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Volume 122 No. 20
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Happy New Year! DECEMBER 28, 2013 - JANUARY 3, 2014
Jets’ David Nelson Delivers Game-Day Thrills to Teen Guest receiver hosted Davion Only, the 15-year-old Florida foster boy who made headlines with EAST RUTHERFORD, his heartfelt adoption plea N.J. — David Nelson pointed in October, for a memorable to the sky after his first weekend that included touchdown catch, sending a stops all over Manhattan message to his new buddy. on Saturday and MetLife And giving him a thrill Stadium on Sunday. he’ll never forget. “I think the way I played The New York Jets wide today, I hope it made him proud,” Nelson said after catching two touchdown passes in the Jets’ 24-13 win over the Cleveland Browns. “I hope it brought joy to his life.” New York Jets wide receiver David Nelson and Davion Only Continued on A3 By Dennis Waszak Jr. The Associated Press
INSIDE
Improved Recovery for Violent Crime Victims
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D.C. Council Measure Would Help Senior Citizens to Pay Their Rent
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Prevention and Control, the number of injuries caused by firearm was 73,883 in 2011. A spinal cord injury is one of the most Gun violence has been a prominent issue devastating wounds that can be caused by gun lately, with the mass shootings in Sandy Hook violence. According to BrainandSpinalCord. and Aurora being the main focus of the public. org, about 12,000 new cases of spinal cord While gun violence is one of the leading causes injury occur each year. Violence accounts for of death in the United States, more people are 15.1 percent of spinal cord injuries, most of injured non-fatally than those who are fatally which are due to gunshot wounds. In the United – Uni, a man who has been in a wheelchair for 13 years States, there are approximately 259,000 people injured. However, those individuals who survive gun violence are not mentioned as a in the United States living with a spinal cord part of the gun violence debate. injury. Although most spinal chord injuries “They really forget about the people that result in paralysis, there is still hope for the survived,” said Uni, a man who has been in a wheelchair for 13 years. “People victims because of rehabilitation. don’t know what we have to go through when we wake up in the morning.” Treatment of spinal cord injuries can be divided into two stages: acute and Although violent crime rates have fallen in recent years, the number of rehabilitation. The acute phase begins once the injury occurs, and lasts until the people killed and injured by firearms still remains high. According to the FBI person is stabilized. The rehabilitation phase occurs once the person is stabilized Uniform Crime Report, 47,856 people were murdered in the United States by and is ready to begin working on their independence. Continued on A4 firearms between 2006 and 2010. According to the National Center for Injury By Criscia Dawson Howard University News Service
“They really forget about the people that survived. People don’t know what we have to go through when we wake up in the morning.”
Residents, Community Leaders Meet to Discuss Gentrification in D.C.
By Michael Evans Special to the AFRO
Hundreds of local residents and community leaders packed Union Temple Baptist Church Sanctuary in Southeast Washington D.C. Dec. 14 for what was billed as an emergency hearing to discuss gentrification, which some organizers said is an effort to remove Blacks from the nation’s capitol.
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The nation’s Capitol lights up the holidays!
Photo by Travis Riddick
Minister Khadir Muhammad (left) and attorney Malik Shabazz (right) at the town hall meeting on gentrification.
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Courtesy Photo
“At least 20 residents testified in detail about a wide range of problems, including school closures, disrespect by police and culture clashes with new residents.”
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The meeting was convened by lawyer and activist Malik Shabazz, chairman of the Black Lawyers For Justice (BLFJ.). Shabazz said the meeting was called to “fact find and educate residents on problems associated with Washington D.C.’s rapid redevelopment.” At least 20 residents testified in detail about a wide range of problems, including school closures, disrespect by police and culture clashes with new residents. Shabazz said the city’s Black population, at a high of 75% in 1990, has now declined sharply. As cranes and new construction projects alter the city’s skyline, neighborhoods and cultural traditions, some in the AfricanAmerican middle class are finding rising property taxes prohibitive while poor residents are watching affordable housing erode, he said. The Rev. Willie Wilson, pastor of Union Temple, said his members complain of police giving preferential treatment to new White residents. Wilson called new policies enacted in the District “a form of apartheid,” comparing the new power structure in D.C. to White minority rule. “There is a conspiracy to drive us from the city,” Shabazz said. He named city planning officials, real estate developers and even some Blacks in the city’s leadership of conspiring to move Blacks out. Shabazz said Black contractors and business operators are being targeted and becoming “a besieged minority” in their own city. “It is becoming a crime for a Black Man to make some money in this town,” he said. Shabazz said Black Lawyers for Justice is recruiting plaintiffs for a
Attendees at the meeting
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