informer-issue-03-31-2016-final-with-bridge

I N S I D E

Trailblazer Still Working for Change at 86 Page 5

Howard Responds to Complacency Claims Page 8

Thousands Pay Respects to Slain Officer Page 12

Capture the Moment Page 34

VOL. 51, NO. 25 MAR. 31 - APRIL 6, 2016

Don’t Miss This Month’s Issue of the WI Bridge - Center Section

Can $15 Hourly Wage Stop

Conversation Focuses on Underserved, Returning Citizens

Displacement?

Mayor Bowser Wants Increase Over 4 Years

By Sarafina Wright WI Staff Writer

National Urban League, Bank of America Host Panel Discussion

During Mayor Muriel Bowser’s 2016 State of the District Address, she made headlines

By D. Kevin McNeir when she called for the miniWI Editor mum wage to be $15 by 2020.

She acknowledged that With the topic “From Rewith the rising cost of living entry to Financial Stability – A the hourly minimum wage of Discussion on Evidence-Based $11.50 cannot sustain resiPathways” as the theme, a group dents on Tuesday, March 22 at of national policy makers and exArena Stage in Southeast. perts on economics participated “With grocery bills, childin a conversation aimed at helpcare and eldercare, transporing at-risk youth stay on track tation cost and the other exand the formerly incarcerated find 5Leslie Bilbrue, and her son, Carter, 3, at the Kawasaki robot used to draw photos during the Cherry Blossoms Festival penses on the rise an hourly Family Day event held at the National Building Museum in Northwest, that featured science, technology, art, and games minimum wage of eleven dolREENTRY Page 11 on Sat., March 26. / Photo by Roy Lewis lars and fifty cents will only stretch so far,” Bowser said.

“Low wages create an invisible ceiling that prevents working families from truly getting a fair shot.”

Bowser asserted that a report

By Freddie Allen, NNPA National selected for the program will receive issued last month showed that stipends and also have access to the lowest-income residents News Managing Editor a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu to com- in D.C. are overwhelmingly

In an effort to provide student mute between their local newsrooms people of color and that nearly journalists with a unique experience and their assignments. half of those earners were born The Michigan Chronicle, in Washington, D.C. working in the Black Press, the National Newspaper Publishers Asso- the Chicago Defender, The Wash“In a city as prosperous as ciation [NNPA], has teamed with ington Informer and The Atlanta ours, we can level the playing Chevrolet and the School of Com- Voice were selected as participating field and we can make sure our munications at Howard University publications for the first round of residents are paid a good wage, to launch an innovative journalism internships and legendary hip-hop so fewer families are forced to pioneer MC Lyte will serve as the na- leave,” she said. “When the fellowship program.

The program titled, “Discov- tional spokesperson for the program. council returns from its break MC Lyte said that she entered early next month, I will send er The Unexpected” [DTU], will into the music business not only to legislation to the council to infeature internships at four NNPA 5National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) President Dr. have a voice, but also to inspire peo- crease our minimum wage to member publications for eight HowBenjamin Chavis Jr. (2nd right) and NNPA Chair and Washington Informer ard University students. publisher Denise Rolark Barnes (3rd left) at the launch of the “Discover the UnThe journalism fellows that are INTERNS Page 9 BOWSER Page 10 expected” fellowship program in Northwest on March 23. / Photo by Roy Lewis

NNPA, Chevrolet Launch Historic Internship Program

Celebrating 51 Years of Service / Serving More Than 50,000 African American Readers Throughout The Metropolitan Area WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

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By Dr. Charles Vincent & “Mickey” Thompson Vincent

Brandon Todd Ward 4 Re-Election Campaign Kick-off

Vote June 14, 2016

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MAR. 31 – APRIL 6, 2016

Around the Region.................. 4-11 PG County................................12-13 Business.................................... 14-15 National.....................................16-18 Health ......................................20-21 Education................................22-23 The WI Bridge.................Center OpEd........................................25-27 Lifestyle.................................. 28-33 Sports...................................... 36-37 Religion................................... 38-39

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WI H O T the T OCycle P I Cof S Women Break Domestic Violence COMPILED BY D. KEVIN MCNEIR / WI EDITOR

Civil Rights Leaders Condemn ‘Religious Freedom’ Bills law enforcement. She said they threat,” she said.

By Tia Carol Jones WI Staff Writer

had come to bringConference a Among the programs Marlow The educational arm oftogether the Leadership on Civil and Human Rights, sense of uniformity in the way wants to see implemented are led by the organization’s president and CEO, Wade Henderson, has joined with other When L.Y. Marlow's 23-year- domestic violence victims and stricter restraining order policies, like-minded groups in the U.S. in the condemning of the latest crop of religious freedom old daughter told her the father survivors are treated. more rights for victim's families legislation, themusing “an ugly of bigotry.” of her daughter threatened her calling “She's herjustification own personal to intervene on behalf of a vica leadership conference Monday, March 21, the report raised life, and the life of theirInchild, story, her ownstatement personal released pain to on tim, a domestic violence assess100 “religious freedom” bills that have been introduced in the she knew something objections had to be to more push than forward,” Davis-Nickens ment unit coupled with further U.S. done. Out of her frustration said about Marlow. training for law enforcement with law enforcement's handling Henderson, citing past efforts by to use religious to justify Davis-Nickens saidsome anyone agencies,beliefs a Child's Life slavery Protec- and of the situation, she decided to said who Marlow's book will tion segregation, thereads latest round of bills is nothing new.Act and mandatory counselstart the Saving Promise cam“get it.” She said she “puts thecan be ingno forreligious batterers.

“But they are dangerous,” he noted.

“There exemption from basic paign. case in to such a way, the average ever going human dignity.

And wrap this bigotry in a false “If flagwe of are religious libertytoiseradithe true “It seems to be a vicious cycle person can get it.”

She said at the cate domestic violence, we must abomination.” that won't turn my family end of the day, the book will look at both sides of the coin.

Those who support the bills deny they are aimed at discrimination. They argue that such legislation is loose,” Marlow said. Marlow help people begin to have a dia- We need to address both the vicintended to prevent people, like those who oppose same-sex marriage based on religious beliefs, from being shared her story with the audi- logue about domestic violence. tim and the batterer,” Marlow forced to provide services such as selling wedding cakes or renting reception halls for gay weddings. ence at the District Heights Also present at the event was said.

Domestic Violence Symposium Mildred Muhammad, the exMarlow would also like to see on May 7 at the District Heights wife of John Allen Muhammad, programs designed to raise Municipal Center. The sympo- who was sentenced to six consec- awareness among children in sium was sponsored by the utive life terms without parole public and private schools. She century-old Black at the National Zoo, recently Family and Youth Services by a A Maryland jury for his family role in tradition feels children need to be educatby violence, went oninwithout a hitch during violence. this year’s gatherCenter of the city of District themarred Beltway Sniper attacks ed about domestic Heights and the National Hook- 2002. ing, now held on the Monday Easter.

Mildred Muhammad is after “We have to stop being pasUp of Black Women.

Some may recallthe that in recent sive-aggressive years, the celebration was disrupted the founder of After Trauma, with poor chilMarlow has written a book, anbyorganization that helps theinjuries drenofabout violence,” shootings resulting in the severaldomestic youth and adults.

“Color Me Butterfly,” which is a survivors of domestic violence Marlowcommunity said.

But this year, a group of dedicated volunteers, who story about four generations of and their children.

Marlow has worked teamed up with zoo officials and local police, worked to to break maintain domestic violence. The book is “I lived in fear for six years. Six the cycle of abuse in her family, safety. inspired by her own experiences, years in fear is a long time. It is and is confident the policies she Collectively, they were deployed both inside and outside the zoo in and those of her grandmother, not an easy thing to come out is pushing for will start that order to zero in on tensions before they could erupt in more harmful actions. her mother and her daughter. of,” she said. process. were she shot reads and wounded outside the zoo in 2000 and one youth stabbed another teen at SheSeven said people every time Mildred Muhammad said “I plan to take these policies to the zoo from in 2011.

Community joined during the Easter Monday event in orderthem to keep excerpts her book, she stillactivists people whoforces want to help a Congress and implore to the tradition alive and to keep patrons safe. can not believe the words came domestic violence victim must change our laws,” Marlow said.

Activists including Ron Moten be andcareful Tony ofLewis, in organizing from her. “Color Me Butterfly” how Jr. theyhave go been into instrumental “I will not stop until thesethe poli-small grouptheof volunteers as part“Best of the “Operation initiative. cies are passed.” won 2007 National the victim's Safe life, Zoo” and understand Books” HatsAward. off to all who volunteered during themay annual games, fun and that she be day in of “survival Tia education.

Carol Jones can be reached “I was just 16-years-old when mode”. at tiacaroljones@sbcglobal.net my eye first blackened and my “Before you get to 'I'm going lips bled,” Marlow said. to kill you,' it started as a verbal WI Elaine Davis-Nickens, presiTemple of Praise Employment Ministry will sponsor its 10th annual job fair on Saturday, April 9 dent The of the National Hook-Up offrom Black10Women, there is no a.m. to said 2 p.m. consistency in thehas way domestic been the largest job fair in Southeast, according to promoters. An estimated The event historically violence issues are byto assist job seekers.

80 volunteers willdealt be onwith hand The event is open to everyone and will take place at the Mary Virginia Merrick Center, 4275 4th Street in Southeast.

Volunteers Promote Safety at D.C. Zoo’s Annual Family Day

Wilhelmina J. Rolark In Memoriam Dr. Calvin W. Rolark, Sr. PUBLISHER Wilhelmina J. Rolark THE WASHINGTON INFORMER Denise Rolark Barnes NEWSPAPER (ISSN#0741-9414) is NEWSPAPER THE WASHINGTON INFORMER (ISSN#0741-9414) is published published weekly on each Thursday. weekly on Thursday. Periodicals postage paid at Washington, D.C. and additional Periodicals WashingSTAFF mailingpostage offices. paid Newsat and advertising deadline is Monday prior to publication. ton, Announcements D.C. and additional of- two weeks prior to event. Copyright 2000 by The must mailing be received D. Kevin McNeir, Editor fices.Washington News and Informer. advertising Alldeadline rights reserved. POST MASTER: Send change of addressRon Burke, Advertising/ Marketing Director is Monday to publication.

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Copyright sion from publisher.

The2016 Informer Newspaper cannotIV, guarantee return of Lafayette Barnes, Assistantthe Photo Editor by photographs.

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Make checks payable to: Dorothy Rowley, Online Editor change of addresses to The Washington Informer, 3117 Martin Luther THE WASHINGTON INFORMERDesign & Layout ZebraDesigns.net, King, Jr. Ave., S.E.Martin Washington, D.C. Jr. Ave., S.E. • Washington, D.C. 20032 3117 Luther King, Mable Neville, Bookkeeper Phone: 202 20032. No part of this publication may561-4100 • Fax: 202 574-3785 Mickey Thompson, E-mail: news@washingtoninformer.comSocial Sightings columnist be reproduced without written permiswww.washingtoninformer.com sion from the publisher. The Informer Stacey Palmer, Social Media Specialist Newspaper cannot guarantee the return Angie Johnson, Circulation of photographs. Subscription rates are PUBLISHER $45 per year, two years $60. Papers will Denise Rolark Barnes be received not more than a week after REPORTERS STAFF REPORTERS publication.

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Brooke N. Garner Managing Editor Tia C. Jones, Ed Laiscell, Ferguson, (Prince Peay Assistant Managing Collins, Editor Eve Odell B. Ruffin,Will LarryFord Saxton, THECarla WASHINGTON INFORMER Burke and Marketing Mary Wells, JosephElton Young Hayes, D. George’s County Writer), 3117Ron Martin Luther King,Advertising Jr. Ave., S.E Mable Whittaker Bookkeeper Washington, D.C. 20032 Kevin McNeir, Dorothy Rowley, Kia Croom, LaNita Wrenn Administration PHOTOGRAPHERS Phone: 202 561-4100 John E. De Freitas Sports Joya EditorPatel,Lafayette IV, Sarafina Wright Rachel Barnes, Sudduth, Fax:Victor 202 Holt 574-3785 Photo Editor John E. De Freitas, Maurice Fitzgerald, (General Assignment Writer) news@washingtoninformer.com Zebra Designs, Inc. Layout & Graphic Design Joanne Jackson, Roy Lewis, Robert www.washingtoninformer.com Ken Harris /www.scsworks.com Webmaster Ridley, Victor Holt

“

Temple of Praise Prepares for Annual Job Fair

We have to stop being passive-aggressive with poor U.S. Mayors Commend Transportation Secretary Foxx children about domestic The violence.

U.S. Conference of by its president and BaltiI Mayors, planledto take these more Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, recently issued a statement on U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and his “Connectpolicies to Congress and ing People to Opportunity Initiative.”

“The U.S. Conference of Mayors commends U.S. Transportation them to change our Secretaryimplore Anthony Foxx for his leadership in focusing public attention on how past investment decisions have harmed low-income families and neighborhoods – people not and places that too often have laws. I will stop until been asked to carry disproportionate burdens in the siting of major transportation facilities.” these policies are passed.

“All government leaders – at every level of government – must en-

“

In Memoriam

The Washington Informer Dr. Calvin Newspaper W. Rolark, Sr.

sure that future transportation investments do much more to bring L.Y. Marlow all families and neighborhoods into the economic mainstream.

The Paul Trantham John E. DeFreitas, Shevry Lassiter, principles being set forth by Secretary Foxx today will guide us in meeting this challenge.”

Roy Lewis, Patricia Little, Corey Parrish, “Secretary Foxx’s courageous words challenge us as government leaders to do better and the nation’s mayors will certainly do our part,” the statement said.

Travis Riddick, Nancy Shia The U.S. Conference of Mayors serves as the official nonpartisan organization of cities with 4 / May 15 - 21, 2008 The Washington Informer / www.washingtoninformer.com populations of 30,000 or more. There are nearly 1,400 such cities in the country today and each city is represented in the Conference by its chief elected official, the mayor.

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AROUND THE REGION

Trailblazer Still Working for Change at 86 Julia Clark Considered a Pioneer Among Black PG County Residents

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer At age 86, Julia Clark is still working hard as an advocate with a stern resolve to see any task through.

Only these days, Clark, a former Department of Housing and Urban Development employee who has arguably done more for African-Americans in Prince George’s County than anyone, is advocating from the Arbor Terrace Greenbelt Senior Living Community in Lanham.

“Seven days a week, 24 hours a day, I’m available, I keep my button on,” she said.

Clark is the head of the senior living’s resident council as well as the Ambassador’s Committee there. “When people come in, whether it’s with Alzheimer’s or whatever it is, I work with them to help them adjust to the new community,” Clark said.

While Clark is beloved at Arbor Terrace, she has long cemented a legacy of helping to shape Prince George’s County.

She arrived in the county in 1939, and she went on to play a key role in the economic development of the county, now the wealthiest African-American majority county in America.

Clark helped to start the first child care center at HUD and served as president of the South County Economic Development Corporation, a civic association that endorsed a “shop at home” campaign in the late 1990s.

“Everybody would go and shop elsewhere and I said why not shop at home. So we got a campaign started and we were telling everyone to shop at home,” Clark said.

The county was already considered one of the wealthiest suburbs in the country, with a median household income exceeding the national median by about 25 percent, but it was underserved by upscale retailers.

“They [county residents] were traveling to places like Virginia and Annapolis to shop at stores like Nordstrom or Neiman-Marcus, which had

The contributions she’s made shaping African-American life in the county are rarely lost on those who know her.

But, while many often clamor for low-income housing, she once led a group that sought high-income housing.

“That was important. I said we need million dollar homes and we got them and now look, Prince George’s County happens to be the richest majority African-American county in the country,” Clark said.

One person who influenced Clark was Gladys Noon Spellman, the late former congresswoman who successfully spearheaded many efforts to effect social and political reform in all facets of life for her Prince George’s County.

Clark led successful efforts to get the Baltimore-Washington Parkway dedicated in Spellman’s honor. “She got me interested in working in the country and she got me interested in working beyond the county and inside our communities,” Clark said.

Born in Wilson, North Carolina, Clark grew up with seven brothers and sisters, two of whom are still alive. She attended college in El Paso, Texas, and married a career military man.

She began volunteering in West Germany working for the Red Cross.

She has five children, 10 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Clark still desires to help young African-Americans.

Applications are open for two

5Julia Clark is credited with helping to build Prince George’s County into the most affluent African-American community in the nation. / Courtesy Photo

no locations in Prince George’s County. I said that had to change and we were able to get malls and shopping plazas here,” she said.

“Now, we got National Harbor, Shoppes at Brandywine and other places. We’re doing good.”

Among her biggest accomplishments, Clark said, was helping to fundraise and campaign for Wayne Curry, who became the first black county executive in 1994.

“We believed in Wayne Curry and we were able to bring big business back and he was instrumental in getting National Harbor in here because there were too many people who didn’t want big business, they were afraid,” Clark said.

Clark was also a driving force behind the stadium in Landover and she served as a member of the committee tasked with building the Wayne Curry Learning Center.

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FAME summer music and education programs, Beats Books & Hooks and Summer Music Technology. These programs are designed for students entering grades 8 through 12; and are taught by highly respected music professors, educators and professional musicians.

“I think our Black young males have been forgotten about. The parents paid all the attention to the daughters, but our males need us and I’ve always pushed for help for our men,” Clark said.

“Another problem we face is many have parents with limited education where the mom and dad have to work two or three jobs and the television is raising our kids. We have to do something,” she said, noting she’s still active and still reaching out to the community at-large.

“I want people to remember me for making important deposits – contributions – everywhere I go. I want them to know about the positive deposits that others can build on,” she said. WI

SUMMER MUSIC PROGRAMS

BEATS BOOKS & HOOKS

SUMMER MUSIC TECHNOLOGY

Session 1 June 20-23, 2016 (4 days) 9am - 5:30pm Oxon Hill High School Oxon Hill, MD

Session 2 August 8-12, 2016 (5 days) 9am - 4pm Dr. Henry Wise High School Upper Marlboro, MD

Students will have the opportunity to:

Session 1 July 11-15, 2016 (5 days) 9am - 4pm University of Maryland School of Music College Park, MD Session 2 July 18 – 22, 2016 (5 days) 9am – 4pm University of Maryland School of Music College Park, MD

Registration Closes: May 4, 2016

• Explore cutting edge recording software • Experiment with music composition • Develop proficiency in computer technology • Produce finished CD and MP3 files to share digitally • Enjoy master class with recording artists, engineers and/or producers • Explore the business of music the business of music • Learn about education and career opportunities in music • Learn proper use of social media and other online tools, and Much More!

Full and partial scholarships available.

To Register and for Information: Visit www.fameorg.org Email bblair@fameorg.org Call 301.805.5358

The FAME Summer Music Programs are made possible in part by

Prince George’s County Council | University of Maryland School of Music

PEPCO | Prince George’s County Public Schools | Roland Corporation | Washington Music Center

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MAR. 31 - APRIL 6, 2016 5

AROUND THE REGION WEEK OF MAR. 31 – APRIL 6, 2016

Black Facts MARCH 31

1980 – Olympic legend Jesse Owens dies at 66 in Tucson, Arizona.

Owens won four track and field gold medals at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, embarrassing German leader Adolph Hitler and undermining his ideology of White Aryan superiority.

APRIL 1

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Building & Office Signs Banners/Flags Vehicle & Window Graphics Trade Show Displays Graphic Design, Logos & More MBE/DBE Certified Woman-Owned Business

1868 – Hampton University is founded during Reconstruction in Hampton, Virginia. The school is now one of the leading Black educational institutions in America.

1950 – Surgeon Charles Drew dies at 45 in an automobile accident near Burlington, North Carolina.

Drew developed the concept of a blood bank for storing large amounts of plasma. Anyone who has ever received a blood transfusion is indebted to Drew. He had dedicated his life to ensuring that increased scientific knowledge actually led to the betterment of human life. One of his most frequently repeated quotes: “There must always be the continuing struggle to make the increasing knowledge of the world bear fruit in [the form of] increased understanding and the production of human happiness.”

APRIL 2

1855 – John Mercer Langston, considered the first African-American to be elected to public office, is elected clerk of Brownhelm, Ohio town ship.

1932 – World-famous African-American cowboy Willie “Bill” Pickett died in Ponca, Oklahoma, of injuries sustained after he was kicked in the head by a horse on the Miller Brothers’ Fabulous 101 Ranch.

1939 – Marvin Gaye is born in Washington, D.C. He signs with Detroit’s Motown Records in 1962 and

Stacey Brown

“Chief Image Builder”

goes on to become one of the leading R&B male vocalists of the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s with hits ranging from the socially conscious “What’s Going On” to the sexy “Let’s Get It On.” Gaye was shot to death by his father during an argument in 1984.

APRIL 3

1888 – Ma Rainey (Gertrude Bridget) was born on this date in 1888. Known as the “Mother of the Blues,” Rainey made first recording in 1923.

1962 – In retaliation against a Black boycott of downtown stores, the Birmingham, Alabama, City Commission voted not to pay the city’s $45,000 share of a $100,000 county program that supplied surplus food to the needy. More than 90 percent of the recipients of aid were Black. When the NAACP protested the commission’s decision, Birmingham Mayor Arthur J. Hanes dismissed the complaint as a “typical reaction from New York Socialist radicals.”

APRIL 4

1915 – Muddy Walters is born McKinley Morganfield in Rolling Fork, Mississippi. Walters would go on to become one of the primary shapers of that genre of music known as the blues. Indeed, he was easily one of the most influential musicians of the first half of the 20th century.

1928 – Poet Maya Angelou is born Marguerite Johnson in St. Louis. Angelou now ranks as one of the greatest poets in America. But her talents have also been expressed as a playwright, author, producer, historian and civil rights activist.

1968 – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is assassinated while standing on a hotel balcony in Memphis. Urban rebellions break out in over 100 U.S. cities, and at least 50 people are killed as more than 20,000 federal troops and 34,000 National Guardsmen are mobilized to put down the disturbances.

APRIL 5

stacey@signarama-silverspring.com

1976 – The infamous COINTELPRO documents are released. In response to an accidental discovery at a warehouse and a freedom of information lawsuit, the FBI is forced to release documents detailing an intensive and extensive campaign to disrupt and destroy civil rights and anti-war organizations and their leaders.

1990 – Jazz great Sarah Vaughan dies. Vaughn was born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1924 and went on to become what many considered “the world’s greatest singing talent.”

BUYING RECORDS

APRIL 6 Buying Vinyl Records from 1950 to 1986, Jazz, Rock-n-Roll, R&B, Disco, Soul, Reggae, Blues, Gospel, and record format 33 1/3, 45s, and some of the older 78s.

Prefer larger collections of at least 100.

CALL JOHN @ 301-596-6201 6 MAR. 31 - APRIL 6, 2016

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Sarah Vaughn

1798 – One of the nation’s most famous and accomplished early Black pioneers, James Beckwourth, is born. The product of a White slave owner and a Black slave mother, Beckwourth acquired his freedom and became a successful fur trader. In 1824, he joined the Crow Indian nation and married a Crow woman. He would later move West, where he discovered an important passageway through the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. The passage was named “Beckwourth Pass” after him. WI

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Interviews and Photos by Rachel Sudduth

DID THE 24-HOUR SHUTDOWN OF METRO RAIL SERVICE IMPACT YOUR LIFE? KARIN BROWN

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND

No, I wasn’t in town. When it did shutdown, I wasn’t here. I usually don’t take the Metro anyway; I drive.

KIMBERLY THEVENIN HYATTSVILLE, MARYLAND

Yes, it definitely did! I’m a regular Metro rider and I hadn’t budgeted for the month to have to use another way of transportation to get to where I needed to be due to the unexpected inconvenience. They should’ve given an earlier notice about the shutdown.

AROUND THE REGION

FINAL PITCH

The Reality PITCH Competition

By Inez Kelley CEO; Kelley Media Marketing, Inc. www.finalpitchtv.com

It’s Complicated; Bake A Cake…

I can remember as a child somewhere around ten years of age, deciding to experiment with baking a cake from scratch. I’m not sure what motivated me to reach into the cabinet filled with my mother’s supplies, but this one afternoon I gathered the flour, baking soda, eggs, milk, vanilla flavoring etc, all the ingredients that would assure the proper rise and consistency for the perfect baking experience. As stories go, the result though you may think turned out to be a total disaster, was to the contrary. My very first experience at baking a cake turned out absolutely perfect!

The Maraschino Cherry cake was moist and full of flavor, marking my first caking baking experience a success.

Mom, I believe was just happy that she did not have to ‘strangle’ me for ‘wasting her ingredients’. My Dad tasted a slice and asked for another, that was a moment…I felt a huge sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. I set my mind on a project, went about collecting the necessary ingredients, and followed the recipe for the desired outcome.

Returning to the basics when things get complicated is sometimes all that’s required. Remembering the simple ingredients that make life perfect, that fill us with a sense of accomplishment will help us to reset and renew our purpose.

I’ve baked that Maraschino Cherry cake for what seemed like a million times; my Dad loved it. Since that day,, other flavors have taken its place, German chocolate, orange, lemon and for each of my three sons; strawberry; key-lime and apple pie. But today it’s Maraschino Cherry, and like many years ago, I’m not exactly sure why but like that ten year old girl I’m motivated and unafraid, only today its experience not an experiment, and the expected results …

Learn more @ FINAL PITCH Inter Active Workshop Coming March 2016 SUCCESS TRAJECTORY 2016!

For More Information Email: vaumediagroup@gmail.com

LEKESHA BROWN WASHINGTON D.C.

Yes, it was a little bit more traffic that day.

The evening rush was a little bit heavier than the morning rush. I was prepared; my job sent an email telling us to plan accordingly.

KIANA BALLENGER WASHINGTON, D.C.

No, it didn’t affect my life but it did impact the lives of several of my coworkers at the Department of Homeland Security.

They sent me an email telling us about the shutdown.

LOREN HARVEY

HYATTSVILLE, MARYLAND

Not really. It didn’t affect me because I don’t ride the Metro that frequently. I didn’t know about it before it happened at all. I normally take a shuttle to Howard or an Uber or Lyft.

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MAR. 31 - APRIL 6, 2016 7

AROUND THE REGION

Howard Responds to Complacency Claims You Can Say It Like A Pro! Mandatory Student Employee Criminal Checks in Effect Let us help you develop the communication skills to compete and win!

■ Executive Presentation Coaching ■ Media Training ■ Image Branding Photo /w Dennis : Sade

■ On-Camera Coaching Doris McMillon President

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Denise Rolark Barnes Independent Beauty Consultant www.marykay/drolark-barnes.com 202-236-8831

By Sarafina Wright WI Staff Writer Two female students recently blasted Howard University on Twitter for its perceived lack of support after they told campus police a resident assistant sexually assaulted them.

After the tweeted stories went viral, the university released a statement on Tuesday, March 22, saying it takes sexual assault very seriously.

“There has been an allegation of sexual assault committed by a Howard University student against another Howard student.”

“The University administration is aware of the allegation and took immediate action as soon as we learned of this matter. Several tweets were posted today about the incident.”

“While we are not able to discuss the specifics of any ongoing investigation, we are and have been actively investigating all reports that have been made to us. These cases cannot be adjudicated through social media without compromising the integrity of the investigation.”

The university stated as part of its commitment to a safe campus environment, it continues to refine and enhance their Title IX protocols and procedures consistent with best practices and federal regulations.

Following the allegations on social media several students gathered on the campus of the university to protest under the hashtag ‘TakeBackHU.’ The protest culminated at the administration building where they made their list of demands.

Demands and Response The first demand was that all sexual assault allegations be thoroughly

5More than 100 Howard University students gathered Tuesday, March 22 to protest the university’s handling of investigations into two allegations of rape. / Photo courtesy of WUSA9

investigated.

The university responded that it considers violence serious and investigates all allegations promptly and thoroughly.

The second demand was that the alleged attacker be removed from Howard University altogether until the investigation’s conclusion.

They responded the respondent cannot be disciplined until he or she has been found responsible for a violation; however, the university may and does take action to protect the complainant and the university community as well as provide accommodations for the complainant and the accused.

The third demand is that no assault victims be removed from the university as a result of accusations.

They responded victims are not removed from Howard University as a result of accusations and this can be found in the Title IX policy.

The fourth demand was that if

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any residence life employee is notified of assault allegations, they must report it to Howard University campus police and D.C. Metropolitan Police immediately.

They responded that responsible employees, which include residence life employees, are required to notify Title IX and in an emergency contact campus police or MPD. However, using a survivor-centered approach, the survivor determines if MPD is contacted and a report is filed.

The fifth demand was that all victims of assault must be directed to the Howard University Counseling Center in order to receive effective counseling on how to handle assault.

They responded students are directed to resources on and off campus which includes the campus advocate, counseling services, accommodations and other services reflected in the Howard University Resource and Referral Options One-Pager.

The sixth demand was that an official background check of all Howard University residence life employees must be conducted before being hired.

They responded that currently student employees of the university are not required to undergo a criminal history check. Effective immediately, all student employees will be required to undergo a criminal history check.

The last demand was that a representative of the survivor must be present at all conversations or hearings held in relation to the assault with Howard University affiliates.

On Thursday, March 24, WUSA9 reported that the U.S. attorney’s office declined to file charges against the accused in one of the cases.

His name appears on documents related to two of the alleged allegations a MPD source confirmed.

The accused remains a student but no longer a resident assistant. WI

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AROUND THE REGION

5A student journalist interviews MC Lyte about the National Newspaper Publishers Association’s new “Discover The Unexpected” journalism fellowship program sponsored

by Chevrolet at Howard University. / Photo: Freddie Allen/AMG/NNPA

INTERNS from Page 1 ple to be unique and to stand up for what they believed in. The hip-hop icon, who is known for her storytelling prowess, said that she wanted the journalism students to have the opportunity to tell stories that mattered and that have the capacity to change lives.

Denise Rolark Barnes, the chairwoman of the NNPA and the publisher of the Washington Informer, said that student journalists who work at Black newspapers get a global experience because the needs are often greater and the expectations are higher.

“We don’t have beats,” said Barnes. “Today you can be covering a student who’s won a [Bill and Me-

linda Gates Foundation] scholarship at one of the local high schools, tomorrow you might be at the White House covering an event for First Lady Michelle Obama’s ‘Let’s Move’ campaign. The next day you might be on [Capitol Hill] covering a congressional hearing.”

Barnes continued: “The collaboration between the NNPA, General Motors and Howard University provides the perfect environment for students to discover these opportunities.”

Francina Akuazaoku, a senior television production major at Howard University from Washington, D.C. said that she was shocked when MC Lyte walked into her classroom to announce the new venture.

Akuazaoku, who grew up in the

nation’s capital said, that if she were selected, she would use the experience to help her community and future generations.

Dr. Benjamin Chavis, Jr., NNPA president and CEO, said that the practical experience that the students will gain from the DTU program will be invaluable in helping them get to the next level after they graduate.

“These experiences are going to be unique,” Chavis said. “The Black Press is the trusted voice of Black America. When the students file their stories, they do it within the context of that trusted relationship.

This program is going to give the students a foundation that they will use for the rest of their careers.”

Hiram Jackson, the publisher of the Michigan Chronicle, agreed.

In an e-mail to the NNPA News Wire, Jackson said that he wants the student journalism fellows to learn the importance of being accurate, fair and unbiased and that he hoped that the program would help to build a foundation of core journalism principles that will stay with them throughout their careers.

Chevrolet’s Diversity Marketing Manager Michelle Matthews-Alexander said that the auto company recognizes the important role that the School of Communications at How-

ard University plays in producing the next generation of journalism leaders.

Matthews-Alexander added that it was truly exciting for “[Chevrolet] to be able to partner with the NNPA and Howard University to create this program to help students think about,” the possibilities for their future.

Gracie Lawson-Borders, the dean of the School of Communications at Howard University thanked the NNPA and General Motors for launching the fellowship program at the school and said that it is a wonderful opportunity for all communication students, “to prepare for the next journey in their lives.”

She said that the experience will open the doors to new pathways of opportunity for student journalists and communicators in a 24-7 digital environment and that the stories that the students will report on from Washington, D.C. to Atlanta, to Chicago, to Detroit “will provide insight into the lived experiences of the people in those communities working, living, and acting to make their lives better.”

The NNPA member publishers who are participating in the DTU program this year also expressed their support of the program and the long-standing partnership between the NNPA and General Motors.

In an e-mail to the NNPA News Wire, Janis Ware, the publisher of the Atlanta Voice said that she hopes that the student fellows who work at the Voice learn the importance of the Black Press and the critical role that African American newspapers play in reporting, documenting and recording the everyday events of the Black community for future generations.

“The Atlanta Voice is unique in that we are in a city that has African Americans in leadership positions in all walks of life, including business, politics, education, music, entertainment and much more,” said Ware.

“We will provide opportunities for the students to meet with some of these leaders and gather information for the purpose of sharing their stories with our readers.”

Ware said that the partnership between General Motors and the NNPA provides both parties the opportunity to expose a younger audience to their brands, using the Black Press as a valuable and viable vehicle to do so.

Ware continued: “We can evolve together. It’s a win-win for everybody.”

For more information about the “Discover The Unexpected” journalism fellowship program, visit www.

NNPA.org/dtu. WI

An honest leader with the courage to take on powerful interests and fight for justice Bernie: A Lifetime Leader Bernie has fought for civil rights his whole life. He has one of the strongest civil rights voting records in Congress.

From marching with Dr. King to proclaiming that Black Lives Matter, Bernie has a long history of standing with the community. He fights for what is right and has the courage to stand up to injustices—then and now. He is against the death penalty, and has fought his whole life to uplift struggling families and communities. Bernie is a leader who will continue to fight for equality, opportunity, and the protection of our rights.

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Bernie Will Fight For Us Fight for us, not the billionaire class.

Fight for a $15/ hour minimum wage.

Fight for free tuition at public universities.

Fight to fix the broken criminal justice system.

Fight to increase opportunities for minority owned businesses Fight to reform our police departments.

Fight to end mass incarcerations.

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fifteen dollars by 2020!”

Bowser said the District will answer President Obama’s call to raise the minimum wage.

“Cities and states across the country are proving that decent wages and strong business climates are not mutually exclusive. We are Washington, D.C., and we can do it, too,” she said.

She also claims that she will assemble a task force of leaders, workers, organized labor and businesses with a simple task to make sure they are creating a worker and business friendly environment to maintain regional competitiveness.

They will only have six months to do so.

“From paid family leave, to identifying new ways to help our residents start small businesses – the task force will present a report that recommends what we can do to stay competitive and continue to prosper,” Bowser said.

Executive Director Delvone Michael of DC Working Families asserts that the hard work of his organization has finally paid off.

“I’m glad to see that after months of pressure from our coalition, the mayor has come to see that the struggle of D.C. workers is very real,” Michael said. “D.C. is the greatest city in the world and the capital of our nation – it should never be the capital of inequality.”

“We are more than happy to work with the mayor and the council to make $15 for D.C. a reality,” he said. “However, the efforts to advance our ballot measure will continue until the mayor and the council have made good on her promise.”

The “Fight for $15” has made headlines nationally as

5Mayor Muriel Bowser calls for an increase of the minimum wage to $15 during her 2016 State of the District address Tuesday, March 22 at Arena Stage in Southwest. / Photo by Patricia Little fast food and service workers around the country striked and protested for what they deem a living wage.

Cities like Seattle and San Francisco have passed laws that will gradually increase the minimum wage over the next few years. Mayor Bowser wants the District to join in.

“I welcome the council to join us in that deliberation.

But the raise cannot wait, and

I ask the council for swift consideration in our fight to make sure that more families, more workers, can earn a decent wage, so they can afford that housing we are creating,” Bowser said.

“So that when their time on TANF [Temporary Cash Assistance for Needy Families] has ended, they can afford to stay in the District of Columbia.” WI

WORDS TO LIVE BY Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

“For years now I have heard the word ‘wait!’ It rings in the ear of every Negro with a piercing familiarity. This ‘wait’ has almost always meant ‘never.’ Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.”

10 MAR. 31 - APRIL 6, 2016

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

“Letter from Birmingham City Jail, 1963 “

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AROUND THE REGION

5White House correspondent for American Urban Radio Network, April

Ryan, moderates a panel discussion entitled “From Reentry to Financial Stability: A Discussion of Pathways to Success” at the National Urban League Washington Bureau on Tuesday, March 29 in Northwest. Participating panelists (l-r) Kerry Sullivan, David Shapiro, Broderikc Johnson, Shari Runner, Lexer Quamie, and Cy Richardson. / Photo by Shevry Lassiter

REENTRY from Page 1 pathways to financial stability and success.

April Ryan, White House correspondent for American Urban Radio Networks, moderated the event, held on Tuesday, March 29 at the National Urban League [NUL] Washington Bureau in Northwest.

The two-hour discussion attracted an audience of close to 100 from across the Greater Washington Area at the event which serves as part of a series leading up to the NUL’s annual report on the “State of Black America.”

Participants included: Broderick Johnson, assistant to the president and chair of the My Brother’s Keeper Task Force, The White House; David Shapiro, CEO of MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership; Kerry Sullivan, president, Bank of America Charitable Foundation; Cy Richardson, senior vice president, Economics and Housing Programs, NUL; Shari Runner, president and CEO, Chicago Urban League; and Lexer Quamie, senior attorney, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission [EEOC].

Here are a few of their perspectives.

Sullivan: “Anyone with barriers to reentering society needs to be reintroduced to the work force and that also means having mentors in place to assist them in that process. As a returning citizen, some states deny them the right to vote. That, along with limited access to housing and capital, makes it even harder to achieve success. We’re trying to figure out new ways to help those returning to their communities after serving their time – some, we believe, have the makings of outstanding entrepreneurs. We have to think

outside of the box.”

Quamie: “It’s not just advocating a policy of ‘ban the box.’

We’ve got to be advocates for ‘beyond the box.’ The EEOC has a revised enforcement guidance on the consideration of arrest and conviction records in employment decisions under Title VII. Some 92 percent of employers still conduct background checks for potential employees. But that should not be used as a blanket exclusion. It’s important to look at the context, the age of the individual and when the crime was committed. We’re working toward removing the stigma that’s associated with being a returning citizen while also creating a more holistic approach.”

Runner: “Chicago is the nation’s third-most segregated city in the U.S. In our city, like in many other urban settings, intergenerational poverty and the so called school-to-prison pipeline disproportionately impacts people of color. We must find ways to train, mentor and secure employment for our youth. One statistic says that 80 percent of youth 16 to 19 are unemployed. Many of them have never held a job before. They don’t have a driver’s license. They lack the skills needed to become gainfully employed in the 21st century. And some have mental illnesses that require medical attention. It’s no longer enough to train people for minimum wage jobs when the high tech industry has 500,000-plus jobs that remain unfilled each year because employers can’t find people with the required skill set.”

Johnson agreed.

“We’ve seen Secretary of Transportation Foxx attempt to use the $2 billion in his budget to help shape and address how our country will move forward,” Johnson

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said. “Technology and training in related industries must be part of that equation. Over the past decade, much has been said about the digital divide. That’s why programs like ‘My Brother’s Keeper,’ to which President Obama remains totally committed, are making a difference. The support that participants receive help them be better prepared and more highly motivated to get their lives on track.”

Quamie added that in order to assist returning citizens secure employment, employees should focus on three things: training, inclusion, that is, eliminating the blanket exclusion which they more routinely face, and developing policies of employment requirements more narrowly tailored to the needs of each business.

Finally, Richardson noted that the school-to-prison pipeline conundrum does not occur in a vacuum.

“It happens in real places and impacts real people,” he said. “Remember that when men and women are released from prison, they’re sent back to their former communities. I believe they could avoid another stint behind bars if more services were provided for them.”

Author Steve Phillips in his recently-published book “Brown is the New White,” says because many people live with the fear of violence and being victimized, including by people in their own community, and including both children and business owners, that a progressive policy platform must acknowledge and address this reality.

“Solutions to our crime and safety crisis are closely connected to the imperatives to advance economic justice and educational excellence,” he writes. “Lack of good jobs and economic opportunity result in a larger pool of people who may fall into criminal behavior or lifestyles. The failures of underfunded, ineffective and uncaring public schools push too many young people out of the education system and into the school-to-prison pipeline. An estimated 80 percent of people in prison are high school dropouts.”

“In the U.S., we have more than 2 million people locked up.

Why can’t we offer college-level education in prisons since doing so has shown to bring recidivism rates close to zero? We can and must do better for our returning citizens and our youth. And remember, those in prison have a potentially large criminal justice reform constituency of their family and friends,” he added. WI

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MAR. 31 - APRIL 6, 2016 11

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

Thousands Pay Respects to Slain Officer

By William J. Ford WI Staff Writer @jabariwill

Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker III said the late Officer Jacai Colson dedicated his life to protect his fellow officers and the county during a shootout March 13 at the District 3 Landover police station.

Although FOP President John Teletchea said the incident “was one of the darkest days in Prince George’s County,” he asked that Colson be remembered as an angel and a symbol of compassion.

Dozens of others gave remarks Friday, March 25, at the funeral service to honor the 28-year-old undercover narcotics detective – badge number 3693 – with the “infectious smile,” an avid Philadelphia Eagles fan and dancer at family cookouts.

“He looked up to us, but what he did not know, I’m here to say

publicly, we looked up to him, said Colson’s older cousin Robert Frost Jr. “He made me get my life together. Rest easy 3693. We got it from here, bruh.”

The biggest ovation from those inside the nearly standing-room-only sanctuary at First Baptist Church in Glenarden came when Colson’s mother, father and younger brother, dressed in matching gray suits, came to the podium.

Sheila Colson, who gave her last kiss to her oldest son before the casket closed and the flag covered it, said her son being born three months early made him a fighter.

“He fought to get here and he fought going out,” she said. “I just want to thank everybody for their love and their praise. My baby is at peace.”

Thousands of officers from New York to Virginia honored Colson in police cruisers and on motorcycles with flashing lights to showcase a hero’s sendoff.

After the funeral, officers wearing shades of blue and brown stood in unison and gave a final salute to Colson being placed inside the hearse.

College Football Hall of Famer and former NFL player Billy “White Shoes” Johnson, who graduated from the same high school as Jacai Colson, attended the service.

He said he trained Colson and his younger brother, Jurea, as youngsters.

Several elected officials attended that included Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan.

Hogan, who bowed his head at the casket before he spoke, said Colson’s death reminded him of recent tragedies of officers killed in the line of duty this year. Two sheriff deputies from Harford County got fatally shot Feb. 10 and an officer in Prince William County, Virginia, died Feb. 27 after her first day on the street.

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5Prince George’s County Police officers carry the coffin of slain Police Officer Jacai Colson after the funeral service Friday, March 25 at First Baptist Church of Glenarden in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. / Photo by Travis Riddick son. May God bless his family and all of those who loved him,” he said. “May God continue to bless all of the members of our dedicated law enforcement family and the great state of Maryland.”

Police have determined Colson, who wore plainclothes during the gun battle at the police station, got shot by a fellow officer after being mistaken as a threat.

Authorities said Michael DeAndre Ford, 22, who instigated the shootout and was also wounded, has been charged with second degree-murder and other offenses and remains in jail. Ford’s two brothers, who filmed the gun battle and failed to stop him, are also in jail.

Sharon Gardner of Bowie, whose husband came out of retirement as an officer to rejoin the Metropolitan Police Department, said the Colson incident could have been avoided with more training. She declined to say specifically what training her husband receives in the District.

“I came to pay my respect for this young man. I went to many funerals but this one is really sad,” she said Friday as a tear slowly streaked down her face. “My husband was shot by friendly fire. If it was not for the training that the Washington Metropolitan Police Department provides for their officers, he would not be here today.”

‘HE WAS A FRIEND’

Jacai David Colson’s obituary details his willingness to help others, such as his first job as a counselor at age 14.

He received accolades as a football player scoring five touchdowns in one game, second vice-president in his junior class and voted “best smile” at Chichester High School in Boothwyn, Pennsylvania.

After graduating high school in 2004, he attended and completed his studies at Randolph-Macon

College in Ashland, Virginia. Afterward, he worked as a procare specialist with Stryker Endoscopy, a medical technology company, at the Washington Hospital Center in Northwest.

He consulted with parents and followed his grandfather’s footsteps into law enforcement and graduated from the Prince George’s Police Academy in October 2012.

Colson has made friends ever since in the county Police Department such as Lt. James Dyson, who works in the narcotics division and talked about a recent trip to New Orleans.

“Sometimes you scratch your head that he might do something silly, (but) you can’t be made at him because he had this infectious smile,” Dyson said during a public viewing Thursday, March 24 outside Borgwardts Funeral Home in Beltsville. “He wasn’t just a co-worker, he was a friend.”

Besides members of law enforcement from Prince George’s, the Maryland State Park Police and Harford County Sheriff Office attending the viewing, residents also came to offer their condolences.

“I didn’t know (Colson). I was in public safety for a long time. I always pay my respect,” said Elliott Richardson of Randallstown, Maryland, and a retired Howard County firefighter.

Colson’s high school classmate, Desai Langley, encouraged the nearly 4,000 people, with the majority being law enforcement, to follow his friend’s spirit to love everyone.

“Let’s stop the separation and bring us all together … because all lives matter, especially American lives,” he said at Friday’s service to a rousing applause.

The interment for Colson happened Monday, March 28, at Lawn Croft Cemetery in Linwood, Pennsylvania. WI

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PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

Agency Director Fights Domestic Violence

5Sophie Ford, executive director of the Family Crisis Center of Prince George’s County, explains some of the center’s

services such as its Abuser Intervention Program at her office in Brentwood on March 23. The center will also host its first annual 5K Run/Walk to End Domestic Violence on April 9. / Photo by William J. Ford

By William J. Ford WI Staff Writer @jabariwill Inside Sophie Ford’s office at the Family Crisis Center of Prince George’s County in Brentwood are various phrases she tries to follow daily, but one word encased in a tan picture frame symbolizes her work: inspire.

A domestic violence advocate and social worker for nearly 20 years, she oversees a myriad of cases that involve men and women in verbally and physically abusive relationships. She spoke at a vigil earlier this month for Jalisa Walls-Harris, 22, of Bowie, and Tareeka Jones, 26, of Cheverly, who both got shot and killed March 7 by Jones’ boyfriend Kevin Tyrice Reynolds, 30, of District Heights, who later took his own life in Hanover County, Virginia.

More than a half-dozen domestic-related deaths have occurred in the county this year.

“It’s speechless. You can’t take it personally, but I do. I look at those stories and I’m like, ‘Call us!’”

Ford, the center’s executive director for 15 months, said Wednesday, March 23. “Why do we appear to be struggling with this in a way that many others are not?

I still struggle to understand why and it is a definite challenge.”

Ford remains optimistic in finding solutions to curb the violence through the center’s programs and services, especially being the only

agency in the county that provides up to three months of temporary housing for those abused. According to the center’s demographic data, 84 percent of the clients housed at the shelter so far this year are Black, compared to 77 percent last year.

“We have 57 beds in a county of 900,000 people,” Ford said. “Unfortunately, we have to send people outside the county who may need living assistance. We try to help as many people as we can.”

IDEAS TO STOP THE VIOLENCE

According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, one in three women and one in four men have experienced physical violence with an intimate partner in their lifetime.

Maryland’s 2014 Uniform Crime Report has Prince George’s ranked fifth with nearly 2,100 domestic violence cases reported, versus 2,489 in 2013 and fourth in the state. Sixty-seven homicides occurred statewide through domestic violence, compared to 54 in 2013, the report states.

Earlier this month, Delegate Angela Angel (D-District 25) of Upper Marlboro presented a bill in Annapolis to expand the definition of “abuse” to include harassment and malicious destruction of property.

State Sen. C. Anthony Muse (D-District 26) of Fort Washington introduced a bill March

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23 to create a domestic violence prevention task force named after NeShanté Davis and her two-yearold daughter, Chloe Nichole Davis-Green.

Davis, 26, of Fort Washington, and her daughter were shot and killed Feb. 2 by the child’s father, Daron Maurice Boswell-Johnson, 25, allegedly over child support.

Boswell-Johnson remains in county jail and could be possibly indicted within 30 days of March 2, the day his preliminary hearing got waived to proceed with his case.

Ford said the center supports both bills and state officials can contact her for any advice.

“Reach out to grassroots organi-

zations like the Family Crisis Center and others who have the boots on the ground,” she said. “We can offer any help because we deal with it on a daily basis.”

Although most people are sympathetic to those being abused, the center also seeks to help the abusers.

Mental health treatment can be received through a 26-week Abuser Intervention Program that goes intense through therapy, mediation and group counseling that deals with a person’s family history through violence by a parent, sibling, or others.

The session called the abuser intervention program does require a fee and more than 90 percent of those involved are referred by the court system.

Family Crisis Center remains one of four agencies in the county accredited that work directly with men and women who verbally or physically abused their spouse, significant other, family member, or others.

“With proper education, these individuals can discuss and talk about certain information… in making that individual see that (his/her) behavior can be channeled in a more positive light,” said Patrick Crawford, who manages the intervention program and has his own social work practice in Cheverly. “This is all about having healthy individuals.”

FUTURE PLANS

Because the center’s a nonprofit organization, it needs money.

So the center will host its first annual 5K run/walk April 9 at the Tucker Road Community Center in Fort Washington. All proceeds will help expand security and programming for families residing at the cen-

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

ter’s safe house.

County Executive Rushern L. Baker III requested $1 million be used to combat domestic violence in the proposed $3.7 billion fiscal year 2017 budget.

If County Council approves the budget with that line item

by June 1, one part of the plan would be setting up offices at various apartment complexes to provide residents with information on mental health and jobs.

Ford hopes resources are spread throughout her native Prince George’s, even at affluent neighborhoods in Bowie and Largo.

Educating victims and abusers rests as the center nucleus for Ford, who graduated from Central High School in Capitol Heights in 1992. Four years later, she received a bachelor’s degree in history from North Carolina Central in Durham, North Carolina. She stayed in the state and received a master’s degree in counseling from North Carolina Agriculture and Technical State University in Greensboro.

She reminds those willing to listen to remove the stigma on what an abused person looks like.

“We had an Indian woman come in and she gets beat several times a week and she has a 6-year-old child who witnesses this all the time,” said Ford, who has a four-year-old daughter.

“In her culture, she is told she married him and to stick it out.

Domestic violence can happen to anyone.”

For more information about the center, go to http://familycrisiscenter-pgco.org/.

WI

MAR. 31 - APRIL 6, 2016 13

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tional consumption practices toward Blacks’ development.

Enlightened Blacks have to move beyond the catchy t-shirts and signs from the ’90s that said, “It’s a Black Thing, You Wouldn’t Understand?” That line is a built-in excuse for the stuff we do that White, nor any other group, understand or emulate. For example, as a major demographic and participants in America’s capitalistic economy, Blacks spend less money in Black-owned businesses than other racial and ethnic groups spend in businesses owned by members of their groups, yet most Blacks see nothing wrong with their practices.

Blacks’ overall status illustrates the naiveté of our approach to economics. Until Blacks do as Whites, Jews and Asians do routinely we will remain economic eunuchs.

Blacks’ annual buying power is $1.3 trillion, yet only a tiny fraction of that money is spent at Black-owned businesses. While other ethnic groups circulate dollars multiple times among themselves, today’s Black Americans have an aversion to putting money in other African-Americans’ hands. In the critical area of banking, African-Americans deposit approximately 0.43 percent of their $1.1 trillion buying power in Black banks.

All across America, and American cultures, community and collective banking is defined as “something to count on.”

Should Black people go out of their way to patronize Black-owned business? In order to get change, we have to make changes in our existing economic procedures. Unless Blacks devote more toward building wealth where we live, we will always be at the back of the pack. It’s as if Blacks know little of how capitalistic culture and communities work. Blacks demonstrate en masse that they know little about the role circulating money plays toward economic empowerment.

Blacks will continue to be “America’s worse off group” grow if we don’t change how we practice economics and finance. Ethics and ethos regarding self-reliance has dwindled among Blacks.

But, “no one can save us, but us.” Too many Blacks have gone “post-racial” in acts that should be fundamental in our own economics. It’s as if Blacks don’t realize that a bank is a community’s most important institution. A bank is a stabilizing force in the community it serves. It loans money to small businesses to help them expand and create jobs. It assists religious and community organizations in their pur-

REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS FLOOR TILE AND CARPET REPLACEMENT Two Rivers PCS invites all interested and qualified general contractors/flooring companies to submit proposals to provide PVC-Free floor tiling and carpet replacement of an existing school building. Proposals are due no later than noon on April 18, 2016. The RFP with bidding requirements can be obtained by contacting Gail Williams via email procurement@tworiverspcs.org.

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suits. Banks help individuals to become homeowners and them make repairs and additions to properties. The bank does this because it gets the money it uses to make a profit from the community it’s located in. This is how it works in every community except the Black community. Across America there are 21 Black-owned banks with assets totaling approximately $4.7 billion or approximately 0.43 percent of Blacks’ $1.1 trillion annual buying power. Asian-Americans are 5.6 percent of the nation’s population, yet have ten times the banks Blacks do.

Blacks have a long way to go to economic parity. Blacks make 61 percent of Whites’ median family income. But Blacks are our own worst enemy. If you just attribute the disparity to American racism, you’d be overlooking our part in the problem. To be economically relevant in America, more African-Americans have to initiate talk to and among African-Americans about increasing wealth. A million and half jobs could be created where we live if higher-income Black households spent only $1 of every $10 at Black-owned stores and enterprises. To correct dysfunctional practices, Blacks have to “Bank Black” and put more assets and financial resources where we live. Then African-Americans need to make commitments to empower Blacks by buying goods from Blacks’ businesses, take conscious actions that infuse capital in targeted enterprises that can increase the availability of money, sustainable jobs and career opportunities where we live, be a hub for dialog and action toward economic empowerment and patronize advertisers that promote products in Black print and broadcast media. WI William Reed is publisher WIof “Who’s Who in Black Corporate America” and is available for projects via busxchng@his.com.

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BUSINESS

H Street Black Businesses: A Tale of Two Proportions

Digital World Driving Innovative Vehicle-for-Hire Services District of Columbia leading the way in leveraging new technologies

5Carolyn Thomas, owner of The C.A.T. Walk Boutique on H Street in NE. / Photo by Howard University News Service

By Kandace Brown Howard University News Service Amid the expensive new condominiums, busy upscale bars and restaurants and the city’s only streetcar, Black entrepreneurs on the once riot-torn H Street in Northeast Washington are working hard to cash in on the community’s new prosperity and changing landscape.

For some, business is booming. Others are struggling to stay afloat.

Halftime Sports Bar, which has only been open for a year, is doing very well, said owner Kim Falwell.

“Right now it is busy with March Madness. When it’s cold, we are busy with football.”

On the other hand, Carolyn Thomas, owner of The C.A.T. Walk Boutique, said business is rough.

“The place isn’t paying for itself,” Thomas said. “I work for the federal government, and if I didn’t, this shop would not be here.”

When Thomas first decided to open a store, a good friend recommended H Street, but she was skeptical because she knew how the area once was.

“There was tons of crime and drugs,” she said. “When I would ride the bus through here, I used to be scared and jump to the other side of the bus. Now, the neighborhood has changed so much.”

Despite her skepticism, she opened her store on H Street.

So far, she said, it has not; there just are not enough people

are coming in.

Thomas said after talking with a White friend, who also owns a business, she came upon an idea to increase sales.

“I really think a White presence in here would help too,” she said.

Coincidentally, her friend, who owns a business in another part of the city, said she thought she needed a “Black presence” in her store.

Thomas also said she thinks the street needs more retail stores along the corridor to attract a larger audience.

“So many people are so focused on going to get those drinks and head to the bar, they aren’t coming in the stores,” she said.

Moe Abdi, owner of Eurostyles, a clothing store, echoed Thomas’ thoughts.

“There are too many bars here,” said Abdi, who opened his store in 2004. “Sure, the bars are good for people in the neighborhoods, but not for business owners like me.”

Abdi also opened his store because he heard H Street was up and coming.

He said he is still waiting.

“During the daytime, it is dead here, but it gets lively after 6 p.m.,” he said. “But when it does get lively, people are only coming to drink and eat, not shop.”

Bar and restaurant owner Falwell agrees with Abdi’s and Thomas’ assessment.

“H Street is just not good for shopping,” she said. “H Street is

Submitted by DC Taxi cab Commission Today’s connected consumers demand choice, convenience and positive user experiences. These preferences are rapidly causing industries and businesses to rethink their models. In the vehicle-for-hire sector, for instance, the transformation had led to sweeping change in cities across America.

Taxi hails are not the only game in town anymore. New on demand services triggered by the availability of apps and fast, reliable service options are rising. Taxicab companies and independent vehicle-for-hire drivers are adjusting to the sea change.

The District of Columbia Taxicab Commission (DCTC) is an example of a local urban transportation agency that understands the new digital environment and is helping vehicle-for-hire companies and independent drivers to leverage rapidly evolving technologies. DCTC is focused on providing high-quality service, improving safety, increasing options for accessibility and revising regulations to be more responsive to the industry circumstances of today and in the future.

“We began our modernization by listening carefully to what consumers, drivers, and companies are saying,” said DCTC Chairman Ernest Chrappah. “The feedback provided a framework for making improvements that we have achieved in recent months.”

IMPROVING CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

To improve customer experiences, DCTC streamlined the public complaint business process to resolve issues in 30 days or less. The new DC Taxi App in public beta allows customers to hail available taxis or wheel chair accessible vehicles and pay with cash or credit cards. One project in the pilot stage includes digital meters to replace the legacy taximeter and provide seamless transactions for customers.

Yet another project is the implementation of application program interfaces (APIs) to enable taxis and others to tap into expanded economic opportunities and enhance passenger experiences. An open API portal where third party developers can securely access a vast network of drivers and vehicles is an incentive to build new services for their apps or integrate taxis into their services.

INCREASING ACCESSIBILITY

DCTC increased wheel chair accessible vehicles to more than 150 – exceeding the 2014 mandate.

The District’s fleet now has one of the highest ratios of wheel chair accessible vehicles to total population among major U.S. cities. Taxis completed 88,401 paratransit trips in 2015 – saving the District nearly $1.4 million in subsidies and reducing transportation inequities for thousands of DC residents.

EXPANDING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES

Other achievements include implementing grant programs that provided more than $600,000 to independent taxicab owners and companies to obtain wheelchair accessible vehicles, electric vehicles and implement a neighborhood van service. Workshops have been conducted for businesses that offer digital dispatch, including Uber, Lyft, Split, and Wheelz to learn more about agency regulations while sharing insight to their business models and operations. DCTC is also considering a new X-Class – a transportation service with zero upfront application fees for drivers, expedited licensing, the use of personal vehicles and low equipment costs.

CHANGING FAIR AND TRANSPARENT REGULATIONS

In 2015, DCTC adopted regulations to reduce fines and to replace many fines with education requirements and warnings that encourage professional conduct by drivers without imposing excessive penalties.

The agency completed an audit of businesses that provide credit card service for taxicabs – an important step to improving industry performance.

Looking ahead, more change is coming to the District of Columbia and other cities across the country.

The vehicle-for-hire industry will never be the same. The digital world will continue to drive innovation and better transportation services for today’s mobile consumers.

For more information about the District of Columbia Taxicab Association, visit http://dctaxi.dc.gov/

H STREETPage 46

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MAR. 31 - APRIL 6, 2016 15

NATIONAL THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA HOUSING AUTHORITY INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFB) SOLICITATION NO.: 0013-2016 AUTHORITY-WIDE FIRE EXTINGUISHER MAINTENANCE AND REPLACEMENT SERVICES

Black Girls, Women Get Congress’s Attention

Sister of Sandra Bland Endorses the Effort

The District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA) requires qualified Fire Extinguisher maintenance and repair companies to provide fire extinguisher services for DCHA Authority-Wide for various properties throughout the District of Columbia in accordance with the Scope of Services outlined in the solicitation.

SOLICITATION DOCUMENTS will be available at the Issuing Office at 1133 North Capitol Street, NE, Suite 300, Office of Administrative Services/Contracts and Procurement, Washington, DC 200027599, between the hours of 9:00am and 4:00pm, Monday through Friday, beginning on Monday, March 28, 2016; and on DCHA’s web site at www.dchousing.org.

SEALED BIDS are due to the Issuing Office by 11:00am on Wednesday, April 27, 2016.

Contact the Issuing Office, LaShawn Mizzell-McLeod on (202) 535-1212 or by email at lmmcleod@ dchousing.org for additional information.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY BID OPPORTUNITIES 1 - REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS – FOR PRINTING SERVICES WHICH INCLUDES DIGITAL PRINTING AND BINDING FOR THE AGENCY’S ANNUAL REPORT The DC Housing Finance Agency (DCHFA), located at 815 Florida Ave, NW, Wash., DC, is seeking qualified companies for Printing Services which includes Digital Printing and Binding Services for the Agency’s Annual Report. Preference given to CBE’s and companies located in the District of Columbia.

For the detailed RFP visit our website at www.dchfa.org or contact Jackie Reid at (202) 777-1600.

Deadline for submission of responses is April 22, 2016 at 4:00pm (ET).

2 - REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS – FOR GRAPHIC DESIGN SERVICES WHICH INCLUDES ART DIRECTION, LAYOUT, DESIGN FOR DIGITAL PRINTING AND WEB DISTRIBUTION FOR THE AGENCY’S ANNUAL REPORT The DC Housing Finance Agency (DCHFA), located at 815 Florida Ave, NW, Wash., DC, is seeking qualified companies for Graphic Design Services which includes Art Direction, Layout, Design for Digital Printing and Web Distribution for the Agency’s Annual Report. Preference given to CBE’s and companies located in the District of Columbia. For the detailed RFP visit our website at www.dchfa. org or contact Jackie Reid at (202) 777-1600. Deadline for submission of responses is April 22, 2016 at 4:00pm (ET).

3 - REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS – PHOTOGRAPHY SERVICES WHICH INCLUDES LOCATION AND ARCHICTECTURAL PHOTOGRAPHY, PORTRAITURE, AND DIGITAL PHOTO EDITING FOR THE AGENCY’S ANNUAL REPORT AND OTHER AGENCY PHOTOGRAPHY SERVICES The DC Housing Finance Agency (DCHFA), located at 815 Florida Ave, NW, Wash., DC, is seeking qualified companies for Photography Services which includes Location and Architectural Photography, Portraiture, and Digital Photo Editing for the Agency’s Annual Report and other Agency Photography Services. Preference given to CBE’s and companies located in the District of Columbia. For the detailed RFP visit our website at www.dchfa.org or contact Jackie Reid at (202) 777-1600. Deadline for submission of responses is April 22, 2016 at 4:00pm (ET).

EVENTS DC SOLICITATION

The Washington Convention and Sports Authority (t/a Events DC) is soliciting proposal from qualified firms to provide Plumbing Services. Interested parties can view a copy of the RFQ by accessing the Event DC’s E-procurement website at www.wcsapex.com and opening Bid #16-S-011-312.

16 MAR. 31 - APRIL 6, 2016

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

5Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Robin Kelly (IL-02) and Yvette

D. Clarke (NY-09) launch Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls on Tuesday, March 22. / Photo courtesy of Eurweb.com

By Sarafina Wright WI Staff Writer Three congresswomen have done the unprecedented creating the Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls, the first such initiative that will focus on eliminating barriers and disparities.

Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Robin Kelly (IL-02) and Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09) made their intentions clear with this bold congressional move announced on Tuesday, March 22.

“From barriers in education, to a gender based pay gap that widens with race, to disparities in both diagnoses and outcomes for many diseases, our society forces Black women to clear many hurdles faced by no other group, and asks them to do it with little assistance,” Watson Coleman said.

The group claimed that despite more than 430 registered congressional caucuses and Member organizations, no group on Capitol Hill has sought to make Black women and girls a priority in the policy debates that occur.

They assert that the Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls will fill that gap, and provide the same attention for women that President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper initiative has given to Black men and boys.

“Black women and girls are disproportionately affected by myriad socioeconomic issues that diminish their quality of life and threaten the wellbeing of their families and communities,” Kelly said.

“The Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls gives Black women a seat at the table for the crucial discussion on the policies that impact them while also providing a framework for creating opportunities and eliminating barriers to success for Black women,” she said.

Clarke claimed that in many ways,

23.5 million Black women and girls are consistently left out of the national discourse on a variety of policies that will affect their lives.

She insisted the caucus will be purposed to ensure that the infrastructure of inclusion fully incorporates the varied and unique needs of Black women.

“Our experiences must and will inform the direction we take as a nation and we can no longer afford to be excluded from important conversations,” Clarke said. “I am proud to stand with my colleagues at the inception of this caucus to be a vehicle for change and look forward to the great work that we will do.”

The #SheWoke Committee, a collective of seven national women leaders with a shared vision of advocacy, equity, and sisterhood inspired the newly formed caucus.

“In January, we launched a petition asking our national leaders to create a space that prioritizes Black women and girls, and here we are in March with a platform that will serve as a vehicle towards change,” #SheWoke member, Sharon Cooper and biological sister of Sandra Bland said.

“We lift up all the Black women and girls who have lost their lives without press coverage, all the Black women and girls who are fighting for our collective liberation, and the Chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls, who responded in the way all elected officials should: with urgency,” she said.

Cooper said her organization looks forward to supporting the efforts of the Caucus and empowering Black women and girls through policy and advocacy.

“Black women deserve a voice in a policy making process that frequently minimizes, or altogether ignores the systemic challenges they face. This caucus will speak up for them,” Watson Coleman said. WI

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NATIONAL

Criminal Justice Reform Held Up in Campaign Politics cludes juvenile-justice reforms and language to help former prisoners transition back into society.

Sen. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky), facing pressure from tough-on-crime Republicans, has not said whether he will allow a vote on Grassley’s proposal. “Our system of justice is not broken,” former U.S. attorney general John Ashcroft wrote last month in a letter to McConnell, signed by 40 high-ranking former law-enforcement officials. “Mandatory minimums have caused a dramatic reduction in crime.”

Reform advocates do not consider Grassley’s legislation the major overhaul of mandatory-minimum

sentences for which they long have fought, saying his bill does not go far enough.

“It’s a Goldilocks reform bill. It’s not too much. It’s not too little. But it’s better than nothing,” said Nkechi Taifa of the Open Society Policy Center. “There was a time when this looked like a slam dunk … It was the right issue at the right time.

Now it is not so clear.”

This bill only applies to the federal justice system, where about 200,000 inmates are held. This is just 8 percent of the 2.5 million Americans confined to state prisons and local jails.

While the Senate’s path remains clouded, the measure has a brighter

future in the House. Legislators and reform advocates consider Speaker Paul Ryan (R- Wisconsin) an ally in overhauling sentencing and drug laws. Ryan said he supports all the measures that have cleared the House Judiciary Committee. “We will schedule floor time for them,” Ryan told journalists at a recent Capitol press briefing.

Until then, reformers sound as impatient as ever.

“All there has been is talk, and more talk,” said civil rights leader Barbara Arwine. “Action is long overdue. Mass incarceration threatens many of the gains we fought for in the civil rights movement. It’s time for a vote.” WI

5Senator Cory Booker (D-New Jersey) / Photo by Joe Ruffin - Urban News Service

By Dee Hunter Urban News Service Planned reforms to federal drug and sentencing laws that imprisoned many African-Americans have become locked up by election-year politics.

“The cost of incarceration and a growing awareness of the problems with mandatory minimum sentences have created a diverse coalition calling for reforms,” said Kevin Ring, of Families Against Mandatory Minimums.

Reform supporters span civil rights advocates, law enforcement organizations, numerous federal judges, conservative groups and even Republican stalwarts, the Koch Brothers. Eighty percent of American voters support ending mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenses, according to a February Pew Charitable Trusts poll.

President Obama has made this issue a priority. He issued an executive order in January to prohibit solitary confinement of juveniles. He discussed criminal justice reform in his latest State of the Union address, and pardoned 95 federal inmates at Christmas. He also became the first president to visit a federal prison.

Several relevant bills enjoy broad bipartisan support in Congress. The Senate Judiciary Committee approved the Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act of 2015 by a 15-5 vote last October.

Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) introduced this legislation, which enjoys 28 Senate co-sponsors. “Our sentencing bill is a compromise that shows that senators from both sides of the aisle can come together to address a serious problem in a reasonable and

responsible way,” Grassley said.

Traditional crime fighters and criminal-justice reformers debate whether drug offenders are violent.

Thirty-five percent of drug offenders in federal prison had minimal criminal histories and no previous imprisonment, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. However, BJS also reports that 25 percent of drug offenders also used weapons in their most recent offenses.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) voted against the bill. As amended, it provides “leniency for violent criminals who use guns and gives lighter sentences to criminals already serving time,” he said before the Judiciary Committee.

“That claim is false and does not factually line up with the reality of who is behind bars in our federal prisons,” said Sen. Cory Booker (D-New Jersey) in response to critics who say the bill would free violent criminals. “Each case must also go before a federal judge, with the prosecutor present for an independent judicial review.”

Grassley’s measure addresses several stringent sentencing provisions that have helped swell the federal prison population over the past 30 years. It would repeal the “three strikes” law that requires a mandatory life sentence without parole for anyone with a third conviction on drug or violent-felony charges. Instead, the bill creates a mandatory 25-year sentence.

This legislation retroactively applies a 2010 sentencing-reform provision that reduced the disparity between crack and powder cocaine penalties. This change alone would let about 6,500 prisoners petition the courts for release or reduced sentences. Grassley’s bill also in-

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MAR. 31 - APRIL 6, 2016 17

NATIONAL

D.C.’s Amaris Shipman to Compete for ‘USA National Princess’ WI Staff This summer, Amaris Shipman, the reigning “USA Miss District of Columbia Princess,” will compete for the title of “USA National Princess,” where she will also have the opportunity to win thousands of dollars in college scholarships and prizes.

Along with other outstanding young ladies from across the country, Amaris will travel to the Boca Resort and Beach Club July 11-16 for the highly-anticipated USA National Miss Scholarship pageant. As D.C.’s representative, Amaris, 9, will compete in the categories of evening gown, interview and a runway fashion show.

During her free time, Amaris who aspires to become a judge, enjoys volunteering in her community, singing in her church choir and being a positive role model for her peers. Her extracurricular activities include dancing, singing, playing the piano, reading, going to the movies, and spending time with family and friends. Amaris has received perfect attendance awards, accelerated reader awards and two character awards in the categories of compassion and creativity.

Meanwhile, Amaris is in need of sponsors to assist her financially so she can prepare, travel and have lodging for the Nationals.

For more information, contact Denise Coley-shipman at (910) 224-2552. For appearances, email:AmarisShipman@gmail.com.

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MAR. 31 - APRIL 6, 2016 19

HEALTH

Prescription Meds a Major Health Crisis

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer The District and 20 states across the country have enacted Good Samaritan 911 laws that grant amnesty to individuals seeking medical help for a person who overdoses, even if drugs are present or the caller is also under the influence.

Authorities have often – and rightly – noted that most of these incidents involve younger residents.

However, a new report sug-

gest that a rising number of adults are mixing multiple prescription and over-the-counter medications and supplements in ways that could lead to serious side effects.

From 2006 to 2011, the number of older adults ages 62 to 85 in the United States taking five or more medications or supplements rose from 53.4 percent to 67.1 percent.

A common prescription drug, for example, is warfarin, a blood thinner.

But combining it with a sup-

plement such as omega-3 fish oils, which skyrocketed in popularity during the period of the study, increases the risk of 5 Older Adults Are Mixing Prescription meds, leading to overdoses. / Photo Courtesy of Healthline

CLINICAL RESEARCH EDUCATION EVENT FREE EVENT

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First 50 to pre-register will receive a $25 Walgreens gift card at the end of the event!

Flu vaccinations, Blood Pressure Monitoring, Diabetic, Dental, Sleep Disorder, and A1C Point of Care-Pediatric Screenings available!

Email: awareforall@ciscrp.org • Toll free: 877-633-4376 • Local assistance: 617-725-2750

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20/6/08 15:54:10

bleeding for certain patients, according to a CNN report.

The number of older adults taking at least one prescription medication or dietary supplement rose between 2005 and 2011, while over-the-counter medications became less prevalent.

The researchers used a database of reported and predicted drug interactions to determine whether the 20 most common prescription drugs and supplements used by the participants in their study were predicted to cause an adverse reaction when taken together.

They found that 16 combinations of prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs and supplements were predicted to increase the risk of adverse reactions, most commonly bleeding, CNN said.

The number of adults taking one of these combinations also increased during the study period, from 8.4 percent to 15.1 percent.

“We are trying to improve access to essential prescription medications like statins that could prevent heart disease and improve survival, but we are not prioritizing enough how safe these medications are in the context of all the prescription and nonprescription medications older adults are using,” Dima M. Qato, assistant professor of pharmacy systems, outcomes and policy at the University of Illinois at Chicago, told CNN. Qato is the lead author of

the study, which was published earlier this month in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.

Some Rx prices drop, fish oil popularity soars Although doctors are better able to treat chronic conditions with the expanding number of medicines available, each time they prescribe a new medication they should ask about everything else the patient is taking. “We are often treating conditions in a silo,” Qato said.

The most common prescription meds were cholesterol-lowering Zocor and blood pressure medications such as Prinivil and Microzide, all of which became more common during the study period. In the supplement category, along with fish oil, there was a sharp increase in the use of vitamin D and vitamin E. The rise in prescription drugs did not come as a surprise, Qato said.

In addition to many new medicines entering the market, more and more drugs are becoming available in cheaper generic versions, such as simvastatin. Medicare Part D went into effect in 2006, providing insurance coverage to older adults for prescription drugs, which could also have played a part, Qato said.

What did come as a shock to Qato and her colleagues was that so many people are taking supplements, in particular

MEDS Page 21

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HEALTH MEDS from Page 18 omega-3 fish oils. The number of adults taking fish oil supplements, which are touted as good for your heart, rose from 4.7 percent in 2005 to 18.6 percent in 2011.

“There’s very limited evidence of their clinical benefits, and for omega-3s specifically there’s no evidence of their cardiovascular benefits,” Qato said.

Ironically, many people seem to be picking up omega-3s after they fill a prescription for a medication such as warfarin and actually increasing their risk of heart disease by combining the two, Qato said.

Warfarin and omega-3 is one of the combinations that the researchers found was associated with increased risk of bleeding. And the incidence of combining them rose from 0.1 percent to 0.8 percent from 2005 to 2011.

How to reduce the risk of combining medications Qato and her colleagues suspect the reason for the decline in over-the-counter medications from 2005 to 2011 is that many of them, such as allergy medications, became more tightly regulated and patients had to ask their pharmacists for them.

“That goes to show that when you regulate meds and there are restrictions on overthe-counter medications or dietary supplements, fewer people use them,” Qato said.

However, the people who can benefit from over-thecounter medications are probably still getting them, because their doctors are writing them prescriptions or their pharmacists are giving them access, she added.

Although pharmacies can play a role in reducing the risk from combining medication, they alone cannot solve the problem, Qato said.

Databases are already in place to alert pharmacists

about potentially dangerous drug interactions, but they miss prescriptions that patients fill at other pharmacies and any over-the-counter drugs and supplements people take.

Changes also have to be made in terms of policy and practice, Qato said.

The guidelines that advise doctors on various medications should contain more comprehensive lists of potential drug interactions, including other prescription drugs as well as nonprescription drugs.

One of the best ways to ensure patients are combining medications in a safe way would be to make sure that a patient’s entire health care team, from doctor to nurse to social worker, knows about all the drugs he or she is taking, said Michael Steinman, professor of medicine at the University of California-San Francisco.

New Study A study that is coming out in the same issue of JAMA Internal Medicine suggests that many patients do not tell their doctors about nonprescription drugs they are taking.

Researchers analyzed national survey data of adults of all ages in the United States from 2012 and found that 24.9 percent of them did not tell their doctor that they were taking a supplement or herb.

The most common reasons for nondisclosure were that the physician did not ask, and the patient did not think it was important.

“The message for doctors is that we need to be more proactive about asking patients about things going on in their lives and the different therapies they’re using,” Steinman said.

“And there’s really a lesson in there for patients, that it is really useful for doctors to know which therapies you’re taking, even if they’re things the doctor didn’t prescribe.”

WI

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3/23/16 10:21 AM

MAR. 31 - APRIL 6, 2016 21

EDUCATION

DCPS

BRIEFS Compiled by Dorothy Rowley WI Staff Writer

STUDENTS ‘SHOW OUT’ FOR STEM FAIR SHOWCASE

pete against STEM peers from around the world for cash prizes and the opportunity to showcase their projects for an international audience.

“Events like the DC STEM Fair let students demonstrate their knowledge and skill in a range of creative and rigorous projects that involve research and analysis, and engage our students’ curiosity and passion,” said DC State Superintendent of Education Hanseul Kang, as she toured projects on display at Dunbar’ s gymnasium. “Congratulations to the winners of the 2016 DC STEM Fair and thank you, students, parents, educators, partners and volunteers for your talent and dedication, and for making this an outstanding celebration of DC STEM education.”

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5Ryan Battle, a 6th-grader at Howard University Middle School of Mathematics and Science in Northwest, meets DC State Superintendent of Education Hanseul Kang at the 2016 DC STEM Fair held March 19, 2016 at Dunbar High School.

Ryan studied the effect of different music on heart rate. / Photo courtesy OSSE Hundreds of D.C. students in grades 6-12 came out on March 19 in support of the “Showcase Innovation, Ingenuity at 2016 DC STEM Fair.”

During the event sponsored by the Office of the State Superintendent for Education, Langley Grace Wallace, a student at Sidwell Friends School in Northwest, took top honors with her project titled, “The Effect of Targeted Inhibitors on Melanoma Tumor Immunity.”

Langley’s project listed among hundreds of others on display at the annual celebration of Science, Technology Engineering and Math held at Dunbar High School in Northwest.

Two students from School Without Walls, Sylvia Gisler and Sam Lossef, took secondand third-place, respectively.

All three earned trips to the “Intel International Science and Engineering Fair,” to be held in May in Phoenix, Arizona, where they will com-

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

5Friendship’s students show off their drone. / Photo courtesy DCPCS

Friendship Public Charter School recently announced a new partnership with Starship Technologies to sell drones that can interact with humans and undertake deliveries on their own.

Friendship’s flagship Technology Preparatory Academy in Ward 8, which specializes in STEM--science, technology, engineering and math -- with an emphasis on environmental sciences, recently hosted the school’s latest partner while showcasing the new technology.

SHINING STAR GALA

Thurgood Marshall Acade-

my in Southeast celebrates its 15th anniversary on May 15 with a “Shining Star Gala.”

The gala is in honor of the school’s dedicated supporters who have made the Academy a success through life-changing impacts on students.

For the past 15 years, Thurgood Marshall Academy has been an educational resource in the Ward 8 community, empowering students through a college-preparatory curriculum that incorporates legal principles.

The school currently lists as one of DC’s top performing high schools, graduating more than 500 students each year, who finish college at rates higher than the national average.

NEW CHARTER SCHOOL FOR MILITARY FAMILIES

Public school students from active-duty military families will have greater education options in D.C. as the result of new legislation recently signed into law by Mayor Muriel Bowser.

Military families and Joint Base Anacostia–Bolling officials have been advocating for the preference – which would allow a newly-created public charter school, located on or near JBAB, the ability to set aside up to 50 percent of its seats to children of active duty members of the United States Armed Forces.

“Our service men and women serve our country and often have to move their families from state to state,” said Jill Gaitens, regional director at the Military Child Education Coalition.

“Knowing that there are good educational options for their children will make their moves easier for them and for their families.”

JBAB Commander, Navy Capt. Frank Mays added that the new school will provide additional educational opportunities not only to military families on Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, but also to Ward 8 families.

“Plans for creating a public charter school with a military preference on or near JBAB have been in the works for nearly 20 years and we are excited to see them finally come to fruition. This is truly a winwin for JBAB and the local community,” Mays said.

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EDUCATION

Road Scholar Unveils New Travel Program Baby Boomers & More Can Explore 25 Countries

By Sarafina Wright WI Staff Writer The nation’s largest educational travel institution for adults has created a 113-night learning adventure aboard the MS Amsterdam that will explore 25 countries on five continents.

On Wednesday, March 23, Road Scholar announced that this will be the first time the organization has offered baby boomers and beyond the opportunity to explore all five continents.

“Road Scholars are excited by out-of-the ordinary experiences that satisfy their thirst for adventure and experiential learning,” James Moses, president and CEO of Road Scholar said.

Their travels will also in-

clude all major water ways and the Panama and Suez Canals.

Additional highlights of the program include onboard educational presentations, visits to multiple popular and off-thebeaten path historical sites, and free time to explore.

“Last year, we launched sixweek cultural and language immersion adventures in several countries,” Moses said. “They have been very popular with participants who may have studied abroad earlier in their lives and want to relive the experience.”

Candidates can choose one of two semesters: World Academy Semester 1: Florida to China via the Panama Canal and the Pacific, or World Academy Semester 2: Hong Kong to Florida via Asia and the

5Road Scholar program participants watch a Santeria performer on a people-to-people learning adventure in Havana, Cuba. / Photo courtesy of PRNewsFoto Mediterranean.

Road Scholar offers 5,500 educational adventures in 150 countries and 50 states for individuals dedicated to lifelong learning.

The not-for-profit organization offers financial assistance for those who otherwise could not participate in its programs.

“In that vein, this threemonth learning adventure of-

fers intrepid explorers the opportunity to learn about and experience the world in-depth, with other like-minded lifelong learners,” Moses said.

WI

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MAR. 31 - APRIL 6, 2016 23

“Thank You for Your Support.”

Melissa Sherrod

Vice President of Corporate Affairs Exelon

Donna Cooper Region President Pepco

The Pepco Holdings-Exelon Merger: Affordable, Reliable and Sustainable Electric Service.

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We look forward to continuing to serve you every day with affordable, reliable and sustainable electric service.

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24 MAR. 31 - APRIL 6, 2016

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

VOL. 2, NO. 2

MAR 2016

BLACK WOMEN MAKING HISTORY

Web : http://washingtoninformer.com/news/wi-bridge/

Facebook : www.facebook.com/wibridgecommunity

Email : wibridge@washingtoninformer.com

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CONTENTS

EDITOR’S LETTER

PUBLISHER

Dynamic Business Duo Exhibits Sisterhood 3

Peace and blessings WI Bridge readers,

Denise Rolark Barnes

As another (Black) Women’s History Month comes to a close, may we continue to remember the past sacrifices of our Black heroines and honor the work that African women across the Diaspora continue to carry out in their communities.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Black Women Still Face Challenges in the 21st Century 4-5 A Tribute to Nina Simone 6 Sa-Roc Receives a Hometown Hero’s Welcome 7

Despite our many victories in dismantling the patriarchal forces that impede Black women’s progress and stability, we as a community, particularly the men, still have a ways to go in ensuring that our sisters are protected just as the late, great Malcolm X called on us to do many decades ago.

In this issue of WI Bridge, we strive to heed those wise words by featuring sisters locally, nationally, and internationally who have something of substance to say.

We give honor to D.C.-born conscious hip-hop artist Sa-Roc and storied singer/ songwriter/activist Nina Simone in two riveting pieces. We also feature a dynamic duo of entrepreneurs who took their friendship to the next level when they opened a salon in Northeast. In this edition, you will also find a global overview of black female political involvement.

ON THE COVER

(L-R) Carmen Walters and Shanai Browne, longtime friends from Bowie, Maryland and college students, enjoy a good laugh. Walters studies biology at Bowie State University and Browne, a biochemistry major, attends the University of Maryland College Park./ Photo by Dejah Greene

In the year 2016, Black women count among one of the most educated groups in our society, dominating almost every industry under the sun. In carrying out our responsibility to celebrate those triumphs, we must also give an accurate assessment of the hurdles that the contemporary Black woman faces professionally and in other facets of their life. This edition of WI Bridge does just that and a lot more.

We look forward to you reading this issue and joining us in April for our big celebration at a location to be determined very soon. Many thanks for your support for a movement that has no end in sight.

Yours in the Struggle, Sam P.K. Collins Editor-in-Chief WI Bridge

Dejah Greene

LAYOUT Kelcey Abney

Adolf Alzuphar Brianna Rhodes Sam P.K. Collins Sifiso Ngobeni

The WI Bridge sets out to highlight contemporary issues through the experiences of youth and capture the progressive, entrepreneurial spirit of the Millennial generation other publications gloss over. Writers will take to streets and feature people, programs, initiatives, and movements that uniquely address prominent youth issues. This hard-hitting coverage will lay to rest misconceptions of Generation Y and bring all to an understanding of diverse youth experiences.

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VOL 2, NO. 2

PHOTOGRAPHER

CONTRIBUTERS

MISSION STATEMENT

2| WI BRIDGE

Sam P.K. Collins

DYNAMIC BUSINESS DUO EXHIBITS BLACK SISTERHOOD

By Brianna Rhodes WI Bridge Contributing Writer @Bri_Rhodes24 D.C. is a city known for its many thriving businesses. While it’s often thought that successful black women can’t work together in professional spaces, two friends have beaten the odds and built a beauty empire in the process.

After working together at a day spa and maintaining a close friendship for more than 13 years, hair stylists and native Washingtonians Markina Bailey and Camille London launched London Bailey Studio. Since 2011, they, along with a team of five stylists, have provided a host of services -- including hair extensions, colors, and cuts – from the confines of their Northeast storefront.

“We worked for someone and you know the way things were run weren’t really ideal for stylists,” London, 31, said. “We both had ideas that one day we’d open up a place where this would be a good idea to do that and not this.”

After working at the now shuttered Soul Day Spa for a couple of years, the pair opened a spa of their own with their own money, deciding they wouldn’t take out loans or tap into other funding streams. Obstacles along the way included securing a license and keeping the business up to code with the D.C. Department of Health.

But London emphasized that success meant going through trial and error and conducting lots of research. She and Bailey also reached out to London’s aunt, an owner of a group home for girls, for advice and help in developing a business plan.

“I was in my early twenties when I first decided to jump out there,” London said. “I suggest to anyone to do some extensive research on the requirements of maintaining a business, salon, whatever you might want to open and have a mentor; someone you know that’s been there, that’s done that. That’ll be a great help.”

Both women said they knew from a very young age that they wanted to have their own business. Now they’re living out their dreams. For Bailey, who lived two blocks away from the salon’s current location, it’s an especially monumental feat.

“Well I’ve always known that I wanted to help make women beautiful and be

Business partners and longtime friends Camille London and Markina Bailey opened London Bailey Studio in Northeast nearly five years ago. / Courtesy photo

my own boss and entrepreneur,” said Bailey. “I come from a family of barbers, so it was just in me to just always want to, be my own boss and make my own hours, and help people look nice in the community, because my salon is located in a residential area.”

London said she was inspired by hair entrepreneur, Madam C.J. Walker to own her own salon.

“As a child when we learned about Black History Month or we would do some type of report for someone, I became interested in Madame C.J. Walker,” said London. “I thought it was so amazing for a black woman then to become a successful business woman in the beauty industry. So just doing research on her as a child really instilled in me that, ‘okay you can have fun with your work and you know still become successful and be happy at the same time.’”

Both owners said they believe their friendly and personable manner makes them stand out among the salons in the city. Their venue has also become the

place for other women to offer their services to the community.

“We’re not getting mega rich off of this.

A lot of our clients have been coming to us for over 20 years,” Bailey said.

“I’ve been doing hair for 24 years. Our customers are able to boost up their businesses. One lady may sell Avon.

Or we have another young lady who sells perfumes and candles. It’s just everybody helping each other. That’s a good thing too. Anything that’s going to help you, you know as far as your business we don’t mind at all.”

Sukera Cooper, 28, one of Bailey’s longtime customers, said she has always been satisfied with her services.

offerings have gone beyond salon services, expanding to hair care products. Both owners urge individuals, especially black women to not give up on their dreams, highlighting the importance of Women’s History Month in reminding them about those who came before them and persevered.

“Oh well you know Women’s History Month is very important to me,” London said. It shows you that anything is possible you have to just you know, put in hard work and dedication and have the passion for whatever you do. But it’s very important just to always look back at our history and it helps you move forward.”

“Kina never fails to make my hair look wonderful, ever. It has been 11 years I have been going to her,” said Cooper.

“Every single time I wanted to do something different with my hair, she has been on point. There was even an occasion when she was out of town and her business partner did my hair and I was still satisfied.”

In recent years, London and Bailey’s VOL 2, NO. 2 WI BRIDGE | 3

BLACK WOMEN STILL FACE CHALLENGES

By Sifiso Ngobeni

WI Bridge Contributing Writer @The Real_Sifiso March 8th, marked as International Women’s Day, has been a time to celebrate the economic, political and social contributions of women globally.

In general, the entire month of March allows an opportunity to highlight the role that women of the African diaspora have played in shaping various societies and helping to usher a new breed of politicians who can abolish patriarchy and make African countries more egalitarian.

more than half of respondents against women in leadership positions.

Many African countries have struggled to find political stability due to the prevalence of their colonial past that contributes to the economic challenges faced today. An often argued idea is that the inclusion of women in politics would help make democracy a reality.

Such was the thought when Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf became the first head of state in Africa in 2006.

In recognition of her work to further women’s rights, she received a joint

uses her talents to engage young people not only through her blog but other social media networks, on issues of race, ethnicity, identity and self-preservation.

She said that women still suffer micro aggressions fueled by respectability politics that shame those of various experiences, identities, sexualities and disabilities.

“Women’s Day means nothing to me with all the structural exclusion and dispossession that cisgender women, transgender and gender-fluid folk still battle with. It’s a painful reminder of how suffocating this world is for anyone

are not a monolith and our experiences are not altogether the same,” Mashiane added. “We can link our struggles and acknowledge the intersections of various systems of power but trying to find a universal narrative for all those struggles is tricky.”

This has especially been the case in the United States. Throughout the history of women’s liberation movements, non-whites have faced even harsher discrimination based not only on their gender, but also their race.

In 1913, African-American journalist

This realization challenges the predominant classification of women as mere objects only concerned with fashion and totally incapable of authoritative decision making.

Even with significant changes, cultural and traditional practices have contributed immensely to the lack of representation of women in politics worldwide, even in the western world.

For many, running for positions of power has resulted in harassment, violent and intimidation, an example being Italy’s first black cabinet minister, Cecile Kyenge, at whom hecklers hurled bananas and maligned with racial slurs nearly three years ago.

“I do not believe the problem lies with me. There are some people who are not happy, who are showing their discontent, and it is my job to listen to that discontent,” Kyenge told BBC reporters shortly after the widely publicized incident in April 2013.

Pan-African research group Afrobarometer recently conducted research on African woman political participation in 34 countries, measuring public perception of socioeconomic and political issues. Findings showed that Swaziland, Nigeria, and Benin had some of the continent’s lowest proportion of women in government (6.2, 6.7, and 8.4 percent respectively) compared to Rwanda and South Africa, each of which had more than 50 percent. Not all countries share this progressive outlook on the inclusion and representation of women in leadership roles.

In Northern Africa, only half of the people living in that region agree that men and women should have equal opportunity to take positions of leadership. Sudan and Egypt have been reported to have 4 | WI BRIDGE VOL 2, NO. 2

A young student holds up a sign during a protest. / Photo by Wits PYA

Nobel Peace Prize with Leywmah Gbowee, also from Liberia, and Tawakel Karma of Yemen five years later.

But work remains to be done.

For South African political science student Minkie Mashiane, the persistence of issues faced by women across generations is a painful reminder of how much things haven’t changed and how far women still need to go.

As a feminist and blogger, Mashiane

who is not white and male,” Mashiane, who studies at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, said.

She contends that attempting to rally women behind a singular voice would be difficult, primarily because each person’s oppression is particular to their circumstance and position. Mashiane said addressing these issues with a definite voice would only erase the struggles of the most marginalized.

“It’s important that we come to collectively understand that women

Ida B. Wells-Barnett organized the Alpha Suffrage Club, one of the first black organizations of its kind, in Chicago with plans to participate in a parade in D.C. to protest gender-based segregation.

Unfortunately, white organizers of the event asked that black women walk toward the end of the procession. Due to inadequate support from Illinois delegates, Wells ultimately refused to comply with the instructions given to her, eventually making her way to the

IN THE 21ST CENTURY front of the line and marching between two white women.

The black woman’s struggle for equity continues to this day, especially when it comes to the workplace. Even after the introduction of the Equal Pay Act in 1970, wage disparities persist. White men are still at the top of the pay scale.

For every dollar a white man makes, a black woman makes 78 cents, according to data collected by the Center of American Progress last year.

It’s even worse when it comes to representation in the government.

According to the recent Women in Parliaments: World Classification study, the U.S. ranks 95th among more than 180 countries around the world in representation of women in parliament.

Nicole Barreto Hindert, a Brazilianborn professor of sociology at Northern Virginia Community College said she’s critical of what she describes as the loose use of “representation.” While she acknowledges and agrees that women are not fairly represented in any aspect of society, she says that doesn’t mean that any woman is able to represent the group’s universal interests.

She uses the example of former senator and secretary of state Hilary Clinton to illustrate how far women have come hitherto, saying that Clinton’s gender does not equate to representation.

As much as she is a woman, she also represents a specific group of women, usually with similar experiences.

“My identity is multi-faceted, like anyone else’s. Does Hilary Clinton represent me? No, not at all. Her positions of racial, class, and global issues fundamentally differ from many of mine,” Hindert said.

“Sharing the same genitalia does not equal representation. At the same time, the more women of different races, ages, sexualities, nationalities, religions are represented, the more society can see and hopefully accept that there isn’t one way of being a woman, or that all women think the same way, or that all women care about the same things,” she added.

For Hindert, the fight against biological essentialism has remained one of the biggest issues that women have had to continually combat.

Through her analysis of social sciences, she believes that sexism is firmly more

A group of young women at the University of the Witwatersand in Johannesburg protested sexual violence in August 2014. / Photo by Wits PYA

embedded than racism. This does not by any means mean that one is worse than the other, but rather that the consensus that racism is constructed, means that attitudes surrounding racism are “interrogated” as compared to those surrounding biological essentialism and the biological role of women being rooted in ‘nature’ and something that should not be changed.

“Being a woman is about constantly being reminded that I am a woman. It’s about always having to prove myself capable, about having my thoughts and feelings consistently tied to my sex; as if I can’t cry or take care of my son without someone attributing it to my hormones,” Hindert said.

Hindert compares her experiences with that of her 96-year-old grandmother who was the first woman to graduate from engineering at her university. She and her husband later separated in the 1950s, a time of intense stigma against divorce.

Hindert said her grandmother held a career her whole life and after speaking to her, she realizes just how many issues they have in common even with a wide generational gap.

For Mashiane and others with similar

perspectives, equality and representation is more than just the inclusion of women in the workplace. It is the reform of attitudes about women and their social capital in a society that has proven to be slanted to favor a certain group of people. Without this shift in paradigm, women will never arrive at equality.

“We have the artificial freedom to get jobs, to speak as ‘equals’ amongst men/ chiefs, et cetera, but the systems of power that place us right at the bottom have not changed or fragmented and neither has our status or image,” she said.

She describes being a woman as something that means ‘so much and so little’ at the same time. Having agency and self-governance to navigate through society with a clear sense of who she is, but on the other hand, it means living in a perpetual state of resistance, interrogation, policing and shaming by both men and women.

Blogger Wandile Mathe said he envisions a world where people can exist without feeling inadequate because of their biological makeup. He believes that equality is a fair way of life and every single person should strive to enforce this ideal.

“Men should begin in their homes [by building] the character of young women and girls around them, their daughters, [and] sisters. They should know that anything less than equal treatment is unacceptable and should not be tolerated.

In the same breath young boys should be groomed at an early age to see women as equals in all aspects of life,” said Mathe, 24, who hails from South Africa.

Mathe further highlighted the importance of recognizing that gender inequality exists and remains a huge problem in the global society and the only way to really address it is by men becoming more aware of their actions, especially the actions that continue to perpetuate and contribute to inequality.

“Every action must be accounted for.

Patriarchy is a system that is perpetuated by all the little nuances that occur in the behaviors of men toward women and feminine principles. By constantly being aware of how we treat women in all aspects of life we can slowly mend the relationship in gender dynamics and slowly bring equality to women,” he said.

VOL 2, NO. 2 WI BRIDGE | 5

A TRIBUTE TO NINA SIMONE

By Adolf Alzuphar

WI Bridge Contributing Writer More than a decade after her death, Nina Simone has made headlines once again, whether it’s because Kanye West sampled her song in “Famous” or due to the Zoe Saldana blackface debacle that riled up black millennials. Point blank, she spent the end of 2015 and beginning of this year as an object of our concern.

So who’s Nina Simone, this woman who has proven to be better than anyone else at singing beautifully melancholic songs? What’s the truth about the images and myths that are constantly presented to us about this woman? What made her special? What were her convictions?

How is she important to the lives that we lead now?

Throughout her adult life, Nina Simone not only counted among the most popular jazz musicians of her time but also the R&B and soul greats. She was great at it all, though, it must be said, without being one of the best at any of them.

Simone, born Eunice Waymone, started her journey in North Carolina. Unlike Miles Davis, the jazz great and son of a dentist who dropped out of Julliard to pursue his music career, Simone couldn’t afford such a “high-class” education. It might be hard to conceive of today but at that time black music was split into art and entertainment, both well esteemed subgenres.

Because she couldn’t attend Julliard and didn’t get accepted to the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, Simone began her career in entertainment music as a jazz vocalist, striving to be taken seriously as a musician. To a large extent, she succeeded.

Nina Simone, a songwriter, pianist, arranger, and civil rights activist worked in a broad range of musical styles including classical, jazz, blues, folk, R&B, gospel, and pop./ Courtesy photo

Simone’s career and luster show what can happen if someone who doesn’t have classical training takes their craft seriously. Nina spent her entire life studying music, something today’s commercial artists rarely do. Her artistic projects in which she ruminates about political and ambitious black power reflect the highest standards of art.

songs; their lyrics could be complex poems. Nina Simone took poetic singing a step further. She sang songs written by black poets such as Langston Hughes. She even explored singing the poetic songs of other cultural traditions; namely the French. Her song “Ne Me Quittes Pas,” a simple love song written

by Jacques Brel, supports this fact.

Simone sang it in French, as if to say that, yes, a black person can appreciate and interpret poetic song, regardless of its origin.

Few black musicians has displayed a love for the art of poetic song since Nina Simone; not even hip-hop artists. The art of song puts wording and phrasing to instrumentation. Famous black folk songs such as “Sweet Low, Sweet Chariot” are examples of poetic black

Contemporary music would be better off if today’s commercial artists took their artistry as seriously as Miss Simone.

Most singers and rappers don’t practice their singing or further their education in music, opting instead to become repetitive. The same goes for political

6 | WI BRIDGE VOL 2, NO. 2

involvement. Unlike Beyonce, Nina Simone went out of her way to support the Civil Rights movement, singing “Brown Baby” and “Old Jim” and a bevy of other protest songs. That’s why most Americans know about her political convictions, especially after hearing “Mississippi Goddamn,” a response to Medgar Evers’ assassination. Most people can sing to this song while respecting Simone’s politics.

Nina Simone often said that a great musician should express the conditions of the times in which they’re living and she did just that. However, she may have been wrong in believing that and she should have aimed at making music great first and foremost at melody, rhythm, and harmony. It has made most of her albums hard to listen to these days though all are classics of

black culture. As heard in her music, she was a cosmopolitan urbanite and was great if not best friends with Lorraine Hansberry, the writer of “A Raisin in the Sun”, but in the end, who cares? She should have strived to make timeless music more along the lines of “Mississippi Goddamn.” Few people know most of the other songs from her 19 studio albums.

However, the way that she comported herself, in terms of her values, her politics and her artistry, are timeless.

She is, because of them, a shining example of excellence.

SA-ROC RECEIVES A HOMETOWN HERO’S WELCOME

Conscious hip-hop artist Sa-Roc, who hails from Southeast D.C., visited Sankofa Video Books & Café earlier this month to meet fans and spread the word about her performance at Liv Nightclub. / Courtesy photo

By Sam P.K. Collins

WI Bridge Editor-in-Chief @SamPKCollins Earlier this month, conscious hip-hop artist and native Washingtonian SaRoc the MC performed in a packed Liv Nightclub in Northwest. More than 24 hours before gracing the stage however, a small audience that included fans, family members, and friends got to know the lyricist more intimately.

On the evening of Tuesday, March 1, nearly 40 people converged on Sankofa Video Books & Café on Georgia Avenue to chat with Sa-Roc and vibe to her music during a two-hour meet-andgreet event. During this function, she addressed visitors with short remarks, passed out copies of her work, and chopped it up with admirers.

“It feels good to be in D.C. I wasn’t doing much of my music here so it feels good to display my work in my hometown,” Sa-Roc, a former Howard University student and alumna of the NationHouse School who hails from Southeast, told AllEyesOnDC during the meet-and-greet. “It’s formative.

I’ve been living in Atlanta for so long that people don’t see me as a D.C. artist.

Being in the D.C. music scene solidifies things in my mind.”

Since leaving the District in 2002 to pursue her music career, Sa-Roc hasn’t come back home, other than to perform every once so often. Even so, her lyrics, arguably the most conspicuous sign of an Afrocentric upbringing, reflect a life and absorption of culture indigenous to those living in what was once known as “Chocolate City.” Sa-Roc’s vast discography includes “SA-ROC: Journey of the Starseed,” “Supernova,” and most recently “Gift of Magi.”

brother strolled into Sankofa eager to chat with Sa-Roc during the meet-andgreet.

“Sa-Roc’s classy and operates on divine energy. I first checked her out on ‘Spittin In Da Wip,’” Lewis said. “She gets her point across without taking off her clothes. That’s scarce in this generation.

Listening to her music makes me feel like Chocolate City never died.”

In her music, one can hear remnants of go-go, old-school hip-hop, indie rock, and other musical genres. Sa-roc’s influences include Jimi Hendrix, Earth Wind & Fire, and Gil Scott Heron, perhaps a testament to the rebellious nature of her craft and rebellious lyricism. These days, she counts among the handful of prominent black female emcees that don’t bare it all for the screen or rap about their sexual exploits. Such a dedication to being the “other” has led to collaborations with Jay Electronica, Nappy Roots, Afrika Bambataa, David Banner, and Stic.man of Dead Prez.

Southern Illinois University professor Najjar Abdul-Musawwir echoed Lewis’ sentiments, saying the entertainment industry has slowly pivoted toward a more conservative, wholesome look in recent years mainly due to an oversaturation of sexually explicit content. Musawwir, who’s currently conducting research about the African origins of the Banjo at the Smithsonian Institute, came to the event with a friend.

That evening, he too talked extensively with Sa-Roc and even pledged to attend her show at Liv, stressing that black people must support art that uplift the race.

Nich Lewis, mother of two young women and community member who lives in Northeast, told AllEyesOnDC that she respects Sa-Roc, so much so that she wants her daughters to look to her as an example of black womanhood.

On Tuesday evening, Lewis and her

“I’m putting my money where my mouth is. I’m really glad that Sa-Roc is putting this music out,” Musawwir told AllEyesOnDC. “Some artists throw out sloppy singles. She’s top grade. All of her stuff is of the highest quality. In this society, we have downgraded ourselves

so much that people are thirsty for this type of music. Sa-Roc is of the people and for the people. She dresses up her music with knowledge.”

If Sa-Roc left a mark on anyone that evening, it was Ja-Dor Stewart, a middle schooler and aspiring R&B singer who attended the Sankofa meet-and-greet with her mother. Ja-Dor, who’s currently applying to the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Northwest, said SaRoc showed her what’s possibly for a young artist growing in her African consciousness.

“Sa-Roc came out of the African culture to make music,” Ja-Dor told AllEyesOnDC. “She’s standing up as a positive influence for a lot of youth at a time when the music industry is trying to take down a lot of good artists. She’s blazing a trail to show us that we don’t have to be status quo.”

This article originally appeared on AllEyesOnDC.com.

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OPINIONS/EDITORIALS EDITORIAL

Riding Metro? Makes Me Wanna Holler!

It’s almost become a running joke among people who live, work or play in the DMV – if something can go wrong with Metro . . . well, it most certainly will.

But there’s nothing funny when you’re on your way to the job, making connections for a visit to a friend, trying to avoid bumperto-bumper traffic by utilizing the rail system, hustling to arrive on time at a job interview or on your way to a Wizards game when you find out that your train is experiencing “technical difficulties.”

After an unprecedented voluntary shutdown of the rail system following a March 14 track fire in order to conduct an emergency inspection of Metro’s power lines and assemblies, officials say they discovered hundreds of problems – with close that 30 that pose imminent fire hazards.

So now what can we expect? More of the same?

Single tracking? Delays, delays and more delays? Smoke-filled stations? Higher rates and poorer service?

We need Metro because we have more people going to and fro than we have highway space. Just tackle our daily rush hour traffic one time and you’ll understand just how vital the rail system is to the hundreds of thousands of people who live in the Greater Washington Area.

Should the feds take over or intervene when necessary? We don’t believe so. We just need some real commitment to improving a system that we cannot do without. We just need recently hired General Manager Paul J. Wiedefeld to corral the right crew to help him eliminate the problems and improve the maintenance and performance.

If rail systems in Europe and Asia can operate at maximum capacity, surely we can too.

After all, this is America.

But for the moment, when it comes to riding Metro, it inevitably, as Marvin Gaye so aptly stated, “Makes Me Wanna Holler.”

Will Bowser Deliver For All District Residents?

Mayor Muriel Bowser shared her ongoing plans for the District during her second State of the District Address last week during which she continued to make promises to focus on increasing affordable housing, zeroing in on a more cost-efficient transit system and adding more dollars to the city’s budget for sorely needed services.

And, as she said during her first address one year ago, she said she’s determined to do more for the District’s middle class, providing more pathways for those who have found themselves stuck in the quagmire of stagnant wages juxtaposed against increasing costs of living.

She’s also promised to give greater attention to the formerly incarcerated who need job training and mental health services in order to reclaim their place in society after serving their time.

Sounds great right? But one has to wonder if she can really deliver?

What was once “Chocolate City” is quickly becoming a city where it’s almost impossible for Blacks to survive and thrive, particularly senior citizens, those with limited education and financial resources and the thousands of returning citizens.

Of course it’s important that D.C. develops into a city where millennials can claim their space. And yes, we want to attract those who can enjoy the new amenities that are becoming more common place in the nation’s capital. But a lot of people are finding themselves unable to remain in the city that has meant so much to them and their ancestors way before high rises, street cars and elaborate shops became the norm.

What about them?

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We Need Continued Updates on Zika Virus

I love being outside in the summertime, but this Zika virus thing has gotten me all nervous. After I read Stacy M. Brown’s article, “District Residents at Risk for Zika Virus,” in the March 24, 2016 edition, I am in even more distress. How can those medical experts say things like, “Americans live mostly inside their homes with air conditioning,” or “the Aedes aegypti mosquito is only common in parts of the far south?”

I wonder if they have been in D.C. in the summertime; it feels like the Deep South, and I know a lot of people who don’t have air conditioning. I spend a lot of time outdoors, both working and having fun, but this Zika virus sounds serious and I want to know more about it. I would like to know what are some of the symptoms? If an infected mosquito bites you, does anything appear on your skin other than a bump? I know we are about not panicking and we want to keep a cool head, but I think this thing is very serious and the public should be concerned.

Congratulations to Akilah the Young Artist

What a thrill it was to read the article on your Hot Topics page [March 24-30, 2016 edition] about Akilah Johnson, the Eastern High School student who won the 2016 Doodle-4 Contest sponsored by Google. This was no small accomplishment because it was a national competition. She had to compete with other people from all over the country and she won! How long has it been since we heard something so inspiring from a school east of the river? I am so happy for Akilah, her teachers, her school and her family because she has put the Eastern High School and the District of Columbia on the national technology scene. My hope for Akilah is that she will continue to pursue her interest and hone her skills in her talent so that she can be in a position to make a career. Congratulations to Akilah and everyone who helped this phase of her dreams to come true.

Marcellina West, Washington, DC

Frank Longer Washington, DC

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MAR. 31 - APRIL 6, 2016 25

OPINIONS/EDITORIALS Guest Columnist

By Julianne Malveaux

Republicans Ignore Black People As I watched the Republican debate on Oct.10, I thought about Kanye West and the comments he made after Hurricane Katrina decimated New Orleans. He said, “George Bush doesn’t care about Black people”. Later he tiptoed away from the comment by saying he “regretted” it, but he never apologized.

Five years later, in 2010, Bush gave the Today Show’s Matt Lauer an interview. Bush stated that West’s remarks were

an “all-time low” in his presidency. He went on to say, “I didn’t appreciate it then, and I don’t appreciate it now…I resent it.” He then said that West’s comments were “one of the most disgusting moments” of his presidency.

Let’s see. Former President Bush took us into Iraq, and we’re still there. His actions were partly the cause of the Great Recession. He was widely described as less than intelligent and, in fact, a doofus.

But remarks from Kanye West were “one of the most disgusting moments” of his presi-

Guest Columnist

dency? These remarks suggest that George W. Bush has as little judgment as he was often accused of. Consider Iraq — New Orleans — and a tax code that favored the wealthy.

Yet Kanye West’s remarks were an “all-time low?”

Why does this Kanye West kerfuffle remind me of the last Republican debate? Ben Carson is the only person on stage that used the work “Black,” and he said it in connection to increasing the minimum wage, which he opposes. None of the others uttered a peep about African-American people, not in

terms of entrepreneurship, the wealth gap, nor discrimination in the workplace. It’s fair to say that none of the moderators asked about race and the economy. But just as the candidates jumped into the conversation when they wanted to, none jumped in after Carson’s remark (a perfect opening).

Kanye West said, “George Bush doesn’t care about Black people.” One might say the same thing for the eight major Republican candidates who stood on stage and ignored Black people. Republicans keep saying they want to reach

out to people of color, but ignoring Black people suggests that they are thinking about us as much as George Bush did in 2005.

They did talk about immigration, or the Latino population (Trump isn’t trying to build a wall between the United Stated and Canada, but between the United States and Mexico). That part of the conversation was, in my opinion, impractical and disparaging.

How is the United States going to expel millions of people

MALVEAUX Page 45

By Vincent C. Gray

President Obama’s Supreme Court Nominee and D.C. Voting I strongly believe the U.S. Senate has a duty to proceed with confirmation hearings on Judge Merrick Garland, President Barack Obama’s nominee to serve on the Supreme Court.

Judge Garland is a highly respected lawyer of great intellect and integrity. Republican obstructionists who refuse to proceed with hearings are putting politics ahead of their constitutional duties.

Indeed, the 670,000 resi-

dents of the District of Columbia have a particular interest in Judge Garland’s Supreme Court confirmation hearing.

In 2000, Judge Garland ruled against District residents during his tenure on the U.S. Court of Appeals. Garland asserts that because the District is not a “state,” people who live here do not have the same rights as U.S. citizens in the other 50 states.

I urge Senate Judiciary Committee members to question Judge Garland about whether he sees a legal basis under

Guest Columnist

which District residents have equal rights and if his decision in Alexander v. Daley is a precedent whereby he sees no path to full representation for District residents.

It is my hope that Judge Garland revisits his decision, consults with leaders in the District and joins those who understand that all Americans are entitled to the same rights regardless of where they live.

The District of Columbia has a larger population than Vermont and Wyoming. We pay the highest per capita fed-

eral taxes and fulfill the same duties of citizenship to which residents of every state are obligated. Our residents should not be excluded from full participation in the benefits of democracy guaranteed to all other U.S. citizens.

A Supreme Court Justice must be fully committed to ensuring the rights of every American.

Judge Garland and I may disagree on some issues, but by no means is this justification to stall or block his confirmation. Rather, our Democracy

is made stronger when people who disagree share their positions in a formal setting. Republicans seem to be missing this point.

I welcome confirmation hearings on Judge Garland, and I hope Senate Judiciary Committee members from both parties engage in a thoughtful discussion of the District and the rights of the citizens who live here.

Vincent C. Gray served as mayor of the District of Columbia 2011-15 WI

By Jesse Jackson

How to Win Elections Behind the Cotton Curtain We won the Voting Rights Act of 1965 at Selma, combining the power of a principled mass movement led by Martin Luther King Jr. and a compassionate president who did the right thing despite the heavy political price.

What was that cost? Well, President Lyndon Johnson said it best at the time, when he told his aides that we’d “just lost the South for a generation.”

The civil rights movement

26 MAR. 31 - APRIL 6, 2016

made the moral move by marching across the bridge at Selma.

LBJ did the right thing by signing the Voting Rights Act into law, knowing the price his party would pay.

The Jefferson Davis Democrats in the South did the wrong thing by responding to the “Southern strategy” of Richard Nixon and the racial dog whistles of Ronald Reagan. Due to race, the once-solid Democratic South switched over to become today’s solid Republican South.

Now it’s been half a century.

Not just a generation, as LBJ foretold, but two-and-a-half generations — and still the Republican Party dominates below the Mason-Dixon Line.

As Rachel Maddow brought up in last week’s presidential forum, the Democratic Party in today’s South has been “hollowed out,” with only a handful of successful statewide Democratic candidates.

As long as that situation exists, the Democrats will be able to win the presidency, but what about the Senate and House?

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The sad irony is that the South has benefited the most from the civil rights movement, Whites and African-Americans together.

The tearing down of the “Cotton Curtain” by the civil rights martyrs and marchers meant that the South could join our modern economy. Population jumped.

The South could finally have professional sports teams. The civil rights movement forced the development of integrated football teams at Southern colleges that now dominate the sport. The Olympics could be held in Atlan-

ta in 1996, with Muhammad Ali and Stevie Wonder at the closing ceremonies. Toyota and Mercedes Benz could locate plants in the South, providing better jobs than cotton ever had.

Yet Southern politicians, stuck in the politics of fear, still poke at racial wounds for short-term success.

In order to starve the government, Southern politicians still refuse to invest in infrastructure across the region. Rebuilding

JACKSON Page 45

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OPINIONS/EDITORIALS Guest Columnist

By Benjamin F. Chavis Jr.

Stop the Trivialization and Preservation Of Slavery and Racism As one of the co-founders of the evolving environmental justice movement worldwide, I am always interested in how some people today who have amassed billionaire financial status view racism, slavery and the issues of diversity and inclusion. But first, let me state for the record, I believe in economic empowerment and freedom for all people.

Especially for people of African descent that have experienced centuries of oppression and economic

injustice, we should be always aware of the challenges and responsibilities to advance the cause of freedom and human dignity.

Usually the standard principles of preservation and conservation are used by people who are committed to caring for the protection of natural resources. Also conservationists and preservationists are supposed to help people to enjoy and appreciate the magnificent bounty of all of creation. Wow, these are lofty terms.

So how is it that there is a billionaire named Louis Moore Bacon who prides himself as a conservationist, but yet finds himself now at

center of expanding allegations of racist actions in the Bahamas as well as in the United States? Why would a very successful businessman whose family was involved in the founding and funding of the Confederacy prior to, during, and after the Civil War take unprecedented steps to “preserve” and “conserve” former slave plantations?

In fact, the National Audubon Society, one of the world’s leading conservation organizations, is now weighing an urgent request to strip New York hedge fund giant Louis Bacon of an Audubon Society award that he received in 2013 for

Guest Columnist

his work in the Bahamas. Bacon had attempted to preserve a historic slave plantation in the Bahamas and the Audubon Society originally thought that Bacon was up to something positive and good.

But in a recent letter to Audubon CEO David Yarnold, famed civil rights and high-powered African American lawyer, William H. “Billy” Murphy Jr., has challenged the Audubon Society and demanded that the unjustified award to Bacon be rescinded. Attorney Murphy represents Vivian Whylly, a 53-yearold native Bahamian of African descent whose ancestors were brought

to Bahamas in slave ships and then worked and died as slaves on the former Whylly Plantation at Clifton Point.

A relevant note is that Murphy also successfully represented the family of Freddie Gray this year after Gray died horrifically in Baltimore City police custody. According to Murphy, Bacon misrepresented the facts in getting the award and he also made racist comments in his acceptance speech at the Audubon ceremony. Allegedly Bacon went so far as to praise the slave-justifying

CHAVIS Page 46

By George H. Lambert Jr.

Her Story, Our Story I’m catching the last few days of Women’s History Month with this column. I would have written it sooner, but there was so much excitement going on with the Greater Washington Urban League’s 44th annual Whitney M. Young Memorial Gala. This event honored, among others, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, FedEx executive Gina Adams, children’s advocate Tina Frundt, and superstar singer Patti LaBelle, who delivered a phenomenal performance.

These leaders in politics, business, activism, and entertainment exemplify the entrepreneurial spirit of today’s African-American women.

Marc Morial’s column on Women’s History Month captures this spirit when he notes that women of color own four in 10 businesses and that these operations span every conceivable industry. Their entrepreneurship is shaping today’s culture and tomorrow’s economy.

Not every woman entrepreneur can boast of a success comparable to Patti LaBelle and her sweet potato pies, but women’s place in driving change in the government, non-

Askia-At-Large

profit, and corporate realms is simply undeniable. To quote the old cigarette ad, we’ve come a long way.

Personally, when I reflect on women’s history, my mind turns to two leaders who strongly influenced my career and vision, Maudine Cooper and Dorothy Height.

My predecessor Maudine Cooper led the Greater Washington Urban League for 23 years. Born in Mississippi, she earned business and law degrees from Howard University, and during her tenure she greatly expanded the programs and services offered by the organization I now have the privilege to lead. In

the words of Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker III, “Her work has changed lives, empowered communities and positively impacted the quality of life for so many people in the Washington area. Her visionary and innovative leadership has been matched by few and has made her an icon in the region and around the country.”

Height had an equally profound influence on me. The educational journey of this great activist got off to a rocky start when Barnard College accepted her—only to rescind its offer upon realization that they had met filled their quota of black

students. That setback was not going to stop Height. Instead she attended New York University, where she earned degrees in education and psychology.

Taking a position with the YWCA in Harlem in 1937, she soon had the opportunity to meet First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and Mary McLeod Bethune, who advised FDR on civil rights. Height steered the integration of the YWCA and later took the reins of National Council of Negro Women, where she founded Black Family

LAMBERT Page 46

By Askia Muhammad

I’m Missing President Obama Already Although he has 10 months remaining in office and many challenges ahead, I’m already feeling nostalgic ahead of the time when Barack Obama is not president of the United States. Compared to the candidates — one of whom will likely succeed him — I wish Obama could have a third term.

Let me be clear. I have never been under any delusions about this presidency or this president. Obama is not, nor has he ever been our/my “Moses.” The truth is he is sitting

instead in the seat of Pharaoh, and the last time I checked the president’s job description wasn’t rewritten when Obama was elected from the time when either Woodrow Wilson or Herbert Hoover was in the chair.

The Obama presidency has been one in which this “Pharaoh” tries to lead his racist, xenophobic people to “do the right thing” by way of the allegorical, enslaved Hebrew Chill’un we are all acquainted with because of their 400-plus-years of bondage.

By the way, the haunting similarities between the Biblical Pharaoh

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and the American Pharaoh are far more important than random coincidence. But I digress.

I have many reasons for looking fondly at this president at this historic time. For one thing, this very first Black president of the United States does not wear the name of a former slave master. Barack Hussein Obama’s father was a Kenyan, an African who met the president’s mother, Anne Dunham, while attending a university in Hawaii.

This president and his family — including Marian Robinson, his mother-in-law—have far exceeded

every standard of decorum I can imagine. They have lived absolutely scandal-free at the very top of the social pecking order, and yet appear to not be “stuck up,” as if they have remained unaffected by their “royalty.”

Eye-candy-wise, they are so-o-o fine, so pretty to look at. I like that about them.

Policy-wise Obama has won some “game-changing victories,” despite Republican threats that if elected, they would reverse them on their first day in office.

The Affordable Care Act

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(Obamacare) is not going to be repealed any time soon.

The U.S. will not return to treating Cuba the way it did during the Cold War. The U.S. will not get world sanctions imposed again on Iran because of its non-existent nuclear weapons program.

Those changes are likely to be permanent changes in U.S. policy.

I’ve got a personal reason for my fondness. I attended a session with Obama and nine other journalists.

We were members of the Trotter

MUHAMMAD Page 46

MAR. 31 - APRIL 6, 2016 27

LIFESTYLE

Najee: Still Making Mellow Jazz Sounds Teams up with Alex Bugnon, Regina Belle

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer Najee, born in New York City’s Greenwich Village in 1957, learned the challenges of growing up without a father after his dad died when the musical prodigy was just four years old. But his mother, who recognized her son’s talent, found a way to encourage him, exposing him to the sounds of legendary artists like Miles Davis and placing him in the care of people like Jimmy Heath, Frank Foster and Ernie Wilkins.

By the time he completed high school at the Manhattan School of Music, he had mastered the flute and upon the

suggestion of his brother Fareed, made the soprano saxophone his main instrument.

Today, the award-winning solo jazz instrumentalist has toured the globe, performed with some of the greatest jazz musicians on the planet and as he says, “seen all my dreams come true.”

Najee took to the stage along with pianist Alex Bugnon and vocalist Regina Belle during the 11th annual Jazz in the Gardens, held recently in Miami Gardens, Florida – the first time that the three had teamed up for a live concert.

“We had a great vibe and the material we chose just fit. It allowed us to move intuitively so that nothing seemed forced.

And from what I could tell, the audience loved it too,” Najee said.

With a career that has spanned over 30 years, propelled by his 1986 debut album “Najee’s Theme” and early successful tours with Chaka Khan and Freddie Jackson, Najee has kept his nose to the grindstone – pumping out dozens of recordings – some that have gone platinum – others highly-touted collaborations with jazz icons that included Stanley Clarke, Billy Cobham, Larry Carlton, Herbie Hancock and George Duke.

And while he sometimes seemed to have his foot planted in both the jazz and R&B genres, he says jazz, whose roots can be traced right here in America, remains his favorite form of musical expression.

“Today jazz doesn’t garner the same kind of corporate support in the industry that other styles receive – like it did in the past.

Budgets have shrunk in terms of promotion. And we only represent a very small portion of the

5 Najee electrifies the crowd. / Photo Greg Reed

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earnings as compared to other styles. Some people would believe that we’ve disappeared. But we haven’t. I certainly haven’t. I work every day – either on tour, in the studio or working on new pieces,” he said.

“Still, jazz continues to attract audiences across the globe.

But in some ways, unfortunately, America has neglected the very art form that it created and to which it gave birth,” he said.

As an example of how America has sometimes abandoned the beauty, creativity and improvisational flair germane to jazz, Najee noted that the Grammys no longer includes jazz awards during its annually televised program.

“At one point, they tried to eliminate the jazz category completely from their awards but the fans became outraged.

Now they do it off camera. I guess with jazz and classical combined only making up 1 percent of music sales in the U.S., they figured we didn’t matter,” he said.

“But jazz, while it may undergo all kinds of changes, is here to stay. And that’s a good thing, particularly for someone like me,” he added with a smile.

WI

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LIFESTYLE

D.C. Actor Defends Michael B. Jordan Photo

5The controversial Vanity Fair photo of Michael B. Jordan and Ryan Coogler. / Courtesy photo

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer When District actor Vaughn Ryan Midder first saw the controversial “#Embracebrotherhood” photo of “Fruitvale Station” and “Creed” stars Michael B. Jordan and Ryan Coogler, he simply admired it, thinking it was wonderful.

“I immediately thought, ‘I am my brother’s keeper,’” Midder said.

“I admire them as professionals, but also for the fact that they can work together professionally as friends. That’s exactly what my friends and I do. All I interpreted from the photo was black brotherhood, and the leaps and bounds they’ve made as artists by supporting one another and not focusing on their own self-interests,” he said.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t the thought process of many who saw the Vanity Fair shoot, which broke the internet but not in a Kardashian-like way. Instead, the shoot, which depicts the two in an embrace with Jordan’s hand draped on top of Coogler’s head, has received tons of criticism.

Many suggested the image as being effeminate and homosexual.

“The pose insinuates a man dominating another man. He’s palming his head,” one Instagram user posted.

Another wrote, “Why is he holding his head like that anyway? What type of unity does this suggest? It does look a little suspect. Looks almost like he

5District actor Vaughn Ryan Midder and Christopher Lane pose for a similar shoot. / Photo by Jeremiah Quarles has his head toward his …. How about a simple handshake?”

Midder, 23, earned a bachelor’s degree in theatre and has been working in D.C. With the help of photographer Jeremiah Quarles, Midder and his friend, Christopher Lane, have posed for a picture in the same vein as the Jordan/Coogler photo.

This week, they’re also planning to release a YouTube video to share on social media and are scheduled to talk more in depth about the controversy.

“We’re young Black male artists striving to be on the level Jordan and Coogler are at,” Midder said. “We look up to them, and so it’s hard to see the men you’re emulating being criticized not for their work or even their demeanor, but because they’re confident

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enough to show their brotherly love for one another. Chris and I rely heavily on each other professionally, spiritually, emotionally, because we’re brothers, and that’s what brothers do.”

Neither Jordan, who won a 2015 NAACP Image Award, nor Coogler, who won a Best Director Oscar for Creed, have responded to the drama surrounding the photo.

However, Midder is determined to support his fellow thespians.

He said it’s important for him and Lane as actors to let other Black entertainers know that they have support, noting that the content of the article in which the photo ran was completely ignored because of the picture.

PHOTO Page 38

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LIFESTYLE

Just the Beginning for Akilah Johnson ‘Doodle4Google’ Winner Has Bright Future Ahead

By Sarafina Wright WI Staff Writer District residents, council members and Mayor Bowser erupted with pride when the news broke that Google’s national doodle competition winner, Akilah Johnson, came from Eastern High School in Northeast.

Johnson, 15, won the competition with her piece entitled “My Afrocentric Life” that displayed her pride in being Black and a Washingtonian.

“When I looked at the other work, I already knew my work would stand out because it was directed to Black lives, my skin color and what’s going on in the world,” Akilah said.

Upon winning she recalled being overwhelmed and relieved that she won what included a feature on Google’s homepage, a $30,000 college scholarship, a trip to their headquarters in California, a Chromebook, Android tablet and a T-shirt with her doodle on it.

“I was born with it [talent] and art has always been something I enjoyed even when I was a child,” she said. “My first biggest painting was in the seventh grade and I made a mural out of wood.”

Akilah claims her inspiration behind “My Afrocentric Life” came from her elementary school Roots Public Charter in Northwest that celebrated blackness and Afrocentrism.

“I did something that reflected who I am,” she said.

The annual competition “Doodle4Google” allows children from across the country in kindergarten through twelfth grade to compete in an art contest where their work will be featured on the site’s

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5Akilah Johnson celebrate her victory wtih her principal and art teacher. / Photo

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The theme Google asked the competitors to address for 2015 was “What makes me . . . me.”

Akilah said although Google has been the pinnacle she plans to enter more art competitions.

“I definitely plan to do

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5The 2016 Doodle 4 Google competition winner Akilah Johnson (right), a sophomore at Eastern Senior High School, with her mother Tickecia Johnson. / Photo

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more; they probably won’t be as big as Google but of course I will do them,” she said.

Her college plans haven’t been solidified just yet, but the sophomore said historically black college Tennessee State University remains at the top of her list.

“My major will be criminal justice or business. I think if I study business I will open and own my own art studio,” she said.

“A lot of people have already seen my work and have asked me to sell it in their stores, not necessarily because I’ve won, but winning has helped,” she said. “This is just the beginning for me, but I have no predictions of my future. I am taking it one day at a time.”

WI

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Nationals Showcase New Enhancements, Fan Experience

LIFESTYLE

National Black Memorabilia, Fine Art & Crafts Show April 9-10, 2016

Saturday: 10 AM – 7 PM ** Sunday: 10 AM – 5 PM

Montgomery County Fairgrounds

16 Chestnut Street ** Gaithersburg, MD 20877 “32nd Year Celebrating African American History & Culture”

• Purchase Black Memorabilia, Fine Art & Crafts from vendors including slavery artifacts, books, paintings, prints, stamps, advertisements, kitchen collectibles, coins, Civil War, civil rights, toys, dolls, political, jewelry, sports, entertainment, textiles, photos & more.

• View Educational Exhibits including Slavery Artifacts,

Buffalo Soldiers, Jim Crow, Black Panther Party, Marcus Garvey, Tuskegee Airmen, Malcolm X, George Washington Carver, Nannie Helen Burroughs & others.

• Meet and Obtain Autographs from Negro League Baseball Players, Tuskegee Airmen and other celebrities.

“An Educational Experience for the Whole Family”

Admission: $7, Students admitted FREE

By William J. Ford WI Staff Writer @jabariwill Baseball fans purchasing premium seats this year inside the new two-level PNC Diamond Club can choose from at least 34 big-screen televisions to watch a game, more than double the amount last year.

When fans get hungry, they can devour a chili cheesesteak gyro, dig into zesty cole slow, or gobble up crab dumplings.

These are just two of the many enhancements Washington Nationals officials showcased Tuesday, March 29, at the ballpark in Southeast.

“We have a lot going on this year,” said Valerie Camillo, chief revenue and marketing officer for the Nationals. “The fans will get a good experience this year.”

The players are still in Florida preparing for the upcoming season, but will play two more spring training games at Nationals Park on Friday, April 1, and Saturday, April 2, against the Minnesota Twins.

The Nationals first regular season game begins in Atlanta on Monday, April 4, against the Atlanta Braves.

The Nationals home opener April 7 will be against the Miami Marlins.

Also on that day, the team will celebrate its 25-millionth fan to receive a special jersey, jacket, visit the owner’s box and a pair of opening day tickets for the next 25 years.

While walking around the ball-

park, fans with a spicy pallet can stop in section 301 at “Catchfly” owned by D.C.-based chef and restaurateur, Mike Isabella. The owner of Kapnos restaurant in Northwest will also bring some of that Greek cuisine called “Kapnos at the Park” to the stadium this year in the same section.

Besides food, the team will also help District students and teachers integrate baseball and science, technology, engineering and mathematics education.

Gregory McCarthy, vice president of community engagement for the Nationals, said the winning projects will be showcased at the ballpark May 9, one month before the citywide STEM fair June 9.

A summer program called “NatsPrep” will involve 30 students from Ballou and Wilson high schools and the Columbia Heights Education Campus to learn from Nationals officials about careers such as hospitality, sports promotion and event management.

“Our goal is when they get out of college, they look at sports management as a great career to go into and inspire to owning a team,” he said.

In regards to the Nationals baseball team, many baseball experts picked them to play in the World Series last year. However, they came in second place and failed to make the playoffs with an 83-79 record.

The Nationals got infielder Daniel Murphy from the Mets to play second base to spruce up the team’s defense that ranked in the middle

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of the pack in terms of fielding last season among all 30 teams.

When the Nationals won the National League East division title in 2012, it became the city’s first baseball championship since being called the Washington Senators in 1933. If the team can win the division title this year, it would be the team’s third in six years.

However, some baseball experts are picking the New York Mets, which has one of the best starting pitching staffs in the majors, to win their second straight NL East crown.

One way Nationals officials hope to increase the excitement level will be to offer more merchandise at lower prices at its team store near the Center Field gate. The store’s new location more than doubles last year’s spot with 7,000 square feet of caps, t-shirts, jackets and a Bryce Harper figurine.

Mike Carney, senior director of strategy with the Nationals, almost mentioned a trading board in section 138 where fans can take a pin from the board and replace it with one of their own.

“The concept around this is ‘give a pin, take a pin,’” he said. “If you don’t have a pin with you, you can buy it. With all our fans, it kind of becomes a collaborative experience where (they) can share their pins with fellow fans.”

For more information about other features and promotions at the ballpark, go to www.nationals.com.

WI

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5Greg McCarthy, vice president of community engagement for the Washington Nationals, talks about upcoming events and a STEM initiative during a tour of the ballpark in Southeast on Tuesday, March 29. / Photo by Travis Riddick

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MAR. 31 - APRIL 6, 2016 31

LIFESTYLE

5Hector Castillo (left) with Duke Ellington School of the Arts visual arts

teacher Mike Easton, exhibits his untitled painting of acrylic on canvas during the opening reception on Friday, March 25 at the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities in Southwest. / Photo by Patricia Little

5Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Superintendent Gopaul Noojibail speaks to fourth-grade students at Cesar Chavez Elementary School in Hyattsville, Maryland on March 22. / Photo by Roy Lewis

5Kea Taylor took

her daughter to the Cherry Blossom Festival’s Family Day at the Building Museum where children used their creativity to make fun toys Saturday, March 26 in Northwest / Photo by Roy Lewis

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LIFESTYLE

WI Book Review A

Horoscopes

MAR. 31 – APRIL 6, 2016

ARIES Beware of financial pitfalls that you’ve set for yourself. Strengthen all your relationships by understanding motivations of others. Spend time at home. Enjoy what you already have. Soul Affirmation: Often it’s not what I say, but the way I say it that gets the message across. Lucky Numbers: 4, 6, 47

“Incarceration Nations: A Journey to Justice in Prisons Around the World”

TAURUS Don’t expect to win every battle, especially with your lover. This week, winning is losing. Backing down is winning. Shyness produces a bold result. It’s easy to collect that long-standing debt. Soul Affirmation: I keep money on my mind this week. Lucky Numbers: 18, 25, 39

by Baz Dreisinger c.2016, Other Press $27.95 / $35.95 Canada 336 pages

GEMINI Possibilities of hearing good news about home are greatly ex-

panded. Savor the news rather than thinking about other annoyances. Travel is on the horizon. Plan the trip this week. Soul Affirmation: Jewelry reflects the beauty of my feelings about myself. Lucky Numbers: 26, 44, 52

CANCER Feather the nest. Stock up on stuff for the long haul. Cement

relationships. A friend needs your support. Enjoy giving it. You will receive good news about a pal. Soul Affirmation: Cheerfully handling what comes at me is the test of who I am. Lucky Numbers: 13, 22, 31

By Terri Schlichenmeyer WI Contributing Writer You do the crime, you do the time.

If you’re willing, in other words, to misbehave or break the law, you need to be willing to face consequences. But what if the crime doesn’t match the punishment? What if your sentence doesn’t have a period at the end? Or what if, as you’ll see in “Incarceration Nations” by Baz Dreisinger, you didn’t commit a crime at all?

As a white Jewish English professor who focuses on African American cultural studies and is passionate about working with about-to-be-released prisoners, Baz Dreisinger says she’s used to sur5 Baz Dreisinger prising people. Her “peculiar blend of identities” is unique – and so was her idea of a two-year journey to visit prisons around the world.

The statistics that spurred her are “devastating:” More than 2 million people are behind bars in America, making the U.S. the “world’s largest jailer.” There are more African Americans in jail today than were enslaved 166 years ago, one in fourteen black men is incarcerated in the States. American prisons hold 160,000 “lifers,” as compared to fewer than sixty lifers in Australia.

America ’s prison model, says Dreisinger, is exported around the world. But the world, as she discovered, altered those plans.

In Rwanda, where violence between Hutus and Tutsis horrified us a generation ago, she discovered that bribery and corruption are “rampant” but prison programs bring criminals and victims together to attempt forgiveness.

In South Africa, in the prison where Nelson Mandela was held, she learned that apologies are nice, but a phone call to a prisoner’s mother does even more.

In Uganda, where overcrowding leads to horrific conditions and corruption is “endemic,” she learns that prisoners are hungry for beauty in words. In Thailand, she toured women’s prisons where guards are required to know women by their names and faces, not their numbers. She visited Australia, which began as a penal colony; Singapore, a “Disneyland with a death penalty” and an exciting reentry program; and Norway, where prisoners can “spend up to half ” their sentences off-premises.

When “Incarceration Nations” first crossed my desk, I expected to read horror story after horror story but, surprisingly, that’s not at all what I got. Instead, there’s a lot in here about recidivism, reentry, and forgiveness.

While I suppose one could argue that, in the making of this book, author Baz Dreisinger saw only what officials wanted her to see, there’s much more to this story: Dreisinger was nevertheless still able to draw statistical parallels between American prisons and, say, Singapore’s, where recidivism rates are far less than in the U.S.; or Norway’s, where prisoners are jailed near their home communities.

Furthermore, Dreisinger uses her experiences as the founder of the Prison-to-College Pipeline program in New York to show how punishment is more effective if there’s a glint of hope tied up in it.

This is not a soft-on-crime book; instead, it’s more a meditation on making prisons more productive, instead of merely a warehouse for individuals. And if that’s a concern of yours, then “Incarceration Nations” is truly worth your time. WI WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

LEO Be cautious and conservative with money. You are extremely witty

this week. Allow others to enjoy your good humor. Your leadership skills are very high, and others will follow. Soul Affirmation: Luck is my best friend this week. Lucky Numbers: 14, 20, 44

VIRGO This is a good time for you to seek agreement on a plan that involves a relative. Take the time to remind your lover how much you care. Get a little sentimental if you have to. Don’t be too critical of that softer side of your personality. Soul Affirmation: Self-confidence is the key to my success this week. Lucky Numbers: 2, 9, 19

LIBRA You’ve made your point. Now wait. Wait for the feedback about

the impact it had on the people around you. Be careful of those who don’t celebrate with you. They feel the impact and are resisting the positive effects.

Soul Affirmation: Before goodness can come I must expect goodness. Lucky Numbers: 5, 16, 23

SCORPIO Be sharp! All of your needs will be met in indirect ways. Gifts will come from unexpected sources. They will be carefully packaged to go unnoticed. Unwrap everything and look inside. There will be empty boxes, but there will also be a prize in an unanticipated situation. Soul Affirmation: I look for the good in all that comes to me this week. Lucky Numbers: 3, 10, 41 SAGITTARIUS Now is a good time to push. Your energy is higher than

ever. Someone might get offended, but you can’t please everyone. Hire a pro for something that you planned to do yourself, especially if expertise is involved. Soul Affirmation: Success is mine because I feel successful. Lucky Numbers: 5, 7, 12

CAPRICORN Review your “to do” list again. You may need to slow

down to discover something that you didn’t realize while you were in the flow of events. Your lover is going to be a little difficult to understand. Soul Affirmation: To live is to love. Lucky Numbers: 5, 16, 23

AQUARIUS Back off if an argument arises. You’re probably the one who is too busy. Forgiving yourself is often harder than getting someone else to forgive you. Go easy on yourself. Soul Affirmation: Two hats fit well on my big head. Lucky Numbers: 3, 20, 32 PISCES Make a special effort to spend all week with your lover, husband

or wife. Your sense of the importance of relationships is keen, and this is a good time to strengthen your passionate partnership. Take your lover to a party. Devote attention. Soul Affirmation: Change is my middle name. Lucky Numbers: 12, 51, 52

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MAR. 31 - APRIL 6, 2016 33

CAPTURE THE MOMENT

5Joe Harris, Larry Bruce, Milton White, Milton White III, Johnnie Jones and L. Tucker, men of Allen Chapel AME Church in Southeast, fried fish and served potato salad after hearing the Good Friday sermon on March 25. / Photo by Roy Lewis

5The 38th annual Sunrise celebration at the Lincoln Memorial drew thousands to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ with the Washington Monument and World War II Memorial visible in the distance. / Photo by Nancy Shia 5The Davis family donned their Easter best and bonnets for resurrection day service at Greater Mt. Calvary Holy Church in Northeast. / Photo by Shevry Lassiter 4The First Family serve as referees as they host their last Easter Egg Roll event on the South Lawn of the White House on Monday, March 28. / Photo

by Patricia Little

34 MAR. 31 - APRIL 6, 2016

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

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THIRD ANNUAL

Black Theatre Symposium EMBRACING INCLUSION AND D I V E R S I T Y I N A M E R I C A N T H E AT R E

What does the past, present and future of the black theatre aesthetic look like?

Scholars, students, theatre professionals and community members will convene at The Clarice this April for the Third Annual Black Theatre Symposium to explore this question. Co-organizers Scot Reese, UMD School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies (TDPS)artist and professor, and TDPS alumna Thembi Duncan, Creative Programs Director of the Young Playwrights’ Theatre, share some insight.

How would you describe the black theatre aesthetic?

Duncan: Just as there is no single “white” theatre aesthetic, a single black theatre aesthetic does not exist. Our goal with this symposium is to investigate the multiplicity of blackness through varying aesthetics and different modes of theatre-making.

How can culturally specific theatre contribute to the performing arts in this country?

Duncan: It’s essential to gaining an understanding of the history of black experiences in this country and in the world.

Without continuing to build on,

or question, or oppose those ideas, we run the risk of being cut off completely from a rich fountain of knowledge that cannot be recovered in any other form of expression.

Any predictions for what the future of black theatre looks like?

Duncan: It will definitely include more technology, both on and off the stage. Intersectionality will likely become more prominent.

Increasing collaborations with other people of color, especially as class becomes the predominant divider of people in this country. More site-specific

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theatre and interdisciplinary forms of expression. Protest theatre is also making a comeback.

How does this symposium benefit UMD students, and the greater community here at The Clarice?

Reese: Our exploration of the expansion of an inclusive presence and influence in the field of theatre builds community.

That is so important today. Take a look at the Black Lives Matter movement. The arts become a wonderful tool to dialogue and bridge gaps.

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April 2, 2016 This event takes place at the University of Maryland’s Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center.

Community members are invited to attend.

For tickets and information, visit theclarice.umd.edu/bts-2016

THECLARICE.UMD.EDU • 301.405.ARTS (2787)

MAR. 31 - APRIL 6, 2016 35

SPORTS

Timberwolves Beat Wizards in Double Overtime, 132- 129

4 Wizards guard John Wall evades Minnesota

Timberwolves Greg Smith and Tyrus Jones in the first quarter of national Basketball League (NBA) action on Friday, March 25, at the Verizon Center in Northwest. Minnesota defeated Washington 132-129 (2 OT). / Photo by John E. De Freitas

6 Wizards forward Nene passes around Minnesota

forward Nemanja Bjelica in the first quarter of NBA action on Friday, March 25, at the Verizon Center in Northwest. Minnesota defeated Washington 132-129 (2 OT). / Photo by John E. De Freitas

3Wizards guard

Ramon Sessions goes to the basket for two under the watchful eyes of Minnesota center Greg Smith in the second quarter of NBA action on Friday, March 25, at the Verizon Center in Northwest. Minnesota defeated Washington ,132-129 (2 OT) / Photo by John E. De Freitas

5 Player from both teams fight for a rebound in the third quarter of NBA action on Friday, March 25, at the Verizon Center in Northwest. Minnesota defeated Washington, 132-129 (2 OT). / Photo

by John E. De Freitas Â

36 MAR. 31 - APRIL 6, 2016

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SPORTS

Dallas Blanks D.C. United, 3-0 3 Dallas forward Maximiliano Urruti evades two D.C. United players in the first half of MLS action on Saturday, March 26, at RFK stadium in Southeast.

Dallas defeated D.C. United 3-0. / Photo by John E. De Freitas 6 D.C. United midfielder Patrick Nyarko outruns F.C.Dallas midfielder Fabian Castillo in the first half of Major League Soccer (MLS) action on Saturday, March 26 at Robert Fitzgerald Memorial Stadium (RFK) in Southeast. Nyarko said: “There’s only so much the coaches can do. They set us up during the week and give us a game plan and we need to execute.

We let ourselves down.” Dallas defeated D.C. United 3-0. / Photo by John E. De Freitas 4 D.C. United for-

ward Fabian Espindoa is double teamed by Dallas players in the first half of MLS action on Saturday, March 26, at RFK stadium in Southeast. Dallas defeated D.C. United 3-0. / Photo by John E. De Freitas

6 Dallas forward

Maximiliano Urruti shoots and scores in the second half of MLS action on Saturday, March 26, at RFK stadium in Southeast. Dallas defeated D.C. United 3-0. / Photo by John E. De Freitas

3Dallas

forward Mauro Diaz outruns his opponent in the second half of MLS action on Saturday, March 26, at RFK stadium in Southeast.

Dallas defeated D.C. United, 3-0. / Photo

by John E. De Freitas

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MAR. 31 - APRIL 6, 2016 37

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INTERNS from Page 29 The recent #OscarsSoWhite phenomenon regarding Black artists not receiving due credit and boycotting the Oscars should have taught many lessons, Midder said.

“Now, Vanity Fair chooses to recognize these two brothers for their accomplishments, and we, their fans, their consumers, can’t get past the fact that his hand is touching his head,” he said.

“Also, as young Black men ourselves, we understand how embedded it is in our culture to force hyper-masculinity on young boys, and we’ve experienced it, and still deal with it.

“It can be very detrimental though, not just emotionally for boys as they’re growing up, but socially. We convince everyone that being a Black man means you’re hard, tough, not affectionate, not compassionate, and that feeds into the perception many non-blacks already have of us,”

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“Also, as young Black men ourselves, we understand how embedded it is in our culture to force hypermasculinity on young boys.”

Ryan Midder / he said.

“Then we sit and wonder why the police are so threatened by us even when we’re not armed, because our culture says that we’re emotionless, hard, tough, a threat, not human, and that we should be put down.

Midder also noted that sports athletes can pat each other on the behind and even shower together without any hidden sexual agenda, but the subtlest and harmless gesture can be twisted.

“We can glorify fights on World Star, obsess over the spectacle black reality TV stars make

of themselves, but we can’t acknowledge the innocent brotherly love between two straight men? Now, while the emasculation of Black men in Hollywood is a valid discussion to have, it’s foolish to think that’s what’s taking place in the photo given the roles Coogler has been creating for Jordan to play on the screen,” Midder said, again reciting the photo’s accompany hashtag.

“Embrace brotherhood.”

To view Midder’s video and his other work, visit www.youtube. com/user/vaughnmidderatyahoo WI

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RELIGION THE RELIGION CORNER

The Griffin Firm, PLLC

A Mindset for Action This week, the Lord has given me a message to share with you: A Mindset for Action! In this column, I share three key points. First, go after your goal with intention. Second, have a plan, and third take action.

Have you noticed that when you are traveling across country or you’re taking a road trip, it looks as if the road simply disappears?

If you didn’t know any better, you might be afraid to go any farther because it looks as if the road on which you are traveling simply drops off the face of the Earth. How many of you know that all you must do is to keep driving? What does this remind of us of? It tells us that you will not be able to see all the way to the end of how you will get to your goal or dream. You will surely continue to see more of the road as you keep traveling.

Do some things you’ve never done before to become someone you’ve never been before.

You must get to a point in your life where you have had enough of bumping your head up against a wall, not getting anywhere, only feeling pain from the bumps. You can daydream, or you can create an action plan. Find ways to keep yourself on task. Hook up with a community of people who are doers, and you know they are because you’ve been watch-

Turning Hearts Church

ing them for years. Once you hook up with these new doers, do everything they tell you to do. That will help you get to your goal.

Perfect example, is when I created a marketing plan to get my company known, an exciting idea came to me; the unveiling the official bronze bust of the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. That bust now sits as the centerpiece of PUSH Headquarters in Chicago. It was my pleasure for Jackson to invite me to take a picture with standing beside that bust.

Another example is when I went to college after my three children were adults. It’s never too late to put your plans into action. Earned my BA degree and MA degree in communication from Trinity University, all while attending the Weekend College and working fulltime.

When you feel emotional about your goals, you now have the ‘why’ that will propel you forward. You will be on the right track. When you get like Fannie Lou Hamer, when you “are sick and tired of being sick and tired,” you are emotionally ready.

The day you decide the life you’ve had is not working is when you can reinvent yourself. Don’t keep going down that same road; begin with a change in attitude. When you

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with Lyndia Grant leave most things from your past behind, you will free yourself. That past life that wasn’t working is similar to cancer.

You are dying if you cannot figure out how to live again. If that life was not moving your goal forward and it was harming you, then you must let it go.

Have the willingness to uproot your life. Tell yourself - “What I’ve been doing simply is NOT working; it is mandatory that I find another way.” Take a new route heading where you want to go. Keep that dream in the forefront of your mind.

Finally, now that you intend to begin taking steps for your new goal and you now have a plan of how to get there, taking action is next. Put your goals in a fertile mindset for action. Don’t allow anybody to tell you there is only one way to get there. How you get there is based on the set of your sails.

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Historic St. Mary’s Episcopal Church

Virgil K. Thomas, Sr. Senior Pastor/ Teacher

Service and Times Sunday School 8 – 9 AM Worship Service 9 – 11 AM Tuesday Night Bible Study 6:30 – 8:00 PM Wednesday Daytime Bible Study 11 AM – 12:30 PM

Committed to providing services and supports to increase the capacity of individuals, businesses, and communities.

Service and Times Sundays: 10 a.m. Holy Eucharist with Music and Hymns Wednesdays: 12:10 p.m. - Holy Eucharist www.stmarysfoggybottom.org Email: stmarysoffice@stmarysfoggybottom.org All are welcome to St. Mary’s to Learn, Worship, and Grow.

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MAR. 31 - APRIL 6, 2016 39

RELIGION The Miracle Center of Faith Missionary Baptist Church

Pilgrim Baptist Church Rev. Louis B. Jones II Pastor

Bishop Michael C. Turner, Sr. Senior Pastor 9161 Hampton Overlook Capitol Heights, MD 20743 Phone: 301-350-2200 Fax: 301-499-8724

Service and Times Sunday Worship Times : 7:30 a.m. 7 10:00 a.m.

Communion: 1st Sunday Sunday School: 9:00 a.m.

Bible Study: Wednesday, 12 Noon Bible Study in homes: Tuesday 7:00 p.m.

Website: www.themiraclecenterFMBC.com Email: Miraclecenterfmbs@gmail.com Motto: “We Walk by Faith, Not by Sight”

Church of Living Waters

700 I Street, N.E. Washington, D.C. 20002 (202) 547-8849 Service and Times Worship Sundays: 7:30 & 11:00am 5th Sundays: 9:30am 3rd Sundays: Baptism & Holy Communion Prayer & Praise: Wednesdays @ Noon & 6:30pm

Crusader Baptist Church

Rev. Dr. Michael E. Bell, Sr., Pastor

Rev. Dr. Alton W. Jordan Pastor

Reverend Dr. Calvin L. Matthews Senior Pastor

Harold Andrew Assistant Pastor

2498 Alabama Ave., SE - Washington D.C. 20020 Office: (202) 889-7296 Fax: (202) 889-2198 - www.acamec.org

800 I Street, NE - Washington, DC 20002 202-548-0707 - Fax No. 202-548-0703

4915 Wheeler Road Oxon Hill, MD 20745 301-894-6464

Service and Times Sunday Worship Services: 8:00am and 11:00am Sunday Church School - 9:15am & Sunday Adult Forum Bible Study - 10:30am 2nd & 4th Monday Women’s Bible Study: 6:30pm Tuesday Jr./Sr. Bible Study: 10:00am Tuesday Topical Bible Study: 6:30pm Tuesday New Beginnings Bible Study: 6:30pm Wednesday Pastoral Bible Study: 6:30pm Wednesday Children’s Bible Study: 6:30pm Thursday Men’s Bible Study: 6:30pm Friday before 1st Sunday Praise & Worship Service: 6:30pm Saturday Adult Bible Study: 10:00am “The Amazing, Awesome, Audacious Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church”

Service and Times Sunday Morning Worship: 11:00am Holy Communion: 1st Sunday Sunday School: 9:45am Men’s Monday Bible Study: 7:00pm Wednesday Night Bible Study: 7:00pm Women’s Ministry Bible Study: 3rd Friday -7:00pm Computer Classes: Announced Family and Marital Counseling by appointment

1200 Isle of Patmos Plaza, Northeast Washington, DC 20018 Office: (202) 529-6767 - Fax: (202) 526-1661

www.livingwatersmd.org

E-mail: Crusadersbaptistchurch@verizon.net www.CrusadersBaptistChurch.org “God is Love”

Covenant Baptist United Church of Christ

St. Stephen Baptist Church

Third Street Church of God

Dr. Dekontee L. & Dr. Ayele A. Johnson Pastors

Drs. Dennis W. & Christine Y. Wiley Pastors

Bishop Lanier C. Twyman, Sr. Senior Pastor

Rev. Cheryl J. Sanders, Th.D. Senior Pastor

Bishop Alfred A. Owens, Jr.; Senior Bishop & Evangelist Susie C. Owens – Co-Pastor

4001 14th Street, NW Washington, DC 20011 (202) 265-6147 Office 1-800 576-1047 Voicemail/Fax

3845 South Capitol Street Washington, DC 20032 (202) 562-5576 (Office) (202) 562-4219 (Fax)

5757 Temple Hill Road, Temple Hills, MD 20748 Office 301-899-8885 – fax 301-899-2555

1204 Third Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 202-347-5889 office 202-638-1803 fax

610 Rhode Island Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20002 (202) 529-4547 office • (202) 529-4495 fax

Service and Times Sunday School: 9:30am Sunday Morning Worship Service: 11:00am Communion Service: First Sunday Prayer Service/Bible Study: Tuesday, 6:30pm

Services and Times Sundays: 10:00am Worship Services Bible Study: Wonderful Wednesdays in Worship and the Word Bible Study Wednesdays 12:00 Noon; 6:30pm (dinner @ 5:30pm) Sunday School: 9:00am – Hour of Power

Blessed Word of Life Church

www.blessedwordoflifechurch.org E-mail: church@blessedwordoflifechurch.org

“An inclusive ministry where all are welcomed and affirmed.” www.covenantbaptistdc.org

Campbell AME Church Rev. Dr. Henry Y. White 2562 MLK Jr. Ave., SE - Washington, DC 20020 Adm. Office 202-678-2263 Email: Campbell@mycame.org Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 10:00 am Sunday Church School: 8:45 am Bible Study Wednesday: 12:00 Noon Wednesday: 7:00 pm Thursday: 7: pm “Reaching Up To Reach Out” Mailing Address Campbell AME Church 2502 Stanton Road SE - Washington, DC 20020

Services and Times Sunday Early Morning Worship: 7:45am Church School: 9:30am Sunday Morning Worship: 10:45am Tuesday: 7:00pm/Kingdom Building Bible Institute Wednesday: Prayer/Praise/Bible Study-7:30 pm Baptism & Communion Service: 4th Sunday – 10:30am

Services and Times Sunday School: 9:30am Sunday Worship: 11:00am Prayer Meeting and Bible Study: Wed. 7:30pm

“We are one in the Spirit” www.ssbc5757.org E-mail: ssbc5757@verizon.net

www.thirdstreet.org

“Ambassadors for Christ to the Nation’s Capital”

Greater Mt. Calvary Holy Church

Sunday Worship Service: 8 AM and 10:45am Sunday Youth Worship Services: 1st & 4th 10:45am; 804 R.I. Ave., NE 5th 8 AM & 10:45am; Main Church Prayer Services Tuesday – Noon, Wednesday 6am & 6:30pm Calvary Bible Institute: Year-Round Contact Church Communion Every 3rd Sunday The Church in The Hood that will do you Good! www.gmchc.org

Service and Times Sunday Worship Services: 7:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.

Holy Communion: 2nd Sunday at 7:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.

Sunday Church School: 9:20 a.m.

Seniors Bible Study: Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m.

Noon Day Prayer Service: Tuesdays at Noon Bible Study: Tuesdays at 7 p.m.

Motto: “A Ministry of Reconciliation Where Everybody is Somebody!”

Website: http://isleofpatmosbc.org Church Email: ipbcsecretary@verizon.net

St Marks Baptist Come Worship with us...

Dr. Raymond T. Matthews Pastor and First Lady Marcia Matthews St. Mark's Baptist Church 624 Underwood Street, NW Washington, dc 20011 Services and Times Sunday School: 9:00am Worship Service: 10:00am Wed. Noon Day prayer service Thur. Prayer service: 6:45pm Thur. Bible Study: 7:15pm

Twelfth Street Christian Church Reverend Dr. Paul H. Saddler Senior Pastor (Disciples of Christ) 1812 12th Street, NW - Washington, DC 20009 Phone: 202-265-4494 Fax: 202 265 4340 Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 11:00 am Communion every Sunday: 11:00 am Sunday School: 10:00 am Bible Study Tuesday: 12 Noon Pastor’s Bible Study Tuesday: 6:30 pm Motto: “Discover Something Wonderful” Website: 12thscc.org Email: Twelfthstcc@aol.com

Mt. Zion Baptist Church

Mount Carmel Baptist Church

Rev. John W. Davis Pastor

Joseph N. Evans, Ph.D Senior Pastor

5101 14th Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20011 202-726-2220/ 202-726-9089

901 Third Street N.W. Washington, DC. 20001 Phone (202) 842-3411 Fax (202) 682-9423

Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 8:00am and 11:00am Sunday School: 9:15am Holy Communion 4th Sunday 10:00am Prayer and Bible Study Wednesday 7:00pm TV Ministry –Channel 6 Wednesday 10:00pm

Isle of Patmos Baptist Church

Rev. Paul Carrette Senior Pastor

Service and Times Sunday Service: 8:30am& 11:00am Bible Study: Wednesday 7:30pm Communion Service: First Sunday

www.pilgrimbaptistdc.org

Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church

Service and Times Sunday Church School : 9:00am Sunday Morning Worship: 10:10am Bible Study Tuesday: 6: 00pm Prayer Service Tuesday: 7:00pm Holy Communion: 3rd Sunday 10:10am themcbc.org

gsccm.administration@verizon.net

40 MAR. 31 - APRIL 6, 2016

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

RELIGION Shabbath Commandment Church

All Nations Baptist Church

King Emmanuel Baptist Church

Bishop Adrian A. Taylor, Sr. Pastor

Rev. Dr. James Coleman Pastor

Rev. Daryl F. Bell Pastor

7801 Livingston Road Oxon Hill, MD 20745 301-534-5471

2001 North Capitol St, N.E. - Washington, DC 20002 Phone (202) 832-9591

2324 Ontario Road, NW Washington, DC 20009 (202) 232-1730

Service and Times Sabbath School 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

Service 11:00 a.m. Praise & Worship Preaching 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Motto: “A Church Keeping It Real for Real.”

Website: Shabbathcommandmentchruch.org Email: Praisebetoyhwh@gmail.com

Zion Baptist Church Rev. Keith W. Byrd, Sr. Pastor 4850 Blagdon Ave, NW - Washington D.C 20011 Phone (202) 722-4940 - Fax (202) 291-3773 Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 10:15AM Sunday School: 9:00am Monday: Noon Bible School Wednesday: Noon & 7PM: Pastor’s Bible Study Ordinance of Baptism 2nd Holy Communion 4th Sunday Mission Zion Baptist Church Shall; Enlist Sinners, Educate Students, Empower the Suffering, Encourage the Saints, and Exalt Our Savior. (Acts 2:41-47) www.zionbaptistchurchdc.org

St. Luke Baptist Church Rev. Aubrey C. Lewis Pastor 1415 Gallatin Street, NW Washington, DC 20011-3851 P: (202) 726-5940 Service and Times Sunday Worship: 11:00 a.m.

Sunday School: 9:15 a.m.

Holy Communion: 11:00 a.m., 3rd Sun. Bible Institute: Wednesday - 1:30 pm Prayer Meeting: Wednesday - 12:00 Noon

Service and Times Sunday Church School – 9:30 AM Sunday Worship Service – 11:00 AM Holy Communion – 1st Sunday at 11:00 AM Prayer – Wednesdays, 6:00 PM Bible Study – Wednesdays, 7:00 PM Christian Education School of Biblical Knowledge Saturdays, 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM, Call for Registration Website: www.allnationsbaptistchurch.com All Nations Baptist Church – A Church of Standards

Israel Baptist Church

Dr. Earl D. Trent Senior Pastor

Rev. Dr. George C. Gilbert Senior Pastor

2409 Ainger Pl.,SE – WDC 20020 (202) 678-0884 – Office - (202) 678-0885 – Fax “Come Grow With Us and Establish a Blessed Family”

623 Florida Ave.. NW - WDC. 20001 Church (202) 667-3409 Study (202) 265-0836 Home Study (301) 464-8211 Fax (202) 483-4009

4504 Gault Place, N.E. Washington, D.C 20019 202-397-7775 – 7184

Service and Times Sunday Worship: 7:30am & 10:45am Baptism/Holy Communion: 3rd Sunday Family Bible Study Tuesdays – 6:30pm Prayer Service: Tuesdays – 8:00pm www.emmanuelbaptistchurchdc.org

“Where Jesus is the King”

Lincoln Park United Methodist Church

Sermon On The Mount Temple Of Joy Apostolic Faith

Rev. Dr. Diane Dixon Proctor Pastor

Elder Herman L. Simms Pastor

1251 Saratoga Ave., NE Washington, DC 20018 (202) 269-0288

1301 North Carolina Ave. N E Washington, D C 20002 202 543 1318 - lpumconthegrow@gmail.com www.lpumcdc.org

5606 Marlboro Pike District Heights, MD 20747 301-735-6005

Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 10:00 A.M. Sunday School: 8:30 A.M. Holy Communion1st Sunday: 10:00 A.M. Prayer Service: Wednesday at 6:30 P.M. Bible Study: Wednesday at 7:00 P.M.

Service and Times Sunday Worship: 10: am Holy Communion: First Sunday 10: am Sunday School: 9: am Bible Study: Wednesday @ 12 noon and 6:30pm Motto: “A CHURCH ON THE GROW”.

Mount Moriah Baptist Church

Eastern Community Baptist Church

Service and Times Sunday Apostolic Worship Services 11:00 A.M and 5:00 P.M Communion and Feet Wash 4th Sunday at 5:00 P.M Prayer/Seeking: Wednesday at 8:00 P.M. Apostolic in Doctrine, Pentecostal in Experience, Holiness in Living, Uncompromised and Unchanged.

The Apostolic Faith is still alive –Acts 2:42

New Commandment Baptist Church

Dr. Lucius M. Dalton Senior Pastor

Damion M. Briggs Pastor

Rev. Stephen E. Tucker Senior Pastor

1636 East Capitol Street, NE Washington, DC 20003 Telephone: 202-544-5588 - Fax: 202-544-2964

8213 Manson Street Landover, MD 20785 Tel: (301) 322-9787 Fax: (301) 322-9240

13701 Old Jericho Park Road Bowie, MD. 20720 (301) 262-0560

Service and Times Sunday Worship Services: 7:45 am and 10:45 am Holy Communion: 1st Sundays at 7:45 am & 10:45 am Sunday School: 9:30 am Prayer & Praise Service: Tuesdays at 12 noon & 6:30 pm Bible Study: Tuesdays at 1 pm and 7 pm Youth Bible Study: Fridays at 7 pm

Service and Times Early Morning Message: 7:30 AM Sunday Morning Worship Service: 10:00 AM Sunday Church School: 9:00 AM Holy Communion: 1st Sunday 7:30 AM & 10:00 AM Prayer, Praise and Testimony: Wednesday 7:00 PM Bible Study: Wednesday 7:30 PM

Service and Times Sunday Worship: 11 AM Sunday School: 10 AM Wednesday Mid-Week Worship, Prayer & Bible Study: Wed. 7 PM

Rehoboth Baptist Church

“Real Worship for Real People” Website: www.easterncommunity.org Email: ecc@easterncommunity.org

Salem Baptist Church

Holy Trinity United Baptist Church

Florida Avenue Baptist Church

Rev. Dr. Clinton W. Austin Pastor

Rev. Dr. Morris L Shearin, Sr. Pastor

Web: www.mountmoriahchurch.org Email: mtmoriah@mountmoriahchurch.org

St. Matthews Baptist Church

Service and Times Sunday School: 9:30 am Sunday Worship Service: 11:00 am Baptismal Service: 1st Sunday – 9:30 am Holy Communion: 1st Sunday – 11:00 am Prayer Meeting & Bible Study: Wednesday -7:30 pm

Emmanuel Baptist Church

“A Church Where Love Is Essential and Praise is Intentional”

Service and Times Sunday Worship Services: 10:00 a.m.

Sunday Church School: 8:45 – 9:45 a.m.

Holy Communion: Every First Sunday Intercessory Prayer: Monday – 7:00-8:00 p.m.

Pastor’s Bible Study: Wednesday –7:45 p.m.

Midweek Prayer: Wednesday – 7:00 p.m.

Noonday Prayer Every Thursday

Matthews Memorial Baptist Church

Service and Times 9:30AM. Sunday Church School 11:00 Am. Sunday Worship Service The Lord’s Supper 1st Sunday Wednesday 7:00pm Prayer & Praise Services 7:30pm. Bible Study Saturday before 4th Sunday Men, Women, Youth Discipleship Ministries 10:30am A Christ Centered Church htubc@comcast.net

Christ Embassy DC

Dr. C. Matthew Hudson, Jr, Pastor 2616 MLK Ave., SE - Washington, DC 20020 Office 202-889-3709 - Fax 202-678-3304 Service and Times Early Worship Service: 7:30a.m Worship Service: 10:45a.m.

New Members Class: 9:30a.m.

Holy Communion : 1st Sunday -10:45a.m Church School: 9:30a.m.

Prayer, Praise and Bible Study: Wednesday 7p.m Bible Study : Saturday: 11a.m.

Baptism: 4th Sunday – 10:45a.m “Empowered to love and Challenged to Lead a Multitude of Souls to Christ”

Peace Baptist Church

Kelechi Ajieren Coordinator 6839 Eastern Avenue, R1 Takoma Park, MD 20912 (202) 556-7065 Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 10:00 A.M. Wednesday Bible Study: 7:00 P.M. Friday Evening Service: 7:00 P.M. ; Last Friday “…Giving Your Life a Meaning” www.Christembassydc.org Christ.embassy.dc@hotmail.com

Pennsylvania Ave. Baptist Church

Rev. Dr. Michael T. Bell 712 18th Street, NE Washington, DC 20002 Phone 202-399-3450/ Fax 202-398-8836 Service and Times Sunday Morning Worship Service: 7:15 am & 10:50 am Sunday School: 9:30am Wednesday Prayer & Testimonies Service: 7:30pm Wednesday School of the Bible: 8:00pm Wednesday - Midweek Prayer Service: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Rev. Dr. Kendrick E. Curry Pastor 3000 Pennsylvania Ave.. S.E Washington, DC 20020 202 581-1500 Service and Times Sunday Church School: 9:30 A.M. Sunday Worship Service: 11:00 A.M. Monday Adult Bible Study: 7:00 P.M. Wednesday Youth & Adult Activities: 6:30 P.M. Prayer Service Bible Study

“The Loving Church of the living lord “ Email Address pbcexec@verizon.net

Shiloh Baptist Church

First Rising Mt. Zion Baptist Church

Mt. Horeb Baptist Church

Rev. Dr. Maxwell M. Washington Pastor

Rev. Curtis l. Staley Pastor

Rev. Alonzo Hart Pastor

Rev. Dr. Wallace Charles Smith Pastor

Rev. Reginald M. Green, Sr. Interim Pastor

Rev. Dr. H. B. Sampson, III Pastor

Worshiping Location Knights of Columbus - 1633 Tucker Road Fort Washington, MD 20744 (240) 838-7074

621 Alabama Ave., S.E.- Washington, D.C. 20032 P: (202) 561-1111 - F: (202) 561-1112

917 N St. NW - Washington, DC 20001 (202) 232-4294

9th & P Street, N.W. - W. D.C. 20001 (202) 232-4200

Service and Times Sunday Service: 10 am Sunday School for all ages: 8:30 am 1st Sunday Baptism: 10: am 2nd Sunday Holy Communion:10 am Tuesday: Bible Study: 6:30 pm Prayer Meeting: 7:45 pm

Service and Times Sunday Morning Prayer Service: 8:00 a.m.

Sunday Church School: 9:15 a.m.

Sunday Morning Worship: 10:40 a.m.

Third Sunday Baptismal & Holy Communion:10:30 a.m.

Tuesday Church At Study Prayer & Praise: 6:30 p.m.

Service and Times Sunrise Prayer Services - Sunday 7:00 a.m.

Morning Worship: 8:00 a.m Church School : 9:30 a.m.

Morning Worship: 10:55 a.m.

Bible Study, Thursday: 6:30 p.m.

Prayer Meeting,Thursday : 7:30 p.m.

602 N Street NW - Washington, D.C. 20001 Office:(202) 289-4480 Fax: (202) 289-4595

2914 Bladensburg Road, NE Wash., DC 20018 Office: (202) 529-3180 - Fax: (202) 529-7738 Service and Times Worship Service: 7:30 a.m.

Sunday School: 9:00 a.m.

Worship Service: 10:30 a.m.

Holy Communion: 4th Sunday 7:30 a.m. & 10:30a.m.

Prayer Services:Tuesday 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday 12 Noon

Motto: “Where God is First and Where Friendly People Worship”

The Church Where GOD Is Working....

And We Are Working With GOD

Service and Times Sunday Worship Services: 10:00 am Sunday School: 9:00 am Holy Communion 3rd Sunday Morning Prayer / Bible Study: 6:15 pm - 7:20 pm (Tuesday) Theme: “The Kingdom Focused Church” Matthew 6:33 and Mathew 28:18-20, KJV Email: stmatthewsbaptist@msn.com Website: www.stmatthewsbaptist.org

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

Service and Times Sunday Worship Services: 7:45am & 11:00am Sunday School For All Ages: 9:30am Prayer Services: Wednesday 11:30am & 6:45pm Bible Institute: Wednesday at Noon & 7:45pm Email: Froffice@firstrising.org Website: www.firstrising.org “Changing Lives On Purpose “

Email:mthoreb@mthoreb.org Website:www.mthoreb.org For further information, please contact me at (202) 529-3180.

MAR. 31 - APRIL 6, 2016 41

LEGAL NOTICES SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2016 ADM 208 Julia Robinson Decedent Edward M. Biggin 11300 Rockville Pike, Suite 405 Rockville, MD 20852 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Sherrie Robinson, whose address is 5400 North Morgan Street, Apt. #405, Alexandria, VA 22312, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Julia Robinson who died on January 19, 2016 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding.

Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before September 17, 2016.

Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before September 17, 2016, or be forever barred.

Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Date of first publication: March 17, 2016 Sherrie Robinson Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

Administration No. 2016 ADM 241

Administration No. 2016 ADM 254

Administration No. 2015 ADM 1295

Benjamin L. Franklin Decedent

Cleveland Martin, Sr. Decedent

Willie Mobley Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS

Alver Franklin, whose address is 702 Rollins Ave., Capitol Heights, MD 20743, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Benjamin L. Franklin who died on January 22, 2016 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding.

Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before September 17, 2016.

Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before September 17, 2016, or be forever barred.

Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Brenda Martin Jacobs, whose address is 3725 Jay St., NE, Apt. 5, Washington, DC 20019, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Cleveland Martin, Sr. who died on August 21, 20002 without a Will, and will serve with Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding.

Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before September 17, 2016.

Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before September 17, 2016, or be forever barred.

Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Tyra A. Mobley, whose address is 4972 Just St., NE, Washington, DC 20019, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Willie Mobley who died on July 26, 2015 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before September 17, 2016. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before September 17, 2016, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Date of first publication: March 17, 2016

Date of first publication: March 17, 2016

Brenda Martin Jacobs Personal Representative

Alver Franklin Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

TRUE TEST COPY

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Washington Informer

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

Administration No. 2016 ADM 258

Administration No. 2016 ADM 245

Administration No. 2016 ADM 244

Anna B. Magruder Decedent

Matthew Paul Shevlin Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Dorothy L. Coleman, whose address is 2516 Sheridan Road, SE, Apt. 213, Washington, DC 20020, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Anna B. Magruder who died on August 28, 2014 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding.

Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before September 24, 2016.

Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before September 24, 2016, or be forever barred.

Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Date of first publication: March 24, 2016 Dorothy L. Coleman Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills Washington Informer

42 MAR. 31 - APRIL 6, 2016

LEGAL NOTICES

Washington Informer

LEGAL NOTICES SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division

Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration Number 2016 ADM 248 Estate of

Date of first publication: March 17, 2016 Tyra A. Mobley Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills

Lorene J. Stuckey Deceased

NOTICE OF STANDARD PROBATE Notice is hereby given that a petition has been filed in this Court by Bernetta J. Stuckey for

standard probate, including the appointment of one or more personal representative. Unless

a complaint or an objection in accordance with Superior Court Probate Division Rule 407 is

filed in this Court within 30 days from the date

of first publication of this notice, the Court may take the action hereinafter set forth.

Admit to probate the copy will dated December 13, 1989 exhibited with the petition upon proof satisfactory to the Court of due execution by affidavit of witnesses or otherwise

Date of first publication: March 24, 2016

Personal Representative: Bernetta J. Stuckey TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister

Register of Wills Washington Informer

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

Administration No. 1996 ADM 02148

Administration No. 2016 ADM 239

Norman A. Middleton, Jr. Decedent

Shirley Theodora Langley aka Shirley Theodara Langley Decedent

Vanilla Spencer Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS

Dalton Howard, Esq. 4020 Lee Street, NE Washington, DC 20019 Attorney

Edward M. Biggin 11300 Rockville Pike, Suite 405 Rockville, MD 20852 Attorney

Brian Shevlin, whose address is 6117 Moonpatterns Trail, Fairfax Station, VA 22039, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Matthew Paul Shevlin who died on January 22, 2016 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding.

Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before September 17, 2016.

Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before September 17, 2016, or be forever barred.

Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Orville F. Middleton, whose address is 536 N. Hampton Street, Easton, PA 18042, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Norman A. Middleton, Jr. who died on November 28, 2015 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before September 24, 2016. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before September 24, 2016, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS

Date of first publication: March 17, 2016

Date of first publication: March 24, 2016

Milford A. Williams III, whose address is 5002 Tuckerman St., Riverdale, MD 20737, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Shirley Theodora Langley aka Shirley Theodara Langley who died on June 20, 1996 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before September 24, 2016. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before September 24, 2016, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Tifeney Williams, whose address is 203 N. Street, SW, Apt. #207, Washington, DC 20024, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Vanilla Spencer who died on June 18, 2015 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding.

Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before September 24, 2016.

Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before September 24, 2016, or be forever barred.

Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Brian Shevlin Personal Representative

Orville F. Middleton Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

TRUE TEST COPY

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Washington Informer

Washington Informer

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

Date of first publication: March 24, 2016 Milford A. Williams III Personal Representative

Date of first publication: March 24, 2016 Tifeney Williams Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

TRUE TEST COPY

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Washington Informer

Washington Informer

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LEGAL NOTICES SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2016 ADM 274 Inez Contee Jackson Decedent NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Pamela A. Maynerd, whose address is 3604 New Hampshire Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20010, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Inez Contee Jackson who died on November 13, 2015 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before September 24, 2016.

Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before September 24, 2016, or be forever barred.

Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Date of first publication: March 24, 2016 Pamela A. Maynerd Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills

LEGAL NOTICES SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Foreign No. 2016 FEP 30 February 12, 2013 Date of Death Guy Eldridge Streat, Jr. Name of Decedent NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Shirley M. Streat whose address is 703 Eastern Ave., Fairmount Hts., MD 20743 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Guy Eldridge Streat, Jr., deceased, by the Orphans Court for Prince Georges County, State of Maryland, on September 11, 2013.

Service of process may be made upon Romeo Morgan 707 Kenyon Street, NW, Washington, DC 20010 whose designation as District of Columbia agent has been filed with the Register of Wills, D.C.

The decedent owned the following District of Columbia real property: 707 Kenyon Street, NW, Washington, DC 20010.

The decedent owned District of Columbia personal property. Claims against the decedent may be presented to the undersigned and filed with the Register of Wills of the District of Columbia, 515 5th Street, NW, Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001 within 6 months from the date of first publication of this notice.

Date of first publication: March 24, 2016 Shirley M. Streat Personal Representative Anne Meister Register of Wills

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

Administration No. 2015 ADM 001433

Administration No. 2016 ADM 292

Yema J. G. Pekanyande Decedent

Alice Goodman Gause aka Alice T. Gause aka Alice Cause Decedent

Ronald Dixon Bynum & Jenkins 1010 Cameron Street Alexandria, VA 22314 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Ronald Dixon, whose address is Ronald Dixon, Bynum & Jenkins, 1010 Cameron Street, Alexandria, VA 22314, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Yema J. G. Pekanyande who died on October 13, 2013 without a Will, and will serve with Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before September 30, 2016. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before September 30, 2016, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Date of first publication: March 31, 2016 Ronald Dixon Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Maxine Butler, whose address is 11405 Mary Catherine Drive, Clinton, MD 20735, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Alice Goodman Gause aka Alice T. Gause aka Alice Cause who died on April 8, 2014 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before September 30, 2016. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before September 30, 2016, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Date of first publication: March 31, 2016 Maxine Butler Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Washington Informer

Washington Informer

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

Administration No. 2016 ADM 231

Administration No. 2016 ADM 176

Cynthia J. Forrest Decedent

Doris S. Williamson aka Doris Sawyer Williamson Decedent

Louise V. Owens Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS

Mark S. Williamson, whose address is 1512 Northcrest Drive, Silver Spring, MD 20904, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Doris S. Williamson aka Doris Sawyer Williamson who died on July 9, 2015 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before September 30, 2016. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before September 30, 2016, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Dorothea Staton, whose address is 1529 Upshur St., NW, Washington, DC 20011, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Louise V. Owens who died on February 12, 2016 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding.

Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before, or be forever barred.

Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Washington Informer

Larry C. Williams 7600 Georgia Avenue, NW, Suite 405 Washington, DC 20012 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Terrence Forrest, whose address is 5753 Blaine Street, NE, Washington, DC 20019, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Cynthia J. Forrest who died on January 27, 2016 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding.

Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before September 24, 2016.

Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before September 24, 2016, or be forever barred.

Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Administration No. 2016 ADM 278

Date of first publication: March 31, 2016

Terrence Forrest Personal Representative

Mark S. Williamson Personal Representative

Dorothea Staton Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

TRUE TEST COPY

TRUE TEST COPY

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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Date of first publication: March 31, 2016

Date of first publication: March 24, 2016

Anne Meister Register of Wills

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MALVEAUX from Page 26 and then allow them to come back? Each of the candidates talked about shrinking the size of government, but building a wall and deporting people would increase the federal payroll.

I’ve had about enough of Marco Rubio’s immigrant parents story. He could score a couple of points by adding comments about involuntary immigrants. Such a comment might suggest to African-Americans that they at least slightly get some of the race issues that plague our country, but those candidates ignore African-Americans on one hand, and offer rhetoric about including African-Americans on the other.

JACKSON from Page 26 our ports and harbors, investing in jobs programs that would employ white and African-American workers, preparing our coasts to survive the future Katrina-like storms that climate change will bring, accepting the Medicaid expansion that would provide needed health care for so many families — these public policy initiatives would develop the region even more, and open up the futures for so many young Southerners.

Yet too many politicians and voters continue to choose race over reason. White working-class Southern voters continue to run from race, choosing the party that backs both tax cuts and job cuts. This is a political odd couple that makes no sense. Half a century after the Voting Rights Act, too many Southern voters are still afraid of change, even when it would benefit them.

How do we break through?

First of all, former Democratic National Committee Chair Howard Dean was right — we need a 50-state strategy. We need to compete everywhere in the country, from the local level to the state level to the presidency. The Democratic Party in the South needs to rebuild, to move from the outhouse to the courthouse to the statehouse to the White House.

Second, candidate Barack Obama showed us how we win in the South — with a message of hope and change, combined with a massive voter registration effort and a huge voter turnout.

In 2008, that combination carried Florida, North Carolina and Virginia. In 2012, Florida and Virginia again went blue, with North Carolina barely missing out.

The moderators of this debate — Fox Business staff Neil Cavuto and Maria Bartiromo, along with the Wall Street Journal’s Gerard Baker did a great job in keeping things moving forward and imposing time limits (although many ignored the bell that Cavuto said would ring when time was up.) And then there’s the to-be-expected interrupting and crosstalk. There were far fewer personal attacks. The debate showed that none of the candidates had developed comprehensive policy positions. All that was missing for me was a question about race and the economy.

Race is a low priority for all of the candidates, Democratic and Republican, in the 2016 election. The Democrats will say some of the appropriate

things because they have no choice but to recognize that African-Americans are part of their base. The Republicans talk diversity, but they don’t practice it, and haven’t figured out how to weave a narrative about race into their conversations.

Kanye West said that George W. Bush “doesn’t care about Black people.” This group of candidates ignores Black people and behaves as if there are no consequences when they turn their backs on the ones they might woo later. WI

Third, we need to battle voter suppression. Sen. Bernie Sanders was right when he pointed out that too many Republican leaders are “cowards” for repressing the African-American vote. Bernie also mentioned universal voter registration during Rachel Maddow’s forum, and right afterwards, in an interview with Chris Matthews, he raised an idea that I have been pushing for — a constitutional amendment to guarantee the right to vote to every American. And we must protect and restore the power of

the Voting Rights Act. Fourth, we need to invest bottom-up in the South, economically and politically. If we raise wages, provide health care for everyone and open up voter registration to all our people, hope will rise, the South will develop, and people’s lives will be better.

If white working-class families choose hope over fear, their lives will improve — and so will those of Southern Latinos and African-Americans. And Democrats will be able to win elections again.

WI

Julianne Malveaux is an author and economist based in Washington, D.C. Her latest book, “Are We Better Off? Race, Obama and Public Policy” will be released in November 2015 and is available for preorder at www.juliannemalveaux.com.

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46 MAR. 31 - APRIL 6, 2016

genocidal realities of African slavery.

The Audubon Society should immediately rescind the award to Bacon and should itself repent for improperly vetting what was actually happening in the Bahamas. Yet there is the larger looming issue: Racism, Slavery, Injustice and Inequality must be forever challenged.

Each generation must rise to the occasion of advancing the cause for freedom, justice, equality and empowerment.

No matter how much money someone may have, there is never a justification for the trivialization and preservation of slavery and racism.

Wi

as the extended family will rekindle its caring and nurturing. Though children cannot vote, their interests will be placed high on the political agenda.”

More than a quarter-century later, Height’s vision is coming true, as women take on increasing responsibility in executive suites, board rooms, and other chambers of power.

The advances of Cooper and

Height have paved the way for today’s talented women to crack glass ceilings across the land. I am grateful for their courage and determination and ardently look forward to women-led change in generations to come.

Please share your thoughts on facebook.com/GreaterWashingtonUrbanLeague and twitter.com/ GWUrbanLeague.

WI

my question saying: “But I cut you off, Askia…” He called me by name! By my first name! I have proof. I have the audio recording.

Funny thing though, on the official White House transcript, my name is not there. (Makes me wonder what other details are routinely left out of official White House transcripts…and who decides? But again I digress.) But that’s still pretty cool, isn’t it? The President addressed me personally.

There is one ruinous stain on the Obama legacy. He co-signed on overthrowing Libyan leader Col. Muammar Qaddafi. For that matter, Russia and China also co-signed by not vetoing the U.S. sponsored U.N. Security Council resolution to give Western-paid rebels a big boost establishing a no-fly zone, de-

nying the government an important weapon in its self defense arsenal. Qaddafi lost and was brutally murdered. Bad, bad U.S. policy.

The United States committed war against Libya, overthrowing the government of a country with which the U.S. had formal diplomatic relations! Libya had only months before its betrayal by U.S. diplomacy relinquished all chemical and biological weapons research, findings, supplies, everything. The Libyan government was obviously trying to curry U.S. diplomatic favor.

The result has been a disaster for Libya, North Africa, Iraq and Syria, France, Belgium, for the world.

That happened on Obama’s watch and permanently stains him.

WI

According to the U.S. Bureau of Census, the Black population in the H Street neighborhood more for bar hopping.”

For Smokey’s Barbershop & has dropped from 73 percent in Oldies, which has been on H 2000 to 45.2 percent in 2010, Street since 1966, business is while the White population not like it once was, according grew from 22.4 percent in 2000 to the owner, who asked to be to 47.7 percent in 2010.

“At one time all of these chairs referred to as Smokey.

According to Smokey, the were filled,” Smokey said, gesturing construction of the many new toward the 15 or so empty chairs in restaurants and bars has made the shop. “Now, they aren’t.”

Domencia Tyler, 27, is ownparking difficult for customers er of The Chic Shack, a trendy who once lived in the neighborconsignment shop. Tyler said hood, resulting in a big loss in she moved from 14th Street and clientele.

“With all of these places H Street to the 1200 block of H opening up here, business is get- Street because in her previous location most people were there ting worse,,” he said.

to eat or attend the Atlas Performing Arts Studio.

“I definitely make more money over here because this block is still trying to come up,” she said.

Her store is now next door to Popeye’s, which, she said, actually brings people into her shop.

As she talked, a young woman on the way to Popeye’s for lunch made a quick stop in the Chic Shack once she noticed the $20 dresses sign outside.

“I have good and bad days,” she said. “It [H Street] is still in the middle. Being in business here is just so up and down. It’s difficult.” WI

novel “Gone with the Wind” as his “holy book.”

“It was Mr. Whylly and a handful of other local activists who spearheaded the 1999 movement to turn the plantation into a heritage park,” Murphy wrote in his letter. The truth is that many Bahamians took to the streets back in 2013 to protest the Audubon’s actions concerning Bacon and his public proclivities to trivialize the legacy and horror of the slavery of African people.

To my personal surprise as a result of some independent research about Louis Moore Bacon, I also

LAMBERT from Page 27 Reunion, an annual national festival.

In a 1990 essay written for Ebony magazine, Height predicted, “As more women enter public life, I see developing a more humane society. The growth and development of children no longer will depend solely upon the status of their parents. Once again, the community

Group of Journalists and Commentators (named after outspoken White House correspondent William Monroe Trotter). The interview took place one evening in late October 2010, and I personally showed up on Obama’s radar.

After everyone else’s questions had been answered, it was my turn.

I began to ask the president about his decision to send his daughters to a private school, and was he concerned that it might offend D.C. residents he had not chosen a public school.

Before I could finish, the president interrupted me, taking issue with something I said in the set-up for the question. After he made his point, he allowed me to complete

H STREET from Page 15

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found that he is spending a lot of money in the state of North Carolina to “preserve” and renovate the Orton Slave Plantation in the southeastern region of the state. Orton Plantation at one time was one of the largest and most brutal slave plantations in North America.

Bacon’s motives are not only questionable, but also as more and more research is conducted by Harvard University Professor Henry Louis Gates and other scholars about the quantitative impact of the Transatlantic Slave Trade on Africans and African Americans, we have to be vigilant and concerned about any scheme to desensitize, trivialize or to downplay the actual

ASKIA from Page 27

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