The Washington Informer - December 7, 2023 by The Washington Informer

RECIPIENT OF THE DC BLACK MBA ASSOCIATION 2023 LEGACY AWARD

Serving Our Community in the DMV

ACT Now Hearing Highlights Tug-of-War in Public Safety Discussion

By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer

For some public officials, law enforcement officials, and residents, recent crime trends are calling into question the effectiveness and necessity of police reform measures passed in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder. The Wilson Building, once again, became ground zero in that debate, as people on both sides of the issue weighed in on D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s Addressing Crime Trends Now (ACT Now) legislation during a hearing conducted by the D.C. Council’s Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety. On Wednesday, Kenithia Alston,

mother of the late Marqueese Alston, spoke out against provisions of ACT Now that would allow police officers to review body camera footage before submitting an initial report. She called the bill an affront to her son’s life and that of other Black people killed by law enforcement. “It took the deaths of many Black lives from our D.C. community and the advocacy of mothers like myself to get legislation that would advance transparency and encourage accountability in D.C.’s police department,” Alston said in her testimony before the D.C. Council’s Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety. “It’s imperative that I advocate for

ACT NOW Page 52

DYRS Reports Progress In Addressing Safety and Personnel Concerns at Youth Services Center

Kiosk Added Without NPS Approval Will Need to be Relocated

By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer

By Kayla Benjamin WI Climate & Environment Reporter

DMV Page 24

Page 43

5 he Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety held a public hearing on the “Addressing Crime Trends (ACT) Now Amendment Act of 2023” on Wednesday, Nov. 29. (Ja'Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

D.C. DMV Mistakenly Installs Car Emissions Test Site in Kenilworth Park with DPR Permission

Junel Jeffrey, president of the Eastland Gardens Civic Association, has a vision for Kenilworth Park, where she walks with her dog every day. That vision includes truly clean soil beneath wide-open green spaces, well-lit walking trails and restored basketball and tennis courts. It does not include additional cars coming in and out of the park for biannual emissions checks. When the D.C. Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) installed a new self-service kiosk earlier this year within park boundaries

Capture the Moment

Vol 59 No 8..., December 7 - 13, 2023

Junel Jeffrey, an Army service member and president of the Eastland Gardens Civic Association, speaks about the testing kiosk while standing at the site Nov. 22. She walks past the spot each day with her dog, Selah V. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

Weeks after the D.C. Department of Youth and Rehabilitative Services (DYRS) Director Sam Abed’s Council confirmation, the agency said that he has made some headway in addressing safety and personnel concerns at the Youth Services Center (YSC) on Mt. Olivet Road in Northeast. Earlier this fall, reports surfaced about fights and substandard living conditions at the YSC, where several dozen male and female youths are detained by order of the court. A DYRS representative told The Informer that

DYRS Page 52

Celebrating 59 years. Your credible and trusted source for Black news and information.

5A representative from the Department of Youth and Rehabilitative Services reported that Sam Abed, the agency’s new director, is making progress in addressing safety and personnel concerns at the Youth Services Center in Northeast, D.C.

2 DECEMBER 7 - 13, 2023

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COMPILED BY STACY M. BROWN, WI SENIOR WRITER

Miss Black America Pageant Returns to Atlantic City for 55th Anniversary Celebration The Miss Black America Pageant is coming back to Atlantic City to celebrate its 55th anniversary. It will be held on the Boardwalk on Saturday, Dec. 16. The return to the city where the “Historic Protest Pageant of 1968” took place has generated considerable anticipation among many. As announced, a captivating parade and a series of exciting festivities are guaranteed as the prelude to the grand main event at the renowned Showboat Atlantic Hotel. J. Morris Anderson, an individual who performed at the forefront of his time, established the Miss Black America Pageant, and made a lasting impact as the founder of the “American Institute of Positivity.”

Aleta Anderson, the founder’s daughter, stated that it's critical to recognize the differences between the Miss Black America Pageant and a Black Miss America pageant. “I’ve been working with this pageant since I was a little girl,” Anderson declared. “The thing that it originally was meant for is still there, and it means so much more in that it provides an opportunity for the young women to participate.” In addition, the first-ever senior Miss Black America will be crowned, Anderson believes, marking a historic event that will give the competition a new dimension. She promised to commemorate J. Morris Anderson’s devotion to Black women by keeping the pageant going forward as a legacy program. Read more on washingtoninformer.com. WI

Lenny Kravitz Sets the Record Straight on Black Awards Controversy

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 $55 per year, two years $70. 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 Micha Green, Managing Editor Ron Burke, Advertising/Marketing Director Shevry Lassiter, Photo Editor Lafayette Barnes, IV, Editor, WI Bridge DC Austin Cooper, Our House Editor Desmond Barnes, Social Media Stategist ZebraDesigns.net, Design & Layout Mable Neville, Bookkeeper Angie Johnson, Office Mgr./Circulation REPORTERS Kayla Benjamin, (Environmental Justice Reporter) Stacy Brown (Senior Writer), Sam P.K. Collins, Curtis Knowles, Brenda Siler, Lindiwe Vilakazi, Sarafina Wright, James Wright PHOTOGRAPHERS Shevry Lassiter, Photo Editor, Roy Lewis, Jr., Robert R. Roberts, Anthony Tilghman, Abdula Konte, Ja'Mon Jackson

4 DECEMBER 7 - 13, 2023

Rock star Lenny Kravitz clarified his comments regarding his absence from Black awards programs, emphasizing that his concerns were not directed at Black-owned media companies. In a statement, Kravitz expressed the importance of setting the record straight. “It is important to me to set the record straight on recent media reports based on an interview I did,” Kravitz asserted. “My Black musical heritage means a lot to me, and I owe my success to my supporters who have taken this journey with me over the span of my career.” He went on to clarify the specific nature of his comments, stating, “The comment I made was not about ‘Black media’ or the ‘Black community.’ I was specifically referring to [Black] award shows in particular.” Kravitz, whose biggest hits include “American Woman,” and “It Ain’t Over Til It’s Over,” insisted that his comments were meant to express concern about ensuring that Black artists are recognized for their work in what is now being called ‘non-traditional’ Black music. “Rock and Roll is the music we were instrumental in cre-

ating and is a part of our history,” he stated. “Here is a Black artist who has reintroduced many Black art forms, who has broken down barriers—just like those that came before me broke down. That is positive. And they don’t have anything to say about it?” he stated in the interview. 5 Rock star Lenny Kravitz Kravitz later acknowledged the contributions of networks like BET and others. “BET and countless others have paved the way for this type of recognition,” Kravitz asserted. “I hope that by sharing my concern, a spotlight will be shone on this issue. Love and peace.” WI

CDC Says America is at A Crossroads with HIV/AIDS World AIDS Day was Dec. 1. On the eve of the day recognizing HIV/AIDS worldwide, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention put out a call for urgency and a collective commitment to ending the HIV pandemic in America. Agency officials said while there has been recent progress in HIV prevention, the world remains at a crossroads. “Without sufficient investment in HIV prevention, we risk turning back the clock on the progress we’ve worked so hard as a nation to achieve,” Dr. Robyn Neblett Fanfair, acting division director in the Division of HIV Prevention at the National Center for HIV and the CDC, wrote in a letter on Nov. 30. “Together with ongoing commitment, we can honor the hundreds of thousands of lives lost to HIV-related illness in the United States and millions worldwide by ensuring that everyone benefits equally from four decades of groundbreaking scientific advances,” Fanfair stated. The CDC estimates that 1.2 million people in America have HIV, and 1 in 8 carriers don’t know it. Although new

infections have declined overall, the CDC noted that tens of thousands of people in America continue to get HIV each year—and progress isn’t reaching all groups equitably due in part to deeply entrenched social determinants of health. Officials said expanded efforts will be vital to reducing these disparities, and HIV prevention resources have not kept pace with needs. “This progress is promising. However, substantial and widening disparities persist, and efforts must be further strengthened and expanded to reach all populations equitably,” Fanfair continued. CDC officials added that community engagement has been a crucial part of HIV prevention work since the beginning of the epidemic, and ongoing community engagement remains core to Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. (EHE). “Through EHE, CDC and its partners are implementing innovative, whole-person approaches designed to identify and address factors related to inequity and get powerful HIV prevention tools into the hands of every person who needs them,” Fanfair wrote. WI

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Free Take-Home COVID-19 Tests Return to D.C. Libraries By Kayla Benjamin WI Climate & Environment Writer District residents can now find free COVID-19 tests at public libraries in all eight wards, a change after the city suspended the free testing program back in February. More than 20 different libraries will host the rapid tests, according to an announcement from DC Health on X, formerly Twitter. Distribution began Nov. 22 and is set to continue through March 2024, depending on supply and demand, DC Health said in an emailed statement. Each library began with 360 each, and DC Health said they would resupply the locations as needed. The libraries chosen to participate were those with the highest foot traffic in each ward, according to DC Health. The tests will be available for free pickup anytime during a given library’s hours, which you can check

online at dclibrary.org. You don’t need to have a library card or bring an ID; DC Health said it just asks that individuals take only what their families need. The federal government also offers free tests, which you can receive in the mail by entering your name and address covid.gov/tests

WHY BRING BACK TESTS NOW?

Community spread of COVID-19 has remained low in D.C. throughout most of 2023, according to data collected by Covid Act Now. DC Health said that the renewed availability of the take-home tests was a preventative measure, not a response to current COVID-19 spread in the city. “Current hospitalization rates for COVID-19 are around 50% less than they were at this time last year,”

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the agency’s statement reads. “DC Health would like to ensure case counts remain low so District residents can focus on having fun this holiday season instead of worrying about COVID-19.” Fall and winter tend to be prime time for respiratory viruses, including Covid and the flu, and the holiday travel season can increase the spread, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC recommends getting the flu shot and the most recent COVID booster. Staying home when sick, masking up in crowded indoor spaces and washing your hands often can also help prevent infection. WI

5Free COVID-19 tests are now available at public libraries in all eight wards, after suspending the free testing program earlier this year. (Courtesy Photo/Abbott.com)

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black facts

DEC. 7 - 13, 2023 SOURCE: BLACK AMERICA WEB

DEC. 11

1926 – R&B singer/songwriter Big Mama Thornton of "Hound Dog" fame is born in Ariton, Alabama. 1938 – Jazz pianist McCoy Tyner is born in Phil adelphia. 1964 – Soul singer Sam Cooke is fatally shot by a motel manager in Los Angeles. He was 33.

DEC. 12

1899 – George Grant patents an improved golf tee. 1940 – Grammy-winning singer Dionne Warwick is born in East Orange, New Jersey. 1963 – East African country Kenya gains its independence from the United Kingdom. 1975 – The National Association of Black Journalists is founded in Washington, D.C. 1995 – Willie Brown wins a runoff election to become the first Black mayor of San Francisco.

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1942 – Reginald Lewis, the first African American business owner to build a billion-dollar company, is born in Baltimore.

1916 – Pro boxer Archie Moore, the longest-reigning world light heavyweight champion of all time, is born in Benoit, Mississippi. 1967 – Academy Award-winning actor and comedian Jamie Foxx is born in Terrell, Texas. Wi

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 African American to serve as governor of a U. S. state. 1922 – Comic legend Redd Foxx 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.

DEC. 10

1963 – The East African territory of Zanzibar gains its independence from the United Kingdom. 1964 – Civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. receives the Nobel Peace Prize. 1967 – Soul singer Otis Redding dies in a plane crash near Madison, Wisconsin, along with four members of the Bar-Kays. Redding was 26. 2005 – Seminal comedian Richard Pryor dies in Los Angeles at 65 after a longtime battle with multiple sclerosis.

6 DECEMBER 7 - 13, 2023

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Housing Crisis Grips District

Urban Institute Study Unveils Startling Figures and Urgent Solutions By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer Researchers in the District of Columbia have undertaken a pioneering study to dissect the alarming issue of housing insecurity, revealing shocking statistics that underscore the urgent need for strategic interventions. From late 2022 to early 2023, the Urban Institute conducted a representative survey of D.C. households to identify and understand the population grappling with housing instability. The results disclosed recently paint a grim picture, indicating that over 1 in 10 D.C. residents, totaling an estimated 82,452 individuals, are currently facing housing insecurity. Unaffordability is the most prevalent type of housing insecurity, closely followed by inadequate housing and the turmoil of frequent or unwanted moves. Disturbingly, more than half of those caught in this crisis predict further instability in the next three months. Researchers said even more concerning is that over 3 in 10 are forced to live temporarily with another household, emphasizing the dire need for immediate, comprehensive support measures. When digging into the demographics, the study exposes stark disparities. Families, children, youth, Black and Hispanic resi-

5 The Urban Institute conducted a representative survey of D.C. households to identify and understand the population grappling with housing instability. The results disclosed indicate that over 1 in 10 D.C. residents are currently facing housing insecurity. (Courtesy Photo)

dents, and those in Wards 7 and 8 face disproportionately higher probabilities of housing insecurity. For instance, although households with children constitute 35% of the total District population, they comprise 52% of those grappling with housing insecurity. The study also sheds light on the racial divide, with Black non-Hispanic residents making up a significant 68% of the housing-insecure population despite comprising 41% of the D.C. population. Hispanic residents, at 14% of those facing housing insecurity, are also overrepresented compared to their 7 percent share in the overall population. Further complicating the issue are the unique challenges residents face in Wards 7 and 8, where 42% of those experiencing housing insecurity reside, despite these wards making up only 24% of D.C.'s population. The Urban Institute researchers advocate for a primary focus on expanding affordable housing, whether through constructing new units or preserving and restoring existing ones. Subsidized housing programs, like the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, have proven effective in stabilizing families across racial demographics.

Incentivizing landlords to participate in the HCV program is recommended to bolster the supply of affordable housing. Residents facing housing insecurity expressed a need for services that reduce housing costs, such as housing vouchers and mortgage assistance. Additionally, there remains a demand for services that enhance housing quality and minimize forced moves. Other proposed solutions include incentive programs for housing rehabilitation to improve housing stock and eviction prevention services, such as landlord-tenant mediation and eviction defense. The study authors suggested that these measures must carefully target those disproportionately affected by different types of housing insecurity. As the District of Columbia grapples with the growing issue of housing insecurity, Urban Institute researchers have attempted to provide a crucial foundation for informed strategies to mitigate this crisis and ensure a more secure future for all residents. “The numbers don't lie,” the researchers noted. “Urgent action is needed to address the pressing housing needs of the city's residents. The time for change is now.” WI

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WABJ Celebrates Excellence in Journalism with Annual Awards Gala Organization Honors WI Publisher Denise Rolark Barnes with President’s Award By Micha Green WI Managing Editor In an event that highlighted excellence in media, leadership and education, the Washington Association of Black Journalists (WABJ) honored the beauty, brilliance and boldness of Black journalists and innovative storytellers with a sold-out celebration. Held at Howard University’s Armour J. Blackburn Center on Dec. 2, WABJ’s Special Honors and Scholarship Gala showcased the strength of Black journalists past and present, highlighting barrier breakers and innovators. ded: barrier breaking “Meet the Press,” host Kristen Welker (2023 Journalist of the Year); Washington Post Managing Editor of Diversity & Inclusion Krissah Thompson (Dorothy Gilliam Trailblazer); Street Sense Media (Dr. Sheila Brooks Community Impact Award); Chief of Staff for the White House Office of Public Engagement Erica Lowe (WABJ Excellence in Communications Award); retired NBC 4 anchor Pat Lawson Muse (Lifetime Achievement Award); Founder and Editor in Chief of Black Women Unmuted Sonya Ross (WABJ Legacy Award); Huffington Post Senior Front Page

Editor Phil Lewis (2023 WABJ Young Journalist of Excellence); and Washington Informer Publisher Denise Rolark Barnes (President’s Award). With Rolark Barnes’ guidance, The Washington Informer has been a steady supporter of WABJ initiatives. “The Informer, under Denise Rolark Barnes’ leadership, has been a longtime partner and supporter of our longstanding Urban Journalism Workshop for D.C. area high school students, and its support of WABJ’s inaugural awards gala last year was instrumental to its tremendous success,” said WABJ President Khorri Atkinson. Rolark Barnes emphasized the importance of truth-telling and particularly shedding light on communities rarely reported about in mainstream media. “Over there on Martin Luther King Avenue, folks walk in and out of our door, every day, because they feel like their voices are not being heard. And so I hope, as we celebrate,” Rolark Barnes continued, “that we can recruit some of these young journalists, bring them in, and get them prepared to do the work that they need to do to make sure that stories in our community continue to be told.” WI

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5 Washington Informer Publisher Denise Rolark Barnes accepts the President's Award from the Washington Association of Black Journalists during their gala held at the Blackburn Center (?) on December 2. (Shevry Lassiter/The Washington Informer)

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(L-R) Catherine Leggett and her husband, former Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett, Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks attending a reception at the home of Jim and Marlene Moss on Nov. 30. (Shevry Lassiter/The Washington Informer)

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“In order to see where we are going, we not only must remember where we have been, but we must understand where we have been.” – Ella Baker THE WASHINGTON INFORMER / WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

Wendell Felder Announces Candidacy for the Ward 7 D.C. Council Seat

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The Ward 7 Democrats President Joins Crowded Ward 7 Race

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rience in public service includes stints as the Ward 7 liaison in the Mayor’s Office of Community Relations and Services, former Chief Administrator Rashad Young’s special assistant and deputy chief of staff in the D.C. Office of the City Administrator, and community development manager in the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development. In these roles, Felder addressed constituent concerns, helped bridge access to resources, established relationships with public officials and agency directors, and took part in the planning, supervision, and execution of economic development projects across Wards 7 and 8. He touts his part in securing $42 million in local funds for the redevelopment of the Fletcher-Johnson site, bringing an urban community garden to Ward 7 in partnership with the D.C. Housing Authority and local universities, and increasing voter turnout during the 2022 D.C. Democratic primary election. If elected, Felder would actualize what he’s dubbed his Ward 7 Recovery Plan. Portions of that plan focus on the shaping of a ward-wide, community driven development strategy created in collaboration with the Office of Planning and Office of the Deputy Mayor of Planning and Economic

Kevin Berrier 443-508-1936 KBerrier@MDDCPress.com

5Wendell Felder, president of the Ward 7 Democrats, announced his candidacy for the Ward 7 D.C. Council seat. (Courtesy Photo)

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The Ward 7 D.C. Council race intensified just a bit more last weekend when Wendell Felder, a repeatedly elected millennial politico, conducted a tour throughout the ward to announce his candidacy. Felder, president of the Ward 7 Democrats and chairperson of Advisory Neighborhood Commission 7D, launched his campaign in the parking lot of Lidl’s at Skyland Town Center in Southeast on Saturday morning. Dozens of supporters, including actor-photographer-mayoral sibling Marvin Bowser, Tiffany Brown of the Ward 7 Democrats, and public health organizer Ambrose Lane, Jr., counted among those who waved bright yellow signs and wore similarly colored shirts while repeatedly chanting “Wendell Works!” Other stops on Felder’s Dec. 2 campaign launch tour included the corner of Benning Road and Minnesota Avenue in Northeast and the Hill East community in Southeast. His goal, as articulated in his speech at Skyland Town Center, centers on unifying various constituencies of Ward 7 around public safety, economic development and housing. “We all want the same thing,which is access to education, housing, neighborhood amenities, and well-paying jobs,” said Felder, 33, a fourth-generation Washingtonian “We’re in this together. You can expect [me to be] someone who understands government. I am able to hit the ground running [with] Ward 7’s interests at heart.” Felder, in his second term as president of the Ward 7 Democrats and his fourth as an advisory neighborhood commissioner, now joins Veda Rasheed, Ebbon Allen, Eboni-Rose Thompson, Ebony Payne, and Kelvin Brown on the ballot. On June 4, Democrats in Ward 7 will make their vote for their council representative. As explained in a previous Informer story, D.C. Councilmember Vincent C. Gray (D-Ward 7) has yet to reveal whether he intends to run for reelection. Felder’s more-than-a-decade expe-

Development. Felder also expressed a desire to: expand resources to new and existing community-based violence prevention programs; transform vacant, abandoned and foreclosed properties in Ward 7 into affordable housing, community spaces, and commercial developments; establish a Ward 7 Business Incubator Fund while strengthening connections between contractors and small businesses; advocate for the development of a new middle school; and introduce legislation that requires the D.C. Department of Transportation to gain community input for infrastructure development projects. Some of Felder’s supporters, including Lane, mentioned Felder’s more-than-a-decade of experience in public service as an asset differentiating him from other candidates. Lane, chair of the Health Alliance Network, told The Informer that Felder has the institutional knowledge and community support essential to winning an election and properly representing Ward 7 on the D.C. Council. He said that he trusts Felder, as a council member, to assemble a team that can help him tackle public health, economic development, and education. “If Wendell’s been elected six times in different places, it means that people see him in leadership,” Lane said. “He’s getting feedback and talking to people. He’s battle tested. He’ll do what he has always done, which is look at the lay of the land, and put actions in place.” With the field expanding a bit more, Ward 7 resident Jay Brown said that, for the sake of Ward 7 residents, all of the candidates, including Felder, should consider consolidating their support behind one or two people. Brown, executive director of Community Shoulders, said weeks prior to Felder’s announcement, he wanted to ask Felder about his public safety position. As Brown recounted to The Informer however, he reneged on that move when Felder told him he wasn’t running for the Ward 7 D.C. Council seat. Read more on www.washingtoninformer.com Wi @SamPKCollins

By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer

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PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY

costs and immigration reform. “I’m not beholden to anyone but you and your families,” said Dominguez after pledging to fight for Medicare for All and raising the minimum wage. “People need change, they want something different. The system isn’t working for them or people across this country,” said Trone. “We need more veterans, doctors, engineers: people who have done different jobs before entering public service.” WI

Prince George’s County Political Updates By Richard Elliott WI Contributing Writer

NICK CHARLES OFFICIALLY SWORN INTO SENATE

With a gathered crowd of loved ones, civic-minded Marylanders and legislators primarily from his native Prince George’s, District 25 Delegate Nick Charles officially became Senator Charles on the morning of December 5. Sporting a gold tie and a huge grin with his family at his side, he was beyond honored to accept this new role as he took the oath of service. “You guys don’t know how beautiful you look out there. This is amazing,” said an exuberant Charles just after being sworn in. “First, to my colleagues, I stand before you with great humility and gratitude after my short five years in the House of Delegates. Thank you to you all, the state of Maryland, and District 25.” He thanked former Senator Melody Griffith, State Treasurer Dereck E. Davis, former Black Caucus Chair Darryl Barnes, and Delegates Karen Toles and Kent Roberson (both D, D25) as men-

tors and guides in his political journey. He cited his service in the Air Force for helping him develop principles that have become “the bedrock of his leadership style, in how he approaches every constituent he serves.” Senate President Bill Ferguson (D) called up Charles and his family to the front before jokuing that the Senate’s Omega Caucus would be adding a new member before swearing him in to be the newest member of Maryland’s 47-member Senate. WI

GREENBELT COUNCILMAN RIC GORDON DEAD AT 41

Greenbelt Councilmember Brandon “Ric” Gordon, 41, a dedicated community servant, died on Sunday, Nov. 26. “The sudden passing of Ric Gordon is a great loss to the Greenbelt community, Prince George’s County, and the State of Maryland," said Greenbelt Mayor Emmett V. Jordan in a statement. “Ric Gordon was very passionate about Greenbelt, politics, and his important

5Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks (D), businessman Juan Dominguez and Congressman David Trone (D) discussed their views and agenda before an audience of nearly 200 at Elizabeth Seton High School on Dec. 3. (Anthony Tilghman/The Washington Informer)

12 DECEMBER 7 - 13, 2023

VIRGINIA LEGISLATORS CALL FOR INVESTIGATION OF FBI HQ SELECTION PROCESS 5Greenbelt Councilman Ric Gordon passed away at the age of 41 on Nov. 26, garnering an outpouring of support and condolences from across the state. (Courtesy Photo/ Greenbelt City Council)

5County Councilmember Ingrid Watson hosted a forum on rising crime, particularly emphasizing juvenile crime, at Bowie State University on Nov. 28. (Rob Roberts/The Washington Informer)

role as a council member. He will be missed tremendously.” WI

which could have caused pent-up anger and rage in juveniles due to isolation and having significant idle time,” said Bryant. The pastor emphasized his appreciation for the event and hopes to work with leaders to address crime in the future. “I look forward to working with them as a faith leader.” WI

COUNCILMEMBER WATSON HOSTS BOWIE STATE FORUM TO DISCUSS CRIME SPIKE

Councilmember Ingrid Watson (D– District 4) gathered elected officials and the community for a forum on Nov. 28, which discussed working together to address crime. "Juvenile crime is a serious concern, especially considering recent events at Bowie State University and Bowie High School,” said Watson during the event, which was held at Bowie State University. Event speakers included: State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy (D), Prince George’s County Public Schools CEO Dr. Millard House II, Senator Ron Watson (D– District 23) and Prince Georges’ Police Department Chief Malik Aziz. The officials spoke about their particular concerns regarding crime in the County, including: recent shootings at Bowie State and Morgan State Universities, carjackings, and weapons found on students in Prince George’s public schools. Kofie Bryant Sr., pastor of Inspired Life Ministries, expressed concern about safety post the COVID-19 pandemic. “I am concerned that coming out of COVID-19 pandemic, juvenile crime has potentially gotten worse, given the sudden shutdown impacting our typical day-to-day lives and interactions,

LATINO DEMS OF PRINCE GEORGE’S HOST SENATE FORUM, FIRST OF THE CYCLE

The Latino Democrats of Prince George’s County (LDPGC) hosted a forum for constituents to meet the people working to replace outgoing U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D) at Elizabeth Seton High School on Sunday, Dec. 3. The three candidates who met the qualifying threshold were Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks (D), Congressman David Trone (DDistrict 6) and Anne Arundel County businessman Juan Dominguez. Telemundo 44 anchor Alberto Pimienta served as the master of ceremonies. Maryland Matters reporter Will Ford and CTV senior reporter Patricia Villone served as the moderators. The candidates kicked off the forum with an opening statement touting their biography and goals. “I think there are too few who think like, look like, or care about the hardworking families of our state,” said Alsbrooks, who pledged to fight for reproductive rights, lowered prescription

A General Services Administration (GSA) investigation into the process for selecting the headquarters for the FBI was formally announced on Nov. 30 by Acting Inspector General Robert Erickson. This comes after Virginia Democratic Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, alongside nine bipartisan members of Congress, penned a Nov.15 letter criticizing the FBI’s site selection process and requesting the Biden Administration pause work on the process until an investigation is completed. “It is vital that both GSA and the FBI fully cooperate and provide relevant information to the Inspector General’s review, and that they allow time and space for investigatory efforts to reach a thorough conclusion,” said the Virginia lawmakers. “We urge the Administration to pause efforts to advance this headquarters process, allowing for transparent and fair review.” FBI Director Christopher Wray has also criticized the process, citing conflicts of interest. Despite criticisms, Maryland legislators are referring to the probe as an evaluation, rather than an investigation. “It's not difficult to understand why Greenbelt was chosen by the GSA. In terms of greatest equity, lowest cost to taxpayers, readiness of site location, and best transportation proximity—Maryland was the clear choice,” said Congressman Steny Hoyer in a statement sent to The Informer. “This decision was made transparently, legally, and with great care. Maryland’s Congressional Democrats and Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks also emphasized the legality of the FBI headquarters selection process in a joint statement submitted Nov. 30. “Any objective evaluation will find that the GSA arrived at this decision after a thorough and transparent process,” according to the statement. WI

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Prince George’s County General Updates By Richard Elliott WI Contributing Reporter

NADINE’S HAIR BRAIDING REACHES NEW CLIENT BASE AFTER GOING VIRAL ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Nadine’s Hair Braiding, located on Bowie’s Old Annapolis Road, has enjoyed newfound support after satisfied customers showed off their braids to their respective social media audiences. Owner Nadine Djuiko, a Cameroonian immigrant, received over 200 phone calls in a single day asking for the “Tik Tok special.” Now, Nadine’s and the company’s unique model has garnered so many additional customers that the business which originally opened at 8 a.m., now opens at 4 a.m. Some of her recent customers have come from as far away as Delaware, New York and South Carolina. The business is currently using three different storefronts to seat potential clients. The braiding process can take an entire day, but with Nadine’s it is only a few hour time commitment. By using multiple stylists at a time, the time-intensive process can be made much more convenient and cheaper for customers. Djuiko wishes to expand the

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

business soon to a larger Bowie establishment where she can seat over 100 customers at a time. WI

KYLE SCOTT WRAPPING UP SEQUEL, PLANS TO PRODUCE NEW L OCAL TV SERIES

Kyle Scott, an associate producer on the film “Get Close 2,” has been honing his craft as both an actor and filmmaker for years and is soon planning to produce a new TV series in the DMV area. “Mr. Lynn, my TV production teacher at DuVal, taught me how to actually study a film, the different techniques being used, different styles from different directors,” said Scott in an interview with the Informer. “And that’s what started it all for me.” “Get Close 2” stars Jamal Woolard and Markice Moore, reprising their roles from the original film which debuted in March 2023 and has over 100,000 views on YouTube. Woolard is best known for portraying rapper Biggie Smalls in 2009 biopic “Notorious,” while Moore held supporting roles in “ATL,” “Snowfall” and Tyler Perry’s “The Paynes.” Scott recently directed a commercial for Booksy.Com, an online booking app for stylists, and

5 Author Kenneth Braswell (left) was joined by special guest Juanita Britton (right) at the Premier of his children's novel “Kwesi and the Ogre” at Largos’ In a Minute Cafe. (Anthony Tilghman/The Washington Informer)

has a video production company that partners with small businesses to make commercials and advertisements. WI

AUTHOR KENNETH BRASWELL PREMIERS CHILDREN’S BOOK AT IN A MINUTE CAFE

Largo’s In a Minute Cafe hosted the premiere of Kenneth Braswell’s newest book, “Kwesi and the Ogre: A Friendship Story.” The book, written for a third to fifth grade audience, is set in

5 Dejah Davidson, a regular of Nadine’s, in the process of getting her hair braided by a team of hairstylists. By using a factory process, they are able to get satisfied clients in and out in less than three hours. (Anthony Tilghman/The Washington Informer)

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM / THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

Ghana and features a boy named Kwesi who is intrigued by mountains near his coastal home and later meets an ogre named Kayake. The character of Kwesi is based in part on Braswell’s son BJ as well as a child he met while in Ghana who was zealous in trying to help others– a child that was described as “the ogre of the village,” by a local adult. Braswell, having only heard of ogres as a negative, looked up the term and saw that they were describing his character and personality as unique. He was also intrigued as to whether locals had ever seen the opposite side of the imposing mountains. Attendee David Miller took to Facebook to say the book is “beautifully illustrated with an amazing storyline.” Braswell sold signed copies during the Largo event and is planning to distribute the book in Ghana. “My biggest goal is to spread literacy across all skills: reading, farming, construction, and so on,” said Juanita “Busy Bee” Britton, who served as a co-host during the book premiere. “Helping the community to be of service to themselves and others. We need to build things and do things to make people want to move to our village.” Braswell has previously written over a dozen different books, on topics ranging from fatherhood to faith.

5The cast of “Get Close 2” on set during the production. Kyle Scott (second from right) is an associate producer on the film. (Courtesy Photo/ Kyle Scott)

“Kwesi and the Ogre: A Friendship Journey,” is available on Amazon. WI

LAUREL RESIDENT JOSEPH COFFIE HOSTING CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION ON DEC. 9

Laurel elder Joseph E. Coffie will be hosting his centennial celebration on Saturday, Dec. 9 at 15421 Old Columbia Pike in Burtonsville. The event is an allwhite affair Some of the health tips he advises are to live a genuine life and treat people right. “He takes care of himself 100%, eats healthy and only takes blood pressure medication,” said his granddaughter Christina Amihere. “My grandfather's unwavering prayers, and words of encouragement have been a guiding light in our lives. His steadfast presence, faith, and inspirational words, have profoundly influenced our family, leaving a lasting sense of strength, hope, and faith in us all.” WI

DECEMBER 7 - 13, 2023 13

BUSINESS s f e ri By James Wright / WI Staff Writer

D.C.’S BRANDON ANDREWS HOSTS WEB SUMMIT IN PORTUGAL

Brandon Andrews, a District-based technology and entertainment entrepreneur, recently hosted the ContentMakers Stage at Web Summit in Lisbon, Portugal. Andrews is the CEO of The Inexorable, a public relations and communications services firm in Northeast, D.C. and is the co-founder and chief product officer of Gauge, a market research firm. The summit consisted of artists, game developers, filmmakers and others in creative industries and discussions centered on current and future trends for content makers globally. “What does it mean to be a content maker today,” Andrews asked the attendees in his opening address. “Being a content maker today means—now is the time. Now is the time to create

beautiful visual art. Now is the time to create a film. Now is the time to post your critical thoughts about the world in which we live. Now is the time to take that selfie and appreciate the moment that you’re in right now. Now is the time to post how conflict is impacting your world and the people you care about. And now is the time for you to finally get those business ideas out of your head and create that startup that can have a positive impact…There’s never been a better time and now is your time.” A content maker himself, Andrews has done casting for television business shows including ABC’s “Shark Tank” and REVOLT’s “Bet on Black.” In addition, he has hosted the “Unleash+ Pitch Competition, CGI Entrepreneurship Greenhouse,” at the Clinton Global Initiative; joined a CNN Business panel on entrepreneurship in the African Diaspora; keynoted the “GoViral Festival,” in Dushanbe, Tajikistan and Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan; and

5 Brandon Andrews is the CEO of District-based The Inexorable, a public relations firm. (Courtesy Photo)

hosted the African Union Black History Month Celebration at the African Union Mission. He is also a Global Innovation Fellow by the U.S. Department of State, which allows him to speak in various countries about entrepreneurship. “As I travel around the world meeting entrepreneurs, I think entrepreneurial ideas can be content as well,” he said. “A lot of businesses closed during the pandemic, but since then

National Children’s Center (NCC) Bid Announcement REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL: EMPLOYEE BENEFIT BROKER/CONSULTING SERVICES National Children’s Center (NCC) is seeking written proposals for an insurance brokerage firm to provide Employee Benefit Brokerage and Consulting services related to our Company. Technical questions or requests for clarification shall be directed, in writing, to the email address below. NCC’s responses to a proposer’s question(s) will be provided via return email only to the proposer asking the question(s), and not shared with other respondents. GENERAL INFORMATION Key Dates The following table outlines NCC’s key dates and events in this RFP process. December 1, 2023: RFP is available December 4-8, 2023: Questions and Answer Period December 30, 2023: Deadline for receipt of Proposals to NCC January 8-12, 2023: Oral Interviews with selected respondents January 20, 2023: Selection completed/contract negotiations begin Primary Contact/Submission to: Misty Johnson-Oratokhai, Esq., Chief Operations Officer Mjohnson-oratokhai@nccinc.org NCC reserves the right to extend the submission deadline, or any other deadline or date indicated in the RFP if an extension would be in the best interest of our organization.

14 DECEMBER 7 - 13, 2023

some regions of the world are experiencing an entrepreneurial boom. In the U.S. 2021-2022 was the most prolific period in the history of the country starting small businesses.” WI

D.C. AS AN EMPOWERMENT ZONE

D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton introduced a bill that would add the District to the national empowerment zone program to provide federal tax incentives for businesses to locate and invest in low-income areas of the city. The bill would effectively restore many of the federal tax incentives for investment in low-income District neighborhoods that a Norton bill created in 1997, but Congress let expire in 2011. In her introductory statement, Norton said: “D.C.’s downtown, which has been the economic engine of the city, has been particularly hard hit by the increase in remote and hybrid work since the COVID-19 pandemic, making this bill especially important.” “Congress has recognized that the benefits of tax incentives for investment in economically distressed communities outweigh the costs, as it has continuously extended the national empowerment program,” she continued. The tax incentives for D.C. were effective and their costs were de minimis.” WI

BOWSER, DOES, EIGHTFOLD AI LAUNCH CAREER READY DC

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, the

D.C. Department of Employment Services (DOES), and the technology company Eightfold AI launched Career Ready DC, a new artificial intelligence-matching technology platform that will assist District residents with getting matched to employment opportunities across the region. “The benefits of Career Ready DC are two-fold: it will provide residents with the ability to find a position based on their unique skills and it will provide our employers with a pipeline of strong candidates,” said Bowser. “As we explore the benefits and uses of artificial intelligence and how we can harness AI technology to streamline services, we are excited about this new opportunity to support residents by making their job search more efficient and equitable.” Dan Hopkins, Eightfold AI’s vice president of Global Public Sector & Applied AI, said his company looks forward to partnering with the District government. “Career Ready DC will reduce bias in the hiring process by focusing specifically on matching prospect’s skills with employer needs, and subsequently create family-sustaining career paths,” Hopkins said. DOES Director Dr. Unique Morris-Hughes said the program is about equity for District residents. “Our collaboration is committed to innovation, efficiency, and equitable opportunities,” Morris-Hughes said. “We are not just building a platform but a pathway for residents to thrive and building a workforce that mirrors the diversity of the nation’s capital.” WI

FINANCIAL PLANNING 101

The Greater Washington Urban League will offer a virtual course, “Financial Planning 101,” on Dec. 13 from 1 p.m.-2:15 p.m. The purpose of the class is to learn how to build generational wealth. In this session, students will discuss: The current purchasing power of the Black community The progress of economic growth in the Black community Some key issues with the racial wealth gap Financial planning challenges and opportunities for the Black community Key areas to address in building a personalized financial plan. For more information, call 202-2658200.WI @JamesWrightJr10

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BUSINESS

Buy Now Pay Later Services’ Financial Burden Has a Disproportionate Effect on the African American Community By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) transactions increased significantly on Cyber Monday, up a staggering 43% year over year, according to Adobe Analytics. Even while consumers are spending more money, worries are rising, especially among African Americans. An in-depth Forbes article highlighted that BNPL is essentially a type of credit or loan that customers often overlook when shopping for holiday gifts. Forbes reported that BNPL is used by people of all demographics. However, there is a significant reliance on it among financially vulnerable individuals, according to data from the New York Federal Reserve. The disproportionate impact on the African American population is especially

concerning. Black consumers are 63% more likely than White consumers to use BNPL platforms, according to data from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The figure raises questions because the CFPB did not disclose any potential financial risks associated with these services. According to Forbes, many BNPL customers have lower credit scores and unfulfilled credit needs. However, BNPL can still attract users from different economic and educational backgrounds. Forbes noted that Black and Hispanic consumers are more likely than white consumers to use BNPL services. Researchers said given that Allied Research projects the BNPL market to reach $3.98 trillion by 2030, there is a growing concern that many consumers may not completely under-

stand the intricacies of this novel type of debt financing. The real-world effects of financial distress are highlighted by the shocking 27% of Black households that are currently behind on their debt payments. Lending Club’s Holiday Season survey shows that more Americans, specifically 37%, are planning to use credit cards, personal loans, and BNPL options for holiday shopping. This is an increase from 34% in 2021. Further, Americans spent a total of $20.8 billion on BNPL services last year alone, which is a 230% increase compared to the start of 2020. Although BNPL firms can provide a financial safety net for those in need, there are some hazards associated with them as well. Forbes said financial experts have expressed concerns about “loan-stacking,” when borrowers

5 According to Adobe Analytics, Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) transactions increased significantly on Cyber Monday, up a staggering 43% year over year. (Courtesy Photo)

get multiple BNPL loans from different suppliers, but these loans don’t show up on their credit reports. This strategy has the potential to create a dangerous debt spiral, according to financial experts.

Numerous BNPL services conceal a person’s actual amount of debt because they don’t report to the major credit bureaus. WI @StacyBrownMedia

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NATIONAL

tions, as former Vice President Mike Pence cast 13 tie-breaking votes, while President Joe Biden did not cast any during his vice presidential tenure in the eight years of the Obama administration. In a speech on the Senate floor earlier this year, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer praised her historic achievement. Schumer emphasized the circumstances of Harris’s tenure, characterized by a closely

Vice President Harris Makes History in Senate with 32nd Tie-Breaking By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer Vice President Kamala Harris made history today by surpassing the record for the most tie-breaking votes cast in the U.S. Senate, exceeding the previous mark set by John C. Calhoun in the 19th century. Harris has now cast 32 tie-breaking votes, eclipsing Calhoun’s record of 31 during his tenure as vice president from 1825 to 1832. The latest tiebreaker occurred during the confirmation of Loren

16 DECEMBER 7 - 13, 2023

Alikhan as a U.S. District Judge for the District of Columbia. As vice president, Harris serves as the president of the Senate, granting her constitutional authority to break ties. Harris’s accomplishment is noteworthy not only for its historical significance but also in the context of the current political landscape. The U.S. Senate has been narrowly divided throughout the Biden administration, comprising 48 Democrats, 49 Republicans, and three independents. Of the independents, Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont,

divided Senate and a highly partisan environment. “When it’s mattered most, Vice President Harris has provided the decisive vote on some of the most historic bills of modern times,” Schumer asserted. “All of us thank her for making the work of the Senate possible.” Read more on washingtoninformer.com. WI

Growing Divide Emerges Between Biden and Obama Amidst Israel-Hamas Fallout 5Vice President Kamala Harris made history on Dec. 5 by surpassing the record for the most tie-breaking votes cast in the U.S. Senate. (Courtesy Photo)

and Angus King of Maine caucus with Democrats, while Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema left the Democratic Party in 2022 to register as an independent. The surge in tie-breaking votes contrasts with previous administra-

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer Amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, an unexpected casualty has emerged: the relationship between President Joe Biden and his previous boss, former President Barack Obama. Reports indicate a growing divide between the two political heavyweights who once served side by side in the White House. NBC News revealed that during the early weeks of the Israel-Hamas war, Biden privately credited his unwavering public support for Israel and said there was initial success in influencing the Israeli government. Allegedly, Biden expressed that Obama and his closest aides had dismissed his advice, dating back to his vice-presidential role in 2014, when Israel launched a military assault on Gaza. Biden reportedly argued that Obama’s decision to publicly admonish Israel’s actions during the 2014 conflict instead of embracing them hindered any potential influence on the Israeli government. White House spokesperson Andrew Bates countered the claims, stating that Biden’s senior White House and national security advisers were unaware of such comments and found them inaccurate. John Kirby, a spokesperson for the National Security Council, defended Biden’s approach, stating, “The approach we’re taking now is working.” However, Obama, who has maintained a low profile since leaving office, seemed to differ from Biden’s staunch support of Israel. Obama, in an interview on “Pod Save America,” expressed a nuanced perspective, acknowledging the complexity

of the conflict in Israel and Palestine. “If you want to solve the problem, then you have to take in the whole truth. And you then have to admit nobody’s hands are clean. That all of us are complicit to some degree,” Obama said, distinguishing between the Palestinian civilians and the militant group Hamas. Obama’s comments, while not a direct swipe at Biden, contrast with the current administration’s unwavering support for Israel. And, as noted by Politico, Obama’s remarks also “buck the company line Democratic leaders have been using on this matter.” The outlet noted that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently told CBS News’ Norah O’Donnell that calls for a ceasefire “would be such a gift to Hamas because they would spend whatever time there was a ceasefire in effect rebuilding their armaments, creating stronger positions to be able to fend off an eventual assault by the Israelis.” And former Speaker Nancy Pelosi similarly parroted the “gift for Hamas” line. Despite this, the New York Times reported that more than 100 former members of the Obama and Biden administrations issued a letter on Nov. 17, praising Biden’s “moral clarity, courageous leadership, and staunch support of Israel.” The gesture aimed to defend Biden’s policies amid internal dissent within the administration. And, as recently as this week when the administration successfully negotiated a ceasefire agreement and Hamas began releasing hostages, including Americans, Biden was able to take a sort of victory lap because his policies appeared to have worked. Read more on washingtoninformer.com. WI

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NATIONAL

Trailblazing Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor Passes Away at 93 By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer Sandra Day O’Connor, the trailblazing legal luminary who shattered the glass ceiling as the first female Supreme Court justice, died on Friday morning in Phoenix, Arizona. She was 93. The icon’s battle with dementia was disclosed to the public in October 2018 through a poignant letter in which she expressed her inability to continue participating in public life due to the advancing condition. Politico first reported her death. During her 24-year tenure on the bench, Justice O’Connor left an indelible mark on American jurisprudence. Her pivotal role in landmark decisions on contentious issues such as affirmative action and abortion underscored her influence. Notably, O’Connor played a crucial role in the 5-4 decision in Bush v. Gore, a

verdict that ultimately led to George W. Bush’s victory in the 2000 presidential election. In recognition of her transformative contributions to the American judiciary, O’Connor received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009. Her appointment in 1981 paved the way for subsequent female justices, including Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan, solidifying her legacy as a true pioneer. Born in eastern Arizona, O’Connor initially aspired to be a rancher but pursued a different path, overcoming gender-based employment discrimination to become the first woman appointed to the Supreme Court eventually. In a career that exemplified resilience, she served as a deputy county attorney, worked as a civilian attorney in Germany, and became the first female majority leader in the United States for the

Arizona Senate. O’Connor, appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1981, embraced the significance of her historic role, according to Politico. “I felt a special responsibility... I could either do an adequate job so it would be possible for other women to be appointed without [people] saying, ‘Oh, see, a woman can’t do it,’” O’Connor said. Even a battle with cancer couldn’t dampen O’Connor’s resolve. She underwent a mastectomy in 1988, emphasizing her determination to continue her judicial duties without interruption. A moderate conservative, O’Connor defied easy categorization, often serving as a swing voter in high-profile cases. Her nuanced approach to abortion, evolving from an initial stance against it to a decisive vote in favor of upholding Roe v. Wade in 1992, showcased her commitment

5Sandra Day O’Connor, the first female Supreme Court justice, died on Dec. 1. She was 93. (Courtesy Photo)

to legal principles and precedent. In 2006, O’Connor stepped down from the bench to care for her husband, who was battling Alzheimer’s and was succeeded by Samuel Alito. Her legacy, however, extended beyond her judicial contributions. The Supreme Court, initially unprepared for a female justice, un-

derwent symbolic changes, such as the designation of the first women’s bathroom near the courtroom. Post-retirement, O’Connor founded iCivics in 2006, a groundbreaking initiative to educate children about the political process through interactive games. WI

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DECEMBER 7 - 13, 2023 17

NATIONAL Republican Congressman George Santos Expelled Amidst Scandal, Fraud Charges By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

Republican Rep. George Santos of New York has become the third congressman in the last 50 years expelled from the chamber. Santos, who has faced allegations of lies, fraudulent activities, and bizarre behavior, witnessed his downfall primarily at the hands of fellow Republicans who found his conduct too egregious to tolerate. Among the fabrications, Santos falsely claimed that his mother perished during the September 11, 2001 terror attacks and later awkwardly walked back comments that he was Jewish, adding to a litany of lies.

His expulsion also follows a sweeping 23-count superseding indictment by the Department of Justice (DOJ), charging him with conspiracy, wire fraud, making false statements to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), falsifying records, aggravated identity theft, and access device fraud. On Friday, members of Congress voted to expel him. The resolution required a two-thirds majority vote to succeed. House Speaker Mike Johnson announced that 311 members of the House voted to expel Santos. One-hundred-fourteen members voted against the expulsion, and two members recorded themselves as "present."

He is the first member of Congress to be expelled since the Civil War who was not convicted of a felony beforehand. Expulsion is handled administratively in the same way as a vacancy, such as due to death or resignation, according to a former House parliamentarian. The House clerk assumes control of the office and makes decisions on behalf of that office. Among other steps, they will determine the process for clearing out Santos’ office. His district office remains fully operational to address the needs of the constituents. The chamber’s clerk will inform the governor of New York that there is now a vacancy in the third dis-

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5Congress voted to expel New York Republican Rep. George Santos after several charges of fraud. (Courtesy Photo)

trict of New York. It is then up to Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul to schedule a special election to replace him. “We don’t know who he is at all. He’s a dedicated, committed con man in the halls of Congress and has access to government secrets to a lot of things that could be damaging to this country. He has to go,” remarked New York Republican Representative Brandon Williams. Santos faced criticism from both sides of the aisle. New York GOP Representative Marc Molinaro stated, “George Santos is doing what every con man and 4-year-old does, which is to ignore the truth, take no responsibility, and point at others and suggest they are worse.” The expulsion process faced initial uncertainty, with some questioning whether a vote would occur. Democratic Representative Jasmine Crockett of Texas criticized Santos and the GOP for engaging in what she described as a distracting “dueling expulsion” rather than addressing crucial issues like the migrant crisis or passing a budget. House Ethics Chair Michael Guest (R-MS) denounced Santos for criticizing the Ethics Committee’s report that advocated for his expulsion, stating: “George Santos would have you believe that the process that he endorsed in May is fatally flawed and that he instead is the subject of a political witch hunt.” In his defense, Santos argued that he had not been convicted of any crimes, emphasizing the lack of precedent for expulsion without a

criminal conviction. House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, expressed reservations about setting such a precedent. However, the DOJ’s indictment revealed a complex plan Santos allegedly executed during the election cycle. Prosecutors accused him of conspiring to obtain money for his campaign by submitting materially false reports to the FEC and inflating campaign fundraising numbers to qualify for financial and logistical support from a national party committee. The scheme involved falsely reporting significant financial contributions from family members, never making loans, and misrepresenting financial stability. “Santos allegedly led multiple additional fraudulent criminal schemes, lying to the American public in the process,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge James Smith. The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Breon Peace said: “Santos is charged with stealing people’s identities and making charges on his own donors’ credit cards without their authorization, lying to the FEC and, by extension, the public about the financial state of his campaign. Santos falsely inflated the campaign’s reported receipts with non-existent loans and contributions that were either fabricated or stolen.” Santos, elected to Congress last November, was sworn in as the U.S. Representative for New York’s Third Congressional District on January 7, 2023. WI

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africa now

COMPILED BY OSWALD T. BROWN, WI CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Speaking at COP28, Ramaphosa Calls for ‘New and Appropriate Finance’ to Back Vulnerable Nations South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday, Dec. 1, urged world leaders gathered for the COP28 in Dubai to do more for vulnerable countries that disproportionately bear the impact of the climate crisis. "African countries are among the most vulnerable to the effects of a rapidly changing climate and have to adapt and build resilience within the context of historically low levels of development and severely limited capacity," Ramaphosa said. Historically, industrialized nations have spewed out the most carbon emissions that are trapping heat in the atmosphere. Ramaphosa, who spoke on the second day of international climate talks, was among more than 170 world leaders who addressed the United Nations climate conference in Dubai. On the first day of the climate conference nearly all nations finalized the creation of a fund to compensate countries struggling to cope with loss and damage caused by climate change. Sultan al-Jaber, the president of the COP28 climate conference in Dubai, said on Thursday (Nov 30) that $420 million were committed in the first hour of the announcement. Ramaphosa welcomed the move but called for scaled-up grant finance. "There can be no substitute for new, predictable, at scale and appropriate public finance to support and help developing economy countries build climate resilience. After all, many of them were not even responsible for the damage to the climate as we see it now." The total committed so far is a little over $576 million, according to a tally by the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental advocacy group. Campaigners said the U.S. offering was woefully inadequate from the world's biggest historical polluter. Bineshi Albert of the Climate Justice Alliance called it "insulting." "It is a paltry, shameful amount of money that shows the U.S. is completely uninterested in prioritizing or being accountable to the climate impacts frontline communities are facing," she said. The United States has pledged $17.5 million. However, the leaders of the two biggest carbon-polluting nations — responsible for more than 44% of the world's emissions — were not there to get the in-person message. U.S. President Joe Biden and China's President Xi Jinping are sitting out this COP, just weeks after announcing a bilateral agreement to help cut down on methane emissions. WI

caribbean now Guyana Can Count on Jamaican Support in Border Dispute with Venezuela

In welcoming the ruling handed down by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the Government of Jamaica has thrown its unequivocal support behind Guyana and called on Venezuela to be engaged in peaceful resolutions and follow international law, The Guyana Chronicle reported on Sunday, Dec. 3. This was said in a statement published by Senator Kamina John5Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, Jamaica’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and son-Smith, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, on behalf of the Foreign Trade. (Courtesy Photo) Government of Jamaica. “Guyana can continue to count on Jamaica’s support of the CARICOM position in defense of its sovereign rights and territorial integrity,” the Jamaican Government said. “The Court’s Order strongly supports the position of Guyana, which is shared by Jamaica, that the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela should refrain from any action which would seize, acquire or encroach upon, or assert or exercise sovereignty over the Essequibo region or any other part of Guyana’s national territory.” According to the statement, Jamaica supports the Court’s Order that both parties refrain from any action that aggravates the current situation, Venezuela’s trail of events which are aimed at annexing Guyana’s Essequibo region, were in the spotlight. The ICJ on Friday granted Guyana provisional measures to prevent any action by Venezuela that could lead to the annexation of Guyana’s territory. The decision was handed down by the President of the ICJ, Justice Joan E. Donoghue, at the Peace Palace in The Hague, the Netherlands. WI

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Nurturing Mental Health in Low-Income Communities

Submitted by AmeriHealth Caritas DC Mental health is an important aspect of our overall well-being that can sometimes be overlooked, especially in low-income communities. Low-income communities face many challenges when it comes to resources, economic stressors, and social disparities. These factors can have a significant impact on mental well-being.1 However, there are strategies that individuals and communities can take together to foster better mental health outcomes.

MENTAL HEALTH BARRIERS IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES

Mental illness affects millions of people in the United States. One in five U.S. adults experience mental illness each year.2 Understanding how to improve mental health in underserved, low-income communities begins with understanding the barriers that exist. Some key barriers include: • Lack of insurance coverage. Many people in low-income communities do not have health insurance or have limited coverage. Having substantial insurance coverage can help lower the cost of mental health services.3 • Finances. Having limited financial resources can prevent individuals from getting the mental health care they need, such as therapy sessions, certain medications,

and other costly mental health services. • Geographic barriers. Rural low-income communities can sometimes have limited access to mental health services due to a lack of healthcare facilities nearby. • Mistrust of the health care system. Historically, systemic biases within the health care system have led to mistrust of it by some individuals in low-income communities.4 • Lack of knowledge. Many residents of low-income communities are not made aware of certain mental health conditions or the resources available to them. Often, they may not recognize that the symptoms they are experiencing are related to a mental health issue.

ACCESSING MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES IN LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES

If you and your family live in a low-income community, there are options available for you to access necessary mental health care. • Research local resources. Begin researching mental health resources available in your community. These resources can be community health centers, clinics, nonprofit organizations, and programs with mental health support. • Access telehealth services. Many mental health professionals offer telehealth services, which allow you

to access therapy and support remotely. AmeriHealth Caritas DC enrollees who are age 21 or older can chat with a trained behavioral health coach through the Headspace Care (formerly Ginger) app found in the Google Play store or Apple App Store. Enrollees ages 13 through 20 can text 886-886 and use the referral code “AmeriHealth” during enrollment to start texting with a MindRight support coach. Enrollees can receive support for life challenges 24 hours a day, seven days a week. • Talk to your primary care provider (PCP). If you have a PCP, they may be able to give you referrals to mental health professionals or services. • Prioritize self-care. While it is important to seek mental health support when needed, you should also take time to care for yourself. Set aside time each week to relax or participate in activities that you love, and remember to surround yourself with supportive people who care about your mental health goals. Improving mental health in low-income communities requires many different approaches including raising awareness, building support systems, and eliminating barriers to make these resources accessible. Communities can work together to create an environment that supports mental well-being for all its residents. For additional advice on how to improve your mental health, read the AmeriHealth Caritas DC Mental Wellness Guide. Sources 1. “Low Income & Its Effects on Mental Health,” Anxiety & Depression Association of America, https://adaa.org/find-help/by-demographics/low-income#:~:text=Low%20Income%20%26%20 its%20effects%20on,level%20 report%20severe%20psychological%20distress.&text=Poverty%20 causes%20stressors%20such%20 as,food%2C%20housing%2C%20 and%20income. 2.“Mental Health by the Numbers,” National Alliance on Mental Illness, https://www.nami.org/mhstats#:~:text=22.8%25%20of%20U.S.%20 adults%20experienced,represents%20 1%20in%205%20adults. 3. “Access to Health Services,” Health.gov,

https://health.gov/healthypeople/priority-areas/social-determinants-health/ literature-summaries/access-health-services#cit6 4. “Beyond Misdiagnosis, Misunderstanding and Mistrust: Relevance of the Historical Perspective in the Medical and Mental Health Treatment of People of Color,” National Institutes of Health, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ pmc/articles/PMC2574307/pdf/ jnma00207-0025.pdf

5. “Water: How Much Should You Drink Every Day?” Mayo Clinic, https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/ water/art-20044256#:~:text=So%20how%20much%20 fluid%20does,fluids%20a%20 day%20for%20women, All images are used under license for illustrative purposes only. Any individual depicted is a model

#BestMe

Boosting Your Immunity this Holiday Season The holiday season can be a busy, exciting time of year. As you join the rush of the season, you may find your immune system affected by holiday travel, family stress, unhealthy eating, or the change in weather. Fight off the cold and flu by taking a few simple steps to boost your immune system. • Drink plenty of water. Staying hydrated is very important when it comes to health and immunity. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommends that men drink about 15.5 cups of fluids a day and women about 11.5 cups.5

• Eat a nutritious diet. Between all the holiday treats and meals, you may find it difficult to eat a well-balanced diet. Consuming as many whole foods as possible can help you stay healthy. • Prioritize doctor’s appointments as needed. If you’re not feeling well, don’t be afraid to seek care. Contact your primary care provider and they will work to get you the care and services that you need. AmeriHealth Caritas DC enrollees can contact Enrollee Services at 202408-4720 for help scheduling an appointment.

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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. WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM / THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

DECEMBER 7 - 13, 2023 21

HEALTH African Women’s Cancer Awareness Association Empowers Those in Breast Cancer Fight By Lindiwe Vilakazi WI Health Reporter While October is dedicated to breast cancer awareness, a local organization is working year- round to educate and serve African migrant women facing the disease, addressing unique barriers to healthcare access and growing cases of younger diagnoses. Ify Ifebi, founder of the African Women’s Cancer Awareness Association (AWCAA), remembers welcoming her mother to the United States in 1989, coming to assist her a few weeks after the birth of her daughter. Just a few weeks into her mother’s stay, diabetic complications pushed Ifebi to take her to an endocrinologist. It was during her physical exam that they unexpectedly discovered a lump in her mother’s breast, eventually being diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer at 65 years old. Her condition called for immediate surgery, with doctors urging a radical mastectomy to prevent the cancer from metastasizing throughout the body. But with less than six months of residency in the United States, Ifebi’s mother could not qualify for health coverage despite her dire circumstances. “To get her mastectomy done be-

came a problem because I had no insurance for her. I wasn’t expecting the first few months of her being here to have such a serious illness, it wasn’t something I could afford,” Ifebi told The Informer. “So that’s what gave me the insight to know that as an immigrant, when you have health issues, then here comes more issues.” According to a report from the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer, “breast cancer is the most common cancer type of women in sub-Saharan Africa, affecting roughly 129,000 women who were newly diagnosed in 2020.” Although breast cancer has a fairly good prognosis in high-income countries, survival rates are considerably lower in countries across sub-Saharan Africa. Immigrating from Nigeria, Ifebi’s mother had never inquired with a doctor about her growing lump until she reached the United States. Desperate for medical aid, Ifebi turned to her best friend, Dr. Chinwe Agugua-Otue, a Trauma Surgeon in the Washington Metropolitan area, to find emergency treatment in hopes of saving her mother’s life. After speaking with a team of medical practitioners, Agugua-Otue’s

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(Courtesy photo)

colleagues successfully treated Ifebi’s mother pro Bono, allowing her to live another 17 years. She was 84 years old before her cancer returned and she eventually succumbed to the disease in April 2007. Agugua-Otue was also diagnosed with breast cancer 12 years after Ifebi’s mother, and despite her medical support and resources, passed just one year after her as well. Watching people she loved tackle the aggressive disease encouraged the inception of AWCAA in 2004. Ifebi became determined to educate women far and wide, running a nonprofit organization composed of African immigrant women health professionals working to address disparities in education, prevention, and access to healthcare for African migrants and descent communities battling cancer illnesses. “That’s when I knew there has to be something else God wants me to do. It became my passion. These two women meant a lot to me, both of them died from breast cancer, and we need to create more awareness because breast cancer does not discriminate.”

BRIDGING THE GAPS IN SUPPORT AND HEALTHCARE

Over the past sixteen years, Ifebi has met many African women diagnosed with health issues while struggling to obtain green cards, essentially interfering with their access to healthcare. To resolve this issue, AWCAA conducts community outreach to gather migrant women for screening services,

while raising funds to provide any needed treatments. In 2005, Howard University Cancer Center was the first facility to partner with AWCAA in helping to address the lack of treatment available for African migrants facing these disparities. Maintaining a long-standing rapport with the organization, every month, the center holds “Mamo Day,” providing breast cancer screenings for 5 to 10 women who are still in the process of obtaining citizenship. The nonprofit organization has also partnered with Capital Breast Care Center, Luminis Health, Johns Hopkins, and Breast Care for Washington, which provides a “Mamo Van'' to the AWCAA’s Greenbelt facility a few times throughout the year to provide screenings to local women in need. Grant funding from foundations like Susan G. Komen, Prince George’s County Health Department, and Howard University, are just a few of the numerous funders helping to sustain resources for the work they do. “Sometimes people cannot comprehend it. They say, oh what do you mean you can’t get healthcare, did you check with a certain facility? Then you check with them and there is a litany of things they want you to fulfill for you to get help,” said Ifebi. “I do understand the law of the land and some of the restrictions. All I am saying is that when someone is sick with cancer, for God’s sake, let’s find a way to help the person to save a life.” While Ifebi has seen and assisted in many breast cancer diagnoses of women over 50 years of age, statistics

are showing growing rates of breast cancer in younger women. In just the last few months, AWCAA has assisted a 34-year-old mother of two children, and she is not the only younger woman the organization has reached out to in support. Kayla Medley, was only 23 years old when she learned she had stage 2 breast cancer in 2022. Initially, she went to a provider in September of 2021, who displaced her concerns about breast cancer when she discovered a lump in her breast. But in September of the following year, a different physician decided to order a biopsy which came back positive for breast cancer in her left breast. The lack of urgency to address Medley’s concern, unfortunately, gave way for her cancer to develop further. “Imagine if the first doctor would have taken me seriously, it probably wouldn’t have progressed to stage two,” Medley lamented. “That was disheartening. I just didn’t feel heard, I felt minimized. So, that was very disappointing.” Breast cancer screenings are not commonly provided to younger patients under the age of 40, as the breast tissue of younger women is commonly denser, obstructing the ability to see potential signs of cancer. “We don’t do mammograms on young patients because they’re not useful. Their breast tissue is too dense, you can’t see through it. It has the propensity to produce milk, so those cells are very active and it causes the tissue to be dense, you can’t see through it very well with mammograms,” said Dr. Olutayo Sogunro, breast surgical oncologist at Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center. “But, you can see through it with MRI and ultrasound, but again, those are not screening modalities, those are [used] when you’re looking for something.” Despite challenges of mammograms in young women, Sogunro emphasized the importance of women knowing their family history and taking active measures– such as pre-screenings– to prevent the increased risk of breast cancer. In preparation for surgery, Medley’s medical team began the process with genetic testing, later undergoing procedures to preserve her ability to conceive after chemotherapy. She completed eight rounds of chemotherapy to shrink the lump before her procedure, finally completing the process in March of 2023. Read more on www.washingtoninformer.com WI

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EARTH

OUR

that might contain explanations for the brightly-colored emissions testing machine. The machine installed in Takoma cost $300,000 when it was installed in 2019, according to Washington Post reporting at the time. The D.C. Department of Motor Vehicles did not respond to questions about what it cost to install the kiosk and pave and paint the site, or what it may cost to relocate it.

DMV from Page 1 just off Anacostia Avenue NE, Jeffrey knew that it did not fit with the future she wanted for Kenilworth Park or the Ward 7 neighborhoods surrounding it. “This is kind of like if you have a beautiful smile, and you just pluck out two of the teeth — just because,” said Jeffrey, a four-year Eastland Gardens resident who has served its civic association for nearly as long as she’s lived there. “I've seen the awesome plans that D.C. [Department of Parks and Recreation] has for things coming into this park… This doesn’t belong.” The emissions test kiosk’s installation may also have broken the

law. A statute passed by Congress in 2004 and longstanding agreements between the National Park Service, which owns the land, and D.C.’s Department of Parks and Recreation requires the area only be used for public recreational purposes. The DMV received approval from the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation to build the kiosk, according to written comments from National Park Service representative Jasmine Shanti. “The National Park Service (NPS) was not aware of the emissions test kiosk until it was brought to our attention by members of the community in mid-October 2023,” the federal agency’s emailed response read. “Once we were made aware,

KIOSK INSTALLATION POINTS TO BIGGER ISSUES WITH COMMUNITY OUTREACH 5 A self-service car emissions testing site, built by the city earlier this year within the boundaries of Kenilworth Park, sits unopened in late November. The land, owned by the National Park Service, is reserved for recreational use. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

we contacted the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) who approved the emissions test kiosk — without NPS approval or issued permit — and notified them they did not have authority or permission to approve the installation.”

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S P E C I A L E X H I B I T I O N O P E N T H R O U G H JA N UA RY 7, 2 0 2 4 Get a visual perspective of the secretive Underground Railroad, where an estimated 100,000 slaves chose to embark on a journey searching for freedom under the cover of darkness.

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Proceeds from tickets and other purchases in the Museum & Visitor Center beneﬁt Gettysburg National Military Park and Eisenhower National Historic Site.

A joint statement from the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation and the D.C. Department of Motor Vehicles confirmed that the agencies no longer plan to open the emissions testing kiosk in Kenilworth Park. Agency spokespeople said that the city sought to add a kiosk east of the river after seeing that more than 200 Ward 8 residents used the city’s first self-service kiosk, installed four years ago at the Takoma Recreation Center. “Based on the success of the Ward 4 kiosk and data showing that residents from across the city use it, DC DMV began looking into installing kiosks East of the River,” the statement read. “Unfortunately, the site chosen can only be used for recreation. After consulting with the National Park Service and the community, the kiosk will be moved to another location.” In Kenilworth Park near 42nd Avenue NE, the completed testing site sits right next to a small parking lot and a public pool, abandoned and replaced by a new one down the street. A little ways away, beyond a wide expanse of open field, is a green and yellow playground. Single family homes face the lot from across Anacostia Avenue. The kiosk remains untouched. Black plastic still covers up two signs

The agencies in charge of Kenilworth Park may never have caught the potential illegality of the emissions testing kiosk if citizens had not questioned the construction before the site opened up. The D.C. Department of Motor Vehicles did not reach out to any Eastland Gardens residents, despite the site’s location directly across the street from a row of homes on Anacostia Avenue NE. Elementary school teacher Cindy Hamilton, an eight-year Eastland Gardens resident and vice president of the civic association, said that was nothing new. “I think [the city government’s] level of engagement is terrible,” Hamilton said. “Not until we're angry and writing emails do they do something, and then it's always an apology, which — I'm frankly tired of receiving apologies. I need you to be proactive, not reactive.” Hamilton recalled other construction projects that started without any heads-up to residents or appropriate detours put in place. The city has planned multiple bridges across the Anacostia nearby, she said, despite a lack of enthusiasm for the projects from those living in the neighborhood. She also described major traffic issues even without extra construction: Highway 295 borders Eastland Gardens, but the neighborhood only has one exit and one entrance.

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DMV from Page 24 “Do we need an emissions station east of the river? Yes. But do we need it here specifically? No, because it's very difficult to get in and out of this neighborhood,” Hamilton said. “And it does not fit in with the whole recreational space. You're going to have have people here idling, adding pollution? We don't need that… I want this to be a park that's a peaceful oasis for us, and this isn’t it.”

“DISJOINTED:” INTERAGENCY COORDINATION CAUSES DIFFICULTIES IN KENILWORTH PARK

The northern section of today’s Kenilworth Park — an area used as a landfill until 1970 — has long been held in a sort of shared custody between the National Park Service and the District. D.C. has taken a role in the park’s management since at least 1949, according to a memo reiterating the terms of that agreement in 1972.

After urging from nearby residents, Jeffrey said D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation identified that memo around two years ago. Upon finding the agreement, she said the city agency quickly began fixing years-old problems pointed out by the community, like potholes and outdated signage. “For a long time, D.C. didn't have an understanding that they were responsible for it,” Jeffrey said. “They went back and dug up the document that said ‘Here are the parameters under which we are giving you this land.’ And then they came back, DPR — they apologized to our community.” Jeffrey described amazement at how quickly the agency moved to solve immediate issues, repaving problem sections of road within two weeks. In general, she’s found that the Department of Parks and Recreation has been responsive to neighbors’ needs. A cleanup project spearheaded by the National Park Service to remediate the contaminated soil from the landfill has also gotten moving

in the last two years after decades of delays, and park development will be able to begin once it’s completed. But Jeffrey said it doesn’t seem like agencies working on Kenilworth Park are working together on “an overall plan.” “The emissions site represents a lack of a strategic plan,” Jeffrey said. “They're disjointed, the D.C. agencies that are actively planning this park — they are in a stovepipe, on their own, doing their own thing.” Both Jeffrey and Hamilton said the lack of proactive engagement and long-term thinking in Kenilworth Park and the communities around it illustrate persistent equity problems on the government’s part. “I've lived in all four quadrants — last year, I lived in Ward 4, literally down the street from the mayor,” Hamilton said. “And the things that I've seen happening over there does not happen here. There was a lot more engagement, there's a lot more outreach west of the river. There's a lot more respect for the taxpaying residents.” WI

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5 Cindy Hamilton, eight-year Eastland Gardens resident and vice president of the civic association. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

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EDUCATION New Council Legislation Aims for Universal Outof-School Time Program By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer More than 100 young people from Ward 7 and Ward 8 who are enrolled in the Children's Legacy Theatre, Inc. have produced and performed in five plays this year. Many of them also hosted a 10-minute play festival this past summer at the Anacostia Arts Center on Marion Barry Avenue. With a television show and film festival in the works, Children's Legacy Theatre, Inc. continues to appeal for additional support from the Office of

Out-of-School Time Grants and Youth Outcomes (OST Office) in the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education. Such funds, executive director Jackie Carter said, would further enable Children’s Legacy Theatre, Inc. to serve youth living in communities east of the Anacostia River. In her latest efforts to give voice to grassroots organizations facing similar hurdles, Carter expressed her support for the Universal Out-of-School Time Amendment Act. If passed, the Universal Out-ofSchool Time Amendment Act, intro-

5 (Courtesy photo/Children’s Legacy Theater)

duced by D.C. Councilmember Matt Frumin (D-Ward 3), would mandate universal access to affordable before and-after school, school break, and summer programming for District public and public charter school students, including those living east of the Anacostia River, by 2035. Carter, a member of the coalition that helped shape the Universal Outof-School Time Amendment Act, said she wants to ensure that the OST Office adequately supports Ward 7 and

Ward 8-based grassroots, community-based out-of-school time providers. On Monday, she counted among dozens of out-of-school time providers who converged on Room G-9 of the John A. Wilson Building to commemorate the introduction of the bill. “Our program is an after-school job and children depend on it,” Carter said. “It's important to provide that upliftment for staff and students. We can create more seats with more money. We need some recognition of those children, where they live and the grassroots organizations that serve them.”

ATTEMPTING TO TAKE OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME PROVISIONS TO THE NEXT LEVEL

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For at least the last two years, the OST Office hosted resources fairs that connect young people to a bevy of after-school activities. However, according to D.C. Policy Center, nearly two out of three District children don’t have access to an out-of-school time seat, even with D.C.’s first place ranking for afterschool programming, The District is 53,000 after-school seats and 57,000 summer program seats away from achieving universal out-of-school time access. As Emelia Calma, director of policy and research at D.C. Policy Center, explained on Monday, Dec. 4, students experience the widest access gaps in high school and during the summer. She said that issues of concern, particularly for families in Ward 7 and Ward 8, involve proximity to enrichment, how to find information about programming, and service gaps for students with disabilities. Elements of the Universal Out-ofSchool Time Amendment Act, as it's currently written, include the OST Office’s incremental growth, of 10% year-by-year, in the amount of available

out-of-school time program sceats, and a requirement that the office gives advanced notice about revisions to grant application processes, grant award amounts, and other requirements. Per the legislation, the Commission on Out-of-School Time Grants and Youth Outcomes would be responsible for the development of a District-wide strategic plan for creating and funding universal access to out-of-school time programs. They would also collaborate with the Mayor’s Office of Racial Equity to identify and address racial equity gaps. This legislation, which Frumin drafted with the support of the Outof-School Time Coalition and DC Action, builds upon a bill that D.C. Councilmember Brianne Nadeau (D-Ward 2) and then-D.C. Councilmember David Grosso (I-At large) introduced in 2016. Frumin introduced the Universal Out-of-School Time Amendment Act on Monday with: Nadeau along with D.C. Councilmembers Anita Bonds (D-At large), Robert White (D-At large), Kenyan McDuffie (I-At large), Brooke Pinto (D-Ward 2), Janeese Lewis George (D-Ward 4), Zachary Parker (D-Ward 5), Charles Allen (D-Ward 6), and Trayon White (D-Ward 8). Dr. Shontia Lowe, OST Office’s executive director, told The Informer that her office is currently unable to take a position on the Universal Outof-School Time Amendment Act, as they’re currently reviewing the legislation. She did however express her thoughts about the council’s attempt to expand out-of-school time opportunities. “The OST Office is pleased to see that Councilmember Frumin appreciates the mayor’s work and commitment to universal access to [out-of-school time programming] by way of initiatives like My Afterschool DC,” Lowe said. “We agree with the spirit of the legislation… In general, however, it is important to note that we are not comfortable with Council legislating agency operations. Andrea Jones, a Southeast parent of four, two of whom are diagnosed with autism, said the Universal Out-ofSchool TIme Amendment Act should Joining Frumin at the front of Room G-9 on Monday were Calma, Kimberly Perry, executive director of DC Action, Audrey Walker, director of youth services, Jubilee Housing in Northwest, and Nicole Lewis, community relations specialist at D.C. Strings. Read more on www.washingtoninformer.com WI @SamPKCollins

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Washington Hall of Famer Joins Job Corps Program

EDUCATION

By Ed Hill WI Contributing Writer For years, the Job Corps program has been around, impacting the lives of many young people, not just in the DMV area, but across the nation. From New Bern, North Carolina, Varshay Allen is one of the many students who came to the D.C. area, for the Potomac Job Corps. "The Job Corps program has made a huge difference in my life," said Allen, who is a lead service attendant (LSA) with Amtrak, working in catering. Allen was able to gain skills to work at Amtrak during his time at Potomac Job Corps, which provides job training, education, housing, career counseling and job placement for 16- to 24-year-olds who fit the criteria based on economic consideration. "Job Corps has been around since the 1960s," said Richard Semancik, chief operation officer for Eckerd Connects, a contractor with the U.S. Department of Labor. "Since it is federally funded, each state is involved. There are 124 centers across the country. Eckerd Connects is humble to be a part of this venture." In the Potomac Job Corps, there are 318 students with various backgrounds. Housing, career counseling and education are provided for all students. Some are working on high school diplomas or GEDs. The skill training is key for Job Corps participants,, who might study careers from culinary arts, to welding or plumbing, among others. With all of its success in the local area, the local Job Corps recently decided to take the program to another level of credibility. In an effort to celebrate the graduates of the program and offer an added incentive, the Potomac Job Corps recently held its first-ever Hall of Fame inductions for participants who have completed the program. Allen was an inaugural inductee, and, as a full time employee with Amtrak, proves to be a Job Corps success story. "When I started out, I was lacking in confidence. But there were so many people in the program who were willing to give guidance and

5 In an inaugural ceremony, Varshay Allen was inducted into the Potomac Job Corps Hall of Fame, where football hall-of-famer Darrell Green was a special guest.( Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

help, [and] at the same time allowed you to become more confident,” he said. The Amtrak employee said being inducted into Potomac Job Corps’ hall of fame “is a great honor.” "I never thought I would be in this position. But when I thought about this morning before the ceremony, I could not help but think that this honor is not all about me,” Allen emphasized. “ It is really about young people with similar challenges to mine and seeing me as an example of taking advantage of a program like this, where people are willing to help you and make a difference in your life." Semancik said Potomac Job Corps approached hall-of-famer Darrell Green in order to take their ceremony up a notch. "We knew of his profile in the DMV area, and of his legendary status as a member of the Washington football team and a hall of famer himself,” Semancik told The Informer. “He is a man of great character

and we felt that his stature would help elevate the program.” Green said he immediately accepted the offer. "I love the Job Corps," proclaimed Green, who heads up several programs and foundations for youth. "I knew about the Job Corps program when I was young growing up back in Houston, but did not take advantage of it for various reasons. Then later when I learned of all the opportunities it affords young people, I was all in." Green gave a passionate speech to the gathering, discussing his own upbringing and trials. He noted how programs like Potomac Job Corps can make a difference. "I had my own personal challenges growing up,” Green explained. “When you look at what this program does to help those who may need a second chance, or be introduced to a program where you can take advantage of all that offers to change your life, it is a blessing." WI

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EDITORIAL

Remembering Rosalynn Carter as a Groundbreaking Humanitarian Recently, former U.S. First Lady Rosalynn Carter was laid to rest in Plains, Georgia. In a statement released on the date of her passing, Nov. 19, former President Jimmy Carter reflected on his wife of 77 years. “Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished. She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in the world, I always knew somebody loved and supported me,” the former President said in the statement. Throughout her decades of public service, Mrs. Carter was perhaps best known for being a leading advocate for women’s rights, mental health, and caregiving. To remain fully informed, she sat in on cabinet meetings at the invitation of her husband. After President Carter was defeated for reelection in November 1980, he, and Mrs. Carter, returned home to Plains and immediately began planning what is now known as the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, Georgia. The Carter Center has helped improve the lives of people in more than 80 countries by resolving conflicts; advancing democracy and human rights; preventing diseases; and improving mental health care. In addition to continuing her advocacy for mental health and women’s issues, Mrs. Carter’s post White House life also included building affordable homes around the world, alongside her husband, through the nonprofit organization, Habitat for Humanity. Rosalynn Carter was not simply the wife of a former president. She was a groundbreaking wife, mother, former First Lady of the United States (and Georgia), philanthropist, and humanitarian, who should be remembered for her brave and heroic contributions to the country. In celebrating her life, Mrs. Carter should be heralded for lifelong service and advocacy for the world community. WI

2023 White House Holiday Theme: The Magic, Wonder and Joy of the Holidays (Cleveland Nelson/The Washington Informer)

One More Time for the Folks in the Back: Shop Local This Holiday Season! We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again — shopping local is the way to go for your Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa gifts. Massive retailers like Amazon, Target and Walmart compete so successfully for our dollars because they’re cheap and convenient. But the costs to our community, our planet and eventually our own wallets add up over the long term. The “shop local” reminders seem to come around basically every year, and it appears many people are listening in 2023. A survey by financial services company Bankrate released last month found that more holiday shoppers planned to buy gifts on Small Business Saturday (61%) than on Black Friday (56%) this year. There’s a million reasons why that makes sense. Buying from small businesses near where you live means supporting your neighbors instead of nameless, faceless corporations – many of whom have histories of exploiting the people who work for them. You’ll put dollars into the local economy instead, which means creating new jobs and improving city services around your Buying from small own home. Also, shopping in-person at local stores means businesses near instant gratification: no constantly refreshing the where you live means delivery tracking page, no unexpected delays and no packages stolen from the front porch. You can supporting your make sure the gift actually looks and feels the way you want it to, instead of finding out on Dec. 23 neighbors instead of that the sweater you ordered for your sister is hornameless, faceless ribly itchy. Local shopping benefits the planet, too, because corporations – many it cuts down on the long-distance shipping that typically involves pouring heat-trapping greenhouse of whom have histogasses into the atmosphere. Small businesses tend ries of exploiting the to have more localized supply chains, which means slashing emissions at every part of the process — people who work for not just during delivery. D.C. is a big city, with more than 70,000 small them. businesses based within the District. Whatever gift you’re looking for, start your search at home. WI

TO THE EDITOR RIP Baba Oduno

Rest well to Baba Oduno — a Howard University and Washington, D.C., legend. His contributions to the Black consciousness movement will never be forgotten, and his legacy will live through all the lives he touched. Romeo Partlett Washington, D.C.

Picture-Perfect

The photos in last week's issue were outstanding. From the cover to the WI Bridge, The Informer is one of the few newspapers that get photojournalism right. It’s much appreciated. Lee Mays Washington, D.C.

Readers' Mailbox The Washington Informer welcomes letters to

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OPINIONS/EDITORIALS Guest Columnist Give a Child a Book for Christmas

They don't call it “Black Friday” because they love Black people; they call it Black Friday because many businesses are pushed into the black (from the red ink of losses to the black ink of profits) on that day or into the holiday season. In just the three days from Black Friday until Sunday, Nov. 26, online sales jumped by more than 7%, according to one of the

credit card companies that tracks spending from credit receipts. Even with economic anxiety, people are spending money. If your email inbox is anything like mine, you are barraged with ads and promotions offering 25%, 50% and even 75% off. These retailers aren't giving anything away for free. A 75% offer means they had marked the product up by three times what it cost them to produce it to get their retail price. The original tag may have said $99.99. Trust and believe that the

Guest Columnist

Julianne Malveaux

item didn't cost more than $25 to produce unless it has been sitting on the shelf for so long that it is cheaper to mark the item down than to use shelf space for something else. Books are the same way. Booksellers mark books down when they need to make room for new inventory. But there is a big difference between giving someone a jacket and giving them a book, especially if the book is a gift for a young person. Too many children don't have books or access

to them, and the gift of a book can transform a child's life. You can open a world for a youngster with a book that shows her other countries and offers him different ways of thinking (thus the scientific fiction genre and Afrofuturism many young Black folks are getting into). Vanesse Lloyd-Sgambati, founder of the African American Children's Book Fair, which will be held in Philadelphia on Feb. 3, 2024, ends her voicemail message with "buy a book" because she is

passionate about the power that literacy has to enhance a young life. So if you are playing Santa Claus laden with gifts, make sure at least one is a book. And if your funds aren't challenged, bring at least one book to your cherished child and gift another child or two with a book. COVID-19 and the ease and speed of online ordering have challenged the vitality of independent Black bookstores. But

MALVEAUX Page 53

Marian Wright Edelman

Rosalynn Carter: Honoring a Legacy

On Nov. 28, the family of former first lady Rosalynn Carter held a beautiful memorial service for her at the Glenn Memorial Church at Emory University. Guests included President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff, former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary

Clinton, former first ladies Melania Trump, Michelle Obama and Laura Bush, and Mrs. Carter's devoted husband and partner of 77 years, former President Jimmy Carter. Several speakers paid tribute to the Carters' long love story, including their daughter Amy, who read a letter President Carter had written to Mrs. Carter 75 years ago while he was in the Navy. Mrs. Carter's friends, family and pastor also all emphasized her lifetime of service to others, including her longtime leadership

Guest Columnist

as a mental health advocate. Mrs. Carter often spoke about one encounter that helped spark that service. During her husband's first gubernatorial campaign in Georgia, she visited a cotton mill at 4:30 a.m. to meet with workers just finishing their overnight shifts and seek their support. When Mrs. Carter told one woman who looked especially tired that she hoped she was about to go home and get some rest, the exhausted woman explained that she and her husband had a child with mental

health care needs and took turns with their shifts so while one was at work the other cared for her. Mrs. Carter later wrote that the image of that mother haunted her all day. That evening, she surprised her husband by joining other voters in a receiving line at a campaign event, and when Mrs. Carter got to the front of the line to shake his hand, she asked how he planned to serve families with mental health care needs. He answered that they were going to have the best program in the country, and she was

going to be put in charge of it. Rosalynn Carter followed up with decades of research, advocacy and leadership. In 2008, I was honored to serve as a keynote speaker for the 24th annual Rosalynn Carter Symposium on Mental Health Policy at the Carter Center in Atlanta, themed "Unclaimed Children Revisited: Fostering a Climate to Improve Children's Mental Health." That symposium presented new

Chicago's sanctuary city status up for a referendum vote next year. "When Harold Washington did this, times were different. We didn't have people coming into this city by the thousands," one alderman said during a contentious council meeting. While the debate in Chicago highlights the frustration of overwhelmed city officials, the sanctuary rules were intended to apply to undocumented residents rather than the wave of new arrivals seeking asylum. If the referendum were to be approved by

voters, the state's Trust Act signed by Gov. Bruce Rauner would still prohibit the Chicago Police Department from cooperating with immigration authorities. Chicago is not alone in struggling to cope with the influx of asylum-seekers. Other Democratic-led cities including Denver, Houston, Los Angles and New York have received more than 120,000 asylum-seekers. The mayors of those cities have formed

EDELMAN Page 53

David W. Marshall

America Is No Longer the 'Land of Opportunity'

When the governors of Texas, Arizona and Florida took advantage of the welcoming traditions provided by sanctuary cities, it was meant to get rid of an unwanted problem. More than 23,000 asylum-seekers have been bused to Chicago from Texas since the beginning of the year. As the cold weather sets in, people in the na-

30 DECEMBER 7 - 13, 2023

tion's third-largest city are sheltering on sidewalks, at police station foyers and at the city's airport. A sanctuary city is a community with a policy that discourages local law enforcement from reporting the immigration status of individuals unless it involves investigation of a serious crime. Chicago has been considered a sanctuary city since 1985 when then-Mayor Harold Washington issued an order prohibiting local officials from withholding city services and investigating or prosecuting people

solely based on their immigration status. The Welcoming City Ordinance banned police officers from arresting anyone just because they were suspected of being undocumented. Now, several Chicago alderpersons are having a change of heart. They are calling for the sanctuary status to be reconsidered in response to the number of migrants who recently arrived to the city. The heated debate over the issue has divided the city council where some members are seeking to put

MARSHALL Page 53

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OPINIONS/EDITORIALS Guest Columnist

Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq. (Ret.)

The Buoyancy of Hope

It's a good thing in many ways that we Americans tend to believe in hope, but if you are truly listening to the Republican leader who is trying to get back into the White House, there is no doubt that he is getting more air time than the law should allow. As I talk with friends, many tell me they have to turn off their televisions during the day because of all the negative

messages glaring at them. The Hamas-Israel war is one event taking up so much time and is offering so much pain on all sides. It's very concerning that so many people could die with the end of the tragedy being nowhere in sight. Nobody I know started this tragedy, but we've been forced to suffer from what we hear on the news in a play-byplay repeat that seems to force all of us to have a front-row seat at the tragedy where we are a part of the tragedy. You can't help but feel the pain on all sides — yet

Guest Columnist

feel helpless to do anything about it. When it's not Hamas and Israel, we're fed the Republican clown show in Congress where its leaders seem to care nothing about those for whom they were elected to serve. They care more about the one-ups-man-ship game they've been playing for many months now. Their biggest concern seems to be how to hurt President Joe Biden and his family which leaves no time to do anything that helps our people in need of basic help. I've visited Israel and Gaza three times. I've had friends in

both places. My heart bleeds for what happened in Israel on Oct. 7. Since that day, whatever blood I have left, also flows for the people of Gaza. At the risk of being criticized by one side of the tragedy or the other, it's painful to see progressive friends being called antisemitic just because they can't agree with Benjamin Netanyahu's response to innocent Palestinians who had nothing to do with what happened on Oct. 7. Jewish people and several of their organizations in America have been there for Black people during the civil

rights movement — and we've applauded and thanked them. As well, some have been there to hurt us — but we haven't blamed all of them for their acts. My heart breaks to see so many Black candidates already being targeted for defeat just as I once was without cause. I hear the concern about antisemitism around the world. I am equally concerned about racism and other hate-filled treatment. When this Hamas-Israel war is

A sound response to current events in this country is provided by an individual, Thomas Penny, president of Donohoe Hospitality Services. Brother Thomas told me, "This past week I visited Youth Services Center (YSC). In response to the increased violence sweeping our city and many urban centers throughout the country, I believe those who violently harm grandmothers, children, seniors and others need to be held accountable. As I moved throughout the youth facility and witnessed

Black young people as early as thirteen years-old, with their foreheads pressed against the glass window of their single-unit cells, I felt a deep sense of responsibility to those in the facility. I have volunteered to adopt a unit of 10-12 young people and personally bear the expense of different incentive offerings to encourage positive behavior. Government alone will not solve this problem. We need business leaders, preachers, educators,

WILLIAMS Page 54

A. Peter Bailey

Our Need to Be Tough and Resilient

Back in 2008, I wrote a column that included the following guidance from journalist-historian-author-master teacher Lerone Bennett Jr.: "Given the way we are forced to live in this society, the miracle is not that so many families are broken, but that so many are still together. That so many Black fathers are still at home.

That so many Black mothers are still raising good children. It is the incredible toughness and resilience in Black people that gives me hope. That toughness and resilience should give all of us hope and provide a foundation upon which to build strong, productive, harmonious Black communities." Many of us, including myself, sometimes begin to feel a sense of hopelessness when seeing that way too many Black people, young and old, are basically acting as soul mates to white supremacists.

Guest Columnist

That's what they are when they create havoc in our communities. Fortunately, however, that kind of homelessness is very brief because we strongly believe in the possibilities of our people as cited by Brother Lerone. It is an absolute requirement that Black churches, business organizations, social organizations, communications organizations, fraternities and sororities etc. begin to take a more active role in creating the type of productive unity that has been advocated by many of our ancestors.

BAILEY Page 54

Ben Jealous

Overcoming the Oil and Gas Industry's Influence at COP28

Frederick Douglass said, “Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will.” Those of us with history in the civil rights movement know that taking on entrenched power and changing the status quo requires dogged tenacity and seizing key moments to break down barriers.

The United Nations COP28 summit going on right now in Dubai could be one of those key moments for tackling the climate crisis. To ensure we truly create a better world for us all, we must include the participation of every country. The biggest obstacle we face is the entrenched power and stubborn influence of the fossil fuel industry — the very cause of the greenhouse gas emissions which are driving global warming. The industry has had a stranglehold

on international climate talks and, this year, is showing up to the conference in greater force than perhaps ever before. Hundreds of oil and gas industry lobbyists usually descend on the COP conferences. This year, by some unofficial estimates from reporters and watchdog groups, it looks like the number of lobbyists and industry representatives could be more than double what it was at last year's COP27 in Egypt. The purpose of the U.N. climate summit is to assess and im-

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prove global efforts to curb global warming. The only way to do that is by drastically reducing emissions — far more than we're already doing — and that means completely phasing out all fossil fuels. Two reports released late last month, one by the U.N. and one by the Rhodium Group consulting firm, reached the same conclusion: the most likely projected temperature increase by the end of this century will be about 3 degrees Celsius based on current trends. Scientists say that any increase over

2 degrees would be catastrophic. And the current trajectory puts us well above the 1.5-degree Celsius target established by the landmark Paris Agreement from COP21 in 2015. Added to the backdrop of these international negotiations is that this is the hottest year on record, with resulting floods, fires, superstorms, and other extreme weather events impacting humanity in increasingly undeniable ways.

JEALOUS Page 54 DECEMBER 7 - 13, 2023 31

LIFESTYLE

WASHINGTON INFORMER WEEKEND CHECKLIST WASHINGTON INFORMER'S

Things To Do, DMV! By Ra-Jah Kelly WI Contributing Writer

SATURDAY, DEC. 9

Check out a handful of the many events happening in the DMV this weekend. To keep up with all the fun, don’t forget to check out the Washington Informer Calendar. Keep your outlook vibrant and remember, there’s always something happening in the DMV to keep your spirit and social life lit.

DC Weekly Meal-kit Delivery Easy, Affordable, Healthy EBT Accepted 3 payment options

3 Fresh Family-Size Meals Pre-Seasoned to Perfection Delivered to You Each Week YOU'LL LOVE OUR BESTSELLERS!

• Thai Mahi-Mahi, garlicky green beans, and coconut rice • Peri-Peri Chicken Skewers w/ rainbow salad and corn o'brien

www.southeatscoop.com LEARN WITH US! Johns Hopkins School of Public Health is conducting an online study to learn about food experiences in Ward 7 & 8 and improve meal delivery services. Participants can receive up to $95 in cash incentives. Who: Adults in households purchasing SouthEats Meals For more info visit: www.southeatscoop.com/study or call 202-642-5523 JHSPH IRB #: 14151 PI: Roland J. Thorpe, Jr., PhD

32 DECEMBER 7 - 13, 2023

THURSDAY, DEC. 7

Coffee & Collections: The Old Days of the New Thing Time: 11a.m. - Noon | Free with RSVP Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Place SE, Washington, D.C., 20020 The New Thing Art & Architecture Center, established in 1966 by Topper Carew in Adams Morgan, was a hub for community-based architecture, planning, and various arts disciplines. It offered classes in photography, filmmaking, African dance and drumming, painting, drawing, and creative writing. The center, a pivotal site for Black arts and culture in the 1960s and 70s, is remembered fondly by many Washingtonians. Activities included African dance and drumming sessions with Melvin Deal, and weekly jazz workshops at St. Margaret's Church, featuring artists like Roberta Flack and Go-Go legend Chuck Brown. Explore the museum’s extensive collection of art and artifacts from this iconic era. DC Moth StorySLAM: HOME @ Miracle Theatre Time: 6:30 p.m. | $15 Miracle Theatre, 535 8th Street SE, Washington, D.C., 20003 The Moth, a New York City-based nonprofit dedicated to storytelling, hosts an open-mic storytelling competition. The night’s theme: ”'HOME.” Participants can share five-minute stories about anything from their heritage to their current abode. Whether it's a tale of comfort or chaos, all are welcome. Founded in 1997, The Moth holds storytelling events nationwide, featuring a mix of notable figures and every-

brant Union Market area, the lounge transforms the historic Bolgiano’s Seed Factory into a lush, jungle-themed oasis. Guests can enjoy internationally inspired cuisine, creative cocktails, and dynamic DJ sets amidst verdant greenery. The Treehouse Rooftop Lounge is a distinctive blend of urban energy and natural tranquility.

5 Step Afrika (Courtesy photo)

day individuals. In addition to its live events, stories can be found on The Moth Radio Hour on public radio and The Moth Podcast.

FRIDAY, DEC. 8

Step Afrika’!s Magical Musical Holiday Step Show Time: 8 p.m. | $56+ Arena Stage, 1101 Sixth Street SW, Washington, D.C., 20024 Experience the opening night of Step Afrika!'s Magical Musical Holiday Step Show, the world's first holiday performance showcasing the African American tradition of stepping. This visually and audibly stunning show is part of an annual tradition by Step Afrika!, a dance company celebrating the African-American stepping tradition. Established in 1994 in South Africa, Step Afrika! began as a collaboration between U.S. dancers and Johannesburg's Soweto Dance Theatre. The company, now based in the Atlas Performing Arts Center in the U.S. since 2006, tours internationally and offers educational workshops. Treehouse Rooftop Lounge Opening Time: 5 p.m. | Free Treehouse Rooftop Lounge, 411 New York Avenue NE, Washington, D.C., 20002 VERSUS, an award-winning lifestyle brand and creative agency, announces the launch of Treehouse Rooftop Lounge, a unique and intimate venue. Five stories above the vi-

Shop Talk DC: Green & Climate Gentrification Time: 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. | Free Wanda's on Seventh, 1851 Seventh Street NW, Washington, D.C., 20001 Black Millennials 4 Flint, in partnership with Wanda's on 7th, is holding a critical discussion “Green & Climate Gentrification,” led by National Director of Black Male Initiatives Dr. Carlton Poindexter and University of Maryland scholar Jan-Michael Archer. This conversation will delve into how environmental improvements and climate change impact property values and community displacement. The first 10 guests will receive complimentary food. This event is kid-friendly, with adult supervision required. COLORS Worldwide Presents: R&B ONLY LIVE Time: 7:15 p.m. -Midnight | $52.50+ The Anthem, 901 Wharf Street SW, Washington, D.C., 20024 Join host Apex Laurent and DJ GabSoul for R&B ONLY LIVE, an immersive musical journey through the evolution of R&B. Presented by COLORS Worldwide, a Los Angeles-based experience company, this event showcases R&B hits from the classics to contemporary.

SUNDAY, DEC. 10

Breakfast with Santa at Dave & Buster's Silver Spring Time: 9 a.m. - Noon | $25.99 Dave & Buster's Silver Spring, 8661 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, Maryland, 20910 Meet Santa Claus at Dave & Buster’s, a unique alternative to the usual mall visit. A ticket offers an All-American Breakfast buffet with soda, coffee, and tea, plus a $10 Power Card® featuring Unlimited Video Game Play. Enjoy early access to Dave & Buster’s, a personal photo opportunity with Santa, and all gratuities and taxes are included. Read more on www.washingtoninformer.com WI

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LIFESTYLE

5 Chef Rock Harper and Chef Furard K. Tate pose in front of Hill Prince. (Ra-Jah Kelly/ The Washington Informer)

DMV Black Restaurant Week Launches 6th Annual Celebration By Ra-Jah Kelly WI Contributing Writing DMV Black Restaurant Week, in collaboration with the Mayor's Office on African American Affairs, recently launched its sixth annual celebration of Black-owned restaurants. The kick-off happy hour at Hill Prince on H Street NE began with a mayoral proclamation designating the week of Dec. 3 the official DMV Black Restaurant Week for 2023. Founded by Dr. Erinn Tucker, a professor of hospitality, food entrepreneur Andra “AJ" Johnson, and Chef Furard K. Tate, the week highlights Black restaurants in the DMV area. Participating restaurants offer coordinated specials, are featured on the DMV Black Restaurant Week (DMVBRW) website, and are highlighted in various events throughout the week. Hill Prince, a staple along the H Street corridor, was acquired by celebrity Chef Rock Harper, winner of Hell’s Kitchen season 3 and owner of Queen Mother’s Kitchen. Harper expressed gratitude for the support his ventures received, especially during the pandemic: “I could not have done Queen Mother's without us,” he stated. “Hands down 100% The support that I received throughout the pandemic

we opened in 2020. I would not be open if it were not for Black people. You have to understand that.” The Greater Washington Urban League (GWUL) also played a role, promoting the “By Our Hands” Black Restaurant Accelerator. This initiative includes six months of workshops led by industry experts like Tate and offers a $10,000 grant upon completion. Kimberly Corbin, GWUL’s chief administrative and finance opportunity officer, highlighted the excitement surrounding the DMV Black Restaurant Week event. “I always have a great time,” Corbin said. “I always get to meet new folks. I always get to taste new cuisine that I hadn't thought you could put those two things together and make magic. But more importantly, I love the community's feel to all of this.” Attendees emphasized the importance of sustaining and elevating Black culture through cuisine. “We are responsible for keeping our culture alive, nobody else is,” Tate declared. “And if we don't do it first, no one else will. So tonight, today, for the whole week, for the whole year, this is a reminder of the responsibility that we all have to keep our food culture alive.” WI

Stay Informed! www.washingtoninformer.com

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DECEMBER 7 - 13, 2023 33

LIFESTYLE A FAMILY-FRIENDLY HOLIDAY STEP-STRAVAGANZA!

Miami Art Week and Art Basel 2023 Highlight DMV Based Artists, Organizations

How Miami Art Week Has Expanded Beyond “Art Basel” Culture By Andrew S. Jacobson WI Contributing Writer As Miami Art Week 2023 nears, the city transforms into a showcase of modern art, culture, and entertainment. This week-long extravaganza, often confused with Art Basel Miami Beach, is in fact a broader occurrence encompassing numerous events across Miami. While Art Basel remains a significant highlight, Miami Art Week offers a more extensive experience, along with an economic boon for the City of Miami, by providing programming for art enthusiasts. Every December, the art, music, and entertainment industries, and now tech companies and lobbyists, invest heavily to produce Miami events in an effort to generate influence through celebrity and grandeur. During the week, these entities host a diverse array of exhibitions, fairs, and events for their admirers and VIPs. This year, there are a number of events presented by DMV-based entities worth attending.

MIAMI ART WEEK VS. ART BASEL MIAMI BEACH:

STEP AFRIKA!’S MAGICAL MUSICAL HOLIDAY STEP SHOW ON STAGE DECEMBER 8 — 17 Photo of Step Afrika!’s Magical Musical Holiday Step Show at Arena Stage by Jati Lindsay.

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34 DECEMBER 7 - 13, 2023

While Art Basel Miami Beach is a singular, prestigious art fair attracting global attention, Miami Art Week is a city-wide festival featuring numerous events, fairs, and exhibitions. Art Basel is historically the most significant draw, but Miami Art Week transcends a single fair; offering diverse art experiences across various neighborhoods, making it a more inclusive and expansive celebration of art. Miami Art Week 2023 presents an extraordinary opportunity to experience the soul of Miami's international art showcase. From the prestigious galleries showing at Art Basel, to the eclectic D.C.-centric programming scattered throughout the city, this week promises to be a memorable journey for attendees. Read more on washingtoninfomer.com. WI

4 Powered by Strativia, Theophilio x Millersroom are throwing a party at The Mondrian South Beach. (Courtesy Photo)

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A CULINARY AND COCKTAIL CELEBRATION

Learn about Kitchen + Kocktails' Holiday Treats By Andrew S. Jacobson WI Contributing Writer

Friendsgiving Offers Innovative Cocktails, a Spin on Classic Food, Fun As I walked into the Kitchen + Kocktails’ late November Friendsgiving event, sponsored by Remy Martin, I was greeted by a mix of excitement and the scent of their holiday menu. The event, a modern twist on traditional gatherings, was not just a feast but also a vibe. The highlight of the evening was the innovative cocktails, especially the reimagined Sidecar featuring Remy Martin. This classic drink was transformed, offering a familiar yet unique taste that perfectly complemented the evening's energy. The food, particularly the stuffing—or dressing, depending on

your vernacular—was a standout. It was flavorful, perfectly seasoned, and surprisingly sophisticated. It exemplified the culinary expertise that Kitchen + Kocktails is known for. The vibe of the Nov. 22 event was mixy. A great DJ kept the diverse crowd jamming, and a blend of DMV-based models, media, and content creators, added to the night's allure. It was a gathering that truly represented the spirit of Friendsgiving.

LOOKING AHEAD: A FESTIVE DECEMBER, CATERING MADE EASY

Transitioning into the December holidays, Kitchen + Kocktails by Kevin Kelley is not showing signs of slowing down. They have an-

nounced an exciting lineup of holiday offerings, starting with their Holiday Christmas Catering service in Dallas, Chicago, and D.C. Launched, Dec. 1 the catering service simplifies holiday dinners. As founder, Kelley said the company started holiday catering so that hosts can enjoy stress-free, delicious meals at home. The menu includes an array of mouth-watering options like: Smothered Turkey Wings, Caribbean Jerk Lamb Chops and Southern Fried Chicken, along with delectable sides and desserts.

LIFESTYLE

AN EXCLUSIVE COCKTAIL CLASS EXPERIENCE

There’s also the Holiday Cocktail Class on Dec. 5. Hosted by an expert mixologist, this event, sponsored by Don Julio, offers an immersive experience into the world of tequila. Attendees will learn the art of cocktail-making, enjoy Don Julio tequilas, and savor perfectly paired bites. Priced at $89, the class promises

5 Kitchen + Kocktails by Kevin Kelley is offering a variety of holiday specials and treats, including catering and a cocktail making class. (Courtesy Photo)

an evening of learning, tasting, and celebrating. It's not just a class; it's an opportunity to reconnect with loved

ones and immerse oneself in the holiday spirit. WI

More support for our community.

More possibilities for the future. At Pepco, we’re committed to supporting local non-profits as they open more doors for people in our community. It’s another way we’re delivering more than energy. Learn more at pepco.com/PowerOfCommunity

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DECEMBER 7 - 13, 2023 35

LIFESTYLE

Black and Brown Women Get Serious Roles in Business and Boardrooms By Brenda C. Siler WI Contributing Writer In a ballroom in Southwest, D.C., more than 100 women captured words of wisdom from 3 Stephanie Tavares-Rance, the co-founder of the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival (MVAAFF), greets attendees at a “C-Suite Luncheon” held on Friday, Dec. 1, at Salamander DC. (Courtesy Photo/Robert Shanklin, MVAAFF)

PRESENTS

GOSPEL HOLIDAY: WORSHIP LIVE!

Join a stellar lineup of chart-topping and GRAMMY award-winning artists for an evening of gospel favorites. The Worship Live Holiday Tour features headliner Fred Hammond with special guests Donnie McClurkin, Hezekiah Walker, Todd Dulaney, Anthony Brown, and more! Come celebrate the holiday season with this epic night of worship at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall! This is an experience you won’t want to miss. *The Orchestra does not appear on this program.

DEC 14

JOSEPH MEYERHOFF SYMPHONY HALL

Stephanie Tavares-Rance, the co-founder of the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival (MVAAFF). The setting was a “C-Suite Luncheon” at Salamander DC, owned by business mogul Sheila Johnson. Representation meant everything to the audience to hear from a Black woman business owner at a facility owned by another Black woman. It might seem odd that a film festival convened a gathering about empowering women in business, without talking about films. With MVAAFF turning 22 in 2024, Tavares-Rance shared her personal story during the event, and the mission for the afternoon was clear. Early in her career, Tavares-Rance had worked on many award-winning projects in corporate marketing. When a promotion she felt was going to be hers went to another person who was brought in from outside and had no marketing experience, she was more than disappointed. She quit the corporate world to work full-time with her husband, Floyd Rance III, on their business venture, Run&Shoot Filmworks, the company where MVAAFF lives. Tavares-Rance leveraged the success of MVAAFF to launch the first C-Suite Luncheon in 2021. “The conception of this event was inspired by two words, support and solidarity,” said Tavares-Rance in welcoming Black and Brown women to the luncheon. “The ‘C-Suite’ tour was created in a space where women who lead and inspire can connect, share commonalities and power, and elevate one another.”

HOW HAVE WOMEN SUCCESSFULLY SHATTERED GLASS CEILINGS?

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36 DECEMBER 7 - 13, 2023

After a networking lunch, the attendees heard from four panelists about their paths to the C-Suite under the “Alignment” theme. Panelists were Alexis McGill Johnson, president of Planned Parenthood, Rahquel Purcell, chief transformation officer at L’Oreal, Michelle Rice, president at TV One and CLEO TV, and Michelle Mitchell,

head of Culture and Content Equity, Content Partnerships at META. The panelists represented companies that were also sponsors of the C-Suite Luncheon. The moderator for the panel was Helena Andrews-Dyer, author and pop culture reporter at the Washington Post. When panelists were asked to interpret the theme, Rice looked at everything, including work, caring for her daughter, and being available to her parents. She had a response that may have been interpreted as a reality check. “Alignment is a moving target, and that sounds counterintuitive,” said Purcell, president of L’Oreal. Other key points that came out of the panel discussion were: • Women should give themselves grace. The career learning process builds “muscles of resilience.” • We have heard about the year of “yes.” We should embrace the year of “No.” Think about your wellness and what you will put up.

‘A VERY POWERFUL SPACE’ TO CONNECT, LUNCH, LISTEN AND LEARN

Mitchell commented on why it was important for Meta to be a part of the luncheon. She knew the gathering would be important on two primary levels. “It’s a space to connect as family,” said Michell. “Also, it is a very powerful space for women in positions to make an impact in the world.” When the luncheon concluded, it was difficult for the women to leave. New business connections continued to blossom, which is what Tavares-Rance desired. Taking the leap on a series of C-Suite luncheons over the past few years, Tavares-Rance knew what an impactful luncheon would look like. “I want to create something where we are the centerpiece. I believe Black and Brown women are everything,” said Tavares-Rance. “We’re beautiful, we are magnificent, and we are powerful. When we stand next to one another, I believe we become an unstoppable force.” WI @bcscomm

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Checking the Weather: Homeownership and Climate Change Risk By Kayla Benjamin WI Climate & Environment If you’re picking out clothes for the following day, you’ll probably glance at the weather forecast. If you’re making weekend plans, it’s often useful to check if the prediction includes rain or snow. Decisions about our long-term futures, like what house to buy or how to invest in home maintenance, require a lot more information than what we can find with a quick look at an app or the local news. But homebuyers and homeowners can benefit from thinking about the weather — specifically, how the weather will change as the planet continues to warm up, and what impact it can have on their homeownership plans.

THE DMV IS RELATIVELY CLIMATE SAFE, COMPARED TO OTHER REGIONS

5 A house near the northeast D.C. border, fills up with three feet of water during a rainstorm on Sept. 10, 2020. It’s important for homeowners and potential homebuyers to understand their house’s flood history and other climate change risks. (Photo courtesy of Deborah Wiggins)

WHAT CLIMATE CHANGE HAS TO DO WITH HOMEOWNERSHIP

Climate change, which is caused by burning fossil fuels like oil and gas, makes certain weather events — including flooding, storms and heat waves — more intense and more frequent. The U.S. government’s fifth “National Climate Assessment,” released Nov. 14, reported that a disaster costing at least $1 billion in damages now hits the U.S. every three weeks, on average. In the 1980s, billion-dollar disasters (adjusted for inflation) only occurred once every four months, according to the report. The report also explores the connection between those damages and financial 5 Exposure to climate hazards has a negative effect on real estate values. The loss numhardship for property owners. “Climate change has direct and indi- bers on this graphic come from studies of specific areas impacted by disaster, so they may rect effects on economic outcomes,” the not represent the average loss nationwide. (National Climate Assessment) Assessment’s chapter on economics reads. “Changes in rainfall patterns and sea level borhood. Just like checking rise put existing homes at risk of flooding, a direct effect. Elevated flood risk in turn the weather to decide on an causes indirect effects, including lowering home prices, increasing risks to mortoutfit, checking climate risk gage-providing businesses, and altering the cost of flood insurance provided by the can set up homeowners and Federal Government.” homebuyers to best handle Nationally, more than 80% of prospective homebuyers consider at least one cliwhatever comes their way. mate-related factor while shopping, according to a study released by Zillow earlier this fall.

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Compared with many other parts of the country, the D.C. region is on the safer side when it comes to climate risks, at least in the immediate future. It’s not close enough to the coast for sea level rise to start swallowing whole blocks, as will likely happen in places like Miami. And the mid-Atlantic is unlikely, in the near term, to experience the devastating wildfires and extreme drought that the West Coast faces (though the DMV has actually experienced moderate drought conditions during much of 2023, and Shenandoah National Park saw multiple wildfires this fall). Augurisk, a risk assessment platform specializing in crime and natural disaster data, lists both D.C. and Prince George’s County as being low-risk for natural disasters. But that doesn’t mean homebuyers and homeowners in the DMV should forget about climate change impacts. Risks vary widely across the region, particularly when it comes to flooding.

HOW TO FIND OUT YOUR CLIMATE RISKS

Whether you’re a prospective homebuyer or already a homeowner, it can be useful to understand the climate risks that your specific house faces. A number of online platforms have recently cropped up with the aim of providing that information, including Augurisk, Climate Check and Risk Factor. All three will allow users to search for an address to see its estimated climate risks. Most of the services are free, though some sites offer more detailed reports that you have to pay for. The federal government’s Climate Mapping for Resilience and Adaptation site is another good (and free) resource and also enables users to look at future risks. Climate change may seem like a far away problem, but its impacts are already being felt. For anyone looking at a long-term mortgage, it’s even more important to be armed with all the information about how our warming planet could impact a home or neigh-

DECEMBER 7 - 13, 2023 37

LIFESTYLE

D.C. MUSIC COMMUNITY RALLIES AMID PANDEMIC

DMV Music Stakeholders Lead Advocacy and Support for Local Artists By Ra-Jah Kelly WI Contributing Writing In early 2020, at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, it became 3 The DMV Music Stakeholders is an organization that includes musicians, venue owners, event planners, promoters, and local leaders, such as Aaron Meyers, executive director of the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, and works to unite and address challenges in D.C.’s creative community. (WI File Photo/Ja’Mon Jackson)

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apparent that travel and gathering restrictions would significantly impact various industries. As the pandemic spread globally, industries like airlines quickly received government relief. However, the music and performing arts industry saw less public attention and government support. Years before the pandemic, coalitions in the District’s music and arts community formed around several issues, including responding to a report about the city's musician population, opposing the Amplified Noise Amendment by D.C. City Council chair Phil Mendelson, and supporting the 'Don't Mute DC' movement led by Ronald Moten, which advocated for Go-Go music and against gentrification. During the pandemic, the D.C. music community united to address their unique challenges. This led to the formation of the DMV Music Stakeholders (DMVMS), a group that includes musicians, venue owners, event planners and promoters. Chris Naoum, an attorney who relocated to D.C. to work in music and media policy, was a key organizer of events like “The Funk Parade” and “Down in the Reeds Festival.” Naoum also cofounded DMVMS and now serves as an event coordinator for the DC Commission for the Arts and Humanities. "It was so natural for everyone to just come together when you saw the music industry in such a dire position," Naoum said. Jazz musician Aaron Meyers, another DMVMS co-founder, had to cancel international performances, leading to a sudden loss of income. "Teaching was up in the air. So what does one do? I had to immediately pivot to see how much I had saved. What would unemployment look like? Would I get unemployment," Meyers, currently the Executive Director of the DC Commission for the Arts and Humanities, recalled questioning. Naoum said Myers and musician and arts advocate Herb [Scott] “realized the jazz community was in big trouble.”

“We needed to be broader, not only supporting the jazz community but using our stakeholder list for advocacy,” Naoum explained. Meyers, Naoum, Scott, and others, including the late Rev. Dr. Sandra Butler Truesdale, established biweekly calls for musicians to share resources and draft government aid legislation. They proposed The Music Venue Relief Act, which, although not adopted in its original form, influenced the Mayor's “Entertainment Bridge Fund.” "They haven’t flat out said they’ve taken parts of the work that we’ve done but I think in general our legislation helped them understand the need for creating this Bridge Fund," Naoum stated. The group also played a role in advocating for ‘The Harmonious Living Act of 2021.’ Dior Brown, a hip-hop artist and a current DMV Music Stakeholders leader, found solace in the group during the pandemic. "It was my first Millennium Stage performance, and I was coming off this high thinking ‘In 2020 it’s about to be crazy!’ And then the whole world shut down," Brown said. Despite the return to normalcy, issues highlighted during the pandemic persist. The local music advocacy organization continues bimonthly meetings and resource sharing. In November, they hosted their first "meet and greet" at Eaton House. "I’m so grateful for you all for coming out tonight. I never thought we would meet in person," said Meyers. Brown outlined goals like enhancing promotion for independent artists, ensuring an artist's living wage, and providing education on business and contracts. "I think having a robust organization that tackles various advocacy types,” Brown said, regarding goals for the organization. “Where everyone's listening to one another, and that it's not only money grabs.” "[I hope] that artists and organizations are truly thriving, that we're hearing and addressing the ills,” Brown continued, “[and] that more folks will want to come here, knowing the scene is active and we have a voice." WI

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December 2023 Message from Department of Aging and Community Living DIRECTOR CHARON P.W. HINES

Dear Seniors, Happy Holidays! As we gracefully step into the month of December, we're delighted to extend the warmth of the holiday spirit to our cherished Senior community in the District. This time of year is filled with anticipation, excitement, joy, and the creation of special memories for many. However, we recognize that, for some, the season may be filled with loneliness or sadness due to various circumstances such as distance from family or the absence of loved ones. No matter your situation, DACL is here for you. In that spirit, we warmly invite you to join us for Mayor Muriel Bowser’s 25th Annual Senior Holiday Celebration! This milestone event is not just

a festive gathering; it's a wonderful opportunity to connect with others, embrace the holiday spirit surrounded by friends and loved ones, and discover the many services available to you throughout the District. As the newly appointed DACL Director, I am personally honored to experience this momentous occasion with you. The celebration will be held at the DC Armory on Wednesday, December 13,2023 from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM and will feature a delightful array of entertainment with over 70 government agencies and community-based organizations in attendance. To ensure you don't miss out on the holiday festivities, I ask that you register at www.tinyurl. com/25thAnnualSeniorHoliday or call us at 202-724-5626 at your earliest convenience. Let’s make this season extraordinary by coming together, creating lasting memories, and reveling in the joy of being part of our vibrant DC community. As we bid farewell to the current year and eagerly anticipate the new year with its promise of fresh beginnings, I encourage you to explore new opportunities. Whether it's joining a class at one of our Senior Wellness Centers or picking up a new hobby, DACL remains committed to supporting DC seniors in every way possible. Wishing you a December filled with warmth, laughter, and the magic of the season! We look forward to seeing you on December 13th at the DC Armory.

As we bid farewell to the current year and eagerly anticipate the new year with its promise of fresh beginnings, I encourage you to explore new opportunities. Whether it's joining a class at one of our Senior Wellness Centers or picking up a new hobby, DACL remains committed to supporting DC seniors in every way possible.

In Service, Charon P.W. Hines DACL Director

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DECEMBER 7 - 13, 2023 39

wish, click, swoosh. Swish, click. Click! Click! CLACK! “GOAL!” These are the lively sounds of a hockey game!

How many silly things can you find in this hockey scene?

Who were the first people to play hockey? No one knows for

A hockey puck slammed into the article about pucks, scattering the letters a, b and c. Can you put them all back where they belong? Ho_key pu_ks weren’t _lw_ys m_de of _l_ _k ru_ _er like they _re tod_y. The e_rly pu_ks were pro_ _ _ly _ _lls, _ut other obje_ts, su_h _s stones, lumps of _o_l, or frozen _ow or horse poop were _lso used. Wooden pu_ks were used for m_ny ye_rs. Mothers sometimes put hot _ _ked pot_toes into their _hildren’s sk_tes so th_t the sk_tes would _e _ozy _nd w_rm when the _hildren re_ _hed the rink or pond. The pot_toes were not thrown _w_y. They eventu_lly froze and were used _s pu_ks. Although ru_ _er w_s invented in 1939, it w_sn’t until the l_te 1880s th_t someone thought of m_king ru_ _er pu_ks.

How many hockey pucks can you find on this page?

uropean settlers in Canada developed the game of hockey as we know it today. The first rules of the game were published in a

Standards Link: Physical Education: Understand the role of sport in a diverse world (e.g., the influence of professional sport in society).

sure. But for hundreds of years, kids have been sliding stones and other objects across ice with sticks and tree branches. Over the years, in different parts of Europe, a variety of games played on ice with sticks and sliding objects were created.

Source: Backcheck: Hockey for Kids Library and Archives Canada

Unscramble the answer! 12 11

Ice hockey players push off and skate in bursts of speed up to 30 miles per hour! These quick starts, stops and turns chew up the ice very quickly.

10 9 6

In 1949, a man by the name of Frank Zamboni solved the problem of rough, chopped-up ice. He invented a machine that smoothed 5 4 the ice by applying a layer of 2 3 water which freezes to the top of the ice surface. This machine is 1 still used today. It smoothes the ice and is called a Zamboni® ice resurfacing machine after its inventor!

Hockey Words

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15 18 19

ZAMBONI and the configuration of the Zamboni® ice resurfacing machine are registered trademarks of the Zamboni Company.

Look through today’s newspaper for words that go with the game of hockey. The words can be nouns, verbs or adjectives. Put the words in ABC order. Standards Link: Grammar: Identify nouns, verbs and adjectives in writing. Spelling: Put words in alphabetical order.

Icy Art Can you redraw the pattern a skater left on the ice

without crossing over any lines or removing your pencil from the page?

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But in the between t and the de scorre wa the three p goed into Standards Link: Reading Comprehension: Follow simple written directions.

HOCKEY STICKS PUCKS ZAMBONI PENCIL INVENTOR POTATOES COZY SKATES GAME RINK THIN FROZE POND COAL

The teams minute an Detroit’s M Bruneteau goal in a 1

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Standards Link: Letter sequencing. Recognize identical words. Skim and scan reading. Recall spelling patterns.

Good Sports

List characteristics of someone displaying good sportsmanship. Ask students to look in the newspaper for a picture of an athlete demonstrating good sportsmanship and explain why they chose that picture.

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Standards Link: Physical Education: Understand the elements of socially acceptable conflict resolution in physical activity settings.

Hockey Happiness

Write an alliteration about ice hockey. Alliteration is the repetition of initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words. Example: Awesome ants always agitate!

KID SCOOP IS SPONSORED BY

40 DECEMBER 7 - 13, 2023

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With hund Kid Scoop features six high-intere activities fo school! Get sample tod

wi book review "Lena Horne: Goddess Reclaimed" By Donald Bogle

horoscopes

LIFESTYLE DEC. 7 - 13, 2023

ARIES You could encounter things before anyone else does. If you meet someone who has something to offer the group, make the necessary introductions. You excel at facilitating interactions between others. Toward the middle of the week, you're using others to your advantage, or at least you're putting their unique talents to use for the sake of the greater good. By Friday, you're going to get some recognition for all the connections and possibilities you've created. Lucky Numbers: 5, 11, 53

c.2023, Running Press $35 / 264 pages

TAURUS As tantalizing as the potential payoff may seem, taking a risk at the outset of the week isn't going to pan out. Rather than directing your energy toward schemes of world domination, direct your energy toward other people. Thursday is a day of enlightenment, but Friday and Saturday are, frankly, weird. Rather than attempting to understand, just try not to take anything personally. On Sunday, be around people who make you feel comfortable. Lucky Numbers: 3, 23, 56

"Black TV: Five Decades of Groundbreaking Television from Soul Train to Black-ish and Beyond" By Bethonie Butler

GEMINI Your opinions are pretty solid, but that doesn't mean everyone is in the mood to hear them. If the right message is delivered at the wrong time, it won't resonate. Spend Monday and Tuesday with your ears open. Wednesday and Thursday will most likely find you at work and involved in a minor squabble, but the stars have something fairly radical in store for you on Friday and Saturday. Sunday has you thinking about change. Lucky Numbers: 10, 17, 38

c.2023, Black Dog & Levanthal / $35 / 287 pages Terri Schlichenmeyer WI Contributing Writer

The person on the screen looks just like you. And that's important. Once was a time when you rarely saw a Black face in entertainment unless you were specifically looking for one — which is why these great books on Black entertainers are so essential to read … First of all, elegance almost oozes from "Lena Horne: Goddess Reclaimed" by Donald Bogle, a gorgeous book, part of the TMC library. Bogle begins his narrative in the spring of 1993, when "a radiant Lena Horne entered the famous MGM recording soundstage for the first time in nearly forty years." She was there to shoot footage for a compilation movie on entertainment and, says Bogle, it was "a bittersweet experience." From there, he takes readers through the briefest of childhood biographies before getting to the good stuff: Horne's career that began in Harlem. It was the Depression, and competition for the best positions at the Cotton Club was fierce; despite that the Club had other beautiful women onstage, it was Horne who "caught the eye of just about everyone who saw her." Filled with everything you want to know about Lena Horne, her life, loves, and many of her contemporaries, "Lena Horne: Goddess Reclaimed" is comprehensive and wide. It's one of those books you'll want to keep on your coffee table, to browse and show off. Bonus: carefully chosen photos enhance what you'll read. If the small screen is more your thing and you want to remember how far television's come over the decades, then you'll want "Black TV" by Bethonie Butler. Ask any TV viewer about their favorite show or series and if it's got a full cast of Black actors, you'll probably find it in this heavy volume. Comedies, dramas, even variety series have their own chapters. Flip Wilson, Redd Foxx, Arsenio Hall, Diahann Carroll — they're all in here. With this book on your lap, you'll take a trip to the Soul Train studio, and visit the Huxtable living room. Remember how "In Living Color" skewered almost everything? Remember the night James Evans died? Which "Sister, Sister" twin was your favorite? Is the new version of "The Wonder Years" realistic enough for Black audiences? This book is absolutely packed with insider information, memories, stars, guest stars, and lots of pictures to nudge your nostalgia and send you looking for something to binge-watch on repeat or to catch new. It's a great book to share with generations who missed seeing these shows live. Or just sit and read "Black TV" and let that be tonight's entertainment. If these books on Black entertainment aren't enough for you, then be sure to look around for more. Author Bogle has several other biographical volumes on the shelves. You'll find books about and by Black stars, books about specific movies and TV shows, retrospectives that will take you way back, and more behind-the-scenes peeks of your favorite series. Your bookseller or librarian will be able to put these books in your hand because they're good like that. And so are these books. WI

CANCER You're tapped out at the start of the week. You're out of gas. You lack fuel. This is more of an emotional state than a physical reality. Problems in your social life and private life are zapping your emotional energy. Wednesday and Thursday are, therefore, ideal days to recharge. On Friday and Saturday, you'll feel restored and confused when someone else emotionally retreats. If you have nothing else to do on Sunday, go exploring. Lucky Numbers: 3, 15, 24 LEO You've seen romantic comedies about people as giddy as you and you-know-who are, although you also feel like your romantic happiness at the start of the week is transcendent. Success on the love front translates into more confidence in every other aspect of your life, which explains why in the middle of the week you're able to ask for ask for things and then get them. On Friday and Saturday, you might have to let a few things go to make a few compromises. On Sunday, art is on your mind. Lucky Numbers: 5, 35, 49 VIRGO You have responsibilities, and you're dedicated to seeing them through even when, on Monday and Tuesday, you have a perfect excuse to let yourself off the hook. This is admirable of you. And fate will reward you. Wednesday and Thursday are postcards of romance. The great thing about love is you can take it anywhere in the world with you. On Friday and Saturday, you're itching to do some spring cleaning. Blast the radio and get out your sponges. On Sunday, some confusion about your relationship with you-know-who requires your attention. Lucky Numbers: 17, 18, 42 LIBRA The right words just slide out of your mouth on Monday without your having to think about it. And people are responding in the way you want them to. Expression and high ideas figure into your day on Tuesday as well, but on Wednesday, you fall into a sentimental mood, and by Thursday, you feel entirely unsocial. Then, on Friday, a dose of fun and possible romance dramatically improve your outlook on everything. Lucky Numbers: 5, 9, 56 SCORPIO Largeness is a theme on Monday. "The bigger the better" is your mantra. Your reasons are philosophical, but the effect this outlook will have is financial. By Tuesday, you might find yourself the proud and somewhat embarrassed owner of an incredibly expensive piece of art. Midweek, practice self-control. Instead of eating out, make yourself a sandwich. Your future, for example. On Friday and Saturday, your problem-solving skills are needed at home, and Sunday will tax your imagination. Lucky Numbers: 9, 30, 31 SAGITTARIUS You and your friends are more jovial than a comedy troupe on Monday and Tuesday. Your social circle is satisfying on a deep level. But on Wednesday and Thursday, your focus turns inward. Friday is a fine day to go to a party. Introduce yourself to a stranger and see how much you have in common. Saturday is rife with new ideas. You impress people wherever you go. On Sunday, slow and steady is the answer. Lucky Numbers: 9, 13, 26 CAPRICORN Your dreams are smarter than you may realize. If you're trying to solve a problem on Monday or Tuesday, consider what your own mind has been telling you. By Wednesday or Thursday, when positivity and good outcomes are strong themes, everything will have sorted itself out. Money is in the stars on Friday, either a lot of it or a lack of it, and Saturday has something to do with your future. Lucky Numbers: 12, 39, 51 AQUARIUS Remember Care Bears? They lived on clouds and they harnessed the group's power to do good things. That's what your group of friends is like on Monday and Tuesday. The start of the week is as expansive as a cloudscape. Wednesday and Thursday are, unfortunately, the opposite of expansive. But Friday is just about perfect. You have energy, you feel inspired, you feel significant. Lucky Numbers: 11, 16, 26 PISCES An authority figure (most likely a boss) is a big part of your life at the start of the week. Do the right thing. Give them the respect they deserve. And when a blabbermouth starts in about something inconsequential, put your foot down. Relationships with friends in high places are crucial on Wednesday and Thursday. On Friday, kick off your shoes and give yourself a break. Then spoil yourself this weekend. Lucky Numbers: 5, 17, 21

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DECEMBER 7 - 13, 2023 41

SPORTS Friendship Collegiate Captures Second Straight DCSAA Title By Ed Hill WI Contributing Writer When Dunbar High School and Friendship Collegiate Public Charter School last met, it was the regular season opener on Aug. 25, and Friendship prevailed 19-6. Fast-forward two months later and the two local powers met in a rematch, this time for the District of Columbia State Athletic Association (DCSAA) Football Class AA Championship on Dec. 2. The result was the same as the August matchup, with Friendship beating the Crimson Tide 25-13. The seventh-ranked Knights (11-2) took home their second straight title at William H. Greene Stadium on the campus of Howard University. The Crimson Tide (9-3), ranked number 17, opened the season with close losses to Friendship and highly regarded Mount Saint Joseph's before reeling off nine straight wins in impressive fashion, averaging 40 points per game during that streak. "We knew how explosive they could be on offense, so we came in knowing that our defense had to play well," said Friendship Col-

42 DECEMBER 7 - 13, 2023

legiate Head Coach Mike Hunter, who won his sixth title. The Knights also had a very tough schedule with losses at nationally ranked St. John's Bosco (California) and a tough 16-13 overtime loss at the number 10 ranked Gonzaga. Following that setback, Friendship reeled off six straight wins, limiting opponents to under 10 points per contest during that stretch. The Knights set the tone on Dunbar, limiting them to a three-andout, and then capitalizing by scoring on their first offensive possession. It would take Friendship 10 plays to go 55 yards, with senior quarterback Brandon Toles capping it off with a two-yard run. Then Dunbar made some adjustments on defense, and coupled with some costly Knights penalties. The Crimson Tide was able to stay close. On a day when its offense was not clicking on all cylinders, it was only fitting that Friendship turn to its vaunted defense led by senior bookend linebackers, DeAndre Cook and Dylan Stewart. The talented duo wreaked havoc, as they have all season, making several plays behind the line

5 Friendship Collegiate Public Charter School defeated Dunbar High School during the DCSAA Football Class AA Championship. Friendship running back Darmarjae Jones (26) scored a touchdown win over Dunbar. (Courtesy Photo/Marcus Relacion)

of scrimmage and forcing Dunbar quarterback Brosnan Dukes into several errant throws under duress. The pressure finally paid dividends when midway through the second quarter, Stewart picked up a Dunbar fumble and returned it 26 yards to make the score, 13-0. “It means a lot to do that in my last game,” Stewart said of his scoring play. "It comes from playing good teams and knowing what adversity is and training for it.” Stewart, standing 6 feet and 4 inches senior, is headed for the University of South Carolina. Friendship would continue to dominate the line of scrimmage an even when Stewart was ejected in the third quarter, Cook turned it up a notch. Also 6 feet and 4 inches, Cook is headed to Penn State, and was named the game MVP after collecting eight solos, three sacks and three tackles for losses. With the Crimson Tide unable to do anything with its running game that featured senior running backs Michael Clark and Dre'Aun Wood (who combined for over 2,200 yards and 28 touchdowns between them during the season), the Knights would eventually take advantage. Friendship was able to cement their lead with a spectacular 56-yard touchdown run by senior running back Damarjae Jones (12 carries, 86 yards) and a touchdown pass from Toles to senior wide receiver Keyon Starkey-Webb to make it 25-0 in the fourth quarter.

The Knights set the tone on Dunbar, limiting them to a three-and-out, and then capitalizing by scoring on their first offensive possession.

But the proud Crimson Tide, who were playing in their third championship game, refused to go down without a fight. Going away from its physical run game, Dunbar turned to the passing combination of quarterback Dukes, to wide receiver Isaiah Bradford, who teamed for two touchdowns in a two-minute span. There were still six minutes left on the clock, but the Knights slammed the door, as that was as close as they would get. "We had a good season when you look back," reflected Dunbar Head Coach Anthony "Bink" Vaughn. "The kids did everything we asked of them. I think we represented the DCIAA and Dunbar well. We just did not have enough today. We faced a very good, well-coached football team." As the Friendship Collegiate sideline rushed the field amid flashing stadium lights and a drum line from the school band Saturday at Howard University, the Knights chanted “S.O.B.,” meaning stand on busi-

ness — a motto that came to define their season. “S.O.B. means everybody stands on their assignments and does what they have to do,” quarterback Toles said. “Whatever they say before the game, they need to stand on business and actually really mean it and step up to it.” The bookend matchups against Dunbar provided evidence of growth for the Knights, and it was a chance to prove just how dominant they can be on their way to a sixth DCSAA title. “We’re always going to challenge ourselves, not only with games but how we practice and how we attack the weight room,” Hunter said. “So we want to get these kids to play more than just for a football game but for how life is going to go. You will have some challenges, some things you got to overcome, and they’re ready for it.” The next goal for the Knights: “To raise the bar,” Toles said. “We’re going to go undefeated.” WI

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3A few of the Washington Informer’s staff attended the WABJ’s Special Honors and Scholarship Gala on Dec. 2 to support the publisher’s receipt of the WABJ’s President’s Award. (Shevry Lassiter/The Washington Informer)

CAPTURE the moment

5The 2023 WABJ Special Honors and Scholarship Gala Award Recipients during a photo op after the awards ceremony held at Howard University on Dec. 2. (Shevry Lassiter/The Washington Informer) 3Kristen Welker was presented an award for Journalist of the Year during the WABJ’s Special Honors and Scholarship Gala held on Dec. 2 at Howard University. (Shevry Lassiter/The Washington Informer) 4Iconic singer Dionne Warwick is presented a citation from Maryland Governor Wes Moore by First Lady Dawn Moore, as family, friends, and music industry elites celebrate Warwick's 2023 Kennedy Center Honor during a gala reception hosted on Friday, Dec. 1 at Café Milano-Georgetown. (Brigette Squire/The Washington Informer)

3Dave Chappelle poses with guests at reception for 2023 Kennedy Center honoree Dionne Warwick on Friday, Dec. 1 at Café Milano-Georgetown. (Brigette Squire/The Washington Informer)

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RELIGION Richard Smallwood Celebrates 75th Birthday with Concert Featuring Gospel Legends By Hamil R. Harris WI Contributing Writer

Generations of gospel icons offered an unforgettable musical tribute to legendary artist Richard Smallwood for his 75th birthday at First Baptist Church of Highland Park Thursday night. It was fitting that the Howard University Gospel Choir kicked off the program because decades ago Smallwood was one of the founders of the group that launched so many careers and ushered in generations of singers. WHUR Radio announcer Jacquie Gales Webb and gospel singer and preacher Jerome Bell went much further than hosting the program. The

duo, historians of the classical gospel genre, saturated the event with elegance and style. “Praise the Lord and happy birthday Richard Smallwood,” said Gales Webb, who talked about how the artist changed the gospel genre. She explained that before Smallwood so many gospel groups were relegated to the choir loft, in robes and with album covers where they stood on a hill looking toward Heaven. Then came Smallwood. Whether it was the Smallwood Singers or his group Vision, the singer and musical director became one of the most popular artists, “on the planet,” Webb said. The night was truly dedicated to Smallwood, as artists like Phillip Car-

5 Several gospel music greats gathered to celebrate the legendary Richard Smallwood on Nov. 30. (Hamil Harris/The Washington Informer)

ter, Robert Pearson, Mike McCoy, and Patrick Lundy sang his tunes, and the Ministers of Music, Sean Tillery, Jimmy Russell, and Damian Sneed unleashed a storm of songs for the crowd to enjoy. The Rev. Dr. Cheryl J. Sanders, of Howard University School of Divinity and senior pastor of Third Street Church of God, read a proclamation from the prestigious institution. “A Diamond is treasured for its many facets,” the statement read. “The many facets of your life in ministry…your spoken and written eloquence…your ear for the melodies

and harmonies and hymns to transport audiences, your studies at Howard University sharpened your artistic proficiency and your logical precision of your entire body of work.” Presidential Advisor the Rev. George Holmes, read a statement from President Joe Biden and presented Smallwood with a gold medal. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser issued a proclamation designating Dec. 1st as Richard Smallwood Day. During a video presentation, many national artists sang Happy birthday to Smallwood, including: Faith Evans, John P. Kee, Tramaine Hawkins,

Bishop Carlton Pearson, Minister of the Gospel of Inclusion, Dead at 70 By Jacqueline Fuller WI Contributing Writer Bishop Carlton Pearson, Christian minister, author, and gospel artist, died on Nov. 19, after a brief battle with cancer that re-emerged after a previous battle 20 years ago. Peason was born on March 19, 1953, in San Diego, California and raised in the Pentecostal church. He attended Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma and was mentored by the school’s namesake. His shift with his religious beliefs happened after watching a television program about the 1994 Rwandan genocide, and the teachings that people who are not Christians are going to hell. He had doubts about the concept of hell and began preaching what he called the “gospel of inclusion.” This change sparked controversy and members left his church.

44 DECEMBER 7 - 13, 2023

"Bishop Carlton Pearson, a leader who preached a message of inclusion and helped so many people connect their faith..." 5 Bishop Carlton Pearson, Christian minister, author, and gospel artist, died on Nov. 19. (Courtesy Photo)

He was labeled a heretic by his colleagues and lost influence in the evangelical community. In 2018, Pearson was in Washington. D.C. for an advanced screening of the Netflix movie "Come Sunday," which was based on his theological

shift. The Informer reported on the event, which was hosted by the Interfaith Alliance. Pearson was also a member of the Interfaith Alliance’s board of directors. “We were deeply saddened to

learn of the passing of Bishop Carlton Pearson, a leader who preached a message of inclusion and helped so many people connect their faith to the challenges and issues we face in our everyday lives," the Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, president and CEO of Interfaith Alliance, said in a statement. "Descended from a long line of preachers, Bishop Pearson’s calling was to connect with those who felt spiritually unresolved or were searching for faith in their lives. Bishop Pearson liked to call himself a Sacred Activist and Spiritual Progressive – and he brought that passion to his work as a member of the Interfaith Alliance board of directors,” the Interfaith Alliance CEO continued. “Our hearts go out to his loved ones at this difficult time and we will keep them in our prayers.” WI

and Dottie Jones. Recording artist Angela Winbush and many former members of Smallwood’s group were in the audience and Gospel music legend Twinky Clark played a riveting musical tribute to Smallwood. “It was a blessing for us to show Richard how much he is appreciated in the DMV and how his music has ministered to many of us,” Gales Webb told the Informer. “This event was a love experience.” With a small budget, Jarrad Sawyer planned and produced the free event. As he was leaving, WHUR host Winston Chaney said: “This was a classily planned event.” Joyce Garrett, minister of Music at Alfred Street Baptist Church said she has “been in awe of [Smallwood’s] talents since the 1970s when the Howard University Gospel Choir recorded its first album.” Garrett talked about Smallwood’s deep roots in the District because his father was the visionary behind and first pastor of Union Temple Baptist Church. “As soon as Richard Smallwood recorded a new song, I would teach it to my students at Eastern High School.” The concert concluded with all of the groups and audience singing Smallwood’s famous “Total Praise,” which has become an anthem in many churches across the country. Before that selection, Smallwood sat in front of the stage and said that people from the Washington DC area have been his most devoted supporters. “Thank you, thank you,” he said. “This.has been one of the most amazing moments in my life.” WI

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RELIGION the religion corner WITH LYNDIA GRANT

The Rainbow After the Storm!

Rainbows appear after big storms, during a time when things appear to be at their worst. During the really dark clouds at the end of the storm, suddenly, a rainbow appears. According to Scripture, God's first sighting of the rainbow was when it was sent to Noah, that the earth will never be flooded like that again, and His word is still true. In Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem "The Rainy Day" we find this famous line which says, "Into each life some rain must fall," another reminder that everyone will experience difficulty and heartache at some point in their lives. We made it through all the craziness of COVID-19, starting back in 2019, and continuing with one thing after another, even wars. But once we finally got the majority of us vaccinated, life began to slowly get back to normal. Though we thought our feet were on somewhat solid ground of a new season, we were ready to begin another chapter in our life story, only to learn that several other versions of COVID hit us. This storm was still going. But making it through is only the first step. Remember, we must learn from the storm and grow from what the storm taught us which simply means we can't just forget what we've been through. To grow from the storm, we must carry into the next season some very important lessons learned from the storms we've experienced. Storms usually cause us to ask the

question, where is God? Somehow, we think that with the presence of God, we would not have to experience storms. That is definitely not true. Let me remind you that Jesus was indeed in the boat along with the disciples, but nevertheless, the very strong storm did come. I truly believed Jesus knew the storm was going to happen and that He used it to help the disciples to teach them this very valuable lesson. Understand that the Bible said, "suddenly there arose a storm." Nothing can catch God by surprise. It may catch us by surprise, but never God because He knows the beginning from the ending. He is omniscient. Therefore, this storm that came upon them suddenly caused them to panic. They were fearful, they felt like the ship was going down, and they would all die. But Jesus was in the boat with them all the time. So the presence of the storm doesn't mean God has gone or abandoned us. It doesn't mean God doesn't care. It means, like Isiah 43:2 says, "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee." Even if your boat is taking on water and the fear of sinking into the deep has come upon you — you don't have to fear you don't have to

fret because you will not sink. You may get rocked and tossed but rest assured you will not become shipwrecked. Even though the winds of adversity are howling loudly, they will not have the last word in your life — just call on Jesus and He will calm the storms when He decides to say "peace be still." In this Bible story, you learn the presence of storms doesn't mean the absence of God. The disciples questioned Jesus' love! When they woke Jesus, they asked him this question: "Master, carest thou not that we perish?" To which Jesus responded, "Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?" Notice, Jesus was sleeping — think on these things! "Master, carest thou not that we perish?" So many times, when storms come, we may feel that God doesn't love us. Always remember He does love us! Matthew 5:45 says, "That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for He maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." What we do not understand, especially during the storm, is the purpose. Always, when a storm comes, it causes the ground to soften and allows the roots to penetrate deeper into the ground, making them stronger and more durable to handle future storms that come. Amen! WI

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RELIGION The Miracle Center of Faith Missionary Baptist Church Bishop Michael C. Turner, Sr. Senior Pastor 9161 Hampton Overlook Capitol Heights, MD 20743 Phone: 301-350-2200 / Fax: 301-499-8724 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

Pilgrim Baptist Church

Church of Living Waters

Rev. Louis B. Jones II Pastor

Rev. Paul Carrette Senior Pastor

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

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

Reverend William Young IV 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)

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

Mount Carmel Baptist Church

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

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

Mount Olivet Lutheran Church

“Friendliest Church in the City” Website: mountolivetdc.org Email: mtolivedc@gmail.com

Dr. E. Gail Anderson Holness - Senior Pastor Rev. Ali Gail Holness-Roland Assistant & Youth Pastor

46 DECEMBER 7 - 13, 2023

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

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”

St. Stephen Baptist Church

Third Street Church of God

Bishop Lanier C. Twyman, Sr. / Senior Pastor 5757 Temple Hill Road, Temple Hills, MD 20748 Office 301.899.8885 – Fax 301.899.2555 Service and Times Sunday Early Morning Worship 8:00 AM Sunday School 9:30 AM Sunday Morning Worship 11:00 AM Tuesday: 7:00 PM – Kingdom Building Bible Institute Wednesday: 12:30 PM – Mid-Day Bible Study Wednesday: 7:00 PM – Evening Bible Study Baptism - 3rd Sunday – Communion 4th Sunday Free Food Giveaway – Every Tuesday, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm “We are One in the Spirit” www.ssbcmd.org | secretary@ssbcmd.org

Campbell AME Church

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

Service and Times Divine Worship, Sunday 10:00 a.m. Communion 1st and 3rd Sunday

Rev. Dr. Alton W. Jordan Pastor 800 I Street, NE - Washington, DC 20002 202-548-0707 - Fax No. 202-548-0703

www.livingwatersmd.org

1306 Vermont Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20005

Rev. Dr. James Coleman Pastor

Website: www.allnationsbaptistchurch.com All Nations Baptist Church – A Church of Standards

Service and Times Sunday Service: 8:30am& 11:00 AM Bible Study: Wednesday 7:30 PM Communion Service: First Sunday

Rev. Terrance M. McKinley Senior Pastor

Adams Inspirational A.M.E. Church

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

4915 Wheeler Road Oxon Hill, MD 20745 301-894-6464

John F. Johnson Reverend Dr.

All Nations Baptist Church

2001 North Capitol St, N.E. - Washington, DC 20002 Phone (202) 832-9591

Harold Andrew Assistant Pastor

Crusader Baptist Church

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

Emmanuel Baptist Church

Rev. Cheryl J. Sanders, Th.D. Senior Pastor 1204 Third Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 202-347-5889 office / 202-638-1803 fax Services and Times Sunday School: 9:30 AM Sunday Worship: 11:00 AM Sunday Community Worship Service: 8:30 AM “Ambassadors for Christ to the Nation’s Capital” www.thirdstreet.org Live Stream Sunday Worship Service begins @ 12:00 noon www.thirdstreet.org

Mt. Zion Baptist Church

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

Florida Avenue Baptist Church

Reverend Christopher L. Nichols Pastor

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

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

Isle of Patmos Baptist Church 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

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

Shiloh Church of God 7th Day Elder Jonathan M. Carson Senior Pastor

5701 Eastern Avenue, Hyattsville, MD 20782 Phone: 301 559-5262 Service and Times Sabbath Worship @ 1:00 pm in-person/FB/Zoom Tuesday - Prayer@ 7:30 pm on Zoom Wednesday - Bible Study@ 7:30 pm on Zoom Friday - Sabbath School@ 7:30 pm on Zoom Web: shiloh7thday.org Email: shiloh7thdaycomm@gmail.com "A culturally diverse church of edification, deliverance and transformation"

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

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER / WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

RELIGION 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

Rehoboth Baptist Church

Rev. Lance Aubert Imterim Pastor 1251 Saratoga Ave., NE Washington, DC 20018 (202) 269-0288 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

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

Eastern Community Baptist Church Damion M. Briggs Pastor

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

Apostolic in Doctrine, Pentecostal in Experience, Holiness in Living, Uncompromised and Unchanged. The Apostolic Faith is still alive –Acts 2:42

“Where God is Praised, Christ is Obeyed, and People are Loved”

New Commandment Baptist Church

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

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

Promised Land Baptist Church

Historic St. Mary’s Episcopal Church

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

Foggy Bottom - Founded in 1867 728 23rd Street, NW - Washington, DC 20037 Church office: 202-333-3985 - Fax : 202-338-4958 Service and Times Sundays: 10 a.m. Holy Eucharist with Music and Hymns Wednesdays: 12:10 p.m. - Holy Eucharist

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

401 Van Buren St., NW, Washington D.C. 20012 Office (202)-882-8331 Service and Times Sunday Worship 10:30 am Zoom: zoom.us/;/2028828331 Bible Study: Wednesday 7:00pm Communion Every First Sunday

"Serve, teach and Live by precept and example the saving grace of Jesus Christ."

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

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

First Rising Mt. Zion Baptist Church

Rev Kevin A. O'Bryant Pastor

Website: Theplbc.org Email: churchclerk@theplbc.org

Dr. Joseph D. Turner Senior Pastor

Service and Times Sunday Apostolic Worship Services 11:00 A.M and 5:00 PM Communion and Feet Wash 4th Sunday at 5:00 PM Prayer/Seeking: Wednesday at 8:00 PM

Rev. Stephen E. Tucker Senior Pastor

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

Matthews Memorial Baptist Church

2616 MLK Ave., SE - Washington, DC 20020 Office 202-889-3709 - Fax 202-678-3304 Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 9:30 AM Holy Communion: 1st Sunday 9:30 AM Sunday School: 8:15 AM Bible Study: Wednesdays at Noon Baptism: 4th Sunday 9:30 AM

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

The Rev. E. Bernard Anderson Priest

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

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

Dr. Lucius M. Dalton Senior Pastor

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

Rev. Richard B. Black Interim Pastor

Mount Moriah Baptist Church

Rev. Curtis l. Staley Pastor

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

Lincoln Park United Methodist Church

Israel Baptist Church

Website address: www.mmbcdc.org

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 “ Email Address: admin@pbc712.org

Mt. Horeb Baptist Church

Rev. Oran W. Young Pastor

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

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

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

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

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Denise Rolark Barnes - Publisher of The Washington Informer DECEMBER 7 - 13, 2023 47

LEGAL NOTICES Notice of Union County, New Jersey, newspaper of general circulation, Union County LocalSource, publication dates: 11/9/23. 11/16/23, 11/23/22, 11/30/23, Account Number: 221475. In The Moorish Empire, Estados al-Marikanos, Societas Republicae Ea Al Maurikanuus Estados, D.b.a.: Union County, New Jersey, united States of America. Notice of White Flag Surrender: as "hors de combat", pursuant to The Geneva Conventions, Article III, as a ministers of The Moorish Empire, and Internationally Protected Persons, specially appearing as: “Gordon Henry Chrichlow Jr, co-Trustee of Gordon Chrichlow Trust; Shanta Chrichlow co-Trustee of Gordon Chrichlow Trust”, “Gordon Chrichlow Trust”, “ Gordon Henry Chrichlow Jr”, “Shanta Chrichlow”, Trustee, entitlement holder, for the Unincorporated Inter Vivos Trust, “ Gordon Chrichlow Trust ”, permanently domiciled at: 701 State Route 440 STE 16 PMB 1071, Jersey City, New Jersey [07304] u.S.A.. Notice of: LAWS AND CUSTOMS OF WAR ON LAND (HAGUE, IV), ARTICLE: 32, 45, 46, & 47. Notice of Bailment Merging of Legal Title with Equitable Title. This Notice is to preserve legal and equitable title, and to reserve all rights, title, and interest, in the property, as Allodium Absolute Title Estate in Fee Simple, Tax Exempt, for religious, scientific, educational, and charitable purposes, of the following described Real Estate, being formerly known as: Borough of Roselle, County of Union, State of New Jersey, formal known as Lot 10, Block 2905 FORMERLY known as Lot 215 Block 183.H, BEING the same premises conveyed to GTA Developers and Builders, LLC by Deed from Bernice L. Thomas, Single, dated March 14, 2022, recorded on July 21, 2022, in the Union County Clerk/Register’s Office in Deed Book 5975, Page 169. Which has a refused address of: [ 207 Cavell Street, Roselle, New Jersey 07023], located at or near Latitude: 40.645010" N, Longitude: -74.256820" W. Being the same property described in [ Union County, New Jersey, among the said Land Records.] Notice of Private Property. The aforementioned private property is not available for trespass. Any and all trespassers shall incur a $1,000,000.00 [One Million Dollar], non-judicial penalty at each evidenced occurrence, that is immediately due upon presentment. Trespassers waive any and all defenses and agree to a Fieri Facias order commanding the County Sheriff, of wherever any property of the DEBTORS may be found, either getting the money by seizure, attachment, or levy, and sell sufficient personal property, real property, goods, chattels, and real estate, in full satisfaction of the debt. Notice of Special Deposit. Said Real Estate is as a special deposit order, conveyed to the for the Unincorporated Inter Vivos Trust, “Gordon Chrichlow Trust ”. Borough of Roselle, Union County, TAX ACCOUNT NUMBER 2714, is as a special deposit order, and as Accord and Satisfaction, conveyed to the Unincorporated Inter Vivos Trust, to “Gordon Chrichlow 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: “ gordon henry chrichlow jr©”, and, “shanta chrichlow”, as a special deposit order in lawful money, exclusively for the benefit of: “ Gordon Chrichlow 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 2023 ADM 001312 Natasha Patricia Lewis Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Herbert Lewis and Xois Blowe, whose addresses are 2607 Sherman Ave., NW Washington, DC 20001 and 5527 C St., SE, Washington, DC 20019, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Natasha Patricia Lewis who died on April 21, 2023 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 5/30/2024. 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 5/30/2024, 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: 11/30/2023 Herbert Lewis Xois Blowe Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

LEGAL NOTICES NOTICE Inge Cooper, the Vincent Cooper has filed a complaint motion entitled: Complaint for Absolute Divorce in which he/she is seeking an absolute divorce in case number C-02FM-23-000438. Notice is hereby issued by the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County, Maryland that the relief sought in the aforementioned Complaint for Absolute Divorce may be granted unless cause can be shown to the contrary. Vincent Cooper is to file a response to the Complaint for Absolute Divorce on or before: 01/23/2024 Failure to file the response within the time allowed may result in a judgement by default or the granting of the relief sought.

LEGAL NOTICES

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

2023 ADM 001265

2023 ADM 1341

2023 ADM 000711

Robert Lee Ratchford, Sr Decedent

Rema R. Jackson Decedent

Oliver A. Brown aka Oliver Andre Brown Decedent

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

Sabrina R. Ratchford and Melissa A. Ratchford, whose addresses are 911 Carriage House Ln, Upper Marlboro, MD 20774 & 2926 Footloose Dr., Columbus, OH 43231, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Robert Lee Ratchford, Sr. who died on 10/17/2022 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 5/30/2024. 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 5/30/2024, 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.

Chrissy Stephenson, whose address is 5503 Jay Street NE, Washington, DC 20019, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Rema R. Jackson who died on January 9, 2021 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 5/30/2024. 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 5/30/2024, 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: 11/30/2023 Sabrina R. Ratchford Melissa A. Ratchford Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Date of first publication: 11/30/2023 Chrissy Stephenson Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

Washington Informer

Steve Larson-Jackson 1629 K Street, NW Suite 300 Washington, DC 20006 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Marquise Allen Brown, whose address is 1001 Newton Street, NE, Washington, DC 20017, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Oliver A. Brown aka Oliver Andre Brown who died on 11/4/20 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 5/30/2024. 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 5/30/2024, 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: 11/30/2023 Marquise Allen Brown Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 2023 ADM 001254 Marjorie Kimball Clark Decedent Cecilia R. Jones, Esq. 5335 Wisconsin Ave., NW Suite #440 Washington, DC 20015 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Timothy Pilotte, whose address is 4343 Windom Pl., NW, Washington, DC 20016, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Marjorie Kimball Clark who died on June 2, 2023 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 5/30/2024. 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 5/30/2024, 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: 11/30/2023 Timothy Pilotte Personal Representative

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

2023 ADM 001223

2023 ADM 001296

2023 ADM 1337

Lottie Mae Wright aka Lottie M. Wright Decedent

Geneva M. Thompson Decedent

Genessey Robyn Flint Decedent

Donald Marlais, Esq. 411 10th Street NE Washington, DC 20002 Attorney

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

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Alvin Wright, Jr., whose address is 1705 Kings Manor Dr., Bowie, Maryland 20721-2001, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Lottie Mae Wright aka Lottie M. Wright who died on December 28, 2022 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 5/9/2024. 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 5/9/2024, 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: 11/30/2023 Alvin Wright, Jr. Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

48 DECEMBER 7 - 13, 2023

LEGAL NOTICES

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Felecia T. Peeples, whose address is 100 Detering Street, #3145, Houston, TX 77007, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Geneva M. Thompson who died on 9/1/2023 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 5/30/2024. 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 5/30/2024, 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: 11/30/2024 Felecia T. Peeples Personal Representative

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Andrew Flint and Robyn Lance, whose addresses are 13344 Tannery Ct., Fairfax, VA 22033 and 4141 E Fountain St., Long Beach, CA 90804, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Genessey Robyn Flint who died on May 31, 2023 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 5/30/2024. 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 5/30/2024, 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: 11/30/2023 Andrew Flint Robyn Lance Personal Representative

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THE WASHINGTON INFORMER / WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

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

2023 ADM 1294

2023 ADM 001279

2023 FEP 000117

Francis W. Bibby Decedent

Earnest Lee Samuel, Jr. Decedent

February 20, 2022 Date of Death

Johnny M. Howard Houston & Howard 1001 Connecticut Ave., NW Ste. 402 Washington DC 20036 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Michael Bibby, whose address is 2016 Leonard Drive, Falls Church, VA 22043, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Francis W. Bibby who died on August 31, 2023 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 5/30/2024. 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 5/30/2024, 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: 11/30/2023 Michael Bibby Personal Representative

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Bertha Clea-Samuel, whose address is 3298 Ft. Lincoln Dr., NE #303, Washington, DC 20018, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Earnest Lee Samuel Jr. who died on 6/15/23 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 5/30/2024. 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 5/30/2024, 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: 11/30/2023 Bertha Clea-Samuel Personal Representative

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Kumudini Vittal Name of Decedent

\ SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 2023 ADM 001304 Catherine P. Campbell Decedent

LEGAL NOTICES SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 2023 ADM 1357 Colin Campbell Reid Decedent

Iris McCollum Green, Esq. 1714 15th Street, NW, Ste. B Washington, DC 20009 Attorney

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

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

Date of first publication: 11/30/2023

Joanna Edwards, whose address is 1523 S Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Catherine P. Campbell who died on April 7, 2023 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 5/30/2024. 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 5/30/2024, 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.

Carlos Christopher Reid, whose address is 1802 Metzerott Road, #303, Adelphi, MD 20783, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Colin Campbell Reid who died on 11/11/2022 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 5/30/2024. 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 5/30/2024, 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.

Jeevan Vittal Personal Representative

Date of first publication: 11/30/2023

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Joanna Edwards Personal Representative

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS Jeevan Vittal Whose address is 207 Tree Hill Road, Berlin, CT 06307 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Kumudini Vittal, deceased, by the Register of Wills/Circuit Court sitting as Orphan’s Court for Montgomery County, State of Maryland. Service of process may be made upon Stephanie L. Royal, Esq, 5335 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, Suite 440, Washington, DC 20015 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. 3315 Wisconsin Ave., NW, No. 507, Washington, DC 20016. Claims against the decedent may be presented to the undersigned and filed with the Register of Wills of the District of Columbia, 515 5th Street, NW, Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001 within 6 months from the date of first publication of this notice.

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Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

LEGAL NOTICES

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

Date of first publication: 11/30/2023 Carlos Christopher Reid Personal Representative

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

2023 ADM 001285

2023 ADM 001268

2023 ADM 001319

2023 ADM 001372

2023 ADM 001348

Ann P. Hall Decedent

Alex S. Bangura Decedent

Arnold John Carpenter Decedent

Grgory O Haley Decedent

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

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

Adam T. Shaw aka Adam Thomas Shaw, III Decedent Brian L. Kass, Esq. 4301 Connecticut Ave NW, Suite 434 Washington DC 20008 Attorney

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

Danielle Carpenter, whose address is 704 Mentor Ave., Capitol Heights, MD 20743, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Arnold John Carpenter who died on 5/23/2020 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 5/30/2024. 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 5/30/2024, 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.

Herbert H Haley, Jr., whose address is 5730 E Boniwood Turn, Clinton MD 20735, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Gregory O Haley who died on August 4, 2023 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 6/7/2024. 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 6/7/2024, 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: 11/30/2023

Date of first publication: 12/7/2023

Danielle Carpenter Personal Representative

Herbert H Haley, Jr. Personal Representative

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Washington Informer

Gayle E. Carley and Keith A. Golden, whose addresses are 4031 S. Dakota Ave., NE Washington, DC 20018 & 4500 Jay St., NE, Washington, DC 20019, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Ann P. Hall who died on 8/28/2023 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 5/30/2024. 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 5/30/2024, 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: 11/30/2023 Gayle E. Carley Keith A. Golden Personal Representative

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NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Evelyn K. Bangura, whose address is 7600 Maple Avenue, #310, Takoma Park, MD 20912, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Alex S. Bangura who died on April 14, 2023 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 5/30/2024. 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 5/30/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

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

Date of first publication: November 30, 2023

Carletta L. Hart, whose address is 6260 Hampstead Ct., Port Tobacco, MD 20677, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Adam T. Shaw aka Adam Thomas Shaw, III who died on 12/5/2022 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 5/30/2024. 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 5/30/2024, 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.

Evelyn K. Bangura Personal Representative

Date of first publication: 11/30/2023

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WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM / THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

DECEMBER 7 - 13, 2023 49

LEGAL NOTICES

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

2023 ADM 001340

2023 ADM 001350

2023 ADM 1370

2021 ADM 1689

2023 ADM 186

Rickisha Waller-Henderson Decedent

Lorna Smith Marshall Decedent

Michie Summers aka Michie K. Summers Decedent

Elizabeth Spencer Decedent

Erline Whitaker Decedent

Sharon Legall 1325 G Street NW, Suite 500 Washington, DC 20005 Attorney

Bruce A. Marshall 4301 21st Street, NE Washington, DC 20018 Attorney

Sonya N. Armfield 2 Massachusetts Avenue NE Suite #1173 Washington DC 20008 Attorney

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

Jacobie Whitley 1455 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Suite 400 Washington, DC 20004 Attorney

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

Niya Vonkia Waller, whose address is 454 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20001, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Rickisha Waller-Henderson who died on 10/23/2021 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 6/7/2024. 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 6/7/2024, 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.

Bruce A. Marshall, whose address is 4301 21st Street, NE, Washington, DC 20018, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Lorna Smith Marshall who died on September 19, 2023 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 6/7/2024. 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 6/7/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

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

Mika C. Summers-Gomillion, whose address is 9716 Calpor Ln., Ft. Washington, MD 20744, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Michie K. Summers who died on June 17, 2023 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 6/7/2024. 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 6/7/2024, 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.

Daun Spencer, D’Vaughn Spencer, and Leslie Spencer, whose addresses are 1130 46th Place, SE, Washington, DC 20019, 728 Hobonny Loop Longs, SC 29568 & 329 Leonard Rd., Salisbury, NC 28146, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Elizabeth Spencer who died on May 16, 2021 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 6/7/2024. 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 6/7/2024, 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.

Linda Diane Murray, whose address is 2219 Roslyn Avenue District Heights, MD 20747, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Erline Whitaker who died on 11/29/2019 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 6/7/2024. 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 6/7/2024, 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: 12/7/2023

Date of first publication: 12/7/2023 Niya Vonikia Waller Personal Representative

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SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 2023 FEP 000120 10/5/2023 Date of Death Edith V. Crutcher Name of Decedent NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS Sandra N. Barrett whose address is 610 East Landing Ridge Circle, Jefferson, NC 28640 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Edith V. Crutcher, deceased, by the Superior Court for Ashe County, State of North Carolina, on 11/17/2023. Service of process may be made upon Edward G. Varrone, Esq. 1825 K Street, NW, Suite 1150, Washington, DC 20006 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. Apartment 916 and Garage No. 7B3, Watergate South, 700 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20037. Claims against the decedent may be presented to the undersigned and filed with the Register of Wills of the District of Columbia, 515 5th Street, NW, Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001 within 6 months from the date of first publication of this notice. Date of first publication: 12/7/2023

Date of first publication: 12/7/2023 Bruce A. Marshall Personal Representative

Julius P. Terrell, Esq. 1455 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Suite 400 Washington, DC 20004 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS

Mika C. Summers-Gomillion Personal Representative

Daun Spencer D’Vaughn Spencer Leslie Spencer Personal Representative

Linda Diane Murray Personal Representative

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Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

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

2023 ADM 1378

2023 ADM 001385

2023 ADM 001086

2023 ADM 001306

Christopher Eugene Johnson Decedent

Sylvia Bennett aka Sylvia Bennett-Gordon Decedent

Marianela Quiroz Decedent

Stanton D. Riley Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Patricia Johnson, whose address is 3692 Hayes Street NE, Washington, DC 20019, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Christopher Eugene Johnson who died on October 6, 2023 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 6/7/2024. 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 6/7/2024, 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: 12/7/2023 Patricia Johnson 3692 Hayes Street NE Washington, DC 20019 Personal Representative

Sandra N. Barrett Personal Representative

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NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Sheena Renee Gordon-Roberts, whose address is 4928 7th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Sylvia Bennett aka Sylvia Bennett-Gordon who died on June 2, 2023 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 6/7/2024. 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 6/7/2024, 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: 12/7/2023 Sheena Renee Gordon-Roberts 4928 7th Street, NW Washington, DC 20011 Personal Representative

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Edward G. Varrone, Esq. 1825 K Street, NW Suite 1150 Washington, DC 20006 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Beatriz Suarez, whose address is 24 Mapleton Road, Toms River, NJ 08757, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Beatriz Suarez who died on February 5, 2022 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 6/7/2024. 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 6/7/2024, 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: 12/7/2023 Beatriz Suarez Personal Representative

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NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Linda F. Riley, whose address is 9711 Quiet Brook Ln, Clinton MD 20735, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Stanton D. Riley who died on August 3, 2023 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 6/7/2024. 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 6/7/2024, 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: 12/7/2023 Linda F. Riley Personal Representative

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50 DECEMBER 7 - 13, 2023

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER / WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

LEGAL NOTICES SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 2023 ADM 001366 Marilyn Brown Edwards Decedent Julius P. Terrell, Esq. 1455 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Suite 400 Washington, DC 20004 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Audrena Edwards, whose address is 4451 Telfair Blvd., Apt. 5111, Camp Springs, MD 20746, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Marilyn Brown Edwards who died on October 4, 2023 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 6/7/2024. 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 6/7/2024, 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: 12/7/2023

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Audrena Edwards Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY

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Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

Office of The Minnesota Secretary of State Certificate of Assumed Name Minnesota Statutes Chapter 333 The filing of an assumed name does not provide a user with exclusive rights to that name. The filing is required for consumer protection in order to enable customers to be able to identify the true owner of a business.A ASSUMED NAME: Eric Donnell Walker PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSUNESS: c/o 18 Danbury Street Southwest Washington District of Columbia [20032] United States of America NAMEHOLDER(s): Walker, Eric Donnell

CL ASSIFIEDS

NAME:

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ACT NOW from Page 1

DYRS from Page 1

the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD)’s authentic transparency, moral accountability, and impactful laws that truly benefit our community as a whole,” Alston continued. “We need to create an environment in which D.C. residents are still not experiencing jumpout tactics by MPD. This bill does not address the bias and discriminatory actions that plague MPD from top down.” If passed, the ACT Now legislation also reinstates an anti-loitering law that allows the MPD chief to declare drugfree zones for 120 hours to prohibit the purchase, sale and use of illegal drugs. It creates criminal penalties for organized retail theft and, once again, makes it illegal to wear a mask when committing criminal acts, intimidating people and causing fear. As it relates to police conduct and transparency, the legislation also includes a provision that creates a distinction between a serious use of force by a police officer and the officer’s incidental contact with a person’s neck during an encounter. On Wednesday morning, D.C. Councilmember Brooke Pinto (D-Ward 2), chair of the D.C. Council’s Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety listened as District residents, policy experts, and public officials testified either in support, or against, ACT Now. Her fellow committee members, D.C. Council members Christina Henderson (D-At large), Anita Bonds (D-At large), and Charles Allen (D-Ward 6), joined in on the 11-hour marathon hearing, as did D.C. Council members Brianne Nadeau (D-Ward 1), Matt Frumin (D-Ward 3), Janeese Lewis George (D-Ward 4), Zachary Parker (D-Ward 5), and D.C. Councilmember Trayon White (D-Ward 8).

Abed submitted a proposal to D.C. Councilmember Trayon White (DWard 8), chairman of the council’s Committee on Recreation, Libraries and Youth Affairs, detailing plans to improve conditions at YSC. The representative, however, didn’t specify the elements of the plan. During the latter part of November, DYRS had 15 new applicants in the hiring pipeline to fill seven vacancies, the representative said. Those vacancies, out of 255 positions in total, are four youth development representatives and three supervisory youth development representatives. On Nov. 20, four out of those new applicants started their role at the YSC, the representative said. In the realm of education, the representative told The Informer that DYRS is working with partners to ensure that youths’ daily schedules maximize instructional time. They denied the shortage of toiletries, as recounted by White during his Nov. 6 visit to the YSC, saying that the youth in question requested a particular name brand soap, which the agency then provided. In a statement, Abed affirmed his commitment to providing a safe, secure environment for YSC residents. “We are dedicated to empowering our youth, families, and community and are taking every provision to expand our residential placement options for youth under our care,” Abed said. “We are fully committed to ensuring the long-term safety and security of our staff members and residents,” Abed continued. “We can provide court-involved youth the opportunity to become more productive citizens by building on the strengths of youths and their families in the least restrictive, most homelike environment consistent with public safety.”

MPD CHIEF, SOME RESIDENTS VIEW ACT NOW AS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

On the night preceding the hearing, Nadeau hosted a town hall meeting at the D.C Health Finance Agency in Northwest where D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Chief Pamela A. Smith outlined her public safety vision to Ward 1 residents and answered their questions about daytime property theft, loitering, and her efforts to boost MPD staffing. Throughout that Tuesday evening, Smith reiterated her support for the ACT Now legislation, telling com-

52 DECEMBER 7 - 13, 2023

5 Councilmember Christina Henderson speaking at the Public Hearing on the Legislation Bill 25-555, the “Addressing Crime Trends (ACT) Now Amendment Act of 2023”. (Ja'Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

munity members that officers, in the current environment, are unable to effectively do their jobs without worry about protocol. Smith said that, in certain situations, especially those involving people wearing masks during the summer, officers aren’t able to act off of instinct to prevent potential criminal acts. Such restrictions, she said, have exacerbated the MPD’s staffing issues, currently the subject of a staffing study that’s underway. On Wednesday, some of those who testified before the D.C. Council’s Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety echoed perspectives similar to Smith’s. Robert Vinson Brannum of the Ward 5 Leadership Council’s public safety committee called ACT Now a step in the right direction for quelling violent crime and ensuring the safety of District residents. “While there has been severe concern about mass incarceration of Black Washingtonians, there must be a concern for the many Black Washingtonians as victims of crimes,” Brannum said. “Government officials and community advocates must respond with a coordinated plan to address the rise of violent crime in the District,” he continued. “Yes, anti-crime laws must be balanced. The constitutional protections and services should address crime avoidance but advocates for police reform must recognize the plight that crime has on communities of color.” In her plea to the council’s Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety, Ward 4 resident Kimberly Lockett demanded ACT Now’s passage. She said she no longer lets her special-needs brother walk their dog out of fear of someone assaulting him. In her testimony, she also recounted an assault of an employee that she witnessed at a Petworth-area Safeway. “It’s imperative that we make chang-

es,” Lockett said. “It’s imperative that we give the police the tools they need. There should not be a thin line between killing Black and brown people and allowing police to do their job. We can come up with all types of solutions in this city. We shouldn’t be living like this.” Skye Lawrence, a white Anacostia resident hailing from northern Maine, spoke candidly and vividly about the violent crime, open air drug markets, and sex work that she and her neighbors encounter just steps from their home. In her testimony, she indicted the D.C. government for what she called its failure to protect D.C.’s most vulnerable communities. “It feels threatening when you get on the bus and seven people are wearing masks. It doesn’t feel good,” Lawrence said. “There’s 25 times more violent crime [east of the Anacostia River] than in Ward 3. Folks in Ward 7 and Ward 8 feel it so much more unequally,” she continued. “The social contract is broken. The government is not holding up its end of the bargain. All of us like to feel like we can be part of our community, but part of that is making sure people feel safe.”

CONSIDERING ALTERNATIVES TO ACT NOW

Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Ashley Renee Ruff (7F02) explored the nuances of ACT Now’s anti-loitering provision and questioned whether it would amount to effective policing. “If you’re not ‘Officer Friendly’ and you don’t know that potential drug seller or the person causing the ruckus, how can you pinpoint who is actually the problem?” Ruff said on Wednesday. Read more on www.washingtoninformer.com WI @SamPKCollins

THE D.C. COUNCIL SAVES DYRS OVERSIGHT

On Nov. 7, the D.C. Council confirmed Abed via an emergency resolution in an 10-1-2 vote. D.C. Councilmembers Robert White (D--At large) and Charles Allen (D-Ward 6) voted “present” while Councilmember Zachary Parker (D-Ward 5) voted “no.” These council members made their vote, not only amid reports about dismal conditions at the YSC, but after D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) announced the early closure of the Office of Independent Juvenile Justice Facilities Oversight, the entity responsible for monitoring the DYRS’ juvenile

facilities for at least three years, per a settlement reached in Jerry M. vs. District of Columbia. On Nov. 16, Parker and Allen, along with D.C. Councilmember Christina Henderson (I-At large), co-introduced an emergency declaration resolution with Ward 8 Councilmember White establishing a new Office of Independent Juvenile Justice Facilities Oversight, scheduled to launch when the term of the currently operating office expires in September 2024. The council unanimously approved the emergency declaration resolution. During the Nov. 7 council breakfast, after his council colleagues wrestled with confirming Abed without a turnaround plan, Ward 8 Councilmember White said that Abed was scheduled to submit a document to his office before the end of November. White’s office declined to respond to an Informer inquiry confirming their receipt of Abed’s plan. They also didn’t answer questions about when the Ward 8 council member plans to host the off-site committee hearing about conditions at YSC, as promised during the Nov. 7 council breakfast.

THE WARD 8 COUNCIL MEMBER RECOUNTS HIS YSC VISIT

The emergency declaration resolution introduced by Ward 8 Council member White credits emergency public safety legislation passed by the council as a cause of the explosion in the resident population at DYRS facilities. Since the Office of Independent Juvenile Justice Facilities Oversight started collecting data two years ago, reports of injuries and assaults are reportedly at the highest levels. In October, the office reported 36 youth injuries, 32 youth-on-youth assaults, and 35 critical incidents, defined as incidents posing a serious risk of harm to youth or staff at the facility. On the day before the council breakfast and subsequent legislative session, Ward 8 Councilmember White, along with At-large D.C. Councilmember Anita Bonds and representatives from Ward 2 D.C. Councilmember Brooke Pinto’s office visited YSC, which has nearly 90 beds. In speaking with reporters, White recounted engaging 45 young people, who told him that they’re forced to stay in their units longer than usual during staff absences. Read more on www.washingtoninformer.com WI @SamPKCollins

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MALVEAUX from Page 30 Mahogany Books (www.mahagonybooks.com), founded in 2007 as an online platform, now has two brick-and-mortar locations and thrives. In Oakland, California, Marcus Books, the first Black bookstore west of the Mississippi River, continues to thrive despite challenges. One recent list of independent Black-owned bookstores (https://www.cntraveler.com/ story/black-owned-bookstores) counts 89 that you can patronize in person or online. Independent Black-owned bookstores are now more critical than ever. As of April, 28 states (https://www.statista.com/ chart/29757/anti-critical-race-the-

EDELMAN from Page 30 research from Dr. Jane Knitzer and her colleagues at the National Center for Children in Poverty on the status of children and youths' mental health care policy in the United States, and it built on a framework Dr. Knitzer had developed more than 25 years earlier in the Children's Defense Fund report, "Unclaimed Children: The Failure of Public Responsibility to Children and Adolescents in Need of Mental Health Services." Dr. Knitzer had been outraged by CDF lawsuits on behalf of children and teenagers who had been

MARSHALL from Page 30 a coalition, led by Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, to press President Joe Biden for more federal aid as their resources are dwindling and migrants are arriving to their cities with little coordination. In New York, where a cruise ship terminal was turned into a shelter, Mayor Eric Adams has called the city's migrant influx a crisis and has begun to warn that shelters are so full that migrants will soon be forced onto the streets despite the cold weather. Sanctuary cities are willing to help, but are not able to do so for the increasing number of families asking for asylum where it becomes a long and difficult process in a badly clogged immigration court system. Biden has requested $1.4 billion from Congress to help state and local governments provide shelter and services for migrants. Johnston and the other mayors say

ory-measures) have passed laws preventing teaching "critical race theory," which can sometimes be broadly construed to include the simple teaching of African American history. Several initiatives have been introduced, with some implementing and regulating teaching, library content, and more. One disgruntled racist parent can cause a book to be removed from a library or banned from a syllabus. The American Library Association keeps track of the more than 1600 books that were challenged in 2022, with the 13 most frequently challenged including Toni Morrison's "The Bluest Eye." Rabid parents want to keep these books out of the curriculum and ban them from libraries. That's

why every home needs a library, and every child needs to have their own books. The culture wars are here, and with the 2024 election, they will likely start sizzling. There's a big battle that groups like the American Library Association, the National Education Association and other organizations, including civil rights organizations like the National Urban League, are taking on through the Freedom to Learn Campaign (www.freedomtolearn. net). This cause is good trouble! At the same time, we can provide education child by child. Buy a child a book for Christmas! Talk to her about it. Give a book to a child you don't know. Give a book, give a book, give a book. WI

sent far from home for residential treatment, and the report covered the deep need for accessible, age-appropriate mental health care and support. At the Carter Center symposium, Dr. Knitzer remembered that when the original report was published, she had said to me and our colleague MaryLee Allen that there were probably about five people in the country who would read it. In fact, "Unclaimed Children" brought focused attention to public policy needs surrounding children's mental health care, and its impact was amplified again years later by one very influential person: Mrs. Carter and her dedi-

cated, long-haul advocacy. In the keynote at that Rosalynn Carter Symposium, I said something Mrs. Carter also believed: if we can change things for children, we will end up changing things for everybody. Rosalynn Carter was a change agent for countless people throughout her long life of service. She shared a very simple philosophy: "I believe that one of the most important things to learn in life is that you can make a difference in your community no matter who you are or where you live." This lesson is a fitting legacy. WI

in a joint letter that $5 billion is needed. "While we are greatly appreciative of the additional federal funding proposed, our city budgets and local taxpayers continue to bear the brunt of this ongoing federal crisis," the letter says. Denver is spending $2 million a week on sheltering migrants. New York has surpassed a total of $1.7 billion and Chicago has spent $320 million, according to the letter. "Our cities need additional resources that far exceed the amount proposed in order to properly care for the asylum-seekers entering our communities," the mayors' letter says. "Relying on municipal budgets is not sustainable and has forced us to cut essential city services." The mayors also want an accelerated work authorization approval process so migrants can find work. The humanitarian crisis is proving that America as a nation can no longer be seen as the "land of opportuni-

ty" for asylum-seekers who have no reliable family support or sponsors in the U.S. already in place to help them transition. As cities are already overburden with the issues of homelessness and the lack of affordable housing, can they realistically take on the extra burden of migrants and continue essential services for the long-term future? This is an issue which is not going away in the foreseeable future. The coalition of mayors are presenting a commonsense path moving forward by asking for the administration to create a regional migrate coordinator who would work with the federal government, nonprofits and state and local officials. Their goal is to better coordinate and place asylum-seekers in areas of the nation where there is capacity to receive and help them. Sending planeloads of migrants to Martha's Vineyard just to make a political point does not work. WI

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over, we need to go to the table with the goal of ridding our country of antisemitism, racism, Islamophobia, and anti-Arab racism. All are troublesome. They make no sense. We've worked together before and we can do it again. We also can't do it without friends who experience hatred, too. Right now, we're facing the potential of having to deal with authoritarianism in America, and our energy should be focused on resolving problems to protect our democracy. There's no joke about having rights our people have worked long and hard for being taken away. We've been warned if we elect someone who has already promised to come down hard on the media, to punish those who disagree with him and people

There's no joke about having rights our people have worked long and hard for being taken away. We've been warned if we elect someone who has already promised to come down hard on the media, to punish those who disagree with him and people who've not supported him in his hate-filled campaign. who've not supported him in his hate-filled campaign. In our community, no matter how we've been treated, we've always held onto that upward force of buoyancy. That's what we are

holding onto now — hope that we can solve the problems dividing us. The buoyancy of hope is what brought my people through some very hard times. WI

occur in our urban Black communities if the groups cited by Brother Thomas were taking that kind of action before so many young Black folks get into trouble. If we as a people are as tough and resilient as cited by Broth-

er Lerone, we are in a position to do whatever is necessary to promote and protect our health, economics, cultural, political, technological and communications interests in this country and in the world. WI

event focused on curtailing greenhouse gas emissions is an irony that's been hard to swallow for many. At the organization I lead, Sierra Club, we decided to send a delegation to COP28 anyway, in the spirit of hope and determination, as this is a cause too great and too important to be deterred from our efforts — no matter how many foxes are let into the henhouse. A larger concern of mine has been the voting rules. U.N. climate talks require all parties involved (in this case, 197 countries plus the European Union) to be unanimous on the adoption of any agreement. On its face, the requirement for consensus agreement is a way to add greater legitimacy to the conference's outcomes and ensure that Global South countries, and those most drastically impacted by the climate crisis, have an equal say. However, it also means that a single oil- and gas-rich country, or a small group of them, has veto power over any agreement. It's a structural weakness of these summits that has been exploited for decades by oil- and gas-rich nations (including the United States) to impede progress. Just think about how much

power that gives an industry that spends hundreds of millions of dollars a year in lobbying? Even if every government on the planet was in basic agreement on some new framework or commitment, fossil fuel companies would only need to convince — or co-opt — the leaders of a single nation to have a game-ending proxy vote. It's no surprise that the fossil fuel industry is focused on securing its own future and increasing its wealth. However, that focus is completely at odds with the entire purpose of climate talks like COP28, which is supposed to be the health and wellbeing of humanity, and protecting our fragile planet. To have oil and gas interests influencing global climate talks undermines the whole endeavor. For now, we maintain hope that the gravity of the crisis drives the 197 participating countries to agree on robust, meaningful action. If that doesn't happen, we need to turn our focus to overhauling the rules for future climate talks so fossil fuel companies, or the countries they influence, can't continue to sabotage the global effort. WI

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activists, university students and people of goodwill to engage. It's the only way forward." Just think of the changes that would

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JEALOUS from Page 31 With the urgency so crystal clear, there's no way that the industry driving the climate crisis should be empowered to the degree it is to protect its own profits at the expense of our planet. By allowing oil and gas companies to have so much power and influence in climate talks, we're pulling our punches against the greatest existential threat faced by humanity, all to spare those companies a threat to their bottom line. Of course, plenty of controversy has swirled around the leadup to this year's COP summit. There's been no shortage of newspaper ink, and website pixels, dedicated to commentary about the host country, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), being a nation built on oil. UAE is part of OPEC — which has played a significant role in obstructing progress in past climate negotiations — and has an oil and gas company which is one of the largest in the world, the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, or ADNOC. And the CEO of ADNOC, Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber, is serving as president of this year's summit. Having an oil baron at the helm of the world's most important

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