The Washington Informer - January 18, 2024 by The Washington Informer

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Vol 59 No 14... January 18 – 24, 2024

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Snow Fails to Dampen King Holiday Parade Gun Violence Main Topic of Peace Rally By James Wright WI Staff Writer Tiesha Lawrence was still hurting from the June 2023 homicide death of her 19-year-old son Nijae Boddie, but instead of spending the day in the house stewing about it on Jan. 15, she decided to be proactive and join the 2024 MLK Holiday Annual Rally, Peace Walk and Parade that took place in Ward 8 despite the sub-freezing temperatures and snow. “I want to keep my son’s name going on,” said Lawrence, 44, at the rally that preceded the peace walk at Shepherd Parkway. “I want to know who killed my son. I am here to make sure that what happened to my son doesn’t happen to

anyone else. I want to get justice.” Lawrence participated in both processions, with dozens in the peace walk and hundreds in the parade. The parade capped off a week of events preceding it that included a prayer breakfast, an essay contest, and religious services. The first parade took place in 1979 spearheaded by Washington Informer Publisher Calvin Rolark, then D.C. Councilmember Wilhelmina Rolark (D-Ward 8) and activist and local media personality Ralph Waldo “Petey” Greene Jr. Washington Informer Publisher Denise Rolark Barnes and community activist Stuart Anderson

KING PARADE Page 40

5 Taloria Gant holds a picture of her slain son, Brandon, at the Peace Rally. (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer.)

Councilmember Pinto Releases Secure DC Omnibus Amid Questions, Pushback

After Dad’s Release from Prison Tony Lewis Jr.’s Fight for Justice is Far from Over

By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer

Lewis Jr. Talks Dad’s Return, NFL Changemaker Award, and MLK

NOTE: Read more on washingtoninformer.com for updates about the committee markup for the Secure DC Omnibus legislation.

By Micha Green Managing Editor Tony Lewis Jr.’s story of marching on the frontlines for reuniting families affected by mass incarceration is proof that change can come with hard work and determination. That’s why, on Dec. 31, the NFL and Washington Commanders presented Lewis Jr. with the “Inspire Change Changemaker’s Award.” For years Lewis Jr. has been emphasizing to people– from concerned citizens to the U.S. president– the importance of 5Activist, father, husband and son Tony Lewis Jr. reducing the sentences of those imprisoned due to the de- received the NFL’s 2023 Inspire Change Changemaker award from the Washington Commanders.

LEWIS Page 38 (Courtesy Photo)

As the D.C. Council prepares to deliberate and vote on a nearly 90-page omnibus bill that addresses crime, residents, activists, 5Ward 2 Councilmember Brooke Pinto (WI File Photo/ and all those in between continue to weigh Roy Lewis) in on elements of the legislation that have sparked controversy over the last several months. While Chioma Iwuoha acknowledged the traumatic experiences and fears that sparked movement around the Secure DC

OMNIBUS Page 40

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

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COMPILED BY STACY M. BROWN, WI SENIOR WRITER; BY BRENDA C. SILER, WI CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Radio Icon Donnie Simpson Takes Final Bow After 55 Years in Broadcasting

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5 Donnie Simpson (WI File Photo/Roy Lewis)

Legendary radio and media personality Donnie Simpson signed off for the last time on Majic 102.3 and 92.7 on Friday, Jan. 12. The illustrious host, with an incredible 55-year-career took to social media with a heartfelt message, as he geared up for his final

show with the station. “Today’s the day,” Simpson posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Please make sure you tune into my last day ... Let’s celebrate together as I thank each [and] every one of you for your support during my 55 years in radio.” An icon, trailblazer, and media legend originally from

Detroit, Michigan, Simpson held a commanding presence in Washington, D.C. A true industry pioneer, Simpson was one of America’s first video jockeys, hosting iconic shows like BET’s “Video Soul.” His achievements reached new heights when, in 1988, Billboard Magazine recognized him as both the best top radio personality and top program director in the nation. After retiring in 2010, Simpson triumphantly returned to the airwaves and television screens in 2015. As the afternoon drive host on WMMJ, Majic 102.3 in Washington D.C., and the face of TV-One’s “Donnie After Dark,” Simpson continued to captivate audiences with his signature style. “I’m going to miss doing the show, Donnie’s going to miss it, too, but he’s got some great things planned,” wrote News4 anchor Tony Perkins, who joined “The Donnie Simpson Show” in the 3 p.m. slot six years ago. “We loved doing the show. Thank you for all the responses on social media.” Read more on washingtoninformer.com. WI

Trump Triumphs in Iowa with Overwhelming Support from Strong Conservatives and 2020 Election Skeptics Despite Legal Challenges In Memoriam Dr. Calvin W. Rolark, Sr. Wilhelmina J. Rolark THE WASHINGTON INFORMER NEWSPAPER (ISSN#0741-9414) is published weekly on each Thursday. Periodicals postage paid at Washington, D.C. and additional mailing offices. News and advertising deadline is Monday prior to publication. Announcements must be received two weeks prior to event. Copyright 2016 by The Washington Informer. All rights reserved. POSTMASTER: Send change of addresses to The Washington Informer, 3117 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave., S.E. Washington, D.C. 20032. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. The Informer Newspaper cannot guarantee the return of photographs. Subscription rates are $55 per year, two years $70. Papers will be received not more than a week after publication. Make checks payable to: THE WASHINGTON INFORMER 3117 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave., S.E Washington, D.C. 20032 Phone: 202 561-4100 Fax: 202 574-3785 news@washingtoninformer.com www.washingtoninformer.com

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

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The twice-impeached and four-times-indicted former President Donald Trump secured a decisive victory in Iowa's Republican caucuses. Poll results revealed a powerful coalition of support from solid conservatives, older voters, MAGA enthusiasts, and those skeptical of the 2020 election outcome. Despite spending minimal time in the state and facing challengers like Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis, who campaigned vigorously against him, Trump achieved the widest margin of victory in any meaningfully contested Iowa Republican caucuses since their inception in 1976. Trump garnered 51% of the vote, while DeSantis earned 21% and Haley 19%. The punishingly cold weather and a backdrop of depressed overall turnout did little to deter Trump's dedicated supporters, who were out in force to affirm their allegiance to the wannabe dictator.

Even as notable contenders spent months campaigning against him, Trump's overwhelming victory sends a clear message about the depth of his influence within the party. One of the most surprising findings political experts said came from the entrance poll is the unwavering confidence in Trump's fitness for office, with 63% of caucus-goers expressing that they would still consider him fit even if hypothetically convicted of a crime. Notably, 72% of that group went on to cast their votes for Trump in the caucuses, underscoring the resilience of his support base. The results suggest that solid conservatives, older voters, and 2020 election skeptics remain firmly aligned with Trump, setting the stage for a potentially influential role as the campaign moves forward and likely unabated through the November general election. WI

Keeping Prince’s Legacy Alive With ‘Purple Rain’ Coming to Broadway The music and feelings from the album and film “Purple Rain” is Broadway-bound. The announcement was made this week with the production team identified. No opening date has been scheduled for the world premiere of this stage adaptation. The film received an Oscar for Best Original Song Score, plus multiple Grammy awards. A joint statement about the production came from L. Londell McMillan, chairman of The NorthStar Group, and Larry Mestel, founder and CEO of Primary Wave Music, part of the team spearheading this new version. The duo expressed their enthusiasm and appreciation for the production partners that have been assembled to take on delivering “Purple Rain” to long-time fans of Prince. “It's been almost 40 years since Prince’s legendary film, “Purple Rain” took the world by storm,” McMillan and

Mestel said. “We can’t think of a more fitting tribute than to honor Prince. We are thrilled with our Broadway partners and creative team, bringing a theatricality to the film’s original fictional story.” Based on the original screenplay by Albert Magnoli and William Blinn, this stage adaptation will feature a book by two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist Branden Jacobs-Jenkins with music and lyrics by Prince. The director will be Lileana BlainCruz, who was nominated for a directing Tony Award for the Lincoln Center's production of “The Skin of Our Teeth.” Additional production details and timing for “Purple Rain” will be announced in the coming months. Prince Rogers Nelson died in 2016. He sold more than 150 million records. Read more on washingtoninformer.com. WI

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Kymone Freeman Announces Run for D.C. Delegate Norton’s Seat Norton Focuses on Statehood, Voting Rights in 2024 Election By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer Throughout her more-than-30year career as D.C.’s non-voting delegate in the U.S. House of Representatives, Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) secured at least 75% of the primary and general election votes in her successful re-election bids. As Delegate Norton prepares for another electoral battle, there’s at least one District resident who’s focused on throwing what he describes as Norton’s “early retirement party.” On Monday, We Act Radio co-founder Kymone Freeman officially announced his run for the D.C. delegate seat. As the 19th annual MLK Holiday DC Parade came to a close on Jan. 15, a small group of people walked through the doors of Freeman’s independently owned, progressive media station, located on Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue in Southeast, in support of his campaign. While Freeman acknowledged Norton as a key strategist for the 1963 March on Washington and founder of the Free South Africa Movement, he told supporters that she rejected values espoused by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and her mentor Dr. Dorothy Height when she didn't call for a ceasefire in Gaza. For decades, Freeman, a playwright, community activist, and self-described “angry Black man in therapy,” protested and organized for, and spoke about a bevy of causes, the most recent of which involves a ceasefire in Gaza and Palestinian self-determination. Early on in the Israel-Palestine conflict, Freeman erected a Palestinian flag atop of We Act Radio. He told campaign supporters that the act of solidarity recently cost We Act Radio its broadcasting capabilities. Freeman went on to say that Norton’s refusal, and that of other politicians, to call for a ceasefire reflects poorly on D.C., a nexus of local, national, and international power. On Monday, he told supporters that he wants to be a voice in the House unabashedly speaking out against injustices the U.S. government inflicts on its own and others. “We have starving children in war

zones and children [in D.C.] being denied SNAP benefits until a lawsuit changed the mayor’s mind,” said Freeman, who's running as a Democrat. Invoking the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King on the day honoring his life and legacy, Freeman emphasized calling out local leaders to strengthen the District. “We need to chime in about what they're doing with our money so we can improve this city,” Freeman continued. “Dr. King would be turning over his grave if we didn't rise to the occasion.”

DELEGATE NORTON FOCUSES ON 2024 RACE, STATEHOOD

In 2022, Norton won re-election for the 16th time when she defeated the Rev. Wendy Hamilton and Kelly Mikel Williams in the Democratic Primary and, later, Nelson Rimensnyder, Natale Stracuzzi, and Bruce Majors, of the Republican, Green, and Libertarian parties respectively, during the general election. This go-around, Norton’s other primary challenger is Williams. Joan Malone, a Republican, is also vying for the D.C. delegate seat. The D.C. delegate election comes amid heavy congressional interference in District affairs, via hearings on public safety and the strikedown of the Revised Criminal Code Act. The dynamics of those hearings, specifically the racial and political composition of the congressional representatives grilling D.C. government witnesses, called to mind, for many, D.C.’s colonial status. Budget season also provides another reminder of D.C.’s tenuous relationship with the federal government. During the latter part of December, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D) and D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb wrote a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La4th District) and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York-8th District) in opposition to policy riders and budget cuts in an appropriations bill. If passed, those riders and budget

cuts would prevent the District from using photo traffic enforcement and weaken the Metropolitan Police Department’s capacity for emergency planning and supporting the federal government during high-profile events. In the letter, Bowser, Mendelson, and Schwalb called the proposed cuts “anti-Democratic, inconsistent with the Home Rule Act, and disrespectful of the rights of District residents to self-governance.” During the Dr. King holiday, Delegate Norton demanded that Congress pass her District of Columbia statehood bill and voting rights legislation that, among other provisions, prevents states from imposing additional voting eligibility requirements. Days earlier, Norton co-introduced legislation requiring the Federal Bureau of Prisons to provide eligible prison residents information on voting and giving the District the

5 We Act Radio co-founder Kymone Freeman announced he is running for the D.C. delegate seat on Jan. 15. (Courtesy photo/Kymone Freeman)

authority to set the dates of its special elections. If it passes, Norton’s statehood bill, known as H.R. 51, would grant the District full local governance and voting representation in Congress. She introduced the bill early last year. It has since been referred to the

Committee on Oversight and Accountability and the Committees on Rules, Armed Services, the Judiciary, and Energy and Commerce where there has been no movement. Read more on www.waashingtoninformer.com WI

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black facts

JAN. 18 - 24, 2024

SOURCE: BLACK AMERICA WEB

in Philadelphia at 75. 2013 – A public inauguration ceremony is held for Barack Obama's second presidential term coinciding with Martin Luther King Day.

JAN. 22

1906 – Aviator Willa Brown, the first African American woman to earn her pilot's license in the United States, is born in Glasgow, Kentucky. 1931 – Famed soul singer-songwriter Sam Cooke is born in Clarksdale, Mississippi. 1973 – George Foreman wins by second-round technical knockout over heavyweight champion Joe Frazier in a battle of unbeatens, most famous for announcer Howard Cosell's call, "Down goes Frazier!"

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1966 – Robert Weaver is sworn in as the first secretary of Housing and Urban Development, becoming the first African American to be appointed to a U.S. Cabinet-level position.

JAN. 19

1918 – American businessman and publisher John H. Johnson, founder of the Johnson Publishing Company and the first African American to appear on the Forbes 400, is born in Arkansas City, Arkansas. 1961 – The PGA of America removes its "Caucasian-only clause," opening the door for all players to participate in professional golf tournaments.

JAN. 20

1870 – Hiram R. Revels is elected by the Mississippi legislature to fill the Senate seat once held by Jefferson Davis, the former president of the Confederacy. Revels is the first African American ever to sit in Congress. 1954 – Chicago advertiser W. Leonard Evans Jr. founds the National Negro Network, the first Blackowned radio network in the country. 1986 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day is observed as a federal holiday for the first time. 2001 – Colin Powell is sworn in by President George W. Bush as U.S. secretary of state, becoming the first African American to hold the position. 2009 – Barack Obama is inaugurated as the first Black president of the United States.

1891 – African American surgeon Daniel Hale Williams founds Provident Hospital — the nation's first non-segregated hospital — in Chicago. 1946 – Editor, writer and journalist Susan L. Taylor, who served as editor-in-chief of Essence magazine in the '80s and '90s, is born in New York City. 1977 – Patricia Roberts Harris begins serving as the U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President Jimmy Carter, becoming the first African American woman to serve in a presidential Cabinet. 1977 – "Roots," a TV miniseries based on Alex Haley's 1976 novel, "Roots: The Saga of an American Family," begins airing on ABC, the first of eight consecutive nights. 1993 – Gospel music legend Thomas Dorsey dies in Chicago at 93.

JAN. 24

1885 – Martin R. Delaney, an early proponent of Black nationalism and one of the first three Black people admitted to Harvard Medical School, dies of tuberculosis in Wilberforce, Ohio, at 73. 1993 – Thurgood Marshall, the first African American Supreme Court justice, dies of heart failure in Bethesda, Maryland, at 84. WI

JAN. 21

1913 – Fanny Jackson Coppin, a famed African American educator and missionary who was one of the first Black women to graduate from college, dies

6 JANUARY 18 - 24, 2024

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National Action Network Hosts Annual King Day Awards Breakfast

Gov. Wes Moore, Taraji P. Henson, Phylicia Rashad Among Honorees y Hamil Harris B WI WI Contributing Writer On the day celebrating his father’s life and legacy, Martin Luther King III, his wife Andrea Waters King and daughter Yolanda Renee King, gathered with social justice leaders and changemakers at the annual National Action Network (NAN) MLK Day Awards Breakfast. Hosted at the Mayflower Hotel in Northwest, D.C., the breakfast honored several modern freedom fighters, and encouraged guests to continue the slain civil rights leader’s fight for justice. “Somehow humankind has to come together. That’s what dad and mom would have wanted, King III said. “I guess this actual day they are looking down and saying ‘What are you all going to do? Are we going with thermometers or thermostats?’ A thermometer, Dad said, is a great device but it basically records the temperature. But there is another device called a thermostat that regulates the temperature. We have to decide whether we are going to record and get along, or whether we are going to regulate goodness and justice and righteousness for humankind.” With heavyweight honorees such as Gov. Wes Moore and citizen artists Taraji P. Henson and Phylicia Rashad, the packed event was a moment to remember King’s life and honor those who are continuing to work toward a stronger, more equitable nation and

5 Eboni Riley of NAN, Martin Luther King III, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, and the Rev. Al Sharpton, president and founder of NAN, pose during the annual MLK Day Awards Breakfast on Jan. 15 at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. (Courtesy Photo)

world. “What a wonderful time to be together as it falls on what would have been the 95th birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. We could not have thought to be in any other place than with the people in this room,” Waters King told the crowd. The breakfast offered a meal with a message. “We are not simply celebrating Dr. King’s legacy this year but coming together to publicly vow to protect it from those who wish to undo his work,” said the Rev. Al Sharpton, founder and president of NAN in a statement. In addition to continuing King’s legacy, which Sharpton talked about during the breakfast, honoring the awardees was a key focus of the event. MLK Day Visionary Award recipients included Moore, the first Black governor of Maryland; multi-award winning actress Henson, president and founder of the Boris Lawrence Henson (BLH) Foundation, and Tracie Jade Jenkins, executive director of the BLH Foundation. “In our state we have made our North Star very clear. We are going to focus on work. wages and wealth for all of our citizens and not just some. We are going to be the first state in this country to end the racial wealth gap,” said Moore when accepting his Visionary Award. CWA President Claude Cummings Jr. received the MLK Day Labor Lead-

er of the Year Award. The MLK Day Youth Award was given to Deyona Burton. Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association (NEA), received the MLK Day Education Award. National Action Network bestowed Rashad, dean of the Howard University Chadwick Boseman College of Fine Arts, with the MLK Day Lifetime Service of Excellence in the Arts Award. “As a young child growing up in Houston, Texas during a time of legal segregation in this country, there was one thing that became apparent to me,” Rashad said. “Every action performed with the intention of service bears fruit, not only for oneself, but for others.” Service to others was not just part of Rashad’s message. Sharpton, King III and other members of the King family, emphasized service as a key component of the civil rights leader’s work. King III said the King Center and the National Football League were collaborating to launch a service initiative, where young people would be involved in 100 million hours of service by his “dad's 100th birthday— five years from now.” King III’s daughter, Yolanda, also pushed the message of serving others. “As we reflect as a country, we need to get everyone involved in service,” said Yolanda. ”Service is great because anyone can do it. That’s why we are launching this program. We are putting this in the curriculum.” WI

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5 F

Former MPD Officer Guilty of Bribery in Scheme to Sell Crash Victims’ Personal Information

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

Vincent Forrest, 35, a former patrol officer with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), was found guilty of accepting bribes in exchange for sharing non-public police information for cash payments. Forrest, who lives in the District, and Raquel DePaula, 43, of Beltsville, Maryland, were indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2021. From April 2019, Forrest got confidential information from MPD Traffic Accident Reports, also called “PD Form 10s.” Forrest illegally accessed MPD’s sensitive database to gather victims’ contact information from traffic accident reports. The reports contained the names and contact information of individuals involved in traffic accidents. Forrest sent the victim’s contact information to DePaula using WhatsApp Messenger, an encrypted communications application. Prosecutors said DePaula, who owned RD Legal Solutions, LLC, acted as a “runner,” using victims’

contact information to solicit local attorneys in exchange for referral fees. DePaula reached out to the accident victims within days of their traffic accidents. The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Forrest met up with DePaula at various District and Maryland locations to receive her cash bribes. Prosecutors argued that Forrest and DePaula concealed their bribery scheme by, among other methods, communicating by encrypted application, meeting in person, and exchanging bribes in cash. DePaula pleaded guilty on October 6, 2021, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to one count of bribery of a public official. Her sentencing is scheduled for March 15, 2024. DePaula has admitted paying Forrest approximately $600 and $1,300 per week in exchange for the victim’s contact information. Prosecutors said the evidence at trial showed that throughout the scheme, she paid Forrest over $15,000 and received contact information for 2,316 traffic crash victims. WI @StacyBrownMedia

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Ward 8 Councilmember Trayon White (1st row, 2nd right) with ministers and praisers at the Martin Luther King Jr. Bending Towards Peace, Truth, and Justice Prayer Breakfast at Matthews Memorial Baptist Church in Southeast on Jan. 13. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

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Community Members Honor Jazmin Jefferson at Vigil DPR Director Speaks to The Informer about Pool Protocol, Staffing

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“People have emergencies. If you’re scheduled to be there and you’re not, we wouldn’t open. We’ll wait until someone is able to come from another site.” Freeman, who decried notions of a lifeguard shortage as speculation, said DPR currently has more than 100 certified lifeguards working at 11 pools and aquatic centers. She went on to tell The Informer that DPR has maintained this lifeguard workforce for years. This is especially the case during the summer months, she said, when the number of open pools and aquatic centers more than triples. In December, DPR hosted a hiring fair for summer employees, Freeman told The Informer. As explained in a previous Informer story, DPR lifeguards receive their licensure through Jeff Ellis & Associates, Inc., a DPR vendor for more than five years. The licensure process, Freeman said, includes a physical agility test. Once fully onboarded, DPR lifeguards participate in monthly service training during which they swim to the bottom of the pool and pull out heavy items. Some DPR lifeguards, Freeman said, are D.C. residents who, long before their employment within DPR, learn to swim in DPR programs like D.C. Wave, a year-round competitive swimming program, Aqua Day Camp and the Lifeguard Training Academy for D.C. residents who are 16 years and older. Read more on www.washingtoninfommer.com WI

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5 Dierdre Harris, Jazmin's mother, pays tribute during a memorial service for her daughter. (Robert R. Roberts/ The Washington Informer)

’S

DPR Director Thennie Freeman told The Informer that, since Jefferson’s medical emergency, DPR staff received trauma counseling and higher ups within the agency started examining protocols to ascertain the need for systemic improvements. Freeman declined to reveal the status of that process as it relates to the events of Nov. 29. Though she also declined to specify whether Camila Rezende Salgado ( identified in an MPD report as the person who rescued Jefferson from the pool) was a DPR employee, she told The Informer that there were no patrons at Roosevelt Aquatic Center during Jefferson’s medical emergency. Freeman told The Informer that the number of lifeguards on duty at each pool and aquatic center varies based on the size of the pool area and census data collected by DPR. She went on to reference DPR protocol that prohibits pools and aquatic centers from operating without at least two lifeguards on duty. Lifeguards, Freeman said, are dually certified as lifeguards and pool operators, with each of them alternating their role in 20, 30 or 40-minute intervals while on duty. Pool operators test chlorine levels every hour, Freeman said, while lifeguards sit in the chair. At indoor pools, where lifeguards aren’t in the sun, the alternation between roles often happens every 45 minutes, Freeman said. The frequency, she added, also depends on situations that the pool operator encounters, such as chlorine levels being too high or too low, patrons defecating in the pool, or the appearance of debris. “We won’t open if we have less than two [lifeguards],” Freeman said. “We will wait and we won’t open the facility without ensuring the appropriate staffing is there,” she continued.

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Family, friends, colleagues and supporters recently braved the bitter cold, not only to pay homage to the late Jazmin Jefferson, but to demand that D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) takes the proper steps to prevent future deaths. A vigil on the tennis courts at Hearst Recreation Center and Pool in Northwest brought together dozens who interacted with Jefferson during various points in her life, including when she attended School Without Walls in Northwest and throughout her lifeguard career. Jefferson, a 21-year-old DPR lifeguard, died on Dec. 23 at Howard University Hospital in Northwest. Her death shed light on what some former DPR employees call a lifeguard shortage and missteps DPR has taken as a result. Three weeks prior, Jefferson suffered a medical emergency and fell in the pool while on lifeguard duty at Roosevelt Aquatic Center. According to a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) report, Jefferson was submerged in the pool for seven minutes before a woman rescued her and performed CPR. Family members told The Informer that doctors connected the medical emergency to Brugada syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that causes cardiac arrest. The Nov. 29 incident left Jefferson with what family members described as substantial brain damage. They’ve since demanded accountability for DPR while questioning the whereabouts of other DPR staff members that night and whether the pool had been fully staffed. The Jan. 13 vigil provided ample opportunity to continue doing so. Idalia Granados, a former DPR employee and Jefferson’s one-time co-worker, struggled to hold back tears as she expressed her disappointment in DPR. “I wish that DPR could hold up its end of the bargain,” Granados said. “That didn’t happen when it came to Jazmin.”

Granados reflected on Jefferson’s memory. “I’m glad that I got to know her. I’m really sorry for her family. I want everyone to keep her family in their prayers and know that she was a bright light in everyone’s life.”

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PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY Maryland Political Updates By Richard Elliott WI Contributing Reporter

GOV. MOORE AND STATE LEADERS TALK UPCOMING PRIORITIES

With the dawn of the new session, Maryland leaders including second-year Gov. Wes Moore (D) have outlined some of their priorities for the next year. Moore is calling to improve government services in part by upgrading Maryland’s outdated government computer system and providing safeguards regarding the role of AI in state government decisions. This is expected to cost billions over the next decade, limiting the ability of officials to implement changes amid the ongoing budget crunch. “Think about it this way: My iPhone asks me to update it like every eight weeks. But we have not updated the way that government works in the past eight years,” said Moore. “How can we win the next decade if the tools that we have to win the decade are

the tools for the last decade?” Another area where the governor has pledged to move the state forward is attracting new data centers, offering the promise of high-paying jobs and providing an economic anchor to the state as data becomes more important. WI

HOYER FILES FOR RE-ELECTION, ANDREA CROOMS FILES AS CHALLENGER CANDIDATE

Congressman Steny Hoyer (DDistrict 5), first elected in a 1981 special election, announced his intention for another term on the Hill on Jan. 8. In his announcement, he pledged to continue his work on the Appropriations Committee to bring federal dollars for Maryland projects. He also plans to adamantly support President Biden’s re-election. "During this coming election, the values, character, and very soul of America are at risk. Freedom, which makes our nation exceptional, will

5Congressman Steny Hoyer, who was first elected in a 1981 special election, recently announced that he is running in Maryland’s Fifth District again. He recently attended County Executive Alsobrooks’ campaign office opening. (Rob R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

12 JANUARY 18 - 24, 2024

5Carlos Ayala, a Republican appointee to the Maryland Board of Elections, was arrested for charges relating to the Jan. 6 insurrection. He resigned his position on the BOE after the arrest. (Courtesy Photo/U.S. Attorney's Office For The District of Columbia)

be on the ballot,” Hoyer said in a statement. “That freedom, that democracy, has been preserved by the blood and ballots of patriots so that, in Lincoln’s words, this nation '… should not perish from the earth.’” Governor Wes Moore (D) said he was thrilled that Hoyer will seek another term, saying the congressman’s impact on the state “is truly immeasurable.” “Few people have made as big of a difference in the lives of Marylanders as Congressman Hoyer,” said Gov. Moore. Hoyer faces several challengers in the Democratic primary, including Prince George’s Department of Environment (DOE) Director Andrea Crooms. Lindsay Donahue, who filed in late October, has withdrawn from the race. Crooms explained why she thinks she is the perfect fit for the job during a recent Democratic Party function. “The DOE is me leading at a county level,” said Crooms. “I’ve led at a municipal, state, federal level. I know how the Executive Branch works and how the legislative branch can best empower and offer oversight to the executive branch to ensure they invest in our communities.” WI

BOARD OF ELECTIONS MEMBER ARRESTED FOR ROLE IN JAN. 6 INSURRECTION, RESIGNS POSITION

Republican State Board of Elec-

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tions appointee Carlos Ayala of Salisbury, Maryland was arrested by the FBI on Jan. 9 for his involvement in the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection. Images from that day show Ayala in a U.S. flag sweatshirt and carrying a homemade flag bearing the words “We The People.” He has been charged with multiple crimes, including disorderly conduct in the Capitol Building. He resigned from his position on the Board of Elections on Jan. 11. The Board is committed to maintaining the security and integrity of our elections in Maryland in a nonpartisan manner,” said Board of Elections Chair Michael Summers. “The State Board will remain steadfast in our election process and serve as a trusted source of information for all Marylanders during this presidential election year.” WI

VIRGINIA, MARYLAND CONGRESSIONAL LEADERSHIP CALL TO PROTECT

Maryland’s Democratic congressional members have teamed up with Virginia Democratic Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine and Virginia Congressman Bobby Scott (D) to call for the Senate and House Appropriations leadership (referred to as the “Core Four”) to protect funding for NASA in the face of budget shortfalls. NASA is headquartered in Goddard and the congressional letter cited numerous ongoing projects of national importance as key reasons to ensure the viability of NASA into the coming years. “NASA Goddard faces constraints because of impending budget cuts and the associated Agency plans to allocate funding. While much attention has been devoted to efforts to return humans to the Moon and, ultimately, a crewed mission to Mars, we are concerned that missions across the NASA science divisions have received uneven support and that the Science Mission Directorate will disproportionately bear the brunt of the budget cuts,” the Maryland and Virginia leaders declared in a statement. “These cuts will inhibit NASA Goddard's ability to continue conducting critical research and testing, impacting many NASA facilities nationwide. As a result, NASA Goddard and its partner NASA facilities risk losing jobs, innovation, scientific discovery, and technological advancement in Maryland, our nation, and the world.” WI

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ber 2023, an increase of $454,064 (0.3%), compared to December 2022. MGM reported a 2.1% increase from December 2022 to December 2023 while the Live! Casino reported a 1.5% increase in that same time period. Maryland casinos won approximately $1.98 billion across the entire year, a 3.3% decline from 2022. These totals do not include sports betting. Sports betting brought in approximately $40 million for the

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state in 2023, including a record $6.5 million in December alone. Maryland’s six privately owned casinos offer both slot machines and table games: MGM National Harbor in Prince George’s County; Live! Casino & Hotel in Anne Arundel County; Horseshoe Casino Baltimore in Baltimore City; Ocean Downs Casino in Worcester County; Hollywood Casino Perryville in Cecil County; and Rocky Gap Casino Resort in Allegany County. WI

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Prince George’s largest town has celebrated yet another historic milestone with the swearing in of Dwayne Preston as the first Black police chief in Bowie’s history. Preston, a veteran of the Prince George’s County Police Department, served as the acting chief from September until Jan. 2. He is only the third chief since the Bowie Police Department was founded in 2006. “After an exhaustive, nationwide search, I am proud to say that Dwayne Preston is the best person to head up the Bowie Police Department,” said City Manager Alfred Lott in a late December press statement. “He understands Bowie, he has built strong bridges between city and county police departments and I know he will continue the fine tradition of service with integrity and community policing that the Bowie Police Department has been known for.” The Bowie State alum was surrounded by friends and family while sworn in, and congratulations poured in from neighboring police and civic leaders including former Bowie Police Chief John Nesky and Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis. WI

The Barnes family in Capitol Heights suffered a serious tragedy in late December. Their entire home suffered fire damage, mere days before Christmas and with a cold winter impending. Capitol Heights Chief of Police, Mayor Linda Monroe, and multiple Councilmembers donated two new bikes, blankets, gift bags with toys, and a turkey to offer holiday cheer despite the family’s trials. “When there is someone despaired by an unfortunate travesty such as having lost everything to a home fire, while not caused by their own error or fault, ensuring my constituents are taken care of immediately becomes a top priority to me,” said Councilmember Victor James in an interview. James said it is one’s human duty to respond to unfortunate situations by uplifting and aiding others. “When God blesses us, it is not for us to take a selfish position but to posture ourselves to bless others,” James continued. In addition to the Barnes, Jan. 9 fire on Water Fowl Lane in Largo has left three residents displaced and a responding firefighter in the hospital. Active fire alarms and the house’s sprinkler system helped the family to escape the blaze WI

BOWIE’S BLACK POLICE CHIEF SWORN IN, A HISTORIC FIRST

In the past, Maryland has seen gaming revenues increase steadily to close out the year. While there was growth in December, the 2023 total increase was less than previous years, in part, due to the legalization of sports betting. Casinos earned $165,629,163 in revenue from slot machines and table games during Decem-

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5Capitol Heights Mayor Linda Monroe (center), Councilmember Victor James, and Chief of Police Darryl Morgan (right) standing with the Barnes family shortly after gifting them to help them recover from a late December house fire. (Courtesy Photo/ Councilmember Victor James)

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BUSINESS ir efs By James Wright / WI Staff Writer

SCHWALB PENALIZES TAX PREP COMPANY

District of Columbia Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb recently announced that the nation’s third largest tax preparation company, Liberty Tax, will pay $550,000 to more than 7,300 city residents who were misled and overcharged for their tax services. As part of the settlement resolving the consumer protection lawsuit that the Office of the Attorney General filed against it, Liberty Tax must also pay $200,000 to the District and permanently end the deceptive marketing and pricing tactics it used across the U.S. “Liberty Tax deceived thousands of taxpayers in D.C. with no bogus ‘cash in a flash,”” said Schwalb.

“This settlement not only forces Liberty Tax to compensate every Washingtonian it unlawfully took advantage of, but also creates strong, nationwide legal guardrails that will protect taxpayers across the country. Our office will continue to use the law to hold accountable any business that seeks to unfairly profit by deceiving D.C. residents.” “The investigation and legal action by Attorney General Schwalb’s office against Liberty Tax is vitally important and protects D.C. residents, especially working-class residents of color, from deceitful practices designed to extract wealth from the Ward 7 community,” said Jorge Tormes, senior staff attorney at Tzedek DC, a legal services nonprofit focused on consumer issues.

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nual business revenue between $250,000-$1 million and project scopes from $100,000 to $1 million. A graduation and networking event will take place on April 11 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. WI

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5 Brian L. Schwalb serves as the District’s attorney general. (Courtesy Photo)

Liberty Tax has two locations in the District, both in Ward 7. In addition to the payments due to the settlement, Liberty Tax must stop using deceptive cash incentives and submit to monitoring for five years. WI

2024 DC CONTRACTOR INCUBATOR

Emerald Cities’ Greater Washington Region is launching the 2024 DC Contractor Incubator this spring. The Incubator provides small minority construction businesses (MBE) with a comprehensive long-term program of training, support, and business opportunities to enable rapid and profitable growth in the areas of energy efficiency, electrification, environmental sustainability, and the District’s Building Energy Performance Standards. There is no cost to participants. The program takes place over eight weeks—Wednesday evenings from 4-7 p.m. from Feb. 21-April 10--meeting on weekday evenings online and/or in-person, introducing key strategies and information needed for profitable business growth. Each session includes featured content, a presentation by an industry expert, and an MBE success story or peer learning opportunity. Topics covered include clean energy industry trends and technologies, “High Road” business practices, access to capital, project opportunities, RFP bid submission, marketing and more. Criteria for program eligibility includes women and minority businesses; multi-family residential, public works and commercial construction scopes; established businesses (three years in operation); an-

The Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce will hold an Access to Capital Event on Jan. 18, starting at 9 a.m. at the Pepco Edison Place Gallery in Northwest. The event will be in-person. Participants will learn how to navigate the many financial options to help grow businesses. Plus, experts will be available to answer questions. Exhibits from vendors are available for participants, too. Registration is encouraged but walk-ins will be accepted. The event is free for chamber members but there is a $10 admission fee for the general public. Lunch and light refreshments will be provided. For more information, call 202728-0352. WI

NEW MEMBER ORIENTATION

The District of Columbia Chamber of Commerce will hold ChamberWorks: New Member Orientation on Jan. 31 from 1011 a.m. The event will be virtual. During the session, new members will meet the chamber team; learn about committees and workgroups and how to sign up for ChamberPerk$. There will also be a question-and-answer session with the chamber team. For more information, call 202347-7201.

BRIEFS Page 15

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BRIEFS from Page 14

MCDUFFIE ON MONUMENTAL’S POTENTIAL MOVE

D.C. Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie (I-At Large), serving as chair of the Committee on Business and Economic Development, held a hearing on the future of the District’s downtown in light of the possible relocation of the Washington Wizards and Capitals to Virginia. “In the four weeks since Monumental Sports announced the intended relocation of [the teams] to Potomac Yard in Alexandria, Virginia, complex and parallel processes in both the District and Virginia are underway,” McDuffie said. “The timeline of decision-making may seem uncertain and distant, but many other stakeholders—including retail and hospitality businesses—cannot wait.” Key aspects of the timing, commitments, and likely downstream impacts for Capital One Arena, Downtown, as well as the Entertainment and Sports Arena in Ward 8 were discussed by Acting Deputy Mayor Nina Albert, the District’s Chief Financial Officer Glen Lee, and Dr. Yesim Sayin, executive director of the D.C. Policy Center. McDuffie welcomed D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s Gallery Place-Chinatown Task Force. He said, in sum, that the District must be

ready to move if the Potomac Yard deal doesn’t come through. “The District needs a plan that doesn’t look backward but embraces the smart city development that our future demands,” the council member said. “Rebuilding the economy of February 2020 isn’t an option.” McDuffie said the next hearing on the matter—the Roundtable on the District’s Business Climate—will occur on Jan. 18. WI @JamesWrightJr10

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The Transformative Power of Mentoring: Nurturing Lives for Success

Submitted by DC Black MBA

Mentoring is a powerful relationship that goes beyond just guidance; it is a transformative journey that can shape and enrich lives. Whether in personal or professional spheres, mentoring plays a crucial role in fostering growth, learning, and success. The relationship is characterized by open communication, constructive feedback, and a genuine commitment 5 Tierra Wilson, DC Chapter to personal and professional development. 5 Kayla Dailey, LOT Chair and member Arian Risper, former LOT member Since its inception in 1991, the NBMBAA® Leaders of Tomorrow® (LOT) Program has mentored more than 8,000 talented youth aspiring to leadership roles in professional fields. Mentoring serves as a bridge between experience and aspiration, providing individuals with the opportunity to tap into the wisdom and knowledge of someone who has walked a similar path before. A member, a chapter leader, and corporate partner share their experiences with mentoring in three areas: Skill Development and Knowledge Transfer: Mentoring provides a unique platform for the transfer of skills and knowledge from experienced individuals to those seeking to learn and grow. Whether in a corporate setting or a personal pursuit, mentors offer valuable insights, tips, and practical advice that can support the mentee's development. This direct transfer of expertise, especially cultural experiences enhance the mentees’ skills, enabling them to navigate challenges with confidence. Shakena Beeman, Microsoft Senior Program Manager, shares how the power of knowledge transfer made a difference. Mentorship allowed me to see the importance of representation as a mentor and mentee. As a mentee, I was able to see someone who looked like me aspire to the role/place I wanted to be. She was able to listen to my story and give me actionable advice that made me feel heard and not alone. As a mentor, I was able to pay it forward and be the sounding board for young women who were looking at me as their future self. So, it really has been a full circle moment.

Confidence Building and Self-Discovery: One of the profound impacts of mentoring is its role in boosting confidence and aiding in self-discovery. A mentor serves as a sounding board, helping the mentee identify strengths, weaknesses, and untapped potential. Through encouragement and constructive feedback, mentors empower their mentees to embrace challenges, take calculated risks, and discover their true capabilities. Kayla Dailey, LOT Chair, shares how her mentor helped her grow. My mentor has a tough love approach and that has taken some getting used to—and I’m still getting used to it. My mentor sets high expectations, and it challenges me to strive for excellence and go beyond my comfort zone. She also reinforces the importance of accountability and being able to handle constructive criticism. Although her approach hasUse taken some getting used to, article im LOGO and I’ve seen substantial growth in access to opportunities and my professional network.

Captions Career Advancement and Networking: In professional settings, mentorship can significantly contribute to career advancement. Mentors often provide valuable insights into industry trends, offer guidance on career choices, and Tierra Wilson, DC Chapter facilitate networking opportunities. A mentor's guidance can open doors to new possibilities, helping the mentee build a strong professional network and make informed career decisions. Tierra Wilson, DC Chapter member, shares how mentorship impacted her career. Kayla Dailey, LOT Chair a I strongly believe that good mentorship is vital to career growth and progression. It is not and should not be limited to just people that are more senior to you. There is great value in having peer mentorships. Everybody’s journey to where they are gives them a unique set of skills and perspective. Mentoring is extremely fulfilling. It requires care, dedication, and a passion to help someone else succeed. I encourage those thinking about becoming a mentor, to examine themselves and motivations to ensure that they have the time and desire to nurture the next generation of leaders. Mentoring is a powerful relationship that nurtures individuals, fostering their personal and professional growth. The impact of mentorship extends beyond the transfer of knowledge; it encompasses confidence-building, self-discovery, valuable connections, and the empowerment of diverse communities. As we celebrate the significance of mentoring, it’s important to highlight how these relationships have the power to shape brighter and more successful futures.

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM / THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

JANUARY 18 - 24, 2024 15

The Transformative Po

NATIONAL Federal Prosecutors Seek Death Penalty for White Man Who Fatally Shot 10 Black People in Buffalo Grocery Store By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer Federal prosecutors announced on Friday, Jan. 12, their intention to pursue the death penalty for Payton Gendron, a 20-year-old

white man responsible for a racist rampage that claimed the lives of 10 Black shoppers at a Buffalo, New York grocery store in May 2022. Prosecutors revealed the decision in a court filing before a scheduled status conference hear-

5Federal prosecutors announced on Friday, Jan. 12 their intention to pursue the death penalty against Peyton Gendron, the 20-year old white man accused in the May 2022 shooting that killed 10 Black people in Buffalo, New York.

ing at the Robert H. Jackson Federal Courthouse in Buffalo. Gendron is already serving a life sentence without parole after pleading guilty to New York

state murder charges in November 2022. Defense attorneys have expressed Gendron’s willingness to plead guilty to federal hate crimes and weapons violations if prosecutors choose not to pursue the death penalty. “Today’s decision by the Department of Justice provides a pathway to both relief and a measure of closure for the victims and their families,” said civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump. “They have been pleading for full justice for nearly two years, and today they are one step closer. We thank the [Department of Justice] for its diligence and for fighting for those whose lives were so tragically affected by this atrocity. We ask that you continue to keep the victims,

their families, and the entire Buffalo community in your prayers as they continue to grieve and pursue full justice for those who were stolen from them.” The announcement follows a nearly 20-month Justice Department case review, marking the first time Attorney General Merrick Garland has authorized a new capital prosecution. President Joe Biden, who campaigned against the death penalty, faced criticism from civil rights groups, arguing that the death penalty historically and disproportionately affects racial minorities and the poor. Garland issued a moratorium on federal executions in 2021, which remains in place but does not prevent prosecutors from seeking a death sentence. In 2023, emotions ran high at a sentencing hearing as the sister of one of the victims confronted Gendron. Chaos erupted when an enraged man charged at the defendant, leading to authorities rushing Gendron out of the courtroom. After returning, Judge Susan Egan acknowledged the pain experienced by the victims' families but emphasized the need for appropriate conduct. Gendron, who had targeted a specific predominantly Black Buffalo zip code, admitted to the racially charged massacre. He said he regretted his actions, attributing them to online hate and the belief in the "replacement theory." Gendron was sentenced to life in prison by Judge Egan, who condemned his ideologies as “ignorant, hateful, and evil.” WI

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18 JANUARY 18 - 24, 2024

africa now

COMPILED BY OSWALD T. BROWN, WI CONTRIBUTING WRITER

South Africa’s Ruling ANC Marks 112th Anniversary with Eye on Election

South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) party on Saturday, Jan. 13, celebrated the 112th anniversary of its establishment ahead of national elections, expected to be the toughest since it came to power in 1994. Thousands of party members and supporters convened in Mbombela Stadium in the Mpumalanga province where President Cyril Ramaphosa, also the head of ANC, delivered his annual address and outlined the party’s program for the year. The ANC is the party of South Africa's first democratically-elected president and anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela. It was at the forefront of the country's liberation struggle against racial segregation and the white minority government. Ramaphosa is seeking a second term in this year’s elections after coming to power in 2019, succeeding Jacob Zuma. The ANC has been facing widespread criticism for failing to deliver basic services to millions of the country’s poor Black majority amid deteriorating economic conditions. With an unemployment rate of around 32% — of which 60% are young people — the party is set to face a disillusioned electorate that is running out of patience with unfulfilled promises of a better life. Some election polls suggested the party may struggle to gain more than 50% of the electoral vote, needed to clinch the win, for the first time in its 30-year reign. The ruling party's reputation has also taken a hit due to various allegations of corruption over the years, with many of its leaders implicated in shady government deals. In the 2019 elections that saw Ramaphosa elected, the ANC gained 57.5% of the vote, a far cry from the nearly 70% it garnered in the 2004 general elections. Last December, former President Zuma denounced the ANC and pledged his support to a newly-formed political party, Umkhonto we Sizwe, or Spear of the Nation, encouraging his supporters to vote for it in this year's election. Zuma was jailed for defying a court order to testify in an inquiry investigating corruption during his presidential term from 2009 to 2018, and was released in 2022. He is currently on trial for a 1999 weapons deal where he is accused of receiving bribes from French arms manufacturer Thales. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges. If the ANC fails to garner more than 50%, it may be forced to enter a coalition agreement with some opposition parties. The date for the elections is yet to be announced but is expected between May and August this year. WI

caribbean now Bahamas Government Constructing 200 New Affordable Homes

Continuing his government’s aggressive initiative to provide affordable housing for Bahamians, Prime Minister Philip E. Davis announced on Saturday, Jan. 13, that his administration is investing $20 million in a new 5 Prime Minister Philip E. Davis housing development called Renaissance at Carmichael subdivision. and Minister of Housing and Urban “We are constructing 200 new homes, putting affordable housing withRenewal Keith Bell (right) during a tour in reach for so many Bahamian families,” the Prime Minister noted, after of the new Renaissance at Carmichael subdivision housing development in New touring the new housing development with Minister of Housing and UrProvidence. (Courtesy Photo) ban Renewal Keith Bell. “We are going further than waiving VAT (value added tax) duties on conveyance and mortgage instruments and are directly reducing the costs for first-time homeowners,” the prime minister said. “Additionally, we have raised the exemption for stamp duty on homes up to $300,000 and offered VAT refunds on construction materials and services. Reducing VAT on property transfers and eliminating it on land transfers between joint tenants is about respecting your heritage and valuing the land passed down through generations.” Prime minister Davis added: “We are introducing a rent-to-own program that will make it much easier for Bahamians to finance their dreams of homeownership. The Central Bank has already introduced new guidelines for domestic banks and credit unions regarding residential mortgages. Reducing the minimum equity requirement and eliminating mortgage indemnity insurance for lower down payments is a significant step forward. We are creating a country where every Bahamian can get ahead.” WI

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HEALTH World Health Officials Say Nearly 10,000 Global Deaths in December were Related to COVID Signaling Deepening Health Crisis

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported a staggering total of nearly 10,000 global deaths in December, raising alarm bells about a worsening worldwide health crisis stemming from the continued threat of COVID-19. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also noted pressing humanitarian crises in Gaza, Sudan, and Ethiopia that exacerbates the ongoing challenges related to COVID-19. While COVID-19 is no longer classified as a global health emergency, the virus remains a formidable threat, Ghebreyeus warned. He said newer cases, driven by holiday gatherings and the prevalence of the JN.1 variant, led to a 42% increase in hospitalizations and a 62% rise in ICU admissions. Ghebreyeus urged governments to maintain surveillance and sequencing

and ensure access to tests, treatments, and vaccines. He also noted other emergencies the WHO is responding to, including in Gaza, Ukraine, Ethiopia, and Sudan. Ghebreyesus called it “indescribable” that “this Sunday marks the 100th day of the conflict in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory.” He said Gaza continues to face an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe to go along with rising health concerns borne out from the pandemic. The conflict has displaced nearly 90% of Gaza’s 1.9 million residents, who continue to endure “excruciating conditions with long queues for limited water and nutritionally inadequate bread,” the director general lamented. He said only 15 hospitals are partially operational, and the absence of clean water and sanitation creates a breeding ground for diseases. WHO’s humanitarian aid efforts have encountered “insurmountable challenges” due

DC Health Benefit Exchange Authority Commits to Addressing Health Disparities By WI Staff The DC Health Benefit Exchange Authority executive board voted Thursday, Jan. 11 to adopt a new benefit to address health disparities for patients with heart disease (cardiovascular disease) and cerebrovascular disease (including stroke survivors). The benefit design was developed by its stakeholder Standard Plans Working Group with help from a nationally recognized cardiologist identified through the American Heart As-

sociation. Starting in Plan Year 2025, individuals covered by a DC Health Link standard plan will no longer have copays, coinsurance, and deductibles for visits with their primary doctor (including family medicine or internal medicine doctor) for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular care. The executive board also removed cost sharing for all generic prescription drugs and services related to the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, as well as for laboratory tests and imaging

to intense bombardment, movement restrictions, fuel shortages, and communication breakdowns, Ghebreyeus stated. “People are standing in line for hours for a small amount of water, which may not be clean, or bread, which alone is not sufficiently nutritious,” he asserted. “The lack of clean water and sanitation and overcrowded living conditions are creating the ideal environment for diseases to spread. We have the supplies, the teams, and the plans in place. What we don’t have is access.” Further, the director general stressed the need for the release of hostages and an imperative for all parties to uphold international humanitarian law, ensuring healthcare protection. He also sounded an alarm about the ongoing situation in Sudan, a nation that’s grappling with nine months of conflict where there’s escalating violence and mass displacement. Ghebreyeus said Sudan residents have also experienced the rampant spread of diseases, including cholera. The WHO temporarily suspended operations in Al-Gezira due to security concerns, disrupting the annual harvest and heightening the risk of food insecurity. Even before the conflict, Ghebreyeus said Sudan faced food shortages, intensifying the crisis for vulnerable groups, particularly children under five and pregnant or breastfeeding women. Meanwhile, in Ethiopia, the north-western region of Amhara is in the grip of a severe health crisis due to ongoing conflict since April 2023, he said. Communication challenges, damaged health facilities, and restricted movement impede humanitarian assistance. Conflict, drought, and displacement exacerbate hunger and disease outbreaks, with cholera, malaria, measles, leishmaniasis, and dengue spreadincluding CT scans and electrocardiograms. Heart disease was the leading cause of death in the U.S. in 2020, according to research published in the American Heart Association Journal Circulation. The rate of Black District residents who die from heart disease is 2.5 times higher than white residents. Additionally, 10.1% of Black residents and 12.9% of Latino residents, compared to 6.1% of white residents, report not seeing a doctor because of cost. “Eliminating cost sharing for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease,

HEALTH Page 21

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ing. Urgent access to affected areas is crucial, the director general affirmed. Finally, Ghebreyeus insisted that just as governments and individuals take precautions against other diseases, “we must all continue to take precautions against COVID-19.” The WHO plans to release its Health Emergency Appeal for 2024, outlining how much there’s a need to protect the health of the most vulnerable people in 41 emergencies globally. “In 2024, we aim to reach almost 90 million people with lifesaving support,” Ghebreyeus declared. “The coming year will be a test for humanity; a test of whether we give into division, suspicion and narrow nationalism, or whether we are able to rise above our differences and seek the common good.” WI

an arch project

morning after

grace a very funny play by carey crim directed by stevie zimmerman

Opening January 18, 2024 10 performances through January 28, 2024 Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 Saturday and Sunday at 2:00 Anacostia Arts Center Black Box Theater 1231 Marion Barry Ave., SE (formerly Good Hope Rd.) Washington, DC 20020 Tickets $20 at EventBrite Search “Morning After”

find out what really happened here last night and what the next chapter can look like when we face it with honesty, compassion and humor!

The morning after grace team: On stage: Matty Griffiths, DeJeanette Horne and Adele Robey • Design and production team: Set design: Gisela Estrada • Lighting Design: Asia Christian • Sound Design: Christian Jones • Prop Design and Costume Consult: Andrew Reilly • Stage Manager: Jessica Schweizer • Production Manager: Paige Washington • Fight and intimacy coordinator: Casey Kaleba Note: There is a brief moment of rear nudity in the opening scene and simulated marijuana smoking.

JANUARY 18 - 24, 2024 19

OUR

EARTH

D.C. Finally Gets its Snow Day—And May See More In Coming Days, Weeks By Kayla Benjamin WI Climate & Environment Writer The District broke an almost twoyear “snow drought” streak this week, after going more than 700 days without hitting the one-inch mark for

snowfall. Over the course of Monday and Tuesday, more than 4 inches fell, with some parts of the DMV region seeing up to half a foot of snow. Students got an extension to their Martin Luther King, Jr. Day long weekend as schools and federal government build-

The Washington DC Snowball Fight Association held an early morning “Battle of Snowpenheimer” snowball fight at the National Mall on Tuesday, Jan. 16. (Anthony Tilghman/The Washington Informer)

ings stayed closed Tuesday. “It's been a really long time since they've had an actual snow day, you know, between COVID and just hav-

Events DC is proud to continue to support the future of nonprofit organizations in Washington, DC that promote youth participation in both the arts and athletics. For fiscal 2024, Events DC is pleased to provide $500,000 in funding for the program during two grant cycles ($250,000 in the first cycle and $250,000 in the second cycle). Cycle 2 applications are open with a submission deadline of February 1, 2024. The program provides financial support to qualifying DC-based nonprofit organizations dedicated to supporting children through sports, performing arts or cultural arts in the District of Columbia. Informational sessions about the application process will take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 12:00 PM and 6:00 PM, beginning January 9. Learn more about the application and Informational Sessions at eventsdc.com/community/community-grants

ing no snow, so this has been a godsend for us,” said Lora Nunn, a Ward 7 resident whose two kids spent Monday and Tuesday playing in the drifts. The wintry weather struck just a week after a major storm that disappointed snow-lovers, breaking records for early January rainfall and causing flooding around the region without a frosty flake in sight. That’s because temperatures that day stayed well above freezing, with a high of nearly 60 degrees Fahrenheit. “[My kids] have been super bummed about having no snow, and I kept reassuring them that people had promised me that it was going to be a really bad winter,” said Lora Nunn, a mom of two in Ward 7. “But we've had all those false alarms like last week with the rainstorm… and you know, my kids kind of had gotten over hoping for it.” Chesnea Skeen, a meteorologist with NWS Baltimore/Washington, said that the region may see more snow on Friday or Saturday, as a cold front passes through. “We have a system approaching this weekend, which could start as early as Thursday night, and because we have a cold air mass in place, any precipitation that could fall Friday or Saturday would be most likely in the form of snow,” Skeen said.

WHAT CLIMATE CHANGE MEANS FOR SNOW DAYS

King Nunn, Lora’s 7-year-old son, said he didn’t remember the last time there was enough snow for him and his older sister to play in. The siblings spent Tuesday sledding, making snowballs and playing “penguin,” with other kids in their Kingman Park neighborhood. Nunn said it’s been odd missing out on snow days in recent years; as a DMV native, she remembers having at least a couple snow days each winter when she was a kid. The planet is steadily warming up because of heat-trapping gasses released from burning fossil fuels. That might not seem like a lot, but those higher averages can cause big changes—among them, fewer snow days like the ones D.C. saw this week. “Growing up in the Mid-Atlantic, this is kind of a special rite of passage,” Nunn said. “Because we don't get a ton of snow out here… the two or three good, solid, heavy snows we get [in a season] become a kind of community-building event.” The National Weather Service calculates “climate normals” for the amount of snow a location can expect based on averages across a 30-year span. D.C.’s baseline has fallen considerably over time. Between 1891 and 1921, D.C. averaged about 24 inches of snow each year. Fast forward a century: between 1991 and 2021, the District saw an average of 13.5 inches of snow. Counterintuitively, climate change can also increase the chances for intense blizzards—like the “Snowmageddon” event in 2010, which dumped more than 30 inches of snow on the Washington area. That’s because warmer air holds more moisture than cold air. 2023 was the hottest year ever recorded, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration confirmed in a report released Jan. 12. Seasonal forecasts predicted that the D.C. region would see both slightly above-average temperatures and slightly above-average precipitation this winter, according to the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center. The wetter weather associated with El Niño has led meteorologists to predict a fairly snowy winter this year. WI

The Informer's Our Earth page turns 1 year old this fall. We want to know what you think and what we can do better in year 2! Please let us know with this 3-minute survey.

20 JANUARY 18 - 24, 2024

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EDUCATION President Biden Accelerates Student Debt Relief with Early Implementation of SAVE Plan

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

Again, attempting to fulfill a key promise made during his 2020 campaign, President Joe Biden announced the accelerated implementation of a crucial provision under the Student Aid for Voluntary Education (SAVE) plan. The president reaffirmed his commitment to reforming the student loan system and ensuring that higher education remains a pathway to the middle class, “not a barrier to opportunity.” “From day one of my administration, I vowed to fix the student loan system and make sure higher education is a pathway to the middle class—not a barrier to opportunity,” Biden stated. The president asserted that his administration’s SAVE plan has helped 3.6 million Americans by canceling their student debt. The plan’s goal is to create a more affordable student loan repayment structure while providing life-changing support to students and their families, Biden said. “I am proud that my administration is implementing one of the most impactful provisions of the SAVE plan nearly six months ahead of schedule,” Biden asserted. “Starting next month, borrowers enrolled in SAVE who took out less than $12,000 in loans and have been in repayment for 10 years will get their remaining student debt canceled immediately.” He noted that this step should ben-

HEALTH from Page 19 conditions that disproportionately impact communities of color, will save lives,” said Diane C. Lewis, MPA, chair of the DCHBX executive board and chair of the DCHBX Social Justice and Health Disparities Working Group. “DCHBX is committed to addressing health dis-

efit community college borrowers, low-income individuals, and those facing challenges in repaying their loans. Biden further stressed the importance of swift action to provide borrowers with necessary relief, enabling them to move forward and pursue their aspirations without the weight of student loan debt. “I encourage all borrowers eligible for early debt cancellation to sign up for the SAVE plan at studentaid.gov. Already, 6.9 million borrowers are enrolled in the plan, and 3.9 million have a $0 monthly payment,” urged Biden, highlighting the existing enrollment numbers and the program’s potential impact. The president’s announcement builds upon the administration’s broader efforts to tackle the complexities of student loans. He cited accomplishments such as fixing the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, increasing Pell Grants for families earning less than $60,000 a year, and holding colleges accountable for leaving students burdened with unaffordable debts. “In the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision on our student debt relief plan, we are continuing to pursue an alternative path to deliver student debt relief to as many borrowers as possible as quickly as possible,” Biden insisted. “I won’t back down from using every tool at our disposal to get student loan borrowers the relief they need to reach their dreams.” WI

3 President Joe Biden announced the accelerated implementation of his SAVE Plan. Starting next month, borrowers with less than $12,000 in student debt, who have been in repayment for 10 years, will get their remaining debt canceled. (Gage Skidmore via Wikimedia Commons)

parities and getting equity in health coverage and care. We are using every tool available to us in our statebased marketplace. We know that financial barriers to care are a major contributor to differences in health outcomes based on race and ethnicity. And most importantly, we will help save lives.” WI

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JANUARY 18 - 24, 2024 21

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What Would King Do To Bend Toward Peace, Truth and Justice?

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In Memoriam Dr. Calvin W. Rolark, Sr. Wilhelmina J. Rolark THE WASHINGTON INFORMER NEWSPAPER (ISSN#0741-9414) is published weekly on each Thursday. Periodicals postage paid at Washington, D.C. and additional mailing offices. News and advertising deadline is Monday prior to publication. Announcements must be received two weeks prior to event. Copyright 2016 by The Washington Informer. All rights reserved. POSTMASTER: Send change of addresses to The Washington Informer, 3117 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave., S.E. Washington, D.C. 20032. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. The Informer Newspaper cannot guarantee the return of photographs. Subscription rates are $55 per year, two years $70. Papers will be received not more than a week after publication. Make checks payable to: THE WASHINGTON INFORMER 3117 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave., S.E Washington, D.C. 20032 Phone: 202 561-4100 Fax: 202 574-3785 news@washingtoninformer.com www.washingtoninformer.com

Beyond the Dream, A Wake Up Call

While many people remember him for his famous “dream,” of a better nation discussed in his 1963 March on Washington Speech,” I couldn’t help but wonder, if in 2024, would the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. think beyond the dream? In a world with wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, extreme hunger, poverty and violence in the U.S. and abroad, continued systemic racism, and economic and environmental injustice at play, might he stop sharing his idealized imaginations of a more equitable nation? Would he declare that he wants us to stop dreaming, wake up, and pull down the comforter that warms this centuries-long nightmare of oppression– the fabric with which this country is sewn? In 1965, more than a year-and-a-half after his celebrated “I Have a Dream,” speech, King said "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” Not even two years after his address on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in 1963, King is using a bit less flowery language than his often-quoted vision of “little Black boys and girls,” and “little white boys and girls,” walking hand-in-hand. Even after having a Black U.S. president for eight years, there’s been an affront to justices for which King valiantly fought, such as voting rights and equal educational opportunities. Further, I question would King be okay with revoking women’s right to choose and stifling laws targeting the LGBTQ community? Would he turn a blind eye to the thousands who have died in Palestine? The great orator and activist, who was quoted as saying “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” would certainly acknowledge the challenges in this nation and abroad. King also famously said: "The hottest place in hell is reserved for those who remain neutral in times of great moral conflict.” With such a stance, I think it’s safe to say that if King had lived to turn 95 in January 2024, he would have been anything but silent or detached from the issues. When I learned the 2024 MLK Holiday DC theme, “Bending Towards Peace, Truth and Justice,” I offered a question to Washington Informer reporters and the community. “What would King do to bend toward peace, truth and justice?” King had influence from pulpits nationwide, to local activists working to make a difference in their towns, and the White House. Considering this prompt, Informer reporters took to the street to ask “WWKD? What would King do?” With reflections from pastors, community activists, environmental justice fighters, students, and more, The Washington Informer 2024 supplement remembering King, not only highlights the leader’s life and legacy, but promotes his passion for peace, truth and justice. In a world where peace, truth and justice seem but a mere dream, I encourage you to consider, “What would King do to bend toward these goals?.” Then, don’t simply think or dream about it, wake up, take action and find ways you can contribute to the fight for true liberty and justice for all. WI

www.washingtoninformer.com / THE WASHINGTON INFORMER 2024 MARTIN LUTER KING JR SUPPLEMENT

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5 Pastors such as the Rev. Jesse Jackson and the Rev. William Lamar of Metropolitan AME in Northwest, D.C., reflected on King’s stance today. (Courtesy Photo)

What Would King Preach Today? By Hamil R. Harris WI Contributing Writer On April 4, 1967, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King came to Riverside Church in New York City and unleashed a scorching rebuke on those ministers who refused to speak out against the war in Vietnam. “A time comes when silence is betrayal…that time has come for us in relation to Vietnam,” King said. One year to the date of this speech in New York, MLK was assassinated, with some speculation that his stance on the Vietnam War led to his demise. Decades after King’s prophetic call for people to go against the war, many pastors say challenging current wars and conflicts today is exactly what King would be preaching about in 2024. “We can never use this as just another year,” the Rev. Jesse Jackson told The Washington Informer. “He would preach about the battle in the Middle East.” “He would be against Hamas using the Palestinians as shields, but we-in the U.S. governmenthave given them the green light to have a needle in the haystack diplomacy. They have killed 28,000 people.” Jackson also said that King would preach about freedom for all men. “He would say that we have gone from slavery to freedom. We have been free for 161 years, but

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we need everyone to be set free. The troops should escort the captors under UN command. Let all go free. I want Justice at home and peace abroad,” the celebrated civil rights leader explained. “He would be speaking to issues like the war in the Middle East and the Ukraine and how do we close the gap to ensure the protection of our Democracy. He also would be lifting the need to vote now more than ever. The Rev. Jamal Bryant, pastor of New Birth Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia also considered King’s stance on Vietnam when imagining how he’d approach speaking of issues today from the pulpit. “When Dr. King was alive, the critical issue when he spoke was Vietnam. Today, he would be talking about the war on the Gaza Strip, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and what is taking place in Haiti. He also would say that in the first three weeks of January there have been three mass shootings,’ Bryant told The Informer. Regarding politics, Bryant said “Dr. King would say Biden and Trump are not on the ballot in November. What is on the ballot is employment, health care, and our seniors.” The Rev George Gilbert Jr., assistant pastor of Holy Trinity Missionary Baptist Church in the District, said, “Dr. King would be speaking against poverty and when you have poverty you have

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Honoring MLK: The Unfinished Journey Towards Economic Freedom By Charlene Crowell This January 15, our nation again will observe the only national holiday designated as a day of service. The Martin Luther King, Jr. federal was first observed in 1986. But it took another 17 years for all 50 states to recognize the holiday, according to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture. While Rev. King dedicated his

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THE ASSOCIATION FOR THE STUDY OF AFRICAN AMERICAN LIFE AND HISTORY

life to the pursuit of freedom, peace, and justice for all Americans, too many economically marginalized people are reduced to fighting over scraps while others enjoy the nation’s economic bounty. In 2022, 37.9 million people – 11.5 percent of the nation – lived in poverty, according to the Census Bureau. Additionally, Black individuals made up 20.1% of the population in poverty in 2022 but only 13.5 percent of the to-

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tal population. Black individuals made up 20.1% of the population in poverty in 2022 but only 13.5 percent of the total population, according to the Census Bureau. The federal minimum wage, currently at $7.25 an hour, has not increased since July 2009, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Standards. And despite increases that take effect in many states in 2024, workers still earn only $7.25 per hour in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee and Wyoming, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). On December 10, 1964, Gunnar Jahn, Chairman of the Nobel Committee presented its Nobel Peace Prize to Dr. King saying in part, “[D]iscrimination will still persist in the economic field and in social intercourse. Realistic as he is, Martin Luther King knows this.” Accepting the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, Dr. King said, “I am mindful that debilitating and grinding poverty afflicts my people and chains them to the lowest rung of the economic ladder.” “The tortuous road which has led from Montgomery, Alabama to Oslo bears witness to this truth,” Dr. King continued. “This is a road over which millions of Negroes are travelling to find a new sense of dignity… I have the audacity to believe that peoples everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, and

dignity, equality and freedom for their spirits. I believe that what self-centered men have torn down men other-centered can build up.” “This faith can give us courage to face the uncertainties of the future,” added Dr. King. “It will give our tired feet new strength as we continue our forward stride toward the city of freedom…Today I come to Oslo as a trustee, inspired and with renewed dedication to humanity. I accept this prize on behalf of all men who love peace and brotherhood. I say I come as a trustee, for in the depths of my heart I am aware that this prize is much more than an honor to me personally.” Dr. King would urge Americans to remain vigilant and vocal in fighting attacks against diversity, equity, and inclusion. A true tribute to Dr. King would be a renewed groundswell of advocacy that ensures our march towards full freedom refuses to go back; but instead moves forward in the same determination of his life’s work. Social equity cannot be sustained without economic parity. As a people and as a nation, let us confront these and other challenges in his memory. Charlene Crowell is a senior fellow with the Center for Responsible Lending. She can be reached at Charlene.crowell@responsiblelending.org

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WHAT WOULD KING DO TO ADDRESS TODAY’S WARS, POLITICS?

Prominent Civil Rights Leaders Share Insights on King’s Perspective on Middle East, Ukraine, Trump

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

During his short life, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stepped on all kinds of powerful toes in his fight for civil rights. King, assassinated at 39, was a courageous and determined leader who refused to let prison or violence sway his end mission. He also never lost sight of the fact that civil rights — addressing racial and economic injustice — were inextricable from peace. As the leader of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), King led a nonviolent movement to abolish the triple evils crippling American society: racism, poverty, and militarism. Associates said he believed those forces were contrary to God’s will for humanity and that they could only be opposed by a religious vision of nonviolent social change. In April of 1967, King spoke publicly against the war in Vietnam. Today,

as the nation observes a federal holiday in King’s name, civil rights activists, including those who knew the slain leader, offered their thoughts on what his position might be on conflicts in the Middle East and Russia, and the state of the U.S. today. Legendary civil rights leader the Rev. Jesse Jackson said the conflict between Israel and Palestine and Russia and Ukraine would have stirred King to declare that there was little difference from the demand for civil rights and the cry for peace. “[Israel’s Prime Minister] Benjamin Netanyahu is on the wrong side of history,” Jackson told The Informer. “What led up to Oct. 7 (when Hamas attacked Israel) is the issue, not what happened on Oct. 7.” Jackson decried the mass killings taking place in the Middle East and the war strategy occurring in Ukraine— adding King would have felt similarly. “Those captured,” Jackson demand-

ed, “should be allowed to go home under the supervision of the United Nations and anyone tried should be done so in the World Court.” The Rev. Mark Thompson, a civil rights leader who recently joined the National Newspaper Publishers Association as the organization’s global digital transformation director, noted King’s strong stance against war and racism. “There’s no question King would oppose the war in Ukraine and seek diplomatic solutions,” Thompson said. “I believe he would also call for a ceasefire in Gaza.” Thompson added the reason for King’s cancellation of a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 1967 – one year before his assassination – suggests King had an evolving posture on the Israel-Palestine question. “In canceling the pilgrimage during the Six-Day War, King said, ‘I just think that if I go, the Arab world, and

5 The Rev. Jesse Jackson (Courtesy Photo)

5 The Rev. Mark Thompson (Courtesy Photo)

of course African and Asia for that matter, would interpret this as endorsing everything that Israel has done, and I do have questions of doubt,’” Thompson explained. NNPA President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., an alum of the SCLC alum, concurred. “Dr. King was a nonviolent freedom fighter who believed that we all are members of one humanity. His concept of the ‘beloved community’ was all-inclusive and not discriminatory to anyone,” Chavis insisted. “Today’s world realities of racism, antisemitism, Islamophobia, oppression, war, hatred,

5 Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. (Courtesy Photo)

and bigotry are void of love for one another. We need Dr. King’s wisdom, inclusive theology, leadership, and courage today more than ever before.”

How would King Address Today’s Political Landscape, Trump

The Rev. Peter Johnson, who began civil rights work with the Congress of Racial Equality in Plaquemine, Louisiana, remembered King’s stance on Alabama’s governor during his famous “I Have a Dream,” speech. WI Read more on www.washingtoninformer.com

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SAFEWAY IS PROUD TO HONOR THE MEMORY OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

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Energy for Everyone Submitted by Washington Gas

Brandon Todd serves as Senior Director of Corporate Public Policy for Washington Gas (WGL), leading the government affairs and public policy team responsible for developing and managing public policy positions. He previously served six years on the Council of the District of Columbia, representing Ward 4. Brandon is active across the metropolitan Washington region, serving on both business and philanthropic boards.

Energy equity remains one of our society's most urgent issues. As we celebrate Martin Luther King Day, Washington Gas remains passionate about the challenges of energy equity and fairness. Energy equity remains one of our society's most urgent issues, especially among underserved households. In 2023, Project Hope reported that more than 30 million households in the United States cannot adequately meet their daily energy needs. As we celebrate Martin Luther King Day in 2024, Washington Gas remains passionate

about the challenges of energy equity and fairness. Through our robust assistance programs and investments in emerging technologies, we are committed to improving access to safe, reliable and affordable solutions for everyone. Energy inequity strikes especially hard among our most vulnerable community members. Aside from physical and mental discomfort, research indicates that unheated homes can create multiple health issues, especially for at-risk individuals. News stories report the fires and injuries that can happen when residents resort to unsafe indoor heating methods. However, the value of an energy-secure household transcends the

comfort of warmth. It means light to brighten dark days and the daily pleasures of hot showers, fresh laundry and clean dishes. It supports the joy of meals prepared and shared with family and friends. Energy equity is about living life… not just enduring it and hoping for better days. Helping families achieve energy-stable homes is a long-standing call to action for our Washington Area Fuel Fund (WAFF) program. Since 1983, WAFF has helped nearly 100,000 households through $34 million in assistance. WAFF is available regardless of what method a household uses to heat their home, even when other aid may not be available. Alongside the WAFF initiative, our Energy Assistance programs help local families maintain reliable, uninterrupted energy services. We strive to ensure that our 1.2 million customers have the best options and payment plans to fit their budgets and schedules during times of need. As we honor the inclusive teachings of Dr. King, the importance of personal and corporate responsibility has never been greater. The 2024 “It Starts With Me” message from the King Center resonates deeply with our core values. You could say it starts with… MEaningful Conversations. The path to energy equity begins with honest dialogue. Engaging with customers, stakeholders and policymakers aligns our energy strategies with real-world needs. These conversations create a focused path that bridges the gaps between households and the energy they deserve. MEasuring Impact. What isn’t well measured isn’t well managed. Our dedication to ongoing assessments increases the effectiveness of our programs by identifying what is working well and what isn’t. From tracking households needing assistance to

evaluating energy stability markers, solid data leads to positive outcomes for those we serve. MEntorship. By investing in current and next-generation energy experts, we are nurturing the future of equity. From student internships to sponsored programs through organizations such as DC Infrastructure Academy and Teambuilders Academy, we are committed to professional empowerment. Mentoring nurtures knowledge and experience, creating a skilled workforce that is deeply aware of its role in promoting fairness. MErging Technologies. A famous quote suggests, "Life is best organized as a series of daring ventures from a secure base.” The same is true for advanced, successful energy portfolios. Based on data and research, we pair the security of traditional natural gas with future-forward technologies. Balancing reliability and innovation can help support stable, affordable energy services while new solutions emerge as potential energy options. MEthane. Renewable natural gas (RNG) claims a significant role within the Washington Gas emerging technologies landscape, and this energy option begins by capturing and processing landfill methane. The capability to produce RNG locally means that it tends to be less affected by the geopolitical instabilities and disruptions that can impact other energy sources. Stable energy is especially vital for underserved households and businesses that are often more affected by outages and interruptions. The Washington Gas commitment to energy equity is dynamic and evolves to meet changing needs. We are proud to have served our vibrant DMV area for over 175 years. Thank you for being our partners on the journey toward a more equitable future for all. Do you or someone you know need help with your energy bill? Visit washingtongascares.com or scan the QR code on this page to explore options for financial assistance and bill payment options.

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WHAT WOULD KING DO? REFLECTIONS FROM A LOCAL ACTIVIST

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Like the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Ty Hobson-Powell shined brightly as a youth leader. At 15, Hobson-Powell graduated from the University of Baltimore. By 17, he had a master’s degree from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. In 2020, during the 57th anniversary commemoration of the March on Washington, Hobson-Powell, then 25 years old, spoke before thousands. Hobson-Powell, now 28, continues to speak truth to power. Similar to Dr. King, he organizes for people’s political rights and material needs as founder and executive director of Concerned Citizens of D.C. Currently, Hobson-Powell is preparing to rally council support for legislation that mandates the creation of a District-wide character education curriculum. In spite of his understandably busy schedule, he carved out time to reflect on Dr. King’s legacy.

5 Ty Hobson-Powell, founder and executive director of Concerned Citizens of D.C., shined brightly as a youth leader, just like the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Courtesy Photo)

What are your plans for the Dr. King holiday?

funding of Israel to support the bombing of innocent Palestiniains. Back then, we were talking about the right to sit down in a restaurant and being able to afford that meal. In 2024, we're having that same conversation. There’s D.C. statehood and the assault on voting rights. I’d be remiss to say we haven’t had any progress. We have and we made some strides but to sit here and act like we’re not fighting for the exact same things would be a lie. We’re fighting for our very democracy. All these things from Dr. King’s time, plus issues he couldn't have foreseen, like whether Trump could run given his role in the insurrection.

What do you take away from Dr. King’s life in your work?

Is local leadership reflecting the values that Dr. King imparted? Why or why not?

A lot of people will be at the parade -- including prospective politicians. Beyond the guise of cameras, I’ll be living up to Dr. King’s service ideals at D.C. Central Kitchen and, after that, spending time with my family. Some of my service is making sure I’m pouring into my babygirl in a productive way.

There are ways to be self-enriching and selfish with this ability to captivate crowds but Dr. King used that talent in service of the people. It’s an instructive model. God gave me a gift early on to be a vessel to speak truth to power to make sure people are taken care of in this life. That’s one of the most inspirational things that I have from Dr. King.

How were issues that Dr. King tackled similar to the issues of the day?

Back then, it was the war in Vietnam. Now, the issue is the massive

There are people living out Dr. King’s values. I would also have to think about what Dr. King fought for. That was the transformation of oppressive forces to things that represent freedom and justice. The city hasn’t done enough to show that we’re fighting against the high cost of living. I can’t help but believe that Dr. King would have something to say about our homeless population. He would say that our budget is a moral document. Read more on www.washingtoninformer.com WI @SamPKCollins

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WHAT WOULD KING DO TO ADDRESS ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICE?

Climate Justice from a Place of Faith: Christian Leaders Reflect

By Kayla Benjamin WI Climate & Environment Writer The day before he died, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. rallied with striking waste collectors against unsafe working conditions — including exposure to toxic pollution. Today, the Memphis Sanitation Workers’ Strike is now considered one of the first major mobilizations against environmental injustice in the U.S. “If he can take on Wonder Bread in his last speech, and the local banks, I'm hopeful he would take on Exxon and Shell and Chevron, too,” said the Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Jr., president of the nonprofit Hip Hop Caucus. “It’s my thinking that anything that would have hurt the community that he was fighting for, [King] would have thought it to be a moral obligation to stand up. And there's nothing more important than standing up to industries that are literally killing and polluting

5 The Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Jr., president of the Hip Hop Caucus, rallies the crowd at a demonstration against major banks’ fossil fuel investment in downtown D.C. in March. (Robert R. Roberts / The Washington Informer)

communities.” As a minister and community activist, Yearwood is one of many

in the climate and environmental justice movement who draw inspiration for their work from Chris-

WHAT WOULD KING DO?: REFLECTIONS FROM A LOCAL ACTIVIST

Tony Lewis Jr. Reflects on MLK and How He Would Fight for Justice Today By Micha Green WI Managing Editor Leading into the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s federal holiday, activist Tony Lewis Jr. reflected on the slain civil rights leader’s valiant justice fight and how he might look at the world today. “King would encourage us in our communities to love each other. He would encourage the powers that be to create more opportunities to access, to really address poverty, which is, I think, the primary driver of mass incarceration and of crime in general. I know that was one of the pillars for him,” said Lewis Jr., a D.C. native who fights against mass incarceration and works toward family reunification. Adding that “Black people are still the most economically disenfranchised” racial group in the

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U.S., Lewis Jr. emphasized that addressing economic disparities would be key for King. “And economic justice, I think, is the thing that Dr. King would fight for the most. And you know, prior to his death, I think that it had become sort of his seminal [work],” he said. Lewis Jr. also noted King’s passion for peace and considered what his take would be on today’s wars abroad and challenges of violence across communities in D.C. and the U.S.. I think Dr. King would be speaking out for peace in Gaza and Israel. I think he will ultimately be speaking out about the importance of us stopping violence in our own communities. So the same things he still fought in the late 50s and 60s. I think he will be standing for today. Unfortunately, I think so many of those issues that we think are a part of a bygone era are very present, very present,” Lewis Jr. said, before also

5 Activist, father, husband and son Tony Lewis Jr. (Courtesy Photo)

noting King’s anti-Vietnam War stance. “We're still seeing war in Israel and Gaza and in Ukraine, so I'm just praying for peace throughout our world.” Lewis Jr. continued. “We all have to live out the dream of Dr. King, and again, find our way, find our peace, and ways to help bring value and bring us together.” WI

tian faith and the Black church. “The Bible says that the earth is the Lord's… because it belongs to him, it's our job to take care of it,” said Pastor André Greene of Varick Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church in Ward 7. “As a Christian, I feel that it's my responsibility to do that.” Nationwide, around 3,000 congregations have worked with Green the Church, an organization founded by a California pastor in 2010 to amplify environmental messages in theology and promote sustainable and resilient practices. More than 90 congregations in the District, across faiths, have installed solar panels or otherwise participated in solar power projects, according to data from Interfaith Power and Light DMV. “Christ teaches that we need to look out for those who are not able to look out for themselves,” Greene said. “So as a pastor, that's one of the things that I really look at as my job… we need to be a part of the community and what’s going on around us.” His congregation and the surrounding Ward 7 River Terrace community has fought for environmental justice since the 1970s, when residents began organizing to shut down the polluting Pepco plant that operated across the

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street until 2012. Greene himself has been deeply involved with the Washington Interfaith Network’s efforts relating to gas use in the District, including testing residents’ homes for indoor air pollution and pushing the D.C. government to support no-cost electrification for low- and moderate-income households. “With the environment and climate justice, it’s [about] spreading the word and saying, ‘This is what's happening and this needs to change,’” said Greene. “Just as they did with the civil rights movement — we're going to speak what’s wrong, and we're going to take action when action needs to be, and we're going to believe that things will change if we trust God and put our faith in it.” Robin Lewis, who serves as climate equity director for Interfaith Power and Light DMV, works to create networks of support and information sharing about environmental and climate justice among Black churches. She wants more people to understand that “the environment” refers to everywhere people live, work, play and pray — not just untouched natural spaces. Environmental justice, to her, has deep connections to affordable housing, crime, health disparities, food insecurity and, above all, racial justice. “You shouldn't be old and living with mold in your basement because you couldn't afford to pump it out, because you're in a flood zone,” Lewis said. “Are you in an area where your church basement floods, where people have lead in their pipes? Those are issues that are environmental, and they're about justice.” “I think that we talk about [climate change], but I don't think that the world knows how much it affects lives,” Greene said. “If someone is sick, because they have asthma, because something in the house is affecting it, or something on Earth is affecting our health — now you have medical bills, and now you can't pay for them. Now you go out and commit crime, because you're trying to get money.” WI

D.C.’s Ills Main Subject of MLK Essay Entrants By James Wright WI Staff Writer Xander Sehgal is passionate about addressing the problems that plague the District and utilized the 2024 DC MLK Essay Contest to air his thoughts on solutions and how youth can play a role in helping struggling city residents. “Participating in the essay contest helped me to organize my thoughts and to define my ideas,” said Xander, an 11th grader at the Basis DC Public Charter School after reading his winning High School Division piece before 150 people at the Martin Luther King Jr., Memorial Library in Northwest on Jan. 13. Norm Nixon, the president of the alumni association of the Marion Barry Youth Leadership Institute Association and the Rev. Nicole A. Johnson-Douglas, managed the program in which Xander read his winning essay. Nixon said the event was the ninth in the series. “We received over 100 entries in the elementary, middle school and high school division," he said. “We want to thank the teachers and counselors who shared our flier with the students.” Nixon noted that many of the essays talked about the violence in the city and how it affected their lives. Some essays offered solutions, as in the case of Xander’s. Johnson said in the Elementary Division, Watkins Elementary School had the most entrants. Hart Middle School had the most essays for the Middle School Division, while Basis DC and Ballou tied for the High School Division, she said. The essay contest committee also recognized youth leaders from around the District for their work in school and in the community. Joining Xander as winners in the High School Division were second placer Anna Elisabeth Martinez-Graham, a ninth grader at the School Without Walls High School and third placer Jaylen Wilson, a ninth grader at Henry E. Lackey. The winner of the Middle School Division was Mya Starks, a seventh grader at the Washington School for Girls. James Brooks II, a sixth grader attending Brookland Middle School placed second in the division and third place went to Starks’ schoolmate and classmate Gabriella Poindexter. Bella Byrd, a fourth grader at Watkins Elementary School, took first place in the Elementary School Division. Byrd’s schoolmate, fifth grader Demi Johnson, took second while Jahlil Missouri, a fifth grader at Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School was third in the division. Here are the winning essays:

Sharing Is Caring Sharing With Others Is Better By Bella Byrd I am Bella Byrd. I am a fourth-grade student at Watkins Elementary School. My neighborhood has two problems: loud noise and violence. In my neighborhood, I see and hear about violence every day, and people are so loud. I want to fix my neighborhood. In my neighborhood, it is very loud at 5 Bella Byrd (Ja’Mon Johnson/ night. There's a lot of screamThe Washington Informer) ing at night. People are so loud that no one can sleep because everybody is screaming. Sometimes I cannot even go to sleep. When I go to school, I am so tired and sleepy. It is hard to focus and learn. I know a solution. There should be times when loud noise is

okay during the day when people are at work or school, but there should be no music or noise at night. We can listen to music during the day times and on weekends. When it's time to sleep, the noise must stop. We should have quiet time at 9:00 pm. Another solution is soundproof windows to hear less music and sounds from outside. I think more sleep is better for everyone. When people are rested, they are not as cranky, angry, or sleep-deprived. Another issue in my neighborhood is violence. In my neighborhood, people get hurt a lot, and some people are killed. I have seen the police and heard gunshots. This makes me scared and sad for myself and my neighbors too. People are hurting each other, and I do not know why. I have solutions. There should be more security so people feel safe and fewer people can hurt each other. Another way to stop the violence is to teach people to talk and learn how to be kind to others. People who help each other will not hurt people. We could do fun activities together, learn to share, and be a community. In conclusion, my neighborhood is violent and loud, but I think these solutions will fix the community. We should share and care for others. WI

Bending Toward Truth and Justice By Maya Starks Dr. Martin Luther King once said, “If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way.” When I look at my community, I do not see a single great action that could fix all of its challenges. However, I think if the community and its members did a lot of small actions in a great way, I think we could truly achieve peace for our community. We were asked a question on what solutions would we offer to bring peace to our community and how would young people be involved in it. I Mya Starks as a 12 year old 7th grader from Washington School for Girls has some suggestions to bring about peace in the community. First, we could start with community gatherings where everyone's ideas could be included on what we could do to get peace in the community. Second, we could have conflict resolution programs which would include meditation methods to solve issues within the community. Lastly, diversity workshops within schools so we can have mutual respect and understanding of each other's cultural differences. I believe an important way to achieve societal friendship is by bringing people together at community gatherings within Ward 8. I would invite parents, student government, and administrative staff from all the schools. They could come together for ideas of ways to help one another out and for the schools to make the community a better place for the students. Our community is not at peace. We have more hostility and violence than we have harmony and societal friendships. A way of switching that around is to start on the school level where young voices could be heard. We should start a program that is a meditation and conflict resolution. The workshops would teach young people skills in emotional awareness, communication and problem solving. If we expect to have the truth and justice in our community we need to start teaching the youth about how to solve conflicts when they are young because we are the future. Educating young people about ways to effectively communicate and build negotiation skills to solve their problems with their conflicting parties without using violence is the goal. My plan is to start by initiating workshops in schools and the meditation would be

Elementary School Division Bella Byrd Watkins Elementary School - 4th Grade

Middle School Division Maya Starks Washington School for Girls - 7th Grade

involved with it because it teaches you how to respond to stressing situations rather than react to them. Conflict resolution plays an important role in finding peace for any community. A very important problem in communities is that people do not have an understanding of different cultures. We need to emphasize the importance of cultural understanding. We can improve our understanding by improving our tolerance for different cultures. An example is organizing exchange programs or diversity workshops. Also, celebrating different ethnicities, religions and backgrounds. 5 Maya Starks (Ja’Mon Johnson/ The Washington Informer.) This will help with the cultural differences and help them to accept them for who they are. Young people play a role in this by leading events. They would invite speakers from different backgrounds and have open discussions with them. Young people can also talk about their different backgrounds, showcase their cultural traditions and some of their talents. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr once said, ”I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” That’s the legacy we should want to carry on–for people not to judge others by their culture or differences but by their personality and character. This can lead to respect and appreciation among everyone. The task of bringing peace to our communities requires efforts from all individuals of all ages. Young people play a crucial role in building a peaceful community and can bring new ideas and perspectives. By having community gatherings between the schools, conflict resolution programs and cultural understanding. We can have the hope of bending toward truth and justice. WI

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High School Division Xander Sehgal Basis DC - 11th Grade By Xander Sehgal In the shadow of grand monuments and historic corridors, Washington, D.C., stands at a crossroads. D.C. is in the grip of a profound struggle, where the gleam of national prom5 Xander Sehgal, who placed first in the inence fails to illu2024 MLK Essay (Ja’Mon Johnson/The minate the pervaWashington Informer.) sive issues plaguing our communities. The issues are plain and clear. D.C. has fallen victim to the same 3 things that every big city deals with: crime, homelessness, and unaffordable housing. These are not new developments — D.C. has been dealing with such matters for decades. However, they are becoming increasingly problematic. As of July 2023, Washington’s homicide rate was the sixth highest of any US city. Violent crime more broadly is up 30% this year. Washington also has the biggest per-capita homelessness problem on the East Coast. This year the District counted 4,922 unhoused people — an 11.6%increase from 2022. And then there’s the housing crisis. DC has 20,000 low-income city residents on a waiting list for public housing from the city. And yet, 25% of the DCHA’s 8,000 units lie unoccupied at any given time. I have seen the effects of these issues firsthand, as I witnessed a long time family friend and neighbor fall victim to the housing crisis, requiring him to stay at a homeless shelter. Now that it’s clear what issues we are facing as a city, it’s time to discuss some possible solutions. More specifically, youth-led solutions. Youth-led solutions offer a unique and valuable perspective that can enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of initiatives aimed at addressing various challenges. To resolve these 3 overarching problems in DC, I have designed Project RISE — a comprehensive initiative aimed to harness the dynamic energy of the youth and weave together innovative solutions to combat crime, homelessness, and unaffordable housing, while fostering educational empowerment. This project is based around the simple acronym RISE: Reimagination, Innovation, Sustainability, and Empowerment. The project is designed as follows:

R - Reimagining Safe Communities: Restorative Spaces for All This part of the project features the creation of vibrant Restorative Spaces, crafted by the ingenuity of youth architects. Picture these Restorative Spaces as more than structures; envision them as catalysts for community collaboration, where residents converge, uniting in a collective effort to shape and implement innovative crime pre-

vention strategies. The walls, canvases of potential, could be transformed into vibrant murals under the skilled hands of young artists. By engaging the creative talents of the youth, these spaces cultivate a sense of community ownership and pride, transcending traditional crime prevention measures. These Restorative Spaces are not only a refuge but a declaration — an assertion that the community stands united against the shadows of crime.

I - Innovating Urban Solutions: Integrated Haven Communities This phase of the project revolves around the concept of Integrated Haven Communities —dynamic, multifunctional spaces designed by the inventive minds of young architects. This design takes bold steps in using nature as a means of establishing affordable housing units and homeless shelters. These Integrated Haven Communities would come in two forms- Floating Havens and Underground Havens. Underground Havens, designed by young architects, take advantage of the vast amount of space under the surface of the city. Floating Havens, which would be strategically positioned along D.C.'s waterways, embrace the potential of rivers and canals. These unconventional approaches serve as a comprehensive solution to the intertwined challenges of homelessness and unaffordable housing, transforming the subterranean and aquatic world into a haven for affordable and free living. As we reimagine urban spaces, these communities emerge not just as solutions to housing challenges but as vibrant expressions of a city embracing innovation.

S - Sustaining Empowerment Programs: Sustainable Employment and Supportive Services

bilization of youth-led outreach teams. Collaboration with local businesses not only addresses the immediate challenges of unemployment but actively engages with the local job market. Placement Centers would not only provide job-related services — they would evolve into comprehensive hubs offering mental health services, addiction counseling, and skills training. Guided by a commitment to community welfare, youth-led outreach teams would also navigate the city, delivering crucial support to those in need. In essence, Sustainable Employment and Supportive Services are not isolated initiatives but interconnected threads in a tapestry of empowerment. They signify a commitment to not only address immediate employment needs but also foster sustained well-being and growth.

E - Empowering Educational Initiatives: Education Empowerment Network Through Project RISE, the youth of Washington, D.C., become the architects of change, redefining the narrative of their city. This comprehensive initiative addresses crime, homelessness, and unaffordable housing simultaneously, recognizing the interconnectedness of these issues. From restorative spaces to integrated communities and sustainable employment programs, each component serves as a building block toward a safer, more inclusive, and vibrant city. Through innovation, collaboration, and a commitment to lasting change, Project RISE embodies the ideals that Martin Luther King celebrated, providing an opportunity for a rebirth, where the city rises, resilient and united, against the tide of adversity. WI

Sustainable Employment Programs emerge as a vital foundation of the project. These programs, crafted by the expertise of young professionals, would play a pivotal role in offering comprehensive job training and placement services. They serve as a bridge, closing the gap between unemployment and the attainment of sustainable employment. These programs would feature collaborative endeavors with local businesses, the development of “Placement Centers”, and the mo-

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Dr. Martin Luther King Day 2024 “Jobs are harder to create than voting rolls.” — Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., The Nation, 1966

“R

ev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. represented the best of humanity’s compassion, care and service to others. His belief that life is defined by what we do for others should be a guiding principle for us all.” — Congressman David Trone

As attacks on civil rights long fought for continue across the country, I will continue working to increase access to the ballot. I am a proud supporter of the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which would restore and revitalize the Voting Rights Act of 1965. We also need to end generational poverty by creating more access to generational wealth. In the Senate, I will fight for minority business owners to have more access to capital, increase funding to our HBCUs and make home ownership more affordable across the state. Dr. King’s calls for economic justice in the fight for racial equity must never be forgotten.

U.S. SENATE Paid for by David Trone for Maryland.

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Dr. Martin Luther King Day Parade and Peace Walk 2024

5 Drumline members march in the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Parade without regard for the snow or frigid temperatures on Jan. 15 in Southeast. (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

5 A few of the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Parade committee members pause for a photo opp. L-R: Stuart Anderson, Washington Informer Publisher Denise Rolark Barnes, Norm Nixon, Sam Ford, Pege Gilgannon, and Macon Johnson. (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer) 6 Rev. George C. Gilbert, Jr. leads the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Peace Walk on Jan. 15 in Southeast. (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

5 DC Metropolitan Chief of Police Pamela Smith walks in the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Parade on Jan 15 in Southeast. (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

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Dr. Martin Luther King Day Parade and Peace Walk 2024

3 The Paul Lawrence Dunbar Senior High School JROTC march in the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Parade in Southeast on Jan 15. (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

6 Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Mu Lambda Chapter participate in the Martin Luther King Jr. Parade on Jan. 15. (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

5 Spectators line the street to watch the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Parade on Jan. 15. (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

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Has the Dream Become a Nightmare? By Jeffrey L. Boney Forward Times Associate Editor (Reprinted with permission from The Houston Forward Times https://forwardtimes.com/has-thedream-become-a-nightmare/) Approximately eleven months before he was assassinated on April 4, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. granted an exclusive interview to NBC News' Sander Vanocur on May 8, 1967, at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia, where he served as pastor. During this over 25-minute video, Dr. King shared his unfiltered thoughts on the state of Black America, a little less than four years after he delivered his iconic “Normalcy, Never Again” speech (famously referred to as the “I Have a Dream speech) on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on August 28, 1963. As Dr. King is interviewed by Vanocur, Dr. King said something striking in response to his question. Vanocur: When you stood on the Lincoln Memorial, that day in August, ’63,

you said ‘I Had a Dream,” did that dream envision that you could see a war in Asia, preventing the federal government doing for the Negroes, preventing the society doing for the Negroes what needed to be done? Dr. King: That dream that I had that day has in many points turned into a nightmare. Now I’m not one to lose hope. I keep on hoping. I still have faith in the future. But I’ve had to analyze many things over the last few years, and I would say over the last few months. I’ve gone through a lot of soul-searching and agonizing moments. And I’ve come to see that we have many more difficulties ahead and some of the old optimism was a little superficial and now it must be tempered with a solid realism. And I think the realistic fact is that we still have a long, long way to go and that we are involved in a war on Asian soil, which if not checked and stopped, can poison the very soul of our nation. As the interview was ending, Vanocur asked a follow up question, to which Dr. King kept it real and pointed out the real internal problems in the country concerning the state of Black America.

Vanocur: Dr. King, even if there had not been a war in Asia, would you still not have had this nightmare insofar as the Negro movement for equality then touched on two things the white community holds sacred—their children and their property?

Dr. King: It’s much more difficult to really arouse a conscience during a time of war. I noticed the other day, some weeks ago, a Negro was shot down in Chicago, and it was a clear case of police brutality. That was on page 30 of the paper, but on page 1 at the top was 780 Viet-Cong killed. That is something about a war like this that makes people insensitive. It dulls the conscience. It strengthens the forces of reaction. And it brings into being bitterness and hatred and violence, and it strengthens the military industrial complex of our country, and it’s made our job much more difficult because I think we can go along with some programs if we didn’t have this war on our hands. That would cause people to adjust to new developments, just as they did in the South. They said they’d never ride the bus with us, blood would flow in the streets, they wouldn’t go to school, and all of these things, but when people came to see that they had to do it because the law insisted, they finally adjusted. And, I think white people all over this country will adjust once the nation makes it clear that in schools, in housing, we’ve got to learn to live together as brothers. I think the biggest problem now is we got our gains over the last 12 years at bargain rates, so to speak. It didn’t cost the nation anything. In fact, it helped the economic side of the nation to integrate lunch counters and public accommodations. It didn’t cost the nation anything to get the right to vote established. Now, we’re confronting issues that cannot be solved without costing the nation billions of dollars. Now I think this is where we’re getting our greatest resistance. They may put it on many other things, but we can’t get rid of slums and poverty without it costing the nation something. Dr. King shifted his initial viewpoint of the “dream” he spoke about in 1963, versus the current reality of where he saw things after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965. There appeared to be a visible

awakening in Dr. King—a major pivot towards acknowledging the realistic need for African Americans to obtain racial, social, and economic equality. As we celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. King, let us never forget his words and his transformational challenge given to all American citizens to address the inequities and systematic issues that continue to plague the African American

community in this country. Let’s take a look at a few issues that have changed—or not—since Dr. King delivered these remarks during this profound interview over 56 years ago and compare Dr. King’s views on select issues that he consistently sought to address, and where we are today on those issues.

DR. KING ON EDUCATION On March 14, 1964, Dr. King was honored by the United Federation of Teachers and given the John Dewey Award. During his acceptance speech, Dr. King spoke about the importance of education to African Americans in this country and its tie to equality. Dr. King stated: “It was not fortuitous that education became embroiled in this conflict. Education is one of the vital tools the Negro needs in order to advance. And yet it has been denied him by devises of segregation and manipulations with quality.” As we look at Dr. King and the state of Black America in the 1960s, with a push for integrated schools and resources, things have not really gotten any better for Black people current day.

DR. KING ON VOTING RIGHTS On May 17, 1957, Dr. King delivered a speech at the Prayer Pilgrimage for Freedom before the Lincoln Memorial, demanding those rights be granted. Dr. King stated: “But, even more, all types of conniving methods are still being used to prevent Negroes from becoming registered voters. The denial of this sacred right is a tragic betrayal of the highest mandates of our democratic traditions and its is democracy turned upside down.” As we look at some of today’s legislation that has stifled the rights to vote for Blacks, restricting and impacting the ability of Black people to vote remains a focal point.

DR. KING ON FAIR AND EQUITABLE HOUSING ACCESS In a speech at Chicago Soldier Field Stadium in 1966, as part of the Chicago Open Housing Movement, Dr. King stated: “We are here today because we are tired. We are tired of paying more for less. We are tired of living in rat-infested slums… We are tired of having to pay a median rent of $97 a month in Lawndale for four rooms while whites living in South Deering pay $73 a month for five rooms. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to open the doors of opportunity to all of God’s children.” Black people still have challenges getting housing and are being priced out of their homes due to skyrocketing property values and gentrification.

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DISB Honors The Legacy of Martin Luther King Jr

With sophisticated regulatory controls and targeted financial education programs, the Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking (DISB) has DC covered. From students to business owners to our most vulnerable residents, Mayor Muriel Bowser and DISB are committed to providing you with the tools you need for every stage of your financial journey.

Learn more at DISB.dc.gov.

DISB CC MURIEL BOWSER, MAYOR �E*AR!GOVrnNtv1�NT or: Tl-I� �DISTRICT Of= COLUMBIA

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What Would King do to Address Black Mental Health?

By Micha Green and Lindiwe Vilakazi WI Managing Editor and WI Health Reporter

Among his many fights for equality, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. sought to address inequities in healthcare and raise awareness on the power of prioritizing love–especially self care and self love. Health care injustice had no place in King’s dream of an equal nation. “Of all forms of discrimination and inequalities, injustice in health is the most shocking and inhuman,” King said at a Medical Committee for Human Rights annual meeting in spring 1966, according to reports at the time. With the many health challenges disproportionately affecting Black Americans today– such as heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, influenza and pneumonia and HIV/AIDS, as

reported by Pfizer— fighting healthcare injustice continues King’s legacy of speaking out against inequities. Following in the footsteps of King and other civil rights leaders, Dr. Edwin Chapman has dedicated his career to working with underserved communities across D.C. His goal is to lessen health disparities and socioeconomic challenges affecting the livelihood of many African American residents. “That's really my whole focus– closing the gaps in care that we knew were present even before COVID-19. Now it's been exacerbated, of course, with the 12% increase in homelessness,” said Chapman. “The problems that we're having with food insecurity and all that is related to what we're seeing with the so-called shoplifting in our grocery stores, [shows] that we have an underlying health disparity that's really being played out in terms of economics.”

Further, as King pushed for equal rights in health care, he also emphasized prioritizing one’s own health, particularly mental health. King reportedly attempted to take his own life twice before the age of 13. Further, throughout his career, King worked to combat the stress, emotional pressure and anxieties of leading a movement, violent attacks coupled with death threats, and grappling with the challenges of the world. The civil rights leader spoke on depression without having to blatantly say the word. “You know, a lot of people don’t love themselves. And they go through life with deep and haunting emotional conflicts. So the length of life means that you must love yourself. And you know what loving yourself also means? It means that you’ve got to accept yourself,” King said in his sermon “The Three Dimensions of

“Everybody can be great because anybody can serve.” Honoring Dr. King’s commitment to change Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s words remind us of the importance of service at any level. AARP believes your experiences, skills and passion have the power to inspire others to make a difference. We encourage everyone to continue building on his legacy by lending a helping hand in their community.

Find ways to volunteer in the District at createthegood.aarp.org aarp.org/dc |

/aarpdc |

@AARPDC

5 The MLK Holiday DC health fair on Jan. 15 pushed the importance Black male health and mental health. (Cleveland Nelson/The Washington Informer)

a Complete Life,” delivered at New instinct. We all want to be important, Covenant Baptist Church in Chicago to surpass others, to achieve distincin April 1967. tion, to lead the parade,” King said When planning this year’s MLK in his sermon “The Drum Major InHoliday DC Health Fair, Wendell stinct,” at Ebenezer Baptist Church Whren, Jr., knew he wanted to em- in Atlanta, Georgia on February 4, phasize Black male health and mental 1968. “And the great issue of life is to health. harness the drum major instinct. It is “I'm in the process of transition- a good instinct if you don't distort it ing to become better and I'm going and pervert it. Don't give it up. Keep through my own personal things. A feeling the need for being important. lot of my buddies are going through Keep feeling the need for being first. things. I think a lot of men suffer in But I want you to be the first in love. silence,” said Whren, 35, organizer of I want you to be the first in moral exthe health fair. “Based on the nature of cellence. I want you to be the first in the lives of the men around me, I just generosity.” felt like men needed to be supportIn that same 1968 sermon he ed and addressed on [Martin Luther stressed his message of love by noting King, Jr. day].” even mental health professionals recWhren said King’s notion of free- ommend love as opposed to hate as a dom directly aligns with his goals for means of survival. Black male wellness. “Hate is just as injurious to the hater “We talk about being free… but a as it is to the hated. Like an unchecked lot of us have been held captive to our cancer, hate corrodes the personalthoughts. We've been held captive to ity and eats away its vital unity,” said the opinions of other people and we're King. “Many of our inner conflicts not free. So we're walking around with are rooted in hate. This is why psychithis baggage, we're not happy or mis- atrists say, ‘Love or perish.’ Hate is too erable, we're suffering. And that's not great a burden to bear.” what Dr. Martin Luther King talked WI about,” said Whren. “[The health fair] puts us in a space where we can be free to just be our authentic selves for those few hours. [I hope] when these men encounter these different health care providers, that they find it safe enough and inviting enough and welcoming enough to be free in the moment— to have a moment of freedom that Dr. King was talking about.” As he preached about in 1967, King’s keys to combating mental health challenges were prioritiz- 5 The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke ing love and working toward be- out against health care inequities and promoted ing a good person. the importance of prioritizing mental health with “We all have the drum major a particular focus on self love. (Courtesy Photo)

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For the third consecutive year, the Washington Wizards partners with the Greater Washington Urban League to host an essay contest for high school seniors!

DR. E.B. HENDERSON “Grandfather of Black Basketball”

The contest will honor Dr. Edwin Bancroft (E.B.) Henderson, a sports historian, educator, administrator, coach, athlete, and civil rights activist known as the 'Grandfather of Black Basketball' and Benjamin Banneker, who is credited as one of the surveyors of the District of Columbia and laying the boundary stones to create the District. Dr. Henderson, was said to have written over 3,000 letters to newspapers advocating civil rights and Banneker, wrote a letter to the then U.S. Secretary of State, Thomas Jefferson advocating for justice of African Americans and opposing slavery. To celebrate and honor their legacies, select a community leader/organization and write an essay between 350-500 words advocating for their cause/mission and its importance in your life. The top ten essay winners will win monetary scholarships towards their continued education or college of their choice. The grand prize winner will receive $5,000, the second-place winner will receive $4,000, the third-place winner will receive $3,500, and the remaining seven ﬁnalists will receive $2,500 courtesy of the Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation. Winners will also be recognized in-game at a selected Wizards home game and on Wizardsʼ digital platforms.

BENJAMIN BANNEKER Author and Astronomer

All students who submit an essay that ﬁts the criteria of the contest will receive two complimentary tickets to a select home game during the 2023-24 season. Deadline to submit essay is Thursday, February 1, 2024 at 11:59 p.m.

To learn more and submit your essay visit: WWW.NBA.COM/WIZARDS/ESSAYCONTEST2324 MLK-19 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER 2024 MARTIN LUTER KING JR SUPPLEMENT / www.washingtoninformer.com H-19

“THE TIME IS

ALWAYS RIGHT TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT” - DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

SAFEWAY IS PROUD TO HONOR THE MEMORY OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

GL00211808_011924_WashingtonInformer

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EDITORIAL

Trump’s Unchecked Ascent: A Nation’s Unwavering Parental Leniency

In a nation where jaywalkers get tickets, and murderers face the death penalty, the absence of consequences for former President Donald Trump’s actions stands out as an anomaly. From baseless election claims to inciting a deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol, Trump has faced minimal punishment, if any, for his unprecedented behavior. The Iowa caucuses further highlighted this lack of accountability, as Trump avoided repercussions and secured a landslide victory, positioning himself as the undisputed front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination. The victory comes on the heels of his second sexual assault civil trial, which again defies norms. Trump’s ability to reshape the GOP in his racist image during the 2016 elections paved the way for his dominance within the party. His latest triumph in Iowa, with a historic 50% of the vote, underscores that the current GOP is unquestionably his own. The crowd at his victory party, adorned with MAGA hats, chanted his name, emphasizing the extent to which Trump’s influence still prevails. President Joe Biden may have secured more popular votes in 2020, but Trump’s 75 million reveal a disturbing reality. Despite a presidency marked by actions that polarized the nation—from promoting white supremacy to separating families at the border—a significant portion of the electorate remains devoted to Trump. The contrast between Biden’s “saving the soul of America” and Trump’s promise to “take back our country” speaks volumes. While Biden’s message resonated in 2020, especially among African Americans, Trump’s appeal persists, even for those who have experienced the shortcomings of democracy firsthand. For African Americans, victims of systemic racism and the blatant disregard for Black lives, Biden’s 2024 call to “save democracy” falls flat. Some see Trump’s return to power as a threat because of his claims of implementing dictatorial policies, abolishing healthcare, and freeing the Jan. 6 insurrectionists, whom he affectionately refers to as “hostages.” Trump’s rhetoric targeting Black authors and books and historical truths further raises concerns about freedom of expression. Despite facing civil sexual assault penalties and a staggering 91 felony charges, Trump’s political prowess remains unscathed. With a Supreme Court he helped shape, there’s a real possibility of him evading justice. Recent evidence of selling U.S. secrets to foreign entities only adds to his mounting controversies. The paradox of a nation that cancels sexual predators while simultaneously embracing a candidate with a record of misconduct reflects the complex political landscape. Trump’s victory in Iowa and the looming possibility of defeating Biden in the upcoming election underscore a disturbing leniency America affords Trump. WI

Let the Young People Speak

In 1964, when the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led the historic March on Washington where he delivered his famous “I Have a Dream Speech,” many who stood on the National Mall were young adults, a melting pot of admirers and supporters of the Civil Rights Movement and King’s non-violent call for jobs and freedom. Dr. King was 34 years old, and many of his closest advisers, civil rights activists in their own right, were as young or just as young as he was. The Rev. Jesse Jackson was 22, the late Congressman John Lewis was 23, Julian Bond was 23, and former Ambassador Andrew Young was 31, to name a few. History also reminds us that it was the Rev. James Bevel, at age 24, who convinced Dr. King to allow him to organize what became known as the Children’s Crusade. In 1963, more than 4,000 children marched and got arrested in Birmingham, Alabama, to bring national attention to the racial violence occurring there. Dr. King was reluctant, but when the adults said no, the children said “yes” to one of the most successful and effective demonstrations that resulted in the passage of major civil rights legislation. We say all this to say that children and young adults are the changemakers not only here in America but around the world. We would say that more of them are making a significant impact in securing a healthy and safe future for themselves than the adults who claim to be working on their behalf. The evidence is clear. When D.C. elementary, middle and high school students were recently invited by the Marion Barry Youth Leadership Institute (MBYLI) to submit essays on the topic: “The Dream: What Does It Mean to You?” To the surprise of the adults, more than 120 essays were submitted with ideas ranging from improving the education system to broadening extra-curricular activities for young people, addressing discrimination, preserving the freedom to read books, and ending gun violence. Young people have a lot to say. They are just as concerned about their opportunities today as they are about protecting their future. They have recommendations and answers to our challenges, but we’ll only hear from them when we let them speak. WI

TO THE EDITOR I enjoyed learning about the work and life of Risikat “Kat” Iyabo Okedeyi. I was unfamiliar with her efforts and influence on the African-centered arts and entertainment scene throughout the D.C. area. Peace and love to all those impacted and mourning her untimely passing. Yeva Jones Washington, D.C.

I appreciate the Weekend Checklist in the Lifestyle section. I love staying in the loop on the events and happenings in our community. I look forward to the next one! Kate Reid Washington, D.C.

Readers' Mailbox The Washington Informer welcomes letters to

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the editor about articles we publish or issues affecting the community. Write to news@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. JANUARY 18 - 24, 2024 23

OPINIONS/EDITORIALS Guest Columnist

Julianne Malveaux

What Does Dr. Claudine Gay Mean to Me?

When Dr. Claudine Gay was named the first Black president of Harvard University, and only the second woman, I was pleased. Familiar with her record as dean of the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and aware of the rigorous process that narrowed more than 600 applicants or nominees to Dr. Gay, I felt that Harvard could not have selected someone more qualified.

Still, I was aware of the pitfall possibilities that Dr. Gay faced. Even before she assumed the Harvard presidency, rabid racists questioned everything about her, from her research record to her attitude. Following her inauguration closely, I was buoyed by her wide smile. Despite the racist invective, she was enjoying her job! Tbat didn't last long. The witch hunt that had three female college presidents squirming under the hostile questioning of Dr. Gay's disastrous testimony to Congress attracted even more criticism. And as the criticism reached a crescen-

Guest Columnist

do, Dr. succumbed to the inevitable and resigned. Would she have been able to do anything else? Her detractors had trashed her reputation. How could she possibly fundraise under those circumstances. Many talk of "presidential leadership" in the higher education context, but college presidents are also judged by their fundraising acumen. Many get a great boost in their first year when their support is greatest and enthusiasm for them is high. By year two, they will be judged for what they've done "lately." She didn't get a clear first year, not even

a clear few months. The attacks on her started as soon as she was selected and accusations of "antisemitism" were simply fodder in the culture wars. The presidents of Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) could have handled congressional questions more deftly. Or could they have? With the rabidly hostile Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) bellowing "yes or no" at people accustomed to nuance, it seems that rising above the multisyllabic would have too complex for Stefanik, chasing TV instead of an-

swers, to comprehend. Of course, Gay should have begun her testimony by condemning the Hamas action of Oct. 7. For the likes of Stefanik, it is irrelevant that more than 25,000 Palestinians have been murdered, including as many as 8,000 children. Israelis are celebrating the fact that a major Hamas leader is among the victims. Netanyahu and his cronies say they will eliminate Hamas by whatever means necessary, no matter how many civilians are killed, starved, or

MALVEAUX Page 41

Dr. Barbara Reynolds

Technology Must Heed the Warning of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

One can only wonder what would have happened if the tech elites had heeded the prophetic warning of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In 1965, he warned that unless guided by God's spirit, modern technology could transform our society into a "devastating Frankenstein" bringing our earthly life to ashes. Now some 60 years later I find myself attempting to walk in King's foot-

steps, without his brilliance, but still struggling to tell the same story in my new book, "The Rise and Fall of the Techno-Messiah. Technology and the End Times." It continues King's warning of the danger of our machine culture displacing authentic humans made in the image of God with robots — artificial human substitutes — made in the image of humans, many of whom harbor deep biases of racism, sexism and encoded inequality. This strange vision of the possible tragic consequences of a godless tech-

Guest Columnist

nology was not something this writer pursued. It was a strange prophetic encounter that pursued me to try to understand why God cared so much about technology. And if He does care so much, why do some of us seemingly care so little? The pursuit began with a surprising revelation in my prayer time of God expressing His outrage at the titans of technology attempting to challenge His sovereignty. "Soon robots and cyborgs living beings merging with flesh and metal will mock me as haters mocked My Son as He bled on the Cross.

These beings are being programmed to preside in churches as pastors and preachers of new religions. They are substituting technology as their god and computer-generating text as the Word of God. This is a rebuff to Me." He continued: "I did not step out of heaven, infuse myself into a woman's womb, and offer my Son to be bruised and tortured so that metal machines could serve as human substitutes in my sacred space. My Son died on the Cross and was resurrected from the grave three days later in the flesh, not as a machine. He died so that my human fam-

ily and continue in my spirit and My flesh to create beloved communities." It is not unusual for me to hear the voice of God, but to hear and feel the pain of God was so devastating I had to take a deep dive into technology. I saw how no part of human existence is left untouched by it, whether for good or for evil. It impacts our birth, breath, wealth, health and death. Machines are replacing thousands of us in employment, self-programmed to kill humans, rogue robots can write their own

REYNOLDS Page 41

Marian Wright Edelman

'Keep Moving'

I heard Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speak for the first time when he gave the Founders' Day address in Spelman College's Sisters Chapel during my senior year of college. His subject that day was "Keep Moving from This Mountain." Dr. King said he wanted to start by taking us way back to the people Moses was called to lead out of the Egypt of slavery and into the Promised

24 JANUARY 18 - 24, 2024

Land, and noted that after they realized they would have to go through a long and difficult wilderness to get there, three kinds of attitudes emerged: "One group wanted to go back to Egypt: they felt that the fleshpots of Egypt were more to be desired than the ordeals of emancipation. Then you had a second group that abhorred the idea of going back to Egypt, and yet could not quite attain the discipline and the sacrifice to go on to Canaan. These people chose the line of least resistance. There was a third group, probably the creative minority, which said in sub-

stance, 'We will go on in spite of the obstacles, in spite of the difficulty, in spite of the sacrifices that we will have to make.'" Dr. King told us we could find the same three groups in every movement toward freedom and fulfillment. Of course, most of us would like to believe we'd immediately be in the third group. But Dr. King said he wanted to focus on the second. He described the message to the people standing still: "Whenever God speaks, he says go forward, saying in substance that you must never become

bogged down in mountains and situations that will impede your progress. You must never become complacently adjusted to unobtained goals; 'you have been in this mountain long enough, turn ye and take your journey.'" Dr. King then spoke about the four symbolic mountains of moral and ethical relativism, materialism, segregation, and violence that he believed we would need to overcome in our time for our nation and world to survive. Above all, he gave us courage and hope about how to hold faith in the future and keep going.

Dr. King said: "I do not stand here as a detached spectator. As I say to you this afternoon, have faith in the future, I speak as one who lives every day amidst the threat of death. I speak as one who has had to stand often amidst the surging murmur of life's restless sea, I speak as one who has been battered often by the jostling winds of adversity, but I have faith in the future. I have faith in the future because I have faith in God and I believe that there is a power, a creative force in this universe

EDELMAN Page 41

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OPINIONS/EDITORIALS Guest Columnist

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

Still Remembering Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

For those who rejoiced when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. died, they must be disappointed to know that we still celebrate the work Dr. King did to make this a better world. Some thought that killing the Dreamer would kill his dream of a better world for all of us. I'll be the first to admit we still have a long way to go to realize his dream, but for those who loved and admired

him, we're still on the battlefield to make this a better world. Every year on January 15th, people brave the ice, wind, and snow to hear somebody talk about this man all over the world. It's funny that Dr. King was a paperboy when he was a child and at that time, he wanted to be a fireman. In his young life, he knew that Black people and white people did not have the same rights. That didn't cause him to hate white people who held the view that it was OK to have it that way. He worked for change.

Guest Columnist

Thankfully, there were and still are people other than Black people who continue to work for justice and equal rights and opportunities for all. We also honor them when we honor Dr. King. We still have a lot of work to do. Many of our people who live better today than they did while Dr. King was with us, don't understand that because of the work Dr. King and other civil and human rights workers did, made their lives better. It's a tragedy that so many see Jan. 15, the day of Dr. King's birth, as a day off work and

nothing more. While we honor Dr. King, let us take the time to honor other soldiers who worked along with him, and some in their own movements, at a more dangerous time than we have today. Let us remember Dr. C.T. Vivian, Dr. Joseph Lowery, Dr. Ralph Abernathy, Ms. Coretta Scott King, Dick Gregory, Amelia Boynton, Fannie Lou Hamer, Medgar and Charles Evers, Viola Liuzzo, Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, Myrlie Evers and more. Let us not forget them as we honor Dr. King.

Like Dr. King, these people risked their lives for us. Advancements were made in civil and human rights because of their struggles and commitment. They worked to end white supremacy and various forms of discrimination. Later there were younger people like Eleanor Holmes Norton, Johnny Ford, Jesse Jackson, A.J. Cooper, Julian Bond, Deacons for Defense and so many more. Where are soldiers like them today

WILLIAMS Page 42

Marc H. Morial

Win or Lose, Tish James' Action Against NRA Corruption Has Stifled Wayne LaPierre country with more guns than people. Call it Wayne's world. — Andrew C. McKevitt LaPierre helped supercharge the gunning of America, even as he and the NRA skillfully blamed America's gun problem on everyone but themselves. … Over the course of 30 years, tragedy after tragedy should have brought with it, as it did elsewhere, the most minimal and common-sense of regulations. Instead, Americans now live in a

Misdirecting tens of millions of donor dollars to fund the lavish lifestyles of chief executive Wayne LaPierre and other top executives, as New York State Attorney General Letitia James alleges, is hardly the worst of the National Rifle Association's atrocities. But in suing the NRA for financial corruption, even if she doesn't win the case, James has

Guest Columnist

stricken the most effective blow in decades against one of the most poisonous influences in recent American history. Days before James' lawsuit went to trial in New York City this week, LaPierre resigned from the NRA after more than 30 years. He leaves a legacy of unspeakable, senseless violence that has claimed the lives of more than a million Americans over the past 30 years. Under LaPierre's leadership, the NRA was transformed from a

sportsman's organization dedicated to improving marksmanship to the nation's most brutally effective industry lobbying group. No organization has done more to drive a stake into the heart of bipartisanship and deepen the cultural divide. In 1994, when LaPierre's influence had just begun to permeate Congress, 46 House Republicans and seven Senate Republicans voted for the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, which included a 10-year ban on assault

weapons. It's impossible to imagine a single Congressional Republican making that vote in recent years, when an "A" rating from the NRA was an iron-clad prerequisite for any candidate seeking a legislative or executive office. Even many Democrats were reluctant to antagonize the group by voting for common-sense gun safety measures. The last congressional election in 2022 was the

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Ben Jealous

A Glimpse at the New American Economy … If We Can Seize the Moment

What if the answer to undoing the harm wrought by the demise of America's manufacturing sector was right in front of us? An economic boom waiting to happen, to rebuild communities and revitalize our beaten-down working class… And, this time, without the rampant industrial pollution that

fuels climate change and sickens our people… It is not too good to be true. But we must seize the moment if we do not want it to pass us by. Last week, I visited the Qcells solar panel plant in Georgia. It is the largest facility of its kind in the Western Hemisphere. And as the world transitions away from fossil fuels and to renewable energy sources, it represents the opportunity we have in front of us. Solar manufacturing jobs in the U.S. are already on pace to more

than triple from about 35,000 in 2023 to 120,000 by 2033. We can do even better — by expanding the energy market and domesticating the solar supply chain. The new green economy should mean an American century that rivals or even surpasses America's global success in the 20th century. The Biden-Harris administration's Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) gives us the tools to turn this dream into reality. But the private sector needs to do its part, with investments that are both patriotic and profit-

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able — not to mention planet-saving. My visit came one day after Qcells announced a massive deal to supply Microsoft with 12 gigawatts of solar modules and Engineering, Procurement and Construction services over eight years. That's enough energy to power more than 1.8 million homes annually. And it will help Microsoft meet its goal of being carbon negative, water positive and zero waste by 2030. More than that, it's an invest-

ment in America. According to the energy research firm Wood Mackenzie, China will control more than 80 percent of the world's solar manufacturing capacity through 2026. This is the future of energy. And the United States needs to catch up. The goal should be to scale up investments like Microsoft's as rapidly as possible, and bring the entire manufacturing lifecycle for solar technology to the U.S. And

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LIFESTYLE WASHINGTON INFORMER WEEKEND CHECKLIST WASHINGTON INFORMER'S

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

THURSDAY, JAN. 18

Take Time Thursday: The Benefits of Journaling Time: 2:30 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. | Free with registration Virtual Journaling can reduce stress, help with goals and aspirations, and help defeat depression. The long-term benefits of journaling can turn into a book. Each page takes you back to a moment in time. Hear from journal enthusiast and author, Danielle N. Hall, as she explains the overall benefits of Journaling. #TakeTimeThursday with the Anacostia Community Museum gives participants a chance to take time for wellness, health, and creativity with wellness practitioners, artists, thought leaders, performers, and

issues advocates. Take a 45-minute break with us and boost your mind, body, and spirit. Tango Class & Party at the Embassy of Uruguay Time: 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. | $10 Embassy of Uruguay, 1913 I Street Northwest, Washington, D.C., 20006 An immersive tango experience awaits at the Embassy of Uruguay. Open to all skill levels, join instructor Luis Angel for a tango class, followed by a party with traditional music and Uruguayan wines. Join the Uruguayan Embassy for an unforgettable night of dance and culture.

FRIDAY, JAN. 19

The 2024 Washington Auto Show Time: Noon. - 6 p.m. | $7.00 to $20.00 Walter E Washington Convention Center, 801 Allen Y. Lew Place NW, Washington, D.C., 20001 The Washington, D.C. Auto Show opens on Jan. 19 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. As the region’s largest indoor event and one of the top auto shows in the United States, the 2024 Show will continue in its timely tradition of featuring hundreds of vehicles on dis-

5 The 2024 Washintton Auto Show (Courtesy Photo)

play from the world’s top manufacturers. The show will also play host to a variety of interactive activations such as outdoor ride n’ drives and indoor test tracks from Hyundai and Nissan, as well as brand-new features like the DC eDrives Experience. Smthn Dfrnt Time: 10 p.m. - 2 a.m. | Free with RSVP Shanklin Hall, 2325 18th Street Northwest, Washington, D.C., 20009 DJ Cuzzin B is finally taking Smthn Dfrnt OUTSIDE. What started during quarantine as a reset to play EXACTLY what HE wanted to play turned into appointment viewing on virtual platforms for over two years straight. It's where NEW JAMMIES, FORGOTTEN GEMS, and WORLD PREMIERES is the formula. Cuzzin B will inject those feel-good vibes you deserve on a Friday. Don't worry, we GON party wit it. This Friday features DJ Pae Me. Bring friends, comfortable shoes, and an open mind. You can go anywhere for the same old thing.

SATURDAY, JAN. 20

DMV Fantastic Indoor Winter Market Time: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. | Free with RSVP Songbyrd, 540 Penn Street Northeast, Washington, D.C., 20002 Come shop and see what's happening in the DMV with fantastic indie makers and sellers of new and vintage goods. Free swag bags and giveaways!

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SUNDAY, JAN. 21

Building Stories | Free Community Celebration Time: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. | Free National Building Museum, 401 F St NW, Washington, DC, 20001 Please join us for a FREE community day to celebrate the opening of “Building Stories.” The Museum's new exhibition will bring visitors on an immersive exploration of the world of architecture, engineering, and construction found in the pages of children's books.

Lionel Lyles Quintet Time: 7 p.m. - 10 p.m. | $15-20 Takoma Station Tavern, 6914 4th Street Northwest, Washington, D.C., 20012 Lionel Lyles, one of the most widely respected young saxophonists in the D.C.-Baltimore area performs. Honored with awards from Washington City Paper and Jazz Journalists Association, Lyles has three albums and leads quartets and quintets. A graduate of Morgan State University and North Carolina Central University, he studied under jazz greats like Branford Marsalis. Lyles champions music's unifying power. Based in Baltimore, he's a Boulder, Colorado native.

Nate Smith and Friends Time: 8 p.m. 11 p.m. | $20 Hailing from Chesapeake, Virginia, Nate Smith, a drummer, composer, and producer, boasts three GRAMMY® nominations. He's collaborated with Pat Metheny, Dave Holland, Brittany Howard, and more. Known for his versatile drumming, Smith blends genres from jazz to hip-hop in his compositions. His latest work, 'Kinfolk 2: See The Birds' (Edition Records, September 2021), follows his acclaimed 'Kinfolk: Postcards From Everywhere.' With viral videos reaching millions, Smith stands out as a leading drummer of his era. WI

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JANUARY 18 - 24, 2024 27

ost people agree that doing kind things for others makes them feel good. Scientists now believe doing kind things for others is also good for you!

Kindness is Catching!

Please help me deliver these donations to the food drive!

How kind! Someone surprised the teachers at Main Street Elementary School with flowers. Can you find the two arrangements that are exactly the same?

Five Weeks of Kindness Experiment

Two scientists at Ohio State University asked students who were feeling worried or sad to do three small acts of kindness twice a week for five weeks. The students did things like:

Open doors for others.

Smile at people they haven’t met.

Let someone cut in line in front of them.

Carry someone’s groceries.

Give someone a cookie.

Volunteer to help someone.

When you do something kind for another person, it is catching. The person you are kind to will likely go out and do something kind for someone else.

Shovel a snowy sidewalk.

Give compliments.

Walk a neighbor’s dog.

At the end of the five weeks, students reported feeling less worried and much happier. Being kind makes people feel good! Standards Link: Language Arts: Read informational text.

COOKIE DOG EDITOR FRIEND GOOD GROCERIES HAPPIER KINDNESS LESS NOTES OHIO PERSON SIGNS SMILE VOLUNTEER

S E I K O O C F S T

I F E D I T O R P G

G J K H A P P I E R

N T B I Z C K E R O S E T O N I A N S C

O M G T Q D V D O E

L Y I D B O N Y N R S S E L O O V E O I

O I H O E G B H S E V O L U N T E E R S

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

Notes of Kindness

One student at Ohio State spread kindness around the entire campus. She wrote positive and kind words on sticky notes and stuck them to doors, signs, mirrors, and walls around campus.

Helping Others

Fill in the missing vowels to discover some kind words to share.

Look through the newspaper for an article about someone in your community who is struggling. How could you do something kind for this person?

Answe you’ve re Have a fam if you ans

1. A stud Univer doing made p a. lon b. hu c. sill d. be

2. When often c to do a a. TR b. FA

3. A stud Univer around a. flo b. ap c. stic wo d. jok

4. Openin someo kindne a. TR b. FA

5. To feel worrie others a. sm b. car gro c. giv d. wa e. sho for f. giv g. vo som h. op i. let of j. all

6. Kindne a. TR b. FA

Standards Li

Standards Link: Understand civic responsibility.

Thanking a Local Hero

Look for a newspaper article about a person or a group who is helping others in your community. Write them a letter of appreciation and send it to the newspaper’s editor for publication. Standards Link: Language Arts: Write using letter format.

Standards Link: Language Arts: Spell grade-level words correctly.

Kind Things to Say Write down three kind things you can say to others. Standards Link: Write descriptively.

KID SCOOP IS SPONSORED BY

28 JANUARY 18 - 24, 2024

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With hund Kid Scoop features si high-inter activities f school! Ge sample tod

wi book review "Rental Person Who Does Nothing" by Shoji Morimoto c.2024, Hanover Square Press $21.99 192 pages Terri Schlichenmeyer WI Contributing Writer You need a hand there? A little help? You know where to find it: your contacts list is full of people who'll lend a hand, make repairs, offer assistance, lift, and oomph. You know people who'll run to your side when you need them and you know others, as in the new book "Rental Person Who Does Nothing" by Shoji Morimoto, who'll just stand around and watch. In a way, Shoji Morimoto wasn't meant to work for someone else. For many years, he was a freelance writer in Japan, penning ads, textbooks, and material that he found dull and repetitive. He was "stressed" by it, and by every financial aspect of merely having to work and so, looking for something totally different, he launched a service he called Do-Nothing Rental, announcing its basic layout on what was then Twitter. You needed a fourth for a card game, he'd be that guy. Want someone to hold you accountable? He'd do it, but only if it didn't require him to make decisions. Need somebody to hold your spot in line? He was your man, but not twice. Want a lunch buddy? Tweet him and he'd meet you there. A good listener? He was on it. He'd show up when nobody else would. And yet — "Rental Person" was discerning and didn't take just any old task, it had to be legal and interesting. The cost? Morimoto didn't charge for his efforts. He was comped for transportation and usually for any meals and tickets required. Appreciative clients sent him gift certificates and freewill offers of cash but Morimoto mostly tended to his family's needs through financial trading and by using his savings. Still, he's adamant that Rental Person wasn't a volunteer gig, that it was a job but not exactly a business. And even that all depended on what the client wanted … "Rental Person Who Does Nothing" is one of those books that makes you tilt your head, squint one eye, and wonder what the heck you just read. It's quirky, to be sure. Appealing, to a point, but also somewhat half-finished and not completely applicable — and so probably not easily doable. It's also confounding: in keeping with his do-nothing aim, author Shoji Morimoto admits up-front that he didn't even write this book, thus underscoring its title and reveling in the ultimate laziness — all the while ignoring an obvious (and well-exampled) need for occasional bursts of pure hustle. For the right reader, this will sound like fun in its unpredictability and its by-the-seat-of-one's-pants-ness. Alas, it'll make most business people intrigued but slightly horrified, if nothing but for the financial aspects and concerns laid out here. Those, along with repetition, ultimately competing statements, and impulsivity, and the book becomes a bit of a challenge. Still, for people-watchers and well-moneyed free spirits who're ready to shuck the rat race, "Rental Person Who Does Nothing" may be a tiny catalyst for that one foot out the door. If you like the status quo, paycheck and all, though, it's safe to say hands off. WI

horoscopes

LIFESTYLE JAN. 18 - 24, 2024

ARIES The great thing about Monday and Tuesday is that you will get a lot done. The not great thing is that you'll want to snack. On Wednesday and Thursday, you really don't need to watch anything. Your natural impulse will be toward healthy competition, and everyone else will be on the same page, and Friday offers the added bonus of action on the romantic front. You're on fire this week. Come Saturday, let the weekend be restful and restorative. Lucky Numbers: 3, 11, 50 TAURUS You're feeling secure on Monday and Tuesday, secure enough to let down your guard and characterize your feelings to someone else. They will be curious and ask great questions. Unfortunately, Wednesday through Friday offer less in the way of good responses from others. A power struggle is in the stars and there's a chance that you may come across as pompous. Lucky Numbers: 34, 39, 56 GEMINI You're just being practical. Someone around you might accuse you of being stingy on Monday or Tuesday, but perhaps they're just moody because they're not getting what they want. On Wednesday, thankfully, your social interactions turn on how interesting your conversations are, not how much money is flying out of your pocket, and Thursday and Friday bring you further enjoyment on the intellectual front. The weekend is a blur of errands and details. Lucky Numbers: 6, 9, 17 CANCER The beginning of the week is also the beginning of the rest of your life. It really feels that way. There is a spotlight on you. What you do next is crucial. Be assertive. On Tuesday, you are humming with energy, and Wednesday and Thursday are extravagant, larger-than-life days. You may also make an extravagant purchase. No garage sales for you! On Friday, you're so excited about your new acquisition that you may tip into showing-off territory, which isn't becoming. But Saturday and Sunday return you to a regular level of modesty. Again, all your thoughts are focused on the future. Lucky Numbers: 5, 12, 44 LEO Your incredible sensitivity on Monday and Tuesday is going to lead to beautiful things. It connects you deeply to your intuition. It makes you modest. By Wednesday, friends will be discussing plans for a statue in your honor. And that isn't even the pinnacle of your week. Thursday and Friday are magnificent. You are supremely loved. On Saturday, a turn inward is in the stars. Sunday is also a day of small personal tasks. No mountain climbing for you! Lucky Numbers: 2, 11, 17 VIRGO What you should be orchestrating on Monday and Tuesday is an excuse for a bunch of people to come together, maybe a thing for friends, maybe a family thing. You get your motivation these days from other people, and motivation is what you'll need to get through your hectic days on Wednesday and Thursday. By Friday, your focus is on helping a certain underdog. Saturday is a great day marked by achievement and clarity, and on Sunday, you finally start to feel organized. You're at your happiest when you're organized. Lucky Numbers: 2, 16, 42 LIBRA Sure, many things may not be going your way, but check out all the flowering trees along the street, or the sounds of the wind. The small things. Even when everything else is difficult and crazy, there are ways to enjoy yourself. On Wednesday and Thursday, most of your enjoyment comes from seeing other people, and on Friday, from being creative. On Saturday, be in listening mode,. Saturday evening, socialize. Sunday, sleep. Lucky Numbers: 14, 25, 43 SCORPIO By virtue of your ability to make things happen, your desires are satisfied on Monday and Tuesday with very little string pulling on your part. Wednesday is a typical Wednesday: middle of the week, work-centric, introverted, bland. And a run-in with the boss on Thursday brings about the doldrums. Don't, obviously. Keep a low profile on Friday as well. After your midweek slump, the weekend returns you to happy footing. Friends are prominent. Lucky Numbers: 8, 18, 21 SAGITTARIUS Apply yourself to really getting to know you-know-who on Monday and Tuesday. It's time to get deep. You have a lot of questions and so do they. On Wednesday and Thursday, you are too distracted by your good luck to think very deeply about anything. The sun shines down on you on Friday as well, a perfect day for travel or doing something creative. On Saturday and Sunday, on the other hand, an authority figure makes things difficult. Lucky Numbers: 14, 25, 59 CAPRICORN Wherever Monday and Tuesday find you, you'd rather be someplace else. Deal with whatever's in front of you and you'll end your days with a sense of accomplishment. Midweek isn't easy on the work front. It turns out someone you thought you understood has a whole backstory that changes everything. And by Friday, you feel utterly taxed by everyone else's demands. If you end up going in to work on Sunday, you'll do so happily. Lucky Numbers: 6, 9, 23 AQUARIUS You are handy. If the clock breaks on Monday or Tuesday, you'll wind it up and set it back on the wall. You need a functioning clock in order to be at your best, what with all the organizational responsibilities you shoulder this week. On Wednesday and Thursday, a creative solution to an interpersonal problem is far superior to a punitive solution. And on Friday, an experiment with a friend leads to an extraordinary discovery. Your interactions on Saturday and Sunday are more challenged. Take care when dealing with others. Someone's true agenda may not be obvious. Lucky Numbers: 13, 22, 34 PISCES Romance is the dominant theme on Monday and Tuesday. Rather than a typical date of coffee, food, movie, try climbing a tree together or reading aloud to one another. The more creativity you put into this, the more you'll get out of it. It's natural that your thoughts Wednesday and Thursday take a turn toward fantasy, what with how much you like this person. But try to keep your head firmly in reality, especially at work on Friday. Lucky Numbers: 5, 25, 40

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JANUARY 18 - 24, 2024 29

SPORTS Howard University MLK Classic Becomes More Than a Basketball Game By Ed Hill WI Contributing Writer

Five years ago, for Howard University’s (HU) basketball team, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. federal holiday, was basically day for a home game that offered the customary tributes to the slain civil rights leader. As a bonus attraction, Howard invited such notable institutions like Notre Dame and Harvard to highlight the event. Then the King day game took a

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dramatic turn last year: it became an opportunity to honor the celebrated activist by incorporating such activities as community service projects and panels for student-athletes interested in pursuing careers in sports. This year, the program took yet another step to make it a fixture for the future. The day of celebration kicked off with a standing-room-only swim and diving meet, hosted by the nationally acclaimed swim team. After the meet followed a virtual panel, coordinated with Jordan

5 Howard University MLK Classic has become more than a basketball game, but a moment to continue King’s legacy. The Jordan Brand, which has a partnership with Howard, revealed the Jordan Brand Sneaker Wall display. (Abdullah J. Konte/The Washington Informer)

Brand, the athletics program's major sponsor. Many of the HU athletes gathered in Burr Gymnasium to hear via Zoom a presentation by Jordan Brand representatives, Howie "H" White and Larry Miller, vice president and board chairman of the company.

While Miller and White were supposed to speak to students in person, the snowy weather prevented their live appearance. "As it turned out, we had to do it virtually because of the weather," said Chevonne Mansfield, HU executive senior associate athletics director. "We have the partnership with them, and it was their idea to have this panel in concert with the spirit of MLK Day. They both stressed giving back to athletics and using their platforms to make a difference. They spoke for about 45 minutes and it was well received by our student-athletes." Miller spoke to the students about some of his challenges growing up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and how he turned his life around to become chairman of the Jordan Brand board. You're going to lose, you're going to miss the shots," Miller said. "But if you can learn from that mistake, if you can benefit and grow from that mistake, then you still win." White, a former standout at the University of Maryland on the men's basketball team, shared some of his pearls of wisdom in concert with the theme, "Life After Sports" that he preaches. Another feature of the MLK celebration was the unveiling of the Jordan Brand Sneaker Wall display in the facility. According to Mansfield, It is the only one of its kind among the Jordan Brand clients. With a meet and greet reception to boot, Howard also hosted the un-

veiling of the renovated lower gymnasium. The project is a collaboration by Luna, with major funding coming from Jordan Brand. "It has been a two-and-a-half year project in the making," noted Mansfield. "We now have a renovated weight room, a place for the volleyball and women's basketball team to practice. There were also significant improvements made to the locker rooms for women's basketball and football. Everyone says that we have come a long way." Mansfield shared that there is a direct connection between the MLK Classic and what it represents, and the investment of Jordan Brand with the recent success of Howard University athletics on the playing fields and courts. "The MLK Classic is without question one of our biggest events of the season," noted Mansfield. "We have evolved to having events and added exposure around the game. It is all in concert with Dr. King and his legacy." As for the game, it was the highlight of the eventful day. The two storied institutions met for the second straight year. Morehouse, a Division 2 HBCU program, was soundly beaten last year, 89-65 by the Howard program, which is Division 1 and coming off its best record in 30 years. Apparently, none of that matters when two HBCUs meet in the athletics arena. It is all about pride. Read more on www.washingtoninformer.com WI

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CAPTURE the moment

5 Bicycles immobilized by the first snow of 2024. (Roy Lewis/The Washington Informer)

5 Amari Tilghman is fascinated by the snow, her first experience. (Anthony Tilghman/The Washington Informer)

4 A neighborhood in Riggs Park is blanketed by the first snow of 2024. (Roy Lewis/The Washington Informer) 6 Ziggy, a mini golden doodle, enjoys playing and running through the snow. (Courtesy photo/Michael Lassiter)

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JANUARY 18 - 24, 2024 31

RELIGION The Honorable Andrew Young Remembers Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., On the Eve of His 95th Birthday By Austin R. Cooper, Jr., and Hamil Harris WI Our House Managing Editor and WI Contributing Writer On Sunday, Jan. 14, a day before the federal holiday honoring the Rev. Dr Martin Luther King, Jr., silence fell over the Washington National Cathedral as the Rev. Andrew Young, one of King’s closest

aides, spoke about his final days with the slain civil rights leader. A former United Nations ambassador, who also served in Congress and as Mayor of Atlanta, Georgia, Young spoke in low tones only a few feet in front of the pulpit where King delivered his final sermon on March 31, 1968-- just five days before his assassination. King’s 1968 address was title, “Remaining

5 (Courtesy Photo/National Cathedral)

Awake Through a Great Revolution.” “He was committed to do whatever had to be done. That commitment led him to Memphis,” Young told the crowd, explaining why King was in Tennessee at the time he was killed. During the movement, Young became one of King’s closet aides.

Youth Voice Hope During MLK Holiday DC Prayer Breakfast By Hamil R. Harris WI Contributing Writer

Five decades since the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King was assassinated, the civil rights leader’s words inspire a new generation of young people across the District. On Saturday, Jan. 13., the fellowship hall of Matthews Memorial Baptist Church was filled with community leaders and young people during the Sixth Annual Martin Luther King Holiday Prayer Breakfast, hosted by the MLK Holiday DC Committee. This year’s MLK Holiday DC and prayer breakfast theme was: “Bending Toward Peace, Truth, and Justice.” At this year’s breakfast, featuring prayers from ministers and a feast of shrimp and grits, sausage, chicken and fried apples, the youth shined: with performances from the DC Divas dance group, a theatre ensemble, and words from local youth leaders. “It is important that we create bridges for our young people,” D.C

32 JANUARY 18 - 24, 2024

Councilmember Trayon White (D-Ward 8) told The Informer. “Our young people are struggling in our city and it's important that we build on the foundation.” District of Columbia Youth Mayor Lourdes Robinson talked about the importance of the MLK holiday and Minister Calique Barnes, a high school student who also serves at Prayer and Praise Ministries in Oxon Hill Maryland, delivered a sermon. Phil Pannell, executive director of the Anacostia Coordinating Council, said that he was glad that so many young people came to the prayer breakfast. “Dr. King unabashedly, and apologetically, thought that kids should be part of desegregation. This event shows that most kids are not motor-jacking.Most Black kids are not out carjacking,” Pannell said. As the dance group concluded their routine, Karen Curry, assistant pastor of Pennsylvania Ave Baptist Church said, “We need to make sure that kids have opportu-

5 Minister Calique Barnes was the keynote speaker during the MLK Holiday DC Prayer Breakfast. (Robert R. Roberts/ The Washington Informer)

nities that they can embody.” Josiah Scott.14, a local theater student said had King lived, “He would want us to have peace and people coming together like his dream.” Novem Brent, 16, said, “I am really glad to be here and to know about a man who fought for our lives, [and that had] a dream to let us be free.” WI

“He was supposed to be in Washington that night before the assassination. I said to him in a meeting with Harry Belafonte, John Conyers of Michigan, Dick Hatcher, mayor of Gary, Ralph Abernathy, and myself, ‘You need to rest. You have been to Memphis twice.’ He replied, ‘No, I’m going to catch the six o’clock plane to Memphis. There is something there,’” Young said. “I think he knew his days were numbered and had decided if he gave his life, he wanted it to be for the least of these, God’s children. That was a term he used all the time.” He recalled King’s passion for addressing the plight of the dedicated Memphis sanitation workers. “And the sanitation workers, the garbage workers in Memphis, were a perfect example of people working hard. You can't run a city if you can't pick up the garbage. The garbage workers had no benefits, no retirement, and no insurance of any kind and were virtual slaves in our modern democracy,” Young explained. Despite pushing to go Memphis, Young thinks King knew there was an imminent threat in continuing his activism in the Tennessee city. “He was determined to go back, and I think he knew, because of the way he acted over the next few days, that he was going to his death,” Young said. “When I heard that shot and I looked up at Martin Luther King and ran to the top of the step, I realized that the shot had entered the tip of his chin and knocked it off and severed his spinal cord. The simple mathematics

was that the bullet moved faster than his feelings and he probably never felt that bullet or heard the shot.” Earlier in his remarks, Young shared the story of being suspended from Sunday School at age 10 for questioning his teacher on the validity of the Biblical story of Elijah going to Heaven on a flaming chariot. However, after looking down at a fatally wounded Dr. King, Young realized, “Yes, maybe it's true that somebody can go from this life to Heaven on a flaming chariot and if anybody can do it, Martin Luther King can.” The cathedral guests clung to every word, as people, to this day, are still working to honor King and be inspired by the activist’s work and teachings. Approximately 500 people attended the service in person, which included music and prayers honoring King’s life and legacy. Notable attendees included Marian Wright Edelman, former president of the Children’s Defense Fund, Reta Jo Lewis, president and chair of the Export-Import Bank, and Hilary O. Shelton, national advisor of governance and policy for the NAACP. Over 9,000 viewers watched online. In his closing remarks one day before his colleague and friend would have turned 95, Young encouraged the audience to continue King’s freedom fight. “Freedom is a constant struggle. Life is not easy. The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had one of the toughest lives of anybody I have ever known and, yet, you have to say that his life was triumphant over most of the evils of his time. He inspired and strengthened us so that we must keep on keeping on.” Young emphasized that Jan. 15 is far more than a holiday and emphasized the great legacy that will help Americans continue working toward justice. “We are not just celebrating, we are recommitting. This may be the most difficult time in my life, but I remember Franklin Roosevelt saying, ‘we have nothing to fear but fear itself,’” Young said. “And this country, as confused, conflicted, and weak as we are, remains imbued by the power of the living God and his son, Jesus Christ, and his disciple, Martin Luther King, Jr. God has blessed us. We must pass on those blessings to the rest of his children.” WI

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RELIGION the religion corner WITH LYNDIA GRANT

Community Church

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends. — John 15:12-13 The annual Family, Friends and Community Day is designed to have a sort of spiritual coming together. Special emphasis is placed on the worth and value of each person as a human being. It is a time we celebrate our commonalities rather than our differences. We invite individuals who are not members of All Nations Church to share their gifts with the broader collection of people. Singers, poets, liturgical dancers, instrumentalists, panelists etc. are all welcomed to add their talents and gifts in the shaping of the worship experience. We invite the churched and unchurched to bring their family members, friends, co-workers and neighbors to join us for a time of unity and Christian fellowship. Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024, is the annual Family, Friends and Community Day at All Nations Baptist Church, beginning at 10 a.m. This is a special service that churches across the country, look forward to each year. This is the time when churches open the doors of the church even wider, by special invitation, and welcome those who may be in need of prayer, or may just need a friend to talk to about some things in their life. If this sounds like you, then join the All Nations Baptist Church, located at 2 Rhode Island Avenue NE, Wash-

ington, D.C., where our pastor is the Rev. Dr. James Coleman. This year, our main event is a panel discussion. This is a panel which will address concerns of the family and it is for the community. The panel will includes a psychiatrist, psychologist, minister, school teacher and community advocate, breast cancer survivor. Let me share just a brief introduction on each panelist: - Dr. Reginald Biggs, psychiatrist and Howard University graduate, will be there to talk about depression and how neurology could connect the dots. - Dr. Lia Rohlehr is a forensic psychologist, and her job is to apply psychological theory to criminal investigations to help understand problems associated with criminal behavior and the treatment needed for those who have broken laws. - Minister Sammaria Hopkins, a recent graduate of the Howard University Divinity School. - Victorianne Russell Walton, a breast-cancer survivor and community advocate, speaks across the country, hosting pinky parties. - Michael Wyche, an experienced schoolteacher in Montgomery County Public Schools who has made it his life goal to help young people to get on the right track. This is going to be an interesting panel discussion, and our pastor, Rev. Dr. James Coleman, who is also a psychologist, will moderate the panel.

We hope to see you there Sunday at The All Nations Baptist Church, North Capitol and Rhode Island Avenue NE. If you have been have had problems with your child or your children, and your need a word, this is an excellent opportunity to come on out and bring the family. You never know what answers the Lord God may give to you, with your name on it. Following the panel, there will be some outstanding singing by the All Nations Baptist Church's praise and worship team, after which you will hear from our pastor for the sermon. Philippians 4:8 (KJV) says: "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." I'm asking you to think on this worship service as your opportunity for a blessing. This is a special invitation extended to you, the church is asking you to join us for the Family, Friends and Community Day. Start your new year off in a different way this year. Remember that old saying — doing the same thing over and over while expecting different results is the definition of insanity. Try a new way to get new results! We will see you there. WI

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RELIGION The Miracle Center of Faith Missionary Baptist Church Bishop Michael C. Turner, Sr. Senior Pastor 9161 Hampton Overlook Capitol Heights, MD 20743 Phone: 301-350-2200 / Fax: 301-499-8724 Service and Times Sunday Worship Times : 7:30 AM 7 10:00 AM Communion: 1st Sunday Sunday School: 9:00 AM Bible Study: Wednesday, 12 Noon Bible Study in homes: Tuesday 7:00 PM Website: www.themiraclecenterFMBC.com Email: Miraclecenterfmbs@gmail.com Motto: “We Walk by Faith, Not by Sight”

Blessed Word

Pilgrim Baptist Church

Church of Living Waters

Rev. Louis B. Jones II Pastor

Rev. Paul Carrette Senior Pastor

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

Covenant Baptist United Church of Christ

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

Reverend William Young IV Pastor

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

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

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

Mount Carmel Baptist Church

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

Services and Times Sundays: 10:00am Worship Services Bible Study: Wonderful Wednesdays in Worship and the Word Bible Study Wednesdays 12:00 Noon; 6:30 PM (dinner @ 5:30 PM) Sunday School: 9:00 AM – Hour of Power “An inclusive ministry where all are welcomed and affirmed.” www.covenantdc.org

Mount Olivet Lutheran Church

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

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

34 JANUARY 18 - 24, 2024

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

Service and Times Sunday Morning Worship: 11:00 AM Holy Communion: 1st Sunday Sunday School: 9:45 AM Men’s Monday Bible Study: 7:00 PM Wednesday Night Bible Study: 7:00 PM Women’s Ministry Bible Study: 3rd Friday -7:00 PM Computer Classes: Announced Family and Marital Counseling by appointment E-mail: Crusadersbaptistchurch@verizon.net www.CrusadersBaptistChurch.org / “God is Love”

St. Stephen Baptist Church

Third Street Church of God

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

Campbell AME Church

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

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

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

www.livingwatersmd.org

1306 Vermont Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20005

Rev. Dr. James Coleman Pastor

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

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

Rev. Terrance M. McKinley Senior Pastor

Adams Inspirational A.M.E. Church

Service and Times Sunday Church School – 9:30 AM Sunday Worship Service – 11:00 AM Holy Communion – 1st Sunday at 11:00 AM Prayer – Wednesdays, 6:00 PM Bible Study – Wednesdays, 7:00 PM Christian Education / School of Biblical Knowledge Saturdays, 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM, Call for Registration

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

John F. Johnson Reverend Dr.

All Nations Baptist Church

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

Harold Andrew Assistant Pastor

Crusader Baptist Church

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

Emmanuel Baptist Church

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

Mt. Zion Baptist Church

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

Florida Avenue Baptist Church

Reverend Christopher L. Nichols Pastor

Dr. Earl D. Trent Senior Pastor

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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RELIGION Zion Baptist Church

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

St. Luke Baptist Church

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

Rehoboth Baptist Church

Rev. Lance Aubert Imterim Pastor 1251 Saratoga Ave., NE Washington, DC 20018 (202) 269-0288 Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 10:45 AM Sunday School: 9:15 AM Holy Communion1st Sunday: 10:45 AM Prayer Service: Wednesday at 6:30 PM Bible Study: Wednesday at 7:00 PM Bible Study: Tuesday at 10:30 AM

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

Eastern Community Baptist Church Damion M. Briggs Pastor

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

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

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

New Commandment Baptist Church

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

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

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

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

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

Promised Land Baptist Church

Historic St. Mary’s Episcopal Church

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

First Rising Mt. Zion Baptist Church

Rev Kevin A. O'Bryant Pastor

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

Dr. Joseph D. Turner Senior Pastor

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

Rev. Stephen E. Tucker Senior Pastor

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

Matthews Memorial Baptist Church

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

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

The Rev. E. Bernard Anderson Priest

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

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

Dr. Lucius M. Dalton Senior Pastor

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

Rev. Richard B. Black Interim Pastor

Mount Moriah Baptist Church

Rev. Curtis l. Staley Pastor

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

Lincoln Park United Methodist Church

Israel Baptist Church

Website address: www.mmbcdc.org

Peace Baptist Church Rev. Dr. Michael T. Bell 712 18th Street, NE Washington, DC 20002 Phone 202-399-3450/ Fax 202-398-8836 Service and Times Sunday Early Morning Prayer & Bible Study Class: 8:00 AM Sunday School: 9:00 AM Sunday Morning Worship Service: 10:00 AM Wednesday Service: 12:00 PM “The Loving Church of the living lord “ Email Address: admin@pbc712.org

Mt. Horeb Baptist Church

Rev. Oran W. Young Pastor

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

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

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

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

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

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

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JANUARY 18 - 24, 2024 35

LEGAL NOTICES

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

2023 ADM 001034

2023 ADM 1470

2023 ADM 001424

2023 ADM 001456

2023 ADM 000898

Camillia A. Wilkins Decedent

Darren R. McAllister Decedent

Roman Thomas Pate, Jr. Decedent

Mable Fanny Carpenter Decedent

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

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

Julius P. Terrell, Esq. 1455 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Suite 400 Washington, DC 20004 Attorney

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

Preston Theodore Best Decedent Aimee D Griffin, Esq. 5335 Wisconsin Ave., NW Suite 440 Washington, DC 20015 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Andre T. Best, whose address is 20559 Wildbrook Court, Ashburn, VA 20147, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Preston Theodore Best who died on March 28, 2023 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 7/4/2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/4/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 1/4/2024 Andre T. Best Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

Legal Notice Notice of an unregistered claim by a private living man, sovereign by the grace of God, their name written in the Book of the Tree of Life, beneficiary in original jurisdiction now coming as Grantor/Settler with Notice of Unregistered Claim, or priority equitable right, title and interest in the John Troy Williams Estate, New York File number- 156-71-123639, including all assets, attributes, derivatives and transmutations thereof. For more on the nature of the claim see https://everify.americanstatenationals.us Recorder Number # 2023-Fut90a15-Ca-231110-037-00000157 SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 2023 ADM 682 Carrie Lena Wood Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS David Wood, whose address is 1214 Jamaica St., NE, Washington, DC 20011, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Carrie Lena Wood who died on 1/15/2022 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 7/4/2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/4/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 1/4/2024 David Wood Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Jahmal I. Adams, whose address is 14103 Mary Bowie Pkwy, Upper Marlboro, MD 20774, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Camillia A. Wilkins who died on September 18, 2023 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (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 7/4/2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/4/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 1/4/2024 Jahmal I. Adams 14103 Mary Bowie Pkwy Upper Marlboro, MD 20774 Personal Representative

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Date of first publication: 1/4/2024 Ricole N. White Personal Representative

Lynette Pate-Dieng, whose address is 5817 Cherrywood Lane, Apt., 104, Greenbelt, MD 20770, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Roman Thomas Pate, Jr. who died on September 12, 2023 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 7/4/2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/4/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 1/4/2024 Lynette Pate-Dieng Personal Representative

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Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

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Washington Informer

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Reginald Peters, whose address is 4212 H Street, SE, Washington, DC 20019, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Mable Fanny Carpenter who died on July 16, 2010 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 7/4/2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/4/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 1/4/2024 Reginald Peters Personal Representative

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Washington Informer

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

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

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

2023 ADM 1419

2023 FEP 127

2023 ADM 001432

2023 ADM 1218

Lisa Arlene Williams aka Lisa Arlene Williams Randolph Decedent

11/28/2021 Date of Death

Herbert Lee Best Decedent

Betty Ann Holman, Jr. Decedent

Bertha Brooks Simon Name of Decedent

Tina Smith Nelson, Esq. Legal Counsel for the Elderly 601 E Street, NW Washington, DC 20049 Attorney

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

Julius P. Terrell, Esq. 1455 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Suite 400 Washington, DC 20004 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Marcella Jefferson and Paulette Saunders, whose addresses are 3622 Swann Rd., Suitland, MD 20746 and 312 34th Place, SE Washington, DC 20019, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Lisa Arlene Williams aka Lisa Arlene Williams Randolph who died on July 21, 2023 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 7/4/2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/4/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 1/4/2024 Marcella Jefferson Paulette Saunders Personal Representative

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

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36 JANUARY 18 - 24, 2024

Ricole N. White, whose address is 661 Barbey Street, Apt 2, Brooklyn, NY 11207, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Darren R. McAllister who died on September 16, 2023 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 7/4/2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/4/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

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

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS Christopher Simon, whose address is 2318 Manor Gate Terrace, Upper Marlboro, MD 20774 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Bertha Brooks Simon, deceased, by the Orphans Court for Prince Georges County, State of Maryland, on December 8, 2023. Service of process may be made upon Jacqueline Wallace Barnes, 5543 Bass Place SE, Washington, DC 20019-6381 whose designation as District of Columbia agent has been filed with the Register of Wills, D.C. The decedent owned the following District of Columbia real estate. 5536 Bass Place SE, Washington, DC 20019-6381. 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: 1/4/2024 Christopher Simon Personal Representative Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Colleen L. Best and Milton L. Best, whose addresses are 5421 James Pl., NE, WDC 20019 and 5713 S. Marwood Blvd., Upper Marlboro, MD 20772, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Herbert Lee Best who died on 2/26/2022 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 7/4/2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/4/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 1/4/2024 Colleen L. Best Milton L. Best Personal Representative

Chantelle Marie Coles-Jackson, whose address is 4980 Just Street NE, Washington, DC 20019, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Betty Ann Holman, Jr. who died on May 10, 2023 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 7/4/2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/4/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 1/4/2024 Chantelle Marie Coles-Jackson Personal Representative

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THE WASHINGTON INFORMER / WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

LEGAL NOTICES

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

2023 ADM 001443

2023 ADM 1433

2023 ADM 001435

2023 ADM 001445

2023 ADM 001481

William H. Hopkins Decedent

Margaret Goode Johnson Decedent

Saeed Savon Smith Decedent

Lorraine W. Brown Decedent

Joan M. Wilbon 1629 K Street, NW Suite 300 Washington, DC 20006 Attorney

Lawrence B. Manley, Esq. 2026 32nd Street SE Washington, DC 20020 Attorney

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

Joan M. Wilbon Attorney at Law 1629 K Street, NW, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20006 Attorney

Barbara J. Glover aka Barbara Lee Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Kimberly Lee Johnson and Kenneth Edward Glover, whose addresses are 1420 Crockett Lane, Silver Spring, MD 20904 and 13903 Ascott Drive, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Barbara J. Glover aka Barbara Lee who died on June 25, 2023 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 7/4/2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/4/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

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

Date of first publication: 1/4/2024

Kimberly Lee Johnson Kenneth Edward Glover Personal Representative

Patrick J. Hopkins Personal Representative

Patrick J. Hopkins, whose address is 1415 28th Street, Suite 160, W Des Moines, IA 50266, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of William H. Hopkins who died on December 29, 2022 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before July 4, 2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before July 4, 2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

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NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Theoria Johnson, whose address is 55318 Deal Drive, Oxon Hill, MD 20745, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Margaret Goode Johnson who died on November 18, 2019 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 7/11/2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/11/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 1/11/2024 Theoria Johnson Personal Representative

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Rockelle Smith and Darryl Dickson, whose addresses are 836 Barnaby St., SE 102, Washington, DC 20032, 13209 Darlymaid Drive T2, Germantown MD 20874, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Saeed Savon Smith who died on July 23, 2023 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 7/11/2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/11/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 1/11/2024 Rockelle Smith Darryl Dickson Personal Representative

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Washington Informer

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Arni L. O’Donnell, whose address is 213 Huron Dr., Forest Heights, MD 20745, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Lorraine W. Brown who died on 2/12/2022 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 7/11/2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/11/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 1/11/2024 Arni L. O’Donnell Personal Representative

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

2023 ADM 001463

2023 ADM 001477

2023 ADM 001476

2023 ADM 001490

2023 ADM 1499

Cherri Fitzgerald aka Cherri J. Fitzgerald Decedent

Cahli Marcus Thomas Decedent

Leeroy Bundy Decedent

Janice Almetta Tucker Decedent

Julius P. Terrell, Esq. 1455 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Suite 400 Washington, DC 20004 Attorney

Brian L. Kass, Esq. 4301 Connecticut Ave., NW Suite 434 Washington, DC 20008 Attorney

Ericka Jeanne Orina aka Ericka J. Orina aka Ericka Fredericks Orina Decedent

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

Carla Thomas, whose address is 257 Tennessee Ave., NE, WDC 20002, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Cahli Marcus Thomas who died on October 16, 2023 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 7/11/2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/11/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Dimingus Bundy, whose address is 5344 Chillum Pl. NE, Washington, DC 20011, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Leeroy Bundy who died on August 14, 2023 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 7/11/2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/11/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 1/11/2024

Carla Thomas Personal Representative

Mike Orina Otachi Personal Representative

Dimingus Bundy Personal Representative

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NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Tina N. Peters, whose address is 4602 Rockbridge Court, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Cherri Fitzgerald aka Cherri J. Fitzgerald who died on September 24, 2023 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 7/11/2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/11/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 1/11/2024 Tina N. Peters Personal Representative

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Washington Informer

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM / THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Mike Orina Otachi, whose address is 4811 10th St. NE, Washington, DC 20017, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Ericka Jeanne Orina aka Ericka J. Orina aka Ericka Fredericks Orina who died on 9/17/2023 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (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 7/11/2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/11/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 1/11/2024

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

Bobby G. Henry, Jr. Henry Legal Firm, LLC 9701 Apollo Dr., Ste. 100 Largo, Maryland 20774 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Janet Almetta James, whose address is 9701 Apollo Drive, Ste. 100 Largo, Maryland 20774, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Janice Almetta Tucker who died on October 8, 2023 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 7/11/2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/11/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 1/11/2024 Janet Almetta James Personal Representative

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JANUARY 18 - 24, 2024 37

LEGAL NOTICES

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

2023 ADM 001447

2023 ADM 1492

Beverly Harris Simmons Decedent

Louise M. Pittman Decedent

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

Colline Silvera Robinson Kirlew & Associates, PC 7731 Belle Point Dr. Greenbelt, MD 20770 Attorney

Taylor Travers Simmons, whose address is 10905 Burbank Drive, Potomac, MD 20854, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Beverly Harris Simmons who died on August 25, 2023 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before July 11, 2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before July 11, 2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: January 11, 2024 Taylor Travers Simmons Personal Representative

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NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Yvonne C. Freeland, whose address is 11411 Lake Arbor Way #905, Bowie, MD 20721, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Louise M. Pittman who died on October 1, 2023 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 7/11/2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/11/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 1/11/2024 Yvonne C. Freeland Personal Representative

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

2023 ADM 001542 Decedent

2023 ADM 001509 2023 WIL 000954

Denis C. Mitchell Stein Mitchell Beato & Missner, LLP 2000 K Street, NW, Suite 600 Washington, DC 20006 Attorney

Maria Valero aka Maria Badias Valero Decedent

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

Jane Briggs, whose address is 13225 Old Chapel Road, Bowie, MD 20720, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Joan L. Briggs who died on August 30, 2023 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 7/18/2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/18/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Llora Valero, whose address is 2018 Hayden Road, Hyattsville, MD 20782, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Maria Valero aka Maria Badias Valero who died on October 24, 2023 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 7/18/2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/18/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 1/18/2024 Jane Briggs Personal Representative

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Date of first publication: 1/18/2024 Llora Valero 2018 Hayden Road Hyattsville, MD 20782 Personal Representative

LEWIS from Page 1 cades-long government war on drugs. After years of activism, his own father, Tony Lewis Sr., was released from prison. “On March 20, 2023, my father was released after 34 years of incarceration. He was serving a life sentence and all of the advocacy, all of the support from our community, and the attorney Brittany K. Barnett, all of those things in the pot, led to my dad being released,” the proud son, husband and father told The Informer in a WIN-TV interview. However, even with his dad home, Lewis, Jr.'s fight for justice and family reunification is far from over. “Anybody who knows me, knows my work has always been about much more than just my father's freedom, so we've continued to try to raise awareness around mass incarceration and its impacts on families,” he said. Lewis Jr., who, along with Kevin L. Reeves, authored “Slugg: A Boy’s Life in the Age of Mass Incarceration,” released in 2015, is not new to activism or speaking out against injustices.

LEGAL NOTICES Notice of an unregistered claim by a private living man, sovereign by the grace of God. Their name written in the Book of the Tree of Life, beneficiary in original jurisdiction now coming as Grantor/settler with NOTICE of Unregistered Claim, or priority equitable right, title and interest in the DERRICK THOMAS ESTATE LOUISIANA state file number 119-1974-014-00164/9046223 including all assets, attributes, derivatives and transmutations therefore. SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 2023 ADM 001482 Alma Elizabeth Henson Greene Decedent 5827 Third Place NW Washington, DC 20011 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Johnny L. Greene, whose address is 5827 Third Place, NW, Washington, DC 20011, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Alma Elizabeth Henson Greene who died on September 27, 2023 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 7/18/2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/18/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

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Date of first publication: 1/18/2024

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Johnny L. Greene Personal Representative

Washington Informer

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38 JANUARY 18 - 24, 2024

For two decades, Lewis Jr. has been a leader in the local and national fight to reunite families. As a young boy, Lewis Jr. was affected by the war on drugs when his father and known kingpin Rayful Edmunds III were arrested in April 1989. Declared by former President Richard Nixon in 1971, the war on drugs is a U.S. government-led effort to stop the illegal distribution and use of drugs. In the 1980s, the drug business was lucrative in major cities such as the nation’s capital, and, in turn, the war on drugs was intensifying. By 1989, when Lewis Sr. and Edmunds III were convicted with life sentences, some drug dealers were reportedly generating up to $2 million per week, leading to drug raids, arrests and family separations in D.C. and across the U.S. According to a Columbia Law Review article “Family Separation Conditions,” as of 2016, more than 5.1 million children had a parent who was incarcerated at some point. Throughout the years, Lewis Jr. has organized and been part of several marches, such as the “Free Tony Lewis Rally,” town halls and more in the fight toward justice for separated families. He’s also been an advocate for giving incarcerated people, returning citizens and even young people second chances. Further, Lewis Jr. works with DC Reengagement Center to assist youth who have dropped out of school with another opportunity to pursue an education. Even while in prison, Lewis Sr., also spoke out against mass incarceration. Since his release, he has joined in his son’s activism efforts. In the less than 10 months since his dad has been home, the father-son duo has been busy fighting to help people like them. “We've been in schools, we've been in colleges, we've been in the community, pushing that message of family and positivity,” he said. “And also, [we’ve been] trying to push on the Biden administration to do more around developing a comprehensive clemency initiative that will reunite more families like ours, and so we will continue to do that in 2024.”

HONORING A CHANGEMAKER

While he has received multiple honors over the years, including the Steve Harvey/ Ford Motor Company “Best Community Leader '' and “Presidential Call to Service,” awards,

5 Tony Lewis Jr. poses with his father Tony Lewis Sr. (Courtesy Photo/ Instagram)

2023 had some true wins for Lewis. In addition to being honored by his hometown as a “Chagemaker,” on New Year’s Eve, Lewis Jr. has rejoiced in his dad’s freedom and being able to make new memories with his family. “It’s been like a dream. I mean, all the firsts— holidays, Thanksgiving and Christmas. You know, the first time my children have been able to be around my dad in freedom, just all the things. It's just been incredible,” he said. The NFL’s “Inspire Change Changemaker’s Award” was a bonus for Lewis Jr., after a successful 2023. During the Dec. 31 Commander’s game against the San Francisco 49ers, Lewis Jr. received the award. He was also surprised with two free tickets to Super Bowl LVIII. “We're talking about icing on the cake,” he said about receiving the Inspire Change Changemakers award, which is bestowed by each NFL team to a person working toward social justice in the community. “For the Commanders to notice me, my lifelong team, and to honor me in this way, it was a total surprise.” Being able to give back through the honor was the cherry on top for the activist “They donated $10,000 in my name to an organization,” he said, before revealing where he contributed the money. “I have a lot of respect for the National Association for the Advancement of Returning Citizens or NAARC for short, who does incredible work in the reentry space.” Chanelle Reynolds, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) programs lead for the Washington Commanders said Lewis Jr. earned this award due to his years of service. Read more on www.washingtoninformer.com WI

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JANUARY 18 - 24, 2024 39

OMNIBUS from Page 1

5 Over a thousand ‘Peace Walkers’ joined in the annual two-mile Peace Walk to show solidarity with those who have lost a loved one to violence in D.C. and encourage the community to "stop the violence". (Ja'Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

KING PARADE from Page 1 co-lead the present King Holiday committee.

THE PEACE RALLY AND WALK

Shepherd Parkway is located on the northeast corner intersected by Martin Luther King Jr., and Malcolm X Avenues SE. In the middle of the eastern end of the park was a platform for the speakers at the Peace Rally. In order to deliver remarks to the 35 people wearing layers of clothing to protect themselves from the shivering cold and light snow, speakers would climb the three steps on the platform and walk to the front. They were handed the microphone by Ed Hardy, a member of the King Day committee who generally coordinates the Peace Rally and Peace Walk. Hardy said the theme was to deal with the deadly violence in the District. “We have to end the gun violence in the streets now,” said Hardy. Taloria Gant was one of the speakers. She lost her son, 23-yearold Brandon Gant, to gun violence in October 2023. Gant told the gathering that she thinks of her son every day and misses him. “It just hurts to know that my son is not coming back,” Gant, 46 said, fighting back tears. The Rev. Kendrick Curry, the co-pastor of The Pennsylvania Avenue Baptist Church in Ward 7 in Southeast, said one of the best ways to combat violence in neighborhoods is to coalesce around common goals.

40 JANUARY 18 - 24, 2024

“We need to organize the people,” said Curry. “We need to organize the money. We need to change the well-being of our community.” Curry’s wife, the Rev. Karen Curry, read two poems, “Violins or Violence” and “Colin Couldn’t Stand.” The Rev. Terrance M. McKinney of Campbell AME Church in Ward 8 talked about what King said in his famous “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963 and whether the objectives have been achieved presently. The gathering had a quick moment of silence for the victims of violence in the city. Lawrence and Gant were joined by other mothers of victims on the platform displaying the photos of gunned down loved ones. The Rev. George C. Gilbert of the Holy Trinity United Baptist Church assembled the gathering at the northeast section of the park to march three blocks to the front of the R.I.S.E. Demonstration Center on the campus of St. Elizabeths East.

THE PARADE

Carla Blake is a member of the District’s Omicron Phi Zeta chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. Like Lawrence, she participated in both the peace walk and parade. Blake said the two events represent that for which the sorority and King stood. “One of our sorority’s tenants is service,” said Blake. “We give back to the community. We are action oriented. We want to stop crime, make housing available for everyone and promote prematurity awareness.”

Other members of the Divine Nine in the participated in the parade, including: the Omicron Lambda Alpha, Mu Lambda and Omicron Eta Lambda chapters of Alpha Phi Alpha—King’s fraternity—as well as members of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Omega Psi Phi and Iota Phi Theta. Alpha Kappa Alpha was also celebrating its Founders Day the same day, Jan. 15. Parade officials said 148 organizations participated in the procession, including 19 bands. Pege Gilgannon, a Parade coordinator, said bands came from the District, Baltimore, Virginia, and New Jersey. One of the bands, the Booker T. Washington High School Band of Norfolk, Virginia, traveled to the District to perform in the Parade despite the inclement weather. “We received an invite to perform here,” said Vincent Johnson, the band director for Washington High School. “We decided to make the trip. It is really worth it.” Johnson, 56, said in some instances performing in the Parade is the first time some of his students have been to the nation’s capital “or even out of Norfolk.” An estimated 150 freemasons participated in the Parade, also. The Most Worshipful Grand Master of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia Glenn N. Ruffin said participating in the Parade was a natural progression of his organization’s activities. “We have the same priorities that Martin Luther King had such as jobs, equality and great opportunity for everyone,” Ruffin, 57, said. WI @JamesWrightJr10

Omnibus, she cautioned against using what she described as a heavy handed approach to crime prevention. “The narrative around crime is making people push for stronger and longer sentencing, which will have us going back to mass incarceration and over-policing, ” Iwuoha said. The Secure DC Omnibus includes provisions that allow police officers to engage in vehicular pursuits and review body-worn camera footage in misconduct cases. If passed in its current form, the legislation would also require the Office of Police Complaints (OPC) to keep confidential the names of officers while under investigation, while narrowing the definition of a chokehold. Other provisions in the omnibus bill create new firearm offenses, including those related to discarding a weapon, tampering with serial numbers, and receiving stolen firearms and ammunition. Under the legislation, those who shoot a large number of bullets at a time would receive longer sentences, while sentences for firearm possession would be increased from one year to five years, and stacked atop of other penalties incurred. The omnibus bill, if passed, also maintains an expansion of pretrial detention for adults and juveniles accused of committing a violent crime. Iwuoha, a Ward 7 mother of one, reflected on her collaboration with Alliance of Concerned Men, Save Our Youth D.C., and Melanin Uprising to connect young people and their families to resources. She told The Informer that her experiences over the last decade have shown her that young people need consistent support and mentorship, specifically from those who’ve encountered similar struggles. “We need to double down on wraparound holistic services if we genuinely care about safety so that residents have the services they need to thrive,” Iwuoha said. “The last thing I want to see is us locking up young people who are experiencing poverty. We need to invest in institutions that are doing the work and not lock up people for the failures of the system. When it comes to accountability, mass incarceration has not worked and is not the appropriate intervention.”

A DEEP DIVE IN THE OMNIBUS BILL

The Secure DC Omnibus, which focuses on violence prevention, accountability, and government oversight and coordination, is a combination of a dozen bills, many of which D.C. Councilmember Brooke Pinto

(D-Ward 2) introduced. D.C. Councilmembers Robert White (D-At large) and Charles Allen (D-Ward 6) each had a bill reflected in the omnibus bill, while D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) had two. Throughout much of last year, Pinto conducted public hearings for all the bills included, including: Addressing Crime through Targeted Interventions and VIolence Enforcement (ACTIVE) Act, Safe Commercial Corridors Amendment Act, FRESH STARTS Act, Bowser’s Addressing Crime Trends (ACT) Now Amendment Act and Safer, Stronger Amendment Act, and White’s Whole Government Response to Crime Act. Noticeably missing from the omnibus bill are provisions from the ACT Now Amendment Act that drew the ire of District residents, including those allowing the random search of people under court supervision and another targeting people wearing hoodies in public. In response to recent concerns about the proliferation of stolen goods on District streets, Pinto also included a provision requiring the D.C. Executive Office of the Mayor to conduct a study on the public safety and health effects of street vending decriminalization legislation that the D.C. Council approved last year. Below are other provisions of the Secure D.C. Omnibus: Crime Prevention • The establishment of a grant program to help commercial corridors enhance safety • The establishment of a pilot program to install “blue light” technology and cameras at Metro stations. • Reinstate MPD’s ability to declare drug-free zones. • The establishment of a task force centered on diversion, treatment and accountability for low-level offenders. • Hospitality career training and healthy food for D.C. Jail residents. • Expansion of the camera rebate program for small businesses with glass break sensors and inferior camera systems. SNAP households also receive eligibility for camera vouchers. Accountability for Crime • The establishment of a new felony offense for strangulation while enhancing protections for senior citizens, people with disabilities, and transit workers and passengers. • Expanding the definition of carjacking Read more on www.washingtoninformer.com WI @SamPKCollins

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER / WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

MALVEAUX from Page 24 displaced. Their lack of humanity, with their random airstrikes, is astounding. Dr. Gay defended student free speech, even when it includes terms like "from the river to the sea," which does not mean the elimination of Israel, but rather freedom for Palestine. It does not exclude the two-state solution, as Netanyahu has. Failing to condemn Palestinian free speech is not antisemetic. Criticizing Israel is not antisemetic. Because she stood up for her students, her prior academic work was scrutinized and while Harvard found only "minor" errors in citations, the conservative press has chosen to blow them into academic malfeasance. Dr. Gay is guilty of nothing other than attempting to balance an uncomfortable tightrope that has less to do with so-called plagiarism than so-called antisemitism. It's really about racism. The campaign to topple Gay was led by Christopher Rufo, an anti-affir-

REYNOLDS from Page 24 codes and with artificial intelligence can create fake faces, places, and fake scandals. I also saw the chilling reminder of how the uneducated or unenhanced to thrive in a tech-based economy could easily end up in a discarded human junkpile. In a recent trip to Silicon Valley, I read a handout and then on a website that since Google was omnipotent, omnipresent and all-knowing, Google was indeed God. Although technology is neither God nor the devil and this Google Messianic view does not represent the entire industry it did reveal

EDELMAN from Page 24 seeking at all times to bring down prodigious hilltops of evil and pull low gigantic mountains of injustice. If we will believe this and struggle along, we will be able to achieve it." He continued: "Keep moving, for it may well be that the greatest song has not yet been sung, the greatest book has not been written, the highest mountain has not been climbed. This is your challenge! Reach out and grab it and make it a part of your life. Reach up beyond cloud-filled skies of oppression and bring out blazing stars of inspiration. The basic thing is to keep moving. Move out of these mountains that impede our progress to this new and noble and marvelous land." Langston Hughes said something very beautiful in "Mother to Son":

mative action, anti-critical race theory, anti-Black activist. He was joined by Bill Ackman, a billionaire hedge fund manager, and Harvard graduate and Congresswoman Elise Stefanik. Ackman described Claudine Gay as "a diversity hire," a stigma that too many Black men and women face when they are selected from a large pool. Ironically, Ackman's wife, former MIT professor Neri Oxamn, is accused of plagiarism charges for more serious than Dr. Gay. Oxman lifted whole paragraphs from Wikipedia. Gay didn't lift anyone's work, she improperly cited some work. The Harvard investigation charged her with "academic malfeasance," not quite grounds for sanctions. Lifting someone's words is far more serious, grounds for sanctions or more. Oxman should be viewed askance, especially given her husband's stance against Dr. Gay, whose transgressions she acknowledged. But Oxman is under the protection of her billionaire husband. The media has not gone after

her with the same vitriol that they've gone after Dr. Gay. The attacks on Dr. Gay make me want to surround her with support, to fight the injustice of everything, including racial invective, that she has experienced. This is not about Claudine Gay or about Harvard. It's aobut the culture wars and about anti-Blackness. Malcolm X once said, "The most disrespected person in America is the Black woman. The most unprotected person in America is the Black woman. The most neglected person in America is the Black woman." Malcolm made this statement in the 1960s. Fifty years later, little has changed. Perhaps Dr. Gay had to leave her presidency. But she didn't have to have the racist invective. And she didn't have to be attacked with hostility. Dr. Gay's outster is personal to me and to many other Black women who experienced joy at her appointment, then horror and sorrow at the way she was treated. WI

the role of technology playing god and thinking their laboratories are sacred altars. We must also be aware of new religions without God, robot priests and pastors performing religious services, as well as a trend of humans having sex with and even marrying robots. Moreso, the tech elites recently showed reasons to worry about technology going rogue. In an open letter, 1,000-plus tech executives wrote, "Should we automate away all our jobs, including the fulfilling ones. Should we develop the non-humans that might eventually outnumber and outsmart us, Should we risk lose control of our civilization?"

Yet, in that great gathering of smart people seeking survival issues, the ultimate questions of the role of God in technology were not raised. So, the uninvited presence of God for spiritual guidance brings us back to the warning of Dr King, who called for the inclusion of moral and spiritual awakening. Without it, he cautioned "we could destroy ourselves in the misuse of our own instruments." There is much work ahead to be done, but I, too, share the hope of Dr. King that it is not too late for the scientific genius that made our world a neighborhood could still make it a brotherhood and sisterhood. WI

Well son, I'll tell you: Life for me ain't been no crystal stair. It's had tacks in it, And splinters, And boards torn up, And places with no carpet on the floor — Bare. But all the time I'se been a-climbin' on, And reachin' landin's, And turnin' corners, And sometimes goin' in the dark Where there ain't been no light. So boy, don't you turn back. Don't you set down on the steps 'Cause you finds it's kinder hard. Don't you fall now— For I'se still goin', honey, I'se still climbin', And life for me ain't been no crystal stair. Dr. King concluded: "Life for none of us has been a crystal stair, but there is something we can learn from the bro-

ken grammar of that mother, that we must keep moving. If you can't fly, run; if you can't run, walk; if you can't walk, crawl; but by all means keep moving." That entire last line was one of many passages I wrote down nearly word-forword in my college diary that evening. I ended that day's entry: "Sitting in my room listening to Brahms' violin concerto, again my mind goes to Martin Luther King and life. What people do with life — how much some do and others how little. Thank God for a glimpse of beauty, a taste of life's savor. I must go back for more and more. I want to live. To live well, high, humble, loving completely." The words that inspired me as a twenty-year-old have the same power today. On the holiday honoring Dr. King's legacy and every day, we should be pushed forward by the same message: keep moving. WI

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Each week you’ll get news from The District of Columbia, Prince George’s County, Montgomery County, and Northern Virginia. You will discover Arts and Entertainment, Social Tidbits, Religion, Sports, People’s Viewpoints, Letters to the Editor, Classified Ads and more! And best of all… No crime, no dirty gossip, just positive news and information each week, which is why… The Washington Informer is all about you! Name....................................................................................................... Address................................................................................................... City, State, Zip......................................................................................... Phone number (daytime)......................................................................... Yes! I want to subscribe for: n1 year/$55.00 n 2years/$70.00 Method of payment: n Check Enclosed n Visa/MasterCard Credit card number.................................................................................. Signature

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working to honor Dr. King and others who gave their all for our benefit? Once in a while, we see somebody who understands that while we honor Dr. King, his work is not finished. I look at people who're gungho about Trump. Some are saying they're not voting and my heart bleeds that they do not honor

MORIAL from Page 25 first time in 25 years that not a single Democratic candidate for Congress anywhere in the country received an "A" rating. Desperate to prove their fealty to LaPierre's NRA, right-wing politicians distribute Christmas cards featuring their children brandishing weapons of war. In April 2019, The Trace, in partnership with The New Yorker, published an expose of the NRA's misuse of assets and reckless spending. In August 2020, AG James sued NRA, LaPierre and other top executives, charging them with "illegal conduct because of their diversion of millions of dollars away from the

JEALOUS from Page 25 to do it in a way that pushes the energy utilities that power the factories towards clean fuel sources. How we power the supply chain is as important as where it lives. Manufacturing clean energy tech domestically can create a virtuous cycle in which grids are increasingly powered by clean sources. That means lower energy bills and cleaner air to breathe. The IRA ensures it is not just corporations and utilities that are in the game. Billions of dollars are available for local community organizations, cities, schools, and homeowners to spur growth in our domestic clean energy industry. Despite the "drill, baby, drill" political rhetoric from the oil and gas industry and the politicians in its pockets, elected representatives of both parties understand damn well what these jobs mean for their states and districts. Trust that most lawmakers from Georgia and the other states now being referred to as the "Battery Belt" are eager to reap the IRA's economic benefits when it comes to clean energy manufacturing.

those who came before them — some who gave their lives because they cared more about future generations than about their personal safety. Few people are still giving their all to make things better for all of us, but where are the great numbers of our people that we so need? Wherever you are, you need to come home, stop fighting each other, and fighting for each other. You need to work for unity in our

community, as Rev. Oliver Buie reminds us. You need to join the work of people like Bishop William Barber, Dr. Franklyn Malone, William McMurray (founder of the RAC for gun security) and Tuskegee's longtime Mayor Johnny Ford. It's time to step up to convince our people if they do nothing else, they must vote in 2024! WI

charitable mission of the organization for personal use by senior leadership, awarding contracts to the financial gain of close associates and family, and appearing to dole out lucrative no-show contracts to former employees in order to buy their silence and continued loyalty." According to the lawsuit, LaPierre spent hundreds of thousands of NRA dollars on private plane trips for himself and his family and millions on unwarranted travel consultants. Ironically, the man who hoodwinked millions of Americans with the myth that carrying a gun would protect them from crime spent millions on private security for himself and his family.

Greed, of course — and not just LaPierre's — is at the heart of the nation's gun violence epidemic. Thanks to legislation the NRA pushed through Congress, the gun industry rakes in $9 billion a year and faces no accountability for the tens of thousands of deaths and hundreds of billions of dollars that gun violence costs taxpayers. If AG James' lawsuit is successful, the NRA will be dissolved. But even if the only outcome is LaPierre's resignation, she will have done more this year to stem the bloodshed of gun violence than any of LaPierre's congressional devotees in the past 30 years. WI

New Years Day marked the 30th anniversary of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which contributed to the obliteration of America's manufacturing sector throughout the '90s and early 2000s. What ensued in the wake of those lost jobs, and the devastation of the communities that relied on them, was much of the social, economic, and political strife plaguing our country today. In this post-NAFTA moment, America can reassert its global leadership in manufacturing the technologies on which the world runs. It will mean an explosion of new American jobs and a windfall for American consumers — who will save money and get other benefits from domesticating supply chains. It will also accelerate the end of fossil fuels. And the protections and incentives in the IRA that focus on equity will help ensure this new energy economy reflects our values, and that marginalized communities do not get left behind. Another industry that uniquely helped establish America's pride, identity, and economic might in the last century — the automobile

Despite the "drill, baby, drill" political rhetoric from the oil and gas industry and the politicians in its pockets, elected representatives of both parties understand damn well what these jobs mean for their states and districts. industry — should also be paying attention. Because they have some catching up to do as well. But that is a topic for another column. Watch this space. WI

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