The Washington Informer - April 24, 2025

Local Target Protest to Soon Reach OneMonth Milestone

Long Road Ahead in Galvanizing Shoppers, Vendors

By Sam P.K. Collins and Dr. Patrise Holden WI Staff Writer and WI Contributing Writer

During the earlier part of April– as civil rights veterans and young radicals observed the anniversary of the assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (April 4)– the Rev. Graylan Hagler, along with other D.C. area clergy and activists, launched a movement in solidarity with a national boycott that has decimated Target Corporation’s profits.

The national boycott, founded by three women in Minnesota, in addition to highly promoted efforts by the Rev. Jamal Bryant and the Rev. Al Sharpton, inspired a meeting between Target executives and the two clergy activists.

In the nation’s capital, for at least three weekends, Hagler has stood among those posted in front of D.C. USA Shopping Center -- the site of a popular Target retailer. For hours at a time, he and other protesters, some coming from as far as Frederick, Maryland, stand in front of the shopping center, passing out information to consumers about the larger goal behind the Target boycott.

5 The Rev. Graylan Hagler, Ernie Fears, Donte O’Hara, CMoneyDGreatest, Dr. Lewis T. Tait Jr. and the Rev. Patricia Fears hold “Boycott Target!” signs beneath the Target sign at the Target located in the Columbia Heights Neighborhood on April 19. (Jacques Benovil/The Washington Informer)

Ward 7 Residents Make Their Case for Equitable Development

Felder Fights for Investments, While Bowser Hints at New Economic Plan

By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer

For Ward 7 resident Gail Perkins, every moment spent repairing her childhood home serves as a reminder about the hurdles ahead for District homeowners, especially those who become landlords. Last year, on the morning of Valentine’s Day, D.C. police officers serving a warrant for animal cruelty attempted to enter Perkins’ home on Hanna Place in Southeast. What followed was an hours-long standoff with a man by the name of Shephan Claude

WARD 7 Page 34

5Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner and landlord Gail Perkins has yet to recoup her losses, as she repairs her child home after tenants left the house damaged, in disarray and with unpaid rent. (Courtesy Photo)

D.C. Government Inches Closer to Furloughs, No Word from Congress

District Residents and Organizers Use D.C. Emancipation Day to Reflect on Home Rule, Equity

By Sam P.K. Collins and Jada Ingleton WI Staff Writer and WI Content Editor

As outlined in an order that D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) circulated last week, D.C. government agencies will likely start furloughs and facility closures in response to a $1.1 billion Fiscal Year 2025 budget cut that House leadership has yet to rectify. With the House still in recess, and City

5A united coalition of concerned constituents gather in droves on April 16 to mobilize against forces jeopardizing D.C. home rule, federal and local government employment, and the wellbeing of marginalized Washingtonians. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

Pope Francis Dies at 88: Nation, DMV Residents Remember First Latin American Pontiff Advocated for

By Stacy M. Brown, Richard Elliott, and Micha Green WI Senior Writer, WI Contributing Writer and WI Managing Editor

Faith leaders, politicians and people around the world are mourning the loss of Pope Francis, 88, the first Latin American pontiff and a spiritual leader, who died on Easter Monday. More than a barrier-breaking pope, Francis is being remembered as a humble servant leader who redefined the Catholic Church through his focus on social justice.

Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Vatican’s camerlengo, delivered the official announce-

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ment of the pope’s death from the chapel of the Domus Santa Marta.

“At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church,” Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Vatican’s camerlengo, said in an official announcement from the chapel of Domus Santa Marta.

Church bells rang out across Rome as the news spread.

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STACY M. BROWN, WI SENIOR WRITER

Tariffs Are Crushing Black Women, Advocate Warns

As the Trump administration’s sweeping tariffs take effect, Mica Whitfield, co-president and CEO of 9to5, National Association of Working Women, warns that the policies are another economic blow to already vulnerable communities— especially Black women.

“These tariffs are just a tax on working people, especially working women,” Whitfield said on Let It Be Known News show. “They’re making decisions at the gas pump about groceries while rent is already sky-high. One in three single mothers is already living in poverty—tariffs push them closer to the edge.”

Whitfield, who leads 9to5’s mission for economic justice for working women and non-binary people of color, said these new economic burdens should be viewed

through a gendered lens. She compared them to the long-standing “pink tax”—the added cost women pay for everyday items like razors and personal care products—only much worse.

“We can think of it as the pink tariff,” she said. “Women already pay more with smaller financial margins. These tariffs just stack on top of that.”

In practical terms, the price hikes caused by tariffs reach deep into women’s lives, especially for those working in care industries or running small businesses. From higher prices on diapers and cleaning supplies for childcare providers, to increased costs for raw materials for Black-owned hair care brands, Whitfield explained the domino effect is widespread.

“Black women are the fastest growing group of entrepreneurs, but they’re already struggling with access to capital,” she said. “Now they’re forced to find new sources for packaging or ingredients just to stay afloat. This could close doors for so many of them.”

WI Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

Virginia Confirms First Measles Case of 2025

A child under the age of five has become Virginia’s first confirmed measles case of the year, health officials announced Saturday, as a nationwide outbreak of the highly contagious disease continues to spread.

The Virginia Department of Health said the child, who recently traveled internationally, may have exposed others to the virus at two Kaiser Permanente medical centers—one in Woodbridge and another in Fredericksburg—earlier this month. Officials are working to identify and notify anyone who may have come into contact with the patient during visits to those locations.

The child, who lives in Virginia’s northwest region— west of Loudoun County and south of Prince William County—has not been publicly identified. Health authorities have not confirmed where the child contracted

the virus.

Measles is a viral illness that spreads through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs, or sneezes. Symptoms typically appear in two stages. The first includes fever above 101 degrees, runny nose, watery red eyes, and a cough, usually within one to two weeks of exposure. The second stage occurs several days later when a red rash spreads from the face to the rest of the body. People with measles are contagious from four days before the rash appears until four days after.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 800 confirmed measles cases in 25 jurisdictions as of last Thursday. Virginia’s new case had not yet been included in that tally.

WI

Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

D.C. Shuts Down Unlicensed Kids’ Rideshare

District of Columbia Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb has announced that RubiRides Technologies, Inc.—a subscription-based rideshare company that marketed itself as a premium transportation option for children— must cease operating in the District, provide full refunds to families, and pay $50,000 in penalties for deceptive practices and operating without required licenses.

The settlement follows an Office of the Attorney General (OAG) investigation that uncovered troubling violations of D.C. consumer protection laws.

The company, founded and led by CEO Noreen Butler, promoted itself as a high-end, safe transportation alternative for families in the District, Maryland, and Virginia. From August 2021 until January 2024, authorities said RubiRides charged families monthly or annual subscription fees and

required them to pre-load money into accounts used to book rides for children in their care.

Schwalb said the company began experiencing severe operational failures by December 2023 despite these promises. He said scheduled rides were frequently canceled without explanation. In some cases, RubiRides charged families for services that were never provided.

According to court filings, the company stopped responding when families attempted to cancel subscriptions or request refunds.

Even after suspending operations in January 2024, RubiRides continued charging families for services that no longer existed. Many customers were allegedly left with unreturned balances ranging from $100 to $1,000.

WI Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

In Memoriam Dr. Calvin W. Rolark, Sr. Wilhelmina J. Rolark

5Mica Whitfield, co-president and CEO of National Association of Working Women. (Courtesy Photo)

D.C. Sues Landlord, Property Managers Over ‘Deplorable’ Living Conditions, Criminal Activity at Deanwood Apartments

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

The District of Columbia has filed a sweeping lawsuit against the owner and property managers of two apartment buildings in the historic Deanwood neighborhood of Ward 7. The lawsuit accuses them of forcing tenants to live in conditions so dire that they pose a serious threat to health, safety, and human dignity.

Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb filed the civil action on Thursday against Mikhail Phillips, 711 49th Street LLC, RLP Investment Group LLC, and Vision Realty Management LLC. The lawsuit outlines severe and persistent violations of the District’s Housing Code and Property Maintenance Code at 5128 and 5134 Sheriff Road NE.

The complaint claims that the buildings are plagued by mountains of uncollected trash, rodent and bedbug infestations, pervasive mold, unsafe electrical wiring, water damage, and unsecured entry points that have allowed rampant illegal activity, including drug use and gun violence. In just two years, seven people have been found dead at the properties, including four homicide victims, according to the complaint.

“Landlords and property managers have a legal obligation to provide a safe and sanitary living environment for their residents,” Schwalb said. “Tenants at Sheriff Road have been forced to endure horrific, dangerous conditions for far too long, and such blatant disregard for District residents’ health and safety stops today.”

Karen Glover, who has lived at 5128 Sheriff Road since 2013, detailed how a massive leak from the unit above led to the ceiling in her kitchen and dining room collapsing. She said mold has built up, her stove hasn’t worked in years, and no repairs have been made despite repeated emails to Phillips. “I’m grateful to Attorney General

Schwalb for bringing this lawsuit and what will hopefully be relief for myself and my neighbors,” Glover said.

According to the lawsuit and accompanying complaint filed in D.C. Superior Court, the District’s Department of Buildings (DOB) has issued more than 30 Notices of Infraction since 2021 for over 100 violations at the properties. Some violations were classified as “life-safety hazards” requiring abatement within 24 hours. The basement of one building remained flooded with toxic, debris-filled water for nearly six months.

Despite repeated citations and warnings from city officials, the lawsuit says Phillips responded dismissively, at one point allegedly telling investigators, “This is not my problem. Stop contacting me,” and sarcastically suggesting they “call Batman and Robin.”

Ward 7 Councilmember Wendell Felder said the neglect is indefensible.

“Residents throughout the District and Ward 7 have the right to live in habitable and accessible housing,” Felder said. “Any deviation from this basic standard of living is unacceptable.”

The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) is seeking court-appointed receivership to rehabilitate the properties and remedy the long-standing health and safety hazards. The lawsuit also demands restitution for tenants, civil penalties, and immediate abatement of all illegal drug and firearm-related activity on-site.

The buildings reportedly operate without a valid Certificate of Occupancy, a Basic Business License, or licensed property managers — all required under D.C. law.

The complaint documents harrowing accounts of unsafe conditions. Tenants reported unstable electricity that left entire rooms without power and missing carbon monoxide detectors and fire extinguishers. According to the

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complaint, water damage, leaking ceilings, and active mold infestations remain unaddressed.

Further, trash is reportedly so overwhelming that residents have pooled funds to pay people with trucks to haul it away themselves. Interior hallways have been littered with abandoned vehicle seats, boxes, and even an ATV.

The lawsuit also lays out how illegal gun and drug activity has overrun the properties. D.C. police have recovered firearms, crack cocaine, and drug paraphernalia on multiple occasions. Tenants reported squatters entering their homes while they were away, and the buildings have been described by law enforcement as crack houses and open-air drug markets.

Despite being notified of the dangerous activity, Phillips and his companies refused to act. “I have no part in this entity. #diplomaticimmunity,” Phillips allegedly said in response to a formal notice from the Attorney General’s office. The lawsuit asserts violations of the Consumer Protection Procedures Act, the Tenant Receivership Act, and the Drug, Firearm,

or Prostitution-Related Nuisance Abatement Act.

“Because Defendants’ unlawful acts and practices present a continuing threat to the District and its residents, they harm the public interest,” the lawsuit states. If successful, the District will not only force the defendants to pay damages and penalties but also

transfer control of the property to a court-appointed receiver who will ensure tenants can finally live in safe and decent housing.

“This is about protecting vulnerable residents from a cycle of exploitation and neglect,” Schwalb said. “Every Washingtonian deserves to live in dignity and safety.” WI

FREE GROCERIES FOR DC SENIORS!

5The District is Columbia is suing the owner and property managers of two apartment buildings in the historic Deanwood neighborhood of Ward 7. Councilmember Wendell Felder says the neglect is indefensible. (Courtesy Photo)

black facts AROUND THE REGION

TRAVEL + MAKE BIG MONEY!!!

APRIL 24

APRIL 24 - 30, 2025

1884 – The Medico-Chirurgical Society of Washington D.C. , the first African American medical society, is founded.

APRIL 25

1917 – Iconic jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald is born in Newport News, Virginia.

1944 – The United Negro College Fund is founded.

1950 – Chuck Cooper is selected by the Boston Celtics in the second round of the NBA draft, becoming the first African American drafted by an NBA team.

APRIL 26

1892 – Inventor Sarah Boone patents an improved version of the ironing board.

1984 – Renowned jazz bandleader and pianist Count Basie dies of pancreatic cancer at 79 in Hollywood, Florida.

APRIL 27

1903 – Maggie L. Walker is named president of Richmond’s St. Luke Bank and Trust Company, becoming the first Black woman to head a bank.

1927 – Coretta Scott King , civil rights leader and wife of Martin Luther King Jr., is born in Heiberger, Alabama.

1945 – Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson is born in Pittsburgh.

in the U.S. Navy.

APRIL 28

1967 – Boxing champion Muhammad Ali refuses to be inducted into the U.S. Army and is immediately stripped of his heavyweight title. Ali, a Muslim, cited religious reasons for his decision.

APRIL 29

1899 – Famed jazz pianist and composer Duke Ellington is born in Washington, D.C.

1983 – Harold Washington is sworn in as the first Black mayor of Chicago.

1992 – Four white Los Angeles Police Department officers are acquitted of excessive force in the videotaped beating of Black motorist Rodney King , touching off six days of violent rioting throughout South Central Los Angeles that caused more than $1 billion in damages.

APRIL 30

1983 – Journalist and publisher Robert C. Maynard buys The Oakland Tribune newspaper from Gannett Company Inc., becoming the first African American to gain a controlling interest in a major daily newspaper.

1992 – The final episode of top-rated sitcom “The Cosby Show” airs on NBC, concluding a successful eight-year run for the show. WI

1971 – Samuel Lee Gravely Jr. becomes the first Black American to be selected as an admiral

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view

P INT

BY SARAFINA WRIGHT

What

society that you believe will not age well in the future?

COLLINS / PHILADELPHIA, PENN.

TESS LORRAINE / COLORADO SPRINGS, CO.

Estrangement without communicating the issues.

All the glue used for wigs and lashes, overuse/misuse of Ozempic.

CATRINA MORGAN / CHICAGO, ILL.

CORI HARRIS / WASHINGTON, D.C.

Listening to their boss but not their parents.

People who put their whole lives on the internet.

ANNA DANIELS / WASHINGTON, D.C.

Absolutely nothing because everything repeats itself! I used to think parents were just trying to relive the “good old days” when they made comments about the clothing they used to wear, but now that those jelly shoes are back in style. I’d change absolutely nothing.

KAI

Our staff is made up of writers, just like you. We are dedicated to making publishing dreams come true. Trusted by authors for nearly 100 years, Dorrance has made countless authors’ dreams come true.

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Black Mayors Convene, Discuss Plans to Confront Trump Era

By James Wright WI Staff Writer

Dr. Christopher Harvey, the mayor of Manor, Texas, a small city located northeast of Austin, was on a mission for information and guidance on dealing with the current Trump administration during the 2025 African American Mayors Association (AAMA) conference, held April 16-18 at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Northwest, D.C.

“This is the first time I have attended this conference,” said Harvey, 47, who has led Manor since 2021. “I have received much needed information that I normally don’t get on the state or local level. There is a collegiality here because despite the different populations of the cities that we run, we face the same challenges. This conference creates a space where we can talk about solutions.”

During the conference, Harvey attended workshops, receptions, social events and a luncheon on April 17 that included a tribute to the late Houston mayor and U.S. Representative Sylvester Turner (D-Texas) that was spearheaded by his Alpha Phi Alpha brothers.

While Harvey leads Manor, voted the 17th best small suburb to live in by U.S. News and World Report, he was joined by 100 of his colleagues from cities around the nation, including New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Chicago Mayor

Brandon Johnson, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott and New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell. Although D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser is a member, AAMA officials noted she did not participate in this year’s convening.

One of the main activities of the conference was the election of Savannah, Georgia Mayor Van R. Johnson II as the new president of the organization, replacing Steven Reed, the mayor of Montgomery, Alabama.

“I am deeply honored to serve as the president of the African American Mayors Association,” said Johnson, 56. “I look forward to working alongside my colleagues to advocate for the needs of our cities at the national level. Together, we will continue to address the pressing challenges facing our communities, from public safety and economic opportunity to health equity and infrastructure investment.”

BLACK MAYORS DISCUSS TRUMP

Although the AAMA is a nonpartisan organization, there were indications that the Trump administration was on the minds of the mayors throughout this year’s

three-day convening.

During the Biden administration, White House staffers, Cabinet-level officials, and other representatives, attended the AAMA conference, providing briefings and information to the members.

However, AAMA officials confirmed that no Trump administration officials addressed the conference.

On March 1, AAMA President Reed issued a statement on the organization’s approach to dealing with the new administration.

“Mayors are on the front lines of government, seeing firsthand the issues our constituents face and the policies that impact them the most,” said Reed, 51. “The AAMA remains committed to fostering partnerships that promote equity and opportunity for all, and we welcome the opportunity to engage with the Trump administration to advance these goals.”

Despite the call for a working relationship with the Trump administration, some mayors did not hesitate to level criticism.

“Trump’s attack on Black leadership, I see this as a Re-Reconstruction era,” said Johnson, the organization’s newly minted president, referring to the brief period after the Civil War when Blacks had full voting rights in the South that was disrupted by racial violence afterwards. “As mayors we are uniquely positioned to organize and speak truth to power. We must always invest in our own people.”

Shirley Franklin , who served as mayor of Atlanta, Georgia from 2002-2010 and was lauded by TIME magazine as one of the top five mayors in the country in 2005–and named one of “America’s Best Leaders” by U.S. News and World Report–told The Informer she is offering very specific advice to Black mayors during this time.

“They need to be true to their values and authentic in who they are and be concerned about the present and future of their cities,” Franklin, 79, said. “Black mayors need to strategize, plan and act. They need to stand strong and not compromise when it comes to solutions.” WI

@JamesWrightJr10

5 Dr. Christopher Harvey is the mayor of Manor, Texas and a member of the African American Mayors Association. (Courtesy Photo/City of Manor)

4th Annual “Day of Play” Brings D.C. Community out for Fitness and Fun

By Demarco Rush WI Contributing Writer

With spring break in full swing for District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS), Events DC hosted the fourth annual Day of Play at RFK on Wednesday, April 16, where families from across D.C. gathered for a day dedicated to fitness and fun.

“I’m super excited. This is our opportunity to bring everyone together,” Angie Gates, president and CEO of Events DC, told The Informer. “These are family-friendly events so, this is our chance to promote healthy living with our youth and adults and create memories that will last a lifetime.”

The event was sponsored by Giant Food and included food vendors, field games, music and physical activities like basketball, hockey, soccer, and baseball, while younger participants enjoyed moonbounces, a foam machine and face paintings.

D.C. Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie (I-At-Large), emphasized Day of Play serves as a healthy outlet for students to remain active and motivated, even while on spring break.

“Getting [young people] out, getting them into the community, on the fields and exercising… it really is a wonderful investment by Events DC,” McDuffie, chair of the Council Committee on Business

and Economic Development, told The Informer. “It’s an investment in our kids and I don’t think there’s any greater investment than in the education and health and well-being of our youth across the District of Columbia.”

Local sports teams including the Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy, Washington Spirit and the Washington Capitals showed their support by offering various engaging stations for participants to enjoy.

Lester Davis, from CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield, a partner for Day of Play at RFK, highlighted the multi-generational appeal of the event.

“Think about things where you can have your grandparents, teenagers, young people and everyone in between,” he said. “There are [very] few things where you can do that.”

As he watched his son participate in a field game, local dad Kevin Scott emphasized the importance of such programming for not only young people, but in building community and unifying people across all eight wards.

“[We] just wanted to be a part of an event that’s going on in the community,” Scott told The Informer. “It’s a good thing they have these types of events where families from all over the city can come together and just interact with one another.” WI

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for Your Health TOGETHER

Open on Cedar Hill Regional Medical Center GW Health

April 15, 2025, in Ward 8

For the first time in nearly 25 years, Metro DC has a new, full-service hospital and it’s located in Ward 8 at 1200 Pecan St. SE, on the St. Elizabeths East Campus.

As part of a growing network that includes GW Hospital, Cedar Hill Urgent Care GW Health, and the future FletcherJohnson Freestanding Emergency

Department, Cedar Hill Regional Medical Center GW Health (CHRMC) is building a legacy of care and connection.

From life’s greatest joys to its toughest challenges, we’ll be by your side. Welcoming new life, empowering you to stay healthy, and offering compassion and expertise when you need it most – that’s what it means to be together for your health.

For more information, scan the QR code or visit cedarhillregional.com.

5Families fill the The Fields at RFK for the 4th annual Day of Play at RFK in Washington D.C. (Demarco Rush/Washington Informer)

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On April 16, in honor of D.C. Emancipation Day, freedom fighters spoke on a panel at the Free DC coalition hosted “DC Emancipation Day Speak Out: Standing Together to Fight the Power” Metropolitan A.M.E. Church in Northwest. Panelists included: (L-R) the Rev. Tony Lee of Community of Hope A.M.E. Church; Paul Osadebe of Federal Unionist Network; moderator Sam P.K. Collins, staff writer for The Washington Informer; Nee Nee Taylor, co-founder and executive director of Harriet’s Wildest Dreams; Sam Epps, president of the Metropolitan Washington Council at the AFL-CIO local members and activist Ty Hobson Powell. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

Patricia H. Cooper reading the latest news in The Washington Informer. (Austin Cooper/The Washington Informer)

https://www

“There comes a time when time itself is ready for a change.”

Coretta Scott

The StoreHouse Serves as a Refuge for Many

By James Wright WI Staff Writer

Norma Solomon sat in her car with a friend at the Trinity Assembly of God Church in Lanham, Maryland, on a damp, cloudy April 12 morning along with scores of other people in their vehicles. Solomon and the other patient DMV residents were waiting to get their monthly distribution of nourishment from The StoreHouse, a Black-run food distribution network.

While she had waited patiently for an hour for the food distribution to start, Solomon, an 80-year-old Lanham resident, was in good spirits on the wet and chilly April day— thankful for the program.

“This food program is open for everyone to get something,” she said. “It is hard sometimes to get help. I am in a household with two seniors, and with all of this talk of cutting Social Security and things like that, we need all the help we can get. When someone is giving away food, I get up and get out and get it.”

Solomon was a recipient that day of the largess of The StoreHouse, managed by Mel Johnson, also a Lanham resident, who was motivated years ago to help people in need. Johnson, a stroke and sexual abuse survivor, founded The StoreHouse in 2012, as part of her Mel Johnson International Inc., nonprofit in the county.“These are challenging times for many people,” said Johnson, 42. “I believe that people should have access to healthy food.”

StoreHouse provides food to residents in Maryland, Virginia, the District and South Carolina. The website reports that over 2,000 families per month are served, with the emphasis on those facing food insecurity.

Data compiled by the organization shows that 68% of those who receive food from The StoreHouse live in woman-led households, and 47% of recipients are African American families. Most recipients are Latino families (52%), and the overwhelming majority (89%) consist of households with children.

The StoreHouse data also reveals 37% of recipients are veterans, 46% senior citizens, 41% unemployed, and 23% are returning citizens.

The organization has distributed over 1.03 million pounds of food and served over 38,279 families, as of April 1.

“[Families] may not have easy access to a grocery store,” Johnson told The Informer, “so this is one of the ways for them to get the vegetables and produce that they need.”

VOLUNTEERS GIVE BACK: MAKING ‘PEOPLE’S LIVES A LITTLE EASIER’

On April 12, Solomon was eighth in a long line of cars that extended from the beginning of Trinity’s sidewalk on its west side to Good Luck Road.

“There are times when the line of cars extends all the way to Doctor’s Hospital,” said Johnson, speaking of the medical facility in Lanham that is located three-tenths of a mile east of the church.

Normally, food distribution takes place on the third Saturday from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., but for April, due primarily to the Easter holiday, Johnson decided to move it to the second Saturday.

The volunteer corps includes residents and members of the Prince George’s County-based Kappa Epsilon Lambda chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha, and the Hyattsville/Landover Maryland Alumni chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternities. The volunteers perform a variety of duties that include helping to direct traffic, packing bags of food and loading them into vehicles.

“This is an all-volunteer operation and is self-funded,” Johnson said, “so we appreciate any support that is offered and received.”

Kappa Epsilon Lambda had several of its members manning the volunteer stations during the April

12 distribution.

Bryce A. Gaylor, president of the Kappa Epsilon Lambda, said volunteering for The StoreHouse is in line with his chapter’s program for community service.

“The chapter has five pillars: brotherhood, collaboration, service, innovation and education, and volunteering for The StoreHouse hits four of those pillars,” said Gaylor, 52. “We have participated in food distributions before, but this program helps to expand our impact. The impact here is much greater than what we have done before.”

Fafa Monu is a faithful volunteer and does the work because she believes in what Johnson is doing.

“People have asked why I do this, and I respond, ‘Why not?’” Monu, 38, said. “I have the time, and this is a good effort to work for. A lot of people don’t have jobs, and they have families to feed. Those who can give back should.”

As each of the cars rolls up to the distribution site, the volunteers ask how many families are to be fed. The rule is two bags of food per family.

During the April distribution, bags consisted of sweet potatoes, potatoes, cabbage and onions.

After getting their food, the recipients are directed to the next station to give a donation to the program.

To support The StoreHouse, Johnson is having the 2025 The Service Ball gala at Martin’s Crosswinds in Greenbelt, Maryland on May 25.

“We want people to come out to the gala and support the work that we do,” she said. “There is a lot of economic uncertainty, and we want to make people’s lives a little easier.” WI

@JamesWrightJr10

5 Young volunteers serve a customer at The StoreHouse food distribution in Lanham, Maryland. (Courtesy Photo/The StoreHouse Facebook)

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY

Prince George’s County Political Updates

Van Hollen Shares Updates on Kilmar Abrego Garcia, Ivey Plans to Visit Next

By Stacy M. Brown and Richard Elliott WI Senior Writer and WI Contributing Reporter

Maryland congressional leaders, including Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D) and Rep. Glenn Ivey (D), are working diligently to bring home Kilmar Abrego Garcia—a Beltsville husband and father who immigration officials admitted was wrongfully deported to El Salvador. On April 17, Van Hol-

len made good on his promise to personally check on Abrego Garcia and Ivey announced plans to visit

the Maryland man next.

Last Thursday, the Democratic senator met with Abrego Garcia at what appeared to be a restaurant in the Central American country, sharing a photo of the two seated at a table with greenery in the background.

“I said my main goal of this trip was to meet with Kilmar,” Van Hollen said in a statement last Thursday after the meeting. “Tonight, I had that chance. I have called his wife, Jennifer, to pass along his message of love. I look forward to providing a full update upon my return.”

Abrego Garcia’s wife, Jennifer Vasquez, said the meeting brought her hope, though she remains anxious.

“My prayers have been answered,” she said in a statement. “We still have so many questions, hopes, and fears. I will continue praying and fighting for Kilmar’s return home.”

The meeting was the first public appearance by Abrego Garcia since his deportation last month to El Salvador’s controversial Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), a prison notorious for its overcrowding and allegations of torture.

In court filings, the administration admitted Abrego Garcia was deported in error as part of a broader sweep that included hundreds of other Salvadoran and

Venezuelan migrants. U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis ordered the federal government to “facilitate” his return, an order backed by the Supreme Court. But Abrego Garcia has remained detained in El Salvador ever since, with Xinis repeatedly demanding updates and criticizing the government’s inaction.

The Trump administration has argued that it is now up to El Salvador to return him, a position a federal appeals court labeled “shocking.”

“The White House and the president have been lying about this case from the beginning. They’ve been trying to change the subject from the beginning,” said Van Hollen in a press conference at Dulles Airport after returning from El Salvador.

Human rights organizations have documented severe overcrowding and abuses inside Salvadoran prisons, including CECOT.

Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele mocked reports of mistreatment by showing the two men sitting at a table with drinks.

“Kilmar Abrego Garcia, miraculously risen from the ‘death camps’ [and] ‘torture,’ now sipping margaritas with Sen. Van Hollen in the tropical paradise of El Salvador,” he wrote.

UPDATES Page 13

5Congressman Glenn Ivey (left) is planning to travel to El Salvador in May to conduct a welfare check on wrongfully deported Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who resides in his congressional district. (Anthony Tilghamn/The Washington Informer)

UPDATES from Page 12

However, Van Hollen said in a press conference on Friday that the drinks were staged.

“As we were talking, one of the government people deposited two other glasses on the table, with ice and I don’t know if it was salt or sugar around the top. It looked like margaritas,” said Van Hollen. “And if you look at the one they put in front of Kilmar, it actually had a little less liquid than the one in front of me to try and make it look, I assume, that he drank out of it.”

BEHIND KILMAR

ABREGO GARCIA’S

CASE: KILMAR’S LEGAL HISTORY AND ALLEGED GANG TIES

Abrego Garcia, 29, entered the United States illegally in 2011 at age 16.

He was arrested in 2019 outside a Home Depot in Hyattsville,

Maryland. Immigration authorities flagged him as a suspected MS13 member, but a judge barred his deportation, citing the threat of gang persecution in El Salvador.

The key gang allegation stems from a 2019 report authored by Prince George’s County Police Officer Ivan Mendez.

Days after the Home Depot incident, Mendez was suspended and later indicted for misconduct in office for allegedly sharing confidential police information with a commercial sex worker. In 2022, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to probation. The department terminated Mendez in December 2022, and his name was placed on a “Do Not Call” list of officers deemed unreliable.

Despite that, the Trump administration used Mendez’s report to justify Abrego Garcia’s detention and eventual deportation this year. In March, immigration agents detained him again in Maryland and transferred him to El Salvador.

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PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

5Senator Chris Van Hollen was given a hero’s welcome at Dulles Airport by state legislators and Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s wife. Van Hollen traveled to El Salvador last week and met with Abrego Garcia after hosting several press conferences. (Anthony Tilghman/The Washington Informer)

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

Prince George’s County Local Updates

Tariffs and Federal Furloughs Affect Regional Economy

By Richard Elliott WI Contributing Reporter

The Trump administration’s focus on tariffs and mass firings of federal employees continues to negatively affect the DMV, especially Prince George’s and Charles Counties, with business owners and political leaders worrying about reduced consumer spending and shrinking local revenues.

Prince George’s County Councilmember Eric Olson (D) explained that higher prices, particularly of groceries, will take up a large proportion of household budgets and limit spending,

impacting local businesses, government and revenue.

“People are going to start cutting back on their spending, and that affects the economy, that affects our restaurants, that affects our local businesses,” Olson said in an interview with University of Maryland’s The Diamondback.

Tariffs operate as a sales tax on imported goods, raising prices for consumers and local businesses alike. For instance, tariffs on Canadian lumber and steel will raise the cost of building new homes and cars, while tariffs on imported food will raise grocery prices.

Adventist Healthcare, which planned to replace its southern Prince George’s hospital, is expecting that the previous $250 million project cost will be raised significantly and will likely delay the timeline of the project.

The tariffs are also likely to reduce commercial traffic to the Port of Baltimore, a major source of rev-

enue for Maryland.

Congressman Johnny Olszewski (D-District 2) wrote on X that the Port of Baltimore, which supports nearly 140,000 jobs, is the nation’s top-importer of foreign made vehicles.

U.S. Sen. Angela Alsobrooks’ (DMd.) first bill was to study the impacts of tariffs on consumer goods, however her bill was ultimately killed by Senate Republicans.

“The president readily admits that these tariffs will disrupt the economy, but he claims two things: that there will only be a minor disruption, and says they will cause ‘a little bit’ of pain. Maybe it will only be minor to those who are billionaires,” she said on April 2. She notes that average Americans will feel the squeeze of rising prices.

“But to everyday Americans? To the people who go to work every day to provide for their families? The families like the family I grew up in, a blue-collar family, a father who is a car salesman and the mother who is a receptionist, well they can’t afford any disruptions and they cannot afford any further pain. They deserve instead to know the truth about the Trump tariffs on the front end.”

‘WITH

THESE TARIFFS WE CAN’T BRING IN NEW MERCHANDISE’

Oxon Hill staple Linen World, owned by Jason Gaister, is closing at the end of the month or when merchandise runs out, citing rising costs and uncertainties as a result of tariffs.

Gaister reported that February had the lowest sales they had seen in 37 years, and he believes that other local businesses will also be forced to close.

“A lot of the federal workers around here not knowing what’s going on with their jobs, it’s caused a decline in sales,”

3 Congressman Glenn Ivey (far left) held a press conference on April 16 to express concerns over cuts to the Social Security Administration. Access to field offices, such as the Social Security office in Seabrook, has been limited by agency cuts and firings of Social Security personnel. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

said Gaister. “With these tariffs we can’t bring in new merchandise and we can’t afford to raise our prices the way we would have to.”

Herb Banks’ Copper Compass distillery, based in Waldorf, has experienced revenue decline as consumers across the region tighten their pockets.

“We’re just trying to stay operational for as long as we can,” said Banks.

CONCERNS ABOUT SOCIAL SECURITY

Cuts to Social Security Administration staff and offices have also created significant barriers for seniors and disabled Americans who rely upon these payments for day to day expenses.

Prince George’s had over 129,000 residents receiving OASDI benefits and more than 3,300 residents receiving supplemental Social Security income (SSI) in 2023.

Former Social Security Commissioner Martin O’Malley warned that the cuts by the Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE) threaten “system collapse and an interruption of benefits.”

Maryland Democratic U.S. Rep Glenn Ivey was joined by AFGE Local 3615 President Shadone Taylor and several Prince George’s legislators at a press conference at the Seabrook Social Security office on April 16 to discuss the impact of scaling back accessible services on everyday Americans.

“Our concern is that it’s only going to get worse. The Trump administration has fired 7,000 Social Security administration employees, and they continue to fire more,” said Ivey. “They have been reducing the amount of time it takes to respond, but now, with the firing of people who would answer the phones or open the offices, people can’t get the services they need.” WI

BUSINESS

Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Brothers Give Voice and Restore Hope to Thousands Suffering Economic Uncertainty

Dr.

WI Contributing Writer

Amidst economic uncertainties and a pervasive sense of voicelessness for many, three members of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., are empowering countless Washingtonians to create their own narratives and forge new directions through entrepreneurship and artistic expression.

Led by a call to activism and a love for community, Brandon “Breeze” Briscoe, Deon Jenkins, and Daniel “Aladdin” Philip are teaching Washingtonians to subsidize their income through entrepreneurial endeavors that yield financial dividends and provide a voice to many who feel silenced.

For Jenkins, this message of self-empowerment and financial literacy is one he learned early from his father, a self-taught entrepreneur. “My father was a DJ, I worked with him powering sound from a car battery. He taught me that you don’t need special degrees or fancy equipment to be successful. He also demonstrated the valuable lesson that tech skills can be learned at any age.”

Lessons Jenkins learned from his father and the brotherhood regarding teaching future generations, sharing knowledge, and serving communities in times of need seem especially apropos now.

“Nationally, over 75,000 federal employees have accepted buyouts, many probationary federal employees have been fired, and the administration has instituted a hiring freeze, allowing only one replacement employee for every four that leave,” according to the DC Office of Revenue Analysis. As a result, federal employment in the District of Columbia is projected to drastically decline by approximately 40,000 jobs, or a total of 21%.

work, track sales of your projects, study your field of art—information is power,” Phillip said. “Being competitive is not always about being the most talented, it is often about being the most prepared.”

NATIONAL UNREST GIVES BIRTH TO COMMUNITY ACTIVISM

Throughout history, national unrest has consistently birthed powerful waves of community activism. From the civil rights era to today’s socio-economic challenges, hardship has often ignited creativity, resistance, and resilience.

BROTHERHOOD RISES TO INCREASE COMMUNITY

FINANCIAL LITERACY

Recognizing the profound impact of these challenges, Briscoe, Jenkins, and Philip are using their collective business acumen and artistic creativity to help Washingtonians amplify their voices and forge new entrepreneurial paths. Jenkins, 49, brings a wealth of expertise as a videographer, DJ, sound engineer, photographer, and entrepreneur. With over 37 years of experience, he offers artists and professionals business and technical skills to upscale, or even restart, career paths in the face of devastating job losses.

“Updating headshots, teaching how to create and maintain a professional online presence, filming video presentations and voiceovers, teaching the use of AI, are skills that not only help give clarity to one’s professional path, they also empower and instill confidence during a time when many are feeling defeated,” said Jenkins, CEO of Diggs Digital Media.

Known to many Washingtonians as Aladdin, Philip, 40, emphasized the transformative power of art, particularly in navigating today’s challenges.

“Art is a reflection of the people and, in many ways, a reflection of rebellion. The greatest art comes from angst, frustration, and rebellion,” said the popular 93.9 FM radio host. “The changing landscape of our nation has birthed high levels of creative energy. Anytime in history that we are on the cusp of great change, art that transcends is usually the result.”

The multi-hyphenate artist has seized this critical time in our nation’s history to teach creatives the importance of the business side of art.

“Register your art, copyright your

employment downsizing.

Yet, Briscoe looks to the future with optimism: “True service to the community is passing on what was passed down to you. I have two sons, I want my legacy to them to be the way that I treated people, the way I helped to foster free expression, but above all, the way that I rose from even great hardships with my morals, ethics, and character intact.”

CURRENT PRESSURE, FUTURE LEADERS

“As much as things change, they stay the same,” said Briscoe, CEO of New Jackz Entertainment. “From transatlantic slave times to modern civil rights, music and activism have always been our voice when we are under the greatest pressure to be silent.”

Leveraging his 37-year music and sound recording career, Briscoe mentors on the importance of developing and sustaining multiple income sources. He stresses the importance of being financially literate, even during times of financial stability and prosperity.

This lesson of financial preparedness is striking home for Briscoe, who in June, along with 1,300 others, will lose his job as a consultant for a large corporation due to massive nationwide

BUSINESS BRIEF

By empowering voices, sparking movements, teaching financial literacy, and encouraging economic independence, Briscoe, Jenkins, and Philip highlight the important role of community in social change.

“Anything worthwhile has to go through an intense pressure process: gold, diamonds, even one’s character. Squeezing a peoples back against the wall does crush, but the pressure eventually causes a refining where precious movements are birthed,” Briscoe said. “Right now, this pressure is producing, as it has for every generation, a community of greatness. Out of trying times, the best of us rise.”

Collectively, these brothers of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., give a platform to thousands across the nation who feel disenfranchised.

Ray, Moten Honored at D.C. Chamber Luncheon

By James Wright WI Staff Writer

The leaders of Ward 8 organizations—Monica Ray of the Sycamore/Oak Retail Village and Soul of DC and Ronald Moten of the Go-Go Museum and Café—were honored by the DC Chamber of Commerce during its luncheon as part of the 2025 Small Business Summit and Expo at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Northwest on April 15.

Ray, who received the Small Businessperson of the Year Award for her work building Sycamore & Oak and mentoring Black women entrepreneurs, said she was pleased to receive the “incredibly significant honor.”

“This award is deeply meaningful to me,” said Ray, 53. “You must invest in people with purpose and power. It is an honor that my work

The people to whom they mentor are not always the outspoken. Through providing skills and services such as podcasting, sound recording, graphics, and monetization of intellectual property, Briscoe, Jenkins, and Philip are creating a community movement of empowerment for the outspoken and those who are timidly beginning to find their voice.

“The most valuable lesson I’ve learned through my mentorship from Aladdin is the way that he maintains and nurtures relationships,” said musical artist Kalonji “Arckitech” Mack, 31. “From national artists to local Washingtonians, people come back to him at different stages of their lives and careers, sometimes over decades. He builds community in a way that benefits now, and plants lessons and skills that sustain for life.”

In a time when many feel silenced by economic hardships and societal shifts, the initiatives spearheaded by the fraternity brothers serve as beacons of hope. By equipping individuals with the tools to start businesses, express themselves through music, and share their stories, they are facilitating economic independence and nurturing a community where voices are heard, creativity thrives, and future leaders are nurtured.

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of many years has been validated by the Chamber.”

Moten, 55, received the Nonprofit of the Year Award on behalf of the Go-Go Museum.

“It feels good to have the DC Chamber of Commerce recognize your work,” he said. “It is always great for people who work in the trenches to be recognized because often they are not.”

Other awardees included: Calvin Hines Jr. as DC Maker of the Year; Rana Labs LLC as CBE of the Year; Fia’s Fabulous Finds as Retailer of the Year; Codice as the Small Business of the Year; Patrice Cleary as the Small Business Champion of the Year; Kathy Luu as Woman Business Champion of the Year; and Nicole Kelsey Johnson as the Young Entrepreneur of the Year.

DC Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Chinyere

Hubbard said small businesses are key to the District’s economy.

“Small businesses are the cornerstone of our economy,” Hubbard said. “Small businesses truly drive economic growth. These are challenging times, and the small business honored have extraordinary stories to tell.” WI @JamesWrightJr10

5 Monica Ray is the president of the Congress Heights Training and Development Corporation in the Congress Heights neighborhood of Ward 8. (WI File Photo/ Cleveland Nelson)

Patrise Holden

NATIONAL

Mass Incarceration of Low-Level Offenders Exposed in New Data

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

Newly released data from the Jail Data Initiative have provided the first national look in more than 20 years at the offenses driving America’s massive jail churn, and the findings raise serious questions about the priorities of the criminal legal system.

The last comprehensive offense data for local jails came in 2002, leaving researchers and policymakers in the dark. But the Jail Data Initiative, in partnership with the Prison Policy Initiative,

has now compiled data from 865 jail rosters across the country, offering a detailed portrait of who’s locked up — and for what.

The data shows that more than 7.6 million jail admissions occurred in 2023. One-third of those—over 2.7 million— were for misdemeanor offenses, charges often as minor as sitting on a sidewalk or jaywalking. That figure dwarfs the 20% captured in the Bureau of Justice Statistics’ single-day snapshot of jail populations, a discrepancy explained by shorter stays for people booked on misdemeanor charges.

“This new dataset reveals what the single-day statistics can’t — that low-level offenses remain a dominant driver of incarceration,” said Emily Widra, the report’s lead author.

The report also exposes how probation and parole violations — particularly technical ones — funnel people back into jail in staggering numbers. Of the 7.6 million bookings in 2023, nearly 1 million involved probation or parole violations. Astonishingly, almost half a million people were jailed for technical violations alone, meaning they were locked up not for new crimes, but for missing curfews, failing drug tests, or skipping supervision check-ins.

Even more troubling, 75% of women in jail on any given day are facing non-violent charges. And since women are more likely to be poor, they often remain in jail longer because they can’t afford bail. More than 90,000 women are incarcerated in local jails — many of them mothers, some pregnant — with consequences that ripple far beyond their cell walls.

Across all detainees, about twothirds were jailed for non-violent offenses. Public order charges were the most common top charge cat-

egory, followed by property and drug offenses. Just 14% of jail detainees faced a drug charge as their most serious offense — yet many had multiple lower-level charges stacked against them.

The regional breakdown also proves revealing. In the South, 16% of people in jail were there for drug charges — double the 8% in the Northeast, where drug possession is more often decriminalized or classified as a misdemeanor. The South also dominates jail expansion despite already holding more than half the nation’s jailed population.

Jail size matters, too. Larger urban jails tend to detain people for more serious violent crimes, while smaller jails disproportionately hold people on low-level charges.

In facilities with fewer than 250 detainees, 9% were held for supervision violations — nearly double the rate in jails with over 1,000 detainees.

These findings come as counties nationwide continue to invest in jail expansion, pouring money into a system that often jails the poor for minor offenses, rather than addressing root causes like poverty, housing, and health care.

Pretrial detention — locking up people who haven’t been convicted — remains the largest driver of

“This new dataset reveals what the single-day statistics can’t — that low-level offenses remain a dominant driver of incarceration,” said Emily Widra, the report’s lead author.

jail growth. In 2023, 70% of people in jail were unconvicted.

The Jail Data Initiative’s work offers a critical and updated view into a system still largely driven by outdated practices and draconian policies. For the first time in two decades, the public — and policymakers — can see clearly what too many Americans already know firsthand.

“People are sitting in jails across the country not because they’re dangerous,” Widra wrote, “but because they’re poor, under supervision, or caught in a system that treats minor missteps as major offenses.”

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5 Newly released data from the Jail Data Initiative provides the first national look in more than 20 years at the offenses driving America’s massive jail churn, and the findings raise serious questions about the priorities of the criminal legal system. (Courtesy Photo)

Wes Moore Rises as Top Democratic Contender

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

As the Democratic Party continues to search for a new identity and fresh leadership, attention is turning to Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, who is rapidly emerging as a rising national figure — and a potential presidential contender.

Moore, who gained national acclaim alongside Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott (D) for their steady leadership following the deadly Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse, has received praise for his charisma, military service, executive leadership, and ability to unite a fractured party.

Hollywood heavyweight George Clooney, a vocal critic of President Joe Biden’s now-abandoned reelection bid, told CNN this week that Moore was “levitating” above the rest of the Democratic field.

“There’s one person in particular I think is spectacular,” Clooney said in an interview, where he was also promoting his Broadway portrayal of legendary journalist Edward R. Murrow. “I think [Moore] is a guy that has handled this tragedy in Baltimore beautifully. He does two tours of duty in Afghanistan — active duty. He speaks beautifully. He’s smart. He ran a hedge fund — the Robin Hood Foundation. He’s a proper leader.”

The Academy Award winner, whose July 2024 op-ed helped accelerate Biden’s decision to exit the race, praised other Democratic governors like Andy Beshear of Kentucky and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan. But his focus remained squarely on Moore.

“We say Democrats fall in love and Republicans fall in line,” Clooney added. “I think he could be someone we

could all join in behind. We have to find somebody rather soon.”

Moore, 46, became Maryland’s first Black governor in 2023. While speculation about his national ambitions grows, he insists he remains focused on his state.

“I am not focused on anything, except for making sure this is Maryland’s decade,” Moore said in a televised interview this week. He highlighted a new state tax cut and added, “I’m really proud of what Maryland is doing, and I’m focused on making sure we keep that progress going.”

Still, admiration for Moore comes from across the country — and within his own party.

“The governor has been incredible and I’m proud to be working with him,” Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott told The Washington Informer at this week’s African American Mayors Conference in D.C.

Najaa Rice, who traveled from Atlanta for the event, echoed that sentiment.

“Wes Moore — President Wes Moore,” she said. “It’s not just because he’s Black. Sen. Tim Scott is Black and I wouldn’t dream of supporting him. Gov. Moore is what we all hoped a politician, a governor, a civil servant would be. He’s the definition of ‘man of the people,’ and he’s not only the biggest hope Democrats have, but he’s the real hope this country has to right the ship.”

United Negro College Fund (UNCF) President Michael Lomax also weighed in.

“When our elected leaders not only talk the talk but also walk the walk, progress follows,” Lomax said. “Maryland Governor Wes Moore is doing just that.”

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n

n

n

A Voice That Moved a Nation Now Echoes in Memory In the Wake of Tragedy, Dominicans Remember a

By Mya Trujillo WI Contributing Writer

A household name for Dominicans across the globe, Rubby Pérez was a prominent figure in merengue music as he defined an entire generation and transformed the genre’s sound throughout his career.

Following his death at the Jet Set nightclub on April 8 in Santo Domingo, after a roof unexpectedly collapsed during his live performance, resulting in 232 fatalities and 225 injuries, many Dominicans have been mourning the man who was known as “The Loudest Voice in Merengue.”

In addition to Pérez, some of the many victims included: Major League Baseball players Octavio Dotel and Tony Blanco; Nelsy Cruz, the governor of the Caribbean country’s Monte Cristi province; and designer Martín Polanco.

“There are not enough words to express the pain caused by this event,” said Antonio Espaillat, owner of the Jet Set Club, in a statement posted to Instagram following the tragedy. “What happened has been devastating for everyone.”

In various videos shared online, audience members are seen and heard noticing something had fallen from the ceiling seconds before everything came crashing down. Dominican authorities have yet to discover what caused the disaster.

With this sudden catastrophe, the Dominican Republic lost one of its most energetic and distinctive powerhouses– a voice that truly represented the country’s vibrant culture.

“When the news of the tragedy broke, it crossed Dominicans’ minds that we lost one of merengue’s best exponents, one of the defenders of our rhythm, one of the best voices in merengue,” Dominican citizen, Gruby Méndez, told The Informer.

A LEGACY WRITTEN IN DANCE AND SONG

Merengue is a music style that originated in the Dominican Republic’s northern Cibao region in the mid19th century. Portrayed by its upbeat and electrifying sound created by traditional instruments like the accordion, the tambora and the güira,

Cultural Giant

merengue is regarded as the Dominican Republic’s national music genre.

Its blend of European, African and Taíno influences creates unique rhythms that people usually dance to in pairs, taking a step on each beat, simultaneously swaying the hips and moving in circles.

Pérez’s career in the genre was kick-started when Dominican musician Wilfrido Vargas chose him to be the lead vocalist of his orchestra when recording the 1983 album “El Funcionario.”

“When I started to form a musical group, I wanted to find the loudest voice for one of the songs I was going to record,” Vargas said via Instagram following the singer’s death. “Every note he sang, every stage he stepped on, every heart he touched are witnesses to his greatness.”

One of Pérez’s first hits when singing with Vargas’ orchestra was titled “El Africano.” Although released more than 40 years ago, it remains one of the songs Pérez is most known for, one that is constantly played at Dominican functions.

Méndez recalls this was the first song she heard by Pérez.

“The children and youth of that time made it the must-have song of all the parties,” she said.

Peréz wasn’t only popular in his home country. His music’s African and Taino motifs inspired other Afro-Latino artists to make composi-

tions that authentically represent the ties between cultures.

While they are an American music group, C+C Music Factory sampled “El Africano” for their 1994 song “Robi-Rob’s Boriqua Anthem,” celebrating co-founder Robert Civiliés’s Puerto Rican ancestry through its distinct Caribbean sound and liveliness.

The group posted a tribute for Pérez on Instagram after the Jet Set incident, as their current frontwoman, Euince Quiñones, is from the Dominican Republic.

“His electrifying performance of ‘El Africano’... helped immortalize the song,” C+C Music Group wrote. “It ‘s a reminder of how music carries across cultures and generations.”

Once the merengue legend established his solo career in 1987 with tracks like “Buscando Tus Besos,” “Volveré” and “No Voy a Llorar,” Pérez modernized the genre by making songs that also focused on lyricism and vocal ability rather than solely emphasizing fast tempos, enhancing his stage presence in the process.

Dominican Maira Herrera grew up listening to Pérez’s music and called his music “very contagious.”

“I remember I danced to his merengue titled, ‘Tu Vas a Volar,’ with a friend when I was about 17 years old,” she told The Informer, “and from then on it’s been my favorite song.” WI

Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

5 Rubby Pérez performs at the Soberanos Awards two weeks before his death, bringing his usual liveliness and infectious charisma to the stage. This performance was held at the Eduardo Brito National Theater in Santo Domingo– the same theater where his funeral took place a few weeks later. (Courtesy Photo/Rubby Pérez, Instagram)

AARP DC Staff Reports

Social Security Customer Service Crisis Puts Spotlight on New Social Security Commissioner

Social Security has struggled with customer service for years. Declining staffing and funding has seen the Social Security Administration (SSA) leaving District residents in the lurch, dealing with long wait times on the phone and in Social Security offices, getting busy signals on the phone, or sometimes simply being unable to reach anyone for their customer service needs. SSA recently scrapped a proposed service change that would have forced many older District residents to have to go in-person to a Social Security office for routine services that have been handled over the phone.

While we’re encouraged that SSA is listening to concerns about customer service, we’re not going to take potential improvements for granted. The incoming Social Security Administrator needs to focus on delivering effective and efficient customer service to everyone who needs access to Social Security.

It’s a win for people across the country that SSA backtracked on the harmful cuts to phone service, but this kind of disarray from the Social Security Administration has led to people around the country confused and anxious about the status of Social Security. Call volume to SSA has increased substantially at the same time that fewer people are getting resolutions to their problems.

It’s no secret that the Social Security Administration has experienced a customer service crisis for years. Perhaps no organization has been more outspoken about the need to tackle it than AARP. Yet call wait times, hold times, and customer service resolutions have been inconsistent for years, according to SSA’s own data.

It doesn’t help that Congress hasn’t provided the funding necessary to ensure Social Security can deliver quality customer service. In fact, funding to improve the program has long been on the decline. SSA funding has dropped by 9% since 2018.

This year, wait times are on the rise, fewer people can reach a Social Security representative to meet their needs, and this challenge emerges just as more people – approximately 10,000 people every day – are retiring.

The Social Security Administration has been too unclear and uncom municative with the public about its customer service issues in 2025. From their backtracking on phone service changes to confusion over office closures, SSA’s public controversies have driven anxiety for Americans ev erywhere. Phone calls to the agency have spiked over the last few months, and if they don’t commit to customer service improvements, it’s going to cause real hardship for many older Americans trying to get the Social Security they have earned.

The incoming Social Security Commissioner would be well served by re-committing the Social Security Administration to providing timely, efficient and effective customer service. SSA needs to be clear when com municating any possible changes, and what effects lower staffing levels will have. And Congress needs to provide oversight to ensure that customer service is prioritized at an agency that has struggled to serve Americans everywhere.

We encourage everyone across the District to join us in calling for SSA to ensure everyone receives the Social Security service they need for a vital program for Americans. Visit aarp.org/socialsecurity for up-to-date infor mation, sign the pledge and take actions to help protect Social Security.

HEALTH

The Complexities of Autism Disorder

By Lindiwe Vilakazi WI Health Reporter

Anthony Tilghman’s daughter was just 1-year-old when he and his partner decided to seek answers about a few concerns they had in terms of their child’s early development.

“We noticed when she was maybe 1, that she wasn’t really talking. She just would say these little one liners a lot. We were working and hoping it would eventually change, but we started to assume that she had a little developmental delay in her reactions,” said Tilghman, Ward 1 commissioner for District Heights, Maryland and social media manager for The Washington Informer.

Eager for answers, Tilghman and his partner requested testing

from a primary care physician who simultaneously suggested sending their daughter to a specialist for further review. After a year-long wait to be seen by the proper physicians, his daughter was officially diagnosed with mild autism.

Diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder, a neurological and developmental disorder that impacts how people learn, communicate, interact with others, and behave, has increased across children in the United States, seeing significant spikes today versus 30 years ago.

As April is Autism Acceptance Month, Tilghman is one of the many people around the nation and globe working to raise awareness of the disorder and help families in accessing resources and support once navigating an autism diagnosis.

Just a few months shy of her third birthday, Tilghman explained the chain of support that has come after his daughter’s diagnosis, in conjunction with early schooling, has brought visible improvement in her development skills.

“She loves school. School is probably the best thing for her,” he said. “We were really hesitant to put her in school, a little nervous. But she has really improved in her comprehension, and talking through being around the kids.”

AUTISM STATISTICS AND SYMPTOMS, ADDRESSING THE DISORDER

Autism spectrum disorder occurs across all racial, ethnic and socioeconomic groups, and is not a one-size-fits all diagnosis.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, “roughly 1 in 31 (3.2%) of children aged 8 years has been identified with autism spectrum disorder” and is three times more common among boys than girls.

Autism consists of varying tiers on a spectrum.

Some individuals have a mild level of the disorder, managing to be completely self-sufficient and engage in social interactions.

However, individuals on the other side of the spectrum sometimes never develop full speech, grow to have severe developmental

and behavioral disorders, and lack key social skills in order to effectively interact with others.

Many children show symptoms of autism by 12 to 18 months, or even earlier.

Early signs of autism in children can vary, but Dr. Paola Pergami, a pediatric neurologist at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, shared some of the key symptoms that signal autism disorder in young children.

“Generally, there is a lack of speech development or regression of speech. So, they start saying a few words, and then they regress, and they lose those words,” Pergami told the Informer. “[Also] the difficulty with social interaction. Instead of interacting with other kids, they just play on their own. They go grab a toy [and] don’t pay attention if anybody else was playing with the toy, and they play on their own. They never interact with kids.”

Recently, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) cited the CDC’s findings of autism prevalence in the country increasing from 1 in 36 children, to 1 in 31.

Newly minted HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. expressed concern over increasing autism rates.

“The autism epidemic is running rampant,” said Kennedy, who has been known to correlate autism diagnoses in children with required vaccines, without medi-

has worked diligently to find help and resources to support his daughter, who has been diagnosed with mild autism. With proper resources, and just shy of her third birthday, the toddler has progressed well and loves school. (Courtesy Photo/Anthony Tilghman) cal evidence to support his claims. “We are assembling teams of world-class scientists to focus on research on the origins of the epidemic, and we expect to begin to have answers by September.”

However, leading autism organizations such as the Autism Society of America, Autism Speaks, and Autism Self Advocacy Network have pushed back on Kennedy’s plans, coming together to release a joining statement calling for “evidence-based approaches and increased investments in programs that serve the autism community.”

“We are deeply concerned by growing public rhetoric and policy decisions that challenge these shared principles. Claims that autism is ‘preventable’ is not supported by scientific consensus and perpetuate stigma,” the organizations wrote in a statement.

While challenges for birthing people, such as drug use or vitamin deficiency, are often correlated with children later diagnosed with autism, Pergami debunks many of the theories people have about the roots of the disorder, based on proven studies and her personal expertise.

“I don’t think that any study has ever shown any environmental factor, ever. They think that we know for sure that vaccines do not cause autism,” she told The Informer. “It was demonstrated that there is really no connection. It has never been proven.”

HEALTH Page 21

3Anthony Tilghman

from Page 20

DISPARITIES IN AUTISM DIAGNOSES, INCREASING ACCESS TO CARE

Among children documented with the disorder, autism prevalence is reported to be the lowest among non-Hispanic White children, and higher among Black, Asian or Pacific Islander, and American Indian or Alaska Natives.

Despite the statistics suggesting more concentrated diagnoses among certain demographics, Dr. Pergami finds the rates to be directly reflective of the quality of access to care among communities.

“I think [the issue] is access to care. I don’t think people are different. In D.C., I actually see people with autism for their initial diagnosis, because without diagnosis, they cannot access services,” Pergami explained. “Some kids are diagnosed early properly. If the parents are educated, they have access to care, and they can express their concerns and so on. And those kids, if they have a severe problem, they do well because they access service early, or they do as well as they can.”

Having witnessed the detrimen-

tal effects of delayed diagnosis with close family members, Tilghman said that he felt compelled to address his daughter’s autism concerns early.

“I think that’s a common thing we see sometimes among African Americans. We really wait until the last minute to get help,” Tilghman told The Informer. “We’re more reactive, we’re really not proactive when it comes to our health, and that’s one thing that I wanted to change with my daughter.”

While they were able to get their daughter the testing she needed, the couple had to commute to Virginia from Prince George’s County for the family to get the support they needed.

For many families residing in certain areas around Prince George’s County and Washington, D.C., transportation as well as a lack of health education can present as a challenge preventing patients from getting necessary help, care and resources.

“There’s not enough support,” said Tilghman.

“We are put in situations where we have a lack of resources based on the people that control that area, because they tell us what’s good for us. They go by what brings in the money. They don’t really go about what’s great for accessibility in our community.” WI

5Dr. Paola Pergami is a pediatric neurologist at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. She shares some of the key symptoms that signal autism disorder in young children. (Courtesy Photo/MedStar Health)

EARTH OUR

Environmental Leaders Push for Stronger Climate Commitment

Inspiring Change with Community-Based Solutions for a Greener Future

By Mya Trujillo WI Contributing Writer

The 55th annual Earth Day is more than a worldwide celebration, but a reminder to the masses on the importance of environmental stewardship. From increased education regarding current climate concerns, to more mindful and impactful collective action, environmental leaders emphasize the steps toward combating ecological decline may be at the global community’s fingertips.

“We’re all entitled to breathe

clean air and drink clean water and live in communities that have some specs of nature,” said the president of EARTHDAY.ORG (EDO), Kathleen Rogers, who has been with the organization for more than 20 years. “Our kids deserve not to be exposed to toxics, pesticides and pollution that eventually will lead to cancer, asthma and other awful illnesses.”

Through EDO’s annual mobilization of more than 1 billion people to raise environmental consciousness and awareness of climate change, the avocational holi-

day has become one of the world’s largest secular observances.

Since its inception, Earth Day has triggered a sense of responsibility in many and has inspired approval for various pieces of environmental legislation, from the National Environmental Protection Act in 1970, to the signing of the Paris Agreement in 2016.

Even though the holiday inspires catalysts for change, the Earth Day 2025 official ambassador Antonique Smith hopes people worldwide will preserve its purpose year-round and continue making efforts to protect the planet after April 22.

“Every day is Earth Day,” Smith told The Informer. “It’s a one-day celebration, but action [needs] to be taken every day– big and small.”

TURNING AWARENESS INTO URGENT ACTION

Smith has been an advocate for environmental justice since 2014, after learning of the racial disparities associated with the effects of climate change. Her dedication to addressing environmental injustices stems from her love for the communities she is a part of and a passion for equal access to resources and circumstances.

“I think there’s a misconception that environmental justice is about politics and parties, but it’s about people,” Smith said. “For me, it’s the fact that my community, people of color, poor people, are disproportionately affected by the effects of climate change.”

A 2021 EPA report found that Black and African Americans are 34% more likely to live in areas with the greatest anticipated surges in childhood asthma diagnoses, and 40% more likely to reside in regions where extreme temperature-related deaths are most expected to occur.

Statistics like these underline the persistence necessary to protect Earth and its vulnerable communities to attain environmental justice.

While Mchezaji “Che” Axum, the director of Center for Urban Agriculture and Gardening Education at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC), is sometimes discouraged by news of a worsening climate, he is constantly inspired by the number of young people engaging in the fight

toward climate justice.

He believes that the planet’s worsening climate warrants an “all hands on deck” approach, doing his part by educating people about self-grown food and teaching urban gardeners sustainable growing practices.

Having witnessed floods, warmer temperatures and more environmental challenges, Axum said he hopes the public will be more proactive in improving Earth’s health.

“We’re at such a critical stage in a critical situation that we need everyone right now to really chip in and try to help save this planet,” Axum told The Informer. “All hands on deck because last year was the hottest year on the planet and I guarantee you this year will be hotter than last year.”

EDUCATION BECOMES ESSENTIAL IN FIGHT AGAINST POLLUTION

An environmental threat on Rogers’ radar this year is the substantial presence of microplastics in the air, water and people’s bodies.

It has been estimated that humans consume between 78,000 and 211,000 microplastic particles per year, from using plastic water bottles to simply taking a deep breath.

Many plastics are unsustainable from production to disposal. They are made from fossil fuels that can expel greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, and are composed of polymers that make the material incapable of biodegradation. While plastic may not completely break down in a short amount of time, debris can break off, and if less than five millimeters in length, those pieces of debris are classified as microplastics.

“[Plastic] acts as a magnet for heavy metals, so as it breaks down,

COMMITMENT Page 23

5 Earth Day Ambassador Antonique Smith has been engaged in the fight for climate justice for 11 years. She hopes people will realize the weight of their impact on the environment and treat every day as if it were Earth Day. (Courtesy Photo)

from Page 23

it sucks up heavy metals it finds in the ocean or other places, and then it becomes ingested,” Rogers explained to The Informer. “You eat it, you breathe it, you drink it, so it’s this endless cycle of chemicals.”

Smith believes the first step toward mitigating risks like these is education. In a world so alarmingly threatened by environmental decline, chances for improvement are slim if people are unaware of the hazards they encounter daily.

Hoping to provoke the education and mobilization necessary for the fight toward environmental justice, Smith co-founded Climate Revival in 2024 alongside the Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr. to help fuel a passion for environmental consciousness through art and faith. Through projects like this, Smith seeks to inspire love across communities.

Smith noted that fostering such compassion among the public leads to more unity, thus increasing the possibility for more collaborative efforts to reduce climate

change’s effects on the planet and humankind.

“I’m trying to do my very best to be an ambassador for love of the earth, which to me personally is loving each other,” Smith told The Informer. “Community right now is so necessary. We need to be amongst each other. We need to be convening… [and] conversing.” WI

THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA HOUSING AUTHORITY

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) SOLICITATION NO.: 63-2025 VACANT UNIT REPAIR/MAKE READY SERVICES

The District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA) requires Vacant Unit Repair/ Make Ready Services throughout various DCHA properties.

SOLICITATION DOCUMENTS will be available beginning Monday, April 14, 2025, and can be found on Housing Agency Marketplace at: https://ha.internationaleprocurement.com/requests.html?company_id=506

To access files Vendors are required to Register on the Housing Agency marketplace. See the registration link below. https://ha.internationaleprocurement.com/requests.html?company_id=506

PROPOSAL RESPONSES ARE DUE ON OR BEFORE Wednesday, May 14, 2025, at 12:00 p.m.

Please email LaShawn Mizzell-McLeod Contract Specialist at LMMCLEOD@dchousing.org for additional information.

5 Antonique Smith performs at the launch of Climate Revival, an environmental nonprofit co-founded by Smith and the Rev. Lennox Yearwood, on Sept. 13, 2024. (Jada Ingleton/The Washington Informer)

EDUCATION

D.C.’s Digital Future: DCPL Foundation, Comcast Team Up to Make Sure There Is One Multipurpose Grant Focuses on Digital Navigation, Digitizing Memories in Anacostia

By Jada Ingleton WI Digital Equity Fellow

The charge to advance digital inclusion in the nation’s capital is set to soar through a transformative partnership between the DC Public Library Foundation (DCPLF) and Comcast, which has awarded a $100,000 grant to bolster the foundation’s Digital Navigator Program and launch new initiatives aimed at closing the digital equity gap in D.C.

Officially announced on March 20, the multipurpose grant – part of Comcast’s ProjectUp initiative – honors a continued passion of the partnering institutions to forge paths for economic mobility and exceed digital opportunity beyond access to resources.

“There are some people who just want to learn digital skills, and that’s amazing, and the library is here to support that, but there are some people who want to achieve a personal goal, a professional goal,” said Meaghan O’Connor, director of service design and engagement at DC Public Library (DCPL), “and the best way to do it is through technology.”

With the financial aid to further support DCPL digital navigators, equip a digital skills memory lab in Anacostia, and host networking opportunities, DCPLF and Comcast strive to leverage digital innovation for generational wealth and community preservation in Washington, D.C.

Misty Allen, vice president of government affairs and community impact for Comcast’s Beltway Region, told The Informer that these collaborations serve as a catalyst to not only

years…but the need hasn’t lessened,” O’Connor told The Informer. “What we saw was increased awareness, but many things that went digital stayed digital.

Thus, this collaborative effort to increase digital equity is on par with the mission of DCPL and its separately embedded foundation.

While future hope is to increase the number of digital navigators in the city, the funding allocated by Comcast will focus on supporting the five navigators that currently balance shifts across libraries such as: Dorothy I. Height/ Benning Neighborhood Library, Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial Library, Parklands-Turner in Congress Heights, and other neighborhood libraries like that of Mt. Pleasant, Anacostia, Woodridge, among others.

close the digital gap but also nurture generations of leadership and culture shapers.

“Research consistently shows that the personal connection of a digital navigator is a game-changer for boosting people’s confidence with digital tools and opening doors to rewarding career opportunities,” Allen said in a statement to The Informer. “We are proud to partner with the DC Public Library Foundation to support its innovative program and help create a more connected community in the District.”

ADVANCING

DIGITAL INCLUSION, CONNECTIVITY THROUGH DCPL NAVIGATORS

Amid high demand and widespread dependency on technology usage, DCPLF made an investment in Washingtonians with the Digital Navigator Program, established in 2022. The pivotal initiative works to provide residents with access to connectivity, digital resources, and technical assistance, and has gone on to support more than 3,000 community members with digital skills training annually across eight of the 26 public libraries in the District.

Despite certain anomalies that have since reversed, such as predominantly virtual learning modalities, O’Connor noted that the program’s founding purpose remains just as relevant now as three years ago.

“The need and the opportunity was dramatically highlighted and increased during the kind of key pandemic

Digital providers offer individualized support in areas like applying for government services, accessing federal resources, and other immediate needs that require some level of digital literacy, while also teaching residents real-world applicable skills like patience and persistence.

“Just being able to sit next to someone and help them solve their problem in a moment where they may be about to lose their housing or not be able to have food on the table,” O’Connor said, “that changes people’s lives.”

Rob Hartman, executive director of the DC Public Library Foundation, highlights the program’s mission to build these digital skills for employment benefits, as well. The community advocate noted how empowering residents with the confidence and comfort to excel in digital navigation can often achieve bigger goals, and eventually, economic mobility.

“Bringing the folks in and allowing them to explore the different aspects [of technology] is something that’s really unique within the library. That it’s not a one-size-fits-all, that individuals will be able to find what their passions are, or what they are about in order to become more employable over time,” Hartman said.

He added that the funding from Comcast will only elevate the pivotal role of trust and “free-thinking” within public libraries, which he touted as “some of the most beautiful buildings” in Washington, D.C.

Further, the grant’s dedication to connectivity includes helping fund a digital navigator summit in June. During the summit, technical assistants across the city – regardless of official title – will gather for an all-day event to strengthen the network of D.C.-based digital literacy providers,

improve coordination and skill sets, and enhance the humanistic approach to advance digital equity.

With preparations still in the mix, O’Connor shared her excitement for the proposed event, highlighting one of DCPLF’s core values to “stay rooted” in the community.

“[This grant] is really about how we continue to be here for our community,” O’Connor told The Informer. “To advocate for our community, and to make sure we’re capturing our local history and preparing people for the future.”

DIGITIZING THE PAST TO ENSURE A FUTURE: MEMORY LAB HOLDS THE STORIES OF BLACK WASHINGTONIANS

In the spirit of capturing local history, the Comcast-funded grant will also be used to equip a digital memory lab in the Anacostia Neighborhood Library, a replicable model of the existing institution in MLK Central Library.

The memory lab will host sessions for residents to come in and learn how to digitize footage from older, outdated digital models, like video cassette recorders (VCR) and video home systems (VHS), optimizing an often overlooked use of technology to not challenge the future, but preserve the past.

“In every city, our history is who we are. The stories we have about our families and communities are really what bind us, and if we can help peo-

ple preserve that, so they can understand the power of where they come from, it can help them understand where they want to go, whether that’s as an individual, as a family, or as a neighborhood,” O’Connor explained.

With such a variable position as the capital cornerstone of the nation, Hartman noted Washington D.C.’s susceptibility to change is all the more reason to leverage digital skills to create long-term impact, such as with community preservation.

“Washington, D.C. is such a unique community in that we are the seat of the federal government, yet we have over 700,000 residents that have their own personal stories,” he explained. “Especially as our city continues to grow [and] demographics change, we need to hold on to what the roots of our city is.”

The DCPLF executive director added that Anacostia Neighborhood Library is the prime destination to implement this innovative project.

Aside from bringing the memory lab to another accessible part of D.C., the rich history of the historic neighborhood lends it as a crucial timeline of local culture, specifically in the realm of African American leadership and change-making.

Hartman said that, like the Anacostia Community Museum, in which he serves on the board, the memory lab plans to “tap into that synergy” of preservation and empowerment for Black Washingtonians. He further noted that this initiative is just the beginning of DCPLF’s continued efforts to champion underserved communities. WI Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

5 Misty Allen, vice president of government affairs and community impact for Comcast’s Beltway Region, speaks at DC Public Library Foundation (DCPLF)’s “Battle of the Banned” event on Oct. 5, 2024, and proudly celebrates the partnership between Comcast and DCPLF’s Digital Navigator Program. (Courtesy Photo/Misty Allen, LinkedIn)

EDUCATION

Prince George’s County Education Updates

By Richard Elliott WI Contributing Reporter

PRINCE GEORGE’S COMMUNITY COLLEGE PROPOSES $143 MILLION BUDGET

While Prince George’s Community College (PGCC) President Falecia Williams is concerned Trump administration mandates may impact university funding— particularly the elimination of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programming and the threat to revoke federal funds for teaching parts of Black history— institution officials proposed a budget of nearly $143 million for the upcoming fiscal year.

“We are a predominantly Black institution, so DEI is what we do, and it’s a critical part of that,” Williams said.

The school will also prioritize the construction of the southern campus, for which County Council Chair Ed Burroughs III (D- District 8) expressed gratitude after the proposed budget was unveiled.

“Thank you for realizing that we matter,” said Burroughs on April 14. “We pay taxes. We have bright residents who want the best amenities and services that government provides, that their own taxes provides.”

The proposed budget is a 4.6% increase from the 2025’s approved budget of $135 million.

The majority of the budget increase is expected to go toward compensation, fringe benefits and operating expenses.

While the school receives almost $47 million from the county government and nearly $50 million in state funds, federal cuts to programs including the TRIO program threaten funding sources for some students and programs.

Ohio’s Kent State TRIO Upward Board program director Sana Lawless-Andric noted that all of the school’s TRIO programs were directly impacted by federal cuts to federal education programs.

“Our programs at Kent State have sustained a 3.1% cut, and federal TRIO programs nationally have lost over 100,000 students due to the cuts,” said Lawless-Andric in an interview with The Kentstater. “If funding is not restored, we could lose one in three Upward Bound Programs nationally.”

Despite concerns, Williams is working to ensure PGCC students have adequate financial aid to the university’s best ability.

“With the change in the FAFSA last year, we had a lot of delays. With the downsizing of the Department of Education, we expect more of the same,” President Williams said during a meeting with the County Council. “What we did was take the responsibility to protect students financially through the complexities so they wouldn’t lose enrollment. We protected students who applied, but we could potentially be less positioned to do the same this upcoming year.”

PGCPS

RECOMMENDS CLOSING FORT WASHINGTON’S EXCEL ACADEMY

PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL

Fort Washington’s Excel Academy has notified parents that this will likely be the school’s last year of operation, citing ongoing teacher shortages and a local budget deficit. The K-8 charter school opened in 2006.

Amie Dortch, parent to a seventh grader at Excel Academy, acknowledged the staffing issues, but doesn’t believe the school should close.

“I honestly think Excel needs more time to grow,” said Dortch.

Leah Brunson, whose child attended Excel Academy last year, said the school should be put on probation or shut down.

The school held a meeting on April 23 to receive feedback from parents and discuss further details regarding the school’s potential closure, however The Washington Informer had not spoken to members of the Excel community

Submissions are due by April 25, 2025.

at the time of press.

While there are threats of Excel closing, Apple Grove Elementary, Flintstone Elementary, and J. Frank Dent Elementary are public schools in the area. John Hanson Montessori and National Christian Academy are also nearby.

“We cultivate our scholars’

growth using the four pillars of character development, college and career readiness, cultural arts, and community engagement,” reads a statement on Excel Academy’s school website. “We are the longest-operating charter school in Prince George’s County, Maryland.” WI

IN MEMORIAM

“JOE” MANLEY (Roy Maurice Manley)

Preventative Maintainence:

Clean coils, check refrigerant levels, inspect electrical systems, replace filters as needed

Survey and observe VAV boxes for operational efficiency and provide detailed reports

Installation/Upgrades:

Replace or upgrade existing HVAC units as needed

Compliance:

Adhere to all local, state, and federal regulations including the Protecting Our Children Amendment Act of 2021 and Carbon-Free DC 2050 goals

Hope Community Public Charter School is soliciting proposals from qualified contractors to provide HVAC system services. The scope of work includes preventive maintenance, upgrades, and possible installing of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems to ensure a safe, healthy, and comfortable environment for students and staff. View the full RFP and all requirements at https://phalen.info/HopeRFPs

Departed 4-6-25

Celebration of Life on 5-2-25

10am Visitation

11am Service at The Pennsylvania Avenue Baptist Church

3000 Pennsylvania Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20020

Private Burial at Cheltenham Cemetery

5 Despite Prince George’s Community College President Falecia Williams’ concerns about the Trump administration’s mandates on teaching Black history and eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion, school officials are proposing a nearly $143 million budget for the upcoming fiscal year. (WI File Photo)

Understanding the Real Impact of High Energy Bills

Submitted by Washington Gas

Many households are concerned about high energy bills and often attribute them to fluctuations in natural gas prices. However, it’s important to know that your energy consumption is the primary driver of a high gas bill and not changes in the commodity price of gas. This means that you have control over some of your energy costs by managing your usage.

MYTH-BUSTING: NATURAL GAS PRICE FLUCTUATIONS VS. USAGE

It’s a common misconception that natural gas price fluctuations are the major influence on customer bills. In reality, high bills are often due to increased usage. When you use more energy, your bill increases, regardless of the price of natural gas. By focusing on your energy consumption, you can better manage your costs.

UNDERSTANDING FIXED AND VARIABLE CHARGES

When managing your gas bill, it’s important to understand the difference between fixed and variable charges. Fixed charges are consistent fees that you pay each billing cycle, regardless of your gas usage. These customer charges, also known as system charges, typically cover the cost of maintaining the gas infrastructure and administrative expenses. On the other hand, variable charges fluctuate based on the amount of gas you consume. This portion of your bill can vary significantly depending on your usage patterns, seasonal changes, and the market rates for gas.

During the summer, when gas usage is generally lower, the majority of your bill is often made up of fixed charges. Conversely, in the winter, higher gas consumption means that variable charges tend to dominate your bill. By being aware of these two types of charges and their seasonal variations, you can better anticipate your monthly expenses and identify opportunities to reduce your overall gas bill.

FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN COMPARING BILLS

When comparing your current month’s invoice to prior month invoices, consider the following factors:

• Number of days in billing period (this can vary between 28 days to 35 days)

• Weather temperatures differences

• Changes in thermostat settings

• Gas price fluctuations

It’s important to note that as a regulated utility, Washington Gas does not profit from the sale of natural gas. The price we pay for gas is passed directly to our customers, meaning you pay the same amount for natural gas as Washington Gas pays its suppliers.

BENEFITS OF NATURAL GAS HEATING

1. Affordability - Natural gas is generally more affordable than electricity. On average, natural gas heating costs about 3.5 times less than electricity.1 Households that use natural gas for heating, cooking and clothes drying save an average of $1,132 per year compared to homes using electricity for those applications.2 This significant cost difference can help you save money on your energy bills, making it a more economical choice for heating your home.

2. Reliability - Natural gas is a reliable source of energy, especially during winter storms. Unlike electric heating systems, which can be affected by power outages, natural gas systems continue to operate, ensuring your home stays warm even during severe weather. This reliability means you can count on consistent heating when you need it most.

3. Efficiency - Natural gas furnaces are highly efficient at generating heat. They can quickly warm your home to a comfortable temperature, providing consistent and effective heating. This efficiency means you use less energy to achieve the same level of warmth compared to electric heating systems. If you’re using natural gas, you are benefiting from one of the most efficient heating options available.

EFFICIENCY COMPARISON:

NATURAL GAS VS. ELECTRICITY

Electricity generation and transmission are relatively inefficient. Grid electricity delivers approximately 30–35% of useful energy from the point of generation to the customer. In comparison, natural gas delivers 93–95% of useful energy to customers.3 This stark difference in efficiency means that natural gas is not only more cost-effective but also a smarter choice for energy consumption.

TAKING CONTROL OF YOUR ENERGY USAGE

Switching to natural gas heating can be a smart move for both your wallet and your comfort. If you’re considering making the switch, here are a few steps to get started:

1. Evaluate Your Current System: Assess your current heating system and determine if it’s time for an upgrade. Older systems may be less efficient and more costly to operate.

2. Consult with a Professional: Speak with a heating professional to understand the benefits of natural gas and get recommendations tailored to your home. To find a contractor, visit: https://www.washingtongas.com/services/home-owners/find-a-contractor.

3. Explore Incentives: Look for rebates or incentives that may be available for upgrading to a natural gas heating system. These can help offset the initial costs. To learn about rebates, visit: https://wgsmartsavings.com/.

4. Learn about Energy Assistance & Payment Plans: Discover energy assistance and payment plans that can help you manage your bill. For more information, visit https://washingtongascares.com/. By choosing natural gas, you can enjoy a more affordable, reliable, and efficient heating solution. At Washington Gas, we are here to support you in making the best energy choices for your home. Managing your energy usage is key to controlling your bills.

1. American Gas Association Playbook, “Natural Gas Advancing America. Natural Gas is Affordable,” 2025.

2. American Gas Association Playbook, “Natural Gas Advancing America,” 2025.

3. U.S. Department of Energy, “2023 Representative Average Unit Costs of Five Residential Energy Sources,” August 2023.

At Washington Gas, safely and reliably meeting the energy needs of our customers are our highest priorities. Please read the information below and share it with others.

NATURAL GAS SAFETY

What

RECOGNIZE

What

Other

REACT

If

RESPOND

Our ‘Long National Nightmare’ is Not Over

When Vice President Gerald R. Ford assumed the presidency on Aug. 9, 1974, he sought to offer a sense of assurance for a nation battling uncertainty post the resignation of former President Ronald Reagan, who was facing impeachment for his role in the Watergate scandal.

“I assume the presidency under extraordinary circumstances,” he said. “This is an hour of history that troubles our minds and hurts our hearts.”

He continued, telling Americans, “Our long national nightmare is over.”

President Ford’s words promised healing, decency, and a return to normalcy.

Fast-forward almost exactly 51 years, and these exact words resonate with bitter irony. Under President Donald J. Trump’s renewed grip on the presidency, our long national nightmare isn’t over.

Instead, with the elimination of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, the threat of revoking federal funding for teaching parts of Black history, and attacking the LBTQIA community, it’s well underway just 100 days into his second term.

What was once a phrase of closure, now feels like a warning that

has been ignored. While Ford offered unity, Trump sows division.

For example, when an individual’s freedom is unjustly taken, it establishes a dangerous precedent for everyone. This erosion doesn’t occur all at once; it begins small, often with someone whom society may overlook or label as “other.”

The case of Maryland husband and father Kilmar Abrego Garcia is more than an isolated incident—it’s a warning sign.

When the Trump administration denied Abrego Garcia his fundamental rights without due process or transparency and, by admission, wrongfully deported him to El Salvador, it undermined the constitutional protections that every American relies on, thus disobeying a judge’s order.

Further, Trump ignoring district, federal and Supreme Court orders mandating his return, shows his lack of appreciation for the law of the land.

Our democracy is founded on the principle that all individuals are innocent until proven guilty, and everyone is entitled to fair treatment under the law. When this principle is bent or broken for one person—especially someone lacking wealth, power, or status— it becomes easier to justify bending it for others.

By standing up for Abrego Garcia, we stand up for ourselves. When the freedom of one is denied, the freedom of all is at risk.

The Trump nightmare isn’t something we’ve awoken from. It has only begun, and it’s something we must now fight wide-eyed, clear-headed, and more determined than ever, before we forget what daylight even looks like. WI

As Summer Approaches, We Need Parents to Reel in Youth, Help Combat Violence in the

Classes have resumed for thousands of students after a fun-filled spring break for District of Columbia Public Schools and Prince Geroge’s County Public Schools, but not all children from D.C. and Maryland used their hiatus for good.

Metro police report that six youth were arrested last weekend at The Wharf in Southwest, D.C. after a large group of juveniles reportedly gathered to fight. Five teens were arrested for disorderly conduct while another was charged with assaulting a police officer.

Last summer, D.C. police ini-

tiated a youth curfew in efforts to curtail violence and keep residents and tourists safe. And while there’s no youth curfew currently in place in the District, Prince George’s County police have already begun to enforce its policy at the National Harbor, which prohibits those under 18 from frequenting the popular destination on Friday or Saturday nights unless they’re accompanied by an adult.

It’s not like both venues lack an adequate number of things for youth to do that allow them to play, explore and enjoy themselves. A quick survey reveals

Name of

there are plenty of safe, healthy and fun activities and outlets for young people to do that they can already enjoy.

Perhaps youth might be more willing to abandon reckless, sometimes dangerous behavior, if they were introduced to new things like meditation, a creatives club, gardening opportunities, and artistic and athletic outlets. Like birds learning to fly, they can’t spread their wings until someone shows them the way.

But the real onus rests with parents who are ultimately responsible for the actions of their children. Some may lament, “I

TO THE EDITOR

The Sustainability issue was fantastic! I love that our community is focusing on the environment and sustainability and that the Washington Informer is leading the charge! Keep it up!

Ren Young Washington, D.C.

don’t know how to control my children,” but that’s an unacceptable excuse.

Most young people want to have fun. Most youth are eager to learn. And, yes, most children will test the boundaries, try their parents’ patience and cast caution to the wind.

What’s the answer? The best thing we can give our children is our time and wisdom.

Last week’s copy of the paper was a stunner all around. So many great stories and photos. Nothing quite like springtime in D.C. I’m sure your readers would agree.

Daniel Holcomb Washington, D.C.

They need to know that disruptive behavior will not be tolerated. Further, youth need to know that when they get home—no matter what time that may be— their parents are there to offer a safe, supportive environment that encourages good choices and behavior, not just to ease their lives as young people, but to prepare them for success in the future.

WI

OPINIONS/EDITORIALS

Guest Columnist

Transforming the Road

In 2020, when the start of the COVID-19 pandemic led to a holy season like no other, Pope Francis published an Easter Sunday letter directed to movements and organizations working for justice for people with low incomes and those experiencing poverty. He praised them as such:

“An army whose only weapons are

“For as in absolute governments the King is law, so in free countries the law ought to be king; and there ought to be no other.”

— Thomas Paine

In a stunning but unsurprising act of lawlessness, the Trump administration has refused to return a man wrongfully deported

solidarity, hope, and community spirit, all revitalizing at a time when no one can save themselves alone…You are looked upon with suspicion when through community organization you try to move beyond philanthropy or when, instead of resigning and hoping to catch some crumbs that fall from the table of economic power, you claim your rights. You often feel rage and powerlessness at the sight of persistent inequalities and when any excuse at all is sufficient for maintaining those privileges. Nevertheless, you do not resign yourselves to complain-

Marian Wright Edelman

ing: you roll up your sleeves and keep working for your families, your communities, and the common good.”

He added: “I hope that this time of danger will free us from operating on automatic pilot, shake our sleepy consciences and allow a humanist and ecological conversion that puts an end to the idolatry of money and places human life and dignity at the centre. Our civilization — so competitive, so individualistic, with its frenetic rhythms of production and consumption, its extravagant luxuries, its disproportionate profits for just a

Marc H. Morial

few — needs to downshift, take stock, and renew itself.”

That was one call for renewal at a moment when many others were demanding to “reopen business as usual” and desperate to “get back to normal,” even if business as usual and normal included the exact same structures, systems and massive inequalities that were already in place. There was a missed opportunity to go far beyond the status quo that preceded the pandemic and reimagine a new vision. The call for true renewal still stands.

The Passover and Easter holidays are

America’s Slide into Tyranny Is No Longer Hypothetical

to El Salvador, even after a U.S. court ordered the government to do so. With this decision, the administration has crossed a chilling threshold — one that places it in open defiance of the Constitution, the courts and the very foundation of our democracy.

This is no longer the erosion of democratic norms. This is their outright collapse.

The deportee, who fled danger in his home country and sought asylum in the United States, was forcibly removed by federal agents

Guest Columnist

When the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies was founded in 1970, it was a time of promise. Black Americans had pushed this country to live up to its democratic ideals, and a new wave of Black elected officials was entering public office for the first time. But history rarely moves in a straight line.

Just as the Civil Rights Movement brought historic gains in the 1960s, the Reagan administration in the 1980s brought a backlash. And today, we are seeing that pattern repeat itself. After the 2020 murder of George Floyd sparked a national reckoning with racial injustice, it didn’t take long for the pendulum to swing again. The dismantling of diversity programs, the rise of misinformation, and the targeting of civil rights protections under Donald Trump echo strategies we’ve seen before.

despite a judicial order halting his deportation. His fate, now uncertain in a country he fled in fear, is a grotesque reminder that for many in today’s America, due process is not a right — it’s a suggestion. The refusal to comply with a lawful court order is not just an immigration issue. It is a constitutional crisis. The executive branch, once again, is signaling that it is not bound by the rule of law.

This is how democracies die — not with a dramatic coup, but with a series of quiet refusals, deliberate

omissions and willful negligence. There is a name for governments that imprison, exile or disappear individuals without judicial review: authoritarian. From Franco’s Spain to Pinochet’s Chile, history has no shortage of examples where unchecked power replaced fair trials with forced removals and “administrative detentions.”

And in our own American past, we’ve seen this brand of injustice before — from the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II to the mass deportations

seasons of joyous sacred celebration in their faith traditions, with family and community rituals centered on the promises of Exodus–deliverance, new hope and rebirth. I offer again prayers for strength for all those working today towards a time of true renewal.

For those of us who understand the work of the Joint Center and the long arc of Black political struggle, the parallels between Reagan and Trump are not just familiar — they’re instructive.

A THINK TANK FOR THE PEOPLE

The Joint Center was created to support Black leaders navigating government institutions that were not built for us. White politicians had party machines, donors and

think tanks behind them. Black leaders had communities that believed in them — but often little institutional backing. We filled that gap by offering research, policy support and a network for connection and strategy.

By the late 1970s, a new generation of Black leadership was rising — more policy-savvy, more nationally connected, and determined to build lasting power. The Joint Center evolved too, expanding from political training to deep policy research

during “Operation Wetback” in the 1950s.

The common thread? The normalization of state violence cloaked in bureaucratic indifference.

Our Constitution was designed with a system of checks and balances — a safeguard against the very tyranny we now face. But those safeguards are failing. When courts are ignored, when Congress is silent and when federal agents

and economic analysis. That growth would prove essential in the Reagan years.

REAGAN’S POLICIES, BLACK REALITIES

Ronald Reagan’s presidency brought a sharp turn in federal policy. His agenda — often called “New Federalism” — shifted power to state governments and slashed federal investment in urban areas, education, and civil rights enforce-

“Lord, let us exile defeat wrestle despair to the floor throw apathy to the winds and feed depression to the hogs. Lord, help us to stand up and fight for MUHAMMAD Page 49

Dedrick Asante-Muhammad

Guest Columnist

Still Black and Still Proud

racial times, he was affectionately known as the “Godfather of Soul.”

He used his platform as a performer to promote social change and political activism.

James Brown had a way of reminding us to take pride in our Blackness. We can use some of that today. As an international music icon, James Brown emerged as one of the founding fathers of funk with a musical style that often profoundly influenced R&B, jazz and rock. Becoming a leading voice in the Black community during turbulent

As the Black community was attacked internally and externally, his inspiring messages of Black pride and hope touched on self-doubt, inequality, fear and intimidation.

“Say It Loud — I’m Black and I’m Proud” was a song that resonated with Blacks of all ages and became an anthem of the Black Power movement. Brown wrote the song

after feeling that the Black community had lost its pride.

When we think of the “Godfather of Soul,” we don’t associate him with being a lifelong Republican, a fact that outraged many Black Americans, particularly when he endorsed Richard Nixon for reelection. Brown supported Nixon based on their shared belief in individualist policies and the notion that hard work, and hard work alone, would be the key to success for Black Americans. The self-taught musician was a staunch Black Re-

Looking for a Rapist and a Criminal?

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) fearlessly called it as she saw it, suggesting that if the president is talking about rapists and criminals, he should “look in the mirror.” Her bold statement stands out as a sharp critique, one that few, including myself, had articulated so directly before.

Ocasio-Cortez’s words resonate amid recent legal developments. Ac-

cording to an article by Marc Levy, U.S. District Judge Wendy Beetlestone in Philadelphia rejected the president’s attempt to dismiss a defamation lawsuit filed by the Central Park Five, who were wrongfully convicted in 1989 for the rape and beating of a jogger and spent over a decade in prison before their exoneration. The five men sued after the president made false and defamatory statements about their guilt during last fall’s presidential campaign, notably in a debate with then-Vice President Kamala Harris, where he misstated key facts of the

case.

Ocasio-Cortez’s courage to speak truth to power reflects what many hesitate to say. Black women, in particular, were not swayed by the president’s rhetoric during the 2024 election. We showed up, voting correctly 92% of the time. While some didn’t vote or donate to Kamala Harris’ campaign, most Black women had our sister’s back, as we always do.

To our Black brothers, we thank those who stood with us. However, we were disappointed by the few who resisted supporting a woman, saying, “I

publican and believer in the “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” philosophy. By gaining Nixon’s confidence, he found it necessary to use his platform to explain the plight of Black America to the president.

Today, we find ourselves entering a turbulent era reminiscent of our dark past. At times, Donald Trump is compared with Nixon as a president governing through fear and intimidation. Fear is complex, particularly when fear drives silence. Republican U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski is one of the few Senate Republi-

cans willing to stand up against the bullying tactics of President Trump.

During Trump’s second term, she has shown a willingness to break with the president by criticizing his policies, opposing some of his Cabinet nominees and voting to overturn his tariff on Canada. She is also willing to speak publicly about the challenge of governing in fear. Recently, Murkowski spoke about how the threat of political retaliation from President Trump is real. It makes her anxious when she speaks

don’t want no woman telling me what to do.” Those brothers overlooked the strength of Black women — like their mothers — who helped them survive. Some didn’t vote or contribute financially, but we understand their pain. Black women, carrying double that burden, worked tirelessly to push us forward. We forgive those who faltered and celebrate those who stood tall.

To our Hispanic brothers and sisters, the 2024 election was a missed opportunity for many. Those who didn’t vote or voted against their inter-

ests now face the consequences, with ICE enforcing deportations against those who sought a better life in America. Like Black people, who face racism daily despite our contributions to building this nation, many Hispanics now feel unwelcome.

As for white men, who hold significant power in this country, I had low expectations for most, though some did the right thing. As a group, they could end the chaos we face if they chose to. I thank those who acted

Poisoning Our Future: The Trump Administration’s Dangerous Coal Exemptions

Another day, another deadly move that defies logic, morality and economic common sense.

Last week, the Trump administration granted nearly 70 coalfired power plants a two-year exemption from the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards. The move allows them to emit increased levels of hazardous pollutants like

mercury, arsenic and lead. Mercury is a potent neurotoxin, particularly harmful to children and pregnant women, that causes developmental disorders and other severe health issues. The standards established to limit such emissions have been instrumental in reducing these toxins in our environment. Once all coal plants were brought into compliance, the EPA estimated the standards would prevent 11,000 premature deaths, 4,700 heart attacks and 130,000 asthma attacks each year.

By rolling back the most recent update to those protections, the administration is senselessly prioritizing outdated, polluting energy sources over the well-being of American communities — maybe your community. The exempted power plants and coal-burning units are in every region of the country — from Arizona to Pennsylvania, Wyoming to Alabama, from the Dakotas down to Texas, and in Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and throughout the Midwest. This decision is not only a pub-

lic health concern but also an economic misstep. The energy market has been shifting away from coal for years, with cleaner and more cost-effective alternatives like renewables taking the lead. Attempting to revive the coal industry through deregulation ignores market trends and the growing demand for sustainable energy solutions.

The administration’s shallow argument that this is about energy security, and even national security, does not pass the laugh

test. True energy security lies in diversifying our energy sources and investing in resilient, clean technologies — not in propping up an industry in its death throes that if revived would only poison and cause the actual deaths of Americans by thousands.

Communities across the nation, especially those near these coal plants, will bear the brunt of increased pollution. This reckless regulatory rollback is just one of

Ben Jealous

Guest Columnist

David W. Marshall

Guest Columnist Guest Columnist

E. Faye Williams

LIFESTYLE

WASHINGTON INFORMER WEEKEND CHECKLIST

WASHINGTON INFORMER'S

Things To Do, DMV!

By Tait Manning WI Intern

April is almost over and the DMV has a wide range of activities to finish off the month strong.

From an artisan craft show to a handmade pasta class, check out a handful of the many events happening to keep your spirit – and social life – lit.

To keep up with all the fun, don’t forget to check out the Washington Informer Calendar to stay up-to-date on DMV happenings year round.

THURSDAY, APRIL 24

Rhythms of Resistance and Resilience

4 p.m. - 5 p.m. | Free Georgetown Neighborhood Library, 3260 R Street NW, Washington, D.C., 20007

Join Dr. Maurice Jackson as he talks about his new book, “Rhythms of Resistance and Resilience,” which tells the story of musicians and athletes in the nation’s capital who achieved success in the face of discrimination.

In D.C., music and sports have

played a central role in the lives of African Americans, often serving as a barometer of social conflict and social progress. Sports clubs, ball games, jam sessions and concerts have offered entertainment, enlightenment and encouragement.

Jackson begins with pioneers such as James Reese Europe, who formed the first musicians’ union and fought as a member of the Harlem Hellfighters in World War I, and ends

3UCB Live performs at Petworth Porchfest in 2023. This year’s porchfest will take place on Saturday, April 26, where local bands will perform on porches throughout the Petworth neighborhood, bringing the community together through live music. (Courtesy Photo)

nary things created as teens.

The show stars everyday adults sharing their most embarrassingly real teenage diary entities, poems, love letters, lyrics and locker notes in front of total strangers.

SATURDAY, APRIL 26

Petworth PorchFest 2025

2 p.m. - 8 p.m. | Free Petworth Neighborhood, 801 Taylor Street NW, Washington, D.C., 20011

with giants of the 20th century, such as Duke Ellington and legendary Georgetown University basketball coach John Thompson Jr.

FlowWell Yoga

7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. | $10.00 Union Market, 1309 5th Street NE, Washington, D.C., 20002

Led by Stephon Bradberry, founder of FlowWell Yoga, this all-levels yoga class invites participants to move, breathe and center themselves before or after their day.

FlowWell Yoga aims to make yoga accessible beyond traditional yoga spaces. Whether a seasoned yogi or just beginning, these sessions are designed to be accessible, affirming and energizing.

FRIDAY, APRIL 25

Breaking Down the Basics of Composting (On-site Drop-in Demonstration)

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. | Free U.S. Botanic Garden, 100 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, D.C., 20002

Join Wes Mahmud from Common Good City Farm to learn about best practices for composting on a small scale at home or on a larger scale with community gardens. Come learn how to turn food waste into garden gold.

This program is offered as part of the Botanic Garden’s week-long celebration of Earth Day.

Mortified DC Live: Spring Break Edition at Black Cat

7 p.m. | $15.00+

Black Cat DC, 1811 14th St NW, Washington, D.C., 20009

Mortified DC, produced by Alex Hewett and Adam Ruben, is a comic excavation of strange and extraordi-

With more than 250 bands and 100 hosts, Petworth PorchFest is a volunteer-led annual event spearheaded by a passionate group of Petworth residents.

Inspired by similar events throughout D.C. and post the global pandemic, Petworth residents were eager to connect with their community and created the annual event in 2021.

The event unifies the community by offering Petworth residents an opportunity to host local bands on their porch, where residents and visitors can enjoy live music together.

The aim of the event is to encourage building community, support local artists and businesses, and inspire people through the art of music.

Podcast Recording Live on Stage:

My Sister’s Keeper

4 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. | $10.00 Olney Theatre Center, 2001 Olney Sandy Spring Road, Olney, MD, 20832

Join The Sleepless Nights Podcast for a special episode exploring the meaning and importance of sisterhood.

Ask questions about sisterhood such as, “Where is it? How do you find it? And what to do if you lose it?”

“Sleepless Nights” is a podcast for the wandering, silly, or serious thoughts that only come between the hours of midnight and 3 a.m.

Explore what plagues the mind of host Dannielle Hutchinson, Olney Theatre Center’s general manager, and her guests as they discuss everything from the state of the WWE’s Women’s Division to that awkward interaction with a barista six years ago.

WI

Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

GRAMMYs Continue to Advocate for Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence and Other Digital Replicas

By Brenda C. Siler WI Contributing Writer

Musicians and advocates took to Capitol Hill April 8-10 for the annual GRAMMYs on the Hill, a time to honor those in the industry and work to protect the rights of recording artists, particularly in an age where artificial intelligence (AI) is manipulating the work of other creatives.

“The Academy is proud to represent and serve creators, and for decades, GRAMMYs on the Hill has brought music makers to our nation’s capital to elevate the policy issues affecting our industry,” said Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy.

The primary purpose of GRAMMYs on the Hill Advocacy Day, held April 10, was to meet with congressional leaders and discuss the reintroduction of the Nurture Originals, Foster

Art, and Keep Entertainment Safe Act of 2025. Also known as the NO FAKES Act, this bipartisan bill would advance creators’ rights by protecting their voices and likenesses from unauthorized creation.

While the bill was initially introduced in 2024, the current version adds more protection for artists.

“The reintroduction of the NO FAKES Act underscores our members’ commitment to advocating for the music community,” Mason Jr. continued. “And as we enter a new era of technology, we must create guardrails around AI and ensure it enhances, not replaces, human creativity.”

SUPPORT FOR THE NO FAKES ACT

The NO FAKES Act establishes a strong federal foundation to protect all Americans from invasive AI-generated

deep-fakes that are flooding digital platforms today.

The bipartisan group of congressional leaders who are sponsoring the NO FAKES Act are Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) along with Reps. María Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.), Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.), Nathaniel Moran (R-Texas), and Becca Balint (D-Vt.).

Also collaborating with the GRAMMYs to advocate for the NO FAKES Act is the Human Artistry Campaign, an international group comprising nearly 200 organizations that was co-founded by the Recording Academy, along with the Music Publishers Association ( MPA), Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), SAG-AFTRA, Warner Music Group, and YouTube.

Did you know beer, wine and spirits all contain ethanol?

Every alcohol drink contains ethanol and that’s what affects you, rather than the type of drink you choose.

All alcohol drinks contain ethanol, but the amount can vary.

Whether you drink beer, wine or spirits, they all contain the same type of alcohol called ethanol. This is created when either fruits or grains are fermented to produce alcohol drinks. It’s the ethanol in these drinks that affects your mood and reactions – and ethanol affects you in the same way, regardless of what type of drink you choose. Of course, different drinks have different concentrations of alcohol. This is generally expressed as the percentage of alcohol by volume or ABV. You‘ve probably noticed that bottles and cans often include the strength of the drink as ABV on the label. It’s the ABV that can help you be aware of how much alcohol is in your drink.

• Spirits have the highest concentration of alcohol and most contain around 40% ABV. Strength can vary considerably, however. Some vodkas contain 30% ethanol, while some bourbons may be around 60% ABV.

Meanwhile, the Human Artistry Campaign has emerged as a leading voice in the debate over the various forms of AI.

“The Human Artistry Campaign stands for preserving essential qualities of all individuals, beginning with a right to their own voice and image,” said Dr. Moiya McTier, Human Artistry Campaign senior advisor. “The NO FAKES Act is an important step towards necessary protections that also support free speech and AI development.” WI

4Angelique Kidjo, who recently brought her influential global beats to George Mason University on March 2, advocates for musicians’ rights at the 2023 GRAMMYs on the Hill. This year’s event brought artists and supporters to Capitol Hill in support of the NO FAKES Act, legislation that aims to establish federal action against invasive AI-generated deep-fakes.

(Courtesy Photo/Angelique Kidjo, Instagram)

• Liqueurs, which are also spirits-based, generally contain less alcohol and their ABV may be below 20%.

• Wine is less concentrated than spirits and generally contains between 12 and 15% ABV. However, some wines can be stronger, and fortified wines like port or sherry are usually around 20% ABV. The alcohol concentration in beer as a category is lowest, and most regular beer ranges between 4% and 10% ABV. Some craft beers may be comparable in strength to certain wines at around 12% ABV.

How drinking affects you depends on how quickly and how much you drink, and on how much alcohol is in your drink.

Factors such as your body size and weight, biological sex, and age influence how you process alcohol and how drinking can therefore affect you. Most importantly, this also depends on how much you drink, which is determined by the concentration (ABV) of the drink you’ve chosen and how quickly you drink it. Whether this alcohol comes as beer, wine or spirits is less important. Knowing the ABV of your drink is very useful and can help you choose your beverage and anticipate its effect on you. Some governments use the terms ‘unit’ or standard drink’ to help measure drinking and provide health guidelines. A standard drink of any beverage – beer, wine or spirits – will always contain the same amount of ethanol in grams.

However, relating standard drinks to what you’re actually drinking can be complicated. For example, if someone tops your glass up before you’re finished, it may be hard to keep track of what you’ve consumed. Also, the size of your glass may not match up to the standard size for your drink. The best rule of thumb is to always be responsible, drink moderately, and avoid activities and situations in which drinking can put you at risk. There are tools available that can help you translate what you are drinking into standard drinks.

This information is brought to you by Diageo and the Multicultural Consortium for Responsible Drinking.

LIFESTYLE

Virginia Opera Premiers Important Historic Tale with ‘Loving v. Virginia’

Celebrated Mezzo-Soprano, Stage Director Denyce Graves Emphasizes ‘Love is So Incredibly Needed’

By Micha Green WI Managing Editor

For the first time ever, audiences will be able to tap into Virginia Opera’s world premiere of “Loving v. Virginia,” an operatic telling of the story of a white husband and Black wife–Richard and Mildred Loving–whose love changed the world and led to the landmark Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) decision that made interracial marriage legal across the United States.

At a time when federal mandates have eliminated diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and

the telling of certain parts of Black history, “Loving v. Virginia” serves as a courageous tale that sings truth to power, and highlights the power of strength, resilience and love.

“It’s a real reminder that real change can often begin in private and intimate spaces and with people refusing to give up on what matters most to them, and that is what we see in the case of Mildred and Richard Loving,” said celebrated mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves, director of the opera, which launches a tour around Virginia venues at Harrison Opera House in Norfolk on April 25.

IN MEMORIAM

Erica E Carter 5/12/68-3/08/18

Erica would say, “Daddy time is not measured by years that we live but by the deeds that we do and the joy that we give. For only what we give away enriches us from day to day.”

There’s one more performance at Harrison Opera House on April 27 before the show heads to Fairfax at the Center for the Arts at George Mason University May 3-4, and then Dominion Energy Center in Richmond May 9-11.

A dynamic team has worked together to bring this story from an idea to the page, and ultimately, the stage for the Virginia Opera world premiere in collaboration with Richmond Symphony.

“The music is gorgeous. It’s written by Damien Geter, who is native of Virginia, and Jessica Murphy Moo, who is the librettist,” Graves, a DMV native, told The Informer in an episode of WIN-TV’s “Let’s Talk.” “It’s, again, a story that really changed the Constitution. I am so fortunate to be working with a group of artists who all come to this project with their full hearts and completely committed to the telling of this story of love as resis-

tance, and the fight for justice and the courage that ordinary people can effectuate change every day into our lives.”

For Geter, composing “Loving v. Virginia” was a labor of love, rooted in a longtime interest in the couple’s case.

“As a native Virginian, the historical significance of Loving v. Virginia has remained with me since I was a teenager, but I’m finding there are many who are unfamiliar with this landmark case,” Geter said in a statement.

“Coming back home to Virginia and collaborating with Virginia Opera (the company where I first experienced opera), and working with Jessica Murphy Moo to tell the story of Mildred and Richard Loving, is important not only for the sake of honoring their legacy, but also for ensuring the future of the art form.”

The artists were passionate about

Academy of Hope

Adult Public Charter School Request for Proposals

Salesforce/Student Information System (SIS) Consultant

The Academy of Hope Adult Public Charter School in Washington, DC is requesting proposals for Salesforce/Student Information System (SIS) Consultant. See full RFP for details and submission information at https:// aohdc.org/get-involved/jobs/. Proposals are due 4/30/2025.

ensuring they truthfully paid homage to the Lovings’ lives, story and journey.

“We do want to honor the lives of these extraordinary human beings, Richard and Mildred and what they did in their lives,” Graves said. “Fortunately for us, there’s a lot that has been documented around this story, so we have it right there. I mean, it’s perfect to go into the operatic form, because opera is an art form that can really heighten the emotional intensity of storytelling. And so I feel like it’s a perfect medium for that… and [to show] how they changed the world.”

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE LOVINGS’ STORY TODAY

Graves noted the importance of the many artists working on this project—including soprano Flora Hawk and baritone Jonathan Michie, making their Virginia Opera debuts as Mildred and Richard Loving— having the opportunity to bring this true story from recent history onto the stage.

“Oftentimes in our work we’re telling the stories of mythological creatures, or perhaps from the 17th and 18th centuries, and these were real people, some of whom are still alive today. So along with that comes a very different experience,” Graves said. “It’s in English, and is a story that

OPERA Page 33

5“Loving v. Virginia” tells the story of Richard and Mildred Loving, a couple whose fight for love led the landmark Supreme Court decision that struck down laws prohibiting interracial marriage. (Courtesy Photo/The Estate of Grey Villet)

National Cannabis Festival Celebrates 4/20 Week

By Demarco Rush WI Contributing Writer

From April 20 through April 28, the National Cannabis Festival (NCF) is celebrating marijuana enthusiasts’ unofficial “4/20” holiday with programming throughout the D.C. area.

Beginning in 2015, the National Cannabis Festival is more than an annual event, but an organization that celebrates progress on cannabis legalization in Washington, D.C. and across the nation.

While the festival, featuring performances, vendors and advocacy programming, is normally held in correlation with the April 20 holiday at the Festival Grounds at RFK Stadium, renovations have led to some slight changes.

“As many of you know, the RFK Grounds are preparing to undergo a major transformation, so we moved NCF from our usual April date to July, when we know we’ll have unobstructed use of the festival grounds and nearby parking lots,” the National Cannabis Fes-

OPERA

from Page 32

has impacted all of our lives. So this feels different… going into the telling of a story like this, and we want to make sure that we’ve got it right.”

The multi-award mezzo-soprano, director, wife, mother, educator and founder and artistic director of The Denyce Graves Foundation, explained the importance of a piece such as “Loving v. Virginia” today.

“It’s a story that’s still relevant today. They married in 1958 but the judgment came down in 1967; but it’s love, and love and equality are still being challenged,” Graves said. “The Lovings’ story reminds us of what is at stake and when freedom is denied and what’s possible when it’s reclaimed.”

For Murphy Moo, working on the Lovings’ story was truly a personal passion project as she considered her own life.

“Mildred and Richard Loving made my own family possible,” the librettist said. “What an honor

tival announced on its website in January.

Despite postponing the festival, the annual week-long 4/20 programming continued, beginning with a screening of “Pineapple Express” on April 20 at the Alamo Drafthouse.

At “Roll up for Reform” at Culta Columbia on April 23, representatives from Students for Sensible Drug Policy, Maryland NORML, and the Balanced Veterans Network will discuss their initiatives to advance the rights of cannabis patients and enthusiasts throughout the DMV.

On Thursday, April 24 at 6:30 p.m., will be a panel entitled: “Humanities D.C. Culture Series: The War on Drugs,” at Busboys and Poets on 14th Street in Northwest, D.C.

The final days of the week-long celebration will feature an organic soil building workshop ($10) on April 27, which will teach attendees the basics of soil and how to make it organically.

Participants will take home a

and responsibility it is to be part of a team telling their story. Think for a moment about what they achieved—they were only two people and yet they stood up to legalized racism and enacted lasting change. Their story is an inspiration.”

Praising the beautiful performances from the whole cast and the entire creative team’s work, Graves said people should come to

5The National Cannabis Festival is celebrating 4/20 with programming through April 28, featuring informative panels, culinary festivities, and an organic soil building workshop. Due to renovations at the Festival Grounds at RFK Campus, the 2025 festival will be held in July. (Courtesy Photo/National Cannabis Festival) 27-gallon tote of organic soil and a plant for use at home.

In addition to the festivities, 4/20 Food Week will take place throughout the DMV where customers can enjoy special menus and special offers from participating restaurants including Logan Tavern, El Sol, Little Miner Taco, and DC Brau from April 20-28.

The festival will close out with

The National Cannabis Policy Summit on Monday, April 28 which will take place at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in Northwest, D.C. This free event will feature policymakers, advocates, and industry leaders to discuss pressing issues like bi-partisan solutions to federal cannabis policy challenges and strategies for achieving equity in the evolving cannabis industry.

This year, the ninth annual National Cannabis Festival will take place at the Festival Grounds at RFK Campus on July 18-19.

“We’re so excited to host another epic National Cannabis Festival celebration at this critical time for cannabis advocacy,” said Phillips. WI

“I just want people to come and see, and to learn, if you don’t know about this story, what these two incredibly gentle, quiet, unassuming individuals did,” she said. “They did not set out to change the constitution. They just really wanted to love each other, and they wanted to live in peace.”

WI

Academy of Hope Adult Public Charter School Request for Proposals Search Engine Optimization

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Administrator Kevin Donahue scheduled to submit recommendations later this week, Bowser set out to dispel any notion that certain D.C. government employees, based on length of service or education, would be more at risk of job loss than others.

“I can assure our employees that they will be treated fairly according to all of our policies and procedures,” Bowser said on Monday. “I want to emphasize to them that this is not something that D.C. government has done wrong or is not a case where we don’t have the money to pay for their services or other services. But, we have a situation where we need a fix to prevent the type of summer where we don’t have the overtime that we like to ensure, that we have the number of police that we need not just for our own policing but for a summer of national events that we need.”

By Monday, Bowser’s office had not yet received waivers from District agencies attempting to circumvent the D.C. government hiring and spending freeze. She confirmed that conversations between her staff and House leadership are ongoing, all as part of what she described as an effort to restore the Fiscal Year 2025 budget before summer.

“I don’t ever want to think about ‘Oh I can’t do that because I can’t pay the police overtime,’” Bowser continued on Monday as she spoke about different resources that are under threat with the passage of the continuing resolution that decimated D.C.’s budget. “When you’re sitting in my seat, you want to be able to deploy when you need to deploy.”

A D.C. EMANCIPATION DAY FOR REFLECTION, MORE SO THAN CELEBRATION

The latest threat to budget autonomy that District officials face come just months after D.C. council members, past and present, celebrated 50 years of the District’s home rule. It also comes on the heels of ongoing efforts by congressional Republicans to strip D.C. of home rule, and further place it under the control of Congress, and the second Trump administration that’s adamant about beautifying federal land.

With concerns of financial security and functionality looming in D.C., community activists, leaders and concerned constituents are fighting back against the forces jeopardizing D.C. home rule, federal and local govern-

ment employment, and the wellbeing of the District’s most marginalized residents.

5Keynote speaker C.R. Gibbs gives an oral history on enslavement in Washington during the DC Emancipation Day Speak Out program at Metropolitan AME Church on April 16. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer) ropolitan region. They also reflected on Gibbs’ lecture, connecting D.C.’s history of chattel slavery to the hurdles that Black people continue to face in the nation’s capital.

On D.C. Emancipation Day—just one day after Bowser implemented the government-wide spending and hiring freeze— members of the Free DC coalition hosted “DC Emancipation Day Speak Out: Standing Together to Fight the Power” at Metropolitan AME Church in Northwest.

This holiday event, coordinated by Joni Eisenburg and Frankie Seabron of Harriet’s Wildest Dreams, and sponsored by WPFW 89.3 FM, Anacostia Coordinating Council, and The Washington Informer among others, centered on informing, inspiring and giving marching orders to a packed house of D.C. residents organizing against hyper-conservative forces in the U.S. government.

Guests included returning citizens advocate Rhozier T. “Roach” Brown and Ron Hampton, a retired D.C. police officer and outspoken critic of mass incarceratin.

After an ancestral roll call by Washington Informer Publisher Denise Rolark Barnes, a musical selection by Ayanna Gregory, and a D.C. Emancipation Day history lesson from C.R. Gibbs, hundreds of attendees listened to a panel featuring: youth advocate Ty Hobson-Powell; Free D.C. co-founder and Harriet’s Wildest Dreams executive director Nee Nee Taylor; Paul Osadebe of the Federal Unionist Network; Sam Epps, president of the Metropolitan Washington Council at the AFL-CIO; and the Rev. Tony Lee, senior pastor at Community Of Hope AME Church in Temple Hills, Maryland.

Washington Informer reporter Sam P.K. Collins moderated the panel.

Panelists spent much of their time reflecting on ongoing effects of federal government layoffs on the D.C. met-

Rattigan who barricaded himself in Perkins’ home and shot three officers.

Once authorities apprehended Rattigan, the one-time significant other of a woman who moved out of the house with months of unpaid rent, they recovered 31 dogs and weapons. Perkins, meanwhile, was left with what she described as a house severely doused in dog urine and feces and damaged by MPD.

“There were 20 bullet holes when he shot out of this property,” Perkins said. “The house was ransacked, stuff was everywhere. He had dog cages upstairs, downstairs in the basement. It was a full basement, a full bathroom. He did so much damage to the property in one year.”

Lee, who’s collaborating around a May 1 picket line for restaurant and federal government employees, as well as the launch of Solidarity City at Union Station, emphasized the need for operational unity among local institutions and groups of various racial and ethnic backgrounds.

“We’re gonna have to fight this in a lot of different ways, but the operative word is fight,” Lee said on April 16. “We’ve got to figure out how to organize in such a way that institutionally and organizationally, we’re shaping the safety net to take care of our people, to get through the season, and get through this storm.”

The Community of Hope pastor and Harriet’s Wildest Dreams executive director went on to emphasize the necessity of youth engagement. Taylor, at one point, expressed concern about what would become of young people from Wards 7 and 8 who, according to her, couldn’t access fully operational recreation centers in their community during spring break.

“With unemployment reaps crime, with crime comes enslavement,” said Taylor, a critic of Interim U.S. Attorney Ed Martin. “It’s up to us to be non-compliant and fight back.”

During the D.C. Emancipation Day program, Taylor shared that Harriet’s Wildest Dreams will bail Black mothers out of jail on Mother’s Day as part of its year-round Free Black Mamas DMV campaign. She highlighted that program as part of an action plan that compels residents to become more reliable on each other.

WI

Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

Perkins said she has yet to recoup her losses, citing what documentation obtained by The Informer shows as her unsuccessful attempt to secure a crime victim compensation grant from D.C. Superior Court. She’s since set her sights on Service First Property Management— the company she hired to facilitate the rental process— telling The Informer that the business falsified the lease owner’s income verification documents, discouraged her from visiting the property, and downplayed the threat that Rattigan posed.

Service First Property Management didn’t immediately return The Informer’s request for comment.

As she becomes settled in her role as an advisory neighborhood commissioner, Perkins also questions the preventative measures that could’ve been taken, especially as it relates to law enforcement.

“When this incident happened, [neighbors] were appalled that the police were coming to them, knocking on the door, asking them questions,” Perkins told The Informer. “They were saying, ‘Where y’all been when we needed y’all?’”

Earlier this year, as she prepared to take an oath of office to represent Single-Member District 7E03, Perkins was still repairing her childhood home.

In the 1950s, her parents purchased the home that would later be passed on to her after the death of her mother in 2006. During the pandemic, Perkins’ childhood home became a distribution center for food and toiletries. As she recounted, when she and her husband decided to become landlords

in 2022, Perkins embraced the opportunity to help residents, especially those with children, who are seeking spacious accommodations.

“The reason why I was doing so much advocacy for this community [is] because there’s a lot of disparities,” Perkins said. “There’s a lot of neglect. It’s almost like they don’t see us. Guys are out on the street. Do you think those guys really want to be on the street? Do you think they really want to rob? Maybe some of them do, but a lot of them don’t [and] they’re dealing the cards that have been handed over to them.”

Perkins, however, has since questioned whether she’s able to accomplish that goal in an historically underserved jurisdiction.

“At first, I was saying it was a faulty system, it’s broken, it’s shattered,” Perkins told The Informer. “But now my language has changed. Is the system really set up to help me or is it set up for me to fail?”

WARD 7 HOUSING PROBLEMS, AND D.C. MAYOR BOWSER’S ECONOMIC PLAN

In the months since the violent standoff at Hanna Place in Southeast, landlords, tenants, and elected officials across the District have weighed in on the housing dilemma that, for many, hints at larger post-pandemic economic forces.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D), responding to landlords concerned about delinquent tenants, introduced legislation earlier this year to reinstate pre-pandemic eviction measures. However, tenants and advocates are citing economic strife and poor living conditions as factors deserving of attention in the conversation about non-rent payment.

Attorney General Brian Schwalb recently sued Mikhail Phillips, RLP Investment Group, LLC, and Vision Realty Management LLC, citing more than 30 notices of infraction (more than 100 D.C. housing code violations) that the landlords received for two buildings— 5128 and 5134 Sheriff Road NE. In the suit, Schwalb cites “mountains” of trash inside and outside of the buildings, along with unsecure doors and windows, mold contamination, rodent and bedbug infestation, and faulty electrical wiring that left tenants without working amenities.

As of press time, some tenants have reportedly been evicted. WI Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

According to a legend, a shepherd discovered magnets 4,000 years ago.

One day, the shepherd Magnes was walking in a region of Greece called Magnesia. He sat down and looked at his sandals.

He had metal nails in his sandals. The sandals kept sticking to the rocks where he was walking.

The metal end of the shepherd’s hook also stuck to the rocks.

The rocks that stuck to metal were naturally occurring magnets called lodestones

Read

Is the legend true?

No one knows for sure. Some say the story took place in India instead of Greece. But finding rocks that could stick to sandals started some creative thinking and new inventions that have used magnets for thousands of years.

Invisible Power: Magnetism

You can’t see the force that pulls certain kinds of metal towards a magnet. But it is a force in nature, like gravity is a natural force, that we can’t see. What do magnets attract? Metals such as iron, nickel and cobalt are attracted to magnets. Other materials such as aluminum, glass, plastic and wood aren’t attracted to magnets.

Do the math to see which of these items are attracted to magnets. If the answer is an even number, that means it’s magnetic.

Magnets Push and Pull

We usually think of magnetic force attracting options towards a magnet.

But magnets can also repel or push away objects. This is because magnets have a north pole and south pole

In short, opposite poles attract, and the same poles repel

Tell a Story

Select a photograph in the newspaper. What do you think happened BEFORE the photo was taken. What do you think happened AFTER the photograph was taken? Write a story about what is happening in the photograph and what happened before and after.

Standards Link: Writing: Write about imagined experiences or events.

Five Fun Words

Look through the newspaper for five words that are new to you. Look up each word in a dictionary and write the definition of each. Can you draw a picture that also shows the meaning of each?

Standards Link: Language: Determine the meaning of words through reference materials.

by Vicki Whiting, Editor Je Schinkel, Graphics

review wi book

“Love,

Rita: An American Story of Sisterhood, Joy, Loss, and Legacy” by

Bridgett M. Davis

c.2025, Harper

$29.99

367 pages

Terri Schlichenmeyer WI Contributing Writer

Take care.

Do it because you want to stay well, upright, away from illness. Eat right, swallow your vitamins and hydrate, keep good habits and hygiene, and cross your fingers. Take care as much as you can because, as in the new book, “Love, Rita” by Bridgett M. Davis, your well-being is sometimes out of your hands.

It was a family story told often: When Bridgett Davis was born, her sister, Rita, then 4 years old, stormed up to her crying newborn sibling and said, “Shut your … mouth!”

Rita, says Davis, didn’t want a little sister then. She already had two big sisters and a neighbor who was somewhat of a “sister,” and this baby was an irritation. As Davis grew, the feeling was mutual, although she always knew that Rita loved her

Over the years, the sisters tried many times not to fight — on their own and at the urging of their mother — and though division was ever present, it eased when Rita went to college. Davis was still in high school then, and she admired her big sister. She eagerly devoured frequent letters sent to her in the mail, signed, “Love, Rita.”

When Davis was in college herself, Rita was diagnosed with lupus, a disease of the immune system that often left her constantly tired and sore. Davis was a bit unfazed, but sympathetic to Rita’s suffering and also annoyed that the disease sometimes came between them. By that time, they needed one another more than ever.

First, they lost their father. Drugs then invaded the family and addiction stole two siblings. A sister and a young nephew were murdered in a domestic violence incident. Their mother was devastated; Rita’s lupus was an “added weight of her sorrow.”

After their mother died of colon cancer, Rita’s lupus took a turn for the worse.

“Did she even stand a chance?” Davis wrote in her journal.

“It just didn’t seem possible that she, someone so full of life, could die.”

Let’s start here: once you get past the prologue in “Love, Rita,” you may lose interest. Maybe.

Most of the stories that author Bridgett M. Davis shares are mildly interesting, nothing rare, mostly commonplace tales of growing up in the 1960s and ‘70s with a sibling. There are a lot of these kinds of stories and they tend to generally melt together. After about 50 pages of them, you might start to think about putting the book aside.

But don’t. Not quite yet.

In between those everyday tales, Davis occasionally writes about being an ailing Black woman in America, the incorrect assumptions made by doctors, the history of medical treatment for Black people (women in particular), attitudes and mythologies. Those passages are now-and-then, interspersed, but worth scanning for.

This book is perhaps best for anyone with the patience for a slow-paced memoir, or anyone who loves a Black woman who’s ill or might be ill someday. If that’s you and you can read between the lines, then “Love, Rita” is a book to take carefully. WI

horoscopes

LIFESTYLE

APRIL 24 - 30, 2025

ARIES Transformative influences accelerate personal growth as Pluto awakens your potential sector, bringing unexpected opportunities through situations that initially appear challenging. Career advancement emerges from willingness to reinvent approaches when traditional methods prove insufficient. Financial strategies benefit midweek from intuitive insights that identify promising investments overlooked by conventional analysis. Lucky Numbers: 8, 16, 27

TAURUS Grounding energies support major decisions as Venus harmonizes with Saturn, bringing practical wisdom that balances ambition with sustainable efforts. Professional recognition comes through patient dedication to quality rather than rushed productivity. Lucky Numbers: 6, 18, 24

GEMINI Intellectual breakthroughs spark innovative solutions as Mercury activates your insight zone, bringing clarity to complex issues through unexpected mental connections. Social networks expand through engaging conversations that reveal common interests with diverse individuals. Professional opportunities accelerate midweek when you translate abstract concepts into practical applications that address immediate needs. Lucky Numbers: 5, 17, 29

CANCER Emotional wisdom guides important transitions as the Moon illuminates your intuitive pathways, bringing profound insights about necessary life adjustments. Family connections deepen through nurturing activities that create psychological safety for vulnerable exchanges. Home environments transform midweek when subtle adjustments create spaces that better support emotional well-being. Lucky Numbers: 4, 13, 22

LEO Charismatic leadership attracts valuable allies bringing recognition from those positioned to advance your most ambitious projects. Creative inspiration flows abundantly, especially for expressive endeavors that showcase your distinctive perspective. Professional breakthroughs emerge midweek through situations that highlight your ability to maintain optimism during challenging circumstances. Lucky Numbers: 1, 19, 28

VIRGO Analytical precision resolves lingering obstacles as Mercury enhances your problem-solving abilities, bringing elegant solutions through systematic examination of overlooked details. Health improvements develop through thoughtful adjustments to daily routines with careful self-observation. Lucky Numbers: 7, 16, 25

LIBRA Harmonious exchanges strengthen significant partnerships as Venus graces your relationship sector, bringing developments that balance independence with meaningful connection. Negotiation skills prove invaluable during situations requiring fair consideration of competing perspectives or needs. Aesthetic decisions reach satisfying conclusions midweek, particularly regarding shared environments. Lucky Numbers: 9, 18, 27

SCORPIO Transformative insights reveal hidden patterns as Mars activates your psychological sector, bringing strategic advantages through deep understanding of complex motivations. Research efforts yield valuable discoveries that significantly influence your long-term direction. Financial prospects improve midweek through careful analysis of collaborative ventures involving shared resources. Lucky Numbers: 10, 21, 30

SAGITTARIUS Expansive horizons beckon as Jupiter amplifies your adventurous spirit, bringing exciting possibilities through educational pursuits or philosophical exploration. Travel plans develop favorably, especially journeys combining adventure with cultural discovery. Teaching opportunities materialize midweek involving subjects that ignite your passionate interest. Lucky Numbers: 3, 12, 33

CAPRICORN Professional achievement accelerates, bringing recognition from authority figures who value your methodical approach to complex responsibilities. Organizational leadership highlights your strategic abilities during transitions requiring careful coordination. Resource management skills prove invaluable midweek during circumstances necessitating long-term planning. Lucky Numbers: 2, 20, 38

AQUARIUS Innovative approaches gain traction as Uranus activates your visionary thinking, bringing opportunities to implement forward-looking solutions addressing collective challenges. Technological insights allow navigation of rapid developments with remarkable adaptability while others struggle with change. Friendship networks expand midweek through unexpected circumstances connecting you with like-minded progressives. Lucky Numbers: 11, 23, 32

PISCES Intuitive guidance illuminates complex decisions as Neptune enhances your spiritual receptivity, bringing clarity to matters requiring compassionate discernment. Creative inspiration flows abundantly, especially for artistic endeavors expressing subtle emotional nuances. Healing connections develop midweek through your ability to sense unspoken needs without becoming overwhelmed by others’ difficulties. Financial intuition proves surprisingly accurate when trusting subtle impressions about timing and opportunity. Lucky Numbers: 12, 24, 36

SPORTS

Destiny Howell is Transferring to Wisconsin but She Won’t Forget Howard

Former Bison Guard Looks Forward to Elevated competition in the Big Ten

By Joshua Heron WI Contributing Writer

As Destiny Howell scanned the bookshelf in University of Wisconsin Coach Robin Pingeton’s office, she noticed a rock. On it was an inscription of the Bible scripture Jeremiah 29:11.

Howell picked up the rock, looked at her parents and smiled. At that moment on the evening of April 14, she knew. Wisconsin was where she was meant to be. Two days later, she announced her commitment to the Badgers.

Jeremiah 29:11 was the verse Howell clung to when she tore her ACL right before her senior season in 2023. The rock had reminded her of the institution where she first made her name and a place she won’t forget: Howard University.

“I’m always going to have this gratitude for Howard University. It’s a place where I’m always going to have a super special part of my heart,” Howell told the Informer. “This place has helped me grow into the woman I am today. This experience is something I can’t get anywhere else, and I am not trying to find it anywhere else.”

Howell spent five seasons at Howard before announcing her transfer to Wisconsin last Wednesday. During her time as a Bison, she led the school to five straight Mid-Eastern Atlantic Conference title games, the 2022 MEAC championship and earned the 2022-2023 MEAC Player of the Year Award.

For Howell, a native of Queens, New York, transferring to Wisconsin is about growth.

“This decision wasn’t based on a

bad experience at Howard University,” she said. “I knew that I had an opportunity to grow outside of my comfort zone, challenge myself and go somewhere that was a higher level that would allow people to no longer question my legitimacy because of conference difficulty.”

HOW HOWARD, COACH GRACE HAS SHAPED HOWELL

While Howell also spoke with Tulane and Florida State University and visited St. John’s University in her hometown, she appreciated the Wisconsin coaching staff’s meaningful questions during their first dinner meeting. They weren’t just interested in her skills, but her life, inquiring about her relationship with her stepfather and biological father, and how her time at Howard, a historically Black college or university (HBCU), shaped her.

“Being able to have that time at an HBCU and now heading to Wisconsin, coach (Pingeton) wanted to understand how Howard made me the person and player that I am, because the person part is important to her,” Howell said. “She doesn’t want to say, ‘Wisconsin is going to do this better than Howard.’ She’s very accepting of my journey at Howard and loves that I got to experience this because I told her I don’t even know who I would be if I didn’t get to experience Howard first.”

The 6-foot guard emphasized there’s no Howard journey without Coach Ty Grace, who she said she’s forever indebted to for allowing her to play at Howard, often called the Mecca. She commended Grace for

5After five seasons at Howard University, Destiny Howell is transferring to the University of Wisconsin, where she hopes to continue to grow as an athlete. While she is excited about the new opportunity, she says she will take the lessons she has learned at Howard with her to Wisconsin and throughout life. (WI File Photo/Jonae Guest)

her honesty toward her as it pertains to areas of improvement and revealed that the coach constantly pushed her to be a leader, even in moments when she didn’t want to embrace that role.

Howell also praised the 2021-2022 MEAC Tournament Outstanding Coach award winner for her capacity to manage her players as people and not add pressure when they were having a rough day.

“Coach Ty challenged me to be a better person and player from day one. I didn’t see it until about my senior year when everything started to click post-ACL. Coach Ty was my mom away from home,” Howell said. “I’ve taken things from her that apply to how I want to lead at Wisconsin and just be an upstanding Black woman in society.”

Howell helped lead Howard to a 22-12 record this season and the second round of the Women’s National Invitational Tournament (WNIT). The graduate student-athlete averaged 14.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game this season. Her season total of 87 assists was a personal high, as were her 44 steals and 18 blocks.

Grace said Howell’s time at Howard prepared her emotionally, mentally and physically for the next chapter in her career. She commended Howell attaining a degree from Howard while maintaining discipline as a basketball player.

“She was the face of our program while engaging the community and

play. It was detailed and comfortable,” Howell said.

Coach Pingeton spent the previous 15 years as head coach of the University of Missouri women’s basketball team before accepting the same position at Wisconsin in late March.

Pingeton has three non-negotiables that she looks for in a player: one with a skillset who can make an immediate impact in the Big Ten; players that are passionate enough to develop their skills to adapt to her positionless motion offense; and those who can build a culture in the locker room. Howell fit all three.

“That aligns with who she is which allowed for an immediate connection from the jump,” Pingeton said. “She is a genuine lady with an incredible heart posture but also a really talented player. When you can get that whole package as a coach, you’re winning in a big way. We’re fired up about Destiny.”

building her brand off the court. I don’t know that she gets to do those things without Howard being an integral part of her development,” Grace told The Informer. “She means a lot to this program and University.”

NEXT STEPS IN THE BIG TEN

Now, Howell faces a new challenge in the Big Ten, one of the top-four collegiate conferences in the country.

This year’s NCAA women’s basketball tournament featured two Big Ten members, the University of Southern California and the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), participating in the Elite Eight. UCLA advanced to the Final Four.

Howell expects the Big Ten to be more fundamentally skilled and play at a faster pace than what she experienced in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). She looks forward to showcasing her talent against nationally ranked programs like University of Maryland and highly-touted players such as UCLA’s Kiki Rice.

While the conference will be different, her coach’s style of play won’t. Howell said she wanted to play in a system similar to Howard’s, so adapting wouldn’t take too long.

According to Howell, Pingeton’s style of play resembles Grace’s in that both play fast and are “somewhat free but controlled.”

“When Coach P explained the system, I immediately thought I could

Howell will move to Wisconsin in June to join a team that finished 13-17 last season. She said she wants to provide the Badgers with good shooting, the flash and flair of New York basketball, and to showcase her playmaking and three-level scoring abilities.

Howell believes the Wisconsin program will help her recuperate her efficiency after her field goal percentage decreased from 40.2% her junior year to 35.3% this past season. She also thinks she will become more poised as a player while at Wisconsin. Her ultimate desire is to make it to the WNBA.

Pingeton produced WNBA talent during her time at Missouri, most notable being Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham. Her history of building WNBA-caliber players gives Howell no doubt she could do the same with her.

“They (Wisconsin coaching staff) are going to push me to my limits, and they know I haven’t reached my ceiling yet,” Howell said. “I’m confident they can pull certain things out of me that help me get to the WNBA. The entire staff is invested in that goal for me, and I could see and feel that.”

As Howell starts her new journey and wherever life may take her afterward, one thing remains certain: Grace and Howard having her back.

“I’m extremely happy she’s able to get this opportunity and make her mark on a bigger stage and soon at the next level,” Grace said. “She’s like a daughter to me and I couldn’t be more proud as her coach.”

WI

CAPTURE the moment

St. Augustine Catholic Church in Washington, D.C., observed Holy Week with a series of solemn liturgies commemorating the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Key events included a Lenten Penance Service, Holy Thursday’s Mass of the Lord’s Supper and Adoration, Good Friday’s Stations of the Cross, and the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday led by Fr. Patrick Smith. (Jacques Benovil/The Washington Informer)

RELIGION

Francis had been hospitalized since Feb. 14 at Gemelli Hospital in Rome with a respiratory illness that progressed into double pneumonia. It marked the longest hospitalization of his 12-year papacy. He made his final public appearance on Easter Sunday, delivering a blessing to thousands in St. Peter’s Square. The day before, he met briefly with U.S. Vice President JD Vance, whose official social media account had earlier this year incorrectly announced the pope’s death.

“I was happy to see him yesterday,” Vance wrote in a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, “though he was obviously very ill.”

District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser, who met Francis during his

visit to the White House in 2015 under former President Barack Obama, highlighted the significance of the pope’s work and ministry.

“Pope Francis challenged us to lift up our neighbors with love and compassion, take care of our planet, and look after the least, the last, and the lost among us,” Bowser wrote on X, posted with a picture of Obama introducing her to the pope. “The loss of Pope Francis will be felt throughout our city and around the world today—but I know that the D.C. community will continue to be guided by his words, motivated by his actions, and inspired by his commitment to faith.”

Bowser offered Washingtonians a call-to-action in remembering the pontiff’s life.

“May we remember,” Bowser said,

“his words today and always: ‘Who am I to judge?’

A LIFE OF HUMBLE SERVICE: ‘MY PEOPLE ARE POOR, AND I AM ONE OF THEM’

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on De-

line along with the pontiff. His papacy, however, drew the ire of conservatives. He challenged entrenched power structures, supported limited civil recognition for same-sex couples, and opened discussions on the role of women in the Catholic Church. His critiques of nationalism and authoritarianism, especially those tied to right-wing politics—were frequent and pointed.

In February, Catholic author Alessandra Harris, writing in the National Catholic Reporter, addressed the tensions within American Catholicism, where a majority of white Catholics helped elect Donald Trump despite the pope’s warnings.

cember 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Francis was the son of Italian immigrants. According to his official biography, Francis’ father worked as a railway accountant, and his mother raised five children.

Bergoglio trained as a chemical technician before entering the seminary in 1958, joining the Society of Jesus. He was ordained a priest in 1969, became Provincial of the Jesuits in Argentina in 1973, and later served as Archbishop of Buenos Aires. In 2001, Pope John Paul II made him a cardinal.

His rejection of luxury defined much of his ministry. He lived in a modest apartment, cooked his meals, and used public transportation.

“My people are poor, and I am one of them,” he once said.

Church officials said his papal motto, Miserando atque eligendo, reflected commitment to humility and mercy and, as pope, Francis chose to live in the Vatican guesthouse instead of the Apostolic Palace.

Elected pope on March 13, 2013, Francis became the first Jesuit and the first non-European pope in more than a millennium.

He quickly set a new tone—denouncing the excesses of capitalism, calling for action on climate change, and urging compassion for migrants and the poor. His 2015 encyclical “Laudato Si’” remains one of the most influential religious declarations on the environment.

The Latin phrase “Per favore, non dimenticatevi di pregare per me,” which translates to “Please, don’t forget to pray for me,” quickly became a trademark for all of Francis’ public rhetoric, and crowds would sometimes recite the

“We are living in a time when self-professed Catholics are not only turning a blind eye to evil, but have elected and are supporting President Donald Trump, who is against diversity, against immigrants, against the poor, and seeks to destroy the multiracial democracy that was hard fought and won by the sweat and blood of African Americans and progressives in the United States,” Harris wrote.

She noted that Trump’s actions and agenda completely go against the pope’s values.

“Pope Francis has always directed Catholics to care for immigrants, refugees and foreigners,” Harris continued. “Yet these exhortations fall on deaf Catholic ears in the United States, a country of foreigners… Although America has been known around the world as a beacon of democracy, the reality is that the United States has only been a democracy that included all people since the 1960s.”

Officials said Francis never shied away from confronting tensions. He urged the Church to reject exclusion and embrace solidarity throughout his papacy. He condemned what he called “spiritual worldliness”—a form of self-centeredness and moral detachment— and called trampling on human dignity “a serious sin.”

He authored several works, including “Meditaciones para religiosos, Reflexiones sobre la vida apostólica,” and “Reflexiones de esperanza.”

As Grand Chancellor of the Catholic University of Argentina, he led initiatives for education and poverty relief, and as Archbishop of Buenos Aires, he launched citywide missionary projects targeting the poor and marginalized.

WI

5Former President Barack Obama introduces Pope Francis to D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser in 2015. (Courtesy Photo/Mayor Muriel Bowser, X)

POPE FRANCIS from Page 1

“The Bible asks us to honor and love our mothers. It says so in Exodus 20:12, “Honor your father and your mother,” and Leviticus 19:3, “Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father.” Proverbs 31:25-28 further describes a virtuous woman: “Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.”

This week, I feel compelled to share just a bit of history of how and why Mother’s Day began in the first place. According to the History.com website, the history of Mother’s Day began with celebrations of mothers and motherhood. It can be traced back to the ancient Greeks and Romans, with festivals in honor of the mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele, but the clearest modern precedent for Mother’s Day is the early Christian festival known as “Mothering Sunday.”

Once a major tradition in the United Kingdom and parts of Europe, this celebration fell on the fourth Sunday in Lent and was originally seen as a time when the faithful would return to their main church in the vicinity of their

the religion corner

WITH LYNDIA GRANT

The History of Mother’s Day

home for a special service.

Over time the Mothering Sunday tradition, with families worshiping with mother, shifted into a more secular holiday, and children would present their mothers with flowers and other tokens of appreciation. While Mother’s Day in the U.S. was officially established in 1914 when President Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation, the holiday as we know it today took shape in the 1930s and 1940s.

Ann Reeves Jarvis and Julia Ward Howe are credited with starting this tradition in the United States. According to History. com, the origins of Mother’s Day as celebrated in the United States date back to the 19th century. In the years before the Civil War, Ann Reeves Jarvis of West Virginia helped start “Mothers’ Day Work Clubs” to teach local women how to properly care for their children.

These clubs later became a unifying force in a region of the country still divided over the Civil War.

For those of you not so familiar with the American Civil War, it began April 12, 1861, and ended April 8, 1865. In 1868 Jarvis organized “Mothers’ Friendship Day,” at which mothers gathered with former Union and Confederate soldiers to promote reconciliation. After all, they had fought against one another for four years, when hundreds of thousands of peo-

ple were killed. According to the History.com website, the intense combat left between 620,000 and 750,000 soldiers dead, along with an undetermined number of civilians, our deadliest war until the Vietnam War. Therefore, this was the best time to bring mothers together for the cause of celebrating them.

Another precursor to Mother’s Day came from the abolitionist and suffragette Julia Ward Howe. In 1870 Howe wrote the “Mother’s Day Proclamation,” a call to action that asked mothers to unite in promoting world peace. In 1873 Howe campaigned for a “Mother’s Peace Day” to be celebrated every June 2.

I’m sure there are other stories about Mother’s Day out there, but regardless of how and why it began, it truly is a tradition which takes on its own life for mothers each year. Our mother will forever be the only one who gave birth to us; therefore, whether you believe she was good or bad, she will forever be your mother.

In essence, to all of the Christian women who have been reading this column, you are the Proverbs 31 woman; you are a model of a woman who lives a life of faith, diligence and wisdom, and whose character is rooted in her relationship with God. Part 2 next week. WI

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Purpose

Mt. Horeb Baptist Church

Rehoboth Baptist Church

First Rising Mt. Zion Baptist Church

Historic St. Mary’s Episcopal Church

Promised Land Baptist Church

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

2024 ADM 1554

Alonzo York Decedent

Colline Silvera

Robinson Kirlew And Associates, PC 7731 Belle Point Dr. Greenbelt, MD 20770

Attorney

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

Colline Silvera, whose address is 7731 Belle Point Dr., Greenbelt, MD 20770, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Alonzo York who died on 5/2/1999 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 (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/10/2025. 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 10/10/2025, 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: 4/10/2025

Colline Silvera 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

2025 ADM 000236

Catherine E. Adams aka Catherine Everett Adams Decedent

James Larry Frazier, Esq. 918 Maryland Ave., NE Washington, DC 20002 Attorney

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

Iris Adams Carter, whose address is 806 Sero Estates Drive, Fort Washington, MD 20744, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Catherine E. Adams aka Catherine Everett Adams who died on January 29, 2025 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/10/2025. 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 10/10/2025, 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: 4/10/2025

Iris Adams Carter

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

2022 ADM 000587

Ann D. McCain aka Ann Drusilla McCain Decedent

Aimee D. Griffin, Esq. 5335 Wisconsin Avenue, NW Suite 440 Washington, DC 20015

Attorney

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

Harry Jeffreys, Jr., whose address is 2211 Rosecraft Boulevard, Fort Washington, DC 20744, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Ann D. McCain aka Ann Drusilla McCain who died on October 6, 2020 without a Will and will serve with Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/10/2025. 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 10/10/2025, 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: 4/10/2025

Harry Jeffreys Jr. 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

2025 ADM 000249

Cletis Virginia McNatt aka Cletis McNatt Decedent

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

Mary Downing, whose address is 729 Crittenden Street NE, Washington, DC 20017, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Cletis Virginia McNatt aka Cletis McNatt who died on January 18, 2025 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/10/2025. 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 10/10/2025, 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: 4/10/2025

Mary Downing 729 Crittenden St., NE Washington, DC 20017

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

2025 ADM 000308

Barbara Ann Edwards Jones Decedent

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

Timothy Charles Jones, whose address is 4224 Brooks Street, NE Washington DC 20019, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Barbara Ann Edwards Jones who died on February 25, 2025 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/10/2025. 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 10/10/2025, 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: 4/10/2025

Timothy Charles Jones 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

2025 ADM 94

Corinne B. H. T-Heard Decedent

Dalton Howard, Esq. 4020 Lee St. NE Washington, DC 20019 Attorney

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

DeWitt O. Harris, whose address is 104 Snead Dr., North, Fort Myers, FL 33903, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Corinne B. H. T-Heard who died on January 27, 2019 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/10/2025. 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 10/10/2025, 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: 4/10/2025

DeWitt O. Harris 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

2025 ADM 288

Beverly A. Campbell Decedent

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

Damon N. Jones, whose address is 2130 Kent Ave., W. Bremerton, WA 98312, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Beverly A. Campbell who died on October 7, 2024 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/10/2025. 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 10/10/2025, 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: 4/10/2025

Damon N. Jones

2130 Kent Ave. W. Bremerton, WA 98312

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

2024 ADM 001513

Ellen Silver Decedent

Tamara McDowell Christian, Esq. 1629 K Street, NW Suite 300 Washington, DC 20006 Attorney

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

Aretha Somerville, whose address is 9701 Apollo Drive, Ste 100-AS, Largo, Maryland 20774, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Ellen Silver who died on August 30, 2024 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/10/2025. 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 10/10/2025, 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: 4/10/2025

Aretha Somerville 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

2025 ADM 000240

Bobby Lee Hamm Decedent

Sianei Gbleehai

316 F Street, NE #215 Washington, DC 20002 Attorney

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

Takita Richelle Duckett, whose address is 8508 16th Street 410, Silver Spring, MD 20910, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Bobby Lee Hamm who died on 1/17/2025 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/10/2025. 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 10/10/2025, 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: 4/10/2025

Takita Richelle Duckett

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

2025 ADM 000305

Elmore Manuel Williams aka Elmore M. Williams Decedent

Bobby G. Henry Jr. 9701 Apollo Drive, Suite 100 Largo, Maryland 20774 Attorney

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

James Michael Conrad Sr., whose address is 51 Hamilton St. NW, Washington DC 20011, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Elmore Manuel Williams aka Elmore M. Williams who died on March 13, 2023 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/10/2025. 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 10/10/2025, 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: 4/10/2025

James Michael Conrad Sr. 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

2024 ADM 001568

Johannes Aernout Heiko De Beaufort Wijnholds Decedent

Robert M. Reiner, Esq. 4416 East West Highway, Suite 400 Bethesda, MD 20814

Attorney

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

Christine Ruth Nicholson, whose address is 5012 Lowell St., NW, Washington, DC 20016, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Johannes Aernout Heiko De Beaufort Wijnholds who died on April 8, 2024 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/10/2025. 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 10/10/2025, 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: 4/10/2025

Christine Ruth Nicholson 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

2025 ADM 000300

Sean Beeman Decedent

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

Victoria Beeman, whose address is 1316 Fenwick Lane Apt 619, Silver Spring MD 20910, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Sean Beeman who died on 7/24/2024 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/10/2025. 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 10/10/2025, 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: 4/10/2025 Victoria Beeman

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 000228

Maria A. Terrell

Decedent

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

Charles Bowman and Andre Bowman, whose addresses are 4258 S. Andes Way Aurora, CO 80013 & 19977 E. Crestline Place Centennial, CO 80015, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Maria A. Terrell who died on November 18, 2024 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/10/2025. 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 10/10/2025, 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: 4/10/2025

Charles Bowman 4258 S. Andes Way Aurora, CO 80013

Andre Bowman 19977 E. Crestline Place Centennial, CO 89915 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

2025 ADM 000262

Sharon Davis Decedent

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

Ronald Davis, whose address is 4104 Shell Street, Capital Heights, MD 20743, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Sharon Davis who died on May 27, 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., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/10/2025. 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 10/10/2025, 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: 4/10/2025

Ronald Davis 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

2025 ADM 000271

Minnie M. Brooks Decedent

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

Allen G. Brooks, whose address is 8616 Hillview Road, Landover, MD 20785, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Minnie M. Brooks who died on June 16, 2021 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/10/2025. 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 10/10/2025, 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: 4/10/2025

Allen G. Brooks 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

2025 ADM 289

W. Davidson Tenney Jr. aka Walter Davidson Tenney Decedent

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

Constantine D. Kyropoulos, whose address is 3133 Connecticut Ave. NW, Apt 827, Washington, DC 20008, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of W. Davidson Tenney Jr. aka Walter Davidson Tenney who died on 1/31/2025 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/10/2025. 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 10/10/2025, 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: 4/10/2025

Constantine D. Kyropoulos 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

2025 ADM 000234

Raymond A. Carter Sr. Decedent

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

Raecheal Ware, whose address is 9711 Risen Star Dr., Upper Marlboro MD 20772, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Raymond A. Carter Sr. who died on 1/17/2025 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/10/2025. 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 10/10/2025, 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: 4/10/2025

Raecheal Ware

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

2025 ADM 302

Agnes M. Mims aka Agnes Margaret Mims Decedent

Jeffrey K. Gordon, Esq. 5335 Wisconsin Ave., NW #400 Washington, DC 20015 Attorney

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

James Thompson, Jr., whose address is 5602 Dover Street, Churchton, MD 20733, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Agnes M. Mims aka Agnes Margaret Mims who died on 1/29/2025 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/17/2025. 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 10/17/2025, 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: 4/17/2025

James Thompson, Jr. 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

2025 ADM 293

Rose Nan Ping Chen aka Rose Lai aka Nan Ping Chen Lai Decedent

Lindsey M. Avedisian 5425 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 600 Chevy Chase, MD 20815 Attorney

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

Jessica Horner, whose address is 12330 Loft Lane, Silver Spring, MD 20904, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Rose Nan Ping Chen aka Rose Lai aka Nan Ping Chen Lai who died on January 9, 2025 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/10/2025. 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 10/10/2025, 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: 4/10/2025

Jessica Horner 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 2024 ADM 1574

Beatrice Dial Phillips aka Beatrice D. Phillips aka Beatrice Dial aka Beatrice Denny Dial aka Beatrice Hellena Denny aka Beatrice Helena Denny Decedent

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

Paula L. Bowie, whose address is 8065 Norwich Court, Port Tobacco, MD 20677, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Beatrice Dial Phillips aka Beatrice D. Phillips aka Beatrice Dial aka Beatrice Denny Dial aka Beatrice Hellena Denny aka Beatrice Helena Denny who died on October 22, 2024 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/17/2025. 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 10/17/2025, 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: 4/17/2025

Paula L. Bowie 8065 Norwich Court, Port Tobacco, MD 20677

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

2025 ADM 000319

Denise Chatman Decedent

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

Janice C. Waynes, whose address is 11803 Lusbys Lane Brandywine, MD 20613, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Denise Chatman who died on February 12, 2025 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/17/2025. 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 10/17/2025, 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: 4/17/2025

Janice C. Waynes 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

2025 ADM 000336

Pauline J. Coley aka Pauline Jackson Coley Decedent

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

Arnitta Jayne Coley, whose address is 725 24th St., NW, Apt 501, Washington, DC 20037, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Pauline J. Coley aka Pauline Jackson Coley who died on January 7, 2025 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/17/2025. 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 10/17/2025, 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: 4/17/2025

Arnitta Jayne Coley

Personal Representative

Wills Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 320

George Brookins Decedent

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

Gary Brookins, whose address is 8828 Cottongrass Street, Waldorf, MD 20603, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of George Brookins who died on September 21, 2024 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/17/2025. 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 10/17/2025, 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: 4/17/2025

Gary Brookins 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

2024 ADM 001267

Virginia L. Moore aka Virginia Leigh Moore Decedent

Graner S. Ghevarghese 600 14th Street NW, Fifth Floor Washington, DC 20005 Attorney

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

William Ray Moore, whose address is 114 Donna Place, Cary, NC 27513, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Virginia L. Moore aka Virginia Leigh Moore who died on 1/19/2023 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/17/2025. 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 10/17/2025, 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: 4/17/2025

William Ray Moore 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

2025 ADM 000385

Estate of Harry L. Dishman

NOTICE OF STANDARD PROBATE

Notice is hereby given that a petition has been filed in this Court by Pamela Dishman Owens for standard probate, including the appointment of one or more personal representatives. Unless a responsive pleading in the form of a complaint or an objection in accordance with Superior Court Probate Division Rule 407 is filed in this Court within 30 days from the date of first publication of this notice, the Court may take the action hereinafter set forth.

Admit to probate the Will dated 10/20/2005 exhibited with the petition upon proof satisfactory to the Court of due execution by affidavit of the witnesses or otherwise

In the absence of a will or proof satisfactory to the Court of due execution, enter an order determining that the decedent died intestate appoint an unsupervised personal representative

Date of first publication: 4/17/2025

Pamela Dishman Owens 10300 Fox Dale Ct. Mitchellville, MD 20721

Petitioner/Attorney:

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

2025 ADM 000322

Ozell E. Wooden, Sr. aka Ozell Elliot Wooden Decedent

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

Debra Wooden, whose address is 3215 10th Pl., SE, Washington, DC 20032, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Ozell E. Wooden, Sr. aka Ozell Elliot Wooden who died on 11/29/2024 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/17/2025. 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 10/17/2025, 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: 4/17/2025

Debra Wooden 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

2025 ADM 000334

James Hailes, Jr. Decedent

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

Larry Hailes, whose address is 530 Cedar St. NW, Washington, DC 20012, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of James Hailes, Jr. who died on January 15, 2025 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/17/2025. 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 10/17/2025, 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: 4/17/2025

Larry Hailes 530 Cedar St., NW Washington, DC 20012

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

2025 ADM 000318

Constance G. Banner Decedent

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

Miguel D. Tarver, whose address is 15113 Joppa Pl., Bowie Maryland 20721, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Constance G. Banner who died on 3/2/2025 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/17/2025. 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 10/17/2025, 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: 4/17/2025

Miguel D. Tarver

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

2024 ADM 001218

Newton Antonio Gregorio

Decedent

Joey N. Ofori, Esq. 11215-B Lockwood Drive Silver Spring, MD 20901

Attorney

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

Marc Gregorio, whose address is 9204 Glenarden Parkway, Glenarden MD 20706, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Newton Antonio Gregorio who died on June 9, 2024 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 (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/17/2025. 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 10/17/2025, 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: 4/17/2025

Marc Gregorio 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

2025 ADM 000392

Shane M. Westphalen aka Shane Marty Westphalen aka Shane Marty Mitchell Westphalen Decedent

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

Tara P. Young, whose address is 24315 Campbellton Rd, San Antonio, TX 78264, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Shane M. Westphalen aka Shane Marty Westphalen aka Shane Marty Mitchell Westphalen who died on December 22, 2024 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/24/2025. 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 10/24/2025, 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: 4/24/2025

Tara P. Young 24315 Campbellton Rd. San Antonio, TX 78264

Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

BOYCOTT

LEGAL NOTICES LEGAL NOTICES

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 000335

Vanalstyne Bowe Decedent

Matthew F. Shannon, Esq. 1420 N Street, NW, Suite 203 Washington, DC 20005

Attorney

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

William Willis and Adrienne Poteat, whose addresses are 484 Charter Oak Dr., Newport News, VA 23608 & 4622 Sergeant Rd, NE Washington, DC 20017, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Vanalstyne Bowe who died on 12/16/2024 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/24/2025. 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 10/24/2025, 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: 4/24/2025

William Willis Adrienne Poteat 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

2022 ADM 0001423

John Tisdale aka John L. Tisdale Decedent

Lisa M. Nentwig, Esquire Dilworth Paxson LLP 1650 Market Street, Suite 1200 Philadelphia, PA 19103

Attorney

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

Tamara Tisdale Gutrick, whose address is 7903 General Maxwell Drive, Brandywine MD 20613, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of John Tisdale aka John L. Tisdale who died on January 27, 2022 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/24/2025. 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 10/24/2025, 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: 4/24/2025

Tamara Tisdale Gutrick 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

2023 ADM 000331

Zella Moore Decedent

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

J. Anthony Concino III, Esq., whose address is 5335 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20015, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Zella Moore who died on 11/5/2020 without a Will. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/24/2025. 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 10/24/2025, 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: 4/24/2025

J. Anthony Concino II, Esq. 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

2025 ADM 000342

Alphonse Hill Decedent

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

Jeweline Hill, whose address is 3266 Aberfoyle Place NE, Washington, DC 20015, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Alphonse Hill who died on October 17, 2024 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/24/2025. 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 10/24/2025, 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: 4/24/2025

Jeweline Hill

3266 Aberfoyle Place NW Washington, DC 20015

Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

from Page 1

“It’s one thing to call for a boycott. It’s another thing to educate people on the ground [about] why you’re boycotting,” Hagler told The Informer.

“We’ve been speaking to the crowd,...handing out about a thousand handbills an hour,” Hagler continued. “We’re really sort of trying to remind people that our dollars have power [and] it’s not just a matter of what we can consume, but…how much we’re respected.”

In February, civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong, Jaylani Hussein, and Black Lives Matter Minnesota co-founder Monique Cullors-Doty kicked off Black History Month with their Target boycott.

Bryant, former Ohio State Senator Nina Turner, freedom fighter Tamika Mallory, and others later coalesced around a 40-day Lenten season fast from Target that started on Ash Wednesday and ended on Easter Sunday.

The National Newspapers Publishers Association (NNPA) also launched its public education and selective buying campaigns.

At the time of the boycott’s inception, Target counted among the first Fortune 500 companies to abandon its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives upon President Donald J. Trump’s return to the White House.

By late February, Target reported $12.4 billion in market value loss, becoming the subject of multiple lawsuits related to its policy change.

Hagler said that Target, one of the first to support equity initiatives during the 2020 uprisings, proved to be the ideal case study in how Black people could leverage their collective buying power against entities contributing to their marginalization.

“It was the first and most robust to lead the efforts after the murder of George Floyd, partly because [the murder] happened in the town [where] this company was founded,” Hagler said in reference to Target. “It also was quick to surrender in terms of its robust initiatives around DEI. And so, that’s one of the first companies, not the only one, but the first ones that we’re holding publicly accountable.”

ANOTHER WEEKEND FOR THE BOOKS, AND BIG PLANS AHEAD

On Monday, Bryant, Turner, and Mallory announced the launch of a Target boycott organizing committee that will include faith leaders, activists, and other relevant groups.

5Local organizer Dante O’Hara works with faith activists Dr. Lewis T. Tait Jr. of The Village Church, the Rev. Patricia Fears of Fellowship Baptist Church, and the Rev. Graylan Hagler to pass out fliers at the Target 14th Street location, and inform the community of the establishment’s decision to neglect DEI initiatives amid pressures from the current administration. (Jacques Benovil/The Washington Informer)

As reported by Informer senior writer Stacy Brown, Levy Armstrong declined an invite to join the organizing committee, in part citing what she described as Target’s divide-and-conquer tactics that center Sharpton and others, more so than grassroots organizers, as vanguards of the boycott.

Though not formally aligned with Bryant’s coalition, those who continue to gather in front of D.C. USA Shopping Center, located in Northwest’s Columbia Heights neighborhood, do so with the same goals in mind. On the morning of April 19, a day before the national 40-day Target fast was scheduled to end, nearly one dozen organizers posted along the shopping center entrance with pamphlets in hand, eager to urge Black and Latino shoppers to avoid shopping at Target.

Local organizer Dante O’Hara told The Informer that, while spreading his message that morning, he heard a diverse array of perspectives about the Target boycott.

“The majority of the response has been [that] folks are already boycotting or they ask for more information,”

O’Hara told The Informer. “The main pushback has been folks [with] children [saying] this is their go-to for basic necessities like toilet paper.”

O’Hara told The Informer that, in response to such concerns among working-class consumers, he and other members of the coalition are working to get more Black vendors to sell products alongside the mostly Latino and immigrant vendors that set up shop on 14th Street and Irving Street in Northwest.

Those efforts, he said, have the potential to snowball into a permanent network that Black people could utilize in place of what he described as exploitative corporations.

“A few Black entrepreneurs selling products and possibly some mutual aid networks as well that might have more basic necessities,” O’Hara added. “And

obviously encourage people to go to the farmer’s market and support small Black and Latino businesses, not only in the area, but throughout the city.”

This movement, O’Hara said, will happen for the foreseeable future– likely in collaboration with groups within the Black community and other communities.

“We’re trying to build up a broad coalition of Black working class and Black labor as well. Black vendors, Black Greek letter organizations, Black student organizations, and the old school mainstream civil rights organizations like the NAACP and Urban League,” he told The Informer. “It’s a broad spectrum of folks, [and] not everyone’s going to agree on everything, but I think the community in general, nationally, is, you know, trying to fight back against MAGA, Trump, and Musk in a deep way.”

TARGET EMPLOYEES, CONSUMERS, AND OUTDOOR VENDORS QUESTION FEASIBILITY OF NATIONAL BOYCOTT

While many Black people celebrate the boycott as a bold stand for economic justice, the effects have been complex, especially for those representing the very community the boycott was meant to empower.

During a January livestream, award-winning actress Tabitha Brown expressed concerns about how the Target boycott would affect her and other Black business owners who feature their products at locations across the country. Facing public pressure to pull her products from Target and Wal-mart, Brown sought to educate her supporters about the finances and logistics required to pull products from stores. WI Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

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Reader Advisory: The National Trade Association we belong to has purchased the following classifieds. Determining the value of their service or product is advised by this publication. In order to avoid misunderstandings, some advertisers do not offer employment but rather supply the readers with manuals, directories and other materials designed to help their clients establish mail order selling and other businesses at home. Under NO circumstance should you send any money in advance or give the client your checking, license ID, or credit card numbers. Also beware of ads that claim to guarantee loans regardless of credit and note that if a credit repair company does business only over the phone it s illegal to request any money before delivering its service. All funds are based in US dollars. 800 numbers may or may not reach Canada.

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EDELMAN from Page 28

our children.”

**

“God, protect us and keep us from being

Hypocrites

Experts

Attention huggers

Blamers and complainers

Snake oil salespeople

Takers and just talkers

Lone Rangers

Excuse makers

Fair weather workers

Braggers Magic bullet seekers and sell-

MORIAL from Page 28

act as enforcers of political will instead of protectors of the people, we are left with a government unmoored from accountability.

ers and Quitters.

**

God, send us and help us to be

Righteous warriors

Moral guerrillas

Scut workers

Nitty-gritty doers

Detail tenders

Long-distance runners

Energetic try-ers

Risk takers

Sharers

Team players

Organizers and mobilizers and

immigrants and the weaponization of executive orders, we are witnessing the federal government operate with impunity.

This moment demands outrage. It demands resistance. And above all, it demands clarity. We are not on the edge of authoritarianism — we are in it.

Our charge, as citizens and as a civil rights movement, is to expose

Servant leaders, to save our children.”

**

God, please send the right partners for children and young people, and the right coworkers for people in poverty, to balance those who speak for powerful adults and interest groups.

God, please send new voices for goodness and tolerance to challenge those who teach our children to hate, and who prey on our racial, gender and class fears.

God, please bring justice for all of our children who are equally sacred in Your sight. WI

this regime for what it is and to organize with relentless determination to hold it accountable. The stakes are not abstract. They are real, they are human and they are urgent.

If we are to preserve what is left of our democracy, we must act like democracy itself is at stake — because it is. WI

MUHAMMAD from Page 28

ment. While Reagan preached a “colorblind” America, his policies deepened racial inequality.

Let’s be clear: This is not an isolated event. It is part of a broader pattern of constitutional degradation. From the violent suppression of protesters to the vilification of Get FAA approved maintenance training at campuses coast to coast. Job placement assistance. Financial Aid for qualifying students. Military friendly.

We saw it coming. At the Joint Center, we responded with research and action. We launched a Voting Rights Project in 1981, spotlighted urban disinvestment, and pushed back against narratives that blamed Black communities for systemic problems.

In 1982, we published data showing just how wide the racial divide was. While 74% of white Americans supported Reagan, only 25% of Black Americans did. Eighty-five percent of Black respondents believed his policies would harm them personally. They were right.

BUILDING DURING BACKLASH

But we didn’t just sound alarms — we built. In 1980, we helped convene more than 1,000 Black leaders in Richmond, Virginia, to develop a national Black agenda focused on economic empowerment, youth opportunity and international solidarity. We supported efforts like Operation Big Vote, which aimed to boost Black voter turnout nationwide. We tracked the rise of Black elected officials and amplified voices calling for a fairer economy and foreign policy.

When the Supreme Court ruled in City of Richmond v. J.A. Croson Co. that affirmative action programs needed to show local, specific discrimination to be legal, we knew it wasn’t just a legal setback — it was a message. The system would recognize racism in theory but demand impossible standards to fix it. Still, we kept pushing.

Our then-President Eddie Williams became a trusted national voice. We partnered with the Congressional Black Caucus and TransAfrica, advised local governments, and created a pipeline of research and policy ideas that would influence the next generation of Black leadership.

TRUMP’S FIRST 100 DAYS — AND THE FIGHT AHEAD

The early days of the Trump presidency — and the years that followed — felt eerily similar. DEI programs came under attack. Civil rights protections were rolled back. Racial equity became a political wedge issue once again.

Just like in the 1980s, we saw a narrative war unfold. Reagan gave us the myth of the “welfare queen.” Trump pushed the lie of “reverse racism.” Both distorted the truth and fueled backlash.

But history also shows us that moments of resistance can fuel

transformation. The Joint Center’s work in the 1980s helped pave the way for leaders like Jesse Jackson and Ron Brown. Today, we’re seeing unprecedented Black political power: more Black members of Congress, more Black mayors, and a growing number of Black senators.

The challenge now is organizing that power for long-term change.

THE PATH FORWARD

Here’s what we’ve learned:

1. Backlash is inevitable — but so is progress. The fight for racial justice is always met with resistance. We can’t be surprised. We must be prepared.

2. Narrative matters. Research and truth-telling are tools of resistance. We must counter lies with data and elevate our own stories.

3. We need each other. Coalition building across generations, geographies, and sectors isn’t optional—it’s how we win.

4. We must lead with intention. Political representation matters, but coordinated action turns power into policy.

At the end of the Reagan era, the Joint Center stood stronger, having helped build a more organized, informed and resilient Black leadership class. That same work is needed today.

We’ve been here before. And we know how to win.

WI

AIRLINE CAREERS

MARSHALL from Page 29

out about the presidential executive orders and cuts to federal agencies. “We are all afraid,” Murkowski told a summit of nonprofit and tribal leaders in her native Alaska. Trump has created an environment of fear, control and manipulation in Washington, making clear that those who oppose him politically will pay a price. Most Republicans in the House and Senate play it safe by bowing down to the president, remaining silent and abdicating their oversight duties as members of the legislative branch. As Trump instills fear in those who cross him politically, he has created an executive branch that resembles an organized crime syndicate. As a felon within the White House, Trump has become a type of “godfather” or crime boss who will abuse the significant power and influence that comes with his elected office.

Fear has two sides. As Trump causes those under his influence to work in fear, he, too, is fearful. He fears the Black vote and its potential when it performs at full strength. He is afraid of Black Power because he can’t control and manipulate it. He is fearful of the heritage and legacy of the Black community because of its resiliency and its abili-

WILLIAMS from Page 29

with integrity, like George Clooney and Mark Cuban, and urge others to address the mess created by their peers. White men benefit from a system built on the exploitation of Native Americans and enslaved Africans, including my ancestors. Those who

JEALOUS from Page 29

the latest moves in this administration’s efforts to undermine decades of progress in environmental and health protections.

So how do we hold our leaders accountable and pursue policies that prioritize the health of our people and our planet? One way is to work with the organizations and community groups pushing tirelessly to move us toward a cleaner, healthier future.

Civil society groups — those nongovernmental organizations, associations and institutions that advocate and fight for the causes Americans care about — play not just a vital role in our democracy but a vital role in protecting our

ty to overcome hardship. He hates Barack Obama because his success and rise to power represent a timeless blueprint for people of color to follow when it is fully executed.

He is fearful of the educated Black women because most are not cowards who will bow down to a “godfather.” Trump is afraid of Black history because if young Blacks tap into their heritage, they cannot be stopped. He fears how a powerful “Say It Loud — I’m Black and I’m Proud” message can reengage and ignite a young generation within the Black community to get involved and resist. Most of all, those who support white supremacy are fearful of the legacy of Blanche Bruce, even though most people don’t know who he is. The story of Blanche Bruce is a major reason Black history is being erased. At a time when white leaders are perpetuating fear while at the same time being its victim, Bruce’s story kills the notion that whites are a superior people.

Blanche Bruce was born in slavery and later became the first elected African American to serve a full term in the U.S. Senate. In 1874, while Mississippi remained under postwar military control, the state’s progressive Republican-dominated state legislature elected Bruce to the

reject the sins of their forefathers have a chance to make amends, but many missed that opportunity in 2024 by not supporting the most qualified candidate.

There’s still time to act. Paying reparations could ease the pain inflicted by centuries of injustice, allowing some to live well at the expense of others.

interests, our health and even our lives.

Take the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign as one example. A single campaign. Since 2010, that campaign has helped retire more than 380 coal-fired power plants. The energy from those plants has been and remains easily replaceable by other sources. And by reducing the burning of the dirtiest of dirty fossil fuels, we saved American lives and entire communities.

In fact, the retirement of all that coal burning has now saved nearly 63,000 lives! And it has saved Americans $29 billion in health care costs. That is due to all the heart attacks, cancer, asthma attacks and other lung disease, and

U.S. Senate. Several years earlier, that same legislature sent the U.S. Senate its first African American member when it elected Hiram Revels to fill out the remaining months of an unexpired term.

At the 1880 Republican National Convention, Bruce became the first African American to win any votes for national office at a major party’s nominating convention with eight votes for vice president. He served by advocating just treatment and civil rights for both Blacks and Native Americans while opposing policies excluding Chinese immigrants. Much of his time and energy was devoted to fighting fraud and corruption in federal elections. Once the conservatives gained power in the Mississippi state legislature, they passed a new constitution disenfranchising Black voters. All former Confederate states eventually did the same, excluding Bruce and other Blacks from the political system and keeping him from returning to the Senate.

Blanche Bruce is an inspiration and an example of the “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” philosophy, which is not a conservative principle. Progressives have always lived by it; we just want the barriers removed.

WI

Together, we can confront the systemic issues that perpetuate inequality. Is a rapist and criminal really the best choice to “Make America Great?” For most of us, America has never been great, so we can’t say “again.” We deserve better — a leader who unites, not divides, and who honors the contributions of all. WI

heavy metal poisoning that the closure of these plants stopped in American communities from coast to coast.

So why on Earth would we backslide? Why would we expose millions more Americans — especially the young children most at risk — to the irreversible effects of brain-damaging neurotoxins like mercury? Or developing fetuses to the risk of birth defects these toxins cause?

These are the questions we need to be asking. But even as they make our air less safe, don’t hold your own breath waiting for an honest answer from this administration — because it doesn’t exist.

WI

Lawrence Di Rita President, Bank of America Greater Washington D.C.