The Washington Informer - October 15, 2020

2020

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COVID-19 Update: Vaccine Guidance from FDA Page 20 Vol. 55, No. 52 • October 15 - 21, 2020

Million Man March Director Ben Chavis Recalls Historic Event African Americans Pause and Look Back 25 Years Ago

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Senior National Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia

5 Washington Informer photographer Robert R. Roberts captured the spirit of the day at the Million Man March in 1995. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

In Prince George’s County, Sample Ballot Leads to Some Residents’ Complaints

The last day of voter registration in Maryland, Tuesday, Oct. 13 created a small but hardy crowd outside the Prince George’s County Board of Elections office, creating a line dozens of people long that stretched around the building’s corner. Although most came to register to vote for the Nov. 3 general election, some also

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer @StacyBrownMedia

traveled to the election office in Largo to fill out change of address forms and handle other business in the majority Black jurisdiction which boasts more than 600,000 registered voters. “We haven’t seen a line like this since ‘08,” said Daneen Banks, deputy administrator for the board of elections who has worked in the county since 2008. For those who registered to vote on or before Tuesday, Banks said they can still

VOTE Page 18

MARCH Page 28

Slave Descendants Fight to Save Land Inherited from Ancestors

Marylanders Make the Most of Voter Registration and Early Ballot Submissions By William J. Ford WI Staff Writer @jabariwill

Twenty-five years ago, on Oct. 16, 1995, Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. helped to spearhead perhaps the most significant call for freedom, justice, and equality since Dr. King’s 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. As national director of the Million Man March, Chavis and other organizers, including the Nation of Islam Leader Louis Farrakhan, led more than 500,000 African-American men to the nation’s capital to declare their rights. Minister Farrakhan called for the march, insisting that “able-bodied African-American men come to Washington to address the ills of, and unify and revitalize, Black communities.”

He declared that Black men should take responsibility for their actions, atone and make a personal commitment of responsibility to their families and communities to help improve their lot. “I recall that the overall public reception throughout the D.C. Metro Area, including Maryland and Virginia, concerning the six months to organize and mobilize the success of the Million Man March was very enthusiastic, energetic and efficacious,” Chavis recounted this week. He noted that the Million Man March’s national office was located on Kennedy Street in Northwest, inside the national headquarters of the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.

Just about five miles east of Beaufort, S.C., a city still known for its antebellum mansions and relics of the transatlantic slave trade, sits St. Helena Island, where a community of slaves’ ancestors has called home since before the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation 157 years ago. It’s also home to Penn Center, where the children of freed slaves received schooling for the first time and where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., put the finishing touches on (Courtesy photo)

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Endorsement of Trump and She saidBehind Abrupt Firing of Veteran law enforcement. they threat,” she said. had come together to bring a Among the programs Marlow Approval of Administration’s D.C. Principal Richard Trogisch 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, COVID-19 Policies The sudden, unexpected

By Tia Carol Jones WI Staff Writer

old daughter told her the father survivors are treated. rights for victim's families removal ofmore a highly-respectof her daughter threatenedDr.her “She's using to intervene on behalf of a vicAnthony Fauci, the her na- own personal ed, principal of D.C.’s toplife, and the life of their tion’s child,leading story,infectious her own dispersonal pain to tim, a domestic violence assessranked School Without she knew something had ease to beexpert, push ment unit coupled with further saysforward,” he did notDavis-Nickens Walls magnet high school, done. Out of her frustration said about Marlow. training for law enforcement consent to being featured in Richard Trogisch de- Life Protecwith law enforcement's handling Davis-Nickens agencies, –a aChild's a new advertisement from said anyone cision which parents first of the situation, she decided to who reads touting Marlow's book will tion Act and mandatory counselthe Trump campaign learned Oct. 7 in a start the Saving Promisethecam“get it.” She the about ing for batterers. president’s handling ofsaid the she “puts letter issued by D.C. paign. case in such a way, the average “If we arePublic ever going to eradicoronavirus pandemic. Instead, [DCPS] officialsviolence, – “It seems to be a vicious cycle person can get it.” She saidSchools at the cate domestic we must he recently told CNN his words were haswill been look met by growing that won't turn my family end of the day, the book at both sides of the coin. taken out of context. from parents, loose,” Marlow said. Marlow help people begin to havedemands a dia- We need to address both the vic“In my nearly five decades of public service, I have teachers and administrators shared her story with the audi- logue about domestic violence. tim and the batterer,” Marlow neveratpublicly endorsedHeights any political candidate. The for was both answers and the ence the District Also present at the event said. commentsViolence attributed to me without my permission Domestic Symposium immediate reinstatement of also like to see Mildred Muhammad, the exMarlow would in the GOP campaign ad were taken out of context on May 7 at the District Heights the veteranprograms educator. designed to raise wife of John Allen Muhammad, from a broad statement I made months ago sentenced about the to six consecMunicipal Center. The sympoA statement from children in who was awareness among effortswas of federal publicbyhealth he in without a sium sponsored the officials,” utive life said terms parole released DCPS, protesters criticized public after and private schools. She the decistatement. Family and Youth Services by a Maryland jury for hission, role in feels children to be educat- firing to attributed the causeneed for the principal’s The of30-second two battleCenter the city ad, of currently District airing the in Beltway Sniper attacks in ed about domestic violence. an unspecified personnel matter. But Washington ground states, Michigan and Pennsylvania, points to Heights and the National Hook- 2002. Mildred Muhammad is “WeDana have Milbank, to stop being Post Columnist in his pascommentary, Trump’s personal experience with the andof uses a the Trauma, Up of Black Women. thevirus founder After with poor questionedsive-aggressive whether the dismissal may chilhave come as quote from Fauci which viewers to believethat helps Marlow hasDr. written a book,leadsan organization the ofdren about after domestic violence,” a means retaliation Trogisch raised concerns that the expertwhich praisesisthe re“Color Mehealth Butterfly,” a president’s survivorscurrent of domestic violence Marlow said. about reopening schools, tentatively slated for Nov. 9, sponse to coronavirus. story about four generations of and their children. Marlow has worked to atbreak citing inadequate ventilation systems an elementaWhileviolence. no date isThe cited in the Fauci’s quote domestic book is ad, Dr. “I lived in fear for six years. Six which the cycle of abuse and in her family, ry school he managed where the health of comes by from interview with Fox News in March inspired heran own experiences, years in fear is a long time. It is he and is confident policies she particstudents, surmised, couldthe be compromised, and thosewhich of her grandmother, during he praised the White not House an coronavirus easy thing to come outas the is COVID-19 pushing for will start ularly pandemic ragesthat on. her and herefforts daughter. taskmother force’s nonstop to respond toshe the said. pandemic, of,” process. The Washington Informer will continue to monShe saidheevery time she which then further saidreads included numerous Mildred White Muhammaditorsaid “I planastowell takeasthese this situation otherpolicies recent to firings that excerpts from her book, she stillphone people a House meetings and late-night calls. who want to help Congress and implore themof to have occurred within an environment heightened can The not Trump believe campaign the wordshas came domestic violence must change our laws,” Marlow said. not issued a statement in victimanxiety. D.C. counts among other school district in from her. “Color Me Butterfly” into “I will not stop until these poliresponse to Dr. Fauci’s allegations. be careful of how they go the U.S., who, allegedly yielding to pressure to return won the 2007 National “Best the victim's life, and understand cies are passed.” to in-class instruction, now find themselves at odds Books” Award. that she may be in “survival Tia Carol Jones can be reached with their respective principals and leaders from both “I was just 16-years-old when mode”. at tiacaroljones@sbcglobal.net parents’ and teachers’ associations who collectively opmy eye first blackened and my “Before you get to 'I'm going pose plans for reopening until proven safety precaulips bled,” Marlow said. to kill you,' it started as a verbal WI tions have been determined and put in place. Elaine Davis-Nickens, president of the National Hook-Up of Black Women, said there is no The Biden campaign recently released a new round of consistency in the way domestic ads touting the support the former Vice President has reviolence issues are dealt with by ceived from the nation’s leading Black mayors. In the first 30-second ad, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, one of the first surrogates for Joe Biden, is joined by other women including San Francisco Mayor London Breed, Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot. The ad begins with Bottoms saying, “Black women have always been on the front lines for social justice.” In the second 30-second ad, St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter is joined by Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, Columbia, South Carolina Mayor Steve Benjamin and Mayor Levar Stoney of Richmond, Virginia as each of them implores Black men to get to the polls and to reclaim their power. The 60-second “Mayors” ad began airing on television, radio and digital outlets nationwide Oct.10 and includes 14 Black mayors who’ve voiced their support for the Biden/Harris Democratic ticket. In 2016, 98 percent of Black women voted for Hillary Clinton. However, 14 percent of Black men voted for Donald Trump, according to Pew Research. In the latest average of polls aggregated by Real Clear Politics, Biden has on average a 9.6 percentage point lead over Trump. In the October 3 – 6 FOX News poll, Biden has a 10-point lead over Trump. Twenty-four days remain until Election Day.

“

Black Mayors Give Biden Support in New Round of Ads

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.

“

SOMETHING NEW EVERYDAY

Women the Cycle of wi hotBreak topics Domestic Violence Many Cry ‘Foul,’ Seek Answers Fauci Denies Both His

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L.Y. Marlow

Candidates for Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Discuss and Debate Community Issues By James Wright WI Staff Writer @JamesDCWrighter While the independent at-large D.C. Council and D.C. State Board of Education races receive a lot of attention from the District’s electorate for the Nov. 3 general election, there are also about 300 individual advisory neighborhood commissioners positions up for grabs in each ward of the city that doesn’t get much scrutiny as other elected positions but deal with the everyday concerns of residents. “I believe in advisory neighborhood commissioners,” Gordon-Andrew Fletcher, who represents single-member district 5A08 in Ward 5 and wants his constituents to re-elect him in the general election. “I believe ANCs are very important. They don’t have this type of position in other cities with the exception of Chicago where elected neighborhood leaders play a role in the government. This is my third time running to be a commissioner in this single-member district and I bought a house in this district with my wife so I could continue to serve.” Advisory neighborhood commissions are government bodies on the community level in the District. The commissions are divided by single-member districts comprising of approximately 2,500 residents and represented by an elected commissioner. Commissioners serve two-year terms, are elected in the general election and sworn into office January of the next year. Commissioners receive no compensation for their work but commissions have budgets to hire staff and materials to improve their areas. Commissioners deal with a wide range of policies and programs affecting their neighborhoods, including traffic, parking, recreation, street improvements, liquor licenses, zoning, economic development, police protection, sanitation, trash collection and the District’s annual budget. The commission system started in 1974 as a result of a referendum

District voters approved by 73 percent. The first commission elections took place in the fall of 1975 and operations began in 1976. Some commissioners have served in other elected offices in the District. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and former Mayor Adrian Fenty served as commissioners in Ward 4. D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson and Councilmembers Anita Bonds (D-At Large) and Brianne Nadeau (D-Ward 1) have served as commissioners. Stacey Lincoln, the commissioner for 4A02 and a former staffer for D.C. Councilmember Vincent Orange, wants his Shepherd Park constituents in Ward 4 to support his re-election so he can continue working to encourage economic development there. “Shepherd Park is a diverse area,” Lincoln said. “It encompasses part of Georgia Avenue and I want to see that corridor improved economically. For too long, it has been ignored. Our residents would like to see more upscale retail on Georgia Avenue and if re-elected, I will work to see that happens.” Lincoln’s opponent, Merrit P. Drucker, supports the economic development of Shepherd Park also but criticizes the incumbent for being “absent and not around.” Fletcher said he wants to improve constituent services in his district, strengthen the relationship between police officers and residents and help bring in businesses “that are positive and not any more liquor stores.” Nestride Yumga, who seeks to unseat Fletcher, said the incumbent doesn’t talk to his constituents. “I have talked to the residents of this district and 90 percent say they have not met him,” Yumga said. “They don’t know who he is. If I am elected, I will consult the community, serve the community and they will know who I am.” In Ward 8, 8C04 Commissioner Regina Pixley wants a second term to continue “to serve and meet the needs of the disadvantaged.” “I want to continue to be the eyes and the ears of our councilmember,

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Trayon White,” she said. “I have worked hard to help my constituents whether it is cleaning the streets of trash or delivering meals to home-bound seniors. I want to continue to focus on public safety so our neighborhood can be safe. I am proud to introduce block captains to the district to fight crime.” Pixley faces opposition from Travon Hawkins and Regina Summers. Summers declined to comment on the race. Hawkins said he has served as a commissioner in the ward in another district and if elected, will work to bring employment opportunities to residents. “It is important to get everyone working,” he said. “There is also a lot of crime in this area. I believe if people are working, they will not commit crimes.” A number of commissioners,

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5 Gordon-Andrew Fletcher represents single-member district 5A08 and is running for re-election. (Courtesy photo)

such as Robert Brannum, are running unopposed. Brannum, who seeks to represent 5E08 in Ward 5, said having no opponent in the general election will only fuel his desire to serve his neighbors.

“I want to continue to be an advocate for my community and increase the quality of life for my constituents in front of the council and the executive [Office of the Mayor],” he said. WI

OCTOBER 15 - 21, 2020 5

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black facts

SOURCE: BLACK AMERICA WEB

OCT 15 - 21, 2020

OCT. 15

1883 – The Civil Rights Act of 1875 — which guaranteed African Americans equal treatment in public accommodations, public transportation and jury service — is ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. 1968 – Track star Wyomia Tyus becomes the first person to win a gold medal in the 100-meter race in consecutive Olympic Games.

OCT. 16

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1859 – White abolitionist John Brown leads a raid on a federal armory in Harpers Ferry, VA, in an attempt to start an armed slave revolt. He is later tried, convicted and executed by hanging for his role. 1968 – African American athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos raise black-gloved fists during their medal ceremony at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. 1984 – Desmond Tutu (top) is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his ant-apartheid work in South Africa. 1995 – The Million Man March, called by Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, is held on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

OCT. 17

1711 – Poet Jupiter Hammon, the first African American

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writer to be published in the present-day United States, is born in Long Island, New York. 1956 – Physician and astronaut Mae Jamison, the first African American woman to travel in space, is born in Decatur, Alabama. 1969 – Clifton R. Wharton is elected president of Michigan State University, becoming the first African American president of a major U.S. university.

OCT. 18

1926 – Pioneering guitarist and rock and roll icon Chuck Berry is born in St. Louis. 1948 – Poet and playwright Ntozake Shange, author of “For Colored Girls…,” is born in Trenton, New Jersey. 1951 – “Waiting to Exhale” author Terry McMillan (above) is born in Port Huron, Michigan.

OCT. 19

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1936 – Johnnetta B. Cole, director of the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art and the first African American female president of Spelman College, is born in Jacksonville, Florida. 1944 – The U.S. Navy begins accepting Black women for military service.

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OCT. 20

1898 – North Carolina Mutual and Provident Insurance Company is founded by John Merrick and associates in Durham as the first African American-owned insurance company. 1904 – Civil rights activist Enolia McMillan, the first female president of the NAACP, is born in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania.

CHUCK BERRY 6 - OCTOBER 15 - 21, 2020

OCT. 21

1917 – Iconic jazz trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie is born in Cheraw, South Carolina. WI

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Trayvon Martin will be memorialized eight years after his untimely death, with the street outside of the high school he attended in Miami-Dade County to be named after him. What are your thoughts?

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At the end of the day, the true thug wasn’t Trayvon Martin, but the murderer who shot him and who was arrested over 10 times. Oh, yeah, and still free and mocking that family over the life he took to this day.

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That’s nice, but it doesn’t bring him back or ease his mother’s pain.

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The World According to Dominic

Trump Invited ‘His Black People’ to a South Lawn Soiree – And Some Foolishly Accepted

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From the very first time that my mother put a book into my hands, introducing me to a strange new world of words and wonder where my imagination could roam at will, I’ve always loved to read. One lesson that my fifth-grade English teacher, Mr. Olschefski, drilled into me and the rest of my classmates that I’ve never forgotten is the frequency with which the two extremes of fact and fiction mirror one another. This childhood memory has resurfaced in a profound way over the past seven months as an uninvited guest, coronavirus, has upended the way we live, work and play, slowing my pace and forcing me to reconstruct how I utilize my time. But there’s been one shockingly surprising outcome. To my delight, I’ve been allowed the opportunity to spend long-lost time with many of my favorite authors again. While combing through my bookshelves several days ago, I ran across two unforgettable works of fiction that provide prophetic insight into the harsh realities which we face today: “The Plague” by Albert Camus and Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Masque of the Red Death.” But it was the short story by Poe whose final images, both unfamiliar

and frightening, forced me to reconsider how we can learn so much in our travels through the world of fiction for battles that we must wage in our daily walk through the real world – through life. As an example, on Saturday, Oct. 10, President Donald Trump invited a select group of his most ardent supporters to the South Lawn of the White House for a “highly exclusive masque,” as Poe wrote in his masterpiece. Trump, standing on a balcony in self-indulgent pride while hundreds below shouted words of support, told the crowd that he was “feeling great,” after just days during which he’d been hospitalized and treated by his doctors following his positive test results for COVID-19. For a few brief moments, he would welcome his guests with his face mask before removing it with exuberance – signaling to his guests, perhaps, that they too could or should remove their “masques” – that is, if they were even wearing them before the festivities began. In the Poe narrative, the guests fortunate enough to be allowed access to Prince Prospero’s ball, moved from one room to the next, oblivious to the dangers that lurked within – the “red death.” They wholeheartedly swallowed the notion that somehow they were superior to the rest of the village, the chosen few – eager to indulge themselves in the “gay and magnificent revel” where they, following the example of their

host, “bid defiance to contagion.” As Poe’s haunting tale reaches its conclusion, we learn that an enormous ebony clock has struck the death knoll while “darkness and decay and the red death held illimitable dominion over all.” In comparison, we saw the celebrants at the Trump soiree moving about as if they had already ingested a yet-to-be-discovered magic elixir – a vaccine for the deadly coronavirus pandemic – that would protect them from joining the millions of Americans who have already died or who remain quarantined or hospitalized, fighting for their lives against a foe that has disproportionately wreaked havoc upon the health and welfare of America’s Black and brown citizens. And so, with unbridled hubris and an air of petulant superiority that have come to define his presidency, Trump assured his guests, white, brown and Black alike, that with him remaining at the helm, “we’re going to defeat this terrible China virus!” “We’ve had a lot of flare-ups,” he said, “but it’s going to disappear.” However, absent of any scientific support, the inescapable truth and inevitable tragedy which awaits many of Trump’s misguided guests as we’ve seen in the past – in an outcome reflective of that which awaited those in Poe’s tale who felt emboldened because of their gold-plated invitations to Prince Prospero’s soiree – will be “the red death.” WI

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A Look at the Ward 2 State Board Race By Sam P.K. Collins WI Contributing Writer @SamPKCollins This is the final installment of a fourpart series about D.C. State Board of Education (SBOE) races. The winners will advocate and organize policy on behalf of students, teachers, and parents in Wards 2,7 and 8,and throughout the entire city. In this article, three of the four candidates are vying for the Ward 2 SBOE seat currently held by Jack Jacobson, weigh in on the recent change in leadership at School Without Walls and School Without Walls at Francis Stevens, in addition to other issues of concern.

ALLISTER CHANG: A LION FOR LITERACY

This candidate, who grew up in the D.C. metropolitan area watching his father struggle with illiteracy, has spent much of his career tackling issues similarly affecting those living in marginalized communities throughout the world. He told The Informer that, in the midst of fear and uncertainty, it’s critical to communicate relevant and reliable information to all education stakeholders. If elected to the Ward 2 SBOE seat, Allister Chang said, he will strengthen partnerships between schools and entities like the Washington Literacy Center to expand literacy opportunities across the city. He also expressed a desire to strengthen communication between various stakeholders in the local education space, especially in light of School Without Walls Principal Richard Trogisch’s sudden departure. Chang, one of several people who converged on the Foggy Bottom campus in protest last week, said the situation highlighted a lack of transparency that has intensified under mayoral control of schools. In regards to increasing the quality of instruction, Chang said that the Ward 2 representative has a unique opportunity to advance policies that guide the District’s long-term education plans to the benefit of all students. He touted the creation of high-caliber early childhood programs as a viable means of closing disparities that exist on the first day of pre-K. “If you can’t read by the fourth grade, opportunities are severely limited. At the macro level, it’s very important to

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strengthen community schools first,” said Chang, a Halcyon Fellow whose experiences include expanding library partnerships in more than two dozen countries as executive director of Libraries Without Borders, a local education nonprofit group. “Every child deserves an education that helps them fulfill their potential, and they shouldn’t have to take the bus for a customized education,” he added. “It’s important that we develop a long-term strategy. We need to do more than put a band-aid on problems as they come up.”

SARAH MEHROTRA: TEACHER’S ADVOCATE

As a data and policy analyst at The Education Trust, Sarah Mehrotra has advocated to increase teacher diversity and retention, and close opportunity gaps across the country. She described the Ward 2 SBOE seat as an opportunity to apply pressure in this area, ultimately to the benefit of District students who would receive consistent and quality instruction. If elected, Mehrotra, a special education teacher and daughter of an engineer from India, would be the first Asian American to sit on the state board. While she reflected on the need for another middle and high school in Ward 2, Mehrotra’s main area of concern involves the IMPACT evaluation, a tool that leadership within the Washington Teachers’ Union said has been weaponized against those who question administrators’ decisions. Mehrotra told The Informer that, in addition to providing teachers mental health resources, the DC Public Schools’ central office should also con-

5 Christopher Etesse (Courtesy Photo)

sider not using IMPACT as a means of assessing teachers’ performance during the coronavirus pandemic. Last week, Mehrotra, too counted among those who converged on School Without Walls in search of answers about Trogisch’s departure. She acknowledged his reinstallation as the most ideal situation. “Teachers of color are important, not only for students’ socioemotional development, but their academic growth as well,” she told The Informer. “The mayor and D.C. Public Schools took away a trusted leader, and that furthers the divide between the mayor’s office and parents and families. One teacher told me that his pattern repeats itself over and over again,” she added. “Other high schools have seen abrupt changes to leadership. In order for it to end, the D.C. Council should use its bully pulpit to vocalize the problems with mayoral control to expand our voice and help with our priorities.”

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While other candidates in the state board races have been critical of mayoral control of schools and charter expansion, Christopher Etesse, an education technology consultant, has touted both as steps in the right direction for a school system that once drew the ire of parents, students, teachers and education advocates. If elected, Etesse said he would increase dialogue between various education stakeholders and build on the work

WARD 2 Page 38

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Carlos Rosario Public Charter School: Training a Diverse Workforce

By James Wright WI Staff Writer @JamesDCWrighter

The Carlos Rosario International Public Charter has helped scores of adults in the District, especially those from immigrant backgrounds, become educated as a means of obtaining employment in the workforce and academically preparing its students for higher education, according to its leader. Allison R. Kokkoros serves as the CEO of the charter school, located in the Northwest quadrant in Ward 1. Kokkoros said her school has become a noted educational institution in the District. “Rosario is a national model when it comes to adult education,” Kokkoros said. “We specialize in workforce development that helps workers connect to careers. While we work primarily with the immigrant community, we will help anyone who wants to be successful.” Rosario started in the 1970s as a small, grassroots organization under the auspices of Sonia Gutierrez, a District public schools’ counselor who facilitated the Program for English Instruction to Latin Americans and eventually becoming its director. Gutierrez transformed the aforementioned project into the English as a Second Language program and expanded it over time into a comprehensive adult education initiative. In 1996, Gutierrez started a nonprofit as a result of District leaders cutting funds for adult education programs. She sought public charter school status for her nonprofit group and achieved that goal in 1998, starting the first adult public charter school in the nation. Gutierrez presently serves as president emeritus and founder of Rosario.

Rosario’s website said the school has over 2,000 students and 80,000 alumni, one of which, Kokkoros said, has become a vice president for Bank of America. She said students possess backgrounds from 80 countries and speak 50 languages. The school’s curriculum consists of foundational courses in English, the GED, digital technology and online communication tools, according to the school’s website. Plus, the citizenship naturalization test and career training in high growth and demand fields such as nursing, technology, culinary arts, bilingual education and construction pre-apprenticeship are offered. Students interested in higher education can participate in the college preparation program, Kokkoros said. She said students have enrolled in higher education institutions such as the University of the District of Columbia, Montgomery College and Georgetown University and in recent years Rosario has played a role in the awarding of 73 scholarships for those who are college bound. “Some of our alumni have been on the dean’s list at UDC,” she said. “When you leave Rosario, we keep in touch. Our alumni come back and talk about their college experiences.” Despite the success, the school has had its problems such as dealing with the coronavirus pandemic that came to the District in mid-March, Kokkros said. Rosario had to adjust the way it operates, she said. “We had to pivot and fast,” Kokkoros said. “We had to change overnight because of COVID-19. We had to shift from in-person to distance learning. Many of our students do not have access to the Internet at home. Many students work in the hospitality industry and lot of them lost their jobs because of the pandemic. Despite

these challenges, our students were determined to learn and so we helped them out.” Kokkoros said the school’s computers and laptops became available to the students to work on at home, with the teachers and IT staff instructing on how the tools operate. She said the school raised $50,000 for a student emergency fund designed to help students meet challenges such as buying groceries and making rent and mortgage payments. Kokkoros said teachers donated their stimulus checks to the emergency fund to help students. While Kokkoros knows some peo-

ple in the District see Rosario as an exclusively Latino immigrant school, she refutes that perception. “We are a charter school and our doors are open to all residents,” she said. “We are open to anyone who would benefit from our programs. We have African American students who are in our culinary arts program and have done outstanding. There are a number of African Americans in our IT certification programs, too. Ethiopians are our largest group of African students but we have had students from Cameroon and the Central African Republic and other African coun-

tries. We are like a “mini-UN.” One of Rosario’s pupils of Ethiopian descent, Kalkidan Weldearegay, has been studying in the nursing aide program since January. Weldearegay, a senior at UDC who hopes to go to medical school, said Rosario has been beneficial. “My nurse’s aide education is more affordable at Carlos Rosario and I managed to get a stipend,” she said. “The staff is open-minded and supportive. They have been really wonderful during the pandemic, giving me a laptop to do my work. I am glad I attend this school.” WI

VOTE #2 On The Ballot Nov. 3, 2020

5 The Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School on Harvard Street, Northwest (Courtesy photo)

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OCTOBER 15 - 21, 2020 11

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY Maryland Lawmakers’ Agenda to Include Enhancing State’s Legal Cannabis Industry By William J. Ford WI Staff Writer @jabariwill

Iesha Epps admits she made mistakes as young adult when charged with minor marijuana and alcohol offenses that remained on her criminal record for about seven years. Thanks to a recent expungement clinic at Mary & Main in Capitol Heights, the 29-year-old from neigh-

boring Waldorf in Charles County received legal assistance to erase those offenses. Because of the coronavirus pandemic and Maryland courts gradually reopening this summer, she said it could take up to 90 days to formally clean her record. “If I want to have my own home, or need a loan for a business, [there’s no] fear of getting denied for certain things because of my record,” she said. “I’m just glad I have relief.”

Now Epps wants to be an owner in Maryland’s medical cannabis industry. The state’s Medical Cannabis Commission reported last month that retail sales exceeded $240 million. The amount surpassed all of last year’s total sales. Nearly $41 million in sales came from dispensaries, a major retail source of cannabis products such as topical creams, fruit drinks and oils. Hope Wiseman, 28, co-founder of Mary & Main that became the first Black-owned dispensary in the country, said the clinic ensures more Blacks receive opportunities in the medical cannabis industry. Out of nearly 100 dispensaries in Maryland, only five are Black-owned, including Wiseman’s and two others in Prince George’s County. As the firm hosted the clinic to allow Epps and 39 other people to receive free legal assistance to remove criminal history, Mary & Main celebrated its second anniversary Sept. 26. Wiseman said the business, which has 20 employees (15 are part-time), is considering holding another clinic early next year. “We feel it was only right to give back,” she said. “Diversity in this business is very important.” Lack of Black ownership in the

Police Reform Rally Planned in Forestville

5 Tracy Shand, right, whose brother, Leonard Shand, was killed while in police custody in Hyattsville, will help lead a police reform rally Oct. 17 in Forestville. (File: William J. Ford/The Washington Informer)

By William J. Ford WI Staff Writer @jabariwill Ava DuVernay’s four-year-old, award-winning documentary “13th” influenced viewers to discuss and assess on how the 13th Amendment started mass incarceration in the United States and how it affected the Black community. Tamara McKinney of Lanham said the film prompted her and Beverly John to establish Concerned Cit-

12 - OCTOBER 15 - 21, 2020

izens for Bail Reform in Prince George’s County two years ago. “We saw how bail reform is in this country and it continues to hurt Black people. It’s ridiculous,” said McKinney, a human resource specialist for the federal government. “Although I have family members who were in law enforcement like my father, but police reform is needed in the county and state of Maryland.” McKinney will join criminal justice advocates and loved ones either killed or abused by police during a police re-

form protest Saturday, Oct. 17 outside the Centre at Forestville. The rally will be two days before a work group comprised of state delegates possibly hold its last meeting on police reform recommendations and craft into legislation when the General Assembly session begins in January. The group, chaired by Del. Vanessa Atterbeary (D-Montgomery County), met last week with a recommendation that requires every law enforcement agency in the state have body cameras by 2025. In addition, ensure police officers receive routine mental and physical health assessments. Although the lawmakers recommended approval for a statewide use of force policy, specific guidelines within the policy will be reviewed Thursday such as a ban shooting at moving vehicles unless used as a weapon; police departments using military-style equipment; and require an officer to intervene “who see another officer using force beyond what is objectively reasonable under the circumstances.” Lawmakers also plan to discuss whether an independent agency or appointed prosecutor from the state attor-

5 Iesha Epps, right, and Paloma Lehfeldt from Vireo Health on Sept. 26 outside Mary & Main medical cannabis dispensary in Capitol Heights. (Courtesy photo)

medical cannabis industry remains a problem. According to Minorities for Medical Marijuana, Blacks own less than 2 percent of the grower, processor and dispensary licenses nationwide. That’s why Roz McCarthy, executive director of the nonprofit organization known as M4MM based in Orlando, Fla., said states must ensure equality in the medical marijuana industry at a time when federal law still declare marijuana use illegal. ney general’s office should handle local cases that may involve police shootings, especially when a person dies. Del. Gabriel Acevero (D-Montgomery County) said he “has deep concerns” about police investigating themselves and local prosecutors, or state’s attorneys, work closely with police. He said assessments are needed to why a prosecutor declines to bring charges against a police officer such as the officer-involved death of Anton Black, 19, in Caroline County. Del. Debra Davis (D-Charles County) said local state’s attorneys should prosecute local cases since they are elected officials. “If we let them off the hook, we’ll never have any other indication of how the prosecutor’s office handle other cases and how equitable they are in other cases,” she said. “It’s an important measure I don’t want removed.” Atterbeary, a mother of two boys and one girl, read a quote to summarize this topic. “Real justice and safety for Black communities will require a complete overhaul of the prosecutor/police relationship,” she said. “That is what I think

REFORM Page 44

“We are looking for funding to help their business. We are looking for mentors,” said McCarthy, whose company helped organize last month’s clinic in Maryland. “We’re creating these accelerator programs so that we can take this really infant business and really breathe life into it and help them grow and help them become sustainable.” Pro-marijuana advocates have a major supporter: Democratic Vice Presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.). “We will decriminalize marijuana and we will expunge the records of those who have been convicted of marijuana,” she said during last week’s presidential debate in Salt Lake City.

EXPAND BLACK REPRESENTATION

Minorities for Medical Marijuana’s website at https://bit.ly/2FbGijo has posted an 80-page report entitled “Understanding Social Equity” compiled by Chris Nani, an attorney and founder of Endo Insider, a newsletter that follows the cannabis industry. It calls for states to incorporate programs that restore the rights of formerly incarcerated individuals, serve as a bridge for people interested in the cannabis industry and assist in the licensing process. The document also mentions institutional challenges facing minorities. For example, when Maryland lawmakers passed a law in 2018 for the state’s Medical Cannabis Commission to conduct a disparity study, the study found minorities are at a disadvantage in the industry. A year later, the application process got delayed with conflicts of inter-

CANNABIS Page 44

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PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

School Board Candidates Debate Mental Health, School Construction By William J. Ford WI Staff Writer @jabariwill

Less than three weeks before the Nov. 3 general election, around seven dozen people listened to five candidates tout their platforms on why they should serve on the Prince George’s County school board and represent Maryland’s second largest public school system. The county’s Young Democrats hosted a virtual debate Monday, Oct. 12 on topics that included COVID-19, school resource officers, virtual learning and even a candidate’s favorite dish. Although board vice chair Edward Burroughs III has a challenger for his District 8 seat, he gave a reminder to those listening. “I am a Democrat and my opponent [Gary Falls] is a Republican. Just thought I would mention that,” he said. “I think your party says a lot about your values and I think it’s important where people stand.” Martin Mitchell, president of the Young Democrats, said Falls declined to participate in the debate.

Voters could choose up to three new members on the 14-member board to craft policies, approve budgets and establish curriculum for a jurisdiction with more than 136,000 students. A student member also serves on the board, but isn’t allowed to vote on personnel matters, budgetary items and school closings. Monday’s two-hour debate expressed a few lively exchanges on several topics such as mental health. All the candidates agree students need more mental health support, but Burroughs brought up a June 11 vote that pushed a proposed plan from happening sooner. The board voted 8-6 to hold a discussion in September on whether to cancel a contract for police departments to hire and place school resource officers (SROs) in the schools. Within the discussion item on SROs, board member David Murray proposed school administrators assess the SRO training and reallocate $5 million to hire more social workers, mental health professionals and counselors. Incumbent Bryan Swann, who rep-

resents District 4, voted with the majority. He works as deputy director of the Office of Financial Management for the U.S. Department of Treasury. He formerly worked for the Obama administration. In regards to SROs, Swann said they aren’t needed in the schools. However, he said some people believe they do. “I’ve had students call me crying about their relationship and not to remove them,” he said. “It needs to be a very thoughtful approach.” His opponent, Shayla Adams-Stafford, doesn’t support SROs and said mental health services are needed now. “When [Swann] had the opportunity to amend the budget to add more supports for our students given this time of crisis that we’re in, he did not make any amendment,” said Adams-Stafford, an instructional coach training teachers who also runs a nonprofit organization called “RemixEducation,” which seeks to provide resources for first-generation college students. Another topic focused on school officials continue to review a $1 billion proposed public-private partnership school construction plan, also known as P3.

5 Construction at Forest Heights Elementary School (WI File Photo/Anthony Tilghman)

The goal would be to build six new schools by July 2023. The schools are Adelphia Area, Drew Freeman, Hyattsville, Kenmoor and Walker Mill middle schools and Southern Area K-8 school. The two candidates seeking to become the new District 7 board member had slightly different views. Kenneth Harris II, who works as a mechanical engineer at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, said the plan could work depending how much the county may need to spend. “New housing developments are

going up which could help [alleviate] overcrowding, but what are we are the hook for and how quick would we need to run around this money,” he said. Alexis Branch, 22, a 2019 graduate from Bennett College in Greensboro, N.C., and a current graduate student at Bowie State University, said P3 could cause future tax increases. “P3 is signing on for a bunch of credit that we’re eventually, meaning the public, will have to pay back,” she said. “Our pockets have been hit enough.” WI

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BUSINESS Despite Many Obstacles, Blacks, Latinos Continue to Strive for, Believe in the American Dream By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer @StacyBrownMedia As an African American and female attorney, Maria Barlow understands just how challenging it is to achieve the American dream. A principal at The Barlow Law Firm in Chicago, the lawyer and mother of a young son, has faced many challenges inside and out of the courtroom. “In my profession, there is inequality for women, especially minority women,” Barlow expressed. “We have to work twice as hard to be considered half as good. Black women are not given the same respect as our counterparts. I have been stopped and questioned about why I am in court if I am the clerk, the court reporter, or the defendant. “This does not happen to our counterparts, and when appearing before certain judges and hearing their comments, many clients feel they may need a male attorney, or even a white one.”

Despite the challenges, Barlow still believes in achieving the American Dream. As a millennial, she isn’t alone. Millennials and Generation Z members are optimistic about their future, and two-thirds believe the American Dream is achievable, according to an Echelon Insights study commissioned by the Walton Family Foundation. Nearly half of young Americans expect to have a life better than their parents – with Black, Latino and Asian respondents reporting greater optimism. The Walton Family survey compiled responses from more than 4,000 people, ranging in age from 13-23 (Generation Z) and 24-39 (Millennials). Roughly 60 percent of Black Millennials and Generation Zers reported facing or expecting to meet racial inequality as a roadblock to opportunity. “Despite the stereotypes, findings show these generations are engaged and passionate about building a

better future,” Kristen Lynne Soltis Anderson, Republican pollster and co-founder of Echelon Insights, reported in a news release accompanying the survey. “This means ensuring no paths are blocked, no doors are closed to someone because of where they were born or what they look like – everyone has a chance to build the life they want. That is the new American Dream.” According to survey results, young Americans view the American Dream as having the freedom and opportunity to build the life they dream of on their terms. Making this new American Dream a reality starts with education – eight in ten respondents believe having a high-quality education is very important to have a better life, but 43 percent say higher education is too expensive or hard to access. Barlow, the youngest of 11 children, counts as the first in her family to complete college and go on to law school. “My family couldn’t afford my education, so I am shackled with six-figure debt,” Barlow asserted. “Growing up, my mother stayed home with the kids while my father worked laying floors. “Although my siblings didn’t go to college, many started businesses, and they own homes and cars. I think my parents did better than my grandparents and we have done better than our parents which is the goal. I’ve positioned my son and me to work twice as hard in order to compete while I’m hoping that a new spotlight on the disparities we face will make it easier for my son.” Rohan Arora, a 19-year old activist, specializing in environmental health and minority experience and founder of the environmental health organization, The Community Check-Up, posited that young people are in a phase where they are working hard to secure many opportunities.

5 (Photo courtesy American Philanthropy News Digest)

Roughly 60 percent of Black Millennials and Generation Zers reported facing or expecting to meet racial inequality as a roadblock to opportunity. Yet, minority youth and their communities still face environmental health instability that prevents them from focusing efforts toward attaining the American dream, Arora stated. “Ever since I was a young boy, I have seen my immigrant family seek the American Dream. Whether that be securing an education or being able to speak one’s mind,” said Arora, who also serves as a climate activist advisor to the American Lung Association. “Yet, they suffered a lot of explicit racism in their journey seeking the American dream. Although I am in a better position than minorities before me, I think there are still several challenges my generation faces,” Arora continued. “One of the biggest issues I see to-

day is environmental health injustice, which is a part of the larger race issue in our country today.” While the hurdles are innumerable, Generation Z and Millennials have a winning spirit, opined Evy Valencia, chief of staff at 50CAN. “We’re determined and strong as two groups separated by a sliver of time” Valencia declared. “Our generations want to achieve change in the world, and we believe that change can and should happen in our lifetimes. The moment is polarized politically, but the resilience and dedication of these generations are something we should all celebrate.” To view the entire survey, visit www. waltonfamilyfoundation.org. WI

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BUSINESS

Mellon Foundation Launches Monuments Project Amid Unrest

The Monuments Project, Five-Year, $250 Million Commitment By Sarafina Wright WI Contributing Writer After a summer of racial injustice protests following the police-involved deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, contention over confederate monuments by opponents heightened, resulting in some being brought down or in some cases toppled in cities across the U.S. In light of this, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation is offering a remedy, of sorts. The foundation last week announced the creation of “The Mon-

uments Project,” the largest initiative in the organization’s 50-year history, to support the creation of new monuments, as well as the relocation or rethinking of existing ones. “Statues are not just bodies in bronze, and monuments are not just stone pillars. They instruct. They lift up the stories of those who are seen, dominate the stories of those who are unseen, and too often propagate menacingly incomplete accounts of our country’s past,” the foundation writes. The Monuments Project is a fiveyear, $250 million commitment by the Mellon Foundation to support

The Monuments Project is a five-year, $250 million commitment by the Mellon Foundation to support efforts to center national narratives to include those who have often been denied historical recognition.

efforts to center national narratives to include those who have often been denied historical recognition. “This work has taken on greater urgency at a moment of national reckoning with the power and influence of memorials and commemorative spaces.” The foundation President Elizabeth Alexander told The New York Times that the nonprofit will not itself recommend monuments for removal or rethinking. Instead, it will fund projects that are brought to it. Grants made under the Monuments Project will fall under the following areas of activity: Fund new monuments, memorials, or historic storytelling spaces; contextualize existing monuments or memorials through installations, research, and education; and relocate existing monuments or memorials. The foundation says its initiative will educate the public about our shared collective past to shape a more

5 In July, in Richmond Va., a photograph of Breonna Taylor was projected onto a statue of the Confederate general Robert E. Lee. (Photo courtesy of Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA, via Shutterstock)

just future. This comes after a June announcement that it was revising its mission to put a focus on social justice. “It will broaden our understanding of how we define commemorative spaces by including not only memorials, historical markers, public statuary, and permanent monuments but also storytelling spaces and ephemeral or

temporary installations,” the foundation writes. “The Monuments Project will transform the way our country’s histories are told in public spaces and ensure that future generations inherit a commemorative landscape that venerates and reflects the vast, rich complexity of the American story.” WI

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NATIONAL Economy and Race Relations Seen as Growing Concerns Ahead of November Election By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer @StacyBrownMedia As President Donald Trump flipflops on whether he would back a new stimulus proposal to help stabilize a volatile market and provide a lifeline to

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struggling Americans, the latest Gallup poll revealed that the economy remains a major concern ahead of the Nov. 3 election. The poll, released on Oct. 5, listed national security and terrorism as the next biggest concern followed by education, healthcare, crime, the COVID-19

response and race relations. Gallup has frequently asked the “most important” concern question since 1939. The survey became monthly in 2001. The latest poll revealed that nine out of 10 respondents identified the economy as extremely or very important to their vote — about 83 percent listed national security and terrorism as top concerns. Education (82 percent), healthcare (80 percent), crime (79 percent), the COVID-19 response (77 percent) and race relations (76 percent) all followed. “It is not surprising that voters overall rate the economy as the most important issue impacting their vote for president this year given the fragile state of the U.S. economy and their tendency historically to prioritize it and other issues such as national security and education,” Gallup pollsters wrote. In a June 4 Gallup survey, 19 percent of Americans named race relations as

the nation’s top problem in the aftermath of the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. According to Gallup, that was, by one point, the highest percentage since July 1968, and it served as an example of periodic points in time when mentions of race as the most important problem reach double digits. “Everything else being equal; however, the historical record predicts that race will eventually fall back into its latent status, scoring relatively few mentions as a top-of-mind issue,” Dr. Frank Newport, a Gallup senior scientist, wrote. “This exemplifies the substantial challenge facing leaders who are seeking significant and lasting change in the nation’s race situation. The less top of mind race is as a major problem; presumably, the less likely politicians are going to feel pressure to take action.” A separate poll conducted by the Washington, D.C.-based financial website, WalletHub, staged a deep dive into which political party is best for the country. The poll revealed that overall the economy had performed best under a Democratic presidency and Republican Congress. In the past 70 years, the real Gross Domestic Product has grown fastest under Democratic control of both the executive and legislative branches of government, at an average of 4.22 percent per year, and most slowly under a Democratic presidency and divided Congress, at an average of 2.04 percent per year, the WalletHub survey found. Despite Trump’s seeming obsession with the stock market, Wall Street has performed best under a Democratic presidency and Republican Congress. The S&P 500 produced an average annual return of 16.22 percent, and worst under a Republican presidency and Democratic Congress, with an average yearly return of 4.51 percent. Further, as stimulus talks stall and Trump throws cold water on negotia-

tions, the annual unemployment rate change has had the highest decrease (0.85 percent, on average) under a Democratic presidency and divided Congress. It had the highest increase (0.26 percent, on average) under a Republican presidency and Democratic Congress. According to the survey, the annual poverty rate change has had the highest decrease (0.66 percent, on average) under a Democratic presidency and Republican Congress and the highest increase (0.05 percent, on average) under a Republican presidency and Democratic Congress. The survey also found that the change in annual national debt as a percentage of GDP (adjusted for inflation) has had the highest decrease (0.76 percent, on average) under a Democratic presidency and Republican Congress and the highest increase (2.82 percent) under a Democratic presidency and divided Congress. “I think [Democratic Presidential nominee] Joe Biden will be better for the economy for two reasons. First, he is actually listening to real economists, as far as policymaking is concerned,” said Shantanu Bagchi, a WalletHub expert and associate professor in the Department of Economics at Towson University in Maryland. “He understands the key issues why so many Americans have been cut out from their fair share of economic prosperity and the promise of hard work as a means to a better life.” Bagchi continued: “Second, he is predictable and has a comprehensive vision of how to move the economy forward for everyone. Trump, unfortunately, is more concerned with personal wealth accumulation using the Presidency as a tool. He lacks a basic understanding of economics, does not listen to experts and has no vision of the economy apart from how he and others like him can personally benefit from it.” WI

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NATIONAL

Skipping Debate Leaves Little Doubt about How Unhinged Trump Remains By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer @StacyBrownMedia

Donald Trump’s refusal to participate in the second presidential debate has again fueled chaos in American politics. The president instead plans to hold massive campaign rallies despite his coronavirus diagnosis. The debate was to take place at 9 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 15. Instead, Democratic Nominee Joe Biden will participate in a town hall discussion hosted by ABC News. Trump declined to participate after the Commission on Presidential Debates decided to hold the contest virtually because of the president’s Covid-19 diagnosis. Commission members said they acted to move the debate online on the overwhelming advice of health experts. It’s not yet known if the scheduled third debate on Oct. 22, will happen. “It is now apparent there will be no debate on Oct. 15, and the CPD will turn its attention to preparations for the final presidential debate scheduled for Oct. 22,”

the commission said in a statement. Biden said he was looking forward to the second contest after a bizarre Sept. 29 performance by Trump, who repeatedly ignored a moderator’s request to allow the former vice president to speak uninterrupted. “Vice President Biden looks forward to making his case to the American people about how to overcome this pandemic, restore American leadership and our alliances in the world, and bring the American people together,” Biden campaign spokesman Andrew Bates said in a release. “It’s shameful that Donald Trump ducked the only debate in which the voters get to ask the questions – but it’s no surprise.” Trump’s bailing from the debate follows a week of unhinged activity in which the president called his disease “nothing to be afraid of,” and his aides still criticizing Biden for wearing a mask. Trump’s campaign also blasted Democratic Vice President Nominee Kamala Harris for demanding social distancing and plexiglass to separate her from Vice President Mike Pence during their debate. Dr. Anthony Fauci and some Re-

publicans bristled at Trump’s behavior and callousness before and after becoming infected. “Don’t be afraid of COVID. Don’t let it dominate your life,” Trump bellowed right after leaving Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where he received treatment for COVID-19. The president staged what he apparently hoped was a triumphant return to the White House after exiting the hospital. However, upon arrival, he found a mostly empty White House and that at least 20 members of his inner circle also joined him and First Lady Melania Trump in testing positive for the virus. Agitated by his diagnosis, Trump appeared this week on Rush Limbaugh’s radio show, where he used profanity and attacked Harris, among others, calling the vice-presidential hopeful and accomplished African American senator a “monster.” The strange and unprecedented behavior exhibited by the president continued with his attacks on NBA Superstar LeBron James, referring to the future Hall of Famer as a “hater.” James has continually denounced

the president’s race-baiting and ripped Trump for his refusal to condemn white supremacists. Also, in Trump’s continued assault on fallen military members, he suggested that Gold Star families – those whose relatives have died in conflicts – could have spread the virus at a White House event in September. While the New York Times noted that there’s no evidence for Trump’s claim, Fauci referred to the reception for the president’s Supreme Court

nominee Amy Coney Barrett as a “super spreader” event. More than a dozen people who attended the event has tested positive for Covid-19. “The data speak for themselves,” declared Fauci, a member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force. “We had a super spreader event in the White House, and it was in a situation where people were crowded together and were not wearing masks.” WI

5 In a photo dated April 2020, President Donald J. Trump and Vice President Mike Pence meet with patients who recovered from COVID-19 in the Cabinet Room of the White House. (Courtesy photo/whitehouse.gov)

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Before thousands of Zanzibaris at Kibanda Maiti grounds in Unguja, Hussein Ali Mwinyi, the Zanzibar ruling party Chama Cha Mapinduzi’s presidential candidate, kicked off his election campaign Saturday with a pledge to carry out economic reform and provide ongoing support for the union between the semiautonomous island of Zanzibar and the Tanzanian mainland at a campaign rally. The campaign was launched following the nominations of 17 presidential candidates by the Zanzibar Electoral Commission. Aspects of the economic reform include increasing the scope of revenue collection and jobs in the Isles. Mwinyi also plans to stimulate economic growth via an increase in the annual number of tourists from 500,000 to 850,000. He also promised to build a small port as a step toward reinforcing the fishing industry as well as facilitating access to employment for Zanzibaris through gas and oil investments — with the added potential for productive deals in the sector. Mwinyi also seeks to construct modern ports at Maruhubi and implement the construction of roads and airports as measures to stimulate economic growth. An extra push will be for the construction of factories in Unguja and Pemba whose production activities will employ locally-sourced raw materials and create numerous job openings for the youth on the Isles. WI

caribbean now CARIFESTA XV in Antigua and Barbuda Postponed Until 2022 The Caribbean Festival of Arts, or CARIFESTA, the region’s premier cultural festival, which was scheduled to be held in Antigua and Barbuda in August next year, has been postponed to August 2022. Daryll Matthew, minister of Sports, Culture, National Festivals, and the Arts of Antigua and Barbuda, announced the decision on Oct. 8 at a virtual meeting of the Regional Cultural Committee, CARICOM Today reported. The committee comprises directors of culture from the 20 member states and associate members of CARICOM, as well as members of the Interim Festival Directorate for CARIFESTA. Matthew indicated at the meeting that preparations had already commenced in earnest with the establishment of the CARIFESTA Secretariat and a Host Country Management Committee that had been carrying out their mandate with “enthusiasm, zeal and purpose.” “CARIFESTA provides a platform for our region to showcase to the world the unrivaled prowess of our people,” he said. “As such, Antigua and Barbuda is eager to welcome our Caribbean brothers and sisters to our shores as we demonstrate to the world our capacity for innovation and creativity as we stage this very unique festival.” In replying to the minister’s announcement, Dr. Douglas Slater, assistant secretary-general in charge of human and social development at the CARICOM Secretariat, expressed CARICOM’s appreciation for Antigua and Barbuda’s enthusiasm and commitment to hosting CARIFESTA XV and support for the decision to postpone the festival. WI

VOTE from Page 1 request a mail-in ballot if done before the deadline on Tuesday, Oct. 20. She said voters should receive a ballot prior to Election Day. Registered voters such as Artis Watkins of District Heights drove to Largo and placed his ballot inside the dropoff box. As of Thursday, he joined

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COMPILED BY OSWALD T. BROWN

more than 236,00 residents who have requested mail-in ballots. “I came up here to drop mine off because I don’t trust the [Trump] administration with my mail,” he said. “The ballot was easy to fill out, drop off and to choose [Democratic presidential nominee] Joe Biden.” As of 6:15 p.m. Tuesday, about 11.9 million voters have cast early ballots

nationwide, according to the United States Election Project managed by University of Florida professor Michael McDonald. However, just four years ago, the presidential election, as of Oct. 16, only recorded 1.4 million early votes cast. In terms of political parties from nine

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VOTE Page 34

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OCTOBER 15 - 21, 2020 19

HEALTH COVID-19 UPDATE

FDA Issues Guidance on Emergency Use Authorization for COVID-19 Vaccines Drug Makers Say Medication Will Not Be Ready by Election Day

By Sarafina Wright WI Contributing Writer The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued guidance on emergency use authorization (EUA) for COVID-19 vaccines to further prevent the spread of the disease caused by the coronavirus. The agency said these recommendations apply, as of Oct. 9, to COVID-19 vaccines, which are

complex biological products that are intended to be administered to millions of individuals, including healthy people in an effort to thwart the pandemic. “Being open and clear about the circumstances under which the issuance of an emergency use authorization for a COVID-19 vaccine would be appropriate is critical to building public confidence and ensuring the use of COVID-19 vaccines once available,”

said Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. “The FDA’s new guidance on emergency use authorization of COVID-19 vaccines underscores that commitment by further outlining the process and recommended scientific data and information that would support an emergency use authorization decision.” Under the requirements for the long-awaited EUA, drug makers are to provide data that shows they followed clinical trial participants at least two months after their final vaccine injection. The FDA also wants companies to submit vaccines for authorization only after at least five severe cases of COVID-19 have been seen in volunteers who got the placebo, according to the guidance. “In addition to outlining our expectations for vaccine sponsors, we also hope the agency’s guidance on COVID-19 vaccines helps the public understand our science-based decision-making process that assures vaccine quality, safety and efficacy for any vaccine that is authorized or approved.” The agency says an EUA is a different standard than an approval, as

noted in the June guidance, however, in the case of an investigational vaccine developed for the prevention of COVID-19, both pathways require the submission of data demonstrating any vaccine’s safety and effectiveness. The FDA added that the guidance reiterates that any assessment regarding an EUA will be made on a caseby-case basis considering the target population, the characteristics of the product, the preclinical and human clinical study data on the product and the totality of the available scientific evidence relevant to the product. The guidance for EUA comes almost seven months after the out-

You’re Invited! Open House Event

break of the novel coronavirus that has resulted in more than 37 million global cases and one million plus deaths, according to John Hopkins’ COVID-19 tracker. In the U.S., there have been more than seven million cases and 200,000 deaths. The pandemic presents an extraordinary challenge to global health, according to the FDA. The agency added there are currently no FDA-licensed vaccines to prevent COVID-19, and the EUA policy is intended to remain in effect only for the duration of the public health emergency related to the disease. WI

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EDUCATION Charter Leaders Explore the Complex Question of How to Return By Sam P.K. Collins WI Contributing Writer @SamPKCollins

Since the beginning of the academic year, at least a dozen D.C. charter schools have attempted to maintain a sense of normalcy during the coronavirus pandemic by opening their campuses and facilitating in-person learning plans shaped by D.C. Department of Health (DOH) guidelines and community feedback. Dr. Michelle J. Walker-Davis, the newly installed executive director of the DC Public Charter School Board (DCPCSB) hailed some of those institutions -- including Sojourner Truth Public Charter School, Briya Public Charter School, and the Social Justice Public Charter School -- as examples of how such collaborative efforts can help the District’s more than 120 charter schools balance safety and academic concerns this year. “It has been very challenging for

many students, including our special education population, English language learners, and [other] students who may be already behind,” said Walker-Davis, a veteran education leader and alumna of the Williams administration who assumed the helm of DCPCSB amid discussions about whether students, teachers, and staff members would return to campus this fall. Since July, she has met with school leaders, parent groups, and agency leaders, while also attending ward education council meetings and fostering a relationship with the DC Charter School Alliance, an advocacy organization that represents nearly all the District’s charter schools. “We’ve been encouraging schools to listen to families and listen to what it would take to get back quickly and safely as we can, recognizing that it will look different [for] each school,” Walker-Davis added. “Some schools may choose to take

a virtual stance, and as they bring the students back, they might prioritize the student population that needs in-person learning the most.”

ONGOING QUESTIONS ABOUT SAFETY AND INSTRUCTION

Last week, not long before D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser extended the city’s public health emergency to the end of the year, the DC Department of Health reported the number highest daily COVID-19 cases in four months. While the test positivity rate remains below the threshold of 3 percent, the District experienced a slight increase between mid-September and the beginning of the month. Even so, some charter school students and their public school counterparts have returned, and will return, to their school campuses within the next few weeks amid an ongoing battle between the D.C. Public Schools’ central office and the Washington Teachers’ Union about the conditions under which students and teachers will reenter the classroom. After the closure of some public charter schools, enrollment in the charter sector dropped this academic year for the first time in two decades. Though public charter schools currently teach less than 50 percent of the local student population, COVID-19 has presented challenges for leaders in both sectors. For those in the charter sector, the coronavirus has brought to the forefront conversations about educational inequity, burdens facing those who

work long hours, and the manner in which the PCSB evaluates charter school performance. Earlier this year, DCPCSB announced that , though it would continue to collect data from schools, it would not assign them a tiered rating on the Performance Management Framework (PMF), a tool also referred to as the School Quality Report that has been criticized as detrimental to schools with a high at-risk population. “We continue to value the quantitative and qualitative information in addition to the actual PMF,” Walker-Davis told The Informer as she noted that the board has started conversations about possible changes to the PMF. “We do site reviews that get qualitative information and look at how the school performs in action,” she added.

KEY STAKEHOLDERS WEIGH IN

Earlier this month, the DC Charter School Alliance hosted a virtual forum for At large D.C. Council candidates during which Washington Informer Publisher Denise Rolark Barnes asked

5 Dr. Michelle J. Walker-Davis (Courtesy photo)

the eight who participated questions about virtual learning, educational equity, school choice and other important issues of concern amid a global pandemic and racial turbulence. This meeting of the minds took place days after the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education reported that 20,000 District students hadn’t completed their school registration. Dep-

SCHOOLS Page 44

District Celebrates Milestones Reached by Two Amazing Centenarians Birthday Wishes, Prayers for Many More Go Out to Duo of ‘Super Soul Sisters’

The families and friends of several D.C. residents continue to celebrate the birthdays of two women, both of whom recently marked an historic milestone in their lives – 100 years “young.” Congratulations go out to Mrs. Mary Dixon, born Oct. 19, 1920. She says she loves the Lord and has been a proud member of Bible Way Church of Washington for over 70 years where she remains the oldest missionary. She’s also a beloved grandmother, aunt, great-grandmother, friend and spiritual mother and grandmother. “Happy 100th birthday grandma. We love you,” her loved ones said. Happy Birthday wishes go out to Mrs. Lottie Wright, a longtime librarian, mother of seven sons, grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great grandmother who marked 100 years on Saturday, Oct. 10. She’s lived in the District for more than 70 years, earned degrees from American University and Catholic University and says that she continues to love the Lord. Photos courtesy of the families

22 - OCTOBER 15 - 21, 2020

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WHEN ICONIC MEETS INNOVATIVE THE RESULT IS ELECTRIC!

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OPINIONS/EDITORIALS

EDITORIAL

It’s Only a Myth, Not Historical Fact – Columbus Did Not Discover America How many of you remember a popular rhyme which children learned in the first years of school which went something like this: “In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue?” The saying, which for decades held a prominent place within the canon of recitations that were memorized by every child during their primary grades, served as an integral part of America’s myth behind our nation’s origins. It essentially posited the “historical fact” that North America – specifically the United States, owed its “discovery” to the ingenuity of the Italian explorer – the first reported European to land on our shores after traveling the Atlantic Ocean with his crew on three ships: the Niña, the Pinta and the Santa María. And so, Columbus would soon be lauded as the man who ushered in a new era in human history with statues later erected in his honor and even a national holiday designated to mark his accomplishments. Ironically, historians, either through human error or by design, would fail to note that North America had previously been “discovered” by someone else – people of whom we today refer as Native Americans. Perhaps they failed to make U.S. history books because their skin color did not meet the more “preferred” global standard from yesteryear: “white.” Still, history, by its definition, must not only provide an undisputed record and analysis of past events, but must also be flexible enough to allow for updates or revisions upon the discovery of new details or additional events that further clarify or expand narratives. Fortunately, many more Americans recognize the necessity of reporting and repeating history which is undergirded by facts rather than myths, especially those that have since been proven to be false. Perhaps that’s why Columbus Day, in recent years, has given way in a growing number of U.S. cities, counties and states to Indigenous People’s Day – a counter-celebration which honors Native Americans and commemorates their histories and cultures, still observed on the second Monday of October. Nonetheless, Columbus Day remains a federal holiday, further perpetuating a myth that no longer bears any resemblance to the truth. In holding fast to this narrative which seems to affirm white supremacy, Donald Trump shared his thoughts on Monday, Oct. 12, railing against those who would dispute the myth of Columbus as “radical activists” and “extremists.” “Rather than learn from our history, this radical ideology and its adherents seek to revise it, deprive it of any splendor and mark it as inherently sinister,” Trump said. The Washington Informer finds his summation to be disheartening which further contributes to the disavowal of America’s history that has been shaped due to our uniquely diverse population of citizens. Further, we disagree with the president’s assertion that by adhering to the truth, such Americans are willingly “spreading hate and division.” Here’s the history lesson for today: Columbus did “not” discover America. WI

A Life-Line for D.C.’s Unemployed Workers The District’s unemployment rate continues to rise due to COVID-19, with August’s preliminary job estimates showing a loss of 13,900 for a total of 740,500 jobs. In September, the D.C. Department of Employment Services (DOES) reported a loss of 6,300 private-sector jobs and 7,600 jobs in the public sector. These numbers not only paint a dark picture of the state of unemployment in the District, but they also speak to the overall financial toll the pandemic is having on thousands of District unemployed workers across all eight wards, and the ability of one local agency to manage it. A lifeline for unemployed workers exists, but many are unaware of the D.C. unemployment compensation programs managed by DOES available to them. For example, workers who received unemployment compensation but reached the end of their initial 26 weeks of benefits may still be eligible for an additional 13-week extension. Yet, in D.C., they must apply, unlike in other states where the extension is automatic. Also, there is the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) for self-employed individuals seeking part-time employment, or who otherwise would not qualify for regular unemployment compensation. According to the Department of Labor, to qualify for the 39-week compensation program, one must not be eligible for regular unemployment benefits and be unemployed, partially

TO THE EDITOR Up for Debate I wanted to know if The Washington Informer ever thought about hosting a debate for those running for office locally? I think it would be great to have our Black newspaper give Black ward candidates a chance to speak specifically to our issues unapologetically. I think this will do the community a lot of good when it comes to being informed as voters. Betty Rogers Washington, D.C.

unemployed, or unable or unavailable to work because of certain health or economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. But who knows this? At-Large Councilmember Elisa Silverman, chair of the Committee on Labor and Workforce Development, held a public hearing last month with DOES officials to review their response to the COVID-19 public health emergency. She followed up this week with a letter to Director Unique Morris-Hughes in which she stated, “One of the major takeaways from the testimony is that DOES communications need to be strengthened to help claimants better un-

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A Wealth of Economic Info I truly received valuable information from the Financial Supplement. There was a lot about “new age banking” that I didn’t know and I’m glad I took the time to read and find out more. Financial info is especially important at this time as the pandemic has done a number on many of our finances. Jillian Fletcher Laurel, Md.

derstand both how programs work and how to engage with DOES to iron out issues with their claims.” Workers, she said, “are relying on these funds to survive.” And, she’s correct. We don’t know how long this pandemic will last, nor do we know how much longer these programs will be available to provide much-needed life-support to local workers. What we do know is that the resources are there now, and we support Councilmember Silverman’s persistence in ensuring DOES is fully engaged in informing and meeting the needs of the District’s unemployed workers. WI

OCTOBER 15 - 21, 2020 25

OPINIONS/EDITORIALS Guest Columnist

By Julianne Malveaux

Monsters are Scary. So Are Brilliant Black Women

I was frightened of monsters when I was a child. Not so sure why, but my brother, who loved to plague me, used to tell me they were lurking under my bed. I shook, and I shivered, and I cried for fear that one of those dreaded monsters would rise from under the bed to strangle me. I don’t know what got me over my fear of monsters. Perhaps I realized that my brother got perverse pleasure

by mocking me. In any case, one day, he told me that there was a monster under my bed, and I laughed in his face. And the monster myth lost its hold on me. I got over my fear of monsters, but Donald John Trump is holding on to his fear of his. His demons are brilliant Black women, like Congresswomen Maxine Waters and Fredericka Wilson. He ridicules anyone who opposes him, but he saves his tartest barbs for Black women. We are his monsters, the folks lurking under his bed, inside his consciousness, willing

Guest Columnist

to call him out. According to one dictionary definition, monsters are “a type of grotesque creature, whose appearance frightens and whose powers of destruction threaten the human world’s social or moral order. A monster can also be like a human, but in folklore, they are commonly portrayed as the lowest class, as mutants, deformed, supernatural, and otherworldly.” Monsters, threatening the white male social order. Monsters like the Democratic vice presidential nominee, Sen. Kamala Harris. I wrap myself in the epithet of

monster. Like Harris, I am an otherworldly woman who isn’t supposed to be a Black woman economist. I live to destroy the white male social order; I reject the notion that I am the “lowest social class” or “deformed.” And I embrace the idea of being supernatural and otherworldly. With the roll of my neck, the cut of my eyes, the arch of my brows, I can turn an ignorant white man into New Orleans blanc mélange, just like Senator Harris did a bland Mike Pence when they “debated.” No wonder the best the Orange

Man could come up with was to describe our precious California Senator as a “monster.” No wonder that the best he could do was to describe her as frightening. In so describing her, he revealed his own fright, his fright of a woman so capable, so marvelous that he cowers in the wake of her brilliance. He cringes, and his vice president appears more afraid, so much so that he is too intimidated to allow her to finish a sentence, interrupting her twice as often as she

MALVEAUX Page 45

By Marc H. Morial

Trump Turns His Back on Struggling Americans, Small Businesses, State and Local Governments

“Today’s failure to deliver badly needed fiscal assistance to cities of all shapes and sizes is going to amount to increased job losses, decreased public safety and a greatly impaired economic recovery. Cities across the country have been struggling with budget shortfalls for months as a direct result of the pandemic, and hundreds of bipartisan mayors have been echoing the

call to congressional and administration leaders for an economic lifeline in the form of immediate flexible fiscal relief. The victims of today’s failure will be the American people — residents in cities across the country — led by Republicans, Independents and Democrats — who will see critical services further reduced or eliminated entirely.” — U.S. Conference of Mayors On the same day that Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned that the U.S. economy would face “tragic” consequences without additional fed-

Guest Columnist

eral stimulus, President Trump announced there would be no stimulus until after the election. “I have instructed my representatives to stop negotiating until after the election when, immediately after I win, we will pass a major Stimulus Bill that focuses on hardworking Americans and Small Business,” he tweeted. In response to his recklessness, the stock market plummeted. He immediately backtracked, calling for a bill that would land $1,200 checks emblazoned with his name in

voters’ mailboxes days before they cast their ballots, still refusing to entertain a comprehensive aid package. “All the president wants is his name on a check,” said Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. “We’re here to honor our heroes, crush the virus, put money in the pockets of the American people beyond a check with his name on it.” Last week, the House passed an updated version of the HEROES Act that includes support for small businesses; invests in testing, tracing, and treatment; and provides direct payments of

$1,200 per taxpayer and $500 per dependent. Notably, it includes support for state and local governments — a sticking point for an administration that still thinks it can sabotage Democratic governors and mayors by withholding aid, even as the virus wrecks the economies of Republican-run states and cities as well. Right now, 26 million Americans are receiving unemployment insurance — payments which were drastically

economist. “The WHO warns that this drug used by Trump is a powerful anti-inflammatory for ‘severely ill and critical patients,’ and can also increase viral replication too and make COVID-19 worse.” Richard Stengel, an undersecretary of state in President Barack Obama’s administration and an editor at Time, suggested that Trump’s condition may have approached a fatal point. “I’m not a doctor, but throwing an experimental antibody cocktail, plus dexamethasone, plus remdesivir, plus supplemental oxygen all at the same

time suggests the house was on fire and they had to put it out. Not one of the 7 million Americans infected got the same treatment,” Stengel determined. Dr. Megan Ranney, an emergency physician at the Rhode Island Hospital and an associate professor at Brown University, said dexamethasone could cause psychosis and mania. She also called some of Trump’s behavior, such as the joyride around Walter Reed, “certainly concerning.”

MORIAL Page 45

By Stacy M. Brown

A (White) House in Pandemic Cannot Stand

The virus is “coming from inside the White House,” blared the latest headline from The Atlantic, one of a multitude of news organizations to cover the surreal events surrounding President Donald Trump’s coronavirus diagnosis and subsequent behavior. “Asking whether the celebration of Amy Coney Barrett’s [U.S. Supreme Court] nomination was a ‘su-

26 - OCTOBER 15 - 21, 2020

perspreader’ event misses the point: Trump’s irresponsibility made this crisis likely,” The Atlantic continued. In his motorcade around Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, Trump’s ill-advised ride raised alarm bells inside and out of the White House and is only one incident in many that points to an administration in disarray. Dr. Sean Conley, who heads the White House medical team, told reporters that doctors had begun treating the president with dexamethasone, a steroid that the medical experts

said is usually reserved for those with the most severe cases of COVID-19. Information from the World Health Organization (WHO) notes that dexamethasone can suppress the immune system and is “potentially harmful for patients who take it too early” after their COVID-19 diagnosis. Trump announced a positive test on Oct. 1 and, within two days, began the steroid treatment. “Trump’s dexamethasone drug is risky if used early,” tweeted Dr. Eric Feigl-Ding, epidemiologist and health

BROWN Page 45

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER / WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

OPINIONS/EDITORIALS Guest Columnist

By Barrington M. Salmon

Pushing Back Against NIMBY — Replacing Fear with Facts

The fear and concern the prospect of a reentry facility coming into one’s neighborhood elicits are understandable and normal. Safety is a primary consideration. The idea that someone who was recently behind bars may be living next door can be jarring and unnerving. Our minds often go to the worst-case scenario whether what we’re stewing on is real or imagined.

Another key factor to consider is economic. For example, there is an abiding belief that placing a reentry center in Washington, D.C.’s Ward 7 will have an adverse economic impact on property values and the ward’s economic well-being. Actually, there are several studies which show just the opposite of this line of thinking. The facts are clear, as demonstrated by decades of research: facilities like reentry centers that provide support to underserved populations do not decrease property values.

ers, recovering addicts and others is a pervasive problem despite research documenting favorable outcomes for individuals living in recovery residences. A key to breaking down that resistance is to replace fear with facts, invite neighbors to see the reentry space, familiarize them with the facility’s operations and develop open communications and transparency. Another way to engender community confidence is to partner with trusted stakeholders, advocacy groups and individuals who can vouch for the op-

In one study, researchers reviewed the impact of a leading recovery home provider that offers drug and alcohol support services at 154 locations throughout the U.S. The study found that “no evidence of property devaluation was found” and that “community members … actually saw an increase in property value over an average of 3 years.” The study, titled, “Counteracting ‘Not in My Backyard,’” is found in the Journal of Community Psychology. Resistance to housing for ex-offend-

Guest Columnist

erators of the home and calm residents’ fears about safety and other issues. Researchers in the Journal article argue convincingly, too, that disseminating research findings in forums outside of professional and academic spheres to a broad array of stakeholders is critical. Including policymakers, service providers, professionals, researchers, consumers, and the general public is a critical tool to influence policy, they say. Circulating studies that illustrate the

SALMON Page 46

By John A. Powell and Gary L. Cunningham

America is Ready for a More Equitable Economy and Society

The social ferment we’re seeing in Louisville, Kenosha and many other parts of America is fueled by more than a legitimate revulsion over systemic racism as manifested in discriminatory policing. It has broader underpinnings, led by widespread frustrations with economic inequality. We believe a substantial portion of Americans, and not just communities of color, support stronger government efforts to narrow these inequality gaps

and create a world that works for everyone. And we have survey data to prove it. For instance, we’ve found that most Americans support guaranteeing a job for those able and willing to work; suspending rent and mortgage payments (without requiring repayment) for the remainder of this pandemic-wracked year; expanding the Child Tax Credit to provide a refund for children in all low-income families; and mandating

that employers follow fair hiring practices that remove barriers to employing people with a criminal history after they have served their sentences. These are among the findings from a nationwide survey of 1,000 adults, and an additional oversample of 400 Black adults, conducted Aug. 28-Sept 1 by Lake Research Partners. It was commissioned by the Othering & Belonging Institute at the University of California at Berkeley and Prosperity Now. The over-sampling of Blacks is needed to obtain statistically reliable results for a group typically underrepresented in surveys.

Askia-At-Large

Th survey found substantial support for a range of possible reforms. The idea of increasing taxes on large corporations to provide grants to Black entrepreneurs was backed by 68 percent of Black respondents, 51 percent of Latinx and 43 percent of white respondents. Also, 71 percent of Blacks support providing payments to Black Americans as restitution for slavery and generations of discriminatory policies, while 24 percent of whites do. The survey found widespread support, across all ethnic groups, for police reforms that might avert future atroci-

ties such as the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. It showed that nearly three-fourths of Black Americans, two-thirds of Latinxs, and three-fifths of whites said they would place a high priority on “having community-resource professionals like social workers, paramedics, or mental health workers respond alongside police officers in encounters involving homelessness, drug addiction, mental illness, or nonviolent offenses.” Smaller majorities of these ethnic groups also supported an alternative

POWELL Page 46

By Askia Muhammad

The Meltdown of Donald J. Trump

If the life we’re living in real time in the U.S. today was a fictional horror movie, it might star Vincent Price as the madman, Donald J. Trump. Washington, 2020 is like Price’s film “The House of Wax,” a 1953 classic which comes from the era to which the Trumpster would like to Make America Like Again. In the gory end of the movie, the monster’s wax face melts in a

fiery salvation for mankind. Like “Wax” or “The Blob,” — where a gelatinous mound crawls the countryside, consuming white suburbanites and growing bigger with each conquest — every really horrible horror movie requires a morally reprehensible villain, who lives only for his own survival, his own gluttony, which puts humanity at-large in grave danger. The Donald is just such a loathsome specimen. The monster must be repugnant to the core and visually displeasing, so that whenever it appears on screen, creepy

music is heard automatically, and our first instinct is to turn and look away from it. Check. In zombie movies, or invasion of pod-creature movies, the villain appears to be a normal human, while he is a secret “superspreader,” infecting normal people, turning them into beings infected by his essence, which has an odd, alien name, like COVID-19. But we, the viewers see the dastardly scheme, and root for its destruction. Check. But what Hollyweird writer would ever have been so clever as to disguise

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM / THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

the monster as the POTUS — president of the United States — and make his infected wife a former nude model who snuck into the country on a fake visa and then tricked the Immigration and Naturalization Service into granting her citizenship, while smuggling her entire family into the country as well? Brilliant. But truth is stranger than fiction, and we do have a super-spreader, Coronavirus-in-Chief occupying the highest office in the land. He decrees maddening executive orders and brandishes the

papers — even blanks — with his signature on them like they are works of art. He signs peoples’ bibles and he tosses rolls of paper towels to hurricane victims like they are prized collectibles. He was impeached, but a kangaroo-court jury permitted him to remain in office, as though it was his accusers who committed his crimes. Even before they get inoculated with his disease, his followers line up, shoulder to shoulder, just to get a glimpse

ASKIA Page 46 OCTOBER 15 - 21, 2020 27

LIFESTYLE MARCH from Page 1 “What I remember most was the tremendous support for the Million Man March from The Honorable Mayor Marion Barry and the City of

the District of Columbia that involved every city agency,” Chavis reminisced. Chavis remembered that the D.C. Local Organizing Committee met twice a week for five months leading up to the Oct. 16 March.

5 Black men raise their hands in solidarity during the Million Man March in October 1995. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

In reporting on the event, the Nation of Islam’s official website noted that “there was a sea of Black men, many who stood for 10 hours or more sharing, learning, listening, fasting, hugging, crying, laughing and praying. The day produced a spirit of brotherhood, love, and unity – like never experienced among Black men in America. “All creeds and classes were present: Christians, Muslims, Hebrews, Agnostics, nationalists, pan-Africanists, civil rights organizations, fraternal organizations, rich, poor, celebrities and people from nearly every organization, profession, and walk of life were present. It was a day of atonement, reconciliation and responsibility,” the statement read. While some estimates placed the attendance at about 500,000, others suggested as many as 1.7 million attended. Impressively, Chavis attested that the march received very little pushback, not even with Minister Farrakhan’s involvement. “Minister Farrakhan’s leadership of the Million Man March was not a problem or issue for D.C. officials,” he said. “However, the mainstream media publications, TV and radio in D.C., Maryland and Virginia were all mainly publishing and broadcasting negative and counterproductive news coverage about the Million Man March days before, on the day of and days after the march,” he pronounced. “It was, however, the Black Press of

America via the National Newspaper Publishers Association [NNPA], and especially The Washington Informer, The Washington Afro, The Afro in Baltimore, The Baltimore Times, The Journal and Guide in Norfolk and the Richmond Free Press who covered the Million Man March truthfully, accurately and authentically,” he stated. Throughout most of his life, Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., has marched for justice, freedom and equality. The civil rights icon, who serves as president and CEO of the NNPA and host of the Public Broadcasting Service show, “The Chavis Chronicles,” began his life of service as a youth coordinator for the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. A North Carolina native and member of the famed Wilmington 10, Chavis formerly served as president of the NAACP and co-founded the HipHop Summit Action Network. In the immediate aftermath of the 1995 March, Black-on-Black crime reportedly decreased to an all-time low in the District and across the country. The immediate results of the march proved impressive. Following the event, 1.7 million Black men registered to vote and the NAACP, along with numerous Black churches and civic organizations, reported major increases in membership. Additionally, in the weeks following the March, the National Association of Black Social Workers reportedly re-

ceived more than 13,000 applications from families of color seeking to adopt African-American children. The now legendary event also inspired the Million Woman March, Million Father March and the Million Hoodie March, the latter in support of justice for Trayvon Martin. In 2011, a Million Man March in Tahrir Square took place in Egypt, demanding the resignation of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. While one scholar recently referred to the original Million Man March as an act of solidarity and commitment in the Black community that’s been difficult to replicate, Chavis lamented that crime among those in the Black community has surged once more. He said many have forgotten or are unaware of the message of the March. “The mission and message of the Million Man March are needed again today as it was an effective mission and message 25 years ago,” he said. “We do not need to repeat history necessarily. However, what is needed today is to learn from our history in America and throughout the world.” “When Black people come together in greater unity to end poverty, oppression and self-destruction, we will have the ability and the power to build stronger Black families, communities, businesses and lasting institutions that will all serve together to mitigate and to seriously decrease Black-on-Black crime and all other forms of Black self-destruction,” he said. WI

Black Brothers from the DMV Remember 1995: ‘We Were Part of History’ Local African-American Men Share Memories of Million Man March, Twenty-five Years Later By Hamil Harris WI Contributing Writer

CHUCK HICKS

“During the 1963 March on Washington, local Blacks were warned to stay away but we refused to do the same during the Million Man March. Black men came from everywhere because we understood that no matter where we lived, we were all facing the same challenges as Black men,” said Hicks, 75, whose father, Bob Hicks, was the founder for the local chapter of a group called The Deacons for Defense, who carried guns to protect their community and marchers from angry and often violent whites. “Mayor Marion Barry, after hearing me talk about my father’s work and upon the advice of Ben Chavis, put me on the executive board for the March.

28 - OCTOBER 15 - 21, 2020

I was then council president of the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees for D.C.’s government employees comprised of 22 locals representing 22,000 employees excluding police, firemen and teachers.” “None of the major unions nationwide endorsed the March because Farrakhan and the Muslims were spearheading it. But because Chavis was in charge, our union chose to become the host union for union locals. Many locals who were predominantly Black came by the thousands from New York, Chicago, Detroit and California and it made a big difference.” “Black men identified that this was something for us. The important thing about the March was it brought one million black men together without the help of whites. It made us feel like

human beings, like men and good about ourselves. We got a lot of support from Black women who talked with pride about their men who attended. They stayed home so their men could have their day.” “When I spoke at the March and saw military men, gay men, brothers in suits and college men, a wonderful feeling that came me – over everyone. It’s 25 years later but like that sign which was carried by sanitation workers in Memphis during their strike in 1968 which read, “I Am a Man,” Black men are still exclaiming the same thing – reminding one another, the nation and the world that we matter.”

Officer Kevin Brittingham, 51, arrived at work around 3 a.m. on the morning of the Million Man March. “I just remember the atmosphere and a calming energy as hundreds of buses filled with Black men of all ages arrived and the love that was being spread. Now, 25 years later, I’m saddened about what has happened since that day. Minister Farrakhan got us to come together without incident. It was all about brotherly love. We need to recapture that spirit again.”

MPD OFFICER KEVIN BRITTINGHAM

Scott Bishop, 72, worked with the D.C. Local Organizing Committee during the Million Man March. The father of three boys and two girls said

Metropolitan Police Department

D.C. COMMUNITY ORGANIZER SCOTT BISHOP

he was still mobilizing people on the evening before the March. “Marion Barry had us rounding up people and loading up buses for the March but by the time the sun had come up, folks were already coming into the city on their own buses. But the only way they could get downtown was by walking. It looked like two million people out there. The March changed my life and afterwards I opened a non-profit. It showed me that I could work in the Black community and gave me a sense of pride after seeing Blacks from all walks of life came to the event.”

KYLE MCAFEE

“There were hundreds of vendors at the Million Man March,” said McAfee, 66, from Temple Hills who was

MARCH Page 30

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Black Women’s Clubs were Formed to Push the Suffrage Movement By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer @StacyBrownMedia Emblazoned on the home page of the National Women’s History Museum’s website and under the tab the National Association of Colored Women (NACW) are the powerful words of African American suffragist Frances Ellen Watkins Harper. “No race can afford to neglect the enlightenment of its mothers.” Black women like Harper, Sojourner Truth, and Harriet Tubman participated in women’s rights movements throughout the nineteenth century, the museum noted in tribute. “Despite their efforts, Black women were often excluded from organizations and their activities. Black female reformers understood that in addition to their sex, their race significantly affected their rights and available opportunities,” historians at the museum wrote. “White suffragists and their organizations ignored the challenges that African American women faced. They chose not to integrate issues of race into their campaigns.” In the 1880s, Black reformers began organizing their own groups. In 1896, they founded the NACW, which became the largest federation of local black women’s clubs. Suffragist Mary Church Terrell became the first president of the NACW. “Suffrage was an important goal for Black female reformers. Unlike predominantly white suffrage organizations, however, the NACW advocated for a wide range of reforms to improve life for African Americans,” the historians continued. “Mary Church Terrell strove to cre-

ate a country in which young Black women could grow up expecting to vote and be full citizens, to be free from sexual assaults and constant aspersions regarding their sexual purity, as well as to be free of the contradictory but equally pernicious stereotype of the asexual, subservient ‘Black Mammies,’” Alison M. Parker, history depart- 5 NACW gathering. (Photo courtesy of Pinterest) ment chair and Richards Professor of American History at roots organizations primarily made up the University of Delaware, wrote in an middle-class women, provided services, email to the Washington Informer. financial assistance, and moral guidThe author of “Unceasing Militant: ance for the poor,” the California histoThe Life of Mary Church Terrell,” rians wrote. Parker noted how Terrell picketed the Women involved in the club moveWhite House with Alice Paul’s Nation- ment gained knowledge about educaal Woman’s Party. tion, health care, and poverty and de“She consistently pushed white veloped organizing skills. women to understand the intercon“Although organizations existed all nections between race and gender that over the country, they were concentratunderpinned Black women’s suffrage ed mainly in the Northeast. New York activism,” Parker submitted. City clubwomen followed Ida B. Wells’ According to the Women’s Museum political activism against lynching. of California, the segregation of Black Teachers concerned about children women into distinct clubs produced and their problems dominated the vibrant organizations that promised ra- Washington, D.C. movement while cial uplift and civil rights for all African other chapters supported homes for the Americans and equal rights for women. aged, schools, and orphanages. Although Black women lacked “It was important for Black wommoney, they managed through their en to form their own clubs during missionary societies and their clubs – the fight for women’s suffrage. In the through church participation and civ- 19th century, Elizabeth Cady Stanton ic engagement – to bind together the fought for women’s rights, but notoriBlack community, historians for the ously contradicted herself when asked if Women’s Museum of California noted. Black women should be able to vote,” “Many of the groups grew out of stated author and entrepreneur Chrisreligious and literary societies as a response to intensified racism. The grassSUFFRAGE Page 43

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LIFESTYLE

MARCH from Page 28 working as a T-shirt and button vendor and set up his merchandise outside of the Stadium-Armory Metro Station. “It was worth it as hundreds of buses just kept coming. In my 40 years of vending and that includes big events like the Super Bowl, the Million Man March had the most people I have ever seen – it was the most prosperous event in my life. We sold out in record time and it looked like everyone was wearing something that we had provided.”

ALVIN THORNTON

5 An historic gathering of proud, Black men. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

In 1995, Prince George’s County Board of Education President Alvin Thornton had just become the chairman of the Political Science Department at Howard University and says the March was an unforgettable experience. “I walked with a group of Howard students to the March and what you

saw was an attempt to bring together Black men. It was a moment in the middle of the 1990’s that brought Black leaders together across the ideological divide so we could formulate an agenda to address the factors plaguing the Black male in America. After the March, the National Mall was spotless – not one piece of paper could be found. It showed me that Black male behavior and culture can be purified in our fight for social justice in a spirit of peace.”

THE REV. GRAINGER BROWNING, PASTOR, EBENEZER AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

“More than 1,000 men from our church attended the Million Man March and it was a life-changing event. There no crime, in fact the crime rate went down. Gangs put aside their beefs. It impacted every aspect of their lives. It affirmed us as Black men and it was probably the most affirming moment in American history for Black men.” “During the 10th anniversary of the Million Man March, we hosted an ecumenical service with Minister Farrakhan and we were blessed as 600 Muslims and 1,000 Christians, men and women, came together in a sign of unity. Dr. Cornel West and Tavis Smiley led the way. As for the first March, I don’t think that we will ever the likes of it again – one of the

largest events in history and it was just Black men – all on one accord.”

HAMIL R. HARRIS

“It is hard to believe that it has been 25 years since that cool, October morning when I arrived and stood on the press risers at the U.S. Capitol. The sun rose over the National Mall as if God had pulled back the curtain and showed a warm sea of African-American men in a light brighter than we’d ever been portrayed on television, in the movies or on the nightly news. There was no need for the police or the secret service. The FOI (Fruit of Islam) were patting down everything moving while the women dressed like nuns and called the Vanguard were moving to their assigned places.” “The managing editor of the Washington Post, Len Downie, said he didn’t think there’d be more than 200,000 people – the mark set during the 1963 March on Washington – but after writing stories for months leading up to the event, I knew better. Yes, there were a million men on the Mall that day. As legions of African-American men continued to arrive on a sea of endless buses, I called Downie and said, ‘Come see this for yourself,’ which he did. Black men from D.C. and from all over America marched across bridges, walked down city streets, came in cars, some even got here by boat and all I remember is my face swelling up with tears as a wave of emotions swept through me.” WI

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LIFESTYLE

DC Black Repertory Company’s Alums to Celebrate 49th Anniversary Mayor Bowser Joins Festivities with Proclamation Honoring Company and Robert Hooks By D. Kevin McNeir WI Editor @dkevinmcneir The DC Black Repertory Company Alumni Association and Multi-Media Training Institute continue with final preparations for programs designed to recognize the 49th Anniversary of the DC Black Repertory Company and will include a tribute to one of the District’s most celebrated residents honored annually in October – Robert Hooks Day. The signature event, “Black Theatre Matters: Honoring Our Past, Defining Our Future,” will include live musical and theatrical productions, saluting the achievements of the following D.C. legends: internationally-acclaimed Sweet Honey in the Rock; Charles Augins, director, teacher, dancer and choreographer; Dr. Calvin Rolark, publisher and philanthropist; and Mike Hodge, actor and former Screen Actors Guild Association president of New York City. Rolark and Hodge will be honored posthumously. In 2018, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser designated Oct. 18 as Robert Hooks Day, honoring both Hooks, a native son of the District, and the company he founded 49 years ago. This year, Hooks, along with four luminary leaders touted as integral members of the Company, will be saluted in a virtual zoom celebration on Sunday, Oct. 18 from 6 to 8 p.m. The Rev. Rhonda McLean-Nur, an acclaimed storyteller and president of

the Alumni Association, said lifting the legacy of those who have come through the doors of the Company before making their mark in the world remains one of the goals this year. “We want to showcase some of the talented people who have been among our members and let our supporters know what those who are still living are doing today,” she said. “In addition, we are committed to continuing our efforts which support Black theater in D.C. and around the country and further promote the training, mentoring and tutoring of our youth through local partnerships. It’s important that we keep the arts and live theatre alive in D.C.” Toni Keene-Manago, Alumni board member and secretary to the Association, said she hopes that today’s youth will one day have memories which reflect her own unforgettable experiences as an actress and member of the Repertory. “I realize coronavirus has radically changed the landscape for live theatre but with zooms and other forms of technology, we can still provide plays, readings and even screenings set up in our homes,” she said. “It’s different and difficult but not impossible.” “Young people need to know that The DC Black Repertory Company has been the training ground and home for some of the nation’s best performers on Broadway, on the silver screen and on stage. Under Robert Hook’s tutelage, you didn’t just show up and try your hand at acting. You

had to be prepared to follow a strict regimen. Only those able to remain committed for the long haul and infused with true desire completed the arduous training process,” she said. During the evening celebration, there will also be a discussion, “Systemic Racism in American Theatre,” with Hooks, legendary producer Woodie King, Jr. and others, moderated by Katea Stitt of WPFW FM 89.3 radio station and the Accomplice Leadership Institute, a program of the Arts Administrators of Color. Lyn Dyson, a Howard University graduate and actor, instructor and former executive director for the Rep-

ertory, used his theatrical acumen in 1982 when he founded Multi-Media Training Institute. His business, while based on the format of the Repertory, promoted training in the media arts and digital production. He said he remains committed to empowering youth in the media arts to speak truth and justice for all people. “The evening will illustrate the lives of people who came out of the D.C. area in the arts and have made major contributions in the world,” Dyson said. “Without the assistance some of our honorees provided, like Dr. Rolark, the Repertory may have never survived its early years.”

“As for the discussion on systemic racism, young folks need to know that it remains, unfortunately, a barrier and a challenge for all of us who are part of the long and historic tradition of Black theatre. With the pandemic, we’ve examined other ways to challenge injustice including a recently-produced show on Shirley Chisholm and a radio drama program that’s now in the works.” To register for the celebration, go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/celebrating-the-49th-anniversary-dc-black-repcompany-and-robert-hooks-day-tickets-121241060275, or www.mmtidc.org. For information by telephone, call (202)-656-7140. WI

The DC Black Repertory Company – Alumni Association and Multi-Media Training Institute present

BLACK THEATRE MATTERS Honoring Our Past, Defining Our Future … Celebrating the 49th Anniversary of The DC Black Repertory Company and a Tribute to Robert Hooks Day Sunday, October 18th 2020, 6 to 8 pm

Honoring

Charles Augins

Sweet Honey in The Rock

Robert Hooks Michael Hodge

Special Event

A Panel Discussion on Systemic Racism in American Theater will feature producer/director/actor Robert Hooks and legendary producer Woodie King, Jr. and other notable guests a Live Zoom broadcast Moderated by: WPFW’s Katea Stitt

Calvin Rolark

PERFORMING TRIBUTES BY LOCAL AND NATIONAL ARTISTS Suggested donation $4.90 allows access to the virtual celebration. https://mmtidc.org Click the link for more information on the celebration or call: DCBR Answering Service (202)656-7140

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM / THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

OCTOBER 15 - 21, 2020 31

LIFESTYLE

Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum - Home Made: John N. Robinson’s Portraits of D.C. Life Jennifer Sieck, Collections Researcher What does “home” mean, as we enter our seventh month of staying home to stop the coronavirus’s spread? Is home a source of solace, stress, or both, at times? The Anacostia Community Museum’s collection includes portraits that welcome us into the home of John N. Robinson, an artist who lived in Anacostia for over seventy years. Robinson made art at home about what he deeply cherished. His selection of subjects and settings, from family and community members to landscapes and lilacs, reflect his regard for people and places near him. Home inspired Robinson to create. His family members often posed for portraits. The resulting images portray the sitters as well as their relationship with the artist. For example, this portrait of Robinson’s son, Pete, radiates connection between parent and child. The viewer learns that the Robinson home is a place where individuals can be truly seen. Decades later, the artist confirmed his perceptive depiction of the smiling toddler, writing (Link address for John N. Robinson, A Retrospective (1976): https://bit.ly/RobinsonCatalogue) “…my youngest son, his personality hasn’t changed, he’s still happy-go-lucky.” Robinson’s respect, almost reverence, for his subjects also extends outside of his family. One of his most celebrated portraits depicts a woman named Maude Jones, who sat for him several Sundays at his home. Robinson noted that Jones “sold newspapers on New York Avenue and came up around the Outdoor Art Fairs; she wanted to have herself painted with the Bible but disappeared before I completed this portrait.” In the oil painting, Jones appears to be at home, in dual senses. She sits comfortably and as if she is reading in her own living room. Literal threads linking these portraits can be found in the furnishings. Jones sits in the floral upholstered chair pictured behind Pete. The colorful carpet also recurs in the paintings. Like the elegant rug, home offers grounding as well as beauty for Robinson, who recognized the everyday as a renewable

32 - OCTOBER 15 - 21, 2020

resource for sparking creativity. He once commented, “Our house is surrounded by lilacs, and I got in the habit of painting them every year since we moved in over forty years ago.” Finally, Robinson’s artwork shows us another portrait, one of the painter himself. He identified foremost as an artist, though his primary income came from working as a cook at nearby St. Elizabeth’s Hospital for over thirty years. Born in 1912 in Georgetown, he moved to Anacostia in the late 1920s. He began to paint at age twelve and briefly studied art with Professors James V. Herring and James A. Porter at Howard University. His portraits documented daily life in Washington, D.C. and won acclaim in an era when few galleries exhibited artwork by African Americans. Robinson also participated in outdoor art fairs held in D.C. parks,

and he was a member of the D.C. Artist Association, a nonprofit organization dedicated to art education. In 1994, he passed away at the age of 82. An object crafted at home, but, more so, with care, takes on the special quality of being homemade. In this sense, Robinson’s finely honed portraits epitomize “homemade.” As we head into a new definition of being “home for the holidays,” one way to honor Robinson’s legacy is by crafting a portrait of someone or something in your home. To learn more about John N. Robinson and creating your own portrait, visit the related Smithsonian Learning Lab (Link address for Learning Lab: https:// bit.ly/RobinsonLab), Home Made: Portraits of Family and Community by Washington, D.C. Artist John N. Robinson. WI

5 The facade of Ford’s Theatre in Northwest – the building in which President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. (Courtesy photo)

Ford’s Theatre Society, National Park Service Announce Phased Reopening

Tickets for Museum, Theatre Available Online Beginning Wed. Oct. 14 WI Staff Report

5 Pete, 1942, John N. Robinson. Collection of the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum, Smithsonian Institution. Link address for Pete: https://bit.ly/PeteRobinson

5 Reading the Bible (Maud Jones), 1940, John N. Robinson. Collection of Anacostia Community Museum, Smithsonian Institution. Link address for Reading the Bible (Maude Jones): https://bit.ly/MaudeJones

5 In the Studio, 1945, John N. Robinson. Smithsonian Institution Archives. Link address to blog post in which image appears: https://bit.ly/ RobinsonStudio

Ford’s Theatre Society and the National Park Service [NPS] recently announce a phased reopening schedule for Ford’s Theatre and the Ford’s Theatre Museum beginning Wed., Oct. 14, with advance tickets required and now available online. Following the initial opening, Ford’s Theatre and its museum will operate with a modified schedule for daytime visitation on Wednesdays through Sundays with required advance tickets for timed entry for both venues. Adhering to capacity policies set forth by DC Health, a maximum number of 25 visitors per hour will be permitted in the building during this stage of reopening. Visits to Ford’s Theatre will be self-guided while NPS ranger talks will not be scheduled during this initial reopening stage. The Petersen House (The House where Lincoln Died) and the Aftermath Exhibits at the Center for Education and Leadership remain closed. “For the last several months, Ford’s Theatre Society and the National Park Service have been working together to adjust our visitor experience to meet new health and safety guidelines. We are excited to welcome you

back to the historic site and share Lincoln’s legacy with you. We also appreciate that not everyone will be ready or able to join us in person. We continue to offer a variety of virtual programming, bringing Ford’s programming directly to you,” said Ford’s Theatre Director Paul R. Tetreault. “Ford’s Theatre is a must-see for any trip to our nation’s capital, providing insight into the far- reaching and profound consequences that President Lincoln’s assassination and death had, and continues to have, on our nation,” said Jeff Reinbold, superintendent of National Mall and Memorial Parks. “Working with public health officials and our partners at Ford’s Theatre Society, we are pleased to reopen the historic theatre and museum while providing for the health and safety of our staff and visitors.” To see a full list of policies, visit www.fords.org/welcome-back. To participate in bi-weekly live discussions with artists, historians and thought leaders, visit www.fords.org/ visit/virtual-events-and-special-tours/ cabinet-conversations. For more information on Ford’s Theatre and the Ford’s Theatre Society, visit www.fords.org. WI

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LIFESTYLE

City Battles New Pandemic of Domestic Violence-Related Homelessness By Lindiwe Vilakazi WI Contributing Writer

Amid the economic, health, and educational uncertainties caused by the coronavirus, an equally virulent pandemic co-exists: the increased instances of intimate partner violence. On average, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner or parent in the United States. In a single year, this equates to more than 10 million women, men, and children. Additionally, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men experience severe intimate partner physical violence, sexual violence, or intimate stalking. And with schools, businesses, and many outreach services shuttered under COVID-19 mandates, the sudden spike in homelessness among survivors of domestic and intimate partner violence has pushed outreach agencies into new territory. Organizations, including Network for Victim Recovery of D.C., Victim Legal Network of D.C., and The Safe Sisters Circle, have shifted most of

in-person intake services to tele-counseling and intake models, but insists their ability to meet the needs of clients has not been compromised. Koube Ngaaje, executive director of the District Alliance for Safe Housing, said the level of violence has almost become a second pandemic with the organization witnessing higher lethality and sexual assault cases since the pandemic began. “How that pans out means that the survivors, and families now have fewer options to escape while they are trapped at home with abusers. That means that our program advocates are providing more safety planning with survivors who are trapped indoors,” Ngaaje said. At the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak while the city was in full quarantine, DASH continued to work diligently in building new partnerships to foster greater access of services and needs with community staples including the D.C. Central Kitchen, and other District mental health services for survivors.

DASH continues to facilitate patient check-ins and provides assistance packages to abuse victims, including stipends ranging from $100 to $2,200 to provide survivors a cushion to help them relocate if fleeing from an abusive environment without adequate resources. Dr. Allison Jackson, division chief of the Child and Adolescent Protection Center at Children’s National Hospital said that many variables contribute to the rise in violence under COVID-19 quarantine, including the anxiety and frustration children experience while separated from peers and financial insecurities faced by parents. Those anxieties and frustrations create hostile family environments, that ripple into acts of violence. “We know that there is a co-occurrence between domestic violence and child abuse. So, homes where one is taking place are very likely to have the other,” Jackson said. “Of those children that we are seeing, I would say that the severity of what we’re witnessing has increased. Compared to the

same period -- March through August in 2019, we’ve had about a 30 percent increase in the number of severely injured children.” As many women and children flee these situations under duress and without a plan, homelessness deepens. Such was the case more than 50 years ago when Wilma Walker fled her abusive husband with her four children in tow during the D.C. race rebellion following Dr. King’s assassination. While the situation was not a pandemic, it was dire. Walker found herself locked down and under martial law. “There was no plan and I needed to get from upper Northwest to Virginia to my sister’s home. We ran through alleys and eventually a cop stopped us and seeing my bruises, drove us into Arlington,” Walker, 80, said. “It breaks my heart to think that women being beat up like I was are stuck in the house with their tormenters under this virus. These organizations are lifelines.” Aid organizations insist that there are still methods to ensure – even un-

der coronavirus quarantine, those in need can access help. For instance, DASH operates the largest housing program for survivors of domestic violence in the District of Columbia – Cornerstone, a 42-unit apartment building. Through community collaborations they have welcomed several new resident survivors into the dwelling during the pandemic, providing a two-year period, covered in cost, for survivors to regroup as they transition into a hopeful ending. “Between our staff, our board, our volunteers - there is a very strong sense of resiliency within the organization, and to continue to serve our mission in the community really has stepped up to provide the finances to sustain the work that we do during this time,” Ngaaje said. This article is part of the Washington Informer’s 2020 contribution to the DC Homeless Crisis Reporting Project in collaboration with other local newsrooms. The collective works will be published throughout the day at DCHomelessCrisis.press. WI

BUILD BACK BETTER

JOBS AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY AGENDA Joe Biden believes we cannot build back better without a major mobilization of effort and resources to advance racial equity across the American economy. Visit joebiden.com/racial-economic-equity to learn more PAID FOR BY BIDEN FOR PRESIDENT WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM / THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

OCTOBER 15 - 21, 2020 33

LIFESTYLE

VOTE from Page 18 states including Maryland, Democrats have returned about 3 million ballots while Republicans have recorded 1.2 million ballots. “Yes, the numbers are very good for Biden. The campaign has to be pleased since they can leverage the banked voters to more efficiently re-target their supporters who have not voted yet,” McDonald wrote Sunday, Oct. 11. “However, it is very likely Republicans will show up in force to vote in-person.”

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34 - OCTOBER 15 - 21, 2020

Most judicial contests in Maryland are either uncontested or laid-back races with voters usually choosing the incumbents to remain on the bench. But that’s not the case this year in the Prince George’s County Circuit Court judicial race. A Democratic sample ballot mailed to households throughout the county continues to frustrate some voters and one of the six judicial candidates, April Ademiluyi, for several reasons: the ballot asks fellow Democrats to choose incumbent Jared Michael McCarthey, a registered Republican; and some consider the phrase underneath the judicial box which reads “Judicial Candidates Run on a Non-Partisan Basis” as illegal since judicial candidates run “partisan” contests. “If you have any political advertisement that is misleading, it creates confusion among voters,” said Ademiluyi, 39, an attorney who practices real estate and intellectual property and is running in her third judicial contest. “You can’t justify it and assume voters know.” Another candidate who has engineered an independent campaign, Gladys Weatherspoon, has 25 years of experience as a defense

attorney with an office in Largo. The remaining three candidates in the judicial race are incumbents: Wyntonja Curry, ShaRon M. Grayson Kelsey and Cathy Serrette. Gov. Larry Hogan announced the appointments of Curry, Kelsey and McCarthy to the bench in November 2018. Serrette has served as a judge for more than 15 years. The top five chosen in next month’s election will serve on the bench for 15 years. Similar circuit court contests continue in neighboring Anne Arundel and Montgomery counties. More significant for Tamara Davis Brown, a lawyer and community activist living in Clinton, all five women running in the judicial race are registered Democrats. “As Democrats, if you choose to vote solely for Democrats, then you should NOT vote for McCarthy,” Davis Brown wrote Sept. 25 on her Facebook page and in an email sent to registered Democrats in the county. Sharon Willis of Fort Washington said filling in bubbles on a sample ballot “is deceptive” and believes it’s against state law based on subsection 16-206 under “Offenses as to ballots and balloting in general.” Number four in the section states a person may not “induce or attempt to induce a voter to mark the voter’s ballot in a certain way.” “Using a sample ballot and filling in the candidate you think voters should choose is wrong. That says you don’t trust the voters,” she said. “The Prince George’s County Board of Elections website has a sample ballot. Use that. Anything short of that ballot is deceptive.” For the complete report go to our website, www.washingtoninformer.com WI

Maryland Deadlines for Nov. 3 General Election • Oct. 20 – Last day to request a mail-in ballot • Early voting – Oct. 26 to Nov. 2. Polls open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. • Election Day – Nov. 3. Polls open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. • Prince George’s County voting sites can be found at https://bit.ly/3nMRvIO. For more information in Prince George’s, go to https://www.princegeorgescountymd.gov/559/Board-of-Elections. For more information in state of Maryland, go to https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2020/index.html#vote_ election_day.

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LIFESTYLE

wi book review “Bunheads” By Misty Copeland, illustrated By Setor Fiadzigbey 32 pages c.2020, Putnam $17.99 / $23.75 Canada

By Terri Schlichenmeyer WI Contributing Writer These days, helping others is on point. It’s the best thing to do – not just for them, but for you. Everybody’s happy when you work together because it makes the task a little easier, and learning is better when you teach one another as you go. Helping others is right on point and, in the new book “Bunheads” by Misty Copeland, illustrated by Setor Fiadzigbey, it’s more fun, too. Everyone was really excited when Miss Bradley made her announcement at the beginning of dance class. She said they were going to perform the ballet Coppélia, a tale of a toymaker, a beautiful doll, a boy named Franz, and his jealous girlfriend, Swanilda. It was a dramatic tale and little Misty couldn’t wait to dance that ballet. This, in fact, would be her first big dance and she very much wanted to be Swanilda. But before she could do that, she had to try out for the role, just like all the other girls in ballet class. There were a lot of different dances to know and she’d have to do them all perfectly, from the easy développé to tendu front, to the very hard-to-do pas de bourrée. Misty’d never danced like that before, but as Miss Bradley called Misty and a girl named Cat up to the front of the room, she said Misty was “very good.” Miss Bradley asked Cat to show Misty the first part of the Coppélia. Misty was so excited! Even the name, pronounced “Co-pay-lee-ah,” sounded “magical and full of mystery!” But the next day, began Misty to have her doubts. Cat was really good. What if she wanted the part of Swanilda, too? How could Misty ever compete with anyone so talented? As the other dancers filed into class, Cat and Misty stuck together. Cat began to teach Misty more moves, and it was so much fun but everyone in ballet class, it seemed, wanted to dance the Coppélia. Misty could predict that Cat would definitely be in the ballet because nobody was a better dancer. But would Misty land a part, too? At the risk of being a spoiler, there’s a happy ending to “Bunheads,” but you probably already knew that, whether you’re a patron of the ballet or not. Which brings us to the meat of this book: the title, referring to hairstyle, is for little ballet dancers. Pure and simple, it’s for kids who twirl and tippy-toe and jeté through the house, kids who first-position without even thinking about it, kids who’d wear a tutu in the tub, if they could. Author Misty Copeland speaks directly to their hearts with authenticity, and she addresses any ballet-diva behavior your little one might have by showing that competition is good but learning from the competition is better. Non-dancers may appreciate this adorable book, but it’ll be so much more meaningful for little ballet stars or ballet fans, boys or girls, ages 3 to 7. If that barre is already set for your child, “Bunheads” is en pointe. WI

horoscopes

OCT 15 - 21, 2020

ARIES Today, you may feel like letting go of any reservation or caution, and jumping into a love relationship with your whole heart. Your enthusiasm may startle your sweetheart and you could see him or her bounce away like a frightened gazelle. You may be completely caught up in romantic feelings — not paying attention to the ardor of your expression. You have luck in your corner today, but you don’t want to push it. Lucky Numbers: 4, 9, 25 TAURUS The week comes to an end with the new moon in Libra bringing an emphasis to your area of home and family. There may be some connections with extended family. It feels like people are working hard to respect each other’s boundaries though one overly tired, often irritated relative may speak their mind. Lucky Numbers: 8, 35, 41 GEMINI Today, you may feel a great deal of ambition to get out of debt or solve some financial problem. If someone owes you money, it’s a good day to gently remind them of their obligation. Consider your investments and see if you can shift some resources in that direction. Lucky Numbers: 22, 24, 39 CANCER Today it’s quite easy to have an argument with a coworker or supervisor. You may be working from home and they may be on the other side of the country, but that doesn’t stop you from being irritated today. Use caution as expressing your true emotions right now may not be wise for your career. Lucky Numbers: 12, 16, 37 LEO This is a good day to send out your resume, apply online for positions, or reach out to decision-makers through websites like LinkedIn. Through positive communication, you can make some great strides in your career over the next few weeks starting with today. Lucky Numbers: 10, 17, 31 VIRGO You need a break. It was a busy week and while today might still be a workday consider taking off a couple of hours early. Be at home and get comfortable on the sofa. As you rest your mind and body, the universe will put inspiring ideas in your head. Lucky Numbers: 2, 24, 34 LIBRA There could be an important connection today. Perhaps a business partnership, mentor, or someone instrumental in helping you on your life path. This person may give you a push in a direction that feels outside your boundaries. But a push can help you move forward. Think about this before you resist. Lucky Numbers: 8, 24, 27 SCORPIO Today, you may have psychic impressions from your higher self or from the universe. You can stimulate this energy by using tools, such as the tarot or automatic writing. Today, you can even consider doing some remote viewing—projecting your spirit to another location to check in on a friend or family member. Lucky Numbers: 8, 35, 37 SAGITTARIUS Today’s a good day to spend some time with your sweetheart at home on the sofa with a big bowl of popcorn and a good movie. If you’re looking for love, you may want to invite someone over for dinner or see each other on Zoom while you both eat ice cream and talk about your favorite flavors. Lucky Numbers: 22, 47, 51 CAPRICORN Your career and home collide today. This could be around creating a workspace at home or getting the family to be quiet while you’re home working. You may be missing the office, or you could be looking for a way to extend your work-at-home opportunity. Compromises will have to be made today. Lucky Numbers: 3, 21, 29 AQUARIUS Today, you may be asked to do something you feel is well beyond your usual scope. Now you’re outside your comfort zone. Growth can happen when you take on some bigger responsibility. And this will require a trade-off, as well. You will need to let go of something to grab hold of something new and better. Lucky Numbers: 6, 17, 46 PISCES You are the authority of your life. This is a good day to recognize and break old patterns. Consider letting go of limitations others put on you whether they do this directly or they just imply it. Today, you can straighten out a situation that has been bothering you. Lucky Numbers: 7, 8, 33

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM / THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

OCTOBER 15 - 21, 2020 35

SPORTS Washington Loses Again, Held in Check by Rams Defense Smith Comes Back After Nearly Two-Year Absence

By Daniel Kucin, Jr. WI Sports Writer danielkucin88 The last time Washington Football Team quarterback Alex Smith played in Landover was in 2018 when he suffered a horrific injury that nearly cost him his life. In a wild series of events leading up to Washington’s Week 5 game against the Los Angeles Rams at home on Oct. 11, Smith got a chance to play the game he loves again, yet it wasn’t enough to secure a win as the Rams won 30-10. “Obviously it was very surreal at

first...to have it happen as fast as it did was probably a blessing,” Smith said about playing. “It was nice not to have to think about it and do it. It was nice to knock the cobwebs off, so to speak.” Smith went 9-of-17 for 37 yards through the air in his return. The quarterback carousel started after losing to the Baltimore Ravens just a week ago. Team officials benched second-year quarterback Dwayne Haskins leaving backup quarterback Kyle Allen to start. Allen found marginal success at the start of the contest going 9-of13 for 74 yards through the air, and he rushed for a 7-yard touchdown,

SPORTS HEADLINES

Hot off the Press

quickly responding to a 10-play, 76yard opening scoring drive by Los Angeles by way of a Darrell Henderson touchdown run (XPA Missed). That was the last time Washington led in the game. The Rams scored 14 unanswered points when quarterback Jared Goff hooked up with wide receiver Robert Woods on a 56-yard bomb late in the first quarter, then Goff took it in himself for good measure early in the second quarter on a 2-yard touchdown scamper. Late in the second quarter, Los Angeles Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey laid a hard hit on Allen, resulting in a 15-yard penalty for lowering his head into the young signal-caller, forcing him out of the game with 2:21 remaining before halftime. “I thought Kyle Allen performed pretty well,” said Washington Football Team Head Coach Ron Rivera. “He moved the ball, he made some good decisions...it’s unfortunate he took the shot that he did.” Washington Football Team kicker Dustin Hopkins booted a 48-yard field goal in the raining conditions to trim the deficit to 10 points with seconds remaining in the first half. The Rams were relentless on defense the rest of the way, pitching a shutout. Los Angeles held Washington to just 38 yards on the ground and 108 total net yards led by perennial pro bowl defensive lineman Aaron Donald who tallied four sacks. COMPILED BY DANIEL KUCIN, JR., WI CONTRIBUTING WRITER AND HAMIL R. HARRIS, WI CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Lakers Dominate Heat to Snag 2020 NBA Championship

LeBron James Capitalizes on Triple-Double, Takes MVP Honors The Los Angeles LA Lakers dominated the Miami Heat in Game 6, 106-93, in the NBA Finals on Oct. 11 in a match where the Heat were unable to ever take the lead. LeBron James, L.A. Lakers forward, made history yet again, earning Finals MVP honors for the third franchise in his career (one-of-four players in league history), finishing with a triple-double performance (28 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists). “I think personally thinking I have something to prove fuels me and it fueled me this last year and a half,” said James with a cigar in his hand after the game.” The Lakers captured their 17th championship title in the organization’s history and did it in style by leading by as much as 36 points to drop the Heat 4-2 in a series that had many ups and downs. The Lakers led by 28 points at halftime which marked the second-largest halftime lead in NBA Finals history.

36 - OCTOBER 15 - 21, 2020

James had help though down the stretch, getting substantial contributions from point guard Rajon Rondo and center Anthony Davis who both scored 19 points. Heat star forward Jimmy Butler was held in check, scoring only 12 points while center Bam Adebayo led Miami with 25 points and pulled down 10 boards. L.A. cleaned the glass with 46 rebounds (12 offensive) and shot nearly 49 percent from the field while knocking down 64.3 percent of its free throws. It has been 10 years ago since the Lakers, led by Kobe Bryant who died earlier this year on Jan. 26 in an aircraft accident, reached and won the finals. Now, James had helped “Kobe’s team” recapture NBA prominence with the Lakers’ impressive victory. “I’ve never won with this atmosphere . . . we’ve never been a part of this,” James said of playing in the bubble. “This was very challenging and difficult and it played with your mind – it played with your body . . . This [championship] is right up there with one of the greatest accomplishments I have.” WI

5 After missing football for nearly two years, Washington Football Team quarterback Alex Smith suited up for the Burgundy and Gold and played for the first time since suffering a potential career-ending injury. (Daniel Kucin, Jr./The Washington Informer)

“We didn’t run the ball as effectively as we did in the first half,” Rivera said. “If you can’t keep them off-balanced and get into second and long and third and long it’s tough. We gotta make sure that we are doing that because then your play-action means a little bit more.” That herculean defensive effort gave the Rams cushion for the remainder of the contest as kicker Samuel Sloman hit a 28-yard field goal in the third quarter. Goff (309 yards, 2 TDs,

1 INT) put the game away late the fourth quarter when he hit Henderson down the middle for an 11-yard touchdown pass. Washington lost its fourth consecutive game and will go on the road to take on the winless New York Giants. The Burgundy and Gold currently sit in second place in the NFC East Standings. “This has just been a guess a whirlwind of things. Hopefully, we can settle in and win a football game next week,” Rivera said. WI

Sudden Increases in COVID-19 Infections Stymie NFL Teams The National Football League is reshuffling its 2020 schedule as a result of additional players across the league who contracted COVID-19 at a time most teams are playing in empty stadiums across the country. The Denver Broncos were scheduled to play the New England Patriots Monday night but that game is being postponed because another Patriots player tested positive for COVID-19. The league announced Sunday afternoon that a number of NFL games will be rescheduled. The Broncos-Patriots game will be moved to Week 6 on Sunday, Oct. 18 at 1 p.m. ET on CBS. Seven other NFL games are being postponed. The Kansas City Chiefs game against the Buffalo Bills on Week

6 game moves from Thursday, Oct.15 to Monday, Oct. 19 at 5:00 p.m. ET on FOX/NFL Network/Amazon. The New York Jets game against the Miami Dolphins is moving from Week 10 to Week Six at 4:05 p.m. ET on CBS. The New York Jets game against the Los Angeles Chargers game will move from Week 6 to Week 11 on Sunday, Nov. 22 at 4:05 p.m. ET on CBS.

SPORTS Page 43

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38 - OCTOBER 15 - 21, 2020

LAND from Page 1 his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech. Today, the Gullah Geechee people of St. Helena Island are fighting to protect their lands and the legacy left by their ancestors, who toiled for lifetimes under the brutal oppression of slavery. On Oct. 5, local tax officials held an auction of some of the property that sits on the island belonging to Gullah Geechee families. Officials cited delinquent tax payments that have accumulated over the years. But, while the reasoning might seem simple enough, a deeper dive reveals another aspect of systemic racism and the ongoing refusal of much of America to acknowledge the harm done by the slave trade. The descendants who have lived in the Gullah Geechee community, which extends the coastal areas of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, possessed deeds but lacked titles to their properties. Many in the community have discovered that their ancestors left no wills and never possessed a title. That was mostly because of oppressive laws. The freed slaves were deprived of an education and at the mercy of white men who sold the land for as little as $1.25 per acre and never provided appropriate sale documentation. “The heirs don’t have a title in their names,” said Sará Reynolds Green,

WARD 2 from Page 9 done over the last decade to improve the quality of the District schools. For him, there’s no more of an ideal time to actualize such plans than during a pandemic that has relegated young people to their homes and pushed District schools further into the digital age. Etesse, whose technology and education experiences include stints at Blackboard and as a trustee board member at Loudoun Country Day School, said that though he would only represent Ward 2, his inpact would ripple throughout the city, specifically by upgrading the technology infrastructure and streamlining the manner in which students receive virtual instruction. Regarding virtual learning, Etesse said that teachers should’ve been better trained to facilitate students’ opportunities for self-guided instruction. He also supports a phased school reopening plan, stressing that students and parents would appreciate the diversity of op-

an activist and farmer who raises produce on the St. Helena plot of land passed down throughout her family’s generations. Green has used her resources, including Facebook and a Go Fund Me campaign, to help raise money to buy back the land sold at auction for all community members. She’s worked to raise funds for the Pan-African Family Empowerment and Land Preservation Network, which seeks to reduce land loss by paying the owners’ property taxes. The organization also helps to educate property owners on how to lower their tax obligation. “Those are our ancestors, and those are the ones who tilled the soil, who built this country to what it is,” Green declared. “So they have paid their dues, and the only thing they could do was leave land for us. And we want to keep the land.” Reportedly, as many as 173 St. Helena Island properties currently are delinquent on property taxes, owing about $215,000. Although the auction has occurred, property owners still have one year to redeem their land, but Green said penalties would add up for as long as it takes to pay the outstanding balance. “The land means our legacy,” Green told the Washington Informer. “Most of that land has been passed down. My great grandfather purchased the land that I have in 1863 before he was officially emancipated. tions during a time of uncertainty. Effective communication and execution of long-standing systems are at the foundation of what he said he wants to accomplish to expand access to a quality education for District families. “I had a sixth-grade teacher who taught us to play with computers. We can have those opportunities for kids throughout the District,” said Etesse. “I just did a tour of Duke Ellington School of the Arts, and was blown away by what’s being offered there,” he continued. “I think that having a place like that in multiple schools to develop talent in D.C. is incredible. You have to have more opportunities for more of our students so that we can touch on anything a student wants to learn. That has to be the goal.” James Harnett didn’t answer The Informer’s request for an interview. For more information about the Ward 2 SBOE candidates, and candidates for other offices, please visit DCBOE.org. WI

We’re still holding onto that land, and I plan to pass it on to my children because that’s the legacy of the Gullah Geechee people.” According to a 2006 report, Gullah families lost 14 million acres of Gullah family property since the end of the Civil War, and slightly more than 1 million acres purchased by former slaves had remained in family hands. Even media mogul Ted Turner purchased 68 acres of land on St. Helena Island in 2002. After a lengthy legal dispute, Turner said he’d donate the land back to the Gullah families. Green said contractors have continued to develop around the area, and she knows they are gunning for the prime real estate where the Gullah families reside or run businesses. “They have been developing and developing,” Green said. “So, they want to snatch the land because the development means taxes in the area are extremely high, and land becomes more critical. Then consider that things are more critical now because of the systemic problem we face starts with many not earning a living wage. You compound that with COVID-19 and understand that many of the families are caregivers. It’s going to take legislation to help solve this problem we are facing because our people had little to begin with and even less now.” The Gullah Geechee community counts as a proud people. The Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor Commission on Johns Island, S.C., noted that its language began as a simplified form of communication among people who spoke many different tongues. That includes European slave traders, slave owners, and diverse African ethnic groups. “The vocabulary and grammatical roots come from African and European languages,” commission officials noted on their official website. According to the commission, it’s the only distinctly African creole language in the United States, and it has influenced traditional Southern vocabulary and speech patterns. The commission added that the ancestors brought the United States a rich heritage of African cultural traditions in art, foodways, and music. “If we lose the land, we lose ourselves, we lose the people,” Green stated. “If we lose all of that, then we lose the entire culture.” To donate, visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/panafricanfamilyem WI

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RELIGION the religion corner WITH LYNDIA GRANT

This, Too, Shall Pass!

What do you really know? We know for sure things will change. Have you heard of the Law of Impermanence, which explains that all things are unstable and have no essence that is unchanging? The Law of Impermanence states that all relationships will end via death or separation. It’s true, but who thinks about such things? Only “deep thinkers” consider thoughts like this. You don’t sit around chatting, enjoying your morning coffee and thinking about how everything good in your life is going to go away at some point. Let’s take a look at this law, as we think about how it affects our lives in a positive way. There are two sides to every coin. The Law of Impermanence, though, can also ease us through these tough times of extreme racism, layoffs and worldwide pandemic, times of transition and pain. How many times have you said, “this, too, shall pass?” How does the law of impermanence speak to your situation? Personally, I now have an empty nest, a first for me. Does it scare me? Yes, at times. I like to couple it by saying, “This, too, shall pass.” Either my new spouse will come along, or my life will become

accustomed to my new normal. All relationships will end via death or separation. This too shall pass. It will pass, and so will the good times and the bad. As will the businesses you build, millions of businesses on hold or shut down during this pandemic. Friendship, marriages, relationships with your children, even — all will end. Grown-up children will go their own way and make a life for themselves. All of it at some point will cease to exist as you either cease to exist or situations evolve. Once you get a full understanding of this law, which means to take it all in without fear, it will truly free us, though these occasions will be painful, we will understand. When we truly know all of our relationships must end, then when one does, we also know the pain of the loss will also come to an end, given enough time. We know that when one door closes, as they all must do at some point, another one must open. By understanding that the law has to work both ways, we can take solace in the fact that the relationship with the pain we may be feeling today also must end. It cannot, and it will not live inside us forever. It will change. We will change. Our circumstances will change. Life will bring us new experiences, new relationships, and new sets of impermanence. Change is inevitable — on

Mt. Zion Baptist Church

that we can depend. Our external worlds will always be in a state of flux. Friends move, jobs dissolve, and people come and go. The closest of relationships can transform into the deepest of animosity. The houses we grew up in will have to be left. For example, my favorite home was so lovely, with a swimming pool, but now when the family drives by to revisit that home, it looks like it needs to be demolished. And we lived in that home only 40 years ago. It could have held up better, but the new owners didn’t love and care for that home and nice yard the way we did! The neighborhood just isn’t what it used to be. Universal laws do their thing and leave us to work our lives around them. Understanding them and embracing them will let us control the only part of our lives that we can control. Therefore, as we allow the Law of Impermanence to bring comfort, it should allow you to breathe deeper knowing that everything must come to pass, including yourself. Allow life to work her magic. Look around and live your best life, even if it is painful to us in the moment, like the extreme racism, worldwide pandemic, loss of jobs, and depending on our Lord and Savior, along with the government’s unemployment assistance for millions of us, to make ends meet. Nothing is permanent. WI

John F. Johnson Reverend Dr.

5101 14th Street, NW / Washington, DC 20011 Phone: 202-726-2220 Fax: 202-726-9089

1306 Vermont Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20005

“A Church with a past to remember – and a future to mold” www.mtzbcdc.org

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Mount Olivet Lutheran Church

Reverend John W. Davis Pastor

Service and Times Sunday Worship Service - 8:00 a.m. & 11:00 a.m. Children’s Church - 11:00 a.m. (1st & 3rd Sundays) Communion - 10 a.m. 4th Sunday Sunday School - 9:15 a.m. (4th Sunday 8:15 a.m.) Prayer Meeting & Bible Study - Wednesday 7:00 p.m.

(301) 864-6070

Service and Times Divine Worship, Sunday 10:00 a.m. Communion 1st and 3rd Sunday “Friendliest Church in the City” Website: mountolivetdc.org Email: mtolivedc@gmail.com

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OCTOBER 15 - 21, 2020 39

RELIGION The Miracle Center of Faith Missionary Baptist Church

Pilgrim Baptist Church

Bishop Michael C. Turner, Sr. Senior Pastor

Rev. Louis B. Jones II Pastor

9161 Hampton Overlook Capitol Heights, MD 20743 Phone: 301-350-2200 / Fax: 301-499-8724

700 I Street, N.E. Washington, D.C. 20002 (202) 547-8849

Service and Times Sunday Worship Times : 7:30 AM 7 10:00 AM Communion: 1st Sunday Sunday School: 9:00 AM Bible Study: Wednesday, 12 Noon Bible Study in homes: Tuesday 7:00 PM Website: www.themiraclecenterFMBC.com Email: Miraclecenterfmbs@gmail.com Motto: “We Walk by Faith, Not by Sight”

Service and Times Worship Sundays: 7:30 & 11:00 AM 5th Sundays: 9:30 AM 3rd Sundays: Baptism & Holy Communion Prayer & Praise: Wednesdays @ Noon & 6:30 PM www.pilgrimbaptistdc.org

Covenant Baptist United Church of Christ

Blessed Word of Life Church

Church of Living Waters

Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church

Rev. Paul Carrette Senior Pastor Harold Andrew Assistant Pastor 4915 Wheeler Road Oxon Hill, MD 20745 301-894-6464 Service and Times Sunday Service: 8:30am& 11:00 AM Bible Study: Wednesday 7:30 PM Communion Service: First Sunday www.livingwatersmd.org

St. Stephen Baptist Church

Rev. Dr. Michael E. Bell, Sr., / Pastor 2498 Alabama Ave., SE - Washington D.C. 20020 Office: (202) 889-7296 / Fax: (202) 889-2198 - www.acamec.org Service and Times Sunday Worship Services: 8:00am and 11:00 AM Sunday Church School - 9:15am & Sunday Adult Forum Bible Study - 10:30 AM 2nd & 4th Monday Women’s Bible Study: 6:30 PM Tuesday Jr./Sr. Bible Study: 10:00 AM Tuesday Topical Bible Study: 6:30 PM Tuesday New Beginnings Bible Study: 6:30 PM Wednesday Pastoral Bible Study: 6:30 PM Wednesday Children’s Bible Study: 6:30 PM Thursday Men’s Bible Study: 6:30 PM Friday before 1st Sunday Praise & Worship Service: 6:30 PM Saturday Adult Bible Study: 10:00 AM “The Amazing, Awesome, Audacious Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church”

Third Street Church of God

Dr. Dekontee L. & Dr. Ayele A. Johnson Pastors

Reverend William Young IV Interim Pastor

Bishop Lanier C. Twyman, Sr. Senior Pastor

Rev. Cheryl J. Sanders, Th.D. Senior Pastor

4001 14th Street, NW Washington, DC 20011 (202) 265-6147 Office 1-800 576-1047 Voicemail/Fax

3845 South Capitol Street Washington, DC 20032 (202) 562-5576 (Office) / (202) 562-4219 (Fax)

5757 Temple Hill Road, Temple Hills, MD 20748 Office 301-899-8885 – fax 301-899-2555 Services and Times Sunday Early Morning Worship: 7:45 AM Church School: 9:30 AM Sunday Morning Worship: 10:45 AM Tuesday: 7:00pm/Kingdom Building Bible Institute Wednesday , 12:30 PM Mid-Day Bible Study Wednesday: Prayer/Praise/Bible Study-7:30 PM Baptism & Communion Service: 4th Sunday – 10:30 AM

1204 Third Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 202-347-5889 office / 202-638-1803 fax

Service and Times Sunday School: 9:30 AM Sunday Morning Worship Service: 11:00 AM Communion Service: First Sunday Prayer Service/Bible Study: Tuesday, 6:30 PM

Services and Times Sundays: 10:00am 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.covenantdc.org

www.blessedwordoflifechurch.org E-mail: church@blessedwordoflifechurch.org

Campbell AME Church

Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 10:00 AM Sunday Church School: 8:45 AM Bible Study Wednesday: 12:00 Noon Wednesday: 7:00 PM Thursday: 7:00 PM “Reaching Up To Reach Out” Mailing Address : Campbell AME Church 2502 Stanton Road SE - Washington, DC 20020

421 Alabama Ave. SE Washington, DC 20032 Phone: 202-746-0113 Fax: 301-843-2445 Service and Times Sunday School: 10:15 AM Sunday Worship Service: 11;15 AM Children’s Church: 11:15 AM Tuesday Bible Study: 6:30 PM Motto : “A Great Commitment to the Great Commandment” Website: www.turningheartschurchdc.org Email: gr8luv4u2@gmail.com

www.thirdstreet.org Live Stream Sunday Worship Service begins @ 12:00 noon www.thirdstreet.org

800 I Street, NE - Washington, DC 20002 202-548-0707 - Fax No. 202-548-0703 Service and Times Sunday Morning Worship: 11:00 AM Holy Communion: 1st Sunday Sunday School: 9:45 AM Men’s Monday Bible Study: 7:00 PM Wednesday Night Bible Study: 7:00 PM Women’s Ministry Bible Study: 3rd Friday -7:00 PM Computer Classes: Announced Family and Marital Counseling by appointment E-mail: Crusadersbaptistchurch@verizon.net www.CrusadersBaptistChurch.org / “God is Love”

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: 8:00 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 6:00 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

Reverend Dr. Calvin L. Matthews Senior Pastor 1200 Isle of Patmos Plaza, Northeast Washington, DC 20018 Office: (202) 529-6767 - Fax: (202) 526-1661 Service and Times Sunday Worship Services: 7:30 AM and 10:30 AM Holy Communion: 2nd Sunday at 7:30 AM and 10:30 AM Sunday Church School: 9:20 AM Seniors Bible Study: Tuesdays at 10:30 AM Noon Day Prayer Service: Tuesdays at Noon Bible Study: Tuesdays at 7 PM Motto: “A Ministry of Reconciliation Where Everybody is Somebody!” Website: http://isleofpatmosbc.org Church Email: ipbcsecretary@verizon.net

St Marks Baptist Come Worship with us... Dr. Raymond T. Matthews Pastor and First Lady Marcia Matthews St. Mark's Baptist Church 624 Underwood Street, NW Washington, dc 20011 Services and Times Sunday School: 9:00 AM Worship Service: 10:00 AM Wed. Noon Day prayer service Thur. Prayer service: 6:45 PM Thur. Bible Study: 7:15 PM

Reverend Dr. Paul H. Saddler Senior Pastor (Disciples of Christ) 1812 12th Street, NW - Washington, DC 20009 Phone: 202-265-4494 Fax: 202 265 4340 Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 11:00 AM Communion every Sunday: 11:00 AM Sunday School: 10:00 AM Bible Study Tuesday: 12 Noon Pastor’s Bible Study Tuesday: 6:30 PM Motto: “Discover Something Wonderful” Website: 12thscc.org / Email: Twelfthstcc@aol.com

Mount Carmel Baptist Church

Turning Hearts Church Virgil K. Thomas, Sr. Senior Pastor/ Teacher

“Ambassadors for Christ to the Nation’s Capital”

Rev. Dr. Alton W. Jordan Pastor

Isle of Patmos Baptist Church

Twelfth Street Christian Church

Rev. Dr. Henry Y. White 2562 MLK Jr. Ave., SE - Washington, DC 20020 Adm. Office 202-678-2263 Email: Campbell@mycame.org

“We are one in the Spirit” www.ssbc5757.org / E-mail: ssbc5757@verizon.net

Services and Times Sunday School: 9:30 AM Sunday Worship: 11:00 AM Sunday Community Worship Service: 8:30 AM

Crusader Baptist Church

Reverend Dr. Paris L Smith, Sr. Senior Pastor 901 Third Street N.W. Washington, DC. 20001 Phone (202) 842-3411 Fax (202) 682-9423 Service and Times Sunday Church School : 9:00 AM Sunday Morning Worship: 10:10 AM Bible Study Tuesday: 6: 00 PM Prayer Service Tuesday: 7:00 PM Holy Communion: 3rd Sunday 10:10 AM

40 - OCTOBER 15 - 21, 2020

themcbc.org

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RELIGION Shabbath Commandment Church Bishop Adrian A. Taylor, Sr. Pastor 7801 Livingston Road Oxon Hill, MD 20745 301-534-5471 Service and Times Sabbath School 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 AM Service 11:00 AM Praise & Worship Preaching 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM Motto: “A Church Keeping It Real for Real.” Website: Shabbathcommandmentchruch.org Email: Praisebetoyhwh@gmail.com

Zion Baptist Church Rev. Keith W. Byrd, Sr. Pastor 4850 Blagdon Ave, NW - Washington D.C 20011 Phone (202) 722-4940 - Fax (202) 291-3773 Service and Times 9:00 a.m. – Sunday School 10:15 a.m. – Worship Service Wed. Noon: Dea. Robert Owens Bible Study 7 PM Pastor’s Bible Study Ordinance of Baptism 2nd Sunday, Holy Communion 4th Sunday Mission: Zion shall: Enlist Sinners, Educate Students, Empower the Suffering, Encourage the Saints, And Exalt our Savior. (Acts 2: 41-47) www.zionbaptistchurchdc.org

St. Luke Baptist Church Rev. Aubrey C. Lewis Pastor 1415 Gallatin Street, NW Washington, DC 20011-3851 P: (202) 726-5940 Service and Times Sunday Worship: 11:00 AM Sunday School: 9:15 AM Holy Communion: 11:00 a.m., 3rd Sun. Bible Institute: Wednesday - 1:30 PM Prayer Meeting: Wednesday - 12:00 Noon

All Nations Baptist Church Rev. Dr. James Coleman Pastor 2001 North Capitol St, N.E. - Washington, DC 20002 Phone (202) 832-9591 Service and Times Sunday Church School – 9:30 AM Sunday Worship Service – 11:00 AM Holy Communion – 1st Sunday at 11:00 AM Prayer – Wednesdays, 6:00 PM Bible Study – Wednesdays, 7:00 PM Christian Education / School of Biblical Knowledge Saturdays, 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM, Call for Registration Website: www.allnationsbaptistchurch.com All Nations Baptist Church – A Church of Standards

Israel Baptist Church

Rev. Daryl F. Bell Pastor 2324 Ontario Road, NW Washington, DC 20009 (202) 232-1730 Service and Times Sunday School: 9:30 AM Sunday Worship Service: 11:00 AM Baptismal Service: 1st Sunday – 9:30 AM Holy Communion: 1st Sunday – 11:00 AM Prayer Meeting & Bible Study: Wednesday -7:30 PM “Where Jesus is the King”

Dr. Earl D. Trent Senior Pastor

2409 Ainger Pl.,SE – WDC 20020 (202) 678-0884 – Office / (202) 678-0885 – Fax “Moving Faith Forward” 0% Perfect . . . 100% Forgiven!

623 Florida Ave.. NW - WDC. 20001 Church (202) 667-3409 / Study (202) 265-0836 Home Study (301) 464-8211 / Fax (202) 483-4009

Service and Times Sunday Worship: 8:00 AM & 10:45 AM Baptism/Holy Communion: 3rd Sunday Family Bible Study Tuesdays – 6:30 PM Prayer Service: Tuesdays – 8:00 PM www.emmanuelbaptistchurchdc.org

Sermon On The Mount Temple Of Joy Apostolic Faith

Lincoln Park United Methodist Church Rev. Richard B. Black Pastor

Elder Herman L. Simms Pastor

1251 Saratoga Ave., NE Washington, DC 20018 (202) 269-0288

1301 North Carolina Ave. N E Washington, D C 20002 202 543 1318 - lincolnpark@lpumcdc.org www.lpumcdc.org

5606 Marlboro Pike District Heights, MD 20747 301-735-6005

Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 10:45 AM Sunday School: 9:15 AM Holy Communion1st Sunday: 10:45 AM Prayer Service: Wednesday at 6:30 PM Bible Study: Wednesday at 7:00 PM Bible Study: Tuesday at 10:30 AM

Mount Moriah Baptist Church Dr. Lucius M. Dalton Senior Pastor

Service and Times Sunday Worship: 10:00 AM Holy Communion: First Sunday 10:00 AM Sunday School: 9:00 AM Bible Study: Wednesday @ 12 noon and 6:30 PM Motto: "Faith On The Hill"

Service and Times Sunday Apostolic Worship Services 11:00 A.M and 5:00 PM Communion and Feet Wash 4th Sunday at 5:00 PM Prayer/Seeking: Wednesday at 8:00 PM Apostolic in Doctrine, Pentecostal in Experience, Holiness in Living, Uncompromised and Unchanged. The Apostolic Faith is still alive –Acts 2:42

New Commandment Baptist Church

Eastern Community Baptist Church Damion M. Briggs Pastor

Rev. Stephen E. Tucker Senior Pastor

1636 East Capitol Street, NE Washington, DC 20003 Telephone: 202-544-5588 - Fax: 202-544-2964

8213 Manson Street Landover, MD 20785 Tel: (301) 322-9787 Fax: (301) 322-9240

13701 Old Jericho Park Road Bowie, MD. 20720 (301) 262-0560

Service and Times Sunday Worship Services: 7:45 AM and 10:45 AM Holy Communion: 1st Sundays at 7:45 AM & 10:45 AM Sunday School: 9:30 AM Prayer & Praise Service: Tuesdays at 12 noon & 6:30 PM Bible Study: Tuesdays at 1 pm and 7 PM Youth Bible Study: Fridays at 7 PM

Service and Times Early Morning Message: 7:30 AM Sunday Morning Worship Service: 10:00 AM Sunday Church School: 9:00 AM Holy Communion: 1st Sunday 7:30 AM & 10:00 AM Prayer, Praise and Testimony: Wednesday 7:00 PM Bible Study: Wednesday 7:30 PM

Service and Times Sunday Worship: 11 AM Sunday School: 10 AM Wednesday Mid-Week Worship, Prayer & Bible Study: Wed. 7 PM

Rehoboth Baptist Church

Reverend Peter R. Blue Sr. Pastor

Rev. Curtis l. Staley Pastor

2001 Brooks Drive District Heights MD. 20744 240.838.7074

621 Alabama Ave., S.E.- Washington, D.C. 20032 P: (202) 561-1111 - F: (202) 561-1112

Service and Times Sunday Worship Experience: 10:15am Sunday School: 9:00am Holy Communion: 3rd Sunday Morning Noontime Bible Study: Tuesday @ 12:00pm Prayer Meeting/Bible Study: Tuesday @7:00pm Theme: "Building On A Firm Foundation"

Service and Times Sunday Service: 10:00 AM Sunday School for all ages: 8:30 AM 1st Sunday Baptism: 10:00 AM 2nd Sunday Holy Communion:10:00 AM Tuesday: Bible Study: 6:30 PM Prayer Meeting: 7:45 PM

Email: revprbstmbc@gmail.com Website: www.stmatthewsbaptist.org

Motto: “Where God is First and Where Friendly People Worship”

“Real Worship for Real People” Website: www.easterncommunity.org Email: ecc@easterncommunity.org

“A Church Where Love Is Essential and Praise is Intentional”

Foggy Bottom - Founded in 1867 728 23rd Street, NW - Washington, DC 20037 Church office: 202-333-3985 - Fax : 202-338-4958

Shiloh Baptist Church

Service and Times Sunday Worship Services: 10:00 AM Sunday Church School: 8:45 – 9:45 AM Holy Communion: Every First Sunday Intercessory Prayer: Monday – 7:00-8:00 PM Pastor’s Bible Study: Wednesday –7:45 PM Midweek Prayer: Wednesday – 7:00 PM Noonday Prayer Every Thursday

Matthews Memorial Baptist Church

4504 Gault Place, N.E. / Washington, D.C 20019 202-397-7775 – 7184 Service and Times Sunday Church School: 9:30 AM Sunday Worship Service : 11:00 AM The Lord’s Supper 1st Sunday Prayer & Praise Services: Wednesday 7:00 PM Bible Study: 7:30 PM Saturday before 4th Sunday Men, Women, Youth Discipleship Ministries: 10:30 AM A Christ Centered Church htubc@comcast.net

Christ Embassy DC

Dr. Joseph D. Turner / Senior Pastor 2616 MLK Ave., SE - Washington, DC 20020 Office 202-889-3709 - Fax 202-678-3304 Service and Times Early Worship Service: 8:00 AM Worship Service: 11:00 AM New Member’s Class: 9:45 AM Holy Communion: 1st Sunday, 11:00 AM Church School: 9:45 AM Wednesday 12:00pm Bible Study Prayer, Praise and Bible Study: 7:00 PM Saturday Bible Study: 11:00 AM Baptism 4th Sunday: 11:00 AM “Empowered to love and Challenged to Lead a Multitude of Souls to Christ”

Peace Baptist Church

Kelechi Ajieren Coordinator 6839 Eastern Avenue, R1 Takoma Park, MD 20912 (202) 556-7065 Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 10:00 AM Wednesday Bible Study: 7:00 PM Friday Evening Service: 7:00 PM ; Last Friday “…Giving Your Life a Meaning” www.Christembassydc.org Christ.embassy.dc@hotmail.com

Pennsylvania Ave. Baptist Church

Rev. Dr. Michael T. Bell 712 18th Street, NE Washington, DC 20002 Phone 202-399-3450/ Fax 202-398-8836 Service and Times Sunday Early Morning Prayer & Bible Study Class: 8:00 AM Sunday School: 9:00 AM Sunday Morning Worship Service: 10:00 AM Wednesday Service: 12:00 PM “The Loving Church of the living lord “

Rev. Dr. Kendrick E. Curry Pastor 3000 Pennsylvania Ave.. S.E Washington, DC 20020 202 581-1500 Service and Times Sunday Church School: 9:30 AM Sunday Worship Service: 11:00 AM Monday Adult Bible Study: 7:00 PM Wednesday Youth & Adult Activities: 6:30 PM Prayer Service Bible Study

First Rising Mt. Zion Baptist Church

Mt. Horeb Baptist Church

Rev. Dr. Wallace Charles Smith Pastor

Rev. Oran W. Young Pastor

Rev. Dr. H. B. Sampson, III Pastor

9th & P Street, N.W. - W. D.C. 20001 (202) 232-4288

602 N Street NW - Washington, D.C. 20001 Office:(202) 289-4480 Fax: (202) 289-4595

2914 Bladensburg Road, NE Wash., DC 20018 Office: (202) 529-3180 - Fax: (202) 529-7738 Service and Times Worship Service: 7:30 AM Sunday School: 9:00 AM Worship Service: 10:30 AM Holy Communion: 4th Sunday 7:30AM & 10:30 AM Prayer Services:Tuesday 7:30 PM. Wednesday 12 Noon

www.stmarysfoggybottom.org Email: stmarysoffice@stmarysfoggybottom.org

Service and Times First Sunday Worship Service (one service): 10:00 AM Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Sunday Worship service: 7:45 AM and 10:55 AM Sunday Church School/Bible Study: 9:30 AM Thursday Prayer Service: 6:30 PM

All are welcome to St. Mary’s to Learn, Worship, and Grow.

Email: sbc@shilohbaptist.org Website: shilohbaptist.org

Service and Times Sundays: 10 a.m. Holy Eucharist with Music and Hymns Wednesdays: 12:10 p.m. - Holy Eucharist

Rev. Dr. George C. Gilbert Senior Pastor

Email Address: admin@pbc712.org

Historic St. Mary’s Episcopal Church The Rev. E. Bernard Anderson Priest

Holy Trinity United Baptist Church

Florida Avenue Baptist Church

Reverend Christopher L. Nichols Pastor

Rev. Dr. Jerryl V. Moody Pastor-Elect

Web: www.mountmoriahchurch.org Email: mtmoriah@mountmoriahchurch.org

St. Matthews Baptist Church

Emmanuel Baptist Church

King Emmanuel Baptist Church

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM / THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

Service and Times Sunday School for All Ages: 8:00 AM Sunday Worship Services: 9:30 AM Midday Prayer & Bible Study: Wednesday 11:30AM Evening Prayer & Bible Study: Wednesday 7:00 PM Laymen's League: Thursday 7:00 PM Email: Froffice@firstrising.org Website: www.firstrising.org “Changing Lives On Purpose “

Email:mthoreb@mthoreb.org Website:www.mthoreb.org For further information, please contact me at (202) 529-3180.

OCTOBER 15 - 21, 2020 41

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2020 ADM 386

2020 ADM 000494

Leah F. Otuonye Decedent

William Lorn Harvey aka W. Lorn Harvey Decedent

Attorney Ethel Mitchell 8403 Colesville Road Suite 1100 Silver Spring, MD 20910 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Rosson C. Smith, whose address is 9609 Underwood Street, Lanham MD 20706, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Leah F. Otuonye who died on November 19, 2019 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., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 4/1/2021. 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 4/1/2021, 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: 10/1/2020 Rosson C. Smith Personal Representative

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Kerri M. Castellini, Esquire, whose address is 409 Seventh Street, NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20004, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of William Lorn Harvey aka W. Lorn Harvey who died on February 6, 2020 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., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 4/1/2021. 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 4/1/2021, 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: 10/1/2020 Kerri M. Castellini, Esquire Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY

TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2020 ADM 000516

2020 ADM 000544

Emma Lea Beshir Decedent

J. E. Walker aka James E. Walker Decedent

Ethel Mitchell 8403 Colesville Rd., Suite 1100 Silver Spring, MD 20910 Attorney

Mack Allen 3300 Wheeler Road, SE Washington, DC 20032 Attorney

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Joyce C. Williams and Eugene N. Baskerville Jr., whose addresses are 9133 Saffron Lane, Silver Spring, MD 20901, 5712 Wrenwood Court, Durham, NC 27703 was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Emma Lea Beshir who died on April 12, 2020 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., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 4/8/2021. 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 4/8/2021, 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:10/8/2020 Joyce C. Williams Eugene N. Baskerville Jr. Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Recardo Walker, whose address is 5100 Mineola Road, College Park, Maryland 20740, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of J. E. Walker aka James E. Walker who died on March 9, 2020 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., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 4/8/2021. 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 4/8/2021, 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: 10/8/2020 Recardo Walker Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2020 ADM 000500

2020 ADM 000522

2020 ADM 000497

2020 ADM 000473

Martha A. Stevenson aka Martha Ann Stevenson Decedent

Helen William Moore aka Helen William Varfis aka Helen Varfis Moore Decedent

Nancy Button Schenewerk Decedent

Rosie Mae Blanks aka Rosie M. Blanks Decedent

Valerie Edwards 1725 DeSales Street, NW, Suite 600 Washington, DC 20036 Attorney

Bradley A. Thomas, Esq. 1629 K Street, NW Suite 300 Washington, DC 20006-1631 Attorney

Bryan Patrick MacAvoy, SmolenPlevy PC 8045 Leesburg Pike, Suite 540 Vienna, VA 22182 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Bryan P. MacAvoy and Alia P. Weaver, whose addresses are 8045 Leesburg Pike, Ste. 540, Vienna, VA 22182: 8708 First Ave., Apt. 905, Silver Spring, MD 20910, was appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Martha A. Stevenson aka Martha Ann Stevenson who died on January 6, 2020 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., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 4/1/2021. 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 4/1/2021, 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: 10/1/2020

Jeffrey K. Gordon, Esq. 5335 Wisconsin Ave., NW, #700 Washington, DC 20015 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Juliana Luz, whose address is 54 Regatta Bay Court, Apt. 318, Annapolis, MD 21401, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Helen William Moore aka Helen William Varfis aka Helen Varfis Moore who died on February 9, 2020 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., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 4/8/2021. 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 4/8/2021, 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: 10/8/2020

Bryan P. MacAvoy Alia P. Weaver Personal Representative

Juliana Luz Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

Washington Informer

42 - OCTOBER 15 - 21, 2020

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Caryn Schenewerk, whose address is 1209 Park Road, NW, Washington, DC 20010, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Nancy Button Schenewerk who died on December 5, 2019 with a Will, and will serve with Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 4/8/2021. 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 4/8/2021, 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: 10/8/2020 Caryn Schenewerk Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS

LEGAL NOTICES SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION 2020 NRT 20 Mary D. Fields aka Mary Dowling Fields Name of Deceased Settlor NOTICE OF EXISTENCE OF REVOCABLE TRUST Mary D. Fields aka Mary Dowling Fields, whose address was 3003 Van Ness St., NW, Apt. S904, Washington, DC 20008 created a revocable trust on 2nd November 2009, which remained in existence on the date of death on February 26, 2020, and Evelyn Parchment, whose address is 7826 Eastern Ave., NW, Suite 410, Washington, DC 20012, is the currently acting trustee, hereinafter the Trustee. Communications to the Trust should be mailed or directed to Evelyn Parchment, Esq. at 7826 Eastern Ave., NW, Suite 410, Washington, DC 20012. The Trust is subject to claims of the deceased settlor’s creditors, costs of administration of the settlor’s estate, the expense of the deceased settlor’s funeral and disposal of remains, and statutory allowances to a surviving spouse and children to the extent the deceased settlor’s residuary probate estate is inadequate to satisfy those claims, costs, expenses, and allowances. Claims of the deceased settlor’s creditors are barred as against the Trustee and the trust property unless presented to the Trustee at the address provided herein on or before April 15, 2021 (6 months after the date of the first publication of this notice.) An action to contest the validity of this trust must be commenced by the earliest of (1) 2/26/2021, (One year from date of death of deceased settlor) (2), April 15, 2021 (6 months from the date of first publication of this notice) or (3) Ninety days after the Trustee sends the person a copy of the trust instrument and a notice informing the person of the trust’s existence, of the Trustee’s name and address, and of the time allowed for commencing a proceeding. The Trustee may proceed to distribute the trust property in accordance with the terms of the trust before the expiration of the time within which an action must be commenced unless the Trustee knows of a pending judicial proceeding contesting the validity of the trust or the Trustee has received notice from a potential contestant who thereafter commences a judicial proceeding within sixty days after notification. This Notice must be mailed postmarked within 15 days of its first publication to each heir and qualified beneficiary of the trust and any other person who would be an interested person within the meaning of D.C. Code 20-101(d). Date of First Publication: 10/15/2020 Evelyn Parchment Signature of Trustee TRUE TEST COPY

Kristin L. Baldwin, whose address is 7500 14th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20012, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Rosie Mae Blanks aka Rosie M. Blanks who died on May 1, 2020 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., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 4/8/2021. 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 4/8/2021, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Notice of Unregistered Claim

Date of first publication: 10/8/2020

1962000073498 529132, including all assets, attributes,

Kristin L. Baldwin Personal Representative

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

Notice of an unregistered claim by a private living woman, sovereign by the grace of God, name written in the Book of the Tree of Life, beneficiary in the original jurisdiction, now coming as Grantor/Settler with NOTICE OF UNREGISTERED Claim, or priority equitable right, title, and interest in the JOHN QUE PUBLIC estate, NORTH CAROLINA, state file number derivatives, and transmissions there of. For more on the nature http.//notice.legal-regristry.org/PublicNotice.pdf

TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER / WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

CL ASSIFIEDS

CL ASSIFIEDS

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LEGAL NOTICES SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 2020 FEP 61

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June 22, 2019 Date of Death

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Dessie M. Kirkland Name of Decedent

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NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS Vivian C. White, whose address is 1212 Merganser Court, Upper Marlboro, MD 20774-7019 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Dessie M. Kirkland, deceased, by the Orphans Court for Prince Georges County, State of Maryland, on July 31, 2020.

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Service of process may be made upon James L. Frazier, 918 Maryland Avenue, NE, Washington, DC 20002 whose designation as District of Columbia agent has been filed with the Register of Wills, D.C.

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The decedent owned the following District of Columbia real estate.

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2365 Rhode Island Ave., NE, Washington, DC 20018, 2373 Rhode Island Ave., NE, Washington, DC 20018, 2385 Rhode Island Ave., NE, Washington, DC 20018. Claims against the decedent may be presented to the undersigned and filed with the Register of Wills of the District of Columbia, 515 5th Street, NW, Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001 within 6 months from the date of first publication of this notice.

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Date of first publication: 10/15/2020

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SPORTS from Page 36 The Jacksonville Jaguars match against the San Diego Chargers game moves from Week 8 to Week 7 on Sunday, Oct. 25 at 4:25 p.m. ET on CBS. The Chargers at Broncos game moves from Week 11 to Week 8 on Sunday, Nov. 1 at 4:05 p.m. ET on CBS. The Chargers at Dolphins game moves from Week Seven to Week 10 on Sunday, Nov. 15 at 4:05 p.m. ET on CBS. The Dolphins at Broncos game has moved from Week Six to Week 11 at 4:05 p.m. ET on CBS. As a result of these changes, six NFL teams will now have different bye weeks. Denver’s bye week moves from Week Eight to Week Five; New England’s bye week moves from Week Six to Week Five; Los Angeles’ bye week moves from Week 10 to Week Six; Miami’s bye week moves from Week 11 to Week Seven; Jacksonville’s bye week moves from Week Seven to Week Eight; and New York’s bye week moves from Week 11 to Week 10. Ten games have also been rescheduled to different weeks this season. Week Four’s Pittsburgh Steelers-Tennessee

Titans matchup has been moved to Week Seven after several Titans players and team personnel tested positive for COVID-19. As a result, Pittsburgh’s game against the Baltimore Ravens was moved from Week Seven to Week Eight. The Big 10 Compiled from NFL and published reports WI

SUFFRAGE from Page 29 tine Michel Carter. “Black abolitionist and women’s rights activist Sojourner Truth still befriended and supported Stanton in hopes she too would push our agenda. Eventually, Truth distanced herself from Stanton and the increasingly racist language of the women’s groups. “I think the relationship between Truth and Stanton opened the eyes of Black women during the fight for women’s suffrage – we needed to create our own space.” This feature is part of an ongoing Washington Informer series about the Women’s Suffrage Movement initiated by Washington Informer Publisher Denise Rolark Barnes. It lives in the institutional home of The Washington Informer Charities. WI

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ests on the scoring and ranking process. The Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland led in expressing some of those concerns. The state’s cannabis commission released a report last month on last year’s process that “found no evidence of bias or undue influence in the 2019 medical cannabis application review process.” On Oct. 1, the commission granted pre-approval for 11 new growers and processors. More than half of the owners qualified as “disadvantaged, minority and women.” The first 15 grower and processor licenses were awarded to majority white businesses. “I think we are moving in the right direction, especially when you talk about equity and inclusion for people of color,” said Del. Darryl Barnes (D-District 25) of Upper Marlboro,

REFORM from Page 12 the community wants and I think that is what we need to look at when we are making these recommendations.” A Goucher College poll released Monday, Oct. 12 shows 85 percent of Marylanders support an independent state prosecutor investigate misconduct charges against police officers. In other police reform measures, another 87 percent support making police

SCHOOLS from Page 22 uty Mayor Paul Kihn attributed the enrollment gap to a postponed school

who chairs the state’s Black caucus. “The focus will be the Black agenda.” Marijuana is to be a focal point, specifically about policies to increase minority representation in the industry and join 11 other states to fully legalize it and allow for recreational use. Del. Jazz Lewis (D-District 24) of Glenarden plans to present proposed legislation on the topic this month. Lewis said part of the policy would permit applicants to apply in the business who reside in a census tract “that is overly policed” or reside in areas below the poverty line. Another possibility would be to create a funding mechanism to help support the state’s four historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), create a substance abuse program, retrain law enforcement on decriminalization of marijuana and train those formerly incarcerated interested into

the cannabis field. “My aim is to speak and put a flag down to say this is what equity and inclusion looks like,” Lewis said. “We are just deciding to take ownership of our destiny, for our own community. I think the time is now.” As for Epps, she travels more than 50 miles one-way from her home in Waldorf to a full-time job, with health insurance and other benefits, at Ritual Dispensary in Anne Arundel County. She said she feels blessed after she lost her job this year as a bartender and then got hired at Ritual six months ago. Her daily duties include working as a receptionist and advising patients on various cannabis products. When asked if she wants to establish her own business, Epps said, “that is already in the works. That’s my mindset. I want equity in the cannabis industry.” WI

misconduct records available to other law enforcement agencies and to the public. About 82 percent would like a requirement for police officers to under racial bias training. However, about 79 percent support more money for police departments to hire more or better trained officers. Only 19 percent oppose it. The poll surveyed 1,002 adults between Sept. 30 and Oct. 4 has a margin of error of plus or minus

3.1 percentage points. In the meantime, McKinney offered a few ideas for state lawmakers to consider such as placing an officer’s name in a national law enforcement database when fired or found guilty for criminal misconduct and allocate money toward a mental health crisis team to assists officers responding to an emergency. “I know we need police. I’m not living in a bubble, but the role of police [officers] must change,” she said. WI

lottery and parents’ inability to submit essential documents online. Other concerns, as have been articulated by some parents, involved

the lack of uncertainty around school plans, and children’s stamina for distance learning, especially at such a young age. In her role as founding executive director of the DC Charter School Alliance, Shannon Hodge has engaged charter school leaders who have spoken to parents with various perspectives on when, or whether to, return to in-person learning. She said discussions often and paradoxically focus on stress of virtual learning on parent and child, and the tremendous amount of work needed to ensure a conventional, but safe, alternative. Because many parents are still apprehensive about returning within the next month, finding that balance, Hodge said, has been an ongoing challenge. “[Some] parents aren’t comfortable with [the] concept [of virtual learning]. There are a significant number of charters that have identified students for whom distance learning is not working,” Hodge told The Informer. “They might be seeing between 20 and 100 students on site. People are trying to be responsive to the learning needs of students, and charters are trying to meet the needs of their communities.” WI

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MALVEAUX from Page 26 interrupted him. He earned her admonishment, “I am speaking,” and ignored the rules he had agreed to. But the marginally elected President and his clone, who only differs from him because he went to both church and charm school, have no regard for rules or decency. I was angry that the Orange Man described Senator Harris as a “monster” until a friend reminded me that monsters are frightening. And

MORIAL from Page 26 slashed when the federal supplement expired on July 31. Those who lost their jobs early in the pandemic are about to see their benefits expire entirely. Major companies including Disney, Allstate and two major airlines have announced plans to fire or furlough more than 60,000 workers. At least 164,000 businesses have closed since March. Between 10 million and 14 million renter households are behind on their rent, putting as many as 34 million people at risk of eviction.

BROWN from Page 26 Added Dr. Vin Gupta, a member of the faculty at the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation: “The treatment the doctors report they administered suggest the president has COVID pneumonia of at least mild severity.” Despite his unhealthy condition, Trump briefly left the hospital on Oct. 4 and rode in his motorcade up and down Rockville Pike in Bethesda. Meanwhile, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany announced she had tested positive for the coronavirus. While the president had previously referred to the virus that has claimed more than 210,000 American lives as a hoax, he’s sending mixed signals about just how serious he’s taking his own diagnosis. It wasn’t immediately known what Trump’s personal physicians at Walter Reed thought of the president’s impromptu trip outside of the hospital, but other doctors expressed disbelief. “It’s all ridiculous,” noted an exasperated Dr. Ebony Hilton, an associated professor of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Anesthesia at the University of Virginia School of Medicine. “If Donald Trump were my patient, in unstable condition with a contagious illness, and he suddenly

Donald John Trump is not afraid, not scared, but skered! He is not only skered of losing face and losing the election, but he is also skered of the blue wave of Black women gunning for him, along with the White women who are sick of his dismissiveness. He is skered of suburban women, regardless of race, who have had it with the ignorance that has decimated their families. 211,000 dead at this writing, while he rallies, joyrides and ignores medical advice. If he ain’t skered, then he ought to be.

He is so skered (yes, I spelled it wrong, just so you could pronounce it wrong, with a little bit of flava) that he projected his greatest fear on Sen. Kamala Harris by describing her as a “monster.” Yes, she is — otherworldly, supernatural, disruptive to the white male order of being. She is the future. He is the past, and his followers cling to his fading past where anybody but white men were invisible. She is the monster that is our future, a monster only to those who fear progress. WI

And more than 1.2 million jobs in state and local governments have been lost as a result of falling revenues. The President’s assessment of the situation? “Our economy is doing very well.” From the vantage point of the wealthiest Americans, it may appear so. But, as Chairman Powell observed on Tuesday: “The burdens of the downturn have not been evenly shared. The initial job losses fell most heavily on lower-wage workers in service industries facing the public — job categories in which minorities and women are overrep-

resented. … Combined with the disproportionate effects of COVID on communities of color, and the overwhelming burden of childcare during quarantine and distance learning, which has fallen mostly on women, the pandemic is further widening divides in wealth and economic mobility.” Early in the pandemic, President Trump bafflingly retweeted a meme that compared him to Nero fiddling while Rome burned. In actively sabotaging the nation’s economic recovery, he’s doing worse than fiddling — he’s pouring gasoline on the fire. WI

left the hospital to go for a car ride that endangers himself and others, I’d call security to restrain him and then perform a psychiatric evaluation to examine his decision-making capacity,” declared Dr. Leana Wen, former Baltimore City health commissioner. “This is infuriating,” blasted Dr. Taison Bell, an emergency department physician specializing in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at the University of Virginia. “The White House is past the point of just making wrong decisions at almost every juncture. They are now literally making up ways to do irresponsible things.” Tweeted Dr. Michael McClurkin, Harvard Medical School graduate: “I cannot believe the President endangered his staff by asking them to drive him around the block to take photographs. He’s mad.” Trump’s handling of his coronavirus diagnosis has even infuriated the Secret Service, a federal agency charged with protecting the president. Three agents, who spoke to CNN on the condition of anonymity, expressed outrage at the president’s hospital antics. The network noted that agents have tested positive for the virus while traveling for Trump’s political rallies, which he insisted on maintaining even against federal health guidelines.

According to CNN, as employees self-quarantine or isolate in place, others have been forced to work longer hours to fill the void. “That should never have happened,” one current Secret Service agent who works on the presidential and first family detail said after Trump’s drive-by, adding that those agents who went along for the ride would now be required to quarantine. “I mean, I wouldn’t want to be around them,” the agent said, according to CNN, expressing a view that multiple people at the Secret Service also voiced in the wake of the Oct. 4 appearance. “The frustration with how we’re treated when it comes to decisions on this illness goes back before this, though. We’re not disposable.” Another veteran Secret Service agent also expressed deep dismay at the Walter Reed ride. However, he was sympathetic for those around the president, given the difficulty in pushing back against the commander in chief. “You can’t say no,” the agent said. While agents in the Secret Service have the power to say no to activities that could put a president in danger, they can’t say no in situations that could put themselves in danger. A third agent told CNN: “It was simply reckless.” WI

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SALMON from Page 27

of the world’s population but 25 percent of the global prison population. There is a growing realization that these unbending laws, the War on Drugs and maximum-minimum sentences haven’t worked. In recent years, politicians, lawmakers, policymakers and others have realized the folly of such policies. There is an ever-evolving reevaluation of the methods and approaches used to fight crime, which in turn, is making residents in communities more amenable to welcoming reentry homes into their neighborhoods. The goal and focus of corrections officials and lawmakers are moving towards implementing more humane, sensible approaches to help returning citizens and reintegrating them as seamlessly as possible into society and their respective communities. An equally important consideration is the human toll of lives, families and communities destroyed, overpopulation in penal institutions, an underfunded system and the crippling financial burden on American taxpayers. Forward-thinking advocates are finding ways to lift the barriers barring

returning citizens, who on release from prisons and jails, face obstacles barring them from housing, employment, social and other services and education. They understand that to do otherwise would be to invite greater crime and increased recidivism. On a broader front, for the past five months, the country has been roiled by protests and demonstrations of citizens seeking racial justice and redress for African American communities that have suffered police brutality, excessive force and other heavy-handed tactics by law enforcement across the country. The social and racial unrest has opened up a new space for dialogue, pushed attempts to find consensus and deep consideration of what is commonly referred to as “a reimagining of law enforcement and the criminal justice system.” Reentry facilities have gotten a bad rap. Residents of these spaces can be good neighbors. All they need is a chance, a second chance. There needs to be greater cooperation between residents and operators of reentry facilities. We are committed to that reality. WI

POWELL from Page 27

different racial and ethnic backgrounds support broad economic programs to help close the racial wealth divide. These include policies designed to guarantee jobs or ensure people’s ability to pay basic expenses such as housing. Even where there’s disagreement, there is space for us to talk with each other. These are complicated issues, and it’s encouraging to see people grappling with them to find a path forward, even in these extraordinary times. In fact, rather than stymying progress it seems that the dual crisis of social unrest and COVID-19 is giving our nation an opportunity to create a new economy that serves all Americans. A holistic approach to building an

inclusive economy would require balancing solutions to the most immediate financial needs of the most vulnerable households — in particular, households of color — and the creation of and advocacy for longer-term solutions. The survey’s findings suggest the need for proactive efforts to create broader consensus around longer-term policy mechanisms as well as targeted policies to address the specific realities of the most vulnerable groups. As this presidential campaign enters the final stretch, let’s not be distracted by repugnant political name-calling, but instead seize on the nation’s appetite for a fairer, more equitable society. WI

madman who is juiced up on the psychotropic steroids he’s being administered to treat his virus. He has even deputized by remote control, his own posse of Walmart-wannabe commandos, who march with tiki torches purchased online, who will be at the ready to launch just enough of an insurrection if and when he is trounced in the general election, come Nov. 3, so that he can declare martial law and render the expressed will of the voters to be null and void, proclaiming himself to be president for life. In Michigan, these Vanilla-ISIS characters were practicing. Their dress rehearsal was to perform a “citizens arrest” on the duly elected governor of the state, spirit her away to some Wisconsin-wilderness hideaway, where she

would be tried for “treason” and then summarily executed in accordance with the proclamation of their “court.” You can’t make this stuff up. Would, that this was a horror movie script. It’s horrible, all right, but it’s too bad for us, though. Because if this real-time, 2020 drama in which we’re living was, in fact, a horror movie on the screen, it would be over by now. Instead, we’ve been writhing in pain for three years and nine months now. The burning question of the hour: Will we see the molten face of this monster melt away before our eyes, just before the aroused citizens circle the castle and storm in to drive a proverbial wooden stake through his evil political heart? Stay tuned. WI

measurable improvements recovery home residents make — such as reducing substance use; finding and staying employed; not getting rearrested; and restoring and improving relationships with family members — will go a long way towards eroding resistance to the presence of these homes in different communities and neighborhoods. In 2016, there were about 2.3 million people incarcerated in federal, state and local prisons and jails across the U.S. “Tough on Crime” policies and laws in the 1970s led to an explosion of prison populations by 500 percent over 40 years. And changes in sentencing laws played a major role in these increases, particularly drug-related offenses. According to a 2015 report produced by The Sentencing Project, between 1980 and 2014, the number of people imprisoned for drug offenses in federal, state, and local penal institutions increased from 40,900 to 488,400. Such draconian policies have given the U.S. the unenviable reputation as the country with less than five percent

version in which these community-resource professionals would respond to such calls instead of police officers. Roughly two-thirds of Americans, across all racial lines, would require police officers to live in the cities or towns where they work. Clearly, our nation’s racial and economic divides won’t be resolved overnight. But this survey reveals encouraging signs, and it’s no time to let heated politics steer us away from feasible, even if partial, progress. In short, the survey finds common ground on real solutions, as a majority of people across the United States of

ASKIA from Page 27 of him, just to be in his presence even though he is literally shedding virus nodes like a molting beast. He preaches: “Don’t be afraid of COVID. Don’t let it dominate your life,” even as 212,000 of his “subjects” have already succumbed to the plague he’s ignored for eight whole months. He wants to project strength and invincibility as he coughed through his latest interview and as he sweated like a pig through his debate with Democratic opponent Joe Biden. He proclaimed himself a “perfect” human specimen, in better health than he was 20 years ago. Really. He did this. This is not rational human behavior. These are the rantings of a demonic

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OCTOBER 15 - 21, 2020 47

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