practical skills job training and education while incarcerated, pre-release support for jobs and re-entry services, employer Incentives, Continued on A6

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The Afro-American, January 24, 2015 - January 30, 2015

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NATION & WORLD Man Who Shot Black Police Chief Four Times Not Arrested

An African-American police chief from Sentinel, Okla., was shot four times, but his assailant, a White “survivalist” has not been arrested.

Police Chief Louis Ross entered the home of Dallas Horton around 6 a.m. Dec. 15 while investigating a bomb threat to a nearby school and was shot three times in the chest and once in the arm by the alleged suspect. Ross had just borrowed a bulletproof vest from another officer, which is credited with saving his life, according to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigations (OSBI).

“We almost lost a good man,” Sentinel Mayor Sam Dlugonski told local CNN affiliate KFOR. According to authorities, the Washita County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call around 4 a.m. in which the caller, who identified himself as Horton, said he had placed a bomb at the nearby Head Start school.

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Police Chief Louis Ross was shot four times.

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The bomb squad investigated and determined there was no explosive device at the school, so Ross and his deputies went to the alleged suspect’s home in the 200 block S. 4th. St. When no one answered their summons, authorities said they forcefully entered the domicile.

“They made entry, cleared the first bedroom, started to clear the second bedroom, he opened fire on police and shot our chief three times in the chest and once in the arm,” Dlugonski told KFOR. The OSBI determined Horton should not be arrested, however.

Ross expressed skepticism

of that claim.

“Don’t know what he heard or didn’t hear screaming from five officers of the law announcing our presence, requesting to see hands,” Ross told News9.

Others said Horton’s reaction was understandable.

Black Leaders Raise Funds for Free Student Admissions to ‘Selma’

Black business leaders across an increasing number of U.S. cities are joining the burgeoning campaign to bring the Golden Globe-winning film Selma, to students for free.

“This initiative is unprecedented in African-American history. Never before has a group of Black leaders donated the funds to enable students across the country to view a film created by a Black director for free,” said Henry Louis Gates, professor of African American Studies at Harvard, in a statement.

Funds were recently established in Washington, D.C., and elsewhere, bringing the number of participating cities to 13, and several others are expected to be announced this week.

The efforts are being fueled by the success of a program in New York City, in which 27 African-American business leaders created a fund for 27,000 of the city’s seventh-, eighth-, and ninth-grade students to gain free admission to the movie. Due to the overwhelming demand, the New York City initiative sold out in the very first weekend and was expanded to 75,000 tickets.

Leaders of the movement said they felt compelled to share the inspiring, historical movie with the younger generation.

Selma chronicles a critical moment in the Civil Rights Movement--the tumultuous three-month period in 1965, when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. led other activists in a dangerous campaign to secure equal voting rights for African Americans.

The epic march from Selma to Montgomery, Ala., during which demonstrators risked their very lives, culminated in President Johnson signing the monumental Voting Rights Act of 1965.

In most of the cities, seventh-, eighth- and ninth-grade students need only present a current student ID or report card at the box office of any participating theater to receive free admission while tickets last.

Toni Cook Bush and DeDe Lea, executives at News Corp. and Viacom, respectively, are leading the fundraising efforts in Washington, D.C.

GOP Lawmaker Apologizes for Obama-Hitler Comparison

A recent tweet by United States Rep. Randy Weber (R-Texas) incited another social media outrage when he compared President Obama to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. But just less than 24 hours after Weber made his thoughts public on Twitter, he issued an apology before deleting the tweet.

Weber’s original tweet was spurred by the president’s absence at an anti-terror march in Paris Jan. 11 following a recent terrorist attack.

“Even Adolph [sic] Hitler thought it more important than Obama to get to Paris. (For all the wrong Rep. Randy Weber compared reasons.) Obama couldn’t President Obama to Nazi do it for right reasons,” leader Adolf Hitler.

Weber stated.

The post was one of many public criticisms lobbed at the White House for not sending an official of higher profile than Jane Hartley, the U.S. ambassador to France, to join other world leaders for the antiterrorist rally. “I think it’s fair to say that we should have sent someone with a higher profile,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest said in a somewhat apology.

Still, Weber acknowledged he might have gone too far--though he claimed the mention of Hitler was not meant to be a comparison to the president.

Instead, he said, he wanted the name drop to represent the evil that still exists.

“It was not my intention to trivialize the Holocaust nor to compare the President to Adolf Hitler. The mention of Hitler was meant to represent the face of evil that still exists in the world today. I now realize that the use of Hitler invokes pain and emotional trauma for those affected by the atrocities of the Holocaust and victims of anti-Semitism and hate,” Weber said in a statement.

January 24, 2015 - January 30, 2015, The Afro-American

Keeping The Promise.

MGM National Harbor is delivering on its promise to enrich Prince George’s County’s progressive, multicultural heritage. Through November 2014, MGM has partnered with 53 minority-owned businesses resulting in $18.8 million going back to Prince George’s County and Maryland.

BUILDING EXCITEMENT. MGMNationalHarbor.com

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The Afro-American, January 24, 2015 - January 30, 2015

Study: Property and Sales Taxes Place Heavy Burden on the Poor, Middle-Class

By Roberto Alejandro Special to the AFRO Poor and middle-class families pay a much higher share of their income in sales and property taxes than do the wealthy, according to a recent study of state tax systems by the Institute on Taxation & Economic Policy. The study found that the less states and localities rely on progressively structured income taxes, the greater the relative burden on low and middle-income households.

In Maryland, households in the lowest 20 percent of earners (people earning less than $24,000 per year) pay 9.7 percent of their incomes in taxes. The middle 20 percent pay 10.3 percent, and the top 1 percent of households pay 6.7 percent of their total incomes in taxes.

State and local tax structures that rely heavily on property taxes, or sales and excise taxes, tend to hit low and middleincome families particularly hard, the study concludes.

“Property taxes, including both taxes on individuals and

“In Maryland, households in the lowest 20 percent of earners pay 9.7 percent of their incomes in taxes.”

Day “On” Not a day “Off”

Glenarden

Continued from A1 Maubela spoke about how he attended the ‘Black Lives Matter’ March in D.C. “I saw a girl from Ferguson that wanted to speak to the crowd, but they wouldn’t let her,” he said. “Instead, guess who was on the front line, Rev. Al Sharpton. How are you getting a check to talk about something that you weren’t even there for? We need more young leaders, but their revolution went untelevised.”

When asked why students don’t speak up in school, Smith said, “The youth in this country don’t want to

business taxes, are usually somewhat regressive,” reads the study. “On average, poor homeowners and renters pay more of their incomes in property taxes than do any other income group — and the wealthiest taxpayers pay the least.”

Sales and excise taxes are also “very regressive,” since “[poor] families pay almost eight times more of their incomes in these taxes than the best-off families, and middle-income families pay more than five times the rate of the wealthy.”

The study can inform policy discussions in cities like Baltimore, with high rates of poverty (23.8 percent according to the last census) and heavy reliance on regressive taxes such as the city’s property tax.

“There are moral and practical reasons to be concerned about [regressive taxes],” according to the study. “Unfair tax systems not only exacerbate widening income inequality in the short term, but they also will leave states struggling to raise enough revenue to meet their basic needs in the long term.”

talk because they’re afraid of being stereotyped or bullied for speaking out.”

The adult panel followed the youth panel. Panelists included the Rev. Jim Eaton, pastor at Mosiac Church in Frederick, Md.; Mo Ivory, WHUR personality and CNN commentator; Alejandro Negron, WJLA News 8 and Telemundo commentator; Stan Richards Sr., author and entrepreneur; Dr. Bobby Manning, pastor of First Baptist Church of District Heights; Dr. E. Faye Williams, chair of the

National Congress of Black Women; and Faith Holmes, owner of Faithfully Sweet.

“Love cannot dwell in a heart possessed by fear,” Holmes said. She said she is encouraging people, around the world, to see the new movie ‘Selma,’ which commemorates King’s life.

During the panel discussion, Ivory brought up the fact that reality shows that come on television are “killing the Black woman’s identity,” stating that when she travels to certain states, she is identified or viewed as women off of reality shows.

Richards, who owns his own company, The Richard Group Foundation, used to not want to be Black growing up.

“Growing up, I was the racist,” Richards said. “I wanted to be White at one point in my life because I thought they were more privileged.”

Obama

Continued from A1 communities, especially the killing of unarmed Black males, unemployment, and re-segregated schools.

“The shadow of crisis has passed,” President Obama said. “The State of the Union is strong.” However, the state of the union between the President and urban communities may be fraying around the edges. Black support dipped in light of the President’s tepid response over the Michael Brown and Eric Garner cases.

Even in his speech, the President walked a neutral line. He created a Task Force

Photo by Caroline Reed

Dr. Joan Hillsman, former minister of music, Rev. Dr. Rudolph White, pastor of New Southern Rock Baptist Church and other members joined together to celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The event included music, dance, a choir celebration and the church’s choir. The Honorable Judge Reggie B. Walton, District Court Judge of the District of Columbia was the guest speaker. on 21st Century Policing that will present its findings in March. Despite six-months of uprisings which led to creation of the Task-Force, there is only one line about it in his 17-page speech. “We may have different takes on the events of Ferguson and

But, then he quickly changed direction and also argued for the other side, “surely we can understand the wife who won’t rest until the police officer she married walks through the front door at the end of the shift.”

President Obama ran for

“The shadow of crisis has passed. The State of the Union is strong.”

–President Obama New York.”

He said, “We can understand a father who fears his son can’t walk home without being harassed.”

re-election with a focus on the middle-class. For which he has been severely criticized

by Cornel West, the Black theologian and author. In his speech, the President explained that middle-class economics means helping folks afford childcare, college, health care, a home, and retirement.

The President proposed paid sick-leave and maternity leave which will benefit all communities. He said he wants to strengthen labor unions, increase the minimum wage, and invest in technology. However, all of these job-based proposals assume some level of employment. Unemployment among African-Americans is nearly twice that of Whites.

Even with an economy that is growing and creating jobs at the “fastest pace since 1999,” which Obama boasted in his speech, Blacks are lagging behind. Black unemployment is 11.4 percent, while the national unemployment rate is about 6.3 percent, according to the

Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Blacks must still contend with racism in employment, housing, and education.

President Obama pointed out that “for the first time in 40 years, the crime rate and the incarceration rate have come down together.” Yet, a disproportionate number of Black men, women, and children are in the prison system.

The President proposed free community college.

However, re-segregated American public schools are under-educating Black and Latino children making them ill-prepared for college, free or otherwise. “There is no Black America or White America,” he said. “There is only the United States of America,” which ignores an America still divided over race.

The President felt comfortable saying we must “speak out against anti-Semitism” and “reject offensive stereotypes of Muslims” and “condemn the persecution of women, or religious minority, or people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender” without arguing the other side.

The President and First Lady Michelle Obama are part of an era coming to a close.

“Tonight we turn the page,” he said. Will millions of Black men, women, and children move forward with him or watch his presidency end from the sidelines? Time is running out for this President to create opportunities for Black America that can result in a shared optimism about the future.

January 24, July 2015 5, 2014 - January - July30, 5, 2014, 2015, The Afro-American

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Rallying on the Frontlines for Reproductive Health

By Christina Sturdivant Special to the AFRO

In the wake of the landmark Supreme Court Roe v.

Wade decision’s 42nd anniversary, five organizations are collaborating to advance the reproductive health rights of Black women and girls.

During a policy briefing on Jan. 15, at the National Press Club, representatives from Black Women for Wellness, Black Women’s Health Imperative, New Voices Pittsburgh, SisterLove, and SPARK Reproductive Now, convened to discuss the urgency of providing Black women with a voice that impacts state and national policy decisions regarding their reproductive health.

Under the initiative, In Our Own Voice: Black Women on Abortion, Contraception and Comprehensive Sex Education, these organizations will address three key policy issues: abortion rights and access, contraceptive equity, and comprehensive sex education.

“We need to make sure women have the right to control what happens with their bodies,” said Linda Goler-Blount, president and CEO of Black Women’s Health Imperative (BWHI).

Headquartered in Washington, D.C., BWHI is the only national organization dedicated to improving the physical, emotional, and financial health of Black women and girls. In February, BWHI will launch its My Sisters Keeper initiative at Spelman College and Howard University. The initiative

will create ways for young women at historically Black colleges and universities to understand and respond to health issues through channels such as mobile apps, wearable technology, and creative leadership institutes.

“We are inherently strong and resilient,” says GolerBlount, “but young Black women need to get that message.”

In Los Angeles, Black Women for Wellness’s (BWW) program, “Get Smart Before You Get Sexy,” is shifting the culture of sex and sexuality for youth, said Janette Robinson Flint, executive director at BWW. “Our role is to be smart about sex, to have a reproductive life plan, to be empowered to ask questions, and to do you.”

BWW’s 2014 annual “Get Smart Before You Get Sexy” Conference focused

Linda Goler Blount speaks at the policy briefing on reproductive health for Black women.

on transforming silence into action framed in a discussion around reproductive and sexual health, rights, and justice.

The policy briefing also included supporters of the initiative – individuals whose careers constantly intersect with women who face barriers in receiving comprehensive health services. One of those was Dr. Willie Parker, physician and board member of Physicians for Reproductive Health. He said, “Recently more than 200 laws were passed that part away at the very substance of Roe v. Wade.”

From laws that require parental and spousal permission to receive an abortion, to targeted regulations of abortion facilities, to hospital admitting privileges, the bottom line is that abortion is practically inaccessible although it remains legal, Parker added.

Because the impact of these restrictions is incredibly disproportionate in the south, Parker moved to Alabama to provide abortion care for women in Alabama, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Illinois.

As a reproductive justice advocate, his work includes a focus on violence against women, sexual assault prevention, and reproductive health rights through advocacy, provision of contraceptive and abortion services, and male reproductive healthcare.

“The reality is that Black women and Black babies are suffering based on policies,” said Parker. “What are we going to do about changing the context of the lives of women? When you make things better for the most vulnerable folk, you make things better for everybody.”

Digital Divide

Continued from A1

for the government to help you because it will take a long time for any appreciable difference to be made and 2) If these companies aren’t hiring the right people, then it’s time to strike out on your own.

That’s what Tiffany Thomas-Randall, a Columbia, Md. resident, did when she lost her government job doing

a school’s technology up to date.

One organization trying to deal with that is Hack the Hood, a San Francisco based non-profit that attempts to engage school-age kids in the tech world. Hack the Hood does this by sponsoring sixweek technology boot camps that incorporate field trips, network, practice public speaking and build websites.

Only in its second year, Hack the Hood received a grant of $500,000 from Google last year to expand its programs. “We are in a unique position of living in the center of where the majority of tech companies are,” says Zakiya Harris, co-founder of the organization. “When Twitter goes public and there are 30 new billionaires living in that area that affects them [in the form of gentrification]. We

paperwork to become certified as a government contractor.

Asked what type of people she is looking to hire she says, “I’m looking for someone willing to learn. You have to want to know more. It doesn’t matter how old they are as long as they have a good work ethics. I’m not looking for 8-5 Monday through Friday.

You could have to investigate something in the evenings or on the weekends.”

When it comes to who the largest tech companies in America are hiring, the numbers are depressing.

Names like Yahoo!, Facebook, Amazon, Google—sites we use every day— started releasing their hiring BlackGirlsCode blackgirlscode.com statistics last year after pressure from Hack the Hood hackthehood.org civil rights groups.

The Federal Rainbow PUSH Coalition government rainbowpush.org requires large companies to file Kapor Center for Social Impact ethnic and gender kaporcenter.org breakdowns of their employees.

Code.org code.org However, the numbers are Year Up yearup.org confidential so it’s up to individual National Society of Black Engineers companies to nsbe.org release those numbers to the CODE2040 code2040.org public. Known as EEO-1 reports, the statistics pretty much live up to the stereotypes of the technology give them the knowledge and world: White or Asian men expertise to move not just are over-represented with Blacks, women and Hispanics as consumers of tech but as creators.” underrepresented. Some are While other articles in better than others but for the this series will explore the most part, it’s a sad state of educational environment that affairs. has led to such a paucity of How did we get to this Black workers in the tech state? It’s a familiar tale world, Harris offers this that anyone who lives in a community with low property observation, “Does every young person who goes taxes will know. Property through our program get a job taxes, in general, are the in tech? That remains to be second largest chunk of the seen. We have people who are money schools get right training at tech companies, behind income and sales one of our young people taxes. If property taxes are started making his own video low, then the schools don’t game. As for the longer term have much money to work impact? We’re still figuring with. This translates into old that out.” and outdated equipment as In addition to teaching well as not enough money to young people to operate in hire the right people to keep

Organizations that offer help

Tiffany Thomas-Randall decided to start her own computer forensics firm. background security in 2010.

While sending out resumes in early 2011, she enrolled in a computer security program at the University of Maryland University College. Despite having taken a few computer classes while an undergrad, she felt lost. “I went in not knowing anything,” she says.

“I did a lot of reading in order to catch up with the other students.”

An adviser suggested she go into computer forensics, the science of examining computers for evidence of a crime. She eventually broke into the field and worked for a year a half before going back to school for her master’s in cybersecurity. “Where I worked I was the only Black female. People who passed me in the hallway would say ‘Stick it out,’” she says. “I tell others [Black women] to do the same thing.”

After moving on to another job at a large consulting firm, she decided to start her own computer forensics firm called SCORPION: Digital Forensics last October. She is currently in the process of filling out the proper

tech circles, Hack the Hood also focuses on getting entrepreneurs to start their own businesses. When people finish with Hack the Hood the organization wants them to be ready to join a company or form their own. “Major tech companies are insular and hire people who know someone who knows someone. Lots of our young people don’t move in those circles. We’re trying to teach young people how to operate in those networks,” says Harris. “If we look at diversity and inclusion when it comes to the corporate world it still needs lots of change. Is the tech industry going to be any different?”

One person trying to answer that question is Frank Odasz, who works with rural Native American groups in Montana on getting them up to speed in technology. He draws some interesting parallels to the Black community when it comes to getting more young people into the tech world. “Rural communities are similar to urban ones,” he says.

“Everyone has a selfreinforcing belief that they are incapable of doing amazing things even though in their own neighborhoods there are examples of people being successful.”

These include the person making a web site for the neighborhood barber shop and the local nail salon. As Odasz says, “Most innovations don’t come from big companies. The founders of Facebook and Google dropped out of college.

You can teach yourself anything you want to know with the open education resources on the internet. Jobs have not been coming from big companies, instead they come from grassroots entrepreneurship.”

Echoing that sentiment is Nicol Turner-Lee, vice president and chief research and policy officer of the Minority Media and Telecom Council, which, full disclosure, provided a grant for the AFRO to produce this series. MMTC is a non-profit focused on civil rights in the communications industry.

“We as a community need to shift from being consumers to producers. We remind kids that instead of buying an Xbox you can create that game,” says Turner-Lee. And it’s not just creating

“There are people in the world that will never see past the color of my skin.”

– Justin Edmund technology. “Someone’s got to write the bill, record the data, be the greeter at the front desk and deal with legal concerns. We treat the tech industry like it’s the grown and sexy stuff. It’s an eco-system and they are generating [lots of different kinds of] jobs.”

For Blacks who do make it into the tech industry just being there can be an isolating and frustrating experience.

Justin Edmund, an early hire at Pintrest in Silicon Valley, wrote about this extensively on Medium.com. After the protests in Ferguson, Mo., following the death of Michael Brown, he took to the Internet to express his feelings. “In today’s America, I could walk to the store right now and be shot dead in my tracks because of a misunderstanding, or perhaps for no reason at all. There are people in the world that will never see past the color of my skin. Instead, they will shoot me dead for walking home from the corner store with Skittles and an Arizona iced tea. For many of you fortunate enough to read this blog post, you will never know how frightening that is.”

So what can we do? Like many answers to such a question, it depends. If you’re a parent there are plenty of organizations working to get Black kids into things like making web sites and computer programming. See box below.

For students in college who are either already in or thinking about engineering, one of the key degrees, besides computer science, for tech companies there are organizations that offer everything from help to refresher courses. One of those is the National Society of Black Engineers. Sossena Wood, chairperson of the NSBE, says the protests spawned by the killing of Michael Brown and Eric Garner are sparking protests on college campuses demanding more minorities be recruited. “If you push policy at schools and force them to recruit more AfricanAmerican and poor minorities that will make a difference.

Everything going on with Michael Brown is waking up my generation because students are realizing they have a voice,” she says. “It’s not necessarily speaking out about police brutality but about injustice at their institutions. Students can drive more change than they necessarily know.

For adults and mid-career people there are options such as recruiters. Cindy Gallup, who in addition to running makelovenotporn. com also recruits for tech start-ups among other types of companies. “The lack of diversity in tech won’t get addressed until it gets addressed in an emotional and direct way,” she says. “When I give talks I speak from the point of gender diversity but it applies to other forms of diversity. I say to the audience, ‘I want to talk to the men for a moment. Men: it’s very comfortable hiring people like you. Working with people like you. Starting companies with you. And hanging out with people like you. If you want to own the future, you have to get uncomfortable.’”

In the course of this investigation the AFRO reached out to some of the top tech companies in America including Google, Facebook, Yahoo!, LinkedIn, Microsoft and here in Baltimore NorthrupGruman. Beyond some of them providing us with a perfunctory statement on their efforts to improve diversity all of them declined to be interviewed about this important topic.

Thanks to the efforts of activists such as Jessie Jackson and the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, among others, many of these companies are at least making moves to rectify the situation.

Intel, for example, just announced it was going to spend $300 million on hiring minority and female talent.

But like all things, only time will tell if these are more than just empty gestures to divert the attention of people who are rightfully upset at these companies’ discriminatory hiring practices or lack of genuine attempts at reform.

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The Afro-American, January 24, 2015 - January 30, 2015

Second Chance Act

Continued from A1

shield certain misdemeanor criminal convictions from background checks after a specified period, comes before the legislature this session. Shank and Carter expressed optimism about its passage in the 2015 General Assembly.

Marc Mauer, executive director of the Sentencing Project, spoke at the forum about the consequences of a criminal conviction that go beyond any court ordered sentence. “When the judge says, ‘I’m sentencing you to do five years in prison,’ he or she doesn’t say that I’m going to limit your right to receive public benefits, or live in public housing, or your right to vote for periods of time, or anything like that. Nobody in the courtroom talks about that, but that in fact is what’s happening,” Mauer said.

Mauer called these consequences a “life-

long sentence,” and noted that communities of color and the poor are disproportionately affected.

Shank said, explaining his support for the Second Chance Act, we have to rethink our approaches to criminal justice, citing high costs to the state with limited results.

“We spend over a billion dollars a year [on corrections in Maryland]. That is a lot of money. That is more money than we spend on higher education in this state, it’s crowding out a lot of other spending, and our recidivism rate is still hovering around 40 to 45 percent in this state. So if I am true to my [fiscal conservative] principles . . . I would say that continuing to spend a billion dollars and then seeing this rate of recidivism means that we should be doing some things a little bit differently,” Shank said.

“I would say that … we should be doing some things a little bit differently.”

– Christopher Shank Shank said a study showed that the risk a convicted person will commit certain crimes again matches the risk of the general population after a certain amount of time. He said this information drives his support for shielding protections for those crimes after an allotted period.

Carter said while the General Assembly prides itself for being a progressive institution, it has not been progressive on criminal justice matters. This is why she believes it is

important to support an incremental change – like the one the Second Chance Act represents – when one might prefer a bill, for example, that did not require a waiting period before records eligible for shielding or expungement.

“We’re talking about a legislature that still has not allowed persons to expunge non-convictions [arrests not resulting in convictions]. Given that, I think we have to push forward very forcefully, but I think we have to consider some kind of a waitperiod. I know how far we have been from expanding expungement and how difficult it’s been to even get [the Second Chance Act] passed, which [shields] minor, misdemeanor convictions, of little to no consequence that really probably shouldn’t be convictions that bar people from opportunities anyway,” said Carter.

Workshop

Continued from A1 collateral consequences, and life with Parole Returning Citizens.

The workshop also included an interactive activity where participants teamed up and practiced lobbying visits. This was very helpful , teaching potential advocates the correct things to say and do when promoting initiatives of importance this legislative session.

The MAJR is promoting six bills in the 2015 Maryland General Assembly, bringing together legislation with alliance organizations such as the Annapolis Friends Peace and Justice Center, Job Opportunity Task Force, Restorative Justice Initiative, and Uniform Laws Commission.

The Maryland Safer Communities Reinvestment Fund bill would reallocate some state prison funs for improved offender screen, diversion, re-entry services, victim assistance and job training. These funds, captured by reducing prison costs, are targeted to provide services needed by higher risk offenders to decrease recidivism. This bill will save taxpayer dollars and improve public safety.

Maryland’s juvenile mediation and “restorative justice” programs for youthful, adult, and misdemeanor offenders will be expanded under the Safer Communities Conciliation Act. When offenders successfully complete agreements to satisfy victims – like restitution, counseling, and avoiding

new problems – charges would go away so no criminal record impedes employment. This allows victims to sit at the table with an offender to hear an apology and reach an agreement for restitution or other remedies.

The Screening for Public Safety and More Effective Corrections bill will use Justice Reinvestment funds to identify and target services for inmates based on factors likely to cause repeat offenses. This saves time and money because each inmate sentenced to state prison could be screened for appropriate placement and services, rather than being transferred to an expensive central facility in Baltimore. This also will improve the inmate’s transition back to the community at the end of their sentence.

With the potential for reimbursement through the Full and Fair Reimbursement for Local Detention bill, county detention centers may agree to assist the State in early screening, re-

entry, and pre-release services without incurring financial penalties. “We want to get funding from state back to local,” JOTF member Caryn York said.

The employment related measures bill addresses a variety of problems including allowing certain misdemeanor convictions to be shielded from public view after a 3-5 year waiting period. It also expands the Correctional Enterprises prison job programs in Maryland and orders the partial or full restoration of employment rights, licenses, etc., if no unreasonable risk to the safety or welfare of others exists. The bill also outlines a “certificate of rehabilitation” for an offender who has avoided new offenses, who performed everything asked on parole and probation, and who seeks a job for which they are qualified. According to MAJR, “Regular employment reduces recidivism by 50 percent.”

The final bill MAJR is supporting will put the parole recommendation decisions for offenders sentenced to life with the possibility of parole in the hands of the governor’s appointed Parole Commission. These commissioners would be relied on to make evidence-based recommendations, prescribing parole for inmates who earned it and providing the safest parole supervision conditions.

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January 24, 2015 - January 30, 2015 The Afro-American

Still Marching

COMMENTARY

For me, last week’s celebration of Martin Luther King’s birthday came quickly on the heels of watching Selma, an inspiring and challenging film about Dr. King’s unyielding crusade for voting rights—as well as a deep personal loss. Just before the New Year, we lost Ferdinand Day, a mentor of mine whose photo sits on my credenza.

Tall, dignified and gentle, Fred (as his friends called him) was a driving force in integrating the public schools of Alexandria, Va., an amazing story that was brought to life in the 2000 Denzel Washington movie Remember the Titans. The first African- American to chair a Virginia school board, my mentor worked tirelessly for Black rights in his community.

He would remind us, “Always comport yourself in a dignified manner, so the focus is on the issue, not on you.” Fred taught me many lessons about being a leader and imparted critical values, including an abiding sense of fairness, an aversion for complacency, and an appreciation for the wonderful mosaic of diversity.

Losing Fred, watching Selma, and observing MLK Day prompted a reflection on the central paradox of AfricanAmerican life: We have made incredible strides economically, politically and legally, and yet we seem to be fighting many of the same battles over and over again. In light of the heroism and sacrifices of Dr. King and his generation, the education and career prospects of our young people should be much brighter than they are, and our society should be far more just.

Indeed, the work of the Civil Rights Movement continues.

Those of us who watched Selma may have been temporarily cheered by the triumphs it chronicles, but one look at the headlines quickly brings us back to hard reality. The fact is, we cannot settle for the victories won by Dr. King, Malcolm X, Stokely Carmichael, Angela Davis, Ferdinand Day and other names from the history books.

George H. Lambert Jr.

History is still being written. The struggle continues, and nonprofit groups that organize people of color and give them a voice are needed more than ever. We’re still marching.

The world has changed in many ways since the days of Selma, and there are more ways than ever to create meaningful change in our complex, globalized society.

Yes, I believe we will continue to make progress, thanks to anyone—black, white, etc.—who cares enough to include the #blacklivesmatter hash tag in their Twitter feed and everyone who reads and shares black-focused publications like the AFRO. Furthermore, our region is blessed by a vibrant new generation of leaders who surely will go beyond yesterday’s hard-won victories.

I could single out many such leaders, but the events of recent months have cemented my respect and admiration for one in particular. Charis Goff is president of our Thursday Network, the young professionals auxiliary of the Greater Washington Urban League. Charis helped to orchestrate our organization’s participation in December’s “Justice for All” march and in her brief career has already proven herself as an inspirational and empathetic leader. Recently named to

A7

the “Top Forty Under 40” by Prince George’s County Social Innovation Fund, she is showing signs of promise that should give the entire region reason to be optimistic. One day, this brand of leadership may earn her a place in the history books alongside those who have fought for, in President Johnson’s words, “the dignity of man and the destiny of democracy.”

George H. Lambert Jr. is president and CEO of the Greater Washington Urban League.

On Selma On Jan. 18 I went to see the movie “Selma.” It was one of the greatest movies I have ever seen. In retrospect, it reminded me what a great and awesome people we are. To have put up with so much persecution and continue to push on was incredible. Dr. King, Andrew Young, the Honorable John Lewis and many others faced ridicule so that we today could have the right to vote and so much more speaks volumes.

Somehow all of us who believe in justice and freedom must do all we can to encourage every adult and every child from the 5th grade up to see this movie. It should be a must

Cameron Miles

for the school system, the jails, homeless shelters, churches, synagogues, mosques and temples. We as a community have gotten away from loving one another and looking out for one another. At a time when some police are brutalizing us, when many of us are killing one another senselessly, when many of our youth are more concerned with getting high, wearing their pants too low on their behinds, when too many of us are housed in juvenile detention centers, when too many are not striving for excellence and behaving in school, when too many of our potential future leaders spend the majority of their time listening to lyrics that are foul as well as dream killers, and on top of that are not knowledgeable about the struggle that took

place during the King days and today’s struggles.

All of us must do more to save and communicate with this present generation. If our youth are not better educated about the past, it may be repeated. If our youth don’t learn the importance of a good work ethic, where will they work? Many of our youth are doing good but too many are not doing good enough. I have a dream that more of us will work with young people and help them to see their true worth and value.

Cameron E. Miles is the director of the Baltimore-based organization Mentoring Male Teens in the Hood.

We Can No Longer Afford a World of ‘the other.’

A shadow of ignorance and hate has darkened us all. We raise our voices in anguish and protest at the French “Charlie” outrage as we briskly walk past the hungry beggar in the street, neglect a family member who has fallen on hard times, look away from the youth whose pants aren’t hitched up as we’d like.

We can no longer afford a world of “the other.”

“Black lives matter,” the tortured plea that went out regarding the alarming Marian Lee Lewis police murders of black youth in America was followed by a self-righteous “All lives matter.” The intention of this convenient bromide was an attempt to muzzle the cry of the

disenchanted, disaffected “others” for whom the Declaration of Independence’s “all men are created equal” might as well have been written on a bathroom wall. It insulted those who were not born into the safe bunker of opulence and privilege.

It said that no matter how loud you scream, no matter how bloody your children, husbands, brothers, sisters, wives; no matter your candles or church bells, no matter your riots in the street, we will silence you with our apathy and disbelief. “All lives matter” opened the wounds of everyday Black and Brown people acquainted with the policeman’s club. It was heard by hard working corporate Americans who have been stopped Driving While “Other.”

It reminded the LGBT community of the deafening silence that followed their “other” comrades murdered for living their truth.

In 2012 there were 2,016 incidents of hate violence and 25 homicides. A special hatred was reserved for transgender women, people of color and gay men. No plaintive wails or ribbons on the trees from those living an unmolested heterosexual American dream that has become an American

fantasy to rival Marvel Comics.

The reason “All lives matter” is so compelling is because it reflects the highest spiritual and scientific truth. We are all connected to one another and to Mother Gaia herself. But we choose to be at war…with ourselves. There is no “other” except in the deepest shadows of our insane minds. Humanity who has raped Mother Earth in an attempt to wage a war on Nature, is out to destroy itself.

Our ship of state is losing water. The blood in the streets is our own. There is no bunker to protect us from “the other.” As Pogo said, “We have met the enemy and he is us.” Building walls to lock the enemy out only imprisons us.

So yes, “All lives matter.” I’m sure that’s what Trayvon Martin’s mother said. Eric Garner’s mother must have thought it too. And what about Michael Brown’s mother. “All lives matter.” Yes, that’s exactly the point.

Marian Lee Lewis is an author, journalist and poet living in Baltimore.

World is Indifferent to Missing Nigerian Girls One could not help but be impressed by the millions that turned out in Paris to stand against the Islamist terrorists who killed workers at the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and four others at a kosher grocery store. Two law enforcement officers were also killed, bringing the total to 17.

About 40 heads of state and more than a Julianne million others crowded into Malveaux Republique Square; even more rallied around France. In total, it is estimated that 3.7 rallied for freedom. They wore shirts and carried signs that said, “I am Charlie.” Some said, “I am Muslim and Charlie” or “I am Jewish and Charlie.” Those crowds transcended race, religious and political lines.

President Obama got mixed reaction to his not attending the solidarity rally. Ambassador to France Jane Hartley, someone with much less status, represented the United States. Critics said the president could at least have sent Vice President Joe

Biden; Attorney General Eric H. Holder was in Paris and could have attended. The president may be doing something much more substantive by convening a summit on world terrorism at the White House in February.

I wonder if these gatherings will address terror in Nigeria, where the Islamic terrorist group Boko Haram abducted 276 girls, and still holds 219. A hashtag campaign, #BringBackOurGirls was joined by First Lady Michelle Obama, former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, British Prime Minister David Cameron and others. Few of the 40 who rallied in Paris have ever mentioned the abducted girls and those terrorists who took them. Indeed, the abducted girls have all but disappeared from the headlines and from the public consciousness.

The girls were abducted on April 14, 2014. Since then, our attention has been riveted by other news from the African continent, as the Ebola virus killed thousands (we in the U.S. were mostly focused on our handful of casualties), and as ISIS has escalated its activity around the globe. While some have forgotten about the Nigerian girls, many have not. Obiageli Ezekwesili, a former Nigerian government official who is now vice president of the World Bank’s Africa Division, has been among those continuing to focus attention on the girls.

People fear that Boko Haram may have sold the schoolgirls into slavery, forced some into marriage, or killed others.

Given the fact that Amnesty International, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the UN Security Council have decried the Islamist militant terrorist group, it is alarming that the world community has been so indifferent to the plight of the abducted young girls. Some of the indifference does not start with the world, but in Nigeria. Will Goodluck Jonathan, the Nigerian president who is running for reelection, mention the girls at all before February, when voting takes place? Or, has the fate of 219 kidnapped girls been forgotten?

Demonstrations have taken place daily in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, despite the fact that the police have ordered these demonstrations to stop. Meanwhile, Boko Haram continues its terrorist plundering in Nigeria, destroying villages and towns in the northeast part of the country and killing thousands. It is estimated that they have destroyed more than 3,700 structures – homes, churches, and public spaces. Tens of thousands of Nigerians have fled to bordering Chad because they fear for their lives. (see more on afro.com) Julianne Malveaux is an author and economist in Washington, D.C.

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The Afro-American, January 24, 2015 - January 30, 2015

COMMUNITY CONNECTION Alexandria, Va.

discuss her upcoming album, The Groovement. To see them live, visit: www.listenvisionlive. com and feel free to email comments and suggestions to Renee@reneeallenshow.com.

Bessie’s Blues

A Tribute to the Music of Motown

Bessie’s Blues, a musical odyssey of African American people in the 20th century will play at MetroStage, located at 1201 North Royal Street from Jan. 22 to March 15. To purchase tickets, visit boxofficetickets.com or for more information call 703-548-9044.

Washington D.C.

On Jan. 31 at 8 p.m., enjoy a great night of live entertainment featuring the Brencore Allstar Band at the Howard Theatre, located at 620 T St. N.W. D.C. The 12-piece collective band will perform some of Motown’s biggest hits in a series of medleys. Tickets are $39.50. For more information, visit: Thehowardtheatre.com.

Prince William, Va.

DPR 2015 Summer Camp Information Fair

The DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) will host a summer camp reduced rate information fair on Jan. 24 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Hillcrest Recreation Center, located at 3100 Denver St., S.E. The fair is being hosted to assist D.C. residents with completing their reduced rate application. DPR offers a reduced rate for qualified, District residents to ensure that summer camps are available to everyone, regardless of one’s income level. For more information, visit: http://dpr.dc.gov/.

WLVS Radio Launches the ‘Renee Allen and Friends Show’

On Jan. 28 at 7 p.m., WVLS Radio, a global/mobile radio station will debut the “Renee Allen and Friends” show. The 55 minute show will excite, empower, engage and entertain. The host, Renee “Starlynn” Allen is the DMV’s very own “People’s Emcee” and joining her is Alvin Jones, Matthew Fogg, Karen Marie Alston and Timothy Jackson to keep the listeners informed and inspired. Former singer of CHIC, Sylver Logan Sharp will join the Inaugural show to

Health Insurance: ‘Get Covered, Stay Covered’

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is working with The Prince William County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority to assist individuals in the community to obtain health insurance coverage. The chapter has designated Jan. 31 and Feb. 7, as “Get Covered, Stay Covered Days”. Enrollment events will be held on Jan.31, at First Mount Zion Baptist Church (16622 Dumfries Road, Dumfries, Va.) from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., and Feb. 7, at First Baptist Church (9258 Center Street, Manassas, Va.) from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

A presentation on the Health Insurance Marketplace will be conducted and certified health insurance marketplace enrollers will be available to answer questions and assist individuals to obtain healthcare coverage. For additional information about enrollment or the marketplace, call 1-800-318-2596 or visit www.HealthCare.gov.

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January 24, 2015 - January 30, 2015, The Afro-American

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“Beyond the Color of Our Skin”

Panelists Alejandro Negron and Stan Richards

An inspirational song performed by Cece Winans

WHUR and First Baptist Church of Glenarden pastored by Rev. John Jenkins joined forces again this year to honor and celebrate the life and legacy of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in presenting “Beyond the Color of Our Skin,” a two-hour town hall meeting discussing diversity and racial tolerance. The event took place Jan. 19 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at The First Baptist Church of Glenarden in Upper Marlboro, Md. The audience heard from youth along with local and national leaders about how they honor their heritage and celebrate the differences of others.

IMPACT continued it’s tradition of honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King through service by hosting its inaugural Day of Reflection and Service wreath laying ceremony at

Photos by Gediyon Kifle

IMPACT Honors MLK

Panelists Faith Holmes and Dr. Bobby Manning

Mayor Muriel Bowser

Harry Johnson, president & CEO, Memorial Foundation, with Department of Homeland Security secretary Jeh Johnson

Kids gather in front of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial

Panelists Rev. Jim Eaton and Mo Ivory

Photos

by Rob Roberts

Lillie Jessie and Tabatha Turman, chapter president

Contest winner Norman Jones

Special musical selection, “I Look To You,”

by Rhapsody

PWC Delta MLK Oratorical Contest Tabatha Turman, Dr. Zolla Jones, Ayanna burris, Writing contest winner Richard McCoy Copeland III

the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial on Jan. 19. Young professionals, government officials, faith and community leaders gathered along with special guests who brought remarks, including Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson; Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser; D.C. council member Anita Bonds (D-At Large); and Jeff Johnson, partner and chief of strategy, Illume Communications. Event partners were The Memorial Foundation and The Faith & Politics Institute.

The Prince William County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority in conjunction with the Cecil & Irene Hylton Foundation hosted the 30th Anniversary Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration and 25th Anniversary of the Youth Oratorical Contest at Hylton

Joseph A. Beavers, Henry Green, Ted Green, Harold Valentine and Priscilla Francis

High school finalists: (back row) Jacob Gonzalez, Denzel Woodland and Norman Jones; Middle school finalists (front row) Ayesha Khursheed, Zoree Jones and Ksanet Mehari

Bernadette-Curtis Lambert,George Lambert, president, CEO Greater Washington Urban League (far left) with guests

Uniting People with Opportunities The Uniting People with Opportunities organization held its 31st Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Breakfast Jan. 17.

Attendees at the breakfast recognized the organization’s five 2014 Joseph A. Beavers Scholarship recipients and 2015 Community Service Awardees. Guest speaker for the event was Rev. Dr. Luis Leon, pastor at St. John’s Church in Northwest D.C.

Mayor Muriel Bowser

Mistress of Ceremonies Shamira Redd Honorable Anthony Williams, federal city council

Dana Jones, UPO pres. & CEO

Andrea Thomas, UPO chair

Dontai L. Smalls, UPO board vice chair

Keynote address by Rev. Luis Leonrector of St. John’s Church

Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.)

USMC Ret. Lt. Col. Cozy Bailey and his wife, Andrea

Memorial chapel in Woodbridge, Va. Three middle school and three high school students competed for the coveted prize.

Winners included, Zoree Jones in the middle school category and Norman Jones in the high school category.

The Colors being presented by the Woodbridge High School JROTC

Tabatha Turman, chapter president presents a Certificate of Appreciation to Mrs. Joanne Bagnerise (3rd from right) with her family and friends

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The Afro-American, January 24, 2015 - January 30, 2015

HBCU NEWS King’s Sweet Songs of Joy at National Cathedral during the time of massive repression and efforts to prevent desegregation of public schools. It was The Rev. Dr. Martin the era of Jim Crow, and Luther King Jr. loved music, Durant remembers the signs so say his friends and separating whites from biographers, and at times coloreds. She recalled how King reflected on its magic she sat in the balcony when “God has wrought many she went to the theater. things out of oppression,” Due to efforts by King King said in his 1964 and others, as well as her opening address at the own hard work, Durant said Berlin Jazz Festival. “He In August 1967, she became has endowed his creatures the first black librarian with the capacity to create, in Arlington, Va. Despite and from this capacity has customers calling her flowed the sweet songs of asking, “Are you that black sorrow and joy that have bitch?” she rose to become allowed man to cope with department head over two his environment and many white women. different situations.”

And one thing she felt More than 50 years after that the new generation may Photo courtesy of the Washington National Cathedral.

King gave that speech, The Howard University Gospel Choir was one of the many performers at the Washington National Cathedral’s “All God’s be missing is a certain drive, hundreds gathered to honor she said.

Children” event on Jan. 19. his legacy with those “sweet “I think people need to children’s book, which would be donated to Friendship Place songs” as the Washington National Cathedral hosted a Martin value education more,” she said. “I don’t think there’s that Luther King Day service, entitled “All God’s Children” on Jan. and Covenant Baptist Church, according to Sara Kirsch, a emphasis on education and trying to be the best you can. A lot member of the cathedral staff.

19. of people want something for nothing.”

“Martin Luther King tried to do his best with the They were feted to musical, dance, and spoken-word Melvin Deal is the founding director of the African performances by the African Heritage Dancers and Drummers, community, tried to bring everyone together,” Kirsch said.

Heritage Dancers and Drummers, a group that has been a part “That’s ultimately what we’re trying to do to make the church The Bishop John T. Walker School for Boys Chorus, soloist of the MLK Day celebration at the cathedral for many years. more open to everybody.”

Francese Books and dancer Mahkai Carroll, the Washington “We’re always very honored to be asked to come and And indeed, the church was open to everybody. It is the Performing Arts’ Children of the Gospel Choir, poet Tika perform, giving honor to our ancestor, Martin Luther King, world’s sixth largest cathedral and its seats were filled from Wallace and the Howard Gospel Choir of Howard University. and showing people in the community that young people can front to back with people of all walks of life who came to hear King delivered his final Sunday sermon from the do something positive,” Deal said. “The young men in my just a bit of the “sweet songs” of joy of which King spoke. cathedral’s Canterbury Pulpit on March 31, 1968, just days company are all honor roll students, and they are excellent “If you looked across the sanctuary, you didn’t just see before his April 4 assassination in Memphis, Tenn. The percussionists. We like to bring forth the young people to let Black people,” said Brandon Cox, vice president of the people know that we are in good hands. They are our future.” cathedral has made it its mission to proclaim and achieve Howard Gospel Choir. “You didn’t just see white people.

The cathedral took up an offering, part of which went to the King’s vision.

Cathedral Scholars Program, which has successfully prepared “The work’s not done,” said the Rev. Canon Jan Cope, who You saw Hispanics, you saw Indians, you saw all these other ethnicities come together as one to honor and celebrate Dr. 100 percent of participating students for college. serves as the cathedral’s vicar. “We feel his legacy and work The service ended with a call to stand. Everyone joined Martin Luther King. very strongly and passionately here, and it’s a house of prayer hands or linked arms. They swayed from side to side and sang “And one of the things the gospel choir stands proudly for all people. with one voice. on is love and how music is universal. We use our ministry of “We feel that it’s our great privilege to open our doors and It was an old song, one of the “sweet songs” of joy that music to reach everybody.” continue to tell the story because the work’s not done.”

King sang and so many others have sung since him.

Bené Durant, 70, attended the service.

As part of the mission to continue Dr. King’s work, “We shall overcome. We shall overcome. We shall Durant was born in Portsmouth, Va., in 1944. She grew up admission to the service was a canned, non-perishable good or overcome someday.”

By Rachel Kersey Howard University News Service

January 24, 2015 - January 30, 2015, The Afro-American

B3

ARTS & CULTURE

Interview

Daniels Builds a TV “Empire�

By Kam Williams Special to the AFRO After directing and/or producing such successful feature films as The Butler, Monster’s Ball [for which Halle Berry won an Academy Award], and Precious [for which Mo’Nique won hers], two-time Oscar-nominee Lee Daniels [for Precious] has set his sights on TV for the first time.

Here, he talks about directing the new nighttime soap opera Empire, co-starring Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson.

Kam Williams: Hi Lee, thanks for another opportunity to speak with you.

Lee Daniels: Great, Kam. How are you?

KW: All is well, thanks. What was the source of inspiration for Empire?

LD: My partner, Danny Strong, came to me with this idea of telling a story about my life, and merging that with music and the Hip-Hop world. He wrote The Butler and originally wanted to do Empire also as a movie.

KW: I had no idea it was semiautobiographical. Why TV, as opposed to the big screen?

LD: What happened was we decided that’s enough with movies, let’s do it for television so that we could bring this to life Taraji P. Henson (top) and Terrence Howard for America on a weekly basis. It picks up, star in the new TV drama ‘Empire.’ historically, where The Butler left off, and

The ‘Wedding Ringer’ Film Review

Kevin Hart and Josh Gad Co-Star in Unlikely-Buddies Comedy

deals with race relations. It’s a little bit like my family, a little like some friends of mine with money, their world, and a little like some of my friends without money, their world. I think it’s the African-American experience.

KW: Which character are you? Lucious Lyon [played by Terrence Howard]?

LD: I’m Lucious‌ I’m Jamal‌ I’m all of the characters. My sister and my cousins are Cookie [played by Taraji P. Henson]. Cookie’s little bit of all of them.

KW: Harriet Pakula-Teweles asks: How do film actors like Terrence and Taraji make the transition from the big screen to the small screen?

LD: That’s a very good question and a very complicated one, because with film we get the luxury of time.

It works at a different pace.

It’s nice and slow. As a film director and as film actors, you get used to a certain rhythm that’s slow. But with TV, it’s hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry. It’s a different pace. So, it’s about adjusting to the pace.

It’s not meant for everybody.

KW: Has the frenetic pace frustrated you?

LD: No, I think it’s made me a better director, because I have to think fast. I no longer have the luxury of taking my time. Does that make any sense?

KW: Thanks again for the time, Lee, and best of luck with ‘Empire.’ LD: Thank you, Kam. Talk to you soon.

By Kam Williams Special to the AFRO

Doug Harris (Josh Gad) and Gretchen Palmer (Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting) are putting the finishing touches on their impending wedding. Trouble is the socially-challenged groom has yet to find a best man and they’re set to exchange vows in just ten days.

He’s been rejected by every acquaintance he’s approached, receiving rude responses ranging from “I thought you died� to “I didn’t even invite you to my wedding.�

So, Doug decides to hide his awkward predicament from his fiancÊe, since he’s too embarrassed to admit that he doesn’t have any friends.

Instead, he hires a professional best man, Jimmy Callahan (Kevin Hart), along with seven strangers to serve as his groomsmen. Can these guys get to know Doug well enough in a week to convince Gretchen and members of the wedding party that they’re long-lost friends?

That is the preposterous point of departure of The Wedding Ringer, an unlikelybuddies comedy marking the directorial debut of Yale University graduate Jeremy Garelick. Provided you are not offended by and are willing to suspend disbelief about the farfetched setup, you’ll actually be richly rewarded by the hilarious, bad boy hijinks about to ensue.

Most of the laughs emanate from the attempt by that motley assortment of unsavory characters to impersonate refined, white-collar types ranging from a podiatrist, to a principal, to a lawyer, to a professor. The sham of a best man adopts the alias “Bic Mitchum� and passes himself off as a priest.

And although he proves convincing at faking bromance, he warns Doug not to develop feelings because, “You’re not buying a new Josh Gad and Kevin Hart star in The Wedding Ringer. friend. You’re hiring a best man.� But despite this strictly business understanding, coldhearted Jimmy gradually warms to the goofy groom and the two somehow bond anyway.

That unexpected development is what ultimately redeems The Wedding Ringer’s otherwise pretty repugnant premise. After all, how much hope could there really be for a marriage, if a groom would opt to stage such an elaborate scheme rather than simply explain the situation to his bride-to-be?

Check your brain at the box office, and motor-mouthed Kevin Hart, surrounded by a talented cast of seasoned comedians, will keep you in stitches for the duration of a decidedly-lowbrow, politically-incorrect misadventure.

Very Good (3 stars) Rated R for crude humor, pervasive profanity, coarse sexuality and brief graphic nudity Running time: 101 minutes Distributor: Screen Gems

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The Afro-American, January 24, 2015 - January 30, 2015

SPORTS

AFRO Sports Desk Faceoff

Did Ohio State’s Cardale Jones Make a Mistake in Returning?

Cardale Jones

By Perry Green and Stephen D. Riley Special to AFRO A collegiate athlete’s decision to return to school after a big-time season should always be applauded. But in the case of red-hot redshirt sophomore Cardale Jones, his decision is a tad complex. Fresh off Ohio State’s impressive 42-20 victory over Oregon in the national championship, Jones just completed arguably the most important three-game run of a first-time starting signal-caller in NCAA history. He bulldozed Wisconsin before taking down Alabama and finally Oregon, quite a stretch for a third string quarterback who never started a college game before. With his stock sizzling and the team set to return its top two signal callers that started the season, it would’ve made sense for Jones to declare. He chose otherwise and now he returns to a loaded position after a run that would’ve definitely landed him in the pros. Did Jones make a mistake? Perry Green and Stephen D. Riley of the AFRO Sports Desk debate the question.

Riley: I love Jones’ decision to return. Yes, he’ll have to

beat out J.T. Barrett and Braxton Miller, both very talented quarterbacks before their injuries, to earn a starting job, but he’s done something that the majority of college quarterbacks don’t do, and that championship experience will tilt things in his favor. With only three games starting experience it really wasn’t a hard choice to make. His college experience is next to none and it’ll only help his stock if he comes out and dominates next season after teams have had a chance to scout him in the offseason. It would’ve been a stretch for Jones to crack the first round this year but he assuredly would’ve landed in the first few rounds. If he performs well next year then he’ll lock up a top spot in the 2016 NFL Draft and command a stronger salary. Jumping into the NFL with virtually no college experience outside of three games would’ve been a deep challenge for the 22-year-old, so his return was definitely much needed.

Green: You’ll never see a college rookie complete the run that Jones just did and you’ll never see an NFL stock go from zero to 100 like we just saw with the 6-foot-5, 250-pound specimen that is Jones. I understand the fact that Jones didn’t get a lot of playing experience, but there are quarterbacks that go a full four-year career and never amass the collection of wins that Jones just rung up. No matter how long a college quarterback stays in school, he’ll still have to learn a new system at the next level, so what difference does Jones’ experience make? Whether it’s three games or 30 games, Jones and a guy like former Heisman winner Jameis Winston would’ve both had zero NFL experience going into next season. His stock was blazing and he easily could’ve cashed out after what we just saw. Add in the fact that this season’s original starter, Baxter, and the original backup, Barrett, are set to come back and things could get tough for Jones. Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer could feel the need to run with senior Braxton Miller as next year will be his last. With Miller and

Morgan State Handles FAMU

By Perry Green AFRO Sports Editor The Morgan State Bears basketball team has won two of its last threegames, including a most recent 75-65 home win over Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference(MEAC) foe Florida A&M on Jan. 17 at Hill Field House in Baltimore, Md. The Bears had last week beaten MEAC’s Delaware State, 73-69, on Jan. 10, but fell to University of Maryland-Eastern Shore, 78-53, in another MEAC contest on Jan. 12.

Morgan State was on fire from the tip-off in its win over FAMU Saturday. The Bears used hot shooting to jump out to an early

lead, and went into halftime leading by 12 points. FAMU, however, made a scoring run and cut Morgan’s lead to just two points with 10 minutes left in the game. But the Bears were able to hold FAMU off, and gradually built their lead back up to double digits.

Bears junior forward Cedric Blossom had a career night, posting a double-double of 26 points with 14 rebounds. Junior guard Donte Pretlow added 10 points with six assists for Morgan; senior guard Blake Bozeman scored 11 points with four rebounds. FAMU’s Jermaine Ruttley scored a game-high 28 points with 11 rebounds.

Jones still underclassmen, they’ll eventually get their shot again and Meyer could definitely play that card.

Riley: Jones is banking on beating out both Miller and Braxton, and you have to love that swagger. If you’re concerned about him in a college quarterback battle then what does that say about his NFL chances? The father of a newborn daughter, Jones could’ve easily “cashed out” if he simply wanted a payday but, obviously, a long-term career with a degree backing him is in the quarterback’s head, and you must acknowledge that. Draft stock can be tricky and we really don’t know where Jones would’ve ended up had he declared.

But another season as the starter in Columbus would’ve all but assured him a more stabilized stock and accurate picture for his future. Competition this summer with the other candidates is only going to make him better and another title could land him in NCAA history. And let’s not forget that even with him returning he’ll still only be a redshirt junior. He’s setting himself up for a memorable college career. It was more to gain for Jones to return, and it’ll be exciting to see how he responds.

Green: The same competition that you’re looking forward to seeing him participate in would’ve been that much more intense in the NFL. Jones’ size would’ve granted him a fair chance at the next level despite his level of inexperience, which actually would’ve worked in his favor. With only three games starting experience, an upper level team would’ve been in a more ideal spot to draft him in the later picks, which would’ve given him even more time to get some NFL practice reps in. Nothing is guaranteed in sports, especially contact sports, so striking while the iron is hot can be vital. Even if Jones goes on to win the Heisman next year and adds another title, nothing will be as memorable as his opening three-game act that he just displayed for the nation.

Bowie Squeaks Past Lincoln to Take Lead in CIAA Standings

By Perry Green AFRO Sports Editor The Bowie State Bulldogs advanced to the top of the Central Interscholastic Athletic Association (CIAA) standings after edging out the Lincoln Lions on Jan. 17 in Bowie, Md. The win pushed Bowie State’s overall record to 14-5 and gave them a 6-1 record in the CIAA--currently the best in the association.

Lincoln didn’t make it easy for Bowie State. The Lions (11-6 overall, 5-2 CIAA) outplayed Bowie State in the first half and led by three points at the halftime break.

Lincoln made four of five three-pin attempts and seven of eight free throw attempts during the first 20 minutes of the game. Lincoln came out attacking in the second half as well, and took a 48-39 lead with 14 minutes left to play. But Bowie State made its comeback and eventually cut Lincoln’s lead

to just two points with less thana minute left.

That ultimately set up a scenario of Bulldogs freshman guard Dayshawn Wells getting fouled on a three-point attempt with only three seconds remaining. Wells nailed all three clutch free-throws to give Bowie State a one-point lead and victory.

Bowie State senior forward Cameron Knox scored a game-high 21 points; junior forward Justin Beck added 10 points for the Bulldogs. Chaz Sharpe led Lincoln with 13 points.

January 24, 2015 - January 30, 2015, The Afro-American

B5

Author’s Corner

The Presidency in Black and White April Ryan • Release Date: Feb. 15, 2015 April Ryan is a reporter for American Urban Radio Networks (AURN). She is the only Black woman covering urban issues from the White House – a position she has held since the Clinton era. April is a frequent speaker on the topics of the White House, Presidency, Race and Politics.

front and center at the White House, even though there is not as much media coverage by the mainstream. I want the reader to also glean that issues of race will continue to dominate the political landscape at the highest levels as the country continues to “brown.” It is important to understand that all of us have a right to be at the table when decisions are made that impact our community and the greater communities at large.

What was the impetus for writing this book?

The impetus for writing “The Presidency in Black and White” was my having been an eyewitness to history. My first year as White House Correspondent for American Urban Radio Networks, a friend strongly urged me to tell the stories in the book. He said, “You could not observe this history and not write a book.” He encouraged me to consistently “journal” what I saw each day. Those notes were typed into my computer, and ultimately became chapters in this book.

What surprised you about the writing process?

What surprised me most about writing this book is how much time I actually obtained for on-the-record conversations with the world leaders who shape policy. When you are in it, you really are not aware of the magnitude of what is happening at the time. I am overjoyed at the leaders who went on the record on the subject of race. But, there is another side. Some former power brokers strategically chose not to allow me to use their quotes for fear of political retaliation.

What are you most proud of?

What I am most proud of in this book is that many, including U.S. presidents, decided to go on the record on matters of race. This book shows sources standing by their comments. These quotes include presidents, secretaries of

state, former press secretaries, other politicians, civil rights icons, clergy and entertainers.

What do you want the reader to learn?

I want the reader to learn that issues of race have been

What have you learned from the writing process?

I learned that I had woefully underestimated the task of writing a book. This book is full of news, but it took 17 years to compile. It is a demanding process: from writing to “shopping” the book to getting the contract to making the deadlines to book promotion. There were times I did not think it would happen. The book went through numerous title and chapter changes and other edits. It finally resulted in The Presidency in Black and White. When we first shopped it during the Clinton years, it was an entirely different book that was turned down. We had a bite from another publishing house in the George W. Bush years, but my potential editor was fired.

So we were back to the drawing board. But, all it takes is one company to see the value of your story, and the book found its home with Rowman and Littlefield years later as a much better read. The book contract was signed before the events in Ferguson, and is being released when race is one of the driving issues after Ferguson, New York, Cleveland and beyond.

Join April Ryan for book signings, 6 p.m., Feb. 4 at Morgan State University and 6:30 p.m., Feb. 5 at Enoch Pratt Library on Cathedral Street in downtown Baltimore.

Author’s Corner

Redwood

A. Rod Womack • Release Date: Oct. 15, 2014 A. Rod Womack’s passion for storytelling distinguishes him from many of his contemporaries.

Redwood is his first book. Womack co-owned his first company at 18 years old. His

as a Business Liaison for Baltimore City Schools and was later appointed Managing Director of Food and Nutrition for Baltimore City Schools. His many years of experience as an entrepreneur, combined with his fascinating life experiences, bring an uncommon thread of realism to his material. His writing style has been called “uniquely visceral.” Womack’s love of writing has led him to the development of his next intriguing book entitled Central Office, which he promises will leave his readers craving for more.

Womack holds a B.A. Degree in Philosophy from University of Maryland Baltimore County.

What was the impetus for writing this book?

An interest in sharing an African American business success story. The incredible experiences that were so unique they had to be put into a book.

A. Rod Womack entrepreneurial experience spans numerous industries including food service, real estate development, construction, and more.

In 2010, he left the private sector and worked

What’s the overall theme?

How to overcome obstacles and challenges operating a small business.

What surprised you about the development of the book?

How long it took to write it and get it published.

Which character excites you most?

Shorty, the serial killer and Charlotte.

For what audience is your book written?

All races and people from all walks of lives. Also women 35-50.

What do you want the reader to learn?

There’s a fine line between success and failure.

Entrepreneurship isn’t easy, but it’s something worth achieving.

Set goals, reach for the stars and set in motion a well thought out plan. Fail to plan, plan to fail.

What one thing do you want the reader to remember forever?

Never allow fear or doubt to prevent them from trying.

What did you learn during the writing process?

You have to discipline yourself to write a fixed number of pages per day. Whatever your time allows.

Any advice for aspiring writers?

Start writing your story today. Don’t wait. Don’t listen to naysayers. The next great novel could be yours.

What’s next on the horizon for you?

My next book entitled Central Office. I promise it will blow people away. It is a fiction based on nonfictional events involving the headquarters of a large school system.

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SERVS./MISC.

Superior Court of the District of District of Columbia PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2014ADM1311 Syid Abdullah Muhammad Decedent Michelle Lanchester Esq 601 Pennsylvania Ave NW Suite 900-South Building Washington, DC 20004 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Julian Cheek, whose address is 3974 Ames St., N E , Wa s h i n g t o n , D C 20019 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Syid Abdullah Muhammad, who died on April 18, 2014 with a Will, and will serve with 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 July 9, 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 July 9, 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: January 9, 2015 Name of newspaper: Afro-American Washington Law Reporter Julian Cheek Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS

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Superior Court of the District of District of Columbia PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2014ADM1317 Howard W. Herman AKA Howard William Herman Sr. Decedent NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Michael E. Herman, whose address is 4919 Monroe Street, Bladensburg MD 20710 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Howard W. Herman AKA Howard William Herman Sr., 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 July 9, 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 July 9, 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: January 9, 2015 Name of newspaper: Afro-American Washington Law Reporter Michael E. Herman Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS

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CREDITORS com or visit our website ANDEST NOTICE TYPESET: Tue Jan at20 15:54:41 2015TO UNKNOWN HEIRS www.mddcpress.com Claude Roxborough Sr. whose address is 4101 Superior Court of Holly Tree Rd, Temple the District of Hills, MD , was appointed District of Columbia personal representative PROBATE DIVISION W a s h i n g t o n , D . C . of the estate of Norma June Fowler, who died on 20001-2131 November 21, 2014 withAdministration No. out a will, and will serve 2014ADM1182 without Court superviGeorge Martin III sion. All unknown heirs Decedent and heirs whose NOTICE OF whereabouts are unAPPOINTMENT, known shall enter their NOTICE TO appearance in this CREDITORS proceeding. Objections AND NOTICE TO to such appointment UNKNOWN HEIRS Nikita Petties, whose ad- shall be filed with the dress is 419 Newton Pl, Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd NW, Washington, DC 20010, was appointed Floor Washington, D.C. personal representative 20001, on or before July of the estate of George 9, 2015. Claims against Martin III, who died on the decedent shall be October 18, 2012 without presented to the undera will, and will serve with- signed with a copy to the out Court supervision. All Register of Wills or filed unknown heirs and heirs with the Register of Wills whose whereabouts are with a copy to the underunknown shall enter their signed, on or before July 9, 2015, or be forever appearance in this proceeding. Objections barred. Persons believed to such appointment to be heirs or legatees of shall be filed with the the decedent who do not Register of Wills, D.C., receive a copy of this no515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd tice by mail within 25 Floor Washington, D.C. days of its first publica20001, on or before July tion shall so inform the 23, 2015. Claims against Register of Wills, includthe decedent shall be ing name, address and presented to the under- relationship. signed with a copy to the Date of Publication: Register of Wills or filed January 9, 2015 with the Register of Wills Name of newspaper: with a copy to the under- Afro-American signed, on or before July Washington 23, 2015, or be forever Law Reporter Claude Roxborough Sr. barred. Persons believed Personal to be heirs or legatees of Representative the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 TRUE TEST COPY days of its first publica- REGISTER OF WILLS tion shall so inform the Register of Wills, includ- 01/09, 01/16, 01/23/15 ing name, address and relationship.

Date of Publication: January 23, 2015 Name of newspaper: Afro-American Washington Law Reporter Nikita Petties Personal Representative

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Superior Court of the District of District of Columbia PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2014ADM1303 Theodore P. Perros Decedent Tae S. G. Coroneos P. O. Box 1538 Ocean View, DE 19970 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Eugenia C. Perros, whose address is 10749 Deborah Dr.,Potomac MD 20854 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Theodore P. Perros, who died on November 12, 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 July 9, 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 July 9, 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: January 9, 2015 Name of newspaper: Afro-American Washington Law Reporter Eugenia C. Perros Personal Representative

District of Columbia PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2014ADM581 Patricia Adams Decedent Wesley L. Clarke 1629 K Street Ste 300 Washington, DC 20006 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Wesley L. Clarke, whose address is 1629 K Street, Ste 300.Washington, DC 20006 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Patricia Adams, who died on March 29, 2014 without a Will, and will serve withCourt supervision.

All unknown heirs and h e i r s w h o s e 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 January 9, 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 January 9, 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: January 9, 2015 Name of newspaper: Afro-American Washington Law Reporter Wesley L. Clarke Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 01/09, 01/16, 01/23/15

Superior Court of the District of District of Columbia PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2014ADM1156 Lisa Hurt Decedent 2928 Carlton Ave NE Washington DC 20018 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Linda Duvall, whose address is 4710 Washington Ave., Shady Side, MD 20764 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Lisa Hurt, who died on October 7, 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 (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 July 9, 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 July 9, 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: January 9, 2015 Name of newspaper: Afro-American Washington Law Reporter Linda Duvall Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 01/09, 01/16, 01/25/15

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20001-2131 Administration No. 2014ADM1234 PROBATE DIVISION Valencia Maria Blue (Estates) Decedent 202-332-0080NOTICE OF TYPESET: Tue Jan 13 11:18:34 APPOINTMENT, PROBATE NOTICES NOTICE TO CREDITORS Superior Court of AND NOTICE TO District of a. Order Nisi $ 60 per insertion per 3 weeks UNKNOWN HEIRS $180.00the District of Columbia Blue, whose adb. Small Estates (single publication $ 60 perWesley insertion PROBATE DIVISION dress is 836 52nd St., Washington, D.C. c. Notice to Creditors NE, Washington D.C. 20001-2131 was appointed$180.00 1. Domestic $ 60 per20019, insertion per 3 weeks Administration No. personal representative 2. Foreign $ 60 perofinsertion $180.002014ADM932 per 3 weeks the estate of Valencia Carlton C. Robinson d. Escheated Estates $ 60 perMaria insertion per 6 weeks Blue, who died on$360.00 Decedent September 7, 2014 with-$125.00 NOTICE OF e. Standard Probates out a will, and will serve APPOINTMENT, without Court superviNOTICE TO sion. All unknown heirs CREDITORS CIVIL NOTICES and heirs whose AND NOTICE TO a. Name Changes 202-879-1133 UNKNOWN HEIRS whereabouts are un-$ 80.00 17:55:18 EST 2015 Glennis known shall enter their b. Real Property $ 200.00 L. Robinson, a p p e a r a n c e i n t h i s whose address is 1119 proceeding. Objections McCollough Court, NW to such appointment (or #301, Washington, DC FAMILY COURT to the probate of de- 20001 was appointed cedent´s will) shall be personal representative 202-879-1212 filed with the Register of of the estate of Carlton C. Robinson, who died on DOMESTIC RELATIONS Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor October 18, 2010 with202-879-0157 outa will, and will serve Wa s h i n g t o n , D . C .

20001, on or before July without Court supervision. All unknown heirs 9, 2015. Claims against a n d h e i r s w h o s e a. Absent Defendant the decedent shall be$ 150.00 whereabouts are unpresented to the under-$ 150.00 b. Absolute Divorce known shall enter their signed with a copy to the a p p e a r a n c e i n t h i s c. Custody Divorce Register of Wills or filed$150.00 proceeding. Objections with the Register of Wills to such appointment with a copy to the under- shall be filed with the To place your ad, call 1-800-237-6892, ext.

262, $50.00 up D.C., signed, on Public or beforeNotices July Register of & Wills, 9, Notices 2015, or are be forever 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd depending on size, Baltimore Legal $24.84 per inch. barred. Persons believed Floor Washington, D.C. to be892 heirs or legatees of 20001, on or before July 1-800 (AFRO) decedent who do not 16, 2015. Claims against For Proof of Publication, please the call 1-800-237-6892, 244 the decedent shall be receive a copy of this no- ext. tice by mail within 25 presented to the underdays of its first publica- signed with a copy to the tion shall so inform the Register of Wills or filed Register of Wills, includ- with the Register of Wills ing name, address and with a copy to the undersigned, on or before July relationship.

16, 2015, or be forever Date of Publication: TYPESET: Tue Jan 20 17:26:14 EST 2015 barred. Persons believed January EST 9, 2015 LEGAL TYPESET: Tue Jan 06NOTICES 17:58:15 2015 to be heirs or legatees of Name of newspaper: the decedent who do not Afro-American receive a copy of this noSuperior Court of Washington Superior Court of tice by mail within 25 the District of Law Reporter the District of days of its first publicaWesley Blue tion shall so inform the District of Columbia District of Columbia Personal Register of Wills, includPROBATE DIVISION PROBATE DIVISION Representative ing name, address and Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 20001-2131 relationship.

TRUE TEST COPY Administration No. Date of Publication: Administration No. REGISTER OF WILLS 2014ADM1234 January 16, 2015 2013ADM1213 Valencia Maria Blue Name of newspaper: Romes Thomas Cal- Decedent TYPESET: Jan 13 11:18:34 EST 2015 01/09, 01/16,Tue 01/23/15 Afro-American houn , Jr. NOTICE OF Washington Decedent APPOINTMENT, Law Reporter Bradley A. Thomas.

NOTICE TO Superior Court of Glennis L. Robinson Esq CREDITORS the District of Personal AND NOTICE TO 1629 K Street, NW Suite District of Columbia Representative UNKNOWN HEIRS PROBATE DIVISION 300 Wesley Blue, whose adWashington, D.C. TRUE TEST COPY Washington, DC dress is 836 52nd St., 20001-2131 REGISTER OF WILLS 20006-1631 NE, Washington D.C. Administration No. Attorney 20019, was appointed 2014ADM932 01/16, 01/23, 01/30/15 NOTICE OF personal representative Carlton C. Robinson APPOINTMENT, of the estate of Valencia Decedent NOTICE TO Maria Blue, who died on NOTICE OF September 7, 2014 withCREDITORS APPOINTMENT, out a will, and will serve NOTICE TO AND NOTICE TO without Court superviCREDITORS UNKNOWN HEIRS sion.

All unknown heirs AND NOTICE TO Deborah L. Guy, whose and heirs whose UNKNOWN HEIRS address is 1165 St. Mat- whereabouts are unGlennis L. Robinson, thew Drive, Florissant, known shall enter their whose address is 1119 MO 63031, was ap- a p p e a r a n c e i n t h i s McCollough Court, NW pointed personal repre- proceeding. Objections #301, Washington, DC sentative of the estate of to such appointment (or 20001 was appointed Romes Thomas Cal- to the probate of de- personal representative houn, Jr., who died on cedent´s will) shall be of the estate of Carlton C. August 7, 2013 with a filed with the Register of Robinson, who died on D.C., 515 5th October 18, 2010 withWill.Objections to such Wills, Street, N.W., 3rd Floor outa will, and will serve appointment (or to the W a s h i n g t o n , D . C . without Court superviprobate of decedent´s 20001, on or before July sion. All unknown heirs will) shall be filed with the 9, 2015. Claims against a n d h e i r s w h o s e Register of Wills, D.C., the decedent shall be whereabouts are un515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd presented to the under- known shall enter their Floor Washington, D.C. signed with a copy to the a p p e a r a n c e i n t h i s 20001, on or before Register of Wills or filed proceeding. Objections the Register of Wills to such appointment March 12, 2015. Date of with with a copy to the under- shall be filed with the Publication: signed, on or before July Register of Wills, D.C., January 9, 2015 9, 2015, or be forever 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Name of newspaper: barred. Persons believed Floor Washington, D.C. Afro-American to be heirs or legatees of 20001, on or before July the decedent who do not 16, 2015. Claims against Washington receive a copy of this no- the decedent shall be Law Reporter Deborah Guy tice by mail within 25 presented to the underof its first publica- signed with a copy to the Personal days tion shall so inform the of Wills or filed Representative Register of Wills, includ- Register with the Register of Wills ing name, address and with a copy to the underTRUE TEST COPY relationship. signed, on or before July REGISTER OF WILLS Date of Publication: 16, 2015, or be forever January 9, 2015 barred. Persons believed Name of newspaper: to be heirs or legatees of 01/09, 01/16, 01/23/15 Afro-American the decedent who do not Washington receive a copy of this noLaw Reporter tice by mail within 25 Wesley Blue days of its first publicaPersonal tion shall so inform the Representative Register of Wills, includ-

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TYPESET: Tue Jan 06 01/09, 01/16, 01/23/15 SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Foreign No. 2014FEP152 Date of Death February 1, 2014 Morris Berte Smith Decedent NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS Jessie Smith whose address is 7971 Bowland Rd, Pocomoke, MD 21851 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Morris Berte Smith, deceased, on September 30, 2014, by the Register of Wills Court for Worcester C o u n t y, S t a t e o f Maryland.

Service of process may be made upon David Willoughby 809 Massachusetts Ave. NE Washington, DC 20002 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: 4342 G Street SE Washington, DC 20019 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 FL, Washington, DC 20001 within 6 months from the date of first publication of this notice.

Jessie Smith Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS Date of first publication: January 9, 2015 Name of newspapers and/or periodical: The Daily Washington Law Reporter The Afro-American

TYPESET: Jan 20 01/09, 01/16,Tue 01/23/15 Superior Court of the District of District of Columbia PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2014ADM1372 Jayson Washington Decedent Arnettia S. Wright, Esq 444 North Capitol Street NW Suite 605 Washington, DC 20001 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Tiana White and Jacqueline F. Smith, whose address are 4339 E Street, SE, Apt2, Washington, DC 20019 and 711 Carlough St., Landover St, MD 20785 were appointed personal representatives of the estate of Jayson Washington, who died on May 3, 2012 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 July

TYPESET: Tue Jan 06

01/23, 01/30, 02/06/15

Superior Court of the District of District of Columbia PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2014ADM859 Geraldine T. Griffith Decedent Bernice A. Harleston, Esq 1003 K Street, NW 3rd Floor Washington, DC 20001 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Keith G. Tolar, whose address is 2152 S Howard St., St. Paul, MN 55119, was appointed personal representative of the estate of Geraldine Y. Griffith, who died on May 4, 2014 with a will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown 18:00:37 ESTheirs 2015whose heirs and 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 July 9, 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 July 9,2015, 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: January 9, 2015 Name of newspaper: Afro-American Washington Law Reporter Keith G. Tolar Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS

TYPESET: Jan 13 01/09, 01/16,Tue 01/23/15 Superior Court of the District of District of Columbia PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2014ADM1338 Carolyn L. Moore Decedent NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Jacqueline P. Brown, whose address is 8609 West Fort Foote Terrace, Fort Washington, MD 20744, was appointed personal representative of the estate of Carolyn L. Moore, who died on November 1, 2014 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervi15:15:29 2015 heirs sion. AllEST unknown 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 July 16, 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 July 16, 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: January 16, 2015 Name of newspaper: Afro-American Washington Law Reporter Jacqueline P. Brown Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 01/16, 01/23, 01/30/15

Superior Court of the District of District of Columbia PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2014ADM1338 Carolyn L. Moore Decedent NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Jacqueline P. Brown, whose address is 8609 West Fort Foote Terrace, Fort Washington, MD 20744, was appointed personal representative of the estate of Carolyn L. Moore, who died on November 1, 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., 17:51:40 EST 2015 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before July 16, 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 July 16, 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: January 16, 2015 Name of newspaper: Afro-American Washington Law Reporter Jacqueline P. Brown Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS

LEGAL NOTICES

Superior Court of the District of District of Columbia PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2014ADM1381 Annie M Tucker Decedent NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS June T. Lee, whose address is 8100 Veltri Dr., Ft Washington, MD 20744 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Annie M. Tucker, who died on October 30, 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 July 16, 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 July 16, 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: January 16, 2015 Name of newspaper: Afro-American Washington Law Reporter June T. Lee Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS

TYPESET: Tue Jan 20 15:15:49 ESTTue 2015 TYPESET: Jan 13 01/16, 01/23, 01/30/15 01/16, 01/23, 01/30/15 Superior Court of the District of District of Columbia PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2014ADM1375 Gwendolyn Jones Decedent Jamison B. Taylor 1218 11th St. Washington, DC 20001 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Michelle Jones and Camillia Jones, whose addresses are 75 Chelius Ford Court,Midd l e R i v e r, M D 21220-1147 St. Phillips Ct, Locust Grove, GA 30248 were appointed personal representatives of the estate of Gwendolyn Jones, who died on February 21, 2012 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 EST filed2015 with the 11:18:11 Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before July 23, 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 July 23, 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: January 23, 2015 Name of newspaper: Afro-American Washington Law Reporter Gwendolyn Jones Personal Representative

Superior Court of the District of District of Columbia PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2014ADM1351 Cynthia D. Worsley Decedent Wendell C. Robinson, Esq 7600 Georgia Ave. NW, 20012 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Zella M. Worsley, whose address is 1410 Military Road, NW, Washington, DC 20011 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Cynthia D. Worsley, who died on December 5, 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 July 16, 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 July 16, 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: January 16, 2015 Name of newspaper: Afro-American Washington Law Reporter Zelia M. Worsley Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS

TYPESET: Jan 13 01/16, 01/23,Tue 01/30/15

01/23, 01/30, 02/6/15

Superior Court of the District of District of Columbia PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2014ADM1289 Richard Allen Tucker Decedent Rande K. Joiner Joienr & Green, LLC 8804 Hidden Hill Ln Potomac, MD 20854 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS M a r y A n n K o l e s a r, whose address is 2032 Belmont Rd, NW, #508, Washington, DC 20009 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Richard Allen Tucker, who died on November 13, 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

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Superior Court of the District of District of Columbia PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2014ADM1263 Lily B. Williams Decedent NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Eunice Y. E. Hill, whose address is, are 3421 25th Ave, Temple Hills, MD 20748 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Lily B. Williams, who died on August 13, 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 July 9, 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 July 9, 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: January 9, 2015 Name of newspaper: Afro-American Washington Law Reporter Eunice Y. E. Hill Personal Representative

TYPESET: Tue Jan 13 11:18:11 TYPESET: EST Tue 2015Jan 13

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TYPESET: Tue Jan 06 LEGAL NOTICES

estate of Jayson Washington, who died on May 3, 2012 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this 17:58:59 EST 2015 proceeding.

Objections LEGAL NOTICES 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 July 23, 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 July 23, 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: January 23, 2015 Name of newspaper: Afro-American Washington Law Reporter Tiana White Jacqueline F. Smith Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS

estate of Richard Allen Tucker, who died on November 13, 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 11:16:40 EST Objections 2015 proceeding.

LEGAL NOTICES 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 July 16, 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 July 16, 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: January 16, 2015 Name of newspaper: Afro-American Washington Law Reporter Mary Ann Kolesar Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS

TYPESET: Tue Jan 20 01/16, 01/23, 01/30/15 Superior Court of the District of District of Columbia PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2015ADM21 Charles Curtis Bradley Decedent NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Stephanie T. Bradley & Byron K Bradley, whose addresses are 1417 N i c h o l s o n S t . N W, Washington, DC 20011 & 5714 New Hampshire Ave., NE, Washington, DC 20014 were appointed personal representatives of the estate of Charles Curtis Bradley, who died on September 29, 2014 without a will, and will serve without CourtEST supervision.

11:16:22 2015 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 July 23, 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 July 23, 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: January 23, 2015 Name of newspaper: Afro-American Washington Law Reporter Stephanie Y. Bradley Byron K. Bradley Personal Representatives TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS

TYPESET: Jan 20 01/23, 01/30,Tue 02/6/15 Superior Court of the District of District of Columbia PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2014ADM1367 Angela R. Thomas Decedent Diann Dawson, Attorney at Law 2101 Steuben Way Silver Spring, MD 20905 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Tyrone Thomas, whose address is 751 Princeton Place, NW, Washington, DC 20010 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Angela R. Thomas, who died on July 29, 2014 without a will, and will serve without Court supervision. All 11:16:04 unknownEST heirs2015 and heirs whose where-abouts 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 July 23, 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 July 23, 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: January 23, 2015 Name of newspaper: Afro-American Washington Law Reporter Tyrone Thomas Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 1/23, 1/30, 2/06/2015

Myers aka Josie Myers, who died on October 10, 2001 with a will, and will serve with Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding.

15:16:45 EST Objections 2015 NOTICES toLEGAL 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 July 23, 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 July 23,2015 , 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: January 23, 2015 Name of newspaper: Afro-American Washington Law Reporter Joyce Myers Personal Representative

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 July 23, 2015. Claims against 15:18:21 EST 2015 the decedent shall be LEGAL to NOTICES presented 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 July 23, 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: January 23, 2015 Name of newspaper: Afro-American Washington Law Reporter Pamelia J. Cook Personal Representative

January 24, 2015 - January 30, 2015, The Afro-American TYPESET: Tue Jan 20

LEGAL NOTICES

Superior Court of the District of District of Columbia PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2015ADM16 Edward L. Helminski Decedent James R. O’Neil 1825 Eye Street, NW Washington, DC 20006 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Carole A. Helminski , whose addressis 3808 Huntington Street, NW, Washington, DC 20006 wasappointed personal representative of the estate of Edward L. Helminski, who died on December 5, 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 suchEST appointment 15:16:10 2015 shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before July 23, 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 July 23, 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: January 23, 2015 Name of newspaper: Afro-American Washington Law Reporter Carole A. Helminski Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS

TYPESET: Tue Jan 20 01/23, 01/30, 02/6/15

Superior Court of the District of District of Columbia PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2014ADM1346 Heran Fiseha Decedent Charles F. Gormly, Esq 5101 Wisconsin Ave. NW Suite 210 Washington, DC 20016 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Serkaleme Wasihun, whose address is 815 Jenifer St. NW, #102, Washington, DC 20012 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Heran Fiseha, who died on April 19, 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 beEST filed2015 with the 15:16:28 Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before July 23, 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 July 23, 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: January 23, 2015 Name of newspaper: Afro-American Washington Law Reporter Serkaleme Wasihun Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS

TYPESET: Tue Jan 20 1/23, 1/30, 2/06/2015

Superior Court of the District of District of Columbia PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2014ADM1241 Josie Mae Myers AKA Josie Myers Decedent NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Joyce Myers, whose address is 300 51st Street, SE, Washington, DC 20019 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Josie Mae Myers aka Josie Myers, who died on October 10, 2001 with a will, and will serve with 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

TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 01/23, 01/30, 02/6/15

TYPESET: Tue Jan 20

Superior Court of the District of District of Columbia PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2015ADM1 Steven D. Webster Decedent NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Rodkeeda Jordan, whose addressis 25 46th St, NE Washington, DC 20019 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Steven D. Webster , who died on Monday, December 8, 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 suchEST appointment 15:17:03 2015 shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before July 23, 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 July 23, 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: January 23, 2015 Name of newspaper: Afro-American Washington Law Reporter January 23, 2015 Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 01/23, 01/30. 02/6/15

TYPESET: Tue Jan 20 Superior Court of the District of District of Columbia PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2014ADM1373 Robert Lee Graves Decedent NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Robert Lee Graves, Jr. whose address is 11 16th Street, SE, Washington DC 20003 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Robert Lee Graves, who died on December 5, 2013 withouta 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 15:17:25 EST 2015 Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before January 23, 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 January 23, 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: January 23, 2015 Name of newspaper: Afro-American Washington Law Reporter Robert Lee Graves, Jr. Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 01/23, 01/30, 02/6/15

TYPESET: Tue Jan 20

LEGAL NOTICES

Superior Court of the District of District of Columbia PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2014ADM1123 Adrienne Anita Sedgewick Decedent NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Michelle L. Sedgewick, whose address is 3815 2 4 t h S t r e e t , N W. , Washington, DC 20018 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Adrienne Anita Sedgewick, who died on June 6, 2014 without 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 shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before July 15:17:43 2015 23, 2015.EST 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 July 23, 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: January 23, 2015 Name of newspaper: Afro-American Washington Law Reporter Michelle L. Sedgewick Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS

TYPESET: Jan 20 01/23, 01/30,Tue 02/06/15 Superior Court of the District of District of Columbia PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2014ADM1342 Grace E. Hudson Decedent NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Carolyn L. Clayton , whose address is 2345 S k y l a n d Te r r , S E Washington, DC 20020 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Grace E Hudson , who died on December 1, 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 shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before J a n u a rEST y 2 32015 , 2015.

15:18:02 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 January 25, 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: January 23, 2015 Name of newspaper: Afro-American Washington Law Reporter Carolyn L. Clayton Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS

TYPESET: Tue Jan 20 01/23, 01/30, 02/06/15

Superior Court of the District of District of Columbia PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2015ADM8 Barbara L. Dukes Decedent NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Pamelia J. Cook, whose address is 1515 Neal Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002, wasappointed personal representative of the estate of Barbara L. Dukes, who died on September 27, 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 July 23, 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 July 23, 2015, or be forever

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TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS

TYPESET: Tue Jan 20 15:37:13 1/23, 01/30, 2/6/15

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Foreign No. 2015FEP1 Date of Death November 30, 2013 Bernice Allegra Carr Decedent NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS Karen Ann Carr whose address is 3916 Ames Street NE, Washington, DC 20019 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Bernice Allegra Carr, deceased,by the Orphan’s Court for St. Mary’s County, State of Maryland, on June 23, 2014 .

Service of process may be made upon Karen Ann Carr, 3916 Ames Street, NE, Washington DC 20019 whose designation as District of Columbia agent has been filed with the Register of Wills, 15:18:40 ESTD.C. 2015 The decedent owned the following District of Columbia real property: 3916 Ames Street, NE, Washington, DC 20019.

The decedent owned the following District of Columbia real property 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 St. NW, 3rd FL, Washington, D.C. 20001 within 6 months from the date of first publication of this notice.

Karen Ann Carr Personal Representative(s) TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS Date of first publication: January 23, 2015 Name of newspapers and/or periodical: The Daily Washington Law Reporter The Afro-American

TYPESET: Tue Jan 20 15:47:30

01/23, 01/30, 02/6/15

Superior Court of the District of District of Columbia PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2014ADM1356 Melvin White Decedent Gabriella Lewis-White 1321 Fern St NW Washington, DC 20012 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Eric J. White, whose address is 1321 Fern St., NW, Washington, DC 20012 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Melvin White, who died on January 1, 2014 without a will, and will servewithout Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections 15:18:57 2015 (or to such EST appointment 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 July 23, 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 July 23, 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: January 23, 2015 Name of newspaper: Afro-American Washington Law Reporter Eric J. White Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 01/23, 01/30, 02/6/15

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The Afro-American, January 24, 2015 - January 30, 2015

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