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H: 61 L: 45
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weather.com
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DCHFA CLOSER TO GREEN, AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN WARD 7 12
District leaders hope to close literacy gap with free books program Page 11 February 25 - March 2, 2016
District homeless get a leg up, free haircut Page 4 www.districtchronicles.com
Volume 15 Issue 26
Andre Chung
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Trump, Cruz popularity represents two different Christian failures By David Gushee Religion News Service
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The continued popularity of Donald Trump and Ted Cruz among many conservative Christian voters demands an explanation, especially for those who shudder at the very idea that one of these two men might get within sniffing distance of the White House. I propose that Trump and Cruz represent two very different kinds of failures for conservative Christianity, one old and long-standing, the other new and more disturbing. Cruz is the easier case. For the most part, he is following a particularly hard-line version of the old Christian right script, now operative in its 10th presidential election: abortion bad, gay marriage really bad, liberals bad, secularism bad, Democrats bad. And: godly America, historic Christian heritage, call America back to God, take America back from the liberals, get the right judges on the Supreme Court, etc. It’s a familiar script, and it has been taught in many of America’s most conservative churches for decades. It is a message certainly not confined to Cruz. Many of us on the progressive evangelical side have been protesting this version of Christian public witness for a long time. It fails in its exceedingly narrow version of Christian moral concern and oversimplified reading of Christian history. Still, those conservative Christians who support Cruz based on that script are in many cases following the explicit teaching of their churches. They are good disciples in the terms that have been presented to them and that they believe. Their pastors have reason to be pleased with them. Trump is doing something very different and much more frightening. In his demeanor, he is violating every prior accepted standard of presidential civility. He is lathering up audiences for systematic demeaning of specific targeted groups, notably Muslims and Hispanics, through security appeals over terrorists and undocumented immigrants.
Cruz, Trump could lead the nation with their brand of Christianity.
He has also dismissed moral concerns about torture, and other rule-of-law considerations in war and foreign policy. He has more than once expressed respect for the leadership and toughness of foreign dictators. In sum, here is a presidential candidate frequently characterized by xenophobia, cruelty, vulgarity, and authoritarianism. So then the question arises again: How exactly can self-identified followers of Jesus support this man? Based on my long and extensive experience with evangelicals, I cannot believe that a sizable number of Christians have been taught to look for such characteristics in a president. So their support for Trump does not respond to prior church teaching in the way that supporting Cruz responds to prior teaching. I find it very hard to imagine that many pastors have offered this delightful Trumpian menu as part of their Christian instruction. There are two main ways to interpret what is going on here. One lays most of the blame at the feet of these self-identified Christians. That is, in supporting this kind of person they are denying the teaching they have received. They are being disobedient, or at best, nominal Christians. The other interpretation, though, is even more disturbing.
That would be the idea that in the Christian moral formation of these supposed Christians they have not been offered an adequate inoculation against this kind of politics. What they needed was instruction in a version of Christianity with ironclad commitments to civility, solidarity, justice, mercy, compassion, rule of law, and human rights, commitments so strong and so well ingrained that to support someone like Trump would be unthinkable. But they have not received that inoculation. So it is not there now, when it is needed, when the body politic faces a mesmerizing candidate of this exact type. So many conservative Christians support Cruz because they embrace a flawed but familiar 40-year Christian right political project, now being advanced by its most aggressive, clever, and wellfunded candidate. Or they support Trump because of a failure of their Christian moral formation to inoculate them against aspects of his person and message that should disqualify him. It’s a failure either way. But the latter failure is more radical, and more dangerous. David Gushee is distinguished university professor of Christian ethics and director of the Center for Theology and Public Life at Mercer University. He writes the Christians, Conflict and Change blog for RNS.
Political campaigners take out ads in Black newspapers (Target Market News) – In one of the nation’s tightest, most unpredictable and consequential election seasons ever, presidential candidates have placed gaining the votes of African Americans among their highest priorities. As a result, the Black press, has become central to the strategies of both Democratic campaigns. With neck-and-neck results in the early Democratic primaries and caucuses, the Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders campaigns begin focusing on states with large African-American populations. Unlike previous national elections, where candidates were criticized for taking the Black vote for granted, the two Democratic contenders for the White House are openly battling each other for African-American support at every turn. The National Newspaper Publisher Association, which repre-
sents 200 Black newspapers, is reporting that the campaigns of Clinton and Sanders have each made plans for significant ad buys with its member papers. Currently there are placements scheduled for 37 of the NNPA papers, representing a combined circulation of approximately one million readers. With March approaching, the campaigns are moving into a number of southern states – including South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Texas, Florida and Tennessee – where Black turn out and votes will likely determine victory. The Sanders campaign is running quarter-page black & white ads in NNPA papers, while the Clinton camp is placing half-page color messages. NNPA would not disclose the amount spent thus far by the candidates, but industry insiders and media trackers
estimate that a quarter of a million may have been spent with the Black press so far. By the time the Democratic primaries move to northern states and towards the final contests in June, spending for ads in Black newspapers alone could grow to $700,000, say experts. NNPA officials say that one reason they are having more success with soliciting political ads this season is the organization’s ability to provide one-stop shopping and to provide the campaigns with the opportunity to buy Black media through Black media. The Democrats are not the only ones using the Black Press to get their messages out. NNPA is also receiving ads from GOP candidate Ben Carson, as well as the Republican National Committee, both of whom see African Americans as vital to growing their support base.
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Hyundai appoints Erwin Raphael to General Manager of Genesis USA (Target Market News) – Hyundai Motor America president and chief executive officer David L. Zuchowski announced that Erwin Raphael’s appointment to General Manager of Genesis USA. Last November, Hyundai’s worldwide Vice-Chairman Chung Eui-Sun, announced that the company would be launching Genesis, globally, as an independent luxury brand of Hyundai. Industry insiders expect Genesis will be heavy competition for Lexus, Mercedes-Benz and BMW in the U.S. market. As General Manager of the newly formed organization, Raphael will be responsible for the strategic direction and management of Genesis operations in the United States, including sales and marketing. This summer, Raphael will oversee the introduction of the Genesis G90, a sleek, new large luxury sedan that has been awarded 5-star ratings for safety and design.
Consumers recently got a peek of the brand’s creative marketing strategy during the 2016 Super Bowl with a commercial featuring comedian Kevin Hart. USA Today’s Ad Meter awarded the ad this year’s best. “The position of Genesis General Manager is a critical one to the growth of this brand in the United States, and I couldn’t be happier to have Erwin take this key position,” said Zuchowski. “Erwin’s depth of product knowledge, broad dealer experience and skill at flawless execution all will be called upon as he drives success for this new brand,” said Zuchowski. Raphael has been at Hyundai for the last six years, serving in various roles. Most recently he was the Western Region Director and General Manager for Hyundai Motor America where he was responsible for overseeing the operations of more than 165 Hyundai dealerships in the 12 western-
most states. He has held other leadership positions at Chrysler, Toyota Motor Manufacturing and International Truck and Engine Co. “I’m delighted to assume the position of General Manager for the Genesis brand,” said Raphael. “There’s a lot of work to be done to make this brand the success we all know it can be. With the help of a great team, I know we will exceed expectations.” In addition to his operations roles at Hyundai, Raphael is a founding member and co-chair of Hyundai’s Diversity Council where he advocates for greater dealer diversity, and multicultural marketing. A U.S. Army veteran, Raphael is credited with creating a stronger relationship between Hyundai and veterans returning from combat. He holds undergraduate and advanced degrees from The Ohio State University in Math, Chemistry and Economics.
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4 | Feb.25 - Mar. 2, 2016 | District Chronicles
I
t felt and sounded like any other District barbershop on a busy Saturday. Laughs and chatter mixed with the buzz of the barbers’ clippers, political debates ensued and barbers complimented beaming clients as they finished. “So, what do you want done today,” barber Lorenzo McCrea asked a customer as he took his seat in the chair. But this was no barbershop. Instead, it was an opportunity for scores of men who struggle each day for a job, a meal and a place to sleep to – at least for a moment – feel better about themselves and to get a hand up. “A haircut can make a man stand 10-feet-tall,” said Joe Paul, motivational speaker and one of the sponsors of “New Year, New Me,” a day-long service to provide help for homeless men. Nearly 200 men from the Central Union Mission Gale’s School Shelter near Union Station gathered to receive free haircuts, food and job appropriate clothing and counseling. STRIVE DC, a workforce development organization, provided suit separates and ties for participants to choose from as they search for jobs. Paul provided the group with life and job counseling during two sessions. He told the group that he had come to talk to them because at one point in his life, he had been just like them. He had been a homeless teenager in Miami. With the support of a group home, he said, he was able to finish high school and attend Florida State University in Tallahassee. “We are responsible for each other, brothers,” he said. “I owe it to you.” Paul’s presentation described basic interview and networking skills, such as having knowledge of a business before the interview, preparing questions for the interview, and creating an elevator pitch. “Happiness is a choice,” Paul told the men. “You’re not responsible for what happens to you, but
STRIVE DC gives homeless shelter residents free hair cuts.
you are for how you respond.” The men said they appreciated his message and particularly the messenger. “There is a difference between someone who is an eloquent speaker and someone who has been in our shoes,” one observer said. They also appreciated their haircuts. Daniel Maya, for example, explained to his barber the importance cutting his hair the right length for maintenance. Their cuts were provided by about a dozen student barbers from Bennett Career Institute, which trains students in makeup, cosmetology and barbering. “They can call me anytime,” said student Derrick Shelton, who provided haircuts for about 15 customers. McCrea, a fourth-year instructor at the school, said it is common policy for Bennett student to provide community service. He said he believes the haircuts will make a difference in how the men see themselves and how others perceive them. Clyde Alford, who is living at the mission while he looks for a permanent home, beamed after his haircut. A stroke in 2007 left the now 50-year-old former construction worker unable to walk without the assistance of a cane, said Alford. “I didn’t just come for the haircuts, I came for the knowledge,” he said. “I got to do some thinking, and the haircut was just a plus.”
He said he typically rents rooms throughout the city and stays at the shelter when affordable rooms are not available. He said he hopes that physical therapy and the workshop will prepare him for work. Mission resident Jerone Beatty said he wanted people to know that the people at the mission were just like them or possibly members of their families. Beatty recalled how he and his father once used to feed the homeless. “You might be one check from homelessness,” he said. Originally from South Carolina, Beatty, a 54-year-old father of two, said he came to D.C. eight months ago for a demolition job with a national construction company. Administrative hold ups prevented the job from coming through, leaving him without the typical shelter benefits of working with the company, he said. Beatty said he found renting a room in the city’s southeast quadrant too dangerous and went to the mission three days before the employment event. He said he will stay at the Mission for the remainder of his 21-day agreement and then leave for a contracted job with the same construction company to build power lines in Wisconsin. Until then, Beatty said, the haircut, message from Paul and the clothes were helpful. “I will use the advice to find work in the city,” he said.
Divine Intervention
Who would Jesus vote for? Maybe Bernie
berniesanders.com
Would Candidate for Democratic Presidential nomination Bernie Sanders, a secular Jew, earn Jesus’s endorsement?
By Stephen Prothero USA Today Yes, Bernie Sanders is Jewish. But he has shown about as much devotion to organized religion as he has to the political establishment. In the unfolding drama of the battle for the White House, he is best cast among the chorus of the “nones� – that swelling 22 percent of the population who describe themselves as religiously unaffiliated. While other Democrats have emphasized their religion in recent years, testifying to their faith in Jesus as savior and Lord and yoking their public policy views to biblical quotes, Bernie has largely stuck to the Jeffersonian line that religion is a private matter. Recently, however, he has been drawn out a bit. When Jimmy Kimmel asked him whether he was an atheist, Sanders ducked the question. When The Washington Post pressed him last month, Sanders said, “I think everyone believes in God in their own ways.� And at an Iowa town hall, Sanders told CNN’s Anderson Cooper, “My spirituality is that we are all in this together, and that when children go hungry, when veterans sleep out in the street, it impacts me.� As a scholar of American religion, I know I am supposed to take
Sanders at his word, slot him as a secular Jew who is, as he put it, “not particularly religious� and leave it at that. Even so, I cannot shake the sneaking suspicion that he is the most Christian candidate in the race. In a September speech at Liberty University, whose president, Jerry Falwell Jr., recently endorsed Donald Trump, Sanders cited Jesus on the golden rule in Matthew 7:12. He also quoted from an Old Testament passage often quoted by Martin Luther King Jr.: “But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream� – Amos 5:24. These two texts lent Sanders the bookends of his speech, morality and justice, which he said had to a great extent gone missing in a country that “worships not love of brothers and sisters, not love of the poor and the sick, but worships the acquisition of money and great wealth.� That sounds like Pope Francis, whom Sanders has repeatedly lauded. It also sounds like the Christian faith I encountered in my youth in the Episcopal Church. In fact, it sounds like the faith of my Republican mother who, after hearing of a homeless man who froze to death just miles from our Cape Cod home, joined forces with her minister and her best friend to establish the region’s first homeless shelter. It must also be remembered that Jesus was a Jew. It must also be remembered that the historical Jesus bears almost no resemblance to the American Jesus conjured up in the late 1970s by the religious
right and trotted out nowadays by Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and other Republicans desperately seeking the White evangelical vote. If the Bible is your guide, Jesus said nothing, ever, about abortion. He did, however, tell us to love our neighbors, including those Samaritans, the Mexicans and Muslims of his time. And he demonstrated a clear preference for the blessed poor over the filthy rich. Jesus was also fully conversant with the prophetic tradition of Isaiah and Amos, whose faith focused first and foremost on justice for all in this world – rather than salvation for some. Televangelist Kenneth Copeland says Cruz is “anointed to be the next president of the United States,� and Sanders would never presume to say that about himself. Neither would I. Still, I can’t help but think that the spirit of the Lord hovers far closer to Sanders’ “political revolution� than to the patently un-Christian efforts of cultural conservatives to wall off Samaritans, enrich the rich, or refuse to allow rape victims to terminate pregnancies. I don’t bring my Bible into the ballot box. But if you consult with Jesus on Election Day, don’t say you weren’t warned if he tells you that he’s casting his lot with Bernie, the secular Jew. Stephen Prothero, a professor of religion at Boston University, is the author of the new book, “Why Liberals Win the Culture Wars Even When They Lose Elections.� This column first appeared in USA Today.
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District Chronicles | Feb. 25 - Mar. 2, 2016 | 5
Cover
Moorehead rolls into the world of ultra-luxury
By Eric Easter Urban News Service
T
themooreheadfoundation.org
he world’s first AfricanAmerican Rolls Royce car dealer got there through hard work and perseverance, but only after disappointing his family. Thomas Moorehead’s parents thought the key to respectability was to earn a Ph.D. Both teachers, they lived by an old-school axiom that the one thing you never can take away from a man is an education. Yet, with just a few credits and a dissertation to go, Moorehead abandoned his doctoral program, and his parents’ wishes, for an uncertain shot at learning the automobile business from the bottom up. It was a leap of faith, an offer from a fraternity brother and mentor – James Bradley, of Bradley Automotive Group – who promised to make Moorehead a millionaire in five years, if he took the risk. But it wasn’t the promise that attracted
Moorehead: “Teaching was a guarantee of a long career, but I always had a passion for business,” said Moorehead. His road to success required two years of apprenticeship with Bradley, the mortgaging of his home and the depletion of his savings to enter a training program; it then eventually required owning his first dealership, selling Buicks in Omaha, Nebraska. Moorehead built a strong reputation as someone dedicated to customer service – an essential value of the Rolls Royce brand. That reputation, and his sales record as owner of Sterling BMW in Virginia, sparked an invitation from Rolls Royce Motor Cars to join the exclusive club of only 33 dealers and 130 dealerships around the globe – an opportunity he accepted without hesitation. The new store, Rolls Royce Motor Cars of Sterling, is the sole Rolls Royce dealership in greater Washington, D.C. and covers much of the mid-Atlantic – from Virginia
Thomas Moorhead, the first African American to own a Rolls Royce dealership, is located in Sterling, Virginia.
to southern Pennsylvania. It sits just across from Sterling BMW and Mini – his other successful dealership – a fact that fills him with immense pride. “These are the best cars in the world, and I’m honored to be able to bring them to my customers,” said Moorehead as he looked across the lot. His dealerships thrive in one of
the region’s wealthiest communities, filled with prosperous government contractors, newly minted millionaires from tech start-ups and the Washington Redskins’ nearby training facility. In a world where demanding buyers are known to add millions of dollars’ worth of custom details to their cars to reflect their personalities (fur-lined shoe-holders, built-in picnic baskets, crystal cufflink holders), Moorehead’s lowkey manner is a studied contrast – a contrast he believes helps him sell more cars. “I can talk about the features of the cars all day but, ultimately, people are buying good service,” said Moorehead. At age 71, Moorehead still relies on the daily advice of mentors, who include Hall of Fame homerun great (now car dealer) Hank Aaron and former National Urban League president John Jacob. He calls them “instrumental” in shaping his business’s success. “They marked their careers by quietly getting the job done, but
also being the best at what they do,” he said. While giving a tour of his office, Moorehead seems slightly embarrassed as he points to pictures of himself with presidents Obama and Clinton and an array of famous business leaders. That changes when he points out two items of which he’s most proud. The Laurel Wreath Award, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity’s highest honor for lifetime achievement. And then something much less distinct: a small cardboard sign that lists more than a dozen vendors who, he says, have contributed to his achievements – architects, decorators, contractors, cleaningservice owners and even the guy who printed the sign. All are African Americans, and fraternity brothers, people for whom he has paid forward the gift that Bradley gave him. “This is really what it’s all about,” said Moorehead, “bringing other people up and giving something back.”
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An unreasonable approach to the black vote
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“Dearth of Blacks in Republican Party blamed on its “institutions” that are no longer familiar, comfortable with Black community.
By Raynard Jackson Contributing Columnist Last week, I had a very long conversation with a major political operative about whether there was a role for Blacks in the Republican Party, on congressional staffs, on campaign staffs, or the various presidential campaigns. The simple response is that the Republican Party is racist; they don’t care about Blacks; and they don’t think they need the Black vote. But, as me and this operative discussed, it has less to do with race and more to do with the “institutions” of the Republican Party. The party’s institutions, by nature, tend to do the things they are comfortable and familiar with; and they are no longer comfortable or familiar with the Black community. The Republican National Committee (RNC), to my knowledge, has never had a Black finance director, chief of staff, communications director, etc. I rarely, if ever, encountered a Black staffer in nontraditional roles within the party. I am not aware of any Black campaign manager for a major office seeker, or executive director of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) or the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC). So, the typical argument is that they can’t find any “qualified” Blacks (as though they have a plethora of “unqualified” Blacks);
or they can’t find Blacks with the necessary experience. Well, somehow they seem to always be able to find Buffy and Biff for all sorts of jobs within the various party structures; and the reason is very simple – people tend to hire people they know or people that are referred to them by people they respect. So, these issues have less to do with race and more to do with relationships. Party operatives hire their friends and their friend’s friends. Unless you have party leaders who are totally committed to the issue of diversity and willing to radically alter the “institutions” of the Republican Party; there will never be an appreciable level of Black participation in the party. I agree with many Republicans that something extraordinary happened last week. Marco Rubio, a Cuban, was endorsed by Nicky Haley, governor of South Carolina of Indian descent and Tim Scott, a U.S. Senator from South Carolina – and Black. The Democratic Party can only dream of having this type of diversity. But where are the Black staffers for Rubio’s campaign? Where are the Blacks on Haley’s staff? Scott has an impeccable record when it comes to diversity on his staff. But this surface diversity means absolutely nothing unless and until you diversify the very structures at every level of the Republican Party. The irony of all ironies is that Donald Trump
is the only presidential candidate to have any Blacks on his staff in any significant positions; Blacks that he doesn’t want to be invisible. Trump is the only candidate to speak about how poorly Blacks have fared under Obama or meet with Black preachers. Trump is considered a political disruptor by the establishment; but yet he seems to be the only Republican that sees any value in the Black vote. In other words, he seems to be the only candidate that is willing to think outside the box when it comes to the conventional views of the Black vote. Maybe a Trump candidacy is what is needed to disrupt this stagnant party and its very institutions when it comes to the Black vote. Trump can easily get north of 15 percent of the Black vote simply by cultivating relations with the Black business community. Sadly, this is the one group most ignored by the Republican Party; the one group that is most philosophically in synch with the Republican message is the one group that no one pays attention to. In the immortal words of the great poet, George Bernard Shaw, “the reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends upon the unreasonable man.” Raynard Jackson is a radio talk show host and TV commentator. His website is www.raynardjackson.com.
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An unbeliever in the midst of an existential crisis meets Jesus and has a conversion experience. High-mindedness – not high jinks – ensues. Audiences have seen this old Hollywood trope before: in “Quo Vadis,” (1951), “The Robe,” (1953), “Ben Hur” (1959), and now in “Risen,” now open in theaters. And while a lot has changed in the nearly seven decades since the first of these “come to Jesus” movies, the core plot mechanism of “he of little faith meeting the ultimate man of faith” remains. Why use such an old narrative device – minus the sequined costumes, wigs and Max Factor makeup which have been replaced by whips, scourges and buckets of blood (thanks, Mel Gibson and “The Passion of the Christ”)? “I think the idea of being carried through the narrative of Christ – from his crucifixion to the resurrection and the ascension, through the eyes of nonbeliever – allows us to come at this from a soft angle,” said Joseph Fiennes, the British actor who plays unbeliever Clavius in “Risen.” “Clavius represents the every man. We’re all on a hunt, theological or not. We’re all on some form of investigation or discovery.” In “Risen,” Clavius is a highranking Roman soldier who, as
the right-hand man of Pontius Pilate (an excellent Peter Firth), has a front-row seat at the Crucifixion. With his own eyes he sees Jesus dead and buried in a sealed tomb. So when the body is missing, and reports of Jesus sightings come in, Clavius turns into the most skeptical of detectives, looking for the corpse. Instead (spoiler alert!), he encounters a very much alive, very jolly Jesus – “Yeshua,” in this film, played by Cliff Curtis. From there, let’s just say Clavius becomes a new man – the end. Not much of a surprise in terms of plot – and that’s the point, said William Blizek – founding editor of the Journal of Religion and Film. “It’s a nice model and it works,” said Blizek. “It is about change. You’re changing for the better. If you’re a nonbeliever and you see a nonbeliever become a Christian, the message to you is, ‘If you do this you’ll be a happy camper, too.’” But that kind of “Christian comfort food” can work against a movie, said Doug Cowan, a professor of religious studies at the University of Waterloo who studies religion and film. Movies that present a more controversial idea of the Gospels or of Jesus – think “The Last Temptation of Christ” (1988), where picketers were so upset by the film’s married Jesus that they attacked a theater – can
bring in larger audiences, curious about the controversy. “Those movies aren’t hot dogs and beer,” said Cowan. “They say there are some very hard things we need to chew over in this movie.” Case in point being 2004’s “The Passion of the Christ.” Director-writer Gibson said it was based strictly on the New Testament Gospels, but scholars such as Cowan said it was also based on the very graphic visions of Anne Catherine Emmerich, a 19th-century mystic nun. And many critics condemned it for its anti-Semitic portrayal of Jews as the bloodthirsty killers of Jesus. “That wasn’t comfort food,” said Cowan, and audiences came out in record numbers. But gentler, easier-to-swallow Bible movies such as “Risen” have their place, said Cowan. They are for “reality maintenance,” said Cowan – not intended to make new believers as much as to reinforce the beliefs of existing ones. Hollywood “is always telling the same stories because we are always asking the same questions,” said Cowan. “Who are we, where do we come from, what is the purpose of my life? We are simply driven to ask the questions, whether we get the answers or not.” Kimberly Winston is a national correspondent for Religion News Service.
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In the Neighborhood
Free books program looks to close literacy gap By Kandace Brown Special to the Trice Edney News Wire from Howard University News Service
“
Kandace Brown,Howard University News Service
(TriceEdneyWire.com) - Young children in Washington, D.C. can now receive a free book in the mail every month through “Books From Birth,” an early literacy program through the District of Columbia Public Library that will mail books to children up to age 5 in an effort to close the literacy gap among the children in the Nation’s Capital. City Councilman Charles Allen, who began the program, said books that are mailed will be ageappropriate, and every child in the household under age 5 can receive a book. The first book that every child, at every age, in the program will receive is The Little Engine That Could, Allen said, to send the message that every child has the ability to be successful. The approximately 3,300 families that have already signed up for the program through the library’s website at www.dclibrary. org/freebooks will begin receiving their books this month, Allen said. The goal is to get books in the hands of every child in the District and shrink the education gap for black children and Hispanic children, he said. “It is too often that the word gap is a very accurate predictor of educational achievement for a child,” he said. “It is later called the achievement gap. The achievement gap predicts outcomes for children that affect their health, public safety, jobs and income. “I believe that putting that power of a book in the hands of our youngest residents will absolutely make a difference.” Ryckale Williams, a mother of two children, a 4-year-old son and a 2-year-old daughter, said she signed her children up because they love to read, and she believes that this will encourage them to continue reading. “I think this is a great idea,”
More than 3,000 parents have already signed their children up for the program.
Northwest Washington. Bowser congratulated Allen for creating the program. “He had an idea, introduced it, got it funded and implemented it,” she said. Early literacy develops well before children step into their school, Allen said, which is why it is so important to not wait until the word gap turns into the achievement gap to tackle the issues. “It is not the reality of every child to have books at home, which is why it is so important to create that help,” he said. The District now joins 1,600 communities that have built home libraries a quarter of a – Ryckale Williams, District Resident for million children through an orchildren’s bedtime, picking a book ganization called the Imagination from the in-home library they cre- Library. The Imagination Library is a ated. Allen introduced legislation non-profit organization that supto create the program in January ports early childhood literacy by 2015. He got the idea, he said, sending books to the homes of when he was visiting family in children. The Imagination Library Tennessee, and his niece received was founded by singer Dolly Para book in the mail. He then began ton in Tennessee in an effort to working on the initiative that will promote reading for children. According to the Imagination do the same in Washington. Allen and Mayor Muriel Bows- Library website, it has mailed over er kicked off the program Thurs- 60 million books since its incepday at National Medical Center in tion in 1995. Williams said. “A child can never have too many books.” Williams heard about the program through her daughter’s day care center, which reached out to spread the word about the program. “This should help get the community involved,” she said. “Once a child starts getting books at home, they want to go to the library and explore words they did not know before.” Williams said she and her children read at home before the
A child can never have too many books.
”
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In the Neighborhood
Metro Briefs: Notable news in and around Washington District of Columbia
DCHFA closes transaction to build affordable, green, supportive housing in Ward 7
H
igh environmental standards and affordability can exist in a single development along with supportive housing, said Yolanda McCutchen, spokesperson for The District of Columbia Housing Finance Agency. The agency’s latest project, St. Stephens, combines green, cost-efficient living and supportive housing in one development. St. Stephens is in Ward 7 at 4000 Benning Road Northeast, in the Deanwood
neighborhood of Washington, D.C. The agency recently issued $5.6 million in long-term and $4.9 million in short-term DCHFA tax exempt notes for the acquisition of land and construction of a fourstory building that will contain 56 one bedroom units and 15 two bedroom units. Upon completion, the project will meet the Enterprise Green Communities Criteria which promotes responsible and sustainable building practices, healthy indoor air quality and energy efficiency which lowers the cost of utilities for residents. The transit oriented development, which will feature a green roof, will be located less than a quarter mile from the Benning Road (Orange Line) and Minnesota Avenue (Blue and Silver lines) Met-
ro stations. In addition to the tax exempt financing, DCHFA underwrote $8.45 million in low-income housing tax credit equity (LIHTC) to invest in this new development. “Investing in the St. Stephens project is an opportunity for the agency to fulfill our mission of providing safe, decent and affordable rental housing opportunities, participate in sustainable/green energy efficient development and leverage public funds for supportive housing all in a single project,” said Maria K. Day-Marshall, interim executive director, DCHFA. One hundred percent of the units will be reserved for families whose incomes are at or below 50 percent of the area median income (AMI). The developer of the project is a joint venture between the Wash-
ington Metropolitan Community Development Corporation, the Warrenton Group and Pennrose Properties, LLC. As a part of the DC Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) Supportive Housing Strategic Plan, the developer has elected to set aside 25 percent of the units (18 units) for clients of DBH. One of the key objectives of the DBH Strategic Plan is the development of a system that supports individuals with mental illness in integrated, communitybased settings. These units will be rented to families or individuals earning 30 percent or less of the area’s AMI. The DBH clients will receive case management services directly from the Department of Behavioral Health. Amenities at St. Stephens will
include 26 free covered parking spaces for residents, four open air community gathering places, an exercise room, a toddler’s playroom, two media lounges, and two multipurpose rooms, secure bike storage, and a green landscaped courtyard. The Latin American Youth Center will provide on-site job training, after school activities, tutoring and college entrance counseling. Through its Public Finance division, DCHFA issues tax-exempt mortgage revenue bonds to lower the developers’ costs of acquiring, constructing and rehabilitating rental housing. The agency offers private for-profit and non-profit developers low cost construction and permanent financing that supports the new construction, acquisition, and rehabilitation of affordable rental housing in the District.
Cheriss May/Howard University News Service
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U.S. Army Drill team in formation at Bowie State University Feb. 20
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12 | Feb.25 - Mar. 2, 2016 | District Chronicles