FIFTY50 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER CELEBRATES Fifty Years of News Excellence; 50 Years of Service
Marion Barry was a Personal Hero See Page 26 •
C e l e b r a t i n g 5 0 Ye a r s o f S e r v i c e
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Serving More Than 50,000 African American Readers Throughout The Metropolitan Area / Vol. 50, No.8 Dec 4 - Dec 10, 2014
Ex-Offenders, Barry Supporters Honor Fallen Leader By Barrington M. Salmon WI Staff Writer@bsalmondc Tiffani Howard stood in the middle of Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, watching several dozen ex-offenders and other supporters of former mayor and Ward 8 Council member Marion S. Barry march chanting “Marion Barry! Mayor for Life! She looked intently at the six men carrying an empty casket topped with African mud cloth and emblazoned with pictures of a smiling Barry walking in front of a white hearse and burst into tears. Howard, a resident of Conyers, Georgia, said Barry, who died on the morning of Nov. 23, served as a father-figure and mentor. “I spoke to him while he was in hospital and he said from his hospital bed that he was going to get out of bed and help the people,” she recalled. “I used to tell him to slow down. He knew he couldn’t waste any time. He was on a deadline, a schedule.” “He was just dedicated. You don’t have that anymore. This generation has to rise to this level of commitment or we won’t survive as a species. Mayor Barry was relentless, unyielding, moving not standing. We have to take his example. This man has done more in one day than people have done in a month.”
As a teenager, Howard said she participated in the Marion Barry Youth Institute. Barry established the institute in January 1979 and drew from his civil rights experience. The program inculcated in hundreds of the District’s young people at a time, the concepts of self-esteem, goal-setting, community activism. “He saw something in me at age 14,” said Howard, a documentary filmmaker. “They taught us leadership and other skills at Howard University. There were 200 children who spent four weeks there. They fed us, paid us and treated us like kings. I’m a leader in my community because of Marion Barry. He was always so good to us.” That sentiment is precisely why Al-Malik Farrakhan organized the march and rally for ex-offenders to pay their respects to, and praise Barry’s life and legacy. The group of more than three dozen marched from 9th and Pennsylvania Avenue NW to the John A. Wilson Building. “We’re doing this because we know as ex-prisoners we have to honor this man,” said Farrakhan, founder and executive director of Ceasefire, Don’t Smoke the Brothers and Sisters. “He was in the forefront in the
See RALLY on Page 9
Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker, III (with hand raised) is administered the oath of office by Judge Sheila R. Tillerson Adams (right), as his family watched, in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, on Dec. 1. /Photo by Travis Riddick
Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker, Council Installed By Avis Thomas-Lester WI Editor-at-Large Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker, III, who lost two bids to become the jurisdiction’s chief executive before his election in 2010, took the oath of office for his second term Dec. 1 before an audience
including several of his loved ones and a host of state and local officials. The installation of Baker, 56, of Cheverly, occurred outside the Prince George’s County Administration Building in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. The program also included the swearing-in of the nine members
Visit us online for daily updates and much more @ www.washingtoninformer.com Youth Display Knowledge of Robotics Page 4
Community of Hope Uplifts Efforts of County Police Page 13
of the Prince George’s County Council. The body includes three new members who replaced term-limited representatives: Dannielle Glaros (D-District 3), Deni Taveras (D-District 2) and Todd Turner (D-District 4). Incumbents Derrick Leon
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SAFEWAY Celebrates 15 years of “Feast of Sharing”
Safeway Inc. and Events DC celebrate the season of giving at the 15th Annual Safeway Feast of Sharing. Feast attendees enjoyed a free traditional turkey meal with all of the trimmings served by hundreds of volunteers. The community event also featured a job fair and free clothing as well as health screenings, including free flu vaccines and diabetes testing. Approximately 5,000 city residents are expected to attend the Feast of Sharing, which brings together city officials, along with a host of volunteers and community partners that include the Salvation Army, Unity Health Care, Metropolitan Baptist Church, SunTrust Bank and Centerplate/NBSE and the Veterans Administration
“Safeway Feast of Sharing” (L-R) Craig Muckle (VP Safeway), Michele Hagan (Events DC Chairman),
Greg O’Dell (Pres. & CEO Events DC), DC(L-R) Mayor Elect Muriel Bowser & Atty. Jack Evans (Ward 2 DC Coumcil member)
Below Photo (L-R) Chef Huda (on Cutthroat Kitchen) with her Mother Priscilla Clarke (Public Relations Specialist)
Jennifer Hamilton (Citywide Senior Prog.) with DC Mayor Elect Muriel Bowsser
Greg Ten Eyck (3rd from left) volunteering with Safeway staff & volunteers for the “Safeway Feast of Sharing”
Above Left (L-R) Craig Muckle (VP Safeway) with Dr. Charles Vincent (Pres. & CEO Social Sightings, LLC) Shack Nd Pack WPGC 95.5 Greg O’Dell (Pres. & CEO Events DC), Mayor Vincent Gray, Michele Hagan, Samuel R. Thomas Jr. (SR. VP Gen. Mgr. Conventions & Mtgs. Events DC)
Michele Hagan (Events DC Chairman) with Brandon Todd (DC Ward 4 Democrats President) )
(L-R) Jamilia Walker (Events DC), Chinyere Hubbard (VP Com. Events DC) with her son
Above: Carolyn Malachi (Grammy Award R&B Recording Artist) Right Photo (Ladies in Sashes) Nancy Berry, Earnestine Wiggins, Mary McCoy, & Toni Jackson
(L-R) John Booty (NFL), Chinyere Hubbard (Events DC) Greg O’Dell (Pres & CEO Events DC)
Brenda Otis (L-R) Greg O’Dell (Pes. & CEO. (L-R) Theresa Dubois (Events DC Am & Govt. Ext. Affairs Mgr.), Events DC) with John Dyess (Dir. of Dev.) The Salvation Army ) Council Member Ward 2 Jack Evans & Sherri Kimbell
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(L-R) John Booty, with Mickey Thompson (Publisher - Social Sightings)
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12/4/2014 – 12/10/2014 AROUND THE REGION Black Facts Page 6 PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY Pages 12-13 BUSINESS William Reed’s Business Exchange Page 16 COMMENTARIES Pages 26-27 SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS Pages 34 and 38 Musical genius Stevie Wonder was one of the recipients of the 2014 Medal of Freedom handed out at the White House by President Barack Obama on Monday, Nov. 24. /Photo by Shevry Lassiter
RELIGION Lyndia Grant’s Religion Column Page 39
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SOMETHING NEW EVERYDAY
AROUND THEBreak REGION the Cycle of Women Domestic Violence By Tia Carol Jones
law enforcement. She said they threat,” she said. had come together to bring a Among the programs Marlow sense of uniformity in the way wants to see implemented are When L.Y. Marlow's 23-year- domestic violence victims and stricter restraining order policies, Visit our updated Web site old daughter told her the father survivors are treated. more rights for victim's families and give us your comments of her daughter threatened her “She's using her own personal to intervene on behalf of a vicfor a chance to win a gift from life, and the life of their child, story, her own personal pain to tim, a domestic violence assessThe Washington Informer she knew something had to be push forward,” Davis-Nickens ment unit coupled with further done. Out of her frustration said about Marlow. training for law enforcement with law enforcement's handling Davis-Nickens said anyone agencies, a Child's Life ProtecEmail comments to: of the situation, she decided to who reads Marlow's book will tion Act and mandatory counselrburke@ start the Saving Promise cam- “get it.” She said she “puts the ing for batterers. paign. case in such a way, the average “If we are ever going to eradiwashingtoninformer.com “It seems to be a vicious cycle person can get it.” She said at the cate domestic violence, we must that won't turn my family end of the day, the book will look at both sides of the coin. loose,” Marlow said. Marlow help people begin to have a dia- We need to address both the vicshared her story with the audi- logue about domestic violence. tim and the batterer,” Marlow 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 Family and Youth Services by a Maryland jury for his role in feels children need to be educatCenter of the city of District the Beltway Sniper attacks in ed about domestic violence. Heights andDeontae the National 2002. Mildred is Mykel “We have stopoutbeing pasTeammates HowardHook(l-r), Kevon Gordon, teacher Muhammad Joshua Brown and Davis tooktotime from the Up of Black the founder of Afteron theSaturday, Trauma,Nov.sive-aggressive poor LEGO LeagueWomen. Tournament robotics competition in Northeast 22 to assess how with they had donechilMarlow written book, /Photo an organization that helps the dren about domestic violence,” while waitinghas for the judges’a decision. by Shevry Lassiter “Color Me Butterfly,” which is a survivors of domestic violence Marlow said. story about four generations of and their children. Marlow has worked to break domestic violence. The book is “I lived in fear for six years. Six the cycle of abuse in her family, inspired by her own experiences, years in fear is a long time. It is and is confident the policies she and those of her grandmother, not an easy thing to come out is pushing for will start that her mother and her daughter. of,” she said. process. She said every time she reads Mildred Muhammad said “I plan to take these policies to excerpts from her book, she still people who want to help a Congress and implore them to In Memoriam Dr. Calvin W. Rolark, Sr. can not believe the words came domestic violence victim must change our laws,” Marlow said. Wilhelmina J. Rolark from her. “Color Me Butterfly” be careful of how they go into “I will not stop until these poliThe Washington Informer Newspaper won the 2007 National “Best the victim's life, and understand cies are passed.” THE WASHINGTON INFORMER InPUBLISHER Memoriam Books” Award. that she may be in “survival Tia Carol Jones can be reached NEWSPAPER (ISSN#0741-9414)Dr.isCalvin Denise Rolark Sr. Barnes W. Rolark, “I was just 16-years-old when mode”. at tiacaroljones@sbcglobal.net published weekly on each Thursday. Wilhelmina J. Rolark my D. eyeKevin first blackened The event, bygoing FLL the tournament and entered four “Before yousponsored get to 'I'm By McNeir and my Periodicals postage paid at WashingSTAFF THE WASHINGTON INFORMER lips bled,” Marlow said. to kill Class you,' Learning it started Unleashed as a verbal teams World WIfrom its several campuses: ton, D.C. and additional mailing of- NEWSPAPER (ISSN#0741-9414) is published @mcneirdk weekly Thursday. Periodicals paidW. at Barnes, Washington, D.C. and additional Denise Editor Elaine Davis-Nickens, presi- in collaboration with Friendship Chamberlain, Blow Pierce, Wofices. Newsonand advertising deadlinepostage WI Contributing Writer mailing offices. News and advertising deadline is Monday prior to publication. is Monday prior to publication. Andent of the National Hook-Up Public Charter School and sev- odridge and Tech Prep. Announcements must be received twoRon weeks prior to event. Copyright 2000 by The Burke, Advertising/ Marketing Director nouncements must be received two of Black Women, said there is no eral others, served as a prime Washington Informer. All rights reserved. POST MASTER: Send change of address“The first and second place Twenty-first century classweeks event. Copyright 2013 Barnes, Assistant Editor consistency in the way domestic es toprior The to Washington Informer, 3117Lafayette Martin Luther King,IV, Jr. Ave., S.E. Photo Washington, example of how schools can ex- winners go on to the state chamby D.C. The 20032. Washington Informer. All rooms bear little resemblance to No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permisviolence issues are dealt with by John E. De Freitas, Sports Photo Editor rights POSTMASTER: sionreserved. from the publisher. TheSend Informer Newspaper cannot guarantee the return of the ones that challenged Baby pose students to Science, Tech- pionship held at James Madison change of addresses to The rates Washphotographs. Subscription are $30 per year,Rowley, two yearsOnline $45. Papers nology, Engineering and Mathe- University on December 6 and Dorothy Editorwill be received Boomers almost 40 years ago. not more than 3117 a weekMartin after publication. Make checks payable to: ington Informer, Luther Fundamental skills like read- matics [STEM], preparing youth,st 7,” said Cherice Greene, a judge Brian Young, Design & Layout King, Jr. Ave., S.E. Washington, D.C. advisor and the STEM coordiTHE WASHINGTON INFORMER ing, writing and arithmetic must particularly minorities, for 21 20032. No part of this publication may Neville, Bookkeeper 3117 Martin Luther King, Jr.Mable Ave., S.E. • Washington, D.C. 20032 century college courses and canator for Friendship Collegiate be reproduced without written permisbe mastered at an earlier age in Phone: 202 561-4100 • Fax: 202 574-3785 reers of the future. sion from the publisher. The Informer Academy. Mickey Thompson, Social Sightings columnist order to make room for science, E-mail: news@washingtoninformer.com Newspaper cannot guarantee the return “I’ve remained in the STEM “No one stepped forward to www.washingtoninformer.com technology and engineering – Stacey Palmer, Social Media Specialist of photographs. Subscription rates are curriculum since elementary sponsor the qualifying round in opening the door to all kinds of $45 per year, two years $60. Papers will Angie Johnson, Circulation school and it’s helped me to be- this area and we knew that it was PUBLISHER be received not more than a week after new and often lucrative careers. come a well-rounded student,” too important to ignore – miDenise Rolark Barnes publication. Make checks payable to: “I remember participating in REPORTERS said Joseph, 15. “I’m looking at STAFF REPORTERS my first LEGO League Tourna- studying astronomy, comput- nority students must continue to THE WASHINGTON Brooke N. Garner INFORMER Managing Stacy Editor Brown, Tia C. Jones, Laiscell, Eve Ferguson, Sam P.K.EdCollins, ment when I was a fifth grader er engineering or cyber security be encouraged in Information Carla PeayLuther King, Assistant Managing Editor Odell B. Ruffin, Larry Saxton, 3117 Martin Jr. Ave., S.E Elton Hayes, D. Kevin McNeir, Dorothy Technology [IT] and engineerRon Burke Advertising and Marketing Mary Wells, Joseph Young Washington, D.C. 20032 and it really got me interested when I get to college.” Rowley, Barrington Salmon, James Wright Mable Whittaker Bookkeeper ing if they’re going to be ready Phone: 202 561-4100 in the world of engineering and LaNita Wrenn Administration PHOTOGRAPHERS The tournament brought to- to compete in the job market Fax:John 202 574-3785 E. De Freitas Sports Editor Lafayette Barnes, IV, robotics,” said Joseph Adams, a gether 20 teams in grades four news@washingtoninformer.com Victor Holt Photo Editor when they finish college,” said John E. De Freitas, Maurice Fitzgerald, 10th grader at Friendship Tech through eight from across the PHOTOGRAPHERS www.washingtoninformer.com Zebra Designs, Inc. Layout & Graphic Design Joanne Jackson, Roy Lewis, Robert Greene, 38, a resident of Bowie, Ken Harris /www.scsworks.com Webmaster Ridley, Victor Holt Lassiter, Prep in Southeast. John E. DeFreitas, Shevry District and Virginia – each par- Maryland. Joseph served as a student ticipating in head-to-head comRoy Lewis, Nancy Shia L.Y. Marlow CIRCULATION About 150 children, parents ambassador along with 20 oth- petition in skills, or missions, that Paul Trantham and educators filled the school’s er youth at the regional qualify- included robot programming, INTERNS gymnasium where the competiing tournament for the FIRST robot design, core value chalRoger Perryman-Brown; Capricia Galloway tion took place. One teacher said LEGO League [FLL] held at lenge (or teamwork) and overall it’s never too soon to expose Friendship Collegiate Academy project design. Friendship Col- youth to STEM-related activities. 4 / May 15 - 21, 2008 The Washington Informer / www.washingtoninformer.com in Northeast on Saturday, Nov. legiate Academy served as the 22. only D.C. location this year for See LEGO on Page 5
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WI Staff Writer
Youth Display Knowledge of Robotics Friendship Public Charter Hosts LEGO Tournament
“
We have to stop being passive-aggressive with poor children about domestic violence. I plan to take these policies to Congress and implore them to change our laws. I will not stop until these policies are passed.
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Latasha Boyd and Vita Marin competed in a robotics competition at Friendship Charter Public School in Northeast on Saturday, Nov. 22 and were graded for their efforts by Guijan Magnusson, referee. /Photo by Shevry Lassiter
“We’ve learned things that were new and fun but I have to admit that the programming part was hard at first. During the competition I felt the pressure but then I realized that I was part of a team and that we had come prepared. If I continue with my education, perhaps I can become a computer technologist. But my real dream is to become a player in the NBA.”
– Deontae Howard
LEGO continued from Page 4 “I facilitate courses in IT, computer networking, engineering and design and we have about 150 children in various classes whose imaginations are unparalleled,” said Kathryn Procope, Friendship Collegiate Academy’s director for IT and engineering. “When children see the kinds of options that are available, they learn quickly – that’s what these robotics tournaments are all about – providing new ways of learning and helping them develop new skills,” said Procope, 60, who lives in Bowie, Maryland. One instructor from Friendship Tech Prep said preparing his team for the competition showed him the resiliency of his students. “After we heard about the competition, we decided to assemble a team – that meant I had to give my students a crash course in how to program their
robots and surprisingly they caught on pretty quickly,” said Joshua Brown, who lives in Northwest. “We only had about three weeks to prepare but I’m very proud of my students. They learned the software so that they could get their robot ready for action and they worked well together,” said Brown, 24, who entered the teaching field this year. The youth making up Brown’s three-member team, all residents of Southeast and sixth graders, said they hoped to win and move on to the state championship. “I think we did pretty good for our first time competing and it was so much fun that I’d like to continue to learn more about robotics and STEM courses,” said Kevon Gordon, 11. “I still want to be a professional football player when I grow up, but if that doesn’t work out I can always become a mechanical engineer.” One teammate agreed that he enjoyed the experience.
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“We’ve learned things that were new and fun but I have to admit that the programming part was hard at first,” said Deontae Howard, 12. “During the competition I felt the pressure but then I realized that I was part of a team and that we had come prepared. If I continue with my education, perhaps I can become a computer technologist. (301) 864-6070 But my real dream is to become a player in the NBA.” Mykel Davis, the third member of the team, said he likes MCCOLLUM & ASSOCIATES, LLC sports too but believes that computer design will be his fuADA, Age Discrimination, Benefits, Civil Rights, ture career. COBRA, Contracts, Deaf Law, Defamation, Disability Law, “My favorite subjects are Discipline, Discrimination, FMLA, FLSA, FOIA, math, reading and science and Family Responsibility, Harassment, HIPPA, OSHA, I’m doing well in school too,” National Origin Discrimination, Non-Compete, said Mykel, 12. “This compe‡ Please set allitcopy flush left as indicated on artwork at these point sizes:Act, Consultant name in 11-point Helvetica Neue Bo tition was hard and wasin upper dif- and lowercase,Race Discrimination, Rehabilitation Retaliation, Beauty Consultant in 9-point Helvetica Neue Light; Web site or e-mail address in 9-point Helvetica Neue Light; phone number in 9-point Helvetica ® Personal Web Site program may ferent from playing a game Beauty like Consultant: Only To the Independent Company-approved Web sites obtained through the Mary Kay Severance Agreements, Sexual Harassment, Torts, football or basketball. You had Whistleblowing, Wage-and-Hour, Wrongful Discharge to really do your homework priSERVING MARYLAND, DC, & NORTH CAROLINA or to the competition and get your robot prepared. But we did www.jmlaw.net (301) 864-6070 jmccollum@jmlaw.net it.” WI The Washington Informer Dec 4 - Dec 10, 2014 5
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AROUND THE REGION
WEEK OF DEC 4 TO DEC 10
Black Facts DEC. 4 1783 - General George Washington gives his famous farewell address to troops at Fraunces Tavern in New York City. The tavern was owned by a prominent Black businessman of French and West Indian descent named Samuel “Black Sam” Fraunces who had aided the Americans in their bid to gain independence from England. After he became president, Washington hired Fraunces as his chief steward. 1906 - Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. is founded on the campus of Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. It thus becomes the first Black Greek letter organization in America. Seven Black students seeking to build stronger brotherhood ties established it and the fraternity spread to campuses around the nation. 1915 - The Great Migration is said to have begun on this day as an estimated two million Southern Blacks begin moving to the North in search of jobs. The impetus was World War I (1914) which blocked Europeans from migrating to the United States. Therefore, Northern industries were forced to recruit Southern Blacks to work in industries that produced war products. 1969 - Black Panther Party leaders Fred Hampton and Mark Clark are killed during a police raid in Chicago. The raid was part of a national campaign against the Black Panthers. Initial reports said the two were killed during a shootout but as the years passed evidence mounted that they were, in effect, assassinated as they slept. It may have even been a Black police officer that fired the shot that killed Hampton.
BUYING RECORDS
DEC. 5 1775 - A memorial is dedicated to Salem Poor in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Poor was a slave who had bought his freedom in 1769 and became a hero fighting in the American Revolutionary War for independence from England. He so distinguished himself in battle, including at Bunker Hill, that he won the praise of 14 officers. 1870 - Legendary Black cowboy William “Bill” Pickett is born in Travis County, Texas. Standing only 5’7” and weighing 145 pounds, he is considered one of the toughest men ever to be called a cowboy. He also worked as a rodeo performer. 1932 - The “King of Gospel” Rev.
James Cleveland is born in Chicago, Illinois. 1932 - Richard Wayne Penniman, the flamboyant entertainer who performed under the name “Little Richard,” is born in Macon, Georgia. He becomes one of the founding fathers of rockand-roll. 1955 - The historic bus boycott begins in Montgomery, Alabama. The Black boycott of city buses was set in motion when civil rights heroine Rosa Parks refused to surrender her seat on the bus to a White man. The law at that time required her to give up the seat. A young minister named Martin Luther King Jr. was called upon to lead the boycott, launching his career as the leader of the national civil rights movement. 1957 - New York becomes the first city to pass a law banning racial or religious discrimination in housing with the Fair Housing Practices Law. DEC. 6 1849 - Harriet (Ross) Tubman escapes slavery in Maryland. She becomes perhaps the greatest “conductor” on the Underground Railroad returning to the South 19 times and helping an estimated 300 slaves escape. 1870 - Joseph H. Rainey is sworn in as the first Black to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives. He represented South Carolina – the state in which he was born a slave. 1961 - French psychiatrist, philosopher and writer Frantz Fanon, 36, dies in Washington, D.C. where he had gone for medical treatment of leukemia. DEC. 7 1931 - Comer Cottrell is born. Cot-
trell founds the Pro-Line hair care products company, which helped to popularize the Jheri curl. He also becomes the first Black person to own part of a professional baseball team when he buys into the Texas Rangers in 1989. 1941 - Dorie Miller shoots down three or four Japanese warplanes during the surprise Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Miller was a kitchen worker on the USS Arizona who had learned to operate the ship’s weapons. After his death he was awarded the Navy Cross. DEC. 8 1936 - The Gibbs v. Board of Education in Montgomery County, Maryland decision is rendered. It was the first of a series of court rulings which eliminated the practice of paying White teachers more than Black teachers. 1987 - Kurt Schmoke becomes the first Black mayor of Baltimore, Maryland. DEC. 9 1925 - Comedian Redd Foxx is born in St. Louis, Missouri. He became a national celebrity in the 1970s with the popular television series “Sanford and Son.” Foxx died in Los Angeles in 1991 of a heart attack a few years after the IRS seized most of his property to collect back taxes. DEC. 10 1950 - Diplomat Ralph Bunche becomes the first African-American awarded the Nobel Peace Prize
Rosa Parks
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.
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AROUND AROUND THE THE REGION REGION INTERVIEWS AND PHOTOS BY ELTON HAYES
VIEWP INT Wendell Jackson Washington, D.C. For me, I will always think of Mayor Barry as someone who was an advocate for the underserved. I will always remember him as being the reason I became involved in the electric industry. When I was younger, I was involved in the Changing Education through the Arts (CETA) program in Southeast [Washington, D.C.] and really liked the electrical trade. I have been involved in the industry ever since. Mayor Barry helped to implement CETA, so I owe a lot to him.
Eula Seals Takoma Park, Maryland While many people had quite a few negative things to say about Mayor Barry, he did far more good for the people of this city. I will remember him for his willingness to help with the city’s senior citizens. A lot of times, seniors are forgotten, but not with Mayor Barry. He made sure that he took care of them and was genuine in doing so. I don’t think we will see another mayor like him.
FORMER WASHINGTON MAYOR MARION BARRY’S DEATH SENT SHOCK WAVES THROUGHOUT THE D.C. AREA. WHAT WILL YOU REMEMBER MOST ABOUT MAYOR BARRY?
Betty Lou Jones Washington, D.C. I will remember Mayor Barry for his courage and his foresight to anticipate things that would happen. I will also remember him for all he did for the young people and the seniors. I will remember him for what he did for everyone. Sure, he was flawed, but so are all of us. He was a courageous person. He never gave up. He knew his purpose, and he fulfilled it. He fulfilled it by helping people. That is what I will remember about Mayor Barry.
Lydia Jenkins Washington, D.C. I will remember Mayor Barry for his support of the city’s youth. There were a lot of young people who were able to find employment because of him. He opened doors for young people that weren’t always there. A lot of people who currently work for the D.C. government got their start because of Mayor Barry. He really cared about young people, and it showed by the programs and things he initiated.
The Reverend Douglas E. Moore Washington, D.C. I will always remember Mayor Barry for being a good politician. He also kept the city clean and appealing. I will always remember him as being accessible, when I sat on the D.C. City Council. He was easy to work with and we never had a scuffle. He really was a good politician.
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AROUND THE REGION BAKER continued from Page 1 Davis (D-District 6); Mel Franklin (D-District 9), who serves as council chair; Andrea Harrison (D-District 5); Mary Lehman (D-District 1); Obie Patterson (D-District 8); and Karen Toles (D-District 7) also pledged their dedication to the county’s citizens. “Over these last four years, we have built a better Prince George’s County and, I dare say, the envy of the Washington region,” Baker told the audience. “Together, we have made Prince George’s County the place to be!” The swearing-in occurred on the first Monday of December, as required by the county charter. State Sen. Douglas “J.J.” Peters (D-District 23) served as master of ceremonies. Those in attendance included Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown (D), a Prince George’s resident who lost his bid to become the state’s first African-American governor in last month’s general election. Brown received a rousing ovation when Baker acknowledged him.
8 Dec 4 - Dec 10, 2014
Presenters included a cross section of Prince George’s County’s diverse communities. The Oxon Hill High School “Clippers” Marching Band performed and the Suitland High School Choral Ensemble presented the National Anthem. Little Giselle Ramirez, a student at Robert Frost Elementary School in New Carrollton, led the Pledge of Allegiance. The processional featured the Prince George’s County Police Bagpiper and the Rev. Saroj Sangha, pastor of the Cheverly United Methodist Church in Cheverly, offered the invocation. Under a sky that alternated between sunny and steely gray, Baker thanked the audience, the council, his staff and members of his family, including his wife Christa Beverly; daughters Quinci, 20, and Aja, 23; son Rushern; IV, 27; his mother; his brothers; his sister; and several other relatives. He discussed the challenges his family has faced since Beverly, 54, was diagnosed with dementia before he was first elected. Baker credited Quinci, the youngest of the couple’s chil-
Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker, III addressed the audience at the installation ceremony for his second term Dec. 1 in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. /Photo by Travis Riddick
dren, for spending the last two years of high school taking care of her mother so that he could attend to the people’s business. “There was not one time … when she did not say, ‘Daddy,
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I got Mommy,’” Baker said of his daughter as she wiped away tears. “I could not have done this job and I could not stand here today if it were not for her love and commitment for her mother and her father.” His comments drew a standing ovation for his daughter, now a college student. Baker also paid tribute to his friend and advisor, the late Wayne K. Curry, the county’s first African- American chief administrator. A seat was left empty in the front row in honor of Curry, whose widow, Sheila Curry, attended the ceremony. “His vision for this county raised our profile locally and nationally,” Baker said. “He taught us that we should be proud of this county and the people we represent. This county, this state and this region are better because of his work and vision.” Baker also honored the late D.C. Council member Marion S. Barry. Like so many other young people, he benefitted from the former mayor’s youth summer jobs program. “And every time I saw him he reminded me that he gave me my first real job,” Baker said, laughing. Baker cited as highlights of his first term “significantly reducing crime to levels we haven’t seen in three decades” and improving schools by bringing in “one of the best superintendents in the nation, Dr. Kevin Maxwell.” He said the county had reached new heights “by stimulating our economy with unprecedented
levels of development.” Before Baker spoke, Franklin, the council chair, thanked county employees for working tirelessly each day “to make the impossible possible and to make the difficult look easy.” He thanked Baker for sharing his family’s struggle and for his service. “Sir, job well done,” he told Baker. After the installation, Prince George’s Chamber of Commerce President and CEO David Harrington, a former member of the state Senate, mayor of Bladensburg and county council member, said Prince George’s is in a unique position to continue to attract business because of its large mass of undeveloped land. He wants to see the county’s progress translate into better opportunities for county-based small businesses and more jobs for local residents. “This is an exciting day for Prince George’s County,” said Dorothy Bailey, a former member of the council who serves on the county’s planning board. “As County Executive Baker said we are realizing our destiny. The sun is shining. It’s bright, which speaks to where we are and where we are going.” Hundreds of Baker supporters gathered for a celebration fundraiser at the Gaylord hotel at National Harbor later that evening.WI
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AROUND THE REGION RALLY continued from Page 1 attempt to get us justice, fairness and equality. It’s only fitting to honor him.” “Today is Dec. 1st. He was the first elected mayor. It’s no coincidence that this is the first event of this week. We’re starting off. We’re asking for a Marion Barry Day and we have a proclamation.” Farrakhan said he loved that marchers received a police escort and although they didn’t have a permit, the rally and march went off without any problems. He credited At-Large Council member Vincent Orange with facilitating the event at city hall. Several speakers at the rally – a number of them returning citizens – spoke of the full-bodied support Barry extended to the ex-offender community when he
became mayor in 1979. “I met him in the ’60s while I worked at Lorton (Correctional Institution) serving life,” said Rhozier “Roach” Brown, a longtime friend and supporter of the four-term mayor. “He defeated Mayor Walter Washington and six months later, he submitted a bill for incarcerated people to vote. He was the first mayor to hire ex-offenders.” Brown, a motivational speaker and criminal justice consultant, said when the president of the United States signed a pardon for him, Barry hired him as a special assistant and appointed him as the first director of the city’s ex-offender office. “He quarterbacked the ex-offender movement from the mayor’s office. He didn’t forget us or turn his back on us,” said Brown, who wore a green and white 1994 Barry campaign T-shirt.
“The ex-offender community played an important role to get him reelected. He did so many things, he scared me. He could walk into a bank without a gun and walk out with the money. He was hope, he gave us hope.” “He sought the authority to grant pardons and did things that would make the devil step back.” Before the rally began, the procession made its way around city hall then marchers placed the casket on the front steps. Several ministers prayed, Farrakhan and some colleagues released four black balloons and three white doves and Barry’s son Christopher, helped in a libation ceremony. For most of the ceremony, Barry stood behind the podium, eyes red, holding back tears and hugged by those around him. “This week, your words and
prayers have lifted my burden,” said Barry, 34. “It’s appropriate and fitting that we start (this week) off with ex-offenders. He was one himself. They were his family. When he came out, he was lifted up. He felt so strong with your support.” “We’re the most oppressed group and face police brutality. You don’t see the business community and few politicians out here … Marion Barry was the tip of the spear for us ex-offenders. It’s our duty to carry on his legacy, including me. He belonged to us. I love you, appreciate you and feel your love.” Several speakers spoke of the
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need to surround, lift up and support Christopher Barry. “I’m not here for me, I’m here for Christopher,” said former Ward 5 Council member Harry Thomas, Jr., who is out of prison and staying in a half-way house. “He contacted me, wrote me. When I was away, he was on my list. Marion Barry was like a father to me when my father – who himself was a strong father – allowed him to. It’s our time to wrap our arms around him. It’s incumbent on us as a village to lift him up.” WI
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D.C. Prepares to Send Barry Off in Style By Barrington M. Salmon WI Staff Writer@bsalmondc Days after former mayor Marion S. Barry, Jr. died of a heart attack, Mayor Vincent C. Gray (D) promised to give his predecessor a grand send-off. Gray, 71 said during a press conference to announce funeral arrangements last week that he and city officials would focus on the affirmative. “We will stress the positive contributions of Marion Barry,” said Gray, who Barry encouraged to run for Ward 7 council member and mayor. “I want them to know what an incredible leader Barry was, what a self-sacrificing person he was. I refuse to get into those other things. I’m not going to denigrate the memory of Marion Barry.” In a Dec. 1 Time magazine column, Gray illuminated Barry’s legacy. In his first term as mayor, he achieved some truly remarkable successes,” Gray said. “He helped get the city’s chaotic finances under control; helped turn our Metropolitan Police Department into an agency whose officers are much more reflective of the population they serve than many other police agencies around the country; helped build the District’s black middle class through a groundbreaking program that required a share of city business to go to minority-owned enterprises; and created a summer employment program for the District’s youth.” “I still meet people who remember getting their first job because of a program that Mayor Barry started. And it’s this Marion Barry – the one who fought courageously for fairness and justice for much of his career – that those of us who saw him at his best choose to remember … I hope that history will remember, and honor, his virtues and successes – because they far outnumber his failures and foibles.” Barry, 78, collapsed on the morning of Nov. 23 and died following a heart attack. He’d been in poor health for the last several years and spent varying amounts of time in and out of the hospital battling high blood pressure, diabetes and the effects of a kidney transplant and prostate cancer. Barry had just been released from Howard University Hospital after a three-day stay when he collapsed at his home. “Marion was not just a colleague but also was a friend with whom I shared many fond moments about The Washington Informer
Former Mayor Marion Barry spent 32 years either as mayor or as a council member, and during that time his focus centered on catering to the needs and concerns of the most vulnerable in the city. He will be laid to rest on Saturday, Dec. 6. /Courtesy Photo
governing the city,” said Gray. “He loved the District of Columbia and so many Washingtonians loved him.” In a Nov. 26 statement, Gray said: “From his days as a leader on the front lines of the civil rights movement to his work to fight poverty and advance Home Rule for the District, Marion Barry leaves behind an incredible legacy. It is fitting that we come together as a city to celebrate this legacy and allow the entire District to say goodbye to the ‘Mayor for Life.’” D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson also expressed his condolences. “I speak for all members of the D.C. Council in stating our sadness at the passing of Marion Barry, and expressing our condolences to his family,” Mendelson said. “Mr. Barry was a voice on the council for human rights and civil rights. He championed policies to help those who were most in need: “the last, the lost, and the least,” as he put it. Most recently he fought to restore benefits to families on welfare. It was issues like this where he was persistent and passionate. His voice will be missed.” “Mr. Barry taught us about fighting for justice and fighting for the poor. It now becomes our responsibility to keep his legacy alive.” Flags have been flying at halfmast and Gray promises official ceremonies “worthy of a true statesman of the District of Columbia” and that he and other Barry friends and associates will rival any official funeral that has ever occurred in the
District of Columbia. Since Barry’s death, residents have been making their way down to the John A. Wilson Building to sign condolence books. The city is picking up most of the tab for the funeral but Barry friends and family are collecting money privately to cover other expenses. After an illness several years ago, Barry wrote very specific instructions on the details of his funeral. Barry’s body will lie in state at the John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW on Thursday, Dec 4 for 24 hours. Viewing begins at 9 a.m. The following day, Barry’s body will be transported to Temple of Praise at 700 Southern Avenue in Southeast where a video and musical tribute to the four-term mayor takes place from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. A memorial service begins at 6 p.m. and wraps up at 9 p.m. Barry will make a final ride through all eight wards on Friday and at 11 a.m., the “Mayor for Life” will make his final trip through Ward 8. Barry’s son Christopher said his father’s body will be placed on a horse-drawn carriage for that final journey through the community he loved so passionately. Finally, Barry’s Celebration of Life on Dec. 6 will attract tens of thousands of people to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The viewing runs from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., while the service is from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. followed by a private burial.WI
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Caring for Our Neighbors Submitted by AmeriHealth District of Columbia Being healthy is about more than physical care. For many people, there are barriers to overcome in order to focus on their health. AmeriHealth District of Columbia (DC) continues to help our members overcome life’s challenges. Take Abraham and Helina* for example. Each night, Abraham and Helina tried to find a place to rest their heads. The couple was homeless and needed special care. Abraham had severe heart problems that required ongoing treatment. And Helina was diagnosed with HIV. Adding to the challenges, the couple spoke Amharic. This language barrier made it hard for them to get the care they needed. “We didn’t know how to manage the health problems we have,” Abraham said. “Especially my wife, who lives with HIV. She needed continuous medication, which we were asked to pay for. On top of that, we did not have stable housing that we could afford. We were against the wall and at the edge of giving up life.” Given their challenges, the pair was referred to AmeriHealth DC. We went into action as soon as we got the referral. We assigned them a care manager and paired them with an Amharic-speaking customer service representative. Then, our team helped find them a primary care provider (PCP) and introduced them to the DC AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) and other local programs. To assist with day-to-day living, we helped find the couple affordable housing in the District. One of our licensed social workers provided them with a list of housing agencies. Then, our Amharic-speaking customer service representative contacted the agencies on the couple’s behalf. After a few weeks of follow up, they had four different housing options. Guided by our care and support, they chose a low-income apartment in the Northwest D.C. area. Their health statuses have improved steadily since our initial outreach in February 2014. “AmeriHealth DC is not only our health care provider; they have given us life, courage and hope again,” said Abraham. “It is a blessing to be cared for, be in [the] comfort of our place and in good health. “ Providing quality care to our members when they need it is key to building a healthier community. With the end of the year right around the corner, we’re reminding you about yearly doctors’ appointments. This is an important step to preventive health. Make sure you have a PCP and primary dental provider (PDP), or dentist. Here are end-of-the-year reminders to keep you on track and in control of your health: ;; Annual physical with your PCP – get a check-up at least 1 time per year. o Get or schedule your screenings. Talk with your doctor about any appointments you should make for screenings. o Vaccinations. Ask your doctor about getting your flu shot and if there are any other shots you may need to get. o Your family history. Some conditions can run in the family. Share your family history with your doctor. o Healthy habits. Talk with your doctor about foods and exercises that are right for you. If you smoke, ask your doctor about different ways that can help you quit. o Your health goals. Set goals for yourself and talk about them with your doctor. ;; Dentist – get your teeth checked every 6 months. o Health Habits. After your exam and cleaning, talk with your dentist about good ways to take care of your teeth and gums. o Your family history. Some conditions, like gum disease, can run in the family. Share your family history with your dentist. ;; Eye Doctor – get your eyes checked at least 1 time per year. o Get or schedule your screenings. Talk with your doctor about getting a dilated (dy- lay-ted) eye exam. This helps doctors see the back of the eyes better and other parts of your eye with more detail. o Health habits. Talk with your eye doctor about good ways to take care of your eyes. o Your family history. Some conditions, like cataract (cat-eract), can run in the family. Share your family history with your eye doctor. After your appointments, fill any new prescriptions your doctor said you need. Get any lab tests done. Make a follow-up appointment if you need it. Start making those lifestyle changes your doctor recommended, like eating healthy and exercising. You, your doctor and his or her staff make up your health care team. Allow your doctor to help you stay healthy. If you haven’t seen your doctors this year, here is your reminder. Make your appointments today!
...because I make good food choices. My name is Genevieve and I choose fresh vegetables when I go shopping. Eating vegetables gives me nutrients, like vitamins A and C, to help me stay healthy. AmeriHealth District of Columbia supports healthy lifestyles and grandmothers like Genevieve who make good food choices. Here are some ways you can do the same: • Limit your portion size • Eat fruits and vegetables as a snack • Eat baked foods instead of fried foods To see the I am healthy series and get more tips on ways to stay healthy, visit www.amerihealthdc.com/iamhealthy. SM
This program is funded in part by the Government of the District of Columbia Department of Health Care Finance.
*Not their real names Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Eye Institute All images are used under license for illustrative purposes only. Any individual depicted is a model.
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PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY EDUCATION BRIEFS Complied by Dorothy Rowley WI Staff Writer More Students Received Free, Reduced-Price Meals School officials report an increase in the number of students eligible to receive free and reduced-price meals during the current academic year. According to recently-released enrollment figures, the percentage of students who qualify for free and reduced-price meals rose from 61.49 percent in October 2013 to 64.67 percent this October. The meals serve as a federal indicator of poverty, and of the 127,866 students in the school system, 82,696 of them come from disadvantaged
households. Thumbs-Up for Legislative Agenda A legislative agenda that has met the approval of the county’s Board of Education includes more than a dozen topics – with charter schools, school construction and school safety listed among them. And, as school system officials prepare for the new Maryland General Assembly in January, likewise a new platform for the schools – which shares the system’s positions on the various areas that impact education – has been unveiled. For each subject, the board offers the type of legislation it might sup-
port and the type of bills that it will oppose. The new platform includes the school system’s support in the development of a plan by county officials to provide money over the next decade to eliminate a school construction backlog. The platform also includes legislation that provides specific procedures for dealing with a charter school’s assets and any state measure that supports programs that reduce the number of black and Latino youth in the criminal justice system for minor offenses. Maxwell Denies Charter School’s Request
Schools CEO Kevin M. Maxwell has denied a request by a charter school with ties to the University of Maryland, to allow the children of College Park, Maryland, residents employed by the University of Maryland to be provided special consideration when applying to a charter school. In a recent letter to the board chair of College Park Academy, Maxwell said the request to reserve 50 percent of the school’s seats for children of U-Md. employees who live in the city, cannot be allowed under Maryland charter school rules. According to the rules, a county charter school must be open to all county students and must admit
them by lottery in the event more students apply than are eligible for enrollment. College Park Academy, which has an enrollment of 375 students in the 6th, 7th and 8th grades, first sought to set aside up to 65 percent of the school’s seats for students who live in College Park, Maryland. However, that request also fell through. “We have made our position clear that our understanding of the Maryland Public Charter School Program does not allow for a special catchment for College Park residents nor a reservation of seats for employees of the University,” Maxwell, 63, wrote. WI
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PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY
Community of Hope Uplifts Efforts of County Police Church, Police Partner to Reduce Crime By DR Barnes WI Staff Writer A grand jury’s decision not to indict Ferguson, Missouri, Police Officer Darren Wilson in the Aug. 9 shooting death of 18-yearold Michael Brown, caused an explosion of protests across the country. Young blacks, who viewed the jury’s Nov. 25 decision as a reminder of the devaluation of black life, believe it deepens the wounds that have long-divided law enforcement and the black community. Ferguson counts as just one city among many, where questionable police tactics have resulted in the deaths of young black males – causing federal officials to call for better community-police relations, and urging officers to take more training classes to prevent further incidents. However, in Prince George’s County where police-community relations have been tense, residents say they’ve seen improvements that include a decrease in murders and other violent crimes. “We can’t take credit for all of it, but we will give ourselves some credit,” the Rev. Tony Lee, senior pastor at Community of Hope AME Church in Temple Hills, Maryland, told the congregation during a recent Sunday morning service. Community of Hope, which is located in Iverson Mall near the Burlington Coat Factory, boasts several hundred members. However, by 10 a.m. on that particular Sunday, its seats were filled with mostly young adults sporting jeans and other casual attire, as the six-member choir belted out spirit-filled songs to the beat of go-go and hip-hop tunes played by the band. Lee grabbed the microphone and announced that he hadn’t come to preach. “We need to talk about where we go from here,” he said. “Because, what happened in Ferguson can happen all across the nation. We need to get involved with organizations and make sure we hold the police and other elected leaders accountable.” In the front row of the sanctuary sat Prince George’s County Police Chief Mark McGaw, a 27year veteran of the department
who, as a nominee in 2010 of Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker III, has moved through the ranks. McGaw, whose nomination received broad support – including that of the local chapter of the NAACP – said he’d been invited by Lee to discuss the meaning of police-community partnerships, and how Community of Hope has partnered with the department to “address the small problems before they become big ones.” In addition to describing their partnership as having made a difference in the way his officers police and tackle gang violence at several local high schools, McGaw thanked Lee and the congregation for their efforts mentoring the county’s youth. “When I talk to the police candidates’ class, I talk about service. There is no room for arrogance in this police department,” McGaw said of his 1,700-member force. “If they don’t get that, I tell them to go somewhere else,” he said. “At one time, we were an occupying force [in the county]. Today, we’re guardians and we teach that everyday to our uniform force,” said McGaw. “We are you. When you see the police department, you should see you. We live here. We work for you. It’s all about relationships.” The congregation applauded when McGaw announced that over the past four years, homicides in Prince George’s Coun-
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Nine-year-old Mason Cameron, a member of Community of Hope AME Church in Temple Hills, Maryland, received an honorary badge from Prince George’s County Assistant Police Chief Craig Howard during a recent service, where Police Chief Mark Magaw discussed the impact police-community partnerships has on crime-reduction and building relationships in the county. /Photo by DR Barnes
ty have dropped by 64 percent. They also clapped enthusiastically when he added that crime overall, in the county has dipped. “That’s because of our relationships with our community. You’ve done that,” McGaw said. In an emotional display of solidarity, Lee asked members of the police department to line up fac-
ing the stage. He then invited all formerly-incarcerated members of the congregation to line up behind them. Finally, family members of currently-incarcerated individuals were invited to form a line behind them. With nearly 100 people standing in front of him, Lee proceed-
ed to deputize them to bring others to God, and to get involved finding ways to serve their communities. Afterward, Lee anointed McGaw with oil and prayed for the safety of the police chief and his officers. WI
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Eugene Puryear, a Congress Heights resident and one of #DCFerguson’s organizers reiterated the message that black lives matter as the crowd moved through Chinatown in Northwest on Nov. 25. Protesters gathered to show their support for the late Mike Brown. /Photo by Roy Lewis
Ferguson Fuels Activism in D.C., Nationally By Barrington M. Salmon WI Staff Writer@bsalmondc The column of people overwhelmed streets and snake-like, stretched from sidewalk-to-sidewalk as far as the eye could see. Marchers carried signs, placards and banners, shook their fists in unison and the diverse crowd’s throaty, defiant chants ripped through the cool air. “No Justice, No Peace! No Justice, No Peace!” a slim young woman shouted through cupped hands as those around her picked up the refrain. Nearby, other demonstrators bellowed, “Hands Up! Don’t Shoot!” and that mantra picked up steam and permeated through a bloc of the 5,000-10,000 people, who on the night of Nov. 25 took over streets in downtown D.C. The march drew protestors – summoned and stirred by email and social media – to Mount Vernon Square in Northwest. They tried to close down Walmart, completely shut down Chinatown and ended up in front of the Verizon Center. The march and rally sprung from the Nov. 24 announcement by Ferguson County Attorney The Washington Informer
Bob McCulloch that a grand jury had absolved Officer Darren Wilson of any responsibility in the shooting death of 18-yearold unarmed Michael Brown. Brown’s death on Aug. 9 and the verdict last week triggered demonstrations, civil unrest, rioting and looting. For more than 100 days since Brown’s death, Ferguson residents and their supporters used vigils and marches to signal their anger and frustration and unwillingness to back down. The raw emotion pulsed through the diverse crowd, made up primarily of young people. “I’m disgusted,” said Yasmina Mrabet, a 27-year-old activist and organizer. “We planned this protest the day after the verdict because we expected this result. I don’t know if Michael Brown smoked weed or stole anything. He was an 18-year-old and didn’t deserve to die. In America, black and brown lives don’t matter as much.” “Trayvon Martin’s murder raised a lot of awareness about the fact that you don’t have justice without being white. Certain people are denied access to things white people enjoy. Mi-
chael Brown’s case isn’t a special case because his is one of many. It’s happening all over the country.” Silver Spring, Maryland resident Stephan Bell, 26, agreed. “Being an African-American in this community and country bought me here,” said Bell, a veteran and wildland firefighter. “I’m not surprised by the verdict. I knew how it would go down but those in the lower economic bracket will force the powers-that-be to change. The wave of ripples of the civil rights movement have pushed us this far. We’re seeing what our fathers fought for. You drop a big stone and it can cause some major ripples.” Bell said he’s often been targeted and harassed by police adding that America is built on fear. Many in this country see black people as wild, feral animals and not human beings little different from the mainstream. The Nov. 25 demonstration came as part of 28 hours of protest and civil disobedience by an array of social justice, civil rights and other organizations,
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If Your Ad Were Here Someone Would Be Reading It! Contact me, Ron Burke, at 202-561-4100 or rburke@washingtoninformer.com Crowds which numbered in the thousands hoisted signs about their indignation regarding the death of Mike Brown and the absolution of Ferguson, Missouri Police Officer Darren Wilson. Protesters marched from Mount Vernon Square through the streets of downtown D.C. on Nov. 25. /Photo by Roy Lewis
FERGUSON continued from Page 14 under the #DCFerguson umbrella. Protestors marched to the Metropolitan Police Department headquarters in Northwest to call for an independent Civilian Review Board; presented a letter to Ward 6 Council member Tommy Wells proposing that the board receive firing power; and they visited the transition offices of Mayor-elect Muriel Bowser. In recent days, #DCFerguson staged protests at stores on Black Friday, demonstrated in front of the Department of Justice, disrupted traffic several times on I-395 and marched in Georgetown and in Union Station. Organizers said protestors aren’t going away. “… It’s not a moment but a movement. We need to shut things down all day so the powers-that-be know we’re serious,” one speaker told the vast crowd assembled at Mt. Vernon Square. “We’re talking about action not anger. Yesterday, young people (in Ferguson) took to the streets. We need to talk specifically about the institution of racism.” Organizers and rank-and-file protestors said what they were fighting is bigger than Ferguson, Missouri and Michael Brown because what happened to him is being repeated in black communities across the country. They invoked the names of some of the fallen: Eric Garner, Akai
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Gurley, Kejemi Powell, 12-yearold Tamir Rice, Tenisha Anderson and VonDerrit D. Myers Jr., as just the latest examples of blacks murdered by a system they say is racial biased and deeply flawed. As demonstrations spread, protestors have embraced the issues of wage and salary disparities, workers’ rights, affordable housing, economic justice, police brutality and inequities in the criminal justice system. Elsewhere around the U.S., largely peaceful demonstrations took place in more than 179 cities and 37 states after the verdict. Spontaneous but well-organized protests in cities as disparate as New York City, Miami, Chicago, Boston, Minneapolis, Portland and Seattle, indicate the level of anger and the deep desire for change. Similar protests have occurred in Britain, Australia, and Korea. Eugene Puryear, a Congress Heights resident and one of #DCFerguson’s organizers, praised protestors. “The reaction was fantastic,” said Puryear, 28. “People in D.C. were so primed. People knew it would be a non-indictment. People wanted to be heard, want to be represented, not be ignored. It’s not business as usual. People are saying ‘Stop, we have to move in a different direction.’” WI
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The Case for Reparations Is it that you’re too humiliated by your lineage of slavery to demand what you’re justly due? Despite America’s deplorable legacy of institutional slavery, segregation, and decades of Jim Crow, rightful descendants of slaves can’t muster the interest or acts to demand proper payback from America. Blacks can find “racism” and “injustice” in cases of Trayvon Martin and Michal Brown yet avoid militant or strategic action that would yield millions of dollars. Blacks prefer to view their situation as if their lives are of little worth and not for the potential that’s present. Justice should matter to Blacks. Surely, proper justice has not been served most Blacks living in America. The Emancipation Proclamation brought Blacks their freedom, but not parity. The actions that occurred during the civil rights movement knocked down Jim Crow, but remnants remain. Affirmative action laws and purposes created opportunities for Blacks, but who can say that racism isn’t institutionalized and doesn’t persist across America? So, why shouldn’t the great-great-grandchildren of those who worked for free and were kept in bondage be denied the means toward just compensation? Isn’t it true that America was literally built on the backs of Black labor? Throw in another century of legal discrimination, racial violence and socioeconomic codes and restrictions after that, and you’ve got a pretty good case for reparations. No matter Blacks’ claim to be “empowered” through participation in America’s popularity politics, until demands are made on the nation’s lawmakers to reckon with H.R. 40, our America will not be whole and Blacks will forever remain “second-class citizens.” Up to and including today’s society, many African-Americans have endured racism and oppression. Neither the 13th Amendment nor civil rights movement of the 1960s has been enough to remedy history’s worse crime. Census figures show that in 2013, the median Black household earned just under $35,000, while the median White house-
By William Reed hold earned more than $58,000. Blacks’ unemployment rate has been twice as high as Whites’ rate for the past 50 years. You won’t see too many of them on mainstream TV, but many prominent Blacks are forcefully pro-reparations and demand $24 trillion for a Black Reparations Fund. The debt from slavery and its aftermath, unpaid labor, Black Codes and institutional racism has never been paid. Reparations proponents feel that the debts never paid their ancestors have compounded and currently prevent their success. Experts say 35 million descendants of slaves are each due $1.5 million now. Slavery still impacts African-Americans. Because of Blacks’ self-hate, lack of confidence and culture pride and understanding, most doubt the justification and legitimacy of their claim to reparations. They need only to look at the Jewish people and their great success in accumulating billions of dollars in reparations through the years. After World War II, in 1951, Israeli authorities made a claim to the four powers occupying post-war Germany regarding compensation and reimbursement and calculated that they were owed $1.5 billion. In 1952, an agreement was signed toward West Germany paying reparations of $1.8 billion over the next 14 years. In the United States, Native Americans, the Japanese and Jews have received reparations for crimes committed against them, but the descendants of slaves can’t get compensated. Many will attempt to make you think that what you want is “free money.” Blacks can learn a lesson or two from the Jews on how to obtain reparations. The institution of slavery and racism in America did not just set Blacks back – it en-
See REED on Page 17
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Earl D. Fowlkes, Jr., president and CEO, the Center for Black Equity, addressed issues facing black Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual and Transgender support organizations during a conference in the District earlier this fall. /Courtesy Photo
Two Black LGBT Organizations to Merge
BUSINESS
CEOs to Increase Outreach Efforts and Combine Resources By D. Kevin McNeir WI Contributing Writer
Incidents of racism and homophobia in America have skyrocketed in recent years causing blacks to reevaluate their strategies and therefore seek ways to better protect themselves. And to bolster their programming and secure their financial future, two nationally-based organizations recently announced that they will merge in 2015. “Funding continues to be a challenge especially from the federal government who we hear will fund one but not two robust organizations like ours – merging would be to our benefit,” said Earl D. Fowlkes, Jr., president and CEO, the Center for Black Equity, Inc., the only black Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual and Transgender (LGBT) international organization in the world that promotes a network of Pride events and community-based organizations. Fowlkes announced the pending merger during this fall’s recent annual “OUT on the Hill – Black LGBT Leadership Summit,” along with Sharon Lettman-Hicks, who heads the National Black Justice Coalition, a civil rights organization dedicated to enriching the lives of black LGBT individuals while advocating for the unique challenges and needs of the community that are often relegated to the sidelines. About 75 members of the two organizations recently met with executive board officials for a five-hour meeting that focused on the upcoming merger and how it will more than likely develop. Both organizations are headquartered in Washington, D.C. “We’re simply doing what companies like Southwest Airlines and AirTran Airway did but first we intend to have a year of conversation so that
our constituents own it and affirm it,” Lettman-Hicks said. “We’re running our businesses as nonprofits and must make sure we’re financially healthy so that we can continue to reinvest no less than 25 percent of our assets into the field where the real work occurs. If we’re serious about our freedom and the needs of our people then we must go through this strategic incubation time.” One leader from a Detroit-based LGBT nonprofit said he saluted the leaders for seeking input from their collective memberships. “It’s rare that the members get to be part of the conversation but it makes good sense,” said Curtis Lipscomb, founder and executive director, KICK, The Agency for African Americans, whose mission since 2003 has been to “increase awareness of and support to Detroit [Michigan’s] LGBT community through education and advocacy.” “Having leadership in D.C. is important especially for those who look like me. We use in our city what we learn from others who are part of this national and international collective,” Lipscomb said. One graduate student from Florida said she supports the merger and the two organizations. “Groups like these didn’t exist when I was younger and I’m grateful that as a member I’ve had the opportunity to weigh-in on the development of a national AIDS policy and other issues crucial to our community,” said Kristin Brown, 43, currently working on an advanced degree in Tallahassee, Florida at the University of Florida. One activist and former U.S. Marine said he hopes the two organizations will establish a greater political
presence. “I’d like to see more men and women from the black LGBT community elected to local and national seats because too many of our officials are clueless when it comes to the hurdles we face each day,” said Marquell Smith, who was discharged from the Marines under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” in 2006 after six years of service. “I felt really alone during my fight to remain in the military. There was no one there who understood what I was going through and no one seemed to care. That’s why I’ve given my support to these two organizations and want to see them succeed. There are thousands of stories like mine that go unaddressed,” said Smith, 33 who now lives in Chicago, Illinois. Lettman-Hicks said more conversation will be conducted as the merger moves toward becoming a reality in late 2015. “I’ve noticed that in black spaces, our sisters are particularly neglected. As we move toward the merger, we’ll need a desk for gays, for lesbians, for bisexuals and for transgenders. The point is that while we have much in common, each [subgroup] also has unique needs and challenges,” she said. “After careful analysis, we’ll probably outsource services that neither of our organizations do well and focus on that which we’ve proven we can do efficiently. We’re going to collaborate with other like-minded organizations too. We’ve got a lot of work that still needs to be done and we’re going to get it done,” Lettman-Hicks said. WI
REED continued from Page 16
pants of the White House and U.S. Capitol to pay up for the free labor that built their institutions. Look around. Slave labor built America’s manufacturing, all of the railroads, and the nation’s pillars of commerce such as Lehman Brothers, Aetna, JPMorgan Chase, New York
Life, Wachovia Corporation, Norfolk Southern, FleetBoston, Brooks Brothers, Brown and Harvard universities and AIG. WI William Reed is publisher of “Who’s Who in Black Corporate America” and is available for projects via busxchng@his.com.
riched generations of Whites in the process. Today’s Whites enjoy “privilege” through profits reaped from free Black labor for hundreds of years. It’s time Blacks move past “protesting” and organize demands to occu-
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HEALTH
Health Conference Addresses Issues of Injustice Eliminating AIDS Stigma Remains International Concern Department of Pediatrics and Child Health. Rana served as the conference director for the fifth annual InThree decades ago, an ternational Conference on StigHIV-positive diagnosis equated ma, held at Howard University to a death sentence that gave College of Medicine in Northpatients just a few months to west on Friday, Nov. 21 in colprepare for an inevitably painful laboration with the Coalition to Eliminate Stigma. Hundreds of death. And while medical advance- providers, public health officials, ments now allow those infect- activists, students, faith leaders, ed with the virus to live much people affected by HIV and exlonger, fruitful lives, the stigma perts from across the globe gathassociated with HIV/AIDS con- ered at the conference seeking tinues to isolate millions of men, strategies to eliminate the stigma women and children who suffer associated with HIV and other diseases. from the disease. Stigma often keeps those af“We have people looking down on those impacted by fected with diseases like HIV HIV/AIDS and there’s no nar- from seeking proper care and rative to counter the stigmatiza- treatment and protecting others tion that they suffer,” said Dr. from possible infection. 276469_6_x_6.5 11/25/14 12:25 PM Page 1 “Stigma robs individuals of Sohail Rana, Howard University, By D. Kevin McNeir @mcneirdk WI Contributing Writer
their basic rights and is the major reason why the HIV epidemic continues,” Rana said. “We are all responsible for this stigma and we must work together to eliminate it. When we play the game of fear, blame and shame we all lose.” In addition to researchers, the conference showcased the work of human rights activists and artists who continue to fight against stigma. Several have become intimately connected to the HIV virus because of their positive status. One D.C. native now living in Prince George’s County discussed her experiences as a person born with the virus. “Because I was born HIV-positive it hasn’t been as difficult for me in terms of stigmatization because people tend to acknowl-
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Douglas Brooks, tagged by President Obama to serve as the director of the Office of National AIDS Policy, gave the keynote address at the fifth annual International Conference on Stigma at Howard University College of Medicine on Friday, Nov. 21 in Northwest. /Photo Roy Lewis
edge that it’s not my fault – for those who contracted the virus because of their behavior it’s a much different story,” said Mary Bowman who now shares her views as a spoken word artist and as an advocate for others living with HIV/AIDS. “This is my first time participating in the conference and
I think it’s really important because many of us living with the virus are afraid of sharing our status with others for fear that they will treat us like we’re dandelions in the field instead of as the roses that God made us all,” said Bowman, 25, who learned about her HIV status as
See STIGMA on Page 19
DID YOU KNOW? You may qualify for assistance in paying your home phone bill. Discounts for basic telephone service are available to eligible District of Columbia low-income residents. Verizon Washington, D.C. Lifeline Plans: Verizon Washington, D.C.’s Lifeline service, known as “Economy II,” offers reduced rates on Verizon’s monthly telephone bill and one-time discounts on the cost of installing phone service. Additionally, toll blocking is available to Economy II customers at no charge. Economy II Service*: $3.00 per month for unlimited local calling. Value-added services are not included (e.g., Call Waiting, Caller ID). No connection charges apply. Also, customers will not be charged for the federal subscriber line charge. Economy II customers who are 65 years of age or older can have this service at a further reduced rate of $1.00 per month. * Full terms and rates for these services, including terms of eligibility, are as set forth in federal and in Verizon’s tariffs on file with the Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia. All rates, terms and conditions included in this notice are subject to change and are current at the time of printing.
Eligibility: District residents who have been certified by the Washington, DC Lifeline Program as eligible may apply for the Economy II program. To apply, schedule an appointment with the Washington, DC Lifeline Program by calling 1-800-253-0846. Households in which one or more individuals are receiving benefits from one of the following public assistance programs or have an annual income that is 150% or below the Federal Poverty Guideline may be eligible. P Food stamps P Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) P Supplemental Security Income P Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) P Federal Public Housing Assistance (Section 8) P Medicaid P National School Lunch Programs (Free Lunch Program)
Restrictions: P No other working telephone service at the same location P No additional phone lines P No Foreign Exchange or Foreign Zone service P No bundles or packages P No outstanding unpaid final bills P Bill name must match eligible participant P No separate Lifeline discount on cellular or wireless phone service P Business lines are not eligible P Phone number must match eligible participant P Must be a current Verizon customer or establish new service with Verizon
Contact Washington, DC Lifeline Program at 1-800-253-0846 to apply To learn more about the Lifeline program, visit www.lifelinesupport.org. Economy II is a Lifeline supported service. Lifeline is a government assistance program. Only eligible consumers may enroll. You may qualify for Lifeline service if you can show proof that you participate in certain government assistance programs or your annual income (gross and from all sources) is at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Guideline. If you qualify based on income, you will be required to provide income verification. Proof of participation in a government assistance program requires your current or prior year’s statement of benefits from a qualifying state or federal program; a notice letter or other official document indicating your participation in such a program; and/or another program participation document (for example, benefit card). Proof of income requires your prior year’s state or federal tax return; current income statement from an employer or paycheck stub; a statement of Social Security, Veterans Administration, retirement, pension, or Unemployment or Workmen’s Compensation benefits; a federal notice letter of participation in General Assistance; a divorce decree; a child support award; and/or another official document containing income information. At least three months of data is necessary when showing proof of income. In addition, the Lifeline program is limited to one discount per household, consisting of either wireline or wireless service. You are required to certify and agree that no other member of the household is receiving Lifeline service from Verizon or another communications provider. Lifeline service is a non-transferable benefit. Lifeline customers may not subscribe to certain other services, including other local telephone service. Consumers who willfully make false statements in order to obtain the Lifeline benefit can be punished by fine or imprisonment, or can be barred from the program.
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HEALTH
Mary Bowman, born with the HIV virus, shared one of her poems addressing the problem of discrimination faced by those living with the virus during the fifth annual International Conference on Stigma on Friday, Nov. 21 in Northwest at the Howard University College of Medicine. /Photo Roy Lewis
STIGMA continued from Page 18 a fourth-grade student. Keynote speaker Douglas Brooks said America and the world have come a long way since the early days of HIV/ AIDS but not far enough. “When the virus that would eventually become known as HIV/AIDS burst on the scene 30 years ago, fear, ignorance and denial were such that many even called for a quarantine of those infected,” Brooks said. “Even today, stigma impacts those seeking housing, employment and access to other forms of public accommodation. Those who are HIV-positive shouldn’t be treated any differently or eliminated from opportunities to lead because they have unique experiences to share. When we work together we’re stronger,” said Brooks who has lived with the HIV virus for more than two decades. The conference confirmed many of the conversations held last Monday, Dec. 1 – known across the globe as World AIDS Day – which focuses attention on the disease that in 2013 infected another 2.1 million people and took more than 1.5 million lives. After 26 years of World AIDS Days, the death toll stands at 39 million. Still, optimism exists as many believe that with the appropriate programs and precautions, and adherence to safer sex recommendations, new infections can be eradicated. One woman who became HIV-positive after a blood transfusion at age three said she treats every day as a gift. “I wasn’t expected to live beyond my 10th birthday but here I
am 25 years later because of an experimental regiment of drugs that saved my life,” said Jamie Gentille who lives in Reston, Virginia and encourages others as an author, public speaker and advocate. “I’m blessed and honored that I can tell my story, that I have a man who loved me so much that he asked me to marry him and to celebrate every gray hair that’s on my head,” Gentille said. “But far too many of those infected with HIV still are unable to tell their friends and families about the challenges they face and their fears. I guess I was one of the lucky ones,” said Gentille, 35, author of “Surviving HIV: Growing up a Secret and Being Positive.” One native Miamian said learning about her HIV status at 17 temporarily caused her to give up on life. “I was numb and told myself that it was pointless to believe that I would ever have children, that I would ever get married, that I would ever have a life worth living,” said Maria Mejia, 41, whose boyfriend had been a regular IV drug user. “My mother supported me but she told me not to tell anyone – not even my family. HIV is not a moral condition, it’s a human condition. Too often it’s the church or our loved ones that participate in stigmatization, forcing us to remain silent. But I refuse to let HIV define who I am,” said Mejia, whose ability to speak both English and Spanish assists her in reaching out to blacks and Latinos infected by the virus. WI
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Dec 4 - Dec 10, 2014
19
What My Landlord Taught Me about Picking a School When I graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in the mid 90s, I moved to New York City. And I did what most young folks did them: found the cheapest apartment I could afford in the nicest neighborhood possible. That place was a firstfloor front studio near Central Park. The block was lovely, but I lived in the worst building on it. Sanitation workers used to wake me up when they threw the cans against my outside windows. In the winter, I heated the place with my open stove. And if anything broke, it took forever to get it fixed. I paid about three-fourths of what I made to live in that apart-
ment, and my landlord knew that. And because of this, our relationship was uneasy. I only pushed so hard to get things fixed because I couldn’t afford to move. She only did enough to make it barely livable. And we both knew there were hundreds of kids, just like me, ready to take my spot if I decided to head back home. It was all win for her and, because I could not move, I would lose. My relationship with my old landlord is the same relationship most parents and children of color, particularly in cities, have with their neighborhood schools and school districts. The quality of instruction is poor and, according to the Office of Civil Rights,
VV
By Derrell Bradford students are far more likely to be taught by a teacher who is out of subject specialization than elsewhere. There are 90 schools in New York City, for instance, where not one minority child passed the recent round of state tests. These children and families are stuck with their schools just
EDUCATION like my old landlord and I were; the school only giving what it must, and the family desperate to get more for their child’s education. Eventually I got lucky, got a new job, and moved to a better apartment. For most folks, however, moving to a better “building,” or a school or school district in this case, just isn’t an option. If you have money or influence in America, you don’t even blink when your local school doesn’t deliver. You know you can “move” to a private school or another school district, and the local school does too. So if that power is good enough for the wealthiest and most influential, why shouldn’t we give low-income families in southwest Baltimore
where I’m from, or Newark, or New York the same options? As a child I got a scholarship to an excellent school and that changed my life, forever, and there is no day I don’t wake up and know how blessed I am because of it. “Parent Choice” in education is the one thing that can help families, just like mine, and help them today. Take a lesson from my old landlord. Your zip code and your income might dictate where you live … but they shouldn’t determine your child’s future. WI Derrell Bradford is the executive director at The New York Campaign for Achievement Now (NYCAN)
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EDUCATION Reparations Study Group
The next in a series of Reparations Study Group sessions will be Monday, December 15, 2014 from 6 pm to 8 pm at the Southeast Public Library, 403 7th Street, Southeast, 20003. The series features discussion sessions and research on “The Debt America Owes Black Descendants of Slaves.” The Southeast Library is located on Capitol Hill across from the Eastern Market subway stop.
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Third-grade teacher Kristin Murray works with Diamond James, 8; Tamia Cooper, 8; and George Taylor 8 at Potomac Prep Charter School in Northeast Washington recently. /Photo by Travis Riddick
Northeast Washington Charter School Staff, Parents Brace for Fight Oppose Plan by Charter School Board to Close Potomac Prep By Avis Thomas-Lester WI Editor-at-Large The principal, staff, parents and students of Potomac Preparatory Charter School in Northeast have a message for the D.C. Public Charter School Board: Please do not close this school. The stakeholders are gearing up to fight a decision made by the charter board at its Nov. 17 charter review meeting to initiate revocation of the Ward 5 school’s charter. At the meeting, board members spotlighted problems that have plagued Potomac Prep for the last decade. The board is scheduled to have a meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 10 at the school to hear testimony on the issue. Potomac Prep Principal Marian White-Hood and Nicholette Smith-Bligen, chair of the board of trustees, said the decision was made to revoke the charter without a visit to the school and without the school’s leadership having an opportunity to point out improvements made this year under a new school administration. Members of the char-
ter board visited the school in the aftermath of the decision. Potomac Prep, formerly called Potomac Lighthouse Charter School, was previously operated by Lighthouse Academies, a national charter management organization which was awarded a charter to open in 2005. The school is currently being managed by a D.C.-based company that handles budget, finance, human resources and student information and data systems. “Potomac Prep is a different school than it was when the doors opened 10 years ago under Potomac Lighthouse Academies. It is a different school than it was last year,” said Smith-Bligen. “We do not believe Potomac’s charter should be revoked without consideration to our school’s current performance and demonstrated ability to [improve] student achievement in the years to come.” School officials and parents want the charter board to allow the school to continue to operate. White-Hood, an award-winning principal in Prince George’s
County for years who most recently worked as chief academic officer for the Maya Angelou Public Charter Schools in the District, has a track record for helping children reach their highest heights. Her many accolades include the Washington Post Distinguished Leadership Award for principals, the Maryland State Principal of the Year Award and the $25,000 Milken Family Educator Award. As principal of Kettering Middle School, then a U.S. Dept. of Education Blue Ribbon School of Excellence, and Ernest Just Middle School, where she was chosen by the community’s leadership to serve as the inaugural head of school, she took students on college trips to Atlanta, Raleigh and Boston, urged parents to visit their children’s schools and held quarterly programs to recognize everything from straight As for scholars to improvements for academically-challenged students. White-Hood said she believes the board has tagged the school
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EDUCATION
Ed Davies, Executive Director DC Trust
Serve, Then Protect: Building a Dialogue to Restore a Covenant of Service for Young Men of Color Like so many concerned African Americans, I am incensed by the indiscriminate treatment of youth of color in large and small communities alike throughout the United States. Incidents in major urban centers like Los Angeles and New York, to communities in the heart of our nation like Sanford, Florida and now Ferguson, Missouri, continue to make it increasingly clear that safe and secure neighborhoods should not compromise the well-being of the very community that local police officers have been charged to protect and serve. However, blaming these issues on overly aggressive law enforcement officials, biased court systems and unruly youth and protesters only seeks to simplify a much more complex dynamic. Certainly, we must begin to examine the overarching human civility that penetrates institutional stereotypes and breaks down the reciprocal level of trust between law enforcement agencies, communities and citizens. As concerning as these events are, I am most troubled by the challenges that many of these young men face prior to ever being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Persistent poverty, disparate healthcare, inadequate education and insufficient employment opportunities continue to impede success for many young men of color in Washington, DC and across the country. It is imperative that we look within our community to better understand these experiences, other contributing factors and how they impact a young person’s overall personal development and ability to develop pathways to success. For decades, the barbershop has served as a cultural hub in the black community. As a native Washingtonian and Ward 8 resident, the barbershop has always been for me, a safe space to convene, fellowship and dialogue about issues, experiences and challenges of importance to me and other black men in a raw and unfiltered way. In the aftermath of the tragic death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, the barbershop continues to be a mecca of expression for the frustration, anger and insistence for change that many men feel. That’s why DC Trust (www.dctrustforyouth.org) is continuing to capture many of these conversations in Shoptalk (http://shoptalkdc.org), a dynamic storytelling series that uses the barbershop as a catalyst for exploring the multifaceted lives of young men of color in Washington, DC. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Chief of Police Cathy Lanier participated in our most recent episode (http://shoptalkdc.org/45757/7/) to create an open dialogue for residents to share what they want and need from law enforcement, and for citizens to hear how they can best support our police department’s efforts to create safe and livable communities. I believe that this type of unfettered community dialogue is an important step in advancing the covenant of service between law enforcement and the community -- based on reciprocity, compassion and understanding -- to ensure quality of life for communities of color and all District residents. We are also working in partnership with the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services, MPD and the courts to ensure that the conditions that exist in other cities do not occur in the District. Through effective training and programs, our young men will be seen as human beings with great potential even as they get back on the right track, instead of just punishing them for their missteps. As DC Trust continues to lead the city’s effort to develop a comprehensive strategy to improve outcomes for boys and men of color, in alignment with President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper initiative, we will continue to align resources, connect partners and build systems with local funders, nonprofits, community partners, law enforcement officials and other stakeholders to weave a net of support so tightly that every youth in Washington, DC can achieve their full potential, regardless of who they are, where they come from, or the circumstances into which they are born. Our sons and brothers matter. Ed Davies is the Executive Director of DC Trust, the catalyst for youth success in Washington, DC. Visit www. dctrustforyouth.org for more information
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Demetrius Lancaster infuses art into the instruction for his second graders at Potomac Prep Charter School in Northeast Washington. /Photo by Travis Riddick
POTOMAC continued from Page 21 to close based on failures of the past. She’s confident that her staff, along with the current group of parents, will continue to help students improve academically. When she took over as principal on July 1, she implemented some of the strategies that had worked in Prince George’s. She conducted a national search and brought in a number of new teachers. Parents who had not visited the school were invited in for Muffins for Moms and Donuts for Dads programs. Once there, she and her staff engaged them about the importance of being involved with their children’s education by joining the PTA and checking homework every day. She established an advisory board made up of parents and brought on a parent engagement coordinator. She started a Student Government Association and her trademark Gentlemen’s Association and Rose Court to help foster pride in academic achievement in boys and girls, respectively. Her goal was for 80 percent of the parents of her students to visit twice before the school year ends. She’s already met that goal and the school year is not even half over. She’s got attendance sheets with names and signatures to prove it. Test scores are up. Suspensions are down. Larry Lewis, whose daughter, Candice Mason, 13, is an eighthgrade honor student at Potomac, said he was skeptical that WhiteHood could improve the once-failing school. Candice is among the 85 percent of students who are bused in each day. “I met with her over the summer
when she first came and she talked about what was needed in the school. We went over her policies and procedures,” he said. Melody Giles, the parent engagement coordinator and mother of four students, said children are now thriving at the school. “I plan to speak at the hearing to tell them that … the children feel more comfortable learning now,” she said. “They have textbooks, science experiments, computer lab and drama. They didn’t have any of those amenities last year.” Several said they plan to present what they hope will be compelling reasons to keep the school open at the Dec. 10 meeting. If the process ends negatively, Potomac Prep would lose its charter effective in June 2015 and be forced to close, officials said. Board members could not be reached for comment. White-Hood said her team has only just begun. “When I got here, there were 260 students. Now we have 425 and for the first time, we have a wait list,” White-Hood said. “Some parents who left have brought their children back. We have a new board of directors with people who have national board experience. And although we had a horrible financial past, our finances are doing well now.” “All we need is time for the changes we’ve made to work. The board is on board. The teachers and staff are on board. The parents are on board and most importantly, the students are doing better. It would be devastating for them to lose their school.” WI
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OPINIONS/EDITORIALS
Editorial Marion Barry, RIP
Since his untimely death last week, residents in the District of Columbia and around the region and the country have mourned the passing of former Mayor Marion S. Barry. Invariably, in a number of obituaries, there is as much focus on Barry’s fall from grace and missteps as other parts of his legacy to the civil rights movement and to the nation’s capital. It is no exaggeration when chroniclers and longtime Washingtonians describe 1965 Washington as a sleepy Southern town. In many ways, socially, politically and economically, the city resembled its counterparts in the Deep South. Whites dominated and controlled the city’s affairs and politics. White segregationists in Congress – led by the likes of Sens. John McMillan, Richard Russell and John Eastland – kept the city under its boot, and black people had no voice and no means to advance and had to be content to serve in a subservient role, if at all. In 1978, in a city more than 70 percent black, few African-Americans worked for D.C. government, most city officials and the police force were white, and an entrenched white business community held sway. Barry radically changed the status quo and the city’s landscape. Following his elevation to mayor in 1979, blacks took control of a city they had long dominated numerically. Barry brought the best and the brightest African-Americans into his administration, presided over the growth of the black middle class, and is often credited with spurring the explosion of growth of blacks in Prince George’s County’s middle and upper classes. By demanding that 35 percent of all construction contracts go to minority businesses, Barry pried open the door in an industry tightly closed to women and ethic minorities. Barry is a beloved figure in the District because of the significant numbers of residents he helped, whether it was in the summer youth jobs program, his service to the elderly, his attention to the needs of the poor or awarding the city’s cable franchise to Bob Johnson. Despite what critics said, many black Washingtonians and not a few whites saw and understood the inherent unfairness of defining a person on the basis of one incident in a long, rich and vibrant life. Barry will be remembered for his unswerving loyalty to the people he served and the city he loved. Those he loved loved him back, and that’s why Barry will always be affectionately known as “Mayor for Life.”
Ferguson Writ Large
In the days since County Attorney Robert McCulloch haughtily announced a grand jury decision that Officer Darren Wilson would not be indicted for killing unarmed 18-year-old Michael Brown, spontaneous demonstrations and protests have broken out in more than 37 states and 170 cities. Diverse cross-sections of protestors, primarily young people, angered by the grand jury decision and calling for substantive and widespread changes in the criminal justice system took to the streets. They marched in solidarity with the Brown family, residents of Ferguson and others who have suffered unjustly at the hands of police officers who, though a minority in their departments, have sullied the reputations of the whole. Last Monday, hundreds of demonstrators, mostly Howard University students, lay on the ground in front of the White House, and the next day thousands of enthusiastic and passionate protestors marched from Mt. Vernon Square to Walmart through Chinatown to the Verizon Center. Others marched in New York City, Oakland, Portland, Oregon, Miami, Bowie, Maryland, Boston, Chicago and elsewhere. Organizers of #DCFerguson took their actions further by having protesters go to the offices of D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson, the transition offices of Mayor-elect Muriel Bowser and other local elected officials to bring their attention to issues and concerns around poverty and marginalization. Nationally, organizers are working to build and sustain grassroots organizations beyond Ferguson. The people have awakened.
The People’s Champion!
I will forever have a special place in my heart for the memory of our beloved Mayor for Life, Marion Barry. When I was a young college graduate looking for my first real job, it was his administration that provided me with the opportunity to work in the summer, teaching art to students at a recreation center. From that opportunity I was able to go on to have a wonderful career as an art teacher. Marion Barry was a real “Black Man” in every aspect of his life. At every turn, he stood for what he thought was the right thing to do for the people of the District of Columbia. He stood up to all of those individuals who would try to undo what he had done for the people he served. He not only talked the talk, but he walked the walk. He always gave more than he took, and he never made empty promises to the people just to get elected. It’s because of Marion Barry’s announcement that black men should not wait until they are 55 to start getting checked for prostate cancer that I, at the age of 35, started getting checked. He was a real soldier for the ordinary, hard working, less fortunate and underserved in our city. May his soul rest in peace and his memory continue to live on in the minds of the thousands he touched. Kenneth Blassengame Washington, D.C.
Justice Once Again Denied
Did you really think they would charge that cop in Ferguson, Missouri? I wasn’t surprised when I read the article by Barrington Salmon, “Missouri Grand Jury Declines to Charge Cop” [November 27, 2014]. When have they ever found a white cop guilty of killing a black person? When? Even with video evidence, white police officers are getting off. They say it’s because white cops have the right to use force if they think their lives are in danger. Well, what about the victims’ rights? They always have an excuse for the use of force when it comes to killing black people. But for some reason grand juries don’t have the same sense of justice when it comes to black cops killing or beating white victims; the black cop is always wrong and convicted in those cases. So let’s see what happens in Cleveland where a black child was killed by a police officer recently for playing with a pellet gun in a park. The Cleveland police chief said it was a tragic accident that should not have happened. Herein lies the irony: A child with a toy gun and a trained police officer with a real gun. That’s no accident! They deliberately use words like accident and tragic to convince the public that they have the right to use force in every case, especially when it comes to dealing with young black men. Dante Williams Suitland, Md.
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Supporting Black and Latino Youth
The article, “My Brother’s Keeper Taking Root in D.C,” by Barrington Salmon [Nov. 20-26] speaks volumes on the need for nationwide programs to help keep our young black and Latino males from ending up on the wrong side of the law. How preposterous that within the span of just one year, 4,000 little black and Latino boys have been suspended from classrooms across the country. Something is definitely wrong with this picture: it’s either that we have an over-abundance of ignorant, apathetic parents who subscribe to the adage of raising their daughters and spoiling their sons – or government remains so engrossed counting the billions of dollars to be made from building prisons to house these children by the time they reach age 18, that it in effect, is creating the perfect remedy for preventing black and Latino males from producing offspring in order to orchestrate the resurgence of a fading pure-white population. With this being a system that has even taken the lives of young black and brown males without accountability, I would certainly like to see more of our large urban cities like D.C. jump on the bandwagon in support of their potential for greatness. We have an obligation to embrace the goals of My Brother’s Keeper to prevent more of these disadvantaged youth from falling through the cracks. William Bray Washington, D.C. Dec 4 - Dec 10, 2014
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OPINIONS/EDITORIALS
Guest Columnist
By Harry C. Alford
Marion Barry was a Personal Hero We recently lost Marion Barry, an American icon, who changed this nation in ways most people don’t understand. I remember coming to Washington, D.C. for the first time in 1964. It was shocking to me because I had never realized that D.C. was a Deep South city replete with Jim Crow segregation. The housing was totally segregated and we rarely saw Whites. We were told to not drive into Prince Georges
County or nearby Silver Spring, Maryland, where the white police force was prone to beating blacks. One year later, in 1965, Marion Barry, a civil rights activist from a small town in Mississippi, would arrive to make change. Barry, along with other activists, started to make changes – big changes. He earned his stripes in the local political circles and when the opportunity came for him to rise from the city council to the mayor’s office, he seized it. To everyone’s pleasant sur-
prise, he became a mayor of his people. He was totally committed to the economic future of Washington and was one of the first Black mayors to realize that while in office he could make a difference in Black economic development. He recognized opportunities that good, bona fide and certified Black-owned businesses could perform for cities and he helped create massive employment for the Black residents. Black businesses started to grow in Washington, D.C. be-
Guest Columnist
cause their mayor demanded it. There was no opportunity too big for Mayor Barry to intercede on behalf of Black-owned businesses based in Washington. When cable television started to expand in our cities, Marion decided that the D.C. franchise for cable would be awarded to a Black resident of D.C. He also encouraged Mayor Coleman Young of Detroit to do the same. This was the beginning of Bob Johnson’s quest to build Black Entertainment Television (BET). In Detroit, it was Don
Barden’s entry to a very large business empire. From these two companies many Black millionaires would evolve. Seeing the impact of his networking Black firms into the city’s procurement opportunities, Mayor Barry started encouraging all Black mayors to emulate what he and Coleman Young did for their cities. Harold Washington of Chicago, and mayors of Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Los Angeles, Atlanta, San
See ALFORD on Page 45
By Lauren Victoria Burke
Same Old Problem, Same Old Response In 1983, it was Michael Stewart, 25. He was a graffiti artist who was beaten to death in police custody in New York. No one paid a price for his death. On the day of Stewart’s arrest, the Committee Against Racially Motivated Police Violence was holding a news conference. There were vigils. That was 31 years ago. For anyone who wonders why young people in Ferguson don’t
want to have anything to do with old leadership, think on that. Brace for the usual cast of “misleadership” characters to “funnel Black peoples energies into official channels that go nowhere,” to quote activist Glenn Ford. African Americans have been dealing with police brutality for decades. Until new leadership and forceful solutions arrive, the community will continue to deal with it. . And there has plenty to deal with:
In, 1999, Amadou Diallo, 23, was shot 19 times. The officers were acquitted. In 2004, Tim Stansbury, 19, was shot on a rooftop by a cop for no reason. A grand jury ruled it “an accident.” No one was prosecuted. Ten years later, the same thing happened. Akai Gurley, 28, was shot dead in Brooklyn in a stairwell by a cop in another “unfortunate tragedy.” Eric Garner was strangled to death on a sidewalk by Daniel
Guest Columnist
Pantaleo, a cop with two previous lawsuits against him, one of which the city paid damages. It’s likely Pantaleo will pay no price for Garner’s death. Earlier this month Tamir Rice, 12, was shot less than three seconds after the police arrived. In August, John Crawford, 22, was shot dead in a Wal-Mart in Ohio looking at a toy gun. In St. Louis, while everyone was discussing the case of Michael Brown being shot dead by Ferguson Police Officer Darren
Wilson, cops shot Kajieme Powell, 25, to death 16 seconds after their arrival. Vonderrick Myers, 18, was shot 17 times by an off duty cop a month after Brown was shot. Again, no one indicted. St. Louis Police Chief Sam Dotson lied to reporters about Powell’s actions, saying Powell was holding a knife over his head with “an overhand grip” within “three or four feet” of officers.
See BURKE on Page 45
By George E. Curry
A Perverted View of Black on Black Crime In the aftermath of a Black teen being killed in Ferguson, Mo., former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani was asked a simple question on the NBC television’s “Meet the Press.” Do you think that Blacks have a legitimate complaint about racial discrimination by police in their communities? After responding yes, he added: “But I think just as much if not more responsibility is on the
26 Dec 4 - Dec 10, 2014
Black community to reduce the reason why the police officers are assigned in such large numbers to the Black community…” As the Washington Post observed, “Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani (R) offered some now-infamous analysis of the situation in Ferguson, Mo., on “Meet the Press” on Sunday. ‘White police officers wouldn’t be’ in black neighborhoods, killing black men, ‘if you weren’t killing each other.’ “This wasn’t Giuliani’s only point, but it was the one that
spurred the most online reaction. Giuliani also reiterated a version of a statistic that has been common in the wake of the fatal shooting of Michael Brown earlier this year. ‘I find it very disappointing,’ he said, ‘that we are not discussing the fact that 93 percent of blacks are killed by other blacks.’ He insisted to another member of the panel, Georgetown professor Michael Eric Dyson, that ‘I would like to see the attention paid to that than you are paying to this.’” Dyson countered, “First of The Washington Informer
all, most Black people who commit crimes against other Black people go to jail. Number two, they are not sworn by the police department as agents of the state to uphold the law….White people who kill Black people do not go to jail.” Giuliani, a lawyer, an ex-federal prosecutor, and former presidential wannabe, knows better. A Justice Department report on homicides committed from 1980 through 2008 found that 93 percent of Black homicides were perpetrated by other Afri-
can Americans. Giuliani conveniently neglected to note that the report also showed that 84 percent of White homicide victims were killed by other Whites. The 2013 FBI Uniform Crime Report reflected a similar pattern. It showed that 83 percent of Whites were killed by other Whites and 90 percent of Blacks were killed by other Blacks. The report found that 14 percent of Whites were killed by Blacks while 7.6 percent of Blacks were
See CURRY on Page 45
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OPINIONS/EDITORIALS
Guest Columnist
By Walter L. Fields
Justified Rage in Ferguson At this moment I don’t need my president to tell me to respect the decision of a tainted grand jury. And the call for calm from civil rights leaders, politicians and suspect clergy fall upon deaf ears. This isn’t about calm or order. It’s about justice. I am not trying to be analytical, political, proper or courteous about this madness. By the way, if our civic leadership was as concerned with the
killing of Black people as they are with the destruction of property, we wouldn’t be at this moment. Businesses can be rebuilt; insurance can cover property damage. Michael Brown ain’t coming back. The violence we witness in the streets is a reaction to the violence and degradation Black people endure on a daily basis. If the National Guard can be called up to defend the purveyors of hate and injustice, why not call them up to protect the people against institutional forces of
evil – the police? No, we don’t have to respect the decision of a corrupt institution. Our only recourse is to dismantle the infrastructure that breeds racism. For every Tamir Rice, Emmett Till, Rodney King, Phillip Pannell, Cheyanne Bond, Trayvon Martin, Hadiya Pendleton, Malik Williams, Michael Brown, Genesis Rincon, John Crawford, Oscar Grant, Sean Bell and Eric Garner – I choose to be angry and indignant. I reserve the right to simmer with rage, and to use all my God given strength and
Guest Columnist
talent to combat the sins of this nation. I refuse to submit, to be docile, to accept the slaughter of innocent children as a cost of being a Black American. It is a cost that I refuse to afford and a penalty that I refuse to accept. My rights were already paid down by the enslaved labor of my ancestors and the blood of the strange fruit that you hung on southern trees. I now demand payment in full for the terror imposed on my people and the dignity you trampled to gain advantage.
I will not be silent nor will I waiver in the face of ignorance and hate. There is no bending of the back here, no casting eyes away and no lowering of the head. The back you thought you broke is straight, and buttressed by a spine of steel. That sound you hear is not feet shuffling, but steps ordered and determined. My friends call me Walter, but you can call me Mr. Fields. And if you try ‘boy,’ ‘nigger’ or ‘you people,’ or any other pejorative
See FIELDS on Page 46
By Bill Fletcher, Jr.
The Two Minds of Obama President Obama was right on the money in announcing his executive order on immigration. Contrary to the assertion of Republican demagogues, this is not a blanket amnesty, but does release more than 4 million non-criminals from the ever-present threat of deportation. As Obama noted, if Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) had brought the Senate’s immigration bill to the floor of the House of
Representatives, executive action would not be necessary. It is significant that President Obama told Speaker Boehner that he would hold off signing an executive order if the speaker promised to bring the legislation to the floor, but Boehner refused to make such a promise. That settles the matter as far as any thinking person should be concerned. Clearly, this was another example of the Republicans doing all they can to embarrass and undermine the president for no other reason than the president
exists. President Obama also got it right in continuing negotiations with the government of Iran over the nuclear issue. The multi-national discussion underway is a reasonable and necessary measure to pull various countries back from the brink of war. Iran insists that as a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, it has the right to develop peaceful usages of nuclear power. Irrespective of whether you happen to like the idea of nuclear power, they have
ASKIA-AT-LARGE
that right. Israel, which is not a signatory and has more than 100 hundred nuclear warheads (though they will not acknowledge it), has been pressing for military action against Iran as a means of stopping them from getting close to developing nuclear power. Such a step would be the equivalent of throwing gasoline on an already intense fire in the region. It would be callous and irresponsible. President Obama, despite the prodding on the part of many Republicans and Demo-
crats, has continued negotiations and this should be supported. To a great extent this is about trust building between nations. Before you get too excited, here is where Obama got it wrong, and I mean really wrong. In addition to an unfocused military campaign against ISIL/ISIS and a refusal to insist that the Iraqi Shiite-dominated regime clean up its act and embrace the Sunni minority, it was revealed that Obama is permitting con-
See FLETCHER on Page 46
By Askia Muhammad
Whom Can You Call When the Cops are the Murderers? I would have thought that by now, there would be so much revulsion over the treatment of Black folks, especially the males, that there would be universal consensus that White cops, district attorneys and crooked judges are up to no good and cannot be trusted to so much as empty the chamber pot in grandmother’s bedroom in the morning. But alas. There is compelling evidence
that folks like Ferguson, Missouri’s district attorney, Robert McCulloch, went before a grand jury for nearly 100 days acting not as a prosecutor should – seeking a “true bill of indictment” against killer cop Darren Wilson for the murder of unarmed teenager Michael Brown on Aug. 9 – and rather behaved as a defense attorney to ensure that there could never be a criminal charge brought against the cop. Once, shortly after the September 11, 2001, attacks, when
it seemed clear that President George W. (for Worst in History) Bush was intent on attacking Iraq and deposing that country’s President Saddam Hussein, Bush blurted out in response to a question about the Iraqi leader: “He tried to kill my dad.” He was careful and never uttered those words again publicly, but clearly that was one of his motives. Well, McCulloch’s father was a police officer killed by a Black man. Despite many, many calls for him to recuse himself from this case, he persisted in per-
sonally supervising every detail, including a four-hour, unchallenged soliloquy by the killer cop before the grand jury. That is unprecedented. This grand jury decision is a textbook example of what a miscarriage of justice looks like. McCulloch didn’t even try to get Wilson indicted. The whole process was a sham and a fraud to make it appear that justice was being sought. Wilson clearly got away with murder, leaving me to wonder: Whom do you call when the cop commits the murder?
Just a little legal-ese here. Of all people, Justice Antonin Scalia, in the 1992 Supreme Court case of United States v. Williams, explained what the role of a grand jury has been for hundreds of years. “It is the grand jury’s function not ‘to enquire … upon what foundation [the charge may be] denied,’ or otherwise to try the suspect’s defenses, but only to examine ‘upon what foundation [the charge] is made’ by the prosecutor.”
See MUHAMMAD on Page 46
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The Washington Informer
Dec 4 - Dec 10, 2014
27
Hip-hop Star and Actor Headlines Area Concert
Common Returns to the Fillmore
LIFESTYLE
28 Dec 4 - Dec 10, 2014
Hip-hop star and actor Common performed to a sold-out crowd at the Fillmore in Silver Spring, Maryland, last year. He returns to the venue for his “Nobody’s Smiling” tour on Sunday, Dec. 7 at 8 p.m. /Photo by Khalid Naji-Allah
By Stacy M. Brown WI Contributing Writer
Acclaimed rap star and award-winning actor Common brings his “Nobody’s Smiling” tour to the Fillmore in Silver Spring, Maryland on Sunday, Dec. 7. He performed to a sold-out crowd at the Fillmore in 2013. /Photo courtesy of aceshowbiz.com
The Washington Informer
Grammy Award-winning hip-hop artist Common continues to embrace his status as a role model for inner-city youth. The Chicago native, who will bring his “Nobody’s Smiling” tour to the Fillmore in Silver Spring, Maryland, on Sunday, Dec. 7, remains outspoken against the violence that’s ravaged his hometown and other places across America. As in past years, Common has previously hosted several peace summits in 2014 and his presence on Twitter consistently receives thousands of hits. His message of peace and encouragement has also earned him tens of thousands of followers, many of whom hang on his every social media post. “[Youth violence] makes me think that I’ve got to do more,” Common, 42, said in a previously published interview. “We’ve got to do more. One of the keys to ending the cycle of violence that rap has been associated with is to provide more educational programs and I think the rap community should help those programs.” An accomplished actor, Common has starred in such films as “The Odd Life of Timothy Green,” “American Gangster,” with Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe, and “Smokin’ Aces,” with Jeremy Piven and Ray Liotta. His philanthropic efforts and social activism led to the start of the Common Ground Foundation, a nonprofit which organizes recreational programs for inner-city youth, exposing them to the creative arts and personal expression, along with outdoor activities and mentorship. “It’s for the underserved, those who can use a boost,” Common said of his foundation. “I think by providing programs we’re giving children hope and a prize to look at. We really hope that what we do with the foundation will be an alternative to just being in the streets.” A recent personal tragedy hasn’t deterred Common. In September, his father, Lonnie Lynn, died at See COMMON on Page 29 www.washingtoninformer.com
LIFESTYLE
Throughout his music career, Common has recorded with top artists that included Kanye West, Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu, Q-Tip and Questlove, winning two Grammy Awards and five BET Music Awards. /Photo courtesy of Youtube.com
age 71 after battling an undisclosed illness. Lynn, a former star basketball player in the old American Basketball Association, penned many spoken-word poems prominently featured on his son’s records. “He was truly a natural poet and master of words,” said Common, whose real name is Lonnie Rashid Lynn Jr. “His personality and soul shined through his work. The way he said things made me look at life and the world in a new way, in a different way,” Common said. “His words would always make me strive to achieve higher, to write better, and to be more truthful with my words.” His father recorded his last poem for Common’s 2011 album, “The Dreamer/The Believer.” In 1992, the multi-talented Common released his debut album, “Can I Borrow a Dollar?”, which drew favorable comparisons to artists such as A Tribe Called Quest and Gang Starr, hip-hop acts whose lyrics primarily shunned the denigration of women and the glorification of violence. Common later followed up on the success of his debut with “Resurrection,” which featured the hit single “I Used to Love H.E.R.,” a song meant to symbolize the demise of hop-hop’s morals. Throughout his music career, Common has recorded with top artists that included Kanye West, Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu, Q-Tip and Questlove, winning two Grammy Awards and five BET Music Awards. In 2002, he made his big-screen debut in “Brown Sugar,” which starred Taye Diggs and Sanaa Lathan. Four years later, after a cameo in “Dave Chappelle’s Block Party,” he landed the part of Sir Ivy in “Smokin’ Aces.” Later, critics and moviegoers applauded Common’s portrayal of Turner Lucas, the older brother
COMMON continued from Page 28
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of crime lord Frank Lucas, in “American Gangster.” “I love putting my energy and spirit into the work that I do as an actor,” Common said. “And I want to build and grow and become a leading man in Hollywood.” Common next appears in the film, “Selma,” a movie about Martin Luther King Jr. that’s produced by Oprah Winfrey. It’s scheduled for a Jan. 9 release. “It’s about Dr. King and the people in the SCLC [Southern Christian Leadership Conference] in 1965 and the people in Selma,” Common told Men’s Fitness magazine earlier this month. “They went across the country fighting for voting rights and they did it in a non-violent way. The fight was non-violent but it was really a rebel fight, because to be non-violent, it’s hard,” he said. In the film, Common portrays James Bevel, one of King’s top lieutenants. He said Bevel proved to be among the most “radical” in the SCLC. “It wasn’t just about King. You get to see that it was James Bevel, my character, and Ralph Abernathy, Hosea Williams, and all these people,” he said. Meanwhile, Common’s fans are eagerly awaiting his Fillmore appearance. “I’m going again,” said Tarae Sledge, 17 of Northeast. “I went last year and Common didn’t disappoint me. He [raps] the truth and you get what he’s about. He’s not on stage to show off his $500 shoes or his bling,” Tarae said. “He’s there to entertain and he’s there to deliver a positive message and people don’t believe the rap community can do that, but he proves them wrong every time.” WI For tickets and more information about the concert, visit www.fillmoresilverspring.com. The Washington Informer
Dec 4 - Dec 10, 2014
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LIFESTYLE
Behind the Making of
Purple Rain
Prince’s Movie Subject of New Book By Stacy M. Brown WI Contributing Writer Journalist Alan Light takes fans behind the scenes in a new book about pop superstar Prince and the making of the 1984 seminal “Purple Rain” album and movie. Light, 47, told the New York Post that his new book, “Let’s Go Crazy: Prince and the Making of Purple Rain,” reveals how the singer first got the idea
for the album and movie. “Prince was following closely behind Bob Seger in headlining arenas around the country and one night he asked his keyboardist, Matt Fink, to explain Seger’s appeal. Fink told him it was Seger’s big, gut-punching ballads that melted the fans,” said Light, who has worked for Rolling Stone, Spin and Vibe magazines.
Journalist Alan Light has written a new book about the making of the seminal album and movie, “Purple Rain,” pop star Prince’s Grammy and Oscar winning efforts that sold more than 20 million records and raked in $70 million at the box office in 1984. /Photo courtesy of Amazon.com
See PRINCE on Page 31
Christmas Celebration 2014 Evangel Multi-Media & Arts Center in Upper Marlboro, MD returns with the most spectacular and popular full-scale holiday musical ever, “Christmas Celebration 2014.” This year’s extravaganza features gospel music’s biggest and brightest stars including, Yolanda Adams, Donnie McClurkin, Marvin Sapp, Tamela Mann, Erica Campbell, James Fortune and Zacardi Cortez. With only twelve performances, December 6th through the 21th, this is a “must see” Christmas favorite that you don’t want to leave off your to-do-list list this year. In its 24th season, “Christmas Celebration 2014” for two and a half hours, you will be enthralled by 10 scenes of Christmas taking you back in time to the Victorian era, modern-day, and biblical times. CC2014 will be transformed as the birth, crucifixion and resurrection of Christ comes to life on stage. You will be swept away as beautiful camels, sheep, llama, horses, dogs and goats parade the isles and set the tone for a surreal nativity scene. This production is filled with non-stop excitement including a fascinating light show, innovative DL2 technology and other special effects that illuminate a cast of over 200 men, women and children. The lively and spirited dance scenes, dramatic imagery and phenomenal singing will have you clapping, laughing and talking back to the performers. This holiday classic has been entertaining audiences of all ages and is slated to attract over 25,000 ticketgoers. Evangel’s 140,000 square foot facility and world-class theater comfort make every moment enjoyable, every view memorable and the high-tech audio system brings the stage to you. This is truly an event for the entire family. An event of this magnitude may never happen again. You don’t want to miss this!!!”
Purchase tickets by calling 301-249-9400 and please visit the website: www.evangelchristmascelebration.com Follow us on Twitter @ECchristmas and Facebook www.facebook.com/evangelcathedral for all highlights and updates.
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LIFESTYLE
F E AT U R I N G Bowie State University Community Jazz Band Ensemble Artist Irvin Scacy Haywood & Talented local youth musicians and dancers
Saturday, December 13, 2014 • 5PM Bowie State University Fine and Performing Arts Center/Main Stage Theater 14000 Jericho Park Rd Bowie, MD 20715 Admission $15 Presented by Fine and Performing Arts Center In partnership with The Foundation for the Advancement of Music & Education, Inc. (FAME)
Prince is celebrating the 30th anniversary of “Purple Rain” and a new book sheds light on how both the movie and the album of the same name came about. /Photo courtesy of decider.com
Tickets & information: 301.805.5358 info@fameorg.org Purchase tickets online at www.fameorg.org/TisTheSeason
Prince’s 1984 seminal album and movie, “Purple Rain,” is the subject of a new book by journalist Alan Light. Readers are provided insight into the making of the record and film. /Photo courtesy BET.com
PRINCE continued from Page 30 “He said Prince should try writing that kind of anthem if he really wanted to conquer the pop world.” Prince then wrote, “Purple Rain,” and became the first performer ever to have a simulta-
neous No. 1 single, album, and film all from the same project. The film earned $70 million at the box office, and the album spent 24 consecutive weeks at No. 1, eventually selling more than 20 million copies worldwide and earning Prince two Grammy Awards and an Oscar.
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When his contract with his managers came up for renewal, Prince said he’d only re-sign if they arranged for him to make a movie, Light said. “Prince’s band watched him assume a superstar’s persona
See PRINCE on Page 32 The Washington Informer
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LIFESTYLE
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I read it in The Washington Informer!
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Just go to www.washington informer.com to get informed and find out where to pick up the paper!
5 exciting performances! december 12-14 get tickets online at
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PRINCE continued from Page 31 long before he had actually earned the status,” Light notes in the new 304-page book published by Simon & Schuster. “Growing up, like anyone would practice their instrument, he practiced his face; he practiced what you look like on camera,” said keyboardist Lisa Coleman. “He would videotape himself in his bedroom at night, just talking or doing things, and he’d watch himself to see what he looked like. He really worked on it as if he was a dancer or something, training himself for being a big star.” Light’s new book chronicles the difficulty Prince had in making the film, including the less than stellar acting skills of the leading lady, Apollonia Kotero, and the volatile relationship between Prince and Morris Day, lead singer of “The Time.” Prior to filming, Prince arranged for the musicians to attend acting classes three times a week. Day found himself expelled from class for “clowning around.” This clowning, however, revealed a natural comedic ability, later used to great effect in the film. Vanity, lead singer of another Prince offshoot band, Vanity 6, had originally been selected to co-star, but she complained about the pay. Auditions later held would alert the world that “Purple Rain” was shaping up to be as sexually explicit as much of Prince’s music. One actress said she “fled from the tryout because what was being asked of her was excessively explicit.” “It was way too pornographic for me,” she said. Light said Prince dated several women on the set, including backup singer Jill Jones, Vanity 6 singer Susan Moonsie, and several others including, later, Susannah Melvoin, twin sister of Prince guitarist Wendy Melvoin. “He’s mean when it comes to what he is in a relationship to a woman,” said Wendy Melvoin, 50. “He may seem like he glorifies them and exalts them and puts them on a pedestal, but it couldn’t be further from the truth.” While Prince miraculously managed to avoid serious problems with all of his women on the set, Day proved to be
another matter. He and Prince had an ongoing dispute about who really controlled “The Time,” the band Prince had formed, but Day fronted. “Morris was a real pain in the [butt],” said tour manager Alan Leeds, who noted that “there were days when they had to frantically change the shoot schedule because he didn’t show up.” Once, when Day showed up late to the set, reportedly he and Prince came to blows, with Time drummer Jellybean Johnson breaking it up. While editing the film, directors came up with the idea for a montage that would highlight all the personal demons plaguing Prince’s character, “The Kid,” and decided he needed one more song. “I told Prince it was about his father, his mother, loss, redemption, salvation – all the themes we’re dealing with in the film,” said Director Al Magnoli. Prince responded with, “When Doves Cry,” a song he pulled the bass track from at the last minute, giving it a uniquely crisp tone. Susannah Melvoin says in the book that the moment everyone heard the last minute entry, “everybody knew this was gonna be history.” The song became Prince’s first No. 1 single, and the best-selling record of 1984. The film’s soundtrack, released in June, sold 1.5 million copies its first week, elevating Prince to superstar status. The film came out the following month and shot straight to No. 1, earning back its entire budget in the first week. “I think part of the success of ‘Purple Rain’ was that [Prince] did open up and examine himself, and that it was real,” Coleman said. “It was an authentic thing; you could feel it, there was all this excitement around it. And I don’t think he’s ever done that again.” WI
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Horoscopes
Griot
ARIES You have more of a flair for communication this week than usual. Keep your words diplomatic but effective if your opinion is called for. A relative seeking advice will be glad they asked you. Soul Affirmation: I make the first step and the universe will come to my aid. Lucky Numbers: 9, 13, 29
“Identity Theft Alert”
TAURUS Don’t sweat the small stuff this week. You have a keen eye for the big picture, and you’ll be most productive if you ignore the petty annoyances this week. Your home is very happy this week! Count your blessings! Soul Affirmation: Cheerfully handling what comes at me is the test of who I am. Lucky Numbers: 24, 31, 46 GEMINI Your energy level remains high; be careful not to overdo it but enjoy the wonderful feeling of your physical self as much as possible. A phone call from a friend who lives far away will brighten your week and inspire you with travel plans. Soul Affirmation: Slow and easy is the best way for me to travel this week. Lucky Numbers: 18, 25, 55
by Steve Weisman; c.2014, FT Press $16.99 / $19.99 Canada 174 pages
By Terri Schlichenmeyer WI Contributing Writer Your credit card was declined. Such an annoyance. You paid your bill, the expiration date was right, your signature was on the back, and it should’ve worked. Eventually it did, much to your relief, but that made you think. Are your credit report, your privacy, and your identity safe from criminals? Find out if it is – and what you can do to keep it safe – by reading “Identity Theft Alert” by Steve Weisman. Hacking and spamming and theft – oh, my! Every time you hear another report of credit information breached (and the attendant hassle involved), it might seem like thieves are everywhere these days – and that suspicion might not be too wrong. “Identity theft is one of the most pervasive and insidious crimes of today,” Weisman says; in fact, more than 12 million people became victims last year. So what can you do to avoid joining them? Weisman lists the ways. Use strong online passwords and encryption, and beware of sites you visit. Never open a link in an email unless you’re certain it’s “legitimate,” and have your antivirus program up to date at all times. By the way, Mac users shouldn’t feel safe anymore: Hackers are purposely creating Mac viruses now. Also, be cautious when clicking on links you see online. “Curiosity killed the cat,” says Weisman. “Let the cat live.” When answering the phone, remember that your bank will not ask you for debit card or PIN numbers. Neither will the FBI or the IRS; the general rule of thumb is not to release any personal information unless
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you initiated the call. That’s especially true if the person on the other end of the line seems to have half of your information. Chances are they’re only waiting for you to get flustered and fill in the rest. Monitor your credit rating and your monthly bills with eagle eyes. Keep those eyes on your credit card as much as possible when it’s not in your possession. Know where the safest ATMs sit and why you should never use public copiers for important document duplication. And, finally, remember that it’s almost impossible to guarantee complete safety of your identity – even after you’re dead. Though it sometimes seems a little sensational and though it leans toward repetitiveness, I found the information in “Identity Theft Alert” to be overwhelmingly good. Part of the reason is that, while you’ve been warned at great length about identity safety, author Steve Weisman offers tips I doubt the average person would generally consider. Weisman is, after all, an expert in this category – something you’ll notice once you get past the commonsensical and into the quieter threats that exist. It’s also helpful that Weisman doesn’t assume anything about his readers; instead, his advice is methodical and simple to understand. The info is especially senior-friendly, although beware that the print size isn’t. I think this is a book to read and refer to often. Buy “Identity Theft Alert,” highlight it, flag it, heed it, and you may avoid the worst this season. Why would you decline? WI
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CANCER You can fly through the week if you keep your level of cooperation high. By this week’s end, you’ll have many plans, romantic and otherwise for the time period. Be patient at the workplace and things will go fine. Soul Affirmation: I take it easy on myself this week. Lucky Numbers: 5, 6, 43 LEO You may feel as if you’ll never get everything done that’s asked of you, but stay steady and on course, take things one step at time, and you’ll be amazed at what you accomplish. Celebrate with a special friend. Soul Affirmation: This week is a gift that I deserve. Lucky Numbers: 10, 20, 38 VIRGO It’s a great week for catching up on chores and leftover tasks from last week. You’ll also have the opportunity to spend some time thinking about the direction you want your life to take. Soul Affirmation: I face each day with a smile and the day smiles back at me. Lucky Numbers: 1, 6, 8 LIBRA Communication vibes are highlighted, and you are in your element. Many ideas will be presented, and everyone will be very receptive and agreeable to what you say. Romantic interests are easily pursued this week. Smile on! Soul Affirmation: The slowness of my pace gives me time to refresh my energy. Lucky Numbers: 17, 49, 51 SCORPIO Love and romance vibes are all around you this week! They will soothe your spirit and uncoil your tensions resulting from having too much work to do. Delegate some of the minor tasks so that you can do your best at the big stuff. Have a loving, lovely week. Soul Affirmation: New intuitions create new plans and a new cast of characters .Lucky Numbers: 2, 5, 16 SAGITTARIUS Financial matters are highlighted during working hours. Everything to do with your money, or money under your care, goes smoothly. Another party invitation arrives . . . say yes! Soul Affirmation: I admit what I really want out of life this week. Lucky Numbers: 14, 22, 36 CAPRICORN Happiness with partners remains the order of the week. Relations between partners are exceptionally harmonious right now. You are in sync with loved ones. Much is being accomplished by your attitude. Don’t overdo your physical workout. Soul Affirmation: I master fear by knowing that all is well. Lucky Numbers: 2, 19, 37 AQUARIUS The time has come to forgive and forget. Take the first step in reconciling a friendship. You thought no one knew, but you may be romantically attracted to an old pal. Soul Affirmation: Friendships are treasures I cherish. Lucky Numbers: 14, 44, 54 PISCES If you are finding it hard to concentrate on a project at work, begin imagining it successfully completed. Work steady and stay calm this week. This week is a good time for personal inventory. Soul Affirmation: I will take time to enjoy the simple things in life. Lucky Numbers: 11, 33, 44
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SPORTS
Washington Wizards Defeat New Orleans Pelicans 83-80
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Wizards center Marcin Gortat shoots over Pelicans center Omer Asik to score two of his 24 points during the first half of National Basketball Associated (NBA) action on Saturday, Nov. 29 at the Verizon Center in Northwest. The Wizards defeated the Pelicans 83-80. /Photo by John E. De Freitas
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Wizards guard Andre Miller drives to the basket while Pelicans guard Luke Babbitt chases in pursuit during the first half of NBA action on Saturday, Nov. 29 at the Verizon Center in Northwest. The Wizards defeated the Pelicans 8380. /Photo by John E. De Freitas Halftime entertainment for the Wizards-Pelicans basketball game was provided by the youth basketball club Maryland Pride on Saturday, Nov. 29 at the Verizon Center in Northwest. /Photo by John E. De Freitas
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Our Location United Medical Center Medical Office Building (next to the hospital) 1328 Southern Ave, SE, Suite 302 Washington, DC 20032
EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT CORE In UMC’s Emergency Department Core, our skillful physicians, nurses, and technicians are trained to care for patients with major medical conditions including cardiac diseases, stroke, respiratory distress, trauma, diabetes and other acute life-threatening illnesses. Should patients require higher levels of care or further trauma care, patients are stabilized first and then transferred to one of our affiliated major medical centers. Our staff will coordinate the transfer with the receiving hospital. FAST TRACK In Fast Track, emergency medicine providers will treat a patient’s minor illnesses and injuries. Our Fast Track, like our emergency department, is open 24 hours a day, 365 days yearly.
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SPORTS
Hoyas Ready for Big Season Top Recruiting Class Brings Optimism By Stacy M. Brown WI Contributing Writer After a disappointing 201314 season in which they missed the NCAA tournament and fell short in the NIT, the Georgetown Hoyas Men’s Basketball team reloaded. The Hoyas welcomed a recruiting class that has many fans, college basketball experts and even other teams buzzing. Ranked by ESPN as the fourth best recruiting class in the nation, Georgetown signed a talented group of stars that included point guard Tre Campbell out of St. John’s College High School in Chevy Chase and forwards Isaac Copeland from Brewster Academy in Raleigh, North Carolina; Trey Mourning out of Miami and Paul White from Chicago. They’re also returning star senior Joshua Smith and other key pieces.
“Josh has done everything at a high level so far this year,” said head coach John Thompson III, who begins his 11th season at Georgetown. “Now sitting here a year ago, I said the same thing, so it’s up to him to maintain what he has been doing, but as of now, he’s on point with everything on the floor as well as in the classroom. I said the same thing at this point last year. Now he’s got to continue to do it.” Off to a 4-2 start after going 1-2 in the Bahamas, the Hoyas have competed vigorously in every game so far this season. They open a four game home stand at the Verizon Center in Northwest on Sunday, Dec. 7 against Towson. “It’s looking better than last year already,” said Georgetown philosophy student Ahmed Elewa. “Last year, which was my first year here and the first time going to a Division I
Isaac Copeland, Georgetown’s heralded recruit, blows past a defender during a game this season. Many consider Copeland, from Brewster Academy in Raleigh, North Carolina, one of the best freshmen in the country. /Photo by John E. De Freitas
game. I got heavily into basketball and it was fun to go and watch. Now that I’m a little more into it, I think we can do some great things this season,” said Elewa, 19. A year ago, the Hoyas finished 18-15, just missing an NCAA tournament bid.
Much of Georgetown’s success depends on center Joshua Smith (#24), who missed part of last season because of problems with academics. /Photo by John E. De Freitas
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They did, however, advance to the second round of the NIT, which gave Thompson an impressive streak of 10 postseason berths in 10 years. Editors at SB Nation, an online sports publication that offers previews of the college basketball season, said there’s much that fans of the Hoyas can expect this year. Beginning with the backcourt of Jabril Trawick, D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera, Tre Campbell and L.J. Peak, Georgetown has solid depth. “Campbell isn’t considered as good a prospect as the others on this list, but on a team that could use a pure point guard, he could become the crucial cog. This will become especially true if Smith-Rivera finds himself more comfortable operating off the ball,” said Kevin McRae, a featured columnist for the Bleacher Report. “Peak might not contribute as quickly as the rest here, but he is a good transition player who could provide necessary depth and scoring along the perimeter,” McRae said. Additionally, McRae singled out Copeland, who won the dunk contest and the Most Valuable Player Award during the Kentucky Derby Festival Basketball Classic in May. Many have labeled the promising power forward as the gem of Thompson’s recruiting class with potential to be a big-time
scorer who can get his points facing the basket or backing down defenders. “He can also stretch the defense by knocking down perimeter shots,” McRae said. Like McRae, many experts said Georgetown’s ultimate success or failure depends heavily upon Smith. At 350 pounds, it’s nearly impossible to stop the senior center, but the question remains whether he’ll play more than 13 games and average 20 minutes per night. Thompson said he’s hopeful that Smith’s academic shortcomings, which limited him a year ago, prove to be behind him. The Bleacher Report’s scouting suggests that the Hoyas probably are better than last year’s team and the additions made over the summer could easily be enough to get Georgetown back into the Big East mix. “I think we know what we have to do,” said Thompson, 48. The Hoyas’ combination of veteran leadership and a stud freshman class should result in a berth into the NCAA tournament, McRae said. “The Hoyas will be a 20-plus win team,” he said. “They’ll finish second behind the Villanova Wildcats and enter March Madness as a No. 4 seed, where they’ll advance to the Sweet 16 before bowing out.” WI
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RELIGION
The Religion Corner
My Cup Runneth Over
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While watching the Oprah Winfrey Network recently, I witnessed Iyanla Vanzant work the “Help Desk,” a new show premiering on OWN this season. A young woman was complaining about her lifestyle. She was so busy doing for others; she had no time for herself. After hearing her story, Iyanla urged her to learn to say ‘No.’ She in no uncertain terms told the young woman that she needs to fill her own cup by taking time to rest and restore herself. Psalm 23 says “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures … He restoreth my soul.” Maketh you to lie down means we are forced to stop and take time to rest, and that’s when our souls will be restored by our Heavenly Father. When we are so busy we cannot hear His voice; we spin our wheels, going back and forth, not accomplishing much. We fail. Iyanla reminded this lady that she must take the necessary time to heal her own life before she would have the abundance needed to help others. In Psalm 23:5, it also says, “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.” Can’t you see how this all works? It’s written! You can’t help somebody else when your own cup is on empty! Just take care of you, whether things are going well or not. Always stop and smell the roses. We are only like a vapor, here today and gone tomorrow. When I take time out from my busy schedule to rest and enjoy
this beautiful earth, walk along the beach while admiring God’s creations, as if the skies are touching the ocean, I always come away feeling refreshed! There is something miraculous about the water in the ocean – the salt, the minerals – a very relaxing atmosphere. We must take time out to allow the earth to replenish our bodies. The scripture goes on to say that “He will anoint our heads with oil; my cup runneth over.” When we become anointed, our cups will be filled. The anointing will fill our cups and that’s when the overflow comes. Now, we’re able to help others. Working from your anointed selves, now running over; you’ve been filled by His Holy Spirit from God. During your quiet time, He has done the miraculous. He made you lie down in green pastures; He restored your soul. We are ready when we follow this formula. Take time to digest what David’s Psalm 23 is saying: stop rushing through life, not taking the time necessary for the Lord to restore your soul. Back in the 1980s, as an entrepreneur, there were days when I couldn’t work; my cup was running over. My work was to hear from the Lord. Pen and paper became second nature to me. New ideas continued to pour into my spirit on how to help others. As I wrote every new thought down as given by the Lord, it was easy to get this list completed. How many of you are allowing those thoughts to get away? Why? Simply because you’re not paying attention to what the Lord is say-
with Lyndia Grant
ing to you. Be diligent, make a list as He gives it to you, and then get it done! Finally, in the sixth verse, Psalm 23 says “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Amen.” WI “The Sharecropper’s Daughter, It Doesn’t Matter Where You Begin, It’s Where You End That Counts!”an inspirational memoir by author, inspirational and motivational speaker, radio talk show host and columnist Lyndia Grant, would make a great Christmas present. It is now available at Lyndia’s website, www.lyndiagrant.com. You can reach her at the website or at 202-518-3192. Tune in Fridays at 6 p.m. for her show, “Think on These Things,” on WYCB 1340 AM, a Radio One station.
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RELIGION BAPTIST
AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL
Pilgrim Baptist Church
Historic St. Mary’s Episcopal Church
Pilgrim Baptist Church
The Reverend Lyndon Shakespeare Interim Priest
Rev. Louis B. Jones II Pastor
Foggy Bottom • Founded in 1867 728 23rd Street, NW • Washington, DC 20037 Church office: 202-333-3985 • Fax : 202-338-4958 Worship Services Sundays: 10 a.m. Holy Eucharist with Music and Hymns Wednesdays: 12:10 p.m. - Holy Eucharist www.stmarysfoggybottom.org Email: stmarysoffice@stmarysfoggybottom.org
Schedule of Services: Sunday School – 9:30 AM Sunday Morning Worship Service – 11:00 AM Communion Service – First Sunday Prayer Service/Bible Study – Tuesday, 6:30 PM www.blessedwordoflifechurch.org e-mail: church@blessedwordoflifechurch.org
Worship Sundays @ 7:30 & 11:00 A.M. 5th Sundays @ 9:30 A.M. 3rd Sundays: Baptism & Holy Communion Prayer & Praise: Wednesdays @ Noon & 6:30 P.M.
Schedule of Service Sunday Service: 8:30 AM & 11:00 AM Bible Study: Wednesday 7:30 PM Communion Service: First Sunday www.livingwatersmd.org
www.pilgrimbaptistdc.org
Covenant Baptist United Church of Christ Drs. Dennis W. and Christine Y. Wiley, Pastors 3845 South Capitol Street Washington, DC 20032 (202) 562-5576 (Office) (202) 562-4219 (Fax) SERVICES AND TIMES: SUNDAYS: 10:00 am AM Worship Services BIBLE STUDY: Wonderful Wednesdays in Worship and the Word Bible Study Wednesdays 12:00 Noon; 6:30 PM (dinner @ 5:30 PM) SUNDAY SCHOOL: 9:00 AM – Hour of Power “An inclusive ministry where all are welcomed and affirmed.” www.covenantbaptistdc.org
Twelfth Street Christian Church
Campbell AME Church Reverend Daryl K. Kearney, Pastor
(Disciples of Christ) 1812 12th Street, NW Washington, DC 20009 Phone: 202-265-4494 Fax: 202 265 4340
2562 MLK Jr. Ave., S E Washington, DC 20020 Adm. Office 202-678-2263 Email:Campbell@mycame.org Sunday Worship Service 10: 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”
5757 Temple Hill Road, Temple Hills, MD 20748 Office 301-899-8885 – fax 301-899-2555 Sunday Early Morning Worship - 7:45 a.m. Church School - 9:30 a.m. Sunday Morning Worship – 10:45 a.m. Tuesday – Thursday - Kingdom Building Bible Institute – 7:30 p.m. Wednesday – Prayer/Praise/Bible Study – 7:30 p.m. Baptism & Communion Service- 4th Sunday – 10:30am Radio Broadcast WYCB -1340 AM-Sunday -6:00pm T.V. Broadcast - Channel 190 – Sunday -4:00pm/Tuesday 7:00am
“We are one in the Spirit” www.ssbc5757.org e-mail: ssbc5757@verizon.net
2498 Alabama Ave., SE • Washington D.C. 20020 Office: (202) 889-7296 Fax: (202) 889-2198 • www.acamec.org 2008: The Year of New Beginnings “Expect the Extraordinary”
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 E-mail: Crusadersbaptistchurch@verizon.net www.CrusadersBaptistChurch.org
“The Amazing, Awesome, Audacious Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church”
“God is Love”
Rev. Cheryl J. Sanders, Th.D. Senior Pastor 1204 Third Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 202.347.5889 office 202.638.1803 fax Sunday School: 9:30 a.m. Sunday Worship: 11:00 a.m. Prayer Meeting and Bible Study: Wed. 7:30 p.m. “Ambassadors for Christ to the Nation’s Capital” www.thirdstreet.org
Reverend Dr. Calvin L. Matthews • Senior Pastor 1200 Isle of Patmos Plaza, Northeast Washington, DC 20018 Office: (202) 529-6767 Fax: (202) 526-1661
Rev. Dr. Alton W. Jordan, Pastor 800 I Street, NE Washington, DC 20002 202-548-0707 Fax No. 202-548-0703
Sunday Worship Services: 8:00a.m. and 11:00a.m. Sunday Church School - 9:15a.m. & Sunday Adult Forum Bible Study - 10:30a.m. 2nd & 4th Monday Women’s Bible Study - 6:30p.m. Tuesday Jr./Sr. Bible Study - 10:00a.m. Tuesday Topical Bible Study - 6:30p.m. Tuesday New Beginnings Bible Study - 6:30p.m. Wednesday Pastoral Bible Study - 6:30p.m. Wednesday Children’s Bible Study - 6:30p.m. Thursday Men’s Bible Study - 6:30p.m. Friday before 1st Sunday Praise & Worship Service - 6:30p.m. Saturday Adult Bible Study - 10:00a.m.
Third Street Church of God
Isle of Patmos Baptist Church
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
Greater Mt. Calvary Holy Church Bishop Alfred A. Owens, Jr.; Senior Bishop & Evangelist Susie C. Owens – Co-Pastor 610 Rhode Island Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20002 (202) 529-4547 office • (202) 529-4495 fax Sunday Worship Service: 8 AM and 10:45 AM Sunday Youth Worship Services: 1st & 4th 10:45 AM; 804 R.I. Ave., NE 5th 8 AM & 10:45 AM; Main Church Prayer Services Tuesday – Noon, Wednesday 6 AM & 6:30 PM Calvary Bible Institute: Year-Round Contact Church Communion Every 3rd Sunday The Church in The Hood that will do you Good! www.gmchc.org emailus@gmchc.org
ST Marks Baptist Come Worship with us... St. Mark's Baptist Church 624 Underwood Street, NW Washington, dc 20011 Dr. Raymond T. Matthews, Pastor and First Lady Marcia Matthews Sunday School 9:am Worship Service 10:am Wed. Noon Day prayer service Thur. Prayer service 6:45 pm Thur. Bible Study 7:15 pm
We are proud to provide the trophies for the Washington Informer Spelling Bee
Mount Carmel Baptist Church
52 Years of Expert Engraving Services
Joseph N. Evans, Ph.D Senior Pastor 901 Third Street N.W. Washington, DC. 20001 Phone (202) 842-3411 Fax (202) 682-9423
Rev. John W. Davis, Pastor 5101 14th Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20011 202-726-2220/ 202-726-9089
TV Ministry –Channel 6 Wednesday 10:00pm gsccm.administration@verizon.net
Lanier C. Twyman, Sr. Bishop
Rev. Dr. Michael E. Bell, Sr., • Pastor
Crusader Baptist Church
Service and Times Sunday Worship Service 11:00 a.m. Communion every Sunday 11:00 a.m. Sunday School 10:00 a.m. Bible Study Tuesday 12Noon Pastor’s Bible Study Tuesday 6:30 p.m. Motto; “Discover Something Wonderful.” Website: 12thscc.org Email: Twelfthstcc@aol.com
Mt. Zion Baptist Church
Holy Communion 4th Sunday 10:00am Prayer and Bible Study Wednesday 7;00pm
St. Stephen Baptist Church
Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church
Reverend Dr. Paul H. Saddler Senior Pastor
Mailing Address Campbell AME Church 2502 Stanton Road SE Washington, DC 20020
Sunday Worship Service 8:00am and 11:00am Sunday School 9:15am
4915 Wheeler Road Oxon Hill, MD 20745 301-894-6464
Blessed Word of Life Church
4001 14th Street, NW Washington, DC 20011 (202) 265-6147 Office 1-800 576-1047 Voicemail/Fax
Rev. Paul Carrette Senior Pastor Harold Andrew, Assistant Pastor
700 I Street, N.E. Washington, D.C. 20002 (202) 547-8849
All are welcome to St. Mary’s to Learn, Worship, and Grow.
Dr. Dekontee L. & Dr. Ayele A. Johnson Pastors
Church of Living Waters
Sunday Church School : 9: 30am Sunday Morning Worship: 10: 45am Bible Study Tuesday: 6: 00pm Prayer Service Tuesday: 7:00pm Holy Communion: 3rd Sunday 10: 45am themcbc.org
40 Dec 4 - Dec 10, 2014
The Washington Informer
www.washingtoninformer.com
RELIGION BAPTIST
Advertise Your Church services here: call Ron Burke at
202-561-4100 or email rburke@washingtoninformer.com Zion Baptist Church
All Nations Baptist Church
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
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
Website: www.allnationsbaptistchurch.com All Nations Baptist Church – A Church of Standards
“Where Jesus is the King”
Israel Baptist Church
4850 Blagdon Ave, NW • Washington D.C 20011 Phone (202) 722-4940 • Fax (202) 291-3773
1251 Saratoga Ave., NE Washington, DC 20018 (202) 269-0288
Rev. Aubrey C. Lewis Pastor 1415 Gallatin Street, NW Washington, DC 20011-3851 P: (202) 726-5940 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
2324 Ontario Road, NW Washington, DC 20009 (202) 232-1730
2001 North Capitol St, N.E. • Washington, DC 20002 Phone (202) 832-9591
Rev. Dr. Morris L Shearin, Sr. Pastor
St. Luke Baptist Church
Rev. Daryl F. Bell Pastor
Rev. Dr. James Coleman Pastor
Rev. Keith W. Byrd, Sr. Pastor
Sunday Worship Service 10:15AM- Praise and Worship Services 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
King Emmanuel Baptist Church
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.
Mount Moriah Baptist Church Dr. Lucius M. Dalton, Senior Pastor 1636 East Capitol Street, NE Washington, DC 20003 Telephone: 202-544-5588 Fax: 202-544-2964 Sunday Worship Services: 7:45 am and 10:45 am Holy Communion: 1st Sundays at 7:45 am and 10:45 am Sunday School: 9:30 am Prayer & Praise Service: Tuesdays at 12 noon and 6:30 pm Bible Study: Tuesdays at 1 pm and 7 pm Youth Bible Study: Fridays at 7 pm
ChurCh Printing
20% Off PrOgrams & BOOklets
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Copies Color Copies fax services tee shirts scan & email service lamination
call Ron Burke at
202-561-4100 or email rburke@washingtoninformer.com
Rehoboth Baptist Church
Rev. Dr. Maxwell M. Washington Pastor Worshiping Location Knights of Columbus - 1633 Tucker Road Fort Washington, MD 20744 (240) 838-7074 Order of Services 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)
Salem Baptist Church
Rev. Dr. George C. Gilbert SR. Pastor
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
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
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
5606 Marlboro Pike District Heights, MD 20747 301-735-6005
Dr. C. Matthew Hudson, Jr, Pastor
Elder Herman L. Simms, Pastor
2616 MLK Ave., SE • Washington, DC 20020 Office 202-889-3709 • Fax 202-678-3304
Kelechi Ajieren Coordinator
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”
Sunday Worship Service 10:00 A.M.
Sunday Apostolic Worship Services 11:00 A.M and 5:00 P.M Communion and Feet Wash 4th Sunday at 5:00 P.M
Apostolic in Doctrine, Pentecostal in Experience, Holiness in Living, Uncompromised and Unchanged. The Apostolic Faith is still alive –Acts 2:42
services here:
Dr. Earl D. Trent Senior Pastor
6839 Eastern Avenue, R1 Takoma Park, MD 20912 (202) 556-7065
tel: 202-291-6565
Advertise Your Church
Holy Trinity United Baptist Church
Matthews Memorial Baptist Church
Sermon On The Mount Temple Of Joy Apostolic Faith
Prayer/Seeking Wednesday at 8:00 P.M.
301 kennedy street, nW Washington, DC 20011
Florida Avenue Baptist Church
Rev. Dr. Clinton W. Austin Pastor 2409 Ainger Pl.,SE – WDC 20020 (202) 678-0884 – Office (202) 678-0885 – Fax “Come Grow With Us and Establish a Blessed Family” 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
Quality Printers
Web: www.mountmoriahchurch.org Email: mtmoriah@mountmoriahchurch.org
St. Matthews Baptist Church
Emmanuel Baptist Church
New Commandment Baptist Church
Peace Baptist Church
Rev. Stephen E. Tucker Senior Pastor
Rev. Dr. Michael T. Bell
Sunday Morning Worship Service 7:15 am & 10:50 am Sunday School 9:30am Sunday Morning Worship Service 10:50am Wednesday Prayer & Testimonies Service 7:30pm Wednesday School of the Bible 8:00pm Wednesday - Midweek Prayer Service 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Services: Sunday Worship 11 AM Sunday School 10 AM Wednesday Mid-Week Worship, Prayer & Bible Study - Wed. 7 PM “A Church Where Love Is Essential and Praise is Intentional”
“The Loving Church of the living lord “ Email Address pbcexec@verizon.net
Shiloh Baptist Church
First Rising Mt. Zion Baptist Church
1864-2014
Rev. Alonzo Hart Pastor
Rev. Dr. Wallace Charles Smith Pastor
Rev. Reginald M. Green, Sr., Interim Pastor
621 Alabama Avenue, 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
602 N Street NW • Washington, D.C. 20001 Office:(202) 289-4480 Fax: (202) 289-4595
The Church Where GOD Is Working.... And We Are Working With GOD
Sunrise Prayer Services - Sunday 7:00 a.m.
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.
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.
150 Years of Service
Theme: “The Kingdom Focused Church” Matthew 6:33 and Mathew 28:18-20, KJV
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
Email: stmatthewsbaptist@msn.com Website: www.stmatthewsbaptist.org
Motto: : “Where God is First and Where Friendly People Worship”
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 “Changing Lives On Purpose “ Email: Froffice@firstrising.org Website: www.firstrising.org
www.washingtoninformer.com
The Washington Informer
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. Kendrick E. Curry Pastor
712 18th Street, NE Washington, DC 20002 Phone 202-399-3450/ Fax 202-398-8836
13701 Old Jericho Park Road Bowie, MD. 20720 (301) 262-0560
Wednesday Bible Study 7:00 P.M.
3000 Pennsylvania Ave.. S.E Washington, DC 20020 202 581-1500 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
Mt. Horeb Baptist Church Rev. Dr. H. B. Sampson, III Pastor 2914 Bladensburg Road, NE Wash., DC 20018 Office: (202) 529-3180 Fax: (202) 529-7738 Order of Services 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 Email:mthoreb@mthoreb.org Website:www.mthoreb.org For further information, please contact me at (202) 529-3180.
Dec 4 - Dec 10, 2014
41
LEGAL NOTICES
LEGAL NOTICES
LEGAL NOTICES
LEGAL NOTICES
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Probate Division
Probate Division
Probate Division
PROBATE DIVISION
Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
Administration Number 2014 ADM 1238
Administration No. 2014 ADM 1175
Administration No. 2014 ADM 902
Estate of
Mary Alva Grays
Larry Charles Burks
Lillie I. Mann aka Lillie Ivy Mann
Decedent
Decedent
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS
AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
Deceased
NOTICE OF STANDARD PROBATE
LEGAL NOTICES
LEGAL NOTICES
Foreign No. 2014 FEP 144 August 5, 2013 Date of Death Lona Ann Douglas Name of Decedent
services here:
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL Notice is hereby given that a petition has been filed in this Court by Kemberly Joi Mann 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.
In the absence of a will or proof satisfactory to the Court of due execution, enter and order determining that the decedent died intestate.
Appoint an unsupervised personal representative.
Exclude the testamentary writing dated January 17, 1974.
Carol Coates, whose address is 2931 Cedarwood Lane, Dunkirk, MD 20754, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Mary Alva Grays, who died on March 3, 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 June 4, 2015. 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 June 4, 2015, 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
Date of first publication: December 4, 2014
and relationship. Date of first publication:
Toni Sherrial Burks, whose address is 4438 B St., SE, Washington, DC 20019, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Larry Charles Burks,
REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Michelle Douglas and Denise A. Douglas-
Lassiter whose addresses are 9109 Cooper Drive, Fort
who died on April 11, 2014 without a Will, and will
Washington, MD 20744 and 9118 Friar Road, Fort
serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and
Washington, MD 20744 were appointed personal
heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their
representatives of the estate of Lona Ann Douglas,
appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such
deceased, by the Orphans Court for Prince Georges
appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills,
County, State of Maryland, on September 30, 2014.
D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before May 20, 2015. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed
Lisa Harris, 201 Q Street, NE #3437, Washington, DC 20002 whose designation as District of Columbia agent has been filed with the Register of Wills, D.C.
The decedent owned the following District
with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned,
of Columbia real property: 3513 Tenth Street, NW,
on or before May 20, 2015, or be forever barred.
Washington, DC 20010.
Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent
who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25
personal property. Claims against the decedent may be
days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.
Date of first publication:
December 4, 2014
November 20, 2014
Carol Coates
Toni Sherrial Burks
Kemberly Joi Mann
Personal Representative
Personal Representative
TRUE TEST COPY
TRUE TEST COPY
TRUE TEST COPY
Anne Meister
Anne Meister
Anne Meister
Register of Wills
Register of Wills
Register of Wills
call Ron Burke at
Service of process may be made upon
202-561-4100
The decedent owned District of Columbia
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.
or email
Date of first publication: November 20, 2014
Petitioner/Attorney:
Michelle Douglas Denise A. Douglas-Lassiter Personal Representative Anne Meister
rburke@washingtoninformer.com
Register of Wills Washington Informer
Washington Informer
Washington Informer
Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Probate Division
Probate Division
Probate Division
Probate Division
Probate Division
Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
Administration No. 2014 ADM 1196
Administration No. 2014 ADM 1211
Administration No. 2014 ADM 1127
Administration No. 2014 ADM 1041
Administration No. 2014 ADM 147
Brenda Louise Dorsett
Robert Lee Rodgers
Fred Ronald Carpenter
Decedent
Decedent
Decedent
Peter D. Antonopolos, Esq.
Jennifer E. Loud, Esquire
Peter D. Antonoplos, Esq.
J. Lynwood Younger, 417805
1725 DeSales Street, NW, Suite 600
The Loud Law Firm
1725 DeSales Street, NW, Suite 600
2419 First Street South, Suite 100
7826 Eastern Avenue, NW, Suite 410
Washington, DC 20036
Arlington, VA 22204
Washington, DC 20012
Attorney
Washington, DC 20036 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS LaSean Denise Young, whose address is 3441 Blakely Street, Waldorf, MD 20603, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Brenda Louise Dorsett, who died on August 13, 2009 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 June 4, 2015. 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 June 4, 2015, 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:
Representative of the estate of Robert Lee Rodgers, who died on November 23, 2013 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 June 4, 2015. 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 June 4, 2015, 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:
918 Maryland Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20002
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
Shearine M. Sawyer and Alvonne Robinson, whose
Jacqueline Cheryl Washington, whose address is 2780
addresses are 901 Elder Street, NW, Washington, DC
Neptune, NJ 07753, was appointed Personal
Unicorn Lane, NW, Washington, DC 20015, was
20011 & 415 Nicholson Street, NW, Washington, DC
appointed Personal Representative of the estate of James
Representative of the estate of Fred Ronald Carpenter,
20011, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Easther Robinson aka Esther Yvonne Robinson
E. Washington aka James Edward Washington, who died
who died on August 22, 2008 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs
aka Esther Y. Robinson, who died on August 17, 2014
Romy McClure, whose address is 1011 Eton Way,
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 May 20, 2015. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the
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 May 20, 2015.
on March 29, 2013 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 May 20, 2015. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register
undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed
Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the
with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned,
undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed
on or before May 20, 2015, or be forever barred.
with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned,
to the undersigned, on or before May 20, 2015, or be
Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent
on or before May 20, 2015, or be forever barred.
forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees
Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent
of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice
who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25
by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so
days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of
inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and
Wills, including name, address and relationship.
relationship.
Date of first publication:
Date of first publication:
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: November 20, 2014
LaSean Denise Young
LaVerne Rodgers
Romy McClure
Shearine M. Sawyer
Personal Representative
Personal Representative
Personal Representative
Alvonne Robinson
TRUE TEST COPY
TRUE TEST COPY
TRUE TEST COPY
Anne Meister
Anne Meister
Anne Meister
Register of Wills
Register of Wills
Register of Wills
Washington Informer
Washington Informer
Washington Informer
42 Dec 4 - Dec 10, 2014
James Larry Frazier, Esq.
AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
December 4, 2014
December 4, 2014
Decedent
Decedent
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS
AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
NE, Washington, DC 20017, was appointed Personal
James E. Washington aka James Edward Washington
Attorney
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS
LaVerne Rodgers, whose address is 707 Faraday Place,
Y. Robinson
Attorney
Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Esther Robinson aka Esther Yvonne Robinson aka Esther
The Washington Informer
November 20, 2014
Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister
of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy
November 20, 2014 Jacqueline Cheryl Washington Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister
Register of Wills
Register of Wills
Washington Informer
Washington Informer
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ALFORD continued from Page 26 Francisco, etc. would step up to emulate the genius of Marion Barry. Of course, there were a few who would be too timid to act in this fashion and their citizens would miss out on many opportunities. You will not find one Black businessperson who does not appreciate what Marion Barry stood for and will use his standard as a measurement for the performance of current mayors in their cities. Marion was just a pleasant person with a continuous smile. We had a fall summit in New Orleans after the Katrina tragedy. We were all surprised to see Mayor Marion Barry walking through the W Hotel to attend our event. He came at the invitation of one of our directors and all attendees enjoyed his presence and
BURKE continued from Page 26 Then, a video surfaced showing Powell doing no such thing. “Young black males in recent years were at a far greater risk of being shot dead by police than their white counterparts – 21 times greater,” according to a ProPublica study in October. The incidents happen at a time when crime is at a record low in the U.S. Many of the 600,000 police officers in America do a great job. But it cannot be ignored that the cases of Garner, Brown, Powell, Myers, Gurley and Rice occur at a time when death in the line of duty for cops is at its lowest point in 40 years. In 2013, the fewest number of cops were murdered in the line of duty: 27. That was a 44 percent decrease from the 49 officers killed in 2012. So what is it? Why now? Why are cops drawing their guns in
CURRY continued from Page 26 killed by Whites. It’s not just a matter of Blacks killing Blacks and Whites killing Whites. Most homicides are committed by people who know their victim, usually a spouse or acquaintance. So, it was disingenuous for Giuliani to assert that Blacks are “killing each other” as though that’s a phenomenon unique to African Americans. The FBI annual compilation of crimes does not break down the race of people killed by po-
participation. Despite all of his ills, addictions and fondness for women, he remained focused on civic participation and the inclusion of Black business. We could see that trait shining like a new moon during our summit. He was as serious about the economic development of Black communities as other greats like Parren J. Mitchell, Arthur A. Fletcher, Booker T. Washington and many others who are my heroes. Yes, Marion Barry is a hero of mine. There aren’t too many like him and I believe we should be a little more impatient with our elected officials who do not understand their power and the ability to use it to the benefit of their constituents. Ask your current mayor: How many Black businesses have expanded as a result of your leadership? Most will not be able to answer. And
when that happens, you should encourage them to emulate the great Marion Barry. The majority press, FBI and Congress did their best to destroy this man for what he did for the Black economy. That is the price for Black leadership in this nation and it is a price our leaders must pay. Farewell Mayor Barry. You made your mark and will be sorely missed. Rest in peace. Will the next Marion Barry please step forward and show the example of what a difference Black business development can make? WI
dark stairwells with no verified threat? Why couldn’t Darren Wilson arrest a flip-flop clad jaywalking alleged cigar thief without shooting him to death? Is it poor training? Is it low IQ cops joined with low hiring standards? Is it watching too many movies? Some even theorize it’s a backlash to President Obama. Whatever it is, the problem has long needed political attention. What is it about American police that in 2013, 461 people were shot dead by them? No other industrialized nation has a stat anywhere close to that. But the factually challenged, led by Rudy Giuliani, who loves race games, are suddenly obsessed with Black on Black crime. Speaking on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” the former New York City mayor said, “Ninety-three percent of Blacks are killed by other Blacks.” In 2011, 6,329 Black people were murdered in the U.S. – 93
percent by other Blacks. Whites kill each other at a similar rate. There is little difference between the rate of Blacks and Whites is because most homicide victims know their murderer. What Guiliani left out was the chances of being murdered in the U.S. are 1 in 19,000. The odds of dying of heart disease are 1 in 517. That is not to say changes are needed. Providing body cameras to all police officers, updating the Justice Department’s racial profiling language for federal police, initiating a federal investigation into the St. Louis municipal government and ending the Pentagon’s 1033 program, would be a start. WI
lice. However, the public interest website ProPublica studied federal data from 2010 to 2012 and concluded that young Black males were 21 times more likely to be killed by police than their White counterparts. As we have seen in Ferguson, with Officer Darren Wilson killing Michael Brown, long before a police officer fires his weapon at an unarmed Black target, he frequently harbors certain misperceptions about the person at the other end of the gun barrel. In the case of Wilson, he tes-
tified before a St. Louis County grand jury: “And when I grabbed him, the only way I can describe it is I felt like a five-year old holding on to Hulk Hogan.” [Grand jury transcript, Volume 5, page 212, line 21] Wilson testified that he stands a shade under 6’4” and weights “210-ish.” Michael Brown was listed as 6’4” and weighed nearly 300 pounds. Clearly, Wilson was also armed with certain stereotypes of young Black males and that may have affected his poor decision-making on that fatal day in
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Harry C. Alford is the co-founder, President/CEO of the National Black Chamber of Commerce®. Website: www.nationalbcc.org Email: halford@nationalbcc.org.
Lauren Victoria Burke is freelance writer and creator of the blog Crewof42.com. She can be reached through her website, laurenvictoriaburke.com, or Twitter @Crewof42 or by e-mail at LBurke007@gmail.com.
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FIELDS continued from Page 27 label, know that I didn’t make it to age 55 by accident. America needs to know that it crossed the line in Ferguson. Really, it obliterated the line of decency and humanity with the farce of a judicial process that occurred. The line was crossed a long time ago and Black people have been incredibly patient. No other group of oppressed people on this planet would have been this tolerant for this long as its children were murdered in cold blood. In some corners of the world children are hurling rocks at tanks and teenagers are standing in the path of tanks, and mothers are bearing arms. In America we have simply seethed, cried, prayed and
FLETCHER continued from Page 27 tinued U.S. military action in Afghanistan, despite a pledge to the contrary. There is no end in sight to the war in Afghanistan. It should be more than clear that the regime in Kabul is quite corrupt and not serving as a force to unify the country. Therefore, the question is what is to be gained by continued U.S. involvement? Why one more year? Should it
MUHAMMAD continued from Page 27
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In other words, is there “probable cause” that a crime was committed, the facts and the law of which should be decided later by a jury of the peers of the accused. Nothing like that happened in this case. Whoever heard of a grand jury being presented exculpatory evidence? It was a sham that allowed this district attorney to avenge his daddy. But these hardened anti-Black racial attitudes from police officers, prosecutors, and judges come as no surprise to me. “The Honorable Elijah Muhammad had a debate with the imperial wizard of the Ku Klux Klan in the late 1950s, and he said to Elijah Muhammad in his writings to him that ‘in the future we would not wear the white robe, or the white hooded sheets, but we will be in the police department, we will be in politics, we will be in the courts The Washington Informer
hoped. And our oppressors have gone about their business, dining at the table of ill-gotten gains. It’s time we put justice on the menu and force feed it down the mouths of those who will never acknowledge our humanity. Let me set the record straight. Black people kill Black people, just as Whites murder Whites. White cops kill Black people. Black cops kill Black people. Corporations kill with their products. Americans kill. Violence is an equal opportunity offender. Just ask the families in Columbine, Sandy Hook or Oklahoma City. The attempt to racialize inner-group conflict is a pathetic denial of the reality of the society in which we live. Violence is part of the American fabric, is glorified, glamorized and claimed as a unique aspect
of our culture. There is nothing Black about violence but there is everything American about killing. We get it America. We get it loud and clear. The ball is now in our court. We have votes. We have money. We have our youth. We have our voices. We have our feet. We have our bodies. Let’s just be clear about one thing. We have tried it the way you prescribed in the Constitution and you betrayed the very words etched on parchment. It’s now time for payment in full on that promissory note Dr. King spoke of on August 28, 1963 with Lincoln in the background. It’s time for Black Americans to be about the business of bill collecting. WI
not be obvious that a dramatically different approach needs to be undertaken in order to bring about a resolution to the conflict? When it comes to the Middle East and Central Asia, President Obama seems to be of two minds. On the one hand, he recognizes that war with Iran would be disastrous. He also remembers that he was elected to get the U.S. out of Iraq, and, for that matter Afghanistan. Yet he has been either unable or unwilling to articulate a foreign policy
theory or narrative that ties the different pieces together. As a result, he slowly but surely submits to the pressure of the war hawks who seem to care little that the U.S. remains the greatest purveyor of violence on this planet. WI
of law.’ This is what you’re seeing today: The absolute hatred of Blacks that is being fed, yes, in some of these police trainings, but it’s deeper than that! It’s the nature of those who are now armed and dangerous and full of hatred for Black people, particularly Black youth.” Those are the words of Nation of Islam leader Minister Louis Farrakhan on Oct. 31, and they certainly ring true. “Thurgood Marshall, our first Black member of the Supreme Court, said before he died, the Klan used to wear white, but now they wear black,” Minister Farrakhan continued. “Look at the reversal of all of the gains of civil rights by the Supreme Court; look at the murders that are going on – not just in Ferguson, but everywhere in America Black people, men and women and children, are being shot to death; and when we go to court, we’re killed right while we’re in custody! And even though the facts are on our side, it’s called ‘justifiable homicide.’”
So, whom do you call when the cops commit the murders? And clearly that’s what they’ve been doing all over the country for a long time. Ferguson just focused our attention on the problem. At the height of 100 years of lynching in America, a Black man was strung up once every four days. Now, it’s once every 28 hours, according to documented research, that a Black person is killed by law enforcement or vigilantes. “So justice has to come from somewhere else, because it does not look like it will come from those that are in power that have the same mind of hatred that the Ku Klux Klan had in the ’20s, ’30s, ’40s and ’50s,” the Minister said. Minister Farrakhan’s answer, a “Divinely-Appointed Shepherd; that we will not fear though we walk in The Valley of The Shadow of Death.” WI
Walter Fields is Executive Editor of NorthStarNews.com and a Black father.
Bill Fletcher, Jr. is the host of The Global African on Telesur-English. He is a racial justice, labor and global justice activist and writer. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and at www. billfletcherjr.com.
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