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Ulrich Fonou,PUBLISHER Ja’Mon Jackson, Shevry Lassiter, Roy Lewis, Jr., Robert R. Roberts, Denise Rolark Barnes STAFF Anthony Tilghman REPORTERS Brooke N. Garner Managing Editor Tia C. Jones, Ed Laiscell, Carla Peay Assistant Managing Editor Odell B. Ruffin, Larry Saxton, Ron Burke Advertising and Marketing Mary Wells, Joseph Young Mable Whittaker Bookkeeper LaNita Wrenn Administration PHOTOGRAPHERS John E. DeFreitas Sports Editor Lafayette Barnes, IV, Victor Holt Photo Editor John E. De Freitas, Maurice Fitzgerald, Zebra Designs, Inc. Layout & Graphic Design Joanne Jackson, Roy Lewis, Robert 4 - DECEMBER 3 - 9, 2020 Ken Harris /www.scsworks.com Webmaster Ridley, Victor Holt CIRCULATION Paul Trantham Women Break the Cycle of Domestic Violence wi hot topics COMPILED BY WI STAFF WRITERS DORORTHY ROWLEY, JAMES WRIGHT AND WI EDITOR D. KEVIN MCNEIR Bowser’s FY21 Green Book D.C. Council Approves By Tia Carol Jones law enforcement. She said they threat,” she said.Boasts $917 M Spending Revised Incarceration WI Staff Writer had come together to bring a sense of uniformity in the way Among the programs Marlow wants to see implemented areGoal for Small Businesses Reduction Amendment Act When L.Y. Marlow's 23-yearold daughter told her the father of her daughter threatened her life, and the life of their child, she knew something had to be done. Out of her frustration with law enforcement's handling of the situation, she decided to domestic violence victims and survivors are treated. “She's using her own personal story, her own personal pain to push forward,” Davis-Nickens said about Marlow. Davis-Nickens said anyone who reads Marlow's book will stricter restraining order policies, more rights for victim's families to intervene on behalf of a victim, a domestic violence assessment unit coupled with further training for law enforcement agencies, a Child's Life Protection Act and mandatory counsel3 D.C. Councilmember Charles Allen serves as the chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety. (WI file photo)start the Saving Promise cam- “get it.” She said she “puts the ing for batterers. paign. case in such a way, the average “If we are ever going to eradiThe D.C. Council passed an adjusted Incarceration “It seems to be a vicious cycle that won't turn my family loose,” Marlow said. Marlow shared her story with the audience at the District Heights Domestic Violence Symposium on May 7 at the District Heights Municipal Center. The symposium was sponsored by the Family and Youth Services Center of the city of District Heights and the National HookUp of Black Women. Marlow has written a book, “Color Me Butterfly,” which is a story about four generations of domestic violence. The book is inspired by her own experiences, and those of her grandmother, her mother and her daughter. She said every time she reads excerpts from her book, she still can not believe the words came from her. “Color Me Butterfly” person can get it.” She said at the end of the day, the book will help people begin to have a dialogue about domestic violence. Also present at the event was Mildred Muhammad, the exwife of John Allen Muhammad, who was sentenced to six consecutive life terms without parole by a Maryland jury for his role in the Beltway Sniper attacks in 2002. Mildred Muhammad is the founder of After the Trauma, an organization that helps the survivors of domestic violence and their children. “I lived in fear for six years. Six years in fear is a long time. It is not an easy thing to come out of,” she said. Mildred Muhammad said people who want to help a domestic violence victim must be careful of how they go into cate domestic violence, we must look at both sides of the coin. We need to address both the victim and the batterer,” Marlow said. Marlow would also like to see programs designed to raise awareness among children in public and private schools. She feels children need to be educated about domestic violence. “We have to stop being passive-aggressive with poor children about domestic violence,” Marlow said. Marlow has worked to break the cycle of abuse in her family, and is confident the policies she is pushing for will start that process. “I plan to take these policies to Congress and implore them to change our laws,” Marlow said. “I will not stop until these poliD.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser recently released the “Small Business Enterprises Opportunity Guide for Fiscal Year 2021,” also known as the “Green Book,” which provides a comprehensive look at the spending goals for District agencies and outlines resources to increase access to procurement opportunities, according to a Nov. 23 press release. The Green Book release includes a goal of $917 million for FY21 to be spent on SBEs. In Fiscal Year 2020, the Bowser Administration committed to spend $910 million with SBEs, and exceeded that goal by spending more than $976 million. “Small businesses are the backbone and driving force behind our local economy. When they succeed, so do our neighborhoods and residents,” Bowser said in the release. “This year’s Green Book is about giving our small businesses a fair shot by investing in them through the procurement process. And, each year, we’ve increased our spending goal so we can enhance equity and create even more economic opportunities for our entrepreneurs. We will continue to support our small business community, no matter the economic climate.” Reduction Amendment Act [IRAA], first introduced in 2019, during the Dec. 1 legislative meeting by unanimous vote on its first reading. However, not before rejecting two amendments by D.C. Councilmember Mary Cheh (D-Ward 3). D.C. Councilmember Charles Allen (D-Ward 6), who chairs the Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, sponsored the revised IRAA in which convicted felons who committed a violent crime prior to the age of 25 would have the opportunity to petition a court for early release after being incarcerated for 15 years. Supporters of the Allen bill argue that offenders who committed crimes in their youth but have rehabilitated themselves should have the chance for a reduced sentence. Opponents of Allen’s legislation, which include the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia and the D.C. Metropolitan Police, say it would provide early release for violent offenders. Cheh’s amendments would have mandated that judges give “substantial weight” to victims or the victims’ families when considering a sentence reduction and the nature of the offenses should be considered before an adjustment in punishment takes place. Allen rejected both won the 2007 National “Best the victim's life, and understand cies are passed.” of Cheh’s amendments saying the victims or their famiBooks” Award. “I was just 16-years-old when that she may be in “survival mode”. Tia Carol Jones can be reached at tiacaroljones@sbcglobal.net lies have a voice during sentencing and judges routinely consider the nature of the offense when considering Comcast: Consumers “We have to stop being passive-aggressive with poor children about domestic violence. I plan to take these my eye first blackened and my lips bled,” Marlow said. Elaine Davis-Nickens, president of the National Hook-Up of Black Women, said there is no consistency in the way domestic violence issues are dealt with by “Before you get to 'I'm going to kill you,' it started as a verbal WI changing an inmate’s length of sentence. Both Cheh’s amendments failed, 11-2, with only D.C. Councilmember Brandon Todd (D-Ward 4) supporting her changes. The council will vote on the act for second reading on Dec. 15. If approved, it would then go to them mayor for her approval or veto. Internet users in the U.S. vastly underestimate how often their home networks are targeted by cyber threats. That’s one of the key findings of the first ever Xfinity Cyber Health Report, which combines data from Underestimate How Often Home Networks are Targeted by Cyber Threats malicious threats targeting their home networks and the devices connected to them. “The cyber threats facing even the most lightly connected homes have grown so numerous and so complex, that ordinary people can barely keep track, much less protect themselves,” said Noopur Davis, chief product and information policies to Congress anda new consumer survey with actual threat data collected security officer, Comcast. “That’s why it’s essential that we provide people with smart, powerful tools, like xFi Advanced by the xFi Advanced Secu- Security, that can spot and stop threats before they ever make
THE WASHINGTON INFORMER / WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM“ implore them to change our laws. I will not stop until these policies are passed. L.Y. Marlow rity platform. Since January, xFi Advanced Security has blocked nearly six billion cybersecurity threats – representing an average of about 104 cybersecurity threats per home per month – protecting Xfinity Internet consumers from it inside the home.” Comcast suggests the following tips on easy ways to keep your home safe: use multifactor authentication; enable auto updates on devices; think before you click on that link; broadband connection security; strong passwords.
Bill Cosby’s Attorney Appears to Score Points in Supreme Court Argument
Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer @StacyBrownMedia
Comedian Bill Cosby and his supporters expressed confidence after his lawyer presented oral arguments to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court on Tuesday, December 1.
Attorney Jennifer Bonjean appeared to score multiple points with the seven justices.
She skillfully pointed out that Cosby had agreed to waive his Fifth Amendment rights to sit for a civil deposition that former Montgomery County District Attorney Bruce Castor promised would never be used against the entertainer.
However, Castor’s successor. Kevin Steele, ignored the agreement and prosecuted Cosby using the deposition.
“If the prosecutor’s word is not his bond, what is the lesson that emerges beyond this case?” Justice Max Baer asked, seemingly concurring with Bonjean’s argument.
The high court also wanted prosecutors to answer the implications for thousands of other deals made by prosecutors if the justices ruled against Cosby.
The justices appeared frustrated with prosecutor Adrian Jappe who rambled for more than 25 minutes about how the trial court was correct in allowing the testimony of five women who said Cosby drugged and/or sexually assaulted them decades ago.
Several of the justices pointed out that at least one of the women never claimed to have been sexually assaulted.
None appeared to have enjoyed the same kind of relationship Cosby allegedly had with Andrea Constand, the victim in the trial court case.
“Why did you need prior bad acts testimony at all?” Justice Saylor asked prosecutors during the hearing, questioning the strength of the District Attorney’s case against Cosby.
“It was a good day,” Cosby spokesman Andrew Wyatt told Black Press USA during a livestream interview that took place at the same time as the court hearing.
The Black Press and The Washington Informer streamed the court proceedings as Wyatt participated in the exclusive interview.
“I thought Attorney Bonjean did a phenomenal job. This is what Mr. Cosby had been hoping for,” noted Wyatt who shared a text message from Cosby’s wife, Camille Cosby, during the broadcast.
“Mrs. Cosby said, ‘finally, finally, finally, at last, now we must move onward to vindication.’”
A spokesperson for the court said the justices usually average about 150 days before issuing a decision but one could come sooner.
“I do feel that this is vindication for Bill Cosby,” Wyatt said.
Following the proceedings, Bill Cosby released a statement through Wyatt.
“This morning, people around the world witnessed a beautiful presentation by Attorney Jennifer Bonjean regarding two important issues: immunity and the misuse of a law called, 404 (b) or PBAs (Prior Bad Acts Witnesses),” Cosby offered.
“This was not just a historic day for me but it became a beacon of hope for those countless American citizens of the Keystone State in Pennsylvania Correctional Facilities whose constitutional rights might have been grossly abused because they lacked resources and means to fight prosecutorial corruption. I’m so happy because I hope and truly believe that justice will prevail.”
“Thank you to the Pennsylvania State Supreme Court for agreeing to hear and review my appeal; my wonderful wife, Camille; my family and friends; my millions of loyal supporters (social media and beyond); my legal team (Atty. Jennifer Bonjean, Atty. Barbara Zemlock and Atty. Brian Perry); Debbie Meister and Kia Soto; and my publicist and crisis manager, Andrew Wyatt,” Cosby said in a written statement.
WI
3 Attorney Jennifer Bonjean during a virtual interview with Dr. Benjamin Chavis, Jr., president and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA). (Courtesy photo/John Michael Reefer for NNPA)
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MBE/DBE Certi ed | Woman-Owned Business DEC. 3 1847 – Frederick Douglass starts The North Star, an anti-slavery newspaper.
DEC. 4 1906 – Alpha Phi Alpha, the first Black Greek Letter fraternity, is founded at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. 1909 – The New York Amsterdam News, a weekly African American newspaper, is founded by James H. Anderson. 1969 – Black Panthers Fred Hampton and Mark Clark are killed by Chicago police.
DEC. 5 1784 – Phyllis Wheatley, the first published African American female poet, dies in Boston at 31. 1931 – Singer James Cleveland, "The King of Gospel Music," is born in Chicago. 1932 – Music icon Little Richard is born in Macon, Georgia.
SAMMY DAVIS JR.
1935 – Mary McLeod
Bethune (right) founds National Council of Negro Women in New York City. 1957 – New York became the first city to legislate against racial or religious discrimination in the housing market with adoption of Fair Housing Practices Law.
DEC. 6 1932 – Richard B. Spikes patents the automatic gearshift. 1936 – Richard Francis Jones becomes first African American certified in urology. 1949 – Blues legend Huddie "Leadbelly" Ledbetter dies in New York City at 60. 1967 – Madame Lillian Evanti, famed African American opera singer, dies in Washington, D.C., at 77.
DEC. 7 1942 – Reginald Lewis, the first African American business owner to build a billion-dollar company, is born in Baltimore.
DEC. 8 1868 – Henry Hugh Proctor, a minister, author and lecturer who formed the basis for the Atlanta Music Festival, is born outside Fayetteville, Tenn. 1925 – Famed singer and entertainer Sammy Davis Jr. is born in New York City.
DEC. 9 1872 – Pinckney Benton Stewart Pinchhack becomes the governor of Louisiana, the first AfricanAmerican to serve as governor of a U. S. state. 1922 – Comic legend Redd Foxx (top) is born in St. Louis. 1972 – Ralph Bunche, the first African American to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, dies in New York City at 68. WI
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BY SARAFINA WRIGHT
In an historic first, President-elect Joe Biden has picked an all-female team to lead White House communications, including Symone Sanders and Karine Jean-Pierre, two African-American women. What are your thoughts?
CHIDINMA OKOLO /
WASHINGTON, D.C. An "all-female senior communications staff." Please, how is that diverse?
JOHN COMEAUX /
HOUSTON, TEXAS Anyone Biden picks is a step above from the Trump cult. Keep this in mind — there are no saints working in government, nobody's perfect, but they are way better than what we are dealing with today.
MUKTAR SHINKAFI /
WASHINGTON, D.C. Mr. Biden is a gentleman to the core. That is how America should be — a very diversified list that's a true representation of our country. Unlike the previous regime, I have yet to see any of Biden's family members appointed.
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The Best Thing about Christmas? The Music
Music was always prevalent in my home. My mother sang all the time – sometimes singing songs from her Top Ten list – a hodgepodge of gospel, R&B, Motown and tunes from the 40s and 50s that I never really liked.
And yes, she could sing, serving as a soloist in one of the choirs at our family’s place of worship, St. Andrews AME in Detroit. But the music which seemed to energize her, and by extension me, my sister and my dad, was Christmas carols.
Back in the day, long before there were things like early holiday shopping deals, Black Friday or Christmas advertisements which bombarded the public as early as late October and Halloween, my mom would begin to dust off the covers of her favorite Christmas albums and begin playing them during the week of Thanksgiving on our trusty record playing situated in the family dining room.
I can still hear the sounds of the scratch and hiss that the needle made as the album rotated on the turntable. In fact, while technology has since provided us with improved methods of ways to listen to music – from eight-tracks and cassettes to CDs, there’s been a recent resurgence of and demand for albums.
I can only imagine the money I could make today on e-Bay if I hadn’t sold my collection of LPs decades ago. Anyway, back to the music! Just like when I was a little boy anxiously waiting for Santa to arrive on December 25th, I still love the sounds of Christmas.
Johnny Mathis was the MAN and we had every Christmas album he ever released. Sometimes, while shopping in a mall or visiting someone’s office, you’d hear, ever so softly, Johnny’s voice serenading you with carols that have become fixtures for the season. Before there was “the voice,” there was Mathis.
And while I didn’t like Barbra Streisand as a child, I have since become a real fan. Prior to my mother’s death, while trying to make her laugh during a moment when she was feeling really badly, I acted out Streisand’s rendition of “Sleigh Ride,” followed by “My Favorite Things.” My good friend, Christopher, captured my antics on his phone. But he’s been warned not to share it.
Then, there was the Jackson 5. Michael and Jermaine took the lead on that album and every song was fantastic. I would bounce and jump and leap and twirl around the house, singing soprano while Mom took the alto line. That was a long time ago – now I’m a bona fide bass.
From “Up on the Housetop” to “Christmas Won’t Be the Same This Year,” to “Give Love on Christmas Day,” the Jackson 5 could do no wrong.
Later, I would add other more contemporary singers to my list.
Whitney Houston’s album,
“One Wish” remains my ultimate favorite. She was at the top of her game when the recording broke in 2003. Actually, I play it in March, July and September if I need a pick-me-up. And the couple of songs on which Houston was accompanied by her only daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown, are heartwarming.
I cannot overlook one of the classiest and most-talented sisters in the business, Fantasia. The last time we spoke, she actually called me to talk about a recent release. But, as I’m known to do, I asked her about her Christmas CD. Her singing, as the choir with whom I sang years ago at Big Bethel AME in Atlanta would say, was so
DOMINIC Page 23
Coronavirus Pushes Street Vendors to the Edge
Erica Johnson WI Contributor
With COVID-19 still claiming lives and jobs, there are few groups more vulnerable than street vendors. Last November, when 15-year-old unlicensed street vendor, Genesis Lemus, was hurt in a confrontation with police as she sold plantain chips and atole de elote, a sweet corn and milk dish, on a Columbia Heights sidewalk, the incident caught on video, went viral.
Several groups banded together, including Many Languages, One Voice, and Vendadores Unidos, to fight for change and to address the dilemma many vendors face from heavy-handed enforcement of city regulations by police.
In D.C., Councilmember Brianne Nadeau (Ward 1), who represents Columbia Heights, a primarily Black and LatinX community, along with six other council members introduced bill B23-0875 to decriminalize street vending without a license.
“Unlicensed vending is not a public safety issue and our response should not be to send armed police officers to enforce these regulations,” Nadeau said in a press release.
While this new bill will provide some reprieve, that’s only part of a more complex issue. “There are still varying community expectations when it comes to enforcement of street vending. We collaborate with our District government partners including the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) to ensure vendors are provided the opportunity to operate with a valid license”, said Alaina Gertz, Public Affairs Specialist, Office of Communication, Metropolitan Police Department.
However, the regulatory process to obtain or maintain a street vending permit can be cumbersome and pricey, with some costs exceeding $1,000.
For vendors like Michael Habtelesse known colloquially as Popcorn Mike, owner of L’efante Inc. to sell food in public places, pursuit of proper credentials means trip down a rabbit hole of agencies that include DCRA for licensing; D.C. Health Code for compliance and inspections; and the Department of Transportation (DDOT) for permitting, in which a sidewalk permit cost $1,200 for only two years.
Street vending is a $3.4 billion dollar industry in the U.S., according to IBISworld, a global industry research firm. But that figure doesn’t account for the millions of immigrants, undocumented workers, and others who can’t afford or are too scared to apply for licenses through regulatory agencies.
Street vending for many is the only way to provide for their families in areas that don’t offer other opportunities for advancement. Limitations on education, language and structural poverty restrict some street vendors from getting ahead.
In 2020, the challenges faced by vendors has trimmed their presence throughout the country, according to IBISWorld. The sharp decline is mainly attributed to the global pandemic and the lack of government resources available for street vendors, which included being ineligible to apply for the Paycheck Protection Program loans provided to small businesses earlier in the year.
While society often overlooks the importance of street vendors, D.C. has taken a novel approach by deputizing street vendors as community health ambassadors. Street vendors often work the same blocks to build relationships with their customers and they are one of the most effective modalities to provide communities with the right information.
5 Mike Habteselasse works his popcorn vending stand at 7th and D Streets in Southwest. (Shevry Lassiter/The Washington Informer)
During the pandemic, using street vendors as community health ambassadors was an effective strategy to get the word out about COVID-19. They speak the language and know the culture of the communities they serve making them trusted sources of reliable information. These clinics trained street vendors to teach their customers and communities about hygiene and methods to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus.
The importance of street vendors in D.C. pushed Councilmember Brianne Nadeau along with At-Large Councilmembers Elissa Silverman and Robert White to introduce another bill called the Sidewalk Vending Zones Amendment to help street vendors. This new legislation amends the Vending Regulations Act of 2009 to create designated zones where sidewalk vendors can legally operate.
In an effort to minimize interactions with police, this bill also provides amnesty for unpaid civil fines. The fines are retroactive for up to five years as an incentive for vendors to get a license or register with a vending zone manager.
With D.C. on the verge of inauguration and an expected flood of visitors and protesters, in addition to a daily surge of local customers, to Washington’s streets, the measure, if enacted, is likely to define the dimensions and the role of street vendors in the District.
One thing is certain, street vendors are an integral part of D.C. culture. WI
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Newsham’s Exit Fuels Talk of His Legacy and His Replacement
Assistant Chief Robert Contee Touted as a Successor
James Wright WI Staff Writer @JamesDCWrighter
The announcement by D.C. Police Chief Peter Newsham that he will be become the new leader of Prince William County, Va.’s police department next year has District leaders and residents talking about his departure and contributions and who will replace him permanently.
On Nov. 25, District residents learned of Newsham’s departure to the suburban county. D.C. Councilmember Anita Bonds (D-At Large), who sits on the Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety that oversees the police department, was among the first of the city leaders who have scrutinized him to react.
“Many will miss his service, as his career spans three decades, of which a portion was engaged in modernizing the department and rebuilding morale within the force following the decade-ago findings by the U.S. Justice Department of police brutality against the force,” Bonds said in a statement.
“In fact, when Chief Newsham followed Chief Cathy Lanier in the role, many assumed that robust community support would automatically follow this position. Many others remember with frustration his immediate tenure marred by the continuous escalation of gun activity, violence and countless murders plaguing neighborhoods and taking the lives of our youth. And so, for many he departs without broad confidence in his style of policing. I wish him the best.”
Ronald Hampton, a retired District police officer who serves as a member of the city’s police reform commission said Newsham’s departure didn’t surprise him.
“The life span of a D.C. police chief is three to five years,” he said. “Chief Newsham is [associated with] some good things, such as emphasizing racial understanding in the ranks. He has decided to move on.”
Kathy Henderson, a former Ward 5 advisory neighborhood commissioner who has twice been hailed by Newsham for her support of the police department’s efforts in the community, said she’s not happy about Newsham’s departure, hailing him as “an excellent law enforcement officer.”
“In doing his job he had the patience of Job. He had the ability to connect to the community in a variety of settings. He had the respect of the rank-and-file officers,” she said.
Retired D.C. police officer Lowell Duckett said Newsham knew the city and how it worked.
“Newsham understood the dynamics of the Black and white communities,” he said. “He worked well within the structure of the police department and in the political system.”
Newsham said he will start his new job on Feb. 1, 2021. In the meantime, Bowser said she plans to have an interim police chief in place “soon.” Hampton thinks Newsham’s replacement should be Robert Contee, the assistant chief of the investigative services bureau, a D.C. native and Spingarn High School graduate.
“Assistant Chief Robert Contee knows the city well,” Hampton said. “He is respected by the politicians and the residents. Contee should be the interim chief and the chief in my opinion.”
Contee’s career with the Metropolitan Police Department began in November 1989 as a cadet. He was sworn in as a patrol officer three years later and has climbed through the ranks steadily including command positions in the Second, Sixth and First districts and posts in the Special Operations Division, the professional development bureau and the recruiting division.
In April 2017, Contee became the Chief of Patrol Services South which encompasses the First, Sixth and Seventh Districts. In March 2018, he received the promotion to his present position from Newsham.
Contee holds a bachelor’s degree in professional studies with a concentration in police science from George Washington University and has completed the Management College at the Institute for Law Enforcement Administration and the Senior Management Institute for Police at the Police Executive Research Forum in Boston.
Duckett agrees with Hampton, saying Contee would be an excellent choice for police chief.
“The next police chief should be someone who is best for the city,” he said. “Contee grew up in D.C. around cops and he is aware of what is going on in the Black community. He has the temperament to be the chief and is second to none in that regard. Contee is very intelligent and knows the streets.” Henderson said she knows Contee.
“He is a stellar law enforcement officer,” she said. WI
5 Assistant D.C. Police Chief Robert Contee is considered a strong candidate to be the next police chief. (Courtesy Photo)
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