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Legacy www.pgsuite.com
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How It Was And How It’s Going In The Alsobrooks Administration
PGC Film Festival’s Second Take
What’s Next For Economic Development In PGC
David Iannucci Answers The Call
2024 Commentary By M.H. Jim Estepp, Jennifer Rios And The New Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Photographer Maurice Fitzgerald, MedStar’s Heart Plan, Late Sen. Doug Peters’ Wall of Senatorial Scholarships, AI Power Couple, The Washington International Horse Show, Theater: “Out of the Vineyard” How Enslaved Prince Georgians Sued For Their Freedom, UMD’s Cancer Patient Makeovers, And More
Sen. Doug Peters, The Creator Of Liberty Sports Park: Remembering Former Maryland Senator Doug Peters. As Maryland Governor Wes Moore and dozens of onlookers cheered, Peters accepts a hug from Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks moments after receiving A Walk Of Fame Award for his visionary leadership in creating Liberty Sports Park. Peters died December 30 at age 60. PHOTOGRAPHY BY AMIR STOUDAMIRE//PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE & MEDIA
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A Great View Of Prince George’s County, Maryland
WINTER 2024
Raoul Dennis Publisher/Editor-In-Chief D. A. Phillips Associate Publisher Gil Griffin Copyediting Raoul Dennis, Amir Stoudamire Advertising Kristina Townsend Editorial Assistant Raoul Dennis Art Director/Page Design Maria Lopez-Bernstein Photo Editing & Consultant Amir Stoudamire Senior Photographer
Consultants & Support Barbara Frazier, Mildred B. Dennis, Ysabel Garcia de Lopez and Eugenia Hopkins
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Editor Ad Infinitum Ed Brown
Cover “Legacy In The Making” Cover Photo Courtesy of the Office of the County Executive
Prince George’s Suite magazine is published four times per year by RADENN MEDIA GROUP, LLC, P.O. Box 1066, Oxon Hill, MD 20750. 410/553-2084. Subscription rates: $20/year in the United States and all its possessions. Single copies $9.95, plus $1.50 shipping and handling. Periodicals postage paid at Oxon Hill, MD 20750, and at additional mailing offices. All editorial and advertising correspondence should be addressed to RADENN MEDIA GROUP, LLC, P.O. Box 1066, Oxon Hill, MD 20750 or [e-mail: editor@pgsuite.com for Prince George’s Suite magazine]. website: www.pgsuite.com. All contents © 2024 by RADENN MEDIA GROUP, LLC. All rights reserved. ISSN No. 1941-6024. All advertising inquiries should be directed toward advertising@pgsuite.com or call 410/553-2084. Nothing in this publication can be reproduced in any manner without specific written permission of the publisher. Prince George’s Suite magazine and the RADENN MEDIA GROUP, LLC will consider but assume no responsibility for unsolicited materials; these require return postage. Postmaster: Please send address changes to Subscription Department, RADENN MEDIA GROUP, LLC, P.O. Box 1066, Oxon Hill, MD 20750. Printed in the USA
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COUNTY STROLL 2024 = Year For Military families in Maryland
M Lounge Event Center in Bowie
Need a host for an upcoming celebration? M Lounge Events-Bowie may have just what a potential host may need. M Lounge provides a luxurious event space for fundraisers, baby showers, bridal showers, weddings, photo shoots, product launches, holiday parties, on Emerald Way in Bowie, MD. This 4,500-square-foot venue is eloquently designed to host intimate gatherings for up to 250 people. They have beautiful draping, lighting, and elegant white lounge furniture that helps to create the perfect atmosphere for a fun and unforgettable event. “We are Bowie, Maryland’s most opulent event space for intimate social and private events,” says the planners on the company site. Pricing can range from $2500 to $5500 depending on the event. Foyer rentals for smaller events are priced at $350 an hour. The foyer leading to their main ballroom can host small networking events, business lunches and learns, or small dinner parties for up to 25 people. Better Maternal Care Coming To Prince George’s
Prince George’s County has the second highest birth rate in the State of Maryland, yet there are very few options for women to deliver their babies in the County. LHDCMC is the only acute care hospital in northern Prince George’s County, serving over a half million residents. Now there is new hope as Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center has received approval from the state to add obstetrics services to serve residents of the county. “This approval is a momentous occasion for Prince Georgians – and a critical milestone on our journey to create a comprehensive women’s health hub in the County,” said Tori Bayless, CEO of Luminis Health. “This new program serves as a beacon of hope, aiming to shrink health disparities that have disproportionately impacted black and brown women here in Maryland and across our country. We are grateful for the support and partnership of our communities and Prince George’s County leadership as we continue on this path.” PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE
Governor Wes Moore declared 2024 to be the Year for Military Families in Maryland. He also announced a legislative package designed to support service members, families, caregivers, and survivors. The first legislative announcement by the Moore-Miller administration for the 2024 legislative session includes the Families Serve Act, encouraging preferential hiring for active-duty military spouses by both private sector employers and state government, and the Time to Serve Act, granting paid military leave to state employees who are members of the National Guard or Reserves. Senator Dawn Gile (District 33), with support from the Governor, also unveiled a bill to rename the Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs to the Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families. “Our military families sacrifice everything so their loved ones can serve. They are just as much a part of the American story as those in the armed forces,” said Gov. Moore. “States have a duty to answer the service and sacrifice of our military families with strong support. That’s why we’re advocating for this package of legislation in the coming session.” Cador Theater
“Hands Made To Hold” was a play written by Darrell A. Cador, playwright/screenwriter based in Hyattsville. Premiering here October 14, the play also premiered in Bethesda, Maryland October 2022. His next stage play production, entitled “A Black Woman’s Worth” is a powerful piece that showcases the strength, perseverance, and true worth of the Black Woman within society. The two plays are just a couple of the scripts Cador has that address various issues affecting black and brown communities such as broken homes, teen suicide, absentee fathers, marital discord, domestic violence and abuse, human trafficking, and teen dating violence. Cador is scheduled to record “Hands Made To Hold” to digital format and will make it available to the general public in the 1st quarter of 2024. He also plans to bring “Hands Made To Hold” back to the stage next spring along with his next stage play offering “A Black Woman’s Worth,” currently slated for the Summer / Fall of 2024.
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5.
CON
TABLE OF
In This Edition
8. Outlook: Change Is Constant, Choices Matter 9. Economic Outlook: A View On What 2024 May Offer
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10. Profile: Protecting Women from Domestic Violence 12. Profile: Why Willie Young Is The Event Whisperer? 13. Reading: First Baptist Church of Glenarden Pastor John K. Jenkins’ New Book 14. Profile: County Councilmember Wala Blegay
16. Health advertorial: MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital’s Cardiology Series 18. Business: PGCEDC Meets 40th Anniversary And Plans For The Future 21. Business: Three Great Businesses To Know At Ritchie Station Mall 26. Cover Story: Angela Alsobrooks’ Progress As County Executive
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32. Profile: Jennifer Rios And The New Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
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34. Profile: Veteran Photographer Maurice Fitzgerald
40. Tech: For The Love Of AI
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42. Tech Profile: Meet The Fentrys: An AI Power Couple 44. Legacy: The Wall of Senatorial Scholarship Recipients By Former Sen Doug JJ Peters 46. Culture: The Washington International Horse Show 48. Film: A Look At The Prince George’s Film Festival’s Second Year 52. Culture: ‘Out of the Vineyard’ True Account of Enslaved Prince Georgians suing For Their Freedom May Now Go On The Road. 54. Self: New Basic Income Program May Be A Tool To Address Poverty Issues 55. Applause: Cancer Patients Enjoy Makeovers That Help Them Inside And Out
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OutlookOutlook Outlook PHOTO: ROB ROBERTS
A Seat At The Table: Successful food and restaurant entrepreneurs at the 40th anniversary of the Prince George’s Chamber of Commerce’s Awards Gala.
The outer chill of winter gives rise to inward thinking of the possi-
bilities for the new year. Beyond the resolutions, there is an opportunity to set goals that will determine how the year will end as surely as we document the way it begins. Like the last year of a decade, this edition is as much an echo of the previous year as it attempts to announce new trends ahead. We applaud the best of the achievements of 2023 with the hope they will spark more of the same this year and beyond. We celebrate our champions — those organizations and agencies who have aimed at improving our quality of life for decades—and attempt to highlight those new initiatives that spark within them what may be the next big thing. We point you toward “Building Beyond The Paradigm,” and the Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation (Page 18). As PGCEDC moves beyond the celebration of its first 40 years and the strategies that helped to steer the county, our story offers revealing pearls regarding future strategies and our own inherent strengths that will aid the next 50 years of growth here. Greater Prince George’s Business Roundtable President & CEO Jim Estepp’s annual economic outlook (Page 9) offers glimpses of what overall trends can be expected. Please take a walk on our “County Stroll” (Page 5) and read about Darrell Cador’s theater, RAM’s mobile health center, the governor’s 2024 focus on veterans, the glamorous new M Lounge Event Center in Bowie and much more. Don’t forget the International Horse Show (Page 46) and The Second Annual Prince George’s County Film Festival (Page 48), two cultural institutions whose recent emergence in the county have 8.
immeasurable potential for global standing in years to come. There are also legacy stories that are attention worthy. Our cover story, now a tradition in its own right of publishing legacy features on second term executives, features the leadership contributions of County Executive Angela Alsobrooks (Page 26). In 2018, Alsobrooks told Prince George’s Suite Magazine that she wanted more from herself than to be the first woman to hold the office. She wanted to succeed in such a way that when she left office, it would not be considered unusual for a woman to hold the office. The chief executive has a long list of accomplishments completed under her watch—in spite of and because of federal government shutdown and COVID-19. In health, take a read of the second in our two-part heart health series at MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center (Page 16). Photographer Maurice Fitzgerald has carved a career documenting people and events in the DMV for over 40 years. He continues this work even as he waits for a lifesaving kidney transplant (see Page 34). The Late Former Senator Douglas J.J. Peters left a legacy that will impact residents for generations. We highlight the scholarship and the scholarship wall he and his wife, Corinne, created (Page 44). The Suite offers a video of the scholarship at the late senator’s request (YOUTUBE).We hope this edition will bring forth pride at the county’s amazing growth in 2023; will embolden us to set higher goals for 2024; and remind us that when we rise, we all rise together. Blessings, The Editors
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2024 Economic Outlook By M. H. Jim Estepp //
President and CEO Greater Prince George’s Business Roundtable & Andrews Business & Community Alliance
2024 may turn out to be one of the most unusual years in American history as it relates to the Economy and Politics. The leading Presidential Candidates of both Political Parties face legal issues and the economy shows signs of recession at the same time displaying signs of some growth. The Greater Prince George’s Business Roundtable President juxtaposition of & CEO Jim Estepp these issues indicates just how divided the country appears. Divisions will likely amplify as we head toward the primaries and general elections in the new year. Prince George’s County businesses should experience some reduction in hiring as the economy adjusts to uncertainty. Although PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE
most people will be focused on pocketbook issues and whether prices will continue to increase. Many will also be following the political situation especially since one of our own is running for statewide office with a good chance of securing the Democrat Nomination for U.S. Senator. The outcome of that Primary will have a significant impact on our county since we will have to choose a new County Executive if Angela Alsobrooks wins the nomination to replace Ben Cardin. A special election for County Executive would then be held. We can expect home sales to pick up and the Fed to either reduce interest rates or hold them steady. Doing so will cause individual borrowing to pick up and equity investments to rise modestly. Much of this prediction is tied to the spending rate of the Federal Government. Increases in spending will result in more inflation and higher interest rates. Because it is an election year, we should see moderation in deficit spending, thus providing more equilibrium in the monetary system. WINTER 2024
Individual consumers will benefit from this and their spending should help reduce budget deficits. It will be impossible for us to escape the impact of world events and the ebb and flow of changing conditions in many countries. Americans, however, share a love of freedom and clarity of purpose just like those words imbued in the Declaration of Independence: “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”, which inspire us through rough patches here and abroad. The County, State and the U.S. have significant opportunities to help improve the economy and bring about a more steady and prosperous society. Everyone knows about the negatives that abound, and we all can pitch in and do our part to make the lives of those in our community better. This county is fortunate to have a well educated and enlightened population that engages its leaders and “shows up” when needed. Thank God for that as we face the future with optimism. 9.
End The Silence, End The Violence
Domestic Violence And Sexual Assault Center Celebrates 50th Anniversary By Kristina Townsend // Photography By Amir Stoudamire
It was a night to celebrate the lives saved – and remember those lost. The Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Center celebrated the DV/SAC 50th Anniversary event September 28, at Newton White Mansion. “Celebrating the 50 years of service by our Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Center was not just a social occasion,” said Nathaniel Richardson Jr., President and CEO, University of Maryland Capital Region Health. “It was an opportunity to bring our survivors, partners, volunteers and team members together to pay homage to the great work that has been accomplished over the past 50 years.” The event was arranged by Christine Cooley and Dr. Delaine Smith-Clark. The center itself is located at UM Capital Region Medical Center. Launched in 1973,
it’s a community-based program that promotes the physical and emotional well-being of victims in the County. Domestic abuse and sexual violence had always been an ongoing problem. Leaders determined that it was time for victims – mostly women – had a place to turn to in times of crisis. Hospital emergency rooms and police stations were not equipped to deal with the multidimensional problem. Prince George’s States Attorney Aisha Braveboy “We offer our services to all victims and survivors of domestic violence, sexu- held at the upscale Mitchellville based venue al assault and human trafficking regardless of and included over 150 esteemed guests. race, color, religion, national origin, gender, “Also, it was a moment of pride and joy to sexual orientation or economic status,” said see and hear the impact of this program. I'm the staff of the medical center. “We also thankful to all who attended to help us comcounsel families, friends, and partners to help memorate this significant milestone,” everyone impacted through the healing Richardson said. serving Prince George’s County and the surrounding area.” process.” The anniversary semi-formal celebration was
A Vision Celebrated 50 Years Later, The Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Center Offers A Place Of Safety, Hope, & Healing By Christine Cooley
This journey would have been impossible without the initial vision of staff and State Representative Steny Hoyer and the continued support We honored such a monumental milestone with great pride at the of University of Maryland Capital Region Health, multiple community 50th anniversary of the Domestic Violence Sexual Assault Center. It partners and elected officials. With all of these multifaceted partnerwas humbling to see all the community partners, survivors, volunships, the center will continue to expand over the next 10 years to not teers, hospital and administrative staff, and elected officials only help victims at our center but also become the model who showed up not only that evening but have continuously that centers across Maryland and the United States use to shown up for the last 50 years. That evening far exceeded service and educate their communities. the expectation we envisioned as our targeted outcome Each year we see growth in the number of clients served which was to commemorate and rejuvenate the support for during their crisis, but in the months and years following the center and ultimately our survivors. their initial encounter. In addition, we are gearing up to Read More: Domestic Violence And Sexual Assault Center expand our hospital and community education program so Celebrates 50th Anniversary that everyone knows what services are available and what Christine Cooley What started as a small sexual assault center has grown rights they have as a victim and survivor. The goal is that into a place where not only victims of sexual assault can when they are ready for assistance, they know we are here and ready receive all the assistance they need to recover, overcome, and perseto help in a safe, compassionate, and nonjudgemental environment vere from this level of trauma but victims of violence that can occur at where they will be heard. We want to be the soft place they land when any stage in life. Each year the center sees thousands of victims of they feel life has pushed them down. Together WE CAN MAKE A DIFsexual assault, domestic violence, strangulation, elder abuse, child FERENCE, one victim, one person at a time. It takes the community abuse, and human trafficking and the list continues to grow as the working as a team to make the difference that will help those in need need of the clients served continues to grow. The survivors range do more than just survive-they heal. from several months to over 90 years old. No one is turned away, and everyone is believed. Manager, Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Center
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The Red Affair, held in December, is one of Young’s many events attracting highly visible and influential people in the county.
PHOTO: ROB ROBERTS // PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE & MEDIA
The Events Whisperer Willie Young Is The Man Behind The Magic By Gil Griffin
types of food. It’ll be a whole pack, from To Willie Young, an entrepreneur and Prince turkey to stuffing, and fresh vegetables.” George’s County resident of the last PHOTO: RAOUL DENNIS // PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE & MEDIA 15 years, the Thanksgiving holiday means a more to him than it does to most other folks. “My sister always said we didn’t have enough food, growing up,” Young says. “I told her, ‘One day, I’m going to be able to help other folks eat comfortably for Thanksgiving.’” For the last several years, Young has organized free meals on that holiday The first event held at Young’s new Meet Up Prince George’s in Lanham. for people in need. But this year is Young says he expects at least 200 people different. He held the event for from the community to show up that day. He free holiday meals in Lanham, added that Meetup Prince George’s expects to in his recently purchased have a conga drummer utilize the space to Meetup Prince George’s build- host a free, four-week conga drumming course ing. It’s a 6,000-square foot for kids on weekends. space that offers groups from “People can hold conferences, wedding recepsmall businesses and commu- tions, baby showers, and other events,” says Willie Young nity organizations to wedding Young, a former music industry marketing parties and individuals, an affordable meeting specialist who also owns another business, location to host events. Kappstone Media. “A lot of folks can’t afford “We’re going to give ourselves back to the big facilities and we give them the opportunity community,” Young says. “People can come to really be able to do what they want to do and have a hot meal and we’re going to have all 12.
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without spending their whole bank.” Young comes from a marketing background, working in the past for both Sony Music and Disney. He was part of teams in the ‘90s that helped bestselling R&B artists such as TLC, The Fugees, Mary J. Blige, and Maxwell rise to and maintain their prominence on the radio and TV airwaves. For this latest venture, Young says he’s “starting small” with Meetup Prince George’s, but already has an existing site in downtown Baltimore, where he’s eyeing opening at least one other location there, which he envisions building from scratch. He envisions breaking ground for a new building next spring, which he plans to call, Meetup Baltimore and would serve the same clientele being served at Meetup Prince George’s. This endeavor’s success is important to Young, but not at all costs, especially to potential customers. He keeps it in the seasonal spirit. “I look at this as a service business,” Young says. “We’re not trying to make tons of money.” www.meetuppg.com PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE
Another Good Book
Why is it important for audiences and members of the community to read your book - especially as you have tied it to your birthday (your life)? In other words, what do you want us
to understand that you see yourself at this stage in your life? Interestingly enough, the book release just happened to occur around my 65th birthday, it wasn’t something that we actually planned; but as God would have it, I was able to celebrate two momentous occasions simultaneously. My encouragement to those who read “Grace to Grow” is to obey God, remain humble, maintain a learning posture by surrounding yourself with those who know more than you; and finally, always look for opportunities to serve others. You will find
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that God’s grace can lead you to accomplishments far beyond your wildest dreams. What advice/message would you give your younger self now that you've reached this milestone?
The advice that I would give my younger self, is to continue to trust God no matter how daunting or insurmountable the situation appears. This is ultimately what I had to do whenever I faced life’s challenges, whenever I felt like I didn’t measure up, or whenever I felt rejected, I had to encourage myself with the word of God and trust that He had even greater things in store for me. Grace to Grow order: www.fbcgbookstore.org
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Working With A Global View Wala Blegay Brings A Different POV To County Governing Wala Blegay began her term on the Prince George’s County Council, representing District 6, in December 2022. But Blegay isn’t a new arrival on the political landscape. She has been a presence in county politics for a decade. Begay served from 2012 to 2014 on Prince George’s County’s Human Relations Commission, and in 2018 she ran for State Delegate for District 25. But the moment Blegay was officially seated in the council, she got busy. She introduced attention-getting, meaningful
“The Liberian community was really active here in the '90s because that was the time they were coming to this country in big droves, due to the Civil War in Liberia,” Blegay says. “My mom was active within the African community in Ward 4 [in Washington, DC]. She would go, and she would just drag me to every ward meeting.” Nearly two decades later, Blegay’s own active work in community and local politics earned her an election victory for a County Council seat in burgeoning District 6. Her ascension came at a crossroads moment when district
legislation, including giving tax incentives to new police officers residing in the county, addressing gas station credit card price gouging, and local food desert communities. Blegay represents a changing of the guard in local leadership. In the new year, Blegay has more big plans for the county, including amplifying the voice of the county’s ever growing African immigrant community, and upgrading education — dual passions which for her, were homegrown from childhood, courtesy of her parents. Blegay is the daughter of West African immigrant parents — a Liberian father and Nigerian mother — which makes Blegay’s worldview unique.
residents were hungering for aggressive new leadership, as council veteran Derrick Leon Davis’s final term was expiring. Blegay’s first initiative took steps to more closely integrate police with the county. She presented legislation to establish a property tax credit for public safety officers who have primary residences in Prince George’s County. “Less than a third of the [Prince George’s County] law enforcement officers live in the county,” Blegay says. “People want to know that their police live in the county and there's some sort of care for the county. Law enforcement staffing levels are not where they should be, and we cannot effectively address crime without increasing the number of police offi-
By Raoul Dennis And D.A. Phillips
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cers.” Despite getting that bill passed, it wasn’t the smoothest of starts for Blegay. Some of the challenges she faced included skirmishes with black-owned, county-based construction companies internal restructuring, and redistribution of resources that sent shockwaves through small business and community corridors. While Blegay works to repair those relationships, she hopes to further strengthen ties with and bring greater visibility and agency to members of Prince George’s County’s African immigrant population, which she says constitutes about 30 percent of the county’s population and about 40 percent of the county’s businesses. “That's quite significant,” Blegay says, “[but] some [members] don't feel like they're recognized. We just need to make sure that they have a voice. They have a perspective to provide, and we want to make sure they're able to provide it.” It's a challenge with which Blegay is intimately familiar, through her own family’s history. She says her father, like other indigenous Liberians, faced limited job opportunities in their country of birth, after graduating from institutions of higher education. Ruling class Americo-Liberians — descendants of former African American slaves who, beginning in 1820 were repatriated to Liberia, its newly created African colony — were biased against indigenous people, Blegay says. Her mother’s own lack of career prospects in Nigeria led both of Blegay’s parents to cross the Atlantic, to Chicago, where they met while taking college classes. Eventually they migrated to Washington, where Blegay’s mother enrolled in some classes at Howard University. In her childhood, Blegay’s parents tried steering her toward medicine. Blegay’s uncle was a doctor in London, and she enrolled in the University of Maryland’s pre-med program. Eventually, though, Blegay’s community activist side won out. CONTINUED ON PAGE 56 PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE
County Councilmember Wala Blegay (D-District 6)
PHOTO: AMIIR STOUDAMIRE // PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE & MEDIA
Where The Heart Is
Part Two In A Two-Part Series
Delving Deeper into the MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center’s Comprehensive Cardiology Program By Lisa Schwartz // Prince George’s Suite Magazine
The story of Tracey Patten’s rescue is a perfect example of the effectiveness of MedStar’s cardiology program. The 46-year-old experienced a heart attack, and MedStar’s team rushed in to save her after her distressing call to 9-1-1. Now, a deeper dive into the program reveals essential details about the life-saving program of MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center. Interventional Cardiology – Keeping the Blood Flowing
Interventional cardiologist Nardos Temesgen, MD, likens her job as an interventional cardiologist to being a plumber for the heart. “Interventional cardiologists clear up blockages in clogged arteries. We fix these blockages with stents that keep the arteries open to improve blood flow to the heart,” she explained. “We also repair defects and replace leaking or damaged heart valves without the need for an open, invasive surgery, which is of great benefit to patients who are not candidates for open heart surgery.” Non-surgical and minimally invasive are the keywords for interventional cardiology, which treats blockages and defects in the blood vessels of the heart through catheter-based techniques in the hospital’s advanced cardiac catheterization (cath) lab. New Interventional Cardiology Technologies Are Game Changers
Interventional cardiologist Brian Case, MD, explained that the hospital’s program is one of the most advanced in the region. New technology such as Shockwave Intravascular Lithotripsy (IVL), for example, is changing the way interventional cardiologists treat complex, calcified lesions in the coronary arteries minimally invasively. A catheterbased procedure performed in the cath lab, Shockwave lithotripsy uses ultrasound pulses to safely break up the very hard calcium deposits in the delicate coronary arteries. “Shockwave intravascular lithotripsy is a game changer for patients at our hospital,” said Dr. Case. “This new technology allows us to safely and effectively treat more patients with coronary artery disease and complex calcium deposits without the need for surgery or other more invasive treatments.” Advanced technology is also helping interventional cardiologists identify difficult-to-diagnose conditions such as coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD), a condition in which the smallest arteries of the heart do not relax properly, resulting in a lack of oxygen-rich blood flowing to the heart. Patients experience symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, and fatigue, which are also classic signs of a heart attack. MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center is one of the few hospital centers in the region to utilize the advanced software-based platform called Coroventis CoroFlow Cardiovascular System to aid in the accurate diagnosis of CMD. “Coronary microvascular dysfunction is often under-recognized and difficult to diagnose, which makes our capabilities that much better for patients. This new technology provides a definitive diagnosis and a clear 16.
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path to effective treatment for many people living with CMD in our community,” said Dr. Case. Congestive Heart Failure Patients Have a New Home for Care
Congestive heart failure is a serious condition that affects over six million adults in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Heart failure is when the heart cannot pump enough blood and oxygen throughout the body to support vital organs and tissues. With heart failure, the heart muscle becomes weak or stiff causing symptoms such as shortness of breath, fatigue, limitations in exercising, an irregular heartbeat, and the accumulation of fluid in the body. There is a large population of heart failure patients in Southern Maryland due to the higher prevalence of hypertension and a genetic predisposition to cardiac disease. The life-altering condition limits a person’s quality of life when not effectively managed, which is why the hospital introduced advanced heart failure specialist, Rania Kaoukis, MD, in 2022 to lead the charge in caring for the region’s heart failure patients. “Having a heart failure physician in the community is an important bridge to getting those patients the care they need. As a heart failure specialist who has been trained within the MedStar Health system, I like being that link for my patients,” she said. Dr. Kaoukis manages heart failure patients with medications, implantable devices such as specialized pacemakers or a Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD), or lastly, heart transplantation. She works closely with other cardiac disciplines within the hospital including interventional cardiology and particularly electrophysiology to provide patients with access to life-saving implantable devices that can help improve overall heart function and quality of life. Electrophysiology – Shocking the Heart Back Into Action
If interventional cardiologists are the plumbers, then electrophysiologists can be likened to electricians of the heart. Electrophysiologists specialize in the heart’s electrical system, providing the expertise required when the heart’s normal rhythm becomes abnormal, known as an arrhythmia. Patients diagnosed with advanced heart failure and heart arrhythmias such as tachycardia (fast heart rate) and bradycardia (slow rhythm) have access to the hospital’s electrophysiology experts including Sung Lee, MD, and Athanasios Thomaides, MD. In addition to medications that can help manage and suppress abnormally fast heart rhythms in patients, electrophysiologists perform specialized procedures in the hospital’s state-of-the-art electrophysiology (EP) lab including: ·Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) for patients who suffered cardiac arrest ·Implanting a pacemaker to regulate the heartbeat through electric impulses. ·Cardiac ablation, a minimally invasive surgical procedure that uses heat PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE
or cold to destroy abnormal heart cells which may be causing an erratic electrical signal Another example of the continuity of care cardiology patients receive at MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center, Dr. Thomaides explained that electrophysiologists work closely with the hospital’s general cardiology, interventional cardiology, and advanced heart failure specialists. “Advanced heart failure patients and patients who have had heart attacks often have severely weakened hearts and recurrent admissions to the hospital. Many of these patients require electrophysiology interventions such as implantable defibrillators and other treatments for serious arrhythmia.” “We offer an important service to the Southern Maryland community, providing specialized skills and EP interventions patients need without having to travel far from home,” added Dr. Thomaides. “Electrophysiology is an essential part of the hospital’s cardiology program.” Vascular Surgery - Repairing Vessels Around the Heart
Complementing the hospital’s cardiac services is the vascular surgery program which focuses on conditions of the arteries and veins outside of the heart. “We fix every blood vessel in the PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE
body except for what’s around the heart; we leave those cardiac vessels to the heart surgeons,” explained Joshua Dearing, MD, a vascular surgeon. MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center’s vascular surgery program addresses blockages in arteries throughout the body, particularly the carotid arteries where plaque build-up (atherosclerosis) can lead to a lifethreatening stroke. Vascular surgeons also repair aortic aneurysms as well as vein conditions including deep vein thrombosis (blood clots in the legs) and pulmonary embolism (dangerous clots in the lungs). These days, the majority of vascular procedures are performed minimally invasively, which bodes well for an older patient population that is more affected by vascular conditions. “Because many vascular conditions become more prevalent as people age, having a highquality vascular surgery program right here in Prince George’s County is especially beneficial,” said Dr. Dearing. “We offer advanced vascular procedures so patients don’t have to travel to DC or Baltimore. Our expertise is right in your backyard.” General Cardiology, Diagnostics, and SPRING/SUMMER 2023
Cardiac Imaging Rounds Out a Growing Program
MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center’s advanced diagnostic, general cardiology, and cardiac imaging services round out a program that is ahead of the curve. General cardiologists care for patients throughout Prince George’s County in offices located in Brandywine, Mitchellville, and Clinton, Maryland providing a full range of cardiology and vascular care, testing, and assessment. Cardiologists manage chronic heart conditions and patients with cardiovascular disease, hypertension, high cholesterol, and other risk factors for cardiac complications throughout a person’s life. Services such as echocardiography (cardiac ultrasound) evaluate the structure and function of the heart, and cardiac stress tests, usually performed on a treadmill to assess elevated heart rate and blood flow during exercise, can test for blood flow problems and potential blockages. Medical management of coronary artery disease and prevention is also a focus of cardiology, helping patients to make gradual lifestyle changes such as improving their diet and increasing their exercise as well as quitting smoking to reduce tangible risk factors. If you need a general cardiologist, readers may CONTINUED ON PAGE 57 17.
Building Beyond The Forty Years Of Changing The Path — And Perception — Of Business Development In Prince George’s Is Working. But There’s Still More To Do By Raoul Dennis and Maria Fisher
It was September 1986. Prince George’s County’s reputation for economic development was reeling. The one-two print media punch — first, a crunching left jab delivered by Businessweek, then a crushing right cross thrown by the Washington Post — hit harder and left more bruising welts than blows from soon-to-be-crowned heavyweight boxing champion, Mike Tyson. The Businessweek piece, with a proposed $1 billion housing and commercial complex on the Potomac waterfront as its centerpiece, featured images of decrepit residences, including one bearing the caption: “Rundown houses dot the county,” and additional text describing Prince George’s County as “an economic backwater.”The Post story, which covered what Businessweek reported and the ensuing county officials’ disgust, ran its own bleak headline: “Prince George’s Problem.” How dramatically different is Prince PGCEDC Goals George’s County’s economic status now? In the first quarter of 2023, according to 1. Grow the county’s com- According to workforce development service mercial tax base (to reduce provider, Employ Prince George’s, Prince the burden on homeownGeorge’s County led the state in job growth ers) and give elected offibetween 2014 and 2019, before the cials more resources to COVID-19 pandemic hit. In the first quardevelop schools, public ter of 2023, according to Prince George’s safety and recreation, etc. County Economic Development 2. Increase jobs for county Corporation’s President & CEO David residents. Iannucci, the county added nearly 8,000 jobs. PGCEDC is comprised of economic development specialists in industry sectors from technology, healthcare, and retail, to fulfillment centers, warehouses, and shopping centers. the staff develops and maintains working relationships, contacts about representatives from as many as 1,200 new businesses each year, Iannucci says. Much of the credit for these impressive numbers can be attributed to the establishment of the PGCEDC, which recently celebrated its 40th anniversary. Over the years, it has rejuvenated the county’s business development. In the process, the county shed the ignominious “economic backwater” tag and over recent years has been winning especially big. Further, the county is today poised to become a model of economic foundation if leaders and business owners can successfully seize and optimize opportunities. Paradigm Shift: Putting Communities First
Back in 1986, Parris Glendening was four years into his first of three 18.
terms as Prince George’s County Executive. Three years earlier, he spearheaded the creation of the PGCEDC, a freestanding program, independent of county bureaucracy and regulation. Glendening and his team knew then that the time had come for the county government to move in a new direction. “Our focus was to build economic development around broad policy needs and not about parcel-by-parcel zoning or economic incentives,” says Glendening, who in 1994 was elected Maryland’s governor and served two terms, until 2003. “We asked people to focus on things like revitalization of existing communities — things like transit-oriented development or harder coordinated growth, high-tech needs, the changing nature of the workforce, continuing inequities in our society. We were changing the face of economic development. We were focusing on people and community.” The seeds of PGCEDC’s ideation sprouted from the days Glendening lived in Hyattsville and taught at the University of Maryland in the 1970s. He wanted to convert an abandoned, “old telephone building” to a mixed-use development. He asked a developer friend about the feasibility of his idea. “The developer told me it was cheaper to buy a farm outside of Bowie and build a whole subdivision with a strip shopping center in the middle of it,” Glendening recalls, “than it would’ve been for [the county] to revitalize that one building, because the regulations are totally against it.” Adhering to those regulations and revitalizing that building, Glendening says, would’ve taken about 12 years. That reality sparked a desire in Glendening to find a better way. Over the years, the PGCEDC has forged progress in job creation. Businesses have provided employment opportunities for people who’ve built lasting careers in Prince George's County. PGCEDC investments in neighborhoods have made them more vibrant, accessible, and desirable, while its commitment to sustainability has supported preserving natural resources. Further, innovation inspired by PGCEDC-supported companies have put the county at the forefront of emerging industries and technologies and its partnerships have improved education, healthcare, recreation, and infrastructure. Championing Economic Equity
Fighting for economic justice is also a driving force behind PGCEDC’s mission. “In communities across the United States, facilities, whether they were landfills or prisons or power plants, have been placed in locations near communities of color versus white or majority communities,” Iannucci
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e Paradigm Shift
David Iannucci, Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation’s President & CEO
PHOTO: ROB ROBERTS // PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE & MEDIA
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says. African American census tracts in the United “The other thing is, when the good products States, more than half are in Prince George’s you want are, just by habit or by indefensible County. We are also a national leader when it decision-making, not located in communities of comes to [having] scientists of color.” color.” Still, Iannucci says, there are inequities The median income in Prince George’s is just imposed by the federal government, such as the under $80,000 per year. Although income allocation of its jobs when comparing Prince may be higher than in other minority commu- George’s County to Fairfax County. Fairfax nities across the nation, it pales in comparison County’s allocation, he says, is more than triple to neighboring that of Prince jurisdictions in George’s. Montgomery and “That has massive northern Virginia. economic conseCounty leaders have quences for generalong argued that tions of people,” race and ethnicity Iannucci says. have played a role in “We’re all about delayed or denied creating generaopportunities that tional wealth, but contribute to long everyone has to term wealth buildhave the same “We’re about creating ing in the 328 year opportunity for generational wealth, but everyone has to old county. quality jobs, educaConversely, the have the same opportunity for quality tion, and so forth. county’s diverse eth[PGCEDC] is realjobs, education, and so forth. nicity, proximity to ly a small cog in a the capital and tech- [PGCEDC] is a small cog in a much much larger enterfriendly backdrop prise to rebalance make it a perfect tal- larger enterprise to rebalance that that equation, so ent pool for future equation, so that we all have the same that we all have the workforces. same economic “The Economic economic opportunities here.” opportunities here.” Development Corporation strongly believes that our diverse, educated Competing Through Strength Future economies will require traits of its skilled workforce is really one of the great workforce that include “high-skill jobs (for assets of Prince George's County. Prince example, in healthcare or science, technology, George's County looks like the America of the engineering, and math [STEM] fields)...and future, and the businesses and enlightened corthe rise of e-commerce created demand for porations need to understand that,” Iannucci warehouse workers; investments in the green says. economy could increase the need for wind turHe adds that accurately reflecting the county’s bine technicians; aging populations in many demographics governs the PGCEDC principle advanced economies will increase demand for that opportunities for all should exist. The nurses, home health aides, and hearing-aid CEO notes that 80 percent of the companies technicians; and teachers and training instrucPGCEDC interacts with are minority-led. The tors will also continue to find work over the PGCEDC also runs training and networking coming decade,” according to a January 2023 programs in Spanish, and also has a program McKinsey & Company report. The article called, She Means Business, which assists projects a look at the workforce in 2030. women entrepreneurs. Iannucci says one of the county’s best assets is “Prince George’s County really represents the its highly educated, skilled, well-compensated America of the future with the workforce we workforce. have,” he says. “Of the 50 wealthiest majority Iannucci lists the University of Maryland, 20.
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Goddard Space Flight Center, federal facilities, and a growing private sector focused on healthcare, technology, fulfillment centers and warehousing all as contributors to the county’s prosperity. The University of Maryland, Iannucci says, has spawned, “dozens and dozens of startup technology companies. Some of them will shape the future not only of Maryland but of the world.” Iannucci calls one of those companies, College Park-based IonQ, “the world’s best capitalized quantum computing company,” and hopes to make the county the “Capital of Quantum.” “Certainly, when we talk about quantum and the opportunity to be the capital of quantum and the Prince George's County Economic Development Corporation, we'll work closely with the University of Maryland to create a quantum computing ecosystem around the campus,” he says. Quantum computing’s highly efficient problem-solving systems can create the next high arc of scientific progress. Creating a mecca in the county for the dawning field could establish long term economic opportunities that will elevate revenue trajectories several fold. PGCEDC is also working to add data centers in Prince George’s County to grow the commercial tax base and to create a healthcare community in the Carillon development at Largo, with medical office buildings, and new doctors with new specialties. County Executive Angela Alsobrooks’ team and PGCEDC are partnering now to improve access to fresh food and produce by seeking to attract more grocery stores to the county. Unfinished Business: More Goals
Recently, after feasibility studies and years of county bidding and competing, the General Services Administration (GSA) determined that Greenbelt, in the heart of Prince George’s County, will be the location of the new Federal Bureau of Investigation headquarters. It’s just the kind of economic equity opportunity Iannucci wants to see more of. He says the new FBI HQ will ease the commutes of people living on the east side of the Washington D.C. metro area. Having the FBI in Greenbelt potentially gives rise to public safety, cyber CONTINUED ON PAGE 58 PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE
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PHOTO: RAOUL DENNIS // PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE & MEDIA
The Troutman family runs the business more smoothly than a vanilla smoothie in August. (l-r) Jacqueline Troutman, Clement Troutman and daughter Jocelyn Troutman.
Smooth Moves Clement Troutman, Franchise Owner of Tropical Smoothie Café and author of “Dreams Never Die”. Troutman told us his entrepreneurial story. “I'm retired Navy, and I was a Department of Defense contractor in cybersecurity. I had no food service background at all, but my daughter was at Howard University and she was telling me about the smoothie industry. She was doing a research project, and she mentioned that it looked like it was going to be a promising industry in the future. “I just happened to be coming from a meeting in Columbia, Maryland, and my colleague asked me had I ever been to a Tropical Smoothie Café. I stopped in the one in Columbia. I had a smoothie and a wrap, and I said, ‘We're going to do this.’ I ended up resigning from cybersecurity and starting in the food service industry.” “I had all those certifications with the national agencies and had top security accesses and all that it entails. But when you have a dream, it never ends. It never expires. Matter of fact, my book is entitled “Dreams Never Die.”While I was doing (cybersecurity) it was rewarding work and definitely necessary work, but it wasn't really my passion.” From the beginning, Troutman’s business philosophy has been to serve others. “When I looked at the model and the brand, I said, ‘I want to be in a position where I can do the maximum amount of good to serve a need.’ Not sell a product but serve a need. If you serve enough 22.
people and meet their needs, you'll make revenue, the money will show. It's a byproduct of that. That was our focus.” Tropical Smoothie Café offered Troutman several locations but he didn’t accept until he heard “Capitol Heights.” “I said, ‘Bingo, that's it, let's put it there.’”The location was key because Troutman wanted to provide a healthy oasis in the county’s food desert. Troutman’s philosophy didn’t end with his customers. He told PGS, "We're truly into the people development business. With our model of business, we live to serve the communities with healthier options, but we can't miss the opportunity to impact our young people that come to our cafes, the workers, because truly, they represent tomorrow's leaders. We only have them for a small amount of time before they're making decisions in their lives.” When he hires staff, Troutman works with them to identify their goals and dreams and to think about their next five years – educationally, professionally and financially. He knows the discussions may not make an immediate impact but he ensures that he “plants the seed” to cultivate their dreams. The enteprenuer doesn’t stop there. The family is planning an expansion of the business this year at the location. Troutman’s book, “Dreams Never Die,” is available at Amazon.com.
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Ace In The Place
Shawn Askew, store manager at ACE
PHOTO: RAOUL DENNIS // PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE & MEDIA
Rod Wheeler, CEO of the Ace Hardware, Capitol Heights and Ace Handyman Services of Prince George's County. Ace Hardware opened in Ritchie Station Marketplace in 2021. CEO Rod Wheeler and business partner Dwayne Stanton, both retired Washington, D.C. homicide detectives, bought the store franchise along with Ace Handyman Services of Prince George’s County. Inspired by trips to the local hardware store in his youth, Wheeler chose the Ace franchise for the opportunity to contribute to the community. The handyman service was a natural outcropping of the hardware business and has afforded the partners an opportunity to develop careers for local youth. Wheeler explained, “We cover all of Prince George's County. Home service is the things that everybody needs done at their home – installing umbrellas, or putting blinds up, fixing toilets, you name it. We hire individuals that have those skills. Not only do we hire them, but we also hire a lot of younger people to work under these more senior folks so that they can start developing and learning a skill as well. “We applied for an apprenticeship program with Prince George's County. We want it to be a full-fledged apprenticeship so that we can start teaching some of our young people skills that will allow them to make good money once they get out in the work world.” Ace isn’t Wheeler’s first foray into community service. In the 1990s, while still working in law enforcement, he owned 12 shoe stores, all near Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). He wanted to get guns off the street; noted that many of his homicide victims and suspects wore Timberland boots and started a program where people exchanged guns for those boots. Wheeler believes that mistakes don’t define a person – not even criminal ones. His current store manager came to him for a second chance. PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE
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“He got into a little bit of trouble when he was 19 years old. It was over a woman. We know how those things go in life. He pulled a gun on a guy, to make a long story short, and he did four years in jail, in prison. “He came in and talked to me. He started telling me his history and I stopped him and I said, ‘What day can you start?’ He couldn't believe it. I said, ‘I'm more concerned about where you're going than where you've been." Three or four months later, Wheeler, impressed with his skills and work ethic and much to his employee's surprise, made him store manager. Wheeler believes that a good boss demonstrates concern for his employees and a good citizen demonstrates concern for his community. Last summer, a local landscaper was burglarized, losing all of his equipment, and Wheeler contacted his STIHL supplier and convinced them to donate thousands of dollars’ worth of equipment to the landscaper to get him back in business. As for his inspiration to be a good boss and a good citizen, Wheeler said, “I think having a strong role model of my dad and my mom helped. I also realized that everybody doesn't have the benefit of having a mom and a dad in the home. I think as a community, there comes a point where we have to step in if we can. “We're not going to always be able to, but if we can step in and maybe play that role of that father that was missing or that father that had been killed or that father that may be in prison; if we, especially as African American men, can step in, then maybe kids will see that there are alternatives, that there are options. You don't have to go down this one particular road. There's two or three roads you can go down, but see, they may not see that without that father figure.” 23.
N’Stlye Lines Up Clean Cuts In Life Nathaniel Crittenden, CEO of N'Style Hair Grooming Barber and Beauty Salons Service and community are the driving forces at N’Style. In addition to its Ritchie Station Marketplace location, the barber shop and salon has locations in Bowie, Laurel, and Lanham, and a fifth location planned for in South Lake in 2024. Nathaniel Crittenden, CEO, is committed to the Prince George’s community. He told PGS that from the beginning, he focused on hiring high school students, giving haircuts in senior homes and working with elementary kids. In addition, he said, “I would deal with the high school students that might have had some learning disabilities, and we would bring them in and teach them life skills and working.” Crittenden estimates that he employed 20 students over the years and that about five became cosmetologists. Crittenden is still focused on supporting the community. N’Style hosted its second annual Back-to-School event in August in Capitol Heights, where the shop distributed backpacks filled with school supplies and conducted a food drive, donating bags of groceries to approximately 200 families in need. A 35-year veteran in the industry, Crittenden trained with some of the top 20 male hair stylists in the country and worked under one of them. “I started out doing women's hair before I started barbering. Then I branched off and started doing some barbering and I went from there,” he recounted. Impressed by his mentors’ high-end services, Crittenden sought to open a luxury shop. “I said, ‘Hey, I'm going to do my own barbershop one day, but I'm going to do it at another level with 24.
PHOTO // AMIR STOUDAMIRE // PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE & MEDIA
Nathaniel Crittenden
the shampoos and hot towels and hand massages." His shop focuses on service. “I believe in greeting everyone and the southern hospitality that we give the folks once they come in the door.” When Crittendon wanted to expand, careful market research ensured his success. He told PGS, “I know my areas. I know exactly what areas will be key for me to put these types of service. Because when I opened the first one over in Vista Gardens, I had everybody that was somebody in Prince George's County coming here.” He plans to open a unique one-chair location in District Heights. “That'd be where I'll be taking one of my stylists from one of the locations to work over there one day. For the seniors (in the District Heights facility) who want haircuts, I could send one of my barbers or go over there myself to take care of the clients. I'll be the first having something like this done in the county, probably in any county.”
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It’s time to speak up, reach out and break the stigma about mental health.
Luminis Health’s new behavioral health pavilion on the campus of Doctors Community Medical Center in Lanham provides support for ages 4 and up. No matter what you’re dealing with, we’re here to help. Our services include: • A behavioral health walk-in urgent care for ages 4 and up • Outpatient therapy and medication management • A partial hospitalization day program • Substance use assessment • Inpatient psychiatric services
Learn more at Luminis.Health/BehavioralHealthLanham 8200 Good Luck Road, Lanham, MD 20706 240-757-1381
Luminis Health (formerly Anne Arundel Health System) is a nonprofit health system providing care for 1.5 million people in Anne Arundel County, Prince George’s County, the Eastern Shore, and beyond. Our system encompasses nearly 100 sites of care, including Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center, J. Kent McNew Family Medical Center and Pathways in Annapolis, as well as Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center and Doctors Community Rehabilitation and Patient Care Center in Lanham.
County Executive Alsobrooks Built Schools And Fought Covid in Her First Term, And Plans Development And Futureproofing In Her Second. She’s Loving Every Step Of The Journey
Legac 26.
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Story By Raoul Dennis //
PHOTOGRAPHY BY AMIR STOUDAMIRE Additional writing and reporting by D.A. Phillips, Kristina Townsend And Gil Griffin. Several Photos Appear Courtesy Office of the County Executive.
An Important Note To Our Readers: This feature was planned as a legacy story based on the County Executive’s second – and final – term in office (similar to the feature Prince George’s Suite published on former Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker’s second term in 2014). Due to budget adjustments and constraints, the feature didn’t appear when planned. Since then, the County Executive announced her intention to run for U.S. Senate. County Executive Alsobrooks and her office were gracious enough to be supportive and patient through our challenging period. We, in turn, are proud to keep our commitment to complete this story. Many say leaders are born, not made. Conversely, heads of esteemed institutions such as
West Point might argue that leaders can be crafted. And then there are leaders born through trial by fire. Angela Alsobrooks has demonstrated toughness and leadership under the ravages of a health epidemic. Through it, the executive, in cooperation with the health department, the county council, business, faith, community and education leaders, launched or evolved a swath of change and evolutionary projects and initiatives that she describes as “real to Prince Georgians.” Now, Alsobrooks plans to cement the gains made. She also seeks to lay the groundwork for an expanded commercial tax base and a better quality of life for residents long after her exit from the Wayne K. Curry Building.
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Photo Courtesy Office of the County Executive. GRAPHIC: PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE & MEDIA
DECISIONS
DELIVERABLES
•Appointing Monica Goldson as CEO of Prince George’s County Public Schools
•Building the Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center
•Adhering to the science and the facts through the COVID pandemic. Communicating regularly with residents
•Building and opening six new schools
Getting Things Done
Choices That Made A Difference
•$42 million growing the business climate and focusing on county-based and minority businesses
•Growing the business climate and focusing on countybased and minority businesses
•Increased the number of women in md-level and executive leadership within county government
•Developing the Blue Line Corridor Project, which gives opportunity to small, local, and minority businesses •Convincing GSA to relocate FBI headquarters to Greenbelt •Working with the Boys and Girls Club, the school system, and Maryland-National Capital and Park Planning to increase opportunities for county youth to participate in athletics.
•Developing the Blue Line Corridor Project, which gives opportunity to small, local, and minority businesses •Doubling the size of the Summer Youth Enrichment Program from 3,000 kids to more than 7,000 •The launch of the Prince George’s County Greenbook as a new business resource •$42 million in senior housing funding
•More green-friendly efforts and programming
•Expanding Obstetric Services
•Greater efforts in evolving government efficiency and initiating bi-lingual communications.
•Creation of LGBTQIA+ Liaison Office
•Initiating a Youth Leadership Institute Welcome To The World
Less than two weeks after Alsobrooks was sworn into office in 2018, the federal government shut down, putting hundreds of county residents out of work as “non-essential workers.” For 35 days, those families had no
Alsobrooks provided regular Covid updates during the Covid pandemic.
income. It was county government, churches, families, local companies and neighbors who stepped in to aid those county families in crisis. Efforts to gather and distribute information, health care and assistance and even food forced Alsobrooks’ office to become a central coordination operation. Less than two years later, the first casualty of COVID-19 was diagnosed in the county March 18, 2020. Alexander Austin, president and CEO of the Prince George’s Chamber of Commerce, recalled Alsobrooks’ efforts. “As a native Prince Georgian and an entrepreneur, I’ve witnessed County Executive 28.
•Launch of the Office of Veterans Affairs
Angela Alsobrooks' positive impact on our was accelerated because of Covid. Covid was communities, particularly during the height a challenge and a blessing all at the same of COVID-19. During that time, we needed time.” a variety of resources that would aid our She continued: “The good thing is that I communities and leaders who could act think we have a lot to show for it. All of us quickly. Through Alsobrooks' leadership and have grown. It gave us an opportunity to her administration, the county navigated the focus light on issues that have been here for COVID-19 pandemic successfully. Also, decades. That’s the truth.” through this initiative, residents could receive In 2018, just after winning the office, relief funding and resources to assist with the Alsobrooks told Prince George’s Suite basic needs of residents. In addition, the busi- Magazine that as much as she appreciated the ness community was recognition---and weight also positively impact– of being the first ed by resources prowoman and the first vided that would help African American woman business owners hire elected to the office, her employees and mainlarger goal was to make it tain their business a seamless distinction---so facilities. Under that future generations of Alsobrooks' leader- Then Prince George’s County Health Officer Dr. Ernest voters won’t focus on genship, she navigated us Carter der as much as the ability all from the pandemto lead. ic's beginning to its relatively soft landing The executive’s sense that the crisis may have exiting out. She made sure we continued to exposed areas that needed attention may well set our sights on a healthy economy.” have also catapulted her administration’s ability to act and to accomplish goals--both the Post-Covid: A New Pace fully planned and the unintended. “It feels like the whole world has changed since 2018,” Alsobrooks says today. “I think, Impact unlike most blocks of time, the last four years The Alsobrooks Administration charted felt like eight years. I think in a lot of ways the unknown challenges of the ravages of a what we accomplished in the four-year period health epidemic not seen since the early WINTER 2024
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“Nearly $1 Billion in Development Along The Blue Line Corridor And Six New Schools in Four Years Is Tangible Progress.” 1900s, created renewed health and information networks, and managed to build six new schools, press forward a new quarter billion dollar business corridor along Metro’s Blue Line, stand watch over the leading county in the largest job growth in Maryland and guide the impetus for new revenue generating businesses designed to expand the commercial tax base (and take tax pressure off homeowners). “With a 1.9% unemployment rate, Employ Prince George’s has achieved its goal and become a major economic driver in Prince George’s County,” said Employ Prince George’s President and CEO Walter L. Simmons. The rate is the county’s lowest since the data set began being tracked. “Five years ago, at the beginning of the Alsobrooks Administration and with the support of the Prince George’s County Council, Employ Prince George’s began its operations and its journey to become Prince George’s County’s principal workforce development entity. Five years later, and at the conclusion of 2023, Employ Prince George’s has served over 90,000 job seekers, provided Skills Upgrading Scholarships to over 2,000 Prince George’s County residents, served over 10,000 businesses, and documented job placements for over 15,000 Prince George’s County residents,” Simmons says. In her words, the executive discussed several significant developments [see “Checking In With The County Executive,” YOUTUBE @SuiteMagazine]. Here are a few of them: *“Building the mental healthcare and addictions care facility, along with [the] Luminis [Health Doctors Community Medical Center] was so needed. It was the first of its kind. It allowed us also to go in the direction of replicating that model. *“Dr. [Monica] Goldson was a really excellent pick [for CEO of Prince George’s Public Schools]. She was a steady presence, especially during COVID, and she did a great job of really overseeing our school system.” *“We worked to grow the business climate and really growing the county stature as a place that is ready for business to be received here. The Blue Line Corridor is one great example of that. Putting the focus there and PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE
then really making sure that people are interested in investing, and we've done so in a way that gives opportunity to small, local and minority businesses also, remembering that $225 million of the dollars we spent, for example, on that alternative construction finance program goes to local and minority businesses [See “Blue Line Corridor Development Led By Prince Georgian Builders,” pgsuite.com/NEWS, March 2, 2023]. The first five developers that we rolled out in that Blue Line Corridor are black developers who live here.”
“We've done well with our kids,” Alsobrooks says. “We’re working with the Boys and Girls Club, our school system, and MarylandNational Capital and Park Planning to increase opportunities for our kids to participate in athletics. That's important. It's important not just because we produce world-renowned athletes, which we do, and we intend to continue doing that, but it's character-building.” Bringing the International Horse Show back to the county for the second consecutive year has been a big win as well.
A rendering of the FBI headquarters in Greenbelt, Maryland PHOTO: RAOUL DENNIS // PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE & MEDIA
“The real focus on local business, county-based and minority businesses is something else that we're really proud of.” “[Convincing] the FBI [to relocate to Greenbelt] was a critical part of it. Pursuing federal agencies to Employ Prince George’s President come to the county.” and CEO Walter Simmons stands “The focus on youth and their with County Executive Angela health and welfare has been a thing Alsobrooks at the opening of the jobs center at Tanger Outlets we have done well. We doubled the size of the Summer Youth Enrichment Experience Prince George’s Executive Program in our first year. It started with Director Leslie Graves, who has led a revived about 3,000 kids. We hired close to 7,000 in destination office and a return of the our first year. Last year, we hired every single International Horse Show to the county (see child who applied. That's a victory — to be “Win, Place And Show,” Page 46), admires able to really provide those opportunities for Alsobrooks’ management of the big picture. our youth.” “She’s really put her finger on sports,” Graves WINTER 2024
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February 2023: Alsobrooks leads developers in announcing the new construction coming along the Blue Line corridor. PHOTO RAOUL DENNIS // PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE & MEDIA
that the faith community alone can add at least 1,000 of those units.” These are a few of the accomplishments the administration has led over the last six years, but they weren’t done in isolation. Crisis has a way of creating cooperation within communities: the county council worked in synch with the executive’s office. Dr. Goldson’s placement put an end to the revolving door at the head of the school system. In the health department, Dr. Ernest Carter worked hand in glove with Alsobrooks’ office through the crisis. “I’m racing, but we've been that way since the first day,” Alsobrooks says. “I've watched enough to know that time goes by so quickly. It takes a lot of focus to get things done. We're still racing. As long as I'm in elected office, I think I'm going to feel that.” Embracing The Pace, Doubling The Goal
Prince George’s Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Alexander Austin. PHOTO RAOUL DENNIS // PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE & MEDIA
Executive Director of Experience Prince George’s Leslie Graves. PHOTO AMIR STOUDAMIRE // PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE & MEDIA
says of the county executive. “We are a destination that sits right next to a world destination. It’s a top travel destination and this county executive understands that.” She continues by noting Maryland’s $2.9 billion equestrian industry as an example: “We worked as a county and collectively for months to ensure that we could once again be the county that hosts the Washington International Horse Show. That is critically important. Prince George's County is in the center of that. We have everything from horse and carriage rides to therapeutic horses to equestrian training, you name it. We have quite frankly, hundreds of opportunities to engage horse farms and so on. The horse show allowed us to showcase to the world that we are horse country---particularly in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. It begins to help us brand who we are to the world.” 30.
The show drew the kind of attention county leaders hope will help shape the county’s identity. “We had actually two or three countries here. We had embassies at the show. Just a wonderful opportunity to showcase what Prince George's has to offer. The tie-in from an economic development and industry perspective is that the show then had National Harbor as host destination. It housed all of the stable hands and all of the employees in Upper Marlboro so they could be close to the horses and close to the stadium,” Graves says. The show generated nearly $10 million for the county’s local economy in 2022. Affordable housing has also been high on the executive’s list of priorities. “We've done a really great job of focusing on [affordable] housing, primarily for seniors. They were concerned about affordability and about being priced out of their homes and pushed out of their homes. We put $42 million aside [in 2023] for our housing programming. We're looking all total to expand housing by about 26,000 units. We believe WINTER 2024
Racing against the clock to reach goals is a part of the job that Alsobrooks has always been comfortable with. In fact, she embraces it. “It certainly keeps [us] on track and it's fun,” Alsobrooks explains. “That's the other part of it. It's not a burdensome sort of urgency. It's really fun. I'm doing what I love for the people that I love. When I'm out in the grocery stores and I'm out at the gas stations, part of the satisfaction is we've been able to accomplish things that people can see, so I feel so good about that. The people are saying to me in the grocery store, ‘I like what you've done.’ They like seeing their county executive fight for the FBI headquarters. That's tangible. That's an accomplishment that people will be able to understand. They like seeing us talk about the Blue Line corridor. We talked about it enough now that people anticipate it. They know that something is changing. Things are changing. Something is happening. They can see New Carrollton coming out the ground. Soon, they'll be able to see Cheverly because we're going to erase that hostility and start over. These are actual, tangible accomplishments that people can see. They can watch Hampton Park Mall. It's not just aspirational. They can literally see things PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE
happening here, and that's what it's been. They saw the cancer center come off the ground, the mental health care and addictions care facility. This is what the people can see.” Now, it’s about cementing those accomplishments and creating structural foundations for the future. At the 2023 State of the County Address, the executive made clear her vision for the next four years. That discussion included futureproofing [See “Getting It Done,” www.pgsuite.com/NEWS, June 16, 2023]. Futureproofing
An African proverb discusses the notion that old men plant seeds for trees that they will never sit under. In community building, such a notion comes under the umbrella of future building. It’s at the heart of what Alsobrooks strongly targets now and she began publicly focusing on it at the 2023 State of the County address. “‘Futureproofing’ means that we have to do what's necessary today [to secure tomorrow]. We have to continue to provide the services that our residents have come to expect and deserve,” Alsobrooks says. “[When] We say ‘futureproofing,’ it means keeping an eye toward the future — that we don't spend all the money today on things that don't yield us, in the future, the opportunity to grow our tax base. The smartest way forward is investing so that we can grow this commercial tax base and shift the tax burden from residents and share that with businesses. We want to enhance the quality of life, while also growing the income and the tax base of the county.” In partnership with the state, Alsobrooks is to provide a $200 million boost to county non-profits this year. Elevating quality of life is a key focus along with futureproofing. Alsobrooks aims at providing greater support to seniors that will allow the elderly to age in place. She’s added green friendly upgrades in a partnership with metrobus transit [See “Ride Better” pgsuite.com/NEWS, Dec. 18, 2023] and remains excited about an amphitheater entertainment destination venue that will capture additional revenue for the county. But one of the most cherished future-based commitments Alsobrooks has made has been regarding her daughter, Alexandra, now nearly PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE
19. Alexandra was just 14 when her mother “It doesn’t feel like a burden because they’re began serving as County Executive. A single all things I enjoy. They really do mean a lot to parent, as her only child moved in and me: my daughter, and the work that I do here. through transformative teen years during Is it tiring? I just keep thinking that at some Angela’s key years in office, forced a difficult point, I’m going to be able to sit back and balancing act for the executive that she reflects look back at this time and I’m going to ask upon with a smile. myself that same question: ‘How in the world “I have to make it work,” Alsobrooks says. did I keep this whole thing going?’” She starts at 5 a.m. each day for her morning The county executive quietly recalls the workouts to stay healthy and continue center- spontaneous chats she’s had with residents in ing the see-saw between managing the growth her neighborhood. She talks about strangers of one of the largest counties in the state and who walk up to her with broad smiles and single-parent managing the growth of her open arms seeking a hug in greetings or gratdaughter---who undoubtedly is watching her itude for one of her efforts that made their mom’s actions very closely. “When the isolation was there [during Covid], and sometimes the anxiety and loneliness was there, it was not the case that my child was immune from much of what other people's children suffered also. I was to be a comforter, to be ever-present. I drive my daughter to school every single day. I cook her breakfast, a hot breakfast, every single morning. I [make sure] I drive her to school so that I can have important conversations with her.” Alexandra has since graduated high school as part of the class of 2023. “I know it's going to PHOTO: RAOUL DENNIS//PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE & MEDIA sound cliche-ish,” In The Driver’s Seat: Alsobrooks leads 2019 Stuff A Truck event during her first Alsobrooks begins term. anticipating the next question about managing it all. “I think lives better. everything you do with love turns out just Then Alsobrooks looks up and says “but I fine. I literally do. [Just like] I love the people am having much more fun than I deserve. I who live here. This is my community. I've am.” been here my whole life. I go to church with Leaders are born. the people who are here.” Then she speaks more specifically. WINTER 2024
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New Generation, New Hispanic Chamber Jennifer Rios Shakes Things Up As The President of The New Hispanic Chamber of Commerce By Gil Griffin
Jennifer Rios is hardly understated, but she’s mastered the art of understatement. As founder and president of the recently established Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Prince George’s County, allow her to deliver an over-the-top understatement. Brace yourselves. “I stay busy.” Seemingly, since birth. While leading the Chamber, Rios — a 13year United States Armed Forces service-disabled veteran whose active duty included combat tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan — also runs a small handful of hustles out of her home, including a software consulting firm, a landscaping business, and a custodial service. Rios is also finishing her last semester of a doctorate program to earn a PhD. in business administration with a specialization in leadership, and a single mother raising a child. And oh yeah, one more thing. One day, Rios says, she’s going to run for president of the United States. Rios’s handling of multiple professional and personal responsibilities isn’t borne of a mad mission to multitask. Talk to her or those who intimately know her, and they’ll all use a common word to describe Rios’ bountiful wellspring of energy. “Determination,” says longtime friend Nick Hocker, a telecommunications sales rep who first met Rios when she was an adolescent, in San Antonio, Texas, their mutual hometown. “She’s had that from a young age. She excelled in school and in sports. Then she did something in her life I’ve always wanted to do with mine — start her own business, with her software consulting firm. I saw the struggles she was going through, from finding the right people to work for her, to not always having partners who were trustworthy. She didn’t get her first contract for quite some time. But she stuck with it, then she got that contract. Then she was able to carve her own path. And when she has success, she wants to elevate others. That’s one of the motivations that drove Rios to found the Chamber. 32.
“I see the Latino community in Prince George’s County rising,” Rios says. “There’s a larger population and in the next 10 years, we’re going to see even more numbers come where we’re catching up to the different other ethnicities. We’re here and we’re not going anywhere. The Chamber’s goal is to educate them so we can establish more Latino ROB ROBERTS // PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE & MEDIA
Founder, President & CEO of The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Prince George’s County Jennifer Rios
businesses.” In self-identifying as Latina, Rios describes her ethnic heritage as Mexican, “with Native American blood.” In addition to other Mexican Americans, Rios says there’s a growing Latino representation in Prince George’s County, of Salvadorans, Guatemalans, Peruvians, Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, and Hondurans. “When I first came to PG County three years ago,” Rios begins, “I noticed there was a lot of talk about diversity and inclusion, but there really wasn’t. When you talk about diversifying and including various cultures, you have to reflect that and that’s not what’s reflected here. It was time to have somewhere that Latinos could go. We needed our own Chamber of Commerce and have a place where they could come and get information.” The Chamber’s immediate goal, Rios says, is to get at least 25 different Latino-owned businesses by the end of the calendar year to become members and increase that number to 100 by the end of 2024 and then another 100 by the end of 2025. Long-term? Have and maintain fully funded scholarships for Latina high school and college students, through fundraising. Rios says she’s organized a partnership with Elizabeth WINTER 2024
Seton High School, an all-girls, private institution in Bladensburg where the student population is mostly Brown and Black. “The partnership would help high school and college students who want to become entrepreneurs and start businesses or help them financially as they set foot in college or on another part of their academic journey,” Rios says. “We have a lot of wonderful businesses here in Prince George’s County. We also have a lot of students who are interested in internships. If we have the right coaches and mentors in place, we can build more businesses here.” Rios also is in negotiations with the local TV media outlet DC News Now, to host a recurring, 30-minute program on behalf of the Chamber, which would be seen throughout the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and feature different Latino-owned businesses owners discussing their enterprises, how those impact the Latino community, and provide tips and insights on how to start new businesses. Rios’s journey is one of perseverance and skillful navigation through and around socioeconomic pitfalls. She grew up in San Antonio’s lower income, southeast side, in a two-bedroom home she shared with her parents and five siblings. “It was a broken home,” Rios reflects. “But I used all the adversities to change them into positives.” Rios said enlisting in the military as a 17year-old was a life-changer. “It taught me to put others before myself,” she says. “The Army teaches people how to do many different things at once,” says Alicia Newton, Rios’s NCO (noncommissioned officer) at North Carolina’s Fort Bragg — now Fort Liberty. “When she sets her mind to something, it’s gonna get done. She set her goals high and she doesn’t stop when she achieves one goal. She’s gonna keep going and make others around her better.” That’s plenty to keep Rios staying busy. She simply knows no other way. PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE
Founder, President & CEO of The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Prince George’s County. Jennifer Rios caption for the photo above. caption for the
TONY LEAR // PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE & MEDIA
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Famed Ft. Washington Photographer Fo From Duke Ellington HS To Today, Maurice Fitzgerald’s Work Capturing Life In The DMV Over 40 Years Is Picture Perfect the U.S. Air Force, followed by a job with the Picture this: Washington, D.C.,1970. Inside Informer, and news assignments from D.C. the halls of Duke Ellington School of the chapters of the nonprofits, Concerned Black Arts, a fledgling student photographer enters Men and United Black Fund Inc. a darkroom for the first time. There, in the As Fitzgerald’s reputation grew in Prince cool pitch black, and faint glow of the red George’s County, more job opportunities safelight, a teenage boy glimpses his future. materialized. Yet he found one aspect of his “I saw my first black-and-white picture devel- work awkward — feeling isolated while oped and I got hooked,” Maurice Fitzgerald, shooting some events, as one of the few Black now 69, fondly recalls, of his first days of being enrolled in an elective photography class. “I started to ask more and more questions — about cameras, film, photographic chemistry, lighting, photographic equipment, and the photographic business. I purchased my first camera, which I still have, and started my photography business in the 10th grade.” Fitzgerald, who lives in Fort Washington, with his wife of 44 years, remains as passionate about his craft as he was as a teen — but now an ominous shadow looms over it. He Fitzgerald (bottom left) with his photography club in high school. is now in urgent need of a kidney transplant, professional photographers in the area. But two years after being diagnosed with Type 2 the more people Fitzgerald met on high-prodiabetes. Attempts to find a potential match file assignments, the more notable events he and a donor of a healthy kidney are ongoing. would be hired to capture on film. Even now when his life is in the balance, Fitzgerald’s career blossomed. Clients recomFitzgerald, a father of two, continues his craft mend Fitzgerald to other organizations, ravas he anxiously awaits any hopeful news. ing about his mastery of his art. So many He still does occasional special projects for eventgoers recognized him, they got to know the Washington Informer, the longtime D.C. him by name. weekly for whom he has done assignments “I just walked in with my camera,” Fitzgerald since 1988. Fitzgerald also volunteers his recalls, “and they said, ‘Oh, Maurice is here to services at the annual Dr. Martin Luther King take our photographs.’” Jr. Holiday Peace Walk and Parade held in the Fitzgerald even achieved something very diffiDistrict’s Ward 8. cult these days to come by — enthusiastic Fitzgerald’s history in Prince George’s bipartisan support on Capitol Hill. Both the County dates back to the late 1970s, after he Democratic and Republican parties often moved there. During the Ronald Reagan hired him as a photographer at their respective Presidential Administration in 1981, the U.S. fundraisers and candidate campaign events. Department of Defense hired Fitzgerald as a “It really didn’t matter to me,” Fitzgerald says. photographer. Later that decade, he rose to “It was just a recording of that event with the become the chief photographic evaluator in people they were with at that time. I was with By Kristina Townsend
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[former Maryland Lt. Gov. and former Republican National Committee Chair] Mike Steele. [the Democratic and Republican parties] didn’t care whatever party I was connected with. [They only thought] ‘Can he do the work? Can he deliver on time?’” While Fitzgerald fondly recalls his darkroom days, years ago he sensed the dawning of a new photographic age and stayed ahead of the game by enrolling in courses at Prince George’s Community College, focusing on digital imagery. “I was on the cutting edge,” he says. “This was the beginning of the end of traditional film photography.” But after taking that initiative and maintaining his competitive edge, Fitzgerald’s got his sobering diagnosis. Fitzgerald began researching for a possible new kidney as determinedly as he captures images. He registered with the MedStar Georgetown Transplant Institute, then waiting for a hopeful phone call. One recently came. A new kidney was found, in the body of a deceased donor. Doctors cleared Fitzgerald for the operation. But then most recently, there was a deflating follow-up call: After examining the new kidney, doctors deemed it unsustainable. So, Fitzgerald stands by — hopefully. And he creates — passionately. “I still go out and I still shoot things,” Fitzgerald says. “I still get that phone call from that unknown person. Prince George’s County and the District of Columbia have been very good to me.” If you or someone you know would be interested in testing, to determine if you, or they, might be a suitable kidney donor to Maurice Fitzgerald, please help by visiting www.medstarhealth.org, or call (703) 6989254.
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ocused on Fight for His Life
Photographer Maurice Fitzgerald: “This is what I have always done.” PHOTO: BILL HART
PHOTO: WILLIAM HART // PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE & MEDIA
PHOTO: AMIR STOUDAMIRE // PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE & MEDIA
Driving For Student Success Prince George’s Community College Resumes Golf Fundraiser While Reaching New Benchmark Prince George’s Community College President Falecia D. Williams came ready to play when she arrived at the Oak Creek Golf Club in Upper Marlboro on September 7. Wearing a stunning navy blue with white tubing sports set, a white sun visor and a smile whose brightness rivaled the day’s sun, Williams was clearly set for a day on the links and not behind a desk. But the day’s heat was another matter. Already 91 degrees and humid by noon, golfers were braving the high temperatures in high spirits likely remembering the adage that a bad day on the green beats a good day at the office anytime. And, of course, there was the goal: The purpose of this event was to provide 36.
scholarships to students. The school released this statement: “Proceeds from this event will provide scholarship opportuPrince George’s Community College nities to students in President Falecia D. Williams need. The PHOTO: RAOUL DENNIS Scholarship Golf Tournament provides resources for the College to remove barriers in order to enhance and expand its efforts to address need-based aid for students and promote equitable outcomes for all learners, including those from underrepresented groups.” “When we set and achieve performance outcomes that are satisfactorily WINTER 2024
attained by the bottom quartile (the bottom 25%) of our community, then we’ll know we’ve really achieved excellence. We’ll know we’re having an extraordinary impact on people’s lives and their long-term livelihood. The pinnacle of progress and advancement is when education propels the bottom quartile of our community to experience a higher quality of life. It lifts the entire county to levels we have not even imagined,” Williams said. For full story and additional photos please go to..https://pgsuite.com/education/2023/9/14/driving-studentsuccess-to-elevate-quality-of-life-county-status PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE
CELEBRATING 40 YEARS
EXPANSION STARTS HERE WWW.PGCEDC.COM
CELEBRATING
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There They Grow Grow Prince George’s Is A New County Initiative Cultivates Expansion for BIPOC-Owned Businesses
By Maria Bellos Fisher
For small businesses in Prince George’s County — especially those headed by black, indigenous, people of color (BIPOC) and women entrepreneurs — it’s grow time. Grow Prince George’s, a Prince George's County Economic Development Corporation (PGCEDC) initiative, is focused on nurturing these businesses with enrichment services such as seminars, consulting, loan assistance, recruitment, and funding. “Expansion starts here,” says Ebony Stocks, PGCEDC’s executive vice president. “With a varied focus on multiple underserved areas of economic development, this initiative is how we Grow Prince George's.” The program was launched using federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and the expansion involves entrepreneurs initially meeting with PGCEDC Small Business Manager Kimberlee Andrews. Together they fortify business plans, while she walks entrepreneurs through marketing and growth strategies, and sets them up to have customers on their first day. “We don’t want them [having to pay] any bills before customers come through their doors,” Andrews said. Grow Prince George’s educates local entrepreneurs of color with a progressive, comprehensive training series and networking opportunities, conducted in both English and Spanish. The program also pairs businesses with institutions such as FSC First, 38. 38.
an Upper Marlboro-based business to business company that offers small businesses myriad funding options to small businesses; Level Up, a state program that offers access to capital, training, coaching, and mentoring; and Employ Prince George’s, a nonprofit that helps businesses recruit, hire, and train employees. Grow Prince George’s also connects BIPOC and women contractors with other companies to help expand their expertise or to subcontract, increasing their proposal power. Despite Prince George’s County’s population being overwhelmingly BIPOC —nearly 60 percent black and nearly 25 percent Hispanic/Latino, according to County Health Department statistics — nonwhite entrepreneurs and women of all backgrounds still face barriers in the business world. The initiative’s aim is breaking them down. “Women have trouble getting loans from banks, with the same or sometimes higher credit scores — and with more experience – than their white male counterparts,” Andrews says. “We work with FSC First to understand the barriers.” Grow Prince George’s also helps small businesses find commercial real estate through a real estate portal and also assists businesses to grow large enough to hire local employees. “We’re hoping to grow their workforces to 25 or more,” Andrews says. “There are even some incentives to pay salaries for a year or so, to get businesses on their feet.” To learn more, visit www.pgcedc.com
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Better care to help your community be its best.
UM Laurel Medical Center Now Open. We’re here to help build a stronger and healthier Laurel, connecting you to the innovation of academic medicine all in one new location. And this is just the beginning. Look for additional services as we evolve to meet your ever-changing wellness needs and drive to improve the health of Maryland. That’s a better state of care.
umms.org/laurel
Feeling AI Love? By Myiesha Speight
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Love it or hate it, from Siri and Alexa to ChatGPT
and Viso Suite, AI is everywhere. While it may seem like a recent phenomenon, AI actually has been “a thing” since the 1950s. It can feel a little scary how AI has taken such a huge place in people’s daily lives, almost unnoticeably. While there’s one indisputable certainty — AI isn’t going away and is here to stay — it’s the uncertainty surrounding how much AI will evolve and what ramifications that might have on humanity, that has experts simultaneously intrigued and wary. They vigorously debate what AI will evolve into, or be capable of, in the 10 or even 50 years. According to a recent Time article, AI has become more advanced than humans at recognizing images and speech and can even earn passing grades on business school exams. There have even been a few cases of AI being able to replicate itself. Instead of needing to take in data, the AI is able to teach itself on its own and create another version of itself from what it learned. Think of it as computers being able to reproduce. For a computer to “learn,” computer scientists feed it tons of data about topics they want it to “learn” about. The computer then processes the data and recognizes patterns, which enable it to mimic human judgment and decision making. Those abilities represent exponential evolution from the dawning of AI in the late 1950s when it was recognized by scholars as an academic discipline. Eight years ago, AI software beat a skilled human player at Go, a centuries-old, Chinese chess-like strategy game involving capturing an opponent’s pieces. In 2020, a group of scientists reported the creation of “living” robots, capable of creating baby versions of themselves which could perform similar tasks and produce more copies of themselves. Two years ago, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) engineering team claimed its own selfreplicating robot could build vehicles, buildings, and new versions of itself. PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE
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Human inventors first tasked AI to complete repetitive, mundane tasks, ostensibly leaving human employees with increased time and energy to do more fulfilling and creative work. But since AI can assimilate much more data than humans, its decision-making and thought processes allow for solutions beyond human imagination. AI being applied to the medical field and aiding in monitoring and diagnosing patients could one day become commonplace. Still, there are understandable concerns with AI, including perpetuating social biases. If the data scientists feed AI is biased towards or against certain groups of people, the decisions it makes also be biased. There already is a kind of predictive AI in development that evaluates whether a jailed individual remain behind bars or released on bail using information such as histories of arrests from that individual’s residential ZIP Code. If leaders in that person’s community believe it has been “overpoliced,” potential AI bias could lead to an incarcerated person being perceived as a flight risk, being denied bail, and remaining in jail for lengthy periods, awaiting arraignment. Experts also are concerned that AI could gain such a foothold in human workplaces that it could encourage human overdependence and discourage humans from exercising their own cognitive functions and making decisions and judgments, even involving mundane tasks. There’s even discussion in the scientific community that AI might one day even replace entire workforces in the data entry and other similarly repetitive job fields. Such a development could potentially cause unemployment spikes, in the name of efficiency. AI of course, lacks emotion, creativity, morality, ethics, and empathy — all characteristics that, arguably, humans should utilize when making important decisions. As advanced as AI is, it’s lacking one crucial thing: humanity.
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Meet An AI Power Couple Eddie And Rhonda Fentry Offer A Hopeful Take On New Tech There’s no doubt that Artificial Intelligence has enhanced everyday life in many ways. Selfvacuuming robots clean floors, software like ChatGPT can type up lines upon lines of stories, and Alexa can order whatever Amazon product a person needs. But with pros, there are cons, and fellow Prince Georgians Eddie Fentry and his wife, Rhonda explain what they believe are issues with AI today. Eddie Fentry worked as a United States Army service-disabled veteran in the communications field for 21 years. He later became a
it to target the group that you want to focus on.” Rhonda Fentry also spoke of the risks of AI. Like her husband, she too has a career focused on technology, but hers centers around higher education. Over the past 20 years, she’s spent her career transforming Prince George's Community College into an organization that can leverage technology for the benefit of its students. She has an MBA and a doctorate in community college leadership and an MBA in global business. “I think another risk, and it's what we talk about in higher education, is as AI is replacing those basic or lower level skills, that those
One issue they addressed is educating others about AI, especially youth. This seems especially fitting from Rhonda’s point of view, as her current career involves Prince George’s County Community College. Eddie also comments about how those involved in crime are ahead because of technology, and that embracing AI and teaching it to young people will help with that issue. “From my perspective, the bad guys are beating us right now,” Eddie said. “They're beating us because they have their processes and resources in position, and they're very good at it. They have access to our youth. When we start talking about, impact of our community,
There are many fears when it comes to AI, but even with these fears in mind, Eddie and Rhonda believe the public’s negative perspective can be turned around. Rhonda and Eddie Fentry
network engineer for General Dynamics and then worked for the Department of Defense up at Fort Meade. This is where he was introduced to key management infrastructure and data encryption development and in 2010, he was introduced to AI, creating his own tech company three years later. “I think when we talk about AI and what are the pros and cons of AI, I think at the top of that conversation is the risk of AI and how do we mitigate that risk. That's something that's very rarely discussed because that's the heart and soul,” said Eddie. “The main risk of AI is ethical issues,” he continued. “Anytime that you're developing a system using the data, you have to mitigate those risks by making sure that you are actually analyzing the data and having a diverse group or having focus on the specific group that you're trying to target. There’s always going to be bias in it, but you have to mitigate 42.
workers who are operating at that level potentially will be displaced. How do we then train your education?” Rhonda said. Eddie and Rhonda both addressed some of the most glaring concerns of Prince Georgians when it comes to AI. Some are concerned about data sharing, especially worrying about maintaining their own privacy when sharing things on the internet. One of the biggest concerns is job replacement, especially living in a day and age when finding a job is as notoriously difficult as ever. There are many fears when it comes to AI, but even with these fears in mind, Eddie and Rhonda believe the public’s negative perspective can be turned around. “AI is not designed to replace humans. It's designed to make humans more efficient,” Eddie said. “I think that's one of the misconceptions. If we can in some way educate to make everyone feel comfortable with using it, and like I say, and managing the risk of the data that's being implemented into those systems.” WINTER 2024
our youth, learning the criminals' processes. We start with educating on the youth level, all up about what AI is and how to use AI properly and make it more efficient in our lives because today's world's driven by data.” Both Eddie and Rhonda feel optimistic about the benefits of AI Their belief is that it can be used as a benefit despite general views of it. Some see it as a replacement of human workers. But they want to remind others that it can be an extremely helpful aspect of life. “I think on some level, we believe that this AI era is happening all of a sudden,” Rhonda said. “I would say that I think that we could look back and see this coming over time… I think there are people who believe that it's, "Oh my gosh, all of a sudden, we have this. For me it is, I think many people are fearful of it. I think we have to speak to understand. We have to just try to understand, embrace it. It's not going away. How do we embrace it, understand the best of it and leverage that? Then the worst of it, try to try to mitigate it.” PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE
PHOTO: RAOUL DENNIS // PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE & MEDIA
Fentry: “At the top of the conversation is the risk of AI and how do we mitigate that risk.”
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The Wall Of Senatorial Scholarship Recipients
Located at the Bowie Performing Arts Center in Bowie, the wall was created by Senator Doug Peters and his wife, Corinne (above, right) and designed by successor Senator Ron Watson who is joined by his wife Prince George’s County Councilmember Ingrid Watson (above, left). Student recipients of the scholarship from Bowie High School will be recognized through 2040. PHOTO: RAOUL DENNIS // PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE & MEDIA
Win, Place And Show
Upper Marlboro Venue Hosts World Class Equestrian Event
PHOTO: SHAWN McMILLEN
By Kristina Townsend
Adult and youth equestrians from around the country and the world recently showcased their riding skills in Upper Marlboro at the weeklong, prestigious Washington International Horse Show, including one competitor who set a new record. The Show Place Arena at Prince George's Equestrian Center hosted the event’s 65th anniversary, which was presented by MARS Equestrian. Teenage champion Hailey Guidry created plenty of buzz at the event, riding to victory in the $12,500 Children’s Jumper Championship in a record time of 29.094 sec- ALDEN CORRIGAN MEDIA onds. Rider Kristan Lassiter, meanwhile, won the $12,500 WIHS Adult Jumper Championship with a time of 33.880 seconds. It was not the first time that The Show Place Arena hosted the 46.
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Washington International Horse Show, which since 1958 has been held in a variety of locations, including the DC Armory, the Capital Centre in Landover, and Capital One Arena. “In 2022 we relocated to the showplace arena in Upper Marlboro,” said Executive Director Mary Helen Shaughnessy, “and we have plans there for many more. One of the things that makes the show special is that we have so many opportunities for people to engage with horses and follow the sport from our hands-on, very introductory level.” The show’s crown jewel, World Cup Night, presented by Experience Prince George's, featured the biggest jumps and the most challenging courses, with American equestrian Katie Dinan winning the $450,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup. PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE
PHOTO: JENNIFER WOOD
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Take Two: Prince George’s County Film Festival Hits Sophomore Year Success
LynnWhitfield, Lamman Rucker, Joe Clair Bring Celebrity Star Power To Event By Katrina Townsend
Prince George’s County’s fledgling film festival recently got a major infusion of star power when multiple award-winning actress and producer Lynn Whitfield participated in a live event seeking to connect emerging, independent filmmakers with filmgoers. Whitfield stars in several episodes of the current Showtime drama series, “The Chi,” but is best known for her role as Lady Mae Greenleaf on the Netflix show, “Greenleaf,” and also for her Primetime Emmy and Golden Globe winning performance as iconic chanteuse and dancer Josephine Baker in HBO’s, “The OPAL EVEN THE WOMEN MUST BEST ANIMATION FILM & FIGHT Josephine Baker Story.” BEST OF FESTIVAL BEST SHORT FILM Her appearance at the Prince George’s Director: Alan Bidard Director: Karen Turner Film Festival —also known as Take Two Producers: Alan Bidard, Chantal Producers: Michael T. Barry Jr., — was part of the five-day, second Sacarabany Perro Suzanne Gottschang annual extravaganza in Largo, at the Prince George’s Community College HEIST, HEIST, BABY! THE COAL WOMEN Center for Performing Arts. Narrative BEST STUDENT FILM BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM feature, documentary, short films, aniDirector: Jaden S. Thompson Director: Renee L. Green mation, and international works across Producers: Jaden S. Thompson, Producer: Renee L. Green multiple genres were all shown. Kevin Ramirez, Julian Rhonda Dallas Thompson THE RIGHT TO READ "Our goal is to showcase the best of BEST DOCUMENTARY independent cinema,” said Donna FosterDirector: Jenny Mackenzie Dotson, Prince George’s Film Festival’s director, “and provide a FORGETTING Producer: Sabi Habib-Lowder platform for emerging and established filmmakers to connect CHRISTMAS with audiences." BEST NARRATIVE The festival was tri-founded by Prince George’s Arts and FEATURE Humanities Council, Experience Prince George’s, and Bowie State Director: R. Cadell Cook University. Producers: Melan Perez, "We have this cluster of filmmakers that are award-winning that Shandra L. McDonald, R. Cadell are doing phenomenal, phenomenal work telling the stories that Cook, Carletta Hurt, Victoria Rowell we want to hear,” said Rhonda Dallas, executive director of the Prince George's County Arts and Humanities Council, “so the Joe Clair hosted the Prince George’s film festival was just a natural fit.” County Film Festival Awards
....And The Winner Is...
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PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE
Three Local Indie Filmmakers Discuss The Biz By Kristina Townsend
Some of the filmmakers sat down with Prince George’s Suite Magazine to discuss independent filmmaking and address the challenges that come with it. “What I enjoy most is seeing one's vision come to fruition,” said filmmaker Shuaib Mitchell who lives in Washington DC. His film, Straight Up Go-Go, depicting the history and culture of D.C.'s Go-Go Museum, premiered on PBS and at the American Film Institute. He’s also produced Nocturnal Agony, available on Amazon Prime. “Filmmakers take an idea and they nurture it, love on it, until it becomes an actual dream where everyone else can share it and see the same vision,” Mitchell continued. “Sometimes just a few months prior. Looking at that dark screen and seeing the names on the credits and you see your name there---there's no better thrill than that. That's a tough process, though. Getting there is tremendous. That's the thrill of doing a motion picture.” Kobe Maxwell, a Prince George’s County resident also chimed in. While his film wasn’t part of the festival, he was called in to be a panelist on the Global Culture Exchange. “I was on the panel to discuss the integration of Nollywood, which is West African film industry, with the Hollywood industry here in the US and also independent filmmakers that are interested of shooting in Africa, the continent,” Maxwell said. “Giving them tips in what they need to do and collaboration that we can do with them to be able to film from their motherland.” PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE
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Maxwell also acknowledged the biggest challenges of indie filmmaking that he has experienced. “First of all, funding to do the projects,” Maxwell said. “You are an independent filmmaker. You're trying to do it to get acceptance to the Hollywood level, to do it right. That costs money. Having the right funding to do it right, it's an enormous challenge. Secondly, finding locations [and] permission to shoot. Sometimes, being an African filmmaker in the US is another big challenge that we face.” “There’s also distribution,” Maxwell continued. “The industry has changed now from DVD to streaming platforms now. Distribution is also big of a challenge and that's why my partners and I have come up with our own platform, African Diaspora Network. It’s a platform we’re using to distribute our content.” Joe Dyer, a Prince George’s County filmmaker has been in the entertainment industry for 25 years and is partial owner in a company called Motion Pixels Media. “It's when you come to the more costly environments such as hospitals or courtrooms and jails --- if you want to portray those type of authentic sceneries in your film, that's probably some of the more difficult components of establishing a realistic location at a very reasonable cost,” said Dyer. More information about the festival can also be found at https://www.pgfilmfestival.com/.
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“Midgett Parker has been a consistent positive voice in the Prince George’s County Community for over 30 years. A trustworthy and respected counselor of law in business and commercial real estate.” –David C. Harrington, President & CEO, Prince George’s County Chamber of Commerce
Commercial Real Estate Acquisition, Land Use, and Zoning Law Business Entity Formation and Business Law Major Construction Projects, Contracts, and Financing
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Midgett S. Parker, P.A. Midgett S. Parker, Jr. began the practice of law upon admittance to the Maryland Bar in 1985. He developed and refined his legal acumen in commercial real estate and business law in Prince George’s County and other local jurisdictions in Maryland while in private practice in large law firms in the Washington metropolitan region. In February of 2020, he opened the Law Office of Midgett S. Parker, P.A. Midgett has won numerous land use cases before local zoning officers, boards, commissions, and councils. On behalf of his clients he has worked with government officials at all levels of government on matters ranging from tax legislation to affordable housing and land use regulations. Midgett has the highest rating for strong legal ability and ethical standards (AV) in Martindale-Hubble peer review. Midgett has developed a niche in representing commercial land owners, developers, houses of worship, and non-profit entities in all aspects of their real estate portfolio, development activities, and construction projects. In addition to land use, zoning, and real estate, he counsels clients on a broad range of issues from business concerns, financing, contract negotiations, and internal operations.
midgettparker-law.com 301-825-8600 5827 Allentown Road, Camp Springs, Maryland 20746 email: MidgettParker.Law@gmail.com PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE
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Courting By Raoul Dennis
Freedom
As reflections on the African American experience are again taking center stage in American mainstream intellectual spaces, a distinguished Bowie State University theater
professor has been helping shine a light on past events that were as audacious then as they are compelling now — slaves fighting in Prince George’s County courtrooms, for their freedom. The professor is an award-winning playwright and actor, Psalmayene 24 (aka Gregory Morrison). He’s colloquially known in theater circles as “Psalm,” he also is an artist in residence at Washington, D.C.’s Mosaic Theater Company, and his repertoire includes comedies and dramas, with varying musical influences and styles. But last year, the director of the Mt. Rainier52.
based, nonprofit performance space, Joe’s Movement Emporium recruited Psalm for an irresistible challenge — adapting to the stage, University of Nebraska Professor William G. Thomas III’s award-winning nonfiction book, “A Question of Freedom.”The book chronicles generations of slaves and their families in Prince George’s County who collectively spent nearly a century suing slaveholders to liberate themselves from bondage. While the historic 18th and 19th Century American legal cases of Joseph Cinqué, Elizabeth Freeman, and Dred Scott suing to be free of slavery are well known, most Prince George’s County cases are not. Psalm’s play, “Out of the Vineyard,” an abstract, interpretive work modeled on Thomas’s book, had a September run last year at Joe’s Movement Emporium. Discussions about the possibility of the play going on a county-wide tour are ongoing. “The play lives at the intersection of history and performance,” Psalm says. “It’s not really done in a way that people typically understand theater to be done, because it integrates movement and elements of projection and character work in its pieces of interviews. We've really created something that's unique and original in terms of the form of theater.” It’s a bold and, some critics might say, risky approach to adapting such sobering source
material. “Eventually, I landed on doing verbatim theater or docudrama,” Psalm says. “I decided to interview people connected to this history — descendants of the families. I interviewed the author. I interviewed a Prince George’s County judge to get a person involved in the legal side of things. Then we created this play based on these interviews. There are seven primary characters, and their stories are interwoven. What I really wanted to do was really contemporize the experience of enslavement.” Thomas’s 2020 book Illuminates the fact that among the hundreds of suits filed by enslaved African Americans, many cases were brought in Prince George’s County. One case he discusses hits especially close to home — it includes his own family members, who at the time, were slaveholders. “For over 70 years and five generations, the enslaved families of Prince George’s County, Maryland filed hundreds of suits for their freedom against a powerful circle of slaveholders, taking their cause all the way to the Supreme Court,”Thomas writes, in the book’s foreword. “The book is about the enslaved families of Prince George's County in Maryland. It's all about Prince George's County, and it's about the freedom suits that slaves brought here right after the American Revolution. They challenged slavery in court.” Slave suits demonstrate that black Prince
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PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE
‘Out Of The Vineyard’ Presents The Performance Of True Historic Accounts Of Enslaved Black Prince Georgians Taking Their Bondage Holders To Court—And In Many Cases—Winning Their Freedom
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Georgians fought for their freedom in many ways — including the use of legal efforts largely unheard of today. The suits also demonstrate that there were white Marylanders who recognized the voices and legal arguments of people of African descent and respected their right to freedom. Slavery was a time of great disparity and brutality — but black people didn’t always end up on the losing end, as is often written in popular historical accounts, and white people weren’t always brutalizers. Both the book, and the resultant play, show there’s much more to being a Prince Georgian than perhaps current residents ever realized. Executing that on the performance stage, from a book’s pages, is a burden Kidd was confident Psalm could bear. PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE
“Learning the history of freedom suits in ‘A Question of Freedom’ left me wanting to know more about the resilience of enslaved people to use the court system to gain freedom, and why I didn’t know about it,” Kidd says. “Psalm is capturing the cultural environment of America grappling with race and equity. He is bringing to light that slavery is not just black history, but American history. It takes humility to look at our past. But this is needed to move justice and equity forward.” But instead of solely promoting his own work, Psalm is encouraging Prince Georgian audiences and his Bowie State students to use his play as a gateway to deep dive into essential history. “I hope most people will walk away understanding just from a very basic standpoint that WINTER 2024
slave suits were the lawsuits that enslaved peoples waged in courts pre-Emancipation Proclamation, and that a number of these people won their freedom,” Psalm says. “[The performance] is meant to give people a chance to hear voices of these specific people and then whet their appetite and curiosity to actually read Will's book, because that's where you get all the information and the details. The experience of the play is to open that door, and then wherever you go from there is really a choose-your-own-adventure kind of deal. This play has really driven home that point that even if we can't necessarily trace our history, that chain is unbroken, we're still connected to our ancestors in a very powerful way.” 53.
Addressing The Absence Of A Basic Income Oriadha
Alsobrooks
Wellons “There’s really a need for this,” says Prince
George’s County Council District 7 Member Krystal Oriadha of the flood of applications to get into the new basic income program. There are so any applications that the deadline closed in advance of the original Jan 1 date. “When we talk about our senior population and our youth, especially the ones aging out of foster care, we see that there is a need.” Architects of, and participants in, an ambitious, poverty reduction pilot program — of which Prince George’s County Executive, the Prince George’s County Council and the Greater Washington Community Foundation are major stakeholders — are now hoping 2024 will produce positive results. The Thrive Prince George’s Basic Income Program — a two-year, $4 million guaranteed-income initiative aimed at providing greater economic stability and mobility for families in the region, which also includes as partners, the Greater Washington Community Foundation, and the Meyer Foundation. It is slated to provide monthly payments of $800 to 50 youth (ages 18-24) who are aging out of foster care and more than 125 seniors (ages 60 and above) for a 24-month period, with no strings attached and no employment require54.
ments. “Studies have shown that modest guaranteed basic income pilots can decrease poverty by as much as 40 percent,” says Tonia Wellons, president, and CEO of the nonprofit Greater Washington Community Foundation. “We strongly believe that this program will improve the lives of many people in Prince George’s and will reduce the racial wealth gap in a way that makes it viable for the county to consider providing guaranteed basic income for years to come.” While other similar programs currently operate around the region — including in ones in Arlington, Alexandria, and Fairfax, Virginia, D.C., and Montgomery County — this is the first to exclusively serve Prince George’s County residents. The $4 million program is funded through both public and private philanthropic resources, with the quartet of participating partners each contributing $1 million. “This initiative is an innovative example of how we find solutions through public-private partnerships,” Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks says. “Thanks to this collaborative pilot program, we're weaving a stronger social fabric and empowering people to pursue their aspirations with dignity and WINTER 2024
resilience.” Guaranteed income programs have proven to be one of the most promising approaches to increasing financial stability. For decades, economists have studied the positive impact of guaranteed income, finding evidence indicating that monthly cash payments can reduce income volatility and support recipients in attaining full-time employment, greater housing stability, and improved health outcomes, among many other benefits. The Greater Washington Community Foundation will administer the pilot program as part of its Together, We Prosper Campaign for Economic Justice. Oriadha initially proposed legislation that the entire council later co-sponsored to create this program. “I’ve championed the guaranteed basic income program for years because I know it provides an opportunity to tackle poverty and create better quality of life for our residents,” said Oriadha. “My hope is with more jurisdictions moving to implement programs like this, we will see an investment at the state and federal level that will allow these pilots to become permanent.” PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE
APPLAUSE
A Makeover Of A Lifetime Beautiful You! Pampering Cancer Patients Through Beauty Services Cancer treatment too often impacts patients’ physical appearance and psychological stability. The grueling process of fighting cancer can be an assault on the confidence and mental foundation. Bad enough to be fighting for your life, the treatment can wreck you–mind and body, inside and out. Many women need a break. A Spark. A makeover. The Beautiful You! event brought together several beauty professionals who specialize in wig styling and skincare to create a pampering experience for 30 cancer patients. Each participant received a free customized wig and pampering treatment. The November 8 event was held at the University of Maryland Capital Region Medical Center. It was hosted by Hope Connections for Cancer Support, in partnership with University of Maryland Capital Region Health. The University of Maryland Capital Region Health will open a comprehensive cancer center in Spring 2024 (partnering with Ebeauty Community Inc., and The Temple, Paul Mitchel Partner School Annapolis and Fredrick). See video of the Beautiful You Breast Cancer Event at www.pgsuite.com/health Pampering Patients PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE
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A Different Lens In Governing CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14
Blegay as a youth met former Maryland their opinion. We did repeals on those.” Governor Parris Glendening, which later Blegay also spearheaded, then garnered inspired her to take an undergraduate class in enough support to get passed, a bill to create government. She was so moved by the experi- more healthy food retail stores. Education is ence, Blegay later sought, then earned an the next item on Blegay’s plate that she’s eager internship at the Maryland State House. After graduation, Blegay Making a strong case at The Greater Prince says, of her desire to forge a polit- George’s Business Roundtable ical career, “I was all in. I worked Blegay maintains a busy schedule representing her con[as a field organizer] on the Tom stituents. But she was comfortable taking a lighter moment Perez for Attorney General camworking on her golf swing at the Prince George’s Community College annual fundraiser. The event exceeded fundraising paign. I worked for Rushern Baker goals for the school. in his 2006 campaign [for County new school means that we have better technolExecutive]. I went to work for Ben ogy, we have better facilities for our students, Barnes [as a legislative aide] when and it helps us. What we have to look at is he was a first-year Maryland State what we're doing in the building. That's really Delegate. Then I went to work [as the big concern. How are we making sure that a constituent liaison] for [U.S. the class sizes are smaller? How do we make Congressman] Steny Hoyer. I just sure that the teachers are properly placed, and really got a little bit of everything.” we don't keep losing quality teachers to some After getting a taste of politics, other jurisdictions?” Blegay’s next move was prudent — But even with that development, don’t expect going to law school. She earned her Blegay to become complacent. It’s neither in degree from American University, her DNA nor her upbringing. As Blegay says, which she routinely applies. as she begins the second full year of her fourBeing well versed in landlord-tenyear term: “We have a lot of work to do.” ant law, Blegay says, shaped her . advocacy of Prince George’s More About The County renters. “A lot of communities in my to sink her teeth into. Council district were changing zoning, putting up “I really want new schools,” Blegay says. In VIDEO: An Interview with townhomes, and putting housing units in Capitol Heights, one of Blegay’s constituen- County Council Chair Jolene Ivey on her vision and 2024 places that they weren't originally zoned for. cies, the Walker Mill Middle School building agenda. See Suite TV’s They were doing that through tax amend- — first opened in 1970 — is being replaced YOUTUBE channel, “An Interview with Prince George's County Council Chair Jolene Ivey ments and residents were not able to voice and fitted with state-of-the-art amenities. “A
S
ince the time that she was small and accompanying her parents to rallies, meetings, gatherings, Blegay has learned what it means to be actively involved and working with others to make lives better in the community.
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Medstar Seeks To Make An Impact On Heart Disease CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17
want to please visit MedStarHealth.org/FindADoc and use our “Finda-doctor” tool to find one conveniently located near you. Taking a Look Inside the Heart
Complementing cardiology is the hospital’s nuclear and cardiac imaging capabilities which are integral to the precise diagnosis of all types of cardiac conditions. The recent addition of imaging modalities including coronary CT and cardiac MRI is making it possible for physicians to see inside the blood vessels of the heart without ever making an incision. Cardiac MRI, for example, provides real-time images of the beating heart, offering valuable information to interventional cardiologists, heart failure specialists, and electrophysiologists alike in the development of the most effective treatment plan for each individual patient. And, screening CT scans such as a coronary calcium score test can help assess a patient’s risk for heart attack and developing cardiovascular disease. What the Future Holds
“When patients come to MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center for heart care, they receive the highest level of clinical expertise. But what they also get is an entire team with them on their journey to better health and a restored quality of life,” said Stephen Michaels, MD, FACHE, PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE
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President, MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center. “We continue to grow and expand the level of cardiac services available at the hospital every year. What we’re building is changing the face of medicine in Southern Maryland, particularly when it comes to cardiology.” “We’re truly making an impact on patients with reversible heart disease as well as those with chronic heart conditions,” added Dr. Case, adding that the goal is to continue to identify patients like Tracey Patten who are at high risk for heart disease and heart attack to prevent them from having a life-threatening cardiac event. “The future is incredibly bright for our cardiology program as well as for the community we serve,” Dr. Michaels Suddath said. “We’ve come a long way. There’s no stopping our progress.” To request an appointment with any of our cardiovascular specialists, please call 301-877-5677.
MedStar Heart & Vascular Institute at MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center is located at: 7501 Surratts Road, Suite 304 Clinton, MD 2073. 57.
PGCEDC: Obstacles Yes, But Prince George’s Is Ready CONTINUED FROM PAGE 20
security and criminology private contractors following suit and relocating their companies nearby. But dissenting voices have already begun to push back against the agency coming to the county. There may yet be jostling for the project up until the moment shovels dig into the ground. And still, in a broader sense, PGCEDC leadership aims to do more to secure a viable economic future for the county. While the mood at the recent PGCEDC 40th anniversary gala was celebratory, Glendening, a PGCEDC architect, was introspective about the organization while addressing the gathering. Prince George’s County’s economic fortunes have radically improved since 1986, but Glendening effectively warned those in attendance not to become complacent with PGCEDC’s accomplishments, lest it deter the
organization from delivering more improvements to county residents. “We’re celebrating our 40th year,” Glendening told listeners, “but [our successes] are not going to get us through the next 40 years. It’s going to have to change.” But change is something the county is organically designed for. He and other county leaders view Prince George’s and Maryland as true trendsetters on the national stage in future decades. Iannucci believes that federal decision-making procedures of the past have negatively impacted wealth building in the county but that is likely to change as future leaders come to the forefront. “We’re also facing many years of, let's say, in the region, the federal government making decisions that were not based on equity. Some of [those] decisions go back to Franklin Roosevelt
putting the Pentagon on the west side of the Potomac River in 1941, and the incredible synergy that has created in northern Virginia. We make the argument that there's an imbalance that needs to be addressed, and I've been very aggressive at making that argument with County Executive Alsobrooks that both the private sector, but particularly federal government needs to take a more nuanced look to balancing economic growth.” If the past is truly prologue, the county has a very good chance of overcoming these obstacles and meeting its potential toward legacy wealth building. At the start of the 20th century, minority and immigrant communities struggled in education, housing and upward mobility. By mid-century, those groups made significant gains across all those categories and more. The next 40 years should be very interesting.
County Stroll
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 Life Advice For Young Readers
Washington, DC metro area resident Karen Reed, visionary founder of Momentum Pathway LLC, recently published her first book, aimed at improving the lives of young women. What’s In “Your Hand? The Game of Life” was written to help young women discover how to turn the challenges of life in the 21st century in their favor. “What’s In Your Hand? The Game of Life” deals with the real issues teens struggle with every day in their homes, schools, churches, social settings, and the deep crevices of their souls. It explores the hand dealt to five single mothers and their teen daughters including heartbreak, poverty, abandonment, depression, bullying, and trauma. “In the age of social media, today’s youth face obstacles and deal with issues that some of their parents are unable to relate to,” says Karen. “I wanted to provide a resource for girls and young women that really meets them where they are and helps guide them through these challenges.” Creating a Healthy Prince George’s
Last November, five Prince George’s Community College Largo Campus facilities and three parking lots were converted into Medical, Hospitality, and Outreach spaces to form the Remote Area Medical 58.
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(RAM) Largo Clinic. Led by President Tomeka Bumbry, They raised $104,310 to cover the RAM Largo Clinic. There were additional services and expenses that consisted of influenza vaccinations, BEXA breast cancer screenings, laboratory services, HIV/STD testing, and treatment, SNAP and Healthcare Benefits enrollment, patient meals, patient produce distribution, and National Donor Registrants for a total of 1,255 additional services extended to patients, volunteers, and the community. Over $196,232.00 of patient care was provided. This included a total of 418 unique patients receiving a total of 664 clinic encounters consisting of medical exams with labs and treatment: vision exams with treatment and eyeglass dispensing, dental exams, and treatment. This resulted in the dispensing of 145 pairs of eyeglasses, 205 tooth extractions, 118 fillings, 88 laboratory tests, and 146 medical examinations. PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE
Expert cancer care close to what matters most. MedStar Georgetown Cancer Institute at MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center
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Meet our Nationally-Recognized Cancer Team Our experts include a diverse group of nationally and internationally renowned specialists for many forms of cancers, including but not limited to brain, breast, gastrointestinal, head and neck, lung, and prostate. We work tirelessly to prevent, detect, treat, and cure cancer. Our Institute provides access to a wealth of groundbreaking treatment options all under the same roof that are designed to improve patient outcomes and more importantly, offer hope. From immunotherapy, to precision medicine and targeted therapies, our specialists use the latest advancements in cancer care, including: • A multidisciplinary team approach – physicians from imaging, medical oncology, radiation oncology, and surgery working together in one location to develop a unique care plan • Brand new women’s imaging suite with dexa, ultrasound, and 3D mammography on-site
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• Clinical trials – Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, the only NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center in the Washington region, serves as our research engine. Our clinical research studies allow patients to access the latest breakthroughs in cancer care. • State-of-the-art infusion center • Unique radiation therapy options o Halcyon™, a new kind of radiotherapy offering faster, more accurate treatment o Zap-X®, the first radiosurgery system of its kind on the east coast designed to treat head and neck and brain tumors.