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Vol. 56, No. 42 • August 5 - 11, 2021
July/August 2021. Volume 7. Issue 7.
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D.C. Leaders Say ‘Enough” with Rising Homicide Rates Solutions Offered to End Homicides James Wright WI Staff Writer
5 Police Chief Robert J. Contee III greets the crowd at Kennedy Recreation Center at the Metropolitan Police Department’s National Night Out held throughout the District of Columbia on August 3. (Abdullah Konte/The Washington Informer)
D.C. Convention Reopens with New Ben’s Chili Bowl Location James Wright WI Staff Writer
The Walter E. Washington Convention Center in the District’s downtown reopened Aug. 3 with a new Ben’s Chili Bowl location as one of its newest vendors. “D.C. is open,” Greg O’Dell, the president and CEO of Events DC, the organization that manages the convention center, said at a news conference at the facility. “At one time, we had a hospital here, ready to take on the overflow of COVID patients from other hospitals but we didn’t have to use it. We
IONA Page 42
District leaders have had enough of the increasing homicide rate and are asking residents to get more involved in fighting crime and to seek solutions to the violence. “We keep seeing our babies… getting shot,” D.C. Councilmember Trayon White (D-Ward 8) said at a news conference on July 17 in the aftermath of the killing of 6-year-old Nyiah Courtney at the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr., and Malcolm X Avenues, Southeast on July 16. “Innocent kids are getting shot. We are
seeing this over and over again. It’s not just the mayor, or the council members or the police but it’s on everybody to get involved to stop this. This ain’t nothing new for us. It’s been going on far too long, and it’s on us to save us. Nobody’s coming to save us but us.” As of Aug. 3, the District homicide tally is 114, up from 109 this time last year, a 5 percent increase, according to D.C. Metropolitan Police Department statistics. While the number of homicides has increased, overall violent crime in the District has decreased 1 percent from this time last year.
SAFETY Page 42
Family and Friends of Murdered Youth Seek End to Violence Sam P.K.Collins WI Staff Writer In the aftermath of a young person’s murder, other youth left to grieve include siblings, cousins and friends -- all attempting to make sense of what has become the recent norm in the Greater Washington Area. For Kiron Andrews, the last few months has meant changes in the daily routine, increasing the focus on extracurricular activities and even standing shoulder-to-shoulder with other youth as a participant 3 Jamal Gomez holding a photo of the late Davon McNeal. (Anthony Tilghman/ The Washington Informer)
in a citywide initiative to end gun violence. “I talk about my problems and face my fears,” Kiron said. Kiron, 12, recently spoke to a group standing on the corner of Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue and Malcolm X Boulevard in Southeast about how he’s dealt with the loss of his friend and onetime teammate, Karon Brown. Two years ago, Karon, 11, died after being shot outside of a gas station on Naylor Road in Southeast during what had been alleged to be a dispute between children and a group of older men.
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Rally Calls for Disputes to Cease Among Prince George’s School Board Members Dozens of Prince George’s County parents, faith and community leaders rallied Monday, Aug. 2 outside the public school administration building in Upper Marlboro to demand disputes between the school board to end. The rallying cry centers on a report from a five-member, citizens ethics panel that accuses several board members with policy violations. Several faith leaders asked for the report to become public. “We are calling for accountability and transparency,” said the Rev. Tony Lee, pastor of Community of Hope AME Church in Hillcrest Heights. “If we ever needed prayer before, we sure do need it now.” Disagreements between some elected and appointed members have become public. The school board has nine people elected, four appointed and a high school student. “It is important for the board of education to be laser-focused on improving student achievement outcomes,” said board vice chair Edward Burroughs III, one of the elected members accused of the alleged offenses. “The allegations are completely and utterly false and they will be proven to be politically-motivated.” County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, who appointed three members including board chair Juanita Miller, requested the Maryland Board of Education review the panel’s report and make a decision before the first day of school Sept. 8. “Our children and their needs must come first,” Alsobrooks said in a statement. “We must ensure that we provide the resources and guidance they need to reach their full potential, ensuring that their stars will shine bright and they achieve a level of greatness that makes all of us proud.”
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Discovery Station Marks 25 Years of Providing STEM Education
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
PUBLISHER Denise Rolark Barnes STAFF D. Kevin McNeir, Senior Editor Ron Burke, Advertising/ Marketing Director Shevry Lassiter, Photo Editor Lafayette Barnes, IV, Assistant Photo Editor Dorothy Rowley, Online Editor ZebraDesigns.net, Design & Layout Mable Neville, Bookkeeper Ron Taylor, Copy Editor Tatiana Moten, Social Media Specialist Angie Johnson, Circulation REPORTERS Stacy Brown (Senior Writer), Sam P.K. Collins, Timothy Cox, Will Ford (Prince George’s County Writer), Hamil Harris, Curtis Knowles, Daniel Kucin, D. Kevin McNeir, Dorothy Rowley, Brenda Siler, Lindiwe Vilakazi, Sarafina Wright, James Wright PHOTOGRAPHERS Shevry Lassiter, Roy Lewis, Jr., Robert R. Roberts, Anthony Tilghman
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A local children’s museum in Hagerstown recently celebrated a huge milestone. Discovery Station on West Washington Street marked 25 years of providing STEAM education to children in Washington County. Members of the Board of Directors, as well as Executive Director Brittany Wedd, were honored for their work and service to the youngest members of the Hagerstown and Washington County communities. The ceremony was slated as a “grand re-opening” as the Washington County Board of County Commissioners, as well as Hagerstown Mayor Emily Keller, were in attendance to celebrate the museum. Discovery Station also introduced a new exhibit that allows visitors to control robots using only their minds. The new exhibit is slated to open this week and was created with the help of a NASA Robotics engineer. Children and adults were able to try the new robot by wearing a special headset and test their ability to focus on moving the robot. The exhibit also allows patrons to change the colors of interactive paintings using the same technology used to move the robots. “Most people don’t realize that we have this hands-on children’s museum right in our own backyard. A lot of people will travel out of town to like the Maryland Science Center in Baltimore, or to the Shenandoah Children’s Discovery Museum in Winchester,” Wedd explained. “And both of those sites are phenomenal, but I mean, with Discovery Station being so close, why not take advantage of all the steam educational programming that we have to offer?” For more information about Discovery Station, please visit their website.
Kim Godwin Becomes First Black Executive and First Black Woman to Head ABC News The National Association of Black Journalists [NABJ] recently honored longtime member Kim Godwin on her historic appointment as not only the first Black executive and first Black woman to head ABC News as its president but also the first Black executive and Black woman to head a broadcast network news operation. She began her role in May 2021. “This historic announcement shows what we at NABJ have always known: there are Black executives more than capable of taking the reins of a network operation. We hope this move sends a clear signal to other networks,” said Ken Lemon, NABJ Vice President-Broadcast. “The NABJ Family is thrilled that Kim has been tapped for this position and it is the logical next step for a hard-working news leader. Her appointment opens the door for diversity and inclusion at a higher level. The glass ceiling is broken and must be shattered.” Godwin told NABJ that her new role is a testament to the work of those who came before her to open doors for Black journalists. “The significance of this appointment is not lost on me,” Godwin said. “I stand on the shoulders of giants in journalism who paved the way as members of NABJ. I was mentored by many in this organization and have therefore made it my business to mentor many as I’ve come along. I’m looking forward to joining the extraordinary team at ABC News and excited about what we can accomplish together.“ Godwin is a proud graduate of Florida A&M University, where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in broadcast journalism. FAMU was the first historically Black university to have an accredited journalism program. She is currently the chair of the board of visitors at her alma mater’s journalism school. WI
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Ranked-Choice Voting Debate Intensifies in the District Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer Last fall, at-large Councilmember Christina Henderson (I) clinched electoral victory in a crowded field of two dozen candidates. Not long after entering office, she engaged council colleagues and constituents about how to ensure that candidates, regardless of party or degree of political backing, could compete on an equal playing field. These efforts have culminated in Henderson’s introduction of legislation to implement ranked-choice voting in the District. If The Voter Ownership, Integrity, Choice and Equity [VOICE] Amendment Act passes, voters, starting in 2024, could choose up to five candidates for each office on the ballot and rank them based on their preference. If no candidate captures more than 50 percent of the first choice votes, then the election automatically goes into a runoff. Henderson described rankedchoice voting as the ideal means of leveling the playing field for women candidates and those representing historically oppressed constituencies and marginalized political interests. Proponents have also argued that ranked-choice voting reduces negative campaigning and the influence of campaign funding while increasing voter turnout. “Ranked-choice voting, not only
Council Chairperson Phil Mendeslon (D) has reportedly spoken about the need for a comprehensive study about the voting system.
for the at-large and ward races, would elevate the level of competition because it allows third party and independent candidates to participate and be successful in the system,” Henderson said. In 2015, Henderson’s predecessor and former boss at-large Councilmember David Grosso (I) unsuccessfully attempted to pass similar legislation. The Rank the Vote coalition that has coalesced around the VOICE Act in recent months includes 15 organizations and 300 organizers, many of whom have engaged their elected officials about ranked choice voting. Council Chairperson Phil Mendeslon (D) has reportedly spoken about the need for a comprehensive study about the voting system. However, Councilmembers Charles Allen (D- Ward 6), Brianne K. Nadeau (D- Ward 1), Brooke Pinto (D-Ward 2), Mary Cheh (D-Ward 3), Janeese Lewis George (D-Ward 4), and Elissa Silveman (I-at-large) have cosponsored the VOICE Amendment Act. “I wanted to make sure we had a viable path of being potentially successful getting the legislation passed,” Henderson said. “We had people in the coalition reaching out to council offices for months. Now, New York City presents new data points for us to continue the conversation.”
A POLARIZING DEBATE
At this juncture, Henderson has her sights set on the council’s Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety, through which the VOICE Amendment Act has to go for discussion. If it passes, the VOICE Amendment Act would also launch a voter education campaign, led by the D.C. Board of Elections that targets seniors and voter precincts with low turnout. In addition to New York City, Minneapolis, San Francisco and nearly two dozen other jurisdictions have taken on the ranked-choice voting system.
“I wanted to make sure we had a viable path of being potentially successful getting the legislation passed.” CHRISTINA HENDERSON
DCTAG, Apply Now.
Take Classes In-person or Online If you’re 26 or younger, a DC resident with a high school diploma or GED, and meet a few other requirements, the DC Tuition Assistance Grant (DCTAG) can help by providing up to $10,000 a year to participating colleges and universities, nationwide. Apply by September 17, 2021, to begin classes this fall. TEXT DCTAG @ 474747 to get started. dconeapp.dc.gov
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1953 – The beginning of integration in Chicago's Trumbull Park Homes housing project, located in an all-white neighborhood, triggers yearslong violence and racial tension. 1962 – Nelson Mandela is arrested in South Africa for inciting a workers' strike. He was later sentenced to life imprisonment for sabotaging the nation's government.
AUG. 6
1965 – President Lyndon Johnson signs the Voting Rights Act into law amid the height of the civil rights movement.
AUG. 7
1904 – Ralph Bunche (right) , the first African American to win the Nobel Peace Prize, is born in Detroit. 1930 – James Cameron, civil rights activist and founder of America's Black Holocaust Museum in Milwaukee, survives a mob's lynching attempt after he is arrested for a fatal robbery in Indiana — a crime for which he is eventually pardoned. 1948 – High jumper Alice Coachman became the first Black woman to win an Olym-
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pic gold medal at the 1948 Games. 2007 – Barry Bonds (top) hits his 756th career home run, breaking Hank Aaron's major-league record.
AUG. 8
1907 – Famed jazz musician Benny Carter is born in Harlem. 1975 – Jazz saxophonist Cannonball Adderley dies in Gary, Indiana, at 46.
AUG. 9
1936 – Track and field athlete Jesse Owens wins his fourth gold medal of the 1936 Berlin Olympics, the Games also known for Adolf Hitler's claims of "Aryan racial superiority." 1963 – Pop icon and actress Whitney Houston is born in East Orange, New Jersey.
AUG. 10
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AUG. 11
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1873 – J. Rosamond Johnson, African American composer and brother of James Weldon Johnson, is born. He is best known for composing "Lift Every Voice and Sing," written by his brother and regarded as the "Negro National Anthem." 1921 – Famed writer Alex Haley, who authored "Roots: The Saga of an American Family" and "The Autobiography of Malcolm X," is born in Ithaca, New York. 1965 – The Watts riots begin in Los Angeles after the traffic stop and arrest of an African American man. The riots lasted seven days and resulted in 34 deaths and $40 million in property damage. WI
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Nearly 18 months after the pandemic gripped the U.S. pressure is building to extend the moratorium on evictions. President Biden and Congress are wrestling over how to secure an extension of the CDC moratorium. What do you think?
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If next month was election season, congressmen/congresswomen would pretend to be working on behalf of their constituents.
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If congress fails millions of Americans by failing to extend the moratorium, the result will be mass evictions. This nation will forever be changed for the worse. How sad!
PEGGY MILLER / WASHINGTON, D.C.
Where is the compassion for landlords who have financial needs as well? So many people are taking advantage of this eviction moratorium. They’re not trying to pay the landlord any money on outstanding debt.
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AROUND THE REGION Biden Admin Extends Eviction Moratorium, Potentially Rescuing Millions Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer
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The Biden administration is expected to announce a new moratorium on evictions in communities with high or substantial COVID-19 transmission, the latest measure to protect renters during the ongoing pandemic. A formal announcement is expected Wednesday. “My hope is it’s going to be a new moratorium that in some way covers close to 90 percent of the American people or renters,” President Joe Biden told reporters Tuesday. The president expressed fears that the order would face court battles after the Supreme Court ruled that an extension to the original moratorium that expired Saturday could not occur without clear and specific congressional authorization via new legislation. Still, members of Congress who had pressed the administration to act applauded the president. “From the bottom of my heart and on behalf of millions of renters, I thank the president for listening and for encouraging the CDC to act,” Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), chair of the House Committee on Financial Services, said in a statement “This extension of the moratorium is the lifeline that millions of families have been waiting for. From the very begin-
ning of this pandemic, it was clear that eviction moratoriums not only kept people housed but also saved lives. Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.), a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, concurred. “Today, the Biden administration answered our call to provide a lifeline to millions of Americans at risk of eviction,” Gomez said. ”This new executive order represents the degree of empathy and responsiveness that this national health emergency demands.” The Biden administration has repeated its assertion that there remains about $44 billion in federal COVID-19 relief funds available to states and municipalities to thwart evictions. The American Rescue Plan provided nearly $47 billion in aid, but states and local governments have used just $3 billion. “We need to continue working with local and state governments to ensure all of the funds Congress allocated reaches our constituents,” Gomez said. “While my House Democratic colleagues work to secure sustainable housing solutions for the most vulnerable among us, I’d like to extend my appreciation to President Biden for helping us pursue every available option to keep our constituents healthy and in their homes.” On Saturday, Gomez, Waters and several of their congressional colleagues sent a letter reiterating their ongoing calls for Biden and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Wal-
5 (WI File photo)
ensky to extend the federal eviction moratorium. “As chairwoman of the House Committee on Financial Services, I have made it a priority of mine to ensure that both renters and landlords are supported,” Waters said “That is why I secured nearly $50 billion in emergency rental assistance that would go directly into the pockets of landlords to cover every penny of back rent they are owed and keep struggling families housed throughout the pandemic. I urged corporate landlords not to evict tenants, met with members of the Biden administration to expedite and simplify the emergency rental assistance program, and introduced legislation to protect renters from evictions.” WI @StacyBrownMedia
EDITOR’S NOTE: An Eviction Tsunami is Approaching D.C. and Few Seem Prepared African-American renters in D.C. spend more than 30 percent of their monthly income on rent. They constitute the highest among the District's housing insecure, most likely to face eviction following the end of the federal rent moratorium which has just been extended to Oct. 3. A growing fear among housing advocates and others is rooted in the belief that if left unchecked, D.C. residents will join millions of displaced and homeless individuals and families across the country washed away in an eviction tsunami. Next week, we will begin a three-part series written by contributing writer Barrington Salmon in which we examine the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on housing security through the stories of tenants, landlords and policy leaders that occupy the front lines of protecting and preserving safe and affordable housing for D.C. renters.
8 AUGUST 5 - 11, 2021
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COVID Surge Sparks Questions about Upcoming School Year
Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer
Within a matter of weeks, District public and public charter school students will return to in-person learning for the first time in nearly 18 months. However, rising cases of the Delta variant of the coronavirus have sparked concerns among community members, particularly those interacting with middle school students who represent nearly half of the population for which no vaccine is currently available. ‘We do want to be back in school but we’re conscious of the fact that there are variants of the coronavirus,’ said James Isreal, a teacher at Hart Middle School. Isreal, who also serves at the Washington Teachers’ Union’s vice president of junior high schools, recounted learning that class sizes should be capped at 25 students to adhere to the social distancing mandate of at least three feet. He said he and his colleagues at Hart have discussed continuing best practices as they relate to distance learning. Still, Isreal said concerns loom large about COVID-19 contributing to many illnesses that young
people contract and spread during the school year, particularly during the winter months. With the extracurricular activities anticipated to take place in the evenings, he questioned whether custodial staff can thoroughly clean facilities. “There’s still hesitation and fear about reentering the building full time,” Isreal said. “That’s what concerns most teachers, especially with teens and children under 12 contracting the virus and the new, more contagious, variants.”
PARENTS WEIGH IN AMID POLICY CHANGES
In early June, DC Public Schools [DCPS] officials informed parents that it would enforce indoor mask wearing during the 2021-2022 school year. In a statement to The Informer, DCPS leadership said it’s assessing layered protections against COVID-19 while continuing to update families about the latest health and safety protocols. COVID-related guidelines released by the Office of the State Superintendent for Education [OSSE] mandate the use of a
mask, regardless of vaccination status, on the grounds of public and public charter schools, school buses, or anywhere else on which school-related activities occur. Staff members have been encouraged to have several masks available during the school day. The guidelines also require students and teachers to safely dispose of masks. In July, more than 180 students
designated as participants in summertime in-person activities tested positive for the coronavirus. This happened as infection rates increased throughout the D.C. metropolitan area. When the District experienced a four-fold increase in COVID-19 cases, health officials placed the blame on the unvaccinated. Amid these developments, the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention [CDC] released guidelines urging vaccinated people to wear masks indoors as an extra layer of protection. This change reverberated throughout several jurisdictions, including D.C. which reinstituted an indoor mask-wearing mandate on July 31. This followed an announcement by President Joe Biden (D)
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5 Parents are waiting to receive notification on the plans D.C. Public and Charter Schools have for opening schools in the fall. (WIFile Photo/Shevry Lassiter)
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WORDS TO LIVE BY “We cannot do it, and we shall not do it. We would have no right to be Americans, or to enjoy the respect of our fellows, or to receive the love and honor of our children if we voluntarily accept a lesser status.” – Roy Wilkins Feb. 8, 1959
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Ashton Praised as a Compassionate Person
James Wright WI Staff Writer
The recent murder of a young, transgender woman has touched the lives of many people in Ward 8, especially a grandfather known for his work in the community. Taya Ashton, a 20-year-old African American transgender woman, died of gunshot wounds in her Suitland, Md., residence on July 17. DeAllen Devonte Price, a resident of District Heights, has been charged with first and second-degree murder, assault and gun charges by Prince George’s County officials. It has been widely reported that on the arrest warrant, Ashton and Price had an intimate relationship for a few months. The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s leading civil rights organization fighting for the rights of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questionable people, noted Ashton’s death as a tragedy and not unusual. “HRC is deeply saddened to learn of the death of Ashton,” the organization said in a July 31 statement. “Taya’s death is at least the 31st death of a transgender or gender non-conforming person in 2021. We say “at least” because too often these deaths go unreported—or misreported.” Ashton’s death reflects a disturbing trend in recent years. HRC reported 44 deaths of transgender and gender non-conforming people in 2020, more than in any other year since the organization started tracking this violence in 2013. According to the 2017-2019 Transgender Homicide Tracker, three-fourths of confirmed homicides against transgender people have involved a gun, and nearly eight in 10 homicides of Black trans women involve a gun. The uptick in this type of crime takes place as civil rights advocates say a 43 percent increase in the formation of anti-LGBTQ hate groups in 2019. Speaking about Ashton, Lindsey Clark, HRC Associate Director of the Transgender Justice Initiative said “Taya was just at the beginning of her life—a life that she deserved to live to the fullest.” Clark said “Black transgender women continue to be killed in this country, and this violence is
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Prepare for unexpected power outages with a Generac home standby generator 5 Taya Ashton raised money to help others. (Courtesy photo)
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unacceptable.” She said “everyone from friends and family to community organizers and allies, needs to speak out with urgency.” Clark added “We must end the stigma and violence that all transgender and gender non-conforming people face.”
PROUD GRANDPA ANDERSON
Longtime Ward 8 political and civic activist Stuart Anderson let everyone know of his pride in his grandchild, Ashton. “The kid just wanted to have fun,” Anderson said. “The kid was a budding entrepreneur, doing pop-ups and worked as a substitute teacher. Ashton would raise money for all types of causes. My grandchild was a genuine good person.” Anderson said Ashton would come see him “two or three times a week.” He said Ashton “would sometimes bring grandfather a meal” and “then ask for
some money.” “I would say you are acting like a 12-year-old,” he said. However, Anderson expressed concerns about the inaccuracies regarding the portrayal of his grandchild in the media and by some members of law enforcement. He said Ashton didn’t know Price “that well.” Plus, he forcefully argued against police officers and news reports that said Ashton didn’t die due to being transgender. “That is completely not true,” he said. “My grandchild died because she was transgender. I worked to get them to correct that statement.” Anderson said he understands Ashton’s death has become another incidence of hate. “There have been similar events against the trans community,” he said. “Violence against trans people doesn’t get the attention it deserves and that needs to change.” WI @JamesDCWrighter
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AUGUST 5 - 11, 2021 11
PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY Rally for Korryn Gaines Calls for Criminal Justice and Police Reform
William J. Ford WI Staff Writer
The family of Korryn Gaines received a more than $30 million settlement in a wrongful death suit against a Baltimore County police officer who killed Gaines five years ago. The suit, which a jury granted in 2018, continues to linger in county court after various appeals by the county and the family attorneys. More than 100 people rallied in support of Gaines’ mother, Rhanda Dormeus, and her family Monday, Aug. 2 at Patriot Plaza in Towson
with a message for Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr.: “write the check.” “We demand that Johnny O. pay the jury verdict and write the check to [Korryn Gaines’ son] Kodi Gaines,” said Tamika Palmer, mother of 26-year-old Breonna Taylor, who got shot and killed by police in her Louisville home March 13, 2020. “Five years is too long. We demand justice now.” Other mothers and loved ones with family members killed by police, along with criminal justice advocates from across Maryland, came to honor Gaines, 23, who was shot
and killed by Baltimore County police Aug. 1, 2016. According to The Baltimore Sun, a settlement has been reached in the case. A jury in a wrongful death suit ruled in 2018 for the Gaines family to receive about $38 million, asserting that Officer Roy Ruby showed disregard for human life. Police also shot Gaines’ then five-year-old son, but he survived his injuries. Judge Mickey J. Norman overturned a jury’s decision in February 2019, but the Maryland Court of Appeals, the state’s highest court, reversed the judge’s ruling in July 2020. But the appeal remained in limbo in court because Baltimore County prosecutors did not charge Ruby, saying the shooting “was justified.” Monday’s rally called for state officials to remove qualified immunity in the law for police, which allows officers from facing civil liability while on duty. In addition, request the U.S. Department of Justice file criminal charges against Ruby. “Had the legislature in Annapolis passed police reform when we asked them to…Korryn Gaines wouldn’t be dead right now,” said State Sen. Jill Carter (D-Baltimore City). “The Democrats control the House and the Senate in the state of Maryland. I need you to understand that it’s about so much more than just being
WMATA Delays Vote on Proposed Ban of Metro Users William J. Ford WI Staff Writer A discussion and possible vote on a proposal to ban Metro commuters arrested for sex-related or firearms offences won’t happen until at least Sept. 9 after the agency’s board of directors decided to postpone the discussion Thursday, July 29. “The board requested additional information from staff and jurisdictions before moving to a vote,” Metro spokesman Ian Janetta said in an email. A review of the plan came during a committee session last month when Metro Transit Police Chief Ronald Pavlik said offenses such as indecent exposure on Metrorail and buses doubled when the pandemic affected the region last year. Pavlik summarized the amended policy as involving “repeat offenders” who’ve been ar-
METRO Page 13
12 AUGUST 5 - 11, 2021
5 Maryland State Senator Jill Carter of Baltimore City gives remarks at a rally for Korryn Gaines who was shot and killed by Baltimore County police five years ago. Seated on stage with Carter are Rhanda Dormeus, mother of Korryn and Tamika Palmer, mother of Breonna Taylor who was killed by Louisville police in March 2020.
here for love.” Several Prince George’s County residents traveled to Baltimore County, including Marion Gray-Hopkins. County police shot and killed her son, Gary Hopkins Jr., 19, on Nov. 27, 1999, after a dance at a local fire station. “I knew that I could not allow Gary’s death to be in vain,” said Gray-Hopkins, co-founder and president of the Coalition of Concerned Mothers. “Justice would mean Gary would be standing right here beside me today, so fighting for accountability.” Dormeus thanked all those who attended for their support, but said judicial and police reform must continue in Annapolis. “We have to have laws changed,” she said. “We must have police reform. This is a never-ending story.”
PRINCE GEORGE’S REFORM
5 Subway riders board a train at Dupont Circle. (Roy Lewis/The Washington Informer)
Doothy Elliott of Forestville traveled to Towson to show support for Dormeus, but most importantly, she said to push for police reform and accountability. Four days before the rally, a coalition named after Elliott’s 24-year-old son, Archie Elliott III, held a virtual press conference demanding Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy reopen a 28-year-old case.
Police pulled over Archie Elliott for driving under the influence in District Heights. Police said in 1993 Elliott pointed a gun toward police, so officers fired almost two dozen shots into a patrol car where Elliott sat handcuffed. Jason Abbott, a prince deputy state’s attorney, has said Braveboy’s office reexamined the case from four previous state’s attorneys and conducted an independent investigation. “Based on that review, there was not sufficient evidence to go forward with charging anyone or to contradict the decision that was made by those four previous administrations who all reviewed this matter,” Abbott said in June. “I think [Elliott family] should know that and take comfort in the fact that the state’s attorney has been at the forefront ... [of] police reform, to get transparency in police records.” Since Braveboy took office in January 2019, about 15 police officers have been prosecuted and convicted. In the meantime, the coalition also wants the removal of public officials “who protect criminal police” such as Braveboy, County Executive Angela Alsobrooks and state officials from Prince George’s in the Maryland General Assembly. Alsobrooks plans to seek re-election for a second, four-year term
GAINES Page 13
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PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY
Candidates Summarize Platforms for Prince George’s Council Seat William J. Ford WI Staff Writer With the 2022 Maryland primary nearly a year away, four candidates vying for the open Prince George’s County Council’s District 6 seat presented similarities and differences during a candidate’s forum Thursday, July 29. The more than 90-minute discussion showcased four Black women – Wala Blegay, Belinda Queen, Barbara Holt Streeter and Nakia Wright – who pushed themselves as advocates for education, small businesses and health care equity. “We have an all-female platform for this county seat and I believe we should give accolades that we are creating history at this moment,” said Wright, 46, who chairs the Faith Based Advisory Board for Prince George’s County and founded “A Woman's Voice Matters” through her church, The Gathering at Forestville. Denise Smith, communications director for State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy and the first to publicly announce her candidacy for the seat, didn’t participate because of a medical emergency. Blegay, an attorney with the D.C. Nurses Association, who resides in Kettering, said she will formally file her intention to seek the seat in two days. Holt Streeter, partnerships officer with the county school system, became the first person on Thursday to officially declare her candidacy for the council seat. Candidates have until Feb. 22 to file documents to run for office next year; the primary election is set for June 28, 2022. The area in central Prince George’s that encompasses parts of Forestville, Largo and portions of Upper Marlboro anticipates being a sought-after seat as the term for Derrick Leon Davis expires in December 2022. Out of the nine council districts, District 6 encompasses the highest population with 106,085. Some of the major properties include the University of Mary-
land Medical Center and Wayne K. Curry Administration Building, both in Largo, Ritchie Station in Capitol Heights and First Baptist Church of Glenarden in Upper Marlboro, the county’s biggest house of worship. As for Thursday’s virtual forum organized by Concerned Citizens of District 6, each person received a variety of questions moderated by Sandra Pruitt, executive director of People for Change Coalition and a resident in the district. With the County Council being able to approve grants for nonprofit organizations, each prospective candidate said the process should be more transparent. Wright, of Mitchellville, suggested an oversight committee to ensure the same groups aren’t always awarded. Although the county provides domestic violence grants, Blegay said there’s limited housing for survivors. “Tie the process to the needs of the county,” she said. The candidates responded to a question about which County Council member best fits their style. All four praised board member Calvin Hawkins' work even before his election to council in 2018. Two candidates also mentioned Davis. “I’m nothing like Derrick Leon Davis, so if you’re looking for someone like him, please don’t do that to me,” said Queen of Capitol Heights, who must resign from the county school board when she officially files to declare for the County Council seat. Besides decreasing the 70 percent residents pay in property taxes, the candidates highlighted other top concerns in the district. Wright said certain municipalities and communities “operates on an island” and can deal with different challenges. She said crime resonates as the top concern in Forestville. Queen outlined various quality of life issues such as unkept grass along the roads, lack of
5 Participants in a Prince George’s County District 6 candidates forum July 29. (Screen shot: Photo courtesy of Concerned Citizens of District 6)
grocery stores and raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour. The state of Maryland wage now stands at $11.75 per hour and between $11.60 to $11.75 in Prince George’s. Holt Streeter of Upper Marlboro said education always remains a top priority. “A lot of our family members are taking their children outside
of this county,” she said. “We need to be able to bring them right back here…We have one of the best educational systems in this state.” Blegay said economic development not only can increase the commercial tax base, but also decrease unemployment “where we’ve lost almost 50,000 jobs in the last two years.”
Pruitt said the goal will be to host another forum closer to the election. “I think with the responses we all got…to know you better,” she said. “This at least gives our residents of District 6 a flavor of your style and how you responded to some of the questions.” WI @jabariwill
METRO from Page 12
staged a rally July 28 near the Northwest home of Tom Bulger, a lobbyist who serves on the Metro board as an alternate director for the District. The group posted a video on its Twitter page that included a chant, “We will not stop!” Defund MDP joined several D.C. organizations in a letter writing campaign with more than 1,000 sent to the agency formally called the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. “As residents of the DMV who depend on critical public infrastructure like WMATA, we refuse to give police this authority,” according to the group which calls itself actionnetwork.org. “This rule would expand the power of police and infringe on our rights by blocking access to critical public services without due process.” Natacia Knapper, managing organizer for the ACLU of D.C., said in a statement Friday, July 30 another 1,500 Metro customers relayed messages to urge a “no” vote. “This proposal lacked the most basic details – such as how it would be enforced – and the board failed to provide any evidence that such a policy would deter unwanted behavior,” she said. “We urge the Metro board to consider proven alternatives – such as hiring unarmed transit ambassadors – to increase safety in the system.” WI @jabariwill
GAINES from Page 12
rested for these crimes and usually released the same day to appear for a future court date. He said some of those individuals return back to public transportation and commit similar sex-related and firearm offenses. Another reason for these acts, officials claim, is that there are fewer commuters on the trains ands fewer eyewitnesses. A transit officer would be able to enforce the ban if a person gets caught and finds that the suspect had been arrested for a sexual act or dangerous weapon charge. According to the policy, a person charged with a first offense would receive a 14-day suspension with written details on not being allowed on a train or bus. A second offense results in a 30-day suspension and a third offense triggers a one-year ban from Metro. The agency would provide for an appeal process within five days and handled by outside counsel and responded in 15 days. A person found guilty would not be refunded for any transit fees. Transit advocates criticized the policy not only as discriminatory, but also would allow transit police to violate the due process rights of transit users. Defund MPD, a group that has advocated cutting the District’s police budget by 50 percent in three years,
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next year. All seats for state lawmakers in the House of Delegates and the Senate are open every four years with no term limits. Elliott’s coalition plans to hold a rally Monday, Aug. 9 in front of the county courthouse in Upper Marlboro. She said one banner will read: “Do elected officials represent the people?” “You can get all the Black elected officials you want, but if they don’t do anything when they get in office, then they’re no better than some of the white officials that oppressed us…” Dorothy Elliott said. “We don’t need that.” WI @jabariwill
“You can get all the Black elected officials you want, but if they don’t do anything when they get in office, then they’re no better than some of the white officials that oppressed us…” AUGUST 5 - 11, 2021 13
BUSINESS Chase Launches Business Mentorship Program for Business Owners of Color Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer Four years after launching MLK Deli, Tyrone White has reached a level of success where he employs 30 people at three locations and brings in seven figures annually. Even so, White has been unable to secure a business loan, for reasons initially unbeknownst to him. However, with the help of business consultants from Chase, he has boosted his business acumen and improved aspects of MLK Deli’s operations that make it more
attractive to lenders. “It’s bigger than just making $1 million,” White told The Informer. “You have to show your taxes and financial statements. If you’re claiming everything [on your taxes], you can’t show how you can pay off that money.” White just completed the first month of a six-month program Chase coordinated to help Black and Latinx business owners expand their businesses. This endeavor, part of a $30 billion movement for racial equity,
5 Tyrone White, owner of MLK Deli, is receiving help from Chase business consultants to help expand his business. (Shevry Lassiter/The Washington Informer)
takes place in 13 cities where entrepreneurs connect with coaches. Businesses that qualify must have been in existence for more than two years and generated at least $100,000 in revenue. Each week, White, one of 100 local business owners expected to participate in the program this year, meets his Chase business coaches Kristina Sicard and Darla Harris. This duo helps White ana-
lyze his venture and develop longtime business goals. In doing so, White explores the intricacies of cash flow management, business development, operations and other aspects of running a business. “I wasn’t taught the operations part of the business,” White said. “You can make a lot of money and still not make it because you don’t know how to work your
ented website, defines microloans as a loan for $50,000 or less and notes banks are generally unwilling to provide smaller loans amounts due because they donate profit off of loans that size. Microloans are common in third world nations but are becoming increasingly utilized in the U.S. to deal with certain businesses, such as those owned by females, people of color or those located in low-income communities, according to ValuePenguin. Kiva operates in 80 countries and five continents. Kiva’s website reported it has four million borrowers, 1.9 million lenders, $1.61 billion in loans and a 96.2 percent repayment rate.
working capital. That’s really big for me.” A 2020 report examining the business density in D.C. and four other East Coast cities found that Black people owned 30 percent of District businesses. However, they generated less revenue than their racial counterparts, although they performed better than Black businesses in New York, Philadelphia and Atlanta. To tackle this issue, Chase has not only maintained a presence in the community through business coaching but also collaborations with community development financial institutions. These partnerships coalesce into events where business consultants discuss topics of interest to Black and Latinx business owners. These workshops, one of which Chase conducted with the Anacostia Business Improvement District earlier this year, often focus on grant writing and cash management, and building a strong budget portfolio. Sicard, Chase’s senior business consultant, vice president, described the arrangement as the ideal relationship a financial institution should have with the community. Over the next few months, she’ll meet with more than two dozen business owners. “Historically banks are not showing everyone what they need
LOAN Page 15
CHASE Page 36
Kiva Microloans Boost D.C.’s Small Businesses James Wright WI Staff Writer
5 Tishelle Ogunfiditimi is the owner of the District’s Haute & Polished Designs. (Courtesy photo)
14 AUGUST 5 - 11, 2021
The District’s Department of Small and Local Business Development works with Kiva – a San Francisco-based international nonprofit which facilitates microloans to small businesses—to provide District firms financial resources to start, operate and expand. “We know that small businesses have problems with access to capital,” Kristi Whitfield, the director of DSLBD said. “Kiva’s no interest microloans loans are appealing to small business owners because of the terms and we are happy to partner with them to help D.C. businesses.” ValuePenguin, a business-ori-
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BUSINESS
LOAN from Page 14
KIVA LOAN PROCESS
A Kiva borrower applies for a loan online to Kiva. Whitfield said District entrepreneurs who are interested in Kiva loans can go to the DSLBD website to start the process. After completing the application, the loan goes through the underwriting and approval process. After those processes are completed, the loan becomes available for lenders to support. The lenders crowdfund the loan in increments of $25 or more. When the final goal of the entrepreneur has been reached, the fundraising ends.
HAUTE & POLISHED DESIGNS
Tishelle Ogunfiditimi owns Haute & Polished Designs in the Fort Totten neighborhood of the District and has been operating for four years. Ogunfiditimi said she found out about Kiva through the DSLBD. “I visit the agency’s website on a regular basis and happen to find out about it,” she said. “The agency highly recommends businesses apply for Kiva and I decided to do so.” Ogunfiditimi decided to give Kiva a try because asking for financial assistance from family and friends proved to be difficult and the city’s banking institutions appeared to be unapproachable to her. “It is hard for a Black woman to get a traditional loan, even if the Black female has good credit,” she said. “When I looked into Kiva, it attracted me. I liked it had no high interest rate for the $15,000 I was looking for and I have three years to pay it back.” Ogunfiditimi filled out the application and started the crowdfunding process. She admitted to being surprised at the support she received. “People came out to support and I was pleased with that,” she said. “I was able to get what I needed. I endorse Kiva for anyone who needs a small business loan but don’t feel traditional banks will help them.” WI @JamesDCWrighter
Affordable Rehab Loan Secures Your Family Home
Designed To Help Homeowners Fix, Improve, And Stay In Their Current Home By Steve Block EagleBank Mortgage Banker Changes. We all experience them, but when it comes to critical changes that must be done to your home in order to remain there comfortably, your first thought is “How can I afford it?” Whether you need extensive exterior repairs, a new kitchen, a serious plumbing fix, termite or foundation wok, or more room for a new baby or elderly parent moving in, there are so many reasons that may challenge your ability to maintain and keep the house you affectionately call HOME. The FHA 203k loan can make it happen. Rehab funds packaged into a new mortgage loan may be your solution to “How can I afford it?” Even a little TLC to a house structure and essential maintenance can cost a bundle of money, but often it goes beyond TLC or just normal repairs. Creating an in-law suite, office, or readying your home for senior living and retiring-in-place can make a difference when holding on to your family home. And, perhaps you have extra yard or interior space where you could add a rental unit or two for extra income? All these reasons can make a big difference in maintaining and enjoying the home that is near and dear to your family. The FHA 203k renovation loan lets you refinance an AS IS property, regardless of current value or condition. Your mortgage lender, along with the assigned HUD and FHA experts and your chosen contractor, make the numbers work, calculating the rehab needs and costs
EagleBank, a community-minded and solution-oriented bank is excited to work with customers who also believe in their community and want to enhance and maintain their DC home. So, in conjunction with the Washington Informer’s OUR HOUSE initiative, EagleBank shares information on the FHA 203k mortgage loan – a solution for properties in need of renovations. to address and create your specific loan. With today’s lower rates in mind, your new mortgage amount may surprise you. The FHA 203k renovation mortgage loan is also available for home purchasers who have their eyes on a home that they can afford because it in disrepair; but rehab dollars could turn it into the home they ultimately visualize. The 203k renovation loan is a solution for overcoming the challenges of buying or owning and maintaining a home for comfortable and secure family living for generations to come. It may sound simple, and it is for the professionals who put the loan together for you, but there are requirements that will help you understand, initially, if the 203k loan fits your needs. A streamlined (or limited) version exists for rehab assistance of $35,000 and under (with
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initial minimum repair of $5,000); the maximum amount of rehab assistance is $822,375 in the DC area. Your home’s AS IS appraised value is collateral for the loan. Your selected and approved FHA/HUD contractor must provide the plans to the FHA appraiser, and your loan can go up as high as 110% loan-tovalue of after-renovation value. (The interest on that portion of the loan that exceeds Fair Market Value is not tax deductible. Consult a tax adviser to learn more.) HUD and FHA consultants make sure the budget is feasible and the renovations conforms to guidelines and approvals. Your loan team can provide additional details on fees, permits, costs and final monthly payments. Working with an experienced lender and well-respected bank is essential. Both are experienced when it comes to working with (HUD) Housing and Urban Development and (FHA) Federal Housing Authority officials in the aspects of this home-saving, home-enhancement rehabilitation loan process. EagleBank is especially committed to providing financial assistance to the under-served neighborhoods in our Metro area. EagleBank provides innovative services and loans of many types to first-time buyers, families with unusual financial circumstances, and communities that are not easily reached or properly represented. A community commitment for which the Bank is respected. EB
For more information, please contact Steve Block, VP, Senior Mortgage Banker at EagleBank, 240.406.1111 – NMLS #649842 SBlock@EagleBankCorp.com. EagleBankCorp.com/ mortgages. NMLS# 440513. As a community bank, Eagle Bank offers knowledge of Affordable Housing and FirstTime Home Buyer resources, as well as refinance services. Contact us at HomeLoans@EagleBankCorp.com. This is not a commitment to lend. To be eligible, buyer must meet HUD minimum down payment, underwriting and program guidelines. All loan applications are subject to credit and property approval. Annual Percentage Rate (APR), and program, rates, fees, closing costs, terms and conditions are subject to change without notice and may vary depending upon credit history and transaction specifics. Property taxes, flood and/or property hazard insurance may be required. This information is for educational purposes only and is not to be taken as guidelines or guarantees to improve your credit or financial situation or eligibility to secure a home loan.
AUGUST 5 - 11, 2021 15
NATIONAL Murder Plot Reveals Deadly Mix: White Supremacists and Law Enforcement Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer The FBI recently unearthed a deadly secret: top Ku Klux Klan members in America’s prisons hold unlimited power over inmates including recent revelations in Florida where authorities thwarted the group’s plot to kill a Black prisoner. “I have long asked (Florida Department of Corrections Secretary
Mark Inch), to no avail, to investigate this problem because so many of these individuals hide in plain sight,” Florida Democratic State Rep. Dianne Hart said in a statement. “Due to the reported interest in this issue by the federal government, I will now be asking the Federal Bureau of Investigation to conduct a thorough investigation into this matter and give recommendations to the Florida Legislature,” said Hart, a
5 The infiltration of Klan members and other white supremacists in law enforcement has rattled much of America. (Florida Dept. of Corrections photo)
Tampa native affectionately known as “Miss Dee.” Rep. Hart reacted to the revelation of a deadly plot by Klan-affiliated corrections officers to kill an African-American inmate. The would-be murder failed be-
America’s Bizarre Relationship with Immigration Continues Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer When Joe Biden campaigned for president in 2020, he expressed fury over how former President Donald Trump handled immigrants who sought freedom and a better life in America. “Unless your ancestors were native to these shores or forcibly enslaved and brought here as part of our original sin as a nation, most Americans can trace their family history back to a choice,” Biden said. “A choice to leave behind everything that was familiar in search of new opportunities and a new life,” Biden asserted. He continued: “Generations of immigrants have come to this country with little more than the clothes on their backs, the hope in their heart and a desire to claim their own piece of the American Dream,” he insisted. However, when one examines the plight of immigrants, a prevailing theme exists: The relentless, prejudicial and racial attacks on Asian Americans, African Americans, and Hispanic Americans have highlighted the need for immigration reform – where immigrants are embraced and protected in the U.S. Aminah and Hussein Musa, second-generation Palestinian American siblings and founders of PaliRoots – a company focused on keeping Palestinian heritage alive and giving back to Palestinians in Palestine through meal donations – said America
PICKS Page 17
16 AUGUST 5 - 11, 2021
cause the FBI had a confidential informant inside a Ku Klux Klan operation that planned the killing. It involved Warren Williams, a Black man serving a one-year sentence for assaulting a police officer. The court ordered Williams to receive mental health treatment. After being confronted by white prison guard Thomas Driver, who degraded Williams by repeatedly blowing smoke in his face, the inmate and the officer began fighting. As other guards responded, they pummeled Williams, who required hospitalization. Fueled by anger, Driver met with fellow Klansmen and determined that Williams should die upon his release from prison. An informant recorded all of the conversations between a trio of Klansmen involved in the plot leading to their arrests. Driver received four years in prison for his role in the plot, while his co-conspirators, Charles Newcomb and David Moran, each received 12 years for the 2015 plot. Driver will complete his four-year sentence later this year. The infiltration of Klan members and other white supremacists in law enforcement has rattled much of America, particularly in the wake of the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis last year. During the Jan. 6 domestic terrorist attack on the U.S. Capitol, the FBI found that many of those involved were law enforcement or ex-military members. But confirmed reports of racists
patrolling America’s streets and prisons aren’t new. An October 2006 FBI Intelligence Assessment titled “White Supremacist Infiltration of Law Enforcement” was de-classified and unearthed in 2020. According to the 10-page document, white supremacist groups have historically engaged in strategic efforts to infiltrate and recruit members from law enforcement communities. Current reporting on attempts reflects self-initiated efforts by individuals, particularly among those already within law enforcement ranks, to volunteer their professional resources to white supremacist causes with which they sympathize. “White supremacist presence among law enforcement personnel is a concern due to the access they may possess to restricted areas vulnerable to sabotage and to elected officials or protected persons, whom they could see as potential targets for violence,” the document said. “In addition, white supremacist infiltration of law enforcement can result in other abuses of authority and passive tolerance of racism within communities served.” Reports of white supremacist groups recruiting corrections officers have emanated from Alabama and Mississippi in the South, New York and New Jersey in the East, and Arizona and California in the West. A 2020 report by the nonprof-
KLAN Page 47
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PICKS from Page 16 has always had an interesting relationship with immigration. Understanding that relationship requires going back to America’s beginning, the siblings stated. “Technically speaking, America is an entire nation of immigrants,” Aminah and Hussein offered in a joint email. “On paper, all people who are not from Native Tribes are immigrants in this country, yet in today’s society, it seems that only non-white Americans are treated as immigrants and ‘foreigners,’ something that can be traced back to The Naturalization Act of 1790, which granted any free white person of ‘good character’ who has been living in the United States for two years or longer to apply for American citizenship.” “From the very beginning, the system of immigration was an inequitable one, and today it doesn’t seem that much has changed, but as second generation Palestinian American immigrants, we were raised to understand the beauty of immigration, especially to this countrym,” they wrote. The siblings’ grandparents immigrated to the U.S. on the premise of the American Dream to build a better life. “We were raised with gratitude and the understanding that we were blessed to be given the opportunities that come alongside American citizenship,” they stated. “We were also raised to take full advantage of those opportunities and to use them to not only build better lives for ourselves but to help our homeland as well, which is why we take our roles at PaliRoots so seriously,” they asserted. Danica Stone of Hand-Picked Words, a small press that showcases highly-talented undiscovered authors, argued that America has never embraced immigrants. “White colonists embraced other white colonists – at least at first,” Stone said. “The more I learn about history, the more I see that current conservative and progressive ideas have always existed, even in eras that we think of as one or the other.” “I did a little searching on America’s history of anti-immigration and found out that our political party system started when the ‘Federalists’ organized against immigration. They were afraid that the French Revolution could happen here if they let too many French immigrants in,” she said. Every change in immigration law
after that revealed bigotry and fear of revolution, Stone added. “Restrictions were lifted when we wanted cheap labor from the people it was easiest to exploit and increased when we didn’t,” she said. During Trump’s presidency, a rise in white supremacy and pre-Civil Rights Era ideology regained their prominence. “What was different in the Trump era was the open bigotry emanating from his mouth and keyboard, the pride he takes in destroying American values around acceptance, the contributions of immigrants and people of color and his very strong skills and platforms in messaging his base and not caring what anyone else outside of his target market thought,” said influencer and entrepreneur Shel Horowitz. “Platforms amplified that from Twitter to Fox,” Horowitz said. “[Franklin Delano Roosevelt and George W. Bush] initiated nativist policies, to be sure – but they didn’t brag about it. Bush even took the specific step of publicly condemning anti-Muslim violence post 9/11.” Chuky Ofoegbu, an editor of Sojourning Scholar, a platform that provides higher education advising and career coaching to international students and professionals coming to the U.S., said many international students and professionals look to America as a beacon of hope. In this land, they could realize their highest potential, he said. “We look at people like Elon Musk and Sundar Pichai, both of whom came to the United States as international students, and believe that the American Dream might be alive and well,” Ofoegbu said. “However, in recent years, the unfriendly immigration policies of the U.S. have left many immigrants wondering if the American Dream is nothing but a façade.” The current U.S. immigration policies towards international students and professionals starkly contrast to those of other Western countries such as Canada and Australia, Ofoegbu noted further. “And in recent times, there has been a spike in immigration in Canada and Australia, as talented international students and highly-skilled professionals flock to these countries, as they see it as a better alternative to the United States,” the scholar added. “So if U.S. immigration policies do not change, it’s just a matter of time for the American Dream to be considered
NATIONAL The 17th Annual SEPTEMBER 1-5, 2021 Details at dcjazzfest.org I Follow us @dcjazzfest
Capital Sounds, Global Reach
Regina Carter John Scofield Joshua Redman Maria Schneider Orchestra
D-Nice Spanish Harlem Orchestra Orrin Evans’ Terreno Comum Sirintip Phasuk
Laurin Talese
Kevin Toney
CarrKeys
Marco Pignataro Jazzet The EJB Quartet Ernest Turner Trio
Shaun Martin
Pedrito Martinez Group Lakecia Benjamin and Pursuance Immanuel Wilkins Quartet
Chuck Redd Quartet
Janelle Gill Trio
Langston Hughes II Herb Scott
A Grand Night for Strings: Starring Regina Carter feat. Jenny Scheinman, The String Queens, and the Michael Bowie Trio Celebrating Billy Taylor’s Centennial: Feat. Cyrus Chestnut, Allyn Johnson, Afro Blue, Winard Harper, and Chip Jackson Tribute to the Legendary Saxophonist Andrew White: Feat. Kevin Toney, Steve Novosel, Keith Killgo, Antonio Parker, and special guest Marcus Strickland DCJazzPrix Finals: Camilla George, Giveton Gelin Quintet, Dayramir Gonzalez, and Habana enTRANCé Free General Admission-Standing, Seated, and VIP Club Tickets Available Lineup subject to change
FOR ARTISTS AND COMPLETE SCHEDULE, VISIT DCJAZZFEST.ORG MAJOR SUPPORTERS
The DC Jazz Festival®, a 501(c)(3) non-profit service organization, and its 2021 programs are made possible, in part, with major grants from the Government of the District of Columbia, Muriel Bowser, Mayor; the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, the National Capital Arts and Cultural Affairs program and the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts; and with awards from Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Galena-Yorktown Foundation, The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, Compass of Greater Washington, Gillon Family Charitable Fund, The Leonard and Elaine Silverstein Family Foundation, The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, The Dallas Morse Coors Foundation for the Performing Arts, The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation, and The Venable Foundation. ©2021 DC Jazz Festival. All rights reserved.
a remnant of America’s past,” he said. Hussein and Aminah said there remain some discrepancies in America’s relationship with immigrants versus immigrants’ relationship with America.
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“Immigrants tend to be more grateful for the relationship and place more value on it,” the siblings said. “We are looking forward to the day when American society is equally as grateful for the beauty, work ethic and values
that immigrants bring to our country, the way we immigrants and our families are grateful for all that America has afforded our families.” WI @StacyBrownMedia
AUGUST 5 - 11, 2021 17
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africa now
COMPILED BY OSWALD T. BROWN, WI CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Egypt, Algeria Meet to Discuss Tunisia’s Political Crisis Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shukry on Saturday, July 31, met with his Algerian counterpart Ramtane Lamamra in Cairo to discuss at length the ongoing political crisis in Tunisia. Speaking at a joint news conference, Shukry told reporters that Egypt is closely following the political turmoil in Tunisia in the wake of its president’s decision to seize exceptional powers. President Kais Saied suspended parliament, lifted the immunity of parliament members, fired the prime minister and took control of the executive branch, arguing the need to save the country amid public anger at the government over joblessness, rising prices and one of Africa’s worst coronavirus outbreaks. Autocratic leaders from Egypt to Saudi Arabia hope the power grab spells doom for the region’s Islamists, but they also fear a reignited Arab Spring, like the region-wide uprisings kindled by Tunisia a decade ago. Shukry said Egypt completely trusts the Tunisian leadership, but called it an “internal affair.” Lamamra, meanwhile, said that the dispute between Ethiopia, Sudan, and Egypt over the Nile dam is “passing through a critical stage.” He urged for the three nations to come to an agreement. Egypt argues a decade of negotiations over the hydroelectric dam on the Blue Nile have failed to ensure that water will continue to flow downstream in sufficient amounts to Sudan and to Egypt, where 100 million people are dependent on the river as their sole source of water. WI
caribbean now UWI Congratulates Saint Lucia’s New Prime Minister
The University of the West Indies (UWI) congratulated the Honorable Philip J. Pierre, who was sworn in as Saint Lucia’s 8th Prime Minister on July 28, the Saint Lucia Times reported on Saturday, July 31. Prime Minister Pierre, an economist and UWI alumnus, led his political party to victory in Saint Lucia’s general election on July 26. The UWI community is filled with great pride to have yet another member of its alumni assuming the high office of Prime Minister in the Caribbean region, UWI noted. Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, Vice-Chancellor of UWI, expressed his personal congratulations to Prime Minister Pierre on his “resounding victory” in the election, adding: “The citizens of Saint Lucia have demonstrated very clearly their desire for your leadership”. Vice-Chancellor Beckles also assured the new Prime Minister the backing of UWI and said he looks forward to an opportunity to discuss ways in which the regional university could continue to support Saint Lucia’s development. Pierre holds both a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master’s degree in business administration from UWI. Before entering politics, he was a teacher. He then held administrative positions at J.Q. Charles Limited, Coopers and Lybrand, Panell Kerr Forster and was financial controller at Stanthur Company, Ltd. WI
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Urgent Versus Emergent Care: When Is the ER Right for You? Submitted by AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia Imagine your child has been up at night with an earache. Or that you have fallen and might have sprained your wrist. When do you head to an urgent care clinic, and when to a hospital ER? When does the problem need urgent medical care, and when is it a medical emergency? When you or someone you love becomes sick or injured, you need to decide how serious it is and how soon to get care. You can follow this general rule:1 • If the problem threatens a life or could cause a permanent disability, seek emergency care right away • If the problem does not threaten a life or risk disability, but you can’t see a health care provider soon, seek urgent care
WHICH HEALTH PROBLEMS ARE EMERGENCIES?
Emergency care is medical care you need right away. If you have an
emergency, call 911 or go to the ER. These problems need emergency care: • Broken bones • Chest pain • Drug overdose • Loss of speech • Poisoning • Severe burns • Severe dizziness • Shortness of breath • Stroke • Uncontrolled bleeding
WHICH HEALTH PROBLEMS NEED URGENT CARE?
Urgent care is medical care you need within 24 hours that might not be for an emergency. Go to an urgent care clinic for any of these problems: • Allergies and sinus problems • Cold or flu • Diarrhea • Earache • Fever • Minor cuts • Pink eye • Rashes • Sore throat
• Stomachache • Upper respiratory infection • Urinary tract infection • Vomiting If you aren’t sure where you should go to get care, call your primary care provider’s (PCP’s) office. Or, if you are an AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia (DC) enrollee, you can call our 24/7 Nurse Call Line at 1-877759-6279 with questions. The information in this material is to help you learn more about this topic. It is not to take the place of your health care provider. If you have questions, talk with your health care provider. If you think you need to see your health care provider because of something you have read in this information, please contact your health care provider. Never stop or wait to get medical attention because of something you have read in this material. Source: 1. “When to Use the Emergency Room — Adult,” MedlinePlus, https:// medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000593.htm. All images are used under license for illustrative purposes only. Any individual depicted is a model
Getting Urgent Care When You Need It
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If you are an AmeriHealth Caritas DC enrollee, you may be able to get a visit for your urgent care need in the comfort of your home. Ready is an on-demand mobile health service that may deliver care directly to you. Ready’s trained health care professionals may provide urgent care when your PCP is not available. If needed, they may also video chat with a provider or nurse practitioner for your care. To learn more, visit www.getready.com or call 202-602-0814. MYidealDOCTOR, an AmeriHealth Caritas DC provider, also offers our enrollees access to urgent care providers 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Enrollees can choose how to access the service: • Use the MYidealDOCTOR app on your mobile device* • Call MYidealDOCTOR at 1-855-879-4332 • Visit www.myidealdoctor.com * Standard messaging and data fees may apply. Unsure whether you need urgent care, the ER, or your PCP’s office? We can help AmeriHealth Caritas DC enrollees choose the best place for their medical needs. Visit https://www.amerihealthcaritasdc.com/member/eng/medicaid/care/emergencies.aspx. Or call our 24/7 Nurse Call Line at 1-877-759-6279 for help.
Find us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/amerihealthdc. / Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/amerihealthcaritasdc. / Find us on Instagram at www.instagram.com/amerihealthcaritasdc.
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Rewards Program
I got a gift card for getting my sugar levels checked. You can too. You can get a $25 gift card if you: • Are 18 – 75 years old • Are an AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia enrollee • Have type 1 or 2 diabetes • See your doctor for hemoglobin A1C and nephropathy exams
Visit www.amerihealthcaritasdc.com/member/eng/ healthy-living/reward-program.aspx to learn more. Note: An enrollee cannot get more than $75 in incentives each year. Certain limitations and restrictions may apply. ACDC-201001070-1
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AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia complies with applicable federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex.
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AUGUST 5 - 11, 2021 19
HEALTH Mental Health America Report Shows Blacks Most Impacted by Incidents of Trauma and Violence WI Staff Report According to Mental Health America, overall, mental health distress occur in Black and African-American (B/AA) people in America at about the same or less frequency than in white Americans. However, the historical Black and African-American experience in America has and continues to be characterized by trauma and violence more often than for
their white counterparts and impacts the emotional and mental health of both youth and adults. A new study, the State of the Nation's Mental Health, from the Anthem Foundations, says the pandemic has led to a decrease in mental healthcare over the 2020 calendar year for children and older adults. While people in America have shared that the pandemic and other stressors like social injustice, elections
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5 (Courtesy photo)
and the economy negatively impacted their mental health in 2020, there wasn’t a corresponding increase in people seeking mental health treatment, according to the inaugural
Anthem, Inc. State of the Nation’s Mental Health report. However, diagnoses and treatment for anxiety and PTSD for adults were among the few mental health diagnoses that grew in 2020. In addition, children and older adults appeared to have the largest overall downturn, reporting significantly fewer mental health diagnoses in 2020 compared to 2019. Younger adults, meanwhile, had a smaller than expected increase in mental health diagnoses for the full year of 2020. These findings, part of the report based on Anthem affiliated health plan claims from 27 million Americans, show a pandemic-link disconnect between feeling stressed and depressed and being diagnosed and seeking treatment. Further, 42 percent of people under 30 years old were experiencing anxiety and de pression symptoms, according to a CDC survey, from August 2020 through February 2021 “What this says to us is that there are many people who may benefit from mental health services, especially children and older adults, who either aren’t being identified or aren’t reaching out to get the help they might need,” said Anthem Chief Health Officer Dr. Shantanu Agrawal. “This is a callout for all of us. We don’t hesitate to help others get the COVID-19 vaccine to protect themselves from the virus and we shouldn’t hesitate to help people find the mental health services they need
as they cope with the pandemic, which is equally important to their overall health. That’s why we are dedicated to increasing our focus on whole health,” Dr. Agrawal said. The report showed the following drops in 2020 rates for those treated for mental health diagnoses compared to those treated in 2019: • 10 percent overall drop for young children • 5 percent overall drop for adolescents • 5 percent overall drop for adults older than 75 • 13 percent drop for young children diagnosed with ADHD • 8 percent drop for adolescents diagnosed with ADHD • 8 percent drop in adults older than 75 diagnosed with dementia, and a 3 percent drop for both Baby Boomers and adults older than 75 diagnosed for depression. On a positive note, nine out of 10 healthcare professionals surveyed said that COVID-19 has made them more aware of the mental health conditions their patients are experiencing. Seventy percent of healthcare professionals said their patients have been more willing to proactively bring up mental health concerns during appointments. Information about how to recognize the signs and symptoms of mental health conditions are available at the State of the Nation’s Mental Health report website and the Mental Health America website. WI
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HEALTH
Maternal Health Startup Pregistry Launches COVID-19 Vaccine Study Focus Furthers the Health of Women and Children WI Staff Report Pregistry, a maternal health, continues to bridge the gap between big pharma and people by evaluating outcomes among women vaccinated during pregnancy with a COVID-19 vaccine. “The opportunity to launch a study that has such a deep impact on the global health of pregnant women and children is a defining moment and Pregistry was founded for this very reason,” said Dr. Diego Wyszynski. Pregistry recently announced the start of the COVID-19 Vaccines International Pregnancy Exposure Registry [CVIPER], designed to identify the risk of common obstetric, neonatal, and infant outcomes among pregnant women around the world who received the COVID-19 vaccine. Pregistry counts as an emerging leader in developing and executing post-approval studies to assess the safety of medications and vaccines used during pregnancy and lactation. C-VIPER is led by principal investigator Dr. Diego Wyszynski, a renowned perinatal epidemiologist and the CEO of Pregistry. The study, launched worldwide in June, collects prospective information from volunteer participants that have been vaccinated during pregnancy or within 30 days before the first day of their last menstrual period. The study population includes two cohorts of pregnant women 18 years of age and older matched by country and gestational age. “We look forward to not only delivering vaccination data but also fostering a global pregnancy community for women worldwide,” Dr. Wyszynski said. The total duration of the C-VIPER study will be five years. Obstetric, neonatal and infant outcomes will be assessed on an
Put Vaccines On Your Back-to-School List (Courtesy photo)
ongoing basis as data becomes available. The first two years will consist of, primarily, enrollment of pregnancies, the third and fourth years will involve follow up of pregnancies and newborns, and the final year will be dedicated to completing data analyses and publications. Results on pregnancy and neonatal outcomes, even preliminary, are expected within the first year of the study. Quarterly interim reports including pregnancy, neonatal and infant outcomes will be submitted to the Scientific Advisory Committee and regulatory agencies for their review and feedback. Results of the C-VIPER study will be published periodically on the Pregistry website and in peer-reviewed medical journals. The external Scientific Advisory Committee guarantees that all data is free of external influence, transparent, and of the highest scientific rigor. A final report will be prepared at the end of the study. Learn more about the study at c-viper.pregistry.com or visit https://www.pregistry.com. WI
Vaccines are the best protection against vaccine-preventable diseases. All DC students must have their immunizations up-to-date before the next school year begins. The COVID-19 vaccine is also available for eligible age groups.
dchealth.dc.gov/immunizations
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AUGUST 5 - 11, 2021 21
Washington Gas Cares
Let Us Help You When You Need it the Most Submitted by Washington Gas At Washington Gas we understand the ongoing challenges that residential and business customers may be facing when it comes time to pay their gas bill. Many of our customers continue to experience financial hardship as a result of the pandemic. We are available to assist you every step of the way and provide support to meet your essential energy needs. Our team is prepared to help you manage the challenges of paying your utility bill and we stand ready to work with you to identify energy assistance options or a payment plan that fits your budget. We encourage you to act now. The sooner you reach out to us, the sooner we can explore options and find a solution custom tailored for you. Don’t wait. Check out the various energy assistance program options available to assist with managing your Washington Gas bill:
STAY DC:
This program provides financial assistance to Washington D.C. residents who are unable to pay rent and/or utilities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Visit stay. dc.gov or call 833-4-STAYDC from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Apply now to get the help you need to recover and get through this. Through STAY DC, the District will: • Pay unpaid rent going back to April 1, 2020; • Pay forward rent, up to 3 months at a time; • Pay for water, gas, and electricity expenses on your behalf, and • Provide extended housing support for up to 18 months, per tenant.
LOW INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (LIHEAP):
Through this program, the federal government distributes
22 AUGUST 5 - 11, 2021
funds to the District of Columbia which, in turn, provides grants to qualified applicants to help them pay their energy bills. For assistance on LIHEAP, RES or a payment plan, call 844-WASHGAS and select option 2. Please note that wait times may be extended due to the higher call volume.
RESIDENTIAL ESSENTIAL SERVICE (RES):
With this program, eligible households may qualify for a discount on a portion of the natural gas they use each month during the heating season from Nov. 1 to Apr. 30. To be eligible for the RES discount, customers must: • Use natural gas as the main source for home heating; and • Be certified by the Department of Energy & Environment as eligible for LIHEAP. There are many payment options available to assist with managing your Washington Gas bill: • Deferred Payment arrangements are available for up to 12-months, or 24-months for customers receiving energy assistance with no down payment required. • Budget Plan spreads the cost of winter heating over the entire year. We calculate your average monthly payment based on historical natural gas usage, adjusted for normal weather and projected gas costs. • Payment Extension Plan are available for residential customers only and allows for the extension of the payment due date. • Automated-Payment Plan allows you to sign-up to pay your bill automatically every month on your payment due date.
PREPARE FOR SUMMER – MONEY AND ENERGY SAVINGS
As seasons change, customers may notice a fluctuation in their bill amounts. It is recommended that customers take simple steps such as: • Setting your thermostat to 78°F in the summer.
• Hanging up window treatments that block sunlight and prevent heat from entering through your windows. • Replacing your air/furnace filter regularly. • Changing your light bulbs to LEDs. • Caulk, weather-strip and insulate openings where you think air may infiltrate your home. Stay safe, cool and energy-smart when temperatures begin to rise. Following these steps may help manage your home energy costs. The typical home saves an average of 25 percent on energy consumption and saves an average of more than $275 annually in heating and cooling costs after weatherization services.
Many of our customers continue to experience financial hardship as a result of the pandemic. We are available to assist you every step of the way and provide support to meet your essential energy needs.
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EDUCATION America’s STEM Conundrum Continues to Thwart People of Color Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer Sooner or later, the pursuit of racial equity in America must focus on the vast disparity in the best available jobs – specifically STEM employment, said Dr. Calvin Mackie, a Morehouse graduate, who recently launched STEM Global Action [SGA]. Dr. Mackie wondered how African Americans, Latinos and Native Amer-
icans can obtain economic security for themselves and their families if barriers block them from the best jobs. “Positions in science, technology, engineering and math [STEM] are going to continue to be the best paying and be available. But people of color are not positioned to take advantage,” Mackie noted in an email. SGA counts as a campaign and network of affiliates that pursues the advancement of STEM education for minority children, par-
5 Major challenges remain in STEM fields for individuals of color seeking employment opportunities. (Photo courtesy Michael Doolittle, Alamy stock photo)
ents and communities. The organization prioritizes raising awareness of the benefits of STEM education while providing STEM learning opportunities to K-12 students in low-income and communities
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of color. Statistics provided by SGA show that the gap between whites and people of color remains significant in STEM. African Americans represent 9 percent of the STEM workforce – only 5 percent of those in engineering and architecture and 6 percent in life and physical science jobs. Hispanics represent just 8 percent of the STEM workforce. “The picture in education is also bleak,” Mackie wrote. He noted that 20 percent of whites and students of color declare STEM subjects as their majors but nearly 40 percent of minority students change majors and more than 20 percent leave school. As a result, while African Americans, Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and Hispanics form 27 percent of the population, they account for only 11 percent of America’s science and engineering workers. “If racial equity is ever to exist, then STEM jobs must help make it happen,” said Mackie, the founder of STEM NOLA, a New Orleans-based nonprofit that brings STEM education to area neighborhoods at churches, community centers and schools. STEM NOLA has affected more than 70,000 students, 17,000 families and 2,150 schools across the U.S. and five other countries. “It is imperative that we raise awareness of the benefits of STEM if we want America to be a just and equal society,” Mackie insisted. “I’m calling for a reckoning on STEM to help fuel transformational
change in our society. People of color must be positioned for careers that support families, stabilize communities and contribute to a society no longer diminished by inequities. That’s what we are fighting for. That’s why we are committed to STEM Global Action,” he said. Candice Dixon, the coalition development director at the national tech training nonprofit NPower, recommends the need to rewire hiring processes across industries which remain dominated by an entrenched bias for entry-level jobs that favor college degrees. Dixon said America needs to restructure workplaces to support women of color in advancing and thriving, build more programs with public and private entities that create unique pathways for finding jobs in good-paying fields – like apprentice models – to help more women of color, young adults and individuals from disenfranchised communities’ breakthrough in the job market. “People of color disproportionately lack the guidance, support and resources to access a traditional college pathway to good-paying tech jobs,” Dixon said. “Yet, most public and private sector hiring systems persist in requiring a four-year degree. Too many young people with the aptitude, seeking ways to improve their economic trajectory, face challenges in both areas and this is unacceptable.” It requires a multi-pronged approach to elevate more people of col-
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Thousands of Local Residents Attend Martha’s Table Back-to-School Event James Wright WI Staff Writer Nearly 5,000 people from across the District attended Martha Table’s “Get Ready 4 School Giveaway” at the Gateway Pavilion on the St. Elizabeths East campus in Ward 8 on July 31. Volunteers and staffers of Martha’s Table and other organizations such as Monumental Sports & Entertainment, the umbrella company that includes the Washington Wizards and the Washington Mystics, gave away school supplies, everyday clothes and school uniforms, t-shirts and masks. Vendors, such as the Community of Hope, which offered free coronavirus vaccinations, and the Capital Area Food Bank, gave away fruits and vegetables. Johanna Williams, special adviser to
Martha’s Table President and CEO Kim Ford, said her organization intentionally launched its back-toschool event in July. “We wanted to do this for the families sooner so they could see what they needed before school starts,” Williams said. “In August, they can assess what else they need and can go out and purchase those items.” The 2021-2022 academic year for District public schools will start on Aug. 23 and will largely be in-person with limited virtual instruction. While many District youngsters didn’t have to purchase clothes for school last year due to virtual learning as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, that won’t be the case for the upcoming year. Ward 8 resident Erica Kelly came to the giveaway with her
three pre-Kindergarten children to get free clothes. “I think this is fantastic,” Kelly said. “I am here to get the items my children will need to go back to school. The pandemic has affected everybody, including my family, and we need all of the help we can get.” Jant Precious, a Ward 7 resident, came with her daughter to the event and complimented it for its inclusiveness. “Everyone here is having a good time,” she said. “There are a lot of activities going on and it is good to see the community coming together.” D.C. Councilmember Trayon White (D-Ward 8) is set to hold a back-to-school event at the Gateway Pavilion on Aug. 7. WI @JamesDCWrighter
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EDUCATION
5 Throngs of people participate in the Martha’s Table school giveaway at the Gateway Pavilion on the campus of St. Elizabeths. (Photo by Roy Lewis)
AUGUST 5 - 11, 2021 25
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July/August 2021. Volume 7. Issue 7.
Remembering Velvet Lounge
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letter from the editor As society learns how to adapt to our new normal we see a lot of changes happening around us. Not only are we losing our loved ones during this period but our culture is beginning to become apart of the collateral damage. In this issue we pay homage to one of DC’s greatest cultural centers, Velvet Lounge. This is a place where I developed my personal style and created lasting memories that will define my perspective on “cool” for years on end. From the door man to the bartenders, dj’s, and ownership this place provided the eclectic, youthful, fun vibes some of us feind for. DC can be a divided city in many ways, but once inside the underground, gritty, care-free walls of Velvet Lounge you could feel a part of something. A hub for creatives and lost youth, I wonder what will come of this community. If there’s any lesson here it’s “Get your shit together” and “Don’t sell grandma’s house”. We have to take some ownership and accountability for the preservation of culture. How could we have saved Velvet Lounge? How will you save your own home?
Control the narrative, Save the city, Lafayette Barnes IV
Photography via/ Brittany "Luna" Hinton
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First-Timer University, Velvet Lounge Officially Closes AAer 23 Years In Business
written by : Priscilla Ward | @macaronifro
photography : Courtesy Dwight “Juice” Jones
A good night on U street started or ended at Velvet Lounge. It just never got old. The downstairs dive bar was a laboratory for DJs and the tiny upstairs concert venue, a place for D.C. artists to showcase their music to an audience akin to family. However, the pandemic forced the sticker-tatted dynasty—which first opened in 1997— to close for good. Former Velvet Lounge manager and security guard Dwight “Juice” Jones addressed rumors of the venues closing aaer a string of RIP Velvet Tweets hit the internet in July. He tweeted in “response to the rip @VelvetLoungeDC tweets,” with a voice memo stating: “I basically found out when you guys found out.” Jones continues, “I just wanted to say thank you for all the great memories. It’s been a decade of hugging everybody over the years, hosting shows, giving people a ev chance when it comes to their craas, throwing good times. […] I wish things could have ended on a different note, but due to COVID, we all know what it is.” Jones worked at Velvet from 2012 until March 13th, 2020, coincidentally his birthday. “When I first started working at Velvet, I was doing NFL tryouts, and Velvet was how I was able to pay rent because I’m from [New] Jersey originally. Velvet was a means to an end, but I was good at that job,” Jones told The Bridge during a phone interview.
Former U street bartenders, Kayoumym and Haile Berhane purchased Velvet Lounge from Chris Connelly in early January 2008, maintaining its 1997 name. “I had a conversation with Kayoumym, and he told me he didn’t know the establishment was sold,” says Jones. “When COVID happened there were no updates on what was happening with Velvet, but Abdul made it a point to reach out to employees at least once a month to check in and make sure we were good. It’s a building, but the people are what pushed the culture of that place forward,” Jones continues. In April of 2020, Kayoumym set up a gofundme asking for donations to help employees out of work. They raised $2,482 of the $5,000 goal. “Now that Velvet is closed. I’ve seen all of these people show up and say they love Velvet, but the establishment was still a business before it was gone. It’s nice and it was appreciated the outpouring of love and it’s never to throw any dirt on that, but if you guys love something you are supposed to take care of it or make sure it’s good before it becomes a story in a paper before it becomes a viral moment before it becomes a well why didn’t we protect it?” Jones says.
Sadly, Velvet joins a list of D.C. nightlife cultural monuments that have closed permanently or indefinitely over the last year and a half including Marvin, U Street Music Hall, SOTTO, Eighteenth Street Lounge, and El Rey to name a few. “Now that Velvet is closed, there are going to be fewer places for DJs to try their sets out for the first time, build collectives and parties from scratch without the pressure of how much money are we making or how we can make this into something big. Velvet was a first chance university,” Jones says. “Velvet is 23 years old. That’s the equivalent of I just graduated college, and I’m trying to figure out what the fuck is going on. Velvet was a college kid who was going, ‘where do I fit in?’,” Jones continues. While D.C.-area indie music venues like the 9:30 Club, Anthem, and Merriweather Post Pavilion received funding through the lengthy coronavirus relief plan, thanks to the inclusion of the “Save Our Stages Act,” it’s unclear why these funds didn’t reach Velvet Lounge. Still, there’s no solution for the city’s growing music scene starving for stages and DJ booths to orchestrate magic, just more and more gaps to fill.
remembering velvet lounge
remembering velvet lounge
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CONTROL THE NARRATIVE. SAVE THE CITY.
OPINIONS/EDITORIALS
EDITORIAL
Is Full Funding for Police the Answer Following the George Floyd Killing?
Ever since a Minnesota police officer killed George Floyd, the call for defunding the police has grown louder across the country. Few cities were exempt from police-involved killings of Black men or women, including here in the Nation’s capital, where Black Lives Matter advocates demanded less police funding and more resources to help protect victims of police-involved murders. In the aftermath of the officer convicted for killing Floyd, there has been an incomprehensible increase in violence in communities across the country, leading to a call for more police and more significant resources to address gun-related violence. Still, there’s little evidence that proves that hiring and deploying more police officers is the absolute answer to the problem of violence and gun-related deaths, particularly of young children. D.C. is no exception. Police Chief Robert Contee’s request for enough funding to hire more than 200 additional police officers was not approved by the D.C. Council, which voted this week to only fund a portion of the Mayor’s $11 million budget request. The rest will support funding for community programs focusing on violence intervention and prevention. We agree with At-Large Councilmember Elissa Silverman, who told the press this week that even the Council is unsure of the effectiveness of violence prevention organizations sprinkled across the city’s eight wards. It’s difficult to tell who and how they will be able to reach the perpetrators at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic continues to restrain efforts where the sources of the problems exist. We know that police violence has not ended and that Black people continue to be victims of abuse by police across the country, no matter what the outcome was for the officer who killed George Floyd. We know that people are looking for ways to be a part of the solution to protect innocent victims, especially children, from the wanton use of guns in their communities. We know that funding will help support programs that can make a difference, even if it’s minimal. That funding often results in hiring individuals, including police, who were once the problem and now want to be part of the solution. In the end, we’ve got to use every means necessary to ensure our communities are safe by supporting government intervention, police enforcement, community engagement and citizen action. There is no single solution. We all have a role to play to be a part of the solution to stop the violence plaguing our communities. WI
Simone Biles Illustrates the Importance of Perseverance The entire nation held its breath just a few days ago as Olympic standout Simone Biles approached the balance beam in her efforts to capture another medal. The anticipation was even greater given Simone’s recent decision to withdraw from competition after citing challenges she continues to face due to her mental health – a move that shocked us all. Prior to her stepping up to the balance beam, most people believed that we had seen the last of the gymnastics superstar. After all, mental health is not something that can be easily overcome. So, our attention quickly turned to her teammates and other American athletes – all hoping to achieve stardom as medal winners. But Simone surprised us all. And, in her own formidable way, she persevered in the face of adversity and garnered yet another piece of Olympic hardware – this time a bronze medal. Simone Biles has been perfecting her skills for most of her life. She has dealt with separation from her family and worked through injuries and setbacks in her quest to become the best in her field as a world class gymnast. She has already achieved her goal. Yet, by returning to that balance beam once again, she also showed us why it’s so important to never give up on ourselves. Sometimes in life, we will face hardship, pain and overwhelming obstacles that all but paralyze us. It is at those times that we must go deep inside for that reservoir of untapped power. When we combine that newfound strength with years of preparation and the desire to simply do our best, all things are possible. Congratulations to Simone Biles and to all of the Simones of the world who refuse to give up. WI
TO THE EDITOR Don’t Discount Mental Health
Misguided
It’s great that Olympic medalist Dominique Dawes is publicly supporting Simone Biles’ choice to withdraw from some of the events due to her mental health. It’s important that we support each other behind closed doors, but also publicly, especially the older to younger generations. Biles is a star, but there were people who walked, like Dawes, so that she and others could run.
The CDC seems to keep flip-flopping on their own guidance. I want to understand why this is? I guess we have to depend on our own common sense, if we can't depend on them. Inez Tunde Washington, D.C.
Gerry Dean Hyattsville, Md.
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OPINIONS/EDITORIALS Guest Columnist
Julianne Malveaux
Rep. Cori Bush is My Shero
Congresswoman Cori Bush (D-MO) was once homeless. She wrote movingly about sleeping with her babies in her car, with no place to go, nowhere to wash except a McDonald's restroom, nowhere to exhale. She was homeless and working, and among a group that has coined the term "unhoused" to convey the pain of living without a home, belongings stuffed into garbage bags, hot food an elusive possibil-
ity. Imagine that, and imagine that with infants, one just 6 months old, another not much older. Bush has come a long way from her unhoused days, but she hasn't forgotten them. That's why she has spent several nights sleeping on the Capitol steps, joined by fellow members of Congress, Ayanna Pressley, AOC and others. She is sleeping outside because nothing is going on inside. The eviction moratorium expired on July 31 without congressional action, and as many as 11 million people may get eviction notices in the next few days unless Congress acts.
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Typically, Congress does not convene in August. They are on vacation, or they are back in their districts holding constituent meetings. Truth be told, they are mostly on vacation, and Washington, D.C., turns dead. Cori Bush says she could not imagine taking a holiday break while people are sleeping in the streets while Congress has taken no action. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the rest of the House leadership went home to enjoy their break. Cori Bush and her colleagues are raising issues that have been ignored as we are "recovering" from the eco-
nomic impact of COVID-19 and its mutations. One in four Floridians and South Carolinians are behind on their rent. Black folks are four times more likely to owe rent than whites are. Elderly Americans are disproportionately vulnerable to evictions — they, too, are running behind on their rent. And congressional leaders have gone home. Congressional leadership is Democratic, which is a frustrating aspect of the Democratic Party approach to economic justice. Speaker Pelosi might say that she did not move to extend the moratorium because she did not think
it would pass. But why not try and force people to put their cards on the table? Are you in favor of mass evictions, or are you prepared to support fellow citizens who run the risk of going unhoused because the eviction moratorium has run out? Members of Congress, regardless of party, have unhoused people in their districts. It would be interesting to put them on record about their willingness to help some people who have suffered because of COVID-19 and its aftermath. Notably, economic growth in the
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Marian Wright Edelman
Remembering Bob Moses
On July 25, we lost the quiet and brilliant educator, scholar and civil rights hero Bob Moses, a great man and a dear friend. For me and my generation of young civil rights workers, Bob was, after Dr. King, the most influential person in our movement lives. We all looked up to him although he was just a few years older. I and all of us would do
anything for Bob and follow anywhere he led because we knew he would do anything for us and sacrifice all to win justice for the poor, disenfranchised people of Mississippi. A Harlem-born graduate of Hamilton College who had studied philosophy at Harvard, Bob Moses left a job teaching mathematics at the Horace Mann School in New York City in 1960 to work for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). He set up a
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voter registration project in Mississippi, which had the lowest Black voter registration of any southern state. I first met him while I was a student at Yale Law School. Bob would occasionally come north to recruit students for SNCC and to raise money, and listening to his stories of white intimidation and violence directed against Black adults attempting to register to vote did not change my mind about getting myself to Mississippi as soon as my legal training was finished.
His unshakable calm, quiet leadership style, unquestionable integrity and incredible courage and perseverance in the face of grave dangers inspired us again and again. He encouraged us to tap wellsprings of inner strength and possibility we did not know we had and helped us be so much better and braver than we realized we could be. He led by example and was prepared to give absolutely everything he had to the freedom struggle, including his life. I was not afraid when I was with
Bob in Mississippi, even when forced to crouch on the floorboard of a car's backseat to avoid snipers while traveling to then notorious Amite County. Bob did not let a split-open head wound keep him from walking on into the registrar's office in McComb, Mississippi, with his scared fellow citizens, determined to show local officials and his white assailants that violence would not turn him or the move-
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Marc H. Morial
Vernon Jordan On Whitney M. Young Jr.: One Visionary Warrior Pays Tribute To Another
Last Saturday, July 31, we remembered and celebrated Whitney Moore Young Jr., on the centennial of his birth. Young served at the helm of the National Urban League during the turbulent decade from 1961 to 1971, overseeing the greatest expansion of scope and mission our organization has seen in more than a century. As the
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activism of the Civil Rights Movement expanded from the courts to mass-action, nonviolent demonstrations in the streets of both Southern and Northern communities, Young forcefully and publicly projected the League's tenets of social work and civil rights as never before. During our Equal Opportunity Dinner in November 2019, the National Urban League honored three other former leaders —
Vernon Jordan, John Jacob and Hugh Price — with the "Visionary Warriors" award for their years of unwavering leadership. Vernon Jordan, due to illness, was unable to attend, but shared prepared remarks in which he paid tribute to Whitney Young. We lost Jordan in March of this year. In honor of these giants of civil rights, we commemorate Young's centennial year by sharing Jordan's tribute: Good evening. It is an honor to be
here, to be alongside two great leaders of the Urban League, my successor John Jacob, and his successor, Hugh Price. Of course, I, too, was a successor. And so tonight I'd like to thank my predecessor, the great Whitney Young, for this award — and dedicate it to him. You see, I would not be here without Whitney. He was my mentor and guardian, my inspiration and dear friend. And for about as long
as I knew him, he was trying to recruit me for the Urban League. I remember many years ago, in 1966, he gave me a ride from LaGuardia Airport and asked me to come work for him. But I was not ready to leave the South. A few years later, in 1969, he asked me about becoming his deputy — and then rescinded the offer! He said I was more suited to a different
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OPINIONS/EDITORIALS Guest Columnist
E. Faye Williams
Spirit of the Olympics
With few exceptions, every four years, citizens of the world revel in the pomp, ceremonies and athletic excellence of the Olympic Games. Something in the human spirit admires the competition of the games and, for that moment in time, the emergence of the best athletes. Like many this year, my attention has been primarily focused on gymnastics. I admire the grace,
skill and agility of gymnasts and the long-term perseverance required to develop their craft to the level of world competition. I have nieces who are fledgling gymnasts and I know the extent of commitment required for them to compete at the local and state levels. I know of the hours they spend in practice each day while also managing their schoolwork and household responsibilities. I can attest that this is no small or insignificant task. It tests the full measure of their physical and emotional strength.
My exposure to their gymnastic experience gives me a degree of insight into the challenge of maintaining the personal "balance" required to compete with regularity. That insight is why I condemn the criticism directed at Simone Biles for prioritizing her mental health ahead of competing in the Tokyo Olympics. I have read that she has been criticized for a lack of "toughness." Some criticism questions her patriotism and commitment to the country that she is supposed to represent. She has been accused
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of being self-centered and self-indulgent. These unjust critiques are of the same ilk as those used to deride and degrade tennis star Naomi Osaka. Both of these young women have chosen their mental well-being over the expectations for their athletic performance. This choice is just as important as if they had pulled a muscle or broken a bone. (This may not be true for Simone, as she has been known to compete with broken toes.) Their concern for personal mental health and well-being may be a newly expressed reason, but the
expected "right" of the external control of "our" performance is nothing new. It harkens back to the control exercised throughout our existence in this nation — from slavery through the civil rights era to today. When Colin Kaepernick took a knee, he was disparaged as lacking a sense of patriotism. He was called a "bastard" by the sitting president. He was accused of being an ingrate who was privileged to be allowed to make the huge sums
WILLIAMS Page 50
Willie Flowers
Whitewashing History and Suppressing Voters Go Hand in Hand
Nyiah Courtney, a six year old who was killed at the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and Malcolm X Avenues, SE last week joined Freddie Gray, Michael Brown, Sandra Bland, George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Brianna Taylor and other latter day Black martyrs. She will receive more news and attention in death than she received living her
life. Since Sister Nyiah didn’t get a chance at life, we will never know. Her death took me back nearly three decades to 1992 when the words of rap artist Sister Souljah were used by then-presidential candidate Bill Clinton and caused her to suffer the equivalent of what today is described as canceled because the media values the lens and framework of what the white mainstream says and does. Specifically, she said: “If black people kill black people every day, why not have a week and kill
white people? . . . So if you're a gang member and you would normally be killing somebody, why not kill a white person?” Presidential candidate and then-Arkansas Gov. Clinton, in a June 13 appearance at Rev. Jesse Jackson’s Rainbow Push convention admonished Sister Souljah and brought attention to the issue of crimes that Black people inflict on each other. The issue at hand today is still the same. As much as we rally and march when white people touch,
Askia-At-Large
arrest or kill one of our own, we don’t express the same collective outrage when self-loathing, despair or external rage causes us to kill someone who looks like us. Witnesses will not even report what they see. Hopefully, the murder of Sister Nyiah Courtney will be different. At a rally on July 24, 2021, on the corner of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X my heart broke again on so many levels just knowing that a child took her last breath on that corner.
The organizer of that rally, ANC Commissioner Salim Adofo, attendees to the streets in the impacted area to share resources for jobs, rental support and other human service benefits that could be helpful in the aftermath of COVID. This is the kind of leadership that is required. I should add that the NAACP, the NOI, the police, other ANC Commissioners, Nation of Islam and community leaders were on call
on everyone else. Trumpism 101. Sadly, they are mistaken, but must be chastised to do the right thing, rather than simply counseled and convinced. Everyone suffers their mulish denial of reality. So, it is with the brave people of Cuba, whose island would-be paradise is just 90 miles off the Florida Atlantic Coast. They defeated the U.S. supported dictator Fulgencio Batista on Dec. 31, 1958. The island had been a U.S. mobster playground, until Fidel Castro
and the Communists swept into power. There are many reasons why the U.S. coveted its losses in Cuba. Foolishly, the United States has violently opposed Cuba — invasions, more than 600 documented attempts to assassinate former President Fidel Castro. Yet the Cuban model has survived. It has struggled, suffered and it has spread. Now, Nicaragua, Venezu-
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Askia Muhammad
U.S. a Bad Neighbor to Cuba
I believe there will come a time — real soon — when correctness, truth, sincerity, and humility will all be superior to pure might. Jerry Washington, the brilliant radio philosopher and host of "The Bama Hour," used to say of destitution, his most loathsome worry: "Don't say I'm broke and be right." Meaning: people can
and will say many bad things, just don't let them be true. Don't make the preacher have to lie at your funeral. The wicked history of the United States of America is littered nonetheless with many truly brave individuals and courageous movements, but the collective guilt which white Americans feel is their entitlement, their "Manifest Destiny," their patriotic and well-deserved inheritance of other people's land and labor, that veil is so
fragile in their sight to where white people are outlawing the teaching of U.S. racial history. They call it "Critical Race Theory." The secret to the success of the twice-impeached, one-term, former president is that he understands and is completely "simpatico" with the White Man's notion that they are deserving all the world's finest, even at the expense of the rightful owners. The White Man will have his way as long as he can impose his will
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ASKIA Page 50 AUGUST 5 - 11, 2021 29
LIFESTYLE Centenarian Holds Court for a Sidewalk Birthday Party at 105 Years Old
Mayor Issues Proclamation, MPD Provides Motorcade for 'Ms. Vangie'
Ron Taylor WI Staff Writer Evangeline “Vangie” Paredes, the city’s oldest Filipino-American, an Eastern High School graduate and District resident for 100 years, celebrated her 105th birthday on July 26. A motorcade, heralded by a Metropolitan Police Department motorcycle, led two MPD SUVs — sirens chirping and lights flashing — and 15 cars that crawled past a Connecticut Avenue retirement high-rise to observe the birthday
of the woman widely known in the District as Ms. Vangie. She had a busy to-do list that day. “She told me she was ready to do some more volunteer work today,” Darnetta Bascomb, a volunteer specialist with Legal Counsel for the Elderly, said of one of the local AARP’s most celebrated volunteers. “We work as resource guides for senior citizens. She offers folks plenty of good advice,” she said of the still-indefatigable local adviser and national lobbyist for senior citizens. Ms. Vangie, who has been hailed
5 From left: Carmen McCall, AARP-DC president, Connie Mobley, AARP Membership coordinator, Guleford BoBo, Ruth Lawrence and Vera Abbott, Chapter 4870 founder 1992, attend the 105th birthday celebration for Vangie Paredes (seated) at the Chevy Chase House in Northwest on July 26. (Shevry Lassiter/The Washington Informer)
for her volunteer work and guidance for more than 10 years by the AARP, said she was flattered and surprised by the birthday observance. “I thought my 100th birthday party was great but this is the best one yet,” she said, greeting well-wishers seated and masked, recognizing family and friends by name with a voice that rose over the traffic noise. She used a walker to emerge from the apartment building and enter-
THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA HOUSING AUTHORITY REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) SOLICITATION NO.: 0012-2021 ELEVATOR PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR SERVICE The District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA) requires Elevator Preventive Maintenance and Repair Services at the various DCHA properties. SOLICITATION DOCUMENTS will be available beginning Monday, August 2, 2021 on DCHA’s website at www.dchousing.org under “Business” and “Solicitation”. SEALED PROPOSAL RESPONSES ARE DUE ON OR BEFORE Tuesday, September 14, 2021 at 11:00 AM. Email Lolita Washington, Contract Specialist at lwashing@dchousing.org with copy to business@dchousing.org for additional information.
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tained from a chair that had been placed on the sidewalk. The crowd included her grandchildren and a stream of friends who snacked on cookies and bottled water for the hour-long, mid-morning celebration. She was serenaded by a guitar and ukulele trio that played and sang “You Are My Sunshine” and a Filipino song of affection, sung in togalu, the language of her Spanish father and Filipino mother. “I’m enjoying every day,” she told The Informer. “I love you all and I miss you,” she said to the stream of family who surrounded her in the mid-morning heat. The party marked the latest significant D.C. moment for the Brooklyn, N.Y.-born woman whose family moved to D.C. from New
York in 1921, settling in a house on Chesapeake Street SE in Ward 8, then a community of farms and dirt roads. She graduated from Eastern High School and, after winning a scholarship to a local secretarial school, embarked on a career as an administrative professional that saw her working directly for Manuel Quezon, the former president of the Philippines, and other senior military officers, ambassadors and secretaries in various positions at the Defense Department, United Nations and what became the Embassy of the Philippines in Washington. Active in community service in Ward 8 for decades, she was among the key architects of the Congress Heights Senior Wellness Center. WI
Ms. Vangie, who has been hailed for her volunteer work and guidance for more than 10 years by the AARP, said she was flattered and surprised by the birthday observance.
THE WASHINGTON INFORMER / WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM
The Well and the Will A Long-Ignored D.C. Community Takes Steps to Feed Itself Natalie C. Hockaday WI Staff Writer Ward 8 residents are on the verge of new opportunities for food security, wellness and economic sustainability in the community. DC Greens is creating a new urban farm and garden space called The Well at Oxon Run Park to address this topic and build a legacy of sustainable health. The Well sprawls over 50,000 square feet at Oxon Run Park, 20,000 square feet of which will
be used for farming. The food grown in this space will be sold to local restaurants and caterers. The goal is to generate systemic change and circulate money and resources within a community. The urban farm marks a new stage in the evolution of the 100-acre stream valley. The farm, planned to be fully functioning next spring, is the latest step in an urban park that dates from 1971. Right in the center of the park stands a sycamore tree that is regarded by DC Greens as a sym-
bol of hope and resilience for the community. “I was immediately drawn to this space because this is our center…we coined this tree the memory tree because it holds the same value and the same weight here in Southeast…Even after it has been claimed as a tree that is dying, it’s symbolic of the resilience in this community,” said Kenneth Bridges, farm manager. Every detail of The Well was carefully thought out and holds a significant meaning linked to the farm’s purpose and culture within the community. DC Greens officials say they mounted this project because they saw a need to solve a problem that Ward 8 experienced. Claiming and owning their power, the community is optimistic that these food and nutritional programs will take off to bridge the gap of food and health systems within the city. Residents can also expect outdoor classrooms where children will be able to learn the basics of agriculture and the techniques
LIFESTYLE
that go into sustaining the environment and produce. This will also act as an outreach program for the youth to be more involved in building their community. Jaren Hill Lockridge, director of The Well also known as “The Woman at the Well” says this initiative is created “in an effort to make ‘green the new cool.” “We will have a youth garden as the backdrop as to the outdoor classroom to give kids a hands-on experience in urban agriculture, introducing them to environmen-
tal wellness,” said Hill Lockridge. The Well is also a host of other programs produced by DC Greens. Every Wednesday, The Well acts as a produce plus pickup site where 50 bags of produce are available to distribute to the community. The food that is not distributed on site, is given to other partnered food programs so that the food isn’t wasted. The Well also hosts an event called “Yoga at The Well” where people can come together and practice fitness and relaxation. WI
D.C. Greens officials say they mounted this project because they saw a need to solve a problem that Ward 8 experienced.
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5 The Memory Tree at The Well at Oxon Run Park. (WI photo)
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Henderson’s office anticipates the number of cities implementing ranked-choice voting increasing to more than 50 by the end of 2022. Officials in neighboring Arlington County held a mock election this week to test ranked-choice voting and gain voter feedback about ballot layout, voting instructions, and other aspects of the process. Despite its appeal throughout the years, ranked-choice voting has found critics. Some have described the process as confusing to voters and unfair to those who like only one candidate. Others argue that ranked-choice voting intensifies voter disenfranchisement and further marginalizes independent candidates. For D.C. resident and political consultant Derrell Simpson, ranked-choice voting follows in the footsteps of post-Reconstruction Era voting laws that diluted Black voting power. He predicts a similar situation unfolding in the District, a jurisdiction where residents have had their own government for less than 60 years. “Ranked-choice voting will further exacerbate the loss of Chocolate City that we’ve seen so far, especial-
Despite its appeal throughout the years, ranked-choice voting has found critics. ly [when] looking at our political structure,'' Simpson said. “I think it will bring about our first white mayor. The entire idea of ranked-choice voting in D.C. will be complicated, which by definition is voter suppression. It all stems from a discriminatory background.” Ward 5 resident Patrice Lancaster called ranked-choice voting a tool of white progressives that have been encroaching on District communities. Lancaster stressed candidates should use a crowded field as an opportunity to showcase their leadership skills and differentiate themselves from their opponents. “The onus is on the candidate to develop relationships to win and if they can’t do that then maybe they shouldn't be leading,” Lancaster said. In recent months, Lancaster, in
Ranked-choice Voting 101 D. Kevin McNeir WI Senior Editor There are many variations in electoral systems but the most common systems include firstpast-the-post voting, block voting, the two-round (runoff) system, proportional representation and ranked voting. Ranked-choice voting has emerged over the past several decades as a reform endorsed by political activists. They contend that more traditional elections in which the person with the most votes wins, can go wrong when there are multiple candidates because someone most voters oppose can win due to the split of the vote. Ralph Nader, serves as example, being the third-party “spoiler” who drew votes away from Al Gore and tipped key states to George W. Bush in 2000. In theory, ranked choice can
avert this outcome because it asks voters to rank candidates in order of their preference. As votes are counted, the lower-performing candidates are gradually eliminated and votes for them are redirected to those voters’ backup choices. (In the 2000 example, when Nader gets eliminated, ballots that ranked Nader as first choice and Gore as second turn into votes for Gore, increasing his total.) Ranked-choice voting remains pretty rare in the U.S. but it’s getting more attention in recent years. Several cities (most notably San Francisco, Oakland, Minneapolis and St. Paul) have used it for over a decade. Maine adopted it for federal elections in 2018 and in 2021 both New York City and Alaska initiated their own versions for the first time.
VOTING Page 33
conjunction with other organizers, has coordinated what’s soon to be a full-fledged social media campaign to register hundreds of new voters. “I wasn’t pleased with the outcome of the at-large council race but the person with the majority [of the votes won,” she said. “Candidates should meet behind doors and build alliances and compromise on things that show good leadership. Rankedchoice voting will disenfranchise Black people in the end.”
FORMER CANDIDATES UNITE AROUND A CAUSE
Despite skepticism about rankedchoice voting, advocates have continued to attend community events, engage elected officials and disseminate information and campaign videos on social media platforms. On July 28, former at-large council candidates Markus Batchelor, Jeanne Lewis and Jacqueline Castaneda counted among those who joined Henderson at an online gathering about the VOICE Amendment Act. In their comments, each person reflected on their experiences as political candidates and what they believed to be the benefits of a new voting system. For Lewis, who clinched less than 2 percent of the vote last year, ranked-choice voting stands as a means of leveling the playing field for candidates who lack institutional backing. “Ranked choice voting would’ve allowed voters to express who they want and shown a more accurate picture,” Lewis said. “This leads to better laws and representation. It makes more candidates viable in the eyes of the voters and media. It allows candidates to vote for as many candidates as they believe would be good. This is something we desperately need.” WI @SamPKCollins
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VOTING from Page 32
HOW RANKEDCHOICE WORKS
Ranked-choice voting [RCV] describes voting systems that allow voters to rank candidates in order of preference and then uses those rankings to elect candidates who best represent their constituents. RCV is straightforward for voters: rank candidates in order of choice. Voters can rank as many candidates as they want without fear that ranking others will hurt the chances of their favorite candidate. How the votes are counted depends on whether RCV is used to elect a single office, like a mayor or governor, or whether it is used to elect more than one position at once, like an atlarge city council or a state legislature elected in a multi-winner district. For a single office, like for a mayor or governor, RCV helps to elect a candidate who reflects a majority of voters in a single election even when several viable candidates are in the race. Ranked-choice voting is
a way to ensure elections are fair for all voters. It allows voters the option to rank candidates in order of preference: one, two, three, and so forth. If your vote cannot help your top choice win, your vote counts for your next choice. In races where voters select one winner, if a candidate receives more than half of the first choices, that candidate wins, just like in any other election. However, if there is no majority winner after counting first choices, the race is decided by an “instant runoff.” The candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and voters who picked that candidate as ‘Number 1’ will have their votes count for their next choice. This process continues until there’s a majority winner or a candidate won with more than half of the vote. Ranked choice voting can be used in multi-winner elections, like a city council elected at-large, a state legislature elected in a multi-winner district, or even the U.S. House of Representatives. In that setting, RCV can serve as a candidate-based form of proportional voting.
STILL CONFUSED? TRY THESE RESOURCES
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Daniel Newman, president and co-founder of MapLight, has come up with an innovative way to educate voters about election reform issues in the form of a graphic novel. In July 2020, Newman released “Unrig: How to Fix Our Broken Democracy.” Through comics, he examines how plurality elections drive polarization and fail to adequately represent voters. He demonstrates how ranked choice voting, paired with multi-member districts, can improve representation and ease partisan tensions. The following You Tube videos can make learning about ranked-choice voting both informative and a lot of fun: h t t p s : / / w w w. y o u t u b e . c o m / watch?v=P10PFuBFVL8 KQED News h t t p s : / / w w w. y o u t u b e . c o m / watch?v=8Z2fRPRkWvY FairVote.org h t t p s : / / w w w. y o u t u b e . c o m / watch?v=5ZoFjaTSvQY Rolling Stone WI
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AUGUST 5 - 11, 2021 33
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Swingers Crazy Golf Brings the Spirit of London to the District of Columbia New Mini-golf Course Adds Style and a Lot of Fun to Dupont Circle Community D. Kevin McNeir WI Senior Editor Many people consider the game of golf and their time on the links as an essential part of their weekly routine. But for others, golf requires the kind of patience and practice, not to mention its relatively slow pace of action, that’s difficult to achieve or maintain. Fortunately, there’s another version of the sport – mini-golf or “putt-putt golf’ – that’s faster-paced and only requires the use of a putter. And in June, Swingers, a mini-golf course, opened in downtown D.C., (1330 19th Street, NW) providing those 21 or older with a new form of fun and healthy competition that has quickly become a favorite among both
YOU WILL KNOW THE TRUTH A Thriller By Leslie T. Thornton
A Sweet Read Publishing Hardcover On Sale 08-10-2021 // Price: $24.99 USD Hardcover ISBN: 9780986094156 // eBook ISBN: 9780986094163
This amazing book is now available for pre-order at sweetreadpublishing.com When Nicki Jo Lewis pulls the F Street murder no one is surprised—she’s the best. But this case is different. Three times, the trial is almost derailed, the government’s key witness, a ne’er-d-well named Rolex, is not what he seems and, half-way through, D.C. police become mired in questions about another appalling crime scene inside a rowhouse uptown. As Police Chief Coley tries to unravel the mysterious and macabre findings there, his investigation is thwarted by his old friend David Stackhouse, U.S. Secret Service Special Agent-in-Charge of the President’s protective detail. The Service has already been at the scene, apparently, in some crazy, middle-of-the-night, hanging-fromropes deal, but agent Stackhouse won’t, or can’t tell his friend why. One thing is clear. Nicki is caught up in something bigger than she knows, and everyone is keeping secrets—the government’s witness, the court reporter, the judge, possibly a juror and, apparently, the President of the United States. Arguably, none of the madness going on outside of Nicki’s trial is her business. But someone or something has put her in the middle of it, and she is desperate to find out what’s going on. She has an old connection with a witness, it turns out, and his world spills over into hers in ways that endanger, infuriate, and frighten her. And the business of what’s really happening, of what’s wildly complicated Nicki’s life? It is beyond compare. It is The Truth, and it will change the world.
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Contact: Theodore and Ann Burgh / sweetreadpublishing@gmail.com / 910-409-1076 Cover design by adam Bohannon / © Author photo by Lisa Damico
34 AUGUST 5 - 11, 2021
local residents and visitors to the District. Swingers, a London brand of minigolf courses, since its opening in Dupont Circle, makes good on its promise to transport patrons to a world of verdant, undulating crazy golf courses. It features a 1920s English golf clubhouse, multiple cocktail bars with over 35 hand-crafted drinks, gourmet street food vendors and private event spaces. The business started in 2015 as a five-month pop-up in London’s Shoreditch. Then in 2016, CEOs and co-founders, Matt Grech-Smith and Jeremy Simmonds, opened the first permanent Swingers’ location in London’s financial district and a second two years later in London’s Oxford Circus. Grech-Smith spoke with The Washington Informer about Swingers and how the entertainment venue has adjusted to the unprecedented challenges they and other new businesses continue to face due to the ongoing pandemic. Washington Informer: What kind of people are you attracting? Grech-Smith: We get a broad range of people from couples on dates to groups of friends celebrating a birthday, to work social events and parties. With our wide selection of delicious street food and fun cocktail list there is something for everyone to enjoy at Swingers and who doesn’t love playing mini golf? WI: When are things most crowded and does the venue provide an opportunity for social mingling? Grech-Smith: Our busiest times are obviously around the weekend, so Thursday through Sunday. But we’re open every day, from the afternoon until late. We think Swingers is the perfect mingling activity and we say, “there is no social awkwardness at Swingers.” Whether you’re on a date or with work colleagues, the minigolf and atmosphere of competition means there are never awkward silences and there’s always a lot to talk about. It’s best to reserve a spot online: swingers.club/us/locations/washington/. However, guests can stop by for food or drinks even if they aren’t playing crazy golf. And we have a limited number of daily walk-in tickets while larger groups can book spots through our sales team. Did I mention that
we serve cocktails on the course? We think a drink or two can help improve your golf score. WI: Do people need to worry about social distancing, masks, etc.? Grech-Smith: Swingers continues to follow all CDC guidelines and guests are not required to social distance or wear a mask. Our venue is 20,000 square feet, so there’s a lot of room to spread out and get some space. Also, if you’re after some fresh air, people can check out our awesome patio. WI: What led you to bring this from London to D.C.? Grech-Smith: We started Swingers with a pop-up in London to test the idea and then followed it up with two permanent locations. The next obvious step for us was to move Swingers to the U.S. We looked at a number of different cities but D.C. offered a great culinary scene and a lively nightlife, making it the top choice. Our team is gearing up to open our second U.S. location in New York in early 2022. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://swingers. club/us. You may learn more about Swingers on social media at @SwingersLDN or @SwingersUS on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook. WI @mcneirdk
Swingers, a mini-golf course, opened in downtown D.C., providing those 21 or older with a new form of fun and healthy competition that has quickly become a favorite among both local residents and visitors to the District.
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5 A local child plays with a U.S. Secret Service Agent’s K-9 Dyson at Kennedy Recreation Center in Northwest on August 3. (Abdullah Konte/The Washington Informer)
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5 D.C. Police Officer Crawley reacts to Chief Robert J Contee III’s jokes during the Metropolitan Police Department’s National Night Out at Kennedy Recreation Center on August 3. (Abdullah Konte/The Washington Informer)
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Stay Informed! 5 Children climb a rock wall at the MPD National Night Out on August 3 at Emery Recreation Center in Northwest. (Roy Lewis/The Washington Informer)
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Nominees Announced for Top Restaurant Awards Creativity in 2020 Sustained Many DMV Eateries Brenda C. Siler WI Contributing Writer
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There are more than 160 finalists in 16 award categories created by a judges panel and the RAMMYS Gala Committee. Individuals, restaurants and various food
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5 Jummy Olabanji, news anchor from NBC4 Washington, announced the 2021 RAMMYS finalists on July 26 at The Point, a Southwest D.C. Waterfront restaurant. (Robert Roberts/The Washington Informer)
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The pandemic forced the closing of many District area restaurants. Then there were those eating establishments that figured out a way to stay afloat. The Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) has announced the finalists for the annual RAMMYS, an award given to restaurants in the metro area. Restaurant and food service industry folks engaged in a thoughtful process to create recognition categories that reflected the challenges the industry faced in 2020. Finalists were announced by NBC4 anchor Jummy Olabanji during a gathering at The Point, a Southwest DC waterfront restaurant. Winners of 39th Annual RAMMYS will be announced on Sunday, Sept. 19, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. “Each year, the RAMMYS honor the accomplishments of the restaurant and foodservice industry across the Metropolitan Washington region from the previous year, and as you know, it was quite a different year,” said Kathy Hollinger, RAMW president & CEO. “We
know the road is long, the challenges are real, and there is continually more work to be done.”
industry establishments comprise the group of nominees. All area restaurants were eligible to be nominated, not just RAMW-member restaurants and food service establishments. “A new set of award categories were crafted to best highlight the ways in which you were innovative and took imaginative leaps of faith born out of necessity, but full of creativity,” Hollinger said to a room filled with restaurant and foodservice professionals. Some of the creatively named categories are “Formal Fine Dining in a Box,” “Technology Trailblazers,’ “Splendid Holidays at Home Offerings” and “Outstanding Ghost Kitchen or Pop-up Con-
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5 Celebrating The Park at 14th, a Black-owned restaurant, being named a RAMMYS finalist in the category “Outstanding Covid-Safe Redesign (Indoors or Outdoors)” are (from left) Marc Barnes, owner of The Park at 14th, Shawn Townsend, director of the Mayor Bowser’s Office of Nightlife & Culture and Altmann R. Pannell, MPA, director of Government Relations-Mid-Atlantic Region for Coca-Cola Consolidated, Inc. The gentlemen were at the RAMMYS finalists announcement on July 26 at The Point restaurant. (Robert Roberts/ The Washington Informer)
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One-on-One With Tracy Rookard of the Naked Face Body Care Guru Talks Juggling, Business and What’s Next? Sarafina Wright WI Contributing Writer The chief of staff and strategic project officer for cybersecurity with Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority [WMATA] by day and beauty entrepreneur by night, Tracy Rookard is mastering the body care business one day at a time. In a one-on-one interview, Rookard spoke about what makes her organic, handmade body scrubs and creams special, the impact of launching during a pandemic, and what inspired her to begin this journey. How did you go from the cybersecurity business to the business of body butters? What was that journey like for you? I was already pivoting into it once I started working there [Met-
ro]. As far as the journey goes, the journey continues. It’s a lot of work. You have a primary occupation and then you have a business that you’re trying to keep moving also. A lot of this activity happens on the weekend and the evenings. That’s basically how I get it done. Walk us through why you decided to launch The Naked Face? We started a couple years ago. It took about a year to develop the first product. I actually developed the product out of a personal need for them. I’m a person that loves the sun and I started paying the price for it with hyperpigmentation. My dermatologist was like “Tracy, you need to exfoliate, go whip up your own exfoliant,” instead of telling me to buy a product, so that kind of threw me off a little bit. Fast forward I came
up with a formulation of initially shea butter and sugar and created the scrub. I wanted something that was natural, I could pronounce the ingredients, and something I could use on my face and my body. That’s how the NakedFace came to be birthed. I wanted to do a beauty bar at a town center or maybe a mall…that was the original idea and here comes COVID. So, it became a complete online thing. I opened up a store in December with three products: a hair creme, face and body scrub, and face and body creme. Speaking of COVID, how has it affected business for The Naked Face? Any supply chain issues? Business has been pretty good. A lot of it is grassroots, word of mouth. So we’re still trying to build that base out, so that we can
get as many people as possible to experience NakedFace. There is a major issue with glass, if you’re a company like us that uses a certain type of glass. So, we’re pivoting into different packaging because you have to. We still have a decent supply on-hand, but trying to get those back filled, because of the supply chain with COVID is a true nightmare. What’s it been like for you juggling a career and also a business, especially in the beauty and cosmetics field where Black ownership is few and far between? It’s tough, but it's a blast. I’m one of those people that truly believe you follow your dreams. If you
FACE Page 42 4 Tracy Rookard, founder, The Naked Face. (Photo courtesy of The Naked Face)
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LIFESTYLE
Patrice Rushen's 4-Night Stand Hits Sweet Notes in Downtown Baltimore Timothy Cox Special to The Washington Informer A four-night, sold-out gig proved enlightening for Keystone Korner owner Todd Barkan and star performing artist, Patrice Rushen (pronounced raSHONN). From Thursday, July 22 thru Sunday, July 25, the woman nicknamed "Baby Fingers" due to her small hands and ability to capture all 88 keys with a certain brilliance and power, likewise captured the hearts and minds of hundreds of music enthusiasts, who entered the swank, new environment of the Keystone Korner - the DMV's newest venue primarily dedicated to straight-ahead, traditional jazz music. And it's on that note that Patrice responded to the many customers who attended her Baltimore shows seeking the Patrice known for Grammy-Award winning funk tunes like "Forget Me Nots" and "Haven't You Heard." "No, this is not my time to perform those songs," she said with a seriousb face during a preshow interview on Sunday night. Instead, she opted for classic jazz tunes like "I Mean You" by Thelonious Monk and "Mr. P.C" by Stanley Turrentine. Baltimore couple Ricky Campbell and his wife Tammy were two fans who hoped for more of the funkier side of Patrice. "That's why I came," said Tammy, adding, "If I'd known she'd play jazz all night, I don't think we would've come. I'm serious, I wanted to hear some "Forget Me Nots" and "Feel So Real," she added. On Thursday, another patron, Deborah Cummings, also of Baltimore, said she appreciated witnessing Patrice's "musicality and skills. I just enjoyed seeing her perform she's a special talent," added Ms. Cummings. Fred and Linda Massey of Germantown, Md. said they enjoyed witnessing the more classical-jazzier skills of the South Central LAborn musician. "She was fantastic," said Mrs. Massey, a Bronx, N.Y. native - noting that she and her hus-
band were celebrating their first wedding anniversary. Mr. Massey hails from Brownsville, Pa. - ironically, home to famed drummer Vinnie Colaiuta, another one of Patrice's favorite drummers. She said her fav- drummers list also includes Bernard "Pretty" Purdie, Leon Ndugu Chancellor, Harvey Mason, Will Kennedy, James Gadson Sonny Emory and John "JR" Robinson. After Marvin "Smitty" Smith's standout performance, it's a good bet he'll be added to her special list. Speaking of star-studded stick-men, Baltimore native Dennis Chambers and his lovely wife, caught the second show of the Thursday night performance. Chambers, 62, is highly acclaimed for his work with George Clinton and P-Funk along with his stints with Carlo Santana, Brecker Brothers and George Duke. On another note, veteran tenor saxophonist Ernie Watts, 75, played the first night with Patrice's quartet, but after his Thursday performance, Mr. Watts was carted off on a stretcher, after emergency EMT personnel tended to him after he experienced "shortness of breath," according to owner Mr. Barkan. On Sunday night, Mr. Barkan announced to the crowd that Watts had indeed suffered a heart attack, but had recovered after receiving a stent – and made a full recovery at Johns Hopkins Hospital in downtown Baltimore. Baltimore-bred saxophonist Tim Green, said he received the call Friday, around noon to replace Watts. Drummer "Smitty" Smith and bassist Reggie Hamilton, both noted their approval with Green's performances. "The fact that he can read (music), has a great memory - and heart and soul, is what's important," added "Smitty". Patrice was obviously enthused about her backing musicians, including the legendary Watts. The Sunday night drum solo by "Smitty" took the club by storm, and brought down the proverbial house with roars and screams for the veteran drummer - formerly of Jay Leno's late-night TV band fame. The Chicago area musician
said he continues to perform jazz, even if the stage is not of national TV origins. "Gotta keep on giggin'," said the drummer who exudes a joyful existence off and onstage. His toothy, nearly-permanent smile says it all. Patrice did acknowledge her sadness upon being notified of the recent demise and closure of the iconic D.C. jazz club, Blues Alley. "Well, it's great we've got this place to compensate for its loss,' she added. The Patrice Rushen Quartet is scheduled to play the Pittsburgh Jazz Festival on Sept. 19, she said. She didn't recall playing Baltimore anytime in recent years, but truly enjoyed returning to the fold with Mr. Barkan. In 1974, she played her first professional gig at Todd's original Keystone Korner location in San Francisco, along with
5 Patrice Rushen, Reggie Hamilton, Ernie Watts and Marvin Smitty" Smith in action. (Photo by Timothy Cox)
drummer Ngugu Chancellor and Tony Dumas on bass. "It was a fine trio," she recalled. (EDITOR'S NOTE: Jazz legend and bassist Ron Carter and drum-
mer Norman Conners are slated to play Keystone Korner in coming weeks. Access the club's website for more information www.keystonekornerbaltimore.com). WI
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AUGUST 5 - 11, 2021 39
LIFESTYLE
wi book review "Breathing Fire: Female Inmate Firefighters on the Front Lines of California's Wildfires" by Jaime Lowe c.2021, MCB/Farrar, Straus and Giroux $27 303 pages By Terri Schlichenmeyer WI Contributing Writer Your oversized plastic tote is all packed. You don't want to think about it, but if you have to bug out, you can. A backup laptop, extra dog bowls, every irreplaceable document, it's all there, ready to slide into the car. You can never be too careful when it's fire season and in the new book "Breathing Fire" by Jaime Lowe, you'll meet some of the women tasked with keeping you safe. Shawna Lynn Jones had made mistakes in her life. The biggest one got her sent to prison. She was young, though, and in good physical shape, which ultimately helped her get into the CDCR's (California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation) inmate firefighter program. She learned to be a bucker, tasked with cleaning up behind her partner, Carla, who was a sawyer with a chainsaw. Crew 13-3 consisted of two sawyer/bucker pairs, followed by other women with jobs specific to stopping wildfires. Jaime Lowe grew up in California but until she read about Shawna, she was unaware of the role that female inmate crews have in fighting fire. Inmate firefighters take the same qualifications tests as do free-world firefighters. They do the same work, face the same dangers, and they save the state millions of dollars: when Lowe began writing this book, inmate firefighters averaged less than $3 an hour for their skills. Still, despite low pay, many inmates pursued positions in "fire camp." Some, says Lowe, even hoped to fight fires after their release, although it was a long shot: their felony records follow them, no matter where they might apply. In learning about the program, Lowe got a chance to meet Selena, who "wasn't intending to go back to prison" after her release. She met Whitney, formerly a white-collar worker and ultra-marathoner. She met Laurie, who struggled to find a job after prison; Sonya, who delighted in a new grandson; and Marquet, who found solace in her religion. And Lowe met Shawna, who gave her life to fight a fire … Let's start here: this is a good story. It's very good. But for readers looking for boots-on-the-ground action and extended-wall-of-fire danger, it'll be a disappointment because "Breathing Fire" isn't that kind of book. Rather than focusing on flames, author Jaime Lowe instead concentrates on the women of Crew 13-3 and the work they did for the State of California. In this, readers can expect pure honesty: Lowe unabashedly reveals what each woman did to land her in prison and the struggles each had in life, in prison, and on the line. She also makes absolutely sure that readers — especially those in California — understand the unfairness of a far-ranging system that denies good jobs to women who are essentially professionally trained, and who've paid their dues and are trying to move forward. Overall, parts of "Breathing Fire" put you on charred grass and parts make you cell-bound. The rest of it shows flawed real-life heroes amid an area-wide "constant crisis," and if you're burning for stories like that, this book is packed. WI
40 AUGUST 5 - 11, 2021
horoscopes
AUGUST 5 - 11, 2021
ARIES Monday is a good day to do as little as possible — put off decisions, conserve your energy. Then, Tuesday, get ready to burn those stored-up carbs. Action, enthusiasm, maybe even sports are all in the stars. Wednesday is a physical day too — objects in motion, and all that. Thursday, a speed bump returns you to a more casual pace, and Friday is downright slow. Lucky Numbers: 5, 17, 33 TAURUS One way to figure out what to do at the start of the week is to consider what someone you admire might do in your same shoes. The advice you get will be good, but you may not necessarily be ready to implement it. Thursday, you find someone else who totally relates. On Friday, sex appeal, luxury and enjoyment are big themes. No wonder the weekend finds you shopping. Lucky Numbers: 22, 35, 37 GEMINI You're at once focused on the future and utterly unable to concentrate on Monday. How weird! There may just be too many factors on the table. A clarifying conversation on Tuesday or Wednesday sets you on much better footing. That said, there are obstacles in store for you this week. Don't avoid them. Embrace them. Let life be a game. Lucky Numbers: 15, 24, 30 CANCER You have good energy on Monday but not a tremendous amount of focus. Ideal tasks include driving around listening to music or taking long walks or trying to identify household objects in the shapes of clouds. Save the real tasks for Tuesday and Wednesday; your focus may still be a bit off but your mind will be quick. Thursday and Friday are perfect for dinner parties and phone calls — situations for you to demonstrate your dazzling conversational skills. Lucky Numbers: 20, 21, 38 LEO A small problem might seem like a big problem to you on Monday. Don't fly off the handle, if you can help it. Tuesday and Wednesday, the problems that present themselves are eminently surmountable. You could be given a bucket of tar and you'd make a beautiful paved pathway. Your optimism is attractive. Don't be surprised if you find yourself thronged by admirers on Thursday and Friday. Lucky Numbers: 23, 39, 44 VIRGO Everyone is different. That's a beautiful thing. On Monday, you might forget that there's beauty in variety and become frustrated. Resist the urge to be critical. Not everyone will do things the way you do them. Again, that's how it should be. Midweek, you're downright combative, although the issue is more a scarcity of resources than anything. You won't quite click with anyone until Thursday or Friday, when compatibility figures strongly. You and someone you adore will take a mini adventure together. Lucky Numbers: 17, 29, 48 LIBRA What with all the rubber balls flying through the air on Monday, you'd best keep your head down. You have work to do, anyway. You can join in on the excitement — the party, the dodgeball game, whatever it is — on Tuesday. Wednesday is almost exclusively about you and you-know-who (either a romantic partner or a work partner) but Thursday is about your extended group of friends. Lucky Numbers: 27, 29, 37 SCORPIO On Monday, you have an excuse to show off the secret passageway between your library and your vault. Tuesday and Wednesday are considerably more practical — your health is on your mind, as is work, as is being of service to a friend in need — but Thursday and Friday put you in yet another Bond-like situation requiring diplomatic prowess, boldness and ingenuity. Lucky Numbers: 1, 23, 59 SAGITTARIUS The day-to-day has become utterly uninteresting to you. On Monday, it's time to expand your horizons. Consider your future in the context of the past — look how far you've come — and make a plan. Set a goal or two. Tuesday and Wednesday, your life, looked at in a new light, is a game you suddenly enjoy playing. It's as if you're a kid again. And Thursday and Friday there is so much going on you have no chance of being bored. Lucky Numbers: 14, 15, 45 CAPRICORN You can get what you want on Monday if you ask for it the right way. Put your request in an email, where you can word it just so. You will be surprised how well this works. Tuesday and Wednesday, safety and security are all you want in the world, so it's natural you may turn toward members of your family. By Thursday, your worries will evaporate. Creativity and pleasure will reign. Lucky Numbers: 19, 32, 55 AQUARIUS A hiccup in your cash flow on Monday brings about a total reconsideration of what's important to you. Nothing is as strong an indication of what's important to you as what you spend your money on. Tuesday and Wednesday, a pattern in your life you've never noticed before suddenly becomes conspicuous. You regard it with curiosity more than anything. Lucky Numbers: 3, 20, 36 PISCES Just because you start a new project doesn't mean you have to see it through. Don't be so concerned about the end product on Monday. Just dive in. You'll figure out where you're going later — and, again, you can always switch gears. Tuesday and Wednesday you'll be at a loss on the where-am-I-heading front — bewilderment, fog and camouflage all figure strongly — but Thursday or Friday a sweet note from someone you love brings you back to solid ground. Lucky Numbers: 6, 10, 23
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Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum: Welcoming You Back Inside the Museum By Melanie A. Adams, Director, Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum 2020 was a hard year for many cultural organizations. In March, we had to quickly figure out how to work from home during a health pandemic that was both a new and frightening experience for many. In May, we saw the continued violence against African American men with the killing of George Floyd in Minnesota. Both events created a dual pandemic that continues to impact the country as we figure out what is the new normal. Even though we were closed during most of 2020, the museum continued to find ways to live out its mission to collect and share community stories. A couple of months after closing, we created an online opportunity for people to share how they were being resilient during the time of Covid. After the killing of George Floyd, people were invited to share ways they were lifting their voices to call for racial equality and an end to racism. As the pandemic wore on and the museum remained closed, we wanted to get back into the community in a Covid-safe manner, so we re-imagined an exhibit that was scheduled to be inside the museum, to be placed outside. Men of Change: Taking it to the Streets was not the first time we placed an exhibit outside of our museum walls, but it was the first time we placed it outdoors. This exhibit was a great example of the community (in this case Deanwood) coming together to host this exhibit and work with museum staff to share their stories. This exhibit is located on the campuses of the Deanwood recreation center, library, and the Ron Brown High School and closes on August 31, 2021. The Covid-19 pandemic has shown a light on many issues including access to food in many communities of color. The museum opened its second outdoor exhibit, Food
for the People: Eating and Activism in Greater Washington in April 2021 on our outdoor plaza to help visitors understand the issues of food access in the DMV region by highlighting the people and organizations working daily to eliminate the inequality. Visitors not only learn about the issues, but the exhibit also provides suggestions for how to use this knowledge to make positive changes in their communities. In addition to the outdoor exhibit, the museum partnered with Feed the Fridge to provide free meals (Monday – Friday) in a refrigerator located in the museum’s parking lot. After being closed for almost 17 months, the Anacostia Community Museum staff are excited to welcome visitors back inside the museum. While we have enjoyed connecting with people through our online programs and outside exhibits, we missed the connection created by personal interactions. When the museum opens back up, visitors will be able to view new content and learn more about issues of food history, culture, and justice in the DMV through the continuation of the exhibit, Food for the People: Eating and Activism in Greater Washington into our main gallery. We will continue to host virtual programs through the end of the year, and I encourage you to check out our website (anacostia.si.edu) for up-to-date program information. As the country continues to move into a new normal, the Anacostia Community Museum remains committed to its mission and vision to use the power of community stories to create a more equitable future for all. This unprecedented period showed us how we as a museum could not only be resilient but find ways to use our resources to be relevant and respond to the needs of our community. We look forward to opening our doors and welcoming you back inside the museum beginning Friday, August 6th. Please do visit us as anacostia.si.edu to learn about our new days, hours, exhibitions and programming. SAM
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Smithsonian
Anacostia Community Museum
Eating & Activism in Greater Washington
More information at anacostia.si.edu on visiting the museum, current exhibitions and public programs. 1901 Fort Place SE, Washington, D.C. Tues-Sat 11 am – 4 pm
#Food4thePeople Supporting Sponsor: The Hillside Foundation – Allan & Shelley Holt Additional support provided by AARP District of Columbia This exhibition received federal support from the Latino Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Latino Center, and from the Asian Pacific American Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center.
AUGUST 5 - 11, 2021 41
IONA from Page 1 have also vaccinated over 100,000 people here.” O’Dell said the center will host two major conventions in the coming days: the Otakon, the world’s largest gathering celebrating Japanese animation and East Asia culture from Aug. 6-8 and Awesome Con, a celebration of geek culture from comics, movies and games from Aug. 20-22. These are the first conventions to function in the city since the start of the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020. In addition to Ben’s, there will be the sixth store of Shop Made in DC by
the entrance of the South building on L Street., N.W. Ben’s will be located inside the new District Eats area and will operate during all convention and show hours. Virginia Ali, the co-founder of the Ben’s chain thanked D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and her administration for the opportunity to set up at the convention center. “We want to thank the community for supporting us send we started in 1958,” Ali said. “It has been the community that has made the difference for us.” WI @JamesDCWrighter
Ben’s will be located inside the new District Eats area and will operate during all convention and show hours.
SAFETY from Page 1 Nevertheless, the murders of Courtney and educator Kervin Sanches on July 31, along with shootings at Washington Nationals Stadium on July 17 and a gun battle amid toney Logan Circle restaurants on 14th Street, N.W. July 22, have brought attention to the city’s homicide problem and the availability of guns. During a July 28, news conference, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and D.C. Police Chief Robert J. Contee III said the homicides must be controlled. Bowser called for more than $11 million to add 170 new police officers but the D.C. Council in a budget vote on Aug. 3 cut that amount to $5 million. The mayor and the chief have requested the Senate approve 12 D.C. Superior Court judges to facilitate the process of justice. They have requested the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia increase the number of grand juries from two to five. Bowser requested more support for programs such as Building Blocks DC that employ a public health approach to fighting crime instead of utilizing incarceration. But both the mayor and the chief echo White’s sentiments that community members and leaders need to come up with solutions to bring down the homicide rate.
SAFETY SOLUTIONS
Ward 8C advisory neighborhood commission chairman Salim Adofo
said programs like Building Blocks are fine, but “the District government needs to consolidate its effort to fight homicides.” “They should identify high-risk individuals and bring them in,” Adofo said. “Many of the people who are in trouble aren’t aware of the wraparound services that are available to them. Those services need to be in the same building.” Former Ward 5 advisory neighborhood commissioner Kathy Henderson said a coordinated effort is needed to generate effective policing and reduce the surge in homicide and other violent crime. She said she wants D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D) to introduce emergency legislation to bring back retired D.C. police officers on a temporary, contract basis to bolster the active force. “This is a pragmatic solution, to get experienced and effective officers back on the streets to supplement MPD numbers and combat crime in the District of Columbia,” she said. “We must act now before another child or resident is killed or harmed in our city.” National Night Out, an event in which police departments hold block parties and cookouts in neighborhoods, took place on Aug. 3 after missing last year due to the coronavirus pandemic. Ward 8’s was staged at the parking lot of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Roman Catholic Church. As people visited the various organizational tables and munched on chips, hamburgers
and hotdogs, they also offered their thoughts on the best ways to address the city’s homicide rate. “First of all, we need better parenting programs,” Mable Carter, a Ward 8 resident, said. “We need to learn how to heal in our community. We need to learn how to forgive each other. We need to learn what restorative justice means. Also, we need more crisis intervention.” Gloria “Nana” Alexander attended the NNO with her young grandchildren. She said restoring vocational education in the District public schools “will help occupy the minds of these young people.” “We could even bring back home economics for these young women,” she said. “These young people need activities that will fill up their minds and the time they spend. These young people should be focusing on positivity.” Wendell Whren, a Ward 5 resident, said, “There are a plethora of things that could be done to stop homicides. “People who commit gun violence have tremendous needs,” Whren said. “Many people in our community are mentally, physically and emotionally hurting. We can’t change some people’s violent ways but we can put a dent into it.” Whren also had another suggestion: “Instead of having NNO here at the church, maybe it would be better to have in the actual neighborhoods where the killing is taking place.” WI @JamesDCWrighter
FACE from Page 38
5 The Ali family smile in front of their newest location at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in the District. (Roy Lewis/The Washington Informer).
Stay Informed! www.washingtoninformer.com 42 AUGUST 5 - 11, 2021
do nothing, you get nothing. It’s a lot, and it's the reason why you have to be passionate about what you’re doing. You have to believe in it. There’s a lot of times when I’m up at two or three o’clock in the morning, plotting and planning and I have to be at work at nine a.m. What’s next for the brand? We’re finding that there are people who want very specific oils inside of their face and body cream. I’m of the belief that you should have them. We will allow the customer the option to go online and say, “I want to have jojoba, shea butter and a vitamin E mixture, this does wonders for my eczema.” We just brought on an esthetician, we consult with a dermatologist, this is not all just Tracy in her kitchen mixing stuff. There’s a
5 Naked Face products. (Photo courtesy of The Naked Face)
lot of research that goes into these products. We’re about to introduce a men’s beard cream. It’s going to be called “man priddy” by The Naked Face. We love dual products so this is going to be a beard
and body cream for men. And it’ll come in three different scents. We got all sorts of testers and samples out there and the men are loving it. It’s going to be a welcomed addition to The Naked Face. WI
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RELIGION the religion corner WITH LYNDIA GRANT
Think on These Things
"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." Philippians 4:8 The theme of my radio show, "Think on These Things," was taken from this Scripture! Each week, we talk about those things that are true, honest, just, pure, of good report and virtuous. We all think thoughts, every moment of every day, and those thoughts are not always good ones. Influenced by newspaper stories, what we hear on the radio, watching the news daily, you name it, there are a plethora of things to think about. Let's be clear, though — social media dominates, with the enormous amount of time we all spend on our toys. It's overwhelming. Through it all, we're being influenced in our thoughts as a ventriloquist controls his dummy. In fact, we don't realize how much our thoughts are shaped by our surroundings. If we're not careful, our thoughts will go wherever they want. We must control what we think, on purpose. When you hear the word "twisties," the first thing comes to mind is famed Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles having to withdraw from events at the Tokyo Olympics because of her thoughts — a phenomenon in gymnastics in which one's mind is not in sync with their body. Some of us are walking around
here with the "twisties," too. We're thinking without control of what it is we are thinking. Are we victims to outside forces? Can we control our thoughts? Yes, we can, but it takes effort. Proverbs 23:7 tells us this: "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius (121-180 AD) concluded, "We become what we think about." The Apostle Paul gave us a blueprint for thinking in my lead Scripture by saying we must control our thoughts. Let's break down what Philippians 4:8 is saying. First Paul suggests we keep our minds true, and his witness Scripture is Matthew 22:16, which says, "Master, we know that thou art true, and teaches the way of God in truth." John 8:32 says it this way: "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Please stop telling lies! Secondly, in this Scripture, Paul reminds up to keep our thoughts on things that are honest; and he provides yet another witness from 2nd Corinthians 13:7, which says: "Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest. Thirdly, in this Scripture, he says to be just and fair in your thoughts. Another witness Scripture to help him prove his case is Matthew 1:19, which says, 'Then Joseph her hus-
band, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily." Fourth, the Scripture reminds us to keep your thoughts pure, to use language and behavior that is clean. As Matthew 5:8 says, "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." The fifth thing this Scripture does is say, "if something is pretty and lovely that we must accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative." 1 Chronicles 16:29 says, "Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. Our worship is lovely to the Lord." The sixth thing this Scripture says is that we must think on things of "good report." As Hebrew 11:2 says, "For by it the elders obtained a good report." The seventh point this Scripture makes is to have virtue, which means "Moral excellence and righteousness; goodness." Its final point stresses things that create praise. Hard work. Clean living. Good language. Bible study. Daily prayer. Many things distract our thoughts. First Thessalonians 5:17 tells us, "We need to pray without ceasing." Let us think on these things! WI
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Adams Inspirational A.M.E. Church Dr. E. Gail Anderson Holness / Senior Pastor Rev. Ali Gail Holness-Roland / Assistant & Youth Pastor 12801 Old Fort Road • Ft. Washington, MD 20744 Office (301) 292.6323 • FAX (301) 292.2164 Service and Times Sunday Worship 10:15 am Sunday Church School 11:00 am Youth Sunday every 4th Sunday Prayer Call @ Noon every Tuesday & Thursday 978.990.5166 code: 6166047# Virtual Bible Study Wednesday Facebook & Zoom 7:00 pm “A Growing Church for a Coming Christ” www.adamsinspirationalamec.org
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AUGUST 5 - 11, 2021 43
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
Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church
Rev. Paul Carrette Senior Pastor Harold Andrew Assistant Pastor 4915 Wheeler Road Oxon Hill, MD 20745 301-894-6464 Service and Times Sunday Service: 8:30am& 11:00 AM Bible Study: Wednesday 7:30 PM Communion Service: First Sunday www.livingwatersmd.org
St. Stephen Baptist Church
Rev. Dr. Michael E. Bell, Sr., / Pastor 2498 Alabama Ave., SE - Washington D.C. 20020 Office: (202) 889-7296 / Fax: (202) 889-2198 - www.acamec.org Service and Times Sunday Worship Services: 8:00am and 11:00 AM Sunday Church School - 9:15am & Sunday Adult Forum Bible Study - 10:30 AM 2nd & 4th Monday Women’s Bible Study: 6:30 PM Tuesday Jr./Sr. Bible Study: 10:00 AM Tuesday Topical Bible Study: 6:30 PM Tuesday New Beginnings Bible Study: 6:30 PM Wednesday Pastoral Bible Study: 6:30 PM Wednesday Children’s Bible Study: 6:30 PM Thursday Men’s Bible Study: 6:30 PM Friday before 1st Sunday Praise & Worship Service: 6:30 PM Saturday Adult Bible Study: 10:00 AM “The Amazing, Awesome, Audacious Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church”
Third Street Church of God
Dr. Dekontee L. & Dr. Ayele A. Johnson Pastors
Reverend William Young IV 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
44 AUGUST 5 - 11, 2021
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
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
“We are one in the Spirit” www.ssbc5757.org / E-mail: ssbc5757@verizon.net
www.thirdstreet.org Live Stream Sunday Worship Service begins @ 12:00 noon www.thirdstreet.org
800 I Street, NE - Washington, DC 20002 202-548-0707 - Fax No. 202-548-0703 Service and Times Sunday Morning Worship: 11:00 AM Holy Communion: 1st Sunday Sunday School: 9:45 AM Men’s Monday Bible Study: 7:00 PM Wednesday Night Bible Study: 7:00 PM Women’s Ministry Bible Study: 3rd Friday -7:00 PM Computer Classes: Announced Family and Marital Counseling by appointment E-mail: Crusadersbaptistchurch@verizon.net www.CrusadersBaptistChurch.org / “God is Love”
Greater Mt. Calvary Holy Church Bishop Alfred A. Owens, Jr.; Senior Bishop & Evangelist Susie C. Owens – Co-Pastor 610 Rhode Island Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20002 (202) 529-4547 office • (202) 529-4495 fax
Sunday Worship Service: 8:00 AM and 10:45 AM Sunday Youth Worship Services: 1st & 4th 10:45 AM; 804 R.I. Ave., NE 5th 8 AM & 10:45 AM; Main Church Prayer Services Tuesday – Noon, Wednesday 6:00 AM & 6:30 PM Calvary Bible Institute: Year-Round Contact Church / Communion Every 3rd Sunday The Church in The Hood that will do you Good! www.gmchc.org / emailus@gmchc.org
Reverend Dr. Calvin L. Matthews Senior Pastor 1200 Isle of Patmos Plaza, Northeast Washington, DC 20018 Office: (202) 529-6767 - Fax: (202) 526-1661 Service and Times Sunday Worship Services: 7:30 AM and 10:30 AM Holy Communion: 2nd Sunday at 7:30 AM and 10:30 AM Sunday Church School: 9:20 AM Seniors Bible Study: Tuesdays at 10:30 AM Noon Day Prayer Service: Tuesdays at Noon Bible Study: Tuesdays at 7 PM Motto: “A Ministry of Reconciliation Where Everybody is Somebody!” Website: http://isleofpatmosbc.org Church Email: ipbcsecretary@verizon.net
St Marks Baptist Come Worship with us... Dr. Raymond T. Matthews Pastor and First Lady Marcia Matthews St. Mark's Baptist Church 624 Underwood Street, NW Washington, dc 20011 Services and Times Sunday School: 9:00 AM Worship Service: 10:00 AM Wed. Noon Day prayer service Thur. Prayer service: 6:45 PM Thur. Bible Study: 7:15 PM
Reverend John W. Davis Pastor 5101 14th Street, NW / Washington, DC 20011 Phone: 202-726-2220 Fax: 202-726-9089 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. “A Church with a past to remember – and a future to mold” www.mtzbcdc.org
headline and photo for Mount Olivet LIF - MALCOLMXLutheran Church DAY John F. Johnson Reverend Dr.
901 Third Street N.W. Washington, DC. 20001 Phone (202) 842-3411 Fax (202) 682-9423
1306 Vermont Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20005
themcbc.org
“Ambassadors for Christ to the Nation’s Capital”
Rev. Dr. Alton W. Jordan Pastor
Isle of Patmos Baptist Church
Mt. Zion Baptist Church
Reverend Dr. Paris L Smith, Sr. Senior Pastor
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
Services and Times Sunday School: 9:30 AM Sunday Worship: 11:00 AM Sunday Community Worship Service: 8:30 AM
Crusader Baptist Church
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
THE WASHINGTON INFORMER / WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM
RELIGION Shabbath Commandment Church Bishop Adrian A. Taylor, Sr. Pastor 7801 Livingston Road Oxon Hill, MD 20745 301-534-5471 Service and Times Sabbath School 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 AM Service 11:00 AM Praise & Worship Preaching 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM Motto: “A Church Keeping It Real for Real.” Website: Shabbathcommandmentchruch.org Email: Praisebetoyhwh@gmail.com
Zion Baptist Church Rev. Keith W. Byrd, Sr. Pastor 4850 Blagdon Ave, NW - Washington D.C 20011 Phone (202) 722-4940 - Fax (202) 291-3773 Service and Times 9:00 a.m. – Sunday School 10:15 a.m. – Worship Service Wed. Noon: Dea. Robert Owens Bible Study 7 PM Pastor’s Bible Study Ordinance of Baptism 2nd Sunday, Holy Communion 4th Sunday Mission: Zion shall: Enlist Sinners, Educate Students, Empower the Suffering, Encourage the Saints, And Exalt our Savior. (Acts 2: 41-47) www.zionbaptistchurchdc.org
St. Luke Baptist Church Rev. Aubrey C. Lewis Pastor 1415 Gallatin Street, NW Washington, DC 20011-3851 P: (202) 726-5940 Service and Times Sunday Worship: 11:00 AM Sunday School: 9:15 AM Holy Communion: 11:00 a.m., 3rd Sun. Bible Institute: Wednesday - 1:30 PM Prayer Meeting: Wednesday - 12:00 Noon
All Nations Baptist Church Rev. Dr. James Coleman Pastor 2001 North Capitol St, N.E. - Washington, DC 20002 Phone (202) 832-9591 Service and Times Sunday Church School – 9:30 AM Sunday Worship Service – 11:00 AM Holy Communion – 1st Sunday at 11:00 AM Prayer – Wednesdays, 6:00 PM Bible Study – Wednesdays, 7:00 PM Christian Education / School of Biblical Knowledge Saturdays, 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM, Call for Registration Website: www.allnationsbaptistchurch.com All Nations Baptist Church – A Church of Standards
Israel Baptist Church
Rev. Daryl F. Bell Pastor 2324 Ontario Road, NW Washington, DC 20009 (202) 232-1730 Service and Times Sunday School: 9:30 AM Sunday Worship Service: 11:00 AM Baptismal Service: 1st Sunday – 9:30 AM Holy Communion: 1st Sunday – 11:00 AM Prayer Meeting & Bible Study: Wednesday -7:30 PM “Where Jesus is the King”
Dr. Earl D. Trent Senior Pastor
2409 Ainger Pl.,SE – WDC 20020 (202) 678-0884 – Office / (202) 678-0885 – Fax “Moving Faith Forward” 0% Perfect . . . 100% Forgiven!
623 Florida Ave.. NW - WDC. 20001 Church (202) 667-3409 / Study (202) 265-0836 Home Study (301) 464-8211 / Fax (202) 483-4009
Service and Times Sunday Worship: 8:00 AM & 10:45 AM Baptism/Holy Communion: 3rd Sunday Family Bible Study Tuesdays – 6:30 PM Prayer Service: Tuesdays – 8:00 PM www.emmanuelbaptistchurchdc.org
Sermon On The Mount Temple Of Joy Apostolic Faith
Lincoln Park United Methodist Church Rev. Richard B. Black Pastor
Elder Herman L. Simms Pastor
1251 Saratoga Ave., NE Washington, DC 20018 (202) 269-0288
1301 North Carolina Ave. N E Washington, D C 20002 202 543 1318 - lincolnpark@lpumcdc.org www.lpumcdc.org
5606 Marlboro Pike District Heights, MD 20747 301-735-6005
Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 10:45 AM Sunday School: 9:15 AM Holy Communion1st Sunday: 10:45 AM Prayer Service: Wednesday at 6:30 PM Bible Study: Wednesday at 7:00 PM Bible Study: Tuesday at 10:30 AM
Mount Moriah Baptist Church Dr. Lucius M. Dalton Senior Pastor
Service and Times Sunday Worship: 10:00 AM Holy Communion: First Sunday 10:00 AM Sunday School: 9:00 AM Bible Study: Wednesday @ 12 noon and 6:30 PM Motto: "Faith On The Hill"
Service and Times Sunday Apostolic Worship Services 11:00 A.M and 5:00 PM Communion and Feet Wash 4th Sunday at 5:00 PM Prayer/Seeking: Wednesday at 8:00 PM Apostolic in Doctrine, Pentecostal in Experience, Holiness in Living, Uncompromised and Unchanged. The Apostolic Faith is still alive –Acts 2:42
New Commandment Baptist Church
Eastern Community Baptist Church Damion M. Briggs Pastor
Rev. Stephen E. Tucker Senior Pastor
1636 East Capitol Street, NE Washington, DC 20003 Telephone: 202-544-5588 - Fax: 202-544-2964
8213 Manson Street Landover, MD 20785 Tel: (301) 322-9787 Fax: (301) 322-9240
13701 Old Jericho Park Road Bowie, MD. 20720 (301) 262-0560
Service and Times Sunday Worship Services: 7:45 AM and 10:45 AM Holy Communion: 1st Sundays at 7:45 AM & 10:45 AM Sunday School: 9:30 AM Prayer & Praise Service: Tuesdays at 12 noon & 6:30 PM Bible Study: Tuesdays at 1 pm and 7 PM Youth Bible Study: Fridays at 7 PM
Service and Times Early Morning Message: 7:30 AM Sunday Morning Worship Service: 10:00 AM Sunday Church School: 9:00 AM Holy Communion: 1st Sunday 7:30 AM & 10:00 AM Prayer, Praise and Testimony: Wednesday 7:00 PM Bible Study: Wednesday 7:30 PM
Service and Times Sunday Worship: 11 AM Sunday School: 10 AM Wednesday Mid-Week Worship, Prayer & Bible Study: Wed. 7 PM
Rehoboth Baptist Church
Reverend Peter R. Blue Sr. Pastor
Rev. Curtis l. Staley Pastor
2001 Brooks Drive District Heights MD. 20744 240.838.7074
621 Alabama Ave., S.E.- Washington, D.C. 20032 P: (202) 561-1111 - F: (202) 561-1112
Service and Times Sunday Worship Experience: 10:15am Sunday School: 9:00am Holy Communion: 3rd Sunday Morning Noontime Bible Study: Tuesday @ 12:00pm Prayer Meeting/Bible Study: Tuesday @7:00pm Theme: "Building On A Firm Foundation"
Service and Times Sunday Service: 10:00 AM Sunday School for all ages: 8:30 AM 1st Sunday Baptism: 10:00 AM 2nd Sunday Holy Communion:10:00 AM Tuesday: Bible Study: 6:30 PM Prayer Meeting: 7:45 PM
Email: revprbstmbc@gmail.com Website: www.stmatthewsbaptist.org
Motto: “Where God is First and Where Friendly People Worship”
“Real Worship for Real People” Website: www.easterncommunity.org Email: ecc@easterncommunity.org
“A Church Where Love Is Essential and Praise is Intentional”
Foggy Bottom - Founded in 1867 728 23rd Street, NW - Washington, DC 20037 Church office: 202-333-3985 - Fax : 202-338-4958
Shiloh Baptist Church
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 “
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
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
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
Rev. Dr. George C. Gilbert Senior Pastor
Email Address: admin@pbc712.org
Historic St. Mary’s Episcopal Church The Rev. E. Bernard Anderson Priest
Holy Trinity United Baptist Church
Florida Avenue Baptist Church
Reverend Christopher L. Nichols Pastor
Rev. Dr. Jerryl V. Moody Pastor-Elect
Web: www.mountmoriahchurch.org Email: mtmoriah@mountmoriahchurch.org
St. Matthews Baptist Church
Emmanuel Baptist Church
King Emmanuel Baptist Church
WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM / THE WASHINGTON INFORMER
Service and Times Sunday School for All Ages: 8:00 AM Sunday Worship Services: 9:30 AM Midday Prayer & Bible Study: Wednesday 11:30AM Evening Prayer & Bible Study: Wednesday 7:00 PM Laymen's League: Thursday 7:00 PM Email: Froffice@firstrising.org Website: www.firstrising.org “Changing Lives On Purpose “
Email:mthoreb@mthoreb.org Website:www.mthoreb.org For further information, please contact me at (202) 529-3180.
AUGUST 5 - 11, 2021 45
LEGAL NOTICES
LEGAL NOTICES
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2019 ADM 001388
2020 ADM 000900
Darrell Chatmon aka Darrell Maurice Chatmon aka Darrell M. Chatmon Decedent
Leroy Austin Smith Decedent
Aimee D. Griffin, Esq. 5335 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, Suite 440 Washington, DC 20015 Attorney
Richard Tappan 8300 Boone Blvd. Vienna, VA 22182 Attorney
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
Monica McEaddy and Eric F. Chatmon, whose addresses are 10009 Huxley Dr., Lanham, MD 20706 & 10501 Foxlake Dr. Mitchellville, MD 20721, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Darrell Chatmon aka Darrell Maurice Chatmon aka Darrell M. Chatmon who died on November 8, 2019 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 1/22/2022. 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 1/22/2022, 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.
Carol A. Smith, whose address is 7015 Storch Lane, Lanham, MD 20706, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Leroy Austin Smith who died on November 2, 2019 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 1/22/2022. 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 1/22/2022, 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: July 22, 2021
Carol A. Smith Personal Representative
Monica McEaddy Eric F. Chatmon Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills
Date of first publication: 7/22/2021
TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills
LEGAL NOTICES In God We Trust. Declaration of Nationality. Notice of White Flag Surrender. Notice of Special Appearance : I am that I am: " Zechariah Edward Dolphin El© ", in full life, in propria persona, sui juris, in solo proprio, Haqdar by natural issue, the beneficiary and heir of: " DOLPHIN EL, ZECHARIAH EDWARD© ", corp. sole Dba.: " ZECHARIAH EDWARD DOLPHIN EL© ", & "DOLPHIN, ZECHARIAH EDWARD©", corp. sole Dba: "ZECHARIAH EDWARD DOLPHIN©", 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: " Zechariah Edward Dolphin El© ", from this day forward, in harmony with my Nationality / Status / Jurisdiction, shall be known as: " zechariah edward dolphin el© ". 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: : State File Number 1200119129309, " ZECHARIAH EDWARD DOLPHIN© ", is as a special deposit order conveyed to " Creative Fate 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: " zechariah edward dolphin el© ", nom deguerre: " Zechariah Edward Dolphin El© ", as a special deposit order in lawful money. This special deposit is to be used exclusively for the benefit of : " Creative Fate 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. Notice of Reference : 0112358-13
Washington Informer
Washington Informer
In God We Trust. Declaration of Nationality. Notice of White Flag Surrender. Notice of Special Appearance : I am that I am:" Melshonda Patrice Buchanan© ", in full life, in propria persona, sui juris, in solo proprio, Haqdar by natural issue, the beneficiary and heir of: " BUCHANAN, MELSHONDA PATRICE© ", corp.sole Dba.: " MELSHONDA PATRICE BUCHANAN© ", having reached the age of majority, being duly certified, hereby affirms to declare my tribal intention to be as my pedigree subscribes, as an: Moorish American National, but not a citizen of the United States. I declare permanent, and unalienable, allegiance to the united States of America, The Lieber Code, Hague Conventions of 1899 & 1907, The Geneva Conventions, and all natural laws governing moors, We the People, and hereby declare and proclaim my nationality in good faith as a: " Moorish American ". I am that I am: " Melshonda Patrice Buchanan© ", from this day forward, in harmony with my Nationality / Status / Jurisdiction, shall be known as: " melshonda buchanan© ". Notice of White Flag Surrender: as " hors de combat ", pursuant to The Geneva Conventions, Article III, as a minister of Ahayah's covenant: Law of the People, 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: " State File Number 1091983-086812 ", " MELSHONDA PATRICE BUCHANAN© ", is as a special deposit order conveyed to " Melshonda-Patrice:Mangham 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: " melshonda buchanan© ", nom deguerre: " Melshonda Patrice Buchanan© ", as a special deposit order in lawful money. This special deposit is to be used exclusively for the benefit of : " Melshonda-Patrice:Mangham 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
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
2021 FEP 000070
2021 ADM 000773
7/18/2020 Date of Death
Darrell Cook aka Darrell Donnel Cook
Emmanuel Chizobam Obasiolu Name of Decedent
NOTICE OF STANDARD PROBATE
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS Yu Wang, whose address is 9032 Moving Water Ln., Columbia, MD 21046 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Emmanuel Chizobam Obasiolu, deceased, by the Orphans Court for Howard County, State of Maryland, on September 2, 2020. Service of process may be made upon Branden Nettles, 1202 Euclid Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20009 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. 1202 Euclid Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009. 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.
Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
Estate of
Notice is hereby given that a petition has been filed in this
Court by Lula Blackwell-Burrus 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.
Order any interested person to show cause why the provisions of the lost or destroyed will dated November 13, 2019 should not be admitted to probate as expressed in the petition
CL ASSIFIEDS
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Petitioner/Attorney:
Yu Wang Personal Representative
TRUE TEST COPY
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills
Register of Wills
Nicole Stevens
Washington Informer
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SURGE from Page 9 that vaccinations would be required for federal employees. Over the last year, middle schoolers have counted among the lowest proportion of school-aged youth who’ve tested positive for the coronavirus. Among members of this group and high school freshmen and sophomores, DC Health has reported the lowest vaccination rates. In July, data released by the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education revealed that less than 10 percent of youths between 12 and 15 who live east of the Anacostia River have been at least partially vaccinated, compared to 60 percent of their counterparts in Wards 1 and 2. Torre Joyner, a Ward 8 parent, said she’s taking a wait-and-see approach when it comes to her and her son getting the vaccine. Joyner’s son, a DCPS eighth grader, has a heart murmur and suffers from asthma. Out of concern about how her son would react to the vaccine, Joyner decided against his getting vaccinated after consulting with doctors earlier this year. Her focus has instead shifted to ensuring that her son’s school has the proper safety protocols in place for students, regardless of their vaccination status. However, as Joyner told The Informer, school administrators have not communicated their COVID-related safety plans to parents. “If they can explain to me what’s in the shot, it would help me,” Joyner said. “I’m just trying to understand and do more research. You can still get COVID-19 even after being vaccinated. Everybody’s taking the vaccine at their own risk.”
TAKING PROPER PRECAUTIONS NO MATTER WHAT
Local parent and DCPS teacher Patricia Stamper said she will spend the rest of the summer helping families prepare for the upcoming school year. She unveiled plans currently in the works for a school supply drive she’s leading in collaboration with Ward 7 State Board of Education Representative Eboni-Rose Thompson. Stamper, however, remains skeptical about whether schools
are prepared to receive students, even with guidance from OSSE and DC Health. Her concern stems from city officials taking a lackadaisical approach to combating COVID-19 over the last few months. In her eyes, it has created inequities in preparation across the various schools and school systems. She also blamed the political climate for fueling ambivalence and resistance to the COVID-19 vaccine. While she doesn’t endorse a vaccine mandate for students who are of age, Stamper argued that had messaging about the dangers of COVID-19 been more consistent this summer, people would have been more comfortable with getting the shot. In response to the rise in cases, Stamper has been more thoughtful about where she’s taking her children -- a practice she’ll continue once school reconvenes. “I’m going to make sure the students wear their masks,” she said. “I’m constantly washing my hands, keeping my classroom clean and making sure I have disposable items in my room.” “My fear is that my son, who will be transitioning from daycare, won’t be able to start school [after his birthday] because of this variant,” she added. WI @SamPKCollins
KLAN from Page 16 it Brennan Center noted that the Justice Department has been delinquent in gathering data about overtly racist police conduct. The lack of a federal database that tracks this type of misconduct or membership in white supremacist or far-right militant groups makes discovering evidence of intent more difficult. The FBI only began collecting data on law enforcement use of force in 2018 after Black Lives Matter and other police accountability groups pushed for more federal oversight of police violence against people of color. The Brennan report also revealed that “since 2000, law enforcement officials with alleged connections to white supremacist groups or far-right militant activities have been exposed in Alabama, California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and elsewhere.” The continued presence of even a small number of far-right militants, white supremacists and other overt racists in law enforcement has a voluminous impact on public safety and public trust in the criminal justice system, the report’s authors wrote. They concluded that the Department of Justice should establish clear policies regarding participation in white supremacist organizations and
other far-right militant groups and on overt and explicit expressions of racism — with specificity regarding tattoos, patches and insignia as well as social media postings. “These policies should be properly vetted by legal counsel to ensure compliance with constitutional rights, state and local laws and collective bargaining agreements, and they must be clearly explained to staff,” the researchers determined. They concluded that a diverse workforce would help because it would reflect the demographic makeup of the communities the agency serves. Law enforcement leaders should also establish mitigation plans when detecting bias officers, including referrals to internal affairs, local prosecutors, or the DOJ for investigation and prosecution. Further, the researchers suggested establishing reporting mechanisms to ensure evidence of overtly racist behavior, the employment of Brady lists or similar reporting mechanisms and encourage whistleblowing and protect whistleblowers. “I have heard from correctional officers, inmates and families about how deep this problem goes,” Hart said. “There are officers who are part of gangs and white supremacy groups with positions of leadership within prisons around the state. So, unfortunately, I can’t say that I am surprised by this reporting.” WI @StacyBrownMedia
CHILDREN from Page 1 On the evening of July 27, Karon participated in a rally that brought community members, once again, in front of Mart Liquor. Nearly two weeks prior, six-yearold Nyiah Courtney lost her life near Mart Liquor when a gunman riding in a car along Malcolm X Boulevard opened fire on a crowd. In the days and weeks after Nyiah’s death, community members, young and old, have gathered on that corner to speak out against the string of violent deaths that have gripped their community. For Kiron, overcoming the conditions of his neighborhood has become an exercise in avoiding the wrong places. “This happens to young people because we’re hanging outside and get caught up in the midst of gunfire,” he said. “I simply stay home, go to school and play football. I won’t be anywhere in the streets unless I’m helping out my community. I don’t feel safe.”
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5 Kiron Andrews holding a photo of the late Karon Brown. (Anthony Tilghman/ The Washington Informer)
DEALING WITH THE AFTERMATH OF A GUN-RELATED DEATH
The Metropolitan Police Depart-
ment [MPD] recently announced the arrest of Marktwan Hargraves for his alleged involvement in the shooting death of Nyiah.
CHILDREN Page 48 AUGUST 5 - 11, 2021 47
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CHILDREN from Page 47 According to court documents, Hargraves, a 22-year-old Waldorf, Md. resident, expressed remorse for taking part in the July 16 shooting. An ongoing investigation revealed that Nyiah’s father may have been the intended target. Several days after Nyiah’s death, a bevy of young people, parents, teachers, coaches and other community members converged on the football field of Stanton Elementary School in Southeast for “Karon Brown Day.” The second annual gathering provided an opportunity to spread messages of peace and reflect on the impact of Karon’s life. It also compelled many of the young people in attendance to burst into tears, not only for their friend but for other young people who’ve lost their lives to violence. As of July 28, the Police Department has recorded 112 homicides in 2021, an increase of 4 percent over the total recorded at the same time last year. People under the age of 24 have counted among a significant portion of casualties during a period of pandemic-related anxiety, job loss, socioeconomic inequity and animosity toward law enforcement. Research suggests that exposure to gun violence, both in one’s immediate surroundings and through the media, can create chemical imbalances within the brain and body which often cause obesity, heart disease, diabetes and mental health disorders. Trauma also manifests itself in children through increased thoughts and discussion about death, avoiding extracurricular activities and difficulty separating from parents. Therapist Tiffani Boykin said she encounters young people who have mentally and emotionally struggled after witnessing and experiencing violent police encounters, armed robberies, murders and other traumatic situations in their neighborhood. Through her private practice, Human Revolutions, Boykin often hears firsthand accounts of events and circumstances that compel her young clients to commit violent acts and abuse mind-altering substances. She told The Informer that breaking ground with a client requires her to see their humanity and potential to heal before addressing the root causes of their pain and exposing them to alternative methods of self-expression. “I help young people go within to find their strengths and gifts. When we start, they often don’t know,” Boykin said. “Some of them have a sense that they’re here to do something in the community or make a lot of mon-
5 The late King Douglas. (Courtesy photo)
ey in business. I try to connect everything to going back within and finding a sense of resilience and life purpose. It’s an ability to be able to transcend the challenges you’ve experienced from your environment,” she said. In neighboring Prince George’s County, Md., Xavier McKnight said he’s working with his mother and other family members to find some semblance of peace. However, months after his younger brother’s murder, McKnight has struggled to process the events that took place just hours before his 18th birthday. On the night of April 17, a 12-year-old boy shot and killed McKnight’s younger brother King Douglas, and stabbed another person, near Dave & Busters in Capitol Heights, Md. Days earlier, the family had returned from a Miami vacation. On the evening of King’s murder, the brothers said goodbye to one another before going along their separate paths to spend time with friends. Hours later, McKnight, who was with his cousin, heard about the melee through word of mouth. Shortly after, his grandmother confirmed King as the casualty, much to his dismay. Though feelings of anger and confusion have subsided, McKnight has since become more cognizant about where he goes and who he’s around. “The shootings and killings of kids is really out of control. I don’t think it’s going to stop anytime soon,” McKnight, an Upper Marlboro, Md. resident, told The Informer. “It would be nice if it did so people could go outside and do everyday
things without worrying about being killed. I don't go to certain places because I know I might see certain people,” he said.
LIVING LIFE FOR THOSE DEAD AND GONE
For many youths, the sudden and unexpected death of a friend brings to mind dreams that will never come to fruition. Jamal Gomez said when he plays football at Ridge Road Recreation Center, he does so with memories of his friend Davon McNeal in the back of his mind. Davon,11, lost his life last year on July 4 during the closing hours of an anti-violence cookout. As the event at Cedar Gardens, organized by Davon’s mother, came to a close, five men engaged in a shootout near the park. One of the bullets fatally struck Davon who had just completed his first year at Kramer Middle School. As Jamal recounted to The Informer, he spoke with Davon a couple of days before his death about possibly joining him as a member of the Metro Bengals. He said he wanted nothing more than to play next to his friend. “Davon’s future goal was to be in the NFL,” said Jamal, 12, a wide receiver for the Ridge Road Titans. “He was a good person,” Jamal said. “When I was in a bad mood, Davon would crack a joke and try to get me in good spirits. I suggest that people deal with loss with motivation and accomplish everything for their missing folks. I want to go to the NFL for my friend.” WI
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RAMMY from Page 36
MALVEAUX from Page 28
cept.” Two District, Black-owned favorites, Ben’s Chili Bowl and The Park at 14th, were nominated in the category “Outstanding Covid-Safe Redesign (Indoors or Outdoors).” Also recognized are managers and restaurant employees. A category was established to recognize restaurant efforts to feed communities, support hospitality workers and appreciate frontline workers. A 2021 Honorary Milestone RAMMY Award has been announced to restaurants who have served patrons for decades in the District area. Those establishments are Glory Days Grill (25 years), La Chaumiere (45 years), Peacock Cafe (30 years), Pizzeria Paradiso (30 years) and Ristorante Piccolo (35 years).
second quarter of this year was a high 6.5 percent. That might suggest that relief is not needed for people at the bottom. Robust economic growth, though, has shown the uneven nature of economic recovery. Unemployment rates have dropped, but faster for whites than for Black and brown people. People are working, and wages have increased some, but the federal minimum wage is as low as it has been for the past decade, and there are no signs that
RESTAURANT MASK MANDATES
The announcement of the RAMMYS heralding the survival of restaurants came a few days before the District of Columbia and Maryland announced reinstating the wearing of masks inside establishments. The policy states inside of restaurants masks can be removed for eating. Some food service businesses including bars, are adding their own safety measures such as showing a vaccination card. Chef Peter Prime weighed in on the reinstatement of mask-wearing mandates. Chef Prime and his sister Jeanne Prime own Cane, a Trinidadian cuisine restaurant in the District that won the RAMMY in 2020 for “New Restaurant of the Year” covering the 2019 year. “As restaurant owners and concerned citizens, we are supportive of the new mask mandate. It’s imperative that we take all measures to keep our staff, guests and community at-large safe,” said Chef Prime who with his sister opens a new restaurant St. James, in a few weeks. “Given everything we are learning about the Delta variant, it seems like the right thing to do. While difficult for our industry, we see this as a necessary precaution that will help avoid further restrictions, which can be more detrimental in the long run.” A complete list of nominees and information about RAMMYS public voting can be found on the RAMMYS website www.therammys.org WI
EDELMAN from Page 28 ment around. He knew he had to break the paralysis of fear among would-be voters and let Mississippi and the world know he would not turn back until Black citizens could vote. As patient as Job and determined to keep hope alive among his fractious and often unpaid band of SNCC workers, his quiet but steely will kept them and me carrying on and pushing on the heavy door to open Mississippi's closed society. He knew how hard and how important it was and how much time it would take to build the trust of local citizens who too seldom had seen leaders who stuck by them when times got rough. He devised the 1964 Mississippi Freedom Summer and helped recruit hundreds of idealistic white college students to come into the state to bring visibility to the constant denial of human and civil rights of Mississippi's Black citizens. Sadly, often only when middle-class and privileged whites feel threatened does a movement reach critical mass and attract enough
MORIAL from Page 28 job — one he was not ready to vacate anytime soon. And not long after that, when I was offered the job as the Executive Director of the United Negro College Fund, I sought out his wise counsel. And he encouraged me to accept. So I moved to Manhattan, into the office just below his, and soon he became my greatest advisor and ally in this city, showing me the way forward as only he could. I learned so much from him. His loss was tragic, and his impact was tremendous.
it will rise soon. While cobbling together an infrastructure bill, Congress is still struggling to pass a budget bill that includes increasing the federal minimum wage. These are challenges that must be dealt with in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, however, a simple piece of legislation to extend the eviction moratorium until the end of the year could provide relief for millions. Few members of Congress have had the experience that Congresswoman Cori Bush has. Certainly, some have experienced poverty,
public assistance, and even public housing. But I'm not aware of another, besides Bush, who has had to sleep in her car with her babies. If others have had such experiences, they've not spoken of them because, in our individualistic economy, poverty is an embarrassment, a personal failure. But poverty is not personal; it's political. Or predatory capitalistic system was designed to generate poverty and inequality. It was designed to create a housing shortage that pushes rents up and people out. It was intended to trigger gen-
trification that has transformed many "'hoods" into hot spots. Predatory capitalism was not designed to allow people to thrive. Cori Bush has gone from being unhoused to working in the House of Representatives. She has not forgotten the days she slept in her car. How can her colleagues forget the millions at risk, running home instead of taking care of the business they were elected to handle? She is a warrior for justice, a courageous champion. She is, indeed, my hero! WI
media attention to mobilize public opinion. I saw and shared his wrenching soul-searching at Western College for Women in Oxford, Ohio, when the horrible news of James Chaney's, Andrew Goodman's and Mickey Schwerner's disappearance swept through training sessions designed to prepare the white college students for Mississippi's realities. I saw this leader shoulder the burden of life and death consequences not just for himself but, at that moment, for so many others. I felt him struggle to determine what price others could be asked to pay to uphold one's ideals. Bob Moses led us through the very difficult Mississippi Freedom Summer and through a mock election in which 80,000 Black citizens showed they wanted the right to vote denied them by Mississippi's Jim Crow Democratic Party. He led us to Atlantic City, where the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (MFDP) unsuccessfully sought to persuade the Credentials Committee at the Democratic National Convention to unseat the racist Mississippi Party regulars.
Eventually, Bob, human and not saint after all, was worn out from the cumulative struggles to register Black voters and the white violence it provoked, from the MFDP defeat in Atlantic City, and by the willingness of civil rights allies to compromise on what he, Mrs. Fannie Lou Hamer and the majority of the MFDP delegation thought was a matter of principle and right. I watched with profound sadness this wonderful man leave Mississippi burnt out and temporarily disillusioned about interracial coalition building. Soon afterwards, my deeply loved and admired friend went off to Tanzania via Canada to regroup, renew and wait out the Vietnam War. When he came back to the United States, he resumed his philosophy studies at Harvard and then returned to his calling as a teacher when he founded the Algebra Project to help Black and poor children get onto the college track. As Bob explained in his book "Radical Equations: Math Literacy and Civil Rights," he believed the struggle for math literacy is connected to the struggle for voting rights and math
literacy for all children is a key step in the ongoing fight for equal citizenship. The Algebra Project's ongoing mission is to use math literacy as an organizing tool to guarantee quality public school education for all children in the United States of America. Our own CDF Freedom Schools program is also rooted in the model of empowerment on which he helped organize the 1960s Freedom Schools during Freedom Summer and are still driven by that same understanding that education and civic participation must function hand-in-hand. The Algebra Project's success in hundreds of classrooms over nearly forty years is now Bob's living legacy. I bristle when I hear careless know-nothing media and political pundits and self-righteous ideologues excoriate the 1960s as a time of undisciplined behavior. Not my Sixties. Not Bob Moses' Sixties. Bob Moses was a principled, fiercely committed, and deeply disciplined leader and role model whose quiet and determined strength inspired everyone around him. He will be dearly missed. WI
Of course, his impact was not limited to me alone. In his near-decade of leadership, he transformed the Urban League and had a profound impact. He was the original "Visionary" for this institution — imagining what it would be and could become for Black people in this country. And he pushed that vision closer to reality. He also was an original "Warrior," a soldier in the army for civil rights … alongside so many whom we still celebrate and others we have nearly forgotten. And he set the standard for what it means to combine the two — to be a "voice for the voiceless," and to fight tirelessly to-
wards a vision of equality. Indeed, 48 years ago, almost to the day, at my first Equal Opportunity Day Dinner, as the designated Executive Director, I reflected on the incredible impact of Whitney Young. And I will say tonight what I said then, because it remains true, almost half a century later: "Whitney has left us the instrumentality for change, an agency with a proven record of effectiveness, a vehicle with the blueprint for getting the job done. Thus, we have a charge to keep, a constituency to serve, a people to lead." I am grateful to John and Hugh and Marc for being such stewards of
the Urban League of this living legacy of Whitney Young. And today, its work would not be more vital — for families and communities across the country. We still have our charge to keep, our constituency to serve, our people to lead. And we must continue to live by Whitney's example. So, before I go, perhaps even more than this award, I want to thank Whitney for the honor of a lifetime — the best job I've ever had. It has been an honor to be a soldier in Whitney's army, a warrior for a vision we must all keep fighting for. Thank you. WI
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50 AUGUST 5 - 11, 2021
of money he made for playing a game. His placing principles over dollars was inconsistent with the mindset of those who criticized him. Prospering silently while others suffer under the oppression of systemic racism was not in Colin’s "playbook." His critics could only focus on money, but his principles caused him to focus on the injustice occurring daily in his community. And who can forget Fox Me-
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for support for the outreach effort from beginning until end. The community came together. This is what it will take. We should all be prepared to move beyond the rally and fear (of being canceled) and meet people where they are. Like most urban spaces Southeast D.C. is a collection of neighborhoods, communities and cuts. Every so often there are tragedies and twists that bring us together and remind us what the words “neighbor” and “community” really mean. The statement made at the rally is as old as time itself. We are supposed to protect children and support our elders. This is the essence of the African tradition that brought us this far in the American story. I take back my statement about young Sister Nyiah not being rec-
ASKIA from Page 29 ela and Bolivia are resisting the "Norte Americanos" (read: white Americans). The United States doesn't believe in cordial relations with other nations, other nationalities, unless this country is always held in the superior position. So-called Cuba "experts" insist that in order to restore engagement with Cuba, there needs to be some gesture or olive branch from the Cuban government (the victim), toward the United States (the aggressor). But Cuba has more than enough with which to respond to the wicked aggressors. The tiny nation of 11 million sent soldiers to Africa which were indispensable in the liberation of Southern Africa from European colonialism. Unlike the rich nations which have hoarded
dia personality (not newscaster) Laura Ingraham telling LeBron James to "shut up and dribble." I have always believed that telling someone to "shut up" was among the greatest insults one could give another human being. It is tantamount to telling someone he or she is worthless. It is unacceptable to think that LeBron would sit in silence while the so-called leader of the free world practiced the vilest racism. At the peril of their careers and
lifestyles, Muhammad Ali, Arthur Ashe, Jim Brown, John Carlos, Tommie Smith and others have ignored the demand for them to "shut up and perform" or "go along to get along." Each of them demonstrated their steadfast belief in a purpose higher than just existing as well-paid but muted entertainers. They, and we, are more than performers. Like the spirit of the Olympiad, we will exercise our right to express the full measure of our talents. WI
I take back my statement about young Sister Nyiah not being recognized in life as she will be in death. Because of the many influencers from neglected corners of the world we have no idea of the impact she may have had. ognized in life as she will be in death. Because of the many influencers from neglected corners of the world we have no idea of the impact she may have had. The
only difference between Sister Nyiah and voices like Sister Souljah is the chance of life. Rest in paradise Sister Nyiah. You are a seed. WI
their coronavirus vaccines, the Cubans have generously exported the Cuban Soberana 2 vaccine with its 91.2 percent efficacy to poor people around the world, even as the U.S. threatens needy recipients for even accepting needed charity from Cuba. Whatever imperfections may afflict Cuba, it is all made worse by meddling, boycotting and sanctioning the resourceful Cuban people with punishment because they refuse to be a footstool for their Big, Bad Neighbor to the North. Diplomatically, when it comes to Cuba, the world community, including this country's principal allies, side with Cuba against the U.S. Despite recent unrest there, most governments in the world, including virtually all major U.S. partners, have long opposed the half-century-old U.S. economic embargo against Cuba as a major
impediment to both improving the well-being of its citizens and changing the trajectory of its government. While the head of the United Nations' human rights body criticized the recent uprising in Cuba, the U.N. General Assembly June 23 voted 184 to 2 — only the United States and Israel objected — for the 29th consecutive year that the lopsided tally has occurred.to demand an end to the U.S. economic blockade. I've been to that wonderful island. I've spent days walking around Havana searching for someplace that did not serve pork, so I really got to know that wonderful place well. For the time being, Cuba gets a bad rap, but I'm certain that won't be always. Cuba, si'! USA, no! WI
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