WINNER OF THREE SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISTS D.C. AWARDS Don't Miss this Month's Health Supplement Center Section Vol. 57, No. 8 • December 9 - 15, 2021
Students Disrupt MPD Youth Summit, Criticize its Efforts of Engagement Incident Sparks Discussions about Police-Free Schools as Violent Crimes Rise Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer The Metropolitan Police Department [MPD] and George Washington University [GWU] recently hosted what has been described as the first of several meetings with youth to better understand their perspectives about police-community relations. While many students welcomed the opportunity to express their thoughts, a group of young people who attended the MPD Youth Summit condemned it as an attempt to overshadow the work they’ve done for years to amplify youth’s unfiltered perspectives about the policing of
Black children. On Saturday, Dec. 4, the group disrupted the MPD Youth Summit, belting chants against MPD Chief Robert J. Contee III and demanding police-free schools. After Contee confronted the youth and MPD officers escorted them outside of Eastern High School in Southeast, they led a protest along East Capitol Street and passed out literature about their cause. “MPD intended to create this space to be saviors and reach out to youth when youth have reached out for years and it’s been silent,” said a D.C. public school student who
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Kennedy Center Honors Returns with Style Berry Gordy, Jr. (pictured with Charles Randolph-Wright) was among four other artists celebrated for their achievements during the recent 44thKennedy Center Honors in Northwest. The venue was lit up with rainbow colors nightly through Dec. 3. Other awardees included: Justino Díaz, Lorne Michaels, Bette Midler and Joni Mitchell.The evening’s presentations will be broadcast on CBS on Dec. 22.
5 Students from the hospitality program at Ballou Sr. High School in Southeast participate in a festive event on Dec. 3, supported by the American Experience Foundation (AEF), Destination DC and the Academies of Culinary Arts to unveil a gingerbread display with the Willard Hotel’s culinary team. The Ballou team presented their “Big Chair” gingerbread display with their culinary arts instructor, Chef Shanel Howard (left). (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)
Systemic Racism Cited in Plight of Black Farmers
Sixteen Million Acres of Land Lost During 20th Century 5WI Senior Editor D. Kevin McNeir (L-R), Berry Gordy, Jr. and Charles Randolph-Wright during an earlier interview. (Photo courtesy D. Kevin McNeir) 4The Kennedy Center adorned in multiple colors. (Anthony Tilghman/The Washington Informer)
Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer Black farmers lost 90 percent of their farmland between 1910 and 1997, in large part because of loan denials at the United States Department of Agriculture [USDA] – a practice that has gone on for decades. A recent report highlighted how a long list of federal agencies has systemically discriminated against Black farmers, including the USDA. “Through discriminatory loan denials and deliberate
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Bob Dole, Dedicated Politician and Advocate for Vets, Dead at 98 D. Kevin McNeir and Hamil R. Harris WI Senior Editor and WI Contributing Writer Robert Dole, former Republican senator, presidential candidate and decorated World War II hero, died Sunday, Dec. 5, from lung cancer according to his wife, Elizabeth Dole. Born July 22, 1923 in Russell, Kansas, he died at the age of 98.
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