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INVESTMENT IN SUMMER JOBS IS INVESTMENT FOR YOUTH 8
Fathers called upon to lead by example, lead healthy lifestyle Page 11 June 18 - June 24, 2015
6
DMV celebrates Juneteenth this week Page 4 www.districtchronicles.com
Volume 14 Issue 43
Editorial
Hillary Clinton champions right to vote campaign
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Clinton (center) at Texas Southern University declaring her stand on voting rights in her presidential campaign.
By Jesse Jackson (TriceEdneyWire.com) – Last week, Hillary Clinton stated the simple truths about voting in America, in a stirring address before students at Texas Southern University. The right to vote, not explicitly guaranteed in the Constitution, is fundamental to a democracy. Yet across this country, we witness systematic efforts to erect impediments to voting in order to, in Clinton’s words, “disempower and disenfranchise people of color, poor people and young people.” After the Supreme Court ripped the heart out of the Voting Rights Act, Republicans in state after state passed laws to constrict the right to vote. In Texas, for example, a concealed weapons permit qualifies as “official identification” needed to vote, whereas a valid student ID is no longer sufficient. Across the country, minority voters are more likely than White voters to face long lines in order to cast their votes. The young and the poor are less likely to have the official identification needed to vote. This is, as Clinton said, not an
accident, and “it’s just wrong.” She called out by name potential contenders for the Republican presidential nomination – Rick Perry, Scott Walker, Chris Christie, Jeb Bush – who have pushed voter restrictions, asking, “What part of democracy are they afraid of?” Arguing that every citizen should have the right to vote, Clinton argued the common sense position that we should do what we can to make voting easier, not make it harder. She called for restoring the Voting Rights Act, to ensure pre-screening of election law changes that potentially discriminate against classes of voters. She embraced the bipartisan presidential commission recommendations for expanding early absentee and mail voting and for ensuring that no one waits more than 30 minutes to cast a vote. She also broke new ground. She urged a national requirement of 20 days of early in-person voting everywhere, including voting on weekends and on evenings, making it easier for working people to cast their ballot. Most important, she called for
universal, automatic voter registration. Every citizen at 18 would be automatically registered, unless he or she chooses to opt out. A nationally synchronized system could ensure that registration moves with the citizen, so no one needs register again. This would put an end to the false posturing about phantom voter fraud that Republicans use to erect barriers to voting. The right to vote, as Clinton summarized, is central to democracy. But it is also about dignity. It is about inclusion. It says I am an American. My voice counts. Clinton noted that the struggle for the right to vote was central to the civil rights movement. But that struggle has not ended. Once more, voting rights are under attack. Once more. barriers to voting are being erected by those who fear a true vote of the people. Once more, we need citizens to mobilize to demand their right to vote. Once more, we need courageous leaders to defend that right. With this powerful speech, Hillary Clinton has stood up to be counted in that fight.
Finance
Defense Dept. must report minority ad spending Special to the Trice Edney News Wire from Target Market News
hankjohnson.house.gov
(TriceEdneyWire.com) - Starting next year, the Secretary of Defense will be required to give the Armed Services Committee a written report on the DOD’s efforts to use minority-owned media in the placement of advertising. The report will be delivered to the committee by March 1, 2016. For the past two years, U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) has been attempting to get more military recruitment advertising placed on minority-owned stations. Johnson, who has been working with the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters, is the highest ranking Congressional Black Caucus member on the House of Representatives’ Armed Services Committee. He and NABOB have just won this small victory in their efforts to have stronger language placed in the Defense Authorization Bill report. Here is the actual language as it was adopted: “The committee continues to
support efforts by the services to ensure diversity among the force. The committee remains concerned that the efforts by the services to ensure that our Nation’s military is reflective of American society are being reduced by the use of advertising that does not adequately target minority communities. The committee understands the challenges that the services are facing, but urges the services to maintain, and where possible, increase their advertising within minority communities, to support their commitment to ensuring a strong diverse force.” “To adequately reach minority communities, the services are encouraged to use minority owned media outlets and advertising agencies that have demonstrated an ability to connect with minority communities. Recruitment advertising within minority communities is an important avenue toward building interest and understanding in serving our Nation in uniform. The committee urges the services and the Department of Defense to maintain a commit-
Rep. Johnson (D-Ga.) works to get military recruitment ads in minority-owned media.
ment to diversity recruiting and retention. “Therefore, the committee directs the Secretary of Defense to provide a report, by March 1, 2016, to the congressional defense committees on the efforts undertaken by the services to adequately reach minority communities and use minority owned media outlets and advertising agencies that have demonstrated an ability to connect with minority communities.”
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Neighborhood
Residents across DMV plan to celebrate Juneteenth By Ed Lake Contributing Writer
Juneteenth events across the DMV area June 13 – 20 Juneteenth Celebration June 13, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. PG County Department of Parks Walker Mill Regional Park 8840 Walker Mill Road District Heights, MD 20747 National Juneteenth Art Exhibit June 15-19, 9 a.m. opening Hosted by U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (Texas) Russell Rotunda Russell Senate Office Building 2 Constitution Ave. NW Washington Juneteenth 5K Run June 17, noon Hosted by Tidal Basin Run Start at Hains Point, Potomac Park (free) Celebration of Juneteenth A benefit for the Zora Neale Hurston/ Richard Wright Foundation June 17, 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Eatonville Restaurant 2121 14th St. NW $45 National Juneteenth Memorial Maafa Wreath Laying Ceremony June 18, 5 p.m. Lincoln Park, Washington 1301 North Carolina Ave., NE Juneteenth National Prayer Breakfast June 19, 8:30 a.m. Rev. Ronald V. Myers, Sr., MD, Founder & Chairman
nationaljuneteenth.com
4 | Jun. 18 - Jun. 24, 2015 | District Chronicles
“Juneteenth is America’s second Independence day,” said Rev. Ronald V. Myers, Sr, chairman of the National Juneteenth Christian Leadership Council. “You really can’t celebrate with just the Fourth of July.” Juneteenth is not that big on the East Coast, but it is on the West. It celebrates June 19, 1865, the day that Union General Gordon Granger reached Galveston, Texas, with a detachment of troops and issued General Order Number 3, which told the enslaved African Americans that the Civil War was over and they had their freedom. Even though the Emancipation Proclamation had freed slaves in the Southern states, that action usually occurred after Union soldiers took over states the seceded from the Union. The Emancipation Proclamation did not affect slavery in loyal border states. Juneteenth represents a day when all former slaves knew that they were free from bondage. Forty-two of the current states, including Maryland and Virginia, recognize Juneteenth as a state holiday. Rev. Myers will be traveling from his home in Belzoni, Mississippi, to participate in a group of activities centered around Juneteenth. From June 15-19, Houstonbased artist Ted Ellis will be exhibiting his Juneteenth Freedom Series at the Russell Senate Office Building, in the capital. The exhibit features 10 iconic paintings that depict the African-American experience from the start of slavery to President Obama’s election. “The power of arts says but it says everything,” said Ellis in an interview from his home. “When I want to speak in multiple languages I paint. The fact that Juneteenth is about to be recognized and celebrated at the U.S. Capital in monumental.” In addition, to the art exhibit, there will be a 5K Run, along with shorter distances, the National Juneteenth Memorial Maafa Wreath Laying Ceremony at Lincoln Park
on June 18, and the Juneteenth National Prayer Breakfast at the National Press Club a 529 14th St. NW. On June 19, at noon there will be a flag raising ceremony the Howard University’s central campus flag pole. “Juneteenth completes the cycle of independence celebrations in America,” said Rev. Myers. Also on June 19, there will be a Juneeteenth Book Festival Symposium at the Library of Congress and a book festival at the Gateway Pavilion on the St. Elizabeth East Campus.
Myers, chair of the National Juneteenth Christian Leadership Council is here to participate in several events in the area.
National Juneteenth Observance Foundation National Press Club 529 14th St., NW, 13th floor Juneteenth Flag Raising Ceremony June 19, noon Howard University Central University Campus Flag Pole 2400 Sixth Street, NW Celebration of Juneteenth June 19, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. 100 Black Men of Greater Washington DC & Wells Fargo GWDC Black/African American Connection Bar 7 1015 7th St. NW Washington, DC Juneteenth Book Festival Symposium June 19, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Library of Congress – Thomas Jefferson Building 101 Independence Ave. SE Free and open to the public Juneteenth Rally June 20, 3 p.m. PG County Memorial Library, Bowie Branch 15210 Annapolis Road Bowie, MD Eleanor Holmes Norton Juneteenth Book Festival June 20, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Gateway Pavilion St. Elizabeths East Campus 2700 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE
Divine Intervention Archbishop resigns over sex abuse handling By David Gibson Religion News Service
AMG | PHOTOGRAPHY Paul Haring/Catholic News Service/Courtesy Photo
(RNS) – The Vatican on Monday launched a major housecleaning of the scandal-plagued Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, accepting the resignation of Archbishop John Nienstedt along with that of a top Nienstedt aide, Auxiliary Bishop Lee Piche. The moves come a little over a week after authorities charged the archdiocese for failing to protect children from an abusive priest and days after Pope Francis unveiled the first-ever system for disciplining bishops who do not act against predator clerics. A Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, told reporters he did not know whether Nienstedt and Piche would be subject to further canonical investigation under the new process. “The situation is too complex to make a prediction on this yet,” he said, according to the Catholic news site Crux. In April, Bishop Robert Finn of Missouri, who three years earlier became the first bishop convicted of failing to report a priest suspected of child abuse, was forced to resign, effectively the first bishop in the decades-long crisis that the Vatican pushed out for covering up for an abuser. Also Monday, in an unprecedented move, the Vatican announced that its one-time ambassador to the Dominican Republic, the former Polish archbishop Jozef Wesolowski, would stand trial in the Vatican on charges he paid for sex with children. Observers say these latest moves seem to signal an unprecedented effort by Rome to hold bishops accountable in the abuse crisis. “I think this is a great tribute to Pope Francis,” Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington, one of the pontiff’s top allies in the U.S. hierarchy, said when asked about Nienstedt’s resignation. Wuerl was speaking at a conference bringing together bishops and labor leaders at the AFL-CIO headquarters in Washington to talk about the economy. Wuerl said that while the Catholic Church has done a good job of
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Archbishop Nienstedt’s resignation follows alleged mishandling of sex abuse cases.
addressing the problem of abusive priests, “What the pope has done is assure this also includes those responsible for supervision.” For his part, Nienstedt did not voice any regrets. In a statement, the archbishop said he was stepping down “to give the Archdiocese a new beginning amidst the many challenges we face,” adding: “I leave with a clear conscience.” Piche said he resigned because the archdiocese needs “healing and hope” and he said “I was getting in the way of that.” He said he made his decision “willingly, after consultation with others in and outside the Archdiocese.” Almost from the time he took over in the Twin Cities in 2008, Nienstedt, 68, became a polarizing figure as an outspoken conservative, especially with his focus against gay rights and same-sex marriage. But in the past few years, questions about his alleged failures to take a hard line on abusive clerics, especially a former priest now in prison, Curtis Wehmeyer, have made him a target of criticism from all sides. Persistent questions about Nienstedt’s own personal conduct also became an issue; last year, Nienstedt gave Piche, 57, the job of investigating allegations of misconduct against him, one of two separate probes of Nienstedt’s personal behavior. In charging the archdiocese
earlier this month, Ramsey County Attorney John Choi said prosecutors were alleging “a disturbing institutional and systemic pattern of behavior” over the course of decades at the highest levels of leadership in the archdiocese. Nienstedt was not personally charged, but authorities said the investigation was continuing and further charges could be filed. A brief note from the Vatican provided no details on Nienstedt’s resignation. It said only that he resigned under the provision of canon law that states that a bishop “who has become less able to fulfill his office because of ill health or some other grave cause is earnestly requested to present his resignation from office.” Victims advocates who have long pushed for Nienstedt’s removal – and who have greeted Francis’ “get tough” policies with skepticism – were not impressed with Monday’s moves. “It’s only a very tiny drop of reform in an enormous bucket of horror,” said Frank Meuers, a Minnesota leader of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, or SNAP, a national clergy victim advocates group. “Neinstedt’s departure will, in the short term, make some adults happier,” he said. “By itself, it won’t, in the long term, make many kids safer.” Mark Silk contributed to this report from Washington, D.C.
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District Chronicles | Jun. 18 - Jun. 24, 2015 | 5
Cover Rachel Dolezal not the first to ‘pass’ as Black By Lynette Holloway Special to the NNPA via The Atlanta Daily World (NNPA) – Long before Rachel Dolezal, head of the Spokane, Washington, NAACP chapter, was outed by her parents for being White, America had a storied history of White folks passing for Black. Reasons for the transformations range from extreme cultural appropriation, to journalistic and social experimentation, to cultural backlash against affirmative action, among other reasons. NewsOne dug up a few names:
magazine, Halsell, a journalist and writer, recounts how she lived for six months as a Black woman. Born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas, to a family that owned slaves before the Civil War, Halsell was inspired to embark on the experiment by John Howard Griffin’s book. She took pills that were used to alleviate pigmentation problems, supplemented by extensive tanning sessions, to cross the color barrier, according to The New York Times. She wrote about the experience in her 1969 book, “Soul Sister,” recounting the degradation of being a Black domestic worker in a world of White employers, one of whom tried to rape her, The Times writes. The book sold more than one million paperback copies and was translated into six languages, the report notes.
John Howard Griffin In “Black Like Me,” published in 1961, Griffin, a novelist, darkened his skin and became Black in an effort to comprehend the civil rights movement. The product was a groundbreaking book that revealed what many Whites still refuse to believe today: Racism is not a figment of the imagination. “‘Black Like Me’ disabused the idea that minorities were acting out of paranoia,” Gerald Early, a Black scholar at Washington University and editor of “Lure and Loathing: Essays on Race, Identity, and the Ambivalence of Assimilation,” told Smithsonian Magazine. “There was this idea that [B]lack people said certain things about racism, and one rather expected them to say these things. Griffin revealed that what they were saying was true. It took someone from outside coming in to do that. And what he went through gave the book a remarkable sincerity.”
Mark L. Stebbins Stebbins, who had blue eyes and a light complexion, made headlines in 1983 when he campaigned for city council as a Black man in a predominantly Black and Hispanic district in Stockton, California, and won, according to PEOPLE magazine. “His ancestors were [W]hite,” the magazine writes. “His parents are [W]hite. His brother and four sisters are [W]hite. Yet against the weight of all this whiteness, and his own pale blue eyes and light complexion, Mark Stebbins insists he’s [B]lack.” Ralph Lee White, the indisputably Black incumbent at the time, was angry, calling Stebbins “a [W] hite guy with a perm,” the report says. Perm or no perm, Stebbins won a recall election, Jet said at the time.
Grace Halsell In the December 1969 issue of Ebony
Philip and Paul Malone The fair-haired, fair-complexioned
6 | Jun. 18 - Jun. 24, 2015 | District Chronicles
identical twins worked for the Boston Fire Department for 10 years until their dismissal in 1988, reports The New York Times. The firings came after state investigators found that they had lied on their job applications: They both contended they were Black, The Times notes. The case raised questions about the integrity of the city’s affirmative action policy, and concerns about hiring at the Fire Department, the report says. “How,” City Councillor Bruce C. Bolling asked at the time, notes the report, “could twins with Irish names, Caucasian features and no [B]lack identification from any perspective get into the force and stay on without collusion? Such misuse denies opportunity to people of color for whom these plans are designed.” In 1975, the twins took the Civil Service test for firefighters and failed, the report says. They reapplied in 1977, contending they were Black after their mother found a photograph of their great-grandmother, whom she said was Black, the report says. They won appointments in 1978. David Wilson The conservative White candidate won a seat on the Houston Community College board in 2013 by a slim margin by reportedly implying to voters in the predominantly Black district that he was Black, according to Politico. Mailers for his campaign featured pictures of African Americans that said, “Please vote for our friend and neighbor Dave Wilson,” the report says. The pictures came from the Internet. Wilson still holds the seat, according to a website for the community college.
NAACP statement on the resignation of Rachel Dolezal
BALTIMORE, Md. – After a firestorm of controversy over misrepresentation of her racial identity, Rachel Dolezal, president of the NAACP’s Spokane, Washington Branch, resigned Monday. But not until after NAACP national president Cornell William Brooks issued the following statement: "The NAACP is not concerned with the racial identity of our leadership but the institutional integrity of our advocacy. Our focus must be on issues not individuals. Ms. Rachel Dolezal has decided to resign to ensure that the Spokane branch remains focused on fighting for civil and human rights. This resignation today comes amidst the real work of the NAACP and the real challenges to our democracy. "At a civic moment, when we mark our civic calendar with a criminal justice tragedy every few days including a children's birthday party with police and pool; at a moment when the civic sacrament called the vote is desecrated by voter disenfranchisement; at a moment where rising income inequality and declining social mobility leave American workers stranded outside the middle class; and at a moment when our world class economy is undermined by third class schools for forgotten students; the NAACP announced today the long schedule for America’s Journey for Justice.
"This historic 860 mile march demands a disciplined focus not on any individual among us but the issues that affect us all. We are calling on Americans of every hue and heritage, of every racial background and of every political party and those with no party affiliation, and those of every generation to make history and make change by marching on America's Journey for Justice." After Dolezal's resignation, Brooks issued another statement recalling the 106 years of NAACP's tradition of of receiving support from people of all faiths, races, colors and creeds. "NAACP Spokane Washington Branch President Rachel Dolezal is enduring a legal issue with her family, and we respect her privacy in this matter," Brooks said. "One’s racial identity is not a qualifying criteria or disqualifying standard for NAACP leadership. The NAACP Alaska-Oregon-Washington State Conference stands behind Ms. Dolezal’s advocacy record. In every corner of this country, the NAACP remains committed to securing political, educational, and economic justice for all people, and we encourage Americans of all stripes to become members and serve as leaders in our organization. "Hate language sent through mail and social media along with credible threats continue to be a serious issue for our units in the Pacific Northwest and across the nation. We take all threats seriously and encourage the FBI and the Department of Justice to fully investigate each occurrence."
Politics Pressure builds for Feds to ‘Ban the Box’ By Freddie Allen NNPA Senior Washington Correspondent (NNPA) – Sources say 17 states and Washington, D.C., have passed laws making it easier for ex-offenders to find employment. Civil rights and community groups that advocate for returning citizens are now pushing the White House to do the same. According to a report by the National Employment Law Project (NELP), an estimated 70 million adults in the United States have arrest or conviction records. This can be problematic, considering 9 in 10 employers conduct criminal background checks. Blacks – who are nearly 13 percent of the U.S. population – account for 35.7 percent of the state and federal prison populations, compared to Whites who make up 32.8 percent. “Our justice system is deeply unjust and unfair,” said Wade Henderson, president and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. “We often focus on the incarceration rate and the impact that policing and sentencing have on communities of color, but the injustice of our system is much more widespread.” Henderson alleges that this is due to the United States continually punishing people long after they
have paid their debts to society. Most people who are convicted of crimes return to their communities, often facing greater challenges when it comes to finding affordable housing, educational opportunities and jobs. According to an NELP report, “Economists estimated that because people with felony records and formerly incarcerated people have poor job prospects, the nation’s gross domestic product in 2008 was between $57 and $65 billion lower than it would have been had they been gainfully employed.” Some of the biggest companies in the United States are taking notice and revising their hiring policies to provide greater opportunities to exoffenders. KOCH Industries, worth more than $100 billion, recently joined Wal-Mart, Target and Home Depot to “ban the box” on job applications. According to the NELP, “There are a total of 17 states representing nearly every region of the country that have adopted the policies: California (2013, 2010); Colorado (2012); Connecticut (2010); Delaware (2014); Georgia (2015); Hawaii (1998); Illinois (2014, 2013); Maryland (2013); Massachusetts (2010); Minnesota (2013, 2009); Nebraska (2014); New Jersey (2014), New Mexico (2010); Ohio (2015); Rhode Island (2013); Vermont (2015); and Virginia (2015).”
The ‘Ban the Box’ campaign aims to remove the question about prior criminal background off employment applications.
Additionally, six states have required that private employers remove the question about criminal background from job applications. Andrea Marta, the campaign manager for Lifelines to Healing, said that finding a job is the key to helping people return to their communities. “Jobs help provide redemption and the second chance that many of our folks need to be successful once they come home,” said Marta. “People can walk away from the cycle of violence and poverty through a job that can prevent it.” Earlier this month, a group from PICO National Network – which included ex-offenders – met with White House officials and staffers from the Congressional Black Cau-
cus to discuss recommendations for returning citizens facing employment and housing barriers. According to Maurice Emsellem, program director for NELP, the ‘ban the box’ legislation is also in compliance with current civil rights laws that require employers to take into account the age of the record directly related to the job or rehabilitation programs that the applicant has completed. In 2012, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) released guidance on hiring practices, encouraging companies to be more mindful of how they use an applicant’s criminal background history in judging whether they’re qualified to do the job. This is to prevent them from unintentionally
violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Dorsey Nunn, executive director of Legal Services for Prisoners with Children and co-founder of All of Us or None, alleges that if the federal government is going to spend his tax dollars, then he should have access to everything that they spend his money on. That includes jobs with companies that do business with and for the federal government. “There are boxes all over the place that exclude me from access to a meaningful life,” said Nunn. “‘Ban the box’ is more than a question of fair chance hiring. I want the full restoration of my civil and human rights and this is just the first step in the process.”
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– White House, “We Can’t Wait Initiative” Statement Release, January 2012 I can still remember my very first job; the valuable lessons I learned from it continue to inform my career to this day. Like so many millions of teens, I had the chance to be exposed to the world of work at an early age. I got my first taste of entrepreneurship as one-third of a three-man janitorial company I started with two childhood friends. We mowed lawns, washed cars and cleaned windows. If it needed fixing or cleaning, we were the ones to call. At the age of 15, I earned my first steady paycheck as a copy boy for a local newspaper. I earned more than money from the experience. With work came important lessons about responsibility, effective communication, time management, interpersonal skills and more. Today, as our nation continues to recover from the crippling impact of the Great Recession, the ability of teens to jumpstart their future careers remains in jeopardy. Not only did jobs disappear during our nation’s economic downturn, summer jobs —widely acknowledged as the traditional means of entry into our nation’s workforce for teens and young adults — became scarce. Competition from older workers for those entry-level jobs once reserved for teens increased as the labor market weakened. With states slashing budgets to make ends meet, state and federally funded summer job placement programs were either underfunded or cut. Regardless, teen employment matters not only for their future,
NovelTeens’ Ink/File Photo
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(TriceEdneyWire.com) – “Your first job brings you more than just a steady paycheck – the experience teaches young people life and work skills that serve them long after the job is done. But as our nation continues to recover [from] the deepest recession since the Great Depression, American youth are struggling to get the work experience they need for jobs of the future.”
An effort to boost summer job programs is underway but more must be done.
but also for that of our nation. In addition to it being something productive for young people to do during the summer, it puts money in their pocket that they’ll spend within the community. Studies have also shown that those who work when they are young are more likely to be employed in the future and will earn higher salaries. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, after a high of 27.2 percent teen unemployment in 2010, unemployment for workers ages 16-19 is now down to 17.9 percent. As is the case with adult workers, teens are beginning to find jobs as the market recovers, but unemployment remains high for young people, disproportionately affecting low-income youth and minorities. The national unemployment rate stands at a staggering 30.1 percent for Black teens and 19.2 percent for Hispanic teens. Our nation’s answer to this dilemma has been a fractured portrait of private and public initiatives and success. Cities and states have cobbled together money – when it’s in the budget – and have funneled it to local groups or agencies that connect youths to jobs or job training. In 2012, the White House
launched Summer Jobs+ as part of the “We Can’t Wait” initiative. The project brought together the federal government and the private sector to create 180,000 employment opportunities for low-income youth. At the National Urban League, we work with at-risk youth to introduce them into the workforce through a comprehensive set of services provided by the Urban Youth Empowerment Program. While all of these efforts are laudable and have changed many lives and communities for the better, it is not enough. Our nation needs to expand summer job programs and create year-round employment for our young people. We need a commitment that says yes to teens and to their future. Investing in our young people is an investment in the continued strength of this great nation and its workforce. Young people need the formative workplace skills they can get in those entry-level jobs to move on to greater career success and higher salaries in the future. Our nation – and its local economies – benefit when teens spend their disposable income. Surely there are tax loopholes, corporate or otherwise, that can be closed, bringing additional dollars to the table to invest in our young people.
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In the Neighborhood
Metro Briefs: Notable news in and around Washington
Finding Senior Housing can be complex, but it doesn’t have to be. “You can trust A Place for Mom to help you.” – Joan Lunden
Montgomery County Local dads urged to celebrate a ‘Fit’ and healthy Father’s Day with foundation
Montgomery College Summer Dinner Theatre puts musical comedy on the menu Montgomery College will present two acclaimed musicals at its annual Summer Dinner Theatre, now in its 38th season. “A Funny Thing Happened on The Way To the Forum opens June 19 and Legally Blonde: the Musical” opens July 17. “A Funny Thing Happened on The Way To the Forum,” adapted from a book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart, is a joyous, musical romp through Rome with desperate lovers, scheming neighbors and secrets behind every toga. With music and lyrics by Stephen
(800) 967-8641 A Place for Mom is the nation’s largest senior living referral information service. We do not own, operate, endorse or recommend any senior living community. We are paid by partner communities, so our services are completely free to families.
fitfathers.com
(SILVER SPRING, MD) – Fit Fathers Foundation is teaming up with Mazda, Volkswagen and NFL Tennessee Titan Jason McCourty to empower dads to be healthy examples for their children. The effort includes a PSA Call to Action video and a Fit Fathers Day Pledge to inspire dads throughout the month of June, which is National Men’s Health Month. As health risks continue to increase in men 20 years and older, Fit Fathers’ national campaign encourages fathers to commit to making healthier choices. It starts with all dads taking the pledge on Father’s Day and following a few simple steps. “Becoming a ‘Fit Father’ has completely changed my life,” said Jason McCourty, Fit Fathers National Ambassador. “Everything I do, I know my little princess will be watching. It’s important to develop the habits, now, of a healthy lifestyle that will impact my entire family for decades to come.” The Fit Father’s Day Pledge gives dads specific actions to begin a healthier lifestyle. Dads are
Kitmani Rawlings started Fit Fathers to encourage fathers to lead by example and emphasize healthy eating and exercise.
encouraged to post workout photos to be highlighted on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Flickr using the hashtags #FitFathersDay and #FitFathers. Fit Fathers to be can take the pledge at www.FitFathersDay.com Washington area dads can join the Fit Fathers Foundation for the Fit Father’s Day Celebration, a free fitness festival providing dads with the necessary tools to lead their families along a posi-
tive health journey. The event will include 200+ families interacting socially and physically for Fit Father’s Day. To participate, RSVP at www. FitFathersDay.com. The Fit Fathers Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that educates families on nutritional and fitness awareness. It hosts free Social Workouts and other events to help encourage fathers with lifeenhancing solutions.
Sondheim, the production features “something for everyone, a comedy tonight!” In “Legally Blonde: The Musical,” college student Elle Woods appears to have it all until her boyfriend dumps her so he can start getting serious about his life and attend Harvard Law School. Determined to get him back, Elle uses her charm to get into the school herself. There, she quickly realizes her potential and sets out to prove herself to the world. The play is based on the novel by Amanda Brown and the MetroGoldwyn-Mayer motion picture. Montgomery College’s Summer Dinner Theatre provides training to aspiring musical theatre performers and behind-the-
scenes artists who apply or audition for positions. Performers include Montgomery College students, visiting students from other universities, high school students and members of the community. Participants enroll at Montgomery College for 10 weeks of hands-on education in everything from performance to costumes and lighting. During shows, a live orchestra accompanies the performers. This year, for the first time, tickets may be purchased for show only during some performances. To purchase tickets or to get more information on shows, seating, the dinner buffet and directions, visit www.districtchronicles.com under Neighborhood or call 240-5677676.
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District Chronicles | Jun. 18 - Jun. 24, 2015 | 11
12 | Jun. 18 - Jun. 24, 2015 | District Chronicles