The Washington Informer - April 29, 2021 by The Washington Informer

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Vol. 56, No. 28 • April 29 - May 5, 2021

April 2021. Volume 7. Issue 4

Center Section

Espcaping Lockdown: A Year in Expatcy

Don't Miss The WI Bridge

Packing Lite “EXPACTY” + INTROSPECTION

Justice Department Algorithms Used to Predict Crime

Democrats Seek to Curb Results of ‘Dirty Policing’ Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

5 Students whose silhouettes are featured on the plane are telling everyone about the visual display of Alaska Airline's commitment to fight injustice. (Brigette Squire/The Washington Informer) See the story on Page 14.

Aerospace Engineer is the UMD’s Second Black President

A quarter of a century after arriving at College Park in pursuit of an ambitious agenda as an assistant professor in aerospace engineering, Dr. Darryl J. Pines finds himself the University of Maryland’s 34th president who is now in pursuit of ambitious goals that include recruiting and retaining more faculty members of color. “What the university does matters,” said Pines in an address as he

accepted the helm of Maryland’s “flagship,” institution that has more than 30,000 students. He is the second Black to rise to the top of the university. Born in Oakland, Calif.in 1964, Pines received a B.S. degree in mechanical engineering from the University of California, Berkeley and advanced degrees, including a Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Pines talked about how his par-

PINES Page 30

ALGORITHMS Page 32

5 Congresswoman Yvette Clarke (DNY) are among lawmakers questioning the Department of Justice's use of algorithms. (Courtesy photo/ushouse.gov)

Woodrow Wilson High School Name Change Proposal Under Fire

Dr. Darryl Pines Installed to Lead University of Maryland Hamil R. Harris WI Contributing Writer

New York University Law Review researchers recently found that law enforcement agencies “are increasingly using predictive policing systems to forecast criminal activity and allocate police resources.” Yet in numerous jurisdictions, these systems are built on data produced during documented periods of flawed, racially-biased and sometimes unlawful practices and

D.C. Council to Consider Black Playwright August Wilson as New Choice Sam P.K. Collins WI Contributing Writer

5 University of Maryland President Dr. Darryl Pines (Courtesy photo/ University of Maryland)

As monuments of Confederate leaders from the past continue to be removed from parks and neighborhood squares, many wonder if their removal will truly enhance or simply inhibit our understanding of and the truth about America’s often troubled history. But it’s not just statues that stand to be sequestered to local storage

facilities as efforts have increased to change the monikers of public schools with the names of men and women who better represent our nation’s diverse community. As an example, D.C. Public Schools [DCPS] Chancellor Lewis Ferebee recently announced his proposal to rename Woodrow Wilson High School in Northwest in honor of August Wilson, the 20th century

WILSON Page 31

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Around the Region................4-11 Prince George's County.....12-13 Business................................14-15 National................................16-17 International............................ 18 Health...................................... 20 Education................................. 21 WI Bridge.......... Center Section

5Why D.C. Statehood: The Real Story

OpEd................................... 23-25 Lifestyle............................. 26-33

Lifestyle / Page 27

Religion.................................... 34 FOLLOW US ON

3Student Vaccines

4Gwendolyn Brooks

Health / Page 20

Black Facts / Page 6

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2020 Census Data Shows D.C.’s Population Growth Nearly Tripled Compared to Previous Decade The U.S. Census Bureau recently released initial state-level counts from the 2020 Census that reports D.C.’s population growth nearly tripled compared to the previous decade. The 2020 Census reports DC’s population at 689,545, a 14.6 percent increase since the 2010 Census which represents the seventh highest growth rate in the nation. During the previous decade, between 2000 and 2010, DC’s population grew by 5.2 percent, or just under 30,000 people, from 572,059 to 601,723; between 2010 and 2020, the District’s population grew by nearly 88,000 people. “Our population has exploded over the past decade as more people recognize D.C. as one of the hottest places in the nation. People know that D.C. is a welcoming and diverse hub of opportunity – a place that has something for everyone,” said Mayor Muriel Bowser. “Of course, even with more American citizens living in D.C. than in two other states, the one thing we still don’t have is a vote in Congress. Today’s results confirm what we know, what the U.S. House of Representatives knows, and what the White House knows – it is past time to make Washington, DC the 51st state.” The federal government uses Census data to distribute more than $6 billion annually to the District for vital programs such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Section Eight Housing Choice Vouchers, Children’s Health Insurance and Low-Income Home Energy Assistance. Accurate and complete census data is critical to COVID-19 recovery efforts as well. Census data plays an important role when making budgeting and planning decisions across all District agencies. Additional 2020 Census data will be released over the coming months and will be used by the DC Council to update ward and ANC boundaries. For more information on 2020 Census data, visit www.census.gov. WI

D.C. Councilmember Silverman Expects Delays in Redistricting Process In Memoriam Dr. Calvin W. Rolark, Sr. Wilhelmina J. Rolark THE WASHINGTON INFORMER NEWSPAPER (ISSN#0741-9414) is published weekly on each Thursday. Periodicals postage paid at Washington, D.C. and additional mailing offices. News and advertising deadline is Monday prior to publication. Announcements must be received two weeks prior to event. Copyright 2016 by The Washington Informer. All rights reserved. POSTMASTER: Send change of addresses to The Washington Informer, 3117 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave., S.E. Washington, D.C. 20032. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. The Informer Newspaper cannot guarantee the return of photographs. Subscription rates are $45 per year, two years $60. Papers will be received not more than a week after publication. Make checks payable to: THE WASHINGTON INFORMER 3117 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave., S.E Washington, D.C. 20032 Phone: 202 561-4100 Fax: 202 574-3785 news@washingtoninformer.com www.washingtoninformer.com

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COMPILED BY WI EDITOR D. KEVIN MCNEIR AND WI STAFF WRITER JAMES WRIGHT

D.C. Councilmember Elissa Silverman (I-At Large), the chair of the Subcommittee on Redistricting, announced on April 17 that the District’s redistricting efforts will not begin until early fall due to delays by the U.S. Census Bureau. “There has been a delay in getting the numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau,” she said. “We would usually know by now how many people officially live in the District and where they live.” In the past, legislators would begin listening to testimony from residents and organizations on how the wards and commission single-member districts should be configured in the late spring. A report by the redistricting panel would be considered by the council in the fall and a vote on it would occur by year’s end. The goal would be to have the new boundaries for the next election year. But Silverman said that won’t be the case this year. “We are also in budget season but because of COVID-19, we won’t get a budget from the mayor until May 27 which we would usually have by the end of March. In a normal year, by May 27, we are looking at the first vote on the budget. But the first vote on the budget won’t happen until July. As far as redistricting is concerned, I won’t know anything until August or September on where things stand.” WI

DCPSC hosts Speaker Series to Support DC-based, Diverse Businesses Seeking Contract Opportunities The Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia (Commission) is hosting a threepart webinar series to support District-based and diverse businesses seeking contract opportunities with the Commission. The Commission seeks to encourage stakeholders to become a Certified Business Enterprise (CBE) and participate in bidding for professional services, especially in the areas of professional engineering, accounting, economics, law and marketing/ communications. The webinar series takes place on May 19, May 26 and June 2, 2021 and will highlight the process for becoming a CBE, the bidding process, upcoming procurements and the vendor experience while working with the Commission (networking event). These livestreamed webinars are free and open to the public but advance registration is required. Current CBEs and other businesses are encouraged to attend. Willie L. Phillips, chair of the Commission stated, “Supporting CBEs in the District is a top strategic priority for the DCPSC. Our annual goal is to achieve or exceed providing 35 percent of the Commission’s total procurement contract dollars to CBEs. The DCPSC has also set a requirement for CBE participation in any procurement of $100,000 or more for professional services.” Visit the Commission website for more information about the Commission’s CBE initiative. WI

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D.C. Residents Ready to Take Statehood Cause to U.S. Senate James Wright WI Staff Writer

House passage of D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton’s bill—The Washington, D.C. Admissions Act of 2021-- shifts the fight for District statehood to the U.S. Senate and city residents want Senate support, too. “Now with the historic support [of the House] and the strong backing of the White House, D.C. statehood moves to the U.S. Senate,” D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said. “Forty-five senators have already acknowledged that our nation will be stronger when we end the disenfranchisement of more than 700,000 Americans living in Washington, D.C. Frederick Douglass once said, ‘I would unite with anybody to do right and with nobody to do wrong.’ We call on 55 senators who have not yet signed on in support of D.C. statehood to fulfill their responsibility to build a more perfect union and seize this important opportunity.” A D.C. statehood bill has never been considered on the Senate floor or been voted on in committee. Moreover, Sen. Thomas Carper (D-Del.) has introduced a D.C. statehood bill for years with no action occurring. However, this year Carper serves as the second ranking Democrat on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee which will consider his bill. The committee’s chair, Sen. Gary Peters

(D-Mich.), serves as a co-sponsor of Carper’s legislation. The Senate has 50 Democrats, 50 Republicans with Vice President Kamala Harris holding the tie-breaking vote on legislation but the bill needs 60 votes to avoid a legislative filibuster that would effectively nix the legislation. D.C. Attorney General Karl A. Racine echoed Bowser’s call to senators. “As the legislation now moves to the Senate, I encourage senators to be courageous and take partisanship out of this debate,” he said. “Statehood for the District isn’t about scoring political wins by villainizing the District or reducing our quest for representation to merely another partisan game. We’re talking more than 700,000 real lives. Giving us an equal voice strengthens our democracy.” David J. Johns, executive director of the District-based National Black Justice Coalition, an organization that advocates for the rights of African American LGBTQ individuals, urged the Senate to consider Carper’s bill. “Ensuring representation for Washington, D.C. is a critical civil rights issue as D.C. boasts one of the largest Black and LGBTQ communities in the country,” Johns said. “We urge the Senate to swiftly take up legislation to grant statehood to D.C. and swift passage of the bill into law.” Will Roberts, acting vice president for democracy and govern-

ment reform at the Center for American Progress, also encouraged the Senate to act. “The [House] vote recognizes that it’s time to end the historic disenfranchisement of the people of Washington, D.C.,” Roberts said. “The measure would finally grant the roughly 700,000 residents of the nation’s capital the same voting rights and representation in Congress as every other American. And it would give the District’s government the same power as every other state—to govern its people when it comes to local decisions without interference from Congress or the president. “The U.S. Senate must now pass this measure and admit Washington, Douglass Commonwealth as the 51st state so that Washington residents can gain full voting rights guaranteed to every American by the U.S. Constitution.” WI @JamesDCWrighter

5 David Johns, CEO, National Black Justice Coalition. (Courtesy photo)

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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.

MAY 1

1867 – Howard University opens its doors to the first students. 1939 – Max Robinson, the first African American broadcast network news anchor in the United States, is born in Richmond, Virginia. 1946 – Emma Clarissa Clement, an African American theological educator, becomes the first Black woman to be named National Mother of the Year. 1950 – Gwendolyn Brooks (top) wins the Pulitzer Prize for "Annie Allen," a book of poetry, making her the first African American to receive the award.

MAY 2

1844 – Elijah McCoy, an inventor and engineer best known for his 57 U.S. patents, most having to do with the lubrication of steam engines, is born in Ontario, Canada. 1920 – The Negro National League, the first financially successful all-Black baseball league, holds its first game.

MAY 3

1921 – Hall of Fame boxer Sugar Ray Robinson is born in Detroit. 1933 – Music legend James Brown, the "Godfather of Soul," is born in Barnwell, South Carolina. 1948 – In the landmark Shelley vs. Kraemer case, the Supreme Court rules that courts cannot enforce racial covenants on real estate.

MAY 4

1884 – Civil rights pioneer Ida B. Wells (above) refuses to give up her seat on a Tennessee train, sparking her fight for equal rights. 1961 – The Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) stages its first "freedom ride" to challenge racial segregation throughout the Deep South.

MAY 5

1905 – Robert S. Abbott begins publishing The Chicago Defender, the city's first Black newspaper. 1988 – Eugene Marino is installed as Archbishop of Atlanta, becoming the first African American archbishop in American history. WI

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Yes, I applaud the jury, but the judge gave the defense a reason to appeal the ruling by using Auntie Maxine's speech as an excuse. Let's see how lenient this judge will sentence Chauvin.

RONALD PEARSON / WASHINGTON, D.C.

Wow! He was actually surprised that he was held responsible. When he had his knee on George Floyd's neck, he showed no emotion [about] what he was doing. No compassion and no soul. Enjoy your orange suit and good luck in general population.

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I believe he'll be right at home on house arrest. They did that to protect him, because they knew what was going to happen if they didn't find him guilty!

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The World According to Dominic

America’s Penchant for Guns Borders on Obsession, Not Our Second Amendment Rights

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I was only seven years old when I received my first lesson on what could happen when the “wrong person” held a loaded gun in their hands – when evil was allowed to triumph over good. It was the summer of 1967 – a moment in time that will remain etched in my mind forever in sadness. I received a primer in how former neighbors could so easily take on a new mantra as angry and irrational people simply because of the profound differences which they believed existed between one another. I had not seen the distinctions between Black and white that many of the elders had taught their fledglings – a distrust of and hatred for “the other” fueled by fear and falsehoods. In the midst of that oppressively hot summer, as I hovered behind my father’s muscular frame and hid within my mother’s flowing skirts, I watched helplessly as my beloved city of Detroit was transformed into a frightening wasteland. After decades of slowly-brewing racial tension, the simmering cauldron of prejudice and irrational hatred had reached the boiling point. Of course, I was too young to realize that as the bloodshed, burning and looting took place – resulting

in the death of 43 people, mostly Black, 342 injured and nearly 1,400 buildings destroyed., that summer would also signal the end of my childhood innocence. Yet, what I saw play out in my hometown, mostly in Black neighborhoods that I had grown to love and cherish so much, was in stark contrast to the acceptable forms of behavior that my parents taught me. While my father had been taught in his formative years the mastery of weapons, he also learned that those weapons must be given the same kind of respect as we give to human life. Said in another way, arguments were to be settled through boisterous discourse, sometimes even with the addition of four-letter words meant only for adults. But not in a senseless fury of bullets. And if and when words failed to help opposing parties resolve the matter at hand, it was then that they might be forced to “put up their dukes” in an honorable fistfight. I never considered taking one of my father’s many handguns or rifles out into the streets after someone called me the “N-word” or after someone had the audacity to talk disrespectfully about my mother. I never contemplated returning to the “scene of the crime” where I had earlier been bloodied and beaten by “friend or foe,” but this time armed and ready to exact my revenge. I knew that resulting to such extremes, while they might bring me momentary victory, were unacceptable options which neither of my parents would ever condone – no matter what reasons I might offer as justification for my actions. Why is it then that Americans, both Black and white, seem so troubled by the world, so overwhelmed by the vicissitudes of life and so unhinged by their own internal struggles that they easily resort to gun violence – shooting first and asking questions later? Why do we see so little value in human life – sometimes our own and more often the

lives of others – that we allow trivial differences and minor disagreements to transform us into crazed villains like bandits from America’s days of the Wild, Wild West? Every day in cities across the U.S., there are reports of shootouts and showdowns. Mass shootings and murders have become so commonplace that we have become desensitized by their frequency and the results. Such deeds cannot be reduced to examples of our exercising our Second Amendment rights. After all, with all of our Constitutional rights, we have been gifted with a quiver of powerful “weapons.” Yet, somewhere along the way many of us have forgotten that with great power comes great responsibility. And so, more and more Americans have become enraptured – even obsessed – with guns. Maybe, it would be more accurate to say we have become obsessed with the power that flows through our hands when we are armed and dangerous. Yes, the U.S. Constitution gives American citizens the right to keep and bear arms. But we do not have the right to use those arms as we please in order to carry out senseless warfare against those whom we dislike or with whom we disagree. For all of our modern wonders and scores of discoveries that have collectively improved both the quality and length of our lives, we have transformed our nation into a paradise of fools. Reflecting once more on the Detroit Riots and the destruction that I witnessed, I am reminded of the question which the prophetic Marvin Gaye posed just a few short years after the conflagration occurred. “What’s Going On” he asked our nation? But was he really asking the question or was he simply positing a rhetorical inquiry? I believe he already knew the answer and mourned the new reality. So much has changed since then. So little has changed as well. WI

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With the school year coming to a close in just a few months, Shacora Simmons continues to fret over what’s next for her twin first graders, one of whom has struggled to fully grasp the concept of letters and basic words throughout the virtual learning experience. Simmons, a mother of four D.C. Public Schools [DCPS] students, said her son’s ordeal has frustrated her to the point she has not only considered participation in the school’s parent-teacher organization next year but enrolling her twins in a DCPS summer enrichment program. “I don’t have the tools. My twins need to be in front of people who are trained to teach,” said Simmons, a Ward 8 resident. “I’ve been wanting them to interact with other children and just get out of the house. They are behind a grade level. My hope is that they would be [involved in] in-person learning and paired with teachers who actually care.” Earlier this month, DCPS officials announced the launch of expanded summer enrichment programs intended to support students in every grade level. The program, scheduled to start in early July and end in early August, builds upon the public school system’s past offerings that have been geared toward students in need of enrichment or credit recovery. Registration recently opened for these virtual and in-person learning opportunities, which will be available to 7,000 young people. Activities for pre-kindergarteners and first graders center on acclimating their families to the school environment and to help youngsters develop socio-emotional skills in a school setting. Older elementary students will receive reading enrichment while courses for middle and high school students will focus on algebra and other courses for which they can obtain credit toward high school graduation. For those frustrated with the hurdles of virtual learning, the

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4 Shacora Simmons (below) is considering enrolling her three school-aged children (right) in a DCPS summer enrichment program. (Courtesy photo/ Shacora Simmons)

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– Shanelle Wilson launch of the expanded summer programs represents a return to normalcy. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser iterated this point in her assurance to community members that schools would most likely return to a five-day-a-week in-person learning schedule during the 2021-2022 academic year. Months earlier, DCPS teachers returned to the classroom amid a contentious battle between the central office and the Washington Teachers’ Union about safety protocols. An all-teachers

survey conducted by the D.C. State Board of Education would later highlight teachers’ other pandemic-related concerns including quality of technology, students’ mental wellness and pressures placed upon instructors to cover content under unprecedented circumstances. Shanelle Wilson, a mother of five DCPS students, said her high school-aged daughter felt so compelled to succeed during the pandemic that her grades dropped and she suffered bouts of depression. Wilson said her other children similarly did not respond well to long hours behind the computer and completing homework. It’s for that reason Wilson said she’s opting out of enrolling her children in summer school, though she does envision them getting the help they need outside of the confines of the classroom over the next few months. “This year has caused a lot of mental health issues to arise, so we’ve been trying to get on top of that and [get back] to some normalcy,” said Wilson, a Northwest resident. “I want to make sure they have a solid foundation and can grasp the concepts that are needed for what’s to come.” WI

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WORDS TO LIVE BY “It’s critical for us to tell our story from our perspective. When the company is Black-owned, you have Black decision makers, a Black perspective and Black employees.” – Cathy Hughes

Media pioneer, founder of Radio One/Urban One and TV One empire, born April 22, 1947. 10 APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021

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AROUND THE REGION

Proposed Amendments to Comprehensive Plan Elicit Unease on Racial Equity

Tues May 4, 2021 • 10 am

James Wright WI Staff Writer

Preliminary approval of the District's Comprehensive Plan still has some observers uneasy despite Council Chairman Phil Mendelson's amendments to address gentrification and racial inequity. On April 20, the council in a Committee of the Whole meeting supported amendments to the plan put forth by Mendelson on a 11-0 vote, with D.C. Councilmembers Elissa Silverman (I-At Large) and Janeese Lewis George (D-Ward 4) voting present. Mendelson said his proposal “puts special focus on increasing housing and racial equity.” “Indeed, the revised plan will substantially increase opportunities for new housing in all eight wards of the city,” the chairman said. “It requires the Zoning Commission and other agencies to develop a racial equity lens for evaluating all actions including zoning cases.” The more-than 1,000-page plan—created in 2006--serves as the District’s blueprint for growth and development. It goes through a revision process involving the mayor and the council about every five years. According to leaders of social justice organizations, the amendments offered in April 2020 by the mayor and Mendelson fail to deliver for Black and Brown residents. Empower DC’s Parisa Norouzi says the plan doesn’t deal specifically with gentrification or displacement and others agree with her. The Council’s Office of Racial Equity (CORE), led by Director Brian McClure, released a Racial Equity Impact Assessment (REIA) of Mendelson’s amendments on April 19 and said it doesn’t go far enough to address racial disparities in housing in the District.

EVALUATING THE AMENDMENTS

In the 54-page REIA, Mendel-

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son’s amendments received praise for “making impactful and significant changes to the Comprehensive Plan” and “these changes elevate racial equity as a public policy priority and state that decisions must use a racial equity lens” and “these changes do advance racial equity”. However, the assessment said the amendments “is not enough to disrupt the status quo of deep racial inequities in the District of Columbia.” “The Comprehensive Plan, as introduced, fails to address racism, an ongoing public health crisis in the District,” the assessment said. “As introduced, it appears that racial equity was neither a guiding principle in the preparation of the Comprehensive Plan, not was it an explicit goal for the Plan’s policies, actions, implementation guidance or evaluation. These process failures laid the groundwork for the deficiencies in policy: proposals are ahistorical, solutions are not proportionate to racial inequities, and directives are concerningly weak or vague.” In a statement obtained by the

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APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021 11

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY Prince George’s County Plans to Target Trash – and Litterbugs William J. Ford WI Staff Writer Prince George’s County officials plan to aggressive tackle a dirty problem: litter. “Litter is the bane of Prince George’s County’s existence,” said Sarah Cavitt of Fort Washington and president of the Indian Head Highway Area Action Council.

“We never understand why people keep using us as dumping ground. We need to all step up to the plate and stop littering.” An unofficial start to the anti-litter campaign begins Saturday, May 1 during a county-wide “Growing Green With Pride” event. At least three dozen municipalities and community groups registered at the website for the coun-

ty’s, Growing Green with Pride, to remove trash, lay down mulch around trees and other beautification efforts. County Executive Angela Alsobrooks recently acknowledged how some “pissed off” residents communicated their frustration seeing trash along highways such as Routes 5, 202 and 214. However, those are state roads and maintained by the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA). Fewer state and county road crews couldn’t work during the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic, but more people are slated to come back outside and catch litterbugs. “So please help me tell Lottie, Dottie and everybody: If the road has a number on it, it’s not a county road,” Alsobrooks said. “So for those who have called and fussed at me about the whole thing, we’re working with the state because it does require a partnership.” MDOT hasn’t been able to send crews out for more than a year due to the pandemic, a spokesperson

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5 A billboard promoting Prince George’s County’s anti-litter program April 23 facing Main Street in Upper Marlboro. (William J. Ford/The Washington Informer)

said in an email Friday, April 23. The agency relies on “labor crews” from the state Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services to remove litter. Some crews have started to come out in March by removing 3,956 bags of litter, or 103 tons. Also last month, crews removed 914 tires from state roads. Residents can go to the MDOT customer service link at https:// marylandsha.secure.force.com/ customercare/request_for_service to notify the agency when they see litter on state highways. “It will take some time before DPSCS is able to send full crews, but we’re hopeful that we will be able to make noticeable improvement to roadside litter levels very soon,” according to the spokesperson. Judy Allen-Leventhal, president of the Greater Accokeek Civic Association, said state officials spoke with her group in October on ideas to upkeep Route 210, also known as Indian Head Highway. However, Allen-Leventhal and other residents wonder why some state highways such as Route 1 in the northern part of Prince George’s and Route 301 in neighboring Charles County appear to look better. “We don’t get that. It’s a real query,” she said. “We are continuing to work with the powers that be. However, it just doesn’t make sense.”

SIGHTS SET ON LITTERBUGS

In the meantime, Tiaa Rutherford will serve as a “litter czar” to lead a task force to not only stop littering and illegal dumping, but

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also educate residents on why picking up clutter matters. The first task force meeting could be next month to assess what neighboring jurisdictions and states are doing to combat litter, a reference guide for county ordinances and state statutes and a communications campaign with county agencies. A long-term goal will be running a dashboard and interactive maps for residents to see vehicles along routes picking up trash. The task force will also recommend state legislation for lawmakers to approve in Annapolis. Rutherford, who works as a litter reduction program manager for the county’s Department of Environment, said those caught tossing items such as tires, mattresses and other unwanted items could face a fine between $1,000 to $30,000. A state could impose a separate fine if a certain number of tires, or waste gets dumped near a stream or creek. “It is an environmental crime to illegally dump,” Rutherford said. About six cases are pending review in the county state’s attorney’s office after mobile cameras caught the alleged offenders throwing away debris. The county currently has seven cameras with the plan to purchase three more. “There are mobile cameras near illegal dumping hot spots. We don’t tell people where they are because we don’t want to let people know where they are,” said Deputy Chief of Staff John Erzen. “Once the courts get back to running in full speed, we can get this going. We hope people get…fined to show people we are serious.” WI Twitter: @jabariwill

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PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY Braveboy Organizes Chat with Black Women Prosecutors William J. Ford WI Staff Writer Some are mothers. Some are daughters. Some are wives. They all represent a sisterhood of prosecutors nationwide. Prince George’s County Executive Aisha Braveboy organized a slightly more than two-hour virtual town hall on Facebook with about a dozen Black women prosecutors from across the country to discuss challenges in the elected position. The session, entitled “Power, Prowess and Pearls,” happened two days after a jury found former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin guilty on three counts in the murder of George Floyd on Memorial Day last year. “We all share a bond that is unlike any other,” Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby said Thursday, April 22. “We battle for one another and we are always willing to battle for our community.” According to the Reflective Democracy Campaign, Black women account for one percent of the prosecutors in the United States. Because of that low figure, some of the women acknowledged they experience racism and misogyny from their white counterparts. “After five years in, there are still people I am discovering that are there trying to undermine the

work I am trying to do,” said Darcel Clark, the district attorney in Bronx County, N.Y. “They serve at the pleasure of the district attorney. I only need people that understand and get this work.” The role of a prosecutor carries weight because that person can determine what civil and criminal charges can be filed in court. Braveboy, who moderated the gathering, said more progressive policies and agendas are needed in “making the system fair and smarter and more efficient.” The state’s attorney office usually works with law enforcement agencies, but the video of Floyd being kneed in the neck by Chauvin created a nationwide focus on police reform. Braveboy asked her colleagues how’s their relationship with law enforcement officials. New York Attorney General Letitia James said she’s “got a strained relationship with law enforcement.” Some of those reasons include the state legislature allowing her office to investigate all deaths at the hands of police, inspect police misconduct and make disciplinary records public, primarily with the New York City Police Department. Stephanie Morales, the first woman elected as a Commonwealth’s attorney in Portsmouth, Va., said her priority rests with the community.

“Everybody wants to get into this discussion about what’s the relationship like with the police, but we should be talking about a relationship with the community, she said. “I’m a public servant first and a prosecutor second.” The prosecutors also summarized particular programs they’ve instituted in their jurisdictions. Sherry Boston, the district attorney in DeKalb County, Ga., created a diversion program for those ages 17 to 24. After successful completion, her office will dismiss any

charges of serious but nonviolent offenses. Braveboy said her office doesn’t request cash bail as a condition of release for those in the county jail. She will seek the assistance of Kim Foxx, the state’s attorney in Cook County, Ill., to propose legislation to end the practice in the entire state of Maryland. The state of Illinois became the first state in the nation last month to end the cash bail, which gradually goes into full effect in 2023. Near of the end of the discussion,

Braveboy summarized “why she’s here” as a state’s attorney. “I take these crimes and issues personally,” she said. “I work to not only bring justice, but also dignity to the victims. I’m a reflection of my community and not everyone is perfect in the community. She continued: “If you’re someone who has served a significant portion of time and has shown you have been rehabilitated and have been redeemed, I’m here for you, too, because our system must and will be balanced.” WI Twitter: @jabariwill

TOWN OF CHEVERLY NOTICE OF A PROPOSED REAL PROPERTY TAX INCREASE The Mayor and Council of the Town of Cheverly proposes to increase real property taxes for real property excluding apartments. 1. 2. 3. 4.

For the tax year beginning July 1, 2021, the estimated real property assessable base will increase by 4.1% from $752,547,772 to $783,431,260 for real property excluding apartments. If the Town of Cheverly maintains the current tax rate of $.51 per $100 of assessment, real property tax revenues will increase by 4.1% resulting in $157,505 of new real property tax revenues. In order to fully offset the effect of increasing assessments, the real property tax rate should be reduced to $.4899, the constant yield tax rate. The Town is considering not reducing its real property tax rate enough to fully offset increasing assessments. The Town proposes to adopt a real property tax rate of $.51 per $100 of assessment for real property excluding apartments. This tax rate is 4.1% higher than the constant yield tax rate and will generate $157,505 in additional property tax revenues.

A public hearing on the proposed real property tax rate increase will be held at 6:30 PM on May 11, 2021 over Zoom. The hearing is open to the public, and public testimony is encouraged.

Persons with questions regarding this hearing may call (301) 773-8360 for further information.

5 Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy speaks at a press conference Sept. 30 outside the Circuit Courthouse on a voting initiative. (File: Anthony Tilghman/ The Washington Informer)

Please click the link below to join the webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83685609106?pwd=cENPSlZIVTVTMk9TMUh3aXowdThsZz09 Passcode: 150586 Or One tap mobile : US: +13017158592,,83685609106# or +13126266799,,83685609106# Or Telephone: Dial (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): US: +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 646 558 8656 or +1 669 900 9128 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 346 248 7799 Webinar ID: 836 8560 9106 International numbers available: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdEXXx2oMe

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APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021 13

BUSINESS Alaska Airlines, UNCF Brighten the Skies Brigette Squire WI Contributing Writer Hope has wings. They are part of an Alaska Airlines passenger jet that has been painted to show off its partnership with United Negro College Fund to underscore its message about education and race. “We call this our commitment airplane,” Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci said. “We want to commit to continuing the momentum around what's going on in the country with racial diversity, equity and inclusion, and advancing the dialogue that's happening today.” The gleaming Boeing 737 touched down at Reagan National Airport after an inaugural cross-country flight from Seattle, Wash. To meet it at gate 16, a crowd of Alaska Airlines employees and UNCF personnel gathered. “We are very emotional. Just boarding it and you see that they have beautiful seatback inserts about our part-

nership,” said Linda Thomas Black of UNCF. “I've been sharing that this is ‘Hope with wings.’ We’ve gone through a lot this year, social injustice and a pandemic, but still, we stand together and say,” We’re about justice, equity, and opportunity.” We are allies and that's what you're seeing today. This is a historic day and it couldn't be better. ” The base color of the plane is rich black with an earth tone, written quotes in big bold letters, and silhouettes of non-white students painted on the side of the plane. “I'm proud to say that my son and daughter's faces are both on the plane next to each other,” said John-Anthony Dubreuil, Alaska Airlines senior test manager. “When we saw the 3-D versions of their silhouettes I saw their faces light up.” This is more than just a publicity stunt, Minicucci said. “We needed a symbol that every day when you saw it, you say, ‘Am I doing enough or just

saying it?’ We're making a difference.” In the wake of the guilty verdict in the George Floyd murder trial, he noted, many companies made promises to improve their race relations policies. The plane is Alaska Airlines’ way of showing that it is making good on its promises. “It's magnificent to have a partner airline that will be able to take a message across America, how they feel and what they feel about injustice,” said Maurice Jenkins, executive vice president, and UNCF’s chief development officer. “Alaska Airlines has designated a special aircraft as a symbol of their commitment to education and to advance racial equality.” WI

Guap Foundation to Help Underserved Groups Learn about Cryptocurrency WI Staff Report As part of a major economic initiative, the Guap Foundation, an Atlanta-based nonprofit organization, recently launched its website as a platform to build a strong foundation for long-term economic wealth in underserved Black and Brown communities. Tavonia Evans created GUAP Coin, a cryptocurrency created to amplify the economic voice of the Black community through blockchain technology and financial education. A recent study of the global Cryptocurrency Market shows that it is projected to have a 30 percent compound annual growth reaching, $5.19 million by 2026, up from $792.5 million in 2019. While the Foundation has ad-

The Washington Convention and Sports Authority (t/a Events DC) Bid Opportunity The Washington Convention and Sports Authority (t/a Events DC) is soliciting Offers from qualified firms to provide for Network Assessment and Remediation. Interested parties can view a copy of the Request for Proposal (RFP) by accessing the Event DC’s E-procurement website at www.wcsapex.com and opening APEX BID # 21-S-016-676. Key Dates: RFP Release Date: 4/23/2021 Questions Due Date: 2:00 PM EST 5/14/2021 Proposal Due Date: 3:00 PM EST 6/1/2021 Point of Contact: Robert Martinez, 202-249-3023 (rmartinez@eventsdc.com) 14 APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021

5 Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci and UNCF Executive Vice President Maurice Jenkins celebrate their partnership and the inaugural flight of the airline's newest edition. (Brigette Squire/The Washington Informer)

opted the term “Buy Black” to reflect the socio-political movement most pertinent to its primary audience, it also acknowledges that underserved populations encompass a wide array of cultures, shades, languages and ethnic groups around the globe. The Foundation’s primary mission is to provide a sound and revolutionary economic base for the underserved, underestimated and financially uneducated minority community. With Guapcoin, they seek to unite and empower all corners of the underestimated population with a currency focused on building generational wealth. Their secondary mission is to educate the community on how to use cryptocurrency and its application in our new economy. The foundation also will: • Encourage and facilitate learning that redefines what constitutes money/currency and how it is governed and used

• Swap and trade GUAP currency for services and products • Identify and marketing of member businesses • Increase the lifespan of currency in Black and brown communities and demonstrate via data collection • Empower artists with the tools to distribute their music as well as build and monetize a fan base • Provide education and materials about financial literacy • Encourage entrepreneurship and provide financial support The Foundation hopes to build a group of highly professional, educated and skilled individuals who can assist in carrying out the organization’s mission. To donate and learn more about the Foundation, go to GuapFoundation.org or email the Guap Foundation at info@guapfoundation.org. WI

TWO RIVERS PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS Smith Systems Student Desks Two Rivers PCS is soliciting price quotes from Smith Systems resellers for student desks. To request a copy of the RFP, email Gail Williams at procurement@tworiverspcs.org. Proposals are due by May 7, 2021.

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APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021 15

NATIONAL Blacks Face Greater Hurdles Overcoming Ravages of Alzheimer’s Disease New Report Reveals How Race Leads to Discrimination and Frequent Inequities in Care

D. Kevin McNeir WI Editor Loretta Veney, 62, clearly remembers the first time her sister began to exhibit lapses of memory. And while the initial examples, like losing her keys or forgetting information she’d known for years, may have seemed minor, Veney sensed that something was wrong. But what she could not have anPrint_Blain_Amber_2021.pdf

4/14/21

1:38 PM

ticipated was the response she received when she took her sister to an appointment with her neurologist. “It quickly became apparent that our being Black was a problem for him,” she said. “He was cold, insensitive and had a look on his face that told me that he really did not want to be bothered.” “After taking the prescribed battery of tests which included a series of questions, I knew she had failed.

P SSIBILITIES

CMY

He glanced at us and said, ‘you’re in the early stages of dementia.’ Then, he wrote a prescription and told her she’d have to begin taking meds immediately which upset my sister greatly.” “To my surprise, he ignored her fears and hesitation and told me that if she wanted to remember me, our family and friends, she would take the medication. Finally, he said, ‘that’s what’s wrong with you people. You do not want help.’” Veney’s recollections represent the typical treatment which Black patients and their families often face from physicians who have little tolerance for or understanding of the cultural differences which exist between Blacks and whites. Fortunately, Veney would be able to keep her sister, maintaining the same insurance program, and subsequently found “a great physician – a white woman who immediately showed that she cared about my sister and wanted to provide the best care possible,” said Veney, who has cared for her sister for the past 15 years and lives in Clinton, Maryland. But she says it’s been a real struggle. Her team, which once included her husband, and another sister, have since both died, in 2016 and 2011, respectively, dying on the exact same day five years apart. So now, she’s left to carry on mostly on her own, except for a niece. “I wasn’t prepared for the costs and when I first heard about the state’s community action waiver program, I shook it off. I delayed enrolling in the program. By the time I realized that we would need the money in order to keep my sister in a group home nearby, the costs were soaring. People often don’t look ahead and have the kinds of discussions about finances that they should.” “Even when I went to several Black churches and spoke with a few pastors about hosting a forum that would provide vital information, I was ignored. They said their folks didn’t have problems with dementia. They just didn’t want to face the truth,” Veney said.

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But other resources came to light for Veney in the form of the National Capital Area Chapter – Alzheimer’s Association, based in McLean, Virginia.

5 Blacks face greater disparities in Alzheimer's diagnoses and care. (Courtesy photo/Alzheimer's Association)

And in a new special report Race, Ethnicity and Alzheimer’s in America, the researchers examine the perspectives and experiences of people of color in regard to Alzheimer’s and dementia care and how they view Alzheimer’s disease, medical research and barriers they face in accessing dementia care. Among the findings: • Half of Black Americans (50 percent) report they have experienced health care discrimination. More than 2 in 5 Native Americans (42 percent) and one-third of Asian Americans (34 percent) and Hispanic Americans (33 percent) likewise report having experienced discrimination when seeking health care. “These are not new numbers – in fact, we’re familiar with the story. What’s new is that the pandemic has highlighted the long-ignored disparities that still exist between Blacks and whites,” said “Eme” Martin, regional director, Health Systems, region 14: DC, MD and VA, Alzheimer’s Association. “Now, we have a wider audience that’s hearing the message for the first time. We can fully engage them with strategies of change. First, that requires training and education, then acknowledging the challenges that persist and finally helping people become culturally competent. Then we can really work toward changing problems within the medical industry and within social service organizations.”

“Many of the people who are hearing about these challenges and disparities are within the wider audience and are in positions of leadership so they can therefore move the needle in a positive direction. We are now in a season of awareness,” Martin said. The report includes other information that can neither be overlooked or discounted. • Blacks (89 percent), Hispanics (85 percent) and Asian Americans (84 percent) say it’s important for Alzheimer’s and dementia care providers to understand their ethnic or racial background and experiences. • Fewer than half of Black (48 percent) and Native Americans (47 percent) feel confident there is access to providers who are culturally competent, and only about 3 in 5 Asian Americans (63 percent) and Hispanics (59 percent) likewise feel confident. • Among non-White caregivers, half or more say they have faced discrimination when navigating health care for their care recipient, with the top concern being that providers to not listen to what they are saying because of their race, color or ethnicity. Martin said bringing greater understanding about discrimination within the system and how to resolve it, is not “our” burden. The challenges people of color are

HEALTH Page 32

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NATIONAL

Biden Pledges to Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Half

Governors Call for All Cars to be Zero Emissions by 2035 in innovative sectors — you know, jobs that bring greater quality of life, greater dignity to the people At a virtual leaders summit on performing those jobs in every naclimate President Joe Biden an- tion.” Biden added that in the spirit of nounced a new commitment to cut U.S. greenhouse gas emissions increasing efforts to address climate in half by 2030 under the recently change globally, the White House is also launching an initiative to help reentered Paris Agreement. A leading factor in climate developing countries strengthen change, greenhouse gas emissions their climate efforts while achieving result from a range of human ac- their development goals. “And that’s going to mean montivities. The largest source of emis- ey,” he said. These announcements from sions in the U.S. is from the burning of fossil fuels—oil, natural gas Biden come as governors from 12 and coal--for electricity, heat and states including North Carolina, transportation, according to the New York, New Jersey and CaliEnvironmental Protection Agency fornia asked the administration to make the nation’s vehicle fleet 100 [EPA]. The president’s aggressive goal percent zero emission by 2035. The governors added that from to “cut our emissions by 50 to 52 percent by the end of the decade” is China to the European Union, one that his administration insists a race has begun to lead the zero-emission manufacturing revolucan be met. “Today’s final session is not about tion. “With bold federal leadership, the threat of climate change poses; it’s about the opportunity that ad- American workers will lead the way dressing climate change provides,” in designing, building and driving Biden said during the summit on clean and affordable vehicles,” the governors said in a letter. “Strong Friday, April 23. “It’s an opportunity to cre- support of ZEVs is also fundamenate millions of good-paying jobs EMISSIONS Page 21 around the world and innovate — Sarafina Wright WI Contributing Writer

Because Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. has more stories to tell. Get vaccinated when it’s your turn.

Overcoming obstacles isn’t just part of our history, it’s our heritage. It’s why the story of COVID vaccines has Black doctors and scientists at its center. And one of the reasons Dr. Gates didn’t wait to get his vaccine. Learn more at cdc.gov/coronavirus Brought to you by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Stay Informed! www.washingtoninformer.com

(Photo courtesy of Pexels.)

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APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021 17

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africa now

COMPILED BY OSWALD T. BROWN, WI CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Senegalese Women Try to Keep Pottery Tradition Alive

In the village of Cassamance, in the south of Senegal, pottery is a tradition and art. The knowledge is handed down from generation to generation, The Maravi Post reported on Sunday, April 25. And Arocky Coly, a woman in her 70s, is the guardian of the pottery temple. “I have been here for over 20 years. I started with my elders but they can't come anymore due to their advanced age; others have even died. But we hardly gain anything in our work," she said. "Sometimes we produce a lot of vases that end up breaking. But that does not discourage us. As long as I am still alive, I will continue to support the younger ones. " Today it is with a sense of duty that Arocky sees things evolving. In addition to pottery, these women are now engaged in processing fruit, producing soap and making clay stoves. But with limited resources, the small business they have set up is struggling to get off the ground. “We are still struggling to find funding. We don't have any at the moment. Those who trained us did their best. They funded the oven, but that's it. However, if we had had funding, it would have enabled us to make our work more profitable. That's all we want," said Khady Mane, president of the Women's Association. Finding a market remains a big problem and inevitably there are difficulties in getting the right equipment. “We don't have enough materials. When it comes to stoves, for example, there are three essential machines that we still miss," Mane said. "If we had had them, they would have helped us a lot because here we use wood a lot, especially for cooking. In addition, I appeal to the inhabitants of the village to join us in order to better develop this business." For these women, the greatest ambition is creating jobs. But the main source of income for the natural village rich in luscious beaches and forests is fishing and subsistence farming. WI

caribbean now Jamaica Sets Ambitious Target of 60 Per Cent Reduction in Greenhouse Emissions by 2030 Prime Minister Andrew Holness says Jamaica has enhanced its nationally determined contribution to target a 60 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. “We, like all Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and many developing countries, remain committed to advancing climate action and we are determined to build forward stronger, better and greener,” he said, while addressing the opening of a two-day virtual conference on Thursday, April

22. Holness said Jamaica is also “greatly encouraged by the United States (US) announcement to cut emission by half ”, and is heartened that the U.S. has rejoined the Paris Agreement, which is an important expression of global solidarity for climate action. The prime minister stressed that it is critical that the world’s commitment of $100 billion per year to support climate action in developing countries is not only honored but that the ambition be increased and major emitters should contribute more to its financing. “We welcome President [Joseph] Biden’s announcement in this regard. I encourage all governments to play their part in achieving this goal, and the private sector must also be engaged,” he said. In the meantime, Holness noted that while some progress has been made, “significant hurdles remain” in terms of developing countries having greater and equitable access to climate financing. “While increasing the quantum of financing is necessary, it will not be sufficient to address the needs of SIDS unless it is accessible and flexible enough to [provide] support for our vulnerabilities,” Holness said. WI

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APRIL 29 - MAY 5,4/20/21 20212:45 PM 19

HEALTH COVID-19 UPDATE

Bowie State Students Receive COVID-19 Vaccine William J. Ford WI Staff Writer After the University System of Maryland chancellor recently announced staff and students who return to campuses in the fall must receive a vaccine, Jermale Bell quickly complied. “I’m going to be on campus in the fall. I had no choice and I want to finish up school, so might as well [get vaccinated],” said the 20-yearold junior from Capitol Heights

studying computer technology. “I wasn’t going to take it at first if it wasn’t mandatory because if I’m not sick, then there’s no point. I’m going into my senior year, so I got to do what I got to do.” Jermale joined more than 100 people to receive the first of the two-shot Moderna vaccine Monday, April 26 at Bowie State University, Maryland’s oldest historically Black college and university, established in 1865. Second shot appointments for

Moderna have been slated exactly four weeks later on May 24 which poses a scheduling dilemma with classes ending on May 11. However, officials said the campus will be open to vaccinate those scheduled for their second dose. Any student who resides out of state, or doesn’t plan to return to the campus, can schedule an appointment at a local vaccine provider and present the COVID-19 vaccination record card. Dozens of colleges and universities nationwide will require students planning to return back to their respective campuses to receive the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech two-dose vaccines, or the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine. On Friday, April 23, a panel of advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] announced that health officials can resume administering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine which had been “paused” for use on April 13 after reports of six cases “of a rare and severe type of blood clot,” according to the CDC. The U.S. Food and Drug and Administration will add warnings about the rare but severe risk of blood clots. The Maryland Department of

5 Bowie State University student Austin Carver talks about getting the Moderna vaccine April 26 on the campus. (William J. Ford/The Washington Informer)

Health announced Saturday, April 24 providers can resume administering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Walk-up opportunities with no appointments necessary continue to increase at mass vaccination sites and other locations. And on social media sites, state lawmakers and members of Gov. Larry Hogan’s administration continue to update the public on same day vaccination sites, health centers and other providers.

Maternal Health Remains a Problem In Black Community William J. Ford WI Staff Writer The coronavirus pandemic continues to highlight various disparities which also includes Black women maternal health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2019, the agency noted Black women faced a three to four times a higher rate of preg-

5 Rep. Anthony Brown speaks during a Black Maternal Health discussion April 26 during a Zoom call with Congressional officials. Public health officials and advocacy groups from Maryland also joined in. (Screen shot: Courtesy of Rep. Steny Hoyer)

20 APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021

nancy-related deaths. The rate among Black women 30 and older stood four to five times higher than white women. “These disparities aren’t new. They’re systemic,” said Rep. Anthony Brown (D-Maryland). “This is a multi-faceted problem that demands action at every level – federal, state and local.” Brown spoke Monday, April 26 during a virtual discussion on maternal health, with mortality rates in the United States increasing by nearly 17% in the last few decades. However, it decreased in most developed nations worldwide, he said. The discussion follows Black Maternal Health Week April 11-17. The White House presented a proclamation on the subject to bring a focus to implicit bias, maternal mortality and community awareness. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Maryland) moderated the session with public health officials and health advocates from Maryland participating. Reps. Alma Adams (D-North Carolina) and Lauren Underwood (D-Illinois), a registered nurse, also spoke as co-chairs of the Black Maternal Health Caucus established in April 2019.

Adams (D-North Carolina) stressed this topic remains personal because her daughter experienced a near maternal death more than 15 years ago when her daughter experience pain in her abdomen while pregnant overlooked by a physician. “Dismissing that pain almost cost her life, as well as my granddaughter who just turned 15,” she said. “We know that there are thousands of stories like my daughter…dealing with severe morbidities, or worse,” she said. “In the richest nation in the world, we know that we can and must do better.” One solution to improve the health disparity will come from a bill Adams and Underwood reintroduced in February called The Black Maternal Health Monibus Act of 2021. A summary of the legislation at https:// blackmaternalhealthcaucus-underwood. house.gov/Momnibus seeks to establish a relationship between COVID-19 and pregnancy. Some of the measures include: • Support moms with maternal mental health conditions and substance use disorders.

COVID Page 28

Ernest Carter, health officer for Prince George’s County, said any vaccine backed by science remains better than not taking the vaccine at all. “These are exquisitely safe vaccines,” he said during a COVID-19 town hall at the Bowie State campus. “If you get vaccinated, you run the probability that you won’t get COVID. You’re going to get COVID in some part of your life if you don’t get vaccinated, that’s for sure.” Austin Carver, 19, said he’s pleased to not only receive the Moderna vaccine but to also become the first person in his family to get vaccinated. Carver’s perspective changed when one of his friends tested positive for COVID-19 last year. “If I’m going to travel and for my life to get back to normal, there are some sacrifices I will have to make,” said the sophomore from Baltimore majoring in broadcast journalism. “My girlfriend got fully vaccinated and she’s feeling good. I got my first one and I’m feeling good.” After Casandra Williams graduated from high school last year in Havre de Grace in Harford County, she said her parents and siblings moved to Alabama. Along with her older brother, Williams wanted to remain in Maryland to pursue her goal of attending Bowie State. “We can’t [attend classes] if we don’t get vaccinated. That’s why I got it,” said Casandra, 18, a freshman studying criminal justice. “It was easier than getting a flu shot. I’m feeling good.” WI @jabariwill

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EDUCATION Maryland Student Earns $25K Horatio Alger Scholarship Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer Alhassan Bangura, a Western School of Technology and Environmental Science student from Windsor Hill, Md., is headed to Cornell University in the fall thanks, in part, to a $25,000 scholarship he received from the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc. Bangura is one of only 106 students from across the country to receive this prestigious scholarship from the nonprofit educational organization that honors outstanding individuals’ achievements. The organization, which encourages young people to pursue their dreams through higher education, recognizes outstanding students as Horatio Alger National Scholars for resilience and perseverance. “My first reaction when I got the call was that I was very excited,” the teen exclaimed. He noted that officials began the call by asking him for basic information, including his name and school.

EMISSIONS from Page 17 tal to keeping America competitive in the global marketplace.” The governors requests to the Biden administration include: *Setting standards to ensure that all new passenger cars and light-duty trucks sold are zero-emission no later than 2035 with significant milestones along the way to monitor progress; *Restoring greenhouse gas emission standards for all vehicle model years possible to replace the unsupported standards from the previous administration; *Reaffirming that states have au-

After a few moments, his scholarship was confirmed. “They said, ‘That’s perfect because we like to have the correct information to notify our national scholars,’” Bangura recalled. “At that point, I was shocked, and I couldn’t believe it because I was only one of 106 people in the country chosen and only one of two from Maryland,” he said. The Horatio Alger Association noted that scholarships are awarded to students who have remained outstanding in the classroom despite great personal adversity and have reiterated a college degree commitment. “Our organization is dedicated to the belief that hard work, honesty, and determination can conquer all obstacles. We seek out Scholars who, despite the adversities they may be facing, exhibit these values,” Jim Dicke, the president of the Association, wrote in an email. “We are proud to support a diverse Scholar population and believe that affording these young people the opportunity to pursue a college degree

can make all the difference in their lives,” Dicke remarked. He noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has been challenging for many, but mainly for the scholars. “We’ve spoken with students who can’t afford Wi-Fi to take online classes or who have gone days without meals because their parents lost their jobs,” Dicke said. “When campuses closed abruptly, we even learned that one of our scholars was sleeping in a car because her family was experiencing homelessness. To address these urgent needs, we launched a scholar emergency support program and have disbursed hundreds of thousands of dollars in funding to assist with food, medical bills and learning resources so our scholars can remain in school.” A son of immigrant parents who identify as West African Muslims, Bangura grew up in a low-income household. He helps care for his younger brother, who has severe autism. “He’s low-functioning, and someone always has to watch him,” Bangura related. “From an emotional standpoint, my brother has no sense of communication, he can’t speak, and he’s unable to learn sign language. It has taken many years for me to accept that this is my brother, whom I will never

5 Alhassan Bangura/Horatio Alger Association

really get to know as a person even though he lives in my house, eats and sleeps there. It’s not easy.” Bangura said he hopes to become a doctor and then go into politics. “I want to become a cardiologist and then go into politics, perhaps at

the state level first,” Bangura offered. “I believe the pandemic has shown us that we do need more medical professionals, and we need people from all backgrounds in the lawmaking process.” WI @StacyBrownMedia

thority to follow vehicle emissions standards set by California, if they choose to do so; *Enacting new tax credits for the manufacturing of zero-emission trucks and buses as well as zero emissions vehicle charging and fueling stations. “By establishing a clear regulatory path to ensuring that all vehicles sold in the United States are zero-emission, we can finally clear the air and create high-road jobs,” the governors said. “Moving quickly towards a zero-emission transportation future will protect the health of all communities.” WI

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APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021 21

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3/31/21 12:26 AM

April 2021. Volume 7. Issue 4

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“EXPACTY” + INTROSPECTION

Espcaping Lockdown: A Year in Expatcy

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editor-in-chief & creative director :

Lafayette Barnes IV Claudia M. Watts copy Editor : Sam P.K. Collins Photography Editor : Lafayette Barnes IV Layout Design : Lafayette Barnes IV cover photography : Timoteo Murphy Contributing Writers : Terrence Blowe, Candace Chambers managing Editor :

illustrated by : Nathaniel Grey

letter from the editor All those who wander may not be lost, but they are most certainly in search of something. Be it escape, introspection, or adventure, the ability to change our location acts as a catalyst for meeting new people, expanding beyond our comfort zones, and understanding different lifestyles. Living in a transient hub full of international flavor, the lust for voyage is always somewhere in the back of mind. Travel has been a “flex,” now it’s far more mainstream. Over the last 10-years, we’ve watched the rise of remote work programs, influencers paid to travel, and curated excursions that allow visitors to soak in culture from a more authentic vantage point. And then, it all stopped. As the pandemic swept the globe travel came to a screeching halt. Airlines were grounded, ships indefinitely docked, hotels felt like ghost towns, and most borders became impenetrable. While it kept many confined to their respective fortresses of solitude, a few brave souls escaped the lockdown in search of something more. This month we delve into a year of “Expatcy.” This month, our feature story is that of Terrance Blowe, the city’s son who set out to fulfill his “personal legend.” If you take only one thing from his story, let it be the courage to bet on yourself. Inner confidence and peace know neither longitude nor latitude. Best, Claudia M. Watts

Travel Transformed In April, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new guidelines for fully vaccinated travelers. For many, the news has been a collective sigh of relief. The fog of anxiety that’s accompanied travelers over the past year is finally lifting for some. However, COVID is still a reality that will change the way we vacation for the foreseeable future. Local DEI specialist and recruiter, Dominique Ellington, recently celebrated her 30th birthday at the Hard Rock Los Cabos, whose COVID policies ultimately sold her on the trip. She and a group of friends booked rooms adjacent to a private pool, effectively creating their own isolated villa on the resort complete with full in-room dining services. This trip looked very different from Dominique’s last stay in Cabo, which was filled with excursions and late nights downtown. However, she found peace in the simplicity of long overdue time spent with loved ones. In many ways, travel has become less about doing and more about being. Last August, D.C. native and artist Nate G. found stillness in La the desert. Months of isolation in his Brentwood apartment began to affect his mental health, so when he was invited on a friend’s birthday trip to the Mojave Desert, he leapt at the opportunity. In the beginning of the trip, Nate didn’t know the majority of the other house guests. However, he left feeling that he’d forged some genuine connections with people of “like “li mind, like spirit, like heart, [and] like melanin.” The highlight of Nate’s week was hiking Red Rock Canyon, a conservation area outside of Las Vegas. As he moved up the sandstone peaks, Nate was struck by the view from each new height. The red formations were ever changing, spherical shapes – wide open and fluid, a stark contrast to the four walls he’d be confined to throughout much of the pandemic. Nate credits the trip as a turning point in a difficult year and encourages others to travel into nature as much as possible. “Now is the perfect time to invest in a life experience,” Nate told WI Bridge. “The material things run their course, but I wouldn’t trade anything for my experience in the Canyon. That changed my perspective on life.” written by : Candace Chambers | @Candace.dane

Packing Lite “EXPACTY” + INTROSPECTION

written by : Terrence Blowe | @blowemagazine

photography by : Timoteo Murphy | timoteomurphy

CONTROL THE NARRATIVE. SAVE THE CITY.

OPINIONS/EDITORIALS

EDITORIAL

Vaccines Protect Children from Preventable Diseases – Will COVID-19 Join the List?

All 50 states have legislation requiring specified vaccines for students. Although exemptions vary from state to state, all school immunization laws grant exemptions to children for medical reasons. There are 45 states, including Maryland, Virginia and Washington D.C., that grant religious exemptions for people who have religious objections to immunizations. And many states align their vaccine requirements with recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. But the CDC only issues recommendations. Individual state legislatures mandate which vaccinations are required for school. Most states mandate vaccinations for diseases easily transmitted in school settings, like polio and measles, while others may not require vaccinations for things like Hepatitis B or HPV, which are most often transmitted through intimate contact – even though such diseases are no less serious and the CDC recommends them for all children. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, however, educators, legislators and most important, parents, have wondered about and debated over whether the COVID-19 vaccine should be required, or at least recommended, before children can attend public school. For now, no state requires children to receive the COVID-19 vaccine for school entry. “You hear the questions about whether vaccines should be mandatory or not,” said Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers. “That's not the question to be asking right now. The questions to be asking right now are, 'Is it effective? Is it going to be free? Is it widely accessible?'” “We can't get ahead of ourselves and start asking about whether we're going to require it,’ agrees Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association. “We don't know that yet. So, let's not say that yet.” So, while few are publicly advocating for the forthcoming vaccines to be mandatory for school – at least not yet, anyway – most agree that a majority of states probably will require children to be immunized against COVID-19 at some point. Some states may adopt the requirement as early as the 2021-22 academic year but many more will probably wait until the following year. As it stands, more than 1 million children in the U.S. have been infected with COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children's Hospital Association. And while it's rare for children to become severely ill – though they can and do – the bigger concern is that they are more likely to be silent spreaders who may not know they are infected because they are asymptomatic. Tragically, neither measles or polio were ever silent. Perhaps it would be wise to include children in vaccine trials so that enough data can be gathered. Then, we will be better armed to decide if it would best to send children to school vaccinated. For now, however, there are far more questions than answers. And that’s a frightening prospect for any parent. WI

New Hospital Needed but No Remedy for Health Disparities

Wayne Turnage, D.C.’s Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services, joined a Zoom call this week with more than 70 Ward 8 ANC commissioners and residents updating them on the new hospital at St. Elizabeth’s East slated to open in 2024. Turnage opened the presentation with stark statistics revealing Wards 8, 7 and 5 having the lowest life expectancy rates among all residents of the district’s eight wards. Specifically, Ward 8 has the shortest life expectancy at 72 years, compared to Ward 3, with the highest at 87.6 years. He listed health conditions among the predominately Black and poor in Wards 7 and 8 and then pointed to the lack of a quality healthcare system as a significant contributing factor. United Medical Center, the area’s nearest hospital, has served its purpose, he said, but it is an old facility that has been in decline since 2011 when he came to D.C. It is inefficient to operate, it lacks a physician referral network and the revenue losses determine services based upon costs and not the needs of the residents. For these reasons and more, the commissioners voted to offer a letter of support for the new $306 million, 136-inpatient bed, full-service GW Hospital at St. Elizabeth’s. In addition to

TO THE EDITOR Surreal Justice

One Step Closer

It's so surreal that Derek Chauvin was convicted on all three counts for the killing of George Floyd. We are so used to seeing these people get off that when we have justice, it feels foreign. Nevertheless, I'm so happy the jury made a just decision based on the video evidence! Now we await sentencing…

D.C. statehood is getting closer thanks to the House of Representatives. Now on to the Senate, where the real fight begins. Let's go! Kierra Leonard Washington, D.C.

Harold-Anne Jackson Washington, D.C.

care, questions arose regarding construction and other job opportunities and ways small businesses could support the new hospital system. Undoubtedly, a new healthcare system is greatly needed east of the Anacostia River. The morbidity issues Turnage outlined, including obesity, high blood pressure, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, infant and maternal mortality and drug abuse, can be treated in the new hospital. Still, prevention must be the mission if eliminating disparities is the ultimate goal. A life lost to homicide or suicide, which rank highest in Wards 7 and 8, cannot be treated, but access to preventive services does not need to wait for a new hospital to open. For several years, the district has assessed the

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health of its residents to determine how to address residents’ healthcare needs. “The DC Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) helps us and our community partners in identifying the best strategies for leveraging assets and serving the needs of the many populations living in the district,” D.C. Health Director LaQuandra S. Nesbitt wrote on the DOH website. But to what end, we ask? Ward 8 residents have historically demonstrated harmful disparities among most indicators for decades. Yes, a new hospital will surely make a difference for its sickest residents but it is not the remedy for creating a healthy community. WI

APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021 23

OPINIONS/EDITORIALS Guest Columnist

David Johns

Supreme Court Can Protect Black Lives By Ending Qualified Immunity

Last year, we witnessed another crushing blow in the fight to end police violence against Black people. Only one of the three officers involved in the murder of Breonna Taylor was charged in the case. However, they were not charged for causing her death; rather, they were indicted on charges of destroying property. The three officers responsible for the murder of Breonna Taylor are not the first to walk free after killing an unarmed Black person, and unfor-

tunately, especially if things continue as they are, they will not be the last. Things continuing as they are include the decision to only charge one Louisville police officer for the destruction of property, which sends the message that Black lives do not matter to law enforcement agencies. In addition to the trauma associated with Black death by police officers we are repeatedly denied the time and space to mourn those that were stolen from us. We can't even get through a trial on the killing of one unarmed Black man without the killing of another unarmed Black man. Here we are again, this time mourning the loss

Guest Columnist

of Daunte Wright, who was killed by police officer Kim Potter in Minneapolis — the same city that has just witnessed a guilty verdict in the case of Derek Chauvin, who killed George Floyd last May. As the country awaited this verdict, Ma'Khia Bryant, a 16-year-old Black girl in Columbus, Ohio, was killed by a police officer when she called them to intervene in a dispute with another teenager. At the National Black Justice Coalition, we prioritize ending policies that put all Black lives at risk. We support the shifts in our legal practices required to honor that all of our lives matter, in theory, and in praxis. For that reason,

I truly believe that if we are going to have a conversation about increased police accountability; we need to start talking about the courts and qualified immunity — a defense to excessive force available to officers. Derek Chauvin may have been found guilty of George Floyd's murder, but the the fact remains that this legal protection will continue to put Black people in danger at the hands of the police. Qualified immunity is legal protection created by the Supreme Court that shields government officials from being held liable for constitutional violations — such as the right to be free from excessive police force — as long

as the officials didn't violate “ clearly established law.” It was invented by the Court in 1967, as a way to protect public officials who believed their actions were authorized by the law. Fifteen years later in Harlow v. Fitzgerald, the Court expanded the defense of qualified immunity. Instead of upholding the requirement of public officials acting in “good faith” in order to be shielded from liability, even officials who used excessive force would be immune from being held legally accountable for their actions. Justice Sonia Sotomayor called qualified immunity a “one-sided ap-

JOHNS Page 41

Marc H. Morial

Chauvin Conviction Marks Turning Point, But Work Remains to Achieve Real Justice

"Today, we feel a sigh of relief. Still, it cannot take away the pain. A measure of justice isn't the same as equal justice. This verdict brings us a step closer. And, the fact is, we still have work to do. We still must reform the system. Last summer, together with Senator Cory Booker and Representative Karen Bass, I introduced the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.

This bill would hold law enforcement accountable and help build trust between law enforcement and our communities. This bill is part of George Floyd's legacy." — Vice President Kamala Harris As I stood alongside the family and friends of George Floyd in Minneapolis on Tuesday, waiting to hear the verdict in Derek Chauvin's murder trial, I felt a combination of hope and dread. Despite clear and compelling video evidence, despite the unambiguous testimony of experienced law enforce-

Guest Columnist

ment and medical experts, and despite the exemplary work of Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison's prosecution team, the devastating possibility of an acquittal still loomed. In the years since the acquittal of Trayvon Martin's murderer gave rise to the Black Lives Matter movement, thousands of Americans have died at the hands of police. Black people are six times more likely to be killed. Only a tiny fraction of these killings have been prosecuted as crimes, and a scant handful — only 44, out of thousands

of killings — have resulted in convictions. Two days after the Chauvin verdict, I stood with the family of Daunte Wright as they faced the unimaginable pain of laying to rest a son, a brother, a father, and a friend, at just 20 years old. In the space of those two days, police shot and killed 16-year-old Ma'Khia Bryant in Columbus, Ohio, and 42-year-old Andrew Brown Jr. in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. Details of those shootings still were being investigated as Daunte was laid to rest.

As much as the conviction of Derek Chauvin gave us hope that we have reached a turning point in the movement to end racially motivated police violence, the deaths of Daunte Wright, Ma'Khia Bryant, Andrew Brown Jr. — and countless others — show us how much work remains to make that hope a reality. In testimony before the House Judiciary Committee after the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act was in-

MORIAL Page 41

Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr.

The Case for Statehood for the District of Columbia is Clear

Last week, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 51, a bill that would make Washington, D.C., the 51st state of the union. It finally would end the denial of voting representation to its more than 700,000 residents, the majority of whom are Black or brown. The bill was passed 216-208, with Democrats voting unanimously and Republicans offering not one vote.

24 APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021

That led the media to declare the bill dead on arrival in the Senate, where it could be passed by a majority but derailed by a filibuster that would require 60 votes. Republicans have announced that they are prepared to filibuster the bill and block the majority from passing it. Once more, legislation guaranteeing basic civil rights is threatened by a minority employing the filibuster, the favored instrument used to block civil rights legislation and sustain segregation for decades.

Only this time Republicans, once the party of Lincoln, have taken up the mantle of the plantation Democrats of the Old South. The case for D.C. statehood is clear. The nation was founded in protest against taxation without representation. D.C. residents are denied voting representation in the House and Senate. The nation is shamed by military service without representation. D.C. residents have fought in wars going back to the Revolutionary War and yet have no representatives to vote in favor

or against those wars. America, which claims to lead democracies across the world, denies the foundation of democracy to more than 700,000 citizens in the nation's capital. D.C. is not too small to be a state. It has more citizens than Vermont and Wyoming, and about as many as Alaska. Those states, of course, are overwhelmingly white. D.C. would have the largest proportion of African Americans of any state. There are no constitutional obstacles to making D.C. a state.

The Constitution calls for Congress to control the seat of government. The new bill defines the seat of government as including Capitol Hill, the White House, the National Mall and connecting property, drawing the state from the remaining areas. Historically, voting by D.C. residents — even for local officials — has been suppressed because of racism. In the 1870s, at the same time the South was beginning to suppress Black votes

JACKSON Page 41

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OPINIONS/EDITORIALS Guest Columnist

Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr.

Communities of Color and Other Buyers, Beware of Bold Promises from Health Insurers

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought issues of healthcare equity to the forefront of discussions of racial justice. Even when controlling for factors like age and income, communities of color have been much more severely impacted that white Americans. A recent report by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that “older Black, Hispanic, and

American Indian/Alaska Native adults were nearly twice as likely to die of COVID-19 as older White adults” and “cases among Black and Hispanic Medicare beneficiaries were 1.6 times higher than the rate observed among White beneficiaries.” Access to healthcare and health insurance is a vital issue for African Americans. And it’s important to be on the lookout for healthcare companies that make big promises but fail to deliver. In this context, let’s take a look at Oscar Health, an insurance

Guest Columnist

company that tries to appeal to consumers by positioning itself as a tech company. But its track record is questionable at best. The company has been investigated and fined by the N.Y. State Department of Financial Services. During its expansion in New York, Oscar cut the number of doctors in its network by more than half. The company also has connections to former Trump administration officials. It was founded by Jared Kushner’s brother Josh, and its parent company, Thrive Capi-

tal, was partly owned by Kushner until he took a job at the White House. And the company is run by serial Wall Street investors who seem primarily interested in flipping companies for a profit. Even more concerning, Oscar has been expanding into the Medicare Advantage program, where they can leverage taxpayer money to provide health coverage to our seniors. That means one of our most vulnerable communities could be opting into a company that has questions hanging over it.

African Americans clearly need better health insurance. But we can’t get lured in by companies that are more interested in taking money than providing real healthcare benefits. So, before you make a decision about health insurance, please get more than one opinion or option. There are healthcare insurance companies that are considerably more equitable and beneficial. Healthcare for all is both a fundamental civil and human right. WI

Ben Jealous

D.C. Statehood is a Voting Rights Issue… and a Racial Justice Issue

Washington, D.C. has a higher percentage of Black residents than any state in the country, and they have no voting representation in Congress. This is systemic racism in action. It is long past time to give Washington’s 712,000 residents the representation they deserve by making D.C. our 51st state. It is shameful that people who live in the nation’s capital have no

say in Congress. And it is unacceptable that local laws and budgets passed by D.C. elected officials can be overturned by members of Congress who decide to meddle in local decision-making. That explains why Washington, D.C.’s license plates include the slogan, “End taxation without representation,” a rallying cry by American colonists against the tyranny of British rule. The disenfranchisement of hundreds of thousands of D.C. residents is fundamentally un-American and there is no good reason to allow it to

Askia-At-Large

continue. There are bogus reasons to oppose statehood, and some Republicans in Congress have been trotting them out now that legislation to admit Washington, D.C. as a statehood bill is moving forward in Congress. Some claim that Washington, D.C. is too small to be a state. But D.C. has more residents than either Vermont or Wyoming. There are currently six states whose population is less than a million. D.C. pays more federal taxes than 21 states—and more federal taxes per person than any state.

Some make the false claim that it would require a constitutional amendment to make Washington, D.C. a state. Not true. The Constitution clearly gives Congress the authority to admit new states. That’s how every one of the 37 states that were not initially part of the U.S. have joined the country. The original District of Columbia was created out of land from Maryland and Virginia. In 1846, a good chunk of D.C. was returned to Virginia. No constitutional amendment was required then, and none is required

now to admit Washington, D.C. as a new state. Some objections are so idiotic, frankly, that they must be a cover for pure partisanship or worse. In March, a Heritage Foundation legal fellow testifying before Congress said that D.C. residents shouldn’t get representation in Congress because they can already influence congressional debates by placing yard signs where members of Congress might see them on their way to work. One Republican con-

(RNA), and then with the Nation of Islam — the Black Muslims. I was a student activist and campus newspaper editor at San Jose State University. I saw the dawn of the Black Panther Party for Self Defense just up the road in Oakland. I drifted into the Black Nationalist camp — the "cultural nationalists," as we were derided by the "revolutionary" Panthers. I heard and championed the cause of George Jackson, the brilliant political prisoner, and his companions John Clutchette and Fleeta Drum-

gold, who were known as the Soledad Three. I went to that desolate penitentiary to report on their cause, from the very beginning. I interviewed George's mother Georgia and his brother Jonathan. I attended both their funerals. I followed the brilliant, the beautiful, Angela Davis, the she-ro who stood unflinchingly for the cause and became Public Enemy No. 1 until her capture and imprisonment

JEALOUS Page 42

Askia Muhammad

Have Reparations Co-opted Black Militants?

As much as I embrace the need for reparative justice for Black people in America, I'm afraid that the recent success of H.R. 40, the congressional measure to establish a commission to investigate the question may has actually done a disservice to the cause of Black liberation because it has made the Black Militant movement get comfortable with within the system

that continues to cause our distress. That system had promised, then rescinded the offer of, "40 acres and a mule," part of Special Field Orders No. 15, a wartime order proclaimed by Union Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman on Jan. 16, 1865, during the Civil War, to allot land to freed families, plots of land no larger than 40 acres. The idea was to encourage slaves to rebel and help the Union troops win the Civil War, and to compensate them with some land of their own so they would be free in-

deed — economically — when their true emancipation came. When the war ended, the slaves learned what the Native people were being taught: "White Man speaks with forked tongue." The betrayal of the promise to the freed slaves was just another of "The Trail of Broken Treaties," with which the Native people were all too familiar, at the hands of white Americans. Me, I got involved in the militant-reparations cause in the 1960s. First with the Republic of New Africa

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ASKIA Page 42 APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021 25

LIFESTYLE Count Basie Orchestra Director Talks Jazz and Welcomes Back Live Performances

Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

The legendary William James “Count” Basie enjoyed a keen eye for talent and greatness. Over the years, the New Jersey-born icon enlisted legends

26 APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021

like Billie Holiday, Joe Jones and Sweets Edison to perform in The Count Basie Orchestra. Formed in 1935, The Count Basie Orchestra evolved into the benchmark for jazz bands and musicians, performing in movies, television shows, and

5 The Count Basie Orchestra. (Courtesy Scotty Barnhart)

before kings and queens. The group’s 19 Grammy Awards by far is the most earned by any orchestra. Since 2013, Scotty Barnhart, a

graduate of the historically black Florida A&M University, has directed The Count Basie Orchestra and has continued the legacy of his hero, who died in 1984 at the age of 79. “Mr. Basie was a great human being and the greatest bandleader in history,” Barnhart told the Black Press during a live interview. “I was in the trumpet section as a soloist for 20 years, so by the time I got to be director, things lined itself so that it was an easy transition.” Barnhart, a professor of jazz trumpet at Florida State University, qualifies as a legend himself. With two Grammy Awards as a solo artist, Barnhart has performed with Cab Calloway, Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra and many other icons. He’s giving lectures at universities in South Africa, Japan, Europe, and the United States. With the pandemic halting much activity, The Count Basie Orchestra finally heads back on the road. The group’s first concert since the shutdown takes place on Thursday, May 13 at the Jay and Susie Gogue Performing Arts Center at Auburn University in Georgia. “It’s finally settled,” Barnhart sighed. “We’ll do a clinic for K-12 and take questions and demonstrate some things, and then we’ll have a concert at night.” The orchestra also hopes to fulfill its commitments for a summer European tour and a fall U.S. schedule.

“We are raring to get back to work,” Barnhart declared. “I get messages on Facebook and other places all of the time asking when we are touring again.” Barnhart also reminisced about Basie. He said Basie didn’t hesitate to advocate for civil rights and justice. “Mr. Basie was not above doing what was necessary to help make things better. He was a very supportive person,” Barnhart noted. “He knew by lending his name, his orchestra, and his talents he could help things. He was not at all blind to what was going on. Mr. Basie was such a professional, such a nice guy, that he handled things in a way that he knew it would allow him to continue.” The greatest lesson Barnhart learned from Basie was how to pay attention to detail, he remarked. “When I first saw Mr. Basie, it was at a high school in Atlanta when I was 12. I saw him again at the Fox Theater when I was 17,” Barnhart recalled. “I went out a bought everything Count Basie, and at an early age, I was paying attention to detail and memorizing everything. He continued: “By the time I got to the orchestra in 1993, I knew what was going on. By the time I became the orchestra leader, anything that was going on, I would hear it. “If they played the wrong note, I could hear that. Attention to detail is my first job, and I learned that from Mr. Basie.” WI @StacyBrownMedia

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LIFESTYLE

Why D.C. Statehood? The Real Story

Locally-Produced Video Gives Rationale for Creating the 51st State Brenda C. Siler WI Contributing Writer The road to D.C. statehood has been long. D.C. mayors have included statehood in their plans for the city. Mayor Muriel Bowser has gone one step further with commissioning an educational video “Becoming Douglass Commonwealth: From DC Disenfranchisement to Full Democracy” that explains the trek to DC statehood that has gone on for centuries. Premiering on this year’s Emancipation Day the video was produced and directed by Nolan Williams, Jr., a musicologist, theologian, American songwriter and producer. The concept for the video went from a traditional D.C. Emancipation Day commemoration to the emphasis on statehood. “The video morphed more toward statehood where we could view the obstacles we have overcome,” said Williams, a Washingtonian. “I was thinking what’s next? We have the best opportunity we’ve ever had.”

STATEHOOD AND INTENSE STRUGGLE

Still a steep climb, there was a

sign of hope last week when the House of Representatives approved statehood for the District in a party line vote. Getting the word out about the importance of D.C. statehood is an ongoing tactic. Many members of Congress have been outspoken about why D.C. statehood is the right thing to do. There has been robust chatter on social media, especially Twitter. Legislators, D.C. area residents, and those in states near and far have been in lively conversation using the hashtag #DCStatehood. Also, the D.C. government was able to get three television stations in West Virginia, represented by Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), to air “Becoming Douglass Commonwealth.” “The video has been pushed out on social media.,” said Williams. “Copies of the video have also been sent to every member of Congress.” “Becoming Douglass Commonwealth” can be viewed on the YouTube channel of the DC Office of Cable Television, Film, Music and Entertainment (OCTFME) https://youtu.be/cNsrfpMiV40. Several departments within the

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5 On the set of D.C. statehood video “Becoming Douglass Commonwealth” From left: Producer/Director Nolan Williams, Jr., Audio Technician C. Anthony Miller, and Acting Metropolitan Police Department Chief Robert J. Contee, III (seated). The production set is the MLK Memorial Library - DC Public Library. (Photo courtesy of NEWorks Productions)

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APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021 27

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August Wilson’s Society Celebrates the Genius of America’s Black Playwright

On Tuesday, April 27, the District-based August Wilson Society [ASW] marked its 15th anniversary and hosted August Wilson’s 76th birthday commemoration during a virtual celebration of the organization’s namesake: the incomparable August Wilson. The list of informative and fun-filled activities provided an enriching and enlightening roundtable discussion featuring a group of accomplished men and women who represent the AWS founders and who addressed Wilson’s enduring legacy and the continued relevance of his American Century Cycle plays. These plays remain relevant particularly in light of recent racial, political and social tensions that have impacted and are still impacting our nation. Under the leadership of Dr. Sandra Shannon, one of the founding members of AWS, the organization maintains its belief that one cannot begin to deal with the present without remembering the past. The event served as an opportunity to both honor the 12 founding members, each of whom represent various disciplines taught by Howard University’s faculty, and to honor Wilson’s lasting legacy. We celebrate the AWF founding members: Dr. Sandra Shannon, Mbye Cham, Elizabeth Clark-Lewis, Greg Carr, Patrick Goodin, Jules Harrell, Denise J. Hart, Sais Kamalidiin, Kim Bey, Dana Williams, Joe Selmon and Floyd Coleman. The Washington Informer was going to press as this provocative conversation took place on AWS’s Facebook Live page. However, you can read about the highlights from the lively discussion by visiting our website, www.washingtoninformer.com. WI

COVID from Page 20 • Improve maternal health care and support for incarcerated moms. • Invest in digital tools like telehealth to improve maternal health outcomes in underserved areas. Yema-Juliet Sidique, founder and president of Project Womb who resides in Hyattsville, supports the legislation and other efforts to fight Black maternal health disparities. However, she said ra-

28 APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021

cial bias continues to exist in the health care industry. “All of these policies and solutions…are beautiful and necessary, but we personally don’t believe that’s the bottom line in addressing Black maternal health needs,” she said. “We need to trust and believe Black women when we say we are in pain and when we say something is wrong.” In the majority Black jurisdiction Prince George’s County, Health Officer Ernest Carter said the maternal death rate sits at 3.74

out of 100,000 people that ranks above Maryland. He said clinical and social service professionals must work together to improve health care for women. “It has to be all of those aspects of public health that we have to manage in order to help our whole population of women to be able to improve their health care,” he said. “It’s preventable and we can do it.” WI Twitter: @jabariwill

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Moving forward together

in the DMV

Over the past year, we’ve all been challenged in one way or another by this health crisis — physically, emotionally, financially. And while questions remain about what lies ahead, we know one thing for certain: The only way to move forward is together. To that end, Bank of America remains fully committed to supporting the health and economic recovery of our clients, communities and teammates. We know that small businesses, so critical to our local economy, have been greatly impacted. Through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), to date we’ve delivered 478,731* PPP loans — totaling nearly $34.5 billion* in funding — to help our clients continue to operate and pay their employees. Importantly, more than 99% of those loans went to companies with fewer than 100 employees. Partnering with local nonprofits, we’ve distributed more than 27 million masks for vulnerable populations as part of our ongoing efforts to address health-related disparities accelerated by the coronavirus. We’ve offered new and expanded benefits to help our employees balance family and work, including over 3.7 million days of back-up child and adult care. That’s an investment of more than $370 million in child and adult care reimbursement. I’m so proud of the way our community has come together to help those who need it most. And I’m certain that the DMV has the power to be stronger than ever as a result.

Helping the DMV move forward: • Delivered PPP funding to over 17,442 of our small business clients for more than $1.3 billion in relief • Distributed 250,000 masks through our local partners including: – Capital Area Food Bank – Greater Washington Urban League

Lawrence Di Rita President, Bank of America Greater Washington D.C.

• Expanded benefits for our employees to include additional child and adult care services plus virtual medical and behavioral health consultations at no cost

Go to bankofamerica.com/washingtondc to learn more about the work we are doing with our incredible partners.

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APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021 29

LIFESTYLE

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ents pushed he, his twin brother and their sister succeed in their very competitive home and they became successful. Now his children are successful. His son plays for the D.C. United and his daughter is completing a doctorate in physical therapy. She introduced him with a big hug. In 2006, Pines became chair of UMD’s Department of Aerospace Engineering, where under his leadership, the department was ranked eighth overall among United States universities. Three years later, he was named dean of the A. James Clark School of Engineering and the Nariman Farvardin Professor of Engineering. While Pines’ research focused on structural dynamics, smart sensors and biologically inspired structures, he made it clear during his address that he is concerned about humanity and current events. The complexion of the system is a key issue for Pines whose agenda includes meeting major demands that surfaced in meetings with African American faculty and staff for hiring and retaining more faculty and recruiting more students from Prince George’s county. According to the April 7 edition of the Diamondback, the campus newspaper, Pines organized a task force of student leaders to come up with a list of issues that the students wanted to address. The demands — referred to as

5 The University of Maryland. (Courtesy photo)

During his address Thursday, Pines said he planned to pour $40 million into the diversity efforts and then he offered a formula.

“Diversity + Excellence = Success and Innovation.” “critical issues” on the university's website — included improving campus policing, enhancing mental health services for Black students and reinforcing the university’s relationship with Prince George’s County. During his address Thursday, Pines said he planned to pour $40 million into the diversity efforts and then he offered a formula. “Diversity + Excellence = Success and Innovation.” “I am proud to announce an investment of $40 million into a

new initiative to recruit and retain tenured and tenure-track faculty from underrepresented backgrounds to our campus, ” Pines said. “ The Faculty Advancement at Maryland for Inclusive Learning and Excellence (FAMILE) Initiative will attract over 100 tenure and tenure-track faculty to our institution, and ensure that our students will interact and learn from scholars that not only look like them, but reflect our values and ensure our success for decades into the future.” WI

stop displacement. “There has to be a requirement—not just to implement as many strategies as possible,” she said at a virtual meeting on April 19. “Otherwise, we’re not addressing the ongoing displacement of low-income people, public housing residents in particular.” During the committee meeting, D.C. Councilmember Charles Allen (D-Ward 6) said the city’s elected leaders need to be more proactive in seeing that racial equity in housing occurs. “When we recognize a Comp Plan may at best maintain the status quo of racial inequity, I think it needs to be clear that to do more it’s going to be up to the mayor and the council for us to make policy decisions, make budget decisions, and to fund programs needed to

address this inequity,” Allen said. “The Comp Plan by itself is not going to do that.”

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EQUITY from Page 11 Informer, McClure said his office used a rigorous methodology in doing the assessment and found the review fruitful. “While CORE’s final assessment does not represent our opinion of whether the bill should proceed, we hope it fosters dialogue on the [proposed amendments] and is used to move forward a more racially equitable administration of the plan by residents, the Zoning Commission, executive agencies and the council,” he said.

REACTION TO AMENDMENTS

Norouzi said language about affordable housing must point out how construction of new units will

THE NEXT STEP

Mendelson said the council will hold its first reading on the plan on May 4. The chairman said people should temper their expectations about the plan and what it does. “Everyone should realize that while lengthy, this bill is nothing more than a plan,” Mendelson said. “It guides. It directs. But it does not actually implement. So, of course much more must be done to disrupt the status quo of racial inequity. But the emphasis on housing production, and affordable housing, and the new priority of using a racial equity lens— that will make a difference.” WI

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WILSON from Page 1 playwright most known for chronicling the African-American experience. The proposal, which will soon be discussed among D.C. council members, has incurred the ire of Wilson alumni and community members who’ve expressed skepticism about the legitimacy of the selection and DCPS’ sincerity about denouncing former president Woodrow Wilson’s racist legacy. For one prominent Wilson Tiger, Ferebee’s announcement calls into question whether DCPS considered candidates of relevance to the Wilson community. “We have an opportunity [in] this moment to choose a Black woman educator with ties to the school while completely repudiating Woodrow Wilson’s racist legacy,” said D.C. Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie (D-Ward 5), a 1993 Wilson alumnus. McDuffie expressed his support for Edna Jackson, the first Black person to teach at the school after the landmark Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court ruling in 1954. He said an article published last year in Wilson’s student newspaper, The Beacon, sparked his fervor. The councilmember went even further in encouraging District residents to research Jackson, Vincent Reed, William Syphax and other local heroes whose names count among those under consideration. For the time being however, McDuffie plans to confer with D.C. Councilmember Mary Cheh (D-Ward 3) and other Wilson community members, some of whom he recounts felt left out of the decision-making process. “The new name should reflect the community’s values, not simply the most popular or convenient option,” McDuffie said. “I don’t think what has happened up until this point is exhaustive of what should be considered when the D.C. Council takes this up.”

A MULTI-ETHNIC COMMUNITY SCHOOL

If the D.C. Council introduces and approves legislation in favor of change, Wilson would take on its new name at the beginning of the 2021-2022 academic year. Though Wilson is based in Ward 3, it has long attracted students of

various races from all corners of the District. The school, well regarded for its academic and sports offerings, has been a refuge for Black students hailing from east of Rock Creek Park and Southwest. Graduates of Deal Junior High and other racially-diverse schools in that cluster also count among the members of the student body. Last fall, DCPS began a public engagement process around the Wilson name change that involved the submission of more than 2,000 nominations and a public input survey that attracted over 6,000 responses. Officials said the survey results indicated August Wilson High School as the most popular choice among students, alumni, family and community members. However some alumni, including filmmaker and educator Antonia Washington, said DCPS never made them privy to a process that some have characterized as haphazard. Washington, a 2004 graduate who lives in Atlanta, said officials should have exhausted all avenues to inform Wilson alumni and other community members about their plans and the process. “Maybe they did a poll but I wasn’t aware of it. It just seemed kind of fast,” Washington said. “August Wilson was a great playwright and I enjoy his work [but] does he have ties to Wilson [or] the community? People just want to take the easiest route to get something done.”

age caused by the 28th president’s segregationist policies. “While we love and respect August Wilson, we wonder if he would’ve been [considered] if his name wasn’t Wilson and that choice didn’t make it easier for people who opposed the name change,” said Judith Ingram, a Ward 3 resident and founding member of the DC History and Justice Collective. “I think when they made the announcement last week, it was taken as a final decision but the D.C. Council does have to weigh in and we hope they will take our concerns.” WI @SamPKCollins

LIFESTYLE

5 Woodrow Wilson High School. (Courtesy photo)

A MOVEMENT YEARS IN THE MAKING

As president, Woodrow Wilson imposed segregationist employment policies on an integrated federal government. His decisions have been credited with hindering the growth of D.C.’s African-American middle class during the early 20th century. Perhaps that explains why members of the DC History and Justice Collective, a group that has coalesced around the Wilson name change for the last three years, say DCPS’ decision to rename the high school in honor of August Wilson remains unsatisfactory. Within days of Ferebee’s announcement, the group released a statement calling on the D.C. Council to vote down what members described as an attempt to maintain the “Wilson” brand and avoid more difficult conversations about the dam-

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ALGORITHMS from Page 1 policies – or dirty policing, noted the report titled, “Dirty Data, Bad Predictions: How Civil Rights Violations Impact Police Data, Predictive Policing Systems, and Justice.” Eight Democrat lawmakers have taken exception to the use of algorithms that automate policing decisions, raising their concerns with the U.S. Department of Justice this week. U.S. Reps. Yvette D. Clarke (D-N.Y.) and Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) and Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Edward Markey(D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) asked the DOJ in a letter to help ensure that any predictive policing algorithms in use are fully documented. They asked the agency also to ensure that algorithms are subjected to ongoing, independent audits by experts and made to provide a system of due process for those affected. “If the DOJ cannot ensure this, DOJ should halt any funding it is providing to develop and deploy these unproven tools,” the lawmakers wrote. According to www.nextgov. com, predictive policing involves law enforcement officials implementing mathematical and predictive analytics and other technology-based techniques to pinpoint potential crimes. In their letter, the lawmakers said two primary ways such methods are used are to predict locations where crimes could occur in a particular window or predict which individuals might be involved in future illegal acts. “Algorithms draw from histori-

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32 APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021

facing must be understood by the system,” she said. “They need to be willing to engage teachers who will educate them so they can provide different forms and levels of care. They need individuals who can help them better understand the cultural nuances of those who face disparity.” “The numbers are here now, so there’s no excuse. We have a new chief of diversity, equity and inclusion, Dr. Carl Hill, and he’s com-

5 The DOJ is under fire for its use of algorithms. (Official DOJ logo)

cal crime data, and at times other data elements like weather patterns or gunfire detection, to produce the forecasts,” they noted. “But, when predictive policing systems have been exposed to scrutiny, auditors have found major problems with their effectiveness and reliability,” the letter continued.

‘DIRTY DATA’ PERPETUATES BIASES

Nextgov.com reported that the lawmakers pointed to specific reviews that sparked worry and a police department’s 2020 strategic plan that mentioned implementing such technologies with Justice Department funds. They also referenced the New York University Law Review study that found nine out of 13 assessed law enforcement departments used what’s deemed “dirty data” – or information collected from illegal policing practices – to inform their algorithms leveraged in this sort of work. “When datasets filled with inmitted to building partnerships, working with members of Congress on the Hill and learning from the community. This is what we need in order to provide meaningful and adequate care for all of our patients. We must show people that we are passionate about what we do – the services we provide – and that we care about each and every one of them,” Martin said. To view the complete report, visit www.alz.org. WI

accuracies influenced by historical and systemic biases are used without corrections, these algorithms end up perpetuating such biases and facilitate discriminatory policing against marginalized groups, especially Black Americans,” the lawmakers wrote. They requested a range of detailed information from the federal department. The information includes whether officials have analyzed if this technology application complies with relevant civil rights laws. They demanded to know the names of each jurisdiction that has operated predictive policing algorithms funded by the agency and the actual software used. The lawmakers also asked for a detailed annual accounting of all federal funding DOJ distributed related to developing and implementing predictive policing algorithms at federal, state, and local levels for fiscal years 2010 to 2020; and more. “Deploying predictive policing systems in jurisdictions with extensive histories of unlawful police practices presents elevated risks that dirty data will lead to flawed or unlawful predictions, which in turn risk perpetuating additional harm via feedback loops throughout the criminal justice system,” New York University Law Review researchers wrote. “The use of predictive policing must be treated with high levels of caution and mechanisms for the public to know, assess, and reject such systems are imperative.” WI @StacyBrownMedia

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LIFESTYLE

wi book review "Beyond the Sand and Sea: One Family's Quest for a Country to Call Home" By Ty McCormick c.2021, St. Martin's Press $28.99 / $38.50 Canada 279 pages By Terri Schlichenmeyer WI Contributing Writer The brochures have been sitting on your counter for months. Once, everything was planned: flight times, luggage restrictions, hotel reservations, tickets to the places you wanted to see. The pandemic put a halt to all that but you know you'll take the trip eventually. Maybe this year, maybe in five years. As in the new book "Beyond the Sand and Sea" by Ty McCormick, the journey is worth the wait. Born in Dadaab, a refugee camp in northeast Kenya, to parents who'd fled the Somali civil war before his birth, Asad Hussein grew up in a makeshift shack that flooded every rainy season. With no ID, no birth certificate, and no way to legally travel from Kenya or Somalia, he was a person in-between. McCormick met Asad "a day or two after Trump announced his travel ban." He was an editor for an American magazine then, assigned to cover Africa when he read an article in the New York Times Magazine that was written "by a young man who had grown up in Dadaab." It never occurred to McCormick that the writer was "still... stranded in the camp." Stranded physically, but not in his mind. Ever since he was small, Asad had dreamed of getting a good education. As a child, he'd eagerly taken advantage of whatever formal schooling was offered at Dadaab. He devoured all printed material he could find and he seized every opportunity he could get to learn, becoming largely self-taught. Still, though Asad experienced a discouraging avalanche of educational setbacks in his lifetime, his tenacity attracted supporters and McCormick soon became one of them. It hadn't been easy, but it had finally appeared that a near-miracle was in sight and Asad's dream might be possible in America. With no personal paperwork and no country as anchor, would the travel ban – "an executive order... that changed everything" – put a stop to the journey? Open the newspaper, click on the news, and you'll probably hear about immigration in pretty short order these days. You have opinions. Now read "Beyond the Sand and Sea." Step in, and that sand isn't pleasant: author Ty McCormick writes of its relentlessness, the heat, the squalor of camp and danger of war, a destructive rainy season. Or might sand be a metaphor for grit? Surely, that could be true for the laser-focused Asad, and more so with Asad's tougherthan-steel sister, Maryan, a woman who threw aside cultural laws to save her family. She's a big presence in this story, and you'll wish it was bigger. Alas, the sea is choppy and so is the last half of this book. Not to be a spoiler, but it's a whirlwind of Asad's more recent past and his future and despite that it's inspirational, it's also uneven. Pay attention to the timeframe on chapter headings; that helps. The inspiration, though: don't miss it. Don't pass up a chance to be thrilled. If you need a book that'll make you stand up and cheer, "Beyond the Sand and Sea" is just the ticket. WI

horoscopes

APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021

ARIES The week begins like a storybook. Exercise figures on Monday, but it's a fun exercise — the kind you barely notice. The middle of the week is less dreamy and fun, but don't stop exercising: It will keep you in good spirits even as the details and the drudgery threaten to drag you down. Lucky Numbers: 15, 17, 26 TAURUS Monday finds you having to mediate a dispute between two of your friends — and then, horribly, becoming involved yourself. That's what happens when friends become arbiters! Find a way to back out of the situation gracefully. The middle of the week is a corrective to all this early-week weirdness: Tuesday through Thursday is fun and flowers everywhere. Lucky Numbers: 8, 11, 13 GEMINI Words come easily to you on Monday, and everyone around you seems to be responding well. And on Wednesday. And on Thursday. You and your family have just hit a rough patch, communications-wise. Meanwhile, you'll be preoccupied with way too much communication (correspondence, phone calls, emails, chatter) in the rest of your life. Lucky Numbers: 2, 8, 43 CANCER The bigger the better, as they say. Nothing is too grandiose for your tastes and you feel like showing off a bit. Tuesday brings you focusing on small details and quality friendships. Make some plans together (A ski trip?). But on Friday and Saturday, plan to stay close to home because something there needs your attention this weekend. Lucky Numbers: 9, 24, 48 LEO You are a supreme being at the beginning of the week. Top of your game. Better than ever. Whatever you do, let your heart be your guide and proceed with confidence. Unfortunately, on Tuesday, the outside world will give you a bit of a sinking feeling and you'll find yourself retreating into your own head. Friday is a return to form. Lucky Numbers: 12, 34, 36 VIRGO There's too much happening at the outset of the week for you to get a handle on anything. Sometimes being busy is fun, but you're a little too busy for your own good. Sink a needle into all the madness and let the tension out. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are productive but pleasant — as fine a time as ever to chart plans and discuss ideas (and, if you have spare time, to tidy up). Lucky Numbers: 2, 17, 25 LIBRA You may not have all the answers, but someone else thinks you do — and that's a great place to be. You're admired. If the group is without a leader and you have what the group needs, step up to the task. You are a good listener (especially important on Tuesday and Wednesday) and grudges slide right through your fingertips these days (especially important on Thursday). Friday, some heavy duty flirting sets your heart aflutter. Lucky Numbers: 14, 16, 50 SCORPIO Something's up with the boss. If you find yourself tiptoeing around, well, this is probably smart of you . On Tuesday or Wednesday, someone will let you in on a secret that changes your understanding of an issue you thought you had all figured out. On Thursday, doing a favor for a friend makes you far happier than you could have predicted. Lucky Numbers: 7, 15, 40 SAGITTARIUS The Sun is smiling on Monday, and you, can't help but smile, too. You are the beneficiary of good luck and also some long-time-in-coming goodwill. Wednesday and Thursday, an authority figure puts a cramp in your style, but by Friday, you're getting hugs from friends right and left, for no reason at all. Friday or Saturday, your goals will suddenly seem more attainable than ever. Lucky Numbers: 22, 33, 38 CAPRICORN You thought you had a certain person figured out — boy were you wrong! Spend Tuesday and Wednesday doing research. There are so many things you don't know yet — you don't even know all the things you don't know! On Thursday you're going to achieve a lot (and you'll finally start to feel grounded) and Friday you'll have time to devote to a new project. Lucky Numbers: 23, 24, 53 AQUARIUS The car sputters to a stop. At first, you're annoyed to be by the side of the road, but this is only the beginning of the adventure. Sometimes the most amazing experiences begin with the most unpromising circumstances. This is a good lesson, and it's something you carry with you the rest of the week. Wednesday and Thursday are business-related, Friday is social but intellectually stimulating, and Saturday you stumble across something utterly, wonderfully, mind-bendingly new. Lucky Numbers: 10, 21, 50 PISCES Your way of doing things works great for you, but it might not work great for someone else. t's important not to be bossy, and it's especially important this week. As wise as your criticisms are on Tuesday and Wednesday, the people you're around may be entirely uninterested in hearing them. And relationships with the people around you are the key to your well-being right now. When a problem arises with a partner (in either the business or romance realm) at the end of the week, be quick on your toes and solve it right away. No sense letting weirdness linger. Lucky Numbers: 3, 39, 55

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APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021 33

RELIGION the religion corner WITH LYNDIA GRANT

College Graduates Face Racism in America

So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen. — Matthew 20:16 This has been such a different spring, in fact, it is our most unusual spring of the century. Our last pandemic was more than 100 years ago. For those of you who are earning your undergraduate degrees, or graduate and professional degrees, I'm fully certain that COVID-19 spread has caused quite a disruption in what your final special semester would have been under normal circumstances. Each of us have had to successfully navigate many challenging situations in our lives, and while this pandemic is historic, we will continue to be a resilient community that perseveres. Learn from this experience. Indeed, we all have learned a lot from this extraordinary challenge. In the meantime, remain focused on a strong finish, and allow your mind to make the necessary changes to your future goals based on what happens around us. For example, last week on MSNBC, Velshi met with Blacks from Minnesota on a segment titled "How a Conviction Impacts Direction of Racial Justice." He had a conversation about the Derek Chauvin trial and verdict. Listening to each person, they all talked about how they feel compelled

to alter their lives. The young college student by the name Mohamed Mohamed broke down and cried like a baby. He said, "I couldn't even watch the 9 minutes and 29 seconds of the knee of the neck of George Floyd. It was such a horrible thing to watch, I just couldn't watch it!" He cried. This young man is graduating but his life will never be the same, hopefully will be another one of God’s chosen ones. Not only is he dealing with the pandemic, but he is planning to do something to help Black people in America, he said. Did we turn back the hands of time to one-hundred and sixty years ago, back in the 1860s, during the American Civil War? Back then, Americans were fighting among themselves, the North against the South, and yet Black people were in the center of it all, just like today — Confederates wanted to keep slavery in America. They wanted to continue hanging Blacks, beating them, treating them worse than animals, making them work for free, selling them to make profit, disrespecting the women, using them for sex anytime they felt like it, whether they made babies or not, then sell the babies for money! When President Barack Obama won the White House twice, it was a bit much for those on the opposite side. The Klan have infiltrated police departments, on purpose, with cops who are there to kill off Blacks by the day. Comedian W. Kamau Bell, as part of his CNN documentary series

Mt. Zion Baptist Church

"United Shades of America," met with the KKK Imperial Wizard, International Keystone Knights of the Ku Klux Klan. He said "the KKK will continue, and only whites can become members, no Blacks, no Jews, no other races, only whites." While wearing his hooded outfit, he also said "many KKK members have signed up to be policemen." According to an Aug. 27 Brennan Center for Justice report, "Hidden in Plain Sight: Racism, White Supremacy, and Far-Right Militancy in Law Enforcement": "Since 2000, law enforcement officials with alleged connections to white supremacist groups have been exposed in Alabama, California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and elsewhere." "Research uncovered law enforcement officials on every level, participating in racist … social media activity … but only result in disciplinary action or termination if they trigger public scandals," the Brennan report said. "Few law enforcement agencies have policies that specifically prohibit affiliating with white supremacist groups." Progress was made in removing explicit racism from law enforcement since the civil rights era, when Ku Klux Klan–affiliated officers were far too common. But as Georgetown University law professor Vida B. Johnson argues, "The system can never achieve its purported goal of fairness while white supremacists continue to hide within police departments." WI

John F. Johnson Reverend Dr.

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

1306 Vermont Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20005

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

34 APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021

www.jmlaw.net

(301) 864-6070

jmccollum@jmlaw.net

Mount Olivet Lutheran Church

Reverend John W. Davis Pastor

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

(301) 864-6070

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

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RELIGION The Miracle Center of Faith Missionary Baptist Church

Pilgrim Baptist Church

Bishop Michael C. Turner, Sr. Senior Pastor

Rev. Louis B. Jones II Pastor

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

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

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

Blessed Word of Life Church

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

Covenant Baptist United Church of Christ

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

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

St. Stephen Baptist Church

Third Street Church of God

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

Reverend William Young IV Pastor

Bishop Lanier C. Twyman, Sr. Senior Pastor

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

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

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

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

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

Service and Times Sunday School: 9:30 AM Sunday Morning Worship Service: 11:00 AM Communion Service: First Sunday Prayer Service/Bible Study: Tuesday, 6:30 PM www.blessedwordoflifechurch.org E-mail: church@blessedwordoflifechurch.org

Campbell AME Church Rev. Dr. Henry Y. White 2562 MLK Jr. Ave., SE - Washington, DC 20020 Adm. Office 202-678-2263 Email: Campbell@mycame.org Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 10:00 AM Sunday Church School: 8:45 AM Bible Study Wednesday: 12:00 Noon Wednesday: 7:00 PM Thursday: 7:00 PM “Reaching Up To Reach Out” Mailing Address : Campbell AME Church 2502 Stanton Road SE - Washington, DC 20020

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

Services and Times Sundays: 10:00am Worship Services Bible Study: Wonderful Wednesdays in Worship and the Word Bible Study Wednesdays 12:00 Noon; 6:30 PM (dinner @ 5:30 PM) Sunday School: 9:00 AM – Hour of Power “An inclusive ministry where all are welcomed and affirmed.” www.covenantdc.org

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

Services and Times Sunday School: 9:30 AM Sunday Worship: 11:00 AM Sunday Community Worship Service: 8:30 AM “Ambassadors for Christ to the Nation’s Capital” www.thirdstreet.org Live Stream Sunday Worship Service begins @ 12:00 noon www.thirdstreet.org

Crusader Baptist Church

Isle of Patmos Baptist Church

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

Greater Mt. Calvary Holy Church Bishop Alfred A. Owens, Jr.; Senior Bishop & Evangelist Susie C. Owens – Co-Pastor 610 Rhode Island Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20002 (202) 529-4547 office • (202) 529-4495 fax

Sunday Worship Service: 8:00 AM and 10:45 AM Sunday Youth Worship Services: 1st & 4th 10:45 AM; 804 R.I. Ave., NE 5th 8 AM & 10:45 AM; Main Church Prayer Services Tuesday – Noon, Wednesday 6:00 AM & 6:30 PM Calvary Bible Institute: Year-Round Contact Church / Communion Every 3rd Sunday The Church in The Hood that will do you Good! www.gmchc.org / emailus@gmchc.org

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

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

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

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

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APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021 35

RELIGION Shabbath Commandment Church

All Nations Baptist Church

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

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

Israel Baptist Church

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

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

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

Lincoln Park United Methodist Church

Dr. Earl D. Trent Senior Pastor

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

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

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

Sermon On The Mount Temple Of Joy Apostolic Faith Elder Herman L. Simms Pastor

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

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

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

Dr. Lucius M. Dalton Senior Pastor

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

Eastern Community Baptist Church Damion M. Briggs Pastor

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

New Commandment Baptist Church Rev. Stephen E. Tucker Senior Pastor

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

St. Matthews Baptist Church

Rehoboth Baptist Church

Reverend Peter R. Blue Sr. Pastor

Rev. Curtis l. Staley Pastor

2001 Brooks Drive District Heights MD. 20744 240.838.7074

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

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

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

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

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

36 APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021

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

Historic St. Mary’s Episcopal Church The Rev. E. Bernard Anderson Priest Foggy Bottom - Founded in 1867 728 23rd Street, NW - Washington, DC 20037 Church office: 202-333-3985 - Fax : 202-338-4958

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

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

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

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

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

Christ Embassy DC

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

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

Email Address: admin@pbc712.org

Shiloh Baptist Church

First Rising Mt. Zion Baptist Church

Mt. Horeb Baptist Church

Rev. Dr. Wallace Charles Smith Pastor

Rev. Oran W. Young Pastor

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Holy Trinity United Baptist Church

Florida Avenue Baptist Church

Reverend Christopher L. Nichols Pastor

Rev. Richard B. Black Pastor

Mount Moriah Baptist Church

Rev. Aubrey C. Lewis Pastor

Rev. Daryl F. Bell Pastor

Emmanuel Baptist Church

Rev. Dr. Jerryl V. Moody Pastor-Elect

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

St. Luke Baptist Church

King Emmanuel Baptist Church

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

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

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER / WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

LEGAL NOTICES

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

2021 ADM 000219

2021 ADM 164

2021 ADM 163

2021 ADM 000134

2021 ADM 267

William L. Woods aka William Lewis Woods Decedent

Sandra K. Anglade Lucas aka Sandra Mernadette Anglade Lucas aka Sandra Kelly Anglade Lucas aka Sandra Kelly Anglade Decedent

Natha L. Swinton Decedent

Clara F. Luter aka Clara Luter aka Clara Floreen Smith Luter Decedent

Elizabeth M. Hight aka Elizabeth H. Hight Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Michael Lee Woods, whose address is 11300 Marlboro Ridge Rd., Upper Marlboro, MD 20772, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of William L. Woods aka William Lewis Woods who died on October 25, 2020 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/15/2021. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 10/15/2021, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 4/15/2021 Michael Lee Woods Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA IN THE FAMILY COURT OF THE FIFTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT COUNTY OF RICHLAND DOCKET NO.: 2020-DR-40-2270 Notice of Adoption ProceedingS TO THE DEFENDANT: John Doe, Birth Father YOU ARE HEREBY GIVEN THE FOLLOWING NOTICE: 1. That an adoption proceeding was filed in the Family Court of Richland County on August 31, 2020, and in this Complaint you are alleged to be the father of an African-American, female child born in Washington, DC on August 23, 2020. 2. That the Plaintiffs in the above captioned Notice are not named for the purpose of confidentiality; however, the Court knows the true identity of the Plaintiffs and in responding to this notice, you are required to use the caption and the number 2020-DR-40-2270. 3. That if Notice to Contest, Intervene or otherwise Respond is filed by you with the Court within thirty (30) days of the receipt of this Notice of Adoption Proceedings, you will be given an opportunity to appear and be heard on the merits of the adoption. To file notice to Contest, Intervene or otherwise Respond in this action, you must notify the above named Court at Richland County Courthouse, Clerk of Court Richland County Family Court, 1701 Main Street, Columbia, South Carolina 29201 in writing of your intention to Contest, Intervene or otherwise Respond. The above named Court must be informed of your current address and any changes of your address during the adoption proceedings. 4. That your failure to respond within thirty (30) days of receipt of this Notice of Adoption Proceedings constitutes your consent to the adoption and forfeiture of all of your rights and obligations to the above identified child. It is further alleged that your consent to this adoption is not required under S.C. Code Ann. Section 63-9-310 and that your parental rights should be terminated pursuant to S.C. Code Ann. Section 63-7-2570 (7). This notice is given pursuant to S.C. Code Ann. Section 63-9-730 (E). Raymond W. Godwin, Esq. (SC Bar #2162) PO Box 354 Greenville, SC 29602 PH (864) 241-2883 FAX: (864) 255-4342 ATTORNEY FOR PLAINTIFFS Date: March 24, 2021

Robert P. Newman,Esq. Law Office of Robert P. Newman 801 Wayne Ave., Suite 400 Silver Spring, MD 20910 Attorney

Johnny M. Howard Houston & Howard 1001 Connecticut Ave., NW Suite 402 Washington, DC 20036 Attorney

Chidinma Iwuji 419 7th Street, NW, Suite 405 Washington, DC 20004 Attorney

Jeffrey S. Glaser Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr LLP 500 E. Pratt Street, Suite 900 Baltimore, MD 21202 Attorney

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

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Alfred H. Harf, whose address is 6624 32nd Place, NW, Washington, DC 20015, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Elizabeth M. Hight aka Elizabeth H. Hight who died on March 18, 2020 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/15/2021. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 10/15/2021, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

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

Derrick A. Lucas, Sr., whose address is 23 Tuckerman St., Washington, DC 20011, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Sandra K. Anglade Lucas aka Sandra Mernadette Anglade Lucas aka Sandra Kelly Anglade aka Sandra Kelly Anglade Lucas who died on 4/12/2020 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/15/2021. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 10/15/2021, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Janet L. Simpson, whose address is 200 Longhouse Dr., West Milford, NJ 07421, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Natha L. Swinton who died on 1/24/2021 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/15/2021. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 10/15/2021, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Walter E. Smith, whose address is 1270 Elliot Farm Road, Fayetteville, NC 28311, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Clara F. Luter aka Clara Luter aka Clara Floreen Smith Luter who died on January 25, 2020 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/15/2021. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 10/15/2021, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 4/15/2021

Janet L. Simpson Personal Representative

Walter E. Smith Personal Representative

Alfred H. Harf Personal Representative

Derrick A. Lucas, Sr. Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

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

2021 FEP 000029

2021 ADM 244

2021 ADM 259

2021 ADM 000336

Charles Brown, Jr. Decedent

Nannie Louise Hemphill Decedent

Iris McCollum Green, Esq. 1730 M Street, NW Suite 609 Washington, DC 20036 Attorney

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

Robert M. Willis aka Robert Marcellus Willis Decedent

May 20, 2019 Date of Death Barbara E. Gordon Name of Decedent NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS Carl W. Gordon whose address is 9135 Creekstone Lake Dr., Houston, TX 77054 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Barbara E. Gordon, deceased, by the Orphans Court for Montgomery County, State of Maryland, on July 16, 2020. Service of process may be made upon Jason Gordon, 6615 Georgia Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20012 whose designation as District of Columbia agent has been filed with the Register of Wills, D.C. The decedent owned the following District of Columbia real estate. 7301 Georgia Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20012; 7303 Georgia Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20012; 6615 Georgia Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20012. Claims against the decedent may be presented to the undersigned and filed with the Register of Wills of the District of Columbia, 515 5th Street, NW, Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001 within 6 months from the date of first publication of this notice. Date of first publication: 4/15/2021 Carl W. Gordon Personal Representative Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Mauryce Johnson, whose address is 1023 31st Street, SE, Washington, DC 20019, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Charles Brown, Jr. who died on April 27, 2014 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/15/2021. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 10/15/2021, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 4/15/2021

Steven M. Katz, Esq. 401 E Jefferson St., Suite 208 Rockville, MD 20850 Attorney

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Docia Randolph and Patricia Lowery, whose addresses are 15029 Whitegate Rd., Silver Spring, MD 20904 & 5133 Parkline Dr., Columbus, OH 43232, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Nannie Louise Hemphill who died on December 9, 2020 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/15/2021. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 10/15/2021, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 4/15/2021

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS William F. Megna, whose address is 24 Arnett Avenue, #115, Lambertville, NJ 08530, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Robert M. Willis aka Robert Marcellus Willis who died on October 21, 2020 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/22/2021. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 10/22/2021, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 4/22/2021

Mauryce Johnson Personal Representative

Docia Randolph Patricia Lowery Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM / THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

William F. Megna Personal Representative

APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021 37

LEGAL NOTICES

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

2020 ADM 868

2020 ADM 000822

2021 ADM 00310

2021 ADM 000314

2021 ADM 000260

Pauline Brennan Decedent

Patricia H. Bradley Decedent

Harold L. Thomas, Sr. Decedent

Connie D. Madden Decedent

Jeffrey K. Gordon, Esq. 5335 Wisconsin Ave., NW #700 Washington, DC 20015 Attorney

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

Colline Silvera Robinson Kirlew & Associates, PC 7731 Belle Point Dr. Greenbelt, MD 20770 Attorney

Jeffrey K. Gordon 5335 Wisconsin Ave., NW #700 Washington, DC 20015 Attorney

Janis R. Thomas aka Janis Renee Thomas Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Sylvia Lewis Halford, whose address is 1340 Willowood Rd., Knoxville, Tennessee 37825, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Pauline Brennan who died on December 4, 2015 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/22/2021. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 10/22/2021, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 4/22/2021 Sylvia Lewis Halford Personal Representative

Michele Bradley-Holt, Pamela Gee and Kenneth Bradley, whose addresses are 5005 Mckinley St., Temple Hills, MD 20748 & 7514 Val Ln., District Heights, MD 20747, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Patricia H. Bradley who died on July 15, 2020 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/22/2021. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 10/22/2021, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: April 22, 2021 Michele Bradley-Holt Pamela Gee Kenneth Bradley Personal Representative

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Staci McDuffie, whose address is 13623 Water Fowl Way, Upper Marlboro, MD 20774, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Harold L. Thomas, Sr. who died on December 14, 2020 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/22/2021. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 10/22/2021, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 4/22/2021

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Ian Madden and Autumn Madden, whose addresses are 3333 Bleecker Street, Apt., #423, Coppell, Texas 75019 & 5312 Drake Place, SE Washington, DC 20019, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Connie D. Madden who died on April 27, 2020 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/22/2021. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 10/22/2021, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 4/22/2021

Attorney Ethel Mitchell 8403 Colesville Road, Suite 1100 Silver Spring, MD 20910 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Junius M. Thomas Jr., whose address is 5912 Clay Street, NE, Washington, DC 20019, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Janis R. Thomas aka Janis Renee Thomas who died on October 15, 2020 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/22/2021. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 10/22/2021, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 4/22/2021

Staci McDuffie Personal Representative

Ian Madden Autumn Madden Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

In God We Trust. Declaration of Nationality. Notice of White Flag Surrender. Notice of Special Appearance : I am that I am: " Brandon Arelious Biggs© ", in full life, in propria persona, sui juris, in solo proprio, Haqdar by natural issue, the beneficiary and heir of: " BIGGS, BRANDON ARELIOUS© ", corp.sole Dba.: " BRANDON ARELIOUS BIGGS© ", having reached the age of majority, being aboriginal to the northwestern and southwestern shores of Africa, the Atlantic Islands, the continental Americas, being duly certified, hereby affirms to declare my tribal intention to be as my pedigree subscribes, as a: Moorish American, but not a citizen of the United States. I declare permanent, and unalienable, allegiance to The Moorish Empire, Societas Republicae Ea Al Maurikanuus Estados, The Constitution for the united States of America, Article III Section 2, The Lieber Code, Hague Conventions of 1899 & 1907, The Geneva Conventions, [ United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples ], and all natural laws governing moors, and hereby declare and proclaim my nationality in good faith as a: Moorish American. I am that I am: " Brandon Arelious Biggs© ", from this day forward, in harmony with my Nationality / Status / Jurisdiction, shall be known as: " king ar’ell biggs© ". Notice of White Flag Surrender: as " hors de combat ", pursuant to The Geneva Conventions, Article III, as a minister of: The Moorish Empire, and Internationally Protected Person. Notice of: LAWS AND CUSTOMS OF WAR ON LAND ( HAGUE, IV), ARTICLE: 45, 46, & 47. Notice of Claim pursuant to Public Law 87-846, TITLE II, SEC. 203. Notice of Bailment Merging of Legal Title with Equitable Title : This order is to preserve legal and equitable title, and to reserve all rights, title, and interest, in the property, Re: Public Health, Illinois Department Of, ILLINOIS STATE FILE NUMBER: 112-78-112741, " BRANDON ARELIOUS BIGGS© ", is as a special deposit order, conveyed to: " Hotep12 Trust© ". All property of the same issue and amount, in like kind and specie, is to be returned fully intact , as a Special Deposit order of the Depositor / Beneficiary / Bailor / Donor / Principal / Creditor: " king ar’ell biggs© ", nom deguerre: " Brandon Arelious Biggs© ", as a special deposit order in lawful money. This special deposit is to be used exclusively for the benefit of : " Hotep12 Trust© ", an Inter Vivos Unincorporated Divine Grantor Trust. This deposit is not to be commingled with general assets of any bank, nor depositary / trustee / agent / bailee / donee / debtor. This deposit is not limited to, but including: discharge and set off, of any and all outstanding liabilities as accord and satisfaction. Inter alia enact fuit. All Rights Reserved. Deo volente.

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

Junius M. Thomas Jr. Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

Washington Informer

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

2021 ADM 261

2021 ADM 000312

2021 ADM 173

Franklin J. Burns aka Franklin Jeffrey Burns Decedent

Bertha A. Driscoll aka Bertha A. Jones Decedent

Clarence L. Brown, Sr. Decedent

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

Jeffrey K. Gordon, Esq. 5335 Wisconsin Avenue, NW #700 Washington, DC 20015 Attorney

Dennis Burns, whose address is 715 Race Rd., Ellicott City, MD 20143, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Franklin J. Burns aka Franklin Jeffrey Burns who died on August 2, 2020 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before October 22, 2021. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before October 22, 2021, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

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

Dennis Burns Personal Representative

William Leon Jones, whose address is 16804 Hagador Avenue, Victorville CA 92394, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Bertha A. Driscoll aka Bertha A. Jones who died on February 21, 2012 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., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/22/2021. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 10/22/2021, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

TRUE TEST COPY

Date of first publication: 4/22/2021

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

William Leon Jones Personal Representative

Date of first publication: April 22, 2021

Washington Informer TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

38 APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021

Matthew F. Shannon, Esq. 1420 N Street, NW #203 Washington, DC 20005 Attorney

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Derrick L. Brown, whose address is 4023 Massachusetts Ave., SE, Washington, DC 20020, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Clarence L. Brown, Sr. who died on January 8, 2021 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/22/2021. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 10/22/2021, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 4/22/2021 Derrick L. Brown Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

2021 ADM 000179 Wanda D. Calhoun Decedent Johnny M. Howard Houston & Howard 1001 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 402 Washington, DC 20036 Attorney

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Lavelle Calhoun and Chances Calhoun, whose addresses are 901 Saint Michaels Drive, Bowie, MD 20721 and 1505 A Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Wanda D. Calhoun who died on January 26, 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., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/29/2021. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 10/29/2021, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 4/29/2021 Lavelle Calhoun Chances Calhoun Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER / WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

LEGAL NOTICES

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

2020 ADM 000805

2021 ADM 246

2021 ADM 000369

2021 ADM 000356

2021 ADM 000238

Roy E. Campbell, Sr. Decedent

Wallace Alexander Decedent

Robert L. Richardson, Sr. aka Robert Lee Richardson, Sr. Estate of

Paul L. Davis Decedent

Reinhard Menke Decedent

Nakia Gray 800 Maine Ave., SW Suite 200 Washington, DC 20020 Attorney

Kathlyn Scott, Esq. 1629 K Street, NW, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20006 Attorney

Peggy A. Miller, Esq. 5130 7th Street, NE Washington, DC 20011-2625 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Roy E. Campbell, Jr., whose address is 2916 Marlow Road, Silver Spring, MD 20904-7125, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Roy E. Campbell, Sr. who died on October 22, 2007 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 (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/29/2021. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 10/29/2021, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 4/29/2021

NOTICE OF STANDARD PROBATE NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Latese Alexander, whose address is 3104 Xavier Lane, District Heights, MD 20747, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Wallace Alexander who died on April 19, 2020 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/29/2021. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 10/29/2021, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 4/29/2021 Latese Alexander Personal Representative

Roy E. Campbell, Jr. Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

Notice is hereby given that a petition has been filed in this Court by Linda Richardson-Jones, Robert L. Richardson, Jr. and Frances Hartdige 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 November 29, 2019 exhibited with the petition upon proof satisfactory to the Court of due execution by affidavit of the witnesses or otherwise Date of first publication: 4/29/2021 Aimee D. Griffin, Esq. 5335 Wisconsin Ave., NW Suite 440 Washington, DC 20015 Petitioner/Attorney: TRUE TEST COPY

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Eva Francine Wilkins, whose address is 901 Savannah Street, SE, Washington, DC 20032, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Paul L. Davis who died on October 2, 2016 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/29/2021. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 10/29/2021, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 4/29/2021 Eva Francine Wilkins Personal Representative

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

TRUE TEST COPY

Washington Informer

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Helga Ferraro, whose address is 11 Grand Haven Drive, Commack, New York 11725, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Reinhard Menke who died on October 6, 2020 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/29/2021. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 10/29/2021, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 4/29/2021 Helga Ferraro 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

2021 ADM 000136

2021 ADM 000370

2021 ADM 000240

2021 ADM 000337

2021 ADM 000289

Jeffrey Steven Hosley Decedent

Lillie Drumgoole Edwards Decedent

James Wilkins, Sr. Decedent

Jeffrey K. Gordon, Esq. 5335 Wisconsin Ave., NW, #700 Washington, DC 20015 Attorney

Kathlyn Scott, Esq. 1629 K Street, NW, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20006 Attorney

James Roseman Lindsay aka James R. Lindsay aka James R. Lindsay, Jr. Decedent

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

Wendy Michelle Faub, whose address is 1743 Corcoran Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Jeffrey Steven Hosley who died on January 22, 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., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/29/2021. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 10/29/2021, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Sonya Drumgoole, whose address is 8016 Bock Road, Ft. Washington, MD 20744, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Lillie Drumgoole Edwards who died on October 1, 2015 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/29/2021. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 10/29/2021, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 4/29/2021

Mavis Darnell Harrelson aka Mavis Harrelson aka Mavis D. Harrelson Decedent Steve Larson-Jackson, Esq. 1629 K Street, NW, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20006 Attorney

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Gregory Harrelson, whose address is 6619 Redfield Avenue, Mt. Rainier, MD 20784, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Mavis Darnell Harrelson aka Mavis Harrelson aka Mavis D. Harrelson who died on July 9, 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., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/29/2021. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 10/29/2021, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 4/29/2021 Gregory Harrelson Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

Wendy Michelle Faub Personal Representative

Sonja Drumgoole Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM / THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

Aimee D. Griffin, Esq. The Griffin Firm, PLLC 5335 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Ste. 440 Washington, DC 20015 Attorney

Edward G. Varrone, Esq. 1825 K Street, NW Suite 1150 Washington, DC 20006 Attorney

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

Constance A. Lindsay & Cecilie A. Lindsay, whose addresses are 102A Todd St., Carrboro, NC 27510 & 1350 Irving St., Washington, DC 20010, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of James Roseman Lindsay aka James R. Lindsay aka James R. Lindsay, Jr. who died on May 12, 2020 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/29/2021. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 10/29/2021, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Edward G. Varrone, Esq., whose address is 1825 K Street, NW, Suite 1150, Washington, DC 20006, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of James Wilkins, Sr. who died on July 24, 2020 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/29/2021. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 10/29/2021, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 4/29/2021 Constance A. Lindsay Cecilie A. Lindsay Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

Date of first publication: 4/29/2021 Edward G. Varrone, Esq. Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021 39

LEGAL NOTICES

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

2021 ADM 000325

2021 ADM 000306

Frances C. Johnson Decedent

Cordaro Pierre Chambers Decedent

Tina Smith Nelson Legal Counsel for the Elderly 601 E Street, NW Washington, DC 20049 Attorney

Samuel C. Moore 526 King Street, Suite 506 Alexandria, VA 22314 Attorney

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Timothy F. Johnson, whose address is 4026 Blaine St., NE, Washington, DC, 20019, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Frances C. Johnson who died on December 23, 2020 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/29/2021. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 10/29/2021, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 4/29/2021 Timothy F. Johnson 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 2020 ADM 000875 Elsie B. Pope Decedent Tina S. Nelson, Esq. Legal Counsel for the Elderly 601 E Street, NW Washington, DC 20049 Attorney

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Pamela G. Pope, whose address is 716 Peabody Street, NW, Washington, DC 20011, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Elsie B. Pope who died on March 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., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/29/2021. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 10/29/2021, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 4/29/2021 Pamela G. Pope Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Quinzella Chambers, whose address is 1705 Benning Road, NE, Apt. C34, Washington, DC 20002, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Cordaro Pierre Chambers who died on February 17, 2020 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/29/2021. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 10/29/2021, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 4/29/2021

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Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 2021 ADM 000406 Estate of Christine Winston aka Callie Winston

NOTICE OF STANDARD PROBATE Notice is hereby given that a petition has been filed in this Court by Shelia Winston-Graves 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. 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: 4/29/2021 Shelia Winston-Graves 711 Penn Road Raleigh, NC 27604 Petitioner/Attorney:

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LEGAL NOTICES SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 2021 ADM 000017 Ada W. Robinson aka Ada Ella Robinson Decedent Gretchyn G. Meinken 616 N. Washington Street Alexandria, VA 22314 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Cora Robinson Smith, whose address is 406 Cedarview Drive, Dickson, TN 37055, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Ada W. Robinson aka Ada Ella Robinson who died on April 25, 2020 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/29/2021. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 10/29/2021, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

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JOHNS from Page 24 proach” that “transforms the doctrine into an absolute shield for law enforcement officers.” Justice Sotomayor went on to say that qualified immunity “sends an alarming signal to law enforcement officers and the public. It tells officers that they can shoot first and think later, and it tells the public

MORIAL from Page 24 troduced last year, I challenged Congress to decide whether it was facing a "1922 moment" or a "1965 moment." In other words, would the nation squander an opportunity to stand against white supremacist terrorism, as it did in 1922 when the Senate filibustered a House-passed anti-lynching act? Or would it act with courage and integrity, as it did in 1965 with the enactment of the Voting Rights Act? The conviction of Derek Chauvin has heightened the urgency of that decision. Will this rare moment of accountability stand as an aberration — a high-water mark — in the ongoing history of racially motivated police violence? Or will it mark a turning point? If we expect the conviction of Derek Chauvin to stand as a "1965 moment," Congress must pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. The nation must make an unequivo-

JACKSON from Page 24 and construct what became the American version of apartheid, Southerners in Congress moved to strip District residents of the vote for fear of Blacks. This isn't disputed. As segregationist Sen. John Tyler Morgan of Alabama explained in 1890, "In the face of this influx of Negro population from the surrounding States, [Congress] found it necessary to disenfranchise every man in the District of Columbia ... in order thereby to get rid of this load of Negro suffrage that was flooded in upon them. That is the true statement. History cannot be reversed. No man can misunderstand it." And racism propels the opposition today. Across the country, Republicans are mobilizing in state after state to make it more difficult to vote in ways that disproportionately impact minority voters. Rather than seeking to win the votes of Black and brown voters, they choose instead to find ways to impede their ability to vote. Filibustering against D.C. statehood is simply the most extreme expression

that palpably unreasonable conduct will go unpunished.” Following the direction of the Supreme court, lower courts mostly dismiss police misconduct lawsuits on grounds that there is no prior court decision with nearly identical facts. This results in seeing what happened with Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Tony McDade (a Black trans man

who was murdered by a member of the Tallahassee Police Department the same week as George Floyd was murdered) and Breonna Taylor happening over and over again — police officers having full ability to fatally shoot Black people with impunity, across the country and regardless of jurisdic-

cal declaration that no person under color of law can act unilaterally as cop, judge, jury and executioner, and eradicate the last legal vestige of lynching. But federal legislation alone is not a panacea. Public safety must be redefined on a state, county, city, neighborhood and individual level. In the coming days, the National Urban League will release a comprehensive framework for criminal justice advocacy that takes a holistic approach to public safety, the restoration of trust between communities and law enforcement, and a path forward for meaningful change. While themes of our plan are reflected in the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, they also serve as a blueprint for states such as Maryland, which overrode Gov. Larry Hogan's veto to enact sweeping reforms that limit police officers' use of force, restrict the use of no-knock warrants, and repeal the nation's first Bill of Rights for law enforcement. They are a blueprint for cities like

Washington, D.C., whose Police Reform Panel recently recommended dramatic changes including shrinking the size of the city's Metropolitan Police Department, reducing police presence in schools the use of behavioral health care professionals for certain crises. Most importantly, they reflect a new way for Americans to think about the protection and preservation of life, dignity, and trust, while also building safer communities. Derek Chauvin's conviction was a rare and profound moment of accountability for racially motivated police violence, but we cannot call it justice. It is not a moment to celebrate. Rather, it is a time for somber remembrance of George Floyd, Daunte Wright, and all the lives those lost to unjustified police violence. It is a time to rededicate ourselves to building a community of trust that keeps all Americans safe. WI

of this campaign of voter suppression. Republican legislators toss out all sorts of objections to D.C. statehood — it's too small, too urban, lacks manufacturing, doesn't have a landfill. But their real objection is that it is too Black and brown and likely will elect two Democratic senators and a Democratic member to the House. D.C. residents tend to be more affluent and better educated. You would think that they would be prime targets for Republican appeals. And they would be, except that the residents are disproportionately Black and brown, and the modern-day Republican Party has made itself into the party of racial division. The opposition to D.C. is mirrored in the opposition to statehood for Puerto Rico. Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens, but, as a territory, have no right to vote. They, too, pay taxes and serve in the military. Puerto Rico, with 3 million citizens, is even larger than the District. Most Americans support Puerto Rican statehood. But Republicans fear that, since Puerto Ricans are largely people of color, they will tend to elect Dem-

ocrats. Once more racism stands in the way of democracy. In 1988 when I ran for president, I called for statehood for the District and for Puerto Rico. I also called for the U.S. to end its support for apartheid in South Africa and demand that Nelson Mandela be freed. Since then, Nelson Mandela was freed and became the leader of his country, leading a peaceful transition from apartheid. Historic change is possible. Yet in the U.S., the citizens of the District and of Puerto Rico remain deprived of representation. And the right to vote is once more under siege across the country. This summer, the Senate will convene a hearing on D.C. statehood. The White House has strongly issued its support. If Republicans continue to employ the filibuster to block the vote, it is time for Democrats to suspend the filibuster, just as Republicans did to drive confirmation of their Supreme Court nominees to lifetime appointments. The tricks and traps of our segregationist past should no longer stand in the way of simple democracy for the citizens of the District of Columbia. WI

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STATEHOOD from Page 27

District of Columbia government are showing segments of the video on their websites. Williams has the video posted on his company website NEWorks Productions https:// neworksproductions.com. Williams had a chance to work with former television news anchors Andrea Roane and Bruce Johnson who hosted the video.

STATEHOOD HISTORY LESSON

Understanding Washington, D.C.’s history is necessary in gaining support for statehood. “Becoming Douglass Commonwealth” takes viewers back to the year 1791 when space was carved out of Maryland and Virginia to create the District of Columbia. In 1967, President Lyndon Baines Johnson appointed Walter Washington as mayor of the District. The president also appointed a deputy mayor and a nine-member city council. Seven years later, Congress passed the Home Rule Act of 1973 which gave residents of D.C. the right to elect its own government and its own governing laws. Still Congress had the final say in D.C.’s policies and budget. “There was an enormous sense of hope and electricity in this town when we got home rule,” said former Mayor Sharon Pratt in “Becoming Douglass Commonwealth.”

DELIVERING FOR A CAUSE

Williams is used to creating history lessons against a musical backdrop. For nearly 20 years, he has been the music director and composer of new music for “Let Freedom Ring” produced annually for the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. birthday observance. As the pandemic began, Williams was touring

with his civil rights musical “Stirring the Waters Across America.” The tour came to an abrupt stop. Fortunately, Williams was able to rework that musical to create “I Have a Right to Vote,” which became a 2020 voting rights anthem and music video. The video’s objective was to raise awareness around voter suppression, encourage voter education and registration, and increase voter motivation. “I Have a Right to Vote” featured Billie Jean King, Billy Porter, Chef Carla Hall, “Hamilton” cast member Christopher Jackson and actor Hill Harper. “We reached 1.2 million people during the election cycle with the song. A lot of momentum came from people sharing,” said Williams. Now, hope is riding high that “Becoming Douglass Commonwealth” will sway enough votes in Congress to legislate full state status for the District. “This is the best opportunity we have for our future,” said Williams. “Who knows what will happen?”

TWITTER HANDLES AND HASHTAGS

• “Becoming Douglass Commonwealth”: https://youtu.be/ cNsrfpMiV40 • DC Office of Cable Television, Film, Music and Entertainment (OCTFME): @entertain_dc • Nolan Williams, Jr. @will_no88 • Andrea Roane: @abuddy • Bruce Johnson: @brucejohnson9 • NEWorks Productions: @NEWorksPro

Stay Informed! www.washingtoninformer.com APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021 41

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gressman said (wrongly) that D.C. would be the only state without a car dealership. Another said that D.C. doesn’t have enough mining, agriculture, or manufacturing. Mitch McConnell said the plan to make D.C. a state was evidence of “full bore socialism on the march.” At least some Republicans are honest about their real reason for opposing statehood: they just don’t want to let D.C. voters elect Democratic officials who will support progressive policies supported by the

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in San Jose. I took her Muslim Bean Pies to the jail, and reported on her trial, sending a dispatch via Western Union telegraph to the Muhammad Speaks newspaper on June 4, 1972, when she was acquitted. We were all committed, far outside of the mainstream. While there were differences in strategies and philosophies among us, the one thing we had in common was an understanding that the "system" had never done right by our people, and that we had few, if any, friends in high places. From Emmett Till to Li'l Bobby Hutton, we had the "receipts" documenting our oppression. In 1968, the RNA issued its manifesto, declaring "Free The Land" and demanding five states in the territorial United States — South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana" as the land base for the new

JOHNS from Page 41 tion. A Reuters study found that since 2005, the courts have shown an increasing tendency to grant immunity in excessive force cases and that trend continues to accelerate. Daunte Wright's untimely murder — just like Breonna Taylor's and George Floyd's — is another example of why now is the time for a Black woman Supreme Court nominee. Only one legal entity can end the enactment of qualified immunity and remove the protection itself, and that is the United States Supreme Court. We need judges that understand what it means to have a loved one not come home because an officer perceived their skin color to be a crime punishable by death as well as how dangerous it is to tell police officers to shoot first and think later. We need judges that know what we mean when we scream, “I can't breathe.” Simply put, qualified immunity

majority of the American people. But that is not a principled position. None of the objections to D.C. statehood hold water, especially when weighed against the basic injustice of disenfranchising hundreds of thousands of people. Washingtonians have fought in every U.S. war. About 30,000 D.C. residents are veterans. But D.C.’s mayor does not even have the ability that governors have to mobilize its own National Guard—a fact that proved to be deadly during the Jan. 6 Capitol Insurrection. The bottom line in this: how can

we hold ourselves out as a model of democracy when we are the only democratic country in the world that denies representation and self-governance to the people who live in its capital? We can’t. As the Biden administration recognized in announcing its support for D.C. statehood, it is long past time to correct this injustice. The House of Representatives voted on April 22, to admit Washington, D.C. as a state. Senate leaders must not allow filibuster rules or Republican resistance to prevent Congress from righting this wrong. WI

"Black Nation." That was the true basis of progressive black thinking, not receptions with members of Congress. But soon, I found the Nation of Islam better suited my yearning. "We want our people in America whose parents or grandparents were descendants from slaves to be allowed to establish a separate state or territory of their own — either on this continent or elsewhere. We believe that our former slave masters are obligated to provide such land and that the area must be fertile and minerally rich. We believe that our former slave masters are obligated to maintain and supply our needs in this separate territory for the next 20 to 25 years — until we are able to produce and supply our own needs." That says it all for me. That's the reparations — the reparative justice — our people need and deserve. But this current HR 40 legislation is about trying to bring about eco-

nomic parity, closing the Black-white wealth gap — in other words making Black folks more and more like the white folks who have tormented us for centuries, not true liberation. The leaders of the reparations movement have been deluded with the notion that white folks will treat us right this time, not like before when they tricked us or cowered us into accepting their hateful will. The reparations movement's thinking that Blacks will get on an equal footing with white people in America is a fool's errand. Whites are digging in their heels with their Freedom Caucuses, Proud Boys, Three Percenters and America Firsters, trying to make their superior position over Blacks permanent. As log as we live among them, we'll have to live beneath them. For true freedom, justice and equality, my motto is simple: #SeparationThenReparations. WI

upholds a culture of impunity where government officials in general and police officers, in particular, are not held accountable for using excessive force and violence against unarmed individuals. Qualified immunity blocks mechanisms for holding the police accountable for their actions. Where there is no accountability, there is no justice. An outcome where only no one is changed for causing George Floyd's death would be a failure of the law; a failure that could be solved by ending qualified immunity and widening the pathways for holding law enforcement accountable for the violent harm caused to our communities. The Supreme Court is a deliberative body and the perspective of a Black woman will ensure decisions that are more inclusive of diverse lived experiences. The failure of qualified immunity shows that we need better representation and that now more than ever, we need Supreme Court nomi-

nees who are committed to preserving justice. For the She Will Rise campaign, it is important that the next Supreme Court nominee be a Black woman who understands the danger qualified immunity presents for our nation's most vulnerable communities. Black women are uniquely qualified to recognize who is left out of Supreme Court decisions because Black women know what it is like to be constantly excluded from the table. As Thurgood Marshall was often referred to as the conscience of the Court, a Black woman SCOTUS nominee could be poised to continue that legacy with demonstrated empathy for those with his shared experience of oppression and injustice. With this in mind, the Supreme Court has the potential to exercise its power to end this qualified immunity and finally hold police accountable so that there are no more Breonna Taylors, Daunte Wrights or George Floyds. WI

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