WINNER OF FIVE SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISTS D.C. AWARDS Don’t Miss This Month’s Issue of the WI Bridge Center Section Vol. 55, No. 37 • June 25 - July 1, 2020
District Residents Eagerly Settle into Phase Two Reopening By James Wright WI Staff Writer @Jamesdcwrighter The District entered Phase Two of its reopening stage on June 22 and residents took full advantage of what it had to offer, taking care of personal needs and hoping to feed long-delayed desires in the city while mindful that the coronavirus pandemic continues. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser gave the greenlight on June 19, announcing that the District had met specified requirements including a 14-
5 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) introduced a bill last summer to remove a statue of Confederate General Albert Pike from an area near Judiciary Square. On Saturday, June 20, Norton stood in front of what remained of the structure which was torn down and burned on Juneteenth. (Roy Lewis/The Washington Informer)
Even as an online petition to stop a halfway house from opening in Ward 7 continues to circulate, an elected official who has railed against the project recently expressed a willingness to engage residents with varying perspectives. In a post-Father’s Day letter to the Ward 7 community, ANC Commission Chair Tyrell M. Holcomb acknowledged his incarcerated father and older brother before proposing a virtual town where participants would weigh in, not only regarding the proposed location of the residential reentry facility but also the surrounding conditions he said would be of
detriment to the 300 men living there. “I cannot see us saying that we want to ensure our returning citizens are successful, and have them in the middle of Minnesota Avenue around the increased gun violence and mental health issues,” Commission Chair Holcomb (ANC 74) told The Informer as he explained why he thought the location at 3701 Benning Road NE, formerly known as the Bald Eagle, wouldn’t be ideal for a halfway house. While the date for Holcomb’s town hall hasn’t been determined, he expressed a desire to see Ward 7 residents and CORE DC LLC coalesce around a proposal that places returning citizens in an area where they can thrive profes-
HALFWAY HOUSE Page 39
PHASE 2 Page 14
Prince George’s Pushes for Collaboration, Systematic Changes in Police Department By William J. Ford WI Staff Writer @jabariwill
Ward 7 Official Encourages Discourse on Halfway House By Sam P.K. Collins WI Contributing Writer @SamPKCollins
day decline in positive test results. “We’re adding a lot of activity right now,” Bowser said. “We went from Phase Zero, which [directed] everybody to stay at home, to Phase One which slightly turned on activity.” Phase Two includes more business and governmental activity that can now take place but with several restrictions and requirements. Phase Two allows for an increase from no more than 10 to 50 to gather in groups. Houses of worship, however, have a 100-person limit for groups with singing and activities involving touching not permitted.
5 Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy holds a press conference outside the county’s Circuit Court in Upper Marlboro on June 19. (William J. Ford/The Washington Informer)
A prosecutor. A public defender. A community activist. Law enforcement personnel. They stood alongside each other outside the Prince George’s County Circuit Courthouse with a simple message: stand together to help reform the police department. “The fact that myself, a prosecutor, and the public defender have come together to say there are things that we must agree on. We must work on together to fix this system,” said county State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy. “I’m grateful that we have people who have the courage to point out where there are inequities and prejudices … in our system. If we don’t take them head-on and don’t acknowledge them, how do we fix them?” Trying to restore, repair and restructure a police department with internal strife isn’t go-
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Tia C. Jones, Ed Laiscell, Odell B. Ruffin, Larry Saxton, Mary Wells, Joseph Young PHOTOGRAPHERS Lafayette Barnes, IV, John E. De Freitas, Maurice Fitzgerald, Joanne Jackson, Roy Lewis, Robert Ridley, Victor Holt CIRCULATION Paul Trantham
Women the Cycle of wi hotBreak topics Domestic Violence Bowser Marks 50th UDC President Mason
Anniversary ‘Takes a Knee’ Against Op- She said law enforcement. they threat,” she of said.Pride Month had come together to bring a Among the Marlow with Rainbow programs Artwork pression, White Supremacy sense of uniformity in the way wants to see implemented are
By Tia Carol Jones WI Staff Writer
When L.Y. Marlow's 23-year- domestic violence victims and stricter restraining order policies, In commemoraMayor Muriel Bowsold daughter told her the father survivors are treated. rights for victim's families tion of the 155th er recentlymore announced of her daughter threatened her “She's using her own personal to intervene on behalf of a vicanniversary of Junein honor of the 50th life, and the life of their child, story, her own personalthat pain to tim, a domestic violence assessteenth and to memoAnniversary of Pride she knew something had to be push forward,” Davis-Nickens ment unit coupled with further rializeOut the recent trag-frustration Month, the District Dedone. of her said about Marlow. training for law enforcement ic death of George handling with law enforcement's Davis-Nickens said partment anyone of Transportation agencies, a Child's Life ProtecFloyd, the University [DDOT] install rain-mandatory counselof the situation, she decided to who reads Marlow's book will will tion Act and of the District of Cobow-colored bands at an start the Saving Promise cam- “get it.” She said she “puts the ing for batterers. lumbia [UDC] has intersection in the Dupont paign. case in such a way, the average “If we are ever going to eradidarkened Circle neighborhood. “It seems tothebe aVan vicious cycle person can get it.” She said at the cate domestic violence, we must Nesswon't campus we sides of the coin. that turnevery my family end of the day, the book“While will we lookwish at both night Marlow since Friday, could have celebrated thisaddress monthboth at our loose,” said. Marlow help people begin to have a diaWe need to theannual vic- Capital June 19 8 minutes Pride Parade,tim we hope this artwork will serve as a remindshared herforstory with the audi- logue about domestic violence. and the batterer,” Marlow and at46 the seconds be- Heights er of our DC values of promoting inclusivity and equality ence District Also present at the event was said. ginning atViolence 8:46 p.m.Symposium Mildred Muhammad, for our residents,” Domestic theallexMarlowBowser would said. also “Particularly like to see on the on May 7 atPresident the District Heights UDC Ronald Mason,wife Jr. (above), along Muhammad, heels of last week’s historicdesigned Supreme Court decision, D.C. of John Allen programs to raise Municipal Center. The sympowith members of UDC’s Board of who Trustees UDC to sixwill continueawareness to be on the front lines in defending and was and sentenced consecamong children in sium wasleaders sponsored the eachutive student has takenbya knee nightlife as aterms symbolrightsand of our LGBTQ community.” withoutpromoting parole the public private schools. She Family Youth Services by continue a Maryland jury for his role in from ic tributeand to Floyd – a tribute that will nightly Colors Daniel Quasar’s flag, an updated feels children needProgress to be educatCenter ofdays. the city of District the Beltway Sniper attacks ed about the domestic violence.of transgender for nine design in incorporating representation Heights and the National 2002.at 8Mildred Muhammad is “We have to stop pas-on ThursOn Saturday, June 27,Hooka vigil begins p.m. with and LGBTQ people of color, will bebeing installed Upa musical of Blackselection Women.from Nigerian-born the founder After the day, Trauma, withintersection poor chil-of P Street classicalofoperJune 25sive-aggressive at 9:00 a.m., at the Marlow hasand written book, Abbi anKoya organization that helps the Street, drenNW, about domestic violence,” atic soprano UDC aAlumna (‘05), along and 17th weather permitting. “Color Me Butterfly,” which is a survivors of domestic violence Marlow said. with remarks from UDC Board members, student DDOT expects to do similar installations at addistory about and their children. Marlow has17th worked to break leaders and four othergenerations communityofstakeholders. President tional intersections along Street, NW later this domestic violence. Theremarks book isabout “I in fear for six years. Six Thethe cycleofofDDOT’s abuse innew Art her family, Mason will also offer thelived newly-estabsummer. is part in the Right inspired by her own experiences, years in fear is a long time. It is(AROW) and isprogram, confidentwhich the policies sheart in the lished Institute for the Study and Elimination of White of Way facilitates and those ofinher grandmother, a knee” not anat easy out isacross pushing forwards will ofstart that Supremacy America and “take 8:46 thing p.m. to come public space all eight the District. Othher The mother and her daughter. of,” she said. process. tribute continues through Saturday at the Dener AROW projects include beautifying bike racks, utility She said every time she reads Muhammad said “Iand plansidewalks. to take these policies to nard Plaza, UDC Van Ness Campus,Mildred 4200 Connectiboxes, roadways, excerpts from her book, she still people who want to help a Congress and implore them to cut Avenue NW (A-Level between Veazey and Van For more information, visit ddot.dc.gov/page/artscan not believe the words came domestic violence victim must change our laws,” Marlow said. Ness Streets) right-way. from her. “Color Me Butterfly” be careful of how they go into “I will not stop until these poliwon the 2007 National “Best the victim's life, and understand cies are passed.” Books” Award. that she may be in “survival Tia Carol Jones can be reached “I was just 16-years-old when mode”. at tiacaroljones@sbcglobal.net my eye first blackened and my “Before you get to 'I'm going PrinceMarlow George’ssaid. County Counciltovoted a question WI lips bled,” kill 8-3 you,'onitTuesday started to as put a verbal on the Nov. 3 ballot to askpresivoters whether they want to change the deadline Elaine Davis-Nickens, propertyHook-Up taxes through the state Homestead property tax credit dentonofassessing the National program and tosaid allowthere the homestead credit percent to rise from 100 percent of Black Women, is no up to 110in percent on resident property. The current percentage cannot exceed consistency the way domestic violence issues are dealt with by 105 percent. During the more than two-hour virtual discussion, seven residents characterized the legislation sponsored by Councilmember Derrick Leon Davis (D-District 6) of Upper Marlboro as a future tax increase. Council member Monique Anderson-Walker (D-District 8) agreed with the residents. She added how the county provided $70 million for two developments in tax incrementing financing, or tax breaks for a company to work on a project in a jurisdiction. Once its completed, a jurisdiction receives future revenue streams. “We need to be very consistent with who we are looking to footing the bill. If people plan to do business in this affluent county, they need to recognize they will not get TIFs on everything. TIFs are designed to incentivize certain locations,” said Anderson-Walker, who voted against the bill with Councilmembers Jolene Ivey and Tom Dernoga. Councilmember Mel Franklin (D-At-Large) of Upper Marlboro, who voted for the bill, said it proposes to change the authority of the homestead act from being locked into the county charter and incorporated into the county’s budgetary process. If approved by the voters, he said property assessment wouldn’t go into effect until next summer. “Let’s be accurate in our information. The County Council is not imposing a tax increase,” he said. A public hearing on the bill will be held July 21.
Homestead Act Question to be Included on November Ballot
“
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.
“
SOMETHING NEW EVERYDAY
COMPILED BY WILLIAM J. FORD, WI STAFF WRITER AND D. KEVIN MCNEIR,WI EDITOR
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L.Y. Marlow
AROUND THE REGION
Statehood Activists Ramp Up for House Vote and General Election
By James Wright WI Staff Writer @Jamesdcwrighter
Activists for D.C. statehood have elevated activities such as calling congressional offices, organizing virtual events and getting the message out about the June 26 vote in the House on legislation to make the District the 51st state and informing people about the stakes of the Nov. 3 general election. Josh Burch, the organizer and educator of the Neighbors United for DC Statehood, has a strategy to promote the D.C. statehood bill in the city and nationwide. “It has been hard to organize District residents because of the coronavirus pandemic in terms of public gatherings,” he said. “I have been encouraging residents to put up D.C. statehood yard signs on their lawns and in their windows. I have also reached out to residents using social media. I want residents to reach out to members of Congress who don’t support the statehood bill to encourage them to do so and for those who support the bill to tell their friends and family members in other states to tell their lawmakers to support the legislation.” The House has plans to vote Friday, June 26 on D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton’s bill — The Washington, D.C. Admission Act — which would grant the District state status. The bill has 226 co-sponsors, according to staffers in Norton’s office, well over the 218 needed to pass the chamber. All of Norton’s co-sponsors are Democrats. If Norton’s bill passes, it would be the first time in history that a standalone bill endorsing D.C. statehood would pass either chamber of Congress. While Norton’s bill has promising prospects in the House, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has repeatedly said he will not bring a D.C. statehood bill to the floor. Sen. Thomas Carper (D-Del.) has a companion bill similar to Norton’s. Despite Republican opposition, Burch said his organization will focus on getting senators support, particularly Democrats. “We have seven Democratic senators who are not so-sponsors of the D.C. statehood bill,” he said. “We want to get all of the Democrats co-sponsoring the D.C. statehood bill.
We know that Mitch McConnell will not bring the bill to the Senate floor.” Burch said his organization has its eyes on November. “We are looking at the general election and focusing on electing pro-statehood senators,” he said. “Even though really this is not a partisan issue, we would like to see U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) become the majority leader of the Senate in the next session of Congress. Plus, we want to see Steve Bullock and Theresa Greenfield elected to the Senate in Montana and Iowa this year. Meanwhile, we will work to see what kind of support we can get from current senators. In the past, we have used the carrot to argue for D.C. statehood in an altruistic manner, but now we are going to use the ballot box.” Adeoyo “Oye” Owolewa, an advisory neighborhood commissioner representing District 8E01 and the Democratic nominee for the D.C. shadow representative seat, said he also has a strategy at work to help the House bill pass. “I will reach out to young activist groups,” Owolewa said, referring to the recent hordes of demonstrators in the District protesting police brutality against African Americans and racial injustice in the country. “I will also tap into my personal contacts to get together to watch the vote virtually. In November, my position is that every seat counts and for statehood to move forward, we need to keep the House and get the Senate and the White House in Democratic hands, and I will work towards that.” Bo Shuff, executive director of DC Vote, a nonprofit aiming to secure voting rights in the U.S. Congress for District residents, said his organization will host a virtual party on Facebook while the House considers Norton’s bill. “We didn’t want to do something like a rally on the U.S. Capitol because of the mayor’s order that only 50 people can assemble in the city because of the coronavirus,” he said. “When we are through with the House, we will focus on the Senate. We don’t do electioneering but we will work to educate senators on D.C. statehood. We will continue to press the senators and see if there are any opportunities for support.” WI
5 D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton sponsored the historic bill to make the District the 51st state. (WI file photo)
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black facts
JUNE 25 - JULY 1, 2020 SOURCE: BLACK AMERICA WEB
JUNE 25
1941 – The Marine Corps formally integrates after President Roosevelt signs Executive Order 8802 prohibiting racial discrimination in the national defense industry.
JUNE 26
1938 – Author, lyricist, poet and educator James Weldon Johnson, who wrote the lyrics of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” — known as the Negro national anthem — dies. 1995 – Former NASA astronaut Bernard Harris, the first African American to walk in space, is born. 1992 – “My Guy” singer Mary Wells, “The Queen of Motown,” dies of cancer at 49.
JUNE 28
1864 – Malcolm X announces the formation of the Organization of 1872 – Paul Laurence Dunbar, famed American poet, Afro-American Unity, six novelist and playwright of the late 19th and early 20th weeks after returning from centuries, is born in Dayton, Ohio. 1890 – Canadian boxer George Dixon beats Nunc Wal- his pilgrimage to Mecca. lace and is recognized as world bantamweight champion, 1971 – Supreme Court the first Black world boxing champion in any weight class. overturns draft evasion 1991 – Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, the conviction of boxing great Muhammad Ali. first African American to serve on the court, announces his retirement. JUNE 29 2007 – Jamaican-born pilot Barrington Irving lands at 1941 – Political activist Stokely Carmichael, also known the Opa-Locka Airport in Miami after 95 days of travel, as Kwame Ture, a key figure in the civil rights movement in becoming the first Black person — and the youngest the 1960s, is born in Trinidad and Tobago. person ever at the time — to fly around the world solo.
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1847 – Dred Scott, a slave in Missouri, loses a lawsuit for the freedom of his family in the St. Louis Circuit Court. Scott unsuccessfully argued that his temporary residence in a free territory should have made him a free man. 1917 – Grammy-winning singer/actress Lena Horne (above) is born in Brooklyn, New York. 1960 – The Democratic Republic of the Congo, formerly known as Zaire, gains its independence from Belgium. 1966 – Former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson (top) is born in Brooklyn, New York. 1967 – Maj. Robert H. Lawrence Jr. is chosen as the first African American for NASA’s astronaut training program. He was killed during a training flight on Dec. 8, 1967.
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1899 – Thomas Dorsey, the “father of gospel music,” is born in Villa Rica, Georgia. 1942 – Gospel music star Andrae Crouch is born in San Francisco. 1991 – President George H. W. Bush nominates Clarence Thomas for the Supreme Court to replace the retiring Thurgood Marshall. 1893 – Walter Francis White, famed civil rights activist and longtime leader of the NAACP, is born in Atlanta. WI
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TAKOBIAN WORSLEY / BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS
Yes, I have been tested for it because I had symptoms. But the nurse pressured me into getting a test. I will not take the vaccine. I do not trust the racist American medical system as a Black woman. I have no faith in this health care system. WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM / THE WASHINGTON INFORMER
JUNE 25 - JULY 1, 2020 7
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Even before Barack Obama appeared on the scene, I had already decided to leave the Democratic Party and become an Independent. As an educated Black man, then in my 40s, it was clear that the Democrats only addressed the needs of and injustices endured by African Americans when they were looking for votes. I was tired of being used. In fact, I was so unimpressed by Hilary Clinton’s platform that I didn’t vote for either candidate in the last General Election. And while I was astonished when Donald Trump soundly defeated Clinton, I remained optimistic that the businessman-turned-politician might be able to do more good than harm. I was wrong. But rather than read the roll of the missteps and ill-advised decisions and statements Trump has made since taking over the White House, one need only look at the rhetoric he uttered during his recent campaign stops in Tulsa and two Arizona cities. Clearly frustrated by the underwhelming turnout in Tulsa where a reported 6,200 showed up after his team had claimed that over one million people had requested tickets, Trump once again pointed fingers. He blamed protesters, he blamed the Democrats, he blamed the me-
Those who have succumbed to the coronavirus are more than simply dots on a graph. They’re someone’s mother, father, sister, brother, child or close friend. I personally know people who have been impacted by COVID-19 and who now fear that their health will forever be impaired due to their having contracted the virus. And yes, I have friends who have died from the virus. dia – he even took time to admonish “crooked Hillary” in a rehashing of the 2016 campaign which bore no relevance to the current election cycle. But the most telling statements he made which caused me grave concern had to do with COVID-19. He led into his critique by saying that “testing is a double-edged sword.” In light of his determination to reopen America’s cities so that businesses could once again flourish, he said that the recent surge of positive test results reported in dozens of states were due to “too much testing.” Really?!!! “If you test more you’re going to have more positive test results, so I told my Administration to slow the testing down,” Trump said to his audience and to the thousands of empty seats in Tulsa. Normally, Americans look to the president as a leader who models behavior that the rest of the nation can easily follow. But as he stood behind the podium, ranting and raving, he did so without a mask. In fact, he has said that he will not wear a mask as it paints a negative picture when speaking to high level foreign officials. Is that why he’s restarted his political campaign without donning
a mask? Is that why the vast majority of those attending rallies in both Oklahoma and Arizona yelled and screamed without face coverings emitting saliva and breathing in potentially tainted air? Is this the way Donald Trump plans to “keep America great?” I harken readers to consider an oft-cited quotation about the importance of learning from the past. “Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it,” George Santayana tells us. With the great influenza of 1918 having decimated the world’s population more than 100 years ago, it would seem that we would have the common sense to look back at the mistakes which so many political leaders and cities made in their inability or refusal to move with caution before returning to business as usual. Trump continues to ignore the advice of health experts – even those who are part of his own team. For some reason, he seems to believe that the needs of the business community outweigh the needs of public safety and health. Meanwhile, in states like Florida, Texas with huge populations, hospitals are reporting record numbers of patients suffering from COVID-19 while the number of positive cases reach new heights. Trump’s team says that the president was merely joking when he said we’re “testing too much.” I, however, find nothing to laugh about when people are dying by the thousands day after day. Those who have succumbed to the coronavirus are more than simply dots on a graph. They’re someone’s mother, father, sister, brother, child or close friend. I personally know people who have been impacted by COVID-19 and who now fear that their health will forever be impaired due to their having contracted the virus. And yes, I have friends who have died from the virus. This is not a laughing matter. We deserve better leadership. WI
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AROUND THE REGION
Ward Two’s Pinto Articulates Sensitivity to Black District Residents’ Plight By James Wright WI Staff Writer @Jamesdcwrighter
Brooke Pinto, the newest member of the D.C. Council representing Ward 2, will not have a large African American constituency, but her views on issues such as economic development, public safety and education reflect an understanding of the plight of Blacks in the District, particularly those east of the Anacostia River. On June 2, Pinto, a political newcomer, won the Democratic Party primary among a group of candidates, even besting former Council member Jack Evans, who stepped down in January amid an ethics scandal but ran again for his seat. On June 16, Pinto won the special election to serve out the rest of Evans’ term on the council, taking 40 percent of the vote. Pinto, who will be the first woman and third person to represent Ward 2 on the council, expressed humbleness at her political success. “I want to thank the residents of Ward 2 for entrusting with this position and I will work hard to represent the interests of this ward and the entire city on the council,” she told The Informer. Pinto holds a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and her Juris Doctor from the Georgetown University Law Center. After graduating from law school, she worked as D.C.’s assistant attorney general. In February, she decided to run for the council seat, receiving an endorsement from her former boss, Attorney General Karl Racine, who said she would represent the ward well. “Brooke thoroughly understands the importance of listening to the views of all interests that could be impacted by contemplated legislation,” Racine said. “She is a persuasive person who leads by consensus.” Pinto’s ward lies in the southern and western portions of the District, encompassing neighborhoods such as Georgetown, Foggy Bottom, DuPont Circle,
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DESIGNER EYEWEAR 5 Ward 2 Councilmember Brooke Pinto (Courtesy Photo/brookepintoforward2.com)
Logan Circle, Sheridan-Kalorama, Mount Vernon Square, Shaw and a large portion of downtown. The ward includes many of the city’s monuments and museums and landmarks such as the White House and the National Mall. Demographically, African Americans make up 14.95 percent of Ward 2’s population and the poverty level in the ward hovers around 13.3 percent, according to the latest census data. While she will represent a small Black constituency, Pinto expressed her awareness of the challenges faced by many African Americans in the District in the areas of economic development, public safety and education. Regarding economic development, Pinto said she will “focus on lifting up small businesses.” “I want to see that the city’s certified business enterprise program is well-run,” she said. “We want to make sure that our small businesses are set up to succeed and to eliminate any unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles they face. We have a plethora of government programs to help small businesses and they should be utilized.” Pinto said fighting crime will also be a priority, noting that “public safety affects everyone in the city.” She said increasing community policing throughout her ward and in the District and that fair police practices should take place regardless of one’s neighborhood. “I know that if a young person
gets in trouble in the wealthier white neighborhoods, the neighbors rally around that kid and try to help him, but in communities of color, a young person who commits the same offense will be punished, and that is wrong,” Pinto said. Pinto echoes the same sentiments when it comes to education. “There are vast differences in education among the city’s neighborhoods,” she said. “Some schools have problems with classroom sizes and have an unfair teacher-student ratio. We want to give our students a real chance to succeed. Sometimes it has to do with the home life of our students such as whether they had breakfast before they got to school.” Pinto said she will work hard on this issue and others while at the council. She still will be on the campaign trail because she faces Republican Katherine Venice and independent Martin Miguel Fernandez in the November 3 general election for a full four-year term that begins early January 2021. Even though she will be a freshman lawmaker, Nick DelleDonne, president of the DuPont East Civic Action Association, said he and his organization will support her. “I am impressed with the way she reaches out to the community,” DelleDonne said. “I was glad to see her emerge as the winner and we will try to help her.” WI
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AROUND THE REGION CAPTURE THE MOMENT BLACK FATHERS MATTER
The DC Black History Celebration Committee, along with several civil rights, religious and community organizations and leaders, created a DC Black Fathers Matter Project and celebrated Fathers Day by displaying black balloons and black ribbons on trees, storefronts and homes and drove a motorcade through four wards of the city. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)
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“Heal the world. Make it a better place. For you and for me And the entire human race. There are people dying. If you care enough for the living. Make a better place for you and for me [‘Heal the World,’ 1991] – Michael Jackson
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AROUND THE REGION
Ben Jealous Asserts: ‘Racism is Tragic, Racism is Alive’ By William J. Ford WI Staff Writer @jabariwill Ben Jealous will continue his activism work as president for People for the American Way and its foundation that include projects to track right-wing groups, promote gender equality and assess the judicial system. Jealous, former president of the NAACP, will lead an organization with a network of 2,500 Black religious leaders, 2,100 elected officials 35 and younger and more than 1,600 college-age students. The organization also runs bilingual ads to support voting rights and expose anti-immigrant policies against Latinos. “When you look at that against the backdrop of a million bi-racial members, what you see is we are truly the most multi-racial civil rights and civil liberties organization in the country,” Jealous said in an interview Thursday, June 18. “We’re playing out a very powerful role in moving our country forward. What I plan to build is the capacity at the state and local level. The networks we have at the state and local level really give us the opportunity to help accelerate change where people live.” His time as president began June 15, leading the organization established in 1981 by television and film producer Norman Lear, the late Rep. Barbara Jordan of Texas and other business and civil rights leaders. Jealous replaces Michael Keegan, who served as president for 11 years for the progressive organization in Northwest. Once PFAW released a video of Jealous as the group’s new leader, he received praise on social media. “Let’s get to work, @BenJealous!” tweeted Markus Batchelor, DC school board vice president. “I’m proud to work for an organization working for equal justice and progressive values – and to have a fighter like Ben at the helm.” Jealous will take the helm while thousands continue to speak out
against police brutality and other forms of racism amidst the coronavirus pandemic. He talked about his grandmother Mamie Todd, giving his 7-year-old son “the talk” and what he learned as a 2018 Maryland gubernatorial candidate. Here are a few of Jealous’ thoughts in his own words:
‘KEEPS ME GROUNDED’
My grandmother is 103 years old. She’s the oldest member of Delta Sigma Theta in the country. Her grandparents were born into slavery. She’s the griot in our family. She carries with her two centuries of history and culture firsthand. Centuries she’s witnessed herself and a century before that witnessed by her grand-
5 Former NAACP President Ben Jealous will now lead People for the American Way. (Anthony Tilghman/The Washington Informer, File)
parents and great-grandparents and their parents and the stories she heard from them. She keeps me grounded because she kept track of all the changes that have been made in her lifetimes and all of those her ancestors she knew. The other day I was talking to her and I was in a little bit of despair about the state of police reform and the prospect of ending police killings. She said, ‘Baby, this will end the same way lynch mobs did.’ It just cut right through everything. My grandmother understands most people now are too young to remember [that] when she was a little girl, there was no line between where law enforcement ended and the lynch mob began. Lynch mob and law enforcement worked hand in glove. Ending lynch mobs was transforming public safety. Which she also knows is that we never passed federal legislation, whereas we passed state legislation and it was adequate at best. What ended lynch mobs was massive public disapproval and ultimately a widespread, multiracial sense of urgency that this has to stop. She also understands when it comes to the history of Black people in America being killed by law enforcement, there have only been … three traditions were present. Slave masters killing their slaves with impunity as they would a dog. Lynch mobs killing Black people with impunity and notorious violence in the midst of an assured, collective amnesia. The FBI could show up two days later and nobody would remember a thing, even though they were selling postcards with the images. Police being able to kill Black people at will with no consequences. Slavery ends and were down to two. Eighty years later or so, lynch mob violence ends and down to one. Here we are 80 years after the lynch mob violence and whose to say my grandmother’s optimism isn’t well-founded. It’s really what makes the most sense.
THE TALK
My son is growing up with the great love and fascination
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with law enforcement. His great-grandfather was in law enforcement in Baltimore. Our cousins were in the Secret Service in the FBI and other cousins served with the Baltimore Police Department. Our family is a civil rights family and a law enforcement family. Just like a lot of little boys, he has at times dreamt of being a cop. It was heartbreaking [this month] to have to sit with him and to answer his questions about what was going on. He said quite plainly, ‘What do you mean I can’t trust the police?’ I said, ‘No son, you can trust most police officers, but right now we
don’t know which ones you can’t trust and which ones you can.’ You can see a shadow pass over his face and feel his heart break. He’s 7. He loves Star Wars. He wants to believe the world is full of good guys and you can tell them from the bad guys. [The] notion that he has to be responsible for protecting his life when he engages with a police officer broke his heart. Frankly, I don’t think he’ll be the same after that conversation. He had to have ‘The talk.’ Some people like to fantasize that light-skinned Black
JEALOUS Page 28
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PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY POLICE from Page 1 ing to be easy nor quick. The hope comes with the announcement on Friday, June 19 of the interim police chief, Hector Velez, a Latino native of New York City’s Brooklyn borough and 26-year veteran with the department. He served as second-in-command behind his former boss, Hank Stawinski. County Executive Angela Alsobrooks said a national search will be conducted to hire a permanent chief. Stawinki, who served in the department of more 1,600 officers and civilians since 1992, resigned hours after a nearly 100-page report released last week highlighted more than two dozen alleged incidents of systematic racism within the department. For instance, Cpl. Richard Torres, a Latino, was transferred from the department’s investigation unit down to the patrol bureau after he complained about a white sergeant who texted “NECA,” a derogatory term about a Black resident and a suspect. Since 2016, Lt. Thomas Boone, who’s Black, made several complaints to supervisors that include former Police Chief Hank Stawinski about
racially insensitive and offensive pictures, inappropriate language and unfair hiring practice. In October 2018, a superior officer informed Boone he would be transferred to the property division, but instead reassigned to the patrol bureau. Torres, Boone and other Black and Latino officers filed a lawsuit in December 2018 against the department that remains ongoing. The report released Thursday, June 18 and written by Michael E. Graham, a former 33year veteran of the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department, coincides with the suit and a legal brief filed in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt. “The department’s policies for handling complaints about racial harassment and discrimination are inadequate,” Graham wrote. “There are practices within the department that result in serious allegations of misconduct being treated differently when the charges are made against white officers as opposed to officers of color. In addition, the current leadership of the department appears to have made a deliberate choice not to track or monitor its performance concerning these matters.” Alsobrooks said the report had no
bearing on the departure of Stawinski, whom she worked with on various public safety projects and programs for more than 10 years. “This is a decision I arrived at with much thought and it did not have anything to do with the report,” she said. “He’s a native-born Prince Georgian. We certainly appreciate his work, his service and his sacrifice of both he and his family. He has served this department and he served our community well and served it with great integrity.”
FUTURE CHANGES, RECOMMENDATIONS
Alsobrooks, who declined to comment on the report and current suit, said she understands there are certain parts of the broken that need an overhaul. One pledge she already made will be allocating $20 million from the police department’s capital budget for a safety training facility to build a structure to help officers and residents deal with mental health and substance. It would be presented to County Council and added to existing bond legislation to place on the November ballot. “Whatever we find that is broken, I assure you that I will fix it,” she said. Velez said a comprehensive view of the department by “someone on the outside” to analyze strengths and weaknesses. “Once we have that analysis, then we can move forward from there,” he said. “At this point, it is analyzing where we are as an agency today.” Boone, a 22-year veteran with the police department, said a recommendation would be to hire officers who live in Prince George’s.
5 Prince George’s County’s interim Police Chief Hector Velez speaks during a June 19 press conference. He will serve while a nationwide search begins for a permanent leader. (William J. Ford/The Washington Informer)
During a County Council briefing June 16 that included Stawinski, it became revealed two officers resided in Pennsylvania. “When you live here, you shop here and see the people on a regular basis like I do, you have a little bit the respect from people and they’re not just calling you officer. They knew who you are and keep it moving.” Collaboration between the police department and other county agencies in terms of releasing information on police misconduct cases must also be improved. Braveboy and Keith Lotridge, a district public defender for the county, acknowledged the rare occurrence to receive information on cases that involve officers. The Graham report, which was redacted by the county because of confidentiality, hasn’t been
Maryland Lawmakers Review Police Standards, Practices By William J. Ford WI Staff Writer @jabariwill Before Maryland lawmakers began to focus on police policies and procedures, Del. Vanessa Atterbeary told a short story about police harassing her father and assaulting her brother. The Montgomery County delegate also mentioned how she was once stopped and questioned by several police officers after leaving a bank “because a Black woman had committed a crime nearby.” Atterbeary read off several names of Blacks killed by police officers during the first virtual
12 - JUNE 25 - JULY 1, 2020
meeting Tuesday of a work group assembled to assess police reform and accountability in the state. The death of George Floyd, who was killed last month when a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes, has sparked nationwide protests over other Blacks killed by police such as Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky; Ahmaud Arbery in Glynn County, Georgia; and Eric Garner in New York City. Lawmakers subsequently have begun to present policy recommendations, such as a budget cut of $150 million for the Los Angeles Police Department. Locally, Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks proposes to reallocate $20 million
from the police department capital budget toward operating a mental health and substance abuse facility. Now the Maryland legislature, which is overwhelmingly Democrat, plans to craft similar bills once the Maryland General Assembly convenes in January. Exactly one week before Tuesday’s meeting, House Speaker Adrienne Jones along with all 98 Democrats in the House signed a letter to Republican Gov. Larry Hogan to request he sign an executive order to require officers to intervene when another officer uses excessive force, ban the use of chokeholds and ban police shooting at vehicles, unless for deadly force against another person.
During Tuesday’s meeting, it was pointed out that the 24-member Maryland State Training and Standards Commission is made primarily of law enforcement officials that oversee rules and regulations of other police agencies. Charles County Sheriff Terry D. Berry, also acting chair of the commission, said police agencies “were encouraged” to revise policies such as implementing “sanctity of life.” Berry said officers are given use for force training that began in the police academy. In addition, he said the use of chokeholds are not taught nor approved by the commission.
POLICE REFORM Page 39
provided to the state’s attorney’s office as of Friday. One main reason rest with the Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights, created by state law to provide officers under criminal investigation the right to an attorney and other Constitutional rights regular citizens received. However, critics say the law known as LEOBR provides a lack of transparency and allows officers several days to receive a formal interview and investigation after certain incidents such as police-involved shootings. State lawmakers are working on police reform to present possible legislation when the General Assembly reconvenes in January, but Braveboy said she’ll work Alsobrooks and other county agencies to make more records transparent. “We will work … to try to reach a consensus on information we will be able to acquire so we can effectively prosecute with integrity,” she said. “We cannot protect cases. We must protect justice and justice requires transparency.” Bob Ross, president of the county NAACP branch, said the appointment of Velez represents a new chapter in the county. Ross praised Alsobrooks in seeking to bring community leaders and other residents to assist in public service changes, which includes her plan to create work group to examine the policies and practices of the police department. “All about healing, about transparency and how do we build a better Prince George’s County. That is our goal,” he said. “I would just love to move forward and not talking about what had happened. That’s done and over with. This is a new day in Prince George’s County.” WI
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PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY Prince George’s County Residents Protest for Black Lives By William J. Ford WI Staff Writer @jabariwill
With Prince George’s County continuing seeking to improve its police department, some residents continue to push for transparency to restructure that department and other law enforcement agencies in the county. During a rally outside the Fairmount Heights police station Monday, organizers highlighted a simple message that Black lives should matter in a majority-Black jurisdiction. They also presented a list of demands for elected officials such as: include community input to hire a new county police chief, eliminate school resource officers in the schools, pass a law prohibiting the use of excessive force and ensure police officers live in the county. “The list of demands are growing as we look at other jurisdictions around this country,” said Krystal Oriadha, co-founder of the LGBTQ Dignity Project, who helped organize the rally and march. “The ability for officers…to assault someone and be out on paid leave. None of us can go to work, assault someone and commit murder and get paid. There’s so much work that needs to be done.” Monday marked the fourth rally Oriadha and Amity Pope, president of Our Prince George’s, organized to force county leaders to institute change, especially within a police department laced with allegations of systematic racism and retaliatory practices. Fairmount Heights became the chosen location to highlight violence against women. Earlier this year, former a grand jury indicted a former Fairmount Heights police officer on charges of first- and second-degree rape, assault and other charges after he arrested a woman for a traffic stop. An investigation determined the former officer, Martique Vanderpool, is HIV-positive. The inclement weather Monday didn’t deter the more than two dozen people on hand from rallying for justice. “I saw the video of George Floyd. It just made me realize there’s a time
for a change all over this country,” said Terry Thomas, 18, who graduated last month from Bishop McNamara High School in Forestville and will attend Howard University in the fall. “For my peers, show some things on social media and how things relate to them. That’s one of the best ways to learn to come out and make a different.” As residents fight for equality on the streets, a court battle continues for those incarcerated in the county jail. A virtual court briefing took place Monday to determine whether the county’s Department of Corrections has conducted a plan to provide COVID-19 testing for inmates and improved sanitary conditions. U.S. District Court Judge Paula Xinis ruled last month that jail officials have “recklessly disregarded” the health of inmates during the coronavirus pandemic. According to court documents, temperature check logs showed records “were spotty and did not reflect the purported twice-daily checks.” In some cases, detainees had temperatures that ranged between 96 degrees and low as 90 degrees “indicative of hypothermia.” No temperature recorded rose above 99 degrees, although the jail said 18 inmates contracted the virus. The judge requested jail officials present comprehensive plans on its treatment of detainees, training of staff and the number of coronavirus tests administered. The judge ruled Monday jail officials, a defendant in the case, have provided a plan such as hiring six additional nurses to treat patients. Also, staff participating in twohour training sessions and must receive a passing grade of 80 percent or better. In addition, she summarized how the law isn’t designed for the courts “to be a super-warden” in overseeing jails and prisons. “Does the defendant have some work to do? Yes, but perfection is not the standard,” the judge said. Katie Chamblee-Ryan, senior attorney for Civil Rights Corps, a nonprofit organization in Northwest that filed the suit in April against the county jail, said Monday’s decision is one of many steps in the legal process.
“The law in this country is not very protective of people who are in prison,” she said. “We’ve been spending weeks talking to people in this jail. Their lives do matter. We are going to fight as hard as we possibly can to prove what’s going on in that jail.” WI
4 Krystal Oriadha (right) leads chants while marching through Fairmount Heights on June 22 to protest police brutality, violence against women and racism. (Anthony Tilghman/The Washington Informer)
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BUSINESS At the height of the pandemic, Ready Responders solidified its presence in Montgomery County, Maryland senior homes and homeless shelters. In recent weeks, Coln and her colleagues have collaborated with District organizers to set up workshops in communities where residents can learn about COVID-19 prevention and schedule a visit from a medical professional who’ll test them in the comfort of their home. One partnership that’s currently in the works involves the Cure the Streets contingent patrolling Washington Highlands in Southeast. Despite the incremental success and a desire among the asymptomatic to take a COVID-19 test, Coln said she anticipates having to combat an increasingly lackadaisical attitude among some people caught up in the news cycle and not focused on the pandemic. “You hear people say it’s not really
a problem, and with the different direction the news has gone in, it’s not being drilled into your head,” Coln said. “Now you have to search for the numbers and you don’t know how it affects your particular community. People don’t know if the people close to them are being directly affected.” As of Monday, indoor dining and commerce within non-essential businesses have been allowed at 50 percent, while houses of worship can function with no more than 100 congregants. Parks, libraries and gyms have also reopened with similar restrictions, all as a sign of what some described as a long-awaited quasi-return to normalcy. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) announced the implementation of Phase 2 last week as city officials marked the 15th consecutive day of a decline in coronavirus cases. Those figures have since been challenged by those concerned about the contact tracing rate standing at nearly 70 percentage points lower than what had been intended. Additionally, as people continue to protest police brutality and tear down symbols of white supremacy, sometimes without protective face covering, public health officials express fear that coronavirus cases will once again rise. Thus has been the case in Florida where a spike in COVID-19 infections had been reported last weekend. As of June 22, more than 10,000 people in the District have contracted the coronavirus, and 535 have died. Despite the incremental openings, Bowser, falling in line with Nation-
There are no chairs at the bar. And in the middle room, tables have been moved farther apart. Players Lounge now utilizes its patio with a handful of tables and two chairs on each side. Meanwhile, customers will now find their meals served on white Styrofoam trays instead of the usual plates with plastic utensils replacing silverware. When customers complete their meals, booths and tables will be wiped down immediately with cleaning fluids. Thompson said she expects the volume of her business to pick up as Phase Two sets in. “We have loyal customers here and we know they are going to come back,” she said. “We just have to get through this timeframe.” Phase Two includes some government services becoming available to customers albeit on a limited basis. On June 23, the District’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) opened its offices to residents on an appoint-
ment-only basis and with social distancing measures in place. At the Benning Road NE DMV office, James Murray, with face mask on, stood in line waiting to be served. “I came here today because I had an appointment,” Murray said. “I am here to get my license changed because I am moving back into the city. To me, the process looks good. We have to do this because of the coronavirus. It’s better to be safe than sorry.” Another government agency, the D.C. Public Library, has some branches such as the Dorothy I. Height Benning Branch in Ward 7 open on a limited basis with services that include: returning or picking up materials on hold through the online service and checking out “grab and go” items. One branch now operates in each ward. However, patrons cannot enter buildings, instead being served through a front-door desk with plastic coverings to protect employees and patrons.
Local Organizers Attempt to Boost COVID-19 Testing By Sam P.K. Collins WI Contributing Writer @SamPKCollins Amid large protests, fears about another spike in coronavirus cases and struggles to meet contact tracing goals, the District entered Phase 2 of its reopening plan this week. While many across the District have embraced these changes, some local health professionals and organizers continue to exercise caution, advising residents to remain vigilant and embrace testing, the wearing of protective masks and social distancing. “We’re not educated on the preventative measures, risks and symptoms,” said Tamara Coln, a community engagement lead for Ready Responders, a national provider of in-home medical care, which now includes testing for COVID-19, the potentially deadly respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
PHASE 2 from Page 1 Phase Two allows restaurants to offer indoor dining to its customers unlike Phase One, in which carryout and delivery services could only be offered. Restaurants can only be filled to 50 percent capacity with social distancing measures and face masks remaining in effect. Georgene Thompson, the co-owner of Players Lounge, a soul food establishment located in the Congress Heights neighborhood in Ward 8, could not have been happier that the dine-in option has been restored. “It was a struggle for us a bit when we couldn’t have people come in to the restaurant and eat but we somehow made it work,” Thompson said. “Now we are able to have people come in and have a meal. It will be good to see people come here and have a good time with us.” In the front room of Players Lounge, a booth has been removed to meet the requirements of social distancing.
14 - JUNE 25 - JULY 1, 2020
5 Local health professionals and organizers are offering workshops to educate residents on the prevention of COVID-19 and encouraging residents to embrace testing. (Roy Lewis/The Washington Informer)
al Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci, said that safety wouldn’t be guaranteed until after the production of a coronavirus vaccine. Since D.C. entered a public health state of emergency, the D.C. Department of Health, in conjunction with government and private partners, has launched testing sites at local hospitals, clinics and other places for the symptomatic and asymptomatic alike. Fire stations have also joined the list as walk-in hubs for coronavirus testing. However, not even the influx of testing sites has laid to rest confusion about who can get tested. Even so, some residents such as Patrice Lancaster insist that District officials find a means to boost coronavirus testing, and gather a more accurate account of
the pandemic’s local impact. In recent weeks, Lancaster, a community organizer and consultant, has fostered connections with Coln and community organizations to increase COVID-19 testing. Now, it’s time for the D.C. government to step in, she said. “A certain element should be added [to the District’s reopening], and that element should be testing,” Lancaster told The Informer. “A certain percentage of the population should be getting tested to make the data more valuable to those that are trying to flatten the curve. “I don’t know if that’s a benchmark in Phase Two,” she added. “The number of COVID-19 cases have gone up, and that might have been alleviated if people were proactive in the testing.” WI
However, on June 29, some library branches will offer limited personal computer service, with patrons practicing social distancing and wearing face masks while using the machines. During the day, the branches will be closed for an hour for cleaning and sanitizing. Phase Two regulations mandate a building’s capacity of patrons and staff cannot be more than 50 percent.
On July 6 and July 13, more branches throughout the District will open with limited service. Clarice Johnson came to the Benning branch and expressed disappointment that she could not use the computers. “I came all the way here and found out I won’t be able to use the computers and I can’t even get into the library,” she said. “Well, hopefully that is for the best.” WI
5 Players Lounge customers wait for service. (WI File Photo)
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Scam Artists Take Advantage of Senior Citizens Amidst Pandemic
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Legal Counsel For The Elderly Raises Awareness of Fraud Efforts By Lindiwe Vilakazi WI Contributing Writer The COVID-19 health pandemic has brought increased assistance for District residents but also served as a boon for scam artists who have targeted senior citizens. While many District residents are connected to open sources of information by way of the internet and a healthy social network, most elderly individuals remain less engaged and unaware of suspicious activity and theft attempts. “We’re all isolated right now but seniors, even more so. Isolation, we know, can lead to loneliness and that could make someone more likely to stay on the phone with someone they don’t know longer, or maybe to answer the door and start chatting with a stranger, or be online more,” said Deborah Cuevas Hill, Senior Staff Attorney for The Legal Counsel for The Elderly’s Consumer Advocacy and Home Preservation Practice. Reports provided by the organization note increases of targeted seniors being solicited by individuals offering paid services to help elderly residents apply for unemployment, selling fake COVID-19 vaccines and a plethora of fraudulent services. Scammer creativity crosses the threshold of telephone or mailing inquiries, as many scam attempts transcend into cybercrimes where ruthless individuals pin elder residents’ email accounts or provide false links which replicate reputable organizations like the Centers for Disease Control, the World Health Organization and others. The current health pandemic, which has forced most residents to stay in their homes, has created longer idle periods for seniors citizens, leaving many to be more susceptible to fraudulent outreach. “Some seniors have been able to accumulate a “nest egg” so to speak, so they have some accumu-
lated wealth and they’re on a fixed income,” Cuevas Hill said. “So that isolation coupled with a nest egg that scammers want to wipe out makes seniors a prime target.” The intrusive fraud attempts present a serious threat beyond senior resident’s financial security including threats to their physical well-being. Fraud artists continue to conduct physical canvasing when soliciting potential victims, knocking on doors, or slipping flyers under resident entries. The Elder Abuse section of the District Office of Attorney General works to investigate inquiries reported by residents in regards to fraud attempts on senior citizens. The Legal Counsel for The Elderly encourages family members to pay attention to conversations with elderly family members. Elderly residents who mention speaking with someone offering gift cards or being asked to provide personal information such as their date of birth or social security number, especially from individuals with whom family members are unfamiliar, should raise red flags. “You would hope that your senior loved one would give that level or detail, but really just listening to how they’re doing and who they’re talking to would be something I would advise,” Cuevas Hill said. WI
Reports provided by the organization note increases of targeted seniors being solicited by individuals offering paid services to help elderly residents apply for unemployment, selling fake COVID-19 vaccines and a plethora of fraudulent services.
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NATIONAL Pennsylvania Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Cosby Appeal By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia In a significant legal victory for Bill Cosby, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has agreed to hear the appeal of his 2018 conviction on charges of indecent aggravated assault. In a stunning ruling handed down on Tuesday, June 23, the court noted it’s allowing the appeal on two specific issues. The first addresses the socalled prior bad acts witnesses. Cosby’s attorneys argued that six additional women were unlawfully allowed to testify against him based on unproven and uncharged allegations from decades earlier. The women claimed Cos-
by had provided them Quaaludes, which prosecutors claimed to fit a specific pattern of behavior exhibited by the comedian. District Attorney Kevin Steele claimed that Cosby had a habit of drugging and assaulting women. Cosby was convicted of three counts of aggravated indecent assault after Steele filed charges in 2014. Those charges stemmed from accusations made by former Temple University employee Andrea Constand who said Cosby drugged her in 2003 or 2004 and then placed his hands inside her pants. Constand, who under cross-examination admitted a long-term relationship with Cosby, was allegedly provided two Benadryl tablets from Cosby which Con-
5 Bill Cosby has been granted the right to appeal his sexual assault conviction. (Courtesy photo)
stand claimed paralyzed her. Cosby’s team and police reports indicated that Cosby and Constand had an affair that included petting and kissing. Both admitted that they never engaged in intercourse. The two later settled a civil case for nearly $4 million. Cosby has languished in a Pennsylvania prison since September of 2018, serving a three
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to 10-year sentence. The state Appellate Court denied his earlier requests for relief. The state’s highest court routinely denies hearing cases, particularly sexual assault cases, but the panel has now agreed to hear Cosby. The judges cited the “unduly remote in time in that the allegations were more than 15 years old and, in some instances, dated back to the 1970s.” The court also cited Cosby’s attorney’s plea that the prior bad act allegations lacked “any striking similarities or close factual nexus to the conduct for which Cosby was on trial.” They argued that the Appellate Court erred in affirming the admission of such evidence. The state Supreme Court also cited Cosby’s lawyer’s argument that former Montgomery County District Attorney Bruce Castor promised Cosby that he would never be charged with any crime related to the Constand matter. In exchange, the comedian waived his fifth amendment rights and testified in a civil deposition related to his relationship with Constand. The attorneys said the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office had even issued a formal public statement reflecting that agreement. Castor, who lost his re-election
bid to Steele in 2014, previously told Black Press USA that Cosby was “being illegally prosecuted.” “I can’t stand silent while the [current prosecutor] breaks a solid agreement and break the oath of this office,” Castor said. The Supreme Court did not issue a hearing date and it remains unclear if Cosby would now be eligible for bail. “We’re extremely thankful to the State Supreme Court of Pennsylvania for agreeing to review Mr. Cosby’s appeal. America and the world are witnessing the 23rd day of protests regarding the abuse and murder of Black people, not just at the hands of corrupt police officers; but these extremely vital and important protests are exposing the corruption that lies within the criminal justice system [district attorneys and judges),” Cosby’s spokesman Andrew Wyatt proclaimed in a statement. “As we have all stated, the false conviction of Bill Cosby is so much bigger than him – it’s about the destruction of all Black people and people of color in America. We’re extremely thankful to our attorneys Brain Perry, Jennifer Bonjean and Barbara Zemlock for their tenacious efforts in fighting for the vindication of Mr. Cosby. WI
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Black Women’s Voting Power Comes From Ancestors in Suffrage Movement By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer @StacyBrownMedia This is part of an ongoing Washington Informer series about the Women’s Suffrage Movement and an initiative that includes Informer Publisher Denise Rolark Barnes that will use the lens of history, the fabric of art and culture and the venue of the public square to shine a light into dark places, equipping all with a compass to chart the way forward. The initiative lives in the institutional home of the Washington Informer Charities. The race for the Black woman vote is on, but the frantic attempt to secure their support stands as a reminder of the vital role that Black women played in the suffrage movement.
“Black women wield so much power because they are the driving force of any institution, whether it be in the public or private sphere,” said Veronique Ehamo, a human rights activist and doctoral candidate in politics and international relations with a focus on African studies. “When given the opportunity, Black women not only thrive but excel immeasurably,” Ehamo said. “Take college education statistics as an example. Historically, through an awareness of intersectionality, Black women could not devote just individual efforts for African Americans or women suffrage. It is important to acknowledge the crucial role black women played in getting the 15th and 19th Amendments passed.” Now, decades past suffrage
movements, with firm allegiance, Black women continue vocally supporting agendas that cater to the betterment of lives of people of color, Ehamo said. “Not only do we show up, but we influence others to take part in the voting process, canvas for politicians, and campaign on the front lines for mutual objectives,” she said. “To maintain an upstanding partnership with Black female voters, both Democrats and Republicans should be cognizant of all mentioned key factors. Assuring the interest of Black women is being met by their political platforms is paramount.” It’s also notable that presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden is seeking a woman — likely one of color — as his vice president.
5 Black women continue legacy of protest. (Photo by Michael Fleshman)
Former U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice, former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, California Sen. Kamala Harris and Florida Rep. Val Demings — all women of color — are among the contenders. Recently, Sen. Amy Klobuchar
(D-Minn.) pulled out as a potential candidate stating that Biden should choose a woman of color for the post. “In 2016, with the impending election, I began singing songs
SUFFRAGE Page 40
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AU Sanctions South Sudan Over $9M Membership Debt The African Union (AU) has suspended South Sudan from the continental body over failure to honour its financial obligations over the past three years. A letter from the country’s mission in Ethiopia to the Foreign Affairs Ministry confirmed the development, saying the amount in question came up to over $9 million, Africanews reported on June 21. The Xinhua News Agency said the Ministry had confirmed the suspension from the Addis Ababa-based body. In clarifying the extent of the suspension, Hakim Edward, spokesperson for the deputy of foreign affairs, said Juba’s AU membership, attained in July 2011, remained intact except that the country cannot participate in AU meetings. “We would like to confirm to the public that South Sudan is one of the countries that have been sanctioned by the AU due to lack of yearly financial contributions,” Edward said in a statement late last week. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs would like to assure the public that it is coordinating with the Ministry of Finance to resolve the matter not only with the AU but with other regional bodies,” he added. Local news outlet Eye Radio also reported that South Sudan has a lot of unpaid arrears to regional, international and global bodies to which it subscribes. The country is also yet to clear its arrears to the East African Community to which it owes about $24 million. South Sudan, which seceded from Sudan in July 2011, joined the African Union later that month, becoming the 54th member. A year ago, the AU’s Peace and Security Council voted to suspend neighboring Sudan from all AU activities until a civilian government has been formed. The decision followed violent military action against pro-democracy activists who helped toppled the government of Omar Al-Bashir. The council made the announcement after a meeting in Addis Ababa of the member states of the pan-continental body. The country’s membership was restored after the ruling military council and opposition groups agreed to share power in a transition to democracy. WI
caribbean now Sir Hilary Urges Britain to Implement Lewis Development Model for Caribbean Sir Hilary Beckles, chairman of the CARICOM Reparations Commission and vice chancellor of the University of the West Indies, has once again called on Britain to come back to the table to discuss reparatory justice for the Caribbean economy. Sir Hilary was giving the feature address at a recently held Symposium to honor the life and work of St. Lucian Nobel Laureate Sir Arthur Lewis. The symposium, held virtually on June 15, was hosted by the CARICOM Reparations Commission in collaboration with the Saint Lucia National Reparations Committee and the Nobel Laureates Festival Committee, Saint Lucia. The event included numerous prominent scholars, economists and public officials who paid tribute to Saint Lucian-born economist and Nobel Prize winner Sir William Arthur Lewis. Dame Pearlette Louisy, former governor general of St. Lucia and chair of the Nobel Laureates Festival Committee, was also present and gave welcoming remarks. According to Sir Hilary, Britain should come back to the table to discuss what Arthur Lewis had asked for in 1939: A reparations package for the Caribbean based upon the 200 years of unpaid labor that has enriched Britain. He said Caribbean governments had exerted heroic efforts in the past 50 to 60 years to clean up Britain’s colonial mess as a precondition for economic development and transformation. “That colonial mess has largely overwhelmed the Caribbean,” Sir Hilary said. “Poverty has been increasing. Slum habitation has now revealed the extent of it and the immorality of Britain exiting the Caribbean on the cheap and within the context of punishing the Caribbean. We are asking for a return to the Lewis model where a Marshall plan must be rolled up for the Caribbean that includes the cancellation of all debt, investment in education, investment in public health, cleaning up the mess of ghettoization of the people of the Caribbean.” WI
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HEALTH Marylanders Encouraged to Enroll in State’s Health Insurance Program By William J. Ford WI Staff Writer @jabariwill
Marylanders who still haven’t filed their state tax returns and need health insurance have less three weeks to do so. The Maryland Easy Enrollment Health Insurance program provides residents with an option to share information such as household size and income to see if
they’re eligible for free or low-cost insurance. A person simply checks a box that will be assessed by the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange to determine eligibility. The deadline to enroll is July 15. So far, more than 40,000 people have checked the box on their income tax returns since the program launched in January, thanks to legislation passed by the General Assembly. About 4,000
residents have already enrolled, mostly in Medicaid. To remind Marylanders about the enrollment program, a digital ad featuring Baltimore Orioles legend Eddie Murray will run through July 15. “We’re very blessed to be in Maryland. Maryland is really a leader in a very humble way,” said Del. Joseline Peña-Melnyk (D-District 21) of College Park, who sponsored legislation in the House to establish the exchange program that marked Maryland as the first state in the nation to create one. Earlier this month, Colorado lawmakers passed a similar measure for an easy enrollment program that will go into effect in 2022 when people file tax returns next year. As other states continue to seek ways to provide health insurance during the coronavirus pandemic and maintain provisions of the Affordable Care Act passed in 2010, a federal lawsuit looms later this year. Republican-led states and backed by the Trump administration filed a lawsuit in the U.S.
5 The six-step process of how Marylanders can enroll for health insurance (Courtesy of Maryland Health Connection)
Supreme Court to determine if individual mandate in the ACA is unconstitutional. If the court rules in favor of the administration, then major provisions would be eliminated such as patients losing coverage for preexisting conditions. Additionally, parents with children 26 or younger would be taken off their parent’s health insurance plan. Maryland lawmakers approved legislation this year to codify those provisions into law. “We decided to not wait to see
what the Supreme Court does and we codified into Maryland law a number of consumer protections,” said state Sen. Brian Feldman (D-Montgomery County), who sponsored the bill in the Senate. “In the event the Supreme Court rules the ACA unconstitutional, in Maryland, you’re going to be protected.” Peña-Melnyk and Feldman, two of the state leading lawmakers on health care legislation, par-
HEALTHPage 40
Virginia: Open with care. COVID-19 isn’t over. We’re making progress, but we can’t leave behind all the safety measures we’ve been taking. They’re working! That’s why, when you visit your local stores, restaurants, and places of worship, they’ll only allow in half as many people as before. And they need all of us to do our part to keep them safe. Please continue to:
6 ft.
Wear a mask in public.
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Wash your hands often.
Get tested if you’re sick!
More at vdh.virginia.gov, or call 2-1-1 for help with food, shelter or safety. 20 - JUNE 25 - JULY 1, 2020
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Black Workers More Likely to Face Retaliation for Voicing Coronavirus Concerns By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer @StacyBrownMedia As more corporations jump into the fray of offering statements of support for African Americans in the aftermath of the police killing of George Floyd and the ensuing protests, a new study paints a story that reveals many companies are speaking out of one side of their mouths. Their practices are in direct contrast to their words of understanding – particularly considering that African Americans were twice as likely to answer “yes” or “maybe” when asked if they or anyone at their company had been punished for raising COVID-19-related safety concerns. A survey by the National Employment Law Project about working conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic confirms that corporate America has treated Black workers categorically worse than white workers during the pandemic. The poll found that Black workers are roughly twice as likely to have been retaliated against by their employers for speaking up about health concerns and requesting time off work. For instance, Amazon fired Black and brown workers who have organized to demand more substantial health and safety protections. Thousands of Instacart workers, many of whom are women of color, are reportedly waiting for face masks and hand sanitizer promised months ago. Three out of every four Black workers who took the survey said they showed up to work during the pandemic even though they believed they might have been seriously risking their health or the health of family members. Fewer than half of white workers said they had done the same.
“Our results suggest that virus transmission in the workplace may be exacerbated by employer repression and that the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on Black communities may be related to greater exposure of Black workers to repressive workplace environments,” the study’s authors wrote. And noted by vice.com, while Black workers at any given worksite tend to be treated worse than their white counterparts, the study’s authors suggest that Black workers, as a whole, tend to work in more repressive environments than white workers. The higher likelihood of retaliation that Black workers face means fewer of them feel safe reporting concerns or have had their concerns addressed. The survey found that Black workers were more than twice as likely to have unresolved concerns about coronavirus at their workplace than white workers. And 39 percent of those workers reported that they had either raised concerns to their employer and did not receive a satisfactory response or did not out of fear of retaliation.
Meanwhile, only 18 percent of white workers found themselves in the same position. “This is saddening to hear and somewhat unsurprising,” Andrew Taylor, director of the Net Lawman. “I can’t believe the world we live in. Still, as I have lived in it for a great number of years, I am actually thankful that such practices are coming to light now. This firm provides legal document templates and law-related services to individuals and businesses who are looking for an alternative to using a traditional firm of lawyers. “My thoughts on this study pushed me to ask about the segregation of employment and where these people are working,” Taylor said. “Obviously, we must focus on the roles Black workers are in to make changes from here.” Amit Raj said he was working parttime as a pharmacist earlier this year when he raised concerns. “As we were working within an office within a warehouse where there were almost no changes to working practice despite the pandemic,” Raj said in an email. “Since we were deemed an ‘essential service,’ we were also not allowed to work from home “Despite bringing this up on many occasions and management being aware, I was first just ignored. And was soon demoted from an assistant manager position.” “However, the reason given for the demotion was that my part-time hours were not allowing me to manage effectively. I have now decided to place my focus on my digital marketing business.” Raj has since founded Amit Digital Marketing. Talia Fox, the CEO of KUSI Training, a global transformational
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Black Music Month #BlackLivesMatter June 2020. Volume 6. Issue 6
ANAIS LAURENT: CREATING CULTURE AT NPR’S TINY DESK PG. 4
MUSIC STARS POST-PANDEMIC PG. 6
TALE OF TWO SOUNDS: GO-GO & PUNK IN THE NATION’S CAPITOL PG. 8
PHOTOS FROM THE #MILLIONMOEMARCH PG. 10
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Lafayette Barnes IV Claudia M. Watts Photography Editor : Lafayette Barnes IV Layout Design : Lafayette Barnes IV Photography : Lafayette Barnes IV, Fernando Castro, Anais Laurent, Agatha Powa, Farrah Skeiky Contributing Writers : Marcus K. Dowling, Maleke Glee, Claudia M. Watts, Elise R. Peterson Editor :
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Letter from the Editor Black people have been creating music for centuries. We have a history rich with melodies of trouble and triumph, and a love for percussion that’s unparalleled. At the forefront of innovation, Black musicians, producers, songwriters and singers have consistently set the tone across genres in the music industry. As a city that has its own style of music (go-go) created by the Black population,Washington, D.C. is a prime example of the intrinsic connection between music and culture, and their value to humanity. The impressions that music leaves on culture shape our experiences and serve as a marker of the times. For the majority of Washingtonians, the fight for go-go has been all but inescapable these last two years. The ongoing movement has served as a unifier across the metropolitan area and a reminder that the sound and the people it speaks to are very much a part of the city’s identity. In celebration of Black Music Month, we cover D.C.’s live music scene, from artists to venues as they regroup and reroute through Covid. We sit down with Anaïs Laurent to discuss NPR’s Tiny Desk and the influence it’s had on exposing D.C. music to a larger audience. We also dive into the tale of D.C.’s musical offspring, punk and go-go, and look at music as a form of activism.
Best, Claudia M. Watts
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ANAIS LAURENT: CREATING CULTURE AT NPR’S TINY DESK Words
Elise R. Peterson | IG: eliserpeterson
“Y’all ni**as got me hot!” proclaims Anderson Paak, seated behind a drum set while performing with The Free Nationals for NPR’s most-watched Tiny Desk performance at 51 million views and counting. It also served as our background music as friends and I, right fists firmly erect, cheered on Black Lives Matter protestors from a stoop on 14th & U St. I had been away from D.C. for nearly ten years before returning. In that time, we’ve watched the rise of contemporary legends like Paak, Noname, and Thundercat rise to international success. I felt a sense of overwhelming pride watching virtually as hometown heroes Chuck Brown, Nick Hakim, and Goldlink amplified D.C. for the inherently, Black cultural hub that it has been historically. The changing optics of the city can be jarring when compared to nearly a decade ago. Institutions like the MetroPCS on Florida Ave that has go-go on round the clock have survived, but how will a culture-laden with nuanced Blackness sustain itself amid gentrification? With millions of eyes on Tiny Desk, what does that mean for Washington? I hopped on a call with NPR publicist, fellow Howard alum, and Maryland native Anaïs Laurent on her role at NPR and how Tiny Desk and D.C. are growing together. Tell me about your role at NPR. I’m a publicist at NPR. Specifically, I deal with NPR music. I’m their publicist, everything from all the different podcasts like Alt.Latino, to of course Tiny Desk, Code Switch, and How I Built It. Essentially, my role is to get people aware of the work they’re doing, looking at the content we have, and determine how we can bring it up a notch and spread the word to a younger and more diverse audience has been my biggest goal. I think a lot of people know of NPR, but they may not know that Tiny Desk is under NPR. I find ways to hook this audience in with new and engaging content.
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Anais Laurent (Courtesy Photo)
ANAIS LAURENT: CREATING CULTURE AT NPR’S TINY DESK
In its earlier years, a lot of people associate the Tiny Desk sound with more indie, folk music. That sound has shifted quite a bit over the years. How has that shift impacted the Tiny Desk audience? For one, we did Tiny Desk Fest last year and Megan Thee Stallion and Phony Ppl kicked the whole thing off. That was a complete shake-up for NPR. It was awesome seeing people in the crowd Shazamming it, not knowing who she was. Twitter was lit, so there’s that dynamic. We brought in a lot of international artists too like Koffee and Burna Boy, so I think we are doing a really good job now of just showing the diversity in music. Something that I think is important to challenge is this notion of what is “Black music”? Black music isn’t necessarily just rap. There’s afrobeat, there’s reggae, there’s dancehall, reggaeton, salsa. At Tiny Desk, there’s a home for all those different genres. Who is in the room? Is it a space that encourages a local presence? Essentially it’s scaffolding. So it’s invite-only and staff are able to bring I believe, two guests outside of NPR staff. When I came in, one of the biggest things I wanted to see was more people that look like me, you know? And I’ve done a lot of that. I’ve brought a lot of local press to make sure it’s not just a staff thing. The presence of the Obama administration catapulted D.C. on the gentrification fast track. We’ve seen integral parts of the culture specifically centered around go-go music be challenged by a transplant community. In 2010, Tiny Desk featured the legendary Chuck Brown, the first go-go performance on the platform. Since then, we’ve seen performances from Rare Essence and Trouble Funk. Why is it important for Tiny Desk to feature Go-go music? For one, this desk is in their home. Just because we are in this building, we can’t ignore that just down the street was Black Hollywood. It’s history. I think it’s imperative that we do that. We’ve had Ari Lennox, Wale, Goldlink, Rare Essence, so I think it’s super important that we are also including the community that’s right in front of us. Yes! And it’s really amazing to see legends like Chuck Brown, Rare Essence and Trouble Funk be featured, and then usher in this new sound of the area. Do you think Tiny Desk can be accredited to shaping or amplifying the new sound of the DMV? Yea, totally! I think that again, it’s really become a way for us to discover new music. You get on Youtube, you search these artists and end up in this dark hole of a bunch of new music you’ve probably never heard of before. I definitely do want to get more local artists [and] more international artists, because I think it’s definitely worth noting that D.C. is such a melting pot of cultures. We are multidimensional. I think it’s cool that Tiny Desk mirrors that. There feels like two prominent cultures in D.C.: The political and the inherent Black culture that built the city. Do you think music is inherently political? Do you think these musicians performing in D.C. make these performances inherently political? I think art is political and it always has been. Fashion is political. Wearing your hair natural, that is a political statement, you know what I mean? And I think that’s fire. It's like to me art has always created change. The world is at a real turning point. What’s next for the city? What’s next for NPR? How do those two trajectories align? I think it's acknowledging that the world is changing. It’s the browning of the world. Not the browning of America, the browning of the world. I think a lot of people need to wake up if they haven’t, and understand that your content needs to reflect the diversity of the world. You see that our new CEO completely gets that. One of his top priorities is to emphasize that we need to be creating content that reaches younger and more diverse audiences. Granted, Tiny Desk is definitely one of those avenues, but we need more…I think a lot of people are doing that work. Times are changing and the there’s a lot of opportunity in that. It’s also understanding our history. I went to Howard and I’m a local and I had no idea that U Street was this Black Hollywood. People are walking by there every day not knowing that energy is right there. I think education is just so important. You should be proud to walk down the street in D.C. Hold your head up high. That’s a beautiful thing. It’s paying homage to that, education, and then understanding that we do need to have a pulse on the culture and what’s next.
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Words Marcus K. Dowling | IG: marcuskdowling
music stars post-pandemic One hundred days removed from the twin scourges of a global pandemic and sociocultural strife, musical melodies are emerging to lift our spirits more than soothe our nerves. In contemplating how a few D.C.-based musicians survived COVID-19 and racial unrest, a sense of thinking broadly about music as a creative outlet and mechanism of personal growth emerges. In speaking to singer/songwriter duo April and Vista, soul musician and vocalist Aaron Abernathy, and rapper/producer Awthentik, a well-rounded sense of how talented musicians cope with the state of a reemerging world becomes clear. "We were set to tour with Little Dragon in April, but when the tour cancellations started rolling in, we knew we'd have to adjust quite a bit this year," Matt Vista says. Thus, April George's barely audible, yet emotionally resonant sigh following Vista's words gives the sense of a duo still making music, but also forging forward attempting to shake free of the weight of a dream deferred.
“Before COVID, the music industry was moving at such a pace where you couldn't slow down and think about what you're making. That caused a lot of good music to be seen as forgettable, possibly," George notes.
"Now, there's no reason to rush anymore, which should inspire more memorable music [to be released]." As far as when we can expect that music, George adds, "we're not trying to fall into the trap of putting something out immediately. This is some of our best collaborative work, yet. We're working with the best musicians we've worked with, too." Adding an emphatic note that may give a peek into two significant goals -- touring and releasing -- in their future, Matt Vista notes, "we're going to continue to take our time. It's not the responsibility of the artist to chase the industry. Instead, it's the industry's job to pursue art.” Aa Aaron Abernathy is a globally-touring soul artist whose music schedule typically found him spending as much on Germany's Autobahn as it does the Capital Beltway. However, when not playing music, he's a bit of a self-described introvert. Moreover, his January 2020 release Affirmations wasn't his usual soulful rhythm and blues. Instead, it featured a collection of yoga meditations meant to inspire mental clarity and positivity. Having a 100-day touring break inspired him to re-double his efforts in discovering a higher plane of creative rejuvenation.
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April and Vista | Photography by Agatha Powa
“Once the industry shut down, the album I was going to put out, the touring I was going to do? As an independent creative, I'm just left to sit here and see where my brain goes. Having time allowed me the ability, most importantly, to reconnect with my heart. Once I learned where it was going to go, that's the direction I took.”
Awthentik's thoughtful pauses showcase his resolute demeanor during the pandemic. His words share thoughts speaking to rekindling heartfelt inspirations related to his music. "I'm sometimes unsure if music is even the solution for right now. In many ways, music doesn't feel as timeless as it once did." The rapper/producer's time of late has seen him getting active, focusing his photographic lens on the Black Lives Matter protests in Downtown D.C.. Seeing so many Black people mobilizing their voices for justice has inspired him in the studio, too. "The streaming era plus music having a greater impact from being used for advertising has microwaved projects," he notes. He offers a studied note on how music could best advance itself as an industry driven by activist-style art while being mindful of creatives needing to amplify their voices. "If we must make music right now, it's the time to be even more conscious than usual about what we're saying. It's a time to be as truthful and message-oriented as possible." Ultimately Ultim though, artists are most excited about the potential of, even if socially distanced, playing their music live in front of crowds willing to receive the fruits of their creative labor aurally. "Our first shows back better be lit!," says April and Vista's April George, unable to hide her excitement about safely breaking quarantine. Awthentik's words temper George's enthusiasm with a level of gravitas, perhaps speaking to music's profound impact upon the world's future. "I think we, as artists, all feel like we've created some of our most timeless material during this period." Awthentik | Photography by Fernando Castro
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Tale of Two Sounds Go-Go & Punk in the Nation’s Capital
Neighborhoods that lay along the green line and the red line are very different; their respective counties, Prince George's and Montgomery have distinct histories, cultures, and populations. However, the District brings these ends of the region together, often around culture. For Black D.C. natives and Prince Georgians, go-go was the de-facto sound before Mayor Muriel Bowser legislated it as the “Official Music of D.C.” in February.
Words Maleke Glee | IG: majahmal
Photography Farrah Skeiky | IG: reallyfarrah
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Pure Disgust D.C. hardcore band.
Go-go holds relevance in D.C. because it’s the soundtrack to parts of the city not often observed by tourists, or afforded equitable attention by the city government. Since Sin its inception in the 1970s, the poly-rhythmic percussive sound has sonically represented the once Chocolate City. Go-go was inescapable as it played in clubs, schools, recreation centers, and even barbershops. It was the sound of Black D.C. As gentrification pushed out much of the native Black population, the go-go scene adjusted and continues to maneuver a new landscape.
At this moment, given the #DontMuteDC Movement, Moechella, and the newly debuted Go-Go Museum and Café, go-go is getting much overdue attention. For the genre’s creators, this attention needs to be matched with stabilizing city funding and legislation. The city has placed challenges on go-go’s development, namely in club restrictions that severed bands’ relationships with venues. Meanwhile, D.C.'s punk scene echoes from the city expanding Mea throughout Montgomery County. Punk music was introduced in the late 1970s with immediate reception. Its roots reflect the global trend in the time of inception, namely the movement from the British punk scene. What made punk in D.C. unique was its acknowledgment of its posture, nestled in a political city. The punk scene, similar to go-go, directly addresses injustices, on and off the stage. It is an escape, presenting pr a world different from the conservative streets of D.C., full of happy hour bars and government employees. At night, clubs and basements blast loud with punk fans bouncing and yelling in sync with the grudge sound.
Together, punk and go-go set D.C. apart from other east coast cities.
Together, punk and go-go set D.C. apart from other east coast cities. The music scene in D.C. is insular, with substantial local patronage, and a few whose visibility grew nationally, and internationally. Outside of the Beltway, punk bands Bad Brains, Fugazi and Minor Threat represent a generation. Chuck Brown, E.U., and Trouble Funk represent a go-go generation outside of the Beltway with national and international fan bases. Within the Beltway, these genres encompass dozens, if not hundreds of bands over their over four-decade existence. While perhaps not intentional collaboration, the genres support a cultural ecosystem of creative entrepreneurs who provided promotional and technical support. p The genres have commonalities: a heavy D.I.Y. culture, high-energy performances, and often jointly progressive political messaging. In the 1980s, they began to collaborate. Go-go/thrash concerts were held around town, produced mainly by D.C. promoter David Rubin. The shows brought white teenage punk fans and Black teenage go-go fans. While there are some Black punk bands and musicians, the genre is predominantly white. Conversely, while all enjoy go-go, the genre's artists and audience are primarily Black. This brief moment of collaboration brought these groups together, and in 2020 with the advent of more unified activism, there is potential for these genres to unify their audiences. In 2020, go-go and punk are in a state of transition. Both genres, whose start was with the youth, are vying for relevance with younger populations. Undoubtedly the lack of all-age venues informs the limitations of young audiences experiencing this sound, amongst other factors. At this moment, amid a pandemic and hypervisible national terror and inequity, the two sounds have the potential to continue their legacy of activism in tandem. Looking behind, there are ar two genres with similar histories. Still, varying levels of support and public reception are informed by racial barriers and stereotypes. Ahead, there is potential to further connect these distinctly Washingtonian sounds further and unify their advocacy efforts around the common good. At this time, one common good is the preservation of D.C. culture as gentrification sterilizes what is unique, and makes it readily marketable and profitable. Go-go and punk have stood for their people. Their audiences have been and feel disserviced by the political and economic system. The marriage of these genres that had a brief life in the 1980s could produce sonic and political mergers that shape a generation.
Bacchae, D.C.-based punk band.
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I.C.Y.M.I. MOECHELLA 2ND ANNUAL MILLION MOE MARCH
The #MillionMoeMarch is an outcry to the world to symbolize peace, and to rally together DMV residents from all demographics who want to see change.
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The 2nd Annual Moechella aka Million Moe March was held Friday, June 19 at Black Lives Matter Plaza featuring perfmances by go-go bands UCB, TOB, and TCB.
I.C.Y.M.I. MOECHELLA 2ND ANNUAL MILLION MOE MARCH
“Erasure of Black culture, people, and bodies, has reached a crisis point.” - Justin “Yaddiya” Johnson (Founder, Long Live GoGo)
Peaceful protest and Black joy were on display at the Million Moe March as thousands of attendees celebrated DC culture. | Photography by Lafayette Barnes IV
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OPINIONS/EDITORIALS
EDITORIAL
Hats Off to Black Dads in the DMV
Last weekend provided several golden opportunities for Black fathers to step into the spotlight and receive their rightful accolades for the often-overlooked sacrifices and contributions that they make day after day on behalf of their children. Recent statistics including reports from the Nation Fatherhood Clearing House indicate that Black fathers, contrary to stereotypes which cast them in a negative light, are more involved in the lives of their children than dads of any other ethnic group in the U.S. And it doesn’t matter if these fathers live with their children or not. However, the triumphs achieved by Black fathers are rarely captured by mainstream publications or televised news programs. Instead, the stories that get the most attention are the failures of Black dads. Thankfully, two brothers from the D.C., reflecting on the positive influence their own fathers had on their lives, took the lead in developing events which celebrated Black fathers. Chuck Hicks, chair of the D.C. Black History Celebration Committee organized a “Black Fathers Matter” motorcade on Sunday which featured Black fathers waving to family members and friends along the route who hoisted signs above their heads and shouted their approval. Meanwhile, the Rev. Franklyn M. Malone, founder and CEO of 100 Fathers Inc., engineered a three-day event, “Fathers of Faith,” which served as both a memorial and celebration of Black fathers with zoom events that included a fathers of the year program and a Sunday message of faith for fathers. Both Hicks and Malone agree that modeling more appropriate behavior is key to helping young fathers become more responsible and comfortable with fatherhood. Their belief is backed by Dr. Waldo E. Johnson, Jr, associate professor at the School of Social Service and Administration, University of Chicago, whose highly-regarded research on young Black males also shows that they better handle the responsibility of fatherhood when they have an example whose behavior they can follow. “Over the last two decades, the increasing research we’ve done demonstrates that even nonresidential Black fathers are involved in the lives of their children – even if the ways they do it may look different and take on various forms,” Johnson said. He further noted that while the numbers are similar in terms of Black or white fathers who do not live with their children, it’s Black dads who tend to be unfairly considered as totally uninvolved or deadbeats. The District is fortunate to have men like Hicks and Malone, among so many others, who are challenging the stereotypes and providing the means for young fathers to learn the ropes for the betterment of their children. WI
When Communities Depend on Police The District of Columbia is not unlike any other city in the U.S. dealing with the challenges of failed police-community relations. George Floyd will forever be a painful and lasting reminder of law enforcement’s failures and their self-ordained role of judge and jury. Thousands of unnecessary and preventable police-involved killings of Black men continue to fuel the call for defunding an institution labeled racist and utterly out of control. Yet, there are many communities in cities all across America that are crying out for help from police and improved relationships with law enforcement. While deaths related to the coronavirus are reported daily, residents in some communities have never stopped counting the uptick of deaths due to gun violence in their own backyards. The situation calls for law enforcement, community leaders and residents to come together in a coordinated fashion to explore, recommend, and initiate solutions. The program established decades ago in D.C. just for that purpose is the MPD Citizens Advisory Council [CAC]. On its website, MPD defines the CAC as “an advisory panel in each police district that provides the district commander with information and recommendations from the community on the public’s safety problems and police service needs. Regular CAC meetings in each district allow residents to meet and discuss police-related issues with the commander. The meetings also provide an opportunity for police officials to assess
TO THE EDITOR Kudos!
Happy Juneteeth
Congrats to The Washington Informer for your journalism awards. Much deserved in every category. Keep doing what you do!
So glad to see Juneteenth being recognized as our day of liberation by the broader society. I know for some it’s a trend and easy to do in these times, but for others like myself, we’ve been celebrating Juneteenth a long time and will continue to do so. It’s our history and we must keep it alive.
Marvin Talbot Washington, D.C.
Tanya Stewart Laurel, Md.
the impact of their crime-fighting efforts on the community.” We haven’t determined how current or active every CAC is. But we have been reading email exchanges over several weeks between Ward 8 community leaders and MPD Police Chief Peter Newsham, calling for the revitalization of the 7th District CAC. “During these times of intense concerns and protests about community/police relations, the 7D CAC should be the most active organization around those issues and in the vanguard of leading that community
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conversation. I hope the Seventh District residents will quickly witness the revitalization of the 7D CAC,” Ward 8 resident Phillip Pannell recently wrote in a letter to Newsham. We are pleased to learn that a meeting to address the violence in Ward 8 and other issues will be held in just a few days. We know CACs cannot stop the violence but when communities want the police to work alongside them to address their concerns, every effort should be made to support them. On this, they should depend, or else defund! WI
JUNE 25 - JULY 1, 2020 23
OPINIONS/EDITORIALS Guest Columnist
By Julianne Malveaux
Looters, Lowlifes and Liars
According to The Washing ton Post, the 45th president told 19,126 lies between his inauguration in 2017 and June 1, 2020. By now, the number has likely edged toward 20,000, as his Tulsa “rally” yielded dozens more. This president has no allegiance to the truth, but that’s no surprise. Leading up to his ill-timed gathering, amid the coronavirus, he projected more
than a million attendees. Instead, the Trump campaign could not even fill the 19,000 seat stadium. And because the Trump campaign ha no one to blame but itself for its spotty turnout, 45 instead blamed “bad people,” the media, and others. The president’s bizarre bloviation was more evidence of his instability, but also illustrated his venom toward a sizable portion of the people he purportedly represents. I was especially struck by his constant ridicule of “looters and lowlifes,”
Guest Columnist
wondering if he comprehended the similarities between the behavior he would describe as “looters and lowlifes” with his conduct in office. Not only has he derided “looters and lowlifes,” but he has also threatened use of the full force of federal law enforcement to threaten people’s legal right to protest. As soon as he uttered those threatening words, 45 was a looter who threatened the civil rights and civil liberties of lawful protestors who have legitimate complaints against nationwide police brutality.
Who’s looting who? If we carefully examine history, it is clear that Black people have been looted (defined as “stealing good from a place, typically in a war or riot”). From my perspective, Black people have been at war with white supremacy forces as long as we have been on thee hoes. We have been subject to violence, exploitation, expropriation of fair compensation of our wags, further exploited through Jim Crow, and other laws. There are documented cases of economically envious looting Black communities
(Wilmington, Tulsa, Rosewood) because of economic envy, plundering our homes, and then using the power of the majority media to turn a massacre into a “riot.” Accounts from Tulsa 1921 survivor document a massacre, not a riot. All it took to light the match was Black men standing to speak up for themselves. White folks could not stand Black self-determination or Black wealth. They destroyed the thriv-
do so by ensuring that Black people in America do not escape their oppression. The police don’t have to ask why. They know it’s their duty, and that in doing so, they are complicit with the source of their own oppression. They obey bosses who wear bland expressions of confidence. Those masters are healthy-looking and well-groomed, like historical images of George Washington, who controlled hundreds of slaves through the actions of a few un-
derpaid white overseers. They look self-assured, like modern-day bosses John Walton and Jeff Bezos, whose white managers control the lives of thousands of Black and brown workers, and who appear certain that the financial desperation of their employees will supply enough labor to satisfy their greed and secure the privilege of their whiteness. Their privilege is also accompa-
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By Ronald Mason Jr.
Birth of a Nation?
Did you see the look on the face of Minneapolis cop Derek Chauvin as he killed George Floyd by kneeling relentlessly on his neck? He seemed certain that Floyd belonged to him, and was his to do with as he pleased. I suspect that the three white plainclothes cops who broke into the Louisville
home of Breonna Taylor, a Black EMT, and killed her with eight bullets, wore the same look on their faces. The private citizens who hunted down and killed Black jogger Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia wore similar expressions in their police mug shots after finally being apprehended. And old postcards show that the white crowds who watched the lynchings of Blacks decades ago wore the same look, as doubtlessly did white overseers as
Guest Columnist
they killed Black runaways during slavery. It is a look of complete comfort in the knowledge that their whiteness is the ultimate advantage. But the look also hints at bewilderment, as if they are wondering, “What else am I supposed to do?” The job of police is to maintain law and order. Ever since a Black person first fought for freedom or demanded equality or sought to avoid violence, police and their predecessors have endeavored to
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By Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr.
Too Many African-American Children are Born in Shackles “I can’t breathe,” pleaded George Floyd in Minneapolis and Eric Garner in New York City and Javier Ambler in Austin, Texas, before police killed them. Amid the protests against brutality, Rayshard Brooks in Atlanta, whom police found asleep in his car, was shot twice in the back and killed. In Austin, Justin Howell lies in critical condition in the hospital, shot
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during a protest by a policeman using a “less-lethal weapon.” His mistake? He stood next to the demonstrator the policeman was shooting at. And now, two young African American men, Robert Fuller and Malcolm Harsch, are found dead, hanging by their necks 50 miles from one another in California. Although the police initially dismissed the cases as suicide, they are now under investigation after a public outcry. In the midst of a national uprising on racial justice, the possible lynching of two Black men should not be
swept under the carpet. For African Americans, poverty should not be a prison and skin color should not be a cage. White supremacists disguised as police officers should not use us as target practice. So-called “qualified immunity” must not shield killers from the law. Those with a shield and a badge must be held to the highest standards. It is time to fulfill America’s promise of equal justice under the law. As the demonstrations continue, the reality of the criminal injustice system that African Americans face
every day keeps getting exposed. At the same time, the pandemic has exposed the systemic racial gaps that scar our society. Police serve as an occupying force in poor communities of color because those communities exist — often created by red-lining — worsened by savage inequality of schools and health care and job opportunity. CNN recently detailed “BlackWhite Inequality in Six Stark Charts.” African Americans have barely 1/10th the median wealth of white families, a wider gap than at the
beginning of the century. The disparity is primarily due to the differences in home ownership, where African Americans suffer from being locked out of so many neighborhoods for so long, and inheritance, where African Americans suffer the legacy of years of slavery and segregation. The median income of African American families, at $41,000, is less than 60% of white families at $71,000, another gap that has grown worse since 2000. It was only last
JACKSON Page 41
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OPINIONS/EDITORIALS Guest Columnist
By Charlene Crowell
House Leaders Demand Details on Small-Business Loan Program
As the remaining days dwindle for small businesses to apply for loans through the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), both banks and federal officials are being challenged by several House leaders to explain how the $670 billion program intended to aid the nation’s small businesses has actually been operating.
Although more than $130 billion remains, the program’s application deadline is June 30. In two separate but related Hill hearings convened on June 17, the nation’s fiscal status, and how taxpayer dollars dedicated to PPP are being used were the focus of congressional inquiries. Jerome Powell, chair of the Federal Reserve, testified before House Financial Services Committee hearing titled “Monetary Policy and the State of
the Economy,” reviewing the central bank’s semiannual Monetary Policy Report released on June 12. In his prepared remarks, Powell said, “To support the small business sector, we established the Paycheck Protection Program Liquidity Facility to bolster the effectiveness of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act’s (CARES Act) Paycheck Protection Program… This direct support can make a critical difference not just in helping families and
Guest Columnist
businesses in a time of need, but also in limiting long-lasting damage to our economy.” “If a small or medium-sized business becomes insolvent because the economy recovers too slowly, we lose more than just that business,” Powell continued. “These businesses are the heart of our economy and often embody the work of generations.” In speaking to the specific needs of Black and other minority business owners, Powell added, “low-income
households have experienced, by far, the sharpest drop in employment, while job losses of African Americans, Hispanics, and women have been greater than that of other groups. If not contained and reversed, the downturn could further widen gaps in economic well-being that the long expansion had made some progress in closing.” The second June 17 Hill hearing,
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By Dr. Wilmer Leon
A Moment or a Movement? The Blowback Will Tell
“George Floyd should not be among the deceased. He did not die of common health conditions. He died of a common American criminal justice malfunction.” — Rev. Al Sharpton I understand Rev. Sharpton’s point, but to cast this lynching in the context of a “malfunction” is to lose site of the much broader historical context in which Africans in America and later African-Americans have existed since
1619. I am not inferring that it was Rev. Sharpton’s intent, but to cast this horror in the context of a “malfunction” is to give America a pass. We can no longer afford to do that. The total disregard for George Floyd as a human being, coupled with a hatred for the Black community that Officer Derek Chauvin took an oath to protect and serve, led to the lynching on May 25. Chauvin was sending a message to the community by holding his knee on Mr. Floyd’s neck in broad daylight. “Black people, know your place, understand your place and stay in your place.” Even the knowl-
edge that he was being videotaped didn’t deter Chauvin. His inhumanity towards Mr. Floyd as his life was slowly choked out of his handcuffed body emanates from America’s historic inhumanity towards people of color since Tristan de Luna established the short-lived settlement at Pensacola Bay in 1559. This hatred is woven into the very fabric of America. It is in the founding documents of this country. It’s evident in Supreme Court decisions and the blowback from America’s dominant culture to any modicum of success achieved by African Americans (The
Askia-At-Large
Red Summer of 1919 or Tulsa 1921). A clear and indisputable pattern is obvious. Within this historic context, this atrocity captured on video, this act of domestic terrorism was America in action. The power of the State as carried out through Officer Chauvin was in full effect. This was no malfunction…it was business as usual. Our ancestors were brought to these shores for only one purpose; free labor. Our task was to perform all the requisite dirty work to build an economy and empire for Europe. The so-called “Christians” who swore in the Mayflower Compact of 1620
that they undertook, “…for the Glory of God, and Advancement of the Christian Faith, and the Honour of our King and Country, a Voyage to plant the first Colony in the northern Parts of Virginia…” could not reconcile their inhumane treatment of their African captives with their “Christianity.” To absolve themselves of the dilemma posed by the true Christian ethic that God created man in his own image, the Europeans slowly dehumanized their captives and codified this in law and constitution.
LEON Page 42
By Askia Muhammad
Don’t Count Trump Out Yet
Despite Donald J. Trump’s sadsack walk of shame back to the White House Saturday night, after his humiliating Tulsa campaign rally before a BOK Center audience just one third the capacity of the arena, let me warn those taking glee at his demise: don’t count him out just yet. He reminds me of a lyric by Oscar Brown Jr., the brilliant poet and trouba-
dour who hailed from Chicago. Brown is famous for immortalizing songs like: “40 Acres and a Mule,” “The Signifying Monkey,” and “Bid ‘Em In.” But his song that fits the downtrodden Mr. COVID-45 is about a beggar, trying to convince someone that even their meager gift will help put him over the top. “I’m a dime away from a hot dog, $2 dollars short of a room.” What that means, is that despite his woeful appearance, all he needs is a dime, 10 cents, to get a meal (a hot dog), and just $2 away from enough
money for a room for the night. Of course, this harkens to the days before there were shelters providing accommodations for the homeless at the public expense, but you get the idea of his optimism. What would amount to a tiny contribution from a donor would make a big difference to the beggar. And so it is with The Donald. All he needs is just one seemingly inconsequential lucky break anytime in late September or October, and the electoral tide would turn in his favor, and he’d be “legally” able to
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remain in office for another term. And for him, staying in office is all that matters to him. I’m convinced that even if he loses the election “fair and square” he will manufacture a scheme to manipulate the outcome so that he can hold on to power. At least 35 percent of the U.S. population would be perfectly happy with him staying in, by hook or by crook. That’s not because they see him as some saint, or knight in shining armor, but because he hates the same things they hate.
His strategy is to continually remind these “deplorable,” race-hating, xenophobic people of the things and the people they hate. He’s against godless socialists and flag-burners, just like they are, and as long as he’s around, those monsters will never be able to come and take their guns and force their children to engage in same-sex relationships, or even worse, miscegenate with Black and Brown people. Never mind that as of June 1, 2020,
ASKIA Page 42 JUNE 25 - JULY 1, 2020 25
EDUCATION Officials Wary of Announcing Final Fall School Agenda
‘Everybody Has a Plan Until They Get Punched in the Mouth’ By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer @StacyBrownMedia Morgan State University students will get a break on tuition for the upcoming school year. The university announced it would be freezing tuition rates for the 2020-2021 academic year due to the coronavirus pandemic. “We are aware of the current landscape and understand that these are difficult times for a number of our students and their families,” said Morgan State President David Wilson. “Due to the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and
the subsequent economic downturn, now is not the time to institute any changes that could potentially add to their financial burdens.” Howard University hasn’t announced anything similar, and officials remain uncertain about how the fall semester will look. “The primary consideration for me is obviously health and safety for everyone involved — students, faculty, and staff alike,” Howard President Wayne A.I. Frederick told ABC News. “A secondary factor is trying to deliver a high-quality educational product,” especially when weighing “the difference between in-person
5 Howard students walk the yard. (WI File photo)
and true distance learning,” Frederick said. As the fall semester draws closer, colleges, universities, and grade school officials must determine how the upcoming year will look. Particularly as the medical community continues its scramble for a cure or viable vaccine for COVID-19. Of 780 colleges tracked by the Chronicle of Higher Education, 67 percent are planning for in-person classes, 6 percent online, 7 percent are proposing a hybrid model, 9 percent are waiting to decide, and the other 11 percent are considering a range of scenarios. “When students return to school buildings, teachers and administrators will have the formidable duty
of helping them regain academic ground while also creating a culture that cultivates community and promotes culturally responsive teaching practices,” Shirley Torho, manager of Catapult Learning, told The Informer. “In the face of the coronavirus pandemic, some students have lost family and friends, community members, and even teachers” Torho noted. “The recent social uprisings in neighborhoods across the United States have added yet another layer of complexity and will require school leaders and classroom teachers to tackle difficult conversations and address their students’ unique needs, including experiences with trauma.” “Rebuilding will be a daunting
$120M Gift to Morehouse, Spelman, UNCF Examined Same HBCUs Get Large Gifts While Others Suffer, Detractors Say By Sarafina Wright WI Contributing Writer
5 Jarrett Carter, Sr., founding editor of HBCUDigest.com. (Courtesy of HBCU Digest)
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Reed Hastings, co-founder and CEO of streaming giant Netflix, and his wife, philanthropist Patty Quillin, have gifted $120 million, the largest-ever contribution by individuals for scholarships to historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). The couple announced last week that Spelman College, Morehouse College and the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) will receive $40 million each in an effort to provide educational equity for Black students. “We’ve supported these three extraordinary institutions for the last few years because we believe that investing in the education of Black youth is one of the best ways to invest in America’s future,” the couple said in a statement. “Both of us had the privilege of a great
education and we want to help more students — in particular students of color — get the same start in life.” Nevertheless, the announcement spurred a conversation on social media about the same HBCUs receiving huge financial gifts and support while many others go unnoticed and struggle to stay open. “Y’all do know it’s 107 other HBCUs right? There’s more HBCUs than just Morehouse, Spelman, and Howard,” Dashawn J., a Clark Atlanta University alumni, tweeted in response to the news. Another commenter: “I would like to see more of these major gifts going to the other smaller, less well known, and typically public HBCUs. The ones that are typically solely dependent on state funds to function even though state education budgets are always getting reduced.” When some pointed out that stu-
dents who don’t attend Morehouse and Spelman could apply to UNCF for scholarship money, others countered that there are 107 HBCUs and only 37 of them are a part of UNCF. Jarrett Carter Sr., a Morgan State University alumnus and founding editor of HBCUDigest.com, said that while it’s true that the same few schools often get the lion’s share of the big gifts and notoriety, he doesn’t think it should be criticized. “A lot of students, particularly on social media, are saying how come they only give to three HBCUs — Morehouse, Spelman and Howard. It’s like they only know three of them exist,” Carter said. “I don’t have a problem with that because any HBCU receiving a gift is somewhat of a win for all HBCUs, because it creates the conversation about philanthropy, period.”
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task,” she said. “While paying attention to students’ academic success is imperative, I believe it is essential to use a whole-child approach that accounts for their social and emotional development, mental health, connection to their families and communities, and their interests inside and outside the classroom.” The one-size-fits-all answer to what to expect is to expect the unexpected, said Brian Galvin, chief academic officer for Varsity Tutors. “We’re in uncharted territory here without much history or evidence to draw on as schools plan out socially-distanced classrooms and schedules, blended remote and in-person learning, contingency plans for what seem like inevitable spikes in COVID rates, and strategies for combating an historic level of learning loss,” Galvin said. “It’s like that old Mike Tyson quote, ‘everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth’ — schools are working on plans, but everyone needs to plan for having to rethink those plans on the fly.” Bara Sapir, CEO of City Test Prep, said the new school year certainly would count as different. “The biggest difference for students will likely be social distancing procedures,” Sapir said. “If students must stay six feet away from each other, this will impact socializing with their peers. “Students who recede or enjoy learning in groups may not enjoy the more individualized learning experience,” she said. “It may be difficult for younger kids to enjoy recess while still implementing social distancing measures. Teachers’ role to now remind students to keep their distance, wash their hands and not share paper/pencils may disrupt student learning.” WI
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TUESDAY 5 Howard University students celebrate graduation during the 2019 commencement ceremony. (WI File Photo/Roy Lewis)
Black Graduates Face Greater Burdens Amid Coronavirus Pandemic By Lindiwe Vilakazi WI Contributing Writer
Although a slew of benefit packages have been put in place for District residents, student debt has been largely excluded from coronavirus legislations — leaving new and former Black graduates facing an albatross of student debt obligations paired with pandemic-related hardships. Many Black graduates are entering into an uncertain period of economic recession amid the pandemic as unemployment levels have skyrocketed. Student advocacy organizations are working to support minority graduates who are often juggling the financial burdens without assistance or advising. “We can’t win if people are alone in their isolation and alone in their shame — so the process of actually politicizing the experience of having debt and moving folks out of that has been the experience for me,” said Adiel Pollydore, program director of Student Action, a national organization advocating free college for all and the cancellation of student debt. WatchMarket recently reported Black graduates between the ages of 21 and 24 are earning $3.34 less per hour than their white counterparts. The lower pay rates alone are a crisis within a crisis, as many Black residents in D.C. face evictions, job loss, and numerous oth-
er health emergencies. In March, Congress passed the CARES Act, which not only halted loan payments until Sept. 30, but also prevents the accumulation of interest. However, state lawmakers and former presidential candidates have been actively working to address remedies for minority students suffering far more than their counterparts. “There’s some checks and balances that we must do, and we need to always go back and review those things that we’ve done. They may have become outdated, and not useful anymore,” said Rep. Alma Adams (D-N.C.). “But there’s one thing that we cannot do, and that’s nothing.” After the CARES Act was passed, Adams began to champion the Equity and Student Loan Debt Relief Act, which calls for the Department of Education to make the interest payments for all borrowers in the Federal Family Education Loan program, while also entering into agreements with the program’s current loan holders to suspend student loan payment obligations, and cease all involuntary collections through Sept. 30. Federal loans are utilized by 86.6% of Black students, compared to 59.9% of white students. “So many young people’s lives have been defined by moments of crisis after crisis after crisis, and this is just another one of them,” Pollydore said. WI
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LIFESTYLE Abrams’ ‘Our Time is Now’ Shows Ugly Truth About Voter Suppression By Brenda C. Siler WI Contributing Reporter Talk about perfect timing. “Our Time is Now,” the new book by Stacey Abrams released on June 9, the day of the Georgia state primary, is a tell-all about those manmade ob-
stacles that create difficulty for people to practice their legal right to vote in the United States. The Georgia primary debacle a few weeks ago was a perfect case study broken down by Abrams during a recent virtual presentation at Sixth and I in Northwest.
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“What happened in Georgia was a combination of incompetence and malfeasance,” Abrams said. “Georgia is a state that has practiced voter suppression as an art form going back to 2010 when then-Secretary of State Brian Kemp had 12 people arrested for using absentee ballots in a school board election.” Kemp is now governor of Georgia. The incompetence in the Georgia case, as suggested by Abrams, referred to the training the current secretary of state did not schedule for polling staff. Abrams is, of course, thinking about the national elections in November. And as with her last book “Lead from the Outside,” she continues to speak up about how some states try to discourage people from voting. Blacks have a well-documented history of encountering voter suppression tactics, such as crazy registration processes like having to guess the number of beans in a jar, or police brandishing guns while walking dogs in attack mode to scare Black voters at polling sites. Abrams sees that protecting the vote today is even more challenging because suppression schemes are being exercised during a pandemic. Through Fair Count, the organization Abrams created, her team is researching national organizations and pulling back the curtain on vot-
er suppression tactics that states have boldly put in place. “What I am trying to do with this book is to make us pay attention to voter suppression during the primaries so we can fix it in time for the general,” Abrams said. “The conservatives that architected this suppression hoped that we would give up. They hoped we would look away. They hoped the anger and pain would die down before November and we would allow the system to continue the way it was designed.” The former Georgia politician said that with everything going on now, the timing of this book makes sense. Abrams’ experience with her 2018 run for Georgia governor put the issue of voter suppression at the forefront for her supporters. She also feels the call for change and fair treatment that is being expressed through current peaceful protest marches is also bringing renewed interest in voting among young people. “We have to validate their voices. I stand in solidarity with those who are protesting,” Abrams said. “And I believe that their call for change should be met, not with excuses. But with agreement that we can’t be complicit any longer.” Abrams knows that change will not happen overnight, and “Our Time is Now” offers a long-term game plan to strip away barriers to voting. To effect change, she urges
JEALOUS from Page 11
a lot about myself and an equal amount about our state. There were incredibly positive things that happened. We helped ensure that statue of Chief Justice [Roger B.) Taney was removed permanently from the state. We brought lesions of young people into the electoral process and now beginning to run for office themselves. We built a campaign with little funding from scratch that became one of only three in the history of the state to receive more than a million votes for the office of governor. The other two being [Martin] O’Malley’s and [Gov. Larry] Hogan’s reelection campaigns. When the dust has settled and we lost the general election, what stuck with me is the undeniable influence of money in politics. The true analyses were done in my campaign. One by the party nationally and one by my campaign itself. Both came up with the same conclusion: we needed $10 million more to win than we could raise ourselves. The
people are more immune from that fear. That’s not the way that it works. Race is binary. My own life is a testament to that fact. When a police officer knows you’re Black, he treats you like you’re Black. Prince George’s County officers taught me that when I was 20 years old. [Jealous’s son] said, ‘What about Black officers?’ I said, ‘Honestly, color doesn’t determine whether the officer is abusive or not.’ D.C. officers taught me that when I was 22 years old. Racism is tragic. Racism is alive. There’s no escaping for Black people. It doesn’t matter how rich, how poor, how dark, how light. That is what makes it so unbearable, makes it so vulnerable we just have to end this.
FORAY INTO POLITICS
Running for governor was my first experience running for office. It was humbling and it taught me
5 Cover for “Our Time is Now” (Courtesy of Henry Holt & Co.)
people to register to vote, then get others to register, too. She also suggests that people introduce themselves to local public officials and volunteer to work on a campaign. “This is a narrative that describes the urgency that compels me and millions more to push for a different American story than the one being told today,” said Abrams who is being vetted as a vice presidential candidate. “It’s a story that is one part danger, one part action, and all true. It’s a story about how and why we fight for our democracy and win.” WI 75 percent of voters knew who I was and we were winning with them by six points. Twenty-five percent of voters, even after three years of earning media [attention) and millions of dollars in advertising, still had no idea who the Democrat was in the race. Every voter knew who the governor was. We were up six among 75 percent of voters, but we were down 20 to 5 with the 25 percent of the voters who never seen an ad or never read a news story. You met incredibly, wonderful people who you know the lives could be transformed if our state government operated more effectively. We’re seeing that right now with the fiasco that is unemployment in Maryland. That fiasco can only be explained by the governor’s intentional neglect, the inefficient operation of government for years. Everything that Martin O’Malley put in place to make sure government ran more efficiently, the governor has undone. WI
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LIFESTYLE
Shaping of Bakari Sellers in ‘My Vanishing Country’ Autobiography Honors Family, Southern Life and Community By Brenda C. Siler WI Contributing Writer Many are familiar with Bakari Sellers through his role as a CNN political analyst. At the age of 22, he was the youngest-ever member of the South Carolina state legislature. He is an attorney. He is the son of Cleve Sellers, who was an organizer with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) in the 1960s. As a result, young Sellers grew up in the presence of his father’s activist friends, including Julian Bond, Kathleen Cleaver and Stokely Carmichael. So was his path destined to be? Perhaps. In 1968, Cleve Sellers was wounded during Orangeburg Massacre after South Carolina state troopers opened fire on students protesting segregation at a local bowling alley. The shooting took place on the campus of South Carolina State University, a historically Black institution. Three students were killed. Sellers was convicted of inciting a riot and went to prison for seven months. Sounds familiar? The elder Sellers went on to receive a doctorate at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and served as president of Voorhees College in Denmark, S.C. The Orangeburg Massacre happened before the younger Sellers was born, but that’s still heavy family history. That family history informed how the younger Sellers reflected on the mass killing of nine African Americans at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church on June 17, 2015, in Charleston, S.C. Sellers knew Clementa C. Pinckney, the church pastor and a member of the South Carolina state legislature where they both served. “I talk about not just that incident but how it’s informed my perspective being a child of the movement,” Sellers said about the Orangeburg Massacre in a recent interview. “It’s my trauma and pain of living with that and car-
rying that burden and legacy all the way through the Charleston massacre, where my good friend Clementa Pinckney was gunned down.” Sellers’ view of America is also shaped by his growing up in a working-class Black community of Denmark, which was not unlike many rural southern communities or even some predominately Black D.C. neighborhoods. It was a part of town where there were Black homeowners. Black-owned businesses flourished. There were stores, doctors, lawyers and other professionals that communities counted on. But the structure of America was not designed to ensure a lifetime of success for this type of neighborhood. Another form of trauma. “All the promises that are supposed to be afforded to us are not afforded to us because of color, the low income, or immigrants,” Sellers said in a recent interview while explaining the title of his book. “The dream this country is supposed to provide is vanishing before our eyes.” The personal history shared by Sellers in “My Vanishing Country” matches up with many issues that people today are marching about through peaceful protest. This autobiography gives Sellers a platform to share his anxieties and his concerns about what America holds for him, his wife and three children. But Sellers will not hold back on what he feels is right. “We need justice in this country. We need it to actually mean something,” Sellers said in the interview when reflecting on recent killings of Black men and women. “I refuse to let people take away my hope. I refuse to let people take away my faith. We have made a lot of progress, but we still have so far to go. And I want to live in a country where my kids can be free.” “My Vanishing Country: A Memoir” by Bakari Sellers is published by Amistad/HarperCollins. WI
5 Bakari Sellers (Courtesy of John R. Walder/Carbon Thread Agency) 4 Bakari Sellers as a child on the cover of “My Vanishing Country”
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LIFESTYLE
TV One Doc Gives Historical Account of Go-Go Music By Lindiwe Vilakazi WI Contributing Writer
5 EU is one of the groups featured in the go-go documentary. go-go music continues to be part of DC’s culture and some of the groups can be seen participating in parades, protests and rallying for DC Statehood. (Roy Lewis/The Washington Informer)
Go-go, the official music of Washington, D.C., is the focus of the documentary “The Beat Don’t Stop,” which recently premiered on TV One. The documentary shows the evolution of go-go music from its humble beginnings in Chocolate City during the soul music era to what it has become today. “I believe that the beat of go-go music is in our DNA,” said Maiesha Rashad, a go-go icon and frontwoman of the all-women band Maiesha and the Hip Huggers. Rashad died June 15 after a recent diagnosis of stomach cancer. Numerous D.C. and national music legends such as Mike “Funky Ned” Neal, Sugar Bear, DJ Kool and Doug E. Fresh are featured in the documentary, highlighting the energy, spirit and showmanship reflected in the essence of D.C. culture that took the local music scene by storm. Created and grown across quadrants of the District, the rise of go-go music is somewhat of a microcosm of a bigger story of race, class battles and lifestyle of the city. In the documentary, go-go veterans recall the tribal-like pride of their youths when their favorite musicians would shout out their neighborhoods. “Your neighborhood becomes part of the song. It’s like, ‘Oh, my man from Sursum Corda,’ ‘my man from Southeast,’” said music producer Kevin L. Blackmon. “That’s what we’re waiting to hear on. We became the songs. Who needs lyr-
ics? We are the lyrics. They’re talking about us.” The beloved Chuck Brown’s influence and reign in the go-go world is also evident in the documentary through the remembrance and homage paid by musicians and journalists alike. Brown not only paved the way, but led the direction for later generational leaders to come. As the crack epidemic ravaged the city in the 1980s, the genre caught flack for the violence occurring at go-go concerts and parties across the city. The narrative highlighted what many viewed as a racially charged prejudice against the art form, which its defenders say was unfairly scapegoated amid the drug-fueled violence in the city at the time. Nationally, radio did not initially respond to the raw instrumentation and unique format of go-go. It was Cathy Hughes’ WOL station that served as the first station to embrace go-go, when others wouldn’t. “I always sought to represent the underrepresented,” Hughes said. “I always gave voice to the voiceless. And go-go was very much in that.” E.U.’s “The Butt” became a huge hit in the mid-1980s after Donnie Simpson broke the record on radio, introducing many outside of D.C to go-go for the first time and opening the doors for its exposure in national markets. “We were creating culture ourselves that people throughout the country adapted to,” said community activist Ronald L. Moten, one of the organizers of the Don’t Mute DC movement that eventually led to the city formally adopting the genre. WI
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LIFESTYLE
wi book review “We Are Power: How Nonviolent Activism Changes the World” By Todd Hasak-Lowy c.2020, Abrams Books $18.99 / 304 pages By Terri Schlichenmeyer WI Contributing Writer You put a lot of work into your sign. When you were done, what was once the side of a cardboard box suddenly became a note to the world — but as you were making it, you have to admit that you wondered if one cardboard sign was going to make much of a difference. You were protesting, but who would notice? Read “We Are Power” by Todd Hasak-Lowy, and wonder no more. There you were, sitting in history class last year, thinking that there were So. Many. Wars. Right, but get this: history is much more than that. Hasak-Lowy says that history is also about “conflicts of a different sort …” Take, for instance, the movement for suffrage: women in the early part of the last century had zero rights. Zero, but they wanted to be able to vote more than anything. It took women like Alice Paul years before protests and marches gained them (and us!) that right but the entire time, they stayed the course. Yes, it meant sacrifices, both physical and mental, but Paul and her sisters stuck with the plan. Mohandas Gandhi used the word “satyagraha” to describe intentional, firm, truthful, and forceful nonviolent action or resistance. Gandhi embraced satyagraha when he peacefully organized 300 million Indians against British rule, knowing that there was strength in numbers. Though he was a 27-year-old “inexperienced pastor” who’d been tapped to lead a boycott he’d barely had opportunity to grasp, Martin Luther King realized that nonviolent resistance was dangerous, but worth it. It was courageous, not cowardly. And just a few years ago, a small braid-wearing teenager stepped to a microphone to address world leaders about climate change and the urgency for doing something solid about it. By her courage, Greta Thunberg became a satyagrahi, and brought nonviolent activism to the forefront of the 21st century. Here’s the first thing you should know about “We Are Power”: it’s not a planner for anarchy and it’s not a how-to book; if anything, it’s a how-not-to book. Indeed, through stories and a few period photographs, author Todd Hasak-Lowy shows young readers something important about making change: that when an individual becomes part of a well-thought-out, peaceful collective, things can happen without warfare. There’s a reason, in other words, that it’s called “NONviolent activism.” For the teen who’s a bit on the pessimistic side, or is eagerly ambivalent about involvement, that can be inspirational, even exciting — and yet, Hasak-Lowy doesn’t get cuddly about the realities: activism is hard work and sometimes literal pain, and it might take years to see the fruits of one’s labor. History shows that activists like those in this book have braved danger, but it also shows that steady, insistent confrontation works. For the 10-to-14-year-old who’s been riveted by recent news or activities in their hometowns, this book will inspire and inform, and it will help them find parallels between yesterday and today. They’ll want “We Are Power” for its truth and its comprehensiveness, so find it. For the future of all, that’s a good sign. WI
horoscopes
JUNE 25 - JULY 1, 2020
ARIES This is a reminder that your spiritual life and self-growth are extremely important to your overall success. You can face your fears (and often for Aries, fear centers around being left behind). Start a daily spiritual practice whether that be meditation, yoga, or prayer. In just a few weeks you will see a marked difference in your life. Lucky Numbers: 1, 33, 48 TAURUS A supervisor may have found you a position with more work and responsibility. You might be asked to forgo the usual title and pay increase at least for a little while. But you can push back. Don’t hesitate to request what you want because some sort of compromise can be reached. Even if it is not a pay increase, you can possibly get more flexibility in your schedule or a work-athome opportunity. Lucky Numbers: 3, 4, 7 GEMINI Recognize if you are not caring about your money or not keeping track of your money. Over the next few months, the universe is suggesting you shift how you handle your finances. This could include making a written budget, setting financial goals, or investigating financial instruments for retirement savings. Lucky Numbers: 4, 11, 24 CANCER It’s hard to be your confident true self if you’re swept away by emotion. But you have the opportunity for self-mastery. Let others get twirly by watching the evening news. You may be at the eye of the storm, but here you can find your balance. Lucky Numbers: 27, 31, 36 LEO Time to deal with issues around sleep and recuperation. Getting quality rest is very important and if this has been something that’s been difficult for you, this eclipse begins a period that can give you some answers. Changes will unfold over the next few weeks to the next few months. Leave no stone unturned so you can get a good night’s sleep. Lucky Numbers: 5, 20, 40 VIRGO A career opportunity can now manifest. The delays of the past few weeks or even months are now fading away. Give Venus a few days to pick up speed and you could receive notification of an interview or an actual letter inviting you to join the team. For those of you who are staying in your current position, you may be receiving positive recognition from a supervisor that you can leverage later into something you want. Lucky Numbers: 6, 37, 52 LIBRA Blocks and delays regarding education now dissolve and clear way. At the same time, something you were interested in studying now seems like too much work and you want to let it go. Ask yourself if it would be fun. Venus is more drawn to things that are fun rather than practical. This is a good time to take a course on cartooning, scriptwriting, or learning a new language. Lucky Numbers: 8, 12, 38 SCORPIO You may find that you are going back to an idea you had a while ago. This could be to add to the family or to express yourself creatively. If you’re looking into fertility treatments, there will be options for you to explore. And even more options for those Scorpios who want to delve into things like arts, painting, scriptwriting, acting or film directing. Lucky Numbers: 19, 43, 53 SAGITTARIUS There’s only one person who can talk you out of your plans—and that’s you. You can review the downside, look at the statistics, review probabilities, but when it comes down to it if you have the will there is a way. The changeable energy around you is inviting big plans. Look at crowdfunding opportunities, Patreon, or look into ways to make money online. Lucky Numbers: 4, 6, 56 CAPRICORN Work/life balance may not have ever been your forte. But for a day or so you seem highly aware and irritated about how much time you spend on work and how little time you get for leisure. If you want to achieve work/life balance you need to schedule it. Put the fun into the calendar and it will start to happen. Lucky Numbers: 28, 30, 44 AQUARIUS Whatever plans you had, your kids are going to turn upside down. Today, follow their lead and try not to get overly attached to the chores you want to finish or the novel you thought you would get to read. Instead, have fun with the children and make some memories. Lucky Numbers: 3, 23, 38 PISCES The desire for adventure is strong and you may wish to just get in the car and just drive. Do something bold and send a direct message to someone you admire, perhaps someone famous. Start planning your next vacation like backpacking up the Pacific Coast trail or renting a catamaran for two and sailing around Hawaii. Lucky Numbers: 5, 7, 34
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JUNE 25 - JULY 1, 2020 31
CAPTURE the moment
For more photos, visit www.washingtoninformer.com
(top left) Vendors were on hand near Black Lives Matter Plaza downtown selling Black Lives Matter face masks. (Roy Lewis/The Washington Informer) (top right) Demonstrators march along Pennsylvania Avenue on Juneteenth to protest police brutality. (Roy Lewis/ The Washington Informer) (far right) Donte Davis (right) along with family members, Madison, and Aliva, visiting from Knoxville, TN, stop at the toppled and defaced Albert Pike statue at Judiciary Square which was erected in 1901. (Roy Lewis/The Washington Informer) (right) Protesters toppled and defaced the statue of Confederate Gen. Albert Pike at Judiciary Square in Northwest on June 19. (Courtesy photo/ Laura Beth Pelner)w
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CAPTURE THE MOMENT
5 A Defund Police umbrella placed strategically in front of the John A. Wilson Building in Northwest. (Roy Lewis/The Washington Informer)
5 Baby Girl, the Washington Informer’s mascot, owned by the editor, says, ‘Black Lives Matter.’ (D. Kevin McNeir/The Washington Informer)
5 Hakeem Hurt, stooping to help one of his sons hold a cake, is named Father of the Year in the District of Columbia by 100 Fathers Incorporated. 100 Fathers Incorporated held a small award celebration on Father’s Day with Hurt’s family and presented him with a check, balloons and a cake. (Courtesy photo)
5 A peaceful crowd gathered in Mt. Rainier to protest police brutality. (Anthony Tilghman/The Washington Informer) 4 A police officer directs traffic while protesters line the corner in Mt. Rainier protesting police brutality. (Anthony Tilghman/The Washington Informer)
5 Contractors remove tents lining H Street in Northwest set up by demonstrators protesting police brutality. (Roy Lewis/The Washington Informer)
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JUNE 25 - JULY 1, 2020 33
SPORTS Kerrigan Wants to Stay in Washington for ‘Long Haul’ By Daniel Kucin Jr. WI Contributing Writer @danielkucin88 Despite missing the playoffs every year since 2015, the Washington Redskins have always found consistency in the play of former Purdue University linebacker Ryan Kerrigan. The 16th overall pick of the 2011 draft has provided stability on a defensive unit with numerous lineup changes over the years. The four-time Pro Bowler opened up and expressed how he felt about the franchise and where he hopes his future lies. “I obviously hope to be here for the duration of my football career, however long that is,” he said. “I’ve got to talk to [Redskins head coach
Ron] Rivera a couple of times over the phone, haven’t really been able to meet him in person yet because of the whole lockdown and what not. Hopefully, I’m here for the long haul. I want to be here. They know where I stand, and I want to be here.” Kerrigan has been the anchor for Washington’s defense since day one and was named to the NFL All-Rookie team in 2011 after he racked up 65 tackles, 7.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and an interception. Kerrigan ranks in elite company with 90 career sacks, needing only two more to pass former Redskins great Dexter Manley as the franchise’s all-time leader. Since entering the league, he has played 140 games and accounted for 321 tack-
5 Washington Redskins linebacker Ryan Kerrigan is looking to finish his career in D.C. (Daniel Kucin Jr./The Washington Informer)
les and 26 forced fumbles. The veteran linebacker has been working hard during the offseason to make that happen and improve on his performance last year having new additions with the likes of 2020 first-round pick and former Ohio State University standout Chase Young entering the mix. “I got my trainer out here … he’s really forward-thinking with mobility and stuff like that, especially hip mobility,” Kerrigan said
of his workouts. “So I’ve been doing a lot of different exercises that I’ve never done before with hip mobility and range of motion and things like that, just trying to stay limber and stay mobile. That’s been a big point of emphasis for me.” As far as the new-look defense moving forward, Kerrigan believes that there is enough talent for them to compete at a high level despite last year’s collective perfor-
mance as a unit. “How we fare against our offense will be one thing, how consistent we are,” Kerrigan said. “Are we having one good day against our offense or one bad day? Are we stacking good day after good day after good day? If you’re doing that, then you kind of get the sense of, we’re going to be pretty good. That consistency will be a good telling point I think for us.” WI
NASCAR Driver Bubba Wallace Refutes FBI’s Findings ‘Whether tied in 2019, or whatever, it was a noose’ WI Staff Report
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34 - JUNE 25 - JULY 1, 2020
NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace says he’s “pissed” members of the public continue to question his integrity after the FBI said a noose found in his garage stall this week was there before his team moved in. “I’m mad because people are trying to test my character and the person that I am and my integrity,” he told CNN’s Don Lemon Tuesday night. NASCAR reportedly initiated an investigation after a crew member discovered the noose Sunday afternoon at the Talladega Superspeedway. In a statement earlier this week, NASCAR said it was “angry and outraged.” But after a preliminary investigation, the FBI concluded that Wallace had not been the target of a hate crime
as the noose had been in the garage since last year. NASCAR, referencing the FBI report, described the item as a “garage door pull rope fashioned like a noose.” However, in Wallace’s interview with Lemon, he said, “what was hanging in my garage is not a garage pull.” “It was a noose,” Wallace said. “Whether tied in 2019 or whatever, it was a noose. So, it wasn’t directed at me but somebody tied a noose. That’s what I’m saying.” Going to Twitter several days ago, Wallace said the “act of racism and hatred leaves me incredibly saddened,” adding that the incident “will not break me, I will not give in nor will I back down.”
On Tuesday night, he reiterated his stance. “This will not break me, none of the allegations of being a hoax will break me or tear me down,” he said. “It will piss me off, absolutely. But that only fuels the competitive drive in me to shut everybody up,” he added. The FBI said it “learned that garage number 4, where the noose was found, was assigned to Bubba Wallace last week.” “The investigation also revealed evidence, including authentic video confirmed by NASCAR, that the noose found in garage number 4 was in that garage as early as October 2019. Although the noose is now known to have been in garage number 4 in 2019, nobody could have known Mr.
Wallace would be assigned to garage number 4 last week,” the agency said. When asked why the FBI characterized the rope found in Bubba Wallace’s garage as a noose, Birmingham FBI spokesperson Paul Damon told CNN, “It’s my understanding that the rope was fashioned into a noose knot and used as a door pull.” NASCAR also issued a statement regarding the FBI’s decision. “We appreciate the FBI’s quick and thorough investigation and are thankful to learn that this was not an intentional, racist act against Bubba,” the statement read. “We remain steadfast in our commitment to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all who love racing.” WI
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RELIGION the religion corner WITH LYNDIA GRANT
How 8 Minutes and 46 Seconds is Changing the Landscape
There is a movement taking place in America — we can see it right before our very eyes. There are so many new and positive changes taking place, starting with the daily marching. Then there is legislation, some of which have been written and voted on already. Let’s begin in Minnesota, The People of Color and Indigenous Caucus in the Democratic-controlled Minnesota House put forward a bill which calls for reformation and accountability measures, thus updating the public safety culture, and giving officers more access to training and reviews. Next came some transformative legislation out of D.C., when Sen. Kamala D. Harris (D-Calif.) joined Congressional Black Caucus Chair Karen Bass (D-Calif.), along with Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and House Judiciary Committee Chair Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), in introducing the Justice in Policing Act of 2020. The bold legislation, introduced in both chambers of Congress, is written in such a way as to hold police accountable, change the culture of law enforcement and build trust between law enforcement and our communities.
As Harris said, “America’s sidewalks are stained with Black blood.” Then, in commemoration of the 155th anniversary of Juneteenth, to memorialize the recent tragic death of George Floyd, the University of the District of Columbia will darken its Van Ness campus lights every night for nine days. They started Friday, June 19. Additionally, on Juneteenth, UDC President Ronald Mason Jr. took a knee and all university’s lights were dimmed for eight minutes and 46 seconds beginning at 8:46 p.m. Members of UDC’s board of trustees, including Charlene Drew Jarvis, joined the president. Hear President Mason share details of the UDC candlelight vigil on “The Lyndia Grant Show” this Friday at 6 p.m. on WYCB. On Saturday, June 27, promptly at 8:30 p.m., UDC will host a candlelight vigil to honor each one of the thousands who have lost their lives because they were Black. The public is invited to attend the candlelight vigil. In a bold and desperately-needed move, UDC is calling for a system which will help change four hundred years of oppression. Therefore, the University has formally announced the creation of The Institute for the Study and Elimination of White Supremacy in America, the opposite of the teachings of Willie Lynch, who taught slave owners how to train slaves (that’s another topic — you
Mt. Zion Baptist Church
ought to Google it and read for yourself). Lynch was teaching ways to keep slaves enslaved by taking their mind. These are changes we need today. As Mahatma Gandhi is credited with saying, “You be the change that you wish to see in the world.” Maya Angelou said, “If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.” This Institute is UDC’s way of doing their part in helping to build a better, more equitable nation. “It’s very important to be here in this moment at the University of the District of Columbia,” said Charlene Drew Jarvis, the onetime president of Southeastern University and former 21-year D.C. councilwoman. “So eight minutes and 46 seconds is really a catalyst that has changed the way many Americans think about African Americans and about the humanity of African Americans.” Mason said, “I wasn’t sure if I could kneel for [eight minutes and 46 seconds] at my age, but once there I went into a meditative state and really did think about the past, the present and the future. “We must strengthen ourselves mentally, physically and spiritually to take on the work that’s necessary to make America live up to its ideals and that’s what really needs to happen after the noise dies down,” he said. WI
John F. Johnson Reverend Dr.
5101 14th Street, NW / Washington, DC 20011 Phone: 202-726-2220 Fax: 202-726-9089
1306 Vermont Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20005
“A Church with a past to remember – and a future to mold” www.mtzbcdc.org
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Mount Olivet Lutheran Church
Reverend John W. Davis Pastor
Service and Times Sunday Worship Service - 8:00 a.m. & 11:00 a.m. Children’s Church - 11:00 a.m. (1st & 3rd Sundays) Communion - 10 a.m. 4th Sunday Sunday School - 9:15 a.m. (4th Sunday 8:15 a.m.) Prayer Meeting & Bible Study - Wednesday 7:00 p.m.
(301) 864-6070
Service and Times Divine Worship, Sunday 10:00 a.m. Communion 1st and 3rd Sunday “Friendliest Church in the City” Website: mountolivetdc.org Email: mtolivedc@gmail.com
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JUNE 25 - JULY 1, 2020 35
RELIGION The Miracle Center of Faith Missionary Baptist Church
Pilgrim Baptist Church
Bishop Michael C. Turner, Sr. Senior Pastor
Rev. Louis B. Jones II Pastor
9161 Hampton Overlook Capitol Heights, MD 20743 Phone: 301-350-2200 / Fax: 301-499-8724
700 I Street, N.E. Washington, D.C. 20002 (202) 547-8849
Service and Times Sunday Worship Times : 7:30 AM 7 10:00 AM Communion: 1st Sunday Sunday School: 9:00 AM Bible Study: Wednesday, 12 Noon Bible Study in homes: Tuesday 7:00 PM
Service and Times Worship Sundays: 7:30 & 11:00 AM 5th Sundays: 9:30 AM 3rd Sundays: Baptism & Holy Communion Prayer & Praise: Wednesdays @ Noon & 6:30 PM
Website: www.themiraclecenterFMBC.com Email: Miraclecenterfmbs@gmail.com Motto: “We Walk by Faith, Not by Sight”
www.pilgrimbaptistdc.org
Covenant Baptist United Church of Christ
Blessed Word of Life Church
Church of Living Waters
Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church
Rev. Paul Carrette Senior Pastor Harold Andrew Assistant Pastor 4915 Wheeler Road Oxon Hill, MD 20745 301-894-6464 Service and Times Sunday Service: 8:30am& 11:00 AM Bible Study: Wednesday 7:30 PM Communion Service: First Sunday www.livingwatersmd.org
St. Stephen Baptist Church
Rev. Dr. Michael E. Bell, Sr., / Pastor 2498 Alabama Ave., SE - Washington D.C. 20020 Office: (202) 889-7296 / Fax: (202) 889-2198 - www.acamec.org Service and Times Sunday Worship Services: 8:00am and 11:00 AM Sunday Church School - 9:15am & Sunday Adult Forum Bible Study - 10:30 AM 2nd & 4th Monday Women’s Bible Study: 6:30 PM Tuesday Jr./Sr. Bible Study: 10:00 AM Tuesday Topical Bible Study: 6:30 PM Tuesday New Beginnings Bible Study: 6:30 PM Wednesday Pastoral Bible Study: 6:30 PM Wednesday Children’s Bible Study: 6:30 PM Thursday Men’s Bible Study: 6:30 PM Friday before 1st Sunday Praise & Worship Service: 6:30 PM Saturday Adult Bible Study: 10:00 AM “The Amazing, Awesome, Audacious Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church”
Third Street Church of God
Dr. Dekontee L. & Dr. Ayele A. Johnson Pastors
Rev. Dr. Alice Greene Interim Pastor
Bishop Lanier C. Twyman, Sr. Senior Pastor
Rev. Cheryl J. Sanders, Th.D. Senior Pastor
4001 14th Street, NW Washington, DC 20011 (202) 265-6147 Office 1-800 576-1047 Voicemail/Fax
3845 South Capitol Street Washington, DC 20032 (202) 562-5576 (Office) / (202) 562-4219 (Fax)
5757 Temple Hill Road, Temple Hills, MD 20748 Office 301-899-8885 – fax 301-899-2555 Services and Times Sunday Early Morning Worship: 7:45 AM Church School: 9:30 AM Sunday Morning Worship: 10:45 AM Tuesday: 7:00pm/Kingdom Building Bible Institute Wednesday , 12:30 PM Mid-Day Bible Study Wednesday: Prayer/Praise/Bible Study-7:30 PM Baptism & Communion Service: 4th Sunday – 10:30 AM
1204 Third Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 202-347-5889 office / 202-638-1803 fax
Service and Times Sunday School: 9:30 AM Sunday Morning Worship Service: 11:00 AM Communion Service: First Sunday Prayer Service/Bible Study: Tuesday, 6:30 PM
Services and Times Sundays: 10:00am Worship Services Bible Study: Wonderful Wednesdays in Worship and the Word Bible Study Wednesdays 12:00 Noon; 6:30 PM (dinner @ 5:30 PM) Sunday School: 9:00 AM – Hour of Power “An inclusive ministry where all are welcomed and affirmed.” www.covenantdc.org
www.blessedwordoflifechurch.org E-mail: church@blessedwordoflifechurch.org
Campbell AME Church
Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 10:00 AM Sunday Church School: 8:45 AM Bible Study Wednesday: 12:00 Noon Wednesday: 7:00 PM Thursday: 7:00 PM “Reaching Up To Reach Out” Mailing Address : Campbell AME Church 2502 Stanton Road SE - Washington, DC 20020
Service and Times Sunday Morning Worship: 11:00 AM Holy Communion: 1st Sunday Sunday School: 9:45 AM Men’s Monday Bible Study: 7:00 PM Wednesday Night Bible Study: 7:00 PM Women’s Ministry Bible Study: 3rd Friday -7:00 PM Computer Classes: Announced Family and Marital Counseling by appointment E-mail: Crusadersbaptistchurch@verizon.net www.CrusadersBaptistChurch.org / “God is Love”
Greater Mt. Calvary Holy Church Bishop Alfred A. Owens, Jr.; Senior Bishop & Evangelist Susie C. Owens – Co-Pastor 610 Rhode Island Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20002 (202) 529-4547 office • (202) 529-4495 fax
Sunday Worship Service: 8:00 AM and 10:45 AM Sunday Youth Worship Services: 1st & 4th 10:45 AM; 804 R.I. Ave., NE 5th 8 AM & 10:45 AM; Main Church Prayer Services Tuesday – Noon, Wednesday 6:00 AM & 6:30 PM Calvary Bible Institute: Year-Round Contact Church / Communion Every 3rd Sunday The Church in The Hood that will do you Good! www.gmchc.org / emailus@gmchc.org
St Marks Baptist Come Worship with us... Dr. Raymond T. Matthews Pastor and First Lady Marcia Matthews St. Mark's Baptist Church 624 Underwood Street, NW Washington, dc 20011 Services and Times Sunday School: 9:00 AM Worship Service: 10:00 AM Wed. Noon Day prayer service Thur. Prayer service: 6:45 PM Thur. Bible Study: 7:15 PM
(Disciples of Christ) 1812 12th Street, NW - Washington, DC 20009 Phone: 202-265-4494 Fax: 202 265 4340 Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 11:00 AM Communion every Sunday: 11:00 AM Sunday School: 10:00 AM Bible Study Tuesday: 12 Noon Pastor’s Bible Study Tuesday: 6:30 PM Motto: “Discover Something Wonderful” Website: 12thscc.org / Email: Twelfthstcc@aol.com
Mount Carmel Baptist Church Reverend Dr. Paris L Smith, Sr. Senior Pastor
Virgil K. Thomas, Sr. Senior Pastor/ Teacher
Service and Times Sunday School: 10:15 AM Sunday Worship Service: 11;15 AM Children’s Church: 11:15 AM Tuesday Bible Study: 6:30 PM Motto : “A Great Commitment to the Great Commandment” Website: www.turningheartschurchdc.org Email: gr8luv4u2@gmail.com
www.thirdstreet.org Live Stream Sunday Worship Service begins @ 12:00 noon www.thirdstreet.org
800 I Street, NE - Washington, DC 20002 202-548-0707 - Fax No. 202-548-0703
Reverend Dr. Calvin L. Matthews Senior Pastor 1200 Isle of Patmos Plaza, Northeast Washington, DC 20018 Office: (202) 529-6767 - Fax: (202) 526-1661 Service and Times Sunday Worship Services: 7:30 AM and 10:30 AM Holy Communion: 2nd Sunday at 7:30 AM and 10:30 AM Sunday Church School: 9:20 AM Seniors Bible Study: Tuesdays at 10:30 AM Noon Day Prayer Service: Tuesdays at Noon Bible Study: Tuesdays at 7 PM Motto: “A Ministry of Reconciliation Where Everybody is Somebody!” Website: http://isleofpatmosbc.org Church Email: ipbcsecretary@verizon.net
Reverend Dr. Paul H. Saddler Senior Pastor
Turning Hearts Church
421 Alabama Ave. SE Washington, DC 20032 Phone: 202-746-0113 Fax: 301-843-2445
“Ambassadors for Christ to the Nation’s Capital”
Rev. Dr. Alton W. Jordan Pastor
Isle of Patmos Baptist Church
Twelfth Street Christian Church
Rev. Dr. Henry Y. White 2562 MLK Jr. Ave., SE - Washington, DC 20020 Adm. Office 202-678-2263 Email: Campbell@mycame.org
“We are one in the Spirit” www.ssbc5757.org / E-mail: ssbc5757@verizon.net
Services and Times Sunday School: 9:30 AM Sunday Worship: 11:00 AM Sunday Community Worship Service: 8:30 AM
Crusader Baptist Church
901 Third Street N.W. Washington, DC. 20001 Phone (202) 842-3411 Fax (202) 682-9423 Service and Times Sunday Church School : 9:00 AM Sunday Morning Worship: 10:10 AM Bible Study Tuesday: 6: 00 PM Prayer Service Tuesday: 7:00 PM Holy Communion: 3rd Sunday 10:10 AM
36 - JUNE 25 - JULY 1, 2020
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RELIGION Shabbath Commandment Church Bishop Adrian A. Taylor, Sr. Pastor 7801 Livingston Road Oxon Hill, MD 20745 301-534-5471 Service and Times Sabbath School 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 AM Service 11:00 AM Praise & Worship Preaching 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM Motto: “A Church Keeping It Real for Real.” Website: Shabbathcommandmentchruch.org Email: Praisebetoyhwh@gmail.com
Zion Baptist Church Rev. Keith W. Byrd, Sr. Pastor 4850 Blagdon Ave, NW - Washington D.C 20011 Phone (202) 722-4940 - Fax (202) 291-3773 Service and Times 9:00 a.m. – Sunday School 10:15 a.m. – Worship Service Wed. Noon: Dea. Robert Owens Bible Study 7 PM Pastor’s Bible Study Ordinance of Baptism 2nd Sunday, Holy Communion 4th Sunday Mission: Zion shall: Enlist Sinners, Educate Students, Empower the Suffering, Encourage the Saints, And Exalt our Savior. (Acts 2: 41-47) www.zionbaptistchurchdc.org
St. Luke Baptist Church Rev. Aubrey C. Lewis Pastor 1415 Gallatin Street, NW Washington, DC 20011-3851 P: (202) 726-5940 Service and Times Sunday Worship: 11:00 AM Sunday School: 9:15 AM Holy Communion: 11:00 a.m., 3rd Sun. Bible Institute: Wednesday - 1:30 PM Prayer Meeting: Wednesday - 12:00 Noon
All Nations Baptist Church Rev. Dr. James Coleman Pastor 2001 North Capitol St, N.E. - Washington, DC 20002 Phone (202) 832-9591 Service and Times Sunday Church School – 9:30 AM Sunday Worship Service – 11:00 AM Holy Communion – 1st Sunday at 11:00 AM Prayer – Wednesdays, 6:00 PM Bible Study – Wednesdays, 7:00 PM Christian Education / School of Biblical Knowledge Saturdays, 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM, Call for Registration Website: www.allnationsbaptistchurch.com All Nations Baptist Church – A Church of Standards
Israel Baptist Church
Rev. Daryl F. Bell Pastor 2324 Ontario Road, NW Washington, DC 20009 (202) 232-1730 Service and Times Sunday School: 9:30 AM Sunday Worship Service: 11:00 AM Baptismal Service: 1st Sunday – 9:30 AM Holy Communion: 1st Sunday – 11:00 AM Prayer Meeting & Bible Study: Wednesday -7:30 PM “Where Jesus is the King”
Dr. Earl D. Trent Senior Pastor
2409 Ainger Pl.,SE – WDC 20020 (202) 678-0884 – Office / (202) 678-0885 – Fax “Moving Faith Forward” 0% Perfect . . . 100% Forgiven!
623 Florida Ave.. NW - WDC. 20001 Church (202) 667-3409 / Study (202) 265-0836 Home Study (301) 464-8211 / Fax (202) 483-4009
Service and Times Sunday Worship: 8:00 AM & 10:45 AM Baptism/Holy Communion: 3rd Sunday Family Bible Study Tuesdays – 6:30 PM Prayer Service: Tuesdays – 8:00 PM www.emmanuelbaptistchurchdc.org
Sermon On The Mount Temple Of Joy Apostolic Faith
Lincoln Park United Methodist Church Rev. Richard B. Black Pastor
Elder Herman L. Simms Pastor
1251 Saratoga Ave., NE Washington, DC 20018 (202) 269-0288
1301 North Carolina Ave. N E Washington, D C 20002 202 543 1318 - lincolnpark@lpumcdc.org www.lpumcdc.org
5606 Marlboro Pike District Heights, MD 20747 301-735-6005
Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 10:45 AM Sunday School: 9:15 AM Holy Communion1st Sunday: 10:45 AM Prayer Service: Wednesday at 6:30 PM Bible Study: Wednesday at 7:00 PM Bible Study: Tuesday at 10:30 AM
Mount Moriah Baptist Church Dr. Lucius M. Dalton Senior Pastor
Service and Times Sunday Worship: 10:00 AM Holy Communion: First Sunday 10:00 AM Sunday School: 9:00 AM Bible Study: Wednesday @ 12 noon and 6:30 PM Motto: "Faith On The Hill"
Service and Times Sunday Apostolic Worship Services 11:00 A.M and 5:00 PM Communion and Feet Wash 4th Sunday at 5:00 PM Prayer/Seeking: Wednesday at 8:00 PM Apostolic in Doctrine, Pentecostal in Experience, Holiness in Living, Uncompromised and Unchanged. The Apostolic Faith is still alive –Acts 2:42
New Commandment Baptist Church
Eastern Community Baptist Church Damion M. Briggs Pastor
Rev. Stephen E. Tucker Senior Pastor
1636 East Capitol Street, NE Washington, DC 20003 Telephone: 202-544-5588 - Fax: 202-544-2964
8213 Manson Street Landover, MD 20785 Tel: (301) 322-9787 Fax: (301) 322-9240
13701 Old Jericho Park Road Bowie, MD. 20720 (301) 262-0560
Service and Times Sunday Worship Services: 7:45 AM and 10:45 AM Holy Communion: 1st Sundays at 7:45 AM & 10:45 AM Sunday School: 9:30 AM Prayer & Praise Service: Tuesdays at 12 noon & 6:30 PM Bible Study: Tuesdays at 1 pm and 7 PM Youth Bible Study: Fridays at 7 PM
Service and Times Early Morning Message: 7:30 AM Sunday Morning Worship Service: 10:00 AM Sunday Church School: 9:00 AM Holy Communion: 1st Sunday 7:30 AM & 10:00 AM Prayer, Praise and Testimony: Wednesday 7:00 PM Bible Study: Wednesday 7:30 PM
Service and Times Sunday Worship: 11 AM Sunday School: 10 AM Wednesday Mid-Week Worship, Prayer & Bible Study: Wed. 7 PM
Rehoboth Baptist Church
Reverend Peter R. Blue Sr. Pastor
Rev. Curtis l. Staley Pastor
2001 Brooks Drive District Heights MD. 20744 240.838.7074
621 Alabama Ave., S.E.- Washington, D.C. 20032 P: (202) 561-1111 - F: (202) 561-1112
Service and Times Sunday Worship Experience: 10:15am Sunday School: 9:00am Holy Communion: 3rd Sunday Morning Noontime Bible Study: Tuesday @ 12:00pm Prayer Meeting/Bible Study: Tuesday @7:00pm Theme: "Building On A Firm Foundation"
Service and Times Sunday Service: 10:00 AM Sunday School for all ages: 8:30 AM 1st Sunday Baptism: 10:00 AM 2nd Sunday Holy Communion:10:00 AM Tuesday: Bible Study: 6:30 PM Prayer Meeting: 7:45 PM
Email: revprbstmbc@gmail.com Website: www.stmatthewsbaptist.org
Motto: “Where God is First and Where Friendly People Worship”
“Real Worship for Real People” Website: www.easterncommunity.org Email: ecc@easterncommunity.org
“A Church Where Love Is Essential and Praise is Intentional”
Foggy Bottom - Founded in 1867 728 23rd Street, NW - Washington, DC 20037 Church office: 202-333-3985 - Fax : 202-338-4958
Shiloh Baptist Church
Service and Times Sunday Worship Services: 10:00 AM Sunday Church School: 8:45 – 9:45 AM Holy Communion: Every First Sunday Intercessory Prayer: Monday – 7:00-8:00 PM Pastor’s Bible Study: Wednesday –7:45 PM Midweek Prayer: Wednesday – 7:00 PM Noonday Prayer Every Thursday
Matthews Memorial Baptist Church
4504 Gault Place, N.E. / Washington, D.C 20019 202-397-7775 – 7184 Service and Times Sunday Church School: 9:30 AM Sunday Worship Service : 11:00 AM The Lord’s Supper 1st Sunday Prayer & Praise Services: Wednesday 7:00 PM Bible Study: 7:30 PM Saturday before 4th Sunday Men, Women, Youth Discipleship Ministries: 10:30 AM A Christ Centered Church htubc@comcast.net
Christ Embassy DC
Dr. Joseph D. Turner / Senior Pastor 2616 MLK Ave., SE - Washington, DC 20020 Office 202-889-3709 - Fax 202-678-3304 Service and Times Early Worship Service: 8:00 AM Worship Service: 11:00 AM New Member’s Class: 9:45 AM Holy Communion: 1st Sunday, 11:00 AM Church School: 9:45 AM Wednesday 12:00pm Bible Study Prayer, Praise and Bible Study: 7:00 PM Saturday Bible Study: 11:00 AM Baptism 4th Sunday: 11:00 AM “Empowered to love and Challenged to Lead a Multitude of Souls to Christ”
Peace Baptist Church
Kelechi Ajieren Coordinator 6839 Eastern Avenue, R1 Takoma Park, MD 20912 (202) 556-7065 Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 10:00 AM Wednesday Bible Study: 7:00 PM Friday Evening Service: 7:00 PM ; Last Friday “…Giving Your Life a Meaning” www.Christembassydc.org Christ.embassy.dc@hotmail.com
Pennsylvania Ave. Baptist Church
Rev. Dr. Michael T. Bell 712 18th Street, NE Washington, DC 20002 Phone 202-399-3450/ Fax 202-398-8836 Service and Times Sunday Early Morning Prayer & Bible Study Class: 8:00 AM Sunday School: 9:00 AM Sunday Morning Worship Service: 10:00 AM Wednesday Service: 12:00 PM “The Loving Church of the living lord “
Rev. Dr. Kendrick E. Curry Pastor 3000 Pennsylvania Ave.. S.E Washington, DC 20020 202 581-1500 Service and Times Sunday Church School: 9:30 AM Sunday Worship Service: 11:00 AM Monday Adult Bible Study: 7:00 PM Wednesday Youth & Adult Activities: 6:30 PM Prayer Service Bible Study
First Rising Mt. Zion Baptist Church
Mt. Horeb Baptist Church
Rev. Dr. Wallace Charles Smith Pastor
Rev. Oran W. Young Pastor
Rev. Dr. H. B. Sampson, III Pastor
9th & P Street, N.W. - W. D.C. 20001 (202) 232-4288
602 N Street NW - Washington, D.C. 20001 Office:(202) 289-4480 Fax: (202) 289-4595
2914 Bladensburg Road, NE Wash., DC 20018 Office: (202) 529-3180 - Fax: (202) 529-7738 Service and Times Worship Service: 7:30 AM Sunday School: 9:00 AM Worship Service: 10:30 AM Holy Communion: 4th Sunday 7:30AM & 10:30 AM Prayer Services:Tuesday 7:30 PM. Wednesday 12 Noon
www.stmarysfoggybottom.org Email: stmarysoffice@stmarysfoggybottom.org
Service and Times First Sunday Worship Service (one service): 10:00 AM Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Sunday Worship service: 7:45 AM and 10:55 AM Sunday Church School/Bible Study: 9:30 AM Thursday Prayer Service: 6:30 PM
All are welcome to St. Mary’s to Learn, Worship, and Grow.
Email: sbc@shilohbaptist.org Website: shilohbaptist.org
Service and Times Sundays: 10 a.m. Holy Eucharist with Music and Hymns Wednesdays: 12:10 p.m. - Holy Eucharist
Rev. Dr. George C. Gilbert Senior Pastor
Email Address: admin@pbc712.org
Historic St. Mary’s Episcopal Church The Rev. E. Bernard Anderson Priest
Holy Trinity United Baptist Church
Florida Avenue Baptist Church
Reverend Christopher L. Nichols Pastor
Rev. Dr. Jerryl V. Moody Pastor-Elect
Web: www.mountmoriahchurch.org Email: mtmoriah@mountmoriahchurch.org
St. Matthews Baptist Church
Emmanuel Baptist Church
King Emmanuel Baptist Church
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Service and Times Sunday School for All Ages: 8:00 AM Sunday Worship Services: 9:30 AM Midday Prayer & Bible Study: Wednesday 11:30AM Evening Prayer & Bible Study: Wednesday 7:00 PM Laymen's League: Thursday 7:00 PM Email: Froffice@firstrising.org Website: www.firstrising.org “Changing Lives On Purpose “
Email:mthoreb@mthoreb.org Website:www.mthoreb.org For further information, please contact me at (202) 529-3180.
JUNE 25 - JULY 1, 2020 37
LEGAL NOTICES
LEGAL NOTICES SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 2019 ADM 001079 Anthony Cornelius Baker Decedent Howard Haley, Esq. The Haley Firm, PC 7600 Georgia Ave, NW #405 Washington, DC 20012 Attorney
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, MARYLAND CAD19-39367 PATRICK ANDERSON Plaintiff v. WANDA ANDERSON Defendant
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Lakesha Sistrunk, whose address is 14338 Marlborough Lane, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Anthony Cornelius Baker who died on November 16, 2018 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 12/25/2020. 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 12/25/2020, 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: 6/25/2020 Lakesha Sistrunk Personal Representative
ORDER Upon consideration of the Plaintiff’s Motion for Alternative Service, and the relief sought therein, it is this 26th day of May, 2020 by and through the Circuit Court for Prince George’s County, Maryland, ORDERED, that Plaintiff’s Motion for Alternative Service is hereby GRANTED; and it is further, ORDERED, that Plaintiff may serve process to Defendant, WANDA ANDERSON, pursuant to Maryland Rules 2-121(c), 2-122(a) (1) by posting the notice by the sheriff at the courthouse door or on a bulletin board within its immediate vicinity, and 2-122(a)(2), by publishing the notice at least once a week in each of three successive weeks in one or more newspapers of general circulation published in the country in which the action is pending. Ingrid M Turner, Judge Circuit Court for Prince George’s County, Maryland
TRUE TEST COPY
TRUE COPY TEST
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills
Mahasin El Amin, Clerk
Washington Informer SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA FAMILY COURT ADOPTION BRANCH EX PARTE IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION OF D.J. FOR ADOPTION OF MINOR CHILD 2020 ADA 0025 Case No: Julie Breslow Judge NOTICE OF ADOPTION PROCEEDING UNKNOWN FATHER, YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT a petition for adoption of a minor child has been filed in the above-captioned matter. The subject male child was born on March 26, 2019 and has the initials M.N. The birth mother’s name is Wykela Nolan. IF YOU WANT TO SEEK CUSTODY OR CHALLENGE THIS ADOPTION, you must file a written objection with the Court prior to the adoption hearing scheduled for July 8, 2020. This objection should be directed to the Adoption Clerk, Family Court, Superior Court of the District of Columbia, 500 Indiana Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001. IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO SEEK CUSTODY OR CHALLENGE THIS ADOPTION, you may consent to the adoption or relinquish the child to a licensed child-placing agency. Please contact social worker, DC Danh at the Child and Family Services Agency. The agency can be contacted at 202-422-8794 (work) 202715-7797 (cell) and is located at 200 I Street SE Washington, DC 20003. PLEASE ADVISE CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES AGENCY OF YOUR INTENTIONS REGARDING THIS CHILD PRIOR TO JULY 8, 2020. YOUR COURT APPOINTED COUNSEL IN THIS MATTER IS Marco Cabezas, Esq. 4508 Van Ness Street NW Washington, DC 20016. HIS TELEPHONE NUMBER IS 202-744-4008. IF THE ADOPTION IS GRANTED, your legal rights, responsibilities and obligations with respect to this child will be forever terminated. June 5, 2020 Mag. Judge Julie Breslow
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HALFWAY HOUSE from Page 1 sionally and educationally. “I’m hoping to have CORE DC LLC be a part of these conversations, and hear about their plans as it relates to our returning citizens, and have a real conversation about our entire city’s responsibility to accept them,” Holcomb added. “We have to think about what that looks like. It shouldn’t be frowned upon if they go elsewhere in the city.” Two weeks ago, not long after the Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOE) awarded a five-year, $60 million contract to CORE DC LLC — a provider of services for individuals and families — Holcomb and the other commissioners of ANC 7F released a statement in opposition to the move, saying that it threatened the possibility of economic viability along Benning Road and Minnesota Avenue. Their sentiments echoed that of Ward 7 Council member Vincent C. Gray (D), who reportedly described the FBOE contract as another instance of federal encroachment on local matters. Earlier this year, his office attempted to dissuade officials from considering 3701 Benning Road NE. A new 300-bed halfway house has since been scheduled to open at that location in early October as a replacement for Hope Village, a facility on Langston Street in Southeast that has garnered a reputation for subpar living conditions and poor treatment of residents by staff members. In April, two Hope Village residents filed a class-action lawsuit against Hope Village, FBOE, and the D.C. Department of Corrections alleging
POLICE REFORM from Page 12 Some delegates remain skeptical, especially when some policies aren’t required. Del. David Moon (D-Montgomery County) gave an example on the no-knock warrant rule. “It basically says it’s unreasonable as long as the officers have been trained. Clearly, that’s now what we intended, but maybe that’s what happens when we hand rule-making off to a body composed mainly of law enforcement with no teeth,” he said. “We’ve sort of set up a regime where we’re doing rules without teeth.” Berry said a provision in the law allows officers to enter a home if they observe violence. Another member of the work group, Del. Gabriel Acevero (D-Montgomery County), least
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5 ANC Commission Chair Tyrell M. Holcomb (Courtesy photo)
that officials didn’t act diligently in preventing the spread of the coronavirus. This happened shortly after two non-coronavirus-related deaths compelled Council member Trayon White (D-Ward 8) to visit the facility, the contract for which had been extended amid a failed attempt to relocate to 3400 New York Avenue NE. In 2018, Ward 5 Council member Kenyan McDuffie (D) and Ward 5 ANC commissioners successfully countered the transfer to 3400 New York Avenue NE. Years later, Lewis Tait Jr., Ward 7 clergyman and residential reentry center proponent, said Douglas Jamel, owner of 3400 New York Avenue NE, was never held responsible for reneging on his decision to lease his space to CORE DC LLC. Jamel’s gesture, Tait said, showed little regard for returning citizens. As
the Ward 7 community faces pressure similar to what Ward 5 residents and officials endured, Tait said that a virtual town hall, when done correctly, could provide the opportunity for all involved to find common ground and get answers to their most pressing questions. “It would be productive and not where people point fingers. Let’s talk about how we can work with CORE DC and how what they did in New York City would look in D.C.,” said Tait, senior pastor of The Village Church in Southeast. “What kind of job development would come about because of this residential reentry center? How can we as a community focus on returning citizens? If this is not the ideal way to get things done, how do we effectively get the reentry programs?” WI
three times asked Berry and Albert Liebno, acting executive director of the commission, if the state has a specific law on limiting the use of force by officers. Berry said it’s part of best practices such as using words to de-escalate a situation and “empty-hand” tactics where an officer has nothing in his or her hand. “It’s always encouraged not to use physical force,” he said. “But during those particular times to using a minimum amount of force [under the law].” After Liebno summarized various training officers conduct, he said “no” to Acevedo’s question. Acevero continues to pursue “Anton’s Law,” a comprehensive piece of police reform legislation named after 19-year-old Anton Black, who died while in police custody on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
The measure, not passed this year during an abrupt ending to the session because of the coronavirus pandemic, would allow citizen and other complaints on police shootings to become public and incorporate specific standards on use of force by officers. In addition, Acevero plans to present legislation to repeal the Law Enforcement Officers Bill of Rights. Del. Debra Davis (D-Charles County) asked how many states incorporate the officers bill of rights. Neither Berry nor Liebno didn’t know, but Davis did —16, she said. “If that statute was repealed, would that affect the employment rights of officers?” Davis said. Berry deferred to legal counsel. The next meeting is scheduled July 16 and a public hearing set for Aug. 6. WI
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Carter said philanthropic gifts aren’t measured by fairness. “People give where they want to give,” he said. “They give where they have an affinity or they have familiarity, [or] where they think that gift is going to be best used. No matter what era you’re in, that’s always going to be true, whether it was Carnegie in the 1900s or Quillin and Hastings now.” Carter also contends that more visibility doesn’t necessarily mean a better financial situation, especially for private institutions such as Howard, Morehouse and Spelman. “Morehouse got $40 million last week, but last month they had to furlough faculty and staff,” he said. “The president and the entire executive cabinet had to take a pay cut. Morehouse ain’t good. “They’re not flush with cash, even with $40 million in the bank, even with Robert Smith gifting a whole graduating class … paying off their loans, even with Oprah Winfrey giving them millions,” Carter said. “It cost $5 million a month to operate Morehouse.” Carter said the best way to help all HBCUs from schools such as LeMoyne-Owen College in Memphis, Tennessee, to Allen University in Columbia, South Carolina, is to send students to these institutions. “No one can give more than tuition revenue can give to these HBCUs and faster … and without certain restrictions,” he said. Carter said when philanthropists give money to an HBCU, they normally stipulate where the money goes. If it’s allocated for scholarships, it can’t be used to refurbish buildings, hire faculty, give raises, improve security or technology, whereas tuition revenue doesn’t come with such restrictions. “I don’t care how much money any school gets,” he said. “You can’t out-fundraise tuition revenue. Go to these schools and give to these schools.” WI
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leadership development firm, said in an email that the study concerns her mostly because of her two sons who have to work in the current environment. “I have two sons and wear three hats, mother, Black woman, leadership strategist. If I am honest, I am afraid, afraid of the challenges my two young Black men will face in the world,” said Talia Fox, the CEO of KUSI Training, a global transformational leadership development firm, noted an email.
HEALTH from Page 20
ticipated in a telephone town hall on June 17 to not only encourage residents to enroll in the state’s insurance program but also answer questions on health-related topics. One person asked if someone loses a job, could he or she opt in to the state’s health insurance program or COBRA, federal law that allows a person to remain with their existing insurance carrier for up to 18 months. However, that person usually pays the employer and employee share of coverage. Michelle Eberle, executive director of the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange that operates the marketplace, said residents should research the insurance options at marylandhealthconnection.gov. “The critical thing is that if you enroll in your COBRA plan, you then have to stay enrolled and exhaust that plan before you can come and buy a plan through the exchange,” she said on the telephone town hall. “Please just come and shop around. It’s really easy on the site … and see what options are available.” Meanwhile, the state unveiled another first in the nation this year: a prescription drug affordability board that held its first meeting this year. The five-member board composed of college professors, an ophthalmologist and the state’s former health secretary has the authority to assess and recommend how to make drugs more affordable for Maryland residents. The board seeks to analyze a cap on drug prices to make them inexpensive. Gov. Larry Hogan vetoed legislation passed this year to provide the board an annual budget. “When my fear settles, it turns to anger, and I wonder why people are not doing anything. I want to blame someone, anyone for the injustices in the world,” Fox said. “Then, my anger leads me to look in the mirror. What do I have to give? What is my role in this? I am a leadership strategist and an educator. I have seen knowledge, understanding, and strategy, and implementation transform businesses and inspire people to drive and lead change, which anchors my hope that a better future is possible for my two Black men.” WI
According to the bill, the board was slated to receive $2 million annually through 2025. An additional $250,000 would be provided from 2021 to 2023 as “special fund expenditures” to repay the Maryland Health Care Commission. The board received $750,000 this year to begin its work. “The Prescription Drug Affordability Board has been working hard to understand how the high cost of drugs is hurting average Marylanders,” Van Mitchell, chair of the board, said in a statement. “We have the temporary funding we need to continue that work, but we urge the General Assembly to support our efforts, override the governor’s veto and establish a permanent funding mechanism for the board’s critically important mission.” WI
SUFFRAGE from Page 17 and talking from the stage in support of everyone voting and voicing themselves,” said vocal artist Virginia Schenck. “I reflected on the fact that it had been only two generations back that women earned the right to vote. History reminded me that it took the 15th Amendment in 1870 for African American men to earn the right to vote, though follow-through remained a challenge. Even with President Lyndon Johnson signing the Voters Rights Act in 1966, gerrymandering and voter suppression persists, and we still have challenges, “We are all inhabitants of this great country,” Schenck said. “Each with a voice. Each with a vote. How far we’ve come. How much further to go.” Macarena Rabanedo, a Miami-based political consultant, believes it’s an excellent idea for Biden to select a woman of color, in part because of the power of Black women voters. Rabanedo said Rice would be his ideal candidate. “Loved by Democrats and independents alike, Ambassador Rice brings to the table the hope to restore America’s standing in the world,” Rabanedo said. “A Black woman with vast knowledge in international relations and foreign policy, saving the world from the travesty that was President Donald Trump’s doctrine would be one for the books.” WI
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MALVEAUX from Page 24
fused to accept the federal government’s offer to pay for the expansion of Medicaid to cover poor working people. Not surprisingly, they are mostly states from the south: Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Oklahoma. Economic violence snuffs out dreams and takes lives. Even as the demonstrations demand a reimagining of criminal justice, we need to demand a basic economic justice. There is only one major reason why this rich country does not have the universal health care, good public schools, secure retirements, decent housing, adequate food — and that is racial injustice and the collateral damage it does to people of all races who are not affluent. Now change is in the air and, more importantly, in the streets. New possibilities are open. America is called once more, led by the passion of a young generation more diverse than ever, finally to begin to address the racism that increasingly endangers us all. WI
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year that African American incomes exceed those in 2000, and that “progress” was wiped out in the pandemic. Unemployment among African Americans generally is twice that of whites. Today, official unemployment for Blacks is at 16.7% and for whites, 14.2%. It’s that close because Blacks are disproportionately employed in frontline essential jobs — the postal service, mass transit, warehouses, grocery and drug stores, hospitals and nursing homes. Poverty among African Americans, before the pandemic recession, was at 20.8%; for whites, 8.1%. African Americans are 60% less likely to have health care at work than whites. Poverty, unemployment, low income, low savings all lead to vulnerability. African Americans are less likely to have adequate health insurance and more likely to have chronic illnesses. So African Americans, about 13.2% of the population, have suffered 23% of COVID-19 deaths. Consider the shackles we put on
too many African American children born into impoverished neighborhoods. Their mothers are less likely to have prenatal care; they are more likely to suffer death or injury at birth. They are less likely to have adequate nutrition; more likely to grow up in apartments with lead in the walls and pipes; less likely to have day care or pre-K. They go to public schools inequitable to those in the affluent suburbs. They walk dangerous streets, where police too often provide not protection but a separate threat. And if they rise above that and go to college, they graduate with far higher student debt, into a job market that will pay them less than their white peers. All of this is well-known. None of it is accidental. Solutions are known but not adopted. Racism is used to divide working and poor people, to protect those with privilege. Often, poor white families suffer simply because of the unwillingness to see tax dollars go to lift people of color from their misery. For example, 14 states have re-
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cy. That is the foundation upon which America is built — a foundation that must crumble if the idea of America, that all are created equal, is to be. Perhaps the civil unrest we are witnessing, of and by young, old, Black, brown and white people, is the labor pain as our nation is born anew —one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. WI
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nied by fear, however. The fear that when enough people are forced to gasp for air, people will fight back. The masters, in turn, will call out the police, the National Guard, and the Army to allay their fears. Ultimately people die, and more Black people are put in jail. But quiet is restored, and the privileged return to the halls of their earthly power.
Our cities are boiling over with racial discontent. Our citizens are deeply distressed by broken promises. They are unable to turn away from the shattering of the American dream as it exposes an ugly truth: too few have too much, while too many suffer. The flames in America’s cities are fanned by the power of wealth, the advantages of whiteness, and the oppression of Blacks — the three legs of white suprema-
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that Enslaved People Built, our tax dollars are housing the Lowlife in Chief. We have endured over three years of this man’s venom, vituperation, name-calling, and contempt of the people who are merely exercising First Amendment rights by taking it to the streets. Many of the so-called “looters and lowlives” are descended of enslaved people who have had enough. I stand with the looters and lowlives, the people who, in the shadow of the poet Langston Hughes, ask “what happened to a dream deferred.” It explodes. Since 1619, since 1865, since 1964, it has been exploding. Still? I stand with the looters and lowlives and reject a man whose unfamiliarity with truth is a vexation, abomination and a despicable affront to decency. WI
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ing Greenwood in 1921, but Black men and women are still standing up for ourselves. That’s why folks have taken it to the streets, protesting night after night, wearing shirts that say “Black Lives Matter” and “I Can’t Breathe.” They aren’t just Black folks. If you have a heart, it could not help but shatter just a bit when you saw the inexcusable 8:46 minute knee to George Floyd’s neck. If I could have just 3 minutes with Mr. Turmp, I’d like to ask him, “who’s looting who.” Changing the tax code to benefit your friends and the wealthy are looting the rest of us. Taking food from hungry people is another form of looting. Losing tax dollars to support your decrepit lifestyle and multiple golf trips is looting. Taking money from
public schools to help your pet private schools is stealing. You see looting when people set fires and break windows. Why don’t you think about the fire that ran people out of Greenwood, the broken windows that destroyed Black presses, the looting that has stolen Black wealth And then there is the term “lowlife.” The dictionary describes such folks as people who have “low social status” or “low moral character.” So what kind of moral character does a man have who brags about grabbing women by their genitals? What kind of moral character does a man have who derides people because of their race or gender? What kind of person calls people he disagrees with “sons of bitches”? He doesn’t know their mamas, but he has insulted them. At 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, the House
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CROWELL from Page 25 convened by the House Committee on Small Business, was titled “Paycheck Protection Program: Loan Forgiveness and Other Challenges.” This forum focused on what has generally worked with the program, what has not, the changes Congress has recently made to the program, and suggestions to continue optimizing the program. The same day, the Small Business Administration released a new and shorter PPP loan form for certain borrowers. Only three pages in length, this form must certify that employees’ hours were not cut, and that the applying business was unable to operate at pre-coronavirus levels due to health mandates. The new form might have been in response to the mounting concerns expressed on the program, and the
LEON from Page 25 Examine the Laws of Virginia: • Act XII 1662, “children got by Englishmen upon a Negro woman, is the child slave or free?” The status of the child shall be determined by the status of the mother. • Act II 1667 addresses, “What happens to the status of a baptized slave?” Answer: “the conferring of baptism doth not alter the condition of person as to his bondage…” • Act I 1669, a master cannot be charged with murder for the “casual killing of slaves” since no one in their right mind would destroy their own property. By 1669, the enslaved were no longer persons, they were no longer human — they were property. The Constitution gave us the
ASKIA from Page 25 he’s told more than 19,000 lies since he’s been in office, according to The Washington Post. Never mind that he’s a philandering cheat who’d rather play golf every Sunday rather than ever go to church. Never mind that. After having peaceful, law-abiding protestors in Lafayette Square cleared away with tear gas and rubber bullets, he marched right over to St. John’s Episcopal Church on June 1, and stood there holding a Bible, which he never, ever, ever reads. All the deplorables will see is their champion, standing in the breech, holding up the Good Book. That’s good enough for them. “Four more years,” they chant. I’m convinced that even if the pop-
flurry of information requests on approved applicants and respective loan amounts. The Select Committee on the Coronavirus Crisis, chaired by South Carolina’s Rep. Jim Clyburn demanded that the U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, the Small Business Administration’s Jovita Carranza, and many of the nation’s largest banks “take immediate steps to ensure that remaining PPP funds are allocated to businesses truly in need, and to increase transparency so taxpayers can see whether federal funds are being diverted due to waste, fraud, and abuse.” That June 15 letter stated, “Of the $310 billion in additional PPP funds appropriated by that law, $60 billion was reserved for various community lenders, which have a proven track record of serving small businesses lacking long-standing relationships with
large financial institutions. As of June 6, 2020, SBA had approved more than $511 billion in PPP loans, leaving more than $130 billion available for future lending.” The Select Subcommittee added that the agencies “provide more transparency about the administration of this program so American taxpayers can understand whether federal funds are helping vulnerable businesses and saving jobs, or are being diverted due to waste, fraud, and abuse. … Contrary to Secretary Mnuchin’s recent testimony, there is nothing ‘proprietary’ or ‘confidential’ about a business receiving millions of dollars appropriated by Congress and taxpayers deserve to know how their money is being spent.” For the full version of this story, go to washingtoninformer.com. WI
Three-Fifths Compromise, the Fugitive Slave Provision (the constitutional validation for slave patrols, the early form of American policing) and allowed for the importation of enslaved Africans for 20 years, until Jan. 1, 1808. In 1857 the Supreme Court via Chief Justice Taney gave us the Dred Scott decision, validating the belief that all blacks — enslaved as well as free — were not and could never become citizens of the United States. The framers of the Constitution, he wrote, believed that blacks “had no rights which the white man was bound to respect…” These are a few examples of what is meant by structural or “institutional racism.” Stripping our ancestors of their humanity, relegating them to the position of property or things and codifying it in the founding doc-
uments and court decisions of this country. This is not a malfunction; this is the machine operating as designed! Yes, there has been legislation and court decisions that have amended and/or eliminated many of these laws from the books. The Brown decision, the 64’ Civil Rights Act, the 65’ Voting Rights Act and the Fair Housing Act were all great legal and legislative advancements. This progress has lulled us to sleep with a false sense of accomplishment and optimism. The reality remains that legislation alone does not do anything to disabuse those in power and those they represent of the controlling mindset of this country, of the notion that African-Americans are less than human. For the full version of this story, go to washingtoninformer.com. WI
ular vote goes against him again, and even if the Electoral College is poised to declare his defeat, he will find a way to manipulate the system so that he can legally steal the election. And then, if that fails, he’ll just refuse to leave office, and no one can force him out because Commander Bone Spurs is the head of the military and Secret Service, so, four more years it will be, and four more years after that, as he has promised on numerous occasions, even though the Constitution limits the president to only two terms in office. The only rule guiding this guy is what he sees as being good for him. His allies, even those fighting to remain in office are stacking the electoral deck already. In Tennessee, for example, where there were 3,700 voting locations last election, there will only
be 200 this time, because of concern about not spreading COVID-19, they say. That maneuver keeps his chief legislative enabler, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) in office, and with a GOP majority in the Senate, they will stack the courts with like-minded judges. The only thing is there are unintended consequences and unforeseen developments — like the teenage TikTok brigade that sabotaged his Tulsa rally — and when the situation they face is not in the Trump Gambler’s Manifesto, they won’t know how to handle the situation. Meanwhile, all he needs, like the pitiful beggar, is a dime to get himself another hot dog, another term in office. Beware. WI
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