Issuu

I N S I D E

Benjamin Chavis Believes It’s Time to Reclaim King’s Legacy, Page 27

I N S I D E

New Council Members Set to Lead District, Page 4

Haiti’s Earthquake Revisited on Fifth Anniversary, Page 14

Ward 4 Council Race Wide Open, Page 5

“Selma” Called Film of the Year, Page 28

Vol. 50, No. 13 Jan. 8 - Jan. 14 2015

Muriel E. Bowser, Mayor of the District of Columbia, is congratulated by Chief Judge Eric T. Washington, after taking the Oath of Office during the Inauguration Ceremony held on Friday, Jan. 2 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Northwest. /Photo by Shevry Lassiter

The Bowser Era Begins Mayor, AG, Council Proclaim Fresh Start By Barrington M. Salmon WI Staff Writer@bsalmondc In a poignant ceremony brimming with the promise of renewal, Muriel Elizabeth Bowser became the second woman to serve as the chief executive of the nation’s capital. Bowser, 42, pledged as may-

or to make the city of 660,000 residents safer, vowed to protect the middle class and assured an appreciative audience of close to 1,000 that she would use creativity, risk-taking and innovation to confront the many problems the city faces. In a passionate and upbeat speech, Bowser, the seventh

and second-youngest mayor since the establishment of Home Rule, said she’s ready to work. “I am your voice,” she said during the Nov. 2 ceremony at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. “I ran for mayor not for the kicks or to see my name in lights but be-

cause I understand the great responsibility of leading this city at this time – a time both rich with prosperity and rife with inequality…. “I am accountable to you, the people who voted for me and all those whose support I have yet to earn. It’s my honor to wake up early, go to bed late and lay

it all on the line in the 16 hours in between to serve you.” Bowser, a fifth-generation Washingtonian, succeeds Mayor Vincent C. Gray, whom she defeated in the April 1 Democratic primary. Bowser, who represented Ward 4 on the D.C.

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New Leadership For the District Muriel Bowser became the seventh mayor of the District of Columbia (and the second woman elected). The following officials assumed office on Friday, January 2, 2015. Karl Racine was sworn in as the first elected Attorney General, Phil Mendelson was sworn in as Council Chairman, Brianne Nadeau became Ward 1 Councilmember, Anita Bonds and Elissa Silverman were sworn in as Councilmembers At-Large. Charles Allen became Ward 6 Councilmember, Kenyan McDuffie is the Councilmember for Ward 5. For more information to contact the council go to www.action.dccouncil.us Mayor Muriel Bowser

Court of Appeals Chief Judge Eric T. Washington (Left) swears in Muriel Bowser as her father watches

Councilmember Ward 1 Brianne Nadeau Council Chairman Phil Mendelson

Councilmember At-Large Anita Bonds

Councilmember Ward 5 Kenyan McDuffie (Right) Attorney General Karl Racine

Councilmember At-Large Elissa Silverman

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Councilmember Ward 6 Charles Allen (Center)

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Renee Roberts Photographer • Kurt Pommonths, Sr, Photo Enhancer & Graphic Designer Social Sightings -The CoLumn is published in the Hill Rag, DC Mid-City, East of the River & The Washington Informer 2003 © SOCIAL SIGHTINGS ALL RIGHTS RESERVED — DUPLICATION IN ANY FORM REQUIRES WRITTEN PERMISSION | E-mail SocialSightings@aol.com

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1/8/2015 – 1/14//2015 Black Facts Page 6 PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY Page 12-13 BUSINESS William Reed’s Business Exchange Page 16 COMMENTARIES Pages 26-27 LIFESTYLE Pages 28-33 SPORTS Pages 36-37

Congressional Black Caucus members of the 114th Congress were sworn-in on Tuesday, Jan. 6 at a ceremony hosted by the CBCF in the U.S. Capitol. Congressman G. K. Butterfield (D-NC) was sworn in as the CBC’s 24th Chair and he welcomed five new members to the CBCs largest class in its 44-year history, including Representatives Alma Adams (D-NC), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Brenda Lawrence (D-MI), Mia Love (R-UT), and Stacey Plaskett (D-USVI). Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer also attended the ceremony. /Photo by Shevry Lassiter

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Women Break the Cycle of New Council Members Domestic Violence

Set to Lead District By Tia Carol Jones WI Staff Writer

threat,” she said. Among the programs Marlow wants to see implemented are stricter restraining order policies, more rights for victim's families to intervene on behalf of a victim, a domestic violence assessment unit coupled with further training for law enforcement agencies, a Child's Life Protection Act and mandatory counseling for batterers. “If we are ever going to eradicate domestic violence, we must look at both sides of the coin. We need to address both the victim and the batterer,” Marlow said. Marlow would also like to see programs designed to raise awareness among children in At-large Council member Elissa She public and private schools. Silverman wants a balanced budget, feels children need to be educatand she’s advocating an increase ed about domestic violence. in urban around “Wedensity, have particularly to stop being pasMetro stations. /Photo courtesy sive-aggressive with poor chilElissa dren Silverman. about domestic violence,” Marlow said.Mayors Marion Barry, viser to D.C. Marlow worked to break Sharon Pratt has and Anthony Williams. the cycle of abuse in her family, Sheissaid her timethe onpolicies the council and confident she has allowed her to gain is pushing for will even start more that insight process.into what needs to be done “I plan take these policies to to assist thetoresidents of the District. Congress and implore them to “I like to do the things that’ll change our laws,” Marlow said. make a difference in the lives of “I will not stop until these polithe people. I know that it’s expencies are passed.” siveTia to live in D.C., has Carol Jones but can the be city reached undergone a renaissance. So I think at tiacaroljones@sbcglobal.net affordable housing is a complex issueWI to have to wrestle with, and I believe we’re trying to do that in increments,” Bonds said. “We all wish for a comprehensive approach to making housing more affordable and making sure that our tax dollars are well-spent.” After losing to Bonds by fewer than 3,000 votes in 2013, Silverman said she’s been prepping a long time for her eventual seat on Council. “I think the biggest thing the council does every year is pass the budget,” she said. “When I get to the Wilson Building, the budget will be a big focus of mine. Getting a handle on where we are and making sure we understand how we are spending our money, how we are spending our homeless dollars and, moving forward, how L.Y. even Marlow we can spend our dollars better.” Silverman, who lives in Northeast, said work will begin in earnest on the next budget. “I plan to set higher standards for oversight and accountability,” she said. WI

Bonds, Silverman Preach Accountability

When L.Y. Marlow's 23-yearold daughter told her the father of her daughter threatened her By Stacy M. Brown life, Contributing and the life ofWriter their child, WI she knew something had to be done. of Gray her passing frustration With Out Vincent the with law enforcement's handling torch and officially relinquishing his Email comments to: of thetosituation, she decided to office Muriel Bowser, most obrburke@ start the Saving Promise camservers declared that the change has paign. washingtoninformer.com ushered in a new dayafor the District “It seems to be vicious cycle of Columbia. that won't turn my family AgainstMarlow a backdrop that Marlow featured loose,” said. ashared two-hour address the her farewell story with thebyaudinow-former mayor and theHeights swearence at the District ing-in of Washington, D.C.’s new Domestic Violence Symposium mayor, Democratic At-LargeHeights Counon May 7 at the District Municipal Center. Theand sympocil member Anita Bonds Indesium was sponsored by the pendent At-Large Council member FamilySilverman and Youth Services Elissa kept in step with Center city of District the themeofof the the festivities. Heights thefest, National Hook“This isand a love and I think if Up of Black Women. we work hard, the love will continMarlow has written a book, ue,” said Bonds, 69, who, after her “Color Me Butterfly,” which is a own Friday, Jan. of 2, storyswearing-in about fourongenerations began her first full term as an atdomestic violence. The book is large member of own the District couninspired by her experiences, cil. and those of her grandmother, nearly two she had herFormother and years, her daughter. filled vacant seat time and, inshe NovemShe asaid every reads ber, won election to book, a full four-year excerpts from her she still In Memoriam Dr. Calvin W. Rolark, Sr. can not believe thesome words term. “There will be upscame and Wilhelmina J. Rolark from her. “Color Mehappens Butterfly” downs, but that’s what in a The Washington Informer Newspaper wonaffair,” the 2007 National “Best love Bonds said. THE WASHINGTON INFORMER InPUBLISHER Memoriam Books” Award. Silverman, 41, who narrowly lost NEWSPAPER (ISSN#0741-9414)Dr.isCalvin W. Rolark, Sr. Denise Rolark Barnes “I was just 16-years-old when to Bonds when the two squared off published weekly on each Thursday. Wilhelmina J. Rolark my eye first blackened and my Periodicals postage paid at Washingin 2013 for the vacant seat, repeated STAFF WASHINGTON INFORMER lips bled,” Marlow said. ton,THE D.C. and additional mailing of- NEWSPAPER (ISSN#0741-9414) is published her campaign theme to work hard weekly Thursday. Periodicals paid at Washington, D.C. and additional Elaine Davis-Nickens, presifices. Newsonand advertising deadlinepostage Denise W. Barnes, Editor for all of residents. mailing offices. News and advertising deadline is Monday prior to publication. is Monday prior to publication. Andent of the theDistrict’s National Hook-Up Announcements must be received two weeks prior to event. Copyright 2000 by The She also said she wanted to make D. Kevin McNeir, Managing Editor nouncements must be received two of Black Women, said there is no Washington Informer. All rights reserved. POST MASTER: Send change of addresssure that stories like that of 8-yearweeks event. Copyright 2015 consistency in the way domestic es toprior The to Washington Informer, 3117 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave., S.E. Washington, Ron Burke, Advertising/ Marketing Director by D.C. The 20032. Washington Informer. All old Relisha Rudd, No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permisviolence issues are who dealt vanished with by rights POSTMASTER: sionreserved. from the publisher. TheSend Informer Newspaper cannot return from a local homeless shelter, would Lafayette Barnes, IV,guarantee Assistant the Photo Editorof change of addresses to The rates Washphotographs. Subscription are $30 per year, two years $45. Papers will be received never be written again. not more than 3117 a weekMartin after publication. MakeE.checks payable to: ington Informer, Luther John De Freitas, Sports Photo Editor A former journalist, Silverman King, Jr. Ave., S.E. Washington, D.C. THE WASHINGTON Dorothy INFORMER Rowley, Online Editor said she’ll also work toward helping 20032. No part of this publication may 3117 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave., S.E. • Washington, D.C. 20032 be reproduced without written permisthe District see an increase in urban Brian• Young, Design & Layout Phone: 202 561-4100 Fax: 202 574-3785 sion from the publisher. The Informer density, particularly surrounding E-mail: news@washingtoninformer.com Newspaper cannot guarantee the return Mable Neville, Bookkeeper www.washingtoninformer.com Metro stations. of photographs. Subscription rates are “I just don’t talk the talk; I walk Mickey Thompson, Social Sightings columnist $45 per year, two years $60. Papers will PUBLISHER the walk,” Silverman said. “When be received not more than a week after Denise RolarkPalmer, Barnes Social Media Specialist Stacey publication. Make checks payable to: I champion something, I will work STAFF REPORTERSCirculation hard to do it.” Angie Johnson, THE WASHINGTON Brooke N. Garner INFORMER Managing Editor Tia C. Jones, Ed Laiscell, The swearing-in ceremony, highCarla Peay Assistant Managing Editor Odell B. Ruffin, Larry Saxton, 3117 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave., S.E Ron BurkeD.C. 20032 Advertising and Marketing Mary Wells, Joseph Young lighted by Bowser’s accepting the Washington, REPORTERS Mable Whittaker Bookkeeper Phone: 202 561-4100 seal of the mayor’s office from Gray, Stacy Brown, Sam P.K. Collins, Eve Ferguson, LaNita Wrenn Administration PHOTOGRAPHERS Fax:John 202 574-3785 not only drew friends, family and E. De Freitas Sports Elton Editor Hayes, Lafayette Barnes, IV, D. Kevin McNeir, Dorothy news@washingtoninformer.com Victor Holt Photo Editor John E. De Freitas, Maurice Fitzgerald, District residents, but those in atSalmon www.washingtoninformer.com Zebra Designs, Inc. Layout & Graphic Rowley, Design Barrington Joanne Jackson, Roy Lewis, Robert tendance also included former D.C. Ken Harris /www.scsworks.com Webmaster Ridley, Victor Holt Mayors Adrian Fenty and Anthony CIRCULATION Williams, Baltimore Mayor StephaPaul Trantham PHOTOGRAPHERS nie Rawlings-Blake, Prince George’s John E. DeFreitas, Shevry Lassiter, County Executive Rushern Baker Roy Lewis, Travis Riddick , Nancy Shia and Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter. 4 / May 15 - 21, 2008 The Washington Informer / www.washingtoninformer.com District Council Chairman Phil Mendelson, a Democrat, offered caution about darker times in Wash-

4 Jan 8 - Jan 14, 2015

law enforcement. She said they had come together to bring a sense of uniformity in the way domestic violence victims and survivors are treated. “She's using her own personal story, her own personal pain to push forward,” Davis-Nickens said about Marlow. Davis-Nickens said anyone who reads Marlow's book will “get it.” She said she “puts the case in such a way, the average person can get it.” She said at the end of the day, the book will help people begin to have a dialogue about domestic violence. Also present at the event was Mildred Muhammad, the exwife of John Allen Muhammad, who was sentenced to six consecAt-large utive lifeCouncil terms member withoutAnita parole Bonds said she’s ready to his helprole ushby a Maryland jury for in er a new era Sniper in District politics. thein Beltway attacks in /Photo Bonds. is 2002. courtesy Mildredof Anita Muhammad the founder of After the Trauma, an organization that helps the survivors ington and ofsaiddomestic everyoneviolence should and their children. work to avoid them. “I lived in for six years. Six “Results arefear important, but the years in fear is a long time. It is way we govern is also important,” not an easy thing to come out said of,” Mendelson, she said. 62. “Good government comes from an attitude said that Mildred Muhammad people are important, that accountpeople who want to help a ability meansviolence transparency, thatmust coldomestic victim laboration be carefulis essential of how and theythat gousualinto lythe thevictim's right result the one that had life,isand understand that support.” she may be in “survival broad mode”. Bonds remains optimistic that she get to 'I'm going can“Before meet thatyou challenge. to“My kill whole you,' life it started verbal journey,asmya career, has been about putting people first, and I will continue to do that,” said Bonds, who grew up in Southeast. “I have a history of activism in the community, and it has been the issues that the community has cared about that have been important to me. I’m trying to continue that journey because I’m not in this for a career; it’s about giving back to the community that I absolutely love,” she said. As a student at John Philip Sousa Junior High School in Southeast, Bonds received recognition in the Westinghouse Science Fair competition. She attended McKinley Technology High School in Northeast and the University of California, Berkeley. Bonds’ foray into politics began decades ago when she was a political leader in the District’s struggle for equality and justice with the Young Democrats of America, the Women’s Strike for Peace, and the National Women’s Political Caucus. She also served as a commissioner for D.C. Statehood. Eventually, Bonds became an ad-

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We have to stop being passive-aggressive with poor children about domestic violence. I plan to take these policies to Congress and implore them to change our laws. I will not stop until these policies are passed.

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ANC Commissioner Renée Bowser, a prospective candidate in the special election for the Ward 4 D.C. Council seat, has made affordable housing, public safety, and community-centered economic development part of her platform. / Photo courtesy of Sterling Henry

Brandon Todd, who served as Muriel Bowser’s director of constituent services during her tenure as D.C. council member, announced his candidacy for the Ward 4 D.C. Council seat in December. In this photo, he picks up petitions at the D.C. Board of Elections. / Photo courtesy of Crystal Nicole Davis

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Ward 4 Council Race Wide Open By Sam P.K. Collins WI Contributing Writer @ SamPKCollins With the race to elect the next Ward 4 D.C. Council member well underway, it remains to be seen who among more than dozen prospective candidates will fill D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s old seat on April 28. Whoever wins will have a hand in shaping the future of one of the District’s quickest-developing and most socioeconomically diverse wards. In doing so, the winner must address concerns about the rising cost of living, public safety, access to quality neighborhood schools and city services. “It’s pretty early right now, so we need to figure out what these candidates bring to the table,” said Gail Black, ANC commissioner for Single Member District 4A08. Black, who represents the Crestwood neighborhood in Northwest, said that the new council member should engage residents, especially as families fight to retain access to schools west of Rock Creek Park. “I’m hoping that whoever becomes council member realizes they have to make choices that benefit everyone. Some people are welcoming the economic development but only if it doesn’t change the character of the neighborhood. We just want our voices heard. This council member shouldn’t use the position as a springboard to a bigger position, said Black, 64. Since Bowser sought re-election in 2012, the demographics

of the electorate have changed. As more than 5,000 black people moved out of Ward 4, the Latino and white populations have increased, especially in the Brightwood neighborhood. In the weeks after Bowser won the D.C. mayoral election, a host of community leaders announced their intentions to succeed the former D.C. council member. As of last week, 15 people have picked up paperwork from the D.C. Board of Elections, including Bowser’s protégé Brandon Todd and ANC Commissioners Acqunetta Anderson, Renée Bowser (no relation) and Douglass Sloan. Community activist AJ Cooper, who counted among the early contenders, suddenly died of a heart attack in December at the age of 34. The special elections for the Ward 4 seat and that of Ward 8, which became vacant in the wake of Marion Barry’s death last year, will test new campaign finance laws passed by the D.C. Council last year that strengthen disclosure requirements and restricts donations from affiliated companies. To appear on the ballot, prospective candidates must collect 500 signatures from registered voters who live in their wards by Jan. 28. “I enjoy public service and know what it takes to deliver to Ward 4 residents,” said Todd, who served as Bowser’s director of constituent services for five years during her tenure on the D.C. Council. Days after announcing his candidacy and receiving Bowser’s blessing, Todd

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raised more than $50,000. “I will continue the progress that we’ve made in the last seven years, continuing constituent services in all neighborhoods and focusing on issues that affect all residents. We will stay focused on senior citizens, improving schools, and attracting more retail on Georgia Avenue.” Those words may have fallen on deaf ears. Some residents like Denise Rolark Barnes Myles Smith said that Bowser Independent Beauty Consultant didn’t meet all residents’ expectawww.marykay/drolark-barnes.com tions. Smith recounted lobbying 202-236-8831 then-Council member Bowser’s office and the District Department of Transportation for nine months to start a streetscaping project that the District funded in 2011. While he remains uncertain about which candidate will get his vote, Smith expressed his desire for someone who could hold government agencies accountable in creating policies that would attract businesses to blighted neighborhoods. (301) 864-6070 “I expect someone who can do better than the status quo,” said Smith, 33, who co-founded the Kennedy Street Development MCCOLLUM & ASSOCIATES, LLC Association in late 2013. “The ADA, Age Discrimination, Benefits, Civil Rights, city has set aside lots of monCOBRA, Contracts, Deaf Law, Defamation, Disability Law, ey to invest in parks and street lights in our neighborhoods, but Discipline, Discrimination, FMLA, FLSA, FOIA, they just haven’t done it yet. We Family Responsibility, Harassment, HIPPA, OSHA, need someone who’s focused on National Origin Discrimination, Non-Compete, this ward and willsetactually ‡ Please all copy incarry upper and lowercase, flush left as indicated on artwork at these point sizes: Consultant name in 11-point Helvetica Neue Bo Beauty Consultant in 9-point Helvetica Neue Light;Discrimination, Web site or e-mail address in 9-point HelveticaAct, Neue Retaliation, Light; phone number in 9-point Helvetica Race Rehabilitation out their plans instead of talking To the Independent Beauty Consultant: Only Company-approved Web sites obtained through the Mary Kay® Personal Web Site program may about them.” Severance Agreements, Sexual Harassment, Torts, Although Ward 4 Council Whistleblowing, Wage-and-Hour, Wrongful Discharge candidate Renée Bowser shares SERVING MARYLAND, DC, & NORTH CAROLINA Smith’s sentiments, she said that

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Black Facts Jan. 8 1811- The largest slave revolt in American history takes place on this day in 1811. Charles Deslandes leads an estimated 500 slaves in an uprising in St. Charles and St James parishes in Louisiana. 1836 – Fannie Mae Jackson is born. She becomes the first Black female college graduate. Jan. 9 1866 – Fisk University is founded in Nashville, Tennessee to educate newly freed slaves by the American Missionary Association. 1906 – Poet and novelist Paul Lawrence Dunbar dies. Born in Dayton, Ohio, Dunbar rapidly gained national recognition as a poet. Although he only lived to be 33, he was prolific writing short stories, novels, plays and songs. 1914 – Phi Beta Sigma fraternity founded at Howard University. 1935 – Publisher and entrepreneur Earl Graves was born. 1967 – The Georgia legislature finally seats Representative Julian Bond. In an amazing anti-democracy display of arrogance, Georgia legislators had refused to allow Bond to take the seat he had duly won because of his opposition to the U.S. war in Vietnam. But a 1966 U.S. Supreme Court ruling declared their action unconstitutional. Bond later became chairman of the NAACP Board of Directors. 1989 – Time, Inc. agreed to sell NYT Cable for $420M to a group led by J. Bruce Llewellyn, the largest cable TV acquisition by an African American.

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Jan. 10 1957 – The Southern Christian Leadership Conference is founded in New Orleans, Louisiana by a group of Black ministers. The SCLC goes on to become one of the premier leadership organizations of the Civil Rights Movement.

of the “African Eve” – the mother of all humankind. Based on research in East African involving mitochondrial DNA, the researchers from the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics in Oxford, England conclude that the original woman evolved in East Africa approximately 200,000 years ago and that all of humanity can ultimately trace their ancestry to this woman. However, some more recent studies suggest that humankind first evolved in Southern Africa. Jan. 12 1944 – Joseph Billy “Smokin’ Joe” Frazier, hall of fame boxer, was born in Beaufort, South Carolina. Frazier won the Gold medal in the heavyweight boxing division at the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games and turned professional in 1965. His fights with the legendary Muhammad Ali have become boxing classics. 1965 – The extraordinarily talented author and dramatist Lorraine Hansberry dies. Deeply committed to the Black struggle, Hansberry’s brilliant career was cut short by cancer. She was only 35. Her primary works included “A Raisin In The Sun” and “To Be Young, Gifted and Black.” “A Raisin In The Sun” became the first play written by a young Black woman to be produced on Broadway. Jan. 13 1913 – Delta Sigma Theta Inc. was created by 22 Howard University students who were previously members of Alpha Kappa Alpha, another sorority founded on Howard’s campus. Their organization was formed to have its own identity, stronger political leanings, and to spur social activism within the Afri-

can-American community. 1966 – Robert C. Weaver becomes the first Black member of a presidential cabinet. Lyndon B. Johnson appoints him Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. 1982 – Hank Aaron and Frank Robinson were elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. 1990 – Douglas Wilder became the first elected African American governor when he took office in Richmond, Virginia. Jan. 14 1873 – P B S Pinchback was elected to Senate. 1878 – The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that race separation on trains unconstitutional. 1895 – Blacks organized the National Steamboat Company in Washington, D.C. The company sailed a steamboat, the “George Leary,” between DC and Norfolk, Virginia. 1907 – An earthquake hit the island of Kingston, Jamaica with a magnitude of 6.5 damaging every building and taking over 1,000 lives. 1930 – Ernest Just becomes vice president of the American Association of Zoologists. Just was perhaps the most noted Black zoologist in American history. Born in Charleston, South Carolina, he was a brilliant student who graduated from Dartmouth magna cum laude. He taught at Howard University in Washington, D.C. for years and helped a group of students organize the Black Greek letter fraternity – Omega Psi Phi. Just died in 1941 of pancreatic cancer. Mary J. Blige

Jan. 11 1971 – Mary J. Blige, singer, record producer and “queen of hip hop soul,” was born in The Bronx, New York. Blige spent her early years in Savannah, Georgia where she sang in a church choir. 1988 – Scientists (paleo-anthropologists) announce the discovery

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AROUND THE REGION INTERVIEWS AND PHOTOS BY ELTON HAYES

VIEWP INT George Walker

Washington, D.C. I think it means a lot. Women represent more than half of the country’s population, yet they are underrepresented in politics – which is not a good thing. I think the strides the city has taken to make this possible speaks for itself. Regardless of their political affiliation and leanings, I think many positives will come from this here in the area, and around the nation.

Karen Britton

Washington, D.C. I think we will begin to see women have more powerful roles in politics and in other arenas. Even though there are record-high numbers for women serving in Congress, the numbers still do not reflect the overall population of women in our nation. But it’s starting to change and I think a lot of that has to do with women going after more senior positions in the workplace. Leadership in local, state and federal governments cannot ignore the power of the female vote.

DISTRICT MAYOR MURIEL BOWSER, D.C. SCHOOLS CHANCELLOR KAYA HENDERSON AND D.C. POLICE CHIEF CATHY LANIER APPEARED ON ‘MEET THE PRESS’ LAST SUNDAY TO DISCUSS THEIR ROLES AND VISION FOR THE CITY, AND TO TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT THE CITY HAS THREE WOMEN WHO SERVE IN PROMINENT ROLES. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO YOU?

Bruce Jones

Washington, D.C. While I think the women’s rights movement as a whole still has a long way to go, I think politically, in D.C., the women’s rights movement has always been very strong. We’ve had a female mayor before in Sharon Pratt Dixon and many women comprise the city council. The fact that we have three women serving in prominent roles in the District government speaks volumes about the attitudes of residents of D.C.

Elynore Herron

Washington, D.C. I think it’s something to be proud of and it’s a good start. I believe that women have a different perspective on certain issues, especially when it comes to children. I believe that Ms. Henderson has shown herself to be a capable educator – I was involved in education for some time. Ms. Lanier is doing a good job. I’m expecting a lot from Mayor Bowser and hope that she will do well. I wish all of them well.

Rev. Julianne M. Robertson

Washington, D.C. I’ve seen so much history unfold in my lifetime, and I hoped that we would be where we currently are today, in respect to the contributions of women. There is still a long way to go. It’s wonderful that we can say that we have a female mayor, a female police chief and a female chancellor, but that by itself does not guarantee that future generations will have the freedoms and opportunities we hope they will.

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D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser takes a moment to celebrate during the Inauguration Ceremony held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center on Friday, Jan. 2 in Northwest. /Photo by Shevry Lassiter

INAUGURATION continued from Page 1 Council for seven years, swept aside the challenges of fellow Council member David Catania, then-Ward 6 Council member Tommy Wells and perennial mayoral candidate and former council member Carol Schwartz.

8 Jan 8 - Jan 14, 2015

The freshly minted mayor won the Nov. 4 general election with 54.5 percent of the vote. Bowser, resplendent in a turquoise dress, strings of pearls and the brightest of smiles, recited the oath of office surrounded by more than a dozen family members, including her mother, Joan, father, Joseph – a longtime

Friends and colleagues, including former D.C. Mayor Vincent C. Gray (far right), salute Muriel Bowser, the new mayor of the District of Columbia, during the Inauguration Ceremony. /Photo by Shevry Lassiter

advisory neighborhood commissioner – and her siblings. D.C. Court of Appeals Chief Judge Eric T. Washington administered the oath. Those witnessing the swearing-in included Gray; former Mayors Adrian M. Fenty and Anthony A. Williams; Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawl-

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ings-Blake; Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown of Maryland; Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker III; Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett; Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter; Alexandria Mayor Bill Euille; Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Angela Alsobrooks; her predecessor Glenn F. Ivey; former council members, residents, clergy, the business community, and members of the diplomatic corps. D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton set the tone for the ceremony during welcoming remarks. “This is the 2015 council, just as this is a new year for ANCs, shadow representatives, and a new era, especially for the new attorney general Karl Racine,” said Norton, who’s beginning her 14th term as the District’s congressional representative. “Each election gives us new opportunities. We’re free from the mistakes and disappointments of the past year, and each new year brings promise. I’ve cheered myself up (despite) the new Republican majority. But not to worry yet. Muriel Bowser is on the case. “I know I have a strong partner with Muriel Bowser. It’s up to us to have Congress allow us to rule ourselves. So, cheer up, D.C. It can be done. ... Your city’s in fine shape. As far as we’re concerned, there’s nothing for Congress to do here, so cheer up, D.C.” Local Attorney Natalie O. Ludaway stood beaming at the

conclusion of the swearing-in. “I came out because I wanted to support the newly elected mayor and those elected with her,” said Ludaway, a Ward 3 resident who previously lived in Ward 7 for decades. “I love D.C. and what it means. Muriel Bowser is our leader. She is connected to the District, and I and everyone will support her.” Ludaway, managing member at Leftwich & Ludaway, a law firm located in Northwest, said she has one overriding concern. “The divide is the biggest issue. She has to work to bridge the gap between the two Washingtons,” she said. Fenty, 44, is widely acknowledged as one of Bowser’s most influential mentors, and he tabbed the mayor to succeed him in Ward 4. However, he downplayed his role as mentor. “I thought so much of her when she was an advisory neighborhood commissioner. I heard her speak today, and I’m so proud of how far she’s come,” said Fenty. “She doesn’t need me. The whole thing for me is to have D.C. have the best people representing it. … All the mayors will make themselves available to help her.” Local powerbroker, lobbyist and attorney David W. Wilmot said Bowser makes him proud. “I’ve maintained for the last several years that we have to empower our youth, and you saw evidence of that today,” said Wilmot, 71, who specializes in general corporate law. “I’m the

See INAUGURATION on Page 9

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AROUND THE REGION who will succeed the late Ward mayor and council’s immediate 8 Council member Marion S. attention. These include the Barry, who died on Nov. 24, financial and economic presand who will fill Bowser’s Ward sures on middle-class residents, 4 seat. homelessness affecting young “We lock up too many peo- D.C. families, an educationple. We train folks for jobs but al system that favors children offer too little help in place- in certain zip codes, the lack ment,” said Ward 3’s Mary of adequate affordable housCheh. “We offer some form ing and voter frustration with of shelter to the homeless, but those elected officials whose everyone knows we need more behavior and misconduct have affordable housing. We want led to corrosion of the public people to work but make child- trust. care assistance way too hard to Allen, 37, said it is incumattain. We have a new mayor bent on elected officials to earn ,and we have the energy, the and keep residents’ trust. vitality and the focus to move “We have immense challengahead.” es before us,” said Allen, who “People may be nervous replaced Wells, his mentor Mayor Muriel Bowser raises the District Seal before giving her Inaugural Address at the Walter E. Washington about change, but there’s noth- and former boss. “The public Convention Center, on Friday, Jan. 2. /Photo by Roy Lewis ing to be afraid of. I know ex- trust was broken two years ago. actly the path we’ll take with The focus on integrity must be residents of the District of Co- built into public officials. Pubas the first D.C. Council chair. legislative body. The council INAUGURATION lumbia. There’s only one path: lic trust. There’s nothing more “We have a major housing welcomed three new memforward.” humbling than to ask friends continued from Page 8 problem, and need to support bers: Brianne Nadeau (Ward In their brief remarks, each and family to borrow that trust. father of four daughters, and education. We have to take care 1), Charles Allen (Ward 6) and council member focused on I’m not interested in just sitting that’s an inspiration not just of the young and old. We’re Elissa the problems and challenges Silverman Informer (I-At-Large). on1the council. I’m ready to roll ACVA Washington 5-65x7 CMYK_Layout 1 12/31/14 11:56 AM Page for me but for all of us. What stable and need to protect Special elections will determine that are priorities requiring the up my sleeves.” WI I always see in young people is what we have. We cannot be that they don’t come with the tied to (ineffective policies of) burden. I want them to seize the past. We have to make sure that everyone has the opportuthe opportunity.” As someone who has deep nity to live here. I believe with roots and extensive experience that kind of sensitivity, Mayor in business, consultant and en- Bowser will do well.” Gray elicited cheers from the trepreneur Marie Johns said crowd when he hugged Bowser she also has high hopes. “I’m taking the part and as he handed over the mayoral holding onto the mayor’s seal. He whispered in her ear, promise of a fresh start,” said smiled and took his seat. BowsJohns, who stepped down last er thanked Gray for his many year as deputy administrator successes and leadership, which of the U.S. Small Business Ad- prompted many in the crowd to ministration. “It’s time to focus jump to their feet and applaud. She and other council memon small businesses across the bers spoke of the need for District of Columbia.” elected officials to be respectWUSA Channel 9 news anchor and reporter Bruce John- ful of each other, to collaboson moderated the swearing-in rate and find common ground and spoke after the ceremony as they tackle the varied issues about what he expects from a and seemingly intractable problems enmeshing the city. Bowser administration. Bowser said the city has “The table is set for her. a budget gap in excess of Look at how soundly she beat $200 million, but she prom(David) Catania. She’s an asised to work with her council tute debater and a good, quick colleagues to move the city to thinker. I think she’ll be open a state of fiscal stability beand available,” said Johnson, who has covered D.C. city gov- yond what exists today. She ernment for 38 years. “She’s said she’d oversee government gonna make a good, effective activities residents treasure, such as collecting the garbage, mayor. “What people want her to do removing snow, and paving is keep the train on the tracks. streets. She also spoke of how The city is the best run in the sweet it would be if the Intercountry. I don’t think they (res- national Olympic Committee awarded Washington, D.C., the idents) want a revolution.” Sterling Tucker echoed John- 2024 Summer Olympics. The District’s first elected son’s sentiments. “I hope we’ll stay on the right attorney general, Karl Racine, track. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix was sworn in, and four counit,” said Tucker, elected in 1974 cil members returned to the The Washington Informer Jan 8 - Jan 14, 2015 9 www.washingtoninformer.com

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New Mayor, Police Chief and School Boss Visit NBC Show By Stacy M. Brown WI Contributing Writer Before appearing on the nationally televised news magazine show “Meet the Press” on Sunday, Jan. 4, the District’s new mayor sent a tweet with a hashtag representing how she felt and what she’s hoping will be D.C.’s slogan going forward. “#DCPROUD,” read Mayor Muriel Bowser’s message on her personal Twitter account. Wearing a light blue top and matching skirt and with D.C. School Chancellor Kaya Henderson and Metropolitan Police Chief Cathy Lanier seated by her side, Bowser took advantage of the spotlight by tackling the lightning rod issue of statehood for the District. “There’s a need for a new path,” said the mayor, fresh off of an electric inaugural that featured a performance by legendary drummer Sheila E. “The residents of Washington, D.C., deserve full democracy and statehood.” Even veteran NBC host Chuck Todd appeared taken by the ease and the resolve displayed by Bowser, 42. Todd asked Bowser about statehood and if she would she accept being part of the state of Maryland. Her answer likely resonated throughout the District, if not the nation, and it also reaffirmed her Twitter hashtag. “We are Washington, D.C,” Bowser told Todd. “And the residents of the District of Columbia really want to forge a The Washington Informer

new path toward statehood. We can start with budget autonomy, unhooking our government from the federal government.” Bowser’s segment counted as part of Meet the Press’ special on the women who run Washington, D.C. The program alerted viewers to the fact that the District counts as the only city to have women in top governing roles this year. Again displaying the D.C. pride she’s spoken so glowingly of, Bowser seized on the opportunity to promote her beloved District. “How fitting for the nation’s capital, to have three women in charge, women who have gotten things done in this city for years,” she said. “We want to the whole world to know we are a city on the move.” Henderson, among the three women in key leadership positions, touted the District’s school success. “Our test scores are rising more rapidly than other places, and we have satisfied teachers,” Henderson said, noting that after 40 years of decline, families have now begun to choose District schools for their children. When the topic turned to police reform, Lanier proved ready for her turn in the national spotlight. Todd asked the chief about protests that have taken center stage in America, particularly with the Michael Brown shooting in Ferguson, Missouri, and the Eric Garner chokehold

death in New York. “I think [the D.C. police department’s ability to work together with the community it serves is] really about building those relationships,” Lanier said. “You have to do it every single day; you can’t do it in crisis.” But there’s little question that the District’s new mayor carried the interview. She spoke with a calm firmness about D.C.’s long and shaky relationship with Congress and acknowledged that with District voters approving a marijuana legalization measure during the November elections, the relationship may not soon get better. “We’re a city and a county and a state all at once, so we do have a unique relationship with the Congress, and we’re looking forward to working with the new Congress and are optimistic about those relationships” Bowser said. When pressed about the marijuana issue and how that could lead to butting heads with Congress, Bowser didn’t back down. “Well, we want to respect the will of the D.C. voters, and we think that Initiative 71 is self-enacting,” she said.

“The bottom line for us is we have to have laws that are clear and enforceable.” WI

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PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY Maxwell Presents Proposed Budget Schools CEO Kevin Maxwell recently presented his recommendations for the district’s Fiscal Year 2016 proposed annual Operating Budget to the Board of Education. The $1.8 billion proposal represents a 2.5 percent increase over last year’s $1.7 billion budget, and focuses on achieving academic excellence, developing a high-performing workforce, increasing organizational effectiveness, deepening the system’s engagement with families and communities, and providing a safe and supportive school environment. “It is critical that we continue the course we set – so our students have the staff, programs, and supports to help them achieve academic excellence,” said Maxwell. “I have presented a proposal that encompasses our goals, while recognizing that certain fiscal uncertainties exist.” Creative Call to Students Submissions are open through Jan. 20 for the second White House Student Film Festival. The theme of this year’s festi-

Lyric Williams, a senior at Bladensburg High School in Bladensburg, Maryland, has been named a “Scholar of the Week.” /Photo courtesy PGCPS

val, which is open to students in grades K-12, is “The Impact of Giving Back.” Participants will tell a story about paying it forward, community service, or what making a difference looks like in their eyes and through a camera lens. Submissions can be a fictional story or a short documentary. For inspiration, prospective participants may view the official selections from last year’s White House Student Film Festival

when the theme was the power of technology in education. The American Film Institute is collaborating with the White House on the student festival. This year’s official selections will also be featured on the White House website and shared around the world on White House sites and official social media accounts. If selected, participants may have a chance to attend the film fest at the White House.

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Schools CEO Kevin Maxwell’s proposed operating budget will focus on expanding programs in support of academic excellence. /Courtesy photo

Submission guidelines include: • All films must be shorter than three minutes. • All films must be made by students in grades K-12. • No film may use copyrighted material including music, TV shows, or movies. • All films must be uploaded to YouTube. • All film submissions must be received by 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 20. For more information, visit WhiteHouse.gov/FilmFest. Scholar of the Week Lyric Williams, a senior at Bladensburg High School in Bladensburg, Maryland, has been named among honorees of the school system’s “Scholar of the Week” program. Lyric, who has a 4.02 grade point average, excels in advanced placement (AP) subjects that include biology, literature, govern-

ment and environmental science. Her extracurricular activities include leadership in Bladensburg’s POETS Club and volunteerism at All Nations Baptist Church and Bladensburg Town Hall. In addition to being an AP Scholar Award winner, Lyric has been on the honor roll throughout high school. The National Honor Society inductee has also received the Harvard Book Award and has been published in a literacy magazine, as well as in her school’s newspaper. Lyric has applied to schools that include Arcadia University in Pennsylvania and Smith College in Massachusetts to study to become a zoo veterinarian and a wildlife conservationist. WI

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President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama are hosting the second White House Student Film Festival. /Photo courtesy Whitehouse.gov

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PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

Police Shooting of Suitland Man Investigated

Family, NAACP, Local Leaders Demand Answers By Avis Thomas-Lester WI Editor-at-Large The Rev. Michelle Minor wants to know why her son is dead. He’s been deceased for more than two months – shot by a Prince George’s County Sheriff ’s Department deputy a month before Thanksgiving – and still she has no explanation as to how the incident occurred. According to a statement from the sheriff ’s office, Michael Ricardo Minor, 38, was shot about 1 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 23 at his residence in the 2300 block of Houston Street in Suitland. The shooting happened after Deputy First Class Kendal Wade and Deputy Private Tiffany Pullam, both of whom were assigned to the Domestic Violence Intervention Division, responded to a 911 call reporting “a domestic disturbance with a gun.” At least one of the deputies claimed Michael Minor failed to obey verbal commands and appeared to flinch during his encounter with them. Wade fired, hitting Minor in the chest. He died later at Prince George’s Hospital Center in Cheverly. “I hurt and I’m upset,” Michelle Minor said at a news conference several weeks after her son’s death. “… My whole family is breaking down … I’ve gone [for] mental [assistance]. I pray that someone will be able to provide me with some answers. How long will police officers continue to kill unarmed black men?” Prince George’s County NAACP President Bob Ross said the killing of Minor, who has been called “the Michael Brown of Prince George’s County” by those demanding answers in his death, bears some similarities to the other cases. Minor was black. He was unarmed. He was not involved in criminal activity at the time

he encountered the deputies. Police were responding to a domestic dispute call, not a complaint of domestic violence, and no statement had been made to a dispatcher indicating that violence had occurred, Ross said. Minor, who stood 5 foot 6 and weighed 145 pounds, had gone to Walk his dog after the alleged domestic dispute and returned home to find deputies there. His girlfriend, identified as Beverly Lewis, and her 16-year-old son were in the home when the shooting occurred. Lewis could not be reached for comment. Michael Minor worked at Capital Meats in Capitol Heights and had a daughter, Natalia. “All parties agree the slightly built Minor was not armed and did not impose an immediate threat although a verbal altercation of some kind occurred,” the NAACP said in a statement. “Minor was shot through a glass screen door while a second deputy, who did not pull her gun, stood next to him. Police accounts say Minor was shot because his estranged girlfriend told police dispatchers he had retrieved a weapon from the house. She now denies saying that and no weapon was ever found.” Michelle Minor said she is angry that the Prince George’s County Police Department, which is investigating the case, and State’s Attorney Angela Alsobrooks, whose office will determine if local charges are brought, have not responded to requests for information. The Minor family plans to file a civil lawsuit and hopes for a criminal indictment of Wade, who, along with Pullam, is on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation, deputies said. Wade had been on the department for four years; Pullam was hired two years ago, authorities said. John Erzen, Alsobrooks’s spokesman, said the shooting

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The Rev. Michelle Minor, with her lawyer, Mark W. Howes, has been waiting since Oct. 23 to learn details of the shooting of her unarmed son, Michael Ricardo Minor, by Prince George’s Sheriff’s Deputy Kendal Wade. /Photo by Avis Thomas-Lester

remains under investigation. He said the office does not release information on pending cases. Erzen said Alsobrooks spoke with Ross from the NAACP to assure him that this case will be investigated as rigorously as others. Alsobrooks told The Washington Post that she plans to send the case to a grand jury when the investigation is concluded. “Our record speaks for itself. We have shown we are not afraid to indict law enforcement officers if the facts dictate that,” Erzen said. “When the time comes, we will make the decision that is appropriate based on the facts that we have.” Michelle Minor’s attorney, Mark W. Howes, of Annapolis, a former career police officer, said he has never seen a case

The Rev. Michelle Minor believes the deputy who shot her son, Michael Ricardo Minor, 38, used excessive force. /Photo by Avis Thomas-Lester

where the lawyer and family members of a victim were denied the investigative report, the autopsy report and comments made by the officers. “What my client wants is

answers,” Howes said. “Mrs. Minor wants to know why her son’s life was taken. His daughter wants to know why she doesn’t have a daddy anymore.” WI

The Prince George’s County Department of the Environment is making it easy for residents to recycle cut Christmas trees (no artificial trees) by offering convenient drop-off locations and curbside pick up.

Beginning December 26, 2014 through February 1, 2015, residents with Yard Waste Collection may place their undecorated, unbagged, live Christmas trees at the curb by 6:30 a.m. on their regularly scheduled yard waste collection day.

*Please remove all plastic bags, tinsel and decorations No artificial trees

Residents may also bring unadorned trees, free of charge, to the following locations for recycling: BROWN STATION ROAD PUBLIC CONVENIENCE CENTER 3501 Brown Station Road Upper Marlboro, Maryland

Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. – 6 p.m.

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY YARD WASTE COMPOSTING FACILITY 6601 Southeast Crain Highway Upper Marlboro, Maryland

Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

For more information, please call SOURCE REDUCTION TIP: Save bows, paper and boxes for future gift wrapping!

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Centennial

INTERNATIONAL

BLACK HISTORY LUNCHEON Association for the Study of African American Life and History Haiti’s National Palace in Port-au-Prince was heavily damaged in the devastating Jan. 12, 2010 earthquake. /Courtesy photo

A Century of Black Life, History, and Culture 2015 Black History Theme

Saturday, February 28, 2015 Washington Marriott Wardman Park Hotel 2660 Woodley Road N.W. Washington, D.C. 20008 202-328-2000

Keynote Speaker Daryl Michael Scott, Ph.D. Professor of History at Howard University ASALH National President

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Featured Authors Event 10am-12 noon 89th Annual Luncheon: 12:30pm Contributions of $100 or more will be acknowledged in our program if received by January 21. For sponsorship and advertising information, please contact ASALH at 202-238-5910 or by email at aedwards@asalh.net

Purchase tables and tickets by February 1, 2015 To purchase tables and tickets visit www.asalh.org or contact ASALH • 2225 Georgia Ave, NW, Suite 331 • Washington, D.C. 20059 Phone: (202) 238-5910 • Fax: (202) 986-1506 • Email: info@asalh.net

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Haiti Revisited – Five Years After the Quake

Recovery Remains Slow and Painful for Millions By D. Kevin McNeir WI Contributing Writer @mcneirdk The actual number of those killed when an earthquake of cataclysmic proportion struck the Caribbean country of Haiti just after rush hour on Tuesday, January 12, 2010, may never be known. Estimates range from a low of 200,000 dead to as high as 300,000. In the aftermath, two million people found themselves homeless. The majority of those impacted by the earthquake lived in or near Port-au-Prince, the nation’s capital, just 15 miles west of the quake’s epicenter. Soon after the earthquake, Haiti faced an outbreak of cholera, resulting in the deaths of 8,173 men, women and children as of June 2013. Thousands of children faced life without their parents – orphaned and left on the streets to fend for themselves. Meanwhile, hunger gnawed at the stomachs of those young and old. Now, as the five-year anniversary of this tragedy approaches, there will certainly be a plethora of discussions, exhibitions, silent vigils and commemorations honoring those who died as well as those who have since devoted their efforts to Haiti’s recovery. However, more work needs to be done in order to complete a full recovery. One member of Congress, who represents a large number of Haitians, second only to New York City in population, has visited the country numerous times since the earthquake. In an earlier interview she spoke about the

challenges still facing Haiti – the poorest country in the Americas. “It is heartbreaking to experience any group of people who are suffering because you feel hopeless and helpless,” said Frederica Wilson (D-FL, 24th District), who has represented the citizens of Miami, Florida since 2001. “One of the challenges was where to begin to rebuild. It took a lot of time and money to remove the rubble that remained following the earthquake and the aftershocks. But I can attest that things are slowly improving and change is happening. You can see it,” Wilson said. Wilson added that internal issues have had a major impact on rebuilding efforts. “How can you tell who owns a parcel of land when the office that held such records has been destroyed?” she asked. “Who has the right to speak when you have so many different political parties vying for power? And what about those who live in the tent cities? At one point there was a push to remove people from them but the Congressional Black Caucus pushed for a slower and more humane evacuation process. The rebuilding will continue for many years.” In Wilson’s district, Haitian-Americans make up over 15 percent of the population – approximately 44,000 people. But accusations of continued Haitian government corruption and mismanagement persist. Following the earthquake, donors from the international

See HAITI on Page 15

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Centennial

BLACK HISTORY LUNCHEON 2015 National Black History Theme: A Century of Black Life, History, and Culture

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A small boy holds a baby girl as they sit amidst the rubble in the wake of the quake, the most destructive to hit the island nation since the 1700s. /Courtesy photo

HAITI continued from Page 14 community pledged $16 billion in funding thorough 2020. In the first two years, $9.5 billion was dispersed – three times the Haitian government’s revenue in that same period. But some say only a fraction actually ended up in Haitian hands. Haiti’s president, Michel Martelly, 53, has continuously asked members of Parliament to work with him to build a new, vibrant, post-earthquake nation. But he and other government officials continue to face accusations that millions of dollars donated towards the country’s recovery have not been wisely spent. Meanwhile, internal strife has slowed noticeable actions of recovery to a snail’s pace. In December 2014, hundreds of Haitians marched through Port-au-Prince demanding Martelly’s resignation. The protest turned violent and police used tear gas to disperse the crowd. Reports from BBC News say that Haitains are angry at Martelly’s reluctance to call legislative and local elections that have been delayed since 2011. With protests escalating, Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe resigned from his post in mid-December 2014, but many still want the president to resign as well. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has called on Haiti to hold elections as soon as possible in order to put an end to the crisis. Edwidge Danticat, 45, an award-winning author born in Haiti now living in Miami, Florida, returns frequently to lend her support in many distinct ways. She notes that life in Haiti had its challenges even before the earthquake. “One of the hardest things about helping outsiders understand Haiti is when we have to

constantly confront the summary statement of our country being the poorest in the western hemisphere,” she said. “Yes, there is poverty on a wide scale but Haiti is so much more than that. Our history is so much greater than our current economic status. We see new voices and visions emerging today, particularly among Haitian artists and writers. The deepest expressions of pain have inspired both art and resistance. Even as artists and creators, some of us who still live in Haiti and others who live in new countries, we all continue to connect to Haitians who are living through this pain every day – it’s not a vicarious experience – we share in that pain. One Miami-based artist, Eduard Duval-Carrie, 57, has been the guiding force behind the Haitian Cultural Arts Alliance in Little Haiti (a mostly-Haitian community in Miami) since its inception where he often features work that explores the chaos of nature and the upheaval that resulted from the earthquake. “Many of the pieces point to a new form of expression for Haitian art – it’s a significant evolution,” he said. “Because of what remained after the quake, some artists have used trash materials from the rubble to make their pieces of art. In some works of art, including my own work, death is the main theme with the Grand Baron [from the voodoo religion] prominently displayed. Politics and poverty are additional themes that artists invoke. And while some photos show how even in the worst of situations, people rise above their circumstances, like those living in the tent cities, Haiti is still burdened by the spell of death,” Duval-Carrie said. WI

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Jan 8 - Jan 14, 2015

BUSINESS BUSINESS EXCHANGE

What Theme Will Blacks Pursue in 2015? What side of the protest stage are you on: “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot” or “Pay Up?” T-shirts declaring “I Can’t Breathe” are all the rage among many African-American activists. The families, friends and supporters of African-American men and boys killed at the hands of police in 2014 have held marches and “die-in” protests. Across the nation, hundreds of thousands are marching in support of Michael Brown and

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By William Reed Eric Garner wearing T-shirts proclaiming that “Black Lives Matter” and chanting “I Can’t Breathe.” Among these protesters, it’s fashionable to vilify White law enforcement officials and police officers. Few Blacks die from police actions each year. The protests show just how much Americans are polarized over the issue of race. What happened in Ferguson and Staten Island highlights deep divisions that exist between Blacks and Whites in America. Across America’s Great Divide, Brown’s and Garner’s are but two names on a list of Blacks who’ve perished at the

hands of police. They are tragic reflections of a deeply broken system. After a grand jury decided not to indict a police officer in the shooting of Ferguson Black teenager Michael Brown, President Obama said: “We need to recognize that the situation in Ferguson speaks to broader challenges that we still face as a nation.” Indeed, polls consistently show that Blacks and Whites have very different views about many aspects of race – from confidence in the police to progress on racial equality. Forty-eight percent of Whites said a lot of progress has been made, compared to 32 percent of Blacks. About 79 percent of Blacks – and just 44 percent of Whites – answer “a lot” when the question is “How much more needs to be done in order to achieve racial equality?” How serious are African-American protesters about “justice for all?” What is their concept of “justice for all?” Does it include reparations for slavery? Protesting on the side of having America to “pay up” for slavery and its effects on slave descendants can’t seem to grab the fancy of contem-

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porary African Americans. One would ask about the protestors: Don’t those people have jobs? They are interfering with commerce and not accomplishing much of anything of substance. It’s time Blacks “kept their eyes on the prize.” The prize we recommend is wealth parity. The protests show vast differences in the values and perceptions of the races. If Black lives matter, we need to work to end their unnecessary and early deaths. It’s not enough to look at one minor source of Black mortality – shootings by law enforcement officers – and ignore the reasons for the vast majority of Black deaths: abortions. The same people who say they are concerned about the tiny percentage of Blacks killed by police don’t seem to care about the mass elimination of Blacks in the womb. Blacks are three times as likely to kill their unborn child as Whites are. Things are bad for Blacks, but we need to see truths associated with these matters. The cast of characters in these matters is in doubt. Michael Brown stole cigars from a convenience store and then rushed

a policeman. But in the case of reparations for Blacks, the rights and claims of the victims are clear and without question. Yet, most African Americans don’t see the validity of reparations and habitually don’t connect the dots to see how this injustice of the past shapes everyday life in America. America is polarized by race, yet most Blacks keep hoping that White Americans will agree to sit down at “the table of brotherhood.” They can’t get it in their heads that descendants of slaves are owed $1.5 million each. As more of us embrace the concept of reparations for slavery, we will realize the current system is built on generations of racial oppression that includes: criminalization of poverty, weak political participation, segregated neighborhoods, ongoing economic and wealth inequality, and heavily militarized police forces where justice systems are indifferent, neglectful and even hostile. WI William Reed is publisher of “Who’s Who in Black Corporate America” and available for projects via Busxchng@his.com.

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Bowser Woos Business Community

BUSINESS

Promises Closer Collaboration, Less Red Tape By Barrington M. Salmon WI Staff Writer@bsalmondc Ask most businesspeople in the District of Columbia, and there’d likely be a chorus of agreement that there’s too much red tape, taxes and onerous regulations that hinder their ability to do business in the nation’s capital. At a Dec. 11 D.C. Chamber of Commerce breakfast, Mayor-Elect Muriel Bowser told the 450 guests at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center she feels their pain. Bowser said local businesses and the private sector are critical partners in any of the city’s future growth. Those in the private sector have intimate knowledge of neighborhoods, have their fingers on the city’s pulse and are eager to invest. For her part, Bowser said, her administration seeks investment that’s clean and safe, and she signaled her administration’s readiness for new investment in all parts of the city. “Taxes are important. We need them. We don’t want to ask you for any more than we need,” she said during a oneon-one question-and-answer session with Chamber President and CEO Harry Wingo. “We will spend responsibly. We have to be competitive in the region. We have to always do that. Tax abatements are economic development tools. A lot of people have worked long and hard to have deals on the table for the mayor, the next mayor and the Council. “I want to challenge our whole way of thinking. My administration will be one of transparency. I have friendships and relationships with many in the room. I’m willing to listen, chat and find solutions. People want to make sure we’re building partnerships. Someone said recently that the best trip to DCRA is the one you don’t have to make. Business needs to believe that D.C. is an easier place to do business.” Bowser said she’s committed to being a fiscally responsible mayor. “We also want to make sure we’re investing in priorities such as schools, housing, $100 million a year in affordable housing and infrastructure investment to help people,” she said. We’ll have to make billions in infrastructure investments. We also will have

Mayor Muriel Bowser told business leaders at a D.C. Chamber of Commerce breakfast last month that she will work with them to “find solutions” to problems they face negotiating the city’s bureaucracy. /Photo by Roy Lewis

some changes in capital investment.” Bowser said the budget is a priority over her administration’s first 100 days, adding that she’s been working closely with Mayor Vincent C. Gray, members of his staff and Ward 2 Council member Jack Evans preparing the next budget. She said the city has to prepare for the expected explosion of population growth. The mayor-elect outlined the city’s needs in an earlier interview. “We want growth, but that future will shape us if we don’t shape it. It’s projected that the District of Columbia could grow to 800,000 residents,” she said. “The demands on the infrastructure are real. Nobody wants to be smooshed; people want to be able to move around.” She estimates than anywhere from 150,000 and 200,000 new residents will descent on the District. Bowser said Metro needs $26 billion, public housing needs $1.3 billion to maintain and create housing units, and water and sewer improvements would cost between $3 billion to $4 billion. Bowser said the city has to figure out how to pay for upgrading a seriously eroding water and sewer system, that public housing stocks will need “tremendous” investment and that pub-

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lic partner partnerships will be one of the keys to bringing these and other projects to fruition. Bowser said she’s aware that residents want safe streets and neighborhoods, great schools and terrific public amenities, as well as access to decent, well-paying jobs. One area she said she plans to focus on is creating more jobs in the District and making sure that residents get first dibs. She stressed the importance of partnerships with businesses and the private sector to make this happen, re-engineering money allocated for training and embracing novel and innovative ideas in this area. Change, she said, is a constant. “The business of government has changed. Everything is changed. I’ve seen a lot of change over the course of eight years and four elections. We used to call, come into the office. Few had emails. Now we have Twitter, Instagram and social media. Expectations have changed about how the government delivers. “We can’t be the government of the last 50 years. We have to be the government of the next 50 years.” WI The Washington Informer

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Demonstrators rallied in Manhattan at the United Nations. /Photo by Phil Moore/New York Amsterdam News)

Cuts Spurred Ebola Crisis in West Africa Special to the NNPA from the New York Amsterdam News Spending cuts, pushed by an international lender, “weakened health-care systems in the West African region,” leaving the countries “underfunded, insufficiently staffed and poorly prepared.” In a report published this month in the journal Lancet Global Health, UKbased researchers blamed policies of the Washington-based International Monetary Fund that hobbled the development of an effective health-care system in the three affected West African nations. The number of people who have died of Ebola has crossed the 7,500 mark, with more than 19,000 infected. “Even though the IMF provided financial support to Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea, the lending comes with strings attached—so called conditionalities—that require recipient governments to adopt policies that prioritize short-term economic objectives over investment in health and education,” said the report’s lead author, Alexander Kentikelenis. By reviewing IMF policies from 1990 to 2014, the researchers from Cambridge University, Oxford University and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine identified three factors that weakened healthcare systems. These factors were the IMF’s requirement for economic reforms, caps on public-sector wages and the decentralization of health-care providers. Wage caps limit the capacity of these nations to hire and adequately pay key health-care workers, such as doctors and nurses, the researchers said. These caps are linked to the “brain drain” of health workers in countries that need them most. The IMF push to decentralize health-care systems makes it difficult to mobilize coordinated responses to

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outbreaks of deadly diseases, such as Ebola, the researchers said. “All these effects are cumulative, contributing to the lack of preparedness of health systems to cope with infectious disease outbreaks and other emergencies,” Kentikelenis said. “The IMF’s widely proclaimed concern about social issues has had little effect on health systems in low-income countries.” An IMF spokesman denied the claims, calling them “completely untrue.” In a letter to the Lancet, an IMF deputy director insisted that health outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa, including the three Ebola-hit countries “improved significantly” over the past decade or so, including improvements in mortality. The deputy, Sanjeev Gupta, acknowledged that health-care systems were fragile in the three Ebola-hit countries. “The IMF recognized the urgency of the situation— and moved quickly to help, making available an additional $130 million to the three countries to fight Ebola.” The money was approved in September of this year. The Ebola outbreak started in Guinea at the end of 2013 and intensified sharply starting in July 2014. The IMF, which lends money to financially strapped countries, came under strong criticism last year from African nations, led by Nigeria’s finance minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Ikweala. The minister cited the underrepresentation of African nations on the IMF board (two seats for 45 African countries) and an almost insignificant number of Africans in high decision-making bodies and among staff. “We welcome efforts to address diversity,” she wrote. “However further progress is needed.”WI

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Defining Our Generation’s Legacy – A New Vision of Health Care By Karen Dale, R.N., M.S.N., Market President, AmeriHealth District of Columbia In 2014, the District opted to embrace the Affordable Care Act to expand eligibility for Medicaid, the governmentfunded program that provides health coverage for lowincome individuals and families. Now, many of the District’s nearly 8,000 homeless, and the thousands more living in unstable and/or substandard housing, are able to access needed physical and behavioral health services. Experience shows how poverty and poor living conditions complicate good health and interfere with recovery. Lack of running water prevents cleanliness and promotes infection, medication can’t be refrigerated if you don’t have a house or functioning electricity and homelessness undermines efforts to recover from substance addiction or enter mental health treatment. Too many of those newly eligible for Medicaid are living in situations that are hazardous to their health, causing or exacerbating illnesses and making health management recovery extremely difficult. As a payor, we find ourselves in a repeating cycle of addressing the symptoms but not the ultimate cause—the lack of stable housing. Now is the time for us to redefine what health care means, recognizing that housing is a key determinant of health. Traditionally, health care has been defined as a range of services provided by medical professionals in hospitals and clinics that

address specific physical and mental health disorders. It is clear that this definition needs to be expanded to include services and interventions that support ongoing residential stability. This will allow us to achieve better health outcomes and efficiency in public-funded health services. Nowhere is this clearer than with the chronic homeless population, which experiences ongoing physical health, mental health and substance abuse disorders. The homeless has a mortality rate four to nine times higher than the general population, but when placed in permanent supportive housing— affordable housing linked with health and social services to support ongoing residential stability and wellness—improved health outcomes and significant savings due to reductions in unnecessary use of emergency room and inpatient admissions occur. This can be seen with the Pathways to Housing D.C. program, which provides permanent housing and community-based treatment and services to chronically homeless individuals in the District. In its 10 years of existence, the D.C. program reports that it achieved an 89 percent housing retention rate for the more than 600 individuals it has moved from homelessness to housing. Here in the District, we have an exciting opportunity to lead this new vision of health care. We have people in need of integrated care that addresses both housing and health needs, and we have some of the most talented providers in the country. Now is the time to test collaborations and innovations that coordinate service provision and transform our understanding of health and health care. We can begin by considering these four strategies to promote residential stability for our clients: 1. Establish broad partnerships with local government, health providers, homeless housing and service providers to develop comprehensive interventions to achieve the shared goal of

residential stability and ongoing wellness. 2. Target resources by using data documenting those with the highest needs and incurring the highest health costs. This intersection presents an opportunity to provide much-needed care and to realize great cost-savings. 3. Develop innovative funding strategies to invest in housing-oriented services needed by this population, such as using a capitation rate for essential services that are difficult to fund under a fee-for-service system and supporting Medicaid waivers and State Plan Options that would allow reimbursement for tenancy-related supports. 4. Reinvest dollars saved into housing and housing-related services, which could expand affordable and permanent supportive housing options and set the stage for further cost-savings. Over the past two years, we have celebrated several anniversaries of events that changed the trajectory of our country: the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Movement, the 50th anniversary of the Community Mental Health Act and the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. These milestones defined their respective generations and created important legacies that improved the lives of countless people. Now it’s our turn. With the 50th anniversary of Medicaid set to be commemorated this year, it’s time to expand our definition of health care and identify Medicaid-based strategies that acknowledge the connection between stable housing and physical wellness. This broader vision can be the legacy of our generation. Karen Dale, R.N., M.S.N., market president, AmeriHealth District of Columbia, a Medical Assistance (Medicaid) managed care health plan that serves more than 100,000 individuals and families in the District of Columbia, many of whom are homeless or low-income clients.

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Jan 8 - Jan 14, 2015

HEALTH

Health Enrollment Numbers Up For 2015 More Residents Also Receive Financial Assistance By Stacy M. Brown WI Contributing Writer

The first detailed analysis of enrollment into the Affordable Care Act – or Obamacare – has yielded good news, particularly for those who may require financial assistance. Officials at the Department of Health and Human Services in Southwest said 87 percent of those who selected 2015 plans through HealthCare.gov in the first month of open enrollment have received financial assistance to lower their monthly premiums. “We’re pleased that nationwide, millions of people signed up for Marketplace coverage starting January 1. The vast majority were able to lower their costs even further by getting tax credits, making a difference in the bottom lines of so many families,” Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell said. The 87 percent of individuals determined eligible for financial assistance to lower their monthly premiums

20 Jan 8 - Jan 14, 2015

counts as an improvement over the 80 percent of enrollees who selected plans during a similar period last year. Additionally, more than 4 million people in both the state and federal Marketplaces signed up for the first time or re-enrolled in coverage for 2015 during the first month of open enrollment. Burwell said the numbers include more than 3.4 million people who selected a plan in the 37 states that are using the HealthCare.gov platform for 2015 and more than 600,000 consumers who selected plans in the 14 states that are operating their own Marketplace platform for 2015. The report also includes data for areas such as the District of Columbia, which use their own Marketplace platforms. The report also revealed that the number of young adults signing up for coverage under the law remains low. Insurers rely on young people, who are generally healthier, to keep overall premiums low by offsetting the cost of older, sicker enrollees.

The 87 percent of individuals determined to be eligible for financial assistance to lower their monthly premiums counts as an improvement over the 80 percent of enrollees who selected plans during a similar period last year. /Photo Courtesy of Chicago Defender.

Last year, 23 percent of those who enrolled during the same time frame were adults age 18 to 34. This year during the first month, the number stands at 24 percent or “way below” where it needs to be, Robert Laszewski, president of Health Policy and Strategy Associates LLC, told the Wall Street Journal. “We need to get the young invincibles showing up to this,” Laszewski said. Almost 60 percent of those who enrolled in new health care coverage between Nov.

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15 and Dec. 15 were women, which women’s groups greeted as promising news. “For women, the Affordable Care Act means … greater peace of mind,” said Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. In total, from November 15 to December 26, nearly 6.5 million consumers selected a plan or were automatically re-enrolled in health plans under Obamacare. When the new law was rolled out in 2013, many cited

its effect on college students, self-employed workers, small businesses, veterans and individuals with pre-existing medical conditions. Further, officials at the Department of Health and Human Services said, because of the new law, the 92 percent of Washington, D.C. residents who already had insurance would now have more choices and stronger coverage. For the 8 percent who do See OBAMACARE on Page 21

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HEALTH OBAMACARE continued from Page 20 not or for District families and small businesses who buy their coverage but aren’t happy with it, promises of new options had arrived. The District also received more than $82.1 million in grants for research, planning, information technology development, and implementation of its Health Insurance Marketplace, the tool in which the new health care options can be accessed and purchased. “The insurance that I have now seems to work fine for me. It has a very small copay amount, but the premium is high, especially for me because I work as a waiter,” Howard University junior Malik Paige said after he enrolled. “So, I’m definitely going to be checking the marketplace under this new law to see if there is something more affordable that suits what I need,” said Paige, 20. Also, under the health care law, individuals under the age of 26 can remain insured as a dependent under the parent’s or guardians existing health insurance even if they are married and employed. Young adults employed at businesses that don’t offer health insurance or plans that are affordable became eligible through the Affordable Insurance Exchange, a type of marketplace where health benefit plans can be purchased under the new law. Washington, D.C., residents also enjoyed a choice of insurers that includes Aetna, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Kaiser Permanente, and United Healthcare. Under the ACA, there will be a choice of 267 health plan options that include health maintenance organizations and preferred provider organizations. “Interest in the Marketplace has been strong during the first month of open enrollment. We still have a ways to go and a lot of work to do before Feb. 15, but this is an encouraging start,” Burwell said. WI

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South Capitol Street Corridor Project Public Hearing The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) invite you to attend a public hearing on the South Capitol Street Corridor Project, which includes the replacement of the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge and transforming the city’s southernmost entrance into a grand urban boulevard. The purpose of the hearing is to: • Present the Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) • Gather comments from the public and share the overall schedule

Thursday, January 22, 2015 from 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Matthews Memorial Baptist Church, Fellowship Hall 2616 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE Metrorail: Anacostia Station (Green Line) Metrobus: Visit www.wmata.com The South Capitol Street Corridor Project SDEIS will be available for review at www.southcapitoleis.com and at the following locations beginning December 19, 2014 unless otherwise noted: Anacostia Library 1800 Good Hope Road SE Washington, DC 20020 Business Opportunity and Workforce Development Center 2235 Shannon Place SE Washington, DC 20020 (open on January 12, 2015)

Francis A. Gregory Neighborhood Library 3660 Alabama Avenue SE Washington, DC 20020

Parklands – Turner Community Library 1547 Alabama Avenue SE Washington, DC 20032

Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library 901 G Street NW Washington, DC 20001

Southeast Neighborhood Library 403 7th Street SE Washington, DC 20003

Southwest Neighborhood Library 900 Wesley Place SW Washington, DC 20024

Comments are due February 2, 2015 and can be submitted in the following ways: • Attend the Public Hearing listed above on January 22, 2015 • Fill out the comment form from the public hearing or at www.southcapitoleis.com • Email DDOT at ddot.awi@dc.gov • Mail your comments to: Mr. EJ Simie, P.E., DDOT/IPMA, 55 M Street SE, 4th Floor, Washington, DC 20003 For more information contact Brandon Cooper at ddot.awi@dc.gov or 202-741-8528. You can also visit www.southcapitoleis.com The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is committed to ensuring that no person is excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of, its projects, programs, activities, and services on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability as provided by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act and other related statutes. In accordance with the D.C. Human Rights Act of 1977, as amended, D.C. Official Code sec. 2-1401.01 et seq. (Act), the District of Columbia does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived: race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, familial status, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, genetic information, disability, source of income, status as a victim of an intrafamily offense, or place of residence or business. Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination which is prohibited by the Act. In addition, harassment based on any of the above protected categories is prohibited by the Act. Discrimination in a violation of the Act will not be tolerated. Violators will be subject to disciplinary action. If you need special accommodations or language assistance services (translation or interpretation) please contact Shelley Johnson at shelley@sharpandco.com or 301-424-6133 at least 72 business hours in advance of the meeting. These services will be provided free of charge.

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Jan 8 - Jan 14, 2015

EDUCATION

The Way Forward for Black Students By Honorable Peter C. Groff For good reasons many African Americans have wonderful memories of their time in public schools. Among those recollections are the family and community legacies, the favorite teacher and the lifelong friends that were made. Even for those, particularly in the south in the 1950’s and 1960’s, who have mixed feelings about their public school experiences they also remember the solid foundation that public education provided for college and a career. The system, even with its flaws, was good enough for our parents and, in some cases, for us. However, that nostalgic era must come to an end and African Americans need to remake public education for our kids. Too many of our kids have fallen through the cracks of the one size fits all public education system that was created in the 19th Century. According to the U.S. Department of Education, an academic achievement gap exists has been created and is widening. Nationally, on average, African American twelfth graders read at the same level as white eighth graders, and barely more than half of African Americans graduate from high

school. These numbers and other statistics like them are stunning, but when you realize that the majority of people incarcerated in the U.S. are people of color who have low educational attainment, and every person who drops out of school costs society about $260,000 in earnings, taxes and productivity, the numbers are frightening. If our kids are going to be competitive in the burgeoning global economy we must prepare them better. President Barack Obama outlined the challenge in February of 2009 during his first address to Congress. “In a global economy where the most valuable skill you can sell is your knowledge, a good education is no longer just a pathway to opportunity – it is a pre-requisite. Right now, three-quarters of the fastest-growing occupations require more than a high school diploma. And yet, just over half of our citizens have that level of education…and half of the students who begin college never finish.” So how do we create a better way forward for our kids? How do we create high quality options and opportunities for all students? 1. Far too often our children

Peter C. Groff is the former President of the Colorado Senate and a senior education appointee of President Barack Obama.

enter kindergarten unprepared to learn; thus, they are more likely to fall even further behind in the critical first four years of kindergarten and elementary school. Responsively, our community must demand high quality preschool programs for every four and five year old child, especially our poorest kids, and guarantee access to affordable, quality and safe child care. 2. Once our kids are properly prepared for K-12 education we need to ensure their learning does not stagnate or falter. We must require that our legislators and school districts give our parents high quality choice within the public school system. Innovative options like charter and

online schools, homeschooling and even high performing traditional schools recognize the overwhelming body of research that shows not all children learn the same and that a one size fits all system is destined to leave countless students behind. Policymakers must deliver the K-12 choice, innovation and quality that numerous national polls show that parents are demanding, especially African American parents. 3. Finally, the President often reminds us that “…three-quarters of the fastest-growing occupations require more than a high school diploma”, but African American students are 45% more likely to take remedial class

if they attend college, and then less than 40% graduate often because of economic pressures. The community must demand that school districts better prepare African American students for college and that legislators increase Pell grants, help families manage loan debt, slow tuition costs, and undergird community colleges. In addition, the community should clamor for high quality vocational training programs and meaningful apprenticeship opportunities for those students who elect not to attend college. The schools of today have a unique challenge to prepare all students to compete on the world stage where critical and cutting edge thinking and knowledge are a must. For our kids’ sake and for the nation’s future we need to shake our nostalgic attachment to the schools of our past and demand something new. We must demand choice, innovation and quality in all our schools and for all our students. WI Hon. Peter C. Groff is the former President of the Colorado Senate and a Senior Education appointee of President Barack Obama. Groff is a noted policy and political strategist and the Principal of MCG2 Consulting. Follow him on Twitter @petercgroff

Reparations Study Group The next in a series of Reparations Study Group sessions will be

Thursday, January 29, 2015 from 6 pm to 8 pm at the Southeast Public Library, 403 7th Street, Southeast, 20003.

The series features discussion sessions and research on

“The Debt America Owes Black Descendants of Slaves.”

The Southeast Library is located on Capitol Hill across from the Eastern Market subway stop.

22 Jan 8 - Jan 14, 2015

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AROUND THE REGION WARD 4 continued from Page 5 existing businesses need substantive support to flourish as neighborhoods change. Bowser, currently serving her fifth term as ANC commissioner for Single Member District 4D02, has made affordable housing, public safety, and community-centered economic development part of her platform. “We always say that small businesses are the backbone of the economy, but we don’t act like it,” said Bowser, 65. “The city took two blocks of parking space to make way for Walmart, and nearby small businesses experienced a reduction in revenue. That’s why we need solutions that help small business not just on the outside, but on the inside. We need to help them upgrade and improve their services to the community.” Sloan, who announced his candidacy on Monday, said that

his experience as ANC commissioner and D.C. Council legislative analyst equips him with the know-how to work within the council and address the issues of attainable housing, public safety and education. He also seeks to create a renewable energy program he says can create jobs in the District. “Residents need someone who knows how to get bills passed,” said Sloan, 43. “The ANC is a microcosm of the council. You have to compromise. I have the most diverse experience leading an ANC, writing legislation, and working in constituent services. It’s critical that you know how to work within a legislative body to get things done.” With car break-ins, robberies, and shootings paralyzing pockets of Ward 4, Donna Brockington said the quintessential council member would bring forth more progressive solutions to positively impact community members’

Douglass Sloan, ANC commissioner for Single Member District 4B09, formally announced his candidacy for the Ward 4 D.C. Council seat on Monday. He said he has the know-how to work within the council and address the issues of attainable housing, public safety and education./ Photo courtesy of Vote-DC.org

lives and that of young offenders. “This is what happens when you cut back youth programs,” said Brockington, former ANC commissioner for Single Member

Gail Black, pictured at a tree planting ceremony in November 2014, said that the new Ward 4 D.C. Council member should engage residents who want to retain access to schools west of Rock Creek Park. /Photo courtesy of the Crestwood Citizen Association

for 4D04. “We have to decipher between the real criminals and the bored young people who commit crimes of opportunity. Young people have to be engaged in ac-

tivities that will keep them from lingering around in the streets. This is something that will help the community beyond just solving the crime problem.” WI

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Jan 8 - Jan 14, 2015

BUSINESS

JUST DO IT! By Aimee D. Griffin, Esq.

Many of us, yours truly included, start the New Year resolving to do and be better. It is a time for a fresh calendar and commitment to build a better me. This often includes increased organization, financial planning and increased healthy mindfulness. This would include me as well. We often commit to a greater position of proactivity in the place of reactivity.

I encourage each person reading this article to make that commitment to get your

house in order financially.

How many of us have said that we need to get things in order. We know there is no

time like the present. We know that there is no benefit in procrastination. However, we put off getting things in order. In the words of the great prophet,Yoda, “Do. Or Don’t Do. There is no Try!” This is indeed something that you can do. This commitment to financial discipline has the value base of being mindful of goals and outcomes for our life and those of our loved ones. Our financial picture is drawn with the desire to have comfort peace and enjoyment. The comprehensive financial plan needs to incorporate long term health as well as long term incapacity. The plan should include supporting the people and the charities that have meaning in your life.

Estate Planning should be a part of that commitment. There is no need to delay.

There is no promise of tomorrow. Get it done. Move forward. The peace of mind that is offered upon completion when you have made a comprehensive estate plan is beyond words.

Estate Planning is an intimate experience that should not be thought of as a death

planning event but it should be a process that captures the legacy that you want to establish. We often speak of writing our goals out. The act of estate planning helps to write out all of the things that you want as a result of your actions. It is an activity that states unequivocally what you want your mark to be in the world.

This is an opportunity for clarity and direction. It should not be entered into lightly

but it should not be an overwhelming experience that stops you from action. The creation of the estate plan should be a conversation that has taken shape over time. It is a dynamic process that can be shaped and modified as circumstances change.

The consideration of your Estate Plan should include more than your material

distribution of your asset. The Estate Plan should reflect the core values that you have worked to establish your values that extend beyond the distribution of your assets but an understanding of who you are as an individual and the core and spiritual values that you are leaving to those who come after you.

While there is a basic estate plan that just covers assets and distribution, there is an

opportunity to include spiritual and ethical components that are incorporated as well. The estate plan is far more than just writing down things that you want to distribute.

But please don’t use that comprehensive opportunity for plan development as a reason

to delay. Start from where you are and amend in the future. Do not just make a resolution for organization and healthful living, DO IT! Aimee D. Griffin, Esq., The Griffin Firm, PLLC 5335 Wisconsin Ave NW Suite 440 Washington DC 20015 www.thegriffinfirm-PLLC.com 202-379-4738

24 Jan 8 - Jan 14, 2015

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Panelists shared their opinions on the lack of diversity in the green movement during a press briefing at the National Press Club in Northwest in early December. /Photo courtesy Anthony Advincula

Diversity Lacking in Nation’s Green Movement Partnership Hopes to Open Doors for Blacks, Women By D. Kevin McNeir WI Contributing Writer America and the rest of the world continue to wrestle with environmental challenges that include global warming, an increased number of landfills, pollutant-causing factories and infected water supplies. And while a growing industry, often referred to as the green movement, responds to these and other life-threatening issues, few blacks have a place at the decision-making table. “Diversity is a critical dimension of the environmental field – diverse voices, viewpoints, disciplinary training and cultural perspectives enhance effectiveness in identifying environmental problems and developing solutions,” said Dr. Dorceta E. Taylor, Ph.D., professor at the University of Michigan, School of Natural Resources and Environment. “But there are two glass ceilings within the industry when it comes to leadership roles: the first applies to white females; the other, and far lower, applies to men and women of color. We must turn urgent attention to recruitment and mentoring in order to increase diversity in environmental organizations. And even when organizations have a diverse staff, my data shows that those employees tend to feel excluded – even alienated – from the dominant organizational culture,” Taylor said. Taylor’s findings prompted a discussion on Tuesday, December 9 with environmental stakeholders, representatives from mainstream environmental organizations and members of the ethnic media at the National Press Club in Northwest. The briefing, titled “Breaking the Green Ceiling,” co-hosted by New America Media, featured panelists representing Green 2.0, a working group of professionals dedicated to diversifying the green movement, Guide Star, the nation’s primary collector of data about the nonprofit sector and the U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency [EPA]. Speakers discussed the challenges that make bridging the diversity gap more urgent than ever and what some are doing to solve it. Taylor’s report indicated that while people of color now account for more than one third of the U.S. population, they still have not broken the 16 percent “green ceiling” in mainstream environmental organizations – the numbers are even worse at the leadership levels. Robert Raben, founder of The Raben Group and Green 2.0 explained why he became more committed to expanding diversity. “I launched Green 2.0 about a year ago after determining that the lack of diversity in this arena is too much of the norm. We commissioned a report from a professor at the University of Michigan to get the status and to demonstrate that when it comes to diversity in leadership, public-private organizations are nowhere close to where they should be. I remember speaking at the annual dinner for an influential environmental organization that had more than 1,200 in attendance – looking around the room I couldn’t identify one single person of color, besides the servers,” Raben said. In her keynote address, Gina McCarthy, EPA administrator, said it’s time to “give diversity the value we say it has.” “The EPA has a hefty workload but we realize that diverse communities often lack clean air, clean water and healthy land – they are always disproportionately impacted by toxic waste and other pollutants, particularly those who live in urban settings. But those who need the most tend to have no one to speak on their behalf. If we don’t grow the environmental movement, we’ll fail to hear the voices of those who most desperately need to be heard,” McCarthy said. WI See the rest of the story at www.Washingtoninformer.Com

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EDITORIAL

OPINIONS/EDITORIALS

Bowser If the Jan 2. inaugural of Mayor Muriel Bowser, the attorney general and the D.C. Council is any indication, residents are more than ready for the changes they’re promising. We all should enjoy the honeymoon and hope that Bowser and members of the D.C. Council use this time wisely and coalesce around the different issues they themselves identified as in need of their attention. Despite the city’s continued growth and prosperity, there remain troubling issues that demand attention. In many ways, as local entrepreneur Andy Shallal and others have noted, ours is a tale of two cities. Bowser described the District as “rich with prosperity and rife with inequality.” Most of us are familiar with some: income and wage inequality, a paucity of affordable housing, homelessness that is a blight on the poorest of those in this community, especially young families, and schools whose quality depends on the area where people live. We hope that our newly elected officials weren’t just mouthing platitudes when they told those gathered at the swearing-in that they’re committed to change and are prepared to attack and reverse these problems. We know how easy it is to be seduced by developers and others who are more concerned with dollar signs and pouring concrete on each patch of available land. But, lest they forget, our public officials must remember to serve as buffers to those motivated by profit and greed while articulating the people’s concerns and interests and acting in the public interest. The other half of that equation is that we, the public, must become more engaged and not through our complacency become complicit in our demise. Yes, folks are frustrated with the shenanigans acted out by some of our elected officials, and, yes, we know that too often public policy is hammered out in secret behind closed doors and the passage of laws is greased by donor money. That just means that ordinary Washingtonians have to stay alert, keep pressing Bowser and council members, attend meetings, make phone calls and come to meetings. There has always been power in numbers. If we’re not willing to make these sacrifices on our own behalf, then we should shut up, sit down and accept whatever comes out of city hall and the mayor’s office. The choice is ours.

DC Women Rule the Roost The District of Columbia is bathing in the glow that women hold three of the most powerful positions in the city. On Sunday, Jan. 4, two days after Mayor Muriel Bowser assumed office, she, Police Chief Cathy Lanier and Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson appeared on Meet the Press. The trio has caught the attention of the country because of the relative rarity of women in such positions of authority. According to Meet the Press host Chuck Todd, women are still chronically underrepresented in U.S. politics at both the local and national levels. Although the new Congress contains a record number of women, the numbers are still relatively low. Women represent 20 of 100 senators and 84 of 435 House members. Locally, a mere 11 of the 50 biggest American cities have a woman mayor, six have a female police chief or commissioner and 12 have a female chancellor or school superintendent. Here in the District, we have the distinct honor of having women occupy these three top jobs. While one’s gender isn’t a clear indictor of success, it will be interesting to see how much of difference it makes with Bowser at the helm. Men have been on the top of the pile for eons and we’ve seen how that’s worked for us. We need more women running things in the upper echelons of all segments of society and our hope is that D.C. sets the tone for this much-needed change.

Let’s Keep Encouraging Young Girls

US Does Right Thing with Cuba

Thank you for the article “Behind the Pom-Poms” [Stacy Brown, January 1, 2015]. I have two daughters who are cheerleaders. They have been participating in the sport since elementary school and now both are cheering in college. There have been so many negative articles written about cheerleading in the past, it’s so very refreshing to see someone take a positive approach in spotlighting the sport. Both of my daughters have had great experiences while participating in cheerleading. The sport helped them to develop self-discipline, self-confidence and great study habits in school. I can imagine being a cheerleader for a professional sports team is a little different from cheering at the high school and college level, but projecting a positive self-image is the same at all levels. I don’t think my daughters will pursue cheerleading after graduation, but I am sure that whatever they decide to pursue, they will have a very high level of confidence, in part, due to all of the hard work they put in while participating in the sport of cheerleading.

The easing of the U.S. embargo against Cuba may go down as one of the crowning moments of President Barak Obama’s presidency [“Obama’s Cuba Announcement Rattles Nation’s Status Quo” by Barrington Salmon, January 1, 2015]. For far too long this great nation has punished Cuba for a political and cultural revolution that its people wanted, fought for and won. The U.S. tried an invasion that failed. We tried and failed to kill their leaders and the U.S. Navy blockaded their ports so they couldn’t get any trade goods. Now, I understand the whole thing that was going on between the U.S. and the Soviet Union during the cold war years, but what other choices did Cuba have but to align themselves with a country they thought could help them? Some years ago the U.S. normalized relations with the former Soviet Union, Eastern Europe and then China – yes, Russia and China, the evil empires, the ones who were going to take over the world and turn everybody into Communist red puppets. So why not normalize relations with Cuba? I will tell you why, because the

Barbara Castle Washington, DC

people of Cuba resisted. They didn’t wait for another country to tell them they were being mistreated and abused; they took matters into their own hands. Remember, the United States was formed after a violent revolution. We, too, grew tired of being oppressed and fought and won our freedom. However, some Americans have forgotten that part of our history, or they only remember that which benefits their way of thinking. Normalizing relations with Cuba is the right thing to do and it is long overdue. Reginald West Washington, DC

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Jan 8 - Jan 14, 2015

OPINIONS/EDITORIALS

Guest Columnist

By James Clingman

No Justice, No Profit What a raucous, topsy-turvy, heart-wrenching, angry year we experienced in 2014. The year brought sadness over lives lost on airplanes and ferryboats, to anger over Black men killed and Black women beaten by police officers. There was elation over a record-breaking stock market coupled with extreme joy over the lowest gasoline prices since 2008. Certainly our emotions have been mixed as we witnessed

a potpourri of ups and downs, which leaves us to ponder the question: “What’s next?” Of course, none of us knows what will happen the next minute, much less the next year, but there are things we can do from day to day to solve some of our problems and improve our lot in life. I invite you to think about your personal and our collective situations, and make a commitment to make the changes needed for self-empowerment and self-determination. What happened during the

past year, whether positive or negative, is now a lesson for all of us. We must move forward. We cannot live in the past; we can only learn from it. In light of that reality, here are a few suggestions to help get you moving in a positive direction in 2015. First and foremost, build, strengthen, and nurture your spiritual foundation. Be thankful for each day, and use it wisely. Stay informed with real news, not with opinions from talking heads. Remember that followers pick their leaders; it’s not the

Guest Columnist

other way around. So pick leaders who work in your best interests. Make an even stronger effort to support Black-owned businesses. Black business owners must take care of your business by doing what you say you will do with honesty and professionalism. It’s tax time; so if you need a tax preparer, use a Black firm. Talk to your church leadership about joining or forming a local chapter of the Collective Empowerment Group (CEG). Contact information can be

found online. Don’t waste your vote. Give it to someone who is not afraid to state his or her position on issues regarding Black voters during the campaign and afterwards—and who will fulfill their promises if elected. And, stop putting the same old folks into office, especially if they have not delivered. Put some new “young-bloods” with fresh ideas into office. We will never be politically empowered until we start playing to win

See CLINGMAN on Page 45

By Lee A. Daniels

The Content of Steve Scalise’s Character There they go again! Just as the Republican Party is poised to take control of Congress, a key official’s actions and words remind us – just in time for the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday – that it remains implacably hostile to what King represented and what the holiday stands for. Louisiana blogger Lamar White, Jr.’s revealing last week that Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.), now the third-ranking officer

in the GOP’s House majority leadership structure, spoke at a White-supremacist convention in 2002 while a state representative, set-off another well-practiced minuet by a prominent conservative trying to distance himself or herself from having associated with bigots. First, Scalise, through a spokesperson, acknowledged that he had spoken to the group, the European-American Unity and Rights Organization, or EURO, but said he had no in-

kling of their anti- Black, -Hispanic and –Jewish views. No transcript or otherwise hard evidence of what Scalise said then has surfaced to contradict – or support – his assertion that he spoke only of general public policy matters. However, Scalise’s claim of ignorance about EURO produced widespread skepticism, even among some conservatives, given that he spoke to the group during its two-day convention at a hotel in his own district and

Guest Columnist

that its racist views had been discussed in several recent local news articles. EURO, which was founded two years earlier by David Duke, the notorious racist and former Louisiana state legislator, had links to several other similar Southern-based racist groups, although, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks U.S. hate groups, it was and is largely “a paper tiger, serving primarily as a vehicle to publicize Duke’s writing and sell

his books.” Nonetheless, like its confederates among hate groups, it was a poster-board for stomach-churning racist invective. For example, one post from 2007 denounced the increasingly multi-racial character of today’s Germany, declaring, “The beautiful Germany of the 1930s with blonde children happily running through the streets has been replaced by a multi-racial cesspool.

See DANIELS on Page 45

By George E. Curry

Ed Brooke Doesn’t Get his Due Sandwiched between the deaths of former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo and popular ESPN sportscaster Stuart Scott, the passing of former Massachusetts Senator Edward W. Brooke III at the age of 95 did not get nearly the attention it deserved. Though two African Americans were elected to the U.S. Senate during the Reconstruction Era by the Mississippi legislature – Hiram R. Revels and

26 Jan 8 - Jan 14, 2015

Blanche K. Bruce, both Republicans – Brooke was the first Black elected to the upper chamber by popular vote, beginning his term in 1967. What made his election remarkable at the time was that a Black Republican Episcopalian could be elected statewide in Massachusetts, a predominantly Democratic and Catholic state with a Black population of less than 3 percent. It would be another 25 years before another African American – Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois – would win a U.S. Senate seat (1992).

Prior to his election to the Senate, Brooke served two terms as attorney general of Massachusetts. When he came to Washington, he declined to join the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) and told Time magazine: “I do not intend to be a national leader of the Negro people. I intend to do my job as a senator from Massachusetts.” While doing his job, Brooke showed that – as did several Black Republicans who would later follow him in public service, including Assistant SecreThe Washington Informer

tary of Labor Arthur Fletcher in the Nixon administration and William T. Coleman, Jr., Secretary of Transportation under Gerald Ford – he could be a Black Republican without selling out his principles or abandoning the fight for civil rights. When Barry Goldwater won the party’s 1964 presidential nomination, for example, Brooke, the state attorney general, refused to be photographed with Goldwater or endorse the Arizona ultraconservative. In the 1966 book titled, The

Challenge of Change: Crisis in Our Two-Party System, he asked, rhetorically: “Where are our plans for a New Deal or a Great Society?” Though fellow Republican Richard Nixon was in the White House, Brooke opposed Nixon’s attempts to abolish the Office of Economic Opportunity and the Job Corps and weaken the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). And when Nixon nominated

See CURRY on Page 45

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OPINIONS/EDITORIALS

Guest Columnist

By Ron Moten

“Overall” Crime Data Conceals What Matters to Us I share the sentiments of many in my community who challenge the notion that “overall” crime in DC has gone down! Crimes that matter most to our communities have gone up over the last two years. Let’s take a look at the data. According to MPD, something historic happened in 2012. The 88 murders in DC represented the lowest murder rate in 50 years. What we now know is that

2012 would mark the end of four straight years of a declining murder rate. In 2013, the murder rate rose to 104. Some wrote the increase off to the Navy Yard Massacre, in which 12 people were killed by Aaron Alexis – a government contractor who suffered from mental illness. Any loss of life in DC is significant but excluding those, it is fair to say DC had 92 murders that year. In 2014, we had 106 murders excluding the two MPD-related deaths. Since 2012 homicides in DC have increased 19.3 percent.

The word “overall” conceals our realities. Politicians often use the term “overall” to hide increases in other crimes in the neighborhoods where I engage citizens every day. Sexual assaults have risen 20 percent, accompanied by increases in property crimes, robberies, armed assaults, domestic violence and the reemergence of neighborhood crew and gang beefs. The data shows it. Just think how things would look if the city released data on how many people were shot

Guest Columnist

yearly and not just on how many died. Even though eight people were murdered just last week, it should not be forgotten that there were actually 15 attempted murders. Not a day goes by when I walk down Good Hope Road or up Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue in Southeast that I don’t see countless 14-24 year old youths on the corners that are either unemployed or dropouts. Many say they cannot find a job or that they don’t have the skills for the “new” DC. Some plead for help

in finding employment; some have simply given up. I often think out loud, “This is the data that matters.” No wonder some politicians can’t come up with a decent plan of action – they don’t even acknowledge that the data that matters. How can we brag about the decrease in unemployment when the rate for youth and returning citizens in DC is stuck at nearly 60 percent? Many believe the drop in unemployment is

See MOTEN on Page 46

By Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr.

Reclaiming the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The 2015 Martin Luther King, Jr. National Holiday should have a different impact on the collective consciousness of Black America. Why? Because once again there are millions of Black Americans who are more determined than ever to keep pushing forward to achieve full freedom, justice, equality and empowerment. The historic methodology, style and substance of Dr. King’s leadership need to be reclaimed

by those with the heavy responsibility to lead. By re-embracing Dr. King’s prophetic activism and mobilization genius, I believe Black American leaders of national organizations will be effective in countering the backward drift of voter suppression, racism, violence and hopelessness. The tone set in the King Holiday ceremonies this year should focus on achieving equality and economic empowerment for all. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a strong, visionary, mesmerizing

leader. He used nonviolent civil disobedience as an effective strategy. He challenged injustice everywhere while generating enough political capital that led to the enactment of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Shortly before King’s assassination in April 1968, he was clear about the need to secure economic justice en route to becoming what he called the “Beloved Community.” Over the past year, there have been numerous demonstrations

ASKIA-AT-LARGE

across the nation demanding racial justice in the wake of police killings of Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, and Rumain Brisbon. It was a positive sign of progress to witness street protests that, in the spirit of Dr. King, transcended race and class. All forms of injustice must be opposed. It was Dr. King who reminded us that, “an injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” As was the case in the past, young people today are only less prejudiced than their parents

and preceding generations. Even so, emerging young leaders are not relenting – they are pushing forward with renewed energy, conviction and vigor. In fact, we should not forget that Martin Luther King was only 26 years old in 1955 when he became the primary spokesman for the nascent Montgomery Bus Boycott Movement. Many campaigning for public office are looking beyond MLK Day to the 2016 U.S. presidential

See CHAVIS on Page 46

By Askia Muhammad

Native Americans Protest Washington NFL Team’s Racist Nickname While a dozen National Football League (NFL) teams compete this month for a chance to play in the 2015 Super Bowl, the Washington NFL team with its racist nickname has also entered the best time of its season – the off-season. If you’re at all superstitious, there is a perfectly logical explanation for the team’s dismal performance of late; they have finished last in their division six

out of the last seven years. Since 1992 – the 500th anniversary of the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Western Hemisphere – Native Americans have waged an unrelenting protest campaign against the name “Redskins,” which they insist is a dictionary-defined racial slur. Recently, the team’s achievements on the field have gone from bad to worse because, some folks say, they have “bad karma.” Some even believe a “curse” was placed on the team by Indians in 1992.

The Washington team won the Super Bowl after the ’92 campaign, even though Indian groups protested at every single Washington home game. Angry fans often spit on and poured beer on the protesters. Since then, the team has had only five seasons out of 22 when they won more games than they lost. During the last seven years, the team has won only 32 games, while losing 64, finishing last in its division six times. At the team’s final game and final home game of the 2014

season, hundreds of Native American protesters and their supporters staged a protest rally. Similar and even larger protests have been held over the last two seasons from California, to Texas, to Arizona, and to a massive rally of thousands in Minnesota in November. The rally was intended to “protest the disparaging racist name of the Washington football team,” WPFW-89.3FM radio host Jay Winter Nightwolf told his listeners. The name, he said, is “a racial slur with a long

bloody past.” That bloody past amounted to state-sponsored genocide, Nightwolf said. “When those boats landed here in 1492,” Clyde Bellecourt, a member of the Anishinabe-Ojibwe Nation and co-founder of the American Indian Movement (AIM), told Nightwolf on the radio, “there’s estimates that anywhere from 15 million to 26 million Native people resided here in [the] Western Hemisphere, most of them in

See MUHAMMAD on Page 46

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LIFESTYLE

David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Carmen Ejogo as Coretta Scott King in “Selma.” /Photo by Atsushi Nishijima, Paramount Pictures.

David Oyelowo has received a best actor nomination from the Golden Globes for his portrayal of Martin Luther King, Jr. in the critically-acclaimed film, “Selma.” /Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures.

By Stacy M. Brown WI Contributing Writer The debate rages on. MSNBC reviewers called the new movie, “Selma,” the most relevant film of the past year. Politico writers, on the other hand, said the film diminishes the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. But, perhaps in the two places where it counts, “Selma” doesn’t disappoint. The Oprah Winfrey produced docu-drama has already received four Golden Globe nominations for best picture, best director, best actor and best drama and movie-goers have flocked to the pre-releases before it opens nationwide on Friday, Jan. 9. “With all of this recognition, my highest hope is that the film is seen,” said the film’s director, Ava DuVernay. “Whatever conversation it sparks, it matters that it happens,” she said. The film’s premise makes it a bit different than other King-related films. DuVernay said that while the Civil Rights Act of 1964 legally desegregated the South, discrimination was still rampant in certain areas, making it very difficult for blacks to register to vote. In 1965, an Alabama city became the battleground in the fight for suf-

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“Selma” Called Film of the Year Critics, Fans Laud New MLK Movie

frage. Despite violent opposition, King, who’s portrayed by David Oyelowo, and his followers pressed forward on an epic march from Selma to Montgomery – their efforts culminated in President Lyndon Johnson signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965. “It is the most relevant movie of the past year, with or without detractors,” MSNBC’s Adam Howard said, noting that the film’s director counts as a rising star and it depicts King leading an activist movement in the hostile racial climate of Selma. “Remarkably, the movie is the first major Hollywood production to tackle King’s legacy and it accomplishes several cinematic feats. ‘Selma’ effectively humanizes King. At one point MLK, portrayed brilliantly by Oyelowo, tells a supporter he’s ‘no different than any other man,’ and ‘Selma’ does a top-notch job of establishing the kernel of truth in that statement,” Howard said.

Howard added that the film doesn’t shy away from the civil rights icon’s infidelities, his doubts or his fears – yet it also captures his unique charisma and power. “The movie also manages to be a history lesson without feeling like one, and perhaps most importantly, it speaks to the racial strife still plaguing America today – from the voting booths to the recent unrest over police shooting deaths of black men,” Howard said. The film, which can already be seen locally at several theaters including Regal Cinemas Gallery Place Stadium 14 Movie Theater in Northwest and the AMC Hoffman Center in Alexandria, Virginia, could also be in the running for the prestigious Oscar Awards next month. Most telling about the motion picture could be the opening sentence in Time Magazine Richard Corliss’ review of “Selma.” “In [the] retelling of Martin LuThe Washington Informer

ther King’s leadership in the Selma-to-Birmingham marches and the passage of the Voting Rights Act, we see how much King achieved and how little we have advanced,” Corliss said. The reviewer noted President Johnson’s nationally televised address to a joint session of Congress on March 15, 1965 in which the president said he speaks for the dignity of man and the destiny of democracy. “At times history and fate meet at a single time in a single place to shape a turning point in man’s unending search for freedom. So it was at Lexington and Concord,” he said. “So it was a century ago at Appomattox. So it was last week in Selma, Alabama.” Further, Corliss noted that Johnson had referred to the “Bloody Sunday” confrontation in Selma on March 7, when Dallas County Sheriff Jim Clark and his deputies met

about 600 peaceful marchers on the Edmund Pettus Bridge with nightsticks, tear gas and charging horses. The naked brutality of this assault – just nine days after the young unarmed black Baptist minister Jimmie Lee Jackson had died from an Alabama State Trooper’s gunshot, spurred Johnson to bring the Voting Rights Act to Congress. A Texas Democrat who knew his party could lose the South for decades if he championed equal rights for blacks, Johnson nonetheless boldly declared, “There is no Negro problem. There is no Southern problem. There is no Northern problem. There is only an American problem.” His comments reverberate eerily today, when police again can kill unarmed black men and face no legal punishment – and when the Voting Rights Act, Which Johnson signed on Aug. 6, 1965, with Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks and John Lewis by his side, gets effectively defanged 48 years later by the Supreme Court. “So ‘Selma,’ a vivid retelling of the months leading up to the three historic marches from Selma to Birmingham, carries a message that has lost none of its heroic, tragic relevance,” Corliss said. “If not quite in quality then certainly in import and impact, this is the film of the year – of 1965 and perhaps of 2014.” WI

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LIFESTYLE

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Inked Up

Singer Chris Brown counts among the many celebrities to sport multiple tattoos. /Photo courtesy of ESPN.

Tattoos Continue to Grow in Popularity “I am a canvas of my experiences, my story is etched in lines and shading, and you can read it on my arms, my legs, my shoulders, and my stomach.” ‑ Kat Von D, TV personality and tattoo artist By Stacy M. Brown WI Contributing Writer For Barret Beyer, the tattoos that cover nearly half of his body tell the story of his life. “I can’t speak for most people or about why they get tattoos,” said Beyer, 33, of Northeast. “I can speak for myself and say that my ink tells my life story. Each tattoo represents a different chapter or something that defines who I am.” Regardless of where an individual lives, work, or plays, it appears that taboos about tattoos are fading as demand grows, even among professionals like doctors and lawyers. A recent survey by ABC News revealed more than one in 10 Americans acknowledged having a tattoo. Another poll, conducted by NBC News and the Wall Street Journal, revealed that 40 percent of Americans have someone in their household with a tattoo, up from 21 percent from 15 years ago. “Tattoos are no longer exclusively adorned by long-haired bad boys whose preferred method of transportation is a motorcycle. They are worn by the young, the old, mothers, grandmothers and you may even find a few priests sporting one last sign of their younger years,” said Dana Dovey of the Web-based

journal Medical Daily. Many of Hollywood’s biggest stars also are openly sporting their ink, as are elite athletes, models, corporate heads, nurses, doctors and those in the legal profession. “The popularity of tattoos has grown tremendously over the years, and there are various reasons for it,” said Aaron Trimiar, one of the few African-American artists in the District, who works by appointment only at BritishInk Tattoos and Gallery in Northeast. “I’ve seen plenty of trends happen because of celebrity idols. I’ve seen it mostly happen with women. From the girls with no tattoos to the ones that only want small tattoos because they think that they don’t have that much skin, or believe that girls shouldn’t have big tattoos,” Trimiar said. Women, in particular, tend to get the same type of tattoo in the same spot that some of the more popular celebrities have, he said. A 2013 study by the Pew Research Center in Northwest concluded that 45 million Americans now have at least one tattoo. Study authors said 36 percent of adults between 18 and 25 and 40 percent of adults between 26 and 40 reported that they are inked up. Further, females make up 59 percent of all those with tattoos, which has become a $1.6 billion business, according to an analysis performed by Forbes magazine and others. “I’m a professional who loves to

See TATTOO on Page 32

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STEP INSIDE. Come in from the cold for sizzling shows at Strathmore

Former D.C. police officer and World War II Veteran William Keyes has built a museum on his property that houses artifacts and memorabilia including certificates from the Civil War and numerous items signed by Negro League Baseball legends. /Photo courtesy of the Capital Gazette.

Former District Cop Has Many Treasures By Stacy M. Brown WI Contributing Writer

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30 Jan 8 - Jan 14, 2015

William S. Keyes recently turned 93 years old. He once served as a Washington, D.C., police officer, worked for the U.S. Postal Service, has run his own business and also served in World War II. And, by the way, after 30 years, Keyes remains a substitute art teacher at South River High School in Annapolis, Maryland, where his daughter, Jutta Keyes, said his students simply adore him, and as proof the elder Keyes eagerly rumbled through the amazing museum he’s built on the grounds of his modest home. There he produces a book that his young pupils put together for him, one that he treasures because he said it’s from youthful and impressionable minds. “I still get to go and teach the children who really appreciate me,” said Keyes, who served in the Army from 1939 to 1945. His highest rank was sergeant. The ever humorous Keyes explained, “I got demoted so many times in the Army that I had a zipper on my stripes. No kidding, I still have the letter they gave me that said they don’t need anymore black officers,” he said. In ways that only veterans of his era can explain and with the kind of levity that experienced and battle-tested soldiers can The Washington Informer

relate, Keyes said the military showed kindness to him only in that it got him fired from the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, helped him to meet four wives and allowed him to understand that his longevity can only be credited with two things. “This nice glass of Sherry [wine] that I’m drinking and a little Viagra,” he said. While he refuses to focus on World War II, Keyes said his thoughts often settle upon what he calls more important history, which includes the Buffalo Soldiers. He owns a replica Buffalo Soldier uniform and a slew of authentic artifacts that decorate his museum, a structure on his property that houses photos like that of Cuban strongman Fidel Castro taken in 1958, a picture of him and his victorious Army troop holding a captured Nazi flag during the war, adorable collections of photos of Keyes, his children and his late mother, and one he took in England where he stands upright and clutches a .50 caliber machine gun. Keyes said he has a special affinity for the Buffalo Soldiers, and he even has a signed document certifying the success of African-American troops in the Civil War before freedom had even been put on the table and the Emancipation Proclamation conceived. “You know late in the 19th century the Buffalo Soldiers rep-

resented an important part of the Army’s strength, and they had some real significant contributions,” Keyes said. “Of course, their accomplishments were always downplayed or ignored because they were black, but they were so important,” he said. His stunning museum contains numerous other war artifacts, photos and trinkets as well as awards, certifications and medals. There’s also autographed memorabilia from the Negro Baseball League, all of which probably should be displayed in one of the more prominent museums in the country. “It’s a life’s work that I have in here,” he said. “My war medals, awards, certificates. I’d like to have it housed in a museum, not in some old box where people just pick through it.” Keyes’ personal museum also houses original paintings and drawings, many of which he’s only shared with students and educators. The priceless artifacts include photos of his father’s restaurant outside the old Griffith Stadium, which stood between Georgia Avenue and 5th Street, and between W Street and Florida Avenue in Northwest. The stadium met a wrecking

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LIFESTYLE

make a real connection Photos that include a 1958 picture of Cuban leader Fidel Castro are a part of the vast collection at Annapolis resident William Keyes’ home museum. /Photo courtesy of Baltimore Times.

“Usually, when people get older they tend to get pushed aside.

After one conversation with Keyes it’s easy to understand why TRY FOR

it’s impossible to just cast him aside. “I’ve got a big mouth,” he said. “It’s just like when someone walks in here and looks at my museum and I tell them that this is also a secret place where I bring all my women. They laugh, but they don’t know me too well.”

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er they tend to get pushed aside. Not him.” After one conversation with Keyes it’s easy to understand why it’s impossible to just cast him aside. “I’ve got a big mouth,” he said. “It’s just like when someone walks in here and looks at my museum and I tell them that this is also a secret place where I bring all my women. They laugh, but they don’t know me too well.” WI

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“He is so aware of history, the global situation, racial politics and he’s always interested in what’s new in the world,” said his daughter, Jutta Keyes. “He had such a global perspective of the world ever since early on in his life. His interests are so varied and it’s a good thing to know, from his standpoint, that as he’s gotten older, so many people value his opinion,” she said. “Usually, when people get old-

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ball in 1965 after decades of hosting the Washington Senators baseball team and the Washington Redskins. Keyes also has baseball bats and gloves signed by Negro League stars and baseball Hall of Famers that include Cool Papa Bell and Josh Gibson. “You know, my wife wanted me to get rid of this place. She said I should toss all of this stuff, but you know I never listened to that,” Keyes said. He said many often pose questions about World War II. It’s no wonder because he usually sports a cap with the words, “World War II Veteran,” inscribed on the bill and he also enjoys donning a bright blue jacket that has his favorite American Legion Post inscribed on the front. “I give the people what they want,” he said, with what some of his friends have referred to as a “devilish smile.”

bl oir ak nd ac o in k fa g m n en .

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A 2013 study by the Pew Research Center in Northwest concluded that 45 million Americans Creative tattoos like this butterfly have become more popular, now have at least one tattoo. Study authors said with young adults and senior citizens alike getting inked. /Photo 36 percent of adults between 18 and 25 and 40 percent of adults between 26 and 40 reported that courtesy of beautysols.com. they have one. /Photo courtesy of cuded.com.

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“Tattoos are no longer exclusively adorned by long-haired bad boys whose preferred method of transportation is a motorcycle. They are worn by the young, the old, mothers, grandmothers, and you may even find a few priests sporting one last sign of their younger years,” said Dana Dovey of the Web-based journal Medical Daily. Photo courtesy of tattooartz.com.

TATTOO continued from Page 29 get tattoos,” said Lynn Gonzales of Southwest, whose 21 tattoos include a cartoon character and a family member. “For me, tattoos are a form of individual expression. I get one for each significant moment in my life, good and bad,” she said. “My body is a tapestry of my successes and failures.” Still, Gonzales, 37, admitted that one of the disadvantages of getting inked remains the possibility of outgrowing the choice of the tattoo. And, although many professionals are now allowing for a needle to dig into their skin for body art, researchers show that having a tattoo could compromise a job applicant. In 2011, the website careerbuilder. com, surveyed thousands of hiring managers, and 31 percent said that if The Washington Informer

Although many professionals are now allowing for a needle to dig into their skin for body art, researchers show that having a tattoo could compromise a job applicant. /Photo courtesy of stylesatlife.com.

two employees were equal, they would promote the one without a visible tattoo. “I think that corporate America tends to still remain fairly conservative, particularly those in customer-facing roles,” said Tony Deblauwe, a board member of the Human Resources Association in Northern California. Deblauwe said it’s wise for professionals who might be seeking employment to keep their tattoos out of sight. York College of Pennsylvania’s Center for Professional Excellence conducts an annual survey to measure the status and definition of professionalism in the workplace. In 2013, officials at the school surveyed 401 random human resources professionals on several topics, including the effect of tattoos during the hiring process. The survey found that 60.6 percent

of respondents indicated that visible tattoos had a negative affect on an individual’s chance of being hired. An additional 4.2 percent noted that nonvisible tattoos could also negatively affect hiring chances. “This is indicative of how important appearance can be during the hiring process,” said Jeff Canning, a public relations specialist with Dick Jones Communications in Pennsylvania, which released the information on the York College study. “When asked to rate the impact of attire and appearance on the likelihood of being hired, 80.6 percent of the respondents gave a rating of 4 or 5, meaning it had a great impact,” Canning said. Health concerns still dominate questions asked of shop owners and

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LIFESTYLE

Horoscopes

Griot

ARIES A loved one may feel a bit neglected as you pursue your material dreams with vigor this week. Time set aside for this person after you’ve made some gains will prove to be extra sweet. Try not to push a mate’s understanding nature too far, though. Soul Affirmation: My needs will be met if I just ask. Lucky Numbers: 7, 13, 17

“Driving the King” by Ravi Howard c.2015, HarperCollins

$25.99 / $31.99 Canada 336 pages By Terri Schlichenmeyer WI Contributing Writer Everybody has that one friend… She’s the person you call in the middle of the night because you don’t know what else to do. He’s your wingman, Saturday afternoon mechanic, and fellow prankster. She gives you courage. He gives you advice. That one friend is your go-to person, your rock, your personal booster. And in “Driving the King,” by Ravi Howard, that kind of friendship works both ways. Nathaniel Weary hated airports. The planes coming in low and loud always reminded him of Kilby, the state prison in Montgomery, where he spent 10 long years. He and his fellow inmates would be out in the Alabama cold, cutting kudzu from a fence and those circling planes teased him with what he was missing. He was a young man then, just home from fighting overseas, with a ring in his pocket, intent on asking his girl to marry him. His friend, Nat “King” Cole, was going to help, but when someone threatened Cole’s life and Weary jumped onto the stage to prevent danger, the plan fell apart. Instead of asking his girl to marry him, he went to prison for assaulting a white man, and he asked her not to visit him anymore. Nearly 10 years later, Cole’s bodyguard came to Kilby with an offer: Nat “King” Cole needed a driver. He wanted that driver to be Nathaniel Weary.

TATTOO continued from Page 32 those who perform the work. Officials at the Mayo Clinic in New York said that anyone considering a tattoo or other permanent body art should carefully consider whether the parlor has high health standards. In April, District health officials decided against a proposed 24-hour waiting period for individuals who want to get a tattoo or some form of body piercing. The D.C. Health Department had proposed regulations for tattoo parlors that included a rule

TAURUS Stay open-minded this week and you’ll actually feel the good vibrations! Co-workers will wonder at the smile on your face, but let it be your secret for now. Your smile itself will make others smile about their own lives! Soul Affirmation: I smile as I think about far away places. Lucky Numbers: 31, 36, 47

In Montgomery, as around the country, much had changed while Weary was in jail. Television was a novelty when he went in; when he came out, it was in everybody’s living room. Folks back in Montgomery were boycotting city buses and another King – this one a preacher – was standing up for civil rights. Weary’s mother had died while he was in Kilby and his father didn’t want him talking about that place once he got out. Los Angeles offered a fresh start. He took the job. But even a year in L.A. didn’t dampen the tug of home for Nathaniel Weary. He didn’t miss the trouble there – it had, in fact, followed him to California; but he missed his people something fierce. He had to find a way to say goodbye. I really wasn’t sure I was going to be able to finish “Driving the King.” The book’s first pages had me pretty well completely lost, so don’t be surprised if that happens when you try reading it – but don’t be deterred, either. With the early Civil Rights Movement as the backdrop, author Ravi Howard brings together history, pop culture and mid-century music to craft an overall-satisfying story. The trouble comes with a back-and-forth storyline that takes some getting used to, but it’s softened by the ease with which its two main characters move and the friendship they share. In the end, the back-and-forth is what makes it work. There’s a certain cinematic feel to this book that’s really appealing and will captivate readers, once they get more into the story. If you’re looking for a well-done, reel-life drama, then “Driving the King” could be that book. WI

GEMINI Big appetites this week! Indulge at least one of your passions and then get back to work. You are making incredible strides toward your dream by just reminding yourself of it. Drive carefully and pay attention to brake lights. Soul Affirmation: Smooth communications is the key to my success this week. Lucky Numbers: 27, 29, 44

and elevators,” said Northeast resident Etta Warner, 46. “I can feel the very presence of evil when crossbones, snakes, Satan, and other symbols are close to me. I will not shake a tattooed hand or arm. I can’t imagine men or women falling in love with a tattooed person and exposing one’s self to sleeping with a snake tattoo wrapped around you,” she said. “When I see a tattoo on a beautiful woman, I immediately have a negative impression. If I was in business, I would not hire a person with a tattoo.” WI

CAPRICORN Your home may need some of your attention. This is a fine week to check the fire alarm battery, put away gardening equipment, or redecorate your dining area. The results of a shopping trip for new bed linens will please you very much. Soul Affirmation: I keep my smile shining, especially at home. Lucky Numbers: 16, 17, 31

that an artist could not apply a tattoo or body piercing until at least 24 hours after a customer requested it. However, officials abandoned the proposal because of strong public opinion against it, and if it became law, the legislation would have made the District one of the few places in the country with a tattoo waiting period. With the tattoo industry gaining in popularity, there remain some opposed to the practice. “I am offended when I am forced to stand in close proximity to people that are tattooed such as at checkout lines, waiting rooms

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CANCER Relax a bit and review your “things to do” list”. Move methodically, and check off each item as you complete them. You’ll be surprised by the progress you are making. Spend the afternoon with family, and friends. Soul Affirmation: This week family is the source of my joy. Lucky Numbers: 13, 50, 52 LEO Your best self is on parade this week, and wow! You look good! Co-workers will beat a path to your cubicle, so be prepared to turn chatterboxes away gently. Give your honey a phone call or send a loving email. Soul Affirmation: I open myself up to the vibrations of love. Lucky Numbers: 18, 25, 36 VIRGO This week’s a good week to approach that person you’ve been wondering about. While you’ve been working very hard, you need to play, too. Good playmates make work seem more rewarding to you. Soul Affirmation: I master life by mastering myself. Lucky Numbers: 23, 37, 51 LIBRA Can you take a week off from work? It’s a perfect week to relax with a loved one in one of your favorite ways. Even if you can only spend a few hours decompressing you’ll be surprised at how little it takes to feel bliss this week. Soul Affirmation: I let the outer world and inner world change places this week. Lucky Numbers: 34, 45, 50 SCORPIO Vibrations this week make everyone feel as if the universe has given them another chance. Your fresh start may come in a romantic area. Buy a bouquet of flowers for your partner on your way home from work. See what happens. Soul Affirmation: I celebrate freedom of mind this week. Lucky Numbers: 15, 24, 26 SAGITTARIUS A short trip for business reasons gives you a little personal space to make some notes to yourself. Remember your best self, and keep a positive outlook. Buy a lottery ticket this week at your destination, or watch for some other type of “found” money. Soul Affirmation: I judge no one, especially myself this week. Lucky Numbers: 11, 17, 32

AQUARIUS Spend some time in the company of friends early in the week, then spend your afternoon relaxing. Your ability to tune out and mediate on the goodness that surrounds is comes easy. Let the good vibrations massage you with bliss. Soul Affirmation: I let positive emotions carry me through the week. Lucky Numbers: 5, 23, 34 PISCES An unexpected clash may arise this week from an unlikely area. Try to maintain a position as mediator, rather than joining the fray. Loyalties may be stretched, but they won’t break. What you need is within you. Go there and get it. Soul Affirmation: My spirit will fill me with gladness. Lucky Numbers: 14, 37, 44

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SPORTS Daemen College Wildcats Defeat UDC Firebirds 95-72 Georgetown Hoyas Defeat Creighton Bluejays 76-61 Georgetown forward L.J. Pear climbs over Creighton’s Devin Brooks and Toby Hegner during the second quarter of Big East Conference men’s college basketball action on Saturday, Jan. 3 at the Verizon Center in Northwest. Georgetown defeated Creighton 76-61. /Photo by John E. De Freitas University of the District of Columbia (UDC) guard Michael Terry goes air bound to score two points during the second half of Division II men’s college basketball action on Saturday, Jan. 3 at the UDC gymnasium in Northwest. Daemen defeated UDC 95-72. /Photo by John E. De Freitas

Georgetown center Joshua Smith is double teamed during the second half of Big East Conference men’s college basketball action on Saturday, Jan. 3 at the Verizon Center in Northwest. Georgetown defeated Creighton 76-61. /Photo by John E. De Freitas

UDC guard Erin Senegal protects the basketball from two defenders during the second half of Division II men’s college basketball action on Saturday, Jan. 3 at the UDC gymnasium in Northwest. Daemen defeated UDC 95-72. /Photo by John E. De Freitas

UDC forward Geran Pope shoots over a double team during the second quarter of Division II men’s college basketball action on Saturday, Jan. 3 at the UDC gymnasium in Northwest. Daemen defeated UDC 95-72. /Photo by John E. De Freitas

36 Jan 8 - Jan 14, 2015

Georgetown guard Jabril Trawick is defended by Creighton’s Will Artino during the second half of Big East Conference men’s college basketball action on Saturday, Jan. 3 at the Verizon Center in Northwest. Georgetown defeated Creighton 76-61. /Photo by John E. De Freitas

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ESPN Anchor Stuart Scott died on Sunday, Jan. 5 at the age of 49. Scott leaves behind two teenage daughters and a host of fans, including President Barack Obama. /Photo courtesy of ESPN

Stuart Scott Remembered Legendary ESPN Host Dies at 49 By Stacy M. Brown WI Contributing Writer There’s little question that Stuart Scott “was as cool as the other side of the pillow,” and among the best at his craft. To put it in Scott’s own words, when it came to describing the highlights of the day in the sports world, the famed ESPN anchor “must [have been] the bus driver because he was taking [everyone else] to school.” Scott died on Sunday, Jan. 5, after a long but heroic bout with cancer. He was 49. In a moving tribute posted on ESPN.com, Steve Wulf noted that among the new features of the ESPN studio in Connecticut, there’s a wall of catchphrases made famous by on-air talent over the years. An amazing nine of them belong to Scott, from his signature “Boo-Yah!” to “As cool as the other side of the pillow,” to “He must be the bus driver cuz he was takin’ him to school.” Wulf said Scott inspired his colleagues with his sheer talent, his work ethic and his devotion to his daughters, Taelor, 19, and Sydni, 15. He defied convention and criticism to help bring ESPN into a new century. “He spoke to the very athletes he was talking about with flair and a style that ESPN president John Skipper said changed everything,” Wulf said. ESPN reporter J.A. Adande waxed poetically about what he called the greatness of Scott. “The last time I saw Stuart in

person was the night in July when he owned the stage at the ESPYS with that moving speech after he accepted the Jimmy V Award. We crossed paths later that night as he left a party. I congratulated him and gave him a pat on the arm,” Adande said. “He was so frail that his arm felt hollow. His entire body seemed hollow, like his essence had been scooped out of him. He gave me an atypically tepid reply and kept moving. It was as if he had used up all his energy on the speech. And if you peered between the lines of what he had said on stage, you knew he had drained all of his reserve fuel in the fight against cancer and was ready for the inevitable conclusion.” Adande said he feared Scott had been drained a few years ago when he appeared at a Los Angeles Lakers basketball game with his daughters. Players kept breaking from the layup line to come over and talk to Scott and he kept explaining that he wasn’t there for work, that he’d just taken a trip to Los Angeles with his daughters. “He had plenty more time, as it turned out. Not as long as any of us would have liked, but enough to work Monday Night Football games, enough to emcee the trophy presentation at the NBA Finals, enough to co-host the debut of the new Sports Center studio,” Adande said. Another ESPN colleague, Jason Whitlock, said what he respected most about Scott “is how courageously he lived.” Whitlock noted that Scott bat-

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tled the cancer that ended his life as courageously as he battled the critics who failed to warm to his hip-hop influenced broadcast style. “It takes courage and conviction to be different inside a large corporation. Stuart Scott didn’t want to sound like everyone else on television. He didn’t want to appeal to the same audience. He wanted to be unique, a voice for a generation marching to its own beat. Mission accomplished,” Whitlock said. Born in Chicago, Scott grew up in North Carolina with two sisters and a brother. He attended the University of North Carolina and played on the school’s football team. He graduated in 1987 with a bachelor’s of arts degree in speech communication. Scott worked as a news reporter and weekend sports anchor in South Carolina before climbing the ranks and eventually landing at ESPN in 1993. His death has not only bought tributes from his colleagues, but athletes and President Barack Obama have paid homage. “I will miss Stuart Scott,” Obama said. “Over the years, he entertained us, and in the end, he inspired us with courage and love.” Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James said he couldn’t believe Scott had died and golfer Tiger Woods said Scott wasn’t covering heroes and champions; it was the other way around. “I’m thinking of my friend and his daughters,” Woods said. WI The Washington Informer

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RELIGION

The Religion Corner

Find Meaning in Everything

Set Your Intentions

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Look at life as your textbook and begin to learn from everything that happens. Your quality of life will be tremendously improved as a result of this new way of thinking. Rather than thinking you didn’t do very well on an exam for your college course, here is your chance to prove to yourself that you can do better. Or maybe you had to get up to give a welcome at your church, but you were so nervous that the words just left your brain. Or, you have been stopped by the police so often that when you drive, you’re always looking for another police officer to pull you over. That kind of negative thinking brings trouble into your life. Remember the scripture that says, “So as a man thinketh, so is he.” We must become intentional about what it is we are to think about each moment. Otherwise, our minds may be subject to wander. It’s wise to ‘set your intentions’ and look carefully at everything that happens in life. Learn from it; there is definitely a message in the mess for you to learn. Gain knowledge from the good, the bad and from the ugly. When we get ourselves in trouble because we took a wrong turn, it is most critical to discover how to get back on point. We must figure out how we got off track in the first place. Turn around, go back and get off that road. It may appear that you’re going backwards, but the change will

surely help you get back on track. When things occur in our lives, especially the stuff we consider bad, we continue to make the same mistakes over and over again. We forget to take a close look to see how we got into this mess in the first place. Romans 8:28 is the scripture that says it best: “And I know that all things work together for good to them who love the Lord and are called according to his purpose.” Another way to say this is the topic of this column: “We can learn from everything!” There is an analogy that I’ve shared in previous columns that was written by Portia Nelson in her book, “There’s a Hole in My Sidewalk: The Romance of Self-Discovery.” I heard self-improvement specialist Wayne Dyer tell this metaphoric story to make a point during his PBS special: “I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I fall in. I am lost... I am helpless. It isn’t my fault. It takes forever to find a way out. I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I pretend I don’t see it. I fall in again. I can’t believe I am in the same place. But, it isn’t my fault. It still takes me a long time to get out. I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I see it is there. I still fall in. It’s a habit. My eyes are open. I know where I am. It is my fault. I get out immediately. I walk down the same

with Lyndia Grant street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I walk around it. I walk down another street.” Why did it take Portia Nelson so long to make the change? Maybe it was conditioning because many of us feel more comfortable with pains with which we’ve become familiar. We’re afraid to make moves that we’re not sure will work for us, so we’d rather stay where we are and continue to suffer. We become comfortable bumping our heads! Become courageous and find meaning in everything that occurs in your life. Then, begin to set your intentions daily. WI Lyndia Grant is the host of “Think on These Things,” a radio talk show on WYCB-AM, 1340, Fridays at 6 p.m. Contact her at 202-518-3192 or email her at lyndiagrant@gmail.com.

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RELIGION BAPTIST

AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL

Historic St. Mary’s Episcopal Church The Reverend Lyndon Shakespeare Interim Priest Foggy Bottom • Founded in 1867 728 23rd Street, NW • Washington, DC 20037 Church office: 202-333-3985 • Fax : 202-338-4958 Worship Services Sundays: 10 a.m. Holy Eucharist with Music and Hymns Wednesdays: 12:10 p.m. - Holy Eucharist www.stmarysfoggybottom.org Email: stmarysoffice@stmarysfoggybottom.org All are welcome to St. Mary’s to Learn, Worship, and Grow.

Blessed Word of Life Church Dr. Dekontee L. & Dr. Ayele A. Johnson Pastors 4001 14th Street, NW Washington, DC 20011 (202) 265-6147 Office 1-800 576-1047 Voicemail/Fax Schedule of Services: 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 e-mail: church@blessedwordoflifechurch.org

Campbell AME Church Reverend Daryl K. Kearney, Pastor 2562 MLK Jr. Ave., S E Washington, DC 20020 Adm. Office 202-678-2263 Email:Campbell@mycame.org Sunday Worship Service 10: am Sunday Church School 8: 45 am Bible Study Wednesday 12:00 Noon Wednesday 7:00 pm Thursday 7: pm “Reaching Up To Reach Out” Mailing Address Campbell AME Church 2502 Stanton Road SE Washington, DC 20020

Mt. Zion Baptist Church Rev. John W. Davis, Pastor 5101 14th Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20011 202-726-2220/ 202-726-9089 Sunday Worship Service 8:00am and 11:00am Sunday School 9:15am Holy Communion 4th Sunday 10:00am Prayer and Bible Study Wednesday 7;00pm TV Ministry –Channel 6 Wednesday 10:00pm gsccm.administration@verizon.net

Pilgrim Baptist Church

Pilgrim Baptist Church Rev. Louis B. Jones II Pastor

Church of Living Waters

Rev. Paul Carrette Senior Pastor Harold Andrew, Assistant Pastor 4915 Wheeler Road Oxon Hill, MD 20745

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

301-894-6464

Worship Sundays @ 7:30 & 11:00 A.M. 5th Sundays @ 9:30 A.M. 3rd Sundays: Baptism & Holy Communion Prayer & Praise: Wednesdays @ Noon & 6:30 P.M.

Schedule of Service Sunday Service: 8:30 AM & 11:00 AM Bible Study: Wednesday 7:30 PM Communion Service: First Sunday www.livingwatersmd.org

www.pilgrimbaptistdc.org

Covenant Baptist United Church of Christ Drs. Dennis W. and Christine Y. Wiley, Pastors 3845 South Capitol Street Washington, DC 20032 (202) 562-5576 (Office) (202) 562-4219 (Fax) SERVICES AND TIMES: SUNDAYS: 10:00 am AM 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.covenantbaptistdc.org

Twelfth Street Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 1812 12th Street, NW Washington, DC 20009 Phone: 202-265-4494 Fax: 202 265 4340

St. Stephen Baptist Church Lanier C. Twyman, Sr. Bishop 5757 Temple Hill Road, Temple Hills, MD 20748 Office 301-899-8885 – fax 301-899-2555 Sunday Early Morning Worship - 7:45 a.m. Church School - 9:30 a.m. Sunday Morning Worship – 10:45 a.m. Tuesday – Thursday - Kingdom Building Bible Institute – 7:30 p.m. Wednesday – Prayer/Praise/Bible Study – 7:30 p.m. Baptism & Communion Service- 4th Sunday – 10:30am Radio Broadcast WYCB -1340 AM-Sunday -6:00pm T.V. Broadcast - Channel 190 – Sunday -4:00pm/Tuesday 7:00am

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

Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church

Crusader Baptist Church

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

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

Rev. Dr. Michael E. Bell, Sr., • Pastor 2498 Alabama Ave., SE • Washington D.C. 20020 Office: (202) 889-7296 Fax: (202) 889-2198 • www.acamec.org 2008: The Year of New Beginnings “Expect the Extraordinary” Sunday Worship Services: 8:00a.m. and 11:00a.m. Sunday Church School - 9:15a.m. & Sunday Adult Forum Bible Study - 10:30a.m. 2nd & 4th Monday Women’s Bible Study - 6:30p.m. Tuesday Jr./Sr. Bible Study - 10:00a.m. Tuesday Topical Bible Study - 6:30p.m. Tuesday New Beginnings Bible Study - 6:30p.m. Wednesday Pastoral Bible Study - 6:30p.m. Wednesday Children’s Bible Study - 6:30p.m. Thursday Men’s Bible Study - 6:30p.m. Friday before 1st Sunday Praise & Worship Service - 6:30p.m. Saturday Adult Bible Study - 10:00a.m.

Sunday Morning Worship 11:00am Holy Communion – 1st Sunday Sunday School-9:45am Men’s Monday Bible Study – 7:00pm Wednesday Night Bible Study – 7:00pm Women’s Ministry Bible Study 3rd Friday -7:00pm Computer Classes- Announced Family and Marital Counseling by appointment E-mail: Crusadersbaptistchurch@verizon.net www.CrusadersBaptistChurch.org

“The Amazing, Awesome, Audacious Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church”

“God is Love”

Third Street Church of God

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

ST Marks Baptist

Greater Mt. Calvary Holy Church

Come Worship with us...

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

Rev. Cheryl J. Sanders, Th.D. Senior Pastor 1204 Third Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 202.347.5889 office 202.638.1803 fax

St. Mark's Baptist Church 624 Underwood Street, NW Washington, dc 20011

Sunday Worship Service: 8 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 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

Sunday School: 9:30 a.m. Sunday Worship: 11:00 a.m. Prayer Meeting and Bible Study: Wed. 7:30 p.m. “Ambassadors for Christ to the Nation’s Capital” www.thirdstreet.org

Dr. Raymond T. Matthews, Pastor and First Lady Marcia Matthews Sunday School 9:am Worship Service 10:am Wed. Noon Day prayer service Thur. Prayer service 6:45 pm Thur. Bible Study 7:15 pm

We are proud to provide the trophies for the Washington Informer Spelling Bee

Reverend Dr. Paul H. Saddler Senior Pastor Service and Times Sunday Worship Service 11:00 a.m. Communion every Sunday 11:00 a.m. Sunday School 10:00 a.m. Bible Study Tuesday 12Noon Pastor’s Bible Study Tuesday 6:30 p.m. Motto; “Discover Something Wonderful.” Website: 12thscc.org Email: Twelfthstcc@aol.com

Mount Carmel Baptist Church

52 Years of Expert Engraving Services

Joseph N. Evans, Ph.D Senior Pastor 901 Third Street N.W. Washington, DC. 20001 Phone (202) 842-3411 Fax (202) 682-9423 Sunday Church School : 9: 30am Sunday Morning Worship: 10: 45am Bible Study Tuesday: 6: 00pm Prayer Service Tuesday: 7:00pm Holy Communion: 3rd Sunday 10: 45am themcbc.org

www.washingtoninformer.com

The Washington Informer

Jan 8 - Jan 14, 2015

RELIGION BAPTIST

All Nations Baptist Church

Advertise Your Church services here:

King Emmanuel Baptist Church Rev. Daryl F. Bell Pastor

Rev. Dr. James Coleman Pastor

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

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

call Ron Burke at

202-561-4100 or email rburke@washingtoninformer.com Zion Baptist Church

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

Sunday School – 9:30 am Sunday Worship Service – 11:00 am Baptismal Service – 1st Sunday – 9:30 am Holy Communion – 1st Sunday – 11:00 am Prayer Meeting & Bible Study – Wednesday -7:30 pm

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

“Where Jesus is the King”

Israel Baptist Church

Rev. Keith W. Byrd, Sr. Pastor

Rev. Dr. Morris L Shearin, Sr. Pastor

4850 Blagdon Ave, NW • Washington D.C 20011 Phone (202) 722-4940 • Fax (202) 291-3773

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

Sunday Worship Service 10:15AM- Praise and Worship Services Sunday School 9:00am Monday: Noon Bible School Wednesday: Noon & 7PM: Pastor’s Bible Study Ordinance of Baptism 2nd Holy Communion 4th Sunday Mission Zion Baptist Church Shall; Enlist Sinners, Educate Students, Empower the Suffering, Encourage the Saints, and Exalt Our Savior. (Acts 2:41-47) www.zionbaptistchurchdc.org

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

Mount Moriah Baptist Church

St. Luke Baptist Church

Dr. Lucius M. Dalton, Senior Pastor

Rev. Aubrey C. Lewis Pastor

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

1415 Gallatin Street, NW Washington, DC 20011-3851 P: (202) 726-5940

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

Sunday Worship: 11:00 a.m. Sunday School: 9:15 a.m. Holy Communion: 11:00 a.m., 3rd Sun. Bible Institute Wednesday - 1:30 pm Prayer Meeting Wednesday - 12:00 Noon

ChurCh Printing

20% Off PrOgrams & BOOklets

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Rehoboth Baptist Church

Rev. Dr. Maxwell M. Washington Pastor Worshiping Location Knights of Columbus - 1633 Tucker Road Fort Washington, MD 20744 (240) 838-7074

Rev. Dr. Clinton W. Austin Pastor 2409 Ainger Pl.,SE – WDC 20020 (202) 678-0884 – Office (202) 678-0885 – Fax “Come Grow With Us and Establish a Blessed Family” Sunday Worship 7:30am & 10:45am Baptism/Holy Communion 3rd Sunday Family Bible Study Tuesdays – 6:30pm Prayer Service Tuesdays – 8:00pm www.emmanuelbaptistchurchdc.org

Sermon On The Mount Temple Of Joy Apostolic Faith

call Ron Burke at

202-561-4100 or email rburke@washingtoninformer.com

Salem Baptist Church

Rev. Dr. George C. Gilbert SR. Pastor

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

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

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

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

Matthews Memorial Baptist Church

Kelechi Ajieren Coordinator

Early Worship Service 7:30a.m Worship Service 10:45a.m. New Members Class 9:30a.m. Holy Communion : 1st Sunday -10:45a.m Church School 9:30a.m. Prayer, Praise and Bible Study: Wednesday 7p.m Bible Study : Saturday: 11a.m. Baptism: 4th Sunday – 10:45a.m “Empowered to love and Challenged to Lead a Multitude of Souls to Christ”

Sunday Worship Service 10:00 A.M.

Sunday Apostolic Worship Services 11:00 A.M and 5:00 P.M Communion and Feet Wash 4th Sunday at 5:00 P.M

New Commandment Baptist Church Rev. Stephen E. Tucker Senior Pastor 13701 Old Jericho Park Road Bowie, MD. 20720 (301) 262-0560 Services: Sunday Worship 11 AM Sunday School 10 AM Wednesday Mid-Week Worship, Prayer & Bible Study - Wed. 7 PM “A Church Where Love Is Essential and Praise is Intentional”

Shiloh Baptist Church

Peace Baptist Church

Rev. Dr. Michael T. Bell 712 18th Street, NE Washington, DC 20002 Phone 202-399-3450/ Fax 202-398-8836 Sunday Morning Worship Service 7:15 am & 10:50 am Sunday School 9:30am Sunday Morning Worship Service 10:50am Wednesday Prayer & Testimonies Service 7:30pm Wednesday School of the Bible 8:00pm Wednesday - Midweek Prayer Service 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm “The Loving Church of the living lord “ Email Address pbcexec@verizon.net

First Rising Mt. Zion Baptist Church

Rev. Alonzo Hart Pastor

Rev. Dr. Wallace Charles Smith Pastor

Rev. Reginald M. Green, Sr., Interim Pastor

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

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

9th & P Street, N.W. • W. D.C. 20001 (202) 232-4200

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

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

Sunrise Prayer Services - Sunday 7:00 a.m.

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

Morning Worship: 8:00 a.m Church School : 9:30 a.m. Morning Worship: 10:55 a.m. Bible Study, Thursday: 6:30 p.m. Prayer Meeting,Thursday : 7:30 p.m.

Order of Services Sunday Worship Services: 10:00 am Sunday School: 9:00 am Holy Communion 3rd Sunday Morning Prayer / Bible Study: 6:15 pm - 7:20 pm (Tuesday) Theme: “The Kingdom Focused Church” Matthew 6:33 and Mathew 28:18-20, KJV

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

Email: stmatthewsbaptist@msn.com Website: www.stmatthewsbaptist.org

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

40 Jan 8 - Jan 14, 2015

2616 MLK Ave., SE • Washington, DC 20020 Office 202-889-3709 • Fax 202-678-3304

1864-2014

150 Years of Service

Christ Embassy DC

Elder Herman L. Simms, Pastor

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

services here:

Dr. Earl D. Trent Senior Pastor

Dr. C. Matthew Hudson, Jr, Pastor

tel: 202-291-6565

Advertise Your Church

Holy Trinity United Baptist Church

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

Prayer/Seeking Wednesday at 8:00 P.M.

301 kennedy street, nW Washington, DC 20011

Florida Avenue Baptist Church

6839 Eastern Avenue, R1 Takoma Park, MD 20912 (202) 556-7065

Quality Printers

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

St. Matthews Baptist Church

Emmanuel Baptist Church

The Washington Informer

Sunday Worship Services: 7:45am & 11:00am Sunday school For All Ages 9:30am Prayer Services Wednesday 11:30am & 6:45pm Bible Institute Wednesday at Noon & 7:45pm “Changing Lives On Purpose “ Email: Froffice@firstrising.org Website: www.firstrising.org

Wednesday Bible Study 7:00 P.M. Friday Evening Service 7:00 P.M. ; Last Friday “…Giving Your Life a Meaning” www.Christembassydc.org Christ.embassy.dc@hotmail.com

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

Mt. Horeb Baptist Church Rev. Dr. H. B. Sampson, III Pastor 2914 Bladensburg Road, NE Wash., DC 20018 Office: (202) 529-3180 Fax: (202) 529-7738 Order of Services Worship Service: 7:30 a.m. Sunday School: 9:00 a.m. Worship Service: 10:30 a.m. Holy Communion: 4th Sunday 7:30 a.m. & 10:30a.m. Prayer Services: Tuesday 7:30 p.m. Wednesday 12 Noon Email:mthoreb@mthoreb.org Website:www.mthoreb.org For further information, please contact me at (202) 529-3180.

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LEGAL NOTICES

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division

Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

Administration No. 2014 ADM 1316

Administration No. 2014 ADM 1288

Administration No. 2014 ADM 1297

Administration No. 2014 ADM 1236

Grace W. Minor

Louise J. Houston aka Louise Jeannie Houston-Uzzell Bernice C. Minor

Lynne D. Roberts

Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS

AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Touissaint Jones, whose address is 4412 E Street, SE,

AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS

#4, Washington, DC 20019, was appointed Personal

Dorothy Wood, whose address is 5707 Blaine Street,

Administration No. 2014 ADM 1382 Gertrude Patricia Caviness

Decedent

Decedent Bradley A. Thomas, Esq. NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Ashley T. Graham, whose address is 6311 North Capitol Street, NE, Washington, DC 20011, was appointed

1629 K Street, NW, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20005-1631 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS

Personal Representative of the estate of Gertrude Patricia Caviness, who died on July 2, 2010 without a Will, and

Ann P. Rakotomalala, whose address is 5707 29th

will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs

Avenue, Hyattsville, MD 20782, was appointed Personal

and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter

Representative of the estate of Grace W. Minor, who

their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills,

died on September 20, 2014 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their

Decedent Allen Wilson 1629 K Street, NW, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20008 Attorney

Jerry L. Branch, Gloria Branch and Odell Branch, whose addresses are 2407 Darel Dr., #202, Suitland, MD 20746, 6703 Allentown Rd, Temple Hills MD 20748, 108 17th St., NE, Washington, DC 20002, was

Representative of the estate of Bernice C. Minor, who died on March 20, 2012 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance

appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Louise

in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or

J. Houston aka Louise Jeannie Houston-Uzzell, who died

to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the

on March 16, 2014 without a Will, and will serve with

appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such

Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose

appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall

whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance

A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before

Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the

be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street,

in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall

undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed

N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001,

be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street,

with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned,

on or before July 8, 2015. Claims against the decedent

N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001,

shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the

on or before July 8, 2015. Claims against the decedent

to the undersigned, on or before July 8, 2015, or be

shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the

forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees

of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice

copy to the undersigned, on or before July 8, 2015, or be

by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so

D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before July 8, 2015.

on or before July 8, 2015, 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.

copy to the undersigned, on or before July 8, 2015, 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

Date of first publication: January 8, 2015

relationship. Date of first publication: January 8, 2015

Ashley T. Graham Personal Representative

Ann P. Rakotomalala Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister

Anne Meister

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.

July 8, 2015. 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

inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship. Date of first publication: January 8, 2015

NE, Washington, DC 20019, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Lynne D. Roberts, who died on September 27, 2014 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 July 8, 2015. 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 8, 2015, 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 8, 2015

Date of first publication: January 8, 2015

Touissaint Jones

Dorothy Wood

Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Anne Meister

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division

PROBATE DIVISION

Probate Division

Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

Jerry L. Branch Gloria Branch Odell Branch Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division

Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

Administration No. 2014 ADM 1279

Administration No. 2014 ADM 1300 Rosetta Henry

Juanita G. Covington

Decedent

Decedent Deborah D. Boddie, Esq. NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Eunita M. Davis, whose address is 15001 N. Jenkins Court, Accokeek, MD 20607, was appointed Personal

1308 Ninth Street, NW, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20001 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS

Representative of the estate of Juanita G. Covington, who died on November 2, 2014 without a Will, and

Valerie J. Henry Hall, whose address is 8901 Branchview

will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs

Drive, Fort Washington, MD 20744, was appointed

and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter

Personal Representative of the estate of Rosetta Henry,

their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills,

who died on November 13, 2104 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter

Administration No. 2014 ADM 1222 Marquese Davon Meadow Decedent William C. McCaskill

Foreign No. 2014 FEP 159 November 2, 2014 Date of Death

Administration No. 2014 ADM 1326 Carter McKinley Smith, Jr. Decedent Aimee D. Griffin

6196 Oxon Hill Road, Suite 360

Johnell Annette Powell

1353 Sheridan Street, NW

Oxon Hill, MD 20745

Name of Decedent

Washington, DC 20011 Attorney

Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS

REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS

AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Benita Dawn Meadow, whose address is 1819 Tobias Dr., SE, Washington, DC 20020, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Marquese Davon Meadow, who died on August 24, 2014 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall

James Matthew Powell, Sr. whose

address is 9015 Longbow Road, Fort Washington, ND 20744 was appointed personal representative of

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Shadid Adbul-Latif, whose address is 2921 North #408, Leisure World Blvd., Silver Spring, MD 20904, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of

the estate of Johnell Annette Powell, deceased, by the

Carter McKinley Smith, Jr., who died on August 6, 2010

Orphans Court for Prince Georges County, State of

without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision.

Maryland, on December 5, 2014.

All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are

appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall

to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of

Michelle Ingrid Dillon, 4740 Connecticut Ave., NW, Unit

Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the

be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street,

Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor

615, Washington, DC 20008 whose designation as

undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed

N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001,

Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before July 8, 2015.

District of Columbia agent has been filed with the Register

with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned,

on or before July 8, 2015. Claims against the decedent

Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the

shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the

undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed

of Wills, D.C.

with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned,

copy to the undersigned, on or before July 8, 2015, or be

on or before July 8, 2015, or be forever barred. Persons

forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees

believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do

of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice

not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days

by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so

of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills,

inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and

including name, address and relationship.

presented to the undersigned and filed with the Register

Date of first publication:

Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001 within 6 months

January 8, 2015

from the date of first publication of this notice.

Benita Dawn Meadow

Date of first publication:

Personal Representative

Shaidid Adbul-Latif

January 8, 2015

Personal Representative

James Matthew Powell, Sr.

TRUE TEST COPY

Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before July 8, 2015.

their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such

relationship. Date of first publication: January 8, 2015 Valerie J. Henry Hall Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills

Anne Meister Register of Wills

TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills

Service of process may be made upon

unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding.

enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections

D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor

The decedent owned the following

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 July 8, 2015. 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

District of Columbia real property: 1346 L Street, SE,

to the undersigned, on or before July 8, 2015, or be

Washington, DC.

forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees

of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice

The decedent owned District of Columbia

personal property. Claims against the decedent may be of Wills of the District of Columbia, 515 5th Street, NW,

Personal Representative

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 8, 2015

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Washington Informer

www.washingtoninformer.com

The Washington Informer

Jan 8 - Jan 14, 2015

LEGAL NOTICES

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

PROBATE DIVISION

Probate Division

Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

Foreign No. 2014 FEP 164

Administration No. 2014 ADM 1287

November 20, 2011

Dell David Warren, Sr.

Date of Death

Patricia E. Young Decedent

CLASSIFIEDS

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Decedent Johnny M. Howard, Houston & Howard NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Lonnie Stewart Name of Decedent NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Administration No. 2014 ADM 1294

CLASSIFIEDS

Dennis A. Baird, Esq. whose address

is 1323 Fenwick Lane, Silver Spring, MD 20910 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Lonnie

AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Dell David Warren, Jr., whose address is 15410 Jennings Lane, Bowie, MD 20721, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Dell David Warren, Sr.,

Washington, DC 20036 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS

who died on October 15, 2014 with a Will, and will

Lacountis Compton and Helen Humes, whose addresses

serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and

are 1903 Curtis CT., SE, Washington, DC and 7807

heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their

Mandan Rd, #201, Greenbelt, MD 20770, were

appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such

Stewart, deceased, by the Orphan’s Court for Prince

appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall

Georges County, State of Maryland, on July 30, 2014.

be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street,

N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001,

Service of process may be made upon

1001 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 402

appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Patricia E. Young, who died on November 20, 2014 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.

Shirley Mills, 1840 2nd Street, NW, Washington, DC

on or before July 8, 2015. Claims against the decedent

Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of

20001 whose designation as District of Columbia agent

shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the

decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills,

has been filed with the Register of Wills, D.C.

D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor

copy to the undersigned, on or before July 8, 2015, or be

Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before July 8, 2015.

The decedent owned the following

District of Columbia real property: 1840 2nd Street, NW,

forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees

Washington. DC 20001.

of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice

by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so

The decedent owned District of Columbia

personal property. Claims against the decedent may be presented to the undersigned and filed with the Register of Wills of the District of Columbia, 515 5th Street, NW, Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001 within 6 months from the date of first publication of this notice. Date of first publication: January 8, 2015 Dennis A. Baird Personal Representative

inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship. Date of first publication: January 8, 2015 Dell David Warren, Jr. Personal Representative

believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days including name, address and relationship. Date of first publication: January 8, 2015 Lacountis Compton Personal Representative

Anne Meister

TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division

Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2014 ADM 1286 Michelle D. Washington

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2013 ADM 000981

Decedent

Decedent Ronald Dixon Dalton Howard, Esq.

Bynum & Jenkins

6701 16th Street, NW

1010 Cameron Street

AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS

Washington, DC 20012

Alexandria, VA 22314

Attorney

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS

AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS

Michael J. Washington, whose address is 2400 16th

Ronald Dixon, whose address is Bynum & Jenkins, 1010

Street, NW, Apt. 627, Washington, DC 20009, was

Cameron Street, Alexandria, VA 22314, was appointed

whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance

appointed Personal Representative of the estate of

Personal Representative of the estate of Bekele W.

in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or

Michelle D. Washington, who died on September 5,

Beyene, who died on June 3, 2013 without a Will, and

to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the

2014 without a Will, and will serve without Court

will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs

supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose

and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter

whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance

their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such

in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall

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,

NE, Washington, DC 20002, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Mary M. Taylor, who died on October 6, 2014 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose

A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before July 8, 2015. 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 8, 2015, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees

on or before July 8, 2015. 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

of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice

copy to the undersigned, on or before July 8, 2015, or be

by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so

forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees

inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and

of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice

relationship.

by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so

Date of first publication: January 8, 2015 Maurice Gordon, Sr. Personal Representative

inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and

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 8, 2015, 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 8, 2015 Michael J. Washington

TRUE TEST COPY TRUE TEST COPY

on or before July 8, 2015. Claims against the decedent

relationship.

Personal Representative

Anne Meister

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Bekele W. Beyene

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Maurice Gordon, Sr., whose address is 616 20th St.,

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SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Decedent

on or before July 8, 2015, or be forever barred. Persons

Helen Humes

Mary M. Taylor

with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned,

TRUE TEST COPY

Anne Meister

Administration No. 2014 ADM 1295

undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed

of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills,

Washington Informer

Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the

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January 8, 2015 Ronald Dixon Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills

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CLINGMAN continued from Page 26 instead of playing just to play. Find a Black certified financial planner and get involved in some level of investment in the stock market. As we are standing in line to buy Nike shoes, we should also be teaching our children how to buy Nike stock. Teach entrepreneurship to our youth. Let them know they can own a business even if they end up working for someone. Teach them early by using examples of young Black business owners such as Jasmine Lawrence, Moziah Bridges, Cory Nieves, Omar

DANIELS continued from Page 26 Out of work Africans can be seen shuffling along the same streets which used to be clean and safe in the days of [Hitler’s Nazi Party].” The pushback forced Scalise to quickly issue another statement declaring that his appearance at the event was “a mistake in judgment,” caused by the organizational disarray of his scheduling team and this time he emphatically denied approving of EURO’s views. “I didn’t know who all of these groups were and I detest any kind of hate group,” Scalise told the New Orleans-based NOLA.com/Times-Picayune website. “For anyone to suggest that I was involved with a group like that is insulting and ludicrous.” By then, prominent Republicans in Congress had begun speaking up in his defense, and Rep. Cedric Richmond, of New Orleans, Louisiana’s only Black Democratic Congressman, vouched for Scalise’s tolerance and integrity. By the end of the week, those el-

CURRY continued from Page 26

Clement Haynsworth and Harrold Carswell to the U.S. Supreme Court, Brooke was part of a bipartisan coalition that blocked the appointment of the two nominees who were considered hostile to civil rights. On Nov. 4, 1973, Brooke became the first Republican to call for Richard Nixon’s resignation after the famous “Saturday night massacre” that took place when Nixon ordered the firing of Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox after Cox issued a subpoena for copies of Nixon’s taped conversations recorded in the Oval Office. Brooke assumed an offensive posture as well, particularly on housing issues. He co-sponsored

Bailey, and many others whose success stories can be found online. Make it a habit to listen to the Carl Nelson Radio Show (1450AM WOL in Washington, DC or www.woldcnews.com), Brother Daren “State of the City” Muhammad in Baltimore, Dr. Rosie Milligan in L.A., Elliott Booker (Time for an Awakening) in Philadelphia, and other conscious and informative radio shows. Finally, in response to the outrageous treatment some of us have received, boycott prisons. That is stop committing crimes

and putting yourself at the mercy of a system that cares absolutely nothing about you. Second, in addition to the protests the young folks are doing now, add a strategy that uses economic sanctions to bring about positive solutions. No Justice, No Profit! It’s about using our money to help building our own economic infrastructure. WI

ements combined to take the steam out of the story. After all, one might also say, given the GOP’s voluminous recent record of bigoted comments and actions against Blacks and Hispanics, gays and lesbians, undocumented immigrants, and women, and its many racist references to President Obama, what’s “new” about a decade-and-more-old story of a Deep-South Republican’s trolling for votes among the nation’s most racist elements? But what caught my attention most about this story was the largely ignored fact that in 1999 and again in 2004 Steve Scalise as a state representative was one of a very few Louisiana state legislators to vote against establishing a state holiday honoring Martin Luther King, Jr. On those occasions, only three and six Louisiana state legislators, respectively, voted against those proposals. Why at the opening of the 21st century, after the King national holiday had been celebrated for 15 years, would any public official be against establishing an offi-

cial state holiday? Doesn’t that call for an explanation? Are those votes the actions of someone who’s not a bigot? Are they the actions of someone who wouldn’t know they were at a White-supremacist conference despite being, literally, in the middle of it? In the entire hullabaloo about Scalise’s speaking before the EURO group, his anti-King votes have been overlooked. But don’t those votes also raise a question about the content of Steve Scalise’s character? Perhaps this month he’ll find a respectable forum and give a speech about that. WI Lee A. Daniels is a longtime journalist based in New York City. His essay, “Martin Luther King, Jr.: The Great Provocateur,” appears in Africa’s Peacemakers: Nobel Peace Laureates of African Descent (2014), published by Zed Books.

the Fair Housing Act of 1968, which prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion or ethnicity. It was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson a week after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He continued to work on strengthening the law and in 1969, Congress passed the “Brooke Amendment” limiting public housing tenants’ out-ofpocket rent expenditure to 25 percent of the resident’s income, a percentage that has since increased to 30 percent. With the Voting Rights Act up for renewal in 1975, Brooke engaged in an “extended debate” with John Stennis (R-Miss.) on the Senate floor that resulted in the landmark measure being extended and expanded. He was

also part of the team of legislators who retained Title IX that guarantees equal education to females and the Equal Credit Act, a measure that gave married women the right to have credit in their own name. In 1967, Brooke served on the 11-member President’s Commission on Civil Disorders, better known as the Kerner Commission, which was established by President Johnson to investigate the causes of the 1967 race riots and to provide recommendations for the future. At various points during his career, Brooke was at odds with civil rights leaders and liberals. As attorney general, he opposed the NAACP’s call for a boycott of Boston’s public schools to protest the city’s de facto segre-

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High School Journalist of the Year gation, saying the law required students to stay in school. In the Senate, he opposed a program to recruit teachers to work in disadvantaged communities and opposed amending Senate rules to make filibusters against civil rights legislation easier to terminate. Brooke also faced personal health challenges, including being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002. He underwent a double mastectomy and was declared cancer free. Brooke spoke publicly about the illness, which strikes about 1,500 men each year, a disproportionate number of them Black.

In his 2006 autobiography, Bridging The Divide: My Life (Rutgers University Press), Brooke said, “My fervent expectation is that sooner rather than later, the United States Senate will more closely reflect the rich diversity of this great country.” Throughout his life, Brooke did that exceptionally well. WI George E. Curry is editor-in-chief of the National Newspaper Publishers Association News Service (NNPA.) He can be reached through his Web site, www.georgecurry.com. You can also follow him at www.twitter.com/currygeorge and George E. Curry Fan Page on Facebook Jan 8 - Jan 14, 2015

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MOTEN continued from Page 27 due mostly to the 100,000-plus new Washingtonians who arrived in DC with a job. Yet, too many long-time residents are still struggling to find a job that will allow them to earn a steady income. Chicago recently took a page from the book of the late Marion Barry, Jr. by institutionalizing a summer job and mentorship program targeting hundreds of youth in America’s murder capital. The data revealed an amazing 43 percent drop in victims of violence and arrests among youth engaged in this summer job program both during and after employment.

CHAVIS continued from Page 27 race. Our challenge is to make sure the quest for equality and justice does not get placated by the politics of expediency. In other words, the momentum to transform America evident in 2014 should not be allowed to dissipate over the next year. Now that the U.S. economy continues to rebound, efforts to end poverty in our communities should be significantly increased. Interestingly, those who opposed President Barack Obama blamed him for things that were already bad when he assumed office. And now that the economy has improved, they refuse to give him

MUHAMMAD continued from Page 27

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the borders of what’s called the United States of America. “And at the closure of the last major massacre at Wounded Knee in 1890, they mowed [down] mostly old people, women and children. Close to 300 of our unarmed people died at Wounded Knee. And [in] the last census taken around that time, there’s only 248,000 to 300,000 Native people left here in America. “We know well what has happened to them. It was perfectly legal at that time to kill an Indian. It was still on the books until the early (20th) century,” Bellecourt said. The reason Native people are so adamant about the Washington team’s name – ahead of all the sports team names which objectify Indians as team mascots – is because the word “redskin” was used to prove that an Indian had been murdered, in order to collect a bounty. “Native people had to be eliminated, annihilated,” Bellecourt continued. In order to collect the reward and prove someone had killed an Indian, at first they The Washington Informer

To solve a problem we must do the following: acknowledge the problem exists; look for the root causes; develop possible solutions; and then implement a comprehensive plan of action. Four years of reduced violence has lulled DC leaders into a false sense of security and lack of vigilance in providing the kinds of strategies and programs that lead to the reduction of violence in the first place. The increase in the crime that matters most is not a strike against MPD. They do great work keeping our communities safe including shutting down the majority of the city’s openair drug markets. But this is a collective problem. We must get creative as we take the drugs out

of a person’s hands and replace it with a skill that creates gainful employment opportunities or helps turn illegal hustlers into legal hustlers – also called entrepreneurs. To be clear, I am not throwing a jab at the community. As data will rightfully show, we have been very active addressing unjust police killings. However, we must work with the same passion to address the violence we inflict upon each other in our own neighborhoods. If we don’t, both the data and our quality of living will only get worse. WI

credit for the recovery. As we prepare to celebrate the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., we should remember that he concluded that economic justice was also a key civil rights issue. Two weeks before Dr. King was murdered, he addressed a rally in Memphis of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). King stated, “Now our struggle is for genuine equality, which means economic equality…. For we know now that it isn’t enough to integrate lunch counters. What does it profit a man to be able to eat at an integrated lunch counter if he doesn’t have enough money to buy a hamburger?” Dr. King was on point.

Today, the struggle is not just about having more money to buy something. It is about knowing how to more effectively invest and spend the $1.1 trillion that Black Americans are expected to spend annually by 2015. It is about owning more businesses in our communities. In the tradition of Dr. King, we have to wisely leverage our huge consumer power. We are grateful that the legacy of Dr. King’s leadership continues to be vibrant and relevant to the advancement of the cause of freedom and justice. We, therefore, face the future with a stronger confidence that we still shall overcome, largely by reclaiming Dr. King’s legacy. WI

had to bring in a skull. Skulls, he said, were brought in by the wagonloads until church women in some states – particularly in Minnesota – protested the brutality and the provision was changed to require only a scalp. “Which meant you could (then) kill women and children,” Bellecourt said. “That’s where the word ‘redskin’ comes from.” That, he said, ushered in the genocide against Native people. “Dan Snyder, who is Jewish, should know something about genocide.” The Indian campaign was not limited to appeals in the court of public opinion. In 1992, a group led by Native American attorney Suzan Shown Harjo filed a complaint challenging the team’s trademark before the U.S. Patent Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, which agreed seven years later, revoking the team’s license because the name is disparaging. Team owner Snyder appealed and the decision was overturned on a legal technicality in 2005. In 2007 a younger group of Indian plaintiffs filed another challenge before the patent board, which again, in 2014, revoked the team’s trademark. That decision has also been appealed by the team in fed-

eral court. And there the saga remains. Snyder says he will “NEVER” change the name and it seems that on the field, the team will never again prosper until it sheds its racist nickname and logo. This is not just about the “R-word,” however. If you look at the Kansas City Chiefs of the NFL; the MLB’s Cleveland Indians, and their Chief Wahoo, and the Atlanta Braves, and their Tomahawk Chop; and the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks, people show up in the stands wearing red face not even considering their behavior insulting. But, in its 22 years of active campaigning, the movement to eliminate Native team mascots has been successful. In 1992, the count was more than 12,000 teams across America with Native Americans as mascots. Universities and high schools have gotten rid of the names and the slurs. Now there are 2,000 teams which still use Native mascots. Progress is being made, but a lot remains to be done, beginning with the bad-luck Washington NFL team with the racist nickname. WI

Ron Moten is author of Drinking Muddy Water and currently program director of the Eleuthera Institutes “Art of Peace Initiative”

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