The Washington Informer - December 1, 2016

Page 1

VOL. 52, NO. 07 • DECEMBER 1 - 7, 2016

Bowser Picks Oakland Educator for Chancellor’s Post - Hot Topics/Page 4

Famed Soul Singer Dies Page 32

Uncertainty Hangs Over HIV Community as Trump Transition Begins By Hamil R. Harris WI Contributing Writer When Phil Wilson first contracted the AIDS virus, his family and friends never thought that he'd see his 28th birthday. But instead of resigning himself to such a grim fate, Wilson started the Black AIDS Institute in his home in 1999 and has since worked tirelessly to raise money and awareness about a disease that he knows firsthand doesn't have to be death sentence. "Over the last eight years, we have made tremendous progress and basically we are just about at the end of the AIDS epidemic," said Wilson on the eve of the annual World AIDS Day on Thursday, Dec. 1. But on this World AIDS Day, Wilson is clearly worried. "We are already getting calls from patients and clients worried that they are going to lose their health insurance," he said. "The Affordable Care Act is a very important prevention tool." Though the day of observance is partly a celebration of the inroads made in combating the disease, Wilson said this year is somewhat clouded by the election of Donald Trump to the White House. "Many of us are worried that the gains we have made might be stymied or, worse, we might lose ground because President-elect Trump has talked about repealing the Affordable Care Act and many people living with HIV/AIDS might lose their health care," he said. While progress has been made in terms of treating the disease, Wilson said that African-Americans are still disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS.

WORLD AIDS DAY Page 44

THE WHITE HOUSE ON DISPLAY

First lady Michelle Obama welcomed dozens of military families to the White House to view the 2016 holiday decorations Tuesday, November 28. Many of the handcrafted decorations were specially made to honor military families. / Photo by Travis Riddick.

Push Intensifies for U.S. Electoral College to Dump Mr. Trump By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

5 A movement is afoot to sway Electoral College voters away from President-elect Donald Trump. / Courtesy photo

As President-elect Donald Trump continues actions that many say is dividing America on racial, religious and even ethnic fronts, his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton is on pace to win the popular vote by more than 2 million votes — emboldening those demanding the Electoral College choose either the former secretary of state or another Republican instead. Combined with the continued divisiveness that's included more than 700 reported election-sparked racial assaults and widespread protests, Clinton's widening margin in the overall vote has amplified calls for a mulligan when the Electoral College casts its official vote on Dec. 19.

DUMP TRUMP Page 11

Celebrating 52 Years of Service / Serving More Than 50,000 African American Readers Throughout The Metropolitan Area


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