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VOL. 53, NO. 19 • FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2018

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DCPS Chief Wilson Resigns Amid Lottery Scandal

‘Mayor for Life’ Barry to be Memorialized in Bronze

Credibility Irrevocably Shattered, District Officials Say

By Tatyana Hopkins WI Staff Writer

Plans to memorialize Marion Barry Jr. began soon after he died at the age of 78 in November 2014. More than three years later, the “Mayor for Life” will rise again in the form of an eight-foot bronze statue to be placed outside of John A. Wilson Building. The statue will be stand as one of few African-American relics on Pennsylvania Avenue, and the politician who once championed for the “least and the left out” will rest at the center of District government. “The only presence of African Americans that I know

BARRY Page 11

By Sarafina Wright WI Staff Writer

senting the victims while calling for gun change laws, served as a precursor to two other scheduled events, the March 14 National School Walkout and March 24’s “March for Our Lives.” Both events have the same theme: Enough is enough. “Students and staff have the right to teach and learn in an en-

After days of calls for D.C. Public Schools (DCPS) Chancellor Antwan Wilson to step down amid revelations of his misuse of the school lottery system to benefit his daughter, the schools chief offered his resignation to Mayor Muriel Bowser on Tuesday, Feb. 20. The news came on the heels of Deputy Mayor of Education Jennifer Niles’ resignation in connection to the incident, in which Niles reportedly gave Wilson’s daughter preferential treatment for an outof-boundary school placement — a direct violation of a mayoral order issued last year. Just a few weeks ago, Niles and Wilson stood together in celebration honoring the District’s top teachers with cash prizes, as DCPS attempted to move forward from the graduation-rate scandal dogging the schools system. Now, both disgraced officials have been referred to the D.C. Office of the Inspector General for separate investigations. “This September, my family faced a difficult decision where we felt that my child needed to transfer schools,” Wilson said in a statement issued before his resignation was announced. “I sought assistance on how to do this correctly, and as a result, my child was transferred to another school.

NRA Page 42

SCHOOL Page 54

5 Youth participating in the U.S. Dream Academy attend a premiere of Black Panther at the Majestic Theater in Northwest on Feb. 18. Guy Lambert (center), WPGC-95.5 raido host, led a discussion with the youth after viewing the film. /Photo by Shevry Lassiter (See story on page 37)

Lawmakers Who Received Millions from NRA Under Fire Florida School Shooting Reopens Contributions Debate By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

5 Students and parents leave campus after a gunman opened fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Feb. 14. / Al Diaz/Miami Herald

On Monday, Feb. 19, students from the District and surrounding areas held a demonstration at the White House in response to last week’s fatal school shooting in Parkland, Florida. The event, where students lay on the ground as a way of repre-

Celebrating 53 Years of Service / Serving More Than 50,000 African American Readers Throughout The Metropolitan Area

Now Published by Dr. Charles Vincent

Her Legacy Continues.

In memory of Mickey Thompson Vincent, Founder and Publisher.

Dr. Charles & “Mickey” Vincent

Art on the Vine 2017 Sponsored by Agora Culture Held its second annual exhibition on Martha’s Vineyard

Art on the Vine Founder Jessica Stafford Davis with her father Earl Stafford

rt on the Vine Art (AOTV), a nonprofit subsidiary of The Agora Culture, educates and showcases a diverse array of artists through a four-week residency program and annual art exhibition in Martha’s Vineyard. Launched in 2016, the Artist in Residency program provides emerging artists with an opportunity to gain exposure for their work and engage with the communities where their residency takes place. Nate Lewis is the first Artist in Residence: “Nate is an example of ingenious artists who are out here on the rise but need spaces where they can continue to cultivate their practice,” said Jessica Stafford Davis, founder of Art on the Vine and The Agora Culture

Artist Nate Lewis: Art on the Vine’s first residency artist Inspired by notions of vulnerability and tragedy, Lewis creates multidimensional sculptures through sheets of paper featuring precise and intricate cuts along musculature lines.

Artist Elia Alba: With mediums as disparate as the very subject matter she pursues, Alba’s work centers on notions of multiplicity.

Artist Sheldon Scott: Multidisciplinary artist Sheldon Scott initially began his professional career as a psychotherapist, but pursued fine art through a myriad of mediums including storytelling via the spoken and written word, immersive installation, performance, and photography.

For further Information: Carita Parks (571) 403-1596 carita@theagoraculture.com Also visit www.artonthevinemv.com

Kevin Franklin (AOTV Marketing Team), Artist Nate Lewis, and Amanda Stafford

Artist Juana Valdes: Cuban-born multidisciplinary artist Juana Valdes shifts from photography to installation to sculpture to blur conventional distinctions between fine art and the quotidian.

Art on the Vine Attendees: Kate Goodall and Dale Mott

Kobe King (Singer and TV Producer)

Catering by Chef Deon Thomas and his Team

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Kendra Handy/Editor Dr. Charles Vincent/Photographer Brian Young/Graphic Designer l

Social Sightings-The Column is published in the Hill Rag, DC Mid-City, East of the River Journals, The Washington Informer Newspaper and in the Fairfax, Alexandria, Arlingnton, Loudoun Woman Magazines

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W I HBreak O T the T OCycle P I C of S Women Domestic Violence

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Baker Picks Embry AslawRunning Mate in Governor’s Race enforcement. She said they threat,” she said.

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had come together to bring a Among the programs Marlow Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker sense of uniformity in the way wants to see implemented are IIIWhen has chosen Baltimore23-yearnative Elizabeth Embry as his L.Y. Marlow's domestic violence victims and stricter restraining order policies, running mate in the Maryland Demoold daughter told her the father gubernatorial survivors are treated. more rights for victim's families cratic primary. Embry, 40, a former Baltimore proseof her daughter threatened her “She's using her own personal to intervene on behalf of a viccutorand andthe mayoral resigned from jobpersonal as life, life ofcandidate, their child, story, herher own pain to tim, a domestic violence assessdivision in the state General’s office toDavis-Nickens ment unit coupled with further she knewchief something had Attorney to be push forward,” concentrate time frustration on the governor’s a done. Out full of her said race. aboutEmbry, Marlow. training for law enforcement graduate of Yale University and Columbia Universiwith law enforcement's handling Davis-Nickens said anyone agencies, a Child's Life ProtecSchool of Law,she saiddecided she admired Baker’s styleMarlow's from ofty the situation, to who reads book will tion Act and mandatory counselafar. She data it.” and She accountstart the praised Saving Baker’s Promisereliance cam- of “get said she “puts the ing for batterers. ability to help measure the county’s case successes and ahow paign. in such way, the average “If we are ever going to eradiit “It canseems improve service. cycle She alsoperson said the to beona vicious cancounty’s get it.” She said at the cate domestic violence, we must Transforming Neighborhood Initiative notday, onlythe book will look at both sides of the coin. that won't turn my family end has of the decreased crime but brought direct assistance to to have a dia- We need to address both the vicloose,” Marlow said.alsoMarlow help people begin shared her story with the audi- strategic the community. “It’s effective, enforcelogue law about domestic violence. tim and the batterer,” Marlow ence District Heights poverty ment at butthe it’s also about attacking [and] broken, Also present at the event was said. Domestic Violence Symposium neighborhood problems . . . I love Mildred that,” Embry said Muhammad, the exMarlow would also like to see 5Prince George’s County Executivedesigned Rushern L. Baker right, on May 7 at the District wife of Allen Muhammad, Tuesday, Feb. 20, adding,Heights “he’s a manager andJohn a leader.” programs to III, raise 20 to officiallyamong declare hischildren candidacy for Municipal Center. The sympo- who was sentenced tosigns six documents consec- Feb.awareness in Maryland governor in Democratic primary. Baker’s running sium was sponsored utiveBaker’s life terms EDITOR’S NOTE: by WiththeRushern recentwithout parole public and private schools. She mate, Elizabeth Embry, also signs her name as lieutenant goverFamily and Youth Services byhis a Maryland announcement of Elizabeth Embry as choice forjury his for his role in feels children need to be educat/Photo by William J. Ford Center of the city of District the field Beltway Sniper nor. attacks in ed about domestic violence. running mate in Maryland’s crowded of DemoHeights and the National HookMildred “We have to stop being pascratic candidates hoping to win the2002. June 26 primaryMuhammad is Up of Black Women. the founder of After the Trauma, sive-aggressive with poor chil-Boyd and therefore positioning themselves to face Gov. Larry Hogan (Republican) and his deputy, Lt. Gov. Marlow has written a book, an organization that helps the dren about domestic violence,” Rutherford, in November’s general election, four women have now been selected as running mates in the state’s “Color Merace. Butterfly,” which is a Krishanti survivorsVignarajah, of domestic violence governor’s Only one woman, a former aide to Marlow Michellesaid. Obama, remains in the race story about four generations of currently and their has worked to break for governor. Further, Maryland haschildren. no woman serving in any ofMarlow the its statewide elected executive domestic violence. The book is “I lived in fear for six years. Six the cycle of abuse in her family, positions of governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and comptroller. inspired by her own experiences, years in fear is a long time. It is and is confident the policies she and those of her grandmother, not an easy thing to come out is pushing for will start that her mother and her daughter. of,” she said. process. She said every time she reads Mildred Muhammad said “I plan to take these policies to excerpts from her book, she still people who The wantMaryland to helpWomen’s a Congress implore them Friday, to Caucusand released a report can not believe the words came domestic violence mustalleged change ourharassment laws,” Marlow said.colFeb. 16 victim that details sexual by male from her. “Color Me Butterfly” be careful of how against they gowomen into in “I Annapolis. will not stop these polileagues Theuntil report distributed won the 2007 National “Best the victim'satlife, and understand cies are passed.” the first session of the Workforce Harassment Commission Books” Award. that she may be by in Senate “survival Carol Jones can Miller be reached created PresidentTia Thomas V. Mike Jr. and “I was just 16-years-old when mode”. at tiacaroljones@sbcglobal.net House Speaker Michael Busch seeks to address misconduct my eye first blackened and my “Before you get to 'I'mcapitol. going The report lists anonymous accounts in the state lips bled,” Marlow said. to kill you,'but it started as a verbal WIwhen they occurred. The comdoesn’t’ specifically state Elaine Davis-Nickens, presimission, which has 10 women and two men, will examine dent of the National Hook-Up workplace harassment throughout state government and try of Black Women, said there is no to change the current culture. The legislature approved an consistency in the way domestic anti-harassment policy nearly 25 years ago which has been violence issues are dealt with by periodically updated since then. “I’m really fascinated with 5 Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Angela Also- the issue of a culture change and how you can address that,” brooks, right, and Anne Arundel County Assistant State’s said Jeanne Hitchcock, who chairs the commission. “It needs Attorney William Katcef, center, review bill sponsored by to be addressed.” Delegate Geraldine Valentino-Smith to make solicitation The next meeting will take place March 23. The panel to commit murder a felony. /Photo by William J. Ford plans to submit a final report in December.

Female Lawmakers Release Report on Sexual Harassment

The Washington Informer Newspaper THE WASHINGTON INFORMER InPUBLISHER Memoriam NEWSPAPER (ISSN#0741-9414) is Dr. Calvin W. Rolark, Denise RolarkSr. Barnes published weekly on each Thursday. Wilhelmina J. Rolark Periodicals postage paid at Washington, THE D.C.WASHINGTON and additional mailing ofSTAFF INFORMER NEWSPAPER (ISSN#0741-9414) is published fices.weekly News on andThursday. advertising deadline postage Periodicals paid atMcNeir, Washington, D.C. and additional D. Kevin Editor is Monday to News publication. Anmailing prior offices. and advertising Monday prior to publication. Rondeadline Burke,isAdvertising/ Marketing Director nouncements must be received two two weeks prior to event. Copyright 2000 by The Announcements must be received Shevry Lassiter, Photo Editor weeks prior to event. Copyright 2016 Washington Informer. All rights reserved. POST MASTER: Send change of addressBarnes, Assistant Photo Editor by es The Washington Informer. to The Washington Informer,All3117Lafayette Martin Luther King, IV, Jr. Ave., S.E. Washington, rightsD.C. reserved. John E.be De Freitas, Sports Editor 20032.POSTMASTER: No part of thisSend publication may reproduced withoutPhoto written permischange addresses to TheThe Washsionoffrom the publisher. Informer Newspaper cannot guarantee Dorothy Rowley, Online Editorthe return of ington Informer, 3117 Martin rates Luther photographs. Subscription are $30 per year, two years $45. Papers be received ZebraDesigns.net, Design & will Layout King,notJr.more Ave.,than S.E.a Washington, D.C. week after publication. Make checks payable to: Mable Neville, Bookkeeper 20032. No part of this publication may Dr. Charles Vincent, Social Sightings columnist be reproduced without written permisTHE WASHINGTON INFORMER sion from the3117 publisher. The Informer Social Media Martin Luther King, Jr.Tatiana Ave., S.E.Moten, • Washington, D.C. Specialist 20032 Newspaper cannot guarantee the return Phone: 202 561-4100 202 574-3785 Angie• Fax: Johnson, Circulation of photographs. Subscription rates are E-mail: news@washingtoninformer.com $45 per year, two years $60. Papers will www.washingtoninformer.com REPORTERS be received not more than a week after publication. Make checks payable to: Stacy Brown (Senior Writer), Sam P.K. Collins, PUBLISHER Cox, Will Ford (Prince George’s Timothy THE WASHINGTON INFORMER Denise Rolark Barnes County Writer), Eve M. Ferguson, Hamil 3117 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave., S.E STAFF REPORTERS Harris, Tatyana Hopkins, Jade James-Gist, Washington, D.C. 20032 Brooke N. Garner Managing Editor Tia C.Jr., Jones, Ed Laiscell, Daniel Kucin, D. Kevin McNeir, Lauren Phone: 202 561-4100 Carla Peay Assistant Managing Editor Odell B. Ruffin, Larry Saxton, Fax: 202 574-3785 Poteat, Dorothy Rowley, Ron Burke Advertising and Marketing Mary Wells, JosephBrenda Young Siler, Sarafina news@washingtoninformer.com Wright (General Assignment Writer) Mable Whittaker Bookkeeper www.washingtoninformer.com LaNita Wrenn Administration PHOTOGRAPHERS John E. De Freitas Sports Editor Lafayette Barnes, IV, PHOTOGRAPHERS Victor Holt Photo Editor John E. De Freitas, Maurice Fitzgerald, Zebra Designs, Inc. Layout & Graphic John DesignE. DeFreitas, Joanne Jackson, RoyLassiter, Lewis, Robert Shevry Ken Harris /www.scsworks.com Webmaster Ridley, Victor Holt

“

We have to stop being passive-aggressive with poor children about domestic violence. I planCrime to take these Advocates, Legal Community Seek to Change Designation According to the state of Maryland, solicitation policies to commit mur-to Congress and der remains listed as a misdemeanor. But Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Angela Alsobrooks testified last week in Annapolis implore them to change our to encourage lawmakers to make that and conspiracy to commit murder a felony while also removing the current three-year statute laws. I will not stop until of limitations for solicitation which stems from the June 2005 case of Stacey Seaton, 17 who died at a local hospital after being shot these policies are passed. in the back of the head. Macdonald Abraham ordered her killing,

but didn’t get arrested until four years later, later being sentenced in 2012 to 15 years in prison followed by five years of supervised Paul Trantham probation for second-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. “This will allow us very important tools we discovered we did not have in our tool box at the time that Stacey was murdered,” Alsobrooks said. “It will allow us to fully hold individuals accountable.” 4 / May 15 - 21, 2008 The Washington Informer / www.washingtoninformer.com Roy Lewis, Demetrious Kinney, Daniel Kucin, Jr., Mark Mahonny, CIRCULATION Lateef Mangum

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Md. Governor Hopefuls Make Pitch to Young Democrats By William J. Ford WI Staff Writer @jabariwill ANNAPOLIS — State Sen. Richard Madaleno of Montgomery County will be the next governor of Maryland, if young Democrats have their say. Madaleno received 44 percent of the 55 votes in a gubernatorial straw poll conducted Monday during the Young Democrats of Maryland convention at the Wiley Bates Legacy Center in the state capitol. Former NAACP President Ben Jealous came in second with 18 percent of the vote, followed by tech entrepreneur Alec Ross with 16 percent. Madaleno, who spoke at the convention, also presented running mate Luwanda Jenkins, a former aide of Gov. Martin O’Malley. Jenkins, 55, is currently chief operating officer for The LEADERship, a nonprofit organization that works with those from Baltimore who seek leadership positions. “We need your generation to come out and vote in numbers,” Jenkins told the attendees. “You got to be a part of the process and that’s why we need your support.” Other candidates in attendance included Ross, Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamanetz, Krish Vignaraja, former policy director for first lady Michelle Obama, and Jealous running mate Susie Turnbull. Kamenetz and Vignarajah both received 8 percent of the vote in the straw poll. Ross introduced his running mate, Julie Verratti, who co-owns Denizens Brewing in Silver Spring and is a former senior adviser of the U.S. Small Business Association. When asked about the timetable to announce his running mate, Kamenetz said, “Stay tuned.” Vignarajah wouldn’t commit to when she’s declare a running mate. Jim Shea said last week Baltimore City Councilman Brandon Scott would run as his lieutenant governor. It’s unclear whether Ralph Jaffe of Baltimore County, whose name wasn’t mentioned in the straw poll, when he’ll announce a running mate. Before the poll results were announced, Ashley Sharp, 25, of Bowie reviewed the group’s platform, separated under 14 headings such as education, poverty and criminal justice reform. The items noted for “a more progressive, successful, and fair future that meets the needs of all residents” include: • Support adequate funding for all

fine and performing arts, physical education, health science and vocation and technical training programs; • Support a person’s right to bring their physical sexual characteristics into parity with their gender identity; and • Support the legalization of medical marijuana. Najee Bailey, 23, president of the Young Democrats of Howard County, said he has yet to settle on a candidate. “They seemed a lot more focused than when I’ve seen them in past forums,” Bailey said of the candidates who showed up. “I think it’s a good opportunity to hear everybody on the issues and how they align with the other candidates.” One conspicuously absent candidate was Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker III, whose campaign announced via email Monday he will officially file his candidacy Tuesday in Annapolis for the June 26 primary and declare Elizabeth Embry, chief of the criminal division at the Maryland Attorney General’s Office, as his running mate. Joseph Kitchen, 31, president of the Young Democrats, lambasted the gubernatorial hopefuls who didn’t at-

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5 Dozens attend the Young Democrats of Maryland convention in Annapolis on Feb. 19. /Photo by William J. Ford

tend Monday’s convention, especially Baker. “It is unacceptable when candidates running for the Democratic nomination do not show up to these forums,” said Kitchen of Fairmount Heights. “This is not the first forum Rushern Baker missed.” According to a flier from United for Maryland, Baker and six other candidates will attend a forum Saturday, Feb. 24 at the Baltimore War Memorial. The candidate filing deadline is Feb. 27 at 9 p.m. WI

FRIDAY, FEB. 23 & SATURDAY FEB. 24

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WEEK OF FEB 22 - 28, 2018

Source: Black America Web

FEB 22

1950 – Basketball icon Julius “Dr. J” Erving is born in East Meadow, New York. 1989 – DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince win the first-ever Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance for their hit, “Parents Just Don’t Understand.”

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1868 – W.E.B. Du Bois, author, sociologist and civil rights activist, is born in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. 1942 – Haki Madhubuti, author, activist, and founder of the Third World Press, is born in Little Rock, Arkansas. 1979 – Frank E. Petersen Jr. is promoted to brigadier general, becoming the first African-American general in the Marine Corps.

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1811 – Daniel Payne, author, educator and integral figure of the African Methodist Church, is born in Charleston, South Carolina. 1864 – Rebecca Lee Crumpler becomes the first African-American woman to earn a medical degree. 1999 – Rapper and singer Lauryn Hill wins five Grammys including Album of the Year, setting a one-night record for a female artist.

by police during a peaceful voting rights march in Marion, Alabama.

FEB. 27

1844 – The Dominican Republic declares its independence from Haiti. 1872 – Charlotte E. Ray, the first black American female lawyer in the United States, graduates from Howard University School of Law. 1897 – Famed opera singer Marian Anderson, the first African-American singer to perform at the White House and the first African-American to sing with New York’s Metropolitan Opera, is born in Philadelphia. 1988 – Figure skater Debi Thomas becomes the first African-American to win a medal in the Winter Olympics.

FEB. 28

1984 – Michael Jackson wins eight Grammys for his record-breaking “Thriller” album. WI

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1903 – Albany State University, a historically black college, is founded in Albany, Georgia. 1948 – Civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. is ordained as a minister at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, where his father was a pastor. 1964 – Muhammad Ali, then known as Cassius Clay, defeats Sonny Liston by a 7th-round TKO in Miami Beach, Florida, to win the heavyweight boxing championship for the first time.

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1926 – Boxing great Theodore “Tiger” Flowers becomes the first black middleweight champion. 1928 – R&B legend Fats Domino is born in New Orleans. 1965 – Civil rights activist Jimmie Lee Jackson dies eight days after being shot

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6 FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2018

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VIEW P INT By Sarafina Wright

A jury awarded $37 million to the family of Korryn Gaines, a 23-year-old mother from Baltimore who was fatally shot by police in April 2016 after an armed standoff. Will the money help the family of the tragedy? YVETTE HARDEN /

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND

No amount of money will ever be able to take the place of that baby boy’s mom. But y’all make sure and pay him every dime. His mother did not have to die.

JANIS INIS /

WASHINGTON, D.C.

This is great for her children, because at the end of the day, they have to live. I pray that the family taking care of her children open up a trust fund and prepare them for college. God bless them.

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Yes, I will admit that back in the day, before there such delightful options like Netflix, ESPN, satellite television channels and other technological wonders, I watched Mr. Rogers. That’s right, I would faithfully sit in front of the color TV in our family room and check out that soft-spoken Caucasian who never forgot to put on his sweater. Mr. Rogers would teach me about being “neighborly” – treating others like I wanted to be treated. He would invite me to travel to the Land of Make Believe where my imagination could run wild. He would share insights about family, friends and even tackle the kinds of fears that I would one day be forced to confront and hopefully overcome as I moved from childhood to the land of the giants. Certainly, sometimes Mr. Rogers would be a little boring. And there were those moments, as I grew a bit older, that I discovered

that he was far too naïve. After all, the world as he envisioned it didn’t quite fit into mine. Little Black boys like me who were bright and inquisitive still had to deal with the fact that being Black wasn’t always the most popular thing to be. We had to deal with the reality that many doors were locked simply because we weren’t white – like Mr. Rogers. My skin color and my culture were not welcomed or celebrated by everyone. In fact, there were those who seemed to fear me, or at least those who looked like me, particularly as we began to lose our childhood innocence and become teens, then adults. Mr. Rogers didn’t have much to say about racism, prejudice, poverty or unequal educational institutions. And I often wondered why. That concern was never addressed.

Fifty years ago, when Mr. Rogers first burst on the national scene, America was waging a battle for civil rights for all of its citizens. I think some, like my parents, believed that after that “war” was over, that we would finally begin to realize those lofty ideas that Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and others had written about – promises that still remain on the pages of documents like the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. Mr. Rogers was a pretty cool dude – for a pasty old white man. Too bad he and his ideas couldn’t make their way into the real world. Still, it was nice to dream about one day living in a more equitable and just society, a beloved community, a land where nothing was impossible. I miss Mr. Rogers. WI

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AROUND THE REGION

Teachers’ Union, EmpowerEd Release Teacher Survey Educators Pressured to Change Grades, Attendance By Sarafina Wright WI Staff Writer The recent revelations of changes made to student grades and attendance records at Ballou Senior High School in Southeast — changes intended to present a rosier picture than reality — represent not an isolated case but a systemwide problem, according to a Washington Teachers’ Union/EmpowerEd survey. The Washington Teachers Union (WTU) asserted that the results of the survey, released last month, show the problem requires overhauling school culture and policies through genuine collaboration between teachers and school administrators. “Since the inception of mayoral control of District of Columbia Public Schools a decade ago, there has been a hard-charging effort to show school and student performance improvement,” said union President Elizabeth Davis said. “Yet DCPS teachers have consistently raised questions about the effectiveness of reform policies and the validity of publicized improvements.” A total of 616 teachers responded to the survey conducted during November and December. The findings reveal two main issues: • Administrators pressuring or coercing teachers to change grades and attendance records, sometimes indicating their evaluation is at stake; and • Someone else changing teachers’ recorded grades or attendance records to present a different reality. In addition to questions, teachers were given the opportunity to write comments. All survey responses and comments were anonymous, but respondents did identify their schools, according to WTU. “I have been pressured to change grades at both high schools I worked at,” commented one teacher. “As far as attendance, the attendance report I receive nightly in my email does not accurately reflect the attendance I input during the day,” another teacher said. “Pressures are put on us daily to change any grade below 50 percent to a 50 percent if a stu-

dent ‘attempts.’ An attempt can be just writing their name,” another teacher commented. WTU and EmpowerEd collectively said they are calling for true collaboration between teachers and administrators so that teacher voices are included when policies are developed and implemented. “Teachers’ voice at the front end would create a real check to prevent the kinds of problems that are occurring now,” the to organizations said in a joint statement. “Chief among the recommendations is an overhaul of the IMPACT teacher evaluation system, which educators said is used by school administrators as a cudgel to encourage teachers to revise grades and attendance records.” EmpowerEd Director Scott Goldstein said charter schools face similar problems. “Charter schools report similar pressures, fear, and lack of professional autonomy stemming from a similar focus on narrow outcome measures,” Goldstein said. Nearly half of respondents, or 46.5 percent, said they felt pressured or coerced by a school administrator either to pass a student who didn’t meet the expectations for passing or to change a grade. Roughly 47 percent, including 61 percent of high school teachers, said their school set up barriers, such as excessive documentation, to prevent teachers from failing a student. One teacher anonymously commented that “the amount of work and documentation that is required for a student to fail (even if they never come to class) is overwhelming. There is no way it can all be done, therefore I feel pressure to pass all of my students. “It’s unfair to the teacher and the students who come every day ready to work and learn,” the teacher said. “It makes me want to leave education. It needs to stop.” Nearly one-quarter, or 22.2 percent, said they submitted grades or attendance records that had been changed by someone else at the school. Just over half, or 55.1 percent, said their school’s graduation percentage is not an accurate reflection of student performance. “Dishonest data hides reality

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and tragically hurts students who need help,” Davis said. “We need an overhauled system that honestly reports student performance and uses the data constructively to provide the remedial help kids need to progress to the next grade, college and career. “Teachers are being pressured to make the changes or else their evaluations will be affected,” Davis said. “Educators and administrators together need to redesign the evaluation system so that it isn’t being used to distort teachers’ efforts and ignore the progress that they make with students who are behind one or more grade levels.” WI

FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2018 9 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

AROUND THE REGION CAPTURE THE MOMENT

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AROUND THE REGION BARRY from Page 1 on Pennsylvania Avenue is the Dorothy A. Heights NCNW headquarters. Now city hall and Marion Barry will be there,” said Barry’s widow Cora Masters Barry of the her late husband’s presence on what she calls “America’s Main Street.” The Executive Office of the Mayor, the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities and the Marion Barry Commission partnered to commissioned Maryland-based Steven Weitzman of Weitzman Studios to create the statue honoring Barry. “He was a fighter for justice, and he was a fighter for people who had no voice, and that’s why people loved him so much,” Cora said of her late husband. Barry was the longest-serving mayor in the District’s history. He served as the city’s second home rule mayor from 1979 to 1991, then took a brief break from politics to deal with personal issues before returning to serve another term as the city’s fourth mayor from 1995 to 1999 in a remarkable political comeback. Barry also served 16 years on the City Council as the Ward 8 representative from his early political years from 1974 to 1978, and then again from 2005 until his death. Cora said Barry helped transform the District from a Southern town to a thriving metropolis. He provided incentives for businesses to invest in the city and shared contracting opportunities with minority businesses to expand the city’s Black middle class, and gave jobs to a generation of youth in the District with his summer youth employment program. “Marion Barry did so much

for so many people in this city,” said longtime Barry supporter Rev. Willie Wilson, who leads Anacostia’s Union Temple Baptist Church. “There are many people who are middle class today who live in outlying areas, who no longer live in the District, that got their foundations from their initial jobs under Marion Barry.” Wilson said the most inspiring part of Barry’s story was his rise to political dominance despite “humble beginnings.” Barry was born March 6, 1936, in the Mississippi delta to sharecropping parents, and raised in Memphis, Tenn. after the death of his father. While an undergraduate at what is now LeMoyne-Owen College, Barry became involved in the civil rights movement and later left his graduate studies to continue his civil rights work. In 1960, he became the first national chairman of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee, an organization that sent young people to the South to register Black voters and was also known for being militant. Barry’s civil rights bought him to D.C., where he rose to political prominence becoming involved in local issues and leading efforts that supported the city’s struggle for home rule, beginning as a Board of Education member and then as a member the District’s first home-rule Council in 1974. “How many people have heard the expression, ‘I got my first job to Mayor Barry’?” said former mayor and current Council member Vincent C. Gray (D-Ward 7). “[Barry] put his all, his heart and soul into working to make the District of Columbia a great place to be. He’s a brilliant man who always had these rich ideas, and it was always a

“[Barry] put his all, his heart and soul into working to make the District of Columbia a great place to be. Vincent C. Gray (D-Ward 7)

5 Marion Barry /Courtesy photo

delight to be around him and to witness his brilliance and his commitment to having a great city. “I hope there will be thousands who show up for the dedication in front of the Wilson Building,” Gray said. “I’ve seen the finished product, and it’s awesome.” The monument will be installed outside the John A. Wilson Building on Saturday, March 3 at 11:30 a.m. with a dedication by Mayor Muriel Bowser and Council Chairman Phil Mendelson. Guests are encouraged to wear green, Barry’s campaign color, to the unveiling. “He thought [green] was for life, rejuvenation and hope,” Masters Barry said. WI

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FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2018 11 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY Supporters to Lawmakers: Give Metro More Money By William J. Ford WI Staff Writer @jabariwill Metro, union, nonprofit and business leaders are speaking in one accord to urge lawmakers to approve more funding for the second-busiest transit agency in the nation. Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld has explained to officials in the District, Maryland, Virginia and the federal government at least $500 million next fiscal year to improve safety and reliability. On the same day Wiedefeld repeated that message last week with Maryland lawmakers before the House Appropriations Committee, lawmakers in the Virginia

Senate approved $154 million toward Metro. The bill will now be reviewed by the House Appropriations Committee. “When you look at the development that is taken place in Northern Virginia and across the D.C. region, it is all following Metro,” said Jim Corcoran, CEO and president of the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce and member of Metro’s board of directors. “Making sure we have a great operating system is critical to people who want to have their workforce … delivered via mass transportation.” Lawmakers in the Virginia General Assembly have until the session’s March 10 end date to approve the Metro funding. In addition, officials in Maryland

5 A busy day with Metro. /Photo courtesy of WMATA

and D.C. must also agree to provide money to the transit agency. Maryland lawmakers still have time, but the last day of session is April 9. The D.C. Council meets yearround, so its proposal to raise more Metro money through a 0.75 percent sales tax could receive approval after it’s done in Maryland and Virginia. The fourth party, the federal government, released a proposed $4.4 trillion budget this month that proposes to decrease its $150 million portion for Metro to $120 million. Some Metro supporters are leery of the Trump administration’s belief in mass transit in the D.C. region.

The agency, also known as the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, doesn’t receive dedicated funding. “I am beyond disappointed that the Trump administration chose to cut funding for Metro in its FY 2019 budget,” Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Virginia) said in a statement. “Especially at a time when most of our area delegation is fighting for the federal government to double its contribution and pay its fair share for the transit system that delivers more than 100,000 federal employees to work each day.” Several people who testified in Annapolis before the House Appropriations Committee sug-

Prince George’s Residents Seek to Improve Public Schools By William J. Ford WI Staff Writer @jabariwill Prince George’s County parents and residents offered numerous suggestions to improve education in the county during a parent engagement meeting Saturday, Feb. 17 at TGI Fridays in Forestville. Among the suggestions were for county public schools to offer more technology for special-needs students, as well as relaxing restrictions for union members to serve on the school board. “People are steady throwing rocks [on social media]. Out of all these rocks being thrown, I have yet to see one person say, ‘I have an idea,’” said Delegate Darryl Barnes (D-District 25) of Upper Marlboro. “The reason I brought everyone together is I need your help. It will take a collaborative effort to make things happen.” The county education system has

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been under intense scrutiny in recent years as various negative headlines marred its public schools, including a grade-inflation scandal and high absenteeism among the past two senior classes. The Maryland State Board of Education reviewed the county’s response to the grade-inflation audit last month. The state board meets Feb. 27 in Baltimore and could offer a decision on the county’s next steps. At the TGI Friday’s, while some drank coffee and munched on fruit, no one spoke of animosity toward school leadership or placed blame for the recent troubles. Earnest Moore, who chairs the parental advisory committee, stressed trying to find solutions isn’t about money. The school system has proposed a $2.1 billion fiscal 2019 budget to boost academic programs, cultural training and family and community engagement.

SCHOOL Page 16

5 Robin Williams, a former D.C. elementary teacher and instructional coach, speaks at a parent engagement meeting at TGI Fridays in Forestville, Maryland, on Feb. 17. /Photo by William J. Ford

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

gested lawmakers put up $167 million, a three-way split between Virginia and D.C. The current legislation sponsored by Delegate Marc Korman of Montgomery County proposes at least $125 million comes from the state’s transportation trust fund toward capital cost for Metro. Delegate Maggie McIntosh of Baltimore City, who chairs the Appropriations Committee, said she didn’t receive one letter in opposition. “It does show what can be accomplished when you work together and you communicate,” said Jackie Jeter, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689, Metro’s largest union. “That’s the crux of this. When we are all in favor of something, we can all come together.” During the Feb. 13 hearing in Annapolis, a couple of Republican delegates suggested requesting a sales tax for businesses that open near Metro. ATU Local 689 presented a similar plan last year. Delegate Jeff Ghrist, a Republican who represents portions of Western Maryland, said motorists shouldn’t pay for mass transit, especially since they rarely use it, if at all. “Would you guys support a specialized tax dedicated to improving mass transit?” he said to a group testifying. “Our position today is we take care of WMATA,” said Stewart Schwartz, executive director of D.C.-based Coalition for Smarter Growth. “It’s up to the policy makers to figure out the mechanism to do that. We’re saying it’s urgent to do that.” WI

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Baker Pushed to Fire Senior Aide After Assault Case Surfaces By William J. Ford WI Staff Writer @jabariwill A group of advocates and residents have demanded Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker III fire senior adviser Calvin Hawkins after charges against him for sexual assault and harassment from nearly 10 years ago recently resurfaced. The advocates also request the county’s state’s attorney office conduct an independent investigation to determine when Baker knew about Hawkins’ case — which ultimately cost the county $150,000 — and whether his administration has done enough to protect women in the workplace. “The residents of Prince George’s County deserve to be represented by public officials who stand against any act of harassment or aggression towards women,” Virginia Kase, chief operations officer with CASA de Maryland, said in a statement. “If a settlement of any kind was paid to a victim by the county on behalf of an accused and that individual was still able to serve under the highest levels of leadership … it is not only a profound violation of public trust, but a miscarriage of justice.” Danielle Carter of Mt. Rainier, who experienced workplace sex-

ual harassment in 1992 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, said she has “zero tolerance for men who do these things.” “How is [Hawkins] still working for the county government?” Carter told The Informer on Tuesday. “[Baker] needs to fire him. Rushern Baker should drop out the race, too.” Brittany Oliver, who does organizing work with Progressive Maryland, said it doesn’t matter how long ago the harassment occurred. “Think about the time that it took for the woman to come out, or the trauma that you deal with after that experience,” said Oliver of Baltimore, who founded a social and political movement called Not Without Black Women. “The trauma doesn’t go away.” According to court records, Hawkins was charged in June 2008 with assault, a sex offense and false imprisonment. County employee Tonya Y. Hairston took the county to court and a jury in December 2009 forced the county to pay $12,500, according to court documents. The jury determined the county “knew, or should have known of Hawkins’ harassment; failed to take prompt and adequate action and failed to exercise reason-

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY “If a settlement of any kind was paid to a victim by the county on behalf of an accused and that individual was still able to serve under the highest levels of leadership … it is not only a profound violation of public trust, but a miscarriage of justice.” Virginia Kase 5 Calvin Hawkins /Courtesy photo

able care to prevent, and correct promptly, any sexually harassing behavior in the workplace.” Hairston sought $1 million, according to court records. The documents show in November 2012, a judge awarded Hairston nearly $135,000. Hairston couldn’t be reached for comment Tuesday afternoon. The county fired Hawkins, but reinstated him in 2010 after he appealed to the county’s personnel review board. Hawkins, 56, a graduate of Oxon Hill High School, attended Bowie State University and has worked in the county for more than two decades, including for the Department of Public Works, as an aide for late County Executive Wayne K. Curry and with the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). Hawkins, one of five Democrats to seek two at-large county council seats in the June primary,

released a statement Tuesday. “After a thorough investigation, the allegations of harassment were disproven. After an adjudication process conducted by the Prince George’s County government, including the personnel board, I was reinstated to my position,” he said. “Notwithstanding, I have taken full responsibility for my poor judgement and any pain I caused others. “Over the last decade, I have worked hard to repair my reputation among my colleagues and have committed myself to faithfully serving the citizens of Prince George’s County,” he said. Aside from his family, Hawkins has another important ally: Baker. Baker, who officially filed his candidacy for governor Tuesday at the Maryland Board of Elections in Annapolis, declined to comment about the advocates’

requests to have Hawkins step down because it’s a personnel issue. Baker, whose term expires later this year, did compliment Hawkins’ work with the county during his time in office. “He’s done a great job in every job he has been given,” Baker said Tuesday while standing beside his running mate, Elizabeth Embry. “He recruited a lot of good people [at CERT]. I don’t think we’ve ever [received] a complaint about his work or his performance since I’ve been county executive.” Baker outlined how he instituted ethics reform in the county and all employees continue anti-harassment training as part of the national #MeToo movement to “emphasize what is not accepted and what would not be tolerated.” WI

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FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2018 13 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

MONTGOMERY COUNTY IN THE NEWS

Compiled by Lauren Poteat WI Contributing Writer

FIRST LADY VISITS KIDS ON VALENTINE’S DAY

First lady Melania Trump stopped in Bethesda on Valentine’s Day to visit children staying with their families at The Children’s Inn at the National Institutes of Health. Bringing warm smiles and cheers, the first lady, dressed in all red, received a tour of the inn from NIH Director Francis Collins, decorated cookies and made Valentine’s Day cards with the children, many of whom are participating in clinical trials at the Rockville Pike medical center for

rare diseases. At the end of the visit, children presented Trump with gifts that included a finger-painted paper heart, a First Lady of The United States apron with The Children’s Inn logo and Valentine’s Day T-shirts for the first family. When eager 8-year-old Amber Negrete asked what is was like to be first lady, Melania reportedly replied “it feels good,” and also complimented the child on her beauty, calling her “gorgeous.”

COUNTY SCHOOLS RECEIVE ONLINE THREATS

County investigators reported Friday responding to online threats made against up to a doz-

5 First lady Melania Trump helps work on Valentine’s Day cards at the Children’s Inn. /Courtesy of The Children’s Inn via Twitter

en local schools. Police said none of the threats, which were posted to social media and or texted, were determined to be legitimate. Authorities identified a 15-year-old male student as the source of online threats made against Northwest High School in Germantown on Friday morning, which prompted a full police response. Investigators said they think the online threat was the student’s idea of a joke or an attempt to close school for the day. The social media posts advised

students to not go to school Friday. The student was charged as a juvenile “with offenses relating to disrupting school operations” and has been returned to the care and custody of his parents, county police said. Police urge parents to monitor their children’s social media accounts and stress that students should not repost or share rumors of threats, but should contact adults instead.

COUNTY TOPS LIST FOR SPEEDING TICKETS

Montgomery and Prince George’s counties were one and two, respectively, on the list of jurisdictions where drivers are most likely to receive speeding tickets in the state of Maryland. More than 1.5 million speed-camera tickets were issued in the state in fiscal 2017, generating more than $62 million in fines, according to AAA Mid-Atlantic. Of those tickets, 1.2 million were issued in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties. “Motorists stand at three times greater chance of being ticketed in Montgomery County and Prince George’s County than any other counties or jurisdictions in

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5 County residents are encouraged to slow down. /Courtesy of freebeacon. com

the state,” said John Townsend, AAA Mid-Atlantic’s manager of public and government affairs. Police say that the automated speed enforcement programs are important in slowing down drivers, especially in school zones. And while AAA Mid-Atlantic supports the speed cameras in school zones, its analysis shows that overall there was no meaningful reduction in the number of speed camera tickets issued in the state from 2016 to 2017. WI

5 County students are asked to be extra careful in light of online threats. / Courtesy of wslmradio.com

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BUSINESS Black Businesses, Culture Take Off at Area Airports By S.Y. Sherman Special to The Informer

FIRST OF A TWO-PART STORY Among the litmus tests of culture and enlightenment in modern travel, rests the ability of visitors to chart the tastes, character and richness of their destinations by what they encounter. Case in point, travelers to New York City expect to see yellow cabs, the Statue of Liberty, and a host of other markers when entering its transportation hubs. For the D.C. metropolitan area, that cultural nuance has

been enhanced greatly to not only include various monuments and historical markers, but also the vibrancy of Black culture in the region at its three airports — Ronald Reagan Washington National, Washington Dulles International and Thurgood Marshall Baltimore-Washington International. Travel research group MMGY Global, which collects data from thousands of people for its annual Portrait of the American Traveler survey, also charts the behavioral patterns and vacationing habits of people across generations, classes and races. Stephen Cohen, MMGY vice

president of insights, said that African-American millennials represent the largest increase in travelers and are traveling both nationally and internationally in record numbers. “Over the last three years, the increase [in intent to travel] among African Americans has been pretty significant, going from an increase of about 3 [percentage] points, to 6 points, to 19 points this year,” Cohen told Time magazine. “The trend is suggesting that we’re going to see more African Americans traveling internationally.” According to Deven Judd, director of customer and concessions development for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, creating a sense of place among diverse travelers — including those millennials — has meant incorporating the Black experience into local airports, in addition to commemorating the achievements of African Americans during Black History Month. “Our passengers come from wide and diverse backgrounds and it is important to have that diversity represented among the Authority, our contractors, and personnel,” Judd told The Informer. “D.C. is rich with

5 Icons of African-American history. /Courtesy photo

African-American experiences history from the home of Frederick Douglass, to the historic U. Street corridor, so it is important that that sense of place is reflected inside the airports.” And the sentiments have legs. During Black History Month, each of the MWAA introduced a wide spectrum of cultural and historical events to celebrate the achievements of Black Washington, including an Explore Heroes of Aviation and Aeronautics social media platform, as well as live music performances at the

airport. “I was blown away by the efforts of the airport to incorporate Black History Month into my travel experiences,” said Denver resident Mary Sands, who, upon missing a return flight Feb. 14, found herself swaying to the musical stylings of vocalist Gary Mitchell Jr., who performed at Reagan’s National Hall. “It was such an unexpected treat and it eased the tensions I was feeling about ending my vacation with

AIRPORT Page 33

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FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2018 15 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

NATIONAL FCC’s Clyburn Voices Frustration over Net Neutrality, Broadband and Prison Calls By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer The Federal Communications Commission is led by five commissioners and Mignon Clyburn counts as the longest-serving of that body. A strong advocate for enhanced accessibility in communications for disabled citizens who also works closely with representative groups for the deaf and hard of hearing, Clyburn has fought to promote strong competition across all communications platforms with a belief that the more robust and competitive the marketplace, the less need there is for regulation, she said. Clyburn, the daughter of U.S.

Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) and a graduate of the University of South Carolina, began her service at the FCC in August 2009 after 11 years in the sixth district of the Public Service Commission of South Carolina. Recently, the FCC, led by Chairman Ajit Pai, voted to dismantle rules on net neutrality that Clyburn first spearheaded two years earlier. The protections Clyburn championed in 2015 prohibited broadband providers from blocking or slowing traffic. The rules also banned them from charging companies such as Netflix to reach their customers faster than their competitors. “We are supposed to be here protecting the consumer’s experi-

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ence and interests when it comes to communications and other services,” Clyburn said. “We are supposed to be enablers of opportunities, both for businesses and individuals.” The commissioner spoke to The Washington Informer about various topics, including what’s in the pipeline that should concern African Americans and other minorities: Washington Informer: Who inspired you? Clyburn: If I were to look at my upbringing that would expand a little from my parents. I grew up in a community of four strong grandparents and they lived in different cities but had the same values. My paternal grandfather didn’t make it through high school but still enrolled in an HBCU. When he couldn’t produce a diploma, he had to drop out. My grandmother did earn a degree. She went to boarding school and was an entrepreneur, and the beauty shops she established is still operating today. On the maternal side, my grandmother wasn’t allowed to go past the sixth grade but she gave so much. And her husband was a tall, silent type, but when he put his foot down, that was it. He dropped out of college and took care of his family’s farm and really helped to raise a community. WI: Can you briefly describe your role, particularly as the dissenting voice, on the FCC — a board that has just one woman? Clyburn: I will admit to bringing a unique perspective that had not been heard from an African-American female perspective. I think it’s

SCHOOL from Page 12 “It’s about unity,” he said. “We need to come together.” Attendees received a choice of seven committees to join based on their expertise and even passion for the topic. The groups are: special education; restorative practices and bullying; charter and public school law; teacher and administrative policy embitterment; public school improvement; minority male community service and mentorship; and English Language Learner. Robin Williams, a former elementary school teacher and instructional coach in the District, signed up for the teacher committee. “I hope to get a better understand and what we can all to help student achievement,” said Williams, who now runs a nonprofit organization called Educational Empowerment Solutions. Each committee will meet separately and provide recommendations

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5 Mignon Clyburn /FCC photo

important to have representation outside the Beltway. It’s important to have voices when it comes to communications and technologies and the opportunities that come out of it. I went through stages where I felt much pressure. When they call you the first ... that pressure and all of those things that come with it can bear on you. You don’t want to make mistakes and stub your toe, but you ultimately do and sometimes you feel that pressure because you don’t want that mistake to be too significant for the next person. It’s all about recovery and recovery is in your hands. I’ve attempted to overcome [mistakes] so that one could marvel more about the recovery than the stubbing of the toe. It’s my job, I believe, to open the door wider and not to do anything that would make it a single footnote in history, but a beginning of a brand and robust experience.

WI: You follow in the footsteps of those like Dr. Benjamin Hooks, William Kennard and Michael Powell (Retired Gen. Colin Powell’s son). What does that mean to you? Clyburn: It can be and is humbling. It really is when you think about these giants. I got a chance to see Dr. Hooks and he wasn’t well but he came out because he knew the importance of [an FCC meeting]. Then, you look at Bill Kennard of West Coast upbringing and a former general counsel who came through the ranks. And when he led, it wasn’t problem-free, it was a lot of political challenges he overcame. Then Powell, the son of a general who came with a different political persuasion but led in a way in which he was proud. So those three men I had an opportunity to interact with and they were supportive. I forgot about Tyrone Brown who continues to be a mentor today.

on the respective subject matter. Everyone will reconvene in 30 days and establish a timeline and draft reports. The goal would be to complete a final report and present it to both the school board and county council by June. The more than two dozen attendees also heard from Delegate Jay Walker (D-District 26) of Fort Washington, who provided an update on several pieces of legislation under review that heavily emphasize education. The House Ways and Means Committee held a hearing on 17 bills Thursday, Feb. 15. Five of them dealt with Prince George’s education, including a proposal on whether to change the structure and governance of the school board. Critics of the board’s current hybrid structure — four appointed and 10 elected — argue it doesn’t hold the board accountable and allows schools system CEO Kevin Maxwell to manage without stronger over-

sight. The board has a high school student who serves, but is chosen by a regional Student Government Association and doesn’t vote on the budget, school closings and personnel matters. Other proposed changes include making the panel an all-elected board, allowing members to select the board chair, vice chair and schools CEO, also known as the superintendent, and to shrink the current 14-member board to 10. According to proposed legislation, the four appointed members — three by the county executive and another by the county council — would be terminated the day after the law goes into effect on June 1. So far, Walker said the county’s delegation only recommended approval for school board members to choose a chair and vice chair. “The most important votes to take place in the upcoming election … is school board,” Walker said Saturday at the parent meeting. “Vote wisely.” WI

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Harris, Booker Could Be Front-Runners in 2020 Election By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer The general perception of African-Americans and most minorities is that President Donald Trump should be impeached. Short of that, the damage done by the current administration should be limited to one term. And as important as the coming midterm elections are — the results could usurp some of Trump’s power and ability to carry out what many see as a destructive agenda — the 2020 presidential election is paramount for Democrats. They must win back the White House. Recent published reports have already speculated about who could not only mount a serious challenge to Trump, but actually defeat the brash New Yorker at the polls. “The stakes are high this November and I am going to do everything that I can to make sure my Democratic colleagues are re-elected and help Democrats take back the house,” California Sen. Kamala Harris told The Informer. Harris has been among a couple of Democrats touted as the party’s next big star. In 2017, she was sworn in as a senator, becoming just the second African-American woman and first South Asian-American senator in history. According to her bio, she’s spent her life fighting injustice. It’s a passion that was first inspired by her mother, Shyamala, an Indian-American immigrant, activist and breast cancer researcher, she said. Growing up in Oakland, Kamala had a “stroller-eye” view of the cvil rights movement, she said. Harris credits individuals such as Thurgood Marshall, Constance Baker Motley and Charles Hamilton Houston for helping her to develop the kind of character required to stand up to the powerful, and a resolve to spend her life advocating for those who could not defend themselves. “I call her Auntie Kam,” said San Francisco Board of Supervisors President London Breed, who briefly became the first African-American woman to ascend to the mayor’s chair following the death of Mayor Ed Lee. Breed later was forced to step down reportedly because those in the city said with

5 Kamala Harris /Courtesy photo

5 Cory Booker /Courtesy photo

both positions she wielded “too much power.” “I learned a lot from [Harris] including just being myself and not being [fake],” Breed said. Harris earned an undergraduate degree from Howard University and a law degree from the University of California, Hastings, before starting a career in the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office. In 2003, Kamala became the district attorney of the city and county of San Francisco. Among her achievements as district attorney was launching a program that gives first-time drug offenders the chance to earn a high school diploma and find employment. After two terms as district attorney of San Francisco, Harris was elected as the first African-American and first woman to serve as California’s attorney general. She won a $25 billion settlement for California homeowners hit by the foreclosure crisis, defended California’s landmark climate change law, protected the Affordable Care Act and prosecuted transnational gangs that trafficked in guns, drugs, and human beings. In the Senate, Harris has intro-

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NATIONAL 555 E Street SW

DC SW duced and cosponsored legislation 555Washington, E Street (A new Hotel and Residential Building – Donohoe to raise wages for working people, Washington, DC Negotiated Project) (A new Hotel and Residential Building – Donohoe Negotiated Project) reform the criminal justice system, Bid Date: February 23, 2018 @ 2:00 PM make healthcare a right for all (please add this date to your bid calendar) Americans, address the epidemic Bid Date: February 23, 2018 @ 2:00 PM Project Contacts: of substance abuse, support veter(please add this date to your bid calendar) Sr PM – Ray Heverline – 202.338.8592 - raymondh@donohoe.com ans and military families, and exAPM – Lonita Bryant – 202.625.4190 - LonitaB@donohoe.com Project Contacts: pand access to childcare for workSr PM – Ray Heverline – 202.338.8592 raymondh@donohoe.com PE – Michaele Kleinhans – 240.460.0969 – -MichaeleK@donohoe.com ing parents. APM – Lonita Bryant – 202.625.4190 LonitaB@donohoe.com When asked about the 2020 documents are available for viewing/downloading online: PE –Bid Michaele Kleinhans – 240.460.0969 – MichaeleK@donohoe.com presidential election, Harris reHOTEL update only – IFC drawings & Specs – dated Jan 31, 2018 fused to hedge her bets. https://personal.filesanywhere.com/fs/v.aspx?v=8d706b8b5b6671baa867 “Everyone’s focus should be on Bid documents are available for viewing/downloading online: 3rd Party Permit Comments – Updated Set – dated Nov 17, 2017 2018. The outcome is critical to https://personal.filesanywhere.com/fs/v.aspx?v=8d70688f5c6075bcab69 the future of our country,” she said. HOTEL update only – IFC drawings & Specs – dated Jan 31, 2018 Original Bid Documents – dated Sep 15, 2017 (includes Addendum #1 While the field of Democrats https://personal.filesanywhere.com/fs/v.aspx?v=8d706b8b5b6671baa867 and other exhibits and project info) could also include former Vice Party Permit Comments – Updated Set – dated Nov 17, 2017 3rd https://personal.filesanywhere.com/fs/v.aspx?v=8d706a8b5d5e6faeac67 President Joe Biden and New Jerhttps://personal.filesanywhere.com/fs/v.aspx?v=8d70688f5c6075bcab69 sey Sen. Cory Booker, with social * Please take a moment and respond to this invitation media campaigns for a Booker indicating whether or not you intend to provide a proposal. Original Bid Documents – dated Sep 15, 2017 (includes Addendum #1 and other exh candidacy already underway. info) Project Description: This pricing isand for theproject construction of a new mixed use, 252 key hotel An editorial on online news site https://personal.filesanywhere.com/fs/v.aspx?v=8d706a8b5d5e6faeac67 and a 194 unit (58 senior/affordable and 136 market rate) residential building with retail Metro appeared to give an early shells on a shared underground two story garage. endorsement to Booker. We request proposals for the following trades: “In an era where bombast is seen * Please take a moment and respond to this invitation Division 1: Construction Layout and Control, Traffic Control as ‘electable,’ Booker’s viral lashing indicating whether or not you intend to provide a proposal. Division 2: Building Demolition, Dewatering, Earthwork, Soil Poisoning, Site Utilities, Asphalt toward Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen Paving, Site Concrete, Pavement Marking, Unit Pavers, Site Furnishings, Landscaping Project Description: This pricing is for the construction of a new mixed use, 252 key hotel is being seen as a good thing with 3: Cast-In-Place and Concrete a 194 unit (58 Division senior/affordable 136 market rate) residential building with retail shells Democrats,” the Januaryshared editorial Division two 4: Unitstory Masonry, Exterior Stone Cladding, Cast Stone underground garage. read. “The party wants a leadDivision 5: Metal Fabrications, Decorative Metal and Glazed Railings er that will not back down from proposals We request for the following trades: Trim, Architectural Woodwork Division 6: Rough Carpentry/Installations/Running Division 1: Construction Layout and Coating, Control, Traffic Trump throughout a campaign, Division 7: Waterproofing, Traffic Air Barrier, TPOControl Roofing, Metal Plate Wall Panels, Division Demolition, Dewatering, Earthwork, Soil Poisoning, Site Utilities, Asp and in a debate, and Booker pos- 2: Building Applied Fireproofing, Joint Sealants Pavement Marking, Unit Pavers, Site Furnishings, Landscaping sesses many qualities thatPaving, wouldSite Concrete, Division 8: Doors/Frames/Hardware, Aluminum Framed Window Systems, OverDivision 3: Cast-In-Place Concrete leave one to believe he’s capable.” headMasonry, Coiling Doors Division 4: Unit Exterior Stone Cladding, Cast Stone And before the Metro endorseDivision 5: Metal Fabrications, MetalTile, and GlazedPainting/Wallcoverings, Railings Division 9: Gypsum Decorative Board Assemblies, Flooring, ment came this from New York Division 6: Rough Trim, Architectural Woodwork Coatings,Carpentry/Installations/Running Sealers magazine: Division 7: Waterproofing, Traffic Coating, Air Barrier, TPO Roofing, Metal Plate Division 10: Signage, Louvers, Fire Protection Specialties, Toilet Accessories, Toi- Wall Pan “While campaigning withFireproofing, Applied Joint Sealants let Partitions, Lockers, Wall Protection, Postal Specialties, Manufactured Fireplaces, [then-Alabama Senate Candidate] Shower Doors (Contact Doug Jones, Booker became the Division 11: Façade Access Equipment, Food Service Equipment, Commercial first prominent Democratic lawLaundry Equipment, Residential Appliances, Parking Control Equipment, Solid maker to respond to Senator Al Waste Handling Equip. Franken’s resignation by calling Division 12: Site Furnishings, Kitchen and Bath Cabinets, Countertops, Walk-Off on Trump to resign over sexual Mats, Window Treatments misconduct, harassment, and assault allegations … For Booker, Division 13: Installation of Proprietary (Polcom) Hotel Guestroom Components the calculation is simple: If Jones Division 14: Elevators loses, it’s not his problem. If he Division 15: Fire Suppression Systems, Plumbing/HVAC Systems wins, he’ll be credited with having Division 16: Electrical Systems, Communications Sys., Audio Visual Sys., Safety helped when it mattered most, and Security Sys., Dry Utilities when Joe Biden was nowhere to be found, and in the South no less Project Notes: — where many Democrats believe Taxes: Include 5.75% Washington, DC sales tax they will have to be competitive if P&P Bonds: Required for all subcontracts over $400,000 they are to erode the gains made LEED: LEED Gold - See Specification Section 018113 for requirements by Republicans in recent federWage Scale Alternate: Please price as an add alternate to the residential portion al and state elections. Either way, of the project (no wage scale alternate at hotel) Booker chose a low-stakes venue CBE Alternate: Please indicate if your firm is a CBE in the District of Columbia. If to deliver what could objectively not please indicate the portion of your bid price that can qualify as a CBE portion and be described as a hell of a speech, price as an add alternate to both the residential and hotel projects. one fit for a party convention more Breakdown The hotel portion of the project needs to be priced separately than a street corner at 2 p.m. on a from the balance of the project (senior/affordable, market rate apartments, day of rest.” retail and garage). The two prices need to be stand-alone values. Booker did not immediately return The Informer’s requests for Thank you for your continued interest in our projects. comment. WI

FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2018 17 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

INTERNATIONAL Compiled by Lauren Poteat / WI Contributing Writer

African American Makes History at the Olympics

5 Maame Biney hits the ice. /Courtesy of shethepeople.tv

Maame Biney, a Ghana-born, D.C.-raised 18-yearold, became the first African-American woman ever to qualify for a U.S. Olympic speed skating team. Originally winning the 500-meter finals at team trials in December with a personal-best time of 43.161 seconds, Maame is already one of the biggest U.S. names at the Winter Olympics. With speed and the power of a sprinter, Maame’s start are reportedly what make her such a component in the 500-meter race. “When I get on that line, I’ll be like, ‘Holy moly! I’m actually here! This is the Olympics! Wow!’” Maame said, NPR reported. “That means I get to inspire other kids in the United States, maybe all over the world, to just go out there and do what you love, because you never know! You just might accomplish your goal.”

St. Croix Launches Educational Program in Ghana on Slave Trade

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The U.S. Virgins Island-based St. Croix Landmark Society is in Ghana to for its “Breaking the Silence” exhibition, as reported by ghanaweb.com. The exhibition takes on the slave trade from a child’s perspective and gives students from St. Croix the opportunity to have sessions with selected schools in Ghana on the slave trade. The project is working to get students from Ghana, St. Croix and Denmark to collaborate and work on the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. The society’s junior preservationist group has a mission to advance the understanding and appreciation of the unique historical and cultural legacy of St. Croix through preservation, research and education. As part of the visit, the group has donated items including; educational materials, beauty items, baby wipes and tools to improve a child’s motor skills to Ghana’s Special Mothers Project, an advocacy and awareness creation program on cerebral palsy.

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5 St. Croix was a major port for slaves being shipped from Ghana. / Courtesy of vifreepress.com

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South Africa President Jacob Zuma Officially Out

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Jacob Zuma /Courtesy of ugbliz.com

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The ever-present question in South Africa — “Will Zuma Fall?” — regarding President Jacob Zuma was answered last week, as the embattled leader agreed Feb. 14 to step down. South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) formally asked Zuma to resign, a senior party official confirmed. The decision to “recall” him “urgently” followed marathon talks of the ANC’s top leadership body. Zuma, who had been in power since 2009, has been plagued with corruption allegations and resisted increasing pressure to quit since December, when Cyril Ramaphosa replaced him as leader of the ANC. In 2016, South Africa’s highest court ruled that Zuma had violated the constitution when he failed to repay government money spent on his private home. WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

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FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2018 19 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

BLACK HISTORY MONTH Remembering ‘Human Kindness Day’ and other Local Miracles

Brooks and Kirkendall: D.C.’s Own Pied Pipers of Funk and Soul By D. Kevin McNeir WI Editor @dkevinmcneir For over 40 years, the District has welcomed the purple haze out of which Prince appeared. We’ve looked to the skies as a spaceship of funk slowly landed, driven by George Clinton and his wacky soldiers. We’ve even experienced the “wonder” of that super-talented blind boy from Michigan, Stevie Wonder. And we’ve gathered on the lawn with picnic baskets and spirits in Anacostia Park, waiting for the sun to go down so that families could safely groove to the tunes of Chuck Brown, Roberta Flack and Gil Scott Heron. And we have two people, in particular, to thank for those many moments of “summer madness” – Darryll Brooks and Carol Kirkendall – an unlikely duo who have taken

the concept of concert promotion to new heights. And while they’ve changed the name of their company several times, they’ve never abandoned their goal of bringing the best possible entertainment to the Greater Washington Area in spaces that are safe, accommodating and family friendly. Now, more than four decades later, they exist under the banner of C D Enterprises, tantalizing us with their annual Summer Spirit Festival each August. And they make sure that all kinds of musical genres make their way to the stage from Go-Go and hip-hop to old-school funk and R&B. We wanted to know how this twosome, these hardworking “pied pipers” of funk, soul and a whole lot more found their way and what continues to keep them going. Here’s

5 D.C.’s pied pipers of Funk and Soul. /Photo courtesy of C D Enterprises

20 FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2018

what they and their team had to say. Washington Informer: Why did you develop and promote Human Kindness Day? What impact you feel it had on the community in Southeast? Given the inequities faced by those who live in Southeast, do you think that it’s time to revive the Day or offer something similar? Brooks/Kirkendall: “Human Kindness Day” evolved from the goals desired and mandated by COMPARED TO WHAT? Inc. (“CTW?”), a community arts/education organization developed after the riots to help meet community needs that could be exposed and addressed through the arts. CTW?’s founders included Les McCann, Lloyd McNeil, Tony Taylor, Darryll Brooks, Maceo Leatherwood, Carol Kirkendall and others dedicated to change. Vantile Whitfield, newly-appointed “Arts Administrator” at the NEA, was deeply involved with the founding members to create new avenues for artists, writers and musicians to develop outlets for young people through the schools and new potential outlets.” “The Sheet,” a monthly publication, featuring works by area artists, poets and painters, was the first program developed. It was followed by Human Kindness Day, a month-long celebration that culminated with a day of celebration and events. The celebration opened with art and writing contests involving the school system (grades 7-12), focusing on the meaning of Human Kindness. Winners received certificates at the close of the Human Kindness Day celebration at the Monument Grounds – a day that included a prayer breakfast, a run through the city, performances of national and local artists on the Monument Grounds (including Roberta Flack, Dick Gregory, Nina Simone and Stevie Wonder), a onehour television show on WJLA (Ch. 7) and a civil rights exhibit at the Smithsonian.” “In conjunction with the first Human Kindness Day in 1972, the NEA accepted the “Summer Hut” proposal which brought area artists and artisans along with several hun-

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5 Dick Gregory (center) supports Black Power at Human Kindness Day. /Photo courtesy of C D Enterprises

dred school children who were bused in daily by the DC Public Schools and provided lunch donated by McDonalds. The first site was Anacostia Park in Southeast – a site chosen by the Mayor’s office, the Recreational Department and the DC Arts Commission.” “The Summer Hut program ran daily for six weeks each summer and, upon the request of the community, was augmented with evening concerts featuring local talent. Nightly attendance averaged 10,000 people of all ages. And there was never an incident that required outside involvement. The Summer Hut was a great success and continued to expand at the request of the Park Service to other park sites, lasting until 1975 before being replaced the following year by bicentennial events that did not involve the communities to whom we were dedicated.” WI: Summer concerts have become quite commonplace today in cities throughout the U.S. but they were not as frequent during the 70s. Were your initiatives used as a blueprint for those summer concerts that have since followed? Brooks/Kirkendall: “We feel strongly that the model we created in Anacostia and on the Monument Grounds was the blueprint for future events. But, we wish that “future” events had a stronger educational/ arts component.

WI: Looking at this summer’s upcoming concert, how did you get entertainers of the caliber of Erykah Badu to come aboard? Brooks/Kirkendall: Our relationship with artists like Erykah Badu started in the early days of their careers. We are grateful that many major artists keep us involved. WI: If you had to identify the artists with whom you have worked and brought to D.C. that had the most impact on you and those who attended the concert, who would they be? Brooks/Kirkendall: Stevie Wonder, Chuck Brown, George Clinton & Parliament/Funkadelic, all area Go-Go acts, Herby Azor-produced acts – Salt N Pepa, Kid N Play, etc.; Prince and of course, Erykah Badu. And so, there you have it readers – the real deal behind these super-powered concert promoters – veterans in the industry who remain committed to the D.C. community. We’ll be front and center this summer when Sister Badu and others roll into town at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in early August. We hope to see you there for a two-day concert that will knock your socks off, thanks to the hard work of the co-directors of C D Enterprises, Inc. – Carol Kirkendall and Darryll Brooks – two self-avowed “senior citizens.” WI

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BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Frederick Douglas Bicentennial

5 Mayor Muriel Bowser (2nd left), with D.C. Council members Charles Allen (Ward 6), Brianne Nadeau, Vincent Gray and Robert White during the unveiling of the recently restored Frederick Douglass portrait Feb. 14 at the John A. Wilson District Building in Northwest. /Photo by Shevry Lassiter

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It’s the premier event and hottest ticket in the Nation’s Capital in the month of February. And, YOU don’t want to miss it. Compelling and comprehensive, this year’s theme warrants special treatment. The luncheon will feature distinguished representatives of the United States Armed Forces who will discuss a range of topics, illuminating the extraordinary impact of African American military personnel in ﬁghting racism and inequality at home and abroad while ensuring civil rights for all over the past 100 years. Purchase your ticket(s) and table(s) today BEFORE THEY SELL OUT. Let’s celebrate and recognize Black History — together!

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FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2018 21 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Forever a Giant Bio Follows Development of ‘Conscious Athlete’

IFREDERICK AM

“I lot of it had to do with the game,” he said. “Coaches wanted me to learn how to play the game right and they taught me the benefits of staying in school.” Abdul-Jabbar, who grew up in New York City, said even the “mob” guys in The Village, reinforced staying in school and to not grow up like the “dummies” who were hanging around. They let him know that wasn’t the way to go. “Becoming Kareem,” co-written with Raymond Obstefeld, was written for young readers. The book goes from Abdul-Jabbar’s childhood made difficult by racism and a challenging relationship with his father, to a record-breaking career on the basketball court. During the Feb. 7 forum, the three men explored a range of topics on the life and experiences of Abdul-Jabbar: On Bruce Lee, martial arts icon, FREDERICK DOUGLASS BRONZE STATUE BY STEVEN WEITZMAN

By Brenda C. Siler WI Staff Writer Starting in high school, Kareem Adbul-Jabbar has held many basketball records. While establishing himself as one of the most respected athletes in all of sports, Abdul-Jabbar also was building credibility as a man not afraid to take a stand for important causes. The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture hosted a conversation this month with the legend where he was interviewed by former NBA player, activist and author Etan Thomas and the museum’s sports curator Damion Thomas. Abdul-Jabbar discussed his new autobiography, “Becoming Kareem: Growing Up On and Off the Court,” in which he talks of the influences that shaped his approach to basketball and life.

DOUGLASS LIFE AND LEGACY

action movie star and friend: “He was a wonderful teacher who talked about learning many ways to defend yourself,” Abdul-Jabbar said. “It was practical knowledge. He was not an esoteric guy. He was a down-to-earth guy.” On UCLA coach John Wooden, under whom Abdul-Jabbar played on three consecutive NCAA basketball championship teams and was a record three-time NCAA tournament MVP: “Coach Wooden began to see how the double-standard was applied,” Abdul-Jabbar said of an incident in which he was called the N-word that Wooden witnessed. “He learned a lot by just observing the subtleties of racism and how they can strangle your life.” About athletes as activists Abdul-Jabbar spoke about participating in the historic “Cleveland Summit” that took place when he was a UCLA student in 1967. He attended the event — convened by fellow sports legend Jim Brown, a

22 FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2018

running back for the Cleveland Browns at the time — at which participants discussed whether to support Muhammad Ali, who had been stripped of his heavyweight title and faced charges of draft dodging for his refusal to serve in the Vietnam War. Also in attendance at the summit was NBA great Bill Russell, Washington Redskins players Bobby Mitchell and Jim Shorter, among others. Abdul-Jabbar compared the summit to athletes and the level of activism in sports today, particularly Colin Kaepernick, an NFL quarterback who found himself out of the league after protesting police brutality and racial inequality by refusing to stand during the pregame national anthem. “Athletes get a nice check if they make it into the professional

By William J. Ford WI Staff Writer @jabariwill

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Please RSVP at dcarts.dc.gov For more information call 202-724-5613

legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, center, about his new book Feb. 7 at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Northwest. The museum’s curator of sports Damion Thomas participates in conversation. /Photo by Brigette White ranks. Other than that, they are treated like any other Black person,” Abdul-Jabbar said. “Police see a Black person and they go through a thing of negative expectations. A lot of times, it ends up tragically. We’ve got to deal with that issue. We won’t talk about it as long as people do not want Colin Kaepernick to take a knee. That’s why we have to keep supporting him.” “Becoming Kareem” allows the athlete-author to share his life lessons to readers of all ages with advice on how to figure out one’s life path. “If you are not prepared to do what you need to do, if you don’t understand the game plan, if you don’t understand what your goals should be, then you are going to be aimless,” he said. “That is not a way to go through life.” WI

Drama, Poetry Mark Black History Program at Ebenezer

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2018 | 7:00 PM HISTORIC LINCOLN THEATRE

I AM Frederick Douglass commemorates the 200th birthday of Frederick Douglass by presenting excerpts of the film Enslavement to Emancipation, a panel discussion on the legacy of Frederick Douglass, musicians from the National Symphony Orchestra and a Douglass actor portrayal by LeCount Holmes, Jr. This event is presented by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities in collaboration with the Mayor’s Office on African Affairs, the Mayor’s Office on African American Affairs, and the Office of Cable Television, Film, Music and Entertainment.

5 Former NBA player, actvist and author Etan Thomas, left, chats with NBA

5 Doc Powell of the Malcolm X Drummers explains the seven principles of Kwanzaa during Ebenezer AME Church’s Poetry Ministry’s Black History Month celebration in Fort Washington, Maryland, on Feb. 16. /Photo by Demetrious Kinney

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Dozens at Ebenezer AME Church in Fort Washington, Maryland, heard narrations and recitals on Marian Anderson, Mary Jane McLeod Bethune and Richard Allen as part of the church’s Poetry Ministry’s Black History Month celebration on Friday, Feb. 16, as participants portrayed these and other acclaimed figures. The theme, “If you don’t know, you’d better ask somebody,” encouraged attendees to research, read, explore and ask elders about people such as Roland Hayes, a tenor credited as the first African American to receive international recognition for his concert performances. Longtime poet Joy Alford helped start the church’s Poetry Ministry 15 years ago and serves as the group’s president. With a black and white press pass pinned to her jacket, Al-

ford portrayed Soledad O’Brien, a veteran news broadcaster, producer, TV host and CEO of Starfish Media. The church used drama, poetry and African dance as a way to share Black history of icons such as Anderson, who sang before 75,000 people in 1939 on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. “Our history was negated and just suppressed because we were not existence to [Whites] — we were tools,” said Karen Wiggs-Wilbanks of Clinton, a classical singer who draped a fur coat over her shoulders to portray Anderson. “Now we need to educate our people [that] we are not tools. We have come from kings and queens. We must never, ever forget we are not underlings.” Wiggs-Wilkins and other presentations spoke in the first person about the lives and perspectives of various individuals as the Malcolm

POETRY Page 25

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FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2018 23 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER 2/6/18 11:43 AM

BLACK Pursuing the Dream of HISTORY a College Education MONTH HBCUs Make Sure Higher Ed is Within Reach

5 Jelani Jackson, a junior at Bishop McNamara High School in Forestville, Maryland, and his father, John Jackson,

an engineer and Howard University graduate. /Photo by Mark Mahoney

By Brenda C. Siler WI Staff Writer The hard downfall of rain could not keep eager students and parents from getting to the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in Saturday, Feb. 10 for an annual college recruitment fair sponsored by Alfred Street Baptist Church. Now in its 16th year, the HBCU Festival hosted nearly 10,000 attendees at the Gaylord, with 100 historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) ready to pitch their individual

WHEN WE INVEST IN K-12 EDUCATION, WE CAN CHANGE THE WORLD “AS A TEACHER, I ACCEPT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF GIVING MY STUDENTS THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL.”

Jonathon Pulliam, Tuskegee University 2017 Walton-UNCF K-12 Education Fellow

#UNCFK12

UNCF and HBCUs are building a pipeline of African American leaders in K-12 education across the United States. Learn more at UNCF.org/K12 24 FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2018

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schools and to offer scholarships. Event sponsors included Ernst and Young, Thompson Hospitality and Burke & Herbert Bank. Lead sponsor was Facebook, which opened the event with a video message from COO Sheryl Sandberg. Representing Facebook in the D.C. area was Reginald B. McKnight, head of the social media network’s U.S. Infrastructure Public Policy, who reinforced Facebook’s commitment to HBCUs through the company’s diversity team. “This festival is a profound example of what happens when we give all our kids opportunities,” McKnight said. “More than 25,000 students have been connected to HBCUs and more than $6 million in scholarships have been awarded over the years at this festival.” Nearly 425 Alfred Street Baptist congregants were at the Gaylord to manage the massive event, a far cry from its inaugural year when five HBCU graduates were in the church basement talking up the value of an HBCU education to about 30 interested students. Rev. Dr. Howard-John Wesley, the church’s senior pastor, stressed the importance of the event to his parishioners and to the community. “Alfred Street is a historic church and we believe in the history of our people,” Wesley said. “We believe that HBCUs are viable institutions to shape that next generation of young Black men and women who are going to change the world. As long as we exist, this event will keep on going.” The church is known for doing things in a big way, having donated $1 million to the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture. On the exhibit floor, students and parents walked through the rows of booths with colleges, community organizations, branches of the military, federal government agencies, sororities and fraternities. While parents rested their tired feet, their excited teens gathered information

HBCU Page 25

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BLACK HISTORY MONTH HBCU from Page 24

be ready for as time comes. That is the good thing about going away to college.” WI

on colleges they’ve dreamed of attending. Mitchellville residents John and Joy Jackson, both engineers and Howard University graduates, listened to recruiters and to what their son Jelani was thinking. “We are both strong advocates of the HBCU experience,” John Jackson said. “We believe it is nurturing and that is important during your formative years. We wanted both our sons to see other people like them, to know that they are not the only ones on this journey.” Jelani, a junior at Bishop McNamara High School in Forestville, Maryland, made the rounds to 12 college booths. He is interested in pursuing an engineering career, just like his parents. He attended a session about getting a degree in science, technology, engineering or math (STEM). “I am looking forward to finding myself and who I am,” Jelani said. “There are a lot of things that I’m not ready for, but I will

POETRY from Page 22

on the planet,” Powell said. “Every X Drummers lightly tapped on in- day of the year is for us to teach and talk about our history. We need to talk struments in the background. Doc Powell, who founded the about this every day to our children.” That creativity was showcased group, conducted a libation ceremony to honor those who died. As part Friday as three Malcolm X Dancers of the African ritual, he bent over donned African attire and danced to T:7.5” the heavy drum beats. and poured water into a plant and Before the audience clapped their recited a short prayer. hands, tapped their feet and moved Powell also gave a brief presentafrom side to side, they heard the tion on Kwanzaa, a seven-day celePoetry Ministry’s chaplain, the Rev. bration to honor African culture. “We are the most creative people Keith Hopps, read some history as

Allen, the founder of the African Methodist Episcopal church. They also witnessed Sharon Ingram of Forestville sport a white wig to depict Bethune, an educator and civil rights activist. “This is an awesome ministry,” said Ingram, who coordinated and facilitated the program. “It is a lot of fun. We see little and sometimes huge miracles right through this ministry and our programs. It’s about learning and having faith.” WI

History isn’t just something you read about, it’s something you make every day.

T:10”

This Black History Month and 365 days a year, McDonald’s® celebrates all those who lead our community by taking chances, stepping up, making a difference and creating greatness throughout the world.

Deeply rooted in the community®

5 Reginald B. McKnight, head of

Facebook’s US Infrastructure Public Policy. /Photo by Mark Mahoney

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FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2018 25 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

BLACK HISTORY MONTH Collection of Folktales Shares the History of Blacks in America

Poems, Stories Reveal American Beginnings By Brenda C. Siler WI Staff Writer Black History Month comes with enlightenment about who we are and the global contributions of Black people. This is what readers receive in a new collection of tales, some that have made us laugh for generations. “The Annotated African American Folktales” takes us to the beginnings of our storytelling that for a long time our culture tried to deny. Co-edited by Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Maria Tatar, this newly organized collection of nearly 150 African-American tales and poems contains familiar classics such as the “Brer Rabbit” stories and the “Signifying Monkey.” There are many collections of African-American, Black or Negro folktales, but the back stories for these tales are what makes

this volume of treasures different. In January, the book won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work in the fiction category. In researching “The Annotated African American Folktales,” Gates found debates from the 1890s on whether it was a good idea for the “New Negro” to tell their stories about animals, signifying, lying and Africans flying back to Africa. That was just a small part of the “politics” of Negro folklore. According to Gates, the question among Black folks at the time was, “Is this how the soonto-be ‘New Negro’ is going to position him or herself vis a vis White racism that was part and parcel of the institution of Jim Crow?” Another concern associated with suppressing our stories was telling the stories in dialect,

considered to be the language of slavery. Acceptance meant moving away from speaking in dialect. Gates saw the attitude about dialect for the “New Negro” not only affected how folktales were told, but also carried over to music of the culture. It was important that Negroes showed they could interpret Western music. Singing spirituals was discouraged. “The Annotated African American Folktales” is a journey from Africa that delivers indepth meaning for how Black storytelling evolved. Each section of stories and poems begins with a history lesson on the origin of that group of tales. This book is a mashup of wonderful tales with textbook sensibilities. Get ready to go back to school and graduate with newfound respect for how our stories came to be. WI

5 Maria Tatar (left) and Henry Louis Gates Jr., co-editors of “The Annotat-

ed African American Folktales.”

Google Unveils 3-D Installation at NMAAHC

Provides Another Way to View Black History By Sarafina Wright WI Staff Writer

5 Google’s 3-D instalation. /Courtesy photo

26 FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2018

Google kicked off their 2018 Black History Month celebration with an unveiling of a new 3-D installation at the National Museum of African-American History and Culture (NMAAHC), curated and crafted by Black engineers. Commissioned by Dr. Lonnie Bunch, the museum’s founding director, the exhibit, led by software engineer Travis McPhail, was built by engineers in the Black Googler Network specifically for Black History Month over the course of a year and a half. “Most of us have probably wondered once or twice how our lives fit into the scope of human history,” McPhail said. “Museums have taken on this question for centuries, using artifacts to offer windows into

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other people’s experience of the world. But there’s always been a limit to what galleries can display, because of the sheer volume of objects, and because some of those items are too fragile to sit in the open or be handled by streams of patrons.” McPhail said that when the National Museum of African-American History and Culture opened in 2016, their mission was to redefine how people experience art and artifacts in the modern age. “And starting today, visitors to the museum can interact with rare items from Black history in a new 3-D installation,” he said. Named Project Griot, the wall of touch screens will allow visitors to interact with objects that have been scanned and made available in 3-D. They’ll be able to rotate the scanned images and view the 3-D ob-

jects from multiple angles. In some cases other media, such as video, text and images, will be superimposed on the scanned objects to provide greater historical context. “The items in this installation have historical and personal significance,” McPhail said. “For example, I’ve always loved 70s fashion and style. Seeing scans of actual boots from ‘The Wiz’ takes me back to my childhood delight in seeing the movie and play. “I’m also a jazz musician, like my father before me, and seeing a cast of composer and pianist Eubie Blake’s hand reminds me why I still can’t, and probably will never, do his solos justice,” he said. “My hope is visitors will experience these artifacts and establish deeper connections with their personal stories as well.” WI

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A TIME TO REFLECT ON THE PLACES WE’VE BEEN. AND WHERE WE’RE GOING.

During Black History month, we remember the past in order to create a prosperous future. We salute and acknowledge the innovations, accomplishments and culture of African-Americans. From scoreboards to boardrooms and from concerts to congress, you are making differences that can be felt every day. Toyota salutes those who are driven to succeed because determination can lead to elevation.

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FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2018 27 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

28 FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2018

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OPINIONS/EDITORIALS

EDITORIAL Chancellor’s Sudden Departure Fractures Hope The chancellor for D.C. Public Schools [DCPS], Antwan Wilson, is officially gone. The call for his resignation by six members of the D.C. City Council and others became official when Mayor Muriel Bowser, who initially stood by him, accepted his resignation on Tuesday. The mayor said Wilson had lost the trust of parents when he violated terms in his contract that prohibit parents from bypassing the school lottery system to get their child into a school of their choice. It’s impossible to ignore the irony that Wilson, the author of that rule, found it necessary to apologize to those who had entrusted him with the care and future of their children after it became public knowledge that his daughter had been benefited from Wilson bypassing the system, so she could change schools for reasons affecting her academically and emotionally. Wilson is not the first public official who has skirted the system, nor is he alone as a parent taking extraordinary means to ensure the best educational option for his child. Unfortunately, those in the highest positions or with the greatest influence often succeed, while others are left to accept the spoils of an inequitable education system. Wilson was brought here to change that but broke his own rule. It’s disappointing that Wilson’s tenure had to end this way – less than one year and one month into his first term. His visits to every D.C. public school meant a lot to parents and students – hopeful that things might change. When Wilson resigned from his job as superintendent in Oakland in the middle of the school year to come to DCPS, he undoubtedly left students and parents feeling uncertain about the future. That said, in this instance, no matter how much Mayor Bowser asserts that teaching and learning will continue, his abrupt departure will impact D.C. parents and students in similar fashion. Bowser said the mayor controls the District’s schools while the D.C. Council is responsible for their oversight. It is up to them now to support Dr. Amanda Alexander, interim chancellor, to ensure the next four months of this school year end on a positive note. WI

America’s Fixation with Guns May Be the Death of Us All The time has long past when the saner among us must stop hiding behind decisions made more than 200 years ago by the Founding Fathers. The “right to bear arms” has become mired in a politically-motivated quagmire that continues to drag on and on and on. But while members of Congress and the president bicker among themselves and walk gingerly so as not to upset their constituents, innocent children and adults are being shot and killed by deranged gunmen – often for reasons that we will never know. The recent shooting in Florida serves as yet another example of why our country must institute greater gun control, the least of which should be a ban on assault weapons. But we aren’t optimistic that any real change will come following this latest mass murder. Sure, there will be conversations and listening tours. We will hear muffled comments are mental health care and how challenges of mental health must be addressed with more resolve. But the guns won’t go anywhere, we fear. The laws will not change – at least not in any significant way. And inevitably, in some other city, in some other high school or elementary school, in some other park or theater or festival, someone will take aim at men, women and children who have done nothing to the gunmen and become his or her target practice. Most other countries that are considered leaders on the planet have made swift and long-lasting changes to avoid repeats of mass murders by gun-slinging citizens. When will America get on board? How many more children must die? Las Vegas, Orlando, Virginia Tech, Sandy Hook, Columbine, Aurora . . . When will enough be enough? WI WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

TO THE EDITOR Marvel’s ‘Black Panther’: Do It for the Culture

Obama Portraits Represent Real Time

What’s more amazing than “The Black Panther” movie right now? Besides the fact that it’s an all-Black cast that just literally made history as the number-one gross selling film opening weekend by a Black director? I mean did you see all those fierce females fighting for their sovereignty with their huge swords and smoothly shaved heads, all dripped in dark brown butter sauce? And when I think about the two little Black boys who had just seen the film, who I saw pointing at the “Black Panther” display images, asking one another “which one are you?” “I’m the king,” “No I want to be the king,” was invaluable and totally heartwarming. So to all those people who think this is just another film — you are crazy! If you haven’t seen this movie yet and wish to be eternally transformed forever, it is definitely a must. From the real tribal African garments to the real African dialects. Don’t like superhero movies? Then just do it for the culture!

Despite some harsh criticisms, the Smithsonian’s recent presidential portraits truly reflect what’s happening in today’s society for the better. The unveiling of the new paintings of former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, held at the National Portrait Gallery, hosted more than 72,100 visitors opening week, including 50,000 this past weekend, and I have to say ... “I’m glad.” I really believe that this is the year of Extreme Black Excellence, despite the political climate and ever-changing world. We’ve overcome tougher odds and we always seem to do it with such finesse. So salute to all the people who thought big enough to even get out and put the Obamas in the White House. Salute to all the people who then saw it fit to get President Obama re-elected. Salute to all the people who paid homage to their brilliant legacy through two new outstanding paintings and salute to all the people who came out (and are still coming) to see it. From “Black Panther” to the Obamas, this is truly our year.

Meredith Farmer

Kevin Yearwood

Readers' Mailbox

The Washington Informer welcomes letters to the editor about articles we publish or issues affecting the community. Write to: lsaxton@washingtoninformer. com or send to: 3117 Martin Luther King Jr Ave., SE, Washington, D.C. 20032. Please note that we are unable to publish letters that do not include a full name, address and phone number. We look forward to hearing from you.

FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2018 29 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

OPINIONS/EDITORIALS Guest Columnist

By Dorothy Rowley

Grief, Anger and Bulletproof Backpacks

Are you kidding me? Parents suddenly shopping for bulletproof backpacks for their kids? So this is what the world has come to regarding the safety of our children at school? Yet, reports state that companies selling them are seeing an uptick in sales. See, when I was growing up, school counted as one of the safest places to be. Aside from

concentrating on our education, school offered nice homestyle meals (i.e. lunches). We learned manners, talked about what we learned in Sunday School. We took a nap and had teachers who really knew us — and in many cases, knew our parents. As eager little safety patrol officers, we not only helped each other cross the streets at school before and after classes, we also proudly patrolled our schools’ hallways. Remember? We were taught to look out for each other and to be alerted to people who, for example, hap-

Guest Columnist

pened through the building looking for the principal’s office. And if you knew you were going to be beaten up after school by a bully, you knew there was safety within those school walls — so safe that you figured if you stayed behind at school hanging around the principal’s office or helping your teacher clean erasers, the bully would eventually grow tired of waiting on you and go home. Heck, you could even stay at school until the principal left, if your parents were going to be late picking you up. As I recall, school was a place

of protection and security without the presence of police officers. But sadly nowadays, we’re almost afraid to send our children to school. Looking at the jarring number of school shootings — with the Florida tragedy being the seventh in the country this year — when we do send them our children to school, we now must not only ponder their social, academic and emotional development, but their safety as well. None of us wants to live in fear for the lives of our children, particularly when they’re at school.

Yet, given the wave of school killings that have held the nation captive with grief and fear, I imagine growing numbers of parents who are now very seriously considering home schooling. (By the way, while a recent Pew poll reveals that the vast majority of Democrats and Republicans favor preventing the mentally ill from purchasing guns, as well as background checks for private and gun-show sales, President Donald Trump failed to address gun violence in his Feb. 15 re-

ROWLEY Page 46

By Kay Coles James

We Need Educational Equality in Our Schools

Frederick Douglass. Condoleezza Rice. Martin Luther King Jr. Clarence Thomas. Ida B. Wells. Shirley Chisholm. All of these leaders will receive renewed national attention during this Black History Month. And all have something else in common: their emphasis on education.

None of these leaders would have been able to achieve the remarkable victories or overcome the incredible obstacles they faced without an education. I share their passion for education equality. I’ve fought for it all my life. My own battle started in 1961, when I joined 25 other black students to integrate a segregated junior high school in Richmond, Virginia. And it hasn’t stopped since. I fervently believe all children — no matter their race, religion, income, age or address — have an equal right to re-

Guest Columnist

ceive an excellent education. That’s more than opinion. It’s the law of the land. In the landmark Brown v. Board of Education ruling that ended school segregation, Chief Justice Earl Warren wrote, “It is doubtful that any child may reasonably be expected to succeed in life if he is denied the opportunity of an education. Such an opportunity, where the state has undertaken to provide it, is ‘a right which must be made available to all on equal terms.’” Nearly 65 years later, however, it’s

painfully obvious that education in America remains very unequal. Too many schools are failing their students. Schools that squash children’s dreams, beat down their hopes and diminish their expectations have created a crisis in the black community. Today, in many large U.S. cities, more than half of all African-American students never graduate high school. All children deserve to get the tools they need to make their dreams come true. But high school dropouts typically don’t have them. As a

result, it’s much harder for them to get a job, much less earn what those who do graduate make. They’re also more likely to commit crimes and be victimized by crime. Far too often, the dreams they once had turn into nightmares. I was fortunate. Even though I was kicked, punched and stuck with pins during the integration battle, I was able to attend a better school. Too many kids today don’t have that chance. Instead, anti-reform

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By ShaRhonda Knott-Dawson

Nobody Can Take Away Your History

To my beautiful, brilliant Black daughters: I have so many hopes and dreams for you, that if I tried to say them all, they would run longer than the entire Harry Potter series! My hopes for you, my two beautiful Black girls, are so simple and yet also entirely grandiose. My dreams for you, beautiful Black girls, are that you are free to be whoever you want to be. If you only get one lesson from me, your mother, let it be this: Your history didn’t start with slavery, and White people’s history didn’t start in

the United States of America. As your Black parents, your father and I are teaching you our viewpoint. Our Black culture begins with the beginning of humans. In fact, the first humans lived in Africa. The first civilizations were in Africa. Our Christianity began in Africa. Africa is our homeland and everything about Africa should bring you pride. Wear your African-ness, your Blackness with pride! Your history, the history of the continent of civilization in Africa, starts in modern day Sudan, around 6000 B.C. In fact, the first “empire” of two great nations happened between modern-day Egypt and modern-day Sudan. We will be sure you know those modern names are

30 FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2018

European names. We will teach you their deep-rooted African names: KMT and Meroe. We are teaching you the history of ancient Kemet, Meroe and Nubia. You will learn of the African civilizations, the use of iron and tools in Africa, the resource riches of the African continent and the complicated, fascinating history of over 10,000 years of human civilization. Africa had kings and queens and warriors, slaves, artists, scientists, mathematicians, farmers, sailors, inventors and musicians. You come from a beautifully talented Black culture. As your mother, I have told you repeatedly that you are already free to be whoever you want to be. But as you approach adolescence and spend

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more time in schools than you do with your parents, you may begin to doubt that I told you the truth. See, the books that you will read and the lessons you learn, will not validate your potential exactly as you are, beautiful, brilliant Black girls, from a legacy of beautiful, brilliant Black women. YOU MUST LEARN THEIR HISTORY, BUT YOU CAN TAKE A BROADER PERSPECTIVE. In formal school education, you will be exposed to a different viewpoint. Most school curricula in the United States are completely uninterested in young, brilliant Black girls like you learning about your culture, discovering multiple viewpoints or

forming your own opinions. In school, you will likely be inundated with stories of Europe: ancient Greece, Roman Empire, the Medieval Period, Dark Ages, Industrial Revolution and the British Empire. Then you will be told all about the greatness of the United States of America that comes from the rich history of Europe. You will be forced to memorize, learn and admire the brilliance and beauty of Europe and White people. This is something I cannot protect you from. You must learn their history. But remember, more than facts are at stake. In those classrooms, you are seeing only their viewpoint. You

KNOTT-DAWSON Page 46

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OPINIONS/EDITORIALS Guest Columnists

By Bill Fletcher Jr.

NFL Season Marred by Controversy

I was thrilled that the Philadelphia Eagles defeated New England in Super Bowl LII. This season, however, I took a complete break from watching the NFL and, as a result, missed the game completely. While the coup de grace was the exiling of quarterback Colin Kaepernick by the NFL owners, I have to confess that this break has been coming for a while. In 2013, when it was announced that

Heisman Trophy winner and former Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos player Tony Dorsett had been diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (a brain disease afflicting many former football players) I took it very personally. Dorsett and I are the same age and there were ways that I felt as if we were old friends, despite never having met. Watching him on television, year after year, it almost felt as if we had grown up together. Dorsett’s diagnosis brought home the catastrophic side of football, a side that I had both acknowledged and denied for years.

Guest Columnists

But when it afflicted someone with whom I identified, it became very real. It led me to question my choices, including, had I had a son, would I have supported or opposed their playing college and/ or professional football? Of course, the 2017 NFL season confronted an additional crisis with the apparent blacklisting of Colin Kaepernick as a response to his protests against police brutality and injustice in the Black community. This blacklisting touched a raw nerve for much of Black America. My mother, who can outdo about anyone when it

comes to being a football fan, refused to watch any football this season. I was stunned, to be honest, though I knew that she was a staunch supporter of Kaepernick. As far as she was concerned, enough was enough. I get the feeling that the NFL is standing on the edge of a major crisis. The combination of the injuries — and how the NFL has addressed them — and the protests, into which Donald Trump has intervened, have raised questions about the future of professional football. Are football players to be our so-called gladiators,

used up and spit out by a system flowing in money? Are football players — and other athletes — supposed to be mindless performers who are not entitled to express their views, even when such an expression does not infringe on the rights of others? These seem to me to be the questions confronting the owners, the National Football League Players Association (the union that represents the players) and the fans. And it is the fans who, unfortunately, regularly tune out on any of the truly burning issues confronting the players on any given Sunday. WI

By William Reed

Message to Trump: Address Critical Infrastructure Needs of Blacks

American people overwhelmingly support taking action to rebuild our nation’s infrastructure — or so says the White House. There’s strong support across the country for repairing aging infrastructure. In his State of the Union address, President Trump highlighted his plan to rebuild the

nation’s “crumbling” infrastructure. It’s Trump’s intentions to push Congress to approve a $1.5 trillion plan. About 54,259 of the 612,677 bridges in the U.S. are “structurally deficient.” Americans cross these deficient bridges 174 million times a day. Our infrastructure needs must be addressed and Blacks need to give Trump a nudge toward continuing the conversation with Congress on efforts that build a stronger America for everyone. Polls show investment in Amer-

Askia-At-Large

ica’s infrastructure — and the need for the federal government to address our crumbling roads, bridges and waterways — has typically been a bipartisan issue. Blacks must recognize that it’s time to work to get investment in our nation’s infrastructure. Before our actions got so “politicized,” our nation’s infrastructure, as the White House put it, “was once a pillar that made this country great and the need to finally reform it is clearly shared across the political spectrum.”

The calls from Blacks to Trump for rebuilding money and project should go out now. We need to invest in our infrastructure in a smart ways that benefit everyone. Among Blacks and across Urban America, there’s need for an investment of $2 trillion over the next 10 years to bring our infrastructure back to good condition. African Americans are still a highly segregated population concentrated in neighborhoods and schools with low-quality

infrastructure. No matter where Blacks live, the effects of climate change will have a profound effect in the years to come. Public transit has also been an industry that has provided good jobs for African Americans. Blacks need to lobby Trump to make public transit investments that African Americans need. African American communities are constantly suffering from high levels of jobless. If we just-

REED Page 54

By Askia Muhammad

White House Now Trump’s Brothel

Whenever the current occupant of the federal executive mansion permanently exits that place, it will have to be thoroughly decontaminated even before it can be redecorated for any new resident. Donald J. Trump has turned the White House into a brothel. The abrupt departure of Rob Porter, the president’s former staff secretary, exposed the mess. It is a literal “Peyton Place” of romance and intrigue among the Team Trump insiders. Por-

ter, along with as many as three dozen other key staffers, had incomplete security clearances, although they routinely handle the nation’s most delicate secrets. The rumor mills around town are rife with salacious stories about the royal court, up to and including King Donald J. himself. So it came as no surprise that 45 hypocritically wished for Porter to receive a chance to defend himself against what he said, amount only to unproven “allegations” made by the women, and that instead of having his career ruined, he should have been entitled to some sort of “due pro-

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cess.” It takes a person with absolutely no sense of balance or reciprocity (like DJT) to protect someone, after he once viciously condemned five innocent Black and Latino men in a full-page newspaper ad, calling for the death penalty for them. The men were falsely accused and convicted of raping a female jogger in New York’s Central Park in 1989. But he defended Judge Roy Moore, accused by multiple women of stalking and preying upon them when he was a socalled hotshot Alabama lawyer and when they were underage children.

He defended media figures Bill O’Reilly and Roger Ailes, who each paid women millions of dollars to buy their silence about their illicit sexual behavior. This president of the United States has himself been accused of all manner of sexual wrongdoing. The Washington Post reported a list of 13 women who have publicly come forward with claims that that dude physically touched them inappropriately in some way, and they all have corroborating witnesses. In interviews with Howard Stern and “Access Hollywood,” the guy boasts of grabbing women’s crotches and walking into the

dressing room of the beauty contest he owned for “inspections” during the pageants. “You know they’re standing there with no clothes. ... And you see these incredible-looking women. And so I sort of get away with things like that,” he said to Stern. And then there is porn star Stormy Daniels, who was paid $130,000 by Trump’s lawyer to buy her silence. There is another secret. Stormy had already given an interview, before her confidentiality agreement with Trump just before the 2016 election.

ASKIA Page 54

FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2018 31 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

HEALTH

CLYBURN from Page 16 So I’m grateful to those men who have allowed me to evolve in this role in my own way and every single one of them were complimentary in recognizing my uniqueness and that’s important for those who come behind those legends.

Neighbors Train to be Ambassadors of the Law By Tatyana Hopkins W.I. Staff Reporter The Neighborhood Engagement Achieves Results Act (NEAR Act) was passed in March of 2016 to “reduce crime and increase access to social services,” by providing resources to anyone involved in crime. But before the Council passed it unanimously advocates rallied behind the bill, testifying at hearings in support of the legislation, and when it was left without full funding after it was passed advocates organized to deliver thousands of signatures to in support of its funding. In October of 2017, the measure received full funding at the start of the city’s fiscal years. Now, members of the grassroots organizations instrumental in the passing and funding of legislation are training

hundreds of everyday residents to become ambassadors of the bill to ensure its full implementation through “NEAR Act Ambassador” trainings in various parts of the city. Black Live Matter D.C., ACLU D.C. and Stop Police Terror Project (SPTP) began hosting the trainings in November to educate residents about the measure and empower them to urge city officials to fully implement it. “From there, folks who got trained fanned out and became advocates for full transparent implementation of the NEAR Act in their own communities,” said Gregory Montross, an organizer with SPTP. “Really, folks got involved in whatever way they feel most comfortable with.” The meetings, held in various wards throughout the city being with organizers sharing basic infor-

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5 Mayor Bowser updates the community. /Photo courtesy of EOM.dc.gov

mation about the NEAR Act and answering questions. Then, participants separate into groups based on their ward and discuss action plans they believe work best for their neighborhood. While participants are encouraged to reach out to city representatives and get friends involved, the group is working on passing a model resolution in Advisory Neighborhood Commissions (ANCs) throughout the city that call for the full implementation of the NEAR Act. “ANC are a unique neighborhood elected body that has some formal authority in D.C. government on things like zoning and liquor licenses, but then it has strong persuasive authority on anything,” Montross said. Among their largest concerns: lack of communication and transparency from the government on updates concerning the bill’s implementation. The group has passed the resolution in at least one ANC, and has it pending in several more. They hope the resolutions will create a sense of urgency for government officials to update them on the status of the NEAR Act’s implementation.

The Washington Convention and Sports Authority (t/a Events DC) Bid Opportunity The Washington Convention and Sports Authority (t/a Events DC) is soliciting bids from qualified vendors to perform Virtual Reality 360-Degree Photography and Videography Services. Interested parties can view a copy of the Request for Proposal (RFP) by accessing the Event DC’s E-procurement website at www.wcsapex.com and opening APEX BID #18-S005-474. Key Dates Questions Due Date: 05:00 PM EST, Thursday, March 08, 2018 Proposal Due Date: 03:00 PM EST, Monday, March 19, 2018 32 FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2018

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

“All of us have come to this through many different realms, but we are by no means any experts on this. In fact, we honor collaboration and this whole entire this is a multipronged effort by many people,” said Hasan Bhatti with SPTP. “The traditional approach to violence prevention… has been more police, with more military-style equipment arresting more people for a wider variety of things,” said Zach Weinstein, who thinks the NEAR Act could address “over policing.” One resources established under the NEAR Act is the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (ONSE), which houses several the bills programs, and is charged with the task of engaging individuals determined to a high-risk participant or victim of crime. The Office of Violence Prevention and Health Equity (OVPHE) within the D.C. Department of Health to conduct a public information campaign and place social workers in hospital emergency rooms in the city to offer counseling. “But as happens in D.C. all too often there’s a fight to get something passed, and there’s a fight to get something implemented,” Weinstein said. But, city officials say implementation is in progress. “ONSE is currently in the final stages of hiring individuals to work as violence interrupters and community outreach specialists by early March,” said a spokesperson for the Office of the City Administrator. The office received more than 300 applications for five positions—two “violence intervention specialists who will work with community members at risk for becoming involved in a violent crime and three “community outreach specialists that will include a Spanish bilingual position. WI

WI: We know that broadband and minority ownership are key issues on your plate. Can you briefly tell us why that’s so important and why African Americans should be paying attention? Clyburn: The FCC is one of the most significant federal agencies and most people don’t think about it or never heard of it unless there’s a wardrobe malfunction at the Super Bowl or a four-letter word used during family hour. We are enablers of or stiflers of technology. We are enablers or stiflers of broadband. We can ensure that more Americans can be connected. What we do can both make programs like Lifeline more ubiquitous and answer today’s needs when it comes to telecommunications or we can close the books where they don’t work ideally. When you think about telecommunications, you can’t do anything without communicating and you can’t communicate effectively in the 21st century without communicating with broadband. I say to people that when they [ask] what does the FCC does. If you hear or see a signal transmitted over the air, the FCC had something to do with that. WI: The high rates of prison telephone calls has been another big issue. Why is that a major topic of concern for you? Clyburn: It’s very obvious that it’s time to achieve just and reasonable rates for families trying to keep in touch with their loved ones in prison facilities. The FCC has taken a path in doing what it can to make sure that the broken eco system is one that works best for those 2.7 million children who might have one parent behind bars. This marks my 20th year as a regulator and this is the most broken, distressing and sad framework that I’ve ever seen. It’s making an already stressful situation even more dire for millions of families. It is needless to charge what you can — the sky is the limit — and ensuring that already-poor people are put further into bankruptcy because they want to hear the voice of an incarcerated loved one. This injustice is a sad commentary on this nation because, unfortunately, 2.7 million children apparently mean nothing to people, because if they did, we’d have a rate structure that’s reasonable. This could be fixed in a matter of weeks if we really put our minds to it. WI

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HEALTH

D.C. Council Mulls Maternal Mortality Review Committee By S.Y. Sherman Special to The Informer The D.C. Council recently moved to address the staggering increase in District women dying during pregnancy, labor or within weeks of delivery by establishing the D.C. Maternal Mortality Review Committee. According to a bill introduced by Council member Charles Allen, D.C.’s maternal mortality rate was gauged at 39 deaths per 100,000, surpassing states such as New Jersey, Maryland and Virginia. “Maternal mortality rates in the District indicate nothing short of a maternal health crisis,” Allen said in a statement. “The District’s maternal mortality rate is far higher than in neighboring jurisdictions and the United States as a whole. And we don’t have consistent data to tell us why.” The death rates vary by race, with African-American women three times as likely to die of pregnancy-related causes than other ethnicities — largely due to chronic health conditions that go untreated or during pregnancy, including hypertension, diabetes and heart disease. Shana Bartley, acting executive director for the organization D.C. Action for Children, offered testimony during a public hearing for the legislation B22-0522 — The Maternal Mortality Review Committee Establishment Act of 2017, that streamlining maternal health care is essential to overall family health. “The link between maternal and child outcomes cannot be overstated,” Bartley said. “During pregnancy, chronic maternal conditions such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension as well as parental environmental exposure and psychological stressors have an impact on fetal and infant health. “Not only does maternal health during pregnancy affect child health, but maternal presence also supports positive child outcomes after birth,” she said. “Therefore, protecting the lives of pregnant women and mothers is incumbent upon the District, both for the sake of the mother and of her child.” Bartley testified that recent changes to D.C.’s maternal and child health care system have the potential to affect the District’s

already-high maternal and infant mortality rates and emphasize the need for close attention to maternal health outcomes. “In the past year, two of D.C.’s seven hospital maternity wards closed, accompanying a shift in Medicaid managed care organizations that has altered the landscape and affected some women’s ability to receive care from their preferred providers,” Bartley said. “In response, other hospitals are building capacity to take on more

“Not only does maternal health during pregnancy affect child health, but maternal presence also supports positive child outcomes after birth.” Shana Bartley

Could a Diet Change Help Your Rheumatoid Arthritis? patients as well as form new partnerships with community-based providers. “Given already-high maternal and infant mortality rates in D.C., we are concerned about the cumulative impacts of these changes on maternal mortality in the District, especially amongst those pregnant women at greatest risk for negative birth outcomes, including maternal death,” she said. “We believe that a maternal mortality review board, alongside preemptive strategies, is essential to monitoring the effects of these changes and sharing findings that may prevent future deaths.” If the D.C. bill passes a second vote and is approved by Mayor Muriel Bowser, the committee would function under the chief medical examiner, whose office would conduct and publish research and policy guidelines. “If we want to put the right policies and priorities in place to prevent more deaths related to childbirth, we need to understand what’s happening to our mothers,” Allen said. “Getting a maternal mortality review committee up and running is the first step to charting a path forward and saving women’s lives.” WI

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5 Mayor Muriel Bowser /Courtesy photo

AIRPORT from Page 15 my daughters and missing my flight.” Judd said the overall response from passengers has been similarly positive. “It is always important that our airport customers are relaxed and feel at home,” Judd said. “We know it can be a stressful time going through security and screenings. Passengers experiencing a city the first time when they get on or off the plane — having that welcoming experience lends to their feeling at ease and happy. Additionally, for Black History Month, we wanted to use different channels of reaching people, including social media, online content, banners inside the airport, make sure customers and contractors, getting into a mood of reflection the importance.” Part two of the series will examine the Black-owned businesses and franchise owners whose efforts undergird the airports’ $23 billion economic impact on the District of Columbia. WI

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FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2018 33 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

EDUCATION Writing Club at Ketcham Elementary Boosts Students’ Social, Emotional Learning By Dorothy Rowley WI Staff Writer When policymakers search out ways to secure rights to education for disenfranchised students, they often tend to focus on equity in terms of civil rights. However, a $2.6 million “Excellence through Equity” program launched last fall at D.C.’s public schools provides an inspiring look at how the focus on fairness can also be about the establishment of writing clubs in hopes of changing students’ perspectives of themselves and their environments.

“We’re starting to see some terrific things happening at schools with this money, related to social and emotional learning, math and literacy, and attendance,” said Kristina Saccone, District of Columbia Public Schools spokeswoman. “All of the spending is happening towards the goal of equity in education for all students, and one of the unique things about the ‘Excellence through Equity’ program is that there’s a story at every school.” One such school is Ketcham Elementary School in the Anacostia community, where their forthcoming allocation has been earmarked

for a Wednesday after-school writing club where students are improving literacy or math through the lens of equity in social emotional learning. Ciji Dodds, founder of the threeyear-old Anthology Project at Ketcham, and its teacher adviser Sarah Baraba, shared their enthusiasm about the $1,000 Ketcham stands to receive from Excellence through Equity. Dodds said she started the project because of her interested in helping students expand their creative writing skills. “I know it’s an ongoing issue in schools that trickles over into undergrad and college,” Dodds said. “I also know that kids need to develop skills to actually write and that the writing club is a great way to supplement what they’re already learning in school.” Baraba said that since its inception, the project — which has been funded by Dodds and two former Ketcham teachers — depends on the volunteer efforts of herself, Dodds and a couple other teachers. “On average, we have about 10 student members of the Anthology Project,” Baraba said. “We usually refer to them as the actual authors, although we sometimes call for contributing students who just want to submit their stories to the anthology.”

5 Sarah Baraba, a teacher advisor at Ketcham Elementary School’s Anthology Club, coaches students during their meetings. /Photo by Dorothy Rowley

So far, students enrolled in grades two through five have authored two volumes of writings that express sentiments about themselves and their surroundings. A visit to the after-school club instantly shines light on the students’ exuberance for their craft, as indicated by 3rd-grader Anari Pannell, who said her favorite part of being in the Anthology Club has been learning how to help make her community better. Her sister Arzane said she likes everything about being in the club. “I’ve been in the club for two years and it actually serves as a break from stress for me,” said the 4th-grader. “I love this part of the day on Wednes-

days because I get excited when we’re all together writing and having fun.” Dodds, who takes on the technical work of putting the books together and getting them published, said one book, “Beyond the Bridge,” makes the point of showing that great things can come out of Anacostia, while another, “In My Neighborhood,” details the students’ love of their Ward 8 community. “The Me I Wish to Be” basically captures the student authors’ dreams, and a freestyle compilation entails various creative writings they have wanted to express. “You can tell the growth of the

WRITING Page 36

We plan to scale our strong model and outcomes to serve more students

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French and Spanish immersion program Dual focus on academic excellence and community service 34 FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2018

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I’m Living Black History by Opening a School that Prepares Children for their Futures By Mashea M. Ashton Over hundred years ago, before the start of the Civil War, a middle-aged, but free Frederick Douglass engaged in a series of written dialogues with white slave-owners who didn’t share his belief that the institution of slavery was morally wrong. Letter after letter, each tried to persuade the other of their convictions. In one letter, Douglass, having once been a slave himself, wrote something that resonates today as it did when it was written: “It is easier to build strong children than to fix broken men.” When I think about the education of our children, no truer words were uttered by such a towering figure of not just Black history but American History. Not only was Douglass unwavering in his quest to free Black people from the physical and mental bondage of slavery, he believed very deeply that education was an essential component for the survival of our people, even if becoming literate meant learning unpleasant things about the world around us. How lucky are we to have Douglass’ home and many of his works and teachings preserved right in our backyard as an exemplar of black excellence to inspire the next generation. But if we’re really honest about the current state of many of our schools, we have to admit that we have a ways to go before we can get each school to a state of excellence. We continue to live in a country where the black-white academic achievement gap not only persists but has widened in some places. In many communities of color, race,

income, and class plays an outsized role in the allocation of resources. And, we live in a country where zip codes can determine how good our schools are. This is not the type of black excellence Douglass and so many of our civil rights leaders struggled for. We must change the narrative once and for all: our children deserve access to great teachers and a great education in their neighborhoods. We can do better. We must do better. That’s why I decided to open Digital Pioneers Academy East of the Anacostia River in the fall of 2018. I believe every child in Ward 7 and Ward 8 is beautifully made with unique gifts and abilities. Our children deserve a school that not only nurtures their unique talents with the right academic habits for the modern world but also provides them with an environment where they feel known, loved and always respected. Our children must be equipped with the skills necessary to succeed in this rapidly changing global environment. We must encourage collaboration and the development of critical thinking skills through computer science. Our school will prepare our children to harness the power of technology to develop the next generation of innovators. Our children will be prepared to meet or exceed the highest academic standards while cultivating the skills and character necessary to both graduate from four-year colleges and thrive in 21st-century careers. As Malcolm X once said, “education is the passport to the future.” I know our children will solve the challenges of the future if given the right opportunity to learn and grow in a great school environment. I also know what an excellent education can do for our children. It’s time we provide

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every child in Anacostia and Woodlands; and in Benning Heights and Twining with a high-quality education that offers a passport to their futures as well. Mashea M. Ashton is the founding Principal and CEO of Digital Pioneers Academy. Learn more at www.DigitalPioneersAcademy.org

Be Innovative! Create the future of learning with us. Apply now: MySchoolDC.org Digital Pioneers Academy is a new free public charter Middle School opening East of the Anacostia River in Washington, D.C. Our Vision: Digital Pioneers Academy exists to help all students in the nation, from the most equipped to the most underserved, become the creators of the digital economy, not just the consumers. We exist to show the nation that a school can and should do this. We will provide our students with the skills to graduate from college and work in the 1.4 million computing jobs available. We expect and achieve excellence in everything we do. Our Mission: Digital Pioneers Academy’s mission is to develop the next generation of innovators.

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FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2018 35 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

LIFESTYLE ‘Porgy and Bess’ – America’s Opera Returns National Philharmonic, Ellington Choir Join Forces at Strathmore WI Staff Report The National Philharmonic will celebrate the conclusion of Black History Month at The Music Center at Strathmore with George Gershwin’s groundbreaking opera, “Porgy and Bess.” Conducted by Philharmonic Chorale Artistic Director Stan Engebretson, the show features an all-African-American cast in the major singing roles – something demanded

by Gershwin’s estate so that his work could never be performed by white singers in blackface. The opera tells the poignant story of Porgy, a crippled street beggar in Charleston, who longs for the love of Bess. Baritone Kevin Deas (Porgy) and soprano Marlissa Hudson (Bess), lead the ensemble, accompanied by the 180-member National Philharmonic Chorale and members of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts Concert Choir.

Few of the Broadway musicals Gershwin contributed to are as popular and revered to this day as is “Porgy and Bess,” which premiered on Broadway in 1935 to mixed reviews. It closed after a four-month run but went on to become a beloved fixture in American theatre. The opera is based on American author DuBose Heyward’s novel, “Porgy” (1925), which gave a groundbreaking perspective in its portrayal of African-American characters as emotionally and psychologically complex, paving the way for a Southern Renaissance of writers that included William Faulkner and Thomas Wolfe. For his “American Folk Opera,” Gershwin spent time studying African-American music and culture in the rural South. The opera was originally criticized for having a work based on “lowly” pop music. Conversely, Black audiences criticized the work for its stereotyped characters. However, the composition became a cornerstone of quintessentially American music, and was even selected by the U.S. State Department in 1952 to represent the country on an international tour. The compositional history of “Porgy and Bess,” Gershwin’s most ambitious work, represents the fulfillment of his long-nurtured desire to compose a new kind of opera, one

5 Marlissa Hudson /Photo courtesy Duke Ellington School of the Arts

5 Kevin Deas /Photo courtesy Duke Ellington School of the Arts

that would blend the classical operatic genre with the elements of jazz, popular music and folk music that were so much a part of his career as a Broadway composer. From the very beginning, Gershwin took care to draw attention to the special nature of the work. In an often-quoted article published in 1935 in The New York Times, he described his conception: “Porgy and Bess is a folk tale. Its people naturally would sing folk music. When I first began work in the music I decided against the use of original folk material because I wanted the music to be all of one piece. Therefore, I wrote my own spirituals and folksongs. But they are still folk music, and therefore being in operatic form, Porgy and Bess becomes a folk opera.” Michael J. Bobbitt will serve as the performance’s stage director. Samuel Bonds, director of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, will conduct the school’s performance. Bonds has been with the Duke Ellington School for more than 30 years. Kevin Deas has gained international renown as one of America’s leading bass-baritones. He ismost acclaimed for his riveting portrayal of the title role in “Porgy and Bess” with the New York Philharmonic, National Symphony, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and scores of others. American soprano Marlissa Hudson, described as a “superb lyric col-

oratura,” made her professional debut with the Boston Pops Orchestra. Recognized as an international concert performer, she has performed in concerts in Bulgaria, Paraguay, Brazil, and the United States. Other performers include Michael Redding as Crown, Chauncey Packer as Sportin’ Life, Aundi Moore as Serena, Edward Pleasant as Jake, NaGuanda Nobles as Carla and Maria and Colin Eaton as Mingo and Peter Robbins.

WRITING from Page 34

simply likes learning new things, said writing taught her a lot about segregation, Black History Month and a lot of famous Black people, fifth-grader Jeremiah Walker paused momentarily before pensively stating his love of writing. He also said it helps him to be more outgoing. “I really like to write and being in the club helps with my [social] strategies,” he said with a wide smile. “I can see lot of improvement.” WI

students just by the quality of their writings over the past two years,” particularly in the politically-themed compilation, ‘Breakthrough,’” Dodds said. “Last year was big time in politics, and we focused on how policies and politics affect students. A lot of our students were concerned, and they were experiencing different feelings, so we wanted to give them an outlet to express that.” While Ta’Shaun Hunt, 10, who

36 FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2018

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

EDITOR’S NOTE: Longtime Washingtonians may recall that there’s a fascinating history behind the National Philharmonic’s production of “Porgy and Bess” in concert with the Duke Ellington School of the Arts Concert Choir with one name that continues to arise: Todd Duncan. Look for interviews on our website with Samuel Bonds, Aundi Moore, Victoria Gau and Stan Engebretson as they recall the longstanding history of this celebrated production and the significance that Duncan has had on the lives and careers of so many local singers. The performance is sponsored by Patricia Haywood Moore and Roscoe M. Moore, Jr. The opera is performed on Saturday, Feb. 24, at 8 p.m. in Strathmore’s Concert Hall. Admission is free for young people ages 7-17. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.nationalphilharmonic.org or call 301-581-5100. WI

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The Panther: A Superhero for Black Youth

LIFESTYLE

U.S. Dream Academy Students Inspired by Hit Film By Randi Martin WI Contributing Writer Children from several District-based elementary and middle schools found themselves treated to a private screening of a popular new film at a movie theater in Northwest – and the excitement it evoked became evident in the words they shared after seeing Marvel’s “Black Panther.” The screening, held on Sunday, Feb. 18 at the AMC Mazza Gallerie in Friendship Heights, allowed several dozen students from the U.S. Dream Academy, an afterschool and mentoring program located throughout the U.S. with local campuses in Southeast and Baltimore, the opportunity to see a new Black superhero – one that has something rarely in common with each child – their Black skins. Academy officials partnered with Monarch Magazine, with headquarters in Northwest, for a nationwide social media initiative, #BlackPantherChallenge, that secured donations from celebrities and community leaders alike, so children of color could witness the movie, featuring an all-Black cast, for free – even enjoying tasty treats from the theater’s concession stand. William Walters, publisher and founder of the District-based Monarch Magazine, said he wished there had been a super hero who looked like him during his youth. “During my childhood in the 80’s, we’d dive into comic

books with heroes like Batman and Ironman who were the only characters we had and whom we could hope to be like when we grew up. Today, I’m elated to see a film that features heroes who look like me and our youth. Maybe they can’t run or jump like Black Panther, but they can think like him. They can take advantage of educational opportunities that can unlock doors once closed to people of color,” said Walters, an Ohio native and University of Akron alum who has since moved to the District. Many of the young moviegoers, like Aniyah Stewart and Jeremiah Wilson, both 11, pointed out with great exuberance that before Black Panther, they’d never seen or heard about a Black superhero. Patricia Barnes Brookes, assistant to the Academy’s founder and CEO, Whitley Phipps, said she hopes that there will be more films like “Black Panther” that may serve as an inspiration for their students, the majority of whom are children of incarcerated parents. Youth shared their reactions about the movie in a talkback session hosted by WPGC Radio personality Guy Lambert at the film’s conclusion. “Because it’s celebrating Black History Month,” Anyiah said. “I love Black people and this is about Black Power,” Jeremiah exclaimed. When Lambert asked how it felt to see an African American

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play a lead role as a superhero, he received the following responses. Ajana Goins, a 7th grader at Stuart Hobson Middle School: “It made me feel like I can anything and that my race doesn’t matter.” Jervale Garrett, a student at Johnson Middle School, added he liked the way “Black Panther never stopped fighting for his culture, his people or his country.” Meanwhile, with the film’s inclusion of intelligence and powerful women of color, Asjiana Lindsay of DC Kipp Academy volunteered her perspective. “It made me feel like as a young lady, women can do as much as men can – even if some men feel like women aren’t as powerful as them.” Brookes shared more about the importance of there being more films like “Black Panther” that challenge current stereotypes about Black men and women. “I want the young girls and boys to realize that anything is possible, that they are beautiful even though they do not have straight hair,” she said. “I want them to understand that being light or dark has nothing to do with their beauty and that they’re made like God desires.” Lambert echoed her views in his comments to the youth. “I want each of you to believe in yourselves,” he said. “I want you to know that you too can thrive and excel and be the best that you can be.” WI

5 Will Walters, pubisher of Monarch Magazine and Dianne Wallace Booker, executive director of the U.S. Dream Academy, partnered to bring youth from the academy to the premiere of Black Panther at the Majestic Theater in Northwest on Feb. 18. /Photo by Shevry Lassiter

FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2018 37 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

LIFESTYLE

D.C.’s Own Jabari Exum Brings Rhythm, Culture to Marvel’s ‘Black Panther’

Southeast Native Consults Film in Traditional Drumming, Dance By Ra-Jah S. Kelly Special to The Informer @Ra_JahDC The stars have aligned for Marvel’s blockbuster film “Black Panther” — in more ways than one for a certain Southeast native. “I’ve been working on this concept Jabari-Land — it’s a coincidence that my name is Jabari,” said Jabari Exum, who served as the project’s “Traditional Drumming and Dance Movement Coach.” “It’s a divine coincidence!” “Jabari-Land” both is the title of a new musical project he is creating as well as a part of Wakanda, the mythical region at the center of the “Black Panther” film, on which he worked as a volunteer production assistant and even scored a cameo as an extra. With Exum’s background in African drumming and dance, theater, poetry, hip-hop and stage production, he was equipped to handle a myriad of roles that very few people would have been. Growing up, however, his interests in African art and culture

weren’t always popular among his peers. “This is something I’ve been doing my whole life and had faith in and had to be an oddball in a lot of circles,” he said. “[Playing] Djembe, [having] dreadlocks, your name is Jabari — in southeast D.C., it’s just not a popular thing.” But with the release of “Black Panther,” he expects things to change. “With this movie coming out, it’s going to be super, super OK to be [Afrocentric],” Exum said. Aside from having a vast array of skills, Exum said his big opportunity was partly due to putting himself in the right place at the right time. “Basically, I went to Marvel Studios and I volunteered where they we shooting in Atlanta,” Exum said. Shortly after, he was hired to be a production assistant for Chadwick Boseman, the star of the film. “Chad and I have been working together since I was 17 — we did a play together called ‘Rhyme Deferred’ with Kamilah Forbes

in association with the Hip-Hop Theater Festival,” Exum said. “He and I have kept in touch and been comrades ever since.” In 2016 Exum was reading the “Black Panther” comic and saw that one of regions in Wakanda was known as Jabari-Land. He knew instantly that he needed to work on the film. “I know what me and Chad’s relationship is in terms of me being — not his African connection — but another root for him to pull on in terms of all the history that I have and my teachers,” Exum said. “I called him and said, ‘I don’t want you to do this without me there.’ “Not that that means a lot to Hollywood, but I know it means something to Chad,” he said. “He needed someone who was grounded in that culture to be next to him.” After spending some time as a production assistant for Boseman, a choreographer’s absence became Exum’s opportunity. Ultimately, he was able to work on choreography, drumming sequence dramatization and other key tasks.

“I did my best to make it feel like they were really in a village or in some type of African environment,” he said. Content creator Risikat Okedeyi, founder of Lil Soso productions, has appreciated Exum’s drive since a chance introduction in the late ‘90s. “Whenever I run into him, he’s working with Maimouna, he’s working on a play,” Oked-

eyi said of Exum. “I’ve seen him drum with Pete Muldoon, I’ve seen him as part of a jazz trio, I’ve seen him being onstage as part of an orchestra, acting in a particular play — it’s just he’s connected. No matter how far he goes his community goes with him. And because he’s always been so humble, you just want him to win, so I am excited for him.” WI

5 Jubari Exum /Courtesy photo

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38 FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2018

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OFFSHORE ENERGY Means Major Local Job Opportunities By Jack Gerard, President and CEO, American Petroleum Institute America’s natural gas and oil industry supports

Immediately after the 2010 Gulf of Mexico

tourism, offshore energy development can be

10.3 million U.S. jobs overall -- and counting. A

incident, the natural gas and oil industry launched

a revitalizing economic lifeline across the state.

recent report projects the industry could create

a methodical safety review, working closely

In a hearing last year, South Carolina State Sen.

almost 1.9 million job opportunities by 2035,

with members of Congress and multiple federal

Stephen Goldfinch explained that “it is imperative

including hundreds of thousands projected to

agencies. More than 100 standards were created

that you remember places like Andrews and

be held by women, and African American and

or strengthened, and we launched the Center

Conway, and Georgetown, South Carolina,

Hispanic workers.

for Offshore Safety to ensure continual safety

where the ‘golden egg’ of tourism hasn’t helped

improvements and systematic monitoring.

eradicate poverty. For those who live in Andrews and Conway and Georgetown, oil and gas would

Offshore energy development offers the opportunity to generate major job growth –

Speaking from her state’s experience, former

be their ‘golden egg,’ bringing non-seasonal, high-

especially in coastal states. Opening additional

Democratic U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana

paying jobs – that don’t require a college degree

areas to safe and responsible development, as the

explained that it’s possible to balance energy

– and hope for a prosperous economic future for

Interior Department recently proposed, could also

production with other important coastal economic

the generations to come.”

bring extra revenue to coastal states and further

activities like fishing and tourism: “You can have

reduce dependence on overseas energy.

a coast that is a working coast for fisheries,

Next is the question of urgency. Considering the

commercial, recreation, eco-tourism, barges, ships,

United States leads the world in production and

Whenever offshore energy policy is in the spotlight,

tourism, hotels – we have it all… We have men

refining of natural gas and oil, should expanding

two questions arise: Is it safe? And do we really

and women graduating from high school that are

offshore exploration be a priority right now?

need more energy right now?

going to work in the oilfield and they don’t make

Absolutely. We didn’t reach our current level of

minimum wage. They can make $80, $90, $100,000

energy security overnight. Given the long lead

The fact is offshore operations are safer today

a year. And that means a lot to their families, and it

time necessary in offshore development, it’s good

than ever before thanks to new technologies, real

sends a lot of kids to college from south Louisiana.”

common sense to keep as many options on the

time data analysis, and rigorous safety standards.

For non-coastal areas that haven’t benefited from

table as possible in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic. Decisions we make today determine our energy security 15 years into the future, and beyond.

Natural gas and oil are integral to innovations that safely and efficiently supply our daily energy needs, as well as the modern products that make our lives

A recent Washington Post article on U.S. energy

safer, healthier and more convenient. Natural gas

security stated, “The current abundance has

and oil also boost innovation in manufacturing and

erased memories of 1973 gas[oline] lines, which

various other fields that support growth, prosperity, discovery and human advancement. The future

raised pump prices dramatically, traumatizing the

belongs to innovators. The natural gas and oil

United States and reordering its economy.”

industry is committed to cultivating a more diverse workforce, which will be critical to fostering the innovation, collaboration and ideas needed to propel society forward. Through 2035, African American

Our success may erase those memories, but it

and Hispanic workers are projected to account for

doesn’t erase the need to move forward. Eighty

close to 40 percent of the more than 1.9 million job

percent of U.S. voters support increased domestic

opportunities within the industry. A robust workforce will make the industry stronger, equipping us to serve the families, businesses and communities who rely on affordable, reliable natural gas and oil every day. Because diversity powers innovation.

natural gas and oil production, and government projections show we’ll need it. Natural gas and oil will supply an estimated 60 percent of U.S. energy needs in 2040, and worldwide energy demand will

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jump almost 30 percent in the coming decades. It’s time we take advantage of the wealth of offshore energy waiting to be safely unlocked, to create jobs and ensure American energy security.

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FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2018 39 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

LIFESTYLE

National Cathedral Choir to Turn Spirituals into Art

“Funny and warmhearted” Washington Post

“A comedic masterpiece” DC Metro Theater Arts

“Just a delight”

Brightest Young Things

5 Post Classical Ensemble featuring Angel Gil-Ordoñez /Photo courtesy of the National Cathedral

By Lauren Poteat WI Contributing Writer

“

The National Cathedral Choir, led by conductor Angel Gil-Ordoñez, will pay homage during Black History Month to Harry Burleigh, a former slave and father of African-American spirituals turned mainstream art songs. The event, “Deep River: The Art of the Spiritual,” will take place Feb. 28 at 7:30 p.m. at the Cathedral, which is also the last pulpit that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. preached from before his assassination in 1968. Gil-Ordoñez, director of PostClassical Ensemble (PCE) and

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principal guest conductor of New York’s Perspectives Ensemble, said the performance will inspire while telling the fascinating story of how planation songs and spirituals reached the status of art songs. “During the 2017-18 season, PostClassical Ensemble was invited to the Cathedral series and we resented a program called ‘The Trumpet Shall Sound’ with the participation of African-American bass-baritone Kevin Deas, juxtaposing religious baroque arias with African-American spirituals,” he said. “PCE’s program always tell a story,” Gil-Ordoñez said. “In this case, we are going to tell the

fascinating story of how planation songs/spirituals, thanks to the influence and amazing arrangements of black composers Harry Burleigh and Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, reached the status of Art songs.” Pairing multimedia elements with live performances to chart the history of African-American spirituals in classical music, the performance will include a 150-person choir featuring Deas and members of the Metropolitan AME Church and area high schools. Founded in 2003 by Gil-Ordoñez and Joseph Horowitz as an experimental orchestral laboratory, the PCE has already been dubbed “one of the country’s most innovative music groups” by Philip Kennicott of The Washington Post and “exhilarating” by Alex Ross of The New Yorker. “The Ensemble’s point of origin is the conviction that musical events demand a sense of occasion, and that this criterion has been sacrificed to familiarity and routine,” Ordoñez said. “PCE is committed to radically rethinking the concert experience, to refreshing both format and repertoire. All PCE programing is thematic. And many programs integrate theater, dance or film.” Following the concert, musicians will join scholars from Georgetown University to discuss the history behind the music, the origins of jazz, and the contemporary implications of cultural appropriation in music. WI

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wi A book review

Horoscopes

FEB 22 - 28, 2018

ARIES With four planets now in your spiritual sector, this is the time of year when the cosmos encourages you to kick back and take time out for yourself. You might find that you’re more deeply connected with your feelings, particularly those that have been bubbling beneath the surface for a while. The weekend could see you assessing your beliefs and perhaps considering using the services of a life coach to help you live to your fullest potential. Lucky Numbers: 11, 13, 21

“An American Marriage: A Novel”

TAURUS Feisty Mars continues its journey through your sector of change and transformation, and this could stir up issues that may have been holding you back. Take the time to process. A powerful focus on your social sector hints that your friendships and love life could sparkle. However, as chatty Mercury aligns with ethereal Neptune over the weekend, it would be wise to remember that all that glitters isn’t necessarily gold. Lucky Numbers: 3, 22, 35

By Tayari Jones c.2018, Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill $26.95 (higher in Canada) 308 pages

GEMINI This blend of energies could see you giving away too much in terms of time, money, or other resources. Thankfully, chatty Mercury and its tie with sobering Saturn can encourage a more realistic perspective, enabling you to do whatever is in your best interests. Over the weekend, an encounter suggests you may be eager to get to know someone better even if their ideas differ from yours. Lucky Numbers: 23, 24, 50 CANCER There is a powerful focus on your sector of far horizons and travel this week, which could see you indulging in escapist tendencies. However, romantic options show up, too, suggesting that if you’re traveling you could meet someone special and form a close romantic bond. There’s also an emphasis on study and self-improvement. Indeed, as both inquisitive Mercury and the sun align with cautious Saturn over this week, a desire to study could lead to promising opportunities in the future. Lucky Numbers: 16, 24, 25

An American Marriage By Terri Schlichenmeyer WI Contributing Writer He did it on one knee. One knee, with a nervous grin on his face and a velvet box in his shaking hands, asking you the Question of a Lifetime. You’d talked about this day, but it was still a surprise and now you have planning to do, just the two of you. Or, as in “An American Marriage” by Tayari Jones, three… The last time Roy Othaniel Hamilton enjoyed a truly happy evening was about a year and a half after he married his wife, Celestial, the only woman (after his Mama) that he ever really loved. It’s true that they’d been arguing that night — they argued and made up, argued and made up a lot then — but things were going well. They’d even talked about having a baby on that last happy evening before the police broke down the door of their room at Piney Woods Motel and arrested Roy for a rape he didn’t commit. His life was supposed to be with Celestial. He believed that all along. They’d met in college: his buddy, Andre, was her best friend and Dre introduced them but Roy and Celestial didn’t click until years later. They met again, dated, and the rest was, well, not exactly smooth. He cheated on her a time or two. She’d freeze him out when she caught him, but she knew she was his woman. Celestial also knew the man she married, and Roy wasn’t capable of raping some woman six years older than his own mother. But a jury wouldn’t believe her, wouldn’t believe him, would only believe an old woman who pointed a finger … and there you go: Roy’s sentence was 12 years in a Louisiana penitentiary. And, oh, they wrote letters, but they were apart longer than they weren’t and eventually, Celestial wanted to — needed to — move on. She found somebody else, somebody who was her future and her past, but she was still Roy’s wife. And when Roy got out of prison seven years early, he hoped to remind her of that fact. There’s a reason that Oprah picked “An American Marriage” as one of her books. Yes, this novel is that good. Really, though, author Tayari Jones tells a simple story of boy-meetsgirl-marries-her. It’s a fairy tale, modernized; a romance with a twist: Roy idealizes his marriage, while Celestial is a realist. He’s your basic Nice Guy. She’s been raised to take care of herself and speak her mind. His memories differ quite a bit from hers, and seeing both sides through their eyes makes their story better. Add a situation that hints at the unimaginable, and some additional, sometimes irritating, characters with influence and you’ve got a book filled with a tale that’ll keep you dry-mouthed, page-turning, and right on the edge of hollering. This is a novel that unabashedly plays with your senses of right and not-quite-right. It also plays with your emotions, if you’ve ever been in love — so have a handful of tissues nearby. “An American Marriage” could bring you to your knees. WI WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

LIFESTYLE

LEO The idea of change could appeal to you, but nothing will happen unless you do something about it. You might connect with feelings that have been buried for some time, and this can encourage you to process through them. Don’t be in too much of a hurry, though, as a gentle approach may work best. On another note, with lovely Venus angling toward feisty Mars, a desire to hasten a romantic relationship may not be helpful. It might be better to go with the flow. Lucky Numbers: 8, 15, 43 VIRGO Other people could have a very strong influence on your life at this time, and this might be due to having four planets in your sector of relating. There are times over this week when you may find it difficult to understand others’ motives. If so, chatty Mercury’s tie with sobering Saturn encourages you to ask for clarification. It may help them to define what they want, and it will certainly help you. You may not see eye to eye with a family member over the weekend, but a compromise is possible. Lucky Numbers: 18, 31, 51 LIBRA The temptation could be to give until you feel overwhelmed. The focus on the sign of Pisces and your sector of work and service suggests that you feel it’s your duty to help others regardless of your own needs. This isn’t sustainable. And with both lively Mercury and the sun aligning with cautious Saturn this week, the cosmos is encouraging you to set healthier boundaries. You’ll have to give back to yourself at some point, and this might be the time to do so. Lucky Numbers: 9, 30, 41 SCORPIO Your sector of leisure and romance sparkles this week, with a full lineup encouraging you to indulge in your favorite hobbies or spend time with that special person. And with lovely Venus linking to dreamy Neptune midweek, this can be the perfect opportunity for a special date. However, a quarter moon in Gemini on Friday could encourage you to celebrate the first milestone of a new relationship, perhaps by taking things further. Trust your instincts. If it feels right, seriously consider it. Lucky Numbers: 28, 41, 49 SAGITTARIUS A very homey focus could see you stepping back from life and viewing it from a fresh perspective. With a major focus on your family zone, the cosmos is encouraging you to take the time to nurture yourself with good food, plenty of sleep, and a chance to completely unwind. Although you might have a busy life, scheduling such activities into your week can help you feel refreshed and be more productive. The weekend could bring a difference of opinion. Lucky Numbers: 13, 25, 43 CAPRICORN Communication can be the key to success this week, although clarity is essential, too. If someone has something important to tell you, you might need to read between the lines to understand what’s really being said. However, with sobering Saturn involved in the mix, you could find that understanding begins to dawn, especially if you ask the right questions. With lovely Venus aligning with feisty Mars, you might be drawn to someone you sense is on the same wavelength even if it isn’t obvious. Lucky Numbers: 5, 15, 18 AQUARIUS Although the focus is on money matters, the emphasis is also on the sign of Pisces, which suggests that spiritual values could play a part in your finances. This week, the cosmos encourages you to draw a line, because there could be a tendency to be a little bit too generous to various charities. Consider whether you can afford it, and if not, you might have to change your approach. The sun’s link with cautious Saturn may help you find a way to give without depleting your resources. Lucky Numbers: 20, 28, 43 PISCES You’ll be truly in your element this week with the sun, chatty Mercury, lovely Venus, and ethereal Neptune all in your sign. Your imagination could be very much to the fore, and this can be excellent for creative activities and romance as well. However, with ties to cautious Saturn, the cosmos is encouraging you to think about the practicalities of a project or new relationship. If it fits harmoniously into your life, it could turn out very well for you. Lucky Numbers: 1, 6, 29

FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2018 41 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

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vironment free from the worry of being gunned down in their classrooms or on their way home from school,” Women’s March, which is setting up the school walkout, said in a news release. “Parents have the right to send their kids to school in the mornings and see them home alive at the end of the day.” Meanwhile, the National Rifle Association and its close ties to lawmakers are again under fire after the Parkland shooting that left 17 dead. The Feb. 14 shooting counts among the more than two dozen deadly school shootings that have happened in the United States since the shocking 1999 Columbine High School attack in which 18-year-old Eric Harris and 17-year-old Dylan Klebold killed 12 students and one teacher before committing suicide in the school library. It’s also the 10th deadly shooting at a school since Adam Lanza, 27, gunned down 20 first-grade children and six adults, school staff and faculty at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, before fatally shooting himself in 2012. The Florida shooting, like others before, has shone the spotlight again on the NRA — the nonprofit gun advocacy group — and its contributions to lawmakers who have steadfastly refused to pass stricter gun laws. The accused gunman in the Florida shooting, Nikolas Cruz, 19, somehow was able to legally obtain the military-style AR-15 assault rifle, despite the FBI being made aware of his disturbing behavior beforehand. “We are grieving with Parkland, but we are not powerless,” former President Barack Obama tweeted. “Caring for our kids is our first job.

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And until we can honestly say that we’re doing enough to keep them safe from harm, including long overdue, common-sense gun safety laws that most Americans want, then we have to change.” The former president often bumped heads with the powerful NRA and many believe that members of Congress have not passed stricter gun laws — for instance extended background checks before being allowed to purchase and the kinds of weapons that citizens should be permitted to buy — because the NRA is against such measures. The NRA also has infamously lined the pockets of many and a report from OpenSecrets.org, which tracks contributions to lawmakers from such organizations like the NRA, recorded more than $17.3 million in campaign contributions Republicans alone took from the group. In the 2016 election cycle, 19 federal election candidates in Florida races received a total of $834,165 from the NRA’s Political Victory Fund, the Political Action Committee, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, who ran for both the presidency and the Senate, raked in the highest donation, receiving $9,900. Since the Parkland shooting, Rubio has doubled down on a claim that gun control would not have stopped the rampage. An October New York Times report helped to shed some light on which elected officials receive big money from the NRA and, perhaps, is reticent to upset the group by introducing and passing stricter gun laws. Arizona Sen. John McCain has received more than $7.7 million from the NRA, while fellow Republican Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina has received more

than $6.9 million. Missouri’s Roy Blunt received $4.5 million while Tom Tillis of North Carolina received $4.4 million. Cory Gardner of Colorado has received $3.8 million; Rubio, $3.3 million; Joni Ernst of Iowa, $3.1 million; Rob Portman of Ohio, $3 million; Todd Young of Indiana, $2.89 million; and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, $2.86 million. On the House side, French Hill has received nearly $1.1 million; Ken Buck of Colorado $800,000; David Young of Iowa $707,000; Mike Simpson of Idaho $385,000; and Greg Gianforte of Montana $344,600. Rounding out the House’s top 10 are Alaska’s Don Young at $245,700; Lloyd Smucker of Pennsylvania with $221,700; Bruce Poliquin of Maine at $201,400; Pete Sessions of Texas with $158,100; and Barbara Comstock of Virginia with $137,200. The Times reported that the highest-ranking Democrat in the House is Sanford Bishop, who ranks 41st in career donations from the NRA. Among the top 100 House recipients, 95 are Republican. In the Senate, the top two Democrats are Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Patrick Leahy of Vermont, who rank 52nd and 53rd — behind every Republican except Dan Sullivan of Alaska. Survivors and victims’ relatives have now directed their ire at state and national politicians, demanding action and venting frustration. “President Trump, you say, ‘What can you do?’ You can stop the guns from getting into these children’s hands. Put metal detectors at every entrance to the schools,” said Lori Alhadeff, whose daughter Alyssa was killed at the school. “What can you do? You can do a lot,” she said. “This is not fair to our families and our children [to] go to school and have to get killed.” Bess Kalb, one of the writers for “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” offered up her own unique response. Kalb took to Twitter, where she has 172,000 followers, and called out GOP lawmakers by tweeting the amounts in contributions they had received from the NRA. “Have your representatives in Congress received donations from the NRA? It is too late to not politicize school shootings,” Kalb said. “We see you NRA-supported U.S. Representatives. And, we’re coming for you on Election Day. “This is not a political issue. This is not a Constitutional debate,” she tweeted. “This is a pandemic that’s killing children. And it’s perpetrated by hypocrites who preach a doctrine of life but take money from a profit-driven gun lobby.” WI

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FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2018 43 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER 2/1/2018 3:21:05 PM

SPORTS GW Blasts Past VCU at Home 4 Virginia Commonwealth University guard Jonathan Williams is defended by George Washington University guard Justin Mazzulla during GW’s 80-56 win at the Charles E. Smith Center in Northwest on Feb. 17. /Photo by John E. De Freitas

5 Virginia Commonwealth University guard De’Riante Jenkins drives between two George Washington University defenders for a layup attempt during GWU’s 80-56 win at the Charles E. Smith Center in Northwest on Feb. 17. /Photo by John E. De Freitas

5 George Washington University forward Bo Zeigler raises up for a dunk during GWU’s 8056 win over Virginia Commonwealth University at the Charles E. Smith Center in Northwest on Feb. 17. /Photo by John E. De Freitas 3 George Washington University guard Terry Nolan Jr. drives past Virginia Commonwealth University forward Issac Vann during GWU’s 80-56 win at the Charles E. Smith Center in Northwest on Feb. 17. /Photo by John E. De Freitas 4 George Washington University guard Yuta Watanabe shoots over Virginia Commonwealth University forward Marcus Santos-Silva during GWU’s 80-56 win at the Charles E. Smith Center in Northwest on Feb. 17. /Photo by John E. De Freitas

44 FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2018

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SPORTS

D.C. High School Basketball By Daniel Kucin. Jr. WI Contributing Writer @danielkucin88 Each week and for the duration of the season, The Washington Informer will feature our choices for the top five high school basketball programs in the greater Washington area, specifically the DCSAA (District of Columbia State Athletic Association) and WCAC (Washington Catholic Athletic Conference), for their efforts based upon win/loss record, strength of schedule and winning streak:

1. Wilson (29-9) (DCSAA)

Wilson, which slipped past Poly (Baltimore) 56-53 on Feb.

10, are firing on all cylinders and look to be the team to beat moving forward. Wilson junior guard Jay Heath Jr., senior guard Ricardo Lindo, and sophomore small forward Dimingus Stevens are all averaging over 13 points per game.

2. Theodore Roosevelt (28-6) (DCSAA)

Theodore Roosevelt knocked off Dunbar (Washington, D.C.) 67-64 on Feb. 17. Roughriders senior guard Marquise Brown had an impressive performance after he accounted for 14 points, five rebounds and five assists. Sophomore guard Darius Miles pitched in with 10 points and nine rebounds.

3. Friendship Tech Prep Academy (23-3) (DCSAA)

Friendship Tech finished the regular season on a high note, winning six consecutive games including a 71-38 thumping of The Seed School (Washington, D.C.) on Feb. 15. Titans senior guard Malik Miller had a domineering performance scoring 30 points and pulled down 30 rebounds with six assists. Friendship Tech senior point guard Kenneth Tyree had 21 points and six assists in the 33-point victory.

4. Thurgood Marshall Academy (22-6) (DCSAA)

Thurgood Marshall continued its 13-game winning streak with a 71-50 blowout of KIPP DC College Preparatory (Washington, DC) on Feb. 8. Senior guard Savion Gallion exploded for 33 points and 10 rebounds, while senior small forward Darius Richardson also notched a double-double with 11 points and 13 rebounds. Marshall freshman point guard and senior forward Darius Richardson have also been big contributors this season, with both averaging over 10 points per game.

5. Gonzaga (24-4) (WCAC)

Gonzaga took down Bishop McNamara (Upper Marlboro, Md.) 73-69 on Feb. 16. Eagles senior forward Allin Blunt led the way with 22 points and nine rebounds, while fellow senior forward Myles Dread scored 15 points, dished out three assists and grabbed two rebounds against the Mustangs. The Washington Informer Top 5 is strictly based upon the opinions of The Informer sports division and will run throughout the duration of the DCSAA and WCAC basketball seasons. WI

Bowie State’s Hall Wins Prestigious Honor By Daniel Kucin, Jr. WI Contributing Writer @danielkucin88 Bowie State University junior quarterback Amir Hall recently took home the Deacon Jones Award as the Black College Football Player of the Year at the 2018 Black College Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Atlanta on Feb. 10. for his stellar performance during the 2017-2018 college football campaign. The award recognizes the most outstanding football player from a historically Black college and university (HBCU) that embodies the rich tradition of athletic excellence and integrity associated with HBCUs. Hall led the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) in passing yardage (3,519), yards per game (319.9), touchdowns (41) and completion percentage (65.4%) last season. “This was an outstanding group of finalists this year,” said

former NFL quarterback and executive James “Shack” Harris. “Amir had one of the most prolific seasons for a quarterback in CIAA history, and we congratulate him on winning this prestigious award.” The six-foot-four quarterback, nicknamed by his peers as “Showtime,” wasn’t afraid of the spotlight when he took over the starting quarterback position over Nyema Washington during the 2016-2017 regular season when Washington went down with a knee injury during training camp. As a sophomore, Hall rose to the occasion by leading his team to the CIAA championship game that year and was named to the All-CIAA First Team while also being named the CIAA Offensive Player of the Year and Bowie State Athletics Male Athlete of the Year. Hall played high school ball at Riverdale Baptist School (Upper Marlboro, Md.), where he garnered interest from the Bulldogs

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coaching staff before blossoming into the team’s all-time leader in passing yards, touchdowns and passing efficiency in just two seasons of play. He led Bowie State to a 9-2 regular season mark and a playoff berth into the NCAA Division II playoffs. Hall is the second recipient of the award, joining Chicago Bears running back Tarik Cohen (North Carolina A&T State University), who won the inaugural honor in 2016 and was selected in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. The future is bright for the budding star and Bowie native. “I’ve been loving this offense since my freshman year, and I feel very comfortable,” Hall said about playing in the Bulldogs system. “It prepares us for the next level. I expected to have that performance because I had a great offensive line and a great group of receivers to work with.” WI

Prince George’s Football Hotbed Heats up on Signing Day By Daniel Kucin Jr. WI Contributing Writer @danielkucin88

Every year National Signing Day provides a captivating experience for student-athletes at looking forward to playing collegiately as they are recognized in front of their coaches, friends, and family. It was no different for many Prince George’s County standouts on Feb. 7 when some of the best players in the DMV signed their letters of intent to play for their respective schools at the next level. Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr. High School in Upper Marlboro announced 11 signees from their perennial powerhouse program that completed a championship three-peat in December. “For me, it is a bittersweet day,” Wise head coach DaLawn Parrish said in his opening remarks. “It’s always good to see our young men have the opportunity to move on to another level and to grow as young men.” Receiver Anthony Lytton headlined the group, confirming that he will play for Florida State University next season. Lytton had 53 receptions for 534 yards and seven touchdowns last season, as well as three interceptions on defense. Wise defensive back Christopher Rhodes will join lineman Jahbari Gray and tight end Ehidiame Akojie at Shepherd University in the fall. Running back John Oliver, who rushed for nearly 2,800 yards last year, will be taking his talents to Western Arizona College. Highly touted offensive lineman Spencer Anderson of Bishop McNamara High School (Upper Marlboro) decided to play for the University of Maryland next season. “Growing up, I always loved the game of football since the age of 2, and it took a lot of hard work to get here,” Anderson said. “It has been a long and treacherous journey, and I am truly thankful for all the people God has put into my life. This is only the beginning of my life, and I am excited for what the future holds.” Frederick Douglass two-way player Makye Smith will attend Stony Brook University in the fall. “He is one of the toughest individuals that I have ever met,” Eagles head coach Julius Pinkney said of Smith. “He was knocking people around on that field, and he always worked hard and practiced hard. When he spoke to his teammates, they listened, and he ended up being our leading rusher.” The versatile Smith played the running back position, but also anchored the Eagles’ defensive unit as a linebacker and defensive end. He averaged nearly seven tackles per game and racked up 76 tackles on the season. Other notable commitments from National Signing Day: Bowie High School lineman Christian Haynes — University of Connecticut; Eleanor Roosevelt High School running back Eli McDonald — Bowie State University; Charles H. Flowers High School lineman Jamree Kromah — Rutgers University; Suitland High School running back Antwan Squire — Shepherd University; DuVal High School running back David Dupree — Fort Scott Community College; and DeMatha Catholic High School wide receiver Dominic Lyles — Bucknell University. WI

5 Wise wide receiver Anthony Lytton officially confirmed that he will play for Florida State University in the fall. /Photo by Daniel Kucin, Jr.

FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2018 45 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

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forces block them from going to better-performing schools. Who are the anti-reformers? A determined cartel of teacher unions, education bureaucrats and career politicians. They make a lot of money from the current system in the form of union dues, salaries and political contributions. And they view any attempt to change that system as a threat and anyone seeking to advance education equality as their enemy. Just ask U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos. Testifying before

KNOTT-DAWSON from Page 30 can take a broader perspective. OUR BLACKNESS IS BEAUTIFUL, BRILLIANT AND RESILIENT The United States of America was founded in 1776. On July 4, 2018, the U.S. will be 243 years old. Europeans landed in the Americas in 1492 and have been interacting with indigenous land of the First Americans, for almost 550 years. Understand this, my beautiful, brilliant Black daughters. Your history is over 10,000 years old. The enslavement of Black people by White people, is at best, only 550 years of your history. That is a mere 5.5 percent of your totality. Sure, the enslavement of Black people by White people, and our subsequent struggles to become totally free, are important to know and learn. But they are a very, very small part of who you really are and who you, and we, as Black people,

angst over the latest shootings, blurted out the other day, “This can’t go on!” But it can — and will — go on, as long as we as a nation continue to get all beside ourselves

in anger, sorrow and disbelief in the midst of such tragedies, only to forget what happened in a few weeks or so as we return to the daily grinds of life. WI

Congress, DeVos explained her goal is “ensuring that every student has an equal opportunity to receive a great education.” But rather than be hailed for seeking the equality promised decades ago, she’s being attacked by those who want things to stay just as they are. If you are wealthy, connected or elected, chances are your child goes to or graduated from a great school. But if you live in a poor urban neighborhood, your child is much more likely to go to a failing school, a school where more than half of all students can’t read or write well, have

low math scores, face the daily threat of bullying and violence and won’t graduate. Do these sound like “equal terms” to you? I say — no more! The crisis of failing schools has afflicted too many Americans for too long, and it will never end so long as we continue to deny every child their equal right to an excellent education. And so I call on all caring Americans to join me in this fight. It’s a part of our heritage as a people — and of our inalienable rights as citizens of this nation. WI

can be. What makes you, and other beautiful, brilliant, Black children, different from many White children, is you know that their history isn’t just fact-it is a viewpoint. And, that you, as a Black American, as a Black African, have completely different interpretations of history, of heroes, of scholars and who is “important.” As your parent, I wish you were free, my beautiful, brilliant Black children to speak openly, honestly and without fear about who you are and your Black history. But it is not always safe for you to do that. Talking about ancient Egypt being African can get you in trouble. Having a name that “sounds Black” can lose you a job. In fact, much of life will be devoted to protecting yourself from White people’s false views about who Black people are and what they have and can do. But I promise you, with all that I am, I will tell you the truth. Just as my mother told me the truth. Your

ancestors who came to the Americas 500 years ago not only survived attempted physical and cultural genocide, they kept our Black African story, culture and beauty alive. Remember 550 years is nothing compared to over 10,000 years. Our last 550 years is not our whole story. In fact, it is just a tiny piece of the story. No matter what White people think, or try to tell you about who you are as a Black person, we have a very different perspective. As your parent, I swear on the lives of all our ancestors over our 10,000year history, I will never let you forget how beautiful and brilliant you are, my Black daughters. Nor will I let you forget our beautiful, brilliant Black culture. You are part of a beautiful, brilliant, Black people that has a history and presence throughout the world. 500 years? Ha! You are in but a minute of your 10,000-year story. Our Black is brilliant, beautiful and most importantly, resilient. WI

Peggy Cooper Cafritz, 70, Ellington Co-Founder, Dies Peggy Cooper Cafritz, a renowned civil rights activist, educator and philanthropist in D.C. perhaps best known for co-founding the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, died Sunday at a local hospital. She was 70. Born Pearl Alice Cooper, she moved to the District from Mobile, Ala., in 1964 to attend George Washington University, where she began fighting racial injustices on campus including its segregated fraternities and sororities. Cafritz started a summer

program to hone the talents of D.C.’s young minority students, which later grew into the Duke Ellington School of Arts, which opened in 1974. The school has helped to produce a number of renowned artists and performers, including comedian Dave Chappelle, R&B singer Stacy Lattisaw and jazz trumpeter Wallace Roney. The school also established a model for magnet schools across the country. “Her belief in our young people and her dogged determination to break down barriers was matched by the extraordinary persistence and leadership need-

ed to bring her vision to life,” Mayor Muriel Bowser said in a statement. WI

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RELIGION THE RELIGION CORNER

Saluting the Founder of Michigan’s Only HBCU

with Lyndia Grant “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” — Mark 10:45 This year marks the 75th anniversary of Gamma Phi Delta Sorority Inc., (GPD) founded in February 1943 at Lewis College of Business in Detroit — Michigan’s only historically Black college or university. (more next month about this). Lewis College of Business, the only institution of higher education in the state to have the U.S. Department of Education’s distinct designation as a historically Black college, was founded by the late Dr. Violet Temple Lewis. Its original home was in Indianapolis, but it grew so quickly that another branch was opened in Detroit, and was located at John R and Ferry streets. Dr. Lewis did not come to be served — indeed, she came to serve. She gave up her life in exchange for a life where she gave service to students who, as a result, had a better quality of life in the city of Detroit. Briefly, the history of Lewis College of Business is probably parallel to the history of most HBCUs. In 1928, Lewis saw an unmet need for vocational training in the secretarial Mt. Zion Baptist Church Reverend John W. Davis Pastor 5101 14th Street, NW Washington, DC 20011 Phone: 202-726-2220 Fax: 202-726-9089 Service and Times Sunday Worship Service - 8:00 a.m. & 11:00 a.m. Children’s Church - 11:00 a.m. (1st & 3rd Sundays) Communion - 10 a.m. 4th Sunday Sunday School - 9:15 a.m. (4th Sunday 8:15 a.m.) Prayer Meeting & Bible Study - Wednesday 7:00 p.m. “A Church with a past to remember – and a future to mold”

science arena for students of African descent in Indianapolis. Though there were secretarial schools in the area, African-American students were not accepted. Lewis contemplated how she could rectify this situation. Determined to open a secretarial school since she had excellent secretarial skills, Lewis learned at Wilberforce University, the prestigious HBCU. She wanted to give African Americans an opportunity for the same success she obtained. For example, she was able to get wonderful positions as a secretary in Indiana, as well as working with Cortez Peters. Dr. Lewis was extraordinaire! There was a vigorous African-American business district in Indianapolis, and this business community often searched for qualified secretarial support. Lewis secured a $50 loan from a local bank that required three male co-signers, who worked for the federal government. Her employer gave her classroom space rent-free for 30 days, in one of several storefronts he owned in the black business district. Lewis was able to purchase some used office equipment with the $50 loan, and thus Lewis College of Business was born. In 1939 Lewis learned that secretarial schools in Detroit, Michigan, did not accept African-American students and she opened a branch school in Detroit. The Detroit school soon outgrew Indianapolis and in 1940, Lewis closed the “mother” school. There is an historic marker at John R and Ferry streets in Detroit, which shares that Lewis College of Business served more than 20,000 students in its first 50 years. Though clerical and secretarial positions are now plentiful for Af-

rican Americans with skills, during the early days of the college, such students were not allowed to attend the majority of colleges. Therefore, Lewis College of Business became the opportunity to fulfill dreams for tens of thousands. The need to expand led to the purchase of a 10.5-acre campus on Meyers Road and was initially accredited by North Central Association of Colleges and Schools in 1978. Knocking down doors of racism in hiring practices of governmental and corporate entities in Detroit, Lewis College of Business changed the ethnicity of white-collar workers throughout the state. As part of the celebration of the 300th birthday of Detroit, the Detroit Historical Museum developed an exhibit, “Thirty Who Dared,” which spotlights 30 Detroit citizens that had an impact on the city’s history. Though the college is now closed, we salute the work started by Dr. Violet Temple Lewis at Lewis College of Business. WI Historic St. Mary’s Episcopal Church The Rev. E. Bernard Anderson Priest Foggy Bottom - Founded in 1867 728 23rd Street, NW - Washington, DC 20037 Church office: 202-333-3985 - Fax : 202-338-4958 Service and Times Sundays: 10 a.m. Holy Eucharist with Music and Hymns Wednesdays: 12:10 p.m. - Holy Eucharist www.stmarysfoggybottom.org Email: stmarysoffice@stmarysfoggybottom.org All are welcome to St. Mary’s to Learn, Worship, and Grow.

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Mount Olivet Lutheran Church

John F. Johnson Reverend Dr. 1306 Vermont Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20005 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

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RELIGION The Miracle Center of Faith Missionary Baptist Church

Pilgrim Baptist Church Rev. Louis B. Jones II Pastor

Bishop Michael C. Turner, Sr. Senior Pastor 9161 Hampton Overlook Capitol Heights, MD 20743 Phone: 301-350-2200 Fax: 301-499-8724

Service and Times Sunday Worship Times : 7:30 a.m. 7 10:00 a.m. Communion: 1st Sunday Sunday School: 9:00 a.m. Bible Study: Wednesday, 12 Noon Bible Study in homes: Tuesday 7:00 p.m. Website: www.themiraclecenterFMBC.com Email: Miraclecenterfmbs@gmail.com Motto: “We Walk by Faith, Not by Sight”

700 I Street, N.E. Washington, D.C. 20002 (202) 547-8849 Service and Times Worship Sundays: 7:30 & 11:00am 5th Sundays: 9:30am 3rd Sundays: Baptism & Holy Communion Prayer & Praise: Wednesdays @ Noon & 6:30pm www.pilgrimbaptistdc.org

Church of Living Waters

Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church

Crusader Baptist Church

Rev. Paul Carrette Senior Pastor

Rev. Dr. Michael E. Bell, Sr., Pastor

Rev. Dr. Alton W. Jordan Pastor

Reverend Dr. Calvin L. Matthews Senior Pastor

Harold Andrew Assistant Pastor

2498 Alabama Ave., SE - Washington D.C. 20020 Office: (202) 889-7296 Fax: (202) 889-2198 - www.acamec.org

800 I Street, NE - Washington, DC 20002 202-548-0707 - Fax No. 202-548-0703

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

Service and Times Sunday Worship Services: 8:00am and 11:00am Sunday Church School - 9:15am & Sunday Adult Forum Bible Study - 10:30am 2nd & 4th Monday Women’s Bible Study: 6:30pm Tuesday Jr./Sr. Bible Study: 10:00am Tuesday Topical Bible Study: 6:30pm Tuesday New Beginnings Bible Study: 6:30pm Wednesday Pastoral Bible Study: 6:30pm Wednesday Children’s Bible Study: 6:30pm Thursday Men’s Bible Study: 6:30pm Friday before 1st Sunday Praise & Worship Service: 6:30pm Saturday Adult Bible Study: 10:00am “The Amazing, Awesome, Audacious Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church”

Service and Times Sunday Morning Worship: 11:00am Holy Communion: 1st Sunday Sunday School: 9:45am Men’s Monday Bible Study: 7:00pm Wednesday Night Bible Study: 7:00pm Women’s Ministry Bible Study: 3rd Friday -7:00pm Computer Classes: Announced Family and Marital Counseling by appointment

1200 Isle of Patmos Plaza, Northeast Washington, DC 20018 Office: (202) 529-6767 - Fax: (202) 526-1661

Service and Times Sunday Service: 8:30am& 11:00am Bible Study: Wednesday 7:30pm Communion Service: First Sunday www.livingwatersmd.org

E-mail: Crusadersbaptistchurch@verizon.net www.CrusadersBaptistChurch.org “God is Love”

Covenant Baptist United Church of Christ

St. Stephen Baptist Church

Third Street Church of God

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

Drs. Dennis W. & Christine Y. Wiley Pastors

Bishop Lanier C. Twyman, Sr. Senior Pastor

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

Bishop Alfred A. Owens, Jr.; Senior Bishop & Evangelist Susie C. Owens – Co-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

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

610 Rhode Island Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20002 (202) 529-4547 office • (202) 529-4495 fax

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

Services and Times Sundays: 10:00am Worship Services Bible Study: Wonderful Wednesdays in Worship and the Word Bible Study Wednesdays 12:00 Noon; 6:30pm (dinner @ 5:30pm) Sunday School: 9:00am – Hour of Power

Blessed Word of Life Church

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

“An inclusive ministry where all are welcomed and affirmed.” www.covenantbaptistdc.org

Campbell AME 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: pm “Reaching Up To Reach Out” Mailing Address Campbell AME Church 2502 Stanton Road SE - Washington, DC 20020

Motto : “A Great Commitment to the Great Commandment” Website: www.turningheartschurchdc.org Email: faithdefender@verizon.net

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

Services and Times Sunday School: 9:30am Sunday Worship: 11:00am Sunday Community Worship Service: 8:30 am “Ambassadors for Christ to the Nation’s Capital” www.thirdstreet.org Live Stream Sunday Worship Service begins @ 12:00 noon www.thirdstreet.org

Sunday Worship Service: 8 AM and 10:45am Sunday Youth Worship Services: 1st & 4th 10:45am; 804 R.I. Ave., NE 5th 8 AM & 10:45am; Main Church Prayer Services Tuesday – Noon, Wednesday 6am & 6:30pm 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

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: 9:00am Worship Service: 10:00am Wed. Noon Day prayer service Thur. Prayer service: 6:45pm Thur. Bible Study: 7:15pm

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 Joseph N. Evans, Ph.D Senior Pastor

Virgil K. Thomas, Sr. Senior Pastor/ Teacher

Service and Times Sunday School 8 – 9 AM Worship Service 9 – 11 AM Tuesday Night Bible Study 6:30 – 8:00 PM Wednesday Daytime Bible Study 11 AM – 12:30 PM

Services and Times Sunday Early Morning Worship: 7:45am Church School: 9:30am Sunday Morning Worship: 10:45am Tuesday: 7:00pm/Kingdom Building Bible Institute Wednesday: Prayer/Praise/Bible Study-7:30 pm Baptism & Communion Service: 4th Sunday – 10:30am

Greater Mt. Calvary Holy Church

Service and Times Sunday Worship Services: 7:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Holy Communion: 2nd Sunday at 7:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Sunday Church School: 9:20 a.m. Seniors Bible Study: Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. Noon Day Prayer Service: Tuesdays at Noon Bible Study: Tuesdays at 7 p.m. Motto: “A Ministry of Reconciliation Where Everybody is Somebody!” Website: http://isleofpatmosbc.org Church Email: ipbcsecretary@verizon.net

Twelfth Street Christian Church

Turning Hearts Church

4275 4th Street, S.E. Washington, DC 20034 Phone: 202-746-0113 Fax: 301-843-2445

Isle of Patmos Baptist Church

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

48 FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2018

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RELIGION Shabbath Commandment Church

All Nations Baptist Church

King Emmanuel Baptist Church

Bishop Adrian A. Taylor, Sr. Pastor

Rev. Dr. James Coleman Pastor

Rev. Daryl F. Bell Pastor

7801 Livingston Road Oxon Hill, MD 20745 301-534-5471

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

2324 Ontario Road, NW Washington, DC 20009 (202) 232-1730

Service and Times Sabbath School 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Service 11:00 a.m. Praise & Worship Preaching 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. 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 Sunday Worship Service: 10:15AM Sunday School: 9:00am Monday: Noon Bible School Wednesday: Noon & 7PM: Pastor’s Bible Study Ordinance of Baptism 2nd Holy Communion 4th Sunday Mission Zion Baptist Church 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 a.m. Sunday School: 9:15 a.m. Holy Communion: 11:00 a.m., 3rd Sun. Bible Institute: Wednesday - 1:30 pm Prayer Meeting: Wednesday - 12:00 Noon

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

Dr. Earl D. Trent Senior Pastor

Rev. Dr. George C. Gilbert 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

4504 Gault Place, N.E. Washington, D.C 20019 202-397-7775 – 7184

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

“Where Jesus is the King”

Lincoln Park United Methodist Church

Sermon On The Mount Temple Of Joy Apostolic Faith

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: 10:00 A.M. Sunday School: 8:30 A.M. Holy Communion1st Sunday: 10:00 A.M. Prayer Service: Wednesday at 6:30 P.M. Bible Study: Wednesday at 7:00 P.M.

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

Mount Moriah Baptist Church

Eastern Community Baptist Church

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

Dr. Lucius M. Dalton Senior Pastor

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

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

Salem Baptist Church

Holy Trinity United Baptist Church

Florida Avenue Baptist Church

Reverend Christopher L. Nichols Pastor

Rev. Dr. Morris L Shearin, Sr. Pastor

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

St. Matthews Baptist Church

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

Emmanuel Baptist Church

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

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

Matthews Memorial Baptist Church Rev. Joan E. Buchanan Executive Pastor 2616 MLK Ave., SE - Washington, DC 20020 Office 202-889-3709 - Fax 202-678-3304 Service and Times Early Worship Service: 7:30am Worship Service: 11:00am New Member’s Class: 9:45am Holy Communion: 1st Sunday, 11:00am Church School: 9:45am Wednesday 12:00pm Bible Study Prayer, Praise and Bible Study: 7:00pm Saturday Bible Study: 11:00am Baptism 4th Sunday: 11:00am

Service and Times 9:30AM. Sunday Church School 11:00 Am. Sunday Worship Service The Lord’s Supper 1st Sunday Wednesday 7:00pm Prayer & Praise Services 7:30pm. Bible Study Saturday before 4th Sunday Men, Women, Youth Discipleship Ministries 10:30am A Christ Centered Church htubc@comcast.net

Christ Embassy DC

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

“Empowered to love and Challenged to Lead a Multitude of Souls to Christ”

Peace Baptist Church Rev. Dr. Michael T. Bell 712 18th Street, NE Washington, DC 20002 Phone 202-399-3450/ Fax 202-398-8836 Service and Times Sunday Early Morning Prayer & Bible Study Class 8:00 am Sunday School 9:00 am Sunday Morning Worship Service 10:00 am Wednesday Service 12:00 pm

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

“The Loving Church of the living lord “ Email Address: admin@pbc712.org

Shiloh Baptist Church

First Rising Mt. Zion Baptist Church

Mt. Horeb Baptist Church

Rev. Dr. Maxwell M. Washington Pastor

Rev. Curtis l. Staley Pastor

Rev. Alonzo Hart Pastor

Rev. Dr. Wallace Charles Smith Pastor

Rev. Oran W. Young Pastor

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

Worshiping Location Knights of Columbus - 1633 Tucker Road Fort Washington, MD 20744 (240) 838-7074

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

917 N St. NW - Washington, DC 20001 (202) 232-4294

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

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

Service and Times Sunday Morning Prayer Service: 8:00 a.m. Sunday Church School: 9:15 a.m. Sunday Morning Worship: 10:40 a.m. Third Sunday Baptismal & Holy Communion:10:30 a.m. Tuesday Church At Study Prayer & Praise: 6:30 p.m.

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

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 a.m. Sunday School: 9:00 a.m. Worship Service: 10:30 a.m. Holy Communion: 4th Sunday 7:30 a.m. & 10:30a.m. Prayer Services:Tuesday 7:30 p.m. Wednesday 12 Noon

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

The Church Where GOD Is Working.... And We Are Working With GOD

Service and Times Sunday Worship Services: 10:00 am Sunday School: 9:00 am Holy Communion 3rd Sunday Morning Prayer / Bible Study: 6:15 pm - 7:20 pm (Tuesday) Theme: “The Kingdom Focused Church” Matthew 6:33 and Mathew 28:18-20, KJV Email: stmatthewsbaptist@msn.com Website: www.stmatthewsbaptist.org

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

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

Service and Times Sunday School for All Ages: 8:00 a.m. Sunday Worship Services: 9:30 a.m. Midday Prayer & Bible Study: Wednesday 11:30 a.m. Evening Prayer & Bible Study: Wednesday 7:00 p.m. Laymen's League: Thursday 7:00 p.m. 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.

FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2018 49 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

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

LEGAL NOTICES

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

THIS IS PUBLIC NOTICE, HEREBY GIVEN

Administration No. 2018 ADM 000065

Administration No. 2018 ADM 000017

Administration No. 2018 ADM 000036

Administration No. 2018 ADM 000024

Carolynne Monroe Edwards Decedent

Anna J. Bailey aka Anna Jewel Bailey Decedent

Linda Paulette Fields Decedent

Patsy B. Jenkins aka Patsy Jenkins Decedent

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

Aimee Desiree Griffin, Esq. The Griffin Firm, PLLC 5335 Wisconsin Ave. NW Suite 440 Washington, DC 20015 Attorney

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

Wallace R. Fields, whose address is 4307 Dario Road, Upper Marlboro, Maryland 20772, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Linda Paulette Fields who died on July 19, 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., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 08/08/2018. 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 08/082018, 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.

Donna Arrendell, whose address is 4218 Blagden Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20011, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Patsy B. Jenkins aka Patsy Jenkins who died on December 13, 2017 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., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 8/8/18. 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 8/8/18, 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.

Joanne Dove, whose address is 1906 Valley Terrace, SE, Washington, DC 20032, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Anna J. Bailey aka Anna Jewel Bailey who died on July 2, 2003 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., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 8/8/2018. 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 8/8/2018, 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: 2/8/2018 Lisa Michelle Monroe Personal Representative

Date of first publication: 2/8/2018 Joanne Dove Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills

Date of first publication: 02/08/2018 Wallace Fields Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills

TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills

Washington Informer

ALL DERIVATIVES, HAVING POSSESSION, DECLARES OWNERSHIP IN RIGHT, TITLE, INTEREST AND CLAIM OF RA965585915US FREE FROM ANY AND ALL KNOWN ENCUMBRANCES. THIS IS GOOD AGAINST ALL THE WORLD IN WITNESS WHERE OF; ANY DOC-

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

Lisa Michelle Monroe, whose address is 1324 Holbrook St., NE, Washington, DC 20002 was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Carolynne Monroe Edwards who died on November 24, 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., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 8/18/2018. 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 8/18/2018, 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.

BY ronda lynnette: SHORT EVANS AND

Washington Informer

UMENT(S) BEARING RA965585915US-01.001 - RA965585915US-99.999 SHALL AS RES PERTAIN THERE TO, DERIVED THERE FROM, ASSOCIATED THEREWITH, EXECUTED HEREIN BY REFERENCE AS IF FULLY SET FORTH. ANY PERSON OR ENTITY CLAIMING ANY RIGHT, TITLE, OR INTEREST IN RESPECT OF RA965585915US-01.001 - RA965585915US-99.999, IS HEREBY REQUIRED TO MAKE THE SAME KNOWN IN WRITING BY PROVIDING THE DOCUMENTARY PROOF THEREOF, TO THE UNDERSIGNED AT 12138 CENTRAL AVENUE, #402, MITCHELLVILLE, MD 20721 WITHIN SEVEN (7) DAYS FROM THE DATE OF PUBLICATION HEREOF, FAILING TO DO SO PERFECTS THE

Date of first publication: 2/8/18

UNDERSIGNS OWNERSHIP, AND ANY SUCH

Donna Arrendell Personal Representative

DEEMED TO BE WAIVED.

TRUE TEST COPY

CLAIMS THEREAFTER, IF ANY, SHALL BE

Ronda Evans 12138 CENTRAL AVENUE, #402

Anne Meister Register of Wills

MITCHELLVILLE, MD 20721

Washington Informer

rlsevans@startmail.com

240-509-9920

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2018 ADM 000042 Yvonne T. Riddick Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Eugene K. Riddick whose address is 1112 Spring Road, NW, Washington, DC 20010 was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Yvonne T. Riddick who died on July 2, 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., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 8/15/2018. 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 8/15/2018, 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: 2/15/2018 Eugene K. Riddick Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills

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

Administration No. 2018 ADM 76

Administration No. 2017 ADM 001351

Administration No. 2018 ADM 000038

Administration No. 2017 ADM 923

Juliana Soo-Jin Ko Decedent

Helga M. E. Bailey Decedent

Kisha L. Woolen, Esquire Tobin O’Connor & Ewing 5335 Wisconsin Avenue NW #700 Washington, DC 20015 Attorney

Edward G. Varrone, Esq. 910 17th Street, NW Suite 800 Washington, DC 20006 Attorney

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

Ethel M. Taylor Decedent

Mae D. Bunn Decedent

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

Kisha L. Woolen, Esquire Tobin O’Connor & Ewing 5335 Wisconsin Avenue NW #700 Washington, DC 20015 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS

Phillip Lee Young, whose address is 15802 Glacier Court, North Potomac MD 20878, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Juliana Soo-Jin Ko who died on October 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., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 8/15/2018. 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 8/15/2018, 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.

LaShawn Jefferson, whose address is 831 Amies Lane, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Helga M. E. Bailey who died on January 12, 2016 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, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 8/15/18. 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 8/15/18, 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.

Michelle R. Guyton, whose address is 8102 South Bicentennial Loop S.E., Olympia, WA 98503 was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Mae D. Bunn who died on September 1, 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., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 8/15/2018. 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 8/15/2018, 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: 2/15/2018

Phillip Lee Young Personal Representative

LaShawn Jefferson Personal Representative

Michelle R. Guyton Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Washington Informer

TRUE TEST COPY

Madeline H. Jones, whose address is 4911 Lottsford Vista Road, Bowie MD 20720-4218, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Ethel M. Taylor who died on April 14, 2013 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, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 8/15/2018. 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 8/15/2018, 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: 2/15/2018 Madeline H. Jones Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY

Washington Informer

50 FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2018

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

LEGAL NOTICES SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2018 ADM 000050 Nora Ramsey Decedent

LEGAL NOTICES SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION Trust No. 2018 NRT 000006 Delores N. Brown Name of Deceased Settlor NOTICE OF EXISTENCE OF REVOCABLE TRUST

Kisha L. Woolen, Esq. Tobin O’Connor & Ewing 5335 Wisconsin Ave., NW #700 Washington, DC 20015 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS

Delores N. Brown whose address was 3308 22nd St. NE, Washington, DC 20018 created a revocable trust on 1/6/11, which remained in existence on the date of death on December 8, 2017 and, Jacquelyn T. Womack, whose address is 3308 22nd St. NE, Washington, DC 20018 is the currently acting trustee, hereinafter the Trustee. Communications to the Trust should be mailed or directed to Jacquelyn T. Womack at 3308 22nd Street, NE Washington, DC 20018.

Hilliard N. Vance, whose address is 8815 Lanier Drive, Silver Spring, MD 20910, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Nora Ramsey who died on July 30, 2001 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, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 8/15/2018. 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 8/15/2018, 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.

The Trust is subject to claims of the deceased settlor’s creditors, costs of administration of the settlor’s estate, the expense of the deceased settlor’s funeral and disposal of remains, and statutory allowances to a surviving spouse and children to the extent the deceased settlor’s residuary probate estate is inadequate to satisfy those claims, costs, expenses, and allowances.

Date of first publication: 2/15/2018

The Trustee may proceed to distribute the trust property in accordance with the terms of the trust before the expiration of the time within which an action must be commenced unless the Trustee knows of a pending judicial proceeding contesting the validity of the trust or the Trustee has received notice from a potential contestant who thereafter commences a judicial proceeding within sixty days after notification.

Hilliard N. Vance Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills Washington Informer SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2017 ADM 1270 Isaac R. McClain, Jr. Decedent NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Earlene Smith McClain, whose address is 122 33rd Street, NE, Washington, DC 20019, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Isaac R. McClain, Jr. who died on March 2, 2016 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 8/15/2018. 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 8/15/2018, 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: 2/15/2018 Earlene Smith McClain Personal Representative

Claims of the deceased settlor’s creditors are barred as against the Trustee and the trust property unless presented to the Trustee at the address provided herein on or before 8/15/2018 (6 month after the date of the first publication of this notice.) An action to contest the validity of this trust must be commenced by the earliest of (1), December 8, 2018 (One year from date of death of deceased settlor) (2), 8/15/2018 (6 months from the date of first publication of this notice) or (3) Ninety days after the Trustee sends the person a copy of the trust instrument and a notice informing the person of the trust’s existence, of the Trustee’s name and address, and of the time allowed for commencing a proceeding.

This Notice must be mailed postmarked within 15 days of its first publication to each heir and qualified beneficiary of the trust and any other person who would be an interested person within the meaning of D.C. Code 20-101(d). Date of First Publication: 2/15/2018 Jacquelyn T. Womack Signature of Trustee TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills Washington Informer SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration Number 2018 ADM 000123 Estate of Pearl R. Wood NOTICE OF STANDARD PROBATE Notice is hereby given that a petition has been filed in this Court by Thurie Wood-Kelly and Kisha L. Woolen 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 the decedent died intestate appoint a supervised personal representative Date of first publication: 2/15/2018 Thurie Wood-Kelly Kisha L. Woolen Personal Representatives

TRUE TEST COPY

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Washington Informer

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

LEGAL NOTICES

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

Administration No. 2018 ADM 28

Administration No. 2018 ADM 78

Administration No. 2018 ADM 000086

Nathaniel Brown Decedent

Madeline M. Christian Decedent

Warren Webb Decedent Robert P. Newman, Esq. 801 Wayne Avenue, Suite 400 Silver Spring, MD 20910 Attorney

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

Barbra Wilson, whose address is 6414 Bushey Drive, Temple Hills, MD 20748 was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Nathaniel Brown who died on 9/14/2015 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., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 8/15/2018. 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 8/15/2018, 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: 2/15/2018

Tiphanie N. Gilmore Edwards and Stephanie R. Gilmore whose addresses are 16303 Eddinger Rd, Bowie, MD 20716 and 4447 Douglas St. NE, Washington, DC 20018, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Madeline M. Christain who died on December 19, 2017 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., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 8/15/2018. 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 8/15/2018, 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.

Barbra Wilson Personal Representative

Date of first publication: 2/15/2018

Date of first publication: 2/22/2018

TRUE TEST COPY

Stephanie R. Gilmore Tiphanie N. Gilmore Edwards Personal Representative

Opiffany Webb Personal Representative

Anne Meister Register of Wills Washington Informer

TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills Washington Informer

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Opiffany Webb, whose address is 380 South Gibson Street, Warrenton, GA 30828, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Warren Webb who died on August 25, 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., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 8/22/2018. 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 8/22/2018, 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.

TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills Washington Informer

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

Administration No. 2017 ADM 001315

Administration No. 2017 ADM 000779

Administration No. 2018 ADM 000112

Martha H. Terrell Decedent

Rubye Mae Queen Decedent

Pierre J. Montague aka Pierre Jacques Montague Decedent

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

Thomas C. Williams III, whose address is 3065 Clinton Street NE, Washington, DC 20018, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Martha H. Terrell who died on February 13, 1999 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., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 8/15/2018. 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 8/15/2018, 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.

Jennifer Concino, Esq., whose address is 5335 Wisconsin Ave. NW, #700, Washington, DC 20015 was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Rubye Mae Queen who died on January 20, 1999 with 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 (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 8/22/2018. 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 8/22/2018, 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: 2/15/2018

Date of first publication: 2/22/2018

Thomas C. Williams III Personal Representative

Jennifer Concino, Esq. Personal Representative

Sean Montague Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Washington Informer

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Sean Montague, whose address is 1514 Newton St. NE, Washington, DC 20017, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Pierre J. Montague aka Pierre Jacques Montague who died on December 13, 2017 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., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 8/22/2018. 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 8/22/2018, 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: 2/22/2018

FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2018 51 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

LEGAL NOTICES

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

Administration No. 2018 ADM 82

Administration No. 2018 ADM 000059

Administration No. 2018 ADM 000108

Administration No. 2018 ADM 84

Administration Number 2018 ADM 000137

Nellie R. Staton aka Nellie Staton Decedent

Desmond Joseph Decedent

Delores N. Brown Decedent

Christiane M. Wellons Decedent

Estate of Doris W. Berry NOTICE OF STANDARD PROBATE

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

Attorney Ethel Mitchell Wills and Trusts, LLC 8403 Colesville Road #1100 Silver Spring, MD 20910 Attorney

Lisa C. Joseph, whose address is 103 R Street NE, Washington, DC 20002, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Desmond Joseph who died on March 3, 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., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 8/22/2018. 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 8/22/2018, 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.

Jacquelyn T. Womack, whose address is 3308 22nd Street, NE, Washington, DC 20018, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Delores N. Brown who died on December 8, 2017 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 decedentâ€™s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 8/22/2018. 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 8/22/2018, 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.

LEGAL NOTICES

Rachelle H. Raphael 4800 Hampden Lane, Ste. 200 Bethesda, MD 20814 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Eldridge Staton and Richard Staton, whose addresses are 735 Whitaker Ter., Silver Spring, MD 20901 and 216 Bristol Downs Dr., Gaithersburg, MD 20877, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Nellie R. Staton aka Nellie Staton who died on August 16, 2016 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 decedentâ€™s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 8/22/2018. 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 8/22/2018, 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: 2/22/2018 Eldridge Staton Richard Staton Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills

Date of first publication: 2/22/2018 Lisa C. Joseph Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills

Date of first publication: 02/22/2018

Rosemarie Crawford, whose address is 8506 Triple Crown Rd, Bowie, MD 20715, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Christiane M. Wellons who died on March 20, 2008 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., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 8/22/2018. 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 8/22/2018, 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.

Jacquelyn T. Womack Personal Representative

Date of first publication: 2/22/2018

TRUE TEST COPY

Rosemarie Crawford Personal Representative

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Washington Informer

COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration Number 2018 ADM 000172 Estate of

Notice is hereby given that a petition has been filed in this Court by Phillip A. Millet 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. Order James J. Millet who is alleged to have custody of the will dated June 27, 1996 to deliver it to the Court.

Date of first publication: 2/22/2018

Personal Representative: Phillip A. Millet

Deborah Berry Personal Representative: TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills Washington Informer

Anne Meister Register of Wills

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

Administration No. 2017 ADM 001294

Foreign No. 2018 FEP 000024

Administration Number 2017 ADM 001192

Bruce Darby Decedent

November 26, 2007 Date of Death

Estate of Margaret Allen

William Lawrence Juneau aka William L. Juneau Name of Decedent

NOTICE OF STANDARD PROBATE

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Edgar Darby, whose address is 4204 19th Ave., Temple Hills, MD 20748, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Bruce Darby who died on 5/9/1993 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., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 8/22/2018. 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 8/22/2018, 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: 2/22/2018 Edgar Darby Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY

TRUE TEST COPY

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Anne Meister

Washington Informer

Date of first publication: 2/22/2018

TRUE TEST COPY

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

Naomi C. Millet

NOTICE OF STANDARD PROBATE

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.

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF

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

Notice is hereby given that a petition has been filed in this Court by Deborah Berry 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.

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS Bridget Marie Juneau whose address is 3810 W. 4th St., Duluth, MN 55807 was appointed personal representative of the estate of William Lawrence Juneau, aka William L. Juneau, deceased, by the Tenth Judicial District, District Court for Chisago County, State of Minnesota, on January 2, 2018. Service of process may be made upon Joshua Branson, 1615 M St. NW, Suite 400 Washington DC 20036 whose designation as District of Columbia agent has been filed with the Register of Wills, D.C. Decedent has cause of action in D.C. The decedent owned District of Columbia personal property. 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: 2/22/2018 Bridget Marie Juneau Personal Representative

Notice is hereby given that a petition has been filed in this Court by Kenneth Allen 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: 2/22/2018 Kenneth Allen Personal Representative: TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills Washington Informer

Anne Meister Register of Wills Washington Informer

Washington Informer

52 FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2018

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Stormy cavorted with His Nibs in 2006, just after incumbent wife Melania (of whom there are said to be nude photographs floating around the internet) gave birth to the couple’s son. Stormy said he had her spank him with a magazine whose cover featured a picture of him. That is real per-

However, the process I followed did not align with DCPS policy. “My decision was wrong and I take full responsibility for my mistake,” he said. “While I understand that many of you will be angered and disappointed by my actions, I’m here today to apologize and ask for your forgiveness.” Wilson issued the apology after Niles’ resignation, intending to stay on with support from the mayor, but was forced to reverse course as calls for his job by members of the D.C. Council grew too strong. “After listening to many community members, families, stakeholders and officials it became very clear to me over the last several days that Chancellor Wilson would be unable to successfully lead the schools having not been able to regain the community’s trust,” Bowser said during a media briefing at the John A. Wilson Building to announce the decision. “We will be moving forward focusing on our students, our teachers, our staff and placing our attention on what D.C. Public Schools need. There are too many tough decisions in the coming months to have any distractions,” the mayor said. “We want to make very clear to parents and students that we are going to support them in every way possible.” Bowser said Amanda Alexander, current DPCS chief of elementary schools, will serve as interim chancellor. “She will bring that experience and commitment to all of the students of DCPS,” the mayor said. “We’re focused right now on finishing this year and finishing it strong. We have the right leader in Dr. Alexander to do that.” When questioned about why she didn’t immediately call for Wilson’s resignation, Bowser said she wanted to give him a chance to rectify his wrongdoing.

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and schools with low-quality infrastructure. African Americans need infrastructure investments, but the Trump administration needs to provide people to listen who will work seriously to address the needs of African Americans and assure investments totaling $2 trillion to-

ward bringing our infrastructure back to good condition. Blacks should persuade lawmakers at local, state and national levels to act quickly to ensure the political and economic momentum driving this issue is not squandered. WI

verted, but it’s typical Trump. And then there is former Playboy centerfold Karen McDougal, who was paid $150,000 by Trump’s chums at the National Enquirer for exclusive rights to her story about her 2006 romance with The Donald, months after he married his third (and current) wife Melania, but the newspaper never published her story.

Trump’s just about the trampiest dude who’s ever been president of the United States. If I may say so, with no offense intended to the real, standup comedian, this dude is like the Rodney Dangerfield of presidents: he “can’t get no respect” — or rather, he can’t command any respect because of his lowlife behavior. Trump: tramp. WI

“Chancellor Wilson is an extraordinary educator — he’s built a career on helping students and transforming schools and he is a human being that made a mistake,” she said. “I felt very strongly about giving the chancellor the opportunity to explain that mistake and to regain the trust he needed.” At-Large Council member David Grosso, who chairs the council’s education committee, also did not call for an immediate firing, but accepted Wilson’s resignation. “His actions violated the trust of the DCPS community and I believe it has become evident that no amount of effort on his part would restore their faith in him,” Grissom said. “His departure will allow the school system to move beyond this distraction and allow our focus to be shifted back to working in the best interest of our students.” At-large Council member Robert White said Wilson needed to go after such an egregious act. “I have lost confidence in our DC Public Schools leadership,” White said. “Just months after Chancellor Antwan Wilson helped write a policy to prohibit public officials from obtaining discretionary school transfers, he has broken that policy, and with it, the trust of our DCPS parents and students. This violation comes just days after an internal investigation revealed a widespread culture of passing students who had not met the DCPS requirements, which led to 34 percent of students graduating with the assistance of policy violations, in all but two DCPS high schools.” White said that as a member of the council, he has seen no accountability within DCPS’ central office. “With a persistent achievement gap, high teacher turnover, and mounting education scandals, the cornerstones for rebuilding our schools must be public trust and accountability,” he said. “With-

out these, the future of our public schools is in jeopardy.” Fellow Council member Vincent Gray echoed White’s sentiments. “It is clear to me that Antwan Wilson, chancellor of DC Public Schools, [needed to] resign immediately,” said Gray, Ward 7 Democrat and onetime mayor of the city. “This is not a conclusion I come to lightly, but the facts as presented by the Bowser administration are clear: Wilson willfully violated his own policy and attempted to shield the scheme from critical eyes.” Despite the chorus calling for Wilson to resign, he did have sympathizers, most notably the mayor. “I recognize that the chancellor had what he thought was an untenable family situation, and he was trying to resolve it, and trying to resolve it by asking his supervisor what to do,” Bowser said. Wilson started his tenure just a year ago after a nationwide search for the leader of the historically troubled system. Before coming to D.C., he served as the Superintendent of the Oakland Unified School District in California. He had one year remaining in his two-year contract with DCPS. A source who spoke to Elizabeth Davis, president of the Washington Teachers’ Union, said she didn’t support the call for Wilson’s resignation. “He made a mistake and his apology should be enough,” the source said. “His two youngest daughters are enrolled in their neighborhood school, J.O. Wilson, one of the worst DCPS elementary schools in the system.” Grosso said there are still are a number of critical issues the system faces, including graduation rate accountability and closing the achievement gap. “I fully intend to examine these issues, as well as the chancellor’s recent actions, as part of the DCPS performance oversight hearing scheduled for March 1,” he said. WI

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