The Washington Informer - December 9, 2021

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

SUMMIT Page 25

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

FARMERS Page 15

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.

DOLE Page 42

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‘Funny Money College Tour’ Headed to Bowie State Dec. 9

Text INFORMER to 22828 Our Money Matters [OMM] will present its inaugural Funny Money College Tour (F$CT), a HBCU/MSI “edutainment” experience, with a diverse mix of comedians and financial wellness influencers on Thursday, Dec. 9, 6 – 8 p.m., at Bowie State University. OMM is a comprehensive financial wellness initiative created by The HBCU Community Development Action Coalition, launching at campuses of color all over the country. The event

will be hosted by Big Tigger, comedians Chico Bean and Tyler Chronicles, co-host Incognito and DJ Drama will spin music during the exciting two-hour affair. Students, faculty and community members will enjoy entertaining and interactive discussions with financial experts Larese Purnell and Ash Cash, who will address a myriad of student focused financial issues like student debt and budgeting, and alongside some of the most hilarious comedians, influencers and tastemakers. “We’re excited to bring the “Funny Money College Tour” to Bowie State, a critical anchor institution for the Black community in Baltimore and across the region,” said Traci Horne, Senior Program Manager for Wells Fargo. “While money and certainly financial challenges are never a laughing matter, this event will enable us to connect students and the local community with valuable tools and resources that can set them up for greater financial success and create generational wealth.” For more information on the F$CT, http://www.funnymoneycollegetour.com. To learn how to get involved as a student, participating school, or community partner visit: www.OurMoneyMatters.com. WI

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

PUBLISHER Denise Rolark Barnes STAFF D. Kevin McNeir, Senior Editor, Copy Editor Ron Burke, Advertising/ Marketing Director Shevry Lassiter, Photo Editor Lafayette Barnes, IV, Assistant Photo Editor Dorothy Rowley, Online Editor ZebraDesigns.net, Design & Layout Mable Neville, Bookkeeper Tatiana Moten, Social Media Specialist Angie Johnson, Circulation REPORTERS Stacy Brown (Senior Writer), Sam P.K. Collins, Timothy Cox, Will Ford (Prince George’s County Writer), Hamil Harris, Curtis Knowles, Daniel Kucin, D. Kevin McNeir, Dorothy Rowley, Brenda Siler, Lindiwe Vilakazi, Sarafina Wright, James Wright PHOTOGRAPHERS Shevry Lassiter, Roy Lewis, Jr., Robert R. Roberts, Anthony Tilghman

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A collection of wisdom truths and anecdotes gleaned from author H.H. Leonards’ friendship with Rosa Parks are available for now for pre-sale at www.rhboyd.com/rosaparks. “Beyond the Bus: Rosa Parks Life, Lessons, and Leadership” is about Leonard’s time with Mrs. Parks and the things the civil rights icon “schooled” her on. “It is very much a compilation of the lessons I learned with her, the gems of wisdom she taught,” Leonards said. “I want this book to touch people’s souls because that’s what Mrs. Parks did for me. She touched my soul.” A 1994 incident where Mrs. Parks was robbed and assaulted in her Detroit home brought the two women together. “That tragic episode was the catalyst that prompted a fortuitous meeting of two women who would become

close friends,” said Leonards, founder and chairman of The Mansion on O Street in Washington, DC, where Mrs. Rosa Parks called her homeaway-from-home for the last decade of her life. “We are so excited to be the publishing partner with Mrs. Leonards and to share with the world insights into the ‘Mother of the Civil Rights Movement,” said Dr. LaDonna Boyd, president and CEO of R.H. Boyd. WI

Prince George’s Changes its Leadership Team Prince George’s County Council held its annual gavel exchange Tuesday, Dec. 6 and chose to keep Calvin Hawkins II (D-At-Large) of Upper Marlboro as chair for a second straight year. Council member Sydney Harrison (D-District 9) of Upper Marlboro will now serve as vice chair. Both men will serve in their leadership roles through Dec. 6, 2022. Council member Deni Taveras (D-District 2) of Adelphi served as the second-in-command for the past year. As part of the session’s ritual, the person nominated as chair gives remarks before the final meeting of the year ends. “I want to sincerely thank my distinguished colleagues on the Prince George’s County Council for the coveted privilege of presiding over this august body over the past legislative year,” Hawkins said. “I am humbled beyond words to accept the gavel of leadership once again for legislative year 2022. I promise to meet the moment with integrity, unity and clear purpose.” WI

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Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer With DC Public Schools [DCPS] collaboration with two well-regarded enrichment programs comes the opportunity for young Black men at four local schools to blaze a path toward emotional maturity, self-awareness and post-graduate success. For more than a decade, Becoming A Man [BAM] and The Fellowship Initiative [TFI], have, respectively, curbed violence among young men of color and connected hundreds in several major U.S. cities with academic coaching, college and career readiness services and leadership development. While they have yet to experience the partnership, a group of students at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School in Northwest got a glimpse of what they should expect when a BAM graduate reflected on his growth in the program. “It’s about self-discovery, knowing what’s for you and [knowing] there’s more for you out there other than being a statistic,” said Anthony Williams, a resident of Chicago who, after completing BAM in 2018, enrolled in Harold Washington College to study accounting. Williams counted among several young men who spoke on December 1 about how BAM and TFI propelled them to professional and personal suc-

cess. He credited BAM with helping him channel his emotions and expanding what he believed to be possible. “The core values of integrity, accountability and self-determination helped me [my potential],” Williams said. “Before the program, I was unaware. I didn’t know how to deal with my emotions and mental health. There are ways to do that when you have help and resources.”

A TOUGH ROAD AHEAD FOR MANY

In 2020, nearly 71 percent of DCPS students graduated high school within four years, a slight increase from the previous year. However, according to the DC Policy Center, navigating college and career can prove somewhat insurmountable. Data collected by the research organization shows that 14 percent of District high school graduates who enter college obtain their undergraduate degree within six years. Without a postsecondary degree, young people can expect to earn less than $20,000 annually in a city that’s becoming increasingly expensive. The pandemic not only highlighted disparities that exacerbated gaps in academic achievement but increased calls among parents and teachers for schools

EdFEST, DC’s Annual Public School fair, Returns Online

Submitted by My School DC

EdFEST, DC’s annual public school fair, is back Saturday, December 11, to help families connect directly with DC Public Schools and public charter schools on an online platform. Families who have questions or concerns about their student’s next educational step are encouraged to register for free today to gain access. My School DC, the public school lottery, is hosting the event, now in its eighth year. EdFEST will be held online from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Families will have the opportunity to talk to representatives from more than 200 schools, as well as community pre-K providers and other family support organizations. Finding the time in busy schedules to tour different schools can be an immense challenge for many families. In addition, many schools are currently not able to welcome families to their campuses for tours. EdFEST allows families to conveniently and meaningfully connect with every school that they are interested in on the same day from their personal devices. The event is held ahead of the launch of the public school lottery application on Dec. 13, 2021 for the 2022-23 school year. The deadline for applications for Grades 9-12 is Feb. 1, 2022, and for PK3 through Grade 8 is March 1, 2022. Preschool in DC is free, but families must apply through the lottery to receive a seat. The event is free. Students and families can go to MySchoolDC.org to register. Those who register will receive an email with instructions about how to log in and navigate the virtual platform on the day of the event. Registrants will retain access to the platform for 30 days after the live event. The easy-to-use virtual platform will work on any internet-connected device. The platform provides everyone a way to communicate live with school representatives and learn about the public school lottery. “While we miss connecting with students and families in person, we are excited to bring EdFEST to homes and mobile devices this year,” said Amy Lerman, My School DC Executive Director. “We want everyone to find the school that’s best for their family.” Language interpretation is available in Spanish, Amharic, French, Chinese, Vietnamese, and American Sign Language. Families who need support registering for the event or have questions about the lottery process can call the My School DC hotline at 202-888-6336. REGISTER FOR FREE today at MySchoolDC.org

Join us for DC’s public school fair – online! 2021

Program Offers Black Male DCPS Students a Pathway to Graduation

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GRADUATION Page 49

Get your school questions answered by representatives from more than 200 DCPS and public charter schools, all gathered in one place.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 11 | 10 AM – 1PM REGISTER FOR FREE today at MySchoolDC.org LOTTERY APPLICATION DEADLINES February 1 – Grades 9 – 12 | March 1 – PK3 – Grade 8

5 DC Public Schools, JPMorgan Chase and Youth Guidance announced a partnership through which Black male students at four District public schools will receive academic coaching, college and career readiness services and leadership development. (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

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1872 – Pinckney Benton Stewart Pinchhack becomes the governor of Louisiana, the first Afri­canAmerican to serve as governor of a U. S. state. 1922 – Comic legend Redd Foxx (right) 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.

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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.

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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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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 (above) is born in Terrell, Texas.

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1945 – Writer and music critic Stanley Crouch is born in Los Angeles. 1963 – Jazz singer Dinah Washington dies in Detroit at 39 of an accidental overdose on sleeping pills.

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1833 – William Augustus Hinton, a doctor and professor who was the first Black to publish an academic textbook and developed the "Hinton Test" for diagnosing syphilis, is born in Chicago. 1934 – African American teacher and businesswoman Maggie Lena Walker, the first female bank president of any race to charter a bank in the United States, dies in Richmond, Virginia, at 70. 1943 – Jazz musician Thomas "Fats" Waller dies in Kansas City, Missouri, of pneumonia at 39. WI

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This is something that the NBA does for rookies. It is important because that team, and all people, need to understand a different side of popularity. At a time when visibility and resources are optimized, people who want to take advantage of those things from you are also optimized.

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Hopefully these athletes already know this. The bonus is, they got it from the horse's mouth. The lesson that should be learned from her visit is, you are a target (in more ways than one) know your worth and don’t be taken advantage of!

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This is great; more colleges should do the same

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World AIDS Day 2021: A Plea to End the AIDS Epidemic Natalie C. Hockaday WI Staff Writer

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In 2020, an estimated 37 million people now live with HIV/AIDS, according to the World Health Organization [WHO]. The AIDS epidemic has continued to affect millions of people but there remain ways to take preventative measures to avoid becoming infected. AIDS, which stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, counts as a result of the most advanced stage of HIV, also known as human immunodeficiency virus. Antiretroviral therapy [ART] represents a method to treat HIV by taking a series of medicines through an HIV regimen. In their definition of ART, hiv.gov says “A person's initial HIV regimen generally includes three antiretroviral [ARV] drugs from at least two different HIV drug classes.” “Ending the HIV Epidemic: Equitable Access, Everyone’s Voice” served as the theme in the U.S. for World AIDS Day 2021. “On World AIDS Day, we rededicate ourselves to building on the progress of the last four decades, upholding and advancing human rights, supporting research, science, and data-driven solutions, expanding access to housing, education, and economic empowerment and fighting stigma and discrimination,” President Biden said on World AIDS Day. Biden announced his new strategy on World AIDS Day for combatting the AIDS epidemic. The president

said his “administration is committed to helping the world end the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat by 2030.” In his message for World AIDS Day, the WHO’s director-general, Tedros Adhanom, said WHO “calls on governments and citizens to use every tool in the toolbox to narrow inequalities, prevent HIV infection, save lives and end the AIDS epidemic.” According to WHO, the African Region serves as the most affected region for people living with HIV/ AIDS “with 25.7 million people living with HIV in 2018.” Eastern and southern African subregions hold the most infections compared to other areas of the continent, according to WHO. Additionally, they added that “the continuing decline in AIDS-related deaths in the African Region is largely driven by the steady scale-up of antiretroviral therapy.” In the U.S., the National Institute of Health’s HIV info said the main forms of transmission of HIV continue to be through “having anal or vag-

HIV Racial Disparities Continue for LGBTQ Men of Color White Gay/Bisexual Men See Decline in Rates, Black/Latino Rates Stay the Same Sarafina Wright WI Contributing Writer According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], despite overall progress in reducing new infections among gay and bisexual men, HIV inequities persist. For example, from 2010–2019, the number of new HIV infections remained relatively stable among Black (from 9,000 to 8,900) and Hispanic/ Latino (from 6,800 to 7,900) gay and bisexual men. However, it declined among white gay and bisexual men (from 7,500 to 5,100). The data comes from the CDC’s new Vital Signs report, which shows Black and Latino gay and bisexual men were less likely to receive an HIV diagnosis, be virally suppressed, or use pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent HIV, compared with their

8 DECEMBER 9 - 15, 2021

inal sex with someone who has HIV without using a condom or taking medicines to prevent or treat HIV.” Another main form of transmission remains by “sharing injection drug equipment (works), such as needles, with someone who has HIV.” Getting tested for HIV and other STDs, using condoms, not injecting drugs are a few of many ways to reduce the risk of getting HIV, according to NIH’s Health Info. “No one living with HIV should suffer the undeserved guilt and prejudice that too many continue to experience. We must innovate and explore new ways to help address HIV/AIDS in communities here at home and around the world,” Biden said. WI

white counterparts. “Unequal reach of HIV prevention and treatment, higher levels of HIV in some communities, and systemic inequities fuel these troubling trends,” the CDC said. In 2019, an estimated 83% of Black and 80% of Hispanic/Latino gay and bisexual men with HIV were diagnosed, compared with 90% of white gay and bisexual men. An estimated 62% of Black and 67% of Hispanic/Latino gay and bisexual men with diagnosed HIV were virally suppressed, compared with 74% of white gay and bisexual men. The report also includes the most recent data on PrEP use among gay and bisexual men from 2017, showing that just 27% of Black and 31% of Hispanic/Latino men were using

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HIV Page 12

Poll Shows Mobile Voting Popular with D.C. Residents

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James Wright WI Staff Writer A recent poll conducted in the District shows that mobile voting – casting a ballot by way of smartphones, I-pads or computers – has overwhelming support and a movement has started to implement it as a part of the city’s election system. On Thursday, Dec. 2, Hart Research in concert with Tusk Philanthropies Mobile Voting Project released a poll showing that 70% of District residents support casting a ballot using digital tools. Five hundred likely 2022 voters between Nov. 1 and Nov. 4 participated in the poll conducted by the Garin-Hart-Yang Research Group. Yvette Buckner, the managing director of Tusk Strategies, said it appears widespread support for mobile voting in the city exists. “The people in the city feel that mobile voting can be option for them,” Buckner said. “While mobile voting is popular across all demographic groups, young people tend to favor it more than older people.” The poll’s results come as D.C. Council members sponsor legislation to make major and permanent changes in the city’s electoral system. D.C. Councilmember Christina Henderson (I-At Large) has authored a bill installing a rank-choice voting system in the city. Her colleague, Charles Allen (D-Ward 6), serves as the chief sponsor of a bill making vote by mail and ballot drop boxes permanent features of future elections. D.C. Councilmember Trayon White (D-Ward 8) introduced earlier this year “The Voter Mobile App Amendment Act of 2021.” If White’s legislation wins approval by the council, the city will be the first jurisdiction in the country to adopt mobile voting as an election mode.

BENEFITS OF MOBILE VOTING

Joyce Bucaro serves as the director of the Mobile Voting Project, Tusk Philanthropies. Bucaro said mobile voting has its advantages.

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5 A smartphone may be used to vote. (Courtesy photo/Voatz)

“The people in the city feel that mobile voting can be option for them.” – YVETTE BUCKNER “The technology exists to make voting easier and it increases turnout,” she said. “Mobile voting can also make counting ballots more efficient on Election Day. There is no need to wait for ballot by mail. There is no need for the manual processing of ballots.” Bucaro knows of concerns about hacking of mobile ballots. “We are aware of digital concerns,” she said. “There will be safeguards in place to protect voters’ identity and privacy. Plus, mobile voting has the digital version of mail and absentee ballots. You have to sign an affidavit to vote. Your ballot is sealed by encryption.” Buckner said her organization

will approach the D.C. Board of Elections about mobile voting and encouraging council members to move forward with legislation early next year. Support for mobile voting The Rev. Lionel Edmonds, who serves as the pastor for the Mount Lebanon Baptist Church and is the co-founder of the Washington Interfaith Network, supports mobile voting. “I see this as a part of gospel ministry work to make a more just society,” Edmonds said. “The poll says 89% of people want to make voting easier. Mobile voting won’t hinder other voting methods.” Edmonds said while the poll reflects senior citizens aren’t as enthusiastic about mobile voting as younger people, he said don’t count seniors as non-supporters. “Seniors get excited about technology,” Edmonds said. “My organization will help seniors learn about mobile voting. Many of them struggle to get to the voting booth. Mobile voting is easier and less physically challenging for them. Seniors can adapt and we will help them.” WI @JamesDCWrighter

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WORDS TO LIVE BY “I refuse to accept despair as the final response to the ambiguities of history. I refuse to accept the idea that the ‘isness’ of man’s present nature makes him morally incapable of reaching up for the eternal ‘oughtness’ that forever confronts him.”

– Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. speech accepting the Nobel Peace Prize, Dec. 10, 1964

10 DECEMBER 9 - 15, 2021

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER / WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

AROUND THE REGION

Ward 7’s Pennsylvania Avenue East Should be Upgraded Report Says James Wright WI Staff Writer A recent retail marketing analysis reveals with the help of District government, Pennsylvania Avenue East in Ward 7 – the portion of the street that goes east from the John Sousa Bridge to the Prince George County, Maryland, line – has the potential to become a major commercial thoroughfare in the city. The Pennsylvania Avenue East Main Street Retail Market Analysis became public in late October with the announcement by the Marshall Heights Community Development Organization [MHCDO]. The report focuses on the retail sustainability of present businesses along Pennsylvania East. Jon Stover & Associates prepared the 10-page report for such interested parties as the Pennsylvania East Main Street and the D.C. Department of Local and Small Business Development. MHCDO President and CEO

Babatunde Oloyede said the report emphasizes what needs to be done to upgrade Pennsylvania Avenue East to benefit Ward 7 residents and businesses. “While we have seen some economic movement in Ward 7, residents are eager for more viable retail that is not only convenient in location but also supports local small businesses as well as mainstream retailers,” Oloyede said. “With this analysis, not only are we bringing awareness to how beneficial it is for Ward 7 to have Pennsylvania East as a Main Street, in working with the Bowser administration and our stakeholders, we are seeking to aggressively push sound economic development that can serve as a catalyst not only for Pennsylvania Avenue East but for future economic growth east of the Anacostia River.” The report talked about the almost 30,000 vehicles per day traffic of the corridor and the economic needs of the neighborhoods surrounding it such as more full-service grocery

stores and sit-down restaurants. It also discussed the economic potential of the three shopping centers alongside Pennsylvania Avenue East, particularly The Shops at Penn Branch and possible commercial uses of the L’Enfant Square Market area close to the intersection of Pennsylvania and Minnesota Avenue., S.E. Pennsylvania Avenue East statistics The report relayed that in the Pennsylvania East area, 44-years-old stands as the median age compared with 36 for the rest of the District. The median household income, $54,272, exists well below the city’s $85,663. The Pennsylvania East area’s population grew by 6% from 2010-2020, the report said, while the District increased by 17%. The report said within a onemile radius, 47, 377 residents live. In regards to businesses, the average retail rental space in the Pennsylvania East area consists of $27 per square feet compared to $42 per square feet

WARD 7 Page 13

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5 The intersection of Minnesota Avenue and Pennsylvania Avenue in

Southeast. (Courtesy photo)

DECEMBER 9 - 15, 2021 11

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY Legalizing Recreational Marijuana Emerging As Major Topic in Maryland William J. Ford WI Staff Writer As the Maryland General Assembly’s annual 90-day legislation looms next month, the decision to legalize marijuana could become a major topic in Annapolis. State lawmakers held various virtual sessions inviting health and policy experts on safety and policy recommendations, criminal justice impacts and education such as how marijuana comes from part of the cannabis plant. One major reason legalizing the drug remains a key to possibly place on a voter referendum next year: to ensure Black and Latino entrepreneurs can participate in the mainly cash-business industry.

HIV from Page 8 PrEP, compared with 42% of white men. While the prep data collected is not nationally representative, the PrEP uses data from gay and

DISTRICT24

12 DECEMBER 9 - 15, 2021

“I am in full support of it,” said Fort Washington resident Vernon Wade, 57, owner of Wade Enterprises who’s studying environmental science at the University of the District of Columbia. “The minority students want to know how they can be involved in it. They feel they are being left out. Equity is key.” The House Cannabis Legalization work group held several online meetings including the final one for this year on Dec. 1 focusing on taxation. Carl Davis, research director of the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy in Northwest, said taxes on recreational cannabis are assessed based on price and quantity. He said Connecticut and New York measure quantity on the amount of THC, the

bisexual men in 23 cities, where more than half of all people with HIV reside in large urban areas. HIV-related stigma — negative attitudes and beliefs about people with HIV — may also contribute to these disparities, wrote the CDC.

5 Recreational cannabis could be a main topic when the Maryland General Assembly session convenes Jan. 12. (Photo courtesy of Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy)

psychoactive ingredient in cannabis. Davis said the price of cannabis should decrease because more businesses would open with consumer preferences shifting toward oils and concentrates and state restrictions loosening over time. “The huge game changer will be around interstate commerce,” he said. “As soon as you start to move cannabis across state lines, the companies involved are going to become much larger. The growth operations will be

much larger. It will take place where it makes environmental sense to grow.” Marijuana remains illegal on the federal level as a “Schedule 1” drug under the Controlled Substance Act through the Drug Enforcement Administration. Nearly two dozen states allow both medical and recreational use, so laws differentiate in each jurisdiction. In addition, marijuana remains illegal by the federal government and with some businesses strictly operating as a cash

For example, in an analysis of data from the Medical Monitoring Project — a nationally representative survey of people diagnosed with HIV — Black and Hispanic/Latino gay and bisexual men were more likely to report experiencing HIV-related stigma than white gay and bisexual men. “With effective prevention and treatment tools at our disposal, the nation has a decades-inthe-making opportunity to end the domestic HIV epidemic and erase glaring disparities in HIV prevention and care,” the agency wrote. They added they’re working with partners through the federal Ending the HIV Epidemic in

the U.S. initiative to scale up key, science-based HIV treatment and prevention strategies in innovative ways that reach populations equitably.” The CDC aims to reduce HIV infections by 90% by 2030. “Throughout my career, I have witnessed a transformation for those living with and at risk for HIV,” said CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH. “We have the scientific tools to end the HIV epidemic. However, to achieve this end we must acknowledge that inequities in access to care continue to exist and are an injustice. We must address the root causes of these ongoing disparities and make proven HIV prevention and treatment intervention available to all,” she said. WI

ARETHA

business. Legalizing marijuana for recreational purposes has been approved in 18 states, the District of Columbia and Guam. Governors in New York, New Mexico and Virginia signed marijuana legislation into law this year. According to a Goucher College poll released in October, 60% of Marylanders support having it legalized while 33% oppose it. The figure represents a slight decrease from a March poll when it received 67% support. William Tilburg, executive director of the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission, said projections in the first two years of adult and recreational cannabis consumption could reach up to 316,000 pounds with a market value of $1.2 billion in annual retail sales. The figures came from a study conducted by Mathematica, a research and analytics firm headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey. Tilburg said the study released last year didn’t calculate the state’s 6% sales tax and limited data from adult-use states and none comparable to Maryland’s population of 6.1 million. He presented a case study from Massachusetts with some similarities as Maryland that includes: population size at 6.8 million; sales tax at 6.25%; and physical size ranking 44th in the nation and Maryland ranking 42nd. Since cannabis sales began in November 2018, revenue in Massachusetts at 165 dispensaries increased each year at: 2018 – $5.2 million 2019 – $75.6 million 2020 – $116 million (stores closed for more than two months due to coronavirus pandemic) 2021 – Through Nov. 29, sales at nearly $1.2 billion for adult recreational use and $279 million for medical cannabis. Estimated tax revenue at $189 million. “Pretty significant growth within those first three years,” Tilburg said. “More stores come online. More individuals use it, so there is higher revenue.” Work group chair Del. Luke Clippinger (D-Baltimore City) said four subcommittees will be formed and schedule meetings to start when the legislative begins next month. “I think it’s been important for us to establish a strong foundation of information in context as we move forward and dive deeply into this complicated issue,” he said. “And ultimately craft legislation that will fulfill the promise of this work group.” WI @jabariwill

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER / WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

Maryland General Assembly Begins Session with Redistricting, Veto Overrides William J. Ford WI Staff Writer The Maryland General Assembly convened for a special session Monday, Dec. 6 with the main agenda to vote on boundaries for the state’s eight congressional districts. Besides dealing with a process done every 10 years to assess changes in population based on U.S. census data, the legislature may also use part of the week to override more than a dozen bills Gov. Larry Hogan vetoed this year. Del. Nicole Williams (D-District 22) of Greenbelt appreciates being part of the special session that includes selecting a new state treasurer. Nancy Kopp plans to retire at the end of the month and Del. Dereck Davis (D-District 25) of Mitchellville expressed interest in the position. “That I am excited about,” she said. “It’s great to have someone from Prince George’s County in a statewide office.” The major item of redistricting received approval Tuesday, Dec. 7 in the House of Delegates by a 97-42 vote, mainly along party lines. Republicans pushed for their Democratic colleagues to change their minds but to no avail.

Del. Robin Grammer (R-Baltimore County) opposed the map using this description: “My bowel movements are more compact and contiguous than these districts.” House Speaker Adrienne Jones issued a warning for Grammer to avoid distractions from interrupting the debate. The Senate must also review the map that proposes to stretch across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge into portions of Democratic neighborhoods in Anne Arundel County. The district currently runs north and south with a heavy GOP influence along the Eastern Shore and portions of Baltimore, Harford and Carroll counties. The map created by a Legislative Redistricting Advisory Committee would shift Maryland’s state capital of Annapolis in Anne Arundel into the 4th Congressional district, which remains an open seat because Rep. Anthony Brown will seek the office of Maryland attorney general. The population data shows the district that includes Prince George’s County would house the state’s largest Black population with 419,596 out of the total 733,616 residents. Democrats represent seven of the eight districts. Rep. Andy Harris, who represents the first congressional

WARD 7 from Page 11 in the District. The vacancy rate for buildings in the area comes out to 7%, close to the city’s 8%. The report said a full-service grocery store exists for every 9,500 residents while in neighborhoods east of the river, there’s only one per 52,000 residents. Only 4% of the full-service grocery stores in the District are located in Wards 7 and 8. The potential of Pennsylvania Avenue East Oloyede said Pennsylvania Avenue East’s upgrading has to do with branding. “People from all over the world know about Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C.,” he said. “They know about the White House and the areas that are located west of the Anacostia River. We want people to know about the eastern part of the street, too.” Oloyede said the report can spur the Bowser administration to “attract resources to this highly-traveled corridor.”

“People from all over the world know about Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. They know about the White House and the areas that are located west of the Anacostia River. We want people to know about the eastern part of the street, too.” – BABATUNDE OLOYEDE

district along the Eastern Shore and a Donald Trump supporter, serves as the only GOP member from Maryland on Capitol Hill. Another map created by a Maryland Citizens Redistricting Commission, a non-partisan group appointed by Gov. Larry Hogan, allows a possible district to receive competition for possibly a second Republican elected to Congress. Nathan Persily, a law professor at Stanford University in California who helped the nine-member, non-partisan commission, praised the group’s work during Monday’s more than two hour committee session. “This really was a blessing that Republicans and Democrats and Independents could come together in what can sometimes be a contentious process and come to a consensus [on a] redistricting plan,” he said. The new congressional districts may receive full approval from both the House and Senate chambers by the end of the week.

VETO OVERRIDES

5 Del. Dereck Davis of Prince George’s County (left) chats with Del. Stephanie Smith of Baltimore City after the first session in the House of Delegates adjourned Dec. 6. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

“When people travel on Pennsylvania Avenue East, we want to make sure that it has a spillover effect,” he said. “We want people to stop, get out of their cars and shop and dine and to stimulate the economy of the neighborhoods that are close by. We want people to become excited about visiting Ward 7. We feel this part of Pennsylvania Avenue should get the same amount of attention that Wisconsin Avenue gets from the city.” Tiffany L. Brown serves as the chair of the 7B advisory neighborhood commission that encompasses parts of Pennsylvania Avenue East. Brown said she worked on the report and stands by its findings. “There needs to be an upgrade of Pennsylvania Avenue and the traffic configurations at the L’Enfant Square should be worked out,” she said. “Parking is a major issue on Pennsylvania Avenue. I have heard people say many times that they would like to shop in the local businesses but can’t find a place to park.” WI @JamesDCWrighter

ing the state Parole Commission’s decision to grant a person parole serving a life sentence. The Senate voted 3116 on Monday and the House 96-42 on Tuesday. The votes allow for at least six of the 10 commissioners, all appointed by the governor, to determine “whether an inmate is suitable for parole.” The law, which would take effect next month, extends a person’s eligibility for parole from 15 to 20 years. Before Tuesday’s vote, Del. Debra Davis (D-Charles County) said Maryland served as one of three states in the nation that involved the governor in the parole process. “That’s adding a political element to the process that serves no practical good,” she said before voting to override the governor’s veto. Some Republican lawmakers such as Robert Cassilly of Harford County said families of victims will not matter. “This has nothing to do with racial equality or justice,” he said about the bill. “This is an abomination.” Walter Lomax, executive director of the Maryland Restorative Justice Initiative who attended the Senate session with more than a dozen criminal justice advocates, smiled and hugged each other after the vote.

Legislators also convened to override vetoes Hogan made earlier this year. One major bill members in both chambers voted to override focused on removing the governor’s role in block-

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“The politicians that voted for it really understood this issue exactly for what it is,” said Lomax, who was released from prison in 2006 after he served nearly four decades for a crime he didn’t commit. “We never advocated for everybody to be released from prison. We’ve only advocated that they be given a meaningful opportunity to receive parole. If they earn it, they get it. If they don’t earn it, then they don’t get it,” he said. The governor has stood by his reasoning in making a decision that hasn’t been based on politics but he said on the oversight process. Sen. President Pro Tem Melony Griffith (D-District 25) of Upper Marlboro said the special session “will be a jam-packed week” but also a “positive experience” in the Senate chamber with the removal of the seven-foot plexiglass that separated each senator last year. “The last time we were all in the chamber the circumstances were different because we were at a different place in the pandemic,” she said. “I look forward to a productive week and then a short break before we return in January for our full 90-day session.” WI @jabariwill

DECEMBER 9 - 15, 2021 13

SYSTEMIC CHALLENGES REQUIRE BOLD LEADERSHIP Democrat Wes Moore for Governor. Wes Moore is running for Governor to Expand Economic Opportunity by:

→

Increasing wages, providing more job training opportunities, and closing the wealth gap.

→ Ensuring public schools prepare all our children for success, with more career training for kids and additional social workers and counselors in our schools.

→ Empowering Marylanders to build small businesses with expanded access to capital – especially for minority-owned and womenowned businesses

“

Wes Moore believes that no matter where you start in life, we all deserve a pathway to success.

“My childhood was defined by trauma, loss, and financial insecurity. But thanks to the support of my mother, I went on to graduate from Johns Hopkins, earn a Rhodes Scholarship, and lead soldiers in combat in Afghanistan as a Captain in the U.S. Army. I built a successful business in Maryland and most recently was CEO of one of the nation’s largest anti-poverty nonprofits. Of the many titles I’ve held over the years, I’m most proud of: son, husband, and father. My wife Dawn and I are raising our children right here in Maryland where I was born. Together, we will turn this moment into a movement. Join us.”

E D Q IAmWesMoore

WesMoore.com

info@WesMoore.com

By Authority: Wes Moore for Maryland, Lissa Muscatine, Treasurer. Use of military rank, job titles and photographs in uniform do not imply endorsement from the Department of Defense.

DIGITAL Page 16

14 DECEMBER 9 - 15, 2021

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER / WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

BUSINESS 5 Black farmers face difficult times. (Courtesy photo)

FARMERS from Page 1 delays in financial aid, the USDA systematically blocked Black farmers from accessing critical federal funds,” according to a Pro Publica report. “If you are Black and you’re born south of the Mason-Dixon Line and you tried to farm, you’ve been discriminated against,” Lloyd Wright, the director of the USDA Office of Civil Rights under Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, and a Black Virginia farmer, said in the report. The report noted that the debts Black farmers “consequently accrued cost them millions of acres, which white buyers then snapped up.” In 1920, Black farmers peaked at nearly 1 million, constituting 14 percent of all farmers. But between 1910 and 1997, they lost 90 percent of their property. By contrast, white farmers lost only 2 percent in the same period. As of 2017, there were just 35,470 Black-owned farms, representing 1.7 percent of all farms. Black farmers lost some 16 million acres, Conservatively estimated to be worth between $250 billion and $350 billion in current dollars. “This report is stating what I’ve been saying for three decades: the amount of land we lost due to racism at the USDA and the blatant discrimination Black farmers have faced for so long has gone unanswered,” stated John Wesley Boyd, Jr., founder and president of the National Black Farmers Association in Bakersville, Virginia. “The oldest occupation in this

country for Black people is farming. But from slavery through Jim Crow, the USDA, and the banks – all these things put together means we are facing extinction,” Boyd said. “What’s troubling is when the brown bear, the black bear and the bald eagle were facing extinction, Congress put harsh laws in place until their numbers came back up. So why can’t they do the same thing for the oldest occupation in history for Black people, which is farming?” As noted in the Pro Publica report, land counted as an ideological priority for Black families after the Civil War, when nearly 4 million people were freed from slavery. On Jan. 12, 1865, just before emancipation, the Union Army Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman met with 20 black ministers in Savannah, Georgia, and asked them what they needed. “The way we can best take care of ourselves is to have land,” their spokesperson, the Rev. Garrison Frazier, told Sherman. Freedom, he said, was “placing us where we could reap the fruit of our own labor.” Sherman issued a special field order declaring that 400,000 acres formerly held by Confederates be transferred to African Americans — what came to be known as the promise of “40 acres and a mule.” The following year, Congress passed the Southern Homestead Act, opening an additional 46 million acres of public land for Union supporters and freed people. However, the promises

Aimee D. Griffin, Esq.

Deeds of Faith

I am proud to share about the Deeds of Faith initiative of the Association of Black Estate Planning Professionals, Inc., (ABEPP). ABEPP is a nonprofit with the mission to bridge the racial wealth gap. ABEPP is a collaborative economic empowerment organization with strategic partners also committed to building wealth in the Black community. Some of the partners include National Bankers Association, National African American Insurance Association, Association of Black Foundation Executives, US Black Chambers, National Association of Black Accountants among others. The Deeds of Faith initiative recognizes the loss of wealth and land that the Black community experiences through the probate process. While strategically planning the transfer can build wealth from one generation to the next, the lack of planning creates a hemorrhage of assets from one generation to the next. The Deeds of Faith initiative underscores that when we know better we do better. Statistics represent that only 30% of Black adults have a Last Will & Testament. That means 70% of the people who pass away require the court system to determine who will be the beneficiary of their assets. The greater amount of assets passing through the court system the lesser amount the family will receive as an inheritance because court costs are based upon the value of the assets that are being passed. The Deeds of Faith initiative works with houses of faith committed to economic empowerment by providing monthly webinar education and resources on estate planning and financial information. The collaboration between ABEPP and the house of faith is focused on inverting the statistic from 30% to 70% with intentionality. The sessions will provide information on Money Management, Investing, Real Estate Investing, Entrepreneurship, Credit Repair, Charitable Giving and many others. It is exciting that the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers and the DC Legal Services for the Elderly are partnering to support this important initiative. The commitment for low income residents to preserve their legacies is strong. The impact of this initiative is powerful. With community base of congregants of 5,000 people in the house of faith. Strategically moving from 30% of congregants with a plan to 70% creates a 2,000 family impact. 2,000 additional families will be able to give to their faith based and community organizations. The community legacy impact is staggering. The median property value in Washington DC in 2021 is $210,000. If 2,000 families are able to pass on this asset strategically within their families, the net worth of the community impact would be $420,000,000! Just as the impact is amazing for positive net worth growth and retention, the impact is definitely negatively impacting the asset and wealth growth for the Black community. The result on real property is significant. There is substantial land loss in the community as a result of lack of planning. Many Black families have ownership interest in “heir property”. Heir property is land that has been owned by a family but not probated when the named owner has passed away. As a result, the law provides ownership interest to those who would be able to inherit based upon the laws of “intestacy”, the formula that is applied when there is no Will. There are many cases when there are houses with dozens of interested parties from previous generations. This creates a property with many owners. Multiple owners can cause significant issues. In order to do major renovations on the property all owners would have to sign. In order to apply for any grants or relief in case of damage, all owners would have to sign. Property taxes still would have to be paid. This creates the frustration for those people who take the burden of paying taxes without the true benefit of ownership for the property. As a result, land is sold at tax auctions and the asset is lost to the family. Strategic planning and follow through may be challenging. Of course, prevention is better than rehabilitation. Aimee D. Griffin, Esq., The Griffin Firm, PLLC http://yourestateplanningattorney.com (855) 574-8481 5335 Wisconsin Ave NW Suite 440 Washington DC 20015 4041 Powder Mill Drive Suite 215 Beltsville MD 20705 100 International Drive 23rd Floor Baltimore MD 21202 4601 N. Fairfax Dr., Suite 1200 Arlington, VA 22203

never materialized in large part because of backlash from white supremacists. “By the second half of the 20th century, a new form of dispossession had emerged, officially sanctioned by the courts and targeting heirs’ proper-

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM / THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

ty owners without clear titles,” the Pro Publica report noted. “These landowners are exposed in a variety of ways. They don’t qualify for certain Department of Agriculture loans to purchase livestock or cover the cost of planting. Individual heirs

can’t use their land as collateral with banks and other institutions and so are denied private financing and federal home-improvement loans,” the report said. For the Full Story visit our Website. WI

DECEMBER 9 - 15, 2021 15

NATIONAL District Attorneys Draw Unions’ Ire in Opening Excessive Force, Unarmed Shooting Cases Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer A new trend among Democratic District Attorneys may be unpopular with police unions. Still, the movement has won approval from those tired of the many officer-involved shootings of unarmed individuals and people who pose little to no threat. District attorneys around the country have reopened hundreds of cases previously handled and dismissed by their predecessors. The prosecutors reopening the cases remain primarily Democrats in Los Angeles, Texas, New York and other locations. The New York Times reported that the cases included 340 killings in Los Angeles County. The trend marks a sharp break from the traditionally close relationship between police and prosecutors – a practice that critics opine has

long shielded officers from accountability. “This is very much needed,” proclaimed Major Neill Franklin, a retired Maryland State and Baltimore police officer. Franklin serves on the Law Enforcement Action Partnership board and the Alliance for Safety and Justice. He’s also a member of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives. “This is why with the many videos that we currently see that involve police misconduct, especially excessive force, we’re starting to see what Black folks have seen for a long time: police abuse and excessive force is rampant,” Franklin said. “Now, these prosecutors are going back and reopening and taking a critical look to reevaluate whether justice was done.” The Times reported that the case reviews have aroused fierce resis-

TWO RIVERS PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS Psychological Evaluations Two Rivers Public Charter School is seeking a licensed vendor to conduct psychological evaluations. For a copy of the RFP, email Liz Riddle at procurement@tworiverspcs.org.

16 DECEMBER 9 - 15, 2021

5 District Attorneys in Democratic Districts are reopening hundreds of cases of unarmed individuals shot by police and potential victims of brutality and excessive force. (Photo courtesy Wikimedia commons)

tance from police unions and conservative district attorneys who call them political stunts that demoralize officers and remain unlikely to sway trial court juries. The newspaper reported that unions in Austin, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Philadelphia have backed campaigns to oust the top prosecutors. “To go back and open up all the cases because you have an absolute grudge against police officers and you’re trying to carry a badge of honor — ‘Look at me, look at me, I’m going to prosecute police officers, I’m going to hold them accountable’ — is turning the table completely upside down,” Todd Spitzer, the district attorney of Orange County, Calif, told the Times. A Republican, Spitzer reportedly has remained an outspoken supporter of the union-backed campaign to recall his Democratic counterpart in nearby Los Angeles. “These counties where the ‘woke DAs’ are elected, they are utterly destroying police morale. They are making it impossible to recruit police,” Spitzer said. Others scoffed at both Spitzer and opposing unions. “Seeing District Attorneys treating killings by police with more scrutiny is honestly long overdue. For too long, the use of lethal force by police has been treated almost flippantly in that there was almost never any real examination of whether deadly force was truly called for,” said Nicholas B. Creel, an assis-

“Seeing District Attorneys treating killings by police with more scrutiny is honestly long overdue. For too long, the use of lethal force by police has been treated almost flippantly in that there was almost never any real examination of whether deadly force was truly called for.” – NICHOLAS B. CREEL

PROFESSOR OF BUSINESS LAW AND ETHICS

tant professor of Business Law and Ethics co-coordinator in the College of Business at Georgia College and State University. “As to this breaking the precedent of close relations between DAs and police, this again is a welcomed change to the status quo,” Creel said. “The police are not above the law. A DA being too close with police will inevitably result in a relationship between them that prevents the former from ensuring the latter is truly subjected to impartial justice.” David Clark, a partner at The Clark Law Office in Michigan and a 35-year seasoned attorney, asserted that the re-examination of old police killings manifests the justice system’s renewed lens. “It aims to update the application

of fairness and modify the reasonableness of violence. The changes in our society this past decade due to modernization cultivated a society dependent on assuming better judgment and accountability on everyone,” Clark said. “Not only will this reopening of old police killing cases be directed at bringing justice to the victims that deserve it but it is also a catalyst to the adjustment and, or reinforcement of lethal force laws. All in all, this step is a pivotal moment that signifies a stronger and just legal system. As a result, we can look forward to a future where the masses can once again fully trust the country’s legal institution’s objectiveness and integrity,” he said. WI

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Josephine Baker Receives Highest Honor in France

NATIONAL

Becomes First American and Black Woman Inducted into the Panthéon Sarafina Wright WI Contributing Writer Legendary trailblazing performer Josephine Baker received one of the highest honors in France with her induction into the French Panthéon, the nation’s mausoleum of heroes, which includes Voltaire, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Victor Hugo, Èmile Zola and Marie Curie. Baker becomes the first Black woman inducted and the first performing artist. Born in St. Louis in 1906, Baker rose to stardom in Paris in the 1920s and 1930s as a performer noted for dancing with an infamous banana belt. She made a career in Paris, a less segregated and more welcoming environment for Baker but maintained her connection to the U.S. She used her voice to be a civil Q4 AMTRAK PRINT 1_Washington rights activist for Black Americans,

including being the only official the first weekend in December. female speaker at the March on Addonis Parker created a paintWashington, standing at the side ing, “From Paris with Love,” in of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. homage to Baker’s legacy. The colBaker's also known as a wartime lection premiering in Miami holds hero, spy and humanitarian adopt- significance for Baker’s contribuing 12 children from around the tions to desegregating the city’s world. She died in Paris on April clubs in that period. 12, 1975. In 1951, Baker was offered French President Emmanuel $10,000 by the Copa City Club Macron said on Nov. 30, during in Miami Beach but she refused to the ceremony at the Paris mon- perform for segregated audiences. ument, that Baker “broke down The Copa eventually met her debarriers.” mands. Her insistence on mixed “She became part of the hearts audiences helped integrate live enand minds of French people . . . tertainment shows in Miami, Las Josephine Baker, you enter the Vegas and other cities throughout Pantheon because while you were the U.S. born American, deep down there Parker’s painting can now be was no one more French than seen at the French Consulate in you,” NPR reported. Miami. Not only did Baker receive her “I admire Josephine Baker’s long-overdue flowers in Paris but strength at such a young age and she was also honored at Art Basel 10:33 howPMshe stayed focused on her misInformer (outlines).pdf 1 7/7/21 in Miami, an international art fair, sion during her life,” Parker said. WI

5 Josephine Baker (Courtesy of History of Yesterday)

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DECEMBER 9 - 15, 2021 17

NATIONAL MasterClass Launches Black History, Freedom and Love Program Sarafina Wright WI Contributing Writer

MORTGAGE LOANS

MasterClass, the streaming platform where anyone can learn from the world’s best across a wide range of subjects, recently announced the launch of what it calls its most ambitious project to date: Black History, Black Freedom and Black Love. The course will be taught by notable Black intellectuals including Jelani Cobb, Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw, Angela Davis, Sherrilyn Ifill, Nikole Hannah-Jones, John McWhorter and Cornel West. Released in three parts, MasterClass said the course will inform, contextualize and challenge how members think about race and racism, reconcile gaps in traditional education about U.S. history and

offer tools and techniques to empower change in their own lives. The class is part of the company’s $2 million commitment to create content that inspires and educates on social justice and against systemic racism. The first part of the class, The Past, is now available exclusively on MasterClass, where subscribers get unlimited access to all 150+ instructors with an annual membership. “With decades of experience, these leaders, activists and groundbreaking thinkers have reshaped conversations on race in America,” said David Rogier, founder and CEO of MasterClass. “Together, they will teach Black history as never before – uncensored – and show members how to build a society that honors Black voices, love

Mortgage Print_9.875x5.5_WashInformer.indd 18SSB-107 DECEMBER 9 - 15, 2021

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5 MasterClass instructors. (Photo courtesy of MasterClass)

and joy while fighting against systemic racism.” The Past will explore the ties between slavery and American capitalism, the 14th Amendment, how the law acts as an agent of white supremacy and the history of voter suppression and equality in education. Part II of the class, The Present, will touch on topics including the legacy of Thurgood Marshall, the monumental court case of Brown

vs. Board of Education, the meaning of Anita Hill and the Clarence Thomas Senate Judiciary hearings and the origin of critical race theory. Finally, the third class, The Future, will help members take what they have learned to move forward and create a society built on justice. “With more than 50 lessons and 10 hours of content, the class covers 400 years of American history

and examines the past, present and future of a reeducation and reckoning with race in America,” a program spokesperson said. Parts II and III of the class will launch in early 2022. MasterClass said remains committed to making it possible for everyone to have “access to the transformational power of learning” and will make this programming available to the public for free in 2022. WI

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3:22:50 PM

Washington Gas Launches the Arrearage Management Program Submitted by Washington Gas We know that some of our customers continue to face financial hardships brought on by the pandemic. Therefore, Washington Gas is pleased to unveil the Arrearage Management Program (AMP), which provides guidance, resources, and assistance to customers who are unable to pay their utility bills on time during the COVID-19 pandemic. We created this program to assist customers in avoiding additional debt, while steadily paying down any past due balances.

AMP ASSISTS CUSTOMERS BY HELPING TO: • • • • •

Lower or eliminate existing COVID-19 related past due balances Bring accounts current Improve payment behavior on customers’ new bills Avoid disconnection Allow customers to remain current in their Company payment obligations

Starting November 1, 2021 and running until October 31, 2022, eligible customers may enroll in the AMP initiative. Once enrolled, customers will participate in our 12-month payment plan. Upon successful completion of the 12-month plan, customers will receive forgiveness for the amount included under AMP. To become eligible to enroll in the program, you must first apply for energy assistance and be approved by the Department of Energy & Environment (DOEE). To contact DOEE, call 311 or go online at https://doee.dc.gov/. If your past due balance is more than $3,000, you must first bring your past due balance to $3,000 or less. You can do that by seeking other eligible sources of support including visiting Washington Gas Cares at www.washingtongascares.com. When your balance is $3,000 or less, you will be eligible to enroll in the program.

OUR AMP PROGRAM WILL LAUNCH ON NOVEMBER 1, 2021. TO ENROLL:

1. Email us now at DCAMP@washgas.com. Please provide your Washington Gas account number in your email and your interest to enroll in the program. 2. Online at https://wglcx.washgas.com/amp starting November 1, 2021. 3. Or call our DC AMP Hotline at 703-750-4399. Please leave your Washington Gas account number and call back number.

We look forward to helping you eliminate your past due balances with this convenient, easy to use program.

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NEIGHBORS WARM Washington Gas is providing $350,000 to the Salvation Army National Capital Area Command to aid local families with their natural gas bill. Customers who qualify are eligible to receive up to $1,000 in payment assistance. You must be a Washington Gas customer to receive assistance. The Fund will run until December 31, 2021. A family of four earning up to $77,600 could be eligible.

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Hundreds of Women Protest Against Gender-based Violence in Ivory Coast Hundreds of women marched in Abidjan on Saturday, Dec. 4 to protest violence against women and to demand punishment for rapists. Under the slogan "Orange the world," organized by the UN Women's Generation Equality, women in Ivory Coast and around the world participated in different activities to call attention and create awareness about the violence suffered by thousands of women and girls every day. "Rape has to be punished and we are here to show that everybody has to be aware of the fact that when a woman says 'no' it's no," said Claude Kohon during the march. Ambassadors and representatives of the United States, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey and other countries attended the demonstration. "We have to mobilize, women – obviously, I am a woman – but men too. That's why there are also men in the demonstration," said Anne Lugon-Moulin, the ambassador of Switzerland to the west African country. "We need a change of mentality and little by little things will change" she said. According to statistics published by the World Health Organization, about 1-in-3 women (30%) worldwide have been subjected to either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime. SOURCE: AfricaNews WI

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20 DECEMBER 9 - 15, 2021

Bartlett Elected Chair of Inter-American Committee on Tourism

The Hon. Edmund Bartlett, Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, has been elected by acclamation as the new Chairman of the Organization of American States (OAS) Inter-American Committee on Tourism [CITUR]. Minister Bartlett came out ahead of the candidates from Paraguay and Ecuador for the chairmanship at a meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 30. Both countries will now serve as vice chair of the CITUR. Chair of the OAS’ Inter-American Council for Integral Development, Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States (US), Audrey Marks, congratulated Minister Bartlett on behalf of the member states. “I wish you . . . much success in the work that you will be leading as we begin deliberations to prepare the draft work plan based on the Declaration of Paraguay towards the reconstruction and rebuilding of tourism post coronavirus (COVID-19),” she said. Minister Bartlett, in his response, called on all member states to work together to complete the plans and policy programs that they had started. This, he said, “would require a greater sense of innovation, as we cannot continue with things as they are. “We must now seek to find new ways to deal with new disruptions that seem destined to follow this pandemic,” he added. He pledged to be a strong, fruitful and vibrant chairman and called for the support of each member state. “We have so much to do and I know the Americas are depending on us to chart the way to recovery and to thrive after recovery,” he said. SOURCE: Jamaica Information Services (JIS) WI

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December 2021 Message from Department of Aging and Community Living DIRECTORS MESSAGE

celeb.splashthat.com. Remember, we want to be able to dance and eat safely, so bring your vaccination card and your mask (we’ll have a mask there for you if you forget!). If you're not fully vaccinated, please get the shot today— that's the best way we’ll be able to keep you and your loved ones safe. Remember, boosters are recommended, and you should get your flu shot, too! As we head into the New Year, we’re thinking about new things, and things we can make new again, which is why we’ve changed things up at our holiday celebra-

tion by hosting it at the Convention Center. We’re also going to do a new photo exhibition of seniors throughout DC, so be on the lookout for news about when and where you can join us for that. In every ward of the city, our nonprofit partners will be trying new things and new ways to connect with you, so let us know how it’s working. And if there’s something you’d like us to try, I’d love to hear from you! Email us at dacl.communications@dc.gov or call 202724-5626. See you at the Convention Center December 15th!

Director Laura Newland Department of Aging and Community Living Happy holidays! At this time of year, we usually talk about getting together with family and friends for the holidays, but for some of us, that prospect might actually make us feel more lonely. Sometimes the family we’re born into or raised in isn’t ideal, or maybe friends and family aren’t as close as you’d like. No matter what your situation is, we’re here for you. Come connect and celebrate with us at the Mayor’s Annual Senior Holiday Celebration. Whether this is your only holiday celebration or one of many, we want to see you! You may have heard me say that we celebrate you every day here at DACL. While that’s true, the Mayor’s Annual Senior Holiday Celebration is the biggest event we do all year. And if you’ve never had the experience of entering a room with people lined up on either side of you cheering and thanking you for coming, I promise it’s unforgettable (and sometimes people enjoy it so much, they go through more than once!). This year we’ll be at the Convention Center, so don’t forget to register by calling 202-727-8955 or going online at seniorholiday-

...if you’ve never had the experience of entering a room with people lined up on either side of you cheering and thanking you for coming, I promise it’s unforgettable (and sometimes people enjoy it so much, they go through more than once!).

Y ’re Inv ed! MAYOR MURIEL BOWSER PRESENTS THE 23RD ANNUAL SENIOR HOLIDAY CELEBRATION NEW LOCATION: Walter E. Washington Convention Center 801 Mt. Vernon Pl. NW Washington, DC 20001

December 15 | 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM Proof of Vaccination Card Required

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DECEMBER 9 - 15, 2021 21

HEALTH Supreme Court Hears Arguments in Landmark Case Challenging Roe v. Wade Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer As the Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday in a case that may change the constitutional guarantee to legal abortion, Black women rallied outside the northwest D.C. courthouse to demand reproductive justice. The justices began hearing oral arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, pertaining

to a Mississippi law that prohibits most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. That provision stands in opposition to Roe v. Wade, and it’s among several laws implemented recently in states around the country. “Mississippi’s ban on abortion after 15 weeks is unconstitutional and endangers the lives and restricts the rights of all women and pregnant people,” Racine Tucker-Hamilton, vice president of communications

5 The inner chambers of the Supreme Court. (Courtesy photo)

for In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda, said in a statement. “If the high court uses this case to strike down Roe v. Wade, it will make official what’s already in practice in most counties across this country: safe, leB:8.75" gal abortion is too often an inaccessible right — mostT:8.75" especially for Black women and women of color.” The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of

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Appeals blocked the law earlier, noting that it violated Roe v. Wade and Supreme Court precedent. Mississippi appealed to the Supreme Court, which agreed to hear the case. “As Black women, we know the barriers to accessing reproductive health care already cause delays in obtaining abortion care or even deny Black women access to abortion at all,” Tucker-Hamilton said. “Every

abortion restriction disparately impacts communities of color, who already have less access to health care and suffer poor health outcomes due to racism. “For nearly five decades under Roe, Black women have been fighting to make our right to abortion accessible,” she continued. “But Roe is the floor — not the ceiling. And that floor is about to be pulled out from under us. We cannot settle for the court to just uphold Roe; we demand real justice — the human right to control our own bodily autonomy. We demand reproductive justice.” Frederick Isasi, executive director of Families USA, called the Mississippi case — known as Dobbs v. Jackson — unconstitutional and an orchestrated attack on the ability of women to make their own decisions about their health and their reproductive freedom. “By asking the Supreme Court to gut or even overturn Roe v Wade, it will deny women abortion services and fundamentally jeopardize the lives and health of women in the

ABORTION Page 49

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To combat high infant mortality and maternal mortality rates, Amerigroup DC is supporting organizations that provide perinatal services to equip women with the tools to make informed health decisions. Martha's Table is receiving $180,000 from Amerigroup DC for its maternal health programs, including the launch of the new "Baby & Me" program, a partner-

As communities grapple with a sharp increase in mental health issues exacerbated by the pandemic, Amerigroup DC is supporting programs that educate local residents and helping to increase access to treatment and social support. Through its new partnership

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ship with Community of Hope. The program supports families in Ward 8 during pregnancy and throughout the first year of a child's life. In addition, Amerigroup is contributing $25,000 to Mary's Center, a maternal nonprofit that reaches the Hispanic community, and $10,000 to Mamatoto Village, a nonprofit that provides workforce development and perinatal services.

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with Bridging Resources in Communities, Amerigroup DC is providing $35,000 to create new programs to educate residents in Wards 5, 7, and 8 on the dangers of drug use. Amerigroup also plans to work with BRIC to host a series of community conversations and community leadership training. To offer additional support to the community, Amerigroup has also announced grants to the following organizations: • Tumaini DC--$20,000 to expand its social and emotional learning curriculum and training. • La Clinica--$10,000 to support this community behavioral health center. • Us Helping Us--$15,000 to support their food pantry that assists those with HIV and AIDS. • Howard University Hospital's--$30,000 for the "Men Take Ten" program. • The Girl Scouts of America--$25,000 for its Healthy YOU Patch Program, including a new "Amerigroup DC Badge" focusing on nutrition, physical activity, and mental health.

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EDUCATION COVID-19 Cases in District Schools Surpass 2,000

Most Recorded in Elementary Settings according to DC Health Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer At the beginning of December, figures from DC Health showed that COVID-19 cases reported in District schools -- public, charter and private -during the school year surpassed 2,000

with the majority involving elementary school students. In those environments, many teachers, like one who spoke with The Informer on the condition of anonymity, said they often struggle with following social distancing protocols and fulfilling the

requirements of a job. “So much of the rubric they use to evaluate us is based on communication with students [but] little kids often don’t speak loudly or clearly,” the second grade teacher said in reference to the IMPACT evaluation given DC Public Schools [DCPS] teachers annually. “To have them three feet away with an air purifier that adds white noise makes it difficult to hear everyone.” The veteran teacher, who returned to their Ward 8 classroom in February during DCPS’ phased reopening period, recounted often feeling nervous about striking the balance between executing their job and ensuring student safety. However, months into the 20212022 school year this person come to see social distancing as a mandate that makes sense only on paper. Given the frequency of small group activities, the teacher recounted even administrators coming to terms with elementary teachers having to closely interact with young people who’ve fallen a couple grade levels behind during the pandemic. “If they told me to teach my best

(Courtesy photo)

without being evaluated, I probably would’ve pushed myself to keep my distance more often,” the teacher said. “Teachers don’t deserve the stress of thinking that if they teach their best in small groups, kids may be at greater risk of catching COVID.”

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COVID Page 25

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dccollegesavings.com Before you invest, consider whether your or the beneficiary’s home state offers any state tax or other state benefits such as financial aid, scholarship funds, and protection from creditors that are only available for investments in that state’s qualified tuition program. For more information about The DC College Savings Plan (“the Plan”), call 800-987-4859, or visit dccollegesavings.com to obtain a Program Disclosure Booklet, which includes investment objectives, risks, charges, expenses, and other important information; read and consider it carefully before investing. The Plan is administered by the District of Columbia Office of the Chief Financial Officer, Office of Finance and Treasury. Ascensus College Savings Recordkeeping Services, LLC (“ACSR”), the Program Manager, and its affiliates, have overall responsibility for the day-to-day operations including recordkeeping and administrative services. Ascensus Investment Advisors, LLC serves as the Investment Manager.

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SUMMIT from Page 1 asked to be identified as Ghoul. In the years before the pandemic, Ghoul and other affiliates of the Black Swan Academy have campaigned for police-free schools and expansion of mental health services for young people attending District public and public charter schools. Their organizing tactics included public service announcements, forums, events in front of District schools and testimonies before the D.C. Council. All the while, they’ve maintained that MPD leadership has been unresponsive to Black Swan Academy’s concerns, particularly amid protests that erupted in the aftermath of George Floyd’s police-involved murder. ”At this point, I want MPD to know that we want our voices heard [because] we have been getting our voices heard by other people, just not the source [of the problem],” Ghoul said. “Black youth are always the first people seen as the suspect and they’re never able to explain themselves.”

A POLARIZING AND MULTIFACETED ISSUE

In response to Black Swan Academy’s protest, several people, including MPD officers and school security guards who stood by the entrance of Eastern, spoke among themselves and asked how young people, despite their disdain for the police, would fare in an environment without law enforcement protection. Similar conversations have reverberated throughout ANC meetings and public forums as the District grapples with more than 200 homicides recorded this year. While some have called for greater police presence, legislators and others who have spoken with Black Swan Academy members have advanced more holistic solutions. Last summer, the D.C. State Board of Education passed a resolution in support of police-free schools. D.C. Council also unanimously supported the phasing out of MPD officers in District schools by 2025. This counted as a realization of one of the numerous recommendations brought forth by the D.C. Police Reform Commission on which Black Swan Academy Executive Director Samantha Davis sits. Recently, council members began deliberations on the School Police Incident Oversight and Accountabil-

ity Amendment Act which would require schools to collect and make available data about school-related arrests. The MPD Youth Summit came on the heels of violent incidents and arrests of young people. On Friday, Dec. 3, Larelle Washington, a KIPP DC College Preparatory student, was shot just blocks from the charter school, near Mt. Olivet Road and West Virginia Avenue in Northeast. Days later he succumbed to his injuries. Last week, the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the District of Columbia announced it levied nearly 100 charges against two D.C. teens for their alleged involvement in a string of robberies and kidnappings last year. Within that same time, police arrested two Eastern High School students, one of whom allegedly brought a ghost gun to campus and the other for his alleged involvement in the murder of a Virginia man. During the MPD Youth Summit’s opening ceremony, Contee encouraged young people to become more collaborative as the department attempts to foster relationships with the community. The nearly 100 students who gathered in Eastern’s auditorium learned about MPD’s partnership with GWU’s Rethinking DC Youth and Policing Program. They also heard from a retired police officer who spoke about her daughter’s gun-related death and compelled students to make more prudent choices. Students later broke into small groups and spoke to GWU undergraduate and graduate students about the state of policing in the District. For several hours, dialogue focused on relationships with school resource officers, students’ exposure to metal detectors, anxiety about encounters with the police, feelings about law enforcement among their family members and how MPD compares to other police departments across the U.S. Later, while protesting outside of Eastern, a District public school student known as Sai, criticized the MPD Youth Summit as a carbon copy of Black Swan Academy’s endeavor to explore the nuances of policing and youth trauma. “As a young person working [toward] police-free schools, it feels like I’m getting gaslit,” Sai said. “Chief Contee knew about our campaign. This is an example of how adults take youth’s ideas as their own.”

A QUESTION OF HOW TO PROTECT AND ENGAGE YOUTH

Research conducted by the D.C. Policy Center last year showed that more than 1 out of 5 D.C. youth have been exposed to neighborhood violence and other adverse childhood experiences. Policy analysts recommended the infusion of mental health services and trauma-informed care in District schools. The D.C. Department of Behavioral Health, in partnership with community-based organizations, has since expanded its school-based mental health services to an increasing number of District public and public charter schools. Last Friday, District officials announced an influx of $4 million in Safe Passage funds to support six community-based organizations dedicated to ensuring children safely travel to and from school. Amid robust discussions about pedestrian safety, MPD launched a program on

SUMMIT Page 42 COVID from Page 24 University earlier this year found that IMPACT overwhelmingly incited feelings of fear, distrust and competition among teachers, especially in schools considered low performing. An accompanying racial equity review revealed IMPACT evaluators’ biases against non-white teachers and compelled calls to get rid of IMPACT. As District health officials continue to track COVID-19’s Omicron variant, teachers in some of the District’s schools, particularly those with staff vacancies, say they still find some difficulty in simultaneously maintaining COVID-19 protocols and meeting the demands of their job. In response, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) announced an infusion of $22 million that supports the addition of a COVID-19 strategy and logistics coordinator and recruitment of substitute teachers. However, community members continue to raise concerns about the need for updated amenities and fully operational HVAC systems in some of the District’s schools. In September, parents and teachers converged on a D.C. Council hearing where, for hours, they questioned the prevalence of broken HVAC systems in District schools.

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EDUCATION

5 MPD Chief Robert Contee III confronts young people who interrupted the MPD Youth Summit on Saturday, Dec. 3 at Eastern High School in Southeast. (Sam P.K. Collins/The Washington Informer)

In that same month, when 80 percent of Johnson Middle School’s sixth grade class entered quarantine, the school’s Parent Teacher Organization said incomplete learning spaces and difficulties teachers face in fulfilling social distancing protocols have impeded efforts to keep students safe. D.C. State Board of Education President Zachary Parker contends that some students and teachers remain in environments that, even with teachers’ best efforts, cannot meet their safety needs. While he recently called on D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) to fully reinstate the indoor mask mandate to protect children while off school grounds, Parker continues to weigh in on matters concerning dayto-day operations. “I give grace to our LEAs and schools that are working to meet the demands of this pandemic [but] our city should keep its promise to parents,” said Parker, who represents Ward 5 on the state board. “A number of schools still don’t have fully functioning air filtration systems and that’s out of the control of school leaders and teachers. That’s more about the system and how the city is managing the crisis,” he said.

A PARENT WEIGHS IN

Since the school year began, Ward

8 resident Cell Jamison recounted having to keep her children home amid COVID-19 outbreaks at their elementary school and daycare. To prevent them from contracting COVID-19, Jamison said she encourages proper handwashing and ingestion of seamoss and elderberry tea. At their elementary school, Jamison’s daughters often keep their bookbags, laptop and school supplies to themselves. They also maintain fidelity to COVID-19 protocols. While Jamison showed some apprehension to her daughters going outside for recess, she said she has come to terms with the reality that they need some time to run around, especially after being sequestered in one classroom for several hours. All in all, Jamison expressed no qualms about her daughters’ school’s COVID-19 protocols. When it came to other parents however, she didn’t mince words. “The parents are the crazy ones for sending their children to school when they’re sick,” Jamison said. “Everyone has to suffer. Some parents do that because they don’t have a babysitter. [In that situation], I know I would keep my kids home for a week.” WI @SamPKCollins

DECEMBER 9 - 15, 2021 25

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PUBLISHER Denise Rolark Barnes STAFF D. Kevin McNeir, Editor Ron Burke, Advertising/ Marketing Director Shevry Lassiter, Photo Editor Lafayette Barnes, IV, Assistant Photo Editor John E. De Freitas, Sports Photo Editor Dorothy Rowley, Online Editor ZebraDesigns.net, Design & Layout Mable Neville, Bookkeeper Dr. Charles Vincent, Social Sightings columnist Tatiana Moten, Social Media Specialist Angie Johnson, Circulation REPORTERS Stacy Brown (Senior Writer), Sam P.K. Collins, Timothy Cox, Will Ford (Prince George’s County Writer), Jacqueline Fuller, Hamil Harris, D. Kevin McNeir, Kui Mwai, Lee Ross, Dorothy Rowley, Brenda Siler, Lindiwe Vilakazi, Sarafina Wright, James Wright, PHOTOGRAPHERS John E. DeFreitas, Ja’Mon Jackson, Shevry Lassiter, Roy Lewis, Jr., Robert R. Roberts, Anthony Tilghman

Dr. Shantella Sherman WI Special Editions Editor The only constant thing in life, is change. Yet, many of us have not only willfully resisted change, but taken on hazardous behaviors that render us stagnant and ineffective as the world around us continues to evolve. The short of it, we have become self-saboteurs to our own happiness and not social equality, financial windfalls, the Age of Aquarius, or a writ of Congress will amend it. We are the saviors, the help, the aid, we are seeking. While we live our lives decked out in the masks of the day – not the COVID-19 barriers, mind you, but the masks Paul Lawrence Dunbar so eloquently pointed out in 1896. The mask that “grins and lies, [that] hides our cheeks and shades our eyes” and keeps others from witnessing our “torn and bleeding hearts.” Those bloody masks have become such a fashion to Black women that they come as easily-coordinated accessories of the “Superwoman” capes that keep us sick, tired, and frustrated. African American women, according to re-

Burning Superwoman’s Cape searchers studying the “superwoman schema,” often face mental and emotional messaging that present as strongholds negatively impacting their overall health and well-being. Professor Cheryl Giscombé, in the paper “Superwoman Schema: African American Women’s Views on Stress, Strength, and Health” in The journal Qualitative Health, that Black women faced: a perceived obligation to present an image of strength, a perceived obligation to suppress emotions, a perceived obligation to resist help or to resist being vulnerable to others, motivation to succeed despite limited resources; and need to prioritize the caregiving of others over themselves. These perceptions create a reality in which Black women put everyone else before themselves – and feel guilty for taking “Me Time” to simply relax, rejuvenate, or simply, do nothing. In full transparency, this has been an issue I struggled with until 2010, when it suddenly occurred to me that making other people happy depleted me to a point of fatigue, weight gain, anxiety, and sadness. I remember saying once, “People will bleed you dry and then curse you out for not having more to give.” Giving or lending money was not an issue, giving my ear to other people’s problems, giving my time to other people’s causes, giving my sleep time over to help with someone’s (fill in the blank”, all added up to me having little time for exercise, sleep, preparing meals, or just taking stock in my own life. Still, I persisted in putting others first. The year I turned forty I decided to travel to London, alone. I turned off the phone, I shut down the social media pages, and I took full advantage of being fully and utterly alone with God. I found that I liked myself. I was pretty cool to hang out with and made for good company all by myself. I made friends, took long walks, gathered my thoughts, culled my emotions, and then vowed to capture the beauty of my newfound unfettered happiness as practice. Returning to the States, I occasionally fell back into putting others first to my detriment. Only now, I recognized when enough was enough, and found it easier ignore phone calls, place people and situations in a mental “time out,” and to simply tell people, “No.” With COVID-19 lock-in many bad habits kicked back in, but since August, I recommitted to bedtime no later than 10pm, no sugar, caffeine, or snacks, increased water intake, and a vigorous, uphill walk every morning. Weight loss was never a particular goal, though my body absolutely feels the benefit of the improved habits. More importantly, my mental, spiritual, and physical lives have once again aligned, so I am happier and more productive than I have been in years. This Washington Informer supplement, New Year, New You encourages you to take that superwoman (superman) cape off and burn it! I mean, bonfire that thing so that there is no possibility of even a fragment surviving the flames! Informer staff writers have spoken with naturopaths, like Dr. Andrea Sullivan and everyday people who offer sound and fun ways of improving your overall health and happiness into the new year and for the rest of your lives. We are the help we’ve sought – and it does not come with an “S” on its chest. Cheers to a better You! Dr. Shantella Sherman

www.washingtoninformer.com / DECEMBER 2021 HEALTH WELLNESS & NUTRITION SUPPLEMENT

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Lifeguard Your Child Dr. Sophia Sparks WI Staff Writer At the age of 10, I attended my first funeral. It was for a drowning victim -- my mother’s best friend’s son. We were the same age. This experience led to my decision to teach my child(ren) how to swim at an early age. Drowning is a common cause of death for children among African American little ones and is often fast and silent – occurring in as little as 20-60 seconds. I enrolled my child in swim classes at the age of 1-year-old and did not want to take her back after the first lesson. The process was terrifying. My child was briefly submerged underwater. I was not mentally prepared for that visual image. However, I was determined that she would not become a part of the annual statistics posted on the Water Safety USA website of the more than 4,000 preventable drowning deaths. Four weeks into her lessons, her grandmother attended a swim class. Although grandma had viewed pieces of the lesson on video, she was ill-prepared as well. My mother yelled at the instructor, almost jumped into the pool to retrieve her grandchild, and eventually left the lesson. Still, the recollection of that first funeral, steadied by resolve to keep my daughter in the class. She did matriculate quickly – using her natural instincts to turn over from face-down positions and kick her way to safety. Not only did she move quickly through the classes,

but also graduated survival swim. At the conclusion of the lessons, my child has controlled breathing, and can float. Individuals who know how to swim are not drown proof. Supervision of a young child is still necessary as swimming is one tool in the prevention of drowning. Assumptions should never be made that a child’s swimming abilities will get them out of every situation; however, these water safety abilities extend beyond the swimming pool. One hundred children drown in bathtubs every year in less than two inches of water. A 2020 study from USA Swimming Foundation found that 64 percent of African American children cannot swim. But the rumored roadblock to African Americans being able to swim is not fear – but access. According to Kevin Dawson, Professor of History at the University of California Merced, and author of Undercurrents of Power, Africans believed water was a spiritual place and by immersing one’s body in water, by swimming, Black people made connections with deities and to ancestral spirits in that water. “Prior to the 1880s, most Black people were much stronger swimmers than white people. And slave owners actually began to target Africans with diving skills and brought them to the Americas where they served as pearl divers. They dove to salvage shipwrecks,” Dawson writes. “While enslavers were forcing enslaved people to do this, enslaved Africans were still

recreating African aquatic traditions.” Through a lack of access to common lakes, pools, and recreation centers during Jim Crow, many African Americans loss the love of swimming. Swimming is fun and has many health benefits. Respect the water and learn water safety skills such as swimming. If unsettled about enrolling your child in swim lessons, consider parent-child water play classes. Be prepared and provide your family with tools that will assist in drowning prevention. Become more comfortable in the water with swim lessons. Learn now and be ready to take that dip into a pool and swim in a local lake. The D.C. metropolitan area has many places to empower survival swimming and beyond.

District of Columbia Brookland Swim Academy Trinity Washington University 125 Michigan Ave NE, DC Starts at 3 months Brooklandswimacademy.com YMCA Anthony Bowen 1325 W Street, NW Washington, DC 20009 202-232-6936 Many DC pools that offer swim lessons are currently under construction such as: Ferebee Aquatic Center and Takoma Aquatic Center Maryland YMCA Silver Spring 9800 Hastings Drive, Silver Spring, MD 20901 (301) 585-2120

Virginia YMCA Alexandria 420 East Monroe Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22301 (703) 838-8085 Swim Box 51838 Lee Hwy, Arlington, VA Develop swimming skills – must know how to swim Theswimbox.com 703-904-6340 Big Blue Swim School 6112-A Arlington Blvd Falls Church, VA Starts as early as 6 months 847-729-7665 Bigblueswimschool.com

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Gratitude as Stress Management Submitted by AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia The holidays are coming, and with them can come challenges and stress. It can be hard to get around in wintry weather, afford gifts, and get enough time with friends and family. Along with these struggles, though, the holiday season can bring comforts. You may find a little warmth in the winter by noticing the good things and people in your life. And it turns out that this awareness could be quite healthy.

GRATITUDE: A HEALTHY HABIT

Studies suggest that appreciating what’s going well for you may

enhance your well-being. Taking a little time to feel gratitude each day may:1 • Boost your emotional health by helping you cope with stress • Help your body’s health, such as by lowering your chance of heart disease Making gratitude a daily habit may remind you of the good things in your life even when bad things are happening. It can help to remember that even though you have some challenges, other things are going your way.1

TAKE A DAILY 10

Here’s a way to make gratitude a regular part of your life:1 • Take 10 minutes each day for a gratitude practice. You can try it first thing in the morning or right before you sleep. • Think about the parts of your life that make you smile or feel a bit lighter. They can be little things, like enjoying

a cup of hot coffee. Or they can be more impactful, like getting quality time with your family.

• Give yourself a few moments to just remember these positive experiences. What took place? How did it feel?

Let yourself fully enjoy the memories. • Write the experiences down in a journal. Later, if you’re feeling blue, re-read some of your journal entries. • Let someone know. If you feel grateful for someone, you might tell them. Odds are, they’ll be grateful to hear it! Sources: 1. “Practicing Gratitude,” National Institutes of Health, https:// newsinhealth.nih.gov/2019/03/ practicing-gratitude. 2. “Mindfulness Matters,” National Institutes of Health, https:// newsinhealth.nih.gov/2012/01/ mindfulness-matters. All images are used under license for illustrative purposes only. Any individual depicted is a model

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#BestMe Corner

Mindfulness for More Calm Ever hear someone say they’re going out of their mind with stress? What if there were a way to do the opposite — to become more mind-full for calm? Mindfulness is a practice for centering on the present. Instead of following our minds on the wild rides of thinking about past troubles and future worries, we just focus on present awareness. We notice the sights, sounds, and all that we’re aware of around us. We notice our thoughts and feelings, too. And we just keep letting these thoughts and experiences go, and letting life unfold moment to moment. We don’t judge any of it.2 Living mindfully means letting go of living on autopilot. We become more aware — of our breath, our feet on the ground, our hands moving, and events around us. Studies suggest that mindfulness practices may help people:2 • Manage stress • Cope with serious illness

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• Boost memory, learning, and emotion • Reduce stress, anxiety, and depression • Lose weight

receive emotional support for life’s challenges anytime. Both services are available at no cost to AmeriHealth Caritas DC enrollees and offer support via live text.*

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The information in this article is to help you learn more about this topic. It is not to take the place of your health care provider. If you have questions, talk with your health care provider. If you think you need to see your health care provider because of something you have read in this information, please contact your health care provider. Never stop or wait to get medical attention because of something you have read in this material.

• Breathe deeply. Count to four as you breathe in through your nose. Hold your breath for one second. Then count to five as you exhale through the mouth. • Take a walk and notice the sights and sounds around you. Note any thoughts you have, but then just let the thoughts go and return to observing. • Eat mindfully. Notice the fragrance of your food and drinks. Be aware of the taste, textures, and flavors in each bite. Listen to your body tell you when you’re hungry and when you’re full. Everyone can use emotional support at some time in their lives. For AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia (DC) enrollees age 13 and older, this support can be right at your fingertips: • Enrollees ages 13 – 20 can access MindRight. MindRight is a network of coaches trained to help youth navigate the stress and other challenges of daily life. • Enrollees ages 21 and older can access the Ginger Emotional Support app. Through the app, enrollees can

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5 Ways to Help Keep Your Immunity Strong Elaine Magee, MPH, RD Safeway Corporate Dietitian You may have heard more about “immunity” these past couple of years than you have your entire life, as we have been navigating our way through the pandemic. To help everyone keep their immunity strong in the months ahead, let’s highlight 5 easy ways that you can do just that! Nutrition plays a major role in how the immune system functions and you can support your immune system by including foods daily that contribute these immune-boosting nutrients.

There are a handful of vitamins related to immunity but the top three are Vitamins C, E and B6. And there are at least three minerals we all should be getting on the daily to help keep our immunity strong; Selenium, Zinc and Copper. Including more plant foods will help you get most of these vitamins and minerals plus it will automatically help you get more of the many phytonutrients (plant compounds) that also help support the immune system like polyphenols, flavonoids, carotenoids, phytoestrogens, just to name a few! So, with all of this in mind and more, here are 5 Ways to Help Keep Your Immunity Strong in the months ahead:

#1—MAKE HALF OF YOUR PLATE FRUITS AND VEGGIES!

half of your plate is represented by veggies and fruit. • If you are having eggs for breakfast, add lots of veggies. • If you are having oatmeal, yogurt or chia pudding for breakfast, make sure you include plenty of fruit. • If you are having a sandwich for lunch, fill half of it with veggies or have them on the side as raw veggies to munch on or as a nice big salad. • If you are making a pasta dish for dinner, be sure to fill half your plate with broccoli, cauliflower or asparagus or enjoy a dark green leafy salad. • If you are enjoying a couple small slices of pizza, top your pizza with veggies and be sure to include a dark green leafy salad or raw veg-

gies to munch on like broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and celery.

#2—MAKE ALL OF YOUR GRAINS AND GRAIN PRODUCTS WHOLE GRAINS WHENEVER POSSIBLE! Choose whole wheat pasta instead of white pasta. Choose brown rice, barley, and quinoa, for example, instead of white rice and processed grains. Choose 100% whole wheat bread, tortillas, and buns, instead of refined flour products.

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we are helping to create a diverse microbiome. When eating more fiber-rich Use mostly whole wheat flour in foods, it’s super important to do your baking and cooking. two things: drink plenty of water because fiber needs water to work #3— WHEN IT COMES its’ magic (soluble fiber in particular TO YOUR PROTEIN binds with water to form a gel), and gradually increase fiber to give your ROUTINE, GET gastro-intestinal tract time to adjust!

PROTEIN FROM A VARIETY OF FOODS

• Include seafood when possible a couple of times a week. Tuna in a can or pouch counts! Salmon is a great way to get quality protein plus smart fats and fat soluble vitamins. • Look for fun ways to include high protein plant foods like beans/ legumes/tofu/edamame, in addition to or instead of meat, several times a week. • Enjoy a handful of nuts every day instead of snacking on chips and candy. • Peanuts are the nut with the most protein! Choose natural-style peanut butter (just peanuts and salt) and spread it on whole grain breads, serve it with celery, or stir it into oatmeal or smoothie bowls.

#4—A HEALTHY GUT IS CRITICAL FOR A HEALTHY IMMUNE SYSTEM Basically, we want to feed the good bacteria in our gut and guess what they love? FIBER, especially soluble fiber! Here’s our problem…the typical Western way of eating (high in fat and sugar and low in fiber) isn’t doing a good job of this. The second thing we want to remember about a healthy gut is that it’s best to have a diverse gut microbiome because each strain of bacteria is responsible for something different. By eating healthy (including lots of plant foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole-intact grains, legumes and nuts/seeds), and exercising regularly,

Immunity refers to the body’s ability to resist infection and disease. The immune system is a network of cells, tissues and organs in your body that help protect against infection and disease.

Here are Some Soluble Fiber Rich Foods Whole Grains: Oats, barley Fruits: Apples, nectarines, apricots, avocado, passion fruit, guava, pears, orange, pink grapefruit, figs Vegetables: Carrots, parsnips, savoy cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, sweet potatoes, turnips Beans & Legumes: Navy beans, refried beans, cranberry beans, kidney beans, French beans, split green peas, pinto beans, black beans, mung beans Nuts & Seeds: Flax seeds, sunflower seeds, hazelnuts

70 of our immune cells live in our gut and research links many diseases to the integrity of our gut lining and gut bacteria. Gut Microbiome is a delicate balance of friendly and harmful micro-organisms. Many of these trillions of microbiome microbes live in your small and large intestines. It is unique to you, similar to a fingerprint, and it plays a critical role in our health and immunity.

#5—LIFESTYLE HABITS IMPORTANT FOR IMMUNITY There are things that we can do, beyond our food choices, that can also help keep our immunity strong. • Sleep and De-stress: Adults should strive for 7-9 hours of sleep a night. To help you do this, put your phone away an hour before bedtime if possible and de-stress by asking yourself “how can I infuse some JOY into my day?” and then work on making that happen! • Exercise: Aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity 5 days a week! • Quit Smoking: Quit smoking of you do smoke and if you don’t smoke, don’t start! • Limit Alcohol: Limit alcohol intake, avoid binge drinking, and if you don’t already drink alcohol, consider keeping it that way.

Basically, we want to feed the good bacteria in our gut and guess what they love? FIBER, especially soluble fiber!

GET YOUR FREE COVID-19 * BOOSTER SHOT AT OUR PHARMACY. PRIVACY.FLOWCODE.COM

*No out-of-pocket cost to patient. Insurance billed for administration fee. **Restrictions apply. Visit pharmacy for details.

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DECEMBER 2021 HEALTH WELLNESS & NUTRITION SUPPLEMENT / www.washingtoninformer.com

When Enough is Enough

Naturopath Andrea Sullivan Offers Small Steps to Improved Health

diabetic ulcers. So it wasn’t that she died because of slavery, although certainly her childhood and her life were horrific. And so, we are following in her footsteps, though we don’t need to do that anymore. All of the conditions that are clearly not exotic conditions that I wrote about in my first book like diabetes and hypertension, are not foreign conditions that are specific to “negroes,” as they used to say. These are conditions that are from poor lifestyles, and part of that is the way we feel about ourselves and the way we treat ourselves. That has to stop.

Lindiwe Vilakazi WI Staff Writer No better time exists for the release of naturopath Andrea Sullivan’s latest book, Enough. An intricate exploration of both negative health consequences Black women face from caring for everyone – but themselves, and holistic solutions to chronic conditions, Enough, is the quintessential guide to a better you – mind, body, and spirit. Sullivan sat down with The Informer to discuss the small steps we can take today to kickstart a healthier 2022. WI: Dr. Sullivan, why this book, and why now? AS: African American women are dying younger, and faster than other women. We don’t get breast cancer more than Caucasian women, but we die more from it. Certainly, there are many reasons for that, including poor health care or we don’t trust the doctors, but it’s also because we don’t take time to get checked out. Why? Because we’re so busy taking care of someone else. This has been our history; it’s been our legacy, and it is what we pride ourselves on. I take it back of course to slavery because I think much of what we’ve learned came from that period of time, and we still pass it on unfortunately,

and the unworthiness that we chose as a narrative based on how we were treated, which makes sense. At some point we have to move out of that because that’s just no longer essential. We are all children of God; God is in us. Any God you want to pray to is in us, whether it’s Buddha, whether it’s Jehovah, whether it’s Christ, whatever it is. We are a part of that energy. And just knowing that

gives you a birthright of abundance and joy, and excellent health. My first degree is in sociology and criminology, and so I took it all the way back to the Sojourner syndrome which is a concept in sociology that speaks to Sojourner Truth and how she had as her mission, taking care of the community. And while she died later in life, she died from untreated

WI: Do you find that there is some intersectionality between all of the things you learned and studied in Sociology and Criminology and the health outcomes of your patients? AS: Absolutely, I’m following three women in the book who all have taken care of grandchildren, children, husband’s children that they didn’t know they had when they got married, I mean just every kind of child you want to think of, and not themselves. And this is how they have diabetes, hypertension, and cancer. That, for me, tells me that there is a huge gap in the awareness of, “I deserve to be well, I deserve to be taken care of, I deserve to have what I want to have. I deserve

Recent & Recommended Books on Taking Small Steps to a Better You By Lee Ross WI Staff Writer

ization in order to access effective mental health care.

The Unapologetic Guide to Black Mental Health By Rheeda Walker An unapologetic exploration of the Black mental health crisis—and a comprehensive road map to getting the care you deserve in an unequal system. We can’t deny it any longer: there is a Black mental health crisis in our world today. Black people die at disproportionately high rates due to chronic illness, suffer from poverty, under-education, and the effects of racism. This book is an exploration of Black mental health in today’s world, the forces that have undermined mental health progress for African Americans, and what needs to happen for African Americans to heal psychological distress, find community, and undo years of stigma and marginal-

Tapping the Power Within: A Path to Self-Empowerment for Women: 20th Anniversary Edition By Iyanla Vanzant The revised and expanded 20th-anniversary edition of Iyanla Vanzant’s first published work offers a powerful path to self-empowerment through the revitalization of one’s spiritual and ancestral roots. Written with Iyanla’s signature healing stories, this classic guide to uniting the will with the spirit teaches that only you have the power to make a change for the better. With chapters on basic breathing and meditation techniques, setting up a home altar, connecting with ancestors and guardian spirits, and the extraordinary power of forgiveness, this book is a perfect companion on the way toward

the real you. Whether you are a beginner on the path or a veteran in need of refreshment, Iyanla’s prescriptions can support your growth from the comfort of spiritual adolescence to the wisdom of spiritual maturity. Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person By Shonda Rhimes This poignant, intimate, and hilarious memoir explores Shonda’s life before her Year of Yes— from her nerdy, book-loving childhood creating imaginary friends to her devotion to creating television characters who reflected the world she saw around her. This wildly candid and compulsively readable book reveals how the mega talented Shonda Rhimes, an unexpected introvert, achieved badassery worthy of a Shondaland character. And how you can, too.

Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds - Clean Edition By David Goggins For David Goggins, childhood was a nightmare - poverty, prejudice, and physical abuse colored his days and haunted his nights. But through self-discipline, mental toughness, and hard work, Goggins transformed himself from a depressed, overweight young man with no future into a U.S. Armed Forces icon and one of the world’s top endurance athletes. In Can’t Hurt Me, he shares his astonishing life story and reveals that most of us tap into only 40 percent of our capabilities. Goggins calls this The 40-Percent Rule, and his story illuminates a path that anyone can follow to push past pain, demolish fear, and reach their full potential. HS

to have life in its fullness, not just life suffering.” Many women have childhood wounds and have faced abuse -whether it’s sexual, physical, mental, or emotional, and all of that continues to follow us. And then we have the ways in which we’ve been depicted in the world, whether it’s Mammy or Jezebel, or whatever the other derogatory names are for African American women. All of that affects us. It affects our basic cells, and it affects our psyches. It affects everything we do as a result of that narrative. WI: So many of us abandon our health due to trauma. What is the holistic approach to helping the mind and body align for healing? AS: I’m going to put it into a word - Homeopathy. Homeopathy is, in my humble opinion, the quintessential medicine. Because it affects your mind, your body, and your spirit. That’s what it does. Somehow, we don’t know how, each person as a result of their trauma or result of their childhood, or something, has taken on the spirit of something else in order to survive. The body always wants to live, it doesn’t want to die any more than you do consciously, so it takes on the energy of something else. We’re struggling with a lack of sleep, lack of water, and lack of time spent inside. WI: Can you share how stress, grief, and neglect promote negative physical outcomes? AS: There’s a chapter on stress in the book that explains that when we’re under stress or grief there are certain hormones that get administered or released, and those hormones affect our blood sugar, our blood pressure, and they affect our mood and our temperament, and other hormones. So, stress is really like having a tiger in a tree all the time that keeps you constantly on alert. This increases your blood pressure, because your blood is pumping harder, your heart is pumping harder, your vessels, arteries, veins, are getting smaller, and that same amount of blood is trying to get through the same, or a smaller space and increases your pressure. Your body readies for “fight or flight,” so you’ll be able to run. And there’s another set of hormones that decreases or increases your blood sugar. So, we have all of those hormones that are affecting and creating two of the biggest dis(eases) that African Americans suffer from -- diabetes and hypertension. HS

www.washingtoninformer.com / DECEMBER 2021 HEALTH WELLNESS & NUTRITION SUPPLEMENT

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“Me-time” Under-utilized

Get Covered. Stay Covered.

Lee Ross WI Staff Writer People in America know self-care, but not many prioritize it... Here are a few statistics, by the numbers, to help you understand how important it is for you to take time out for yourself, first!

The term self-care is universally familiar to almost all people, as 98 percent have heard the word. But fewer than two in five (35 percent) people are consistently and routinely making the time to practice self-care. The majority (62 percent) are approaching self-care in a more sporadic fashion, such as trying to make time whenever they can or doing so once in a blue moon.

35%

Almost half of city/urban dwellers agree they rarely have time to care for themselves (45 percent). This is more than those living in the suburbs (36 percent) or those living in small town/ rural areas (39 percent) who feel the same. Those who are single are more likely to regularly make time for self-care than those who are married or in a relationship (42 percent vs. 30 percent).

More men than women say they consistently make time for self-care (39 percent vs. 32 percent).

Men are more likely than women to let work (38 percent vs. 25 percent) or social engagements (22 percent vs. 12 percent) get in the way of self-care. Two-thirds (67 percent) of Americans say they put others ahead of themselves. Work (31

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percent), caring for their family members (28 percent), commitments like volunteering or studying (22 percent), and social engagements (17 percent) are some of the responsibilities that stand in the way of “me time.”

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DECEMBER 2021 HEALTH WELLNESS & NUTRITION SUPPLEMENT / www.washingtoninformer.com

Stay Informed! www.washingtoninformer.com

A Guide to HIV Prevention for the Modern Decade By Whitman-Walker Health

December 1st marked the annual, international recognition of World AIDS Day – a day dedicated to remembering loved ones lost to HIV/ AIDS, and to uplifting their names and memories. It also comes during the 40th anniversary of the first CDC report identifying what would later be known as HIV/AIDS. This year’s World AIDS Day theme is “End inequalities. End AIDS.” To end inequalities in HIV, we must increase education about what HIV testing, treatment and prevention look like. Today in 2021, HIV is a manageable chronic disease and is more preventable than ever before! From getting tested and knowing your status, to preventative options like PrEP and PEP, here are a few options to consider adding to your HIV prevention toolkit! Get Tested. Getting tested for HIV and STIs is the first step in anyone’s HIV prevention journey. Depending on a person’s sexual health practices and activity, getting tested every 3-6

months can go a long way in preventing HIV and STIs. Untreated STIs make it easier to become positive after an exposure to HIV, so it is important to get tested. Learn about Whitman-Walker Health’s testing hours and locations at www.whitman-walker.org/testing. HIV and STI testing are available by appointment at the below locations. Call 202.797.4439 to schedule a testing appointment and be sure to check our website for the most up-to-date hours! • Max Robinson Center, 2301 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave. SE • Whitman-Walker Health at 1525 14th Street NW If you receive a negative HIV test result, ask about PrEP. PrEP, or pre-exposure prophylaxis, is a daily pill that can prevent HIV. According to the CDC, when taken every day, this pill can prevent a person’s chance of HIV infection that is transmitted through sex by about 99 percent and can prevent HIV that is transmitted through injection drug use by about 74 percent. Learn more about PrEP and

decide if it’s the right HIV prevention tool for you! Contact Whitman-Walker’s PrEP team at 202.939.7690 or prepclinic@whitman-walker.org. Living in the DMV? Access PrEP in DC and find a service location near you. Visit www.sexualbeing.org. Maryland residents can access PrEP by visiting www.marylandhealthconnection.gov. Finally, Virginia residents can access PrEP by visiting www.vdh. virginia.gov. PrEP may be a good HIV prevention tool for you if you… • Have been diagnosed with an STI in the last 6 months. • Are sexually active and don’t always use external or insertive condoms. • Are unsure of your sex partner’s HIV status. • Are HIV-negative and are sexually active, or have a sex partner who is living with HIV. • Identify as someone who injects drugs or are having sex with partner(s) who inject drugs. If you are HIV-negative and think you have been exposed to

GET YOUR COVID-19 VACCINE WITH US! Ask ANY questions you have about the vaccine. Our Whitman-Walker Health care team is here to help.

Vaccines are available each week at our Max Robinson Center on the corner of Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, SE and Chicago Street, SE. Please remember to wear a mask that covers both your nose and mouth. Call 202.207.2480 to get your questions answered and to schedule your FREE vaccine appointment. Whitman-Walker at 1525 1525 14th Street, NW www.whitman-walker.org

Max Robinson Center 2301 Martin Luther King, Jr Ave, SE

4 Whitman-Walker Health’s Max Robinson Center in historic Anacostia in southeast Washington, DC. Photo courtesy of Whitman-Walker Health. 6 Whitman-Walker Health’s mobile HIV/STI testing van parked during a community outreach event. Photo courtesy of Whitman-Walker Health. 6 Whitman-Walker’s Community Health team conducting outdoor HIV/ STI testing at Whitman-Walker’s Max Robinson Center during summer 2020 of the COVID-19 pandemic in historic Anacostia, SE Washington, DC. Photo courtesy of Whitman-Walker Health.

HIV, ask for PEP. PEP, or post-exposure prophylaxis, is a 28-day course of medication that can prevent HIV after a possible exposure. PEP is most effective when started within 72 hours of an HIV exposure. PEP is for emergency use and is available at Whitman-Walker. To access PEP with Whitman-Walker, call our PEP line at 202.797.4439 for support through our Logan Circle or Anacostia health centers. PEP is also available at all emergency rooms. Whether exposed to HIV through consensual or non-consensual sex, or sharing needles and works, it is important to seek PEP within 72 hours of exposure to HIV for it to be effective at preventing HIV. DC residents can access PEP by visiting www.sexualbeing.org. Maryland residents can access PEP by visiting www.marylandhealthconnection.gov. Virginia residents can access PEP by visiting www.vdh.virginia.gov. If you receive a positive HIV test result or are living with HIV, start treatment for HIV. Talk with your medical provider about your treatment options. When a person is living with HIV, they can manage their HIV by taking their HIV treatment as prescribed. By being on treatment, you decrease the risk of passing HIV on to someone else. This is known as “Treatment as Prevention.” People living with HIV who take their treatment as prescribed can achieve an undetectable viral load. An undetectable viral load means there is effectively no risk of a person transmitting HIV sexually to another person.

This is known as “U Equals U” or Undetectable = Untransmittable. Missing treatment puts a person at risk of regaining a detectable viral load, so it is important to take HIV treatment as prescribed. Start treatment. To start treatment, call Whitman-Walker at 202.797.4437 and say “Red Carpet” to our team member. They will support you in getting an appointment at either Whitman-Walker’s Logan Circle or Anacostia health centers. You can also call us at 202.745.7000 or email us at appointments@whitman-walker.org to schedule an appointment. Just mention “Red Carpet” and our team can help a person start treatment for HIV. If your community or organization is interested in the Whitman-Walker providing mobile health services in your neighborhood, contact kjcontreras@whitman-walker.org! Access PrEP, PEP or start treatment for HIV with Whitman-Walker Health at Max Robinson Center, 2301 Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, SE or Whitman-Walker at 1525 14th Street, NW.

www.washingtoninformer.com / DECEMBER 2021 HEALTH WELLNESS & NUTRITION SUPPLEMENT

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SAVE THE DATE

MAX ROBINSON CENTER

IS MOVING C O M E S E E U S AT S T. E L I Z A B E T H S C A M P U S I N 2 0 2 3 !

Whitman-Walker Services Available at St. Elizabeths’ East Campus will include: Primary Medical Care | Pharmacy Services | Dental Services Behavioral Health (Psychiatry, Mental Health & Substance Use Treatment) | Advocacy HIV/STI Screening and Treatment | Community Health and Wellness | Youth Services Legal Services and Public Insurance Navigation | Research | Health Care Education Learn more about Whitman-Walker’s Max Robinson Center move at whitmanwalkerimpact.org/stelizabeths.

whitmanwalkerimpact.org

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DECEMBER 2021 HEALTH WELLNESS & NUTRITION SUPPLEMENT / www.washingtoninformer.com

GET YOUR FREE COVID-19 * BOOSTER SHOT AT OUR PHARMACY. PRIVACY.FLOWCODE.COM

*No out-of-pocket cost to patient. Insurance billed for administration fee. **Restrictions apply. Visit pharmacy for details.

www.washingtoninformer.com / DECEMBER 2021 HEALTH WELLNESS & NUTRITION SUPPLEMENT

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EDITORIAL

Will Republicans Hear Protests for Equal Voting Rights from Madison and Brown? A quiet revolution in the Nation’s Capital has gained national attention as protestors are risking their lives to ensure voting rights. It’s a movement that calls for Congress to pass and President Biden to sign the Freedom to Vote Act or the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. National radio talk show host and human rights activist Joe Madison announced on November 8 that he would launch a hunger strike and “abstain from eating any solid food” on November 22 to press for passage of the bill that would restore parts of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, including protections minority voters. Voting rights advocates want to see rulings made by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2013 and last July reversed. They want states and other jurisdictions to obtain preclearance before changes to voting practices can take effect and they are calling for the removal of limits on minority participation in the voting process. The bill passed the House of Representatives in July but it was stalled in the Senate in November by Republicans who blocked it from proceeding to debate. Only one Republican, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, reportedly voted in favor of allowing the bill to proceed to debate. “Hunger strikes have been used as a means of political protest as long as there have been politics and resistance,” Madison, 72, announced on his Sirius XM broadcast. “It shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone, with my background in human and civil rights, that I have chosen this form of dissent for what I believe should be a redress for what is just plain politically and morally wrong,” U.S. Senator Michael D. Brown this week launched a hunger strike of his own to support Madison but to also bring attention to D.C. statehood. “As the ground swell for national voting rights expands, I want to make sure that D.C. statehood is not lost in the push for voter rights protection,” Brown said. He is asking supporters to join him for a one-day a week fast for freedom. He said he plans to fast on Mondays. The irony of the moment is how strongly a few feel and are willing to go for the rights of others – in this case, voting rights. Neither Madison nor Brown, 68, can afford a hunger strike due to the stress it will place on their bodies. While neither of them are new to protests, their decision to refrain from eating life sustaining food should embolden others to join the fight using any means necessary in order to get Congress to hear how important voters feel about protecting the right to vote. We can’t say whether this cause is worth dying for to those willing to take the risk but we can tell legislators that the lives of these and other passionate warriors rest in their hands. They have committed not to eat until legislators do the right thing for voting rights and D.C. statehood. WI

Pearl Harbor, 80 Years Later, Still a Haunting Memory and Reason to Honor Veterans While most of us only remember Dec. 7, 1941 from our history lessons, there remain a small cadre of men and women who actually recall that horrific day and what followed. They were on the frontline. But to put it into perspective, for those who were alive 80 years ago, whether they were members of the military or civilians, the shocking news of an attack on U.S. soil by a foreign power stunned Americans as much as the 9/11 attacks did to U.S. citizens in more recent history. After Japan launched a surprise attack on a U.S. naval base in Hawaii, America was forced to retaliate by entering World War II. As he issued a nationwide call to arms, President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed the event and day as a “date that will live in infamy.” Eighty years later, Americans held special ceremonies in Hawaii, in Washington, D.C. and in cities big and small on Tuesday, Dec. 7 to pay tribute to those who lost their lives in the attack. In just a matter of hours, the death toll would escalate in breathtaking proportion, climbing to a total of 2,335 killed including 2,008 navy personnel, 109 marines, 218 army soldiers and 68 civilians, making the total count of fatalities 2,403 people.

TO THE EDITOR I can’t say that I am too concerned about the Omicron variant but I wonder when all this madness will end. I genuinely think we, as a global society, took things like public health and safety for granted before COVID-19 and I truly hope we’ve learned our lesson as this disease continues to cause so many deaths. Resilane Tarper Washington, DC

Like the 9/11 attacks, America had falsely believed prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor, that we were somehow protected from the kind of battles that raged in countries like Europe. But we were wrong. There’s nothing pretty about war even with the pomp and circumstance, the parades and the decorative uniforms worn by those who serve. Just ask the few remaining veterans, now mostly in their 90s, who survived Pearl Harbor and World War II. For some, they will never be able to erase the images of devastation and death which engulfed them and cost many of their colleagues their lives. For others, the scars they

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM / THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

I thoroughly enjoyed Kemet’s Space Activity Sheet. I learned a good bit of information and it was a nice break from the norm. I can’t wait to do the next one with my grandson. I believe it’s something he will not only benefit from but have fun with. Charlene Reid Washington, DC

carry serve as a constant reminder of the horrors of war, of that day in Dec. 1941 and the days, months and years which followed until the war’s end. We owe the veterans of Pearl Harbor and World War II our gratitude. Without their service and sacrifice, America would be a very different country. In fact, we should be grateful to all of the men and women who have served or currently serve in the armed forces because of their willingness to pay the ultimate to protect our nation and to guarantee our freedom. We salute you all! WI

DECEMBER 9 - 15, 2021 27

OPINIONS/EDITORIALS Guest Columnist

Julianne Malveaux

Consumerism is the Foundation of Predatory Capitalism

Our nation's gross domestic product (GDP) is a function of consumer spending. We are prodded, cajoled, enticed and engaged in the spending exercise, and all that happens because money makes the world go round. Between 65% and 75% of our GDP is based on consumer spending, which explains why in the wake of the economic meltdown of 2001 (post-9/11), then-President George W. Bush encouraged us to spend to spark an economic recovery. Some of us spend, though, to our

detriment. We spend because we want to keep up with the Jones family. We spend because we have been told that "everybody" has … a little black dress, a leather tote bag, the right cosmetic or perfume, and because that message is tossed at us relentlessly. We get email messages, Instagram messages, telephone reminders that the sale is going, going, gone. Don't worry. If you ignore the notes, they will come back tomorrow or the next day. Early Black Friday, delayed Black Friday, then Cyber Monday, and more. Here's the bottom line: Capitalists want you to spend your money, and they want to capture your surplus value.

Guest Columnist

When a $100 sweater is marked down by 50%, understand that you aren't getting a deal. Retailers aren't giving stuff away. They aren't going to lose money; they'll lose profit. So if you get the $100 sweater for $50, believe me, that they've still captured the $30 they paid. So don't believe the hype, and don't go running for a "discount," which is more a hook to get you to spend money. I'm the wrong one to write about this. I'm a consumer, just like you. I want to shower my friends and family with goodies. These days, I'd rather shower them with experiences and, if I must shop, I am shopping with

Black-owned businesses. So check out #BuildBlack, #BuyBlack, #BankBlack, #BlackXmas. Grateful to LA Black Lives Matter co-founder Dr. Melina Abdullah for putting this out there. Our dollars can be a form of our resistance. We can't talk about the many ways we resist oppression while simultaneously supporting it with our spending. We can't go running after corporate dollars to support our events while giving them a pass on the ways they support structural racism. We absolutely must use this holiday as a way to withdraw from our cooperation with predatory capitalism. What would happen if we withdrew

our spending from this consumerism that masquerades as a holiday? While our economy would not crash and burn, retailers would undoubtedly feel it. What would happen if we shifted our spending to Black-owned businesses? We'd increase capacity in our communities. What would happen if, as BLM LA has suggested, we withdraw our spending from non-Black companies for the entire month of December? Or are we so addicted to consumerism — and especially majority consumerism — that we can't stop? Our nation's economic viability

MALVEAUX Page 49

A. Peter Bailey

Black History Gifts Are Very Important for Black Children

During this gift-giving season, it's very important that serious Black parents provide their children with at least one gift that either introduces them to or broadens their knowledge of Black history. There is a reason why white supremacists in this country voraciously opposed the teaching of our history in schools. They are well aware that a people with a deep knowledge of their

history are much more difficult to intimidate and control. I was a young adult sophomore at Howard University before being introduced to Black history. The introducer was Dr. Harold Lewis, a brilliant professor who gave me one of the greatest gifts of my life by making me ready to later meet and learn from Black historians such as Dr. John Henrik Clarke, Harold Cruz and especially Brother Malcolm X. Two of my favorite historical warriors are Martin Delany and John

Guest Columnist

Mitchell Jr. I had never heard of them before Dr. Lewis' class. Brother Martin was what we call today a Pan-Africanist about whom Frederick Douglass is quoted as saying, "I thank God I was born a man; Martin thanks God he was born a Black man." He traveled to Africa where he spent most of his time there in what is now Nigeria and later recruited enslaved Africans to join the Union Army. Those Black warriors played a major role in the defeat of the confederate enslavers. Brother John in the late 1800s was

the founder and editor of a newspaper based in Richmond, Virginia. This paper, the Richmond Planet, was a strong opponent of the lynching of Black men by white males. At a time when lynching was almost a sport for white supremacists and racists, Brother John wrote that the best remedy for lynching "is a 16-shot Winchester rifle in the hands of a dead shot Negro who has nerve enough to pull the trigger." These are just two Black historical warriors that our children need to study, learn from and act on since

some of their positions are just as relevant today as they were in the mid to late 1800s. Other numerous warriors they need to be aware of include Mary McLeod Bethune, Nannie Helen Burroughs, Henry McNeal Turner, Paul Robeson and Fannie Lou Hamer whose contributions are included in books available in Black-owned institutions such as Sankofa in Washington, D.C. These are the kinds of gifts that will provide everlasting knowledge for our children. WI

Marc H. Morial

The Montgomery Bus Boycott Roused People to Demand Equal Rights

"There comes a time when people get tired of being trampled over by the iron feet of oppression. There comes a time, my friends, when people get tired of being plunged across the abyss of humiliation, where they experience the bleakness of nagging despair. There comes a time when people get tired of being pushed out of the glittering sunlight of life's July and

28 DECEMBER 9 - 15, 2021

left standing amid the piercing chill of an alpine November. There comes a time." — Martin Luther King Jr., Dec. 5 1955, Address to the first Montgomery Improvement Association Mass Meeting This week marks the anniversary of the first of the Mass Meetings that drove the strategy and spirit of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a foundational event in the civil rights movement. My parents were active in the civil rights movement in Louisiana at the

time, and their experiences illustrate how the Montgomery protests reverberated throughout the South, and also how New Orleans' distinctive history shaped racial issues there. Even during slavery, New Orleans was home to a large community of free people of color, the gens de colour libre — many of whom had never been enslaved. Many were refugees from SaintDomingue — now Haiti — who fled the revolution. As Jim Crow took over the south,

many formerly enslaved people also flocked to Louisiana. It was this class of free people of color who became the early civil rights activists, including Homer Plessy, whose parents were among those refugees from Haiti. To quote my mother, Sybil Haydel Morial, in her memoir, "Witness to Change": "In many instances, including the landmark Plessy v. Ferguson case, Louisiana initiated important changes in civil rights thinking and ac-

tivism. The significance of these events was often obscured because of the unusual, often subtle, way in which they developed." Many Louisianans, both white and Black, were accustomed to accommodation in a way that was not yet acceptable in other parts of the South. This is not to say Louisiana did not have its share of racial violence. In the 1960s, Bogalusa, Louisiana, was

MORIAL Page 49

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OPINIONS/EDITORIALS Guest Columnists

Del. Jazz Lewis and Alan Ronkin

Shining a Light on Antisemitism in Prince George's County

This Chanukah, many in our communities are celebrating the Jewish festival of lights through happy gatherings and the warm glow of the menorah. While we revel in the joy of the holiday, we also remember that just a few years ago, attendees at a Prince George's County budget hearing were handed a flier with shockingly grotesque, vulgar, racist and antisemitic language. Then, just a couple of years later, residents in the nearby city of Laurel woke up to

fliers on their lawns full of hate-filled messages about Jews. When these incidents were reported, our hearts broke. How could it be that our beautiful, inclusive community could be home to such disgusting acts of hate? Sadly, the answer comes as easily as the question. Antisemitism is the hatred of Jews, Judaism, and the Jewish state, and it has existed in various forms for thousands of years. As those inci-

Guest Columnist

dents in our county prove — alongside shocking violence like the Pittsburgh synagogue murders and the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville — we are still living with antisemitism today, and it's actually been on the rise. In 2020, according to the FBI, 55% of all religiously motivated hate crimes were against Jews, who make up just 2% of the U.S. population. And the American Jewish Committee report, "The State of Antisemitism in America 2021," released in October, found one in every four American Jews surveyed had been targeted by antisemitism over the past year, and nearly four in 10 re-

port changing their behavior for fear of being identified as Jewish, or for their safety or comfort as Jews. As Pittsburgh and Charlottesville showed, antisemitism still exists as dangerous, violent acts — but also as fliers quietly left on lawns, and in "polite" conversation woven throughout our culture. What we must confront is not only the old-school antisemitism of the past; modern-day antisemitism shows up as anonymous hate speech on social media; or as blaming Jews for moments of societal instability; and, increasingly, as a denial of the right of Israel to exist or blaming Jews everywhere for the ac-

tions of the Israeli government. Now it is up to us to come together and do something about it. Antisemitism isn't just a Jewish problem — it typically tracks with broader patterns of discrimination, progressions of violence and the fraying of democracy — a terrifying risk to us all. You may be wondering "what can I do?" — and the answer is there is plenty. Shine a Light, a national initiative to spotlight antisemitism, empowers people like you to open your eyes and speak up online, in your workplace, or in your

RONKIN Page 50

Ben Jealous

Right-Wing Judges Put Millions' Rights and Access to Health Care at Risk

The political and legal movement to criminalize abortion in the U.S. is on the brink of its biggest victory in 50 years. Most at risk are those who are already among the most vulnerable in our country: Black and brown women and LGBTQ people who will be denied access to potentially lifesaving health care. On Dec. 1, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in the case of a Mis-

sissippi abortion ban. That law was written by a right-wing legal group. It was part of a long-term strategy to get the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling that recognized that pregnant people have a constitutional right to make decisions about whether or not to terminate a pregnancy. Groups that want to eliminate access to abortion like to describe themselves with terms like "pro-life" and "pro-family," but those are deceptive. If we eliminate access to family planning and abortion services, the health of mil-

Askia-At-Large

lions will be compromised. Some will die needlessly. Their families and communities will suffer. The same groups call themselves "pro-freedom," but they are aggressively trying to restrict people's freedom to make decisions about their own health and families. If you want a sense of how much parents' and children's health and well-being mean to backers of the abortion ban, take a look at Mississippi. When the state's previous governor signed the ban, he declared that he wanted to make Mississippi "the safest place in America for an unborn child." The current gov-

ernor has used similar language, saying he made a commitment to God and to voters that he would do everything in his power to make Mississippi the safest place for an unborn child. But what kind of commitments have these politicians made to children and their parents? When the Mississippi law was signed, the state ranked 50th in the health of women, 50th in the health of children, and 50th in the health of infants. It was the worst state for infant mortality. Things haven't changed much since then. Mississippi is also the state where Black people

make up the biggest percentage of the population. During oral arguments at the Supreme Court, the attorney for the health clinic that challenged the law talked about a deadly reality: she noted that "it's 75 times more dangerous to give birth in Mississippi than it is to have a pre-viability abortion. And those risks are disproportionately threatening the lives of women of color." This is about political power and the corruption of our courts. When Donald Trump ran for pres-

grifter with multiple bankruptcies and two dozen credible charges of sexual misconduct, and every other foul and disgusting conduct against him, should be President! With such a trampy and foul-smelling role model, it cheapens the office, making it almost worthless, except for celebrity-worshippers. The GOP and its fanatical components are arranged with their love of guns, into a circular firing squad, yet despite their divisions they are odds-on favorites to whip their feckless opponents in the 2022 elections to control

the House and the Senate, and in the 2024 presidential election. The poor, helpless Democrats have this special "baggage" they're carrying which is disadvantageous to their ability to rule in the U.S. That baggage is the aspirations of Black people and the world's dispossessed, and a commitment to the concept that all are truly created equal. The Repugnikkkans have already won the majority of the White voters in the 2016 and 2020 elections. And

JEALOUS Page 50

Askia Muhammad

GOP 'Base' Really Wants Armageddon, Chaos

By every possible, by every imaginable, by every conceivable metric possible — digital, analog; stereo, mono; in living color, black and white; sweet, tart, savory; historic, astrological, meteorological — by every objective standard there is, it's evident for all to see, that this white, tribal enclave called USA, which imposed itself in the Western Hemisphere 500 years ago, is

doomed. Doomed! Doomed! At the abyss! Headed for an imminent tragic demise. What's more, it's the ultra-conservative, ultra-white nationalist, ultra-right-wing tribes (QAnon, Proud Boys, 3 Percenters, a hand full of folks called "patriots" and many more) who are hastening the destruction, because some of them think that the Armageddon they seek is a good thing. I think the better question is: "Which one will SURVIVE the War of Armageddon?" not who will WIN such a terrible con-

flict. It certainly won't be wicked, white America. These cow-dung-crazy, white fanatics are on the march to first purify the Repugnikkkan Party of all free-thinking slackers like those who did not sign on to stealing the 2020 election with them, after their twice-impeached, one-term nominee got whipped at the polls. He got 7 million fewer votes and faced an Electoral College landslide against him, yet they tried to steal the election. And, they are still arguing a year later that their standard-bearer, a

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ASKIA Page 50 DECEMBER 9 - 15, 2021 29

LIFESTYLE Holiday Tradition, ‘A Christmas Carol,’ Returns to Ford's Theatre Reimagined Production Takes a Fresh Look at Dickens’ Classic Tale Brenda C. Siler WI Contributing Writer Three spirits of Christmas come to life at Ford's Theatre in Northwest with the return of “A Christmas Carol,” directed by José Carrasquillo. Audiences can enjoy a traditional in-person theater experience and free audio streaming of a one-hour radio version of the play. In-person theater performances and the radio streaming production continue until December 27. Ford's Theatre Society will host a sensory-friendly performance on Sunday, Dec. 12, designed for those with

sensory sensitivities who might benefit from an adjusted theatrical environment including those with autism. Last year, the pandemic forced Ford's Theatre to offer only a radio streamed version of “A Christmas Carol.” “Pandemics do not come with a road map. At first, not knowing what was coming next or how long we would be shuttered was wrenching and difficult for everyone,” said Carrasquillo, who reworked staging and shortened the length of the play. “With the safety of our actors, staff, artists, patrons and volunteers fore-

5 Craig Wallace as Ebenezer Scrooge (L-R) and Rayanne Gonzales as Spirit of Christmas Present in the 2021

production of "A Christmas Carol" at Ford's Theatre, directed by José Carrasquillo. The production runs until December 27. (Photo courtesy Ford’s Theatre) most in our minds for this streamlined version, I needed to retain two key elements: a genuine Christmas spirit and Scrooge's redemptive arc,” he said. This version of “A Christmas Carol” also allows Ford's production team to make adjustments to meet safety guidelines. Those adjustments include not having an intermission, not flying actors on cables and keeping actors in one defining costume silhouette. The objective remains to reduce hightouch moments among the cast and

limit capacity in the theater's small backstage. But theatergoers can expect a production that will be both joyful and safe.

CAST REFLECTS COMMUNITY’S DIVERSITY

Craig Wallace, a Ford's Theatre associate artist, returns in the role of Ebenezer Scrooge. The production also includes Stephen F. Schmidt as Ja-

‘Godfather of Hip-Hop Journalism’ Greg Tate Dies at 64

“This hurts,” radio host and music journalist Errol Nazareth exclaimed on Twitter. “I worshipped his writing. Greg Tate, musician, music and His book, ‘Flyboy In The Buttermilk,’ culture writer and the renowned hugely impacted how I approached godfather of hip-hop journalism, has writing about music. And ‘Everything But the Burden: What White People died at 64. Are Taking From Black Culture’ is essential,” Nazareth wrote. Public Enemy founder Chuck D retweeted Nazareth’s post. “Hurts indeed,” Chuck wrote in response. “Greg Tate, a giant just like you, Errol.” In Tate’s widely popular “Flyboy In The Buttermilk,” he wrote about Ice-T, Miles Davis, Public Enemy and others. In one of his many prolific writings, Tate dissected the power of Chuck D. “Those who dismiss Chuck D as a bull [crap] artist because he’s loud, pro-black and proud will likely miss out on gifts for blues pathos and black Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

30 DECEMBER 9 - 15, 2021

comedy,” he wrote in a 1988 piece on Public Enemy’s “It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back.” “When he’s on, his rhymes can stun-gun your heart and militarize your funny bone,” Tate said. Born in Dayton, Ohio, Tate wrote for The Village Voice from 1987 to 2003. He received global acclaim for his writings on culture and politics, featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, Rolling Stone, VIBE and many other publications. He interviewed a who’s who of celebrities including Richard Pryor, Erykah Badu, Ice Cube, Jill Scott and Chuck D. His pen went beyond politics and music, writing for prominent museums like The Whitney and the Museum of Modern Art. Of course, Tate also proved himself as a great author. His books included “What White

People Are Taking from Black Culture,” “Flyboy In The Buttermilk” and “The 100 Best Hip Hop Lyrics.” An active member of the Black Rock Coalition and the leader of the Burnt Sugar ensemble, Tate leaves an astounding legacy. “Impossible to mimic, though we all tried,” said Hua Hsu, author of “A Floating Chinaman” and “Stay True.” “A giant, a good and big-hearted person, the realest one,” Hsu added. Columbia School of Journalism professor and New Yorker writer Jelani Cobb agreed. “Hard to explain the impact that ‘Flyboy in the Buttermilk had on a whole generation of young writers and critics who read every page of it like scripture. It’s still a clinic on literary brilliance,” Cobb said. WI

cob Marley, Rayanne Gonzales as the Ghost of Christmas Present, Justine “Icy” Moral as the Ghost of Christmas Past, Jonathan Atkinson as Bob Cratchit and Yesenia Iglesias as Mrs. Cratchit. Casting continues to exemplify Ford's commitment to diverse casting, often referred to as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color). “The casting team is made of two BIPOC theatre professionals. We approach every possible production with an eye on the final product being a true reflection of who we are as a society,” said Carrasquillo, who is also Ford's director of artistic programming. "The process that embraces diverse casting on any given show begins from the moment the company reads any play under consideration,” Carrasquillo said. “The checklist considers the director's vision and how we serve the story and the characters. It’s exhilarating to now be back doing what we love on stage. Our reimagined production of ‘A Christmas Carol’ is bringing back entire families to Ford's which is a joy to see.” Visit www.fords.org for in-person showtimes and tickets and to register for the free streaming audio production. The radio play was recorded remotely with a cast of 18 adults and two children during the fall of 2020. Ford’s also offers a downloadable digital souvenir program featuring special holiday-themed content on the Ford’s Theatre website to supplement the audio play. WI

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Pregnancy and the COVID-19 Vaccine, is it Safe? By Whitman-Walker Health Many expecting, trying or recently pregnant people are understandably fearful about how the COVID-19 vaccine might impact their fertility or ability to get pregnant. However, research shows that the benefits of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine are stronger than any known or potential risks of being vaccinated while pregnant. When a person gets pregnant, the experience takes a toll on their body and they lose some of the capacity of their lungs. So as we navigate the COVID-19 pandemic – a public health threat that greatly impacts the respiratory system and lungs – COVID-19 vaccines can be life-saving for folks who are exploring pregnancy.

WHAT ELSE IS THE RESEARCH SAYING?

While clinical research and evidence on the safety and effectiveness of getting a COVID-19 vaccine while pregnant is growing, in these early stages, findings still suggest that people who are pregnant, trying to get pregnant, have future plans to get pregnant, or who are currently breastfeeding, should get vaccinated against COVID-19. According to the CDC, people who are pregnant or recently pregnant are more likely to get severely ill with COVID-19 – when compared to people who are not pregnant. In addition, people who have COVID-19 during pregnancy are at increased risk of preterm birth and stillbirth. They also might be at increased risk of other pregnancy complications. So it is even more important that folks experiencing pregnancy, looking to get pregnant, or who are recently pregnant, get vaccinated.

THE CDC SHARES THESE HELPFUL FACTS TO KNOW ABOUT PREGNANCY, COVID-19 AND GETTING A COVID-19 VACCINE:

• COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for people who are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant now, or might become pregnant in the future. • People who are pregnant may receive a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot. • There is currently no evidence that any vaccines, including COVID-19 vaccines, cause fertility problems in women or men.

5 Whitman-Walker Health’s Max Robinson Center in historic Anacostia in southeast Washington, DC. Photo courtesy of Whitman-Walker Health.

• COVID-19 vaccines do not cause COVID-19 infection, including in people who are pregnant or their babies.

SCHEDULE A COVID-19 VACCINATION APPOINTMENT.

When you are ready, visit vaccines.gov, text your ZIP code to 438829 or call 1-800-232-0233 to find a COVID-19 vaccine site near you. Remember: the COVID-19 vaccine has not been shown to harm pregnant people and that healthy babies have been delivered by vaccinated people throughout the pandemic. If you have questions or concerns about the COVID-19 vaccine, Whitman-Walker Health is here to help! If we do not have an answer to your vaccine question, we will help you get it! Call Whitman-Walker Health with your questions at 202-207-2480. You can also contact MotherToBaby! They have experts available to answer questions about pregnancy and the COVID-19 vaccine in English or Spanish. This free and confidential service is available Monday–Friday, from 8am–5pm (local time). Contact MotherToBaby by calling 1-866-626-6847, or via email or live chat at www. mothertobaby.org/ask-an-expert. Whitman-Walker Health is here to help and we’re just one phone call away! We hope you’ll give us a call. Talk to your healthcare provider about getting a booster or third dose and whether you are eligible. To access HIV/STI testing or to get your COVID-19 vaccine, booster or third dose at Max Robinson Center, or another Whitman-Walker location, call 202.797.4439.

5 Whitman-Walker Health’s mobile HIV/STI testing van parked during a community outreach event. Photo courtesy of Whitman-Walker Health.

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LIFESTYLE

Arena Stage’s Production of August Wilson’s ‘Seven Guitars’ is a Sizzling, Stupendous Success Natalie C. Hockaday WI Staff Writer “Seven Guitars,” a play written by the iconic playwright August Wilson, opened to a full house

at Arena Stage in Southwest on Dec. 2. The nearly three-hour production invoked heart-wrenching emotion and thought-provoking messages. With amazing perfor-

5 Eden Marryshow, Michael Anthony Williams, Roz White and Joy Jones in August Wilson’s 'Seven Guitars' at Arena Stage running through December 26. (Photo by Ryan Maxwell Photography)

5 Joy Jones and Roderick Lawrence in August Wilson’s 'Seven Guitars' at Arena Stage running through December 26. (Photo by Ryan Maxwell Photography)

This week’s Kid Scoop page has a clever gift idea that reuses an old T-Shirt to make a bag or a toy for your dog. Each week, Kid Scoop brings students interactive games, activities, puzzles and more in a bright & bouncy, award-winning feature kids and their family members can enjoy together. PUBLICATION DATE HERE

Publication Date: 12-22-21

32 DECEMBER 9 - 15, 2021

mances by the cast, the play’s examination on race in America addressed the role money has played on the disenfranchisement of communities of color. Actor Roderick Lawrence, in the lead role of Floyd, effortlessly portrayed the character’s charisma and swagger while also providing comedic relief during more serious situations which revealed the character’s imperfections. Floyd conducts himself as a ladies man who wants everything but doesn’t know how to keep it. He claims he loves Vera but does not know how to prove it. In the play he becomes caught up with his ego and pride because of his musical aspirations and his need to be validated by his woman. He becomes convinced that financial security serves as the sole means of escaping his problems of poverty and that it remains the sole avenue to rid himself of the pain associated with racism. Floyd bears a linear way of thinking about “making it” and living beyond the way he’s viewed by “the “white man.” Music serves as his passion but also counts as a tool he uses to achieve his true dream of being respected as a Black man and achieving material things as proof of his success. Vera, skillfully portrayed by actor Joy Jones, appears to be a woman who wants everything in a man and naively settles for Floyd’s whims time after time. Floyd knows just what to say to keep Vera around. She’s soft spoken and exudes a spirit of innocence. She acts tough to counter Floyd’s pursuit of her but it’s clear that she enjoys the chase which contributes to their cat and mouse chemistry. Michael Anthony Williams, who played Canewell, put all he had and more into his performance. The scene towards the end of the production in which he shares his true feelings to Vera

GUITARS Page 33 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER / WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

LIFESTYLE

GUITARS from Page 32 and explains his perception of true love serves as one of the best scenes in the play. Each character in the production bears significance to the overall story. Actors serving in the roles of Hedley, Red Carter, Louise and Ruby each hit the mark with near-perfect performances. The play’s disturbing conclusion appears to serve as a message targeting the Black community which seems to criticizes Black people, when seeking to shed the shackles of centuries-old oppression, at times can overlook the importance of unity. It’s another success for the Arena Stage family. See “Seven Guitars.” Look for our insightful interview with actor Joy Jones on our website, written by WI Senior Editor D. Kevin McNeir. WI

JOY JONES IN 'SEVEN GUITARS'

Joy Jones (Vera) has previously appeared in Arena Stage’s Jubilee, A Raisin in the Sun, and Mary T & Lizzy K. Selected DC-area credits include The Hard Problem, Cloud 9, Belleville and Invisible Man (Studio Theatre). Off-Broadway, she appeared in workshops at the Lincoln Center Festival, The Public, and Playwrights Horizons. Her notable regional credits include Invisible Man (Huntington Theatre), Disgraced (Virginia Stage), Tantalus andRuined (Denver Center), The Champion (TheatreSquared) and Pericles (PlayMakers Repertory). Her recent TV appearances are We Own This City (HBO), Blue Bloods(CBS) and Monsterland (Hulu). Joy has an Acting MFA from UNC-Chapel Hill and a Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Ensemble for Invisible Man at Studio Theatre. Web: thejoyjones.com. Instagram: @joyjonesig WI

5D

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DECEMBER 9 - 15, 2021 33

34 DECEMBER 9 - 15, 2021

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER / WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

The Impact Of COVID-19 on Black Homeownership federal, state, and local employees.”

Austin R. Cooper, Jr. As I write during this holiday season, I am reminded that just under 800,000 Americans have died from COVID-19. And now, we are faced with a new variant, Omicron, which has arrived on American shores. Residents in Wards 7 and 8, hit hardest by the pandemic, are being threatened with foreclosure due to job loss or reduced income despite federal, local, and private sector programs and funding designed to prevent such from occurring. Angel Johnson, 34, of Washington, D.C., is a single mother of three sons, ages 7, 11 and 16. In April 2020, four months after the start of the global pandemic, and nine years after being hired, Johnson lost her job as an administrator. She and twelve other employees were terminated that day. After losing her job, the number one concern for Johnson became how to continue providing for her family, including keeping a roof over their heads with continued on-time monthly mortgage payments of $1,800. She received a short-term severance package and collected unemployment insurance, but the remainder of 2020 was a struggle. “I received each of the stimulus checks from the federal government which helped me a lot. But it was a very stressful time for me. At the beginning of 2021, I fell behind on my mortgage payments and I was worried about foreclosure. But there were programs that provided assistance,” says Johnson.

FORECLOSURES IN THE DMV

Preston V. Lee, Jr., former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Planning and Policy at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in the Clinton Administration, says “DMV trends are about the same as national trends when it comes to the effects of COVID 19 on foreclosures in this area. Foreclosures are likely to rise again as Federal and State government programs and moratoria and private sector foreclosure forbearance programs designed to help homeowners deal with the economic fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic have begun to expire.” Lee continues, “While the new increases in foreclosures appear dramatic, they aren’t really because we are still far below pre-pandemic numbers. Also, we are in fact coming off extreme lows in foreclosures that were created by the forbearance programs. New foreclosures, also known as starts, usually number around 40,000 per month. They fell to as low as 3,000 to 4,000 in the first year of the pandemic, when forbearance programs were in full force. In Virginia and the District, credit can be given to a large, stable, and highly compensated local workforce consisting of a significant number of

PRIVATE SECTOR RESOURCES FOR HOMEOWNERS

"We've seen how the pandemic has impacted DC, particularly in neighborhoods of color. At Bank of America, we have a long-standing commitment to support the communities we serve, which includes helping put people on the path to affordable homeownership through a combination of specially designed products, resources, and expertise,” said Derrick N. Perkins, Bank of America Market Executive for Greater Washington, D.C. Other helpful BofA programs are: At Bank of America (BofA), there are several programs that District resident homeowners will find helpful during the pandemic. They include the America’s Home Grant and Down Payment Grant Programs, which are part of the BofA’s Community Homeownership Commitment, which was tripled in last February to $15 billion.

A SEASON OF HOPE

The season of hope is represented by District residents who dedicate their lives every day to improving the plight of those in our community who are struggling with housing issues during the pandemic. One such individual is Wanda D. Lockridge, Chief of Staff to Ward 8 Councilmember Trayon White. She says, “Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, our office has worked to keep our residents, and especially our seniors and children, in their apartments and homes. We have worked with our constituents, for example, by staying in daily contact with DHS (Department of Human Services) and DHCD (Department of Housing and Community Development) to ensure that STAYDC applications were being processed and assisting them with troubleshooting where needed. Our office will continue to work with Ward 8 residents to minimize, as best as we can, the negative impact of COVID-19 in their lives.” As for Angel Johnson, she is temporarily employed and looking forward to the holiday season. She is also very optimistic about the future. “Last December, I had to explain to my sons that Christmas would be different. This year, it will be better. In addition to securing permanent employment in 2022, I also want to explore interior decorating.”

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DECEMBER 9 - 15, 2021 35

LIFESTYLE

The AFRO’s Edgar Brookins Loses His Battle With Cancer

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“A TRULY ONE-OF-A-KIND EXPERIENCE.” – Elle Magazine

Edgar Brookins, the longtime circulation and general manager of the Washington AFRO-American Newspaper, died on Dec. 1 after a long battle with prostate cancer. Brookins, 74, died at Walter Reed Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. Frances Murphy II, the publisher of the Washington AFRO, appointed Brookins as circulation manager in 1989 after interacting with him at a social event. From 1989 to 1999, Brookins and Murphy worked hard to ensure that copies of the AFRO appeared at churches and social functions as well as at retail outlets. During the week of the Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference, he could be seen talking to patrons and encouraging them to subscribe to the newspaper. Additionally, he initiated a program where sponsors, corporate and individual, paid to have bundles of newspapers sent overseas to troops stationed in such places as Germany and South Korea. In 1999, the AFRO-American Newspaper’s board of directors selected Brookins to be new general manager of the Washington office with the retirement of Murphy. Brookins gained the reputation as a newspaper stalwart by coming into the office by 7 a.m. and leaving often at 6 p.m. to attend a reception or social function

promoting the AFRO. Additionally, Brookins often appeared on Thursdays on WUSA-TV Channel 9 in its morning segment informing viewers on stories that appeared in the AFRO. Brookins semi-retired from the AFRO in November 2018 at a ceremony attended by Washington Informer Publisher Denise Rolark Barnes, among many others. But he continued to go to the Washington AFRO office two days a week to make sure that the newspapers had been distributed and other administrative matters had been completed. Brookins participated actively in his fraternity, Omega Psi Phi and served in a number of capacities as a member of the Fort Myer Chapel located in Arlington, Va. He also had longtime active memberships in the Black Public Relations

Society, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, the National Association of Black Journalists and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. After his daughter, Cierra, passed away from complications due to lupus in 2016, Brookins founded the Ciera Brookins Lupus Educational Foundation, LLC., to educate people about the disease. Before joining the AFRO, Brookins served over 20 years in the U.S. Army. He traveled extensively while in the military serving in bases throughout Europe and Asia. He rose to the rank of captain and worked primarily in communicawtions. While in the military, he completed the Armed Forces Staff College and the Command General Staff College. He retired in 1989 and moved to the Washington, D.C. area to be close to family members. Brookins received his Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from Jackson State University in Jackson, Mississippi in 1969. Brookins was born Nov. 23, 1947. He’s survived by a son, Lt. Colonel Dr. Dexter Brookins, two daughters, Tara and Angel, several grandchildren and a host of other relatives. A Homegoing Celebration will be held in Brookins’ honor at the Memorial Chapel on Dec. 18 with the formal event taking place at 11 a.m. He will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery. WI @JamesDCWrighter

THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA HOUSING AUTHORITY REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS SOLICITATION NO.: 0002-2022 VACANT UNIT REPAIR/MAKE READY SERVICES The District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA) requires Vacant Unit Repair/ Make Ready Services throughout various DCHA properties.

DECEMBER 20–22

SOLICITATION DOCUMENTS will be available beginning Monday, December 6, 2021 on DCHA’s website at www.dchousing.org under “Business” and “Solicitations”. SEALED PROPOSAL RESPONSES ARE DUE ON OR BEFORE Tuesday, January 6, 2021 at 12:00 PM.

STRATHMORE.ORG | 301.581.5100 36 DECEMBER 9 - 15, 2021

Email LaShawn McLeod, Contract Specialist at LMMCLEOD@dchousing.org with copy to business@ dchousing.org for additional information. THE WASHINGTON INFORMER / WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

De Beers Group’s #BlackisBrilliant Partnership Showcases the Power of Black Designers and Gives Back to Communities in Africa By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia When actress Sarah Paulson wore the “floating” oval and round 18-carat gold Botswana diamond earrings at the 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards in September, it brought the brightest of smiles from Jamaican-born fine jewelry designer Mateo. But most important, sporting the modern-art-inspired bling benefited two African Charities – One Girl Can and African Women Rising. Giving back is the goal of the #BlackisBrilliant – a partnership between the De Beers Group and RAD Red Carpet Advocacy – to bring together exceptional Black jewelry designers with top celebrity stylists. “Our mission here is to amplify Black creative talent and give younger people coming into our industry some very visible symbols of success,” stated Sally Morrison, the director

and self-taught designer whose collection earned selection by the Smithsonian Museum for featuring and selling at the African American Museum of Art and Culture, participating in the #BlackisBrilliant campaign is all about helping Africans who need it most. “I normally ignore everything, but when [De Beers] kept writing, I said ‘let me respond’ because De Beers is synonymous with diamonds,” Mateo told NNPA Newswire. “Once they mentioned Botswana, that was it,” he exclaimed. “You can trace the diamond to help-

at the 2021 Met Gala by New Yorkbased fine jewelry designer Jameel Mohammed of Khiry, collaborating with stylists Wayman and Micah to create an opulent suite of jewelry worn by Kiki Layne, titled ‘Black Power International.’ “The name came from my recognition that what undergirded the possibility for this collection was a legacy of contribution from Black folks worldwide, including me, Wayman and Micah, Kiki Layne, and the Botswanans who produced the fabulous diamonds,” Mohammed stated. “It’s a beacon to the broader diaspora and world that there is power in our shared histories and huge possibility in

of public relations for Natural Diamonds at De Beers Group. “It’s [evident] that it’s hard for any independent designer to get their work on the Red Carpet,” Morrison remarked. “So, we felt that by partnering extraordinary designers with high profile stylists, we would create a two-way conversation to help the designers create jewelry with a particular Red-Carpet moment (and client) in mind. We’re trying to game the system a little bit.” For Mateo, the world-famous

De Beers Group produces natural diamonds and recovers diamonds in Botswana, Canada, Namibia, and South Africa. “We are absolutely committed to sustainable practices are we are proud to be a leader in the industry,” Morrison insisted. “Our sustainability framework is called ‘Building Forever,’ and as part of that, we have many a number of commitments including increased diversity and inclusion throughout our value chain,” she continued. “This project is one discrete piece of that. Watch this space. There will be many more exciting pieces to come that will be revealed as we move through the year.”

#BlackIsBrilliant Connecting Black Jewelry Designers With Top Celebrity Stylists. We all know that Black talent — actors, directors, screenwriters — have been historically under-represented on the red carpet. What gets less attention is that those who adorn A-listers on star-studded nights tend to be giant luxury brands, not independent designers, including Black fashion and jewelry designers.

5 Mateo is a Jewelry designer born and raised in Montego Bay, Jamaica

5 Jameel Mohammed is an Artist and Jewelry Designer born and raised in Chicago, IL.

our future collaboration,” Mohammed continued. With the partnerships, the campaign creates “powerful visual moments that will give immediate impetus to the designers,” Morrison exclaimed. “But well beyond that, as the designers have been working with the stylists over the course of the project, they are building deeper, longer-term relationships, which hopefully will mean ongoing sustainable support in the stylist community for these incredible brands,” she said. “It’s about intentionally building a creative community where the stylists are aware of new jewelry possibilities, and hopefully, the designers will have more possibilities for their work.”

ing women in Botswana, and that’s the main reason I joined. We can trace it going back into the villages, communities, and building schools. I’m doing this because it’s helping Black women and Africa where we’ve exploited all these natural resources.” Through pairings like that with Mateo, De Beers has produced meaningful opportunities for Black designers to create jewelry to showcase on the red carpet, featuring ethically sourced Botswana diamonds. With each pairing, the company said a donation goes to the charity of the designer’s choice that furthers Black excellence, extending the program’s impact beyond those involved. Morrison said the overall goal of the partnership is to help level the playing field within the jewelry industry by providing deserved exposure to Black designers. It’s all part of De Beers’ Building Forever commitment to “accelerating equal opportunity and ensuring that every diamond they discover creates a lasting positive impact.” The partnership officially launched

In the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement, there has been a new focus on celebrating and promoting Black creative talent. In the jewelry world, the De Beers Group created an initiative to ensure Black jewelry designers had a chance to have their work seen on red carpets around the world. Their #BlackIsBrilliant program pairs Black jewelry designers, including Matthew Harris of Mateo and Jameel Mohammed of Khiry, with some of the most famed stylists working today to create bespoke jewels for today’s stars, in the hopes that deserving creative work begins to get an equal spotlight in every realm of creative talent. Using natural diamonds from Botswana, a country whose economy has thrived thanks to the revenue produced through diamond mining, sorting and grading, these talented designers are creating true masterpieces that turn a page in infusing high jewelry with modernity and freshness.

https://www.debeersgroup.com/campaigns/black-is-brilliant

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM / THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

DECEMBER 9 - 15, 2021 37

© 2021 by Vicki Whiting, Editor Jeff Schinkel, Graphics Vol. 38, No. 3

Re-Think Holiday Gift-Giving:

Memory Jar Gift

Make a Gift from a T-shirt! ave you outgrown a favorite T-shirt and you don’t want to get rid of it? You can turn it into a gift for a friend or family member and give it a new life!

Make a Reusable Shopping Bag

1. Cut the sleeves off the T-shirt by cutting along the seams.

How many T-shirts do you see?

1. Clean out a jar. 2. Use paints and stickers to decorate the jar and the lid. 3. Tape these instructions on the inside of the lid: TO:

2. Cut out the collar in a 3. Cut little strips along the bottom of the square shape. shirt. Use a ruler for spacing.

4. Tie double knots along bottom of the shirt matching with back.

This is your 2022 Memory Jar! Each day, write down at least one good thing that happened on that day and place the slip of paper in this jar. If you’re having a bad day, open the jar and relive a happier memory. At the end of the year, you’ll have at least 365 reasons to smile as you look back at 2022! FROM:

Put these apples in the bag.

FAVORITE REUSABLE SHOPPING OUTGROWN HOLIDAY FRIEND SQUARE SHIRT BRAID KNOTS GIFT TOYS NEW DOG OLD

F G N I P P O H S O

A E I B R A I D U H

V O L D O G E T T H

O T L B I R G O S O R R I F A R Y T D L I

I T U D S O A Y I

T H Q W G N U G O D

E S N I K F W E N A T D N E I R F S R Y

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

Make a Gift for a Dog Here’s how old T-shirts can be turned into dog toys: 1. Cut T-shirt into strips about 1 inch wide and 1 foot long.

Newspaper Search Game Gift Can you find the two T-shirts that are exactly the same? C

Standards Link: Reading Comprehension: Follow simple written instructions.

B A

2. Divide strips into 3 groups to make 3 braids. Save 2 strips for step 3. 3. Braid the 3 braids together and use the last 2 strips to tie the ends.

Create your own newspaper scavenger hunt game. For example: Smile search, Sports search, Animal search, etc. Then give the game instructions and a newspaper as a gift.

T-Shirt Twins

E

F

D

G

H

4. Play with dog!

I

How many of the following can you find in today’s newspaper? ❏ Christmas Tree ❏ Reindeer ❏ Elves ❏ Wrapped packages ❏ Happy faces ❏ Cookies Standards Link: Research: Use the newspaper to locate information.

Holiday Jokes and Riddles

Write down some of your favorite holiday jokes and riddles to share with your family and friends.

KID SCOOP IS SPONSORED BY

38 DECEMBER 9 - 15, 2021

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER / WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

3

LIFESTYLE

wi book review "I'm Possible: A Story of Survival, A Tuba, and the Small Miracle of a Big Dream" By Richard Antoine White c.2021, Flatiron Books $27.99 256 pages

Terri Schlichenmeyer WI Contributing Writer Each note is an individual. You know that, but you probably don't hear it that way. No, your ears are catching a mountain stream of notes that whisper and shout to create your favorite song, the one that runs through your head, the one you know all the words to. As in the new book, "I'm Possible" by Richard Antoine White, it's beautiful music. Looking for his mama was an everyday occurrence for Ricky White. If she wasn't in the boarded-up building where they slept, she might be by the tree, drinking. If she wasn't there, she might be at either of Ricky's grandma's houses, or with Miss Vivian. Then again, Mama might be at a store or somewhere and if he was lucky, Ricky found a few coins while he was looking for her, and he'd get something to eat that day. This was his life, until the night he almost froze to death and the McClains took him in, just as they did his mama when she was little. Old enough to have grown children of their own, the McClains taught Baby Ricky that he didn't have to sleep on the floor. He was kept clean, fed and responsible for chores; he was taught respect and confidence, but also shame and empathy. Most of all, Vivian and Richard McClain gave him a home and a normal childhood, including the chance to attend school regularly. It was there that he first fell in love with the trumpet. It became his reason for going to school, doing his homework, and staying off the streets. For the first time in his life, White felt like he belonged. He learned the art of discipline; later, he learned that practice was key and improvising was never going to get him anywhere. By then, he'd switched to the tuba. Learning that instrument would give him more time to play with a group because not a lot of people wanted to play the tuba. Even fewer African Americans did … If ever there was a book that can make your heart sing, "I'm Possible" is it. Part of the reason is that author Richard Antoine White seems so eager to show readers how he lived before he was given up by his mother, an act that he ultimately sees as selfless and brave. There's no complaint in any of this, just facts, told with the slightest sense of humor and a whole lot of acknowledgment that he wasn't the easiest kid to love. And that's the other part here: this book is the sweetest love song for his adoptive parents, for music, for miracles, and for those who supported White all along. So go ahead. Be charmed; in fact, once you get toward the end of this feel-best of feel-good books, grab a mirror and just look at that happy grin on your face. You need that kind of a boost this time of year, or a perfect antidote for a case of the I-Cant's, so grab "I'm Possible," and take note. WI

horoscopes

DEC 9 - 15, 2021

ARIES Early in the week, it's easier to connect with loved ones without feeling like you're speaking two different languages. It can promote harmony. Later, it's a sweet time to plant seeds related to a heartfelt wish you want to see come to fruition. You'd do well to spend time meditating on your ideal lover or next relationship step. Then set an intention and take even a small step toward making it reality. Lucky Numbers: 29, 30, 58 TAURUS At the start of the week, you could be inspired to throw a party. While you're interested in taking advantage of this mood, it's also an ideal moment to bond with your nearest and dearest and set a whole new, loving tone. Later in the week, you could take a serious step with a significant other or dear friend, such as plan a long-distance trip or decide to move in together. Lucky Numbers: 2, 21, 23 GEMINI Go back over budget and cash flow details serves you well. Don't be too quick to dismiss possible pitches as too wild or unrealistic. This is a wonderful time to take your boldest ideas seriously. Paired with just the right amount of self-confidence, they could result in a major win. Lucky Numbers: 25, 35, 59 CANCER As the week begins, you feel more focused and organized when it comes to making progress on personal goals. Be sure to carve out time to reflect on the ways you've become more self-assured and focused in recent weeks despite how chaotic things may have felt at times. Later, you could feel growing excitement stemming from a potential job opportunity or investment strategy you've been researching. Double-check the facts before diving in, but know that if it feels right in your gut. Lucky Numbers: 8, 14, 17 LEO At the week's start, you feel like the world's your oyster. Key is zeroing in on a bold, big-picture goal that you feel deeply about hitting. Once you have your intention in mind, map out a step-by-step plan. It makes it all seem more real, not to mention achievable. Later, you could be frustrated if you're getting pushback on a creative idea on the job. Lucky Numbers: 4, 37, 48 VIRGO At the start of the week, you could feel like a weight has been lifted, and it's easier to connect with just about everyone in your social circle from colleagues to best friends. If there's a philanthropic aspect to the project, even better! Have loving conversations with a loved one or significant other. By being compassionate and diligent, you can tackle even the most challenging emotional situation now. Lucky Numbers: 6, 20, 31 LIBRA When the week begins, if you had to put an ambitious project on hold or hit a variety of roadblocks while trying to get ahead on the job, you can now create momentum and experience less resistance. Later in the week, you'll want to be musing about ways to reconnect with old friends and perhaps even make new ones. Hold your goal in mind and then embrace your most social instincts. Lucky Numbers: 18, 29, 54 SCORPIO Take certain steps to advance your professional standing. Whether this means applying for a new opportunity, asking for more responsibility at your current gig, or striking out on your own, you have the confidence and vision to make whatever you're dreaming of a reality. A friend could come to you for advice. By having an open dialogue, you'll be able to share valuable words of wisdom. Lucky Numbers: 16, 35, 59 SAGITTARIUS At the start of the week, you have an easier time connecting and discussing tough, emotional topics. Keep the conversation going, because it's the key to growing even more in sync with loved ones. Later, you'll be reflecting on ways you can hone your skill set to advance your career. Taking a class or a business trip could be exactly the kind of experience you need to hit the ground running. Lucky Numbers: 28, 31, 56 CAPRICORN At the week's start, it's possible you've been struggling to connect with your significant other or a dear friend, missing one another's calls or truly feeling like you're not on the same page mentally. Thankfully, you can now experience more open lines of communication and enjoy the chance to tend to your bond. But you may very well want to shake things later in the week. Getting out of your comfort zone with someone special can help you feed a desire to strike out against routine. Lucky Numbers: 11, 17, 23 AQUARIUS When the week begins, you'll finally be able to gain some momentum on your wellness routine. If you feel like you've been dealt a setback recently and struggled to keep up with your workouts, you'll be able to dive back in feeling rested, rejuvenated, and ready to see concrete results. Initiate positive changes in your closest relationships. Having a heart-to-heart talk with your significant other, a potential partner, or a dear friend could be the beginning of a meaningful, satisfying new chapter. Lucky Numbers: 29, 34, 42 PISCES Early in the week, the cosmos inspires you to spend time meditating on your current fitness and healthy eating plan. If it doesn't feel like it's exactly what you need right now, making small but significant changes should come easily and set you up to feel amazing in a more consistent way. Later in the week is a productive time for working with others on important projects that are close to your heart. Prioritize collaboration and promote the sense that everyone should feel free to share how they feel. It can set everyone up for a team win. Lucky Numbers: 14, 33, 38

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DECEMBER 9 - 15, 2021 39

5 Ro

SPORTS High School Football Playoffs Full of Excitement Ed Hill WI Contributing Writer Archbishop Carroll scored on its first possession of the overtime and then hold on downs to pull out a thrilling 35-27 win over Theodore Roosevelt in the DC State Athletic Association championship at Cooper Field on the campus of Georgetown University. As a result, the Lions (13-1) become the first team in school history to record 13 wins. The Lions got on the board seconds into the game when Shon Reid returned a Rough Rider fumble for a 7-0 lead before fans could settle in their seats. Carroll appeared to get the edge as they moved the ball with their

vaunted running game. But the resilient Rough Riders, who got stronger on defense as the game progressed, settled in and thwarted the Lions attack. With the defense holding it down, Roosevelt (11-2) began to move the ball in its explosive offense, first with super sophomore quarterback Khalil Wilkins who got his team its first score to start the second quarter and then under senior starter Kerry Burns, Jr. who engineered two short TD drives. It gave the Rough Riders a seemingly comfortable 21-7 lead at intermission. Then the script flipped as the Lions, playing with a sense of urgency, got things started by capitalizing on a Roosevelt special teams mistake.

5 Theodore Roosevelt battles Archbishop Carroll on Dec. 3 at George Washington University. Archbishop Carroll rallied to defeat Theodore Roosevelt 35-27 in overtime leading to victory as the 2021 DCSAA Class AA Champions. (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

"The special teams came up big today," said Carroll head coach, in his fourth season at the helm. "Those two plays got us jump started. and helped us gain momentum." The two plays alluded to be a poor Roosevelt punt that gave Carroll the ball deep in Rough Riders territory and a later a fumble on the ensuing. In a span of a few minutes, the Lions had cut the deficit to 21-19 just before the start of the fourth quarter. From there, Carroll went to its

Wizards Gobble Up the Timberwolves

4 Montrezl Harrell (33) dunks and hangs on to the rim during a Washington Wizards win over the Minnesota Timberwolves 115 - 107 at Capital One Arena, in Northwest on Dec. 1. (Abdullah Konte/The Washington Informer)

40 DECEMBER 9 - 15, 2021

5 Daniel Gafford (21) leaps up for the block during a Washington Wizards loss against the Clevland Cavaliers 116 - 101 at Capital One Arena, in Northwest on Dec. 3. (Abdullah Konte/The Washington Informer)

bread-and-butter running game and it appeared to wear down the undermanned Rough Riders defense, which had a number of players go down with injuries. And they did not help themselves as they we stymied by numerous penalties (13 for 115 yards) that stopped potential scoring drives after big plays. The effective running of seniors Elijah Jordan Solomon and Reid began to control the line of scrimmage and the clock. With the momentum swing, Carroll finally capitalized to score on a drive that took only three plays, helping it regain the lead with still plenty of time on the clock. Solomon led his team with 159 yards rushing and Reid, who was named the game MVP, added 59 and two TDs. The Lions amassed 214 yards on the ground. Roosevelt would have its chances on three different possessions but each time the Lions would come up with a stop, but often than not, it was the Rough Riders who would shoot themselves in the foot with penalties (13 for 115 yards). "We have been leaning on people all season long," said Coach Harris, referring to the team's success all season with its run game. "We never went away from our running game and it paid off once we got some rhythm." Despite the Lions control of the line of scrimmage, the Rough Riders, who came in the game riding an 11-game win streak, refused to quit. It appeared that the game was over when the Lions took over on downs

and tried to run out the clock. But Roosevelt came up with a big sack on a fourth and four at its own 23 yards with less than two minutes and no timeouts. Enter a limping Wilkins, who was injured early in the second quarter. The poised signal caller calmly engineered an eight-play, 77-yard drive that used a little over a minute and a half off the clock to tie the game at 27 with an impending PAT attempt to take the lead. During the celebration of the score, the Rough Riders were flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct and penalized 15 yards, thus making it a 35-yard attempt. They missed and that set up the extra stanza. Confident in its defense with the second chance, Roosevelt won the coin toss and deferred. In overtime period, the ball is placed at the 10-yard line and each team gets a chance to score. It took the Lions only two plays on their chance to get in the end zone and they followed with a two-point conversion to take the lead. On the Rough Riders possession, they were again hit with penalties and were unable to get in the end zone, giving the Lions the hardfought win. "I am just so happy for all the Carroll fans, the community, these players and the coaches," said an emotional Harris as he received numerous hugs from the Carroll faithful. "I am an alum and this has been a long time coming." WI

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DOLE from Page 1 Dole distinguished himself as a respected politician, moving from the House to the Senate and eventually rising to the rank of Senate Majority Leader, representing his beloved home state of Kansas for 35 years, from 1961 to 1996. But he equally exuded a passion for veterans, particularly wounded veterans – a condition which he intimately understood. As the nation paused on Dec. 7 for the annual observance of National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, Dole’s absence from the National World War II Memorial in the District could not be ignored. Both his many colleagues and those veterans who attend each year and for whom Dole served as an advocate and friend for decades paused to honor his commitment to his country. Dole would become known for his inspirational speeches from the floor of the U.S. Senate and keeping his right arm clinched so as to avoid people attempting to shake his hand – an injury he sustained in World War II while serving as a lieutenant in the Army’s 10th Mountain Division. While his injuries would force him to abandon his dream to become a surgeon, they ultimately led him into a life of public service. President Joe Biden said in a tweet after his death, “Bob Dole was a man to be admired by Americans. He had an unerring sense of integrity and honor. May God bless him and may our nation draw upon his legacy of decency, dignity, good humor and patriotism for all time.” Senator Mitch McConnell, (R-Ky) said in a statement, Dole’s “lifetime of service was rooted in a simple mission: looking out for his neighbors.” While Dole served as the standard bearer for Republican ideals he also supported the Civil Rights Act of 1965. Still, during his three failed runs for president, he achieved only lackluster support from the Black community. Dole gained a reputation as a smart

SUMMIT from Page 25 November 29 in which seven District police officers set up shop around each District school to provide traffic safety enforcement and education during students’ morning and evening commutes. Toward the end of the youth summit last Saturday just before the protests erupted, students had the opportunity to present what they had discussed during the breakout

42 DECEMBER 9 - 15, 2021

5 Bob Dole remained a friend to members of the armed forces. (Courtesy photo)

lawmaker and tough negotiator who knew how to work across party lines, securing essential compromises with Democrats on issues which included Social Security reform, the Americans with Disabilities Act and landmark nutrition legislation. Vice President Kamala Harris said in a tweet, “Senator Bob Dole was a war hero and patriot who devoted his life to service. Today, @SecondGentleman and I are thinking of Sen. Elizabeth Dole and the entire Dole family as we remember the life of a great American.” “As a veteran, Senator Dole became known for articulating the Republican position on many hot button issues during his years on Capitol Hill. His wife, Elizabeth, developed her unique voice after serving under Presidents Ronald Regan and George Herbert Walker Bush and being elected to the U.S. Senate from North Carolina.” U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin, one of the nation’s leading African Americans in the upper echelons of the armed forces, said he will remember Dole as a soldier who put his life on the line for his country. “As a young World War II platoon leader during a spring offensive in Italy, he sustained grievous injuries and almost died while trying to pull his ra-

dioman to safety. He never knew what exactly tore into him in April 1945 – a mortar, a shell, shrapnel, or a machine gun,” Austin said in a statement. “But he battled his way back and never forgot those who helped him including those in his hometown of Russell, Kansas who chipped in to help pay his way to Chicago for an operation. He was a man of uncommon strength, keen wit and deep feeling,” Austin said.

sessions. One young person acknowledged that his view of police changed once he stopped engaging in illegal activities. Youth also nodded in agreement with one presenter who spoke about the harmful effects of opioids. Throughout much of the day, Contee, a DC Public Schools graduate who’s often spoken about his harsh upbringing in Ward 5’s Carver Terrace, expressed his hope that those who attended the MPD Youth Summit would take action to make

their communities better and include MPD in those efforts. “Your voices have not been heard and that stops now,” Contee said. “Oftentimes, I would say to my team that if you want to know about the problems, you get closer to the people who are closest to the pain. You have an opportunity to have your voice heard and talk about things that impact you. I want to make sure you’re not only heard but you get action.” WI @SamPKCollins

Dole’s body will lie in state in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, Dec. 9. The next day, Friday, a private funeral will be held at the Washington National Cathedral. President Biden will attend and offer words of tribute alongside other former U.S. presidents, congressional leaders and Dole’s family and friends. After the service, Dole’s casket will pass by the National World War II Memorial – dedicated to American civilians and those who served in the armed forces during World War II – for which Dole helped raise funds for its construction. Tom Hanks, Savannah Guthrie and U.S. Army Gen. Mark Milley, the 20th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will speak during a ceremony at the Memorial. Dole’s body will be returned to his native Kansas for a final tribute and interment. WI

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER / WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

RELIGION the religion corner WITH LYNDIA GRANT

Finding Peace During Life's Storms

Storms have been raging all around us, and over the past couple years, every one of us find ourselves in the midst of a storm. The challenge is to find ways to have peace amid our storms. Ahmaud Arbery was killed in broad daylight on Feb. 23, 2020. Then on March 13, 2020, Breonna Taylor was killed in her home after having gone to bed for the evening, when police break down her door and the night turned into her last night on this earth. And George Floyd was murdered for the whole world to see on May 25, 2020. All of this, amid a worldwide pandemic. And though we're heading into yet another year, there's the possibilities of the omicron variant — wow! Hold on, and keep God in your thoughts. I remember watching protesters marching around the world after the George Floyd murder. It didn't matter about the new coronavirus then. There was a need for the Black Lives Matter movement to finally be heard by the world — and they were! Unfortunately, these families have had to weather the storm. In each case, these individuals were minding their own business — Ahmaud Arbery was simply out taking a jog, getting some exercise; Breonna Taylor was in her own home, in bed, never expecting to have to get up and be shot and killed by police; and George Floyd, of course, we all saw pictures of him walking around in the store, simply shopping, something we all do, only to come out the store and

be murdered for the world to see. When something happens in your life, whether it's good or bad, look for the lesson in it. For those killed, the only lesson I care to mention is how justice was needed. Repeat this Scripture, Romans 8:28, often, as I do. You've seen it in this column many times, and you will certainly see it again: "And I know that all things work together for good to them who love God and who are called according to His purpose." Look for the good, even when things are bad. How many of us go through things and never learn anything? Whether these things you do are good or bad, it's your choice, but please remember, today's decisions are your realities for your tomorrow! As each year goes by, I can understand this scripture more and more! This thought is biblical. I did not really see what it was really saying until I read Napoleon Hill's book about 15 times or more, though Hill repeated over and over that "Thoughts Are Things." The principle is easily seen in our world today. You sure can tell who is watching what they say by carefully orchestrating their words with a positive spin!

Positive people choose words and thoughts, with their own free will to stay focused on those things that are right, noble, pure and lovely. Pessimistic and depressed folk tend to have negative attitudes towards anybody and anything, and they're always choosing to think and dwell on the negative side, the way Jeremiah did. That's why they called him "Weeping Jeremiah" — always crying about something! Jesus did warn us that we would go through many trials and tribulations. He said life is full of trouble. However, there is a flip side to this coin. On the one side of the coin is the darker side of this life, but on the other side of this coin is the good, positive, and brighter side of this life. It is not all death, doom and destruction. Even in the worst case scenarios and situations, there is always a hope and a light at the end of that storm cloud. Don't allow negative thinking to take a stronghold on you! You can change the way you think, and you can do it the way the Bible tells us to in Philippians 4:8 where it tells us to "Think on These Things!" I close with this from Proverbs 23:7: As someone thinks within himself, so he is. WI

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Adams Inspirational A.M.E. Church Dr. E. Gail Anderson Holness / Senior Pastor Rev. Ali Gail Holness-Roland / Assistant & Youth Pastor 12801 Old Fort Road • Ft. Washington, MD 20744 Office (301) 292.6323 • FAX (301) 292.2164 Service and Times Sunday Worship 10:15 am Sunday Church School 11:00 am Youth Sunday every 4th Sunday Prayer Call @ Noon every Tuesday & Thursday 978.990.5166 code: 6166047# Virtual Bible Study Wednesday Facebook & Zoom 7:00 pm “A Growing Church for a Coming Christ” www.adamsinspirationalamec.org

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DECEMBER 9 - 15, 2021 43

RELIGION The Miracle Center of Faith Missionary Baptist Church

Pilgrim Baptist Church

Bishop Michael C. Turner, Sr. Senior Pastor

Rev. Louis B. Jones II Pastor

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

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

Service and Times Sunday Worship Times : 7:30 AM 7 10:00 AM Communion: 1st Sunday Sunday School: 9:00 AM Bible Study: Wednesday, 12 Noon Bible Study in homes: Tuesday 7:00 PM

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

Website: www.themiraclecenterFMBC.com Email: Miraclecenterfmbs@gmail.com Motto: “We Walk by Faith, Not by Sight”

www.pilgrimbaptistdc.org

Covenant Baptist United Church of Christ

Blessed Word of Life Church

Church of Living Waters

Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church

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

St. Stephen Baptist Church

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

Third Street Church of God

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

Reverend William Young IV Pastor

Bishop Lanier C. Twyman, Sr. Senior Pastor

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

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

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

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

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

Service and Times Sunday School: 9:30 AM Sunday Morning Worship Service: 11:00 AM Communion Service: First Sunday Prayer Service/Bible Study: Tuesday, 6:30 PM

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

www.blessedwordoflifechurch.org E-mail: church@blessedwordoflifechurch.org

Campbell AME Church

Twelfth Street Christian Church

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

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

Mount Carmel Baptist Church

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

www.thirdstreet.org Live Stream Sunday Worship Service begins @ 12:00 noon www.thirdstreet.org

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

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

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

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

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

Reverend John W. Davis Pastor 5101 14th Street, NW / Washington, DC 20011 Phone: 202-726-2220 Fax: 202-726-9089 Service and Times Sunday Worship Service - 8:00 a.m. & 11:00 a.m. Children’s Church - 11:00 a.m. (1st & 3rd Sundays) Communion - 10 a.m. 4th Sunday Sunday School - 9:15 a.m. (4th Sunday 8:15 a.m.) Prayer Meeting & Bible Study - Wednesday 7:00 p.m. “A Church with a past to remember – and a future to mold” www.mtzbcdc.org

headline and photo for Mount Olivet LIF - MALCOLMXLutheran Church DAY John F. Johnson Reverend Dr.

901 Third Street N.W. Washington, DC. 20001 Phone (202) 842-3411 Fax (202) 682-9423

1306 Vermont Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20005

themcbc.org

“Ambassadors for Christ to the Nation’s Capital”

Rev. Dr. Alton W. Jordan Pastor

Isle of Patmos Baptist Church

Mt. Zion Baptist Church

Reverend Dr. Paris L Smith, Sr. Senior Pastor

Service and Times Sunday Church School : 9:00 AM Sunday Morning Worship: 10:10 AM Bible Study Tuesday: 6: 00 PM Prayer Service Tuesday: 7:00 PM Holy Communion: 3rd Sunday 10:10 AM

44 DECEMBER 9 - 15, 2021

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

Services and Times Sunday School: 9:30 AM Sunday Worship: 11:00 AM Sunday Community Worship Service: 8:30 AM

Crusader Baptist Church

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

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER / WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

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

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

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

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

Israel Baptist Church

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

Dr. Earl D. Trent Senior Pastor

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

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

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

Sermon On The Mount Temple Of Joy Apostolic Faith

Lincoln Park United Methodist Church Rev. Richard B. Black Pastor

Elder Herman L. Simms Pastor

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

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

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

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

Mount Moriah Baptist Church Dr. Lucius M. Dalton Senior Pastor

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

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

New Commandment Baptist Church

Eastern Community Baptist Church Damion M. Briggs Pastor

Rev. Stephen E. Tucker Senior Pastor

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rehoboth Baptist Church

Reverend Peter R. Blue Sr. Pastor

Rev. Curtis l. Staley Pastor

2001 Brooks Drive District Heights MD. 20744 240.838.7074

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Foggy Bottom - Founded in 1867 728 23rd Street, NW - Washington, DC 20037 Church office: 202-333-3985 - Fax : 202-338-4958

Shiloh Baptist Church

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

Matthews Memorial Baptist Church

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

Christ Embassy DC

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

Peace Baptist Church

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

Pennsylvania Ave. Baptist Church

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

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

First Rising Mt. Zion Baptist Church

Mt. Horeb Baptist Church

Rev. Dr. Wallace Charles Smith Pastor

Rev. Oran W. Young Pastor

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rev. Dr. George C. Gilbert Senior Pastor

Email Address: admin@pbc712.org

Historic St. Mary’s Episcopal Church The Rev. E. Bernard Anderson Priest

Holy Trinity United Baptist Church

Florida Avenue Baptist Church

Reverend Christopher L. Nichols Pastor

Rev. Dr. Jerryl V. Moody Pastor-Elect

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

St. Matthews Baptist Church

Emmanuel Baptist Church

King Emmanuel Baptist Church

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM / THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

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

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

DECEMBER 9 - 15, 2021 45

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

In God We Trust. Declaration of Nationality. Notice of White Flag Surrender. Notice of Special Appearance : I am that I am: " Conrad Romano Dasent© ", in full life, in propria persona, sui juris, in solo proprio, Haqdar by natural issue, the beneficiary and heir of: "DASENT, CONRAD ROMANO© ", corp.sole Dba.: " CONRAD ROMANO DASENT© ", having reached the age of majority, being aboriginal to the northwestern and southwestern shores of Africa, the Atlantic Islands, the continental Americas, being duly certified, hereby affirms to declare my tribal intention to be as my pedigree subscribes, as a: Moorish American, but not a citizen of the United States. I declare permanent, and unalienable, allegiance to The Moorish Empire, Societas Republicae Ea Al Maurikanuus Estados, The Constitution for the united States of America, Article III Section 2, The Lieber Code, Hague Conventions of 1899 & 1907, The Geneva Conventions, [ United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples ], and all natural laws governing moors, and hereby declare and proclaim my nationality in good faith as a: Moorish American. I am that I am: " Conrad Romano Dasent© ", from this day forward, in harmony with my Nationality / Status / Jurisdiction, shall be known as: "nasi obadyah bendan el© ". Notice of White Flag Surrender: as "hors de combat", pursuant to The Geneva Conventions, Article III, as a minister of The Moorish Empire, and Internationally Protected Person. Notice of: LAWS AND CUSTOMS OF WAR ON LAND ( HAGUE, IV), ARTICLE: 45, 46, & 47. Notice of Claim pursuant to Public Law 87-846, TITLE II, SEC. 203. Notice of Bailment Merging of Legal Title with Equitable Title : This order isto preserve legal and equitable title , and to reserve all rights, title, and interest, in the property, Re: St. Kittts Registrar General's Office : Birth Certificate No, 2877 Naturalization Certificate No. 36079223 / Registra-tion Number A079717343 , " CONRAD ROMANO DASENT© ", is as a special deposit order conveyed to "Nasi Haor 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: " nasi obadyah bendan el©", nom deguerre: "Conrad Romano Dasent© ", as a special deposit order in lawful money. This special deposit is to be used exclusively for the benefit of : "Nasi Haor Trust© ", an Inter Vivos Unincorporated Divine Grantor Trust. This deposit is not to be commingled with general assets of any bank, nor depositary / trustee / agent / bailee / donee /debtor. This deposit is not limited to, but including: discharge and set off, of any and all outstanding liabilities as accord and satisfaction. Inter alia enact fuit. All Rights Reserved. Deo volente.

In God We Trust. Declaration of Nationality. Notice of White Flag Surrender. Notice of Special Appearance : I am that I am: " Kisa Moria George© ", in full life, in propria persona, sui juris, in solo proprio, Haqdar by natural issue, the beneficiary and heir of: "GEORGE, KISA MORIA© ", corp.sole Dba.: " KISA MORIA GEORGE© ", having reached the age of majority, being aboriginal to the northwestern and southwestern shores of Africa, the Atlantic Islands, the continental Americas, being duly certified, hereby affirms to declare my tribal intention to be as my pedigree subscribes, as a: Moorish American, but not a citizen of the United States. I declare permanent, and unalienable, allegiance to The Moorish Empire, Societas Republicae Ea Al Maurikanuus Estados, The Constitution for the united States of America, Article III Section 2, The Lieber Code, Hague Conventions of 1899 & 1907, The Geneva Conventions, [ United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples ], and all natural laws governing moors, and hereby declare and proclaim my nationality in good faith as a: Moorish American. I am that I am: " Kisa Moria George© ", from this day forward, in harmony with my Nationality / Status / Jurisdiction, shall be known as: "malkah keturah yisrael bey© ". Notice of White Flag Surrender: as "hors de combat", pursuant to The Geneva Conventions, Article III, as a minister of The Moorish Empire, and Internationally Protected Person. Notice of: LAWS AND CUSTOMS OF WAR ON LAND ( HAGUE, IV), ARTICLE: 45, 46, & 47. Notice of Claim pursuant to Public Law 87-846, TITLE II, SEC. 203. Notice of Bailment Merging of Legal Title with Equitable Title : This order is to preserve legal and equitable title , and to reserve all rights, title, and interest, in the property, Re: Virgin Islands Of The United States Department Of Health : 153-74-001099 , " KISA MORIA GEORGE© ", is as a special deposit order conveyed to "Empress Keturah 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: " malkah keturah yisrael bey©", nom deguerre: "Kisa Moria George© ", as a special deposit order in lawful money. This special deposit is to be used exclusively for the benefit of : "Empress Keturah Trust© ", an Inter Vivos Unincorporated Divine Grantor Trust. This deposit is not to be commingled with general assets of any bank, nor depositary / trustee / agent / bailee / donee /debtor. This deposit is not limited to, but including: discharge and set off, of any and all outstanding liabilities as accord and satisfaction. Inter alia enact fuit. All Rights Reserved. Deo volente.

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

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

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

2021 ADM 001433

2021 ADM 001315

2021 ADM 001405

Mary W. Marshall aka Mary Williams Marshall aka Mary Church Terrell Williams Decedent

Sandra E. Scott Decedent

Carolyn Thorne Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Ramonia Thorne, whose address is 4118 24th Ave., Temple Hills, MD 20748, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Carolyn Thorne who died on September 26, 2021 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before June 2, 2022. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before June 2, 2022, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: December 2, 2021 Ramonia Thorne Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

46 DECEMBER 9 - 15, 2021

Ethel Mitchell 8403 Colesville Rd., Suite 1100 Silver Spring, MD 20910 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Lawrence Marcellus Marshall, Jr., whose address is 12106 Wimbleton Street, Upper Marlboro, MD 20774, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Mary W. Marshall aka Mary Williams Marshall aka Mary Church Terrell Williams who died on May 16, 2021 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before June 2, 2022. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before June 2, 2022, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 12/2/2021 Lawrence Marcellus Marshall Jr. Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

LEGAL NOTICES

40 North Center Street, Suite 200 Mesa, Arizona 85201 T: (480) 464-1111 F: (480) 464-5692 Email: centraldocket@jacksonwhitelaw.com Attorneys for Petitioner By: Ryan K. Hodges, No. 026639 Colton B. Johnston, No. 033686 IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF ARIZONA IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF MARICOPA In the Matter of the The Pauline E. Russell Income-Only Resource Trust. Case No.: PB2021-091448 NOTICE OF HEARING ON PETITION FOR INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING DESIGNATED BENEFICIARY NOTICE IS GIVEN that Lisa Russell has filed with the above-referenced Court a Petition for Instructions Regarding Designated Beneficiary (the “Petition”). A hearing has been set to consider the Petition on January 11, 2022 at 9:45 AM before the Honorable Janette Corral, 222 E. Javelina Avenue, Mesa, Arizona 85210, 602-372-0425. WARNING: This is a legal notice; your rights may be affected. [Éste es un aviso legal. Sus derechos podrían ser afectados.] You are not required to attend this hearing. However, if you oppose any of the relief requested in the petition that accompanies this notice, you must file with the court a written response at least 7 calendar days before the hearing date, or you or your attorney must contact the division assigned to the case at the time of hearing using the following instructions: At least 30 minutes before the time of the hearing, call the assigned Judicial Officer’s division at the phone number listed above and request instructions on how to appear electronically at the hearing. Any written response must comply with Rule 15(e) of the Arizona Rules of Probate Procedure. If you do not file a timely response or attend the hearing: (1) the court may grant the relief requested in the petition without further proceedings, and (2) you will not receive additional notices of court proceedings relating to the petition unless you file a demand for notice pursuant to Title 14, Arizona Revised Statutes. DATED November 19, 2021. JACKSON WHITE _________________________________ Ryan K. Hodges, No. 026639 Colton B. Johnston, No. 033686 Attorneys for Petitioner

Lynn H. Johnson, Esq. Johnson & Pavuk 922 Westminister St., NW Washington, DC 20001 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Betty Ann Scott, whose address is 2725 31st Place, NE, Washington, DC 20018, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Sandra E. Scott who died on September 24, 2021 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 6/2/2022. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 6/2/2022, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 12/2/2021

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

2021 ADM 001356

2020 ADM 871

Martha J. Straughter aka Martha J. Vines Decedent

Michael F. Baylor Decedent

Colline Silvera Esq. 7731 Belle Point Dr. Greenbelt, MD 20770 Attorney

Reginald Harris 1775 I Street, NW Suite 1150 Washington, DC 20006 Attorney

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

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

Sandra Wilkerson, whose address is 531 Eames Place, NE, Washington, DC 20002, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Martha J. Straughter aka Martha J. Vines who died on March 21, 2021 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment 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 6/2/2022. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 6/2/2022, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Lisa M. Jacobs, whose address is c/o Reginald Harris, 1775 I Street, NW, Suite 1150, Washington, DC 20006, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Michael F. Baylor who died on May 5, 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 June 2, 2022. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before June 2, 2022, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 12/2/2021 Sandra Wilkerson Personal Representative

Lisa M. Jacobs Personal Representative

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Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

Washington Informer

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

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

2021 ADM 001251

2021 ADM 001440

Warren E. Leary Decedent

Estate of Jamie Moises Zelaya Coreas

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Jeanne E. Saddler, whose address is 1319 Holly St., NW, Washington, DC 20012, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Warren E. Leary who died on August 3, 2021 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 6/2/2021. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 6/2/2021, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 12/2/2021 Jeanne E. Saddler Personal Representative

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Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Date of first publication: December 2, 2021

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Betty Ann Scott Personal Representative

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LEGAL NOTICES

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

NOTICE OF STANDARD PROBATE Notice is hereby given that a petition has been filed in this Court by Blanca Higinia Zelaya and Blanca Vilma Coreas De Zelaya for standard probate, including the appointment of one or more personal representatives. Unless a responsive pleading in the form of a complaint or an objection in accordance with Superior Court Probate Division Rule 407 is filed in this Court within 30 days from the date of first publication of this notice, the Court may take the action hereinafter set forth. In the absence of a will or proof satisfactory to the Court of due execution, enter an order determining that the decedent died intestate appoint an unsupervised personal representative Date of first publication: 12/02/2021 Blanca Higinia Zelaya Blanca Vilma Coreas De Zelaya Petitioner/Attorney: 8303 Sprague Place New Carrolton, MD 20784 Address of Petitioner:

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LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

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LEGAL NOTICES

In God We Trust Declaration of Nationality Notice of Special Appearance : I am that I am: ‘‘Sonja Michele Sands© ’’, in full life, in propria persona, sui juris, in solo proprio, Haqdar by natural issue, the beneficiary and heir of: ‘‘SANDS, SONJA MICHELE© ’’, corp.sole Dba.: ‘‘SONJA MICHELE SANDS© ’’, having reached the age of majority, being aboriginal to the northwestern and southwestern shores of Africa, the Atlantic Islands, the continental Americas, being duly certified, hereby affirms to declare my tribal intention to be as my pedigree subscribes, as a: Moorish American, but not a citizen of the United States. I declare permanent, and unalienable, allegiance to The Moorish Empire, Societas Republicae Ea Al Maurikanuus Estados, The Constitution for the united States of America, Article III Section 2, The Lieber Code, Hague Conventions of 1899 & 1907, The Geneva Conventions, [ United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples ], and all natural laws governing moors, and hereby declare and proclaim my nationality in good faith as a: Moorish American. I am that I am: ‘‘ Sonja Michele Sands© ’’, from this day forward, in harmony with my Nationality / Status / Jurisdiction, shall be known as: ‘‘ sonja michele sands-el© ’’. Notice of White Flag Surrender: as “hors de combat”, pursuant to The Geneva Conventions, Article III, as a minister of The Moorish Empire, and Internationally Protected Person. Notice of LAWS AND CUSTOMS OF WAR ON LAND ( HAGUE, IV), ARTICLE: 45, 46, & 47. Notice of Claim pursuant to Public Law 87-846, TITLE II, SEC. 203. Notice of Bailment Merging of Legal Title with Equitable Title : This order is to preserve legal and equitable title , and to reserve all rights, title, and interest, in the property, Re: STATE OF FLORIDA - FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH - BUREAU OF STATISTICS, STATE FILE NUMBER : 109-68-031757, ‘‘ SONJA MICHELE SANDS© ’’, to the depositor: ‘‘ sonja michele sandsel© ’’, nom deguerre: ‘‘ Sonja Michele Sands© ’’. 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: ‘‘ sonja michele sands-el© ’’, nom deguerre: ‘‘Sonja Michele Sands© ’’, as a special deposit order in lawful money. This special deposit is to be used exclusively for the benefit of : ‘‘Sonja Michele Sands Trust© ’’, an Inter Vivos Unincorporated Divine Grantor Trust. This deposit is not to be commingled with general assets of any bank , nor depositary / trustee / agent / bailee / donee / debtor. This deposit is not limited to, but including: discharge and set off, of any and all outstanding liabilities as accord and satisfaction. Inter alia enact fuit. All Rights Reserved.

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

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

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

2021 FEP 000131

2021 FEP 135

2021 FEP 133

2021 FEP 134

October 8, 2020 Date of Death

April 27, 2021 Date of Death

March 17, 2017 Date of Death

February 26, 2019 Date of Death

Geraldine Brown Name of Decedent

Milada Bozena Gessman aka Milada Gessman Name of Decedent

James Monroe Hairston, Jr. Name of Decedent

Ruby Thellma Gould Name of Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Dorothy Lee Brown Zamora, whose address is 960 Tamary Way, Landis NC 28088 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Geraldine Brown, deceased, by the Clerk of Superior Court for Mecklenburg County, State of North Carolina, on May 10, 2021. Service of process may be made upon Romola Mullins 3653 Bangor Street, SE Washington, DC 20020 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. 428 Oakdale Place NW, Washington, DC 20001. 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.

Jennifer Anne Wilson aka Jennifer Anne Booker whose address is 6133 Redwood Lane, Alexandria, VA 22310, was appointed personal representative of the estate of Milada Bozena Gessman aka Milada Gessman, deceased, by the Circuit Court for Fairfax County, State of Virginia, on September 16, 2019. Service of process may be made upon Kristen Booker 2351 R Street, SE, Washington, DC 20020 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. 12351 R Street SE, Washington, DC 20020. 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.

Jeanne Middleton Hairston whose address is 1105 Arbor Vista, Blvd., Jackson, MS 39209 was appointed personal representative of the estate of James Monroe Hairston, Jr., deceased, by the Chancery Court for Hinds County, State of Mississippi, on 1/21/2021. Service of process may be made upon Robert P. Newman, Esq. 801 Wayne Avenue, Suite 400, Silver Spring, MD 20910 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. 1301 Delaware Avenue, SW, Apt. N224, Washington, DC 20024. 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.

Natasha Gould whose address is 7003 Taylor St., Hyattsville, MD 20784 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Ruby Thellma Gould, deceased, by the Orphans Court for Prince Georges County, State of Maryland, on 6/23/2021. Service of process may be made upon Michelle Thornton: 2101 L Street, NW, #800, Washington, DC 20037 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. 2904 11th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001. 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: December 9, 2021

Date of first publication: 12/9/2021

Date of first publication: December 9, 2021

Date of first publication: 12/9/2021 Dorothy Lee Brown Zamora Personal Representative

Jennifer Anne Wilson aka Jennifer Anne Booker Personal Representative

Jeanne Middleton Hairston Personal Representative

Natashia Gould Personal Representative

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

Washington Informer

Washington Informer

Washington Informer

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

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

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

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

2021 ADM 000347

2021 ADM 1475

2020 ADM 000834

2021 ADM 001436

2021 ADM 001428

Carlton Edwin Jackson Decedent

Delores Thomas Swinson aka Delores Elizabeth Swinson Decedent

Raynard C. Kennedy, Sr. Decedent

Henry I Johnson Decedent

Leta M. Jackson, Esq. Legal Counsel for the Elderly 601 E. Street, NW Washington, DC 20049 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Diane Kennedy, whose address is 406 36th St., NE, Washington, DC 20019, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Raynard C. Kennedy, Sr. who died on December 22, 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 6/9/2022. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 6/9/2022, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 12/9/2021 Diane Kennedy Personal Representative

Estate of Rose Lewis Smith NOTICE OF STANDARD PROBATE

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Antwanne Johnson, whose address is 1810 Alabama Ave. SE, Washington, DC 20020, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Henry I Johnson who died on 9/24/2021 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 6/9/2022. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 6/9/2022, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 12/9/2021 Antwanne Johnson Personal Representative

Notice is hereby given that a petition has been filed in this Court by Steward W. Smith for standard probate, including the appointment of one or more personal representatives. Unless a responsive pleading in the form of a complaint or an objection in accordance with Superior Court Probate Division Rule 407 is filed in this Court within 30 days from the date of first publication of this notice, the Court may take the action hereinafter set forth. In the absence of a will or proof satisfactory to the Court of due execution, enter an order determining that the decedent died intestate grant the Petition of Steward W. Smith to be recognized as the son by equitable adoption of decedent Rose Lewis Smith and to be appointed unsupervised personal representative

Date of first publication: 12/9/2021 Laura M. Richards 3524 Carpenter St., SE Washington, DC 20020 Petitioner/Attorney:

Julius Terrell 1455 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Suite 400 Washington, DC 20004 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Brandon Edwin Turner, whose address is 2335 14th Street, NE, Washington DC, 20018, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Carlton Edwin Jackson who died on November 20, 2003 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, NW, 3rd Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 6/9/2022. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 6/9/2022, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 12/9/2021 Brandon Edwin Turner Personal Representative

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Victor William Swinson, Sr., whose address is 954 Southern Ave., SE, #204, Washington, DC 20032, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Delores Thomas Swinson aka Delores Elizabeth Swinson who died on April 26, 2021 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 6/9/2022. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 6/9/2022, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 12/9/2021 Victor William Swinson, Sr. Personal Representative

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

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Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM / THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

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Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

Washington Informer

DECEMBER 9 - 15, 2021 47

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

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

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

2021 ADM 001501

2021 ADM 001229

Estate of William Vernell Wood

John Paul Smith Decedent

NOTICE OF STANDARD PROBATE Notice is hereby given that a petition has been filed in this Court by Robert L. Schmidt and Joseph L. Johnson for standard probate, including the appointment of one or more personal representatives. Unless a responsive pleading in the form of a complaint or an objection in accordance with Superior Court Probate Division Rule 407 is filed in this Court within 30 days from the date of first publication of this notice, the Court may take the action hereinafter set forth. Admit to probate the Will dated January 10, 2007 exhibited with the petition upon proof satisfactory to the Court of due execution by affidavit of the witnesses or otherwise

Date of first publication: 12/9/2021 E. Regine Francois Williams 9701 Apollo Drive Suite 301 Largo MD 20774 Petitioner/Attorney:

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Jeffrey K. Gordon, Esq., whose address is 5335 Wisconsin Avenue, NW #700, Washington, DC 20015, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of John Paul Smith who died on April 17, 2000 without a Will, and will serve with Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 6/9/2022. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 6/9/2022, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 12/9/2021 Jeffrey K. Gordon, Esq. Personal Representative

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

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

2021 ADM 001430

2021 ADM 001401

George Jackson Decedent Murray D. Jackson Whitman-Walker Legal Services 1377 R St. NW Suite 200 Washington, DC 20009 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS India Maria Saunders, whose address is 2850 Hartford St., SE, Apt. 104, Washington, DC 20020, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of George Jackson who died on 11/11/2017 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 6/9/2022. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 6/9/2022, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 12/9/2021 India Maria Saunders Personal Representative

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48 DECEMBER 9 - 15, 2021

Gregory Anthony Wells Decedent NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Antoinette C. Wells, whose address is 5335 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20011, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Gregory Anthony Wells who died on April 5, 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 6/9/2022. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 6/9/2022, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 12/9/2021 Antoinette C. Wells Personal Representative

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LEGAL NOTICES

CL ASSIFIEDS

CL ASSIFIEDS

In God We Trust Declaration of Nationality Notice of Special Appearance : I am that I am: ‘‘Willie Edward French Jr© ’’, in full life, in propria persona, sui juris, in solo proprio, Haqdar by natural issue, the beneficiary and heir of: ‘‘FRENCH JR, WILLIE EDWARD© ’’, corp.sole Dba.: ‘‘WILLIE EDWARD FRENCH JR© ’’, having reached the age of majority, being aboriginal to the northwestern and southwestern shores of Africa, the Atlantic Islands, the continental Americas, being duly certified, hereby affirms to declare my tribal intention to be as my pedigree subscribes, as a: Moorish American, but not a citizen of the United States. I declare permanent, and unalienable, allegiance to The Moorish Empire, Societas Republicae Ea AlMaurikanuus Estados, The Constitution for the united States of America, Article III Section 2, The Lieber Code, Hague Conventions of 1899 & 1907, The Geneva Conventions, [ United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples ], and all natural laws governing moors, and hereby declare and proclaim my nationality in good faith as a: Moorish American. I am that I am: ‘‘willie edward french jr© ’’, from this day forward, in harmony with my Nationality / Status / Jurisdiction, shall be known as: ‘‘willie edward french II-el© ’’. Notice of White Flag Surrender: as“hors de combat”, pursuant to The Geneva Conventions, Article III, as a minister of The Moorish Empire, and Internationally Protected Person. Notice of LAWS AND CUSTOMS OF WAR ON LAND ( HAGUE, IV), ARTICLE: 45, 46, & 47. Notice of Claim pursuant to Public Law 87-846, TITLE II, SEC. 203. Notice of Bailment Merging of Legal Title with Equitable Title : This order is to preserve legal and equitable title , and to reserve all rights, title, and interest, in the property, Re: STATE OF GEORGIA GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH - BUREAU OF STATISTICS, STATE FILE NUMBER : 110-74-012962, ‘‘ WILLIE EDWARD FRENCH JR© ’’, to the depositor: ‘‘ willie edward french II-el© ’’, nom deguerre: ‘‘Willie Edward French Jr© ’’. 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: ‘‘willie edward french II-el© ’’, nom deguerre: ‘‘Willie Edward French Jr© ’’, as a special deposit order in lawful money. This special deposit is to beused exclusively for the benefit of : ‘‘Willie Edward French Trust© ’’, an Inter Vivos Unincorporated Divine Grantor Trust. This deposit is not to be commingled with general assets of any bank , nor depositary / trustee / agent / bailee / donee / debtor. This deposit is not limited to, but including: discharge and set off, of any and all outstanding liabilities as accord and satisfaction.Inter alia enact fuit. All Rights Reserved.

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In God We Trust. Declaration of Nationality. Notice of White Flag Surrender. Notice of Special Appearance : I am that I am: " Clifford William Broughton© ", in full life, in propria persona, sui juris, in solo proprio, Haqdar by natural issue, the beneficiary and heir of: “CLIFFORD WILLIAM BROUGHTON ", corp.sole Dba.:" CLIFFORD W BROUGHTON© ", having reached the age of majority, being aboriginal to the northwestern and southwestern shores of Africa, the Atlantic Islands, the continental Americas, being duly certified, hereby affirms to declare my tribal intention to be as my pedigree subscribes, as a: Moorish American, but not a citizen of the United States. I declare permanent, and unalienable, allegiance to The Moorish Empire, Estados al-Marikanos, Societas Republicae Ea Al Maurikanuus Estados, The Constitution for the united States of America, Article III Section 2, The Lieber Code, Hague Conventions of 1899 & 1907, The Geneva Conventions, [ United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples ], and all natural laws governing moors, and hereby declare and proclaim my nationality in good faith as a: Moorish American. I am that I am: " Clifford William Broughton© ", from this day forward, in harmony with my Nationality / Status / Jurisdiction, shall be known as: " clifford broughton sr© ". Notice of White Flag Surrender: as "hors de combat", pursuant to The Geneva Conventions, Article III, as a minister of The Moorish Empire, and Internationally Protected Person. Notice of: LAWS AND CUSTOMS OF WAR ON LAND ( HAGUE, IV), ARTICLE: 32, 45, 46, & 47. Notice of Claim pursuant to Public Law 87846, TITLE II, SEC. 203. Notice of Bailment Merging of Legal Title with Equitable Title : This order is to preserve legal and equitable title , and to reserve all rights, title, and interest, in the property, Re: STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA : STATE FILE NUMBER: 139 82 024832 " CLIFFORD WILLIAM BROUGHTON© ", is as a special deposit order conveyed to "CWBII 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: " clifford broughton sr©, nom deguerre: " Clifford William Broughton© ", as a special deposit order in lawful money. This special deposit is to be used exclusively for the benefit of : "CWBII Trust© ", an Inter Vivos Unincorporated Divine Grantor Trust. This deposit is not to be commingled with general assets of any bank, nor depositary / trustee / agent / bailee / donee / debtor. This deposit is not limited to, but including: discharge and set off, of any and all outstanding liabilities as accord and satisfaction. Inter alia enact fuit. All Rights Reserved. Deo volente.

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ABORTION from Page 22

MALVEAUX from Page 28

state,” Isasi said. “As with other abortion cases, this one would disproportionately impact women of color, and low-income women should the court decide to uphold the law — the very same women bearing the brunt of COVID-19’s worst impacts and our nation’s devastating maternal mortality crisis. This assault on their health and well-being is anti-democratic, anti-American and harkens back to a time when women were not allowed to own their lives and their destinies. “For years, a clear majority of people in this country have supported abortion access,” he said. “The myopic zealotry by a minority, many of whom are driven by religious beliefs, to impose their will on that majority flies in the face of the bedrock democratic principles of separation of church and state. If the court follows their lead, those justices will erode the rights guaranteed by our Constitution, and the United States will join the ranks of countries where religious orthodoxy masquerades as the democratic rule of law.” The landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision guaranteed a woman’s right to obtain an abortion nationwide, using a trimester approach. For the first trimester of pregnancy, the court said the abortion decision should be left to the woman and her physician; for the second trimester, a state could regulate the abortion procedure in ways reasonably related to the woman’s health; for the final trimester, after fetal viability, the state could promote its “important and legitimate interest in potential life” and ban abortion except when necessary for the woman’s life or health. “We call on Congress to uphold the Constitution and pass laws that will protect our right to the full range of reproductive health care, including abortion and birth control,” Tucker-Hamilton said. “We demand an end to funding restrictions for all reproductive health care. We demand that decisions about Black women’s health be made by Black women — not by politicians, judges, or a racist system that inflicts harm upon our families and us at every turn. “As Black women, we will continue the fight to ensure that every pregnant person has the resources to make decisions about their own body without government interference. We will not stop until Reproductive Justice is the law of the land in every state.” WI

depends on our consumer spending. Consumerism is the foundation of predatory capitalism. We participate in this national orgy of accumulation because we have been trained to do so, trained to line up (pre-covid) outside stores to trample each other in search of a bargain, trained to interpret a ripoff as a bargain. Whether we are "woke" or not, we are products of our predatory capitalist

MORIAL from Page 28 thought to have the highest per-capita Ku Klux Klan membership in America. But in certain parts of the state, overt violence was tempered because of the tradition of compromise that had developed between the races over the centuries. Which may be why few people may aware that two years before the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a Baptist minister by the name of T.J. Jemison led a bus boycott in Baton Rouge. In those days, the screens on buses proclaiming "For Colored Patrons Only" were placed in holes on the backs of seats and could be moved forward and back. Black riders had to sit behind the screens. Sometimes, "just for devilment," as my mother would say, a Black student would sit in front of the screen, prompting the driver to stop the bus and demand that the student move behind the screen. Often, the offending student would fling the sign out the window and be put off the bus. Once, when he was a teenager, my father, Dutch, who was very light skinned, boarded the bus and sat directly behind the screen. A white passenger who assumed my father also was white, picked up the sign and moved it behind him so he was in the white sec-

GRADUATION from Page 5 to prioritize students’ social and emotional wellness. In preparation for the return to in-person learning, DCPS touted its school mental health teams which consist of school-based psychologists and social workers dedicated to providing therapeutic services for students and families. The infusion of BAM and TFI, elements of which include weekly sessions, would augment these current offerings for Black and brown male enrollees. BAM, launched by nonprofit Youth Guidance in Chicago, has been recognized by former President Barack

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environment. We must resist it both in our individual acts (checking our consumerism, buying and banking Black) and our resistance to structural oppression. More than that, we must train our young people to be mindful and aware of the systems that oppress us. Most importantly, we must understand the many ways that we are agents of our oppression when we support madness with our dollars. During these holidays, everyone gets warm and fuzzy, seduced by the

parades and candy canes, the music, and pumpkin smells. Don't let the positive energy fool you. The average family will spend about $1,500 this year on holiday stuff. The average Black family earns just about $40,000 a year. I'm not suggesting that folks cut back on experiences and good times, but I'm certainly suggesting that if you care about Black liberation, you walk on by consumer traps. Consumerism is the foundation of predatory capitalism. Just say no. WI

tion. Without saying a word, my father moved the screen back in front of him. Again, the white passenger moved the screen behind him, saying, "You belong in front of the screen." Again, my father placed the screen in front of him and said, "I know where I belong." My father began his career as a civil rights attorney in 1954, the year of the Brown v. Board of Education decision, but it took a detour when he was drafted into the Army. My parents spent the first year of their marriage in Maryland and returned to Louisiana in September of 1956. The Montgomery Bus Boycott had been underway for nine months by then. Although Brown v. Board of Education had been decided two years earlier, the laws of "separate but equal" had to be individually challenged in each Southern state. The layers of the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund — including future Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall — were traveling the country to assist local attorneys in arguing cases in each state. My father, who was just 26 years old, was privileged to be a part of this team as they worked together on a strategy to challenge Louisiana's segregation laws. They often worked late and because the team included both Black

and white attorneys, they were not legally permitted to eat in a restaurant together. That's why Dookey Chase restaurant kept a separate upstairs room where the interracial group could meet over Leah Chase's hot gumbo and red beans and rice. The state law requiring segregation on public transportation, the one that had been challenged with that boycott in Baton Rouge in 1953, finally was overturned by a federal judge in 1958. A biracial group of leaders decided the signs saying "For Colored Patrons Only" would be removed at midnight the day the decision went into effect, and no media alerted. My parents laughed when my father told my mother that some of the white leaders had asked how, with no media attention, the Negros would know they were free to sit anywhere on the buses and streetcars. My father and his colleagues assured them that word would be quietly disseminated through our networks and people would begin to move freely on the buses. And of course, they did. Rosa Parks' arrest served as a clarion call for people all across the nation. I'm proud of how my parents answered that call. I strive every day to carry on their legacy. WI

Obama for its approach to trauma reduction and violence prevention. A study conducted by University of Chicago Urban Labs in 2015 found that BAM’s weekly sessions played a part in halving violent crime arrests among youth and boosting high school graduation rates by 20 percent. Since its inception, JPMorgan Chase’s TFI has provided hands-on support to more than 350 young men of color attending high school in New York, Chicago, Dallas and Los Angeles. It recently expanded to Houston and Oakland as part of a commitment to produce a thousand more fellows over the next decade. The program’s development in D.C. counts as part

of a $30 billion commitment to racial equity. BAM and TFI will establish a presence at Dunbar, Eastern High School in Southeast and H.D. Woodson High School and Ron Brown College Preparatory High School, both located in Northeast. Principals of each school attended the December 1 ceremony at Dunbar, along with DCPS Chancellor Lewis Ferebee and Howard University [HU] President Wayne A.I. Frederick. Ferebee touted the partnership as an example of corporations working to level the playing field.

GRADUATION Page 50 DECEMBER 9 - 15, 2021 49

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RONKIN from Page 29 school or on campus when you see or hear antisemitic words or actions, and proactively show support for your Jewish neighbors. There are Shine a Light filters, stickers and GIFs to post during this week of Chanukah and beyond.

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ident, he promised conservative white evangelical leaders that he would put judges on the Supreme Court who would overturn Roe v. Wade. Don't ever forget that Senate Republicans refused to even consider President Barack Obama's last Supreme Court nomination for a year. They abused their power to create a Supreme Court vacancy for Trump to fill. Then these same shameless politicians took advantage of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death to rush Trump's final

There are ways to ask your employer or your school administration how they're supporting the Jewish community. And there are plenty of resources to learn about antisemitism so you, too, can shine a light and spread a message of positive change within your community and convey that hate will not

be tolerated. Maryland needs to be safe for everyone, regardless of race or religion. By shining a light on antisemitism you can help bring our community one step closer to this goal — which will lift us all up. WI

nominee onto the Court a few days before the 2020 election — as voters were already casting ballots to dump Trump out of the White House. And don't ever forget that the judges who are willing to sacrifice reproductive freedom are usually just as eager to allow states to restrict voting rights. The right-wing judges who vote to eliminate individuals' right to privacy and health care are often the same judges creating new "rights" to protect corporations' ability to buy elections, get away with harming workers and communities, and discriminate against some of their

employees. Like the right-wing campaign to restrict voting, the campaign to eliminate access to safe and legal abortion has built power through organizing at the state and national levels. We who believe in freedom must do the same. Among the activists and protesters who gathered outside the Supreme Court on Dec. 1 was a group of interfaith leaders who provided the moral clarity and urgency that the progressive movement needs to more effectively defend our freedom and our families. WI

tions, and now are going all-out to include Blacks in all their imaging, so everywhere we look, on the surface we see, Black folks appearing in places where none ever appeared before, often aping the culture and values that rejected them, until, all of a sudden, they started "diversifying" casts and staffs, depicted working or playing alongside, or kissing, or lying in bed with White persons. But the society wants to convince Black folks that if they just behave and "wash behind their ears," they will be able to achieve the "American Dream" and be close to them, even as White folks perpetrate horrors on them every day. After stealing North America from its original inhabitants, the white mantra is simple: "reclaiming America … [while] illustrating a message and seeking an America that more closely re-

sembles the interests of its true people." That's what a member of the Patriotic Front told a reporter at a recent D.C. demonstration. And just who would this country's "true people" be, pray tell? They bathe themselves in the trappings of patriotism, a classic and wellknown technique employed by dictatorial, fascist parties. Trust me. When they get into power — by fair means or foul — they will immediately suspend the rules, the Constitution, and declare themselves czars, for life. In their minds, it's Armageddon, and it's on. Some of them even predict (hope for) a civil war in this country, at the same time a world war is waging abroad. This is one doomsday warning that should not be taken lightly. WI

announced that DCPS graduates who complete BAM/TFI programs and successfully matriculate to HU will automatically receive full scholarships. During the event, Frederick revealed the HU wiped out the debt of Sagid Mohammed, a TFI fellow and current HU student. Such aspects of the program intrigued Sekou Sidbury, a senior at Dunbar who aspires to become a mechanical and electrical engineer. “They actually want to uplift Black youth and get them out of high school and into college. This program would open up a lot of doors for me to get into a college for academics and athletics,” said Sekou. “As a young Black man in the District, I’m facing all the

gun violence and being overlooked. One of my challenges is getting the right friends that want to do big things outside the city.” Anthony Patrick, also a senior at Dunbar, echoed Sekou’s thoughts as he highlighted the challenges he faces in navigating the District as a young person of color. “This program would give me life skills and [expose] me to many opportunities,” said Anthony, who wants to pursue computer science. “In D.C., you don’t feel like you’re safe and seen. We’re overlooked academically [and] there’s always violence on the Southside. It’s not always safe to go outside.” WI @SamPKCollins

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every day, more and more and more White people are choosing the ultra-nationalists to lead them. They just swept the supposedly "blue state" of Virginia, winning the offices of governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general, as well as control of the state legislature. That was just a practice run. The right-wing strategy is to win — if they can. If they lose and it's close, they'll contest, sue, recount and outright steal the election if necessary, and if all else fails, they're ready to rumble in the streets in order to take control. White people want absolute white control, with no ambiguity about it from any so-called "woke" folks. Democrats/liberals are burdened with just, well-deserved Black ambi-

GRADUATION from Page 49 “We recognize the challenges our students [face] in every aspect [of their lives] so we’re happy to have organizations like JPMorgan Chase to recognize that journey,” he said. “We know this is an important investment for DCPS. It’s a model that’s tried and true. It signals to other corporations that there’s collective responsibility in upward mobility.”

YOUNG MEN SEE A PROMISING FUTURE

Frederick, who reflected on his interactions with DCPS students on the bus as a Howard undergraduate,

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DECEMBER 9 - 15, 2021 51

Together with small businesses, we’re helping bring hope to the streets.

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52 DECEMBER 9 - 15, 2021

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